Developing a Strategy for Planting Southern Baptist Churches in Northeast North Carolina

The purpose of this thesis is to determine a strategy for planting new churches in the northeast North Carolina region. This thesis will also consider if there is a certain type of person who might demonstrate a contextual propensity toward a new church by exploring the cultural distinctives found among the people of this region as well as the history of church planting in geographic and cultural context. The thesis will engage in demographic research, and explore resources adequate for the planting of new churches helpful to other Southern Baptist associations and other denominations

Environmental triage decisions during a drought

The Murray Darling Basin Current is currently in drought. There are low water levels in most dams, and increased uncertainty about future rainfall. As a result management of the ecosystems in the basin that depend on river flows involves some hard decisions about what assets to save and what assets to let go. This paper models this triage problem using a stochastic and dynamic programming approach. This model is used to identify how optimal management is affected by hysteretic and irreversible effects of drought on ecosystem assets and uncertainty about future climate.Triage, irreversibility, climate change, Environmental Economics and Policy,

Cooperative Student-Built Multi-Payload Balloon-Satellite Eclipse Measurement

Six high altitude balloon payloads were built and flown in the path of totality on during the 2017 total solar eclipse across the US. The payload flight controllers consisted of Raspberry Pi computers running code written in Bash and Python 3.4 to collect and store data from sensors. The program on each payload collected data from an external temperature sensor, an internal temperature sensor, a pressure sensor, a light sensor, a GPS unit, and a camera. The design also incorporated a smart internal heater to prevent the payload from freezing. The payload design, circuit, and code will be presented along with lessons learned and plans for future work. This project was made possible by a Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship, a subaward from the NASA Eclipse Ballooning Project Science Mission Directorate Grant & the Arkansas Space Grant Consortium Grant, and Student Research Funds from the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Central Arkansas

Circulating mouse Flk1+/c-Kit+/CD45- cells function as endothelial progenitors cells (EPCs) and stimulate the growth of human tumor xenografts

BACKGROUND: Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) have been demonstrated to have stem-cell like as well as mature endothelial functions. However, controversy remains as to their origins, immunophenotypic markings, and contribution to the tumor vascular network and tumor survival. METHODS: Flow cytometric analysis and sorting was used to isolate Flk-1+/c-Kit+/CD45- cells. Matrigel and methycellulose assays, flow cytometry, and gene array analyses were performed to characterize several murine EPC cell populations. Human tumor xenografts were used to evaluate the impact of EPCs on tumor growth and vascular development. RESULTS: Flk-1+/c-Kit+/CD45- cells were present at low levels in most murine organs with the highest levels in adipose, aorta/vena cava, and lung tissues. Flk-1+/c-Kit+/CD45- cells demonstrated stem cell qualities through colony forming assays and mature endothelial function by expression of CD31, uptake of acLDL, and vascular structure formation in matrigel. High passage EPCs grown in vitro became more differentiated and lost stem-cell markers. EPCs were found to have hemangioblastic properties as demonstrated by the ability to rescue mice given whole body radiation. Systemic injection of EPCs increased the growth of human xenograft tumors and vessel density. CONCLUSIONS: Flk-1+/C-Kit+/CD45- cells function as endothelial progenitor cells. EPCs are resident in most murine tissue types and localize to human tumor xenografts. Furthermore, the EPC population demonstrates stem-cell and mature endothelial functions and promoted the growth of tumors through enhanced vascular network formation. Given the involvement of EPCs in tumor development, this unique host-derived population may be an additional target to consider for anti-neoplastic therapy

Concussion Knowledge and Prior Concussion Experience of Theater Personnel

In Volume 3, Issue 1 of the JSMAHS you will find Professional research abstracts, as well as Under Graduate student research abstracts, case reports, and critically appraised topics. Thank you for viewing this 3rd Annual OATA Special Edition

State and Local Governments Address the Twin Challenges of Climate Change and Energy Alternatives

This article examines new programs and initiatives that states, local governments, and regional groups have embarked upon to address the issues of climate change and energy alternatives. The article also questions whether these efforts will be overtaken by federal action or whether a tradition of cooperative federalism will continue

An Intensive Cultural Resources Survey of Frontier Communications Corporation’s Proposed Amistad Electric Line Project in Val Verde County, Texas

On 26 October 2017, Horizon Environmental Services, Inc. (Horizon) conducted an intensive cultural resources survey of Frontier Communications Corporation’s (FCC) proposed Amistad Electric Line Project in southeastern Val Verde County, Texas (Project Area). The undertaking will be privately funded and will not require any federal permits. However, it is located on property within the Amistad National Recreation Area, a federal property maintained by the National Park Service (NPS). As the undertaking is located on federal property, it is regulated by the Archaeological Resources Protection Act (ARPA) of 1979 and the Antiquities Act (AA) of 1906. On behalf of FCC, Whitenton Group (Whitenton) contracted with Horizon to conduct the cultural resources survey of the Project Area in compliance with the ARPA and the AA. The purpose of the cultural resources survey was to determine if any archeological sites were located within the Area of Potential Effect (APE) and, if any existed, to determine if the project had the potential to have any adverse impacts on sites listed on or considered eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). The investigations were conducted under ARPA Permit No. 17-AMIS-01. The undertaking consists of the removal of old communication poles from within an existing electrical transmission line right-of-way (ROW) within the Amistad National Recreation Area. The APE for the undertaking measures approximately 1.0 miles (1.6 kilometers [km]) long by 30.0 feet (9.1 meters [m]) wide (approximately 4.0 acres). Horizon’s survey efforts resulted in the observation of a solitary chert flake on a landform in the northern extent of the Project Area. An intensive surface inspection on this landform, as well as the excavation of 10 shovel tests in the vicinity of the solitary specimen, failed to document any additional cultural materials at the location. As such, the specimen is considered an isolated find and was not documented as a formal archeological site. Site 41VV1222 is a previously recorded, low-density, prehistoric lithic scatter that is mapped in proximity to the southern extent of the Project Area. Horizon’s survey efforts failed to find any materials associated with the site within the current Project Area. However, supplemental survey efforts conducted by Jack Johnson (Amistad Park Archeologist), who has first-hand knowledge the site’s location, resulted in the reassessment of the site’s sparse deposits as well as an accurate plotting of its location on the landscape. Based on its sparse and surficial nature, the lack of temporally diagnostic implements, and the lack of preserved floral and faunal materials, it is Horizon’s opinion that site 41VV122 is ineligible for inclusion on the NRHP and that no additional investigations are warranted on the site in connection with the current undertaking. Based on the results of the cultural resources survey, it is Horizon’s opinion that the undertaking will have no adverse effect on any significant cultural resources listed on or considered eligible for listing on the NRHP within the APE. Horizon therefore recommends that FCC be allowed to proceed with the development of the Project Area relative to the jurisdiction of the ARPA and AA

State and Local Governments Address the Twin Challenges of Climate Change and Energy Alternatives

This article examines new programs and initiatives that states, local governments, and regional groups have embarked upon to address the issues of climate change and energy alternatives. The article also questions whether these efforts will be overtaken by federal action or whether a tradition of cooperative federalism will continue