Adopting the Abandoned: Changing the Approach to Student Ministry at First Baptist Church in Columbia, Missouri

The purpose of this doctoral project is to lead the congregation of First Baptist Church to first understand the effects of systemic abandonment of adolescents by Western culture and the Church and then confront these effects by applying what can be learned (about identity, belonging, and attachment) from a biblical and cultural (secular) understanding of adoption, in order to reshape ministry praxis to more faithfully align with the work of God’s Kingdom. The project uses the process of practical theology to guide this work. This project is divided into three parts. Part One explores systems of adolescent support—and ultimately, abandonment. It also examines the Church’s reaction to the rise and fall of such systems. This context is essential to creating a felt need for action within the local church. Part Two employs theological reflection and insights from secular disciplines to examine the idea of adoption into the family of God as foundational for identity. It also borrows from lessons gleaned from adoptive parents and their children on attachment and identity. Part Three draws from the previous parts to propose an implementation plan for a new ministry strategy that addresses the need for belonging through understanding how people are adopted (both spiritually and culturally) into God’s family, the Church, within the context of First Baptist Church. This approach is leading the congregation into creating a more faithful praxis. The project concludes with a summary of what was learned and insights for future ministry

Collective Teacher Efficacy

This professional learning module (PLM) was designed for those in leadership roles in educational organizations who desire to examine the effect of collective teacher efficacy for school improvement purposes. This module defines collective teacher efficacy as it applies to educational settings and impacts student learning. School leaders will learn research-based conditions and practices that have been found to foster collective efficacy in schools. Collective Teacher Efficacy Professional Learning Module is aligned with the North Carolina Standards for School Executives, Professional Standards for Educational Leaders, and Teacher Leader Model Standards. View professional learning module.https://digitalcommons.gardner-webb.edu/improve/1039/thumbnail.jp

Liquid chromatography – mass spectrometry methods for investigating osmolytes and related one-carbon metabolites in health and disease.

Organic osmolytes are methylamines, polyols, or amino acids that are essential for cell volume regulation. Some have other important biochemical roles. For example, N,N,N-trimethylglycine (betaine) is an osmolyte that also acts as a methyl group donor in one-carbon metabolism. Previous methods for the analysis of betaine and its metabolite N,N-dimethylglycine (DMG) used derivatization and high performance liquid chromatography with ultra violet detection (HPLC-UV). They required a long sample run time, and often lacked specificity. Liquid chromatography - tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) methods were developed with the aim of improving the analysis of betaine and other osmolytes. The objective was to measure the osmolytes: betaine; glycerophosphorylcholine (GPC); taurine; myo-inositol; sorbitol; and trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO), as well as N,N-dimethylglycine (DMG), choline, sarcosine, and carnitines. The use of LC-MS/MS improved the analysis of many osmolytes (and related metabolites) compared to previous HPLC- UV methods, and the number of osmolytes that could be analyzed was increased. The analysis of polyols was challenging and no suitable method was found for the analysis of sorbitol; however, amide columns were effective at separating inositol isomers. To demonstrate applications for these methods, samples from overweight people with type 2 diabetes were analyzed to improve knowledge about how osmolytes interact with other metabolites, and their potential use as risk markers in disease. Betaine, DMG, and choline concentrations had low intra-individual variation in the plasma and urine. However, GPC, taurine, and TMAO were more variable. Most subjects with diabetes who were taking bezafibrate had extremely elevated urine betaine. A previously unknown metabolite, N,N-dimethylglycine-N-oxide (DMGO), was identified in plasma and urine. DMGO significantly correlated (p < 0.05) with DMG, betaine, and choline, suggesting that it is derived from the oxidation of DMG. The discovery of DMGO in human samples suggests that a re-evaluation of the widely accepted pathway for choline metabolism may be required

Guest Artist: Kyle Gregory

Kemp Recital HallApril 14, 2013Sunday Evening8:00 p.m

Quantitative Analysis of Cell Nucleus Organisation

There are almost 1,300 entries for higher eukaryotes in the Nuclear Protein Database. The proteins' subcellular distribution patterns within interphase nuclei can be complex, ranging from diffuse to punctate or microspeckled, yet they all work together in a coordinated and controlled manner within the three-dimensional confines of the nuclear volume. In this review we describe recent advances in the use of quantitative methods to understand nuclear spatial organisation and discuss some of the practical applications resulting from this work

Guest Artist Recital: Sonic Exploration Society

Kemp Recital HallFebruary 9, 2012Thursday Evening8:00 p.m

Services that Enable Integration and Cross-Linking Across Different Types of Identifiers and Data Types

This report summarises progress for disciplinary cross-linking of identifier systems and the results obtained from the perspective of each THOR project partner organisation, in particular disciplinary data repositories. We describe requirements, results, and challenges informed by implementations in the life sciences, earth and environmental sciences, and high-energy physics