Divine Fluidity: Shifts of Gender and Sexuality in Conservative Christian Communities

This thesis draws on ethnographic research from three communities of conservative Christian women who find empowerment and agency through their religious traditions. Two communities are politically active, outspoken women who also believe strongly in traditional roles for women, and one community idealizes conservative standards of sexuality while accepting women who work as sex workers. These women did not view their positions as contradictory, rather, they used religious beliefs and religious practices to enact, embody or explain their complex genders and sexualities. This thesis draws on ethnographic, feminist and queer theories while showcasing the diversity within a movement largely believed to be monolithic. The researcher aims to encourage more dialogue between liberal feminists and conservative Christians

Evaluating Algorithms Used For Fetal Brain Scan Segmentation

The goal for this project was to successfully segment a fetal brain scan (fetal scan) using the algorithms provided by the program Slicer3D. To better understand the hurdles that arose when segmenting a fetal scan, we first look at the segmentation of an adult brain scan. This will allow us to see the straightforward nature of a brain segmentation when a high quality, high resolution volume with distinct structures is available. After examining the adult brain scan, attention will be moved to the segmentation of the fetal scan, where we’ll first look at the algorithms used and methods followed. Finally the outcomes and issues of the segmentations of the fetal scans and their corresponding algorithms will be discussed

Carter County - Robert Burgess Stewart

Biographical information on Carter County, Kentucky native Robert Burgess Stewart gathered by the Alumni Association of Morehead State University for the 1987 Hall of Fame induction of Dr. Stewart

Fatal General Aviation Accidents in Furtherance of Business (1996–2015): Rates, Risk Factors, and Accident Causes

Introduction: General aviation missions related to furtherance of business potentially carry higher risk (operations in adverse weather, at night, for longer distances) than those undertaken for recreation. The study herein was undertaken to determine fatal accident rates, proportions, and risk factors/causes. Method: The National Transportation Safety Board aviation accident database was queried for accidents (1996–2015). Annual fleet times were from the general aviation annual activity survey. Statistical analyses used Poisson distributions, proportion testing, and Cohen’s Kappa tests. Results: The fatal accident rate for business operations was three- to six-fold lower than the rate for recreational flights with a decline evident between 1996 and 2015. However, a higher proportion of business-related accidents were fatal (33%) compared with recreational flight mishaps (22%). Business-related, fatal accidents were over-represented for operations of longer flight distance, non-daylight hours, and degraded visibility. The most frequent accident cause categories were a deficiency in pilot skills/experience/systems knowledge (45%) and violation of the federal aviation regulations (e.g. departure into instrument conditions without an instrument flight plan, flight into known/forecast icing) (26%). Conclusion: Despite the fatal accident rate declining for business-related missions, the proportion of fatal mishaps was higher than that for recreational flights. Practical application: Towards enhancing safety (a) flight reviews should discuss alternate flight planning to circumvent the hazards of night operations, adverse weather, and fatigue, (b) pilots should be encouraged to participate in additional training, e.g. the FAAST program, and (c) pilots should avail themselves of aviation training devices for maintaining instrument proficiency

Hotspot sheep scab management: A community-based regional approach in England

Background: Ovine psoroptic mange (sheep scab), caused by an infestation of the mite Psoroptes ovis , leads to clinical disease, economic loss and severely compromised animal welfare. Here, a community‐based approach to the management of scab in three high‐risk areas of England is described. Methods: For each of the 254 farms included in the study, an initial survey of their clinical sheep scab history was followed up by a blood test (ELISA) to detect the presence of antibodies to P. ovis. This facilitated the coordination of treatment across groups of farms in each region. Blood testing was then repeated at the end of the treatment programme. Results: On the first blood test in 2021/2022, 25.6% (±5.5%) of the flocks were positive for sheep scab. On the second test in 2022/2023, 9% (±3.94%) of the flocks tested were positive, showing a highly statistically significant reduction in prevalence overall, but with strong regional variation. Limitations: generating an understanding of the flock‐level nature of the blood test and confidence in its detection of scab where clinical signs were not apparent provided ongoing challenges. Conclusions: The programme demonstrated that a focused community‐based approach can be used to significantly reduce the prevalence of sheep scab in high‐risk areas of England. The use of the blood test on all farms allowed the identification of subclinical sheep scab. The programme provides an effective model for sheep scab management on a national scale

Two major ruminant acute phase proteins, haptoglobin and serum amyloid A, as serum biomarkers during active sheep scab infestation

Two ruminant acute phase proteins (APPs), haptoglobin (Hp) and serum amyloid A (SAA), were evaluated as serum biomarkers (BMs) for sheep scab–a highly contagious ectoparasitic disease caused by the mite Psoroptes ovis, which is a major welfare and production threat worldwide. The levels of both APPs increased in serum following experimental infestation of sheep with P. ovis, becoming statistically significantly elevated from pre-infestation levels at 4 weeks post-infestation. Following successful treatment of infested sheep with an endectocide, Hp and SAA serum levels declined rapidly, with half lives of less than 3 days. In contrast, serum IgG levels which specifically bound the P. ovis-derived diagnostic antigen Pso o 2 had a half-life of 56 days. Taking into account pre-infestation serum levels, rapidity of response to infestation and test sensitivity at the estimated optimum cut-off values, SAA was the more discriminatory marker. These studies illustrated the potential of SAA and Hp to indicate current sheep scab infestation status and to augment the existing Pso o 2 serological assay to give disease-specific indications of both infestation and successful treatment

Influence of exercise intensity on the tendon mechanical properties of older individuals.

Approximately one-third of people aged over 65 fall at least once a year and about half of these do so recurrently. The ability to maintain balance or stability has previously been associated with lower limb tendon structural and mechanical properties, with stiffer tendon structures associated with increased balance ability (Onambele et al., 2006: Journal of Applied Physiology, 100, 2048–2056). Increased tendon compliance is not an irreversible ageing effect. It has been shown that following 14 weeks high intensity resistance training (~80% one repetition maximum (1RM)), tendon stiffness was increased in an elderly population (Reeves et al., 2003: Journal of Physiology, 548, 971–981). However, the majority of resistance exercise prescribed for an elderly population is of lower intensity than 80% 1RM. It is possible that this lower intensity resistance exercise does not produce the required stimulus for tendon adaptation

The effect of pitched and vertical ladder ergometer climbing on cardiorespiratory and psychophysical variables.

This study aimed to assess whether modifying the pitch of a 75° ladder ergometer to vertical had a cardiorespiratory or psychophysical effect on climbing. Nine male participants climbed a ladder ergometer at 75° and subsequently at 90°, adjusted for an equivalent vertical climb rate, completing three climbing bouts at different vertical speeds. One participant dropped out being unable to complete the climb under the 90° condition. Each was monitored for heart rate (HR), V˙O2 and rating of perceived exertion (RPE). Results showed vertical climbing induced higher V˙O2 (mean increase 17.3%), higher HR (mean increase 15.8%), and higher RPE at all speeds and that moving from 75° to vertical exacerbates the effect of speed on the cardiorespiratory response to climbing. This may be explained by increased force production required to maintain balance in a vertical climbing position when the body's centre of mass is not above the feet