Intercultural Immersions and Cultural Competency: Preparing Seminarians to Minister in Today's Global Reality

Current increases in population migration, movement, and co-existence are theological opportunities for Christians. These increases allow the appreciation of the diverse ways in which God shines through the narratives of people from culturally different backgrounds

Numerical simulations and experimental results of the deployment of thin-walled bistable composite booms

For advanced space missions, meeting the concurrent requirements of increasing payload size while minimizing spacecraft volume can be achieved through the utilization of deployable structures. In a previous study, we conducted a characterization of a thin/walled boom in terms of its interaction between attitude and elastic dynamics when fully deployed. In this current work, we have developed a numerical model to analyze the critical phase of the deployment process. We compared the model's predictions with theoretical expectations and experimental data, and found a strong agreement between them. Additionally, we investigated the effects of bistability on the deployment process by conducting experiments on both a bistable and a monostable boom. Lastly, we performed deployment tests on a free-floating platform, which emulates a small satellite, to quantitatively measure the attitude perturbations caused by the rapid deployment of the boom

Resuming elective surgical activity after the COVID-19 wave: what the patients need to know

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus causing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), infected more than four million people during the first months of 2021, and Italy was reported to have the highest death toll per million population at the beginning of May2. While there is no consensus on the treatment of the disease yet, understanding how the virus and its transmission will behave in the future is a cardinal priority for planning the re-establishment of routine healthcare services, such as surgery, in view of preventing indirectly COVID-19-related deaths due to undelivered care and lack of adequate treatment. Sadly, elective surgery on patients with perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection, has shown increased mortality risk, therefore increasing anxiety among the population waiting for surgical interventions, as most of the elective activity was suspended due to COVID-19 outbreak

Measurement Of Quasiparticle Transport In Aluminum Films Using Tungsten Transition-Edge Sensors

We report new experimental studies to understand the physics of phonon sensors which utilize quasiparticle diffusion in thin aluminum films into tungsten transition-edge-sensors (TESs) operated at 35 mK. We show that basic TES physics and a simple physical model of the overlap region between the W and Al films in our devices enables us to accurately reproduce the experimentally observed pulse shapes from x-rays absorbed in the Al films. We further estimate quasiparticle loss in Al films using a simple diffusion equation approach.Comment: 5 pages, 6 figures, PRA

Population genetic structure and milk production traits in Girgentana goat breed

The aim of this work was to evaluate the genetic status of the Girgentana goat, an endangered breed from Sicily (Italy), using microsatellite markers. Furthermore, as the main purpose of the Girgentana breed is milk production, quantitative milk traits were investigated, including fatty acid profile. Molecular data from CSN1S1, CSN2, CSN1S2, and CSN3 casein genes were also used to infer haplotypes. A total of 264 individuals were collected. Samples of Maltese (n 64 41) and Derivata di Siria (n 64 33) goat breeds were also used to understand the genetic relationship among breeds. Test-day records for milk production were collected to determine daily milk yield, fat, protein, casein, lactose, and somatic cell count. Individual milk samples were also collected for fatty acid extraction. Wright's statistics, gene flow, Nei genetic distance, factorial correspondence analysis, and Bayesian assignment test showed the existence of genetic variability and differentiation among breeds. The AMOVA results indicated that 89.96% of the total variance was partitioned within populations. The Girgentana breed appears to have a subdivided population, and has not experienced a recent bottleneck. A high variability in milk yield was observed. Mean morning milk yield was 1448 \ub1 404 g, with 4.30 \ub1 0.87% and 3.72 \ub1 0.44% of fat and protein percentages, respectively. The average somatic cell count found in Girgentana goat milk was higher than the threshold of 1 500000 cells/mL advised in Europe for fresh milk. Gross milk and fatty acid composition were similar to that reported in the literature for other local goat breeds

First detection of the adventive egg parasitoid of Halyomorpha halys (Stål) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) Trissolcus mitsukurii (Ashmead) (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) in France

SIMPLE SUMMARY: The invasive brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB), Halyomorpha halys, is a polyphagous species and a serious pest worldwide. Classical biological control (CBC), i.e., the introduction of a natural enemy from the native area of the pest, is considered as the preferential solution for BMSB regulation. Adventive populations of exotic egg parasitoids of BSMB, Trissolcus japonicus and T. mitsukurii, have been reported worldwide. With the aim to characterize the French diversity of egg parasitoids associated to various stink bugs including BMSB, field surveys were conducted between 2018 and 2020. Surprisingly, morphological and molecular analyses unambiguously revealed 12 specimens of T. mitsukurii, an Asian egg parasitoid of BSMB. Although its permanent establishment has to be confirmed, this first record in France could actually facilitate CBC initiatives, T. mitsukurii being considered with T. japonicus as the two most promising biological control agents against BMSB. ABSTRACT: We report the first detection of Trissolcus mitsukurii in France. More than 1860 sentinel egg masses of Halyomorpha halys (BMSB) were exposed in the field during the 2018–2020 period, and 12 specimens of T. mitsukurii emerged from one egg mass. Their taxonomic identification was confirmed both by morphological and molecular analysis. Trissolcus mitsukurii, similar to T. japonicus, is an egg parasitoid of BMSB in its area of origin in Asia, and both species are considered to be candidates for a classical biological control strategy against BMSB. Trissolcus mitsukurii was previously recorded in Italy where it is well established and widespread, and this may be the source of the French population. Possible permanent establishment and dispersion of T. mitsukurii in France should be monitored with emphasis on its potential effect on BMSB populations