Public Church Framework as Process for Antiracism: Integrating Racial Identity Development Models and Theological Commitments

This paper discusses various models of racial identity development and offers the Public Church Framework as one way that faith communities can engage in antiracism work

Metabolic Cost of Diagonal Striding and Double Poling in Cross Country Classic Skiing

Several studies have compared physiological demands of two classic skiing techniques:double poling and diagonal striding. In diagonal striding, the skis propel theskier by alternating kick and glide phases between the left and right ski. Each skikicks simultaneously with a push from the opposite pole. In double poling, the skierplants and pushes through with both poles simultaneously while the skis glide anddo not contribute to impulse generation. Previous studies found that double polingwas more economical by 10-26% than striding on flat and low grade surfaces at severalspeeds1,2,3. However, if the oxygen consumption in double poling is lower at all givenspeeds, then why do skiers prefer to stride at slow speeds? The purpose of this studywas to measure metabolic factors for the striding and double poling techniques inorder to explain why skiers choose to stride under some conditions.Nine elite male skiers performed a test on a rollerski treadmill. The treadmill wasset to a 4% uphill grade and the speed was increased from 6km/h to 15km/h byincrements of 3km/h. At each speed, the skier reached metabolic steady state for boththe striding and double poling techniques. During the test, oxygen consumption andthe respiratory exchange ratio (RER=CO2 produced/O2 consumed) were measuredcontinuously.The average oxygen cost for double poling was found to be 10% lower comparedto striding across all speeds. However, for all but the highest speed, the RER valuesfor double poling were 12% higher. RER indicates the intensity to which the recruitedmuscle mass is working. Therefore, these results suggest that double poling, althoughmore economical, is likely more demanding on the recruited musculature and mightlead to fast local fatigue. These results explain why double poling is not the preferredtechnique at slower speeds

Microarray analysis of canine papillomavirus lesions

Papillomaviren verursachen eine breite Palette von Krankheitsbildern bei Mensch und Tier, welche von asymptomatischen Infektionen, gutartigen Warzen, pigmentierten Plaques, in situ Karzinomen bis zu invasiven Plattenepithelkarzinomen reichen. Bei Hunden sind die gesamten genomischen Sequenzen von dreizehn verschiedenen Papillomaviren beschrieben, die mit unterschiedlichen klinischen Erscheinungsbildern verbunden sind. Allerdings können weder die phylogenetische Klassifizierung eines Hundepapillomavirus (CPV) noch das Vorhandensein von unterschiedlichen Genregionen genau den Verlauf einer Infektion auf individueller Ebene vorhersagen. In der vorliegenden Studie führten wir eine Microarray-Analyse von CPV assoziierten Läsionen (CPV1, CPV3, CPV5) durch. Die Expression von sechsundneunzig Genen war signifikant mindestens 4-fach rauf oder runter reguliert. Weiter haben wir die RNA Levels von KLK8, MCM5, ORC1 und PAX6, die als Biomarker in der Humanmedizin diskutiert werden in Papillomavirus Läsionen untersucht. Wir konnten durch qRT-PCR die erhöhte Expression dieser Gene bestätigen. Papillomaviruses induce a wide range of clinical conditions in humans and animals, ranging from asymptomatic infection, benign warts, pigmented plaques to in situ carcinoma and invasive squamous cell carcinomas. In dogs, entire genomic sequences of thirteen different papillomaviruses are described so far and that appear to be associated with different clinical presentations. However, neither the phylogenetic classification of a canine papillomavirus (CPV) nor the presence of distinct motifs on the genome can unanimously predict the fate of an infection on the individual level. In the present study we performed a microarray analysis of CPV associated lesions (CPV1, CPV3, CPV5). Ninety-six genes were at least 4 fold up or down-regulated on a significant level. We further investigated in CPV lesions, the RNA levels of KLK8, MCM5, ORC1, and PAX6, which are discussed as biomarkers in the human medicine. We could confirm the up regulation of these genes by qRT PCR

Tillage system performance in southern Minnesota

The agronomic performance of tillage practices is influenced by many factors, some of which the farmer cannot control. The weather, something we have little control over, dramatically affects agriculture and crop production. Our weather (climate) is also changing, which affects the agronomic performance of our cultural practices. In the Midwest, climate change has resulted in increased annual precipitation and greater frequency of intense rainfall events (EPA, 2010). Greater annual rainfall results in cold and wet soils, which reduce the number of days for field operations thus delaying important field operations like planting. Increased precipitation and rainfall intensity increases soil erosion. All of these factors along with soil characteristics (texture, internal drainage, parent material) influence our tillage system choices

Vocation of the ELCA: Dismantling White Supremacy

White Supremacy is an embodied belief and culture that must be eradicated in order for us to live into the diverse, mutually flourishing kin-doms that God has called us into. The history of white supremacy and racist theology includes ideas of mission, hierarchy, and compromise. White people and predominantly white institutions are vocationally called to do the specific work of dismantling white supremacy. The Lutheran theological tradition has commitments and practices that can ground and compel people into and through this work. Two ways of understanding white supremacy culture are White Body Supremacy by Resmaa Menakem and Characteristics of White Supremacy Culture by Tema Okun. These two ways of understanding white supremacy can help us to recognize, heal, and dismantle white supremacy, and eventually belong to new, recreated, or resurrected ways of whiteness without supremacy and full belonging in a diverse mutually flourishing kin-dom

Ultra-sensitive surface absorption spectroscopy using sub-wavelength diameter optical fibers

The guided modes of sub-wavelength diameter air-clad optical fibers exhibit a pronounced evanescent field. The absorption of particles on the fiber surface is therefore readily detected via the fiber transmission. We show that the resulting absorption for a given surface coverage can be orders of magnitude higher than for conventional surface spectroscopy. As a demonstration, we present measurements on sub-monolayers of 3,4,9,10-perylene-tetracarboxylic dianhydride (PTCDA) molecules at ambient conditions, revealing the agglomeration dynamics on a second to minutes timescale.Comment: 4 pages, Fig.1a corrected y-axis, p.2 minor text changes to facilitate the understanding of eq. 4 and

Orient/East-Med Corridor: Proposal for a Future Operational Concept and Its Impact on Infrastructural Development

In order to strengthen the Orient/East-Med (OEM) Corridor by the means of railway transport, certain measures are necessary. Considering the insights gained from planning and developing the concept of transalpine railway transport in Switzerland, the future capacity of the corridor and plans for the required expansions in time are proposed. This primarily requires the definition of the assumed services and thereafter a determination of the capacities of the sectors in order to define the required expansions. The project should function as a continuous railway network spanning across many country borders so that not much time is lost at border-crossings.Um den Orient-/Ost-Mittelmeer Corridor (OEM) mit Hilfe des Schienenverkehrs zu stärken, sind bestimmte Maßnahmen erforderlich. Unter Berücksichtigung der Erkenntnisse aus der Planung und Entwicklung des Konzepts des alpenquerenden Eisenbahnverkehrs in der Schweiz werden die zukünftige Kapazität des Korridors und die Pläne für die erforderlichen zeitlichen Erweiterungen vorgeschlagen. Dies erfordert in erster Linie die Definition der übernommenen Leistungen und anschließend eine Bestimmung der Kapazitäten der Sektoren, um die erforderlichen Erweiterungen zu definieren. Das Projekt soll als durchgängiges Eisenbahnnetz Ländergrenzen überschreitend funktionieren, so dass der Zeitverlust an den Grenzübergängen möglichst gering bleibt

Effects of Phonemic Awareness and Oral Reading Fluency

Teaching students to read is a task that teachers are assigned to every school year. Many theories and theorists have given their take on the best way to teach students to read. Phonemic awareness has been in the forefront of reading instruction and currently is becoming a staple in many classrooms. This research study took a look at the correlation between phonemic awareness growth and oral reading fluency growth in a first-grade classroom working with mid-level students in a small group setting. The researcher used Path to Reading Excellence in School Sites (PRESS) phonemic intervention and curriculum-based measurement (CBM) for oral reading fluency. The PRESS progress monitoring and the CBM gave the researcher qualitative information about student growth in phonemic awareness and their oral reading fluency growth. The researcher’s data showed that with four weeks of small group intervention, the students\u27 average growth of words per minute in oral reading fluency grew nineteen words per minute. The researcher was delighted in seeing that the growth from phonemic awareness helped students with their oral reading fluency