Pastoral Leadership Strategies for a Multisite Church in a Small Church Setting in the African American Community

There are many mega churches that are moving to multisite facilities. This project focuses on the small church that wishes to establish multisite facilities to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ. The project will provide a guide for small churches who may desire to embrace multi worship sites for their congregations. It will identify strengths of small churches and the challenges they face when they seek to found multisite churches, and ultimately demonstrate that small church multisite facilities are possible and feasible. This project will also validate the importance of teamwork in recruiting, enlisting and training volunteers for multisite responsibilities. It will examine the methods of large and small churches to reflect the effectiveness and relevance of multisite churches in the small church for the African American community

A “Modern Family” Issue: Recategorizing Embryos in the 21st Century

The article explores the practical consequences that result from Louisiana\u27s human embryo statutory scheme and the language used to define the legal status of pre-implantation embryos

Progesterone Signaling in Mouse Oocyte Development via the PGRMC1 and PGRMC2 Receptors and the PAIRBP1 Protein

There are thought to be many different causes that can lead to the development of infertility in females. Many of the causes for this condition present themselves before birth, which can predetermine a woman’s fertility capability before she is even born. The complex process of germ cell development possesses possibilities for error and malfunction that can have permanent, lasting effects on a developing fetus. The process of oocyte development is initiated when primordial germ cells migrate to the embryotic gonad and begin dividing mitotically. As mitosis proceeds, the process of cytokinesis does not go to completion, which maintains the cells in cysts. The fundamental process of cyst breakdown occurs, in conjunction with apoptosis, in order to separate cysts into individual oocytes surrounded by a number of granulosa cells, known as primordial follicles. The success of the process of cyst breakdown is thought to be a valuable determinant of the overall pool of viable primordial follicles that could be used by a female for fertilization in the future. This developmental process is well conserved across mammalian species, such as mice and humans. Hormones are known to play a role in the process of germ cell development via various signaling pathways. Abundant research has already been conducted to investigate the role of estrogen in this developmental process, specifically exploring the hormone’s ability to inhibit cyst breakdown. Similar research has demonstrated progesterone’s ability to inhibit cyst breakdown, as well, but much more is yet to be investigated about this steroid hormone. Although specific progesterone signaling receptors, such as progesterone receptor membrane component 1 (PGRMC1) and PGRMC2, and proteins, such as the plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 RNA-binding protein (PAIRBP1), have been identified, their regulatory functions and interactions within their prospective signaling pathways have yet to be well researched. In this study, we investigated where PGRMC1, PGRMC2 and PAIRBP1 were expressed in the fetal and neonatal mouse ovary via immunocytochemistry. We also investigated when PGRMC1, PGRMC2 and PAIRBP1 were most strongly expressed in the mouse ovary across germ cell development via western blotting. The results demonstrate that the expression of PGRMC1 and PAIRBP1 localize to the same cells within the mouse ovary, but exhibit different levels of expression across fetal and neonatal mouse development. In regards to PGRMC2, the results reveal a complete lack of expression of this membrane receptor in the mouse ovary at any time throughout the process of germ cell development. In order to validate and expand on these results future studies will need to be conducted to gain more information about the independent and interactive functions of PGRMC1, PGRMC2 and PAIRBP1 in germ cell development

Texas Agricultural Commodity Board Members\u27 Perceptions of the 2002 U.S. Farm Bill

Extension educators have important roles in educating the public on national agricultural policies. The purpose of the study reported here was to determine Texas agricultural commodity (corn, cotton, grain sorghum, and wheat) board members\u27 perceptions of the 2002 Farm Bill. Male respondents, 46 to 55 years old, considered the Cooperative Extension Service/universities and the Internet as good information sources for learning about the farm bill. Cotton board members believed their organizations influenced the bill\u27s final outcome. Extension educators should maximize their resources by using information sources suited to stakeholders\u27 needs for learning about future farm bills

Building Customer Loyalty with Millennials in the Gaming Entertainment Industry

This paper discusses how to build customer loyalty between Millennials and casinos. Although research has indicated that casinos are losing the interest of the Millennial consumer, it is recommended that casinos do not give up on this demographic. The Millennial generation is massive, accounting for a fourth of the U.S. population. Entering the workforce at rapid speed, this generation has a large amount of spending power and is willing to pay more for a product that is deemed valuable. This paper intends to lay the groundwork for an exploratory research study on customer loyalty and Millennials in the gambling and entertainment industry. The research objective focuses on the core components of behavioral and attitudinal loyalty, the consumer behavior of Millennials, and their gambling preferences compared to other generations. The research explored in this paper reveals that Millennials gamble differently than older generations, and casinos have opportunities to build customer loyalty with this younger generation. This paper formulates a marketing plan for hotel marketers that identifies trends in the market, defines a casino\u27s objectives and the strategies to employ them, and the specific action plans to carry out those strategies. Additional recommendations are presented to assist casinos in building customer loyalty with the Millennial demographic

Evaluation of the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s Maintenance Rating Program

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) relies on its Maintenance Rating Program (MRP) to systematically measure conditions on state-owned roads and rights of way. Every year, the Cabinet evaluates 300-400 road segments in each of its highway districts. Segments receive aggregate scores ranging from 0 to 100, with the target score being 80. This report appraises the MRP and discusses potential strategies for its improvement. Compared to asset management programs established at other state transportation agencies, KYTC’s performs quite well. Between 1999 and 2019, MRP data show that scores improved across all road types. In 2011, the average score for all roads eclipsed 80 and has remained above this threshold since (albeit with some fluctuation). Currently, the category of rural secondary roads is the only one with an average score below 80, although it exceeded this threshold in 2015, 2016, and 2018. KYTC maintenance staff participated in a survey that gauged whether the components evaluated as part of the MRP are relevant and useful. The component which the highest percentage of respondents said is not useful is Right-of-Way Fence (62%). Smaller but still a considerable number of respondents said Striping components lack utility (31%), followed by General Aesthetics and Regulatory/Warning Sign Assemblies (about 27%). Despite the low ranking, staff will continue inspecting right-of-way fences because of their presence on divided highways and due to funding allocations. Additional guidance could be issued to mitigate the subjectivity of aesthetic judgments. Moving forward, the Cabinet will benefit from offering robust training to MRP data collectors to ensure scoring is consistent between districts and staff

The Effects of an Integrated Health and Physical Education Program on Student Achievement

In recent years, several schools have addressed the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001 by focusing on promoting skill acquisition in reading and math, often overlooking physical education (PE) as a significant part of a child\u27s education. The purpose of this causal-comparative study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an integrated health and physical education (HPE) program on student achievement. This study was grounded in action-based learning theories. The research question examined differences in posttest scores, adjusted for pretest differences, from 204 freshman students enrolled in a Biology-1 class at an urban high school. Students in Group A were enrolled in Biology-1 and an HPE class that incorporates Biology-1 content. Students in Group B were enrolled in Biology-1 but were not in a HPE class; thus, they did not participate in the integrated HPE program. An analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to determine whether the integrated PE program increased student achievement in Biology-1. The findings showed that there was a significant difference between the two groups (p \u3c .05). The Biology-1 students who participated in the integrated HPE program scored significantly higher on the Biology-1 state test than the Biology-1 students who did not participate in the integrated HPE program. These results may influence educational decisions regarding the use of HPE by encouraging serious consideration of an integrated HPE program, which could enhance student achievement, thus promoting positive social change

Updating the Bridge Construction Cost Database

Adopting a comprehensive suite of methods to track, analyze, and maintain data on bridge construction costs can help state transportation agencies identify and implement strategies to mitigate the influence of factors which escalate project costs. This report discusses how the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) should approach updating, maintaining, and analyzing its bridge construction cost data. Based on a review of practices introduced at other agencies and interviews with public and private industry stakeholders, the report catalogues practical strategies for improving estimating procedures and tracking cost data as well as the most important cost drivers of bridge construction. Analysis of KYTC data on average unit bid prices for eight key bid items on bridge projects found that prices went up for every item between 2015 and 2021. Steel reinforcement and epoxy coated steel reinforcement displayed the most consistent linear upward trend, while greater variability was noticeable in prices for Class A and AA concrete and foundation preparation. This analysis substantiated observations by interviewees that contractors submit higher bid prices when they perceive greater risk associated with a work item. Recommendations for process improvements at the Cabinet focus on agencywide rollout of AASHTOWare Estimation, conducting post-construction reviews, establishing contract durations that reasonably accommodate the completion of all work, and performing more in-depth geotechnical investigations

Relationship of organizational communication methods and leaders' perceptions of the 2002 Farm Bill: a study of selected commodity-specific, general agricultural, and natural resources organizations

The purpose of this study was to determine perceptions of organizational communication methods used by selected commodity-specific, general agricultural and, conservation or natural resources organizations to disseminate information about the Farm Security and Rural Investment (FSRI) Act of 2002 within their organizations. A secondary purpose was to evaluate if preferred organizational communication methods related to organization leaders?? perceptions of the FSRI Act of 2002. Previous studies have assessed organizational communication methods and members?? perceptions, but little research has been completed on the combination of these variables. The instrument used in this study was derived from modified versions of Sulak??s (2000) 1996 Farm Bill survey, a similar instrument by Catchings and Wingenbach (2003), and Franklin??s (1975) organizational communication survey. The target population (N=300) was all selected Texas organizations?? board members. The accessible population (n=160) were selected Texas organizations (commodity-specific, general agriculture, and conservation or natural resources) board members. There were 70 respondents with a response rate of 44%. iv The respondents from this study were mostly board members from a commodity-specific organization and were 46 to 55 years old. They had attended college or completed an undergraduate degree, were raised on a rural farm or ranch, and currently live on rural farm or ranch. The respondents from selected Texas organizations indicated that they had some knowledge about 17 of the 18 primary issues or programs in the 2002 Farm Bill. Selected Texas organizations board members strongly agreed that their respective organizations wanted to meet their primary objectives and information about important events or situations were shared within their organizations. The respondents strongly agreed with the statement ??farm organization coalitions were essential for enacting the 2002 Farm Bill,?? and ??farm organizations strongly influenced the 2002 Farm Bill.?? This study summated and correlated the perceptions of organizational communication methods and perceptions of influencers affecting the outcome of the 2002 Farm Bill. Through that correlation, this study can conclude there was a moderately significant and positive relationship between perceived organizational communication methods and perceived levels of influencers affecting the outcome of the 2002 Farm Bill