A Positive Relationship Between Religious Faith and Forgiveness: Faith in the Absence of Data?

Religious faith and beliefs appear to play an important role in the lives of many individuals and are the topic of much research. The present study investigated the relationship between religious faith and forgiveness in a sample (n = 196) of college students. Students were asked to complete the Heartland Forgiveness Scale and the Santa Clara Strength of Religious Faith Questionnaire. Analyses of scores on both measures revealed a positive, significant correlation between these constructs, suggesting that there is a meaningful relationship between religious faith and the tendency to forgive. Implications and directions for further research are discussed

Truth in a Changing World

When I survey the beauties of Concordia Seminary and attempt to evaluate its current contributions to the Church, I am impressed with evidences of great changes that have marked the progress of this school during the past thirty years. Its larger enrollment and increasing facilities, its graduate school and mission department, its revised curriculum and wider program, all are evidences of an awareness of opportunities to enter the many doors that are opening to our Church today

The Theology of Israel (From Abraham to Moses)

We have thus endeavored to present Israel\u27s early conception of God. The critical theories have been· tried and found wanting. They are weak and instead of. going to the core of the matter• they harp on external details. At times we were grieved by the blasphemous assertions of men, who refuse to bend their way to embrace plain facts; then again the :naive and arbitrary interpretations of Gunkel and Goldziher have interested and amused us

Blood is Thicker than Water: Family Ties to Political Power Worldwide

This article analyzes the relevance of family ties for the recruitment of chief executives - presidents or prime ministers - with special emphasis on gender. Based on a cross-national data-set examining political chief executives from 2000-2017 in five world regions (Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, Asia, Europe, and North America), we test several hypotheses and present four main results. First, belonging to a political family (BPF), is an advantage to entering national executive positions around the world, for both democracies and non-democracies. Among those with a sizeable number of executives in this period, regions range from 9 percent (Africa) to 13 percent (Latin America and Europe) of executives BPF. Second, executives’ family ties are more powerful (with a previous chief executive) in Asia, Africa, and Latin America and more direct (with an immediate family member) in Asia and Africa. Across the globe, women only made up 6% of chief executives in the time period. Third, females who manage to become chief executives are more often BPF than their male counterparts, particularly in Asia and Latin America. Fourth, regardless of region, family ties nearly always originate from men, not women

Wissenschaftliche Bibliotheken Südafrikas und ihre Vernetzung

Zu dieser Diplomarbeit wurde ich während meines Praxissemesters in der Graduate School of Business Library der University of Cape Town inspiriert. Ich beschränke mich hier jedoch auf eine Beschreibung der Bibliotheken der tertiären Ausbildung, also Universitäten und Technikons, und deren Verbünde, da das Thema sonst den Rahmen einer Diplomarbeit sprengen würde. Das Bibliothekswesen in Südafrika ist deshalb so interessant, da es verglichen mit anderen afrikanischen Ländern eine lange Entwicklungsgeschichte hat, die hauptsächlich von England und später den USA beeinflusst wurde; und da durch die Apartheid parallele Systeme für die verschiedenen Rassen entwickelt wurden. Seit dem Ende der Apartheid und den ersten freien Wahlen im Jahr 1994 wurde das gesamte Bibliothekssystem in Frage gestellt, es mussten neue Ideen entwickelt werden und ein afrikanisches System, das allen Bürgern gleichermaßen zugute kommt, gefunden werden. Dieser Prozess dauert immer noch an, jedoch hat sich in den Bibliotheken schon viel geändert. Die meisten Bibliotheken haben Mission Statements formuliert, in denen besonders auf Chancengleichheit und Gleichberechtigung sowohl der Mitarbeiter als auch der Kunden Wert gelegt wird, und setzen diese Pläne auch um. Jedoch ist es sehr schwierig, gerade unter der schwarzen Bevölkerung geeignet ausgebildete Bibliothekare zu finden, da sie lange von den entsprechenden Ausbildungsmöglichkeiten ausgeschlossen war und noch lange nicht alle Defizite aufgeholt wurden. So sind die meisten schwarzen Mitarbeiter in den Bibliotheken, die ich kennengelernt habe, entweder Assistenten oder technische Mitarbeiter. Die Zusammenarbeit klappt meiner Erfahrung nach jedoch gut, wobei mir als Ausländerin durchaus einiges entgangen sein kann. Falls es Probleme rassistischer Natur geben sollte, hat jede Universität bzw. jedes Technikon Beauftragte für Diskriminierung, sei es rassistische, religiöse oder sexuelle, die in den Personalräten und anderen Gremien großen Einfluss haben

Experior: Development History, Commercial Launch, and Research Plans

Experior® (Elanco Animal Health, Greenfield, IN) with the active ingredient lubabegron fumarate was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2018 for the reduction of ammonia gas emissions per kg of live weight and hot carcass weight in beef steers and heifers fed in confinement for slaughter during the last 14 to 91 d on feed. It is labeled to be fed at 1.25 to 4.54 g/t (1.39 to 5 ppm) of complete feed (90% dry matter basis) to provide 13 – 90 mg lubabegron/head/d continuously to beef steers and heifers fed in confinement for slaughter as the sole ration ( FDA, 2018a ). Lubabegron is a beta-adrenergic agonist/antagonist with antagonistic activity at the β1 and β2 receptors and agonistic activity at the β3 receptor. After gaining FDA approval following a 10-y clinical research program, Experior was launched following a very disciplined and pragmatic approach to the US beef industry while accounting for the global nature of the US beef trade. This article outlines the history of lubabegron and the practical considerations of launching a novel β-ligand into the US beef industry

Mapping of brown stem rot resistance, genetic yield gains, and yield impact of soybean cyst nematode

Fine Mapping of Resistance Genes from Five Brown Stem Rot Resistance Sources in Soybean Brown stem rot (BSR) of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] caused by Cadophora gregata (Allington & D.W. Chamb.) T.C. Harr. & McNew, can be controlled effectively with genetic host resistance. Three BSR resistance genes Rbs1, Rbs2, and Rbs3 have been identified and mapped to a large region on chromosome 16. Marker-assisted selection (MAS) will be more efficient and gene cloning will be facilitated with a narrowed genomic interval containing an Rbs gene. The objective of this study was to fine map the positions of Rbs genes from five sources. Mapping populations were developed by crossing the resistant sources 'Bell', PI 84946-2, PI 437833, PI 437970, L84-5873, and PI 86150 with either the susceptible cultivar Colfax or Century 84. Plants identified as having a recombination event near Rbs genes were selected and individually harvested to create recombinant lines. Progeny from recombinant lines were tested in a C. gregata root-dip assay and evaluated for foliar and stem BSR symptom development. Overall, 4,878 plants were screened for recombination and progeny from 52 recombinant plants were evaluated with simple sequence repeat (SSR) genetic markers and assessed for symptom development. Brown stem rot resistance was mapped to intervals ranging from 0.34 to 0.04 Mb in the different sources. In all sources, resistance was fine mapped to intervals inclusive of BARCSOYSSR_16_1114 and BARCSOYSSR_16_1115, which provides further evidence that one locus provides BSR resistance in soybean. Genome-Wide Association Study of Brown Stem Rot Resistance in Soybean across Multiple Populations Genetic resistance to BSR of soybean, has been identified and mapped with biparental populations. Although nearly 400 accessions have been identified with BSR resistance, this trait has been mapped in only 12 sources, and just two, PI84946-2 and PI88788, have been utilized to develop BSR resistant cultivars. Thus, there is a serious need to improve our knowledge of the genetic basis of BSR resistance in soybean so that resistance genes in cultivars can be diversified and markers close to resistance genes can be identified and used in marker-assisted selection (MAS). To this end, we conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) to identify novel genomic loci associated with BSR and to gain further insight into a previously-reported chromosome 16 region containing Rbs genes. A total of 52,041 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were tested for association with BSR in a set of 4,735 accessions from four diversity panels evaluated for resistance from 1989 to 2003. Using a unified mixed linear model and stepwise model selection, we refined the signals within the Rbs interval on chromosome 16 by finding associations that explain a substantial proportion of the total variation of BSR resistance. In combination with significant GWAS signals found elsewhere in the genome, our study will aid efforts to improve BSR resistance by providing new targets for MAS. Genetic Improvement of U.S. Soybean in Maturity Groups II, III, IV Soybean improvement via plant breeding has been critical for the success of the crop. The objective of this study was to quantify genetic change in yield and other traits that occurred during the past 80 yr of North American soybean breeding in maturity groups (MGs) II, III, and IV. Historic sets of 60 MG II, 59 MG III, and 49 MG IV soybean cultivars, released from 1923 to 2008, were evaluated in field trials conducted in 17 U.S. states and one Canadian province during 2010 to 2011. Averaged over 27 MG II and MG IV and 26 MG III site-years of data, the estimated rates of yield improvement during the 80 yr were 23 kg ha–1 yr–1 for MGs II and III, and 20 kg ha–1 yr–1 for MG IV cultivars. However, a two-segment linear regression model provided a better fit to the data and indicated that the average current rate of genetic yield gain across MGs is 29 kg ha–1 yr–1. Modern cultivars yielded more than old cultivars in all environments, but particularly in high-yielding environments. New cultivars in the historic sets used in this study are shorter in height, mature later, lodge less, and have seeds with less protein and greater oil concentration. Given that on-farm soybean yields in the United States are also increasing at a rate of 29 kg ha–1 yr–1, it can be inferred that continual release of greater-yielding cultivars has been a substantive driver of the U.S. on-farm realized yield increases. Impact of Soybean Cyst Nematode Resistance on Soybean Yield Soybean cyst nematode (SCN) (Heterodera glycines Ichinohe) of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] causes extensive yield loss, and host resistance has been an effective strategy to minimize this loss. However, shifts in SCN population virulence compatibility have resulted from the extensive use of PI 88788 as a source of resistance in the Northern U.S. and has the potential to reduce the effectiveness of this resistance source. The Northern Regional Soybean Cyst Nematode Tests offer a vast amount of yield testing combined with entry resistance screening and characterization of nematode host compatibility. The objectives of this study were to utilize previous yield testing to (i) quantify the impact of resistance as the initial field SCN egg counts increases, (ii) explore effects of maturity group (MG) on the impact of resistance, and (iii) gain insights into the effects of host compatibility on PI 88788 on yield. Yield testing from over 11 years was combined into a single dataset with over 1247 test-environment combinations. The yield advantage of SCN resistant entries increased as initial egg counts increased and a larger advantage was found in early MGs (00-II) than later MGs (III-IV). A yield advantage was documented at environments with an initial egg count of 100 eggs 100 cm-3 soil. At all levels of virulence on PI 88788, breeding lines with resistance from PI 88788 yielded more than susceptible entries. Predictions from this dataset offer a unique view of the impact SCN resistance provides in soybean and relationships among differing levels of virulence on PI 88788

Productive performance, carcass and meat quality of intact and castrated gilts slaughtered at 106 or 122 kg BW

A total of 200 (Landrace3Large White dam3Pietrain3Large White sire) gilts of 5063 days of age (23.361.47 kg BW) were used to investigate the effects of castration (intact gilt, IG v. castrated gilt, CG) and slaughter weight (SW; 106 v. 122 kg BW) on productive performance, carcass and meat quality. Four treatments were arranged factorially and five replicates of 10 pigs each per treatment. Half of the gilts were ovariectomized at 58 days of age (8 days after the beginning of the trial at 29.861.64 kg BW), whereas the other half remained intact. The pigs were slaughtered at 106 or 122 kg BW. Meat samples were taken at Musculus longissimus thoracis at the level of the last rib and subcutaneous fat samples were taken at the tail insertion. For the entire experimental period, CG had higher ( P,0.05) BW gain and higher ( P,0.001) backfat and Musculus gluteus medius fat thickness than IG. However, IG had higher ( P,0.05) loin and trimmed primal cut yields than CG. Meat quality was similar for IG and CG but the proportion of linoleic acid in subcutaneous fat was higher ( P,0.001) for IG. Pigs slaughtered at 122 kg BW had higher ( P,0.001) feed intake and poorer feed efficiency than pigs slaughtered at 106 kg BW. An increase in SW improved ( P,0.001) carcass yield but decreased ( P,0.05) trimmed primal cut yield. Meat from pigs slaughtered at the heavier BW was redder (a*; P,0.001) and had more ( P,0.01) intramuscular fat and less thawing ( P,0.05) and cooking ( P,0.10) loss than meat from pigs slaughtered at the lighter BW. In addition, pigs slaughtered at 122 kg BW had less ( P,0.01) linoleic acid content in subcutaneous fat than pigs slaughtered at 106 kg BW. Castration of gilts and slaughtering at heavier BW are useful practices for the production of heavy pigs destined to the dry-cured industry in which a certain amount of fat in the carcass is required. In contrast, when the carcasses are destined to fresh meat production, IG slaughtered at 106 kg BW is a more efficient alternative