Disability, the ‘good family’ and discrimination in the dismissal of a Presbyterian seminary professor

2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 133-161 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valerie Hobbs
Keyword(s):  
Religious Institutions ◽  
Employment Practices ◽  
Conservative Christianity ◽  
Employment Termination ◽  
Good Family ◽  
The Supreme Court ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Witness Statements ◽  
Religious Higher Education

Religious institutions in the USA, under the First Amendment, exhibit great strength in employment termination, given freedom by the Supreme Court to conduct their labour and employment practices with limited scrutiny. This article examines ways in which a Presbyterian seminary board report, justifying its decision not to renew a professor's contract, demonstrates discrimination in its use of the 'good family' ideal prominent within conservative Christianity. Focusing on intertextuality and representation of the professor's wife, a disabled woman, analysis presents evidence of an overall strategy of exclusion. The report consistently demonstrates support for negative witness statements about the professor and his wife while undermining the professor's accounts. The report's characterization of the professor's wife subsumes her identity under her husband's and assumes moral reasons for her disability and chronic illness, consistent with a nouthetic counselling ethos. Findings support the discriminatory potential of the 'good family' ideal, underscoring employees' unique vulnerability within religious higher education institutions. 

scholarly journals Morphophysiological and molecular characterization of millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) varieties for crop improvement in Western Europe

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Massimo Vischi ◽  
Nicola Zorzin ◽  
Maria Bernhart ◽  
Johanna Winkler ◽  
Dipak Santra ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Western Europe ◽  
Crop Improvement ◽  
Genetic Distances ◽  
Phenotypic Traits ◽  
Panicum Miliaceum ◽  
Novel Foods ◽  
Proso Millet ◽  
Ne Italy ◽  
The Usa

Abstract Background Global warming and issues in favour of a more sustainable agriculture suggest a reconsideration of minor cereals in European agrosystems. Compared to other summer crops, proso millet has a remarkable drought resistance and could be used to improve crop rotation and biodiversity. Proso millet is also increasingly sought by industry to produce novel foods such as those designed for coeliac patients. In this study, a thorough characterization of 11, commercially available, proso millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) varieties was carried out as a preliminary step for crop reintroduction and breeding in Western Europe. Methods The cultivars under evaluation were introduced from Austria, Poland, Russia, and the USA (University of Nebraska–Lincoln). Plants were grown at Udine (NE Italy) and Gleisdorf (Styria, Austria), under greenhouse and field conditions, respectively. Yield components and a range of morphophysiological characters were recorded in both locations. In parallel, 85 SSR markers were tested on DNA samples extracted from randomly chosen plants of each variety and the 12 responsive markers used to genotype the whole variety set. Results Morphometric analyses showed that varieties have several diverging phenotypic traits and architectures. In all instances, yields recorded at field level were much lower than potential yields. In this respect, US selections were comparable to earlier developed European varieties, suggesting that breeding for an increased adaptation is the keystone for a stable reintroduction of millet in Western Europe. Molecular analyses uncovered remarkably low genetic differences and heterozygosity levels within cultivars, confirming millet as an essentially autogamous species; in contrast, large genetic distances were noted among cultivars selected in different environments. Results of SSR genotyping combined with those originating from phenotypic analyses indicated possible crosses to source the genetic variability necessary for selection. Conclusions This study enabled the identification of cultivars that could be used to revitalize the crop in Western Europe and to produce genetically variable hybrid progenies exploitable by breeding.

The Supreme Court, Ideology, and the Decision to Cite or Borrow from Amicus Curiae Briefs

2021 ◽  
pp. 1532673X2110321
Author(s):  
Kayla S. Canelo
Keyword(s):  
Interest Groups ◽  
Supreme Court ◽  
The Other ◽  
Amicus Curiae ◽  
Political Actors ◽  
The Supreme Court ◽  
Extreme Groups ◽  
Insight Into

Scholars have sought to understand the dual characterization of Supreme Court justices as both legal and political actors. One way to further uncover this complexity is to assess how the justices engage with the interest groups that file amicus curiae or “friend-of-the-Court” briefs. Scholars have revealed that the justices often “borrow language” from these briefs in their opinions. However, much less often, they cite the amici. These two uses are distinct in that one is revealed to the reader while the other is not. So which interest groups do the justices decide to cite and which do they borrow language from? I find the justices borrow more language from ideologically similar interests, but that ideology plays a less central role in the decision to cite. Specifically, I find that the justices are less likely to cite briefs filed by ideologically overt interests, but this only extends to the most ideologically “extreme” groups. Further, the justices are not more likely to cite briefs filed by interests that are ideologically similar to their own preferences. These findings provide insight into how the justices balance policy and legitimacy goals.

scholarly journals Identification and complete genome characterization of a novel picornavirus in turkey (Meleagris gallopavo)

2012 ◽  
Vol 93 (10) ◽  
pp. 2171-2182 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ákos Boros ◽  
Csaba Nemes ◽  
Péter Pankovics ◽  
Beatrix Kapusinszky ◽  
Eric Delwart ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acid ◽  
Complete Genome ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Entry Site ◽  
Pathogenic Potential ◽  
Genome Characterization ◽  
Genome Region ◽  
Faecal Samples ◽  
The Usa

Members of the family Picornaviridae are important pathogens of humans and animals, although compared with the thousands of known bird species (>10 000), only a few (n = 11) picornaviruses have been identified from avian sources. This study reports the metagenomic detection and complete genome characterization of a novel turkey picornavirus from faecal samples collected from eight turkey farms in Hungary. Using RT-PCR, both healthy (two of three) and affected (seven of eight) commercial turkeys with enteric and/or stunting syndrome were shown to be shedding viruses in seven (88 %) of the eight farms. The viral genome sequence (turkey/M176/2011/HUN; GenBank accession no. JQ691613) shows a high degree of amino acid sequence identity (96 %) to the partial P3 genome region of a picornavirus reported recently in turkey and chickens from the USA and probably belongs to the same species. In the P1 and P2 regions, turkey/M176/2011/HUN is related most closely to, but distinct from, the kobuviruses and turdivirus 1. Complete genome analysis revealed the presence of characteristic picornaviral amino acid motifs, a potential type II-like 5′ UTR internal ribosome entry site (first identified among avian-origin picornaviruses) and a conserved, 48 nt long ‘barbell-like’ structure found at the 3′ UTR of turkey/M176/2011/HUN and members of the picornavirus genera Avihepatovirus and Kobuvirus. The general presence of turkey picornavirus – a novel picornavirus species – in faecal samples from healthy and affected turkeys in Hungary and in the USA suggests the worldwide occurrence and endemic circulation of this virus in turkey farms. Further studies are needed to investigate the aetiological role and pathogenic potential of this picornavirus in food animals.

scholarly journals Widespread detection and characterization of porcine parainfluenza virus 1 in pigs in the USA

2016 ◽  
Vol 97 (2) ◽  
pp. 281-286 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachel M. Palinski ◽  
Zhenhai Chen ◽  
Jamie N. Henningson ◽  
Yuekun Lang ◽  
Raymond R. R. Rowland ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Parainfluenza Virus ◽  
The Usa

scholarly journals A discovery 70 years in the making: characterization of the Rose rosette virus

2011 ◽  
Vol 92 (7) ◽  
pp. 1727-1732 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alma G. Laney ◽  
Karen E. Keller ◽  
Robert R. Martin ◽  
Ioannis E. Tzanetakis
Keyword(s):  
Rna Virus ◽  
Causal Agent ◽  
Low Diversity ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Rose Rosette ◽  
Diversity Studies ◽  
The Rose ◽  
Negative Sense ◽  
Eastern Half

Rose rosette was first described in the early 1940s and it has emerged as one of the most devastating diseases of roses. Although it has been 70 years since the disease description, the rosette agent is yet to be characterized. In this communication, we identify and characterize the putative causal agent of the disease, a negative-sense RNA virus and new member of the genus Emaravirus. The virus was detected in 84/84 rose rosette-affected plants collected from the eastern half of the USA, but not in any of 30 symptomless plants tested. The strong correlation between virus and disease is a good indication that the virus, provisionally named Rose rosette virus, is the causal agent of the disease. Diversity studies using two virus proteins, p3 and p4, demonstrated that the virus has low diversity between isolates as they share nucleotide identities ranging from 97 to 99%.

scholarly journals Dominance of the ON1 Genotype of RSV-A and BA9 Genotype of RSV-B in Respiratory Cases from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Genes ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 1323
Author(s):  
Hessa A. Al-Sharif ◽  
Sherif A. El-Kafrawy ◽  
Jehad M. Yousef ◽  
Taha A. Kumosani ◽  
Mohammad A. Kamal ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Respiratory Infections ◽  
Hypervariable Region ◽  
Genotype Distribution ◽  
Potential Development ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Group A ◽  
Syncytial Virus ◽  
Group B

Human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) is a main cause of hospital admission for lower respiratory tract infection. In previous studies from Saudi Arabia, higher prevalence of the NA1 genotype in group A was observed from Riyadh and Taif. This study recruited respiratory cases from Jeddah during January to December, 2017. RSV represented 13.4% in the recruited cases with 64% of them belonging to group A and 36% to group B. All group A cases in this study were ON1 type characterized by duplication of 72 nucleotides, 24 amino acids in the C-terminal in the second hypervariable region of the G gene. In addition, for group B all of the cases were clustered under BA9, which had uniquely characterized as duplication of 60 nucleotides in the G protein. Our sequences showed similarity with earlier sequences from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Thailand, South Africa, Spain, the USA and Cyprus. Some amino acid substitutions in the investigated sequences would cause a change in potential O-glycosylation and N-glycosylation profiles from prototype ON1. The predominance of the ON1 and BA9 genotype of RSV-A in Jeddah compared to previous Saudi studies showing predominance of the NA1 genotype for group A. This difference in genotype prevalence could be due to fast spread of the ON1 genotype worldwide or due to the flux of travelers through Jeddah during hajj/umrah compared to Riyadh and Taif. This shift in genotype distribution requires continuous surveillance for genetic characterization of circulating respiratory infections including RSV. These findings may contribute to the understanding of RSV evolution and to the potential development of a vaccine against RSV.

Religious Freedom and the Churches: Contemporary Challenges in the United States Today1

2019 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 194-204
Author(s):  
Richard W. Garnett
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Sexual Abuse ◽  
Civil Society ◽  
Constitutional Law ◽  
Religious Freedom ◽  
The United States ◽  
Religious Institutions ◽  
General Decline ◽  
The Supreme Court ◽  
Constitutional Right

A crucial, but often overlooked, dimension of the human and constitutional right to religious freedom is the autonomy of religious institutions, associations and societies with respect to matters of governance, doctrine, formation and membership. Although the Supreme Court of the United States has affirmed this autonomy in the context of American constitutional law, it is vulnerable, and even under threat, for a variety of reasons, including a general decline in the health of civil society and mediating associations and a crisis of confidence and authority caused by clerical sexual abuse and churches’ failure to respond to it.

scholarly journals Genetic Characterization of Cleveland Bay Horse Breed

Diversity ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 174 ◽  
Author(s):  
Khanshour ◽  
Hempsey ◽  
Juras ◽  
Cothran
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Genetic Variability ◽  
Genetic Similarity ◽  
Genetic Resource ◽  
Genetic Characterization ◽  
Genetic Relationships ◽  
Similarity Measures ◽  
Horse Breed ◽  
The Usa

The Cleveland Bay (CB) is the United Kingdom’s oldest established horse breed. In this study we analyzed the genetic variability in CB horses and investigated its genetic relationships with other horse breeds. We examined the genetic variability among 90 CB horses sampled in the USA compared to a total of 3447 horses from 59 other breeds. Analysis of the genetic diversity and population structure was carried out using 15 microsatellite loci. We found that genetic diversity in CB horses was less than that for the majority of other tested breeds. The genetic similarity measures showed no direct relationship between the CB and Thoroughbred but suggested the Turkman horses (likely in the lineage of ancestors of the Thoroughbred) as a possible ancestor. Our findings reveal the genetic uniqueness of the CB breed and indicate its need to be preserved as a genetic resource.

scholarly journals Molecular Characterization of Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae in the USA, 2011–2015

2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (suppl_1) ◽  
pp. S179-S179 ◽  
Author(s):  
Uzma Ansari ◽  
Adrian Lawsin ◽  
Davina Campbell ◽  
Valerie Albrecht ◽  
Gillian McAllister ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Characterization ◽  
Carbapenem Resistant ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Carbapenem Resistant Enterobacteriaceae
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