This article considers the claim that miraculous healings are essential to present-day evangelization. I contrast this perspective with that of the Baroque scholastic theologian John Poinsot. Like his contemporaries, Poinsot is concerned with offering a robust defense of the Christian faith but is rather circumspect with respect to the role that the miraculous should play. I argue that Poinsot’s reasons are not only valid, but the positive framework he develops for defending the articles of the faith helps contemporary evangelists successfully navigate the pitfalls of postmodernity.

Southern Sudan has a low population density, abundant land and tremendous agricultural potential. A large number of domesticated crops are grown in the region in a range of cropping systems. There are also numerous useful wild plant genetic resources. Little collecting work has been done in the region, there are few accessions from southern Sudan stored ex situ and publications on the actual and potential plant genetic resources for agriculture are sparse. The region has been a centre of civil conflict with little respite since independence in 1956. The farmers’ fields and natural environments represent in situ genebanks, which following the cessation of hostilities will become extremely important for the rehabilitation of subsistence agriculture, the promotion of cash crop production and the revitalization of the regional economy. Several wild plant species are highly nutritious and merit the attention of plant scientists. This article describes some of the domesticated, semi-domesticated and wild plant genetic resources of the area, and suggests why these are important for agricultural rehabilitation following implementation of a peace accord.

A proposed crystal structure of lifitegrast Form A has been derived using synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction data and optimized using density functional theory techniques. Lifitegrast sesquihydrate Form A crystallizes in space group P21 (#4) with a = 18.2526(4), b = 5.15219(6), c = 30.1962(6) Å, β = 90.8670(19), V = 2839.35(7) Å3, and Z = 4 at 295 K. The crystal structure consists of discrete lifitegrast molecules linked by hydrogen bonds among carboxylic acid groups, carbonyl groups, and water molecules into a three-dimensional framework. The water molecules occur in clusters. Each water molecule acts as a donor in two O–H⋯O hydrogen bonds, and as an acceptor. One water molecule acts as an acceptor in a water–water O–H⋯O hydrogen bond, and all three water molecules are acceptors in C–H⋯O hydrogen bonds. Each carboxylic acid group acts as a donor in a strong discrete O–H⋯O hydrogen bond; one to a water molecule and the other to a carbonyl group. The amino groups both form N–H⋯O hydrogen bonds to carbonyl groups. The powder pattern has been submitted to ICDD® for inclusion in the Powder Diffraction File™ (PDF®).

Diversity in agronomically important traits of wild emmer wheat, Triticum dicoccoides, the progenitor of most cultivated wheats, was examined in l60 genotypes representing 16 populations derived from a wide ecogeographical spectrum of climate, soil and water availability in Israel and Turkey. The analysis included 14 quantitative economic characters including heading date, culm length, biomass, grain yield and its components, and grain protein percentage.

The results led to two major conclusions: (i) agronomically important traits varied genetically: ecogeographic diversity in these traits is dramatically displayed when populations are grown in a relatively standardized environment; and (ii) genetic diversity is revealed not only between, but also within populations. Thus, genotypes excelling in some of these characters were found in several populations.

Ortet selection remains an integral component of cacao breeding programme to develop improved clones and expand the gene pool of available germplasm. This study assessed the population structure of 168 cacao clones developed recently from selected ortets in on-station and on-farm progeny trials in Ghana using 45 SNP markers. Selection of ortets was primarily based on high bean yield, high yield efficiency, adaptability to marginal growing conditions, and low incidence of black pod and cocoa swollen shoot virus diseases. Additionally, 58 SNPs were employed to verify the parentage of 752 bi-clonal seedlings supplied to farmers for commercial plantations. Pairwise multilocus matching based on 45 SNPs showed that the 168 clones were all distinct. Overall, the clones had moderate genetic diversity (He = 0.349 ± 0.022) and shared ancestry with Marañón, Guiana, Contamana, Iquitos, Amelonado, Trinitario, Nanay and Purús based on Bayesian clustering, principal coordinates, and parentage analyses. Parentage analysis of bi-clonal seedlings assigned parent-offspring trios (>80% confidence level) to 65.2% of the farmers' varieties based on breeder's active clone collection. The results of the parentage analysis suggested the existence of mislabelled clones in the seed gardens, necessitating the need for correct clone identification or rogueing. Taken together, this study presents a new group of cacao genetic resources with potential to broaden the gene pool of cacao in cacao improvement programmes. Further, the study conveys evidence of the need for countries with established seed garden systems to constantly monitor the genetic purity of seedlings produced from the seed gardens.

Wild relatives of crop species are known to be sources of genetic diversity that can be used in crop improvement. However, they have not always been studied adequately for the variation that may exist within them, for traits which may have important implications from an evolutionary point of view and their use in breeding programmes. In the present study, a wild groundnut species, Arachis stenosperma, has been studied for variation between accessions collected from different sites in Brazil for morphological and certain nutritional traits, and for disease resistance. Multivariate analysis of 23 characters grouped 18 accessions into two clusters, while one accession, ICG 14927, was distinct from these. However, in protein profile they all appear identical. Hence, the variation appears to have arisen in response to the climatic conditions of their habitat, which has implications for use of these accessions in breeding programmes. The variation in these traits could not be associated with any phytogeographical regions. The dispersal of this species from its centre of origin and diversity to other parts of Brazil appears to be recent and without any identifiable selection pressures having operated.

A set of 68 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers were selected from existing databases (including Medicago, soybean, cowpea and peanut) for the purpose of exploiting the transferability of SSRs across species and/or genera within the legume family. Primers were tested for cross-species and cross-genus fragment amplification with an array of 24 different legume accessions. Nearly one-third (30.78%) of the SSR primers screened generated reproducible and cross-genus amplicons. One hundred and seventeen cross-species polymorphic amplicons were identified and could be used as DNA markers. These polymorphic markers are now being used for characterization and evaluation of our collected and donated legume germ- plasm. The transferability of SSRs, mis-/multiple-primings, homologous/heterologous amplifications, single/multiple-amplicons and application of these amplicons as DNA markers are discussed. The transfer of SSR markers across species or across genera can be a very efficient approach for DNA marker development, especially for minor crops.

Panonychus citri is one of the most destructive pests in citrus orchards, exhibiting varying degrees of tolerance to numerous insecticides, such as spirodiclofen. To effectively manage pests, this study explores the response of P. citri to spirodiclofen stress from the perspectives of life history, enzymatic parameters, and reproduction. The effects of two concentrations (LC30 and LC50) of spirodiclofen on the biological parameters of P. citri were evaluated by the life table method. The results showed that the development duration, fecundity, oviposition days, and lifespan were shortened, though the pre-oviposition period of two treatments was prolonged in comparison with the control. A significant decrease was recorded in the net reproductive rate (R0) and the mean generation time (T) for the two treatments. Nevertheless, the intrinsic rate of increase (r) and the rate of increase (λ) were not significantly affected in the LC30 treatment, whereas they declined in the LC50 treatment. The enzyme activity assay resulted in higher activities of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and carboxylesterase (CarE), among the treatments than the control. In contrast, the treatments recorded lower cytochromeP450 (CYP450) and Glutathione S-transferase (GST) activities than the control. Furthermore, the study detected that relative mRNA expression of Vitellogenin (Vg) and Vitellogenin receptor (VgR) for two treatments were lower than the control. In summary, two concentrations of spirodiclofen inhibited progeny growth and fecundity of P. citri. Additionally, the results of this study may support further research on tolerance of P. citri in response to spirodiclofen stress.

The crystal structure of decoquinate has been solved and refined using synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction data and optimized using density functional theory techniques. Decoquinate crystallizes in space group P21/n (#14) with a = 46.8261(5), b = 12.94937(12), c = 7.65745(10) Å, β = 91.972(1), V = 4640.48(7) Å3, and Z = 8 at 295 K. The crystal structure consists of alternating layers of hydrocarbon chains and ring systems along the a-axis. Hydrogen bonds link the ring systems along the b-axis. The rings stack along the c-axis. The two independent decoquinate molecules have very different conformations, one of which is typical and the other has an unusual orientation of the decyl chain with respect to the hydroxyquinoline ring system, facilitating chain packing. The powder pattern has been submitted to the ICDD for inclusion in the Powder Diffraction File™ (PDF®).

Phase characterization with selected area electron diffraction (SAED) represents a significant challenge when the pattern contains a substantial number of diffraction spots arranged in concentric but incomplete rings. This is a common situation when the crystallites are neither large enough to form a single crystal pattern nor sufficiently small and numerous to form continuous Debye-Scherrer rings. In such circumstances, it is often extremely difficult to distinguish between reflections belonging to a specific phase or to identify reflections that originate from secondary phases. To facilitate the process of phase identification for these kinds of multiphase samples, a macro script with the recursive acronym FINDS (FINDS Identifies Non-matrix Diffraction Spots) was developed on the ImageJ/FIJI platform. The program allows the user to mark diffraction spots of known phases by superimposed rings, making it easy to identify and address additional reflections between them. In addition to the full functionality of calculating and plotting the diffraction ring patterns of the known phases in different styles and colors, FINDS also provides tools for locating spot positions and determining the corresponding d-values of the reflections of interest. The effectiveness of this approach and of the developed program in assisting the process of phase identification with SAED patterns of multiphase samples is demonstrated by two representative examples. The macro code of FINDS is published under GNU General Public License v3.0 or later at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.13748483.

We present a neonatal case of interventricular septal aneurysm associated with right coronary artery fistula. This report is the first to document such a neonatal case, highlighting the importance of early diagnosis and surgical intervention.

An altar to Mars dedicated by a soldier of legio XI Claudia is shown to have been removed from the fabric of Marton church during restoration work and, along with much of the other stone for the Romanesque tower, nave and chancel probably derived from the Roman small town of Segelocum, Littleborough on Trent. The name of the dedicator, G. IVLIVS ANTONINUS, is discussed in the context of legio XI Claudia deployment on the Lower Danube.

In the first part of this paper I draw on some reflections offered by Descartes and Malebranche on the dangers of anthropomorphic conceptions of God, in order to suggest that there is something misguided about the way in which the so-called problem of evil is commonly framed. In the second part, I ask whether the problem of evil becomes easier to deal with if we adopt a non-personalist account of God, of the kind found in Aquinas. I consider the sense in which God is termed ‘good’ on this latter conception, and while not proposing that it can justify or explain the evil and suffering in the world, I suggest that the world’s manifest imperfections are compatible with the existence of a loving creator who is the source of the existence of the world and of the goodness found in created things.

Accurate dynamic model is essential for the model-based control of robotic systems. However, on the one hand, the nonlinearity of the friction is seldom treated in robot dynamics. On the other hand, few of the previous studies reasonably balance the calculation time-consuming and the quality for the excitation trajectory optimization. To address these challenges, this article gives a Lie-theory-based dynamic modeling scheme of multi-degree-of-freedom (DoF) serial robots involving nonlinear friction and excitation trajectory optimization. First, we introduce two coefficients to describe the Stribeck characteristics of Coulomb and static friction and consider the dependency of friction on load torque, so as to propose an improved Stribeck friction model. Whereafter, the improved friction model is simplified in a no-load scenario, a novel nonlinear dynamic model is linearized to capture the features of viscous friction across the entire velocity range. Additionally, a new optimization algorithm of excitation trajectories is presented considering the benefits of three different optimization criteria to design the optimal excitation trajectory. On the basis of the above, we retrieve a feasible dynamic parameter set of serial robots through the hybrid least square algorithm. Finally, our research is supported by simulation and experimental analyses of different combinations on the seven-DoF Franka Emika robot. The results show that the proposed friction has better accuracy performance, and the modified optimization algorithm can reduce the overall time required for the optimization process while maintaining the quality of the identification results.