bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Chitosan-Grafted Copolymers and Chitosan-Ligand Conjugates as Matrices for Pulmonary Drug Delivery
Authors: Andrade Fernanda , Goycoolea Francisco , Chiappetta Diego A. , das Neves José , Sosnik Alejandro , Sarmento Bruno
Published: October 2011

Recently, much attention has been given to pulmonary drug delivery by means of nanosized systems to treat both local and systemic diseases. Among the different materials used for the production of nanocarriers, chitosan enjoys high popularity due to its inherent characteristics such as biocompatibility, biodegradability, and mucoadhesion, among others. Through the modification of chitosan chemical structure, either by the addition of new chemical groups or by the functionalization with ligands, it is possible to obtain derivatives with advantageous and specific characteristics for pulmonary administration. In this paper, we discuss the advantages of using chitosan for nanotechnology-based pulmonary delivery of drugs and summarize the most recent and promising modifications performed to the chitosan molecule in order to improve its characteristics.
Anti-α-enolase Antibodies in Serum from Pediatric Patients Affected by Inflammatory Diseases: Diagnostic and Pathogenetic Insights
Authors: Pontillo Alessandra , Di Toro Nicola , Edomi Paolo , Shadlow A. , Ammadeo A. , Gattorno M. , Not T. , Lepore L. , Crovella S.
Published: October 2011

Human glycolytic enzyme α-enolase was associated with human diseases and with inflammation. An ELISA test was developed to measure anti-α-enolase AAE IgG and AAE IgA in the serum from patients affected by inflammatory diseases with the purpose to evaluate it as a novel diagnostic marker. 80 healthy blood donors and 194 paediatric patients affected by Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), celiac disease (CD), Crohn's Disease (CrD), hereditary periodic fever (HPF), and PFAPA syndrome were included in the study. HPF patients showed high levels of AAE antibodies, whereas JIA, CD, and CrD presented only partial results. Benign fevers such as PFAPA were almost negative for AAE Abs. These findings suggested that the genetic dysfunction of inflammasome associated with HPF could lead to the formation of AAE Abs that could be used for an early and easy diagnosis.
Targeted Proteomics of Isolated Glomeruli from the Kidneys of Diabetic Rats: Sorbin and SH3 Domain Containing 2 Is a Novel Protein Associated with Diabetic Nephropathy
Authors: Nakatani Shinya , Kakehashi Anna , Ishimura Eiji , Yamano Shotaro , Mori Katsuhito , Wei Min , Inaba Masaaki , Wanibuchi Hideki
Published: October 2011

To evaluate proteins associated with the development of diabetic nephropathy, a major cause of the end-stage renal disease, we analyzed protein expression in isolated glomeruli from spontaneous type 2 diabetic (OLETF) rats and their age-matched control littermates (LETO) in the early and proteinuric stages of diabetic nephropathy using QSTAR Elite LC-MS/MS. Among the 191 and 218 proteins that were altered significantly in the OLETF rats, twenty-four were actin cytoskeleton-associated proteins implicated in the formation of stress fibers, and the impairment of actin polymerization, intermediate filaments and microtubules. Importantly, sorbin and SH3 domain containing 2 (SORBS2), which is involved in the formation of stress fibers, was significantly upregulated in both stages of diabetic nephropathy (1.49- and 1.97-fold, resp.). Immunohistochemical and quantitative-PCR analyses revealed upregulation of SORBS2 in podocytes of glomeruli of OLETF rats. Our findings suggested that SORBS2 may be associated with the development of diabetic nephropathy possibility by reorganization of actin filaments.
Raman Spectra of Quaternary CdS1−x−ySexTey Nanocrystals Embedded in Borosilicate Glass
Authors: Azhniuk Yuriy M. , Hutych Yuriy I. , Lopushansky Vasyl V. , Prymak Mykola V. , Gomonnai Alexander V. , Zahn Dietrich R. T.
Published: October 2011

A series of samples with quaternary CdS1−x−ySexTey nanocrystals with cations of three types distributed over nanocrystal lattice sites were grown in a borosilicate glass matrix by the diffusion-limited growth technique. Their Raman spectra confirm the three-mode compositional behaviour of CdS1−x−ySexTey phonon spectra. The compositional dependence of the LO phonon frequencies is analysed experimentally for a series of samples containing nanocrystals with x≈y.
The Influence of Pores on Irradiation Property of Selected Nuclear Graphites
Authors: Li Zhengcao , Chen Dongyue , Fu Xiaogang , Miao Wei , Zhang Zhengjun
Published: October 2011

As structural material and moderator in high temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR), nuclear graphite endures large flux of irradiation in its service time. The microstructure of nuclear graphite is a topical issue studied to predict the irradiation property of graphite and improve manufacturing process. In our present work, the pores in graphite are focused, and the relationship between pore and irradiation behavior is discussed. Three kinds of nuclear graphite (IG-11, NBG-18, and HSM-SC) are concerned, and their porosity, pore size, and morphology before and after irradiation are studied, respectively. A comparison between the three graphites shows that dense small pores which are uniformly distributed in graphite bring better irradiation property because the pores can accommodate some of the internal stress caused by irradiation expansion. Coke particles of small size and a thorough mixture between coke and binder are suggested to obtain such pores in nuclear graphite and thus improve irradiation property.
Review on Autoimmune Reactions in Female Infertility: Antibodies to Follicle Stimulating Hormone
Authors: Haller-Kikkatalo Kadri , Salumets Andres , Uibo Raivo
Published: October 2011

Female fertility can be affected by diseases or dysfunctions of reproductive tract, neuroendocrine system, and immune system. Reproductive autoimmune failure can be associated with overall activation of immune system or with immune system reactions specifically directed against ovarian antigens. Majority of the antiovarian autoantibodies are directed againstβ-subunit of follicle stimulating hormone (anti-FSH). This paper summarizes a current clinical classification of female infertility in the context of general activation of autoimmunity and antiovarian autoimmunity by describing serum anti-FSH. The presence of naturally occurring anti-FSH in healthy women will be discussed. In addition, the putative impairment of ovarian folliculogenesis in case of increased production of those antibodies in infertile women will be characterized.
Lack of Efficacy of Combined Antiangiogenic Therapies in Xenografted Human Melanoma
Authors: Adamcic Una , Castagna Clorinda , Minhas Kanwal , Shahrzad Siranoush , Coomber Brenda L.
Published: October 2011

Antiangiogenic therapy is theoretically a promising anticancer approach but does not always produce significant tumor control. Combinations of antiangiogenic therapies are therefore being investigated as strategies to enhance clinical benefit. Common targets for angiogenic blockade include endothelial specific receptors, such as Tie2/Tek, which signal blood vessel stabilization via recruitment and maturation of pericytes. Here, we report on the effects of targeted Tie2 antiangiogenic therapy (TekdeltaFc) in combination with nontargeted metronomic cyclophosphamide (LDM CTX) (reported to also act in antiangiogenic fashion) in xenografted human melanoma. Individually, these therapies showed transient antitumor activity, but, in combination, there was no significant reduction in tumor growth. In addition, while TekdeltaFc caused the expected increased pericyte coverage in treated blood vessels, LDM CTX alone or in combination with TekdeltaFc resulted in increased levels of VEGF production. Collectively, our data highlight the complexity of molecular interactions that may take place when antiangiogenic regimens are combined.
New Evidence-Based Treatment Approach in Behçet's Disease
Authors: Alpsoy Erkan
Published: October 2011

Behçet's
disease (BD) is a chronic, relapsing, and
debilitating systemic vasculitis of unknown
aetiology with the clinical features of
mucocutaneous lesions, ocular, vascular,
articular, neurologic, gastrointestinal,
urogenital, and pulmonary involvement. The
disease is much more frequent along the ancient
“Silk Route” extending from Eastern
Asia to the Mediterranean basin, compared with
Western countries. The disease usually starts
around the third or fourth decade of life. Male
sex and a younger age of onset are associated
with more severe disease. Although the
treatment has become much more effective in
recent years, BD is still associated with severe
morbidity and considerable mortality. The main
aim of the treatment should be the prevention of
irreversible organ damage. Therefore, close
monitoring, early, and appropriate treatment is
mandatory to reduce morbidity and mortality. The
treatment is mainly based on the suppression of
inflammatory attacks of the disease using
immunomodulatory and immunosuppressive agents.
In this paper, current state of knowledge
regarding the therapeutic approaches is
outlined. To provide a rational framework for
selecting the appropriate therapy along the
various treatment choices, a stepwise,
symptom-based, evidence-based algorithmic
approach was developed.
In vitro and in vivo Permeation of Vitamin E and Vitamin E Acetate from Cosmetic Formulations
Authors: Nada Aly , Krishnaiah Yellela S.R. , Zaghloul Abdel-Azim , Khattab Ibrahim
Published: October 2011

Objective: To investigate the ability of α-tocopherol acetate (TA) and α-tocopherol (T), widely used ingredients in cosmetics, to cross the epidermal barrier using the neonatal rat as a model. Materials and Methods: The content of T and TA in four marketed products (A–D) and two experimental formulations (F1, F2) was investigated by HPLC. An in vitro permeation study was performed in neonatal rat epidermis using diffusion cells. In vivo permeation was studied in neonatal rats after repeated application of the products and analysis of T and TA in the stratum corneum/deeper skin layers. Results: Variable contents of TA were found in the marketed products (0.12–0.53%). No vitamin permeation was detected through the stratum corneum as in vitro biological barrier after 4 h. No detectable T and TA were seen in the in vivo permeation study in the epidermis. Variable degrees of drug penetration (4.3–12.6%) of the applied dose into the deeper skin layers were observed, depending on the formulation. In vivo application of TA-containing preparations did not result in any transformation of TA into T under the described experimental conditions. Conclusion: TA and T exhibited variable skin penetration and TA did not transform into T under the experimental conditions. The data underscored the need for further studies to optimize such formulations to improve vitamin E transdermal permeation and eventually achieve the expected cosmetic/therapeutic outcome.
Increased Complement Consumption in MuSK-Antibody-Positive Myasthenia Gravis Patients
Authors: Tüzün Erdem , Yılmaz Vuslat , Parman Yeşim , Oflazer Piraye , Deymeer Feza , Saruhan-Direskeneli Güher
Published: October 2011

Objective: To investigate the activation of different complement pathways in myasthenia gravis (MG) subtypes. Subjects and Methods: Levels of complement breakdown products for different complement pathways were measured using ELISA in sera of acetylcholine receptor antibody (AChR-Ab)-positive (n = 21), muscle-specific receptor tyrosine kinase (MuSK)-Ab-positive (n = 23) and seronegative generalized MG patients (n = 21) and healthy controls (n = 22). Levels of factor Bb (FBb), the breakdown product of factor B, and C4d, the breakdown product of C4, were measured to evaluate the activity of the alternative and classical complement pathways, respectively. Serum iC3b levels were analyzed to assess total complement activity. The results were expressed as OD values. Results: MuSK-Ab-positive MG patients had a significantly higher mean concentration of serum FBb (0.638) than other MG subtypes (0.446 for AChR-Ab-positive, 0.537 for seronegative MG patients) and healthy controls (0.434) (p = 0.045). Mean serum iC3b (1.549–1.780) and C4d (0.364–0.395) levels were comparable among the groups. Conclusion: Our results suggest that MuSK-Ab-positive MG patients might have a complement-activating serum factor and the alternative complement pathway might be involved in the pathogenesis of the disease.
Direct Exposure of Guinea Pig CNS to Human Luteinizing Hormone Increases Cerebrospinal Fluid and Cerebral Beta Amyloid Levels
Authors: Wahjoepramono Eka J. , Wijaya Linda K. , Taddei Kevin , Bates Kristyn A. , Howard Matthew , Martins Georgia , deRuyck Karl , Matthews Paul M. , Verdile Giuseppe , Martins Ralph N.
Published: October 2011

Background/Aims: Luteinizing hormone (LH) has been shown to alter the metabolism of beta amyloid (Aβ), a key protein in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) pathogenesis. While LH and components required for LH receptor signalling are present in the brain, their role in the CNS remains unclear. In vitro, LH has been shown to facilitate neurosteroid production and alter Aβ metabolism. However, whether LH can directly modulate cerebral Aβ levels in vivo has not previously been studied. In this study, we investigated the effect of chronic administration of LH to the guinea pig CNS on cerebral Aβ levels. Methods: Gonadectomised male animals were administered, via cortical placement, either placebo or LH slow-release pellets. At 14 and 28 days after treatment, animals were sacrificed. Brain, plasma and CSF were collected and Aβ levels measured via ELISA. Levels of the Aβ precursor protein (APP) and the neurosteroidogenic enzyme cytochrome P450 side-chain cleavage enzyme (P450scc) were also assayed. Results: An increase in CSF Aβ40 levels was observed 28 days following treatment. These CSF data also reflected changes in Aβ40 levels observed in brain homogenates. No change was observed in plasma Aβ40 levels but APP and its C-terminal fragments (APP-CTF) were significantly increased in response to LH exposure. Protein expression of P450scc was increased after 28 days of LH exposure, suggesting activation of the LH receptor. Conclusion: These data indicate that direct exposure of guinea pig CNS to LH results in altered brain Aβ levels, perhaps due to altered APP expression/metabolism.
Vascular Responses to Drug-Eluting and Bare Metal Stents in Diabetic/Hypercholesterolemic and Nonatherosclerotic Porcine Coronary Arteries
Authors: Llano Raul , Winsor-Hines Dawn , Patel Dhavalkumar B. , Seifert Paul S. , Hamamdzic Damir , Wilson Gregory J. , Wang Hong , Keane Martin G. , Huibregtse Barbara A. , Wilensky Robert L.
Published: October 2011

Background—

Animal models used to gain insight into the vascular response to drug-eluting stents are generally juvenile and nonatherosclerotic, whereas stents are placed in patients with complex atherosclerosis and comorbidities. Hence, models reflecting these complexities are needed to help elucidate the vascular effects of drug-eluting stents. We compared the vascular responses with bare metal stent (BMS) and paclitaxel-eluting stent (PES) implantation in a diabetic/hypercholesterolemic (DM/HC) porcine model of advanced coronary atherosclerosis with the standard juvenile porcine model.

Methods and Results—

Two studies using similar stent procedural protocols were performed in either DM/HC (n=20) or domestic swine (non-DM/HC, n=20). Animals pretreated with dual-antiplatelet therapy, underwent BMS or PES implantation (1/artery, 2 stents per animal) and were euthanized 30 or 90 days later. DM/HC resulted in a 24% increase in platelet aggregation (
P
=0.05 versus baseline), whereas dual-antiplatelet therapy reduced platelet aggregation in both groups (
P
<0.0001). DM/HC pigs developed substantially greater neointimal area versus non-DM/HC pigs, regardless of stent type, (
P
=0.004 for BMS at 30 days and
P
=0.002 at 90 days,
P
=0.005 for PES at 30 days,
P
=0.002 at 90 days). Compared with non-DM/HC pigs, reendothelialization was delayed in DM/HC pigs, more so after PES implantation. Increased para-strut leukocytes were observed for PES compared with BMS in the DM/HC pigs at both 30 days (
P
=0.023) and 90 days (
P
=0.04). As well, increased T-lymphocyte infiltration was seen in the DM/HC pigs.

Conclusions—

Stent implantation in a DM/HC swine model provides a metabolic environment closer to human disease, including hyperglycemia, hypercholesterolemia, and increased platelet aggregation. This model augmented differences in the vascular response between PES and BMS that are not as clearly evident in the non-DM/HC swine, including increased neointimal area, delayed reendothelialization, and greater, persistent vascular inflammation.
Effects of Hydration in Contrast-Induced Acute Kidney Injury After Primary Angioplasty
Authors: Maioli Mauro , Toso Anna , Leoncini Mario , Micheletti Carlo , Bellandi Francesco
Published: October 2011

Background—

Intravascular volume expansion represents a beneficial measure against contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CI-AKI) in patients undergoing elective angiographic procedures. However, the efficacy of this preventive strategy has not yet been established for patients with ST-elevation–myocardial infarction (STEMI), who are at higher risk of this complication after primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). In this randomized study we investigated the possible beneficial role of periprocedural intravenous volume expansion and we compared the efficacy of 2 different hydration strategies in patients with STEMI undergoing primary PCI.

Methods and Results—

We randomly assigned 450 STEMI patients to receive (1) preprocedure and postprocedure hydration of sodium bicarbonate (early hydration group), (2) postprocedure hydration of isotonic saline (late hydration group), or (3) no hydration (control group). The primary end point was the development of CI-AKI, defined as an increase in serum creatinine of ≥25% or 0.5 mg/dL over the baseline value within 3 days after administration of the contrast medium. Moreover, we evaluated a possible relationship between the occurrence of CI-AKI and total hydration volume administered. There were no significant differences in baseline clinical, biochemical, and procedural characteristics in the 3 groups. Overall, CI-AKI occurred in 93 patients (20.6%): the incidence was significantly lower in the early hydration group (12%) with respect to both the late hydration group (22.7%) and the control group (27.3%) (
P
for trend=0.001). In hydrated patients (early and late hydration groups), lower infused volumes were associated with a significant increase in CI-AKI incidence, and the optimal cutoff point of hydration volume that best discriminates patients at higher risk was ≤960 mL.

Conclusions—

Adequate intravenous volume expansion may prevent CI-AKI in patients undergoing primary PCI. A regimen of preprocedure and postprocedure hydration therapy with sodium bicarbonate appears to be more efficacious than postprocedure hydration only with isotonic saline.

Clinical Trial Registration—

URL:
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier: NCT00770614.
Diagnostic Assessment of Search Controls and Failure Modes in Many-Objective Evolutionary Optimization
Authors: Hadka David , Reed Patrick
Published: October 2011

The growing popularity of multiobjective evolutionary algorithms (MOEAs) for solving many-objective problems warrants the careful investigation of their search controls and failure modes. This study contributes a new diagnostic assessment framework for rigorously evaluating the effectiveness, reliability, efficiency, and controllability of MOEAs as well as identifying their search controls and failure modes. The framework is demonstrated using the recently introduced Borg MOEA, [Formula: see text]-NSGA-II, [Formula: see text]-MOEA, IBEA, OMOPSO, GDE3, MOEA/D, SPEA2, and NSGA-II on 33 instances of 18 test problems from the DTLZ, WFG, and CEC 2009 test suites. The diagnostic framework exploits Sobol's variance decomposition to provide guidance on the algorithms’ non-separable, multi-parameter controls when performing a many-objective search. This study represents one of the most comprehensive empirical assessments of MOEAs ever completed.
The Cost of Workplace Flexibility for High-Powered Professionals
Authors: Goldin Claudia , Katz Lawrence F.
Published: October 2011

The authors study the pecuniary penalties for family-related amenities in the workplace (e.g., job interruptions, short hours, part-time work, and flexibility during the workday), how women have responded to them, and how the penalties have changed over time. The pecuniary penalties to behaviors that are beneficial to family appear to have decreased in many professions. Self-employment has declined in many of the high-end professions (e.g., pharmacy, optometry, dentistry, law, medicine, and veterinary medicine) where it was costly in terms of workplace flexibility. The authors conclude that many professions have experienced an increase in workplace flexibility, driven often by exogenous factors (e.g., increased scale of operations and shifts to corporate ownership of business) but also endogenously because of an increased number of women. Workplace flexibility in some positions, notably in the business and financial sectors, has lagged.
Typology of schizophrenic symptoms and quality of life in patients and their main caregivers in northern Chile
Authors: Caqueo-Urízar Alejandra , Gutiérrez-Maldonado José , Ferrer-García Marta , Morales Alfonso Urzúa , Fernández-Dávila Paula
Published: October 2011

Background:

Schizophrenia is a serious mental disorder characterized by the presence of both ‘positive’ and ‘negative’ symptoms that affect the essential functions through which a person gains his or her sense of individuality and capacity for independent functioning.

Aims:

To describe the typology of schizophrenic symptoms and their relationship to quality of life in patients with schizophrenia and their main caregivers.

Methods:

Participants were 45 patients and 45 relatives seen by the mental health services in Arica, Chile. Patients were assessed using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), the Seville Quality of Life Questionnaire (SQLQ), and the Social Functioning Scale (SFS). The latter was also administered to caregivers, along with the Zarit Burden Interview.

Results:

Patients reported moderate levels of quality of life, there being a strong relationship with the negative syndrome and the general psychopathology of the disorder. The quality of life of main caregivers was related with the general psychopathology of patients. The results regarding social functioning and the caregivers’ perceptions of patients’ functional capacity showed that patients had a very limited degree of social integration.

Conclusions:

Negative symptoms and general psychopathology are the main predictors of quality of life in both patients and their caregivers.
Moses in Contemporary Theology
Authors: Herzog Frederick
Published: October 2011

The way of shaping present “riffraff” into community in our wilderness is not identical to that of Moses at Sinai, but the need to establish law and to offer it as gospel is very much the same.
The Reciprocity Between Scripture and Theology
Authors: Jodock Darrell
Published: October 2011

Theological reflection is a dynamic exploratory activity ultimately limited only by its loyalty to the God who continues to show mercy, to set people free, and to do justice—the God, in other words, to whom the Scriptures in all their marvelous diversity bear witness.
The New Testament and Ethics
Authors: Cahill Lisa Sowle
Published: October 2011

There is a broad recognition that moral norms are most usefully justified not as mere transcriptions of biblical rules, or even as sophisticated references to key narrative themes, but rather as coherent social embodiments of a community formed by Scripture.
Messianic Ethics
Authors: Wiebe Ben
Published: October 2011

Jesus' ethics emisaged not the indiudual —as so much of modern scholarship has mistakenly supposed—but restored Israel as a communnity brought into being through appropriate response to Jesus' proclamation of the kingdom
The God Who Likes His Name
Authors: Kimel Alvin F.
Published: October 2011

Notwithstanding the protest of contemporary theologians, substantive changes in the language by which the church names God must result in an alienation from the gospel.
The Reclamation of Creation
Authors: Fretheim Terence E
Published: October 2011

Whereas in modern times Genesis has been read in the light of Exodus, and creation has been understood in the light of redemption and the giving of the law at Mount Sinai, it now seems clear that one must reverse the order Exodus is to be understood in the light of Genesis and redemption and law in the light of creation
Something to Believe
Authors: Forde Gerhard O.
Published: October 2011

Our know-it-alls, the new spirits, assert that faith alone saves and that works and external things contribute nothing to this end. We answer: It is true, nothing that is in us does it but faith, as we shall hear later on. But these leaders of the blind are unwilling to see that faith must have something to believe—something to which it may cling and upon which it may stand. Thus faith clings to the water and believes it to be Baptism in which there is sheer salvation and life, not through the water, as we have sufficiently stated, but through its incorporation with God's Word and ordinance and the joining of his name to it. When I believe this, what else is it but believing in God as the one who has implanted his Word in this external ordinance and offered it to us so that we may grasp the treasure it contains? (Martin Luther, Large Catechism) 1
The Social Meaning of Reconciliation
Authors: Volf Miroslav
Published: October 2011

From Damascus to Rwanda and South Africa, a hard lesson has been learned. In situations of conflict, reconciliation must be placed at the forefront in the pursuit of justice.
Rethinking Theology
Authors: Johnson William Stacy
Published: October 2011

A new intellectual climate is emerging for rethinking the God of revelation who is unreservedly for and with human beings and who, in turn, calls us to be for and with the Other.
The Gospel in Context
Authors: Asante Emmanuel
Published: October 2011

“I am related . . . therefore I exist” encapsulates the African worldview. To experience newness of life through Christ is to experience a heightened sense of koinonia.
Apocalyptic Family Values
Authors: Johnson E. Elizabeth
Published: October 2011

The apocalyptic character of the church's life definitively shapes Paul's language about households and kinship relations. God's adoption of Christians into this new household of faith disrupts and reorganizes existing family relationships.
Body Language
Authors: Ford Richard Q.
Published: October 2011

These parables balance three seemingly incompatible domains: creative collaboration within the limits of nature; catastrophic disaster tinged with the barest hint of human responsibility; and courageous, transforming coercion, the success of which renders an entire process vulnerable.
The Grace of God and the Law of Christ
Authors: Charry Ellen T.
Published: October 2011

It is a mistake to oppose law and grace, for God's grace makes way for a radically transformed social and moral order. The law of Christ enables a new way of life that is obedient to God.
Sovereign Grace
Authors: Gerrish Brian A.
Published: October 2011

The Reformed witness to grace may be even more needed today than it was in the sixteenth century, since now Pelagianism seems comfortably at home in the Reformed churches. But the question is whether “sovereign grace” requires the predestinarianism that the Reformers took over from Augustine.
The Believer and the Historian
Authors: Soulen R. Kendall
Published: October 2011

Christian theology can best address the conundrum of “Faith and History” by reclaiming a distinctively theological approach to understanding the Bible and the history with which it is concerned.
The Road to Perfection
Authors: Stevenson-Moessner Jeanne
Published: October 2011

As the road to Hades, according to Diogenes Laertius (280 B.C.E.), is easy to travel, so the road to perfection as described in Hebrews is filled with suffering. What constitutes justified suffering, if there is such a thing, and what is perfection?
“Take Up and Read”
Authors: Froehlich Karlfried
Published: October 2011

Augustine was convinced that the Bible is meant to promote one thing: the love of God and neighbor. Although the human language of the inspired scriptures constitutes a formidable challenge, studying the Bible may be the best use of our limited life span. God the master rhetorician will teach, delight, and move anyone who takes it up and reads.
Jonathan's Gift of Friendship
Authors: Tull Patricia K.
Published: October 2011

The story of Jonathan and David stands out as the Bible's lengthiest and most complex narrative reflection on friendship. Far from idealizing the mutuality of their devotion, however, this story invites readers to ponder the human freedom to accept, reject, exploit, or reciprocate the gift of a friend's loyalty.
“Follow Me”
Authors: Spencer F. Scott
Published: October 2011

Jesus displays audacious personal authority in summoning his followers to join him in advancing the kingdom of God. He does not negotiate with disciples. Moreover, the content of his call implies an alternative political (imperial) as well as religious (spiritual) vocation.
The Delight of Beauty and Song of Songs 4:1–7
Authors: Dobbs-Allsopp F.W.
Published: October 2011

Beauty has not figured prominently in contemporary notions of human flourishing. This essay seeks to reclaim a notion of beauty that the Church and the academy can find valuable again. The question is engaged here specifically from the perspective of a biblical scholar using a biblical text-the poem in Song 4:1–7 — to focus and source the discussion.
The Source Critic and the Religious Interpreter
Authors: Sommer Benjamin D.
Published: October 2011

Studies that examine both compositional criticism and the history of exegesis can uncover continuity between pre-biblical documents and later religious expression. Two examples are used to demonstrate such trajectories and to explore their interest to a contemporary religious person. Documents underlying descriptions of lawgiving at Sinai in the book of Exodus and texts relating to the eschaton in the book of Isaiah are shown to have deep affiliations with ancient, medieval, and modern trends in Jewish thought which are barely noticeable without source critical analysis.
James as the First Catholic Epistle
Authors: Painter John
Published: October 2011

James presents an important alternative to the Pauline view of Christian faith and life. James' message reveals deep insight into Jesus' teaching concerning God as Father and the trustful confidence of life lived in relation to God. At the same time, James uncovers the ethical cutting edge of the message of God's fatherly generosity.
Can A Cushite Change His Skin?
Authors: Sadler Rodney S.
Published: October 2011

Treatment of human differences in Scripture, particularly regarding the Cushites, raises the question of whether this group was “racially othered” by the Hebrews, or whether differences in phenological presentation and cultural customs were vested with less significance than they have been in a contemporary milieu.
Christian Friendship: John, Paul, and the Philippians
Authors: Fitzgerald John
Published: October 2011

Both John and Paul ground friendship in love, yet their conceptions differ in important ways. This article provides a brief discussion and comparison of their two understandings and concludes with a treatment of Paul's use of friendship language in Philippians.
Becoming the Neighbor: Virtue Theory and the Problem of Neighbor Identity
Authors: Roberts Samuel K.
Published: October 2011

Ethical theories consistent with Christian moral sensibilities must assure each neighbor's dignity and recognize his or her unique needs. While utilitarian ethics and duty-based ethics may fail to some degree in these respects, virtue ethics offers perspectives that echo more faithfully the parable of the Good Samaritan.
An Advent Gift: The Eschatological Promise
Authors: Byars Ronald P.
Published: October 2011

Eschatology is where Christian hope comes into focus. Because both the “second coming” and the ultimate reign of God can be associated with bizarre expectations, the temptation is to tame these biblical themes or work around them in both preaching and worship. Classical liturgies and lectionaries new and old encourage second thoughts and deeper reflection.
John's Ironic Empire
Authors: Barr David R.
Published: October 2011

Johns Revelation wrestles with the question of how Jesus' followers were to live under the imperial domination of Rome. While some see John as establishing an alternative imperial system, attention to the irony with which the story is told reveals a more compelling critique of power.
Proverbs 1–9: Issues of Social and Theological Context
Authors: Dell Katharine J.
Published: October 2011

This essay studies the different literary genres of Proverbs 1–9, including how they might have emerged, what social contexts generated such texts in Israel and in Egypt, and what their function might have been. A theological context is seen to be integral to both of the main genres of instruction and poem, despite the clearly more educational emphasis of the instruction texts.
Reading Proverbs 10–22
Authors: Clifford Richard J.
Published: October 2011

The proverbs of chs. 10–22 invite ethical reflection not only because they are designed to do so, but also because they are so different from the proverbs we are used to. Chapters 1-9 set chs. 10–22 in the context of building our life according to God's wisdom. Each proverb shows us a facet of human action and divine sovereignty.
Principle, Story, and Myth in the Liturgical Search for Identity
Authors: Hoffman Lawrence A.
Published: October 2011

As a self-conscious religious collective with minority status, Jews seeking recognition in the modem nation-state have had to fashion not just principles of belief, but also a narrative to articulate the historical essence of their existence. The most common narrative of the twentieth century has been a story, not a myth—a story, moreover, with limited capacity for interfaith dialogue. By the end of the century, that story began to lose its compelling quality. The twenty-first century demands a return to myth, with the promise of more promising theological conversation across faith lines.
A Christian Ordo?
Authors: Moore-Keish Martha
Published: October 2011

“ Ordo,” as it has come to be used, suggests the basic structure of Christian worship that centers on table, font, and pulpit, and the shape of Christian living that flows from these centers. It is a commitment to that which grounds and guides our lives in the world.
Hebrews 1:1–4
Authors: Steele Carol
Published: October 2011

Long ago, God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom he also created the worlds. He is the reflection of God's glory and the exact imprint of God's very being, and he sustains all things by his powerful word. When he had made purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.
Resurrection Sounds: When Music Bears the Word
Authors: Troeger Thomas H.
Published: October 2011

At Easter, hymns and sacred arias can work together with Scripture texts to proclaim in fresh ways that Christ is risen. If we come with attentiveness to focus upon the words, phrases, meter, and melody, we can experience new depths, wonders, and glories.
The Peril of Usury in the Christian Tradition
Authors: Meeks M. Douglas
Published: October 2011

Through the sixteenth century, the Christian tradition upheld the biblical denunciation of usury as the oppression of the poor and the neighbor. The church should critically retrieve this understanding as a contribution to the public discourse about the oppressive use of interest and debt in the current worldwide fiscal crises.
The Message of the Prophet Hosea
Authors: Ward James M.
Published: October 2011

The primary purpose of Hosea's ministry was to provide a testimony that would effect reconciliation between Yahweh and Israel—during and beyond judgment.
Eschatology and Mark's Theologia Crucis
Authors: Cousar Charles B.
Published: October 2011

Mark's whole understanding of the gospel, what it does for believers, and what believers must do in response, points to an eschatology understood in mission, not in withdrawal. The Son of Man who is to come recognizes as his own those who through proclamation and suffering have identified with his redemptive activity in the world. No moment is incidental, because in view of the cross and resurrection the history and life of the people of God have become throughly eschatological.
The Place of Scripture in Christian Ethics: A Methodological Study
Authors: Gustafson James M.
Published: October 2011

Ultimately for Christian ethics, a biblically informed theology provides the bases for the final test of the validity of particular judgments: For Christians these judgments ought to be consistent, consonant, and coherent with the themes that are generalized to be most pervasive or primary in the biblical witness.
Theological Ethics in an American Crisis
Authors: Keck Leander E. , Sellers James E.
Published: October 2011

Christian theology stands at the threshold of a renaissance. The decisive factor is the crisis symbolized by Cambodia and Kent State. Vital theology is always born out of the agony of faith and understanding precipitated by crisis.
The Modern Interpretation of the Parables of Jesus and the Problem of Hermeneutics
Authors: Perrin Norman
Published: October 2011

The dynamic interaction between text and interpreter is the heart of the hermeneutical enterprise. The challenge of the parable and the interpretative response it has provoked disclose and display this interaction more fully than any other contemporary interpretative work.
The Relationship of Form to Content in the Parables: The Wedding Feast
Authors: Via Dan O.
Published: October 2011

Analysis of the relation of form and content in the parable of the wedding feast shows its distinctiveness alongside the true narrative parables and uncovers an emphasis, not so much on the consequences of the Kingdom coming as on the power of the divine to dispose of the human.
The Kerygma of Romans
Authors: Martin James P.
Published: October 2011

In the historical situation out of which Paul wrote, his kerygma offers the people of God, now reconstituted through Jesus Christ, a world-consciousness and calls them to a world-mission to bring about the obedience of faith among all nations.
Gospel Miracle Tradition and the Divine Man
Authors: Achtemeier Paul J.
Published: October 2011

There is as yet... no unanimity among New Testament scholars as to the extent to which, or even whether at all, the category of divine man played a part in the interpretation of Jesus in the early Christian traditions.
Christology in Contemporary Systematic Theology
Authors: Dawe Donald G.
Published: October 2011

The indigenization of Christ to non-Western cultures is becoming a fact that may reshape Christology far more radically than any alternative now at work in academic circles.
The "Crucified God"
Authors: Moltmann Jürgen
Published: October 2011

Is it not the case that Christian theology must reopen the theopassion question which it early rejected: Has God himself suffered?
The Memorial of the Childless Man
Authors: Frost Stanley Brice
Published: October 2011

The Supper is indeed the memorial of a childless man, Jesus of Nazareth, who still today gives life to countless sons and daughters.
On Discerning Good Faith from Bad Religion
Authors: Alston Wallace M.
Published: October 2011

The preaching function of the ministry marks the church as the holy community of God in the world as it nurtures and reforms the language of faith, traditions the faithful in a Christian past, and reflects on the crucial crises of historical events in the light of Jesus Christ.
From Hurt to Joy, From Death to Life
Authors: Brueggemann Walter
Published: October 2011

Israel characteristically met the hurtful dimensions of existence head-on, of course viewing them as faith crises, times of wondering about God and his fidelity, but also as faith opportunities, times to articulate again their expectations and assumptions, times to reformulate their position vis-à-vis the world of hurt and the God of faithfulness.
God's Righteousness Shall Prevail
Authors: Price James L.
Published: October 2011

It[is] unlikely that the main question concerning Paul in Romans is how can an individual sinner become a righteous man in God's sight. Rather, Paul seems chiefly concerned to answer another, more fundamental question: Under whose dominion is the world?
Glossolalia and Other Spiritual Gifts in a New Testament Perspective
Authors: Smith D. Moody
Published: October 2011

Perhaps the chief contribution of charismatic Christianity in our day will not be to teach us all to speak in tongues, but to help us understand and receive our life together as a gift from God through Christ.
Biblical Revelation and Social Existence
Authors: Cone James H.
Published: October 2011

Any point of departure for exegesis which ignores God in Christ as the liberator of the oppressed or makes salvation as liberation secondary is invalid. The test of validity lies not only in the particularity of the oppressed culture, but in the One who freely grants us freedom when we were doomed to slavery.
An Exposition of Matthew 4:12–23
Authors: Hall T. Hartley
Published: October 2011

The stringent demands of discipleship were not, therefore, presented by Jesus as a universally applicable ethic of heroic proportions—and still less as an esoteric avenue to salvation—but only as the preconditions for the work of the Kingdom to be done.
The Blessing of God
Authors: Miller Patrick D.
Published: October 2011

This benediction is an expression of the continuing prayer that God will provide in the natural and human spheres, order, process, and grace as the matrix of human existence.
The New Testament Canon in Recent Study
Authors: Dungan David L.
Published: October 2011

We are entering a period in which the whole question of the criteria and methods used by the early Western church to fashion its New Testament is coming under sharp scrutiny.
The Treacherousness of Tradition
Authors: Smart James D.
Published: October 2011

“ … making void the Word of God through your tradition which you hand on … ”
Biblical Iambics for the American Bicentennial
Authors: Lehmann Paul
Published: October 2011

“Unless the Lord builds the house,

its builders will have toiled in vain.

Unless the Lord keeps watch over a city,

in vain the watchman stands on guard.”
Shifting Sands: The Recent Study of the Gospel of Luke
Authors: Talbert Charles H.
Published: October 2011

The approach to the Gospel of Luke which seemed certain to prevail twenty years ago has been challenged in all its significant features. The crucial questions concerning the critical interpretation of the Third Gospel are waiting new answers.
The Lectionary in Critical Perspective
Authors: Bailey Lloyd R.
Published: October 2011

The lectionary is a valuable resource for preaching, but it can encumber it. All depends on the pastor, who is the pivot between the Scriptures and the community whose identity is defined and sustained by those Scriptures.
Conversion: Life on the Edge of the Raft
Authors: McFague Sallie
Published: October 2011

The way parables work is a clue to what happens in conversion when people chose, instead of comfort, courage to be daily vulnerable to God.
Jesus as the Parable of God in the Gospel of Mark
Authors: Donahue John R.
Published: October 2011

Mark's Gospel is a narrative parable of the meaning of the life and death of Jesus which draws the reader into the personal engagement that takes place in interpretation and appropriation of the text in a life of discipleship.
The Holy Spirit in the Pauline Letters
Authors: Meyer Paul W.
Published: October 2011

Paul's commanding place in the development of the doctrine of the Holy Spirit is due to the fact and the way that he took the notions of Holy Spirit in his religious heritage and rendered them distinctively Christian.
Covenanting as Human Vocation
Authors: Brueggemann Walter
Published: October 2011

The biblical metaphor of covenant sets the primary issue of pastoral care, namely, grounding in another vis-á-vis self-groundedness.
Images of Man in Contemporary Models of Pastoral Care
Authors: Browning Don
Published: October 2011

The goals of Christian pastoral counseling should be governed by a moral image of the human, and the counselor's understanding of Christianity should emphasize its moral dimensions.
Rethinking Christ
Authors: Hall Douglas J.
Published: October 2011

We shall be in a position to hear the voice of the Good Shepherd only when we have stopped using the Christian religion to shield us from the realities of our lostness and our night.
The Exodusfrom Virtue to Grace: Justification by Faith Today
Authors: Forde Gerhard O.
Published: October 2011

Even though it may need some reinterpretation, the doctrine of justification by faith is still “the article by which the Church stands or falls”!
The Faith of the Psalmist
Authors: Murphy Roland E. , Carm O.
Published: October 2011

The Book of Psalms is a school of prayer in which we are taught language that grasps the reality of God and given models that encourage us to present ourselves to God with honest realism.
Paul at Prayer
Authors: Stendahl Krister
Published: October 2011

We do not know what Paul actually said when he prayed, but his style of writing is saturated by prayerful language shaped and informed by his awareness of divine presence and activity.
The Commandments and the Common Life
Authors: Lehmann Paul
Published: October 2011

The connection between Scripture and ethics as an indispensable resource of humanness in the world is now being confirmed by the new awareness of cultural formations which move beyond hierarchy and equality in the direction of reciprocal responsibility.
On Harming Others
Authors: Outka Gene
Published: October 2011

The question of whether (and, within the believing communities, the agreement that) scripture is a source and canon for moral discernment and judgment must be distinguished from the question of what this source provides or how this canon functions as a norm. 1
The Artful Dialogue
Authors: Achtemeier Elizabeth
Published: October 2011

Behind every sermon lies an understanding of the nature of the Bible; by its contribution to that understanding, biblical studies can make a crucial difference for preaching.
Text and Sermon
Authors: Thompson William D.
Published: October 2011

The normative relationship between text and sermon is one of mutuality in which the preacher creates an interplay between the agenda of the text and the agenda of the congregation.
The Ministry of Jesus in the Synoptic Gospels
Authors: Achtemeier Paul J.
Published: October 2011

In his identity, words, and deeds Jesus of Nazareth provides the possibility and promise of ministry in his name.
Holy People, Holy Land, Holy City
Authors: Minear Paul S.
Published: October 2011

Taking the story of Jesus seriously means relocating holy people, holy city, holy land on our map of reality.
The Years of Jeremiah's Preaching
Authors: Holladay William L.
Published: October 2011

A reconstruction of the chronology expressed and implied within the Book of Jeremiah helps us glimpse the man behind the biblical book as he seeks to relate God's word to events in the life of God's people.
The Praise of Godin the Theological Reflection of the Church
Authors: Wainwright Geoffrey
Published: October 2011

Reflective theology expounds the liturgical tradition of the church, draws on it for motivation and material, and shares responsibility for keeping it faithful.