bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Towards the Development of Optogenetically-Controlled Skeletal Muscle Actuators
Authors: Kim Hyeonyu , Neal Devin , Asada H. Harry
Published: March 2014

Engineered skeletal muscle tissue has the potential to be used as dual use actuator and stress-bearing material providing numerous degrees of freedom and with significant active stress generation. To exploit the potential features, however, technologies must be established to generate mature muscle strips that can be controlled with high fidelity. Here, we present a method for creating mature 3-D skeletal muscle tissues that contract in response to optical activation stimuli. The muscle strips are fascicle-like, consisting of several mm-long multi-nucleate muscle cells bundled together. We have found that applying a tension to the fascicle-like muscle tissue promotes maturation of the muscle. The fascicle-like muscle tissue is controlled with high spatiotemporal resolution based on optogenetic coding. The mouse myoblasts C2C12 were transfected with Channelrhodopsin-2 to enable light (∼470 nm) to control muscle contraction. The 3D muscle tissue not only twitches in response to an impulse light beam, but also exhibits a type of tetanus, a prolonged contraction of continuous stimuli, for the first time. In the following, the materials and culturing method used for 3D muscle generation is presented, followed by experimental results of muscle constructs and optogenetic control of the 3D muscle tissue.
Robust Observer Design for Lipschitz Nonlinear Systems With Parametric Uncertainty
Authors: Wang Yan , Bevly David M.
Published: March 2014

This paper discusses optimal and robust observer design for the Lipschitz nonlinear systems. The stability analysis for the Lure problem is first reviewed. Then, a two-DOF nonlinear observer is proposed so that the observer error dynamic model can be transformed to an equivalent Lure system. In this framework, the difference of the nonlinear parts in the vector fields of the original system and observer is modeled as a nonlinear memoryless block that is covered by a multivariable sector condition or an equivalent semi-algebraic set defined by a quadratic polynomial inequality. Then, a sufficient condition for asymptotic stability of the observer error dynamics is formulated in terms of the feasibility of polynomial matrix inequalities (PMIs), which can be solved by Lasserre’s moment relaxation. Furthermore, various quadratic performance criteria, such as H2 and H∞, can be easily incorporated in this framework. Finally, a parameter adaptation algorithm is introduced to cope with the parameter uncertainty.
Discrete Deformation Models for Real-Time Computation of Compliant Mechanisms
Authors: Ji Jingjing , Lee Kok-Meng
Published: March 2014

This paper presents the formulation of a reduced-order linear discrete–path approximation in state space and its solution as a function of path lengths for a 3D curvature-based beam model (CBM). Solutions to both forward and inverse problems are discussed; the former is essential for real-time deformed shape visualization whereas the latter is much needed for haptic force feedback. The method is illustrated with an application example where a 2D beam is characterized by a 6th order CBM. Practical implementation shows that when external forces as system input are expressed in global coordinates, the CBM can be decoupled into two 2nd order systems enabling parallel computing of the deformed shape and the orientation and moment, and effectively reducing the table size for storing the operating conditions. The proposed real-time computation method has been validated by verifying results against published experimental and MSM simulated data.
Microwave spectrometry for the evaluation of the structural integrity of metallic stents
Authors: Arauz‐Garofalo Gianluca , López‐Domínguez Víctor , Hernàndez Joan Manel , Rodríguez‐Leor Oriol , Bayés‐Genís Antoni , O'Callaghan Juan M. , García‐Santiago Antoni , Tejada Javier
Published: March 2014

Purpose:

To assess the feasibility of a method based on microwave spectrometry to detect structural distortions of metallic stents in open air conditions and envisage the prospects of this approach toward possible medical applicability for the evaluation of implanted stents.

Methods:

Microwave absorbance spectra between 2.0 and 18.0 GHz were acquired in open air for the characterization of a set of commercial stents using a specifically design setup. Rotating each sample over 360°, 2D absorbance diagrams were generated as a function of frequency and rotation angle. To check our approach for detecting changes in stent length (fracture) and diameter (recoil), two specific tests were performed in open air. Finally, with a few adjustments, this same system provides 2D absorbance diagrams of stents immersed in a water‐based phantom, this time over a bandwidth ranging from 0.2 to 1.8 GHz.

Results:

The authors show that metallic stents exhibit characteristic resonant frequencies in their microwave absorbance spectra in open air which depend on their length and, as a result, may reflect the occurrence of structural distortions. These resonances can be understood considering that such devices behave like dipole antennas in terms of microwave scattering. From fracture tests, the authors infer that microwave spectrometry provides signs of presence of Type I to Type IV stent fractures and allows in particular a quantitative evaluation of Type III and Type IV fractures. Recoil tests show that microwave spectrometry seems able to provide some quantitative assessment of diametrical shrinkage, but only if it involves longitudinal shortening. Finally, the authors observe that the resonant frequencies of stents placed inside the phantom shift down with respect to the corresponding open air frequencies, as it should be expected considering the increase of dielectric permittivity from air to water.

Conclusions:

The evaluation of stent resonant frequencies provided by microwave spectrometry allows detection and some quantitative assessment of stent fracture and recoil in open air conditions. Resonances of stents immersed in water can be also detected and their characteristic frequencies are in good agreement with theoretical estimates. Although these are promising results, further verification in a more relevant phantom is required in order to foresee the real potential of this approach.
Cytosolic-DNA-Mediated, STING-Dependent Proinflammatory Gene Induction Necessitates Canonical NF-κB Activation through TBK1
Authors: Abe Takayuki , Barber Glen N.
Published: March 2014

STING (stimulator of interferon genes) is known to control the induction of innate immune genes in response to the recognition of cytosolic DNA species, including the genomes of viruses such as herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1). However, while STING is essential for protection of the host against numerous DNA pathogens, sustained STING activity can lead to lethal inflammatory disease. It is known that STING utilizes interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3) and nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) pathways to exert its effects, although the signal transduction mechanisms remain to be clarified fully. Here we demonstrate that in addition to the activation of these pathways, potent induction of the Jun N-terminal protein kinase/stress-activated protein kinase (JNK/SAPK) pathway was similarly observed in response to STING activation by double-stranded DNA (dsDNA). Furthermore, TANK-binding kinase 1 (TBK1) associated with STING was found to facilitate dsDNA-mediated canonical activation of NF-κB as well as IRF3 to promote proinflammatory gene transcription. The triggering of NF-κB function was noted to require TRAF6 activation. Our findings detail a novel dsDNA-mediated NF-κB activation pathway facilitated through a STING-TRAF6-TBK1 axis and suggest a target for therapeutic intervention to plausibly stimulate antiviral activity or, alternatively, avert dsDNA-mediated inflammatory disease.

IMPORTANCE
The IKK complex, which is composed of two catalytic subunits, IKKα and IKKβ, has been suggested to be essential for the activation of canonical NF-κB signaling in response to various stimuli, including cytokines (e.g., interleukin-1α [IL-1α] and tumor necrosis factor alpha [TNF-α]), Toll-like receptor (TLR) ligands (e.g., lipopolysaccharide [LPS]), and dsRNAs derived from viruses, or a synthetic analog. STING has been identified as a critical signaling molecule required for the detection of cytosolic dsDNAs derived from pathogens and viruses. However, little is known about how cytosolic dsDNA triggers NF-κB signaling. In the present study, we demonstrate that TBK1, identified as an IKK-related kinase, may predominantly control the activation of NF-κB in response to dsDNA signaling via STING through the IKKαβ activation loop. Thus, our results establish TBK1 as a downstream kinase controlling dsDNA-mediated IRF3 and NF-κB signaling dependent on STING.
Knowledge Management Systems and Disaster Management in Malaysia: An Action Research Approach
Authors: Raman Murali , Kuppusamy Mudiarasan Vasu , Dorasamy Magiswary , Nair Sumitra
Published: March 2014

This paper examines the role of knowledge management systems (KMS) for disaster planning and response in the context of social work in Malaysia. The research is focused on the client — the Malaysian Association of Social Workers (MASW), where a web-based system to support disaster management was developed and implemented. The research objectives required the researchers' direct involvement with the MASW. Canonical Action Research (CAR) was used as the research methodology. The process and outcomes of this action research initiative is presented based on the five-stage CAR approach, consisting of (i) problem diagnosis, (ii) action planning, (iii) intervention, (iv) evaluation and (v) learning outcomes. The evaluation of the system is supported by quantitative analysis driven by survey instrumentation. Our findings suggests that successful utilisation of the system in the context of MASW's efforts and roles in disaster management in Malaysia, is contingent upon issues such as acceptance of KMS, and availability of resources to maintain the system. Other issues such as clear definition of the role of Information Technology (IT) for disaster management and willingness to share knowledge are also vital in this regard.
Installation of the PRACLAY Seal and Heater
Authors: Van Marcke P. , Li X. L. , Chen G. J. , Verstricht J. , Bastiaens W. , Sillen X.
Published: March 2014

In 2011 the last phase in the installation of the PRACLAY In-Situ Experiment in the underground research facility HADES (Mol, Belgium) was completed. The main goal of the experiment is to perform a large-scale
in-situ
Heater Test. The Heater Test will examine the effect of the thermal load generated by heat-emitting waste on Boom Clay, currently considered as a potential host rock in the Belgian R&D programme for geological disposal. In 2007 the PRACLAY gallery was constructed to host the Heater Test. In 2010 a bentonite-based hydraulic seal was installed in this gallery, isolating the heated part from the non-heated part of the PRACLAY gallery. The primary objective of the seal is to provide undrained hydraulic boundary conditions for the Heater Test. As the performance of the seal is crucial to the Heater Test, it has been instrumented accordingly. The seal also provides an opportunity to gather additional information on the
in-situ
behaviour of bentonite-based repository structures. Finally the placement of a heating system and water-saturated sand in the heated section of the PRACLAY gallery completed the experiment installation. The water-saturated backfill sand has to assure undrained hydraulic boundary conditions at the interface between the clay and the gallery lining.
Phenomena exposure from the large scale gas injection test (Lasgit) dataset using a bespoke data analysis toolkit
Authors: Bennett D. P. , Cuss R. J. , Vardon P. J. , Harrington J. F. , Thomas H. R.
Published: March 2014

The Large Scale Gas Injection Test (Lasgit) is a field-scale experiment designed to study the impact of gas buildup and subsequent migration through an engineered barrier system. Lasgit has a substantial experimental dataset containing in excess of 21 million datum points. The dataset is anticipated to contain a wealth of information, ranging from long-term trends and system behaviours to small-scale or ‘second-order’ features. In order to interrogate the Lasgit dataset, a bespoke computational toolkit, designed to expose difficult to observe phenomena, has been developed and applied to the dataset. The preliminary application of the toolkit, presented here, has resulted in a large number of phenomena being indicated/quantified, including highlighting of second-order events (small gas flows, perturbations in stress/pore-water sensors, etc.) and quantification of temperature record frequency content. Localized system behaviour has been shown to occur along with systematic aberrant behaviours that remain unexplained.
Microbial processes relevant for the long-term performance of high-level radioactive waste repositories in clays
Authors: Meleshyn Artur
Published: March 2014

The primary purpose of the present work was to qualitatively evaluate the relevance of microbial activity for the long-term performance of a deep geological repository for high-level radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel utilizing clay and to identify which safety-relevant processes and properties can be potentially influenced by this activity. Deterioration of clay properties accompanying destabilization and destruction of clay mineral structure as a result of microbial actions can be considered as the primary microbial impact on clay. The present analysis identified eight clay properties essential for maintaining safety functions of containment and retardation of the disposal system – swelling pressure, specific surface area, cation exchange capacity, anion sorption capacity, porosity, permeability, fluid pressure and plasticity – which can potentially be influenced by microbial processes in clay-based materials and claystone within a repository. Radioactive waste canisters and over-packs made from cast metal or steel represent a further component of the engineered barrier system which can be strongly affected by microbial activity in the clay buffer or in the adjacent host rock. This work should provide a basis for a follow-up quantitative estimation of the maximum possible effects of microbial processes on the barrier system of a deep geological repository in clay.
Collagen content does not alter the passive mechanical properties of fibrotic skeletal muscle in mdx mice
Authors: Smith Lucas R. , Barton Elisabeth R.
Published: March 2014

Many skeletal muscle diseases are associated with progressive fibrosis leading to impaired muscle function. Collagen within the extracellular matrix is the primary structural protein providing a mechanical scaffold for cells within tissues. During fibrosis collagen not only increases in amount but also undergoes posttranslational changes that alter its organization that is thought to contribute to tissue stiffness. Little, however, is known about collagen organization in fibrotic muscle and its consequences for function. To investigate the relationship between collagen content and organization with muscle mechanical properties, we studied mdx mice, a model for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) that undergoes skeletal muscle fibrosis, and age-matched control mice. We determined collagen content both histologically, with picosirius red staining, and biochemically, with hydroxyproline quantification. Collagen content increased in the mdx soleus and diaphragm muscles, which was exacerbated by age in the diaphragm. Collagen packing density, a parameter of collagen organization, was determined using circularly polarized light microscopy of picosirius red-stained sections. Extensor digitorum longus (EDL) and soleus muscle had proportionally less dense collagen in mdx muscle, while the diaphragm did not change packing density. The mdx muscles had compromised strength as expected, yet only the EDL had a significantly increased elastic stiffness. The EDL and diaphragm had increased dynamic stiffness and a change in relative viscosity. Unexpectedly, passive stiffness did not correlate with collagen content and only weakly correlated with collagen organization. We conclude that muscle fibrosis does not lead to increased passive stiffness and that collagen content is not predictive of muscle stiffness.
Diabetic nephropathy in a nonobese mouse model of Type 2 diabetes mellitus
Authors: Mallipattu Sandeep K. , Gallagher Emily J. , LeRoith Derek , Liu Ruijie , Mehrotra Anita , Horne Sylvia J. , Chuang Peter Y. , Yang Vincent W. , He John C.
Published: March 2014

A large body of research has contributed to our understanding of the pathophysiology of diabetic nephropathy. Yet, many questions remain regarding the progression of a disease that accounts for nearly half the patients entering dialysis yearly. Several murine models of diabetic nephropathy secondary to Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) do exist, and some are more representative than others, but all have limitations. In this study, we aimed to identify a new mouse model of diabetic nephropathy secondary to T2DM in a previously described T2DM model, the MKR (MCK-KR-hIGF-IR) mouse. In this mouse model, T2DM develops as a result of functional inactivation of insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF-1R) in the skeletal muscle. These mice are lean, with marked insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia, hyperglycemia, and dyslipidemia and thus are representative of nonobese human T2DM. We show that the MKR mice, when under stress (high-fat diet or unilateral nephrectomy), develop progressive diabetic nephropathy with marked albuminuria and meet the histopathological criteria as defined by the Animal Models of Diabetic Complications Consortium. Finally, these MKR mice are fertile and are on a common background strain, making it a novel model to study the progression of diabetic nephropathy.
Oxygen and seizure dynamics: I. Experiments
Authors: Ingram Justin , Zhang Chunfeng , Cressman John R. , Hazra Anupam , Wei Yina , Koo Yong-Eun , Žiburkus Jokūbas , Kopelman Raoul , Xu Jian , Schiff Steven J.
Published: March 2014

We utilized a novel ratiometric nanoquantum dot fluorescence resonance energy transfer (NQD-FRET) optical sensor to quantitatively measure oxygen dynamics from single cell microdomains during hypoxic episodes as well as during 4-aminopyridine (4-AP)-induced spontaneous seizure-like events in rat hippocampal slices. Coupling oxygen sensing with electrical recordings, we found the greatest reduction in the O2concentration ([O2]) in the densely packed cell body stratum (st.) pyramidale layer of the CA1 and differential layer-specific O2dynamics between the st. pyramidale and st. oriens layers. These hypoxic decrements occurred up to several seconds before seizure onset could be electrically measured extracellularly. Without 4-AP, we quantified a narrow range of [O2], similar to the endogenous hypoxia found before epileptiform activity, which permits a quiescent network to enter into a seizure-like state. We demonstrated layer-specific patterns of O2utilization accompanying layer-specific neuronal interplay in seizure. None of the oxygen overshoot artifacts seen with polarographic measurement techniques were observed. We therefore conclude that endogenously generated hypoxia may be more than just a consequence of increased cellular excitability but an influential and critical factor for orchestrating network dynamics associated with epileptiform activity.
Early Enteral Fat Supplementation Improves Protein Absorption in Premature Infants with an Enterostomy
Authors: Yang Qing , Ayers Kathleen , Chen Yuegang , O'Shea T. Michael
Published: March 2014

Background: Early enteral fat supplementation and fish oil (FO) stimulates post-resection intestinal adaptation in rats and increases fat absorption in premature infants with bowel resection and an enterostomy. Objective: To test the hypothesis that early fat supplement and FO increases post-resection protein absorption, intestinal RNA, protein without decreasing intestinal arachidonic acid (AA) in premature infants with an enterostomy. Methods: 36 premature infants (<2 months old) with an enterostomy after surgical treatment for necrotizing enterocolitis or spontaneous intestinal perforation who tolerated enteral feeding at 20 ml/kg/day were randomized to usual care (control, n = 18) or early supplementing enteral Microlipid (ML) and FO (treatment, n = 18). Intralipid was decreased as the dose of enteral fat was increased. Daily weight, ostomy output and nutritional intake were recorded. Weekly 24-hour ostomy effluent was collected to measure fecal protein. Protein absorption was calculated by subtracting fecal protein from dietary protein. Tissue samples from the functional stoma and the nonfunctional distal diverted end were collected during bowel reanastomosis to measure RNA, protein, and fatty acid (FA) profile. Results: Compared to controls, the treatment group had higher protein absorption (g/kg/day) and intestinal RNA and protein (μg/mg tissue) proximal to the ostomy. The two groups had similar FA profiles except that the treatment group had higher n-3 eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, μg/mg tissue) proximal to the ostomy. Conclusion: Early supplementation of enteral ML and FO to premature infants with an enterostomy increased dietary protein absorption, intestinal RNA, protein and n-3 EPA content without altering other FA content.
Sub-State Diplomacy Today
Authors: Van den Brande Luc
Published: March 2014

In an increasingly interdependent world, Europe will need its regions to tackle the challenges of globalization effectively, and to remain a leading partner on the international scene. Regions should therefore reorient their administrations towards the European Union (EU), focus more on the EU’s rolling political agenda, and dare to better steer the EU’s decision-making process. On the flipside, the EU itself should be based upon a model of multi-level governance, allowing the EU to work in partnership with its regional and local authorities. Having experienced politics himself at all levels of governance during his career, Dr Luc Van den Brande gives his practitioner’s view to future policy-makers.
Effects of Intelligent Advanced Warnings on Drivers Negotiating the Dilemma Zone
Authors: Gugerty Leo , McIntyre Scott E. , Link Drew , Zimmerman Karl , Tolani Devendra , Huang Peter , Pokorny Robert A.
Published: March 2014

Objective:

We investigated whether intelligent advanced warnings of the end of green traffic signals help drivers negotiate the dilemma zone (DZ) at signalized intersections and sought to identify behavioral mechanisms for any warning-related benefits.

Background:

Prior research suggested that warnings of end of green can increase slowing and stopping frequency given the DZ, but drivers may sometimes respond to warnings by speeding up.

Method:

In two simulator studies, we compared six types of roadway or in-vehicle warnings with a no-warning control condition. Using multilevel modeling, we tested mediation models of the behavioral mechanisms underlying the effects of warnings.

Results:

In both studies, warnings led to more stopping at DZ intersections and milder decelerations when stopping compared with no warning. Drivers’ predominant response to warnings was anticipatory slowing on approaching the intersection, not speeding up. The increased stopping with warning was mediated by increased slowing. In Study 1, anticipatory slowing given warnings generalized to green-light intersections where no warning was given. In Study 2, we found that lane-specific warnings (e.g., LED lights embedded in each lane) sometimes led to fewer unsafe emergency stops than did non-lane-specific roadside warnings.

Conclusion:

End-of-green warnings led to safer behavior in the DZ and on the early approach to intersections. The main mechanism for the benefits of warnings was drivers’ increased anticipatory slowing on approaching an intersection. Lane-specific warnings may have some benefits over roadside warnings.

Application:

Applications include performance models of how drivers use end-of-green warnings, control algorithms and warning displays for intelligent intersections, and statistical methodology in human factors research.
On-the-Fly Scheduling as a Manifestation of Partial-Order Planning and Dynamic Task Values
Authors: Hannah Samuel D. , Neal Andrew
Published: March 2014

Objective:

The aim of this study was to develop a computational account of the spontaneous task ordering that occurs within jobs as work unfolds (“on-the-fly task scheduling”).

Background:

Air traffic control is an example of work in which operators have to schedule their tasks as a partially predictable work flow emerges. To date, little attention has been paid to such on-the-fly scheduling situations.

Method:

We present a series of discrete-event models fit to conflict resolution decision data collected from experienced controllers operating in a high-fidelity simulation.

Results:

Our simulations reveal air traffic controllers’ scheduling decisions as examples of the partial-order planning approach of Hayes-Roth and Hayes-Roth. The most successful model uses opportunistic first-come-first-served scheduling to select tasks from a queue. Tasks with short deadlines are executed immediately. Tasks with long deadlines are evaluated to assess whether they need to be executed immediately or deferred.

Conclusion:

On-the-fly task scheduling is computationally tractable despite its surface complexity and understandable as an example of both the partial-order planning strategy and the dynamic-value approach to prioritization.
The Last Truth about God
Authors: Murphy Roland E. , Carm O.
Published: March 2014

Johannes Hempel is not available to tell us the way he understood the “last truth.” But this tantalizing phrase challenges readers of Job to further analysis of the book. Is the “last truth” the person of Job himself or is it buried in the book? The transmission of the book may be tangled, but it is up to the reader to weigh all the angles and proffer a personal response. The present article is one attempt, but submitted with a nagging doubt: Is “last” the appropriate word to use about divine truth?
Some Reflections on the Book of Job
Authors: Crenshaw James L.
Published: March 2014

Although the author of the Book of Job may have grasped an important understanding about God, any theological claim to have discovered the “last truth” is problematic in every way — its ultimacy, its absoluteness, and its unknowable object. Nevertheless, the lonely voice insisting on theological complexity is an important legacy of this book, for it stands as an abiding warning against established belief wherever it exists. This essay sets forth ten reasons why this is so.
The Reason for Romans: The Evidence of Its Epistolary Framework (1:1–15; 15:14–16:27)
Authors: Weima Jeffrey A. D.
Published: March 2014

The epistolary framework of Romans provides a crucial key to answering the difficult and much debated question of why Paul wrote this epistle. For the letter opening (1:1–7), thanksgiving section (1:8–15), apostolic parousia (15:14–32), and letter closing (15:33–16:27) all establish the authority of Paul's apostleship and of his gospel over the Roman Christians in a way that wins their acceptance of his gospel as it has been “preached” in the body of the letter. Paul believed himself to be both divinely obligated and uniquely qualified to share with the Roman Christians his gospel in the conviction that this would result in the strengthening of their faith. All other proposed reasons for the writing of Romans, therefore, must be integrated into Paul's primary concern “to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome” (1:15).
Interim Ministry: God's New Calling is Changing the Life of Baptist Congregations
Authors: Daehnert William Jan
Published: March 2014

No longer does the interim period between pastors need to be a lull or a valley. Now trained interim pastors can lead a church to prepare for its future. Daehnert describes this exciting new ministry from his thirty-three years of experience in ministry. In addition to traditional interim ministry, a new program called Intentional Interim Minsitry has emerged. Intentional Interim Ministers are trained and experienced to lead congregations to use the interim to reflect on its history, to examine its organizational structure and leadership, and to redefine its purpose and vision. In this manner, rather than “down” time, the interim period can enable the laity to plan for and prepare for the arrival of a new pastor.
When Faith Demands Treason: Civil Religion and the Prophet Jeremiah
Authors: Redditt Paul L.
Published: March 2014

Jean-Jacques Rousseau described the principal components of civil religion as the following: Belief in the existence of God, in the life to come, in reward for virtue and punishment for vice, and in religious tolerance. Persons might hold other religious beliefs as well, but such beliefs were personal, lying outside the concerns of the state. On American soil, civil religion was balanced by the idea of separation of church and state, a theme that simply emphasizes the distinction between public, civil religion and private religions or religious beliefs. Ancient Judah likewise had something resembling “civil religion” in late pre-exilic period. The prophet Jeremiah attacked the temple, anticipating its destruction if people did not repent and reform, the king for not providing justice for the weak and defenseless people of Judah, the covenant as mediated and breakable, the gift of the land as conditional, and the religious leaders for currying the favor of people instead of preaching God's truth. The tension between civil religion and the more nuanced religion of Jeremiah led to serious confrontations between the prophet and his contemporaries, confrontations that nearly became deadly for the prophet at times. Jeremiah's thinking influenced post-exilic faith so that it is difficult to image what post-exilic faith in Judah would have looked like without him, but it appears that post-exilic faith developed into something more like the older civil religion than Jeremiah had envisioned.
Kingdom Witness and Helen Barrett Montgomery's Biblical Theology
Authors: Warner Laceye
Published: March 2014

In contemporary usage the language of evangelism is often estranged from its biblical foundations and used in polemics. This article expands notions of evangelism to include the holistic proclamation of the kingdom of God, thus reuniting the term with biblical foundations. Helen Barrett Montgomery (1861–1934) makes a significant contribution to this effort both in her ministry and writing. Probably best known for her New Testament translation, perhaps the first by a female scholar, Montgomery's text The Bible and Missions offers a biblical theology of mission and evangelism that highlights the significance of the kingdom of God for shaping such practices.
Bowen Family Systems Theory and Congregational Life
Authors: Richardson Ronald W.
Published: March 2014

Pastors and church leaders are increasingly using family systems theory as a way to understand normal relationship processes in their churches and to learn how to function within them. The theory helps us to see more clearly how we are emotionally interconnected with one another and the ways this can manifest either for greater personal and congregational health or greater difficulties. This article shows some of the relevance to church ministry of the eight primary concepts in Bowen family systems theory.
Roy Lee Honeycutt as a Biblical Scholar
Authors: Tate Marvin E.
Published: March 2014

The editor for this issue have assigned me the task of assessing the role of Roy Honeycutt as a biblical scholar. I am grateful for the assignment, and I will try to evaluate his work in biblical study. Although it seems clear to me that his published work was secondary to his roles as preacher, teacher, and administrator, the work was important for him and for others and merits our attention.
Paul's Argument in Romans 9–11
Authors: Cook Michael J.
Published: March 2014

Paul's poignant concern for the Jews, expressed in Romans 9–11, raises intriguing questions. The foremost is why it is only in Romans that Paul attends to relations between Jews and Christians (both Jewish- and Gentile-). While Paul styles himself the “apostle to the Gentiles,” in these three chapters he seems preoccupied with the Jews‘ destiny, insisting that only the infusion of Christian ranks by Gentiles will induce all Jews also, eventually, to come to Christ. Thereby, Paul radiates the odd impression that his apostleship to Gentiles is ultimately for Israel's sake, perhaps rendering Paul not only an apostle to the Jews after all but even the apostle par excellence. Indeed, so invested is he here in God's plan for the Jews that we must also ponder whether Paul sees his religious reorientation as an extension of his own Judaism rather than a departure from it. Given his zealous temperament, we may well wonder whether Paul had ever functioned as a missionary for Judaism, and whether, in effect, he is still doing so—except now for a Judaism that he has reconfigured. Why, instead of being touched by Paul's evident anxiety for Israel, do most modern Jews still recoil from him (perhaps echoing their counterparts from his own day)? Is the problem that what Jews hear today is less what Paul says than the way later Christianity reformulated it—in a more anti-Jewish direction? We see, in Romans 9–11, how urgently Paul warns Gentiles away from anti-Judaism, but might he do so precisely because he intuits how very compatibly his own thought could be processed directly in line with it? Does Paul himself furnish the theoretical structure for later Christian antisemitism?
Noah and the Season of Violence: Theological Reflections on Genesis 6:5–9:17 and the Work of René Girard
Authors: Walker Graham B.
Published: March 2014

The Genesis Flood Narrative teaches us that in spite of human sin and violence, God is committed to the world and the unconditional covenant of the rainbow is a sign of that selfbinding. The story of the Flood is therefore anffirmation of the story of creation, and speaks ultimately not of divine punishment but of God's faithfulness to creation and the pathos by which God's grief has now become the pathway by which God is identified with the human condition. Within a Girardian reading of the story we can see this as evidence of an emerging picture of God's character that has begun the process of desacralizing of violence. As such, the pathos of God testified to by this story becomes the foundation for building an understanding of God which finds “a new way” to expunge human violence other than via a scapegoating system.
The Baptist World Alliance: Evangelism and Education
Authors: Cupit Tony
Published: March 2014

Cupit traces the growing emphasis on evangelism and education among Baptists from William Carey to the formation of the Division of Evangelism and Education in the Baptist World Alliance and the supplying of literature, the coordination of evangelistic festivals, and the sponsoring of worship and theological conferences to enhance the outreach of developing work of Baptist churches throughout the world.
The Birth of Jesus in the Qur'an
Authors: El-Amin Imam Plemon
Published: March 2014

Muslims cannot compare or associate anything or anyone with G-d, yet we must maintain a high regard for Christ Jesus, son of Maryam. His birth was special, as was his life, his work, his message, his death, and (or, as will be) his resurrection. In this article, I will stay with the Qur'anic revelations associated with Jesus, the Christ, and his birth. In the Qur'an, Allah tells Maryam that she will be blessed with a Word from Him. I suggest that this Qur'anic reference and the Biblical reference to the Christ as Word may be an interfaith bridge to understanding.
Christianity and Islam: Two Kinds of Difference
Authors: Heim S. Mark
Published: March 2014

Christian engagement with Islam poses the question: what theological sense can we make of a supersessionist approach to our own tradition? This essay sketches a Christian interpretation of Islam that combines the respectful encounter with religious pluralism and the hope for Christian ecumenism. Christians may thus view Islam in part as spreading the same faith and truth that Christians seek to follow. Simultaneously, Christians may view Islam as a profound and integral alternative to Christian faith and practice. The author briefly examines implications of this combined approach for a Christian understanding of Muhammad and the Qur'an.
2 Corinthians 12:1–10: Paul's Trauma
Authors: Polaski Sandra Hack
Published: March 2014

Trauma theory offers us a different way of looking at 2 Cor 12:1–10, the passage that discusses Paul's “thorn in the flesh.” Rather than seeing the nature of the “thorn” as a riddle to be solved, we can look at the way Paul talks about his pain and his ability to come to terms with it as evidence of trauma and its resolution.
Undulating the Holy? Returning the Sacred to Our Dancing Bodies: Song of Songs 7:1–4
Authors: Yarber Angela
Published: March 2014

Where is God in the Song of Songs? And in particular, how is the sacred present in the dance of the Shulamite in 7:1–4? Why is this sensual, bodily love poem included in the the canon? This article is an attempt to answer these lingering questions by exploring the historical and sacred underpinnings of the Shulamite's dance. Reading the text through the lens of a dance historian, the author finds evidence of belly dance technique embedded in the words of the text. After exploring some of the sacred origins of belly dance, the author suggests that our dancing bodies are holy and good—even with our flaws, and that the holy does, indeed, dwell within our dancing bodies.
Evangelism in Light of Modern Science
Authors: Poe Harry Lee
Published: March 2014

In this article Hal Poe explores some of the problems in the debate between science and religion. The fascination with science today and the remarkable changes we have seen as a result of scientific progress suggest in the minds of some that most of the problems we face can be overcome through new discoveries. Yet there are also people of faith who argue that religion holds the answers to humankind's problems. Poe argues that reductionism is a modern tendency that only adds to further confusion in the relation of science and faith. He argues that both liberal and conservative Christians have created a barrier to the hearing of the gospel by scientifically informed people and offers a positive suggestion toward resolving some of the tension.
The Historical Development of Premillennial Dispensationalism
Authors: Flesher LeAnn Snow
Published: March 2014

Premillenial dispensationalism, the eschatological system currently en vogue, was developed in the nineteenth century and popularized by two lawyers turned Bible teachers, the Irish convert to the Brethren Movement, J.N. Darby, and the colorful American Congregationalist, C.I. Scofield. The popularity of Darby's system is due largely to the popularity of the Scofield Reference Bible, first published in 1909. Despite the popularity of the Darby/Scofield system, it departs, in many respects, from the historical Christian understanding of eschatology.
The Nature of the Beast
Authors: Shoopman James
Published: March 2014

Both the popular interpretation (some future leader) and scholarly understandings (an anti-Christian power from the past) of “the beast” mentioned in Revelation 13 are short-sighted, but on the trail of something useful. Rather, Revelation's beast is one representation and possibly the final New Testament twist in an evolving early Christian doctrine of the antichrist. This doctrine relates more to the ongoing state of the world than to its end. It calls for every generation to take sides in an ongoing conflict that will not end until human history draws to a close.
The New Ecclesiology: Mega-Church, Denominational Church, and No Church
Authors: Wilson Ryan
Published: March 2014

One cannot overlook three variables that will influence the new ecclesiology of the twenty-first century. First, the mega-church has come onto the scene and is a vibrant and growing reality of our day. Second, the denominational church, though decreasing in numbers, continues to play a significant role due to its relationship to church history. Third, people who have no church affiliation, however, are the fastest-growing group. We will discuss what these three variables can teach the church as it strives to continue to be a voice for Jesus' proclamation of the kingdom of God
The Jesus Tradition and the Letter of James
Authors: Batten Alicia J.
Published: March 2014

This article examines the relationship between the Jesus tradition and the letter of James. It first argues that the author of James did not know the gospels, but was familiar with a source for Matthew and Luke, otherwise known as “Q.” In particular, James indicates awareness of a form of Q used within the Matthean community (QMatt). The article then explores how James adapts the Jesus tradition to suit the letter's overall purposes, and illustrates how James builds from pre-existent literary models found in the wisdom tradition and in Greco-Roman literature. James shapes the Jesus tradition in order to strengthen his arguments and in so doing, he reveals that his wisdom is consistent with that of Jesus, which in turn, enhances the character of James as a speaker. The article focuses especially on a parallel between QMatt 5:3 and Jas 2:5. James integrates and expands the beatitude about the blessedness of the poor into this part of his letter in order to buttress his attempts to dissuade his readership from showing partiality to the rich. Despite the many correspondences between James and the Jesus tradition, it is difficult to discern a Christology in James, other than to assume that James must have viewed Jesus as a great wisdom teacher, for the references to “the Lord,” (e.g., Jas 5:7) the “Judge” (Jas 5:9) and the “holy name” (Jas 2:7) are all ambiguous. Despite this lack of Christology, the letter of James is remarkably consistent with many of the memories of Jesus, especially in its stress on care for the poor, criticism of the rich, integrity between word and deed and the necessity of total reliance upon God.
Strong and Weak Lines: Permeable Boundaries between Church and Culture in the Letter of James
Authors: Lockett Darian
Published: March 2014

This article aims to reconsider the social function of purity language in the letter of James, specifically to ask whether such language indicates impermeable social boundaries and identity through difference. Looking at the relationship between Christian community and culture through the lens of purity in James indicates a demand for separation between the believing community and culture. Yet the question remains what type and degree of separation. To clarify this question the article considers the overall cultural stance of James and what it may indicate regarding the degree and kind of separation in view. The research here suggests that forcing James into either an open or sectarian social stance fails to take account of the nuanced language of the letter. Rather than categorizing the letter as entirely open or sectarian, it is better to understand the boundary lines between church and culture as definite, yet permeable—strong in the case of antithetical values deriving from the world, weak in the case of social relationships.
When Two Churches Became One
Authors: Bingham Lincoln
Published: March 2014

On August 23, 2009, the predominately white Shively Heights Baptist Church and the predominately African American St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church merged to form St. Paul Baptist Church @ Shively Heights. The merger of the two Louisville, Kentucky, congregations garnered much local and national media attention. “Why?”, “How?”, and “Will it work?” were oft-asked questions. In this article, an attempt to answer these questions is made.
“Like Yeast That a Woman Took”: Feminist Interpretations of the Parables
Authors: Beavis Mary Ann
Published: March 2014

This article introduces feminist approaches to parable interpretation by summarizing three books published in the first decade of the twenty-first century: Mary Ann Beavis, ed., The Lost Coin: Parables of Women, Work and Wisdom (2002); Luise Schottroff, The Parables of Jesus (2005); and Elizabeth Dowling, Taking Away the Pound: Women, Theology and the Parable of the Pounds in the Gospel of Luke (2007). Beavis' multi-authored anthology identifies fourteen parables of “women, work and wisdom” that have received little attention in “mainstream” parable interpretation. Schottroff's approach is not limited to “women parables,” but applies a feminist-liberationist approach to the parables of Jesus. Dowling uses Luke's parable of the Pounds (19:11–28) as a lens through which she critiques the evangelist's portrayal of women. The article is offered not as the last word on feminist parable interpretation, but as an invitation for preachers and teachers to discover the parables of “women, work and wisdom,” to search for other submerged traditions of women and the female in the scriptures, and to explore new methods of interpretation.
An Imagined Community: Abridging an Abyss
Authors: Walker Graham B.
Published: March 2014

An examination of the parable of Lazarus and the Rich Man raises significant questions. Why is this life a zero sum game where a gain by one person or side must be matched by a loss by another person or side? Where is the mutuality necessary to break the cycle of all or nothing? Indeed, turning to the doctrine of the Trinity, especially in Athanasius's understanding of it, one finds that love and not transcendence, giving and superiority, are the qualities and the mark of God's divinity. There is no imbalance of power within the being of God setting forth superior-inferior parties. There is mutual self-giving. With these two strategies for living in the world, Christianity developed an Arian compromise and an Athanasian dream. On one hand, nature and social hierarchies are the givenness of human community. On the other, the Athanasian dream creatively imagines community with the audacity of difference and mutuality modeled in the Godhead and demonstrated in the life of Jesus. As the Church gained power and influence, the more egalitarian tendencies in Christianity gradually lost ground, at least among church leaders. The Arian compromise came in time to be regarded as virtually a matter of doctrine. The concerns of the Occupy Wall Street movement invite the church to a social space it has not been lately.
Field Bioassay of Pheromone Lures and Trap Designs for Monitoring Adult Corn Earworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in Sweet Corn in Southern New England
Authors: Gauthier Norman L. , Logan Patrick A. , Tewksbury Lisa A. , Hollingsworth Craig F. , Weber Donald C. , Adams Roger G.
Published: March 2014

Four commercial pheromones attractive to Helicoverpa zea (Boddie) were used as baits in four insect traps to attract moths in fresh market sweet corn. Moth catches were monitored for 10 wk in nine sites in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. Zealure attracted twice as many moths as Scentry's corn earworm lure and nine times as many as Pherocon's corn earworm lure. Consep Membrane's Biolure attracted few moths. Hartstack traps caught three times more moths than Heliothis net traps and 15 times more than Multi-pher or International Pheromone Systems traps. Results suggest the need for reference standards in management programs that use pheromones to monitor corn earworm populations.