bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Co-evolution analysis to predict protein–protein interactions within influenza virus envelope
Authors: Mintaev Ramil R. , Alexeevski Andrei V. , Kordyukova Larisa V.
Published: March 2014

Interactions between integral membrane proteins hemagglutinin (HA), neuraminidase (NA), M2 and membrane-associated matrix protein M1 of influenza A virus are thought to be crucial for assembly of functionally competent virions. We hypothesized that the amino acid residues located at the interface of two different proteins are under physical constraints and thus probably co-evolve. To predict co-evolving residue pairs, the EvFold ( http://evfold.org ) program searching the (nontransitive) Direct Information scores was applied for large samplings of amino acid sequences from Influenza Research Database ( http://www.fludb.org/ ). Having focused on the HA, NA, and M2 cytoplasmic tails as well as C-terminal domain of M1 (being the less conserved among the protein domains) we captured six pairs of correlated positions. Among them, there were one, two, and three position pairs for HA–M2, HA–M1, and M2–M1 protein pairs, respectively. As expected, no co-varying positions were found for NA–HA, NA–M1, and NA–M2 pairs obviously due to high conservation of the NA cytoplasmic tail. The sum of frequencies calculated for two major amino acid patterns observed in pairs of correlated positions was up to 0.99 meaning their high to extreme evolutionary sustainability. Based on the predictions a hypothetical model of pair-wise protein interactions within the viral envelope was proposed.
Self-sealing experiments and gas injection tests in a backfilled microtunnel of the Mont Terri URL
Authors: Lanyon G. W. , Marschall P. , Trick T. , De La Vaissière R. , Shao H. , Leung H.
Published: March 2014

This paper describes a large-scale experiment on gas transport and hydromechanical processes around underground structures as part of a long-term geoscientific research programme at the Mont Terri Underground Rock Laboratory in the Jura Mountains of Switzerland. A horizontal microtunnel with a diameter of 1 m and a length of 13 m was drilled in an overconsolidated claystone formation. After installing monitoring instruments in the open tunnel, the end of the tunnel was backfilled with sand (test section) and a large hydraulic packer was emplaced in the seal section. The packer was inflated and subsequently the test interval was saturated with a synthetic pore-water. Following saturation an extended programme of hydraulic testing was performed over a two year period. A series of gas injection tests was then performed over a period of approximately 1.5 years. Following this first series of gas injections, a long post-gas hydraulic test has been initiated. The paper presents data and interpretation of the gas injections and subsequent hydraulic testing. The ability of the excavation damage zone to transport gas at pressures below fracturing is demonstrated. The post-gas hydraulic performance is considered and related to the self-sealing of the damage zone observed during saturation and hydraulic testing.
Experimental study on diffusion of tritiated water and anions under variable water-saturation and clay mineral content: comparison with the Callovo-Oxfordian claystones
Authors: Savoye S. , Imbert C. , Fayette A. , Coelho D.
Published: March 2014

The diffusion of tritiated water and anionic species was studied through unsaturated compacted materials with variable clay content. These materials were designed to be analogous to the Callovo-Oxfordian claystone, a potential host-rock for disposal of high-level radioactive wastes. The diffusion parameters under such conditions were determined using modified through-diffusion cells in which the suction is generated by the process of osmosis. This device leads to saturation degree values ranging from about 70 to 100%. The results show that the diffusion through the unsaturated samples is clearly slower than that in the fully saturated samples, with steady-state fluxes decreasing by a factor up to 10 for tritiated water and up to 16 for anionic species. This tritiated water diffusivity (
D

e

/
D
0
) decrease is similar to that obtained in the Callovo-Oxfordian claystone samples, whereas it is lower than that obtained in claystone samples for anionic species. This difference can be accounted for by the distinct hydro-mechanic behaviour of these materials, the pore-volume of which depends on their rigidity and clay content when hydrating. Finally, these diffusive behaviours have been modelled by means of an excluded-volume expansion of Archie's second law, taking into account a critical water saturation below which no tracer can diffuse.
Thapsigargin blocks Pseudomonas aeruginosa homoserine lactone-induced apoptosis in airway epithelia
Authors: Schwarzer Christian , Ravishankar Bharat , Patanwala Maria , Shuai Stacey , Fu Zhu , Illek Beate , Fischer Horst , Machen Terry E.
Published: March 2014

Pseudomonas aeruginosa secretes N-(3-oxododecanoyl)-homoserine lactone (C12) as a quorum-sensing molecule to regulate gene expression. Micromolar concentrations are found in the airway surface liquid of infected lungs. Exposure of the airway surface to C12 caused a loss of transepithelial resistance within 1 h that was accompanied by disassembly of tight junctions, as indicated by relocation of the tight junction protein zonula occludens 1 from the apical to the basolateral pole and into the cytosol of polarized human airway epithelial cell cultures (Calu-3 and primary tracheal epithelial cells). These effects were blocked by carbobenzoxy-valyl-alanyl-aspartyl-[ O-methyl]-fluoromethylketone, a pan-caspase blocker, indicating that tight junction disassembly was an early event in C12-triggered apoptosis. Short-duration (10 min) pretreatment of airway epithelial (Calu-3 and JME) cells with 1 μM thapsigargin (Tg), an inhibitor of Ca2+ uptake into the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), was found to be protective against the C12-induced airway epithelial barrier breakdown and also against other apoptosis-related effects, including shrinkage and fragmentation of nuclei, activation of caspase 3/7 (the executioner caspase in apoptosis), release of ER-targeted redox-sensitive green fluorescent protein into the cytosol, and depolarization of mitochondrial membrane potential. Pretreatment of Calu-3 airway cell monolayers with BAPTA-AM [to buffer cytosolic Ca2+ concentration (Cacyto)] or Ca2+-free solution + BAPTA-AM reduced C12 activation of apoptotic events, suggesting that C12-triggered apoptosis may involve Ca2+. Because C12 and Tg reduced Ca2+ concentration in the ER and increased Cacyto, while Tg increased mitochondrial Ca2+ concentration (Camito) and C12 reduced Camito, it is proposed that Tg may reduce C12-induced apoptosis in host cells not by raising Cacyto, but by preventing C12-induced decreases in Camito.
Use of LC-MS/MS and Bayes' theorem to identify protein kinases that phosphorylate aquaporin-2 at Ser256
Authors: Bradford Davis , Raghuram Viswanathan , Wilson Justin L. L. , Chou Chung-Lin , Hoffert Jason D. , Knepper Mark A. , Pisitkun Trairak
Published: March 2014

In the renal collecting duct, binding of AVP to the V2 receptor triggers signaling changes that regulate osmotic water transport. Short-term regulation of water transport is dependent on vasopressin-induced phosphorylation of aquaporin-2 (AQP2) at Ser256. The protein kinase that phosphorylates this site is not known. We use Bayes' theorem to rank all 521 rat protein kinases with regard to the likelihood of a role in Ser256 phosphorylation on the basis of prior data and new experimental data. First, prior probabilities were estimated from previous transcriptomic and proteomic profiling data, kinase substrate specificity data, and evidence for kinase regulation by vasopressin. This ranking was updated using new experimental data describing the effects of several small-molecule kinase inhibitors with known inhibitory spectra (H-89, KN-62, KN-93, and GSK-650394) on AQP2 phosphorylation at Ser256 in inner medullary collecting duct suspensions. The top-ranked kinase was Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CAMK2), followed by protein kinase A (PKA) and protein kinase B (AKT). Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS)-based in vitro phosphorylation studies compared the ability of three highly ranked kinases to phosphorylate AQP2 and other inner medullary collecting duct proteins, PKA, CAMK2, and serum/glucocorticoid-regulated kinase (SGK). All three proved capable of phosphorylating AQP2 at Ser256, although CAMK2 and PKA were more potent than SGK. The in vitro phosphorylation experiments also identified candidate protein kinases for several additional phosphoproteins with likely roles in collecting duct regulation, including Nedd4-2, Map4k4, and 3-phosphoinositide-dependent protein kinase 1. We conclude that Bayes' theorem is an effective means of integrating data from multiple data sets in physiology.
Methodological considerations for measuring spontaneous physical activity in rodents
Authors: Teske Jennifer A. , Perez-Leighton Claudio E. , Billington Charles J. , Kotz Catherine M.
Published: March 2014

When exploring biological determinants of spontaneous physical activity (SPA), it is critical to consider whether methodological factors differentially affect rodents and the measured SPA. We determined whether acclimation time, sensory stimulation, vendor, or chamber size affected measures in rodents with varying propensity for SPA. We used principal component analysis to determine which SPA components (ambulatory and vertical counts, time in SPA, and distance traveled) best described the variability in SPA measurements. We compared radiotelemetry and infrared photobeams used to measure SPA and exploratory activity. Acclimation time, sensory stimulation, vendor, and chamber size independently influenced SPA, and the effect was moderated by the propensity for SPA. A 24-h acclimation period prior to SPA measurement was sufficient for habituation. Principal component analysis showed that ambulatory and vertical measurements of SPA describe different dimensions of the rodent's SPA behavior. Smaller testing chambers and a sensory attenuation cubicle around the chamber reduced SPA. SPA varies between rodents purchased from different vendors. Radiotelemetry and infrared photobeams differ in their sensitivity to detect phenotypic differences in SPA and exploratory activity. These data highlight methodological considerations in rodent SPA measurement and a need to standardize SPA methodology.
Increasing plasma [K+] by intravenous potassium infusion reduces NCC phosphorylation and drives kaliuresis and natriuresis
Authors: Rengarajan Srinivas , Lee Donna H. , Oh Young Taek , Delpire Eric , Youn Jang H. , McDonough Alicia A.
Published: March 2014

Dietary potassium loading results in rapid kaliuresis, natriuresis, and diuresis associated with reduced phosphorylation (p) of the distal tubule Na+-Cl− cotransporter (NCC). Decreased NCC-p inhibits NCC-mediated Na+ reabsorption and shifts Na+ downstream for reabsorption by epithelial Na+ channels (ENaC), which can drive K+ secretion. Whether the signal is initiated by ingesting potassium or a rise in plasma K+ concentration ([K+]) is not understood. We tested the hypothesis, in male rats, that an increase in plasma [K+] is sufficient to reduce NCC-p and drive kaliuresis. After an overnight fast, a single 3-h 2% potassium (2%K) containing meal increased plasma [K+] from 4.0 ± 0.1 to 5.2 ± 0.2 mM; increased urinary K+, Na+, and volume excretion; decreased NCC-p by 60%; and marginally reduced cortical Na+-K+-2Cl− cotransporter (NKCC) phosphorylation 25% ( P = 0.055). When plasma [K+] was increased by tail vein infusion of KCl to 5.5 ± 0.1 mM over 3 h, significant kaliuresis and natriuresis ensued, NCC-p decreased by 60%, and STE20/SPS1-related proline alanine-rich kinase (SPAK) phosphorylation was marginally reduced 35% ( P = 0.052). The following were unchanged at 3 h by either the potassium-rich meal or KCl infusion: Na+/H+ exchanger 3 (NHE3), NHE3-p, NKCC, ENaC subunits, and renal outer medullary K+ channel. In summary, raising plasma [K+] by intravenous infusion to a level equivalent to that observed after a single potassium-rich meal triggers renal kaliuretic and natriuretic responses, independent of K+ ingestion, likely driven by decreased NCC-p and activity sufficient to shift sodium reabsorption downstream to where Na+ reabsorption and flow drive K+ secretion.
Effect of fluoxetine on disease progression in a mouse model of ALS
Authors: Koschnitzky J. E. , Quinlan K. A. , Lukas T. J. , Kajtaz E. , Kocevar E. J. , Mayers W. F. , Siddique T. , Heckman C. J.
Published: March 2014

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and other antidepressants are often prescribed to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients; however, the impact of these prescriptions on ALS disease progression has not been systematically tested. To determine whether SSRIs impact disease progression, fluoxetine (Prozac, 5 or 10 mg/kg) was administered to mutant superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) mice during one of three age ranges: neonatal [postnatal day (P)5–11], adult presymptomatic (P30 to end stage), and adult symptomatic (P70 to end stage). Long-term adult fluoxetine treatment (started at either P30 or P70 and continuing until end stage) had no significant effect on disease progression. In contrast, neonatal fluoxetine treatment (P5-11) had two effects. First, all animals (mutant SOD1G93A and control: nontransgenic and SOD1WT) receiving the highest dose (10 mg/kg) had a sustained decrease in weight from P30 onward. Second, the high-dose SOD1G93A mice reached end stage ∼8 days (∼6% decrease in life span) sooner than vehicle and low-dose animals because of an increased rate of motor impairment. Fluoxetine increases synaptic serotonin (5-HT) levels, which is known to increase spinal motoneuron excitability. We confirmed that 5-HT increases spinal motoneuron excitability during this neonatal time period and therefore hypothesized that antagonizing 5-HT receptors during the same time period would improve disease outcome. However, cyproheptadine (1 or 5 mg/kg), a 5-HT receptor antagonist, had no effect on disease progression. These results show that a brief period of antidepressant treatment during a critical time window (the transition from neonatal to juvenile states) can be detrimental in ALS mouse models.
Differential cortical activation of the striatal direct and indirect pathway cells: reconciling the anatomical and optogenetic results by using a computational method
Authors: Morita Kenji
Published: March 2014

The corticostriatal system is considered to be crucially involved in learning and action selection. Anatomical studies have shown that two types of corticostriatal neurons, intratelencephalic (IT) and pyramidal tract (PT) cells, preferentially project to dopamine D1 or D2 receptor-expressing striatal projection neurons, respectively. In contrast, an optogenetic study has shown that stimulation of IT axons evokes comparable responses in D1 and D2 cells and that stimulation of PT axons evokes larger responses in D1 cells. Since the optogenetic study applied brief stimulation only, however, the overall impacts of repetitive inputs remain unclear. Moreover, the apparent contradiction between the anatomical and optogenetic results remains to be resolved. I addressed these issues by using a computational approach. Specifically, I constructed a model of striatal response to cortical inputs, with parameters regarding short-term synaptic plasticity and anatomical connection strength for each connection type. Under the constraint of the optogenetic results, I then explored the parameters that best explain the previously reported paired-pulse ratio of response in D1 and D2 cells to cortical and intrastriatal stimulations, which presumably recruit different compositions of IT and PT fibers. The results indicate that 1) IT→D1 and PT→D2 connections are anatomically stronger than IT→D2 and PT→D1 connections, respectively, consistent with the previous findings, and that 2) IT→D1 and PT→D2 synapses entail short-term facilitation, whereas IT→D2 and PT→D1 synapses would basically show depression, and thereby 3) repetitive IT or PT inputs have larger overall impacts on D1 or D2 cells, respectively, supporting a recently proposed hypothesis on the roles of corticostriatal circuits in reinforcement learning.
Sox2 Is Required to Maintain Cancer Stem Cells in a Mouse Model of High-Grade Oligodendroglioma
Authors: Favaro Rebecca , Appolloni Irene , Pellegatta Serena , Sanga Alexandra Badiola , Pagella Pierfrancesco , Gambini Eleonora , Pisati Federica , Ottolenghi Sergio , Foti Maria , Finocchiaro Gaetano , Malatesta Paolo , Nicolis Silvia K.
Published: March 2014

The stem cell–determining transcription factor Sox2 is required for the maintenance of normal neural stem cells. In this study, we investigated the requirement for Sox2 in neural cancer stem-like cells using a conditional genetic deletion mutant in a mouse model of platelet-derived growth factor–induced malignant oligodendroglioma. Transplanting wild-type oligodendroglioma cells into the brain generated lethal tumors, but mice transplanted with Sox2-deleted cells remained free of tumors. Loss of the tumor-initiating ability of Sox2-deleted cells was reversed by lentiviral-mediated expression of Sox2. In cell culture, Sox2-deleted tumor cells were highly sensitive to differentiation stimuli, displaying impaired proliferation, increased cell death, and aberrant differentiation. Gene expression analysis revealed an early transcriptional response to Sox2 loss. The observed requirement of oligodendroglioma stem cells for Sox2 suggested its relevance as a target for therapy. In support of this possibility, an immunotherapeutic approach based on immunization of mice with SOX2 peptides delayed tumor development and prolonged survival. Taken together, our results showed that Sox2 is essential for tumor initiation by mouse oligodendroglioma cells, and they illustrated a Sox2-directed strategy of immunotherapy to eradicate tumor-initiating cells. Cancer Res; 74(6); 1833–44. ©2014 AACR.
Nitrite Therapy Improves Left Ventricular Function During Heart Failure via Restoration of Nitric Oxide–Mediated Cytoprotective Signaling
Authors: Bhushan Shashi , Kondo Kazuhisa , Polhemus David J. , Otsuka Hiroyuki , Nicholson Chad K. , Tao Ya-Xiong , Huang Hui , Georgiopoulou Vasiliki V. , Murohara Toyoaki , Calvert John W. , Butler Javed , Lefer David J.
Published: March 2014

Rationale:

Nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability is reduced in the setting of heart failure. Nitrite (NO
2
) is a critically important NO intermediate that is metabolized to NO during pathological states. We have previously demonstrated that sodium nitrite ameliorates acute myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury.

Objective:

No evidence exists as to whether increasing NO bioavailability via nitrite therapy attenuates heart failure severity after pressure-overload–induced hypertrophy.

Methods and Results:

Serum from patients with heart failure exhibited significantly decreased nitrosothiol and cGMP levels. Transverse aortic constriction was performed in mice at 10 to 12 weeks. Sodium nitrite (50 mg/L) or saline vehicle was administered daily in the drinking water postoperative from day 1 for 9 weeks. Echocardiography was performed at baseline and at 1, 3, 6, and 9 weeks after transverse aortic constriction to assess left ventricular dimensions and ejection fraction. We observed increased cardiac nitrite, nitrosothiol, and cGMP levels in mice treated with nitrite. Sodium nitrite preserved left ventricular ejection fraction and improved left ventricular dimensions at 9 weeks (
P
<0.001 versus vehicle). In addition, circulating and cardiac brain natriuretic peptide levels were attenuated in mice receiving nitrite (
P
<0.05 versus vehicle). Western blot analyses revealed upregulation of Akt-endothelial nitric oxide-nitric oxide-cGMP-GS3Kβ signaling early in the progression of hypertrophy and heart failure.

Conclusions:

These results support the emerging concept that nitrite therapy may be a viable clinical option for increasing NO levels and may have a practical clinical use in the treatment of heart failure.
The Venetian Images by Bellini and Carpaccio: Job as Intercessor or Prophet?
Authors: Hornik Heidi J.
Published: March 2014

The role held by Job in fifteenth-century Venetian culture will be evaluated through the study of three High Renaissance paintings. The master artists Giovanni Bellini and Vittore Carpaccio each painted Job in a unique, visual manner. The analysis of the formal compositional characteristics, the iconographic elements and the historical context of the San Giobbe altarpiece and the Sacred Allegory by Giovanni Bellini and the Meditation on the Passion by Vittore Carpaccio compose a visual alternative for understanding Job. The issues of patronage, compositional artistic sources, and contemporary theological sources will be identified. Their direct relevance to these paintings contributes to the full understanding of how and why some of the artist's decisions were made for each commission. The specific Joban iconography is presented and interpreted as it relates to these three works of art. Bellini and Carpaccio are contemporaries who live, worship, and compete for work in the same city. They interpret the role that Job plays for the contemporary viewer/worshipper in different ways. The question of Job as an intercessor or prophet becomes essential in ascertaining their significance then and now to both the student of art and religion.
Tracing Paul's Train of Thought in Romans 6–8
Authors: Talbert Charles H.
Published: March 2014

Romans 5:12–8:39 goes over again the same basic train of thought covered earlier in 1:18–5:11. In both 1:18–5:11 and 5:12–8:39 the argument moves from the human condition to the divine remedy to the role of the law to ultimate salvation. This form of reasoning, repetition with variation, has roots in ancient Greco-Roman rhetoric.
The Peaceable, Tolerant Community and the Legitimate Role of the State: Ethics and Ethical Dilemmas in Romans 12:1–15:13
Authors: Horrell David G.
Published: March 2014

These four chapters of Romans constitute a coherent section of ethical instruction which aims to foster the solidarity of the Christian community, to legitimate a degree of diversity in its convictions and practices, and also to advise Christians on relations with outsiders, specifically with the state. The community so envisioned, which unites Jew and Gentile without erasing their differences, is an embodiment of the gospel presented throughout Romans. Particular attention is given to the notorious Rom 13:1–7 and to the place of this text in its literary context. While the Christian community is presented as a non-conformist, non-violent community (Rom 12:2, 17–21), the text also sanctions the use of force on the part of the state (Rom 13:4). Thus it raises difficult questions concerning the ways in contemporary readers, whose membership of the Christian church does not preclude participation as citizens of their societies, should discern their responsibilities.
Baptists and Liturgy—the Very Idea!
Authors: Thompson Philip E.
Published: March 2014

“Liturgy” does not refer to a particular form or style of worship. It is worship, the “people's work” of serving God. Baptists have regarded worship as expressive of faith or response to God, and it is both. It is additionally a means by which persons' identities are formed. This formation takes place regardless of “style” of worship. Due to this fact both formal and informal worship may form persons faithfully in Christian identity, or may form them in less faithful ways. Theological attentiveness to worship is necessary. For Baptists, such attentiveness comes through dialogue with the wider church, and through careful listening to the Baptist heritage itself.
Turn, O Lord! How Long?
Authors: Balentine Samuel E.
Published: March 2014

Psalm 90, the only psalm attributed to Moses, reflects the torah that instructs who God is and who God's people are to be. The focus is the tension of hope and lament before God in the face of suffering. From this tension rises the question of whether God will respond. There is exploration of the reverberations in Psalm 90 of Exodus 32:7–14, where Moses prays for God's faithfulness to God's own character for the sake of the people. The essay considers tensions faced in contemporary exegesis and liturgical leadership, concluding that those who hear this Psalm are enjoined to live as mortals before God and pray as servants of God and God's people, wrestling with hard questions; honest about pain while hopefully insistent upon faithfulness to the divine character.
An Evolving Conversation
Authors: Walker Graham B.
Published: March 2014

In this article, GRAHAM B. WALKER dialogues with two historic R & E articles about evolution. Walker begins with a useful summary of the background of and current issues in the evolution debate. He then discusses an article written by John R. Sampey in 1937, in which Sampey attempts to harmonize the then-current evolutionary thought with the text of the Old Testament. Walker concludes, “Sampey continues to labor under the assumption of an ‘essential unity’ of the scientific and biblical accounts of creation as his article infers that science will inevitably crown humanity as the pinnacle of the evolutionary process even as the biblical account of the creative process has already done so.” Eric Rust's 1961 article presents what initially appears to be a similar point of view. Walker writes “From the outset, Rust appears to build on the “dialogical” view of science and faith initially suggested by Sampey.” However, Rust emphasizes the categorical differences between the religious and scientific approaches to undertanding the origins and workings of the world. Rust writes, “We need to be reminded that there is really no conflict between the Bible and modern science when we recognize the function which each serves.” While Sampey seeks to harmonize the seemingly conflicting claims between science and faith, Rust leads the reader to understand the categorical difference in the aims and the language of the two disciplines.
Facing Changing Times: What Can Estonian Baptists Learn from the Early Church?
Authors: Toom Tarmo
Published: March 2014

Parallels between issues the church faced in the fourth century after the cessation of persecution and the emergence of toleration and the issues Estonian Baptists faced after the collapse of the Soviet Union highlight important issues involved in the relationship between church and state in changing times. Prior to the fourth century, both an “ethic of resistance” and an “ethic of subordination” to the state characterized church-state relations. Following the Edict of Toleration, Christians assumed both cooperative and non-cooperative postures toward the state. Modern Estonian Christians have likewise moved from Soviet-era persecuted church to post-Soviet preferred status in Estonian society, resulting in unresolved tensions between cooperative and non-cooperative perspectives. The challenge for Estonian Baptists today is to remember that they were only recently a persecuted religious minority and thus should exercise their newly privileged position to work for religious liberty for current religious minorities.
How to Interpret the Old Testament: The Central Issue between Christians and Jews
Authors: Harrelson Walter
Published: March 2014

This essay has two parts. After a brief historical sketch of Christian anti-Judaism, we turn to the major issue in Christian relations with Judaism and the Jewish people: How we Christians understand and use the Jewish Bible—our Old Testament. In the first section we deal in particular with misreadings of the Old Testament and how we might interpret Jewish scripture more accurately and fairly. In the second part we call attention to themes and teachings in the Jewish scriptures (the Christian Old Testament) that are, in my judgment, central and vital to Christian faith, elements held in common with Judaism.
The Baptist World Alliance: An Overview of Its History
Authors: Pierard Richard V.
Published: March 2014

Pierard summarizes the history of the BWA from its inception as a dream of both British and American Baptists to its formation in 1905 as a developing organ for fellowship, for cooperative aid to victims of war and tragedy, for study and action in areas of theology, religious freedom and interchurch relations, for cooperative evangelistic efforts and increasingly for promoting the roles of women and youth and the elimination of racism. The agonizing differences of opinion among Baptists and the growing strength of the world body are examined as it begins its second century.
The Baptist World Alliance: The past as Prologue to the Future Challenges
Authors: Lotz Denton
Published: March 2014

Lotz outlines the basic principles underlying the work of the Alliance in terms of Christian unity, mission and evangelism, and freedom and human rights. He details the challenges that face the church in the decades ahead including the role of youth and leadership concerns, issues of ethics, women, secularism and the resurgence of world religions in relation to the Kingdom of God.
Baptists and Muslim-Christian Pluralism: The Legacy of a King
Authors: Patel Eboo , Kunze April
Published: March 2014

The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. demonstrated an inspiring commitment to building not only the civil rights movement for racial equity, but to creating a world of religious cooperation. This essay is written by a young Muslim and a young Evangelical Christian who have committed themselves to furthering Dr. King's vision of religious pluralism. Through the retelling of the impact of religious diversity on the young faithful of America, the life and philosophies of Dr. King, and the story of its authors' partnership with one another, this article explores the ways that his experience and ideals can mobilize young Baptists and others to build the beloved community of which King dreamed.
What Happens When We Pray?
Authors: Wakefield Andrew H.
Published: March 2014

What happens when we pray? In spite of frequent promises throughout the New Testament that whatever we ask we will receive, what seems to happen when we pray, much of the time, is nothing. How then can we resolve these promises with our experience? One option is to emphasize the qualifiers. We will receive whatever we ask, but only if we have prayed in Jesus' name, according to God's will, with faith and not doubt, and so on. Another option is to emphasize the context in which the promises are given. Perhaps the promises only apply when we are praying in the context of doing ministry, or only when we are seeking spiritual healing. Yet another option is to relocate the answer to prayer—to look for our prayers to be answered, not in physical and external ways, but rather spiritually and internally. Perhaps the best option of all is to recognize the relationship that is implied by prayer. God deals with us as a father with his children; he grants some requests simply because we ask, and denies other requests, but always for our ultimate good.
Loving our Neighbor, Honoring Muhammad
Authors: Laird Lance D.
Published: March 2014

This essay explores what it means for Christians to honor the Prophet Muhammad in the midst of public insults to Muhammad and Muslims. How might Muhammad be our neighbor, whom we are called to love, rather than our archenemy? The author outlines the complex roles and images of Muhammad as a paradigmatic figure for Muslim life, as well as the theological issues that surround the concept of prophecy in Islam and Christianity. He argues that we need to listen for and relate to the Muhammad carried by Muslim neighbors, in order to discern the multiple ways of Islam and to accept the challenge of mutual witness to God's ways in the world.
Words about Recent Book
Authors: Lybarger Loren D.
Published: March 2014

Department of Classics and World Religions Ohio University, Athens, OH
A Family Comes Undone (Jeremiah 2:1–4:2)
Authors: O'Connor Kathleen M.
Published: March 2014

The book of Jeremiah intervenes in a national disaster and moves the nation toward healing. The drama of the God's broken family helps survivors by presenting their experience in the narrowed domain of a family broken apart by infidelity. It reflects victims experience back to them in a way that does not retraumatize them. And in the chaos of disaster's aftermath, it provides an explanation of the cataclysm and defends God. No matter how difficult this theology might be for contemporary readers, the theology of Jeremiah's broken family enables the people of Judah to survive as the people of God.
Traumatizing Job
Authors: Balentine Samuel E.
Published: March 2014

Have the authors of the Book of Job traumatized this legendary character's contribution to what scripture says about God by inserting the words “for no reason” (Job 2:3) into the narrative? Is the Book of Job in and of itself a traumatizing witness to what life in relation to God means when the dust settles and the final accounts are tallied? As far as I can see, both questions are legitimate and requisite; neither yields to simple “Yes” or “No” answers.”
Mediating God's Grace within the Context of Trauma: Implications for a Christian Response to Clergy Sexual Abuse
Authors: Beste Jennifer
Published: March 2014

In a previous article, I drew on insights from trauma studies to argue that interpersonal relationships have the power both to debilitate and foster our ability to realize our human freedom and relate with trust and love to ourselves, others, and God. Insight into the power of interpersonal relationships carries profound ethical implications, reconfiguring our understanding of the mediation of divine grace and transforming our perceptions of what it means to love our neighbor. This article seeks to apply these insights as it evaluates the Catholic Church's efforts to support its own clergy sexual abuse survivors. At stake is whether both clergy and laity can fulfill the Church's ecclesial mission to mediate grace to all of Christ's brothers and sisters. This article explores the steps the Church needs to take to restore trust and safety, pursue justice, and facilitate authentic healing and reconciliation among the Church and its survivors.
“Good” Friday: In the Face of Death (Psalm 22; Psalm 31:5; Luke 23:33–43, 46)
Authors: Garner Donald W.
Published: March 2014

This sermon was preached at Bay Leaf Baptist Church in Raleigh, NC, at the noon Good Friday service on April 6, 2007, as the final session of a three-part Holy Week series entitled “Why The Cross?” The other two presentations had been made earlier in the week by Don Garner's two brothers, Dan, an attorney (“Legal Aspects of The Trial of Jesus”) and Tim, a surgeon (“Physiological Aspects of the Death of Jesus”). Immediately following the sermon, the congregation shared the Lord's Supper.
Context, Christology and Civil Disobedience in John's Apocalypse
Authors: Slater Thomas B.
Published: March 2014

A proper understanding of its social context and Christology demonstrates that the Apocalypse to John is a form of civil disobedience that encourages overcoming opposition through a staunch witness to the Christian faith.
Tombs, the New Testament, and the Archaeology of Religion
Authors: Strange James F.
Published: March 2014

This article looks at tombs as indicators of certain aspects of religion, specifically death, burial and the afterlife. The first part of the article is a theoretical discussion concerning culture and material remains. The conclusion of the author is that artifactual evidence, material culture, embodies the culture. The author then revisits two Herodian tombs on French Hill in Jerusalem he excavated in 1970–71 and published in 1975. On the basis of his theoretical discussion, he discusses the architecture of the tombs, and the artifactual evidence uncovered in the excavation. He compares the evidence with New Testament descriptions of tombs and burials. He concludes that the tombs do provide a visual and material model for Jewish views of the dead, burial, and burial customs, but not a full-blown theology of death, burial, and the afterlife. The burial evidence from the French Hill tombs also dovetail nicely with reports about tombs and burials from the New Testament.
When Scripture Meets Scripture
Authors: Wakefield Andrew H.
Published: March 2014

This article gives an overview of the issues and implications involved in the ways that scripture uses scripture. While the major focus is on the New Testament's use of the Old Testament, many of the issues discussed apply also to the use of earlier Old Testament texts by later Old Testament writers. These issues include more “technical” matters, such as the nature and scope of usage and the accuracy of citations, as well as more “theological” matters, such as the function of scripture and the interpretive techniques used by the biblical writers. All of these issues have profound significance for the church's understanding of the nature and authority of scripture, and the way(s) that the church uses scripture to speak to its contemporary context. Above all, a careful examination of scripture's use of scripture invites us to a greater humility about our exegetical methods, a greater dependence on the work of the Holy Spirit as we read, and a greater faith in the God who speaks to us through these scriptures.
The New Ecclesiology and the Post-Modern Age
Authors: Williams Joseph
Published: March 2014

In order for the traditional church to remain relevant in the twenty-first century, it must become more Christocentric and be open to change in light of the emotional and spiritual needs of post-modern North American society. The “mega-church” phenomenon reflects the inability of denominations to respond to the current spiritual crisis of ineffective and outdated ministries in mainline denominations
The Narrative Model for Teaching the Bible
Authors: Massey Karen G.
Published: March 2014

IThe article proposes an approach to teaching the Bible that reflects the conviction, substantiated in the pioneering work of Findley Edge and others, of the need for an experiential approach to Christian education combined with the principles and concepts outlined in David Kolb's experiential theory of learning and development. The Experiential Bible Study model involves four successive movements: personal experience, biblical exegesis, critical reflection and hands-on application.
Unique Aspects of a Technological Disaster and its Effect upon Community Life: A Pastoral Essay on the BP Oil Spill
Authors: Doster G. Reid
Published: March 2014

The April, 2010, explosion on British Petroleum's (BP) Macondo Prospect, drilled by Transocean's Deepwater Horizon rig in the Gulf of Mexico, produced an environmental disaster of epic proportions in an ecologically abundant coastal region. This essay explores: (1) differing effects of natural and human-caused disasters upon community life; (2) “ambiguous loss” as a type of grief resulting from techno-disasters; and (3) specific ways faith-communities can serve as instruments of healing.
The Grace of Good Food and the Call to Good Farming
Authors: Wirzba Norman
Published: March 2014

This essay argues that a good and faithful agriculture, and the healthy eating practices made possible by it, should play a vital role in the healing of creation. The interconnectedness of ecological problems means that if we get our eating right, much other environmental good will follow. What good eating and good agriculture look like are developed in terms of God's own example as the One who plants and gardens the world. Today's industrial agriculture and our culture's obsession with cheap and convenient food are shown to lie behind much of the world's degradation and economic injustice. I suggest that Christians can play an important role in the healing and celebration of creation by participating in God's caring, gardening ways with the world, and that we can do this most effectively in the eating we choose to do. Churches should take a leading role in the promotion of a God-honoring agriculture and in the advocacy of economic and political priorities that serve the well being of all creation's eaters.
Observations of a Passing Journey
Authors: Nabors Randy A.
Published: March 2014

Pastor Randy Nabors comments on various lessons learned in 35 years of planting and living out a “cross cultural church.” He attempts to speak to some of the difficulties and realities of combining different cultures, particularly black and white, while depending on the power of the grace of God to make such a congregation possible.
Creating a Climate of Cultural Diversity in the Sunshine State
Authors: Johnson Raymond
Published: March 2014

Florida's faith leaders who intend to create favorable conditions for increased cultural diversity within their respective communities must contend with historical realities of the South and current demographic trends that are wont to collide with one another. An awareness of the potential for conflict as a community becomes more diverse will help those leaders who seek such diversity. In light of the potential for such conflict, five factors may mitigate the stress of growing more heterogeneous communities of faith: 1) courageous pastoral leadership; 2) decision-making that is intentional about creating diversity; 3) an incarnational approach to ministry and mission; 4) building relationships that can survive risk-taking; and 5) embracing reciprocity as a principle of community relationships.
Speaking of Hope: Prophetic Preaching
Authors: Park Sangyil (Sam)
Published: March 2014

This article proposes that the justice demand of caring for the poor, the weak, and the lost is the core biblical mandate and the prophetic role of preaching on the issue is the most urgent pastoral duty of all preachers in our time. In an effort to support this thesis, it provides the biblical background for this demand for justice in prophetic preaching and its hermeneutical, theological, and pastoral insight for an effective application to our context of rapid decline of church. Being aware of today's cultural reality in which preachers are often tempted to become a horn of the prosperity Gospel, this article argues that prophetic preaching as speaking of God's hope with pastoral love and compassion from an eschatological point of view is what will not only make Christian church authentic but also bring the pulpit back to life and change the future course of the church in America. This article concludes with some practical suggestions for prophetic preaching.
Reading Daniel: Negotiating the Classic Issues of the Book
Authors: Lopez Kathryn
Published: March 2014

The many historical interpretations of Daniel are often idiosyncratic, and if read for purposes of predicting the future, always wrong. The world has not yet come to an end, despite the many who have, often very specifically, predicted its demise. To avoid such idiosyncratic readings and to reclaim the book for the use of the church requires exploring specific information about the book and its time. The purpose of this article is to give a general introduction to the classic issues scholarship has identified and struggled with in the attempt to read the book as genuinely as possible. Three specific areas will be discussed: the form of the book as we have it, the genres contained in the book, and the historical situation out of which the book was born.
The Graying of God in Daniel 1–7
Authors: McEntire Mark
Published: March 2014

In Daniel 7, the God of Israel is called “the Ancient of Days” three times, an epithet the deity receives nowhere else in the biblical text. Such a designation raises a wide variety of questions about the depictions of deities in the Bible and in other Ancient Near Eastern Literature. The central question of this study will be: Is the divine character portrayed in the first half of the book of Daniel in ways that prepare the reader for this aged appearance in Daniel 7? Answering this question will require two primary tasks. First, because the text in Daniel 7 includes a visualization of God, it must be set in the context of other visualizations of the deity in the Hebrew Bible. Second, once this visualization is understood as clearly as possible, the characterizations of the deity in Daniel leading up to it must be examined by giving careful attention to divine behavior in Daniel 1–6. In the stories that constitute the first half of the book of Daniel, Israel's God operates as a subtle advisor who gives knowledge and grants favor, a sage-like portrait that fits the striking image of an elderly God in Daniel 7.
Tracing Sister Connections: The Place of United States Latina Baptist Women in Ministry within the Overall Story of Baptist Women in Ministry
Authors: Docampo Isabel N.
Published: March 2014

The history of U.S. Baptist women in ministry with roots in or connections with the Southern Baptist Convention is incomplete without its sisters from the various races and ethnic groups that comprise Baptists. This article attempts to offer a beginning place to bring some completion by sharing some of the history and work by Latina Baptist women. My hopes for this article are: first, that it encourages Latina Baptist women to share their stories and complete what this article is beginning; second, that it encourages the stories from Asian, Native American, African American and other ethnic women with roots in the Southern Baptist denomination; and third, that the work of collecting these stores be done collaboratively with our Caucasian sisters so that we do not lost sight of how we influence each other's self-understanding and place in ministry. Working together, Baptist women in ministry have the opportunity to nurture the vision of the Baptist women's movement of the 1970s–80s—the vision for transformation of the patriarchal religious and economic institutions.
“In My Mother's House”: A Glimpse of Baptist Women in Ministry on its Twenty-Fifth Anniversary
Authors: Flowers Elizabeth
Published: March 2014

During the early years of the Southern Baptist controversy, a national organization for women ministers was founded that would come to be called Baptist Women in Ministry (BWIM). In 2008, the organization observed its twenty-fifth anniversary by hosting a dinner and celebration. The focus of this article is on the BWIM and its role within the Southern Baptist controversy and its struggles during the early years after the formation of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. The article traces BWIM's journey through the lean years of the 1990s when the budget allowed for little more than a newsletter and an annual worship service to the floundering years of the early twenty-first century, when BWIM had meager monetary resources and a skeletal structure. By 2003, a vote was taken to see if anyone was even interested in keeping the organization running. The result was a surprising and resounding yes.

The article concludes with a recounting of the anniversary celebration. By its twenty-fifth year, BWIM had a new generation of leaders—young female seminarians and pastors who had picked up the dream, revived BWIM, and breathed new life into the organization. At the 2008 Cooperative Baptist Fellowship assembly, the energy of BWIM and its women was palpable—and quite different from previous assemblies. The organization's “This Is What a Preacher Looks Like” T-shirts were everywhere and sold quickly. Women participated equally in the assembly worship—preaching, serving communion, commissioning missionaries, and reading from scripture. BWIM's sessions were standing room only.