bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
From Mission Theology Towards an Intercultural Theology—The German Way
Authors: Reppenhagen Martin 
Published: December 2014

AbstractThe rather young theological discipline of missiology is in a process of transition. Against the backdrop of a shift in gravity of the global church's geographical centre, and considering the rising number of contextual theologies and Christianities, as well as a continuously bad reputation of mission in the Western world, the discourse has shifted and is focusing on the term “intercultural theology.” Will “intercultural theology” replace “missiology,” and how important is the issue of mission in this debate?
Theological Education in a New Missional Era: A Personal Journey with Seven Theses
Authors: Rooms Nigel 
Published: December 2014

AbstractThe author's personal journey in discovering, developing, researching and practicing adult theological education in the church is rehearsed, pointing out key learning moments along the way. Out of this praxis seven theses are offered that set an agenda for theological education in the new missional era in which the church finds itself.
What Do the Theologically Educated Look Like?
Authors: Harrison Mike 
Published: December 2014

AbstractWhat do the theologically educated look like? Nine outcomes of a theological education are suggested that respond to this question, outcomes particularly pertinent to the contemporary cultural setting and mission challenge of Western Europe. These outcomes are compared with the nine learning outcomes that the Church of England uses at the present time to assess candidates for ordained ministry. In the light of this comparison some broad recommendations are made for future emphases in theological education.
In Memoriam: Wolfhart Pannenberg (1928–2014)
Authors: Peters Ted 
Published: December 2014

AbstractPrompted by the September 4, 2014 passing of a Continental titan of Protestant systematic theology, this article summarizes the life and thought of Wolfhart Pannenberg. A brief review is offered of his conversion from atheism to the Christian faith, student studies, and faculty positions along with his corpus of writings. An in‐depth analysis is offered of Pannenberg's key theological commitments to creation, eschatology, Christology, Trinity, retroactive ontology, prolepsis, anthropology, and the relationship between time and eternity. The scale and complexity and subtlety of Pannenberg's worldview renders it vulnerable to charges of incoherence; but few can doubt the masterful achievement of the gift of this person's life—a gift from God—to the world of Christian theology.
Theological Education at the Crossroads
Authors: Ladd Nick 
Published: December 2014

AbstractTheological education and ministerial training must prepare people for a post‐Christendom context. Moving on from the subject‐object dualism of modernity, where ministry is seen as a professional task done to and for others, this article proposes that attending to the subjectivity of others is necessary for the formation of mature community, and for genuine missional engagement. It proposes a contextualised training in which students learn theologically reflective practice from the heart of Christian community.
Circulating cardiac biomarkers and postoperative atrial fibrillation in the OPERA trial
Authors: Masson Serge , Wu Jason H. Y. , Simon Caterina , Barlera Simona , Marchioli Roberto , Mariani Javier , Macchia Alejandro , Lombardi Federico , Vago Tarcisio , Aleksova Aneta , Dreas Lorella , Favaloro Roberto R. , Hershson Alejandro R. , Puskas John D. , Dozza Luca , Silletta Maria G. , Tognoni Gianni , Mozaffarian Dariush , Latini Roberto ,   the OPERA Investigators
Published: December 2014

AbstractBackgroundPostoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) is a common complication after cardiac surgery and predicts increased morbidity and mortality. Identification of patients at high risk of POAF with the help of circulating biomarkers may enable early preventive treatment but data are limited, especially in contemporary surgical patients.MethodsPlasma concentrations of N‐terminal pro‐B‐type natriuretic peptide (NT‐proBNP) and high‐sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs‐cTnT) were measured at enrolment, on the morning of cardiac surgery, at end surgery, and 2 days postsurgery in 562 patients undergoing cardiac surgery, randomized to perioperative supplementation with oral fish oil or placebo in the Omega‐3 Fatty Acids for Prevention of Post‐Operative Atrial Fibrillation trial (OPERA). The primary endpoint was incident POAF lasting ≥ 30 s, centrally adjudicated and confirmed electrocardiographically.ResultsHigher levels of NT‐proBNP and hs‐cTnT before surgery were associated with older age, renal or cardiac dysfunction and EuroSCORE. NT‐proBNP peaked on postoperative day 2 (2172 [1238–3758] ng/L, median [Q1–Q3]), while hs‐cTnT peaked at the end of surgery (373 [188–660] ng/L). Fish oil supplementation did not alter the time course of the cardiac biomarkers (P > 0·05). Concentrations of NT‐proBNP or hs‐cTnT, on the morning of surgery, or changes in their level between morning of surgery and postsurgery, were not significantly associated with POAF after adjustment for clinical and surgical characteristics.ConclusionAmong patients undergoing cardiac surgery, NT‐proBNP and hs‐cTnT are related to clinical and surgical characteristics, have different perioperative time courses but are not independently associated with risk of POAF.
Comparison of Recharge Estimation Methods During a Wet Period in a Karst Aquifer
Authors: Guardiola‐Albert Carolina , Martos‐Rosillo Sergio , Pardo‐Igúzquiza Eulogio , Durán Valsero Juan José , Pedrera Antonio , Jiménez‐Gavilán Pablo , Liñán Baena Cristina 
Published: December 2014

AbstractManagement of water resources, implying their appropriate protection, calls for a sound evaluation of recharge. Such assessment is very complex in karst aquifers. Most methods are developed for application to detrital aquifers, without taking into account the extraordinary heterogeneity of porosity and permeability of karst systems. It is commonly recommended to estimate recharge using multiple methods; however, differences inherent to the diverse methods make it difficult to clarify the accuracy of each result. In this study, recharge was estimated in a karst aquifer working in a natural regime, in a Mediterranean‐type climate, in the western part of the Sierra de las Nieves (southern Spain). Mediterranean climate regions are characterized by high inter‐annual rainfall variability featuring long dry periods and short intense wet periods, the latter constituting the most important contribution to aquifer water input. This paper aims to identify the methods that provide the most plausible range of recharge rate during wet periods. Six methods were tested: the classical method of Thornthwaite‐Mather, the Visual Balan code, the chloride balance method, and spatially distributed methods such as APLIS, a novel spatiotemporal estimation of recharge, and ZOODRM. The results help determine valid methods for application in the rest of the unit of study and in similar karst aquifers.
Mechanisms of pre‐B‐cell receptor checkpoint control and its oncogenic subversion in acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Authors: Buchner Maike , Swaminathan Srividya , Chen Zhengshan , Müschen Markus 
Published: December 2014

SummaryPre‐B cells within the bone marrow represent the normal counterpart for most acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). During normal early B‐cell development, survival and proliferation signals are dominated by cytokines, particularly interleukin‐7 (IL‐7) for murine developing B cells. With expression of a functional pre‐B‐cell receptor (BCR), cytokine signaling is attenuated and the tonic/autonomous pre‐BCR signaling pathway provides proliferation as well as differentiation signals. In this review, we first describe checkpoint mechanisms during normal B‐cell development and then discuss how genetic lesions in these pathways function as oncogenic mimicries and allow transformed pre‐B cells to bypass checkpoint control. We focus on cytokine receptor signaling that is mimicked by activating lesions in receptor subunits or downstream mediators as well as aberrant activation of non‐B lymphoid cytokine receptors. Furthermore, we describe the molecular switch from cytokine receptor to pre‐BCR signaling, how this pathway is of particular importance for certain ALL subtypes, and how pre‐BCR signaling is engaged by genetic lesions, such as BCR‐ABL1. We discuss the transcriptional control mechanisms downstream of both cytokine‐ and pre‐BCR signaling and how normal checkpoint control mechanisms are circumvented in pre‐B ALL. Finally, we highlight new therapeutic concepts for targeted inhibition of oncogenic cytokine or pre‐BCR signaling pathways.
Epigenetics in T‐cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Authors: Peirs Sofie , Van der Meulen Joni , Van de Walle Inge , Taghon Tom , Speleman Frank , Poppe Bruce , Van Vlierberghe Pieter 
Published: December 2014

SummaryNormal T‐cell development is a strictly regulated process in which hematopoietic progenitor cells migrate from the bone marrow to the thymus and differentiate from early T‐cell progenitors toward mature and functional T cells. During this maturation process, cooperation between a variety of oncogenes and tumor suppressors can drive immature thymocytes into uncontrolled clonal expansion and cause T‐cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T‐ALL). Despite improved insights in T‐ALL disease biology and comprehensive characterization of its genetic landscape, clinical care remained largely similar over the past decades and still consists of high‐dose multi‐agent chemotherapy potentially followed by hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Even with such aggressive treatment regimens, which are often associated with considerable side effects, clinical outcome is still extremely poor in a significant subset of T‐ALL patients as a result of therapy resistance or hematological relapses. Recent genetic studies have identified recurrent somatic alterations in genes involved in DNA methylation and post‐translational histone modifications in T‐ALL, suggesting that epigenetic homeostasis is critically required in restraining tumor development in the T‐cell lineage. In this review, we provide an overview of the epigenetic regulators that could be implicated in T‐ALL disease biology and speculate how the epigenetic landscape of T‐ALL could trigger the development of epigenetic‐based therapies to further improve the treatment of human T‐ALL.
Splice factor mutations and alternative splicing as drivers of hematopoietic malignancy
Authors: Hahn Christopher N. , Venugopal Parvathy ,  Scott Hamish S. , Hiwase Devendra K. 
Published: December 2014

SummaryDifferential splicing contributes to the vast complexity of mRNA transcripts and protein isoforms that are necessary for cellular homeostasis and response to developmental cues and external signals. The hematopoietic system provides an exquisite example of this. Recently, discovery of mutations in components of the spliceosome in various hematopoietic malignancies (HMs) has led to an explosion in knowledge of the role of splicing and splice factors in HMs and other cancers. A better understanding of the mechanisms by which alternative splicing and aberrant splicing contributes to the leukemogenic process will enable more efficacious targeted approaches to tackle these often difficult to treat diseases. The clinical implications are only just starting to be realized with novel drug targets and therapeutic strategies open to exploitation for patient benefit.
Going viral: chimeric antigen receptor T‐cell therapy for hematological malignancies
Authors: Gill Saar , June Carl H. 
Published: December 2014

SummaryOn July 1, 2014, the United States Food and Drug Administration granted ‘breakthrough therapy’ designation to CTL019, the anti‐CD19 chimeric antigen receptor T‐cell therapy developed at the University of Pennsylvania. This is the first personalized cellular therapy for cancer to be so designated and occurred 25 years after the first publication describing genetic redirection of T cells to a surface antigen of choice. The peer‐reviewed literature currently contains the outcomes of more than 100 patients treated on clinical trials of anti‐CD19 redirected T cells, and preliminary results on many more patients have been presented. At last count almost 30 clinical trials targeting CD19 were actively recruiting patients in North America, Europe, and Asia. Patients with high‐risk B‐cell malignancies therefore represent the first beneficiaries of an exciting and potent new treatment modality that harnesses the power of the immune system as never before. A handful of trials are targeting non‐CD19 hematological and solid malignancies and represent the vanguard of enormous preclinical efforts to develop CAR T‐cell therapy beyond B‐cell malignancies. In this review, we explain the concept of chimeric antigen receptor gene‐modified T cells, describe the extant results in hematologic malignancies, and share our outlook on where this modality is likely to head in the near future.
Targeting protein–protein interactions in hematologic malignancies: still a challenge or a great opportunity for future therapies?
Authors: Cierpicki Tomasz , Grembecka Jolanta 
Published: December 2014

SummaryOver the past several years, there has been an increasing research effort focused on inhibition of protein–protein interactions (PPIs) to develop novel therapeutic approaches for cancer, including hematologic malignancies. These efforts have led to development of small molecule inhibitors of PPIs, some of which already advanced to the stage of clinical trials while others are at different stages of preclinical optimization, emphasizing PPIs as an emerging and attractive class of drug targets. Here, we review several examples of recently developed inhibitors of PPIs highly relevant to hematologic cancers. We address the existing skepticism about feasibility of targeting PPIs and emphasize potential therapeutic benefit from blocking PPIs in hematologic malignancies. We then use these examples to discuss the approaches for successful identification of PPI inhibitors and provide analysis of the protein–protein interfaces, with the goal to address ‘druggability’ of new PPIs relevant to hematology. We discuss lessons learned to improve the success of targeting new PPIs and evaluate prospects and limits of the research in this field. We conclude that not all PPIs are equally tractable for blocking by small molecules, and detailed analysis of PPI interfaces is critical for selection of those with the highest chance of success. Together, our analysis uncovers patterns that should help to advance drug discovery in hematologic malignancies by successful targeting of new PPIs.
Giant Thermal–Electrical Energy Harvesting Effect of Pb0.97La0.02(Zr0.75Sn0.18Ti0.07)O3 Antiferroelectric Thick Film
Authors: Hao Xihong , Zhao Ye , An Shengli 
Published: December 2014

In this letter, 2‐μm Pb0.97La0.02(Zr0.75Sn0.18Ti0.07)O3 antiferroelectric thick film with tetragonal structure was prepared. The effects of operating electric field, temperature, and frequency on the thermal–electrical energy harvesting capacity of the film were studied by using the Olsen cycle. The results demonstrated that giant energy harvesting effect could be realized in the antiferroelectric thick film. The maximum harvestable energy density per cycle of the film was about 7.8 J/cm3 at 1 kHz, which was the largest reported value to date. The corresponding energy harvesting efficiency was 0.53%. Moreover, the film had a low leakage current density (about 7.3 × 10−7 and 3.9 × 10−5 A/cm2 at 25 and 200°C, respectively), which was favorable for its application in the devices of the thermal–electrical energy harvesting.
Psychological Distress and the Development of Hypertension Over 5 Years in Black South Africans
Authors: Schutte Aletta E. , Ware Lisa J. , Huisman Hugo W. , Fourie Carla M.T. , Greeff Minrie , Khumalo Tumi , Wissing Marie P. 
Published: December 2014

Alarming increases in the incidence of hypertension in many low‐ and middle‐income countries are related to alcohol overuse. It is unclear whether alcohol overuse is a symptom of psychological distress. The authors assessed psychological distress in Africans and its relationship with a 5‐year change in blood pressure (BP), independent of alcohol intake. The authors followed 107 Africans with optimal BP (≤120/80 mm Hg) (aged 35–75 years) over 5 years. Alcohol intake (self‐report and serum γ‐glutamyl transferase) and nonspecific psychological distress (Kessler Screening Scale for Psychological Distress [K6]) were assessed. The K6 predicted hypertension development (P=.019), and its individual component “nervous” increased a participant's risk two‐fold to become hypertensive (hazard ratio, 2.00 [1.23–3.26]). By entering K6 and γ‐glutamyl transferase into multivariable‐adjusted regression models for change in systolic BP, both were independently associated with change in systolic BP. Psychological distress and scoring high on being nervous predicted the development of hypertension over 5 years, independent of alcohol intake.
Association between insulin resistance and plasma amino acid profile in non‐diabetic Japanese subjects
Authors: Yamada Chizumi , Kondo Masumi , Kishimoto Noriaki , Shibata Takeo , Nagai Yoko , Imanishi Tadashi , Oroguchi Takashige , Ishii Naoaki , Nishizaki Yasuhiro 
Published: December 2014

AbstractAims/IntroductionElevation of the branched‐chain amino acids (BCAAs), valine, leucine and isoleucine; and the aromatic amino acids, tyrosine and phenylalanine, has been observed in obesity‐related insulin resistance. However, there have been few studies on Asians, who are generally less obese and less insulin‐resistant than Caucasian or African‐Americans. In the present study, we investigated the relationship between homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA‐IR) and plasma amino acid concentration in non‐diabetic Japanese participants.Materials and MethodsA total of 94 healthy men and women were enrolled, and plasma amino acid concentration was measured by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry after overnight fasting. The associations between HOMA‐IR and 20 amino acid concentrations, and anthropometric and clinical parameters of lifestyle‐related diseases were evaluated.ResultsThe mean age and body mass index were 40.1 ± 9.6 years and 22.7 ± 3.9, respectively. Significantly positive correlations were observed between HOMA‐IR and valine, isoleucine, leucine, tyrosine, phenylalanine and total BCAA concentration. Compared with the HOMA‐IR ≤ 1.6 group, the HOMA‐IR > 1.6 group showed significantly exacerbated anthropometric and clinical parameters, and significantly elevated levels of valine, isoleucine, leucine, tyrosine, phenylalanine and BCAA.ConclusionsThe present study shows that the insulin resistance‐related change in amino acid profile is also observed in non‐diabetic Japanese subjects. These amino acids include BCAAs (valine, isoleucine and leucine) and aromatic amino acids (tyrosine and phenylalanine), in agreement with previous studies carried out using different ethnic groups with different degrees of obesity and insulin resistance.
Verneuil's disease, innate immunity and vitamin D: a pilot study
Authors: Guillet A. , Brocard A. , Bach Ngohou K. , Graveline N. , Leloup A.‐G. , Ali D. , Nguyen J.‐M. , Loirat M.‐J. , Chevalier C. , Khammari A. , Dreno B. 
Published: December 2014

AbstractBackgroundVerneuil's disease is a chronic inflammatory skin disease of the follicles in apocrine glands rich area of the skin (axillary, inguinal, anogenital) and is associated with a deficient skin innate immunity. It is characterized by the occurrence of nodules, abscesses, fistulas, scars. Recently, vitamin D has been shown to stimulate skin innate immunity.ObjectiveThe primary objective of the study was to assess whether Verneuil's disease was associated with vitamin D deficiency. The secondary objective was to determine whether vitamin D supplementation could improve inflammatory lesions.MethodsFirst, 25(OH) vitamin D3 serum levels in patients with Verneuil's disease followed at Nantes University Hospital were compared to those of healthy donors from the French Blood Bank. Then, a pilot study was conducted in 14 patients supplemented with vitamin D according to their vitamin D level at baseline at months 3 and 6. The endpoints at 6 months were decreased by at least 20% in the number of nodules and in the frequency of flare‐ups.ResultsTwenty‐two patients (100%) had vitamin D deficiency (level <30 ng/mL) of whom 36% were severely deficient (level <10 ng/mL), having correlation with the disease severity (P = 0.03268) vs. 20 controls with vitamin D deficiency (91%) of whom 14% were severely deficient. In 14 patients, the supplementation significantly decreased the number of nodules at 6 months (P = 0.01133), and the endpoints were achieved in 79% of these patients. A correlation between the therapeutic success and the importance of the increase in vitamin D level after supplementation was observed (P = 0.01099).ConclusionOur study shows that Verneuil's disease is associated with a major vitamin D deficiency, correlated with the disease severity. It suggests that vitamin D could significantly improve the inflammatory nodules, probably by stimulating the skin innate immunity. A larger randomized study is needed to confirm these findings.
Adaptation of an outbreaking insect defoliator to chronic nutritional stress
Authors: Quezada García R. , Seehausen M. L. , Bauce É. 
Published: December 2014

AbstractDuring insect outbreaks, the high number of individuals feeding on its host plant causes a depletion of the food source. Reduced availability and decreased quality of nutrients negatively influence life‐history traits of insects driving them to develop adaptive strategies to persist in the environment. In a laboratory experiment with three repetitions, we tested the effect of chronic nutritional stress on spruce budworm performance during three generations to determine the adaptive strategies employed by the insect to deal with a selection pressure produced by low‐quality diet. Our results show that all tested life‐history traits (mortality, developmental time, pupal mass, growth rate and female fecundity) but female fertility were negatively influenced by the low‐quality diet simulating food depletion during outbreak conditions. However, especially females in the third generation under chronic nutritional stress show an adaptive response in life‐history traits when compared to those reared only one generation on low‐quality diet. Larval developmental time significantly decreased and pupal mass, growth rate and fecundity significantly increased. The study demonstrates the capacity of spruce budworm to react to chronic nutritional stress with adaptations that may be caused by epigenetic parental effects. This information can help to understand the course of an outbreak especially at peak densities and during the collapse.
Nonray‐tracing determination of the 3D refractive index profile of polymeric fibres using single‐frame computed tomography and digital holographic interferometric technique
Authors: SOKKAR T.Z.N. , EL‐FARAHATY K.A. , RAMADAN W.A. , WAHBA H.H. , RASLAN M.I. , HAMZA A.A. 
Published: December 2014

SummaryIn this paper, we present a nonray‐tracing technique for evaluating the three dimensional distribution of the refractive index values inside polymeric fibres. This technique, named ‘single‐frame computed‐tomography (SFCT)’, is applied to digital holography. A comparative study between the calculated optical phase values using ordinary tomography and SFCT is carried out, and a negligible deviation is detected. The proposed technique is used to determine the three‐dimensional refractive index profile of isotactic Polypropylene fibres, IPP. The variation of the optical properties is measured before, during and after the formation of the necking phenomenon. In addition, SFCT technique is applied to the online determination of the change of the optical properties of IPP fibres. Holograms are given for illustration.