The Son of the Morning and the Guardian Cherub in the Context of the Controversy Between Good and Evil

Problem. Isaiah 14:12-15 and Ezekiel 28:12-19 have been used, since the times of the Church Fathers, to explain the origin of sin in the universe, and interpreted as depicting the fall of Satan from heaven. However, through the years--especially from the end of the nineteenth century and on--theologians have affirmed that those passages report historical events, making use of mythological material in their narratives; and therefore have not to do with the origin of sin or Satan. It is the aim of this dissertation to verify these claims. Method and Results. Chapter 1 reviews the interpretations of the passages from the first centuries of the Christian Era till the present. Until the end of the nineteenth century, both passages were interpreted in two main ways: (1) referring to Satan or (2) referring to some historical figure, perhaps some Babylonian ruler. From that time the mythological view has added to the interpretation. Chapter 2 examines the alleged origins and parallel material found in Sumerian, Akkadian, Hittite, Greek, Ugaritic, as well as Biblical literature. The research demonstrated that although similar motifs and imagery are present in the passages under study as well as in literature of Israel\u27s neighbors, a myth of Helel ben Shahar and of the Guardian Cherub, which would reflect the Biblical account in its main aspects, could not be found. It seems the similarities in the use of the terms and pictures are due to cultural continuity or common elements in the ancient Near East. Chapter 3 examines the structure of Isa 14 and Ezek 28 in relation to the immediate context and the whole books; and exegetes the passages in the light of the whole Bible. The exegesis shows that: (1) these passages depict Helel and the Cherub in a language which transcends the earthly realm; (2) the immediate context and the whole books (especially Isaiah) shows a tension between earthly and cosmic dimensions, as well as a struggle between the forces of good and evil; (3) Isa 14 uses the words mashal and Babylon in a particular way; and (4) a comparison between these two passages shows they depict the same figure. These factors carry us to the conclusion that the two passages portray the fall of the chief angel Satan from heaven and his role in the controversy between good and evil

USING A MORPHOLOGICAL CHART TO DEVELOP FASHION PRODUCTS FROM RECYCLED KNIT WASTE

This article aims to investigate and experiment environmentally sustainable solutions using cotton knit waste and hand knitting to develop new fashion products. The knit waste came from imperfect knit fabrics discarded by industries and circular knit garments discarded by consumers. The tool used as a creative mean of development was the morphological chart, which allowed approximately one hundred and fifty ideas of garments to be generated. Five ideas were identified as main product concept. A prototype of a vest was made to test the viability of the use of the morphological chart do develop a creative fashion product. The reproducibility of the methodology was successfully tested by handcraft artists that work with hand knitting.

Portuguese-Brazilian evidence-based guideline on the management of hyperglycemia in type 2 diabetes mellitus

Background: In current management of type 2 diabetes (T2DM), cardiovascular and renal prevention have become important targets to be achieved. In this context, a joint panel of four endocrinology societies from Brazil and Portugal was established to develop an evidence-based guideline for treatment of hyperglycemia in T2DM. Methods: MEDLINE (via PubMed) was searched for randomized clinical trials, meta-analyses, and observational studies related to diabetes treatment. When there was insufficient high-quality evidence, expert opinion was sought. Updated positions on treatment of T2DM patients with heart failure (HF), atherosclerotic CV disease (ASCVD), chronic kidney disease (CKD), and patients with no vascular complications were developed. The degree of recommendation and the level of evidence were determined using predefined criteria. Results and conclusions: In non-pregnant adults, the recommended HbA1c target is below 7%. Higher levels are recommended in frail older adults and patients at higher risk of hypoglycemia. Lifestyle modification is recommended at all phases of treatment. Metformin is the first choice when HbA1c is 6.5–7.5%. When HbA1c is 7.5–9.0%, dual therapy with metformin plus an SGLT2i and/or GLP-1RA (first-line antidiabetic agents, AD1) is recommended due to cardiovascular and renal benefits. If an AD1 is unaffordable, other antidiabetic drugs (AD) may be used. Triple or quadruple therapy should be considered when HbA1c remains above target. In patients with clinical or subclinical atherosclerosis, the combination of one AD1 plus metformin is the recommended first-line therapy to reduce cardiovascular events and improve blood glucose control. In stable heart failure with low ejection fraction ( 30 mL/min/1.73 m2, metformin plus an SGLT-2i is recommended to reduce cardiovascular mortality and heart failure hospitalizations and improve blood glucose control. In patients with diabetes-associated chronic kidney disease (CKD) (eGFR 30–60 mL/min/1.73 m2 or eGFR 30–90 mL/min/1.73 m2 with albuminuria > 30 mg/g), the combination of metformin and an SGLT2i is recommended to attenuate loss of renal function, reduce albuminuria and improve blood glucose control. In patients with severe renal failure, insulin-based therapy is recommended to improve blood glucose control. Alternatively, GLP-1RA, DPP4i, gliclazide MR and pioglitazone may be considered to reduce albuminuria. In conclusion, the current evidence supports individualizing anti-hyperglycemic treatment for T2DM

Species composition, habitat use and breeding seasons of anurans of the restinga forest of the Estação Ecológica Juréia-Itatins, Southeastern Brazil

Apresentamos aqui dados sobre a composição de espécies, o uso de hábitat e as estações reprodutivas dos anuros da floresta de restinga da Estação Ecológica Juréia-Itatins, sudeste do Brasil. Entre fevereiro e dezembro de 1993, foram realizadas visitas mensais à área de estudo, com permanência de três ou quatro dias, totalizando 28 dias de trabalhos de campo. Três poças pré-selecionadas foram investigadas diariamente entre 18:00 e 22:30 horas, quando foi estimado o número de machos vocalmente ativos nas agregações observadas, tentando-se localizá-los visualmente em seus substratos característicos de vocalização. A fauna é composta por 20 espécies, a maior riqueza já registrada em um ambiente de restinga do Brasil. De acordo com os critérios da IUCN, oito dessas espécies possuem populações em declínio, devido principalmente à perda de hábitat. Onze espécies apresentaram machos em atividade de vocalização e reprodução nas poças monitoradas mensalmente durante todo o período de estudo; a maioria dos hilídeos apresentou segregação vertical em seus sítios de vocalização sobre a vegetação marginal. Scinax hayii e S. littoralis foram consideradas de reprodução contínua, mas o período reprodutivo da maior parte das espécies mostrou-se associado à estação chuvosa. A alta riqueza de espécies observada na área e a indicação de declínios populacionais de algumas espécies em outras regiões sugerem que a região da Juréia apresenta uma grande relevância como área de preservação de anuros.Herein we present data on species composition, habitat use, and calling seasons of anurans from the Restinga forest of the Estação Ecológica Juréia-Itatins, Southeastern Brazil. The study site was visited monthly (3 to 4 days) between February and December 1993, a total of 28 days of field work. Three previously selected puddles were searched for anurans between 6:00 and 10:30 PM, when the number of calling males of each species was estimated and the positions of their calling sites were recorded. Anuran fauna is composed by 20 species, the highest richness ever recorded in a Brazilian restinga habitat. According to IUCN criteria, eight of these species have populations declining mainly due to habitat loss. Eleven species showed calling males in the three pools monitored during the study period; most hylids showed some vertical segregation on the marginal vegetation used as calling sites. Scinax hayii and S. littoralis were considered continuous breeders, but the calling and breeding period of most species was associated to the rainy season. The high species richness recorded and the indication of declining populations for some species outside the area suggest the E.E. Juréia-Itatins has a high potential to preserve anuran fauna.FAPESPCNP