145 research outputs found
Reading Scripture through a mystical lens
In addition to the unprecedented interest in spirituality in recent decades, both at a popular level and also as an academic discipline, there has also been a resurgence of research dealing with spirituality and scripture. It is readily acknowledged that the hegemony of the historical-critical method is no longer tenable. As a method which sees the text as an artifact of history, there is minimal, if any, attempt to understand the experience of those who produced the text; it concentrates on a literal interpretation, at the expense of the polysemous nature of scripture. Contemporary scriptural studies, however, have witnessed a sea-change in interpretive methods of such magnitude, that it is difficult to keep up with current scholarship in this field. Within this paradigm shift, the importance of a spiritual reading of scripture has now come to the fore. More specifically, reading scripture through a mystical lens, as originally seen, inter alia, in the works of Origen, has taken its place, if not centre stage, at least on the stage, and no longer in the wings. Utilising the insights of a French Carmelite, Elisabeth Catez, a mystical reading of Paul exemplifies this new, yet ancient, hermeneutical method
The âturnâ to spirituality
The term âspiritualityâ is difficult to define, given the equivocal meanings attributed to it, and the tendency to equate this phenomenon with âpietyâ or âotherworldlinessâ. Such an approach is far too narrow, and does not take into account that âspiritualityâ needs to be seen in a much wider context. Spirituality refers to the raison-dâĂȘtre of oneâs existence, the meaning and values to which one ascribes. Thus everyone embodies a spirituality, be it nihilistic, materialistic, humanistic, or religious. There are diverse spiritualities, each one culture-specific, expressing its own historical, sociological, theological, linguistic and philosophical orientation. Post-patriarchal and telluric, contemporary spirituality affects all areas of society, including the business world, education, health care, the arts, ecology, politics, religion and particularly the academy, where new programmes in spirituality are attracting a large number of students. The new surge of interest in spirituality is a force for personal and societal transformation
Discerning the mystical wisdom of the Bhagavad Gita and John of the Cross
The 21st century is characterised by a global spirituality. Presently, and more than ever, access to the great religious traditions has enabled many to tap into the wisdom of other cultures. While the respective epistemological foundations of diverse traditions may differ, mutual understanding and respectful dialogue nevertheless facilitate respect for the other and offer opportunities for mutual enrichment. This leads to the recognition that there are multiple dimensions and expressions of the sacred. From within this interspiritual approach, an analysis of the mystical wisdom of the Bhagavad Gita and John of the Cross clearly points to the central theme of discerning the real from the unreal. This leads to detachment from/lack of desire for and, finally, surrender to the Divine
Contemporary Christian Spirituality: An âEncompassing Fieldâ
Contemporary Christian spirituality, understood as both an experiential, lived-life phenomenon and an academic discipline gives a new-found universal perspective to the reflective Christian. It constitutes an encompassing, incorporative âfieldâ through occupying a âgive-and-takeâ inter-disciplinary place in a general academy of Spirituality and through repossession of its own traditions, insights and ecumenical spiritual landscape. These discoveries are further enhanced through contemporary Christian spiritualityâs own critical appreciation of globalisation and postmodernism. Contemporary Christian spirituality, at its best, constitutes a world-appreciative openness that nevertheless sustains its own unique identity. In short, contemporary Christian spirituality offers a livedfaith and academic discipline that is globally conscious and universally aligned. It operates out of a credible contextual rationale for our times
Contemporary Christian spirituality: a worldly embodiment
Contemporary renascent spirituality secures for itself a motif of materiality and physical embodiment. This embodiment pertains to renascent spirituality both as lived-life experience and particularly as contemporary academic discipline. The influential sources of an embodied spirituality are to be found in spiritualityâs reflective self-understanding, the rich resources of the Christian tradition, the growing interest in lived Christian experience as such, and the post-Vatican II conciliatory spirit and momentum. Renascent spirituality not only accommodates and endorses embodiment and âworldlyâ materiality; it also realises a new wholeness and integration for Christian spirituality. While it might seem a commonplace to defend Christian spiritualityâs embodied, incarnational reality, it is clear that spirituality has not always been so understood, even constituting a pejorative connotation at times as something essentially detached, disembodied and inferentially dualistic. Spirituality in its revived sense holds within itself and its inherited tradition the potential to critique such disembodiment while simultaneously securing the mystery and transcendent dimension of embodied Christian living
Association of Prognostic Value of Primary Tumor Location in Stage III Colon Cancer With RAS and BRAF Mutational Status.
Knowledge, Practice, and Attitudes of Physicians in Low- and Middle-Income Countries on Fertility and Pregnancy-Related Issues in Young Women With Breast Cancer
PURPOSE: Fertility and pregnancy-related issues are highly relevant for young ( 64 40 years) patients with breast cancer. Limited evidence exists on knowledge, practice, and attitudes of physicians from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) regarding these issues. METHODS: A 19-item questionnaire adapted from an international survey exploring issues about fertility preservation and pregnancy after breast cancer was sent by e-mail between November 2019 and January 2020 to physicians from LMICs involved in breast cancer care. Descriptive analyses were performed. RESULTS: A total of 288 physicians from Asia, Africa, America, and Europe completed the survey. Median age was 38 years. Responders were mainly medical oncologists (44.4%) working in an academic setting (46.9%). Among responders, 40.2% and 53.8% reported having never consulted the available international guidelines on fertility preservation and pregnancy after breast cancer, respectively. 25.0%, 19.1%, and 24.3% of responders answered to be not at all knowledgeable about embryo, oocyte, or ovarian tissue cryopreservation, respectively; 29.2%, 23.6%, and 31.3% declared that embryo, oocyte, and ovarian tissue cryopreservation were not available in their countries, respectively. 57.6% of responders disagreed or were neutral on the statement that controlled ovarian stimulation can be considered safe in patients with breast cancer. 49.7% and 58.6% of responders agreed or were neutral on the statement that pregnancy in breast cancer survivors may increase the risk of recurrence overall or only in those with hormone receptor-positive disease, respectively. CONCLUSION: This survey showed suboptimal knowledge, practice, and attitudes of physicians from LMICs on fertility preservation and pregnancy after treatment completion in young women with breast cancer. Increasing awareness and education on these aspects are needed to improve adherence to available guidelines and to promote patients' oncofertility counseling
Knowledge, Practice, and Attitudes of Physicians in Low- and Middle-Income Countries on Fertility and Pregnancy-Related Issues in Young Women With Breast Cancer
PURPOSE
Fertility and pregnancy-related issues are highly relevant for young (†40 years) patients with breast cancer. Limited evidence exists on knowledge, practice, and attitudes of physicians from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) regarding these issues.
METHODS
A 19-item questionnaire adapted from an international survey exploring issues about fertility preservation and pregnancy after breast cancer was sent by e-mail between November 2019 and January 2020 to physicians from LMICs involved in breast cancer care. Descriptive analyses were performed.
RESULTS
A total of 288 physicians from Asia, Africa, America, and Europe completed the survey. Median age was 38 years. Responders were mainly medical oncologists (44.4%) working in an academic setting (46.9%). Among responders, 40.2% and 53.8% reported having never consulted the available international guidelines on fertility preservation and pregnancy after breast cancer, respectively. 25.0%, 19.1%, and 24.3% of responders answered to be not at all knowledgeable about embryo, oocyte, or ovarian tissue cryopreservation, respectively; 29.2%, 23.6%, and 31.3% declared that embryo, oocyte, and ovarian tissue cryopreservation were not available in their countries, respectively. 57.6% of responders disagreed or were neutral on the statement that controlled ovarian stimulation can be considered safe in patients with breast cancer. 49.7% and 58.6% of responders agreed or were neutral on the statement that pregnancy in breast cancer survivors may increase the risk of recurrence overall or only in those with hormone receptorâpositive disease, respectively.
CONCLUSION
This survey showed suboptimal knowledge, practice, and attitudes of physicians from LMICs on fertility preservation and pregnancy after treatment completion in young women with breast cancer. Increasing awareness and education on these aspects are needed to improve adherence to available guidelines and to promote patients' oncofertility counseling.Supported in part by the Italian Ministry of Healthâ5x1000 funds 2017 (no grant number) and the Italian Association for Cancer Research (AIRC; MFAG 2020 ID 24698)
All-d-Enantiomer of ÎČ-Amyloid Peptide Forms Ion Channels in Lipid Bilayers
Alzheimerâs disease (AD) is the most common type
of senile
dementia in aging populations. Amyloid ÎČ (AÎČ)-mediated
dysregulation of ionic homeostasis is the prevailing underlying mechanism
leading to synaptic degeneration and neuronal death. AÎČ-dependent
ionic dysregulation most likely occurs either directly via unregulated
ionic transport through the membrane or indirectly via AÎČ binding
to cell membrane receptors and subsequent opening of existing ion
channels or transporters. Receptor binding is expected to involve
a high degree of stereospecificity. Here, we investigated whether
an AÎČ peptide enantiomer, whose entire sequence consists of d-amino acids, can form ion-conducting channels; these channels
can directly mediate AÎČ effects even in the absence of receptorâpeptide
interactions. Using complementary approaches of planar lipid bilayer
(PLB) electrophysiological recordings and molecular dynamics (MD)
simulations, we show that the d-AÎČ isomer exhibits
ion conductance behavior in the bilayer indistinguishable from that
described earlier for the l-AÎČ isomer. The d isomer forms channel-like pores with heterogeneous ionic conductance
similar to the l-AÎČ isomer channels, and the d-isomer channel conductance is blocked by Zn2+, a known
blocker of l-AÎČ isomer channels. MD simulations further
verify formation of ÎČ-barrel-like AÎČ channels with d- and l-isomers, illustrating that both d- and l-AÎČ barrels can conduct cations. The calculated
values of the single-channel conductance are approximately in the
range of the experimental values. These findings are in agreement
with amyloids forming Ca2+ leaking, unregulated channels
in AD, and suggest that AÎČ toxicity is mediated through a receptor-independent,
nonstereoselective mechanism
Proteome analysis of human gastric cardia adenocarcinoma by laser capture microdissection
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The incidence of gastric cardiac adenocarcinoma (GCA) has been increasing in the past two decades in China, but the molecular changes relating to carcinogenesis have not been well characterised.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In this study, we used a comparative proteomic approach to analyse the malignant and nonmalignant gastric cardia epithelial cells isolated by navigated laser capture microdissection (LCM) from paired surgical specimens of human GCA.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Twenty-seven spots corresponding to 23 proteins were consistently differentially regulated. Fifteen proteins were shown to be up-regulated, while eight proteins were shown to be down-regulated in malignant cells compared with nonmalignant columnar epithelial cells. The identified proteins appeared to be involved in metabolism, chaperone, antioxidation, signal transduction, apoptosis, cell proliferation, and differentiation. In addition, expressions of HSP27, 60, and Prx-2 in GCA specimens were further confirmed by immunohistochemical and western blot analyses.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>These data indicate that the combination of navigated LCM with 2-DE provides an effective strategy for discovering proteins that are differentially expressed in GCA. Such proteins may contribute in elucidating the molecular mechanisms of GCA carcinogenesis. Furthermore, the combination provides potential clinical biomarkers that aid in early detection and provide potential therapeutic targets.</p
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