The role of the DEAD box Helicase DDX3X in Anti-­‐Viral Signalling Pathways Mediated by the Kinase IKKα.

The human DEAD-box RNA helicase DDX3X has previously been shown to be involved in innate immune signalling in pathways mediated by IKKε and TBK1. In this work we show that DDX3X is also involved in pathways independent of these kinases, and functions by interacting with two related kinases IKKα and NIK. DDX3X enhances the activation of IKKα and subsequently, augments the activation of pathways that IKKα regulates. We show that DDX3 is involved in two important signalling pathways that are mediated by IKKα – the alternative NF-κB pathway and the TLR7 signalling pathway to type I IFN induction. We propose that DDX3X acts as a scaffolding protein that brings together IKKα and its substrates

Ethics of Spiritual Guidance

Ask most people about ethics in spiritual guidance - defined broadly to include pastoral ministries, spiritual direction, and other forms of spiritual care - and you'll quickly findyourself in a discussionof two issues: boundaries and confidentiality

Humility and Magnanimity in Spiritual Guidance

Humility, I submit, is like pornography in the sense that is difficult to define, but you know it when you see it. Unlike pornography, however, humility is not especially titillating. Many of us might admit that humility is an important virtue, but that is rarely followed by a cry of “Yay! Humility!” especially at the thought of cultivating it in our own lives. In Part I of this essay,I will begin by swatting down some of the more pernicious mis-definitions of humility. Second, I will offer a definition of humility and its companion virtue, magnanimity, following the lead of Thomas Aquinas, for whom this was a tricky problem. In Part II, I will point to ways in which both virtues are already essential to good practice of spiritual guidance. To conclude,I’ll suggest a few ways we might cultivate these virtues in our lives generally, trusting that virtues are good habits for our whole lives. Virtues also spread—that is, a virtue cultivated in one area of our lives will help us flourish generally. So practicing virtues in one arena will make us better overall

The role of the DEAD box Helicase DDX3X in Anti-­‐Viral Signalling Pathways Mediated by the Kinase IKKα.

The human DEAD-box RNA helicase DDX3X has previously been shown to be involved in innate immune signalling in pathways mediated by IKKε and TBK1. In this work we show that DDX3X is also involved in pathways independent of these kinases, and functions by interacting with two related kinases IKKα and NIK. DDX3X enhances the activation of IKKα and subsequently, augments the activation of pathways that IKKα regulates. We show that DDX3 is involved in two important signalling pathways that are mediated by IKKα – the alternative NF-κB pathway and the TLR7 signalling pathway to type I IFN induction. We propose that DDX3X acts as a scaffolding protein that brings together IKKα and its substrates

Drug users’ experiences of a residential rehabilitation program in Western Australia: A thematic analysis of drug users lived experiences

In the last decade, there has been a marked increase in the awareness of drug use and drug-related crime in Australia. As a result, the demand for drug treatment services has increased and 14 recognised government-funded services are now available in Western Australia (WA). The goal of these services is to reduce drug use through full-time intensive programs that are usually residential. This type of drug treatment has been shown to be effective in reducing drug use and promoting pro-social lives post-treatment. However, little is known of the experiences of participants in this type of treatment in WA. As such, this study examined the lived experiences of individuals engaged in a Christian residential rehabilitation program in WA. Semi-structured interviews were utilised to examine 14 participants’ perceptions of their behaviours, links between drug use and criminal behaviour, motivations for treatment and life after rehabilitation. A thematic analysis of the data revealed that drug users have extensive insight into their lived experiences, including an awareness of normalised behaviours that catalysed their subsequent drug use and criminal behaviours. Themes that emerged from the findings include: the lived experience of dysfunction; embodying dysfunction and escaping dysfunction. Additionally, the participants demonstrated strong support for treatment provided by residential rehabilitation, commenting that that recovery from extensive drug use is a lengthy process involving more than simple abstinence from drugs. This research provides support for residential treatment of drug users who previously committed crime, supporting assertions that drug use must be treated to address criminality

Hegel's philosophy of religion /

Thesis (M.A.)--Boston University Missing page 100 in copy 1 and 2. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 164-166).This thesis has as its primary purpose the exposition of Hegel's philosophy of religion as set forth in the three-volume work entitled Lectures on the Philosophy of Religion. A secondary purpose of this thesis is to place Hegel 1s reflections on religion in their proper place within his total system, with special attention to the particular sphere in which religion appears- the sphere of Absolute Mind. Hegel's entire philosophical system is an explication of the Notion or the Idea. In Art which constitutes the first stage of Absolute Mind the Idea is sensuously clothed. The Idea is presented in its immediacy in Art. In Religion, the second or middle stage of Absolute Mind, the Idea is manifested in terms of Vorstellung which is variously translated as picture thought or ordinary thought. The Idea is here manifested in its otherness. In Philosophy, the third and final stage of Absolute Mind, the Idea is at last manifested in a form adequate to its content, i.e., the form of thought. Hegel rejects feeling and sensuous intuition as the locus of religion in man in favor of thought by which he meant not one among many coordinate faculties, but rather that which runs through, characterizes, gives organic relation to, all our spiritual activities. Hegel proceeds to a consideration of the various positive (pre-Christian) religions. His method in the study of these religions involves two steps, namely (1) an attempt to comprehend the Idea of religion and its necessity and (2) an examination and interpretation of the mass of information gathered by empirical and historical methods in the light of this self-differentiating Idea. Christianity is the Absolute religion. In the language of Vorstellung the dogmas of the Christian Church express the very same truths which philosophy propounds. The content is the same; the form alone is different. Religion is vindicated for the thinking man by allowing its symbols to be translated into the larguage which alone is adequate to their expression- the language of pure thought. Hegel's developmental treatment of the various historic religions prepared the way for the science of comparative religions. Hegel performed a significant service to philosophy of religion by his analysis of the nature and validity of the various forms which religion takes in the human consciousness. His emphasis upon the symbolic character of religious doctrine and therefore of religious discourse is sympathetic with much contemporary thinking concerning this important problem

Using Inquiry Based Experiential Learning to Teach Mindfulness to Students and Teachers

These artifacts from a faculty learning community (Q2S Enhancing Pedagogy Stipend) are focused on developing inquiry based approaches for teaching mindfulness to preservice teaching candidates in the College of Education, CSUSB students at large, and K-12 teachers working in local schools. We created a series of experiential learning activities that will ground the teaching and science of mindfulness in students’ own firsthand experiences with mindfulness practices. In this approach, students will be asked to reflect on their own brief experiences practicing mindfulness in class, or other settings, in order to examine its potential usefulness for themselves, teachers and K-12 students. This experiential learning will then be used as a starting point from which to explore the mounting scientific evidence on the utility of mindfulness-based practices in educational settings. By working together in this learning community we developed and implemented: (1) training for pre-service teachers in the basic concepts of mindfulness and their application to educational settings that can be integrated into several COE teacher preparation courses, (2) opportunities for course participants to build a foundation for developing a personal mindfulness practice to support their own future teaching and wellness, (3) training in mindful communication and mindful relationships, particularly as they pertain to classroom management, and (4) training in teaching mindfulness to K-12 students

The Folly of the Famous Family: Why Matter of L-E- A-’s Definition of Distinction Does Not Merit Deference

Attorney General Barr abruptly changed the course of asylum law in the United States on July 29, 2019, in his decision in Matter of L-E-A-. Barr declared that usually, family-based, particular social group asylum claims would fail due to a lack of specific social distinction. Essentially, Barr decided that in order to constitute a cognizable particular social group, a family would have to be well-known within the society in question. While social distinction has been a component of asylum law jurisprudence for some time, never before was there the requirement of specific social distinction. Despite making a major change to asylum law, Barr offered little support for his argument, and the explanation he did provide is grounded in a misunderstanding and misquoting of case law; his decision is arbitrary and capricious. While Barr was acting within his authority as Attorney General and head of the Board of Immigration Appeals when he issued this decision, he was clearly motivated by a political agenda. This decision is yet another attack on immigrant families and will negatively impact hundreds of thousands of claims, especially those of unaccompanied children. In the interest of justice and the balance of powers, courts should use their power of judicial review to hold that Barr’s decision does not merit deference under the second step of the Chevron doctrin

Theory of mind and mentalizing ability in antisocial personality disorders with and without psychopathy

Background. The literature on Theory of Mind (ToM) in antisocial samples is limited despite evidence that the neural substrates of theory of mind task involve the same circuits implicated in the pathogenesis of antisocial behaviour. Method. Eighty-nine male DSM-IV Antisocial Personality Disordered subjects (ASPDs) and 20 controls (matched for age and IQ) completed a battery of ToM tasks. The ASPD group was categorized into psychopathic and non-psychopathic groups based on a cut-off score of 18 on the Psychopathy Checklist: Screening Version. Results. There were no significant group (control v. psychopath v. non-psychopathic ASPD) dif- ferences on basic tests of ToM but both psychopathic and non-psychopathic ASPDs performed worse on subtle tests of mentalizing ability (faux pas tasks). ASPDs can detect and understand faux pas, but show an indifference to the impact of faux pas. On the face/eye task non-psychopathic ASPDs showed impairments in the recognition of basic emotions compared with controls and psychopathic ASPDs. For complex emotions, no significant group differences were detected largely due to task difficulty. Conclusions. The deficits in mentalizing ability in ASPD are subtle. For the majority of criminals with ASPD and psychopathy ToM abilities are relatively intact and may have an adaptive function in maintaining a criminal lifestyle. Our findings suggest the key deficits appear to relate more to their lack of concern about the impact on potential victims than the inability to take a victim perspective. The findings tentatively also suggest that ASPDs with neurotic features may be more impaired in mentalizing ability than their low anxious psychopathic counterparts

Asymmetric trehalose analogues to probe disaccharide processing pathways in mycobacteria

The uptake and metabolism of the disaccharide trehalose by Mycobacterium tuberculosis is essential for the virulence of this pathogen. Here we describe the chemoenzymatic synthesis of new azido-functionalised asymmetric trehalose probes that resist degradation by mycobacterial enzymes and are used to probe trehalose processing pathways in mycobacteria