Theology, News and Notes - Vol. 34, No. 04

Theology News & Notes was a theological journal published by Fuller Theological Seminary from 1954 through 2014.https://digitalcommons.fuller.edu/tnn/1096/thumbnail.jp

Submicron Structures Fabrication and Research

Contains reports on thirteen research projects.Joint Services Electronics Program (Contract DAAG29-83-K-0003)U.S. Navy - Office of Naval Research (Contract N00014-79-C-0908)National Science Foundation (Grant ECS82-05701)I.B.M. (PO No. 90305-QPSA-559)U.S. Department of Energy (Contract DE-AC02-82-ER13019)Lawrence Livermore Laboratory (Contract 2069209

Submicron Structures Technology and Research

Contains reports on fifteen research projects.Joint Services Electronics Program (Contract DAALO3-86-K-0002)National Science Foundation (Grant ECS 87-09806)Semiconductor Research Corporation (Contract 87-SP-080)National Science Foundation (Grant ECS 85-03443)U.S. Air Force - Office of Scientific Research (Grant AFOSR 85-0376)National Science Foundation (Grant ECS 85-06565)U.S. Air Force - Office of Scientific Research (Grant AFOSR 85-0154)Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (Subcontract 2069209)National Aeronautics and Space Adminstration (Grant NGL22-009-683)Collaboration with KMS Fusion, Inc

Rationale and Design of the SENECA (StEm cell iNjECtion in cAncer survivors) Trial

Objectives SENECA (StEm cell iNjECtion in cAncer survivors) is a phase I, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study to evaluate the safety and feasibility of delivering allogeneic mesenchymal stromal cells (allo-MSCs) transendocardially in subjects with anthracycline-induced cardiomyopathy (AIC). Background AIC is an incurable and often fatal syndrome, with a prognosis worse than that of ischemic or nonischemic cardiomyopathy. Recently, cell therapy with MSCs has emerged as a promising new approach to repair damaged myocardium. Methods The study population is 36 cancer survivors with a diagnosis of AIC, left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction ≤40%, and symptoms of heart failure (NYHA class II-III) on optimally-tolerated medical therapy. Subjects must be clinically free of cancer for at least two years with a ≤ 30% estimated five-year risk of recurrence. The first six subjects participated in an open-label, lead-in phase and received 100 million allo-MSCs; the remaining 30 will be randomized 1:1 to receive allo-MSCs or vehicle via 20 transendocardial injections. Efficacy measures (obtained at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months) include MRI evaluation of LV function, LV volumes, fibrosis, and scar burden; assessment of exercise tolerance (six-minute walk test) and quality of life (Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire); clinical outcomes (MACE and cumulative days alive and out of hospital); and biomarkers of heart failure (NT-proBNP). Conclusions This is the first clinical trial using direct cardiac injection of cells for the treatment of AIC. If administration of allo-MSCs is found feasible and safe, SENECA will pave the way for larger phase II/III studies with therapeutic efficacy as the primary outcome

Submicron Structures Technology and Research

Contains reports on ten research projects.Joint Services Electronics Program (Contract DAAG29-83-K-0003)Joint Services Electronics Program (Contract DAAL03-86-K-0002)National Science Foundation (Grant ECS82-05701)National Science Foundation (Grant ECS85-06565)Lawrence Livermore Laboratory (Subcontract 2069209)National Science Foundation (Grant ECS85-03443)U.S. Air Force - Office of Scientific Research (Grant AFOSR-85-0154)National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Grant NGL22-009-638)National Science Foundation (through KMS Fusion, Inc.)U.S. Navy - Office of Naval Research (Contract N00014-79-C-0908

Identification of Bone Marrow Cell Subpopulations Associated With Improved Functional Outcomes in Patients With Chronic Left Ventricular Dysfunction: An Embedded Cohort Evaluation of the FOCUS-CCTRN Trial

In the current study, we sought to identify bone marrow-derived mononuclear cell (BM-MNC) subpopulations associated with a combined improvement in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), left ventricular end-systolic volume (LVESV), and maximal oxygen consumption (VO2 max) in patients with chronic ischemic cardiomyopathy 6 months after receiving transendocardial injections of autologous BM-MNCs or placebo. For this prospectively planned analysis, we conducted an embedded cohort study comprising 78 patients from the FOCUS-Cardiovascular Cell Therapy Research Network (CCTRN) trial. Baseline BM-MNC immunophenotypes and progenitor cell activity were determined by flow cytometry and colony-forming assays, respectively. Previously stable patients who demonstrated improvement in LVEF, LVESV, and VO2 max during the 6-month course of the FOCUS-CCTRN study (group 1, n = 17) were compared to those who showed no change or worsened in one to three of these endpoints (group 2, n = 61) and to a subset of patients from group 2 who declined in all three functional endpoints (group 2A, n = 11). Group 1 had higher frequencies of B-cell and CXCR4(+) BM-MNC subpopulations at study baseline than group 2 or 2A. Furthermore, patients in group 1 had fewer endothelial colony-forming cells and monocytes/macrophages in their bone marrow than those in group 2A. To our knowledge, this is the first study to show that in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy, certain bone marrow-derived cell subsets are associated with improvement in LVEF, LVESV, and VO2 max at 6 months. These results suggest that the presence of both progenitor and immune cell populations in the bone marrow may influence the natural history of chronic ischemic cardiomyopathy-even in stable patients. Thus, it may be important to consider the bone marrow composition and associated regenerative capacity of patients when assigning them to treatment groups and evaluating the results of cell therapy trials

Submicron Structures Technology and Research

Contains reports on fourteen research projects.Joint Services Electronics Program (Contract DAAG29-83-K-0003)U.S. Navy - Office of Naval Research (Contract N00014-79-C-0908)National Science Foundation (Grant ECS82-05701)Semiconductor Research Corporation (Grant 83-01-033)U.S. Department of Energy (Contract DE-ACO2-82-ER-13019)Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (Contract 2069209)National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Contract NAS5-27591)Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (Contract N00014-79-C-0908)National Science Foundation (Grant ECS80-17705)National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Contract NGL22-009-638

Submicron Structures Technology and Research

Contains reports on thirteen research projects.Joint Services Electronics Program (Contract DAAG29-83-K-0003)U.S. Navy - Office of Naval Research (Contract N00014-79-C-0908)National Science Foundation (Contract ECS82-05701)U.S. Department of Energy (Contract DE-ACO2-82-ER-13019)Lawrence Livermore Laboratory (Contract 2069209)National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Contract NGL-22-009-638)U.S. Navy - Office of Naval Research (Contract N00014-84-K-0073)National Science Foundation (Grant ECS80-17705)National Science Foundation (Grant ENG79-09980

Taking the Measure of the Universe: Precision Astrometry with SIM PlanetQuest

Precision astrometry at microarcsecond accuracy has application to a wide range of astrophysical problems. This paper is a study of the science questions that can be addressed using an instrument that delivers parallaxes at about 4 microarcsec on targets as faint as V = 20, differential accuracy of 0.6 microarcsec on bright targets, and with flexible scheduling. The science topics are drawn primarily from the Team Key Projects, selected in 2000, for the Space Interferometry Mission PlanetQuest (SIM PlanetQuest). We use the capabilities of this mission to illustrate the importance of the next level of astrometric precision in modern astrophysics. SIM PlanetQuest is currently in the detailed design phase, having completed all of the enabling technologies needed for the flight instrument in 2005. It will be the first space-based long baseline Michelson interferometer designed for precision astrometry. SIM will contribute strongly to many astronomical fields including stellar and galactic astrophysics, planetary systems around nearby stars, and the study of quasar and AGN nuclei. SIM will search for planets with masses as small as an Earth orbiting in the `habitable zone' around the nearest stars using differential astrometry, and could discover many dozen if Earth-like planets are common. It will be the most capable instrument for detecting planets around young stars, thereby providing insights into how planetary systems are born and how they evolve with time. SIM will observe significant numbers of very high- and low-mass stars, providing stellar masses to 1%, the accuracy needed to challenge physical models. Using precision proper motion measurements, SIM will probe the galactic mass distribution and the formation and evolution of the Galactic halo. (abridged)Comment: 54 pages, 28 figures, uses emulateapj. Submitted to PAS

Enhanced strange baryon production in Au+Au collisions compared to p+p at sqrts = 200 GeV

We report on the observed differences in production rates of strange and multi-strange baryons in Au+Au collisions at sqrts = 200 GeV compared to pp interactions at the same energy. The strange baryon yields in Au+Au collisions, then scaled down by the number of participating nucleons, are enhanced relative to those measured in pp reactions. The enhancement observed increases with the strangeness content of the baryon, and increases for all strange baryons with collision centrality. The enhancement is qualitatively similar to that observed at lower collision energy sqrts =17.3 GeV. The previous observations are for the bulk production, while at intermediate pT, 1 < pT< 4 GeV/c, the strange baryons even exceed binary scaling from pp yields.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figures. Printed in PR