Evangelisierung im Spiegel interkulturell-theologischer Entwicklungen

Evangelisierung als Schnittmengenvokabel in postkonziliaren theologischen und missionswissenschaftlichen Diskursen vereinigt begriffsgeschichtlich diverse konfessionelle Prägungen und verbindet sich mit divergierenden Pragmatiken interkultureller theologischer Entwicklungen in außereuropäischen Kontexten. Entsprechend der lokalen Situierung des Christentums wird Evangelisierung alternativ oder komplementär zum kolonialgeschichtlich belasteten Missionsbegriff verwendet und mit politischer Befreiung, Inkulturation oder interreligiösem Dialog konnotiert. Die Unschärfe des Begriffs markiert zugleich ungeklärte missionstheologische Fragen und unabgeschlossene weltkirchliche Transformationen. Um die sichtbar gewordene Vieldimensionalität des Evangelisierungsgeschehens konzeptionell einzuholen, wird seine Deutung als Prozess der Idealbildung basierend auf Sakralerfahrung vorgeschlagen und mit Verweisen auf Querida Amazonia illustriert. Evangelisation as a cross-section expression in post-conciliar theological and missiological discourses is associated genealogically with diverse denominational imprints and divergent pragmatics of intercultural theological developments in non-European contexts. According to local circumstances of Christianity, evangelisation is used as alternative or in complementarity to the colonial-historically burdened concept of mission and connoted with political liberation, inculturation or interreligious dialogue. At the same time, the vagueness of the term marks unresolved mission-theological questions and unfinished transformations of the world church. In order to conceptually integrate the obvious multidimensionality of evangelisation, its interpretation as a process of ideal formation based on sacred experience is proposed and underpinned with references from Querida Amazonia

Intensity Tracking for Vibrational Spectra of Large Molecules

We briefly review our work on theoretical vibrational spectroscopy and elaborate on a recent approach for the selective calculation of high-intensity features in vibrational spectra developed in our laboratory. Conventional methods for the determination of frequencies and intensities describe all vibrations on the same footing, irrespectively of their intensity. This becomes increasingly demanding for larger molecules. In our intensity-driven approach the total intensity is iteratively distributed to individual distinct bands as well as to fingerprint regions so that only the subset of vibrations that dominates the appearance of the spectrum is determined. In turn, normal mode approximations are obtained

Synthesis of Ionizable Calix[4]arenes for Chelation of Selected Divalent Cations

Two sets of functionalised calix[4]arenes, either with a 1,3-crown ether bridge or with an open-chain oligo ether moiety in 1,3-position were prepared and further equipped with additional deprotonisable sulfonamide groups to establish chelating systems for selected cations Sr2+, Ba2+, and Pb2+ ions. To improve the complexation behaviour towards these cations, calix[4]arenes with oligo ether groups and modified crowns of different sizes were synthesized. Association constants were determined by UV/Vis titration in acetonitrile using the respective perchlorate salts and logK values between 3.2 and 8.0 were obtained. These findings were supported by the calculation of the binding energies exemplarily for selected complexes with Ba2+. Keywords: calixarenes; barium; chelatio

Increased Levels of sCD30 Have No Impact on the Incidence of Early ABMR and Long-Term Outcome in Intermediate-Risk Renal Transplant Patients With Preformed DSA

Background: It is still incompletely understood why some patients with preformed donor-specific anti-HLA antibodies (DSA) have reduced kidney allograft survival secondary to antibody-mediated rejection (ABMR), whereas many DSA-positive patients have favorable long-term outcomes. Elevated levels of soluble CD30 (sCD30) have emerged as a promising biomarker indicating deleterious T-cell help in conjunction with DSA in immunologically high-risk patients. We hypothesized that this would also be true in intermediate-risk patients. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed pre-transplant sera from 287 CDC-crossmatch negative patients treated with basiliximab induction and tacrolimus-based maintenance therapy for the presence of DSA and sCD30. The incidence of ABMR according to the Banff 2019 classification and death-censored allograft survival were determined. Results: During a median follow-up of 7.4 years, allograft survival was significantly lower in DSA-positive as compared to DSA-negative patients (p 5,000), increased levels of sCD30 were associated with accelerated graft loss compared to patients with low sCD30 (3-year allograft survival 75 vs. 95%). Long-term survival, however, was comparable in DSA-positive patients irrespective of sCD30 status. Likewise, the incidence of early ABMR and lesion score characteristics were comparable between sCD30-positive and sCD30-negative patients with DSA. Finally, increased sCD30 levels were not predictive for early persistence of DSA. Conclusion: Preformed DSA are associated with an increased risk for ABMR and long-term graft loss independent of sCD30 levels in intermediate-risk kidney transplant patients

PU.1 controls fibroblast polarization and tissue fibrosis

Fibroblasts are polymorphic cells with pleiotropic roles in organ morphogenesis, tissue homeostasis and immune responses. In fibrotic diseases, fibroblasts synthesize abundant amounts of extracellular matrix, which induces scarring and organ failure. By contrast, a hallmark feature of fibroblasts in arthritis is degradation of the extracellular matrix because of the release of metalloproteinases and degrading enzymes, and subsequent tissue destruction. The mechanisms that drive these functionally opposing pro-fibrotic and pro-inflammatory phenotypes of fibroblasts remain unknown. Here we identify the transcription factor PU.1 as an essential regulator of the pro-fibrotic gene expression program. The interplay between transcriptional and post-transcriptional mechanisms that normally control the expression of PU.1 expression is perturbed in various fibrotic diseases, resulting in the upregulation of PU.1, induction of fibrosis-associated gene sets and a phenotypic switch in extracellular matrix-producing pro-fibrotic fibroblasts. By contrast, pharmacological and genetic inactivation of PU.1 disrupts the fibrotic network and enables reprogramming of fibrotic fibroblasts into resting fibroblasts, leading to regression of fibrosis in several organs

Silac mouse for quantitative proteomics uncovers kindlin-3 as an essential factor for red blood cell function

Stable isotope labeling by amino acids in cell culture (SILAC) has become a versatile tool for quantitative, mass spectrometry (MS)-based proteomics. Here, we completely label mice with a diet containing either the natural or the 13C6-substituted version of lysine. Mice were labeled over four generations with the heavy diet, and development, growth, and behavior were not affected. MS analysis of incorporation levels allowed for the determination of incorporation rates of proteins from blood cells and organs. The F2 generation was completely labeled in all organs tested. SILAC analysis from various organs lacking expression of β1 integrin, β-Parvin, or the integrin tail-binding protein Kindlin-3 confirmed their absence and disclosed a structural defect of the red blood cell membrane skeleton in Kindlin-3-deficient erythrocytes. The SILAC-mouse approach is a versatile tool by which to quantitatively compare proteomes from knockout mice and thereby determine protein functions under complex in vivo conditions

Engrailed 1 coordinates cytoskeletal reorganization to induce myofibroblast differentiation

Transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ) is a key mediator of fibroblast activation in fibrotic diseases, including systemic sclerosis. Here we show that Engrailed 1 (EN1) is reexpressed in multiple fibroblast subpopulations in the skin of SSc patients. We characterize EN1 as a molecular amplifier of TGFβ signaling in myofibroblast differentiation: TGFβ induces EN1 expression in a SMAD3-dependent manner, and in turn, EN1 mediates the profibrotic effects of TGFβ. RNA sequencing demonstrates that EN1 induces a profibrotic gene expression profile functionally related to cytoskeleton organization and ROCK activation. EN1 regulates gene expression by modulating the activity of SP1 and other SP transcription factors, as confirmed by ChIP-seq experiments for EN1 and SP1. Functional experiments confirm the coordinating role of EN1 on ROCK activity and the reorganization of cytoskeleton during myofibroblast differentiation, in both standard fibroblast culture systems and in vitro skin models. Consistently, mice with fibroblast-specific knockout of En1 demonstrate impaired fibroblast-to-myofibroblast transition and are partially protected from experimental skin fibrosis

High susceptibility to fatty liver disease in two-pore channel 2-deficient mice

Endolysosomal organelles play a key role in trafficking, breakdown and receptor-mediated recycling of different macromolecules such as low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol, epithelial growth factor (EGF) or transferrin. Here we examine the role of two-pore channel (TPC) 2, an endolysosomal cation channel, in these processes. Embryonic mouse fibroblasts and hepatocytes lacking TPC2 display a profound impairment of LDL-cholesterol and EGF/EGF-receptor trafficking. Mechanistically, both defects can be attributed to a dysfunction of the endolysosomal degradation pathway most likely on the level of late endosome to lysosome fusion. Importantly, endolysosomal acidification or lysosomal enzyme function are normal in TPC2-deficient cells. TPC2-deficient mice are highly susceptible to hepatic cholesterol overload and liver damage consistent with non-alcoholic fatty liver hepatitis. These findings indicate reduced metabolic reserve of hepatic cholesterol handling. Our results suggest that TPC2 plays a crucial role in trafficking in the endolysosomal degradation pathway and, thus, is potentially involved in the homoeostatic control of many macromolecules and cell metabolites

Die Entwicklung selbständiger Erwerbstätigkeit in Westeuropa und den USA 1960-1995

Selbständige Erwerbstätigkeit ist nach wie vor ein prägendes Element der Sozialstruktur moderner Gesellschaften. Die Erwerbskategorie der Selbständigen hat jedoch in den letzten Jahrzehnten einen enormen ökonomischen und sozialen Wandel erfahren. Nachdem bis Anfang der siebziger Jahre in fast allen industrialisierten Gesellschaften ein kontinuierlicher Rückgang dieser Gruppe stattgefunden hat, ist seit Anfang der achtziger Jahre eine Trendwende feststellbar. Der Beitrag stellt eine deskriptive Bestandsaufnahme dieser Entwicklungen seit den sechziger Jahren in 16 Ländern dar. Im Vordergrund steht dabei die Frage, ob und welche Entwicklungsmuster über die Zeit in den Ländern herausgearbeitet werden können. Im einzelnen behandelt der Artikel die Fragen nach dem Zusammenhang zwischen Niveau und Entwicklung selbständiger Erwerbstätigkeit und der Abhängigkeit der Entwicklung von Prozessen innerhalb der Beschäftigungssysteme in den Ländern. Daran anschließend werden sektoren- und branchenspezifische Entwicklungen selbständiger Erwerbsarbeit untersucht. Es zeigen sich insgesamt relativ ähnliche Entwicklungstrends in den Ländern, die sich jedoch auf sehr unterschiedlich wirkende Mechanismen zurückführen lassen