Intermediate Biblical Greek Reader: Galatians and Related Texts

After completing basic biblical Greek, students are often eager to continue to learn and strengthen their skills of translation and interpretation. This intermediate graded reader is designed to meet those needs. The reader is “intermediate” in the sense that it presumes the user will have already learned the basics of Greek grammar and syntax and has memorized Greek vocabulary words that appear frequently in the New Testament. The reader is “graded” in the sense that it moves from simpler translation work (Galatians) towards more advanced readings from the book of James, the Septuagint, and from one of the Church Fathers. In each reading lesson, the Greek text is given, followed by supplemental notes that offer help with vocabulary, challenging word forms, and syntax. Discussion questions are also included to foster group conversation and engagement. There are many good Greek readers in existence, but this reader differs from most others in a few important ways. Most readers offer text selections from different parts of the Bible, but in this reader the user works through one entire book (Galatians). All subsequent lessons, then, build off of this interaction with Galatians through short readings that are in some way related to Galatians. The Septuagint passages in the reader offer some broader context for texts that Paul quotes explicitly from the Septuagint. The Patristic reading from John Chrysystom comes from one of his homilies on Galatians. This approach to a Greek reader allows for both variety and coherence in the learning process. Other unique features within this intermediate Greek reader include a set of word studies for important Greek words in Galatians, a discussion of the basics of textual criticism, and a brief glossary of syntax and key concepts in biblical Greek. This reader is a collaborative project that developed out of an advanced Greek course at Portland Seminary (2017-2018). The following students contributed equally to the content of the textbook. Alexander Finkelson (MATS, Portland Seminary, 2018) Bryn Pliska Girard (MATS, Portland Seminary, 2018) Charles E. R. Jesch (MDIV, Portland Seminary, current student) Paul C. Moldovan (MDIV, Portland Seminary, current student) Jenny E. Siefken (MATS, Portland Seminary, current student) Julianna Kaye Smith (MATS, Portland Seminary, 2018) Jana Whitworth (MDIV, Portland Seminary, current student) Kyle J. Williams (MATS, Portland Seminary, 2018)https://digitalcommons.georgefox.edu/pennington_epress/1001/thumbnail.jp

The Formation of N- and O-Heterocycles from the Irradiation of Benzene and Naphthalene in H2O/NH3- Containing Ices

Aromatic hydrocarbons are an important class of molecules for both astrochemistry and astrobiology (Fig. 1). Within this class of molecules, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are known to be ubiquitous in many astrophysical environments, and are likely present in interstellar clouds and protostellar disks. In dense clouds, PAHs are expected to condense onto grains as part of mixed molecular ice mantles dominated by small molecules like H2O,CH3OH, NH3, CO, and CO2. These ices are exposed to ionizing radiation in the form of cosmic rays and ambient high-energy X-ray and UV photons

The Formation of N- and O-Heterocycles from the Irradiation of Benzene and Naphthalene in H2O- and NH3-Containing Ices

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are ubiquitous in many astrophysical environments, and are likely present in interstellar clouds and protostellar disks [1]. In dense molecular clouds,PAHs and other gas-phase species are expected tocondense onto grains to form mixed molecular ice mantles dominated by small molecules like H2O, CH3OH, NH3, CO, and CO2 [2]. These icy mantleslikely undergo energetic processing from ionizing radiation in the form of cosmic rays and high-energy photons

Nucleobases and other Prebiotic Species from the Ultraviolet Irradiation of Pyrimidine in Astrophysical Ices

Nucleobases are N-heterocycles that are the informational subunits of DNA and RNA, and are divided into two families: pyrimidine bases (uracil, cytosine, and thymine) and purine bases (adenine and guanine). Nucleobases have been detected in meteorites and their extraterrestrial origin confirmed by isotope measurement. Although no Nheterocycles have ever been observed in the ISM, the positions of the 6.2-m interstellar emission features suggest a population of such molecules is likely to be present. In this work we study the formation of pyrimidine-based molecules, including nucleobases, as well as other species of prebiotic interest, from the ultraviolet (UV) irradiation of pyrimidine in combinations of H2O, NH3, CH3OH, and CH4 ices at low temperature, in order to simulate the astrophysical conditions under which prebiotic species may be formed in the interstellar medium and icy bodies of the Solar System. Experimental: Gas mixtures are prepared in a glass mixing line (background pressure approx. 10(exp -6)-10(exp -5) mbar). Relative proportions between mixture components are determined by their partial pressures. Gas mixtures are then deposited on an aluminum foil attached to a cold finger (15-20 K) and simultaneously irradiated with an H2 lamp emitting UV photons (Lyman and a continuum at approx.160 nm). After irradiation samples are warmed to room temperature, at which time the remaining residues are recovered to be analyzed with liquid and gas chromatographies. Results: These experiments showed that the UV irradiation of pyrimidine mixed in these ices at low temperature leads to the formation of several photoproducts derived from pyrimidine, including the nucleobases uracil and cytosine, as well as their precursors 4(3H)-pyrimidone and 4-aminopyrimidine (Fig. 1). Theoretical quantum calculations on the formation of 4(3H)-pyrimidone and uracil from the irradiation of pyrimidine in pure H2O ices are in agreement with their experimental formation pathways. In those residues, other species of prebiotic interest such as urea and the amino acids glycine and alanine could also be identified. However, no pyrimidine derivatives containing CH3 groups, including the third nucleobase thymine, could be identified, suggesting that the addition of methyl groups to pyrimidine is not an efficient process

Profiling of VEGFs and VEGFRs as Prognostic Factors in Soft Tissue Sarcoma: VEGFR-3 Is an Independent Predictor of Poor Prognosis

BACKGROUND: In non-gastrointestinal stromal tumor soft tissue sarcoma (non-GIST STS) optimal treatment is surgery with wide resection margins. Vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGFs) and receptors (VEGFRs) are known to be key players in the initiation of angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis. This study investigates the prognostic impact of VEGFs and VEGFRs in non-GIST STS with wide and non-wide resection margins. METHODS: Tumor samples from 249 patients with non-GIST STS were obtained and tissue microarrays were constructed for each specimen. Immunohistochemistry was used to evaluate the expressions of VEGF-A, -C and -D and VEGFR-1, -2 and -3. RESULTS: In the univariate analyses, VEGF-A (P=0.040) in the total material, and VEGF-A (P=0.018), VEGF-C (P=0.025) and VEGFR-3 (P=0.027) in the subgroup with wide resection margins, were significant negative prognostic indicators of disease-specific survival (DSS). In the multivariate analysis, high expression of VEGFR-3 (P=0.042, HR=1.907, 95% CI 1.024-3.549) was an independent significant negative prognostic marker for DSS among patients with wide resection margins. CONCLUSION: VEGFR-3 is a strong and independent negative prognostic marker for non-GIST STSs with wide resection margins

Design and Build a Compact Raman Sensor for Identification of Chemical Composition

A compact remote Raman sensor system was developed at NASA Langley Research Center. This sensor is an improvement over the previously reported system, which consisted of a 532 nm pulsed laser, a 4-inch telescope, a spectrograph, and an intensified charge-coupled devices (CCD) camera. One of the attractive features of the previous system was its portability, thereby making it suitable for applications such as planetary surface explorations, homeland security and defense applications where a compact portable instrument is important. The new system was made more compact by replacing bulky components with smaller and lighter components. The new compact system uses a smaller spectrograph measuring 9 x 4 x 4 in. and a smaller intensified CCD camera measuring 5 in. long and 2 in. in diameter. The previous system was used to obtain the Raman spectra of several materials that are important to defense and security applications. Furthermore, the new compact Raman sensor system is used to obtain the Raman spectra of a diverse set of materials to demonstrate the sensor system's potential use in the identification of unknown materials

The Stardust – a successful encounter with the remarkable comet Wild 2

On January 2, 2004 the Stardust spacecraft completed a close flyby of comet Wild2 (P81). Flying at a relative speed of 6.1 km/s within 237km of the 5 km nucleus, the spacecraft took 72 close-in images, measured the flux of impacting particles and did TOF mass spectrometry

The Observations Of The X-Ray Source Hz Herculis-Hercules X-1

NASAESASRCAstronom

Cognitive and Mental Health Trajectories of COVID-19: Role of Hospitalisation and Long-COVID Symptoms

Background: There is considerable evidence of cognitive impairment post COVID-19, especially in individuals with long-COVID symptoms, but limited research objectively evaluating whether such impairment attenuates or resolves over time, especially in young and middle-aged adults. Methods: Follow-up assessments (T2) of cognitive function (processing speed, attention, working memory, executive function, memory) and mental health were conducted in 138 adults (18-69 years) who had been assessed six months earlier (T1). Of these, 88 had a confirmed history of COVID-19 at T1 assessment (≥20 days post-diagnosis) and were also followed-up on COVID-19 related symptoms (acute and long-COVID); 50 adults had no known COVID-19 history at any point up to their T2 assessment. Results: From T1 to T2, a trend-level improvement occurred in intra-individual variability in processing speed in the COVID, relative to the non-COVID group. However, longer response/task completion times persisted in participants with COVID-19 related hospitalisation relative to those without COVID-19 related hospitalisation and non-COVID controls. There was a significant reduction in long-COVID symptom load, which correlated with improved executive function in non-hospitalised COVID-19 participants. The COVID group continued to self-report poorer mental health, irrespective of hospitalisation history, relative to non-COVID group. Conclusions: Although some cognitive improvement has occurred over a six-month period in young and middle-aged COVID-19 survivors, cognitive impairment persists in those with a history of COVID-19 related hospitalisation and/or long-COVID symptoms. Continuous follow-up assessments are required to determine whether cognitive function improves or possibly worsens, over time in hospitalised and long-COVID participants.British Academy (SRG21\211061)