The Progression of Separation: Genesis 13 in the Hebrew Bible and Early Reception

This present study seeks to answer three interconnected questions as pertains to Genesis 13 and the role and function of Lot: (1) Does the text necessitate a reading of Lot as being the first potential heir and/or as the unrighteous counterpart to righteous Abram? (2) If not inherently from the text, then where do these readings of Lot as the potential heir and as the unrighteous counterpart to righteous Abram originate and how can a study of the early reception of Genesis 13 aid in answering that question? (3) If these common assumptions are not derived inherently from the text, then how are Genesis 13 in general, and Lot and his purpose and function, in particular, to be understood? First, I examine the biblical text of Genesis 13 providing a close narrative reading which demonstrates that these common interpretations among modern readers are not inherently rooted in the text itself. On the contrary, the text appears to point to a different understanding of Genesis 13 in general and Lot in particular. Second, after demonstrating that these are not necessary conclusions, I propose that these readings originally developed out of concerns of ancient Jewish and Christian interpreters to safeguard Abram. Last, I provide, based both on my exegesis and reception analysis, a new reading of the place and function of Genesis 13 in general and Lot in particular both in the wider Abraham narrative and Genesis as a whole. I will demonstrate that Lot's relationship with Abram is set up, not within the context of sonship but rather in the context of brotherhood. Abram and Lot's separation not only solves the problematic issue of Lot's accompaniment but also foreshadows the subsequent tension in the patriarchal narratives about brothers being co-dwellers in the land. This tension requires separation, even if the relationship is amicable, and the necessity of the brothers to dwell in different places with only one occupying the land

Beyond Telling: Narrating Trauma in the Wartime Writings of Great War Chaplain William McKenzie

In a centenary period of Anzac celebration that is often given to the valorising of soldiers’ heroic experiences of the First World War, this article introduces teachers to a case study of William McKenzie. Once a house-hold name, the legendary Salvation Army Chaplain of the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) McKenzie documented his responses to the trauma of war in his prolific letters and diaries. Drawing heavily on primary sources, this article suggests that McKenzie’s story recaptures the essence of what it means to be Christian educators: being engaged in the midst of suffering, disarray and confusion. In the variety of human experiences encountered in the classroom and the playground, the presence of Christian educators must leave a legacy and provide a model for being salt and light

Theory of Parabolic Arcs in Interstellar Scintillation Spectra

Our theory relates the secondary spectrum, the 2D power spectrum of the radio dynamic spectrum, to the scattered pulsar image in a thin scattering screen geometry. Recently discovered parabolic arcs in secondary spectra are generic features for media that scatter radiation at angles much larger than the rms scattering angle. Each point in the secondary spectrum maps particular values of differential arrival-time delay and fringe rate (or differential Doppler frequency) between pairs of components in the scattered image. Arcs correspond to a parabolic relation between these quantities through their common dependence on the angle of arrival of scattered components. Arcs appear even without consideration of the dispersive nature of the plasma. Arcs are more prominent in media with negligible inner scale and with shallow wavenumber spectra, such as the Kolmogorov spectrum, and when the scattered image is elongated along the velocity direction. The arc phenomenon can be used, therefore, to constrain the inner scale and the anisotropy of scattering irregularities for directions to nearby pulsars. Arcs are truncated by finite source size and thus provide sub micro arc sec resolution for probing emission regions in pulsars and compact active galactic nuclei. Multiple arcs sometimes seen signify two or more discrete scattering screens along the propagation path, and small arclets oriented oppositely to the main arc persisting for long durations indicate the occurrence of long-term multiple images from the scattering screen.Comment: 22 pages, 11 figures, submitted to the Astrophysical Journa

Missense mutation of a class B heat shock factor is responsible for the tomato bushy root-2 phenotype

The bushy root-2 (brt-2) tomato mutant has twisting roots, and slower plant development. Here we used whole genome resequencing and genetic mapping to show that brt-2 is caused by a serine to cysteine (S75C) substitution in the DNA binding domain (DBD) of a heat shock factor class B (HsfB) encoded by SolycHsfB4a. This gene is orthologous to the Arabidopsis SCHIZORIZA gene, also known as AtHsfB4. The brt-2 phenotype is very similar to Arabidopsis lines in which the function of AtHsfB4 is altered: a proliferation of lateral root cap and root meristematic tissues, and a tendency for lateral root cap cells to easily separate. The brt-2 S75C mutation is unusual because all other reported amino acid substitutions in the highly conserved DBD of eukaryotic heat shock factors are dominant negative mutations, but brt-2 is recessive. We further show through reciprocal grafting that brt-2 exerts its effects predominantly through the root genotype even through BRT-2 is expressed at similar levels in both root and shoot meristems. Since AtHsfB4 is induced by root knot nematodes (RKN), and loss-of-function mutants of this gene are resistant to RKNs, BRT-2 could be a target gene for RKN resistance, an important trait in tomato rootstock breeding.Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC): BB/L01954X/

Genes involved in auxin biosynthesis, transport and signalling underlie the extreme adventitious root phenotype of the tomato aer mutant

The use of tomato rootstocks has helped to alleviate the soaring abiotic stresses provoked by the adverse effects of climate change. Lateral and adventitious roots can improve topsoil exploration and nutrient uptake, shoot biomass and resulting overall yield. It is essential to understand the genetic basis of root structure development and how lateral and adventitious roots are produced. Existing mutant lines with specific root phenotypes are an excellent resource to analyse and comprehend the molecular basis of root developmental traits. The tomato aerial roots (aer) mutant exhibits an extreme adventitious rooting phenotype on the primary stem. It is known that this phenotype is associated with restricted polar auxin transport from the juvenile to the more mature stem, but prior to this study, the genetic loci responsible for the aer phenotype were unknown. We used genomic approaches to define the polygenic nature of the aer phenotype and provide evidence that increased expression of specific auxin biosynthesis, transport and signalling genes in different loci causes the initiation of adventitious root primordia in tomato stems. Our results allow the selection of different levels of adventitious rooting using molecular markers, potentially contributing to rootstock breeding strategies in grafted vegetable crops, especially in tomato. In crops vegetatively propagated as cuttings, such as fruit trees and cane fruits, orthologous genes may be useful for the selection of cultivars more amenable to propagation.The research was supported by BBSRC—UKRI funding; the RootLINK (BB/L01954X/1) and AdRoot (BB/S007970/1) projects

Genetic improvement of tomato by targeted control of fruit softening

Controlling the rate of softening to extend shelf life was a key target for researchers engineering genetically modified (GM) tomatoes in the 1990s, but only modest improvements were achieved. Hybrids grown nowadays contain 'non-ripening mutations' that slow ripening and improve shelf life, but adversely affect flavor and color. We report substantial, targeted control of tomato softening, without affecting other aspects of ripening, by silencing a gene encoding a pectate lyase

Outcome in patients perceived as receiving excessive care across different ethical climates: a prospective study in 68 intensive care units in Europe and the USA

Purpose: Whether the quality of the ethical climate in the intensive care unit (ICU) improves the identification of patients receiving excessive care and affects patient outcomes is unknown. Methods: In this prospective observational study, perceptions of excessive care (PECs) by clinicians working in 68 ICUs in Europe and the USA were collected daily during a 28-day period. The quality of the ethical climate in the ICUs was assessed via a validated questionnaire. We compared the combined endpoint (death, not at home or poor quality of life at 1 year) of patients with PECs and the time from PECs until written treatment-limitation decisions (TLDs) and death across the four climates defined via cluster analysis. Results: Of the 4747 eligible clinicians, 2992 (63%) evaluated the ethical climate in their ICU. Of the 321 and 623 patients not admitted for monitoring only in ICUs with a good (n = 12, 18%) and poor (n = 24, 35%) climate, 36 (11%) and 74 (12%), respectively were identified with PECs by at least two clinicians. Of the 35 and 71 identified patients with an available combined endpoint, 100% (95% CI 90.0–1.00) and 85.9% (75.4–92.0) (P = 0.02) attained that endpoint. The risk of death (HR 1.88, 95% CI 1.20–2.92) or receiving a written TLD (HR 2.32, CI 1.11–4.85) in patients with PECs by at least two clinicians was higher in ICUs with a good climate than in those with a poor one. The differences between ICUs with an average climate, with (n = 12, 18%) or without (n = 20, 29%) nursing involvement at the end of life, and ICUs with a poor climate were less obvious but still in favour of the former. Conclusion: Enhancing the quality of the ethical climate in the ICU may improve both the identification of patients receiving excessive care and the decision-making process at the end of life

Identification and characterisation of phenolic based quantitative trait loci from wild tomato relatives

Quality traits associated with consumer health are an important aspect of modem plant breeding programmes. Of particular interest are phenolic compounds, a group that includes phenylpropanoids, flavonoids and anthocyanins. Previous studies have shown an inverse correlation between the incidence of chronic disease states and the intake of fruits and vegetables rich in phenolics. Molecular linkage mapping populations that utilise wild tomato relatives in traditional breeding strategies exploit wild germplasm for the identification of novel quantitative trait loci (QTL) without the use of genetic modification. In this study, the Solanum neorickii backcross inbred line population was screened for novel phenolic profiles. Marker data available within the EU Sol consortium were used to identify chromosomes 5 and 10 as possible QTL-containing regions for high rutin and p-coumaric acid phenotypes, and accessions neo-lll and neo- 123 were selected as candidate lines, respectively. Accession 3939 was incorporated from the Solanum habrochaites near isogenic line population because of its similarities with neo-ili. Each accession was characterised for metabolomic and physiological properties throughout fruit development and ripening. Results indicated multiple metabolic pathways were affected, including increases in isoprenoid intermediates; fruit ripening time was increased; and fruit size was altered. Antioxidant capacity of polar extracts increased, especially in fruit tissues accumulating phenolics. Transcriptomic analysis throughout fruit development identified 186 differentially expressed transcription factor (TF) genes. The promoter regions of two of these TF genes. a MYB-related in chromosome 5 and a LLM family in chromosome 10, were sequenced for differences between the wild relative and Solanum lycopersicum parents. These differences provide candidate QTL identities for the previously characterised phenotypes, and offer the potential for future utilisation in plant breeding programmes for high phenolic commercial lines.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo