Ultimate Hope Research Articles

그리스도교 종말론과 한국 사회의 변동

The eschatology is the ultimate hope that man aims for. Therefore, it drives human collective behavior and acts as a major variable of social change. In fact, many researchers who were interested in the relationship between religion(eschatology) and social change have confirmed that religion can either suppress or promote social change.
 In order to deal with the relationship between Christian eschatology and social change, this paper divides the relationship between religion and social change into ideal types. And through this work, the relationship between the Catholic Church and social changes in Korea has been analyzed.
 The Catholic Church and Korean society have been mutually influenced, forming relationships each other. And within it, the Korean Catholic Church has shown unique eschatological characteristics in each era. In particular, since the Second Vatican Council, the Korean Catholic Church has played a role in triggering social change as a Church in the world. After the COVID-19 pandemic, the Catholic Church, which is strongly demanded to play a role as a public religion, is expected to carry out its prophetic calling more actively so that the kingdom of God can arrive in Korean society.

Approaches to Help Older Women in ART

Ancient Chinese emperors sent messengers to the whole country and explored an elixir of life. Determent of aging has been an ultimate hope for humans for a long period. In the modern era, aging become a hot topic to be solved according to longevity. Equality of both sexes in society contributed to the late marriage and start of making children. There happen adverse effects to being conceived in the aged ovaries. The quality and quantity become impaired by the ovarian aging process. In the artificial reproductive treatment, the obtained number of oocytes in ovarian hyperstimulation diminishes in aged women. The aging impairs quality both in the nucleus and cytoplasm. Chromosomal and genetic abnormalities increase lower implantation and higher abortion. In aged women, PGT-A may be effective to effective treatment. On the other hand, aging affects organelles in the cytoplasm of oocytes by protein metabolic dysregulations. Especially it induces mitochondria dysfunction. Mitochondria are called a “powerhouse” and have an essential role in oogenesis and embryogenesis. There exist 200,000-40,000 mitochondria DNA copies in the mature oocytes. Mitochondria dysfunction causes maturation arrest of oocytes, fertilization failure, late cleavage, and fragmented embryos. We have two strategies to solve this problem by enhancement of mitochondrial function. One is the holistic approach. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) or free radicals impair mitochondrial function. Also, mitochondria themselves are known to produce ROS. We measure Diacron-Reactive Oxygen Metabolites (d-Rom) and biological antioxidant potential (BAP) that are predictors of systemic ROS level and antioxidant competence, respectively. Another method is a cell-engineering approach. We have conducted autologous mitochondria transfer into mature oocytes. The quality of the oocytes and embryos were dramatically improved by this method, and we obtained 13 healthy children.

The constant reality beyond exception and rule in Dietrich Bonhoeffer's theology

Due to the many warnings at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic of an increased transfer of power to governments and the subsequent impending demise of democracy, this article presents a theological response to a persistent theory of autocratic power. Employing, but reinterpreting the semantics of the concepts of the jurist and theorist of state Carl Schmitt, the theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer redirects the former’s rhetoric regarding history, rule, nothingness, creation ex nihilo and miracle. As a result, Bonhoeffer responds to a secular method with faith in Christ’s cross and provides for a reality that can serve as a constant grounding for a new life carried by ultimate hope.

A Christian Field Guide to Technology for Engineers and Designers

A Christian Field Guide to Technology for Engineers and Designers

The End of the Law? Law, Theology, and Neuroscience

The End of the Law? Law, Theology, and Neuroscience

Artificial intelligence in precision oncology: The way forward

Here, we discuss the positive impact of artificial intelligence (AI) in oncology as an enabler – for physicians, patients, and researchers. AI is here to stay and needs to be better understood by the clinical practitioner and researcher to make informed decisions about cancer diagnoses, treatment, prediction, and long-term care. One immediate impact of data-driven practice will be on cancer stratification based on data that include molecular and imaging markers. Future studies must strengthen the ability to predict causative factors to allow clinicians and patients to take control with the ultimate hope of avoiding preventable cancers.

A companion to the preclinical common data elements and case report forms for neuropathology studies in epilepsy research. A report of the TASK3 WG2 Neuropathology Working Group of the ILAE/AES Joint Translational Task Force.

The International League Against Epilepsy/American Epilepsy Society (ILAE/AES) Joint Translational Task Force initiated the TASK3 working group to create common data elements (CDEs) for various aspects of preclinical epilepsy research studies, which could help improve the standardization of experimental designs. This article addresses neuropathological changes associated with seizures and epilepsy in rodent models of epilepsy. We discuss CDEs for histopathological parameters for neurodegeneration, changes in astrocyte morphology and function, mechanisms of inflammation, and changes in the blood-brain barrier and myelin/oligodendrocytes resulting from recurrent seizures in rats and mice. We provide detailed CDE tables and case report forms (CRFs), and with this companion manuscript, we discuss the rationale and methodological aspects of individual neuropathological examinations. The CDEs, CRFs, and companion paper are available to all researchers, and their use will benefit the harmonization and comparability of translational preclinical epilepsy research. The ultimate hope is to facilitate the development of rational therapy concepts for treating epilepsies, seizures, and comorbidities and the development of biomarkers assessing the pathological state of the disease.

Method to Assess Farm-Level Vaccine and Antibiotic Usage Utilizing Financial Documentation: A Pilot Study in a Commercial Pig Farm in South Africa From 2016 to 2018.

The purpose of the study was to develop a blueprint using financial documentation to describe and quantify vaccine and antibiotic usage (ABU). This method was piloted in a commercial pig farm in South Africa, with the ultimate hope to serve as a tool in a future species-specific vaccine and ABU surveillance system. Data collection was based on templates from the European Surveillance of Veterinary Antimicrobial Consumption (ESVAC) network and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH). Invoices from 2016 to 2018 were used as the main data source. In addition, monthly statement of accounts were used to check for missing invoices. An inventory check was done to ensure that the correct antibiotic concentrations were used in subsequent calculations. Livestock counts and slaughter statistics were also collected to be used as denominator data. Cost calculations for the procurement of antibiotics and vaccines were also done. The study showed that veterinary medicinal products were purchased only from a single veterinary practice. A total of 291 invoices were issued over 3 years, of which 2.75% (8/291) were missing and could therefore not be used in quantification. Tetracyclines (453.65 ± 25.49 kg and 135.16 ± 3.31 mg/kg), followed by quinoxalines (258.33 ± 8.04 kg and 77.07 ± 3.93 mg/kg) were used in the highest amounts, both in terms of weight (kg) and adjusted for animal biomass (mg/kg). Vaccines used on the farm targeted seven different diseases, namely enzootic pneumonia, erysipelas, ileitis, infectious infertility, leptospirosis, neonatal pig diarrhea and porcine circovirus disease. An average of 103 546 vaccine dosages was purchased for ZAR1 302,727 ($ 84,6201) per year, whereas the average cost for the procurement of antibiotics was ZAR 907,372 ($ 69,561) per year. The study showed that invoices and monthly statement of accounts, in combination with an inventory check and on-farm production statistics, are useful data sources to quantify vaccine and ABU in the absence of veterinary prescriptions. In addition, vaccinating pigs were more expensive than administering antibiotics.

Investigation of Colour Naturalness in Lighting: A Comparative Study

This paper is concerned with improving the acceptability of LED light sources, since their long life and high efficiency have contributed to their widespread adoption in many applications. Concerns remain, however, in relation to their colour properties. The purpose of this paper is therefore to promote discussion of the naturalness concept among the users, specifiers, and manufacturers of lighting sources and systems, in the hope that this may provide a valid pathway to the classification of light-source colour properties. An overview is presented of experimental investigations aimed at establishing visually meaningful metrics for the colour quality of various light sources, predominantly LEDs. All the cases presented here included colour naturalness as at least one of the dimensions studied, and one has to conclude that naturalness is a property of great interest to lighting engineers and scientists. Because the majority of naturalness studies have invoked the use of pre-existing colour quality metrics, the paper also includes an overview of some of the major such metrics and their features. The paper also identifies two important concerns relating to Naturalness: the need to agree on an acceptable definition of colour naturalness in lighting; and how to standardize or compare the results of disparate investigations. Finally, the paper proposes the concept of a colour fidelity continuum, in the ultimate hope of uniting the various approaches to lighting colour quality. Doi: 10.28991/HEF-2022-03-02-04 Full Text: PDF

In Case You Haven't Heard…

Could kids' teeth help diagnose mental health issues? Dr. Erin Dunn, a social and psychiatric epidemiologist at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, and her team are exploring new ways to help diagnose and treat mental health issues by focusing on children's teeth, 2News Oklahoma reported March 25. Dr. Dunn's latest study is centered around the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing. Dr. Dunn and her team are trying to find women who lived in the New England area and were pregnant or had already given birth when those terrorist attacks happened. Their hope is to see if the trauma of the marathon bombing left behind any kind of clues. As baby teeth form, they develop microscopic growth marks, almost like the rings of a tree. Researchers are hoping to analyze those teeth from around the time of the bombing. They're looking for things like enamel thickness or abnormalities, which could be signs of trauma. “The idea is that teeth might have these imprints that tell us about our early life history,” Dunn said. Her ultimate hope is that teeth could better predict kids' mental health issues later in life.

Biotechnological Perspectives to Combat the COVID-19 Pandemic: Precise Diagnostics and Inevitable Vaccine Paradigms.

The outbreak of the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the cause for the ongoing global public health emergency. It is more commonly known as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); the pandemic threat continues to spread aroundthe world with the fluctuating emergence of its new variants. The severity of COVID-19 ranges from asymptomatic to serious acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), which has led to a high human mortality rate and disruption of socioeconomic well-being. For the restoration of pre-pandemic normalcy, the international scientific community has been conducting research on a war footing to limit extremely pathogenic COVID-19 through diagnosis, treatment, and immunization. Since the first report of COVID-19 viral infection, an array of laboratory-based and point-of-care (POC) approaches have emerged for diagnosing and understanding its status of outbreak. The RT-PCR-based viral nucleic acid test (NAT) is one of the rapidly developed and most used COVID-19 detection approaches. Notably, the current forbidding status of COVID-19 requires the development of safe, targeted vaccines/vaccine injections (shots) that can reduce its associated morbidity and mortality. Massive and accelerated vaccination campaigns would be the most effective and ultimate hope to end the COVID-19 pandemic. Since the SARS-CoV-2 virus outbreak, emerging biotechnologies and their multidisciplinary approaches have accelerated the understanding of molecular details as well as the development of a wide range of diagnostics and potential vaccine candidates, which are indispensable to combating the highly contagious COVID-19. Several vaccine candidates have completed phase III clinical studies and are reported to be effective in immunizing against COVID-19 after their rollout via emergency use authorization (EUA). However, optimizing the type of vaccine candidates and its route of delivery that works best to control viral spread is crucial to face the threatening variants expected to emerge over time. In conclusion, the insights of this review would facilitate the development of more likely diagnostics and ideal vaccines for the global control of COVID-19.

The epidemiology of apnoea of prematurity.

Many premature infants less than 37weeks gestational age (GA), and almost all infants less than 28weeks GA, will experience apnoea of prematurity (AOP)-a cessation of respiration for 20 or more seconds (or less than 20s if accompanied by other signs). Because the treatment options for AOP are so limited, we explore its epidemiology, with the ultimate hope of learning how to decrease its incidence. Although AOP usually resolves with maturation of the respiratory system, many short- and long-term negative effects are correlated statistically with AOP (although direct causality has not been established). The primary risk factor for AOP is preterm birth, but delivery technique, genetics, socioeconomic status, racial disparities and other influences are suspected to be involved. Anaemia, asthma and gastric reflux have also been associated with preterm birth, but the relationship with AOP is unclear. The postulated associations and the strength of the evidence are briefly reviewed and discussed. Attempts to elucidate the epidemiology of apnoea of prematurity have been challenging. Studies of AOP are hampered in part by challenges in monitoring the condition, the interplay of multiple comorbidities in preterm neonates and lack of expert consensus definitions. However, since the primary risk factor is preterm birth, efforts to decrease the prevalence of preterm birth would have a positive secondary effect on the prevalence of AOP. Until then, better pharmacotherapeutic options are needed.

Clin.iobio: A Collaborative Diagnostic Workflow to Enable Team-Based Precision Genomics.

The primary goal of precision genomics is the identification of causative genetic variants in targeted or whole-genome sequencing data. The ultimate clinical hope is that these findings lead to an efficacious change in treatment for the patient. In current clinical practice, these findings are typically returned by expert analysts as static, text-based reports. Ideally, these reports summarize the quality of the data obtained, integrate known gene–phenotype associations, follow allele segregation and affected status within the sequenced samples, and weigh computational evidence of pathogenicity. These findings are used to prioritize the variant(s) most likely to cause the given patient’s phenotypes. In most diagnostic settings, a team of experts contribute to these reports, including bioinformaticians, clinicians, and genetic counselors, among others. However, these experts often do not have the necessary tools to review genomic findings, test genetic hypotheses, or query specific gene and variant information. Additionally, team members often rely on different tools and methods based on their given expertise, resulting in further difficulties in communicating and discussing genomic findings. Here, we present clin.iobio—a web-based solution to collaborative genomic analysis that enables diagnostic team members to focus on their area of expertise within the diagnostic process, while allowing them to easily review and contribute to all steps of the diagnostic process. Clin.iobio integrates tools from the popular iobio genomic visualization suite into a comprehensive diagnostic workflow, encompassing (1) genomic data quality review, (2) dynamic phenotype-driven gene prioritization, (3) variant prioritization using a comprehensive set of knowledge bases and annotations, (4) and an exportable findings summary. In conclusion, clin.iobio is a comprehensive solution to team-based precision genomics, the findings of which stand to inform genomic considerations in clinical practice.

L. Michael Morales. Exodus Old and New: A Biblical Theology of Redemption. Essential Studies in Biblical Theology.

L. Michael Morales. <i>Exodus Old and New: A Biblical Theology of Redemption</i>. Essential Studies in Biblical Theology.

All Roads Lead to Rome: Different Molecular Players Converge to Common Toxic Pathways in Neurodegeneration.

Multiple neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs) such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and Huntington’s disease (HD) are being suggested to have common cellular and molecular pathological mechanisms, characterized mainly by protein misfolding and aggregation. These large inclusions, most likely, represent an end stage of a molecular cascade; however, the soluble misfolded proteins, which take part in earlier steps of this cascade, are the more toxic players. These pathological proteins, which characterize each specific disease, lead to the selective vulnerability of different neurons, likely resulting from a combination of different intracellular mechanisms, including mitochondrial dysfunction, ER stress, proteasome inhibition, excitotoxicity, oxidative damage, defects in nucleocytoplasmic transport, defective axonal transport and neuroinflammation. Damage within these neurons is enhanced by damage from the nonneuronal cells, via inflammatory processes that accelerate the progression of these diseases. In this review, while acknowledging the hallmark proteins which characterize the most common NDDs; we place specific focus on the common overlapping mechanisms leading to disease pathology despite these different molecular players and discuss how this convergence may occur, with the ultimate hope that therapies effective in one disease may successfully translate to another.

Book review: Afghanistan Legal Education Project, An Introduction to the Constitutional Law of Afghanistan (Stanford Law School, Rule of Law Program, 2nd Edition, 2015)

ABSTRACT The book under review is dedicated to exploring the history of the 2004 Afghanistan Constitution and providing an overview of the said document. This article aims to place the book and its underlying discussions in the context of the ground-level situation in Afghanistan. This article will contend that the book, while being well researched and engaging, does not sufficiently acknowledge the realities under which the 2004 Afghanistan Constitution has to operate. It will further elucidate how despite a few silver-linings, the constitution-making process and the eventual 2004 Afghanistan Constitution, both of which the book reflects rather positively on, suffered from flaws that pose as an obstacle to the Constitution’s endurance. The ultimate hope of this article is to use the book to highlight some of the do’s and don’ts in state-building and constitution-making in societies like Afghanistan, as well as provide a springboard for future academic exploration.

Changes and challenges of the archives: researching early-twentieth century lesbianism in United States prisons during the COVID-19 pandemic

ABSTRACT “Changes and Challenges of the Archives” is based on a still-in-progress master’s thesis that I will complete by May 2021 at Sarah Lawrence College. The purpose of this article is not to come to any conclusions about the challenges of researching lesbian history during the COVID-19 pandemic but, rather, to explore how these world circumstances have further complicated the labor required of a lesbian historian. Many elements of this thesis and research are still in flux, including my investigation of the role race played in creating and developing a sexually deviant, criminalized definition of lesbian(ism). My ultimate hope is that this paper provides some valuable knowledge for my queer historian comrades and sparks a dialogue that can benefit historians who are continuing their research through debilitating circumstances.

A Rationalist Defence of Determinism

AbstractLargely due to the popular allegation that contemporary science has uncovered indeterminism in the deepest known levels of physical reality, the debate as to whether humans have moral freedom, the sort of freedom on which moral responsibility depends, has put aside to some extent the traditional worry over whether determinism is true. As I argue in this article, however, there are powerful proofs for both chronological determinism and necessitarianism, forms of determinism that pose the most penetrative threat to human moral freedom. My ultimate hope is to show that, despite the robust case against human moral freedom that can be made without even relying on them, chronological determinism and necessitarianism should be regarded with renewed urgency.

Osteoarthritis: Current Molecular Biomarkers and the Way Forward

The ultimate hope of researchers and patients is a pathway to development of treatments for osteoarthritis to modify the disease process in addition to the symptoms. However, development of disease modifying drugs requires objective endpoints such as measures of joint structure, joint tissue homeostasis and/or joint survival-measures such as provided by imaging biomarkers, molecular biomarkers and joint replacement frequency, respectively. Although biomarkers supporting investigational drug use and drug approval include surrogate endpoints that may not necessarily reflect or directly correlate with the clinical outcome of interest, a formal biomarker qualification process currently exists that is a rigorous three stage process that yields biomarker approvals (or denials) for specific contexts of use. From a cost perspective, biochemical biomarkers are the 'ones to beat'; however, even well-validated biomarkers may not cross the translation gaps for eventual use in healthcare unless they offer an advantage in terms of cost per quality adjusted life year. This review summarizes the case FOR and AGAINST biomarkers in drug development and highlights the current data for a subset of biomarkers in the osteoarthritis research field informing on cartilage homeostasis, joint inflammation and altered subchondral bone remodeling.

Latest treatment strategies aiming for a cure in transplant-eligible multiple myeloma patients: how I cure younger MM patients with lower cost.

This article presents a practical overview of the treatment of younger, newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients, focusing on novel treatment strategies. With the introduction of effective new agents, multiple myeloma is one of the most active and changing fields in clinical oncology. In addition, monitoring technology has become reliable and practical. Achieving and sustaining minimal residual disease negativity (MRD- ), such as multiparameter flow cytometry (MFC) < 10-5, is one of the goals of therapy. MRD- is significantly associated with prolonged progression-free survival, whereas MRD persistence (MRD +) is an independent factor for poor progression-free survival. Evidence from several recent studies evaluating modern therapy has further supported the positive correlation between depth of response and outcomes. Multiple myeloma can become a chronic illness with sustained MRD- in a significant number of patients. Our ultimate hope is to leverage tumoricidal-immunomodulatory sequential therapies and to cure a subset of our patients.