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Years have passed since the Dark Crystal was healed and peace was restored to Thra. Though Jen and Kira have ruled as King and Queen, they have become distracted by power. The planet is sick and those on the surface of Thra are not the only ones affected. A mysterious race of creatures called Firelings live in a realm near the planet's core, hidden from the Gelfling and their kingdom. A young Fireling named Thurman is tasked with stealing a shard of the Crystal to restore power to her world. Along the way she'll befriend the young Gelfling Kensho, conjure the Skeksis and Mystics, and embark on one incredible adventure!

This paper explores the origins of two different emergences of the Christian worldview concept, and their relationship to understandings of cultural conflict. It will offer an analysis of the historical, cultural, and theological context for each emergence. In both cases, worldview was what Ian Hunter has termed a “combat concept.” Section I of the paper will offer an overview of the origins of Christian worldview thinking in the late nineteenth century through the thought of James Orr (1844–1913) and Abraham Kuyper (1837–1920). Section II will deal with the second major emergence of Christian worldview as a combat concept in the 1970s, focusing on figures like Francis Schaeffer (1912–1984), Chuck Colson (1931–2012), and Nancy Pearcy (1951–). Both contexts exhibited increased cultural and religious pluralism, and conservative Christians displayed a heightened sense of ideological conflict. Worldview became a tool for differentiation from, and contention with, the “other.”

Richard Hooker's understanding of political society has engendered significant debate. Does he hold that society is natural, in keeping with his commitment to aspects of Aristotelianism? Or does he believe that society is conventional, leading somehow to a social contractarian conception of society? My contention is that he is a political naturalist, though his naturalism is tempered by his Augustinian theological anthropology. Hooker emphasizes human sin in his account of the nature and purpose of civil government, and gives humankind agency in the establishment of society. But, ultimately, he considers political life to be natural to the human condition. In this way, Hooker navigates a via media between Aristotelian naturalism and conventionalism.

How young people interpret and engage with nature is an important consideration within our current biodiversity and climate crises. What remains less clear are the ways in which online, networked, spaces underpin young people's relationships with nature, and what consequences these spaces may have for in‐person nature interactions. Given the ubiquitousness of networked spaces in society, it has been argued that day‐to‐day life is increasingly ‘postdigital’, in that we may no longer distinguish meaningful differences between our online and offline worlds. Therefore, it is necessary to examine this collapsing physical‐digital binary in the context of young people's in‐person interactions with nature to examine the effectiveness of this theoretical perspective. Utilising ethnographically situated, participant‐as‐observer methods, this qualitative multiple case study generated data across three rural residential outdoor education centres in England, Scotland and Wales, with young people aged 12–17. Participants were visiting the residential centres from urban schools in England and Scotland, with each group spending 5 days at their respective centre. Reflexive thematic analysis of fieldnote data revealed that young people had previously constructed their understandings and interpretations of what nature ‘is’ through networked environments such as Instagram, TikTok and Minecraft. These networked constructions often contextualised young people's direct, in‐person interactions with nature and demonstrated ways in which these online spaces influenced how nature was perceived and understood. The case is presented for interpreting the findings from a postdigital ‘networked baselines’ perspective. The findings will resonate with practitioners and policymakers concerned with the relationships between young people, networked spaces and nature connectedness. Alongside this, given the editorial discussion on the impacts of ‘nature on screen’ from Silk et al. (2021) in People and Nature, this paper provides a set of empirical findings on how young people's organic engagements with nature on‐screen provided a degree of foundational knowledge about what nature is, what nature is for and how nature should be engaged with. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

Abstract In 2005, Hurricane Katrina devastated the U.S. Gulf Coast with catastrophic damage and substantial loss of life. In this study, we examined associations among psychosocial variables and mental health indicators in younger and older adults who lived in south Louisiana in August of 2005 when Katrina made landfall (M age = 51.7 years, SD = 13.03 years, age range: 32 to 78 years). All self-identified as African American / Black women. They were recruited through social media, flyers sent to churches and schools, and word of mouth referrals. On the first day of testing, participants completed sociodemographic, religiosity, and post-traumatic growth surveys and an adapted structured storm questionnaire (Cherry et al., 2011). On the second day of testing one week later, participants responded to open-ended questions on their Katrina experience, and they completed measures of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. Correlation analyses revealed that age was inversely related to PTSD symptoms, which is compatible with an inoculation perspective on post-disaster psychological reactions. In addition, post-traumatic growth was positively correlated with religious beliefs and practices and religious coping, and negatively correlated with symptoms of PTSD and depression. Religious beliefs and practices were inversely correlated with PTSD symptoms and depression. Qualitative analyses of participants’ narrative responses indicated that some reflected on scripture and utilized prayer as a way to navigate their new lives in the years after Katrina. Implications of these data for understanding individual and community-level challenges in the years after exposure to devastating severe weather events are considered.

One of the key terms in the enormous Politica Methodice Digesta, Atque Exemplis Sacris et Profanis Illustrata of Johannes Althusius (1557-1638) is consociatio. This word has been translated into English a number of different ways by Althusius interpreters. This article contends that these renderings have proven confusing and unhelpful and that a better approach to this key concept is needed. It offers a brief appraisal of the received translations of consociatio in Althusius scholarship before providing a fresh interpretation which, it is hoped, will go some way to alleviating the extant confusion about Althusius's political ideas.

Background Chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects 10% of the global population costing over a hundred billion dollars per annum and leading to increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Many patients with CKD require regular haemodialyses. Synthetic arteriovenous grafts (AVG) are increasingly used to provide rapid vascular connection for dialysis. Initially, they have excellent patency rates but are critically limited by neointimal hyperplasia at the venous anastomosis, which drives subsequent thrombosis, graft failure and death. Methods Here, we describe a system in which electrical impedance spectroscopy sensors are incorporated circumferentially into the wall of a synthetic arteriovenous graft. This is combined with an implantable radiotelemetry system for data transmission outside the patient. The system was tested using monolayers of endothelial and smooth muscle cells as well as swine blood and clots with explanted human carotid artery plaques. Sensor testing was then performed in vitro and the device was implanted in vivo in female swine. Results The device can wirelessly report the accumulation of biological material, both cells and blood. Differences are also detected when comparing controls with pathological atheroma. In swine differences between blockage formation in a graft were remotely obtained and wireless reported. Conclusions Combining electrical impedance spectroscopy and an implantable radiotelemetry system enables graft surveillance. This has the potential to be used for early detection of venous stenosis and blood clot formation in real-time in vivo. In principle, the concept could apply to other cardiovascular diseases and vascular implantable devices. Plain language summary Chronic kidney disease is common throughout the world and required treatments are expensive. People with chronic kidney disease require frequent blood dialysis treatment to filter their blood and remove waste products and toxic substances circulating in the blood. For some patients, implantable tubular structures called AV grafts are used for providing access to dialysis. These grafts frequently block sometimes without warning leading to patients not being able to undergo dialysis. Through a series of laboratory experiments looking at cells that block the graft, fatty deposits and blood clots, we evaluated whether sensors could detect blockages in an AV graft. We also tested the device in an animal model. From these results we were able to show that our device could detect blockages within a graft. In the future we hope that introduction to the clinic of an optimized version of our device will reduce costs to healthcare systems and improve patient outcomes. Hoare et al. evaluate whether a self-reporting arteriovenous graft can be used to detect venous stenosis and thrombus formation using in silico, cell culture and pre-clinical swine models. The graft detects differences in blood flow in a swine model following heparin administration.

Peroxynitrite is an endothelium-independent vasodilator that induces relaxation via membrane hyperpolarization. The activation of IP3 receptors triggers the opening of potassium channels and hyperpolarization. Previously we found that relaxation to peroxynitrite was maintained during the development of atherosclerosis due to changes in the expression of calcium-regulatory proteins. In this study we investigated: (1) the mechanism of peroxynitrite-induced relaxation in the mouse aorta, (2) the effect of atherosclerosis on relaxation to peroxynitrite and other vasodilators, and (3) the effect of atherosclerosis on the expression and function of the IP3 receptor. Aortic function was studied using wire myography, and atherosclerosis was induced by fat-feeding ApoE -/- mice. The expression of IP3 receptors was studied using Western blotting and immunohistochemistry. Relaxation to peroxynitrite was attenuated by the IP3 antagonists 2-APB and xestospongin C and also the K v channel blocker 4-aminopyridine (4-AP). Atherosclerosis attenuated vasodilation to cromakalim and the AMPK activator A769662 but not peroxynitrite. Relaxation was attenuated to a greater extent by 2-APB in atherosclerotic aortae despite the reduced expression of IP3 receptors. 4-AP was less effective in ApoE -/- mice fat-fed for 4 months. Peroxynitrite relaxation involves an IP3-induced calcium release and K V channel activation. This mechanism becomes less important as atherosclerosis develops, and relaxation to peroxynitrite may be maintained by increased calcium extrusion.

BackgroundObesity is a major global health problem and an important risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. Chronic inflammation due to macrophage infiltration into adipose tissue is a hallmark of obesity and is associated with increased expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) which contributes to the development of insulin resistance and other metabolic dysfunction. Sphingosine kinase (SphK1) phosphorylates sphingosine into sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), a bioactive lipid implicated in the regulation of adipose tissue inflammation and insulin resistance. These effects may be attributed to the activation of the S1P-specific G protein-coupled receptor, S1PR2. However, the role of the SphK1/S1P/S1PR2 axis in macrophage-mediated iNOS expression in adipocytes remains to be fully elucidated. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to investigate the role of the axis in mediating iNOS expression and nitric oxide (NO) production in adipocytes.MethodsRAW 267.4 cells were stimulated with LPS 100 ng/ml for 8 hours in the presence and absence of PF543 (SphK1 inhibitor-100 nM) and JTE 013 (S1PR2 antagonist-10μM). Conditioned media (CM) was collected and stored at -80°C until used. SphK1 phosphorylation in RAW cells was measured by western blot.Cultured 3T3-L1 differentiated adipocytes were stimulated with 1:4 dilution of macrophage CM for 24h and iNOS expression and NO production measured. To investigate the involvement of SphK1/S1PR2, adipocytes were stimulated with CM treated with PF543 or JTE 013 for 24h. In some experiments, adipocytes were pre-treated with JTE013 prior to stimulation with CM. iNOS protein expression was determined using western blotting and NO production in the supernatant was measured using a Sievers 280 analyzer. Data are expressed as mean ± SEM; statistical analysis was carried out by one way ANOVA.ResultsCM from LPS-treated RAW 267.4 cells induced upregulation of iNOS and NO production in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. LPS increased SphK1 phosphorylation in RAW 267.4 cells. SphK1/S1PR2 axis inhibition using PF543 and JTE 013 in LPS-activated macrophages decreased iNOS expression and NO production in 3T3-L1 adipocytes co-cultured with activated RAW 267.4 conditioned media (p< 0.05, n = 3). S1PR2 antagonism in 3T3-L1 adipocytes decreased iNOS expression and NO production following co-culture with activated RAW 267.4 CM (p< 0.05, n = 3).ConclusionActivated macrophage conditioned media increases iNOS expression and NO production in 3T3 adipocytes. These results also show that macrophage-derived S1P activates S1PR2 on macrophages and adjacent adipocytes, contributing to iNOS regulation within adipose tissue. In conclusion, the SphK1/S1PR2 axis may be a promising target for the development of treatments aimed at ameliorating adipose inflammation and insulin resistance associated with obesity and type 2 diabetes.