A SAGA DO HEROI E O ESVAZIAMENTO DE CRISTO: ANÁLISE DE FILIPENSES 2,5-11

A partir do texto de Filipenses 2,5-11 este trabalho realiza uma exegese no texto conhecido como kenosis. Para isso, busca a identificação de traços existentes na herança ideológica da sociedade da época da redação deste documento para, em seguida, apontar para as possibilidades de estruturas míticas recorrentes. Faz uma primeira análise no mundo cultural, social e religioso do apóstolo Paulo e passa por uma breve abordagem da história da pesquisa. Oferece uma possibilidade de tradução do texto grego para o português e depois, quer visualizar em forma gráfica a estrutura e o movimento do hino cristológico . Apresenta o monomito e a análise do discurso como ferramentas metodológicas para a produção de duas novas leituras. Com o uso dessas metodologias, procura mostrar as semelhanças entre certas estruturas míticas recorrentes e o esvaziamento de Cristo na tradição paulina. Busca validar a proposta apresentando outras narrativas míticas que impregnavam a imagética da sociedade greco-romana. Ao final sugere alguns passos para uma leitura da kenosis como crítica social.

O auto-esvaziamento do logos : uma análise da cristologia quenótica de Gottfried Thomasius

A presente dissertação versa sobre o tema da cristologia quenótica do teólogo luterano alemão do século dezenove, Gottfried Thomasius, como uma possibilidade de resposta ao problema das duas naturezas, divina e humana, na pessoa de Jesus Cristo. Levando em consideração a cristologia tradicional conforme formulada pelo Concílio de Calcedônia o proponente do quenoticismo sugere que o Logos, o eterno Filho de Deus, auto-esvaziou-se voluntariamente de seus atributos não-essenciais ou aqueles que possuem uma relação direta com a natureza, ou seja, a onipresença, a onipotência e a onisciência. A Fórmula de Calcedônia se constitui no objeto pelo qual Thomasius promove uma reinterpretação com o intuito de torná-la inteligível à sua época, daí a dissertação oferecer a base de construção de tal teoria. No entanto, mostra-se como um teólogo preocupado em preservar suas tradições diante do criticismo do século XIX. Apresenta-se também o desenvolvimento posterior da cristologia quenótica em que os teólogos subseqüentes divergem em alguns pontos, desenvolvem outros, reagem e procuram superar problemas e dificuldades iniciais da teoria como formulada por Thomasius. Oferece adiante soluções inovadoras ao problema cristológico da encarnação com o apoio de John Hick que com sua perspectiva pluralista sugere uma abordagem ao tema da encarnação mediante o uso do discurso teológico como metáfora religiosa. E também Roger Haight ao final, propondo uma abordagem simbólica da formulação cristológica de Calcedônia como meio de enfatizar o seu aspecto positivo e isto feito de modo compreensível ao tempo presente (AU).

Initiation and progression of ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament of the cervical spine in the hereditary spinal hyperostotic mouse (twy/twy)

Ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) is a significantly critical pathology that can eventually cause serious myelopathy. Ossification commences in the vertebral posterior longitudinal ligaments, and intensifies and spreads with the progression of the disease, resulting in osseous projections and compression of the spinal cord. However, the paucity of histological studies the underlying mechanisms of calcification and ossification processes remain obscure. The pathological process could be simulated in the ossifying process of the ligament in mutant spinal hyperostotic mouse (twy/twy). The aim of this study is to observe that enlargement of the nucleus pulposus followed by herniation, disruption and regenerative proliferation of annulus fibrosus cartilaginous tissues participated in the initiation of ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament of twy/twy mice.

Apoptosis of neurons and oligodendrocytes in the spinal cord of spinal hyperostotic mouse (twy/twy):possible pathomechanism of human cervical compressive myelopathy

Cervical compressive myelopathy is the most serious complication of cervical spondylosis or ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) and the most frequent cause of spinal cord dysfunction. There is little information on the exact pathophysiological mechanism responsible for the progressive loss of neural tissue in the spinal cord of such patients. In this study, we used the spinal hyperostotic mouse (twy/twy) as a suitable model of human spondylosis, and OPLL to investigate the cellular and molecular changes in the spinal cord. Mutant twy/twy mouse developed ossification of the ligamentum flavum at C2-C3 and exhibited progressive paralysis.

The prevalence and phenotype of activated microglia/macrophages within the spinal cord of the hyperostotic mouse (twy/twy) changes in response to chronic progressive spinalcord compression:implications for human cervical compressive myelopathy

Background:Cervical compressive myelopathy, e.g. due to spondylosis or ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament is a common cause of spinal cord dysfunction. Although human pathological studies have reported neuronal loss and demyelination in the chronically compressed spinal cord, little is known about the mechanisms involved. In particular, the neuroinflammatory processes that are thought to underlie the condition are poorly understood. The present study assessed the localized prevalence of activated M1 and M2 microglia/macrophages in twy/twy mice that develop spontaneous cervical spinal cord compression, as a model of human disease.Methods:Inflammatory cells and cytokines were assessed in compressed lesions of the spinal cords in 12-, 18- and 24-weeks old twy/twy mice by immunohistochemical, immunoblot and flow cytometric analysis. Computed tomography and standard histology confirmed a progressive spinal cord compression through the spontaneously development of an impinging calcified mass.Results:The prevalence of CD11b-positive cells, in the compressed spinal cord increased over time with a concurrent decrease in neurons. The CD11b-positive cell population was initially formed of arginase-1- and CD206-positive M2 microglia/macrophages, which later shifted towards iNOS- and CD16/32-positive M1 microglia/macrophages. There was a transient increase in levels of T helper 2 (Th2) cytokines at 18 weeks, whereas levels of Th1 cytokines as well as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), nerve growth factor (NGF) and macrophage antigen (Mac) -2 progressively increased.Conclusions:Spinal cord compression was associated with a temporal M2 microglia/macrophage response, which may act as a possible repair or neuroprotective mechanism. However, the persistence of the neural insult also associated with persistent expression of Th1 cytokines and increased prevalence of activated M1 microglia/macrophages, which may lead to neuronal loss and demyelination despite the presence of neurotrophic factors. This understanding of the aetiopathology of chronic spinal cord compression is of importance in the development of new treatment targets in human disease. © 2013 Hirai et al.

Measurement of intervertebral cervical motion by means of dynamic X-ray image processing and data interpolation

Accurate measurement of intervertebral kinematics of the cervical spine can support the diagnosis of widespread diseases related to neck pain, such as chronic whiplash dysfunction, arthritis, and segmental degeneration. The natural inaccessibility of the spine, its complex anatomy, and the small range of motion only permit concise measurement in vivo. Low dose X-ray fluoroscopy allows time-continuous screening of cervical spine during patient's spontaneous motion. To obtain accurate motion measurements, each vertebra was tracked by means of image processing along a sequence of radiographic images. To obtain a time-continuous representation of motion and to reduce noise in the experimental data, smoothing spline interpolation was used. Estimation of intervertebral motion for cervical segments was obtained by processing patient's fluoroscopic sequence; intervertebral angle and displacement and the instantaneous centre of rotation were computed. The RMS value of fitting errors resulted in about 0.2 degree for rotation and 0.2 mm for displacements. © 2013 Paolo Bifulco et al.