Evidence, Miracles, and the Existence of Jesus: Comments on Stephen Law

We use Bayesian tools to assess Law’s skeptical argument against the historicity of Jesus. We clarify and endorse his sub-argument for the conclusion that there is good reason to be skeptical about the miracle claims of the New Testament. However, we dispute Law’s contamination principle that he claims entails that we should be skeptical about the existence of Jesus. There are problems with Law’s defense of his principle, and we show, more importantly, that it is not supported by Bayesian considerations. Finally, we show that Law’s principle is false in the specific case of Jesus and thereby show, contrary to the main conclusion of Law’s argument, that biblical historians are entitled to remain confident that Jesus existed

Creative heartland: Creative capital and knowledge economy in micropolitan Midwest

Recent regional development studies increasingly focus on creative economies that provide an alternative perspective to regional development in a globalizing world-economy. However, most research in economic geography of creativity and innovation is exclusively concerned with larger metropolitan areas. The lack of attention does not make knowledge-based economy less relevant or creative capital less important in smaller urban regions, where it acts as an agent of economic development and revitalization. This study is the first attempt to use creative capital metrics and a combination of qualitative and qualitative analyses to investigate the creative capital and its economic implications in micropolitan areas within the U.S. Midwest. The study aims to improve the understanding of the role, characteristics, and geography of creative capital within micropolitan statistical areas as pertain to knowledge production and economic growth. In addition to understanding the role, characteristic, and spatial dynamics of creative capital the research also examines what attracts creative capital to micropolitan communities. The study implements a six sector model of the creative capital and utilizes various occupation-based measures to conduct a geographical and statistical analysis of creative capital and its relationships with community socio-economic characteristics and knowledge production. The study finds that creative capital at the micropolitan level is present and exhibits geographic variability. Different components of creative capital demonstrate a synergy, i.e. a tendency to cluster. However, creative capital is not evenly distributed across the Midwest with most micropolitan areas lagging behind. Creative capital accumulation does have a connection to the knowledge economy. It is generally similar to that in metropolitan areas. At the same time, when it comes to attracting creative capital there is a difference in between micropolitan centers and metropolitan areas. Creative workers in micropolitan areas are looking for a difference experiences that is not always offered in larger cities. The case studies indicate that social and civic capital may play an important part in attracting creative capital to smaller towns. These findings are important in understanding creative capital in micropolitan areas along with other regions outside of large city-regions. The findings are important for considering different policy options for micropolitan areas to maintain, and attract future knowledge economy

A new assemblage of ray-finned fishes (Teleostei) from the Lower Oligocene “Schistes à Meletta” from the Glières plateau, Bornes Massif, eastern France

A recently discovered fish assemblage from the “Schistes à Meletta” facies (Lower Oligocene) of the Glières Plateau, Bornes Massif, Haute–Savoie, eastern France is described. The assemblage, comprising specimens ranging from fully-articulated skeletons to isolated scattered ossifications, is composed of Anenchelum cf. glarisianum, Pristigenys sp., Fistularia sp., Caranx cf. glarisianus alongside indeterminate teleosts. This new assemblage greatly increases the fish diversity previously known from the “Schistes à Meletta” of this area. The fauna shows biogeographic affinities with assemblages from the Peritethys domain, in particular from the Helvetic molassic basin and from the Paratethys. The genera identified at the Glières locality are represented today by species living in tropical nearshore environments together with species from the open sea. A possible explanation is that the environment of deposition was rather deep, and that shallow-water fishes were brought in by turbidity currents

Invasion Ecology goes to town : from disdain to sympathy

How can one understand the increasing interest in “urban invasions”, or biological invasions in urban environments? We argue that interest in urban invasions echoes a broader evolution in how ecologists view “the city” in relation to “the natural”. Previously stark categorical distinctions between urban and natural, human and wild, city and ecology have foundered. Drawing on conceptual material and an analysis of key texts, we first show how the ecological sciences in general – and then invasion science in particular – previously had a blind spot for cities, despite a number of important historical and continental European exceptions. Then, we document the advent of an urban turn in ecology and, more recently, in invasion ecology, and how this has challenged fundamental concepts about “nativity”, “naturalness”, and human agency in nature. The urban turn necessitates more explicit and direct attention to human roles and judgements. Ecology has moved from contempt (or indifference) for cities, towards interest or even sympathy

Mesure de la documentation clinique pré- et postopératoire du syndrome du tunnel carpien. Etude pilote

La qualité de la documentation clinique permet l’analyse rétrospective du raisonnement médical, de l’information transmise au patient et de l’utilité du traitement. La démarche diagnostique et le processus du choix thérapeutique sont des dimensions peu évoquées dans le cadre de la qualité des soins. Ces notions sont essentielles car elles font parties du quotidien des médecins (1). Le dossier médical doit contenir les informations nécessaires à la compréhension rétrospective du raisonnement clinique ayant mené à un diagnostic de certitude, des choix thérapeutiques présentés au patient en rapport avec ses plaintes et des effets du traitement, qu’ils soient positifs ou négatifs. La démarche clinique et sa documentation peuvent être optimisées afin de diminuer la prescription d’examens complémentaires ou de traitements inutiles. Le syndrome du tunnel carpien est généré par la compression du nerf médian dans le canal carpien. Ce phénomène provoque fréquemment des fourmillements nocturnes dans la main (2). Les symptômes peuvent ensuite évoluer vers des troubles sensitifs permanents (paresthésies, hypoesthésie, dysesthésies) et une atrophie musculaire. Néanmoins, la présentation clinique de ce syndrome peut différer en fonction de plusieurs facteurs, tels que l’âge, le sexe ou encore les comorbidités (3). Cette pathologie est très fréquente, avec une prévalence de 1 à 3% et un pic à partir de 50 ans. Elle est 10 fois plus présente chez la femme que chez l’homme (4). La pose du diagnostic se fait la plupart du temps par l’histoire clinique, les signes physiques ainsi que par des tests de provocation. La littérature démontre la nécessité de combiner les résultats de l’anamnèse et du status pour obtenir une valeur prédictive fiable. Malgré cela, beaucoup d’incertitudes persistent, notamment parce qu’il n’existe pas de gold standard diagnostique pour cette pathologie, pas même l’électroneuromyogramme (ENMG). Un set de données minimales à remplir dans le dossier de patients consultant pour une suspicion de tunnel carpien pourrait ainsi optimaliser leur prise en charge

New Regeneration process of heavy metals loaded chelating resin

An alternative to the classical acid-base regeneration of chelating resins loaded with heavy metals is investigated. The new process consists in recovering the heavy metals with recyclable soluble complexing agents. The semiclosed reactor includes a fixed bed and a stirred tank. A three-parameter model, which implies a double equilibrium in series, is introduced. When less than 10 % of the metal is still fixed on the resin at the end of the desorption, a simplified form of the model with two parameters, which describes a quick equilibrium followed by a first-order kinetics reaction, is proposed. Both forms of the model can simulate results for different experimental conditions (polymer and metal types, polymer initial concentration). It was observed for both cases that the first equilibrium constant depends on the polymer type and that the rate constant of desorption depends on the metal type. The scale-up of desorption is then conducted at mini-pilot scale. Scale-up criteria tend to minimize the desorption time and the soluble polymer quantity used

The systemic deletion of interleukin-1α reduces myocardial inflammation and attenuates ventricular remodeling in murine myocardial infarction.

Myocardial inflammation following myocardial infarction (MI) is crucial for proper myocardial healing, yet, dysregulated inflammation may promote adverse ventricular remodeling and heart failure. IL-1 signaling contributes to these processes, as shown by dampened inflammation by inhibition of IL-1β or the IL-1 receptor. In contrast, the potential role of IL-1α in these mechanisms has received much less attention. Previously described as a myocardial-derived alarmin, IL-1α may also act as a systemically released inflammatory cytokine. We therefore investigated the effect of IL-1α deficiency on post-MI inflammation and ventricular remodeling in a murine model of permanent coronary occlusion. In the first week post-MI, global IL-1α deficiency (IL-1α KO mice) led to decreased myocardial expression of IL-6, MCP-1, VCAM-1, hypertrophic and pro-fibrotic genes, and reduced infiltration with inflammatory monocytes. These early changes were associated with an attenuation of delayed left ventricle (LV) remodeling and systolic dysfunction after extensive MI. In contrast to systemic Il1a-KO, conditional cardiomyocyte deletion of Il1a (CmIl1a-KO) did not reduce delayed LV remodeling and systolic dysfunction. In conclusion, systemic Il1a-KO, but not Cml1a-KO, protects against adverse cardiac remodeling after MI due to permanent coronary occlusion. Hence, anti-IL-1α therapies could be useful to attenuate the detrimental consequences of post-MI myocardial inflammation