ἌΦΕΣΙΣ in the New Testament and Its Suggested Links to the Biblical Jubilee

This study responds to the claims that the term ἄφεσις (usually translated “forgiveness”) should be understood in light of the biblical Jubilee. The study commences with a brief survey of the word's use in the Septuagint and Classical Greek literature, alongwith the related verb ἀφίημι. It then examines each use of ἄφεσις in the New Testament. Texts in Matthew, Mark, Luke-Acts, Paul's writings and Hebrews are examined, with a particular focus on Lucan texts (since these contain the majority of the occurrences of the word). The study concludes that the verb ἀφίημι was never explicitly connected to the Jubilee in the Septuagint, so there is no reason to view the word in this light in the New Testament. The study also concludes that even though the term ἄφεσις had Jubilee connotations at the time the Septuagint was written, there was significant semantic development such that by the time of the New Testament, the word had a distinct and unambiguous meaning, centred on the forgiveness of sins and unrelated to the Jubilee

Mixed Methods Research in Designing an Instrument for Consumer-Oriented Evaluation

Background: The educational product market has been gradually shifting from primarily print to primarily digital content. Educators must make quick decisions when selecting materials that will assist students in their learning. Purpose: Purposes of this study were to describe the application of a two-stage sequential mixed-method, mixed-model design in designing an instrument for consumer-oriented evaluation and to describe implications of using mixed methods research in developing a rubric to evaluate prekindergarten through Grade 12 digital content. Setting: The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH.   Intervention: N/A. Research design: A two-stage sequential mixed-method, mixed-model design. Data collection & analysis: In Stage 1, a modified electronic Delphi survey technique was implemented with US geographically dispersed subject matter experts. In Stage 2, cross-sectional focus group interviews were conducted with local teachers, administrators, and textbook publishers. Findings: Inclusion of multiple perspectives and viewpoints from teachers, administrators, textbook publishers, and experts on importance, clarity, and appropriateness of criteria to evaluate digital content resulted in a final version of the rubric that can be used by teachers and administrators to evaluate digital content that supports students’ learning in prekindergarten through Grade 12

Growth rate of primary left atrial myxoma

We describe the growth of a primary left atrial myxoma over a period of approximately 27 months, review the literature on the growth rate of primary myxoma and discuss the value of echocardiography compared to CT scan and MRI in the diagnosis of intracardiac tumuor

Computer-controlled in-vitro simulation of multiple dosing regimens

The bactericidal effect of gentarrucin on Pseudomonas aerugwosa ATCC 27853 was investigated in a computer controlled dynamic in-vitro model, which allows the simultaneous simulation of three different dosing regimens for several days. The same total dose reduced cfu-counts of Pseudomonas aerugmosa most effectively, when administered with peak concentrations of 32 mg/1 every 32 h, whereas the other dosing regimens with peak concentrations of 16 mg/1 every 16 h and 8 mg/1 every 8 h were distinctly less effective following the second and subsequent doses. It was shown that the use of a microcomputer facilitates the in-vitro investigation of multiple dosing regimens but counting of cfu cannot be substituted by automatic measurements of turbidity when rapid bactericidal effects occur

Longevity-indexed annuities

This paper addresses the problem of the sharing of longevity risk between an annuity provider and a group of annuitants. An appropriate longevity index is designed in order to adapt the amount of the periodic payments in life annuity contracts. This accounts for unexpected longevity improvements experienced by a given reference population. The approach described in the present paper is in contrast with Group Self-Annuitization where annuitants bear their own risk. Here, the annuitants only bear the non-diversifiable risk that the future mortality trend departs from that of the reference forecast. In that respect, the life annuities discussed in this paper are substitutes for reinsurance and securitization of longevity risk

Microprobe Laser Mass Spectrometry Studies of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Distributions on Harbor Sediments and Coals

Abstract. Microprobe two-step laser mass spectrometry (μL 2 MS) was used to assess the distribution and origin of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) on sediment particles dredged from the harbor of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. PAH concentrations are largely associated with coal-derived particles and other carbonaceous environments. PAH distributions on these coal-derived particles and carbonaceous environments, which are thought to have separate origins, were found to be quite similar. μL 2 MS data of coal and thermally-processed coal showed profound differences from μL 2 MS data obtained from the coal-derived particles in the sediment. The results of these experiments indicate that the coal-derived particles are not the source of PAHs in the sediment but are scavengers of PAH contaminants in the Milwaukee Harbor sediments

Effects of hyperprolactinemia on ornithine decarboxylase activity and polyamine levels in seminal vesicles of genetically prolactin-deficient adult dwarf mice

Prolactin (PRL) has been shown to exert many different actions in various biological systems. Polyamines are known to influence the growth and function of the seminal vesicles (SV). Furthermore, ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) is considered a key enzyme In the biosynthesis of polyamines and Is regulated by PRL in certain target tissues. Adult Ames dwarf mice (df/df), genetically deficient In PRL, were used for this study. The experimental groups were as follows: Group 1, pituitary-grafted; Group 2, sham-operated; Group 3, castrated + testosterone propionate (TP)-treated (25 sag/mouse, 3 times/wk, s.c.) + grafted; and Group 4, castrated + TP as above. The animals were killed 40 days later, and polyamines and ODC activity in SV and liverwere determined. Serum PRL, FSH, and testosterone (T) were also measured. In the grafted groups, there were significant elevations in serum PRL and FSH levels. In the gonad-intact, pituitary-grafted group, animals exhibited an elevation in plasma T levels, and similar levels were achieved in the castrated, androgen-replaced groups. In hyperprolactinemic mice, the weights of SV were significantly greater than in the corresponding control groups. The relative weights of the SV showed a similar pattern. An increase in ODC activity was observed in both SV and liver in hyperprolactinemic groups. In those animals in which senam T levels were held constant, an increase in the enzyme activity in SV was detected in hyperprolactinemic group whereas in liver,no significant difference was observed. Concentrations of polyamines in the SV were increased in hyperprolactinemic, castrated, TP-treated mice. The present results indicate that PRL can exert a direct stimulatory effect on the growth, ODC activity, and polyamine levels in the SV.Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología CelularFacultad de Ciencias Exacta

Histological interpretation of differentiated vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia (dVIN) remains challenging-observations from a bi-national ring-study

Differentiated vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia (dVIN) is a premalignant lesion that is known to progress rapidly to invasive carcinoma. Accurate histological diagnosis is therefore crucial to allow appropriate treatment. To identify reliable diagnostic features, we evaluated the inter-observer agreement in the histological assessment of dVIN, among a bi-national, multi-institutional group of pathologists. Two investigators from Erasmus MC selected 36 hematoxylin-eosin-stained glass slides of dVIN and no-dysplasia, and prepared a list of 15 histological features of dVIN. Nine participating pathologists (i) diagnosed each slide as dVIN or no-dysplasia, (ii) indicated which features they used for the diagnosis, and (iii) rated these features in terms of their diagnostic usefulness. Diagnoses rendered by > 50% participants were taken as the consensus (gold standard). p53-immunohistochemistry (IHC) was performed for all cases, and the expression patterns were correlated with the consensus diagnoses. Kappa statistics were computed to measure inter-observer agreements, and concordance of the p53-IHC patterns with the consensus diagnoses. For the diagnosis of dVIN, overall agreement was moderate (= 0.42), and pair-wise agreements ranged from slight (= 0.10) to substantial (= 0.73). Based on the levels of agreement and ratings of usefulness, the most helpful diagnostic features were parakeratosis, cobblestone appearance, chromatin abnormality, angulated nuclei, atypia discernable under x 100, and altered cellular alignment. p53-IHC patterns showed substantial concordance (= 0.67) with the consensus diagnoses. Histological interpretation of dVIN remains challenging with suboptimal inter-observer agreement. We identified the histological features that may facilitate the diagnosis of dVIN. For cases with a histological suspicion of dVIN, consensus-based pathological evaluation may improve the reliability of the diagnosis

Students’ perceptions of patient safety during the transition from undergraduate to postgraduate training: an activity theory analysis

Evidence that medical error can cause harm to patients has raised the attention of the health care community towards patient safety and influenced how and what medical students learn about it. Patient safety is best taught when students are participating in clinical practice where they actually encounter patients at risk. This type of learning is referred to as workplace learning, a complex system in which various factors influence what is being learned and how. A theory that can highlight potential difficulties in this complex learning system about patient safety is activity theory. Thirty-four final year undergraduate medical students participated in four focus groups about their experiences concerning patient safety. Using activity theory as analytical framework, we performed constant comparative thematic analysis of the focus group transcripts to identify important themes. We found eight general themes relating to two activities: learning to be a doctor and delivering safe patient care. Simultaneous occurrence of these two activities can cause contradictions. Our results illustrate the complexity of learning about patient safety at the workplace. Students encounter contradictions when learning about patient safety, especially during a transitional phase of their training. These contradictions create potential learning opportunities which should be used in education about patient safety. Insight into the complexities of patient safety is essential to improve education in this important area of medicine

The PE-PPE Domain in Mycobacterium Reveals a Serine α/β Hydrolase Fold and Function: An In-Silico Analysis

The PE and PPE proteins first reported in the genome sequence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain H37Rv are now identified in all mycobacterial species. The PE-PPE domain (Pfam ID: PF08237) is a 225 amino acid residue conserved region located towards the C-terminus of some PE and PPE proteins and hypothetical proteins. Our in-silico sequence analysis revealed that this domain is present in all Mycobacteria, some Rhodococcus and Nocardia farcinica genomes. This domain comprises a pentapeptide sequence motif GxSxG/S at the N-terminus and conserved amino acid residues Ser, Asp and His that constitute a catalytic triad characteristic of lipase, esterase and cutinase activity. The fold prediction and comparative modeling of the 3-D structure of the PE-PPE domain revealed a “serine α/β hydrolase” structure with a central β-sheet flanked by α-helices on either side. The structure comprises a lid insertion with a closed structure conformation and has a solvent inaccessible active site. The oxyanion hole that stabilizes the negative charge on the tetrahedral intermediate has been identified. Our findings add to the growing list of serine hydrolases in mycobacterium, which are essential for the maintenance of their impermeable cell wall and virulence. These results provide the directions for the design of experiments to establish the function of PE and PPE proteins