Using Chaos in Articulating the Relationship of God and Creation in God\u27s Creative Activity

Out of dialogue with Old Testament studies and the sciences, there has been a rise in recent years in the use of chaos language by theologians in their articulation of a theology of creation. There has been little uniformity in how the word is used among the fields, or even within some fields—especially by biblical scholars doing ancient Near East comparative studies. Under the umbrella of this popular terminology, some ideas have found refuge whose theological implications warrant evaluation. Within this dissertation the range of ideas that fall under chaos within the physical sciences, Old Testament studies, and theology is identified and evaluated. However, the more focused evaluation is on the appropriateness of the choice to apply the term to particular circumstances, whether that is entropy or unpredictability in science or the tohu wabohu and tehom of Genesis 1:2 in biblical studies. Choosing the term chaos as a label reflects an interpretation of the data and shapes subsequent thinking and speaking about the data. As much as reflect the world (the facts), it construes a world/worldview in which scholars work in their fields. The implications of the ideas that have been developed under chaos are evaluated herein, but it is the initial application of the term to the data that is the root issue which receives the greater focus. After critiquing the current uses of chaos in the physical sciences, in interpretations of Genesis 1 by scholars such as Jon D. Levenson, and in the creation theologies of contemporary theologians like Catherine Keller, an alternative grammar of creatio ex nihilo and God\u27s relationship to creation is proposed. This framework builds upon the pneumatology of Lyle Dabney—in which he develops the language of possibility and the Spirit operating trans –creation—by developing the idea of the Word operating transcarnate to creation. It is within this framework that it is suggested that chaos be used as a label for circumstances where any part of creation expresses itself discordantly with God and neighbor, both with whom God makes possible for it to participate in loving community

Rural Development Strategy: 1990s Context and Constraints

In this comprehensive article on rural economic development, David Vail and Michael Hillard describe key trends and past changes which are shaping rural America’s—and in particular, rural Maine’s—economic future. They conclude with seven hypotheses about rural Maine’s socioeconomic crisis, and call for the development of a state-level strategy for rural development that fully accounts for Maine’s varied resources, geography, and opportunities

Mechanisms Underlying the Morning Increase in Platelet Aggregation: A Flow Cytometry Study

ObjectivesMechanisms underlying the morning increase in platelet aggregation produced by arising and assuming the upright posture were studied by examining 1) the expression on the platelet surface of activation-dependent markers; 2) platelet aggregation in whole blood; and 3) hematologic factors likely to influence aggregation.BackgroundThe morning increase in thrombotic cardiovascular events has been attributed, in part, to the morning surge in platelet aggregability, but its mechanisms are poorly understood.MethodsExpression of seven platelet surface antigens (including P-selectin, activated GPIIb-IIIa and GPIb-IX), whole-blood platelet aggregation, platelet count and hematocrit were measured before and after arising in 17 normal volunteers. The fibrinolytic variables, tissue-type plasminogen activator, plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 and catecholamine levels were also measured.ResultsOn arising and standing, platelet aggregation increased by 71% (p ≤ 0.01) and 27% (p ≤ 0.03) in response to collagen and adenosine diphosphate, respectively. However, there was no change in any of the activation-dependent platelet surface markers. Whole-blood platelet count and hematocrit increased by 15% and 7% (both p < 0.0001), respectively. Norepinephrine and epinephrine levels increased by 189% (p < 0.0001) and 130% (p < 0.01), respectively. Tissue-type plasminogen activator antigen increased (31%, p < 0.01), but there was no significant increase in plasminogen activator inhibitor 1, suggesting an overall increase in fibrinolysis on standing. Prothrombin fragment 1.2 increased by 28% (p < 0.02), indicating a small increase in thrombin generation. The increases in hematocrit and platelet count that occurred on standing were carefully mimicked in vitro and resulted in a 115% (p < 0.05) increase in platelet aggregation in response to adenosine diphosphate.ConclusionsThese data demonstrate that the morning increase in platelet aggregation is not accompanied by expression of activation-dependent platelet surface receptors and suggest that the increase in whole-blood aggregation may be primarily due to the increases in catecholamine levels, platelet count and hemocon-centration

The implications of outcome truncation in reproductive medicine RCTs: a simulation platform for trialists and simulation study.

From Europe PMC via Jisc Publications RouterHistory: ppub 2021-08-01, epub 2021-08-06Publication status: PublishedFunder: Wellcome Trust; Grant(s): 204796/Z/16/ZBackgroundRandomised controlled trials in reproductive medicine are often subject to outcome truncation, where the study outcomes are only defined in a subset of the randomised cohort. Examples include birthweight (measurable only in the subgroup of participants who give birth) and miscarriage (which can only occur in participants who become pregnant). These outcomes are typically analysed by making a comparison between treatment arms within the subgroup (for example, comparing birthweights in the subgroup who gave birth or miscarriages in the subgroup who became pregnant). However, this approach does not represent a randomised comparison when treatment influences the probability of being observed (i.e. survival). The practical implications of this for the design and interpretation of reproductive trials are unclear however.MethodsWe developed a simulation platform to investigate the implications of outcome truncation for reproductive medicine trials. We used this to perform a simulation study, in which we considered the bias, type 1 error, coverage, and precision of standard statistical analyses for truncated continuous and binary outcomes. Simulation settings were informed by published assisted reproduction trials.ResultsIncreasing treatment effect on the intermediate variable, strength of confounding between the intermediate and outcome variables, and the presence of an interaction between treatment and confounder were found to adversely affect performance. However, within parameter ranges we would consider to be more realistic, the adverse effects were generally not drastic. For binary outcomes, the study highlighted that outcome truncation could cause separation in smaller studies, where none or all of the participants in a study arm experience the outcome event. This was found to have severe consequences for inferences.ConclusionWe have provided a simulation platform that can be used by researchers in the design and interpretation of reproductive medicine trials subject to outcome truncation and have used this to conduct a simulation study. The study highlights several key factors which trialists in the field should consider carefully to protect against erroneous inferences. Standard analyses of truncated binary outcomes in small studies may be highly biassed, and it remains to identify suitable approaches for analysing data in this context

Prospective Molecular Profiling of Canine Cancers Provides a Clinically Relevant Comparative Model for Evaluating Personalized Medicine (PMed) Trials.

Background Molecularly-guided trials (i.e. PMed) now seek to aid clinical decision-making by matching cancer targets with therapeutic options. Progress has been hampered by the lack of cancer models that account for individual-to-individual heterogeneity within and across cancer types. Naturally occurring cancers in pet animals are heterogeneous and thus provide an opportunity to answer questions about these PMed strategies and optimize translation to human patients. In order to realize this opportunity, it is now necessary to demonstrate the feasibility of conducting molecularly-guided analysis of tumors from dogs with naturally occurring cancer in a clinically relevant setting. Methodology A proof-of-concept study was conducted by the Comparative Oncology Trials Consortium (COTC) to determine if tumor collection, prospective molecular profiling, and PMed report generation within 1 week was feasible in dogs. Thirty-one dogs with cancers of varying histologies were enrolled. Twenty-four of 31 samples (77%) successfully met all predefined QA/QC criteria and were analyzed via Affymetrix gene expression profiling. A subsequent bioinformatics workflow transformed genomic data into a personalized drug report. Average turnaround from biopsy to report generation was 116 hours (4.8 days). Unsupervised clustering of canine tumor expression data clustered by cancer type, but supervised clustering of tumors based on the personalized drug report clustered by drug class rather than cancer type. Conclusions Collection and turnaround of high quality canine tumor samples, centralized pathology, analyte generation, array hybridization, and bioinformatic analyses matching gene expression to therapeutic options is achievable in a practical clinical window (\u3c1 \u3eweek). Clustering data show robust signatures by cancer type but also showed patient-to-patient heterogeneity in drug predictions. This lends further support to the inclusion of a heterogeneous population of dogs with cancer into the preclinical modeling of personalized medicine. Future comparative oncology studies optimizing the delivery of PMed strategies may aid cancer drug development

Deciphering the origin of cyclical gravel front and shoreline progradation and retrogradation in the stratigraphic record

Nearly all successions of the near-shore strata exhibit cyclical movements of the shoreline, which have commonly been attributed to cyclical oscillations in relative sea level (combining eustasy and subsidence) or, more rarely, to cyclical variations in sediment supply. It has become accepted that cyclical change in sediment delivery from source catchments may lead to cyclical movement of boundaries such as the gravel front, particularly in the proximal segments of sediment-routing systems. In order to quantitatively assess how variations in sediment transport as a consequence of change in relative sea-level and surface run-off control stratigraphic architecture, we develop a simple numerical model of sediment transport and explore the sensitivity of moving boundaries within the sediment-routing system to change in upstream (sediment flux, precipitation rate) and downstream (sea level) controls. We find that downstream controls impact the shoreline and sand front, while the upstream controls can impact the whole system depending on the amplitude of change in sediment flux and precipitation rate. The model implies that under certain conditions, the relative movement of the gravel front and shoreline is a diagnostic marker of whether the sediment-routing system experienced oscillations in sea level or climatic conditions. The model is then used to assess the controls on stratigraphic architecture in a well-documented palaeo-sediment-routing system in the Late Cretaceous Western Interior Seaway of North America. Model results suggest that significant movement of the gravel front is forced by pronounced (±50%) oscillations in precipitation rate. The absence of such movement in gravel front position in the studied strata implies that time-equivalent movement of the shoreline was driven by relative sea-level change. We suggest that tracking the relative trajectories of internal boundaries such as the gravel front and shoreline is a powerful tool in constraining the interpretation of stratigraphic sequences

Chronicles of hypoxia: Time-series buoy observations reveal annually recurring seasonal basin-wide hypoxia in Muskegon Lake – A Great Lakes estuary

We chronicled the seasonally recurring hypolimnetic hypoxia in Muskegon Lake – a Great Lakes estuary over 3 years, and examined its causes and consequences. Muskegon Lake is a mesotrophic drowned river mouth that drains Michigan\u27s 2nd largest watershed into Lake Michigan. A buoy observatory tracked ecosystem changes in the Muskegon Lake Area of Concern (AOC), gathering vital time-series data on the lake\u27s water quality from early summer through late fall from 2011 to 2013 (www.gvsu.edu/buoy). Observatory-based measurements of dissolved oxygen (DO) tracked the gradual development, intensification and breakdown of hypoxia (mild hypoxia b4 mg DO/L, and severe hypoxia b2 mg DO/L) below the ~6 m thermocline in the lake, occurring in synchrony with changes in temperature and phytoplankton biomass in the water column during July–October. Time-series data suggest that proximal causes of the observed seasonal hypolimnetic DO dynamics are stratified summer water-column, reduced wind-driven mixing, longer summer residence time, episodic intrusions of cold DO-rich nearshore Lake Michigan water, nutrient run off from watershed, and phytoplankton blooms. Additional basin-wide water-column profiling (2011–2012) and ship-based seasonal surveys (2003–2013) confirmed that bottom water hypoxia is an annually recurring lake-wide condition. Volumetric hypolimnetic oxygen demand was high (0.07–0.15 mg DO/Liter/day) and comparable to other temperate eutrophic lakes. Over 3 years of intense monitoring, ~9–24% of Muskegon Lake\u27s volume experienced hypoxia for ~29–85 days/year – with the potential for hypolimnetic habitat degradation and sediment phosphorus release leading to further eutrophication. Thus, time-series observatories can provide penetrating insights into the inner workings of ecosystems and their external drivers

Are component positioning and prosthesis size associated with hip resurfacing failure?

BACKGROUND: Recent studies suggest that there is a learning curve for metal-on-metal hip resurfacing. The purpose of this study was to assess whether implant positioning changed with surgeon experience and whether positioning and component sizing were associated with implant longevity. METHODS: We evaluated the first 361 consecutive hip resurfacings performed by a single surgeon, which had a mean follow-up of 59 months (range, 28 to 87 months). Pre and post-operative radiographs were assessed to determine the inclination of the acetabular component, as well as the sagittal and coronal femoral stem-neck angles. Changes in the precision of component placement were determined by assessing changes in the standard deviation of each measurement using variance ratio and linear regression analysis. Additionally, the cup and stem-shaft angles as well as component sizes were compared between the 31 hips that failed over the follow-up period and the surviving components to assess for any differences that might have been associated with an increased risk for failure. RESULTS: Surgeon experience was correlated with improved precision of the antero-posterior and lateral positioning of the femoral component. However, femoral and acetabular radiographic implant positioning angles were not different between the surviving hips and failures. The failures had smaller mean femoral component diameters as compared to the non-failure group (44 versus 47 millimeters). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that there may be differences in implant positioning in early versus late learning curve procedures, but that in the absence of recognized risk factors such as intra-operative notching of the femoral neck and cup inclination in excess of 50 degrees, component positioning does not appear to be associated with failure. Nevertheless, surgeons should exercise caution in operating patients with small femoral necks, especially when they are early in the learning curve

Exploring consumer exposure pathways and patterns of use for chemicals in the environment

AbstractHumans are exposed to thousands of chemicals in the workplace, home, and via air, water, food, and soil. A major challenge in estimating chemical exposures is to understand which chemicals are present in these media and microenvironments. Here we describe the Chemical/Product Categories Database (CPCat), a new, publically available (http://actor.epa.gov/cpcat) database of information on chemicals mapped to “use categories” describing the usage or function of the chemical. CPCat was created by combining multiple and diverse sources of data on consumer- and industrial-process based chemical uses from regulatory agencies, manufacturers, and retailers in various countries. The database uses a controlled vocabulary of 833 terms and a novel nomenclature to capture and streamline descriptors of chemical use for 43,596 chemicals from the various sources. Examples of potential applications of CPCat are provided, including identifying chemicals to which children may be exposed and to support prioritization of chemicals for toxicity screening. CPCat is expected to be a valuable resource for regulators, risk assessors, and exposure scientists to identify potential sources of human exposures and exposure pathways, particularly for use in high-throughput chemical exposure assessment

In-Vivo Biodistribution and Safety of 99mTc-LLP2A-HYNIC in Canine Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

Theranostic agents are critical for improving the diagnosis and treatment of non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL). The peptidomimetic LLP2A is a novel peptide receptor radiotherapy candidate for treating NHL that expresses the activated α4β1 integrin. Tumor-bearing dogs are an excellent model of human NHL with similar clinical characteristics, behavior, and compressed clinical course. Canine in vivo imaging studies will provide valuable biodistribution and affinity information that reflects a diverse clinical population of lymphoma. This may also help to determine potential dose-limiting radiotoxicity to organs in human clinical trials. To validate this construct in a naturally occurring model of NHL, we performed in-vivo molecular targeted imaging and biodistribution in 3 normal dogs and 5 NHL bearing dogs. 99mTc-LLP2A-HYNIC-PEG and 99mTc-LLP2A-HYNIC were successfully synthesized and had very good labeling efficiency and radiochemical purity. 99mTc-LLP2A-HYNIC and 99mTc-LLP2A-HYNIC-PEG had biodistribution in keeping with their molecular size, with 99mTc-LLP2A-HYNIC-PEG remaining longer in the circulation, having higher tissue uptake, and having more activity in the liver compared to 99mTc-LLP2A-HYNIC. 99mTc-LLP2A-HYNIC was mainly eliminated through the kidneys with some residual activity. Radioactivity was reduced to near-background levels at 6 hours after injection. In NHL dogs, tumor showed moderately increased activity over background, with tumor activity in B-cell lymphoma dogs decreasing after chemotherapy. This compound is promising in the development of targeted drug-delivery radiopharmaceuticals and may contribute to translational work in people affected by non-Hodgkin lymphoma