THEOLOGY OF NAHJ AL-BALĀGHAH

Nahj al-Balāghah is a book consisting of the sermons, letters and short words of wisdom of Imam ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib (d. 40/661), compiled by the fourth century Shiʿi scholar and poet Muḥammad ibn Ḥusayn al-Mūsawī, more commonly known as al-Sharīf al-Raḍī (d. 406/1015). It contains important theological discussions reflecting Imamī beliefs. By the fourth Islamic century, it was established that the core Twelver Shiʿi Imamī theology, uṣūl al-dīn, consisted of the following: tawḥīd (monotheism), ʿadālah (divine justice), nubūwah (prophethood), Imamah (divinely appointed leadership), and maʿād (resurrection and the afterlife). Imam ʿAlī discussed all these topics in Nahj al-Balāghah in a manner and style that is notably different form the language used by fourth Islamic century theologians. This thesis is the first work in English that explores the five uṣūl al-dīn as discussed in Nahj al-Balāghah. The first chapter introduces this work and gives an overview of Imam ʿAlī, al-Sharīf al-Raḍī, Nahj al-Balāghah, and the methodology of the work. Chapter 2 examines the main theological topics that were discussed in the third and fourth Islamic centuries. It also critiques two major works and refutes the idea that Shiʿi scholars such as al-Shaykh al-Mufīd (d. 413/1022) and al-Sharīf al-Murtaḍā (d. 436/1044) were influenced by Muʿtazilī ideologies. Chapter 3 explores tawḥīd in Nahj al-Balāghah while also comparing Shiʿi beliefs to those of Muʿtazilīs and Ashʿarīs. Chapter 4 reviews the concept of ʿadālah in Nahj al-Balāghah and considers the Imamī stand versus Muʿtazilī and Ashʿarī theologies. Chapter 5 looks at nubūwah in Nahj al-Balāghah, and it shows that the topics mentioned by Imam ʿAlī form the basis for al-Sharīf al-Murtaḍā’s description of the qualities of prophets. Chapter 6 is about Imamah in Nahj al-Balāghah, which is the most contentious issue discussed by early Shiʿi theologians, and arguably the first to be debated immediately after the death of the Prophet Muḥammad. Chapter 7 discusses the concept of maʿād in the Nahj, and how Imam ʿAlī revolves the essence of life around God-wariness (taqwā Allāh) and achieving the pleasure of God. The belief in the Hereafter encourages a person to have a virtuous character and drives one to implement justice in all one’s interactions. This dissertation is among the few works in western scholarship that investigates Nahj al-Balāghah, one of the most important books in Shiʿi Islam. It demonstrates that Imam ʿAlī discussed important theological themes long before they were explored by early Muslim theologians. It shows that concepts such as God and His attributes, free will and predetermination, the essence of prophethood and Imamah, as well as death, physical resurrection and the afterlife are all explored in Nahj al-Balāghah. This establishes Imam ʿAlī as the founder of ʿilm al-kalām, and his inevitable influence can be observed in Muʿtazilī theology. Instead of studying theology per early theologians and scholars, this thesis derives theological understanding directly from the words of Imam ʿAlī. The thesis concludes that the core of the entire corpus of Twelver Imamī Shiʿi belief is presented in Nahj al-Balāghah, providing a solid foundational basis for the followers of Imam ʿAlī

Approximate Integrity Constraints in Incomplete Databases With Limited Domains

In case of incomplete database tables, a possible world is obtained by replacing any missing value by a value from the corresponding attribute's domain that can be infinite. A possible key or possible functional dependency constraint is satisfied by an incomplete table if we can obtain a possible world that satisfies the given key or functional dependency. On the other hand, a certain key or certain functional dependency holds if all possible worlds satisfy the constraint, A strongly possible constraint is an intermediate concept between possible and certain constraints, based on the strongly possible world approach (a strongly possible world is obtained by replacing \nul's by a value from the ones appearing in the corresponding attribute of the table). A strongly possible key or functional dependency holds in an incomplete table if there exists a strongly possible world that satisfies the given constraint. In the present paper, we introduce strongly possible versions of multivalued dependencies and cross joins, and we analyse the complexity of checking the validity of a given strongly possible cross joins. We also study approximation measures of strongly possible keys (spKeys), functional dependencies (spFDs), multivalued dependencies (spMVDs) and cross joins (spCJs). We also treat complexity questions of determination of the approximation values

Strongly possible functional dependencies for SQL

Missing data is a large-scale challenge to research and investigate. It reduces the statistical power and produces negative consequences that may introduce selection bias on the data. Many approaches to handle this problem have been introduced. The main approaches suggested are either missing values to be ignored (removed) or imputed (filled in) with new values. This paper uses the second method. Possible worlds and possible and certain keys were introduced in Köhler et.al., and by Levene et.al. Köhler and Link introduced certain functional dependencies (c-FD) as a natural complement to Lien's class of possible functional dependencies (p-FD). Weak and strong functional dependencies were studied by Levene and Loizou. We introduced the intermediate concept of strongly possible worlds that are obtained by imputing values already existing in the table in a preceding paper. This results in strongly possible keys (spKey's) and strongly possible functional dependencies (spFD's). We give a polynomial algorithm to verify a single spKey and show that in general, it is NP-complete to verify an arbitrary collection of spKeys. We give a graph-theoretical characterization of the validity of a given spFD X →sp Y. We show, that the complexity to verify a single strongly possible functional dependency is NP-complete in general, then we introduce some cases when verifying a single spFD can be done in polynomial time. As a step forward axiomatization of spFD's, the rules given for weak and strong functional dependencies are checked. Appropriate weakenings of those that are not sound for spFD's are listed. The interaction between spFD's and spKey's and certain keys is studied. Furthermore, a graph theoretical characterization of implication between singular attribute spFD's is given

The value of KRAS mutation testing with CEA for the diagnosis of pancreatic mucinous cysts

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Pancreatic cyst fluid (PCF) CEA has been shown to be the most accurate preoperative test for detection of cystic mucinous neoplasms (CMNs). This study aimed to assess the added value of PCF KRAS mutational analysis to CEA for diagnosis of CMNs. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This is a retrospective study of prospectively collected endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) fine-needle aspiration (FNA) data. KRAS mutation was determined by direct sequencing or equivalent methods. Cysts were classified histologically (surgical cohort) or by clinical (EUS or FNA) findings (clinical cohort). Performance characteristics of KRAS, CEA and their combination for detection of a cystic mucinous neoplasm (CMN) and malignancy were calculated. RESULTS: The study cohort consisted of 943 patients: 147 in the surgical cohort and 796 in the clinical cohort. Overall, KRAS and CEA each had high specificity (100 % and 93.2 %), but low sensitivity (48.3 % and 56.3 %) for the diagnosis of a CMN. The positivity of KRAS or CEA increased the diagnostic accuracy (80.8 %) and AUC (0.84) significantly compared to KRAS (65.3 % and 0.74) or CEA (65.8 % and 0.74) alone, but only in the clinical cohort (P < 0.0001 for both). KRAS mutation was significantly more frequent in malignant CMNs compared to histologically confirmed non-malignant CMNs (73 % vs. 37 %, P = 0.001). The negative predictive value of KRAS mutation was 77.6 % in differentiating non-malignant cysts. CONCLUSIONS: The detection of a KRAS mutation in PCF is a highly specific test for mucinous cysts. It outperforms CEA for sensitivity in mucinous cyst diagnosis, but the data does not support its routine use

Awareness and Adherence to the Guideline-Directed Medical Therapy for Treatment of Diabetes Among Physicians in Aden, Yemen: A Nationwide Survey

This study examines the awareness and adherence of physicians in Aden, Yemen, to national diabetes management guidelines, focusing on the challenges affecting implementation. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in July 2023 with 115 physicians from various hospitals in Aden, Yemen. The survey explored physicians\u27 familiarity with the guidelines, the frequency of their review, and perceived obstacles to adherence. The sample comprised 70 male (60.9%) and 45 female (39.1%) physicians, with most working in urban hospitals (73.9%). The majority (91.3%) were aged 60 or younger, and 56.5% were specialists, including endocrinologists and internal medicine physicians. The findings revealed that 68% of physicians were aware of the guidelines, with 93% adhering to them for most patients. A significant 67% felt the guidelines improved patient outcomes, and 75% were confident in implementing them. However, 77% of respondents faced barriers to full implementation, such as limited resources, patient non-compliance, and insufficient training. Despite high awareness, adherence was hindered by these challenges. The study underscores the need for better resource allocation, targeted educational initiatives, and ongoing professional development to enhance adherence to diabetes management guidelines and improve patient care outcomes in Yemen

Chemically defined conditions mediate an efficient induction of dental pulp pluripotent-like stem cells into hepatocyte-like cells

Liver diseases are major causes of morbidity and mortality. Dental pulp pluripotent-like stem cells (DPPSCs) are of a considerable promise in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine as a new source of tissue-specific cells; therefore, this study is aimed at demonstrating their ability to generate functional hepatocyte-like cells in vitro. Cells were differentiated on a collagen scaffold in serum-free media supplemented with growth factors and cytokines to recapitulate liver development. At day 5, the differentiated DPPSC cells expressed the endodermal markers FOXA1 and FOXA2. Then, the cells were derived into the hepatic lineage generating hepatocyte-like cells. In addition to the associated morphological changes, the cells expressed the hepatic genes HNF6 and AFP. The terminally differentiated hepatocyte-like cells expressed the liver functional proteins albumin and CYP3A4. In this study, we report an efficient serum-free protocol to differentiate DPPSCs into functional hepatocyte-like cells. Our approach promotes the use of DPPSCs as a new source of adult stem cells for prospective use in liver regenerative medicine.This study was funded by the Universitat Internacional de Catalunya (UIC), the Agència de Gestió d’Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca, Generalitat de Catalunya project number (SGR 1060 for MA), the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS), and the Dasman Diabetes Institute under project number (RA-2013-009 for AAM). CGR, EMS, and RNT were funded by the predoctoral grant Junior Faculty award from the Obra Social, 'la Caixa' Foundation, and UIC

Systematic Review of Medicine-Related Problems in Adult Patients with Atrial Fibrillation on Direct Oral Anticoagulants

New oral anticoagulant agents continue to emerge on the market and their safety requires assessment to provide evidence of their suitability for clinical use. There-fore, we searched standard databases to summarize the English language literature on medicine-related problems (MRPs) of direct oral anticoagulants DOACs (dabigtran, rivaroxban, apixban, and edoxban) in the treatment of adults with atri-al fibrillation. Electronic databases including Medline, Embase, International Pharmaceutical Abstract (IPA), Scopus, CINAHL, the Web of Science and Cochrane were searched from 2008 through 2016 for original articles. Studies pub-lished in English reporting MRPs of DOACs in adult patients with AF were in-cluded. Seventeen studies were identified using standardized protocols, and two reviewers serially abstracted data from each article. Most articles were inconclusive on major safety end points including major bleeding. Data on major safety end points were combined with efficacy. Most studies inconsistently reported adverse drug reactions and not adverse events or medication error, and no definitions were consistent across studies. Some harmful drug effects were not assessed in studies and may have been overlooked. Little evidence is provided on MRPs of DOACs in patients with AF and, therefore, further studies are needed to establish the safety of DOACs in real-life clinical practice

Nuclear astrophysics with radioactive ions at FAIR

The nucleosynthesis of elements beyond iron is dominated by neutron captures in the s and r processes. However, 32 stable, proton-rich isotopes cannot be formed during those processes, because they are shielded from the s-process flow and r-process, β-decay chains. These nuclei are attributed to the p and rp process. For all those processes, current research in nuclear astrophysics addresses the need for more precise reaction data involving radioactive isotopes. Depending on the particular reaction, direct or inverse kinematics, forward or time-reversed direction are investigated to determine or at least to constrain the desired reaction cross sections. The Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research (FAIR) will offer unique, unprecedented opportunities to investigate many of the important reactions. The high yield of radioactive isotopes, even far away from the valley of stability, allows the investigation of isotopes involved in processes as exotic as the r or rp processes

Improved functionalization of oleic acid-coated iron oxide nanoparticles for biomedical applications

Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles can providemultiple benefits for biomedical applications in aqueous environments such asmagnetic separation or magnetic resonance imaging. To increase the colloidal stability and allow subsequent reactions, the introduction of hydrophilic functional groups onto the particles’ surface is essential. During this process, the original coating is exchanged by preferably covalently bonded ligands such as trialkoxysilanes. The duration of the silane exchange reaction, which commonly takes more than 24 h, is an important drawback for this approach. In this paper, we present a novel method, which introduces ultrasonication as an energy source to dramatically accelerate this process, resulting in high-quality waterdispersible nanoparticles around 10 nmin size. To prove the generic character, different functional groups were introduced on the surface including polyethylene glycol chains, carboxylic acid, amine, and thiol groups. Their colloidal stability in various aqueous buffer solutions as well as human plasma and serum was investigated to allow implementation in biomedical and sensing applications.status: publishe

Why Are Outcomes Different for Registry Patients Enrolled Prospectively and Retrospectively? Insights from the Global Anticoagulant Registry in the FIELD-Atrial Fibrillation (GARFIELD-AF).

Background: Retrospective and prospective observational studies are designed to reflect real-world evidence on clinical practice, but can yield conflicting results. The GARFIELD-AF Registry includes both methods of enrolment and allows analysis of differences in patient characteristics and outcomes that may result. Methods and Results: Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and ≥1 risk factor for stroke at diagnosis of AF were recruited either retrospectively (n = 5069) or prospectively (n = 5501) from 19 countries and then followed prospectively. The retrospectively enrolled cohort comprised patients with established AF (for a least 6, and up to 24 months before enrolment), who were identified retrospectively (and baseline and partial follow-up data were collected from the emedical records) and then followed prospectively between 0-18 months (such that the total time of follow-up was 24 months; data collection Dec-2009 and Oct-2010). In the prospectively enrolled cohort, patients with newly diagnosed AF (≤6 weeks after diagnosis) were recruited between Mar-2010 and Oct-2011 and were followed for 24 months after enrolment. Differences between the cohorts were observed in clinical characteristics, including type of AF, stroke prevention strategies, and event rates. More patients in the retrospectively identified cohort received vitamin K antagonists (62.1% vs. 53.2%) and fewer received non-vitamin K oral anticoagulants (1.8% vs . 4.2%). All-cause mortality rates per 100 person-years during the prospective follow-up (starting the first study visit up to 1 year) were significantly lower in the retrospective than prospectively identified cohort (3.04 [95% CI 2.51 to 3.67] vs . 4.05 [95% CI 3.53 to 4.63]; p = 0.016). Conclusions: Interpretations of data from registries that aim to evaluate the characteristics and outcomes of patients with AF must take account of differences in registry design and the impact of recall bias and survivorship bias that is incurred with retrospective enrolment. Clinical Trial Registration: - URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov . Unique identifier for GARFIELD-AF (NCT01090362)