The Qur’an and Christianity

This chapter advocates a critical stance towards both normative Christianity and normative Islamic tradition but highlights the inadequacies of revisionist histories of early Islam. It suggests that the fātiḥa was intended to replace the Lord’s Prayer and that sura 112 was a response to the Christology of the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed. It finds a precedent for the 114 suras of the Qur’an in the 114 logia of the Gospel of Thomas. It argues that Q. 7:157 was revealed in Medina but concedes that Q. 61:6b may be a later editorial addition. However, it stresses that regardless of whether these two passages are authentic the biblical teaching about the prophet like Moses and the Paraclete is the key to understanding the dynamics of the Qur’anic discourse. It maintains that the Qur’an is not concerned with the death of Jesus as such. Rather Q. 4:156–7 rebuts Jewish anti-Christian polemic and Q. 3:55 serves to strengthen the believers in the face of death and defeat. Q. 5:112–5 differs from the biblical accounts of the last supper because the crucifixion is not viewed as an act of atonement. The three elements in Jesus’ name, al-Masīḥ ʿĪsā Ibn Maryam, are examined in the light of the Qur’anic chronology, philology, and the New Testament. The background to the designation of Christians as naṣārā is explored with reference to the New Testament and other pre-Islamic sources.

STUDIES OF MESON PRODUCTION AND DECAYS IN pd → 3He X WITH WASA-at-COSY

Studies of meson production in the pd → 3He X reaction, where X = η, η′ and ω, and their decays are investigated with the WASA-at-COSY facility. The angular distribution of the η in the center of mass of the 3He-η system, have been measured at an excess energy of Q = 61 MeV over the full angular range. The anisotropy expected at the relatively large Q is observed.

The Clinical Pharmacokinetics of Quinapril

Quinapril (Q) and quinaprilat (QT) pharmacokinetics are dose pro portional following single oral 2.5- to 80-mg Q doses. Q absorption and hy drolysis to QT is rapid with peak Q and QT concentrations occurring one and two hours postdose, respectively. Peak plasma QT concentrations were approximately fourfold higher than those of Q (923 vs 207 ng/mL follow ing 40-mg Q). Dose-proportional QT area under the curve and dose-inde pendent percent of dose excreted in urine as QT demonstrate that the ex tent of Q conversion to QT is con stant over the dose range studied. Q and QT were eliminated from plasma with apparent half-lives of 0.8 and 1.9 hours and apparent plasma clear ances of 1,850 and 220 mL/min, re spectively, over the 2.5- to 80-mg dose range. Following oral 14C-Q, 61% and 37% of radiolabel was recovered in urine and feces, respectively. Q plus QT accounted for 46% of radioactiv ity circulating in plasma and 56% of that excreted in urine. Metabolism to compounds other than QT is not extensive. Two diketo piperazine metabolites of Q have been identified in plasma and urine, with approximately 6% of an admin istered dose excreted in urine as each of these metabolites. Peak plasma concentrations of these metabolites are similar to that of Q, and each is eliminated rapidly with a half-life of approximately one hour. Urinary ex cretion profiles indicate the presence of other minor metabolites. In summary, the absorption of Q and conversion to QT is rapid and dose-proportional, subsequent clear ance of both Q and QT is independ ent of dose, and metabolism to compounds other than QT is not ex tensive.