Remote Past Research Articles

The neurobiology of depression

Depressive disorder is a long term, relapsing condition associated with high levels of disability and mortality. It has a neurobiological basis and is associated with functional and structural brain abnormalities. The data discussed have been obtained mainly from meta-analyses, randomized controlled clinical trials and key review papers as well as animal studies. Genetic vulnerability and stress are key factors in its aetiopathogenesis. Dysregulation of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis reduces hippocampal volumes and prefrontal cortex (PFC) activity in depressed patients and disrupts homeostasis within the neurocircuit of depression. Antidepressant drugs increase brain-derived neurotrophin, restoring neuronal growth and activity and modulate interactions between the neurocircuit anatomical structures. It remains to be confirmed whether structural changes in the brain are purely abnormalities in neuroplasticity and are fully reversible, whether they predate depression and whether they increase in the long term. Investigation of the molecular mechanisms mediating gene and environment interaction is a growing and potentially fruitful area of research in the neurobiology of depression. Further elucidation of the neuroanatomical and physiological connections between the limbic structures and PFC may help identify key areas to target in treatment. The role of the dysregulation of the HPA axis and identifiable stressors in the recent or remote past which are not always present in depression need further study. Prospective studies examining the interaction between changes in brain function and structure in relation to stress and identified relevant genes and how these may be influenced by antidepressant drug treatment and the long-term course of depression would help clarify their role in the pathophysiology of this disorder.

Dynamical generalized Hurst exponent as a tool to monitor unstable periods in financial time series

We investigate the use of the Hurst exponent, dynamically computed over a weighted moving time-window, to evaluate the level of stability/instability of financial firms. Financial firms bailed-out as a consequence of the 2007–2008 credit crisis show a neat increase with time of the generalized Hurst exponent in the period preceding the unfolding of the crisis. Conversely, firms belonging to other market sectors, which suffered the least throughout the crisis, show opposite behaviors. We find that the multifractality of the bailed-out firms increase at the crisis suggesting that the multi fractal properties of the time series are changing. These findings suggest the possibility of using the scaling behavior as a tool to track the level of stability of a firm. In this paper, we introduce a method to compute the generalized Hurst exponent which assigns larger weights to more recent events with respect to older ones. In this way large fluctuations in the remote past are less likely to influence the recent past. We also investigate the scaling associated with the tails of the log-returns distributions and compare this scaling with the scaling associated with the Hurst exponent, observing that the processes underlying the price dynamics of these firms are truly multi-scaling.

Behavioral and Healthcare-Associated Risk Factors for Chronic Hepatitis C Virus Infection in Korea

The risk factors related to hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection showed geographic and temporal differences. We investigated HCV-related risk factors in Korea where intravenous drug use (IVDU) is uncommon. The HCV-related risk factors were investigated in a prospective, multicenter chronic HCV cohort (n = 711) using a standardized questionnaire in four university hospitals. The results were compared with those of 206 patients with chronic liver diseases not related to either of HCV or hepatitis B virus infection (comparison group). The IVDU was found in 3.9% and remote blood transfusion (≥ 20 yr ago) in 18.3% in HCV cohort group, while that in comparison group was in none and 5.3%, respectively. In a multivariate logistic analysis, transfusion in the remote past (odds ratio [OR], 2.99), needle stick injury (OR, 4.72), surgery (OR, 1.89), dental procedures (OR, 2.96), tattooing (OR, 2.07), and multiple sexual partners (2-3 persons; OR, 2.14, ≥ 4 persons; OR, 3.19), were independent risk factors for HCV infection. In conclusion, the major risk factors for HCV infection in Korea are mostly related to conventional or alterative healthcare procedures such as blood transfusion in the remote past, needle stick injury, surgery, dental procedure, and tattooing although multiple sex partners or IVDU plays a minor role.

Tense/Aspect Shifting in Kala Lagaw Ya Oral Narratives

Kala Lagaw Ya is the language of the Western Torres Strait islands, with two main dialects centred around Saibai Island and Mabuiag Island. It exhibits complex tense/aspect marking involving both temporal remoteness distinctions (‘metrical tense’) and aspectual distinctions. This article investigates the discourse-semantics of tense/aspect marking in a small corpus of oral traditional narratives from the Mabuiag dialect. Unsurprisingly, the resources of the ‘metrical tense system’ are not fully exploited in the narrative texts, which exhibit a restricted range of ‘narrative’ past tense marking including the Remote Past Perfective, a Remote Past Imperfective and a Present (or Non-Future) tense. The focus of the article is on patterns of distribution and shift between the Remote Past Perfective and the Present tense. Both these tenses are used extensively with ‘Narration’ function: to mark sequences of events on the narrative timeline. In some stories the Remote Past Perfective functions as the default framing tense, with the Present tending to be used in the middle of the story, and in particular in subjectively evaluated narrative ‘highpoints’. However stories are also found which are told predominantly in the Present tense. Patterns of consistent clustering vs. rapid alternations of the two tenses are also discussed and compared with the episodic and expressive structure of the stories. The article illustrates the usefulness of considering discourse data in understanding the meanings and functions of forms within an inflectional paradigm of this kind, and contributes to the range of language types for which tense/aspect shifting has been investigated.

Remote spatial memory in aging: all is not lost

The ability to acquire and retain spatial memories in order to navigate in new environments is known to decline with age, but little is known about the effect of aging on representations of environments learned long ago, in the remote past. To investigate the status of remote spatial memory in old age, we tested healthy young and older adults on a variety of mental navigation tests based on a large-scale city environment that was very familiar to participants but rarely visited by the older adults in recent years. We show that whereas performance on a route learning test of new spatial learning was significantly worse in older than younger adults, performance was comparable or better in the older adults on mental navigation tests based on a well-known environment learned long ago. An exception was in the older adults' ability to vividly re-experience the well-known environment, and recognize and represent the visual details contained within it. The results are seen as analogous to the pattern of better semantic than episodic memory that has been found to accompany healthy aging.

Plague Times: Scientific Internationalism and the Manchurian Plague of 1910/1911

Among epidemic diseases, plague is particularly charged with historical memory and ominous cultural connotations. In many parts of the world, plague's seemingly mysterious origins, its gruesome ways of spreading, and its powers of devastation have raised it to a symbol of evil. In several languages, the word “plague” itself has become synonymous with scourge and universal disaster over the centuries. However, plague is not only a disease from the remote past; it also exemplifies the biological globalisation of modern times, highlighting at once socio-biological phenomena, global connectedness, and other dimensions of modernity. In particular, outbreaks of the so-called third plague pandemic from the late nineteenth to the mid-twentieth century made the disease an oppressive reality in many regions of the world.

Adiabatic Non-Equilibrium Steady States in the Partition Free Approach

Consider a small sample coupled to a finite number of leads, and assume that the total (continuous) system is at thermal equilibrium in the remote past. We construct a non-equilibrium steady state (NESS) by adiabatically turning on an electrical bias between the leads. The main mathematical challenge is to show that certain adiabatic wave operators exist, and to identify their strong limit when the adiabatic parameter tends to zero. Our NESS is different from, though closely related with the NESS provided by the Jak{\v s}i{\'c}-Pillet-Ruelle approach. Thus we partly settle a question asked by Caroli {\it et al} in 1971 regarding the (non)equivalence between the partitioned and partition-free approaches.

A Mother for All Seasons

A Mother for All Seasons

Odour-induced mental time travel into the past and future: Do odour cues retain a unique link to our distant past?

Proustian memories, or memories spontaneously evoked by taste and odours, have been argued to be uniquely linked to our remote past. This view suggests an asymmetry between odour-cued memories and odour-cued representations of future events regarding their temporal distance to the present. We investigated the temporal distribution and other phenomenological qualities of autobiographical memories and future events employing a 2 (temporal direction: past vs future)×3 (cue type: verbal, visual, and odour) mixed design. We found that while odour-evoked memories were predominantly from the first decade of life, the future condition showed a marked preponderance of odour-cued events in the upcoming year. Odour-evoked memories were also less specific than the verbal and visual conditions. The odour condition was responsible for interactions concerning coherency of the events and the events’ significance to the life story. The results support the view that odours possess a unique ability to evoke remote autobiographical memories.

Massive Portal Venous Gas Related to Small Bowel Ischemia

Purpose: Aim: To describe a case of massive portal venous gas (PVG) related to small bowel ischemia and highlight the radiographic findings related to this clinical entity. Case Report: A morbidly obese and diabetic 76 yo female presented with a 3 day history of constipation, mid abdominal pain and vomiting. Surgical history was significant for prior hysterectomy with partial colon resection, temporary colostomy placement and incidental appendectomy in the remote past (related to a migrated intrauterine device). Upon admission, CT of the abdomen/pelvis revealed dilated loops of small bowel and a ventral hernia which contained a loop of transverse colon. The latter had been seen on a CT scan performed 2 years previously. The primary care team believed symptoms were related to a fecal impaction, and the patient was treated with manual fecal disimpaction, tap water enemas and intravenous hydration. 72 hours following hospital admission, abdominal pain worsened and vomiting recurred. An obstruction series revealed dilated small intestine and stomach, and the radiologist interpreted it as also demonstrating either pneumobilia or portal venous gas (PVG). 12 hours later, GI consultation was sought after dark red-colored hematemesis occurred. At this point the patient became hypotensive and required vigorous intravascular fluid expansion and a vasopressor to maintain relative hypotension. Review of the recently performed plain abdominal radiograph suggested that massive PVG was undoubtedly present (branching air lucencies were noted to extend to the periphery of the liver). Intestinal ischemia was suspected, broad-spectrum antibiotics were started and immediate laparotomy was orchestrated (within 60 minutes of GI consultation). At laparotomy, the entire small bowel was severely ischemic-appearing, but it was macroscopically judged to be viable, after a pelvic adhesive band was lysed, which appeared to be the cause of intestinal obstruction and secondary ischemia (the ventral hernia which contained a loop of transverse colon was incidental). On the following day, hypotension persisted and both respiratory and renal failure ensued. Repeat laparotomy was declined by the patient and her family. The patient expired later that day. Conclusions: (1) Small intestinal obstruction should not be attributed to rectal fecal impaction, (2) PVG produces branching air lucencies which extend to the periphery of the liver, (3) In the setting of acute abdominal pain and hypotension, the finding of PVG suggests an intra-abdominal catastrophe which mandates emergent laparotomy.

Hermeneutics and Cognitive Science: A Preliminary Approach

The text is believed the main source of information the man thought about and felt in the remote past. Hence it follows that hermeneutics, as a domain of science, related to understanding and interpretation of texts, is the main source realizing the way people thought and felt in the remote past. However, nowadays investigation of narrative strategies is located far on the periphery of cognitive science. Therefore, the main purpose of this paper is to change the current situation. In order to demonstrate the possibility for such a change the author proposes some general ideas of applying hermeneutic procedures to cognitive science and illustrates them with two examples, with The Code of Hammurabi, the Babylonian law code, dated back to around 18th century B.C., and the modern autobiography of Eugenia Grigorievna Kiseleva, an uneducated Russian woman with a 4-year primary school education, published in 1996 in its original version, without editor corrections. The cognitive base for the narrative analysis is L. Vygotsky's concept of complex thinking and his interpretation of K.Levin's theory of psychological field.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Incidental Findings of Lateral Ankle Pathologic Features with Asymptomatic Ankles

We prospectively evaluated 102 magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations in 100 patients with asymptomatic lateral ankles. The patients were undergoing MRI for other ankle pathologic features, including medial ankle, posterior ankle, soft tissue masses, or Achilles tendon pain. No patient had had a recent lateral ankle injury or any surgery. Whether the anterior talofibular ligament, calcaneofibular ligament, and peroneal tendons were intact, torn, or absent was recorded. The average patient age was 46.4 years. Of the 100 patients, 67 (66%) had no history of a lateral ankle sprain, and 35 (34%) had sustained 1 or more sprains in the remote past. Also, 72 had an intact anterior talofibular ligament (71%), 90 had an intact calcaneofibular ligament (89%), 67 had intact peroneus brevis tendons (66%), and 68 (67%) had intact peroneus longus tendons. One accessory peroneal tendon was noted. Approximately 30% of asymptomatic patients undergoing MRI had abnormal anterior talofibular ligaments and peronei. Because the published data show that functional rehabilitation is successful for 90% of symptomatic lateral ankle patients, caution is warranted if choosing surgical treatment on the basis of the MRI findings alone.

The Neural Substrates of Recognition Memory for Verbal Information: Spanning the Divide between Short- and Long-term Memory

One of the classic categorical divisions in the history of memory research is that between short-term and long-term memory. Indeed, because memory for the immediate past (a few seconds) and memory for the relatively more remote past (several seconds and beyond) are assumed to rely on distinct neural systems, more often than not, memory research has focused either on short- (or "working memory") or on long-term memory. Using an auditory-verbal continuous recognition paradigm designed for fMRI, we examined how the neural signatures of recognition memory change across an interval of time (from 2.5 to 30 sec) that spans this hypothetical division between short- and long-term memory. The results revealed that activity during successful auditory-verbal item recognition in inferior parietal cortex and the posterior superior temporal lobe was maximal for early lags, whereas, conversely, activity in the left inferior frontal gyrus increased as a function of lag. Taken together, the results reveal that as the interval between item repetitions increases, there is a shift in the distribution of memory-related activity that moves from posterior temporo-parietal cortex (lags 1-4) to inferior frontal regions (lags 5-10), indicating that as time advances, the burden of recognition memory is increasingly placed on top-down retrieval mechanisms that are mediated by structures in inferior frontal cortex.

Pulmonary strongyloidiasis associated CD3+ large granular lymphocytosis

We report a case of pulmonary strongyloidiasis in a patient with large granular lymphocytosis. He was on short-term high dose immunosuppressant therapy. A 77-year-old white male presented to the emergency room with fever and shortness of breath for 10 days. The patient had been diagnosed about 3 months prior to this presentation with “large granular lymphocytosis” (LGL) after a workup for pancytopenia. Methotrexate and prednisone had been started 1 month ago for the treatment of LGL. Five days prior to the current presentation, he had been started on moxifloxacin as an outpatient but got progressively worse and came to an emergency room. Bronchial washings (bronchoalveolar lavage) demonstrated numerous filariform larvae of Strongyloides stercoralis. The patient was treated with ivermectin and improved. Pulmonary strongyloidiasis should be considered in the differential if X-ray findings show a interstitial or alveolar pattern and if the patient has visited the endemic areas, even in the remote past.

State Observers with Random Sampling Times and Convergence Analysis of Double-Indexed and Randomly Weighted Sums of Mixing Processes

Algorithms for system identification, estimation, and adaptive control in stochastic systems rely mostly on different types of signal averaging to achieve uncertainty reduction, convergence, stability, and performance enhancement. The core of such algorithms is various types of laws of large numbers that reduce the effect of noises when they are averaged. Many of the noise sequences encountered are often correlated and nonwhite. In the case of state estimation using quantized information such as in networked systems, convergence must be analyzed on double-indexed and randomly weighted sums of mixing-type stochastic processes, which are correlated with the remote past and distant future being asymptotically independent. This paper presents new results on convergence analysis of such processes. Strong laws of large numbers and convergence rates for such problems are established. These results resolve some fundamental issues in state observer designs with random sampling times, quantized information processing, and other applications.

Raising the Bar: Mary Elizabeth Garrett, M. Carey Thomas, and the Johns Hopkins Medical School

In his definitive history on the early days of the Johns Hopkins Medical School, Alan Chesney wrote of Mary Elizabeth Garrett as follows: “For to this lady, more than any other single person, save only Johns Hopkins himself, does the School of Medicine owe its being” (1). Strong words indeed, and doubly important because of the truth they convey. Most knowledgeable individuals are vaguely aware of the storyline here. The long-awaited opening of the medical school called for in Mr. Hopkins' will had been delayed because of an economic downturn in the late 1880s, during which the Baltimore and Ohio (B&O) railroad stock, which comprised much of the financial underpinning of the school, had stopped paying dividends. The money to open the school simply wasn't there. This provided the perfect opportunity for Mary Garrett and her determined band of friends—perhaps accomplices is a better term here—to ride to the rescue, while exacting concessions which some trustees, and especially Hopkins President Daniel Coit Gilman, considered to be harsh and unreasonable in the extreme. Who was Mary Elizabeth Garrett? Who were those able and determined friends who worked with her to accomplish their goals? What else did they accomplish in their lifetimes to set them apart from other women of their times? And, lest we think that this story dwells in the remote past and has no resonance in our modern era, consider that Mary Elizabeth Garrett garnered the third-highest vote in a recent Johns Hopkins poll to name the four “schools” in a proposed reorganization of the medical school curriculum. (Those names, incidentally, are to be Florence Sabin, Helen Taussig, Daniel Nathans, and Vivian Thomas.)

Epic Rapes in theFasti

Previous articleNext article No AccessEpic Rapes in the FastiJulia D. HejdukJulia D. HejdukBaylor University Search for more articles by this author Baylor UniversityPDFPDF PLUS Add to favoritesDownload CitationTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints Share onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail SectionsMoreDetailsFiguresReferencesCited by Classical Philology Volume 106, Number 1January 2011 Article DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1086/659108 Views: 141Total views on this site Citations: 1Citations are reported from Crossref © 2011 by The University of Chicago. All rights reserved.PDF download Crossref reports the following articles citing this article:Fanny Dolansky Regal Resonances: Ovid, the princeps , and the Remote Past in Fasti 2, 4, and 6, Illinois Classical Studies 45, no.11 (Apr 2020): 80–108.https://doi.org/10.5406/illiclasstud.45.1.0080

Semi-underground house models as new concepts for urban sustainable environment

The underground and semi-underground construction is a building type whose traces are lost in the past: from Cappadocia to Jordan, man has left us countless testimonials of dug cities that, today, respond more adequately to the climatic problems. It is surprising to see how a building type, which has its roots in the remote past is today able to satisfy the needs of energy saving and of architectural forms which are continuously evolving. The peculiarity of this type is the capacity to relate to the ground morphology by inserting in a “non- violent way” but adapting to the pre-existent conformity. Therefore, in a local mountainous context like Basilicata, land in southern Italy, whose building tradition is the semi-underground construction, a project experience such as that proposed in this paper can be the cue for a revitalization of the urban contest.

Oscillating Between the Recent Past and the Remote Past: The Perceptions of the Past and the Discipline of History of Secondary School Teachers in Greece

Oscillating Between the Recent Past and the Remote Past: The Perceptions of the Past and the Discipline of History of Secondary School Teachers in Greece

The Redshifts in Relativity

The progress of modern cosmology took off in 1917 when A. Einstein published his paper on general theory of relativity extending his work of special theory of relativity (1905). In 1922 Alexander Friedmann constructed a mathematical model for expanding Universe that had a big bang in remote past. The experimental evidences could come in 1929 by the pioneering work on nebular red shifts by Edwin Hubble and Milton Humason. Doppler’s red shift for light also comes as a deduction of special theory of relativity which provides a fundamental formalism for observational astronomy. It can also be deduced from cosmological red shift arising from the curvature of space time warp of the Universe depending on the evolution model opted for the Universe. The gravitational red shift comes as a consequence of the principle of equivalence in presence of weak gravitational field which expresses the identity of the gravitational and inertial mass. The gravitation itself is a manifestation of curvature in space time. Massive objects show noticeable bending of light near it which explains well the apparent images formation when added with the gravitational fall of the photons towards the object. Special and general theory of relativity can be realized as the best mathematical narrations of the cosmic dance. This paper highlights the experimental evidences in favor of relativity and their applications in cosmology which could be possible with the invention of ultra high precision instruments in last century.