Plague Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Plague, including details on bubonic plague, yersinia pestis, infection, types, treatment.

On the origin of Ammon's horn.

Iniesta I

Department of Epilepsy, Neurology, The Walton Centre for Neurology & Neurosurgery NHS Trust, Liverpool, Reino Unido.

INTRODUCTION: Greek and Roman worship of their gods and myths go back to Ancient Egyptian times. Images engraved in Greco-Roman coinage range from references to the assassination of Caesar or legendary stories like the arrival of a snake shaped half-god Aesculapius to save the romans from the plague, to invocations of major deities including Apollo the physician or Ammon the protector. DEVELOPMENT: Depicted with the horns of a ram, Ammon was adopted by the Greek as an epithet of Zeus and later incorporated by the Romans as Jupiter. References to the cult of Ammon appear on tetradrachms devoted to Alexander The Great and on provincial roman coins struck under Claudius. It is exciting to hold a coin of Marcus Aurelius with Salus on the reverse thinking that it could have been handed to Galen by the emperor The Great. However, it is rare to find characters beside rulers in coins and the physician of Pergamum is no exception. Inspired by the Renaissance school of Padua, French anatomists in the Enlightenment (Garengeot-1742 and Flurant-1752) continued reviving ancient myths and named the curve-shaped-inner portion of the temporal lobe Ammon's horn. Among the scholars who studied this primitive structure of the brain outstand Lorente de Nó and his mentor Cajal, after whom fifty-pesetas notes were issued in 1935. CONCLUSIONS: As primary sources of great archaeological and artistic value, Greco-Roman coins inform about the origins of the myths and gods of classical antiquity whilst continuing inspiring the arts and sciences to this date.

Published 9 July 2012 in Neurologia.
Full-text of this article is available online (may require subscription).

Articles on Plague published 9 July 2012:

Structural basis for activation of an integral membrane protease by lipopolysaccharide.   J Biol Chem, 287(28): 23971-6.

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Articles on Plague published 4 July 2012:

Optimal nutrient foraging strategy of an omnivore: Liebig's law determining numerical response.   J Theor Biol.

The paper is aimed at a theoretical explanation of the following phenomenon. In biological pest control in greenhouses, if an omnivore agent is released before the arrival of the plague, the agent may be able to colonize, feeding only on plant and then control its arriving prey to a low density. If the pest arrives before the release of the agent, then it tends to reach a high density, in spite of the action of the agent. This means that according to the initial state, the system displays ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Articles on Plague published 3 July 2012:

COPD in India: Iceberg or volcano?   J Thorac Dis, 4(3): 298-309.

The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of the epidemiology of COPD in India which is one of the most affected countries in the world and contributes significantly to the mortality and morbidity of this disease; to provide insights into the etiological determinants of COPD in India; comment on treatment aspects including drug treatment, adherence to guidelines, treatment of exacerbations and to try to comment on whether it differs significantly from rest of the world. The article ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

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Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an irreversible neurodegenerative disorder characterized by amyloid accumulation, neuronal death, and cognitive impairments. Yi-Chi-Tsung-Ming-Tang (YCTMT) is a traditional Chinese medicine and has never been used to enhance cognitive function and treat neurodegenerative disorders such as senile dementia. Whether YCTMT has a beneficial role in improving learning and memory in AD patients remains unclear. The present study showed that oral administration of YCTMT ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography for stone burden in the bile and pancreatic ducts.   Gastrointest Endosc Clin N Am, 22(3): 435-50.

Stones in biliary and pancreatic ducts are entities that plague hundreds of thousands of patients worldwide every year. Symptoms can be mild (pain) to life threatening (cholangitis, severe acute pancreatitis). In the last few decades, management of these stones has transitioned from exclusively surgical to now predominantly endoscopic techniques. This article reviews the evolution of endoscopic techniques used in the management of stones in the common bile duct and pancreatic duct. [Abstract] [Full-text]

Ball and chain: The global burden of lead poisoning.   Clin Toxicol (Phila), 50(6): 528-31.

Lead, the 82nd element in our periodic table, has accompanied humankind throughout the millennia of our history and development. As a ubiquitous heavy metal, lead is used in multiple applications and nine billion tons continue to be extracted globally every year. Although the United States has succeeded in limiting lead exposure among its own citizens by banning the use of lead in gasoline and household paint, while instituting improved working conditions for those who are exposed to lead in ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

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The core concept within the field of brain mapping is the use of a standardized, or "stereotaxic", 3D coordinate frame for data analysis and reporting of findings from neuroimaging experiments. This simple construct allows brain researchers to combine data from many subjects such that group-averaged signals, be they structural or functional, can be detected above the background noise that would swamp subtle signals from any single subject. Where the signal is robust enough to be ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Articles on Plague published 29 June 2012:

Predictors of meningioma consistency: A study in 243 consecutive cases.   Acta Neurochir (Wien).

BACKGROUND: Meningioma is a common neoplasm primarily arising in the central nervous system. Its consistency is considered to be one of the critical prognostic factors for determining surgical resectability. The present study endeavored to investigate predictive factors associated with the tumor consistency. METHODS: Two hundred and forty-three consecutive participants who underwent resective surgery of meningioma were examined. The authors designed an objective grading system for meningioma ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

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