The image of Christian Paradise in the Coptic tradition (on the materials of the late antique textiles from the Hermitage collection)

Изображение христианского рая – одна из излюбленных тем средневековой культуры, часто встречающаяся на фресках, мозаиках, саркофагах и предметах прикладного искусства. Как можно было видеть на многочисленных примерах позднеантичных тканей из собрания Государственного Эрмитажа, особенность изображений христианского рая в коптской традиции состоит в иконографическом разнообразии мотивов и образов, заимствованных в греко-римском и ближневосточном искусстве, по-своему переработанных египетскими мастерами, отражающих процесс становления Небесного Града Иерусалима.The purpose of this article is to analyze the iconography of the scenes with the depictions of Paradise on late antique textiles from Egypt. The iconographic motifs that will be examined are the images of personifications such as the Earth, rivers, the seasons and different kinds of allegories, including animals and plants that show the process of formation of the iconography of the Heaven Jerusalem. The best known Christian illustration of Paradise from the collection of the Hermitage Museum is a large-size hanging with a composition of a column flanked with two trees

The scene of «The raising of Lazarus» in the early christian art

One of the popular symbols of the Resurrection in early Christian Egypt was the composition with Lazarus. The subject of «The Raising of Lazarus» is based on the text of the Gospel by John (John 11.1-45). From the very beginning the earliest depictions of Lazarus appear in the paintings of the catacombs, and then on the sarcophagi and items of applied art. As a rule, they are associated with the funeral context and go back to two iconographic traditions: the Greco-Roman and the Near Eastern

Biblical Scenes in the Coptic Art

Поступила в редакцию 28.06.2019. Принята к печати 11.11.2019.Submitted: 28.06.2019. Accepted: 11.11.2019.A number of subjects based on the texts of the Old Testament especially the books of the prophets were widespread in Egypt in the early Christian period as evidenced by the numerous extant monuments. The artist turned to the story of the Prophet Jonah especially often. The theme of new spiritual birth and resurrection was connected with the route of righteous Noah. The testimony of Job about the Resurrection of Christ was the reason why the story of the sufferings became an enduring symbol of Christian Resurrection, For the first time Prophet Daniel’s name is mentioned in the Apostolic Constitutions prayer, where his image was associated with the Christ Resurrection and the triumph of Christian faith. In the history of art, there are few subjects that can be compared with the Old Testament compositions “Sacrifice of Abraham” in their emotional richness and depth. The development of Egypt as the country of monasticism determined the unusual popularity of Patriarch Joseph’s story and its illustration. The monks saw in the biblical patriarch the ideal of devotion and piety, the perfect type of a hermit and an ascetic serving as an example to follow. All these subjects can be interpreted as the images of salvation of the righteous, hope for their future resurrection and the victory over death.Одними из ранних по времени появления на памятниках коптского искусства стали эпизоды из жизни пророков. Именно они говорили о спасении и приходе Мессии, учили внутренней праведности и святости. Часто это было заимствование уже известных иконографических композиций, из которых, путем незначительных изменений, создавались новые. При этом богатая иконография проявляется не количеством представленных тем, а разнообразием деталей. Сцены богородично-христологического цикла появляются на памятниках сравнительно поздно, не ранее VII в. Расцвет связан с композициями, представленными на изделиях слоновой кости, однако, наибольшего распространения библейские сцены достигают в связи с поступлениями евлогий из Святой Земли. Большинство этих изображений заключало в себе идею спасения и воскресения, используя емкие, узнаваемые образы

Immunohistochemical Studies of the Reactions of the Nucleus Tractus Solitarius and Parabrachial Complex Neurons to the Vagus Nerve Stimulation

Proceedings of the 9th International Multidisciplinary Conference «Stress and Behavior» Saint-Petersburg, Russia, 16–19 May 2005.It is well known that vagal stimulation may be an alternative to therapeutic treatment of inoperable and drug-resistant forms of epilepsy. However the mechanisms of its antiepileptic effects, and the regularity of the transmission of the interoceptive information to the forebrain structures, are poorly understood. Besides it is necessary to carry out the physiological experimental studies to optimize vagal stimulation parameters, in order to reduce side-effects (such as respiratory distress and cardiac abnormalities). The present study analysed spatial organization of the nucleus tractus solitarius and parabrachial complex nitroergic neurons expressing c-Fos proteins (product of the immediate early gene c-fos) in response to the electrical stimulation of the left cervical central cut end of the vagus nerve. The experiments were performed on the Sprague-Dawley adult rats. Double labelling for c-Fos proteins and NADPH-diaphorase was conducted on fixed brain tissue. Serial coronal brainstem sections (40 mkm) across the nucleus tractus solitarius and parabrachial complex areas were collected. Fos immunohistochemistry was conducted according to ABC procedure, using a primary polyclonal antibody against Fos (Santa-Cruz, sc-52) and detection kits including solutions of secondary biotinylated antibody, streptavidin and biotinylated horseradish peroxidase (Novocastra). NADPH-diaphorase was revealed according to standard procedures in the presence of beta-NADPH and nitro blue tetrazolium as substrates. The light microscope for detection of c-Fos and NADPH positive cells was used. Peculiarities of the reflectory changes of intragastric pressure, breathing and heart rates were studied as «autonomic indicators» of efficacy of vagal stimulation. Parameters of the nerve stimulation were related to those used in clinical practice for the treatment of epilepsy (100–300 mA, 0.5–1.0 ms, 1 or 10 Hz for 10 s). Without stimulation, NADPH-positive neurons were identified and the peculiarities of their localization in the commissural, medial and ventrolateral (the area postrema level) subnuclei of the nucleus tractus solitarius and caudal and rostral parts of the lateral and medial subnuclei of the parabrachial complex were studied. In neurons of the same areas the spontaneous c-Fos protein expression was investigated. After the vagus nerve stimulation by restangular pulses of 0.5 ms at 10 Hz and 200–300 mA for 10 s, the amount of c-Fos positive cells in commissural, medial and ventrolateral subnuclei of the nucleus tractus solitarius rised in 75, 100 and 220 %, accordingly. The quantity of these neurons rose in parabrachial complex: in rostral parts of the lateral and medial subnuclei in 130 and 80 %, accordingly and in caudal parts of the same subnuclei (40 and 210 %). Under the same parameters of the vagus nerve stimulation, the intragastric pressure decreased and the breathing stopped (apnoea during the period of stimulation). The heart rate inhibited under these conditions by 10–50 % vs. the baseline. Thus, here we identified nitroergic neurons in the nucleus tractus solitarius (the first synapse level for interoceptive impulses) and the parabrachial complex (the second synapse level) responding by c-Fos protein expression to electrical stimulation of the left cervical vagus nerve. Therefore, the participation of mentioned neurons in mechanisms of the therapeutic action of vagal stimulation has been demonstrated. Also we showed that vagal stimulation is accompanied by the changes in intragastric pressure, heart and breathing rates. Reflectory modifications of the breathing rate are the most sensitive «autonomic indicator» of the vagus nerve stimulation efficacy. The study was supported in part by grant 04–04-48710 from the Russian Foundation for Basic Research and by NATO fellowship (402349H to V.O.)

Immunohistochemical Studies of the Reactions of the Nucleus Tractus Solitarius and Parabrachial Complex Neurons to the Vagus Nerve Stimulation

Proceedings of the 9th International Multidisciplinary Conference «Stress and Behavior» Saint-Petersburg, Russia, 16–19 May 2005.It is well known that vagal stimulation may be an alternative to therapeutic treatment of inoperable and drug-resistant forms of epilepsy. However the mechanisms of its antiepileptic effects, and the regularity of the transmission of the interoceptive information to the forebrain structures, are poorly understood. Besides it is necessary to carry out the physiological experimental studies to optimize vagal stimulation parameters, in order to reduce side-effects (such as respiratory distress and cardiac abnormalities). The present study analysed spatial organization of the nucleus tractus solitarius and parabrachial complex nitroergic neurons expressing c-Fos proteins (product of the immediate early gene c-fos) in response to the electrical stimulation of the left cervical central cut end of the vagus nerve. The experiments were performed on the Sprague-Dawley adult rats. Double labelling for c-Fos proteins and NADPH-diaphorase was conducted on fixed brain tissue. Serial coronal brainstem sections (40 mkm) across the nucleus tractus solitarius and parabrachial complex areas were collected. Fos immunohistochemistry was conducted according to ABC procedure, using a primary polyclonal antibody against Fos (Santa-Cruz, sc-52) and detection kits including solutions of secondary biotinylated antibody, streptavidin and biotinylated horseradish peroxidase (Novocastra). NADPH-diaphorase was revealed according to standard procedures in the presence of beta-NADPH and nitro blue tetrazolium as substrates. The light microscope for detection of c-Fos and NADPH positive cells was used. Peculiarities of the reflectory changes of intragastric pressure, breathing and heart rates were studied as «autonomic indicators» of efficacy of vagal stimulation. Parameters of the nerve stimulation were related to those used in clinical practice for the treatment of epilepsy (100–300 mA, 0.5–1.0 ms, 1 or 10 Hz for 10 s). Without stimulation, NADPH-positive neurons were identified and the peculiarities of their localization in the commissural, medial and ventrolateral (the area postrema level) subnuclei of the nucleus tractus solitarius and caudal and rostral parts of the lateral and medial subnuclei of the parabrachial complex were studied. In neurons of the same areas the spontaneous c-Fos protein expression was investigated. After the vagus nerve stimulation by restangular pulses of 0.5 ms at 10 Hz and 200–300 mA for 10 s, the amount of c-Fos positive cells in commissural, medial and ventrolateral subnuclei of the nucleus tractus solitarius rised in 75, 100 and 220 %, accordingly. The quantity of these neurons rose in parabrachial complex: in rostral parts of the lateral and medial subnuclei in 130 and 80 %, accordingly and in caudal parts of the same subnuclei (40 and 210 %). Under the same parameters of the vagus nerve stimulation, the intragastric pressure decreased and the breathing stopped (apnoea during the period of stimulation). The heart rate inhibited under these conditions by 10–50 % vs. the baseline. Thus, here we identified nitroergic neurons in the nucleus tractus solitarius (the first synapse level for interoceptive impulses) and the parabrachial complex (the second synapse level) responding by c-Fos protein expression to electrical stimulation of the left cervical vagus nerve. Therefore, the participation of mentioned neurons in mechanisms of the therapeutic action of vagal stimulation has been demonstrated. Also we showed that vagal stimulation is accompanied by the changes in intragastric pressure, heart and breathing rates. Reflectory modifications of the breathing rate are the most sensitive «autonomic indicator» of the vagus nerve stimulation efficacy. The study was supported in part by grant 04–04-48710 from the Russian Foundation for Basic Research and by NATO fellowship (402349H to V.O.)