The Christ Commodity

2021 ◽  
pp. 69-92
Author(s):  
Jennifer A. Quigley
Keyword(s):  
Early Christianity ◽  
Early Data ◽  
Literary Sources ◽  
Human Economy ◽  
Gain And Loss ◽  
Data Point ◽  
Gains And Losses

This chapter evaluates Philippians 2–3, focusing on the language of gain and loss in Phil 3:7–11. In this passage, Paul offers a divine-human accounting sheet in which his statuses are counted as losses so that he might gain the profit Christ (Phil 3:8). The chapter contextualizes this passage by reading Lucian's Lives for Sale, a text in which gods and humans participate in a human–divine slave market. That is, persons in antiquity sometimes considered the gods to be the source of their financial profits and losses, and sometimes they understood the gods to be dependent on humanity for divine gains and losses. Most importantly, persons in antiquity sometimes discussed the gods as commodities that could be bought, sold, or traded. The chapter then maps where the complex theo-economic logics at work in Phil 3:7–11 fit within a variety of literary sources that use similar language of profit and loss to imagine human–divine interdependence. Paul sets up a commodities exchange in which suffering gives him the proper status currency to acquire Christ. The Letter to the Philippians thus represents an early data point in what will emerge as a divine-human economy of suffering in early Christianity.

School Buildings in Mediterranean Antiquity: Notes on the Provenance of the Infancy Gospel of Thomas

2020 ◽  
pp. 0142064X2096265
Author(s):  
Jonah Bissell
Keyword(s):  
Early Christianity ◽  
Asia Minor ◽  
School Buildings ◽  
Gospel Of Thomas ◽  
Literary Sources ◽  
Infancy Gospel Of Thomas ◽  
Open Question ◽  
Ancient Education

The provenance of the Infancy Gospel of Thomas (IGT) remains an open question to scholars of early Christianity. Egypt, Palestine, Syria and Asia Minor have been proffered as the most likely settings of origin (with the latter two favored especially in recent years). The educational scenes in IGT may provide helpful hints of the text’s original setting. Paul Foster, however, in comparing the details of such scenes with depictions of education in literary sources, concludes that they offer no features suggestive of a particular setting of origin. However, comparison of such scenes with material depictions of ancient education may provide more geographical precision. A reexamination of the text’s educational scenes vis-à-vis material-cultural evidence suggests that Egypt should be reconsidered as a viable setting of origin for IGT.

scholarly journals Does time inconsistency differ between gain and loss? An intra-personal comparison using a non-parametric elicitation method

2019 ◽  
Vol 88 (3) ◽  
pp. 431-452
Author(s):  
Shotaro Shiba ◽  
Kazumi Shimizu
Keyword(s):  
Parametric Method ◽  
Time Inconsistency ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Present Bias ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Gain And Loss ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Gains And Losses ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Non Parametric

Abstract Several studies on time preference have found time inconsistency in both gain and loss preferences. However, the relationship between the two within the same person remains unclear; that is, does an individual who demonstrates time inconsistency for gain outcomes do so for losses as well? This paper reports on individuals’ time inconsistency for gains and losses in a laboratory setting. To obtain a precise comparison of individuals’ time inconsistency for gains and losses, we used Rohde’s “DI (decreasing impatience)-index” (Manag Sci 65(4):1700–1716, 2018) and measured the level of time inconsistency, rather than merely identifying whether TI was present. This index represents how strongly a person exhibits present bias, and easily extends to the comparison between gain and loss preferences within the same person. Further, it allows the experiment to test for so-called future bias, which has been a focus area in recent time inconsistency literature. It is elicited through a non-parametric method, which avoids any specification errors in the analysis. Our findings are as follows: first, we found future bias in preferences for not only gains but also losses, and we confirmed that this tendency is consistent with previous findings on preferences for gains. Second, a positive correlation between time inconsistency for gains and losses was found at the individual level. Indeed, we could not find a significant difference between the two in most cases.

scholarly journals CytoConverter: a web-based tool to convert karyotypes to genomic coordinates

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Janet Wang ◽  
Thomas LaFramboise
Keyword(s):  
Chromosomal Aberrations ◽  
Chromosomal Location ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Genomic Features ◽  
Graphical Output ◽  
Link Type ◽  
Gain And Loss ◽  
Gains And Losses ◽  
Conversion Tool

Abstract Background Cytogenetic nomenclature is used to describe chromosomal aberrations (or lack thereof) in a collection of cells, referred to as the cells’ karyotype. The nomenclature identifies locations on chromosomes using a system of cytogenetic bands, each with a unique name and region on a chromosome. Each band is microscopically visible after staining, and encompasses a large portion of the chromosome. More modern analyses employ genomic coordinates, which precisely specify a chromosomal location according to its distance from the end of the chromosome. Currently, there is no tool to convert cytogenetic nomenclature into genomic coordinates. Since locations of genes and other genomic features are usually specified by genomic coordinates, a conversion tool will facilitate the identification of the features that are harbored in the regions of chromosomal gain and loss that are implied by a karyotype. Results Our tool, termed CytoConverter, takes as input either a single karyotype or a file consisting of multiple karyotypes from several individuals. All net chromosomal gains and losses implied by the karyotype are returned in standard genomic coordinates, along with the numbers of cells harboring each aberration if included in the input. CytoConverter also returns graphical output detailing areas of gains and losses of chromosomes and chromosomal segments. Conclusions CytoConverter is available as a web-based application at https://jxw773.shinyapps.io/Cytogenetic__software/ and as an R script at https://sourceforge.net/projects/cytoconverter/. Supplemental Material detailing the underlying algorithms is available.

scholarly journals Examining the effect of perceived performance-contingent gains, losses and errors on arithmetic

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. e0249696
Author(s):  
Ram Naaman ◽  
Liat Goldfarb
Keyword(s):  
Performance Feedback ◽  
Judgment Task ◽  
Error Feedback ◽  
Arithmetic Task ◽  
Perceived Performance ◽  
Subsequent Trial ◽  
Arithmetic Performance ◽  
Gain And Loss ◽  
Gain Loss ◽  
Gains And Losses

Gains and losses have previously been found to differentially modulate Executive Functions and cognitive performance depending on performance contingency. Following recent findings suggesting that random gains and losses modulate arithmetic performance, the current study aimed to investigate the effect of perceived performance-contingent gains and losses on arithmetic performance. In the current study, an arithmetic equation judgment task was administered, with perceived performance-contingent gain, loss, and error feedback presented upon each trial. The results from two experiments suggest that when perceiving gain and loss as performance-contingent, the modulation of arithmetic performance, seen previously under random contingency conditions was entirely eliminated. In addition, another type of feedback was examined in the context of an arithmetic task: post-error adjustments. When performance after error feedback was compared to performance after other aversive performance feedback such as loss signals, only errors, but not other aversive feedback, modulated performance in the subsequent trial. These findings further extend the knowledge regarding the influence of gain and loss situations, as well as errors, on arithmetic performance.

scholarly journals Divergent genome evolution caused by regional variation in DNA gain and loss between human and mouse

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Reuben M Buckley ◽  
R Daniel Kortschak ◽  
David L Adelson
Keyword(s):  
Regional Variation ◽  
Genome Structure ◽  
Structural Features ◽  
Open Chromatin ◽  
Genome Wide ◽  
Specific Accumulation ◽  
Dna Loss ◽  
Gain And Loss ◽  
Gains And Losses ◽  
Human And Mouse

AbstractThe forces driving the accumulation and removal of non-coding DNA and ultimately the evolution of genome size in complex organisms are intimately linked to genome structure and organisation. Our analysis provides a novel method for capturing the regional variation of lineage-specific DNA gain and loss events in their respective genomic contexts. To further understand this connection we used comparative genomics to identify genome-wide individual DNA gain and loss events in the human and mouse genomes. Focusing on the distribution of DNA gains and losses, relationships to important structural features and potential impact on biological processes, we found that in autosomes, DNA gains and losses both followed separate lineage-specific accumulation patterns. However, in both species chromosome X was particularly enriched for DNA gain, consistent with its high L1 retrotransposon content required for X inactivation. We found that DNA loss was associated with gene-rich open chromatin regions and DNA gain events with gene-poor closed chromatin regions. Additionally, we found that DNA loss events tended to be smaller than DNA gain events suggesting that they were more tolerated in open chromatin regions. GO term enrichment in human gain hotspots showed terms related to cell cycle/metabolism, human loss hotspots were enriched for terms related to gene silencing, and mouse gain hotspots were enriched for terms related to transcription regulation. Interestingly, mouse loss hotspots were strongly enriched for terms related to developmental processes, suggesting that DNA loss in mouse is associated with phenotypic changes in mouse morphology. This is consistent with a model in which DNA gain and loss results in turnover or “churning” of regulatory regions that are then subjected to selection, resulting in the differences we now observe, both genomic and phenotypic/morphological.

scholarly journals A likelihood framework to analyse phyletic patterns

2008 ◽  
Vol 363 (1512) ◽  
pp. 3903-3911 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ofir Cohen ◽  
Nimrod D Rubinstein ◽  
Adi Stern ◽  
Uri Gophna ◽  
Tal Pupko
Keyword(s):  
Gene Family ◽  
Sequence Data ◽  
Evolutionary Model ◽  
Gene Families ◽  
Simulation Studies ◽  
Genome Wide ◽  
Gain And Loss ◽  
Presence And Absence ◽  
Gains And Losses ◽  
Evolutionary Role

Probabilistic evolutionary models revolutionized our capability to extract biological insights from sequence data. While these models accurately describe the stochastic processes of site-specific substitutions, single-base substitutions represent only a fraction of all the events that shape genomes. Specifically, in microbes, events in which entire genes are gained (e.g. via horizontal gene transfer) and lost play a pivotal evolutionary role. In this research, we present a novel likelihood-based evolutionary model for gene gains and losses, and use it to analyse genome-wide patterns of the presence and absence of gene families. The model assumes a Markovian stochastic process, where gains and losses are represented by the transition between presence and absence, respectively, given an underlying phylogenetic tree. To account for differences in the rates of gain and loss of different gene families, we assume among-gene family rate variability, thus allowing for more accurate description of the data. Using the Bayesian approach, we estimated an evolutionary rate for each gene family. Simulation studies demonstrated that our methodology accurately infers these rates. Our methodology was applied to analyse a large corpus of data, consisting of 4873 gene families spanning 63 species and revealed novel insights regarding the evolutionary nature of genome-wide gain and loss dynamics.

Event-Related Potentials Are Associated With Unexpected Gain and Loss: Using a Gambling Paradigm

2018 ◽  
Vol 50 (3) ◽  
pp. 154-160
Author(s):  
Daniela Krause ◽  
Andrea Jobst ◽  
Shari Marie Langemak ◽  
Daniel Keeser ◽  
Agnieszka I. Chrobok ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Event Related Potentials ◽  
Reward Processing ◽  
Feedback Processing ◽  
Electrophysiological Responses ◽  
Related Potentials ◽  
Processing Event ◽  
Gain And Loss ◽  
Gain Loss ◽  
Gains And Losses ◽  
Frequency Variations

Objective. Previous neuroimaging studies have described altered activity in brain areas associated with reward processing following reward or punishment. This study examines the extent to which feedback-based experience of gain and loss is associated with electrophysiological correlates. Methods. Twenty-nine healthy participants used a gambling task that focused on actual nonpredictable gains and losses. During the task, an electroencephalography recording was performed in order to assess reward processing. Event-related potentials were analyzed when participants were receiving gain/loss feedback. Results. Event-related potentials revealed higher feedback-related negativity for both overall gain and loss compared with a neutral condition in fronto-centro-parietal electrodes. P3 potentials were significantly increased for high gains/losses compared to neutral and small gains/losses. Conclusion. These results indicate that the paradigm is suitable to evoke specific patterns of reward-related electrophysiological responses. The wavelet analysis showed that electroencephalography frequency variations depended on the amount of gains/losses. Significance. This gambling paradigm is appropriate to measure aspects of feedback processing and could help analyze disease-specific alterations of the reward system in patients.

scholarly journals A neurochemical approach to valuation sensitivity over gains and losses

2009 ◽  
Vol 276 (1676) ◽  
pp. 4181-4188 ◽  
Author(s):  
Songfa Zhong ◽  
Salomon Israel ◽  
Hong Xue ◽  
Pak C. Sham ◽  
Richard P. Ebstein ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Prospect Theory ◽  
Risk Attitudes ◽  
Risk Averse ◽  
Decision Making Under Risk ◽  
Valuation Function ◽  
Repeat Allele ◽  
Gain And Loss ◽  
Gains And Losses ◽  
Diminishing Sensitivity

Prospect theory proposes the hypothesis that people have diminishing sensitivity in valuing increases in the size of monetary outcomes, for both gains and losses. For decision-making under risk, this implies a tendency to be risk-tolerant over losses while being generally risk averse over gains. We offer a neurochemistry-based model of the diminishing valuation sensitivity hypothesis. Specifically, we propose that dopamine tone modulates the sensitivity towards valuation of gains while serotonin tone modulates the sensitivity towards valuation of losses. Consequently, higher dopamine tone would yield a more concave valuation function over gains while higher serotonin tone would yield a more convex valuation function over losses. Using a neurogenetics strategy to test our neurochemical model, we find that subjects with the 9-repeat allele of DAT1 (lower DA tone) are more risk-tolerant over gains than subjects with the 10-repeat allele, and that subjects with the 10-repeat allele of STin2 (higher 5HT tone) are more risk-tolerant over losses than subjects with the 12-repeat allele. Overall, our results support the implications of our model and provide the first neurogenetics evidence that risk attitudes are partially hard-wired in differentiating between gain- and loss-oriented risks.

Archaeology and the Pauline Letters

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cavan Concannon
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Interdisciplinary Research ◽  
Early Christianity ◽  
Archaeological Research ◽  
Methodological Issues ◽  
Literary Sources ◽  
Archaeological Materials ◽  
Archaeological Work ◽  
History Of ◽  
Pauline Studies

Archaeological materials and research have long informed the study of the Pauline letters. These materials have typically been used to provide a ‘background’ to Paul’s writings, to solve interpretive problems, or to ‘prove’ the veracity of a detail in Paul’s biography, as recorded in canonical Pauline literary sources. This chapter looks at the history of how archaeological research has been used to interpret the Pauline letters and the methodological issues that such interdisciplinary conversations touch upon. It pays particular attention to the perils and the promise of bringing archaeological research into conversation with Pauline studies. It then turns to explore case studies of interdisciplinary research by scholars of early Christianity on four cities connected to the Pauline letters: Thessaloniki, Philippi, Ephesos, and Corinth. These projects point to promising avenues forward for how Pauline studies might engage archaeological work. (N.B. This article is a distilled, adapted, and updated version of Concannon 2013.)

Unraveling the Complexity of Capital Gain and Loss Transactions

2004 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 119-134
Author(s):  
Nancy B. Nichols ◽  
Cherie J. O'Neil ◽  
John O. Everett
Keyword(s):  
Capital Gains ◽  
Capital Gain ◽  
Certified Public Accountants ◽  
Planning Tool ◽  
American Institute ◽  
Comprehensive Planning ◽  
Tax Relief ◽  
Gain And Loss ◽  
Business Property ◽  
Gains And Losses

The current capital gain and loss provisions, especially when combined with the casualty and theft and sale or exchange of business property provisions, are very challenging from both a planning and reporting perspective. The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and the Joint Committee on Taxation recently identified individual capital gains and losses as an area requiring simplification. This article explores how the complexity of capital gain and loss provisions arose by first tracing the evolution of the capital gains provisions from the Revenue Act of 1913 through changes made by the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003. Tables, figures, and a spreadsheet are used to illustrate this complexity. The spreadsheet also serves as a comprehensive planning tool for taxpayers considering additional property transactions during the tax year. A modest proposal for simplifying the capital gain and loss provisions is compared to recent simplification proposals.

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