1992 Archaeological Excavations at the Retallick-Brewer House site in Annapolis, Maryland, 18AP37

This report provides a detailed summary of the archaeological excavations that were conducted over a period of 2 weeks at the Retallick-Brewer House site located in Annapolis, Maryland. The project was initiated by the Griffis Foundation in order to gain some insight into the changes that have occurred at this property over its 200 year occupation. The project was completed by staff and volunteers of Archaeology In Annapolis, a joint venture of the University of Maryland, College Park, and Historic Annapolis Foundation. The design of this report follows the "Guidelines for Archaeological Investigations in Maryland" (McNamara 1981). This report contains descriptive summaries of individual levels along with an interpretation for each excavated unit in order to allow archaeologists and interested others access to the information contained within

1991 Archaeological Excavations at the Charles Carroll House in Annapolis, Maryland, 18AP45

This report provides a detailed summary of archaeological excavations that were conducted by Archaeology in Annapolis inside the ground story of the Charles Carroll House in Annapolis (18AP45) during the summer and fall of 1991. This project was initiated by Charles Carroll House of Annapolis, Inc. (CCHA), and was made possible through an agreement between CCHA and Historic Annapolis Foundation. It was designed as an initial phase of a larger project to restore the Carroll House to its late 18th-century appearance, while at the same time adding modern facilities to accomodate receptions, conferences, and other adaptive uses. These excavations were conducted between June and mid October of 1991, prior to interior house restoration, with monitoring of site restoration activities continuing well into 1992. Archaeologists, working with fieldschool students, and volunteers, tested all identified rooms in the house's ground story and then expanded excavations as deemed necessary and as time permitted. In designing the project and in preparing this final report, the staff followed the "Guidelines for Archaeological Investigations in Maryland" (McNarnara 1981). The report includes several levels of summaries (from descriptive summaries of soil levels excavated from the individual units (Appendix A), to interpretive room summaries) in an effort to make the data easily accessible and understandable to archaeologists and others interested in this site

Cultural Resource Survey of the United States Naval Academy Annapolis, Maryland

This report presents the results of the Legacy Resource Management Program, Cultural Resource Management survey as it relates to the United States Naval Academy (USNA) in Annapolis, Maryland. Sponsored by the United States Department of Defense and managed through the Naval Facilities (CHESDIV), a multi-faceted project was initiated by Archaeology In Annapolis, an on-going research project jointly sponsored by Historic Annapolis Foundation, and the University of Maryland, College Park. The project was comprised of an archaeological survey conducted over a 2 month period, title searches on properties now occupied by the USNA, oral history interviews conducted with residents of a former neighborhood purchased by the Academy, and the use of the AutoCAD computer mapping program to assist with the archaeological survey and to potentially generate a predictive model of where historic or prehistoric cultural resources may exist on USNA property. Conclusions drawn from this study highlight the rich amount of cultural resources which exist in the form of artifacts dating from the late-1700's, deeds information that shows changing economic and social patterns throughout the 290 year history of the ground occupied by the Academy, memories of individuals who lived through the expansion of the Academy into their homes, and a series of maps which can be used to indicate the likelihood of further cultural resources

Cognitive impairment induced by delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol occurs through heteromers between cannabinoid CB1 and serotonin 5-HT2A receptors

Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive compound of marijuana, induces numerous undesirable effects, including memory impairments, anxiety, and dependence. Conversely, THC also has potentially therapeutic effects, including analgesia, muscle relaxation, and neuroprotection. However, the mechanisms that dissociate these responses are still not known. Using mice lacking the serotonin receptor 5-HT2A, we revealed that the analgesic and amnesic effects of THC are independent of each other: while amnesia induced by THC disappears in the mutant mice, THC can still promote analgesia in these animals. In subsequent molecular studies, we showed that in specific brain regions involved in memory formation, the receptors for THC and the 5-HT2A receptors work together by physically interacting with each other. Experimentally interfering with this interaction prevented the memory deficits induced by THC, but not its analgesic properties. Our results highlight a novel mechanism by which the beneficial analgesic properties of THC can be dissociated from its cognitive side effects

Serial Section Scanning Electron Microscopy (S(3)EM) on Silicon Wafers for Ultra-Structural Volume Imaging of Cells and Tissues.

High resolution, three-dimensional (3D) representations of cellular ultrastructure are essential for structure function studies in all areas of cell biology. While limited subcellular volumes have been routinely examined using serial section transmission electron microscopy (ssTEM), complete ultrastructural reconstructions of large volumes, entire cells or even tissue are difficult to achieve using ssTEM. Here, we introduce a novel approach combining serial sectioning of tissue with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) using a conductive silicon wafer as a support. Ribbons containing hundreds of 35 nm thick sections can be generated and imaged on the wafer at a lateral pixel resolution of 3.7 nm by recording the backscattered electrons with the in-lens detector of the SEM. The resulting electron micrographs are qualitatively comparable to those obtained by conventional TEM. S 3 EM images of the same region of interest in consecutive sections can be used for 3D reconstructions of large structures. We demonstrate the potential of this approach by reconstructing a 31.7 mm 3 volume of a calyx of Held presynaptic terminal. The approach introduced here, Serial Section SEM (S 3 EM), for the first time provides the possibility to obtain 3D ultrastructure of large volumes with high resolution and to selectively and repetitively home in on structures of interest. S 3 EM accelerates process duration, is amenable to full automation and can be implemented wit

Complete genes may pass from food to human blood

Our bloodstream is considered to be an environment well separated from the outside world and the digestive tract. According to the standard paradigm large macromolecules consumed with food cannot pass directly to the circulatory system. During digestion proteins and DNA are thought to be degraded into small constituents, amino acids and nucleic acids, respectively, and then absorbed by a complex active process and distributed to various parts of the body through the circulation system. Here, based on the analysis of over 1000 human samples from four independent studies, we report evidence that meal-derived DNA fragments which are large enough to carry complete genes can avoid degradation and through an unknown mechanism enter the human circulation system. In one of the blood samples the relative concentration of plant DNA is higher than the human DNA. The plant DNA concentration shows a surprisingly precise log-normal distribution in the plasma samples while non-plasma (cord blood) control sample was found to be free of plant DNA

Examining the Influence of Price and Accessibility on Willingness to Shop at Farmers' Markets Among Low-income Eastern North Carolina Women

OBJECTIVE: To examine the influence of farmers’ market pricing and accessibility on willingness to shop at farmers’ markets, among low-income women. DESIGN: Qualitative interviews using scenarios with quantitative assessment of willingness to shop at farmers’ market given certain pricing and accessibility scenarios. SETTING: Eastern North Carolina. PARTICIPANTS: Thirty seven low-income women of child-bearing age (18-44 years) receiving family planning services at the health department. PHENOMENON OF INTEREST: Willingness to shop at a farmers’ market. ANALYSIS: Fisher’s exact test was used to examine associations between willingness to shop at farmers’ markets by urban/rural residence, race, and employment status. Direct quotations relevant to participants' use of farmers' markets were extracted based upon a positive deviance framework. RESULTS: Participants were increasingly willing to shop at the farmers’ market when price savings increased and when the market was incrementally closer to their residence. Willingness was highest when there was at least a 20% price savings. Participants seemed to be influenced more by a visual representation of a greater quantity of produce received with the price savings rather than the quantitative representation of the money saved by the reduced price. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Future farmers’ market interventions should take into account these consumer level preferences

Astrocyte signaling controls spike timing-dependent depression at neocortical synapses

Endocannabinoid mediated spike timing-dependent depression (t-LTD) is crucially involved in the development of the sensory neocortex. t-LTD at excitatory synapses in the developing rat barrel cortex requires cannabinoid CB(1) receptor (CB(1)R) activation, as well as activation of NMDA receptors located on the presynaptic terminal, but the exact signaling cascade leading to t-LTD remains unclear. We found that astrocytes are critically involved in t-LTD. Astrocytes gradually increased their Ca(2+) signaling specifically during the induction of t-LTD in a CB(1)R-dependent manner. In this way, astrocytes might act as a memory buffer for previous coincident neuronal activity. Following activation, astrocytes released glutamate, which activated presynaptic NMDA receptors to induce t-LTD. Astrocyte stimulation coincident with afferent activity resulted in long-term depression, indicating that astrocyte activation is sufficient for the induction of synaptic depression. Taken together, our findings describe the retrograde signaling cascade underlying neocortical t-LTD. The critical involvement of astrocytes in this process highlights their importance for experience-dependent sensory remodeling