Archaeological Survey of the Proposed Tomball Tollway Project, Montgomery County, Texas

On behalf of Halff Associates, Inc., and the Montgomery County Toll Road Authority (MCTRA), SWCA Environmental Consultants (SWCA) conducted an investigation of the proposed Tomball Tollway project located in Montgomery County, Texas. The proposed project area follows the existing Tomball Tollway (State Highway [SH] 249) northward approximately 3.3 miles from Spring Creek to the FM 1774 junction in Pinehurst. The proposed project involves the widening of SH 249 between existing feeders, as well as the construction of on-ramps. The project also involves the construction of three detention basins totaling approximately 22 acres utilizing a combination of floodplain fill mitigation and detention. The investigations included an archaeological background literature and records review and an intensive pedestrian survey augmented by subsurface shovel and auger testing to systematically identify, record, delineate, and, if possible, determine the significance of any cultural resources located within the project area. All work was conducted under Texas Antiquities Code permit number 7505 in compliance with the Antiquities Code of Texas. Archaeological investigations were conducted as part of the sponsor’s compliance with application requirements for a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Galveston District, Section 404 permit in accordance with 33 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 325, Appendix C (Processing Department of Army Permits: Procedures for the Protection of Historic Properties; Final Rule 1990; with current Interim Guidance Documents dated April 25, 2005 and January 31, 2007), and Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) (16 United States Code [USC] 470) and its implementing regulations (36 CFR 800). All investigations were conducted in accordance with the standards and guidelines of the NHPA, the Texas Historical Commission’s (THC) standards for such projects, and the Council of Texas Archeologists Guidelines for Performance, Curation, and Reports. The goal of the work was to locate all prehistoric and historic archaeological sites in the project area, establish vertical and horizontal site boundaries as appropriate, and evaluate the significance and eligibility of any site recorded for listing in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). Overall, investigations in the proposed project corridor encountered ground disturbances resulting from prior road and transmission line construction and maintenance activities. As a result of the current investigation, one multicomponent site (41MQ326) was discovered and delineated using THC standards. Due to the paucity of artifacts, SWCA believes it is unlikely that significant archaeological materials exist within the investigated portions of 41MQ326; however, due to the depth of deposits and possibility of deeply buried features not visible through augering, NRHP eligibility for 41MQ326 is UNDETERMINED for listing in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) (36 CFR 60.4 [a-d]) or as a State Archaeological Landmark (SAL), and further research is needed to fully assess the site. As such, SWCA advises that archaeological monitoring take place during construction of the southern detention basin in areas within 30 m of the site in order to further evaluate this portion of the site and to ensure that no significant archaeological deposits are disturbed. In accordance with 33 CFR Part 325, Appendix C and Section 106 of the NHPA (36 CFR 800.4), SWCA has made a reasonable and good faith effort to identify historic properties within the proposed Tomball Tollway project area. Based on the results of the current effort and proposed monitoring, SWCA recommends a determination of NO ADVERSE EFFECT to historic properties within the investigated project area

Intensive Archaeological Survey for the Proposed City of Conroe Outfall Relocation, Montgomery County, Texas

On behalf of Carollo Engineers, Inc. and the City of Conroe, Texas, SWCA Environmental Consultants (SWCA) conducted an intensive archaeological survey for the proposed City of Conroe Outfall Relocation project located southwest of the existing City of Conroe wastewater treatment facility in Montgomery County, Texas. The proposed project consists of the construction of a new pipeline and outfall structure within a 2,190-foot-long, 60-foot-wide corridor (approximately 3 acres in total), with potential depth of impact from 5 to 17 feet below surface. Archaeological investigations were conducted in compliance with the Antiquities Code of Texas (Texas Natural Resource Code, Title 9, Chapter 191) and accompanying Rules of Practice and Procedure (Texas Administrative Code, Title 13, Chapter 26) under Texas Antiquities Permit No. 7770, and with guidelines set forth by the Texas Historical Commission (THC) and Section 106 of National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) (16 United States Code [USC] 470) and its implementing regulations, 36 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 800. The background review revealed that no previous surveys or recorded cultural resources are located within the proposed project area. An intensive archaeological survey, including pedestrian survey augmented by shovel testing, was conducted along the length of the project area on September 7, 2016. Following THC and USACE recommendations and as a condition of Permit No. SWG-2016-01062 (dated to August 14, 2017), additional deep testing was conducted through the monitoring of the excavation of five trench locations within the proposed alignment on May 2, 2018. No cultural resources were identified during the investigations. Overall, the project alignment extends across a forested bottomland along the eastern bank of the West Fork San Jacinto River. Vegetation included hardwood forests of elm and sycamore, pine, and palmetto. Evidence of disturbance along the line was obvious and includes hydraulic alteration of the floodplain, land clearing, and power line/water utility construction. In accordance with Section 106 of the NHPA 36 CFR 800.4 (b)(1) and the Antiquities Code of Texas, SWCA has made a good faith effort to identified significant cultural resources within the project area to the project depth of impact. No properties listed or otherwise eligible for the NRHP, or for designation as a SAL, were found within the investigated project area. Consequently, SWCA recommends no further archaeological investigation and a finding of NO HISTORIC PROPERTIES AFFECTED under 36 CFR 800.4(d)(1)

Quantum dot-labelled polymer beads by suspension polymerisation

CdSe quantum dots with polymerisable ligands have been incorporated into polystyrene beads, via a suspension polymerisation reaction, as a first step towards the optical encoding of solid supports for application in solid phase organic chemistry

The contribution of general language ability, reading comprehension and working memory to mathematics achievement among children with English as additional language (EAL): an exploratory study

An increasing number of high-stakes mathematics standardised tests around the world place an emphasis on using mathematical word problems to assess students’ mathematical understanding. Not only do these assessments require children to think mathematically, but making sense of these tests’ mathematical word problems also brings children’s language ability, reading comprehension and working memory into play. The nature of these test items places a great deal of cognitive demand on all mathematics learners, but particularly on children completing the assessments in a second language that is still developing. This paper reports findings from an exploratory study on the contribution of language to mathematics achievement among 35 children with English as an Additional Language (EAL) and 31 children with English as their first language (FLE). The findings confirm the prominent role of general language ability in the development and assessment of mathematical ability. This variable explained more variance than working memory in word-based mathematics scores for all learners. Significant differences were found between the performance of FLE learners and EAL learners on solving mathematical word-based problems, but not on wordless problems. We conclude that EAL learners need to receive more targeted language support, including help with specific language knowledge needed to understand and solve mathematical word problems

ActEarly: a City Collaboratory approach to early promotion of good health and wellbeing.

Economic, physical, built, cultural, learning, social and service environments have a profound effect on lifelong health. However, policy thinking about health research is dominated by the 'biomedical model' which promotes medicalisation and an emphasis on diagnosis and treatment at the expense of prevention. Prevention research has tended to focus on 'downstream' interventions that rely on individual behaviour change, frequently increasing inequalities. Preventive strategies often focus on isolated leverage points and are scattered across different settings. This paper describes a major new prevention research programme that aims to create City Collaboratory testbeds to support the identification, implementation and evaluation of upstream interventions within a whole system city setting. Prevention of physical and mental ill-health will come from the cumulative effect of multiple system-wide interventions. Rather than scatter these interventions across many settings and evaluate single outcomes, we will test their collective impact across multiple outcomes with the goal of achieving a tipping point for better health. Our focus is on early life (ActEarly) in recognition of childhood and adolescence being such critical periods for influencing lifelong health and wellbeing

Higher quality of life and lower depression for people on art in Uganda as compared to a community control group

Provision of antiretroviral treatment (ART) to people living with HIV (PLWH) has increased globally. Research measuring whether ART restores subjective well-being to "normal" levels is lacking, particularly in resource limited settings. The study objectives are to compare quality of life and depression symptoms for PLWH on ART to a general community population and to explore factors to explain these differences, including socio-economic status and the impact of urban or rural residence. PLWH on ART (n = 263) were recruited from ART delivery sites and participants not on ART (n = 160) were recruited from communities in Wakiso District, Uganda. Participants were interviewed using the translated World Health Organisation Quality of Life brief measure, the Hopkins Symptom Checklist depression section, and questions about socioeconomic status, residence as urban or rural and, for PLWH on ART, self-reported adherence and use of HIV counselling. Compared to the community sample and controlling for location of residence, PLWH on ART had significantly higher quality of life (QOL) for physical, psychological and environment domains, but not the social domain. These differences were not due to socio-economic status alone. Depression scores were significantly lower for PLWH on ART. Both comparisons controlled for the effect of location of residence. People on ART self-reported high adherence and the majority had used HIV counselling services. Our findings show better QOL amongst PLWH on ART compared to a general community sample, which cannot be explained solely by differences in socio-economic status nor location of residence. The general community sample results point towards the challenges of life in this setting. Access to health services may underpin this difference and further research should explore this finding, in addition to identification of psychological mechanisms that relate to better QOL. ART provision infrastructure has clear benefits. Further work should consider sustainability and replication for other health conditions. © 2014 Martin et al

Structure Activity Relationship of Dendrimer Microbicides with Dual Action Antiviral Activity

Topical microbicides, used by women to prevent the transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections are urgently required. Dendrimers are highly branched nanoparticles being developed as microbicides. However, the anti-HIV and HSV structure-activity relationship of dendrimers comprising benzyhydryl amide cores and lysine branches, and a comprehensive analysis of their broad-spectrum anti-HIV activity and mechanism of action have not been published.Dendrimers with optimized activity against HIV-1 and HSV-2 were identified with respect to the number of lysine branches (generations) and surface groups. Antiviral activity was determined in cell culture assays. Time-of-addition assays were performed to determine dendrimer mechanism of action. In vivo toxicity and HSV-2 inhibitory activity were evaluated in the mouse HSV-2 susceptibility model. Surface groups imparting the most potent inhibitory activity against HIV-1 and HSV-2 were naphthalene disulfonic acid (DNAA) and 3,5-disulfobenzoic acid exhibiting the greatest anionic charge and hydrophobicity of the seven surface groups tested. Their anti-HIV-1 activity did not appreciably increase beyond a second-generation dendrimer while dendrimers larger than two generations were required for potent anti-HSV-2 activity. Second (SPL7115) and fourth generation (SPL7013) DNAA dendrimers demonstrated broad-spectrum anti-HIV activity. However, SPL7013 was more active against HSV and blocking HIV-1 envelope mediated cell-to-cell fusion. SPL7013 and SPL7115 inhibited viral entry with similar potency against CXCR4-(X4) and CCR5-using (R5) HIV-1 strains. SPL7013 was not toxic and provided at least 12 h protection against HSV-2 in the mouse vagina.Dendrimers can be engineered with optimized potency against HIV and HSV representing a unique platform for the controlled synthesis of chemically defined multivalent agents as viral entry inhibitors. SPL7013 is formulated as VivaGel(R) and is currently in clinical development to provide protection against HIV and HSV. SPL7013 could also be combined with other microbicides

Examining the generalizability of research findings from archival data

This initiative examined systematically the extent to which a large set of archival research findings generalizes across contexts. We repeated the key analyses for 29 original strategic management effects in the same context (direct reproduction) as well as in 52 novel time periods and geographies; 45% of the reproductions returned results matching the original reports together with 55% of tests in different spans of years and 40% of tests in novel geographies. Some original findings were associated with multiple new tests. Reproducibility was the best predictor of generalizability—for the findings that proved directly reproducible, 84% emerged in other available time periods and 57% emerged in other geographies. Overall, only limited empirical evidence emerged for context sensitivity. In a forecasting survey, independent scientists were able to anticipate which effects would find support in tests in new samples

New Unique High Pressure Pump System

Lecturepg. 22The combination of a 16 inch Pitot tube pump with a switched reluctance motor represents a significant development in the field of high-pressure pumping. A field proven Pitot tube pump design has been mechanically integrated with a high performance switched reluctance motor. The resulting system is approximately 40 percent of the size of the standard unit it replaces. The close-coupled pump eliminates the need for a gearbox, two couplings, and field alignment. The unit is able to utilize software within the controller to monitor loading on the pump. The first unit to be installed has been in continuous service at a Yorkshire, United kingdom, power station for over one year