Beyond Documentation: 3D Data in Archaeology

As the costs associated with the collection of 3D data continue to plummet, there is little doubt that the number of available archaeology-related 3D datasets will increase dramatically in the coming decade. While our analytical procedures continue to evolve as new applications are contemplated, analyses of 3D data are increasing in frequency within the archaeological literature. In this article, we seek to provide a brief overview of a few examples from our own research and explore some possibilities that may add value to existing collections. In the following pages, we discuss some of the ways that 3D data have been used in studies of morphometrics, public archaeology, excavation, and comparative endeavors

Synthetic Toll Like Receptor-4 (TLR-4) Agonist Peptides as a Novel Class of Adjuvants

Background: Adjuvants serve as catalysts of the innate immune response by initiating a localized site of inflammation that is mitigated by the interactions between antigens and toll like receptor (TLR) proteins. Currently, the majority of vaccines are formulated with aluminum based adjuvants, which are associated with various side effects. In an effort to develop a new class of adjuvants, agonists of TLR proteins, such as bacterial products, would be natural candidates. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a major structural component of gram negative bacteria cell walls, induces the systemic inflammation observed in septic shock by interacting with TLR-4. The use of synthetic peptides of LPS or TLR-4 agonists, which mimic the interaction between TLR-4 and LPS, can potentially regulate cellular signal transduction pathways such that a localized inflammatory response is achieved similar to that generated by adjuvants. Methodology/Principal Findings: We report the identification and activity of several peptides isolated using phage display combinatorial peptide technology, which functionally mimicked LPS. The activity of the LPS-TLR-4 interaction was assessed by NF-kB nuclear translocation analyses in HEK-BLUE TM-4 cells, a cell culture model that expresses only TLR-4, and the murine macrophage cell line, RAW264.7. Furthermore, the LPS peptide mimics were capable of inducing inflammatory cytokine secretion from RAW264.7 cells. Lastly, ELISA analysis of serum from vaccinated BALB/c mice revealed that the LPS peptide mimics act as a functional adjuvant

Labouring in the Fields of the Past: Geographic Variation in New Deal Archaeology Across the Lower 48 United States

New Deal archaeology survey and excavation projects across the lower 48 states exhibit considerable geographic variation in their nature and extent. Part of this variation can be linked to strong regional personalities, while other variation depended on local political acceptance of or resistance to New Deal programs. The nature of the archaeological record itself influenced the amount of New Deal archaeology within a region. These factors are considered in the discussion of when and where work relief archaeological projects were conducted in the United States during the Great Depression