bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hypothalamic representation of the imminence of predator threat detected by the vomeronasal organ in mice
Authors: Nguyen Quynh Anh Thi , Rocha Andrea , Yamashita Yuna , Chhor Ricky , Stadler Christian , Pontrello Crystal , Haga-Yamanaka Sachiko
Published: March 2024

Animals have the innate ability to select optimal defensive behavioral outputs with an appropriate intensity in response to predator threat in specific contexts. Such innate behavioral decisions are thought to be computed in the medial hypothalamic nuclei that contain neural populations directly controlling defensive behavioral outputs. The vomeronasal organ (VNO) is one of the major sensory input channels through which predator cues are detected with ascending inputs to the medial hypothalamic nuclei, especially to the ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH), through the medial amygdala (MeA) and bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST). Here, we show that cat saliva contains predator cues that signal imminence of predator threat and regulate the robustness of freezing behavior through the VNO in mice. Cat saliva activates neurons expressing the V2R-A4 subfamily of sensory receptors, suggesting the existence of specific receptor groups responsible for freezing behavior induced by the predator cues. The number of VNO neurons activated in response to saliva correlates with the freshness of saliva and the intensity of freezing behavior, while the downstream neurons in the accessory olfactory bulb (AOB) and defensive behavioral circuit are quantitatively equally activated by fresh and old saliva. Strikingly, however, only the number of VMH neurons activated by fresh saliva positively correlates with the intensity of freezing behavior. Detailed analysis of the spatial distribution of fresh and old saliva-responding neurons revealed a neuronal population within the VMH that is more sensitive to fresh saliva than old saliva. Taken together, this study demonstrates that predator cues in cat saliva change over time and differentially activate the sensory-to-hypothalamus defensive behavioral pathway to modulate behavioral outputs.
Intrinsic dynamics of randomly clustered networks generate place fields and preplay of novel environments
Authors: Breffle Jordan , Germaine Hannah , Shin Justin D. , Jadhav Shantanu P. , Miller Paul
Published: March 2024

During both sleep and awake immobility, hippocampal place cells reactivate time-compressed versions of sequences representing recently experienced trajectories in a phenomenon known as replay. Intriguingly, spontaneous sequences can also correspond to forthcoming trajectories in novel environments experienced later, in a phenomenon known as preplay. Here, we present a model showing that sequences of spikes correlated with the place fields underlying spatial trajectories in both previously experienced and future novel environments can arise spontaneously in neural circuits with random, clustered connectivity rather than pre-configured spatial maps. Moreover, the realistic place fields themselves arise in the circuit from minimal, landmark-based inputs. We find that preplay quality depends on the network’s balance of cluster isolation and overlap, with optimal preplay occurring in small-world regimes of high clustering yet short path lengths. We validate the results of our model by applying the same place field and preplay analyses to previously published rat hippocampal place cell data. Our results show that clustered recurrent connectivity can generate spontaneous preplay and immediate replay of novel environments. These findings support a framework whereby novel sensory experiences become associated with preexisting “pluripotent” internal neural activity patterns.Neural circuits with small-world connectivity spontaneously emit sequences of spikes that are correlated with any of the distinct sequences of realistic place fields produced by location-modulated, monotonically varying input.Jordan Breffle: Conceptualization, Formal Analysis, Investigation, Methodology, Software, Visualization, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editingHannah Germaine: Conceptualization, Methodology, Software, Writing – review & editing Justin D. Shin: Data curation, Investigation, Writing – review & editingShantanu P. Jadhav: Conceptualization, Funding acquisition, Resources, Supervision, Writing – review & editingPaul Miller: Conceptualization, Funding acquisition, Methodology, Project administration, Resources, Supervision, Writing – review & editingNIH/NINDS R01NS104818, NIH/NIMH R01MH112661, NIH/NIMH R01MH120228, and Brandeis University Neuroscience Graduate Program
SntB triggers the antioxidant pathways to regulate development and aflatoxin biosynthesis in Aspergillus flavus
Authors: Wu Dandan , Yang Chi , Yao Yanfang , Ma Dongmei , Lin Hong , Hao Ling , Xin Wenwen , Ye Kangfu , Sun Minghui , Hu Yule , Yang Yanling , Zhuang Zhenhong
Published: March 2024

The epigenetic reader SntB was identified as an important transcriptional regulator of growth, development, and secondary metabolite synthesis in Aspergillus flavus. However, the underlying molecular mechanism is still unclear. In this study, by gene deletion and complementation, we found SntB is essential for mycelia growth, conidial production, sclerotia formation, aflatoxin synthesis, and host colonization. Chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq) and RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis revealed that SntB played key roles in oxidative stress response of A. flavus, influencing related gene activity, especially catC encoding catalase. SntB regulated the expression activity of catC with or without oxidative stress, and was related to the expression level of the secretory lipase (G4B84_008359). The deletion of catC showed that CatC participated in the regulation of fungal morphogenesis, reactive oxygen species (ROS) level, and aflatoxin production, and that CatC significantly regulated fungal sensitive reaction and AFB1 yield under oxidative stress. Our study revealed the potential machinery that SntB regulated fungal morphogenesis, mycotoxin anabolism, and fungal virulence through the axle of from H3K36me3 modification to fungal virulence and mycotoxin biosynthesis. The results of this study shed light into the SntB-mediated transcript regulation pathways of fungal mycotoxin anabolism and virulence, which provided potential strategy to control the contamination of A. flavus and its aflatoxins.
A Statistical Framework for Analysis of Trial-Level Temporal Dynamics in Fiber Photometry Experiments
Authors: Loewinger Gabriel , Cui Erjia , Lovinger David , Pereira Francisco
Published: March 2024

Fiber photometry has become a popular technique to measure neural activity in vivo, but common analysis strategies can reduce detection of effects because they con dense
within-trial
signals into summary measures, and discard trial-level information by averaging
across-trials
. We propose a novel photometry statistical framework based on functional linear mixed modeling, which enables hypothesis testing of variable effects at
every trial time-point
, and uses trial-level signals without averaging. This makes it possible to compare the timing and magnitude of signals across conditions while accounting for between-animal differences. Our framework produces a series of plots that illustrate covariate effect estimates and statistical significance at each trial time-point. By exploiting signal autocorrelation, our methodology yields
joint
95% confidence intervals that account for inspecting effects across the entire trial and improve the detection of event-related signal changes over common multiple comparisons correction strategies. We reanalyze data from a recent study proposing a theory for the role of mesolimbic dopamine in reward learning, and show the capability of our framework to reveal significant effects obscured by standard analysis approaches. For example, our method identifies two dopamine components with distinct temporal dynamics in response to re ward delivery. In simulation experiments, our methodology yields improved statistical power over common analysis approaches. Finally, we provide an open-source package and analysis guide for applying our framework.
Identification and validation of shared gene signature of kidney renal clear cell carcinoma and COVID-19
Authors: Nie Jianqiang , Yang Hailang , Liu Xiaoqiang , Deng Wen , Fu Bin
Published: March 2024

Background

COVID-19 is a severe infectious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, and previous studies have shown that patients with kidney renal clear cell carcinoma (KIRC) are more susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection than the general population. Nevertheless, their co-pathogenesis remains incompletely elucidated.

Methods

We obtained shared genes between these two diseases based on public datasets, constructed a prognostic risk model consisting of hub genes, and validated the accuracy of the model using internal and external validation sets. We further analyzed the immune landscape of the prognostic risk model, investigated the biological functions of the hub genes, and detected their expression in renal cell carcinoma cells using qPCR. Finally, we searched the candidate drugs associated with hub gene-related targets from DSigDB and CellMiner databases.

Results

We obtained 156 shared genes between KIRC and COVID-19 and constructed a prognostic risk model consisting of four hub genes. Both shared genes and hub genes were highly enriched in immune-related functions and pathways. Hub genes were significantly overexpressed in COVID-19 and KIRC. ROC curves, nomograms, etc., showed the reliability and robustness of the risk model, which was validated in both internal and external datasets. Moreover, patients in the high-risk group showed a higher proportion of immune cells, higher expression of immune checkpoint genes, and more active immune-related functions. Finally, we identified promising drugs for COVID-19 and KIRC, such as etoposide, fulvestrant, and topotecan.

Conclusion

This study identified and validated four shared genes for KIRC and COVID-19. These genes are associated with immune functions and may serve as potential prognostic biomarkers for KIRC. The shared pathways and genes may provide new insights for further mechanistic research and treatment of comorbidities.
Development of Education and Training Scenarios to Improve the Ability of Fire Safety Managers to Realize Situations and Induce Evacuation in Case of Fire
Authors: Choi Yoo-Jeong , Kim Si-Kuk
Published: March 2024

This study developed an education and training scenario to improve the ability of fire safety managers to recognize situations during a fire and induce evacuation. By reflecting on the characteristics of evacuation facilities and the occupants of multi-occupancy buildings, a scenario similar to that of a real situation was designed through unexpected situations that could occur during actual evacuation induction. Each evacuation facility in the scenario was developed by applying additional methods considering the factors influencing the evacuation in the previous case, referring to Article 4 (1) of the adaptability of evacuation equipment according to the installation location of firefighting objects. The developed scenario was a multi-occupancy building with four basement levels and 50 floors above the ground with a piloti structure and was designed based on the order of evacuation initiation → induction of evacuation → gather at the evacuation site → rescue recipient state report. The details were designed to be applied to practical training by assigning elements that can occur in real situations by causing evacuation using evacuation facilities according to the number of fire floors, assigning situations through various characteristics of occupants, and inserting role conflict elements through unexpected situations. By conducting practical and feasible education for fire safety managers, they can flexibly cope with unexpected situations that may occur in the process of inducing occupants to evacuate in the event of a fire while on duty and improve their skills in using evacuation facilities.
Study on the Response Characteristics of Smoke Detectors Based on the ISO 7240-7 Smoldering Cotton Fire
Authors: Choi Su-Gil , Choi Yoo-Jeong , Kim Si-Kuk
Published: March 2024

In this study, a smoldering cotton fire test was conducted in accordance with ISO 7240-7 to analyze the smoke/aerosols and combustion products that occur during a cotton fire that are crucial flammable components of multi-unit dwellings. The results of the smoldering cotton fire experiment comparing ODM and ASD based on the concentration standard of 15 %/m, which are the operating concentrations of the fire detection of type-2 smoke detectors, indicated a delay of approximately 2∼4 min in the ASD fire detection time. In addition, in the case of the smoldering fire, the CO concentrations appeared to be 37 ppm and 62 ppm at the ASD1,2 fire detector operating concentrations, resulting in high concentrations of combustion gas. Furthermore, in the case of a smoldering fire rather than a flame fire, despite a large amount of smoke/aerosol and gas owing to incomplete combustion because of the lack of buoyancy, it did not flow into the smoke detector chamber and was not distributed on the ceiling; this required a long time to detect the fire. Accordingly, smoke detector operation tests for various smoke/aerosols must be conducted in Korea to meet the international standards of firefighting technology.
Caracas, City of Aftermath. Caretaking Practices After Emigration and Collapse
Authors: Gzyl Stefan
Published: March 2024

This article examines the caretaking practices of vacant domestic spaces amid a migratory crisis and generalized collapse. Caracas is conceptualized as a ‘city of aftermath’, where the material residues of modernity are reconfigured in response to the logic of crisis and the needs of migrants, re-signifying spaces and extending their life beyond the conditions of their production. The text is centered on the figure of the caretaker. Based on interviews, site visits, and photography, the article examines the daily routines of Carlos, who looks after more than twenty apartments in Caracas. His work is entwined with migrants’ trajectories and local needs, generating new economies and support networks around the maintenance and adaptation of vacant spaces. In this way, caretaking practices offer clues for a reading of the city that transcends progress/decline oppositions and their respective imaginaries: the new and the ruin.
To Determine the Influence of Farmer’s Educational Level on Adoption of Agricultural Water Management Practices in Rongai Sub-county, Nakuru County, Kenya
Authors: Mwangi Mercy Wagaitheri , Mwaniki Susan M. Wanyaga , Ngesa Fredrick
Published: March 2024

Water is a critical input for agricultural production and therefore, plays an important role in food security. There are different practices that can aid in managing water used for agriculture. Some of these agricultural water management practices are; rain water harvesting, irrigation, organic farming, mulching and use of drought resistant crops among others. Farmer’s decision to either adopt or reject these practices can be affected by several factors, some of which are socio-economic. Some of the socio-economic factors that may influence adoption of these practices include farmer’s educational level, income level and farm size, among others. This research delve into the influence of farmer’s educational level on adoption of agricultural water management practices. A cross-sectional survey design was adopted, while proportionate and simple random sampling technique was used to obtain the respondents. The accessible population was 6,230 smallholder farmers from the target population of 26,804 smallholder farmers in Rongai sub county Kenya. The study was done in August 2023 to November 2023.The study included 120 smallholder farmers in Rongai sub-county. The study used questionnaire to collect data while binary logistic regression was used to analyze the data. The P value calculated for the 120 smallholder farmers was P=.56 which is >than .05 concluding that in this study education level did not have an influence on adoption of agricultural water management practices. The findings of the study are useful and can encourage farmers to adopt agricultural technologies regardless of their formal education level. The findings may also guide agricultural extension officers to focus on training the farmers on the specific technologies without necessarily focusing on their level of education. Further, the government, through agricultural extension officers, and other policy makers in the agricultural sector, may use the findings of this study while promoting adoption of agricultural technologies, as well as in coming up with appropriate policies that can help improve adoption of agricultural technologies.
Assessment of Genetic Diversity among 12 Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) Genotypes from five states in Northern Nigeria using RAPD markers
Authors: Yahaya S. A.  , Falusi O. A  , Mariam N. I.  , Okoye C. I.  , Abdulkarim B. M.  , Aliyu R. H.  , Idris Z. K.  , Jibril S. M.  , Umar Y. I.
Published: March 2024

Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) is an important oil seed crop cultivated in many regions of the world. It is known as the king of oil seeds due to the high oil content (50-60%) in its seed. Nigeria being one of the top 10 largest producers of sesame has tremendous potentiality to increase production in order to promote exports. Vast genetic diversity is available in sesame which may facilitate the breeder to develop new varieties, provided that the genetic distance between accessions is properly understood. In this study, 12 sesame accessions collected from five states (Benue, Kaduna, Kogi, Nassarawa and Niger) in Northern Nigeria, were subjected to RAPD analysis to understand genetic differences among them. Among the 12 accessions, 10 RAPD primers efficiently amplified genomic DNA to produce a total of 63 RAPD fragments, of which 56 (88.89%) were polymorphic. Each primer generated 3 to 8 amplified fragments with an average of 6.3 bands/primer. A dendrogram constructed from pooled data revealed 11 clusters showing a high level of polymorphism. A single accession (BE-02) was relatively distinct from rest of the accessions at 4999.50 similarity coefficient exhibiting genetic divergent while two accessions (BE-01 and NA-02) were clustered together revealing genetic similarity which could be efficiently used in breeding programme.  The results revealed that RAPD markers can efficiently evaluate genetic variation in the sesame germplasm.
Effect of Row Spacing on Brown Planthopper Incidence in Basmati Rice under Punjab Conditions
Authors: Dhaliwal L. K. , Anand Shubham , Suri K. S.
Published: March 2024

The field experiment was conducted at the Research Farm, Department of Climate Change and Agricultural Meteorology, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana during Kharif 2018. Pusa Basmati variety was transplanted on 5th July (D1) and 15th July (D2) under three spacing (25 cm x12 cm, 20 cm x 15 cm and 30 cm x 10 cm). The brown planthopper incidence data from 2014 to 2016 and 2018 indicated that the highest incidence at Ludhiana was observed in 2016 and the lowest in 2018. Regression analysis was carried out between different meteorological parameters and brown planthopper incidence. According to present study, the favourable temperature for brown planthopper incidence was 30.2-33.4 oC (maximum temperature) and 20.6-22.5 oC (minimum temperature) while relative humidity was 86-90 per cent in the morning and 48-60 per cent in the evening. Hot, cloudy and humid conditions are conducive for brown planthopper multiplication. The micrometeorological data on relative humidity was recorded at different phenological stages. The higher relative humidity was recorded in closer spacing (25 cm x 12 cm) than wider spacing (20 cm x 15 cm and 30 cm x 10 cm). The peak incidence of brown planthopper was also observed in 25 cm x 12 cm spacing (3.1 brown planthopper population/hill) as compared to 20 cm x 15 cm spacing (2.9 brown planthopper population/hill) and 30 cm x 10 cm (2.4 brown planthopper population/hill) during 2018. Hence, microclimate modification through spacing is cost effective measure for brown planthopper management in basmati rice.
Biofortification: Enhancing Nutritional Content in Crops through Biotechnology and Fighting Climate Change
Authors: Mandal Oksana , Krishnamoorthi A. , Singh Abhishek , Kaur Ravinder , Kalaiselvi P. , Nageshwar  , Tiwari Utkarsh , Mitra Munmun
Published: March 2024

Biofortification, a cutting-edge agricultural strategy, involves leveraging biotechnological advancements to bolster the nutritional value of crops, thereby addressing global malnutrition challenges. This innovative approach not only tackles nutritional deficiencies but also emerges as a potent tool in the fight against climate change. By employing techniques such as genetic engineering and selective breeding, biofortification enhances the concentration of crucial vitamins and minerals in staple crops. This not only improves the nutritional quality of food, especially in vulnerable populations, but also contributes to climate change mitigation. Biofortified crops exhibit increased resilience to environmental stressors, making them vital components of sustainable and climate-smart agriculture. Additionally, the reduced dependence on excessive fertilizers and other inputs minimizes the environmental footprint associated with traditional farming practices. In essence, biofortification emerges as a dual-purpose solution, promoting both human health and environmental sustainability in the face of global challenges.
Experimental Study of Two-way Half Slab Precast Concrete using Rextangular Rigid Connection
Authors: Irawan Djoko , Habieb Ahmad Basshofi , Iranata Data , Suprobo Priyo , Raka I Gusti Putu
Published: March 2024

A half-slab precast concrete (HSPC) system with precast bottom layers and in-situ cast top layers has been widely applied in various constructions. It generally behaves as a one-way slab due to the absence of positive-flexural reinforcements in the perpendicular direction to the precast component. However, in some cases, the HSPC was also applied in a two-way slab system. Consequently, a particular design and treatment in the connection between precast members was required, so that the bending moment in two orthogonal directions could be accommodated. In the present study, an innovative rectangular rigid connection (RRC) in a two-way HSPC system was investigated through an experimental test. It was found that the RRC-HSPC presented only a 9.13% reduction of the load at the crack, a 16.44% reduction of the ultimate load, and a 6.06% increase of the deflection at the crack when compared to the monolithic one.
Flexural Strength of RHS Perforated Lean Duplex Stainless Steel Beam at Temperature 24-900ºC
Authors: Prabowo Andy
Published: March 2024

The investigation of stainless steel structures at elevated temperatures is still limited, especially to those focused on the behaviour of perforated beams. Therefore, a numerical study was conducted to investigate the behaviour and strength of cold-formed lean duplex stainless steel (CFLDSS) beams having a single web perforation that failed due to pure bending at temperatures between 24-900oC. In total, 200 square and rectangular hollow sections (RHSs), which had various cross-section sizes, hole diameters, and temperature simulations, were involved in the parametric study. The numerical study was based on the ABAQUS simulation results of the 200 specimens. The numerical model was developed based on the validated existing studies. Numerical evaluations show that the existing codified strength predictions are conservative, but it has inconsistent safety. Hence, this study suggests modifications to the existing strength prediction, which is more conservative and reliable.
Horace's Villa at Tivoli
Authors: Hallam G. H.
Published: May 2006

Horace was born 65 B.C. and died at the age of 57 in 8 B.C. Philippi, where he was a tribunus in the army of Brutus and fled ingloriously, “relicta non bene parmula,” was fought in 42 B.C; and for his opposition at that time to Octavius Horace was mulcted by the loss of all his possessions. In Epist. 11, ii, 50, the poet speaks of himself as having been “Decisis humilem pennis inopemque paterni et laris et fundi,” and for the time he became a clerk in a quaestor's office. Soon after this, early in 38 B.C. when he was 27, he was introduced by Virgil and Varius to Maecenas, with whom, probably in 38 B.C. he made the “iter ad Brundisium.” His first book of Satires was published in 37, or perhaps in 35, and already (Sat. 1, vi, 67) he speaks of himself as one who dined at Maecenas's table (“tibi convictor”). In the year 33, or about that time, when he was 32, he received the gift of the Sabine farm, perhaps from Macenas or Augustus, towards the latter of whom his tone now becomes first friendly, then enthusiastic. In 31 B.C. came the battle of Actium, when it appears from Epode 1 that he either accompanied, or wished to accompany, Maecenas on board his trireme. From that time onward Maecenas and the poet were on specially friendly and affectionate terms.
A new Roman Customs List
Authors: Cagnat R.
Published: May 2006

The ‘Service des Monuments historiques de l'Algérie,’ in carrying out, during 1913, some excavations in the middle of the ruins of the Roman town of Lambaesis (not in the fortress of the Legio III Augusta) discovered, not very far from the Capitol and the probable site of the Forum, an inscribed fragment, which I wish here to discuss fig. 14). It had been used up in building a wall of a late epoch, and, in consequence, was not in its original position; but it is not likely to have strayed very far. The text inscribed on it had obviously been arranged in several columns, probably in two. There remain now, in any case, parts of two columns; the right part of the left-hand column, and the left part of the right-hand column. The letters are 2·5 cm. high, and resemble in style the writing au calame which, especially in Africa, denotes the age of Hadrian and of Pius.
Mundus Patet. 24th August, 5th October, 8th November
Authors: Fowler W. Warde
Published: May 2006

The mundus of Rome was believed to be a hole or underground pit or vault on the Palatine. It was said to be closed by a stone called the lapis manalis, which same name, oddly enough, is also given to an entirely different kind of stone, with which the pontifices occasionally worked some sort of magic in a drought. Plutarch, in the chapter in which he describes the foundation of Rome, says that the mundus, like the process of marking out a city, was of Etruscan origin; that firstfruits of all kinds were thrown into the pit, and that each new settler brought a bit of earth from his own country and cast it into the pit; he places the pit in the Comitium instead of the Palatine, but notes the word mundus as applied to it there, and the identity of this word with that for the heaven or universe.
Details of Roman Sculpture
Authors: Ashmole Bernard
Published: May 2006

A series of photographs, not retouched, of the details of dated monuments of the Roman Empire. Not an excessive demand for a student of Roman sculpture to make : the kind of apparatus—a good thesaurus—which a student of language would possess in his earliest studies at a university. But although it could be made with a fraction of the labour expended on any thesaurus, nothing like a scientific corpus of details yet exists or is contemplated; and this must serve to justify the publication of that which was begun in leisure some years ago as an elementary aid to private study, incomplete, and without immediate prospect of completion.
Note on some fragments of Imperial Statues. A postscript.
Authors: Macdonald George
Published: May 2006

In a paper which appeared under the above heading in Vol. xvi of the Journal mention was made (p. 7, footnote 2) of a previous ‘publication’ of the bronze leg from Milsington by Sir Walter Scott. At the time of writing I had been unable to trace the passage in which he referred to the matter. I am now in a position to quote it. It occurs in a letter addressed to Lord Montague on 22nd February, 1820.
Cursive writing of Gaulish potters
Authors: Oswald Felix
Published: May 2006

The cursive writing of Latin is known mainly from papyri and from the wax tablets of Pompeii and Dacia (A.D. 131-167), but there is another class which has been overlooked, and this belongs mainly to a period intermediate between the Pompeian and Dacian examples, but is more closely akin to the Pompeian script. The Gaulish potters of Terra Sigillata (the so-called Samian ware) were occasionally addicted, especially in the Hadrianic period, to the practice of writing their names with a stylus in the clay of their moulds before baking them in the kiln. Naturally these signatures are reversed on the vases formed in the moulds, but for the sake of clearness I have in all cases reproduced them as originally written. This writing has sometimes been destroyed or obscured by the addition of the footstand, since the signatures usually occur below the decoration. These reversed signatures were formerly often misunderstood ; in one museum in this country they are described as written in Greek and they have even been regarded as Oriental script. Thus Roach Smith states that a signature (which we now know to be CRICIRO reversed) ‘had been interpreted by Mr. Foster “Daoud made me.”’
Recent discoveries on the Palatine Hill, Rome
Authors: Boni Commendatore
Published: May 2006

In a remarkable chapter on the Roman Campagna Sir Archibald Geikie has given the facts relating to the geological formation of those hills, which were to become later the cradle of the Roman civilisation, when the volcanic platform of the Campagna, no longer increased by fresh eruptions, was carved by subaërial agencies into the topography which it presents to-day. Among such agencies, which were both chemical and biological, may be mentioned those which prepared the vegetable soil and clothed it with oaks and beeches on the hills, with laurels and myrtles along the sea-coast, and with reeds and equiseta on the banks of the river. Then came Man, who may have watched the last gigantic natural fireworks of the Alban volcanoes from Mount Soracte, which had by that time ceased to be an island.
Problems of the Second Punic War
Authors: Reid J. S.
Published: May 2006

There has been general agreement both in ancient and in modern times that Hannibal's hope of final victory rested mainly on the chance of arousing widespread disaffection to the cause of Rome among the populations of Italy. It was natural that he should overrate this prospect. He knew that many of the nations which had been welded into a great confederacy under Roman leadership had fought stoutly for their independence and retained vivid memories of the not far distant contest. I propose to study the extent to which the cities and peoples of Italy gave aid to the invader, and to show how the relations of the revolting Italians with the predominant power were changed thereby. Ancient authors made extravagant statements about Hannibal's success in sowing strife between Rome and her allies. In this respect there is nothing to choose between Polybius and Livy. They themselves enable us in large measure to detect the great insecurity of their hasty generalisations. Yet modern writers often echo the errors and fail to supply, or only inadequately give, the corrections. Solely by a thorough and somewhat tedious scrutiny of details can the untrustworthiness of the large general assertions be fully exhibited. The process must resemble somewhat that of cross-examination in a court of law, whereby unsound evidence is gradually broken down. I have been induced to undertake the task by failure to find elsewhere any treatment of the subject which makes an approach to completeness.
Funeral lights in Roman sepulchral monuments
Authors: Rushforth G. McN.
Published: May 2006

Among the fragments of the tomb of the Haterii, discovered in 1848 on the Via Labicana, some three miles from Rome, and now in the Lateran Museum, are two scenes in low relief illustrating the burial. The first of these (plate IX) represents a very rare, if not unique, subject—the lying-in-state, as we should call it, in the atrium of the house. Confining our attention to the details which concern our immediate purpose, we see that the central object is the corpse of a lady extended on a high bed or bier, at the corners of which burn four tall torches standing on the ground, while at the head and foot is a lighted oil lamp on a candelabrum of rather smaller dimensions. Below, at either of the two front corners of the bier, is a small flaming vessel, probably the ‘acerra’ which Festus says was used for burning incense before the dead. In the personages who assist at the scene we may recognise the relations, the ‘praeficae’ or hired mourners, and various attendants, one of whom is apparently laying a wreath on the corpse, which is already crowned, while another on the right is about to throw more incense on to the ‘acerra.’
An Archaic Terracotta Relief in Boston
Authors: Buren Van
Published: May 2006

European students are aware what a rich collection of important works is to be found in the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, but they do not always realise that it is also a treasure-house of smaller objects which are yet of great archaeological interest. An instance is the relief which Dr. Lacey Caskey, Curator of the Department of Classical Art, kindly permits me to publish as a note to my article on archaic figurative terracotta decoration in Rome. The relief (fig. 45), 7⅞ by 8¼ inches, is said to have been found in Rome; it is of red clay, and is broken at both sides so that only a part of the subject remains. This consists of two horses, proceeding slowly to the left, evidently attached by the pole between them to a chariot now no longer visible. Two long pairs of reins extend backwards and must have been held by the driver. All other indications of harness have vanished and may have been supplied in colour.
The Name Avgvstvs
Authors: Haverfield F.
Published: May 2006

On 13th January, 27 B.C. Octavian completed his first attempt to find a constitutional basis for his extraordinary position, and on 16th January he received from the senate the cognomen Augustus, which henceforward remained the personal appellation of the reigning Roman emperors, and, substantially, of them alone. It has been generally recognised that the name was well chosen, but no writer, so far as I know, has offered any positive reason why it in particular should have been chosen. Yet some reason is surely needed. Before 27 B.C. the name, though not altogether unknown, does not seem to have served as a Roman proper name. It had not been borne as a cognomen by any republican statesman, or indeed by any historical character or legendary hero. It was an adjective adapted by Octavian. We can, indeed, see how much it had to recommend it to the genius in adaptation. It possessed no political associations of any sort; it had belonged to nobody before Octavian and recalled no one's peculiar policy or aims. It had been merely an adjective used occasionally, yet not very often, in earlier literature (since Ennius), and, so far as it implied anything at all, implied simply a semi-religious sanctity—‘sancta vocant augusta patres,’ as Ovid says. Thus it fitted singularly well with the half-divinity of the DIVI FILIVS. Just as Augustus, early in his career (40 B.C.), had dropped the name Julius and had adapted an appellation (Imp. Caesar, etc.) which marked him off from the ordinary citizens, thereby indicating by the subtle change his great aims and his ambitions, so by the name Augustus he again set himself apart. Still, the name did not lie ready-made to his hand; we need some reason, beyond its fitness, to explain why his peculiar choice tell on it; such a reason can, I think, be learnt from coins.
The Fosse
Authors: Collingwood R. G.
Published: May 2006

The main lines of communication, in any given country, alter very little from age to age. They are dictated by geography; the vicissitudes of economic and political history may affect their relative importance and alter the details of their lay-out, but nothing except the cessation of traffic can fundamentally change them. This is strikingly exemplified in the relation between the Roman roads of England and its modern railway-system. The main Roman roads are laid out with such accurate attention to geographical facts, that the railway engineers of the nineteenth century were unconsciously forced to imitate their choice of track. In both cases, London is the hub of the system, and main lines radiate to the Channel ports, the Solent, the Exe, the Bristol Channel, the north-west coast, the north-east coast, and East Anglia. In both cases, again, there are certain “cross-country” lines—one from Cheshire to the Usk, one from the Tyne to the Solway, others through the passes of the Pennines. In short, a map of main Roman roads superimposed upon one of main railway-lines shows a very close general agreement, modified by such details as the substitution of Liverpool for Chester as the chief port of the north-west, and the substitution of Reading for Silchester or Shrewsbury for Wroxeter as a nodal point.
Romano-Gaulish decorated Jugs and the Work of the potter Sabinvs
Authors: Stanfield J. A.
Published: May 2006

Perhaps the most remarkable of the various forms of decorated ‘Samian’ vessels is the jug or vase which is the main subject of this paper. Previously, the precise shape of these vessels was a matter of doubt, the recorded fragments being incomplete, generally lacking neck, handle and base. An attempt was made in 1933 to restore fragments existing in London on the lines of the St. Rémy green-glazed form, Déchelette 62, but this restoration has been found to be only approximately correct for the particular fragments which belong to Hermet's decorated form 15, as shown in his work La Graufesenque (Condatomago).
Dacians on the Southern Bank of the Danube
Authors: Alföldi A.
Published: May 2006

A new military diploma, acquired by the Hungarian National Museum (pls. ii, iii, I), furnishes us with fresh evidence of Dacian settlements south of the Danube. We publish this new document with the kind permission of Professor Paulovics, Keeper of Roman Antiquities in that museum. Only the front leaf of the diploma has been discovered; the statement of the dealer, that it was found in the Danube near Nicopol in Bulgaria, is trustworthy. The tablet is slightly damaged on the right top of the front side, but this does not obscure the reading; it measures 94 by 118 millimetres and is 1·5 millimetres thick. It weighs 113·15 grammes.
Julius Caesar andLatiumin Spain
Authors: Henderson M. I.
Published: May 2006

This is not intended to be a full discussion of the sources of Pliny's description of Spain: it will attempt only to establish certain limits of date for the purposes of the article which follows. Among other sources Pliny used Agrippa's survey (probably finished about 7 B.C.) and official documents—formulae provinciarum—which included lists of towns with indications of their municipal status. I am chiefly concerned with the dating of these lists.
New Readings of a Severan Inscription from Nicopolis, Near Alexandria
Authors: Wright R. P.
Published: May 2006

The inscription here discussed was found at Nicopolis near Alexandria on 24th May, 1801, while a British force was besieging the French garrison. It was first published, but only partially, by Captain Walsh, aide-de-camp to Major-General Sir Eyre Coote; and the latter took it to England and set it up in the hall of West Park, his country mansion near Fordingbridge in Hampshire. There was a diagonal fracture across the last line, and so the workman concerned sawed off the jagged bottom of the stone and thus removed half a line of text.
Vexillum and Victory
Authors: Rostovtzeff M.
Published: May 2006

The square piece of linen cloth (pl. iv) which I propose to discuss in this note was acquired by V. S. Goleniščev in Egypt some years ago, and forms part of his splendid collection of Egyptian antiquities, which was subsequently incorporated into the Alexander III Museum of Fine Arts in Moscow, now the State Museum of Fine Arts. Years ago I reproduced and discussed it in a short paper (Monuments of Alexander III Museum of Fine Arts in Moscow iv, 1913, 149–153 (in Russian) and pl. xxiv in colour) in which I interpreted it as a military vexillum. My paper remained, however, unnoticed by students of military antiquities. For example, in 1923, so careful and well-informed a scholar as Kubitschek (P-W s.v. ‘Signa’ 2337 f.) in speaking of the inscriptions which appear on the vexilla, after quoting Cassius Dio xl, 18, and Vegetius ii, 13, says: ‘andere Bestätigungen haben wir nicht, und (fast darf man sagen: selbstverständlich) ist auch kein vexillum erhalten.’
Romano-Syrian Glasses with Mould-blown Inscriptions
Authors: Harden D. B.
Published: May 2006

This paper had its origin in an attempt to elucidate the connexions of three fragmentary mould-blown glasses in the Ashmolean Museum (infra, pp. 172–3, nos. F i d and e and ii c) which bear the complimentary motto ΚΑΤΑΧΑΙΡΕ ΚΑΙ ΕΥΦΡΑΙΝΟΥ, ‘Your very good health.’ The first two of these on close examination proved to be so much alike in every detail that they must have come out of the same mould.
Gaius I, 166. ‘Tutela parentis manumissoris’
Authors: Buckland W. W.
Published: May 2006

The recent discovery of a considerable fragment of the fourth Book of Gaius has shown us that the Veronese Codex, the only MS of the book that we possess, apart from some fragments, is not complete. A lengthy passage has dropped out, whether by accident or by intentional omission does not greatly matter. This has strengthened the hands of those who desire to insert passages on the ground of the fact that, in the opinion of the writers, they ought to be there. But additions of this kind should be made charily, for we do not really know the attitudes and the changes of attitude of the lawyers of the first three centuries of the Empire well enough to be quite sure of what they could and what they could not have said. This may be a justification for a renewed examination of an insertion, long ago suggested, and now widely if not universally accepted, in Gaius i, 166.
Claudius and the Senatorial Mint
Authors: Sutherland C. H. V.
Published: May 2006

The object of this note is to call attention to a passage in Professor A. Momigliano's Claudius: the Emperor and his Achievement (Oxford, 1934), which appears to stand in need of correction. This duty is all the more necessary because the book—a model of scholarly and concise writing, not easily to be emulated—has rightly won so highly authoritative and influential a place among students. The passage in question is to be found in p. 40 f., as follows: ‘In his monetary policy Claudius showed throughout a desire to recognise in full measure the rights of the Senate. Augustus, after making various experiments, ended by restricting the Senate's share of minting to the copper coinage for Italy, and kept the coinage of gold and silver and the remainder of the copper coinage in his own hands, with the principal mint at Lyons. Tiberius continued Augustus' policy in the main, though he tended to restrict provincial minting. In Gaius' reign this tendency was carried to its logical extreme; a fundamental change was made, the Lyons mint being transferred to Rome. The pretence that it was meant only for the coinage of the provinces was finally abandoned; and soon afterwards nearly all the other western provincial mints were closed even for the coinage of copper. Now one feature that differentiates Claudius' reign from that which preceded it is the reappearance in large quantities of a provincial copper coinage, easily recognisable by its coarse manufacture; and this coinage always bears the mark of the Senate (S.C.).’
Blossius of Cumae
Authors: Dudley D. R.
Published: May 2006

Ancient authorities agree that C. Blossius of Cumae played an important part in Tiberius Gracchus's plans for reform. But the evidence they afford is only fragmentary, and it is no easy matter to arrive at a fair estimate of Blossius. In Cicero, Valerius Maximus, and Plutarch he is the adviser, almost the evil genius, of Tiberius—no doubt one of those ‘learned men who stirred up Tiberius against Scipio’. Last regards him as one of the teachers from whom the Gracchi ‘received the undoubtedly Hellenic ideas which appear in their public life at Rome’, and who can thus claim their place in history.
Flaviana
Authors: Charlesworth M. P.
Published: May 2006

‘Ceteris in rebus statim ab initio principatus usque ad exitum civilis et clemens, mediocritatem pristinam neque dissimulavit umquam ac frequenter etiam prae se tulit. quin et conantis quosdam originem Flavii generis ad conditores Reatinos comitemque Herculis … referre irrisit ultro’ (Suet. Div. Vesp. 12).

Vespasian came of peasant stock; he succeeded to a position which had been occupied by men of the noblest birth. For the Julio Claudians no proofs need be produced; of their successors Galba boasted descent from Jupiter and (strangely) Pasiphae, and Otho from Etruscan princes; even Vitellius had a pedigree going back to Faunus and a local goddess, Vitellia. Vespasian was far too shrewd to make similar claims; he deliberately rejected the attempts of flatterers to find him a noble ancestor. Much of the Life of Suetonius is evidence for the statement ‘mediocritatem pristinam neque dissimulavit umquam ac frequenter etiam prae se tulit.’ His reign marked a return to simpler ways of living, and emphasised a contrast with the pomp and extravagance of a Nero, wealthy and degenerate (see infra, p. 55). It was a realistic and sensible policy, and likely to win support from the lower classes of population in Italy, whether peasants or city proletariate.
Notes on Roman Commerce
Authors: Frank Tenney
Published: May 2006

The immense mound of many million broken jars known as Monte Testaccio—still to be seen at the old emporium of Rome—provides in the trade-marks some material not elsewhere available for the study of Roman commerce; and Dressel's publication of many hundred of these marks (CIL xv, 2) deserves the highest praise for the patience expended in their transcription, despite the fact that later scholars have had to correct many of the conclusions that Dressel ventured to draw from them.

Since not a single one of these jars has been discovered unbroken, we must gain our knowledge of the customary items from the fragments of several jars. These items, not always found in the same order, are usually the following :

(1) The potter's trade-mark (usually the initials of the potter's name) was stamped on the handle before the jar was baked. See CIL xv, 2, nos. 2558 ff., for these.

(2) At the foreign customs or shipping office the full jar was marked in bold brush strokes with the weight of the empty jar, the name of the shipper (owner), and the weight of the full jar, thus :

(The shipper usually owned his cargo, hence the genitive form of his name.)

(3) By the side of an inscription of this kind there occurs another in smaller lettering containing a number of items that concern the customs house as well as the shipper—e.g. no. 4366 :

The interpretation is probably as follows (cf. Am. Jour. Phil. 1936, 87 ff.):

‘Received ; Hispalis ; value 20 sest. ; weight 215 lbs. ; from estate of Capito ; export duty : 2 asses; name of clerk; consular date (A.D. 179).’