Author(s): Jensen, K; Ranganathan, UD; Kozlowski, P; Van Rompay, K; Canfield, D; Ravindran, R; Khan, I; Luciw, P; Fennelly, G; Larsen, M; Abel, K

Background Infection of rhesus macaques with live-attenuated SIV strains provides the best known protection against challenge with pathogenic SIV. A cohort of 10 Indian rhesus macaques infected by Rev-independent live-attenuated SIV was monitored for up to 10 years. After the initial acute phase, virus replication was controlled and plasma viral loads were persistently below the threshold of the assay. None of the animals showed any signs of immune dysfunction.

Results DNA delivery using EP led to greatly enhanced expression of SIV antigens and increased cellular responses (up 3% of total T cells) that were broad, long-lasting (up to 45 weeks post vaccination) and included cells of multifunctional phenotype. SIV-specific cellular responses were found both in blood, BAL and rectal mucosa. Interestingly, compared to blood, the responses in BAL were consistently higher (up to 2 log) and included a higher frequency of polyfunctional cells. The cellular responses were characterized as predominantly EM CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in BAL and as both CM and EM T cells in blood. EP DNA delivery elicited both systemic and mucosal humoral immune responses, including the induction of Gag-specific IgA. Upon high dose SIVmac251 challenge, the vaccinated animals showed statistically significant lower VL peak in acute (1 log10) and in chronic viremia (1.7 log10).

In [22], a class of four-dimensional, quadratic, Artin-Schelter regular algebras was introduced, whose point scheme is the graph of an automorphism of a nonsingular quadric in P-3. These algebras are the first examples of quadratic Artin-Schelter regular algebras whose defining rela- tions are not determined by the point scheme and, hence, not determined by the algebraic data obtained from the point modules. In this paper, we study these algebras via their line modules. In particular, the set of lines in P-3 that correspond to left line modules is not the set of lines in P-3 that correspond to right line modules. Our analysis focuses on a distinguished member R-lambda of this class of algebras, where R-lambda is a twist by a twisting system of the other algebras. We prove that R-lambda is a finite module over its center and that its central Proj is a smooth quadric in P-4.

We consider graded Clifford algebras on n generators in the spirit of Artin, Tate and Van den Bergh's non-commutative algebraic geometry. We give an algorithm for counting the point modules over such an algebra, and prove that a generic graded Clifford algebra on four generators has defining relations which are determined by their zero locus in P-3 x P-3. Furthermore, we find a 1-parameter family of iterated Ore extensions on four generators which are deformations of a graded Clifford algebra such that the generic member has precisely one point module and a 1-dimensional family of line modules.

We consider graded Clifford algebras on n generators in the spirit of Artin, Tate and Van den Bergh’s non-commutative algebraic geometry. We give an algorithm for counting the point modules over such an algebra, and prove that a generic graded Clifford algebra on four generators has defining relations which are determined by their zero locus in P3 × P3 Furthermore, we find a 1-parameter family of iterated Ore extensions on four generators which are deformations of a graded Clifford algebra such that the generic member has precisely one point module and a 1-dimensional family of line modules. 1This research was carried out with the first author worked at the University of Antwerp (U.I.A), and was supported in part by NSF grant DMS9622765. 2Research assistant of the NFWO (Belgium). 1This research was carried out with the first author worked at the University of Antwerp (U.I.A), and was supported in part by NSF grant DMS9622765. 2Research assistant of the NFWO (Belgium). Notes 1This research was carried out with the first author worked at the University of Antwerp (U.I.A), and was supported in part by NSF grant DMS9622765. 2Research assistant of the NFWO (Belgium).