Tracing metallurgical links and silver provenance in Balkan coinage (5th -1st centuries BCE).

Unlabelled: Local types of coinage testify to the emerging use of silver in the Balkan interior, possibly related to abundant ore deposits in the region. Here, we present Pb isotope data for silver coins minted by local tribes and settlements (anepigraphic coins attributed to the Derrones/Laeaei, Damastion, Pelagia, Kings of Paeonia) between the 5th and 3rd centuries BCE. For comparison, we analysed coinage of the potential Greek Dyrrhachium and Apollonia for their main element and Pb-Ag isotope compositions.

Connecting the changing trace elements spectrum and survival in sarcoma: a pilot study.

Objectives: While some metals have been reported as carcinogens or potential carcinogens, only few modern-standard datasets including a large number of elements are available. The present analysis established a first trace elements spectrum by relating the concentration of metals and trace elements in the serum of sarcoma patients with survival data.

Methods: Patients with sarcoma and controls were retrospectively selected from the International Sarcoma Kindred Study database (ISKS).

Platinum-group elements and gold in silver coinage and the issue of salt cementation.

It has been proposed that gold purification by cementation could account for the low gold content of ancient Greek coinage from Attica and the Cyclades. In order to place new constraints on this suggestion, the concentrations of platinum-group elements (PGEs) and gold have been measured in 72 silver coins mostly from the Greek Archaic and Classical periods, but also from Rome, India, medieval Europe, and colonial Spanish Americas, by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. A novel technique allowing these concentrations to be determined in silver coins is described.

A heavy metal baseline score predicts outcome in acute myeloid leukemia.

Despite abundant epidemiological data linking metals to leukemia and other cancers, baseline values of toxic and essential metals in patients with leukemia and the clinical impact of these metals remain unknown. Thus, we sought to quantify metal values in untreated patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and controls and determine the impact of metal values on AML patients' survival. Serum samples from patients with untreated AML and controls at Hospices Civils de Lyon were analyzed and compared for trace metals and copper isotopic abundance ratios with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.

Geochemistry of Gold Ores Mined During Celtic Times from the North-Western French Massif Central.

The Celtic culture of Western Europe left magnificent gold objects, such as jewellery and weapons from nobility graves and hoarded coins, as well as field evidence of pre-Roman gold mining and metallurgical workshops that attest to the mining of local ores. This is the case of Central France where many precious metallic ores have been mined throughout the ages from the Prehistoric times onwards. One of the lingering problems in assessing the provenance of gold artefacts and coins is the lack of relevant data on the isotope geochemistry and mineralogy of ore sources.

Homogeneous sulfur isotope signature in East Antarctica and implication for sulfur source shifts through the last glacial-interglacial cycle.

Sulfate aerosol (SO) preserved in Antarctic ice cores is discussed in the light of interactions between marine biological activity and climate since it is mainly sourced from biogenic emissions from the surface ocean and scatters solar radiation during traveling in the atmosphere. However, there has been a paradox between the ice core record and the marine sediment record; the former shows constant non-sea-salt (nss-) SO flux throughout the glacial-interglacial changes, and the latter shows a decrease in biogenic productivity during glacial periods compared to interglacial periods. Here, by ensuring the homogeneity of sulfur isotopic compositions of atmospheric nss-SO (δS) over East Antarctica, we established the applicability of the signature as a robust tool for distinguishing marine biogenic and nonmarine biogenic SO.

Dynamic homeostasis modeling of Zn isotope ratios in the human body.

Recent research performed on volunteers and patients suggested that diet, health, and basal metabolic rates (BMR) are factors controlling the bodily Zn isotope compositions (isotopic homeostasis). However, our poor understanding of the variability of Zn distribution among the different organs and fluids of the human body, and the ensuing isotope fractionation, limits the use of this isotopic system as a typical diagnostic tool for cancers and for past hominin diet reconstructions. Using box model calculations, we investigated the dynamics of Zn isotope variability in blood and other body tissues as well as the consistency of the hypothesis of heavy Zn isotope accumulation through time in the human body.

Differential effects of TNF-α and IL-1β on the control of metal metabolism and cadmium-induced cell death in chronic inflammation.

Objective: Interleukin-1-beta (IL-1β) and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) are both monocyte-derived cytokines. Both cytokines have been previously described to exert a role in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) pathogenesis synergizing with other pro-inflammatory mediators, such as interleukin-17 (IL-17) on target cells, for the perpetuation of the inflammatory response (e.g.

Rome's urban history inferred from Pb-contaminated waters trapped in its ancient harbor basins.

Heavy metals from urban runoff preserved in sedimentary deposits record long-term economic and industrial development via the expansion and contraction of a city's infrastructure. Lead concentrations and isotopic compositions measured in the sediments of the harbor of Ostia-Rome's first harbor-show that lead pipes used in the water supply networks of Rome and Ostia were the only source of radiogenic Pb, which, in geologically young central Italy, is the hallmark of urban pollution. High-resolution geochemical, isotopic, and C analyses of a sedimentary core from Ostia harbor have allowed us to date the commissioning of Rome's lead pipe water distribution system to around the second century BC, considerably later than Rome's first aqueduct built in the late fourth century BC.

Regulatory effects of zinc on cadmium-induced cytotoxicity in chronic inflammation.

Objectives: Zinc (Zn) has major effects on immune system activation while Cadmium (Cd) has anti-inflammatory and anti-proliferative effects in several chronic inflammatory contexts. The aim of this work was to investigate by which mechanisms Zn could compete with Cd and eventually counteract its deleterious effects. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) synoviocytes exposed to cytokines were used as a model of chronic inflammation; osteoarthritis (OA) synoviocytes were used as control.

Protective effect of low dose intra-articular cadmium on inflammation and joint destruction in arthritis.

Synovium hyperplasia characterizes joint diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The cytotoxic effect of low-dose Cadmium (Cd) was tested in vitro and ex vivo on synoviocytes, the mesenchymal key effector cells of inflammation and proliferation in arthritis. The anti-inflammatory and anti-proliferative effects of Cd were tested in vivo by intra-articular injection in the adjuvant induced arthritis rat joints, where the clinical scores and the consequences of arthritis were evaluated.

Copper transporters are responsible for copper isotopic fractionation in eukaryotic cells.

Copper isotopic composition is altered in cancerous compared to healthy tissues. However, the rationale for this difference is yet unknown. As a model of Cu isotopic fractionation, we monitored Cu uptake in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, whose Cu import is similar to human.

Medical applications of Cu, Zn, and S isotope effects.

This review examines recent applications of stable copper, zinc and sulfur isotopes to medical cases and notably cancer. The distribution of the natural stable isotopes of a particular element among coexisting molecular species varies as a function of the bond strength, the ionic charge, and the coordination, and it also changes with kinetics. Ab initio calculations show that compounds in which a metal binds to oxygen- (sulfate, phosphate, lactate) and nitrogen-bearing moieties (histidine) favor heavy isotopes, whereas bonds with sulfur (cysteine, methionine) favor light isotopes.

Hypoxia induces copper stable isotope fractionation in hepatocellular carcinoma, in a HIF-independent manner.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most frequent type of primary liver cancer, with increasing incidence worldwide. The unrestrained proliferation of tumour cells leads to tumour hypoxia which in turn promotes cancer aggressiveness. While changes in the concentration of copper (Cu) have long been observed upon cancerization, we have recently reported that the isotopic composition of copper is also altered in several types of cancer.

A lead isotope perspective on urban development in ancient Naples.

The influence of a sophisticated water distribution system on urban development in Roman times is tested against the impact of Vesuvius volcanic activity, in particular the great eruption of AD 79, on all of the ancient cities of the Bay of Naples (Neapolis). Written accounts on urbanization outside of Rome are scarce and the archaeological record sketchy, especially during the tumultuous fifth and sixth centuries AD when Neapolis became the dominant city in the region. Here we show that isotopic ratios of lead measured on a well-dated sedimentary sequence from Neapolis' harbor covering the first six centuries CE have recorded how the AD 79 eruption was followed by a complete overhaul of Neapolis' water supply network.

A Feedback Loop between Inflammation and Zn Uptake.

Objective: Zinc (Zn) has major effects on the immune system and inflammation is associated with systemic Zn deficiency. The aim of this work was to investigate how inflammation modifies Zn metabolism at the cellular level. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) synoviocytes exposed to cytokines were used as a model of chronic inflammation.

Natural variations of copper and sulfur stable isotopes in blood of hepatocellular carcinoma patients.

The widespread hypoxic conditions of the tumor microenvironment can impair the metabolism of bioessential elements such as copper and sulfur, notably by changing their redox state and, as a consequence, their ability to bind specific molecules. Because competing redox state is known to drive isotopic fractionation, we have used here the stable isotope compositions of copper ((65)Cu/(63)Cu) and sulfur ((34)S/(32)S) in the blood of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) as a tool to explore the cancer-driven copper and sulfur imbalances. We report that copper is (63)Cu-enriched by ∼0.

Copper isotope effect in serum of cancer patients. A pilot study.

The isotope effect describes mass-dependent variations of natural isotope abundances for a particular element. In this pilot study, we measured the (65)Cu/(63)Cu ratios in the serums of 20 breast and 8 colorectal cancer patients, which correspond to, respectively, 90 and 49 samples taken at different times with molecular biomarker documentation. Copper isotope compositions were determined by multiple-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MC-ICP-MS).

Zinc and its role in immunity and inflammation.

Zinc (Zn) nutritional importance has been known for a long time, but in the last decades its importance in immune modulation has arisen. This review aims at describing the mechanisms involved in the regulation of Zn homeostasis and their effects on the immune response focusing on those which are implicated in the physiopathology of rheumatoid arthritis. Zn functions as a modulator of the immune response through its availability, which is tightly regulated by several transporters and regulators.

Lead in ancient Rome's city waters.

It is now universally accepted that utilization of lead for domestic purposes and water distribution presents a major health hazard. The ancient Roman world was unaware of these risks. How far the gigantic network of lead pipes used in ancient Rome compromised public health in the city is unknown.

Contrasting Cu, Fe, and Zn isotopic patterns in organs and body fluids of mice and sheep, with emphasis on cellular fractionation.

We report Cu, Fe, and Zn natural isotope compositions in organs, body fluids, diets and feces of mice and sheep. Large and systematic isotope variability is observed, notably in the δ(66)Zn in liver and δ(65)Cu in kidneys, but significant differences exist between mice, sheep and humans, especially in the δ(66)Zn value of blood. The results are interpreted with reference to current knowledge of metal trafficking and redox conditions in cells.

Is aging recorded in blood Cu and Zn isotope compositions?

Recent isotopic observations of animal samples indicate body accumulation of heavy zinc and light copper throughout life. This hypothesis has never been tested for humans, but the existence of a relationship between blood isotopic composition and age could be promising for age assessment methodologies. Dietary habits can also influence the blood zinc isotope composition, being an additional source of isotopic variation.

Fe and Cu stable isotopes in archeological human bones and their relationship to sex.

Accurate sex assignment of ancient human remains usually relies on the availability of coxal bones or well-preserved DNA. Iron (Fe) and copper (Cu) stable isotope compositions ((56)Fe/(54)Fe and (65)Cu/(63)Cu, respectively) were recently measured in modern human blood, and an unexpected result was the discovery of a (56)Fe-depletion and a (65)Cu-enrichment in men's blood compared to women's blood. Bones, being pervasively irrigated by blood, are expected to retain the (56)Fe/(54)Fe and (65)Cu/(63)Cu signature of blood, which in turn is useful for determining the sex of ancient bones.

Ab initio calculation of the Zn isotope effect in phosphates, citrates, and malates and applications to plants and soil.

Stable Zn isotopes are fractionated in roots and leaves of plants. Analyses demonstrate that the heavy Zn isotopes are enriched in the root system of plants with respect to shoots and leaves as well as the host soil, but the fractionation mechanisms remain unclear. Here we show that the origin of this isotope fractionation is due to a chemical isotope effect upon complexation by Zn malates and citrates in the aerial parts and by phosphates in the roots.