Nitrogen palaeo-isoscapes: Changing spatial gradients of faunal δ15N in late Pleistocene and early Holocene Europe.

Nitrogen isotope ratio analysis (δ15N) of animal tissue is widely used in archaeology and palaeoecology to investigate diet and ecological niche. Data interpretations require an understanding of nitrogen isotope compositions at the base of the food web (baseline δ15N). Significant variation in animal δ15N has been recognised at various spatiotemporal scales and related to changes both in baseline δ15N, linked to environmental and climatic influence on the terrestrial nitrogen cycle, and animal ecology.

Dual ancestries and ecologies of the Late Glacial Palaeolithic in Britain.

Genetic investigations of Upper Palaeolithic Europe have revealed a complex and transformative history of human population movements and ancestries, with evidence of several instances of genetic change across the European continent in the period following the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). Concurrent with these genetic shifts, the post-LGM period is characterized by a series of significant climatic changes, population expansions and cultural diversification. Britain lies at the extreme northwest corner of post-LGM expansion and its earliest Late Glacial human occupation remains unclear.

Towards Equitable, Social Justice Criticality: Re-Constructing the "Black" Box and Making it Transparent for the Future of Science and Technology in Science Education.

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has resulted in the rapid emergence of vaccines, the dual benefits of both science and technology have been lauded, while dominant, deficit-based narratives of vaccine hesitancy and mistrust in science and medicine by the general public, particularly minoritized populations, run rampant. In this paper, we argue for a counternarrative, where instead of erroneously positioning communities of color as the problem, the problem is reframed to consider what the scientific, technological, and science education communities need to do to become more trustworthy and transgress the persistent shortcomings related to racism and injustice. Specifically, in this position paper, we (a) discuss the interactions of science, technology, and society from the perspective of the nature of technology; (b) engage an understanding of how bias, access, and racism operate in and at the intersection of science, technology, and technological systems; (c) discuss implications of these ideas in science education; and finally (d) pose recommendations to counter alienation and racism with an emphasis on a sixth dimension, , for science-technology education.

Microscopic Communities: Interdisciplinary Exploration of Microbes in the Classroom.

Children are aware of microbes from a young age and are rightly encouraged to wash their hands to prevent illness. However, myriad microbes live in, on, and around us, most of which are benign or beneficial. Our goal was to teach elementary students about microbiota by leveraging familiar literacy practices, social studies themes, and the arts to advance students' knowledge and reasoning skills in science.

Magdalenian and Epimagdalenian chronology and palaeoenvironments at Kůlna Cave, Moravia, Czech Republic.

Unlabelled: Kůlna Cave is the only site in Moravia, Czech Republic, from which large assemblages of both Magdalenian and Epimagdalenian archaeological materials have been excavated from relatively secure stratified deposits. The site therefore offers the unrivalled opportunity to explore the relationship between these two archaeological phases. In this study, we undertake radiocarbon, stable isotope (carbon, nitrogen and sulphur), and ZooMS analysis of the archaeological faunal assemblage to explore the chronological and environmental context of the Magdalenian and Epimagdalenian deposits.

Radiocarbon chronology and environmental context of Last Glacial Maximum human occupation in Switzerland.

Central Europe during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) was dominated by polar desert and steppe-tundra biomes. Despite this, a human presence during this time period is evident at several locations across the region, including in Switzerland, less than 50 km from the Alpine ice sheet margin. It has been hypothesised that such human activity may have been restricted to brief periods of climatic warming within the LGM, but chronological information from many of these sites are currently too poorly resolved to corroborate this.

Preparative HPLC Separation of Underivatized Amino Acids for Isotopic Analysis.

Single-compound analysis of stable or radioactive isotopes has found application in a number of fields ranging from archaeology to forensics. Often, the most difficult part of these analyses is the development of a method for isolating the compound(s) of interest, which can derive from a wide range of sample types including the hair, nails, and bone.Here we describe three complementary preparative HPLC techniques suitable for separating and isolating amino acids from bone collagen and hair keratin.

Metabolomics reveals diet-derived plant polyphenols accumulate in physiological bone.

Plant-derived secondary metabolites consumed in the diet, especially polyphenolic compounds, are known to have a range of positive health effects. They are present in circulation after ingestion and absorption and can be sequestered into cells within particular organs, but have rarely been investigated systematically in osteological tissues. However, a small number of polyphenols and similar molecules are known to bind to bone.

An Assessment of Information Exchange Practices, Challenges, and Opportunities to Support US Disease Surveillance in 3 States.

Background: State and local public health agencies collect and use surveillance data to identify outbreaks, track cases, investigate causes, and implement measures to protect the public's health through various surveillance systems and data exchange practices.

Purpose: The purpose of this assessment was to better understand current practices at state and local public health agencies for collecting, managing, processing, reporting, and exchanging notifiable disease surveillance information.

Methods: Over an 18-month period (January 2014-June 2015), we evaluated the process of data exchange between surveillance systems, reporting burdens, and challenges within 3 states (California, Idaho, and Massachusetts) that were using 3 different reporting systems.

A multistep genomic screen identifies new genes required for repair of DNA double-strand breaks in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Background: Efficient mechanisms for rejoining of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) are vital because misrepair of such lesions leads to mutation, aneuploidy and loss of cell viability. DSB repair is mediated by proteins acting in two major pathways, called homologous recombination and nonhomologous end-joining. Repair efficiency is also modulated by other processes such as sister chromatid cohesion, nucleosome remodeling and DNA damage checkpoints.

Enhancement of plasmid DNA transformation efficiencies in early stationary-phase yeast cell cultures.

Chemical-based methods have been developed for transformation of DNA into log-phase cells of the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae with high efficiency. Transformation of early stationary-phase cells, e.g.

Preparative HPLC separation of underivatized amino acids for isotopic analysis.

Single-compound analysis of stable or radio-isotopes has found application in a number of fields ranging from archaeology to forensics. Often, the most difficult part of these analyses is the development of a method for isolating the compounds of interest.Here, we describe three complementary preparative HPLC procedures suitable for separating and isolating single amino acids from bone collagen or hair keratin with minimal isotopic contamination.

Demographic and clinical factors associated with persistent symptoms after West Nile virus infection.

Prognosis varies among persons with West Nile virus (WNV) infection, but the most important factors associated with persistent symptoms are not clear. In this cross-sectional study, 265 persons with symptomatic WNV infection during 2006-2008 completed a survey a mean of 7.7 months after diagnosis.

Preparative separation of underivatized amino acids for compound-specific stable isotope analysis and radiocarbon dating of hydrolyzed bone collagen.

Analysis of stable and radioactive isotopes from bone collagen provides useful information to archaeologists about the origin and age of bone artifacts. Isolation and analysis of single amino acids from the proteins can provide additional and more accurate information by removing contamination and separating a bulk isotope signal into its constituent parts. In this paper, we report a new method for the separation and isolation of underivatized amino acids from bone collagen, and their analysis by isotope ratio MS and accelerator MS.

Carbon isotope analysis of bulk keratin and single amino acids from British and North American hair.

The reconstruction of ancient diets using isotopic measurements of bone collagen, and other tissues, which survive in archaeological contexts, relies on known isotopic relationships between diet and body tissues. Examination of these relationships often requires the study of modern human and animal subjects. While hair keratin can act as a useful proxy for bone collagen in isotopic studies on living humans, where it is inappropriate to sample tissues such as collagen, it can, in addition, act as a chronological indicator of dietary change.