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.

Nitrogen isotopic discrimination in dietary amino acids: The threonine anomaly.

Rationale: The "Threonine Anomaly" relates to an observation made 25 years ago on the change in Thr nitrogen isotopic ratio in mammalian metabolism. Unlike all other amino acids, Thr in body protein is found to be depleted (rather than enriched) in N relative to dietary Thr. Interpreting isotopic discrimination has become a useful source of ecological and palaeodietary information and it is desirable that the underlying processes are understood.

Variability in the carbon isotope composition of individual amino acids in plant proteins from different sources: 1 Leaves.

The natural carbon isotope composition of individual amino acids from plant leaf proteins has been measured to establish potential sources of variability. The plant leaves studied, taken from a range of plant groups (forbs, trees, grasses, and freshwater aquatic plants), showed no significant influence of either season or environment (water and light availability) on their Δδ(13)C values. Plant groups did, however, differ in carbon isotope composition, although no consistent differences were identified at the species level.

New hydroxyproline radiocarbon dates from Sungir, Russia, confirm early Mid Upper Palaeolithic burials in Eurasia.

Sungir (Russia) is a key Mid-Upper Palaeolithic site in Eurasia, containing several spectacular burials that disclose early evidence for complex burial rites in the form of a range of grave goods deposited along with the dead. Dating has been particularly challenging, with multiple radiocarbon dates ranging from 19,160±270 to 28,800±240 BP for burials that are believed to be closely similar in age. There are disparities in the radiocarbon dates of human bones, faunal remains and charcoal found on the floor of burials.

Chronology of Ksar Akil (Lebanon) and implications for the colonization of Europe by anatomically modern humans.

The Out-of-Africa model holds that anatomically modern humans (AMH) evolved and dispersed from Africa into Asia, and later Europe. Palaeoanthropological evidence from the Near East assumes great importance, but AMH remains from the region are extremely scarce. 'Egbert', a now-lost AMH fossil from the key site of Ksar Akil (Lebanon) and 'Ethelruda', a recently re-discovered fragmentary maxilla from the same site, are two rare examples where human fossils are directly linked with early Upper Palaeolithic archaeological assemblages.

Evaluating marine diets through radiocarbon dating and stable isotope analysis of victims of the AD79 eruption of Vesuvius.

The stable carbon (δ(13) C) and nitrogen (δ(15) N) isotope values of bone collagen are frequently used in paleodietary studies to assess the marine contribution to an individual's diet. Surprisingly, the relationship between stable isotope these values characteristics and the percentage of marine foods in diet has never been effectively demonstrated. To clarify this relationship, the stable isotope values and radiocarbon dates of nine humans and one sheep from Herculaneum, all who perished simultaneously during the AD 79 eruption of Vesuvius, were determined.

Community differentiation and kinship among Europe's first farmers.

Community differentiation is a fundamental topic of the social sciences, and its prehistoric origins in Europe are typically assumed to lie among the complex, densely populated societies that developed millennia after their Neolithic predecessors. Here we present the earliest, statistically significant evidence for such differentiation among the first farmers of Neolithic Europe. By using strontium isotopic data from more than 300 early Neolithic human skeletons, we find significantly less variance in geographic signatures among males than we find among females, and less variance among burials with ground stone adzes than burials without such adzes.

Variation of bone collagen amino acid δ13C values in archaeological humans and fauna with different dietary regimes: developing frameworks of dietary discrimination.

We present bone collagen amino acid (AA) δ(13)C values for a range of archaeological samples representing four "benchmark" human diet groups (high marine protein consumers, high freshwater protein consumers, terrestrial C(3) consumers, and terrestrial C(4) consumers), a human population with an "unknown" diet, and ruminants. The aim is to establish an interpretive palaeodietary framework for bone collagen AA δ(13)C values, and to assess the extent to which AA δ(13)C values can provide additional dietary information to bulk collagen stable isotope analysis. Results are analyzed to determine the ability of those AAs for which we have a complete set, to discriminate between the diet groups.

Single amino acid radiocarbon dating of Upper Paleolithic modern humans.

Archaeological bones are usually dated by radiocarbon measurement of extracted collagen. However, low collagen content, contamination from the burial environment, or museum conservation work, such as addition of glues, preservatives, and fumigants to "protect" archaeological materials, have previously led to inaccurate dates. These inaccuracies in turn frustrate the development of archaeological chronologies and, in the Paleolithic, blur the dating of such key events as the dispersal of anatomically modern humans.

Using stable isotope analysis to examine the effect of economic change on breastfeeding practices in Spitalfields, London, UK.

Breastfeeding patterns were subject to a number of fads in 18th and 19th century Britain. Feeding infants by hand, rather than maternal breastfeeding or wet-nursing, became more prevalent among both the wealthy and poor. Substitute foods may have been a convenient alternative for mothers employed away from the household.

Liquid chromatography/isotope ratio mass spectrometry measurement of δ13C of amino acids in plant proteins.

In archaeological studies, the isotopic enrichment values of carbon and nitrogen in bone collagen give a degree of information on dietary composition. The isotopic enrichments of individual amino acids from bone collagen and dietary protein have the potential to provide more precise information about the components of diet. A limited amount of work has been done on this, although the reliability of these studies is potentially limited by fractionation arising through hydrolysis of whole plant tissue (where reaction between amino acids and carbohydrates may occur) and, for certain amino acids, the use of derivatives (particularly trifluoroacetyl derivatives) for gas chromatography/isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC/IRMS) analysis.

Amino acid delta13C analysis of hair proteins and bone collagen using liquid chromatography/isotope ratio mass spectrometry: paleodietary implications from intra-individual comparisons.

We report a novel method for the chromatographic separation and measurement of stable carbon isotope ratios (delta(13)C) of individual amino acids in hair proteins and bone collagen using the LC-IsoLink system, which interfaces liquid chromatography (LC) with isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS). This paper provides baseline separation of 15 and 13 of the 18 amino acids in bone collagen and hair proteins, respectively. We also describe an approach to analysing small hair samples for compound-specific analysis of segmental hair sections.

Radiocarbon and stable isotope investigations at the Central Rhineland sites of Gönnersdorf and Andernach-Martinsberg, Germany.

The late glacial open-air sites of Gönnersdorf and Andernach-Martinsberg in the German Central Rhineland are well known for their Magdalenian occupation and activities. The latter site also produced evidence for a younger, Final Palaeolithic occupation of the locality by people of the Federmessergruppen. Both sites are particularly well preserved, largely due to their burial beneath volcanic deposits of the late glacial Laacher See eruption.

Trans-Atlantic slavery: isotopic evidence for forced migration to Barbados.

The question of the ultimate origin of African slaves is one of the most perplexing in the history of trans-Atlantic slavery. Here we present the results of a small, preliminary isotopic study that was conducted in order to determine the geographical origin of 25 enslaved Africans who were buried at the Newton plantation, Barbados, sometime between the late 17th and early 19th century. In order to gain a more nuanced understanding of the slaves' origin, we used a combination of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and strontium isotope analyses.

Correspondence between human diet, body composition and stable isotopic composition of hair and breath in Fijian villagers.

The main aim of this work was to describe the relationship between diet, and hair and breath isotopic composition. From one Fijian rural village, hair and breath samples were procured from 20 women. Physical anthropometrics were made, and hair (13)C/(12)C and (15)N/(14)N and breath (13)C/(12)C were measured.

Collagen turnover in the adult femoral mid-shaft: modeled from anthropogenic radiocarbon tracer measurements.

We have measured the (14)C content of human femoral mid-shaft collagen to determine the dynamics of adult collagen turnover, using the sudden doubling and subsequent slow relaxation of global atmospheric (14)C content due to nuclear bomb testing in the 1960s and 1970s as a tracer. (14)C measurements were made on bone collagen from 67 individuals of both sexes who died in Australia in 1990-1993, spanning a range of ages at death from 40 to 97, and these measurements were compared with values predicted by an age-dependent turnover model. We found that the dataset could constrain models of collagen turnover, with the following outcomes: 1) Collagen turnover rate of females decreases, on average, from 4%/yr to 3%/yr from 20 to 80 years.

Analysis of amino acid 13C abundance from human and faunal bone collagen using liquid chromatography/isotope ratio mass spectrometry.

The scope of compound-specific stable isotope analysis has recently been increased with the development of the LC IsoLink which interfaces high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) to provide online LC/IRMS. This enables isotopic measurement of non-volatile compounds previously not amenable to compound-specific analysis or requiring substantial modification for gas chromatography/combustion/isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC/C/IRMS), which results in reduced precision. Amino acids are an example of such compounds.

Predicting diet, trophic level and palaeoecology from bone stable isotope analysis: a comparative study of five red deer populations.

C and N stable isotope ratios of red deer (Cervus elaphus) bone collagen (154 individuals) from five modern populations occupying geographically different habitats are reported. No significant difference was observed between deer occupying forested and non-forested environments subject to similar climatic conditions suggesting a simple "canopy effect" is not observed. Mean population delta13C is negatively correlated with temperature whereas mean population delta15N is positively correlated with temperature.

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.

Stable isotope variation in wool as a means to establish Turkish carpet provenance.

The problem of establishing the provenance of carpets of artistic and historical importance is well known. We have addressed this by investigating whether there is sufficient geographical variation in the stable isotopes in wool (namely C, N and S) between key areas of Turkey to be able to recognize the different regions where carpets were made. Here we report results from modern wool samples taken from the winter growth of sheep in 2003/2004 from 13 carpet-producing sites.

Nitrogen balance and delta15N: why you're not what you eat during nutritional stress.

While past experiments on animals, birds, fish, and insects have shown changes in stable isotope ratios due to nutritional stress, there has been little research on this topic in humans. To address this issue, a small pilot study was conducted. Hair samples from eight pregnant women who experienced nutritional stress associated with the nausea and vomiting of morning sickness (hyperemesis gravidarum) were measured for carbon (delta13C) and nitrogen (delta15N) stable isotope ratios.

A Mid-Upper Palaeolithic human humerus from Eel Point, South Wales, UK.

We report here on a human humerus directly dated to 24,470 +/- 110 BP, placing it within the Gravettian, or Mid-Upper Palaeolithic. The partial humerus is an isolated find and can be attributed (with some caution) to the Pleistocene 'bone cave' of Eel Point on Caldey Island, Wales (UK). The humerus is probably male, similar in robusticity to other Gravettian right humeri.

Nitrogen balance and delta15N: why you're not what you eat during pregnancy.

Carbon (13C/12C) and nitrogen (15N/14N) stable isotope ratios were longitudinally measured in human hair that reflected the period from pre-conception to delivery in 10 pregnant women. There was no significant change in the delta13C results, but all subjects showed a decrease in delta15N values (-0.3 to -1.