Investigating Intra-individual Dietary Changes and Radiocarbon Ages Using High Resolution δ13C, δ15N Isotope Ratios and 14C Ages Obtained From Dentine Increments

Ten medieval permanent teeth were subjected to incremental dentine sectioning and stable isotope analysis to investigate dietary changes in high resolution. In addition to this, eight increments were also selected for 14C measurements to examine possible intra-individual age differences. Results reveal the cessation of weaning, various dietary profiles and in some cases significantly different 14C ages obtained from a single tooth. This case study illustrates how 14C measurements can function as a proxy alongside the commonly used carbon and nitrogen stable isotope values to interpret the diet of past individuals

Characterization of NKR+ T-cell subsets in human bone marrow:implications for immunosurveillance of neoplasia

In addition to hematopoietic progenitors, human bone marrow contains mature T/NK lymphocytes. Valpha24Vbeta11 NKT-cells, a subset of NK receptor+ (NKR+) T-cells in humans, are rare in bone marrow, suggesting the presence of other NKR+ T-cells which may contribute to tumor surveillance. NKR+/- T-cells were examined in blood (PB), and bone marrow from donors (DM) and patients with active hematopoietic malignancy (PM), or in remission (PR). T-cells in PR & PM were enriched for CD56+ and CD57+ subsets, compared to DM. All marrow NKR+/- T-cell subsets were more activated than PB. PM and, surprisingly, PR marrow contained more activated cells than DM. CD8+ cells were significantly increased in all patient marrows and there was evidence of the formation of an effector/memory pool in malignant marrow. These data suggest that NKR+ T-cell enrichment in human bone marrow that has been exposed to neoplastic transformation is compatible with a role in localized tumor surveillance/eradication.

Civilianizing Civil Conflict: Civilian Defense Militias and the Logic of Violence in Intra-State Conflict

This article examines how civilian defense militias shape violence during civil war. We define civilian defense forces as a sedentary and defensive form of pro-government militia that incumbents often use to harness the participation of civilians during a counterinsurgency campaign. We argue that civilian defense forces reduce the problem of insurgent identification. This leads to a reduction in state violence against civilians. However, we also claim that these actors undermine civilian support for insurgents, which leads to an increase in rebel violence against civilians and overall intensification of conflict. A statistical analysis of government and rebel violence against civilians from 1981 to 2005, and a qualitative assessment of a civilian defense force operating in Iraq from 2005 to 2009, offer strong support for our theoretical claims. These findings provide further insight into pro-government militias and their effects on violence. They also have wider ethical implications for the use of civilian collaborators during civil war.

Life history of turbot in Icelandic waters: Intra- and inter-population genetic diversity and otolith tracking of environmental temperatures

The stock structure of turbot was investigated between samples from S-Norway, the Irish Sea and the Kattegat, using 12 microsatellite loci and compared to the turbot caught in Icelandic waters. Highly significant genetic differentiation was observed between samples from Kattegat and other areas. Significant genetic differentiation was also observed between the Irish Sea sample on one hand and Iceland and S-Norway on the other hand. No significant genetic differentiation was observed between Iceland and S-Norway. Otoliths of 25 turbot, age ranging from 3 to 19 years, were subjected to nearly 300 mass spectrometry determinations of stable oxygen and carbon isotopes. Oxygen isotope composition (δ¹⁸O) in the otolith samples was used to estimate ambient temperature at time of otolith accretion, and yielded estimated temperatures experienced by the turbot ranging from 3 to 15°C. Overall, the genetic analysis indicates panmixia between turbot in Icelandic and Norwegian waters. While the extensive migration of larvae between Norway and Iceland is unlikely, passive drift of turbot larva from other areas (e.g. Ireland) cannot be ruled out.