安徽省和县和巢县古人类地点的铀系法年代测定和研究

用不平衡铀系法测定了安徽省和县和巢县人化石地点哺乳动物骨化石样品的年代。所得封闭样品的年代值分别集中在15—19和16—20万年范围内。但在两个地点均不排除年代值为二十多万年的骨化石样品存在的可能。所有被测样品均检验了对铀的封闭性。     

巢县人年代位置新证据及其意义

本文银山地点钟乳石和骨石样的铀系年代。根据位于第２层顶部一钙板样３次分析的平均值,巢县人的上限年龄应为３１万年,据此似可将这一人类化石从目前分类的早期智人改划为晚期直立人。讨论了钟乳石铀系年代的可信度。银山下部地层骨化石样的分析结果,可引为二法一致的骨化石铀系年龄不足以保证数据真实的例证。     

从巢县人年代争议谈钟乳石、骨化石铀系定年——与陈铁梅先生商榷

从巢县人年代争议谈钟乳石、骨化石铀系定年─—与陈铁梅先生商榷沈冠军,房迎三（贵州大学化学系,贵阳５５００２５）（安徽省文物考古研究所,合肥２３００６１）《人类学学报》第１４卷第２期发表了陈铁梅（１９９５）先生的文章（下称陈文）,对不久前也在该刊发表的...     

巢县人类化石的年代

巢县人类化石的年代陈铁梅（北京大学考古系,北京１００８７１）陈铁梅等（１９８７）曾报道巢县银山洞出人化石的上部地层的年代为１６—２０万年,但不排除有２０—３０万年的化石存在,其依据是９个动物化石样的铀系测年结果．沈冠军等（１９９４）根据该遗址７个碳酸...     

桐梓人遗址岩灰洞的铀系年龄

测定了岩灰洞钟乳石和骨化石样的230Th/234U和227Th/230Th年龄。覆盖整个洞穴的表层钙板为20.6万年,位于三、四堆积层之下的流石和石笋为24.0万年。含化石和文化遗物的堆积物在这二个洞穴碳酸钙生长期间形成,因此应划为中更新世晚期,桐梓人应属晚期直立人。基于地层顺序和二种铀系年龄对照,讨论了钟乳石和骨化石铀系年龄的可信度。     

许家窑遗址哺乳动物化石的铀子系法年代测定

本文报告用铀子系法测量许家窑旧石器文化遗址出土的哺乳动物化石年代的初步结果。 山西省阳高县许家窑遗址的发现不仅在研究石器的文化传统上有重要的意义,而且在地层上证实了桑干河流域早更新统标准地层“泥河湾层”的上部还包括了晚更新世的沉积物。     

用铀子系法测定河套人和萨拉乌苏文化的年代

用铀子系法中的~(230)Th增长法测定了河套人与萨拉乌苏文化的年代。并用~(231)Pa增长法对所测年代的可靠性作了检验。 根据测得数据,萨拉乌苏组的沉积时代不早于晚更新世中期,其上部不超过三万年,下部为距今3—5万年左右。 考虑到人化石及旧石器的出土层位,河套人与萨拉乌苏文化的年代应为距今3.7—5万年左右。     

广西柳江土博甘前洞的铀系年代

本文报道晚期智人化石地点广西柳江博甘前洞新生碳酸盐岩和骨化石样的铀系测年结果。该地点表层钙板在约94Ka前开始形成,含化石粘土堆积叠压的钙板年代为约20ka,人牙化石应位于二者之间。二个动物化石样的二种铀系法年代范围为85－139ka,表明该地点与含化石堆积与表层钙板间无地层倒序现象,支持人牙化石大于100ka的结论。邻近的柳江晚期智人化石地点和柳州白莲洞人类遗址铀系测年的结果与本文一致。具现代解剖特征智人在中国南方出现的时间,很可能不晚于西非和非洲。在现代人类起源方面,中国不应是远离中心、滞后和被取代的地区。     

古人类遗址湖北郧西黄龙洞的铀系年代

湖北郧西黄龙洞为近年来发现的晚期智人遗址。本文报道该地点具明确层位意义的洞穴次生碳酸盐岩和骨化石样铀系测年的结果。含文化堆积下伏一局部钙板的年代为约100ka BP, 其中部偏上一局部钙板为约77ka BP, 表层钙板形成于27—57ka BP间。人类化石和石制品出土于文化堆积的底部, 其年代应在57—100ka BP, 并很可能在77—100ka BP间。与人牙化石同层的四枚犀牛牙化石在35—72ka BP间, 与基于次生碳酸盐岩的年代框架没有冲突。本文结果为中国现代人类的早期出现和距今40—100ka BP间有人类活动提供了有力证据。     

Chemical and physical methods in dating human skeletal remains

Chemical and physical methods for dating skeletal remains were examined. Benzidine reaction, ultra-violet fluorescence, specific gravity and supersonic conductivity were carried out on 71 dated skeletal findings distributed over the span of the last 3,500 years. Results given by benzidine reaction and ultra-violet fluorescence basically coincide, and positive readings were obtained up to about 200–350 years. Values measured in specific gravity and supersonic conductivity testing show a parallel trend, pointing out a clear difference between samples of the three first centuries and the ones belonging to more ancient periods examined.     

Proteomic analysis of the response of human lung cells to uranium

The industrial use of uranium and particularly of depleted uranium, has pinpointed the need to review its chemical impact on human health. A proteomic approach was used to evaluate the response of a human lung cell line (A549) to uranium. We established the first 2-D reference map of the A549 cell line, identifying 87 spots corresponding to 81 major proteins. Uranium treatment triggered differential expression of 18 spots, of which 14 corresponded to fragments of cytokeratin 8 (CK8) and cytokeratin (CK18) and 1 to peroxiredoxin 1. We probed several hypotheses regarding CK cleavage, and observed that it did not result from caspase or calpain activity. Furthermore, we showed that the fragments are recognised by an anti-ubiquitin antibody (KM691). These results suggest a regulatory pathway involving CK ubiquitinylation or dysfunction in the proteasome-ubiquitin system in response to uranium exposure in human lung cells.     

Determination of the evolutionary mode of Austrian alpine cave bears by uranium series dating

Middle and Late Pleistocene sediments in many caves in Central and South Europe contain large numbers of bones and teeth of the cave bear (Ursus spelaeus). The cave bear differs in many characteristics from the recent brown bear and shows a rapid evolution especially in the changes of the teeth due to adaptation to pure herbivorous nutrition. The shifts of the morphotype frequencies of the fourth premolar from the upper jaw were used as a measure of the evolution. The uranium series method is the only suitable tool for the absolute age determination of the fossil bones with ages beyond the time range accessible to the radiocarbon method. By applying this method to the Herdengel cave profile the evolutionary rate of the cave bears was determined. Uranium series data from the fossil bones were partly verified by an independent carbonate speleothem age. For both, bone layers and carbonate formation found in stratigraphic relation, the determined ages correspond to a normal time sequence. According to the relatively fine time scale obtained by absolute dating, the evolutionary mode of the cave bears was determined as gradual. The main novelty of this study is the dating of the successive layers of the Herdengel cave and the determination of evolutionary stages of the cave bear in them.     

Localization of vanadium-containing particles in the lungs of uranium/vanadium miners

Several geological formations of the Utah-Colorado mining region mined for uranium ore during and after World War II had been mined earlier for vanadium. Therefore, most miners and millers from that region were exposed to those metals’ ores or tailings at one time or another. Preliminary investigation to determine uranium and vanadium retained in the lungs of a former uranium miner and miller from this region, who died of lung cancer (mesothelioma), showed a high nonuniform distribution of vanadium. This observation led to the hypothesis that the vanadium content in the lungs could be associated with inhaled particles. Further examination of spectra of characteristic X-rays obtained by scanning particle-induced X-ray emission (microPIXE) of an autopsy sample of this lung indicated that vanadium was indeed present in localized sites within the 20-μm spatial resolution of the proton beam. This work points out that the microPIXE-RBS (Rutherford backscattering) test for vanadium can be used for site localization of inhaled particles retained in the lungs. Further studies are in progress to: (i) locate uranium-bearing particles in lung tissues of former uranium miners and millers; and (ii) evaluate the local doses of alpha radiation received from these particles.     

Neurotoxicity of depleted uranium

Depleted uranium (DU) is a byproduct of the enrichment process of uranium for its more radioactive isotopes to be used in nuclear energy. Because DU is pyrophoric and a dense metal with unique features when combined in alloys, it is used by the military in armor and ammunitions. There has been significant public concern regarding the use of DU by such armed forces, and it has been hypothesized to play a role in Gulf War syndrome. In light of experimental evidence from cell cultures, rats, and humans, there is justification for such concern. However, there are limited data on the neurotoxicity of DU. This review reports on uranium uses and its published health effects, with a major focus on in vitro and in vivo studies that escalate concerns that exposure to DU might be associated with neurotoxic health sequelae.     

Staining of intracellular deposits of uranium in cultured murine macrophages

In our studies of the health effects of internalized depleted uranium, we developed a simple and rapid light microscopic method to stain specifically intracellular uranium deposits. Using J774 cells, a mouse macrophage line, treated with uranyl nitrate and the pyridylazo dye 2-(5-bromo-2- pyridylazo)-5-diethylaminophenol, uranium uptake by the cells was followed. Specificity of the stain for uranium was accomplished by using masking agents to prevent the interaction of the stain with other metals. Prestaining wash consisting of a mixture of sodium citrate and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid eliminated staining of metals other than uranium. The staining solution consisted of the pyridylazo dye in borate buffer along with a quaternary ammonium salt, ethylhexadecyldimethylammonium bromide, and the aforementioned sodium citrate/ethylene-diaminetetraacetic acid mixture. The buffer was essential for maintaining the pH within the optimum range of 8 to 12, and the quaternary ammonium salt prevented precipitation of the dye. Staining was conducted at room temperature and was complete in 30 min. Staining intensity correlated with both uranyl nitrate concentration and incubation time. Our method provides a simple procedure for detecting intracellular uranium deposits in macrophages.     

Staining of intracellular deposits of uranium in cultured murine macrophages

In our studies of the health effects of internalized depleted uranium, we developed a simple and rapid light microscopic method to stain specifically intracellular uranium deposits. Using J774 cells, a mouse macrophage line, treated with uranyl nitrate and the pyridylazo dye 2-(5-bromo-2- pyridylazo)-5-diethylaminophenol, uranium uptake by the cells was followed. Specificity of the stain for uranium was accomplished by using masking agents to prevent the interaction of the stain with other metals. Prestaining wash consisting of a mixture of sodium citrate and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid eliminated staining of metals other than uranium. The staining solution consisted of the pyridylazo dye in borate buffer along with a quaternary ammonium salt, ethylhexadecyldimethylammonium bromide, and the aforementioned sodium citrate/ethylene-diaminetetraacetic acid mixture. The buffer was essential for maintaining the pH within the optimum range of 8 to 12, and the quaternary ammonium salt prevented precipitation of the dye. Staining was conducted at room temperature and was complete in 30 min. Staining intensity correlated with both uranyl nitrate concentration and incubation time. Our method provides a simple procedure for detecting intracellular uranium deposits in macrophages.