Uranium series dating in paleoanthropology

Many hominid and archaeological sites contain materials that were formed or deposited synchronously with the site and can be dated by uranium-series methods, principally ²³⁰Th/²³⁴U dating. The range of the method is approximately 350,000 years. U-series dating yields most accurate results when applied to chemically precipitated calcium carbonate, which occurs in stalagmitic layers, travertines, and lacustrine limestones. Materials such as bone and shell are less reliable. Using mass spectrometry (MS), a precision of ±1% is attainable, whereas conventional alpha counting optimally gives a precision of ±5%. Mass spectrometric dating requires smaller samples, potentially allowing determination of ante quem dates for calcite coatings on hominid fossils and associated faunal skeletons.     

Regulation of kynurenic acid levels in the developing rat brain

Summary Several brain-specific mechanisms control the formation of the endogenous excitatory amino acid receptor antagonist kynurenic acid (KYNA) in the adult rat brain. Two of these, dopaminergic neurotransmission and cellular energy metabolism, were examined in the brain of immature (postnatal day 7) rats. The results indicate that during the early postnatal period cerebral KYNA synthesis is exceptionally amenable to modulation by dopaminergic mechanisms but rather insensitive to fluctuations in cellular energy status. These findings may be of relevance for the role of KYNA in the function and dysfunction of the developing brain.