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At least 775 records · Page 43Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Neural-tube defects in a prehistoric south-western Indian population.

Concern with the frequency and patterning of the occurrence of midline neural-tube defects among contemporary human populations is widespread. These defects are, however, quite old and occur in unusually high numbers of prehistoric skeletons. A common explanation offered for such high incidence has been inbreeding among small, reproductively isolated populations. In a sample of 54 skeletons from the prehistoric south-western Indian site of Tijeras Pueblo in New Mexico, failure of neural-tube closure occurs in 10% of sacra recovered. While a more homogeneous genetic background and inbreeding may account for a portion of this elevated prevalence, the cause appears to lie with cultural-environmental factors. It is suggested that the aetiology of these conditions has become more complex in recent human history.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Evidence of weaning stress and catch-up growth in the long bones of a central California Amerindian sample.

Diaphyseal growth patterns are described and analysed for a cross-sectional sample of immature Central California Amerindian skeletal remains. This collection is housed at the Lowie Museum of Anthropology, Berkeley, California, and comprises the largest immature skeletal sample of prehistoric Amerindians from the West Coast of North America examined to date. Mean long bone length values and estimates of growth velocity are compared to data reported for the Indian Knoll and Arikara skeletal samples. The Central California long bone growth curves are very similar to the Indian Knoll and Arikara from birth through dental age 2. A period of growth retardation is evident in the Central California sample at dental age 3, both in comparison to the Central California 2-year-olds and the Indian Knoll and Arikara 3-year-olds. However, estimated growth velocity indicates a comparable decline in growth rates for all three groups between ages 2 and 3. Catch-up growth is exhibited in the Central California long bones at dental ages 4 and 5. The departure from the expected cross-sectional growth curve between ages 3 and 5 is suggested to be correlated with the onset of weaning and a subsequent slow-down in skeletal growth. A method of quantitatively testing for the presence of poor growth performance in archaeological skeletal collections is applied to the Central California data.

Age Determination by Teeth↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Body proportions in a medieval village population: effects of early childhood episodes of ill health.

The purpose of this paper is to widen the observational basis for analysing growth patterns. To reach this aim measurements taken on skeletons from a small Danish village, Tirup, are analysed in relation to evidence for ill health in early childhood (age 1-6 years, inclusive). Enamel hypoplasia is taken as the indicator of health problems in this age range. It is found that episodes of ill health in childhood played no part in the formation of adult size. In order to analyse size independent aspects of adult morphology shape related variables like residual height and principal component scores were analysed. It is found that the episodes of ill health leading to hypoplasia did indeed change the score on some size independent linear combinations of the raw measurements. It is concluded that the kind of stress in childhood leading to enamel hypoplasia probably modified the relationship between long bone lengths and stature. It appears that the association between vertebral body breadth measurements and living height is--at least in part--brought about by episodes of ill health in early childhood.

Anthropometry↗
PubMed1997

A neolithic case of Down syndrome.

The aim of the study is to draw attention to the existence of a Neolithic figurine from Greece with characteristics compatible with Down syndrome. We have reviewed the relevant medical and archaeological literature, and we have compared photographs of the figurine with photographs of a patient with typical Down syndrome (DS). From the above data we conclude that the 7000 years old artefact may well be the most ancient representation of the disease in Western civilisation.

Archaeology↗
PubMed1999

Further studies on fecal parasites in antiquity.

This is a continuation study of the survival of antigenic material over the centuries using mummified human remains from the Andean area of South America. The fluorescent antibody kit from Meridian Diagnostics (Cincinnati, OH) was used to identify some Cryptosporidium species and Giardia species found in feces from the intestines of mummies 500 to 3,000 years old. The specimens that were positive by direct visualization using fluorescent antibody were then tested with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay reaction using a Meridian kit just released on the market. Since all of the feces used were formed, it would seem that the organisms found were from carriers rather than active cases of disease. Similar fecal specimens were shown to harbor antigens from Helicobacter pylori almost 3,000 years old.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Detection of leprosy in ancient human skeletal remains by molecular identification of Mycobacterium leprae.

We isolated ancient DNA from skeletal remains obtained from a South German ossuary (approximately 1400-1800 AD) and from a 10th century Hungarian cemetery partially indicating macromorphologic evidence of leprosy. In samples taken of 2 skulls from Germany and of 1 hard palate from Hungary, Mycobacterium leprae-specific fragments of RLEP1 and RLEP3 were amplified using polymerase chain reaction (PCR), thereby confirming their specificity by sequencing. In another case, PCR with primers targeting IS6110 of Mycobacterium tuberculosis gave positive results only for a mandibular specimen. No signal for any mycobacterial DNA was observed in samples from 2 Hungarian foot bones. In ancient material, osseous involvement of M leprae may be detected and distinguished from other mycobacterial infections by specific PCR. In the small bones of leprous hands and feet, not enough M leprae DNA seems to be present for detection. This supports the view that rhinomaxillary leprous alterations result from direct bacterial involvement, while osseous mutilations of hands and feet result from a nervous involvement and/or secondary infections due to small lacerations of the overlying soft tissues.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1993

Characterization of the skeletal manifestations of the treponemal disease yaws as a population phenomenon.

Documentation of the antiquity and tracking of the derivation of human treponemal diseases have been complicated by an inability to distinguish among these diseases biochemically, histologically, and immunologically. Skeletal impact, as a population phenomenon, has been suspected to vary sufficiently among the treponemal disorders to allow their differentiation. As yaws was the only treponemal infection present in pre-Spanish Guam, definitive characterization of this disease in terms of its skeletal impact has been possible. In the studies described herein, skeletons from a 500-year-before-present archaeological site at Gognga-Gun Beach were examined. Yaws-related periostitis was noted in 19% of skeletons, achieving full population "penetrance" by the second decade of life. While the cortical-surface striations were often quite subtle, general osseous expansion and saber shin deformity were noted in one-fourth of skeletons. Gummatous destruction was found in 15% of individuals and draining cloacae in 10%. Invariably, the presence of irregular/striated cortical-surface markings (along with saber shin deformity) and the absence of epiphyseal separation or dental abnormalities distinguished the lesions of yaws from those of syphilis.

Bone and Bones↗
PubMed1993

Impaction of maxillary canines and congenitally missing third molars. Description of an ancient skull (7250-6700 BC).

This report describes an ancient skull, in which both maxillary canines were impacted and mandibular third molars were missing. During the excavations at the early village site of Cayönü (Turkey), the subject of this report was found inside a skull building (charnel house) together with the fragments of 75 skulls, and was the least damaged skull of the Cayönü series (Ozbek, 1988). The skull showed skeletal and dental Class I relationship, with an orthognathic profile and a reduced bimaxillary alveolar prognathism. Assessment on the skull confirms the findings of the previous studies and reports that irregularities in the position of the teeth are already found in prehistoric man, and therefore, do not seem to be the result of modified conditions of modern civilization only.

Anodontia↗
PubMed1993

A cephalometric comparison of medieval skulls with a modern population.

Thirty-one medieval skulls, mostly dating from the Black Death in 1348, were compared with 32 modern, untreated adults. The medieval population was unusual because the skulls could be so closely dated. Lateral skull radiographs were used for the comparison, based on the method of Seddon (1984). A method error study indicated that the measurements could be treated with reasonable confidence, although possible difficulties with the material are discussed. The findings suggest that the modern group have the longer face and longer palate. The medieval group were found to have more retroclined upper incisors and more proclined lower incisors as well as reduced overbites. The results also suggest changes in mandibular shape over time together with cranial base changes: the modern mandible has a more obtuse gonial angle and is generally longer and thinner. It was not possible to reach a firm conclusion regarding chin prominence. The cranial base saddle angle has become more acute since the medieval period, and the length S-N is greater in the modern group. Depending on interpretation, the skull material could be said to have a more prominent maxilla. Possible reasons for the differences are discussed.

Adolescent↗