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Differential Diagnoses of Temporal Bone Defects and Zygomatic Bone Lesions Found in Fetal and Infant Individuals from the Kellis 2 Cemetery, Dakhleh Oasis, Egypt
Title
Differential Diagnoses of Temporal Bone Defects and Zygomatic Bone Lesions Found in Fetal and Infant Individuals from the Kellis 2 Cemetery, Dakhleh Oasis, Egypt.
Creator
Jardine, Brittany, Dupras, Tosha, Wheeler, Sandra, Schultz, John, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
The Kellis 2 cemetery site within the Dakhleh Oasis, Egypt provides a unique study opportunity due to the large number of infant, perinatal, and fetal individuals that have been recovered. Several of the infant and fetal remains have undiagnosed circular defects on the temporal bone, and others have undiagnosed lesions on the zygomatic bone. Of the 268 individuals under one year of age that have been analyzed from the Kellis 2 cemetery, twenty-six individuals have the temporal bone defect and...
Show moreThe Kellis 2 cemetery site within the Dakhleh Oasis, Egypt provides a unique study opportunity due to the large number of infant, perinatal, and fetal individuals that have been recovered. Several of the infant and fetal remains have undiagnosed circular defects on the temporal bone, and others have undiagnosed lesions on the zygomatic bone. Of the 268 individuals under one year of age that have been analyzed from the Kellis 2 cemetery, twenty-six individuals have the temporal bone defect and six have the zygomatic bone lesions. A survey of clinical and paleopathological research provided possible pathological conditions that could cause abnormalities such as defects or lesions on the temporal bones or zygomatic bones in the fetal and infant population. For this study, the temporal bone defects and zygomatic bone lesions were macroscopically observed and a descriptive analysis was created. The information garnered from the literature survey was then compared to the individuals from the Kellis 2 cemetery that had the temporal bone defects and zygomatic bone lesions to create a differential diagnosis. A differential diagnosis of the temporal bone defects includes mastoid emissary vein defects and petrosquamous sinus anomalies. A differential diagnosis of the zygomatic bone lesions includes scurvy. Contributing factors may also have been present in order for these defects and lesions to occur. Creating a differential diagnosis of the defects and lesions can provide information on the health, growth, and morbidity of the youngest members of the society related to the Kellis 2 cemetery.
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Date Issued
2011
Identifier
CFE0004122, ucf:49104
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004122
Fetal-pelvic disproportion and pelvic asymmetry as a potential cause for high maternal mortality in archaeological populations
Title
Fetal-pelvic disproportion and pelvic asymmetry as a potential cause for high maternal mortality in archaeological populations.
Creator
Stansfield, Sarah, Dupras, Tosha, Wheeler, Sandra, Maboudou, Edgard, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
Females of childbearing age are overrepresented in the population of the Kellis 2 cemetery (100-450 AD) in the Dakhleh Oasis, Egypt (Wheeler 2009). The demographic overrepresentation found here may be the result of complications related to childbirth. Clinical literature demonstrates that fetal size is rarely an explanation for failed labor (Cunningham et al. 2001) and the fetuses buried in the Kellis 2 Cemetery at the Dakhleh Oasis were not larger than average (Tocheri et al. 2005),...
Show moreFemales of childbearing age are overrepresented in the population of the Kellis 2 cemetery (100-450 AD) in the Dakhleh Oasis, Egypt (Wheeler 2009). The demographic overrepresentation found here may be the result of complications related to childbirth. Clinical literature demonstrates that fetal size is rarely an explanation for failed labor (Cunningham et al. 2001) and the fetuses buried in the Kellis 2 Cemetery at the Dakhleh Oasis were not larger than average (Tocheri et al. 2005), directing the focus to dimensions of the maternal pelvis for evidence of obstetrical issues, such as abnormally compressed pelvises. To formulate a test for this hypothesis, a total of 50 adults, 24 of which are female, were examined for this study. The sample consisted of individuals from an archaeological population from the Dakhleh Oasis, Egypt as well as from six populations housed in the American Museum of Natural History (NYC). These include archaeological populations from the sites of El Hesa and Sai Island in the Sudan, also South Africa, Nubia, and India, as well as a medical collection from North America. Pelvic dimension and asymmetry was determined through nine measurements of the pelvis and sacrum. Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to analyze variance and assess whether the younger females in this group may have been at a higher risk of death during childbirth due to fetal-pelvic disproportion. Mann-Whitney-Wilcoxan nonparametric tests were used to assess differences in asymmetry in young and old groups. A MANOVA test assessed overall variation in the population. Results indicate significant differences between young and old females in pelvic outlet anteroposterior diameter, a measure of midpelvic contraction, as young females had smaller pelvic outlet anteroposterior diameters. There were also significant differences between young and old females in alar-pubis length asymmetry; the young females were more asymmetric. These differences were not found in the male groups. It is suggested that these differences could impact childbirth as a contracted midpelvis, such as that found in the young female group, can cause transverse arrest of the fetal head (Cunningham et al. 2010) and pelvic asymmetry can contribute to obstetrical complications (Campbell et al. 2011).
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Date Issued
2013
Identifier
CFE0004942, ucf:49599
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004942
A Preliminary Assessment of Steroid Reproductive Hormones in Archaeological Human Hair Utilizing a Modified Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) Technique
Title
A Preliminary Assessment of Steroid Reproductive Hormones in Archaeological Human Hair Utilizing a Modified Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) Technique.
Creator
Tisdale, Elisha, Schultz, John, Williams, Lana, Wheeler, Sandra, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
Hair has become an invaluable resource in forensic, clinical, and bioarchaeological research. The unique interaction between the growing hair fiber, the hair follicle, and the endocrine system inundates the growing hair fiber with an incremental record of many of the discreet physiological processes of the body. Recently, a novel study by Webb et al. (2010) demonstrated that endogenous records of cortisol, the (")stress hormone("), are capable of being extracted from archaeological human hair...
Show moreHair has become an invaluable resource in forensic, clinical, and bioarchaeological research. The unique interaction between the growing hair fiber, the hair follicle, and the endocrine system inundates the growing hair fiber with an incremental record of many of the discreet physiological processes of the body. Recently, a novel study by Webb et al. (2010) demonstrated that endogenous records of cortisol, the (")stress hormone("), are capable of being extracted from archaeological human hair through a modified enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique, thus providing insight into the (")invisible(") stress experiences of an individual that would otherwise not be detectable through skeletal analysis. The present study seeks to apply this novel ELISA technique to archaeological hair to determine whether endogenous patterns of secretion are detectable for the steroid reproductive hormones estradiol and testosterone. Here, hair from 10 individuals from the Kellis 2 cemetery in the Dakhleh Oasis, Egypt is analyzed for endogenous concentrations of the steroid hormones cortisol, estradiol, and testosterone. A control sample consisting of hair from 10 modern cadavers is also assessed for each hormone to ensure method efficacy. Cortisol, estradiol, and testosterone were successfully identified in all 10 archaeological individuals and in each of the 10 individuals in the modern control group. Results revealed that archaeological preservation of each hormone was favorable, and incremental patterning of each hormone seem to reflect endogenous hormone secretion in life. Values for cortisol, estradiol in pre-menopausal females, and testosterone extracted from the archaeological and modern control samples fall within reference values taken from archaeological and clinical research; however, estradiol values for males and postmenopausal females exceeded projected reference values. Explorations for variables which could contribute to discrepancies between reported and observed estradiol values are provided, along with two case studies on female individuals from the archaeological sample. The results of this study demonstrate that steroid reproductive hormones can be preserved in archaeological human hair, and that these hormones can be analyzed to create additional lines of inquiry into bioarcheological studies of ancient health and fertility.
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Date Issued
2017
Identifier
CFE0006921, ucf:51700
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006921
Investigations of possible cases of scurvy in juveniles from the Kellis 2 cemetery in the Dakhleh Oasis, Egypt, through stable carbon and nitrogen isotopic analysis of multiple tissues
Title
Investigations of possible cases of scurvy in juveniles from the Kellis 2 cemetery in the Dakhleh Oasis, Egypt, through stable carbon and nitrogen isotopic analysis of multiple tissues.
Creator
Chasse, Georgina, Schultz, John, Wheeler, Sandra, Dupras, Tosha, Williams, Lana, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
Vitamin C deficiency, or scurvy, is a disease that can occur in humans at any age and has been seen throughout time. Scurvy affects the production of connective tissues, including collagen, which leads to the many symptoms of the disease, including fatigue, anemia, bleeding gums and lost teeth, skeletal changes, and even death. The Kellis 2 cemetery in the Dakhleh Oasis, Egypt, in use from approximately AD 50-360, contains the remains of many juveniles who exhibit skeletal indicators of...
Show moreVitamin C deficiency, or scurvy, is a disease that can occur in humans at any age and has been seen throughout time. Scurvy affects the production of connective tissues, including collagen, which leads to the many symptoms of the disease, including fatigue, anemia, bleeding gums and lost teeth, skeletal changes, and even death. The Kellis 2 cemetery in the Dakhleh Oasis, Egypt, in use from approximately AD 50-360, contains the remains of many juveniles who exhibit skeletal indicators of scurvy. Tissue samples from juveniles who did (n=31) and did not (n=117) exhibit skeletal indicators of scurvy were analyzed isotopically, with the sample including stable carbon (?13C) and nitrogen (?15N) isotope values of bone collagen (scurvy =11, non-scurvy =13), hair (scurvy=21, non-scurvy=112), nail (scurvy =10, non-scurvy =44), and skin (scurvy =19, non-scurvy =59). Intra-tissue comparisons were conducted to determine whether this disease affects ?13C and ?15N values sufficiently to distinguish these two groups from one another isotopically. Inter-tissue comparisons between bone collagen and hair were also conducted, with emphasis placed on inter-tissue spacing results and outliers. Mean ?13C and ?15N values for each hair segment were compared to look for early isotopic signals of scurvy. No statistically significant differences were found between any intra-tissue scurvy and non-scurvy cohorts and no obvious indications of the onset of scurvy were seen in the hair segment analyses. The inter-tissue spacing results, however, highlighted some interesting patterns in the bone collagen-to-hair values, especially in regards to the identified outliers that are discussed in more detail. While this study did not detect any significant differences between scurvy and non-scurvy cohorts or early isotopic signals of the disease in hair segments, the inter-tissue spacing results do point to changes between the cohorts that may be attributable to the physiological stress of scurvy and therefore warrants further investigation.
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Date Issued
2018
Identifier
CFE0007164, ucf:52273
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007164
Revisiting the postclassic burials at Lamanai, Belize: A second look at the unique ventrally placed, legs flexed burials.
Title
Revisiting the postclassic burials at Lamanai, Belize: A second look at the unique ventrally placed, legs flexed burials.
Creator
Izzo, Victoria, Dupras, Tosha, Williams, Lana, Wheeler, Sandra, Callaghan, Michael, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
Analysis of unique mortuary patterns is often used to evaluate the social lives of the deceased and also those of the living who placed them there. The Ventrally Placed, Legs Flexed (VPLF) burials at the site of Lamanai in Belize, dating to the Postclassic period (1000 - 1544), have been recorded as a Maya mortuary pattern since the late 1970's. While many researchers have analyzed these skeletal remains, comprehensive and cumulative individual analysis of the VPLF individuals from Lamanai...
Show moreAnalysis of unique mortuary patterns is often used to evaluate the social lives of the deceased and also those of the living who placed them there. The Ventrally Placed, Legs Flexed (VPLF) burials at the site of Lamanai in Belize, dating to the Postclassic period (1000 - 1544), have been recorded as a Maya mortuary pattern since the late 1970's. While many researchers have analyzed these skeletal remains, comprehensive and cumulative individual analysis of the VPLF individuals from Lamanai has not been conducted. In this study, I will argue that the VPLF individuals in this study were local to Lamanai, or the surrounding region. To do this, the characteristics of 20 VPLF burials are defined and discussed in context with previously published bone and tooth stable oxygen isotope values. All data was collected from field notes and previously published resources, and then compiled in both a narrative and quantitative fashion. Specifically, the variables of arm position, leg position, head position, body orientation, presence of cranial modification, presence of dental modification, and associated artifacts were statistically tested using a chi-square test of association for correlations. While the correlation results were not statistically significant, the descriptive data did yield the identification of leg and arm positions that are characteristic of VPLF burials. This thesis specifically contributes to the future identification of VPLF burial burials by outlining commonly encountered characteristics operationalization of this unique mortuary practice. More broadly, however, this thesis highlights a general lack of consistency in bioarchaeological and mortuary data recording. Thus, this study is the first to compile VPLF mortuary information into one format, and therefore contributes to the study of bioarchaeology and anthropology by providing a foundation for comparison of future burials.
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Date Issued
2018
Identifier
CFE0007197, ucf:52260
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007197
Utilizing Geographic Information Systems to Record and Analyze Osteoarthritis Data in Joints of the Arm: A Methodology for Dry Bones
Title
Utilizing Geographic Information Systems to Record and Analyze Osteoarthritis Data in Joints of the Arm: A Methodology for Dry Bones.
Creator
Biernaski, Adam, Schultz, John, Wheeler, Sandra, Williams, Lana, Branting, Scott, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most common pathologies encountered in dry bone contexts. However, even with the wealth of publications on documenting the presence of OA from skeletons, these studies prove to be largely incomparable due to different scoring methodologies and procedures in calculating prevalence. The standardization of a new OA data collection procedure would mitigate variability in evaluating, scoring, and calculating the prevalence of OA, thus allowing accurate comparison...
Show moreOsteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most common pathologies encountered in dry bone contexts. However, even with the wealth of publications on documenting the presence of OA from skeletons, these studies prove to be largely incomparable due to different scoring methodologies and procedures in calculating prevalence. The standardization of a new OA data collection procedure would mitigate variability in evaluating, scoring, and calculating the prevalence of OA, thus allowing accurate comparison between studies. However, this level of data collection has often been described as unwieldy and lacking concordance. This research outlines a new methodology that utilizes Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to record OA characteristics, levels of expression, and spatial arrangement on the articular surfaces of the arm. The data was then processed using the analysis and visual rendering capabilities of GIS providing examples of OA patterning on the articular surface, within the joint, and within the individual. Using this method, large standardized OA datasets can be stored and the patterns within them modeled through the use of digitization, composite raster overlays, and modified binning techniques. The patterns recorded by this analysis can offer a more robust dataset on OA occurring within the arm that can provide the ability to explore OA progression and its relationship with biomechanical factors in larger datasets.
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Date Issued
2019
Identifier
CFE0007789, ucf:52362
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007789
Evaluation of a Field Histology Technique and Its Use in Histological Analyses of Mummified Tissues from Dakhleh Oasis, Egypt
Title
Evaluation of a Field Histology Technique and Its Use in Histological Analyses of Mummified Tissues from Dakhleh Oasis, Egypt.
Creator
Branson, Jennifer, Dupras, Tosha, Wheeler, Sandra, Williams, Lana, Schultz, John, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
Use of paleohistology to identify histological structures in mummified tissues can allow insight into pathological conditions such as parasites, cirrhosis and lung scarring. However, increasing concerns in archaeological sciences include restrictions on removal of human remains from their site of origin for scientific study. In the case of mummified remains, the use of a field paleohistology kit may be deemed useful for 'point-of-care' pathological assessment of preserved tissues. This study...
Show moreUse of paleohistology to identify histological structures in mummified tissues can allow insight into pathological conditions such as parasites, cirrhosis and lung scarring. However, increasing concerns in archaeological sciences include restrictions on removal of human remains from their site of origin for scientific study. In the case of mummified remains, the use of a field paleohistology kit may be deemed useful for 'point-of-care' pathological assessment of preserved tissues. This study evaluates field paleohistology protocols for mummified soft tissue based on techniques used modern medical field missions. The application of this technique alleviates the need for export or removal of remains from the site for analysis. Samples from the Kellis 1 Cemetery (c. 60BC (-) AD100) and Deir abu Metta Christian church (c. 4th century AD) in the Dakhleh Oasis, Egypt were processed using field paleohistology techniques in both a laboratory and field setting. Two processes of soft tissue preservation were identified in this sample; anthropogenic or 'artificial', and spontaneous or 'natural' mummification. In cases of artificial mummification, the use of resin, both on internal and external surfaces of the body, caused difficulty in the rehydration process and visualization of the cellular structures. In cases of natural mummification, the technique was more successful in rehydration, slide mounting, imaging, and detection of cellular structures. Results also showed some tissue samples to be unsuitable for this method due to variable preservation and loss of tissue integrity during processing (e.g., liver). However, consistent quality microscope slides and digital images were obtained from samples of skin, muscle, lung, and liver indicating this point-of-care field method is a viable option for paleohistological field analyses and identification of pathological conditions in mummified human remains.
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Date Issued
2013
Identifier
CFE0004821, ucf:49729
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004821
Bioarchaeological assessment of diet and changes in femoral and humeral stable isotopic values among subadults at Medieval Alytus, Lithuania.
Title
Bioarchaeological assessment of diet and changes in femoral and humeral stable isotopic values among subadults at Medieval Alytus, Lithuania.
Creator
Page, Katherine, Dupras, Tosha, Williams, Lana, Wheeler, Sandra, Schultz, John, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
Establishing a chronology of variation in isotopic values can reveal frailty associated with biological and social age, as well as highlight individuals who vary from typical patterns. Although general dietary characteristics and infant feeding practices were previously unknown for subadults excavated from the cemetery at Alytus, Lithuania (14th-18th centuries), previous research concludes that Alytus' subadults experienced high rates of physiological, metabolic, non-specific stress, in...
Show moreEstablishing a chronology of variation in isotopic values can reveal frailty associated with biological and social age, as well as highlight individuals who vary from typical patterns. Although general dietary characteristics and infant feeding practices were previously unknown for subadults excavated from the cemetery at Alytus, Lithuania (14th-18th centuries), previous research concludes that Alytus' subadults experienced high rates of physiological, metabolic, non-specific stress, in addition to specific diseases like tuberculosis. To investigate nuanced relationships between diet and mortality, nitrogen and carbon stable isotopes from the femoral and humeral midshaft diaphyses of 70 subadults (32 weeks gestation to16 years) were analyzed. Dietary reconstruction reveals that on average, exclusive breastfeeding continued until around 2 years of age when enriched ?13C (-19.6‰) and ?15N values (12.7‰) begin to deplete suggesting introduction of C3 grain gruels and potential weaning-associated infirmity. Nitrogen values remained slightly elevated in children (3-5 years, 11.2‰) until the beginning of juvenility (5-8 years, 10.3‰) when ?15N more closely mirrored adult values (16 years, 10.2‰), consistent with predominant consumption of terrestrial animal protein, possibly with riverine influence. The difference between femoral to humeral ? F-H 13C (-0.05 (&)#177;0.25‰, 1?) and ? F-H 15N (- 0.01(&)#177;0.45‰, 1?) was not significant, though humeral values were on average more enriched. Enrichments in humeral nitrogen and carbon coincided with estimated weaning age. Cohorts experiencing childhood and adolescent growth spurts experienced higher femoral ?13C and ?15N values. Examining dietary experience and physiological changes contributes a holistic understanding of subadult morbidity and mortality experiences in Medieval Lithuania.
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Date Issued
2014
Identifier
CFE0005679, ucf:50192
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005679