101,937 research outputs found
Porotic Hyperostosis as stress indicator: the state of the art
No full textFor well over a century, porosity of the cranial vault and of the orbital roofs have been interpreted by bioarchaeologists as stress indicators. These conditions are commonly reported as Porotic Hyperostosis (PH), but other terms such as cribra cranii and cribra orbitalia have also been utilized. In recent research, cribra orbitalia is considered a distinct phenomenon probably with different etiology, while PH is used to indicate porosity and thinning of the outer cranial table associated with hypertrophy of the diploe.
PH has been reported as stress indicator and the nature of this condition is still debated: from the interpretation of PH as nutritional stress marker, as indicator of chronic iron deficiency, or as environmental pathogen load and bad hygienic conditions, up until to consider PH as the expression of well-defined diseases such as anemia and scurvy.
The last lines of research provide convincing evidence that hemolytic and acquired anemias are the most relevant disorders causing PH. In particular, acquired forms of anemia can be related to several factors such as dietary deficiency, parasitism, infections, hemorrhage, or other disorders, thus providing the basis for conclusions that PH can be considered an indicator of lifestyle and health conditions.
In this research, a re-examination of the literature regarding PH was performed to achieve the state-of-the-art of PH as stress indicator in ancient populations and taking stock of the methodology addressed to record this pathological condition.
The most evident criticism is that PH is not characteristic of a specific disease but rather it represents a morphological feature; the porosity on the cranial vault or in the orbital roofs are thus not a sufficient condition to diagnose PH. X-ray, and in some cases histological examination, are need to perform an appropriate differential analysis. For these reasons, the relationship between porosity on the ectocranial surface or on the orbital roofs and environmental stress or poor life conditions should be better evaluated
Periodontal health in pre-Roman Italy: a combined macroscopic and proteomics evaluation.
No full textPeriodontitis, a chronic inflammatory condition causing damage to the supporting dental tissues, informs us about past oral health in palaeopathology. Dysbiotic host-oral microbiome interactions, including poor hygiene, diseases, and genetics, are known factors. However, the role of diet has been largely overlooked until recent clinical studies highlight carbohydrate-rich diets as pro-inflammatory. In this study, we conducted an evaluation of periodontal diseases by assessing the quality of interdental septa in a sample of 63 individuals from pre-Roman Italy who lived between the 7th-4th centuries BCE, a period characterized by agricultural intensification and cereal production. Our macroscopic approach was complemented by proteomic analysis of dental calculus from a subsample of 33 individuals. Results revealed 23.0% of septa (N=1890) were affected by periodontitis with males significantly more affected than females. Moreover, periodontitis increased with age in both sexes. Proteomic analysis identified the presence of periodontal pathogens of Porphyromonas gingivalis and Treponema denticola (i.e. the ‘red complex’) in 39.4% of the individuals (13/33). While plaque accumulation triggers periodontitis, our interpretation emphasizes the role of nutrition in disease susceptibility. Carbohydrate-rich foods, such as grains, adhere to the oral cavity and nourish bacteria, exacerbating periodontal diseases. Consequently, reliance on staple crops and poor dietary diversity may have been a primary factor contributing to the proliferation of oral microbiome-related bacteria. This aligns with previous results of bone collagen stable isotope analysis which indicated a C3 plant-based diet with limited animal protein intake. Methodological limitations hinder comparisons with modern surveys or osteoarchaeological studies due to periodontitis recording inconsistencie
Mieloma multiplo in paleopatologia
No full textLa revisione critica della letteratura paleopatologica, riguardante i casi di mieloma multiplo nelle popolazioni antiche, ha permesso di identificare con accuratezza metodologica un totale di 25 casi, provenienti da differenti aree geografiche del mondo e con cronologie che spaziano dalla preistoria all'età contemporanea. La distribuzione delle molteplici evidenze di mieloma multiplo di epoca antica dimostra che la maggior parte dei casi sono stati scoperti nel Vecchio Mondo (n=18) e risalgono al Medioevo, mentre quelli del Nuovo Mondo (n=7) sono datati al periodo pre-colombiano. Il profilo demografico suggerisce una lieve prevalenza a favore del sottocampione maschile (1,3:1) mentre il 91,7% degli individui affetti (n= 24) risulta essere di età adulta. Lo scopo principale di questa ricerca è quello di presentare un quadro quanto più esaustivo delle manifestazioni scheletriche acclarate come mieloma multiplo, evidenziando come il periodico riesame della documentazione risulti essere necessario ai fini di verificare la coerenza delle diagnosi proposte rispetto alla presentazione delle lesioni scheletriche, con il fine ultimo di migliorare l'accuratezza della diagnosi in paleopatologia. Inoltre, anche le questioni metodologiche e i criteri diagnostici, comunemente affrontati nel campo paleopatologico e, più specificatamente, nell’ambito della ricerca paleo-oncologica, figurano tra gli obiettivi di questa revisione critica
Affezioni dentoalveolari e abitudini alimentari dei nobili del Rinascimento italiano: la famiglia Guinigi di Lucca
No full textEnvironment, Occupation, and Chronic Maxillary Sinusitis in Pre-Roman Italy
No full textObjective: To assess the frequency of chronic maxillary sinusitis (CMS) in a pre-Roman archeological skeletal assemblage from Italy and to evaluate the occurrence of CMS in combination with its environmental and sociocultural context. Materials and methods: A total of 131 adult individuals from the pre-Roman site of Pontecagnano (eighth to third centuries bce) in southern Italy with intact maxillary sinuses of ≥ 50% preservation were macroscopically and microscopically observed for the presence of osseous changes per published diagnostic criteria of CMS. Results: CMS was present in 57.2% of individuals. The prevalence of CMS was higher in females than in males, and this difference was statistically significant (p = 0.043). The frequency of CMS increased with age-at-death. Bilateral CMS occurred more frequently than unilateral CMS. The differences in the prevalence of CMS in the Etruscan (700-450 bce), Samnite (450-375 bce), and final pre-Roman (375-200 bce) phases of occupation were not statistically significant. Discussion: In combination with viral and bacterial infections, occupational activities (metallurgy, ceramic and textile production, and agriculture) and environmental factors (volcanic ash, marshy environments, and sub-Saharan dust plumes) likely stimulated respiratory disease and resultant CMS in the inhabitants of Pontecagnano. This study provides a framework for future research on CMS and respiratory diseases in the Mediterranean region, in relation to environmental, climatic, and anthropogenic influences. The limited number of individuals per period prevented a proper diachronic analysis. Osteoarcheological assemblages from the Mediterranean region should be systematically analyzed for CMS to increase understanding of how climate, environment, industrialization, and urbanicity affected human health through time
A case report of solitary osteochondroma from 4th c. BC Pontecagnano (southern Italy) and review of the literature.
No full textOsteochondroma is one of the most common benign bone tumors in current clinical medicine; by contrast, their evidence in paleopathology is scant.
The aim of this study is twofold: 1) to present a new case of solitary osteochondroma in an individual from the necropolis of Pontecagnano (southern Italy) dated to the 4th century BC; 2) to provide a literature review concerning paleopathological evidence of solitary osteochondromas in osteoarchaeological collections globally in order to assess the current state of research on this topic.
Macroscopical examination revealed the presence of a large exophytic formation located that arises from the anteromedial portion of the proximal metaphyseal region and extends to the posteromedial aspect of the proximal diaphysis extremity of the right tibia belonging to an adult male individual. The radiological analysis revealed its structure being composed of regular trabecular bone tissue with cortico-medullary continuity, features that are diagnostic for a sessile osteochondroma.
A review of primary peer-reviewed literature allowed us to ascertain a total of 12 cases of solitary osteochondromas, ranging from prehistory to the post-medieval period.
A critical appraisal of diagnosis performed in published cases of osteochondromas is a valuable tool for detecting the limitations of some case reports, in particular those lacking imaging technique (e.g. radiology) which is crucial for confirming the diagnosis of osteochondroma.
Finally, we advocate that paleo-oncology should not be limited to malignant neoplasms, rather it should incorporate the neglected area of benign tumors as they may provide additional information on their presence and natural history in bioarchaeological contexts
TREPANATION IN ITALY: A REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE AND A NEW CASE
No full textWe present a review of skull trepanation in ancient Italy, on the basis of the literature. A total of 54 cases are documented from 43 Italian archaeological sites, with particular abundancy from central Italy and prehistoric Sardinia. Evidences cover a time span of approximately 7000 years, with the most ancient cases dating back to the 5th millennium BC and the most recent to the 18-19th centuries AD. The analysis of the archaeological context reveals that in general there are no differences between individuals submitted to the practice of trepanation and other skeletons found in the same necropolis. The majority of individuals show a single trepanation, whereas others present skulls with multiple holes. The surgical intervention was reserved to adult individuals, with a prevalence of males. Considering the localization of trepanation, the parietals are the most preferred skull bones for trepanation, followed in decreasing incidence by the frontal and the occipital bone. The most diffused technique is scraping, whereas cutting and drilling are less attested. In some cases trepanation was performed to treat head wounds, but in several specimens it was not possible to determine the reasons for intervention. The percentage of survival in the Italian sample is very high, reaching 89% of the trepanned patients.
The new case is represented by a trepanation practiced on an adult male coming from 13th century Tuscany in order to treat a bone injury; the intervention was carried out through the incision technique with the replacement of the bone rondella, but was unsuccessful and the patient died soon after
Solitary osteochondromas in paleo-oncology: A case report from 4th-century BCE Pontecagnano (southern Italy)
No full textThis study presents a new case of solitary osteochondroma (SOC) identified on the proximal tibia of a 4th-century BCE individual from Pontecagnano (Salerno, Italy) with an aim to contribute to differential diagnosis
of bone tumors in archeological contexts
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