Search

The analysis of dental remains, which outlast most other tissues in the human body, provides insight into past diet, activity patterns and ancestry. The remains from Bab edh-Dhra' represent the only skeletal sample available to assess the impact of agricultural intensification in the Early Bronze Age of the southern Levant (ca. 3500-2000 bce). This era ushered in a period of 'urbanisation', evidenced by fortified towns, planned roadways, developments in irrigation and growing population density. During this time, the cultivation, trade and consumption of orchard taxa (such as figs, grapes and olives) increased. This paper examines changes in the teeth associated with agricultural intensification involving orchard crops as well as grains. Dental caries, ante mortem tooth loss and dental wear are examined for Early Bronze IA (EBIA; 3500-3300 bce) and Early Bronze II-III (EBII-III; 3100-2300 bce) teeth from the site of Bab edh-Dhra', located in modern-day Jordan. Due to the commingling, general tooth groups (e.g. molars) and specific tooth types (e.g. lower left canine) were used to compare periods. Although age and sex could not be identified for every tooth, analyses of crania and os coxae showed no significant difference in demographic profiles of EBIA and EBII-III. No statistically significant increase was found over time in dental caries frequency; however, teeth for which the cause of pulp exposure could be determined suggested that caries increasingly led to exfoliation. Indeed, ante mortem tooth loss rose significantly with time, whereas dental wear decreased. In general, changes in oral health were consistent with an archaeological record of greater consumption of softer, stickier foods, such as fruits. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the more than 50 years since the founding of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and the American Heart Association, medical science has moved from an era in which hypercholesterolemia, as it is now defined, was not believed to be abnormal to one in which controlling hypercholesterolemia is known to reduce not only coronary artery disease morbidity and mortality but also total mortality. While the efforts and successes of many researchers involved in this evolution are impressive, atherosclerosis is still a major cause of death and disability in many developed nations, mostly in the form of myocardial infarction and stroke, and is an increasing cause of morbidity and mortality in developing nations. Many questions about the detailed pathogenesis of the disease remain. Elucidating the roles of high-density lipoprotein, other lipoproteins, and homocysteine, as well as the roles of cytokines and growth factors, will permit better understanding and treatment of atherosclerosis. With continuing support for research and encouragement of physicians and patients to follow recommended preventive regimens, further progress can be made against this major cause of death. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous work by the first author suggested that, relative to six modern comparative samples, sub-Saharan Africans are least derived dentally from an ancestral hominin state and, hence, may have the greatest time depth of all living world populations. This conclusion, together with other dental evidence, was judged to be supportive of an African origin for modern humans. In the present study, we expand upon this research by using: 1) primary dental data from African Plio-Pleistocene hominins, rather than published trait frequencies, 2) a single morphological scoring system (ASU Dental Anthropology System) with consistent breakpoints, and 3) data from larger, more varied modern comparative samples. The Mean Measure of Divergence was again used to estimate phenetic affinities among modern humans and fossil hominins. Principal Components Analysis was also employed on trait frequencies across samples. Both methods yielded similar results that support and bolster the previous findings. Of 14 modern samples, sub-Saharan Africans again exhibit the closest affinity to the hominins, in their shared prevalence of complex crown and root traits. The fact that the Africans express these plesiomorphic characters, along with evidence of divergence from other modern groups, intra-population heterogeneity, and a world-wide dental cline emanating from the sub-continent, provides more definitive support for an Out-of-Africa origins model. The first author's comparative data were collected through funding by NSF (BNS-9013942), the ASU Research Development Program, and the American Museum of Natural History. The second author's hominin data were collected via funding by an OSU seed grant and the Leakey Foundation.

This study tests hypotheses about how LEH should vary across early hominin genera if intrinsic attributes of enamel strongly influence LEH expression. First, because of generic differences in imbricational enamel formation times, the longer-forming canines of Australopithecus and early Homo are expected to exhibit multiple defects more frequently than those of Paranthropus. Second, based on generic differences in perikymata spacing, the average width of defects in Paranthropus is expected to be greater than that of Australopithecus in comparable crown regions. The first prediction is supported. Of 17 Australopithecus canines affected by LEH and with 80% or more of their crown heights present, 11 exhibited 2 or more defects compared to only 1 of 15 such Paranthropus canines. The small sample of Homo canines (primarily east African), also shows a significant difference from Paranthropus. Thus longer periods of imbricational enamel formation seem to afford greater opportunity for enamel growth to be disrupted. The second prediction is not supported by a test on Australopithecus (n = 13 defects) and Paranthropus (n = 8 defects) canines from South Africa. Defects measured under an SEM were shown not to be significantly wider in Paranthropus. In fact, several Australopithecus defects took the form of wide groves while those of Paranthropus principally took the form of minor furrows. Possible causes for these results are considered, including differences between Australopithecus and Paranthropus in the resistance of their enamel to growth disruption or in their experience of significant episodes of stress. Funded by grants from the Leakey Foundation and The Ohio State University.

Electronic health (eHealth) interventions have demonstrated efficacy for weight management. However, little is known about their efficacy among racial/ethnic minority populations, in whom there is a disproportionate prevalence of obesity. This systematic review evaluated the efficacy of eHealth weight management interventions among overweight and obese racial/ethnic minority adults. We required that trial samples be comprised of at least 50% racial/ethnic minorities or report outcomes by race/ethnicity. We searched five electronic databases for trials conducted through June 2012. Six papers met our eligibility criteria. These studies provide suggestive evidence that eHealth interventions can produce low magnitude, short-term weight loss among racial/ethnic minorities. Trials were methodologically sound, with high retention and participant engagement. There was no evidence detailing the efficacy of mobile health approaches, although this area is promising given high utilization rates of mobile devices among racial/ethnic minorities. More evidence, particularly from longer-term trials, is necessary to demonstrate that eHealth intervention approaches can produce clinically meaningful (≥5% of initial body weight) weight loss among racial/ethnic minority populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Management of patients with osteonecrosis of the hip remains controversial and challenging. Because the prognosis and treatment are determined in large part by the stage and extent of the disease, it is important to use a reliable and efficient method for evaluation and staging. The objective of this study was to determine how musculoskeletal (MSK) radiologists evaluate osteonecrosis and whether this evaluation is adequate. Materials and methods: A 12-part questionnaire was designed to determine how MSK radiologists evaluate patients with osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH). This was sent to 888 members of the Society of Skeletal Radiology. Results: One hundred and twenty-one members responded to essentially all questions. Patients were evaluated using plain radiographs and MRI. All agreed that it is clinically important to determine the extent of necrosis and joint involvement, and 115 (95 %) stated that this should be part of the radiologists' evaluation. However, only 55 (46 %) said that in practice they used a specific system of classification, and most of these used the Ficat and Arlet classification, which does not indicate the extent of involvement. One hundred and seven (88 %) respondents included a simple visual estimate of the extent of involvement, and a small number added a specific measurement of lesion size. The majority indicated that they were infrequently consulted about which imaging studies should be obtained. Conclusions: Although radiologists recognize the clinical importance of determining the extent of necrosis and joint involvement in patients with ONFH, in practice the methods used to evaluate these patients often do not accomplish this satisfactorily. The use of an effective classification, which includes both stage and extent of involvement, should be stressed, as it will lead to improved treatment of patients with ON. Physicians who order imaging studies for patients with ON should be encouraged to consult routinely with their radiology colleagues regarding which studies to request, as well as on the interpretation of these studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]