What we see is what we touch? Sex estimation on the pelvis in virtual anthropology.

BACKGROUND Computed tomography (CT) scans are a convenient means to study 3D reconstructions of bones. However, errors associated with the different nature of the observation, e.g. visual and tactile (on dry bone) versus visual only (on a screen) have not been thoroughly investigated. MATERIALS AND METHODS We quantified the errors between modalities for sex estimation protocols of nonmetric (categorical and ordinal) and metric data, using 200 dry pelves of archaeological origin and the CT reconstructions of the same bones. In addition, we 3D surface scanned a subsample of 39 pelves to compare observations with dry bone and CT data. We did not focus on the sex estimation accuracy but solely on the consistency of the scoring, hence, the interchangeability of the modalities. RESULTS Metric data yielded the most consistent results. Among the nonmetric protocols, ordinal data performed better than categorical data. We applied a slightly modified description for the trait with the highest errors and grouped the traits according to consistency and availability in good, intermediate, and poor. DISCUSSION The investigated modalities were interchangeable as long as the trait definition was not arbitrary. Dry bone (gold standard) performed well, and CT and 3D surface scans performed better. We recommend researchers test their affinity for using virtual modalities. Future studies could use our consistency analysis and combine the best traits, validating their accuracy on various modalities

Dry bone and virtual modality interchangeability for the estimation of sex on the human pelvis

Traditional osteological methods are typically based on both visual and tactile procedures. The latter are however excluded when investigating virtual models of skeletal remains. This raises the question of the reliability of virtual anthropological data when compared with the tactile modality, an urgent topic given the steady rise of virtual methods and accumulation of imaging data in biological and forensic anthropology. Here, we address this topic and quantify the deviation between the scoring on dry bone and virtual models of sexually dimorphic features on the human pelvis. To this aim, we applied the methods of İşcan & Derrick (1984), Bruzek (2002), Klales et al. (2012) and Bruzek et al. (2017) to 200 archaeological pelves, scoring and measuring each method-specific variable on dry bone and computed tomographic (CT) models of the same individual. We compared the scores and measurements from the two sets of observations using Cohen's κ tests and relative technical error of measurement (rTEM). Results show that: 1) metric traits are more repeatable than nonmetric traits; b) dichotomous variables are more repeatable than ordinal ones; c) most nonmetric traits show overall acceptable κ values; d) one metric variable (depth of the great sciatic notch) stands out due to an rTEM well above 5%. Overall, our data suggest that traditional scoring methods can be applied interchangeably to analogous and virtual specimens without obtaining substantially different information. Imprecise trait definition, more than other factors, is the main source of error between the two modalities

Stable Isotope and Trace Element Studies on Gladiators and Contemporary Romans from Ephesus (Turkey, 2nd and 3rd Ct. AD) - Implications for Differences in Diet

The gladiator cemetery discovered in Ephesus (Turkey) in 1993 dates to the 2nd and 3rd century AD. The aim of this study is to reconstruct diverse diet, social stratification, and migration of the inhabitants of Roman Ephesus and the distinct group of gladiators. Stable carbon, nitrogen, and sulphur isotope analysis were applied, and inorganic bone elements (strontium, calcium) were determined. In total, 53 individuals, including 22 gladiators, were analysed. All individuals consumed C3 plants like wheat and barley as staple food. A few individuals show indication of consumption of C4 plants. The δ13C values of one female from the gladiator cemetery and one gladiator differ from all other individuals. Their δ34S values indicate that they probably migrated from another geographical region or consumed different foods. The δ15N values are relatively low in comparison to other sites from Roman times. A probable cause for the depletion of 15N in Ephesus could be the frequent consumption of legumes. The Sr/Ca-ratios of the gladiators were significantly higher than the values of the contemporary Roman inhabitants. Since the Sr/Ca-ratio reflects the main Ca-supplier in the diet, the elevated values of the gladiators might suggest a frequent use of a plant ash beverage, as mentioned in ancient texts

The German National Registry of Primary Immunodeficiencies (2012-2017)

Introduction: The German PID-NET registry was founded in 2009, serving as the first national registry of patients with primary immunodeficiencies (PID) in Germany. It is part of the European Society for Immunodeficiencies (ESID) registry. The primary purpose of the registry is to gather data on the epidemiology, diagnostic delay, diagnosis, and treatment of PIDs. Methods: Clinical and laboratory data was collected from 2,453 patients from 36 German PID centres in an online registry. Data was analysed with the software Stata® and Excel. Results: The minimum prevalence of PID in Germany is 2.72 per 100,000 inhabitants. Among patients aged 1–25, there was a clear predominance of males. The median age of living patients ranged between 7 and 40 years, depending on the respective PID. Predominantly antibody disorders were the most prevalent group with 57% of all 2,453 PID patients (including 728 CVID patients). A gene defect was identified in 36% of patients. Familial cases were observed in 21% of patients. The age of onset for presenting symptoms ranged from birth to late adulthood (range 0–88 years). Presenting symptoms comprised infections (74%) and immune dysregulation (22%). Ninety-three patients were diagnosed without prior clinical symptoms. Regarding the general and clinical diagnostic delay, no PID had undergone a slight decrease within the last decade. However, both, SCID and hyper IgE- syndrome showed a substantial improvement in shortening the time between onset of symptoms and genetic diagnosis. Regarding treatment, 49% of all patients received immunoglobulin G (IgG) substitution (70%—subcutaneous; 29%—intravenous; 1%—unknown). Three-hundred patients underwent at least one hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Five patients had gene therapy. Conclusion: The German PID-NET registry is a precious tool for physicians, researchers, the pharmaceutical industry, politicians, and ultimately the patients, for whom the outcomes will eventually lead to a more timely diagnosis and better treatment

What we see is what we touch? Sex estimation on the skull in virtual anthropology.

BACKGROUND The increased use of virtual bone images in forensic anthropology requires a comprehensive study on the observational errors between dry bones and CT reconstructions. Here, we focus on the consistency of nonmetric sex estimation traits on the human skull. MATERIALS AND METHODS We scored nine nonmetric traits on dry crania and mandibles (n = 223) of archaeological origin and their CT reconstructions. Additionally, we 3D surface scanned a subsample (n = 50) and repeated our observations. Due to the intricate anatomy of the mental eminence, we split it into two separate traits: the bilateral mental tubercles and the midsagittal mental protuberance. We provide illustrations and descriptions for both these traits. RESULTS We obtained supreme consistency values between the CT and 3D surface modalities. The most consistent cranial traits were the glabella and the supraorbital margin, followed by the nuchal crest, zygomatic extension, mental tubercles, mental protuberance, mental eminence, mastoid process and ramus flexure, in descending order. The mental tubercles show higher consistency scores than the mental eminence and the mental protuberance. DISCUSSION The increased interchangeability of the virtual modalities with each other as compared to the dry bone modality could be due to the lack of tactility on both the CT and surface scans. Moreover, tactility appears less essential with experience than a precise trait description. Future studies could revolve around the most consistent cranial traits, combining them with pelvic traits from a previous study, to test for accuracy

Common Ground between Biological Rhythms and Forensics

Biological clocks set the timing for a large number of essential processes in the living human organism. After death, scientific evidence is required in forensic investigations in order to collect as much information as possible on the death circumstances and personal identifiers of the deceased victim. We summarize the associations between the molecular mechanisms of biological rhythms and forensically relevant aspects, including post-mortem interval and cause of death, entomological findings, sex, age, ethnicity and development. Given their importance during lifetime, biological rhythms could be potential tools to draw conclusions on the death circumstances and the identity of a deceased person by mechanistic investigations of the different biological clocks in a forensic context. This review puts the known effects of biological rhythms on the functions of the human organism in context with potential applications in forensic fields of interest, such as personal identification, entomology as well as the determination of the post-mortem interval and cause of death