A Pre-Hispanic Head

This report on a male head revealed biologic rhythms, as gleaned from hydrogen isotope ratios in hair, consistent with a South-American origin and Atomic Mass Spectrometry radiocarbon dating (AMS) compatible with the last pre-Hispanic period (1418–1491 AD, 95.4% probability). Biopsies showed exceptionally well-preserved tissues. The hair contained high levels of toxic elements (lead, arsenic and mercury) incompatible with life. There was no evidence for lead deposition in bone consistent with post-mortem accumulation of this toxic element in the hair. We propose that the high content of metals in hair was the result of metabolic activity of bacteria leading to metal complexation in extra cellular polymeric substances (EPS). This is a recognized protective mechanism for bacteria that thrive in toxic environments. This mechanism may account for the tissues preservation and gives a hint at soil composition where the head was presumably buried. Our results have implications for forensic toxicology which has, hitherto, relied on hair analyses as one means to reconstruct pre-mortem metabolism and for detecting toxic elements accumulated during life. Our finding also has implications for other archaeological specimens where similar circumstances may distort the results of toxicological studies

Confocal microscopic appearance of ancient scalp hair:

<p>(a) Extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) on hair surface of TSA n°1 (arrows); (b) EPS on hair surface of a naturally mummified specimen. The confocal microscopic features of these bacterial products are indistinguishable in the two specimens.</p

Scanning electron microscopy appearance of the ‘wax-like’ material filling the skull:

<p>(a, b) low power and higher power; (c) micro-analytical spectrum showing accumulation of barium sulphate and lead.</p

Transmission electron microscopy of ancient scalp hair:

<p>(a) EPS on TSA n°1 hair. Note bacterial and fungal profiles; (b) EPS surrounding a bacterium on the surface of another mummy's hair, supporting the bacterial origin of the amorphous material.</p

Light and transmission electron microscopy of skin and soft tissues from TSA n°1:

<p>(a) 5 µm section from the skin on the edge of facial wound stained with Masson's trichrome compared with contemporary skin (b); (c) semi-thin resin sections from the same area as (a) showing clearly visible nuclei in the epidermis. Note, bacteria and fungal hyphae on the surface; (d) biopsy from the neck region showing well-preserved muscle fibres with distinctive striations (Toluidine blue staining); (e) ultra-thin section showing desmosomes between two keratinocytes; (f) ultra-thin section showing well-preserved collagen and elastic fibres in the dermis.</p

A South-American head now housed in Turin's Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography:

<p>(a) The specimen (TSA n° 1); (b) 3D virtual reconstruction of the head showing the fracture of the right maxilla and of the right mandibular condyle. The fractures are not communicating with the oropharinx. By inference it is unlikely that blood from the injury would have entered the trachea and caused death by ‘drowning’.</p

Comparison of immunohistochemical staining of epithelial, vascular and muscle tissues taken from TSA n°1 and from a contemporary specimen to show the preservation of immunoreactivity in the mummified skin.

<p>α-SMC actin = alpha smooth muscle cell actin; CD68 = Cluster of Differentiation 68.</p

Il danno alla persona da compromissione della capacità lavorativa. Documento elaborato dalla Commissione di Studio costituita dalla Federazione delle Associazioni Medico-Legali Italiane - F.A.M.L.I.

In questo volume sono raccolti i lavori della Commissione di studio istituita dalla Federazione delle Associazioni Medico-Legali Italiane (F.A.M.L.I.) per elaborare una criteriologia di valutazione della compromissione della capacità lavorativa non soltanto largamente condivisa nel contesto operativo medico-legale, ma anche coerente con assetto giuridico del danno alla persona, innovato dalle note sentenze emesse nel 2003 della Corte Costituzionale e di Cassazione, nonché aderente ai più recenti orientamenti di quest'ultima in materia di prova e risarcibilità del danno patrimoniale e alle correnti caratteristiche del "mercato del lavoro"