Quantitative and spatial analysis of the microscopic bone structures of deer (Odocoileus virginianus), dog (Canis familiaris), and pig (Sus scrofa domesticus)

Structure and morphology of bone tissue are variable by species. The influence of different factors on structure and morphology is still debated. Qualifying and quantifying these differences are necessary in the evaluation of fragmentary bones in order to identify specific species. To understand the influence of species of origin on the microscopic structure of bone tissue, the influence of developmental and biomechanical forces specific to a skeletal element must also be assessed. This research is a preliminary analysis of the histological bone structures in terms of their area, density and spatial organization. To achieve this research goal, the cross-section of three major skeletal structures of three common quadrupeds ubiquitous across North America and commonly found in association with human remains were compared. The study analyzed the mid-shaft cross-section of six femora, five humeri, and six mid-thoracic ribs of the white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus); six femora, six humeri, and six mid-thoracic ribs of the domestic dog (Canis familiaris); and five femora, four humeri, and six mid-thoracic ribs of the domestic pig (Sus scrofa domesticus). The cross-section of each skeletal element was divided into eight sections along anatomically recognized body planes. All histomorphometric measurements and observations were taken within these sections to explore the spatial organization of the microscopic structures across the mid-shaft cross-section. Plexiform bone observations suggest not only species-specific presence and absence of this bone structure but a relation to the skeletal element. There was an almost complete absence of plexiform bone in the mid-thoracic rib and reduced presence in the humerus of all three species. Secondary osteon area isolated pig from the other two species, in all three skeletal elements, suggesting a species-specific difference in osteon development. On the other hand, though similar in area, deer and dog showed interspecies, parallel patterns between like elements (humerus and humerus, femur and femur). Secondary osteon density followed an expected trend of increasing density associated with older animals. The implications for this study are two-fold. First, the results suggest future avenues of research for histologically differentiating species in both forensic and archaeological contexts. Second, the results support the hypothesis that it is important to incorporate a spatial analysis of microscopic structure distribution as an additional source of information about species and bone element differences in microscopic arrangements of the bone tissue

Reconstructing subsistence practices of southwestern Ontario Late Woodland Peoples (A.D. 900-1600) using stable isotopic analyses of faunal material

Stable carbon–, nitrogen–, and oxygen–isotope analyses of animal bones and teeth from 28 archaeological sites are used to reconstruct human subsistence behaviour, i.e., increased maize horticulturalism, during the Late Woodland period (A.D. 1000–1650) in southwestern Ontario. The isotopic data provided dietary, seasonal, and geographic information, which was analysed within archaeological, symbolic, and ecological contexts and used to reconstruct the diets, hunting patterns, and animal processing practices of two neighbouring groups, the Ontario Iroquoian and Western Basin peoples. Paleodietary and seasonality analyses focused on the following species: canids (domestic dogs, foxes, and wolves), wild turkeys and white-tailed deer, though additional fauna (including black bears, raccoons, and squirrels) were also analysed. Bone (n=324) and dentine (n=11) collagen provided dietary information, specifically concerning access to maize and trophic position. The carbon– and nitrogen–isotope composition of modern plants (n= 8) and animals (n=87) was used to expand the local food web and understand abilities of modern animals to access crops. Structural carbonate isotopic analyses for archaeological (n=126) and modern (n=28) individuals provided additional information about trophic position, post–mortem alteration, and geographic affiliation. Serially sampled enamel was analysed for several deer and a dog, and was successfully paired with x–radiographs to create an enamel formation sequence, which enables reconstruction of short term (seasonal) diets. The domestic dog isotopic data expanded our understanding of human dietary change over the Late Woodland period for both Ontario Iroquoian and Western Basin peoples, including different emphases on protein sources (i.e., fish). Wild fauna, particularly foxes, wild turkeys, raccoons and squirrels, were able to access maize. The turkey isotopic data suggest a unique hunting strategy at some Ontario Iroquoian sites, i.e., the purposeful discard of maize to create a predictable field hunting zone. An unexpected relationship between the δ13Ccol and δ13Csc values of deer appears to reflect a post–mortem processing (i.e., boiling) practice. This thesis has expanded our understanding of Late Woodland diets, horticultural and hunting practices. It has also demonstrated that fauna may be used to reconstruct human behaviour and ideology in lieu of the destructive analysis of human remains

Death salience moderates the effect of trauma on religiosity

Objective: Previous research has shown contradictory evidence for the relationship between religiosity and trauma; exposure to traumatic life events has been associated with both increases and decreases in religiosity over time. On the basis of a long theoretical tradition of linking death and religious belief and recent empirical evidence that thoughts of death may increase religiosity, we tested whether one determinant of trauma's influence on religion is the degree to which it makes death salient. Method: Using longitudinal data from the Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study, a unique population-representative birth cohort, we tested whether the relationship between trauma and religiosity depends on whether the trauma involves death. Participants reported their private, ceremonial, and public religious behaviors at ages 26 and 32 and, at age 32, whether they had experienced any of 23 traumatic life events since age 26. Results: Experiencing the death of a loved one (but not an equally traumatic event not involving death) predicted a future increase in private religious behavior (e.g., prayer) among those already practicing such behaviors, and an increase in the importance of religious ceremonies among those with relatively little prior interest in them. On the other hand, experiencing a death-unrelated trauma predicted a future reduction in public displays of religiosity among those previously so inclined. Conclusion: The study represents a significant step in understanding religious responses to trauma, and emphasizes the importance of considering not only the nature of a trauma, but also the dimensions and practices of a victim's religiosity prior to it

Fixed point structure of the conformal factor field in quantum gravity

The O(?2) background-independent flow equations for conformally reduced gravity are shown to be equivalent to flow equations naturally adapted to scalar field theory with a wrong-sign kinetic term. This sign change is shown to have a profound effect on the renormalization group properties, broadly resulting in a continuum of fixed points supporting both a discrete and a continuous eigenoperator spectrum, the latter always including relevant directions. The properties at the Gaussian fixed point are understood in particular depth, but also detailed studies of the local potential approximation, and the full O(?2) approximation are given. These results are related to evidence for asymptotic safety found by other authors

Maize Provisioning of Ontario Late Woodland Turkeys: Isotopic Evidence of Seasonal, Cultural, Spatial and Temporal Variation

The isotopic composition (δ13C, δ15N) of bone collagen from Ontario Late Woodland archaeological turkeys was compared with that of modern Ontario wild turkeys, and archaeological turkeys from American Southwestern, Mexican and other Woodland sites to determine whether Late Woodland Ontario peoples managed wild turkeys by provisioning them with maize, the only isotopically distinct horticultural plant at that time. Despite the fact that humans from Late Woodland Western Basin and Iroquoian traditions consumed equal amounts of maize, wild turkeys utilized by the two groups exhibit different diets. Western Basin turkeys reflect a C3-only diet, whereas Iroquoian turkeys were consuming significant quantities of maize (a C4 plant). Both groups of archaeological turkey consumed less maize than modern wild turkeys with access to waste left in fields by mechanized agriculture, but because ancient crop yields were much lower, we suggest that Iroquoian turkeys must have been provisioned, probably to create a reliable and nearby hunting niche (Linares 1976). Archaeological and isotopic evidence supports ethnohistoric accounts that turkeys were hunted after the fall harvest. Iroquoian archaeological turkey diets, in general, reflect the seasonal consumption of maize that would have been created by cold weather maize provisioning, with the major exception of one turkey from an Attawandaron (Neutral) site that appears to have been fed maize year round. Motivations for provisioning by Middle Ontario Iroquoian people likely included climate change and ritual/ceremonial activity as well as a reliable food supply. Because Iroquoian women controlled the harvest, it is likely that they were instrumental in altering this human/animal interaction, creating a position on the wild/domesticated continuum that is unique in the North American archaeological literature

Health care process modelling: which method when?

Objective The role of process modelling has been widely recognized for effective quality improvement. However, application in health care is somewhat limited since the health care community lacks knowledge about a broad range of methods and their applicability to health care. Therefore, the objectives of this paper are to present a summary description of a limited number of distinct modelling methods and evaluate how health care workers perceive them. Methods Various process modelling methods from several different disciplines were reviewed and characterized. Case studies in three different health care scenarios were carried out to model those processes and evaluate how health care workers perceive the usability and utility of the process models. Results Eight distinct modelling methods were identified and characterized by what the modelling elements in each explicitly represents. Flowcharts, which had been most extensively used by the participants, were most favoured in terms of their usability and utility. However, some alternative methods, although having been used by a much smaller number of participants, were considered to be helpful, specifically in understanding certain aspects of complex processes, e.g. communication diagrams for understanding interactions, swim lane activity diagrams for roles and responsibilities and state transition diagrams for a patient-centred perspective. Discussion We believe that it is important to make the various process modelling methods more easily accessible to health care by providing clear guidelines or computer-based tool support for health care-specific process modelling. These supports can assist health care workers to apply initially unfamiliar, but eventually more effective modelling methods

High school students who experienced a concussion are more likely to report indicators of depression: A cross-sectional examination using the 2017 Vermont Youth Risk Behavior Survey

Objective: To examine the relationship between a history of concussions and depressive indicators in high school students. Methods: 2017 Vermont Youth Behavior Risk Survey data (n = 26,962) was used to evaluate a potential association between concussions and depressive indicators in 20,653 eligible high schoolers using a multivariate logistic regression analysis, controlling for covariates. Results: Multivariate logistic regression analysis using a dichotomous concussion variable revealed that the odds of reporting one or more depression indicators were greater for individuals reporting at least one concussion in the past year compared to individuals who did not report any concussions, controlling for all covariates (OR=1.27, 95% CI: 1.16, 1.40). Subsequent sensitivity analysis demonstrated that odds of reporting one or more depression indicators increased 12.4% with each additional concussion up to the four-concussion study maximum, controlling for all covariates (95% CI: 1.07, 1.18). Conclusion: Concussions are significantly associated with depressive indicators in high school students, and odds of reporting depressive indicators increases with each additional concussion. Consequently, students with concussions are at greater risk for depressive , and future studies should elucidate this association using prospective methodology

Cerebral perivascular spaces visible on magnetic resonance imaging: Development of a qualitative rating scale and its observer reliability

BACKGROUND: Perivascular spaces (PVS) are an important component of cerebral small vessel disease (SVD), several inflammatory disorders, hypertension and blood-brain barrier breakdown, but are difficult to quantify. A recent international collaboration of SVD experts has highlighted the need for a robust, easy-to-use PVS rating scale for the effective investigation of the diagnostic and prognostic significance of PVS. The purpose of the current study was to develop and extend existing PVS scales to provide a more comprehensive scale for the measurement of PVS in the basal ganglia, centrum semiovale and midbrain, and to test its intra- and inter-rater agreement, assessing reasons for discrepancy. METHODS: We reviewed previously published PVS scales, including site of PVS assessed, rating method, and size and morphological criteria. Retaining key features, we devised a more comprehensive scale in order to improve the reliability of PVS rating. Two neuroradiologists tested the new scale in MRI brain scans of 60 patients from two studies (stroke, ageing population), chosen to represent a full range of PVS, and demonstrating concomitant features of SVD such as lacunes and white matter hyperintensities. We rated basal ganglia, centrum semiovale, and midbrain PVS. Basal ganglia and centrum semiovale PVS were rated 0 (none), 1 (1–10), 2 (11–20), 3 (21–40) and 4 (>40), and midbrain PVS were rated 0 (none visible) or 1 (visible). We calculated kappa statistics for rating, assessed consistency in use of PVS categories (Bhapkar test) and reviewed sources of discrepancy. RESULTS: Intra- and inter-rater kappa statistics were highest for basal ganglia PVS (range 0.76–0.87 and 0.8–0.9, respectively) than for centrum semiovale PVS (range 0.68–0.75 and 0.61–0.8, respectively) or midbrain PVS (inter-rater range 0.51–0.52). Inter-rater consistency was better for basal ganglia compared to centrum semiovale PVS (Bhapkar statistic 2.49–3.72, compared to 6.79–21.08, respectively). Most inter-rater disagreements were due to very faint PVS, coexisting extensive white matter hyperintensities (WMH) or the presence of lacunes. CONCLUSIONS: We developed a more inclusive and robust visual PVS rating scale allowing rating of all grades of PVS severity on structural brain imaging. The revised PVS rating scale has good observer reliability for basal ganglia and centrum semiovale PVS, best for basal ganglia PVS, and moderate reliability for midbrain PVS. Agreement is influenced by PVS severity and the presence of background features of SVD. The current scale can be used in further studies to assess the clinical implications of PVS