Dental Microwear Analysis of Averbuch: A Dietary Reconstruction of a Mississippian Culture

This dissertation reconstructs subsistence patterns of the inhabitants of Averbuch, a prehistoric late Mississippian culture, using SEM (scanning electron microscopy) to quantitatively assess the dental microwear of the permanent adult second mandibular molar of a selected skeletal sample from the Averbuch archaeological site. A comparison among the patterns of the Averbuch and those reported from other prehistoric sites in the United States is presented. The study uses the mesiolingual cusp (metaconid) tip facet (Kay and Hiiemae, 1974) of the mandibular permanent second molar to measure dental microwear features. Every cusp in the human mouth has an occlusal relationship to the corresponding dentition revealed by wear facets. Like cusps, wear facets can be identified and studied and differences in the shape, size, and position of the cusps result in the difference and size of the wear facets which reflect evolutionary change in the molar function (Jordan et al., 1992). The Averbuch series offered a unique opportunity since no published microwear analysis of any Middle Cumberland Culture of a Mississippian manifestation exists. Averbuch represents three distinct cemeteries; two which may be contemporaneous; the third predating the first and second. Since, the site was only occupied for about 50 - 100 years (Eisenberg, 1986; Konigsberg and Frankenberg, 1995) any dietary changes within that time, as well as any quantifiable differences between sexes, among/between cemeteries, among age groups, and along the age continuum are discussed. SEM results were compared to the local/regional archaeological flora and faunal. This study addresses the following questions: 1. Are there quantifiable sex differences in dental microwear? 2. Are there quantifiable age differences in dental microwear? 3. Are there dietary differences among ages observed by dental microwear? 4. What are the intra and inter-cemetery differences in diet and are these differences related to sex and/or age? How consistent are the dental microwear patterns and features within this population? What is the relative amount of vegetable matter in the diet? What does the relative amount of vegetable matter in the diet say about the regional Mississippian subsistence in general, and specifically, about the Averbuch population

Short wavelength laser gain studies in plasmas produced by a small ND:glass slab laser

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Physics, 1994.Title as it appears in the Feb. 1994 MIT Graduate List: Laser gain studies in plasmas produced by a small zig-zag slab laser.Includes bibliographical references (p. 187-191).Martin Heinrich Muendel.Ph.D

The Malaria Epidemic and the New WHO-Recommended Malaria Vaccine | Dr. Patrick Kachur

In this episode of “What is Global Health,” Madeleine Hum (CC’24) spoke with Dr. Patrick Kachur from Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health on the malaria epidemic. Dr. Kachur gives insight into traditional prevention and treatment solutions used to combat malaria and explains the significance of the new malaria vaccine that has been approved and recommended by the World Health Organization. His research focuses on experimental and observational epidemiology and health systems studies examining the effectiveness and equity of malaria and child health interventions, with an emphasis on real world research that shapes policies and programs. He contributed to interdisciplinary research establishing the efficacy of insecticide-treated nets in western Kenya and the feasibility and impact of routine use of artemisinin-based combination therapy in Tanzania. For much of his career, he was based at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention where he held leadership roles in the Malaria Branch and Center for Global Health. He currently serves on the World Health Organization’s Malaria Policy Advisory Group

Volcanology and How Communities Are Affected By Volcanic Activity | Dr. Bradley Pitcher

In this episode of “What is Global Health,” Bowei Li (CC’26) spoke with Dr. Bradley Pitcher from Columbia University on the risks associated with volcanoes. Dr. Pitcher explains the health consequences that volcanoes induce and the tradeoffs that communities make in living near them. He also gives insight into future trends in volcanic activity in relation to climate change. Dr. Bradley Pitcher is a professor at Columbia University. He is a faculty member of the Frontiers of Science program and a lecturer of Earth and Environmental Sciences at Columbia. His research specializes in igneous petrology, the study of magmatic rocks. Using imaging techniques, he determines the chemical composition of igneous rocks in order to examine past eruptions and predict future ones. Dr. Pitcher has conducted research in the Oregon Cascades, Mt. Etna, central Japan, and more

Region of hadron-quark mixed phase in hybrid stars

Hadron--quark mixed phase is expected in a wide region of the inner structure of hybrid stars. However, we show that the hadron--quark mixed phase should be restricted to a narrower region to because of the charge screening effect. The narrow region of the mixed phase seems to explain physical phenomena of neutron stars such as the strong magnetic field and glitch phenomena, and it would give a new cooling curve for the neutron star.Comment: to be published in Physical Review

The development of highly potent and selective small molecule correctors of Z α1-antitrypsin misfolding

α1-antitrypsin deficiency is characterised by the misfolding and intracellular polymerisation of mutant α1-antitrypsin protein within the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) of hepatocytes. Small molecules that bind and stabilise Z α1-antitrypsin were identified via a DNA-encoded library screen. A subsequent structure based optimisation led to a series of highly potent, selective and cellular active α1-antitrypsin correctors