Osteonal Damage Patterns from Ballistic and Blunt Force Trauma in Human Long Bones.

Forensic anthropologists play a key role in skeletal trauma analysis and commonly use macroscopic features to distinguish between trauma types. However, this approach can be challenging, particularly in cases of highly comminuted or incompletely recovered fractures. Histological analysis of microscopic fracture characteristics in fractured bones may thus help provide additional information on trauma type and bone fracture biomechanics in general. This study analysed the extent of microcrack damage to osteons in long bones with blunt force trauma (BFT) and gunshot trauma (GST), from both traumatic death cases and post-mortem experimental fractures. We identified four types of osteonal damage (OD). In traumatic death cases, OD affecting the inside of the osteon and compromising the Haversian canal (type 1) was found to be indicative of BFT. Moreover, OD affecting the cement line (type 3) and interstitial lamellae (type 4) was more common in the GST samples. OD affecting the inside of the osteon without compromising the Haversian canal (type 2) was not found to be indicative of either trauma type. In cases of experimental fractures, our study revealed that post-mortem fractures in dry bone samples featured the highest amount of OD, particularly of type 4. This study also found that the experimentally produced GST featured similar OD patterns to GST death cases. These findings support our hypothesis that there are distinct osteonal damage patterns in human long bones with BFT and GST, which are of relevant value for trauma analysis in forensic anthropology.

Taphonomy of experimental burials in Taphos-m: The role of fungi.

BACKGROUND: The fungi present in the decaying remains enable a better understanding of the processes of decomposition after death. There are not many studies about fungi on decaying bodies and it is not known which fungal sampling methods are effective. AIMS: The main objective of this study was to find the best method for sampling fungi in carcasses, prove the effectiveness of this method and identify the fungal colonies in animal carcasses from experimental burials. METHODS: Samples from 13 carcasses of Sus scrofa domestica, from the experimental project Taphos-m, were taken with different materials: spatula, sterile swabs and RODAC contact plates. RESULTS: RODAC contact plates with the RBA culture medium showed higher proliferation of fungal colonies. Thirty genera of fungi were isolated from different substrates (bone, tissue, lime). Most of the fungi genera or groups identified have been described before in the literature, but the substrates they came from were different in some cases. CONCLUSIONS: Sampling with RODAC contact plates was found to be the most effective method, as it provides a nutritional culture medium that may allow growth since the moment of sampling. Fungi colonies grew better in RBA culture medium because bacterial growth is inhibited. Most of the observed fungi are related to the environment but some others have been found related to decomposing bodies for the first time.

Comparación de los efectos tafonómicos observados en dos estructuras funerarias de espacio vacío / The taphonomic effects comparison in two empty space burial structures

Introducción. La tafonomía ayuda a entender las cuestiones relacionadas con las modificaciones post mortem de los restos cadavéricos en los campos de la paleontología, la arqueología y la antropología forense. Por ello, el objetivo principal del proyecto experimental Taphos-m es generar un corpus en tafonomía que permita comprender qué agentes y procesos tafonómicos son los responsables de los efectos observados en diferentes contextos. Material y métodos. Pasados 3 años y medio desde su inhumación, se ha valorado el estado cadavérico de 2 cuerpos de Sus scrofa domestica enterrados en 2 estructuras vacías de características constructivas distintas, así como la distribución espacial que presentaban los elementos anatómicos. En caso de esqueletización, también se describe el estado de la superficie cortical de los huesos y la eventual fragmentación ósea. También se han llevado a cabo analíticas complementarias, como análisis histológico y patológico. Resultados. Los restos del animal enterrado en la tumba de piedra se encontraron en estado desecado, mientras que los restos inhumados en la tumba de tejas planas estaban prácticamente esqueletizados. Se observaron diferencias en el análisis de los efectos tafonómicos, sobre todo en relación con la distribución espacial de los elementos anatómicos, vinculados con la presencia de sedimento y el estado cadavérico. La lesión que presentaba uno de los animales en la extremidad trasera podría influir en el mantenimiento de la articulación anatómica. Conclusiones. Los datos meteorológicos del momento de la inhumación y las características de la tumba son variables que determinan la evolución y el estado cadavérico de los restos, pero no son las únicas, ya que las lesiones pueden suponer diferencias en la distribución espacial de los restos óseos y articulaciones anatómicas (AU)

Introduction. Taphonomy helps to understand the issues related to changes of the cadaveric remains in the frame of palaeontology and archaeology as well as in the frame of forensic anthropology. The first objective of the experimental project Taphos-m was to generate a corpus of information on taphonomy to know what taphonomic agents and process could be responsible for the observable effects in field. Materials and methods. The cadaveric state of Sus scrofa domestica remains and the spatial distribution of the anatomical elements has been described. In the case of skeletonization, the state of the cortical surface and fragmentation of the bones was evaluated too. Also the pathological and histological analysis has been observed. Results. The animal remains buried in the stone tomb were in dried state, while the remains buried in the tile tomb were skeletonized. There were differences in the observable taphonomic effects, particularly in the spatial distribution of the anatomical elements. The lesion in the leg of one animal could be responsible of the maintenance of anatomic articulation. Conclusions. Meteorological data during inhumation and the tomb characteristics are variables that determine the evolution and condition of the remains, but they are not the only ones: the pathological lesions may involve differences in the spatial distribution of the bones and anatomical articulations (AU)

Exhumaciones de los restos humanos no reclamados como modelo tafonómico / Exhumation of unclaimed human remains as taphonomic model

Introducción: El hallazgo de restos esqueléticos o en avanzado estado de descomposición implica la resolución de cuestiones fundamentales como su procedencia, el intervalo posmortal y la determinación de los efectos tafonómicos observados. Este trabajo presenta un proyecto innovador en el campo de la tafonomía forense en España que utiliza restos cementeriales como modelo de estudio. Material y métodos: Se analizan restos humanos no reclamados del cementerio de Terrassa. El proyecto considera las variables del contexto, el estado de descomposición, la patología ósea y los artefactos tafonómicos. Resultados: Se analizaron 169 cuerpos de ambos sexos y de distintos grupos etarios. Se observaron fenómenos tafonómicos y de conservación relacionados con situaciones ante mortem (perfil biológico, patología, tratamientos, fracturas, etc.) y post mortem (tratamiento forense, tanatopráctico y/o tanatoestético, y otros artefactos tafonómicos). Conclusiones: Este estudio, de carácter preliminar, muestra los beneficios de los modelos cementeriales en el ámbito de la antropología física y forense (AU)

Introduction: The recovery of human skeletal remains or remains in high stage of decay implies important questions to be answered, such as the origin of those remains, the post mortem interval, and the taphonomic effects that are observed. This study presents a pioneer project about human forensic taphonomy in Spain. Material and methods: Unclaimed human remains from cemetery of Terrassa (Barcelona) were analysed. Context of remains, decomposition stage, bone pathology and taphonomic artefacts are the variables that are taken into consideration during this project. Results: One hundred sixty-nine corpses, including both genders and different ages, were analysed. Taphonomic phenomena and conservation pattern related with ante mortem (biological profile, pathology, treatment, fractures, etc.) and post mortem (forensic treatment, thanatopraxy and/or mortuary aesthetics, and other taphonomic artefacts) situation were observed. Conclusions: This preliminary study shows the benefits of the use of cemetery models in the field of physical and forensic anthropology (AU)

Unilateral cholesteatoma in the first millennium BC.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the bone lesions of the ear region from a late Bronze Age individual to establish the most probable diagnosis. BACKGROUND: There has been evidence of diseases of the ear region since way back in history, but few human remains have been recognized. The case presented here corresponds to an ear lesion from a prehistoric skeleton found in the archeological site of La Cova des Pas (900-800 cal yr BC), located on Minorca island, in the western Mediterranean. METHODS: Macroscopic and radiologic (iCT) analysis had been performed. RESULTS: The remains belong to an elderly female subject who had a large cavity on the tympanic cavity as a result of the complete erosion of the outer wall of the attic and a large increase in the diameter of the outer ear canal. The cavity extends posterior to the mastoid. CONCLUSION: The diagnosis suggests a probable cholesteatoma, being one of the oldest cases in Europe.

A paleoneurohistological study of 3,000-year-old mummified brain tissue from the mediterranean bronze age.

OBJECTIVES: Mummified nervous tissue is very rarely found in ancient remains and usually corresponds to corpses which were frozen or preserved in bogs, conditions which limit tissue autolysis and bacterial degradation. Here, we show the unusual finding of spontaneously mummified brain tissue from several individuals from the little known megalithic talaiotic culture of the island of Minorca, dating approximately 3,000 years before present and corresponding to the late Mediterranean Bronze Age. METHODS: These individuals were part of an intact burial site containing 66 subjects. Intracraneal samples were carefully rehydrated with Sandison's solution. We used classical histochemical as well as 2D and 3D (scanning) electron-microscopic techniques. RESULTS: We provide evidence of the nervous nature of the samples as well as a detailed description of the morphological features of these ancient tissues. The intracranial material consisted of well-preserved eosinophilic reticular tissue and, although mostly absent, some exceptional pigment-containing neurons were identified. CONCLUSIONS: We present a detailed morphological analysis which can provide valuable information and guidelines for the interpretation of this scarce type of mummified samples and provide explanations for this surprising preservation.

An ovarian teratoma of late Roman age.

We report here a very unusual pelvic calcification recovered from the remains of a 30-40-year-old woman found at the late Roman period archeological site of La Fogonussa (Lleida, Catalonia). Although differential diagnoses for calcifications of the pelvis are complicated in archeological contexts, the precise localization, macroscopic features, and the presence of teeth along with part of a small bone led us to identify this case as an ovarian teratoma, based upon gross observations and computerized tomography (CT).

The presence of nuclear families in prehistoric collective burials revisited: the bronze age burial of Montanissell Cave (Spain) in the light of aDNA.

Ancient populations have commonly been thought to have lived in small groups where extreme endogamy was the norm. To contribute to this debate, a genetic analysis has been carried out on a collective burial with eight primary inhumations from Montanissell Cave in the Catalan pre-Pyrenees. Radiocarbon dating clearly placed the burial in the Bronze Age, around 3200 BP. The composition of the group-two adults (one male, one female), one young woman, and five children from both sexes-seemed to represent the structure of a typical nuclear family. The genetic evidence proves this assumption to be wrong. In fact, at least five out of the eight mitochondrial haplotypes were different, denying the possibility of a common maternal ancestor for all of them. Nevertheless, 50% of the inhumations shared haplogroup J, so the possibility of a maternal relationship cannot be ruled out. Actually, combining different analyses performed using ancient and living populations, the probability of having four related J individuals in Montanissell Cave would range from 0.9884 to 0.9999. Owing to the particularities of this singular collective burial (small number of bodies placed altogether in a hidden cave, the evidence of non-simultaneous interments, close dating and unusual grave goods), we suggest that it might represent a small group with a patrilocal mating system.