Findings in ancient Egyptian mummies from tomb KV64, Valley of the Kings, Luxor, with evidence of a rheumatic disease.

OBJECTIVE: In 2011, a spectacular find was made in the Valley of the Kings, Egypt - a well-known archaeological site, where pharaohs were buried during the New Kingdom (ca. 1500-1100 BCE). A team from the University of Basel's Kings' Valley Project discovered a tomb (KV64) containing two mummies that were buried in different time episodes (unidentified elite burial, 18th dynasty, and Nehemesbastet, 22nd dynasty). METHOD: Anthropological investigations of the mummies were performed using portable X-ray and photographic documentation. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The first burial was an adult individual with bilateral pathological changes at the temporomandibular joints (TMJs), most likely of inflammatory origin, possibly psoriatic arthritis. Investigations of the second burial revealed an intact body of a younger female individual.

Impact of omega-3 fatty acid DHA and EPA supplementation in pregnant or breast-feeding women on cognitive performance of children: systematic review and meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: The omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) are important for brain development and cognitive performance. Because they are semi-essential fatty acids, they must be obtained from food. However, the dietary reference intakes of DHA and EPA have not yet been established. In women, a low DHA and/or EPA serum level during pregnancy or breastfeeding might negatively affect their children. For this study, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized control trials on the association between the consumption of fish oil supplements in pregnant and/or breastfeeding women and the cognitive performance of their children. METHODS: The PubMed, Embase, and Central literature databases were systematically searched. We included and extracted relevant studies in duplicate and assessed study quality. Cognitive outcomes were grouped according to published criteria and according to time elapsed after the intervention. We performed fixed-effects meta-analyses for each cognitive outcome and for birth weight. We assessed potential confounding with meta-regressions and sensitivity analyses. RESULTS: A total of 11 trials were included. No significant association was found between DHA/EPA supplementation and any of the assessed cognitive parameters or birth weight. DISCUSSION: Our results confirm previous reviews on the studied topic. Reasons for inconclusive results may be small sample sizes for each assessed category, questionable quality of included studies, and the difficulty of reliably measuring cognitive performance in small children. Blood levels of omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids were mostly not comparable. Furthermore, the influence of genetic and environmental factors could not be assessed. Studies in this field should address such shortcomings.

Fish consumption is associated with school performance in children in a non-linear way: Results from the German cohort study KiGGS.

INTRODUCTION: How the long-chain fatty acids docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) in the diet permitted human brain evolution, and how much our brains need today to function optimally are still hot topics for debate. DHA and EPA are considered as semi-essential because only insufficient amounts can be produced from other nutrients, such that they must be ingested with the diet. However, the Dietary Reference Intake of DHA and EPA, or of fish containing these fatty acids, has not yet been established. Eating fish is often recommended and generally considered beneficial for health and cognitive development in children and adolescents. For this study, data from a large cohort study were analysed to assess the association between fish consumption and cognitive school performance in children and adolescents. METHODS: Data from the German cohort of children and adolescent health KiGGS, which was conducted 2003-06 and included more than 17 000 children, were analysed. Ordered logistic regressions were performed to test for associations between fish intake and school performance. Potential confounders were included in the models. RESULTS: A statistically significant association was found between an intake of 8 g of fish per day and the probability of increasing the final grade in German [odds ratio (OR) 1.193, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.049-1.358] and mathematics (OR 1.16, 95% CI 1.022-1.317) by one point, compared to no or very limited fish consumption. For the outcome German, higher levels of fish intake also showed a positive effect. These relationships were not linear but tended to decrease again at higher doses of fish. DISCUSSION: Our result confirms previous reports of a positive association between fish intake and school performance. Interestingly, this relationship was not linear but tended to decrease again in the highest categories of fish intake. We hypothesize that mercury or other pollutants in the fish could be detrimental at high levels. As only half of all children met the minimal fish intake recommendations, fish consumption should be promoted more strongly in children to meet the minimal requirements of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids. LAY SUMMARY: Polyunsaturated fatty acids like DHA and EPA that are present in fish are essential for a healthy human brain development. We found a U-shaped association between fish intake and school performance in children. We hypothesize that mercury or other pollutants in the fish could be detrimental at high intake levels.

Medieval women's early involvement in manuscript production suggested by lapis lazuli identification in dental calculus.

During the European Middle Ages, the opening of long-distance Asian trade routes introduced exotic goods, including ultramarine, a brilliant blue pigment produced from lapis lazuli stone mined only in Afghanistan. Rare and as expensive as gold, this pigment transformed the European color palette, but little is known about its early trade or use. Here, we report the discovery of lapis lazuli pigment preserved in the dental calculus of a religious woman in Germany radiocarbon-dated to the 11th or early 12th century. The early use of this pigment by a religious woman challenges widespread assumptions about its limited availability in medieval Europe and the gendered production of illuminated texts.

Secular trends in stature of late 20th century white South Africans and two European populations.

During the 20th century a general positive secular trend for stature is observed in developed countries around the world while shorter statures, often associated with a lack of a positive secular trend, have mostly been observed in populations with lower SES. The purpose of this study was to compare secular changes in stature between 20th century South Africans of European descent and two European populations. The comparative samples include Dutch males with which there is an assumed genetic relationship, and Swiss males for which the genetic association is less clear. The sample comprised anthropometric stature data of white South Africans (17-62 years), Swiss and Dutch males (18-21 years) obtained from military conscripts with birth cohorts of 5 years from 1946 to 1995. The stature of white South African males did not increase at a significant rate compared to those observed in Swiss and Dutch males. South African and Dutch males were of similar height following World War II, but a considerable trend was observed only in the Dutch group. The Swiss group was initially shorter than the South Africans, but due to a positive secular trend their average stature is on a par with that of South Africans in the most recent cohort. The lack of a significant positive secular trend in the South African group could suggest that factors such as gene flow and poor economic and social development in South Africa resulted in shorter statures in white South African groups than expected.

Dental investigation of mummies from the Capuchin Catacombs of Palermo (circa 18th-19th century CE).

Within the framework of the Sicily Mummy Project, the orofacial complex of a significant sample of individuals (n=111) from the Capuchin Catacombs of Palermo, Italy, was inspected. The heads and dentitions of the mummies were documented and the recorded findings described: the state of preservation of skeletal and soft tissues; dental pathologies such as carious lesions and alveolar bone loss; enamel hypoplasia; and ante- and post-mortem tooth loss. Despite limitations in data collection, the oral health of these mummies was assessed and the frequencies of pathologies were compared to those of similar populations. From their position within the corridors of the Catacombs, sex and social status of the mummies were also inferred, allowing the dental pathologies to be specified in the social and historical context. Most interestingly, the rate of oral health problems did not differ between the groups of the members of the Capuchin Order and the laymen of the city of Palermo, despite their different lifestyles.

Identifications of ancient Egyptian royal mummies from the 18th Dynasty reconsidered.

For centuries, ancient Egyptian Royal mummies have drawn the attention both of the general public and scientists. Many royal mummies from the New Kingdom have survived. The discoveries of the bodies of these ancient rulers have always sparked much attention, yet not all identifications are clear even nowadays. This study presents a meta-analysis to demonstrate the difficulties in identifying ancient Egyptian royal mummies. Various methods and pitfalls in the identification of the Pharaohs are reassessed since new scientific methods can be used, such as ancient DNA-profiling and CT-scanning. While the ancestors of Tutankhamun have been identified, some identities are still highly controversial (e.g., the mystery of the KV-55 skeleton, recently most likely identified as the genetic father of Tutankhamun). The meta-analysis confirms the suggested identity of some mummies (e.g., Amenhotep III, Thutmosis IV, and Queen Tjye).

Direct evidence of milk consumption from ancient human dental calculus.

Milk is a major food of global economic importance, and its consumption is regarded as a classic example of gene-culture evolution. Humans have exploited animal milk as a food resource for at least 8500 years, but the origins, spread, and scale of dairying remain poorly understood. Indirect lines of evidence, such as lipid isotopic ratios of pottery residues, faunal mortality profiles, and lactase persistence allele frequencies, provide a partial picture of this process; however, in order to understand how, where, and when humans consumed milk products, it is necessary to link evidence of consumption directly to individuals and their dairy livestock. Here we report the first direct evidence of milk consumption, the whey protein ß-lactoglobulin (BLG), preserved in human dental calculus from the Bronze Age (ca. 3000 BCE) to the present day. Using protein tandem mass spectrometry, we demonstrate that BLG is a species-specific biomarker of dairy consumption, and we identify individuals consuming cattle, sheep, and goat milk products in the archaeological record. We then apply this method to human dental calculus from Greenland's medieval Norse colonies, and report a decline of this biomarker leading up to the abandonment of the Norse Greenland colonies in the 15(th) century CE.

Evidence based palaeopathology: meta-analysis of Pubmed-listed scientific studies on pre-Columbian, South American mummies.

The aim of this study was to review all Pubmed(®)-listed palaeopathological studies performed on pre-Columbian South American mummies. A total of 61 studies were found (1977-2005). Review criteria included e.g. method of examination, method of mummification, palaeopathological diagnoses and individual age of mummies as well as dating, which ranged from 7500 to 500 years BP, mainly (if reported) originating from the Chiribaya and Chinchorro cultures. The average age of the 99 individually reported mummies was about 25 years. Only six studies included computed tomography, thirteen studies used classical radiography as an examination method. Three studies analysed parasite related diseases, especially caused by Trypanosoma cruzi. Among all of the reported infectious diseases (n=9), there were seven studies presenting cases of tuberculosis. The results were also compared inter-culturally. In 61 studies (37 epidemiological and 24 case reports) more than 6400 mummified individuals were analysed. By contrast, meta-analytic data for ancient Egyptian mummies (Zweifel et al., 2009) included about 3000 analysed individuals in 131 studies (85 case reports and 46 epidemiological studies). In general, ancient Egyptian mummies were shown to be intentionally mummified, whereas the Pre-Columbian American mummies showed a great diversity of spontaneous mummification. However, ritualistic mummification methods were also practised (n=2). This study's results shall assist to improve evidence-based research in palaeopathology.

Purported medical diagnoses of Pharaoh Tutankhamun, c. 1325 BC-.

King Tutankhamun is one of the most famous rulers of antiquity,thus it is not surprising that a plethora of scientific studies have put forth possible medical diagnoses and causes of his death. Diseases(autologous or infectious), metabolic disorders, trauma (possibly even murder-related), or tumorous conditions have been postulated, frequently only based on secondary data sources. The aim of this article is to critically review all these diagnoses. Since the initial examination of the mummy in the mid 1920s by Howard Carter and others, several dozens of medical diagnoses based on various levels of evidence have been proposed. While some studies did not support any sign of a major disease, others suggested diseases whose existence cannot be proven with the little tissue that is preserved for study. In the last c. five years new examinations of the mummy were performed by computed tomography and ancient DNA analyses,now allowing not only to exclude certain diagnoses that had been postulated earlier, but also to arrive at new theories with a higher degree of certainty concerning the state of health and the early death of this most famous ruler.

Lessons from history of socioeconomic improvements: a new approach to treating multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis.

This study investigated the trends in tuberculosis mortality through time in Switzerland. Information on the decline in mortality before chemotherapies were introduced may be useful in developing countries where drug-resistant tuberculosis is now becoming a major problem. Swiss data were collected from historical records and comparative data were obtained from the literature for England and Wales, New York, Japan, Brazil and Sierra Leone. Logistic curves were fitted to examine the rate of decline before introduction of pharmacotherapies and these show that the decline would have continued without the introduction of chemical therapies, including antibiotics. In Switzerland, England and Wales and New York, the decline had occurred long before the introduction of specific anti-tuberculosis agents. In Brazil and Japan, chemical therapy was co-incident with the decline in tuberculosis mortality rates. Overall, it is suggested that the effective control of tuberculosis can be achieved through a combination of chemical interventions, conservative therapy (rest, good nutrition, ventilation, etc.) as well as public health interventions addressing hygiene, nutrition, reducing exposure to infections and educating the population about tuberculosis.

Diversity in auxology: between theory and practice. Proceedings of the 18th Aschauer Soiree, 13th November 2010.

Auxology has developed from mere describing child and adolescent growth into a vivid and interdisciplinary research area encompassing human biologists, physicians, social scientists, economists and biostatisticians. The meeting illustrated the diversity in auxology, with the various social, medical, biological and biostatistical aspects in studies on child growth and development.

The average height of 18- and 19-year-old conscripts (N=458,322) in Switzerland from 1992 to 2009, and the secular height trend since 1878.

QUESTION UNDER STUDY: We determine the causes of secular changes in the average height of the male Swiss population for the first time by analysing an unbiased, individually measured, highly representative height-data sample of 18- and 19-year-old Swiss conscripts (N = 458,322) at the national level spanning the years 1992 to 2009. Furthermore, we add historical context based on earlier data from the same source. RESULTS: In 2009, the average height of regularly 19-year-old Swiss conscripts was 178.2 cm. Percentiles were P5 = 168 cm, P10 = 170 cm, P25 = 174 cm, P50 = 178 cm, P75 = 182 cm, P90 = 187 cm, and P95 = 189 cm. Over the course of the 130 years between 1878-79 and 2009 the average height of 19-year-old conscripts increased by a total of 14.9 cm. The distribution shifted upwards. In 1878-79, 5.48% of conscripts were 175 cm tall or taller, but only 0.89% were 180 cm tall or taller. In 2008-09, 71.13% of the conscripts were 175 cm tall or taller, and 41.69% 180 cm tall or taller. In recent decades, this trend has slowed markedly. CONCLUSIONS: While the increase in average height among Swiss conscripts (representative 90% of the male Swiss population) since the 19th century is usually attributed to improvements in living conditions, all of the factors contributing to the recent slowdown have yet to be identified.

Without 'informed consent'? Ethics and ancient mummy research.

Ethical issues are of foremost importance in modern bio-medical science. Ethical guidelines and socio-cultural public awareness exist for modern samples, whereas for ancient mummy studies both are de facto lacking. This is particularly striking considering the fact that examinations are done without informed consent or that the investigations are invasive due to technological aspects and that it affects personality traits. The aim of this study is to show the pro and contra arguments of ancient mummy research from an ethical point of view with a particular focus on the various stakeholders involved in this research. Relevant stakeholders in addition to the examined individual are, for example, a particular researcher, and the science community in general, likely descendents of the mummy or any future generation. Our broad discussion of the moral dilemma of mummy research should help to extract relevant decision-making criteria for any such study in future. We specifically do not make any recommendations about how to rate these decision-factors, since this is highly dependent on temporal and cultural affiliations of the involved researcher. The sustainability of modern mummy research is dependent on ethical orientation, which can only be given and eventually settled in an interdisciplinary approach such as the one we attempt to present here.

Growth variation, final height and secular trend. Proceedings of the 17th Aschauer Soiree, 7th November 2009.

Growth and body height have always been topics interesting to the public. In particular, the stupendous increase of some 15-19cm in final adult height during the last 150 years in most European countries (the "secular trend"), the concomitant changes in body and head proportions, the tendency towards early onset of sexual maturation, the changes in the age when final height is being reached, and the very recent trend in body mass index, have generated much scientific literature. The marked plasticity of growth in height and weight over time causes problems. Child growth references differ between nations, they tend to quickly become out of date, and raise a number of questions regarding fitting methods, effects caused by selective drop-out, etc. New findings contradict common beliefs about the primary importance of nutritional and health related factors for secular changes in growth. There appears to be a broad age span from mid-childhood to early adolescence that is characterised by a peculiar insusceptibility. Environmental factors that are known to influence growth during this age span appear to have only little or no impact on final height. Major re-arrangements in height occur at an age when puberty has almost been completed and final height has almost been reached, implying that factors, which drive the secular trend in height, are limited to early childhood and late adolescence.

BMI distribution/social stratification in Swiss conscripts from 1875 to present.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: We aimed to extend the actual overweight discussion with new unbiased Swiss conscript data from 2005 to 2006, and to present for the first time Swiss data on body mass index (BMI) before 1950 and for the late-nineteenth century. SUBJECTS/METHODS: For this study, 19-year-old Swiss male conscripts (draft army; Cantons Bern, Zurich, Basel-Stadt and Basel-Land) from the census of 1875-1879, 1933-1939 and 2005-2006 (N=28 033; 2005-2006 census) were included. BMI distribution (World Health Organization (WHO) classification) and social stratification (International Labour Organization classification) were main outcome measures. RESULTS: Mean BMI of 19-year-old men in Switzerland increased in the 50 years between the 1870s and the 1930s by 0.80 kg/m(2) and between the 1930s and 2005 by 1.45 kg/m(2). The modern BMI sample is much more right skewed and s.d. is higher. Obesity prevalence (according to modern WHO classification) has increased by a factor of 105 from 1870s until present. Over 23% of our representative sample of Swiss men in 2005-2006 had a BMI of over 25 kg/m(2). In 2005-2006, contrary to the nineteenth century, unskilled workers had articulately higher BMI values at the 75th, 90th and 95th percentile than students; 12% of unskilled workers were obese against 2% of students. CONCLUSIONS: It thus seems that BMI relations between the upper and the lower end of the socio-economic strata changed inversely from the late-nineteenth century to 2005-2006. We further propose that the phenomenon of massive right-skewing BMI distribution between the 1930s and 2005-2006 affected the lower socio-economic strata to a far greater extent than the higher socio-economic group.

Evidence-based palaeopathology: meta-analysis of PubMed-listed scientific studies on ancient Egyptian mummies.

There is a plethora of published scientific studies on ancient Egyptian mummies. Surprisingly, hitherto there is no systematic review of this research, which would help to assess the quality of this vast body of published literature and thus to increase "evidence" in palaeopathological research. The aim of this study was to review all PubMed-listed scientific studies performed on Ancient Egyptian mummies. A total of 131 studies were found in the database for the selected time period, 1977-2005. Our "meta-analysis" showed that the number of publications per year varies enormously. The majority of mummies examined date to the third intermediate and Ptolemaic periods; data from other time periods were lacking. Identification of the cause of death and (14)C-dating of the mummy or funeral goods were rarely addressed. There was a tendency towards an increased use of non-invasive examination methods in more modern times. Our meta-analysis addressed both scientific content (e.g. palaeopathological findings/examination methods) and publication issues (e.g. location of the first author or year of publication) in these studies. Based on our experience, we recommend some minimum publication standards for palaeopathologic studies on ancient mummies, which shall improve evidence-based research in palaeopathology in general.

[Communique on the present status and future of anthropology taken from the meeting of department heads and principle scientists from the Society of Anthropology (GfA)]. / Aktueller Stand und Zukunft des Fachgebietes Anthropologie. Schlusscommuniqué-- Standortvertretertreffen der Gesellschaft für Anthropologie (GfA), März 2009.

The primary goal discussed is to strengthen the scientifically important research discipline of anthropology in the coming years by reinforcing its position in the German university system as a trans-disciplinary field and to edify its image within the public eye. Like many other branches of science, anthropology has witnessed a number of profound changes in the university sphere in recent years. In addition to increased reliance on monetary funding, the fundamental structure of research and teaching in the university sector, the product of centuries-old development, is experiencing a transition phase and progressively operating ever more under the influence of"excellence monitoring" as well as the "Bologna" process. Financial cuts have led to the termination of once fix job positions at all levels, whereby the loss of mid-level positions requisite for a healthy and functional junior academic environment, such as post-doc jobs, is particularly unsettling. The still tangible burden of recent historical events and small number of prominent representatives in the field are problematic, however, the primary concern today involves the seemingly imminent closure of established anthropological centres and discontinuation of department chair positions. Fortunately, this ominous trend does not apply to all leading university departments, many of which are engaged in innovative and novel concepts, and has resulted in their general acceptance and the fortification of anthropology programs. Furthermore, it is becoming increasingly difficult to secure adequate funding for projects from money givers such as the DFG, mainly because of the relatively small size of the field. Specialization within the field at the university level obviously poses a serious problem for such a small holistic discipline (with regards to problem statements and methodology). The definition of anthropology as an entity is complicated by external influences such as newly developing research interests that are arising parallel to the disappearance of specific scientific areas. Yet some of these influences are proving advantageous and offer the potential for future avenues of work. The field's high visibility has led to substantial student registration potentially yielding a large base of young scientists. Within the framework of Bologna, both interdisciplinary cooperation and the methodological diversity offered by the field will allow for an attractive curriculum. The recent introduction of tuition fees has also resulted in new money for anthropology programs.