| 1. |
- Bartelink, Eric J., et al.
(författare)
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A Case of Contested Cremains Analyzed Through Metric and Chemical Comparison
- 2015
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Ingår i: Journal of Forensic Sciences. - : Wiley. - 0022-1198 .- 1556-4029. ; 60:4, s. 1068-1073
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Since the 1980s, cremation has become the fastest growing area of the U.S. funeral industry. At the same time, the number of litigations against funeral homes and cremation facilities has increased. Forensic anthropologists are often asked to determine whether the contents of an urn are actually cremated bone, and to address questions regarding the identity of the remains. This study uses both metric and chemical analyses for resolving a case of contested cremains. A cremains weight of 2021.8 g was predicted based on the decedent's reported stature and weight. However, the urn contents weighed 4173.5 g. The urn contents also contained material inconsistent with cremains (e.g., moist sediment, stones, ferrous metal). Analysis using XRD and SEM demonstrated that the urn contained thermally altered bone as well as inorganic material consistent with glass fiber cement. Although forensically challenging, cremains cases such as this one can be resolved using a multidisciplinary approach.
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| 2. |
- Berntsson, Elina, et al.
(författare)
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Lithium ions display weak interaction with amyloid-beta (Aβ) peptides and have minor effects on their aggregation
- 2021
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Ingår i: Acta Biochimica Polonica. - : Polskie Towarzystwo Biochemiczne (Polish Biochemical Society). - 0001-527X .- 1734-154X. ; 68:2, s. 169-179
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is an incurable disease and the main cause of age-related dementia worldwide, despite decades of research. Treatment of AD with lithium (Li) has shown promising results, but the underlying mechanism is unclear. The pathological hallmark of AD brains is deposition of amyloid plaques, consisting mainly of amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides aggregated into amyloid fibrils. The plaques contain also metal ions of e.g. Cu, Fe, and Zn, and such ions are known to interact with Aβ peptides and modulate their aggregation and toxicity. The interactions between Aβ peptides and Li+ions have however not been well investigated. Here, we use a range of biophysical techniques to characterize in vitro interactions between Aβ peptides and Li+ions. We show that Li+ions display weak and non-specific interactions with Aβ peptides, and have minor effects on Aβ aggregation. These results indicate that possible beneficial effects of Li on AD pathology are not likely caused by direct interactions between Aβ peptides and Li+ions.
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| 3. |
- Dong, Xiaolin, et al.
(författare)
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Copper ions induce dityrosine-linked dimers in human but not in murine islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP/amylin)
- 2019
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Ingår i: Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications - BBRC. - : Elsevier BV. - 0006-291X .- 1090-2104. ; 510:4, s. 520-524
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Dysregulation and aggregation of the peptide hormone IAPP (islet amyloid polypeptide, a.k.a. amylin) into soluble oligomers that appear to be cell-toxic is a known aspect of diabetes mellitus (DM) Type 2 pathology. IAPP aggregation is influenced by several factors including interactions with metal ions such as Cu(II). Because Cu(II) ions are redox-active they may contribute to metal-catalyzed formation of oxidative tyrosyl radicals, which can generate dityrosine cross-links. Here, we show that such a process, which involves Cu(II) ions bound to the IAPP peptide together with H2O2, can induce formation of large amounts of IAPP dimers connected by covalent dityrosine cross-links. This cross-linking is less pronounced at low pH and for murine IAPP, likely due to less efficient Cu(II) binding. Whether IAPP can carry out its hormonal function as a cross-linked dimer is unknown. As dityrosine concentrations are higher in blood plasma of DM Type 2 patients - arguably due to disease-related oxidative stress - and as dimer formation is the first step in protein aggregation, generation of dityrosine-linked dimers may be an important factor in IAPP aggregation and thus relevant for DM Type 2 progression.
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| 4. |
- Gingerich, Joseph A. M., et al.
(författare)
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Fluted point manufacture in eastern North America : an assessment of form and technology using traditional metrics and 3D digital morphometrics
- 2014
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Ingår i: World archaeology. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0043-8243 .- 1470-1375. ; 46:1, s. 101-122
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Differences in Paleoindian projectile point morphology have previously been used to define technologies, infer colonization patterns, propose chronological and regional boundaries. In this study, we evaluate the effectiveness of traditional linear measurements and ratios, flake scar angles, and 3D model-based flake contours for the statistical differentiation of projectile point type(s) and reduction technique. Sixty-three fluted bifaces from eastern North America and fourteen replicate Clovis points are analyzed. Discriminant analysis shows that 3D model-based Fourier descriptors of flake scar contours are less successful than traditional metrics in correctly differentiating styles, but more successful in identifying individual knappers. Changes in the symmetry of front and back flake scars between Clovis and later fluted point styles indicate a possible shift in reduction techniques. These findings demonstrate the usefulness of both traditional and modern morphometric variables to quantify biface morphology, and address questions about social interaction and technological change in Pleistocene North America.
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| 5. |
- Lindgren, Joel, et al.
(författare)
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Engineered non-fluorescent Affibody molecules facilitate studies of the amyloid-beta (A beta) peptide in monomeric form : Low pH was found to reduce A beta/Cu(II) binding affinity
- 2013
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Ingår i: Journal of Inorganic Biochemistry. - : Elsevier BV. - 0162-0134 .- 1873-3344. ; 120, s. 18-23
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Aggregation of amyloid-beta (A beta) peptides into oligomers and amyloid plaques in the human brain is considered a causative factor in Alzheimer's disease (AD). As metal ions are over-represented in AD patient brains, and as distinct A beta aggregation pathways in presence of Cu(II) have been demonstrated, metal binding to A beta likely affects AD progression. A beta aggregation is moreover pH-dependent, and AD appears to involve inflammatory conditions leading to physiological acidosis. Although metal binding specificity to A beta varies at different pH's, metal binding affinity to A beta has so far not been quantitatively investigated at sub-neutral pH levels. This may be explained by the difficulties involved in studying monomeric peptide properties under aggregation-promoting conditions. We have recently devised a modified Affibody molecule, Z(A beta 3)(12-58), that binds A beta with sub-nanomolar affinity, thereby locking the peptide in monomeric form without affecting the N-terminal region where metal ions bind. Here, we introduce non-fluorescent A beta-binding Affibody variants that keep A beta monomeric while only slightly affecting the A beta peptide's metal binding properties. Using fluorescence spectroscopy, we demonstrate that Cu(II)/A beta(1-40) binding is almost two orders of magnitude weaker at pH 5.0 (apparent K-D = 51 mu M) than at pH 7.3 (apparent K-D = 0.86 mu M). This effect is arguably caused by protonation of the histidines involved in the metal ligandation. Our results indicate that engineered variants of Affibody molecules are useful for studying metal-binding and other properties of monomeric A beta under various physiological conditions, which will improve our understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in AD.
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| 6. |
- Neiß (Neiss), Michael, 1977-, et al.
(författare)
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3D laser scanning as a tool for Viking Age studies
- 2013
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Ingår i: Virtual archaeology: nondestructive methods of prospections, modeling, reconstructions: Proceedings of the First International Conference held at the State Hermitage Museum 4–6 June 2012 St. Petersburg, Russia. - St. Petersburg : The State Hermitage Publishers. - 9785935725167 ; , s. 170-184
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Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Three-dimensional (3D) laser scanners are becoming increasingly more affordable and user-friendly, making 3D-modeling tools more widely available to researchers in various countries and disciplines. In archaeology, 3D-modeling has the particular advantages of facilitating the documentation and analysis of objects that are fragile, rare, and often difficult to access. We have previously shown that 3D-modeling is a highly useful tool for shape analysis of archaeological bone material, due to the high measurement accuracy inherent in the latest generation of 3D laser scanners (Sholts et al. 2010; 2011). In this work, we explore the utility of 3D-modeling as a tool for Viking Age artefact analysis. To test the usefulness of 3D-modeling when analyzing artefacts with a very complex morphology, we chose highly ornate Viking Age baroque shaped brooches as study objects. These baroque shaped brooches constitute a group of dress ornaments mainly encountered in eastern Viking Age Scandinavia. Due to their large cast and/or attached bosses they obtain an almost baroque appearance, hence their name (cf. Jansson 1984: p. 81). They appear in two major versions, i.e. circular or equal armed, and in two kinds of material, i.e. silver- and copper-based alloys. Because of the position of bronze brooches in burial contexts, it appears they were used to fasten the cape or shawl in the female dress (cf. Jansson 1984: p. 75ff., Aagård 1984: p. 96ff.; Neiß 2006, figs. 3, 4; Capelle 1962: p. 106). For the present work a recently excavated brooch from Denmark was analyzed, together with three Russian brooches with nearly iconic status in the field of Viking Age studies. In the three case studies, we investigated possible uses of 3D-modeling for artefact analysis, artefact reconstruction, and tool mark and motif analysis. Exploring the usefulness of 3D-modeling for these purposes allowed us to draw conclusions regarding how 3D-analysis can be best incorporated into future artefact analysis. In addition, the case studies allowed us to gain new insights about the baroque shaped brooches and their uses.
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| 7. |
- Petaros, Anja, et al.
(författare)
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Evaluating sexual dimorphism in the human mastoid process : A viewpoint on the methodology
- 2015
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Ingår i: Clinical anatomy (New York, N.Y. Print). - : Wiley. - 0897-3806 .- 1098-2353. ; 28:5, s. 593-601
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The mastoid process is one of the most sexually dimorphic features in the human skull, and is therefore often used to identify the sex of skeletons. Numerous techniques for assessing variation in the size and shape of the mastoid process have been proposed and implemented in osteological research, but its complex form still presents difficulties for consistent and effective analysis. In this article, we compare the different techniques and variables that have been used to define, measure, and visually score sexual dimorphism in the mastoid process. We argue that the current protocols fail to capture the full morphological range of this bony projection, and suggest ways of improving and standardizing them, regarding both traditional and 3D-based approaches. Clin. Anat. 28:593-601, 2015.
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| 8. |
- Petaros, Anja, et al.
(författare)
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Sexual dimorphism and regional variation in human frontal bone inclination measured via digital 3D models
- 2017
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Ingår i: Legal Medicine. - : Elsevier BV. - 1344-6223 .- 1873-4162. ; 29, s. 53-61
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The frontal bone is one of the most sexually dimorphic elements of the human skull, due to features such as the glabella, frontal eminences, and frontal inclination. While glabella is frequently evaluated in procedures to estimate sex in unknown human skeletal remains, frontal inclination has received less attention. In this study we present a straightforward, quick, and reproducible method for measuring frontal inclination angles from glabella and supraglabella. Using a sample of 413 human crania from four different populations (U.S. Whites, U.S. Blacks, Portuguese, and Chinese), we test the usefulness of the inclination angles for sex estimation and compare their performance to traditional methods of frontal inclination assessment. Accuracy rates in the range 75-81% were achieved for the U.S. White, U.S. Black, and Portuguese groups. For Chinese the overall accuracy was lower, i.e. 66%. Although some regional variation was observed, a cut-off value of 78.2 for glabellar inclination angles separates female and male crania from all studied populations with good accuracy. As inclination angles measured from glabella captures two sexually dimorphic features (i.e. glabellar prominence and frontal inclination) in a single measure, the observed clear male/female difference is not unexpected. Being continuous variables, inclination angles are suitable for use in statistical methods for sex estimations.
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| 9. |
- Petaros, Anja, et al.
(författare)
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Sexual dimorphism in mastoid process volumes measured from 3D models of dry crania from mediaeval Croatia
- 2021
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Ingår i: Homo (Stuttgart). - : Schweizerbart. - 0018-442X .- 1618-1301. ; 72:2, s. 113-127
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- 3D analysis of skeletal volumes has become an important field in digital anthropology studies. The volume of the mastoid process has been proposed to display significant sexual dimorphism, but it has a complex shape and to date no study has quantified the full mastoid volume for sex estimation purposes. In this study we compared three different ways to isolate the volume of the mastoid process from digital 3D models of dry crania, and then evaluated the performance of the three different volume definitions for sex estimation purposes. A total of 170 crania (86 male, 84 females) excavated from five medieval Croatian sites were CT-scanned and used to produce 3D stereolitographic models. The three different isolation techniques were based on various anatomical landmarks and planes, as well as the anatomy of the mastoid process itself. Measurements of the three different mastoid volumes yielded different accuracies and precisions. Interestingly, anatomical structures were sometimes more useful than classical landmarks as demarcators of mastoid volume. For all three volume definitions, male mastoid volumes were significantly larger than female volumes, in both relative and absolute numbers. Sex estimation based on mastoid volume showed a slightly higher precision and better accuracy (71% correct classifications) than visual scoring techniques (67%) and linear distance measurements (69%) of the mastoid process. Sex estimation based on cranial size performed even better (78%), and multifactorial analysis (cranium size + mastoid volume) reached up to 81% accuracy. These results show that measurements of the mastoid volume represent a promising metric to be used in multifactorial approaches for sex estimation of human remains.
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| 10. |
- Roos, Elin, et al.
(författare)
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Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis After Exposure to Manganese from Traditional Medicine Procedures in Kenya
- 2021
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Ingår i: Biological Trace Element Research. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0163-4984 .- 1559-0720. ; 199, s. 3618-3624
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease characterized by motor neuron loss and widespread muscular atrophy. Despite intensive investigations on genetic and environmental factors, the cause of ALS remains unknown. Recent data suggest a role for metal exposures in ALS causation. In this study we present a patient who developed ALS after a traditional medical procedure in Kenya. The procedure involved insertion of a black metal powder into several subcutaneous cuts in the lower back. Four months later, general muscle weakness developed. Clinical and electrophysiological examinations detected widespread denervation consistent with ALS. The patient died from respiratory failure less than a year after the procedure. Scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction analyses identified the black powder as potassium permanganate (KMnO4). A causative relationship between the systemic exposure to KMnO4 and ALS development can be suspected, especially as manganese is a well-known neurotoxicant previously found to be elevated in cerebrospinal fluid from ALS patients. Manganese neurotoxicity and exposure routes conveying this toxicity deserve further attention.
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