Carolyn Rando

TMJ osteoarthritis: A new approach to diagnosis

Disorders of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), including TMJ osteoarthritis (TMJ OA), are the topic of intensive clinical research; however, this is not the case in the archaeological literature, with the majority of work on the subject ceasing with the early 1990s. The methods employed in the diagnosis of TMJ OA within the archaeological work appear nonrepresentative of the disease and may have led to erroneous assumptions about the pattern and prevalence of OA. This current work presents a new method for evaluating OA specifically for the TMJ, considering both the biomechanics of the joint and the mechanisms of the disease. Totally, 496 specimens (including a group of modern documented specimens) were analyzed for the presence of TMJ OA using the following criteria: eburnation, osteophytes (marginal and new bone on joint surface), porosity, and alteration to joint contour. The results suggest that eburnation occurs rarely in the TMJ, so should not be used as an exclusive criterion. Rather a combination of at least two of the other criteria should be used, with osteophytes and porosity occurring the most frequently on both the mandibular condyle and articular eminence. Additionally, the prevalence of TMJ OA in the modern assemblage was similar to that observed in current clinical research, suggesting that the method employed here was able to produce a reasonable approximation of what is found in contemporary living populations.

Changes in mandibular dimensions during the mediaeval to post-mediaeval transition in London: A possible response to decreased masticatory load

OBJECTIVES Biomechanical forces, such as those produced during mastication, are considered a primary agent in stimulating craniofacial growth and development. There appears to be a strong connection between the strength of the masticatory muscles and the dimensions of the craniofacial complex, with changes in biomechanical force and muscular strength influencing and altering the underlying bony tissues. This is markedly apparent in the mandible and it is possible to infer that changes to mandibular form are due in part to dietary changes. This study aims to investigate this idea by using an archaeological sample from a period that experienced important dietary changes as a result of the Industrial Revolution. DESIGN 279 skeletons from the mediaeval and post-mediaeval periods in London were selected for analysis, and a detailed metric examination of each mandible was carried out. RESULTS Males and females were analysed separately and statistically significant reductions were observed in nearly all post-mediaeval measurements. This effect was most pronounced in the areas of the mandible associated with masticatory muscles attachment, including the gonial angle, ramus height and width, bi-gonial breadth and bi-condylar breadth. CONCLUSIONS These recorded changes in mandibular morphology of mediaeval and post-mediaeval Londoners are most likely the result of a shift in diet (and associated decrease in masticatory function) observed in the period surrounding the Industrial Revolution.

Developing the use of Structure-from-Motion in mass grave documentation

Methods for mass-grave documentation have changed markedly since the first forensic investigations nearly 70 years ago. Recently, however, there has been little advancement in developing new and better methodology, especially when compared to other forensic disciplines and even within traditional archaeology. This paper proposes a new approach, using 3D modelling for the documentation and eventual analysis of mass-graves. Structure-from-Motion (SfM), which creates digital 3D models from a set of still photographs, was tested on a small, simulated mass grave. The results of this test suggest that the method offers resolution previously unavailable to mass-grave investigators, and facilitates stronger analytical potential than the more traditional methods. Further tests are needed to validate these methods, but these initial findings are promising and their application could enhance our knowledge of mass grave dynamics.

Extensive periosteal new bone formation in a skeleton from post-Medieval Chichester, England: A probable case of metastatic prostatic carcinoma

An elderly male skeleton from a site in Chichester, UK, was found with a widespread periosteal reaction, principally affecting the axial skeleton and the pelvis. Radiography showed the presence of sclerosing infiltrates, mainly involving the lumbar vertebrae and pelvis. The differential diagnosis is discussed, reaching the conclusion that hypertrophic osteo-arthopathy (HOA) is the only reasonable alternative condition likely to produce such a widespread periosteal reaction as found here. HOA does not produce secondary deposits in the skeleton, however, and we conclude that his is most likely a case of prostatic carcinoma.

Case report: A giant calcified uterus, likely due to benign leiomyoma

During the 2011 excavation of the site of St. Michaels Litten, in Chichester, England, a female skeleton, dating to the post-Medieval period (1550-1850), with a large, unidentified pelvic mass was uncovered. The mass measured 16.4H×19.0W×24.3L and was 66cm in its greatest circumference; it weighed 3.32kg. The skeleton presented with established osteoporosis and was estimated to be of an advanced age. The analytic methodology used to evaluate the mass was based on that of Kramar et al. (1983). Considering the results of these analyses, and through an extensive search of the relevant medical, historical and archaeological literature, it was determined that this mass was likely a neoplasm of reproductive origin, and was further defined as a calcified uterus containing a number of leiomyomas. To date, this is the largest of its kind ever found archaeologically.