Dariusz Nowakowski

A biological stone from a medieval cemetery in Poland.

A review of the literature shows that origination of biological stones as well as their pathogenesis mostly depend on the environmental factors. As a result, the structural spectrum of such calculi and their chemical composition are highly diversified. It is well known that biological stones are formed mostly in the digestive and urinary tracts. However, it has been demonstrated that this kind of stony structure can be also, though rarely, found in circulatory and reproductive systems, skin, mucosa, and tear ducts. Although in palaeopathology, the list of biological stones is enriched by stony tumours and/or discharges, it is very difficult to uncover the small size deposits in excavation material. In the literature such findings, originating from different countries and centuries, are few. The described stone was found among the bones of an adult individual in the medieval cemetery of Gdańsk (Poland). The SEM, X-ray spectrometer and chemical evaluation revealed that it was a bladder calculus.

Enamel ultrastructure of molars in †Anomalomys gaillardi and some spalacid taxa (Rodentia, Mammalia)

The paper presents results of the study of molar enamel ultrastructure in †Anomalomys gaillardi from the late Miocene and some extinct and recent Spalacidae species (Rodentia, Mammalia) from the territory of Ukraine. We characterize the similarities and differences in the enamel structure between extinct and recent forms, as well as between different taxa within the genera †Anomalomys, †Pliospalax, and Spalax. Analysis shows that the tooth enamel of the studied species is multilayered and differs in the presence of its different types, as well as in the arrangement of prisms. A more complex enamel structure was discovered in †Anomalomys gaillardi from the late Miocene of Ukraine compared to Pliocene †Pliospalax and, especially, Pleistocene and recent Spalax. It allows us to assume that anomalomyids and spalacids are distantly related and they evolved independently. Dariusz Nowakowski. Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Department of Anthropology, 5 Kożuchowska st., Wrocław, 51-631 Poland. darekn@hot.pl Leonid Rekovets. Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Institute of Biology, 38c Chełmonskiego st., Wrocław, 51-630 Poland. leonid.rekovets@upwr.edu.pl Oleksandr Kovalchuk. National Museum of Natural History, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Department of Paleontology, 15 Bogdan Khmelnytsky st., Kyiv, 01030 Ukraine. biologiest@ukr.net Edward Pawlina. Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Department of Genetics, 7 Kożuchowska st., Wrocław, 51-631 Poland. edward.pawlina@upwr.edu.pl Vitalii Demeshkant. Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Institute of Biology, 38c Chełmonskiego st., Wrocław, 51-630 Poland, demeshkant@gmail.com

Frequency of appearance of transverse (Harris) lines reflects living conditions of the Pleistocene bear—Ursus ingressus—(Sudety Mts., Poland)

Transverse lines, called Harris Lines (HL), osteological markers of recovery from growth arrest episodes, are visible in radiograms of recent and Pleistocene fossil bones. Since on the one hand they mark stressful episodes in life, and on the other are mainly used to trace health fluctuations in prehistoric human communities, I used a cave bear population to check if the processes that could affect the specie’ condition were in any way reflected in the bone structure. 392 bear bones from Bear Cave in Kletno (collection: Department of Palaeozoology, University of Wrocław), dated as 32 100 ±1300 to >49 000 years BP, were radiologically examined. The bones were found in a non-anatomical position; morphological analysis indicated that they belonged to different individuals. HL shadows were observed on 9 tibiae and 3 radii: 8.8% out of the 59 tibiae and 77 radii and 3.1% of all the bones. At least 3 transverse lines were recognised in those cases; the specimens were histologically examined. The bear individuals in question experienced regular malnutrition periods during their ontogeny. Starvation resulting in growth inhibition involved young individuals, aged 1 to 4 years. Juveniles aged 6 months, i.e. before weaning, or younger, showed no signs of nutritional stress. Starvation periods associated with seasonal food deficit were not long or common and had no significant effect on the development and welfare of the species. This is the first description of the occurrence of transverse lines in the Pleistocene bear.

Symptoms, acceptance of illness and health-related quality of life in patients with atrial fibrillation

Introduction: Acceptance of illness plays a key role, allowing the patient to adapt to the disease and its treatment, and to maintain their health-related quality of life (HRQOL) despite chronic conditions. Aim: The aim of the study was to assess the relationship between severity of arrhythmia symptoms, acceptance of illness and HRQOL in patients with atrial fibrillation. Methods: The study included 99 patients (mean age 64.6) treated for atrial fibrillation. Three standardized instruments were used: the World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQoL-BREF) questionnaire, the Arrhythmia-Specific Questionnaire in Tachycardia and Arrhythmia (ASTA) and the Acceptance of Illness Scale (AIS). Results: Patients with high illness acceptance levels obtained better results in all WHOQoL-BREF domains: physical (57.0±8.9 vs. 51.1±12.5 vs. 42.0±6.2; p<0.001), social (62.6±19.8 vs. 52.5±20.0 vs. 45.7±16.0; p=0.019) and environmental (62.9±12.7 vs. 52.7±7.6 vs. 60.7±3.6; p<0.001), and in the ASTA HRQOL scale (10.5±5.4 vs. 16.1±7.6 vs. 20.3±0.5; p<0.001). Multiple-factor analysis showed AIS to be a statistically significant independent determinant of HRQOL in the physical domain of the WHOQoL (β=0.242) and in the overall HRQOL assessment in the ASTA HRQOL scale (β= −0.362). Other statistically significant independent predictors included: the negative impact of female sex on the physical (β= −0.291) and social (β= −0.284) domains of the WHOQOL-BREF, and the positive impact of urban residence on the physical WHOQOL-BREF domain and on symptom intensity in the ASTA symptom scale. Conclusions: Acceptance of illness is an important factor which has been shown to impact on HRQOL in atrial fibrillation. Female sex is a predictor of worse HRQOL, while urban residence improves HRQOL in the physical domain and decreases symptom intensity (ASTA symptom scale).

A comparison of sex identification methods based on lip furrow pattern

Abstract The objective of the study was to specify the method with the highest probability of correct sex identification based on lip furrow pattern. Three methods were verified: Vahanwala’s method, identification based on the mid-section of lower lip print and our own method. The examined group included 242 persons aged 15-30 years, 68.6% females and 31.4% males. Cheilograms were taken with the method proposed by Vanahwala, modified in such a way that the prints of lower and upper lips were taken separately. The lip furrow patterns were classified according to Suzuki and Tsuchihashi, modified to include horizontal furrows which were considered by Renaud. In all the quadrants patterns II, III and VI prevailed among males and patterns I, I’ and II among females. Females were more frequently diagnosed correctly than males. Our method in which all the lip print was analysed without division into quadrants was the most effective, while Vahanwala’s method was the least so.

Dental enamel ultrastructure in Ochotona and Prolagus (Mammalia: Lagomorpha: Ochotonidae) from three late Miocene localities in Ukraine

The comparison of the dental enamel of late Miocene ochotonids from the Ukraine shows only very subtle differences. The ultrastructure of premolars, molars, and incisors of pikas: Ochotona and Prolagus (Lagomorpha, Ochotonidae) from three localities (Popovo 3, MN 11; Verkhnya Krynytsya 2, MN 12; Lobkove, MN 12/13) is mainly multilayered. In cheek teeth it is composed of a radial (up to 60% of total enamel thickness) and an irregular layer (up to 40%). There is almost no difference in the enamel ultrastructure between remains of different geological age and tooth position (premolars, molars). However, the lower incisor of Ochotona differs from the upper one in having a radial enamel and a HSB layer, whereas the upper have a radial and a tangential enamel. Minor differences between the various species of Ochotona and Prolagus could be recognised in the arrangement of the prisms. Emilia Rabiniak. Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Department of Biology and Animal Breeding, 51-630, Wroclaw, Chelmonskiego 38c, Poland. emilia.rabiniak@up.wroc.pl Leonid Rekovets. Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Department of Biology and Animal Breeding, 51-630, Wroclaw, Chelmonskiego 38c, Poland. leonid.rekovets@up.wroc.pl Dariusz Nowakowski (corresponding author). Department of Anthropology, Institute of Biology, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences , ul. Kożuchowska 5, 51-631 Wrocław, Poland. darekn@hot.pl

Healed antler fracture from a giant deer (Megaloceros giganteus) from the Pleistocene in Poland

We evaluated the skull of an ancient giant deer with a deformity of one antler. The skull was found in the 1930s in the San River near Barycz, in southeastern Poland. Its dating (39,800±1000 yr BP) corresponds to MIS-3, when the giant deer was widespread in Europe. Our diagnostics for the antler included gross morphology, radiography, computed tomography, and histopathology. We noted signs of fracture healing of the affected antler, including disordered arrangement of lamellae, absence of osteons, and numerous Volkmann’s canals remaining after blood vessel loss. The antler deformity appears to be of traumatic origin, with a healing component. No similar evaluation process has been described previously for this species. Kamilla Pawłowska. corresponding author, Institute of Geology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Maków Polnych 16, Poznań 61-606, Poland, koka@amu.edu.pl Krzysztof Stefaniak. Division of Palaeozoology, Department of Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Wrocław, Sienkiewicza 21, Wrocław 50-335, Poland, stefanik@biol.uni.wroc.pl Dariusz Nowakowski. Department of Anthropology, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Kożuchowska 6/7, Wrocław 51-631, Poland, darekn@hot.pl

Variation in foramina transversaria of human cervical vertebrae in the medieval population from Sypniewo (Poland)

Abstract Since the foramina provide important reference points to radiologists and surgeons, and because their shape and size may affect the blood supply to the cerebellum and the brainstem, the knowledge of the variation of foramina transversaria is essential from the medical point of view. The variation in the number, size and shape of foramina transversaria was studied based on 129 skeletons (68 male, 61 female, total of 1065 foramina) from the environs of Sypniewo. In both sexes single foramina were the most frequent (ca. 70%); in females no double foramina were observed, while triple foramina appeared only twice. In males double foramina formed ca. 40% and triple foramina were very rare. The shape and size of foramina depended to the same extent on the position of the vertebra and on the body side.