Marta Krenz-Niedbała

Season of birth and subsequent body size: The potential role of prenatal vitamin D

Objectives: The relationship between season of birth and various physical and psychological outcomes was reported in many studies, although the underlying mechanism still remains unrecognized. The aim of this study was to explore the season‐of‐birth effect on body size in the sample of 1,148 eight‐year‐old Polish urban children and propose the mechanism responsible for this effect. Methods: The children were examined three times at their birthdays and at two cross‐sectional surveys. Effects of the season of birth were checked by fitting the cosine function to empirical values and by comparison between two groups born in different periods of the year. Results: Data gathered at three examinations led to the same results: season‐of‐birth effect occurred only in boys and only in those relatively shortly breastfed and/or descended from the families of low‐socioeconomic status. Specifically, the individuals born in October–April were taller (by 2–3 cm), heavier (by 2–3 kg), and fatter than those born in May–September. Conclusions: The following explanatory mechanism has been formulated: insolation in Poland is minimal in November–February (winter period), and so ultraviolet absorption and vitamin D production is then the lowest. Vitamin D regulates embryos cellular differentiation, and its deficiency triggers permanent developmental changes. Therefore, individuals conceived in autumn (i) are at the greatest risk of early vitamin D deficiency, (ii) are born in summer, and (iii) are relatively small in their further lives. The contribution of low‐socioeconomic status, short breastfeeding, and being a male to the occurrence of the season‐of‐birth effect is also discussed. Am. J. Hum. Biol., 2010.

Investigating kinship of Neolithic post-LBK human remains from Krusza Zamkowa, Poland using ancient DNA

We applied an interdisciplinary approach to investigate kinship patterns and funerary practices during the middle Neolithic. Genetic studies, radiocarbon dating, and taphonomic analyses were used to examine two grave clusters from Krusza Zamkowa, Poland. To reconstruct kinship and determine biological sex, we extracted DNA from bones and teeth, analyzed mitochondrial genomes and nuclear SNPs using the HID-Ion AmpliSeq™ Identity panel generated on Illumina and Ion Torrent platforms, respectively. We further dated the material (AMS 14C) and to exclude aquatic radiocarbon reservoir effects, measures of carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes for diet reconstruction were used. We found distinct mitochondrial genomes belonging to haplogroups U5b2a1a, K1c and H3d in the first grave cluster, and excluded maternal kin patterns among the three analyzed individuals. In the second grave cluster one individual belonged to K1a4. However, we could not affiliate the second individual to a certain haplogroup due to the fragmented state of the mitochondrial genome. Although the individuals from the second grave cluster differ at position 6643, we believe that more data is needed to fully resolve this issue. We retrieved between 26 and 77 autosomal SNPs from three of the individuals. Based on kinship estimations, taking into account the allelic dropout distribution, we could not exclude first degree kin relation between the two individuals from the second grave cluster. We could, however, exclude a first degree kinship between these two individuals and an individual from the first grave cluster. Presumably, not only biological kinship, but also social relations played an important role in the funerary practice during this time period. We further conclude that the HID-Ion AmpliSeq™ Identity Panel may prove useful for first degree kin relation studies for samples with good DNA preservation, and that mitochondrial genome capture enrichment is a powerful tool for excluding direct maternal relationship in ancient individuals.

Remains of a late Neolithic barrow at Kruszyn. A glimpse of ritual and everyday life in early Corded Ware societies of the Polish Lowland

Zusammenfassung: Das Grab aus Kruszyn, 2009 in Kujawien entdeckt, rechnet zu einer kleinen Regionalgruppe der Schnurkeramik. Es zeichnet sich durch einen verhältnismäßig guten Erhaltungszustand und untypisch zahlreiche, aus Knochen und Geweih gefertigte Werkzeugbeigaben aus. Die aufgedeckten sterblichen Überreste wurden anthropologisch und isotopisch analysiert (14C, δ13C, δ15N, 87Sr/86Sr, δ18O), organische Reste archäozoologisch und trassologisch untersucht wie auch Sedimentproben aus dem Umfeld der Bestattung studiert. Der Befund datiert in die 2. Hälfte des 3. Jahrtausends v. Chr. und weist im Hinblick auf seine Grabkonstruktion Ähnlichkeiten mit mitteleuropäischen, frühen schnurkeramischen Hügelgräbern auf. Bestattet wurde hier ein älterer Mann nicht einheimischer Herkunft, der sich zu Lebzeiten wahrscheinlich mit der Verarbeitung von Leder beschäftigt hatte, wovon Spuren an ihm beigegebenen Werkzeugen aus Wildtierknochen zeugen. Im Grab konnten außerdem Rinderknochen und ein für spätneolithische Siedlungen jener Kultur typisches Gefäß entdeckt werden. Résumé: La tombe de Kruszyn, découverte en 2009 dans la région de Cujavie, fait partie d’un petit groupe régional de la culture à céramique cordée. Elle est relativement bien conservée et se distingue par un riche assemblage d’outils, fabriqués en os et en cornes. Des analyses anthropologiques et des investigations isotope (14C, δ13C, δ15N, 87Sr/86Sr, δ18O) ont été menées sur les débris humains, les vestiges en matières organiques ont été examinés en appliquant les méthodes archéozoologiques et l’analyse fonctionnelle. On a aussi analysé les échantillons des sédiments de l’entourage de la tombe. La tombe date de la première moitié du IIIe millénaire av. J.-C. Pour ce qui est de sa construction, elle ressemble le plus aux tumuli d’Europe centrale du début de la culture à céramique cordée. Cette sépulture appartenait à un homme âgé qui n’était pas originaire de la Cujavie et qui, probablement, travaillait le cuir: les traces laissées sur les outils en os retrouvés auprès de lui en constituent la preuve. Ils ont été fabriqués avec des matières d’origine animale sauvage. Dans la tombe, on a aussi découvert des os de vache ainsi qu’une marmite typique pour les sites de peuplement du Néolithique final. Abstract: Excavated in 2009, the barrow from Kruszyn (the Kujawy region) is related to a small regional group of the Corded Ware culture. Noteworthy is a fairly good state of its preservation and a remarkably numerous assemblage of tools made of bone and antler. Unearthed human remains were anthropologically studied and examined isotopically (14C, δ13C, δ15N, 87Sr/86Sr, δ18O), while artefacts made of organic material were subject to archaeozoological and use wear analyses. Samples of sediments surrounding the grave were also investigated. The grave dates back to the first half of the third millennium BC and in terms of its construction bears the closest resemblance to the Central European early Corded Ware barrows. It was a burial of a non-local elderly man, probably engaged in hide working in life, as evidenced by traces on the tools deposited with him in the grave and made from bones of wild animals. The grave yielded also cow bones and a pot typical for the late Neolithic settlement sites. Grób z Kruszyna, odkryty w 2009 r. na Kujawach, należy do niewielkiej regionalnej grupy kultury ceramiki sznurowej. Wyróżnia się on stosunkowo dobrym stanem zachowania oraz nietypowo licznym zbiorem narzędzi wykonanych z kości i poroża. Szczątki ludzkie poddano analizom antropologicznym i izotopowym (14C, δ13C, δ15N, 87Sr/86Sr, δ18O), dla zabytków z surowców organicznych wykonano badania archeozoologiczne i traseologiczne, przebadano również próbki osadów z otoczenia grobu. Grób pochodzi z 1. poł. 3 tys. przed Chr. i pod względem konstrukcyjnym wykazuje najbliższe podobieństwo do środkowoeuropejskich kurhanów wczesnosznurowych. Pochówek należał do starszego mężczyzny, pochodzącego spoza Kujaw, który najprawdopodobniej zajmował się obróbką skór, o czym świadczą ślady na znalezionych przy nim narzędziach. Wykonano je z surowców pochodzących od zwierząt dzikich. W grobie odkryto również kości krowy oraz garnek typowy dla późnoneolitycznych stanowisk osadowych.

Age of linear enamel hypoplasia formation based on Massler and colleagues’ and Reid and Dean's standards in a Polish sample dated to 13th–18th century CE

In the study of enamel hypoplasia formation ages basically two standards of dental development are being applied. According to some authors, different methods produce different results, thus it is critical to decide which method to use. This study focuses on the comparison of three methods for estimating ages of linear enamel hypoplasia (LEH) formation. The skeletal material derives from three burial grounds localized on the territory of Poland, dated to 13th-18th c. CE. In total 642 teeth of 77 individuals were qualified for the study. The position of LEHs on the crown surface was measured and then converted to age at formation using the regression equations proposed by Goodman and Rose, Goodman and Song, and the data provided by Reid and Dean. There were 51.9% of individuals and 17.9% of teeth affected by LEH. The lowest age estimates were provided by the Goodman and Roses method then higher by the Goodman and Songs method and the highest using the Reid and Deans data. The age ranges and peaks of LEH provided by the three methods differed more for the maxillary than for the mandibular teeth. Crown formation ages supplied by Reid and Dean account for intra- and inter-tooth as well as inter-population variation in the timing of tooth development and also for variation in crown heights. This approach undoubtedly increases reliability of the results. Thus, it seems advisable to use the Reid and Deans standard when calculating ages of enamel hypoplasia formation.

Body height differentiation by season of birth: Girls from Cracow, Poland

Body height differentiation by season of birth: Girls from Cracow, Poland Published studies world wide demonstrate that measures of human development and health status vary depending on the month of birth but these patterns are not always consistent and sometimes even conflict. Direct factors related to the birth season that may significantly differentiate morphological and functional traits and mechanisms causing these relations have not been found so far. On the basis of cross-sectional material, gathered in the years 1983 and 2000 by the Department of Anthropology of the Academy of Physical Education in Cracow, two main hypotheses have been verified: (1) average body height differences by month of birth are statistically insignificant, (2) the magnitude of these differences does not change with time. Metric data of 4672 girls aged 5-18 years, born in 1965-1978 and 1982-1995, were used. The total sample was also subdivided into prepubertal (5-9 years) and adolescent (10-18 years) groups. The age of the individuals was calculated to the nearest day and the procedure of standardization on the interpolated values of regional norms was applied. A highly significant relationship between the birth month and average values of height was revealed in preadolescent girls. The results obtained for the entire material proved insignificant. The patterns of the month-of-birth effect on body height for girls born in 60./70. and 80./90. show high similarity, though the effect seems weaker in the latter sample. Winter proved to be the most favorable birth season for later body height. Wyniki badań populacji i grup lokalnych z różnych kontynentów wskazują na istnienie związku między sezonem urodzenia a stanem zdrowia i kondycją biologiczną człowieka oraz stanem i dynamiką rozwoju fizycznego. Dotychczas jednak nie rozstrzygnięto ostatecznie: (a) czy efekt sezonu urodzenia jest zjawiskiem rzeczywistym czy artefaktem i jakie jest zróżnicowanie zjawiska w czasie i w przestrzeni, (b) jakie bezpośrednie czynniki związane z sezonem urodzenia istotnie różnicują wartości cech metrycznych, (c) jaki jest mechanizm różnicującego wpływu czynników związanych z sezonem urodzenia na wielkość ciała. Sformułowano następujące hipotezy badawcze: (1) różnice średnich wysokości ciała według miesiąca urodzenia są statystycznie nieistotne, a (2) wielkość tych różnic nie zmienia się w czasie. Weryfikacji dokonywano na podstawie materiałów antropometrycznych z Katedry Antropologii AWF w Krakowie, z badań przekrojowych dzieci krakowskich w 1983 i 2000 roku, wykorzystując dane o wysokości ciała łącznie dla 4672 dziewcząt w wieku 5-18 lat (Tab. 1). Indywidualne wartości wysokości ciała standaryzowano na wiek w odniesieniu do norm regionalnych [Chrzanowska i in. 1988, 2002], co umożliwiło ich grupowanie wg miesiąca urodzenia. Procedurą standaryzacji na wartości interpolowane, uwzględniającą dokładny (do jednego dnia) wiek osobników w chwili badania, zniwelowano różnice między osobnikami zaliczonymi do tej samej rocznej grupy wiekowej (Tab. 2). Istotne statystycznie zróżnicowanie przeciętnej wysokości ciała, w zależności od sezonu urodzenia, ujawniło się tylko w wieku przedpokwitaniowym (Fig. 1A i 1B). Wzorce badanego zjawiska dla obu kohort wiekowych wykazują znaczne podobieństwo, choć wpływ miesiąca urodzenia jest mniejszy u dziewcząt badanych w 2000 roku. Wyniki porównań badanych grup między sobą oraz na tle innych populacji lokalnych z terenu Polski pokazują podobieństwo wzorców badanej zależności (Fig. 2). Podobnie jak w przypadku dzieci miejskich z Katowic [Puch i Kozłowska-Rajewicz 2004] i dzieci wiejskich z Barcian [Kościński et al. 2004] najwyższe średnie wartości wysokości ciała stwierdzono u dziewcząt urodzonych w miesiącach grudzień - marzec, najniższe czerwiec - wrzesień. Wyniki badań wpływu sezonu urodzenia na wysokość ciała z różnych rejonów świata, pomimo braku jednolitego wzorca, wykazują pewne uporządkowanie miesięcy mniej i bardziej korzystnych dla przeciętnych wartości cechy i w świetle badań Waldi et al. [2000] i Cummingsa [2002, 2003] mogą przemawiać za koncepcją usłonecznienia jako czynnika wywołującego obserwowane zróżnicowanie (Tab. 3). Niezależnie od tego, jakie bezpośrednie czynniki i mechanizmy leżą u podstawy badanego zjawiska, wyniki dotychczasowych badań różnych grup lokalnych z terenu Polski upoważniają do sformułowania następujących wniosków: istnieje istotny związek między miesiącem (sezonem) urodzenia a wysokością ciała; związek ten ujawnia się w wieku przedpokwitaniowym i zmniejsza się w czasie, a przeciętne wartości cechy są wyższe u urodzonych zimą i niższe u urodzonych latem.

Diverse origin of mitochondrial lineages in Iron Age Black Sea Scythians

Scythians were nomadic and semi-nomadic people that ruled the Eurasian steppe during much of the first millennium BCE. While having been extensively studied by archaeology, very little is known about their genetic identity. To fill this gap, we analyzed ancient mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) from Scythians of the North Pontic Region (NPR) and successfully retrieved 19 whole mtDNA genomes. We have identified three potential mtDNA lineage ancestries of the NPR Scythians tracing back to hunter-gatherer and nomadic populations of east and west Eurasia as well as the Neolithic farming expansion into Europe. One third of all mt lineages in our dataset belonged to subdivisions of mt haplogroup U5. A comparison of NPR Scythian mtDNA linages with other contemporaneous Scythian groups, the Saka and the Pazyryks, reveals a common mtDNA package comprised of haplogroups H/H5, U5a, A, D/D4, and F1/F2. Of these, west Eurasian lineages show a downward cline in the west-east direction while east Eurasian haplogroups display the opposite trajectory. An overall similarity in mtDNA lineages of the NPR Scythians was found with the late Bronze Age Srubnaya population of the Northern Black Sea region which supports the archaeological hypothesis suggesting Srubnaya people as ancestors of the NPR Scythians.

Prevalence of chronic maxillary sinusitis in children from rural and urban skeletal populations in Poland

Maxillary sinuses of 100 subadults from Cedynia, an early-urban site (stronghold), dated to the 10th-14th centuries AD, and of 28 subadults from Słaboszewo, a rural site, dated to the 14th-17th centuries AD, were examined for bone formation indicative of chronic sinusitis in order to explore the effect of urban and rural environments on the occurrence of upper respiratory tract infections in the past. We expected a higher prevalence of sinusitis in subadults from a stronghold than from a village, because of such factors as crowding, rapid spread of infections, and pollution from workshops located in the streets. We found a statistically non-significant tendency toward a higher prevalence of the condition in Cedynia compared to Słaboszewo (18.0% and 7.1%, respectively). The majority of maxillary lesions were classified as spicules. Changes to bone morphology suggestive of sinusitis of dental origin were not found. The development of observed osseous lesions may be attributed to culturally determined risk factors such as low quality of housing, air pollution caused by smoke from the household hearth and street workshops, poor levels of hygiene, and water contamination.

Warriors Die Young: Increased Mortality in Early Adulthood of Scythians from Glinoe, Moldova, Fourth through Second Centuries bc

Scythians were nomadic groups who played a dominant role on the Eurasian steppes in the Early Iron Age according to many archaeological and historical sources. In this paper, we assess demographic features and dynamics of a Scythian population from the Black Sea region. We hypothesize that they differed from other societies in terms of not only culture but also demography: their fertility was lower, and life expectancy higher, than in other contemporaneous populations. We examined 220 skeletons from Glinoe (Moldova), dated to the fourth to second centuries bc, to assess fertility and biological status from life table parameters and basic indicators of reproductive potential. The main difference between Scythians and other Early Iron Age societies seems to be a higher probability of dying in early adulthood, which could partly result from their engagement in warfare. Scythian fertility was rather low, a finding in line with studies of modern nomads.

Growth and health status of children and adolescents in medieval Central Europe

Abstract Subadult growth and health have been analyzed in three cemetery samples from medieval Poland, including two early-urban sites: Cedynia dated to the 10t-14th centuries AD, and Ostrów Lednicki dated to the 13th-15th centuries AD, and a rural site Słaboszewo dated to the 14th-17th centuries AD. The nutritional status was not expected to have substantially differed among the settlements, due to the culturally induced undiversified diet of children, and predominant share of medium-to-low status individuals. However, city life and village life were supposed to differ in factors correlated with the spread of infections, and as such it was expected to find significant differences in respiratory health among early-urban and rural dwellers.The prevalences of diet-dependent diseases, scurvy and rickets, were found to be statistically indistinguishable among the three studied populations, while higher frequency of skeletal signs of poor respiratory health was observed in early-urban Cedynia than rural Słaboszewo. Slightly lower prevalences of skeletal stress indicators were found for the rural than the early-urban site. Skeletal growth profiles and the dynamics of long bone growth were found to be remarkably similar for the early-urban samples (Cedynia and Ostrów Lednicki), with the rural subadults having the shortest diaphyseal lengths, and lower growth dynamics.It can be concluded that adverse factors associated with the urban settlement were more detrimental to respiratory health than those in the village. A variety of factors are potentially responsible for this pattern, including population density, building structure, quality of air and water, sanitation, and occupation. Perhaps, the key factor in response to environmental and socio-cultural constraints was the stability of living conditions in the village, which allowed the inhabitants to develop sufficient adaptive mechanisms. In contrast, the history of strongholds such as Cedynia was changeable due to political situation, military threats and migrations of people.

Ancient genomes suggest the eastern Pontic-Caspian steppe as the source of western Iron Age nomads

Bronze and Iron Age genomes from the West Eurasian steppe reveal genetic heterogeneity and origins in the southern Urals. For millennia, the Pontic-Caspian steppe was a connector between the Eurasian steppe and Europe. In this scene, multidirectional and sequential movements of different populations may have occurred, including those of the Eurasian steppe nomads. We sequenced 35 genomes (low to medium coverage) of Bronze Age individuals (Srubnaya-Alakulskaya) and Iron Age nomads (Cimmerians, Scythians, and Sarmatians) that represent four distinct cultural entities corresponding to the chronological sequence of cultural complexes in the region. Our results suggest that, despite genetic links among these peoples, no group can be considered a direct ancestor of the subsequent group. The nomadic populations were heterogeneous and carried genetic affinities with populations from several other regions including the Far East and the southern Urals. We found evidence of a stable shared genetic signature, making the eastern Pontic-Caspian steppe a likely source of western nomadic groups.