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Background: Sex estimation from skeletal remains is crucial for estimating an individuals biological profile. Although the pelvis and skull are most commonly used for sex estimation, other skeletal elements, e.g., the vertebrae, have reportedly demonstrated acceptable accuracy rates. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of using seventh cervical vertebra measurements on computed tomography images for sex estimation. Material and methods: Cervical computed tomography images of 300 female and 300 male patients (= 20 aged 60 = years) were evaluated. Sex estimation modeling was performed with eight measurements of the seventh cervical vertebrae, and indices and corpus volume obtained from the measurements. Corpus length and width, foramen vertebra length and width, corpus height, spinous process angle, and spinous process height and length of each seventh cervical vertebra were measured. Foramen vertebral index, spinous process index, and corpus volume were used as indices. The Independent Sample T test was used to compare the means of two independent groups showing normal distribution, and the Mann-Whitney U test was used for data that were not normally distributed. Binary logistic regression analysis was performed using the Forward Wald approach in modeling the categorical dependent variable with independent variables. Results: According to multivariate logistic regression analysis, sex estimation from measurements was 87.7% accurate, whereas index and volume were up to 85.3% accurate. Conclusions: In conclusion, the seventh cervical vertebra is dimorphic with a high accuracy rate for the Turkish population and can be used for sex estimation.

Being physically active is fundamental to maintaining good health and plays an important role in childrens development. In adults, but also in children and adolescents, activity levels have been declining for years and sitting times are increasing, with the result that the physical activity recommendations developed by the WHO are no longer being achieved by everyone. The reasons for this lie in the changed living environment, which is becoming increasingly inactive. This trend has become even more pronounced due to the restrictions imposed by the corona virus pandemic. This particularly affected 10 to 17-year-olds, 50% of whom have reduced their activity time; this figure was 26% for 3 to 5-year-olds and 37% for 6 to 9-year-olds. Overall, 70% of children and young people have increased their (inactive) media time. There is an urgent need to design exercise programmes to increase physical activity by children and young people. The finding that sport is practised because it is fun would be helpful here. Furthermore, the lack of staff in day-care centres must be remedied, as this has proven to be the most important inhibiting factor for the implementation of physical activity programmes. As behavioural patterns are already formed in early childhood, the focus for promoting physical activity should be on the day-care centre setting.

Stature estimation from skeletal remains is crucial in forensic anthropology. This study aimed to develop population-specific equations for stature estimation using ulna and radius measurements in a Northeastern Thai population, a region known for its ethnic diversity. A total of 400 ulnae and 400 radii (200 of each bone from each sex) were analyzed from dry bone specimens. The study objectives were to: (1) develop and validate regression equations for stature estimation, (2) investigate sex differences in the relationship between forearm bone lengths and stature, and (3) compare the accuracy of these equations with existing formulae for other populations. Results showed significant sexual dimorphism in stature and bone lengths. The mean stature was 164.93 ± 6.54 cm for males and 156.21 ± 5.81 cm for females (p < 0.05). Positive correlations were observed between bone lengths and stature, with stronger correlations in males (ulna: r = 0.670; radius: r = 0.663) compared to females (ulna: r = 0.402; radius: r = 0.393). Regression equations for the pooled sample yielded coefficients of determination (r²) of 0.516 for ulna and 0.509 for radius. Sex-specific equations demonstrated higher accuracy, particularly for males. The standard error of estimate ranged from 4.87 cm to 5.35 cm across all equations. These findings suggest that ulna and radius lengths are reliable predictors of stature in the Northeastern Thai population, with sex-specific equations offering improved accuracy. This study contributes to the development of population-specific standards in forensic anthropology and highlights the importance of considering sexual dimorphism in stature estimation. The results have significant implications for forensic investigations and archaeological studies in the region.

This article analyses fingerprints identified on a set of backed clay Egyptian funerary figurines, known as ushabtis. The strata in which they were found dates from the late Persian to the early Ptolemaic dynasties (ca. fifth to third centuries BCE), but the objects might have been made some two centuries earlier, during the Twenty-Fifth Dynasty (ca. 747656 BCE), and then reused for a later burial. The authors propose that fingerprints preserved on ancient objects can be used to understand the roles that age and sex played in the organization of production systems in ancient societies. The Mean Ridge Breadth (MRB) and Mean Ridge Density (MRD) of each discrete fingerprint was measured. The craftworkers ages and heights were calculated from the MRB using specific regression equations, and their probable sex was determined by correlating the MRD with that of the reference population (contemporary Sudan). An age/sex identification matrix was then created to combine the results of MRB and MRD determinations for each piece. The results show, with high probability, that around 90% of the ushabtis were made by female adolescents between the ages of 11 and 16, and the remainder by children and some adult women. A minimum of between four and eight craftworkers manufactured the ushabtis, and due to their age and the relatively low level of skill required, it is proposed that they are likely to have been in the learning phase of their trade.

Stature estimation is central in forensic anthropology and very important in bioarchaeology. For this reason, several different methods have been proposed, employing different skeletal elements and statistical approaches. A major issue with skeletonized individuals is that their bones are often found fragmented, a taphonomic parameter that limits the application of many available methods. As a result, attempts have been made to create equations to predict either directly stature or long bone length (which can then be used with current stature prediction equations) from bone fragments. The current paper is a contribution in this direction. The femur, tibia and humerus of 76 individuals from a modern Greek skeletal collection were divided into different segments using a landmark approach. Subsequently, univariate and multivariate equations were created to predict both maximum long bone length and stature from the "bone fragments". The models varied in performance depending on the specific bone fragment used, the number of variables simultaneously employed for prediction and the sex of the individuals. Although the models used to directly predict stature from bone fragment dimensions should be treated cautiously because the stature of the assemblage from the Athens Collection had itself been anatomically estimated, the results are valuable towards highlighting the complex association between bone dimensions, long bone length and living/estimated stature.

Background: The purpose of the study was to select factors which importantly influencing the decision of breastfeeding in the first period of life over twenty years in the three cohorts in central Poland. Materials and methods: The analysis included 2159 children (1017 girls and 1142 boys). The data come from three cohorts investigated in the following years: 1993-1997, 2004-2008 and 2015-2017. In each cohort, parents completed questionnaires on the type of nutrition in the first months of life (breastfeeding versus formula feeding), child-birth parameters, duration of pregnancy, age and education of parents, and maternal smoking during pregnancy. Information about birth parameters, i.e., birth weight, birth length, birth head and chest circumference, gestational age (week of pregnancy) and Apgar score were taken from children's medical records. The Chi² test, U-Mann Whitney test and logistic regression were performed to check which factors significantly affected mother decision of breastfeeding. Results: We observed differences between factors which favor breastfeeding among three investigated cohorts. The factors significantly associated with breastfeeding only in cohort 1993-1997 were: birth parameters (higher birth length, higher body mass and higher chest circumference) and lower prevalence of exposition to cigarettes smoke during pregnancy. However, independently on tested cohort the logistic regression model indicated that the following factors correlated with the lack of breastfeeding: lower gestational age (E = -0.1663, p = 0.0182), higher maternal age (E = 0.1326, p < 0.0001), lower paternal age (E = -0.0526, p = 0.0345), secondary paternal education (E = 0.5138, p = 0.0024) vs. higher, lower maternal education (E = 0.7577, p = 0.0003) vs. higher, other season of birth than summer (E = -0.3650, p = 0.0439). Conclusions: Factors influencing the mother's decision to breastfeed independently on tested cohort were as a following: parental education and parental age, season of birth and duration of pregnancy.

Higher investment in maternal than paternal aunts and uncles is explained by the "paternity uncertainty hypothesis". Regardless of laterality, however, aunts show a greater degree of investment than uncles, which is attributed to sex-specific reproductive strategies. Resemblance cues can be used as indicators of genetic relatedness. The central hypothesis of the current study was that perceived phenotypic resemblance between aunts/uncles and niblings would be associated with aunts' and uncles' investment. The association was predicted to be stronger with respect to patrilateral than matrilateral aunts and uncles and stronger with respect to patrilateral aunts than patrilateral uncles. 243 Iranians aged between 15 and 50 participated in a retrospective analysis and filled out a 52-item questionnaire focusing on the solicitude, emotional closeness, and contact frequency between aunts/uncles and their nephews/nieces. In addition, the participants had to rate their phenotypic resemblance with their aunts and uncles. Aunts' and uncles' solicitude, emotional closeness, and contact frequency were differentially expressed according to sex and laterality. Maternal aunts showed the significantly highest emotional closeness, contact frequency, and investment, while the opposite was true for paternal uncles. Moreover, investment was correlated with phenotypic resemblance. Such association was stronger for patrilateral than matrilateral aunts and uncles, and concerning solicitude it was stronger for patrilateral aunts than patrilateral uncles. The resemblance-based kin recognition mechanism among aunts and uncles was self- rather than family-referent. In conclusion, phenotypic similarity can be used as a cue to genetic kinship and is correlated with the investment of aunts and uncles. However, such associations also depend on the degree of genetic relatedness and the differential kin investment provided by each sex.

Background and aim: The handgrip strength test is mostly used as a proxy test of overall muscle strength and is associated with increased mortality and physical disability. Handgrip strength is affected by various factors, such as age, Height, weight, and BMI. This study aimed to investigate the association between handgrip strength, anthropometric variables, and musculoskeletal disorders among Jat farmers in Haryana. Methods and materials: 634 individuals between 35 and 75 years old from 15 villages in the Palwal District of Haryana were recruited for the study. Various anthropometric variables, namely, stature, weight, waist circumference (WC), hip circumference (HC), waist-hip ratio (WHR), waist-height ratio (WHtR), body mass index (BMI), and handgrip strength (HGS), were obtained using the standard ISAK protocol. The Nordic Musculoskeletal Disorder Questionnaire was used to measure musculoskeletal disorders. Handgrip strength was measured using a digital hand dynamometer. Results: Handgrip strength was significantly higher (p < 0.001) in males than females, and participants with strong handgrip strength tended to be taller and heavier. Furthermore, significantly weaker handgrip strength was found in the older age group, individuals with MSD, and females. Factors such as Height, weight, waist circumference, and waist-hip ratio were positively correlated with HGS, while MSD and waist-height ratio were negatively correlated with HGS. Multivariate linear regression analyses showed that hand grip strength was independently associated with Sex, age, waist-height ratio, waist-to-hip ratio, and Body Mass Index (BMI). Conclusion: Our findings suggest that HGS is influenced by factors such as age, Height, weight, WC, WHR, and MSD in both males and females. Additionally, age, WHtR, and MSD negatively influenced the HGS. Previous studies have mostly suggested the influence of BMI and age on HGS, whereas the present study also found the influence of WC, WHR, WHtR, and MSDs on HGS. Therefore, future studies should incorporate more adiposity indicators in the assessment and intervention of strong hand grip strength among farmers to improve farm productivity.

The first archaeological case of multiple myeloma (MM) from historic period North America is presented. Only 49 cases of MM have been reported from archaeological contexts and recent reviews have alternately rejected either 24 of the cases or all 49 cases and found them all to more likely be cases of metastatic carcinoma (MC). The trend in the debate over the interpretation of these cancers is that MC is an ancient disease while MM is likely a disease of modernity. MM was first recognized as a distinct form of cancer in 1873 with only 17 cases reported by 1900. The first North American clinically identified case of MM was reported in 1894. This study supports the suggestion that MM is a disease of modernity with the etiology likely linked to industrialization. The archaeological case presented here was interred circa 1880, in the same time frame that MM is recognized as a distinct disease and briefly predates the clinical reporting of MM in the US. Of note, the individual is associated with an institution that served societal dependents. As catchall warehouses for dependency it is not surprising to find conditions reflective of senescence. Such institutions provided hospice care for the terminally ill and can serve, as in this case, to align the archaeological and clinical records.

Dental caries is the most prevalent chronic infectious disease during childhood both in historical and contemporary times, but research focused on the oral health of non-adults from the past is still scant. As such, this study proposes a multidisciplinary approach to the differential diagnosis of severe dental lesions in a medieval non-adult skeleton. The skeleton of a three-year-old child recovered in the medieval necropolis of Cacela Velha (Portugal) was studied through macroscopic, radiological, elemental and stable isotope analyses. This individual exhibited enamel destruction and dentine exposure in both the maxillary and mandibular teeth, with the latter also showing changes in coloration. Elemental analysis showed that his skull presented lower values of Si, Cl, and Ca and higher of Cu compared to the control, while the concentration of P and S were significantly lower in the teeth. Early childhood caries is the most probable diagnosis for the dental lesions observed, apparently stemming from a reticulate of factors that include potential malnutrition, and the consumption of sugars in complementary feeding - even though historical sources point to the scarcity of sugar in Portugal during most of the Middle Ages.