Biomedical subjects

G Grupe

Publications and source records attributed to G Grupe.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2001

Age-at-death diagnosis and determination of life-history parameters by incremental lines in human dental cementum as an identification aid.

Incremental lines in acellular extrinsic fiber cementum of 91 roots from 80 freshly extracted teeth have been investigated for a verification of the suitability of pathological teeth for a valid age-at-death diagnosis. Independent from tooth type, the accuracy of histological age-at-death diagnosis is clearly a function of a tooth's pathological state. Various periodontal diseases lead to a reduced number of incremental lines, while teeth with a sufficient nutritional support of their root showed a deviation of the histological age from the known actual age of 2-3 years only. For all patients, a detailed query concerning a variety of life-history parameters was established. We are able to show that especially previous pregnancies, skeletal traumata and renal diseases which all have a marked influence on the calcium metabolism result in hypomineralized incremental lines. The year of production of these hypomineralized lines could be dated precisely. Differential quality of incremental lines can, therefore, serve as a valuable tool in identification cases.

Adult↗

PubMed2001

Simulation of dental microwear: Characteristic traces by opal phytoliths give clues to ancient human dietary behavior.

In order to further evaluate the process of microwear formation on human dental enamel, microwear was experimentally produced by a chewing simulation with an Academic Center for Dentistry Amsterdam (ACTA) device. For this simulation, several cereal species were processed according to historical milling techniques, the experimental results of which were compared with those obtained from cereals processed after modern techniques, and also with natural microwear on early medieval human molars. Comparison of simulated microwear pits with natural microwear pits showed that the simulation led to traces which matched those found on the historical teeth in terms of both size and shape. Experimentally produced microwear pits were especially characteristic for the cereal species used in the simulations, and both pit morphology and enamel loss were a function of cereal phytolith content. Despite the high variability of phytolith size and shape, certain types are characteristic for certain cereals, which in turn are capable of producing cereal-specific microwear. This experimental approach is likely to further define ancient human dietary behavior, including food processing.

Anthropology, Physical↗

PubMed2001

On the validity of individual age-at-death diagnosis by incremental line counts in human dental cementum. Technical considerations.

Histological analysis of 91 roots from 80 freshly extracted teeth from patients with known calendar age and life-history parameters revealed that the validity of a chronological age-at-death diagnosis based on the count of incremental lines in human dental cementum is essentially dependent from two parameters: method of analysis, and pathological state of the investigated tooth. In this paper, we want to contribute to the establishment of a methodological standard procedure by comparison of our own results with otherwise published research designs. We conclude that as long as the necessary prerequisites are met, the quantitative analysis of cementum annulli will lead to a rather precise chronological age-at-death diagnosis. In addition, a qualitative analysis permits the ontogenetic dating of certain individual life-history parameters (e.g. previous pregnancies).

Age Determination by Teeth↗

PubMed2000

Possibilities of extraction and characterization of ancient plasma proteins in archaeological bones.

Due to the mineral matrix bone proteins are capable of surviving during centuries after inhumation, but cross-linking with other bone proteins as well as fragmentation and complex reactions with humic acids and microorganisms lead to considerable alterations in molecular weight and structure of these proteins. Our group concentrates on polymorphic plasma proteins which diffuse out of the capillary system into the bone matrix where they adsorb to the mineralic substrate. So far, only little is known about the degradation and alteration of these proteins in fossil bones. It has to be evaluated whether the aged proteins still contain some of the information which renders them a valuable tool for forensic questions and population genetics in recent populations. Therefore we tried by modification of already existing methods to expand plasma protein identification and subtyping into the new field of aged plasma proteins.

Adult↗

PubMed2000

Local or nonlocal? A research of strontium isotope ratios of teeth and bones on skeletal remains with artificial deformed skulls.

The analysis of strontium isotopic composition of teeth and bone served as an approach to determine nonlocal individuals with artificially deformed skulls in Teuton and Gepid sites. A differing Sr-isotopic composition between tooth and bone from the same skeleton reveals a residence change between early childhood and the last ten years before death. The results show that most Teuton and Gepid individuals investigated are local habitants.

Bone and Bones↗

PubMed2000

Biochemical and palaeopathological investigations on weaning and infant mortality in the early Middle Ages.

Weaning age of the children of the early medieval population at Wenigumstadt (Ldkr. Aschaffenburg, southern Germany, 500-700 AD) was estimated by stable nitrogen isotope analysis of bone collagen. The onset of weaning was by one year of age, when solid vegetal food subsequently replaced breast milk. In total, the change from mother's milk to solid adult food took about three years, the infants being fully weaned at this age. While the growing infant was sufficiently supported in utero and during the first months of life, the weanling's diet was insufficient for further growth and development. Starting with about 18 months of age, more and more symptoms of malnutrition are detectable on the skeletal remains, and the peak of both morbidity and mortality is reached at four years of age. Especially unspecific stress markers like Harris' lines and enamel hypoplasia clearly indicate the infants' risk of falling ill or die between three and four years of age. Malnutrition weakens the immune response, therefore the majority of inflammations detectable on the skeleton are found among the inadequately nourished children. The assumption that weaning is responsible for pathological skeletal lesions and early death in history is thus supported by archaeometry.

Bone and Bones↗

PubMed1998

Amino acid composition of degraded matrix collagen from archaeological human bone.

In relation to specific burial conditions, the degree of preservation of archaeological bone collagen shows significant variation which cannot be discerned sufficiently by histological inspection. Thus the validity of archaeometric data cannot be confirmed as such and further proof is required. This study deals with diagenetic modifications of extractable collagen from archaeological human bones (14 skeletal series from various locations, inhumation periods and modern skeletal material). The content of proteinogenic and not-proteinogenic amino acids was determined by amino acid analysis compared to experimentally degraded scleroprotein. The resulting amino acid composition of the insoluble extracts differs from native collagen in relation to the specific skeletal series. Five different qualitative categories could be distinguished. Rare and carbon rich amino acids preferably disappeared in the archaeological specimens. Essential and experimentally validated decomposition phenomena as e.g. selective degradation of specific amino acids were confirmed and an example is given for the differentiation of valid from diagenetically altered carbon isotopic signatures by amino acid analysis.

Amino Acids↗

PubMed1997

Identification of medieval human soft tissue remains in an advanced state of decomposition.

Naturally preserved human soft tissue remains from mediaeval burials (11-13th century A. D.) were investigated histologically after azocarmine/aniline alcohol (AZAN) or keratinprekeratin-mucin (KPM) staining. The tissue remnants were in an advanced state of decomposition; they were completely collapsed and had lost their macroscopic characteristics. After rehydration, thin sectioning, and staining, microscopic properties permitted tissue identification, although differential staining of tissue components did not necessarily correspond with the expected results based on fresh tissue. The techniques and results presented in this paper are relevant for both anthropological and forensic purposes.

Adult↗

PubMed1997

Molecular preservation and isotopy of Mesolithic human finds from the Ofnet cave (Bavaria, Germany).

Favourable burial conditions and self-limiting decomposition processes led to an extraordinarily well molecular preservation of the Mesolithic human skull finds from the Ofnet cave (district Nördlingen, Bavaria). Beyond the extraction of bone collagen, a selection of serum proteins from bone was identified immunologically. Stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios from collagen gave clues to dietary behaviour including nursing practices. Diverging results after the application of biochemical protocols (for protein cleaning) and biophysical methods (for stable isotope analysis) are of particular interest: while the first approach failed to quantitatively eliminate anorganic contaminations, the second left some organic, exogenous residues in the samples. Thus, methods for protein extraction must vary according to problem solution and ultimate aim of the study. Taking this into account, application of invasive methods is also encouraged to rare and valuable skeletal finds.

Blood Proteins↗

PubMed1997

[Serum proteins in human skeletal remains].

The analysis of non-mineralbound, non-collagenous proteins from ancient Peruvian human bones with electrophoretical methods, SDS-polyacrylamide-electrophoresis and isoelectric focusing, results in molecular weight bands on the one hand and a pH-gradient distribution on the other hand, which are perhaps connected with polymorphic serum proteins. A specific protein identification is possible with immunological methods.

Blood Protein Electrophoresis↗

PubMed1997

[Correlations between cribra orbitalia, archeometric findings on the skeleton and habitat conditions].

The interpretation of cribra orbitalia as an isolated skeletal lesion is mainly based on malnutrition, in particular in terms of iron deficiency or vitamin C deficiency. A chronic iron deficiency anemia should result in both a reduced iron content of the skeleton and an underhydroxylation of the amino acid proline with the consequence of a less stable collagen matrix of the bone. The latter holds also for a vitamin C deficiency. Trace element and amino acid analyses were independently applied to subsamples of two early medieval human skeletal series to test whether a relation between cribra orbitalia and skeletal iron content and amino acid hydroxylation was detectable. For one of these series (Nusplingen, district Balingen, Schwäbische A1b), habitat specific properties have already been assumed to be responsible for an insufficient iron supply of the inhabitants. Both archaeometric approaches led to a verification of the malnutrition hypothesis, but for advanced states of the skeletal lesion only. Less affected individuals did not reveal any of the expected relationships. Possible adaptive subsistence strategies are discussed which might compensate for such unfavourable living conditions.

Amino Acids↗

PubMed1995

Mineral-bound noncollagenous proteins in archaeological human skeletons.

Archaeometric approaches to archaelogical human bone also include the extraction, identification and molecular analysis of surviving bone proteins. Due to its abundance as a matrix protein, most studies focus on collagen (e.g. radiocarbon dating). Also, a variety of serum proteins are detectable in excavated skeletons. Very limited knowledge still exists on mineral-bound noncollagenous bone proteins from ancient bones because, in the mature tissue, they occur in trace amounts only. Moreover, post-mortem decomposition is likely to change characteristic features of the molecules. Due to their suggested role as growth and developmental factors, identification and quantification of such proteins should be valuable for both physical anthropology and epidemiology. We present a valid method for the detection of small amounts of surviving mineral-bound noncollagenous proteins in excavated human bones up to 7500 years of age.

Archaeology↗

PubMed1995

[Postmortem reconstruction of metabolic rates using histomorphometry of buried human compact bones].

Histomorphometry of archaeological human bone permits the invivo-reconstruction of bone physiology as well as a quantification of the typical age changes in compact bone. Compact bone samples from 31 well preserved metatarsalia and one metacarpus of excavated adult male skeletons from early-mediaval site of Altenerding (administrative district Erding, Upper Bavaria), were cut into thin sections, whose microstructural components were measured histomorphometrically with a semiautomated image-analyser. The thus obtained raw data were used for the calculation of the remodeling rate during lifetime as well as for histomorphometrical age determination. Results of the histomorphometrical age determination were then compared with existing macromorphological data and those obtained from the incremental lines of the dental cementum. This comparison revealed obvious method-specific differences: macromorphological data tend to be too low, while the histomorphometrically determined ages of death are estimated as being too high. The calculation of remodeling rates in haversian bone required a combination of three different algorithms. Herewith, a continuous decrease in average values of 1.06/mm2/a for the average annual osteon formation rate mu and 0.035 mm2/mm2/a for the average annual haversian bone formation rate appeared in the sample. Further age-dependent variability and species-specific characteristic structural features of the cortex were investigated. Osteons tend to become smaller with increasing individual age as expected, but no increase of the haversian canals was found. Comparative values taken from histological and anatomical literature are constantly agreeing with the measured data of the microstructural components. In the case of a both osteoporotic and osteomyelitic bone, histomorphometry proved to be a valuable method for palaeopathological diagnosis.

Adult↗

PubMed1995

[Etiology of the cribra orbitalia: effect of amino acid profile in bone collagen and the iron content of bone minerals].

As long as cribra orbitalia manifests itself as an isolated skeletal lesion in excavated human skeletons, it is mostly diagnosed as being of nutritional origin, especially iron deficiency anemia. Since both iron and vitamin C function as cofactors at the hydroxylation of the amino acids proline and lysine in collagen, both amino acid analyses of bone collagen and the determination of bone mineral iron content was carried out at ten medieval skeletons with cribra orbitalia, opposed to ten morphologically healthy individuals from the same skeletal series. The skeletons with cribra orbitalia were significantly depleted with respect to OHpro (the OHpro/Pro-ratio being 16.9% lower than in the control group), but did not differ from the healthy individuals with respect to OHlys and iron content. No correlation was found between proline hydroxylation and age at death or degree of the disease. The data do not support the iron deficiency hypothesis. Most probably, vitamin C deficiency was responsible for the difference between diseased and morphologically healthy individuals. A combination of protein and elemental analysis of excavated bones should thus be suitable for the detection of deficient hydroxylation and its etiology: iron or vitamin C deficiency.

Amino Acids↗

PubMed1993

Life style, subsistence and mortality in the Slavonic village at Espenfeld (Kr. Arnstadt, FRG). A trace element study.

Since the burial site of the Slavonic settlement at Espenfeld, Germany (10th to 12th century AD), has been completely excavated, the skeletons are representative of the historic population. This skeletal series has also been intensively investigated both archaeologically and anthropologically. It thus belongs to the kind of museum specimens which should not be left apart from any further study made possible by technological improvements. Analysis of elements Ca, P, Sr, Ba, Zn, Pb and As from compact bone specimens of a subsample of this series was carried out to get a more detailed knowledge on the population's life style. After a consideration of site-specific diagenesis, reconstruction of subsistence was possible for both adults and children. The assessment of weaning practice revealed insights into childcare. Special consideration was given to hazardous elements and their influence on infant morbidity. Also, a presumed genetic relationship between certain individuals based on morphological traits was paralleled by a striking similarity of trace element profiles, suggesting that bone chemistry might also permit the differentiation of microenvironments.

Adult↗

PubMed1990

Feeding ecology of the stone and pine marten revealed by element analysis of their skeletons.

Feeding habits of free-ranging martens (Martes martes and Martes foina) are evaluated by means of trace element and stable carbon isotope analyses of their skeletons. This investigation was carried out as an inter-disciplinary project of both wildlife biology and physical anthropology. As a result, data are obtained on the feeding ecology of the two species; in addition, a baseline is provided for dietary reconstruction of past human populations. Both species of martens are omnivorous feeders, M. martes being slightly more carnivorous than M. foina. Diversity of dietary intake with respect to plant food and animal protein is only one-third of the maximum divergence between strict herbivores and carnivores.

Animals↗

PubMed1990

[Environmental history as an anthropologic topic. Contribution to "chemical anthropology"].

Human population history is firmly connected with temporal and regional changes of the environment. Whether natural or anthropogene, alteration of environmental features lead to changes of human life-style and to the development of adaptive strategies. The demand of resources for his subsistence has led man to diverse impacts on his environment since ever. Thus, environmental history is a scientific topic for anthropologists. The research potential of trace element studies of excavated human skeletons for the reconstruction of natural and socio-cultural environments as well as for distribution patterns of hazardous substances is outlined for the European Middle Ages. The scientific value of unravelling past man/environment-interrelationships for both the historical and applied sciences and the place of any "chemical anthropology" within this context is discussed.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1989

Causes of infant mortality in the Middle Ages revealed by chemical and palaeopathological analyses of skeletal remains.

In most prehistoric and historic populations, mortality of small infants is very high. Causes of death are mainly discussed in analogy to the situation in modern preindustrial societies. The children are at high risk to fall ill or even die especially in times of weaning. Trace element analysis of the skeletal remains of small infants excavated in Schleswig (northern Germany, 11th/12th century AD) led to the estimation of weaning age as well as to the reconstruction of a stepwise substitution of mothers' milk by other food items. Subsequent palaeopathological analysis confirmed high mortality in this age-group. Thus, causes of death of small infants in a medieval town can be outlined.

Bone and Bones↗