Petrous Bone Research Articles

Early non-EPI DW-MRI after cholesteatoma surgery.

Middle ear cholesteatoma may lead to the erosion of the bony structures of the temporal bone, possibly causing intra- and extracranial complications. Surgical treatment is mandatory, and due to possible residual/recurrent disease, the use of reliable diagnostic methods is essential. Our study aimed to evaluate the reliability of non-EPI DW-MRI for the follow-up of cholesteatoma after surgery. In a study group including 53 consecutive patients who underwent surgery for cholesteatoma at a tertiary university hospital, an imaging protocol was applied, including non-echo planar diffusion-weighted imaging magnetic resonance (MR) at 1month after surgery and then at 6 and 12months after surgery. Based on the combination of preoperative assessment and intraoperative findings, the study group was divided into 3 subgroups: petrous bone (PB) cholesteatoma, complicated cholesteatoma and uncomplicated cholesteatoma. PB cholesteatoma patients were treated by a subtotal petrosectomy, whereas complicated and uncomplicated cholesteatoma patients were treated either by a canal wall up procedure or a retrograde (inside-out) canal wall down technique with bone obliteration technique (BOT). The results show that patients who had positive findings on non-EPI DW-MRI scans 1month after surgery consequently underwent revision surgery during which residual cholesteatoma was noted. All the patients who displayed negative findings on non-EPI DWI-MRI scan at 1 month after surgery did not show the presence of a lesion at the 6- and 12-month evaluations. The 6 patients who displayed residual cholesteatoma at the 1-month follow-up presented dehiscence/exposure of the facial nerve canal at the primary surgery, mostly at the level of the labyrinthine segment. Non-EPI DW-MRI is a useful and reliable tool for follow-up cholesteatoma surgery, and when applied early, as was done in the protocol proposed in the present study, this tool may be used to detect the presence of residual cholesteatoma in some patients, prompting the planning of early revision surgery.

Early Diagnosis of Hidden Hearing Loss Following Temporal Bone Fractures.

Temporal bone fracture accounts for 30-70% of skull fractures. Temporal bone trauma is associated with severe traumatic brain injury. Temporal bone fractures are invariably due to road traffic accidents (RTA). Temporal bone fractures are traditionally classified as transverse, longitudinal or mixed fractures depending on their relationship to the petrous pyramid. Recent studies classify temporal bone fractures as otic capsule sparing (OCS) and otic capsule violating (OCV) types and has more relevance with the prognosis of hearing loss and complications. To study of type and degree of hearing loss following temporal bone fractures according to the old and new classification of temporal bone fractures. The prospective study of 35 cases of head injuries attending emergency department was conducted in the Department of Otorhinolaryngology, SNMC and H.S.K. Hospital & Research centre, Bagalkot during the study period from January 2019 to June 2020. High Resolution Computed Tomography (HRCT) of bilateral temporal bone was done to look for type of temporal bone fractures. Pure tone audiometry (PTA) to assess degree and type of hearing loss. Appropriate statistical analysis at the end of study was done. Most patients were in age group of 21-40years. Among 35 cases, 30 were longitudinal fractures, 4 were transverse and 1 was mixed.27 cases were OCS and 8 of OCV type.OCV type of fractures are having higher degree of hearing loss. Longitudinal type of temporal bone fractures constitutes majority. Hearing loss was more in OCV type.

On the cutting edge: anterior transpetrosal approach – the middle fossa approach. Clinical application, surgical anatomy, and results

Nowadays, the middle cranial fossa approach (MFA) is one of the most useful operative procedures in skull base surgery. When performed properly, it provides a relevant adjunct to treating complex skull base lesions. MFA allows one to resect the anterior petrous bone (anterior petrosectomy), open the internal auditory canal (IAC), and access the lateral wall of the cavernous sinus and the infratemporal fossa. Knowledge of the anatomical structures of the middle cranial fossa and cavernous sinus is mandatory to perform this approach. We report in detail the standard extradural subtemporal route for the anterior petrosectomy and MFA. The main indications for this approach are intradural lesions localized medially to the trigeminal nerve, subtemporal interdural and extradural tumours and neoplasms involving the IAC (including IAC pathology). Moreover, we describe the extended middle fossa approach, consisting in the anterior extension of MFA, indicated for intradural tumours of the superior cerebello-pontine angle and of prepontine clivus (retroclival lesions, ventral brainstem tumours, and cavernomas), for infratemporal fossa lesions, and cavernous sinus pathologies. Even if the anatomical landmarks of the middle cranial fossa and lateral skull base are well known, training with cadaver dissection is necessary for any skull-base surgeon to perform an optimum MFA. The cadaver-lab dissections simplify the learning of anatomical structures, and prepare the surgeon properly for this technically challenging approach.

Petrous Bone Cholesteatoma: Facial and Hearing Preservation.

Objectives: Petrous bone cholesteatoma (PBC) is a rare condition of the petrous portion of the temporal bone. Treatment of choice consists of radical surgical removal, paying attention to protect the facial nerve and inner ear as far as possible. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of modified translabyrinthine techniques in preserving hearing function and the use of the adjuvant endoscopic techniques in a group of PBC patients. Methods: This study comprised 16 cases of PBCs surgically treated in our Department. Pre- and post-operative hearing status was assessed with pure tone audiometry and speech discrimination and graded according to the Gardner- Robertson classification system. Facial function was based on the House Brackman (HB) classification. PBCs were grouped using Sanna's classification. The choice of surgical technique was based on the above findings together with preoperative evidence. Post-operative follow-up ranged from 1 to 10 years and also included Computed Tomography and Magnetic Resonance Imaging assessment. Results: PBCs were classified as follows: 37.5% infralabyrinthine; 43.75% supralabyrinthine; and 18.75% massive. Preservation of the bone conduction threshold was feasible in 62.5% of patients. For supralabyrinthine PBCs a subtotal petrosetomy was performed in all cases and hearing preservation was possible in 57% of them: an adjuvant endoscopic approach was performed in 43%. Infralabyrinthine PBCs were treated using a modified translabyrinthine approach with preservation of bone conduction in 83% of patients; an adjuvant endoscopic approach was performed in 50% cases. One patient with a massive cholesteatoma was treated by modified translabyrinthine approach, preserving a serviceable level of hearing. In all massive cases, an adjuvant endoscopic approach was performed. In 2 patients with preoperative palsy, facial nerve function showed an improvement. The follow-up period revealed evidence of limited recurrence at CT imaging in 2 patients. Conclusions: The introduction of modified surgical approaches, able to preserve the anatomical-functional structures, have shown an improvement of post-operative hearing outcomes.

Mitochondrial sequences of the extinct Cypriot pygmy hippopotamus confirm its phylogenetic placement

Abstract The Cypriot pygmy hippopotamus is an extinct Mediterranean species that inhabited the island of Cyprus during the Late Pleistocene. This iconic species last appears at the archaeological site of Akrotiri Aetokremnos, dated to ~12 500 cal. BP. Taxonomically, the Cypriot pygmy hippopotamus has been assigned to Hippopotamus minor, which, based on morphology, is more closely related to the common hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius; today present only in Sub-Saharan Africa) than to the West African pygmy hippopotamus (Choeropsis liberiensis). Despite adverse conditions for preservation that greatly reduce the likelihood of DNA preservation in subfossil samples from hot environments, we recovered and analysed ancient DNA from petrous bones excavated from Akrotiri Aetokremnos. By whole mitogenome hybridization capture and exhaustive high-throughput sequencing, we were able to investigate the molecular phylogeny and taxonomic status of the Cypriot pygmy hippopotamus. The results of our low-coverage ancient mitogenomic analyses support the close phylogenetic affinity of H. minor to H. amphibius, with their divergence estimated at ~1.36 or 1.58 Mya, depending on the molecular dating method. To our knowledge, this study constitutes the first step towards reconstruction of the molecular phylogeny of Mediterranean Hippopotaminae.

Ipsilateral Nasoseptal Flap Pedicle for Transpterygoid Approach: Technical Note.

Introduction:Transpterygoid approach is an expanded endonasal approach (EEA) that allows surgical access to the medial infratemporal fossa, to the skull base area of petrous bone and to the Meckel’s cave. During this approach, a sacrifice of sphenopalatine artery is often required, leading to the need of contralateral Hadad-Bassagasteguy flap (HBF) or alternative reconstructive techniques.Materials and Methods:We report a case of spontaneous CSF leak due to a meningo-encephalocele in the left lateral recess of sphenoid sinus, in which an ispilateral nasoseptal flap was harvest and sphenopalatine artery was preserved. Results:We described the surgical technique adopted to preserve the ipsilateral nasoseptal vascular pedicle during transpterygoid approach and we performed a review of the pertinent literature. Conclusion:Wide exposure of the pterygoid base through transpterygoid approach could be obtained preserving the sphenopalatine artery, allowing skull base reconstruction with ipsilateral nasoseptal flap.

Tympanal bone fracture in forensic practice

A tympanal bone fracture is an uncommon complication of head trauma and is mostly associated with a mandibular or petrous bone fracture. Upon reviewing the medicolegal literature, we could not find any publications on this topic. Tympanal bone fracture may lead to chronic complications (including external auditory canal stenosis and conductive hearing loss), with an important impact in both the medical and judiciary fields (e.g., chronic disabilities with loss of income). We decided to investigate the prevalence and mechanisms of tympanal bone fractures by means of a retrospective observational study on living victims who underwent head computed tomography after blunt head trauma and clinical forensic investigation at our center. We selected 159 cases of living victims with blunt head trauma (following an assault, traffic accident, or work accident) between January 2016 and December 2020. Re-examination of head imaging revealed 12 cases of tympanal bone fracture. Seven individuals showed cranial fractures involving the petrous bone (on the same side as the tympanal bone fracture). Three individuals had a temporomandibular fracture after a fall with chin impact. Only two victims exhibited an isolated tympanal bone fracture.

Elongated Internal Carotid Arteries in Patients with Severe Carotid Artery Stenosis.

This study aimed to investigate the risk factors and asymptomatic cerebrovascular diseases associated with elongated internal carotid arteries (ICAs) and the relationship between ICA elongation and severe carotid artery (CA) stenosis. We evaluated risk factors for stroke and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings in patients with severe CA stenosis compared with people without neurological disorders who underwent brain screening (controls). On magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) images, we measured the longest distance, defined as the ICA distance, from the most distant anterior wall of the cervical ICA at the site of bending or kinking to the line between the origin of the external CA and the anterior protrusion of the ICA near the petrosal bone. We retrospectively compared various asymptomatic findings, including cerebral microbleeds, lacunar infarctions, and deep white matter hyperintensities (WMHs), between participants with an ICA distance ≥ 1.2 cm vs. < 1.2 cm. The prevalence of findings and stroke risk factors were compared using multivariate logistic regression models. We evaluated 53 patients (70.0 ± 8.1 years old, nine female) with severe CA stenosis treated by CA stenting and 400 controls (63.0 ± 9.2 years old, 227 females). Multivariate analyses showed that ICA distance ≥ 1.2 cm was associated with age ≥ 65 years (odds ratio (OR) = 1.8, p < 0.01), severe deep WMHs (OR = 2.0, p = 0.02), and severe CA stenosis (OR = 0.17, p < 0.01). ICA elongation, measured by ICA distance, was positively associated with age and deep WMHs and negatively associated with severe CA stenosis.

Bilateral abducens palsy in closed head injury: A comprehensive review of literature based on a case report

Isolated bilateral sixth nerve palsies are rare, particularly in the setting of trauma. Most post-head injury cases with bilateral abducens palsy involve either basal skull fractures, particularly clival fractures. We present a case of bilateral abducens palsy after closed head injury in a young male who presented to the emergency department and a comprehensive literature review based on our clinical case. A Medline search for bilateral abducens palsy in closed head injury showed 89 results. Articles were excluded if crush head injury, non-traumatic bilateral abducens nerve palsy, associated vascular malformations were reported. After thorough search and filtering of those articles, fifty-one publications were found which reported and discussed about traumatic bilateral abducens palsy with closed head injury. In these 51 articles, a total of 139 cases were recorded. Several theories have been postulated to explain mechanisms of abducens nerve injury in trauma both in immediate and delayed settings. In our case, patient presented with immediate onset of bilateral abducens palsy. On imaging, clival fracture was seen in CT brain, which can be attributed for the nerve injury. Cases with retroclival extradural haematoma had higher chances of multiple cranial nerve injuries. Cases with multiple basal skull fracture involving petrous temporal bone fracture had higher chances of facial nerve injury. Along with bilateral involvement, the poorer outcome for recovery can be related with the severity of the adduction deficit. Our case showed no improvement in bilateral abduction during follow-up at 6 months. Clinical presentation of traumatic bilateral abducens nerve palsy is rare following closed head trauma and is usually associated with other injuries which are incompatible with life. It can be associated with other nerve injuries depending on basal skull fractures.

Twenty-Seven Y-Chromosome Short Tandem Repeats Analysis of Italian Mummies of the 16th and 18th Centuries: An Interdisciplinary Research.

Roccapelago (MO) is a small village located in the Northern Central Apennines, with a population of 31 inhabitants (2014). In 2010, more than 400 individuals dated between the end of the 16th and the 18th century, many of which partially mummified, were discovered in the crypt of the church. This small village, because of its geographical location and surrounding environment, seems to possess the characteristics of a genetic isolate, useful for population genetics and genealogical analyses. Thus, a diachronic study of DNA aimed at investigating the structure and dynamics of the population of Roccapelago over the about 4 centuries, was conducted by analyzing ancient and modern inhabitants of the village. The 14 modern samples were selected by considering both the founder surnames of the village, identified thanks to the study of parish registers, and the grandparent’s criterion. From 25 ancient mummies, morphologically assigned to male individuals, the petrous bone, that harbors high DNA amounts, was selected for the DNA extraction. The quantification and qualitative assessment of total human male DNA were evaluated by a real-time PCR assay using the Quantifiler Trio DNA Quantification Kit and multiplex PCR of 27 Y-chromosome short tandem repeat (Y-STR) markers included in the Yfiler Plus PCR Amplification Kit, with seven rapidly mutating Y-STR loci for improving discrimination of male lineages, was performed to genotype the samples. Y-STRs were analyzed according to the criteria of ancient DNA (aDNA) analysis to ensure that authentic DNA typing results were obtained from these ancient samples. The molecular analysis showed the usefulness of the Y chromosome to identify historically relevant remains and discover patterns of relatedness in communities moving from anthropology to genetic genealogy and forensics.

In Silico Assessment of Safety and Efficacy of Screw Placement for Pediatric Image-Guided Otologic Surgery.

Introduction: Current high-accuracy image-guided systems for otologic surgery use fiducial screws for patient-to-image registration. Thus far, these systems have only been used in adults, and the safety and efficacy of the fiducial screw placement has not yet been investigated in the pediatric population.Materials and Methods: In a retrospective study, CT image data of the temporal region from 11 subjects meeting inclusion criteria (8–48 months at the time of surgery) were selected, resulting in n = 20 sides. These datasets were investigated with respect to screw stability efficacy in terms of the cortical layer thickness, and safety in terms of the distance of potential fiducial screws to the dura mater or venous sinuses. All of these results are presented as distributions, thickness color maps, and with descriptive statistics. Seven regions within the temporal bone were analyzed individually. In addition, four fiducial screws per case with 4 mm thread-length were placed in an additively manufactured model according to the guidelines for robotic cochlear implantation surgery. For all these screws, the minimal distance to the dura mater or venous sinuses was measured, or if applicable how much they penetrated these structures.Results: The cortical layer has been found to be mostly between 0.7–3.3 mm thick (from the 5th to the 95th percentile), while even thinner areas exist. The distance from the surface of the temporal bone to the dura mater or the venous sinuses varied considerably between the subjects and ranged mostly from 1.1–9.3 mm (from the 5th to the 95th percentile). From all 80 placed fiducial screws of 4 mm thread length in the pediatric subject younger than two years old, 22 touched or penetrated either the dura or the sigmoid sinus. The best regions for fiducial placement would be the mastoid area and along the petrous pyramid in terms of safety. In terms of efficacy, the parietal followed by the petrous pyramid, and retrosigmoid regions are most suited.Conclusion: The current fiducial screws and the screw placement guidelines for adults are insufficiently safe or effective for pediatric patients.

Medially-invasive cholesteatoma

Cholesteatoma is life-threatening disease due to its intracranial complications. Some of cholesteatoma cases we define as aggressive cholesteatoma. In this category we include children cholesteatoma, medially-invasive cholesteatoma and petrous apex cholesteatoma which does not originate in the petrous apex. Another special form of cholesteatoma is petrous bone cholesteatoma. Retrospective study of 176 cholesteatoma operations (38.85%) from 453 consecutive middle ear surgeries for 4 years and 4 months in Trakia Park Hospital Stara Zagora, Bulgaria were rewieved. The same surgeon performs 106 Primary Cholesteatoma Surgery, 49 Revision Surgery and 21 Second-Look Surgery. In this 176 cholesteatoma cases the cholesteatoma matrix involve the otic capsule, petrous apex or skull base in 5 patients, who are defined as medially-invasive cholesteatoma (2.84%). In this medially-invasive cholesteatoma patients surgical resection with canal wall down operation remains the best treatment option.

Exoscopic En Bloc Carotid-Sparing Total Temporal Bone Resection: Feasibility Study and Operative Technique

To delineate the steps of exoscopic en bloc carotid artery-sparing total temporal bone resection for malignancies involving the temporal bone in a cadaveric model. Dissections were performed on 3 right-sided (3 sides) formalin-fixed, latex-injected cadaveric specimens. An exoscopic en bloc carotid artery-sparing total temporal bone resection was performed on each cadaver. In the past 4 years, 8 patients have undergone exoscope-assisted internal carotid artery-sparing total temporal bone resection with the technique described in this report. As an example, we present a representative case of a patient in whom this technique was used. Exoscope-assisted en bloc total temporal bone resections were performed on 3 right-sided cadaveric specimens. The following steps were described to circumferentially expose the petrous temporal bone: infratemporal fossa exposure, temporal craniotomy for subtemporal middle fossa approach to the petrous bone, retrosigmoid craniotomy, and transjugular approach. Finally, 3 skull base osteotomies were performed to liberate anterior, medial, posterior attachments of the petrous bone for en bloc removal. Possible extensions of these dissections as indicated by tumor pathology were described. A case illustration and operative video utilizing these techniques is presented. Exoscope-assisted en bloc carotid artery-sparing total temporal bone resection is a feasible technique for management of malignancies with temporal bone invasion.

Isolated petrosal of the extinct sloth Glossotherium tropicorum (Xenarthra, Folivora, Mylodontidae) from the island of Trinidad

This report is the first to identify the presence of the extinct ground sloth Glossotherium tropicorum from Pleistocene-aged tar pit deposits in Trinidad. G. tropicorum is known primarily from extensive skeletal material recovered from the Pleistocene of western Ecuador and Peru. Our identification is based on an isolated left petrosal bone, which exhibits a variety of derived diagnostic features of mylodontid sloths in general, e.g., the presence of an epitympanic recess, and the genus Glossotherium in particular, including a reduced anteroventral process of the tegmen tympani. This represents only the second published record of the genus Glossotherium from outside continental South America, and is a substantial range extension for the species G. tropicorum. The present study also represents the first published description of a mylodontid sloth fossil from Trinidad. The specimen is part of a collection that was initially documented in an unpublished Master’s thesis, and that includes additional sloths and other Pleistocene mammals. This fauna confirms the presence of extensive savanna-type habitats on Trinidad during the Pleistocene, and is consistent with the presence of a land bridge connection between the island and mainland South America at that time.

Dilated MMA sign in cDAVF and other arterial feeders on 3D TOF MRA.

BackgroundAmong the varied causes of pulsatile tinnitus, the condition that can cause severe mortality and morbidity is a cranial dural arteriovenous fistula (cDAVF). This study aimed to assess the diagnostic accuracy of the dilated middle meningeal artery on three-dimensional time-of-flight magnetic resonance angiography in cranial dural arteriovenous fistula and to identify other feeders that can aid in the detection of these lesions.MethodMagnetic resonance angiography and digital subtraction angiography data of all patients with cranial dural arteriovenous fistula treated in a single tertiary referral center between 2007–2020 were included. The middle meningeal artery and other feeders recorded from digital subtraction angiography were assessed on magnetic resonance angiography.ResultsThe overall agreement between readers in identifying the dilated middle meningeal artery was substantial (κ = 0.878, 95% confidence interval: 0.775–0.982). The dilated middle meningeal artery indicated the presence of a cranial dural arteriovenous fistula with a sensitivity of 79.49% (95% confidence interval: 66.81–92.16), specificity of 100% (95% confidence interval: 100.00–100.00), and negative predictive value of 94.56% (95% confidence interval: 90.89–98.02). An area under the curve of 0.8341 was observed for the ipsilateral middle meningeal artery, with a sensitivity of 92.2% and a specificity of 75.0% at a cut-off of 0.30 mm for identifying a cranial dural arteriovenous fistula. Of 73 other feeders, the occipital, meningohypophyseal trunk, ascending pharyngeal, and posterior meningeal arteries contributed to a large proportion visualized on magnetic resonance angiography (83.6% (41/49)).ConclusionThe dilated middle meningeal artery sign is useful for identifying a cranial dural arteriovenous fistula. Dilatation of the occipital and ascending pharyngeal arteries and meningohypophyseal trunk should be assessed to facilitate the detection of a cranial dural arteriovenous fistula, particularly in the transverse-sigmoid and petrous regions.

Genome of a middle Holocene hunter-gatherer from Wallacea

Much remains unknown about the population history of early modern humans in southeast Asia, where the archaeological record is sparse and the tropical climate is inimical to the preservation of ancient human DNA1. So far, only two low-coverage pre-Neolithic human genomes have been sequenced from this region. Both are from mainland Hòabìnhian hunter-gatherer sites: Pha Faen in Laos, dated to 7939–7751 calibrated years before present (yr cal bp; present taken as ad 1950), and Gua Cha in Malaysia (4.4–4.2 kyr cal bp)1. Here we report, to our knowledge, the first ancient human genome from Wallacea, the oceanic island zone between the Sunda Shelf (comprising mainland southeast Asia and the continental islands of western Indonesia) and Pleistocene Sahul (Australia–New Guinea). We extracted DNA from the petrous bone of a young female hunter-gatherer buried 7.3–7.2 kyr cal bp at the limestone cave of Leang Panninge2 in South Sulawesi, Indonesia. Genetic analyses show that this pre-Neolithic forager, who is associated with the ‘Toalean’ technocomplex3,4, shares most genetic drift and morphological similarities with present-day Papuan and Indigenous Australian groups, yet represents a previously unknown divergent human lineage that branched off around the time of the split between these populations approximately 37,000 years ago5. We also describe Denisovan and deep Asian-related ancestries in the Leang Panninge genome, and infer their large-scale displacement from the region today.

Petrous bone lesions: surgical implementation and outcomes of extradural subtemporal approach.

Petrous bone lesions (PBLs) are rare with few reports in the neurosurgical literature. In this study, the authors describe our current technique of extradural subtemporal approach (ESTA). The objective of this study was to evaluate the role and efficacy of ESTA for treatment of the PBLs. To our knowledge, this is the largest reported clinical series of using an ESTA-treated PBLs in which the clinical outcomes were evaluated. Between 1994 and 2019, 67 patients with PBLs treated by ESTA were retrospectively reviewed. Extent of resection, neurological outcomes, recurrence rate, and surgical complications were evaluated and compared with previous studies. The indications, advantages, limitations, and outcomes of ESTA were analyzed according to pathology. This series included 7 facial nerve schwannomas (10.4%), 16 cholesterol granulomas (23.9%), 16 chordomas (23.9%), 6 chondrosarcomas (9%), 5 trigeminal schwannomas (7.5%), 9 epidermoids/dermoids (13.4%), and 8 other pathologies (11.9%). The most common location of PBLs operated with ESTA was at the petrous apex and rhomboid areas (68.7%). Gross total resection was achieved in 35 (55.6%). Symptomatic improvement occurred in 56 patients (83.6%). Complications occurred in 7 (10.4%) of cases including one mortality. Nine patients (17%) had recurrence within the mean follow-up 71months. Compared to previous literature, our results demonstrated comparable outcomes but with higher rates of hearing and facial nerve preservation as well as minimal morbidity. From our results, ESTA is an effective therapeutic option for lesions located at the rhomboid and petrous apex, particularly when patients presented with intact facial and hearing function. Our series demonstrated that ESTA provided satisfactory outcomes with excellent benefits of hearing and facial function preservation for patients with petrous bone lesions. ESTA should be considered as a safe and effective therapeutic option for selected patients with PBLs.

The bony labyrinth of Qafzeh 25 Homo sapiens from Israel

The bony labyrinth has received growing attention in the field of human evolution as it is a useful phylogenetic indicator in hominins and is particularly useful for distinguishing anatomically modern humans and Neanderthals. The partial adult skeleton of Qafzeh 25 dated to 92 ± 5 ka B.P. suffers from serious post-mortem taphonomic damage that has limited its anatomical description and metrical analysis. However, the two petrosal bones are preserved and the bony labyrinths are not affected by post-mortem deformations. In this study, the methodology developed by Spoor (1993) is used to analyze and compare the morphometric data from Qafzeh 25 semi-circular canals and cochlea to that of other fossils from the site and more generally to the published hominin sample (Middle and Late Pleistocene hominins). While this analysis reveals that the Qafzeh 25 bony labyrinth resembles that of other Qafzeh individuals, it extends the range of variation within the sample for some variables.

Comparison of nuclear DNA yield and STR typing success in Second World War petrous bones and metacarpals III

DNA yield and STR typing success differ among skeletal element types and within individual bones. Consequently, it is necessary to identify the skeletal elements and their intra-skeletal parts that will most likely yield utilizable and informative endogenous DNA for human identification of skeletal remains. The petrous portion of the temporal bone has been shown to be the most suitable skeletal part for sampling archaeological skeletons, and it has also been used successfully in some forensic cases. When all representative bone types were analyzed for three complete Second World War skeletons, metatarsals and metacarpals yielded more DNA than petrous bones (which generated full profiles even if the DNA yield was lower) and, among almost 200 Second World War metatarsals and metacarpals analyzed, metacarpals III were found to be the highest-yielding bones. To further improve the sampling strategy in DNA analysis of aged skeletal remains, a comparison between 26 petrous bones and 30 metacarpals III from Second World War skeletons was made considering intra-bone DNA yield variability. In metacarpals III only epiphyses were sampled, and in petrous bones only the dense part within the otic capsule was used. To exclude the influence of taphonomic issues as much as possible, petrous bones and metacarpals III from a single Second World War mass grave were examined. The difference between petrous bones and metacarpals III was explored by measuring nuclear DNA yield and success of STR typing. After cleaning the samples, full demineralization extraction was used to decalcify 0.5 g of powdered bone. PowerQuant (Promega) was used to determine DNA content and DNA degradation rates, and STR typing was performed using the PowerPlex ESI 17 Fast System (Promega). Metacarpals III produced the same DNA yields and STR typing success as petrous bones with no intra-individual difference observed in concentration of DNA, degradation rate, percentage of successfully amplified alleles, and intensity of electrophoretic signals. Sampling and processing of metacarpal III epiphyses is consequently recommended for genetic identification of highly degraded skeletal remains in routine forensic casework and in buried non-commingled aged skeletal remains whenever metacarpals III are preserved. Metacarpals III are easy to sample and less prone to contamination with modern DNA because no saw is needed for sampling in comparison to the petrous portion of the temporal bone. The data obtained in this study further improve the sampling strategy for genetic identification of Second World War skeletal remains in Slovenia.

Lead in Archeological Human Bones Reflecting Historical Changes in Lead Production.

Forty years ago, in a seminal paper published in Science, Settle and Patterson used archeological and historical data to estimate the rates of worldwide lead production since the discovery of cupellation, approximately 5000 years ago. Here, we record actual lead exposure of a human population by direct measurements of the concentrations of lead in petrous bones of individuals representing approximately 12 000 years of inhabitation in Italy. This documentation of lead pollution throughout human history indicates that, remarkably, much of the estimated dynamics in lead production is replicated in human exposure. Thus, lead pollution in humans has closely followed anthropogenic lead production. This observation raises concerns that the forecasted increase in the production of lead and other metals might affect human health in the near future.