Cortical bone dynamics and age‐related osteopenia in a Longobard archaeological sample from three graveyards of the Veneto region (northeast Italy)

Since the contribution of Brothwell and co‐workers in early 1968, few studies have considered the cortical bone involution in European skeletal series of archaeological interest. The present study concerns the involutive process mechanisms and intra‐ and inter‐sexual variability in femurs of 66 adults belonging to three graveyards of the Longobard era excavated in the Vicenza province (northeast Italy). Cortical thickness and cortical and medullary areas were measured and a correlation matrix was generated for each sex and age class. Intra‐ and inter‐sexual variability were evaluated by two‐tailed t‐tests and a sexual dimorphism index. The results indicate a considerable difference between the sexes, with females showing an earlier and more marked cortical bone loss, as expected. Moreover, comparing the data with the scarce literature available, some discrepancies in cortical bone involution were found in populations with different patterns of adaptation, suggesting the need for further studies in this direction aimed at understanding bone environment dynamics. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Age-dependent bone loss in the femur in a medieval population

Age-dependent bone loss in femurs in a medieval skeletal assemblage from Wharram Percy, England was studied. Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) was used to measure bone mineral density (BMD) in the proximal femur; radiogrammetry was used to measure cortical index (FEMCI) at the femur mid-shaft. Age-related loss of BMD was found in the proximal femur in both sexes. Females but not males showed loss of FEMCI. Patterning in bone loss with respect to age, sex and site in the skeleton resembled that seen in recent subjects. In this respect the results are similar to those of a previous study of metacarpal cortical bone in the same archaeological assemblage. Given the large difference in lifestyles, and that lifestyle factors are widely held to influence the severity of bone loss in osteoporosis, the similarities between the medieval and modern populations in the patterns of bone loss are surprising. These findings support those from an earlier study of these skeletons in calling into question the role of lifestyle factors in influencing the severity of bone loss in osteoporosis. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A palaeopathological study of Colles' fracture

This work is an osteological study of four cases of Colles' fracture from a 3rd–4th century AD British archaeological site. Each case was from an elderly female. Investigation of the degree of malunion suggests lack of effective reduction for these fractures. The poor anatomical outcome appears generally to have resulted in poor functional outcome; detailed anatomical study provided evidence for impairment of function of the distal radioulnar joint, ulnocarpal abutment and scapholunate diastasis, conditions which would probably have caused long‐term residual disability. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Observations on the undersurface of the skeletalized human acromion in two populations

In late life, the humeral impingement disorder becomes common due to degenerative changes in the rotator cuff which allow the proximal humerus to press against the acromion in elevation of the arm, so producing facets on the tip region of the subacromial surface and on the lateral margin of the greater tubercle of the humerus. To discover what changes occur prior to those described, 184 acromions below the age of 55 years were examined. During the 18–25 year period, the subacromial surface showed patterns of formation of surface trabeculae of new bone, some associated with union of the epiphysis or with remodelling as a response to the presence of the proximal humerus at a distance of 10–15 mm; others indicated a subacromial attachment of the coraco‐acromial ligament. As early as 30 years of age, flattening of the surface trabeculae of bone was noted in association with compression lipping of the outer margin of the greater tubercle of the humerus, the part that crosses closest to the subacromial surface during elevation of the arm. Although resembling changes found in the impingement disorder, in both populations by the age of 35 years the changes were too common to be so and were not associated with the erosive pitting of the upper surface of the tubercle regarded as the earliest bony criterion of degenerative change in the cuff. It is postulated that, in the normal shoulder joint, in raising the arm, pressure is exerted, perhaps transiently, in the subacromial bursa and adjacent soft tissues which induces the compressive changes described. Probably due to the physically arduous lifestyle of the islanders, these changes occurred earlier among them; so did (but later) cuff degeneration indicated by erosion of the humeral tubercle. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Fracture spacing during hydro‐fracturing of cap‐rocks

Layered low permeability rock units, like shales, represent seals or ‘cap‐rocks’ in a variety of geological settings. A continuous increase in the fluid pressure gradients across a virtually impermeable rock layer will ultimately lead to hydro‐fracturing. Depending on the boundary conditions, such fracturing may lead to the formation of a set of sub‐parallel cracks oriented more or less perpendicular to the cap‐rock layer. In this article, we propose a new numerical model that describes interactions between multiple cross‐cutting fractures in an elastic low permeability rock layer. The width of each fracture and the spacing between them are modeled as a force balance between the fluid pressure and the elastic forces in the cap‐rock and between each fracture. The model indicates that the system of fractures evolves toward a spatially periodic steady‐state distribution with a fixed fracture spacing and aperture. The results are similar for incompressible and compressible fluids. The steady‐state conditions depend on only two dimensionless parameters, and the fracture spacing is only weakly dependent on the cap‐rock thickness. This is in contrast to fracturing produced by simple extension of an elastic rock layer beyond the fracture strength, in which case fracture spacing is proportional to layer thickness.     

Organic Public Geographies: “Making the Connection”

Abstract: A new field of “public geographies” is taking shape ( Fuller 2008 ) in geography's mainstream journals. While much is “traditional”, with intellectuals disseminating academic research via non‐ academic outlets ( Castree 2006 ; Mitchell 2008 ; Oslender 2007 ), less visible is the “organic” work and its “more involved intellectualizing, pursued through working with area‐based or single‐interest groups, in which the process itself may be the outcome” ( Ward 2006 :499; see Fuller and Askins 2010 ). A number of well‐known projects exist where research has been “done not merely for the people we write about but with them” ( Gregory 2005 :188; see also Cahill 2004 ; Johnston and Pratt 2010 ). However, collaborative writing of academic publications which gives research participants authorial credit is unusual ( mrs kinpainsby 2008 ; although see Sangtin Writers and Nagar 2006 ). This paper is about an organic public geographies project called “Making the connection”. It is written by a diverse collection of (non‐)academic participants who contributed to the project before it had started, as it was undertaken, and/or after it had finished. This is a “messy”, process‐oriented text ( Cook et al. 2007 ) working through the threads (partially) connecting the activities of its main collaborators, including a referee who helped get the paper to publication.