The use of strontium and barium analyses for the reconstruction of the diet of the early medieval coastal population of Gdańsk (Poland): A preliminary study

Quantified retrospective biomonitoring of fetal and infant elemental exposure using LA-ICP-MS analysis of deciduous dentin in three contrasting human cohorts

BACKGROUND

Spatial elemental analysis of deciduous tooth dentin combined with odontochronological estimates can provide an early life (in utero to ~2 years of age) history of inorganic element exposure and status.

OBJECTIVE

To demonstrate the importance of data normalization to a certified reference material to enable between-study comparisons, using populations with assumed contrasting elemental exposures.

METHODS

We used laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) of dentin to derive a history of elemental composition from three distinct cohort studies: a present day rural cohort, (the New Hampshire Birth Cohort Study (NHBCS; N = 154)), an historical cohort from an urban area (1958-1970), (the St. Louis Baby Tooth Study (SLBT; N = 78)), and a present-day Nigerian cohort established to study maternal HIV transmission (Dental caries and its association with Oral Microbiomes and HIV in young children-Nigeria (DOMHaIN; N = 31)).

RESULTS

We report Li, Al, Mn, Cu, Zn, Sr, Ba and Pb concentrations (µg/g) and qualitatively examine As, Cd and Hg across all three cohorts. Rates of detection were highest, both overall and for each cohort individually, for Zn, Sr, Ba and Li. Zinc was detected in 100% of samples and was stably present in teeth at a concentration range of 64 - 86 µg/g. Mercury, As and Cd detection rates were the lowest, and had high variability within individual ablated spots. We found the highest concentrations of Pb in the pre- and postnatal dentin of the SLBT cohort, consistent with the prevalent use of Pb as an additive to gasoline prior to 1975. The characteristic decline in Mn after the second trimester was observed in all cohorts.

IMPACT

Spatially resolved elemental analysis of deciduous teeth combined with methods for estimating crown formation times can be used to reconstruct an early-life history of elemental exposure inaccessible via other biomarkers. Quantification of data into absolute values using an external standard reference material has not been conducted since 2012, preventing comparison between studies, a common and highly informative component of epidemiology. We demonstrate, with three contrasting populations, that absolute quantification produces data with the lowest variability, compares well with available data and recommends that future tooth biomarker studies report data in this way.

Nutritional reconstruction in an early modern population: Searching for a relationship between dental microwear and bone element composition

BACKGROUND

Observing the microwear patterns of the dental crowns enamel surface can provide information on the ingredients and structure of the food consumed, but also on eating habits and lifestyle. Major role in reconstructing the diet and lifestyle of past populations is played by the analysis of alkaline earth metals, such as strontium, barium, zinc and calcium. Ba and Sr are indicators of the consumption of vegetables, plants (cereals and legumes) and marine organisms. This study aims to assess dietary diversity and identify its components based on microscopic techniques and chemical analyses of material from early modern archaeological sites in Wrocław, Poland.

METHODS

The material consisted of 36 permanent molars and the intrasternal parts of 122 first ribs, collected from 6 Wroclaw early modern cemeteries. Tooth microwear was evaluated on Scanning electron microscopy images, with Microwear 4.02 software. Bone chemical composition (Ca, P, Ba, Sr content) was evaluated with mass spectrometry.

RESULTS

Most lines were present on the teeth from St. Mary Magdalene Cemetery, with the lowest average number of lines observed on the teeth from St. Barbara Cemetery. The Ca/P ratios calculated for different sites formed two clusters that allows to distinguish two groups of archaeological sites with different bone preservation status. Number of differences in Ba/Sr, Sr/Ca, Ba/Ca ratios was found between disctinct archaeological sites. A number of correlations were found between the concentration of the chemical elements, but no statistically significant correlation was found between the microwear characteristics and the proportion of the elements studied. Some strong correlations were found between microwear features and the Ca/P ratio.

CONCLUSIONS

the different values of Sr/Ca, Ba/Ca and Ba/Sr ratios indicate different diets in the different communities. The data obtained indicate a mixed diet, with a relatively high proportion of animal products throughout Wrocław. Conclusions should be treated with caution due to secondary diagenesis. The lack of interdependence between microwear and chemical composition characteristics suggests that the two methods should be considered complementary and not overlapping, as they provide different insights into the diets of past populations. The comparison of microwear between different sites should always take into account secondary diagenesis and the burial environment, as these influence the characteristics of microwear.

At the world's edge: Reconstructing diet and geographic origins in medieval Iceland using isotope and trace element analyses

Objectives

A multi‐isotope study was conducted on individuals buried at Skriðuklaustur monastery (AD 1493–1554) to investigate their geographic origins and dietary composition. Comparative material from individuals excavated from Skeljastaðir, an inland farm site was also analyzed.

Materials and methods

Bone collagen was extracted from 50 humans (Skriðuklaustur and Skeljastaðir) and 25 animals (Skriðuklaustur) and analyzed for δ¹³C, δ¹⁵N, and δ³⁴S. Dental enamel samples from 31 individuals (Skriðuklaustur) were also analyzed for ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr, δ¹⁸O, δ¹³C, and trace elements (Pb, Sr, Zn, Ba).

Results

The mean value determined from individuals from Skriðuklaustur (n = 36) was δ¹³C = −18.7 ± 0.8‰, δ¹⁵N = 12.8 ± 1.1‰, and δ³⁴S = 9.0 ± 1.6‰, whereas at Skeljastaðir (n = 14), it was δ¹³C = −20.5 ± 0.8‰, δ¹⁵N = 7.8 ± 0.9‰, and δ³⁴S = 9.4 ± 1.6‰. At Skriðuklaustur, human dental enamel samples (n = 31) provided a ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr range of 0.7060–0.7088, δ¹⁸O_phosphate from 13.9 to 16.1‰ and δ¹³C_carbonate from −16.6 to −12.9‰. Inferred drinking water (δ¹⁸O_dw) values range from −12.3 to −8.9‰. Sr concentrations range from 25.8 to 156.7 ppm, Ba from 0.11 to 0.81 ppm, Zn from 43.8 to 145.8 ppm, and Pb from 0.13 to 9.40 ppm.

Discussion

A combination of results indicates that the people from Skriðuklaustur were born in Iceland, but some lived inland during childhood while others lived closer to the coast. Since Skriðuklaustur was a hospital, these individuals may have sought medical treatment at the monastery. The δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N values determined from bone collagen indicate that the people residing at Skriðuklaustur consumed a diet high in marine protein, while those residing at Skeljastaðir exhibit values more consistent with terrestrial resources.

Bone Regeneration Induced by Strontium Folate Loaded Biohybrid Scaffolds

Nowadays, regenerative medicine has paid special attention to research (in vitro and in vivo) related to bone regeneration, specifically in the treatment of bone fractures or skeletal defects, which is rising worldwide and is continually demanding new developments in the use of stem cells, growth factors, membranes and scaffolds based on novel nanomaterials, and their applications in patients by using advanced tools from molecular biology and tissue engineering. Strontium (Sr) is an element that has been investigated in recent years for its participation in the process of remodeling and bone formation. Based on these antecedents, this is a review about the Strontium Folate (SrFO), a recently developed non-protein based bone-promoting agent with interest in medical and pharmaceutical fields due to its improved features in comparison to current therapies for bone diseases.

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

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.

The study of barium concentration in deciduous teeth, impacted teeth, and facial bones of Polish residents

The study determines the concentration of Ba in mineralized tissues of deciduous teeth, permanent impacted teeth, and facial bones. The study covers the population of children and adults (aged 6-78) living in an industrial area of Poland. Teeth were analyzed in whole, with no division into dentine and enamel. Facial bones and teeth were subjected to the following preparation: washing, drying, grinding in a porcelain mortar, sample weighing (about 0.2 g), and microwave mineralization with spectrally pure nitric acid. The aim of the study was to determinate the concentration of Ba in deciduous teeth, impacted permanent teeth, and facial bones. The concentration of barium in samples was determined over the ICP OES method. The Ba concentration in the tested bone tissues amounted to 2.2-15.5 μg/g (6.6 μg/g ± 3.9). The highest concentration of Ba was present in deciduous teeth (10.5 μg/g), followed by facial bones (5.2 μg/g), and impacted teeth (4.3 μg/g) (ANOVA Kruskal-Wallis rank test, p = 0.0002). In bone tissue and impacted teeth, Ba concentration increased with age. In deciduous teeth, the level of Ba decreased with children's age.

Impact of strontium on skeletal deformities in Baltic cod (Gadus morhua callaris L.)

A study was conducted to examine spinal deformities such as lordosis, scoliosis, and dwarfism in cod (Gadus morhua callaris L.) that were caught in the southern Baltic. The bone tissue of the spine and the muscle of the deformed cod were analyzed for concentration of macroelements (Sr, Ca and P) and toxic metals (Cd, Pb and Hg). Healthy specimens of the same body length that were caught in the same hauls were also tested, and these comprised the reference material. The study was undertaken to verify the hypothesis that lowered values of Ca/Sr and P/Sr ratios caused skeletal deformities. Toxic metals were also tested to determine whether they had an impact on the deformities of cod inhabiting Baltic waters. In cod with deformities, a significant decrease in Ca/Sr ratios were noted in 86% of the spine and 97% of the muscle. Decreases in the values of the P/Sr ratios were confirmed in 57% of the bone tissue and 78% of the muscle tissue of individuals with skeletal deformities. Toxic metals (Cd, Pb and Hg) occurred in the bone and muscle tissues of deformed and healthy cod on the low levels. It was not differences in concentrations of these elements, and thus could not have had an impact on the occurrence of deformities. Skeletal deformities could have resulted from lowered values of the Ca/Sr and P/Sr ratios of the spinal bone and muscle tissues of cod. Lower values of these coefficients should be linked to the varied salinity (5-21‰) and strontium (5-15Bqm(-3)) concentrations of Baltic waters.

Sex differentials in frailty in medieval England

In most modern populations, there are sex differentials in morbidity and mortality that favor women. This study addresses whether such female advantages existed to any appreciable degree in medieval Europe. The analyses presented here examine whether men and women with osteological stress markers faced the same risks of death in medieval London. The sample used for this study comes from the East Smithfield Black Death cemetery in London. The benefit of using this cemetery is that most, if not all, individuals interred in East Smithfield died from the same cause within a very short period of time. This allows for the analysis of the differences between men and women in the risks of mortality associated with osteological stress markers without the potential confounding effects of different causes of death. A sample of 299 adults (173 males, 126 females) from the East Smithfield cemetery was analyzed. The results indicate that the excess mortality associated with several osteological stress markers was higher for men than for women. This suggests that in this medieval population, previous physiological stress increased the risk of death for men during the Black Death to a greater extent than was true for women. Alternatively, the results might indicate that the Black Death discriminated less strongly between women with and without pre-existing health conditions than was true for men. These results are examined in light of previous analyses of East Smithfield and what is known about diet and sexually mediated access to resources in medieval England.