The Stegodon Bonebed of the Middle Pleistocene Archaeological Site Mata Menge (Flores, Indonesia): Taphonomic Agents in Site Formation

The Middle Pleistocene fluvial channel site of the Upper Fossil-bearing Interval at Mata Menge in the So’a Basin, Flores, Indonesia, has yielded the earliest fossil evidence for Homo floresiensis in association with stone artefacts and fossils of highly endemic insular fauna, including Stegodon, giant rats, crocodiles, Komodo dragons, and various birds. A preliminary taphonomic review of the fossil material here aimed to provide additional context for the hominin remains in this bonebed. Analysis was performed on two subsets of material from the same fluvial sandstone layer. Subset 1 comprised all material from two adjacent one-metre square quadrants (n = 91), and Subset 2 all Stegodon long limb bones excavated from the same layer (n = 17). Key analytical parameters included species and skeletal element identification; fossil size measurements and fragmentation; weathering stages; bone fracture characteristics; and other biological and geological bone surface modifications. Analysis of Subset 1 material identified a highly fragmented assemblage with a significant bias towards Stegodon. A large portion of these bones were likely fractured by trampling prior to entering the fluvial channel and were transported away from the death-site, undergoing surface modification causing rounding. Subset 2 material was less likely to have been transported far based on its limited susceptibility to fluvial transport. There was no significant difference in weathering for the long limb bones and fragments, with the highest portion exhibiting Stage 2 weathering, indicating that prior to final burial, all material was exposed to prolonged periods of surface exposure. Approximately 10% of all material have characteristics of fracturing on fresh bone, contributing to the taphonomic context for this bonebed; however insufficient evidence was found for anthropogenic modification.

Photobiomodulation of fresh bone marrow aspirate for regenerative therapy

Use of mesenchymal stem cells and low-level laser therapy (LLLT) have been widely studied to promote bone healing. evaluate effect of photobiomodulation on total number of cells (TNC) and cell viability (CV) of fresh bone marrow aspirate (BMA). Femur BMA from 10 adult rats was collected and a cell concentration of 1x107 cell/mL was obtained. Cell suspension was deposited on 96 well cell culture plates and distributed in groups: 1) RPMI, positive control; 2) Distilled Water, negative control; 3) Red Laser (RL); 4) Infrared Laser (IRL). Groups RL and IRL received LLLT application right after incubation. Cells were incubated for 24 h. TNC and CV were assessed through trypan blue assay after 1, 3, 6, 10 and 24 h of incubation. Data distribution was verified by Shapiro-Wilk test. Kruskal-Wallis test was used for intergroup and intragroup comparisons (p<0.05). TNC: after 1 and 3 h, groups RL and IRL presented significantly higher TNC than Group Water; after 6 and 10 h, groups RPMI, RL and IRL presented significantly higher TNC than Group Water. CV: after 1 h, groups RL and IRL showed significantly higher percentage of VC than Group Water; after 3, 6 and 10 h, all groups presented significantly higher percentage of VC than Group Water. It can be concluded that LLLT enhanced number and viability of fresh bone marrow aspirate cells.

Ablation of Bone Tissue by Femtosecond Laser: A Path to High-Resolution Bone Surgery

Femtosecond lasers allow for high-precision, high-quality ablation of biological tissues thanks to their capability of minimizing the thermal loads into the irradiated material. Nevertheless, reported ablation rates remain still too limited to enable their exploitation on a clinical level. This study demonstrates the possibility to upscale the process of fs laser ablation of bone tissue by employing industrially available fs laser sources. A comprehensive parametric study is presented in order to optimize the bone tissue ablation rate while maintaining the tissue health by avoiding excessive thermal loads. Three different absorption regimes are investigated by employing fs laser sources at 1030 nm, 515 nm and 343 nm. The main differences in the three different wavelength regimes are discussed by comparing the evolution of the ablation rate and the calcination degree of the laser ablated tissue. The maximum of the ablation rate is obtained in the visible regime of absorption where a maximum value of 0.66 mm3/s is obtained on a non-calcined tissue for the lowest laser repetition rate and the lowest spatial overlap between successive laser pulses. In this regime, the hemoglobin present in the fresh bone tissue is the main chromophore involved in the absorption process. To the best of our knowledge, this is the highest ablation rate obtained on porcine femur upon fs laser ablation.

Peri-Implant Bone Damage Procured by Piezoelectric and Conventional Implant Site Preparation: An In Vitro Comparison

Background: The conventional drill technique is the most commonly used for the implant site preparation of the desired diameter and length. Ultrasonic implant site preparation (UISP) can also be used to perform an implant site preparation of the desired dimensions. Methods: Implant sites were prepared in fresh bone ribs with two different implant site preparation techniques: implant surgical drills and piezoelectric tips. Samples were analyzed with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for evaluating the peri-implant bone damage. Result: In the surgical drills group, the cortical bone surface showed several cracks and the bone vascular canals were hidden by a dense smear layer. Cancellous bone showed large irregularities and trabecular fractures. The piezoelectric group showed a clean and smooth cortical bone surface with opened bone vascular canals; the cancellous bone presented a regular morphology, and the trabecular spaces, clearly visible, were free of debris. Conclusions: Ultrasonic implant site preparation showed cleaner bone surfaces and lower bone trauma compared with the preparation using implant surgical drills.

Case study: The Traditional Management of Elbow Joint Dislocation

Sri Lanka practice the well-established traditional medicine system. Among these, Murivu nerivu (Fracture and dislocation) is esteemed external therapy practicing by the traditional bone healers in Sri Lanka. This case study carried out in the Koddai kallar, Batticaloa district, Sri Lanka. Every day about 90% of the fresh bone fracture and dislocation and 10% of cases those who are failure from the western hospital are treated by healer. aim of the study is carried out to reveal the diagnosis, management method and medicine which are used to cure the murivu nerivu. Patient was selected who had acute elbow dislocation, the observation up to 41 days. The management plan started with application of herbal paste. Naivezhai (Cleome viscosa) plant is used as an antimicrobial and bone remodeling agent. Then applied the Pattu (Medicinal paste) and oil that also contain bone healing property. From this study able to understand the reunion of the dislocation without any deformity and also people widely accept the healers due to the low cost. The clinic is run by Mr. S. Rajendren (3rd generation of the family) who is gained the knowledge and experience through his forefathers.

Assessment of the Defatting Efficacy of Mechanical and Chemical Treatment for Allograft Cancellous Bone and Its Effects on Biomechanics Properties of Bone

Background To assess the defatting efficacy of high pressure washing and gradient alcohol and biomechanical properties of defatted bone. Methods Fresh cancellous bone was obtained from the femoral condyle and divided into 6 groups according to different defatting treatments, which were high pressure washing for 10 seconds (10S group), 20 seconds (20S group), 30 seconds (30S group), gradient alcohol immersion (Alcohol group), acetone immersion (Acetone group), and non-defatted (Fresh group). The appearance of 6 groups was observed, comparing the appearance difference between defatted bone and fresh bone. The residual lipid content and infrared spectrum were used to compare the efficacy of defatting, the DNA content was used to compare the cell content after defatting, and the maximum stress and elastic modulus were used to compare the effects of defatting treatment on biomechanical properties. Results The fresh bone was yellow and the pores contained a lot of fat. The defatted bone was white and the porous network was clear. No difference in residual lipid content among the three groups under high pressure washing (1.45 ± 0.16%, 1.40 ± 0.13%, 1.46 ± 0.11%, respectively) ( p = 0.828). No difference in residual lipid content among the 10S, alcohol, and acetone groups (1.45 ± 0.16%, 1.28 ± 0.07%, 1.13 ± 0.22%, respectively) ( p = 0.125). Infrared spectra showed that the fat content of the five defatting groups was significantly lower than that of the fresh group. No difference in residual lipid content among the three groups under high pressure washing (4.53 ± 0.23ug/ml, 4.61±0.18ug/ml, 4.66 ± 0.25ug/ml, respectively) ( p = 0.645). No difference in residual lipid content among the 10S, alcohol, and acetone groups (4.53 ± 0.23ug/ml, 4.29 ± 0.24ug/ml, 4.27±0.29ug/ml, respectively) ( p = 0.247). The maximum stress of the bone decreased significantly with the increase of the washing time (9.95 ± 0.31Mpa, 9.07 ± 0.45Mpa, 8.17 ± 0.35Mpa, respectively) ( p = 0.003). The elastic modulus of the bone decreased significantly with the increase of the washing time (116.40 ± 3.54Mpa, 106.10 ± 5.29Mpa, 95.63 ± 4.08Mpa, respectively) ( p = 0.003). There was no statistical difference in the maximum stress between the fresh group, the 10S group, the alcohol group and the acetone group (10.09 ± 0.67Mpa, 9.95 ± 0.31Mpa, 10.11 ± 0.07Mpa, 10.09 ± 0.39Mpa) ( p = 0.963). There was no statistical difference in the maximum stress between the fresh group, the 10S group, the alcohol group and the acetone group (119.93 ± 4.94Mpa, 116.40 ± 3.54Mpa, 118.27 ± 0.85Mpa, 118.10 ± 4.52Mpa) ( p = 0.737). Conclusion The results of this experiment indicate that the defatting efficiency was satisfactory at a time of 10 seconds under high pressure washing. High pressure washing and gradient alcohol were similar to conventional acetone solvent extraction defatting.

Assessing the Function of Palaeolithic Hearths: Experiments on Intensity of Luminosity and Radiative Heat Outputs from Different Fuel Sources

Assessing the function of Palaeolithic hearths is a key research issue that can benefit from the application of experimental archaeology when examining whether the behaviourally related purposes of fire, e.g. heat, light and cooking, could be correlated with combustion features in the archaeological record. Not all species of wood and types of fuel burn the same way. Variability exists in the amount of ash and smoke produced, along with differences in speed of burning and outgoing light and heat. This paper examined the light and heat properties of nine different types of fuels (eight individual species of wood and fresh bone) by assessing intensity of luminosity and radiative heat outputs using a lux metre and thermal imaging camera. Results show that there is considerable variation between bone and wood in terms of light and heat output and between the individual species of wood. In order to assess whether heat efficiency may vary seasonally, experiments were performed overnight and repeated at ambient air temperature ranges of 11 to 13 and 0 to 3 °C. Results show that in the current data set fuels that emit lower to intermediate heat outputs could be more efficient at colder temperatures in terms of warmth. This represents a preliminary step forward towards attributing behaviourally relevant functions such as light and heat to Palaeolithic combustion features with regard to fuel selectivity.