Occupational loading is a significant risk factor for back pain and vertebral joint disease. Although biomechanical principles predict that spinal loading is affected by body proportion, particularly with differences in upper to lower body measurements, these differences have not previously been investigated in anthropometrical studies. This research is innovative as it aims to provide a functional explanation for vertebral pathology through the use of biomechanical models and the study of biometric data from documented skeletal samples. Particular emphasis is placed on occupation and occupational health in the 18th and 19th Century silk weaving community. Appendicular and axial measurements were recorded along with the presence and severity of vertebral osteophytes. Ratio variables were created in order to investigate the biomechanical models. The frequency of vertebral osteophytosis was determined in relation to sex and age-at-death. Statistical analyses were performed with regards to age-at-death and both vertebral osteophytosis and the metric measurements, as well as between sex and the metric variables. The association between vertebral osteophytes and the metric variables was also analysed. A significant interaction was observed between age-at-death and both vertebral osteophytes and the metric measurements, which was subsequently controlled for in the statistical analyses. In males, vertebral osteophytes in the lower thoracic and lumbar spine were associated with greater skeletal measurements, while those in the cervical and mid thoracic region were related to smaller dimensions. In females, osteophytes were for the most part associated with larger measurements. The analyses of the ratio variables showed that vertebral osteophytes were significantly associated with larger upper to lower body dimensions in males. The skeletal measurement results suggest that there was either an ergonomic constraint in the working environment, possibly as a result of equipment size and/or operation, or a propensity towards specific occupations being linked to body size, which is supported by contemporary accounts. The ratio variable results substantiate the predictions of the biomechanical models that a greater upper to lower body size ratio is associated with increased spinal loading.

Methadone is increasingly involved in drug overdose cases and the molecular actions of the drug in vivo are largely unknown requiring elucidation. This study set out to examine the relationship between methadone toxicity and CYP2B6 and mu (μ) opioid receptor (OPRM1) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Using SNP genotyping, the association between OPRM1 A118G and CYP2B6 T750C, G516T, and A785G variations and post-mortem methadone concentrations were investigated. The allele frequencies of OPRM1 and CYP2B6 variants were then studied in a control population of live non-methadone using subjects, to determine the prevalence and distribution of specific variations in post-mortem and living subjects. Further in vitro study was conducted to assist in interpreting the association between OPRM1 and CYP2B6 variations and individual susceptibility to methadone. Cloning strategies were designed for the studies of promoter activities affected by the T750C promoter SNP on CYP2B6 expression, and the role of the OPRM1 A118G variation for receptor internalisation following methadone treatment was investigated. A significant association was identified between high post-mortem methadone concentrations and G561T and A785G (CYP2B6*6) variations reflecting poor methadone metabolism. Furthermore, the OPRM1 A118G SNP significantly correlated with higher post-mortem methadone concentrations and the in vitro analysis of A118G indicated that this could be due to a reduction in receptor internalisation in 118 AG subjects. The findings from the research contribute to pre-determining, in part, individual susceptibility to methadone accumulation and toxicity. Specific screening to identify CYP2B6*6 and OPRM1 A118G carriers prior to addiction treatment could therefore be valuable as part of a cost-effective risk management strategy. Furthermore, CYP2B6*6 and A118G could be used to interpret toxicology results identifying subjects with poor metabolism.

It has recently been recognised that concepts of health contain multiple dimensions. One area that has received little attention in archaeology is that of health and well-being, so this research seeks to contribute to this area of study. It does so by investigating healthiness in the late Iron Age and Romano-British periods. The literature review explores current thinking around this topic, and confirms that aspects of good health mattered to people in the past. The research explores small finds that are traditionally associated with personal use (mirrors, combs, glass unguent containers, bronze cosmetic grinders and other additional toilet items) from the main urban-type settlements of south-east Britain. The investigation included collecting data concerning the sites, contexts, dates, materials, types, forms, colours and decoration ofthese objects, and any associated archaeological remains found with these items. Given the social nature ofthis work, a contextual approach was central to the design. The research takes an interpretive interdisciplinary position that draws on theoretical models based on the self and other, the body and face, the senses and perception, as well as concepts from material cultural studies, such as agency. Patterns seen in the data-set coupled with theoretical frameworks, and understandings of late Iron Age and Roman life, are brought together, and offer a means of interpreting how and why some of these small finds contributed to practices ofmaintaining good health. These proposals include healthiness in personhood and domestic and public life, in religion and the control of healthiness.