The present research seeks to assesses the presence and prevalence of two distinct dental pathologies: linear enamel hypoplasia and caries in an ancient Maya juvenile subsample from Altun Ha, Belize spanning the Preclassic (ca. 600 B.C.) through the Terminal Classic (ca. 900 A.D.) periods. Teeth offer a remarkable wealth of information about the human experience in the past. Developmental and post-eruption pathology can provide insight into cultural and evolutionary processes by illuminating social and biological factors such as diet, weaning, illness, and overall health that manifest in observable changes to the composition of teeth. In addition, growth and developmental stages of juveniles provide an ideal framework in which to qualify paleopathological research. From a biological standpoint, high ante-mortem resistance to physiological stress and post-mortem preservation make teeth ideal for analyses of pathology in archaeological contexts. For the analysis of the Altun Ha juvenile subsample, a cohort approach is used in the presentation and discussion of results. Discrete pathologies are analyzed based on age cohorts, individual, tooth type, tooth surface location, and archaeological time period. The results indicate an increase in prevalence of pathology concurrent with increasing dental age as well as a predisposition to pathology among specific tooth types and locations on the crown surface and within the dental arcade as well as temporal shifts in pathology prevalence. These analyses demonstrate the importance of assessing juveniles within the archaeological record with emphasis on the transitory developmental stages experienced by children.

Before reaching adulthood, every individual experiences a period of dependency, the juvenile period, during which they rely on the older, more experienced members of their society for their security, subsistence and care. This juvenile period is an important stage of life for human physical and physiological development. In bioarchaeology, there has been limited research conducted on juveniles, particularly, the development of their own social identity and influences. The research method of stable carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) isotope analysis is used to reconstruct the paleodiet of juveniles to determine their dietary composition. Specifically, this research is focused on Kuelap, located in the highlands of Peru, a large settlement inhabited from 900-1535 AD, including pre-Inca (900-1469 AD) and Inca periods (1470-1535 AD). The primary aim of this research is to determine if juveniles consumed different foods through different time periods. Another aim of this research is to determine if juveniles were treated differently than their adult counterparts. Bone collagen samples, primarily ribs, from 32 juveniles were analyzed. The average δ13C value for the pre-Inca juveniles was –13.1‰, and –13.4‰ for the Inca period juveniles. There was no statistically significant difference in δ13C values between juvenile groups or between adult and juvenile subsamples. The average δ15N for the pre-Inca juveniles was +8.1‰ and +7.8‰ for the Inca period juveniles. The Mann-Whitney U test determined there was not a statistically significant difference in δ15N values between the juvenile burial groups; however, there was a statistically significant difference between the juvenile and adult subgroups. The findings suggest that there may have been preferential treatment toward or metabolic stressors on the juvenile. The results of this study offer insights to availability of dietary components, societal roles based on developmental age stages, and the potential role of parenting in Kuelap.

Increasing rates of overweight, obesity, and related metabolic diseases documented among refugee communities across the United States necessitate greater attention to how processes of integration impact refugee health. These nutritional health trends (e.g., increasing rates of obesity) suggest potential disconnects between refugees' past environments and their conditions after re-settlement, which may contribute to adverse changes in energy balance (diet and exercise). While Bhutanese refugees were among the largest refugee groups entering the US during the five years leading up to this research, very few studies have examined how they have responded to integration and the impact of this transition on their health. Grounded in human adaptability and political economic theories, and adopting a biocultural approach, this dissertation investigates how Bhutanese refugees in “Prospect City” (pseudonym) negotiate changing and unfamiliar structural and sociocultural conditions after resettlement and the consequences for energy balance and nutritional status. The results reveal high rates of overweight and obesity compared to US averages. Age and caste related differences in nutritional status were also found. High rates of overweight and obesity corresponded with an energy imbalance due to over consumption of energy dense traditional foods and limited understanding of the importance of regular exercise. Over consumption of energy dense traditional foods stemmed from several interrelated factors: the abundance of foods in the US, prior experiences with food deprivation, a history of political exile that reinforced desires to preserve cultural food preferences, and joint family efforts to accommodate work-related time constraints by increasing food production and availability. Decreases in exercise appeared to stem from more sedentary lifestyles in the US as a result of work environments and available transportation, coupled with a lack of health knowledge regarding health benefits of physical activity. This dissertation’s findings are being reported to Prospect City’s Bhutanese Community Organization to help develop strategies for improving nutritional health in the community.

The Avar were nomadic people from Central Asia who migrated into the Carpathian Basin in Central-Eastern Europe during the mid to late Migration Period (AD 568 - 895). Archaeological evaluation of grave goods and documentation of mortuary practices have been the primary means of understanding the Avar. However, this approach has largely neglected skeletal and biochemical analysis, in particular as these approaches relate to the biological variation, ancestry, and dietary patterns of the Avar. There remains debate as to whether disparities existed among the socially stratified Avar population of ancient Hungary. It is argued by some that these disparities existed and were the result of differential access to nutritional resources. This hypothesis was tested using the unique properties of isotopes and their chemical signatures. In so doing, the qualitative work on the grave goods was augmented by an additional, quantifiable line of evidence. To investigate social stratification among the Avar population, the techniques of chemical multi-isotope and osteological analysis were employed. Multi-isotopic analyses can be done on stable isotopes (carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen) and on the heavy isotopes (strontium and lead). The particular stable isotopes examined were carbon (δ13C), nitrogen (δ15 N), and oxygen (δ18O). The heavy isotopes analyzed were strontium (87Sr/86Sr) and lead (206Pb/204Pb). Stable isotope analysis as well as ratio analysis of the heavy isotopes strontium (87Sr/86Sr) and lead (206Pb/204Pb) are well-established analytical chemistry methods for examining diverse aspects of diet and mobility through specific geographic regions. The analysis was performed on samples derived from well-preserved tooth enamel and bones. Reconstructing migration and dietary patterns at the Sajópetri cemetery site has helped estimate variability among social groups and between sexes in this population at the time of the Migration Period. Results of the heavy isotope analysis revealed that the Avar population were non-locals to the region, and the stable isotope analysis demonstrated that there was little variation between social groups with slightly higher variation between sexes. This research provides an empirical and analytical framework for further research into migration patterns and social class dynamics of late prehistoric Hungry. This study also adds existing research possibilities to the on-going biogeochemical studies conducted throughout Europe.

Studies in human cranial variation are extensive and widely discussed. While skeletal biologists continue to focus on questions of biological distance and population history, group-specific knowledge is being increasingly used for human identification in medico-legal contexts. The importance of this research has been often overshadowed by both philosophic and methodological concerns. Many analyses have been constrained in their scope by the limited availability of representative samples and readily criticized for adopting statistical techniques that require user-guidance and a priori information. A multi-part project is presented here that implements model-based clustering as an alternative approach for population studies using craniometric traits. This project also introduces the use of forced-directed graphing and mixture-based supervised classification methods as statistically robust and practically useful techniques. This project considers three well-documented craniometric sources, whose samples collectively permit large-scale analyses and tests of population structure at a variety of partitions and for different goals. The craniofacial measurements drawn from the world-wide data sets collected by Howells and Hanihara permit rigorous tests for group differences and cryptic population structure. The inclusion of modern American samples from the Forensic Anthropology Data Bank allows for investigations into the importance of biosocial race and biogeographic ancestry in forensic anthropology. Demographic information from the United States Census Bureau is used to contextualize these samples within the range of the racial diversity represented in the American population-at-large. This project's findings support the presence of population structure, the utility of finite mixture methods to questions of biological classification, and the validity of supervised discrimination methods as reliable tools. They also attest to the importance of context for producing the most useful information on identity and affinity. These results suggest that a meaningful relationship between statistically inferred clusters and predefined groups does exist and that population-informative differences in cranial morphology can be detected with measured degrees of statistical certainty, even when true memberships are unknown. They imply, in turn, that the estimation of biogeographic ancestry and the identification of biosocial race in forensic anthropology can provide useful information for modern American casework that can be evidenced by scientific methods.

Increasing rates of overweight, obesity, and related cardiovascular diseases among older adults in the United States present unique public health challenges. Cross-cultural research has shown marked variation in health across the world’s elder populations because aging is a biological process rooted in sociocultural context. The sociocultural environment contributes to complex negotiations of food and physical activity patterns for older adults. It is well established in the literature that urban residents report low levels of physical activity and have easy access to fast food outlets, which tend to be concentrated in lower-income neighborhoods. I utilize a biocultural framework, integrating nutritional anthropology with healthy aging perspectives to recognize the role of the social determinants of health throughout the lifespan. This anthropological study integrates qualitative and quantitative methods to answer the following research question: What is the relationship between the sociocultural factors that shape diet, physical activity, and nutritional status among Alaskan elders in Anchorage? The results indicate that diet and physical activity practices in this sample do not meet national recommendations and that diet differs adversely from national reference samples. Statistical analyses indicate that the media and friends positively influenced older adults to increase their energy expenditure. Family influences increased fruit consumption, while participation in cultural and social events increased intake of fats and sweets. Cultural identity was an important factor for Alaska Native participants’ dietary selections. Social supports increased access to healthy foods and safe physical activities. This research suggests that trying to reach older adults with diverse needs through a variety of channels, including the media, social networks, and social events, can help alleviate some of the barriers to healthy diet and exercise patterns. These data indicate a need for culturally-responsive programs that maintain relationships with family members and make connections between elders with similar healthy aging goals in order to improve diet and physical activity practices.

The present study evaluates two fetal individuals (B532 and B625) from the Kellis 2 cemetery (Roman period circa A.D. 50 A.D. 450), Dakhleh Oasis, Egypt, that display skeletal anomalies that may explain their death. Both individuals exhibit bowing of the long bones in addition to other skeletal deformities unique to each individual. To assess these pathologies a differential diagnosis based on the congenital occurrence of long bone bowing is developed. Long bone bowing is selected because it is the more prevalent abnormality in the paleopathological literature and the other abnormalities are not as easily identifiable in the literature. For the purposes of this study, the differential diagnosis is defined as a process of comparing the characteristics of known diseases with those shared by an archaeological specimen, in the anticipation of diagnosing the possible condition. It is expected that the differential diagnosis will assist in providing a thorough assessment of each skeleton and yield a possible diagnosis for the condition(s). Macroscopic and radiographic analyses are used to document and examine the bone abnormalities for each individual and compare the results with the developed differential diagnosis. Results suggest that the bent long bones of B532 were caused by osteogenesis imperfecta whereas the cause of the bent long bones of B625 is not clear. Further analyses of B625, including the pathologic abnormalities of its skull, suggest that the neural tube defect iniencephaly with associated encephalocele was the likely cause of the observed skeletal abnormalities. The abnormalities of the long bones complicate estimations of the age-at-death of these two individuals, thus the pars basilaris bone was used to assess age estimation. A population sample of 37 Kellis 2 fetal individuals allowed for the development of linear regression formulae of the pars basilaris measurements for long bone length estimates and a comparison of which would provide the most accurate age estimate. Finally, the diagnoses of the fetal specimens are considered in relation to the cultural aspects and disease pattern of the Kellis 2 cemetery

<p>This thesis presents the findings of a study carried out in brothels in Khon Kaen, Thailand. The study examined efforts of the "voiceless" sex workers to organize in order to increase their control over decision-making processes. It also analyzed the difficulties, social forces, structures and ideologies which maintain an inequitable distribution of power. The broader aim was to clarify the notion of people's participation in order to make it operationally more useful with respect to AIDS prevention intervention to sex workers. A technocratic approach to issues of AIDS prevention and control among sex workers was rejected. The study embraced a number of complementary activities including: situation analysis of AIDS in the Thai context, specifically in the northeast, ethnographic study of the sex industry, and participatory action research.</p> <p>This study was initiated in late 1991 and completed in 1993. It was carried out in six brothels in downtown Khon Kaen. The study occurred in 4 phases: 1) situation assessment in which historical and documentary analysis were utilized ethnographic research on sex workers which served as a basis for constructing culturally appropriate interventions, 3) participatory action research emphasizing self determination of sex workers on AIDS prevention and control, and 4) evaluation of this "experiment." The research attempts to balance "classic ethnography" and "applied participatory research" to an AIDS prevention program for sex workers in Thailand. It was carried in collaboration with health professionals, landlords, pimps, and sex workers. Groups met and worked together in brothels to discuss the findings. Results were also presented to local health authorities.</p> <p>This study illustrates the opportunities for and the formidable difficulties of participation by sex workers in Thailand. Without strong support for non-formal AIDS education and self determination by sex workers, there is little chance that they can negotiate safe sex and make decisions concerning AIDS prevention.</p> / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

This study couples biological data with aspects of material culture and mortuary ritual for several sites within the proposed Coosa chiefdom described by sixteenth-century Spanish accounts to explore how cultural identities were actively constructed and maintained within the region. The primary goal is to examine regional interactions between these communities and their constructions of social identity and sociopolitical dynamics vis à vis their biological affinities. Questions regarding regional interactions between these groups have been a stimulus for archaeological debate. These interactions may have played a crucial role in the construction of separate cultural identities. What is not clear is to what extent differences in cultural identity reflect or are related to differences in biological relationships. The skeletal samples used in this study represent six Late Mississippian archaeological sites assigned to three archaeological phases: the Dallas Phase, Fains Island (40JE1), Cox (40AN19), and David Davis (40HA301) sites; the Mouse Creek Phase, Ledford Island (40BY13) site; and the Barnett Phase, King (9FL5) and Little Egypt (9MU102) sites. Twenty-seven dental and 22 cranial nonmetric traits were recorded for 923 individuals. Biological affinities were calculated using the Mahalanobis D2 statistic for the cranial and dental non-metric traits. Biological Distance measures were compared to a geographic matrix to examine isolation by distance between the sites. Further analysis was conducted by constructing an R matrix to examine levels of heterogeneity. Comparisons between biological distance and geographical distances suggest that the samples used in this analysis do not conform to the expected isolation-by-distance model. Furthermore, East Tennessee groups appear distinct from their North Georgia neighbors suggesting little biological interaction between these groups. The results of the biological distance analysis conforms to differences in material culture and mortuary ritual between these groups. The results suggests that if there was a political alliance within the region for this period it is not associated with biological relatedness nor did it act as a unifying force for individual communities’ cultural identity.

This thesis examines the social impact of wildlife conservation nonprofits (WCNs) in the United States and Ecuador. Cultural developments of environmentalism provide the social context for WCNs, informing trends in participation and conflict. WCNs rely on public support and engagement to advance their mission, which requires an image of legitimacy and healthy organizational culture. This thesis argues the relationship between WCNs and the public impacts their organizational sustainability and their success as a conservation institution.