Cementochronology and sex: A reappraisal of sex-associated differences in survival in past French societies.

The objective of the present study is to test our general knowledge of sex-specific survival differences in past northern France societies by implementing the tooth cementum annulations method of age estimation (i.e., cementochronology) to bio-archaeological series.

The leprosarium of Saint-Thomas d'Aizier: The cementochronological proof of the medieval decline of Hansen disease in Europe?

This study compares the adult survivorship profiles of people interred in the Saint-Thomas d'Aizier leprosarium, estimated by cementochronology, to eight archaeological series in northern France dated from Late Antiquity to the Late Middle Ages, periods of significant visibility for Hansen's disease (leprosy). The goals are to understand the impact of leprosy on various social groups and to explore the cause of leprosy's decline by analyzing male and female fertility. Survival rates differed between medieval leprosy-free sites and the Saint-Thomas d'Aizier leprosarium, although this difference was statistically significant only for the female leprosarium sample.

The impact of periodontal disease on cementochronology age estimation.

Estimating an individual's age at death is essential for post-mortem identification, paleopathology and paleodemography. With substantial development over the past 10 years in cementochronology analyses, some concerns have arisen that oral pathological conditions may artificially reduce or increase cementum apposition. The objective of this study was to observed the impact of periodontal disease on acellular cementum and on the reliability of cementochronology to test its accuracy for estimating individual age at death.

Cementochronology, to cut or not to cut?

One of the continuing problems in paleopathology and paleoepidemiology is an inability to accurately age adult skeletons. Accurate age estimations are critical to the proper evaluation of population health and are necessary in circumventing certain aspects of the osteological paradox. Cementochronology is most likely the only age indicator in anthropology that directly considers a continuously growing tissue and does not require either complex statistical manipulations or the use of a reference population.

Addressing Therapeutic Options for Ebola Virus Infection in Current and Future Outbreaks.

Ebola virus can cause severe hemorrhagic disease with high fatality rates. Currently, no specific therapeutic agent or vaccine has been approved for treatment and prevention of Ebola virus infection of humans. Although the number of Ebola cases has fallen in the last few weeks, multiple outbreaks of Ebola virus infection and the likelihood of future exposure highlight the need for development and rapid evaluation of pre- and postexposure treatments.