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Biological and Physical Anthropology Commons

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Doctoral Dissertations

Human identification

Publication Year

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Full-Text Articles in Biological and Physical Anthropology

An Exploration Of The Effects Of Taphonomy On Isotope Ratios Of Human Hair, Tiffany Bivens Saul Aug 2017

An Exploration Of The Effects Of Taphonomy On Isotope Ratios Of Human Hair, Tiffany Bivens Saul

Doctoral Dissertations

Isotope analyses of human remains have been conducted with growing frequency over the past thirty years in anthropology, in both archaeological and forensic contexts. Analyses of isotope ratios of elements such as carbon, nitrogen, hydrogen, oxygen, and strontium from teeth, bones, and hair have provided information regarding individual diet and geographic movement during different life stages. Hair grows at a predictable rate and provides a serial recording of diet and travel history for the weeks and months just prior to death. What has not been systematically studied is whether postmortem decompositional changes to the body have an effect upon isotope …


An Investigation Of Diabetes Mellitus In Postmortem Human Remains, Shannon Elizabeth May Aug 2014

An Investigation Of Diabetes Mellitus In Postmortem Human Remains, Shannon Elizabeth May

Doctoral Dissertations

Diabetes mellitus is one of the most prevalent and significant metabolic diseases impacting modern human populations. The goal of this research is to explore several analytical methods to better appreciate how diabetes impacts the skeleton, and to determine if this effect can be recognized in postmortem remains. Anthropologists are tasked with elucidating the relationship between nutrition, metabolism, growth, development, and skeletal health. Diabetes represents a crucial point of interface between these factors. Furthermore, as the percentage of diabetics increases in the general population, so will their representation in forensic cases. This study will provide tools for identifying characteristics of diabetes …