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Teleosauroid thalattosuchians were a clade of semi-aquatic crocodylomorphs that achieved a broad geographic distribution during the Mesozoic. While their fossils are well documented in Western European strata, our understanding of teleosauroids (and thalattosuchians in general) is notably poorer in Central-Eastern Europe, and from Poland in particular. Herein, we redescribe a teleosauroid rostrum (MZ VIII Vr-72) from middle Oxfordian strata of Załęcze Wielkie, in south-central Poland. Until now, the specimen has been largely encased in a block of limestone. After preparation, its rostral and dental morphology could be evaluated, showing the specimen to be a non-machimosaurin machimosaurid, similar in morphology to taxa Neosteneosaurus edwardsi and Proexochokefalos heberti. The well-preserved teeth enable us to study the specimen feeding ecology through the means of comparing its teeth to other teleosauroids through PCoA analysis. Comparisons with inferred closely related taxa suggest that the referred specimen was a macrophagous generalist. Notably, MZ VIII Vr-72 displays a prominent pathological distortion of the anterior rostrum, in the form of lateral bending. The pathology affects the nasal passage and tooth size and position, and is fully healed, indicating that, despite its macrophagous diet, it did not prevent the individual from food acquisition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(1) Background: The elemental composition of teeth can provide an estimate of environmental exposure to heavy metals. The aim of this study was to analyze the possibility of using teeth in the biomonitoring of environmental exposure to heavy metals as an indicator of contaminants present in the human residential environment. (2) Methods: The research materials were 110 samples of extracted teeth. The samples were taken from people living in three areas in the province of Silesia. The concentrations of cadmium, lead, and mercury in the samples were determined. (3) Results: The results of the chemical analysis of the collected samples showed a significant variation in the concentrations of heavy metals (Cd, Pb, and Hg) in the analyzed teeth. Furthermore, the mean concentrations of the analyzed heavy metals in the teeth varied according to the patient's place of residence, the type of tooth analyzed, the presence of caries in the patient, and the smoking or non-smoking status of the patient. (4) Conclusions: The results of the chemical analysis of the teeth of inhabitants of three cities in the most polluted region of Poland indicate that they can be used as an indicator of environmental exposure to cadmium, lead, and mercury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents historical and evolutionary insights into the "tarpan" group of small horses by examining molar tooth enamel ultrastructure. Mathematical methodologies were applied to enhance the analysis. Tooth enamel from species such as Equus gmelini (tarpan), E. latipes, and E. hydruntinus from Pleistocene Ukrainian localities, E. przewalskii from the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone in Ukraine, and E. caballus form sylvaticus (Polish konik) from Roztocze National Park, Poland, underwent scanning microscope examination. Measurements of enamel structures, including prisms (PE) and interprismatic matrix (IPM), were conducted, with the K-index used as their ratio, categorized by enamel type (I, II, III). The findings confirmed that the crystal structures of enamel in these horse groups vary based on genus evolution, diet, and environmental conditions, shaping the enamel's morphological features. Through analysis, clusters were identified, allowing for potential reconstructions of relationships among study groups. The results revealed distinct differences between species, enabling their classification within an established phenogram. Two primary clusters emerged: one consisting of extinct small horse forms from diverse localities and another grouping modern forms. Notably, the Late Pleistocene European species E. latipes showed close affinities to the latter cluster. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objects made of osseous materials are extremely rare in the urnfield burial contexts dated in SW Poland to the late Bronze and early Iron Age (ca. 1300–550 BCE). That may be the result of the cremation process which made the bone/antler artefacts fragmented and difficult to distinguish from human bones, usually densely packed in ceramic urns. We compare data about 95 specimens from four urnfields (Dunino [2], Jarząbkowice [1], Wicina [1], Sękowice [5]) and one bi-ritual cemetery (Przeczyce [76]). The analysis of micro traces showed that these usually simple and small objects were manufactured both with flint and metal tools. The observation of their colour and surface alterations suggests they were exposed to high temperatures, probably cremated together with the bodies, and then carefully deposited in the urns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Oral diseases, including dental problems, are of great significance in domestic animals. Disorders involving tissue localised in the teeth, periodontium, gums or tongue can be associated with pain and loss of appetite. It is particularly prominent in predatory animals such as cats. One of the most prominent dental diseases in that animal species is tooth resorption (also known as odontoclastic resorptive lesion). The disease is associated with damage of the tooth tissue that eventually leads to tooth loss. We have analysed dental charts of 174 cats diagnosed with tooth resorption. The changes were most often noted in premolar and molar teeth. We have not found correlations between the severity of the disease and clinical symptoms shown by the animals, but the disease progressed with animals' age. Based on the obtained results, we indicated the need of a careful dental examination with intraoral radiography in cats and especially in animals showing any signs of oral disease, even in cases with preserved appetite. Feline tooth resorption (odontoclastic resorptive lesion) is a common and important issue in veterinary dentistry. This study aimed to analyse the disease's severity and correlation with clinical information in the population of feline patients in Poland in the area of Lower Silesia. An analysis of the clinical charts of 174 cats with dental problems, which were diagnosed as tooth resorption, was conducted. The gender and breed had no influence on the disease severity, but the disease progressed with age. The lesions were mostly encountered within the third and fourth maxillary premolars (107, 108, 207, 208) and mandibular molars (309, 409). No direct correlation was found between the presence or severity of the disease and the clinical signs of affected cats. The study shows that feline tooth resorption is a common issue in feline dentistry and should be taken into account in all cases of animals with any signs of oral disease, including gingivitis and/or dental plaque with preserved appetite. A careful intraoral radiographic examination is essential to avoid false negative results in ambiguous cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Owadów-Brzezinki palaeontological site is known for its very well-preserved fossils of Late Jurassic vertebrates, such as numerous fossil fish teeth and occasional dental bones. Some of these represent well-studied taxa, including the most common large predatory fish, with notable examples of caturoids (such as Strobilodus sp.) and pachycormids (Orthocormus teyleri). The current study presents the microstructure and histological features of the teeth of the selected specimens of the above taxa. They are determined through examinations of tooth cross-sections under thin microscopic observations and by the usage of scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The above inspections, combined with aspects of external tooth morphology, allowed us to determine the palaeoecology of the aforementioned taxa of large predatory fish. It is concluded that examined Caturoidea displayed a rather homogenous dentition belonging to the intermediate cut/slash guild, characterized by an internal orthodentin histology with prominent incremental Andresen growth lines of differing form, indicating living in a highly variable, unstable environment. The teeth of pachycormid specimen (O. teyleri) can be characterized as having denteon-based orthodentin histology, with a rapid rate of tooth eruption and a heterodont, elongated specialist dentition of the piercing guild. The observed structural differences in the teeth suggest a different niche distribution between the taxa studied. They help to explain how these predatory ray-finned fishes may have coexisted both in the local environment of the Owadów-Brzezinki and in the wider, more global context of Late Jurassic shallow marine environments. In addition, the tooth samples are characterised by pronounced surface bioerosion with traces of Mycellites ossifragus durophagous fungal activity, indicating an intense bioerosion caused by these microorganisms after the death of the fish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Owadów-Brzezinki is currently one of the most promising Upper Jurassic sites in Central Poland, with a wide array of both vertebrate and invertebrate fossil fauna present. The discoveries of large-bodied marine reptiles fossils such as ichthyosaurs, turtles, and marine crocodylomorphs attracted attention to the location. A particular Mesozoic marine group, plesiosaurs, remained to be found, and in this report, we note four isolated teeth with distinguishing apicobasal ridging pattern and elongated, conical shape characteristic for plesiosaurians. The outcomes of the Principal Coordinates Analysis (PCoA) of the largest and most complete tooth specimen ZPAL R.11/OB/T4 enabled us to confirm its classification as Plesiosauroidea. This discovery affirms the importance of the site as the area of mixing between Boreal and Tethyan faunas, expanding the broad spectrum of fossil taxa found in this location. Together with previous findings of plesiosaur material in a nearby region, it provides the evidence for the presence of Plesiosauroidea in Owadów-Brzezinki Lägerstatte. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Permian fishes and their isolated microremains are known from many localities in the Zechstein Basin. However, up to date the vertebrates have never been revealed in the southeasternmost part of this ancient sea. The new material consists of euselachian-type dermal denticles,? Listracanthus sp. dermal denticle,? Omanoselache sp. tooth, actinopterygian scales and actinopterygian teeth. Here, the detailed study of euselachian and actinopterygian remains, their stratigraphic distribution and geographical contexts is presented. Based on the qualitative analysis of teeth shapes several ecomorphotypes were described as well as the probable dietary preferences of fishes were reconstructed. These finds confirmed existence of small predators who fed on soft bodied prey as well as durophagous forms which were feeding on small shelly crustaceans or molluscs. The analysis of stratigraphic distribution of microremains, and their comparison with neighbouring sections revealed a spatially correlatable trend in increasing abundance of fishes in the more clayey parts of sections, interpreted to be positively associated with a sea level transgression event. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Middle Triassic remains a poorly understood time in the evolution of land vertebrates. Here, we report a new Ladinian-age vertebrate assemblage from Miedary (southern Poland). It consists of more than 20 taxa including fish (four species of Hybodontiformes, cf. Gyrolepis, Redfieldiiformes, 'Thelodus', Saurichthys, Serrolepis, Prohalecites, Ptychoceratodus), amphibians (Mastodonsaurus, Gerrothorax, Plagiosternum, chroniosuchian Bystrowiella), and reptiles (Owenettidae, Blezingeria, Nothosaurus, Tanystropheus, an additional, yet unidentified tanystropheid, the doswelliid Jaxtasuchus, and another archosauromorph, as well as eight archosauriform tooth morphotypes). Preliminary comparisons suggest biogeographic and environmental similarities with roughly contemporaneous localities known from the southwestern part of the Germanic Basin. Among differences in these two areas are the presence of a new armored archosauromorph and a surprising abundance of Tanystropheus remains in the new Polish site. Miedary is currently the richest source of three-dimensionally preserved Tanystropheus material in the world, which will be crucial for a better understanding of the preferred environment and lifestyle of this highly specialized reptile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mosasaur remains from Poland are very rare and are restricted mostly to the Campanian and Maastrichtian. The only currently known pre-Campanian records come from the Turonian strata in the Opole area, southwestern Poland. One of them is a single tooth which probably belongs to a yaguarasaurine while the other is an incomplete vertebra, for many years considered lost. The latter specimen has recently been found and is redescribed in this article. Its most characteristic feature is a strong dorsoventral compression of the articular surfaces. This is similar to the condition observed in basal mosasauroids such as halisaurines and tethysaurines. Unfortunately, due to its incompleteness, the rediscovered specimen cannot be confidently referred to any of these clades and can only be described as a probable non-mosasaurine, nonplioplatecarpine, non-tylosaurine mosasauroid. Despite its uncertain phylogenetic position, it is important from a historical point of view and as only the second record (and the only bone record) of mosasauroids from the Turonian of Poland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carnivores make traces on bones with their teeth when feeding. A true predatory bite trace (predichnia) forms when a predator catches and kills its prey or attempts to do so. Both predators and scavengers may leave their nonpredatory feeding traces during postmortem food processing. Despite the interpretative uncertainties as to the ethology such ichnofossils may represent, the bite traces have been traditionally classified as predichnia—traces of predation. Previously, there was no alternative ethological category available for workers to classify them. The present paper fills that gap and describes tooth-made ichnofossils from the continental Upper Triassic Grabowa Formation of southern Poland. It discusses modes the serration and striations might have formed along Linichnus edges, potential makers of the trace fossils, feeding strategies, and food-processing behaviors the ichnites may represent. All the bite traces are thought to act as a record of carnivorous behaviors and are classified as sarcophagichnia, a new ethological category (traces of feeding on a body). Finally, all the studied bite traces were likely inflicted postmortem and are classified as necrophagichnia (traces of feeding on an already dead body), most likely produced by scavengers in the studied cases. Data on recent carnivores link these ichnites with postmortem food-processing behaviors, such as dismembering and defleshing. Scavenging could, in fact, have been a preferred carnivorous feeding strategy in the seasonal Norian climate of the area. Dry seasons could have perhaps increased vertebrate mortality rates and provided plenty of carcasses for carnivores to feed on. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The new exposure of the Upper Muschelkalk clays and dolomites located south of Kalety (Tarnogórski District, Silesia, Poland) provided numerous remains of vertebrates represented by teeth, scales, long bones, and coprolites. Despite the influence of hydrothermal processes leading to dolomitization and Zn-Pb deposit formation, the preservation of fossil remains is good. The taxonomic diversity and accumulation of vertebrate debris in the dolomite are similar to other "bone beds" from the Muschelkalk and the Lower Keuper units. The SEM-EDS, EMP-WDS, and XRD analyses confirm that the examined remains consist of hydroxylapatite containing carbonate ions. Most vertebrate teeth as well as some bone fragments show zoning in the BSE imaging. In tooth cross-sections, three or two zones are preserved: (I) the outermost zone, associated with diagenetic mineralization of enameloid apatite, (II) a intermediate zone (orthodentine), and (III) the most porous internal zone (osteodentine). Decreasing P, Ca, Sr in the composition of the apatite which forms successive zones, is visible from the most external to the central part. Selective diagenetic substitution and adsorption of some elements by apatite crystals can allow recognition of the genetic origin of highly damaged or transported fragments scattered in the sedimentary layers. The chemical behavior of bioapatite, from deposition to digenesis, shows its useful role for identification of the formation process and potential, younger changes (e.g., hydrothermal overprint). The X-ray diffraction data, particularly cell parameters "a" and "c", can determine the degree of crystallinity and/or diagenesis. Moreover, correlation between some elements/ions (e.g., Sr, Ba, Ca, Mg, F, OH) can be helpful for the identification of the fossil type, especially if the bones are small and incomplete. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent discoveries of Mammaliamorph teeth in the Keuper of southern Poland have extended the global record of eucynodonts in the Late Triassic and revealed a significant diversity of the group at that time. Here, we expand on this record with the description of new cynodont postcanine teeth from the Krasiejów bone bed. They show the dental morphology typical for Dromatheriidae, with a single root and crown without cingulum. We assigned them to Polonodon woznikensis, described from Woźniki. None of the 38 teeth from Krasiejów and Woźniki exhibit signs of serious wear, potentially indicating a very fast rate of tooth replacement in Polonodon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The late Permian time was a transformative period before the most severe mass extinction known. Even though fishes constitute a key component of marine ecosystems since the Silurian, their biogeographic patterns during the late Permian are currently insufficiently known. The new ichthyofaunal material described here comes from the southeastern part of the Zechstein Basin, from the calcareous storm sediments alternating with marls, which were deposited in less energetic conditions. Chondrichthyans and osteichthyans are reported here for the first time from the Nowy Kościół quarry in the SW Poland. The assemblage consists of various euselachian dermal denticles, actinopterygian scales and teeth, and isolated hybodontoid tooth putatively assigned as extremely rare ?Gansuselache sp. from the Permian. The diverse actinopterygian tooth shapes show significant ecological differentiation of fishes exploring sclerophagous, durophagous, and herbivory modes of feeding in the given part of the Zechstein Basin suggesting the presence of complex ecosystems even in hyper-saline conditions of an epicontinental sea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Basking sharks are presented in the modern fauna by a single species (Cetorhinus maximus), although they have been much more diverse in the past. This group of sharks first appeared in the fossil record in the middle Eocene of the Antarctic and the U.S.A., but most of the described extinct taxa are known from the Oligocene and lower Miocene of Europe. Gill rakers are the most abundant among basking shark remains and their morphological details play an important role in species diagnostics. The shape of isolated gill rakers from 16 Oligocene localities of Poland was analyzed using various morphological approaches, including geometric morphometrics. Results indicate that descriptive characters have a wide range of variation and low diagnostic value, and they are associated directly with the position of gill rakers on the gill arch. Morphological indices describe proportions by discrete structures and could be effective only in the identification of the stratigraphically most distant taxa. Geometric morphometrics revealed significant differences between all of the species designated earlier except for †Caucasochasma zherikhini and †Keasius parvus. At the same time, considering the obtained results on morphology along with the geographic distance, Oligocene basking sharks from Poland should be assigned to †K. parvus. Geometric morphometrics of gill rakers supports the taxonomic distinctness of both †K. rhenanus and †K. septemtrionalis. Study results indicate that reliable taxonomic attribution of extinct basking sharks by the shape of gill rakers, in the absence of other skeletal elements (teeth and/or vertebrae), should be sample-based using multivariate approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bicuspid, tricuspid and tetracuspid postcanine teeth of a new non-mammaliaform eucynodont, Polonodon woznikiensis gen. et sp. nov. from the mid-late Carnian (early Late Triassic) of Woźniki clay-pit, Silesia (southern Poland) show incipient root division. They are similar to teeth of Dromatheriidae from the Carnian (early Late Triassic) to the Rhaetian (late Late Triassic) of Europe, India, and USA and the dentition of brasilodontids from the early Norian (mid Late Triassic) of Brazil. The P. woznikiensis teeth differ from those of the latter group mostly in the absence of cingulum. Some of the new fossils from Silesia provide the oldest Laurasian record of eucynodont teeth with the main cusp (a) anterior edge very long as the mesial cusp b is placed much lower than cusp c (distal). The contemporaneous Alemoatherium huebneri, from Gondwana, had similar postcanines. The findings from Poland indicate that this postcanine morphology was present in non-mammaliaform cynodonts from both hemispheres as early as the mid-late Carnian. The distal end of the humerus from the same locality is also described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among various types of biological materials used in the assessment of the risk of fluoride (F) exposure, special importance is given to mineralized tissues which reflect long term accumulation of F. The aim of the present paper is to investigate F concentration in dentin of permanent teeth of residents of Poland in relation to environmental factors. The study material consisted of teeth (incisors, canines, premolars, and molars) from 74 residents of Poland, extracted due to medical reasons with the exception of dental caries. Following teeth extraction, the patients were asked to complete a questionnaire concerning date of birth (before or after the cessation of drinking water fluoridation in Poland in 1995), use of F-containing toothpaste in oral hygiene, and consumption of F in certain food products. Determination of F content in teeth was conducted using the potentiometric method. There were significant differences in F concentration in dentin of patients born before or after the year 1995. The use of F-containing toothpaste was found to have a significant effect on F content in dentin. The study did not confirm significant differences between frequency of marine fish and tea consumption and an increase of F content in dentin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A sample of late Viséan limestone from the Włodawa IG-4 borehole, east of Lublin, Poland, yielded a piece of a tooth and a few hundred well-preserved scales comparable to those of "Ctenacanthus" costellatus Traquair, 1884 from Glencartholm, Scotland, UK. Most of the scales are typical compound body scales of the ctenacanthid type. Their crowns are composed of several separate odontodes whose distal ends are turned backwards and bases are characterised by concave undersides. In the material, there are also sparse scales with similar crowns but with flat or convex bulbous bases, as well as ornamented plates and single, star-like denticles, probably from the head region. The taxonomic status of "Ctenacanthus" costellatus was analysed and a new generic name for that species, viz. Glencartius gen. nov., is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new assemblages of Mississippian pelagic chondrichthyan microremains were recovered from the pelagic limestone of the area of Krzeszowice, NW of Kraków, Poland. The older assemblage represents the upper Tournaisian of Czatkowice Quarry and the younger one the upper Viséan of the Czernka stream valley at Czerna. The teeth of symmoriiform Falcatidae are the major component of both collections. A comparison of the taxonomic composition of the assemblage from Czerna (with the falcatids and Thrinacodus as the major components) to the previously published materials from the Holy Cross Mountains (Poland), Muhua (southern China), and Grand Canyon (Northern Arizona, USA) revealed the closest similarity to the first of these, probably deposited in a deeper water environment, relatively far from submarine carbonate platforms. A short review of Mississippian falcatids shows that the late Viséan-Serpukhovian period was the time of the greatest diversity of this group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the first comprehensive multi-isotopic data on human and animal remains from the Final Neolithic Corded Ware culture (ca. 2900–2300 cal. BC) in south-eastern Poland. The study focused on communities of two settlement areas located in the Małopolska Upland and in the Subcarpathian region. Carbon and nitrogen isotopes of bone collagen were investigated to obtain insights into human dietary preferences, whereas the strontium isotope composition of human tooth enamel was used to trace the mobility and provenance of individuals. Sr isotope data point to a non-local origin of at least one-quarter of the investigated individuals in the Subcarpathian region, consistent with associated allochthonous grave inventories of eastern or western origins. In contrast, all investigated individuals in the Małopolska Upland were of local origin. Furthermore, our study shows an example that the use of fauna for the assessment of the local 87Sr/86Sr range of an archaeological site can lead to incorrect conclusions and suggests that a detailed Sr isotopic survey of the geological background and its hydrologic elements is necessary to provide conclusive constraints for the identification of local and non-local individuals in prehistoric communities. Carbon and nitrogen isotope composition of bone collagen indicate an omnivorous diet that included C3-based terrestrial plant and animal resources, in which plant food dominated. In both regions, there were no significant sex differences in dietary intakes. Higher δ15Ncoll values of younger infants presumably reflect the effect of weaning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brachauchenine pliosaurids were a cosmopolitan clade of macropredatory plesiosaurs that are considered to represent the only pliosaurid lineage that survived the faunal turnover of marine amniotes during the Jurassic-Cretaceous transition. However, the European record of the Early to early Late Cretaceous brachauchenines is largely limited to isolated tooth crowns, most of which have been attributed to the classic Cretaceous taxon Polyptychodon. Nevertheless, the original material of P. interruptus, the type species of Polyptychodon, was recently reappraised and found undiagnostic. Here, we describe a collection of twelve pliosaurid teeth from the upper Albian-middle Cenomanian interval of the condensed, phosphorite-bearing Cretaceous succession at Annopol, Poland. Eleven of the studied tooth crowns, from the Albian and Cenomanian strata, fall within the range of the morphological variability observed in the original material of P. interruptus from the Cretaceous of England. One tooth crown from the middle Cenomanian is characterized by a gently subtrihedral cross-section. Similar morphology has so far been described only for pliosaurid teeth from the Late Jurassic and Early Cretaceous. Even though it remains impossible to precisely settle the taxonomic distinctions, the studied material is considered to be taxonomically heterogeneous. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the creation of the Polish Genetic Database of Victims of Totalitarianism and the first research conducted under this project. On September 28th 2012, the Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin and the Institute of National Remembrance-Commission for Prosecution of Crimes against the Polish Nation agreed to support the creation of the Polish Genetic Database of Victims of Totalitarianism (PBGOT, www.pbgot.pl). The purpose was to employ state-of-the-art methods of forensic genetics to identify the remains of unidentified victims of Communist and Nazi totalitarian regimes. The database was designed to serve as a central repository of genetic information of the victim's DNA and that of the victim's nearest living relatives, with the goal of making a positive identification of the victim. Along the way, PGBOT encountered several challenges. First, extracting useable DNA samples from the remains of individuals who had been buried for over half a century required forensic geneticists to create special procedures and protocols. Second, obtaining genetic reference material and historical information from the victim's closest relatives was both problematic and urgent. The victim's nearest living relatives were part of a dying generation, and the opportunity to obtain the best genetic and historical information about the victims would soon die with them. For this undertaking, PGBOT assembled a team of historians, archaeologists, forensic anthropologists, and forensic geneticists from several European research institutions. The field work was divided into five broad categories: (1) exhumation of victim remains and storing their biological material for later genetic testing; (2) researching archives and historical data for a more complete profile of those killed or missing and the families that lost them; (3) locating the victim's nearest relatives to obtain genetic reference samples (swabs), (4) entering the genetic data from both victims and family members into a common database; (5) making a conclusive, final identification of the victim. PGBOT's first project was to identify victims of the Communist regime buried in hidden mass graves in the Powązki Military Cemetery in Warsaw. Throughout 2012 and 2013, PGBOT carried out archaeological exhumations in the Powązki Military Cemetery that resulted in the recovery of the skeletal remains of 194 victims in several mass graves. Of the 194 sets of remains, more than 50 victims have been successfully matched and identified through genetic evidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the status of permanent teeth in children aged 6-8 years from the Bialystok District, Poland. Material/Methods: 542 children aged between 6 and 8 years from Bialystok and the surrounding area were included in the study. The dental examination was conducted by one calibrated examiner in the school setting with the use of an artificial light, a dental mirror and a periodontal probe in accordance with the WHO guidelines. The Decayed Missed Filled Teeth (DMFT) and the Significant Caries Index (SiC) indices were used to evaluate the status of permanent teeth. Results: The mean DMFT index for the whole group was 0.33±0.85. It was 0.09±0.39 for 6-year-old children, 0.32±0.77 in 7-year-olds and 0.5±1.07 in 8-year-olds. The highest mean number of decayed teeth (DT) was observed in 7-year-old children (0.14±0.46). In every age group, the FT component was greater than DT. The mean number of teeth with fissure sealant varied from 0.57±1.15 to 1.22±1.59 depending on age. The SiC index was 0.25, 0.95 and 1.48 in 6-, 7- and 8-year-old children, respectively. Conclusions: The status of permanent teeth in the surveyed population of 6-8-year-old children living in the Bialystok District was better than in the previous studies. The study confirmed that the majority of caries is concentrated in a small group of subjects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One hundred and four skeletons of adult individuals representing Neolithic populations of the Brześć Kujawski group of the Lengyel Culture (Kuyavia, central Poland, 4600-4000 BC) were analyzed with regard to evidence of nonalimentary tooth use, periapical lesions and antemortem tooth loss (AMTL). Instances of nonalimentary behaviors were found in 47.1% of females and 27.5% of males. Females were primarily characterized by occlusal grooves on the incisors and canines, most probably resulting from yarn production or weaving. The most frequent defect in males was severe tooth wear extending from the incisors to first molars, caused by some hard-to-identify nonalimentary activities. Occlusal grooves were also found in males, but their morphology indicates processing of some coarser material. The occupational nature of the tooth defects has been confirmed by archaeological data. The only two burials with grave goods indicative of craft specialization at the sites studied contain the remains of individuals with marks of nonalimentary tooth use. Moreover, the sites provide unequivocal evidence of weaving and basketry production in the form of loom weights and imprints of cloth and mats. Periapical lesions have been found in 40.4% of males and 35.6% of females, and AMTL in 32.1% of males and 36.7% of females. Individuals with evidence of nonalimentary tooth wear are characterized both by ahigher incidence of these lesions in general, and by their more frequent location in the anterior part of the alveolar arch. Am J Phys Anthropol, 2011. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Callovian and Oxfordian strata in Ogrodzieniec near Zawiercie, southern Poland, have yielded two shark tooth assemblages that collectively include 14 neoselachian taxa. A previously unrecognised member of the Orectolobiformes, Akaimia altucuspis gen. et sp. nov., is described and characterised by a dentition remarkably similar to modern wobbegong sharks (Orectolobidae) by convergence. The assemblages also include the first anterior teeth ever found of the palaeospinacid ‘ Synechodus’ prorogatus Kriwet, in addition to teeth from two other palaeospinacids, Sphenodus spp., four different orectolobiforms, two hexanchids and Protospinax spp. These shark tooth assemblages contribute to the poorly known Callovian and Oxfordian neoselachian faunas and indicate that the diversity was higher than previously appreciated, particularly within the Orectolobiformes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here, we provide a detailed taxonomic reassessment of a historically collected chondrichthyan dental assemblage from the lower Kimmeridgian of Czarnogłowy in north-western Poland and discuss its significance for better understanding hybodontiform diversity patterns prior to their post-Jurassic decline in fully marine environments. In spite of its low taxonomic diversity, consisting of four large-toothed taxa (viz., Strophodus udulfensis, Asteracanthus ornatissimus, Planohybodus sp. and cf. Meristodonoides sp.), this assemblage is remarkable in that there are only very few Mesozoic hybodontiform assemblages with more large-toothed genera or even species. Comparisons with other European Late Jurassic hybodontiform-bearing localities demonstrate fairly homogenous distribution patterns characterized by large-bodied epipelagic forms of high dispersal ability. This is in stark contrast to post-Jurassic hybodontiform associations, which are dominated by smaller species that were predominantly bound to marginal marine and continental waters, suggesting a major reorganization of chondrichthyan communities during the Early Cretaceous. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This work presents the results of a research concerning the copper content in different types of deciduous teeth (incisor, canine, molar) of boys and girls living in the Upper Silesian Industry Region (Southern Poland). The average copper concentration in deciduous teeth was 9.92 μg/g and was significantly higher in the deciduous teeth of boys (12.24 μg/g) in comparison to the deciduous teeth of girls (8.60 μg/g). The concentration of copper was statistically variable depending on the type of tooth (incisor, canine, molar). The results of the correlation analysis and cluster analysis indicate mainly the participation of lead, iron, manganese and chromium ions in the formation of copper content in hard tissue of deciduous teeth. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Concentrations of 11 metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb, Zn, Na, K, Ca, and Mg) were assayed in the teeth of two populations of the Silesian region. The first group ( n = 83) comprised the residents of Katowice–Szopienice, a town located in the center of the Upper Silesian industrial region, in close proximity to a Pb plant, whereas the other was a group of residents of the agricultural community Strumień ( n = 44). The concentrations of all the trace metals were found to be higher in the teeth of Katowice–Szopienice residents. The methods of cluster analysis distinguished two clusters of metals in the teeth: essential (Ca, Na, Mg, Zn, and K) and trace (Cd, Mn, Cr, Cu, Fe, and Pb) elements. Euclidean distances reflected the differences in concentrations between the two groups. The results obtained were analyzed using principal component analysis. Four principal factors accounted for 68.1% of the total variance for Katowice–Szopienice residents and for 80.1% for Strumień residents. The first factor showed high contributions of Cu and Cr, elements present in humans as a result of diet, and also Mn for Katowice–Szopienice residents because of environmental contamination. The second factor was characterized by large Zn and Cd fractions and, for Katowice–Szopienice residents, Pb and K as well. The diversified exposure of both populations was reflected by the differences in Euclidean distances and contribution of particular elements with respect of principal components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The content of heavy metals in mineralised dental tissues is an indicator of the exposure of their mineral phase to heavy metals during the time of tooth development and dental tissue formation. Therefore, teeth have been used as bio-indicators which accurately reflect the environmental or dietary exposure of animals and humans to heavy metals. This study follows from the earlier work in which it was demonstrated that the teeth from bank voles inhabiting various environmentally polluted and non-polluted forests in Southern Poland were reliable indicators of exposure to heavy metals. Using analytical techniques employed in the earlier study heavy metal concentrations were obtained in the teeth of bank voles trapped in 1998–2000 to determine if efforts to clean up the environment could be detected in changes in heavy metal concentrations in the teeth. The results show that these efforts are reflected in lower concentrations of heavy metals in the teeth but that cross border contamination remains a problem. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The last biomonitoring study in Poland on intoxication with fluoride compounds of deer was conducted almost two decades ago. Given the fact that fluoride level in air and water is not widely monitored in Poland, it is justified to undertake monitoring of F- levels in people and other long-lived mammals. This paper provides the assessment of the present level of fluoride accumulation in mineralized tissue of large herbivorous mammals. The aim of the present study was to determine fluoride concentration in teeth of deer inhabiting the areas of Poland which are industrially uncontaminated with fluoride compounds, to establish possible correlations between the analysed parameters, and to provide a comparison of the present results with those obtained in other studies. Mean concentration of fluoride in all analysed samples amounted to 231.0 F mg/kg, with the minimum value of 22.0 F mg/kg and the maximum of 935.0 F mg/kg. This results from the development of industry and a widespread use of fluoride-supplemented caries prevention products which contributes to an intense accumulation of these substances in vertebrates, predominantly in mineralized tissue., (Copyright© by the Polish Academy of Sciences.)

The Pleistocene lion Panthera spelaea was not a homogenous taxon; it was represented by three chronoforms. The oldest one, from the Early and Middle Pleistocene, was P. s. fossilis , the youngest was the Late Pleistocene cave lion P. s. spelaea. The intermediate form between them was P. s. intermedia. The scarcity of stratigraphically old lion made it difficult to understand the evolution of this carnivore. Therefore, we revised the fossil material of the Pleistocene lion from Polish excavation sites. The analysis revealed the presence of P. s. fossilis in 7 sites: Tunel Wielki, Południowa, Wschodnia, Draby, Biśnik, Deszczowa and Wierzchowska Górna caves. The remains from these localities significantly differed in their average size and teeth proportions from the nominate younger chronoform, i.e. the cave lion. Using this material and all other available data, we compared the lion remains grouped into four palaeoclimate periods: MIS 17-12, MIS 11-9, MIS 8-6 and MIS 5-2. We found significant time-related trends in many morphometric features of dentition and limb bones. Between the first two periods, the lion became larger but from MIS 8, it gradually decreased in size. The teeth showed a much greater rate of changes than the metapodial bones, which in turn were characterised by more heterogeneous and mosaic evolution. The changes observed in the fossil material can result from in situ evolution of lion populations occupying Europe or immigration and replacement of the native forms by those from other regions, for example Asia. • P. s. fossilis differs from P. s. spelaea in larger size and teeth proportions. • Remains of P. s. fossilis are known in Poland from Tunel Wielki, Południowa, Draby, Biśnik and Wierzchowska Góra caves. • Dental features occurred more diagnostic and demonstrated more significant differences than the tarsal and metapodial bones. • The largest fraction of statistically discriminative traits had canine, P4, p4 and interestingly metatarsus V. • Generally, most measurements decreased over time, which indicates that the lion became smaller. • The limb bones usually increased in size and thickness, which could be relate to the better adaptation to confrontation with large preys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enamel hypoplasias constitute the best indicator of mineralization disturbance, resulting from environmental stress. The aim of the study was to determine the frequency of the enamel hypoplasia in historical population and compare the results to date from other research on historical and contemporary groups. The distribution of hypoplasia was determined in complete and partial human dentitions from a two 17th-18th century series: from Krakow and from Krasiczyn. Both sites are located on south of Poland. Thirty four adults and twenty six no adults from Krakow and twenty four adults and eleven no adults from Krasiczyn, divided into five different age groups, were studied. In Krakow population altogether 1130 (1047 permanent and 83 deciduous) were examined macroscopically. The number of examined teeth from the individuals from Krasiczyn was 500 (351 permanent and 149 deciduous). Hypoplastic defects were scored according procedure proposed by Steckel et al. in Global History of Health Project. Among individuals from Krakow the frequency of hypoplastic defects was 42.03% (linear defects 37.96%, pits and grooves 4.07%). In Krasiczyn population the frequency of linear hypoplastic defects was 20.7%. The rate of hypoplastic defects in Krakow was relatively high, a much higher than in Polish contemporary populations. Among individuals from Krasiczyn the hypoplastic defects occur rarely than in other historical samples. The data indicate significantly greater frequencies of enamel hypoplasia in Krakow population compared to the population from Krasiczyn. It can be concluded that the stress level in Krakow population was higher than in Krasiczyn population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]