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Background: There are few reported cases in the literature of spinal injuries from the past, and all of them resulted in the death of the individual or led to severe health consequences. From the historical record, it is well known there were no cures or treatments for spinal lesions in the past. Given the paucity of historical documents focused on this topic, anthropological research on spinal injuries can contribute with important information regarding the medical history of this kind of trauma. Moreover, skeletal trauma and occupational markers may be crucial for the reconstruction of habitual behaviors and the identification of causes and timing of death. We report results of an anthropological study of a case of vertebral injury discovered in an individual from the Italian Iron Age that highlights this important topic. The aim of this study was to assess the habitual activity pattern and manner of death of an ancient inhabitant of Spina in Padanian Etruria (northeastern Italy)., Methods: We performed a detailed anthropological and paleopathological analysis of skeletal remains., Results: The unknown individual was identified as a middle-aged man characterized by a particular trauma to the spine. Lesion analysis revealed a perimortem injury at the L2-L3 level. Characteristic markers on the bones indicated intense physical activity carried out during his life., Conclusions: This Etruscan, in all likelihood a sailor according to the occupational markers, did not survive a stabbing attack with a bladed weapon., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

In a forensic context, identification of skeletal injuries' and traumas' timing may be of fundamental relevance to understand the events related to the life and death of an individual. In this study, we propose a new evaluation form to facilitate the detection of traumas and interpret them as ante-, peri- or post-mortem injuries. We describe the use of this form with the analysis of two skeletonized individuals. Bone injuries on their skeletons were caused by diverse sharp weapons and differed for the timing they have occurred, as revealed by macroscopic, radiographic and microscopic assays. Thanks to its completeness and user-friendly approach, the evaluation form here proposed may greatly facilitate the analysis and interpretation of injuries found on skeletons under forensic investigation., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Trepanation is one of the most ancient and applied surgical treatments; several archaeologically documented cases are known, dated back from prehistory to the Middle Ages. This case study reports the anthropologic analysis of the skeletal remains of a young medieval woman and a fetus (Imola, Italy). The fetal remains were laid between her pelvis and lower limbs. A perforating injury was observed to her frontal bone. After assessing biologic profiles, we attempted to interpret the injury and to reconstruct possible circumstances of death. The lesion seems commensurate with a surgical intervention; signs of an osteogenic reaction were detected at its edges. It can be hypothesized that the survival of the woman undergoing the surgery was approximately 1 week and the fetus extruded after the burial. Thus, this case represents a unicum, spreading more light on the history of neurosurgery during the Early Middle Ages in Europe., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Legg-Calvé-Perthes is a very rare disease involving childhood osteochondrosis of the femoral head due to interruption of its blood supply. The etiology is unknown. The signs of the pathology are well described in the literature but few paleopathological cases have been reported, mostly dating from Late Antiquity to Early Middle Ages. Here we report on morphometric and radiological analyses of a skeleton from the Etruscan necropolis of Spina (Ferrara, Italy, 6th-3rd century BCE), to our knowledge the most ancient case of Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease published thus far., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Plague has been responsible for two major historic pandemics (6th-8th century CE; 14th-19th century CE) and a modern one. The recent Malagasy plague outbreaks raised new concerns on the deadly potential of the plague-causing bacteria Yersinia pestis. Between September 2014 and April 2015, outbreaks of bubonic and pneumonic plague hit the Malagasy population. Two hundred and sixty-three cases, including 71 deaths, have been reported in 16 different districts with a case fatality rate of 27%. The scope of our study was to ascertain whether the risk factors for health in modern-day populations exposed to plague and in ancient populations that faced the two historic pandemics varied or remained substantially unaltered., Methodology: The risk of mortality of the Malagasy population with those obtained from the reconstruction of three samples of European populations exposed to the historic pandemics was contrasted., Results: The evidence shows that the risks of death are not uniform across age neither in modern nor in historic populations exposed to plague and shows precise concentrations in specific age groups (children between five and nine years of age and young adults)., Conclusions: Although in the post-antibiotic era, the fatality rates have drastically reduced, both modern and historic populations were exposed to the same risk factors that are essentially represented by a low standard of environmental hygiene, poor nutrition, and weak health systems.

Childhood overweight and obesity have increased in recent decades, reaching alarming proportions. Children with a migrant background seem to be particularly at risk of developing overweight and obesity. This article provides an overview of the prevalence of overweight or obesity among North African (NA) children living in their own countries or as immigrants in Europe. The aim is to show the effect of the migration process on this trend and to discuss its possible contributing factors. Publications were identified by a systematic search of PubMed and the existing literature. Original longitudinal or cross-sectional studies on the prevalence of childhood and adolescent overweight and obesity and of physical activity among ethnic groups from North Africa compared with the native population were reviewed. The results confirmed that children of NA origin in Europe have higher levels of overweight and obesity than the native ones, especially girls. However, this trend can also be detected in urban areas of NA countries. Important factors contributing to the increase of overweight and obesity among children and adolescents are discussed, in particular the westernization of eating habits, the level of physical activity and body image perception. The review shows that factors linked to acculturation in the host society and others maintained from the country of origin come into play in determining childhood overweight and obesity among NA immigrants in Europe. The importance of health promotion targeting the groups most at risk of childhood overweight and obesity, i.e. aspects of a healthy diet and the benefits of physical activity, is underlined., (© The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. All rights reserved.)

Spondylolisthesis consists of the slippage of a vertebra in relation to the one beneath. It is caused by separation of the neural arch from the vertebral body (spondylolysis), and predominantly occurs at the isthmus (pars interarticularis). Originally thought to be a congenital anomaly, its strict correlation with certain activities that seem to exert stress on lower spine was later demonstrated. This paper describes a case of progression of spondylolysis to spondylolisthesis found on an adult female skeleton from the Etruscan necropolis of Spina (Ferrara, Italy). The case in question was identified among 209 skeletons exhumed at Spina. As spondylolisthesis is strictly connected with activities that exert stress on lower spine, the evidence suggests that this woman was engaged in stressful physical activity, perhaps related to the specific trade function of the site.

Background: Recent studies have shown that body image perception is an important factor in weight control and may be influenced by culture and ethnicity. The aim of the present study was to assess the relationship between immigrant status of the mother and weight status and body image perception of the child., Methods: In total, 2706 schoolchildren (1405 boys and 1301 girls) aged 8-9 years and their mothers participated in a cross-sectional survey in Emilia-Romagna region (northern Italy). Weight and height of the children were measured and Body Mass Index (BMI) was calculated. Actual and ideal body image perception by the children and by the mothers with respect to their children was evaluated according to Collins' body image silhouettes., Results: The BMI values were significantly lower in children of immigrants than in children of Italian mothers (F:17.27 vs 17.99 kg/m²; M:17.77 vs 18.13 kg/m²). The prevalence of overweight/obesity was lower, and the prevalence of underweight higher, in children of immigrant mothers than in those of Italian mothers (overweight- F:21.3 vs 29.1%; M. 28.3 vs 31.4%; underweight- F:5.16 vs 3.84%; M:6.63 vs 2.82%). The children's body image perception was consistent with the differing pattern of nutritional status. In the comparison between actual and ideal figures, the Feel-Ideal Difference Index (FID) scores resulted different between the subsample with foreign-born mother in comparison to the native one (significantly lower in daughters of immigrants) (FID- F: 0.31 vs 0.57; M: 0.35 vs 0.32). There were significant differences in the choice of the ideal figure of the child between immigrant mothers and Italian mothers (FID- F: -0.05 vs 0.19; M: -0.35 vs -0.03): the ideal figure values were higher in the immigrant mothers of male children and lower in the Italian mothers of female children., Conclusion: Our results suggest that cultural and behavioral factors linked to ethnicity play an important role in the nutritional status of children and in the perceived and ideal body image.