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https://hdl.handle.net/2440/79202
Type: | Thesis |
Title: | Osteometric variation of the human spine in Central Europe by historic time period and its microevolutionary implications. |
Author: | Ruhli, Frank Jakobus |
Issue Date: | 2003 |
School/Discipline: | Dept of Anatomical Sciences |
Abstract: | This study investigates the osteometry and variation of the human spine. 348 human skeletons dating from 28,000 B.C. to the mid-20th century A.D. from 24 sites mainly in Switzerland and Southern Germany, and without macroscopic pathology, were measured with a caliper. The samples showed a microevolutionary increase in most of the spinal variables. As both mean values and standard deviations increased, this higher intra-group variability could be explained to be a result of relaxed natural selection. Various environmental or genetic factors could explain the short-term alteration of the spinal osteometry. The relative smaller size and decrease with age of the bony outline of the neural pathways in males could explain their high vulnerability to modern lower back pathologies. |
Advisor: | Henneberg, Maciej |
Dissertation Note: | Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, Dept of Anatomical Sciences, 2003 |
Keywords: | osteometric; human spine; pathologies |
Provenance: | This electronic version is made publicly available by the University of Adelaide in accordance with its open access policy for student theses. Copyright in this thesis remains with the author. This thesis may incorporate third party material which has been used by the author pursuant to Fair Dealing exception. If you are the author of this thesis and do not wish it to be made publicly available or If you are the owner of any included third party copyright material you wish to be removed from this electronic version, please complete the take down form located at: http://www.adelaide.edu.au/legals. Copyright material removed from digital thesis. See print copy in University of Adelaide Library for full text. |
Appears in Collections: | Research Theses |
Files in This Item:
File | Description | Size | Format | |
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01front.pdf | 3.16 MB | Adobe PDF | View/Open | |
02whole.pdf | 19.48 MB | Adobe PDF | View/Open | |
Permissions Restricted Access | Library staff access only | 121.26 kB | Adobe PDF | View/Open |
Restricted Restricted Access | Library staff access only | 19.52 MB | Adobe PDF | View/Open |
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