title: Methods and theory in bone modeling drift: comparing spatial analyses of primary bone distributions in the human humerus.
abstract: This study compares two novel methods quantifying bone shaft tissue distributions, and relates observations on human humeral growth patterns for applications in anthropological and anatomical research. Microstructural variation in compact bone occurs due to developmental and mechanically adaptive circumstances that are 'recorded' by forming bone and are important for interpretations of growth, health, physical activity, adaptation, and identity in the past and present. Those interpretations hinge on a detailed understanding of the modeling process by which bones achieve their diametric shape, diaphyseal curvature, and general position relative to other elements. Bone modeling is a complex aspect of growth, potentially causing the shaft to drift transversely through formation and resorption on opposing cortices. Unfortunately, the specifics of modeling drift are largely unknown for most skeletal elements. Moreover, bone modeling has seen little quantitative methodological development compared with secondary bone processes, such as intracortical remodeling. The techniques proposed here, starburst point-count and 45° cross-polarization hand-drawn histomorphometry, permit the statistical and populational analysis of human primary tissue distributions and provide similar results despite being suitable for different applications. This analysis of a pooled archaeological and modern skeletal sample confirms the importance of extreme asymmetry in bone modeling as a major determinant of microstructural variation in diaphyses. Specifically, humeral drift is posteromedial in the human humerus, accompanied by a significant rotational trend. In general, results encourage the usage of endocortical primary bone distributions as an indicator and summary of bone modeling drift, enabling quantitative analysis by direction and proportion in other elements and populations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anthropology, University of West Georgia, Carrollton, GA, USA.|Department of Anthropology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Corey M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Maggiano
authors.affiliation: Department of Anthropology, University of West Georgia, Carrollton, GA, USA.|Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada.
authors.forename: Isabel S
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Maggiano
authors.affiliation: Department for Anthropological Sciences, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico.
authors.forename: Vera G
authors.initials: VG
authors.lastname: Tiesler
authors.affiliation: Department for Anthropological Sciences, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico.
authors.forename: Julio R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Chi-Keb
authors.affiliation: Department of Anthropology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Sam D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Stout
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological / Q000502:physiology; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D001846:Bone Development / Q000502:physiology; D016723:Bone Remodeling / Q000502:physiology*; D002102:Cadaver; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D018483:Diaphyses / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006811:Humerus / Q000254:growth & development*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: anthropology; bioarchaeology; bone; growth; histology; histomorphometry; method; modeling; primary bone