Disproportionate representation of genders has long existed among different academic fields. Rising interest in gender equality in society, generally, has stimulated concern about how much progress has been made towards gender equality in academic activities. Analysis of peer-reviewed publication authorship patterns shows that archaeology and other academic fields have long been dominated by males. We ask if this gender disparity is evident among archaeologists participating in major conferences, such as the Society of American Archaeology (SAA), European Association of Archaeologists (EAA) and the Computer Applications and Quantitative Methods in Archaeology (CAA) meetings. Do these archaeological conferences show a trend over time towards a more balanced distribution of genders among their participants? We analysed presenter names in the published programs of archaeology conferences to infer gender. We found that the gender distribution from these conferences differs from the distributions of genders in peer-reviewed publication authorship. Recent conferences show approximate gender parity, and some even show more women than men presenters. We also find no relationship between the gender of the conference presenter and the topics presented, meaning that no one gender seems to favor one topic over another topic in their presentations. Our finding demonstrate that women and men are participating in archaeology conferences more equally, compared to journal article authorship. We expect these findings will be similar in other fields especially with increased priority given strong interest in gender equality in many research communities.

Seasonal and weather change on humans have countless effects on mood, sleep, and diet. Seasonal affective disorder, also known as SAD, is a seasonally linked mood and behavior disorder that typically lasts for four months, starting in the autumn. Similar to depression, SAD involves symptoms of lowered mood, energy loss, fatigue and some atypical symptoms such as hypersomnia, and increased appetite and eating. SAD may have a genetic factor related to serotonin metabolism and melatonin secretion, and rates of autumn-winter SAD may increase with latitude because of the increased seasonal differences in daylight hours. Due to genetic variations among certain ethnic groups, SAD may also disproportionately affect populations who are genetically from southern climates but were raised in northern climates. Yet it is not known how prevalent SAD symptoms were historically in populations adapted to northern climates, and what cultural traditions, if any, these cultures may have evolved in response to SAD. To answer this question, I have conducted a systematic search of ethnographies available through the Human Relations Area Files (HRAF) database. The HRAF databases have indexed and coded ethnographic knowledge across over 400 cultures. I examine the prevalence and traditions of SAD in the indexed ethnographies, and apply these insights to current migrant populations in northern latitudes that may experience SAD.

The modern human longitudinal arch is a structural adaptation to bipedal locomotion, rigid enough to be a propulsive lever but flexible enough to stabilize a large body mass over a relatively small base of support. Early hominins appear to have a low or absent longitudinal arch—a condition equivalent to human pes planus. The morphology of the calcaneocuboid joint (CCJ) has been suggested to play a critical role in the stability of the longitudinal arch, but the relationship between articular shape and arch height has yet to be tested empirically. This study examines the covariation of the shape of the CCJ with arch height, via calcaneal inclination angle (CIA). Eleven calcaneal measurements and CIA were measured on weight-bearing radiographs of 103 patients from an urban US trauma center. An equation to predict CIA was determined using stepwise regression analysis using Böehler’s angle, plantar and distal angles of the calcaneal tuber, anterior angle, and the angle of inclination of the posterior talar facet (all p’s<0.01, R2=0.67). Landmark data were obtained from 3D surface scans of the CCJ of 24 calcanei from lower limbs amputated due to infection or acute ischemia. Individuals with bony pathology were excluded from analysis. Data were analyzed in R using Procrustes ANOVA with principal components analysis to explore patterns of variation within the sample. No significant associations were found between CCJ shape and CIA (p=0.51, R2=0.03, F=0.91). Consequently, calcaneocuboid joint shape may not be a useful for interpreting the longitudinal arch morphology of fossil hominin pedal remains.

Combination therapies currently used to treat malaria in Subsaharan Africa have declined in efficacy owing to partner-drug resistance in the Plasmodium falciparum parasite, contributing to stalling rates in the decline of malaria disease since 2015. Amodiaquine (AQ) is a partner drug used in combination with artesunate (AS) as a first-line malaria treatment in 24 Subsaharan African countries. AQ is also distributed intermittently to children without malaria in the Sahel subregion of Subsaharan Africa as part of a seasonal malaria chemoprevention (SMC) drug package, increasing parasite exposure to AQ in 9 countries, 8 of which also utilize AS-AQ combination therapy. Using data compiled by the Worldwide Antimalarial Resistance Network and the World Health Organization, I examine the prevalence of polymorphisms in P. falciparum pfcrt and pfmdr1 genes associated with parasite resistance to AQ treatment. I will compare data for countries in the Sahel where AS-AQ therapy and SMC are administered, and for neighboring countries where only AS-AQ is used. A test showing a statistically greater prevalence of polymorphisms in countries utilizing SMC compared to those which do not would suggest that there may be a link between use of SMC and AQ resistance in those countries. It is hoped that the results of the study may be used to further efforts to understand malaria treatment resistance.

The southwestern region of Mexico is world known for its beautiful folk art that is high in quality and variety, and which derives from ancient indigenous traditions. Weaving and woodcarving are such pre-Hispanic traditions that have taught artesanos to care for the gifts that nature can provide. However amidst a global environmental crisis and a rise in socioeconomic barriers to indigenous community development, artesanos have had to find ways to uplift their families from poverty resulting in the exploitation of primary resources. This ethnographic exploration of two aspects of folk art production in Oaxaca, Mexico uncovers the ways in which artesanos understand the cultural and environmental sustainability surrounding artisan livelihood in a growing globalized neoliberal market. I focused on analyzing how these artisans view themselves and their role in preserving this threatened way of life; this includes finding a market for their craft, balancing tradition and innovation, utilizing traditional community systems of organizing, and maintaining indigenous spiritual values of coexistance with their surrounding environment. Overall, this projects hopes to illuminate how indigenous artisanal practices have developed in relationship to their rural environmental contexts.

Premature infants are commonly born with an inability to feed properly from their mother’s breast, and enteral (tube) feeding is often too stressful on the still-growing body of a premature infant. A recent intervention called Oropharyngeal Colostrum (OPC) administration aims to safely and effectively strengthen the infant’s digestive and immune system, shortening the time to safe enteral feeding. Colostrum, the milk produced right after delivery, is exceptionally high in antibodies and proteins necessary for an infant’s development, and contains an even higher concentration of protective bodies after delivery of a susceptible premature newborn. With OPC administration, colostrum is swabbed on the infant’s cheek or tongue in small amounts on a regular schedule. When the colostrum comes in contact with the tissue in the mouth, the antibodies are taken in and boost the baby’s immune system, heightening resistance to common infections suffered by premature infants, especially in the gastrointestinal region. In 2018, the Lactation Program of the Hospital de la Madre y el Niño (HMN) in Formosa, Argentina began administering OPC to all infants admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit who were born <35 weeks gestational age and whose mothers consented to the procedure. This research will examine average time to enteral feeding among 400 premature infants administered OPC between 2018-2019. Differences are examined in average time to enteral feeding by gestational age, sex, Apgar score, birth weight, and colostrum administration. The data will be used to determine what characteristics in premature infants cause the most obstacles to enteral feeding. Results will be compared to other studies of time to enteral feeding with and without OPC administration. Results will be shared with the HMN administrators to inform them of the efficacy of the program.

An estimated 20.6 million people live with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) in Eastern and Southern Africa. In 2012, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced Option B+ which adopts a single, universal regiment to both treat HIV-infected pregnant women and prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV. Unlike other HIV treatment options, Option B+ is a lifelong provision of antiretroviral therapy (ART) for all HIV-positive pregnant women regardless of their immune status or viral load. However, I hypothesize that the implementation of prolonged HIV treatment (Option B+) may pose a substantial financial burden for women in very resource poor settings, which could ultimately decrease ART adherence--resulting in no change or even an increase in maternal transmission. This research will examine how economically accessible Option B+ is for expecting mothers in different populations across Eastern and Southern Africa. I am statistically evaluating the cost of ART in relation to household income, living expenses, and cost of childcare at the national level. Future research will use this data to examine maternal transmission risk in relation to economic accessibility, and identify how conceptual frameworks of HIV healthcare are implemented in varied resource settings.