针灸结合康复训练对脑卒中患者恢复阶段的临床分析

目的:探讨针灸结合康复训练对脑卒中患者恢复阶段的疗效。方法:选取了240例脑卒中患者,按随机数字表法分为两组,对照组(108例)给予针灸疗法观察组(132例)给予针灸结合康复训练疗法。通过观察并记录治疗后3个月的疗效治疗前治疗后3个月的NIHSS评分、Fugl-Meyer评分、SF-36量表评分,评价针灸结合康复训练对脑卒中患者恢复阶段的疗效。结果:经治疗,观察组患者有效率93.9%,对照组患者有效率81.5%观察组有效率明显高于对照组(P0.05),治疗前,两组NIHSS和Fugl-Meyer评分无统计学差异(P0.05)治疗后3个月,两组NIHSS评分均明显下降且观察组下降较多,Fugl-Meyer评分明显升高且观察组升高较多(P0.05),治疗前,两组SF-36各项评分无统计学差异,治疗后3个月,两组SF-36评分均明显增加(P0.05)。观察组在活力、情感职能和精神健康3项评分明显高于对照组(P0.05),其余5项评分相比无统计学差异(P0.05)。结论:采用针灸结合康复训练对脑卒中患者的恢复具有促进作用有效改善患者神经功能缺损和运动功能情况,提高患者生活质量。     

SHA.LIN评分和S.T.O.N.E评分对经皮肾镜取石术结石清除率的预测价值比较

目的:比较SHA.LIN评分和S.T.O.N.E评分对经皮肾镜取石术结石清除率的预测价值。方法:选择我院于2016年1月-2017年12月期间行经皮肾镜取石术患者67例为研究对象,在术前对所有患者进行SHA.LIN评分和S.T.O.N.E评分。根据手术结果将患者分为结石清除组(n=49)和结石残留组(n=18),对两组患者的一般资料、SHA.LIN评分、S.T.O.N.E评分进行统计对比。采用多因素Logistic回归分析方法分析患者术后结石残留的影响因素。采用绘制ROC曲线的方法分析SHA.LIN评分和S.T.O.N.E评分对结石清除率的预测结果的敏感性和特异性。结果:67例患者术后结石清除者49例、结石残留者18例,结石清除率为73.13%。结石残留组患者手术时间、术中失血量、住院时间、结石最大截面积、最大累积截面积、结石解剖分布肾盂的发生率、受累肾盏数均高于结石清除组,穿刺通道长度低于结石清除组(P0.05)。结石清除组患者的SHA.LIN评分、S.T.O.N.E评分均低于结石残留组(P0.05)。经多因素Logistic回归分析显示,手术时间、术中失血量、SHA.LIN评分、S.T.O.N.E评分、受累肾盏数是结石残留的影响因素(P0.05)。通过绘制ROC曲线可知,SHA.LIN评分的敏感性为91.25%、特异性为89.12%、曲线下面积(AUC)为0.912(95%CI 0.869~0.948);S.T.O.N.E评分的敏感性为78.75%、特异性为84.24%、AUC为0.782(95%CI 0.690~0.871)。结论:经皮肾镜取石术患者结石清除率与SHA.LIN评分、S.T.O.N.E评分明显相关,两种评分系统均能预测患者的结石清除率,但SHA.LIN评分的敏感性、特异性高于S.T.O.N.E评分。     

SENSORY MEASUREMENT OF FOOD TEXTURE BY FREE-CHOICE PROFILING

Panelists were trained to measure texture of processed cheese analogues of known composition by free-choice profiling. Panel scores were analyzed by generalized Procrustes (a multivariate method). Plots of the Procrustes scores for the first 2 principal component axes from analysis of separate replicates reflected the experimental design. To compare replicates, scores from Procrustes analysis of the original data were subjected to Procrustes analysis. The results showed that panelists’ assessment of replicates was consistent. Regression of the scores from this second Procrustes analysis showed that they were well explained by the linear effects of either moisture in nonfat solids or fat content. Panelists who performed differently from the rest could be identified. Panelists were more sensitive to changes in moisture in nonfat solids content than fat. It was concluded that the sensory texture of the cheese analogues could be measured satisfactorily by free-choice profiling.     

Age assessment of fallow deer (Dama dama): from a scoring scheme based on radiographs of developing permanent molariform teeth

The stages of permanent tooth development observed in radiographs of the mandible were described for known-aged fallow deer Dama dama . Ten stages were defined and, by allocating scores for these stages, the scores that may be expected for a particular age have been identified. Lastly, the predicted age was given for total molariform scores. These were obtained, with 95% prediction intervals, from a regression of age on total molariform scores. An age assessment from tooth development stages can be made up to three years, after which, no further development takes place.     

Balancing bias and precision in capture-recapture estimates of abundance

Capture‐recapture estimates of abundance using photographic identification data are sensitive to the quality of photographs used and distinctiveness of individuals in the population. Here analyses are presented for examining the effects of photographic quality and individual animal distinctiveness scores and for objectively selecting a subset of data to use for capture‐recapture analyses using humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) data from a 2‐year study in the North Atlantic. Photographs were evaluated for their level of quality and whales for their level of individual distinctiveness. Photographic quality scores had a 0.21 probability of changing by a single‐quality level, and there were no changes by two or more levels. Individual distinctiveness scores were not independent of photographic quality scores. Estimates of abundance decreased as poor‐quality photographs were removed. An appropriate balance between precision and bias in abundance estimates was achieved by removing the lowest‐quality photographs and those of incompletely photographed flukes given our assumptions about the true population abundance. A simulation of the selection process implied that, if the estimates are negatively biased by heterogeneity, the increase in bias produced by decreasing the sample size is not more than 2%. Capture frequencies were independent of individual distinctiveness scores.     

膝骨关节炎患者关节疼痛与软骨下骨髓水肿的相关性研究

目的:探讨膝骨关节炎(KOA)患者关节疼痛与软骨下骨髓水肿(BME)的相关性。方法:选取2012年12月到2016年1月在我院接受治疗的KOA患者70例,所有患者均行MRI检查,并根据有无BME将其分为对照组和观察组,其中有BME的患者均纳入观察组,共56例,无BME的患者纳入对照组,共14例,对观察组的BME情况进行评分,并进一步根据BME得分情况将观察组分为1分组、2分组和3分组。采用主诉疼痛分级法(VRS)、视觉模糊评分(VAS)对所有患者进行疼痛评分。比较对照组和观察组的VRS分级、VAS评分,比较1分组、2分组和3分组的VRS分级、VAS评分,分析BME得分和VRS分级、VAS评分的相关性。结果:观察组的VRS分级的Ⅰ级比例为17.86%,显著低于对照组的50.00%,Ⅱ级比例为64.29%,显著高于对照组的28.57%,差异均有统计学意义(P0.05);观察组的VAS评分显著高于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P0.05);观察组三个分组的VRS分级Ⅰ级、Ⅱ级、Ⅲ级比例整体比较差异有统计学意义(P0.05),1分组的VRS分级Ⅰ级比例显著高于2分组和3分组,2分组的VRS分级Ⅱ级比例显著高于1分组和3分组,3分组的VRS分级Ⅲ级比例显著高于1分组和2分组,差异均有统计学意义(P0.05);观察组三个分组的VAS评分整体比较差异有统计学意义(P0.05),3分组的VAS评分显著高于1分组和2分组,2分组的VAS评分显著高于1分组,差异均有统计学意义(P0.05);经Spearman统计分析显示BME得分和VRS分级、VAS评分呈正相关(P0.05)。结论:大部分KOA患者存在BME,而有BME的KOA患者关节疼痛更加明显,且BME越严重疼痛感越强。     

不同评分者急性生理和慢性健康评分的差异及其原因分析

目的:了解急性生理和慢性健康状况评分(APACHEII)的差异及其原因。方法:对2名医生做的32例重症患者的APACHEII评分进行前瞻性分析,讨论各项生理数值和评分的一致性,及导致不一致的原因。结果:两名医生APACHE II评分的一致性较差(Kapp=0.695),其中慢性健康评分(Kappa=0.75)和年龄评分(Kappa=0.956)的一致性较好,而急性生理评分(APS)的一致性差(Kappa=0.728)。APS的各项指标中,两名医生记录的原始数据共有160处不同,最终造成52处生理评分的不同。其比例最高有3项,第一为血清钾(8/11)第二为AaDO2(9/20),第三为平均动脉压(11/25)。造成评分差异的最主要原因为生理指标不同(85.2%),另有数据一致时评分不同的共9处,其中8处是由于评分者未遵循氧合评分标准,另1处为取值不同造成。结论:为了进一步提高评分的准确性,我们应该强化评分准则和积极做专业评分培训。     

Peer Review Evaluation Process of Marie Curie Actions under EU’s Seventh Framework Programme for Research

We analysed the peer review of grant proposals under Marie Curie Actions, a major EU research funding instrument, which involves two steps: an independent assessment (Individual Evaluation Report, IER) performed remotely by 3 raters, and a consensus opinion reached during a meeting by the same raters (Consensus Report, CR). For 24,897 proposals evaluated from 2007 to 2013, the association between average IER and CR scores was very high across different panels, grant calls and years. Median average deviation (AD) index, used as a measure of inter-rater agreement, was 5.4 points on a 0-100 scale (interquartile range 3.4-8.3), overall, demonstrating a good general agreement among raters. For proposals where one rater disagreed with the other two raters (n=1424; 5.7%), or where all 3 raters disagreed (n=2075; 8.3%), the average IER and CR scores were still highly associated. Disagreement was more frequent for proposals from Economics/Social Sciences and Humanities panels. Greater disagreement was observed for proposals with lower average IER scores. CR scores for proposals with initial disagreement were also significantly lower. Proposals with a large absolute difference between the average IER and CR scores (≥10 points; n=368, 1.5%) generally had lower CR scores. An inter-correlation matrix of individual raters'' scores of evaluation criteria of proposals indicated that these scores were, in general, a reflection of raters’ overall scores. Our analysis demonstrated a good internal consistency and general high agreement among raters. Consensus meetings appear to be relevant for particular panels and subsets of proposals with large differences among raters’ scores.     

Monitoring Hip and Elbow Dysplasia Achieved Modest Genetic Improvement of 74 Dog Breeds over 40 Years in USA

Hip (HD) and Elbow Dysplasia (ED) are two common complex developmental disorders of dogs. In order to decrease their prevalence and severity, the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) has a voluntary registry of canine hip and elbow conformation certified by boarded radiologists. However, the voluntarily reports have been severely biased against exposing dogs with problems, especially at beginning period. Fluctuated by additional influential factors such as age, the published raw scores barely showed trends of improvement. In this study, we used multiple-trait mixed model to simultaneously adjust these factors and incorporate pedigree to derive Estimated Breeding Values (EBV). A total of 1,264,422 dogs from 74 breeds were evaluated for EBVs from 760,455 hip scores and 135,409 elbow scores. These EBVs have substantially recovered the reporting bias and the other influences. Clear and steady trends of genetic improvement were observed over the 40 years since 1970. The total genetic improvements were 16.4% and 1.1% of the phenotypic standard deviation for HD and ED, respectively. The incidences of dysplasia were 0.83% and 2.08%, and the heritabilities were estimated as 0.22 and 0.17 for hip and elbow scores, respectively. The genetic correlation between them was 0.12. We conclude that EBV is more effective than reporting raw phenotype. The weak genetic correlation suggested that selection based on hip scores would also slightly improve elbow scores but it is necessary to allocate effort toward improvement of elbow scores alone.     

LBL与PBL相结合的教学模式在生理学教学中的应用及效果评价

目的:探讨LBL(Lecture-based Learning)结合PBL(Problem-Based Learning)教学在生理学教学中的应用及效果。方法:以山西医科大学汾阳学院2012级影像专业本科生为研究对象,学生随机分为两个教学班(A班与B班)。A班(102人)采用LBL教学,B班(42人)采用LBL结合PBL教学。其中,B班在PBL教学中分为7个小组,每组6人。课程结束后,两班采取相同试卷考试,对考试总成绩及论述题成绩比较分析,采用DREEM量表对教育环境进行评估。结果:B班论述题成绩显著高于A班(P0.05),但两班总成绩差异无统计学意义(P0.05);DREEM量表调查显示,B班学生的学习知觉、环境知觉、社交自我知觉、教育环境评估得分显著高于A班(P0.05);两班对教师的知觉、学术自我知觉得分差异无统计学意义(P0.05)。结论:LBL结合PBL教学可有效改善生理学教学环境,提高教学效果。     

The value of muscular and skeletal scores in the live animal and carcass classification scores as indicators of carcass composition in cattle

The objective was to determine the relationship of muscular and skeletal scores taken on the live animal and carcass conformation and fat scores with carcass composition and value. Bulls (n = 48) and heifers (n = 37) of 0.75 to 1.0 late-maturing breed genotypes slaughtered at 16 and 20 months of age, respectively, were used. At 8 months of age (weaning) and immediately pre-slaughter, visual muscular scores were recorded for each animal and additionally skeletal scores were recorded pre-slaughter. Carcass weight, kidney and channel fat weight, carcass conformation and fat scores, fat depth over the longissimus dorsi muscle at the 12th (bulls) or 10th (heifers) rib and carcass length were recorded post-slaughter. Each carcass was subsequently dissected into meat, fat and bone using a commercial dissection procedure. Muscular scores taken pre-slaughter showed positive correlations with killing-out rate (r ≈ 0.65), carcass meat proportion (r ≈ 0.60), value (r ≈ 0.55) and conformation score (r ≈ 0.70), and negative correlations with carcass bone (r ≈ -0.60) and fat (r ≈ -0.4) proportions. Corresponding correlations with muscular scores at weaning were lower. Correlations of skeletal scores taken pre-slaughter, carcass length and carcass weight with killing-out rate and the various carcass traits were mainly not significant. Carcass fat depth and kidney and channel fat weight were negatively correlated with carcass meat proportion and value, and positively correlated with fat proportion. Correlations of carcass conformation score were positive (r = 0.50 to 0.68) with killing-out rate, carcass meat proportion and carcass value and negative with bone (r ≈ -0.56) and fat (r ≈ -0.40) proportions. Corresponding correlations with carcass fat score were mainly negative except for carcass fat proportion (r ≈ 0.79). A one-unit (scale 1 to 15) increase in carcass conformation score increased carcass meat proportion by 8.9 and 8.1 g/kg, decreased fat proportion by 4.0 and 2.9 g/kg and decreased bone proportion by 4.9 and 5.2 g/kg in bulls and heifers, respectively. Corresponding values per unit increase in carcass fat score were -11.9 and -9.7 g/kg, 12.4 and 9.9 g/kg, and -0.5 and -0.2 g/kg. Carcass conformation and fat scores explained 0.70 and 0.55 of the total variation in meat yield for bulls and heifers, respectively. It is concluded that live animal muscular scores, and carcass conformation and fat scores, are useful indicators of carcass meat proportion and value.     

Amino acid positions subject to multiple coevolutionary constraints can be robustly identified by their eigenvector network centrality scores

As proteins evolve, amino acid positions key to protein structure or function are subject to mutational constraints. These positions can be detected by analyzing sequence families for amino acid conservation or for coevolution between pairs of positions. Coevolutionary scores are usually rank‐ordered and thresholded to reveal the top pairwise scores, but they also can be treated as weighted networks. Here, we used network analyses to bypass a major complication of coevolution studies: For a given sequence alignment, alternative algorithms usually identify different, top pairwise scores. We reconciled results from five commonly‐used, mathematically divergent algorithms (ELSC, McBASC, OMES, SCA, and ZNMI), using the LacI/GalR and 1,6‐bisphosphate aldolase protein families as models. Calculations used unthresholded coevolution scores from which column‐specific properties such as sequence entropy and random noise were subtracted; “central” positions were identified by calculating various network centrality scores. When compared among algorithms, network centrality methods, particularly eigenvector centrality, showed markedly better agreement than comparisons of the top pairwise scores. Positions with large centrality scores occurred at key structural locations and/or were functionally sensitive to mutations. Further, the top central positions often differed from those with top pairwise coevolution scores: instead of a few strong scores, central positions often had multiple, moderate scores. We conclude that eigenvector centrality calculations reveal a robust evolutionary pattern of constraints—detectable by divergent algorithms—that occur at key protein locations. Finally, we discuss the fact that multiple patterns coexist in evolutionary data that, together, give rise to emergent protein functions. Proteins 2015; 83:2293–2306. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Development and validation of on-farm behavioural scoring systems to assess birth assistance and lamb vigour

Lamb mortality remains a significant welfare and economic issue for sheep production. Lamb survival is to a degree dependent upon an easy delivery and the expression of appropriate behaviours from both mother and offspring, such as rapid standing, udder seeking and sucking by the lamb. Genetic solutions have the potential to improve birth assistance and lamb behaviour but large amounts of data are needed. Therefore, to achieve this objective, simple, proxy methods (scoring systems) were developed to quantify the level of birth difficulties and lamb vigour on farm. In the first study, detailed historical behavioural data from 1156 lambs (Scottish Blackface and Suffolk (S)) were analysed to develop criteria for 3 scores: birth assistance, lamb vigour and sucking assistance. The birth assistance score was developed by analysing the relationships between birth presentation and intervention levels, and intervention level and labour length. Lambs with abnormal birth positions required more assistance than normally presented lambs and lambs with long labours required more and greater assistance than those with short labours. Lamb vigour score was developed by analysing the latencies for the lamb to first perform specific behaviours; more vigorous lambs reach landmark behaviours faster than low vigour lambs. The sucking assistance score was developed from the relationship between the latency to suck successfully and assistance level, where lambs that were slow to suck required more assistance than lambs that were quick to suck. In the second study, the behaviour scoring systems (5-point categorical scales) were validated using a commercial flock of 80 twin-bearing crossbred ewes mated with either Texel (T) or S sires by simultaneously recording scores and the latency to perform specific landmark behaviours (i.e. to stand, seek the udder and suck). The vigour scores (recorded at 5 min of age) were compared with the latency from birth to standing and showed that lambs with lower (better) vigour scores were faster to stand after birth than those with higher scores. The sucking assistance scores were compared with the latency from birth to sucking, and showed that lambs with lower sucking assistance scores are quicker to suck than those with high scores. These results showed that the scoring systems could provide a practical and reliable assessment of birth assistance and lamb behaviour on farm and were sufficiently sensitive to discriminate vigour levels between lambs sired by either S or T rams.     

Estimates of genetic parameters for visual scores and daily weight gain in Brangus animals

(Co)variance components were estimated for visual scores of conformation (CY), early finishing (PY) and muscling (MY) at 550 days of age (yearling), average daily gain from weaning to yearling (GWY), conformation (CW), early finishing (PW) and muscling (MW) scores at weaning, and average daily gain from birth to weaning (GBW) in animals forming the Brazilian Brangus breed born between 1986 and 2002 from the livestock files of GenSys Consultants Associados S/C Ltda. The data set contained 53 683; 45 136; 52 937; 56 471; 24 531; 21 166; 24 006 and 25 419 records for CW, PW, MW, GBW, CY, PY, MY and GWY, respectively. Data were analyzed by the restricted maximum likelihood method using single- and two-trait animal models. Direct heritability estimates obtained by single-trait analysis were 0.12, 0.14, 0.13 and 0.14 for CY, PY and MY scores and GWY, respectively. A positive association was observed between the same visual scores at weaning and yearling, with correlations ranging from 0.64 to 0.94. Estimated correlations between GBW and weaning and yearling scores ranged from 0.60 to 0.77. The genetic correlation between GBW and GWY was low (0.10), whereas correlations of 0.55, 0.37 and 0.47 were observed between GWY and CY, PY and MY, respectively. Moreover, GWY showed a weak correlation with CW (0.10), PW (-0.08) and MW (-0.03) scores. These results indicate that selection of the traits that was studied would result in a small response. In addition, selection based on average daily gain may have an indirect effect on visual scores as the correlations between GWY and visual scores were generally strong.     

Alzheimer's Disease Risk Assessment Using Large-Scale Machine Learning Methods

The goal of this work is to introduce new metrics to assess risk of Alzheimer''s disease (AD) which we call AD Pattern Similarity (AD-PS) scores. These metrics are the conditional probabilities modeled by large-scale regularized logistic regression. The AD-PS scores derived from structural MRI and cognitive test data were tested across different situations using data from the Alzheimer''s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) study. The scores were computed across groups of participants stratified by cognitive status, age and functional status. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to evaluate associations with the distribution of conversion times from mild cognitive impairment to AD. The performances of classifiers developed using data from different types of brain tissue were systematically characterized across cognitive status groups. We also explored the performance of anatomical and cognitive-anatomical composite scores generated by combining the outputs of classifiers developed using different types of data. In addition, we provide the AD-PS scores performance relative to other metrics used in the field including the Spatial Pattern of Abnormalities for Recognition of Early AD (SPARE-AD) index and total hippocampal volume for the variables examined.     

Sensory evaluation and its relationship to physical meat quality attributes of beef from Nguni and Bonsmara steers raised on natural pasture

The current study compared sensory characteristics and their relationships with physical meat characteristics of beef from Nguni and Bonsmara steers. Nguni beef was more (P < 0.05) tender than Bonsmara beef after ageing for 2 and 21 days, and had higher (P < 0.05) intramuscular fat (IMF; 1.12%) than Bonsmara beef (1.07%). Nguni beef had higher (P < 0.05) sensory scores than Bonsmara beef after ageing for 2 days. There were no (P > 0.05) relationships between IMF and sensory characteristics. Aroma intensity, impression on juiciness and tenderness-related scores were affected (P < 0.05) by pH. There were significant (P < 0.05) correlations between most physical meat characteristics and sensory characteristics. Nguni beef had better sensory scores than Bonsmara beef for beef aged for 2 days. While most physical meat characteristics were correlated to sensory scores, all sensory scores were not significantly correlated to IMF.     

Properties of one-zero scores in observational studies of primate social behavior: The effect of assumptions on empirical analyses

Empirical analyses of techniques for observing spontaneous social behavior have been guided by implicit assumptions about the techniques’ validity, reliability, and comparability. The actual duration and actual frequency of a behavior have been used as intuitive standards of validity. Noncorrespondence among absolute values obtained from these measures and from one-zero scores has been taken to mean that one-zero scores are invalid. An analysis of macaque and gelada grooming relationships demonstrated how unjustified assumptions about absolute values can affect conclusions. A statistical comparison of four types of observation scores, and a multiple-regression analysis of one-zero scores, contradicted assumptions made previously about reliability and validity. The four methods were comparable and all were reasonably accurate.     

An analysis of preliminary and post-discussion priority scores for grant applications peer reviewed by the Center for Scientific Review at the NIH

There has been the impression amongst many observers that discussion of a grant application has little practical impact on the final priority scores. Rather the final score is largely dictated by the range of preliminary scores given by the assigned reviewers. The implication is that the preliminary and final scores are the same and the discussion has little impact. The purpose of this examination of the peer review process at the National Institutes of Health is to describe the relationship between preliminary priority scores of the assigned reviewers and the final priority score given by the scientific review group. This study also describes the practical importance of any differences in priority scores. Priority scores for a sample of standard (R01) research grant applications were used in this assessment. The results indicate that the preliminary meeting evaluation is positively correlated with the final meeting outcome but that they are on average significantly different. The results demonstrate that discussion at the meeting has an important practical impact on over 13% of the applications.     

Influence of BMI on Health‐related Quality of Life: Comparison Between an Obese Adult Cohort and Age‐matched Population Norms

The aim of this study was to determine health‐related quality of life and fatigue measures in obese subjects and to compare scores with age‐ and gender‐matched population norms. A total of 163 obese subjects were recruited from laparoscopic‐adjustable gastric banding or exercise and diet weight loss programs between March 2006 and December 2007. All subjects completed the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36 (SF‐36), Assessment of Quality of Life (AQoL), and Multidimensional Assessment of Fatigue (MAF) questionnaires. One‐sample t‐tests were used to compare transformed scores with age‐ and gender‐matched population norms and controls. Obese subjects have significantly lower SF‐36 physical and emotional component scores, significantly lower AQoL utility scores and significantly higher fatigue scores compared to age‐matched population norms. Within the study cohort, the SF‐36 physical functioning, role physical and bodily pain scores, and AQoL utility index were even lower in subjects with clinical knee osteoarthritis (OA). However, obese individuals without OA still had significantly lower scores compared to population norms. Obesity is associated with impaired health‐related quality of life and disability as measured by the SF‐36, AQoL, and fatigue score (MAF) compared to matched population norms.     

Variation in occlusal dental wear of two Chalcolithic populations in the southern Levant

Occlusal wear rate and wear plane in two Chalcolithic ( approximately 6500-5500 BP) samples from the southern Levant were compared, using paired first and second mandibular molars. Though food staples in both societies were derived from agro-pastoralism, they were located in distinct environmental regions: Wadi (W.) Makkukh in the Judean desert, and Peqi'in in the Upper Galilee. Accordingly, it was predicted that variation in wear should occur due to their location in distinct environments. Jaw size and tooth size were measured to estimate the possible impact of these variables on wear scores. Molar occlusal surfaces were divided into four quadrants, and wear scores were recorded for each quadrant. Principal axis analysis was then performed between total wear scores of paired, adjacent first and second molars to assess wear rates. Principal axis analysis was also used to analyze the change in occlusal wear plane in each sample by comparing between-buccal-cusps wear scores of the first molar with lingual wear scores of the second molar. The results indicate that the occlusal wear plane was similar in both samples but that wear tended to be more rapid in W. Makkukh. Since both samples were similar in jaw/tooth size, it is argued that the results reflect less refined food-processing methods as well as the unintentional ingestion of sand by individuals interred in the Judean desert.