bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Anatomical, physiological, and epidemiological correlates of the aging process: A confirmation of multifactorial age determination in the Libben skeletal population
Authors: Mensforth Robert P. , Lovejoy C. Owen
Published: February 2006

Paleodemographic analyses based on estimates of skeletal age at death consistently report high levels of young adult mortality with few individuals living in excess of 50 years. Critics assert, these data indicate systematic underaging of adults and justifiably remark that (1) criteria for estimating skeletal age at death may be unreliable, (2) age determinations are too frequently based on one or two criteria alone, and (3) adult paleodemographic age profiles often mimic the age distribution of the modern population from which an age indicator's standards were originally derived. This study reports a series of tests based on well‐documented biological aging phenomena that can be used to investigate potential effects of systematic underaging in adults, assuming the skeletal population is of sufficient size to permit such tests. These include patterns of third decade sternal clavicular epiphyseal fusion, multiple age and sex criteria associated with cortical bone dynamics, and fractures known to occur throughout the entire adult ages range. These phenomena are examined here for the Libben site skeletal population where adult age at death was determined by the multifactorial summary age technique. None of the biological criteria reported here were used in the Libben summary age analysis and thus serve as an independent test of accuracy in age determination. In addition, the summary age method has recently been applied to a series of modern skeletons of known age (Todd samples 1 and 2). Age standards for criteria employed with Libben and Todd 1 were identical. Since Todd 1 displayed underaging in older adults, a second Libben age distribution adjusted for Todd 1 bias was generated for comparison. A third Libben adult survivorship profile based on a Coale and Demeny West level 3 mortality experience, considered by some to be a more realistic model for skeletal populations, was produced for comparison. For all criteria examined, original Libben summary ages provided superior concordance with known patterns of biological aging in human populations. While Libben ages adjusted for Todd 1 bias were slightly better in the third decade, both Todd 1 adjusted and Coale and Demeny West level 3 age distributions produced unrealistic patterns of biological aging for individuals greater than 35 years. Implications of these results are discussed.
Population distribution of the human vitamin D binding protein: Anthropological considerations
Authors: Constans J. , Hazout S. , Garruto R. M. , Gajdusek D. C. , Spees E. K.
Published: February 2006

The polymorphism of the serum vitamin D binding protein (DBP) in humans is based on the existence of three common alleles, Gc1F, Gc1S, and Gc2, and 84 rare alleles. The geographical distribution of Gc1F, Gc1S, and Gc2 alleles shows north to south clines, together with a balanced equilibrium between the Gc1F or Gc1S allele frequency and the Gc2 frequency.

The distribution of the FST values shows high variability within a geographical area. For European and North Asiatic groups, the FST values are the lowest observed, and the reason may be a long process of homogenization. Aboriginal populations from Australia and New Guinea and groups from both North Africa and South America show the greatest heterogeneity of their allele frequencies. Systematic factors such as genetic drift and selection may account for this distribution.

In contrast with the three main DBP alleles, the distribution of the rare alleles corresponds to patterns of human migrations that occurred during prehistoric and historic periods. Thus, the rare mutants are of particular relevance to anthropological and genetical investigations.
Dramatic founder effects in Amerindian mitochondrial DNAs
Authors: Wallace Douglas C. , Garrison Katherine , Knowler William C.
Published: February 2006

Southwestern American Indian (Amerindian) mitochondrial DNAs (mtDNAs) were analyzed with restriction endonucleases and found to contain Asian restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) but at frequencies very different from those found in Asia. One rare Asian HincII RFLP was found in 40% of the Amerindians. Several mtDNAs were discovered which have not yet been observed on other continents and different tribes were found to have distinctive mtDNAs. Since the mtDNA is inherited exclusively through the maternal lineage, these results suggest that Amerindian tribes were founded by small numbers of female lineages and that new mutations have been fixed in these lineages since their separation from Asia.
Computed tomography and automated image analysis of prehistoric femora
Authors: Sumner Dale R. , Mockbee Brent , Morse Kathleen , Cram Thomas , Pitt Michael
Published: February 2006

Non‐invasive characterization of limb bone cross‐sectional geometry would be useful for biomechanical analyses of skeletal collections. Computed tomography (CT) is potentially the method of choice. Additionally, CT images are suitable for automated analysis. CT is here shown to be both accurate and precise in the analysis of cross‐sectional geometry of prehistoric femora. Beam hardening artifacts can be reduced by using a water bath. As the availability of CT for research increases, both bone density and geometry could be determined simultaneously with this method.
Variation in the developing root cone angle of the permanent mandibular teeth of modern man and certain fossil hominids
Authors: Dean M. C.
Published: February 2006

The radiographic appearance of the developing root apex of 461 mandibular teeth was studied using ellipsopantomographs of 77 individu als. The angle formed by the mesial and distal aspects of the developing root cone was measured for each quarter of root development in the permanent mandibular teeth of each subject. Large values for this angle in the more coronal part of the root gradually decreased towards the root apex where values were small in all teeth studied. This gradual decrease in the angle of the developing root cone is concordant with the faster increase in root length but slower rates of dentinogenesis reported for the apical region of human teeth in the literature, as the decrease is likely to reflect the increasing numbers of odontoblasts that become involved in root formation as it proceeds apically. The developing root cone angles of one of the five fossil hominid specimens studied (KMN‐ER 820) fall outside the range for the developing root cone angle of the developing premolar and permanent second molar roots in modern Homo sapiens and is evidence of a faster rate of root elongation than is typical for modern man.
Population characteristics of extinct hominid endocranial volume
Authors: Blumenberg Bennett
Published: February 2006

Distribution and variation statistics of hominid endocranial volume (ECV) have been investigated. Within the interpretative constraints imposed by (very) small sample sizes, the requirements for normality are met, as are those for heteroscedasticity. A significant difference in means can be demonstrated for only two comparisons. With one exception, overall distribution characteristics differ significantly in pairwise comparisons between taxa. The coefficient of variation of ECV that characterizes a group composed of all Plio‐Pleistocene gracile hominids does not support a single polytypic species interpretation of this assemblage. Significant differences in the coefficient of variation exist between all possible pairs of taxa with the exception of Homo habilis and Homo erectus.
Pubic symphysis age distributions
Authors: Jackes M. K.
Published: February 2006

A further discussion of age assessment and palaeodemography requires detailed reviews of methods, especially pubic symphysis techniques. Before reanalysis of changes in symphyseal form, the initial steps in distributing ages must be examined. Use of the mean values for age scores gives age distributions that are not real, but subject to systematic distortions, and cumulative percentages of skeletal samples can be shown to reflect the mean ages. Distributing skeletal ages using 95% probability distributions provides a more accurate estimation of true ages for palaeodemography and a better basis for discussions of pubic symphysis aging techniques.
Fringe patterns and measurement on dorsal moiré topography in Japanese children, aged 13 and 14
Authors: Ashizawa Kumi , Kuki Tanemi , Kusumoto Ayano
Published: February 2006

Dorsal moiré topographies of 165 boys and 156 girls, aged 13 and 14, were investigated. Moiré fringe patterns were classified into seven types, of which type IV, thin and symmetric back, was most frequent (29% in boys and 22% in girls), and types I and II thoracic, fleshy back, were observed in 15% of boys and 29% of girls. Settling four prominent points on the back, length, depth (number of fringes), angles between these points, and the most depressed point on the lumbar region were measured. Neither bilateral or sex differences were detected in length and depth measurements, whereas larger right side angles were observed as a general tendency. In both sexes, significant correlation was detected between measurements on points situated in the inner part of the back, while on points situated in the outer parts only angle and length correlation was significant.
Additional upper pleistocene human remains from Vindija cave, Croatia, Yugoslavia
Authors: Smith Fred H. , Boyd Donna C. , Malez Mirko
Published: February 2006

This report presents a morphological description of ten hominid skeletal fragments found at Vindija cave, northwestern Yugoslavia, in 1980‐1981. Eight of the specimens (seven cranial fragments and one complete hand proximal phalanx) were excavated from level G3, a stratum correlated to the Lower Würm stadial and containing Mousterian lithic elements. The salient morphological features of these new specimens are similar to those of previously described hominids from this same stratum, indicating that the new specimens are also remains of archaic H. sapiens (Neandertals). One parietal fragment was excavated from the stratigraphically more recent F complex. The F complex contains Upper Paleolithic lithic elements, and the new hominid specimen from this complex appears to exhibit features similar to other early modern H. sapiens in southcentral Europe.
Associations between dermatoglyphic variation, topography, and climate in Kenya
Authors: Rosa Peter
Published: February 2006

Correlations between a number of dermatoglyphic finger and palmar taxonomic traits relating to 57 male and 53 female Kenyan populations, and altitude and mean annual rainfall are significant, not only in terms of the full range of samples, but also when samples are divided into independent smaller groups. These results are discussed and contrasted with those of other studies which have found no relationships between dermatoglyphic variation and climate in sub‐Saharan Africa.
Accuracy and reliability of a new sliding caliper
Authors: Chumlea William Cameron
Published: February 2006

There are several types of sliding calipers, but most are expensive and not capable of measuring large body dimensions such as arm length or knee height in older children and adults. A new sliding caliper from Medi‐form can accurately measure lengths from 0.0 to 80.0 cm. This caliper is slightly more accurate than a Holtain sliding caliper, and its cost is low.
Assessing variation in the social behavior of stumptail macaques using thermal criteria
Authors: Dahl Jeremy F. , Smith Euclid O.
Published: February 2006

This paper reports a method for comparing the environments of nonhuman primates based on biophysical, thermal criteria. The method is applied to an analysis of behaviors exhibited by group‐living stumptail macaques (Macaca arctoides), documented by a group‐scan observation technique, to test the hypothesis that the expression of social behavior is dependent on thermal conditions. Thermal conditions are identified by considering sky cover and the relative cooling power of the environment. The results show that the rates of occurrence of affiliative, play, and solitary behaviors are altered significantly at a relative cooling power at or above 550 kcal/m2/hr under cloudy conditions and at or above 600 kcal/m2/hr under sunny conditions. In addition, the rates of occurrence of play, sexual, aggressive, and submissive behavioral states are also significantly different under cloudy, rather than sunny, conditions over particular ranges of cooling. It is possible to conclude that thermal criteria affect the expression of social behaviors by stumptail macaques. This is consistent with studies of huddling behavior exhibited by stumptail macaques and rhesus macaques (M. mulatta), and suggests that (1) certain changes in the expression of social behaviors may be thermoregulatory in at least some nonhuman primate species and (2) thermal criteria are likely to be useful tools when conducting comparative analyses of behavioral data collected on animals in outdoor environments.
A congenital meningocoele in prehistoric Australia
Authors: Webb Stephen G. , Thorne Alan G.
Published: February 2006

This report concerns a congenital meningocoele in a young adult Aboriginal female from north‐western New South Wales, Australia. The fact that this individual reached adulthood throws new light on the attitude of these nomadic people towards such conditions. Evidence of this kind may prompt also a re‐evaluation by prehistorians and anthropologists of the popularly held belief that all such malformations were automatically eliminated by infanticide. The discovery of this form of pathology helps provide new information not only on past cultural attitudes towards disease, but its frequency and geographical incidence, and adds to our knowledge concerning the range of pathological conditions suffered by prehistoric societies worldwide.
Variation in size at birth and cigarette smoking during pregnancy
Authors: Schell Lawrence M. , Hodges Denise C.
Published: February 2006

The influence of cigarette smoking during pregnancy and other familial factors on size at birth and gestation length is investigated among 458 births to 227 mothers living in a suburban community in the U.S. In this sample, 56% of the births were to mothers who reported not smoking during the pregnancy and 35% were to mothers who reported smoking 20 cigarettes or less. Multiple stepwise regression analysis was employed to examine the influence of cigarette smoking after statistical adjustment for such social and biological characteristics of the family as parents' sizes, education, income, and aspects of mother's reproductive history. After correction for significant social and biological characteristics, smoking status was a significant contributor to birth weight variation. In fact, cigarette smoking had the next‐largest partial correlation coefficient (r=−0.26) second to gestation length. Birth length is also negatively associated with cigarette smoking, though not so strongly as is birth weight. The reduction in birth lengths can be attributed to the reduction in birth weights. Gestation length was not associated with cigarette smoking in this sample. The analysis of collinearity between smoking status and the other independent variables indicates that the effect of smoking appears to be independent of interrelationships among the independent variables.
Sex determination of prehistoric central California skeletal remains using discriminant analysis of the femur and humerus
Authors: Dittrick Jean , Suchey Judy Myers
Published: February 2006

A large sample (n = 370) of Central California prehistoric skeletal remains was analyzed for sexual dimorphism of long bones using nine femoral and nine humeral dimensions. Sex of all individuals was assessed using traits of the os pubis. Discriminant analysis was done separately for the robust Early Horizon sample and the Middle/Late Horizon sample. Use of multiple variables did not produce appreciably better results over the use of several of the best variables, analyzed singly. Attention is focused on measurements of maximum diameter femoral head, femoral bicondylar width, and diameter of the humeral head (transverse or vertical). These variables produce excellent separation of the sexes with about 90% accuracy for the Middle/Late Horizon sample. They have been overlooked in the recent literature in which the relative values of length versus midshaft dimensions are debated. The measurements found to be superior in this study are taken at the ends of the bones where durability of these regions is indicated by large sample sizes found in this study. We suggest workers redirect their focus from the midshaft to the ends of the long bones. The discriminant analyses presented here have greater accuracy than most claims for either long bone or cranial sex determination. These standards, based on two samples with differing robusticity, may have applicability for workers in other areas who lack large skeletal samples.
Effect of mesomorphy on hyperthermia during exercise in a warm, humid environment
Authors: Hayward John S. , Eckerson John D. , Dawson Brian T.
Published: February 2006

The hyperthermic response to exercise in a warm (30°C), humid (80% relative humidity) environment was obtained for 27 men who exhibited a wide range of body physique in terms of the mesomorphy component of somatotype. Increase in tympanic temperature (Yty) was significantly dependent on mesomorphy rating (X) according to the regression equation Yty = −0.390 + 0.088X. Increase in rectal temperature (Yre) was also significantly dependent on mesomorphy rating according to the equation Yre = −0.100 + 0.066X. The hyperthermic response was significantly correlated with other measures of physique, including ectomorphy, surface area/weight ratio, and body weight, but was not correlated with fatness or fitness. The results support the generalization that during exercise in a warm, humid environment individual differences in heat strain can be highly dependent on physique, especially if fitness and fatness are similar. In this context, mesomorphy appears to provide the optimum description of physique variation. Individuals with a mesomorphy rating greater than 7 warrant designation as being at high risk for heat intolerance during exercise in environments that significantly impair the rate of body heat loss.
Primate population structure: Evaluation of models
Authors: Harpending Henry , Cowan Suzanne
Published: February 2006

Genetic markers among macaques on Cayo Santiago island were analyzed in an attempt to infer aspects of mating structure. Several models that included high levels of gene flow among groups could not be distinguished, but the data are clearly incompatible with group endogamy and with high variance in male fitness. Drift effective size is approximately one half census size in this population.
Genetic characterization of Gainj‐ and Kalam‐Speaking peoples of Papua New Guinea
Authors: Long Jeffrey C. , Naidu Jammigumpula M. , Mohrenweiser Harvey W. , Gershowitz Henry , Johnson Patricia L. , Wood James W. , Smouse Peter E.
Published: February 2006

The research presented focuses on genetic variation in the Gainj‐ and Kalam‐speaking peoples of highland Papua New Guinea. The primary data are typings at 51 genetic loci observed on 600 individuals who reside in 21 census units, calledparishes.These data are augmented by cultural and demographic information that has also been collected.

Parish sizes are small, ranging from 20 to about 200 individuals. Direct Western contact with these people has been occuring only for the past three decades. Although Westernization is currently increasing, we find that much of the traditional settlement pattern and mate exchange system is preserved. There are segregating variants at 27 loci. Four rare variants are initially described: NP 4‐Kalam, ADA 6‐Kalam, PEPA 3‐Kalam, and FUM 2‐Kalam. We find evidence for a new Gm haplotype, a; —, that is recessive to all other Gm haplotypes. It occurs at a high enough frequency, f(a;—) = 0.119, to be considered a “private polymorphism.” Average per locus heterozygosity is estimated to be 0.053. This value is not statistically different from levels observed on two modern urban populations. Thus, there is no evidence for a reduced level of genetic variation in these people, despite small parish sizes and a relatively unacculturated social structure.
Insect and meat eating among infant and adult baboons (Papio cynocephalus) of Mikumi National Park, Tanzania
Authors: Rhine Ramon J. , Norton Guy W. , Wynn Gail M. , Wynn Roger D. , Rhine Heather B.
Published: February 2006

It has been suggested that baboon predation upon vertebrates may tend to peak in the dry season because insect food is then less available, and that males obtain animal nutrients primarily from vertebrates whereas other troop members obtain them primarily from invertebrates. The development of meat and insect eating by 22 male and 24 female infants studied for 25 months was compared with that of 18 male and 46 female adults studied for 37 months. Systematic sampling allowed quantitative comparisons between meat and insect eating, infants and adults, and males and females. Infants ate no meat, but their insect eating began early and increased steadily during the first year of life. In comparison with insect foods, meat was a minor ingredient of the adult's diet. Insect eating occurred less during dry than during rainy months, but meat eating was spread across the year. Reliable sex differences in insect eating did not occur. The findings were related to theories offered to explain the attractiveness of animal foods to primates and to the suggestion that a sex difference in predatory inclinations of hominid ancestors may have been a preadaptation underlying the eventual emergence of male hunting and female gathering.
Poor growth prior to early childhood: Decreased health and life‐span in the adult
Authors: Clark George A. , Hall Nicholas R. , Armelagos George J. , Borkan Gary A. , Panjabi Manohar M. , Wetzel F. Todd
Published: February 2006

Previous studies in animal populations have shown that stunted neural and thymolymphaticgrowth early in development may result in permanently impaired neural and immune function, decreased body growth, vertebral wedging, and decreased life‐span. In the human adult, small vertebral neural canal (VNC) diameters may reflect early stunted neural and immune development and impaired function that leads todecreased health (inferred by greater vertebral wedging) and life‐span in the adult. VNC, which complete their growth by early childhood (age 4), are markers of early development in adults. On the other hand, features following general body growth, such as height, weight (represented here by vertebral body height) continues to grow until young adulthood. They are less reliable, because they readily experience catch‐up growth (even in chronically stressed populations) and, unlike VNC, may mask poor early growth. To test associations between early growth and adult health and life‐span in humans, we measured 2,060 VNC, vertebral heights, vertebral wedging, nerve‐root tunnel lengths, severity of vertebral osteophytosis, and ages at death in 90 adult (aged 15–55 years) prehistoric skeletons (950–1300 A.D.). Tibial lengths were also measured in a subsample (n = 30). Multivariate, bivariate, and nonparametric analyses showed that small VNC are significantly associated with greater vertebral wedging and decreased life‐span (P < 0.05−0.00001). VNC are independent of vertebral body heights and tibial lengths (general body growth). VNC, but not statural components, are useful in predicting adult health, presumably because they reflect neural and immune development and do not readily experience catch‐up growth. Thus, longitudinal retrospective measures of early growth and adult health were systematically linked within individuals regardless of confounding factors operating over the 350‐year time period. Since this research was completed, this model has repeatedly been independently confirmed in four living urban industrial populations. Longitudinal retrospective analysis was employed together with direct measures of VNC, neural and immune function. Together these results suggested that it may be essential to improve growth prior to early childhood in order to maximize adult health and life‐span.
Distribution of Gm and Km allotypes among five populations in China
Authors: Matsumoto Hideo , Miyazaki Tokiko , Xu Xiping , Watanabe Hirokatsu , Kawai Naoki , Suzuki Koichi
Published: February 2006

Serum samples from five populations in China [173 from Huhehote (Naimengu Zhizhiqu), 195 from the Beijing area, 131 from Hefei (Anhui Province), 155 from Hangzhou (Zhejiang Province), and 152 from Guangzhou (Guangdong Province)] were tested for G1m(1, 2, 3, and 17), G2m(23), G3m(5, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 21, and 26), and Km(1). The Gm pattern of the Chinese populations are characterized by the presence of four haplotypes, Gm1, 17;‥;21, 26, Gm1, 2, 17;‥;21, 26, Gm1, 17;‥;10, 11,13,15,16, and Gm1, 3;23;5, 10, 11, 13, 14, 26, which are characteristic of Mongoloid populations. Agreement was obtained in all Chinese samples between the observed and expected frequencies on the basis of the Hardy‐Weinberg equilibrium of phenotypes. Heterogeneity tests of the haplotypic distributions among the five populations showed no significant differences in the distributions of Gm phenotypes between Huhehote and Beijing nor between Hefei and Hangzhou, whereas highly significant differences were observed among the three districts: northern part (Huhehote and Beijing), central part (Hefei and Hangzhou), and southern part (Guangzhou). The data indicate a south to north genocline, ranging from Huhehote to Guangzhou in which Gm1, 17;‥;21, 26 changes from 0.471 to 0.183, Gm1, 17;‥;10, 11, 13, 15, 16 from 0.097 to 0.033, and Gm1, 3;23;5, 10, 11, 13, 14, 26 from 0.229 to 0.730. In contrast to the Gm system, no significant regional differences in the frequencies of the Kml allele were observed among the five populations.
Variations in enamel thickness and structure in East African hominids
Authors: Beynon AD , Wood BA
Published: February 2006

Tooth fragments are an appreciable but neglected proportion of fossil hominidspecimens. The present study on 47 naturally fractured enamel surfaces of premolar and molar teeth of Plio‐Pleistocene East African hominids measured enamel thickness, slope of incremental lines (striae of Retzius), and the morphology of Hunter Schreger bands (HSBs). Specimens allocated to three categories—“robust” australopithecines (EAFROB), “early Homo” (EAFHOM), and “unknown”—were photographed in ethanol with polarised light. Enamel thickness was measured on the occlusal (OT), cuspal (CT), and lateral (LT) aspects. The angle of intersection of striae of Retzius (D) with the enamel dentine junction (EDJ) was recorded, together with the degree of curvature and width of Hunter‐Schreger bands (HSB). Absolute measurements of enamel thickness were scaled by using two allometry correction factors. Absolute thicknesses of all enamel measurements were significantly greater in the EAFROB (OT 3.1 mm; CT 3.3 mm; LT 2.4 mm) compared with EAFHOM (OT 1.4 mm; CT 1.6 mm; LT 1.6 mm) categories. Correction for size reduces the mean difference between the two taxa, but CT and OT thickness remain significantly different (P < 0.05). HSBs in EAFROB were relatively straight and narrower (X = 52.8 μm) than in EAFHOM, which are more curved and wider (X = 62.0 μm), suggesting greater enamel prism decussation in early Homo. The slope of striae was less in EAFROB permanent molars (X = 23°) compared with EAFHOM (X = 31°), indicating faster rates of coverage during crown formation in “robust” australopithecines. We conclude that the study of fractured enamel surfaces can contribute to our understanding of the systematic relationships and patterns of enamel growth of early hominids.
Metacarpophalangeal pattern profile analysis in clinical genetics: An applied anthropometric method
Authors: Butler Merlin G. , Meaney F. John , Kaler Stephen G.
Published: February 2006

The hand is a complex anatomical structure with the component bones susceptible to a combination of environmental and genetic factors that may affect the bone length and width. The alterations may involve a single bone or specific group of bones. The metacarpophalangeal pattern profile (MCPP) developed by Poznanski, Garn, and others (Poznanski et al. Birth Defects VIII (5): 125–131, 1972) is a graphic representation of the relative lengthening and shortening of the 19 tubular bones of the hand useful for diagnosis, comparison of dissimilar patients, and gene carrier detection. The profile hand bone measurements are derived from posteroanterior hand radiographs and are standardized for age and sex. Specific profiles have been developed for several syndromes. Therefore, MCPP analysis has developed from a method of describing changes in the hand to a technique useful in assigning a diagnosis to a specific syndrome and evaluation of skeletal development. The current status of MCPP analysis in clinical genetics, particularly with the Prader‐Labhart‐Willi and Sotos syndromes, is discussed.
Sex determination of fragmentary crania by analysis of the cranial base
Authors: Holland Thomas Dean
Published: February 2006

The cranial base can be used to determine the sex of fragmentary or deformed skulls. An initial study used nine measurements taken from 100 crania in the Terry Collection. The sample was divided equally by race and sex. Six regression models were formulated that predicted correctly the sex of the sample with 71–90% accuracy. In a separate test, a control sample of 20 skulls, also drawn from the Terry Collection but not involved with formulating the regression equations, was correctly classified with 70–85% accuracy.
Anthropometry and the biological structure of the Hvar population
Authors: Rudan Pavao , Roberts Derek F. , Janicijevic Branka , Smolej Nina , Szirovicza Lajos , Kastelan Andrija
Published: February 2006

Biological structure of the population of the island of Hvar was investigated by using the data on anthropometric variation among nine village populations; 24 body and 14 head dimensions were analysed from 487 male and 437 female adult subjects. Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed heterogeneity among the populations, which says much for the strength of the isolating factors on the island. Using correlations of anthropometric and geographic distance, the observed patterns of variation among villages were closely related to geography, suggesting migration to be an important factor in the formation of the island's population structure. Populations of the examined villages were further grouped to form the population of the eastern part and the population of the western part of the island, which have an ethnodemographic and sociocultural basis. The analyses revealed heterogeneity between the populations and thus provided evidence to support the hypothesis about the existence of the genetically different groups living in the same biotope.
Neanderthal parietal, vertebrate fauna, and stone artifacts from the upper pleistocene deposits of Contrada Ianní di San Calogero (Catanzaro, Calabria, Italy)
Authors: Bonfiglio L , Cassoli PF , Mallegni F , Piperno M , Solano A
Published: February 2006

Human skeletal remains recovered at a new archaeological site, dating back to the Italian Mousterian age are analyzed. The finds consist of a left parietal of a child about 2–3 years old. The metrical, morphometrical, and morphological traits of this parietal are compared to those of other Neanderthal children. The geological features of the site, its fauna, and stone artifacts recovered there during quarry operations are also analyzed.
Anthropometric multivariate structure and dermatoglyphic peculiarities in biochemically and morphologically different heterozygous groups
Authors: Kobyliansky E , Livshits G
Published: February 2006

Multivariate analysis of the relationship between degree of heterozygosity at four blood group loci and the morphological variability in a human population was carried out. Additionally, the possibility that dermatoglyphic patterns correlate with biochemical and anthropometric variables was also investigated. A strong and significant increase in the frequency of morphologically multimodal individuals was observed, which paralleled the heterozygosity level. Discriminant analysis, by quantitative characters, of the closest pair of biochemically different samples yielded a satisfactory discrimination. Multiple correlations of each variable with all the others (18 traits), the communality of characters, the index of integration, and the Mahalanobis distances of the factor scores for each individual (all extracted from principal component analysis) were all indicative of the different multivariate structures of homo‐and heterozygous individuals and thus supported the hypothesis that heterozygotes tend to cluster near the center of the joint multivariate distribution. The dermatoglyphic patterns showed a certain relationship with the morphological makeup of individuals. Correlations between biochemical heterozygosity at blood group loci and patterns of digital dermatoglyphics were rather irregular.
Affinities between contemporary and skeletal Jewish and non‐Jewish groups based on tooth morphology
Authors: Sofaer Jeffrey A. , Smith Patricia , Kaye Edith
Published: February 2006

Samples from five Jewish and six non‐Jewish populations were compared in terms of the frequencies of 19 dental morphological variables. All but one of the samples came from Europe, North Africa, or the Middle East. Nine were from contemporary populations, and two were skeletal. Of the skeletal groups, one was Jewish, excavated on Mount Zion, Jerusalem, and dated at around 3,000 years old; and the other non‐Jewish, excavated on the east coast of Australia, and dated at between 1,000 and 200 years old. Assessment of affinity between the different groups was based on smallest space analysis and cluster analysis. The results demonstrated relative proximity of the Jewish groups (with one exception), despite the fact that they came from a wide geographical area. In particular, the sample from Mount Zion showed greater affinity with three of the four living Jewish populations than with most non‐Jewish groups. The skeletal Australian sample formed a cluster of its own, distinct from all the other groups. For six of the groups, the relationships based on tooth morphology showed good correspondence with known relationships based on single locus polymorphisms. The similarity of the Jewish groups to each other in terms of both tooth morphology and single locus polymorphisms was of special interest, since differences in other morphological and anthropometric characteristics, thought to be the result of selection, are known to exist between the Jewish populations.
Maxillary molar occlusal polygons in five human samples
Authors: Morris Donald H.
Published: February 2006

Angular and linear measurements of maxillary first molar occiusal polygons are given foryoung San (Bushmen), Sotho, Asiatic Indians, Whites, and Papago Indians. Angularand linear measurements are inseparably related. Much greater variation occursin widths than in lengths. Maximum variation occurs between San and Papago. Papago maxillary first molars are separable from Old World molar samples in two of four angles and eight of 13 indices.
Post‐pleistocene changes in tooth root and jaw relationships
Authors: Smith Patricia , Wax Yochanan , Adler Fanny , Silberman Uri , Heinic Gady
Published: February 2006

Mandibles of 126 sexed skeletal specimens, from Near Eastern sites dating over the past 12,000 years were radiographed. From the radiographs obtained, digitised tracings were made of crown length (mesiodistal), root height and width, and corpus height mesial to the premolars and first and second molars. The dataobtained were analysed using, rank transformation procedures. The significance of unidirectional trends in relation to periods sampled was examined graphically and analytically through linear regression analysis of the ranks on thechronological scale, and Spearman's rank correlation was used to comparerelationships between different parameters of individual teeth in differentperiods. Significant reduction was found in crown length between 12,000 B.P. and 6,000 B.P., but no further reduction was found between 6,000 B.P. and 1,000 B.P. Little change was observed in root size, but corpus height showed significant reduction over the past 6,000 years. The differences observed in the timing and extent of reduction in crown, root, and corpus height are associated with a lowintrapopulation correlation between them.
Effects of altitude, ethnicity‐religion, geographical distance, and occupation on adult anthropometric characters of eastern Himalayan populations
Authors: Majumder Partha P. , Gupta Ranjan , Mukhopadhyay Barun , Bharati Premananda , Roy Subrata K. , Masali M , Sloan AW , Basu Amitabha
Published: February 2006

With a view to estimating the effect of altitude on body dimensions vis‐à‐vis ethnicity‐religion, geographical distance, and occupation, a comprehensive multivariate statistical analysis was performed on data pertaining to 16 anthropometric characters collected from 1,103 individuals (643 males and 460 females) belonging to two ethnic groups—Sherpa and Lepcha. Samples were drawn from several locations in the eastern Himalayan region—Darjeeling and Kalimpong in West Bengal (India), and Nepal, situated at low (1,000–2,000 meters) and high (above 3,500 meters) altitudes. The individuals sampled practice different occupations and follow different religions. Significant age and sex effects were observed. The data were age‐adjusted, and sexes were treated separately. A test of equality of mean vectors indicated heterogeneity among population groups. Almost all characters were found to contribut significantly to the ability to discriminate between the groups. The overall probability of correctly classifying an individual based on body dimensions into the group in which she or he actually belongs was high (between 0.64 and 0.77). Shape and size factors could be identified that explained about 50% of the total variance and yielded a reasonable separation of the groups. Results of four different types of multivariate statistical analyses were in agreement, and showed that altitude is most highly associated with body dimensions.
Individual admixture estimates: Disease associations and individual risk of diabetes and gallbladder disease among Mexican‐Americans in Starr County, Texas
Authors: Hanis Craig L. , Chakraborty Ranajit , Ferrell Robert E. , Schull William J.
Published: February 2006

The ethnic and geographic distributions of several common chronic diseases show distinct patterns that are consistent with the distribution of genes and genetic admixture. For example, diabetes and gallbladder disease occur most frequently among Amerindians, while those genetically admixed with them (such as Mexican‐Americans) have intermediate rates, and lowest rates are found among Whites and Blacks. Because there will be heterogeneity from individual to individual in ancestral affinity within an admixed population, a method is developed for estimating each person's admixture probability. Results confirm that there is substantial heterogeneity of individual admixture among Mexican‐Americans in Starr County, Texas, with a mean value indicating that 65% of genes in this population are Caucasian derived and 35% Amerindian derived. The individual estimates are shown to be unrelated to the probability of being diabetic and only marginally related to gallbladder disease, with those having the most Amerindian affinity being at increased risk. These results are a consequence of the independent assortment of loci and indicate that unless the markers employed are related (including linkage) to the disease of interest, the method will have limited utility. Individual admixture estimates will be useful, however, for examining aspects of population structure and will find increased utility for predicting disease and examining disease associations as more and more of the genome is represented by markers, a very probable prospect with the abundance of DNA polymorphism being identified by restriction enzymes.
Gene flow and variation in stature and craniofacial dimensions among indigenous populations of Southern Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras
Authors: Little Bertis B. , Malina Robert M.
Published: February 2006

Populations with histories of outbreeding tend to be taller even in the face of seemingly unchanged health and nutritional circumstances, while inbreeding generally results in a negative correlation between body dimensions and level of inbreeding. Populations that have experienced a positive secular trend in stature and maturation typically have histories of higher outbreeding rates in combination with improved nutritional, health, and economic conditions, suggesting a genetic‐environment interaction. In general, Middle American Indians have not experienced a secular trend in stature, nor a substantial increase in their standard of living, but they have experienced varying degrees of admixture with Spanish and African populations since the Spanish Conquest. The relationship between estimated gene flow and variation in several anthropometric dimensions is thus considered in indigenous Mesoamerican populations. Available data on height, sitting height, craniofacial dimensions, and admixture rate of Indian populations from southern Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras were assembled from the literature. The population mean data on 3,371 adults from 23 populations for males and 18 for females were analyzed by regression with anthropometry as the dependent variable, and log10 of admixture as the independent variable. Admixture was ⩽ 28.9% in this study and is suggestive of a primarily traditional Indian cultural and economic base. The results suggest that populations with higher admixture tend to be taller, and that the increase in stature is due to greater subischial length in both sexes. A decrease in nasion‐menton height, and an increase in nasal breadth, nasal height, and the nasal index is suggested for the dimensions of the craniofacial complex. These data thus suggest changes in anthropometric dimensions and proportions associated with gene flow, apparently in the absence of improved health and nutritional conditions.
Ontogenetic, intraspecific, and interspecific variation of the prehallux in primates: Implications for its utility in the assessment of phylogeny
Authors: Wikander Richard , Covert Herbert H. , Deblieux Donald D.
Published: February 2006

The prehallux is a sesamoid bone occurring in the region of the hallucial tarso‐metatarsal joint in a number of metatherian and eutherian orders and in some nonmammalian tetrapods. Within the order Primates, it occurs invariably in ceboids and Hylobates, with extreme infrequency in pongids and Homo, and is absent in other primates groups.

It has been suggested that, first, the prehallux is homologous both within and across the infraclasses Metatheria and Eutheria; second, it has functional significance in that it contributes to joint stability and is an adaptation to arboreality; third, its presence results in diagnostic features on the entocuneiform and hallucial metatarsal, so that original presence or absence can be unambiguously assessed in instances when the bone itself is not preserved; and fourth, because of presumed homology, it may be employed in the reconstruction of phylogenetic relationships.

The present study concludes that the homologous nature of the bone is open to reasonable doubt, the assumption of homology does not yield significantly more parsimonious phylogeny reconstructions than does the assumption of analogy, there are no invariant diagnostic features associated with its presence, and functional explanations currently offered are of questionable validity. Thus, the prehallux is at present of little utility in either establishing or precluding phylogenetic relationships among primates.
Genetic variation within and among lion tamarins
Authors: Forman Lisa , Kleiman Devra G. , Bush R. Mitchell , Dietz James M. , Ballou Jonathan D. , Phillips Lyndsay G. , Coimbra‐Filho Adelmar F. , O'Brien Stephen J.
Published: February 2006

The golden lion tamarinLeontopithecus rosalia rosalia, one of the rarest and most endangered of New World primates, has been the focus of an intensive research and conservation effort for two decades. During that period, managed breeding from 44 founders has brought the captive population to over 400 individuals, a number that equals or exceeds the estimated number of free‐ranging golden lion tamarins. The extent of genetic variation among golden lion tamarins was estimated with an electrophoretic survey of 47 allozyme loci from 67 captive and 73 free‐ranging individuals. The amount of variation was low, compared to 15 other primate species, with 4% of the loci being polymorphic (P), and with an average heterozygosityHestimate of 0.01 in these callitrichids. Electrophoretic analyses of captive and free‐ranging animals (N = 31) of two allopatric morphotypes,Leontopithecus rosalia chrysopygusandL. r. chrysomelas, were similar to theL. r. rosaliafindings insofar as they also revealed limited genetic polymorphism. Computation of the Neigenetic distance measurements showed that the three morphotypes were genetically very similar, although discernible differentiation had occurred at two loci. These data are consistent with the occurrence of recent reproductive isolations of these subspecies.
Low rate of population increase of the Gidra papuans in the past: A genealogical‐demographic analysis
Authors: Ohtsuka Ryutaro
Published: February 2006

The population increase rate of the Gidra in lowland Papua in the past was estimated using the rate of intergenerational replacement of females based on genealogical records involving 889 women, alive or deceased, who completed reproduction. During the period from a century ago to the time of manifest influence of civilization several decades ago, the Gidra had a constant annual increase rate of about 0.2%. The discussion includes a historical assessment of this rate with reference to the local conditions and an ecological explanation for its microenvironmental variation and suggests a reassessment of the methodology for studying fertility and population growth in anthropological and prehistoric populations.
Three‐dimensional measurement of the occlusal surfaces of lower first molars of Australian aboriginals
Authors: Sekikawa M. , Akai J. , Kanazawa E. , Ozaki T.
Published: February 2006

The occlusal surfaces of lower first molars of Australian Aboriginals were measured in three dimensions with the aid of Moiré contourography. Molar cuspal heights in this population were higher than in Japanese (Mongoloid) but lower than in Dutch (Caucasoid) populations. Intercuspal distances were considerably larger than those in the two other populations. Populational differences in occlusal features may influence both craniofacial structures and jaw movements in the three populations. Low correlations between the cuspal heights and the intercuspal distances in the other two populations were also found in this population, indicating that human molar cuspal height is independent of the transverse size of the crown.

Mean values for the height of the three principal cusps in lower first molars were less than those in upper ones. However, the height of the hypoconid, which was the highest in the lower molar cusps, showed almost the same mean value as the height of the upper three principal cusps, indicating that the height of the main functional cusp, in both upper and lower first molars, was almost the same.