bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A family study of dermatoglyphic traits in India: A search for major gene effects on palmar pattern ridge counts
Authors: Gilligan S. B. , Borecki I. B. , Mathew S. , Malhotra K. C. , Rao D. C.
Published: February 2006

Palmar pattern ridge counts were subjected to segregation analysis in an attempt to identify possible major gene effects on these dermatoglyphic traits. The phenotypes considered were total palmar pattern ridge count, and ridge counts for the right interdigital III and IV and left interdigital IV individual palmar areas (sample sizes were too small for the other palmar areas). Evidence of familial resemblance was found for all of the phenotypes studied, and initial evidence for a major effect was found for all but the right palm interdigital III ridge count. However, this initial evidence could be attributed to nongenetic effects in each case, indluding skewness in the trait distribution. Tests for agreement with Mendelian transmission frequencies were found to be very useful in discriminating between a non‐Mendelian major effect and a major gene. We concluded against a major gene effect for any of these traits, and multifactorial inheritance remains a plausible alternative explanation for the familial resemblance.
Gait characteristics of two squirrel monkeys, with emphasis on relationships with speed and neural control
Authors: Vilensky Joel A. , Patrick M. Charlene
Published: February 2006

Two adult squirrel monkeys (one of each sex) were trained to locomote on a motor‐driven treadmill at seven fixed speeds within 0.89–2.58 m/second. Subsequently, the animals were filmed while locomoting at these speeds, with the films then being used to determine gait parameters. The female monkey exhibited lateral‐sequence symmetrical gaits at slow speeds, and transverse and rotatory gallops at fast speeds. The male used lateral‐sequence symmetrical gaits at all speeds. The squirrel monkeys exhibited typical relationships between temporal gait parameters and increased speed, with these relationships continuing across the run‐gallop transition. An analysis‐of footfall intervals (delays) and support patterns indicated that during symmetrical gaits these monkeys emphasized lateral support. During galloping, one delay, the trailing hindlimb to trailing forelimb, was found to be very stable, both across speeds and for both types of galloping. Also during galloping, swing duration was found to be more variable than stance duration.

These findings are interpreted with regard to understanding the neural control of locomotion in tetrapods, and more specifically, in primates. The latter part of this discussion revolves around three basic differences between primate and non primate gaits: (1) utilization of diagonal‐sequence gaits by primates (although the squirrel monkeys were atypical in this regard); (2) absence of a running trot in primates; and (3) absence of stepping following spinal cord transection in primates. These three differences reflect greater supraspinal control of locomotion in primates, and possibly intrinsic differences in the coupling of spinal locomotor generators.
Factors affecting the distribution of enamel hypoplasias within the human permanent dentition
Authors: Goodman Alan H. , Armelagos George J.
Published: February 2006

Frequencies and morphological and chronological distributions of enamel hypoplasias are presented by tooth type (permanent I1 to M2s), based on a sample of 30 prehistoric Amerindians with complete and unworn dentitions. There is nearly a tenfold variation in frequency of defects by tooth, ranging from 0.13 per mandibular second molar to 1.27 per maxillary central incisor. The six anterior teeth average between 0.70 and 1.27 defects/tooth, whereas the eight posterior teeth average between 0.43 and 0.13 defects/tooth. Earlier developing teeth, such as incisors, have earlier peak frequencies of defects (2.0–2.5 years), while later developing teeth, such as second molars, have subsequent peak frequencies (5.0–6.0 years). These variations are relevant when comparing hypoplasia data based on different teeth.

Differences in hypoplasia frequencies among teeth are not solely due to variation in time of crown development, as is usually reported. Rather, there is evidence for biological gradients in susceptibility to ameloblastic disruption. Anterior teeth are more hypoplastic than posterior teeth. More developmentally stable “polar” teeth are more hypoplastic than surrounding teeth. Polar teeth may be more susceptible to hypoplasias because their developmental timing is less easily disrupted.

In all teeth, hypoplasias are most common in the middle and cervical thirds. Crown development and morphological factors, such as enamel prism length anddirection, may influence the development and expression of enamel surface defects.
Proximal femur articulation in Pliocene hominids
Authors: Asfaw Berhane
Published: February 2006

The supposed “nonhuman anthropoid”‐type femur head articular surface described for the Pliocene hominid specimen A.L.288‐1 (“Lucy”) by Stern and Susman in 1983 is present in significant numbers of modern human femora. This nonmetric skeletal trait was also found to be sex‐related in modern human samples examined.
Population structure in the Connecticut Valley: II. A comparison of multidimensional scaling solutions of migration matrices and isonymy
Authors: Swedlund A. C. , Anderson A. B. , Boyce A. J.
Published: February 2006

In a previous paper (Swedlund et al., 1984) we have described the population structure of the historical Connecticut River Valley of Massa chusetts in terms of matrimonial migration matrices. Using procedures described by Morton (1973), Harpending and Jenkins (1974), Jorde (1980), and others the exchanges between subdivisions which make up the matrices are made column stochastic and analyzed to predict genetic kinship. Subsequently the kinship estimates within and between subdivisions can be interpreted as genetic covariance and compared to the actual geographic distances between the respective subdivisions using a principal components analysis. In the present paper we extend these results by applying nonmetric multidimensional scaling to the migration matrices, and to isonymy matrices based on the same communities. We demonstrate that the multidimensional scaling configurations of marital migration represent the actual geographic relationships between the communities quite effectively for this particular case study from historical Massachusetts. Moreover, we argue that while these migration data may provide good estimates of social and genetic exchange between the subdivisions, surname analysis may also be informative of processes not revealed in the migration matrices alone.
Physique and thermoregulation in prepubertal males during exercise in a warm, humid environment
Authors: Docherty David , Eckerson John D. , Hayward John S.
Published: February 2006

The hyperthermic response to exercise in a warm (30°C), humid (80% relative humidity) environment was obtained for 23 prepubertal males. After the initial increase of core temperatures (tympanic and rectal) to elevated set points, further hyperthermia was minimal and was unrelated to any physique variable except for the case of endomorphy, which was weakly correlated with hyperthermia at the rectal site. This result for boys is attributed to the combination of small body size (relative to adults) and absence of pronounced, age‐dependent muscular development as evidenced by low rating and small variation of the mesomorphy component of somatotype. Both of these factors were associated with a high surface area to weight ratio compared to adults, which facilitated heat loss. It is concluded that prepubertal males thermoregulate efficiently during moderate exercise in a warm, humid environment. Other than cases of obesity, variation in physique is not an important consideration for assessing the risk of heat strain.
Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging of mummified corpses
Authors: Piepenbrink H. , Frahm J. , Haase A. , Matthaei D.
Published: February 2006

Clinical applications of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) imaging have demonstrated its great potential for noninvasive examinations of soft tissues. Here preliminary experiments are reported on mummified human tissue by means of NMR cross‐sectional and transmission imaging. For this purpose the natural viscosity of the tissues has been lowered by rehydration with an aqueous solution of 20% acetone.
The first rib of hominoids
Authors: Ohman James C.
Published: February 2006

Homo sapiens is unique among extant hominoids in displaying a univertebral articular pattern for the first rib; that is, the head of the first rib articulates only with the body of the first thoracic vertebra. All other hominoids, indeed virtually all other mammals, display a bivertebral pattern; that is, the head of the first rib articulates with the bodies of both the seventh cervical and the first thoracic vertebrae, as well as the intervening disk. Two fossil hominid partial first ribs, A.L. 288‐lax and A.L. 333‐118, show that the univertebral pattern was fully established in the hominid lineage by the appearance of Australopithecus afarensis.

Four hypotheses, based in functional anatomy, can be postulated for the evolution of the univertebral pattern: (1), it increases the volume (via increased length) of the neck, which could, in turn, compensate for the functional loss of the laryngeal sac systems in hominid vocalization; (2), it is a consequence of the more barrel‐shaped thorax in hominids; (3), it is a consequence of functional modifications in the hominid shoulder girdle; and/or (4), it is a consequence of modifications in hominid first rib motion while breathing in an upright stance. Fossil evidence supports all but the first hypothesis, and most strongly supports the third. However, evidence for the first hypothesis does suggest that the evolution of descent of the upper respiratory system in the hominid lineage may have been permitted by the presence of the univertebral pattern, while the reverse is probably not true. Furthermore, fossil evidence for the third hypothesis shows that, by the appearance of A. afarensis, the hominid upper limb had been freed from locomotor constraints, which concomitantly confirms full adaptation to upright posture. Thus, because of their potential relationship with upright posture, the two remaining hypotheses (i.e., “thoracic shape” and “first rib movement during breathing”) also have support from the fossil evidence.
An elemental analysis of archaeological bone from Sicily as a test of predictability of diagenetic change
Authors: Klepinger Linda L. , Kuhn John K. , Williams Wendell S.
Published: February 2006

Corticalhuman bone samples from three tightly dated components of a single Sicilian sitewere chemically analyzed employing the highly sensitive technique of inductivelycoupled plasma emission spectroscopy. Although the skeletons appeared to beexcellently preserved, significant diage‐nesis was detected. Moreover, amajority of the elements tested showed no constant or linear variation overtime, implying that diagenetic change tends not to be a predictable function of duration of interment. Variation among major long bones of a single skeleton wasquite high, as was variation across the cortex. The latter may reflect chemicalinhomogeneity in bone tissue or may be an artifact of postmortem change. Theresults demonstrate the hazards of unsuspected and unpredictable diagenesis, which must be controlled before reliable dietary inferences can be drawn.
The use of nonmetric variation in estimating human population admixture: A test case with Brazilian blacks, whites, and mulattos
Authors: Wijsman Ellen M. , Neves Walter A.
Published: February 2006

Measurements in populations which serve as valid indicators of biological relationship should be proportional to genetic distance. In order to test the utility of discrete cranial traits for estimating genetic distances among populations, estimates of admixture are obtained for gene frequency data and nonmetric cranial data in São Paulo mulattos (M). The gene frequency data serve as a control that the three populations are related as stated: estimates of admixture are obtained by using São Paulo whites (W) and blacks (B) as parental populations and by estimating the parameter of admixture, m, in the model pM = (1 − m) pW + mpB (Elston, 1971) where the p's are either gene frequencies or nonmetric trait frequencies. A test of goodness of fit of the model provides a means of ascertaining whether or not the data fit this linear model. While the gene frequency data indicate distances among the three populations which are highly compatible with the linear model of admixture, the nonmetric data show significant deviations from the model. This implies that the frequencies of the nonmetric traits in the populations used in this analysis are not a linear function of genetic distance. This discourages the use of nonmetric traits in making quantitative conclusions about genetic relationships. It also suggests the need for investigation of the use of other skeletal characters for estimating genetic distance, as well as approaches for such investigations through the study of hybrid individuals.
Frequencies of complex diseases in hybrid populations
Authors: Chakraborty Ranajit , Weiss Kenneth M.
Published: February 2006

Diseases of complex etiology demonstrate considerable variation in their frequencies in different ethnic populations. Noninsulin‐dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), rheumatoid arthritis, and several cardiovascular diseases constitute examples of such disorders. In genetic studies involving hybrid populations of known ancestry, it is of interest to compare and correlate disease prevalence with the admixture proportion, the latter estimated from a number of polymorphic genetic markers. Theoretical formulations are provided relating disease prevalence in a hybrid population to the admixture proportion under different models of disease transmission. It is shown that the relationship between admixture proportion and disease frequency provides discriminatory power regarding the mode of inheritance. This method is illustrated with an example comparing the proportion of Amerindian ancestry in Mexican‐Americans and the prevalence of NIDDM. It is found that genetic factors are involved in susceptibility to NIDDM, but the mode of inheritance cannot be explained by any simple genetic model, and the role of sporadic events cannot be totally ruled out.
Dental function and diet in the carpolestidae (primates, plesiadapiformes)
Authors: Biknevicius Audrone R.
Published: February 2006

Microwear analysis has long been used to infer dental function in primates; however, this is the first study to combine microwear and morphometric analyses to infer the dental function of the highly derived dentition of an early Tertiary primate. The Carpolestidae, a family of plesiadapiform primates, are characterized in part by a bladelike lower dentition (P4 and trigonid of M1). This study reveals a dual function of this dental complex.

During the preparatory cycle, the tall, vertical enamel surfaces and broad basal lobes on P4 and trigonid of M1 probably functioned to wedge foods apart. This cycle is designated slicing‐crushing and is uncommon among mammals, having been documented only for two extinct taxa: the multituberculates and the carpolestids. In addition to this special function, P4 and trigonid of M1 were used extensively with the molars in Phase I shearing. Facet analysis has revealed two new Phase I facets located on P3,4, whose formation is a result of normal Phase I movements and the derived morphology of these teeth. Slicingcrushing, used with Phase I shearing, would probably be most useful in processing food items of combined textures, particularly a soft interior covered by either a brittle or ductile coat, which are characteristic of an omnivorous diet composed of invertebrates, nuts, and seeds.
Periodontal disease in ancient populations
Authors: Clarke N. G. , Carey S. E. , Srikandi W. , Hirsch R. S. , Leppard P. I.
Published: February 2006

Recent clinical and anthropological findings indicate that the conventional concept of the pathogenesis of periodontal disease requires review. The periodontal lesion has been defined as a generalised horizontal loss of crestal bone resulting from host immune and inflammatory responses triggered by the action of commensal bacteria, and the extension of gingivitis into the deeper periodontium to become periodontitis has been assumed to occur slowly but steadily over many years. Anthropological and clinical investigations reveal that the widespread loss of crestal tissue is relatively unusual and that lesions of the alveolus are commonly localised and severe. Longitudinal studies have shown that the disease progresses in bursts and is stable in both the gingivitis and periodontal modes in between the burst activity. The findings of the present study demonstrate that generalised horizontal periodontitis has been unusual and has not been responsible for tooth loss. Other factors responsible for deficient alveolar margins in dry bones have been overlooked in most studies, leading to overassessment of the incidence of periodontal disease in postmortem materials; the same assumptions have led to overassessment of periodontal disease in clinical studies and practice.
Enthesopathies (lesions of muscular insertions) as indicators of the activities of Neolithic Saharan populations
Authors: Dutour O.
Published: February 2006

Enthesopathies are bony lesions involving the sites of insertion of muscles or ligaments. Those caused by hyperactivity of the relevant muscles may be distinguished clearly from those of metabolic or inflammatory origin. Observations from sporting and occupational medicine indicate that specific enthesopathies are correlated with different activities. Examination of the enthesopathies present on two groups of well‐preserved neolithic skeletons from separate regions of the Sahara with different paleoenvironments show that overall 20% of the skeletons presented lesions. Three different forms of enthesopathy involved the arm, principally the elbow, and may be tentatively correlated with javelin throwing, wood cutting, and archery. Two types of lesion involving the foot were observed in skeletons from a hunter‐gatherer population and may be correlated with much walking or running over hard ground. I suggest that the analysis of such lesions on ancient skeletons may, in concert with other archaeological data, throw light on the activities of ancient people.
Gene differentiation among ten endogamous groups of West Bengal, India
Authors: Chakraborty R. , Walter H. , Mukherjee B. N. , Malhotra K. C. , Sauber P. , Banerjee S. , Roy M.
Published: February 2006

Ten endogamous populations of West Bengal, India have been surveyed for genetic variation in 12 systems. These populations encompass all social ranks in the caste hierarchy and cover almost the entire geographic area of the state. Gene diversity analysis suggests that these groups exhibit significant allele frequency variation at all but three loci. The overall genetic difference is not, however, in accord with the classification based on caste. Two low‐ranking scheduled caste groups are, in fact, in close proximity with the high‐caste ones, suggesting evidence of past generations of gene flow among them. Three different clusters of groups emerge from the present data, providing support for the anthropologic assertion that in Bengal Proto‐Australoid, Caucasoid, and Mongoloid racial elements generally coexist. However, these three components are not uniformly present in all groups. Geographic separation of the groups is a strong determinant of the gene differentiation that exists among these populations.
Cementum annulation and age determination in Homo sapiens. II. Estimates and accuracy
Authors: Condon Keith , Charles Douglas K. , Cheverud James M. , Buikstra Jane E.
Published: February 2006

The cementum annulation aging technique was evaluated in a sample of 80 clinically extracted premolars (age range 11–70 years). Demineralized thin sections (7μm) stained with hematoxylin were used. The correlation (r) between age and adjusted count (number of annulations added to age of tooth eruption) was 0.78 for the entire sample (N = 73) and 0.86 for a subsample in which teeth with periodontal disease were excluded (N = 55). Standard error of the estimates ranged from 4.7 to 9.7 years depending on sex and health status of the tooth. The technique provided significantly better estimates for females than for males. The overall inaccuracy (mean absolute error) of the technique was 6.0 years, with a bias (mean error) of 0.26 years. Reduced major axis regression of adjusted count on age produced a slope of 0.797 for the entire sample and 0.889 for the nonperiodontal disease subsample. These slopes are consistent with a hypothesis of annual deposition of cementum rings given a decrease in cementogenesis with increasing age.
Ultrasonic and skinfold caliper measures of subcutaneous adipose tissue thickness in elderly men and women
Authors: Chumlea W. Cameron , Roche Alex F.
Published: February 2006

Ultrasonic and skinfold caliper measures of subcutaneous adipose tissue were taken in a sample of elderly men and women, 65 to 99 years of age with an A‐mode Ithaco Body Composition Meter and a Holtain skinfold caliper. For most of the measurements, standard deviations for the ultrasonic measurements were three or more times larger than corresponding caliper measurements. Also, mean absolute interobserver errors for the ultrasonic measurements were considerably larger than those for skinfold calipers. At best, the interobserver reliability for the ultrasound machine was 68% while the poorest reliability for the skinfold caliper was 88%. In the form tested, the Ithaco Body Composition Meter is not as accurate for measuring subcutaneous adipose tissue thickness in the elderly as a Holtain skinfold caliper.
Correlations between relatives in small populations
Authors: Rogers Alan R.
Published: February 2006

Correlations between relatives in small, closed populations can be substantially smaller than predicted by the classical formulas of population genetics. This effect is especially pronounced for relatives whose most recent common ancestor is several generations removed. When the effective population size is small, correlations between even close relatives can be negative. This implies that in small populations conventional estimators of quantitative genetics parameters will be biased and that preferential treatment of close relatives will be less likely to evolve.
Fluctuating dental asymmetry as a measure of odontogenic canalization in man
Authors: Kieser J. A. , Groeneveld H. T. , Preston C. B.
Published: February 2006

Fluctuating odontometric asymmetry was evaluated in 202 Lengua Indians and in 125 contemporary caucasoids using Euclidean map analyses, rescaled asymmetry values, and Naperian logarithmic transformations. Both populations showed bimodal distributions of canalizing ability, with significantly more Lengua Indians being less well canalized. Student t‐tests indicated that significant interpopulation differences in rescaled asymmetry values centered around mxillary mesiodistal dimensions. Analyses of variance failed to show significant levels of sexual dimorphism in the magnitude of asymmetry for both populations. It is concluded that even in a relatively stress‐free population, there exist some individuals who are less well canalized than others. When a population is subjected to elevated levels of parasitic and nutritional stress, the number of less‐well‐canalized individuals increases significantly.
Technical report: The effects of humidity on the Abawerk osteometric board
Authors: Geise Marie Clabeaux
Published: February 2006

Calibration of the Abawerk osteometric board was checked in varying conditions of relative humidity. The paper scale of the board expands in high relative humidity. Measuring errors as great as 3.5 mm may result when using the board in humid environments.
Blood types of the native Americans of Oklahoma
Authors: Kasprisin D. O. , Crow M. , McClintock C. , Lawson J.
Published: February 2006

Large numbers of Indians from Oklahoma were screened for a variety of red cell antigens. Sufficient numbers of Cherokees, Creeks, and Choctaws were studied to calculate gene frequencies. These tribes originated in the Southeastern United States and were forcibly moved to Oklahoma. The Creeks and Choctaws have not been studied previously. A small number of Cherokees remained in North Carolina, and their blood types have been reported. The blood types of the Oklahoma Cherokees are quite similar to those observed there but one important difference was discovered. The data previously reported concerning the Eastern Cherokees revealed the absence of the Dia antigen. The present study found that the Oklahoma Cherokees do have the Dia antigen, although in a lower percentage than the other southeastern tribes. The Creeks and Choctaws share a linguistic heritage as well as having similar red cell phenotypes.
Evolution of P3 morphology in Australopithecus afarensis
Authors: Leonard William R. , Hegmon Michelle
Published: February 2006

The Australopithecus afarensis dental sample exhibits a wide range of variation, which is most notable in the morphology of the lower third premolar (P3). P3 morphology in the A. afarensis sample ranges from the primitive sectorial extreme in AL 128‐23 to the derived, bicuspid (molarized) extreme in AL 333w‐1. In this paper, the degree and patterning of variation of the 20 known A. afarensis P3s are examined and the evolutionary implications are discussed.

Initially, a series of dental and mandibular metric criteria are evaluated to determine whether this sample may be analyzed as a single species. From the metrics, it is clear that the single species hypothesis cannot be rejected. Next, a series of morphological criteria is devised to measure P3 molarization. Taken as a whole, the A. afarensis P3 sample displays more variation than a sample of modern hominoids (Pan troglodytes) and shows a slight trend toward increased molarization through time. When separated by sex, the A. afarensis sample still displays greater variation than the chimpanzee sample; however, only the male A. afarensis specimens show a trend toward increased molarization. Additionally, the male A. afarensis P3s are more molarized than the female, a pattern that is seen as well (though less markedly) in the chimpanzee sample.

The trend toward increased molarization over time indicates selection for grinding in A. afarensis. The sexual differences parallel those seen in the postcrania (cf. Stern and Susman: Am. J. Phys. Anthropol. 60:279–318, 1983), as the females tend to retain the primitive condition, while the males display the derived morphology. Consequently, a model of sexual differences in niche exploitation, with the females exploiting a more arboreal environment, would seem to be supported by both the dental and postcranial evidence.
Vitamin C biosynthesis in prosimians: Evidence for the anthropoid affinity of Tarsius
Authors: Pollock J. I. , Mullin R. J.
Published: February 2006

This report examines the taxonomic distribution of the in vitro biosynthesis of ascorbic acid in the Prosimii (Order: Primates). Liver and kidney samples of 15 prosimian taxa, including Tarsius bancanus, were quantitatively tested for the enzyme L‐gulono‐1,4‐lactone oxidase. Liver samples from all taxa except Tarsius had substantial levels of the enzyme. Furthermore, unlike other eutherian mammals, kidney tissue from members of the family Lemuridae showed low but consistent levels of enzyme activity. The result for Tarsius, by fitting with the pattern exhibited by the monkeys, apes, and man, adds significant independent evidence for this animal's relatively close genetic relationship with the Anthropoidea.
Effect of reproductive state and body size on food consumption in captive Galago senegalensis braccatus
Authors: Sauther Michelle L. , Nash Leanne T.
Published: February 2006

Measurements of food consumption for different types of foods were made for seven Galago senegalensis braccatus. Differences because of reproductive state in females and body size were found. Lactating females consumed more food in total and had greater energy and protein intake than they did during other reproductive states. Near‐term pregnant females consumed less food, energy, and protein than they did during other reproductive states. Body size affected food intake, with smaller animals ingesting more per unit metabolic weight than larger subjects.
A new species of Propliopithecus from the Fayum, Egypt
Authors: Simons E. L. , Rasmussen D. T. , Gebo D. L.
Published: February 2006

Propliopithecus ankeli is described as a new species of hominoid from the early Oligocene of Egypt. The new species occurs at a stratigraphic level 80 m below quarries yielding P. chirobates and Aegyptopithecus zeuxis. P. ankeli differs from other species of the genus in its large size, relatively robust canines, larger and proportionally broader premolars, and M1 that has as great or greater mesiodistal length than M2. Thus, P. ankeli is characterized by increased relative size and robustness of the antemolar dentition, which contrasts with the pattern observed in the Fayum′s other large hominoid, A. zeuxis. P. ankeli probably represents a lineage not ancestral to other Fayum hominoids. Discovery of this new species emphasizes the diversity of anthropoid primates that had already evolved by the early Oligocene.
More lingual surface attrition of the maxillary anterior teeth in American Indians: Prehistoric panamanians
Authors: Irish Joel D. , Turner Christy G.
Published: February 2006

Lingual surface attrition of the maxillary anterior teeth (LSA‐MAT) has been found in additional prehistoric Latin American Indian skeletons. LSAMAT was first observed in crania from an Archaic Brazilian site. This second finding occurs in teeth from Venado Beach, a late prehistoric site in Panama. LSAMAT is also present in some fragmentary specimens from the Archaic Cerro Mangote site in Panama. LSAMAT at Venado Beach is present in 57% of 28 adult crania. As in the Brazilian study, LSAMAT is associated with a high caries rate (82% of 50 adults; 11.7% of 852 permanent teeth). As first suggested, eating and processing of some type of abrasive carbohydrate food, such as manioc, is the possible cause of LSAMAT. However, other possible causes relating to habitation on or near marine coasts cannot be totally ruled out.
Longitudinal study of craniofacial growth in Macaca fascicularis
Authors: Nanda Ravindra , Baume Robert M. , Tanne Kazuo , Sugawara Junji
Published: February 2006

This paper is an analysis of normal craniofacial growth in adolescent crab‐eating macaques (Macaca fascicularis). Eight female adolescent monkeys were used in this study. Their individual craniofacial growth was studied for a 24‐month period utilizing tantalum implants and roentgenographic cephalograms. Throughout the observation period, each monkey consistently showed a class I molar relationship with a good overjet and overbite. The amount of anterior displacement of the maxilla and the mandible was significantly dominant compared to the vertical displacements at every observation period. The midface exhibited a maxillary differential growth pattern in which the premaxilla displaced superiorly and the posterior maxilla moved inferiorly, resulting in a counterclockwise rotation of the entire maxilla. Growth of the lower anterior teeth and alveolar bone compensated for the incremental vertical spaces which were induced by superior displacement of the premaxilla and inferior repositioning of the chin. In addition, the amount of anterior displacement of the upper and lower anterior teeth were significantly larger than that of the premaxilla and the chin. The dentocraniofacial growth pattern in Macaca fascicularis was quite similar to that seen in Macaca mulatta.
La Ferrassie 6 and the development of Neandertal pubic morphology
Authors: Tompkins Robert L. , Trinkaus Erik
Published: February 2006

Functional interpretations of the mediolateral elongation and superoinferior flattening of the superior pubic ramus of Neandertals require knowledge of its ontogeny. Metric comparisons between the La Ferrassie 6 Neandertal infant, aged 3–5 years, and a sample of modern infants reveal that the acetabulosymphyseal length of La Ferrassie 6, relative to femoral length and iliac breadth, falls at the limits of the range of variation of the modern infants, while the relative height of its superior pubic ramus is indistinguishable from that of the modern sample. It appears that acetabulosymphyseal elongation of the Neandertal pubis is a feature which is expressed quite early in ontogeny, well before puberty. Superoinferior flattening and ventral margin thinning of the superior ramus probably appear later in Neandertal ontogeny.
Late Pleistocene and Holocene population history of east Asia based on dental variation
Authors: Turner Christy G.
Published: February 2006

The purpose of this communication is to provide a summary description and analysis of 28 dental traits studied in a number of skeletal samples that originated in eastern Asia. The objectives of the analysis are to define the nature of Mongoloid dental variation, use it to measure Asian intergroup relationships, and develop in greater detail and with larger samples a dental anthropological model of the late Pleistocene and Holocene population history of eastern Asia.
Health and agricultural intensification in the prehistoric valley of Oaxaca, Mexico
Authors: Hodges Denise C.
Published: February 2006

The effects of agricultural intensification on health are examined in prehistoric populations of the Valley of Oaxaca, Mexico. Agriculture was practiced in the Valley of Oaxaca by the beginning of the Early Formative period (ca. 1400 B.C.), and had intensified by the Late Formative (ca. 500 B.C.). Skeletal remains from 14 archaeological sites in the Valley are pooled by temporal affiliation into a nonintensive agriculture group (1400–500 B.C.) and an intensive agriculture group (500 B.C.–1400 A.D.). The health effects of agricultural intensification are assessed by comparing the frequency of periosteal reactions, cribra orbitalia, and enamel hypoplasia between the intensive and nonintensive agricultural groups. Overall, no significant differences (alpha = 0.05) are found between the nonintensive and intensive groups. Power analyses of the chi‐square tests indicate that the tests have a high probability of rejecting a false null hypothesis. The intensification of agriculture does not appear to have had a deleterious effect on the health of the prehistoric population of the Valley. The differences between this study and previous studies of health and agricultural development may be explained by differences between the processes of intensification and development or by differences between primary and secondary centers of agricultural development.
Nut‐like oil seeds: Food for monkeys, chimpanzees, humans, and probably ape‐men
Authors: Peters Charles R.
Published: February 2006

The hypothetical hyperrobust australopithecine gnathic nutcracker adaptation is reexamined in light of ecobotanical information on edible wild nuts provided by the flora of tropical and subtropical Africa.

The nut producing species are tree‐forms. Those of the forest region do not as a rule produce fruits with edible mesocarps. In contrast, the woodland savanna species (particularly in the Zambezian region) characteristically provide an important whole fruit, i.e., a nutritious mesocarp in addition to edible oil‐rich nut seeds. These fruits drop from the tree before they are fully mature and go through the final ripening phase on the ground. They are important seasonal foods for a variety of vertebrates, including primates, elephants, and antelope.

Altogether the nuts exhibit a broad range of toughness values, measured here as strength under compression. The woodland nuts are not as tough (177–934 kg force, breaking load) as those of the tropical forest (192–1,673 kg force). The seed‐predators of the woodland species include squirrels, baboons, warthogs, and parrots.

Paleoecological analyses indicate that it was the woodland nuts that were probably available to Australopithecus boisei and A. robustus. Preliminary estimates of adult male gnathic nut‐cracking capabilities suggest that A. boisei could have orally cracked a significant portion of the woodland nuts. In spite of this, ecobotanical data indicate that we can probably reject the hypothesis that these hominids were year‐round gnathic nut‐cracking specialists. Both the indirect and direct evidence support this conclusion.
Patterns of approximal wear in cheek teeth of a Romano‐British population
Authors: Whittaker D. K. , Ryan S. , Weeks K. , Murphy W. M.
Published: February 2006

The approximal surfaces of premolars and molars of 376 adult British‐Romano skulls were examined for wear facets. The type of wear was designated as convex, concave, sigmoid, or flat, and the degree was categorised on a three‐point scale. Concave wear facets were more frequently seen in the older age groups, but the type of wear was similar on right and left sides. Taking all teeth together or as individual tooth types, concave wear was significantly more likely on mesial rather than distal surfaces.

The degree of wear was age related and similar on right and left sides in both males and females.

It is suggested that the distribution of concave facets may be related to movements between adjacent teeth.
The third metacarpal styloid process in humans: Origin and functions
Authors: Marzke M. W. , Marzke R. F.
Published: February 2006

The development, mechanics, and pathology of the third carpometacarpal joint have been investigated in order to explain the unique presence in humans of a styloid process on the third metacarpal. Structure and functions of the joint are compared in a large series of Old World anthropoid hand skeletons, cadavers, and X‐rays, and shown to differ in the three groups. Developmental anomalies reveal the source of the human styloid in a group of cells which fuse with the capitate in other Old World Anthropoidea. The absence of the process in Australopithecus afarensis and its presence in Neandertals suggest that an explanation for the evolution of the process may be sought in stresses on the hand in stone tool‐use. Film analysis of stone tool‐use shows that hammering and digging with hand‐held stones direct forces on the palmar aspect of the metacarpal head. From a biomechanical analysis of these forces it may be seen that the styloid process prevents subluxation of the base. The effectiveness of the process in this function is reflected by the rarity of injury and arthritis in the region. Individuals lacking the process tend to undergo degeneration of bone at the joint. Since repetitive impulsive forces on joints are known to cause osteoarthritis, it is suggested that there may be a link between the increasing reliance of early hominids on manipulative behavior that stressed this region of the hand and the evolution of a structural pattern that protects the joint from these stresses.
Hemoglobin concentration of pastoral nomads permanently resident at 4,850–5,450 meters in Tibet
Authors: Beall Cynthia M. , Goldstein Melvyn C.
Published: February 2006

This paper presents data on the hemoglobin concentration of a sample of 103 pastoral nomads who are lifelong residents of Phala, at 4,850–5,450 m, on the northern plateau of the Tibet Autonomous Region of the Peoples' Republic of China. This native population resides at the highest altitude of which we are aware and is thus exposed to the most extreme chronic hypoxic stress. However, they do not exhibit the most pronounced physiological adaptations, i.e., hemoglobin concentrations exceeding those found in all other high‐altitude populations. Adult male and female mean hemoglobin concentrations of 18.2 and 16.7 gm/dl, respectively, were found. These data, in conjunction with earlier studies of ethnic Tibetans living at 3,400 m, demonstrate a pattern of increasing hemoglobin concentration (erythrocytosis) at increasing altitude of residence in the Himalayas and Tibet. At the same time, however, the hemoglobin concentration is lower than that found among Andean highlanders. These new data raise the possibility of quantitative population differences in hematological adaptation to high altitude hypoxia.
Distribution of Gm and Km allotypes among ten populations of Assam, India
Authors: Walter Hubert , Matsumoto Hideo , Miyazaki Tokiko , Mukherjee Biswa N. , Malhotra Kailash C. , Das Bhuban M. , Gilbert Klaus , Lindenberg Peter
Published: February 2006

Serum samples from ten endogamous populations of Assam, India–Brahmins, Kalitas, Kaibartas, Muslims, Ahoms, Karbis, Kacharis, Sonowals, Chutiyas, and Rajbanshis–were typed for G1m (1, 2, 3, 17), G3m (5, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 21, 26), and Km (1). Among Brahmins, Kalitas, Kaibartas, Muslims, Ahoms, Sonowals, Chutiyas, and Rajbanshis, five different Gm haplotypes were found: Gm1,17;21,26; Gm1,17;10,11,13,15,16; Gm1,2,17;21,26; Gm1,3;5,10,11,13,14,26; and Gm3;5,10,11,13,14,26. Kacharis and Karbis show only four of these haplotypes: Gm3;5,10,11,13,14,26 is absent among them. The intergroup variability in the distribution of these haplotypes is considerable, which can be explained by the ethnohistory of these populations. Genetic distance analysis, in which five Chinese population samples were included, revealed the existence of three main clusters: 1) North and Central Chinese; 2) Kalitas, Kaibartas, Chutiyas, Rajbanshis, Muslims, and Brahmins; and 3) Ahoms, Sonowals, Kacharis, South Chinese, and Karbis. The clusters suggest some genetic relation between these four Assamese populations and South Chinese, which is again understandable considering the ethnohistory of the populations of Northeast India. In the Km system, too, a remarkable variability is seen in distribution of phenotype and allele frequency.
Variation in early neonatal mortality for different types of fetal growth retardation
Authors: Haas Jere D. , Balcazar Hector , Caulfield Laura
Published: February 2006

Birth and first‐48‐hr death records were analyzed for 10,024 liveborn infants in Mexico City and 12,786 liveborn infants in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. The objective of the analysis was to characterize the early postnatal mortality rates for different types of fetal growth retardation and prematurity. Infants who were delivered prior to 37 weeks of gestation had 23–100 times the mortality risk of infants born at full term and normal weight. Light‐for‐gestational‐age infants (birth weight <2,900 g) were further divided into proportionately growth‐retarded with normal Rohrer's index (weight/height3) and disproportionately growth‐retarded with low Rohrer's index. The proportionately growth‐retarded infant had nearly twice the mortality of the full‐term, appropriate‐weight infants, whereas the disporportionately growth‐retarded infants had 2.9–5.7 times the mortality rate of the full‐term, appropriate‐weight infants. There were some differences between samples in mortality rates and prevalence of the different classes of small infants, but the pattern of mortality within samples was consistent between samples.
Short and plump physique of Mexican‐American children
Authors: Martorell R. , Mendoza F. S. , Castillo R. O. , Pawson I. G. , Budge C. C.
Published: February 2006

Mexican‐American children are shorter but relatively heavier than non‐Hispanic whites and blacks. The objectives of this paper are to assess the extent to which this “short and plump” physique occurs in data collected in two national surveys (HANES I and II); to determine variations by age, sex, and socioeconomic status; and to investigate the anthropometric characteristics that may account for the overweight. Three groups, defined on the basis of reported ancestry and observed race, are studied: Mexican‐Americans (MEXAME), non‐Hispanic Whites, (EURAME), and blacks (BLACK). Short stature was clearly associated with the poverty index (PI) in all three groups. MEXAMEs with a PI greater than 1.6 were similar in stature to EURAMEs at the same income level at ages 1–11 years but not at 12–17 years. On the other hand, MEXAMEs were shorter than BLACKs at all ages and income levels. The body mass index (kg/cm2) and poverty were unrelated. With respect to the anthropometric characteristics examined that are related to the body mass index, MEXAMEs and EURAMEs were similar in sitting height as a proportion of total height, arm muscle and fat areas, and triceps skinfold but different in the following ways: MEXAMEs had narrower elbow but broader bitrochanteric breadths and larger chest circumferences and subscapular skinfolds. Greater upper body dimensions and fatfolds seem to best describe the physique of MEXAMEs. However, in multiple regressions, these anthropometric characteristics failed to account fully for the greater relative weight of MEXAMEs as compared to EURAMEs.
Adaptive significance of small body size: Strength and motor performance of school children in Mexico and Papua New Guinea
Authors: Malina Robert M. , Little Bertis B. , Shoup Richard F. , Buschang Peter H.
Published: February 2006

The postulated superior functional efficiency in association with reduced body size under conditions of chronic protein‐energy undernutrition was considered in school children from rural Mexico and coastal Papua New Guinea. Grip strength and three measures of motor performance were measured in cross‐sectional samples of children 6–16 years of age from a rural agricultural community in Oaxaca, Mexico, and from the coastal community Pere on Manus Island, Papua New Guinea. The strength and performance of a mixed‐longitudinal sample of well nourished children from Philadelphia was used as a reference. The Oaxaca and Pere children are significantly shorter and lighter and are not as strong as the well nourished children. Motor performances of Pere children compare favorably to those of the better‐nourished Philadelphia children, whereas those of the Oaxaca children are poorer. Throwing performance is more variable. When expressed relative to body size, strength is similar in the three samples, but the running and jumping performances of Pere children per unit body size are better than the relative performances of Oaxaca and Philadelphia children. Throwing performance per unit body size is better in the undernourished children. The influence of age, stature, and weight on the performance of Oaxaca and Pere children is generally similar to that for well nourished children. These results suggest that the hypothesized adaptive significance of small body size for the functional efficiency of populations living under conditions of chronic undernutrition varies between populations and with performance tasks.
Interaction of nutritional and socioeconomic status as determinants of cognitive development in disadvantaged urban Guatemalan children
Authors: Johnston Francis E. , Low Setha M. , de Baessa Yetilu , MacVean Robert B.
Published: February 2006

The relationship between nutritional status, measured by height for age, and cognition, measured by WISC full‐scale IQ, was studied in a longitudinal sample of 459 urban Guatemalan children, aged 4–9 years, from a disadvantaged community of the fringe of Guatemala City, examined annually over a 3 year period. Socioeconomic status (SES) was controlled by developing a composite index for each home. The mean IQ differed significantly from the lowest to the highest quartiles of stature, the difference between the two extreme quartiles being approximately 0.3 SD of IQ. There was a significant interaction between SES and stature in their effects on IQ. Whereas nutritional status and SES affected IQ in an additive fashion in the upper three SES quartiles, there was no difference in IQ attributible to stature among children from the most disadvantaged homes. This analysis indicates that the mild‐to‐moderate protein‐energy malnutrition (defined by height for age) that is prevalent among children from disadvantaged environments in developing countries is significantly related to cognitive development. However, in the poorest homes, SES is seen as a more important determinant of cognitive development than stature.