American Journal of Physical Anthropology

Eshed, Vered; Gopher, Avi; Hershkovitz, Israel

doi: 10.1002/ajpa.20362pmid: 16353225

Differences in patterns of diet and subsistence through the analysis of dental pathology and tooth wear were studied in skeletal populations of Natufian hunter‐gatherers (10,500–8300 BC) and Neolithic populations (8300–5500 BC, noncalibrated) from the southern Levant. 1,160 Natufians and 804 Neolithic teeth were examined for rate of attrition, caries, antemortem tooth loss, calculus, periapical lesions, and periodontal processes. While the Natufian people manifest a higher rate of dental attrition and periodontal disease (36.4% vs. 19%), Neolithic people show a higher rate of calculus. Both populations manifested low and similar rates of caries (6.4% in the Natufian vs. 6.7% in the Neolithic), periapical lesions (not over 1.5%), and antemortem tooth loss (3.7% vs. 4.5%, respectively). Molar wear pattern in the Neolithic is different than in the Natufian. The current study shows that the dental picture obtained from the two populations is multifactorial in nature, and not exclusively of dietary origin, i.e., the higher rate and unique pattern of attrition seen in the Natufian could result from a greater consumption of fibrous plants, the use of pestles and mortars (which introduce large quantities of stone‐dust to the food), and/or the use of teeth as a “third hand.” The two major conclusions of this study are: 1) The transition from hunting and gathering to a food‐producing economy in the Levant did not promote changes in dental health, as previously believed. This generally indicates that the Natufians and Neolithic people of the Levant may have differed in their ecosystem management (i.e., gathering vs. growing grains), but not in the type of food consumed. 2) Changes in food‐preparation techniques and nondietary usage of the teeth explain much of the variation in tooth condition in populations before and after the agricultural revolution. Am J Phys Anthropol, 2006. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.

Rhodes, Jill A.

doi: 10.1002/ajpa.20331pmid: 16362935

Adaptations to the humeral torsion angle have been identified in the professional throwing athlete. This movement pattern increases the humeral torsion angle, and also increases the extent of external rotation movements in the dominant, throwing limb when compared with the nondominant limb. The purpose of this paper is to test the hypothesis that the humeral torsion angle is an adaptation to upper limb use. This project examines the humeral torsion angle in a number of medieval British populations, as well as a modern cadaver‐based sample. The results identify significant differences in the humeral torsion angle both between and within male (P < 0.001, ANOVA) and female (P < 0.014, ANOVA) populations, although the results are not consistent with expected behavior patterns. Statistically significant differences between males and females within the same site were identified in 2 of the 5 samples examined. The mean level of bilateral asymmetry does not approach that reported for the professional throwing athlete. However, a number of individuals have high levels of asymmetry in excess of that identified in the professional throwing athlete. This analysis demonstrates the need for individual rather than population‐based analyses, as the heterogeneity within population samples obscures individual variation in activity patterns. The diversity within British medieval society and a lack of specific known behaviors prevent further identification of the functional significance of the humeral torsion angle within the archaeological record examined here. Am J Phys Anthropol, 2006. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.

Djurić, Marija P.; Roberts, Charlotte A.; Rakočević, Zoran B.; Djonić, Danijela D.; Lešić, Aleksandar R.

doi: 10.1002/ajpa.20270pmid: 16365855

Bone fractures were analyzed from skeletal remains of 861 adult individuals from six cemeteries dating to the Late Medieval period in Serbia. Results of the study were compared to other cemetery populations (635 individual skeletons) of the same date and region in an attempt to understand fracture patterns. The association of types of fractures and their prevalence with sex, age at death, cemetery site, and information deriving from historical sources are discussed. Results showed that the long bone fracture frequency was 0.7%, and the majority of the fractures were the result of direct force. This rate is similar to some studies of contemporary British skeletal samples. However, it is much lower than for some other Old World sites. Cranial vault fractures had a rate of 6.7%, and of the facial skeleton, 1.3%; the frontal bone was the most affected of bones of the cranial vault. Injuries were more common on the upper extremities (0.8%) compared to the lower (0.6%). However, the fibula was the most fractured bone (2.8%), followed by the ulna (2.4%). This pattern is similar to three of six Late Medieval urban sites in Britain. These findings suggest that this rural community was exposed to a low risk of trauma, probably related mostly to accidents sustained during farming, and rarely to interpersonal violence. Am J Phys Anthropol, 2006. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.

FitzGerald, Charles; Saunders, Shelley; Bondioli, Luca; Macchiarelli, Roberto

doi: 10.1002/ajpa.20275pmid: 16365859

This study examines general health in the first year of life of a population of 127 subadults from the Imperial Roman necropolis of Isola Sacra (2nd–3rd century ACE). Health status was determined by analyzing 274 deciduous teeth from these children for Wilson bands (also known as accentuated striae), microscopic defects caused by a disruption to normal enamel development arising from some generalized external stressor. While macroscopic enamel defects, or hypoplasias, have long been used as proxies of general population health, we believe that this is the first population‐wide study of microscopic defects in deciduous teeth. We used microstructural markers of enamel to attach very precise chronologies to Wilson band formation that allowed us to calculate maximum prevalence (MAP) and smoothed maximum prevalence (SMAP) distributions to portray what we believe to be a realistic risk profile for a past population of children. There appear to be two periods of high prevalence, the first beginning around age 2 months and continuing through month 5, and the second higher period beginning around month 6 and continuing through month 9. These results are discussed in light of historical records of Roman childhood rearing practices. Am J Phys Anthropol, 2006. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.

Matos, Vítor; Santos, Ana Luísa

doi: 10.1002/ajpa.20309pmid: 16365860

In the last 20 years, studies on human identified skeletal collections have revealed a significant relationship between new bone formation on the visceral surface of ribs and pulmonary tuberculosis (TB). To improve methods of differential diagnosis of respiratory diseases in archaeological skeletons, an investigation was conducted on 197 individuals from the Human Identified Skeletal Collection of the Museu Bocage (Lisbon, Portugal). This sample included 109 males and 88 females who lived during the 19th–20th centuries, with ages at death ranging from 13–88 years. The skeletons were grouped according to cause of death: 1) pulmonary TB (N = 84); 2) pulmonary non‐TB diseases (N = 49); and 3) a control group (N = 64) composed of individuals randomly selected among the extrapulmonary non‐TB causes of death. The ribs, sterna, scapulae, and clavicles were macroscopically observed. New bone formation on the visceral surface of ribs was recorded in 90.5% (76/84) of individuals who died from pulmonary TB, in 36.7% (18/49) with a pulmonary non‐TB disease as cause of death, and in 25.0% (16/64) of the control group. These differences were statistically significant (P < 0.001). Furthermore, in individuals with pulmonary TB, the bony lesions presented mainly as lamellar bone on the vertebral end of the upper and middle thoracic rib cage. Proliferative alterations also occurred on one sternum and in nine clavicles and eight scapulae. This work strongly supports the results of similar studies performed on other documented collections, suggesting that new bone formation on ribs, although not pathognomonic, is a useful criterion for the differential diagnosis of pulmonary TB. Am J Phys Anthropol, 2006. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.

Wescott, Daniel J.

doi: 10.1002/ajpa.20316pmid: 16365861

This study investigates differences in femur midshaft shape, robusticity, and sexual dimorphism derived from external measurements between a broad range of prehistoric and historic North American populations with different subsistence strategies and inferred levels of mobility. The sample was divided into six groups to test whether observed femur midshaft variables follow the patterns predicted based on archaeologically and historically determined subsistence and mobility data. The results suggest significant variation in femur midshaft shape and robusticity in all populations, and that inferred mobility levels do not correspond consistently with femur midshaft structure in either males or females. Results do, however, support the prediction that sexual dimorphism is generally greater in more mobile populations. Am J Phys Anthropol, 2006. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.

Cho, Helen; Stout, Sam D.; Bishop, Thomas A.

doi: 10.1002/ajpa.20312pmid: 16365857

This study employs regression analysis to explore population and sex differences in the pattern of age‐associated bone loss, as reflected by histomorphometric variables that are measures of intracortical and endocortical bone remodeling. A comparison of an African American sample from the Washington Park Cemetery in St. Louis, Missouri, and a European American rib sample composed of cadavers, autopsies, and forensic cases from Missouri reveals the existence of complex age‐associated patterns for differences in measures of intracortical remodeling and cortical area. Females from the two samples express similar bone dimensions and dynamics. The African American females appear to lose more bone than their male counterparts, but this difference is absent in the European American sample. When age‐associated patterns are considered, it is in the younger cohorts that African Americans exhibit greater relative cortical area than European Americans, but this is reversed in the older ages, when the latter group manifests greater bone mass. The European American males consistently differ in the slopes and intercepts for the variables compared to the other groups, and differences are highly significant with African American females, with the former group maintaining bone mass while the latter exhibit a more rapid bone loss. Achieving larger relative cortical area due to smaller endosteal area, coupled with better bone quality due to lower intracortical porosity early in life, may be a mechanism by which African Americans, especially females, maintain adequate bone mass in older ages, which buffers them from bone loss and related fragility fractures despite higher rates of intracortical remodeling and endosteal expansion later in life. These results suggest that both genetic and environmental factors are responsible for the differences in bone remodeling and bone mass observed between these samples. Am J Phys Anthropol, 2006. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.

Strier, Karen B.; Boubli, Jean P.; Possamai, Carla B.; Mendes, Sérgio L.

doi: 10.1002/ajpa.20366pmid: 16365854

The 957‐ha forest at the Estação Biológica de Caratinga/Reserva Particular do Patrimônio Natural‐Felìciano Miguel Abdala, in Minas Gerais, Brazil, supports one of the largest known populations of the critically endangered northern muriqui (Brachyteles hypoxanthus). We combine long‐term data on one group that has been monitored since 1982 with new data obtained on the other three groups since 2002 and 2003 to describe the demographic structure of this population, evaluate its potential for future growth, and predict how dispersal and competitive regimes may change in response to current demographic conditions. As of January 2005, the 226 individuals in the population were divided into four mixed‐sex groups with 37–77 members, and an all‐male unit whose eight males maintained transient associations with two of the mixed‐sex groups. Although 51.77% of the population was female, the sex ratio among adults and subadults was female‐biased (0.75), while that among immatures was male‐biased (1.47). Consistent with expectations from mean interbirth intervals, 64.18% of adult females gave birth in 2003 and 2004. However, by January 2005, only 52.31% of adult females were still carrying infants <24 months of age due to unusually high infant mortality. First‐year survivorship among the 25 infants born in the population in 2003 was only 76%, considerably lower than previously documented in the longest‐studied group. High female fecundity is indicative of a healthy population, but the current male bias in births will result in a decline in the population growth rate within two decades, and may increase levels of male reproductive competition and alter dispersal patterns. Am J Phys Anthropol, 2006. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.

Lehman, Shawn M.

doi: 10.1002/ajpa.20239pmid: 16365858

The phylogenetic diversity of extant lemurs represents one of the most important but least studied aspects of the conservation biology of primates. The phylogenetic diversity of a species is inversely proportional to the relative number and closeness of its phylogenetic relatives. Phylogenetic diversity can then be used to determine conservation priorities for specific biogeographic regions. Although Malagasy strepsirhines represent the highest phylogenetic diversity among primates at the global level, there are few phylogenetic data on species‐specific and regional conservation plans for lemurs in Madagascar. Therefore, in this paper the following questions are addressed for extant lemurs: 1) how does the measure of taxonomic uniqueness used by Mittermeier et al. (1992 Lemurs of Madagascar; Gland, Switzerland: IUCN) equate with an index of phylogenetic diversity, 2) what are the regional conservation priorities based on analyses of phylogenetic diversity in extant lemurs, and 3) what conservation recommendations can be made based on analyses of phylogenetic diversity in lemurs? Taxonomic endemicity standardized weight (TESW) indices of phylogenetic diversity were used to determine the evolutionary component of biodiversity and to prioritize regions for conserving lemur taxa. TESW refers to the standardization of phylogenetic diversity indices for widespread taxa and endemicity of species. The phylogenetic data came from recent genetic studies of Malagasy strepsirhines at the species level. Lemur species were assigned as being either present or absent in six biogeographic regions. TESW indices were combined with data on lemur complementarity and protected areas to assign conservation priorities at the regional level. Although there were no overall differences between taxonomic ranks and phylogenetic rankings, there were significant differences for the top‐ranked taxa. The phylogenetic component of lemur diversity is greatest for Daubentonia madagascariensis, Allocebus trichotis, Lepilemur septentrionalis, Indri indri, and Mirza coquereli. Regional conservation priorities are highest for lemurs that range into northeast humid forests and western dry forests. Expansion of existing protected areas in these regions may provide the most rapid method for preserving lemurs. In the long term, new protected areas must be created because there are lemur species that: 1) are not found in existing protected areas, 2) exist only in one or two protected areas, and 3) are still being discovered outside the current network of protected areas. Data on the population dynamics and feeding ecology of phylogenetically important species are needed to ensure that protected areas adequately conserve lemur populations in Madagascar. Am J Phys Anthropol, 2006. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.

Norton, Heather L.; Friedlaender, Jonathan S.; Merriwether, D. Andrew; Koki, George; Mgone, Charles S.; Shriver, Mark D.

doi: 10.1002/ajpa.20343pmid: 16374866

Skin and hair pigmentation are two of the most easily visible examples of human phenotypic variation. Selection‐based explanations for pigmentation variation in humans have focused on the relationship between melanin and ultraviolet radiation, which is largely dependent on latitude. In this study, skin and hair pigmentation were measured as the melanin (M) index, using narrow‐band reflectance spectroscopy for 1,135 individuals from Island Melanesia. Overall, the results show remarkable pigmentation variation, given the small geographic region surveyed. This variation is discussed in terms of differences between males and females, among islands, and among neighborhoods within those islands. The relationship of pigmentation to age, latitude, and longitude is also examined. We found that male skin pigmentation was significantly darker than females in 5 of 6 islands examined. Hair pigmentation showed a negative, but weak, correlation with age, while skin pigmentation showed a positive, but also weak, correlation with age. Skin and hair pigmentation varied significantly between islands as well as between neighborhoods within those islands. Bougainvilleans showed significantly darker skin than individuals from any other island considered, and are darker than a previously described African‐American population. These findings are discussed in relation to prevailing hypotheses about the role of natural selection in shaping pigmentation variation in the human species, as well as the role of demographic processes such as admixture and drift in Island Melanesia. Am J Phys Anthropol, 2006. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.