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Jeanjacques Hublin - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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a uniquely modern Human pattern of endocranial development insights from a new cranial reconstruction of the neandertal newborn from mezmaiskaya
Journal of Human Evolution, 2012Co-Authors: Philipp Gunz, Simon Neubauer, Lubov Golovanova, Vladimir B Doronichev, Bruno Maureille, Jeanjacques HublinAbstract:Abstract The globular braincase of modern Humans is distinct from all Fossil Human species, including our closest extinct relatives, the Neandertals. Such adult shape differences must ultimately be rooted in different developmental patterns, but it is unclear at which point during ontogeny these group characteristics emerge. Here we compared internal shape changes of the braincase from birth to adulthood in Neandertals (N = 10), modern Humans (N = 62), and chimpanzees (N = 62). Incomplete Fossil specimens, including the two Neandertal newborns from Le Moustier 2 and Mezmaiskaya, were reconstructed using reference-based estimation methods. We used 3D geometric morphometrics to statistically compare shapes of virtual endocasts extracted from computed-tomographic scans. Throughout the analysis, we kept track of possible uncertainties due to the missing data values and small Fossil sample sizes. We find that some aspects of endocranial development are shared by the three species. However, in the first year of life, modern Humans depart from this presumably ancestral pattern of development. Newborn Neandertals and newborn modern Humans have elongated braincases, and similar endocranial volumes. During a ‘globularization-phase’ modern Human endocasts change to the globular shape that is characteristic for Homo sapiens. This phase of early development is unique to modern Humans, and absent from chimpanzees and Neandertals. Our results support the notion that Neandertals and modern Humans reach comparable adult brain sizes via different developmental pathways. The differences between these two Human groups are most prominent directly after birth, a critical phase for cognitive development.
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the prehistory of compassion
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2009Co-Authors: Jeanjacques HublinAbstract:Beyond the biological traits that differentiate ancient species of hominins from extant Humans, differences in social organization remain an important yet difficult issue to assess. Psychological features and interindividual relations, in particular, are among the least accessible aspects of past behaviors. Although the Fossil and archaeological records do not easily allow us to tackle these kinds of issues, contrasting views on the cognitive capabilities and behavioral sophistication of Fossil Human species have often been expressed. In this issue of PNAS, Gracia et al. (1) provide new evidence on the survival of an abnormal individual with possible cognitive deficits from a group of pre-Neandertal Pleistocene hunter-gatherers, currently assigned to a geological age of >500 ka. The cranium SH14 from the Sima de los Huesos (Sierra de Atapuerca, Spain) is the earliest documented case of Human neurocranial and brain deformity in the Fossil record to date. Despite her/his pathological condition, this individual was not rejected at birth and survived until at least 5 years of age, apparently receiving the same attention as other children from the group.
Herve Bocherens - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes as tracers of change in diet breadth during middle and upper palaeolithic in europe
International Journal of Osteoarchaeology, 2004Co-Authors: Dorothee G Drucker, Herve BocherensAbstract:Carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios in Fossil bone collagen have been used as evidence for an increase of diet breadth between Middle Palaeolithic Neanderthals and Early Upper Palaeolithic anatomically modern Humans. In this paper, we revisit the rules of palaeodietary reconstruction using collagen stable isotopes and reassess the possible isotopic signatures of potential protein resources available to prehistoric Humans. It appears that the interpretation of the Human's isotopic signature does not necessarily imply a significant proportion of aquatic-derived protein in the diet neither for Neandertal nor for first anatomically modern Humans in Europe. Exploitation of aquatic ecosystems by Humans needs to be supported by further zooarchaeological evidence. Nevertheless, isotopic biogeochemistry of Fossil Human collagen can be very useful in palaeodietary reconstructions provided that basic rules are followed while selecting samples of coeval fauna, in order to establish the end members of different food resources. Significant progress investigating the evolution of subsistence strategies in Fossil hominids is expected from a combination of zooarchaeological and isotopic data. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes as tracers of change in diet breadth during middle and upper palaeolithic in europe
International Journal of Osteoarchaeology, 2004Co-Authors: Dorothee G Drucker, Herve BocherensAbstract:Carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios in Fossil bone collagen have been used as evidence for an increase of diet breadth between Middle Palaeolithic Neanderthals and Early Upper Palaeolithic anatomically modern Humans. In this paper, we revisit the rules of palaeodietary reconstruction using collagen stable isotopes and reassess the possible isotopic signatures of potential protein resources available to prehistoric Humans. It appears that the interpretation of the Human's isotopic signature does not necessarily imply a significant proportion of aquatic-derived protein in the diet neither for Neandertal nor for first anatomically modern Humans in Europe. Exploitation of aquatic ecosystems by Humans needs to be supported by further zooarchaeological evidence. Nevertheless, isotopic biogeochemistry of Fossil Human collagen can be very useful in palaeodietary reconstructions provided that basic rules are followed while selecting samples of coeval fauna, in order to establish the end members of different food resources. Significant progress investigating the evolution of subsistence strategies in Fossil hominids is expected from a combination of zooarchaeological and isotopic data. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Dennis A Etler - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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new middle pleistocene hominid crania from yunxian in china
Nature, 1992Co-Authors: Li Tianyuan, Dennis A EtlerAbstract:Two Fossil Human crania have been found in Middle Pleistocene terrace deposits of the Han River in Yun county (Yunxian), Hubei province, China (Figs 1 and 2). These damaged but relatively complete adult specimens show a mixture of features associated both with Homo erectus and with 'archaic H. sapiens'. The Yunxian crania (Figs 3 and 4), although crushed and distorted to varying degrees, are unusual in having major elements of the basicranium, palate, face and cranial vault preserved together. The specimens reveal many details of facial and basicranial anatomy rarely seen in hominid crania of comparable antiquity. Moreover, they are the most complete crania of such great age discovered on the Asian mainland. They consequently throw new light on Middle Pleistocene hominid diversity and the relationships among regionally disparate Middle Pleistocene hominids.
Jan Potempa - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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analysis of oral microbiome from Fossil Human remains revealed the significant differences in virulence factors of modern and ancient tannerella forsythia
BMC Genomics, 2020Co-Authors: Anna Philips, Ireneusz Stolarek, Luiza Handschuh, Katarzyna Nowis, Anna Juras, Dawid Trzcinski, Wioletta Nowaczewska, Anna Wrzesinska, Jan PotempaAbstract:Recent advances in the next-generation sequencing (NGS) allowed the metagenomic analyses of DNA from many different environments and sources, including thousands of years old skeletal remains. It has been shown that most of the DNA extracted from ancient samples is microbial. There are several reports demonstrating that the considerable fraction of extracted DNA belonged to the bacteria accompanying the studied individuals before their death. In this study we scanned 344 microbiomes from 1000- and 2000- year-old Human teeth. The datasets originated from our previous studies on Human ancient DNA (aDNA) and on microbial DNA accompanying Human remains. We previously noticed that in many samples infection-related species have been identified, among them Tannerella forsythia, one of the most prevalent oral Human pathogens. Samples containing sufficient amount of T. forsythia aDNA for a complete genome assembly were selected for thorough analyses. We confirmed that the T. forsythia-containing samples have higher amounts of the periodontitis-associated species than the control samples. Despites, other pathogens-derived aDNA was found in the tested samples it was too fragmented and damaged to allow any reasonable reconstruction of these bacteria genomes. The anthropological examination of ancient skulls from which the T. forsythia-containing samples were obtained revealed the pathogenic alveolar bone loss in tooth areas characteristic for advanced periodontitis. Finally, we analyzed the genetic material of ancient T. forsythia strains. As a result, we assembled four ancient T. forsythia genomes - one 2000- and three 1000- year-old. Their comparison with contemporary T. forsythia genomes revealed a lower genetic diversity within the four ancient strains than within contemporary strains. We also investigated the genes of T. forsythia virulence factors and found that several of them (KLIKK protease and bspA genes) differ significantly between ancient and modern bacteria. In summary, we showed that NGS screening of the ancient Human microbiome is a valid approach for the identification of disease-associated microbes. Following this protocol, we provided a new set of information on the emergence, evolution and virulence factors of T. forsythia, the member of the oral dysbiotic microbiome.
Rainer Grun - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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improvement of laser ablation in situ micro analysis to identify diagenetic alteration and measure strontium isotope ratios in Fossil Human teeth
Journal of Archaeological Science, 2016Co-Authors: Malte Willmes, Les Kinsley, Maxime Aubert, Stephen Eggins, Marie-hélène Moncel, Richard Armstrong, Rainer GrunAbstract:Abstract Strontium isotope ratios measured in Fossil Human teeth are a powerful tool to investigate past mobility patterns. In order to apply this method, the sample needs to be investigated for possible diagenetic alteration and a least destructive analytical technique needs to be employed for the isotopic analysis. We tested the useability of U, Th, and Zn distribution maps to identify zones of diagenetic overprint in Human teeth. Areas with elevated U concentrations in enamel were directly associated with diagenetic alterations in the Sr isotopic composition. Once suitable domains within the tooth are identified, strontium isotope ratios can be determined either with micro-drilling followed by TIMS analysis or in situ LA-MC-ICP-MS. Obtaining accurate 87Sr/86Sr isotope ratios from LA-MC-ICP-MS is complicated by the potential occurrence of a significant direct interference on mass 87 from a polyatomic compound. We found that this polyatomic compound is present in our analytical setup but is Ar rather than Ca based, as was previously suggested. The effect of this interference can be significantly reduced by tuning the instrument for reduced oxide levels. We applied this improved analytical protocol to a range of Human and animal teeth and compared the results with micro-drilling strontium isotopic analysis using TIMS. Tuning for reduced oxide levels allowed the measurement of accurate strontium isotope ratios from Human and animal tooth enamel and dentine, even at low Sr concentrations. The average offset between laser ablation and solution analysis using the improved analytical protocol is 38 ± 394 ppm (n = 21, 2σ). LA-MC-ICP-MS thus provides a powerful alternative to micro-drilling TIMS for the analysis of Fossil Human teeth. This method can be used to untangle diagenetic overprint from the intra-tooth isotopic variability, which results from genuine changes in 87Sr/86Sr isotope ratios related to changes in food source, and by extension mobility.