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Mattison SM, Mattison PM, Beheim BA, Liu R, Blumenfield T, Sum CY, Shenk MK, Seabright E, Alami S. Gender disparities in material and educational resources differ by kinship system. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2023; 378:20220299. [PMID: 37381853 PMCID: PMC10291433 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2022.0299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2023] [Accepted: 05/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Contemporary inequality exists at an unprecedented scale. Social scientists have emphasized the role played by material wealth in driving its escalation. Evolutionary anthropologists understand the drive to accumulate material wealth as one that is coupled ultimately to increasing reproductive success. Owing to biological caps on reproduction for women, the efficiency of this conversion can differ by gender, with implications for understanding the evolution of gender disparities in resource accumulation. Efficiency also differs according to the type of resources used to support reproductive success. In this paper, we review evolutionary explanations of gender disparities in resources and investigate empirical evidence to support or refute those explanations among matrilineal and patrilineal subpopulations of ethnic Chinese Mosuo, who share an ethnolinguistic identity, but differ strikingly in terms of institutions and norms surrounding kinship and gender. We find that gender differentially predicts income and educational attainment. Men were more likely to report income than women; amounts earned were higher for men overall, but the difference between men and women was minimal under matriliny. Men reported higher levels of educational attainment than women, unexpectedly more so in matrilineal contexts. The results reveal nuances in how biology and cultural institutions affect gender disparities in wealth. This article is part of the theme issue 'Evolutionary ecology of inequality'.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Peter M. Mattison
- Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Bret A. Beheim
- Human Behavior, Ecology, Culture, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Ruizhe Liu
- Department of Anthropology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Tami Blumenfield
- Department of Anthropology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
- School of Ethnology and Sociology, Yunnan University, 2 Cuihu Beilu, Kunming, PRC 650091
| | - Chun-Yi Sum
- College of General Studies, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Mary K. Shenk
- Department of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA, USA
| | - Edmond Seabright
- School of Collective Intelligence, Mohammed VI Polytechnique University, Ben Guerir, Morocco
| | - Sarah Alami
- School of Collective Intelligence, Mohammed VI Polytechnique University, Ben Guerir, Morocco
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Phua TJ. Understanding human aging and the fundamental cell signaling link in age-related diseases: the middle-aging hypovascularity hypoxia hypothesis. FRONTIERS IN AGING 2023; 4:1196648. [PMID: 37384143 PMCID: PMC10293850 DOI: 10.3389/fragi.2023.1196648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023]
Abstract
Aging-related hypoxia, oxidative stress, and inflammation pathophysiology are closely associated with human age-related carcinogenesis and chronic diseases. However, the connection between hypoxia and hormonal cell signaling pathways is unclear, but such human age-related comorbid diseases do coincide with the middle-aging period of declining sex hormonal signaling. This scoping review evaluates the relevant interdisciplinary evidence to assess the systems biology of function, regulation, and homeostasis in order to discern and decipher the etiology of the connection between hypoxia and hormonal signaling in human age-related comorbid diseases. The hypothesis charts the accumulating evidence to support the development of a hypoxic milieu and oxidative stress-inflammation pathophysiology in middle-aged individuals, as well as the induction of amyloidosis, autophagy, and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in aging-related degeneration. Taken together, this new approach and strategy can provide the clarity of concepts and patterns to determine the causes of declining vascularity hemodynamics (blood flow) and physiological oxygenation perfusion (oxygen bioavailability) in relation to oxygen homeostasis and vascularity that cause hypoxia (hypovascularity hypoxia). The middle-aging hypovascularity hypoxia hypothesis could provide the mechanistic interface connecting the endocrine, nitric oxide, and oxygen homeostasis signaling that is closely linked to the progressive conditions of degenerative hypertrophy, atrophy, fibrosis, and neoplasm. An in-depth understanding of these intrinsic biological processes of the developing middle-aged hypoxia could provide potential new strategies for time-dependent therapies in maintaining healthspan for healthy lifestyle aging, medical cost savings, and health system sustainability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teow J. Phua
- Molecular Medicine, NSW Health Pathology, John Hunter Hospital, Newcastle, NSW, Australia
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Mattison SM, MacLaren NG, Sum CY, Shenk MK, Blumenfield T, Wander K. Does gender structure social networks across domains of cooperation? An exploration of gendered networks among matrilineal and patrilineal Mosuo. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2023; 378:20210436. [PMID: 36440564 PMCID: PMC9703220 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2021.0436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Cooperative networks are essential features of human society. Evolutionary theory hypothesizes that networks are used differently by men and women, yet the bulk of evidence supporting this hypothesis is based on studies conducted in a limited range of contexts and on few domains of cooperation. In this paper, we compare individual-level cooperative networks from two communities in Southwest China that differ systematically in kinship norms and institutions-one matrilineal and one patrilineal-while sharing an ethnic identity. Specifically, we investigate whether network structures differ based on prevailing kinship norms and type of gendered cooperative activity, one woman-centred (preparation of community meals) and one man-centred (farm equipment lending). Our descriptive results show a mixture of 'feminine' and 'masculine' features in all four networks. The matrilineal meals network stands out in terms of high degree skew. Exponential random graph models reveal a stronger role for geographical proximity in patriliny and a limited role of affinal relatedness across all networks. Our results point to the need to consider domains of cooperative activity alongside gender and cultural context to fully understand variation in how women and men leverage social relationships toward different ends. This article is part of the theme issue 'Cooperation among women: evolutionary and cross-cultural perspectives'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siobhán M. Mattison
- Department of Anthropology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
| | - Neil G. MacLaren
- Department of Mathematics, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA
| | - Chun-Yi Sum
- College of General Studies, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Mary K. Shenk
- Department of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA 16801, USA
| | - Tami Blumenfield
- Department of Anthropology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
- School of Ethnology and Sociology, Yunnan University, Kunming 650106, People's Republic of China
| | - Katherine Wander
- Department of Anthropology, Binghamton University (SUNY), Binghamton, NY 13902, USA
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Dahan T, Nassar S, Yajuk O, Steinberg E, Benny O, Abudi N, Plaschkes I, Benyamini H, Gozal D, Abramovitch R, Gileles-Hillel A. Chronic Intermittent Hypoxia during Sleep Causes Browning of Interscapular Adipose Tissue Accompanied by Local Insulin Resistance in Mice. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232415462. [PMID: 36555109 PMCID: PMC9779339 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232415462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Revised: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a highly prevalent condition, characterized by intermittent hypoxia (IH), sleep disruption, and altered autonomic nervous system function. OSA has been independently associated with dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, and metabolic syndrome. Brown adipose tissue (BAT) has been suggested as a modulator of systemic glucose tolerance through adaptive thermogenesis. Reductions in BAT mass have been associated with obesity and metabolic syndrome. No studies have systematically characterized the effects of chronic IH on BAT. Thus, we aimed to delineate IH effects on BAT and concomitant metabolic changes. C57BL/6J 8-week-old male mice were randomly assigned to IH during sleep (alternating 90 s cycles of 6.5% FIO2 followed by 21% FIO2) or normoxia (room air, RA) for 10 weeks. Mice were subjected to glucose tolerance testing and 18F-FDG PET-MRI towards the end of the exposures followed by BAT tissues analyses for morphological and global transcriptomic changes. Animals exposed to IH were glucose intolerant despite lower total body weight and adiposity. BAT tissues in IH-exposed mice demonstrated characteristic changes associated with "browning"-smaller lipids, increased vascularity, and a trend towards higher protein levels of UCP1. Conversely, mitochondrial DNA content and protein levels of respiratory chain complex III were reduced. Pro-inflammatory macrophages were more abundant in IH-exposed BAT. Transcriptomic analysis revealed increases in fatty acid oxidation and oxidative stress pathways in IH-exposed BAT, along with a reduction in pathways related to myogenesis, hypoxia, and IL-4 anti-inflammatory response. Functionally, IH-exposed BAT demonstrated reduced absorption of glucose on PET scans and reduced phosphorylation of AKT in response to insulin. Current studies provide initial evidence for the presence of a maladaptive response of interscapular BAT in response to chronic IH mimicking OSA, resulting in a paradoxical divergence, namely, BAT browning but tissue-specific and systemic insulin resistance. We postulate that oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and inflammation may underlie these dichotomous outcomes in BAT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tehila Dahan
- The Wohl Institute for Translational Medicine, Hadassah Medical Center, Jerusalem 91120, Israel
| | - Shahd Nassar
- The Wohl Institute for Translational Medicine, Hadassah Medical Center, Jerusalem 91120, Israel
- Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Olga Yajuk
- Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Eliana Steinberg
- The Institute for Drug Research, The School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Ofra Benny
- The Institute for Drug Research, The School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Nathalie Abudi
- The Wohl Institute for Translational Medicine, Hadassah Medical Center, Jerusalem 91120, Israel
| | - Inbar Plaschkes
- Info-CORE, Bioinformatics Unit of the I-CORE, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Hadar Benyamini
- Info-CORE, Bioinformatics Unit of the I-CORE, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - David Gozal
- Division of Pediatric Pulmonology, Allergy and Immunology, Comprehensive Sleep Medicine Center, Department of Child Health and Child Health Research Institute, MU Children’s Hospital, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, MO 65201, USA
| | - Rinat Abramovitch
- The Wohl Institute for Translational Medicine, Hadassah Medical Center, Jerusalem 91120, Israel
- Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Alex Gileles-Hillel
- The Wohl Institute for Translational Medicine, Hadassah Medical Center, Jerusalem 91120, Israel
- Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
- Pediatric Pulmonology and Sleep Unit, Department of Pediatrics, Hadassah Medical Center, Jerusalem 91120, Israel
- Correspondence:
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Mattison SM, Hare D, MacLaren NG, Reynolds AZ, Sum CY, Liu R, Shenk MK, Blumenfield T, Su M, Li H, Wander K. Context Specificity of “Market Integration” among the Matrilineal Mosuo of Southwest China. CURRENT ANTHROPOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1086/719266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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Burtscher M, Millet GP, Klimont J, Burtscher J. Differences in the prevalence of physical activity and cardiovascular risk factors between people living at low (<1,001 m) compared to moderate (1,001-2,000 m) altitude. AIMS Public Health 2021; 8:624-635. [PMID: 34786424 PMCID: PMC8568593 DOI: 10.3934/publichealth.2021050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Accepted: 08/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Living at moderate altitude (up to about 2,000 m) was shown to be associated with distinct health benefits, including lower mortality from cardiovascular diseases and certain cancers. However, it remains unclear, whether those benefits are mainly due to environmental conditions (e.g., hypoxia, temperature, solar ultra-violet radiation) or differences in lifestyle behavior, including regular physical activity levels. This study aims to compare altitude-related differences in levels of physical activity and the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors such as obesity, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and diabetes in an Alpine country. We interrogated the Austrian Health Interview Survey (ATHIS) 2019, a nationally representative study of persons aged over 15 years living in private Austrian households. The results confirm a higher prevalence of hypertension (24.2% vs. 16.8%) in men living at low (<1,001 m) compared to those at moderate (1,001 to 2,000 m) altitude. Women living above 1,000 m tend to have a lower prevalence of hypercholesterolemia (14.8% vs. 18.8%) and diabetes (3.2% vs. 5.6%) than their lower living peers. Both sexes have lower average body mass index (BMI) when residing at moderate altitude (men: 25.7, women: 23.9) compared to those living lower (26.6 and 25.2). Severe obesity (BMI > 40) is almost exclusively restricted to low altitude dwellers. Only men report to be more physically active on average when living higher (1,453 vs. 1,113 weekly MET minutes). These novel findings confirm some distinct benefits of moderate altitude residence on heath. Beside climate conditions, differences in lifestyle behavior, i.e., physical activity, have to be considered when interpreting those health-related divergences, and consequently also mortality data, between people residing at low and moderate altitudes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Grégoire P Millet
- Institute of Sport Sciences, University of Lausanne, CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Lausanne, CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Jeannette Klimont
- Unit Demography and Health, Directorate Social Statistics, Statistics Austria, 1110 Vienna, Austria
| | - Johannes Burtscher
- Institute of Sport Sciences, University of Lausanne, CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Lausanne, CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
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