1
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Hamano S, Sawada M, Aihara M, Sakurai Y, Sekine R, Usami S, Kubota N, Yamauchi T. Ultra-processed foods cause weight gain and increased energy intake associated with reduced chewing frequency: A randomized, open-label, crossover study. Diabetes Obes Metab 2024; 26:5431-5443. [PMID: 39267249 DOI: 10.1111/dom.15922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2024] [Revised: 08/10/2024] [Accepted: 08/19/2024] [Indexed: 09/17/2024]
Abstract
AIM To elucidate the effects of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) on body weight and ad libitum energy intake compared with non-UPFs. MATERIALS AND METHODS In this randomized, open-label crossover study conducted at the University of Tokyo Hospital, overweight/obese Japanese male participants were randomly assigned (1:1) to start the study with consumption of either UPFs or non-UPFs for 1 week, followed by a 2-week washout period, before crossing over to the alternate food diet for 1 week. Individuals with diabetes, hypertension or any other medical conditions who visited a hospital regularly were excluded. The meals were designed to be matched for the total energy and macronutrient levels. The primary outcome was the difference in the body weight change between the UPF and non-UPF periods. The differences in the average daily energy intake and chewing frequency were assessed as one of the prespecified secondary outcomes. RESULTS Nine eligible participants were randomly assigned to start the study with either UPFs or non-UPFs. All participants completed the study. During the UPF period, participants gained 1.1 kg more weight (95% confidence interval 0.2 to 2.0; P = .021) and consumed 813.5 kcal more per day (342.4 to 1284.7; P = .0041) compared with during the non-UPF period. Regarding the chewing frequency, the number of chews per calorie was significantly lower during the UPF period (P = .016). CONCLUSIONS Consumption of UPFs causes significant weight gain. Medical nutritional therapy focused on reducing the consumption of UPFs could be an effective strategy for preventing obesity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shoko Hamano
- Department of Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Mika Sawada
- Department of Clinical Nutrition Therapy, The University of Tokyo Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masakazu Aihara
- Department of Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yoshitaka Sakurai
- Department of Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Rie Sekine
- Department of Clinical Nutrition Therapy, The University of Tokyo Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Satoshi Usami
- Graduate School of Education, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Naoto Kubota
- Department of Metabolic Medicine, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Toshimasa Yamauchi
- Department of Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
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2
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Alt KW, Honrath N, Weykamp M, Grönebaum P, Nicklisch N, Vach W. The Correlation of Tooth Sizes and Jaw Dimensions with Biological Sex and Stature in a Contemporary Central European Population. BIOLOGY 2024; 13:569. [PMID: 39194507 DOI: 10.3390/biology13080569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2024] [Revised: 06/26/2024] [Accepted: 07/24/2024] [Indexed: 08/29/2024]
Abstract
Dental anthropology provides a deep insight into biological, ecological and cultural aspects associated with human individuality, behaviour and living conditions and the environment. Our study uses a correlation analysis to test the metric relationships between tooth sizes and jaw dimensions and juxtaposes them with biological sex and stature. A sample of n = 100 dental casts was used to record metric dental data including the mesio-distal and bucco-lingual tooth crown diameters and nine upper and lower jaw dimensions. All crown diameters were highly correlated with both stature and biological sex, with the canines exhibiting the highest correlation. The majority of jaw dimensions exhibited similar correlations. Our results suggest that the differences between the sexes in most crown diameters and some jaw dimensions may be related to the stature of the individuals measured. Two groups of closely correlating features emerged among the jaw dimensions, differing in their degree of correlation with crown diameters and with sex. The results and insights obtained are highly relevant for evolutionary biology, dentistry, craniofacial research, bioarchaeology and forensic odontology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kurt W Alt
- Center of Natural and Cultural Human History, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Danube Private University, Förthofstrasse 2, 3500 Krems-Stein, Austria
- Institute of Prehistory and Archaeological Science, Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Basel, Spalenring 145, 4055 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Nils Honrath
- Center of Natural and Cultural Human History, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Danube Private University, Förthofstrasse 2, 3500 Krems-Stein, Austria
| | - Maximilian Weykamp
- Center of Natural and Cultural Human History, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Danube Private University, Förthofstrasse 2, 3500 Krems-Stein, Austria
| | - Peter Grönebaum
- Center of Natural and Cultural Human History, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Danube Private University, Förthofstrasse 2, 3500 Krems-Stein, Austria
| | - Nicole Nicklisch
- Center of Natural and Cultural Human History, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Danube Private University, Förthofstrasse 2, 3500 Krems-Stein, Austria
| | - Werner Vach
- Institute of Prehistory and Archaeological Science, Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Basel, Spalenring 145, 4055 Basel, Switzerland
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3
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Wang Y, Xin M, Li Z, Zang Z, Cui H, Li D, Tian J, Li B. Food-Oral Processing: Current Progress, Future Directions, and Challenges. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2024; 72:10725-10736. [PMID: 38686629 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.4c01331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
Oral processing refers to the series of physical, chemical, and biological processes inside the oral cavity when we consume food. This process affects the taste, quality, and nutrient absorption of the body. In the human diet, oral processing plays a crucial role because it impacts not only the food flavor and texture but also the absorption and utilization of nutrients. With the progress of science and technology and the increasing demand for food, the study of oral processing has become increasingly important. This paper reviews the history and definition of oral processing, its current state of research, and its applications in food science and technology, focusing on personalized taste customization, protein structure modification, food intake and nutrition, and bionic devices. It also analyzes the impact of oral processing on different types of food products and explores its potential in the food industry and science research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yumeng Wang
- College of Food Science, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110866, China
- Key Laboratory of Healthy Food Nutrition and Innovative Manufacturing of Liaoning Province, Shenyang, Liaoning 110866, China
| | - Meili Xin
- College of Food Science, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110866, China
- Key Laboratory of Healthy Food Nutrition and Innovative Manufacturing of Liaoning Province, Shenyang, Liaoning 110866, China
| | - Zhiying Li
- College of Food Science, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110866, China
- Key Laboratory of Healthy Food Nutrition and Innovative Manufacturing of Liaoning Province, Shenyang, Liaoning 110866, China
| | - Zhihuan Zang
- College of Food Science, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110866, China
- Key Laboratory of Healthy Food Nutrition and Innovative Manufacturing of Liaoning Province, Shenyang, Liaoning 110866, China
| | - Huijun Cui
- College of Food Science, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110866, China
- Key Laboratory of Healthy Food Nutrition and Innovative Manufacturing of Liaoning Province, Shenyang, Liaoning 110866, China
| | - Dongnan Li
- College of Food Science, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110866, China
- Key Laboratory of Healthy Food Nutrition and Innovative Manufacturing of Liaoning Province, Shenyang, Liaoning 110866, China
| | - Jinlong Tian
- College of Food Science, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110866, China
- Key Laboratory of Healthy Food Nutrition and Innovative Manufacturing of Liaoning Province, Shenyang, Liaoning 110866, China
| | - Bin Li
- College of Food Science, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110866, China
- Key Laboratory of Healthy Food Nutrition and Innovative Manufacturing of Liaoning Province, Shenyang, Liaoning 110866, China
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4
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Lieberman DE, Worthington S, Schell LD, Parkent CM, Devinsky O, Carmody RN. Reply to RJ Klement. Am J Clin Nutr 2023; 118:1241-1242. [PMID: 38044026 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajcnut.2023.09.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel E Lieberman
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States.
| | - Steven Worthington
- Institute for Quantitative Social Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Laura D Schell
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Christine M Parkent
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States; Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine, Quinnipiac University, North Haven, CT, United States
| | - Orrin Devinsky
- Department of Neurology, Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Rachel N Carmody
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States
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5
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Knorr D, Sevenich R. Processed foods: From their emergence to resilient technologies. Compr Rev Food Sci Food Saf 2023; 22:3765-3789. [PMID: 37421325 DOI: 10.1111/1541-4337.13205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/11/2023] [Indexed: 07/10/2023]
Abstract
Humans need food processing assuring food safety, quality, and functionality to sustain their life. The ongoing debates regarding food processing require rational and scientific data about food processing and processed foods. This study deals with the importance, origins, and history of processing, defining processes and discussing existing food classification systems and provides recommendations for future food process development. Descriptions and comparisons of technologies for food preservation, their resource efficiency, and beneficial aspects in relation to traditional processing are summarized. Possibilities for pretreatments or combination application and related potentials are provided. A consumer-oriented paradigm change is presented using the potential of resilient technologies for food product improvements rather than the traditional adaptation of raw materials to existing processes. Means for food science and technology research toward dietary changes by transparent, gentle, and resource-efficient processes for consumers food preference, acceptance, and needs are provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dietrich Knorr
- Department of Food Biotechnology and Food Process Engineering, Technische Universität Berlin (TU Berlin), Berlin, Germany
| | - Robert Sevenich
- Department of Food Biotechnology and Food Process Engineering, Technische Universität Berlin (TU Berlin), Berlin, Germany
- Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bioeconomy (ATB), Potsdam, Germany
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6
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Reyes-Villagrana RA, Madrigal-Melchor J, Chávez-Martínez A, Juárez-Moya J, Rentería-Monterrubio AL. Effects of Shear Stress Waves on Meat Tenderness: Ultrasonoporation. Foods 2023; 12:2390. [PMID: 37372601 PMCID: PMC10296874 DOI: 10.3390/foods12122390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Revised: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Meat is an important part of the food pyramid in Mexico, to such an extent that it is included in the basic food basket. In recent years, there has been great interest in the application of so-called emerging technologies, such as high-intensity ultrasound (HIU), to modify the characteristics of meat and meat products. The advantages of the HIU in meat such as pH, increased water-holding capacity, and antimicrobial activity are well documented and conclusive. However, in terms of meat tenderization, the results are confusing and contradictory, mainly when they focus on three HIU parameters: acoustic intensity, frequency, and application time. This study explores via a texturometer the effect of HIU-generated acoustic cavitation and ultrasonoporation in beef (m. Longissimus dorsi). Loin-steak was ultrasonicated with the following parameters: time tHIU = 30 min/each side; frequency fHIU = 37 kHz; acoustic intensity IHIU = ~6, 7, 16, 28, and 90 W/cm2. The results showed that acoustic cavitation has a chaotic effect on the loin-steak surface and thickness of the rib-eye due to Bjerknes force, generating shear stress waves, and acoustic radiation transmittance via the internal structure of the meat and the modification of the myofibrils, in addition to the collateral effect in which the collagen and pH generated ultrasonoporation. This means that HIU can be beneficial for the tenderization of meat.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jesús Madrigal-Melchor
- Unidad Académica de Ciencia y Tecnología de la Luz y la Materia, Universidad Autónoma de Zacatecas, Zacatecas 98000, Mexico;
| | - América Chávez-Martínez
- Facultad de Zootecnia y Ecología, Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua, Chihuahua 31453, Mexico; (A.C.-M.); (J.J.-M.)
| | - Juliana Juárez-Moya
- Facultad de Zootecnia y Ecología, Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua, Chihuahua 31453, Mexico; (A.C.-M.); (J.J.-M.)
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7
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McKenney EA, Hale AR, Anderson J, Larsen R, Grant C, Dunn RR. Hidden diversity: comparative functional morphology of humans and other species. PeerJ 2023; 11:e15148. [PMID: 37123005 PMCID: PMC10135406 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.15148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Gastrointestinal (GI) morphology plays an important role in nutrition, health, and epidemiology; yet limited data on GI variation have been collected since 1885. Here we demonstrate that students can collect reliable data sets on gut morphology; when they do, they reveal greater morphological variation for some structures in the GI tract than has been documented in the published literature. We discuss trait variability both within and among species, and the implications of that variability for evolution and epidemiology. Our results show that morphological variation in the GI tract is associated with each organ's role in food processing. For example, the length of many structures was found to vary significantly with feeding strategy. Within species, the variability illustrated by the coefficients of variation suggests that selective constraints may vary with function. Within humans, we detected significant Pearson correlations between the volume of the liver and the length of the appendix (t-value = 2.5278, df = 28, p = 0.0174, corr = 0.4311) and colon (t-value = 2.0991, df = 19, p = 0.0494, corr = 0.4339), as well as between the lengths of the small intestine and colon (t-value = 2.1699, df = 17, p = 0.0445, corr = 0.4657), which are arguably the most vital organs in the gut for nutrient absorption. Notably, intraspecific variation in the small intestine can be associated with life history traits. In humans, females demonstrated consistently and significantly longer small intestines than males (t-value15 = 2.245, p = 0.0403). This finding supports the female canalization hypothesis, specifically, increased female investment in the digestion and absorption of lipids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin A. McKenney
- Department of Applied Ecology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States of America
- North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, Raleigh, NC, United States of America
| | - Amanda R. Hale
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States of America
- SNA International for the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, HI, United States of America
| | - Janiaya Anderson
- Department of Psychology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States of America
| | - Roxanne Larsen
- Office of Curricular Affairs, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, United States of America
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, United States of America
| | - Colleen Grant
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States of America
| | - Robert R. Dunn
- Department of Applied Ecology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States of America
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8
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Cobo-Sánchez L, Pizarro-Monzo M, Cifuentes-Alcobendas G, Jiménez García B, Abellán Beltrán N, Courtenay LA, Mabulla A, Baquedano E, Domínguez-Rodrigo M. Computer vision supports primary access to meat by early Homo 1.84 million years ago. PeerJ 2022; 10:e14148. [PMID: 36275476 PMCID: PMC9586113 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.14148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Human carnivory is atypical among primates. Unlike chimpanzees and bonobos, who are known to hunt smaller monkeys and eat them immediately, human foragers often cooperate to kill large animals and transport them to a safe location to be shared. While it is known that meat became an important part of the hominin diet around 2.6-2 Mya, whether intense cooperation and food sharing developed in conjunction with the regular intake of meat remains unresolved. A widespread assumption is that early hominins acquired animal protein through klepto-parasitism at felid kills. This should be testable by detecting felid-specific bone modifications and tooth marks on carcasses consumed by hominins. Here, deep learning (DL) computer vision was used to identify agency through the analysis of tooth pits and scores on bones recovered from the Early Pleistocene site of DS (Bed I, Olduvai Gorge). We present the first objective evidence of primary access to meat by hominins 1.8 Mya by showing that the most common securely detectable bone-modifying fissipeds at the site were hyenas. The absence of felid modifications in most of the carcasses analyzed indicates that hominins were the primary consumers of most animals accumulated at the site, with hyenas intervening at the post-depositional stage. This underscores the role of hominins as a prominent part of the early Pleistocene African carnivore guild. It also stresses the major (and potentially regular) role that meat played in the diet that configured the emergence of early Homo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucía Cobo-Sánchez
- Institute of Evolution in Africa, University of Alcala, Madrid, Madrid, Spain,Institute of Archaeology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | | | - Gabriel Cifuentes-Alcobendas
- Institute of Evolution in Africa, University of Alcala, Madrid, Madrid, Spain,Area of Prehistory (Department History and Philosophy, University of Alcala, Alcala de Henares, Madrid, Spain
| | - Blanca Jiménez García
- Institute of Evolution in Africa, University of Alcala, Madrid, Madrid, Spain,Area of Prehistory (Department History and Philosophy, University of Alcala, Alcala de Henares, Madrid, Spain
| | - Natalia Abellán Beltrán
- Institute of Evolution in Africa, University of Alcala, Madrid, Madrid, Spain,Department of Artificial Intelligence of UNED (National University for Distance Education), UNED, Madrid, Spain
| | - Lloyd A. Courtenay
- Department of Cartographic and Terrain Engineering, Superior Polytechnic School of Ávila,, University of Salamanca, Avila, Spain
| | - Audax Mabulla
- Department of Archaeology and Heritage Studies, University of Dar es Salaam, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Enrique Baquedano
- Institute of Evolution in Africa, University of Alcala, Madrid, Madrid, Spain,Regional Paleontological and Archaeological Museum of Madrid, Alcala de Henares, Madrid, Spain
| | - Manuel Domínguez-Rodrigo
- Institute of Evolution in Africa, University of Alcala, Madrid, Madrid, Spain,Area of Prehistory (Department History and Philosophy, University of Alcala, Alcala de Henares, Madrid, Spain,Department of Anthropology, Rice University, Houston, TX, United States of America
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9
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Alt KW, Al-Ahmad A, Woelber JP. Nutrition and Health in Human Evolution-Past to Present. Nutrients 2022; 14:3594. [PMID: 36079850 PMCID: PMC9460423 DOI: 10.3390/nu14173594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Revised: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Anyone who wants to understand the biological nature of humans and their special characteristics must look far back into evolutionary history. Today's way of life is drastically different from that of our ancestors. For almost 99% of human history, gathering and hunting have been the basis of nutrition. It was not until about 12,000 years ago that humans began domesticating plants and animals. Bioarchaeologically and biochemically, this can be traced back to our earliest roots. Modern living conditions and the quality of human life are better today than ever before. However, neither physically nor psychosocially have we made this adjustment and we are paying a high health price for it. The studies presented allow us to reconstruct food supply, lifestyles, and dietary habits: from the earliest primates, through hunter-gatherers of the Paleolithic, farming communities since the beginning of the Anthropocene, to the Industrial Age and the present. The comprehensive data pool allows extraction of all findings of medical relevance. Our recent lifestyle and diet are essentially determined by our culture rather than by our millions of years of ancestry. Culture is permanently in a dominant position compared to natural evolution. Thereby culture does not form a contrast to nature but represents its result. There is no doubt that we are biologically adapted to culture, but it is questionable how much culture humans can cope with.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kurt W. Alt
- Center of Natural and Cultural Human History, Danube Private University, 3500 Krems, Austria
- Integrative Prehistory and Archaeological Science, University of Basel, 4055 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Ali Al-Ahmad
- Department of Operative Dentistry and Periodontology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 71906 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Johan Peter Woelber
- Department of Operative Dentistry and Periodontology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 71906 Freiburg, Germany
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10
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Pérez-Claros JA, Palmqvist P. Heterochronies and allometries in the evolution of the hominid cranium: a morphometric approach using classical anthropometric variables. PeerJ 2022; 10:e13991. [PMID: 36042865 PMCID: PMC9420405 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.13991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
This article studies the evolutionary change of allometries in the relative size of the two main cranial modules (neurocranium and splanchnocranium) in the five living hominid species and a diverse sample of extinct hominins. We use six standard craniometric variables as proxies for the length, width and height of each cranial module. Factor analysis and two-block partial least squares (2B-PLS) show that the great apes and modern humans share a pervasive negative ontogenetic allometry in the neurocranium and a positive one in the splanchnocranium. This developmental constraint makes it possible to interpret the cranial heterochronies in terms of ontogenetic scaling processes (i.e., extensions or truncations of the ancestral ontogenetic trajectory) and lateral transpositions (i.e., parallel translations of the entire trajectory starting from a different shape for a given cranial size). We hypothesize that ontogenetic scaling is the main evolutionary modality in the australopithecines while in the species of Homo it is also necessary to apply transpositions. Both types of processes are coordinated in Homo, which result in an evolutionary trend toward an increase in brain size and in the degree of paedomorphosis from the earliest habilines.
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11
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van Casteren A, Codd JR, Kupczik K, Plasqui G, Sellers WI, Henry AG. The cost of chewing: The energetics and evolutionary significance of mastication in humans. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabn8351. [PMID: 35977013 PMCID: PMC9385136 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abn8351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Any change in the energetic cost of mammalian mastication will affect the net energy gain from foods. Although the energetic efficiency of masticatory effort is fundamental in understanding the evolution of the human masticatory system, nothing is known currently about the associated metabolic costs of chewing different items. Here, using respirometry and electromyography of the masseter muscle, we demonstrate that chewing by human subjects represents a measurable energy sink. Chewing a tasteless odorless gum elevates metabolic rate by 10 to 15% above basal levels. Energy expenditure increases with gum stiffness and is paid for by greater muscle recruitment. For modern humans, it is likely that mastication represents a small part of the daily energy budget. However, for our ancestors, before the onset of cooking and sophisticated food processing methods, the costs must have been relatively high, adding a previously unexplored energetic dimension to the interpretation of hominin dentofacial fossils.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam van Casteren
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
- Max Planck Weizmann Center for Evolutionary Anthropology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- Corresponding author.
| | - Jonathan R. Codd
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Kornelius Kupczik
- Max Planck Weizmann Center for Evolutionary Anthropology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Anthropology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Chile, Santiago de Chile, Chile
| | - Guy Plasqui
- Department of Nutrition and Movement Sciences, NUTRIM School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Maastricht University Medical Centre+, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | | | - Amanda G. Henry
- Faculty of Archaeology, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands
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12
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Coricelli C, Rumiati RI, Rioux C. Implicit and explicit safety evaluation of foods: The importance of food processing. Appetite 2022; 175:106062. [PMID: 35500724 DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2022.106062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2021] [Revised: 04/14/2022] [Accepted: 04/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Identifying beneficial foods in the environment, while avoiding ingesting something toxic, is a crucial task humans face on a daily basis. Here we directly examined adults' implicit and explicit safety evaluations of the same foods presented with different degrees of processing, ranging from unprocessed (raw) to processed (cut or cooked). Moreover, we investigated whether individual characteristics (e.g., Body Mass Index, food neophobia and hunger) modulated their evaluations. We hypothesized that adults would associate the processed form of a food with safety more than its unprocessed form since processing techniques, which are ubiquitously applied in different cultures, often reduce the toxicity of foods, and signal previous human intervention and intended consumption. Adults (N = 109, 43 females) performed an implicit Go/No-Go association task (GNAT) online, assessing the association between safety attributes and food images differing on their degree of processing, both unfamiliar and familiar foods were used. Then each food was explicitly evaluated. Results revealed that individual self-reported characteristics affected both implicit and explicit evaluations. Individuals with excess weight and obesity had a strong and positive implicit association between processed foods and safety attributes, but explicitly rated cooked foods as the least safe overall, this latter result was found in highly neophobic individuals as well. Yet, at the explicit level, when looking at unfamiliar foods only, processed foods were rated safer than unprocessed foods by all participants. Our results are the first evidence that directly highlights the relevance of the degree of processing in food safety evaluation and suggest that thinking of the important tasks humans face regarding food selection enriches our understanding of food behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Coricelli
- International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA), via Bonomea, 265 - 34136, Trieste, Italy; Western University, 1151 Richmond St, London, ON, N6A 3K7, Canada.
| | - R I Rumiati
- International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA), via Bonomea, 265 - 34136, Trieste, Italy.
| | - C Rioux
- Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Lentzeallee, 94, 14195, Berlin, Germany.
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13
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Daujeard C, Prat S. What Are the “Costs and Benefits” of Meat-Eating in Human Evolution? The Challenging Contribution of Behavioral Ecology to Archeology. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.834638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the omnivorous diet of most human populations, meat foraging gradually increased during the Paleolithic, in parallel with the development of hunting capacities. There is evidence of regular meat consumption by extinct hominins from 2 Ma onward, with the first occurrence prior to 3 Ma in Eastern Africa. The number of sites with cut-marked animal remains and stone tools increased after 2 Ma. In addition, toolkits became increasingly complex, and various, facilitating carcass defleshing and marrow recovery, the removal of quarters of meat to avoid carnivore competition, and allowing the emergence of cooperative (i.e., social) hunting of large herbivores. How can we assess the energy costs and benefits of meat and fat acquisition and consumption for hunter-gatherers in the past, and is it possible to accurately evaluate them? Answering this question would provide a better understanding of extinct hominin land use, food resource management, foraging strategies, and cognitive abilities related to meat and fat acquisition, processing, and consumption. According to the Optimal Foraging Theory (OFT), resources may be chosen primarily on the basis of their efficiency rank in term of calories. But, could other factors, and not only calorific return, prevail in the choice of prey, such as the acquisition of non-food products, like pelts, bone tools or ornaments, or symbolic or traditional uses? Our main goal here is to question the direct application of behavioral ecology data to archeology. For this purpose, we focus on the issue of animal meat and fat consumption in human evolution. We propose a short review of available data from energetics and ethnographic records, and provide examples of several various-sized extant animals, such as elephants, reindeer, or lagomorphs, which were some of the most common preys of Paleolithic hominins.
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14
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Lingam M. The Possible Role of Body Temperature in Modulating Brain and Body Sizes in Hominin Evolution. Front Psychol 2022; 12:774683. [PMID: 35222146 PMCID: PMC8866639 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.774683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2021] [Accepted: 12/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Many models have posited that the concomitant evolution of large brains and body sizes in hominins was constrained by metabolic costs. In such studies, the impact of body temperature has arguably not been sufficiently addressed despite the well-established fact that the rates of most physiological processes are manifestly temperature-dependent. Hence, the potential role of body temperature in regulating the number of neurons and body size is investigated by means of a heuristic quantitative model. It is suggested that modest deviations in body temperature (i.e., by a couple of degrees Celsius) might allow for substantive changes in brain and body parameters. In particular, a higher body temperature may prove amenable to an increased number of neurons, a higher brain-to-body mass ratio and fewer hours expended on feeding activities, while the converse could apply when the temperature is lowered. Future studies should, therefore, endeavor to explore and incorporate the effects of body temperature in metabolic theories of hominin evolution, while also integrating other factors such as foraging efficiency, diet, and fire control in tandem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manasvi Lingam
- Department of Aerospace, Physics and Space Sciences, Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, FL, United States
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15
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Motes-Rodrigo A, McPherron SP, Archer W, Hernandez-Aguilar RA, Tennie C. Experimental investigation of orangutans' lithic percussive and sharp stone tool behaviours. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0263343. [PMID: 35171926 PMCID: PMC8849460 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0263343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2021] [Accepted: 01/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Early stone tools, and in particular sharp stone tools, arguably represent one of the most important technological milestones in human evolution. The production and use of sharp stone tools significantly widened the ecological niche of our ancestors, allowing them to exploit novel food resources. However, despite their importance, it is still unclear how these early lithic technologies emerged and which behaviours served as stepping-stones for the development of systematic lithic production in our lineage. One approach to answer this question is to collect comparative data on the stone tool making and using abilities of our closest living relatives, the great apes, to reconstruct the potential stone-related behaviours of early hominins. To this end, we tested both the individual and the social learning abilities of five orangutans to make and use stone tools. Although the orangutans did not make sharp stone tools initially, three individuals spontaneously engaged in lithic percussion, and sharp stone pieces were produced under later experimental conditions. Furthermore, when provided with a human-made sharp stone, one orangutan spontaneously used it as a cutting tool. Contrary to previous experiments, social demonstrations did not considerably improve the stone tool making and using abilities of orangutans. Our study is the first to systematically investigate the stone tool making and using abilities of untrained, unenculturated orangutans showing that two proposed pre-requisites for the emergence of early lithic technologies-lithic percussion and the recognition of sharp-edged stones as cutting tools-are present in this species. We discuss the implications that ours and previous great ape stone tool experiments have for understanding the initial stages of lithic technologies in our lineage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alba Motes-Rodrigo
- Department of Early Prehistory and Quaternary Ecology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Shannon P. McPherron
- Department of Human Evolution, The Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Will Archer
- Department of Human Evolution, The Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Archaeology and Anthropology, Max Planck Partner Group, National Museum, Bloemfontein, South Africa
| | - R. Adriana Hernandez-Aguilar
- Department of Social Psychology and Quantitative Psychology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Biosciences, Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Claudio Tennie
- Department of Early Prehistory and Quaternary Ecology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Department of Human Evolution, The Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
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16
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Abstract
Stable isotope analysis of teeth and bones is regularly applied by archeologists and paleoanthropologists seeking to reconstruct diets, ecologies, and environments of past hominin populations. Moving beyond the now prevalent study of stable isotope ratios from bulk materials, researchers are increasingly turning to stable isotope ratios of individual amino acids to obtain more detailed and robust insights into trophic level and resource use. In the present article, we provide a guide on how to best use amino acid stable isotope ratios to determine hominin dietary behaviors and ecologies, past and present. We highlight existing uncertainties of interpretation and the methodological developments required to ensure good practice. In doing so, we hope to make this promising approach more broadly accessible to researchers at a variety of career stages and from a variety of methodological and academic backgrounds who seek to delve into new depths in the study of dietary composition.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ricardo Fernandes
- University of Oxford, Oxford, England, United Kingdom, and with the Faculty of Arts at Masaryk University, Czech Republic
| | - Yiming V Wang
- Department of Archaeology, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, Jena, Germany
| | - Patrick Roberts
- School of Social Sciences, University of Queensland, in St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
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17
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Kraft TS, Venkataraman VV, Wallace IJ, Crittenden AN, Holowka NB, Stieglitz J, Harris J, Raichlen DA, Wood B, Gurven M, Pontzer H. The energetics of uniquely human subsistence strategies. Science 2021; 374:eabf0130. [PMID: 34941390 DOI: 10.1126/science.abf0130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
[Figure: see text].
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas S Kraft
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, USA.,Department of Human Behavior, Ecology, and Culture, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany.,Department of Anthropology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Vivek V Venkataraman
- Institute for Advanced Study in Toulouse, Toulouse, France.,Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Ian J Wallace
- Department of Anthropology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | | | | | | | - Jacob Harris
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Institute of Human Origins, School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | - David A Raichlen
- Human and Evolutionary Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Brian Wood
- Department of Human Behavior, Ecology, and Culture, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany.,Department of Anthropology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Michael Gurven
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
| | - Herman Pontzer
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.,Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
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18
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Ren HY, Kum KY, Zhao YS, Yoo YJ, Jeong JS, Perinpanayagam H, Wang XY, Li GJ, Wang F, Fang H, Gu Y. Maxillary molar root and canal morphology of Neolithic and modern Chinese. Arch Oral Biol 2021; 131:105272. [PMID: 34600333 DOI: 10.1016/j.archoralbio.2021.105272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2021] [Revised: 09/12/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study aimed to characterize Neolithic human maxillary molars from archeological remains at the Jiaojia site, Shandong, China, and compare their ultrastructural features with sex and age-matched modern locals. DESIGN Maxillary first (n = 86) and second (n = 80) molars in 5000-year-old individuals (n = 50) from the Jiaojia site were scanned by cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). Sex and age-matched control groups were assigned from oral surgical patients at Shandong University. Images were analyzed for crown size, root length, root morphology, canal inter-orifice distances, mesiobuccal canal morphology, and second mesiobuccal (MB2) canal prevalence and location. Neolithic and modern values were compared statistically using Chi-squared and Mann-Whitney test at p < .05. RESULTS Crown and root size were smaller, and canal inter-orifice distances were shorter in Neolithic maxillary molars than their modern counterparts. For mesiobuccal roots, Weine's Type I single canals were the most prevalent in Neolithic and modern first and second molars. MB2 canal prevalence were not significantly different (p > .05) in Neolithic (53.3%) or modern (60.5%) first molars, and Neolithic (11.3%) or modern (21.3%) second molars. But, MB2 prevalence was significantly higher for modern than ancient male first (p = .032) and second (p = .005) molars. Additionally, MB2 were located more mesially and closer to MB1 in Neolithic than modern molars. CONCLUSIONS Maxillary molar root and canal morphology of ancient 5000-year-old remains at the Jiaojia site resemble that of local patients. A trend towards larger tooth size, and more dispersed MB2 canals over this short evolutionary period warrants additional investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Y Ren
- School and Hospital of Stomatology, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University & Shandong Key Laboratory of Oral Tissue Regeneration & Shandong Engineering Laboratory for Dental Materials and Oral Tissue Regeneration, Shandong Province, PR China
| | - K Y Kum
- Department of Conservative Dentistry, Dental Research Institute, National Dental Care Center for Persons with Special Needs, Seoul National University Dental Hospital, Seoul National University School of Dentistry, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Y S Zhao
- Institute of Cultural and Heritage, Shandong University, Qingdao, PR China
| | - Y J Yoo
- Department of Conservative Dentistry, Dental Research Institute, National Dental Care Center for Persons with Special Needs, Seoul National University Dental Hospital, Seoul National University School of Dentistry, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - J S Jeong
- School of Nursing and Rehabilitation, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Shandong Province, PR China
| | - Hiran Perinpanayagam
- Division of Restorative Dentistry, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada
| | - X Y Wang
- Department of Endodontics, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University & Shandong Key Laboratory of Oral Tissue Regeneration & Shandong Engineering Laboratory for Dental Materials and Oral Tissue Regeneration, Shandong Province, PR China
| | - G J Li
- Department of Radiology, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University & Shandong Key Laboratory of Oral Tissue Regeneration & Shandong Engineering Laboratory for Dental Materials and Oral Tissue Regeneration, Shandong Province, PR China
| | - F Wang
- Department of Radiology, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University & Shandong Key Laboratory of Oral Tissue Regeneration & Shandong Engineering Laboratory for Dental Materials and Oral Tissue Regeneration, Shandong Province, PR China
| | - H Fang
- School of History and Culture, Shandong University, Jinan, PR China
| | - Y Gu
- Department of Endodontics, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University & Shandong Key Laboratory of Oral Tissue Regeneration & Shandong Engineering Laboratory for Dental Materials and Oral Tissue Regeneration, Shandong Province, PR China.
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19
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Domínguez-Rodrigo M, Baquedano E, Organista E, Cobo-Sánchez L, Mabulla A, Maskara V, Gidna A, Pizarro-Monzo M, Aramendi J, Galán AB, Cifuentes-Alcobendas G, Vegara-Riquelme M, Jiménez-García B, Abellán N, Barba R, Uribelarrea D, Martín-Perea D, Diez-Martin F, Maíllo-Fernández JM, Rodríguez-Hidalgo A, Courtenay L, Mora R, Maté-González MA, González-Aguilera D. Early Pleistocene faunivorous hominins were not kleptoparasitic, and this impacted the evolution of human anatomy and socio-ecology. Sci Rep 2021; 11:16135. [PMID: 34373471 PMCID: PMC8352906 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-94783-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Humans are unique in their diet, physiology and socio-reproductive behavior compared to other primates. They are also unique in the ubiquitous adaptation to all biomes and habitats. From an evolutionary perspective, these trends seem to have started about two million years ago, coinciding with the emergence of encephalization, the reduction of the dental apparatus, the adoption of a fully terrestrial lifestyle, resulting in the emergence of the modern anatomical bauplan, the focalization of certain activities in the landscape, the use of stone tools, and the exit from Africa. It is in this period that clear taphonomic evidence of a switch in diet with respect to Pliocene hominins occurred, with the adoption of carnivory. Until now, the degree of carnivorism in early humans remained controversial. A persistent hypothesis is that hominins acquired meat irregularly (potentially as fallback food) and opportunistically through klepto-foraging. Here, we test this hypothesis and show, in contrast, that the butchery practices of early Pleistocene hominins (unveiled through systematic study of the patterning and intensity of cut marks on their prey) could not have resulted from having frequent secondary access to carcasses. We provide evidence of hominin primary access to animal resources and emphasize the role that meat played in their diets, their ecology and their anatomical evolution, ultimately resulting in the ecologically unrestricted terrestrial adaptation of our species. This has major implications to the evolution of human physiology and potentially for the evolution of the human brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Domínguez-Rodrigo
- Institute of Evolution in Africa (IDEA), Alcalá University, Covarrubias 36, 28010, Madrid, Spain.
- Area of Prehistory (Department History and Philosophy), University of Alcalá, 28801, Alcalá de Henares, Spain.
- Department of Anthropology, Rice University, 6100 Main St., Houston, TX, 77005-1827, USA.
| | - Enrique Baquedano
- Institute of Evolution in Africa (IDEA), Alcalá University, Covarrubias 36, 28010, Madrid, Spain
- Regional Archaeological Museum of Madrid, Plaza de las Bernardas s/n, Alcalá de Henares, Spain
| | - Elia Organista
- Osteoarchaeological Research Laboratory, Department of Archaeology and Classical Studies, Stockholm University, 106 91, WallenberglaboratorietStockholm, Sweden
| | - Lucía Cobo-Sánchez
- Institute of Evolution in Africa (IDEA), Alcalá University, Covarrubias 36, 28010, Madrid, Spain
- Computational Archaeology (CoDArchLab) Institute of Archaeology, University of Cologne, Albertus-Magnus-Platz D-50923, Cologne, Germany
| | - Audax Mabulla
- Department of Archaeology and Heritage Studies, University of Dar Es Salaam, P.O. Box 35050, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Vivek Maskara
- The Luminosity Lab, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | - Agness Gidna
- Paleontology Unit, National Museum of Tanzania in Dar Es Salaam, Robert Shaban St, P.O. Box 511, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Marcos Pizarro-Monzo
- Institute of Evolution in Africa (IDEA), Alcalá University, Covarrubias 36, 28010, Madrid, Spain
| | - Julia Aramendi
- Institute of Evolution in Africa (IDEA), Alcalá University, Covarrubias 36, 28010, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ana Belén Galán
- UMR5608, CNRS TRACES, Université Toulouse Jean-Jaurès, Maison de La Recherche, 5 allées Antonio Machado, 31058, Toulouse Cedex 9, France
| | - Gabriel Cifuentes-Alcobendas
- Institute of Evolution in Africa (IDEA), Alcalá University, Covarrubias 36, 28010, Madrid, Spain
- Area of Prehistory (Department History and Philosophy), University of Alcalá, 28801, Alcalá de Henares, Spain
| | - Marina Vegara-Riquelme
- Institute of Evolution in Africa (IDEA), Alcalá University, Covarrubias 36, 28010, Madrid, Spain
- Area of Prehistory (Department History and Philosophy), University of Alcalá, 28801, Alcalá de Henares, Spain
| | - Blanca Jiménez-García
- Institute of Evolution in Africa (IDEA), Alcalá University, Covarrubias 36, 28010, Madrid, Spain
- Artificial Intelligence Department, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia, UNED, Juan del Rosal 16, Madrid, Spain
| | - Natalia Abellán
- Institute of Evolution in Africa (IDEA), Alcalá University, Covarrubias 36, 28010, Madrid, Spain
- Artificial Intelligence Department, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia, UNED, Juan del Rosal 16, Madrid, Spain
| | - Rebeca Barba
- Institute of Evolution in Africa (IDEA), Alcalá University, Covarrubias 36, 28010, Madrid, Spain
| | - David Uribelarrea
- Institute of Evolution in Africa (IDEA), Alcalá University, Covarrubias 36, 28010, Madrid, Spain
- Geodynamics, Stratigraphy and Palaeontology Department, Complutense University of Madrid, José Antonio Novais 12, 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | - David Martín-Perea
- Institute of Evolution in Africa (IDEA), Alcalá University, Covarrubias 36, 28010, Madrid, Spain
- Paleobiology Department, National Natural Sciences Museum-CSIC, José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006, Madrid, Spain
| | - Fernando Diez-Martin
- Department of Archaeology and Prehistory, University of Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain
| | - José Manuel Maíllo-Fernández
- Institute of Evolution in Africa (IDEA), Alcalá University, Covarrubias 36, 28010, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Prehistory and Archaeology, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia, UNED, Paseo Senda del Rey, Madrid, Spain
| | - Antonio Rodríguez-Hidalgo
- Institute of Evolution in Africa (IDEA), Alcalá University, Covarrubias 36, 28010, Madrid, Spain
- IPHES, University Rovira I Virgili, Tarragona, Spain
| | - Lloyd Courtenay
- Department of Cartographic and Terrain Engineering, Superior Polytechnic School of Ávila, University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Rocío Mora
- Department of Cartographic and Terrain Engineering, Superior Polytechnic School of Ávila, University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Miguel Angel Maté-González
- Department of Cartographic and Terrain Engineering, Superior Polytechnic School of Ávila, University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
- Department of Topographic and Cartography Engineering, Higher Technical School of Engineers in Topography, Geodesy and Cartography, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Mercator 2, 28031, Madrid, Spain
| | - Diego González-Aguilera
- Department of Cartographic and Terrain Engineering, Superior Polytechnic School of Ávila, University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
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20
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Bergmann I, Hublin JJ, Gunz P, Freidline SE. How did modern morphology evolve in the human mandible? The relationship between static adult allometry and mandibular variability in Homo sapiens. J Hum Evol 2021; 157:103026. [PMID: 34214909 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2021.103026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2020] [Revised: 05/12/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Key to understanding human origins are early Homo sapiens fossils from Jebel Irhoud, as well as from the early Late Pleistocene sites Tabun, Border Cave, Klasies River Mouth, Skhul, and Qafzeh. While their upper facial shape falls within the recent human range of variation, their mandibles display a mosaic morphology. Here we quantify how mandibular shape covaries with mandible size and how static allometry differs between Neanderthals, early H. sapiens, and modern humans from the Upper Paleolithic/Later Stone Age and Holocene (= later H. sapiens). We use 3D (semi)landmark geometric morphometric methods to visualize allometric trends and to explore how gracilization affects the expression of diagnostic shape features. Early H. sapiens were highly variable in mandible size, exhibiting a unique allometric trajectory that explains aspects of their 'archaic' appearance. At the same time, early H. sapiens share a suite of diagnostic features with later H. sapiens that are not related to mandibular sizes, such as an incipient chin and an anteroposteriorly decreasing corpus height. The mandibular morphology, often referred to as 'modern', can partly be explained by gracilization owing to size reduction. Despite distinct static allometric shape changes in each group studied, bicondylar and bigonial breadth represent important structural constraints for the expression of shape features in most Middle to Late Pleistocene hominin mandibles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inga Bergmann
- Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Jean-Jacques Hublin
- Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Philipp Gunz
- Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Sarah E Freidline
- Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
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21
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Gürbüz RB, Lycett SJ. Could woodworking have driven lithic tool selection? J Hum Evol 2021; 156:102999. [PMID: 34022498 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2021.102999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2021] [Revised: 02/25/2021] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Understanding early stone tools, particularly relationships between form and function, is fundamental to understanding the behavioral evolution of early hominins. The oldest-claimed flake tools date to ca. 3.3 million years ago, and their development may represent a key step in hominin evolution. Flake form, and its relationship to function, has long been a focus of Paleolithic studies, almost exclusively with respect to meat acquisition. However, evidence for woodworking is now known from sites dating to 1.5 Ma. Additionally, Pan troglodytes are known to manufacture wooden tools for hunting and foraging, thus creating a phylogenetic (parsimony) argument for more ancient woodworking. However, few studies examining woodworking and Paleolithic tools have been completed to date. Indeed, it remains an open question whether woodworking may have instigated specific selective demands on the form of early stone tools. Here, we conducted an experiment testing the comparative woodworking efficiency (measured by time) of small and large flakes. Two groups of participants used either a relatively small or large unretouched flake to remove a predefined area from standardized samples of wood. Those using larger flakes were significantly more efficient (i.e., required less time) during this woodworking task. Our results demonstrate that larger flakes could have been preferentially chosen by hominins for woodworking, consistent with previous data generated experimentally in other (non-woodworking) tasks. Moreover, the production of relatively large flakes, such as those at Lomekwi, could have been motivated by woodworking, rather than, or in addition to, butchery. Such issues may also have encouraged the use of Levallois production strategies in later times.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Biermann Gürbüz
- Department of Anthropology, Ellicott Complex, 380 Academic Center, University at Buffalo, SUNY, Buffalo, NY 14261, USA.
| | - Stephen J Lycett
- Department of Anthropology, Ellicott Complex, 380 Academic Center, University at Buffalo, SUNY, Buffalo, NY 14261, USA
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22
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Foinant D, Lafraire J, Thibaut JP. Strength or Nausea? Children's Reasoning About the Health Consequences of Food Consumption. Front Psychol 2021; 12:651889. [PMID: 33897560 PMCID: PMC8061313 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.651889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2021] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Children’s reasoning on food properties and health relationships can contribute to healthier food choices. Food properties can either be positive (“gives strength”) or negative (“gives nausea”). One of the main challenges in public health is to foster children’s dietary variety, which contributes to a normal and healthy development. To face this challenge, it is essential to investigate how children generalize these positive and negative properties to other foods, including familiar and unfamiliar ones. In the present experiment, we hypothesized that children might rely on cues of food processing (e.g., signs of human intervention such as slicing) to convey information about item edibility. Furthermore, capitalizing on previous results showing that food rejections (i.e., food neophobia and picky eating) are a significant source of inter-individual variability to children’s inferences in the food domain, we followed an individual approach. We expected that children would generalize the positive properties to familiar foods and, in contrast, that they would generalize more often the negative properties to unfamiliar foods. However, we expected that children would generalize more positive and less negative properties to unfamiliar sliced foods than to whole unfamiliar foods. Finally, we expected that children displaying higher levels of food rejections would generalize more negative properties than children displaying lower levels of food rejections. One-hundred and twenty-six children, aged 3–6 years, performed an induction task in which they had to generalize positive or negative health-related properties to familiar or unfamiliar foods, whole or sliced. We measured children’s probability of generalization for positive and negative properties. The children’s food rejection score was assessed on a standardized scale. Results indicated that children evaluated positively familiar foods (regardless of processing), whereas they tend to view unfamiliar food negatively. In contrast, children were at chance for processed unfamiliar foods. Furthermore, children displaying higher levels of food rejections were more likely to generalize the negative properties to all kinds of foods than children displaying lower levels of food rejections. These findings entitle us to hypothesize that knowledge-based food education programs should take into account the valence of the properties taught to children, as well as the state of processing of the food presented. Furthermore, one should take children’s interindividual differences into account because they influence how the knowledge gained through these programs may be generalized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damien Foinant
- LEAD - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique UMR-5022, Université Bourgogne Franche Comté, Dijon, France.,Institut Paul Bocuse Research Center, Ecully, France
| | | | - Jean-Pierre Thibaut
- LEAD - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique UMR-5022, Université Bourgogne Franche Comté, Dijon, France
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23
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Ben-Dor M, Sirtoli R, Barkai R. The evolution of the human trophic level during the Pleistocene. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2021; 175 Suppl 72:27-56. [PMID: 33675083 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2020] [Revised: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The human trophic level (HTL) during the Pleistocene and its degree of variability serve, explicitly or tacitly, as the basis of many explanations for human evolution, behavior, and culture. Previous attempts to reconstruct the HTL have relied heavily on an analogy with recent hunter-gatherer groups' diets. In addition to technological differences, recent findings of substantial ecological differences between the Pleistocene and the Anthropocene cast doubt regarding that analogy's validity. Surprisingly little systematic evolution-guided evidence served to reconstruct HTL. Here, we reconstruct the HTL during the Pleistocene by reviewing evidence for the impact of the HTL on the biological, ecological, and behavioral systems derived from various existing studies. We adapt a paleobiological and paleoecological approach, including evidence from human physiology and genetics, archaeology, paleontology, and zoology, and identified 25 sources of evidence in total. The evidence shows that the trophic level of the Homo lineage that most probably led to modern humans evolved from a low base to a high, carnivorous position during the Pleistocene, beginning with Homo habilis and peaking in Homo erectus. A reversal of that trend appears in the Upper Paleolithic, strengthening in the Mesolithic/Epipaleolithic and Neolithic, and culminating with the advent of agriculture. We conclude that it is possible to reach a credible reconstruction of the HTL without relying on a simple analogy with recent hunter-gatherers' diets. The memory of an adaptation to a trophic level that is embedded in modern humans' biology in the form of genetics, metabolism, and morphology is a fruitful line of investigation of past HTLs, whose potential we have only started to explore.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miki Ben-Dor
- Department of Archaeology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | | | - Ran Barkai
- Department of Archaeology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
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24
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Iovita R, Braun DR, Douglass MJ, Holdaway SJ, Lin SC, Olszewski DI, Rezek Z. Operationalizing niche construction theory with stone tools. Evol Anthropol 2021; 30:28-39. [PMID: 33475216 DOI: 10.1002/evan.21881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2019] [Revised: 05/12/2020] [Accepted: 12/13/2020] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
One of the greatest difficulties with evolutionary approaches in the study of stone tools (lithics) has been finding a mechanism for tying culture and biology in a way that preserves human agency and operates at scales that are visible in the archaeological record. The concept of niche construction, whereby organisms actively construct their environments and change the conditions for selection, could provide a solution to this problem. In this review, we evaluate the utility of niche construction theory (NCT) for stone tool archaeology. We apply NCT to lithics both as part of the "extended phenotype" and as residuals or precipitates of other niche-constructing activities, suggesting ways in which archaeologists can employ niche construction feedbacks to generate testable hypotheses about stone tool use. Finally, we conclude that, as far as its applicability to lithic archaeology, NCT compares favorably to other prominent evolutionary approaches, such as human behavioral ecology and dual-inheritance theory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Radu Iovita
- Center for the Study of Human Origins, Department of Anthropology, New York University, New York, New York, USA.,Early Prehistory and Quaternary Ecology, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - David R Braun
- Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany.,Department of Anthropology, George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Matthew J Douglass
- College of Agricultural Science and Natural Resources, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA.,Agricultural Research Division, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA
| | - Simon J Holdaway
- School of Social Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.,Department of Archaeology, University of York, York, UK
| | - Sam C Lin
- Centre for Archaeological Science and Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia
| | - Deborah I Olszewski
- Department of Anthropology and University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Zeljko Rezek
- Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany.,Department of Anthropology and University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
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25
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Diet, Exercise, Lifestyle, and Mental Distress among Young and Mature Men and Women: A Repeated Cross-Sectional Study. Nutrients 2020; 13:nu13010024. [PMID: 33374693 PMCID: PMC7822407 DOI: 10.3390/nu13010024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2020] [Revised: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Customization of mental health therapies needs to consider the differences in degree of brain maturity between young (18–29 years) and mature (30 years or older) adults as well as brain morphology among men and women. The aim of this study was to identify the significant dietary and lifestyle contributors to mental distress in these sub-populations. Independent repeated cross-sectional sampling was performed for over a 5-year period (2014–2019) to collect data from different populations at different time-points and seasons. A backward stepwise regression analysis was used on 2628 records. Mental distress in young women was associated with high consumption of caffeine and fast-food, and it was negatively correlated with moderate-high levels of exercise as well as frequent breakfast consumption. Mature women shared several common factors with young women; however, high fruit consumption was negatively associated with mental distress. For young men, high exercise, moderate consumption of dairy, and moderate-high intake of meat were negatively associated with mental distress. In addition, high fast-food and caffeine consumption were positively associated with mental distress in young men. For mature men, strong negative associations between higher education, moderate intake of nuts and mental distress surfaced. Our results support the need to customize dietary and lifestyle recommendations to improve mental wellbeing.
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26
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Tonni I, Ricciardi G, Piancino MG, Stretti C, Costantinides F, Paganelli C. The influence of food hardness on the physiological parameters of mastication: A systematic review. Arch Oral Biol 2020; 120:104903. [DOI: 10.1016/j.archoralbio.2020.104903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2020] [Revised: 08/12/2020] [Accepted: 09/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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27
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Meat eating by nonhuman primates: A review and synthesis. J Hum Evol 2020; 149:102882. [PMID: 33137551 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2020.102882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2020] [Revised: 08/20/2020] [Accepted: 08/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Most nonhuman primates prey on vertebrates. Meat-eating, defined as ingestion of vertebrate tissue, occurs in 12 families, ≥39 genera, and ≥89 species. It is most common in capuchins (Cebus and Sapajus spp.), baboons (Papio spp.), bonobos (Pan paniscus), and chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) and modestly common in blue monkeys (Cercopithecus mitis), callitrichids (Callithrix spp. and Saguinus spp.), and squirrel monkeys (Saimiri spp.). It is uncommon in other cercopithecines, rare in other haplorhines and in lemurs, and virtually absent in colobines. Birds are the prey class eaten by the most species (≥53), followed by reptiles (≥48), amphibians (≥38), mammals (≥35), and fish (≥7). Major hypotheses for the importance of meat eating are that it is (1) mainly an energy source, especially (1a) when plant-source foods (PSFs) with high energy return rates are scarce (energy shortfall hypothesis); (2) mainly a protein source; and (3) mainly a source of micronutrients scarce in PSFs. Meat eating bouts sometimes provide substantial energy and protein, and some chimpanzees gain substantial protein from meat monthly or annually. However, meat typically accounts for only small proportions of feeding time and of total energy and protein intake, and quantitative data are inconsistent with the energy shortfall hypothesis. PSFs and/or invertebrates are presumably the main protein sources, even for chimpanzees. Support is strongest for the micronutrient hypothesis. Most chimpanzees eat far less meat than recorded for hunter-gatherers, but the highest chimpanzee estimates approach the lowest for African hunter-gatherers. In fundamental contrast to the human predatory pattern, other primates only eat vertebrates much smaller than they are, tool-assisted predation is rare except in some capuchins and chimpanzees, and tool use in carcass processing is virtually absent. However, harvesting of small prey deserves more attention with reference to the archaeological and ethnographic record.
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28
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Surbeck M. A toothless bonobo skull challenges the notion of alternative subsistence strategies in early Homo. J Hum Evol 2020; 147:102871. [PMID: 32905896 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2020.102871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2020] [Revised: 08/05/2020] [Accepted: 08/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Martin Surbeck
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, 11 Divinity Av, 10249 Cambridge, USA; Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
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Kahn S, Ehrlich P, Feldman M, Sapolsky R, Wong S. The Jaw Epidemic: Recognition, Origins, Cures, and Prevention. Bioscience 2020; 70:759-771. [PMID: 32973408 PMCID: PMC7498344 DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biaa073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Contemporary humans are living very different lives from those of their ancestors, and some of the changes have had serious consequences for health. Multiple chronic "diseases of civilization," such as cardiovascular problems, cancers, ADHD, and dementias are prevalent, increasing morbidity rates. Stress, including the disruption of traditional sleep patterns by modern lifestyles, plays a prominent role in the etiology of these diseases, including obstructive sleep apnea. Surprisingly, jaw shrinkage since the agricultural revolution, leading to an epidemic of crooked teeth, a lack of adequate space for the last molars (wisdom teeth), and constricted airways, is a major cause of sleep-related stress. Despite claims that the cause of this jaw epidemic is somehow genetic, the speed with which human jaws have changed, especially in the last few centuries, is much too fast to be evolutionary. Correlation in time and space strongly suggests the symptoms are phenotypic responses to a vast natural experiment-rapid and dramatic modifications of human physical and cultural environments. The agricultural and industrial revolutions have produced smaller jaws and less-toned muscles of the face and oropharynx, which contribute to the serious health problems mentioned above. The mechanism of change, research and clinical trials suggest, lies in orofacial posture, the way people now hold their jaws when not voluntarily moving them in speaking or eating and especially when sleeping. The critical resting oral posture has been disrupted in societies no longer hunting and gathering. Virtually all aspects of how modern people function and rest are radically different from those of our ancestors. We also briefly discuss treatment of jaw symptoms and possible clinical cures for individuals, as well as changes in society that might lead to better care and, ultimately, prevention.
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30
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Lucock M. The
Anthropocene
: Exploring its origins, biology, and future. Am J Hum Biol 2020; 33:e23476. [DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.23476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2020] [Revised: 06/28/2020] [Accepted: 06/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Mark Lucock
- School of Environmental & Life Sciences University of Newcastle Ourimbah New South Wales Australia
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31
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Louail M. Feeding strategies and associated cognitive capacities among Plio-Pleistocene hominins: toward new perspectives using the ventromedial prefrontal cortex. REVUE DE PRIMATOLOGIE 2020. [DOI: 10.4000/primatologie.7157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
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32
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Smoliga JM. Modelling the maximal active consumption rate and its plasticity in humans-perspectives from hot dog eating competitions. Biol Lett 2020; 16:20200096. [PMID: 32673544 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2020.0096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Gut capacity and plasticity have been examined across multiple species, but are not typically explored in the context of extreme human performance. Here, I estimate the theoretical maximal active consumption rate (ACR) in humans, using 39 years of historical data from the annual Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest. Through nonlinear modelling and generalized extreme value analysis, I show that humans are theoretically capable of achieving an ACR of approximately 832 g min-1 fresh matter over 10 min duration. Modelling individual performances across 5 years reveals that maximal ACR significantly increases over time in 'elite' competitive eaters, likely owing to training effects. Extreme digestive plasticity suggests that eating competition records are quite biologically impressive, especially in the context of carnivorous species and other human athletic competitions.
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Affiliation(s)
- James M Smoliga
- Department of Physical Therapy, One University Parkway, High Point University, High Point, NC 27409, USA
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33
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Iurato G, Khrennikov AY. Entropy, externality and human evolution. Biosystems 2020; 191-192:104130. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biosystems.2020.104130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2019] [Revised: 03/06/2020] [Accepted: 03/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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34
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Pobiner BL. The zooarchaeology and paleoecology of early hominin scavenging. Evol Anthropol 2020; 29:68-82. [PMID: 32108400 DOI: 10.1002/evan.21824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2018] [Revised: 07/13/2019] [Accepted: 01/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Questions about the timing, frequency, resource yield, and behavioral and biological implications of large animal carcass acquisition by early hominins have been a part of the "hunting-scavenging debate" for decades. This article presents a brief outline of this debate, reviews the zooarchaeological and modern ecological evidence for a possible scavenging niche among the earliest animal tissue-consuming hominins (pre-2.0 Ma), revisits some of the questions that this debate has generated, and outlines some ways to explore answers to those questions with evidence from the archaeological record.
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Affiliation(s)
- Briana L Pobiner
- Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History, Washington, District of Columbia
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35
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Dunn RR, Amato KR, Archie EA, Arandjelovic M, Crittenden AN, Nichols LM. The Internal, External and Extended Microbiomes of Hominins. Front Ecol Evol 2020. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2020.00025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
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36
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Hora M, Pontzer H, Wall-Scheffler CM, Sládek V. Dehydration and persistence hunting in Homo erectus. J Hum Evol 2020; 138:102682. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2019.102682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2019] [Revised: 09/06/2019] [Accepted: 09/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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37
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Bitar M, Kuiper S, O'Brien EA, Barry G. Genes with human-specific features are primarily involved with brain, immune and metabolic evolution. BMC Bioinformatics 2019; 20:406. [PMID: 31757203 PMCID: PMC6873653 DOI: 10.1186/s12859-019-2886-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2019] [Accepted: 05/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Humans have adapted to widespread changes during the past 2 million
years in both environmental and lifestyle factors. This is evident in overall
body alterations such as average height and brain size. Although we can
appreciate the uniqueness of our species in many aspects, molecular variations
that drive such changes are far from being fully known and explained.
Comparative genomics is able to determine variations in genomic sequence that
may provide functional information to better understand species-specific
adaptations. A large number of human-specific genomic variations have been
reported but no currently available dataset comprises all of these, a problem
which contributes to hinder progress in the field. Results Here we critically update high confidence human-specific genomic
variants that mostly associate with protein-coding regions and find 856 related
genes. Events that create such human-specificity are mainly gene duplications,
the emergence of novel gene regions and sequence and structural alterations.
Functional analysis of these human-specific genes identifies adaptations to
brain, immune and metabolic systems to be highly involved. We further show that
many of these genes may be functionally associated with neural activity and
generating the expanded human cortex in dynamic spatial and temporal
contexts. Conclusions This comprehensive study contributes to the current knowledge by
considerably updating the number of human-specific genes following a critical
bibliographic survey. Human-specific genes were functionally assessed for the
first time to such extent, thus providing unique information. Our results are
consistent with environmental changes, such as immune challenges and alterations
in diet, as well as neural sophistication, as significant contributors to recent
human evolution. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12859-019-2886-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized
users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mainá Bitar
- QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, 300 Herston Road, Herston, QLD, 4006, Australia.
| | - Stefanie Kuiper
- School of Natural Sciences, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD, 4111, Australia
| | - Elizabeth A O'Brien
- QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, 300 Herston Road, Herston, QLD, 4006, Australia
| | - Guy Barry
- QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, 300 Herston Road, Herston, QLD, 4006, Australia.,The School of Medicine, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
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He T, Honda T, Kurihara Y, Thiery G. Variation in chewing efficiency of Yakushima Japanese macaque (Macaca fuscata yakui). AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2019; 171:110-119. [PMID: 31675108 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.23955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2019] [Revised: 09/27/2019] [Accepted: 10/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Chewing efficiency plays an important role in the survival and distribution of primates. Yet, little is known about the intra-specific variation of chewing efficiency. The purpose of this study is to report the pattern of seasonal and regional variation in chewing efficiency among Yakushima Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata yakui). MATERIALS AND METHODS Fecal samples of Yakushima Japanese macaques were collected from lowland, highland and summit areas in Yakushima between July 2015 and March 2016 (n = 236). Using sieving analysis, we compared fecal particle size (dMEAN) and proportion of finest particles p(0) between different geographical areas and seasons. RESULTS Seasonally, in the lowland zone, there was a non-significant decrease in dMEAN during spring, while p(0) was significantly higher during summer than it was during winter and spring. Regionally, dMEAN was higher in the summit zone than it was in other areas during autumn, while p(0) was also higher in the summit zone. CONCLUSIONS While seasonal variation in dMEAN can be explained by the reported difference in the proportions of food categories in diet between seasons, its influence is mitigated, possibly by the selective feeding of less mechanically challenging parts in each category. Regional variation in dMEAN and p(0) may be the results of bamboo consumption in this area. Combining our data with studies that focus on seasonal and regional variations of food properties or gut microbes might provide a better understanding of the relation between diet, chewing and digestion in Yakushima macaques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianmeng He
- Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Japan
| | - Takeaki Honda
- Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Japan
| | - Yosuke Kurihara
- Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Japan
| | - Ghislain Thiery
- School of Sociology and Anthropology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
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39
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Swedell L, Plummer T. Social evolution in Plio-Pleistocene hominins: Insights from hamadryas baboons and paleoecology. J Hum Evol 2019; 137:102667. [PMID: 31629289 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2019.102667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2019] [Revised: 08/21/2019] [Accepted: 08/23/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Reconstructions of hominin evolution have long benefited from comparisons with nonhuman primates, especially baboons and chimpanzees. The hamadryas baboon (Papio hamadryas) is arguably one of the best such models, as it exhibits both the male kin bonding and the cross-sex pair bonding thought to have been important in hominin evolution. Here we link processes of behavioral evolution in hamadryas baboons with those in a Plio-Pleistocene hominin, provisionally identified as Homo erectus (sensu lato) - a pivotal species in that its larger body and brain size and wider ranging patterns increased female costs of reproduction, increasing the importance of sociality. The combination of these higher costs of reproduction and shifts in diet and food acquisition have previously been argued to have been alleviated either via strengthening of male-female bonds (involving male provisioning and the evolution of monogamy) or via the assistance of older, post-reproductive females (leading to post-reproductive longevity in females, i.e., the grandmother hypothesis). We suggest that both arrangements could have been present in Plio-Pleistocene hominins if they lived in multilevel societies. Here we expand on our earlier scenario with two sets of recent data in support of it, (1) archaeological data from the 2 million year old Oldowan site of Kanjera South, Kenya and other sites that are suggestive of tool dependent foraging on nutrient dense resources (animal carcasses and plant underground storage organs), cooperation, and food sharing; and (2) a pattern of genetic variation in hamadryas baboons that suggests the operation of kin selection among both males and females at multiple levels of society. Taken together, these two sets of data strengthen our model and support the idea of a complex society linked by male-male, male-female, and female-female bonds at multiple levels of social organization in Plio-Pleistocene hominins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Larissa Swedell
- Dept of Anthropology, Queens College, City University of New York, Flushing, NY 11367-1597, USA; New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, New York, NY, USA; Anthropology Program, CUNY Graduate Center, 365 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10016, USA; Biology and Psychology Programs, CUNY Graduate Center, 365 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10016, USA; Dept of Archaeology, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7701, Cape Town, South Africa.
| | - Thomas Plummer
- Dept of Anthropology, Queens College, City University of New York, Flushing, NY 11367-1597, USA; New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, New York, NY, USA; Anthropology Program, CUNY Graduate Center, 365 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10016, USA.
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40
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Romero A, Ramirez-Rozzi FV, Cuesta-Torralvo E, Pérez-Pérez A. Age-related tooth wear in African rainforest hunter-gatherers. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2019; 170:622-628. [PMID: 31599980 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.23934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2019] [Revised: 09/01/2019] [Accepted: 09/11/2019] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Central African small-scale foragers subsist primarily on hunting game activities and wild plant-food gathering. Starch-rich tubers are underground storage organs (USOs) and staple food resources in savanna and tropical rainforests. However, little is known about the effect of USO consumption on tooth wear development in living hunter-gatherers. We report age- and sex-dependent tooth wear rates in forest-dwelling Baka Pygmies with well-documented wild-yam-tuber-based diet to explore the long-term impact of USO mechanical hardness and abrasiveness on the wearing down of the teeth. MATERIALS AND METHODS Percentages of dentine exposure (PDEs) of permanent left mandibular first molars (M1 ) were recorded using in vivo high-resolution replicas of Baka individuals (aged 8-33 years), inhabiting Le Bosquet district in Cameroon (Western Africa). Regression and covariance analyses were used to test the effect of individual aging by sex on PDE rates. RESULTS We found a strong increase of PDE by age among Baka individuals. No evidence of sexual dimorphism in wear patterns suggests similar sex-related dietary and masticatory demands during growth. Overall, greatest dentine exposure values ≈4% denote unexpected slow wear down rates for foraging diets relying on USO consumption. DISCUSSION The low molar wear rates with age found in Baka Pygmies contrast with extensive wear rates in savanna-dwelling foragers, reflecting differences in thermal processing techniques affecting fracture toughness and grittiness of mechanically challenging foods. Our findings reveal that culture-specific dietary proclivities influence tooth wear among foraging behaviors with important implications in hominin dietary versatility and abrasive stress on chewing surfaces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Romero
- Departamento de Biotecnología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Alicante, Alicante, Spain
| | | | - Elisabeth Cuesta-Torralvo
- Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciencies Ambientals, Secció Zoologia i Antropologia Biològica, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Alejandro Pérez-Pérez
- Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciencies Ambientals, Secció Zoologia i Antropologia Biològica, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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41
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Reply to Sahle and Gossa: Technology and geochronology at the earliest known Oldowan site at Ledi-Geraru, Ethiopia. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 116:20261-20262. [PMID: 31530722 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1911952116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
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42
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Arnaud-Brachet M, Foletti JM, Graillon N, Chaumoître K, Chossegros C, Guyot L. Could mastication modify the shape of the orbit? A scannographic study in humans. Surg Radiol Anat 2019; 42:63-67. [PMID: 31489469 DOI: 10.1007/s00276-019-02315-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2018] [Accepted: 08/28/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Since prehistory, changes of the facial skeleton have been related to the modification of diet. More recent studies have shown changes in the morphology of the mandible and maxilla due to variations of strain during mastication. The temporal muscle (TM) is a strong masticatory muscle, with its insertions extending through the temporal fossa. Our objective is to observe the relations between the TM and the lateral orbital wall (LOW) which could indicate an influence of mastication on the shape of the LOW. METHODS We conducted a retrospective study using 100 CT scans. The length of the lateral orbital wall (LLOW), the angle between LOW and the medial orbital wall (MOW), the cross-sectional areas of LOW and of the TMs were measured on both sides of each CT scan. The correlation between TMs and other three parameters was studied by Pearson correlations. RESULTS A correlation was found between TMs and LOWs, a lower with LLOW, and a very weak and negative correlation between LOW/MOW angle. CONCLUSIONS Anatomical knowledge about TM and investigation of masticatory strains lead us to think that mastication have minimal effect on the morphology of the LOW, only on the frontal process of zygomatic. This may explain, in part, why the LOW is the strongest wall of the orbit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie Arnaud-Brachet
- Department of Maxillofacial Surgery, Public Assistance Hospital,, University Hospital Center Conception, Marseille, France. .,Service de chirurgie Maxillofaciale et plastique de la face, Hôpital Nord, chemin des Bourrely, 13915, Marseille, France.
| | - Jean Marc Foletti
- Aix Marseille Univ, APHM, IFSTTAR, LBA, Pôle PROM, service de chirurgie maxillo-faciale, Marseille, France
| | - Nicolas Graillon
- Department of Maxillofacial Surgery, Public Assistance Hospital,, University Hospital Center Conception, Marseille, France.,Aix Marseille Univ, APHM, IFSTTAR, LBA, Pôle PROM, service de chirurgie maxillo-faciale, Marseille, France
| | - Katia Chaumoître
- Department of Radiology, Public Assistance Hospital of Marseille, University Hospital Center Nord, Marseille, France
| | - Cyrille Chossegros
- Department of Maxillofacial Surgery, Public Assistance Hospital,, University Hospital Center Conception, Marseille, France.,Aix Marseille Univ, APHM, IFSTTAR, LBA, Pôle PROM, service de chirurgie maxillo-faciale, Marseille, France
| | - Laurent Guyot
- Department of Maxillofacial Surgery, Public Assistance Hospital,, University Hospital Center Conception, Marseille, France
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Herculano-Houzel S. Life history changes accompany increased numbers of cortical neurons: A new framework for understanding human brain evolution. PROGRESS IN BRAIN RESEARCH 2019; 250:179-216. [PMID: 31703901 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pbr.2019.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Narratives of human evolution have focused on cortical expansion and increases in brain size relative to body size, but considered that changes in life history, such as in age at sexual maturity and thus the extent of childhood and maternal dependence, or maximal longevity, are evolved features that appeared as consequences of selection for increased brain size, or increased cognitive abilities that decrease mortality rates, or due to selection for grandmotherly contribution to feeding the young. Here I build on my recent finding that slower life histories universally accompany increased numbers of cortical neurons across warm-blooded species to propose a simpler framework for human evolution: that slower development to sexual maturity and increased post-maturity longevity are features that do not require selection, but rather inevitably and immediately accompany evolutionary increases in numbers of cortical neurons, thus fostering human social interactions and cultural and technological evolution as generational overlap increases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzana Herculano-Houzel
- Department of Psychology, Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States.
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Coricelli C, Toepel U, Notter ML, Murray MM, Rumiati RI. Distinct brain representations of processed and unprocessed foods. Eur J Neurosci 2019; 50:3389-3401. [PMID: 31228866 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.14498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2019] [Revised: 04/30/2019] [Accepted: 06/13/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Among all of the stimuli surrounding us, food is arguably the most rewarding for the essential role it plays in our survival. In previous visual recognition research, it has already been demonstrated that the brain not only differentiates edible stimuli from non-edible stimuli but also is endowed with the ability to detect foods' idiosyncratic properties such as energy content. Given the contribution of the cooked diet to human evolution, in the present study we investigated whether the brain is sensitive to the level of processing food underwent, based solely on its visual appearance. We thus recorded visual evoked potentials (VEPs) from normal-weight healthy volunteers who viewed color images of unprocessed and processed foods equated in caloric content. Results showed that VEPs and underlying neural sources differed as early as 130 ms post-image onset when participants viewed unprocessed versus processed foods, suggesting a within-category early discrimination of food stimuli. Responses to unprocessed foods engaged the inferior frontal and temporal regions and the premotor cortices. In contrast, viewing processed foods led to the recruitment of occipito-temporal cortices bilaterally, consistently with other motivationally relevant stimuli. This is the first evidence of diverging brain responses to food as a function of the transformation undergone during its preparation that provides insights on the spatiotemporal dynamics of food recognition.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ulrike Toepel
- The Laboratory for Investigative Neurophysiology (The LINE), The Department of Radiology and Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University Hospital Center, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Marie-Laure Notter
- The Laboratory for Investigative Neurophysiology (The LINE), The Department of Radiology and Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University Hospital Center, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Micah M Murray
- The Laboratory for Investigative Neurophysiology (The LINE), The Department of Radiology and Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University Hospital Center, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.,Electroencephalography Brain Mapping Core, Center for Biomedical Imaging (CIBM) of Lausanne and Geneva, Lausanne, Switzerland.,Department of Ophthalmology, Fondation Asile des Aveugles, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.,Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Raffaella I Rumiati
- Neuroscience and Society Laboratory, SISSA, Trieste, Italy.,ANVUR, Rome, Italy
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Earliest known Oldowan artifacts at >2.58 Ma from Ledi-Geraru, Ethiopia, highlight early technological diversity. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 116:11712-11717. [PMID: 31160451 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1820177116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The manufacture of flaked stone artifacts represents a major milestone in the technology of the human lineage. Although the earliest production of primitive stone tools, predating the genus Homo and emphasizing percussive activities, has been reported at 3.3 million years ago (Ma) from Lomekwi, Kenya, the systematic production of sharp-edged stone tools is unknown before the 2.58-2.55 Ma Oldowan assemblages from Gona, Ethiopia. The organized production of Oldowan stone artifacts is part of a suite of characteristics that is often associated with the adaptive grade shift linked to the genus Homo Recent discoveries from Ledi-Geraru (LG), Ethiopia, place the first occurrence of Homo ∼250 thousand years earlier than the Oldowan at Gona. Here, we describe a substantial assemblage of systematically flaked stone tools excavated in situ from a stratigraphically constrained context [Bokol Dora 1, (BD 1) hereafter] at LG bracketed between 2.61 and 2.58 Ma. Although perhaps more primitive in some respects, quantitative analysis suggests the BD 1 assemblage fits more closely with the variability previously described for the Oldowan than with the earlier Lomekwian or with stone tools produced by modern nonhuman primates. These differences suggest that hominin technology is distinctly different from generalized tool use that may be a shared feature of much of the primate lineage. The BD 1 assemblage, near the origin of our genus, provides a link between behavioral adaptations-in the form of flaked stone artifacts-and the biological evolution of our ancestors.
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The Masticatory Apparatus of Humans (Homo sapiens): Evolution and Comparative Functional Morphology. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-13739-7_21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/03/2023]
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Kindler S, Mksoud M, Holtfreter B, Friedrich N, Bülow R, Ittermann T. Do Third Molars Contribute to Systemic Inflammation? Results From a Population-Based Study From Northeast Germany. J Oral Maxillofac Surg 2019; 77:1541-1547. [PMID: 31004588 DOI: 10.1016/j.joms.2019.03.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2018] [Revised: 02/12/2019] [Accepted: 03/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Erupted and impacted third molars have been reported to contribute to systemic inflammation. This study investigated the systemic effect of third molars on serum levels of inflammatory parameters and on inflammatory messenger peptide hormones in a general population sample. MATERIALS AND METHODS Data of 2,151 participants from the Study of Health in Pomerania were included in this study. Erupted or impacted third molars were assessed with whole-body magnetic resonance imaging at 1.5 T and associated with biomarkers of inflammation, lipid metabolism, glucose metabolism, and peptide hormones by linear regression. Models were adjusted for age, gender, smoking status, education, and type 2 diabetes mellitus. RESULTS Neither erupted nor impacted third molars were associated with high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, white blood cell count, or fibrinogen as markers for systemic inflammation. Participants with erupted third molars had markedly lower serum levels of leptin (β coefficient, -2.47; 95% confidence interval [CI], -4.47 to -0.48), angiopoietin-2 (β coefficient, -135.1; 95% CI, 248.6 to -21.5), and ratio of angiopoietin-2 to tyrosine kinase with immunoglobulin-like loop epidermal growth factor homology domain 2 (β coefficient, -6.57; 95% CI, -13.06 to -00.7) than participants without third molars. No such associations were observed for impacted third molars. CONCLUSION The present results did not substantiate a relation between third molars and an increase in systemic inflammatory markers. Therefore, dental practitioners should be careful when considering this as the only indication for removal of third molars, especially in medically compromised patients. The results of this study showed that participants with erupted third molars had lower levels of messenger peptide hormones, such as leptin and angiopoetin-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Kindler
- Chief Resident, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery/Plastic Surgery, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany.
| | - Maria Mksoud
- Oral Surgery Resident, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery/Plastic Surgery, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Birte Holtfreter
- Bio-mathematician, Department of Restorative Dentistry, Periodontology, Endodontology, and Preventive and Pediatric Dentistry, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Nele Friedrich
- Associate Professor, Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Robin Bülow
- Consultant, Institute for Diagnostic Radiology and Neuroradiology, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Till Ittermann
- Associate Professor, Institute for Community Medicine, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
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Louail M, Gilissen E, Prat S, Garcia C, Bouret S. Refining the ecological brain: Strong relation between the ventromedial prefrontal cortex and feeding ecology in five primate species. Cortex 2019; 118:262-274. [PMID: 31030897 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2019.03.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2018] [Revised: 12/21/2018] [Accepted: 03/22/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
To survive in complex and seasonal environments, primates are thought to rely upon cognitive capacities such as decision-making and episodic memory, which enable them to plan their daily foraging path. According to the Ecological Brain hypothesis, feeding ecology has driven the expansion of the brain to support the corresponding development of cognitive skills. Recent works in cognitive neurosciences indicate that cognitive operations such as decision-making or subjective evaluation (which are contextual and dependent upon episodic memory), relied critically upon a small part of the frontal lobe, often referred to as the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (VMPFC). Several authors suggested that this area might be important for foraging, but this has never been tested. In the present study, we quantified the relation between the size of the VMPFC (along with other cerebral measures: the whole brain, the gyrus rectus and the somatosensory cortex) and key socio-ecological variables in five primate species (Macaca mulatta, Macaca fuscata, Gorilla gorilla, Pan troglodytes and Homo sapiens). We hypothesized that the size of the VMPFC would be greater in primates with a large dietary spectrum and complex foraging strategies. We also hypothesized that the impact of feeding ecology would be stronger on this specific region than on other regions (somatosensory cortex) or on more global cerebral measures (e.g., whole brain). In line with these hypotheses, we found that all cerebral measures were more strongly related to feeding ecology than group size, a proxy for social complexity. As expected, the VMPFC volume is more precisely related to feeding ecology than the whole brain, and appears to be critically related to dietary quality. Thus, combining a comparative approach with predictions coming both from behavioral ecology and cognitive neurosciences, our study provides evidence that feeding ecology played a key role in the development of specific cognitive skills, which rely upon the expansion of a specific cortical area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margot Louail
- Team Motivation Brain & Behavior, ICM - Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinière, CNRS UMR 7225 - INSERM U1127 - UPMC UMR S 1127, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France; UMR 7194 (HNHP), MNHN/CNRS/UPVD, Alliance Sorbonne Université, Musée de l'Homme, Paris, France
| | - Emmanuel Gilissen
- Department of African Zoology, Royal Museum for Central Africa, Tervuren, Belgium; Université Libre de Bruxelles, Laboratory of Histology and Neuropathology, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Sandrine Prat
- UMR 7194 (HNHP), MNHN/CNRS/UPVD, Alliance Sorbonne Université, Musée de l'Homme, Paris, France
| | - Cécile Garcia
- UMR 7206 Eco-anthropologie et Ethnobiologie, CNRS - MNHN - Paris Diderot, Alliance Sorbonne Université, Musée de l'Homme, Paris, France
| | - Sébastien Bouret
- Team Motivation Brain & Behavior, ICM - Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinière, CNRS UMR 7225 - INSERM U1127 - UPMC UMR S 1127, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France.
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Jacobs LF. The navigational nose: a new hypothesis for the function of the human external pyramid. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019; 222:222/Suppl_1/jeb186924. [PMID: 30728230 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.186924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
One of the outstanding questions in evolution is why Homo erectus became the first primate species to evolve the external pyramid, i.e. an external nose. The accepted hypothesis for this trait has been its role in respiration, to warm and humidify air as it is inspired. However, new studies testing the key assumptions of the conditioning hypothesis, such as the importance of turbulence to enhance heat and moisture exchange, have called this hypothesis into question. The human nose has two functions, however, respiration and olfaction. It is thus also possible that the external nose evolved in response to selection for olfaction. The genus Homo had many adaptations for long-distance locomotion, which allowed Homo erectus to greatly expand its species range, from Africa to Asia. Long-distance navigation in birds and other species is often accomplished by orientation to environmental odors. Such olfactory navigation, in turn, is enhanced by stereo olfaction, made possible by the separation of the olfactory sensors. By these principles, the human external nose could have evolved to separate olfactory inputs to enhance stereo olfaction. This could also explain why nose shape later became so variable: as humans became more sedentary in the Neolithic, a decreasing need for long-distance movements could have been replaced by selection for other olfactory functions, such as detecting disease, that would have been critical to survival in newly dense human settlements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia F Jacobs
- Department of Psychology and Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, 2121 Berkeley Way, Berkeley, CA 94720-1650, USA
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Thompson JC, Carvalho S, Marean CW, Alemseged Z. Origins of the Human Predatory Pattern: The Transition to Large-Animal Exploitation by Early Hominins. CURRENT ANTHROPOLOGY 2019. [DOI: 10.1086/701477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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