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Pansani TR, Bertrand L, Pobiner B, Behrensmeyer AK, Asevedo L, Thoury M, Araújo-Júnior HI, Schöder S, King A, Pacheco MLAF, Dantas MAT. Anthropogenic modification of a giant ground sloth tooth from Brazil supported by a multi-disciplinary approach. Sci Rep 2024; 14:19770. [PMID: 39227606 PMCID: PMC11371818 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-69145-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 08/01/2024] [Indexed: 09/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Identifying evidence of human modification of extinct animal remains, such as Pleistocene megafauna, is challenging due to the similarity of anthropogenic and non-anthropogenic taphonomic features observed under optical microscopy. Here, we re-investigate a Late Pleistocene ground sloth tooth from northeast Brazil, previously suggested as human-modified based only on optical observation. To characterize the macro- and micro-morphological characteristics of the marks preserved in this tooth and evaluate potential human modification, we used stereomicroscope and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) supplemented by energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), UV photoluminescence (UV/PL), synchrotron-based X-ray fluorescence (SR-XRF), and synchrotron micro-computed tomography (SR-µCT). These methods allowed us to discriminate non-anthropogenic taphonomic features (root and sedimentary damage), anthropogenic marks, and histological features. The latter shows the infiltration of exogenous elements into the dentine from the sediments. Our evidence demonstrates the sequence of anthropogenic and non-anthropogenic taphonomic modification of this tooth and supports its initial intentional modification by humans. We highlight the benefits of emerging imaging and spectral imaging techniques to investigate and diagnose human modification in fossil and archaeological records and propose that human modification of tooth tissues should be further considered when studying possibly anthropogenically altered fossil remains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thaís R Pansani
- Department of Anthropology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, USA.
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia e Recursos Naturais, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, SP, Brazil.
- Université Paris-Saclay, ENS Paris-Saclay, CNRS, PPSM, Gif-sur-Yvette, France.
| | - Loïc Bertrand
- Université Paris-Saclay, ENS Paris-Saclay, CNRS, PPSM, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Briana Pobiner
- Department of Anthropology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Anna K Behrensmeyer
- Department of Paleobiology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Lidiane Asevedo
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Geociências, Instituto Multidisciplinar em Saúde, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Vitória da Conquista, BA, Brazil
| | - Mathieu Thoury
- Institut photonique d'analyse non-destructive européen des matériaux anciens, Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, ministère de la Culture, UVSQ, MNHN, Saint-Aubin, France
| | - Hermínio I Araújo-Júnior
- Departamento de Estratigrafia e Paleontologia, Faculdade de Geologia, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | | | | | - Mírian L A F Pacheco
- Laboratório de Paleobiologia e Astrobiologia, Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, Sorocaba, SP, Brasil
| | - Mário A T Dantas
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Geociências, Instituto Multidisciplinar em Saúde, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Vitória da Conquista, BA, Brazil
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Gomez S, Millán JL. Zinc-alkaline phosphatase at sites of aortic calcification. J Mol Histol 2024; 55:465-479. [PMID: 38850447 PMCID: PMC11306377 DOI: 10.1007/s10735-024-10207-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 05/26/2024] [Indexed: 06/10/2024]
Abstract
Zinc (Zn) is a normal trace element in mineralizing tissues, but it is unclear whether it is primarily bound to the mineral phase or to organic molecules involved in the mineralization process, or both. Tissue-nonspecific alkaline phosphatase (TNAP) is a Zn metalloenzyme with two Zn ions bound to the M1 and M2 catalytic sites that functions to control the phosphate/pyrophosphate ratio during biomineralization. Here, we studied aortas from Tagln-Cre +/-; HprtALP/Y TNAP overexpressor (TNAP-OE) mice that develop severe calcification. Zn histochemistry was performed using the sulfide-silver staining method in combination with a Zn partial extraction procedure to localize mineral-bound (mineral Zn) and TNAP-bound Zn (tenacious Zn), since soluble Zn (loose Zn) is extracted during fixation of the specimens. Two synthetic bone mineral composites with different Zn content, bone ash, and rat epiphyseal growth plate cartilage were used as controls for Zn staining. In order to correlate the distribution of mineral and tenacious Zn with the presence of mineral deposits, the aortas were examined histologically in unstained and stained thin sections using various light microscopy techniques. Our results show that 14 and 30 dpn, TNAP is concentrated in the calcifying matrix and loses Zn as Ca2+ progressively displaces Zn2+ at the M1 and M2 metal sites. Thus, in addition to its catalytic role TNAP has an additional function at calcifying sites as a Ca-binding protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Santiago Gomez
- Departamento Anatomía Patológica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Cádiz, Plaza Fragela 9, Cádiz, 11003, Spain.
| | - José Luis Millán
- Sanford Children's Health Research Center, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
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Couoh LR, Bucio L, Ruvalcaba JL, Manoel B, Tang T, Gourrier A, Grandfield K. Tooth acellular extrinsic fibre cementum incremental lines in humans are formed by parallel branched Sharpey's fibres and not by its mineral phase. J Struct Biol 2024; 216:108084. [PMID: 38479547 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsb.2024.108084] [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: 11/23/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 03/10/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
In humans, the growth pattern of the acellular extrinsic fibre cementum (AEFC) has been useful to estimate the age-at-death. However, the structural organization behind such a pattern remains poorly understood. In this study tooth cementum from seven individuals from a Mexican modern skeletal series were analyzed with the aim of unveiling the AEFC collagenous and mineral structure using multimodal imaging approaches. The organization of collagen fibres was first determined using: light microscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), electron tomography, and plasma FIB scanning electron microscopy (PFIB-SEM) tomography. The mineral properties were then investigated using: synchrotron small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) for T-parameter (correlation length between mineral particles); synchrotron X-ray diffraction (XRD) for L-parameter (mineral crystalline domain size estimation), alignment parameter (crystals preferred orientation) and lattice parameters a and c; as well as synchrotron X-ray fluorescence for spatial distribution of calcium, phosphorus and zinc. Results show that Sharpey's fibres branched out fibres that cover and uncover other collagen bundles forming aligned arched structures that are joined by these same fibres but in a parallel fashion. The parallel fibres are not set as a continuum on the same plane and when they are superimposed project the AEFC incremental lines due to the collagen birefringence. The orientation of the apatite crystallites is subject to the arrangement of the collagen fibres, and the obtained parameter values along with the elemental distribution maps, revealed this mineral tissue as relatively homogeneous. Therefore, no intrinsic characteristics of the mineral phase could be associated with the alternating AEFC incremental pattern.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lourdes R Couoh
- Dirección de Antropología Física, Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia, Paseo de la Reforma y Gandhi, Chapultepec Polanco 11560, CDMX, México.
| | - Lauro Bucio
- Laboratorio de Cristalofísica y Materiales Naturales, Instituto de Física, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacán 04510, CDMX, México
| | - José Luis Ruvalcaba
- Laboratorio Nacional de Ciencias para la Investigación y Conservación del Patrimonio Cultural, Instituto de Física, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacán 04510, CDMX, México
| | - Britta Manoel
- European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, 71 Avenue des Martyrs 38000, Grenoble, France; Bruker AXS Advanced X-ray Solutions GmbH, Östliche Rheinbrückenstraße 49 76187, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Tengteng Tang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, McMaster University, Hamilton L8S 4L7, ON, Canada
| | | | - Kathryn Grandfield
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, McMaster University, Hamilton L8S 4L7, ON, Canada; School of Biomedical Engineering, McMaster University, Hamilton L8S 4L7, ON, Canada.
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Punshon T, Bauer JA, Karagas MR, Coker MO, Weisskopf MG, Mangano JJ, Bidlack FB, Barr MN, Jackson BP. Quantified retrospective biomonitoring of fetal and infant elemental exposure using LA-ICP-MS analysis of deciduous dentin in three contrasting human cohorts. JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2024:10.1038/s41370-024-00652-3. [PMID: 38347123 DOI: 10.1038/s41370-024-00652-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Spatial elemental analysis of deciduous tooth dentin combined with odontochronological estimates can provide an early life (in utero to ~2 years of age) history of inorganic element exposure and status. OBJECTIVE To demonstrate the importance of data normalization to a certified reference material to enable between-study comparisons, using populations with assumed contrasting elemental exposures. METHODS We used laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) of dentin to derive a history of elemental composition from three distinct cohort studies: a present day rural cohort, (the New Hampshire Birth Cohort Study (NHBCS; N = 154)), an historical cohort from an urban area (1958-1970), (the St. Louis Baby Tooth Study (SLBT; N = 78)), and a present-day Nigerian cohort established to study maternal HIV transmission (Dental caries and its association with Oral Microbiomes and HIV in young children-Nigeria (DOMHaIN; N = 31)). RESULTS We report Li, Al, Mn, Cu, Zn, Sr, Ba and Pb concentrations (µg/g) and qualitatively examine As, Cd and Hg across all three cohorts. Rates of detection were highest, both overall and for each cohort individually, for Zn, Sr, Ba and Li. Zinc was detected in 100% of samples and was stably present in teeth at a concentration range of 64 - 86 µg/g. Mercury, As and Cd detection rates were the lowest, and had high variability within individual ablated spots. We found the highest concentrations of Pb in the pre- and postnatal dentin of the SLBT cohort, consistent with the prevalent use of Pb as an additive to gasoline prior to 1975. The characteristic decline in Mn after the second trimester was observed in all cohorts. IMPACT Spatially resolved elemental analysis of deciduous teeth combined with methods for estimating crown formation times can be used to reconstruct an early-life history of elemental exposure inaccessible via other biomarkers. Quantification of data into absolute values using an external standard reference material has not been conducted since 2012, preventing comparison between studies, a common and highly informative component of epidemiology. We demonstrate, with three contrasting populations, that absolute quantification produces data with the lowest variability, compares well with available data and recommends that future tooth biomarker studies report data in this way.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Punshon
- Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, 03755, USA.
| | - Julia A Bauer
- Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine, Hanover, NH, 03755, USA
| | - Margaret R Karagas
- Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine, Hanover, NH, 03755, USA
| | - Modupe O Coker
- Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine, Hanover, NH, 03755, USA
- Department of Oral Biology, Rutgers School of Dental Medicine, Rutgers University, 110 Bergen Street, Room C-845, Newark, NJ, 07103, USA
| | - Marc G Weisskopf
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 665 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA, 021156, USA
| | | | | | - Matthew N Barr
- Department of Earth Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, 03755, USA
| | - Brian P Jackson
- Department of Earth Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, 03755, USA
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Massé L, d’Incau E, Souron A, Vanderesse N, Santos F, Maureille B, Le Cabec A. Unraveling the Life History of Past Populations through Hypercementosis: Insights into Cementum Apposition Patterns and Possible Etiologies Using Micro-CT and Confocal Microscopy. BIOLOGY 2024; 13:43. [PMID: 38248474 PMCID: PMC10813066 DOI: 10.3390/biology13010043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2023] [Revised: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
The "teeth-as-tools" hypothesis posits that Neanderthals used their anterior teeth as a tool or a third hand for non-dietary purposes. These non- or para-masticatory activities (e.g., tool-making or food preparation prior to ingestion) have also been described in other past and extant human populations, and other Primates. Cementum is the mineralized tissue that covers the tooth root surface and anchors it to the alveolar bone. Under certain conditions (e.g., mechanical stress, infection), its production becomes excessive (i.e., beyond the physiological state) and is called 'hypercementosis'. Several studies in dental anthropology have established a correlation between the teeth-as-tools and hypercementosis. The present work aims to characterize the different patterns of cementum apposition on archeological teeth and discuss their supposed etiology. Using microtomography and confocal microscopy, the patterns of cementum apposition (i.e., thickness, location, and surface characteristics) were analyzed in 35 hypercementotic teeth (Sains-en-Gohelle, France; 7th-17th c. A.D.). Four groups were identified with distinct hypercementosis patterns: (1) impacted, (2) infected, (3) hypofunctional, and (4) hyperfunctional teeth. Characterizing hypercementosis can contribute to documenting the oral health status (paleopathology) and/or masticatory activity of individuals, even from isolated teeth. This has implications for the study of fossil hominins, particularly Neanderthals, known for their use of anterior teeth as tools and frequent and substantial occurrence of hypercementosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Léa Massé
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, Ministère de la Culture, PACEA, UMR 5199, F-33600 Pessac, France; (A.S.); (N.V.); (F.S.); (B.M.); (A.L.C.)
- UFR des Sciences Odontologiques de Bordeaux, Univ. Bordeaux, F-33076 Bordeaux, France;
- University Hospital, F-33076 Bordeaux, France
| | - Emmanuel d’Incau
- UFR des Sciences Odontologiques de Bordeaux, Univ. Bordeaux, F-33076 Bordeaux, France;
- University Hospital, F-33076 Bordeaux, France
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, SANPSY, UMR 6033, F-33000 Bordeaux, France
| | - Antoine Souron
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, Ministère de la Culture, PACEA, UMR 5199, F-33600 Pessac, France; (A.S.); (N.V.); (F.S.); (B.M.); (A.L.C.)
| | - Nicolas Vanderesse
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, Ministère de la Culture, PACEA, UMR 5199, F-33600 Pessac, France; (A.S.); (N.V.); (F.S.); (B.M.); (A.L.C.)
| | - Frédéric Santos
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, Ministère de la Culture, PACEA, UMR 5199, F-33600 Pessac, France; (A.S.); (N.V.); (F.S.); (B.M.); (A.L.C.)
| | - Bruno Maureille
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, Ministère de la Culture, PACEA, UMR 5199, F-33600 Pessac, France; (A.S.); (N.V.); (F.S.); (B.M.); (A.L.C.)
| | - Adeline Le Cabec
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, Ministère de la Culture, PACEA, UMR 5199, F-33600 Pessac, France; (A.S.); (N.V.); (F.S.); (B.M.); (A.L.C.)
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6
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Dean MC, Garrevoet J, Van Malderen SJM, Santos F, Mirazón Lahr M, Foley R, Le Cabec A. The Distribution and Biogenic Origins of Zinc in the Mineralised Tooth Tissues of Modern and Fossil Hominoids: Implications for Life History, Diet and Taphonomy. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:1455. [PMID: 38132281 PMCID: PMC10740576 DOI: 10.3390/biology12121455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2023] [Revised: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Zinc is incorporated into enamel, dentine and cementum during tooth growth. This work aimed to distinguish between the processes underlying Zn incorporation and Zn distribution. These include different mineralisation processes, the physiological events around birth, Zn ingestion with diet, exposure to the oral environment during life and diagenetic changes to fossil teeth post-mortem. Synchrotron X-ray Fluorescence (SXRF) was used to map zinc distribution across longitudinal polished ground sections of both deciduous and permanent modern human, great ape and fossil hominoid teeth. Higher resolution fluorescence intensity maps were used to image Zn in surface enamel, secondary dentine and cementum, and at the neonatal line (NNL) and enamel-dentine-junction (EDJ) in deciduous teeth. Secondary dentine was consistently Zn-rich, but the highest concentrations of Zn (range 197-1743 ppm) were found in cuspal, mid-lateral and cervical surface enamel and were similar in unerupted teeth never exposed to the oral environment. Zinc was identified at the NNL and EDJ in both modern and fossil deciduous teeth. In fossil specimens, diagenetic changes were identified in various trace element distributions but only demineralisation appeared to markedly alter Zn distribution. Zinc appears to be tenacious and stable in fossil tooth tissues, especially in enamel, over millions of years.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. Christopher Dean
- Centre for Human Evolution Research, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Jan Garrevoet
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany; (J.G.); (S.J.M.V.M.)
| | - Stijn J. M. Van Malderen
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany; (J.G.); (S.J.M.V.M.)
| | - Frédéric Santos
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, Ministère de la Culture, PACEA, UMR 5199, F-33600 Pessac, France; (F.S.); (A.L.C.)
| | - Marta Mirazón Lahr
- Leverhulme Centre for Human Evolutionary Studies, Department of Archaeology, University of Cambridge, Fitzwilliam Street, Cambridge CB2 1QH, UK; (M.M.L.); (R.F.)
| | - Robert Foley
- Leverhulme Centre for Human Evolutionary Studies, Department of Archaeology, University of Cambridge, Fitzwilliam Street, Cambridge CB2 1QH, UK; (M.M.L.); (R.F.)
| | - Adeline Le Cabec
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, Ministère de la Culture, PACEA, UMR 5199, F-33600 Pessac, France; (F.S.); (A.L.C.)
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Clark CT, Yang P, Halden N, Ferguson SH, Matthews CJD. Patterns of trace element deposition in beluga whale teeth reflect early life history. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 340:139938. [PMID: 37634591 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.139938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2023] [Revised: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023]
Abstract
Determination of trace element concentrations in continuously growing biological structures such as otoliths, whiskers, and teeth can provide important insight into physiological and ontogenetic processes. We examined concentrations of 11 trace elements (Li, Mg, Mn, Cu, Zn, Se, Rb, Sr, Cs, Ba, Pb) in the annual dentine growth layer groups (GLGs) of teeth of 66 Eastern Canadian Arctic belugas (Delphinapterus leucas). Several of these trace elements displayed clear and consistent patterns in early life, though few longer term trends or signals were present in trace element data for either females or males. Large changes in Sr and Ba concentrations in fetal dentine reflected in utero shifts in element deposition in the teeth of developing belugas. Marked changes in these elements during the first years after birth were likely associated with the onset of nursing and subsequent weaning. Mg, Mn, and Zn also displayed clear and consistent patterns in early life that correlated strongly with dentine stable nitrogen isotope (δ15N) data, suggesting these elements merit further study as potential tools for studying nursing and weaning. Depositional patterns of Zn and Pb, which have been linked to sexual maturation in female Pacific walruses (Odobenus rosmarus divergens), were inconsistent in beluga teeth. Some individuals (including males) displayed patterns strongly resembling those observed in female walruses, whereas many animals did not, perhaps because they had not yet reached sexual maturity. The lack of clear patterns in trace element deposition after the first few years of life may have resulted from pooling samples from multiple populations/regions collected across more than two decades, but may also indicate that elemental concentrations are primarily driven by other, extrinsic processes later in life, and might be useful as biomonitors of environmental element concentrations or tools for delineating population structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Casey T Clark
- Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife, Olympia, WA, USA.
| | - Panseok Yang
- Department of Geological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, R3T 2N6, Canada
| | - Norm Halden
- Department of Geological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, R3T 2N6, Canada
| | - Steven H Ferguson
- Arctic Aquatic Research Division, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada; Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Cory J D Matthews
- Arctic Aquatic Research Division, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada; Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
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Saito MM, Onuma K, Yamakoshi Y. Cementum is key to periodontal tissue regeneration: A review on apatite microstructures for creation of novel cementum-based dental implants. Genesis 2023; 61:e23514. [PMID: 37067171 DOI: 10.1002/dvg.23514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Revised: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2023] [Indexed: 04/18/2023]
Abstract
The cementum is the outermost layer of hard tissue covering the dentin within the root portion of the teeth. It is the only hard tissue with a specialized structure and function that forms a part of both the teeth and periodontal tissue. As such, cementum is believed to be critical for periodontal tissue regeneration. In this review, we discuss the function and histological structure of the cementum to promote crystal engineering with a biochemical approach in cementum regenerative medicine. We review the microstructure of enamel and bone while discussing the mechanism underlying apatite crystal formation to infer the morphology of cementum apatite crystals and their complex structure with collagen fibers. Finally, the limitations of the current dental implant treatments in clinical practice are explored from the perspective of periodontal tissue regeneration. We anticipate the possibility of advancing periodontal tissue regenerative medicine via cementum regeneration using a combination of material science and biochemical methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mari M Saito
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Dental Medicine, Tsurumi University, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Kazuo Onuma
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Dental Medicine, Tsurumi University, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Yasuo Yamakoshi
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Dental Medicine, Tsurumi University, Yokohama, Japan
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9
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Kubat J, Nava A, Bondioli L, Dean MC, Zanolli C, Bourgon N, Bacon AM, Demeter F, Peripoli B, Albert R, Lüdecke T, Hertler C, Mahoney P, Kullmer O, Schrenk F, Müller W. Dietary strategies of Pleistocene Pongo sp. and Homo erectus on Java (Indonesia). Nat Ecol Evol 2023; 7:279-289. [PMID: 36646949 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-022-01947-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
During the Early to Middle Pleistocene, Java was inhabited by hominid taxa of great diversity. However, their seasonal dietary strategies have never been explored. We undertook geochemical analyses of orangutan (Pongo sp.), Homo erectus and other mammalian Pleistocene teeth from Sangiran. We reconstructed past dietary strategies at subweekly resolution and inferred seasonal ecological patterns. Histologically controlled spatially resolved elemental analyses by laser-based plasma mass spectrometry confirmed the preservation of authentic biogenic signals despite the effect of spatially restricted diagenetic overprint. The Sr/Ca record of faunal remains is in line with expected trophic positions, contextualizing fossil hominid diet. Pongo sp. displays marked seasonal cycles with ~3 month-long strongly elevated Sr/Ca peaks, reflecting contrasting plant food consumption presumably during the monsoon season, while lower Sr/Ca ratios suggest different food availability during the dry season. In contrast, omnivorous H. erectus shows low and less accentuated intra-annual Sr/Ca variability compared to Pongo sp., with δ13C data of one individual indicating a dietary shift from C4 to a mix of C3 and C4 plants. Our data suggest that H. erectus on Java was maximizing the resources available in more open mosaic habitats and was less dependent on variations in seasonal resource availability. While still influenced by seasonal food availability, we infer that H. erectus was affected to a lesser degree than Pongo sp., which inhabited monsoonal rain forests on Java. We suggest that H. erectus maintained a greater degree of nutritional independence by exploiting the regional diversity of food resources across the seasons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jülide Kubat
- Frankfurt Isotope and Element Research Center (FIERCE), Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany.
- Department of Palaeoanthropology, Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany.
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, BABEL, Paris, France.
| | - Alessia Nava
- Skeletal Biology Research Centre, School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK.
| | - Luca Bondioli
- Bioarchaeology Service, Museum of Civilizations, Rome, Italy
- Department of Cultural Heritage, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | | | - Clément Zanolli
- University of Bordeaux, CNRS, MCC, PACEA, UMR 5199, Pessac, France
| | - Nicolas Bourgon
- Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | | | - Fabrice Demeter
- Lundbeck Foundation GeoGenetics Centre, GLOBE Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Eco-anthropologie (EA), Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Beatrice Peripoli
- Department of Cultural Heritage, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Richard Albert
- Frankfurt Isotope and Element Research Center (FIERCE), Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
- Institute of Geosciences, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Tina Lüdecke
- Emmy Noether Group for Hominin Meat Consumption, Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, Mainz, Germany
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Christine Hertler
- Department of Palaeoanthropology, Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
- ROCEEH Research Centre, Heidelberg Academy of Sciences and Humanities, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Patrick Mahoney
- Skeletal Biology Research Centre, School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK
| | - Ottmar Kullmer
- Department of Palaeoanthropology, Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
- Department of Paleobiology and Environment, Institute of Ecology, Evolution, and Diversity, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Friedemann Schrenk
- Department of Palaeoanthropology, Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
- Department of Paleobiology and Environment, Institute of Ecology, Evolution, and Diversity, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Müller
- Frankfurt Isotope and Element Research Center (FIERCE), Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany.
- Institute of Geosciences, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany.
- Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany.
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10
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Brozou A, Mannino MA, Van Malderen SJM, Garrevoet J, Pubert E, Fuller BT, Dean MC, Colard T, Santos F, Lynnerup N, Boldsen JL, Jørkov ML, Soficaru AD, Vincze L, Le Cabec A. Using SXRF and LA-ICP-TOFMS to Explore Evidence of Treatment and Physiological Responses to Leprosy in Medieval Denmark. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:184. [PMID: 36829463 PMCID: PMC9952905 DOI: 10.3390/biology12020184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Revised: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Leprosy can lead to blood depletion in Zn, Ca, Mg, and Fe and blood enrichment in Cu. In late medieval Europe, minerals were used to treat leprosy. Here, physiological responses to leprosy and possible evidence of treatment are investigated in enamel, dentine, and cementum of leprosy sufferers from medieval Denmark (n = 12) and early 20th century Romania (n = 2). Using SXRF and LA-ICP-TOFMS, 12 elements were mapped in 15 tooth thin sections, and the statistical covariation of paired elements was computed to assess their biological relevance. The results show marked covariations in the Zn, Ca, and Mg distributions, which are compatible with clinical studies but cannot be directly attributed to leprosy. Minerals used historically as a treatment for leprosy show no detectable intake (As, Hg) or a diffuse distribution (Pb) related to daily ingestion. Intense Pb enrichments indicate acute incorporations of Pb, potentially through the administration of Pb-enriched medication or the mobilization of Pb from bone stores to the bloodstream during intense physiological stress related to leprosy. However, comparisons with a healthy control group are needed to ascertain these interpretations. The positive correlations and the patterns observed between Pb and essential elements may indicate underlying pathophysiological conditions, demonstrating the potential of SXRF and LA-ICP-TOFMS for paleopathological investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasia Brozou
- Department of Archaeology and Heritage Studies, Aarhus University, Moesgård Allé 20, 8270 Højbjerg, Denmark
- Department of Biology, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Via della Ricerca Scientifica 1, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Marcello A. Mannino
- Department of Archaeology and Heritage Studies, Aarhus University, Moesgård Allé 20, 8270 Højbjerg, Denmark
| | - Stijn J. M. Van Malderen
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestraße 85, D-22607 Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Chemistry, Ghent University, Campus Sterre, Krijgslaan 281-S12, 9000 Gent, Belgium
| | - Jan Garrevoet
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestraße 85, D-22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Eric Pubert
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, MCC, PACEA, UMR 5199, F-33600 Pessac, France
| | - Benjamin T. Fuller
- Department of Archaeology and Heritage Studies, Aarhus University, Moesgård Allé 20, 8270 Højbjerg, Denmark
- Géosciences Environnement Toulouse, UMR 5563, CNRS, Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées, 31400 Toulouse, France
| | - M. Christopher Dean
- Department of Earth Sciences, Centre for Human Evolution Research, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Thomas Colard
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, MCC, PACEA, UMR 5199, F-33600 Pessac, France
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, University of Lille, Lille University Hospital, F-59000 Lille, France
| | - Frédéric Santos
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, MCC, PACEA, UMR 5199, F-33600 Pessac, France
| | - Niels Lynnerup
- Department of Forensic Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Frederik V’s Vej 11, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jesper L. Boldsen
- Department of Forensic Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, 5230 Odense, Denmark
| | - Marie Louise Jørkov
- Department of Forensic Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Frederik V’s Vej 11, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Andrei Dorian Soficaru
- ‘Francisc I. Rainer’ Institute of Anthropology, Romanian Academy, 050474 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Laszlo Vincze
- Department of Chemistry, X-ray Microspectroscopy and Imaging Research Group (XMI), Ghent University, Krijgslaan 281 S12, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Adeline Le Cabec
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, MCC, PACEA, UMR 5199, F-33600 Pessac, France
- Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany
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11
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Smith TM, Arora M, Bharatiya M, Dirks W, Austin C. Brief Communication: Elemental Models of Primate Nursing and Weaning Revisited. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2023; 180:216-223. [PMID: 37406034 PMCID: PMC10099337 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2022] [Revised: 10/25/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 07/07/2023]
Abstract
Objectives Intra-tooth patterns of trace elements barium (Ba) and strontium (Sr) have been used to infer human and nonhuman primate nursing histories, including australopithecine and Neanderthal juveniles. Here we contrast the two elemental models in first molars (M1s) of four wild baboons and explore the assumptions that underlie each. Materials and Methods Laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) was employed to create comprehensive calcium-normalized barium and strontium (Ba/Ca, Sr/Ca) maps of M1 enamel and dentine at 35 micron resolution. Results Postnatal Ba/Ca values were typically high, peaking ~0.5 years of age and then decreasing throughout M1 crown formation; all four individuals showed minimal Ba/Ca values between ~1.2-1.8 years, consistent with field reports of the cessation of suckling. Enamel Sr/Ca did not support patterns of previous LA-ICP-MS spot sampling as the enamel rarely showed discrete Sr/Ca secretory zonation. Increases in Sr/Ca appeared in coronal dentine beginning ~0.3 years, with varied peak value ages (~0.7-2.7 years) and no evidence of a predicted postweaning decline. Discussion Inferences of baboon weaning ages from initial Ba/Ca minima are more congruent with behavioral observations than Sr/Ca maxima; this is consistent with studies of captive macaques of known weaning ages. Elemental variation is more apparent in the coronal dentine than the enamel of these baboons, which may relate to its more rapid mineralization and protection from the oral environment. Inferences of nursing histories from enamel Sr/Ca patterns alone should be reconsidered, and elevated values of Ba/Ca and Sr/Ca in teeth formed after weaning require further study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanya M. Smith
- Griffith Centre for Social and Cultural ResearchGriffith UniversityNathanAustralia
- Australian Research Centre for Human EvolutionGriffith UniversityNathanAustralia
| | - Manish Arora
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public HealthIcahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - Maya Bharatiya
- Griffith Centre for Social and Cultural ResearchGriffith UniversityNathanAustralia
- Australian Research Centre for Human EvolutionGriffith UniversityNathanAustralia
| | - Wendy Dirks
- Department of AnthropologyDurham UniversityDurhamUK
| | - Christine Austin
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public HealthIcahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew YorkNew YorkUSA
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12
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Towards routine 3D characterization of intact mesoscale samples by multi-scale and multimodal scanning X-ray tomography. Sci Rep 2022; 12:16924. [PMID: 36209291 PMCID: PMC9547857 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-21368-0] [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: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Non-invasive multi-scale and multimodal 3D characterization of heterogeneous or hierarchically structured intact mesoscale samples is of paramount importance in tackling challenging scientific problems. Scanning hard X-ray tomography techniques providing simultaneous complementary 3D information are ideally suited to such studies. However, the implementation of a robust on-site workflow remains the bottleneck for the widespread application of these powerful multimodal tomography methods. In this paper, we describe the development and implementation of such a robust, holistic workflow, including semi-automatic data reconstruction. Due to its flexibility, our approach is especially well suited for on-the-fly tuning of the experiments to study features of interest progressively at different length scales. To demonstrate the performance of the method, we studied, across multiple length scales, the elemental abundances and morphology of two complex biological systems, Arabidopsis plant seeds and mouse renal papilla samples. The proposed approach opens the way towards routine multimodal 3D characterization of intact samples by providing relevant information from pertinent sample regions in a wide range of scientific fields such as biology, geology, and material sciences.
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13
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Hinrichs C, Nicklisch N, Mardare CC, Orechovski B, Hassel AW, Kleber C, Alt KW. Incremental lines in human acellular tooth cementum - new insights by SEM analysis. Ann Anat 2022; 243:151933. [PMID: 35307556 DOI: 10.1016/j.aanat.2022.151933] [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: 11/01/2021] [Revised: 02/05/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tooth cementum covers the surface of the root dentine and is produced and laid down in thin layers continuously throughout life. Functionally, different types of tooth cementum can be distinguished, which can be roughly divided into acellular (primary cementum) and cellular (secondary cementum) forms. One main type is acellular extrinsic fibre cementum (AEFC), which covers the cervical and middle third of the root. Light microscopic examinations of transverse sections of AEFC show lamellar patterns of alternating light and dark lines called growth or incremental lines. Following mammalian research, a seasonal rhythm of incremental line formation is also assumed in humans. Previous attempts at visualising incremental lines in the AEFC by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were not particularly successful. The aim of the present study was to detect incremental lines in the AEFC and to analyse their underlying structure by SEM. METHODS For this purpose, non-embedded and resin-embedded transverse and longitudinal sections of three single-rooted teeth obtained from different patients were investigated. The thin sections were not pre-treated (e.g. by etching, grinding or coating). RESULTS Lamellar structures, which could be identified as incremental lines, were detectable in both transverse and longitudinal sections, with transverse orientation in the cross-section and longitudinal orientation in the longitudinal section. The lamellar pattern was created by broad fibre-rich layers alternating with narrow fibre-poor layers. The orientation of the collagen fibres changed from layer to layer from transverse to radial direction. The visibility of the layered structure discovered varied significantly. CONCLUSIONS The study demonstrate that it is possible, in principle, to detect incremental lines in AEFC and to identify their basic structure using SEM. Our results suggest that the density and orientation of the fibres play an essential role in the formation of incremental lines. Functional aspects seem to be of particular importance.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nicole Nicklisch
- Danube Private University, Steiner Landstrasse 124, 3500 Krems-Stein, Austria.
| | - Cezarina C Mardare
- Danube Private University, Steiner Landstrasse 124, 3500 Krems-Stein, Austria; Institute of Chemical Technology of Inorganic Materials, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Altenberger Straße 69, 4040 Linz, Austria.
| | - Bernhard Orechovski
- Danube Private University, Steiner Landstrasse 124, 3500 Krems-Stein, Austria.
| | - Achim W Hassel
- Danube Private University, Steiner Landstrasse 124, 3500 Krems-Stein, Austria; Institute of Chemical Technology of Inorganic Materials, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Altenberger Straße 69, 4040 Linz, Austria.
| | - Christoph Kleber
- Danube Private University, Steiner Landstrasse 124, 3500 Krems-Stein, Austria; Institute of Chemical Technology of Inorganic Materials, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Altenberger Straße 69, 4040 Linz, Austria.
| | - Kurt W Alt
- Danube Private University, Steiner Landstrasse 124, 3500 Krems-Stein, Austria; Institute of Prehistory and Archaeological Science, University of Basel, Spalenring 145, 4055 Basel; Switzerland.
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14
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Cerrito P, Nava A, Radovčić D, Borić D, Cerrito L, Basdeo T, Ruggiero G, Frayer DW, Kao AP, Bondioli L, Mancini L, Bromage TG. Dental cementum virtual histology of Neanderthal teeth from Krapina (Croatia, 130-120 kyr): an informed estimate of age, sex and adult stressors. J R Soc Interface 2022; 19:20210820. [PMID: 35193386 PMCID: PMC8864341 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2021.0820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The evolution of modern human reproductive scheduling is an aspect of our life history that remains vastly uncomprehended. The present work aims to address this gap by validating a non-destructive cutting-edge methodology to infer adult life-history events on modern teeth with known life history and then applying it to fossil specimens. We use phase-contrast synchrotron X-ray microtomography to visualize the dental cementum of 21 specimens: nine contemporary humans; 10 Neanderthals from Krapina (Croatia, 130-120 kyr); one Neolithic Homo sapiens from Ajmana (Serbia); and one Mesolithic H. sapiens from Vlasac (Serbia). We were able to correctly detect and time (root mean square error = 2.1 years; R2 = 0.98) all reproductive (menarche, parturition, menopause) and other physiologically impactful events in the modern sample. Nonetheless, we could not distinguish between the causes of the events detected. For the fossil specimens, we estimated age at death and age at occurrence of biologically significant events. Finally, we performed an exploratory analysis regarding possible sexual dimorphism in dental cementum microstructure, which allowed us to correctly infer the sex of the Neolithic specimen, for which the true value was known via DNA analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Cerrito
- Department of Anthropology, New York University, New York, NY, USA
- New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Molecular Pathobiology, New York University College of Dentistry, New York, NY, USA
| | - Alessia Nava
- Skeletal Biology Research Centre, School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK
| | - Davorka Radovčić
- Department of Geology and Paleontology, Croatian Natural History Museum, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Dušan Borić
- Dipartimento di Biologia Ambientale, Sapienza Università di Roma, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Tricia Basdeo
- Department of Anthropology, Adelphi University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Guido Ruggiero
- Ruggiero-Piscopo Dental Practice, Naples, Italy
- Molise Regional Health Authority, Venafro, Italy
| | - David W. Frayer
- Department of Anthropology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
| | - Alexander P. Kao
- Elettra-Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A., 34149 Basovizza, Trieste, Italy
| | - Luca Bondioli
- Department of Cultural Heritage, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Lucia Mancini
- Elettra-Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A., 34149 Basovizza, Trieste, Italy
| | - Timothy G. Bromage
- Department of Anthropology, New York University, New York, NY, USA
- New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Molecular Pathobiology, New York University College of Dentistry, New York, NY, USA
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15
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Newham E, Gill PG, Robson Brown K, Gostling NJ, Corfe IJ, Schneider P. A robust, semi-automated approach for counting cementum increments imaged with synchrotron X-ray computed tomography. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0249743. [PMID: 34735460 PMCID: PMC8568193 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0249743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Cementum, the tissue attaching mammal tooth roots to the periodontal ligament, grows appositionally throughout life, displaying a series of circum-annual incremental features. These have been studied for decades as a direct record of chronological lifespan. The majority of previous studies on cementum have used traditional thin-section histological methods to image and analyse increments. However, several caveats have been raised in terms of studying cementum increments in thin-sections. Firstly, the limited number of thin-sections and the two-dimensional perspective they impart provide an incomplete interpretation of cementum structure, and studies often struggle or fail to overcome complications in increment patterns that complicate or inhibit increment counting. Increments have been repeatedly shown to both split and coalesce, creating accessory increments that can bias increment counts. Secondly, identification and counting of cementum increments using human vision is subjective, and it has led to inaccurate readings in several experiments studying individuals of known age. Here, we have attempted to optimise a recently introduced imaging modality for cementum imaging; X-ray propagation-based phase-contrast imaging (PPCI). X-ray PPCI was performed for a sample of rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta) lower first molars (n = 10) from a laboratory population of known age. PPCI allowed the qualitative identification of primary/annual versus intermittent secondary increments formed by splitting/coalescence. A new method for semi-automatic increment counting was then integrated into a purpose-built software package for studying cementum increments, to count increments in regions with minimal complications. Qualitative comparison with data from conventional cementochronology, based on histological examination of tissue thin-sections, confirmed that X-ray PPCI reliably and non-destructively records cementum increments (given the appropriate preparation of specimens prior to X-ray imaging). Validation of the increment counting algorithm suggests that it is robust and provides accurate estimates of increment counts. In summary, we show that our new increment counting method has the potential to overcome caveats of conventional cementochronology approaches, when used to analyse three-dimensional images provided by X-ray PPCI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elis Newham
- Bioengineering Science Research Group, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
- School of Engineering and Materials Science, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Pamela G. Gill
- School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
- Department of Earth Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom
| | - Kate Robson Brown
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
- Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Neil J. Gostling
- School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Ian J. Corfe
- Developmental Biology Program, Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Geological Survey of Finland, Espoo, Finland
| | - Philipp Schneider
- Bioengineering Science Research Group, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
- High-Performance Vision Systems, Center for Vision, Automation & Control, AIT Austrian Institute of Technology, Vienna, Austria
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16
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Bourgon N, Jaouen K, Bacon AM, Dufour E, McCormack J, Tran NH, Trost M, Fiorillo D, Dunn TE, Zanolli C, Zachwieja A, Duringer P, Ponche JL, Boesch Q, Antoine PO, Westaway KE, Joannes-Boyau R, Suzzoni E, Frangeul S, Crozier F, Aubaile F, Patole-Edoumba E, Luangkhoth T, Souksavatdy V, Boualaphane S, Sayavonkhamdy T, Sichanthongtip P, Sihanam D, Demeter F, Shackelford LL, Hublin JJ, Tütken T. Trophic ecology of a Late Pleistocene early modern human from tropical Southeast Asia inferred from zinc isotopes. J Hum Evol 2021; 161:103075. [PMID: 34655947 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2021.103075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Revised: 08/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Tam Pà Ling, a cave site in northeastern Laos, has yielded the earliest skeletal evidence of Homo sapiens in mainland Southeast Asia. The reliance of Pleistocene humans in rainforest settings on plant or animal resources is still largely unstudied, mainly due to poor collagen preservation in fossils from tropical environments precluding stable nitrogen isotope analysis, the classical trophic level proxy. However, isotopic ratios of zinc (Zn) in bioapatite constitute a promising proxy to infer trophic and dietary information from fossil vertebrates, even under adverse tropical taphonomic conditions. Here, we analyzed the zinc isotope composition (66Zn/64Zn expressed as δ66Zn value) in the enamel of two teeth of the Late Pleistocene (63-46 ka) H. sapiens individual (TPL1) from Tam Pà Ling, as well as 76 mammal teeth from the same site and the nearby Nam Lot cave. The human individual exhibits relatively low enamel δ66Zn values (+0.24‰) consistent with an omnivorous diet, suggesting a dietary reliance on both plant and animal matter. These findings offer direct evidence of the broad utilization of resources from tropical rainforests by one of the earliest known anatomically modern humans in Southeast Asia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Bourgon
- Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; Applied and Analytical Palaeontology, Institute of Geosciences, Johannes Gutenberg University, 55099 Mainz, Germany; Archéozoologie, Archéobotanique: Sociétés, Pratiques, Environnements (AASPE), UMR 7209, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, 75005 Paris, France.
| | - Klervia Jaouen
- Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; Géosciences Environnement Toulouse, Observatoire Midi Pyrénées, 31400 Toulouse, France
| | - Anne-Marie Bacon
- UMR 8045 BABEL, CNRS, Université de Paris, Faculté de Chirurgie Dentaire, 92120 Montrouge, France
| | - Elise Dufour
- Archéozoologie, Archéobotanique: Sociétés, Pratiques, Environnements (AASPE), UMR 7209, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Jeremy McCormack
- Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - N-Han Tran
- Department of Human Behavior, Ecology and Culture, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Manuel Trost
- Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Denis Fiorillo
- Archéozoologie, Archéobotanique: Sociétés, Pratiques, Environnements (AASPE), UMR 7209, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Tyler E Dunn
- Department of Medical Education, School of Medicine, Creighton University, Omaha, NE 68178, USA
| | - Clément Zanolli
- Université de Bordeaux, CNRS, MCC, PACEA, UMR 5199, 33615 Pessac, France
| | - Alexandra Zachwieja
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Medical School, University of Minnesota, Duluth, MN 55812-3031, USA
| | - Philippe Duringer
- Ecole et Observatoire des Sciences de la Terre (EOST), Institut de Physique du Globe de Strasbourg (IPGS), UMR 7516 CNRS, Université de Strasbourg, 67084 Strasbourg, France
| | - Jean-Luc Ponche
- Image Ville et Environnement, UMR 7362, Institut de Géographie, 67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Quentin Boesch
- Ecole et Observatoire des Sciences de la Terre (EOST), Institut de Physique du Globe de Strasbourg (IPGS), UMR 7516 CNRS, Université de Strasbourg, 67084 Strasbourg, France
| | - Pierre-Olivier Antoine
- Institut des Sciences de l'Évolution de Montpellier, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, Institut de Recherche et de Développement (IRD), Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes (EPHE), 34090 Montpellier, France
| | - Kira E Westaway
- Traps-MQ Luminescence Dating Facility, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Macquarie University, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Renaud Joannes-Boyau
- Geoarchaeology and Archaeometry Research Group (GARG), Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW 2480, Australia; Centre for Anthropological Research, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, Gauteng Province, South Africa
| | - Eric Suzzoni
- Spitteurs Pan, Technical Cave Supervision and Exploration, 26420 La Chapelle en Vercors, France
| | - Sébastien Frangeul
- Spitteurs Pan, Technical Cave Supervision and Exploration, 26420 La Chapelle en Vercors, France
| | | | - Françoise Aubaile
- Laboratoire d'Eco-Anthropologie UMR 7206, CNRS, MNHN, Université de Paris, 75016 Paris, France
| | | | - Thonglith Luangkhoth
- Department of Heritage, Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism, Vientiane, Lao Democratic People's Republic
| | - Viengkeo Souksavatdy
- Department of Heritage, Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism, Vientiane, Lao Democratic People's Republic
| | - Souliphane Boualaphane
- Department of Heritage, Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism, Vientiane, Lao Democratic People's Republic
| | - Thongsa Sayavonkhamdy
- Department of Heritage, Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism, Vientiane, Lao Democratic People's Republic
| | - Phonephanh Sichanthongtip
- Department of Heritage, Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism, Vientiane, Lao Democratic People's Republic
| | - Daovee Sihanam
- Department of Heritage, Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism, Vientiane, Lao Democratic People's Republic
| | - Fabrice Demeter
- Laboratoire d'Eco-Anthropologie UMR 7206, CNRS, MNHN, Université de Paris, 75016 Paris, France; Lundbeck Foundation, GeoGenetics Centre, Globe Institute, University of Copenhagen, 1350 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Laura L Shackelford
- Department of Anthropology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Jean-Jacques Hublin
- Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; Paléoanthropologie, Collège de France, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Thomas Tütken
- Applied and Analytical Palaeontology, Institute of Geosciences, Johannes Gutenberg University, 55099 Mainz, Germany
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17
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Cerrito P, Cerrito L, Hu B, Bailey SE, Kalisher R, Bromage TG. Weaning, parturitions and illnesses are recorded in rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta) dental cementum microstructure. Am J Primatol 2021; 83:e23235. [PMID: 33522634 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23235] [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: 10/26/2020] [Revised: 12/22/2020] [Accepted: 01/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Many open questions in evolutionary studies relate to species' physiological adaptations, including the evolution of their life history and reproductive strategies. There are few empirical methods capable of detecting and timing physiologically impactful events such as weaning, parturition and illnesses from hard tissue remains of either extant or extinct species. Cementum is an incremental tissue with post eruption annual periodicity, which covers the tooth root and functions as a recording structure of an animal's physiology. Here we test the hypothesis that it is possible to detect and time physiologically impactful events through the analysis of dental cementum microstructure. Our sample comprises 41 permanent and deciduous teeth from male and female rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) with known medical, lifestyle and life history information. We develop a semi-automated method of cementum histological analysis for the purpose of event detection and timing, aimed at significantly reducing the amount of intra- and interobserver errors typically associated with histological analyses. The results of our work show that we were able to detect known events including weaning, parturition, illness and physical trauma with high accuracy (false negative rate = 3.2%; n = 1), and to time them within an average absolute difference of 0.43 years (R2 = .98; p < .05). Nonetheless, we could not distinguish between the several types of stressful events underlying the changes in cementum microstructure. While this study is the first to identify a variety of life history events in macaque dental cementum, laying foundations for future work in conservation and evolutionary studies of both primates and toothed mammals at large, there are some limitations. Other types of analyses (possibly chemical ones) are necessary to tease apart the causes of the stressors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Cerrito
- Department of Anthropology, New York University, New York, New York, USA.,New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, New York, New York, USA.,Department of Molecular Pathobiology, New York University College of Dentistry, New York, New York, USA
| | | | - Bin Hu
- Department of Molecular Pathobiology, New York University College of Dentistry, New York, New York, USA
| | - Shara E Bailey
- Department of Anthropology, New York University, New York, New York, USA.,New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, New York, New York, USA
| | - Rachel Kalisher
- Joukowsky Institute for Archaeology and the Ancient World, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Timothy G Bromage
- Department of Molecular Pathobiology, New York University College of Dentistry, New York, New York, USA
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18
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Simpson R, Cooper DML, Swanston T, Coulthard I, Varney TL. Historical overview and new directions in bioarchaeological trace element analysis: a review. ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND ANTHROPOLOGICAL SCIENCES 2021; 13:24. [PMID: 33520004 PMCID: PMC7810633 DOI: 10.1007/s12520-020-01262-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Given their strong affinity for the skeleton, trace elements are often stored in bones and teeth long term. Diet, geography, health, disease, social status, activity, and occupation are some factors which may cause differential exposure to, and uptake of, trace elements, theoretically introducing variability in their concentrations and/or ratios in the skeleton. Trace element analysis of bioarchaeological remains has the potential, therefore, to provide rich insights into past human lifeways. This review provides a historical overview of bioarchaeological trace element analysis and comments on the current state of the discipline by highlighting approaches with growing momentum. Popularity for the discipline surged following preliminary studies in the 1960s to 1970s that demonstrated the utility of strontium (Sr) as a dietary indicator. During the 1980s, Sr/Ca ratio and multi-element studies were commonplace in bioarchaeology, linking trace elements with dietary phenomena. Interest in using trace elements for bioarchaeological inferences waned following a period of critiques in the late 1980s to 1990s that argued the discipline failed to account for diagenesis, simplified complex element uptake and regulation processes, and used several unsuitable elements for palaeodietary reconstruction (e.g. those under homeostatic regulation, those without a strong affinity for the skeleton). In the twenty-first century, trace element analyses have been primarily restricted to Sr and lead (Pb) isotope analysis and the study of toxic trace elements, though small pockets of bioarchaeology have continued to analyse multiple elements. Techniques such as micro-sampling, element mapping, and non-traditional stable isotope analysis have provided novel insights which hold the promise of helping to overcome limitations faced by the discipline. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12520-020-01262-4.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Simpson
- Department of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK Canada
- Present Address: Department of Anthropology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB Canada
| | - David M. L. Cooper
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK Canada
| | - Treena Swanston
- Department of Anthropology, Economics and Political Science, MacEwan University, Edmonton, AB Canada
- Department of Biological Sciences, MacEwan University, Edmonton, AB Canada
| | | | - Tamara L. Varney
- Department of Anthropology, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, ON Canada
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19
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Newham E, Corfe IJ, Brown KR, Gostling NJ, Gill PG, Schneider P. Synchrotron radiation-based X-ray tomography reveals life history in primate cementum incrementation. J R Soc Interface 2020; 17:20200538. [PMID: 33234064 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2020.0538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Cementum is a mineralized dental tissue common to mammals that grows throughout life, following a seasonally appositional rhythm. Each year, one thick translucent increment and one thin opaque increment is deposited, offering a near-complete record of an animal's life history. Male and female mammals exhibit significant differences in oral health, due to the contrasting effects of female versus male sex hormones. Oestrogen and progesterone have a range of negative effects on oral health that extends to the periodontium and cementum growth interface. Here, we use synchrotron radiation-based X-ray tomography to image the cementum of a sample of rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta) teeth from individuals of known life history. We found that increased breeding history in females corresponds with increased increment tortuosity and less organized cementum structure, when compared to male and juvenile cementum. We quantified structural differences by measuring the greyscale 'texture' of cementum and comparing results using principal components analysis. Adult females and males occupy discrete regions of texture space with no overlap. Females with known pregnancy records also have significantly different cementum when compared with non-breeding and juvenile females. We conclude that several aspects of cementum structure and texture may reflect differences in sexual life history in primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elis Newham
- Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.,Bioengineering Science Research Group, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Ian J Corfe
- Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.,Geological Survey of Finland, Espoo, Finland
| | - Kate Robson Brown
- Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.,Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Neil J Gostling
- Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Pamela G Gill
- School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.,Earth Science Department, The Natural History Museum, London, UK
| | - Philipp Schneider
- Bioengineering Science Research Group, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
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20
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Dean C, Zanolli C, Le Cabec A, Tawane M, Garrevoet J, Mazurier A, Macchiarelli R. Growth and development of the third permanent molar in Paranthropus robustus from Swartkrans, South Africa. Sci Rep 2020; 10:19053. [PMID: 33149180 PMCID: PMC7642444 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-76032-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2020] [Accepted: 10/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Third permanent molars (M3s) are the last tooth to form but have not been used to estimate age at dental maturation in early fossil hominins because direct histological evidence for the timing of their growth has been lacking. We investigated an isolated maxillary M3 (SK 835) from the 1.5 to 1.8-million-year-old (Mya) site of Swartkrans, South Africa, attributed to Paranthropus robustus. Tissue proportions of this specimen were assessed using 3D X-ray micro-tomography. Thin ground sections were used to image daily growth increments in enamel and dentine. Transmitted light microscopy and synchrotron X-ray fluorescence imaging revealed fluctuations in Ca concentration that coincide with daily growth increments. We used regional daily secretion rates and Sr marker-lines to reconstruct tooth growth along the enamel/dentine and then cementum/dentine boundaries. Cumulative growth curves for increasing enamel thickness and tooth height and age-of-attainment estimates for fractional stages of tooth formation differed from those in modern humans. These now provide additional means for assessing late maturation in early hominins. M3 formation took ≥ 7 years in SK 835 and completion of the roots would have occurred between 11 and 14 years of age. Estimated age at dental maturation in this fossil hominin compares well with what is known for living great apes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Dean
- Department of Earth Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, UK. .,Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London, UK.
| | - Clément Zanolli
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, MCC, PACEA, UMR 5199, 33600 Pessac, France.,Department of Maxillofacial and Oral Surgery, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Ga-Rankuwa, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Adeline Le Cabec
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, MCC, PACEA, UMR 5199, 33600 Pessac, France.,Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Mirriam Tawane
- Ditsong National Museum of Natural History, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Jan Garrevoet
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Arnaud Mazurier
- IC2MP, UMR 7285 CNRS, Université de Poitiers, Poitiers, France
| | - Roberto Macchiarelli
- UMR 7194 CNRS, Muséum National D'Histoire Naturelle, Musée de L'Homme, Paris, France.,Unité de Formation Géosciences, Université de Poitiers, Poitiers, France
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21
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Dean MC, Le Cabec A, Van Malderen SJ, Garrevoet J. Synchrotron X-ray fluorescence imaging of strontium incorporated into the enamel and dentine of wild-shot orangutan canine teeth. Arch Oral Biol 2020; 119:104879. [DOI: 10.1016/j.archoralbio.2020.104879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2020] [Revised: 07/10/2020] [Accepted: 08/10/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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22
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Cerrito P, Bailey SE, Hu B, Bromage TG. Parturitions, menopause and other physiological stressors are recorded in dental cementum microstructure. Sci Rep 2020; 10:5381. [PMID: 32214148 PMCID: PMC7096390 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-62177-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2019] [Accepted: 03/05/2020] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The life history pattern of recent humans is uniquely derived in many of its aspects including an extended post-reproductive lifespan combined with short interbirth intervals. A number of theories have been proposed to explain the evolution of this unusual pattern. However most have been difficult to test due to the fragmentary nature of the hominin fossil record and the lack of methods capable of inferring such later life history events. In search of a method we tested the hypothesis that the physiologically impactful events of parturition and menopause are recorded in dental cementum microstructure. We performed histomorphological analyses of 47 teeth from 15 individuals with known life history events and were able to detect reproductive events and menopause in all females. Furthermore, we found that other stressful events such as systemic illnesses and incarceration are also detectable. Finally, through the development of a novel analytical method we were able to time all such events with high accuracy (R-squared = 0.92).
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Cerrito
- Department of Anthropology, New York University, New York, USA. .,New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, New York, USA. .,Department of Molecular Pathobiology, New York University College of Dentistry, New York, USA.
| | - Shara E Bailey
- Department of Anthropology, New York University, New York, USA.,New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, New York, USA
| | - Bin Hu
- Department of Molecular Pathobiology, New York University College of Dentistry, New York, USA
| | - Timothy G Bromage
- Department of Molecular Pathobiology, New York University College of Dentistry, New York, USA.,Department of Biomaterials, New York University College of Dentistry, New York, USA
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23
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Zinc isotopes in Late Pleistocene fossil teeth from a Southeast Asian cave setting preserve paleodietary information. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:4675-4681. [PMID: 32071235 PMCID: PMC7060694 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1911744117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Dietary habits, especially meat consumption, represent a key aspect in the behavior and evolution of fossil hominin species. Here, we explore zinc (Zn) isotope ratios in tooth enamel of fossil mammals. We show discrimination between different trophic levels and demonstrate that Zn isotopes could prove useful in paleodietary studies of fossil hominin, or other mammalian species, to assess their consumption of animal versus plant resources. We also demonstrate the high preservation potential of pristine diet-related Zn isotope ratios, even under tropical conditions with poor collagen preservation, such as the studied depositional context in Southeast Asia. However, assessing the preservation of original δ66Zn values is required for each fossil site as diagenesis may vary across and even within taphonomic settings. Stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios of collagen from bone and dentin have frequently been used for dietary reconstruction, but this method is limited by protein preservation. Isotopes of the trace element zinc (Zn) in bioapatite constitute a promising proxy to infer dietary information from extant and extinct vertebrates. The 66Zn/64Zn ratio (expressed as δ66Zn value) shows an enrichment of the heavy isotope in mammals along each trophic step. However, preservation of diet-related δ66Zn values in fossil teeth has not been assessed yet. Here, we analyzed enamel of fossil teeth from the Late Pleistocene (38.4–13.5 ka) mammalian assemblage of the Tam Hay Marklot (THM) cave in northeastern Laos, to reconstruct the food web and assess the preservation of original δ66Zn values. Distinct enamel δ66Zn values of the fossil taxa (δ66Zncarnivore < δ66Znomnivore < δ66Znherbivore) according to their expected feeding habits were observed, with a trophic carnivore-herbivore spacing of +0.60‰ and omnivores having intermediate values. Zn and trace element concentration profiles similar to those of modern teeth also indicate minimal impact of diagenesis on the enamel. While further work is needed to explore preservation for settings with different taphonomic conditions, the diet-related δ66Zn values in fossil enamel from THM cave suggest an excellent long-term preservation potential, even under tropical conditions that are well known to be adverse for collagen preservation. Zinc isotopes could thus provide a new tool to assess the diet of fossil hominins and associated fauna, as well as trophic relationships in past food webs.
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24
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Mani-Caplazi G, Hotz G, Wittwer-Backofen U, Vach W. Measuring incremental line width and appearance in the tooth cementum of recent and archaeological human teeth to identify irregularities: First insights using a standardized protocol. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PALEOPATHOLOGY 2019; 27:24-37. [PMID: 31550620 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpp.2019.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2018] [Revised: 07/14/2019] [Accepted: 07/14/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Irregular incremental lines (ILs) in the tooth cementum were previously associated with pregnancy and certain diseases. This study aims to identify irregular ILs and assess their patterns and reproducibility. MATERIALS 24 recent and 32 archaeological teeth from the nineteenth century with known birth history. METHODS Histological sections of tooth roots were microscopically assessed. The width and appearance of 16,605 ILs were measured according to a standardized protocol. RESULTS Irregular appearing ILs were present in earlier deposited ILs, which correspond to younger years in life. Irregular appearances decreased as the IL number increased, whereas irregular width was spread evenly across all ILs. Within-section reproducibility was relatively high for irregular appearance (intra class correlation close to 0.70 in recent and archaeological teeth) and irregular width (intra class correlation: recent: 0.49; archaeological: 0.58), whereas the across-section reproducibility was moderate. CONCLUSIONS Irregular width and appearance in ILs were identified successfully with within-section reproducibility. The moderate reproducibility across sections needs to be addressed in further studies by more systematic sampling of sections. SIGNIFICANCE The proposed protocol identifies irregularities in a reproducible manner and may suggest that irregular ILs could be used in paleopathology to identify pregnancies and diseases. LIMITATIONS The correlation between the identified irregular ILs and known pregnancies has not been assessed as part of this study. SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH The identified irregular ILs need to be validated by correlating them with known life history data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela Mani-Caplazi
- Integrative Prehistory and Archaeological Science, University of Basel, Switzerland.
| | - Gerhard Hotz
- Integrative Prehistory and Archaeological Science, University of Basel, Switzerland; Natural History Museum of Basel, Anthropological Collection, Switzerland
| | | | - Werner Vach
- Integrative Prehistory and Archaeological Science, University of Basel, Switzerland; Department of Orthopaedics and Trauma Surgery, University Hospital Basel, Switzerland
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25
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Dean MC, Spiers KM, Garrevoet J, Le Cabec A. Synchrotron X-ray fluorescence mapping of Ca, Sr and Zn at the neonatal line in human deciduous teeth reflects changing perinatal physiology. Arch Oral Biol 2019; 104:90-102. [PMID: 31176148 DOI: 10.1016/j.archoralbio.2019.05.024] [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: 03/27/2019] [Revised: 05/06/2019] [Accepted: 05/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Our first objective was to review the evidence describing the appearance and microstructure of the neonatal line in human deciduous teeth and to link this with known changes in neonatal physiology occurring at and around birth. A second objective was to explore ways to improve identification of the neonatal line by mapping the pre- and postnatal distribution of Ca, Sr and Zn in deciduous cuspal enamel and superimposing these maps onto transmitted light micrographs that included a clear true section of the neonatal line. MATERIALS AND METHODS We used synchrotron X-ray fluorescence to map elemental distributions in pre- and postnatal enamel and dentine. Two deciduous canines and 5 deciduous molars were scanned with an X-ray beam monochromatised to 17.0 keV at either 10.0, 2.5 or 1.0 μm resolution and 10 ms integration time. RESULTS Calcium maps distinguished enamel and dentine but did not clearly demarcate tissues formed pre- or postnatally. Strontium maps reflected presumed pre- and postnatal maternal serum levels and what are likely to be diet-dependent regions of Sr enrichment or depletion. Prenatal Zn maps, particularly for dentine, mirror elevated levels in the fetus and in colostrum during the first few days of life. CONCLUSIONS The neonatal line, enamel dentine junction and surface enamel were all Zn-rich. Within the neonatal line Zn may be associated with increased crystallinity but also with caries resistance, both of which have been reported previously. Elemental mapping may improve the identification of ambiguous NNLs and so be useful in forensic and archaeological studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Christopher Dean
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK; Department of Earth Sciences, Centre for Human Evolution Research, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK.
| | - Kathryn M Spiers
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Jan Garrevoet
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Adeline Le Cabec
- Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany
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26
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Le Cabec A, Tang NK, Ruano Rubio V, Hillson S. Nondestructive adult age at death estimation: Visualizing cementum annulations in a known age historical human assemblage using synchrotron X-ray microtomography. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2018; 168:25-44. [DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.23702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2018] [Revised: 08/03/2018] [Accepted: 08/04/2018] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Adeline Le Cabec
- Department of Human Evolution; Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology; Leipzig Germany
- ID19 Beamline; Structure of Materials Group, European Synchrotron Radiation Facility; Grenoble France
| | | | | | - Simon Hillson
- Institute of Archaeology; University College London; London United Kingdom
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27
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Ryan CG, Kirkham R, de Jonge MD, Siddons DP, van der Ent A, Pagés A, Boesenberg U, Kuczewski AJ, Dunn P, Jensen M, Liu W, Harris H, Moorhead GF, Paterson DJ, Howard DL, Afshar N, Garrevoet J, Spiers K, Falkenberg G, Woll AR, De Geronimo G, Carini GA, James SA, Jones MWM, Fisher LA, Pearce M. The Maia Detector and Event Mode. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018. [DOI: 10.1080/08940886.2018.1528430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - M. D. de Jonge
- Australian Synchrotron, ANSTO, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - D. P. Siddons
- Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York, USA
| | - A. van der Ent
- Sustainable Minerals Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - A. Pagés
- CSIRO, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - U. Boesenberg
- European X-ray Free-Electron Laser Facility, Schenefeld, Germany
| | | | - P. Dunn
- CSIRO, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | | | - W. Liu
- CSIRO, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - H. Harris
- Department of Chemisty, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
| | | | - D. J. Paterson
- Australian Synchrotron, ANSTO, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - D. L. Howard
- Australian Synchrotron, ANSTO, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - N. Afshar
- Australian Synchrotron, ANSTO, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - J. Garrevoet
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Hamburg, Germany
| | - K. Spiers
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Hamburg, Germany
| | - G. Falkenberg
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Hamburg, Germany
| | - A. R. Woll
- Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | | | - G. A. Carini
- Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York, USA
| | - S. A. James
- The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - M. W. M. Jones
- Institute for Future Environments, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
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