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Pezo-Lanfranco L, Mut P, Chávez J, Fossile T, Colonese AC, Fernandes R. South American Archaeological Isotopic Database, a regional-scale multi-isotope data compendium for research. Sci Data 2024; 11:336. [PMID: 38575659 PMCID: PMC10995213 DOI: 10.1038/s41597-024-03148-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024] Open
Abstract
The South American Archaeological Isotopic Database (SAAID) is a comprehensive open-access resource that aggregates all available bioarchaeological stable and radiogenic isotope measurements, encompassing data from human individuals, animals, and plants across South America. Resulting from a collaborative effort of scholars who work with stable isotopes in this region, SAAID contains 53,781 isotopic measurements across 24,507 entries from individuals/specimens spanning over 12,000 years. SAAID includes valuable contextual information on archaeological samples and respective sites, such as chronology, geographical region, biome, and spatial coordinates, biological details like estimated sex and age for human individuals, and taxonomic description for fauna and flora. SAAID is hosted at the PACHAMAMA community within the Pandora data platform and the CORA repository to facilitate easy access. Because of its rich data structure, SAAID is particularly well-suited for conducting spatiotemporal meta-analyses. It serves as a valuable tool for addressing a variety of research topics, including the spread, adoption, and consumption intensification of food items, paleo-environmental reconstruction, as well as the exploration of mobility patterns across extensive geographic regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis Pezo-Lanfranco
- Institute of Environmental Science and Technology (ICTA), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain.
- Department of Prehistory, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain.
| | - Patricia Mut
- Departamento de Antropología Biológica, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Juan Chávez
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, Riverside, USA
- Observatorio de Patrimonio Cultural y Arqueológico - Instituto de Investigaciones Antropológicas y Arqueológicas, Universidad Mayor de San Andrés, La Paz, Bolivia
| | - Thiago Fossile
- Institute of Environmental Science and Technology (ICTA), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
- Department of Prehistory, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - André Carlo Colonese
- Institute of Environmental Science and Technology (ICTA), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
- Department of Prehistory, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Ricardo Fernandes
- Department of Archaeology, Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology, Jena, Germany.
- Faculty of Archaeology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
- Arne Faculty of Arts, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic.
- Climate Change and History Research Initiative, Princeton University, Princeton, USA.
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Chen JC, Aldenderfer MS, Eerkens JW, Langlie BS, Viviano Llave C, Watson JT, Haas R. Stable isotope chemistry reveals plant-dominant diet among early foragers on the Andean Altiplano, 9.0-6.5 cal. ka. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0296420. [PMID: 38265974 PMCID: PMC10807835 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0296420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Current models of early human subsistence economies suggest a focus on large mammal hunting. To evaluate this hypothesis, we examine human bone stable isotope chemistry of 24 individuals from the early Holocene sites of Wilamaya Patjxa (9.0-8.7 cal. ka) and Soro Mik'aya Patjxa (8.0-6.5 cal. ka) located at 3800 meters above sea level on the Andean Altiplano, Peru. Contrary to expectation, Bayesian mixing models based on the isotope chemistry reveal that plants dominated the diet, comprising 70-95% of the average diet. Paleoethnobotanical data further show that tubers may have been the most prominent subsistence resource. These findings update our understanding of earliest forager economies and the pathway to agricultural economies in the Andean highlands. The findings furthermore suggest that the initial subsistence economies of early human populations adapting to new landscapes may have been more plant oriented than current models suggest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer C. Chen
- Department of Anthropology, The Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA, United States of America
| | - Mark S. Aldenderfer
- Department of Anthropology and Heritage Studies, University of California, Merced, CA, United States of America
| | - Jelmer W. Eerkens
- Department of Anthropology, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, United States of America
| | - BrieAnna S. Langlie
- Department of Anthropology, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY, United States of America
| | | | - James T. Watson
- Arizona State Museum and School of Anthropology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States of America
| | - Randall Haas
- Department of Anthropology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, United States of America
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3
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Stacey BS, Hoiland RL, Caldwell HG, Howe CA, Vermeulen T, Tymko MM, Vizcardo‐Galindo GA, Bermudez D, Figueroa‐Mujíica RJ, Gasho C, Tuaillon E, Hirtz C, Lehmann S, Marchi N, Tsukamoto H, Villafuerte FC, Ainslie PN, Bailey DM. Lifelong exposure to high-altitude hypoxia in humans is associated with improved redox homeostasis and structural-functional adaptations of the neurovascular unit. J Physiol 2023; 601:1095-1120. [PMID: 36633375 PMCID: PMC10952731 DOI: 10.1113/jp283362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
High-altitude (HA) hypoxia may alter the structural-functional integrity of the neurovascular unit (NVU). Herein, we compared male lowlanders (n = 9) at sea level (SL) and after 14 days acclimatization to 4300 m (chronic HA) in Cerro de Pasco (CdP), Péru (HA), against sex-, age- and body mass index-matched healthy highlanders (n = 9) native to CdP (lifelong HA). Venous blood was assayed for serum proteins reflecting NVU integrity, in addition to free radicals and nitric oxide (NO). Regional cerebral blood flow (CBF) was examined in conjunction with cerebral substrate delivery, dynamic cerebral autoregulation (dCA), cerebrovascular reactivity to carbon dioxide (CVRCO2 ) and neurovascular coupling (NVC). Psychomotor tests were employed to examine cognitive function. Compared to lowlanders at SL, highlanders exhibited elevated basal plasma and red blood cell NO bioavailability, improved anterior and posterior dCA, elevated anterior CVRCO2 and preserved cerebral substrate delivery, NVC and cognition. In highlanders, S100B, neurofilament light-chain (NF-L) and T-tau were consistently lower and cognition comparable to lowlanders following chronic-HA. These findings highlight novel integrated adaptations towards regulation of the NVU in highlanders that may represent a neuroprotective phenotype underpinning successful adaptation to the lifelong stress of HA hypoxia. KEY POINTS: High-altitude (HA) hypoxia has the potential to alter the structural-functional integrity of the neurovascular unit (NVU) in humans. For the first time, we examined to what extent chronic and lifelong hypoxia impacts multimodal biomarkers reflecting NVU structure and function in lowlanders and native Andean highlanders. Despite lowlanders presenting with a reduction in systemic oxidative-nitrosative stress and maintained cerebral bioenergetics and cerebrovascular function during chronic hypoxia, there was evidence for increased axonal injury and cognitive impairment. Compared to lowlanders at sea level, highlanders exhibited elevated vascular NO bioavailability, improved dynamic regulatory capacity and cerebrovascular reactivity, comparable cerebral substrate delivery and neurovascular coupling, and maintained cognition. Unlike lowlanders following chronic HA, highlanders presented with lower concentrations of S100B, neurofilament light chain and total tau. These findings highlight novel integrated adaptations towards the regulation of the NVU in highlanders that may represent a neuroprotective phenotype underpinning successful adaptation to the lifelong stress of HA hypoxia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin S. Stacey
- Neurovascular Research Laboratory, Faculty of Life Sciences and EducationUniversity of South WalesPontypriddUK
| | - Ryan L. Hoiland
- Department of Anaesthesiology, Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Vancouver General HospitalUniversity of British ColumbiaVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, Faculty of MedicineUniversity of British ColumbiaVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
| | - Hannah G. Caldwell
- Centre for Heart, Lung and Vascular HealthUniversity of British Columbia‐Okanagan CampusKelownaBritish ColumbiaCanada
| | - Connor A. Howe
- Centre for Heart, Lung and Vascular HealthUniversity of British Columbia‐Okanagan CampusKelownaBritish ColumbiaCanada
| | - Tyler Vermeulen
- Centre for Heart, Lung and Vascular HealthUniversity of British Columbia‐Okanagan CampusKelownaBritish ColumbiaCanada
| | - Michael M. Tymko
- Centre for Heart, Lung and Vascular HealthUniversity of British Columbia‐Okanagan CampusKelownaBritish ColumbiaCanada
- Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and RecreationUniversity of AlbertaEdmontonAlbertaCanada
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of MedicineUniversity of British ColumbiaVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
| | - Gustavo A. Vizcardo‐Galindo
- Laboratorio de Fisiología Comparada, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas y Fisiológicas, Facultad de Ciencias y FilosofíaUniversidad Peruana Cayetano HerediaLima 31Peru
| | - Daniella Bermudez
- Laboratorio de Fisiología Comparada, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas y Fisiológicas, Facultad de Ciencias y FilosofíaUniversidad Peruana Cayetano HerediaLima 31Peru
| | - Rómulo J. Figueroa‐Mujíica
- Laboratorio de Fisiología Comparada, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas y Fisiológicas, Facultad de Ciencias y FilosofíaUniversidad Peruana Cayetano HerediaLima 31Peru
| | - Christopher Gasho
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical CareLoma Linda University School of MedicineLoma LindaCAUSA
| | - Edouard Tuaillon
- Department of Infectious DiseasesUniversity of MontpellierMontpellierFrance
| | - Christophe Hirtz
- LBPC‐PPCUniversité de Montpellier, IRMB CHU de Montpellier, INM INSERMMontpellierFrance
| | - Sylvain Lehmann
- LBPC‐PPCUniversité de Montpellier, IRMB CHU de Montpellier, INM INSERMMontpellierFrance
| | - Nicola Marchi
- Laboratory of Cerebrovascular and Glia Research, Department of Neuroscience, Institute of Functional GenomicsUniversity of MontpellierMontpellierFrance
| | - Hayato Tsukamoto
- Faculty of Sport and Health ScienceRitsumeikan UniversityKusatsuShigaJapan
| | - Francisco C. Villafuerte
- Laboratorio de Fisiología Comparada, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas y Fisiológicas, Facultad de Ciencias y FilosofíaUniversidad Peruana Cayetano HerediaLima 31Peru
| | - Philip N. Ainslie
- Neurovascular Research Laboratory, Faculty of Life Sciences and EducationUniversity of South WalesPontypriddUK
- Centre for Heart, Lung and Vascular HealthUniversity of British Columbia‐Okanagan CampusKelownaBritish ColumbiaCanada
| | - Damian M. Bailey
- Neurovascular Research Laboratory, Faculty of Life Sciences and EducationUniversity of South WalesPontypriddUK
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Climate and demography drive 7000 years of dietary change in the Central Andes. Sci Rep 2022; 12:2026. [PMID: 35132100 PMCID: PMC8821598 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-05774-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2021] [Accepted: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Explaining the factors that influence past dietary variation is critically important for understanding changes in subsistence, health, and status in past societies; yet systematic studies comparing possible driving factors remain scarce. Here we compile the largest dataset of past diet derived from stable isotope δ13C‰ and δ15N‰ values in the Americas to quantitatively evaluate the impact of 7000 years of climatic and demographic change on dietary variation in the Central Andes. Specifically, we couple paleoclimatic data from a general circulation model with estimates of relative past population inferred from archaeologically derived radiocarbon dates to assess the influence of climate and population on spatiotemporal dietary variation using an ensemble machine learning model capable of accounting for interactions among predictors. Results reveal that climate and population strongly predict diet (80% of δ15N‰ and 66% of δ13C‰) and that Central Andean diets correlate much more strongly with local climatic conditions than regional population size, indicating that the past 7000 years of dietary change was influenced more by climatic than socio-demographic processes. Visually, the temporal pattern suggests decreasing dietary variation across elevation zones during the Late Horizon, raising the possibility that sociopolitical factors overrode the influence of local climatic conditions on diet during that time. The overall findings and approach establish a general framework for understanding the influence of local climate and demography on dietary change across human history.
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André M, Brucato N, Plutniak S, Kariwiga J, Muke J, Morez A, Leavesley M, Mondal M, Ricaut FX. Phenotypic differences between highlanders and lowlanders in Papua New Guinea. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0253921. [PMID: 34288918 PMCID: PMC8294550 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0253921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Altitude is one of the most demanding environmental pressures for human populations. Highlanders from Asia, America and Africa have been shown to exhibit different biological adaptations, but Oceanian populations remain understudied [Woolcock et al., 1972; Cotes et al., 1974; Senn et al., 2010]. We tested the hypothesis that highlanders phenotypically differ from lowlanders in Papua New Guinea, as a result of inhabiting the highest mountains in Oceania for at least 20,000 years. MATERIALS AND METHODS We collected data for 13 different phenotypes related to altitude for 162 Papua New Guineans living at high altitude (Mont Wilhelm, 2,300-2,700 m above sea level (a.s.l.) and low altitude (Daru, <100m a.s.l.). Multilinear regressions were performed to detect differences between highlanders and lowlanders for phenotypic measurements related to body proportions, pulmonary function, and the circulatory system. RESULTS Six phenotypes were significantly different between Papua New Guinean highlanders and lowlanders. Highlanders show shorter height (p-value = 0.001), smaller waist circumference (p-value = 0.002), larger Forced Vital Capacity (FVC) (p-value = 0.008), larger maximal (p-value = 3.20e -4) and minimal chest depth (p-value = 2.37e -5) and higher haemoglobin concentration (p-value = 3.36e -4). DISCUSSION Our study reports specific phenotypes in Papua New Guinean highlanders potentially related to altitude adaptation. Similar to other human groups adapted to high altitude, the evolutionary history of Papua New Guineans appears to have also followed an adaptive biological strategy for altitude.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathilde André
- Estonian Biocentre, Institute of Genomics, University of Tartu, Tartu, Tartumaa, Estonia
| | - Nicolas Brucato
- Laboratoire Évolution and Diversité Biologique (EDB UMR5174), Université de Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées, CNRS, IRD, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - Sébastien Plutniak
- Laboratoire Travaux et Recherches Archéologiques sur les Cultures, les Espaces et les Sociétés (TRACES, UMR 5608), Université Toulouse Jean Jaurès, Maison de la Recherche, Toulouse, France
| | - Jason Kariwiga
- Strand of Anthropology, Sociology and Archaeology, School of Humanities & Social Sciences, University of Papua New Guinea, National Capital District, Papua New Guinea
- School of Social Science, University of Queensland, Australia, St Lucia, Australia
| | - John Muke
- Social Research Institute Ltd, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
| | - Adeline Morez
- School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Matthew Leavesley
- Strand of Anthropology, Sociology and Archaeology, School of Humanities & Social Sciences, University of Papua New Guinea, National Capital District, Papua New Guinea
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, College of Arts, Society and Education, James Cook University, Cairns, Australia
| | - Mayukh Mondal
- Estonian Biocentre, Institute of Genomics, University of Tartu, Tartu, Tartumaa, Estonia
| | - François-Xavier Ricaut
- Laboratoire Évolution and Diversité Biologique (EDB UMR5174), Université de Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées, CNRS, IRD, UPS, Toulouse, France
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6
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Haas R, Watson J, Buonasera T, Southon J, Chen JC, Noe S, Smith K, Llave CV, Eerkens J, Parker G. Female hunters of the early Americas. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2020; 6:6/45/eabd0310. [PMID: 33148651 PMCID: PMC7673694 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abd0310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2020] [Accepted: 09/18/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Sexual division of labor with females as gatherers and males as hunters is a major empirical regularity of hunter-gatherer ethnography, suggesting an ancestral behavioral pattern. We present an archeological discovery and meta-analysis that challenge the man-the-hunter hypothesis. Excavations at the Andean highland site of Wilamaya Patjxa reveal a 9000-year-old human burial (WMP6) associated with a hunting toolkit of stone projectile points and animal processing tools. Osteological, proteomic, and isotopic analyses indicate that this early hunter was a young adult female who subsisted on terrestrial plants and animals. Analysis of Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene burial practices throughout the Americas situate WMP6 as the earliest and most secure hunter burial in a sample that includes 10 other females in statistical parity with early male hunter burials. The findings are consistent with nongendered labor practices in which early hunter-gatherer females were big-game hunters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Randall Haas
- Department of Anthropology, University of California Davis, One Shields Ave., Davis, CA 95616, USA.
- Collasuyo Archaeological Research Institute, Jiron Nicaragua 199, Puno, Puno, Peru
| | - James Watson
- Arizona State Museum, The University of Arizona, 1013 E. University Blvd., Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
- School of Anthropology, The University of Arizona, 1009 E. South Campus Drive, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
| | - Tammy Buonasera
- Department of Anthropology, University of California Davis, One Shields Ave., Davis, CA 95616, USA
- Department of Environmental Toxicology, University of California Davis, One Shields Ave., Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - John Southon
- W.M. Keck Carbon Cycle Accelerator Mass Spectrometer Facility, University of California Irvine, B321 Croul Hall, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Jennifer C Chen
- Department of Anthropology, Penn State University, 410 Carpenter Building, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Sarah Noe
- Department of Anthropology, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Kevin Smith
- Department of Anthropology, University of California Davis, One Shields Ave., Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Carlos Viviano Llave
- Collasuyo Archaeological Research Institute, Jiron Nicaragua 199, Puno, Puno, Peru
| | - Jelmer Eerkens
- Department of Anthropology, University of California Davis, One Shields Ave., Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Glendon Parker
- Department of Environmental Toxicology, University of California Davis, One Shields Ave., Davis, CA 95616, USA
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7
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Tymko MM, Hoiland RL, Vermeulen TD, Howe CA, Tymko C, Stone RM, Steinback CD, Steele AR, Villafuerte F, Vizcardo-Galindo G, Mujica RJF, Ainslie PN. Global REACH 2018: The carotid artery diameter response to the cold pressor test is governed by arterial blood pressure during normoxic but not hypoxic conditions in healthy lowlanders and Andean highlanders. Exp Physiol 2020; 105:1742-1757. [PMID: 32829509 DOI: 10.1113/ep088898] [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] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Accepted: 08/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
NEW FINDINGS What is the central question of this study? What is the impact of oxygen on the circulatory responses to an isocapnic cold pressor test (CPT) in lowlanders and Andean highlanders? What is the main finding and its importance? Overall, the circulatory responses to an isocapnic CPT were largely unaltered with acute normobaric hypoxia and chronic hypobaric hypoxia exposure in lowlanders. However, the relationship between mean arterial pressure and common carotid artery diameter was dampened in hypoxic conditions. Furthermore, there were no differences in the circulatory responses to the CPT between lowlanders and Andean highlanders with lifelong exposure to high altitude. ABSTRACT The impact of oxygen on the circulatory responses to a cold pressor test (CPT) in lowlanders and Andean highlanders remains unknown. Our hypotheses were as follows: (i) in lowlanders, acute normobaric and hypobaric hypoxia would attenuate the common carotid artery (CCA) diameter response to the CPT compared with normobaric normoxia; (ii) Andean highlanders would exhibit a greater CCA diameter response compared with lowlanders; and (iii) a positive relationship between CCA diameter and blood pressure in response to the CPT would be present in both lowlanders and highlanders. Healthy lowlanders (n = 13) and Andean highlanders (n = 8) were recruited and conducted an isocapnic CPT, which consisted of a 3 min foot immersion into water at 0-1°C. Blood pressure (finger photoplethysmography) and CCA diameter and blood flow (Duplex ultrasound) were recorded continuously. The CPT was conducted in lowlanders at sea level in isocapnic normoxic and hypoxic conditions and after 10 days of acclimatization to 4300 m (Cerro de Pasco, Peru) in hypoxic and hyperoxic conditions. Andean highlanders were tested at rest at high altitude. The main findings were as follows: (i) in lowlanders, normobaric but not hypobaric hypoxia elevated CCA reactivity to the CPT; (ii) no differences in response to the CPT were observed between lowlanders and highlanders; and (iii) although hypobaric hypoxaemia reduced the relationship between CCA diameter and blood pressure compared with normobaric normoxia (P = 0.132), hypobaric hyperoxia improved this relationship (P = 0.012), and no relationship was observed in Andean highlanders (P = 0.261). These data demonstrate that the circulatory responses to a CPT were modified by oxygen in lowlanders, but were unaltered with lifelong hypoxic exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael M Tymko
- Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport and Recreation, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.,Centre for Heart, Lung and Vascular Health, School of Health and Exercise Sciences, University of British Columbia - Okanagan, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Ryan L Hoiland
- Centre for Heart, Lung and Vascular Health, School of Health and Exercise Sciences, University of British Columbia - Okanagan, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada.,Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology, and Therapeutics, Vancouver General Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Tyler D Vermeulen
- Centre for Heart, Lung and Vascular Health, School of Health and Exercise Sciences, University of British Columbia - Okanagan, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada.,Neurovascular Research Laboratory, School of Kinesiology, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Connor A Howe
- Centre for Heart, Lung and Vascular Health, School of Health and Exercise Sciences, University of British Columbia - Okanagan, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Courtney Tymko
- Centre for Heart, Lung and Vascular Health, School of Health and Exercise Sciences, University of British Columbia - Okanagan, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Rachel M Stone
- Faculty of Human Kinetics, University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario, Canada
| | - Craig D Steinback
- Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport and Recreation, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Andrew R Steele
- Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport and Recreation, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Francisco Villafuerte
- Laboratorio de Fisiología Comparada/Fisiología del Transporte de Oxígeno, Facultad de Ciencias y Filosofía, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Perú
| | - Gustavo Vizcardo-Galindo
- Laboratorio de Fisiología Comparada/Fisiología del Transporte de Oxígeno, Facultad de Ciencias y Filosofía, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Perú
| | - Romulo Joseph Figueroa Mujica
- Laboratorio de Fisiología Comparada/Fisiología del Transporte de Oxígeno, Facultad de Ciencias y Filosofía, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Perú
| | - Philip N Ainslie
- Centre for Heart, Lung and Vascular Health, School of Health and Exercise Sciences, University of British Columbia - Okanagan, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
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8
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Werren EA, Garcia O, Bigham AW. Identifying adaptive alleles in the human genome: from selection mapping to functional validation. Hum Genet 2020; 140:241-276. [PMID: 32728809 DOI: 10.1007/s00439-020-02206-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2020] [Accepted: 07/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The suite of phenotypic diversity across geographically distributed human populations is the outcome of genetic drift, gene flow, and natural selection throughout human evolution. Human genetic variation underlying local biological adaptations to selective pressures is incompletely characterized. With the emergence of population genetics modeling of large-scale genomic data derived from diverse populations, scientists are able to map signatures of natural selection in the genome in a process known as selection mapping. Inferred selection signals further can be used to identify candidate functional alleles that underlie putative adaptive phenotypes. Phenotypic association, fine mapping, and functional experiments facilitate the identification of candidate adaptive alleles. Functional investigation of candidate adaptive variation using novel techniques in molecular biology is slowly beginning to unravel how selection signals translate to changes in biology that underlie the phenotypic spectrum of our species. In addition to informing evolutionary hypotheses of adaptation, the discovery and functional annotation of adaptive alleles also may be of clinical significance. While selection mapping efforts in non-European populations are growing, there remains a stark under-representation of diverse human populations in current public genomic databases, of both clinical and non-clinical cohorts. This lack of inclusion limits the study of human biological variation. Identifying and functionally validating candidate adaptive alleles in more global populations is necessary for understanding basic human biology and human disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth A Werren
- Department of Human Genetics, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Anthropology, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Obed Garcia
- Department of Anthropology, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Abigail W Bigham
- Department of Anthropology, University of California Los Angeles, 341 Haines Hall, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
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9
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Toyne JM, Turner BL. Linking isotope analysis and paleopathology: An andean perspective. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PALEOPATHOLOGY 2020; 29:117-127. [PMID: 32507722 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpp.2019.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2019] [Revised: 10/24/2019] [Accepted: 11/15/2019] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
This paper reviews the significant advances in isotopic investigations in Andean South America and directs scholars to explore new theoretical and analytical directions, specifically the applicability of isotope data to paleopathology. Excellent preservation and large skeletal collections of human remains make the Central Andes ideal for biogeochemical reconstructions and advancements in isotopic methods. Our aims are twofold: first, we present a meta-analysis of stable and radiogenic isotope research in the Central Andes since 1985, and highlight those that combine analyses of isotope ratios and pathological conditions. Second, we discuss useful directions for incorporating stable isotope analysis more explicitly in studies of paleopathology in the Andes more in the future. Principle research foci have described dietary variation and regional population mobility since the 1980s, where early methodological explorations identified significant trends in isotopic variation. For the years 1980-2017, we identified 96 scholarly publications through a meta-data analysis of major peer-reviewed journals, book chapters, and conference proceedings. These demonstrate specific trends in topical and methodological preferences across the Andean region and a shift from 10 publications pre-1997 to 67 in the last 10 years. However, combined isotope and paleopathology studies in this region remain sparse; given the ecological, geological, and cultural complexity of the Central Andes, analyses of pathological conditions in different regions would significantly benefit from the information on diet, mobility, and local ecology that isotope ratios provide. Isotope analysis requires destruction of archaeological tissues, and interpreting isotope data can be complex, but it can also provide unique insights into the pathogenesis of multifactorial conditions and assist differential diagnosis. Therefore, we also discuss research designs for pairing isotopic and paleopathological variables that will allow researchers to better capture disease ecologies in archaeological samples and their variation across different regions, within related sites, and within individual lifespans.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Marla Toyne
- Department of Anthropology, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, 32803-1631, United States.
| | - Bethany L Turner
- Department of Anthropology, Georgia State University, PO Box 3998, Atlanta, GA 30302-3998, United States.
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10
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Tymko MM, Hoiland RL, Tremblay JC, Stembridge M, Dawkins TG, Coombs GB, Patrician A, Howe CA, Gibbons TD, Moore JP, Simpson LL, Steinback CD, Meah VL, Stacey BS, Bailey DM, MacLeod DB, Gasho C, Anholm JD, Bain AR, Lawley JS, Villafuerte FC, Vizcardo-Galindo G, Ainslie PN. The 2018 Global Research Expedition on Altitude Related Chronic Health (Global REACH) to Cerro de Pasco, Peru: an Experimental Overview. Exp Physiol 2020; 106:86-103. [PMID: 32237245 DOI: 10.1113/ep088350] [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: 11/25/2019] [Accepted: 03/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
NEW FINDINGS What is the central question of this study? Herein, a methodological overview of our research team's (Global REACH) latest high altitude research expedition to Peru is provided. What is the main finding and its importance? The experimental objectives, expedition organization, measurements and key cohort data are discussed. The select data presented in this manuscript demonstrate the haematological differences between lowlanders and Andeans with and without excessive erythrocytosis. The data also demonstrate that exercise capacity was similar between study groups at high altitude. The forthcoming findings from our research expedition will contribute to our understanding of lowlander and indigenous highlander high altitude adaptation. ABSTRACT In 2016, the international research team Global Research Expedition on Altitude Related Chronic Health (Global REACH) was established and executed a high altitude research expedition to Nepal. The team consists of ∼45 students, principal investigators and physicians with the common objective of conducting experiments focused on high altitude adaptation in lowlanders and in highlanders with lifelong exposure to high altitude. In 2018, Global REACH travelled to Peru, where we performed a series of experiments in the Andean highlanders. The experimental objectives, organization and characteristics, and key cohort data from Global REACH's latest research expedition are outlined herein. Fifteen major studies are described that aimed to elucidate the physiological differences in high altitude acclimatization between lowlanders (n = 30) and Andean-born highlanders with (n = 22) and without (n = 45) excessive erythrocytosis. After baseline testing in Kelowna, BC, Canada (344 m), Global REACH travelled to Lima, Peru (∼80 m) and then ascended by automobile to Cerro de Pasco, Peru (∼4300 m), where experiments were conducted over 25 days. The core studies focused on elucidating the mechanism(s) governing cerebral and peripheral vascular function, cardiopulmonary regulation, exercise performance and autonomic control. Despite encountering serious logistical challenges, each of the proposed studies was completed at both sea level and high altitude, amounting to ∼780 study sessions and >3000 h of experimental testing. Participant demographics and data relating to acid-base balance and exercise capacity are presented. The collective findings will contribute to our understanding of how lowlanders and Andean highlanders have adapted under high altitude stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael M Tymko
- Centre for Heart, Lung and Vascular Health, School of Health and Exercise Sciences, University of British Columbia - Okanagan, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada.,Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Ryan L Hoiland
- Centre for Heart, Lung and Vascular Health, School of Health and Exercise Sciences, University of British Columbia - Okanagan, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada.,Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Joshua C Tremblay
- Cardiovascular Stress Response Laboratory, School of Kinesiology and Health Studies, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mike Stembridge
- Cardiff School of Sport and Health Sciences, Cardiff Metropolitan University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Tony G Dawkins
- Cardiff School of Sport and Health Sciences, Cardiff Metropolitan University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Geoff B Coombs
- Centre for Heart, Lung and Vascular Health, School of Health and Exercise Sciences, University of British Columbia - Okanagan, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Alexander Patrician
- Centre for Heart, Lung and Vascular Health, School of Health and Exercise Sciences, University of British Columbia - Okanagan, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Connor A Howe
- Centre for Heart, Lung and Vascular Health, School of Health and Exercise Sciences, University of British Columbia - Okanagan, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Travis D Gibbons
- School of Physical Education, Sport & Exercise Science, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Jonathan P Moore
- School of Sport, Health and Exercise Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, UK
| | - Lydia L Simpson
- School of Sport, Health and Exercise Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, UK
| | - Craig D Steinback
- Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Victoria L Meah
- Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Benjamin S Stacey
- Neurovascular Research Laboratory, Faculty of Life Sciences and Education, University of South Wales, Glamorgan, UK
| | - Damian M Bailey
- Neurovascular Research Laboratory, Faculty of Life Sciences and Education, University of South Wales, Glamorgan, UK
| | - David B MacLeod
- Human Pharmacology & Physiology Lab, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Christopher Gasho
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA, USA
| | - James D Anholm
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA, USA
| | - Anthony R Bain
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado, Boulder, NC, USA.,Faculty of Human Kinetics, University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario, Canada
| | - Justin S Lawley
- Department of Sport Science, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Francisco C Villafuerte
- Laboratorio de Fisiología Comparada/Fisiología del Transporte de Oxígeno, Facultad de Ciencias y Filosofía, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Perú
| | - Gustavo Vizcardo-Galindo
- Laboratorio de Fisiología Comparada/Fisiología del Transporte de Oxígeno, Facultad de Ciencias y Filosofía, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Perú
| | - Philip N Ainslie
- Centre for Heart, Lung and Vascular Health, School of Health and Exercise Sciences, University of British Columbia - Okanagan, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
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11
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Tymko MM, Lawley JS, Ainslie PN, Hansen AB, Hofstaetter F, Rainer S, Amin S, Moralez G, Gasho C, Vizcardo-Galindo G, Bermudez D, Villafuerte FC, Hearon CM. Global Reach 2018 Heightened α-Adrenergic Signaling Impairs Endothelial Function During Chronic Exposure to Hypobaric Hypoxia. Circ Res 2020; 127:e1-e13. [PMID: 32268833 DOI: 10.1161/circresaha.119.316053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE Chronic exposure to hypoxia is associated with elevated sympathetic nervous activity and reduced vascular function in lowlanders, and Andean highlanders suffering from excessive erythrocytosis (EE); however, the mechanistic link between chronically elevated sympathetic nervous activity and hypoxia-induced vascular dysfunction has not been determined. OBJECTIVE To determine the impact of heightened sympathetic nervous activity on resistance artery endothelial-dependent dilation (EDD), and endothelial-independent dilation, in lowlanders and Andean highlanders with and without EE. METHODS AND RESULTS We tested healthy lowlanders (n=9) at sea level (344 m) and following 14 to 21 days at high altitude (4300 m), and permanent Andean highlanders with (n=6) and without (n=9) EE at high altitude. Vascular function was assessed using intraarterial infusions (3 progressive doses) of acetylcholine (ACh; EDD) and sodium nitroprusside (endothelial-independent dilation) before and after local α+β adrenergic receptor blockade (phentolamine and propranolol). Intraarterial blood pressure, heart rate, and simultaneous brachial artery diameter and blood velocity were recorded at rest and during drug infusion. Changes in forearm vascular conductance were calculated. The main findings were (1) chronic hypoxia reduced EDD in lowlanders (changes in forearm vascular conductance from sea level: ACh1: -52.7±19.6%, ACh2: -25.4±38.7%, ACh3: -35.1±34.7%, all P≤0.02); and in Andeans with EE compared with non-EE (changes in forearm vascular conductance at ACh3: -36.4%, P=0.007). Adrenergic blockade fully restored EDD in lowlanders at high altitude, and normalized EDD between EE and non-EE Andeans. (2) Chronic hypoxia had no effect on endothelial-independent dilation in lowlanders, and no differences were detected between EE and non-EE Andeans; however, EID was increased in the non-EE Andeans after adrenergic blockade (P=0.012), but this effect was not observed in the EE Andeans. CONCLUSIONS These data indicate that chronic hypoxia reduces EDD via heightened α-adrenergic signaling in lowlanders and in Andeans with EE. These vascular mechanisms have important implications for understanding the physiological consequences of acute and chronic high altitude adaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael M Tymko
- From the Centre for Heart, Lung, and Vascular Health, School of Health and Exercise Science, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, Canada (M.M.T., P.N.A.).,Neurovascular Health Lab, Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport and Recreation, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada (M.M.T.)
| | - Justin S Lawley
- University of Innsbruck, Austria (J.S.L., A.B.H., F.H., S.R., S.A.)
| | - Philip N Ainslie
- From the Centre for Heart, Lung, and Vascular Health, School of Health and Exercise Science, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, Canada (M.M.T., P.N.A.)
| | | | | | - Simon Rainer
- University of Innsbruck, Austria (J.S.L., A.B.H., F.H., S.R., S.A.)
| | - Sachin Amin
- University of Innsbruck, Austria (J.S.L., A.B.H., F.H., S.R., S.A.)
| | - Gilbert Moralez
- Department of Applied Clinical Research, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX (G.M.)
| | | | | | | | | | - Christopher M Hearon
- Institute for Exercise and Environmental Medicine, Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas (C.M.H.).,Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (C.M.H.)
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Menéndez LP, Rademaker K, Harvati K. Revisiting East–West Skull Patterns and the Role of Random Factors in South America: Cranial Reconstruction and Morphometric Analysis of the Facial Skeleton from Cuncaicha Rockshelter (Southern Peru). ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019. [DOI: 10.1080/20555563.2019.1703167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Lumila Paula Menéndez
- Konrad Lorenz Institute, Klosterneuburg, Austria, and DFG Centre for Advanced Studies “Words, Bones, Genes, Tools”, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | | | - Katerina Harvati
- Paleoanthropology, Senckenberg Centre for Human Evolution and Paleoenvironment, and DFG Centre for Advanced Studies “Words, Bones, Genes, Tools”, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
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13
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Tymko MM, Tremblay JC, Bailey DM, Green DJ, Ainslie PN. The impact of hypoxaemia on vascular function in lowlanders and high altitude indigenous populations. J Physiol 2019; 597:5759-5776. [PMID: 31677355 DOI: 10.1113/jp277191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2019] [Accepted: 10/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Exposure to hypoxia elicits widespread physiological responses that are critical for successful acclimatization; however, these responses may induce apparent maladaptive consequences. For example, recent studies conducted in both the laboratory and the field (e.g. at high altitude) have demonstrated that endothelial function is reduced in hypoxia. Herein, we review the several proposed mechanism(s) pertaining to the observed reduction in endothelial function in hypoxia including: (i) changes in blood flow patterns (i.e. shear stress), (ii) increased inflammation and production of reactive oxygen species (i.e. oxidative stress), (iii) heightened sympathetic nerve activity, and (iv) increased red blood cell concentration and mass leading to elevated nitric oxide scavenging. Although some of these mechanism(s) have been examined in lowlanders, less in known about endothelial function in indigenous populations that have chronically adapted to environmental hypoxia for millennia (e.g. the Peruvian, Tibetan and Ethiopian highlanders). There is some evidence indicating that healthy Tibetan and Peruvian (i.e. Andean) highlanders have preserved endothelial function at high altitude, but less is known about the Ethiopian highlanders. However, Andean highlanders suffering from chronic mountain sickness, which is characterized by an excessive production of red blood cells, have markedly reduced endothelial function. This review will provide a framework and mechanistic model for vascular endothelial adaptation to hypoxia in lowlanders and highlanders. Elucidating the pathways responsible for vascular adaption/maladaptation to hypoxia has potential clinical implications for disease featuring low oxygen delivery (e.g. heart failure, pulmonary disease). In addition, a greater understanding of vascular function at high altitude will clinically benefit the global estimated 85 million high altitude residents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael M Tymko
- Centre for Heart, Lung and Vascular Health, School of Health and Exercise Sciences, University of British Columbia - Okanagan, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada.,Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Joshua C Tremblay
- Centre for Heart, Lung and Vascular Health, School of Health and Exercise Sciences, University of British Columbia - Okanagan, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Damian M Bailey
- Neurovascular Research Laboratory, Faculty of Life Sciences and Education, University of South Wales, UK
| | - Daniel J Green
- Cardiovascular Research Group, School of Human Sciences (Exercise and Sport Science), University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia.,Research Institute for Sport and Exercise Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK
| | - Philip N Ainslie
- Centre for Heart, Lung and Vascular Health, School of Health and Exercise Sciences, University of British Columbia - Okanagan, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
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Voskarides K. Combination of 247 Genome-Wide Association Studies Reveals High Cancer Risk as a Result of Evolutionary Adaptation. Mol Biol Evol 2019; 35:473-485. [PMID: 29220501 PMCID: PMC5850495 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msx305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Analysis of GLOBOCAN-2012 data shows clearly here that cancer incidence worldwide is highly related with low average annual temperatures and extreme low temperatures. This applies for all cancers together or separately for many frequent or rare cancer types (all cancers P = 9.49×10-18). Supporting fact is that Inuit people, living at extreme low temperatures, have the highest cancer rates today. Hypothesizing an evolutionary explanation, 240 cancer genome-wide association studies, and seven genome-wide association studies for cold and high-altitude adaptation were combined. A list of 1,377 cancer-associated genes was created to initially investigate whether cold selected genes are enriched with cancer-associated genes. Among Native Americans, Inuit and Eskimos, the highest association was observed for Native Americans (P = 6.7×10-5). An overall or a meta-analysis approach confirmed further this result. Similar approach for three populations living at extreme high altitude, revealed high association for Andeans-Tibetans (P = 1.3×10-11). Overall analysis or a meta-analysis was also significant. A separate analysis showed special selection for tumor suppressor genes. These results can be viewed along with those of previous functional studies that showed that reduced apoptosis potential due to specific p53 variants (the most important tumor suppressor gene) is beneficial in high-altitude and cold environments. In conclusion, this study shows that genetic variants selected for adaptation at extreme environmental conditions can increase cancer risk later on age. This is in accordance with antagonistic pleiotropy hypothesis.
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Pilø L, Finstad E, Ramsey CB, Martinsen JRP, Nesje A, Solli B, Wangen V, Callanan M, Barrett JH. The chronology of reindeer hunting on Norway's highest ice patches. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2018; 5:171738. [PMID: 29410869 PMCID: PMC5792946 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.171738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2017] [Accepted: 12/13/2017] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The melting of perennial ice patches globally is uncovering a fragile record of alpine activity, especially hunting and the use of mountain passes. When rescued by systematic fieldwork (glacial archaeology), this evidence opens an unprecedented window on the chronology of high-elevation activity. Recent research in Jotunheimen and surrounding mountain areas of Norway has recovered over 2000 finds-many associated with reindeer hunting (e.g. arrows). We report the radiocarbon dates of 153 objects and use a kernel density estimation (KDE) method to determine the distribution of dated events from ca 4000 BCE to the present. Interpreted in light of shifting environmental, preservation and socio-economic factors, these new data show counterintuitive trends in the intensity of reindeer hunting and other high-elevation activity. Cold temperatures may sometimes have kept humans from Norway's highest elevations, as expected based on accessibility, exposure and reindeer distributions. In times of increasing demand for mountain resources, however, activity probably continued in the face of adverse or variable climatic conditions. The use of KDE modelling makes it possible to observe this patterning without the spurious effects of noise introduced by the discrete nature of the finds and the radiocarbon calibration process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lars Pilø
- Department of Cultural Heritage, Oppland County Council, PO Box 988, 2626 Lillehammer, Norway
| | - Espen Finstad
- Department of Cultural Heritage, Oppland County Council, PO Box 988, 2626 Lillehammer, Norway
| | | | | | - Atle Nesje
- Department of Earth Science, University of Bergen, PO Box 7803, 5020 Bergen, Norway
| | - Brit Solli
- Museum of Cultural History, University of Oslo, PO Box 6762, St. Olavs plass, 0130 Oslo, Norway
| | - Vivian Wangen
- Museum of Cultural History, University of Oslo, PO Box 6762, St. Olavs plass, 0130 Oslo, Norway
| | - Martin Callanan
- Department of Historical Studies, NTNU Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - James H. Barrett
- McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3ER, UK
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