American Journal of Physical Anthropology This is an RSS file. You can use it to subscribe to this data in your favourite RSS reader or to display this data on your own website or blog.

Trabecular bone functional adaptation and sexual dimorphism in the human foot
DiscussionThis work demonstrates that trabecular bone may serve as a useful proxy of habitual behavior in the fossil and archaeological record when other factors are carefully considered. However, the mechanisms underlying sexual dimorphism are not well understood. As such, inferring sex differences in habitual behavior is currently challenging. (Source: American Journal of Physical Anthropology)
Source: American Journal of Physical Anthropology - November 21, 2018 Category: Physiology Authors: Jaap P. P. Saers, Timothy M. Ryan, Jay T. Stock Tags: RESEARCH ARTICLE Source Type: research

Neandertal features of the deciduous and permanent teeth from Portel ‐Ouest Cave (Ariège, France)
We describe 14 unpublished and nine published teeth from the Mousterian level of Portel ‐Ouest (Ariège, France), dated to 44 ka. In a comparative context, we explore the taxonomical affinities of those teeth with Neandertals and modern humans which are both known to exist at that time. We further make some paleobiological inferences about this human group.MethodsThe comparative analysis of Neandertals and modern humans is based on nonmetric traits at the outer enamel surface and the enamel –dentine junction, crown diameters and three‐dimensional (3D) enamel thickness measurements of lower permanent teeth. The crow...
Source: American Journal of Physical Anthropology - November 21, 2018 Category: Physiology Authors: Ga ël Becam, Tony Chevalier Tags: RESEARCH ARTICLE Source Type: research

The function of geophagy in Nepal gray langurs: Sodium acquisition rather than detoxification or prevention of acidosis
DiscussionThe most likely function of geophagy was the acquisition of sodium. This conclusion is consistent with reports for other animals. Buffering stomach pH, an often ‐suggested function for animals with ruminant‐like digestion, was not supported. Detoxification, often proposed for animals with a diet high in secondary compounds, was also not supported. (Source: American Journal of Physical Anthropology)
Source: American Journal of Physical Anthropology - November 21, 2018 Category: Physiology Authors: Eliot T. Monaco, Carola Borries, Julia Nikolei, Mukesh K. Chalise, J örg U. Ganzhorn, Karsten Wesche, Andreas Koenig Tags: RESEARCH ARTICLE Source Type: research

Secular trends in growth in the high ‐altitude district of Nuñoa, Peru 1964–2015
DiscussionThere were relatively small differences in stature and weight and a high incidence of stunting between 1964 and 1999 attributed to extremely poor economic and health conditions. A large secular increase in height (7 –8 cm on average) and consequent reduction in rates of stunting between 1999 and 2015 occurred due to improved social and economic conditions. In addition to political stabilization, enhanced infrastructure, social aid programs, improved healthcare, and economic expansion contribute to these trend s. (Source: American Journal of Physical Anthropology)
Source: American Journal of Physical Anthropology - November 21, 2018 Category: Physiology Authors: Morgan K. Hoke, Thomas L. Leatherman Tags: RESEARCH ARTICLE Source Type: research

Issue Information – Table of Contents
American Journal of Physical Anthropology, Volume 167, Issue 4, Page 936-937, December 2018. (Source: American Journal of Physical Anthropology)
Source: American Journal of Physical Anthropology - November 17, 2018 Category: Physiology Tags: ISSUE INFORMATION Source Type: research

Cover & Editorial Board
American Journal of Physical Anthropology, Volume 167, Issue 4, Page 695-696, December 2018. (Source: American Journal of Physical Anthropology)
Source: American Journal of Physical Anthropology - November 17, 2018 Category: Physiology Tags: ISSUE INFORMATION – EDITORIAL BOARD Source Type: research

Nondestructive adult age at death estimation: Visualizing cementum annulations in a known age historical human assemblage using synchrotron X ‐ray microtomography
DiscussionWe reliably imaged and identified TCA in individuals<50 years from a known ‐age archeological sample. Scanning refinement will yield a promising alternative to current destructive methods of TCA analyses and to aid access to life history events in adult fossil hominins. (Source: American Journal of Physical Anthropology)
Source: American Journal of Physical Anthropology - November 15, 2018 Category: Physiology Authors: Adeline Le Cabec, Nancy K. Tang, Valentin Ruano Rubio, Simon Hillson Tags: RESEARCH ARTICLE Source Type: research

Intraspecific variation in semicircular canal morphology —A missing element in adaptive scenarios?
DiscussionOur findings agree with previous research showing that canal intraspecific variation can fluctuate according to species ‐specific locomotor behavior and extends this further by identifying behaviors that may be under unusual selective pressure. It also demonstrates the complexity of interpreting inner ear morphology in the context of broadly applicable locomotor “categories” of the kind commonly used in behavio ral studies. We suspect that simplified models predicting vestibular sensitivity may be unable to differentiate behaviors when only a single specimen is available. (Source: American Journal of Physical Anthropology)
Source: American Journal of Physical Anthropology - November 8, 2018 Category: Physiology Authors: Lauren A. Gonzales, Michael D. Malinzak, Richard F. Kay Tags: RESEARCH ARTICLE Source Type: research

Functional and developmental influences on intraspecific variation in catarrhine vertebrae
DiscussionPatterns of variation across morphological features may reflect the complex interaction of functional constraints, developmental timing, and/or variable biomechanical forces.Pongo's elevated variation in spinous process length suggests a release from functional constraint, consistent with its suspensory locomotion and reduced spinous processes. Interspecific differences in vertebral variation based on locomotor demand or posture are generally consistent with patterns previously reported for vertebral formula and other aspects of morphology. Future research would benefit from an expanded taxonomic sample and more ...
Source: American Journal of Physical Anthropology - November 8, 2018 Category: Physiology Authors: Liza J. Shapiro, Addison D. Kemp Tags: RESEARCH ARTICLE Source Type: research

Shades of complexity: New perspectives on the evolution and genetic architecture of human skin
AbstractLike many highly variable human traits, more than a dozen genes are known to contribute to the full range of skin color. However, the historical bias in favor of genetic studies in European and European ‐derived populations has blinded us to the magnitude of pigmentation's complexity. As deliberate efforts are being made to better characterize diverse global populations and new sequencing technologies, better measurement tools, functional assessments, predictive modeling, and ancient DNA analyses become more widely accessible, we are beginning to appreciate how limited our understanding of the genetic bases of hu...
Source: American Journal of Physical Anthropology - November 8, 2018 Category: Physiology Authors: Ellen E. Quillen, Heather L. Norton, Esteban J. Parra, Frida Lona ‐Durazo, Khai C. Ang, Florin Mircea Illiescu, Laurel N. Pearson, Mark D. Shriver, Tina Lasisi, Omer Gokcumen, Izzy Starr, Yen‐Lung Lin, Alicia R. Martin, Nina G. Jablonski Tags: RESEARCH ARTICLE Source Type: research

Maternal breast volume in pregnancy and lactation capacity
ConclusionsThe results are in line with the notion that milk macronutrient content tends to be weakly associated with various maternal factors and adverse conditions. However, maternal breast volume and its changes during pregnancy are related with time spent breastfeeding per day, what suggests a positive correlation between breast volume in pregnancy and milk yield. (Source: American Journal of Physical Anthropology)
Source: American Journal of Physical Anthropology - November 8, 2018 Category: Physiology Authors: Agnieszka Żelaźniewicz, Bogusław Pawłowski Tags: RESEARCH ARTICLE Source Type: research

Modern humans sex estimation through dental tissue patterns of maxillary canines
American Journal of Physical Anthropology, EarlyView. (Source: American Journal of Physical Anthropology)
Source: American Journal of Physical Anthropology - October 31, 2018 Category: Physiology Authors: Cecilia Garc ía‐Campos, María Martinón‐Torres, Marina Martínez de Pinillos, Mario Modesto‐Mata, Laura Martín‐Francés, Bernardo Perea‐Pérez, Clément Zanolli, José María Bermúdez de Castro Source Type: research

Multi ‐tissue stable carbon and nitrogen isotope models for dietary reconstruction: Evaluation using a southern African farming population
American Journal of Physical Anthropology, EarlyView. (Source: American Journal of Physical Anthropology)
Source: American Journal of Physical Anthropology - October 31, 2018 Category: Physiology Authors: Madeline Zhu, Judith Sealy Source Type: research

Michael Herbert Day (1927 –2018)
American Journal of Physical Anthropology, EarlyView. (Source: American Journal of Physical Anthropology)
Source: American Journal of Physical Anthropology - October 26, 2018 Category: Physiology Authors: Bernard Wood Source Type: research

Architecture of the femoral and tibial diaphyses in relation to body mass and composition: Research from whole ‐body CT scans of adult humans
American Journal of Physical Anthropology, EarlyView. (Source: American Journal of Physical Anthropology)
Source: American Journal of Physical Anthropology - October 24, 2018 Category: Physiology Authors: Aliz é Lacoste Jeanson, Frédéric Santos, Chiara Villa, Jytte Banner, Jaroslav Brůžek Source Type: research