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the ucsc genome browser database: update 2011.the university of california, santa cruz genome browser (http://genome.ucsc.edu) offers online access to a database of genomic sequence and annotation data for a wide variety of organisms. the browser also has many tools for visualizing, comparing and analyzing both publicly available and user-generated genomic data sets, aligning sequences and uploading user data. among the features released this year are a gene search tool and annotation track drag-reorder functionality as well as support for ...201020959295
a functional test of neandertal and modern human mitochondrial targeting sequences.targeting of nuclear-encoded proteins to different organelles, such as mitochondria, is a process that can result in the redeployment of proteins to new intracellular destinations during evolution. with the sequencing of the neandertal genome, it has become possible to identify amino acid substitutions that occurred on the modern human lineage since its separation from the neandertal lineage. here we analyze the function of two substitutions in mitochondrial targeting sequences that occurred and ...201020977882
digit ratios predict polygyny in early apes, ardipithecus, neanderthals and early modern humans but not in australopithecus.social behaviour of fossil hominoid species is notoriously difficult to predict owing to difficulties in estimating body size dimorphism from fragmentary remains and, in hominins, low canine size dimorphism. recent studies have shown that the second-to-fourth digit ratio (2d : 4d), a putative biomarker for prenatal androgen effects (paes), covaries with intra-sexual competition and social systems across haplorrhines; non-pair-bonded polygynous taxa have significantly lower 2d : 4d ratios (high p ...201021047863
triangulation of the human, chimpanzee, and neanderthal genome sequences identifies potentially compensated mutations.triangulation of the human, chimpanzee, and neanderthal genome sequences with respect to 44,348 disease-causing or disease-associated missense mutations and 1,712 putative regulatory mutations listed in the human gene mutation database was employed to identify genetic variants that are apparently pathogenic in humans but which may represent a "compensated" wild-type state in at least one of the other two species. of 122 such "potentially compensated mutations" (pcms) identified, 88 were deemed " ...201021064102
dental evidence for ontogenetic differences between modern humans and neanderthals.humans have an unusual life history, with an early weaning age, long childhood, late first reproduction, short interbirth intervals, and long lifespan. in contrast, great apes wean later, reproduce earlier, and have longer intervals between births. despite 80 y of speculation, the origins of these developmental patterns in homo sapiens remain unknown. because they record daily growth during formation, teeth provide important insights, revealing that australopithecines and early homo had more rap ...201021078988
genome digging: insight into the mitochondrial genome of homo.a fraction of the neanderthal mitochondrial genome sequence has a similarity with a 5,839-bp nuclear dna sequence of mitochondrial origin (numt) on the human chromosome 1. this fact has never been interpreted. although this phenomenon may be attributed to contamination and mosaic assembly of neanderthal mtdna from short sequencing reads, we explain the mysterious similarity by integration of this numt (mtancestor-1) into the nuclear genome of the common ancestor of neanderthals and modern humans ...201021151557
the neanderthal face is not cold adapted.many morphological features of the pleistocene fossil hominin homo neanderthalensis, including the reputed large size of its paranasal sinuses, have been interpreted as adaptations to extreme cold, as some neanderthals lived in europe during glacial periods. this interpretation of sinus evolution rests on two assumptions: that increased craniofacial pneumatization is an adaptation to lower ambient temperatures, and that neanderthals have relatively large sinuses. analysis of humans, other primat ...201021183202
microfossils in calculus demonstrate consumption of plants and cooked foods in neanderthal diets (shanidar iii, iraq; spy i and ii, belgium).the nature and causes of the disappearance of neanderthals and their apparent replacement by modern humans are subjects of considerable debate. many researchers have proposed biologically or technologically mediated dietary differences between the two groups as one of the fundamental causes of neanderthal disappearance. some scenarios have focused on the apparent lack of plant foods in neanderthal diets. here we report direct evidence for neanderthal consumption of a variety of plant foods, in t ...201021187393
relationship between cusp size and occlusal wear pattern in neanderthal and homo sapiens first maxillary molars.tooth wear studies in mammals have highlighted the relationship between wear facets (attritional areas produced during occlusion by the contact between opposing teeth) and physical properties of the ingested food. however, little is known about the influence of tooth morphology on the formation of occlusal wear facets. we analyzed the occlusal wear patterns of first maxillary molars (m(1) s) in neanderthals, early homo sapiens, and contemporary modern humans. we applied a virtual method to analy ...201021337711
are homo sapiens nonsupranuchal fossa and neanderthal suprainiac fossa convergent traits?the autapomorphic status of the neanderthal suprainiac fossa was recently confirmed. this was a result of a detailed analysis of the internal bone composition in the area of the suprainiac depression on neanderthal and homo sapiens specimens. however, while anatomical differences between neanderthal suprainiac fossa and the depression in the inion region of the occipital bone of fossil and recent homo sapiens have been discussed in detail, the etiology of these structures has not been resolved. ...201021404232
middle pleistocene dental remains from qesem cave (israel).this study presents a description and comparative analysis of middle pleistocene permanent and deciduous teeth from the site of qesem cave (israel). all of the human fossils are assigned to the acheulo-yabrudian cultural complex (aycc) of the late lower paleolithic. the middle pleistocene age of the qesem teeth (400-200 ka) places them chronologically earlier than the bulk of fossil hominin specimens previously known from southwest asia. three permanent mandibular teeth (c(1) -p(4) ) were found ...201021404234
why do humans have chins? testing the mechanical significance of modern human symphyseal morphology with finite element analysis.the modern human mandibular symphysis differs from those of all other primates in being vertically orientated and possessing a chin, but the functional significance of this unique morphology is not well understood. some hypotheses propose that it is an adaptation to specific loads occurring during masticatory function. this study uses finite element analysis to examine these symphyseal loads in a model of a modern human mandible. by modifying the symphyseal cross-sectional form, the mechanical s ...201021404235
comparative morphology and morphometric assessment of the neandertal occipital remains from the el sidrón site (asturias, spain: years 2000-2008).this paper analyses the occipital remains recovered from the el sidrón (asturias, spain) neandertal site between the years of 2000-2008. the sample is represented by three specimens, sd-1219, sd-1149, and sd-370a. descriptive morphology, linear measurements, 3d geometric morphometrics, and virtual anthropological methods were employed to address the morphological, morphometric, and phylogenetic affinities of these fossils. the fossils display neandertal autapomorphies (e.g., bilaterally protrudi ...201019836056
alternatives to the wright-fisher model: the robustness of mitochondrial eve dating.methods of calculating the distributions of the time to coalescence depend on the underlying model of population demography. in particular, the models assuming deterministic evolution of population size may not be applicable to populations evolving stochastically. therefore the study of coalescence models involving stochastic demography is important for applications. one interesting approach which includes stochasticity is the o'connell limit theory of genealogy in branching processes. our paper ...201020600209
our inner neandertal. 201020583654
stratigraphic context and direct dating of the neandertal mandible from cova del gegant (sitges, barcelona).stratigraphic study of the cova del gegant's sedimentary fill revealed different cycles of accumulation of typical interior cave and delta facies. a precise chronology for these deposits, the faunal remains and stone tools contained therein was obtained by radiocarbon, u-th and osl. our results indicate that the upper pleistocene archaeological sequence dates between 49.3 +/- 1.8 ka bp, the u-th age of the overlying flowstone, and 60.0 +/- 3.9 ka bp, the osl age of the basal deposits. we have al ...201020570316
did neandertals think like us? 201020521483
a new model for calculating the lumbar lordosis angle in early hominids and in the spine of the neanderthal from kebara.the debate over the posture of early hominids is longstanding, perhaps because the absence of a reliable method for reconstructing the lumbar lordosis angle (la) in early hominid spines has made it difficult to determine whether their posture resembled or differed from that of modern humans. we have developed a new model for predicting the lordotic curvature of the lumbar spine of early hominids based on the relationship between the lordotic curvature and the orientation of the articular process ...201020340096
pego do diabo (loures, portugal): dating the emergence of anatomical modernity in westernmost eurasia.neandertals and the middle paleolithic persisted in the iberian peninsula south of the ebro drainage system for several millennia beyond their assimilation/replacement elsewhere in europe. as only modern humans are associated with the later stages of the aurignacian, the duration of this persistence pattern can be assessed via the dating of diagnostic occurrences of such stages.201020111705
the middle-to-upper palaeolithic transition in cova gran (catalunya, spain) and the extinction of neanderthals in the iberian peninsula.the excavations carried out in cova gran de santa linya (southeastern prepyrenees, catalunya, spain) have unearthed a new archaeological sequence attributable to the middle palaeoloithic/upper palaeolithic (mp/up) transition. this article presents data on the stratigraphy, archaeology, and (14)c ams dates of three early upper palaeolithic and four late middle palaeolithic levels excavated in cova gran. all these archaeological levels fall within the 34-32 ka time span, the temporal frame in whic ...201020097404
morphology and function of the lumbar spine of the kebara 2 neandertal.the morphology of the lumbar spine is crucial for upright posture and bipedal walking in hominids. the excellent preservation of the lumbar spine of kebara 2 provides us a rare opportunity to observe a complete spine and explore its functionally relevant morphology. the lumbar spine of kebara 2 is analyzed and compared with the lumbar spines of modern humans and late pleistocene hominids. although no size differences between the vertebral bodies and pedicles of kebara 2 and modern humans are fou ...201020091808
archaeology. neandertal jewelry shows their symbolic smarts. 201020075218
population genomics of secondary contact.one common form of reticulate evolution arises as a consequence of secondary contact between previously allopatric populations. using extensive coalescent simulations, we describe the conditions for, and extent of, the introgression of genetic material into the genome of a colonizing population from an endemic population. the simulated coalescent histories are sampled from models that describe the evolution of entire chromosomes, thereby allowing the expected length of introgressed haplotypes to ...201024710014
krapina neanderthal museum as a well of medical information.the new krapina neanderthal museum consists of two sections: a section reconstructing the life of the krapina neanderthal and a section bringing the latest knowledge about the evolution of life on earth. it is a well of scientific information, a teaching tool, and the world's largest find of neanderthal fossil remains. this article briefly reports a tour visit of members of the croatian scientific society for the history of health culture to the museum, describes the facets of the exhibition, an ...201021682056
removal of deaminated cytosines and detection of in vivo methylation in ancient dna.dna sequences determined from ancient organisms have high error rates, primarily due to uracil bases created by cytosine deamination. we use synthetic oligonucleotides, as well as dna extracted from mammoth and neandertal remains, to show that treatment with uracil-dna-glycosylase and endonuclease viii removes uracil residues from ancient dna and repairs most of the resulting abasic sites, leaving undamaged parts of the dna fragments intact. neandertal dna sequences determined with this protocol ...201020028723
neandertal mandibles from the sima de las palomas del cabezo gordo, murcia, southeastern spain.the middle paleolithic levels of the sima de las palomas have yielded eight partial mandibles (palomas 1, 6, 7, 23, 49, 59, 80, and 88). palomas 7, 49, 80, and 88 are immature, and palomas 49, 59, 80, and 88 are among the latest neandertals (approximately 40,000 cal bp). palomas 1 is geologically older (approximately 50,000-60,000 cal bp), and the other three were found ex situ. the mandibles exhibit a suite of characteristics that align them with the neandertals among later pleistocene humans, ...201020014182
genetic history of an archaic hominin group from denisova cave in siberia.using dna extracted from a finger bone found in denisova cave in southern siberia, we have sequenced the genome of an archaic hominin to about 1.9-fold coverage. this individual is from a group that shares a common origin with neanderthals. this population was not involved in the putative gene flow from neanderthals into eurasians; however, the data suggest that it contributed 4-6% of its genetic material to the genomes of present-day melanesians. we designate this hominin population 'denisovans ...201021179161
out with a bang. volcanic eruptions may have wiped out the neandertals. 201021141354
neanderthal symbolism and ornament manufacture: the bursting of a bubble? 201021078972
paleoanthropology. neandertal brain growth shows a head start for moderns. 201021071640
brain development after birth differs between neanderthals and modern humans. 201021056830
revisiting the question of neandertal regional variability: a view from the rhône valley corridor.we compared the dental assemblage of the rhône valley corridor (rvc) with that of european neandertals dating to mois 7-4 using two linear measurements and three indices. to test if the rvc population was significantly different from western european neandertals, we preformed a multi-tiered approached. first, we tested for the normality of the variables using a shapiro-wilks test. if the variables were normal, a stepwise discriminant function analysis (dfa) (using mahalanobis distances) was perf ...201020977063
archaeology. reanalysis of french cave could deal setback to neandertal smarts. 201020966227
the costal skeleton of homo antecessor: preliminary results.the lower pleistocene td6 level at the gran dolina site in the sierra de atapuerca (burgos, spain) has yielded nine ribs that represent a minimum of three individuals of the species, homo antecessor. we present a detailed morphological and metric study of these costal elements, including the siding and anatomical position of all of the rib remains. the adult or nearly adult ribs are also metrically compared with other fossil hominins and with modern comparative samples. the costal elements recov ...201020965547
the spy vi child: a newly discovered neandertal infant.spy cave (jemeppe-sur-sambre, belgium) is reputed for the two adult neandertal individuals discovered in situ in 1886. recent reassessment of the spy collections has allowed direct radiocarbon dating of these individuals. the sorting of all of the faunal collections has also led to the discovery of the remains of a neandertal child, spy vi. this individual is represented by two mandibular corpus fragments. the left fragment is the most complete and both sides preserve the mental foramen. four de ...201020934740
brief communication: identification reassessment of the isolated tooth krapina d58 through occlusal fingerprint analysis.high variability in the dentition of homo can create uncertainties in the correct identification of isolated teeth. for instance, standard tooth identification criteria cannot determine with absolute certainty if an isolated tooth is a second or third maxillary molar. in this contribution, using occlusal fingerprint analysis, we reassess the identification of krapina d58 (homo neanderthalensis), which is catalogued as a third maxillary molar. we have hypothesized that the presence/absence of the ...201020853483
our neandertal brethren. 201020684369
the sima de los huesos crania (sierra de atapuerca, spain). a comparative study.the sima de los huesos (sierra de atapuerca) cranial remains found up to and including the 1995 field season are described and compared with other fossils in order to assess their evolutionary relationships. the phenetic affinities of the sima de los huesos crania and a large sample of homo fossils are investigated through principal component analyses. metrical comparisons of the sima de los huesos and other european and african middle pleistocene fossils with neandertals are performed using z-s ...20109300343
neandertal cold adaptation: physiological and energetic factors.european neandertals employed a complex set of physiological cold defenses, homologous to those seen in contemporary humans and nonhuman primates. while neandertal morphological patterns, such as foreshortened extremities and low relative surface-area, may have explained some of the variance in cold resistance, it is suggested the adaptive package was strongly dependent on a rich array of physiological defenses. a summary of the environmental cold conditions in which the neandertals lived is pre ...201012203812
brief communication: subvertical grooves on interproximal wear facets from the el sidrón (asturias, spain) neandertal dental sample.the distribution of subvertical grooves on interproximal wear dental facets from the el sidrón (asturias, spain) neandertals is described and analyzed. out of 93 teeth, 64.5% present subvertical grooves, including a high frequency (50%) on the anterior dentition. contrary to some studies, subvertical grooves from adjacent facets perfectly overlap each other and do not interdigitate, probably forming small channels. both the facet and the groove surface share the same polished appearance, suggest ...201120623604
genetic evidence for patrilocal mating behavior among neandertal groups.the remains of 12 neandertal individuals have been found at the el sidrón site (asturias, spain), consisting of six adults, three adolescents, two juveniles, and one infant. archaeological, paleontological, and geological evidence indicates that these individuals represent all or part of a contemporaneous social group of neandertals, who died at around the same time and later were buried together as a result of a collapse of an underground karst. we sequenced phylogenetically informative positio ...201121173265
palaeoenvironment and palaeoclimate of the mousterian-aurignacian transition in northern iberia: the small-vertebrate assemblage from cueva del conde (santo adriano, asturias).the transition from the middle palaeolithic (mousterian) to the upper palaeolithic (aurignacian) has been one of the prominent themes in the archaeology of the european palaeolithic for more than 20 years. one of the most controversial questions concerning this period is the extinction of the neanderthals and their replacement by modern humans. in this context, cueva del conde, located in the northern part of the iberian peninsula, is an archaeo-palaeontological site that records the mousterian ...201121481919
inconclusive evidence for patrilocality in neandertals. 201121478435
neandertal postcranial remains from the sima de las palomas del cabezo gordo, murcia, southeastern spain.the sima de las palomas, southeastern spain, has yielded a series of neandertal postcranial remains, including immature and mature isolated elements and the fragmentary partial skeleton of a young adult (palomas 92). the remains largely conform to the general late archaic/neandertal morphological pattern in terms of humeral diaphyseal shape, pectoralis major tuberosity size and pillar thickness, ulnar coronoid process height, manual middle phalangeal epiphyseal breadth, manual distal phalangeal ...201121404228
testing for ancient admixture between closely related populations.one enduring question in evolutionary biology is the extent of archaic admixture in the genomes of present-day populations. in this paper, we present a test for ancient admixture that exploits the asymmetry in the frequencies of the two nonconcordant gene trees in a three-population tree. this test was first applied to detect interbreeding between neandertals and modern humans. we derive the analytic expectation of a test statistic, called the d statistic, which is sensitive to asymmetry under a ...201121325092
bone remodelling in neanderthal mandibles from the el sidrón site (asturias, spain).skull morphology results from the bone remodelling mechanism that underlies the specific bone growth dynamics. histological study of the bone surface from neanderthal mandible specimens of el sidrón (spain) provides information about the distribution of the remodelling fields (bone remodelling patterns or brp) indicative of the bone growth directions. in comparison with other primate species, brp shows that neanderthal mandibles from the el sidrón (spain) sample present a specific brp. the inter ...201121307043
new evidence of dental pathology in 40,000-year-old neandertals. 201121191125
virtual neanderthals.our closest hominid relatives may have died out 30,000 years before the arrival of the computer, but thanks to modern genomics and scanning technology, they are now very present in the 21st century and can even help us understand our own species.201122187730
a geometric morphometric analysis of hominin upper premolars. shape variation and morphological integration.this paper continues the series of articles initiated in 2006 that analyse hominin dental crown morphology by means of geometric morphometric techniques. the detailed study of both upper premolar occlusal morphologies in a comprehensive sample of hominin fossils, including those coming from the gran dolina-td6 and sima de los huesos sites from atapuerca, spain, complement previous works on lower first and second premolars and upper first molars. a morphological gradient consisting of the change ...201122047673
neanderthals versus modern humans: evidence for resource competition from isotopic modelling.during later mois3, in europe two populations were present, autochthonous neanderthals and modern humans. ecological competition between these two populations has often been evoked but never demonstrated. our aim is to establish whether resource competition occurred. in this paper, in order to examine the possibility of ecological competition between these two populations, 599 isotopic data were subjected to rigorous statistical treatment and analysis through mixing models. the aim of this paper ...201121941674
earliest known use of marine resources by neanderthals.numerous studies along the northern mediterranean borderland have documented the use of shellfish by neanderthals but none of these finds are prior to marine isotopic stage 3 (mis 3). in this paper we present evidence that gathering and consumption of mollusks can now be traced back to the lowest level of the archaeological sequence at bajondillo cave (málaga, spain), dated during the mis 6. the paper describes the taxonomical and taphonomical features of the mollusk assemblages from this level ...201121935371
climatic adaptation and neandertal facial evolution: a comment on rae et al. (2011). 201121920585
neanderthal use of fish, mammals, birds, starchy plants and wood 125-250,000 years ago.neanderthals are most often portrayed as big game hunters who derived the vast majority of their diet from large terrestrial herbivores while birds, fish and plants are seen as relatively unimportant or beyond the capabilities of neanderthals. although evidence for exploitation of other resources (small mammals, birds, fish, shellfish, and plants) has been found at certain neanderthal sites, these are typically dismissed as unusual exceptions. the general view suggests that neanderthal diet may ...201121887315
the reality of neandertal symbolic behavior at the grotte du renne, arcy-sur-cure, france.the question of whether symbolically mediated behavior is exclusive to modern humans or shared with anatomically archaic populations such as the neandertals is hotly debated. at the grotte du renne, arcy-sur-cure, france, the châtelperronian levels contain neandertal remains and large numbers of personal ornaments, decorated bone tools and colorants, but it has been suggested that this association reflects intrusion of the symbolic artifacts from the overlying protoaurignacian and/or of the nean ...201121738702
ecogeographic variation in neandertal dietary habits: evidence from occlusal molar microwear texture analysis.in the late middle and early late pleistocene, neandertals inhabited a wide variety of ecological zones across western eurasia during both glacial and interglacial times. to elucidate the still poorly understood effects of climatic change on neandertal subsistence patterns, this study employs dental microwear texture analysis to reconstruct the diets of neandertal individuals from various sites across their wide temporal and geographic ranges. the results of this study reveal environmentally-dri ...201121719068
the implications of the working memory model for the evolution of modern cognition.what distinguishes the cognition of biologically modern humans from that of more archaic populations such as neandertals? the norm in paleoanthropology has been to emphasize the role of language and symbolism. but the modern mind is more than just an archaic mind enhanced by symbol use. it also possesses an important problem solving and planning component. in cognitive neuroscience these advanced planning abilities have been extensively investigated through a formal model known as working memory ...201121716664
paleoneurology of two new neandertal occipitals from el sidrón (asturias, spain) in the context of homo endocranial evolution.the endocranial surface description and comparative analyses of two new neandertal occipital fragments (labelled sd-1149 and sd-370a) from the el sidrón site (asturias, spain) reveal new aspects of neandertal brain morphological asymmetries. the dural sinus drainage pattern, as observed on the sagittal-transverse system, as well as the cerebral occipito-petalias, point out a slightly differential configuration of the neandertal brain when compared to other homo species, especially h. sapiens. th ...201121714107
the roc de marsal neandertal child: a reassessment of its status as a deliberate burial.whether neandertals buried their dead has considerable bearing on the debate concerning the nature of their cultural behavior. among the claims for intentional neandertal burial in europe, the child from roc de marsal has long been one of the less contentious examples because its articulated skeleton was found in what has become widely accepted as an intentionally excavated pit. however, what is known about the context of the roc de marsal remains from the original descriptions, coupled with new ...201121664649
morphology, body proportions, and postcranial hypertrophy of a female neandertal from the sima de las palomas, southeastern spain.considerations of neandertal geographical variation have been hampered by the dearth of remains from mediterranean europe and the absence there of sufficiently complete associated postcrania. the 2006 and 2007 excavation of an articulated partial skeleton of a small adult female neandertal at the sima de las palomas, murcia, southeastern spain (sima de las palomas 96) provides substantial and secure information on body proportions among southern european neandertals, as well as further documenti ...201121646528
late mousterian persistence near the arctic circle.palaeolithic sites in russian high latitudes have been considered as upper palaeolithic and thus representing an arctic expansion of modern humans. here we show that at byzovaya, in the western foothills of the polar urals, the technological structure of the lithic assemblage makes it directly comparable with mousterian middle palaeolithic industries that so far have been exclusively attributed to the neandertal populations in europe. radiocarbon and optical-stimulated luminescence dates on bone ...201121566192
archaeology. did neandertals linger in russia's far north? 201121566168
a new brain endocast of homo erectus from hulu cave, nanjing, china.a new brain endocast of homo erectus from hulu cave, tangshan, nanjing is described and compared with a broad sample of endocasts of h. erectus, neanderthals, and recent modern humans. the nanjing 1 endocast is reconstructed based on two portions of endocranial casts taken from the original fossil fragments. the fossil was discovered in 1993, near nanjing, south china and is dated to ∼ 0.58-0.62 ma. the cranial capacity is ∼ 876 cc, as determined by endocast water displacement. there are some co ...201121541930
diffusion coefficient of modern humans outcompeting neanderthals.a nonlinear mathematical model is used to describe neanderthals extinction about 35,000 years before present. using archaeological data, radiocarbon re-calibrate speed among others, we show that the diffusion coefficient describing modern humans spread corresponds to 1596 km(2)/yr. the model is well established since all archaeological parameters, including neanderthal-modern interaction coefficient, become estimated.201121540038
possible paleohydrologic and paleoclimatic effects on hominin migration and occupation of the levantine middle paleolithic.this paper explores the impact of major glacial/interglacial paleohydrologic variations in the middle-paleolithic levant on hominin migration and occupation. the climatic reconstruction is based primarily on the most straight-forward paleohydrologic records recently published. these terrestrial proxies convey direct paleoenvironmental signals of effective precipitation and aquifer recharge. the two main proxies are temporal changes of terminal lake levels in the dead sea basin and periods of dep ...201120541789
femoral curvature in neanderthals and modern humans: a 3d geometric morphometric analysis.since their discovery, neanderthals have been described as having a marked degree of anteroposterior curvature of the femoral shaft. although initially believed to be pathological, subsequent discoveries of neanderthal remains lead femoral curvature to be considered as a derived neanderthal feature. a recent study on neanderthals and middle and early upper palaeolithic modern humans found no differences in femoral curvature, but did not consider size-corrected curvature. therefore, the objective ...201121411122
molar macrowear reveals neanderthal eco-geographic dietary variation.neanderthal diets are reported to be based mainly on the consumption of large and medium sized herbivores, while the exploitation of other food types including plants has also been demonstrated. though some studies conclude that early homo sapiens were active hunters, the analyses of faunal assemblages, stone tool technologies and stable isotopic studies indicate that they exploited broader dietary resources than neanderthals. whereas previous studies assume taxon-specific dietary specialization ...201121445243
drafting human ancestry: what does the neanderthal genome tell us about hominid evolution? commentary on green et al. (2010).ten years after the first draft versions of the human genome were announced, technical progress in both dna sequencing and ancient dna analyses has allowed a research team around ed green and svante pääbo to complete this task from infinitely more difficult hominid samples: a few pieces of bone originating from our closest, albeit extinct, relatives, the neanderthals. pulling the neanderthal sequences out of a sea of contaminating environmental dna impregnating the bones and at the same time avo ...201121453001
do modern humans and neandertals have different patterns of cranial integration?studies of cranial differences between modern humans and neandertals have identified several characteristics for which the two groups differ in their mean values, the proportional relationships with other traits, or both. however, the limited number of fairly complete neandertals has hindered investigations into patterns of integration - covariance and correlation among traits - in this fossil group. here, we use multiple approaches specifically designed to deal with fragmentary fossils to test ...201121463884
lower limb entheseal morphology in the neandertal krapina population (croatia, 130 000 bp).although the neandertal locomotor system has been shown to differ from homo sapiens, characteristics of neandertal entheses, the skeletal attachments for muscles, tendons, ligaments and joint capsules, have never been specifically investigated. here, we analyse lower limb entheses of the krapina neandertal bones (croatia, 130 000 bp) with the aim of determining how they compare with modern humans, using a standard developed by our research group for describing modern human entheseal variability. ...201121481920
strontium isotope evidence for migration in late pleistocene rangifer: implications for neanderthal hunting strategies at the middle palaeolithic site of jonzac, france.in order to understand the behaviours and subsistence choices of palaeolithic hunter-gatherers, it is essential to understand the behavioural ecology of their prey. here, we present strontium isotope data from sequentially-sampled enamel from three reindeer (rangifer tarandus ssp.) and a single bison (bison cf. priscus) from the late middle palaeolithic site of jonzac (chez-pinaud), france. the results are used to investigate the ranging and migratory behaviours of these important prey species. ...201121497882
more than 500,000 years of right-handedness in europe.considerable research supports the high frequency of right-handedness in living homo sapiens, with worldwide rates of approximately nine right- for every one left-hander. right-handedness appears to be a uniquely human trait, as no other primate species, no matter how proficient in tool use, shows frequencies even close to the strong right bias typical of humans (cashmore, uomini, & chapelain, 2008; mcgrew & marchant 1997; steele & uomini, 2009). here we review our research on human fossils from ...201121500084
a human mandible (bh-1) from the pleistocene deposits of mala balanica cave (sićevo gorge, niš, serbia).neandertals and their immediate predecessors are commonly considered to be the only humans inhabiting europe in the middle and early late pleistocene. most middle pleistocene western european specimens show evidence of a developing neandertal morphology, supporting the notion that these traits evolved at the extreme west of the continent due, at least partially, to the isolation produced by glacial events. the recent discovery of a mandible, bh-1, from mala balanica (serbia), with primitive char ...201121507461
the stem species of our species: a place for the archaic human cranium from ceprano, italy.one of the present challenges in the study of human evolution is to recognize the hominin taxon that was ancestral to homo sapiens. some researchers regard h. heidelbergensis as the stem species involved in the evolutionary divergence leading to the emergence of h. sapiens in africa, and to the evolution of the neandertals in europe. nevertheless, the diagnosis and hypodigm of h. heidelbergensis still remain to be clarified. here we evaluate the morphology of the incomplete cranium (calvarium) k ...201121533096
the postcranial dimensions of the la chapelle-aux-saints 1 neandertal.the la chapelle-aux-saints 1 neandertal has figured prominently in considerations of neandertal body size and proportions. in this context, a reassessment of its major long bones and a reassembly of its principal pelvic elements (sacrum and right ilium) was undertaken. there are secure measurements for its humeral and radial lengths and its femoral head diameter, but the femoral and tibial lengths were almost certainly greater than previous values. the resultant humeral, femoral and tibial lengt ...201121541931
revised age of late neanderthal occupation and the end of the middle paleolithic in the northern caucasus.advances in direct radiocarbon dating of neanderthal and anatomically modern human (amh) fossils and the development of archaeostratigraphic chronologies now allow refined regional models for neanderthal-amh coexistence. in addition, they allow us to explore the issue of late neanderthal survival in regions of western eurasia located within early routes of amh expansion such as the caucasus. here we report the direct radiocarbon ((14)c) dating of a late neanderthal specimen from a late middle pa ...201121555570
beyond the caveman: rethinking masculinity in relation to men's help-seeking.statistically, men make less use of health-care services than women. this has been interpreted as the result of the 'hegemonic' masculine code in which 'real' men are understood to be physically fit, uninterested in their health and self-reliant. however, less attention has been paid to understanding how hegemonic masculinity intersects with the wider western socio-cultural contexts of men's help-seeking, particularly the valorization of health as a form of social achievement. this article prese ...201121602248
comparison of dental measurement systems for taxonomic assignment of neanderthal and modern human lower second deciduous molars.traditional morphometric approaches for taxonomic assignment of neanderthal and modern human dental remains are mainly characterized by caliper measurements of tooth crowns. several studies have recently described differences in dental tissue proportions and enamel thickness between neanderthal and modern human teeth. at least for the lower second deciduous molar (dm(2)), a three-dimensional lateral relative enamel thickness index has been proposed for separating the two taxa. this index has the ...201121624638
cross-comparison of the genome sequences from human, chimpanzee, neanderthal and a denisovan hominin identifies novel potentially compensated mutations.the recent publication of the draft genome sequences of the neanderthal and a ~50,000-year-old archaic hominin from denisova cave in southern siberia has ushered in a new age in molecular archaeology. we previously cross-compared the human, chimpanzee and neanderthal genome sequences with respect to a set of disease-causing/disease-associated missense and regulatory mutations (human gene mutation database) and succeeded in identifying genetic variants which, although apparently pathogenic in hum ...201121807602
on characterizing adaptive events unique to modern humans.ever since the first draft of the human genome was completed in 2001 there has been increased interest in identifying genetic changes that are uniquely human, which could account for our distinct morphological and cognitive capabilities with respect to other apes. recently, draft sequences of two extinct hominin genomes, a neanderthal and denisovan, have been released. these two genomes provide a much greater resolution to identify human-specific genetic differences than the chimpanzee, our clos ...201121803765
tenfold population increase in western europe at the neandertal-to-modern human transition.european neandertals were replaced by modern human populations from africa ~40,000 years ago. archaeological evidence from the best-documented region of europe shows that during this replacement human populations increased by one order of magnitude, suggesting that numerical supremacy alone may have been a critical factor in facilitating this replacement.201121798948
homo neanderthalensis; first documented benign intraosseous tumor in maxillofacial skeleton.this report deals with the first benign intraosseous tumor of the maxillofacial skeleton ever documented in a species of the homo genus, to our knowledge. the lower jaw, which belonged to a representative of homo neanderthalensis, indicated that expansive processes with bone remodeling were already present in ancient times, showing no difference with similar disease patterns found daily in modern homo sapiens.201121798647
ancient origin of a deletion in human bst2/tetherin that confers protection against viral zoonoses.bst2/tetherin is an antiviral factor that blocks the release of enveloped virions from infected cells. recent data suggest that efficient bst2 antagonism was a prerequisite for the global spread of hiv/aids. most simian immunodeficiency viruses (sivs), including the direct precursors of hiv, use their nef protein to antagonize bst2 of their respective host species. human bst2, however, contains a five amino acid deletion in its cytoplasmic domain that confers resistance to nef. thus, this antivi ...201121796732
the neanderthal lower arm.neanderthal forearms have been described as being very powerful. different individual features in the lower arm bones have been described to distinguish neanderthals from modern humans. in this study, the overall morphology of the radius and ulna is considered, and morphological differences among neanderthals, upper paleolithic homo sapiens and recent h. sapiens are described. comparisons among populations were made using a combination of 3d geometric morphometrics and standard multivariate meth ...201121762953
a reassessment of the neanderthal teeth from taddeo cave (southern italy).the middle paleolithic fossil human teeth from taddeo cave in southwestern italy were discovered in 1967, but to date only scanty and partially incorrect information has been published about them. the teeth were recovered in a reddish sandy layer from the cave's floor, which is attributed either to an early phase of w++rm i (ois 5c or 5d) or a transition phase between w++rm i and w++rm ii (ois 5a). in this paper, we present a revised morphological description and morphometric comparisons of the ...201121683429
The effects of distal limb segment shortening on locomotor efficiency in sloped terrain: implications for Neandertal locomotor behavior.Past studies of human locomotor efficiency focused on movement over flat surfaces and concluded that Neandertals were less efficient than modern humans due to a truncated limb morphology, which may have developed to aid thermoregulation in cold climates. However, it is not clear whether this potential locomotor disadvantage would also exist in nonflat terrain. This issue takes on added importance since Neandertals likely spent a significant proportion of their locomotor schedule on sloped, mount ...201122102995
Fragmentation of contaminant and endogenous DNA in ancient samples determined by shotgun sequencing; prospects for human palaeogenomics.BACKGROUND: Despite the successful retrieval of genomes from past remains, the prospects for human palaeogenomics remain unclear because of the difficulty of distinguishing contaminant from endogenous DNA sequences. Previous sequence data generated on high-throughput sequencing platforms indicate that fragmentation of ancient DNA sequences is a characteristic trait primarily arising due to depurination processes that create abasic sites leading to DNA breaks. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPALS FINDINGS: To ...201121904610
The earliest evidence for anatomically modern humans in northwestern Europe.The earliest anatomically modern humans in Europe are thought to have appeared around 43,000-42,000 calendar years before present (43-42 kyr cal BP), by association with Aurignacian sites and lithic assemblages assumed to have been made by modern humans rather than by Neanderthals. However, the actual physical evidence for modern humans is extremely rare, and direct dates reach no farther back than about 41-39 kyr cal BP, leaving a gap. Here we show, using stratigraphic, chronological and archae ...201122048314
Early dispersal of modern humans in Europe and implications for Neanderthal behaviour.The appearance of anatomically modern humans in Europe and the nature of the transition from the Middle to Upper Palaeolithic are matters of intense debate. Most researchers accept that before the arrival of anatomically modern humans, Neanderthals had adopted several 'transitional' technocomplexes. Two of these, the Uluzzian of southern Europe and the Châtelperronian of western Europe, are key to current interpretations regarding the timing of arrival of anatomically modern humans in the region ...201122048311
A comprehensive morphometric analysis of the frontal and zygomatic bone of the Zuttiyeh fossil from Israel.The Zuttiyeh hominin craniofacial fossil was discovered in Israel in 1925. Radiometric dates and the archaeological context (Acheulo-Yabrudian) bracket the associated cave layers to between 200 and 500 ka (thousands of years ago), making it one of the earliest cranial fossils discovered in the Near East thus far. Its geographic position, at the corridor between Africa and Eurasia, in combination with its probable Middle Pleistocene date make it a crucial specimen for interpreting later human evo ...201122176924
no evidence of neandertal admixture in the mitochondrial genomes of early european modern humans and contemporary europeans.neandertals, the archaic human form documented in eurasia until 29,000 years ago, share no mitochondrial haplotype with modern europeans. whether this means that the two groups were reproductively isolated is controversial, and indeed nuclear data have been interpreted as suggesting that they admixed. we explored the range of demographic parameters that may have generated the observed mitochondrial diversity, simulating 3.0 million genealogies under six models differing as for the relationships ...201121913172
genomic evidence for an african expansion of anatomically modern humans by a southern route.there is general agreement among scientists about a recent (less than 200,000 yrs ago) african origin of anatomically modern humans, whereas there is still uncertainty about whether, and to what extent, they admixed with archaic populations, which thus may have contributed to the modern populations' gene pools. data on cranial morphology have been interpreted as suggesting that, before the main expansion from africa through the near east, anatomically modern humans may also have taken a southern ...201121846205
DARC alleles and Duffy phenotypes in African Americans.BACKGROUND: The DARC (Duffy blood group, chemokine receptor) gene encodes for a transmembrane glycoprotein that functions as a chemokine transporter, is a receptor for Plasmodium vivax and P. knowlesi, and expresses the Duffy blood group antigens (Fy). The Fy(a-b-) phenotype found in people of African descent is typically associated with a -67t>c mutation in the 5'-untranslated region (UTR), which prevents red blood cells being invaded by P. vivax and P. knowlesi. The aim of this study was to es ...201122082243
MicroRNA expression and regulation in human, chimpanzee, and macaque brains.Among other factors, changes in gene expression on the human evolutionary lineage have been suggested to play an important role in the establishment of human-specific phenotypes. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying these expression changes are largely unknown. Here, we have explored the role of microRNA (miRNA) in the regulation of gene expression divergence among adult humans, chimpanzees, and rhesus macaques, in two brain regions: prefrontal cortex and cerebellum. Using a combination ...201122022286
Strong reproductive isolation between humans and Neanderthals inferred from observed patterns of introgression.Recent studies have revealed that 2-3% of the genome of non-Africans might come from Neanderthals, suggesting a more complex scenario of modern human evolution than previously anticipated. In this paper, we use a model of admixture during a spatial expansion to study the hybridization of Neanderthals with modern humans during their spread out of Africa. We find that observed low levels of Neanderthal ancestry in Eurasians are compatible with a very low rate of interbreeding (<2%), potentially at ...201121911389
The Vindija Neanderthal scapular glenoid fossa: Comparative shape analysis suggests evo-devo changes among Neanderthals.Although the shape of the scapular glenoid fossa (SGF) may be influenced by epigenetic and developmental factors, there appears to be strong genetic control over its overall form, such that variation within and between hominin taxa in SGF shape may contain information about their evolutionary histories. Here we present the results of a geometric morphometric study of the SGF of the Neanderthal Vi-209 from Vindjia Cave (Croatia), relative to samples of Plio-Pleistocene, later Pleistocene, and rec ...201122197062
evolution, revolution or saltation scenario for the emergence of modern cultures?crucial questions in the debate on the origin of quintessential human behaviours are whether modern cognition and associated innovations are unique to our species and whether they emerged abruptly, gradually or as the result of a discontinuous process. three scenarios have been proposed to account for the origin of cultural modernity. the first argues that modern cognition is unique to our species and the consequence of a genetic mutation that took place approximately 50 ka in africa among alrea ...201121357228
late neandertals and the intentional removal of feathers as evidenced from bird bone taphonomy at fumane cave 44 ky b.p., italy.a large and varied avifaunal bone assemblage from the final mousterian levels of grotta di fumane, northern italy, reveals unusual human modifications on species that are not clearly relatable to feeding or utilitarian uses (i.e., lammergeier, eurasian black vulture, golden eagle, red-footed falcon, common wood pigeon, and alpine chough). cut, peeling, and scrape marks, as well as diagnostic fractures and a breakthrough, are observed exclusively on wings, indicating the intentional removal of la ...201121368129
on the earliest evidence for habitual use of fire in europe.the timing of the human control of fire is a hotly debated issue, with claims for regular fire use by early hominins in africa at ~ 1.6 million y ago. these claims are not uncontested, but most archaeologists would agree that the colonization of areas outside africa, especially of regions such as europe where temperatures at time dropped below freezing, was indeed tied to the use of fire. our review of the european evidence suggests that early hominins moved into northern latitudes without the h ...201121402905
the shaping of modern human immune systems by multiregional admixture with archaic humans.whole genome comparisons identified introgression from archaic to modern humans. our analysis of highly polymorphic human leukocyte antigen (hla) class i, vital immune system components subject to strong balancing selection, shows how modern humans acquired the hla-b*73 allele in west asia through admixture with archaic humans called denisovans, a likely sister group to the neandertals. virtual genotyping of denisovan and neandertal genomes identified archaic hla haplotypes carrying functionally ...201121868630
paleogenomics of archaic hominins.in order to understand the genetic basis for the evolutionary success of modern humans, it is necessary to compare their genetic makeup to that of closely related species. unfortunately, our closest living relatives, the chimpanzees, are evolutionarily quite distant. with the advent of ancient dna study and more recently paleogenomics - the study of the genomes of ancient organisms - it has become possible to compare human genomes to those of much more closely related groups. our closest known r ...201122192823
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