消息和动态

1976年(或1977年)笔者之一牛树森在县外贸部门准备上交到洛阳地区医药收购站的龙骨堆中挑选出两枚人类牙齿化石和四块人类头骨碎片化石,产地可能是县城以南营子公社刘家岭一带。 两枚牙齿是左上第一前臼齿和右上第一(或第二)臼齿。牙齿呈白色,接近牙冠基部微带黄色,已石化,齿根均不完全。经初步观察,在任何牙上均无齿带,牙冠基部周围不隆凸,牙齿较小不粗壮,冠面沟纹比较简单,这样一些进步的特征都是智人化石所具有的。     

广西扶绥南山洞新发现的人类化石和蒙古野驴化石——末次冰期华南气候变化的哺乳动物化石新证据

广西扶绥县南山洞发现人类化石及哺乳动物化石。人类化石包括2枚智人牙齿化石,分别是左下第三臼齿和右下第二臼齿,其形态特征与广西其他山洞发现的智人化石相似,归入晚期智人。哺乳动物化石多为华南大熊猫———剑齿象动物群成员,时代属更新世晚期。该地点新发现的蒙古野驴化石属华南晚更新世动物群的首次发现。南山洞所有化石发现于洞内浅褐色砂质粘土中,堆积物第二层钙板层的铀系年龄为30—40ka。蒙古野驴的出现暗示中国南方大陆可能在末次冰期出现过干冷的气候环境。     

贵州毕节发现古人类化石与哺乳动物群

2008年12月在贵州毕节团结乡首次发现麻窝口洞化石点,经2009年、2012年和2013年3次发掘,在麻窝口洞上部砂质黏土地层中共发现了四千余件哺乳动物牙齿化石。2013年7月发现的3枚古人类牙齿,分别为左上犬齿、左上第一臼齿和右上第二臼齿。人类牙齿尺寸偏小,臼齿咬合面沟纹简单,没有复杂的咬合面皱纹和附尖齿带结构,牙根短而不显粗壮,上述特点有别于我国已经发现的直立人和早期智人,可归入解剖学上的现代人。与人类相伴的哺乳动物化石,经初步鉴定共计8目20科43属53种,动物群组合反映出亚热带森林生态环境。根据动物群的时代特点,地貌地层及堆积物的光释光年代测定,指示毕节麻窝口洞古人类的时代可能为中更新世晚期,或者晚更新世早期,毕节古人类牙齿的发现为东亚地区现代人的起源及演化增添了新的证据。     

金牛山人化石牙齿初步研究

金牛山古智人化石有近完整之上颌牙列。对这些牙齿观察测量比较表明,金牛山人上中间齿显著增大,上第三臼齿退化缩小,其余牙齿大小在我国早期智人和直立人分布范围之下限,Ｈｅ面形态简单,齿带较弱。金牛山人前牙磨耗重于后芽,表现与“前牙人具机能假说”大致相符,而从生理角度讲,前牙排列位置及倾斜角度与此也可能有一定关系。金牛山人上中门齿及第二前臼齿可能患有轻度的番质发育不全症。     

中国早期智人牙齿化石

中国目前较为可靠的早期智人牙齿材料应包括在巢县、许家窑、长阳、周口店新洞和桐梓发现的人类牙齿化石,代表一类与早期组早期智人相当或十分相近的古人类。丁村人类牙齿化石可能是代表晚期组早期智人也可能是代表解剖学上的现代智人。就牙齿材料而言,尚无充分的证据能表明在中国曾同时存在过两种类型的早期智人。     

江苏丹徒莲花洞动物群

1981年3月和5月中至6月初,先后从丹徒县西南白龙岗山的莲花洞中采集到一颗智人牙齿及15种哺乳动物化石。人类牙齿为—M_2,可能属于一青少年个体;哺乳动物组合性质表明莲花洞堆积物的时代为晚更新世,早于溧水神仙洞,晚于江苏句容洞穴堆积物的时代。     

贵州兴义猫猫洞更新世晚期人类牙齿釉质崩裂痕迹

作为一种特殊形式的牙齿磨耗与使用痕迹,牙齿崩裂与古人类及古代人群食物质地、获取与制作食物方式、某些行为活动、生活习俗密切相关。然而,迄今对人类牙齿崩裂的关注程度及开展的研究还不多,尤其缺乏更新世晚期人类牙齿崩裂出现率和表现特点方面的数据。本文对发现于贵州兴义猫猫洞的更新世晚期人类牙齿釉质崩裂痕迹大小、出现率、表现特点进行了观测分析。研究发现,附连在3件猫猫洞人类下颌骨上的牙齿具有明显的釉质崩裂现象,出现率与生活环境恶劣的狩猎-采集人群接近。值得注意的是猫猫洞人类牙齿釉质崩裂出现在几乎所有臼齿的咬合面边缘。作者认为出现在猫猫洞人类臼齿的釉质崩裂是由于强力咀嚼和研磨坚硬食物所致,推测当时人类的食物粗糙,坚硬,富含颗粒(如坚果、种子等)。在猫猫洞下颌骨上观察到的波及几乎全部牙齿的牙周病也为猫猫洞人类严酷生活环境和粗糙食物的推测提供了一定程度的支持。此外,几乎所有具有釉质崩裂的臼齿都呈现大小不等的多发性的釉质崩裂痕迹的表现特点提示猫猫洞人类长时间大量食用这种粗糙、坚硬食物。     

牙齿生长线——解人类演化及生活历史的新方法

绝大多数哺乳动物的牙齿分为门齿、犬齿、前臼齿和臼齿。从外部观察,牙体由牙冠、牙根及牙颈三部分组成,从牙体的纵剖面可见牙体由牙釉质、牙本质、牙髓和牙根组成。在牙齿表面和内部保留着周期性的发育记录称为牙齿生长线,代表牙齿硬组织分泌的时间间隔,     

贵州桐梓新发现的人类化石

本文主要描述1983年在贵州桐梓县岩灰洞新发现的四枚人类牙齿化石,并对1972年在该洞发现的两枚人类牙齿一并作进一步的讨论。经研究表明,它们的形态特征与北京猿人非常相似,而与早期智人有着明显的差异。因此,我们认为桐梓人类化石似应属直立人(Homoerectus),而不是以前认为的早期智人(early Homo sapiens)。该遗址的地质时代为更新世中期。     

人类牙齿齿冠和齿根分离两种技术方法对牙釉质厚度测量的影响

在基于计算机断层扫描技术（CT）和虚拟图像处理技术的灵长类牙齿测量学研究中,经常需要分离三维虚拟模型的齿冠和齿根,再进行后续测量工作,如计算机辅助的生物力学分析、釉质厚度测量等。而分离齿冠和齿根这一步骤,目前有多种方法,如,1)根据齿颈线切分齿冠,或2)人工建立基底平面切分齿冠。为了评估这两种不同的处理方式对后续的牙齿测量学上的影响,本文使用三维方法测量了82例化石和现代人类下颌后部牙齿的釉质厚度,包括南方古猿、早期人属、尼安德特人和现代人。使用配对t检验对比发现,两种方法得到的釉质厚度数值上没有显著差别,但随后进行的种间比较发现,使用基底平面切分齿冠的方法比较费时,更依赖于测量者的人工操作,并且可能弱化了物种间前臼齿绝对釉质厚度的差异,造成系统误差。其原因是对于前臼齿和前部牙齿等齿颈线形状不规则的标本,基底平面难以建立或误差较大。在未来对釉质厚度的种间差异的研究中,特别对齿颈线形状不规则的标本（如人类前部牙齿及猩猩、黑猩猩的牙齿等）,本文推荐使用齿颈线分离齿冠和齿根,测量和计算齿颈线之上的釉质厚度。釉质厚度有一定的分类学、功能形态学和系统发育学意义。本文积累了一批可供未来对比研究的原始数据,并且发现尼安德特人前臼齿的相对釉质厚度显著小于现代人,这与前人利用臼齿、犬齿所做的对比研究结果相同,支持了尼安德特人拥有较薄的相对釉质厚度这一观点。     

A unique form of dental bilophodonty and a functional interpretation of peculiarities in the masticatory system of Arsinoitherium (mammalia,Embrithopoda)

The highly autapomorphic upper molar bilophodonty of the Oligocene mammal, Arsinoitherium (Embrithopoda) is an extreme form of dilambdodonty effected by lingual positioning of normally buccally situated cusps with reduction of lingual cusps. This effectively limits the molar dentition to a single phase shearing occlusal motion. Molar and premolar morphology is very different, premolars exhibiting high longitudinal ectolophs and typical two phase occlusal morphology. A double faceted mandibular condyle and angular discontinuity between lower molar and premolar dentitions is interpreted as a means of separating premolar from molar occlusion. A bifunctional masticatory system is proposed whereby efficient premolar occlusion is achieved only after a repositioning of the temporomandibular joint. Loss of phase II occlusion in the molars is compensated by maintenance of a crushing/grinding mode in the premolars. This coupled with the ability to maintain high occlusal pressures along the length of the mandible explains the unbroken dental arcade. Arsinoitheres therefore possess an extremely specialised masticatory apparatus and are interpreted as highly selective browsing herbivores.     

Factors influencing the anterior component of occlusal force

We hypothesized that the anterior component of occlusal force (ACF) generated by mandibular molars was a function of molar inclination, height of the transverse condylar axis above the occlusal plane, steepness of the occlusal plane, gape, molar root dimensions, interproximal tooth contact force when not biting, and bite force. Our research aim was to identify those biomechanical factors which determine ACF. Mandibular second molars were axially loaded with a 90 N force (10 mm second molar gape) in 15 subjects, and the resulting ACF was measured at the mandibular first molar-second premolar contact using a recording technique based on interproximal frictional forces. Morphologic measurements were obtained from lateral cephalometric radiographs of each subject and included: Frankfort mandibular plane angle, occlusal plane angle, angles formed by the longitudinal axis of the second molar and the occlusal and mandibular planes, perpendicular distance from the top of the condyle to the occlusal plane, and second molar root width and root length. For ten subjects, ACF resulting from axial loads of 50, 100, 150, and 200 N was measured. For ten subjects, ACF resulting from an axial load of 50 N and second molar gapes of 10 mm, 14 mm, 18 mm, and 22 mm were measured. ACF increased with increasing gape and increased proportionally to increasing bite force. Correlation and stepwise regression analyses revealed that ACF varies with interproximal tooth contact force when not biting (contact ‘tightness’) and molar root width (model R² = 0.71, p < 0.01). The hypothesis that ACF is a function of bite force, gape, molar root width, and interproximal contact tightness has been supported, and the hypothesis that ACF is a function of molar inclination, occlusal plane steepness, condylar axis height, and root length was rejected.     

A comparison of the position of the mental foramen in Chinese and British mandibles

The antero-posterior position of the mental foramen was studied in 68 Chinese and 44 British skulls of known or calculated age at death. All skulls showed low pre-mortem tooth loss and had a good occlusion. The position of the foramen was related to the body of the mandible as well as to the standing mandibular teeth using two previously published methods. There was no significant difference in the size of the Chinese and British mandibles. There was a significant difference between the two groups when measurements relating the foramen to the body of the mandible (symphysis menti) were considered, the foraminal position being more distal in the Chinese group. The modal position of the foramen in the Chinese sample was along the long axis of the second premolar, whereas in the British sample it lay between the apices of the first and second premolar. The foraminal position apparently moved distally in both groups with age and this was likely to be associated with mesial tooth drift and age-related attrition.     

Serial homology of the mandible and maxilla in the jumping bristletail Pedetontus unimaculatus Machida, based on external embryology (Hexapoda: Archaeognatha, Machilidae)

The development of the mandible and maxilla is examined with the scanning electron microscope in the Archaeognatha. Serial homology is discussed to elucidate the general construction of the hexapod mandible. The part comparable to the maxillary palp does not develop in the mandible. Thus, the mandible is coxopodal in origin, and not telognathic but coxognathic. The mandible proper is subdivided into two in late embryonic development, and the smaller proximal and larger distal parts are homologized with the maxillary cardo and stipes, respectively, being subcoxal and coxal in nature. The partition into the "mandibular cardo" in which the mandibular monocondyle is formed and the "mandibular stipes" is recognized as a cuticular ridge or the "mandibular basal ridge" in the postembryonic stages including the imaginal. The molar and incisor are comparable in position and homologized with the maxillary lacinia and galea, respectively. The lacinia and galea could be morphologically interpreted as being the endites of the maxillary coxae I and II, respectively, and the molar and incisor might represent the mandibular coxae I and II as their constituents or endites.     

巫山龙骨坡似人下颌属于猿类

本文将巫山似人下颌及其牙齿与东非早更新世人属 ,Dmanisi直立人以及元谋的禄丰古猿等做了比较。结果发现巫山标本的尺寸比前二者都小得多 ,而与后者很相符。巫山标本被有些人作为归属人属根据的那些特征大多是人和猿共具者 ,其中前臼齿齿根分叉则是在人类罕见 ,却是禄丰古猿的特征之一 ,前臼齿前接触面位置和跟座比例则反映猿类特征。最接近巫山下颌者是禄丰古猿 ,其间有否祖裔关系尚待更多标本来论证。     

Individual tooth macrowear pattern guides the reconstruction of Sts 52 (Australopithecus africanus) dental arches

The functional restoration of the occlusal relationship between maxillary and mandibular tooth rows is a major challenge in modern dentistry and maxillofacial surgery. Similar technical challenges are present in paleoanthropology when considering fragmented and deformed mandibular and maxillary fossils. Sts 52, an Australopithecus africanus specimen from Sterkfontein Member 4, represents a typical case where the original shape of the dental arches is no longer preserved. It includes a partial lower face (Sts 52a) and a fragmented mandible (Sts 52b), both incomplete and damaged to such an extent to thwart attempts at matching upper and lower dentitions. We show how the preserved macrowear pattern of the tooth crowns can be used to functionally reconstruct Sts 52's dental arches. High‐resolutiondental stone casts of Sts 52 maxillary and mandibular dentition were mounted and repositioned in a dental articulator. The occlusal relationship between antagonists was restored based on the analysis of the occlusal wear pattern of each preserved tooth, considering all dental contact movements represented in the occlusal compass. The reconstructed dental arches were three‐dimensional surface scanned and their occlusal kinematics tested in a simulation. The outcome of this contribution is the first functional restoration of A. africanus dental arches providing new morphometric data for specimen Sts 52. It is noteworthy that the method described in this case study might be applied to several other fossilspecimens. Am J Phys Anthropol, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

同口牙齿的磨耗级比较

本文比较和分析了同口同侧牙齿的相应的磨耗级,提供了除臼齿以外的牙齿磨耗年龄变化依据。同时还对上下对应牙、两侧对称牙的磨耗级作了比较和分析。     

New fossils of Australopithecus anamensis from Kanapoi,West Turkana,Kenya (2003–2008)

Renewed fieldwork from 2003 through 2008 at the Australopithecus anamensis type-site of Kanapoi, Kenya, yielded nine new fossils attributable to this species. These fossils all date to between 4.195 and 4.108 million years ago. Most were recovered from the lower fluvial sequence at the site, with one from the lacustrine sequence deltaic sands that overlie the lower fluvial deposits but are still below the Kanapoi Tuff. The new specimens include a partial edentulous mandible, partial maxillary dentition, two partial mandibular dentitions, and five isolated teeth. The new Kanapoi hominin fossils increase the sample known from the earliest Australopithecus, and provide new insights into morphology within this taxon. They support the distinctiveness of the early A. anamensis fossils relative to earlier hominins and to the later Australopithecus afarensis. The new fossils do not appreciably extend the range of observed variation in A. anamensis from Kanapoi, with the exception of some slightly larger molars, and a canine tooth root that is the largest in the hominin fossil record. All of the Kanapoi hominins share a distinctive morphology of the canine–premolar complex, typical early hominin low canine crowns but with mesiodistally longer honing teeth than seen in A. afarensis, and large, probably dimorphic, canine tooth roots. The new Kanapoi specimens support the observation that canine crown height, morphology, root size and dimorphism were not altered from a primitive ape-like condition as part of a single event in human evolution, and that there may have been an adaptive difference in canine function between A. anamensis and A. afarensis.     

Effect of interrupted eruption on the enamel organ of the rat incisor

The aim of this study was to investigate the behavior of rat incisor tissues during the inhibition of tooth eruption. Twenty Sprague-Dawley rats were used in this study, and incisor eruption was inhibited by a screw pin. Animals were sacrificed 1, 3, 7 and 14 days after the start of the experiment. Cross-sections at the mesial point of the mandibular first molar and sagittal sections of the mandibular tooth germ area were examined using immunohistochemical and immunofluorescence methods. For morphometric analysis, numbers of TRAP-positive cells were calculated against the total number of cells. In cross-sections from the experimental group, dentin was thickened and pulp tissue was constricted day by day. On days 1, 3 and 7, nestin-positive cells were observed in all odontoblast cell bodies and processes, while on day 14 fewer nestin-positive cells were seen than in the control group. On day 14, the mesial area of the periodontal ligament was constricted and the number of TRAP-positive cells in the mesial area was significantly higher than in the control group. In sagittal sections, enamel formation was found to be increased on days 7 and 14. Furthermore, in the enamel matrix amelogenin was expressed more strongly than in the control group. PCNA-positive cells were significantly increased in cells of the tooth germ compared with the control group. These results suggest that inhibition of tooth eruption accelerates the apical elongation with resorption of the mesial area of the alveolar bone and stimulates cell proliferation with thickened enamel towards the apical end.     

Surgical correction of hemifacial microsomia in the growing child

This is a follow-up study of 20 children who had surgical correction of hemifacial microsomia in an effort to improve facial growth and minimize secondary distortion. In group 1 (skeletal types I and IIA), 10 children underwent elongation and lengthening of the mandible. In group 2 (skeletal types IIB and III), 10 children had total construction of a new temporomandibular joint and mandibular ramus with rib grafts and costochondral junction. In both groups, an open bite was created on the affected side to provide space for tooth eruption and downward growth of the middle face. The mean follow-up was 50.9 months (18 to 117 months) in group 1 and 45 months (18 to 50 months) in group 2. Analysis of our early results showed that all patients have had downward growth of the midface on the affected side. All five patients in group 1, followed to complete closure of the surgically created open bite, have maintained a level occlusal plane. In group 2, the one patient followed to completion of facial growth continues to have a level occlusal plane and facial symmetry. Appropriately timed mandibular construction and/or elongation in children with hemifacial microsomia is safe and effective. There is a decrease in secondary deformity on the affected side, and the eventual overall facial growth is optimized. Some group 2 children will need secondary elongation and augmentation of the mandible. Nevertheless, this study demonstrates that early mandibular correction may obviate the need for maxillary and orbital procedures in adulthood.