Morphological changes in the internal structure of the articular eminence of the temporal bone during growth from deciduous to early mixed dentition

Previously, bio-mechanical studies on the temporomandibular joint have concentrated mainly on the mandibular condyle while the articular eminence has been largely overlooked. Furthermore, research on the mechanical properties of bone using finite element analysis has focused on the cortical bone in preference to cancellous bone. In this study morphorogical changes in the internal structure of the articular eminence as related to child growth were examined using Micro-CT. Morphometric analysis of samples of cancellous bone representing both deciduous and early mixed dentitions showed an increase in the bone volume fraction and trabecular thickness in the early mixed dentition, and finite element analysis indicated directional transmission of stress as well. These results suggest that the morphology of the trabecular bone was altered to adapt to the functional growth progressed from the deciduous to the early mixed dentition.     

Diachronic variation in cranial thickness of Near Eastern populations

Cephalometric radiographs were taken of 111 skulls of skeletal remains of populations living in Israel and Jordan during the last 12,000 years. From these radiographs, skull length and height, and cranial thickness were measured. For each sex and period, high correlations were found between cranial thickness at vertex, bregma, and lambda. Cranial thickness at nasion was correlated with sinus width but not sinus height. All measurements were correlated with skull length but not skull breadth. Using multivariate analysis, no significant differences in cranial thickness were found between the sexes. Significant diachronic trends were found in lambda and sinus width, and they were independent of variation in skull length.     

Evolution of dentition in prehistoric Ohio Valley Native Americans III. Metrics of deciduous dentition

Deciduous tooth size in Native Americans of the Ohio Valley area is fairly stable from the terminal Late Archaic (3200 BP) through the Late Prehistoric (350 BP) periods. Some fluctuation in average size did occur during this time. These fluctuations most likely reflect random changes due to gene drift. However, no difference in the pattern of interactions among the sizes of teeth (covariance structures) can be demonstrated during this period. Principal components analysis of the buccolingual and mesiodistal dimensions in the total sample indicate that the major axis of deciduous tooth size in the Ohio Valley population shows an allometric relationship, with the dimensions of the anterior teeth increasing (or decreasing) as the 1.33 power of the dimension of m1(1) and as the 2.0 power of the dimension of m2(2). Comparison of the Ohio Valley samples with other samples from the Eastern Woodlands suggests that geography may have played a minor role in structuring deciduous tooth size variation. For the most part, however, widely separated Eastern Woodlands populations appear to have been evolving independently with respect to deciduous tooth size.     

Evolution of the dentition in prehistoric Ohio Valley Native Americans: II. morphology of the deciduous dentition

In order to evaluate the microevolutionary dynamics of morphological features of the deciduous dentition, I collected data on the variation of 57 features (33 crown and 24 root) from prehistoric Ohio Valley populations. I sampled a total of 370 individuals from 26 populations representing a lineage that inhabited the middle and upper Ohio valley region from approximately 3000 to 350 BP. Evolutionary changes in the frequencies of morphological features of the deciduous teeth in this lineage were limited. Over 80% of the features show no significant differences among the populations. The relatively few features that show consistent differences separate pre- and postmaize agricultural populations. I discuss explanations for this change in terms of selection differences or gene flow. The general pattern of morphological trait expression in the deciduous teeth of this Ohio Valley lineage corresponds to what has been termed the Mongoloid dental complex (sinodonty in the permanent teeth). I suggest additional features that, with further study, may be added to this morphological complex. Am J Phys Anthropol 106:189–205, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

The deciduous dentition and dental replacement in the Eocene bat Palaeochiropteryx tupaiodon from Messel: The primitive condition and beginning of specialization of milk teeth among Chiroptera

The deciduous dentition and tooth replacement pattern of Palaeochiropteryx tupaiodon from the early Middle Eocene of Messel, near Frankfurt, Germany, are described. Ontogenetic states include fetuses to subadults. The posterior portion of the deciduous dentition (dP3-4) still shows the primitive eutherian condition of molarization, while the anterior part (dI-dC) was already engaged in the evolution of the highly derived condition found in living bats for clinging to the mother's fur. A styliform and sharp anterior dentition is considered a prerequisite in earliest chiropteran evolution. The greatly modified milk teeth of all living bats developed in different clades by parallel evolution under high selective pressure. The tiny and, at initial stages, poorly calcified teeth are substantiated by a newly developed microradiographic technique which is described in detail.     

Sequence and age of eruption of deciduous dentition in the baboon (Papio sp)

A detailed eruption sequence and associated age of eruption for deciduous dentition in baboons (Papio sp) are presented in this paper. The sequence was determined by evaluation and comparison of the number and kinds of teeth present in nine age cohorts comprising the study sample of 88 males and 87 females who ranged in age from birth to 763 days. Eruption was assessed visually as present or absent. Several statistical methods used to derive the ages associated with the eruption sequence are described. The basic eruption sequence in the sample population is: i¹ i₁, i₂, i², \documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}$ \mathop {\rm c}\limits_{\rm -} {\rm,}\mathop {\rm c}\limits^{\rm -} $\end{document} m¹ (m², m₂), M₁, M¹. Both sexes show the same pattern, with the exception of the second deciduous molar, where males show a sequence of m₂, m₂, while females show the opposite. Posterior dentition shows the greatest gender-specific variation in average age of eruption.     

A descriptive and comparative study of the deciduous dentition of prehistoric Ohio Valley Amerindians

The deciduous dentition of 58 individuals from groups of prehistoric Ohio Valley Amerindians (2,000 B.C.-1,600 A.D.) was measured for antero-posterior and bucco-lingual dimensions and scored for morphological characteristics and macroscopic pathology. Only five dimensions of the posterior teeth and the frequency of severe linear enamel hypoplasia showed significant differences in the groups. In all cases focal agriculturalists exhibited smaller teeth and a higher frequency of severe linear enamel hypoplasia. These findings are explained as the result of changing diet and food preparation techniques, and/or sampling bias in the earlier burial cult groups where primarily higher status individuals may be the representatives. Comparison of metric and morphological characteristics of the deciduous dentition in the prehistoric Amerindians and roughly contemporaneous European groups indicates morphological characteristics are the better means of discrimination.     

Deciduous dentition eruption sequence of the laboratory-reared chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes)

Eruption sequence and age ranges for the maxillary and mandibular deciduous dentition were generated from serial dental study models from 28 laboratory-reared chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). These data can serve as additional normative, baseline information for the evaluation of fetal insults on neonatal growth and development in the laboratory-reared chimpanzee.     

Deciduous dentition and eruption pattern in late Miocene Pachyrukhinae (Hegetotheriidae,Notoungulata) from La Pampa Province,Argentina

The study of juvenile remains of Paedotherium Burmeister from Cerro Azul Formation (La Pampa Province, Argentina; late Miocene) is presented. Upper and lower deciduous dentition (or permanent molars supposed to be associated with non-preserved deciduous teeth) are recognised. Several ontogenetic stages are distinguished among juveniles, according to the degree of wear and the replaced deciduous teeth. Besides, some morphological and metrical differences are observed along the crown height. Deciduous cheek teeth are high-crowned and placed covering the apex of the corresponding permanent tooth. The height of the crown and the degree of wear allow establishing the pattern of dental replacement of deciduous and permanent premolars in a posterior–anterior direction (DP/dp4–2 and P/p4–2), as well as the eruption of M/m3 before DP/dp4 is replaced. Some of the studied remains are recognised as young individuals of Tremacyllus Ameghino, but with complete permanent dentition, which leads to propose a different timing in the dental replacement with respect to Paedotherium; they also allow the establishment of an opposite premolar eruption pattern, from P/p2 to P/p4. This knowledge of the deciduous dentition of Paedotherium suggests the need of revising the morphological and metrical characters previously used for defining species within this taxon.     

Origin and expansion of haplogroup H, the dominant human mitochondrial DNA lineage in West Eurasia: the Near Eastern and Caucasian perspective

More than a third of the European pool of human mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is fragmented into a number of subclades of haplogroup (hg) H, the most frequent hg throughout western Eurasia. Although there has been considerable recent progress in studying mitochondrial genome variation in Europe at the complete sequence resolution, little data of comparable resolution is so far available for regions like the Caucasus and the Near and Middle East-areas where most of European genetic lineages, including hg H, have likely emerged. This gap in our knowledge causes a serious hindrance for progress in understanding the demographic prehistory of Europe and western Eurasia in general. Here we describe the phylogeography of hg H in the populations of the Near East and the Caucasus. We have analyzed 545 samples of hg H at high resolution, including 15 novel complete mtDNA sequences. As in Europe, most of the present-day Near Eastern-Caucasus area variants of hg H started to expand after the last glacial maximum (LGM) and presumably before the Holocene. Yet importantly, several hg H subclades in Near East and Southern Caucasus region coalesce to the pre-LGM period. Furthermore, irrespective of their common origin, significant differences between the distribution of hg H sub-hgs in Europe and in the Near East and South Caucasus imply limited post-LGM maternal gene flow between these regions. In a contrast, the North Caucasus mitochondrial gene pool has received an influx of hg H variants, arriving from the Ponto-Caspian/East European area.     

Pigment dynamics and autumn leaf senescence in a New England deciduous forest,eastern USA

The leaves of woody plants at Harvard Forest in Central Massachusetts, USA, changed color during senescence; 70% (62/89) of the woody species examined anatomically contained anthocyanins during senescence. Anthocyanins were not present in summer green leaves, and appeared primarily in the vacuoles of palisade parenchyma cells. Yellow coloration was a result of the unmasking of xanthophyll pigments in senescing chloroplasts. In nine red-senescing species, anthocyanins were not detectable in mature leaves, and were synthesized de novo in senescence, with less than 20µg cm^–2 of chlorophyll remaining. Xanthophyll concentrations declined in relation to chlorophyll to the same extent in both yellow- and red-leaved taxa. Declines in the maximum photosystemII quantum yield of leaves collected prior to dawn were only slightly less in the red-senescing species, indicating no long-term protective activity. Red-leaved species had significantly greater mass/area and lower chlorophylla/b ratios during senescence. Nitrogen tissue concentrations in mature and senescent leaves negatively correlated to anthocyanin concentrations in senescent leaves, weak evidence for more efficient nitrogen resorption in anthocyanic species. Shading retarded both chlorophyll loss and anthocyanin production in Cornus alternifolia, Acer rubrum, Acer saccharum, Quercus rubra and Viburnum alnifolium. It promoted chlorophyll loss in yellow-senescing Fagus grandifolia. A reduced red:far-red ratio did not affect this process. Anthocyanins did not increase leaf temperatures in Q.rubra and Vaccinium corymbosum on cold and sunny days. The timing of leaf-fall was remarkably constant from year to year, and the order of senescence of individual species was consistent.     

Tissue contributions to sex and race: differences in tooth crown size of deciduous molars.

This study describes size of constituent deciduous tooth crown components (enamel, dentine, and pulp) to address the manner in which males characteristically have larger teeth than females, and the observation that teeth of American blacks are larger than those of American whites. Measurements were collected (n = 333 individuals) from bitewing radiographs using computer-aided image analysis. Tissue thicknesses (enamel, dentine, pulp) were measured at the crown's mesial and distal heights of contour. Deciduous mesiodistal molar crown length is composed of about 1/7 enamel, 1/3 dentine, and 1/2 pulp. Details differ by tooth type, but males typically have significantly larger dentine and pulp dimensions than females; there is no sexual dimorphism in marginal enamel thickness. Males scale isometrically with females for all variables tested here. Blacks significantly exceed whites in size of all tissues, but tissue types scale isometrically with blacks and whites with one exception: enamel thickness is disproportionately thick in blacks. While the absolute difference is small (5.56 mm of enamel in blacks summed over all four deciduous molar tooth types vs. 5.04 mm in whites), the statistical difference is considerable (P < 0.001). Aside from enamel, crown size in blacks is increased proportionately vis-à-vis whites. Principal components analysis confirmed these univariate relationships and emphasizes the statistical independence of crown component thicknesses, which is in keeping with the sequential growth and separate embryonic origins of the tissues contributing to a tooth crown. Results direct attention to the rates of enamel and dentine deposition (of which little is known), since the literature suggests that blacks (with larger crowns and thicker enamel) spend less time in tooth formation than whites.     

暖温带落叶阔叶林动态变化的模拟研究

用森林动态林窗模型 FORET1模拟了暖温带落叶阔叶林的长期变化特征。模型参数取自暖温带地区长期森林研究和经营的历史数据 ,对过去数据中缺少的参数进行了实地测定 ,并用观测的数据对模型作了检验。结果表明模型能较好地模拟暖温带落叶阔叶林的长期动态变化特征。通过模拟可以看出 ,森林的净初级生产力没有明显变化规律且极度不稳定 ,峰值出现在30 a左右 ,相似于世界上其它地区森林动态格局变化 ,生物量格局呈循环状态变化 ,循环周期大致在 110 a左右。     

Sexual dimorphism in the tooth-crown diameters of the deciduous teeth

Mesiodistal and buccolingual crown dimensions of the right deciduous teeth of 133 white children were analyzed for information on sexual dimorphism and sex discrimination using discriminant analysis. Even though consistent differences were found for only 15 out of 20 paired measurements, five of them significant at p = 0.05 or better, discriminant analysis showed the possibility of correctly sexing up to 75% of the juvenile sample, using a maximum of seven deciduous teeth.