3D Insights into the Effects of Captivity on Wolf Mastication and Their Tooth Marks; Implications in Ecological Studies of Both the Past and Present

Human populations have been known to develop complex relationships with large carnivore species throughout time, with evidence of both competition and collaboration to obtain resources throughout the Pleistocene. From this perspective, many archaeological and palaeontological sites present evidence of carnivore modifications to bone. In response to this, specialists in the study of microscopic bone surface modifications have resorted to the use of 3D modeling and data science techniques for the inspection of these elements, reaching novel limits for the discerning of carnivore agencies. The present research analyzes the tooth mark variability produced by multiple Iberian wolf individuals, with the aim of studying how captivity may affect the nature of tooth marks left on bone. In addition to this, four different populations of both wild and captive Iberian wolves are also compared for a more in-depth comparison of intra-species variability. This research statistically shows that large canid tooth pits are the least affected by captivity, while tooth scores appear more superficial when produced by captive wolves. The superficial nature of captive wolf tooth scores is additionally seen to correlate with other metric features, thus influencing overall mark morphologies. In light of this, the present study opens a new dialogue on the reasons behind this, advising caution when using tooth scores for carnivore identification and contemplating how elements such as stress may be affecting the wolves under study.

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A 3D taphonomic model of long bone modification by lions in medium-sized ungulate carcasses

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-84246-1 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Manuel Domínguez-Rodrigo ◽

Agness Gidna ◽

Enrique Baquedano ◽

Lucía Cobo-Sánchez ◽

Rocio Mora ◽

...

Keyword(s):

National Park ◽

Proximal Tibia ◽

Three Dimensional ◽

Surface Modifications ◽

Long Bone ◽

Appendicular Skeleton ◽

The Past ◽

Bone Modification ◽

Taphonomic Analysis ◽

Tooth Marks

AbstractHere, we present the first three-dimensional taphonomic analysis of a carnivore-modified assemblage at the anatomical scale of the appendicular skeleton. A sample of ten carcasses composed of two taxa (zebra and wildebeest) consumed by wild lions in the Tarangire National Park (Tanzania) has been used to determine element-specific lion damage patterns. This study presents a novel software for the 3D spatial documentation of bone surface modifications at the anatomical level. Combined with spatial statistics, the present analysis has been able to conclude that despite variable degrees of competition during carcass consumption, lions generate bilateral patterning consisting of substantial damage of proximal ends of stylopodials and zeugopodials, moderate damage of the distal ends of femora and marginal damage of distal ends of humeri and zeugopodials. Of special interest is, specifically, the patterning of tooth marks on shafts according to element, since these are crucial to determine not only the type of carnivore involved in any given bone assemblage, but also the interaction with other agents (namely, hominins, in the past). Lions leave few tooth marks on mid-shaft sections, mostly concentrated on certain sections and orientations of stylopodials and, to a lesser extent, of the proximal tibia. Redundant occurrence of tooth marks on certain bone sections renders them as crucial to attest lion agency in carcass initial consumption. Indirectly, this can also be used to determine whether hominins ever acquired carcasses at lion kills.

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Measuring the Selective Utilization of Animal Species by Prehistoric Human Populations

American Antiquity ◽

10.2307/279197 ◽

1979 ◽

Vol 44 (1) ◽

pp. 155-160 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Bruce D. Smith

Keyword(s):

Animal Species ◽

Human Populations ◽

Relative Importance ◽

The Past

To determine the pattern of selective utilization of animal species by prehistoric human populations, it is first necessary to quantify the relative importance of species of animals in the diet of prehistoric human groups through analysis of archaeologically recovered faunal samples. These values are then compared with estimates of the relative availability of different species of animals in the environment. Such estimates of the relative availability of animal species in prehistoric habitat situations, usually quantified in terms of biomass, are obtained by projecting data from modern analog situations into the past. When attempting to reconstruct prehistoric biotic communities in this manner, it is important to be aware of a number of possible sources of bias and to evaluate and apply modern wildlife data according to a set of interrelated principles. Sources of bias and criteria for selecting modern wildlife analog data are discussed.

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Against generalisation: Data-driven decisions need context to be human-compatible

Business Information Review ◽

10.1177/02663821211061986 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 026638212110619

Author(s):

Sharon Richardson

Keyword(s):

Artificial Intelligence ◽

Real World ◽

Data Science ◽

Machine Learning Algorithms ◽

Data Driven ◽

Theoretical Frameworks ◽

The Past ◽

Real World Applications ◽

Contextual Framework ◽

Data Driven Decisions

During the past two decades, there have been a number of breakthroughs in the fields of data science and artificial intelligence, made possible by advanced machine learning algorithms trained through access to massive volumes of data. However, their adoption and use in real-world applications remains a challenge. This paper posits that a key limitation in making AI applicable has been a failure to modernise the theoretical frameworks needed to evaluate and adopt outcomes. Such a need was anticipated with the arrival of the digital computer in the 1950s but has remained unrealised. This paper reviews how the field of data science emerged and led to rapid breakthroughs in algorithms underpinning research into artificial intelligence. It then discusses the contextual framework now needed to advance the use of AI in real-world decisions that impact human lives and livelihoods.

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Using reliable predator identification to investigate feeding habits of Neotropical carnivores (Mammalia, Carnivora) in a deforestation frontier of the Brazilian Amazon

Mammalia ◽

10.1515/mammalia-2018-0106 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 83 (5) ◽

pp. 415-427 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Flávia P. Tirelli ◽

Thales R.O. de Freitas ◽

Fernanda Michalski ◽

Alexandre R. Percequillo ◽

Eduardo Eizirik

Keyword(s):

Feeding Habits ◽

Brazilian Amazon ◽

Ecological Studies ◽

Accurate Identification ◽

Predator Species ◽

Non Invasive ◽

Carnivore Species ◽

Faecal Samples ◽

Critical Requirement ◽

Better Than

Abstract Accurate identification of predator species is a critical requirement to investigate their diet using faecal samples. We used non-invasive sampling and two methods of predator identification to investigate the diets of sympatric carnivores in a highly deforested region of the Brazilian Amazon. Of 108 scats, 81 could be identified at the species level using DNA sequencing and/or trichology. The former performed better than the latter (81.5% vs. 54.3% of the identified samples), and results were quite congruent (89.7% concordance in the 29 samples that could be assessed with both approaches). Nine species were identified, out of which four (crab-eating fox, ocelot, puma and jaguar) presented a sufficient number of samples to allow dietary analyses. The crab-eating fox was the most generalist (BA=0.92); ocelots focused on small- to medium-sized prey; pumas fed mostly on medium-sized items; and jaguars mostly targeted large-sized prey. A considerable overlap was observed between ocelots and pumas in all estimations (O=0.47–0.83). The presence of jaguars in the same region could be driving pumas to select medium- and small-sized prey. The results of this study highlight the importance of reliable predator identification and the need for in-depth ecological studies in areas where carnivore species are sympatric.

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Genetic and linguistic histories in Central Asia inferred using approximate Bayesian computations

Proceedings of The Royal Society B Biological Sciences ◽

10.1098/rspb.2017.0706 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 284 (1861) ◽

pp. 20170706 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Valentin Thouzeau ◽

Philippe Mennecier ◽

Paul Verdu ◽

Frédéric Austerlitz

Keyword(s):

Central Asia ◽

Linguistic Diversity ◽

Past History ◽

Genetic Data ◽

Human Populations ◽

Language Diversity ◽

Methodological Framework ◽

The Past ◽

Approximate Bayesian ◽

Future Work

Linguistic and genetic data have been widely compared, but the histories underlying these descriptions are rarely jointly inferred. We developed a unique methodological framework for analysing jointly language diversity and genetic polymorphism data, to infer the past history of separation, exchange and admixture events among human populations. This method relies on approximate Bayesian computations that enable the identification of the most probable historical scenario underlying each type of data, and to infer the parameters of these scenarios. For this purpose, we developed a new computer program PopLingSim that simulates the evolution of linguistic diversity, which we coupled with an existing coalescent-based genetic simulation program, to simulate both linguistic and genetic data within a set of populations. Applying this new program to a wide linguistic and genetic dataset of Central Asia, we found several differences between linguistic and genetic histories. In particular, we showed how genetic and linguistic exchanges differed in the past in this area: some cultural exchanges were maintained without genetic exchanges. The methodological framework and the linguistic simulation tool developed here can be used in future work for disentangling complex linguistic and genetic evolutions underlying human biological and cultural histories.

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Project Based Learning (PBL) as a Promising Challenge of Teaching Mathematics

Studia Edukacyjne ◽

10.14746/se.2016.40.20 ◽

1970 ◽

pp. 379-409

Author(s):

Miri Hilai

Keyword(s):

Cognitive Abilities ◽

Self Regulation ◽

Project Based Learning ◽

Teaching Mathematics ◽

Mathematical Skills ◽

The Past ◽

Innovative Learning ◽

Different Populations ◽

Individualized Teaching ◽

Teaching Learning

Mathematics has always presented a challenge, both for teachers and for pupils, all around the world. Teachers of mathematics of all time periods are interested in having their pupils master the mathematical skills and love math. They deliberate on ways of teaching-learning, because of the tremendous gaps in their pupils’ cognitive abilities and their non-uniform abilities to pay attention and to concentrate. It appears that the main solution in the frontal mathematics lessons is offered to the average pupils, but the main goal is to provide a solution for the entire classroom population. Over the years I have searched for different ways beyond frontal and individualized teaching, so that I could provide a solution for populations with different needs in the mathematics lessons. My search for alternative ways derived also from the need to promote the achievements and to boost the motivation, interest, curiosity, and enjoyment in the learning of mathematics. Contemporary research indicates that there is practical innovative learning which is active and involving; it is called project-based learning (PBL). PBL provides a solution for the improvement of the performances in mathematics, for the motivation of the pupils, and for the inspiration of interest and curiosity in and enjoyment from this field of knowledge. From my experience as a teacher in the past and from the reports of my students in the Gordon Academic College for Education in the PBL course, in such teaching a solution is provided for the different populations in the class. The pupils are engaged in learning in practical and realistic projects that are relevant to their lives. They are more active and autonomous, work cooperatively, and develop patterns of behaviour of independence in learning, self-orientation, and self-regulation. These skills and patterns of behaviour are important to their lives as adults and cultivate the six functions of the learner that are derived from the curriculum in Israel: sensory-motor, self-direction in learning and in its management, intrapersonal and interpersonal, cognitive and meta-cognitive.

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Codiversification of gut microbiota with humans

10.1101/2021.10.12.462973 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Taichi A. Suzuki ◽

Liam Fitzstevens ◽

Victor T. Schmidt ◽

Hagay Enav ◽

Kelsey Huus ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Gut Microbiota ◽

Vertical Transmission ◽

Evolutionary History ◽

Human Populations ◽

African Origin ◽

Strain Transfer ◽

Close Proximity ◽

Different Populations ◽

Specific Health

Some gut microbes have cospeciated with hominids, but whether they further codiversified with human populations is unclear. Here, we identify predominant gut microbial species sharing a parallel evolutionary history with human populations. Patterns of strain transfer between populations are generally consistent with an African origin, and suggest long-term vertical transmission over thousands of generations. We show the same strains also faithfully transmit between mothers and their children. Consistent with the development of intimate symbiosis, species with strongest patterns of codiversification have the smallest genomes. This study reveals long-term fidelity of gut microbiota with human populations through transmission among individuals living in close proximity. Dominance of specific strains in different populations is based in part on vertical transmission and they may provide population-specific health benefits.

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Serotonin Receptors – From Molecular Biology to Clinical Applications

Physiological Research ◽

10.33549/physiolres.931903 ◽

2011 ◽

pp. 15-25 ◽

Cited By ~ 128

Author(s):

M. PYTLIAK ◽

V. VARGOVÁ ◽

V. MECHÍROVÁ ◽

M. FELŠÖCI

Keyword(s):

Pulmonary Hypertension ◽

Serotonin Receptors ◽

Clinical Applications ◽

Panic Disorders ◽

The Past ◽

Complex Processes ◽

Selective Agents ◽

Different Populations ◽

Irritable Bowel

Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine) is an ubiquitary monoamine acting as one of the neurotransmitters at synapses of nerve cells. Serotonin acts through several receptor types and subtypes. The profusion of 5-HT receptors should eventually allow a better understanding of the different and complex processes in which serotonin is involved. Its role is expected in the etiology of several diseases, including depression, schizophrenia, anxiety and panic disorders, migraine, hypertension, pulmonary hypertension, eating disorders, vomiting and irritable bowel syndromes. In the past 20 years, seven distinct families of 5-HT receptors have been identified and various subpopulations have been described for several of them. Increasing number of 5-HT receptors has made it difficult to unravel the role of 5-HT receptor subpopulations due to the lack of suitable selective agents. The present review describes the different populations and nomenclature of recently discovered 5-HT receptors and their pharmacological relevance.

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Different historical generation intervals in human populations inferred from Neanderthal fragment lengths and patterns of mutation accumulation

10.1101/2021.02.25.432907 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Moisès Coll Macià ◽

Laurits Skov ◽

Benjamin Marco Peter ◽

Mikkel Heide Schierup

Keyword(s):

Fragment Length ◽

Human Populations ◽

Female Age ◽

Generation Interval ◽

The Past ◽

Geographical Regions ◽

Neanderthal Admixture ◽

Rate Of Decay ◽

Out Of Africa ◽

Insight Into

AbstractAfter the main out-of-Africa event, humans interbred with Neanderthals leaving 1-2% of Neanderthal DNA scattered in small fragments in all non-African genomes today1,2. Here we investigate the size distribution of these fragments in non-African genomes3. We find consistent differences in fragment length distributions across Eurasia with 11% longer fragments in East Asians than in West Eurasians. By comparing extant populations and ancient samples, we show that these differences are due to a different rate of decay in length by recombination since the Neanderthal admixture. In line with this, we observe a strong correlation between the average fragment length and the accumulation of derived mutations, similar to what is expected by changing the ages at reproduction as estimated from trio studies4. Altogether, our results suggest consistent differences in the generation interval across Eurasia, by up to 20% (e.g. 25 versus 30 years), over the past 40,000 years. We use sex-specific accumulations of derived alleles to infer how these changes in generation intervals between geographical regions could have been mainly driven by shifts in either male or female age of reproduction, or both. We also find that previously reported variation in the mutational spectrum5 may be largely explained by changes to the generation interval and not by changes to the underlying mutational mechanism. We conclude that Neanderthal fragment lengths provide unique insight into differences of a key demographic parameter among human populations over the recent history.

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Ecology of the Anthropocene signals hope for consciously managing the planetary ecosystem

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences ◽

10.1073/pnas.2024150118 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 118 (28) ◽

pp. e2024150118

Author(s):

Clarence Lehman ◽

Shelby Loberg ◽

Michael Wilson ◽

Eville Gorham

Keyword(s):

Population Growth ◽

Cultural Evolution ◽

Human Population ◽

Human Populations ◽

Present Moment ◽

Minimal Set ◽

The Past ◽

Food Species ◽

Large Predators ◽

Population Numbers

Human populations have grown to such an extent that our species has become a dominant force on the planet, prompting geologists to begin applying the term Anthropocene to recognize the present moment. Many approaches seek to explain the past and future of human population growth, in the form of narratives and models. Some of the most influential models have parameters that cannot be precisely known but are estimated by expert opinion. Here we apply a unified model of ecology to provide a macroscale summary of the net effects of many microscale processes, using a minimal set of parameters that can be known. Our models match estimates of historic and prehistoric global human population numbers and provide predictions that correspond to some of the more complicated current models. In addition to fitting the data well they reveal that, amidst enormous complexity in our human and prehuman past, three key ecological discontinuities have occurred in turn: 1) becoming dominant competitors of large predators rather than their prey, 2) becoming mutualists with food species rather than acting as predators upon them, and 3) changing from a regime of uncontrolled population growth to one of controlled fertility instead. All three processes have been interlinked with cultural evolution and all three ushered in developments of the Anthropocene. Understanding the trajectories that have delivered us to this stage can help guide prudent paths into the future.

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