Epigenetic Traits Research Articles

What can we make of these fragments? Excavation at ‘Mamilla’ Cave, Byzantine period, Jerusalem

This paper reports on the pathology and discrete traits of 1388 vertebrae uncovered from a mass burial site at ‘Mamilla’ cave, Jerusalem, dated to the Byzantine period. Observations of the vertebrae were aimed at reconstructing an anthropological profile of the population, by describing such factors as the frequency of pathology and discrete traits, and age at death of the population. The results show that most of the victims were relatively young, and that they differed significantly in their epigenetic traits from Jews and nomadic Arabs. The results reinforce earlier assumptions that the skeletal material excavated at Mamilla cave represents the Christian population of the city, massacred by the Persians in 614 ad. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Independent and epigenetic regulation of the interleukin-4 alleles in CD4+ T cells.

How an individual effector T cell acquires a particular cytokine expression pattern from many possible patterns remains unclear. CD4+ T cells from F1 mice, which allowed assignment of the parental origin of interleukin-4 (IL-4) transcripts, were divided into clones that expressed IL-4 biallelically or monoallelically from either allele. The allelic pattern was transmitted as a stable epigenetic trait. Regulation of cytokine expression by a mechanism that treats each allele independently suggests a probabilistic process by which a diverse repertoire of combinatorially assorted cytokine gene expression patterns could be generated among the clonally related daughters of a single precursor cell.

Auditory hyperostosis and the environment: an update

Auditory exostoses have been included in craniological investigations since the last century and recently comprised among epigenetic traits. There is general agreement on the importance of environmental and behavioural factors on the expression of these bony formations, in particular habitual diving and swimming in cold water. The present study contributes new data to our knowledge of the world frequency of this character. Cranial series from New Guinea and Melanesia (139 skulls), Australia (36) and, for the first time, South Africa (123, from Bushmen, Hottentots and other ethnic groups) were analysed. While the character is absent in the African series — possibly due to environmental factors — the frequency of exostoses varies from 4.0 to 4.7% in the other skull collections, mainly belonging to coastal populations. When the frequency distribution of this pathology is considered in a world context and subdivided according to frequency classes, a direct relation between occurrence and environmental factors is confirmed. Nevertheless, the widespread distribution of low frequencies (0.1–3.0%) cannot be solely attributed to the action of cold water, but appears to be the result of different kinds of stresses or ear pathologies.

Developmental stress and cranial hypostosis by epigenetic trait occurrence and distribution: an exploratory study on the Italian Neandertals

The occurrence and distribution of 35 cranial epigenetic traits in the Italian Neandertals (Saccopastore 1 and 2, Guattari 1) were examined according to morpho-functional cranial regions and with respect to a distinction between hypostosis (i.e., weak osseous development, arrested morphogenesis, retention of infantile features) and hyperostosis (i.e. excess of ossification, not reaching the pathological condition). The results, expressed ashypostotic scores, showed higher levels of hypostosis in these Neandertal specimens than in recent European samples. The highest expressions of hypostotis were observed in those regions of the Neandertal cranium where disequilibrium between skeletal and cerebral growth factors was expected. These results—interpreted as expression of developmental stress—are consistent with a heterochronic interpretation of the development of the Neandertal cranium; namely, a faster ossification of the cranial vault relative to brain growth rates.

Predictive value of a-AChR after thymectomy: J.B.M. Kuks and H.J.H.G. Oosterhuis. Department of Neurology. University Hospital. PO BOX 30.001, 9700 RB Groningen, The Netherlands

In spite of a recent preferential application of molecular genetic methods to kinship determination of anonymous human skeletal remains, the classical anthropological methods cannot be rejected as they are simple, quick and give access to a large part of a genome. This paper deals with the extent of morphological skeletal similarity in persons of known genealogical relationship. The skeletal remains of eight individuals from the family tomb of the Swéerts-Sporck's noble family in castle Kuks, East Bohemia, Czech Republic were analysed. Basic personal details, as well as data on their genealogical relationship, were available. Individuals were compared according to 173 anatomical variants – epigenetic traits, 90 of which were located on the skull and 83 on the postcranial skeleton. For each trait the percentile coincidence and/or difference were calculated. We observed the highest coincidence between the father and his son. These two individuals showed both closest correlation in the presence and the least difference in the occurrence of anatomical variants, as well as a high value of paternal probability. Clear kinship was also detected among cousins of the same or opposite sex. However, kinship between brother and sister was not so evident. The greatest difference was observed amongst biologically unrelated family members such as women who married into the family.The individuals under investigation showed a significantly higher occurrence of three among four traits of the sella turcica (ponticulus carotico-clinoideus, ponticulus interclinoideus, taenia interclinoidea; 99% confidence). A significantly higher occurrence of the ponticuli basales ossis sphenoidalis, palatine torus and the costal articular surface on the body of 7th cervical vertebrae was also found (95% confidence). Our results, therefore, suggest that these morphological variants might be considered as family-specific traits.

Ein zweiter trepanierter Schädel aus Schleswig-Holstein

In Schleswig-Holstein two trephined skulls are found, one belonging to a man deceased in the first half of adult age, who was buried in a stone grave of Middle Neolithic Age from Nebel on the isle of Amrum (published by Schaefer 1958, 1961). Another well preserved one, but without known site in Schleswig-Holstein, is the calvarium of a young adult presumably male showing a circular trephination without any tendency of healing. There is no symptom of a pathological change at the inner vault of the skull, but for the coronal suture gap . Striking are the grooves at both sides of the frontal bone which are quite unknown in this country. They are sulci arteriosi or nervi as is proved by Spanish skulls from Santa Cruz de Teneriffe and cases presented by Dixon (1904). EPIGENETIC TRAITS: 1. One sutural ossicle. 2. Incisura orbitalis r. 3. Threefold foramen supraorbitale 1. 4. Sulci arteriosi on the frontal bone. 5. Aplasia of left right molar (X-ray). PATHOLOGICAL CHANGES: 1. Hypoplasia of frontal sinuses. 2. Closing alveoli of first right molar. The case of a skull from Bremen (Domsdüne) demonstrates by the applied tool, that there are also trephinations in the Middle Neolithic Age.

Charakterystyka antropologiczna cmentarzyska ciałopalnego z miejscowości Schwiessel w Holsztynie

The work utilized the results of an analysis of burnt bones to discuss the existence of unisexual graveyards in northern Germany at the turn of the Bronze Age and Iron Age. Schwiessel is an example of a female graveyard. The author analysed also double graves from that particular graveyard. They were composed of remains of women and newborns. In order to prove the value of material from the Schwiessel graveyard for purposes other then the research on the burial ceremony, the author presented and discussed her observations concerning osteopathology, variability of epigenetic traits and the so-called Harris lines. From those observations one can draw many interesting conclusions on the biological state and ecology of prehistoric populations.

Shrews on small islands: epigenetic variation elucidates population stability

Three large (4 to 8 ha) and 14 small islands (0.3 to 2 ha) in a lake in eastern Finland, all situated less than 0.5 km from the mainland, were surveyed for small mammals. Three species of shrew and two species of vole were resident in July 1982: Sorex araneus on 10, S. caecutiens on 2, S. minutus on 5, Microtus agrestis on 12 and Clethrionomys glareolus on 4 islands. Immigrants were trapped from tiny islets, and the data indicate that S. caecutiens and M. agrestis are better dispersers than S. minutus and C. glareolus, respectively. Microtus agrestis, S. araneus and C. glareolus occurred non‐randomly, on subsets of the larger islands, while the two small Sorex species occurred more erratically, possibly because of competition with S. araneus. Juvenile sex ratio was male‐biased on the mainland but female‐biased on large islands, possibly because juvenile males move more and are more likely to emigrate from an island than juvenile females.Metrical and non‐metrical (epigenetic) cranial traits gave similar patterns of population differentiation in S. araneus. Two of the three large‐island populations have differentiated from the mainland populations and from each other, suggesting that the populations are relatively stable. Small‐island populations, which are often less than 10 individuals in size, showed little differentiation but had more epigenetic traits fixed than large‐island and mainland populations (founder effect). This suggests that the small‐island populations are unstable, have a high extinction rate.

Sex and side differences in the minor non-metrical cranial variants

Thirty-three epigenetic traits were examined on 260 skulls from present-day Sardinian population. Side and sex differences were studied, together with possible differences between the methods commonly used. The Authors concluded that side and sex differences are practically irrelevant. They also recommend research-workers to use one method only in comparing the traits studied.

Paleopathology of ancient Nubian human bone studied by chemical and electron microscopic methods

The definition of the discipline of paleopathology is discussed together with the theoretical bases for its study. Interrelationships between anthropology and paleopathology are considered. A discussion of methods includes macroscopic, microscopic, electron microscopic, radiographic, electron diffraction, paleopidemiology, skeletal adaptations, serologic, paleoecologic, biochemical, and epigenetic traits. An example of study of Nubian material is as follows. Human bone 12,000–10,000 years of age from the Egyptian Nubian Desert has shown ultrastructural preservation of collagen with periodicity of 600 Å. Intact Haversian systems and osteones were retained, but content of hydroxyproline and nitrogen was negligible. The fluorine content was markedly elevated. The complex chemical process of fossilization with retention of gross and micromorphology was examined and indicated loss of organic material with probable replacement of some hydroxyapatite with amorphous and crystalline carbonates and phosphates.