Function of the mandibular tooth comb in living and extinct mammals

Among the most interesting mammalian dental specialization is the mandibular 'tooth comb' or 'tooth scraper' that evolved independently in certain primates and other mammals. Its occurrence is most widely known in lemurs and lorises, where it is comprised of the long, slender, procumbent incisors (one or two pairs) and incisiform canines (Fig. 1). In non-primates to canines are not incorporated into the comb. Some tree shrews (Tupaiidae) possess a tooth comb consisting of the four central incisors, and some early Tertiary arctocyonid condylarths had a similar structure composed of all six lower incisors. The extant flying lemurs (Dermoptera: Cynocephalus) also have a dental 'comb' but it is very different from the ones already mentioned, consisting of two pairs of pectinate incisors, each tooth modified into a comb with as many as 15 tines. This condition, although sometimes said to be similar to that in lemurs, is unique to Cynocephalus. One of the principal functions of the tooth comb in primates is to comb the fur, and we present here indirect evidence that condylarths used this structure in the same way, millions of years before tooth combs evolved in prosimians. We also show that the comb-like incisors of Cynocephalus, contrary to popular belief, probably do not function to comb the fur.     

Stable isotopes of modern herbivore tooth enamel in the Tibetan Plateau: Implications for paleoelevation reconstructions

Fossil tooth enamel from herbivores is considered one of the best proxies for paleoclimate and paleoelevation reconstructions, due to its low susceptibility to diagenetic alteration. A synthesis of oxygen and carbon isotope analyses of modern tooth enamel from herbivores such as Tibetan yaks, asses and antelopes is assessed. The average δ 13C(PDB) value of herbivore tooth enamel in the Lhasa and south Qiangtang terrains is-11.3‰± 1.1‰, whereas in the north Qiangtang and Hoh Xil terrains value is-10.2‰± 1.4‰...     

Patterns and rates of enamel growth in the molar teeth of early hominids

A recent study of the surface manifestation of incremental lines associated with enamel formation suggested that the crowns of early hominid incisor teeth were formed more rapidly than those of modern humans. In the absence of comparative data, the authors were forced to assume that enamel increments in fossil teeth were similar to those in modern humans. We have used evidence from the fractured surfaces of molar teeth to deduce estimates for both long- and short-period incremental growth markers within enamel in east African 'robust' australopithecine and early Homo teeth. We conclude that in these early hominids, crown formation times in posterior teeth, particularly in the large thick enamelled molar teeth of the east African 'robust' australopithecines, were shorter than those of modern humans. This evidence, considered together with data on crown and root formation times in modern apes, suggests that the posterior teeth in these hominids both formed and erupted more rapidly than those of modern man. These results have implications for attempts to assess dental and skeletal maturity in hominids.     

A new eutriconodont mammal and evolutionary development in early mammals

Detachment of the three tiny middle ear bones from the reptilian mandible is an important innovation of modern mammals. Here we describe a Mesozoic eutriconodont nested within crown mammals that clearly illustrates this transition: the middle ear bones are connected to the mandible via an ossified Meckel's cartilage. The connected ear and jaw structure is similar to the embryonic pattern in modern monotremes (egg-laying mammals) and placental mammals, but is a paedomorphic feature retained in the adult, unlike in monotreme and placental adults. This suggests that reversal to (or retention of) this premammalian ancestral condition is correlated with different developmental timing (heterochrony) in eutriconodonts. This new eutriconodont adds to the evidence of homoplasy of vertebral characters in the thoraco-lumbar transition and unfused lumbar ribs among early mammals. This is similar to the effect of homeobox gene patterning of vertebrae in modern mammals, making it plausible to extrapolate the effects of Hox gene patterning to account for homoplastic evolution of vertebral characters in early mammals.     

Vegetational ecotype of the Gyirong Basin in Tibet, China and its response in stable carbon isotopes of mammal tooth enamel

Carbon isotope analysis of modern herbaceous plants in the Gyirong Basin (Tibet, China) indicates that although C3 plants are dominant, C4 plants rarely comprise of the vegetation in the area at 4000 m above sea level. The C4 plants discovered in the Gyirong Basin are Salsola nepalensis of Chenopodiaceae and Pennisetum flaccidum of Gramineae, affirming that C4 plants affected by high solar gain can be distributed at high altitude, which supports the opinion that some C4 plants can exist in areas of high elevation. Carbon isotope analysis of herbivore tooth enamel from the Gyirong Basin indicates that carbon isotopes of structural carbonate in biogenic apatite at high altitude still keep a stable enrichment relationship with those of plants in their diet. Carbon isotopes in tooth enamel are therefore an accurate proxy for vegetation ecotypes and should reflect climatic and environmental features.     

Reconstructing past subsistence patterns on Zhongba Site using stable carbon and oxygen isotopes of fossil tooth enamel

The oxygen and carbon isotopic ratios in human and animal tooth enamel were measured to reconstruct the subsistence patterns on Zhongba Site between 2400 and 4200 aBP.The results indicate that human consumed chiefly C4 resources,such as millet,and the C3 plants,such as rice and wheat,constituted only a small fraction of the human diets,normally no more than 15%.There are significant differences in food sources between human and pig,and the percentages of C3 plants in pig diets were higher than those in human diets.But theδ13C values of pig partially overlap those of human,demonstrating some similarities in their food sources.The differences in water sources between human and pig are significant.There are significant differences in food and water sources between cattle and deer. This indicates that the two kinds of mammals subsisted in different niches.But theirδ13C values also partially overlap each other,suggesting some similarities in their food sources.There are both signifi- cant differences in meanδ13C andδ18O values between the omnivores,human and pig and the herbi- vores,cattle and deer,implying significant differences in food and water sources between the two categories.During the period the dietary habits of human had not changed,but the pig breeding strategies had changed,from breeding in house to breeding in confinement,and the proportion of C3 plants in pig food increased with time.The scope of human migration had been considerably large by the Warring States because of the development of productive forces.     

马尾松育种进程中的遗传增益与遗传多样性变化

【目的】通过对广西马尾松3次改良过程中的遗传多样性及改良增益进行分析,总结育种进程中的遗传多样性变化动态。分析通过育种群体结构设计、选择方法提高改良效果的可行性,为制定马尾松长期育种策略及良种发展战略提供理论参考。【方法】以广西马尾松天然群体及第1代、第1.5代、第2代育种群体为材料,采用SSR标记分析其遗传多样性,根据遗传测定结果估算历次改良所得遗传增益。【结果】广西马尾松的第1次改良过程,获得约32%材积增益,损失约14%的低频等位基因,Shannon多样性指数(I)没有发生变化,观测杂合度(H_o)约上升27%。第2次改良过程获得19.34%的遗传增益,损失了约16%的低频等位基因,Shannon指数(I)约下降了6%,观测杂合度(H_o)没有变化,近交系数约下降了20%。第3次遗传改良过程获得23.68%的遗传增益,损失约12%的低频等位基因,Shannon指数(I)下降约25%,观测杂合度(H_o)下降约20%,近交系数下降约47%。【结论】广西马尾松 3次改良均获得了较高的遗传增益,并有效降低了群体的近交程度,遗传多样性损失相对较少。由此说明,所用的选择策略可以有效兼顾遗传增益与遗传多样性。     

Changes in plant diversity on the Chinese Loess Plateau since the Last Glacial Maximum

Changes in biodiversity during periods of glo- bal warming are of broad public concern. To study the effect of the warming process on the ecosystem, we carried out pollen analyses on samples from seven selected sections at Qingyang, Ningxian, Yangling, Binxian, Baoji, Yanshi, and Lingbao on the Chinese Loess Plateau in order systematically to evaluate changes in plant diversity since the Last Glacial Maximum （LGM）. The plant richness indices （Simpson＇s diversity index and rarefaction analysis） indicated that the plant diversity of each section increased during the process of warming from the LGM to the Holocene Optimum, especially at Baoji and Lingbao. These results are consistent with many long-timescale geological records, which show that warming can increase biodiversity; therefore, the popular viewpoint that warming leads to biodiversity loss or species extinction needs to be re-examined.     

幼鼠正畸牙移动中牙周组织内b-FGF的动态变化

目的：研究碱性成纤维细胞生长因子（b—FGF）在幼年Wistar大鼠牙周组织内的表达与分布及其在正畸牙移动中的作用。方法：建立幼年Wistar大鼠正畸牙移动的模型,在不同牵引时间段用4％中性甲醛行升主动脉灌注固定、取材、脱钙、制作石蜡标本。应用SP免疫组织化学法和图象分析仪进行半定量分析。结果：正常大鼠牙周组织中b—FGF表达较低。实验组在1d组张力侧的成牙骨质细胞b—FGF表达高于对照组,10、14d组张力侧的成纤维细胞、成骨细胞b—FGF阳性着色较正常对照组及压力侧表达有显著性差异。玻璃样变区无b—FGF表达。结论：b—FGF参与了正畸牙移动过程中牙周组织的改建。     

Evolution of homeothermy in mammals

We propose that mammalian homeothermy was was acquired in two steps. The first step enabled mammals to invade a nocturnal niche without an increase in resting metabolic rate. The second step enabled them to invade a diurnal niche and involved the acquisition of higher body temperatures and metabolic rates.