Table of Content

15 December 2005, Volume 24 Issue 04

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Discussion on the results of some molecular studies concerning the origin of modern Chinese

WU Xinzhi

2005, 24(04):  259-269. 

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The present paper summaries the molecular articles on the origin of modern Chinese published in last a few years. The conclusion of these studies based on the analyses of the genes of Y
chromosome, is that the indigenous people of China was totally replaced by the African immigrants during the Last Ice Age. According to those authors there was a gap between 50 000 years BP and 100 000 years BP of human inhabitation in China and the environment during the Last Ice Age was so bad that most of living bodies including humans could not survive. In present paper the author refutes this conclusion with following information.There is morphological evidence indicating the continuity of human evolution in China. The tradition of Paleolithic in China is quite different from that in Africa and Europe. In China the mode I technique persisted in Pleistocene with only a few sites exhibiting techniques of other modes,while a succession from Mode I through Mode V was shown in Africa and Europe. The paleo
faunae of Pleistocene China indicate that there was broad area saitable for human inhabitation even in Ice Age. Recent paleoanthropological reports provide evidence of human existence at least at four sites in China between 50 000 years BP and 100 000 years BP. New studies on X chromosome, chromosome 22 and chromosome 1 did not support the total replacement of archaic population in Eurasia by the African immigrants. Near East is most probably on the passageway from Africa to China.Mode
technique prevalent in Near East around 100ky BP has not replaced theMode
in China in any time. Paleoanthropological study has already made clear that the human evolution is a very complicated process, new molecular studies indicate that molecular evolution is fairly more complex than that understood in 20th century, we should keep a clear head in thinking about the explanation and inference derived from new information on the origin of humans. The reconciliation of the information derived from different sources could be approximated on the basis of comprehensive consideration on them, so that our knowledge on human evolution could be close to the truth gradually.

Human response to the Last Glacial Maximum : evidence from North China

JI Duxue, CHEN Fahu, R.L. Bettinger, R. G. Elston, GENG Zhiqiang, L. Barton, WANG Hui, AN Chengbang, ZHANG Dongju

2005, 24(04):  270-282. 

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Paleolithic cultures flourished in the warm and moist environment during the MIS 3. However, with the LGM it suddenly turned colder and drier leading to a southern expansion of grasslands, desert, and fauna in North China. How did hunter-gatherers adapt and respond to so harsh an environmental change? Based on three geological sections and lithic assemblages at PY01 - 02, 03 and PY05, we think firstly that stratigraphic changes from fluvial2lacustrine deposits to Malan Loess represented a great environmental change. Correspondingly, in terms of size, weight, material and technique, artifacts also showed the distinct differences between fluvial-lacustrine deposits and the Malan Loess. The lower layer, fluvial2lacustrine deposit, yielded big and heavy lithic artifacts, which are similar with those in upper reaches of Jing River reflecting the characters of local Paleolithic culture. But the artifacts in the upper layer or Malan Loess are generally small and can be divided into two groups: microlithic assemblages made of chert; and little artifacts of quartz. They are relatively similar to those found at Shuidonggou and Haiyuan, probably resulting from human immigration when the environment turned colder and drier in LGM. Likewise , the same lithic assemblage and stratigraphy change as Pengyang was recorded in southern Shanxi Province. Spatial distribution of Paleolithic sites in the MIS 3 and the LGM provide potential evidence for the idea of hunter-gatherers migrations, and so we conclude that environmental change in the LGM had an ever widely influence over Paleolithic cultures in North China.

Some stegodon orientalis fossils discovered in the second terrace of the three gorges, Yangtze River

FENG Xingwu, GAO Xing, JIN Changzhu, XU Chunhua

2005, 24(04):  283-290. 

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Three pieces of molar of Stegodon orientalis were unearthed in a gravel layer of second terrace of the Yangtze River, near the village of Pujiacun, Wanxian county, Chongqi. The deposits of second terrace are composed of three layers, namely a clay layer on the top, a thin calcified layer in the middle and a gravel layer at the bottom. The molar of Stegodon orientalis from the gravel layer is dated by U-series method back to 64 000±5 000 years BP. In addition, some ebony materials obtained from the clay layer are dated by Carbon 14 method back to 7 930±90 years BP. Through analyzing the relationships of these layers, we draw a conclusion that the sandy gravel layer is actually the second terrace deposit covered by the clay deposit of the first terrace. In addition, the gravel layer partially cemented by calcium carbonate shows that there existed a period of cold and dry climate between the Late Pleistocene and the Early Holocene. These discoveries provide important information for the study of the formation and age of the lower terrace, the effect of the Neotectonic Movements, the Paleoclimate, etc.

A study of the physical characteristics of the Russ nationality

LU Shunhua, ZHENG Lianbin, SUO LiYa, ZHAO Zhou

2005, 24(04):  291-300. 

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The physical characteristics of 336 adults (186 males, 150 females) of Russ nationality living in Inner Mongolia were based on 9 somatoscopic measurements, 58 anthropometric measurements, and 38 physical indices and index types. Comparisons were also made between the Russ inhabitants and other nationalities in China. The Russ nationality type has the following characteristics.
Most men have an upper eyelid eye fold, which is observable in 3615 % and 3410 % for males and females respectively. The cephalic index falls into the following categories: hyperbrachycephaly, hypsicephaly and tapeinocephaly. The morphological facial index is hypereuryrosopy. Nasal root height is high and the alae nasi is medium size. The nasal index is leptorrhiny. Ear lobe type is frequently rounded. Black hair color and pale yellow skin color is common, and there is significant sexual difference in eye color. Common physical features of the body include: mesolength shape of the trunk , mesatiskelic type with a dumpy somatotype, a broad chest circumference , broad breadth of the shoulder and broad breadth of crista iliaca. Arm span is long. The physical characteristics of the Russ nationality is most closely related to the Uzbek nationality and the strong physique is closely related to Russians of north pole region of Russia.

A measurement study on foramina of the Skull base using a multislice CT Three-Dimensional reconstruction

SUN Li, LI Yan, XU Fei

2005, 24(04):  301-306. 

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Objective: The purpose of this research is to determine the results of three-dimensional reconstructed skull imaging using the multi slice spiral computed tomography ( MSCT) technique and to assess the normal values of the main canals and foramina in a skull base. Methods: This study used the multi slice spiral computed tomography ( MSCT) technique for brain scans of 200 normal adults(100 male and 100 female). A three-dimensional reconstruction computer software program was implemented to assess the three-dimensional reconstruction of the skull base, which provided a 3-D display of the foramen ovale, foramen spinosum, outside foramen of the carotid canal, foramen lacerum, foramen stylo-mastoideum and the foramen magnum. The program measured functions the average inside diameters of the foramina and also observed foramina shape and sex differences.

A study of the polymorphisms of 3 STR Loci in the Miao ethnic group of Rongshui, Guangxi Province

ZHOU Lining, XU Lin, LI Songfeng, GONG Ji chun, WEI Boyuan, DENG Xiangfa, RU Hongrong

2005, 24(04):  307-314. 

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To investigate the distribution of three short tandem repeat ( STR) loci in the Miao ethnic group of the Guangxi Rongshui. We collected sodium-citrated blood specimens from 208 ( male 102, female 106) healthy unrelated Miao individuals in Guangxi Rongshui, and used the pheno-l chloroform method to extract DNA. By using theAmpF
STR IdentifilerTM PCR Amplification Kit and 3100 Genetic Analyzer, 19 alleles and 48 genotypes of three STR were observed. The allele frequency and genotype frequency were 0.002 4 - 0.466 3 and 0.004 8-0.317 3, respectively. The expected and observed genotype distributions of three loci according to the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium was given at P > 0.05. Genetic distance with 3 STR data showed that therewere significant differences between Guangxi Rongshui Miao national minorities with American Caucasians and American Blacks. There was little difference between Guangxi Rongshui Miao national minorities and the Guangxi Dong.

5, 10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase polymorphism in three nationalities in Guizhou Province

Polymerase chain reaction; Restriction fragment length polymorphism; Polymorphisms; Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase

2005, 24(04):  315-318. 

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Objective To study the genetic polymorphisms of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) among the Han and Bouyei populations in Guizhou and to provide genetic data for the establishment of the genetic polymorphism bank of Guizhou minorities. Methods The technique of polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism ( PCR-RFLP) is used to detect the gene frequency and genotype frequency of two mononucleotide sites ( 677 and 1298) of MTHFR among the Han population in Libo County, and the Bouyei population in Libo County. Results At mononucleotide site 677, Tallele frequencies are 22.8% , 16.1%, x2 = 1.561, P > 0.1 respectively, for theHan and Bouyei. At mononucleotide site 1 298, C allele frequencies are 28.9%, 39.1%, x2 = 2.075, P > 0.1 respectively, for Han, Bouyei. The frequencies with combined heterozygote of 677CT/1298AC are 16.66% and 22.7%, respectively for the two populations. Conclusion The polymorphisms of the two mononucleotide sites ( 677 and 1298) of MTHFR are diverse between northern and southern populations of China, but they are not significantly different between the Han and Bouyei in two site. The C allele frequencies at site 1 298 of the Bouyei in Libo County are higher.

Petaloid toenails: its types, distribution and hereditary mode:a survey of a Village in Zhouzhi County, Shaanxi Province, China

HAO Weiguo, BIAN Jianchao, ZHU Ping

2005, 24(04):  319-327. 

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Petaloid toenails, a human trait where the nail of little toe appears petaloidly exists in many populations of the Han Nationality in North China. In order to examine the distribution of petaloid toenails in the population and to assess its hereditary mode, a household survey was carried out at a village located in Zhouzhi County, Shaanxi Province, China. It was found that, petaloid toenails consist of three types: clarity, amalgamation and degeneration. The frequency of petaloid toenails was 79. 17%, of which 81. 48% were found in men and 76. 67% in women. There was no statistical significance for gender ( x2= 1. 09, P = 0. 295) . Petaloid toenails appeared single-sided or double-sided, and again there was no statistical significance for gender( x2= 2. 94, P = 0. 23) . When subjects were classified into 13 groups by age, there was a statistical significance among the frequencies of petaloid toenails of the 13 age-groups ( x2= 28. 49, P= 0. 005) . Analyzing the data of 51 nuclear families and 2 families with 3 generations, it was found that petaloid toenail had the same hereditary characters as a dominant single-gene trait. Thus, it could be concluded that petaloid toenails is a dominant single-gene trait with various types, appearing singly
side or doubly-side; and its frequencies had no variance for gender, but variance for age.

Analysis of chemical elements of human bone in bronze age from cemetery No.4 of Chawuhugoukou, Xinjiang

ZHANG Quanchao, WANG Minghui, JIN Hai yan, ZHU Hong

2005, 24(04):  328-333. 

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In recent years, the palaeo-diet is one of the important researches in the archaeological field. Chemical elements of human bones can supply a lot of valuable information to reconstruct the model of ancient diet. In this paper, nine chemical elements of human bones in Bronze age from Cemetery No. 4 at Hejing, Xinjiang were determined by ICP-AES. They are ferrum(Fe), zincum (Zn), calcium(Ca), phosphorum(P), manganum(Mn), magnesium(Mg ), strontium(Sr), barium (Ba) and cuprum(Cu). Results indicated that the ancient inhabitants in Chawuhu lived mainly on the meat products with only a small amount of plants. At the same time, we guess the inhabitants of this site could cultivate some plants such as barley and wheat.

Preliminary study on sexual dimorphism of the cheek teeth size in Macaca mulatta

ZHAO Xiaojin, HU Chunhong, WANG Bin, LIU Xiaorui, QIN Yuanchun, ZHANG Lin

2005, 24(04):  334-340. 

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In this paper 28 (male 10 and female 18) cheek teeth samples of the adult rhesus macaques ( Macaca mulatta) in the Taihang Mountains were collected and 5 molar area variables (crown length multiplied by width ) of permanent cheek teeth were measured by the method suggested by anthropometry. Sexual discriminant functions were constructed by mean of Fisher’s method employing SPSS10.0 for windows. The statistical test showed that the correct sex discriminant rates of maxillary and mandible cheek teeth reached 89.13 % and 92.13 % respectively. The results of stepwise discriminant analysis confirmed the functions were suitable for sexual discrimination of the molar, and it suggested their high applicative values in practice.