See also Y chromosomes and mtDNA of Russians.
Russian Journal of Genetics Volume 41, Number 9
Mitochondrial DNA Polymorphism in Russian Population form Five Oblasts of the European Part of Russia
I. Yu. Morozova et al.
Abstract New data on mitochondrial DNA polymorphism among Russian population from five oblasts, located within the main ethnic area of Russians, specifically, Ryazan' oblast, Ivanovo oblast, Vologda oblast, Orel oblast, and Tambov oblast (N = 177) are presented. RFLP analysis of the mtDNA coding region showed that most of the mtDNA diversity in the populations examined could be described by main European haplogroups H, U, T, J, K, I, V, W, and X. Haplogroup frequency distribution patterns in the populations of interest were analyzed in comparison with the European and Uralic populations. Based on the haplogroup frequencies, the indices of intraethnic population diversity, Wright's F st statistics, and the values of squared deviation from the mean, as well as genetic distances between Russians and European and Uralic populations were estimated. Analysis of these indices along with the anthropological data provided identification of a number of regional groups within the populations examined, which could either result from the interaction of ancient Slavs with different non-Slavic tribes, or could be caused by the ethnic heterogeneity of the ancient Slavs themselves.
Link
October 14, 2005
Phenetic Analysis in Paleoanthropology
Russian Journal of Genetics Volume 41, Number 9
Phenetic Analysis in Paleoanthropology: Phenogeography of Peoples of the World
A. A. Movsessian
Abstract Phenetic diversity of peoples of the world in a system of nonmetric, discrete variable traits has been studied. Sixty-two populations from North, Central, and Southeast Asia, Eastern and Western Europe, America, East Africa, Australia, and Melanesia have been examined. The estimates of phenetic diversity within regions (Fst) and the distances of the regions from the global means (d) proved to be comparable to the corresponding estimates inferred from genetic data. This means that differentiation of populations in discrete variable traits is related to the history of formation of their gene pools. A classification tree of the world peoples constructed using bootstrap implemented in the PHYLIP program package (Felsenstein, 1993) showed that the Australo-Melanesian populations were close to the East African ones but separated from those of the Eurasian region. The results of phylogenetic analysis of the reconstructed phene pools of the regional ancestral populations support the assumptions on the early colonization of Australia and Melanesia and on the later time of divergence of the ancestors of modern Caucasoids and North Asian Mongoloids.
Link
Phenetic Analysis in Paleoanthropology: Phenogeography of Peoples of the World
A. A. Movsessian
Abstract Phenetic diversity of peoples of the world in a system of nonmetric, discrete variable traits has been studied. Sixty-two populations from North, Central, and Southeast Asia, Eastern and Western Europe, America, East Africa, Australia, and Melanesia have been examined. The estimates of phenetic diversity within regions (Fst) and the distances of the regions from the global means (d) proved to be comparable to the corresponding estimates inferred from genetic data. This means that differentiation of populations in discrete variable traits is related to the history of formation of their gene pools. A classification tree of the world peoples constructed using bootstrap implemented in the PHYLIP program package (Felsenstein, 1993) showed that the Australo-Melanesian populations were close to the East African ones but separated from those of the Eurasian region. The results of phylogenetic analysis of the reconstructed phene pools of the regional ancestral populations support the assumptions on the early colonization of Australia and Melanesia and on the later time of divergence of the ancestors of modern Caucasoids and North Asian Mongoloids.
Link
October 12, 2005
Upper Paleolithic and Mesolithic around the Mediterranean
A new article in L' Anthropologie reviews much of the archaeological evidence about the Upper Paleolithic and Mesolithic in the Mediterranean basin.
L' Anthropologie (Article in press)
The Upper Paleolithic and the Mesolithic around the Mediterranean: cultural framework
Janusz K. Kozlowski
Abstract
The origin of the Upper Palaeolithic around the Mediterranean was the result of the local evolution, particularly in the Near East and in the Lower Nile basin, and of the migration from this zone to South-Eastern and Central Europe. The Initial Upper Palaeolithic in the Near East belt was the effect of local evolution from the industries based on Levallois concept to the industries which developed leptolithic blade technologies. This evolution is well registered in multi-layer sites in the Syro-Palestinian belt (Emirian/Ahmarian), which was the starting point of the diffusion of these “transitional” industries in South-Eastern and Central Europe. This diffusion could be identified with the migration of first anatomically Modern Humans. The Early Upper Palaeolithic in Europe — dated to the second half of the Interpleniglacial — was, at least partially, based on these “transitional” industries and manifested by the appearance of the Aurignacian, contrasted with local cultures such as the Uluzzian in Mediterranean Europe. During whole the Interpleniglacial Europe was separated from Northern Africa dominated by local evolution of Middle Palaeolithic (Middle Stone Age) cultures (mostly expressed by the Aterian), and by specific “transitional” industries on the southern Mediterranean coast (Early Dabbian) and in the Lower Nile basin. The Last Glacial Maximum and the corresponding sea level recession opened new possibilities of contacts between the Maghreb and the Iberian Peninsula in both directions (Aterian-Solutrean and Gravettian-Early Iberomaurusian), which are still difficult to be proved before new chronostratigraphic correlations are made. At the same time we register links between south-eastern Europe and western Anatolia; the real border between Near Eastern and European Mediterranean cultural zones was marked, in the Late Glacial, by the Taurus chain. During the Late Glacial the cultural separation between Europe and Africa was particularly marked. Only in the Aegean basin the first sea navigation facilitated contacts which become widespread as late as in the Early Holocene with neolithization trough maritime contacts.
Link
L' Anthropologie (Article in press)
The Upper Paleolithic and the Mesolithic around the Mediterranean: cultural framework
Janusz K. Kozlowski
Abstract
The origin of the Upper Palaeolithic around the Mediterranean was the result of the local evolution, particularly in the Near East and in the Lower Nile basin, and of the migration from this zone to South-Eastern and Central Europe. The Initial Upper Palaeolithic in the Near East belt was the effect of local evolution from the industries based on Levallois concept to the industries which developed leptolithic blade technologies. This evolution is well registered in multi-layer sites in the Syro-Palestinian belt (Emirian/Ahmarian), which was the starting point of the diffusion of these “transitional” industries in South-Eastern and Central Europe. This diffusion could be identified with the migration of first anatomically Modern Humans. The Early Upper Palaeolithic in Europe — dated to the second half of the Interpleniglacial — was, at least partially, based on these “transitional” industries and manifested by the appearance of the Aurignacian, contrasted with local cultures such as the Uluzzian in Mediterranean Europe. During whole the Interpleniglacial Europe was separated from Northern Africa dominated by local evolution of Middle Palaeolithic (Middle Stone Age) cultures (mostly expressed by the Aterian), and by specific “transitional” industries on the southern Mediterranean coast (Early Dabbian) and in the Lower Nile basin. The Last Glacial Maximum and the corresponding sea level recession opened new possibilities of contacts between the Maghreb and the Iberian Peninsula in both directions (Aterian-Solutrean and Gravettian-Early Iberomaurusian), which are still difficult to be proved before new chronostratigraphic correlations are made. At the same time we register links between south-eastern Europe and western Anatolia; the real border between Near Eastern and European Mediterranean cultural zones was marked, in the Late Glacial, by the Taurus chain. During the Late Glacial the cultural separation between Europe and Africa was particularly marked. Only in the Aegean basin the first sea navigation facilitated contacts which become widespread as late as in the Early Holocene with neolithization trough maritime contacts.
Link
October 11, 2005
New paper on Flores hominids
I will post the abstract from Nature here when it becomes available. For the moment, read what Carl Zimmer, John Hawks in an announcement and a longer post, and the BBC are saying.
Nature 437, 1012-1017
Further evidence for small-bodied hominins from the Late Pleistocene of Flores, Indonesia
M. J. Morwood et al.
Abstract
Homo floresiensis was recovered from Late Pleistocene deposits on the island of Flores in eastern Indonesia, but has the stature, limb proportions and endocranial volume of African Pliocene Australopithecus1. The holotype of the species (LB1), excavated in 2003 from Liang Bua, consisted of a partial skeleton minus the arms. Here we describe additional H. floresiensis remains excavated from the cave in 2004. These include arm bones belonging to the holotype skeleton, a second adult mandible, and postcranial material from other individuals. We can now reconstruct the body proportions of H. floresiensis with some certainty. The finds further demonstrate that LB1 is not just an aberrant or pathological individual, but is representative of a long-term population that was present during the interval 95–74 to 12 thousand years ago. The excavation also yielded more evidence for the depositional history of the cave and for the behavioural capabilities of H. floresiensis, including the butchery of Stegodon and use of fire.
Link
Nature 437, 1012-1017
Further evidence for small-bodied hominins from the Late Pleistocene of Flores, Indonesia
M. J. Morwood et al.
Abstract
Homo floresiensis was recovered from Late Pleistocene deposits on the island of Flores in eastern Indonesia, but has the stature, limb proportions and endocranial volume of African Pliocene Australopithecus1. The holotype of the species (LB1), excavated in 2003 from Liang Bua, consisted of a partial skeleton minus the arms. Here we describe additional H. floresiensis remains excavated from the cave in 2004. These include arm bones belonging to the holotype skeleton, a second adult mandible, and postcranial material from other individuals. We can now reconstruct the body proportions of H. floresiensis with some certainty. The finds further demonstrate that LB1 is not just an aberrant or pathological individual, but is representative of a long-term population that was present during the interval 95–74 to 12 thousand years ago. The excavation also yielded more evidence for the depositional history of the cave and for the behavioural capabilities of H. floresiensis, including the butchery of Stegodon and use of fire.
Link
Couple of papers on sex differences in IQ
Personality and Individual Differences (Article in Press)
Sex differences on the Standard Progressive Matrices and in educational attainment in Kuwait
Ahmed M. Abdel-Khalek and Richard Lynn
Abstract
The Standard Progressive Matrices was standardised on a sample of 6529 8–15-year olds in Kuwait. There was a small sex difference of .08d (1.2 IQ points) favouring girls. Educational tests of verbal comprehension, foreign language ability and mathematics were given to a sample of 15-year olds. On these also, girls obtained higher mean scores. These results fail to support the theory that in traditionalist countries females have lower IQs and educational attainments than males.
Link
Intelligence (Article in Press)
Sex differences on the Dutch WAIS-III
Sophie van der Sluis et al.
Abstract
Using multi-group covariance and means structure analysis (MG-CMSA), this study investigated whether sex differences were present on the Dutch WAIS-III, and if so, whether these sex differences were attributable to differences in general intelligence (g). The sample consisted of 294 females and 228 males between 18 and 46 years old. Both first and second order common factor models were fitted, the latter including g as second order factor. The results indicated that on the level of the subtests, females outperform males on Digit–Symbol Substitution, and males outperform females on Information and Arithmetic. In addition, the subtests Information proved to be biased in favor of males. With respect to the first order common factors, no sex differences were found with respect to the factor Verbal Comprehension (once Information was effectively removed from the model). Yet, males outperformed females on the factors Working Memory and Perceptual Organization, and females outperformed males on Perceptual Speed. These sex difference on the level of the first order common factors were however not attributable to sex differences in g. Summarizing, the present study showed that males and females do differ with respect to specific cognitive abilities, but that g cannot be viewed as the source of these differences.
Link
Sex differences on the Standard Progressive Matrices and in educational attainment in Kuwait
Ahmed M. Abdel-Khalek and Richard Lynn
Abstract
The Standard Progressive Matrices was standardised on a sample of 6529 8–15-year olds in Kuwait. There was a small sex difference of .08d (1.2 IQ points) favouring girls. Educational tests of verbal comprehension, foreign language ability and mathematics were given to a sample of 15-year olds. On these also, girls obtained higher mean scores. These results fail to support the theory that in traditionalist countries females have lower IQs and educational attainments than males.
Link
Intelligence (Article in Press)
Sex differences on the Dutch WAIS-III
Sophie van der Sluis et al.
Abstract
Using multi-group covariance and means structure analysis (MG-CMSA), this study investigated whether sex differences were present on the Dutch WAIS-III, and if so, whether these sex differences were attributable to differences in general intelligence (g). The sample consisted of 294 females and 228 males between 18 and 46 years old. Both first and second order common factor models were fitted, the latter including g as second order factor. The results indicated that on the level of the subtests, females outperform males on Digit–Symbol Substitution, and males outperform females on Information and Arithmetic. In addition, the subtests Information proved to be biased in favor of males. With respect to the first order common factors, no sex differences were found with respect to the factor Verbal Comprehension (once Information was effectively removed from the model). Yet, males outperformed females on the factors Working Memory and Perceptual Organization, and females outperformed males on Perceptual Speed. These sex difference on the level of the first order common factors were however not attributable to sex differences in g. Summarizing, the present study showed that males and females do differ with respect to specific cognitive abilities, but that g cannot be viewed as the source of these differences.
Link
October 10, 2005
The dark secret of Andritsa cave
Andritsa Cave's chamber of secrets
Late 6th-century finds retrieved from the Argolid cave and exhibited at the Byzantine and Christian Museum begin to unfold the story of a group of peoplewho sought refuge there and slowly starved to death.
Link (Athens News)
Late 6th-century finds retrieved from the Argolid cave and exhibited at the Byzantine and Christian Museum begin to unfold the story of a group of peoplewho sought refuge there and slowly starved to death.
Link (Athens News)
Genetic improbabilities
David B posts about genetic improbabilities in movies. I had recently posted such a genetic improbability in the Dodona forum, from the first season of 24.
Son:
Parents:
Another good one is from House of Sand and Fog where Ben Kingsley (Indian-British-Russian-Jewish ?) and Shohreh Aghdashloo (Iranian) have Navi Rawat (Indian-German) as a daughter.
And, what can one say about this real family from the satirical March of the Giants? Recombination in action... [or not; as David B. posts in the comments, the Judd sisters have different fathers]
Son:
Parents:
Another good one is from House of Sand and Fog where Ben Kingsley (Indian-British-Russian-Jewish ?) and Shohreh Aghdashloo (Iranian) have Navi Rawat (Indian-German) as a daughter.
And, what can one say about this real family from the satirical March of the Giants? Recombination in action... [or not; as David B. posts in the comments, the Judd sisters have different fathers]
October 08, 2005
Many Greeks at least bilingual
One in two Greeks can communicate in a foreign language, according to a survey held by the European Commission, while only about a third of people in countries like Britain and Italy can speak a language other than their mother tongue.
Data from the Eurobarometer survey, conducted by the Commission and released yesterday, showed that Greeks are in line with the EU average as 50 percent of the bloc’s citizens can communicate in a foreign language.
Younger Greeks lead the way, with eight in 10 students able to communicate in a language other than Greek.
Some 44 percent of Greeks speak English, while 8 percent speak French or German.
Luxembourg’s citizens appear to be the most linguistically capable; some 99 percent of them know at least one foreign language.
At the bottom end of the scale come the British, of whom only 30 percent know a language other than English. Also, about 36 percent of Italians and Spaniards have second-language skills.
Source (Kathimerini)
Data from the Eurobarometer survey, conducted by the Commission and released yesterday, showed that Greeks are in line with the EU average as 50 percent of the bloc’s citizens can communicate in a foreign language.
Younger Greeks lead the way, with eight in 10 students able to communicate in a language other than Greek.
Some 44 percent of Greeks speak English, while 8 percent speak French or German.
Luxembourg’s citizens appear to be the most linguistically capable; some 99 percent of them know at least one foreign language.
At the bottom end of the scale come the British, of whom only 30 percent know a language other than English. Also, about 36 percent of Italians and Spaniards have second-language skills.
Source (Kathimerini)
October 07, 2005
Genetics of Austronesian speaking populations
Journal of Human Genetics (online early)
Genetic characterization of four Austronesian-speaking populations
Rachel A. Chow et al.
Abstract Ascertaining the genetic relationships between Austronesian populations is paramount to understanding their dispersal throughout the islands of the Pacific and Indian Oceans. The start of the Austronesian expansion has been dated to approximately 6,000 years ago, and from linguistic and archeological evidence, the origin of this dispersal may have been the island of Formosa. Consequently, the Taiwanese aboriginal populations and their phylogenetic relationship to the Austronesian-speaking groups from Madagascar at the occidental fringes of the expansion are of great interest. In this study, allelic frequencies from six polymorphic point mutation loci were assessed in the Austronesian-speaking populations of Madagascar, the Atayal aborigines of Formosa, and the general populations of Bali and Java. These allelic frequencies were compared and analyzed with the corresponding values from eight other worldwide populations from geographically targeted regions. The group from Madagascar is genetically distinct from their east-African neighbor from Zimbabwe. Our data also indicates that the Ami and the Atayal aborigines in the island of Taiwan, which occupy adjacent territories, differ sharply genetically. Genetic differences were also found between the populations of Bali and Java, belying their geographical proximity. Our results indicate that the east-African population from Madagascar phylogenetically segregates intermediate between mainland east-African and east-Asian groups, corroborating linguistic data indicating the Austronesian influence on this population.
Link
Genetic characterization of four Austronesian-speaking populations
Rachel A. Chow et al.
Abstract Ascertaining the genetic relationships between Austronesian populations is paramount to understanding their dispersal throughout the islands of the Pacific and Indian Oceans. The start of the Austronesian expansion has been dated to approximately 6,000 years ago, and from linguistic and archeological evidence, the origin of this dispersal may have been the island of Formosa. Consequently, the Taiwanese aboriginal populations and their phylogenetic relationship to the Austronesian-speaking groups from Madagascar at the occidental fringes of the expansion are of great interest. In this study, allelic frequencies from six polymorphic point mutation loci were assessed in the Austronesian-speaking populations of Madagascar, the Atayal aborigines of Formosa, and the general populations of Bali and Java. These allelic frequencies were compared and analyzed with the corresponding values from eight other worldwide populations from geographically targeted regions. The group from Madagascar is genetically distinct from their east-African neighbor from Zimbabwe. Our data also indicates that the Ami and the Atayal aborigines in the island of Taiwan, which occupy adjacent territories, differ sharply genetically. Genetic differences were also found between the populations of Bali and Java, belying their geographical proximity. Our results indicate that the east-African population from Madagascar phylogenetically segregates intermediate between mainland east-African and east-Asian groups, corroborating linguistic data indicating the Austronesian influence on this population.
Link
National Character
An article in Science has studied personality in 49 cultures. Differences in personality between cultures are affirmed, but these are not always those predicted by notions of national character.
Science, Vol 310, Issue 5745, 96-100
National Character Does Not Reflect Mean Personality Trait Levels in 49 Cultures
A. Terracciano et al.
Most people hold beliefs about personality characteristics typical of members of their own and others' cultures. These perceptions of national character may be generalizations from personal experience, stereotypes with a "kernel of truth," or inaccurate stereotypes. We obtained national character ratings of 3989 people from 49 cultures and compared them with the average personality scores of culture members assessed by observer ratings and self-reports. National character ratings were reliable but did not converge with assessed traits. Perceptions of national character thus appear to be unfounded stereotypes that may serve the function of maintaining a national identity.
Link
Science, Vol 310, Issue 5745, 96-100
National Character Does Not Reflect Mean Personality Trait Levels in 49 Cultures
A. Terracciano et al.
Most people hold beliefs about personality characteristics typical of members of their own and others' cultures. These perceptions of national character may be generalizations from personal experience, stereotypes with a "kernel of truth," or inaccurate stereotypes. We obtained national character ratings of 3989 people from 49 cultures and compared them with the average personality scores of culture members assessed by observer ratings and self-reports. National character ratings were reliable but did not converge with assessed traits. Perceptions of national character thus appear to be unfounded stereotypes that may serve the function of maintaining a national identity.
Link
mtDNA variation in India
From the article:
J Hum Genet. [Epub ahead of print]
Human mtDNA hypervariable regions, HVR I and II, hint at deep common maternal founder and subsequent maternal gene flow in Indian population groups.
S. Sharma et al.
We have analysed the hypervariable regions (HVR I and II) of human mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in individuals from Uttar Pradesh (UP), Bihar (BI) and Punjab (PUNJ), belonging to the Indo-European linguistic group, and from South India (SI), that have their linguistic roots in Dravidian language. Our analysis revealed the presence of known and novel mutations in both hypervariable regions in the studied population groups. Median joining network analyses based on mtDNA showed extensive overlap in mtDNA lineages despite the extensive cultural and linguistic diversity. MDS plot analysis based on Fst distances suggested increased maternal genetic proximity for the studied population groups compared with other world populations. Mismatch distribution curves, respective neighbour joining trees and other statistical analyses showed that there were significant expansions. The study revealed an ancient common ancestry for the studied population groups, most probably through common founder female lineage(s), and also indicated that human migrations occurred (maybe across and within the Indian subcontinent) even after the initial phase of female migration to India.
Link
The geography of India has played a decisive role in the peopling of India. Populations within India have been subjected to foreign invasions and migrations from time to time, resulting in no single apparent origin for any present day population groups and a conglomeration of different Y-chromosomal lineages (Quintana-Murci et al 2001; Saha et al 2005). The maternal gene flow in and out of India has been limited since the initial settling of Indian maternal lineages (Metspalu et al 2004). Indian mtDNA lineages belong to either Asian-specific haplogroup M or western Eurasian-specific haplogroups H, I, J, K, U, W and others that were not established anywhere (Kivisild et al 1999). The high frequency and diversity of mtDNA haplogroup M, the major contributor to the Indian maternal gene pool, has been associated with its southwest-Asian origin (Roychoudhury et al 2000, 2001; Richards et al. 2003; Rajkumar et al. 2005), whereas the presence of lineage M1 in Africa (Quintana-Murci et al 1999) and lack of L3 lineages other than M and N in India has become the most parsimonious view of the origin of haplogroup M in east Africa, which has been supported by the most recent view of single rapid coastal settlement of Asia by three major mtDNA haplogroups, M, N and R (Palanichamy et al 2004; Macaulay et al 2005; Thangaraj et al 2005; Forster and Matsumura 2005) as the founding female lineages to Indian population groups. However, the restricted presence of M as M1 and the phylogeography of M1 in Africa, predominantly in the Afro-Asiatic linguistic phylum (Metspalu et al 2004), leaves the question of the origin of haplogroup M unanswered.
J Hum Genet. [Epub ahead of print]
Human mtDNA hypervariable regions, HVR I and II, hint at deep common maternal founder and subsequent maternal gene flow in Indian population groups.
S. Sharma et al.
We have analysed the hypervariable regions (HVR I and II) of human mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in individuals from Uttar Pradesh (UP), Bihar (BI) and Punjab (PUNJ), belonging to the Indo-European linguistic group, and from South India (SI), that have their linguistic roots in Dravidian language. Our analysis revealed the presence of known and novel mutations in both hypervariable regions in the studied population groups. Median joining network analyses based on mtDNA showed extensive overlap in mtDNA lineages despite the extensive cultural and linguistic diversity. MDS plot analysis based on Fst distances suggested increased maternal genetic proximity for the studied population groups compared with other world populations. Mismatch distribution curves, respective neighbour joining trees and other statistical analyses showed that there were significant expansions. The study revealed an ancient common ancestry for the studied population groups, most probably through common founder female lineage(s), and also indicated that human migrations occurred (maybe across and within the Indian subcontinent) even after the initial phase of female migration to India.
Link
October 06, 2005
The White Sea-Baltic type
An interesting description of the White Sea-Baltic type, also known as the "East Baltic".
N.N. Cheboksarov, Origins of the Finno-Ugrian Language Group, in Studies in Siberian Ethnogenesis (ed. H. N. Michael), University of Toronto press, p. 213
"The second group of physical types usual among peoples of the Finno-Ugrian language family is the "White Sea-Baltic." It belongs to the general Europoid race but includes some traits that indicate a small admixture of early Mongoloid. The characteristic trait complex for this group includes: straight or slightly wavy hair, light brown or blond in color; fairly developed tertiary hair cover; light eyes; a relatively small face of an average profile in horizontal cross-section; quite clearly defined folds of the upper eyelid; nasal bridge of medium height; concave or straight nasal bridge. The different types of this group, both short-headed and long-headed are especially widely distributed among the Baltic-Finnish peoples: Estonians, Livonians, Veps, Karelians, Finns-Suomi, as well as among the Udorsk, Izhma, and the Vychegda Komi, and the Lukoyanov Mordvins-Erzi. To a great extent the White Sea-Baltic complex of traits is also present among the Letts, Lithuanians, Poles, White Russians, and northern Great Russians. Thus the White Sea-Baltic group fully justifies its name, as the types of which it is composed actually do gravitate to the shores of the White and Baltic Seas."
N.N. Cheboksarov, Origins of the Finno-Ugrian Language Group, in Studies in Siberian Ethnogenesis (ed. H. N. Michael), University of Toronto press, p. 213
"The second group of physical types usual among peoples of the Finno-Ugrian language family is the "White Sea-Baltic." It belongs to the general Europoid race but includes some traits that indicate a small admixture of early Mongoloid. The characteristic trait complex for this group includes: straight or slightly wavy hair, light brown or blond in color; fairly developed tertiary hair cover; light eyes; a relatively small face of an average profile in horizontal cross-section; quite clearly defined folds of the upper eyelid; nasal bridge of medium height; concave or straight nasal bridge. The different types of this group, both short-headed and long-headed are especially widely distributed among the Baltic-Finnish peoples: Estonians, Livonians, Veps, Karelians, Finns-Suomi, as well as among the Udorsk, Izhma, and the Vychegda Komi, and the Lukoyanov Mordvins-Erzi. To a great extent the White Sea-Baltic complex of traits is also present among the Letts, Lithuanians, Poles, White Russians, and northern Great Russians. Thus the White Sea-Baltic group fully justifies its name, as the types of which it is composed actually do gravitate to the shores of the White and Baltic Seas."
October 04, 2005
Positive selection in Europeans in SCA2 gene
PLoS Genetics (early online)
Positive Selection of a Pre-expansion CAG Repeat of the Human SCA2 Gene
Fuli Yu et al.
PROVISIONAL ABSTRACT
A region of approximately one megabase of human Chromosome 12 shows extensive linkage disequilibrium (LD) in Americans with ancestry from northern and western Europe. This strikingly large LD block was analyzed with statistical and experimental methods to determine whether natural selection could be implicated in shaping the current genome structure. Extended Haplotype Homozygosity and Relative Extended Haplotype Homozygosity (EHH/REHH) analyses on this region mapped a core region of the strongest conserved haplotype to the exon 1 of the Spinocerebellar ataxia type 2 gene (SCA2, locusID: 6311). Direct DNA sequencing of this region of the SCA2 gene revealed a significant association between a pre-expanded allele ((CAG)8CAA(CAG)4CAA(CAG)8) of CAG repeats within exon 1 and the selected haplotype of the SCA2 gene. A significantly negative Tajima's D value (-2.20, P < 0.01) on this site consistently suggested selection on the CAG repeat. This region was also interrogated in the three other populations, none of which showed signs of selection. These results suggest that a recent positive selection of the pre-expansion SCA2 CAG repeat has occurred in Europeans.
Link
Positive Selection of a Pre-expansion CAG Repeat of the Human SCA2 Gene
Fuli Yu et al.
PROVISIONAL ABSTRACT
A region of approximately one megabase of human Chromosome 12 shows extensive linkage disequilibrium (LD) in Americans with ancestry from northern and western Europe. This strikingly large LD block was analyzed with statistical and experimental methods to determine whether natural selection could be implicated in shaping the current genome structure. Extended Haplotype Homozygosity and Relative Extended Haplotype Homozygosity (EHH/REHH) analyses on this region mapped a core region of the strongest conserved haplotype to the exon 1 of the Spinocerebellar ataxia type 2 gene (SCA2, locusID: 6311). Direct DNA sequencing of this region of the SCA2 gene revealed a significant association between a pre-expanded allele ((CAG)8CAA(CAG)4CAA(CAG)8) of CAG repeats within exon 1 and the selected haplotype of the SCA2 gene. A significantly negative Tajima's D value (-2.20, P < 0.01) on this site consistently suggested selection on the CAG repeat. This region was also interrogated in the three other populations, none of which showed signs of selection. These results suggest that a recent positive selection of the pre-expansion SCA2 CAG repeat has occurred in Europeans.
Link
October 03, 2005
Women's preferences for the male physique
Anthropologie, Volume 41/1-2, 2003, pp. 87-91
Sexual selection – women´s preferences for the male physique
Strzałko J.
Abstract
A group of young women were presented with a set of nine male silhouettes drawn in such a way that three depicted the extreme endomorphic, mesomorphic and ectomorphic body types; three the intermediate types; and three body types with a slight predominance of a given component (meso-, ecto- or endomorphic) over the other, evenly balanced, components. The silhouettes were fashioned after photographs from Sheldon. It was expected that the most mesomorphic ‘male’ somatotype would be chosen as the most attractive. Contrary to expectation, the silhouette that scored highest in attractiveness was the one having a balanced proportion of the three components with a slight predominance of ectomorphy. Hence, it represented a physique with moderately developed musculature and a rather slim build. This result supports the postulate that a significant factor of sexual selection leading to the development of sexual dimorphism in modern man was that of intra-sexual competition among males.
Link
This article reminds me of another one:
Sexual selection – women´s preferences for the male physique
Strzałko J.
Abstract
A group of young women were presented with a set of nine male silhouettes drawn in such a way that three depicted the extreme endomorphic, mesomorphic and ectomorphic body types; three the intermediate types; and three body types with a slight predominance of a given component (meso-, ecto- or endomorphic) over the other, evenly balanced, components. The silhouettes were fashioned after photographs from Sheldon. It was expected that the most mesomorphic ‘male’ somatotype would be chosen as the most attractive. Contrary to expectation, the silhouette that scored highest in attractiveness was the one having a balanced proportion of the three components with a slight predominance of ectomorphy. Hence, it represented a physique with moderately developed musculature and a rather slim build. This result supports the postulate that a significant factor of sexual selection leading to the development of sexual dimorphism in modern man was that of intra-sexual competition among males.
Link
This article reminds me of another one:
Roughly speaking ectomorphic=slim, mesomorphic=muscular, endomorphic=fat.Remarkably, among men, the low WHR-low SHR rival, that is, the rival with a linear and slender body build, evoked the highest level of jealousy and was perceived as the most attractive and the most socially dominant of all rivals.
October 01, 2005
Clusters strike back
Yet another paper discovers that self-reported ethnicity corresponds almost perfectly with genetic cluster membership. See some of my previous posts on the subject. Here is the conclusion:
Also of interest from the paper:
Examination of ancestry and ethnic affiliation using highly informative diallelic DNA markers: application to diverse and admixed populations and implications for clinical epidemiology and forensic medicine
Nan Yang et al.
Abstract
We and others have identified several hundred ancestry informative markers (AIMs) with large allele frequency differences between different major ancestral groups. For this study, a panel of 199 widely distributed AIMs was used to examine a diverse set of 796 DNA samples including self-identified European Americans, West Africans, East Asians, Amerindians, African Americans, Mexicans, Mexican Americans, Puerto Ricans and South Asians. Analysis using a Bayesian clustering algorithm (STRUCTURE) showed grouping of individuals with similar ethnic identity without any identifier other than the AIMs genotyping and showed admixture proportions that clearly distinguished different individuals of mixed ancestry. Additional analyses showed that, for the majority of samples, the predicted ethnic identity corresponded with the self-identified ethnicity at high probability (P > 0.99). Overall, the study demonstrates that AIMs can provide a useful adjunct to forensic medicine, pharmacogenomics and disease studies in which major ancestry or ethnic affiliation might be linked to specific outcomes.
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The current study extends the previous findings of Rosenberg et al. (2002) indicating that analysis of population structure using a non-hierarchical clustering algorithm can separate population groups based on DNA polymorphisms. We show here that both continental and sub-continental populations can be readily distinguished and that admixed populations can be examined in the context of the contributions of putative parental populations. These results were robust when k < 7 were examined and were reproducible under many different models. In addition, the findings were not sensitive to exclusion of random groups of individuals, nor inclusion of large numbers of individuals from admixed groups. These findings and implications differ from those suggested by the recent studies of Serre and Paabo in which the microsatellite data set utilized by Rosenberg was reexamined (2004). These investigators suggested that observations of continental grouping in population structure analyses is due to the sampling methods and that there are gradients of human genetic diversity rather than discontinuities between the continents. In contrast, the current study using diallelic AIMs supports the conclusion that the continental population groups are relatively discrete and that such results are not due to limited sampling and exclusion of admixed populations. As discussed subsequently, the robust results observed in the current study may depend on the use of diallelic AIMs.
Also of interest from the paper:
- Hispanics vary in their admixture proportions. For example, Mexican Americans are more Caucasoid than Mexicans, while Puerto Ricans are more Negroid than other Hispanics
- South Asians are assigned their own cluster when k=5, confirming my earlier suggestions. and in agreement with uniparental markers which establish beyond a doubt that admixture between Caucasoids and East Asians does not reflect the origin of South Asian populations. There is no need to postulate East Asian grandparents for South Asians. The authors write:
"However, at k = 5 or greater, the STRUCTURE analysis shows the presence of a new cluster (here designated cluster 5) in the South Asian subjects (Fig. 2b, c). This cluster was the predominant group in the South Asian population for each of the South Asian subjects and was present in the other populations only in small percentages. Similarly, the triangle plot descriptions of the different populations (Fig. 3), shows not only the clear separation of each of the continental populations but also the South Asian population from each of the other populations (Fig. 3c). This result was consistently observed in all analyses performed at k=5 using either the linkage or admixture models applied by the STRUCTURE program and was observed for all individuals that included members with diverse language dialects and states of Indian origin (see Materials and methods)."Human Genetics (online early)
Examination of ancestry and ethnic affiliation using highly informative diallelic DNA markers: application to diverse and admixed populations and implications for clinical epidemiology and forensic medicine
Nan Yang et al.
Abstract
We and others have identified several hundred ancestry informative markers (AIMs) with large allele frequency differences between different major ancestral groups. For this study, a panel of 199 widely distributed AIMs was used to examine a diverse set of 796 DNA samples including self-identified European Americans, West Africans, East Asians, Amerindians, African Americans, Mexicans, Mexican Americans, Puerto Ricans and South Asians. Analysis using a Bayesian clustering algorithm (STRUCTURE) showed grouping of individuals with similar ethnic identity without any identifier other than the AIMs genotyping and showed admixture proportions that clearly distinguished different individuals of mixed ancestry. Additional analyses showed that, for the majority of samples, the predicted ethnic identity corresponded with the self-identified ethnicity at high probability (P > 0.99). Overall, the study demonstrates that AIMs can provide a useful adjunct to forensic medicine, pharmacogenomics and disease studies in which major ancestry or ethnic affiliation might be linked to specific outcomes.
Link
Prehistoric North Africans were Caucasoid
ANTHROPOLOGIE
Volume 43/1, 2005, pp. 1-11
Diversité mitochondriale de la population de taforalt(12.000 ans bp - maroc): une approche génétique a l'étude du peuplement de l'afrique du nord
KÉFI R., STEVANOVITCH A., BOUZAID E., BÉRAUD-COLOMB E.
ABSTRACT
The population exhumed from the archaeological site of Taforalt in Morocco (12,000 years BP) is a valuable source of information toward a better knowledge of the settlement of Northern Africa region and provides a revolutionary way to specify the origin of Ibero-Maurusian populations. Ancient DNA was extracted from 31 bone remains from Taforalt.The HVS1 fragment of the mitochondrial DNA control region was PCR-amplified and directly sequenced. Mitochondrial diversity in Taforalt shows the absence of sub-Saharan haplogroups suggesting that Ibero-Maurusian individuals had not originated in sub-Saharan region. Our results reveal a probable local evolution of Taforalt population and a genetic continuity in North Africa.
Link
Volume 43/1, 2005, pp. 1-11
Diversité mitochondriale de la population de taforalt(12.000 ans bp - maroc): une approche génétique a l'étude du peuplement de l'afrique du nord
KÉFI R., STEVANOVITCH A., BOUZAID E., BÉRAUD-COLOMB E.
ABSTRACT
The population exhumed from the archaeological site of Taforalt in Morocco (12,000 years BP) is a valuable source of information toward a better knowledge of the settlement of Northern Africa region and provides a revolutionary way to specify the origin of Ibero-Maurusian populations. Ancient DNA was extracted from 31 bone remains from Taforalt.The HVS1 fragment of the mitochondrial DNA control region was PCR-amplified and directly sequenced. Mitochondrial diversity in Taforalt shows the absence of sub-Saharan haplogroups suggesting that Ibero-Maurusian individuals had not originated in sub-Saharan region. Our results reveal a probable local evolution of Taforalt population and a genetic continuity in North Africa.
Link
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