Miroslav Králík

Pavlov VI. An Upper Palaeolithic living unit

Abstract This newly discovered and excavated site defines an Upper Palaeolithic activity unit consisting of a roasting pit at the centre of an area 5m across. Although the main task was the processing of two mammoths, there were numerous other wild animals in the assemblage. The occupants used flint knives, made bone tools and modelled in baked clay – on which they left their fingerprints, along with imprints of reindeer hair and textiles. Pavlov VI offers an exemplary picture of the basic living unit that made up the settlement clusters of the Gravettian people in Central Europe.

Sex assessment using clavicle measurements: Inter- and intra-population comparisons

We studied sexual dimorphism of the human clavicle in order to describe size variation and create population-specific discriminant tools for morphometric sex assessment. The studied sample consisted of 200 skeletons of adult individuals obtained from the University of Athens Human Skeletal Reference Collection, Athens, Greece. The specimens were well-documented and represented a modern population from cemeteries in the Athens area. Six dimensions typically used for clavicle measurements were recorded. For sexing clavicles, we used both traditional univariate (limiting, demarking and sectioning points) and multivariate discriminant function analysis. The accuracy of the best five classification equations/functions ranged from 91.62% to 92.55% of correctly assigned specimens. By testing new and previously published sexing functions (Greeks, Polynesians, Guatemalans) on four available population samples (English, Indians from Amritsar, Indians from Varanasi, and data from the present study) we found that, for some combinations of tested and reference samples, the accuracy of the sex assessment may decrease even below the probability given by random sex assignment. Therefore, measurements of the clavicle should not be used for sex assessment of individual cases (both forensic and archeological) whose population origin is unknown. However, significant metric differences were also recorded among three different Greek samples (i.e. within a population). As a consequence, application of a sexing method generated from one Greek sample and applied to another Greek sample led to negligible reduction in the success of sex assessment, despite general similarities in ethnic origin (Greeks), generation structure and presumed social background of the samples. Therefore, we believe that future studies should focus on understanding the nature of the differences among within-population reference samples.

Investigation of interaction between magnetic silica particles and lambda phage DNA fragment

Nucleic acids belong to the most important molecules and therefore the understanding of their properties, function and behavior is crucial. Even though a range of analytical and biochemical methods have been developed for this purpose, one common step is essential for all of them - isolation of the nucleic acid from the from complex sample matrix. The use of magnetic particles for the separation of nucleic acids has many advantages over other isolation methods. In this study, an isolation procedure for extraction of DNA was optimized. Each step of the isolation process including washing, immobilization and elution was optimized and therefore the efficiency was increased from 1.7% to 28.7% and the total time was shortened from 75 to 30min comparing to the previously described method. Quantification of the particular parameter influence was performed by square-wave voltammetry using hanging drop mercury electrode. Further, we compared the optimized method with standard chloroform extraction and applied on isolation of DNA from Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli.

An Early Upper Palaeolithic decorated bone tubular rod from Pod Hradem Cave, Czech Republic

Personal ornaments are a notable feature of the Early Upper Palaeolithic in Europe and an important expression of modern human identity. The tubular bone rod from Pod Hradem Cave in the Czech Republic is the first example of its kind from Central Europe. Laboratory examination reveals the techniques used in its manufacture and underlines the skill of its maker. AMS dates and Bayesian modelling suggest a cultural association with the Early Aurignacian period. It illustrates the cultural links across large areas of Europe at this time, although it is unique in its specific combination of size, raw material and decorative features.

Distal Part of the Human Hand: Study of Form Variability and Sexual Dimorphism Using Geometric Morphometrics

Traditionally, the human hand has been analyzed by measuring and comparing individual segments (fingers, phalanges, metacarpals) without considering their mutual spatial relationships. The present study aimed to analyze intra-population variability of the human hand form in the region of fingers as whole with special focus given to sexual dimorphism and the association between shape and size. Right hands of 99 females and 70 males, mostly college students, were scanned with a document scanner in standardized position from the palmar side. For each image 2-D coordinates of 16 landmarks were recorded and variability between configurations of landmarks were studied using geometric morphometrics. To understand patterns of variability, shape spaces were decomposed into affine and non-affine subspaces and further studied separately. The prevalence of the total variability was associated with affine shape change identical for the whole studied region of the hand. Its major portion was represented by shearing in proximodistal direction and to a lesser extent by straining in the relative hand width. The strain also strongly correlated with size of the hand. Intersexual differences were represented by affine change in which the proximodistal shearing was inextricably tied with the differences in relative hand width. Local non-affine sex differences were found in specific phalanges and might be associated with differences in finger length ratios. We presume that separating global and local sexually dimorphic features of the hand might shed light on the origin/onset of the dimorphism during early ontogeny – the more local the feature, the later differentiated, and thus influenced by different ontogenetic factors than global features.

Mitochondrial genomes reveal an east to west cline of steppe ancestry in Corded Ware populations

From around 4,000 to 2,000 BC the forest-steppe north-western Pontic region was occupied by people who shared a nomadic lifestyle, pastoral economy and barrow burial rituals. It has been shown that these groups, especially those associated with the Yamnaya culture, played an important role in shaping the gene pool of Bronze Age Europeans, which extends into present-day patterns of genetic variation in Europe. Although the genetic impact of these migrations from the forest-steppe Pontic region into central Europe have previously been addressed in several studies, the contribution of mitochondrial lineages to the people associated with the Corded Ware culture in the eastern part of the North European Plain remains contentious. In this study, we present mitochondrial genomes from 23 Late Eneolithic and Bronze Age individuals, including representatives of the north-western Pontic region and the Corded Ware culture from the eastern part of the North European Plain. We identified, for the first time in ancient populations, the rare mitochondrial haplogroup X4 in two Bronze Age Catacomb culture-associated individuals. Genetic similarity analyses show close maternal genetic affinities between populations associated with both eastern and Baltic Corded Ware culture, and the Yamnaya horizon, in contrast to larger genetic differentiation between populations associated with western Corded Ware culture and the Yamnaya horizon. This indicates that females with steppe ancestry contributed to the formation of populations associated with the eastern Corded Ware culture while more local people, likely of Neolithic farmer ancestry, contributed to the formation of populations associated with western Corded Ware culture.

Meeting Report: Growth and Social Environment. Proceedings of the 25th Aschauer Soiree, held at Krobielowice, Poland, November 18th 2017

Twenty-two scientists met at Krobielowice, Poland, to discuss the impact of the social environment, spatial proximity, migration, poverty, but also psychological factors such as body perception and satisfaction, and social stressors such as elite sports, and teenage pregnancies, on child and adolescent growth. The data analysis included linear mixed effects models with different random effects, Monte Carlo analyses, and network simulations. The work stressed the importance of the peer group, but also included historic material, some considerations about body proportions, and growth in chronic liver, and congenital heart disease.

Nejsou čáry jako čáry : Inkrementální linie v mikrostruktuře zubů a jejich využití při analýze kosterních nálezů

Buňky produkujici tvrde zubni tkaně zanechavaji v průběhu vývoje zubů pod vlivem různých metabolických rytmů zaznam o jejich aktivitě ve formě růstových markerů, oznacovaných jako inkrementalni linie. Kromě těchto pravidelných casových markerů jsou v mikrostruktuře zubů zaznamenana a po celou dobu existence zubu přitomna take metabolicka a fyziologicka naruseni způsobena stresovými udalostmi. Cilem tohoto přispěvku je rekonstrukce vývojoveho zaznamu ze zubů kosterniho nalezu ditěte z ojediněleho hrobu na lokalitě Muraň-Hrad, Slovensko pomoci metody odontochronologie a take nacrtnuti možných přinosů využiti histologickeho přistupu a analýz výbrusů zubů v bioarcheologii při studiu minulých populaci.

Člověk a artefakt. Téma archeologické antropologie

Artefakty vytvořene clověkem jsou na jedne straně kulturně univerzalni, neboť představuji vylepsene prostředky pro naplňovani evolucně starých biologických funkci (ziskavani potravy, hajeni teritoria, prezentace socialniho statusu, reprodukce a organizace života socialni skupiny). Na straně druhe se kultury v jejich detailnich formach velmi lisi diky rozdilům v technologiich, naboženstvi, symbolice, modě, aj. Jednim z temat archeologicke antropologie je vztah clověka a artefaktu, který lze vyjadřit trojstrannou interakci artefaktu, clověka a ucelu. Artefakt je podřizen dostupnosti (přirodni prostředi) a vlastnostem použite suroviny, soucasně vsak bezprostředně odraži vlastnosti clověka (resp. spolecnosti), který ho použiva (tělesne rozměry, věk, pohlavi, zdravotni stav, casove možnosti, technologickou uroveň, materialni zdroje, tradice), zaroveň musi v požadovane miře respektovat ucel, pro který byl vyroben, resp. ke kteremu se uživa (pracovni/utilitarni funkce, moda, symbolika, naboženstvi aj.). Každý konkretni artefakt nezbytně zahrnuje vsechny tyto tři komponenty, jejich vzajemný vztah vsak neni trivialni. Na přikladu několika artefaktů z archeologických nalezů (opevněni řimskeho kratkodobeho tabora, naramek v době řimske a stěhovani narodů, bota a ostruha, hradba a sekera v 9. stoleti, prsten ve starsi době bronzove) jsme se pokusili demonstrovat urcitou autonomii uvedených tři rovin a soucasně jejich specificke interakce. Interpretace role každeho konkretniho archeologickeho artefaktu v životě tehdejsiho clověka/spolecnosti by měla zohledňovat vsechny zminěne roviny.

Věkové a mezipohlavní rozdíly v rozměrech zubního oblouku dolní čelisti nedospělých jedinců: Brněnská sbírka sádrových ortodontických modelů chrupu

Hodnoceni mezipohlavnich rozdilů v utvařeni dolni celisti je jednou z mala možnosti, jak lze u nedospělých skeletů morfo-- logicky odhadovat pohlavi. V teto průřezove studii jsme se pokusili morfometricky prostudovat věkove rozdily a ověřit existenci pohlavniho dimorfismu ve velikosti a tvaru zubniho oblouku dolni celisti u nedospělých jedinců recentni ceske populace. Vzorek tvořilo 163 sadrových modelů dolnich celisti ortodontických pacientů, vybraných z Brněnske sbirky sadrových ortodontických modelů chrupu na zakladě stupně prořezani a nepřitomnosti zjevných patologii v rozsahu I(i)1–M1. Mladsi kategorie od 7,5 let vcetně do 9,5 let sestavala ze 77 připadů (35 mužů a 42 žen), starsi kategorie od 14 let vcetně do 20 let z 86 připadů (36 mužů a 50 žen). Velikost a tvar zubniho oblouku jsme na standar dizovaných fotografiich okluzni roviny hodnotili morfometricky pomoci jedenacti rozměrů, definovaných význacnými body na přednich řezacich, spicacich a prvnich trvalých stolickach. Tvar jsme hodnotili pomoci sesti indexů. Ženy měly celkově mensi rozměry zubniho oblouku než muži stejne věkove kategorie, ve vyssi věkove kategorii byl velikostni dimorfismus mirně vyssi, ve větsině rozměrů vsak nepřesahoval 5%. Rozdily mezi věkovými kategoriemi nejsou jen odrazem prosteho zvětsovani celisti v průběhu postnatalniho růstu. Delka distalni casti zubniho oblouku (C(c)–M1) je ve vyssim věku u obou pohlavi mensi. To může být způsobeno stěsnavanim mesialnějsich zubů s tim, jak se postupně prořezavaji zuby distalnějsi. Ve větsině hodnocených indexů se pohlavi výrazně nelisila, výjimkou byl Index vystupovani spicaku v mladsi věkove kategorii. Spicak vystupoval z oblouku bukalnim směrem výrazněji ženam než mužům.