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Luciano F, Ruggiero L, Minetti AE, Pavei G. The work to swing limbs in humans versus chimpanzees and its relation to the metabolic cost of walking. Sci Rep 2024; 14:8970. [PMID: 38637567 PMCID: PMC11026468 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-59171-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Compared to their closest ape relatives, humans walk bipedally with lower metabolic cost (C) and less mechanical work to move their body center of mass (external mechanical work, WEXT). However, differences in WEXT are not large enough to explain the observed lower C: humans may also do less work to move limbs relative to their body center of mass (internal kinetic mechanical work, WINT,k). From published data, we estimated differences in WINT,k, total mechanical work (WTOT), and efficiency between humans and chimpanzees walking bipedally. Estimated WINT,k is ~ 60% lower in humans due to changes in limb mass distribution, lower stride frequency and duty factor. When summing WINT,k to WEXT, between-species differences in efficiency are smaller than those in C; variations in WTOT correlate with between-species, but not within-species, differences in C. These results partially support the hypothesis that the low cost of human walking is due to the concerted low WINT,k and WEXT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Luciano
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Luca Ruggiero
- Human Performance Research Centre, Department of Sports Science, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany.
| | - Alberto E Minetti
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Gaspare Pavei
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, 20133, Milan, Italy
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2
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Carretero JM, García-González R, Rodríguez L, Arsuaga JL. Main anatomical characteristics of the hominin fossil humeri from the Sima de los Huesos Middle Pleistocene site, Sierra de Atapuerca, Burgos, Spain: An update. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2023. [PMID: 36916962 DOI: 10.1002/ar.25194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Revised: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/15/2023]
Abstract
Some of the Sima de los Huesos (SH) humeri have been previously studied and described elsewhere. Here we present an updated inventory and a review of the specimens recovered to the present day. The morphological key traits of the adult and subadult specimens are described, discussed, and illustrated. The SH humeri share with Neandertals many traits usually considered to be Neandertal specializations, thus, most of this morphological pattern is not exclusive to them. The variation found within fossil samples stresses the frequential nature of all these traits and in the specific case of the SH humeri, most of the traits considered as phylogenetically relevant are retained by their descendants, the Neandertals. Some traits are plesiomorphic for the entire genus Homo or are present in European hominins since the early Pleistocene. Finally, some other traits display high variability within the SH sample or different hominin samples and are of uncertain phylogenetic value. Altogether, this evidence is consistent with the hypothesis based on the overall cranial and postcranial morphology that the SH hominins are a sister group to the later Neandertals.
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Affiliation(s)
- José-Miguel Carretero
- Laboratorio de Evolución Humana, Universidad de Burgos, Burgos, Spain.,Unidad Asociada de I+D+i al CSIC Vidrio y Materiales del Patrimonio Cultural (VIMPAC), Burgos, Spain.,Centro UCM-ISCIII de Investigación sobre Evolución y Comportamiento Humanos, Avda. Monforte de Lemos 5 (Pabellón 14), Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Laura Rodríguez
- Laboratorio de Evolución Humana, Universidad de Burgos, Burgos, Spain.,Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas y Ambientales, Departamento de Biodiversidad y Gestión Ambiental, Universidad de León, León, Spain
| | - Juan-Luis Arsuaga
- Centro UCM-ISCIII de Investigación sobre Evolución y Comportamiento Humanos, Avda. Monforte de Lemos 5 (Pabellón 14), Madrid, Spain.,Departamento de Geodinámica, Estratigrafía y Paleontología, Facultad de Ciencias Geológicas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
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Gómez M, Casado A, de Diego M, Pastor JF, Potau JM. Anatomical and molecular analyses of the deltoid muscle in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) and modern humans (Homo sapiens): Similarities and differences due to the uses of the upper extremity. Am J Primatol 2022; 84:e23390. [PMID: 35561001 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Revised: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
In the deltoid muscles of Pan troglodytes and Homo sapiens, we have analyzed the muscle architecture and the expression of the myosin heavy chain (MHC) isoforms. Our aim was to identify differences between the two species that could be related to their different uses of the upper limb. The deltoid muscle of six adult Pan troglodytes and six adult Homo sapiens were dissected. The muscle fascicle length (MFL) and the physiological cross-sectional area (PCSA) of each muscle were calculated in absolute and normalized values. The expression pattern of the MHC-I, MHC-IIa and MHC-IIx isoforms was analyzed in the same muscles by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Only the acromial deltoid (AD) presented significant architectural differences between the two species, with higher MFL values in humans and higher PCSA values in chimpanzees. No significant differences in the expression pattern of the MHC isoforms were identified. The higher PCSA values in the AD of Pan troglodytes indicate a greater capacity of force generation in chimpanzees than in humans, which may be related to a greater use of the upper limb in locomotion, specifically in arboreal locomotion like vertical climbing. The functional differences between chimpanzees and humans in the deltoid muscle are more related to muscle architecture than to a differential expression of MHC isoforms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mónica Gómez
- Department of Surgery and Surgical Specializations, Unit of Human Anatomy and Embryology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Aroa Casado
- Department of Surgery and Surgical Specializations, Unit of Human Anatomy and Embryology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Institut d'Arqueologia de la Universitat de Barcelona (IAUB), Faculty of Geography and History, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marina de Diego
- Department of Surgery and Surgical Specializations, Unit of Human Anatomy and Embryology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Josep Maria Potau
- Department of Surgery and Surgical Specializations, Unit of Human Anatomy and Embryology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Institut d'Arqueologia de la Universitat de Barcelona (IAUB), Faculty of Geography and History, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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Macchi R, Daver G, Brenet M, Prat S, Hugheville L, Harmand S, Lewis J, Domalain M. Biomechanical demands of percussive techniques in the context of early stone toolmaking. J R Soc Interface 2021; 18:20201044. [PMID: 34034530 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2020.1044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent discoveries in archaeology and palaeoanthropology highlight that stone tool knapping could have emerged first within the genera Australopithecus or Kenyanthropus rather than Homo. To explore the implications of this hypothesis determining the physical demands and motor control needed for performing the percussive movements during the oldest stone toolmaking technology (i.e. Lomekwian) would help. We analysed the joint angle patterns and muscle activity of a knapping expert using three stone tool replication techniques: unipolar flaking on the passive hammer (PH), bipolar (BP) flaking on the anvil, and multidirectional and multifacial flaking with free hand (FH). PH presents high levels of activity for Biceps brachii and wrist extensors and flexors. By contrast, BP and FH are characterized by high solicitation of forearm pronation. The synergy analyses depict a high muscular and kinematic coordination. Whereas the muscle pattern is very close between the techniques, the kinematic pattern is more variable, especially for PH. FH displays better muscle coordination and conversely lesser joint angle coordination. These observations suggest that the transition from anvil and hammer to freehand knapping techniques in early hominins would have been made possible by the acquisition of a behavioural repertoire producing an evolutionary advantage that gradually would have been beneficial for stone tool production.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Macchi
- Institut PPrime, CNRS - Université de Poitiers - ENSMA, UPR 3346, Poitiers, France.,PALEVOPRIM, CNRS - Université de Poitiers, UMR 7262, Poitiers, France
| | - G Daver
- PALEVOPRIM, CNRS - Université de Poitiers, UMR 7262, Poitiers, France
| | - M Brenet
- CNRS, UMR5199 PACEA et INRAP GSO, Université de Bordeaux, 33615 Pessac, France
| | - S Prat
- UMR 7194 (HNHP), MNHN/CNRS/UPVD, Alliance Sorbonne Université, Musée de l'Homme, Paris, France
| | - L Hugheville
- Institut du Cerveau et de la Moëlle épinière, Paris, France
| | - S Harmand
- Turkana Basin Institute, Department of Anthropology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-4364, USA
| | - J Lewis
- Turkana Basin Institute, Department of Anthropology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-4364, USA
| | - M Domalain
- Institut PPrime, CNRS - Université de Poitiers - ENSMA, UPR 3346, Poitiers, France
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