The relationship between demographic indicators of public health and environmental factors in Russian cities

Results. Comparison of groups of cities with different levels of air pollution in terms of the total fertility rate and the birth-death ratio revealed significant differences between the groups in 2014 (significance levels are 0.018 and 0.025, respectively) and their absence in 2015 and 2016. At the same time, in groups of cities, with an increase in the level of air pollution, an increase in the median values of the total fertility rates and the birth-death rates is noted. Comparison of groups of cities according to the aging index revealed a significant heterogeneity of groups with different levels of air pollution in 2014, 2015, 2016: significance levels are equal to 0.0007; 0.005; 0.002 respectively. In urban groups, with an increase in air pollution, the median value of the aging index decreases. Conclusion. An analysis of the relationship between demographic indicators of population health and the level of air pollution showed that the most sensitive to the level of air pollution are indicators such as the total fertility rate, the birth-death ratio and the aging index. In groups of cities, with an increase in the level of air pollution, the median values of the total fertility rate and the birth-death ratio increase, while the median values of the aging index decrease. The results obtained are consistent with the provisions of the theory of life history evolution. This research was performed according to the Development program of the Interdisciplinary Scientific and Educational School of M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University “The future of the planet and global environmental change”.

On the possibility of using anthropological photography to determine linear facial dimensions. Methodical article

Three samples were analyzed – the population of central Chile (175 men and 55 women), the indigenous population of Altai (38 men and 67 women) and the Russians of Altai (52 men and 42 women). The collection of material took place in two stages: working directly with the subject and working with photographs. Measurements of the parameters of the head and face of the subjects in the field in both cases were carried out according to the classical method of V.V. Bunak, adopted in the Russian anthropometric school. Photographing in portrait and in profile was carried out taking into account the recommendations for the production of anthropological photographs. Further, the dimensions in pixels were calculated from the photographs, and converted into mm using one indicator, which was measured both in the field and from a photograph (the distance between the canines for the Chilean sample, and the width of the nose for the Altai ones). Results and discussion. The sizes obtained in the field were compared with their counterparts obtained from photographs. For these dimensions, regression equations were obtained, allowing to most accurately translate the dimensions obtained from photographs into real dimensions. It was found that in the event that the thickness of soft tissues above the bone base is insignificant or the size does not depend on the bone base, the difference in measurements on the subject and in the photograph is within the boundaries of acceptable discrepancies between researchers. In this case, the performance of the equations will depend on the scale of the element used for recalculation – the larger it is, the smaller the error. Regression equations were obtained on three samples, allowing one to compare the linear dimensions obtained in the analysis of photographic images with the dimensions obtained in the field. However, it should be emphasized that only the mean values obtained using the regression equations should be used, since in this way individual variability is leveled.

Osteological materials from Chechnya and Ingushetia in the collections of the MSU Research Institute and Museum of Anthropology

The article revises osteological collections from Chechnya and Ingushetia in the Anuchin Research Institute and Museum of Anthropology of the Lomonosov Moscow State University. Materials and methods. We worked mainly with the archival records of the Museum of Anthropology and the Institute of Archaeology RAS, and directly with the museum items (skulls). The collections from Chechnya and Ingushetia originated mostly from excavations conducted by E.I. Krupnov and his students – R.M. Munchaev and V.I. Markovin in the 1930s and 1950-1960s. In addition to these materials, there are three skulls brought to the museum by V.F. Miller at the end of the 19th century, and two skulls donated to the museum by V.V. Bunak in the first half of the XX century. Results. Some inconsistencies in archaeological dates were revealed between the archival records, information in the 1986 catalog and in the scientific excavation reports. In cases when this was revealed, the revised archaeological dates were presented. The most remarkable was the situation with the Bamut cemetery. Among 7 skulls, listed in all archival documents of the Museum of Anthropology as late medieval, one skull was found to be Eneolithic. Conclusion. Osteological materials from Chechnya and Ingushetia of the Museum of Anthropology collections amount 29 storage units (29 skulls and 1 incomplete postcranial skeleton) and cover a wide chronological range from the Eneolithic to the Late Middle Ages. The craniological data for most of these materials were published by A.G. Gadzhiev and V.P. Alekseev.

Sarmatian burials of the kurgan semetеry

The discussed materials originate from burials No. 2 and 5 of mound 1 of the Nezlobnensky-6 burial mound, investigated in 2006 by the expedition of the NASLEDIE (Stavropol). The documentation stored in the archive of the Institute of Archaeology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, as well as diary entries and field photography of the author were used in the publication. Results. The funeral rite of the burials and gravegoods are described in detail and analyzed in the main part of the publication. The finds were dated, their place among the archaeological cultures of the peoples who inhabited the Central Pre-Caucasus in the Early Iron Age was determined. A circle of analogies is given among synchronous archaeological sites, both in the central Pre-Caucasus and in adjacent territories. Conclusion. Burial 2 dates from the III-I centuries BC and is associated with the culture of the pre-Caucasian Sarmatians, presumably the Sirak tribal union. This type of graves was identified by archaeologists in the middle of the XX century and since then their number has been steadily increasing. Burial 5 is also dated to Sarmatian period, but earlier than burial 2. It belongs to the IV century BC and is a rather rare form of burial, a collective military grave. It is likely that all the people buried there died at the same time, as a result of a military conflict.

Formation of adaptive types as a process of microevolution

The study populations have been grouped into two clusters. The first constituted the ethnic groups that are anthropologically affine but differ in adaptive types and husbandry practices. The second included the anthropologically unrelated ethnic groups having similar environment economy systems and adaptive types. We analyzed the genotype and allele frequencies of the metabolism-associated APOE, LCT, TREH, UCP1 genes, and Fok1 and BsmI polymorphisms of VDR gene. A total of 749 samples in the study represents the ethnic groups of Komi-Permyaks (n=181), Komi (n=235), Komi-Izhems (n=200), Shores (n=133). Results. A resemblance in the morphological and physiological complexes that have convergently developed in the course of environmental adaptations have been shown to reflect similarities in the gene features of anthropologically unrelated populations. In contrast, in the historically related groups that have utilized different biotopes and types of husbandry, there are growing divergence in the frequencies of metabolism-associated genotypes and alleles. These findings imply that ecological adaptations of modern human populations drive the minor changes in allele frequencies, which have occurred over a few generations. Conclusion. The apparent morpho-physiological and population-genetic specificity of the adaptive types allows us to regard the process of their formation as microevolution.

Roman sculptural portrait and votive portrait of the Roman republic time (preliminary comparative data on composite portraits)

The materials for the composite portraits were images from electronic antique collections of museums, image banks and catalogs. To obtain visual images of the studied groups, the composite portrait method was used in a digital program. Results and discussion. Unlike the roman sculptural portrait of the 1st century BC, which has a specific purpose and real prototypes, prototypes of votive terracotta heads of the 3rd – 1st centuries BC can be both real people and typified model-forms. The main differences between the composite roman portraits from the etruscan-italic votives relate to the orbital part of the face, the nose width and the upper lip hight. The composite images of the roman votives of Latium are similar to the composite roman sculptural portrait in the nose width. The morphological differences between the votive portrait and the Roman republican sculptural portrait can be a reflection of really different anthropological types, which does not except the presence of the cumulative (Greeks, Etruscans, Latins) canon of morphological form in votive portraits. Conclusion. The early Roman portrait, represented by two distinctive forms of portraiture, reveals different anthropological types. The extent to which a possible morphological canon of votive heads gifts is influenced by Greek prototypes can be determined by comparison with a composite Greek portrait.

Building materials in the medieval architecture of the archaeological site of Deraheyb (Sudan)

The material for the article was samples of light gray rock with lighter and darker inclusions taken during the study of architectural structures of the archaeological site Deraheib (Sudan), which has been investigated since 2017 by the Nubian Archaeological and Anthropological Mission of the Research Institute and Museum of Anthropology of the Lomonosov Moscow State University (NAAM). This rock was used for making floor in Building 3 (Mosque) and as a bonding material in the walls of the Northern Fortress. Decorative architectural elements carved from the same rock were found during the study of the interior rooms of the Northern Fortress. Samples of this rock were taken into Russia by agreement with the National Corporation for Antiquities and Museums (NCAM) of the Republic of Sudan. The prepared thin sections were examined at the Research Institute and the Museum of Anthropology of the Lomonosov Moscow State University. Results. The analysis of thin sections showed that highly altered volcanic-metamorphic rocks, metamorphosed tuffs of acidic or alkaline composition, widespread in this region of Sudan, served as the material for pouring floors and for the making of a binder in the architectural structures of Deraheib, as well as for decorative architectural elements. Discussion. The conducted research indicates that the architects who erected buildings in Deraheib in the medieval period used locally available material, since it was very difficult to deliver building materials from the Nile Valley, taken into account the location of the monument almost in the center of the Nubian Desert. The tuff deposits at the site allowed the architects to build durable structures using local materials. The results of the study will allow to elaborate more accurate recommendations for the restoration of medieval architectural monuments of Deraheib.

Age dynamics of sexual dimorphism of anthropometric dimensions through the ascending period of ontogenesis from 1 month to 17 years (based on Moscow data)

The “model” sample is based on the data of Moscow preschool and school children aged 1-17 years, examined by the authors in 2005-06. The data on infants aged 1-12 months is collected on base of the archives of Moscow maternity hospitals and children’s hospitals in 2007-08. The quantitative estimation of the value of sexual dimorphism is based on Kullback divergence, the analogue of Makhalanobis distance. Results. For the total body dimensions (height, weight, chest girth) the pattern of dynamics of SD is similar. Through the first half of the infancy SD reaches 0.6-0.8 standard deviations. Further on SD decreases till minimal values of about 0.1-0.2 standard deviations at the age of 10-12 years. Up to 17 years, when boys experience yet active growth processes and outstrip the total body dimensions of girls, SD values increase. The values of biacromial diameter are slightly higher in boys as compared to girls through 1-13 years interval, further on SD increases to 2.3 standard deviations at 17 years of age. SD of biiliac diameter changes in a narrow corridor from -0.05 standard deviations at 11-15 years of age to 0.25 standard deviations at 6 and 17 years. The specificity of age dynamics of SD of subscapular skinfold is small negative values through the 1-12 years interval; after 12 years sexual differences increase significantly due to intensive accumulation of fat tissue in girls and reach -0.8 standard deviation up to 17 years of age. Conclusion. Age variability is the important factor of the dynamics of SD of somatic traits through the whole ontogenesis and reflects sex differences in the ratio of morphofunctional differentiation during ascending ontogenesis section. Final peculiarities of SD are formed mainly in the adolescent period of ontogenesis. Dynamics of SD has differences for total body dimensions, indices of transversal skeletal development and indices of adiposity, having different adaptive sense.

Composite photographic portrait as a tool for visualizing local anthropological variants (using the example of Bashkir men photographic materials)

Based on individual images of Bashkir men from literary sources (early 20th century) and on the basis of our own photographs of the end of the 20th century, composite photographic portraits (full-face, in profile) were compiled using the "FaceOnFace" computer program. Based on the high similarity of composite photographic portraits, two samples (from the beginning and the end of the 20th century) of initial photographs of Bashkir men were combined into a single corpus (N = 85). Individual photographs corresponding to the descriptions of the South Siberian (N = 40) and Ural (N = 20) minor races were selected from the combined sample of photographs of Bashkir men of the 20th century. Results and discussion. Based on these two subsamples, using digital technologies, 2 pairs of high-precision male composite photographic portraits (full-face and in profile) of Bashkir men were created. They represent the two racial variants prevailing in the region. One pair of photo-generalizations characterizes the softened South Siberian (N = 40), and the other, the sub-Ural (N = 20) anthropological variants. All profile composite photographic portraits of the Bashkirs were obtained for the first time. The phantom image obtained by the method is mentally compared with a certain generalized idea of a particular anthropological version of the known racial classifications. Due to the authorial nature of the various racial classifications, the subjective choice of the «typical», «most characteristic» person (or a short series of faces), presented as an illustration, is also inevitable. Conclusion. The resulting photographic portraits are no less recognizable than the illustrations given in anthropology textbooks: two clearly distinguishable anthropologically variants are visualized that occur in Bashkir populations. This result confirms the deeply entrenched opinion of anthropologists about the heterogeneity and population polytypes of the Bashkir ethno-national community. Both population-typological composite photographic portraits of an ethnic group and a typological digital high precision quality composite portrait, which achieves the effect of "personalization" of a phantom image, are cognitive tools that allow one to assess the biological reality of the existence of human populations with biologically meaningful (adequate) visual means. It is necessary to seek visual means that are isomorphic to the nature of a living, lasting composite.