Journal of the Anthropological Society of Nippon

Cross Section Contour of Femoral Shaft at the Mid Point: Variation in Modern Japanese and Jomon Populations

Masato NAKATSUKASA

1990 Volume 98 Issue 1 Pages 1-12
Published: March 10, 1990
Released on J-STAGE: February 26, 2008

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1537/ase1911.98.1

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The configuration of the femur cross section is usually described in terms of the cross section index. However, the morphological information which is presented in this index is limited. A new technique is introduced here to analyze the variation of whole cross-sectional outlines statistically, in which morphological variability can be summarized in terms of fundamental variational patterns. This technique was applied to cross sections of the modern Japanese and Jomon (Japanese Neolithic) femora. It was revealed that the variation was represented by the combination of two underlying patterns: pilastering and asymmetry ("torsion"). Both fundamental patterns varied continuously in the studied populations, although the ranges differed by population. The results were shown visually to clarify that the range of variation was great in the modern Japanese, and that the degree of pilastering and sexual dimorphism were rather great in the Jomon femora. In the degree of torsion, the population difference was not found to be significant, despite that modern Japanese showed a wider range of variation.

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Affinities of the Philippine Negritos with Japanese and the Pacific Populations Based on Dental Measurements: The Basic Populations in East Asia, I

Tsunehiko HANIHARA

1990 Volume 98 Issue 1 Pages 13-27
Published: March 10, 1990
Released on J-STAGE: February 26, 2008

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1537/ase1911.98.13

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Late Pleistocene Sundaland is thought to be the geogenetic centedr from which all the Pacific populations have radiated. As early as 30, 000-40, 000 years B. P., the ancestral "Proto-Australoid" of Southeast Asia might have moved into Wallacea as well as Sahulland and evolved under the particular selective forces. In the tropical rain-forest of Sundaland, this "Proto-Australoid" might have evolved into the "Proto-Malay", one of whose descendants might be modern Negritos of the Philippines. On the other hand, a late Pleistocene population occupying the Sundaland was probably the direct ancestor of the Proto-Mongoloid population, which might be the lineage leading to the Neolithic Jomon population and modern Ainu. The final populating of the Pacific was by Polynesians and Micronesians extending from Southeast Asia.
The population history described above emphasizes the necessity of broad comparisons and investigations in studies on the origin and affinities of modern Japanese. In this study, the dental measurements of some geographically isolated populations in Japan whose ancestors could be traced back to the Southeast Asian Proto-Mongoloid population were compared with those of the Neolithic Jomon population, Negritos, Australian Aborigines, Polynesians, Micronesians, and Melanesians.
The results obtained indicate that there may be a dichotomous relationship between Japanese and the Pacific populations (Micronesians and Polynesians). The dental characteristics of Negritos have something in common with those of the two population groups. The basic population of native Japanese are discussed based on such findings.

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Estimation of Age at Death by Femoral Osteon Remodeling: Application of THOMPSON'S Core Technique to Modern Japanese

Shuichiro NARASAKI

1990 Volume 98 Issue 1 Pages 29-38
Published: March 10, 1990
Released on J-STAGE: February 26, 2008

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1537/ase1911.98.29

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THOMPSON'S core technique for estimation of age at death was applied to 52 modern Japanese cadavers. Bone cores with 4mm in diameter were removed from anterior midshaft of left femur of 28 males and 24 females ranged in age from 43 to 98 years. Variables used in this study include cortical thickness, core weight, total secondary osteon number, mean secondary osteon area, secondary osteon area standard deviation, mean secondary osteon perimeter, secondary osteon perimeter standard deviation, and total secondary osteon area. Multiple regression formula was calculated in both sexes. Multiple correlation coefficients and standard errors were 0.581 and 9.28 in males, 0.748 and 9.95 in females, respectively.

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Cuspal Ridges of Deciduous Upper Second Molars in Japanese Subjects

Mitsuo SEKIKAWA, Eisaku KANAZAWA, Tadashi OZAKI, L.C. RICHARDS

1990 Volume 98 Issue 1 Pages 39-47
Published: March 10, 1990
Released on J-STAGE: February 26, 2008

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1537/ase1911.98.39

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The occlusal surfaces of deciduous upper second molars were photographed by moire contourography using the standard trigonal plane. The ridges of a cusp, omprising a central ridge and the mesial and distal accessory ridges, were identified by the patterns of the moire fringes. The central ridge was present on all cusps except for the hypocone in both sexes. Frequencies of the two accessory ridges on trigonal cusps exceeded 60% except for the distal accessory ridge on the etacone. The mesial accessory ridge on the metacone was significantly more common in females than in males, but the running pattern of the cuspal ridges showed little difference between sexes. The oblique ridge of the deciduous molar was well developed compared with that of the permanent first molar. This ridge was observed in all subjects, but its height and structural components varied remarkably. A small tubercle on the oblique ridge was sometimes observed, usually located on the metacone side. This tubercle was similar to the metaconule in its position and morphology. Intercuspal distances showed larger mean values in the molars with a metaconule than those without. This implied that the overall crown size was affected by the degree of development of some crown components, such as the ridges and tubercles.

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Foot in Mammals, Primates, and Humans: A Functional-Morphological Overview

Hisao BABA

1990 Volume 98 Issue 1 Pages 51-64
Published: March 10, 1990
Released on J-STAGE: February 26, 2008

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1537/ase1911.98.51

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The evolution of locomotor adaptation of the human foot was reviewed and compared with those of other mammals (Fig. 2). As a result, three kinds of structural adaptation were identified.
First, in the stage of primitive mammals, the human foot acquired a basic structure for terrestrial locomotion. That is, the foot acts as a lever, in which the ankle joint is a pivot, the triceps surae generates power, and take-off is made at the tips of the metatarsals (Figs. 6, 7, 8, 9; Table 1).
Second, in the stage of primates, the adaptation for arboreal locomotion (brachiation in a wide sense) occurred. Namely, the big toe became large for grasping and the foot was supinated (Figs. 11, 12). Because of the remnant of these structures, the human foot arch is high medially.
Finally, in the stage of (proto-) hominids, the human foot was rearranged for terrestrial fast walking (Figs. 2, 10, 13). That is to say, the calcaneus was expanded, which made the power arm relatively long, the toes became short losing grasping ability, and the rigid arch was developed in both transverse and sagittal directions (Fig. 1).
It can be said that the human foot is fundamentally adapted not for running but for fast walking, because its structure resembles that of elephant foot. In other words, to carry extra weight of the upper limbs, which are useful for tool-using, we have to employ graviportal locomotion as elephants do.

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Relationship between Ontogenetic and Intraspecific Allometry of the Foot Skeleton in Japanese Macaques

Ken-ichi SHINODA

1990 Volume 98 Issue 1 Pages 65-74
Published: March 10, 1990
Released on J-STAGE: February 26, 2008

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1537/ase1911.98.65

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A series of 21 variables representing foot skeletal elements were measured on a sample of 152 Japanese macaques to examine the relationship between ontogenetic and static adult allometry. The similarity of ontogenetic and static allometries was tested by comparing the multivariate allometric coefficients extracted by the first principal component. In both groups, the metatarsals were positive allometry and the tarsal portion and phalanges were negative allometry compared with total size. In these measurements, static adult allometry resembled the process of ontogenetic allometry. Comparison of the anterior portion of the tarsus with the posterior portion revealed that the latter portion was positive allometry in ontogeny, and negative allometry in adult. The discrepancy of allometric coefficients between groups was also seen in the component bones of the hallux. From the results, there can be differences in size and shape relationships among ontogenetic and adult group. Therefore, at least in these measurements, static adult allometry is not an accurate guide to processes of relative growth.

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Multi-item anthropometry of the foot in Japanese aged 7 to 15

Morihiko OKADA, Hideko KOKUBO, Masao SHINDO, Mitsuhiko MORIMOTO

1990 Volume 98 Issue 1 Pages 75-90
Published: March 10, 1990
Released on J-STAGE: February 26, 2008

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1537/ase1911.98.75

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To investigate dimensional growth of the foot and its segments, 12 length, 2 height, and 1 width measurements were taken on the right foot of 545 male and 541 female subjects aged 7 to 15. Length items were measured with a specially designed instrument using bony landmarks. Lengths of phalangeal and metatarsal tips from the heel as well as the medial tarsal height were comparable between both sexes until 12 years of age. Thereafter, a remarkable growth spurt occurred and continued in males, thus rendering pursuit of full growth infeasible within the age range of the subjects, while growth almost terminated in females. Foot width increased until 14 years of age in females.
Tarsal length became greater in males than in females at around 9 years of age, following which sex difference increased. As a result, tarsal length relative to foot length was greater in males than in females in adolescence. Phalangeal length except in the big toe relative to the foot length in each digital ray increased from the beginning of adolescence in both sexes. Relative length of the lateral toes tended to be greater in females than in males.
Foot length relative to body height (relative foot length), in which males surpassed females, gradually decreased in both sexes after adolescence, with the sex difference enhancing with age. A comparison with the data in 1950's revealed an accelerated growth of the foot, particularly in females, in the contemporary Japanese.

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An Analysis of Variations in Foot Contours Based on Direction Angles

Makiko KOUCHI, Nobutoshi YAMAZAKI

1990 Volume 98 Issue 1 Pages 91-105
Published: March 10, 1990
Released on J-STAGE: February 26, 2008

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1537/ase1911.98.91

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Information on both shape and dimension of the foot is necessary for ergonomic purposes. A foot measurement system was developed to obtain this information automatically. Shape data was obtained of foot contour and instep cross section for 152 male subjects by this system. Each of the shapes of phalangeal and tarso-metatarsal parts of foot contour and instep cross section was approximated by a polygon with equidistant vertices, and represented by a sequence of angles between the edges and coordinate axis X (direction angles). Variations in these contour shapes were analyzed using principal component analysis. The results were: 1) three to five shape factors were extracted for each contour shape; 2) most of these shape factors showed very low correlations with somatometric measurements and indices; 3) variations in the shape of the three contours are independent of each other. Possible applications of the present results to shoe-last construction were discussed.

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Variations of the Fibular Portion of the Human Plantar Aponeurosis

Yoshisuke HIRAMOTO

1990 Volume 98 Issue 1 Pages 107-110
Published: March 10, 1990
Released on J-STAGE: February 26, 2008

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1537/ase1911.98.107

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As shown in Fig. 1, the fibular portion of the human plantar aponeurosis consists of two components: medial (1) in Fig. 1) and lateral (2) in Fig. 1) bundles. The medial bundle is thin, and the lateral bundle is relatively thick and stout.
Usually the tip of the medial bundle reaches the deep plantar ligament under the fourth metatarso-phalangeal joint. This fiber bundle is, however, variable in its shape and development. The occurrence of this bundle varies from 84 to 100% among several populations (Table 1).
The lateral bundle attaches to the tuberosity of the fifth metatarsal bone, and gives partial origin to the abductor digiti minimi. This stout bundle is found in all feet of Japanese cadavers investigated by the present author.

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