While ecogeographic variation in adult human body proportions has been extensively explored, relatively less attention has been paid to the effect of Bergmann's and Allen's rules on human body shape during growth. The relationship between climate and immature body form is particularly important, as immature mortality is high, mechanisms of thermoregulation differ between young and mature humans, and immature body proportions fluctuate due to basic parameters of growth. This study explores changes in immature ecogeographic body proportions via analyses of anthropometric data from children included in Eveleth and Tanner's (1976) Worldwide Variation in Human Growth, as well as limb proportion measurements in eight different skeletal samples. Moderate to strong correlations exist between climatic data and immature stature, weight, BMI, and bi-iliac breadth; these relationships are as strong, if not stronger, in immature individuals as they are in adults. Correlations between climate and trunk height relative to stature are weak or nonexistent. Altitude also has significant effects on immature body form, with children from higher altitudes displaying smaller statures and lower body weights. Brachial and crural indices remain constant over the course of growth and display consistent, moderate correlations with latitude across ontogeny that are just as high as those detected in adults. The results of this study suggest that while some features of immature body form, such as bi-iliac breadth and intralimb indices, are strongly dictated by ecogeographic principles, other characteristics of immature body proportions are influenced by intrinsic and extrinsic factors such as nutrition and basic constraints of growth.
Distributions of metabolic bone loss and subsequent structural adjustments appear to preserve strength. Nevertheless, both mechanics and metabolism have a detectable influence on morphology, and potential implications for behavioral interpretations in bioculturally stressed samples due to this interaction are explored. Am J Phys Anthropol 160:317-333, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Many pre-health professional programs require completion of an undergraduate anatomy course with a laboratory component, yet grades in these courses are often low. Many students perceive anatomy as a more challenging subject than other coursework, and the resulting anxiety surrounding this perception may be a significant contributor to poor performance. Well-planned and deliberate guidance from instructors, as well as thoughtful course design, may be necessary to assist students in finding the best approach to studying for anatomy. This article assesses which study habits are associated with course success and whether course design influences study habits. Surveys (n = 1,274) were administered to students enrolled in three undergraduate human anatomy laboratory courses with varying levels of cooperative learning and structured guidance. The surveys collected information on potential predictors of performance, including student demographics, educational background, self-assessment ability, and study methods (e.g., flashcards, textbooks, diagrams). Compared to low performers, high performers perceive studying in laboratory, asking the instructor questions, quizzing alone, and quizzing others as more effective for learning. Additionally, students co-enrolled in a flipped, active lecture anatomy course achieve higher grades and find active learning activities (e.g., quizzing alone and in groups) more helpful for their learning in the laboratory. These results strengthen previous research suggesting that student performance is more greatly enhanced by an active classroom environment that practices successful study strategies rather than one that simply encourages students to employ such strategies inside and outside the classroom. Anat Sci Educ 11: 496-509. © 2018 American Association of Anatomists.
Cortical bone adapts to environmental factors at macroscopic and microscopic levels by altering mass and shape, and thus strength. As few studies have focused on how these factors interact in humans, researchers continue to investigate mechanical and metabolic influences on bone as if they act independently. This study utilizes an archaeological human juvenile sample from a medieval Lithuanian cemetery. Juvenile bone is favored over adult bone because it responds strongly to both mechanical and metabolic effects. Macroscopic and microscopic bone morphology were assessed in three skeletal elements under different levels of mechanical loading (i.e., femora, humeri, ribs) and compared among individuals under varying amounts of metabolic stress. Analyses evaluated whether, in the presence of bone loss due to metabolic stress, bone mass and strength were preferentially maintained in bones under the highest mechanical demands. Results indicate that such a preferential maintenance may occur, suggesting that systemic metabolic bone loss is compensated by high local loading demands. Results caution researchers against evoking solely mechanical or metabolic causes for variation in cortical bone morphology.Grant Funding Source: NA
A significant challenge of teaching undergraduate anatomy is effectively communicating to students the amount of time and effort required to perform well in such a rigorous course. While the effectiveness of study methods vary individually, it would be beneficial to guide students in maximizing their study time with the best techniques for learning the course material. In some cases, poor performance might be avoided by providing students with data from previous semesters demonstrating study methods that are associated with the retention of anatomical knowledge. Questionnaires (n=903) were administered to students enrolled in undergraduate anatomy for several consecutive semesters at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and Florida International University in Miami. This survey collected information on study methods used (e.g., flashcards, textbooks, diagrams), time spent studying, and involvement in non‐academic activities (e.g., employment, extracurricular activities, family obligations). These variables were correlated with scores from exams taken throughout the course. Results show that course performance was not correlated with any particular study technique or self‐reported time spent studying but was significantly negatively correlated with engagement in non‐academic activities. This indicates that it is advisable to encourage students early in the course to utilize a greater variety of study methods, determine which methods work best for them, and invest more time studying than they have in prior courses. However, this advice may not assist students who are struggling to balance academic and non‐academic activities. It appears that, ultimately, student performance is contingent on the ability of the students to self‐evaluate their study techniques and progress in retaining the course material.
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