Human population history at the crossroads of East and Southeast Asia since 11,000 years ago.

Past human genetic diversity and migration between southern China and Southeast Asia have not been well characterized, in part due to poor preservation of ancient DNA in hot and humid regions. We sequenced 31 ancient genomes from southern China (Guangxi and Fujian), including two ∼12,000- to 10,000-year-old individuals representing the oldest humans sequenced from southern China. We discovered a deeply diverged East Asian ancestry in the Guangxi region that persisted until at least 6,000 years ago. We found that ∼9,000- to 6,000-year-old Guangxi populations were a mixture of local ancestry, southern ancestry previously sampled in Fujian, and deep Asian ancestry related to Southeast Asian Hòabìnhian hunter-gatherers, showing broad admixture in the region predating the appearance of farming. Historical Guangxi populations dating to ∼1,500 to 500 years ago are closely related to Tai-Kadai and Hmong-Mien speakers. Our results show heavy interactions among three distinct ancestries at the crossroads of East and Southeast Asia.

Interferon-alpha 1 expression indicates the disease activity and response of patients with ankylosing spondylitis to anti-TNF-α treatment.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate whether interferon-alpha 1 (IFNA1) is predictive of Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) progression and treatment response to Tumour necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFis). METHODS: Data of 50 AS patients receiving TNFi for 24 weeks were retrospectively analysed. AS patients who reached the Assessment of Spondyloarthritis International Society 40 response at the W24 were classified as responders to TNFi treatment; otherwise, they were classified as nonresponders. Human fibroblast-like synoviocytes (HFLS) isolated from AS patients (AS-HFLS) were used for in vitro validation. RESULTS: When the IFNA1 expression level was used to diagnose AS patients, an area under the curve of 0.895 was yielded (P < .001). Pearson correlation analysis showed negative correlations between IFNA1 expression, C-reactive protein (CRP) level, Bath AS Disease Activity Index scores, AS Disease Activity Score with CRP, and the production of inflammatory cytokines. An increased IFNA1 expression level was found to be associated with a better treatment response to TNFi. IFNA1 overexpression could protect HFLS against inflammatory response in the setting of AS. CONCLUSIONS: Blood IFNA1 deficiency is correlated with inflammatory cytokine production and disease activity and is indicative of unsatisfied response to TNFi treatment in AS patients.

The earliest hylobatid from the Late Miocene of China.

Yuanmoupithecus xiaoyuan, a small catarrhine from the Late Miocene of Yunnan in southern China, was initially suggested to be related to Miocene proconsuloids or dendropithecoids from East Africa, but subsequent reports indicated that it might be more closely related to hylobatids. Here, detailed comparisons of the material, including seven newly discovered teeth and a partial lower face of a juvenile individual, provide crucial evidence to help establish its phylogenetic relationships. Yuanmoupithecus exhibits a suite of synapomorphies that support a close phylogenetic relationship with extant hylobatids. Furthermore, based on the retention of several primitive features of the dentition, Yuanmoupithecus can be shown to be the sister taxon of crown hylobatids. The contention that Kapi ramnagarensis from the Middle Miocene of India might represent an earlier species of hylobatid is not supported here. Instead, Kapi is inferred to be a specialized pliopithecoid more closely related to Krishnapithecus krishnaii from the Late Miocene of India. Currently then, Yuanmoupithecus represents the earliest known definitively identified hylobatid and the only member of the clade predating the Pleistocene. It extends the fossil record of hylobatids back to 7-8 Ma and fills a critical gap in the evolutionary history of hominoids that has up until now remained elusive. Even so, molecular estimates of a divergence date of hylobatids from other hominoids at about 17-22 Ma signifies that there is still a substantial gap in the fossil record of more than 10 million years that needs to be filled in order to document the biogeographic origins and early evolution of hylobatids.

Electrochemiluminescence resonance energy transfer system between ruthenium-based nanosheets and CdS quantum dots for detection of chlorogenic acid.

A new strategy is proposed for ultrasensitive detection of chlorogenic acid (CGA) by fabricating an electrochemiluminescence resonance energy transfer (ECL-RET) sensing platform. The novel system designed by introducing ruthenium-based 2D metal-organic framework nanosheets (Ru@Zn-MOF) as ECL acceptor and L-cysteine capped CdS quantum dots (L-CdS QDs) as ECL donor, exhibited good ECL response. The possible mechanism of the modified electrode surface reaction was discussed. Modifying of the electrode surface by application of L-CdS QDs directly on ultrathin MOF nanosheets greatly shortened the electron-transfer distance and reduce energy loss, therefore significantly improving the ECL efficiency. The prepared sensor demonstrated good stability and highly selective detection of the target molecule. Under optimal conditions, the constructed sensor for the detection of CGA exhibited a wide linear range from 1.0 × 10-10 to 1.0 × 10-4 mol·L-1 and a low detection limit of 3.2 × 10-11 mol·L-1 with a correction coefficient of 0.995. The recovery for spiked samples was calculated to be 94.4-109% and the RSD was 1.07-1.72% in real samples. The obtained sensor is considered to be a promising platform for CGA detection. Electrochemiluminescence resonance energy transfer (ECL-RET) sensing platform is used for the detection for chlorogenic acid.

Premolar enamel thickness and distribution of a Miocene hominid Lufengpithecus hudienensis compared with Pleistocene and extant hominids.

Lufengpithecus hudienensis is a Late-Miocene hominid from the Yuanmou basin of southwestern China. Previous studies link Lufengpithecus to either the Sivapithecus-orangutan clade or a derived branch from the basal stem of the Hominidae. Despite a rich fossil assemblage, the taxonomy of L. hudienensis and its phylogenetic relationship with other hominids is still unclear. Enamel thickness in fossil and modern hominids can provide insights into taxonomy, phylogeny, and dietary reconstructions. In this study, 24 upper and lower L. hudienensis premolars were imaged using high-resolution microcomputed tomography. Three-dimensional average enamel thickness and relative enamel thickness (RET) indices, as well as whole-crown enamel distribution patterns were recorded for the L. hudienensis specimens and compared with a total of 113 specimens of fossil and extant apes and recent modern humans (RMH): fossil Pongo (n = 36), Gigantopithecus blacki (n = 21), Pan troglodytes (n = 11), Gorilla gorilla (n = 7), and RMH (n = 38). RET of the premolars of L. hudienensis was found to be similar to that of fossil Pongo, P. troglodytes, and G. gorilla, but less than Gi. blacki and RMH values. The distribution of enamel thickness shows a taxon-specific pattern for L. hudienensis, generally characterized by thicker enamel on the lateral wall than on the cusp apex, on the lingual cusp of the upper and buccal cusp of the lower premolars, with some differences with respect to fossil Pongo, Gi. blacki, P. troglodytes, and G. gorilla patterns. Additional characterizations of enamel thickness distribution patterns of the molars and other dental endostructural morphologies are needed to further explore the phylogenetic relationships of L. hudienensis with other hominids.

Paleolithic genetic link between Southern China and Mainland Southeast Asia revealed by ancient mitochondrial genomes.

The genetic history of Southern East Asians is not well-known, especially prior to the Neolithic period. To address this, we successfully sequenced two complete mitochondrial genomes of 11,000-year-old human individuals from Southern China, thus generating the oldest ancient DNA sequences from this area. Integrating published mitochondrial genomes, we characterized M71d, a new subhaplogroup of haplogroup M71. Our results suggest a possible early migration between Southern China and mainland Southeast Asia by at least 22,000 BP.

Mesopithecus pentelicus from Zhaotong, China, the easternmost representative of a widespread Miocene cercopithecoid species.

A dentate mandible and proximal femur of Mesopithecus pentelicusWagner, 1839 are described from the Shuitangba lignite mine in Zhaotong Prefecture, northeastern Yunnan Province, China. The remains were retrieved from sediments just below those that yielded a juvenile Lufengpithecus cranium and are dated at about ∼6.4 Ma. The mandible and proximal femur were found in close proximity and are probably of the same individual. The lower teeth are metrically and morphologically closely comparable with those of confirmed M. pentelicus from Europe, and on this basis, the specimen is assigned to this species. The anatomy of the proximal femur indicates that the Shuitangba Mesopithecus was a semiterrestrial quadruped that engaged in a range of mostly arboreal activities, including walking, climbing, and occasional leaping, with an abducted hip joint. The Shuitangba Mesopithecus is dentally typical for the genus but may have been more arboreal than previously described for M. pentelicus. M. pentelicus is well known from late Miocene (MN 11-12) sites in Europe and southwest Asia. Its estimated average rate of dispersal eastward was relatively slow, although it could have been episodically more rapid. The presence of a colobine, only slightly lower in the same section at Shuitangba that produced Lufengpithecus, is one of the only two well-documented instances of the near or actual co-occurrence of a monkey and ape in the Miocene of Eurasia. At Shuitangba, M. pentelicus occupied a freshwater-margin habitat with beavers, giant otters, swamp rabbits, and many aquatic birds. The presence of M. pentelicus in southwest China near the end of the Miocene further attests to the ecological versatility of a species long recognized as widespread and adaptable. The modern colobines of Asia, some or all of which are probable descendants of Mesopithecus, have gone on to inhabit some of the most highly seasonal and extreme habitats occupied by nonhuman primates.

Oldest colobine calcaneus from East Asia (Zhaotong, Yunnan, China).

Apart from a juvenile hominoid, the locality of Shuitangba (southwestern China, 6.5-6.0 Ma) has yielded a mandible and proximal femur attributed to the colobine genus Mesopithecus. A complete colobine calcaneus also accompanies this material, but its association with the other Mesopithecus material remains to be confirmed. These fossil elements are very important as they represent the oldest known colobines from East Asia, extend the dispersal of Mesopithecus to southwestern China, and underscore its close affinities and potential ancestry to the odd-nosed colobines. The present article focuses on the functional morphology of this complete calcaneus to reconstruct the positional habits, infer the paleocology, and understand the dispersal patterns of this fossil colobine. The studied characters corroborate the attribution of this element to colobines and support potential affinities with the Mesopithecus remains of the same locality. Functionally, characters such as the long and narrow tuber calcanei, the short proximal calcaneal region, and the relatively extended and long and narrow proximal calcaneoastragalar facet appear to enable habitual pedal flexion with conjunct inversion that accommodate the foot on diversely oriented and differently sized arboreal substrates. On the other hand, the relatively short distal calcaneal region is functionally related to (mainly terrestrial) quadrupedal activities, wherein thrust and rapid flexion are required. This combination of characters suggests that the Shuitangba colobine could move at ease on arboreal substrates and was also able to occasionally use terrestrial substrates. The potential affinities of this calcaneus to Mesopithecus and its positional profile most likely imply an eastward migration via forested corridors. In Shuitangba, this fossil colobine could trophically and positionally exploit a wide range of habitats successfully coexisting with resident hominoids.

Binary-amplifying electrochemiluminescence sensor for sensitive assay of catechol and luteolin based on HKUST-1 derived CuO nanoneedles as a novel luminophore.

Herein, a highly novel and effective electrochemiluminescence (ECL) sensor based on metal-organic framework (MOF, HKUST-1) derived CuO nanoneedles (HKUST-1 derived CuO NNs), gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and TiO2 was developed for ultrasensitive detection of catechol and luteolin. The HKUST-1 derived CuO NNs were employed as luminophore for the first time, which were successfully fabricated by using HKUST-1 as precursor. The results revealed that the HKUST-1 derived CuO NNs exhibit excellent ECL activity ascribed to its abundant active site and the high specific surface area, thus obviously promoting the separation and transfer of charge and further improving the current density of ECL sensor. To binary-amplify the signal of the ECL sensor, the AuNPs and TiO2 nano-materials with good biocompatibility, great electron transport efficiency and high catalytic activity were used as co-reaction accelerators in the ECL process. Dependent on the above brilliant strategy, the proposed ECL sensor achieved wide linear ranges from 3 × 10-9 - 1 × 10-4 M for catechol and 1 × 10-8 - 2 × 10-4 M for luteolin, with the detection limits of 1.5 × 10-9 M for catechol and 5.3 × 10-9 M for luteolin, respectively. Furthermore, the ECL sensor exhibited outstanding selectivity, repeatability, stability and obtained great feedback on determination of catechol and luteolin in actual samples. The method not only filled a gap in the ECL application of MOF-derived materials but also provided a novel sight for design other highly efficient luminescent materials.

Rational design of a novel MOF-based ternary nanocomposite for effectively monitoring harmful organophosphates in foods and the environment.

Methyl parathion (MP) is a widely used organophosphate insecticide that is extremely toxic due to its ability to irreversibly inhibit acetylcholinesterase in the body and persistently accumulate in the environment. Timely detection of MP can prevent harmful residue exposure to humans. Therefore, the development of fast, efficient electrochemical methods to detect trace MP has been highly beneficial for monitoring harmful residues in foods and environment to ensure food safety and ecological conservation. Herein, a novel hybrid metal-organic framework (MOF) nanocomposite composed of Pt nanoparticles (PtNPs), multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), and UiO-66-NH2 (PtNPs/UiO-66-NH2/MWCNTs) was rationally designed and prepared by a facile two-step strategy for the sensitive determination of MP. The synergistic effects are illustrated in detail using XRD, XPS, FTIR, TEM, and SEM studies as well as electrochemical technologies such as CV, EIS, and DPV. In addition, the performance of the ternary nanocomposite for detecting MP was investigated by comparing it with the binary-component one. The results showed that the PtNPs/UiO-66-NH2/MWCNT-based electrochemical sensor exhibited outstanding sensitivity of 21.9 µA µM-1 cm-2, satisfactory low detection limit of 0.026 µM and wide linear range of 0.11-227.95 µM for MP analysis. Furthermore, the fabricated sensor delivered distinguished freedom from interferences, outstanding regeneration ability, and adequate recoveries for fresh foods and river water samples. In conclusion, the proposed PtNPs/UiO-66-NH2/MWCNT-based sensor provides a potentially useful analytical tool for determining hazardous residues of OPs in foods and the environment.

Morphological characteristics of seed starch granules of Fagaceae in South China and their implication in paleodiet.

Nut fruits likely played a significant role before and during the origin of agriculture; however, relatively little research conducted on the morphological characteristics and statistical comparisons of nut fruit starch granule hinders the progress of paleodietary analysis of prehistorical society. For better species identification of starch granule remaining on tools discovered at archaeological sites, it is desirable to develop a more abundant morphology database of modern nut fruit starch granules as well as the establishment of relevant identification standards. Therefore, nuts from 40 species in four genera (Quercus, Lithocarpus, Castanea, and Castanopsis) of Fagaceae were collected from South China for statistical measurement and comparative analysis. Starch granules are highly accumulated in 34 species except for 6 species, whose shapes involve oval, subcircular, drop-shaped, rounded triangle, polygonal, spherical caps, and bell-shaped types, or a combination of several types, and the average length is between 10 and 20 µm. According to research on Quercus phylogeny relationships, it was found that the species in the same infragenious section produce similar morphological characteristics of starch granules. The result was applied in the identification of starch granules extracted from stone tools from the 20 to 10 ka cultural layer of Xiaodong Rockshelter, and some starch granules can be recognized to species level, revealing that nuts from Quercus and Lithocarpus were gathered and exploited by ancient people. This expansion of modern starch presentation and comparison of nuts helps to improve the accuracy of the identification of ancient starch and deepen the understanding of plant utilization of ancient humans.

Facile synthesis of surface functionalized Pd2+@P-CDP/COFs for highly sensitive detection of norfloxacin drug based on the host-guest interaction.

In this work, ß-cyclodextrin porous polymers (P-CDPs) functionalized novel covalent organic frameworks (P-CDPs/COFs) were synthesized by a simple and facile method. After combined with Pd2+ via electrostatic interaction, the Pd2+@P-CDPs/COFs nanocomposites were prepared and utilized as novel electrode materials to fabricate the non-enzyme electrochemical sensors for high-sensitivity detection of Norfloxacin (NF). Due to the host-guest recognition, excellent adsorption performance and catalytic performance of Pd2+@P-CDPs/COFs, the prepared sensor exhibited excellent electrochemical performance for detecting NF under the optimum conditions, which showed two linear ranges of 0.08-7.0 µM and 7.0-100.0 µM with a low detection limit of 0.031 µM (S/N = 3). Additionally, the obtained sensor has also been successfully applied to measure NF with satisfactory results in the real medicinal samples of NF eye-drops. Our findings paved the way for the development of COFs-based sensing platform in drug analysis and testing for human health, food security and the quality control of drugs.

Earliest giant panda false thumb suggests conflicting demands for locomotion and feeding.

Of the many peculiarities that enable the giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca), a member of the order Carnivora, to adapt to life as a dedicated bamboo feeder, its extra "thumb" is arguably the most celebrated yet enigmatic. In addition to the normal five digits in the hands of most mammals, the giant panda has a greatly enlarged wrist bone, the radial sesamoid, that acts as a sixth digit, an opposable "thumb" for manipulating bamboo. We report the earliest enlarged radial sesamoid, already a functional opposable "thumb," in the ancestral panda Ailurarctos from the late Miocene site of Shuitangba in Yunnan Province, China. However, since the late Miocene, the "thumb" has not enlarged further because it must be balanced with the constraints of weight bearing while walking in a plantigrade posture. This morphological adaptation in panda evolution thus reflects a dual function of the radial sesamoid for both bamboo manipulation and weight distribution. The latter constraint could be the main reason why the panda's false thumb never evolved into a full digit. This crude "thumb" suggests that the origin of the panda's dedicated bamboo diet goes back to as early as 6-7 Ma.

A Late Pleistocene human genome from Southwest China.

Southern East Asia is the dispersal center regarding the prehistoric settlement and migrations of modern humans in Asia-Pacific regions. However, the settlement pattern and population structure of paleolithic humans in this region remain elusive, and ancient DNA can provide direct information. Here, we sequenced the genome of a Late Pleistocene hominin (MZR), dated ∼14.0 thousand years ago from Red Deer Cave located in Southwest China, which was previously reported possessing mosaic features of modern and archaic hominins. MZR is the first Late Pleistocene genome from southern East Asia. Our results indicate that MZR is a modern human who represents an early diversified lineage in East Asia. The mtDNA of MZR belongs to an extinct basal lineage of the M9 haplogroup, reflecting a rich matrilineal diversity in southern East Asia during the Late Pleistocene. Combined with the published data, we detected clear genetic stratification in ancient southern populations of East/Southeast Asia and some degree of south-versus-north divergency during the Late Pleistocene, and MZR was identified as a southern East Asian who exhibits genetic continuity to present day populations. Markedly, MZR is linked deeply to the East Asian ancestry that contributed to First Americans.

Hemin-doped metal-organic frameworks based nanozyme electrochemical sensor with high stability and sensitivity for dopamine detection.

This study reports a new type of artificial nanozyme based on Hemin-doped-HKUST-1 (HKUST-1, also referred to as MOF-199; a face-centered-cubic MOF containing nanochannels) as a redox mediator for the detection of dopamine (DA). Hemin-doped-HKUST-1 was successfully synthesized by one-pot hydrothermal method, which was combined with reduced graphene oxide (rGO) modified on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) to construct a sensor (Hemin-doped HKUST-1/rGO/GCE). The morphology and structure of Hemin-doped-HKUST-1 were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM) and infrared spectra (IR) techniques. The Hemin-doped HKUST-1/rGO nanozyme showed an excellent electrocatalytic activity for DA oxidation, which is due to the enhanced Hemin activity through the formation of a metal-organic framework (MOFs) and the synergy between the Hemin-doped HKUST-1 and rGO in nanozyme. The resulted sensor exhibited a high sensitivity of 1.224 µA µM-1, with a lower detection limit of 3.27 × 10-8 M (S/N = 3) and a wide linear range of 0.03-10 µM for DA detection. In addition, due to the stabilizing effect of MOFs on heme, the sensor showed satisfactory stability and has been successfully applied to the detection of DA in serum samples, indicating that this work has potential value in clinical work.

A stable and controllable Prussian blue layer electrodeposited on self-assembled monolayers for constructing highly sensitive glucose biosensor.

A stable and controllable Prussian blue (PB) layer electrodeposited on self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of thioctic acid amide (T-NH(2)) on gold electrode was prepared. The PB, combining with biocompatible matrix chitosan, was used for the highly efficient immobilization of glucose oxidase (GOD) for sensitive biosensing of glucose. The PB on SAMs exhibits a good stability and a much higher catalytic ability toward the reduction of hydrogen peroxide in neutral medium, compared with that of PB directly electrodeposited on bare Au electrode. The biosensor at an applied potential of 0.0 V exhibits good anti-interferent ability, with a low detection limit of 2 microM and a much higher sensitivity (59.9 mA M(-1) cm(-2)). The apparent Michaelis-Menten constant (K(m)(app)) and apparent activation energy of enzymatic reaction were found to be 5.4 mM and 24.1 kJ mol(-1). The present method provides a promising platform for the development of new biosensors and bioelectronic devices.

One-step electrochemical sensor based on an integrated probe toward sub-ppt level Pb2+ detection by fast scan voltammetry.

Herein, a one-step electrochemical sensor for selective and sensitive detection of lead ion Pb2+ was developed based on an integrated probe meso-tetra(4-carboxyphenyl) porphine (TCPP)-multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs)@Fe3O4, which is TCPP-modified magnetic multi-walled carbon nanotubes. In the integrated probe, TCPP is a porphyrin with a specific cavity structure which could selectively chelate with Pb2+, MWCNTs with good electric conductivity provide a place to load TCPP and form a specific adsorption state of Pb2+ on the electrode surface, and Fe3O4 enables the rapid separation and one-step fabrication of the electrochemical sensor. Based on it, the sample pre-enrichment, separation and determination can be integrated, making the whole process very fast and simple. In addition, fast scan voltammetry (FSV) with a scan rate up to 200 V/s could be used to improve the detection sensitivity greatly, benefitting from the specific adsorption state formed. Under the optimal conditions obtained through orthogonal experiments including adsorption time, integrated probe dosage and solution pH, there was a good linear relationship between the peak current and Pb2+ concentration ranging from 2.0 × 10-4 µg L-1 to 2.0 × 10-3 µg L-1, with the limit of detection (LOD) being 6.7 × 10-5 µg L-1 (S/N = 3) i.e. 0.067 ppt. Analysis of actual water samples was successful. Therefore, being simple, fast, selective and sensitive, the one-step electrochemical sensor proposed has a good potential in practical applications.

A Matrilineal Genetic Perspective of Hanging Coffin Custom in Southern China and Northern Thailand.

Hanging Coffin is a unique and ancient burial custom that has been practiced in southern China, Southeast Asia, and near Oceania regions for more than 3,000 years. Here, we conducted mitochondrial whole-genome analyses of 41 human remains sampled from 13 Hanging Coffin sites in southern China and northern Thailand, which were dated between ∼2,500 and 660 years before present. We found that there were genetic connections between the Hanging Coffin people living in different geographic regions. Notably, the matrilineal genetic diversity of the Hanging Coffin people from southern China is much higher than those from northern Thailand, consistent with the hypothesized single origin of the Hanging Coffin custom in southern China about 3,600 years ago, followed by its dispersal in southern China through demic diffusion, whereas the major dispersal pattern in Southeast Asia is cultural assimilation in the past 2,000 years.

Diet Evolution and Habitat Contraction of Giant Pandas via Stable Isotope Analysis.

The ancestral panda Ailurarctos lufengensis, excavated from the late Miocene, is thought to be carnivorous or omnivorous [1]. Today, giant pandas exclusively consume bamboo and have distinctive tooth, skull, and muscle characteristics adapted to a tough and fibrous bamboo diet during their long evolution [1, 2]. A special feature, the pseudo-thumb, has evolved to permit the precise and efficient grasping of bamboo [3, 4]. Unlike those of extant pandas, little is known about the diet and habitat preferences of extinct pandas. Prevailing studies suggest that the panda shifted to specialized bamboo feeding in the Pleistocene [5, 6]; however, this remains questionable. Pandas now survive in a fraction of their historical habitat [7], but no specific information has been reported. Stable isotope analyses can be used to understand diet- and habitat-related changes in animals [8]. Isotopic signals in bone collagen reflect dietary compositions of ancient human diets [9, 10] and dietary changes between historical and modern animal populations [11, 12]. Here, we conduct stable isotope analyses of bone and tooth samples from ancient and modern pandas and from sympatric fauna. We show that pandas have had a diet dominated by C3 resources over time and space and that trophic niches of ancient and modern pandas are distinctly different. The isotopic trophic and ecological niche widths of ancient pandas are approximately three times larger than those of modern pandas, suggesting that ancient pandas possibly had more complex diets and habitats than do their modern counterparts. Our findings provide insight into the dietary evolution and habitat contraction of pandas.

Evidence for increased hominid diversity in the Early to Middle Pleistocene of Indonesia.

Since the first discovery of Pithecanthropus (Homo) erectus by E. Dubois at Trinil in 1891, over 200 hominid dentognathic remains have been collected from the Early to Middle Pleistocene deposits of Java, Indonesia, forming the largest palaeoanthropological collection in South East Asia. Most of these fossils are currently attributed to H. erectus. However, because of the substantial morphological and metric variation in the Indonesian assemblage, some robust specimens, such as the partial mandibles Sangiran 5 and Sangiran 6a, were formerly variably allocated to other taxa (Meganthropus palaeojavanicus, Pithecanthropus dubius, Pongo sp.). To resolve the taxonomic uncertainty surrounding these and other contentious Indonesian hominid specimens, we used occlusal fingerprint analysis (OFA) to reconstruct their chewing kinematics; we also used various morphometric approaches based on microtomography to examine the internal dental structures. Our results confirm the presence of Meganthropus as a Pleistocene Indonesian hominid distinct from Pongo, Gigantopithecus and Homo, and further reveal that Dubois's H. erectus paratype molars from 1891 are not hominin (human lineage), but instead are more likely to belong to Meganthropus.