Melissa B Manus, Maria Luisa Savo Sardaro, Omolola Dada, Maya Davis, Melissa R Romoff, Stephanie G Torello, Esther Ubadigbo, Rebecca C Wu, Maria Gloria Dominguez-Bello, Melissa K Melby, Emily S Miller, Katherine R Amato
Microbial exposures during infancy shape the development of the microbiome, the collection of microbes living in and on the body, which in turn directs immune system training. Newborns acquire a substantial quantity of microbes during birth and throughout infancy via exposure to microbes in the physical and social environment. Alterations to early life microbial environments may give rise to mismatches, where environmental, cultural, and behavioral changes that outpace the body’s adaptive responses can lead to adverse health outcomes, particularly those related to microbiome development and immune system regulation. This study explored the development of the skin microbiome among infants born in Chicago, USA. We collected skin swab microbiome samples from 22 mother-infant dyads during the first 48 hours of life and again at six weeks postpartum. Mothers provided information about social environments and hygiene behaviors that may impact infants’ microbial exposures. Analysis of 16S rRNA bacterial gene sequencing data revealed correlations between infant skin bacterial abundance shortly after birth and factors such as antibiotic exposure and receiving a bath in the hospital. The composition of the infant microbiome at six weeks of age was associated with interactions with caregivers and infant feeding practices. We also found shifts in maternal skin microbiomes that may reflect increased hygiene practices in the hospital. Our data suggest that factors related to the birth and household environment can impact the development of infant skin microbiomes and point to practices that may produce mismatches for the infant microbiome and immune system.
{"title":"Birth and household exposures are associated with changes to skin bacterial communities during infancy","authors":"Melissa B Manus, Maria Luisa Savo Sardaro, Omolola Dada, Maya Davis, Melissa R Romoff, Stephanie G Torello, Esther Ubadigbo, Rebecca C Wu, Maria Gloria Dominguez-Bello, Melissa K Melby, Emily S Miller, Katherine R Amato","doi":"10.1093/emph/eoae023","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/emph/eoae023","url":null,"abstract":"Microbial exposures during infancy shape the development of the microbiome, the collection of microbes living in and on the body, which in turn directs immune system training. Newborns acquire a substantial quantity of microbes during birth and throughout infancy via exposure to microbes in the physical and social environment. Alterations to early life microbial environments may give rise to mismatches, where environmental, cultural, and behavioral changes that outpace the body’s adaptive responses can lead to adverse health outcomes, particularly those related to microbiome development and immune system regulation. This study explored the development of the skin microbiome among infants born in Chicago, USA. We collected skin swab microbiome samples from 22 mother-infant dyads during the first 48 hours of life and again at six weeks postpartum. Mothers provided information about social environments and hygiene behaviors that may impact infants’ microbial exposures. Analysis of 16S rRNA bacterial gene sequencing data revealed correlations between infant skin bacterial abundance shortly after birth and factors such as antibiotic exposure and receiving a bath in the hospital. The composition of the infant microbiome at six weeks of age was associated with interactions with caregivers and infant feeding practices. We also found shifts in maternal skin microbiomes that may reflect increased hygiene practices in the hospital. Our data suggest that factors related to the birth and household environment can impact the development of infant skin microbiomes and point to practices that may produce mismatches for the infant microbiome and immune system.","PeriodicalId":12156,"journal":{"name":"Evolution, Medicine, and Public Health","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2024-09-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142255459","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Rose Stevens, Alexandra Alvergne, Virginia J Vitzthum
Background and objectives Female reproductive function flexibly responds to ecological variation in energy availability, but the roles of other ecologically limited resources, such as iron, remain poorly understood. This analysis investigates whether haemoglobin associates with investment in reproductive function in a rural natural fertility population living in the Bolivian altiplano. Methodology We conducted a cross-sectional secondary analysis of prospectively collected biomarker and sociodemographic data, comprising 152 menstrual cycles from 96 non-contracepting women living at 3800m altitude. Multivariable multilevel models were used to investigate (1) whether haemoglobin concentration is associated with ecological variation in subsistence strategy and seasonal conditions, and (2) whether haemoglobin concentration is associated with the occurrence of ovulation and/or the concentration of luteal progesterone, two biomarkers of current investment in reproduction. Results Haemoglobin concentrations were lower in arduous seasons among those women more dependent on traditional agropastoral subsistence strategies (β = -0.42, 95% CI: -0.80 to -0.04, p = 0.032). During more arduous seasons, a 1 standard deviation increase in haemoglobin was associated with an over 3-fold increase in the odds of ovulation after adjusting for body fat, breastfeeding status, and age (adjusted odds ratio = 3.27, 95% CI: 1.10 to 9.27, p = 0.033). Conclusions and implications When conditions are relatively harsh and may be expected to improve, low haemoglobin levels are associated with lower current investment in reproduction and reduced fecundity. These results support the role of iron, independent of energy stores, as a limiting resource in modulating reproductive trade-offs.
{"title":"Low haemoglobin in arduous seasons is associated with reduced chance of ovulation among women living in the Bolivian altiplano","authors":"Rose Stevens, Alexandra Alvergne, Virginia J Vitzthum","doi":"10.1093/emph/eoae022","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/emph/eoae022","url":null,"abstract":"Background and objectives Female reproductive function flexibly responds to ecological variation in energy availability, but the roles of other ecologically limited resources, such as iron, remain poorly understood. This analysis investigates whether haemoglobin associates with investment in reproductive function in a rural natural fertility population living in the Bolivian altiplano. Methodology We conducted a cross-sectional secondary analysis of prospectively collected biomarker and sociodemographic data, comprising 152 menstrual cycles from 96 non-contracepting women living at 3800m altitude. Multivariable multilevel models were used to investigate (1) whether haemoglobin concentration is associated with ecological variation in subsistence strategy and seasonal conditions, and (2) whether haemoglobin concentration is associated with the occurrence of ovulation and/or the concentration of luteal progesterone, two biomarkers of current investment in reproduction. Results Haemoglobin concentrations were lower in arduous seasons among those women more dependent on traditional agropastoral subsistence strategies (β = -0.42, 95% CI: -0.80 to -0.04, p = 0.032). During more arduous seasons, a 1 standard deviation increase in haemoglobin was associated with an over 3-fold increase in the odds of ovulation after adjusting for body fat, breastfeeding status, and age (adjusted odds ratio = 3.27, 95% CI: 1.10 to 9.27, p = 0.033). Conclusions and implications When conditions are relatively harsh and may be expected to improve, low haemoglobin levels are associated with lower current investment in reproduction and reduced fecundity. These results support the role of iron, independent of energy stores, as a limiting resource in modulating reproductive trade-offs.","PeriodicalId":12156,"journal":{"name":"Evolution, Medicine, and Public Health","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2024-09-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142255460","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Diagnostic testing is a key tool in the fight against many infectious diseases. The emergence of pathogen variants that are able to avoid detection by diagnostic testing therefore represents a key challenge for public health. In recent years, variants for multiple pathogens have emerged which escape diagnostic testing, including mutations in Plasmodium falciparum (malaria), Chlamydia trachomatis (chlamydia) and SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19). However, little is currently known about when and the extent to which diagnostic test escape will evolve. Here we use a mathematical model to explore how the frequency of diagnostic testing, combined with variation in compliance and efficacy of isolating, together drive the evolution of detection avoidance. We derive key thresholds under which a testing regime will (i) select for diagnostic test avoidance, or (ii) drive the pathogen extinct. Crucially, we show that imperfect compliance with diagnostic testing regimes can have marked effects on selection for detection avoidance, and consequently, for disease control. Yet somewhat counterintuitively, we find that an intermediate level of testing can select for the highest level of detection avoidance. Our results, combined with evidence from various pathogens, demonstrate that the evolution of diagnostic testing avoidance should be carefully considered when designing diagnostic testing regimes.
{"title":"Diagnostic testing and the evolution of detection avoidance by pathogens","authors":"Jason Wood, Ben Ashby","doi":"10.1093/emph/eoae018","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/emph/eoae018","url":null,"abstract":"Diagnostic testing is a key tool in the fight against many infectious diseases. The emergence of pathogen variants that are able to avoid detection by diagnostic testing therefore represents a key challenge for public health. In recent years, variants for multiple pathogens have emerged which escape diagnostic testing, including mutations in Plasmodium falciparum (malaria), Chlamydia trachomatis (chlamydia) and SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19). However, little is currently known about when and the extent to which diagnostic test escape will evolve. Here we use a mathematical model to explore how the frequency of diagnostic testing, combined with variation in compliance and efficacy of isolating, together drive the evolution of detection avoidance. We derive key thresholds under which a testing regime will (i) select for diagnostic test avoidance, or (ii) drive the pathogen extinct. Crucially, we show that imperfect compliance with diagnostic testing regimes can have marked effects on selection for detection avoidance, and consequently, for disease control. Yet somewhat counterintuitively, we find that an intermediate level of testing can select for the highest level of detection avoidance. Our results, combined with evidence from various pathogens, demonstrate that the evolution of diagnostic testing avoidance should be carefully considered when designing diagnostic testing regimes.","PeriodicalId":12156,"journal":{"name":"Evolution, Medicine, and Public Health","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2024-08-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142200033","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Zachary T Compton, J Arvid Ågren, Andriy Marusyk, Aurora M Nedelcu
Comparative oncology has made great strides in identifying patterns of cancer prevalence and risk across the tree of life. Such studies have often centered on elucidating the evolution of cancer suppression mechanisms, especially in large and/or long-lived animals such as elephants, in which cancer risk is assumed to exert a strong selective pressure. There is a worry, however, that we are overinterpreting these conclusions, as the deep evolutionary origins of these mechanisms and their involvement in cancer-unrelated functions suggest that the preeminent functions of the identified mechanisms may be unrelated to cancer. Instead, cancer suppression may be an evolutionary byproduct, or “spandrel”, of selection acting on development and somatic maintenance. Here, we highlight the importance of development and somatic maintenance as the underlying axis of natural selection. We argue that by shifting the focus of study from cancer suppression to development and somatic maintenance as the ultimate cause, we can gain a deeper understanding of the evolutionary pressures that shaped the mechanisms responsible for the observed variation in cancer prevalence across species.
{"title":"The Elephant and the Spandrel","authors":"Zachary T Compton, J Arvid Ågren, Andriy Marusyk, Aurora M Nedelcu","doi":"10.1093/emph/eoae019","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/emph/eoae019","url":null,"abstract":"Comparative oncology has made great strides in identifying patterns of cancer prevalence and risk across the tree of life. Such studies have often centered on elucidating the evolution of cancer suppression mechanisms, especially in large and/or long-lived animals such as elephants, in which cancer risk is assumed to exert a strong selective pressure. There is a worry, however, that we are overinterpreting these conclusions, as the deep evolutionary origins of these mechanisms and their involvement in cancer-unrelated functions suggest that the preeminent functions of the identified mechanisms may be unrelated to cancer. Instead, cancer suppression may be an evolutionary byproduct, or “spandrel”, of selection acting on development and somatic maintenance. Here, we highlight the importance of development and somatic maintenance as the underlying axis of natural selection. We argue that by shifting the focus of study from cancer suppression to development and somatic maintenance as the ultimate cause, we can gain a deeper understanding of the evolutionary pressures that shaped the mechanisms responsible for the observed variation in cancer prevalence across species.","PeriodicalId":12156,"journal":{"name":"Evolution, Medicine, and Public Health","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2024-08-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142200032","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
A preview of how effective behavioral, biological, and technological responses might be in the future, when outdoor conditions will be at least 2oC hotter than current levels, is available today from studies of individuals already living in extreme heat These studies indicate that people commonly experience heat conditions that are substantially different from those recorded outdoors at fixed weather stations. In areas where high temperatures are common – particularly those in the hot and humid tropics – several studies report that indoor temperatures in low-income housing can be significantly hotter than those outdoors. A case study indicates that daily indoor heat indexes in almost all the 123 slum dwellings monitored in Kolkata during a summer were above 41oC (106oF) for at least an hour. Economic constraints make it unlikely that technological fixes, such as air conditioners, will remedy conditions like these – now or in the future. People without access to air conditioning will have to rely on behavioral adjustments and/or biological/physiological acclimatization. One important unknown is whether individuals who have lived their entire lives in hot environments without air conditioning possess natural levels of acclimatization greater than those indicated by controlled laboratory studies. Answering questions about the future will require more studies of individual experienced heat conditions, more information on indoor versus outdoor heat conditions, and a greater understanding of the behavioral and biological adjustments made by people living today in extremely hot conditions.
{"title":"Coping with extreme heat: current exposure and implications for the future","authors":"Chrles A Weitz","doi":"10.1093/emph/eoae015","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/emph/eoae015","url":null,"abstract":"A preview of how effective behavioral, biological, and technological responses might be in the future, when outdoor conditions will be at least 2oC hotter than current levels, is available today from studies of individuals already living in extreme heat These studies indicate that people commonly experience heat conditions that are substantially different from those recorded outdoors at fixed weather stations. In areas where high temperatures are common – particularly those in the hot and humid tropics – several studies report that indoor temperatures in low-income housing can be significantly hotter than those outdoors. A case study indicates that daily indoor heat indexes in almost all the 123 slum dwellings monitored in Kolkata during a summer were above 41oC (106oF) for at least an hour. Economic constraints make it unlikely that technological fixes, such as air conditioners, will remedy conditions like these – now or in the future. People without access to air conditioning will have to rely on behavioral adjustments and/or biological/physiological acclimatization. One important unknown is whether individuals who have lived their entire lives in hot environments without air conditioning possess natural levels of acclimatization greater than those indicated by controlled laboratory studies. Answering questions about the future will require more studies of individual experienced heat conditions, more information on indoor versus outdoor heat conditions, and a greater understanding of the behavioral and biological adjustments made by people living today in extremely hot conditions.","PeriodicalId":12156,"journal":{"name":"Evolution, Medicine, and Public Health","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2024-08-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142225712","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Luke D Fannin, Zaneta M Thayer, Nathaniel J Dominy
Play is an essential part of childhood, and growing attention has focused on the potential health benefits of “risky” or “thrill-seeking” play. Such play behavior is readily observed on any playground, where it can sometimes lead to injuries––most often from fall impacts––that require medical attention. Monkey bars account for ~7% of childhood arm fractures in the United States, an alarming statistic that raises difficult questions over its costs and benefits. Many authors view monkey bars as a public health hazard, but it is plausible that our childhood impulse toward thrill-seeking play is a result of selective pressures throughout our primate evolutionary history. Indeed, emerging evidence suggests that the developmental benefits of thrill-seeking play extend into adulthood, outweighing the occasional costs of injury. Disparate and consequential, these dueling perspectives have fueled debate among health professionals and policymakers, but with little attention to the work of biological anthropologists. Here we call attention to the hominin fossil record and play behaviors of non-human primates, providing a novel perspective that bolsters arguments for the adaptive significance of thrill-seeking play. The moment for such a review is timely, for it commemorates the centennial anniversaries of two playground icons: the jungle gym and monkey bars.
{"title":"Commemorating the monkey bars, catalyst of debate at the intersection of human evolutionary biology and public health","authors":"Luke D Fannin, Zaneta M Thayer, Nathaniel J Dominy","doi":"10.1093/emph/eoae017","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/emph/eoae017","url":null,"abstract":"Play is an essential part of childhood, and growing attention has focused on the potential health benefits of “risky” or “thrill-seeking” play. Such play behavior is readily observed on any playground, where it can sometimes lead to injuries––most often from fall impacts––that require medical attention. Monkey bars account for ~7% of childhood arm fractures in the United States, an alarming statistic that raises difficult questions over its costs and benefits. Many authors view monkey bars as a public health hazard, but it is plausible that our childhood impulse toward thrill-seeking play is a result of selective pressures throughout our primate evolutionary history. Indeed, emerging evidence suggests that the developmental benefits of thrill-seeking play extend into adulthood, outweighing the occasional costs of injury. Disparate and consequential, these dueling perspectives have fueled debate among health professionals and policymakers, but with little attention to the work of biological anthropologists. Here we call attention to the hominin fossil record and play behaviors of non-human primates, providing a novel perspective that bolsters arguments for the adaptive significance of thrill-seeking play. The moment for such a review is timely, for it commemorates the centennial anniversaries of two playground icons: the jungle gym and monkey bars.","PeriodicalId":12156,"journal":{"name":"Evolution, Medicine, and Public Health","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2024-08-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142225713","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-08-19eCollection Date: 2024-01-01DOI: 10.1093/emph/eoae016
Stefania E Kapsetaki, Zachary T Compton, Walker Mellon, Orsolya Vincze, Mathieu Giraudeau, Tara M Harrison, Lisa M Abegglen, Amy M Boddy, Carlo C Maley, Joshua D Schiffman
Background and objectives: Cancer develops across nearly every species. However, cancer occurs at unexpected and widely different rates throughout the animal kingdom. The reason for this variation in cancer susceptibility remains an area of intense investigation. Cancer evolves in part through the accumulation of mutations, and therefore, we hypothesized that germline mutation rates would be associated with cancer prevalence and mortality across species.
Methodology: We collected previously published data on germline mutation rate and cancer mortality data for 37 vertebrate species.
Results: Germline mutation rate was positively correlated with cancer mortality (P-value = 0.0008; R2 = 0.13). Controlling for species' average parental age, maximum longevity, adult body mass or domestication did not improve the model fit (the change (Δ) in Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) was less than 2). However, this model fit was better than a model controlling for species trophic level (ΔAIC > 2).
Conclusions and implications: The increased death rate from cancer in animals with increased germline mutation rates may suggest underlying hereditary cancer predisposition syndromes similar to those diagnosed in human patients. Species with higher germline mutation rates may benefit from close monitoring for tumors due to increased genetic risk for cancer development. Early diagnoses of cancer in these species may increase their chances of overall survival, especially for threatened and endangered species.
{"title":"Germline mutation rate predicts cancer mortality across 37 vertebrate species.","authors":"Stefania E Kapsetaki, Zachary T Compton, Walker Mellon, Orsolya Vincze, Mathieu Giraudeau, Tara M Harrison, Lisa M Abegglen, Amy M Boddy, Carlo C Maley, Joshua D Schiffman","doi":"10.1093/emph/eoae016","DOIUrl":"10.1093/emph/eoae016","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and objectives: </strong>Cancer develops across nearly every species. However, cancer occurs at unexpected and widely different rates throughout the animal kingdom. The reason for this variation in cancer susceptibility remains an area of intense investigation. Cancer evolves in part through the accumulation of mutations, and therefore, we hypothesized that germline mutation rates would be associated with cancer prevalence and mortality across species.</p><p><strong>Methodology: </strong>We collected previously published data on germline mutation rate and cancer mortality data for 37 vertebrate species.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Germline mutation rate was positively correlated with cancer mortality (P-value = 0.0008; R2 = 0.13). Controlling for species' average parental age, maximum longevity, adult body mass or domestication did not improve the model fit (the change (Δ) in Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) was less than 2). However, this model fit was better than a model controlling for species trophic level (ΔAIC > 2).</p><p><strong>Conclusions and implications: </strong>The increased death rate from cancer in animals with increased germline mutation rates may suggest underlying hereditary cancer predisposition syndromes similar to those diagnosed in human patients. Species with higher germline mutation rates may benefit from close monitoring for tumors due to increased genetic risk for cancer development. Early diagnoses of cancer in these species may increase their chances of overall survival, especially for threatened and endangered species.</p>","PeriodicalId":12156,"journal":{"name":"Evolution, Medicine, and Public Health","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2024-08-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11372239/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142132236","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Layla Brassington, Audrey M Arner, Marina M Watowich, Jane Damstedt, Ng Kee Seong, Yvonne Ai Lian Lim, Vivek V Venkataraman, Ian Wallace, Thomas S Kraft, Amanda J Lea
More than 60 years ago, James Neel proposed the Thrifty Genotype Hypothesis to explain the widespread prevalence of type 2 diabetes in Western, industrial contexts. This hypothesis posits that variants linked to conservative energy usage and increased fat deposition would have been favored throughout human evolution due to the advantages they could provide during periods of resource limitation. However, in industrial environments, these variants instead produce an increased risk of obesity, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, and related health issues. This hypothesis has been popular and impactful, with thousands of citations, many ongoing debates, and several spin-off theories in biomedicine, evolutionary biology, and anthropology. However, despite great attention, the applicability and utility of the Thrifty Genotype Hypothesis (TGH) to modern human health remains, in our opinion, unresolved. To move research in this area forward, we first discuss the original formulation of the TGH and its critiques. Second, we trace the TGH to updated hypotheses that are currently at the forefront of the evolutionary medicine literature—namely, the Evolutionary Mismatch Hypothesis. Third, we lay out empirical predictions for updated hypotheses and evaluate them against the current literature. Finally, we discuss study designs that could be fruitful for filling current knowledge gaps; here, we focus on partnerships with subsistence-level groups undergoing lifestyle transitions, and we present data from an ongoing study with the Orang Asli of Malaysia to illustrate this point. Overall, we hope this synthesis will guide new empirical research aimed at understanding how the human evolutionary past interacts with our modern environments to influence cardiometabolic health
{"title":"Integrating the Thrifty Genotype and Evolutionary Mismatch Hypotheses to understand variation in cardiometabolic disease risk","authors":"Layla Brassington, Audrey M Arner, Marina M Watowich, Jane Damstedt, Ng Kee Seong, Yvonne Ai Lian Lim, Vivek V Venkataraman, Ian Wallace, Thomas S Kraft, Amanda J Lea","doi":"10.1093/emph/eoae014","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/emph/eoae014","url":null,"abstract":"More than 60 years ago, James Neel proposed the Thrifty Genotype Hypothesis to explain the widespread prevalence of type 2 diabetes in Western, industrial contexts. This hypothesis posits that variants linked to conservative energy usage and increased fat deposition would have been favored throughout human evolution due to the advantages they could provide during periods of resource limitation. However, in industrial environments, these variants instead produce an increased risk of obesity, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, and related health issues. This hypothesis has been popular and impactful, with thousands of citations, many ongoing debates, and several spin-off theories in biomedicine, evolutionary biology, and anthropology. However, despite great attention, the applicability and utility of the Thrifty Genotype Hypothesis (TGH) to modern human health remains, in our opinion, unresolved. To move research in this area forward, we first discuss the original formulation of the TGH and its critiques. Second, we trace the TGH to updated hypotheses that are currently at the forefront of the evolutionary medicine literature—namely, the Evolutionary Mismatch Hypothesis. Third, we lay out empirical predictions for updated hypotheses and evaluate them against the current literature. Finally, we discuss study designs that could be fruitful for filling current knowledge gaps; here, we focus on partnerships with subsistence-level groups undergoing lifestyle transitions, and we present data from an ongoing study with the Orang Asli of Malaysia to illustrate this point. Overall, we hope this synthesis will guide new empirical research aimed at understanding how the human evolutionary past interacts with our modern environments to influence cardiometabolic health","PeriodicalId":12156,"journal":{"name":"Evolution, Medicine, and Public Health","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2024-07-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141881226","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
John F Baines, Claudia D. Baldus, Frederic Bertels, Monika Brüggemann, Christoph Kaleta, Matthias Laudes, Franz-Josef Mueller, Linda Odenthal-Hesse, M. Poyet, Paul B Rainey, Philip Rosenstiel, Alexander Scheffold, Susanne Sebens, Joachim Thiery, Arne Traulsen
{"title":"Advancing Evolutionary Medicine in Northern Germany: Collaboration between Kiel University’s Medical Faculty and the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology","authors":"John F Baines, Claudia D. Baldus, Frederic Bertels, Monika Brüggemann, Christoph Kaleta, Matthias Laudes, Franz-Josef Mueller, Linda Odenthal-Hesse, M. Poyet, Paul B Rainey, Philip Rosenstiel, Alexander Scheffold, Susanne Sebens, Joachim Thiery, Arne Traulsen","doi":"10.1093/emph/eoae013","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/emph/eoae013","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":12156,"journal":{"name":"Evolution, Medicine, and Public Health","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2024-07-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141807557","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Nausea and vomiting in pregnancy (NVP) has been proposed to have a prophylactic function. In this commentary, I re-examine NVP from an evolutionary perspective in light of new research on NVP. First, current evidence suggests that the observed characteristics of NVP does not align well with a prophylactic function. Further, NVP is typically associated with high costs for pregnant women, while moderate-to-severe NVP is associated with increased risks of poorer foetal/birth outcomes. In contrast, mild NVP limited to early pregnancy may associate with improved foetal outcomes – indicating a potential evolutionary benefit. Second, researchers have recently identified growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15) to cause NVP, with implications that low-levels of pre-conception GDF15 (associated with lower cellular stress/inflammation) may increase risks/symptoms of NVP. If so, NVP in contemporary post-industrialised populations may be more severe due to environmental mismatch, and the current symptomology of NVP in such populations should not be viewed as a typical experience of pregnancy.
{"title":"Re-examining the adaptive function of nausea and vomiting in pregnancy","authors":"Emily H Emmott","doi":"10.1093/emph/eoae012","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/emph/eoae012","url":null,"abstract":"Nausea and vomiting in pregnancy (NVP) has been proposed to have a prophylactic function. In this commentary, I re-examine NVP from an evolutionary perspective in light of new research on NVP. First, current evidence suggests that the observed characteristics of NVP does not align well with a prophylactic function. Further, NVP is typically associated with high costs for pregnant women, while moderate-to-severe NVP is associated with increased risks of poorer foetal/birth outcomes. In contrast, mild NVP limited to early pregnancy may associate with improved foetal outcomes – indicating a potential evolutionary benefit. Second, researchers have recently identified growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15) to cause NVP, with implications that low-levels of pre-conception GDF15 (associated with lower cellular stress/inflammation) may increase risks/symptoms of NVP. If so, NVP in contemporary post-industrialised populations may be more severe due to environmental mismatch, and the current symptomology of NVP in such populations should not be viewed as a typical experience of pregnancy.","PeriodicalId":12156,"journal":{"name":"Evolution, Medicine, and Public Health","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2024-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141525416","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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