Collaborative Research: Three-Dimensional Analysis of Dental Microwear in Primates

合作研究：灵长类动物牙齿微磨损的三维分析

• 批准号: 0315194
• 负责人: Christopher Brown
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: Worcester Polytechnic Institute
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2003
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2003-07-01 至 2008-05-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0315194&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; Three; Dimensional; Analysis

This project will develop a new, improved way to reconstruct the diets of past humans and fossil animals using microscopic use-wear on their teeth. Recent studies of living primates have shown associations between diet and patterns of dental microwear. Microscopic use-wear has been found on the teeth of past peoples and a broad range of extinct animals. Conventional approaches to analyzing this wear have involved imaging tooth wear surfaces by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), followed by counting and measuring individual wear features on resulting photomicrographs. This approach has not been ideal, because the SEM does not provide a true representation of tooth surfaces in three dimensions, and because identification and measurement of individual features is time-consuming, subjective and subject to high interobserver error. The recent developments of white light confocal microscopy and scale sensitive fractal analyses obviate these problems, promising a more objective, repeatable, 3D characterization of dental microwear. The instrument provides 3D coordinates representing surfaces at a resolution equivalent to that used by most SEM microwear studies. Fractal analyses provide objective, repeatable quantitative characterization of surfaces. A recent Major Research Instrumentation grant (NSF BCS-0215830) has allowed us to purchase a white light confocal microscope with scale sensitive fractal analysis software. This proposal requests funds to adapt this technology for dental microwear analysis, and to establish a baseline series of 3D microwear patterns for living primates with known diets. This baseline will allow us to infer diets of past peoples and extinct animals using microwear patterns on fossil teeth. This new approach will eliminate major sources of error, and increase power to resolve differences between species. Moreover, rapid surface characterization will allow examination of large samples to assess variation within species and to make finer distinctions between species. Further, because results are repeatable, it will allow direct comparisons of data between researchers, promising a better understanding of the lives of our distant ancestors, and other fossil species. Just as the SEM and quantification advanced microwear studies 25 years ago, so too will confocal microscopy and metrological analyses today. As with other scientific endeavors, the history of dental microwear studies shows a feedback loop between research and technological innovation. This repeatable, automated procedure will allow researchers to share data and stimulate new uses of this technology. Our data for the extant baseline series will be available on-line for all those interested.This project will be coordinated from the University of Arkansas, and will involve training and collaboration between students in Arkansas, Massachusetts, Maryland and Pennsylvania. This project will support cutting edge research in the state of Arkansas and bring a scientific research experience to students who are often first generation college attendees. It will include technology training that will prepare students from this geographically underrepresented group for technology sector jobs.

该项目将开发一种新的改进方法，利用牙齿上的微观使用磨损来重建过去人类和化石动物的饮食。 最近对现存灵长类动物的研究表明，饮食与牙齿微磨损模式之间存在关联。 在过去的人类和各种灭绝动物的牙齿上都发现了微小的使用磨损。分析这种磨损的传统方法涉及通过扫描电子显微镜（SEM）对牙齿磨损表面进行成像，然后在所得显微照片上计数和测量个体磨损特征。 这种方法并不理想，因为SEM不能提供牙齿表面的真实三维表示，而且因为个体特征的识别和测量耗时、主观且存在很高的观察者间误差。 白色光共聚焦显微镜和尺度敏感分形分析的最新发展解决了这些问题，有望提供一种更客观、可重复的牙齿微磨损三维表征方法。 该仪器提供了代表表面的3D坐标，其分辨率相当于大多数SEM微磨损研究所使用的分辨率。 分形分析提供了客观的，可重复的表面定量表征。 最近的主要研究仪器补助金（NSF BCS-0215830），使我们能够购买一个白色光共聚焦显微镜与规模敏感分形分析软件。 该提案要求提供资金，以适应这项技术的牙齿微磨损分析，并建立一个基线系列的三维微磨损模式的生活灵长类动物与已知的饮食。 这一基线将使我们能够利用化石牙齿上的微磨损模式来推断过去人类和灭绝动物的饮食。 这种新方法将消除主要的错误来源，并增加解决物种之间差异的能力。 此外，快速的表面特征鉴定将允许检查大样本，以评估物种内的变异，并在物种之间进行更精细的区分。 此外，由于结果是可重复的，它将允许研究人员之间的数据直接比较，有望更好地了解我们遥远祖先和其他化石物种的生活。正如25年前的SEM和定量技术推进了微磨损研究一样，今天的共聚焦显微镜和显微镜分析也将如此。 与其他科学努力一样，牙科微磨损研究的历史表明研究和技术创新之间存在反馈循环。 这种可重复的自动化过程将使研究人员能够共享数据，并刺激这项技术的新用途。 所有感兴趣的人都可以在线获得我们现有的基线系列数据。这个项目将由阿肯色州大学协调，并将涉及阿肯色州、马萨诸塞州、马里兰州和宾夕法尼亚州学生之间的培训和合作。 该项目将支持阿肯色州的前沿研究，并为第一代大学生带来科学研究经验。 它将包括技术培训，使来自这一地域代表性不足的群体的学生为技术部门的工作做好准备。