DDIG: The development and function of the nasopharynx and its role in the evolution of primate respiratory abilities

这项研究将使用鼻骨和鼻咽部的组织形态来检查现代灵长类动物的比较样本，并将这项研究应用于回答关于尼安德特人和海德堡人的气候适应问题。所有用于分析标本的方法将被结合在一起，创建鼻咽部的三维地图。通过研究其硬、软组织成分的相互作用，可以推导出一个更稳健的功能形态模型。鼻咽边界正常生长的数据对于URT疾病具有临床重要性，而URT疾病是最常见的儿科临床疾病。该项目提供了以前无法获得的鼻咽边界的正常生长和功能形态关系的数据，这些数据与URT疾病的病因直接相关。鼻咽是上呼吸道的重要组成部分。然而，该区域在人类进化过程中的形态变化模式仍然知之甚少。这项研究验证了鼻咽部骨性边界与头面部骨骼的其他单位具有功能关系的假设。作为上呼吸道(URT)的一个组成部分，鼻咽的边界可能会受到气候应激和适应模式的影响。因此，将测试居住在寒冷、干燥环境中的灵长类物种是否存在气候适应。为了验证这一假设，将在温暖和寒冷气候条件下自然死亡的猕猴(猕猴、短尾猴)的尸检样本上进行鼻咽边界的CT成像。那些来自较冷环境的人预计会表现出更大的鼻咽表面积与体积比，这将增加气流与鼻咽上皮之间的接触，从而更有效地升温和增湿。最后，归因于尼安德特人(来自寒冷、干燥的气候)和海德堡人的化石标本将接受城市轨道交通地标坐标数据的广义Procrstes分析(GPA)，以与地理上不同的现代人类头骨进行比较。鼻咽形态和组织学之间的关系也将通过对不同灵长类动物样本的光学显微镜进行评估。作为博士论文研究改进奖，它将提供支持，使有前途的学生能够建立强大的独立研究生涯。

This study will use both bony and histological morphology of the nose (nasopharynx) to examine a comparative sample of modern primates and apply that study to answering climatic adaptational questions about Neandertals and Homo heidelbergensis. All methods used to analyze the specimens will be combined to create a three-dimensional map of the nasopharynx. By studying interaction of its hard and soft tissue components, a more robust model of its functional morphology may be derived. Data on normal growth of nasopharyngeal boundaries holds clinical importance with regard to URT diseases, which are the most common pediatric clinical conditions. This project provides previously unavailable data on the normal growth and functional morphologic relationships of nasopharyngeal boundaries, which are directly relevant to URT disease etiology.The nasopharynx comprises a vital portion of the upper respiratory tract. Yet, patterns of morphologic change in this region over human evolution remains poorly understood. This study tests the hypothesis that the bony nasopharyngeal boundaries share a functional relationship with other units of the craniofacial skeleton. As an upper respiratory tract (URT) component, the nasopharyngeal boundaries may be subject to patterns of climatic stress and adaptation. It will thus be tested whether climatic adaptations are present in primate species inhabiting cold, dry environments. To test this hypothesis, CT imaging of nasopharyngeal boundaries will be performed on postmortem samples of macaque monkeys that died of natural causes (Macaca mulatta, Macaca fascicularis) from warm and cold climates. Those from colder environments are expected to exhibit greater nasopharyngal surface area-to-volume ratio, which would increase contact between airflow and nasopharyngeal epithelia for more efficient warming and humidification. Finally, fossil specimens attributed to Neanderthals (from cold, dry climates) and Homo heidelbergensis will undergo Generalized Procrustes Analysis (GPA) of URT landmark coordinate data for comparison with geographically diverse modern human crania. The relationship between nasopharyngeal morphology and histology will also be evaluated via light microscopy of a diverse primate sample.As a Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement award, it will provide support to enable a promising student to establish a strong independent research career.