Biological and Physical Anthropology Commons^™

Acute Induced Scurvy: Implications For Covid-19 And The Cytokine Storm, Chawki Belhadi

Field Notes: A Journal of Collegiate Anthropology

Using an evolutionary genetic disease model, this review considers Vitamin C (VC) and its potential for treating COVID-19 (CV-19). The model’s validity rests on VC’s potent antioxidant property and the mutation sustained by the primate ancestor (est.) 61 MYA that left humans unable to produce VC. The result is humans cannot -by diet or oral supplementation- achieve plasma VC concentrations typical of vitamin C synthesizers. This may leave humans chronically vulnerable to infectious disease (hypoascorbemia). VC deficiency can become more acute during severe disease (anascorbemia) and, because of the relationship between disease severity and oxidative stress, can intensify the oxidative …

Very Low Prevalence And Incidence Of Atrial Fibrillation Among Bolivian Forager-Farmers, Christopher J. Rowan, Michael A. Eskander, Edmond Seabright, Daniel Eid Rodriguez, Edhitt Cortez Linares, Raul Quispe Gutierrez, Juan Copajira Adrian, Daniel Cummings, Bret Beheim, Kirsten Tolstrup, Abinash Achrekar, Thomas Kraft, David E. Michalik, Michael I. Miyamoto, Adel H. Allam, L. Samuel Wann, Jagat Narula, Benjamin C. Trumble, Jonathan Stieglitz, Randall C. Thompson, Gregory S. Thomas, Hillard S. Kaplan, Michael D. Gurven

ESI Publications

Background: Atrial fibrillation is the most common arrhythmia in post-industrialized populations. Older age, hypertension, obesity, chronic inflammation, and diabetes are significant atrial fibrillation risk factors, suggesting that modern urban environments may promote atrial fibrillation.

Objective: Here we assess atrial fibrillation prevalence and incidence among tropical horticulturalists of the Bolivian Amazon with high levels of physical activity, a lean diet, and minimal coronary atherosclerosis, but also high infectious disease burden and associated inflammation.

Methods: Between 2005–2019, 1314 Tsimane aged 40–94 years (52% female) and 534 Moseten Amerindians aged 40–89 years (50% female) underwent resting 12-lead electrocardiograms to assess atrial fibrillation prevalence. …