C Ocobock
Datos Biográficos
| ID | 45245 |
|---|---|
| NOMBRE | C Ocobock |
| NOMBRES | C |
| APELLIDO | Ocobock |
| FIRMA | OCOBOCK C |
| AFILIACIONES | Department of Anthropology University of Notre Dame Notre Dame Indiana USA |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-6949-2029 |
| VERIFICADO | Sí |
| TOTAL DE OBRAS | 35 |
| TOTAL DE CITAS | 55 |
| TOTAL COMO AUTOR | 35 |
| TOTAL COMO EDITOR | 0 |
| PRIMER AÑO DE PUBLICACIÓN | 2015 |
| AÑO MÁS RECIENTE DE PUBLICACIÓN | 2026 |
| ÍNDICE H | 5 |
“If you absolve the harms of the past you are likely to repeat them.” George Santayana
Higher Resting Metabolism Is Associated With Increased Free Triiodothyronine Among Female Reindeer Herders in Northern Finland
Background Thyroid hormones (TH) regulate metabolism and are shaped by environmental factors—ambient temperature in particular. Previous work among indigenous and non‐indigenous populations in Russia revealed that there are seasonal shifts in TH dynamics such that total and free triiodothyronine (fT 3 ) and free thyroxine (fT 4 ) increase during winter. Elevated TH levels in these populations were positively correlated with the elevated resting m…
Neandertal Cold Adaptation
Neandertals occupied western Eurasia for over 100 000 years, repeatedly enduring climates that ranged from seasonally cold to glacial. This paper reexamines the question of Neandertal cold adaptation using updated fossil, physiological, and archaeological evidence. While some populations lived outside glacial extremes, all faced periodic cold stress, and their survival depended on a diverse set of strategies. Technological buffers, including fire…
Total Energy Expenditure and Physical Activity Profiles Among Reindeer Herders and Office Workers of Northern Finland
With the seasonal nature of reindeer herding, February is a period of relative ease following the physically demanding round-up period that lasts from September to January, which may explain these results. Furthermore, large variation in the main variables of eTEE and PAL highlights the need for a larger study population. Therefore, a seasonal assessment of PA and eTEE patterns in this unique population where herders and office workers live close…
The theory that men evolved to hunt and women evolved to gather is wrong
Based on evidence from exercise physiology and archaeology, Ocobock and Lacy explain the important roles estrogen plays in endurance activities, such as ultramarathons and ancient hunting practices, as well as how we can learn from skeletal remains about what activities Neanderthals and other Pleistocene humans engaged in. Ocobock and Lacy firmly situate the “man the hunter” theory in its historical context, explaining some of the social landscap…
Indication of mixed glucose and fatty acid use by inferred brown adipose tissue activity in Samoans
OBJECTIVES: Despite the growing rates of global obesity and the known positive associations between brown adipose tissue (BAT) and cardiovascular health, little is known about the metabolic effects of BAT activity in Samoans, a population at high risk of obesity and type II diabetes. Here we assessed the potential effects of inferred BAT activity on metabolic health markers in Samoan adults exposed to mild cold. METHODS: Using point-of-care finge…
Human cold adaptation
The value of publicly engaged podcasting in human biology
Podcasting about science may be popular, but does it motivate engagement? The Human Biology Association and American Journal of Human Biology ( AJHB ) cosponsor a podcast that highlights recent articles. We hypothesized that AJHB articles discussed on the podcast ( n = 42) receive more online views than other articles from the same issues. We used Student's t ‐tests to compare mean article views and found podcasted articles received more views, b…
Response to “Can women hunt? Yes, did women contribute much to human evolution through endurance hunting? Probably not
The Physiological Evidence" (Ocobock & Lacy, 2024).We are grateful for the expertise each author brings to the conversation and recognize the important contributions they have made to the field of biological anthropology and reproductive behavioral ecology, in particular.We believe many of the concerns voiced by Martin and colleagues would be alleviated when "Woman the Hunter: The Physiological Evidence" is taken in conjunction with "Woman the Hu…
Woman the hunter
Myths of "Man the Hunter" and male biological superiority persist in interpretations and reconstructions of human evolution. Although there are uncontroversial average biological differences between females and males, the potential physiological advantages females may possess are less well-known and less well-studied. Here we review and present emerging physiological evidence that females may be metabolically better suited for endurance activitie…
Woman the hunter
The Paleo-fantasy of a deep history to a sexual division of labor, often described as "Man the Hunter and Woman the Gatherer," continues to dominate the literature. We see it used as the default hypothesis in anatomical and physiological reconstructions of the past as well as studies of modern people evoking evolutionary explanations. However, the idea of a strict sexual labor division in the Paleolithic is an assumption with little supporting ev…
The impact of winter warming and more frequent icing events on reindeer herder occupational safety, health, and wellbeing
BACKGROUND: Northern Finland, like the rest of the Arctic, has experienced increases in mean annual temperature, the number of winter rains, the number of thaw-freeze days, the number of extremely warm weather events, and a shortened snow season. These changes have produced numerous problems for reindeer herders whose livelihoods rely on a healthy ecosystem with predictable weather patterns. METHODS: We performed a scoping literature review to as…
Human Bodies in Extreme Environments
Human habitation and adaptation to extreme environments have a deep history in anthropological research. Anthropologists' understanding of these ecological pressures and how humans respond to them has grown substantially over the last 100+ years. This review covers long-standing knowledge on adaptation to classic extreme conditions of heat, cold, and high altitude, while also updating the areas in which recent research has broadened our understan…
Weather permitting
OBJECTIVES: We investigated seasonal changes in brown adipose tissue (BAT) activation and metabolism in a temperate-climate Albany, NY population. METHODS: Data were collected among 58 participants (21 males, 37 females, ages: 18-51) in the summer and 59 participants (23 males, 36 females, ages: 18-63) in the winter in Albany, New York. BAT activity was inferred by comparing metabolic rate, heat dissipation in the supraclavicular area, and respir…
Demystifying mentorship
Hackademics
OBJECTIVE: The Sausage of Science is a podcast for the Human Biology Association and the American Journal of Human Biology through which we introduced a special series called #Hackademics. The podcast was initially used to highlight the scholarship and humanity of fellow human biologists through interviews about "how the sausage is made" in research-that is, the nuts and bolts that go into our publications. However, we soon realized there is much…
Brown adipose tissue thermogenesis among a small sample of reindeer herders from sub-Arctic Finland
Introduction Interest in human physiological responses to cold stress have seen a resurgence in recent years with a focus on brown adipose tissue (BAT), a mitochondria dense fat specialized for heat production. However, a majority of the work examining BAT has been conducted among temperate climate populations. Methods To expand our understanding of BAT thermogenesis in a cold climate population, we measured, using indirect calorimetry and therma…
I feel terrible and need to exercise to find any sort of joy
During COVID-19 stay-at-home orders (SaHOs), people faced drastic shifts in their work and home lives. These shifts, in combination with the temporary closure of gyms and fitness centers, led to exercise-routine disruption. We conducted a survey to assess how people were affected by SaHOs in terms of exercise-routine change, feelings about exercise, perceived physical and mental health, as well as exercise-routine plans once SaHOs were lifted. In…
Between a rock and a cold place
A large body of work focuses on the unique aspects of Neanderthal anatomy, inferred physiology, and behavior to test the assumption that Neanderthals were hyper‐adapted to living in cold environments. This research has expanded over the years to include previously unexplored and potentially adaptive features such as brown adipose tissue and fire‐usage. Here we review the current state of knowledge of Neanderthal cold adaptations along morphologic…
Sex differences and shifts in body composition, physical activity, and total energy expenditure across a 3‐month expedition
Understanding changes in energy storage in the body and variation in energy expenditure between sexes during a 3-month expedition has critical implications for maintaining health and performance in an energetically demanding environment where resources may be scarce
Reindeer herders from subarctic Finland exhibit high total energy expenditure and low energy intake during the autumn herd roundup
High TEE and low caloric intake among herders reflect the extreme demands placed on herders during the annual herd round up. Although TEE DLW was similar between cold climate herders and hot climate farming populations, there are likely differences in how that TEE is comprised, reflecting the local ecologies of these populations
How Reindeer Herders Cope with Harsh Winter Conditions in Northern Finland
Reindeer herding involves hard physical work carried out in a cold climate under variable weather conditions. In the fall and winter, herders’ work in northern Finland includes collecting and moving reindeer herds to round-up sites, working in round-ups, slaughtering and processing meat as well as daily feeding and monitoring of the animals in the field. To study the experiences and perceptions of coping with cold among physically active herders …
Feasibility of using infrared thermal imaging to examine brown adipose tissue in infants aged 18 to 25 months
While further work is necessary to develop a reliable cooling condition, this study provides proof-of-concept for non-invasive assessment of BAT activity in infants
Human biology is a matter of life or death
In times of upheaval, clear information dissemination is more important than ever. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the world has seen ad hoc messaging lead to public and policy reactions with largely negative consequences (Everett, Colombatto, Chituc, Brady, & Crockett, 2020; Funk, 2017; Garrett, 2020). The late George Armelagos and colleagues repeatedly highlighted the resurgence of infectious disease mortality, many consider to be the third epide…
Elevated resting metabolic rates among female, but not male, reindeer herders from subarctic Finland
OBJECTIVE: Elevated resting metabolic rates (RMR, kcal/day) are a well-established mechanism for maintaining core body temperature among cold climate populations. A high degree of interindividual variation has recently been noted among circumpolar populations. To further examine RMR variability, we investigated anthropometric and metabolic differences among reindeer herders from subarctic Finland. METHODS: Resting metabolic rates, body mass, body…
Woman the hunter
Myths of "Man the Hunter" and male biological superiority persist in interpretations and reconstructions of human evolution. Although there are uncontroversial average biological differences between females and males, the potential physiological advantages females may possess are less well-known and less well-studied. Here we review and present emerging physiological evidence that females may be metabolically better suited for endurance activitie…
Woman the hunter
The Paleo-fantasy of a deep history to a sexual division of labor, often described as "Man the Hunter and Woman the Gatherer," continues to dominate the literature. We see it used as the default hypothesis in anatomical and physiological reconstructions of the past as well as studies of modern people evoking evolutionary explanations. However, the idea of a strict sexual labor division in the Paleolithic is an assumption with little supporting ev…
Human energy expenditure, allocation, and interactions in natural temperate, hot, and cold environments
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this research is to analyze how energy is allocated differently in temperate, hot, and cold environments among National Outdoor Leadership School students. METHOD: Basal metabolic rate, physical activity, thermoregulation, and the thermic effect of food were estimated to determine the total energy expenditure and energy allocation differences among a group of healthy, highly active adults (N = 59) participating in National O…
Brown adipose tissue thermogenesis among a small sample of reindeer herders from sub-Arctic Finland
Introduction Interest in human physiological responses to cold stress have seen a resurgence in recent years with a focus on brown adipose tissue (BAT), a mitochondria dense fat specialized for heat production. However, a majority of the work examining BAT has been conducted among temperate climate populations. Methods To expand our understanding of BAT thermogenesis in a cold climate population, we measured, using indirect calorimetry and therma…
Human Bodies in Extreme Environments
Human habitation and adaptation to extreme environments have a deep history in anthropological research. Anthropologists' understanding of these ecological pressures and how humans respond to them has grown substantially over the last 100+ years. This review covers long-standing knowledge on adaptation to classic extreme conditions of heat, cold, and high altitude, while also updating the areas in which recent research has broadened our understan…
Human Energy Expenditure in Anthropology and Beyond
Humans have successfully inhabited every continent on this planet. Our ability to survive and thrive in such a wide range of environments is fascinating, particularly from an energetic perspective. As knowledge of human total energy expenditure (TEE, kcal day −1 ) has deepened, so too has the ability to interpret observable patterns in human metabolic physiology and apply these interpretations to our evolutionary history. This review examines the…
I feel terrible and need to exercise to find any sort of joy
During COVID-19 stay-at-home orders (SaHOs), people faced drastic shifts in their work and home lives. These shifts, in combination with the temporary closure of gyms and fitness centers, led to exercise-routine disruption. We conducted a survey to assess how people were affected by SaHOs in terms of exercise-routine change, feelings about exercise, perceived physical and mental health, as well as exercise-routine plans once SaHOs were lifted. In…
Sustained high levels of physical activity lead to improved performance among “Race Across the USA” athletes
OBJECTIVE: To investigate physiological and performance adaptations associated with extremely high daily sustained physical activity levels, we followed six runners participating in the 2015 Race Across the USA. Participants completed over 42.2 km a day for 140 days, covering nearly 5,000 km. This analysis examines the improvement in running speed and potential adaptation in mean submaximal heart rate (SHR) throughout the race. METHODS: Data were…
The allocation and interaction model
This analysis demonstrated that AIM is more accurate than the Factorial Method for predicting TEE across a range of climates and physical activity levels. This suggests that AIM should be used in place of the Factorial Method for estimating human TEE. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:372-380, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc
Human energy expenditure, allocation, and interactions in natural temperate, hot, and cold environments
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this research is to analyze how energy is allocated differently in temperate, hot, and cold environments among National Outdoor Leadership School students. METHOD: Basal metabolic rate, physical activity, thermoregulation, and the thermic effect of food were estimated to determine the total energy expenditure and energy allocation differences among a group of healthy, highly active adults (N = 59) participating in National O…
Running Across America
Body fat attenuates muscle mass catabolism among physically active humans in temperate and cold high altitude environments
OBJECTIVE: Typical diet plans are based on an individual's body mass; however, body composition may be important to consider when an individual is in a negative energy balance. This study examines if high initial body fat and dietary macronutrient content reduce muscle mass catabolism during excursions in temperate and cold high altitude environments. METHODS: Subjects-53 healthy, un-acclimated volunteers (37 males and 16 females)-took part in 12…
Current Officers and Members of Standing Committees
Pre-registration is less costly and is possible online at www.humbio.org through March 20, 2019. Non-members who register for the meeting are also welcome to attend
Sustained high levels of physical activity lead to improved performance among “Race Across the USA” athletes
OBJECTIVE: To investigate physiological and performance adaptations associated with extremely high daily sustained physical activity levels, we followed six runners participating in the 2015 Race Across the USA. Participants completed over 42.2 km a day for 140 days, covering nearly 5,000 km. This analysis examines the improvement in running speed and potential adaptation in mean submaximal heart rate (SHR) throughout the race. METHODS: Data were…
The effect of in‐field measurement protocol on resting metabolic rate results
Human biology is a matter of life or death
In times of upheaval, clear information dissemination is more important than ever. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the world has seen ad hoc messaging lead to public and policy reactions with largely negative consequences (Everett, Colombatto, Chituc, Brady, & Crockett, 2020; Funk, 2017; Garrett, 2020). The late George Armelagos and colleagues repeatedly highlighted the resurgence of infectious disease mortality, many consider to be the third epide…
Elevated resting metabolic rates among female, but not male, reindeer herders from subarctic Finland
OBJECTIVE: Elevated resting metabolic rates (RMR, kcal/day) are a well-established mechanism for maintaining core body temperature among cold climate populations. A high degree of interindividual variation has recently been noted among circumpolar populations. To further examine RMR variability, we investigated anthropometric and metabolic differences among reindeer herders from subarctic Finland. METHODS: Resting metabolic rates, body mass, body…
How the Sausage of Science is Made
Podcasts are a popular medium for science promotion and relatively easy to execute. As such, we started the Sausage of Science podcast for the Human Biology Association in order to feature early career professionals, highlight the exciting and highly relevant work done in our field, and talk with our friends and colleagues in a more casual manner for the world to hear. This paper describes how the podcast came about as well as our production proc…
Human Energy Expenditure in Anthropology and Beyond
Humans have successfully inhabited every continent on this planet. Our ability to survive and thrive in such a wide range of environments is fascinating, particularly from an energetic perspective. As knowledge of human total energy expenditure (TEE, kcal day −1 ) has deepened, so too has the ability to interpret observable patterns in human metabolic physiology and apply these interpretations to our evolutionary history. This review examines the…
Infographics, Podcasts, and Videos
Introducing multimedia learning in the classroom has numerous benefits for students, including a higher level of engagement for an array of learning styles, development of transferrable skills, and encouraging creativity. In this commentary, I introduce two multimedia assignments, an infographic and a podcast/video, that I have successfully implemented in my courses. I outline the rationale, goals, guidelines, resources, assessment rubrics, poten…
Between a rock and a cold place
A large body of work focuses on the unique aspects of Neanderthal anatomy, inferred physiology, and behavior to test the assumption that Neanderthals were hyper‐adapted to living in cold environments. This research has expanded over the years to include previously unexplored and potentially adaptive features such as brown adipose tissue and fire‐usage. Here we review the current state of knowledge of Neanderthal cold adaptations along morphologic…
Sex differences and shifts in body composition, physical activity, and total energy expenditure across a 3‐month expedition
Understanding changes in energy storage in the body and variation in energy expenditure between sexes during a 3-month expedition has critical implications for maintaining health and performance in an energetically demanding environment where resources may be scarce
Reindeer herders from subarctic Finland exhibit high total energy expenditure and low energy intake during the autumn herd roundup
High TEE and low caloric intake among herders reflect the extreme demands placed on herders during the annual herd round up. Although TEE DLW was similar between cold climate herders and hot climate farming populations, there are likely differences in how that TEE is comprised, reflecting the local ecologies of these populations
How Reindeer Herders Cope with Harsh Winter Conditions in Northern Finland
Reindeer herding involves hard physical work carried out in a cold climate under variable weather conditions. In the fall and winter, herders’ work in northern Finland includes collecting and moving reindeer herds to round-up sites, working in round-ups, slaughtering and processing meat as well as daily feeding and monitoring of the animals in the field. To study the experiences and perceptions of coping with cold among physically active herders …
Feasibility of using infrared thermal imaging to examine brown adipose tissue in infants aged 18 to 25 months
While further work is necessary to develop a reliable cooling condition, this study provides proof-of-concept for non-invasive assessment of BAT activity in infants
Weather permitting
OBJECTIVES: We investigated seasonal changes in brown adipose tissue (BAT) activation and metabolism in a temperate-climate Albany, NY population. METHODS: Data were collected among 58 participants (21 males, 37 females, ages: 18-51) in the summer and 59 participants (23 males, 36 females, ages: 18-63) in the winter in Albany, New York. BAT activity was inferred by comparing metabolic rate, heat dissipation in the supraclavicular area, and respir…
Demystifying mentorship
Hackademics
OBJECTIVE: The Sausage of Science is a podcast for the Human Biology Association and the American Journal of Human Biology through which we introduced a special series called #Hackademics. The podcast was initially used to highlight the scholarship and humanity of fellow human biologists through interviews about "how the sausage is made" in research-that is, the nuts and bolts that go into our publications. However, we soon realized there is much…
Brown adipose tissue thermogenesis among a small sample of reindeer herders from sub-Arctic Finland
Introduction Interest in human physiological responses to cold stress have seen a resurgence in recent years with a focus on brown adipose tissue (BAT), a mitochondria dense fat specialized for heat production. However, a majority of the work examining BAT has been conducted among temperate climate populations. Methods To expand our understanding of BAT thermogenesis in a cold climate population, we measured, using indirect calorimetry and therma…
I feel terrible and need to exercise to find any sort of joy
During COVID-19 stay-at-home orders (SaHOs), people faced drastic shifts in their work and home lives. These shifts, in combination with the temporary closure of gyms and fitness centers, led to exercise-routine disruption. We conducted a survey to assess how people were affected by SaHOs in terms of exercise-routine change, feelings about exercise, perceived physical and mental health, as well as exercise-routine plans once SaHOs were lifted. In…
The impact of winter warming and more frequent icing events on reindeer herder occupational safety, health, and wellbeing
BACKGROUND: Northern Finland, like the rest of the Arctic, has experienced increases in mean annual temperature, the number of winter rains, the number of thaw-freeze days, the number of extremely warm weather events, and a shortened snow season. These changes have produced numerous problems for reindeer herders whose livelihoods rely on a healthy ecosystem with predictable weather patterns. METHODS: We performed a scoping literature review to as…
Human Bodies in Extreme Environments
Human habitation and adaptation to extreme environments have a deep history in anthropological research. Anthropologists' understanding of these ecological pressures and how humans respond to them has grown substantially over the last 100+ years. This review covers long-standing knowledge on adaptation to classic extreme conditions of heat, cold, and high altitude, while also updating the areas in which recent research has broadened our understan…
The theory that men evolved to hunt and women evolved to gather is wrong
Based on evidence from exercise physiology and archaeology, Ocobock and Lacy explain the important roles estrogen plays in endurance activities, such as ultramarathons and ancient hunting practices, as well as how we can learn from skeletal remains about what activities Neanderthals and other Pleistocene humans engaged in. Ocobock and Lacy firmly situate the “man the hunter” theory in its historical context, explaining some of the social landscap…
Biology (14 obras) · Ecology (13 obras) · Medicine (10 obras) · Sociology (9 obras) · Adipose Tissue and Metabolism (8 obras) · Computer Science (8 obras) · Endocrinology (8 obras) · Geography (8 obras) · Demography (7 obras) · Climate change (6 obras)