Article
Medicine, Legal
Tamara Lottering, Jason Hemingway, Candice Small
Summary: Accurate sex estimation is crucial in forensic anthropology, and the pelvis is known to display sexual dimorphism. This study aimed to analyze the morphology of the sacrum and develop a discriminant function formula for sex estimation.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LEGAL MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Zoology
Maria Camila Vallejo-Pareja, Edward L. Stanley, Jonathan Bloch, David C. Blackburn
Summary: The establishment of terrestrial vertebrate faunas in North America was influenced by various factors at different geographic scales. A study of anurans from Florida in the Late Oligocene revealed fossils attributed to Eleutherodactylus, providing evidence of their presence in North America before colonizing Central America. This study demonstrates the dispersal of amphibians from the Caribbean into North America during the Late Oligocene.
ZOOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
(2023)
Article
Medicine, Legal
Raul Fernandez Ortega, Javier Irurita, Enrique Jose Estevez Campo, Pablo Mesejo
Summary: This study compares the effectiveness of different machine learning methods and expert visual assessment in estimating the sex of infant skeletons. The results show that algorithms obtained using deep learning techniques have an accuracy of 59%, 10 percentage points better than classic machine learning techniques and very close to the 61% obtained by the expert.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LEGAL MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Tomasz Szara, Sokol Duro, Ozan Guendemir, Ismail Demircioglu
Summary: This study aimed to determine the sexual dimorphism of quail skulls using geometric morphometric methods. The analysis revealed the most significant differences in shape between male and female individuals in the dorsal aspect. Geometric morphometrics proved to be a better tool for analyzing sexual dimorphism compared to traditional morphometrics, with the shape differences best observed in the dorsal view.
Article
Ecology
Kai R. Caspar, Jacqueline Mueller, Sabine Begall
Summary: African mole-rats of the genus Fukomys exhibit a unique combination of monogamous mating system and sexual size dimorphism, living in cooperatively breeding groups. Male mole-rats have larger skulls relative to body size and expansion of the facial portion of the cranium, with no effect from reproductive status. Scaling analyses show compliance to Rensch's rule, indicating intense male intrasexual competition in Fukomys species.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Biology
Heather M. Garvin, Rachel Dunn, Sabrina B. Sholts, M. Schuyler Litten, Merna Mohamed, Nathan Kuttickat, Noah Skantz
Summary: This study aimed to assess the utility of quantitative methods in distinguishing human from nonhuman remains and present additional resources for species identification. Through data analysis and the development of a web tool, the study achieved accurate differentiation between human and nonhuman species, providing important statistical support and resources for forensic anthropologists and other disciplines.
Editorial Material
Biology
Camilla Cecannecchia, Benedetta Baldari, Andrea Cioffi
Summary: The study of bone mineral density and fracture dating based on healing processes plays a crucial role in forensic anthropology. By emphasizing the importance of these parameters, researchers aim to reconstruct biological profiles, determine time and cause of death, and minimize the impact of medication or substance abuse during life. The introduction of pharmacological history as a correction factor in bone remains analysis, backed by scientific studies, aims to enhance specificity in understanding the effects of certain therapies on bone mass and remodeling speed.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Federica Landi, Fabio Alfieri, Ian Towle, Antonio Profico, Alessio Veneziano
Summary: The study investigates fluctuating asymmetry in the mandibular morphology of wild and captive Macaca fuscata, finding differences induced by the captive environment. While significant morphological dissimilarities were observed in the symmetric component, no significant degree of asymmetry was detected.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2021)
Article
Medicine, Legal
Roxanne Thornton, Mira G. Mendelow, Erin F. Hutchinson
Summary: Age estimation plays a crucial role in identifying immature human remains, and the morphology of immature bones can be used as valuable predictors. This study comprehensively describes the morphology of the immature human pars lateralis bone and provides a foundation for diagnostic criteria in biological profiling.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LEGAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Medicine, Legal
Alexandra Boucherie, Caroline Polet, Kevin Salesse, Philippe Lefevre, Martine Vercauteren
Summary: Estimating sex from burnt human remains is challenging. This study found systematic misclassification of males' sex on burnt specimens. Furthermore, fire exposure led to higher shrinkage values in males for certain measurements.
JOURNAL OF FORENSIC SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Biology
Melissa Niel, Kathia Chaumoitre, Pascal Adalian
Summary: This study analyzed the coupling between maturation and growth in age estimation for young individuals with altered growth processes using a geometric morphometrics method. The results showed that there was uncoupling in 22.8% of the pathological individuals, indicating the potential for biased age estimation. Therefore, caution should be exercised when forming conclusions in a forensic context.
Article
Medicine, Legal
Victoria Berezowski, Tracy Rogers, Eugene Liscio
Summary: This research developed a method combining morphological and metric cranial sex assessment using 3D technology, with a high overall accuracy rate. Although further testing is needed, this method enables forensic anthropologists to perform relatively easy measurements and conduct future analyses.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LEGAL MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Medicine, Legal
Mariyam I. Isa, Todd W. Fenton, Alexis C. Goots, Elena O. Watson, Patrick E. Vaughan, Feng Wei
Summary: This study investigates the relationships between input energy, impactor shape, and fractures in human crania. The results show that different energy levels and impactor shapes can lead to different fracture patterns and locations. Higher energy impacts generally result in more impact site fractures and comminution, while different impactor shapes also contribute to varied fracture patterns.
FORENSIC SCIENCE INTERNATIONAL
(2023)
Article
Radiology, Nuclear Medicine & Medical Imaging
Yasin Ertug Cekdemir, Uygar Mutlu, Gokce Karaman, Ali Balci
Summary: The study found that morphometric measurements performed on CT images of the calcaneus can be effective for sex estimation, with all parameters significantly higher in men compared to women. The best performance for sex estimation was displayed by dorsal articular facet length and body height, while the simultaneous use of multiple variables can achieve gender discrimination accuracy as high as 96%.
Article
Biology
Annalisa Pietrobelli, Rita Sorrentino, Stefano Durante, Damiano Marchi, Stefano Benazzi, Maria Giovanna Belcastro
Summary: This study investigated the shape and size differences between males and females in fibular extremities using skeletal samples from Italy and South Africa. The findings showed that females have significantly smaller fibular extremities with narrower articular surfaces than males. The sexual differences were consistent in Italians but not in South Africans, possibly due to the small sample size. The method used in this study has the potential for sexing human fibulae in forensic and bioarchaeological contexts, particularly for Italian samples.
Article
Anthropology
Karen R. Swan, Rachel Ives, Laura A. B. Wilson, Louise T. Humphrey
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Michael D. Stein, Suzanne J. Hand, Michael Archer, Stephen Wroe, Laura A. B. Wilson
Article
Anatomy & Morphology
Camilo Lopez-Aguirre, Suzanne J. Hand, Daisuke Koyabu, Vuong Tan Tu, Laura A. B. Wilson
Summary: The study utilized 3D virtual modelling and geometric morphometrics to explore the phylogenetic, ecological, and biological drivers of humeral morphology in bats. They found that phylogeny, diet, and foraging guild significantly correlated with shape variation at all levels, while size only had a significant effect on epiphyseal morphology. The study also revealed a significant phylogenetic signal in all levels of humeral shape, with epiphyseal shape significantly correlated with wing aspect ratio.
JOURNAL OF ANATOMY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Taro Nojiri, Laura A. B. Wilson, Camilo Lopez-Aguirre, Vuong Tan Tu, Shigeru Kuratani, Kai Ito, Hiroki Higashiyama, Nguyen Truong Son, Dai Fukui, Alexa Sadier, Karen E. Sears, Hideki Endo, Satoshi Kamihori, Daisuke Koyabu
Summary: The study found that laryngeal echolocation in bats may have multiple origins, supporting the hypothesis of a non-echolocating bat ancestor and independent gain of echolocation in Yinpterochiroptera and Yangochiroptera. Additionally, there were no developmental differences in the hearing apparatus between non-echolocating bats and terrestrial non-bat mammals.
Article
Anatomy & Morphology
Camilo Lopez-Aguirre, Laura A. B. Wilson, Daisuke Koyabu, Vuong Tan Tu, Suzanne J. Hand
Summary: This study investigated the humeral shape and biomechanical variation in relation to different foraging and roosting behaviors in bats. The results revealed a strong ecological signal and lack of phylogenetic structuring in humeral phenotypes. Terrestrial locomoting and upstand roosting species exhibited unique patterns of shape and biomechanical variation.
ANATOMICAL RECORD-ADVANCES IN INTEGRATIVE ANATOMY AND EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Camilo Lopez-Aguirre, Suzanne J. Hand, Daisuke Koyabu, Vuong Tan Tu, Laura A. B. Wilson
Summary: Fluctuating asymmetry, as an index of both developmental instabilities and homeostatic capabilities of organisms, was studied in prenatal development of bats focusing on the humerus bone. Results showed relatively stable magnitudes of fluctuating asymmetry throughout ontogeny, with significant differences in cross-sectional asymmetry across developmental stages. Developmental patterns of longitudinal and cross-sectional asymmetry did not correspond, indicating independent processes controlling symmetric bone elongation and thickening.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Laura A. B. Wilson, Ana Balcarcel, Madeleine Geiger, Laura Heck, Marcelo R. Sanchez-Villagra
Summary: The study utilized morphological integration and modularity frameworks to assess the patterns related to the neural crest hypothesis and domestication syndrome. The findings suggest the presence of morphological differences between the neural crest and mesoderm modules in domestic and wild animals, but no significant changes in integration magnitude between domesticates and their wild progenitors.
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Laura A. B. Wilson
Summary: This study measured fluctuating asymmetry in the cranium of six domestic mammal species and their wild relatives, finding that most domestic mammals showed greater disparity for asymmetric shape. However, only two forms, Pig and Dog, exhibited significantly higher disparity and asymmetry compared to their wild counterparts, Wild Boar and Wolf. This suggests that new variation in domesticates may retain a general, conserved pattern in the structuring of the cranium while also responding to selection on specific features.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART B-MOLECULAR AND DEVELOPMENTAL EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Norberto P. Giannini, Miriam M. Morales, Laura A. B. Wilson, Paul M. Velazco, Fernando Abdala, David A. Flores
Summary: Marsupials are a major representation of mammalian diversification, confined geographically to the Americas and Australasia. Their cranial morphospace is influenced by size, shape trends, and evolutionary convergence, showing marked patterns of ecological and phylogenetic structuring. While some groups exhibit convergence, others show remarkable evolutionary divergence, with varying rates of evolution across different forms. Extinct forms are expected to fill in space voids and potentially increase intra- and intercontinental convergence.
JOURNAL OF MAMMALIAN EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Geography, Physical
Joshua M. White, Larisa R. G. DeSantis, Alistair R. Evans, Laura A. B. Wilson, Matthew R. McCurry
Summary: Research on the extinct diprotodontid marsupial Hulitherium tomasettii suggests that it was not a specialist bamboo feeder as previously believed, but rather a generalized browser that may have been able to utilize vegetation higher up in trees. The study used a multi-proxy approach to analyze dental complexity and microwear texture, concluding that H. tomasettii did not exhibit the characteristics of extant bamboo feeding taxa.
PALAEOGEOGRAPHY PALAEOCLIMATOLOGY PALAEOECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Paleontology
Norberto P. Giannini, Fernando Abdala, David A. Flores, Laura A. B. Wilson
Summary: Ontogenetic allometry, the covariation of shape with size over the course of development, can vary across species and in association with ecological factors. In this study, we conducted a detailed examination of cranial ontogeny in the numbat to understand the development and evolution of its specialized feeding function. Our results revealed positive allometry for length of certain skull elements, which directly relates to the unique rostral elongation in the numbat.
Review
Evolutionary Biology
Nicolas L. M. Brualla, Laura A. B. Wilson, Michael Doube, Richard T. T. Carter, Alan G. G. McElligott, Daisuke Koyabu
Summary: This article describes how comparative chiropteran laryngeal morphology is a novel area of research that could improve the understanding of echolocation and may help resolve the evolutionary history of bats. The discussion highlights the importance of understanding laryngeal sound production for the evolution of the chiropteran auditory system and the ecological and behavioral aspects of bat biology. The article also suggests that different laryngeal components may independently modulate the parameters of sound production in echolocation.
JOURNAL OF MAMMALIAN EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Laura A. B. Wilson, Susanne R. K. Zajitschek, Malgorzata Lagisz, Jeremy Mason, Hamed Haselimashhadi, Shinichi Nakagawa
Summary: Sex differences play a significant role in the risk and expression of diseases, but previous research has mainly focused on male animals and cells. Using data from the International Mouse Phenotyping Consortium, this study reveals that body weight does not account for all phenotypic differences between male and female mice, highlighting the need for more female-focused research.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Review
Biology
Ben Thomas Gleeson, Laura A. B. Wilson
Summary: Altered neural crest cell (NCC) behavior is often used to explain domestication syndrome in animals, but recent studies have questioned its validity and even the existence of the syndrome itself. In this review, we synthesize published literature and critiques to propose a novel interpretation, suggesting that shared disruption of wild reproductive regimes primarily caused the trait changes observed under ancient domestication. We compare these clear mechanisms with the more speculative genetic associations suggested by the NCC hypothesis.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Biology
J. William O. Ballard, Matt A. Field, Richard J. Edwards, Laura A. B. Wilson, Loukas G. Koungoulos, Benjamin D. Rosen, Barry Chernoff, Olga Dudchenko, Arina Omer, Jens Keilwagen, Ksenia Skvortsova, Ozren Bogdanovic, Eva Chan, Robert Zammit, Vanessa Hayes, Erez Lieberman Aiden
Summary: We describe a female Alpine dingo named Cooinda, who has been identified as a representative specimen for future research on the evolutionary history, morphology, physiology, and ecology of dingoes. The study provides evidence that Cooinda exhibits genetic and morphological characteristics typical of the Alpine ecotype.
