Article
Dentistry, Oral Surgery & Medicine
M. Christopher Dean, Sing-Ying Lim, Helen M. Liversidge
Summary: The study aimed to investigate the differences in tooth eruption and development between modern humans and great apes, and to explore whether early fossil humans showed dental development patterns beyond the human range. The results showed delayed incisor and canine eruption/development in great apes relative to molars, but there were overlaps in almost all anterior tooth stages. Molar crown initiation was generally advanced in great apes and delayed in humans. Only two fossil hominin specimens showed delayed incisor development beyond any individuals observed in the human sample.
ARCHIVES OF ORAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Nyeema C. Harris, Siria Gamez, Gabriel Gadsden, Rumaan Malhotra
Summary: Range maps are crucial for biodiversity conservation, but current maps lack important context and fail to capture the dynamics and variation of populations and environments. We propose expanding flat range maps by adding texture to address these limitations and enhance interdisciplinary research.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jacob E. Allgeier, Brian C. Weeks, Katrina S. Munsterman, Nina Wale, Seth J. Wenger, Valeriano Parravicini, Nina M. D. Schiettekatte, Sebastien Villeger, Deron E. Burkepile
Summary: The study examines fish stoichiometry traits in coral reefs and finds that phylogeny plays a critical role in nutrient cycling, especially in the Caribbean region. In Polynesia, ecological factors have a greater influence on chemical trait variation. Regional differences in chemical traits can be explained by nutrient limitation associated with different geological contexts.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jeremy McCormack, Michael L. Griffiths, Sora L. Kim, Kenshu Shimada, Molly Karnes, Harry Maisch, Sarah Pederzani, Nicolas Bourgon, Klervia Jaouen, Martin A. Becker, Niels Joens, Guy Sisma-Ventura, Nicolas Straube, Juergen Pollerspoeck, Jean-Jacques Hublin, Robert A. Eagle, Thomas Tuetken
Summary: Diet is a crucial trait of an animal's lifestyle and ecology. The use of zinc isotopes (delta Zn-66) can assess trophic levels in extant and extinct sharks. The study reveals that the Neogene megatooth shark and the great white shark occupied a similar trophic level, providing clues to the extinction of the megatooth shark.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Alex Slavenko, Allen Allison, Shai Meiri
Summary: Elevation is a stronger predictor of morphospace occupancy than species richness, with highland skinks displaying smaller, thinner, and shorter-limbed morphologies. Competition's effect on trait divergence at a community and assemblage scale is overshadowed by abiotic selection pressures in harsh environments like the New Guinea highlands, where harsh climates impose strong selection on skinks for efficient thermoregulation.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Dylan M. Poorboy, Jonathan J. -M. Calede, Andreas S. Chavez
Summary: Bite force is important in foraging and can affect the competitiveness and fitness of mammals. Douglas squirrels and red squirrels in the North Cascades have different diets and bite forces. Hybrid squirrels show morphologies that overlap with red squirrels.
Article
Geology
Claudio G. De Francesco, Gabriela S. Hassan
Summary: Premortem and postmortem processes influence molluscan fossil record in freshwater environments. A field-based study comparing premortem and postmortem attributes along a lacustrine salinity gradient concluded that shells deposited in saline lakes are better preserved than in freshwater lakes, giving rise to highly abundant shell concentrations similar to fossil levels. The abundance is not reflective of natural abundances but is due to less destructive environments and better shell intrinsic properties.
Article
Anthropology
Ian Towle, Andrew J. J. MacIntosh, Kazuha Hirata, Mugino O. Kubo, Carolina Loch
Summary: This study examined atypical tooth wear in a wild Japanese macaque population and compared it to non-provisioned populations. The results showed that all individuals analyzed exhibited atypical tooth wear, which is likely caused by accidental ingestion of sand and oral processing of marine mollusks. No evidence of tool use or cultural habits was observed.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Sander W. S. Gussekloo, Michael A. Berthaume, Daniel R. Pulaski, Irene Westbroek, Jan H. Waarsing, Robin Heinen, Ian R. Grosse, Elizabeth R. Dumont
Article
Anthropology
Michael A. Berthaume, Lucas K. Delezene, Kornelius Kupczik
JOURNAL OF HUMAN EVOLUTION
(2018)
Review
Anatomy & Morphology
Michael A. Berthaume, Erica Di Federico, Anthony M. J. Bull
JOURNAL OF ANATOMY
(2019)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Michael A. Berthaume, Julia Winchester, Kornelius Kupczik
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Michael A. Berthaume, Julia Winchester, Kornelius Kupczik
Article
Anatomy & Morphology
Michael A. Berthaume, Anthony M. J. Bull
JOURNAL OF ANATOMY
(2020)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Michael A. Berthaume, Spencer Barnes, Kiron K. Athwal, Lukas Willinger
Article
Anatomy & Morphology
Michael A. Berthaume, Anthony M. J. Bull
Summary: The study found a low prevalence of cyamellae in the Korean population, with generally asymptomatic characteristics. Different locations of cyamellae may have distinct developmental pathways and functions, suggesting further research is needed.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Teagan Harty, Michael A. Berthaume, Eugenio Bortolini, Alistair R. Evans, Jordi Galbany, Franck Guy, Ottmar Kullmer, Vincent Lazzari, Alejandro Romero, Luca Fiorenza
Summary: The variation in size and shape of molar crowns in primates helps us understand how they adapted to their environment. In this study, researchers analyzed the molar macrowear of Grauer's, mountain, and western lowland gorillas to explore if differences in diet at the subspecies level can be detected. The results showed that the macrowear pattern differed among the subspecies, with Grauer's and western lowland gorillas showing signs of a higher fruit intake and mountain gorillas associated with a more folivorous diet.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Anthropology
Ian Towle, Thomas Loho, Amira Samir Salem, Michael A. Berthaume, Carolina Loch
Summary: This study investigates the mechanical properties of enamel in primate lower molars, revealing the impact of different crown positions and enamel thickness on these properties. Preliminary phylogenetic analysis suggests the presence of common patterns of mechanical properties across primate species.
JOURNAL OF HUMAN EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Anthropology
Matthew J. J. Morley, Michael A. A. Berthaume
Summary: Dental topographic analysis is a valuable tool for quantifying dental morphology. This study explores the use of freeware pre-processing alternatives in order to make the method more accessible. The results show that while surfaces generated via proprietary software couldn't be replicated, statistically similar measurements can be obtained using freeware. Based on this investigation, a freeware workflow is proposed for researchers to conduct dental topographic analysis, with the expectation of comparable results to proprietary methods.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Mehdi Saeidi, Spencer C. Barnes, Michael A. Berthaume, Sander R. Holthof, Giovanni S. Milandri, Anthony M. J. Bull, Jonathan Jeffers
Summary: This study aimed to develop a low-cost external fixator that can provide surge capacity in conflict zones or unpredictable situations. The Imperial fixator was found to be stiffer and have less interfragmentary motion compared to the traditional Stryker Hoffmann 3 frame.
FRONTIERS IN MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biology
Michael A. Berthaume, Kornelius Kupczik
Summary: This study quantified the molar biomechanical performance of two Plio-Pleistocene hominins, Paranthropus robustus and Australopithecus africanus, to investigate potential dietary differences between them. The results showed that Paranthropus robustus required more force and energy to fracture food items but had a higher force transmission rate. Three evolutionary scenarios concerning the dietary ecologies of these hominins were proposed based on the findings, highlighting the importance of a holistic approach to reconstructing hominin dietary ecology.
Article
Biology
Peter A. Stamos, Michael A. Berthaume
Summary: Through finite element modeling of Pan and Homo juvenile femora, it was found that under flexed-knee loading conditions, both the maximum and mean von Mises stresses were significantly lower in the Pan models compared to the Homo models. Furthermore, there was a strong negative correlation between von Mises stresses and the measure of metaphyseal surface complexity ariaDNE during these loading conditions. These results suggest that metaphyseal surface morphology plays a significant role in growth plate mechanics.
Review
Anthropology
Michael A. Berthaume, Vincent Lazzari, Franck Guy
EVOLUTIONARY ANTHROPOLOGY
(2020)