Article
Paleontology
Remi Lefebvre, Ronan Allain, Alexandra Houssaye
Summary: Many terrestrial tetrapods, including sauropod dinosaurs, evolved to large body sizes and masses. This study examines the microstructure of the limb bones of Nigersaurus taqueti, a sauropod dinosaur, to understand the variation in bone structure between different limb elements. The results suggest that microanatomy may not have been the main characteristic for weight-bearing in sauropods, and external features such as columnarity and postcranial pneumaticity may have played a major role. Further three-dimensional investigations are needed to better understand sauropod gigantism.
Article
Biology
Jorge Esteve, Nigel C. C. Hughes
Summary: Three-dimensional models show how the exoskeletal enrolment mechanics changed during the development of the 429-million-year-old trilobite Aulacopleura koninckii. The researchers found that the style of enrolment shifted from sphaeroidal to non-sphaeoridal as the trilobite matured and needed to maintain effective exoskeletal shielding. This change in enrolment accommodated the species' variation in mature trunk segments and suggests adaptation to a physically challenging, low oxygen environment.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
A. J. Cresswell-Boyes, G. R. Davis, M. Krishnamoorthy, D. Mills, A. H. Barber
Summary: Human teeth can be mechanically replicated using 3D printing to create biomimetic typodont teeth. The mechanical performance of the biomimetic teeth depends on the ratio of material mechanical properties rather than the absolute material properties.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Orthopedics
Guido Schroder, Martin Reichel, Sven Spiegel, Marko Schulze, Andreas Gotz, Semjon Bugaichuk, Julian Ramin Andresen, Claus Maximilian Kullen, Reimer Andresen, Hans-Christof Schober
Summary: This study investigated the associations between biomechanical resilience and the microarchitecture of cancellous bone in human cadavers with low bone density with or without vertebral fractures. The study found that the unique microarchitecture of the cervical vertebrae leads to fractures occurring much later in this region compared to the thoracic or lumbar spine.
JOURNAL OF ORTHOPAEDIC SURGERY AND RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Paleontology
Maria Gabriela Suarez, Jorge Esteve
Summary: Morphological analysis of trilobite cephalic shape reveals patterns of diversity and disparity. Trilobites without interlocking devices exhibit more flexible head shapes, allowing for broader ecological niche occupancy, while lower disparity constrains adaptation ability. Increases in morpho-functional diversity and disparity coincide with early Paleozoic radiations and the Carboniferous-Permian biodiversification event.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Tai-Jan Huang, Sridhar Niverty, Arun Sundar, Nikhilesh Chawla
Summary: Meteorite samples that land on earth provide important information about asteroids and meteors in space. This study used 3D x-ray tomography, scanning electron microscopy, and energy dispersive spectroscopy to analyze the microstructure, elemental composition, and mechanical properties of the Aba Panu meteorite. The results contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the formation history and characteristics of the meteorite.
MATERIALS CHARACTERIZATION
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Zhiliang Zhang, Mansoureh Ghobadi Pour, Leonid E. Popov, Lars E. Holmer, Feiyang Chen, Yanlong Chen, Glenn A. Brock, Zhifei Zhang
Summary: This study in South China reveals the oldest Cambrian brachiopod-trilobite association, providing potential for stratigraphic correlation. The new species Eoobolus incipiens represents one of the earliest linguliform brachiopods.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Chi Zhang, Xin Li, Keli Liu, Guangyuan Tian, Shuo Wang, Junsheng Wang
Summary: X-ray computed microtomography was used to investigate the corrosion process of extruded pure magnesium. The study observed microscopic corrosion morphologies on the extruded pure Mg surface with corrosion time, and examined the effects of grain size and orientation on corrosion rate. It was found that corrosion tends to form on grain boundaries and manifests as dendritic corrosion cracks along the extrusion direction.
Article
Biology
Kara L. Feilich, J. D. Laurence-Chasen, Courtney Orsbon, Nicholas J. Gidmark, Callum F. Ross
Summary: The study revealed that during grape chewing in macaque primates, the tongue undergoes complex movements in different planes to position the food bolus between the teeth for breakdown. The shape changes in the tongue are mainly influenced by sagittal flexion and roll about its long axis.
Article
Radiology, Nuclear Medicine & Medical Imaging
Haruto Sugawara, Toshihiro Furuta, Akira Sumiyoshi, Megumi Iiyama, Masaru Kamitani, Aiko Suzuki, Arao Murakami, Osamu Abe, Ichio Aoki, Hiroyuki Akai
Summary: In this study, a CT lymphangiography method was established in mice via direct lymph node puncture. The results showed that the contrast ratios and visual assessment scores of lymph nodes and lymphatic vessels were significantly better in the direct puncture group compared to the CT or MR interstitial injection method.
EUROPEAN RADIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Nolwenn Le Gall, Fabio Arzilli, Giuseppe La Spina, Margherita Polacci, Biao Cai, Margaret E. Hartley, Nghia T. Vo, Robert C. Atwood, Danilo Di Genova, Sara Nonni, Edward W. Llewellin, Mike R. Burton, Peter D. Lee
Summary: The study investigated the impact of crystallisation kinetics on lava flow behavior by using real-time synchrotron X-ray microtomography to observe the nucleation and growth of clinopyroxene and plagioclase in oxidised, nominally anhydrous basaltic magma. It was found that under continuous cooling, the onset of key transitions in lava hardening occurred within a shorter timeframe, demonstrating the potential of real-time synchrotron X-ray tomography in analyzing the solidification history of basaltic lavas.
EARTH AND PLANETARY SCIENCE LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Materials Science, Ceramics
Gaku Okuma, Satoshi Tanaka, Fumihiro Wakai
Summary: X-ray microtomography was used to study the microstructure evolution in 3D, revealing the relationship between the topology of pore networks and characteristic length with densification. The increase in characteristic length with decreasing genus in the intermediate stage results in domain coarsening. This coarsening is a natural consequence of pore evolution in viscous sintering, leading to a decrease in total surface area due to topological transformations.
JOURNAL OF THE EUROPEAN CERAMIC SOCIETY
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Mozhdeh Mehrabi, Ali Hassanpour, Andrew Bayly
Summary: The study utilized X-ray microtomography to visualize the packing behavior of two grades of Ti6Al4V powders used in AM, revealing that the packing fraction slightly decreases under the indenter for spherical powder while remaining unchanged for irregularly shaped powder, with both powders showing an increase in packing fraction from the central zone towards the wall.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yifan Wang, Jin Peng, Dezhi Wang, Hui Zhang, Xiuchun Luo, Yunbin Shao, Quanyi Sun, Chenchen Ling, Qiujun Wang
Summary: Moulting behaviors in trilobites are a crucial strategy during development, with studies showing variability within and between species. This study focused on the ontogenetic moulting behavior of Arthricocephalites xinzhaiheensis, revealing a gradual transition from Somersault configuration to Henningsmoen's configuration.
Article
Geography, Physical
Shu-han Zhang, Jun-xuan Fan, Chad A. Morgan, Charles M. Henderson, Shu-zhong Shen
Summary: This study examines the trilobite diversity pattern in the middle-late Cambrian of South China, constructing a high time-resolution species-level richness curve and identifying distinct changes in species diversity at different stages, as well as exploring trilobite evolutionary mechanisms associated with environmental changes and biotic competition.
PALAEOGEOGRAPHY PALAEOCLIMATOLOGY PALAEOECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biology
Susana Gutarra, Imran A. Rahman
Summary: Over the course of 300 million years, land vertebrates have repeatedly colonised freshwater and marine ecosystems. Secondarily aquatic tetrapods have evolved a suite of adaptations for locomotion in water, which are crucial for their survival. Recent advances in biomechanics in palaeobiology have led to more rigorous anatomical studies and the incorporation of physics-based methods for objective testing of functional hypotheses.
BIOLOGICAL REVIEWS
(2022)
Article
Paleontology
Fernando A. Ferratges, Pedro Artal, Barry W. M. van Bakel, Samuel Zamora
Summary: This study describes a highly diversified fauna of hermit crabs associated with reef environments from the Serraduy Formation (lower Eocene) in the southern Pyrenees (Huesca, Spain). It represents one of the highest paguroid diversities in a single Eocene outcrop worldwide, including six newly identified species. The findings demonstrate that paguroids were diverse by the early Eocene in coral-reef environments and contribute to filling the knowledge gap between the poorly known Paleocene assemblages and the more diverse mid- to late Eocene ones.
JOURNAL OF PALEONTOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Simon A. F. Darroch, Susana Gutarra, Hale Masaki, Andrei Olaru, Brandt M. Gibson, Frances S. Dunn, Emily G. Mitchell, Rachel A. Racicot, Gregory Burzynski, Imran A. Rahman
Summary: Researchers used computational fluid dynamics to study the feeding modes of the rangeomorph Pectinifrons abyssalis and compared it with the extant carnivorous sponge Chondrocladia lyra. The results showed unique flow patterns for P. abyssalis, different from other Ediacaran taxa, and substantial differences between P. abyssalis and C. lyra, suggesting convergence on a similar morphology for different functions. The findings indicate that rangeomorph fronds may have adapted for gas exchange, challenging previous interpretations of the oldest macroscopic animals.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yujing Li, Frances S. Dunn, Duncan J. E. Murdock, Jin Guo, Imran A. Rahman, Peiyun Cong
Summary: Newly discovered specimens of Rotadiscus grandis from the early Cambrian Chengjiang biota in China reveal a previously unknown double spiral structure, indicating a combination of hemichordate and chordate characteristics. Phylogenetic analysis identifies Rotadiscus and related fossil taxa as stem ambulacrarians, filling a significant gap in the deuterostome tree of life.
Article
Paleontology
Jorge Esteve, Maria Gabriela Suarez
Summary: The advent of new mathematical methods enables multidimensional analyses of traits. The choice of a single disparity index may limit the interpretation of morphological variation within a taxonomical group. The use of two disparity indexes enriches the work and the interpretation relies on the analyzed ecomorphological dataset. An accurate dataset is crucial, as taxonomic mistakes and ecological misinterpretations are inevitable, and continuous updating is mandatory. The updated dataset, with appropriate indexes and resampling, reveals a complex scenario in the evolution of trilobites throughout the Palaeozoic.
Article
Biology
Jorge Esteve, Nigel C. C. Hughes
Summary: Three-dimensional models show how the exoskeletal enrolment mechanics changed during the development of the 429-million-year-old trilobite Aulacopleura koninckii. The researchers found that the style of enrolment shifted from sphaeroidal to non-sphaeoridal as the trilobite matured and needed to maintain effective exoskeletal shielding. This change in enrolment accommodated the species' variation in mature trunk segments and suggests adaptation to a physically challenging, low oxygen environment.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Biology
Jorge Esteve, Yuan-Long Zhao, Xing-Lian Yang
Summary: Studies on morphological variation are crucial for chrono- and biostratigraphy. This study analyses three populations of the genus Protoryctocephalus, revealing that the morphological variability observed is taphonomically controlled and not biologically induced. The results suggest that Protoryctocephalus arcticus from the 'Tsinghsutung' Formation is suitable for international correlation, and further studies should focus on ontogeny, segment development, and fluctuating asymmetry.
HISTORICAL BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Zhengpeng Chen, Yuanlong Zhao, Xinglian Yang, Jorge Esteve, Xiong Liu, Shengguang Chen
Summary: The evolution process can be reconstructed by tracking the changes in the dynamic characters of life cycles. Trilobite evolutionary patterns are studied using related trilobites from the Cambrian of South China, providing additional information due to previous incomplete fossil records. The study discusses the ontogeny of Balangia and Duyunaspis, revealing a directional evolution in their exoskeletal morphology. Based on the evolutionary changes observed, it is speculated that Duyunaspis evolved from Balangia instead of the previous assumption of Balangia evolving from Duyunaspis. The findings also support the inference made by the phylogenetic tree.
Article
Paleontology
Fernando A. Ferratges, Javier Luque, Jose Luis Dominguez, Alex Osso, Marcos Aurell, Samuel Zamora
Summary: This article describes a unique fossilized higher true crab from the upper Eocene in northern Spain and examines its anatomy and phylogenetic relationships. The discovery is significant for understanding the biogeographical distribution, origins, and anatomical diversity of Eocene eubrachyurans.
PAPERS IN PALAEONTOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Paleontology
Nidia Alvarez-Armada, Jennifer E. Bauer, Johnny A. Waters, Imran A. Rahman
Summary: Brooding behavior in echinoderms has been observed in many species, but its evolutionary history remains largely unknown. Using synchrotron x-ray tomography, a well-preserved specimen of the blastoid echinoderm Hyperoblastus reimanni was found, revealing internally brooded larvae and a gonad.
PAPERS IN PALAEONTOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Yifan Wang, Jorge Esteve, Xinglian Yang, Rongxing Yu, Dezhi Wang
Summary: This study reports on two specimens of eodiscid trilobites, which show a Somersault configuration using facial and rostral sutures to create an anterior exuvial gape. This discovery is important for understanding trilobite moulting behavior during the Cambrian period.
GEOLOGICAL MAGAZINE
(2023)
Article
Biology
Russell D. C. Bicknell, Michel Schmidt, Imran A. Rahman, Gregory D. Edgecombe, Susana Gutarra, Allison C. Daley, Roland R. Melzer, Stephen Wroe, John R. Paterson
Summary: The stem-group euarthropod Anomalocaris canadensis is a large Cambrian apex predator. It is debated whether A. canadensis can masticate or manipulate biomineralized prey using its spinose frontal appendages. This study uses an integrative computational approach to analyze an A. canadensis feeding appendage and finds that it is suited for ripping but not for eating hard prey. The findings provide insights into the feeding ecology of A. canadensis and its impact on Cambrian food webs.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Stephen Pates, Samuel Zamora
Summary: The discovery of fossils in high latitude Cambrian deposits expands our understanding of the evolution and radiation of early animal life, revealing the significance of animal diversity and paleogeographic trends.
ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Paleontology
Samuel Zamora, David F. Wright, Martina Nohejlova
Summary: The fossil species 'Asturicystis' havliceki Fatka & Kordule from the middle Cambrian of Bohemia (Czech Republic) is re-described as a new genus Bohemiacinctus. Phylogenetic analyses show that Bohemiacinctus havliceki is distantly related to Asturicystis and is likely an early representative of the family Sucocystidae. The results highlight the importance of accurate morphological character descriptions and taxonomy in phylogenetic analyses of fossil taxa, especially for small clades like cinctans.
PAPERS IN PALAEONTOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Paleontology
Jun Zhao, Imran A. Rahman, Samuel Zamora, Ailin Chen, Peiyun Cong
Summary: The article describes the fossil of Sprinkleoglobus extenuatus gen. et sp. nov. from Yunnan Province, China, which represents the first unequivocal echinoderm discovered from the early Cambrian of South China and among the oldest globally. Research suggests that early echinoderms were adapted for attaching to hard substrates, indicating that the so-called Cambrian substrate revolution was not a strong control on early evolution of attachment in echinoderms.
PAPERS IN PALAEONTOLOGY
(2022)
