Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Kory M. Evans, Olivier Larouche, Sara-Jane Watson, Stacy Farina, Maria Laura Habegger, Matt Friedman
Summary: Evolutionary innovations are essential for organisms to adapt to new environments, and the evolution of cranial asymmetry in flatfishes was a rapid process that led to the colonization of novel trait space. Strong integration in skull shape changes played a major role in the evolution of this innovation by synchronizing responses to selective pressures.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Zhiliang Zhang, Zhifei Zhang, Junye Ma, Paul D. Taylor, Luke C. Strotz, Sarah M. Jacquet, Christian B. Skovsted, Feiyang Chen, Jian Han, Glenn A. Brock
Summary: Bryozoans, also known as ectoprocts or moss animals, are aquatic, primarily sessile, filter-feeding lophophorates that construct an organic or calcareous colonial exoskeleton. Fossils of Protomelission gatehousei from the early Cambrian of Australia and South China have been identified as potential stem-group bryozoans, pushing back the origin of the phylum Bryozoa by approximately 35 million years and aligning it with other skeletonized phyla in the Cambrian Age 3. This discovery reconciles the fossil record with molecular clock estimations of an early Cambrian origin and subsequent Ordovician radiation of Bryozoa following the acquisition of a carbonate skeleton.
Review
Ecology
David Houle, Daniela M. Rossoni
Summary: There is a widespread view that the evolutionary cost of complexity makes the process of adaptation in complex systems difficult, leading to lower evolvability. It is believed that organisms must possess special properties such as integration, modularity, and robustness to overcome this cost, and the reduction in evolution rate and variational constraints may explain why organisms do not respond to selection. However, an alternative view suggests that complexity represents an opportunity by increasing the evolutionary potential of a population, and there is a lack of evidence supporting the influence of complexity on evolvability. Empirical data on contemporary selection patterns are crucial for understanding this relationship.
ANNUAL REVIEW OF ECOLOGY EVOLUTION AND SYSTEMATICS
(2022)
Article
Zoology
Juan P. Amaya, Agustin M. Abba, Victor M. Pardo, Emmanuel Zufiaurre, Huascar Bustillos Cayoja, Mariella Superina, Juan Areta
Summary: Animals emit distress vocalizations to express extreme physical distress, and different species of armadillos show acoustic similarities and potential homologies in their vocalizations. The differences in body size and habitat preferences among armadillo species could potentially drive the acoustic divergence in their vocalizations.
JOURNAL OF MAMMALOGY
(2022)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Neil Brocklehurst, David P. Ford, Roger B. J. Benson
Summary: The divergence in macroevolutionary patterns between synapsids and reptiles laid the foundation for subsequent evolutionary events and may be critical in understanding the substantial differences between mammals and reptiles today. The early burst of evolution in amniotes resulted in the early origins of morphologically distinctive subgroups, with reptiles showing more constrained evolution compared to synapsids. The differences in rates and constraints of morphological evolution provide insights into the evolutionary history and potential explanations for the biological differences between these two groups.
SYSTEMATIC BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Anatomy & Morphology
Kevin Le Verger, Laureano R. Gonzalez Ruiz, Guillaume Billet
Summary: The evolutionary history of the Cingulata, especially the glyptodonts, remains a debated topic in both morphological and molecular phylogenies. Recent studies suggest that internal anatomy research may enrich morphological matrices for phylogenetic study, but there is still a lack of research on internal cranial anatomy in this group. The comparison of intracranial osseous canals and cavities in extant and extinct cingulates has provided new anatomical variations that could be of interest for further exploring the evolutionary history of cingulates and the origins of glyptodonts on a morphological basis.
JOURNAL OF ANATOMY
(2021)
Article
Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence
Michel Medema, Alexander Lazovik
Summary: This paper studies the community structure in CSPs and finds that almost all instances have a strong community structure, with comparable modularity values for instances in the same class. However, the correlation between community structure and search times in general solvers is not strong, while there is a more definite correlation with search times in tree-decomposition. This suggests that tree-decomposition may partially utilize the community structure, along with a relatively strong correlation between modularity and tree-width indicating a potential similarity between these measures.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL ON ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TOOLS
(2022)
Article
Computer Science, Information Systems
Roberto Posenato, Carlo Combi
Summary: Managing temporal process constraints in modularized processes is important for reusing process models and avoiding the unfolding of child processes. Modeling and checking temporal features are still open problems in process-aware information systems.
INFORMATION SYSTEMS
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Hannah Huemmelchen, Henrik Wagner, Kerstin Bruegemann, Sabine Wenisch, Sven Koenig, Axel Wehrend
Summary: This study aimed to analyze the frequency and type of tail abnormalities in undocked Merinoland sheep using radiographic studies. The results showed that anomalies of the tail bones were mainly found in the middle and caudal third of the spine, and there was a correlation between vertebral fractures and tail length and number of vertebrae. The study also emphasized the importance of breeding for short tails to prevent fractures.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Laura A. B. Wilson, Camilo Lopez-Aguirre, Michael Archer, Suzanne J. Hand, David Flores, Fernando Abdala, Norberto P. Giannini
Summary: The high level of morphological diversity in Australasian marsupials compared to those from the Americas remains poorly understood. This study shows that variation in ontogenetic allometry among Australasian and American marsupials is similar, despite this great difference in ecomorphological diversity.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Mathematics, Interdisciplinary Applications
Sajjad Hesamipour, Mohammad Ali Balafar, Saeed Mousazadeh
Summary: In this article, a new node similarity-based encoding method, MST-based encoding, is proposed to represent a network partition. A new adaptive genetic algorithm for community detection in networks is introduced, along with a new initial population generation function and a new sine-based adaptive mutation function. Experimental results show that the proposed method can find communities in a significantly shorter time while achieving a better trade-off in different measures.
Article
Mathematics, Interdisciplinary Applications
Zhongyi Lei, Haiying Wang
Summary: The study introduces a model of community detection for bipartite networks based on the generalized suffix tree algorithm, which involves steps like extracting adjacent node sequences, building the tree, obtaining bipartite cliques, adjusting them, processing isolated edges, and deriving communities to divide the network. This algorithm stands out from traditional methods by utilizing edges as the medium for community division and not requiring a pre-specification of the number of communities, as well as being able to identify overlapping communities and improve time complexity.
Article
Biology
Jose Augusto Haro, Gaston Leonardo Nieto, Adan Alejo Tauber, Luciano Brambilla, Marcos Fernandez-Monescillo, Jeronimo Matias Krapovickas, Ignacio Asurmendi
Summary: We report new autopodial material belonging to a scelidotheriine sloth from the Pliocene of Argentina. The bones indicate adult size and show differences compared to other scelidotheriines. Phylogenetic analysis supports a close relationship with Scelidotherium. This finding provides important clues for understanding the origin and evolution of Pliocene scelidotheriine sloths.
HISTORICAL BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Orthopedics
Jun Zhang, Erhu Li, Yuan Zhang
Summary: This article discusses the factors affecting prosthesis options in rTKA and further explains the classification, geometry, biomechanics, and constitution of the revision system from the authors' perspective. An evidence-based recommendation in the form of a matching algorithm is provided.
EFORT OPEN REVIEWS
(2022)
Article
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Kang Cheol Kim, Hyun Cheol Cho, Tae Jun Jang, Jong Mun Choi, Jin Keun Seo
Summary: An automatic X-ray image segmentation technique combining deep-learning and level-set methods is proposed for compression fracture detection and evaluation. This structured hierarchical segmentation method utilizes pose-driven learning and M-net to accurately identify lumbar vertebrae and segment individual vertebrae. Fine tuning segmentation is achieved by combining the level-set method with the obtained segmentation results, resulting in accurate and robust identification of each lumbar vertebra.
COMPUTER METHODS AND PROGRAMS IN BIOMEDICINE
(2021)
Review
Zoology
Evelyn Hueppi, Ingmar Werneburg, Marcelo R. Sanchez-Villagra
Summary: The chondrocrania morphology of birds is generally uniform in major features, with some variation in specific regions. Unique chondrocranial anatomy in certain bird species reflects their distinct adult skull shape. Differences in chondrification sequence can distinguish between different bird clades, with conservation seen in certain areas of the chondrocranium.
FRONTIERS IN ZOOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Zoology
Valentina Segura, Marcelo R. Sanchez-Villagra
Summary: There are 19 species of wild canids in the Americas that interact with humans in different ways, but none of these species have been domesticated. To successfully domesticate a canid species, it is necessary to have the biological attributes to facilitate the process and for the potential domesticator to have a worldview consistent with the practice.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Gabriel Jorgewich-Cohen, Rafael S. Henrique, Pedro Henrique Dias, Marcelo R. Sanchez-Villagra
Summary: Optimal egg size theory suggests that changes in egg and clutch characteristics are driven by selection, aiming for the largest possible production of offspring with the highest fitness. Our study found that large-bodied turtles tend to produce larger clutches with small and round eggs, while smaller species produce small clutches with large and elongated eggs. We also observed inverse correlations between egg shape and size with clutch size, with different evolutionary rates. Additionally, there is evidence of convergence in reproductive strategies among different turtle lineages. Climatic zone and diet were identified as important ecological factors influencing egg and clutch traits among turtles.
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Madeleine Geiger, Marcelo R. Sanchez-Villagra, Emma Sherratt
Summary: Domestication leads to similar phenotypic characteristics across species, known as domestication syndrome. However, the existence of this syndrome has been debated due to a lack of evidence in many species. This study provides new evidence by examining cranial shape changes in rabbits. The results show differences in snout, teeth, and braincase between domesticated and wild rabbits, as well as more variation in neural crest-derived parts of the cranium. Although preliminary, this study adds to the growing evidence of nonuniform patterns associated with domestication.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART B-MOLECULAR AND DEVELOPMENTAL EVOLUTION
(2022)
Editorial Material
Evolutionary Biology
Marcelo R. Sanchez-Villagra
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART B-MOLECULAR AND DEVELOPMENTAL EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Zoology
Sirpa Nummela, Gabriel Aguirre-Fernandez, Kathleen K. Smith, Marcelo R. Sanchez-Villagra
Summary: We studied the growth trajectories of middle ear ossicles and tympanic membrane in gray short-tailed opossums and found that the malleus and incus have different growth patterns despite their shared evolutionary origin from branchial arch 1. The maturation of the middle ear is associated with improved hearing sensitivity at low and high frequencies.
VERTEBRATE ZOOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Paleontology
Alfredo A. Carlini, Jorge D. Carrillo-Briceno, Arturo Jaimes, Orangel Aguilera, Alfredo E. Zurita, Jose Iriarte, Marcelo R. Sanchez-Villagra
Summary: Muaco and Taima-Taima sites in Venezuela are early human occupation sites in South America, with artifacts and preserved megafaunal remains dating back to 19,810-15,780 years ago. This study presents new visual and CT scanning analysis of glyptodont skulls from these sites, revealing intentional fractures in the fronto-parietal region caused by direct human percussion. The technique targeted areas of thinner cephalic shield for greater impact. These findings suggest human-glyptodont interaction during the Late Pleistocene, with an estimated 150-170 kg of potential food sources from an adult Glyptotherium cylindricum.
SWISS JOURNAL OF PALAEONTOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Daniel Nunez-Leon, Hiroshi Nagashima, Marcelo R. Sanchez-Villagra
Summary: The study found variation in two specific structures of the chondrocranium during embryonic development and in adults, which may be an example of intraspecific variation under domestication.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART B-MOLECULAR AND DEVELOPMENTAL EVOLUTION
(2022)
Editorial Material
Evolutionary Biology
Marcelo R. Sanchez-Villagra
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART B-MOLECULAR AND DEVELOPMENTAL EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Calum J. McKay, W. Patrick Luckett, Marcelo R. Sanchez-Villagra
Summary: This study thoroughly documented the dental development of pouch young Caluromys philander by studying a developmental series of ten individuals and using histological sections and 3D models. The study found that the successor P3 arises from a lingual successional lamina from its predecessor dP3, and the germs of vestigial deciduous incisors and canines are present alongside their permanent successors. These discoveries show unexpected diversity of dental ontogeny and highlight differences from previous studies on Didelphis and Monodelphis.
JOURNAL OF MAMMALIAN EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Christophe Ronez, Jorge D. Carrillo-Briceno, Patricia Hadler, Marcelo R. Sanchez-Villagra, Ulyses F. J. Pardinas
Summary: We report the first occurrence of Sigmodontinae from the Pliocene of northern South America, specifically from the San Gregorio Formation in northwestern Venezuela. The recovered isolated molars are identified as Oligoryzomys sp. and Zygodontomys sp., representing the oldest representatives of these genera and suggesting potential new species. These findings provide new evidence for the historical biogeography of sigmodontines and support the existence of an eastern corridor of open environments for dispersion in South America.
ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Paleontology
Marcelo R. Sanchez-Villagra, Mariano Bond, Marcelo Reguero, Tomas Bartoletti
Summary: Roth's explorations and scientific contributions hold significant importance in the global history of paleontology and Swiss migration history in Latin America. His discoveries include diverse megafauna, important paleontological sites and strata, and evidence of human coexistence with extinct fauna. His work at the Museo de La Plata established his reputation as a renowned scholar, and his efforts to attract Swiss nationals to Argentina for scientific research demonstrate his commitment to both his native country and the field of natural sciences.
SWISS JOURNAL OF PALAEONTOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Paleontology
Jorge. D. D. Carrillo-Briceno, Raul I. Vezzosi, Keesha. M. M. Ming, Zoe. M. M. Christen, Dimila Mothe, Damian Ruiz-Ramoni, Marcelo. R. R. Sanchez-Villagra
Summary: This study describes and examines a collection of Nearctic ungulates from Pleistocene deposits in the Pampean region of Argentina. These fossils were collected in the nineteenth century by Santiago Roth and brought to Europe, where they are currently housed in the paleontological collections of the University of Zurich and the Natural History Museum of Geneva. Although the exact stratigraphic position of these fossils is often uncertain due to their age, this historical collection still holds value for taxonomic, palaeobiogeographical, and palaeobiological studies of the region's Pleistocene mammalian fauna.
SWISS JOURNAL OF PALAEONTOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Anthropology
Marcelo R. Sanchez-Villagra
Summary: Cross-cultural studies using methods from evolutionary biology and comparative linguistics are flourishing, with great potential to address questions of cultural transformation and human history. However, these studies are poorly integrated with core cultural anthropology. The comparative approach of Claude Levi-Strauss, searching for universals and documenting diversity, provides an example for cultural macroevolution studies. Integration with core anthropology would enhance the synergistic interaction of disciplines.
EVOLUTIONARY HUMAN SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Humanities, Multidisciplinary
Gabriel Aguirre-Fernandez, Chiara Barbieri, Anna Graff, Jose Perez de Arce, Hyram Moreno, Marcelo R. Sanchez-Villagra
Summary: This study used a cultural evolutionary perspective to analyze musical instrument data in South America, finding correlations between geographic patterns, language families, and instrument collections of different populations, particularly the distribution of wind instruments like panpipes and cultural clusters. A network analysis revealed four distinct regional/cultural clusters, and showed that European contact led to a reduction in indigenous cultural diversity.
HUMANITIES & SOCIAL SCIENCES COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
