Article
Biology
Baihui Wu, Hanzhi Zhang, Menghan Zhang
Summary: The origin of tone, or tonogenesis, is a fascinating aspect of language evolution and human cognition. Various hypotheses have been proposed to explain the origin of tones in tonal languages, but they have not been quantitatively tested. In this study, we analyzed 106 Sino-Tibetan languages, of which around 70% are tonal, to investigate the likelihood of different tonogenetic mechanisms. Our results showed a strong phylogenetic pattern in the presence of tones, suggesting that Proto-Sino-Tibetan languages were most likely non-tonal. We also found that tonal origin was associated with specific phonological changes, such as the loss of syllable-final consonants and changes in vowel quality.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Nan Yao, Xiang Chen, Xin Shen, Rui Zhang, Zhong-Heng Fu, Xia-Xia Ma, Xue-Qiang Zhang, Bo-Quan Li, Qiang Zhang
Summary: The dielectric constant is a crucial physicochemical property of liquids, which changes with temperature and electrolyte compositions. Solvent dielectric constants decrease as temperatures rise, and for solvent mixtures, they either follow a linear superposition rule or satisfy a polynomial function.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Andreas Jannel, Steven W. Salisbury, Olga Panagiotopoulou
Summary: This study used finite element analysis to investigate the biomechanical effects of foot skeletal postures on sauropod dinosaurs. The study found that none of the models were able to maintain bone stresses within optimal bone safety factors without a soft tissue pad. The findings suggest that the development of a soft tissue pad during the Late Triassic-Early Jurassic may be a key adaptation for the evolution of gigantism in these dinosaurs.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jens N. Lallensack, Peter L. Falkingham
Summary: This study presents a new method for estimating limb phase based on variation patterns in trackways. It tests the method on trackways of modern mammals and giant sauropod dinosaurs, revealing interesting findings about gait selection in giant dinosaurs.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jixue Sun, Meijiang Liu, Na Yang
Summary: Research has shown that SARS-CoV-2 binds to human ACE2 receptors in a similar way to Pangolin-CoV, and more strongly than Bat-CoV-RaTG13 or SARS-CoV. This suggests that Pangolins may serve as intermediate hosts for SARS-CoV-2. The study provides guidance for the design of future antiviral drugs and vaccines.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Eleonora Cali, Melonie P. Thomas, Rama Vasudevan, Ji Wu, Oriol Gavalda-Diaz, Katharina Marquardt, Eduardo Saiz, Dragos Neagu, Raymond R. Unocic, Stephen C. Parker, Beth S. Guiton, David J. Payne
Summary: In exsolution, nanoparticles emerge from oxide hosts through redox driving forces, leading to transformative advances in stability, activity, and efficiency. The mechanism of exsolved nanoparticle nucleation and perovskite structural evolution has remained unclear, but this study sheds light on the process by using in situ high-resolution electron microscopy, computational simulations, and machine learning analytics. The results reveal the involvement of atom clustering, surface defects, and host lattice restructuring in nucleation and growth of nanoparticles, providing insights for the development of exsolvable materials.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Biology
Yuki Kanayama, Yoh Iwasa
Summary: Research using life history theory explains the large body size of sauropod dinosaurs. The analysis showed that adult body size increased with food-plant quality and availability but decreased with higher mortality due to predators.
JOURNAL OF THEORETICAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Haibo Wu, Cristiana Margarita, Jira Jongcharoenkamol, Mark D. Nolan, Thishana Singh, Pher G. Andersson
Summary: In this study, the first iridium-catalyzed kinetic resolution of a wide range of trisubstituted secondary and tertiary allylic alcohols was described, showing large selectivity factors and high levels of enantiopurity. The utility of this method was demonstrated in the enantioselective formal synthesis of some bioactive natural products, highlighting its potential application value in organic compound synthesis.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Artem V. Sergeev, Alexey A. Rulev, Yevgeniya O. Kondratyeva, Lada V. Yashina
Summary: In this study, the behavior of grain boundaries during lithium electrodeposition was investigated using atomistic simulations. The results showed that the grain boundaries analyzed are liquified at room temperature and have a high self-diffusion coefficient. The modeling of layer-by-layer growth provides insights into the various atomistic configurations that may occur during Li electrodeposition.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jhonatan Alarcon-Munoz, Alexander O. Vargas, Hans P. Puschel, Sergio Soto-Acuna, Leslie Manriquez, Marcelo Leppe, Jonatan Kaluza, Veronica Milla, Carolina S. Gutstein, Jose Palma-Liberona, Wolfgang Stinnesbeck, Eberhard Frey, Juan Pablo Pino, Daniel Bajor, Elaine Nunez, Hector Ortiz, David Rubilar-Rogers, Penelope Cruzado-Caballero
Summary: In the Mesozoic era, advanced duck-billed dinosaurs were so successful that they outcompeted other herbivores, leading to a decline in dinosaur diversity. The discovery of the first species of a duck-billed dinosaur from a subantarctic region in Chile suggests that the ancestors of this species arrived earlier in South America and expanded further south than other hadrosaurids. This finding challenges previous assumptions that alleged subantarctic and Antarctic remains of hadrosaurids belong to the same group.
Article
Biology
Yi Feng, Rafik Neme, Leslie Y. Beh, Xiao Chen, Jasper Braun, Michael W. Lu, Laura F. Landweber
Summary: Ciliates are microbial eukaryotes that undergo extensive programmed genome rearrangement. This study compares the genomes of different ciliate species and reveals the origin and evolution of complex genomes with discontinuous and scrambled genes. The findings support a gradual model for the origin of complex genomes through small events of DNA duplication and decay.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Harsha Dhiman, Vishal Verma, Guntupalli V. R. Prasad
Summary: Research has shown that pathological variations exist in the eggs of birds, turtles, and dinosaurs, including multi-shelled eggs and ovum-in-ovo eggs. The discovery suggests that the oviduct morphology of dinosaurs is similar to that of birds, potentially allowing for sequential egg laying.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Anna Drzewicz, Ewa Juszynska-Galazka, Malgorzata Jasiurkowska-Delaporte, Przemyslaw Kula
Summary: This article provides insight into the complex crystallization phenomena of a chiral smectogenic liquid crystal. The kinetics of cold crystallization under different conditions are described, revealing different mechanisms for slow and fast heating. The dimensionality of the crystallites and the kinetics of the process are dependent on the heating rate. Additionally, the melt crystallization under isothermal conditions is discussed, indicating isotropic three-dimensional crystal growth.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Katie Leap, Iveta Yotova, Steve Horvath, Julian A. Martinez-Agosto
Summary: Endometriosis is a common disease with various presentations. The use of DNA methylation age can help distinguish the origin of ectopic lesions, contributing to clinical classification.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Luca Legnani, Andrea Daru, Alexander X. Jones, Donna G. Blackmond
Summary: Enantioenriched amino acids are produced through a hydrolytic kinetic resolution mediated by chiral pentose sugars, shedding light on their role in the emergence of homochirality in biological molecules.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2021)
Article
Zoology
Carmen Nacarino-Meneses, Anusuya Chinsamy
Summary: The study found that the life-history events of the African hipparionine Eurygnathohippus hooijeri were delayed, likely as an adaptation to a low adult extrinsic mortality and low juvenile survival rates, with fast bone growth possibly due to a high-quality diet and abundant water sources. Combining bone and dental histology in research is crucial for obtaining refined paleobiological information about extinct vertebrates.
ZOOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
(2022)
Article
Geology
Roy E. Smith, Anusuya Chinsamy, David M. Unwin, Nizar Ibrahim, Samir Zouhri, David M. Martill
Summary: New finds of small-very small pterosaurs from the mid-Cretaceous Kem Kem Group of Morocco suggest sampling biases in the data on which size distribution patterns are based. The data shows an extension of pterosaur size range from very small to giant forms in the Cretaceous, rather than a switch to large and giant sizes.
CRETACEOUS RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Matteo Fabbri, Guillermo Navalon, Roger B. J. Benson, Diego Pol, Jingmai O'Connor, Bhart-Anjan S. Bhullar, Gregory M. Erickson, Mark A. Norell, Andrew Orkney, Matthew C. Lamanna, Samir Zouhri, Justine Becker, Amanda Emke, Cristiano Dal Sasso, Gabriele Bindellini, Simone Maganuco, Marco Auditore, Nizar Ibrahim
Summary: Aquatic adaptations have evolved independently multiple times from terrestrial vertebrate ancestors, and this study reveals that bone density can be used as a reliable indicator of aquatic habits in extinct species.
Article
Anatomy & Morphology
Catherine A. Forster, William J. de Klerk, Karen E. Poole, Anusuya Chinsamy-Turan, Eric M. Roberts, Callum F. Ross
Summary: A new iguanodontian dinosaur from the Early Cretaceous Kirkwood Formation in Eastern Cape Province, South Africa is named and described. This dinosaur is one of the only two known ornithopod dinosaurs from the Cretaceous period in southern Africa and is unique in its representation primarily by hatchling to young juvenile individuals, as shown by bone histological analysis. The bonebed from which the juvenile material of this new taxon was recovered suggests a change in environment to a drier and more seasonal climate, indicating possible seasonal mortality from a nesting site or nesting grounds linked to this environmental shift.
ANATOMICAL RECORD-ADVANCES IN INTEGRATIVE ANATOMY AND EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Anatomy & Morphology
Anusuya Chinsamy, Warren D. Handley, Trevor H. Worthy
Summary: Based on the osteohistological study of Dromornis stirtoni, it is found that this species had a slow growth rate and took several decades to reach adult body size. The growth strategy of D. stirtoni differed from its Pleistocene relative Genyornis newtoni, suggesting adaptation to different environmental conditions. The presence of female specimens and evidence of sexual maturity in D. stirtoni were also identified. D. stirtoni had lower reproductive potential compared to Genyornis newtoni.
ANATOMICAL RECORD-ADVANCES IN INTEGRATIVE ANATOMY AND EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Anatomy & Morphology
Kaleb C. Sellers, Mauro Nicolas Nieto, Federico J. Degrange, Diego Pol, James M. Clark, Kevin M. Middleton, Casey M. Holliday
Summary: Jaw muscles are crucial for vertebrate feeding, but their anatomy is influenced by skull morphology. Crocodylians generate the highest bite forces and have flat skulls, which impact jaw muscle anatomy.
ANATOMICAL RECORD-ADVANCES IN INTEGRATIVE ANATOMY AND EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Paleontology
Gonzalo Gabriel Bravo, Diego Pol, Matias Alberto Armella, Kevin Gomez
Summary: This study investigates the variability and diversity of palatal anatomy in Sebecidae based on a partial skull, revealing distinct paleoecological traits among terrestrial crocodyliforms. The research also highlights the higher morphological disparity in the choanal region of Sebecidae compared to other terrestrial groups of Notosuchia.
JOURNAL OF PALEONTOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Paleontology
Ignacio A. Cerda, Diego Pol, Alejandro Otero, Anusuya Chinsamy
Summary: We conducted a detailed histological study on the long bones of Mussaurus patagonicus, an early sauropodomorph dinosaur from the Lower Jurassic of Argentina. Our study found that the growth rate of this dinosaur varied significantly among individuals and had a weak correlation with body size. Additionally, there were variations in growth strategies among different individuals. Sexual maturity and somatic maturity in Mussaurus occurred relatively late compared to other early sauropodomorph dinosaurs, but more similar to derived sauropods. These findings provide critical information for understanding the origin of sauropods and the development of gigantism in this lineage.
Review
Anatomy & Morphology
Juan Marcos Jannello, Anusuya Chinsamy
Summary: Life history traits can be reconstructed by analyzing the histology of long bones, including growth rate, age at maturity, and age at death. In this study, we examined the long bones of Sivatherium hendeyi and Giraffa cf. Giraffa jumae from the Miocene-Pliocene locality of Langebaanweg in South Africa. Our analysis of the bone histology and growth marks revealed variations in tissue types and vascular canal orientation during ontogeny and across different skeletal elements. Most of the specimens appeared to still be growing, with only one adult metacarpal of S. hendeyi showing skeletal maturity. The growth marks preserved in the bone cortices are likely associated with multiple catastrophic events rather than being annual or seasonal.
JOURNAL OF ANATOMY
(2023)
Article
Paleontology
Anusuya Chinsamy, Karen H. Black, Suzanne J. Hand, Michael Archer
Summary: Despite the lack of osteohistology studies on extinct marsupials, researchers conducted a study on the bone histology of Nimbadon lavarackorum from Australia. They found that it took at least 7-8 years, possibly longer, for N. lavarackorum to reach skeletal maturity. The growth strategy in N. lavarackorum was cyclical and influenced by environmental conditions, available resources, and seasonal physiological factors.
JOURNAL OF PALEONTOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Michael D. D'Emic, Patrick M. O'Connor, Riley S. Sombathy, Ignacio Cerda, Thomas R. Pascucci, David Varricchio, Diego Pol, Anjali Dave, Rodolfo A. Coria, Kristina A. Curry Rogers
Summary: In amniotes, adjustments to the rate of growth rather than its duration are considered as the primary developmental strategy underlying body size evolution. However, most previous studies lack a phylogenetic framework and focus on pairwise comparisons. Here, we present a large-scale phylogenetic comparative analysis of non-avialan theropod dinosaurs, revealing that changes in both growth rate and duration played significant roles in the evolution of body size disparity in these dinosaurs and potentially in amniotes as a whole.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Mohd Shafi Bhat, Anusuya Chinsamy, John Parkington
Summary: This study investigated the tibial microstructure of modern and fossil angulate tortoises and found evidence of different growth rates and adaptations to the Paleoenvironment. The early ontogeny of tortoises showed fast growth with highly vascularized bone tissue, while later stages had slower growth and even periods of growth cessation. Fossil specimens from cooler and drier late Miocene-early Pliocene environments exhibited slower growth rates and extensive remodelling compared to their modern counterparts in more favorable climates.
ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Geology
Tamara G. Navarro, Ignacio A. Cerda, Diego Pol
Summary: The clade Notosuchia was highly diverse during the Late Cretaceous in South America and has been extensively studied in terms of morphology and phylogenetic relationships. However, there is a lack of research on their paleobiology from a paleohistological perspective. This study used paleohistological analyses to infer different aspects of paleobiology in Notosuchus terrestris, including growth rate, strategies, variation, maturity, and age assessment. The results showed a unique growth strategy in N. terrestris, with periods of high growth interrupted by decreased or arrested growth. Sexual maturity was reached before caudal vertebrae fusion, and there was no clear correlation between body size and ontogenetic stage, possibly due to sexual dimorphism and/or developmental plasticity.
CRETACEOUS RESEARCH
(2023)
Review
Biology
Anusuya Chinsamy
Summary: This article emphasizes the importance of using the microanatomy and microscopic structure of bones to infer the evolution and diversification of species in prehistoric environments. It discusses the presence of growth marks in bones and their usefulness in determining the developmental status and age of individuals, as well as assessing the growth dynamics of individuals and species. Osteohistology provides insight into the structure of past populations and ecological relationships between individuals. The article also examines the response of bones to trauma, disease, and moulting. Lastly, the author explores how osteohistology can shed light on ecomorphological adaptations such as filter feeding, probe feeding, and saltatorial locomotion. Methodological advances in three-dimensional microtomography and synchrotron scanning offer promise for future studies in osteohistology, circumventing the issue of destructive analyses.
Meeting Abstract
Anatomy & Morphology
Anusuya Chinsamy, Ignacio Cerda, Diego Pol
ANATOMICAL RECORD-ADVANCES IN INTEGRATIVE ANATOMY AND EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY
(2023)
