First neuroanatomical study of the Paleocene bothremydid turtle Taphrosphys (Pleurodira), based on a skull of the Moroccan Taphrosphys ippolitoi, and implications for the marine lifestyle in Taphrosphyini

Ichthyosaur fossils are abundant in Lower Jurassic sediments with nine genera found in the UK. In this paper, we describe the partial skeleton of a large ichthyosaur from the Lower Jurassic (lower Sinemurian) of Warwickshire, England, which was conserved and rearticulated to form the centrepiece of a new permanent gallery at the Thinktank, Birmingham Science Museum in 2015. The unusual three-dimensional preservation of the specimen permitted computed tomography (CT) scanning of individual braincase elements as well as the entire reassembled skull. This represents one of the first times that medical imaging and three-dimensional reconstruction methods have been applied to a large skull of a marine reptile. Data from these scans provide new anatomical information, such as the presence of branching vascular canals within the premaxilla and dentary, and an undescribed dorsal (quadrate) wing of the pterygoid hidden within matrix. Scanning also revealed areas of the skull that had been modelled in wood, clay and other materials after the specimen’s initial discovery, highlighting the utility of applying advanced imaging techniques to historical specimens. Additionally, the CT data served as the basis for a new three-dimensional reconstruction of the skull, in which minor damage was repaired and the preserved bones digitally rearticulated. Thus, for the first time a digital reconstruction of the skull and mandible of a large marine reptile skull is available. Museum records show the specimen was originally identified as an example of Ichthyosaurus communis but we identify this specimen as Protoichthyosaurus prostaxalis. The specimen features a skull nearly twice as long as any previously described specimen of P. prostaxalis, representing an individual with an estimated total body length between 3.2 and 4 m.

Introduction The position and inclination of the long axis of teeth in the human dentition can be described by a set of rules. The purpose of this study was to analyze the architecture of the mandibular dentition of adult Caucasians using virtual three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction of skulls and mandibles.

Annular pancreas in a fetus and its three-dimensional reconstruction

Wood density can be considered as a measure of the internal wood structure, and it is usually used as a proxy measure of other mechanical and functional traits. Eucalyptus is one of the most important commercial forestry genera worldwide, but the relationship between wood density and vulnerability to cavitation in this genus has been little studied. The analysis is hampered by, among other things, its anatomical complexity, so it becomes necessary to address more complex techniques and analyses to elucidate the way in which the different anatomical elements are functionally integrated. In this study, vulnerability to cavitation in two races of Eucalyptus globulus Labill. with different wood density was evaluated through Path analysis, a multivariate method that allows evaluation of descriptive models of causal relationship between variables. A model relating anatomical variables with wood properties and functional parameters was proposed and tested. We found significant differences in wood basic density and vulnerability to cavitation between races. The main exogenous variables predicting vulnerability to cavitation were vessel hydraulic diameter and fibre wall fraction. Fibre wall fraction showed a direct impact on wood basic density and the slope of vulnerability curve, and an indirect and negative effect over the pressure imposing 50% of conductivity loss (P50) through them. Hydraulic diameter showed a direct negative effect on P50, but an indirect and positive influence over this variable through wood density on one hand, and through maximum hydraulic conductivity (ks max) and slope on the other. Our results highlight the complexity of the relationship between xylem efficiency and safety in species with solitary vessels such as Eucalyptus spp., with no evident compromise at the intraspecific level.

To describe the direct percutaneous transorbital puncture technique for embolisation of the selected intraorbital and cavernous sinus dural arteriovenous fistula, which failed to be treated by conventional endovascular techniques. One case of intraorbital and five cases of cavernous sinus dural arteriovenous fistula were embolised through direct percutaneous transorbital puncture in 2012, and the clinical data were reviewed. Under fluoroscopic guidance with a three-dimensional (3D) skull reconstruction overlay, the cavernous sinus or ophthalmic vein was punctured via the superior orbital fissure. Then a microcatheter was inserted via the needle, and Onyx was injected to embolise the fistula with or without a combination of coils. Complete obliteration of the fistula was achieved in all six patients. After operation all the patients experienced transient swelling of the punctured orbit persisting for three to five days. No other complications occurred. Follow-up of six patients at three to six months showed resolution of their initial neuro-ophthalmological symptoms in five and left visual loss in one did not recover. Six months follow-up angiogram showed no recurrence of these fistulas. Direct percutaneous transorbital puncture provides an option for the intraorbital and cavernous sinus dural arteriovenous fistulas, particularly when the conventional transvenous routes are inaccessible. Overlay of the 3D skull reconstruction can facilitate the precise puncture of the superior orbital fissure.

This paper presents a three-dimensional reconstruction strategy (3DR) specialized in the digital reconstruction of Human Skulls. The strategy is based on the fringe projection technique, which has important advantages over other 3DR techniques such as versatility, flexibility, resolution and precision. The equipment required is a digital camera, a commercial video projector and a computer. With the experimental results, the 3DR of the Human Skull is achieved at 360° observation with resolution and metric precision of tenths of millimeter.

Sarcomere length uniformity determined from three-dimensional reconstructions of resting isolated heart cell striation patterns

Internal Root Anatomy of Maize Seedlings (Zea mays L.) as Influenced by Temperature and Genotype

In the paper was analysed the influence of three different container types, used for cultivation of Pinus nigra and Pinus sylvestris seedlings, on dimensions of their anatomical (resin ducts width, resin ducts number, tracheid number, tracheid width, wood rays height) and morphological (height, root collar diameter, sturdiness coefficient) elements, and on proportion of wood, bark and pith, as well. Two-factorial ANOVA showed that container type affects a lot all investigated anatomical traits by both species, but on the other side, these species varied between each other just in terms of tracheid width and wood rays height. Based on descriptive statistics, significantly lower values of all studied anatomical elements were recorded by biodegradable compared to plastic containers. As for P. nigra seedlings, they showed the best anatomical performance in Plantagrah I, while Hiko V-120 SS was the most suitable for P. sylvestris. The highest proportion of pith and bark was recorded in biodegradable container. As for morphological parameters, such as height and root collar diameter, higher values were recorded by plastic containers.

Quantitative computed tomography was used to investigate the three-dimensional architecture and the density distribution of the cancellous structures of the proximal femur. We examined 10 femora from the cadavera of 10 individuals, 47-83 years old at the time of death. Three anatomic elements could be distinguished: the epiphysis, the epiphyseal scar, and the metaphysis. Although these elements constitute a functional unit, their individual cancellous patterns revealed significant structural differences. The epiphyseal segment had a more reticulate cancellous appearance, whereas the metaphysis demonstrated a more longitudinally oriented trabecular distribution. The three-dimensional reconstruction of the densest epiphyseal trabecular groups showed two different patterns: a dumbbell type (found in eight bones) and a hemispheric type (found in two bones). The epiphyseal scar was a clearly recognizable high-density structure found in all 10 bones. The epiphyseal scar-diaphysis angle was 13-26 degrees higher than the center column-diaphysis angle. The scar appeared as a tray supporting the epiphyseal cancellous structures, supported itself by the metaphyseal intersection of the main compressive and the arcuate trabecular systems. This intersection always occurred in a relatively small band-shaped zone under the central third of the epiphyseal scar. These three discrete anatomical segments within the proximal femur may reflect developmental and functional adaptations determined by joint incongruity or eccentric muscular activity. The present data will serve as a reference for future studies in which the cancellous patterns are used to help with the early diagnosis of states of disease.

Azzabaremys moragjonesi, from the Paleocene of Mali, is a member of Nigeremydini. This is a clade of bothremydid pleurodiran turtles that includes large putatively marine forms which inhabited the African Trans-Saharian Seaway from the Maastrichtian to the Paleocene. This work represents the first neuroanatomical reconstruction of a putative sea pleurodire. Some of the neuroanatomical modifications observed for Azzabaremys moragjonesi differ from those in the other lineages of Bothremydidae in which these structures have been documented, corresponding to freshwater instead of pelagic marine forms. In fact, the primitive condition for Pleurodira is the adaptation to freshwater environments, as is the case with all extant representatives, but also with most documented extinct forms. The neuroanatomy of Azzabaremys moragjonesi shows convergences with that of the members of Pan-Cryptodira with adaptations to marine environments (i.e., Chelonioidea, including Cheloniidae and Dermochelyidae), but also with other clades of marine turtles exclusive to the fossil record (i.e., several Mesozoic and Palaeogene clades with uncertain affiliations: Plesiochelyidae, Sandownidae, and Protostegidae). Thus, aspects such as the position of the geniculate ganglion into the canalis cavernosus, the absence of an anterior vidian canal piercing the pterygoid, and the possession of wide semicircular canals of the endosseous labyrinth, as well as the possible presence of enlarged lacrimal glands, are recognized here as convergent modifications developed in Cryptodira, extinct clades with uncertain affiliations, and Pleurodira in response to adaptation to marine environments.

Azzabaremys moragjonesi, from the Paleocene of Mali, is a member of Nigeremydini. This is a clade of bothremydid pleurodiran turtles that includes large putatively marine forms which inhabited the African Trans-Saharian Seaway from the Maastrichtian to the Paleocene. This work represents the first neuroanatomical reconstruction of a putative sea pleurodire. Some of the neuroanatomical modifications observed for Azzabaremys moragjonesi differ from those in the other lineages of Bothremydidae in which these structures have been documented, corresponding to freshwater instead of pelagic marine forms. In fact, the primitive condition for Pleurodira is the adaptation to freshwater environments, as is the case with all extant representatives, but also with most documented extinct forms. The neuroanatomy of Azzabaremys moragjonesi shows convergences with that of the members of Pan-Cryptodira with adaptations to marine environments (i.e., Chelonioidea, including Cheloniidae and Dermochelyidae), but also with other clades of marine turtles exclusive to the fossil record (i.e., several Mesozoic and Palaeogene clades with uncertain affiliations: Plesiochelyidae, Sandownidae, and Protostegidae). Thus, aspects such as the position of the geniculate ganglion into the canalis cavernosus, the absence of an anterior vidian canal piercing the pterygoid, and the possession of wide semicircular canals of the endosseous labyrinth, as well as the possible presence of enlarged lacrimal glands, are recognized here as convergent modifications developed in Cryptodira, extinct clades with uncertain affiliations, and Pleurodira in response to adaptation to marine environments.

The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that the internal structure of the bipennate human tibialis anterior muscle is sufficiently homogenous throughout the muscle that the cellular stresses could be interpreted correctly from measurable anatomic properties and torque in the limb. This result is needed for facile comparison of extrinsic mechanical data and intrinsic energetic fluxes. Three-dimensional imaging of the fascicles of the human tibialis anterior muscle was made by capturing a series of ultrasound images while registering their location in space. Subsequent tracing of hundreds of structures in the ultrasound images with the use of custom software identified muscle boundaries, tendon surfaces, and fascicles as anatomic elements in 3-D space. The tendon was reconstructed as a mesh through the tracings identified as a component of the tendon. The angle of insertion of each identified fascicle at the tendon was calculated against the nearest normal in the mesh of the tendon. In three subjects the average angle of insertion of the fascicles onto the internal tendon was 11 degrees (coefficient of variation 40%). The angle decreased along the length of the muscle from approximately 15 degrees near the belly of the muscle to 6 degrees near the ankle in fascicles superior and inferior to the central tendon. The angle increased by several degrees during a voluntary contraction. Despite the differences in angles of insertion that can be measured, these distinctions have little significance for the distribution of forces along cellular axes within the muscle: the angles, their distribution within the muscle and change with contraction are small. For this bipennate muscle the cosine of the angle of insertion of the cellular bundles is always close to unity. Thus measurements of whole muscle mechanical data are simply related to mechanical stress of its cells.

This study was carried out to determine the osteometric features of the skull by using three dimensional computed tomography images in gazelles (Gazelle subgutturosa). In the study, nine skull samples of adult gazelles (Gazella subgutturosa) were used. Images of the skull sections of 0.625 mm thickness were acquired by using a computer tomography device with 64 detectors applying 80 kV, 200 mA and 639 mGY. Three-dimensional images of the skull samples were reconstructed and morphometric measurements (39 linear, 1 volumetric and 1 surface area) were performed by using the software program MIMICS 12.1. Mean skull volumes in males and females were found to be 115.74±2.43 cm3 and 87.69±1.09 cm3 while the mean skull surface areas in males and females were 79.62±8.56 cm2 and 77.34±1.18 cm2, respectively. Significant differences between males and females for median frontal length (MFL), frontal length (FRL), upper neurocranium length (UNCL), greatest length of the lacrimal bone (GLLB), oral palatal length (OPL), length of the upper molar row (LUMR) and the greatest neurocranium breadth (GNCB) were observed. The difference in the cranial index between males and females was statistically significant (P<0.01). The data obtained in this study will contribute to detect differences between the gazelles and other species with respect to skull morphometry.

In 2011, a Qihe human skull with the mandible, dating to about 10000 years ago, was found in Zhangping, Fujian Province. The skull exhibits mixed physical characteristics of both Neolithic Southern and Neolithic Northern populations, together with some primitive traits of Late Pleistocene human fossils; therefore, it has become one of the most important materials to investigate Neolithic southern human physical characteristics and migration in the Late Pleistocene to Holocene transition. There are significant morphological differences between the Qihe and recent humans; for example, the Qihe skull has a long cranial vault, a larger cranial cavity, a higher and narrower face, a wider and shorter nose bone, and lower orbits. In this paper, we propose a novel method to generate the 3D facial appearance of the Qihe human skull based on the craniofacial morphology relationship of recent human and anthropologist’s findings. Our method consisted of three steps. (1) High-resolution computed tomography (CT) was used to acquire series of images, and commercial software Mimics 16.0 was used to create the digital model of the Qihe skull. Because Qihe skull had been divided into the maxilla and mandible, we interactively reassembled these two parts and transformed the whole skull into a standardized Frankfurt Horizontal coordinate system. After exterior point clouds of Qihe skull were extracted, the Iterative Closest Point (ICP) algorithm and generic thin-plate spline (TPS) non-rigid algorithm were used to alignment the Qihe skull with one average skull from the recent human database. The dense corresponding point clouds of the Qihe skull were used to perform the craniofacial reconstruction. (2) We then applied principal component analysis (PCA) to reduce data dimensions and to calculate parameters of the skull and face of each sample in the recent human database. Least square regression was used to quantitatively represent the craniofacial morphology of the recent human. Then, the parameters of Qihe skull were input to predict three-dimensional facial appearance. Facial generation face of this step was found to be consistent and objective. (3) Because craniofacial morphology of the Qihe and recent human was similar but inconsistent, we developed an easy-to-use interactive tool to edit the facial appearance based on statistical shape model and an anthropologist’s findings. PCA was again used to construct a facial statistical shape model based on the dense corresponding point clouds. Variations in these point clouds, which were captured in every principal component (PC), were analyzed to observe shape variability. We changed the coefficients of corresponding PCs to produce multiple facial appearances and choose the best three-dimensional facial appearance. Finally, the geometric shape of the neurocranium and facial morphological characters of the Neolithic human were vividly shown in a handmade drawing. In comparison to manual craniofacial reconstruction, our method is faster, easier, and more efficient for producing facial appearance of Qihe skull via craniofacial morphology and anthropologist’s finds. Using the proposed method, the facial appearance of Qihe skull is displayed. Furthermore, our method provides efficient technical support and references for craniofacial reconstruction of ancient human skulls, which may further be applicable for other fossils and skeletons.