Comparative skull osteology of Karsenia koreana (Amphibia,Caudata, Plethodontidae)

The recent discovery of a plethodontid salamander, Karsenia koreana, in Korea challenged our understanding of the biogeographic history of the family Plethodontidae, by far the largest family of salamanders, which otherwise is distributed in the New World with a few European species. Molecular studies suggest that Karsenia forms a clade with Hydromantes (sensu lato), which includes among its species the only other Old World plethodontids. We studied the skull of K. koreana and compared it with that of other plethodontid genera, especially members of the subfamily Plethodontinae, which it resembles most closely in general anatomy. The anatomy of its skull corresponds to the most generalized and apparently ancestral condition for plethodontids. No clearly autapomorphic states were detected, and no synapomorphies can be found that would link it to other genera. The Karsenia skull is cylindrical and well ossified, giving an impression of strength. In contrast, the skull of Hydromantes is highly derived; the skull is flattened and the bones are weakly ossified and articulated. Hydromantes and Karsenia share no unique anatomical features; differences between them are especially evident in the hyobranchial skeleton, which is generalized in Karsenia but highly modified in Hydromantes, which is well known for its highly projectile tongue. Plethodon and Plethodon‐like species, including Karsenia and to a lesser degree Ensatina, represent the more generalized and apparently ancestral plethodontid morphology. Specialized morphologies have evolved along only a few morphological axes within the Plethodontidae, resulting in a pattern of rampant homoplasy. Our analysis of the anatomy of the new Asiatic lineage illuminates some potential mechanisms underlying adaptive morphological evolution within the Plethodontidae. J. Morphol. 2010. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

下颌第二恒磨牙C形根管的离体实验研究

目的：寻找一种预备C形根管的有效器械,提高下颌第二恒磨牙的治愈率。方法：选用80颗具有C形根管的下颌第二恒磨牙,选择四种器械进行根管预备,第一组用不锈钢K锉,第二组用不锈钢K锉和手用镍钛器械,第三组用机用镍钛器械,第四组用超声根管治疗仪,预备中均用3％双氧水和生理盐水交替反复冲洗根管,预备后用Vitapex糊剂和牙胶尖冷侧压方法充填根管,观察根充后X线片和根尖微渗漏情况,评价充填效果。结果：四种器械根充后微渗漏有明显差异（P〈0．05）。结论：不锈钢K锉和手用镍钛器械联合应用及超声根管治疗仪为预备C形根管的有效器械。     

下颌第二恒磨牙C 形根管的离体实验研究

目的:寻找一种预备C形根管的有效器械,提高下颌第二恒磨牙的治愈率。方法:选用80颗具有C形根管的下颌第二恒磨牙,选择四种器械进行根管预备,第一组用不锈钢K锉,第二组用不锈钢K锉和手用镍钛器械,第三组用机用镍钛器械,第四组用超声根管治疗仪,预备中均用3%双氧水和生理盐水交替反复冲洗根管,预备后用Vitapex糊剂和牙胶尖冷侧压方法充填根管,观察根充后X线片和根尖微渗漏情况,评价充填效果。结果:四种器械根充后微渗漏有明显差异(P<0.05)。结论:不锈钢K锉和手用镍钛器械联合应用及超声根管治疗仪为预备C形根管的有效器械。     

Bioerosion trace fossils on bones of the Cretaceous South American theropod Buitreraptor gonzalezorum Makovicky,Apesteguía and Agnolín, 2005 (Deinonychosauria)

The ichnological record provides valuable information on the lifestyle, behaviour, and other palaeobiological and palaeoecological aspects of the biota. Here, we describe an interesting case of bioerosion trace fossils in bones of Buitreraptor gonzalezorum Makovicky, Apesteguía and Agnolín, 2005, a deinonychosaurian theropod from the fossiliferous locality of La Buitrera, Río Negro, Patagonia, Argentina. The trace fossils are morphologically diverse and preserved in a great percentage of the skeleton, including the jaw, vertebrae and limbs. Four main groups of trace fossils have been informally named as Parallel-Edge Furrows, Overlapped Grooves, Punctures and Lined. Parallel-Edge Furrows are in turn subdivided into four subgroups: isolated furrows, parallel pairs, opposed pairs and a combination of parallel and opposed pairs. The bioerosion trace fossils were probably generated by scavenging activities, and the semi-articulated preservation of the skeleton and the small size of each individual trace indicate small-sized tracemakers. Mammals are the main candidates although some traces may have been generated by crocodyliforms and insects such as dermestids and termites. This evidence provides additional information about palaeoenvironmental conditions, taphonomic processes, taxonomic diversity and ecological relationships that characterised this part of northern Patagonia at Early Cretaceous times.     

Customized mandibular reconstruction plates improve mechanical performance in a mandibular reconstruction model

The purpose of this paper was to analyze the biomechanical performance of customized mandibular reconstruction plates with optimized strength. The best locations for increasing bar widths were determined with a sensitivity analysis. Standard and customized plates were mounted on mandible models and mechanically tested. Maximum stress in the plate could be reduced from 573 to 393 MPa (?31%) by increasing bar widths. The median fatigue limit was significantly greater (p < 0.001) for customized plates (650 ± 27 N) than for standard plates (475 ± 27 N). Increasing bar widths at case-specific locations was an effective strategy for increasing plate fatigue performance.     

再论南京直立人的高耸鼻梁和气候适应

对南京直立人所具有的高耸鼻梁, 本文作者曾从人鼻的功能、鼻梁高耸程度与气候因素的关系以及因纽特人的鼻对寒冷气候的适应等方面进行过论证,认为是对气候适应的结果。本文从南京直立人的生存年代、若干形态项目的可靠性、人类的适应性以及高耸鼻梁的化石人类谱系对这一问题作进一步的论证。结果表明: 1)尚无可靠的证据能够否定南京直立人是生活在距今58—62万年这一年代测定数据。在南京直立人生存时,欧洲远古人类尚未具有像南京直立人那样的高耸鼻梁; 2)人类高耸鼻梁这一适应性特征的形成会有永久性的影响, 是遗传特征, 其后代即使生活在与其祖先不同的气候环境里, 这个特征也不会马上改变; 3)如果有所谓的Bodo高鼻梁的化石人类谱系存在的话, 则南京直立人的高耸鼻梁与欧洲化石人类的基因或与这个Bodo谱系的基因并无遗传上的关系。一个合理的解释是, 南京直立人的高耸鼻梁不可能意味着西方血统。     

胎儿下颌髁状突发育中软骨细胞凋亡及bcl-2的表达

目的 研究不同胎龄的胎儿下颌髁状突软骨发育中的细胞凋亡及bcl-2蛋白的表达。方法 32例胎儿下颌髁状突软骨按胎龄分为两组：A组（13-22周,17例）;B组（23-33周,15例）,采用原位末端标记法（TUNEL）及免疫组织化学法观察胎儿髁状突软骨发育不同时期细胞凋亡及bcl-2蛋白的表达,并对表达结果作定量分析。结果 两胎龄组中均有TUNEL及bcl-2阳性表达,凋亡细胞A组较B组多,凋亡细胞主要分布于增殖层及成软骨细胞层,肥大层较少;bcl-2阳性细胞主要分布于成软骨细胞层,其次为增殖层,肥大层阳性细胞明显减少,B组bcl-2阳性率高于A组。结论 细胞凋亡参与胎儿下颌髁状突软骨发育,bcl-2与髁状突软骨细胞分化及细胞凋亡有关。     

When legend,history and science rhyme: Hannibal’s war elephants as an explanation to large vertebrate skeletons found in Italy

The actual nature of large vertebrate bones found in sedimentary deposits was a intriguing, debated and unanswered issues until the beginning of the nineteenth century. The fossil bones were interpreted in a number of fantastic ways, e.g. as remains of mythological giants, or bones of dragons killed by saints. These unrealistic notions progressively waned as the scientific advance in comparative anatomy allowed to a correct identification of the large bones as elephant remains. As a result, the question arose as the reason why elephants were present in the Italian peninsula (and in many other parts of Eurasia and America), in climatic conditions so different and in regions so far from the territories they inhabit nowadays. The most parsimonious hypothesis that these bones may represent the remains of elephants brought in Italy either by the legendary Carthaginian general Hannibal Barca or by other commanders for military purposes had some success and diffusion even in Italy. This research aims to analyse the reason behind the success of this theory between the sixteenth and nineteenth centuries. The hypothesis, critically examined and confuted by brilliant Italian researchers such as Giovanni Targioni Tozzetti, was supported by several authors until the beginning of the nineteenth centuries.     

异育银鲫A+系和F系肌间骨的比较分析

研究采用常规测量法和解剖法, 并结合CT透视, 比较分析了异育银鲫主养品种“中科3号”(A+系)和候选新品系F系的肌间骨的数目、形态和分布。结果表明, 6月龄和18月龄异育银鲫F系平均总肌间骨数分别为71.8±2.9和83.3±1.4, 均极显著少于相应月龄银鲫A+系总肌间骨数目(78.6±3.9和87.0±1.5)(P<0.01)。并统计了2个品系的每一肌节的平均肌间骨数目, 6月龄和18月龄异育银鲫F系的每一肌节的平均肌间骨数目极显著少于相应月龄银鲫A+系(P<0.01)。银鲫A+系和F系均有髓弓小骨和脉弓小骨, 没有椎体小骨。6月龄和18月龄银鲫F系髓弓小骨的平均数目为48.2±1.1和55.8±0.52, 均极显著少于相应月龄银鲫A+系的髓弓小骨(53.7±1.6和58.7±0.5)(P<0.01)。异育银鲫两个品系的脉弓小骨数目差异不显著; 2个品系均具有“I”形、“卜”形、“Y”形、一端多叉形、两端两分叉形、两端多叉形和树枝形7种类型的肌间骨, 髓弓小骨比脉弓小骨数量多且形状复杂。随着月龄的增长, 2个品系具有的总肌间骨数目以及复杂肌间骨数目均增加。6月龄和18月龄银鲫F系躯轴上肌节间的复杂“Y”形髓弓小骨数目均比相应月龄的银鲫A+系少, 而简单的“I”形髓弓小骨数目比相应月龄的A+系多, 表现出一种有利于食用的优势。研究结果为异育银鲫候选新品系F系提供了一个品质评价指标, 同时也为后续进行异育银鲫肌间骨遗传改良提供了形态学基础资料。