Variation in dinosaur skeletochronology indicators: implications for age assessment and physiology

Twelve different bones from the skeleton of the holotype specimen of the hadrosaurian dinosaur Hypacrosaurus stebingeri were thin-sectioned to evaluate the significance of lines of arrested growth (LAGs) in age assessments. The presence of an external fundamental system (EFS) at the external surface of the cortex and mature epiphyses indicate that the Hypacrosaurus specimen had reached adulthood and growth had slowed considerably from earlier stages. The number of LAGs varied from none in the pedal phalanx to as many as eight in the tibia and femur. Most elements had experienced considerable Haversian reconstruction that had most likely obliterated many LAGs. The tibia was found to have experienced the least amount of reconstruction, but was still not optimal for skeletochronology because the LAGs were difficult to count near the periosteal surface. Additionally, the numbers of LAGs within the EFS vary considerably around the circumference of a single element and among elements. Counting LAGs from a single bone to assess skeletochronology appears to be unreliable, particularly when a fundamental system exists.Because LAGs are plesiomorphic for tetrapods, and because they are present in over a dozen orders of mammals, they have no particular physiological meaning that can be generalized to particular amniote groups without independent physiological evidence. Descriptions of dinosaur physiology as “intermediate” between the physiology of living reptiles and that of living birds and mammals may or may not be valid, but cannot be based reliably on the presence of LAGs.

Download Full-text

Scanning and Transmission Microscopy of Nematocyst Batteries in Epitheliomuscular Cells of Hydra

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100066097 ◽

1971 ◽

Vol 29 ◽

pp. 410-411 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Jane A. Westfall ◽

S. Yamataka ◽

Paul D. Enos

Keyword(s):

Electron Microscopy ◽

Scanning Electron Microscopy ◽

Osmium Tetroxide ◽

External Surface ◽

Three Dimensional ◽

Surface Structures ◽

Transmission Microscopy ◽

Transmission Electron ◽

Freeze Dried ◽

Scanning Electron

Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) provides three dimensional details of external surface structures and supplements ultrastructural information provided by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Animals composed of watery jellylike tissues such as hydras and other coelenterates have not been considered suitable for SEM studies because of the difficulty in preserving such organisms in a normal state. This study demonstrates 1) the successful use of SEM on such tissue, and 2) the unique arrangement of batteries of nematocysts within large epitheliomuscular cells on tentacles of Hydra littoralis.Whole specimens of Hydra were prepared for SEM (Figs. 1 and 2) by the fix, freeze-dry, coat technique of Small and Màrszalek. The specimens were fixed in osmium tetroxide and mercuric chloride, freeze-dried in vacuo on a prechilled 1 Kg brass block, and coated with gold-palladium. Tissues for TEM (Figs. 3 and 4) were fixed in glutaraldehyde followed by osmium tetroxide. Scanning micrographs were taken on a Cambridge Stereoscan Mark II A microscope at 10 KV and transmission micrographs were taken on an RCA EMU 3G microscope (Fig. 3) or on a Hitachi HU 11B microscope (Fig. 4).

Download Full-text

A standard for transmission electron spectroscopy

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100109793 ◽

1978 ◽

Vol 36 (1) ◽

pp. 530-531 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Dennis Maher ◽

David Joy ◽

Peggy Mochel

Keyword(s):

Thin Films ◽

Electron Spectroscopy ◽

Host Lattice ◽

Single Element ◽

Multicomponent Systems ◽

Transmission Electron ◽

Major Interest ◽

Standard Specimens ◽

Forms Of Carbon ◽

Electron Energy Loss

A variety of standard specimens is needed in order to systematically investigate the instrumentation, specimen, data reduction and quantitation variables in electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS). Pure single element specimens (e.g. various forms of carbon) have received considerable attention to date but certain elements of interest cannot be prepared directly as thin films. Since studies of the first and second row elements in two- or multicomponent systems will be of considerable importance in microanalysis using EELS, there is a need for convenient standards containing these species. For many investigations a standard should contain the desired element, or elements, homogeneously dispersed through a suitable matrix and at an accurately known concentration. These conditions may be met by the technique of implantation.Silicon was chosen as the host lattice since its principal ionization energies, EL23 = 98 eV and Ek = 1843 eV, are well removed from the K-edges of most elements of major interest such as boron (Ek = 188 eV), carbon (Ek = 283 eV), nitrogen (Ek = 400 eV) and oxygen (Ek = 532 eV).

Download Full-text

Digital x-ray mapping of nanometer-size supported bimetallic catalysts

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100104716 ◽

1988 ◽

Vol 46 ◽

pp. 530-531

Author(s):

L. T. Germinario

Keyword(s):

Background Radiation ◽

Metal Cluster ◽

Single Element ◽

Beam Diameter ◽

X Rays ◽

X Ray ◽

Major Interest ◽

Induced Changes

Understanding the role of metal cluster composition in determining catalytic selectivity and activity is of major interest in heterogeneous catalysis. The electron microscope is well established as a powerful tool for ultrastructural and compositional characterization of support and catalyst. Because the spatial resolution of x-ray microanalysis is defined by the smallest beam diameter into which the required number of electrons can be focused, the dedicated STEM with FEG is the instrument of choice. The main sources of errors in energy dispersive x-ray analysis (EDS) are: (1) beam-induced changes in specimen composition, (2) specimen drift, (3) instrumental factors which produce background radiation, and (4) basic statistical limitations which result in the detection of a finite number of x-ray photons. Digital beam techniques have been described for supported single-element metal clusters with spatial resolutions of about 10 nm. However, the detection of spurious characteristic x-rays away from catalyst particles produced images requiring several image processing steps.

Download Full-text

High-resolution gold labeling

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100147491 ◽

1993 ◽

Vol 51 ◽

pp. 330-331

Author(s):

James F. Hainfeld ◽

Frederic R. Furuya ◽

Kyra Carbone ◽

Martha Simon ◽

Beth Lin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Dihydrofolate Reductase ◽

Polypeptide Chain ◽

External Surface ◽

Gold Cluster ◽

Macromolecular Complex ◽

Gold Compound ◽

Central Cavity ◽

Chain Folding ◽

E Coli ◽

Chaperonin Groel

A recently developed 1.4 nm gold cluster has been found to be useful in labeling macromolecular sites to 1-3 nm resolution. The gold compound is organically derivatized to contain a monofunctional arm for covalent linking to biomolecules. This may be used to mark a specific site on a structure, or to first label a component and then reassemble a multicomponent macromolecular complex. Two examples are given here: the chaperonin groEL and ribosomes.Chaperonins are essential oligomeric complexes that mediate nascent polypeptide chain folding to produce active proteins. The E. coli chaperonin, groEL, has two stacked rings with a central hole ∽6 nm in diameter. The protein dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) is a small protein that has been used in chain folding experiments, and serves as a model substrate for groEL. By labeling the DHFR with gold, its position with respect to the groEL complex can be followed. In particular, it was sought to determine if DHFR refolds on the external surface of the groEL complex, or whether it interacts in the central cavity.

Download Full-text