scholarly journals Correction for Saito et al., Investigation of hindwing folding in ladybird beetles by artificial elytron transplantation and microcomputed tomography

2017 ◽  
Vol 114 (27) ◽  
pp. E5482-E5482
2017 ◽  
Vol 114 (22) ◽  
pp. 5624-5628 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kazuya Saito ◽  
Shuhei Nomura ◽  
Shuhei Yamamoto ◽  
Ryuma Niiyama ◽  
Yoji Okabe

Ladybird beetles are high-mobility insects and explore broad areas by switching between walking and flying. Their excellent wing transformation systems enabling this lifestyle are expected to provide large potential for engineering applications. However, the mechanism behind the folding of their hindwings remains unclear. The reason is that ladybird beetles close the elytra ahead of wing folding, preventing the observation of detailed processes occurring under the elytra. In the present study, artificial transparent elytra were transplanted on living ladybird beetles, thereby enabling us to observe the detailed wing-folding processes. The result revealed that in addition to the abdominal movements mentioned in previous studies, the edge and ventral surface of the elytra, as well as characteristic shaped veins, play important roles in wing folding. The structures of the wing frames enabling this folding process and detailed 3D shape of the hindwing were investigated using microcomputed tomography. The results showed that the tape spring-like elastic frame plays an important role in the wing transformation mechanism. Compared with other beetles, hindwings in ladybird beetles are characterized by two seemingly incompatible properties: (i) the wing rigidity with relatively thick veins and (ii) the compactness in stored shapes with complex crease patterns. The detailed wing-folding process revealed in this study is expected to facilitate understanding of the naturally optimized system in this excellent deployable structure.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sascha Senck ◽  
Michael Happl ◽  
Michael Scheerer ◽  
Jonathan Glinz ◽  
Thomas Reiter ◽  
...  

Biomedicines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. 732
Author(s):  
Karol Alí Apaza Alccayhuaman ◽  
Stefan Tangl ◽  
Stéphane Blouin ◽  
Markus A. Hartmann ◽  
Patrick Heimel ◽  
...  

Volume-stable collagen matrices (VSCM) are conductive for the connective tissue upon soft tissue augmentation. Considering that collagen has osteoconductive properties, we have investigated the possibility that the VSCM also consolidates with the newly formed bone. To this end, we covered nine rat calvaria circular defects with a VSCM. After four weeks, histology, histomorphometry, quantitative backscattered electron imaging, and microcomputed tomography were performed. We report that the overall pattern of mineralization inside the VSCM was heterogeneous. Histology revealed, apart from the characteristic woven bone formation, areas of round-shaped hypertrophic chondrocyte-like cells surrounded by a mineralized extracellular matrix. Quantitative backscattered electron imaging confirmed the heterogenous mineralization occurring within the VSCM. Histomorphometry found new bone to be 0.7 mm2 (0.01 min; 2.4 max), similar to the chondrogenic mineralized extracellular matrix with 0.7 mm2 (0.0 min; 4.2 max). Microcomputed tomography showed the overall mineralized tissue in the defect to be 1.6 mm3 (min 0.0; max 13.3). These findings suggest that in a rat cranial defect, VSCM has a limited and heterogeneous capacity to support intramembranous bone formation but may allow the formation of bone via the endochondral route.


Metals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 925
Author(s):  
Diogo Heitor ◽  
Isabel Duarte ◽  
João Dias-de-Oliveira

X-ray microcomputed tomography has been gaining relevance in the field of cellular materials to characterize materials and analyse their microstructure. So, here, it was used together with finite element modelling to develop numerical models to estimate the effective properties (Young’s modulus) of aluminium alloy foams and evaluate the effects of processing on the results. A manual global thresholding technique using the mass as a quality indicator was used. The models were reconstructed (Marching Cubes 33), then simplified and analysed in terms of mass and shape maintenance (Hausdorff distance algorithm) and face quality. Two simplification procedures were evaluated, with and without small structural imperfections, to evaluate the impact of the procedures on the results. Results demonstrate that the developed procedures are good at minimizing changes in mass and shape of the geometries while providing good face quality, i.e., face aspect ratio. The models are also shown to be able to predict the effective properties of metallic foams in accordance with the findings of other researchers. In addition, the process of obtaining the models and the presence of small structural imperfections were shown to have a great impact on the results.


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