scholarly journals Enigmatic amphibians in mid-Cretaceous amber were chameleon-like ballistic feeders

Science ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 370 (6517) ◽  
pp. 687-691 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan D. Daza ◽  
Edward L. Stanley ◽  
Arnau Bolet ◽  
Aaron M. Bauer ◽  
J. Salvador Arias ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New Genus ◽  
Soft Tissues ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
New Genus And Species ◽  
Feeding Mode

Albanerpetontids are tiny, enigmatic fossil amphibians with a distinctive suite of characteristics, including scales and specialized jaw and neck joints. Here we describe a new genus and species of albanerpetontid, represented by fully articulated and three-dimensional specimens preserved in amber. These specimens preserve skeletal and soft tissues, including an elongated median hyoid element, the tip of which remains embedded in a distal tongue pad. This arrangement is very similar to the long, rapidly projecting tongue of chameleons. Our results thus suggest that albanerpetontids were sit-and-wait ballistic tongue feeders, extending the record of this specialized feeding mode by around 100 million years.

A new modular palaeopascichnid fossil Curviacus ediacaranus new genus and species from the Ediacaran Dengying Formation in the Yangtze Gorges area of South China

2017 ◽  
Vol 154 (6) ◽  
pp. 1257-1268 ◽  
Author(s):  
BING SHEN ◽  
SHUHAI XIAO ◽  
CHUANMING ZHOU ◽  
LIN DONG ◽  
JIEQIONG CHANG ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South China ◽  
New Genus ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Internal Anatomy ◽  
Carbonate Facies ◽  
New Genus And Species ◽  
Modular Organisms ◽  
Dengying Formation ◽  
Body Construction ◽  
Phylogenetic Affinities

AbstractNon-biomineralizing Ediacaran macrofossils are rare in carbonate facies, but they offer valuable information about their three-dimensional internal anatomy and can broaden our view about their taphonomy and palaeoecology. In this study, we report a new Ediacaran fossil, Curviacus ediacaranus new genus and species, from bituminous limestone of the Shibantan Member of the Dengying Formation in the Yangtze Gorges area of South China. Curviacus is reconstructed as a benthic modular organism consisting of serially arranged and crescent-shaped chambers. The chambers are confined by chamber walls that are replicated by calcispars, and are filled by micritic sediments. Such modular body construction is broadly similar to the co-occurring Yangtziramulus zhangii and other Ediacaran modular fossils, such as Palaeopascichnus. The preservation style of Curviacus is similar to Yangtziramulus, although the phylogenetic affinities of both genera remain unresolved. The new fossil adds to the diversity of Ediacaran modular organisms.

New cyclocystoid (Phylum Echinodermata) from Anticosti Island, Quebec, and its bearing on cyclocystoid life modes

2003 ◽  
Vol 77 (5) ◽  
pp. 949-957 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander Glass ◽  
William I. Ausich ◽  
Paul Copper
Keyword(s):  
New Genus ◽  
Trace Fossil ◽  
Suspension Feeding ◽  
New Genus And Species ◽  
Upper Ordovician ◽  
Feeding Mode ◽  
Fossil Evidence ◽  
Anticosti Island ◽  
Bedding Surface

Nicholsodiscus anticostiensisnew genus and species (Mill Bay Member, Vauréal Formation, Rawtheyan, Upper Ordovician) is described from Anticosti Island, Quebec, Canada.Nicholsodiscus anticostiensisn. gen. and sp. is known from two complete specimens preserved in situ with the cupule-bearing side facing toward the bedding surface. Sedimentological, petrographic, and trace fossil evidence suggest that this bedding surface had the consistency of a hardground during the lifetime of the cyclocystoids. This provides the first unequivocal evidence that cyclocystoids lived with their cupule-bearing side (ventral) toward the substratum. A cupules-down orientation results in the ambulacral grooves facing the substratum. Such an orientation excludes suspension-feeding from being a possible feeding mode of the Cyclocystoidea as discussed by Henderson and Shergold (1971).A third Anticosti Island cyclocystoid specimen of unknown affinities is described from the same locality. Furthermore, a re-examination of the holotype of“Cyclocystoides” raymondiFoerste for purposes of comparison withNicholsodiscus anticostiensisn. gen. and sp. provided evidence that it is a member ofZygocycloides, albeit with missing interseptal plates.

A new chernetid pseudoscorpion from the Miocene Chiapas – Amber Lagerstätte, Mexico

2014 ◽  
Vol 51 (9) ◽  
pp. 902-908 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francisco Riquelme ◽  
Dulce F. Piedra-Jiménez ◽  
Víctor Córdova-Tabares ◽  
Bibiano Luna-Castro
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
North America ◽  
New Genus ◽  
Soft Tissues ◽  
New Genus And Species ◽  
Male Specimen ◽  
Fossil Species ◽  
Reflected Light ◽  
The Family ◽  
High Resolution Microscopy

Mayachernes maatiatus, a new genus and species of pseudoscorpion of the family Chernetidae (Arachnida: Pseudoscorpionida), is described from the Miocene Chiapas – Amber Lagerstätte, south of Mexico. This new fossil species represents an adult male specimen with hard–soft tissues preserved in great detail. It differs from all other living chernetids by a combination of diagnostic characters. Anatomical data were collected using high-resolution microscopy with regular to infrared-reflected light. Mayachernes maatiatus is the first newly described fossil species of pseudoscorpion from the Chiapas amber. This taxon also adds to knowledge of the Chernetidae diversity in the southernmost part of North America at the Neogene.

Calicovatellus petrodytes, a new genus and species of primitive vatelline diving beetle (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae: Hydroporinae: Vatellini) from the Miocene Barstow Formation, southern California, USA

2001 ◽  
Vol 75 (4) ◽  
pp. 890-894 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kelly B. Miller ◽  
Sara H. Lubkin
Keyword(s):  
Southern California ◽  
New Genus ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Evolutionary Information ◽  
Fossil Insects ◽  
New Taxon ◽  
New Genus And Species ◽  
Phylogenetic Placement ◽  
Unique Character ◽  
Barstow Formation

Relatively few fossil dytiscids have been described. This is unfortunate since fossils can provide useful phylogenetic and evolutionary information including unique character combinations not present in extant taxa and minimum ages for divergences. However, even when fossils are found, important characters are often not visible since they may be poorly preserved or obscured. The fossil insects present in calcareous nodules from the Miocene Barstow Formation of the Calico Mountains in Southern California are exceptionally well preserved (Palmer, 1957). The original organisms are replaced by silica or other minerals and when the nodules are dissolved in formic acid, the three-dimensional fossil can be retrieved from the resulting residue. These nodules have yielded a wide variety of fossils, including larvae of the dytiscid species Schistomerus californense Palmer, 1957 and numerous other terrestrial and fresh-water arthropods (Palmer, 1957). The purposes of this paper are to describe a new dytiscid genus and species from an exceptionally well-preserved specimen from the Barstow Formation and to present a hypothesis of the phylogenetic placement of the new taxon.

New genus and species of subfamily Trinodinae (Coleoptera, Polyphaga, Dermestidae) from Lowermost Eocene French amber

2010 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 54-69
Author(s):  
A.G. Kirejtshuk ◽  
J. Háva ◽  
A. Nel
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
New Genus ◽  
Short Review ◽  
New Genus And Species ◽  
New Tribe ◽  
Fossil Records

In the paper six new species of the genus Oisenodes gen. nov. (Dermestidae, Trinodinae, Trinodini) are described: O. azari sp. nov., O. clavatus sp. nov., O. gallicus sp. nov., O. metepisternalis sp. nov., O. oisensis sp. nov. and O. transversus sp. nov. A new tribe Trinoparvini Hava, trib. nov. is established for the recent genus Trinoparvus Háva, 2004. Short review of known fossil records of the subfamily Trinodinae is given.

Adult Acquired Flatfoot

2020 ◽  
Vol 62 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-59
Author(s):  
Krzysztof Mataczyński ◽  
Mateusz Pelc ◽  
Halina Romualda Zięba ◽  
Zuzana Hudakova
Keyword(s):  
Soft Tissues ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Clinical Diagnostics ◽  
Clinical Image ◽  
Tibialis Posterior ◽  
Dynamic Force ◽  
Posterior Tibial ◽  
Flat Feet ◽  
Foot Arch ◽  
Motion Range

Acquired adult flatfoot is a three-dimensional deformation, which consists of hindfoot valgus, collapse of the longitudinal arch of the foot and adduction of the forefoot. The aim of the work is to present problems related to etiology, biomechanics, clinical diagnostics and treatment principles of acquired flatfoot. The most common cause in adults is the dysfunction of the tibialis posterior muscle, leading to the lack of blocking of the transverse tarsal joint during heel elevation. Loading the unblocked joints consequently leads to ligament failure. The clinical image is dominated by pain in the foot and tibiotarsal joint. The physical examination of the flat feet consists of: inspection, palpation, motion range assessment and dynamic force assessment. The comparable attention should be paid to the height of the foot arch, the occurrence of “too many toes” sign, evaluate the heel- rise test and correction of the flatfoot, exclude Achilles tendon contracture. The diagnosis also uses imaging tests. In elastic deformations with symptoms of posterior tibial tendonitis, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, short-term immobilization, orthotics stabilizing the medial arch of the foot are used. In rehabilitation, active exercises of the shin muscles and the feet, especially the eccentric exercises of the posterior tibial muscle, are intentional. The physiotherapy and balneotherapy treatments, in particular hydrotherapy, electrotherapy and laser therapy, are used as a support. In advanced lesions, surgical treatment may be necessary, including plastic surgery of soft tissues, tendons, as well as osteotomy procedures.

3D Culture Modelling: An Emerging Approach for Translational Cancer Research in Sarcomas

2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (29) ◽  
pp. 4778-4788 ◽  
Author(s):  
Victoria Heredia-Soto ◽  
Andrés Redondo ◽  
José Juan Pozo Kreilinger ◽  
Virginia Martínez-Marín ◽  
Alberto Berjón ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Throughput Screening ◽  
Cancer Biology ◽  
Soft Tissues ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
3D Culture ◽  
Resistance Mechanisms ◽  
In Vitro Models ◽  
Tumour Spheroids ◽  
Current Therapies

Sarcomas are tumours of mesenchymal origin, which can arise in bone or soft tissues. They are rare but frequently quite aggressive and with a poor outcome. New approaches are needed to characterise these tumours and their resistance mechanisms to current therapies, responsible for tumour recurrence and treatment failure. This review is focused on the potential of three-dimensional (3D) in vitro models, including multicellular tumour spheroids (MCTS) and organoids, and the latest data about their utility for the study on important properties for tumour development. The use of spheroids as a particularly valuable alternative for compound high throughput screening (HTS) in different areas of cancer biology is also discussed, which enables the identification of new therapeutic opportunities in commonly resistant tumours.

scholarly journals A computational framework for modeling cell–matrix interactions in soft biological tissues

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonas F. Eichinger ◽  
Maximilian J. Grill ◽  
Iman Davoodi Kermani ◽  
Roland C. Aydin ◽  
Wolfgang A. Wall ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soft Tissues ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Biological Tissues ◽  
Computational Framework ◽  
Cell Matrix ◽  
Physiological Processes ◽  
Matrix Interactions ◽  
Mechanical Homeostasis ◽  
Cell Matrix Interactions ◽  
Short Time

AbstractLiving soft tissues appear to promote the development and maintenance of a preferred mechanical state within a defined tolerance around a so-called set point. This phenomenon is often referred to as mechanical homeostasis. In contradiction to the prominent role of mechanical homeostasis in various (patho)physiological processes, its underlying micromechanical mechanisms acting on the level of individual cells and fibers remain poorly understood, especially how these mechanisms on the microscale lead to what we macroscopically call mechanical homeostasis. Here, we present a novel computational framework based on the finite element method that is constructed bottom up, that is, it models key mechanobiological mechanisms such as actin cytoskeleton contraction and molecular clutch behavior of individual cells interacting with a reconstructed three-dimensional extracellular fiber matrix. The framework reproduces many experimental observations regarding mechanical homeostasis on short time scales (hours), in which the deposition and degradation of extracellular matrix can largely be neglected. This model can serve as a systematic tool for future in silico studies of the origin of the numerous still unexplained experimental observations about mechanical homeostasis.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document