Digital restoration of the pectoral girdles of two Early Cretaceous birds, and implications for early flight evolution

Pectoral girdle morphology is a key determinant of flight capability, but in some respects is poorly known among stem birds. Here, we reconstruct the pectoral girdles of the Early Cretaceous birds Sapeornis and Piscivorenantiornis based on computed tomography and three-dimensional visualization, revealing key morphological details. Enantiornithines such as Piscivorenantiornis have a uniquely localized scapula-coracoid joint, with only one area of articulation. This single articulation contrasts with the double articulation widely present in non-enantiornithine pennaraptoran theropods, including Sapeornis and crown birds, which comprises main and subsidiary articular contacts. A partially closed triosseal canal occurs in non-euornithine birds, representing a transitional stage in flight apparatus evolution. Numerous modifications of the pectoral girdle along the line to crown birds, and lineage-specific pectoral girdle variations, produced diverse pectoral girdle morphologies among Mesozoic birds, which ensured that a commensurate range of capability levels and modes emerged during the early evolution of flight.

A new interactive gazetteer of Perczel’s globe

As a result of the Perczel Project outlined by Mátyás Márton in 2007 at the Department of Cartography and Geoinformatics of Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE), the complete digital restoration and then reconstruction of the 127.5 cm diameter manuscript globe was completed in 2019. The final cartographic completion of the ongoing task at the department by 2013 – led by Mátyás Márton, the project manager, who carried out this work with the help of Judit Paksi –, which included the work of many lecturers and students, aimed at saving the globe.Using this augmented digital processing, it was also possible to create three artistic copies of Perczel’s globe, which was originally made in 1862. This unique work of art, which has suffered irreparable damage due to the ordeals of the 20th century, is of great cultural value and also very important for our cartographic heritage, has been reborn.Following the digital reconstruction, there was a good opportunity to revive another related project. The website, “The interactive gazetteer of Perczel’s globe”, which was born as a result of the work of Zsuzsanna Ungvári and Tibor Tokai earlier, was also created with a new, expanded content. The present study presents the antecedents of gazetteer creation and describes the most important steps of current processing.

VR and AR Restoration of Urban Heritage: A Virtual Platform Mediating Disagreement from Spatial Conflicts in Korea

This study sought to uncover (1) the disagreement of spatial conflict between urban heritage and surrounding urban structure using two case studies from Korea—the main gate of the royal palace (Gwanghwamun) and the urban park containing celebrity graves (Hyoch’ang Park)—and (2) whether digital heritage restoration may mediate spatial conflict. A historical literature review and field surveys were conducted, with three main findings. First, the place identity of Gwanghwamun and Hyoch’ang Park, rooted in the Josŏn Dynasty, was seriously damaged during the Japanese colonial period. Although there were national attempts to recover the place identities of these sites during the modern period, limitations existed. Second, the restoration of Gwanghwamun’s Wŏltae (podium) and the relocation of Ŭiyŏlsa (the shrine of Hyoch’ang Park), which involved spatial transformation based on heritage, emerged in conflict with their surrounding urban structures—we identify a spatial conflict between local residents and stakeholders’ memories and the histories of these sites. Third, Donŭimun (the west gate of the city wall of the Josŏn Dynasty) digital restoration is a case mediating the conflict by restoring a sense of place in a virtual space and activating the cultural memory of the public by showcasing properties.

Digital restoration of maxillary central incisors after trauma using an intraoral scanner and a CAD/CAM system in an 11-year-old

Background: Most dental trauma in children and adolescents involve anterior tooth fractures. Advancements in ceramics technology and in computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) systems, have led to the technological abilities to produce single all-ceramic crowns with high biocompatibility, esthetics, and optimal mechanical properties. However, there is no information regarding the use of this technique in children. Case report:Treatment of extensive crown fractures on an 11 years old patient using a chairside CAD/CAM technology. The teeth were scanned and the restorations were fabricated using the manufacturing unit of the CAD/CAM system and glazed to the appropriate tooth color. At a follow up visits the restorations kept their strength and esthetic appearance (one year follow up). Conclusion: The digital restoration treatment is especially suitable for treating children with dental trauma. It has the advantage of better esthetic, functional and durable results compering to conventional restorations, and it often requires only a single session.

A New Integrated Tool to Calculate and Map Bilateral Asymmetry on Three-Dimensional Digital Models

The observation and the quantification of asymmetry in biological structures are deeply investigated in geometric morphometrics. Patterns of asymmetry were explored in both living and fossil species. In living organisms, levels of directional and fluctuating asymmetry are informative about developmental processes and health status of the individuals. Paleontologists are primarily interested in asymmetric features introduced by the taphonomic process, as they may significantly alter the original shape of the biological remains, hampering the interpretation of morphological features which may have profound evolutionary significance. Here, we provide a new R tool that produces the numerical quantification of fluctuating and directional asymmetry and charts asymmetry directly on the specimens under study, allowing the visual inspection of the asymmetry pattern. We tested this show.asymmetry algorithm, written in the R language, on fossil and living cranial remains of the genus Homo. show.asymmetry proved successful in discriminating levels of asymmetry among sexes in Homo sapiens, to tell apart fossil from living Homo skulls, to map effectively taphonomic distortion directly on the fossil skulls, and to provide evidence that digital restoration obliterates natural asymmetry to unnaturally low levels.

AN ACCURATE DIGITAL RESTORATION METHOD BASED ON ARCHITECTURAL SITE INFORMATION – A CASE STUDY OF THE JIUJING SANSHI HALL IN CHANGCHUN GARDEN

Using records, documents, and research on Jiujing Sanshi Hall in Changchun Garden as an example, this paper showcases a method to digitally restore lost constructions to the maximum level of precision in their size, scale, architectural design, and structure using digital technology. The digital restoration can also be dynamically adjusted based on latest data. Information used to form such restorations include historical records, measurement data, and unknown data, which were then analyzed and recombined. This method fulfills the technical gap in high-precision digital restoration in China. The paper proposes an evaluation standard that involves "triple-evidence verification chain" and restoration accuracy, which can be used for most unmovable cultural relics, especially large ruins with few, scattered remains. The standard can provide a qualitative basis for the whole field of restoration research. The resulting restoration method is useful in cooperation and research between multiple cross-discipline organizations, as well as improving work efficiency and information sharing. Moreover, this restoration plan has integrated various virtual assembly methods and improved the integrity and authenticity of the site remains. It made breakthroughs in display methods of lost constructions and ruins such as enhanced showcasing of vanished ruins and changes over time. The plan also was able to enrich cultural connotation and existing contents of the ruins. The resulting restoration can be updated, and the information can be shared and used in open research.

AN ANALYSIS METHOD OF THE AMOUNT OF BRICKS USED IN PUZHOU ANCIENT CITY WALL BASED ON SLAM

The calculation of the amount of bricks used in the area of falling-off is of great significance to the restoration of the ruins of ancient cities In order to support the digital restoration of the city wall of Puzhou Ancient City Site, this paper analyzed and calculated the amount of outer cladding brick of the city wall based on SLAM data. Firstly, the point cloud data of Puzhou city wall is obtained by SLAM technology. Secondly, the original point cloud is processed by Geomagic Studio software, and the area of the damaged area is accurately measured from the packaging model. Finally, based on the characteristics of brick masonry of ancient city walls, this paper estimates the amount of brick used in the area where the external wall of drum tower falls off, thus providing data support for the repair and maintenance of Puzhou ancient city.

EXPLORATION OF THE METHOD OF TRACING THE BOUNDARY AND PATTERN OF THE IMPERIAL GARDEN BY FOLLOWING THE TRACES OF HISTORY – TAKING CHANGCHUN GARDEN AS AN EXAMPLE

In the process of digital restoration of cultural heritage, for the disappeared royal gardens, where information is relatively scarce, the process of accurate digital restoration usually encounters a problem of how to effectively use the fragmented and limited historical and status quo information for discernment, to achieve accurate digital alignment restoration of the disappeared royal gardens in the region, and to complete the overall digital restoration of boundaries and patterns. Taking Changchun Garden as an example, this paper uses recent status quo mapping, aerial photography and current status quo structures as the basis, historical archival materials, style house plans, early mapping, early aerial photography and various historical documents as the starting point for the credibility and priority of various materials, and uses the iconic remaining information of key locations, such as buildings, water systems and fences, through historical traces, relative positions and proportional relationships. The identification of the 'line' is done by using the 'point' to determine the location of the wall in the east, north, west and south directions, thus defining the boundary and pattern of the historical Changchun Garden. This approach is based on the disappearing royal gardens and the digital restoration process can be effective in completing the task of solving problems and giving ideas and directions to those working in the relevant fields.