A statistical analysis of human talar shape and bone density distribution.

The shape of the talus, its internal structure, and its mechanical properties are important in determining talar behavior during loading, which may be significant for the design of surgical tools and implants. Although recent studies using statistical shape modeling have described quantitative talar external shape variation, no similar quantitative study exists to describe the density distribution of internal talar structure. The goal of this study is to quantify statistical variation in talar shape and density to benefit the design of talar implants.

Soft Tissue and Biomolecular Preservation in Vertebrate Fossils from Glauconitic, Shallow Marine Sediments of the Hornerstown Formation, Edelman Fossil Park, New Jersey.

Endogenous biomolecules and soft tissues are known to persist in the fossil record. To date, these discoveries derive from a limited number of preservational environments, (e.g.

Myological reconstruction of the pelvic girdle and hind limb of the giant titanosaurian sauropod dinosaur Dreadnoughtus schrani.

Osteological correlates preserve more readily than their soft tissue counterparts in the fossil record; therefore, they can more often provide insight into the soft tissue anatomy of the organism. These insights can in turn elucidate the biology of these extinct organisms. In this study, we reconstruct the pelvic girdle and hind limb musculature of the giant titanosaurian sauropod Dreadnoughtus schrani based on observations of osteological correlates and Extant Phylogenetic Bracket comparisons.

Molecular tests support the viability of rare earth elements as proxies for fossil biomolecule preservation.

The rare earth element (REE) composition of a fossil bone reflects its chemical alteration during diagenesis. Consequently, fossils presenting low REE concentrations and/or REE profiles indicative of simple diffusion, signifying minimal alteration, have been proposed as ideal candidates for paleomolecular investigation. We directly tested this prediction by conducting multiple biomolecular assays on a well-preserved fibula of the dinosaur Edmontosaurus from the Cretaceous Hell Creek Formation previously found to exhibit low REE concentrations and steeply-declining REE profiles.

Appendicular myological reconstruction of the forelimb of the giant titanosaurian sauropod dinosaur Dreadnoughtus schrani.

Soft tissues are variably preserved in the fossil record with external tissues, such as skin and feathers, more frequently preserved than internal tissues (e.g. muscles).