Morphology and distribution of scales, dermal ossifications, and other non-feather integumentary structures in non-avialan theropod dinosaurs

Modern birds are typified by the presence of feathers, complex evolutionary innovations that were already widespread in the group of theropod dinosaurs (Maniraptoriformes) that include crown Aves. Squamous or scaly reptilian-like skin is, however, considered the plesiomorphic condition for theropods and dinosaurs more broadly. Here, we review the morphology and distribution of non-feathered integumentary structures in non-avialan theropods, covering squamous skin and naked skin as well as dermal ossifications. The integumentary record of non-averostran theropods is limited to tracks, which ubiquitously show a covering of tiny reticulate scales on the plantar surface of the pes. This is consistent also with younger averostran body fossils, which confirm an arthral arrangement of the digital pads. Among averostrans, squamous skin is confirmed in Ceratosauria (Carnotaurus), Allosauroidea (Allosaurus, Concavenator, Lourinhanosaurus), Compsognathidae (Juravenator), and Tyrannosauroidea (Santanaraptor, Albertosaurus, Daspletosaurus, Gorgosaurus, Tarbosaurus, Tyrannosaurus), whereas dermal ossifications consisting of sagittate and mosaic osteoderms are restricted to Ceratosaurus. Naked, non-scale bearing skin is found in the contentious tetanuran Sciurumimus, ornithomimosaurians (Ornithomimus) and possibly tyrannosauroids (Santanaraptor), and also on the patagia of scansoriopterygids (Ambopteryx, Yi). Scales are surprisingly conservative among non-avialan theropods compared to some dinosaurian groups (e.g. hadrosaurids); however, the limited preservation of tegument on most specimens hinders further interrogation. Scale patterns vary among and/or within body regions in Carnotaurus, Concavenator and Juravenator, and include polarised, snake-like ventral scales on the tail of the latter two genera. Unusual but more uniformly distributed patterning also occurs in Tyrannosaurus, whereas feature scales are present only in Albertosaurus and Carnotaurus. Few theropods currently show compelling evidence for the co-occurrence of scales and feathers (e.g. Juravenator, Sinornithosaurus), although reticulate scales were probably retained on the mani and pedes of many theropods with a heavy plumage. Feathers and filamentous structures appear to have replaced widespread scaly integuments in maniraptorans. Theropod skin, and that of dinosaurs more broadly, remains a virtually untapped area of study and the appropriation of commonly used techniques in other palaeontological fields to the study of skin holds great promise for future insights into the biology, taphonomy and relationships of these extinct animals.Fil: Hendrickx, Christophe Marie Fabian. Fundación Miguel Lillo; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico - Tucumán. Unidad Ejecutora Lillo; ArgentinaFil: Bell, Phil R.. University Of New England; AustraliaFil: Pittman, Michael. Colegio Universitario de Londres; Reino UnidoFil: Milner, Andrew R. C.. No especifíca;Fil: Cuesta Fidalgo, Elena. Bayerische Staatssammlung für Paläontologie und Geologie; AlemaniaFil: O'Connor, Jingmai. No especifíca;Fil: Loewen, Mark. No especifíca;Fil: Currie, Philip J.. University of Alberta; CanadáFil: Mateus, Octávio. Universidade Nova de Lisboa; PortugalFil: Kaye, Thomas G.. Foundation For Scientific Advancement; Estados UnidosFil: Delcourt, Rafael. Universidade Estadual de Campinas; Brasi

Widespread Protein Aggregation as an Inherent Part of Aging in C. elegans

Several hundred proteins become insoluble and aggregation-prone as a consequence of aging in Caenorhabditis elegans. The data indicate that these proteins influence disease-related protein aggregation and toxicity

Ichnotaxonomy of the Eocene Green River Formation, Soldier Summit and Spanish Fork Canyon, Uinta Basin, Utah: Interpreting behaviors, lifestyles, and erecting the Cochlichnus Ichnofacies

The Eocene Green River Formation in the Uinta Basin, Utah, has a diverse ichnofauna. Nineteen ichnogenera and 26 ichnospecies were identified: Acanthichnus cursorius, Alaripeda lofgreni, c.f. Aquatilavipes isp., Aulichnites (A. parkerensis and A. tsouloufeidos isp. nov.), Aviadactyla (c.f. Av. isp. and Av. vialovi), Avipeda phoenix, Cochlichnus (C. anguineus and C. plegmaeidos isp. nov.), Conichnus conichnus, Fuscinapeda texana, Glaciichnium liebegastensis, Glaroseidosichnus ign. nov. gierlowskii isp. nov., Gruipeda (G. fuenzalidae and G. gryponyx), Midorikawapeda ign. nov. semipalmatus isp. nov., Planolites montanus, Presbyorniformipes feduccii, Protovirgularia dichotoma, Sagittichnus linki, Treptichnus (T. bifurcus, T. pedum, and T. vagans), and Tsalavoutichnus ign. nov. (Ts. ericksonii isp. nov. and Ts. leptomonopati isp. nov.). Four ichnocoenoses are represented by the ichnofossils—Cochlichnus, Conichnus, Presbyorniformipes, and Treptichnus—representing dwelling, feeding, grazing, locomotion, predation, pupation, and resting behaviors of organisms in environments at and around the sediment-water-air interface. A new Cochlichnus Ichnofacies is established to represent continental assemblages of traces produced in environmental conditions at and around the sediment-water-air interface. The Cochlichnus Ichnofacies can be identified in deposits from as old as the Carboniferous. The Cochlichnus Ichnofacies replaces the Shorebird Ichnofacies and usage of the Mermia Ichnofacies for ephemeral water bodies, and restricts the Mermia Ichnofacies to traces in deeper, perennial water bodies. A new ichnospecies of Aulichnites is proposed, A. tsouloufeidos. Three new ichnogenera with four ichnospecies are established: Glaroseidosichnus gierlowskii, Midorikawapeda semipalmatus, and Tsalavoutichnus (Ts. ericksonii, Ts. leptomonopati). This is the first detailed ichnotaxonomic study of the Soldier Summit and Spanish Fork Canyon localities of the Eocene Green River Formation

Taxonomy and systematics of New Zealand Faronitae (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae)

The New Zealand Faronitae was revised at the species level, and a phylogenetic study was performed based on morphological and molecular data. Eight new genera and 143 new species were discovered. Three new genera, “Brounea”, “Ahnea” and “Pseudoexeirarthra” were designated based on the species originally described in the genus Sagola. Five new genera, “Aucklandea”, “Chandlerea”, “Nunnea”, “Leschenea” and “Pseudostenosagola” were designated by new species. Three known genera, Exeirarthra, Stenosagola and Sagola were also revised at species level. Eighty four names were synonymized, two in Exeirarthra, four in Stenosagola and 78 in Sagola. Lectotypes of seven species, Sagola terricola Broun, S. rugifrons Broun, S. valida Broun, S. arboricola Broun, S. notabilis Broun, S. eminens Broun, and S. robustula Broun, were designated. These revisional results bring the numbers of New Zealand Faronitae from 145 species within 3 genera to 203 species in 11 genera. The largest faronite genus Sagola includes 143 species, 48 redescriptions and 95 new descriptions and is divided into 30 species groups based on diagnostic characters. Phylogenetic studies were performed based on morphological and molecular data. A morphological parsimony tree was reconstructed based on 49 taxa and 42 adult morphological data. Two most parsimonious trees resulted, and those do not support the genus Sagola as a monophyletic group. The “Brounea” and “Aucklandea” clades are placed within the Sagola clade. Three molecular trees, parsimony, maximum likelihood and Bayesian, were inferred using 32 taxa and ca. 4200 base pairs within 4 genes (COI, 18S, 28S and wg), and these indicated that the genus Sagola is paraphyletic. All molecular trees have a genus “Ahnea” within the Sagola clades, and two genera, “Brounea” and “Pseudoexeirarthra” are excluded. Except for the three genera, “Brounea,” “Aucklandea,” and “Ahnea,” all trees supported the monophyly of the genus Sagola. One Australian Sagola species, Sagola rugicornis was excluded from the New Zealand Sagola clade in both morpholog

Pygo2 expands mammary progenitor cells by facilitating histone H3 K4 methylation

Recent studies have unequivocally identified multipotent stem/progenitor cells in mammary glands, offering a tractable model system to unravel genetic and epigenetic regulation of epithelial stem/progenitor cell development and homeostasis. In this study, we show that Pygo2, a member of an evolutionarily conserved family of plant homeo domain–containing proteins, is expressed in embryonic and postnatal mammary progenitor cells. Pygo2 deficiency, which is achieved by complete or epithelia-specific gene ablation in mice, results in defective mammary morphogenesis and regeneration accompanied by severely compromised expansive self-renewal of epithelial progenitor cells. Pygo2 converges with Wnt/β-catenin signaling on progenitor cell regulation and cell cycle gene expression, and loss of epithelial Pygo2 completely rescues β-catenin–induced mammary outgrowth. We further describe a novel molecular function of Pygo2 that is required for mammary progenitor cell expansion, which is to facilitate K4 trimethylation of histone H3, both globally and at Wnt/β-catenin target loci, via direct binding to K4-methyl histone H3 and recruiting histone H3 K4 methyltransferase complexes

May 2013

News and Features How to Spot Business Opportunity in Tomorrow’s Economy To succeed, company leaders must not only be able to innovate, they must recognize opportunity and ensure they’re posed to seize it. G. Michael Maddock gives tips for getting there. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Get More Done in 12 Weeks Than Most Do in 12 Months Brian Moran outlines the path to accomplish the things you desire in life. The barrier standing between you and the life you are capable of living is a lack of consistent execution. Read about his 12 week year. . . . . . . . . . . 11 The Bootstrapper’s Dirty Dozen: Twelve Not-So-Obvious Tips to Help Small Business Owners Prosper Starting a small business is hard work. Joseph Callaway has been there, and he shares 12 unexpected tactics that will help your company to succeed. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 The Lean In Alternative: Why Leaning Back Also Works for Women in Business Sheryl Sandberg’s book, “Lean In” has received both high praise and disapproval from women. Vickie Milazzo advises women in their rise to the top to make an effort to lean back to help other women. . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Columns Executive Notes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Real Estate Notes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 The Lists: Top Law Firms in the Inland Empire. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Employment Services/Agencies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Banks in the Inland Empire. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Investments and Finance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Future Success in Business. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Goals and Planning Strategies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Small Business Success. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Financial Column. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Inland Empire People and Events. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Restaurant Review. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Women in Business. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Computer/Technology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 New Business Lists: County of San Bernardino. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 County of Riverside. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Executive Time Out. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Doctor of Philosophy

dissertationToday, we are implanting electrodes into many different parts of the peripheral and central nervous systems for the purpose of restoring function to people with nerve injury or disease. As technology and manufacturing continue to become more advanced, ne