Spearman partial coefficient after adjustment for age; dependent variables shown along the top and independent variables along the side of the table.

*<p>p<0.05,</p>**<p>p<0.01.</p

Descriptive statistics, mean ± SD, range, median and interquartile range (IQR).

<p>Descriptive statistics, mean ± SD, range, median and interquartile range (IQR).</p

Bivariate Scattergrams.

<p>A) Age of donor vs Crack density – r = 0.36, p = 0.010, B) BV/TV vs Diffuse damage density, r = −0.42, p = 0.003, C) Degree of mineralization vs crack density, r = −0.31, p = 0.02, D) Mineralization index vs Crack length, r = 0.36, p = 0.008, E) Mineral maturity vs Crack length, r = 0.30, p = 0.03, F) Mature cross-links vs Crack length, r = −0.30, p = 0.03.</p

Pictures obtained under fluorescent light of microdamage in orange: A) Linear microcrack, B) Diffuse damage, C) Few cross-hatching microdamage were found.

<p>Pictures obtained under fluorescent light of microdamage in orange: A) Linear microcrack, B) Diffuse damage, C) Few cross-hatching microdamage were found.</p

Bivariate spearman coefficient correlation (r_sp) between microdamage, age, architecture, mineralization degree, microhardness, mineral at crystal level, organic matrix and collagen cross-links.

*<p>p<0.05,</p>**<p>p<0.01.</p

Spearman partial coefficient after adjustment for BV/TV; dependent variables shown along the top and independent variables along the side of the table.

*<p>p<0.05,</p>**<p>p<0.01.</p>***<p>p<0.001.</p

Estimation of the activation energy of the growth process.

<p>Arrhenius plot of the <i>T</i>_<i>MAX</i> data shown in the <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0176179#pone.0176179.g008" target="_blank">Fig 8A</a> using the same conventions. The solid and dashed lines indicate the result of the linear regression.</p

Mineral nanoscale distribution in the reference samples.

<p>(a) representative 2D SAXS image and (b) its corresponding 1D radial profile fitted using the model schematically described in (c). (d) qsSAXSI images of <i>T</i> (nm) for the posterior and anterior sections. The qsSAXSI images are displayed on the same color and size scale for comparison. Scale bar: 1,5 mm.</p

Quantification of the nanocrystal thickening.

<p>Histograms of the images of <i>T</i> as a function of temperature in (a) the posterior and (b) anterior regions. The position of the maximum (<i>T</i>_<i>MAX</i>) and of the FWHM (<i>T</i>_<i>FWHM</i>) obtained by fitting the distributions with a gaussian function are shown as a function of temperature in (c) and (d), respectively. The values for the posterior sections (open triangles) and the anterior one (black squares) reveal an exponential increase indicated by a dashed and a solid line.</p

Progressive disorganization of the mineral/matrix nanoscale structure upon heating.

<p>TEM images of the reference sample (a) and samples heated at 150°C (b), 170°C (c) and 200°C (d). A higher resolution image of the region of the reference sample indicated by a dashed white rectangle is shown in (e). Enlarged views of the white rectangle regions of the heated samples are shown in (f,g,h). The derivative of the intensity profiles of the four samples are shown in (i) with the same color code as <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0176179#pone.0176179.g001" target="_blank">Fig 1A</a> and the corresponding thickness distribution of the particles is shown in (j). Scale bar: 100 nm in (a-d) and 400 nm in (e-f).</p