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Abstract: Teeth exemplify architectures comprising an interplay of inorganic and organic constituents, resulting in sophisticated natural composites. Rodents (Rodentia) showcase extraordinary adaptations, with their continuously growing incisors surpassing human teeth in functional and structural optimizations. In this study, employing state-of-the-art direct atomic-scale imaging and nanoscale spectroscopies, we present compelling evidence that the release of material from ameloblasts and the subsequent formation of iron-rich enamel and surface layers in the constantly growing incisors of rodents are complex orchestrated processes, intricately regulated and independent of environmental factors. The synergistic fusion of three-dimensional tomography and imaging techniques of etched rodent́s enamel unveils a direct correlation between the presence of pockets infused with ferrihydrite-like material and the acid resistant properties exhibited by the iron-rich enamel, fortifying it as an efficient protective shield. Moreover, observations using optical microscopy shed light on the role of iron-rich enamel as a microstructural element that acts as a path for color transmission, although the native color remains indistinguishable from that of regular enamel, challenging the prevailing paradigms. The redefinition of “pigmented enamel” to encompass ferrihydrite-like infusion in rodent incisors reshapes our perception of incisor microstructure and color generation. The functional significance of acid-resistant iron-rich enamel and the understanding of the underlying coloration mechanism in rodent incisors have far-reaching implications for human health, development of potentially groundbreaking dental materials, and restorative dentistry. These findings enable the creation of an entirely different class of dental biomaterials with enhanced properties, inspired by the ingenious designs found in nature.
Keywords: teeth microstructure, ameloblasts, ferritin, Fe-rich enamel, tomography, rodent
Published in DiRROS: 26.04.2024; Views: 12; Downloads: 4
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Abstract: Although several studies have focused on the influence of moonlight on deer–vehicle collisions, findings have been inconsistent. This may be due to neglect of the effects of cloud cover, a major impediment to moon illumination and circannual variation in both deer and human activity. We assessed how median cloud cover interacted with the illuminated fraction of the moon in affecting daily roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) roadkill in Slovenia (Central Europe). Data included nationwide roadkill (n = 49,259), collected between 2010 and 2019 by hunters, as required by law. Roadkill peaked under medium to high cloud cover and decreased during nights with low or extremely high cloudiness. This pattern was more pronounced on nights with a full moon. However, the effects of moon illumination and cloud cover had a lower predictive potential than circannual variation, as collisions clearly peaked in April/May, July and August/September. Our results suggest that moonlight could influence roe deer movements through compensatory foraging. However, on nights with a full moon, collisions could also be affected by weather. On bright nights, roe deer might be less active due to increased human presence and sustained vehicular traffic. Then, with medium to high cloud cover and also rainfall, human presence in the environment may be low enough to increase deer movements, but vehicular traffic can still be intermediate, maximizing the risk of collisions. Finally, with overcast skies, widespread rainfall can reduce both traffic volume and human outdoor activity, decreasing the risk of collisions. Moon illumination may indeed affect wildlife–vehicle collisions and roadkill, but its effects should be quantified as a function of cloud cover. Moreover, to make studies truly comparable, research about wildlife–vehicle collisions should also account for time of the year. Policy implications. Because collisions with roe deer peak at particular periods of the year, signs should be installed seasonally. By doing so, they would warn drivers about the risk, improve drivers' awareness and increase their safety. Moreover, as collisions also increase on nights with a full moon and overcast skies, interactive warning signs that are activated by ground illumination should also be useful.
Keywords: cloudiness, MODIS Surface Reflectance, moon, road ecology, roe deer, Slovenia, thin-plate splines, wildlife–vehicle collisions
Published in DiRROS: 16.11.2023; Views: 336; Downloads: 154
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Abstract: To provide the most comprehensive picture of species phylogeny and phylogeography of European roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), we analyzed mtDNA control region (610 bp) of 1469 samples of roe deer from Central and Eastern Europe and included into the analyses additional 1541 mtDNA sequences from GenBank from other regions of the continent. We detected two mtDNA lineages of the species: European and Siberian (an introgression of C. pygargus mtDNA into C. capreolus). The Siberian lineage was most frequent in the eastern part of the continent and declined toward Central Europe. The European lineage contained three clades (Central, Eastern, and Western) composed of several haplogroups, many of which were separated in space. The Western clade appeared to have a discontinuous range from Portugal to Russia. Most of the haplogroups in the Central and the Eastern clades were under expansion during the Weichselian glacial period before the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), while the expansion time of the Western clade overlapped with the Eemian interglacial. The high genetic diversity of extant roe deer is the result of their survival during the LGM probably in a large, contiguous range spanning from the Iberian Peninsula to the Caucasus Mts and in two northern refugia.
Keywords: Capreolus capreolus, expansion, mitochondrial DNA, the Last Glacial Maximum refugia, the Quaternary history, Phylogenetics
Published in DiRROS: 26.05.2022; Views: 604; Downloads: 416
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Keywords: monitoring, trki vozil z divjadjo, omilitveni ukrepi, zvočne odvračalne naprave, svetlobni odsevniki, prostoživeči parkljarji, srnjad, jelenjad, divji prašič
Published in DiRROS: 14.01.2021; Views: 1349; Downloads: 405
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Keywords: divjad, upravljanje divjadi, trajnostno upravljanje, lovstvo
Published in DiRROS: 20.10.2020; Views: 1140; Downloads: 357
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