Evaluation and 3D imaging of mineral structure changes of the rabbit (New Zealand) skull during developmental periods.

This study aimed to determine the morphometric measurements anatomically and CT images of skulls of healthy male and female rabbits during postnatal development, to analyse the data statistically and to demonstrate the structural changes in bone. A total of 40 rabbits (20 females and 20 males) were divided into four groups including prepubertal period (group I (0-1 month)), period between adolescence and adulthood (group II (3-5 month)) and later (young adult period as group III (1-3 years) and old adult period as group IV (3-5 years)), with five animals in each group. After the morphometric measurements, the surface area and volume values of the skull were calculated. The skulls were reconstructed using a 3D Slicer (5.0.2), which is used for 3D modelling. The cranial bones in each group were then crushed using a grinder so that the powdered samples were obtained for XRF (X-ray fluorescence technique). The p-value was statistically highly significant between group and gender (p < 0.001). In morphometric measurements, males were generally higher than females. Only PL, GBOC and GNB measurements were higher in females. The p-value between groups (in all measurements), between genders (in TL, GLN, FL, VL, OZB and GBN parameters) and between groups and genders (in TL, DL and VL parameters) was statistically highly significant (p < 0.001). The p-value between the groups, p-value between sexes and p-value between group and sex in Si, P, K, Ca, Ni, Zn, Sr, Sr and Ca/P elements were statistically significant (p < 0.001). Consequently, metric, volume and surface area measurements were taken through 3D modelling of skull bone in prepubertal period (group I), period between adolescence and adulthood (group II) and later (young adult period as group III and old adult period as group IV) of rabbits and the change in the mineral structure during postnatal development and effect of sex on this change were investigated. This might be the first study to assess both metric and mineral changes at four age intervals taken during the life span of rabbits.

Analysis and 3D Imaging of Morphometric - Mineral Structure Changes in Skulls of Male and Female Guinea Pigs During and After Developmental Period

SUMMARY: Even though morphometric and mineral studies related to the guinea pig (Cavia porcellus) skull have been carried out, this study is the first attempt to evaluate all developmental stages of male and female guinea pigs. This study aims to this study is to create 3D modeling of CT images obtained from the skulls of male and female guinea pigs during the developmental period (prepuberty and the period between puberty and adulthood) and following periods (young adulthood and old adulthood), to analyze some biometric bone data such as volume, surface area and length, and to assess the developmental analysis of the mineral matter change in their skulls. The CT-scanned skulls were transferred to 3D Slicer (5.0.2), which is used for 3D modeling. The surface area and volume were calculated by measuring the measurement points on the models. In addition, the XRF device was used to show elemental ratio changes during different developmental stages. According to metric measurements, a gradual increase was observed during the life period. The metric measurements of the skull bone had a higher measurement value in male guinea pigs than in their female counterparts. While Ca/P ratio increased up to the third group and partially decreased in the fourth group in males, it gradually increased from the first group to the fourth group in females. This study revealed that puberty, adulthood and sex were effective in the physical and chemical characterization of skull bone structure in guinea pigs.

Aunque se han realizado estudios morfométricos y de minerales relacionados con el cráneo del cobayo (Cavia porcellus), esta investigación es el primer intento de evaluar las etapas de desarrollo de cobayos machos y hembras. El objetivo de este estudio fue crear un modelado 3D de imágenes de tomografía computarizada obtenidas de los cráneos de cobayos machos y hembras durante el período de desarrollo (prepubertad y el período entre la pubertad y la edad adulta) y los períodos siguientes (edad adulta joven y edad adulta mayor), para analizar algunos datos biométricos de los huesos, como el volumen, la superficie y la longitud, y además, analizar el cambio de materia mineral en sus cráneos durante el desarrollo. Los cráneos escaneados se transfirieron a 3D Slicer (5.0.2), que se utiliza para el modelado 3D. El área de superficie y el volumen se calcularon midiendo los puntos de medición en los modelos. Además, se utilizó el dispositivo XRF para mostrar los cambios en las proporciones elementales durante diferentes etapas de desarrollo. Según mediciones métricas, se observó un aumento gradual durante el período de vida. Las medidas métricas del hueso del cráneo tuvieron un valor de medición más alto en los cobayos machos que en las hembras. Mientras que la relación Ca/P aumentó hasta el tercer grupo y disminuyó parcialmente en el cuarto grupo en los machos y aumentó gradualmente del primer grupo al cuarto grupo en las hembras. Este estudio reveló que la pubertad, la edad adulta y el sexo fueron efectivos en la caracterización física y química de la estructura ósea del cráneo en cobayos.

Evaluation of skull and mandible morphometric measurements and three-dimensional modelling of computed tomographic images of porcupine (Hystrix cristata).

Although there have been morphological and morphometric studies on the porcupine skull, three-dimensional modelling of the skull is performed for the first time with the present study. In this study, it was aimed to model the skull and mandible of Hystrix cristata in 3D to reveal its morphometric values and the differences between the sexes. Morphometric analyses were performed on a total of eight (four male and four female) adult porcupine skulls and mandibles. Skulls and mandibles of porcupines were scanned usinf a 64-detector MDCT (General Electric Revolution) device at 80 kV, 200 MA, 639 mGY and 0.625 mm slice thickness. Skull and mandible reconstructions were made with the help of MIMICS 20.1 (Materialize) software program and the surface area and volume values of the skull and mandible were calculated. Statistical analyses were carried out using SPSS 22.0 software. The longest measurement in the skulls, based on the metric measurement points, was the total length (TL), and it was measured as 135.4750 ± 0.54976 mm in males and 134.4725 ± 0.86681 mm in females (p < 0.5). The highest value was the foramen magnum index (p < 0.5), and the lowest value the was skull index (p < 0.1). While the total volume ratio of the mandibles was 29901.64 mm3 in males, it was 27296.20 mm3 in females (p > 0.5). Statistical differences in the morphometric values of skulls and mandibles of male and female porcupines were demonstrated for the first time using CT and three-dimensional modelling software.