Biology subjects

Dawson, M. R.

Publications and source records attributed to Dawson, M. R..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2024

Post-Eocene Rhinocerotid Dispersal via the North Atlantic

The North Atlantic Land Bridge (NALB), which connected Europe to North America, enabled high latitude dispersal, particularly during globally warm periods such as the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum, a period of dramatic faunal reorganization. It has been generally accepted by paleontologists, based on faunal comparisons between Europe and North America, that terrestrial vertebrates did not disperse via the NALB more recently than the early Eocene. Herein, we describe a new Early Miocene rhinocerotid species from the Canadian High Arctic with proximity to the NALB and present novel phylogenetic hypotheses for rhinocerotids. The new species, a member of the genus Epiaceratherium, is differentiated from the four other members of the genus by characteristics of the P3, M1-2, mandible, and lower premolars. Global-scale biogeographic analyses reveal a high number of dispersals between Europe and North America, in both directions; cumulatively, they near the number of dispersals within Eurasia. Notably, multiple dispersals occurred in the Oligo-Miocene, suggesting that the NALB may have been crossable for mammals for at least 20 Ma longer than previously considered, consistent with emerging geological and palaeoclimatological models. We thus provide insight into the importance of the NALB as persistent high latitude connector of geographically disparate terrestrial faunas, underscoring the pivotal role of the Arctic in mammalian evolution.

paleontology↗

bioRxiv2018

Defining the design requirements for an assistive powered hand exoskeleton

The goal of this study was to identify design criteria for the development of an assistive powered hand exoskeleton by consulting with potential end users. Structured interviews with clinicians and patients with hand impairment were carried out and the results were tabulated. Three participants with impaired hand function also underwent a quantitative measurement session regarding hand function. The objective of the measurement sessions was to understand the characteristics, abilities and limitations of the upper limb of individuals who could benefit from a hand exoskeleton device, in order to better define design criteria and control options for such a device. For the most part, clinicians and participants with hand impairment agreed on expectations for a hand exoskeleton device on topics including important grasp patterns, wear time, and grip strength. However, their expectation seemed to diverge on the topic of control, where clinicians felt simple reliable control strategies would be preferred, but patients desired intuitive control. This research has identified key features of hand exoskeleton design requirements that will need to be met in order to have acceptable clinical translation to patient populations. Including endusers in the design of such a device is essential for successful patient-oriented technology development.

bioengineering↗

bioRxiv2018

Real time monitoring of transtibial elevated vacuum prostheses: a case series on socket air pressure

Elevated vacuum is a prosthetic suspension method used to reduce slippage between the prosthetic socket and the residual limb. Evaluation of the effectiveness of these systems is limited due to a lack of correlation to actual socket air pressure, particularly during unconstrained movements. This may explain some of the variability in functional outcomes reported in the literature. We developed a light-weight portable socket measurement system to quantify internal socket air pressure, temperature, and acceleration. We implemented the system onto the sockets of three transtibial prosthesis users with mechanical elevated vacuum pumps. Participants completed five functional tasks with and without the vacuum pumps actively connected, including the 2-Minute Walk test, 5-Times Sit-to-Stand test, 4-Square Step test, L-Test, and Figure-8 test. Results demonstrated that the use of elevated vacuum pumps produced different gait profiles and pressure ranges for each user, with significant differences between pump conditions. Two of the participants demonstrated substantially lower air pressure (higher vacuum) over time while the pump was active compared to inactive. The minimum air pressure measured at the completion of the 2-Minute Walk test was -34.6 {+/-} 7.7 kPa, which is not as low as pressures reported in literature during benchtop experiments. One participant did not show substantial changes in pressure over time for either pump condition. Functional task performance was not significantly different between pump conditions. Correlation with accelerometer readings allowed air pressure data to be aligned with the gait cycle; peak positive pressures occurred just following initial contact of the foot in early stance, and the most negative pressures (vacuum) were observed throughout swing. This study has demonstrated the use of a portable data logging tool that may serve the clinical and research communities to quantify the operation of elevated vacuum systems, and better understand the variability of mechanical pump operation and overall system performance.

bioengineering↗