Maria Pia Morigi

Animal morphology reflects both evolutionary history and present‐day adaptation. Male mammal copulatory structures such as the baculum (penile bone) are ideal for studying these processes because of their complexity and high interspecific variability. In primates, however, research has focused mostly on baculum length. Here we investigate the evolution of primate baculum anatomy and morphology using the largest dataset assembled to date. We combined high‐resolution 3D micro‐CT reconstructions with advanced non‐landmark methods to quantify key traits, including baculum position, discrete shape categories, and a continuous descriptor of overall baculum complexity derived from alpha‐shapes analysis. Using stochastic character mapping on a primate phylogeny, we inferred ancestral states and evolutionary transitions for baculum position, shape type, and complexity. Reconstructions indicate that a proximally positioned baculum extending beyond the penile mid‐shaft represents the ancestral condition, retained in Strepsirrhini and shifted distally in Haplorrhini. A stick‐shaped baculum is inferred as ancestral, with subsequent transitions to Y‐shaped and pear‐shaped morphologies. Overall, this study provides the first phylogenetically explicit reconstruction of primate baculum evolution, revealing repeated shifts in anatomy and morphology complexity. These results offer a framework for testing functional and selective hypotheses on copulatory structures and highlight the value of 3D morphometrics for understanding morphological diversity across species.

The performances of two autosegmentation algorithms were evaluated on 28 anonymized pelvic CT scans as a pilot study for the clinical implementation of a semi-automatic workflow. Four organs at risk (OARs), namely the rectum, bladder, and femoral heads, were contoured manually by an expert radiation oncologist (RO)—considered as the ground truth (GT)—and by model-based segmentation (MBS) and deep learning (DL) algorithms. Autocontouring performances were evaluated using a qualitative scoring system, contouring time analysis, and five geometrical indices: the 95th percentile Hausdorff Distance (95HD), Dice Similarity Coefficient (DSC), Surface Dice Similarity Coefficient (SDSC), Added Path Length (APL), and Relative Added Path Length (RAPL). Considering total median value for the four OARs, both MBS and DL showed clinically acceptable results with differences between the two algorithms being not statistically significant for almost all indices. The DL autocontouring algorithm achieved high geometric accuracy, high scores from the ROs, and consistent performances with all validation indices for every OAR. The MBS algorithm achieved high geometric accuracy for the femoral heads and bladder. The DL algorithm required 30 s to contour all the OARs, and the MBS algorithm required 90 s, showing a time gain compared with the manual contours, which took 20 min for each case. The DL autocontouring algorithm obtained promising but preliminary results with every evaluation metric and for every analyzed OAR. The application of the MBS algorithm as the only contouring tool still presents challenges.

Leopold Blaschka (1822–1895) and his son Rudolf (1857–1939) created scientifically accurate glass models of marine invertebrates that reshaped natural history education in the 19th century. Their work overcame the limitations of traditional preservation techniques, allowing for detailed and lifelike representations of soft-bodied sea creatures and botanic species. Today, their models are preserved in prestigious collections worldwide. This paper examines not only the historical and artistic significance of the Blaschka models but also presents the findings of recent material analyses, including computed tomography (CT), scanning electron microscopy combined with energy dispersive X-ray analysis (SEM-EDS), visible ultraviolet fluorescence (UVF), and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The multi-analytical approach allowed for the characterization of the chemical composition of the glass and adhesives used, shedding light on the Blaschkas’ unique manufacturing processes and material choices. Data from this study demonstrate how the combination of a multi-analytical approach with knowledge of historical glassmaking practices can provide a solid foundation for both conservation efforts and further academic investigation into these composite objects. The study underscores the models’ value not only as artistic masterpieces but also as technological artifacts, offering insights into 19th-century scientific craftsmanship at the intersection of art and biology. Furthermore, the study presents a conservation intervention based on scientific evidence and a skilfully tailored solution, chosen piece-by-piece, part-by-part of the intricate glass models.

This work is part of a meticulous x-ray tomographic imaging study on an artefact belonging to the collections of Civic Museums of Reggio Emilia. Using a mobile x-ray source, where the artefact is normally kept, reduces and simplifies the procedures related to its preservation needs. Using a radiation source in rooms not previously classified required a prior estimate of the environmental dose and the exposure of the operators and population based on semiempirical models and measurements. That was the occasion to test the quality of Monte Carlo simulations based on a simplified model of the source and the environment. The measurement results validated the simulations for further dose estimations of the ambient dose equivalent rate.

The internal structures and the hygroscopicity of bio-based boards consisting of giant reed (Arundo donax L.) and hazelnut shells as bio-aggregates, and a sodium silicate solution as the adhesive, were investigated. The aim was to evaluate the influence of each material (the bio-aggregates and adhesive) and their distributions in the boards on the final performance. By carrying out X-ray computed tomography, the internal structures and the porosities of the boards were determined, allowing important considerations of their hygroscopicity. The voids’ percentages were between 26% and 36% of the total volume of the composites. Both the materials and the composites demonstrated high hygroscopicity. In particular, the mixtures of the bio-aggregates and the sodium silicate allowed reaching a moisture buffering value of 7.44 g/(m²%RH) for the A. donax-based composite, 3.86 g/(m²%RH) for the hazelnut-shell-based composite, and 4.65 g/(m²%RH) for the mixture-based composite. Besides the identification of the contributions of the materials, a detailed discussion of the assessed properties was carried out to use these bio-based boards in vernacular historic construction. The results show how the aggregate type and the adhesive content affected the final behavior, demonstrating the importance of a conscious material choice. Furthermore, helpful information for the future development of these types of bio-based boards and their possible optimization was provided.

X-ray Computed Tomography (CT), a commonly used technique in a wide variety of research fields, nowadays represents a unique and powerful procedure to discover, reveal and preserve a fundamental part of our patrimony: ancient handwritten documents. For modern and well-preserved ones, traditional document scanning systems are suitable for their correct digitization, and, consequently, for their preservation; however, the digitization of ancient, fragile and damaged manuscripts is still a formidable challenge for conservators. The X-ray tomographic approach has already proven its effectiveness in data acquisition, but the algorithmic steps from tomographic images to real page-by-page extraction and reading are still a difficult undertaking. In this work, we propose a new procedure for the segmentation of single pages from the 3D tomographic data of closed historical manuscripts, based on geometric features and flood fill methods. The achieved results prove the capability of the methodology in segmenting the different pages recorded starting from the whole CT acquired volume.

In recent years, X-ray imaging has rapidly grown and spread beyond the medical field; today, it plays a key role in diverse research areas