Donald L Swiderski

University of Michigan | U-M · Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery

Abstract Several studies have shown that the recently developed techniques of geometric morphometrics are extremely powerful descriptive tools. And yet, one potential use of the resulting descriptions, phylogenetic analysis, has generally been neglected. This neglect is understandable because prominent systematists as well as prominent morphometric...

Thorpe (1984) and Chappill (1989) argued that selection of a coding method should be [figure: see text] based on the purpose of coding. In our view, the purpose of coding is dictated by the principles of phylogenetic systematics. The foundation of phylogenetic systematics is the observation that monophyletic groups can be recognized if homologous c...

It has been claimed that quantified features are inappropriate for phylogenetic analysis. We consider that claim to be true under most conditions for characters discovered by commonly used morphometric methods, including outline-based and conventional multivariate methods. The most important reason these characters are unsuitable is that one of the...

The mammalian scapula, like many bones, is a single structural element that serves as an attachment site for several muscles. The goal of this study was to determine whether the scapula evolves as an integrated unit, or as a collection of distinct parts. Shape differences among the scapulae of tree squirrels, chipmunks, and ground squirrels were de...

The mammalian scapula, like many bones, is a single structural element that serves as an attachment site for several muscles. The goal of this study was to determine whether the scapula evolves as an integrated unit, or as a collection of distinct parts. Shape differences among the scapulae of tree squirrels, chipmunks, and ground squirrels were de...

Organ transplantation has become a therapeutic option for the replacement of malfunctioning tissues and organs. Since the advent of the first combined heart-lung transplant in 1981, there has been a rapid growth in the popularity of lung transplantation for a number of end-stage pulmonary disorders. Interestingly, these lung transplant patients exp...

Lung transplantation has become a therapeutic option for a number of end-stage pulmonary disorders. Lung transplant recipients experience more complications due to acute and chronic allograft rejection as compared to recipients of other solid organs. We postulated that the generation of TNF-alpha plays a significant role in the pathogenesis of acut...

Forelimb burrowers are expected to have traits in the wrist that restrict freedom of movement relative to nonburrowers, preventing deflection of the hand by obstructions and reducing the energetic cost of digging. Wrist skeleton and ligaments were compared among representatives from several lineages of shrews. Only two traits differ between burrowe...

Developmental constraints can be interpreted as factors of developmental origin responsible for covariation among measured variables. Several hypotheses have been proposed to link the possession of such constraints to subsequent evolution. Using confirmatory factor analysis, we compare developmental factors across selected taxa of cotton rats, genu...

Developmental constraints can be interpreted as factors of developmental origin responsible for covariation among measured variables. Several hypotheses have been proposed to link the possession of such constraints to subsequent evolution. Using confirmatory factor analysis, we compare developmental factors across selected taxa of cotton rats, genu...

Thesis (M.S.)--Michigan State University. Dept. of Geological Sciences, 1985. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 148-153). Microfilm. s

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Michigan State University. Dept. of Zoology, 1990. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 169-181).