The geological range of lamniform sharks stretches from present day species such as Carcharodon carcharias (great white shark) back to the at the moment oldest undoubted fossil finds during the Early Cretaceous. In this paper a geometric morphometric analysis was performed on images of Early Cretaceous lamniform teeth collected from published literature in order to examine the change in disparity (range of morphological variation within a group) throughout the time period. Due to limited availability of published material and time constraints only the Barremian and Albian ages were investigated. The Barremian exhibited tall and narrow tooth morphologies while the Albian showed a wide range of morphological variation including more robust, wide and sometimes triangular shapes but also displayed further specialization of the tall and narrow forms. This change is likely indicative of a dietary and ecological expansion from only eating for example small fish and soft-bodied creatures to a wide range of prey for the group, including larger and more robust animals such as marine turtles and large bony fish. This in combination with the decline of some marine predators as well as the diversification of possible prey is interpreted as that an adaptive radiation of the Lamniformes could have taken place during the latter half of the Early Cretaceous. / Morfologisk disparitet är ett mått på hur stor utsträckningen av morfologisk variation är. Detta mått räknas ut genom att jämföra landmärken utplacerade på bilder av föremål som ska undersökas. I detta projekt undersöktes den morfologiska dispariteten hos tänder från håbrandsartade hajar (Lamniformes) under tidig krita. Att just deras tänder undersöktes beror på att den större delen av hajars skelett är gjort av brosk vilket lätt bryts ned efter djuret avlidit. Deras tänder är dock gjorda av ben vilket har lättare att bli bevarat som fossil. Utöver detta så kan formen på tänder beskriva djurs födoval och levnadssätt. Gruppens tänder undersöktes därför även för att belysa eventuella förändringar i diet och ekologi under tidig krita. Resultatet av denna analys visar på en expansion av tandform under denna period från långa och smala tänder under Barremium till en större variation under Albium där även mer triangelformade och robusta tänder dyker upp. Detta har tolkats som en adaptiv artbildningsperiod för gruppen då både nya byten (t.ex. teleostfiskar och havs-sköldpaddor) diversifierade och uppkom samtidigt som vissa marina predatorer (ichthyosaurer och plesiosaurer) minskade i antal under denna tidsperiod. Detta ändrade troligen de selektiva trycken på håbrandsartade hajars tandmorfologi samt lämnade ekologiska nischer öppna som dessa kunde anpassa sig till vilket i sin tur ledde till expansioner i morfologisk disparitet, diet och ekologi.

Baigiamajame magistro darbe nagrinėjama gruntų morfologinės struktūros įtaka jų suspaudžiamumui. Darbą sudaro teorinė ir praktinė dalys. Teorinėje dalyje detaliai aprašomas gruntų morfologinės struktūros nustatymo tyrimams taikytas metodas, aptariami jo trūkumai ir privalumai, pateikiamos visos morfologiniams parametrams apskaičiuoti taikytos formulės. Atlikta gruntų morfologinės struktūros įtakos suspaudžiamumui teorijos apžvalga. Trumpai paaiškinama, pagal kokius kriterijus bandymams buvo pasirenkami gruntai. Praktinėje dalyje aprašomi gruntų granuliometrinės sudėties, morfologinės struktūros nustatymo bei spūdumo bandymų rezultatai. Išsamiai aprašoma kiekvieno praktinės dalies eksperimento eiga, problemos, su kuriomis buvo susiduriama darbo metu. Atlikta gautų rezultatų analizė, kurioje aptariama morfologinės struktūros įtaka gruntų suspaudžiamumui. Pagal šią analizę formuluojamos išvados ir teikiami pasiūlymai tolesniam darbui bei gautų rezultatų patikslinimui. Darbą sudaro 6 pagrindinės dalys: įvadas, literatūros apžvalga, eksperimentiniai tyrimai, rezultatų analizė, bendros išvados ir priedai. Darbo apimtis – 75 p. teksto be priedų, 43 p. priedų, 37 literatūros šaltiniai, 33 paveikslai ir 15 lentelių. / The master thesis purpose is to determine the influence of particle shape on the mechanical properties of sand. The work consists of theoretical and practical parts. The theoretical part describes the applied method for evaluating morphometric characteristics of particles. Also the discussion of advantages and disadvantages of this method and overview of theory of influence of particle shape on soil compressibility were made. Finally the criteria for choosing soils for research was discussed. In practical part of this thesis the results of experimental investigations were introduced. Firstly the evaluating of soil grading and estimation of morphometric characteristic of its particles were made. In order to determine the influence of morphometric characteristic on sands compressibility the oedometer tests was performed. Also there are introduced detailed courses of all experimental investigations and problems which have been encountered during processes. After all experimental investigations the analysis of results were made. According to this analysis, conclusions and proposals for further work and clarification of the results were obtained. The thesis consists of six basic parts such as introduction, literature review, experimental researches, analysis of researches data, conclusions and proposals, accessories. The final work consists of 75 p. of text without appendixes, 43 p. of appendixes, 37 bibliographical entries. 33 pictures, 15tables.

Baigiamojo darbo tikslas buvo ištirti 3 metų amžiaus jūrų kiaulyčių kiaušidžių folikulų ir jų ovocitų morfometrinius ypatumus. LSMU Patologijos centre buvo atliktas trijų jūrų kiaulyčių preparavimas ir paimta tyrimams reikalinga medžiaga. Anatomijos ir Fiziologijos katedroje buvo atliktas histologinių preparatų paruošimas. Preparatai buvo naudojami atlikti mikroskopines nuotraukas naudojant histologinių vaizdų analizatorių (mikroskopą) „Olympus DP72 BX63“. Naudojant UTHSCSA Image Tool for Windows Version 3 programą buvo atlikta 3 jūrų kiaulyčių, kurių amžius 3 metai, užuomazginių, pirminių ir antrinių kiaušidės folikulų, bei juose esančių ovocitų, ovocitų branduolių, folikulinių ląstelių bei pamatinės membranos morfometriniai matavimai. Statistinė duomenų analizė atlikta naudojant statistinę programą ANOVA (Statistica Version 10, StatSoft inc.). Mūsų tyrimo metu buvo nustatyta, kad 3 metų amžiaus jūrų kiaulyčių kiaušidžių užuomazginių folikulų diametras svyravo nuo 23,22±2,62 µm iki 26,16±3,58 µm, ovocitų diametras svyravo nuo 6,26±1,13 µm iki 7,37±0,51 µm. Pirminių kiaušidžių folikulų diametras svyravo nuo 48,68±1,47 µm iki 61,78±4,33 µm, ovocitų dydis siekė nuo 13,56±5,48 µm iki 14,61±2,79 µm. Antrinių kiaušidžių folikulų diametras svyravo nuo 149,34±29,97 µm iki 209,46±52,54 µm, ovocitų diametras svyravo nuo 41,6±8,35 µm iki 63,59±4,67 µm. Visų tirtų jūrų kiaulyčių užuomazginių kiaušidžių folikulų diametras, plotas, ovocitų diametras ir plotas, ovocitų branduolių... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Master ending work includes 43 pages, 35 pictures, to write the work was used 32 literary sources. The aim of this work was to investigate morphometric features of different stages ovarian follicles and oocytes in 3 years old three guinea pigs. 3 guinea pigs‘ preparation was performed in the LSMU Pathology center, was taken required material for the research. Histological preparations laying in were performed in the Anatomy and Physiology department. Preparations were used perform microscopic images using histological image analyzer (microscope) „Olympus DP72 BX63“. Using UTHSCSA Image Tool for Windows Version 3 program was performed 3 guinea pigs, with age 3 years, primordial, primary and secondary ovarian follicles’, oocytes’, oocyte nucleis’, follicular cells’ and basement membranes’ morphometric measurements. Statistical analysis of the data performed using the statistical program ANOVA (Statistical Version 10, Stat Soft inc.). Our research showed, that 3 years old guinea pigs‘ primordial ovarian follicle diameter ranged from 23,22±2,62 µm till 26,16±3,58 µm, oocyte diameter ranged from 6,26±1,13 µm till 7,37±0,51 µm. Primary ovarian follicle diameter ranged from 48,68±1,47 µm till 61,78±4,33 µm, oocyte size was from 13,56±5,48 µm till 14,61±2,79 µm. Secondary ovarian follicle diameter ranged from 149,34±29,97 µm till 209,46±52,54 µm, oocyte diameter ranged from 41,6±8,35 µm till 63,59±4,67 µm. All guinea pigs primordial follicles’ diameter and area, oocytes’ diameter... [to full text]

Šiame darbe tirti 6 mėn. – 1 m. amžiaus, Danijos Landrasų veislės kiaulių kiaušidžių įvairių stadijų folikulų morfometriniai ypatumai. Išmatuoti užuomazginių, pirminių ir antrinių kiaušidžių folikulų diametrai, plotai, juose esančių ovocitų diametras, plotas, jų branduolių diametras, plotas; pamatinės membranos storis; folikulinių ląstelių dydis. / The research presented in the Master Thesis was designed to investigate the follicular morphometric peculiarities of ovaries of 6 months – 1 years Danish Landrase pigs. The diameters of primordial, primary and secondary ovary follicles, their areas, diameter and area of oocytes, nuclear diameter and area; the thickness of underlying membrane; the size of follicular cells were investigated.

Many sedentary marine invertebrates have a fine-scale (100s m) population structure that complicates their conservation and management. This is a consequence of the limited information on the boundaries between component populations and the biological variability among them. Blacklip abalone (Haliotis rubra) form discrete populations many of which are ‘stunted’ with individuals reaching a maximum length less than those in adjacent areas. A range of morphological measurements from samples of stunted and ‘non-stunted’ H. rubra collected from sites spread across broad (10s km) and fine (100s m) spatial scales in southern South Australia. In addition, information on the growth, size at maturity and fecundity of H. rubra was obtained from these same sites. The ratio between shell length and shell height showed clear and significant differences among samples from stunted and non-stunted sites. The fine-scale morphometric collections suggested that stunted populations existed at smaller spatial scales compared to those for non-stunted populations. Spatial variation in these key life history parameters could primarily be attributed to differences between stunted and non-stunted sites. Relationships between each of these parameters and the ratio between shell length and shell height were also examined. The spatial patterns in morphology and biology were highly correlated suggesting that shell length:shell height ratio can be used as a simple ‘morphometric marker’ to distinguish among populations of abalone and identify their biological characteristics. The detection of differences H. rubra morphology among variable environments cannot determine whether these differences represent a plastic response to the local environment, or whether morphology is genetically fixed. A reciprocal transplant experiment was used to test whether stunted H. rubra are the result of a plastic response to the environment or fixed genetic trait. Furthermore, environmental factors that affect food availability were related to differences in morphology. Morphological plasticity was confirmed as the mechanism causing morphological variation in H. rubra. Individuals transplanted to sites with non-stunted H. rubra grew significantly faster when compared to stunted controls, while individuals transplanted to stunted sites grew significantly slower compared to non-stunted controls. It is suggested that these differences are related to resource availability with areas limited in food supply resulting in stunted populations and areas with abundant food resulting in non-stunted populations. To reduce the risks of over-fishing and localised depletion of H. rubra, management units (MUs) that encompass individual populations need to be determined and then managed according to their life-history characteristics. Potential MUs in the South Australian abalone fishery were identified from the broad-scale, spatial distribution of stunted and non-stunted populations of H. rubra, by applying the morphometric marker to commercial shell samples. Key life-history parameters of the H. rubra populations within the potential MUs were estimated using relationships between this marker and H. rubra biology. Data from fine-scale systematic sampling by commercial fishers were used to validate spatial patterns observed from the more broadly distributed commercial catch samples. The location, distribution and size of potential MUs were largely inconsistent with that of current management. The locations of two MUs were consistent across the broad- and fine-scale datasets with the fine-scale samples being more informative for identifying a potential boundary between these. These results suggest that this morphometric marker can used as a tool for the spatial management of abalone fisheries by simply and inexpensively inferring key biological parameters for individual populations and identify the boundaries among these based on these differences. This approach is among the first to provide a practical means of more closely aligning the scales of assessment and management with biological reality for sedentary marine invertebrates. / Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, 2009

Many sedentary marine invertebrates have a fine-scale (100s m) population structure that complicates their conservation and management. This is a consequence of the limited information on the boundaries between component populations and the biological variability among them. Blacklip abalone (Haliotis rubra) form discrete populations many of which are ‘stunted’ with individuals reaching a maximum length less than those in adjacent areas. A range of morphological measurements from samples of stunted and ‘non-stunted’ H. rubra collected from sites spread across broad (10s km) and fine (100s m) spatial scales in southern South Australia. In addition, information on the growth, size at maturity and fecundity of H. rubra was obtained from these same sites. The ratio between shell length and shell height showed clear and significant differences among samples from stunted and non-stunted sites. The fine-scale morphometric collections suggested that stunted populations existed at smaller spatial scales compared to those for non-stunted populations. Spatial variation in these key life history parameters could primarily be attributed to differences between stunted and non-stunted sites. Relationships between each of these parameters and the ratio between shell length and shell height were also examined. The spatial patterns in morphology and biology were highly correlated suggesting that shell length:shell height ratio can be used as a simple ‘morphometric marker’ to distinguish among populations of abalone and identify their biological characteristics. The detection of differences H. rubra morphology among variable environments cannot determine whether these differences represent a plastic response to the local environment, or whether morphology is genetically fixed. A reciprocal transplant experiment was used to test whether stunted H. rubra are the result of a plastic response to the environment or fixed genetic trait. Furthermore, environmental factors that affect food availability were related to differences in morphology. Morphological plasticity was confirmed as the mechanism causing morphological variation in H. rubra. Individuals transplanted to sites with non-stunted H. rubra grew significantly faster when compared to stunted controls, while individuals transplanted to stunted sites grew significantly slower compared to non-stunted controls. It is suggested that these differences are related to resource availability with areas limited in food supply resulting in stunted populations and areas with abundant food resulting in non-stunted populations. To reduce the risks of over-fishing and localised depletion of H. rubra, management units (MUs) that encompass individual populations need to be determined and then managed according to their life-history characteristics. Potential MUs in the South Australian abalone fishery were identified from the broad-scale, spatial distribution of stunted and non-stunted populations of H. rubra, by applying the morphometric marker to commercial shell samples. Key life-history parameters of the H. rubra populations within the potential MUs were estimated using relationships between this marker and H. rubra biology. Data from fine-scale systematic sampling by commercial fishers were used to validate spatial patterns observed from the more broadly distributed commercial catch samples. The location, distribution and size of potential MUs were largely inconsistent with that of current management. The locations of two MUs were consistent across the broad- and fine-scale datasets with the fine-scale samples being more informative for identifying a potential boundary between these. These results suggest that this morphometric marker can used as a tool for the spatial management of abalone fisheries by simply and inexpensively inferring key biological parameters for individual populations and identify the boundaries among these based on these differences. This approach is among the first to provide a practical means of more closely aligning the scales of assessment and management with biological reality for sedentary marine invertebrates. / Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, 2009

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to assess the effects of a modified Kavain-derived compound, Kava-241, on periodontal destruction in a periodontitis-induced murine model. METHODS: The study involved 49 mice divided into three groups: control, diseased, and treatment. Diseased mice were infected with P. gingivalis via oral gavage over a 15-day period to mimic periodontal infection. Treated mice received Kava-241 treatment after disease induction over the same period. Bone loss and inflammatory cell activity was assessed by a morphometric analysis of the left mouse maxillae and a histomorphometric analysis of TRAP and H&E stained tissue sections of the right mouse maxillae. RESULTS: Infected group showed significantly increased alveolar bone loss and inflammatory cells throughout the experimental period in comparison to the untreated control groups. The Infected mice that received Kava-241 showed a significant decrease in inflammatory cell activity in periodontal connective tissues as compared to mice that did not receive any treatment. In periodontal connective tissues, treated mice showed significant decreases of 61.9% and 41.6% of polymorphonucleocyte and monocyte cell counts, respectively, compared to untreated mice. Furthermore, the mice that received treatment post-infection showed a statistically significant decrease in alveolar bone loss. Histomorphometric analysis demonstrated 72.7% and 37.0% reductions of epithelial down-growth and bone loss respectively. Morphometric analysis demonstrated a 46.7% reduction of bone loss in treated mice compared to controls. CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrate modification of Kava could yield a more effective and safer therapeutic compound in the treatment of periodontal inflammation and bone loss.

Caractérisation des propriétés mécaniques de la plaque d'athérome à partir de données échographiques endovasculaires : La technique de palpographie revisitée. Ce travail de thèse a pour ambitions de créer des outils issus de la théorie de la mécanique des milieux continus dans le but de détecter et de caractériser les propriétés mécaniques des plaques d'athéromes vulnérables. Une première partie du travail a consisté à reformuler et à corriger une approche de palpographie permettant de détecter rapidement la présence de corps lipidiques au sein de la paroi vasculaire pathologique. Cette nouvelle technique, qui estime la compliance vasculaire, a été validée avec succès sur des données simulées ainsi que sur des images IVUS de modèles d'artère réalisés en PVA-c. Notons que cette technique a été brevetée. Le développement des nouvelles modalités d'imagerie telles que l'OCT, l'IVUS-HD ne permettent pas de mesurer les déformations sur la totalité d'une section d'artère. En effet, pour de telles techniques d'imagerie, le signal ne pénètre pas toute la paroi artérielle, mais simplement la couche endoluminale (appelée aussi domaine de palpographie). C'est pourquoi, dans la deuxième partie de mon travail, j'ai proposé une nouvelle approche - s'inspirant de travaux déjà effectués au laboratoire - permettant de reconstruire la cartographie du module d'Young du domaine de palpographie. De nombreux algorithmes tentent de déterminer les géométries ainsi que les propriétés mécaniques des plaques d'athéromes. Cependant, il reste difficile de valider les codes de calculs car il est rare de disposer à la fois: des images IVUS, des coupes anatomiques et des mesures de rigidité des différents constituants de la plaque. Afin d'obtenir ces jeux complets de données, j'ai créé un banc expérimental permettant la réalisation de mesures IVUS, AFM et histologiques ex-vivo. Les deux dernières parties de ce travail mettent en avant le nombre important de résultats expérimentaux obtenus sur des artères réalisées en PVA-c ainsi que sur des aortes pathologiques et saines de lapins Watanabe. La validation de mes deux techniques précédentes de caractérisation ont été effectuées à l'aide de ce banc expérimental mis en place en collaboration avec l'université de Montréal. / Estimation of mechanical properties of atherosclerosis plaque from endovascular echography data: Revisited palpography technic. The main aim of my works was to develop and propose biomechanical tools based on intravascular (IVUS) sequences to detect and characterize vulnerable coronary atherosclerosis plaques. In the first part of my PhD thesis, I revisited the palpography technique proposed by Céspedes et al. and initially published in Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology in 2000. Céspedes et al. developed the elasticity-palpography approach which allows a fast wall stiffness quantification based on the arterial strain and blood pressure measurements. However, this technique suffers of major limitations since it has been developed for homogeneous, isotropic, quasi incompressible, circular and concentric atherosclerotic plaques, only. Therefore in the current study, the native palpography technique was successfully revisited and improved to account for complex plaque and arbitrary palpography domain geometries. The revisited elasticity-palpography technique was successfully applied to six coronary lesions of patients imaged in vivo with intravascular ultrasound (IVUS). Validation of this method was conducted on simulated data and on IVUS sequences performed on PVA-c phantoms. This new IVUS technique, which successfully estimates the vessel compliance, has been patented. One major limitation of the elasticity reconstruction method proposed recently by our collaborative laboratories (Le Floch et al., Ultrasound Med Bio 2012) is the need to quantify accurately the strain field in the entire lesion. Such global strain-elastogram may be often difficult to extract when using intravascular imaging techniques (as OCT or HD-IVUS ) with limited depth penetration signals or due to the fact that the amplitude of the original signal becomes attenuated as the depth of penetration increases. Therefore, in the second part of my PhD manuscript I revisited and improved our previous approach to reconstruct the Young's modulus map (i.e. modulogram) from strain-elastogram estimated in the limited endoluminal plaque region. This improved approach was successfully tested on IVUS sequences obtained in patients with stable angina and scheduled to undergo percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) at the Hôpital Cardiologique et Pneumologique of Lyon. The robustness and performance of the new approach was investigated with regard to noise which may affect prediction of plaque morphology and elasticity. This study demonstrates the potential of the new IVUS modulography technique based on the proposed elasticity reconstruction method to detect vulnerable plaques in vivo. In the last part of my PhD thesis I described the animal protocol developed in our laboratory to analyze the performance of the proposed new morphology and elasticity IVUS reconstruction techniques. A complete set of data (plaque morphology and elasticity) was acquired ex vivo using atherosclerotic aorta of Watanabe rabbits. Several IVUS, histology, AFM and µacoustic measurements were performed on such artery sections. This protocol is detailed and the preliminary data and elasticity reconstruction maps are presented.

Os stents são dispositivos intravasculares implantados com o objetivo de dilatar ou fixar a placa de colesterol contra a parede arterial. O objetivo avaliar dois tipos de stents de aço inoxidável, um recoberto com poliéster (dacron) e outro não recoberto, implantados na aorta infra-renal de suínos jovens, foram avaliados por morfometria digital para medir o espessamento intimal. Foi realizado um estudo experimental randomizado, separados em dois grupos(stents não revestidos e revestidos com dacron) e duas fases (I e II). Oito stents recobertos com dacron e oito stents de aço inoxidável (30mm de extensão e 8 mm de diâmetro), não revestidos, foram implantados através de abordagem retroperitoneal na aorta infrarenal normal de 16 suínos normolipêmicos. Para a passagem do sistema de implante, foi necessário uma pequena arteriotomia na aorta distal (fase I). Após quatro semanas, a aorta com os stents foram removidas em monoblocos (fase II). Os valores de hematimetria e do lipidograma foram coletados nas duas fases e não apresentaram alterações que pudessem influenciar o estudo. Amostras de tecido dos sítios de fixação (proximal e distal) dos stents foram retiradas, confeccionadas lâminas, que foram coradas pelas técnicas de hematoxilina e eosina de Verhoeff e enviadas para análise morfométrica digital. A camada intima distal não apresentou diferença estatística significativa. A camada média proximal das porções proximal e da porção distal não apresentaram diferença entre os grupos. Os dois tipos de stents apresentaram 100% de perviedade, boa biocompatibilidade e boa incorporação a parede aórtica de suínos normolipêmicos. A camada íntima proximal do grupo de stents revestidos com dacron apresentou espessura maior do que os stents não revestidos, mas com significância estatísitica limítrofe. / Stents are intravascular devices implanted with the objective of dilating or fixing the cholesterol plate against the arterial wall. To evaluate, by digital morphometry, the intimal thickening after the placement of two different kinds of stents: polyester covered stainless steel stents (Dacron) and non-covered stents implanted in young pigs’ infrarenal aortas. The stents were made at the Biotransformation Laboratory of Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul. The experiment was performed at the Biotério of University of Caxias do Sul, carried out on two separate groups of pigs. Eight polyester-covered stainless steel stents (Dacron) and eight stainless steel stents (30-mm long, 8-mm diameter) were deployed through extraperitoneal approach in the normal infrarenal aorta of 16 normolipemic pigs. To allow the passage of the delivery system, a small arteriotomy was performed (phase I). After four weeks, the aorta with the stent was removed en bloc. (phase II). The values of the hematimetric and lipid analysis did not show any changes that could influence the study. Tissue samples of the fixing sites (proximal and distal) of the stents were taken. Microscope slices were prepared and submitted to Verhoeff’s hematoxilin and eosin techniques and sent to morphometric analysis.The intima immediately proximal to the device was thicker in the group of covered stents with marginal significance. The distal intimal layer, proximal medial layer of the proximal portion and distal portion did not present statistical difference between the two groups. Patency was 100% in both groups of these normolipemic pigs. After four weeks the intimal layer immediately proximal to the covered stents was ticker when compared to uncovered stents, but this had a borderline significance. The intimal layer distal to covered stents and the media proximal or distal to the devices had similar morphometric features when covered and uncovered stents where compared.

La morphologie des os humains varie en fonction du sexe, de l'âge et de l'ethnie. Cette variabilité de l'anatomie humaine peut aider à déterminer le sexe, l'âge et l'ethnie. Les outils utilisés pour de telles analyses sont classiquement des méthodes ostéométriques (longueur, angle, rapport de longueur) qui peuvent être sujettes à des biais d'analyse ou d'interprétation. L'analyse morphométrique géométrique 3D (MG) permet de limiter ces biais. Elle étudie et compare la forme d'un ou plusieurs objets en éliminant les effets liés à la taille de celui-ci. Nous n'avons pas retrouvé d'analyse du dimorphisme sexuel, ethnique et lié à l'âge de l'extrémité distale du fémur à l'aide de cette méthode. Le fémur est pourtant un des plus gros os du corps et il est souvent bien conservé dans les restes humains. L'objectif de ce travail était de montrer qu'il existe une différence de forme du fémur distal en fonction de l'âge, du sexe et de l'ethnie visualisable grâce à MG. Nous avons réalisé une MG de 482 scanners d'extrémité distale de fémur de sujets vivant dans le sud de la France et dans la région de Chongqing (chine). Les sujets présentant une pathologie osseuse ou articulaires ont été exclus. Dix landmarks ont été positionnés sur des reconstructions tridimentionelles. Nous avons également réalisé une analyse ostéométrique " classique " en plus de MG afin d'évaluer la vraisemblance de nos résultats. Les données ont été analysées par deux observateurs à deux temps différents. Nous avons calculé pour chaque landmark la variabilité inter et intraobservateur. Les landmarks choisis permettaient de caractériser la forme de l'extrémité distale du fémur. La première étape a consisté en la réalisation d'une analyse généralisée procrustre (GPA). Les coordonnées dans l'espace des landmarks ont été analysées en utilisant une analyse en composant principal (PCA). Une analyse discriminante a permis de vérifier le pourcentage de cas dans lequel le sexe, l'âge ou l'ethnie estimés étaient les bons. GPA retrouve une différence de forme statistiquement significative entre les sexes, en fonction de l'âge et entre les ethnies. PCA retrouve une différence de forme en fonction de l'âge, du sexe ou de l'ethnie qui représente respectivement 54,4 ;58,6 et 61,9% de la variabilité observée. Les taux d'assignement correct avec cette méthode étaient de 80% (âge) ; 77,3% (sexe) et 82 % (l'ethnie). L'analyse ostéométrique " classique " retrouvait des valeurs comparables à celles retrouvées dans la littérature. Le pourcentage d'erreur intra et inter observateur pour l'ensemble des landmarks n'excédait jamais 2%. Nous avons démontré que l'analyse MG du fémur distal permettait de mettre en évidence une variabilité en fonction du sexe, de l'âge et de l'ethnie de ce segment osseux. La reproductibilité élevée et la vraisemblance des résultats valident notre méthodologie. Cette différence de forme a des retombées directes en anthropobiologie mais aussi en orthopédie. Cette méthode d'assignation ne donne pas de résultats suffisamment précis pour être utilisée seule. Cependant, elle a l'avantage de pouvoir être utilisée dans des contextes d'autopsie virtuelle ou in vivo. Par ailleurs, par la présente étude nous réactualisons les données morphométriques de population contemporaine du sud de la France et aussi de la région de Chongqing en chine. Cette méthodologie adéquate et reproductible va permettre de réaliser des comparaisons diachroniques ainsi qu'inter ethnique. La validation de l'utilisation d'examen d'imagerie médicaux ouvre un champ nouveau en anthropologie physique. En ce qui concerne l'aspect orthopédique, cette variabilité questionne sur la nécessité ou non d'implant spécifique et surtout sur la nécessité de réévaluer de manière régulière la forme des prothèses de genou. / The shape of human bones varies based on age, sex and ethnicity. This variability in human anatomy can be used to determine a person's age, sex and ethnicity. Historically, the tools used for such analyses are osteometric methods (length, angle, length ratio) that can be plagued by analysis or interpretation biases. Three-dimensional geometric morphometric analysis (3D GM) can limit the impact of these biases. It is used to describe and compare the general shape of one or more objects by eliminating any size-related effects. To the best of our knowledge, this method has never been used to analyse the sexual dimorphism, ethnicity-related and age-related differences in the distal femur. The femur is one of the longest human bones and is often well preserved in human remains. The goal of this study was to demonstrate differences in the shape of the distal femur according to age, sex and ethnicity using GM. We carried out 3D GM on 482 CT scans of the distal femur of adults living in the South of France and in the Chongqing region of China. Subjects with bone or joint pathologies were excluded. Ten landmarks were defined on 3D reconstructions of the distal femur. A standard osteometric analysis was performed in addition to the GM analysis to evaluate the plausibility of our results. The data were analysed by two observers at two different times. This allowed us to calculate the inter- and intra-observer variability for each landmark. The chosen landmarks were used to characterise the shape of the distal femur. The first step consisted of a generalized Procrustes analysis (GPA). The landmarks' coordinates in space were analysed using a principal component analysis (PCA). A discriminant analysis was performed to determine the percentage of cases in which the sex, age or ethnicity was correctly estimated. The GPA found a statistically significant difference in the distal femur shape between different sexes, ethnicity groups and age groups. The PCA found that age, sex and ethnicity accounted for 54.4%, 58.6% and 61.9% of the observed variability in distal femur shape, respectively. Using this method, 80% of cases were assigned the correct age, 77.3% the correct sex and 82% the correct ethnic group. The results of the osteometric analysis were comparable to published values. The percentage error for the intra- and interobserver comparisons for all the landmarks was always less than 2%. In this study, MG analysis of the distal femur revealed age-related, sex-related and ethnicity-related variability in the distal femur. The high reproducibility and plausibility of our results validate our methodology. These shape differences have direct implications for anthropobiology and also orthopaedics. Although this method is not sufficiently accurate to be used alone, it has the advantage of being usable in the context of virtual or in vivo autopsy cases. Moreover, this study has updated the morphometric data for a modern population in the south of France and the Chongqing region of China. This reliable and accurate methodology can be used to perform diachronic and interethnic comparisons. Validation of this medical imaging modality opens new avenues in physical anthropology research. In the orthopaedics field, this variability means that the shape of implants used for knee arthroplasty should be re-assessed regularly and brings into question the need for gender-specific or ethnicity-specific implants.