Kinematic and Electromyographic Analysis of the functional role of the body axis during Terrestrial and Aquatic Locomotion in the Salamander Ambystoma Tigrinum

1992 ◽  
Vol 162 (1) ◽  
pp. 107-130 ◽  
Author(s):  
LARRY M. FROLICH ◽  
ANDREW A. BIEWENER
Keyword(s):  
Muscle Activity ◽  
Functional Role ◽  
The Body ◽  
Ambystoma Tigrinum ◽  
Terrestrial Locomotion ◽  
Aquatic Locomotion ◽  
Wave Patterns ◽  
Axial Morphology ◽  
Electromyographic Analysis

Aquatic neotenic and terrestrial metamorphosed salamanders {Ambystoma tigrinum) were videotaped simultaneously with electromyographic (EMG) recording from five epaxial myotomes along the animal's trunk during swimming in a flow tank and trotting on a treadmill to investigate axial function during aquatic and terrestrial locomotion. Neotenic and metamorphosed individuals swim using very similar axial wave patterns, despite significant differences in axial morphology. During swimming, both forms exhibit traveling waves of axial flexion and muscle activity, with an increasing EMG-mechanical delay as these waves travel down the trunk. In contrast to swimming, during trotting metamorphosed individuals exhibit a standing wave of axial flexion produced by synchronous activation of ipsilateral epaxial myotomes along the trunk. Thus, metamorphosed individuals employ two distinct axial motor programs -- one used during swimming and one used during trotting. The transition from a traveling axial wave during swimming to a standing axial wave during trotting in A. tigrinum may be an appropriate analogy for similar transitions in axial locomotor function during theoriginal evolution of terrestriality in early tetrapods.

The Role of the ‘Walking Legs’ in Aquatic and Terrestrial Locomotion of the Crayfish Austropotamobius Pallipes (Lereboullet)

1975 ◽  
Vol 62 (2) ◽  
pp. 447-454 ◽  
Author(s):  
CAROLINE M. POND
Keyword(s):  
The Body ◽  
Hydrodynamic Drag ◽  
Terrestrial Locomotion ◽  
Austropotamobius Pallipes ◽  
The Third ◽  
Fourth Pair

1. The hydrodynamic drag acting on the crayfish Austropotamobius pallipes is measured and it is concluded that, in the range of velocities used in walking, the drag is independent of the posture of the limbs and the direction of motion of the body. At swimming velocities the streamlining caused by promotion of the legs reduces the drag losses to half that of a crayfish moving in the forwards walking posture at the same speed. 2. The forwards walking of intact crayfish is compared with that of the same animal after amputation of one or more pairs of legs. It is concluded that the third and fourth pair of legs provide most of the propulsion under water and the second pair is not essential to locomotion under any of the conditions tried.

Mechanics of the fast-start: muscle function and the role of intramuscular pressure in the escape behavior of amia calva and polypterus palmas

1998 ◽  
Vol 201 (22) ◽  
pp. 3041-3055 ◽  
Author(s):  
MW Westneat ◽  
ME Hale ◽  
MJ Mchenry ◽  
JH Long
Keyword(s):  
Muscle Activity ◽  
Escape Response ◽  
Muscle Force ◽  
Escape Behavior ◽  
Pressure Change ◽  
The Body ◽  
Intramuscular Pressure ◽  
Fast Start ◽  
Amia Calva

The fast-start escape response is a rapid, powerful body motion used to generate high accelerations of the body in virtually all fishes. Although the neurobiology and behavior of the fast-start are often studied, the patterns of muscle activity and muscle force production during escape are less well understood. We studied the fast-starts of two basal actinopterygian fishes (Amia calva and Polypterus palmas) to investigate the functional morphology of the fast-start and the role of intramuscular pressure (IMP) in escape behavior. Our goals were to determine whether IMP increases during fast starts, to look for associations between muscle activity and elevated IMP, and to determine the functional role of IMP in the mechanics of the escape response. We simultaneously recorded the kinematics, muscle activity patterns and IMP of four A. calva and three P. palmas during the escape response. Both species generated high IMPs of up to 90 kPa (nearly 1 atmosphere) above ambient during the fast-start. The two species showed similar pressure magnitudes but had significantly different motor patterns and escape performance. Stage 1 of the fast-start was generated by simultaneous contraction of locomotor muscle on both sides of the body, although electromyogram amplitudes on the contralateral (convex) side of the fish were significantly lower than on the ipsilateral (concave) side. Simultaneous recordings of IMP, escape motion and muscle activity suggest that pressure change is caused by the contraction and radial swelling of cone-shaped myomeres. We develop a model of IMP production that incorporates myomere geometry, the concept of constant-volume muscular hydrostats, the relationship between fiber angle and muscle force, and the forces that muscle fibers produce. The timing profile of pressure change, behavior and muscle action indicates that elevated muscle pressure is a mechanism of stiffening the body and functions in force transmission during the escape response.

Functional Role of Peptidergic Anterior Lobe Neurons in Male Sexual Behavior of the Snail Lymnaea stagnalis

1997 ◽  
Vol 78 (6) ◽  
pp. 2823-2833 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pamela A.C.M. De Boer ◽  
Andries Ter Maat ◽  
Anton W. Pieneman ◽  
Roger P. Croll ◽  
Makoto Kurokawa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Behavior ◽  
Functional Role ◽  
Lymnaea Stagnalis ◽  
Anterior Lobe ◽  
The Body ◽  
Specific Element ◽  
Male Sexual Behavior ◽  
Implanted Electrodes

De Boer, Pamela A.C.M., Andries Ter Maat, Anton W. Pieneman, Roger P. Croll, Makoto Kurokawa, and René F. Jansen. Functional role of peptidergic anterior lobe neurons in male sexual behavior of the snail Lymnaea stagnalis. J. Neurophysiol. 78: 2823–2833, 1997. A morphologically defined group of peptidergic neurons in the CNS of the hermaphroditic snail, Lymnaea stagnalis, is concerned with the control of a very specific element of male sexual behavior. These neurons are located in the anterior lobe of the right cerebral ganglion (rAL). By using chronically implanted electrodes, we show that the rAL neurons are selectively active during eversion of the penis-carrying structure, the preputium. The preputium is normally contained inside the body cavity and is everted during copulation in the male role. Electrical stimulation of the rAL neurons through the implanted electrodes, induced eversion of the preputium in vivo. Injection of APGWamide (Ala-Pro-Gly-Try-NH2), a small neuropeptide that is present in all rAL neurons, induced eversion of the preputium. Application of APGWamide to in vitro preparations of the preputium caused relaxation of this organ. In contrast, injection of the neuropeptide conopressin, which is co-localized with APGWamide in 60% of the rAL neurons, did not induce any behavior associated with male sexual activities. These results show that the neurons of the rAL can induce an eversion of the preputium as occurs during male copulation by release of APGWamide during a period of electrical activity.

Environmental effects on undulatory locomotion in the American eel Anguilla rostrata: kinematics in water and on land

1998 ◽  
Vol 201 (7) ◽  
pp. 949-961 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. B. Gillis
Keyword(s):  
Muscle Activity ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Activity Patterns ◽  
The Body ◽  
Anguilla Rostrata ◽  
American Eel ◽  
Terrestrial Locomotion ◽  
Average Maximum ◽  
Undulatory Locomotion ◽  
Longitudinal Position

Historically, the study of swimming eels (genus Anguilla) has been integral to our understanding of the mechanics and muscle activity patterns used by fish to propel themselves in the aquatic environment. However, no quantitative kinematic analysis has been reported for these animals. Additionally, eels are known to make transient terrestrial excursions, and in the past it has been presumed (but never tested) that the patterns of undulatory movement used terrestrially are similar to those used during swimming. In this study, high-speed video was used to characterize the kinematic patterns of undulatory locomotion in water and on land in the American eel Anguilla rostrata. During swimming, eels show a nonlinear increase in the amplitude of lateral undulations along their bodies, reaching an average maximum of 0.08L, where L is total length, at the tip of the tail. However, in contrast to previous observations, the most anterior regions of their bodies do not undergo significant undulation. In addition, a temporal lag (typically 10–15 % of an undulatory cycle) exists between maximal flexion and displacement at any given longitudinal position. Swimming speed does not have a consistent effect on this lag or on the stride length (distance moved per tailbeat) of the animal. Speed does have subtle (although statistically insignificant) effects on the patterns of undulatory amplitude and intervertebral flexion along the body. On land, eels also use lateral undulations to propel themselves; however, their entire bodies are typically bent into waves, and the undulatory amplitude at all body positions is significantly greater than during swimming at equivalent speeds. The temporal lag between flexion and displacement seen during swimming is not present during terrestrial locomotion. While eels cannot move forwards as quickly on land as they do in water, they do increase locomotor speed with increasing tailbeat frequency. The clear kinematic distinctions present between aquatic and terrestrial locomotor sequences suggest that eels might be using different axial muscle activity patterns to locomote in the different environments.

scholarly journals Tiger Salamanders (Ambystoma tigrinum) Increase Foot Contact Surface Area on Challenging Substrates During Terrestrial Locomotion

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine M Vega ◽  
Miriam A Ashley-Ross
Keyword(s):  
Surface Area ◽  
Natural Variation ◽  
Field Studies ◽  
Ambystoma Tigrinum ◽  
Tiger Salamander ◽  
Heterogeneous Environments ◽  
Locomotor Performance ◽  
Terrestrial Locomotion ◽  
Tiger Salamanders

Synopsis Animals live in heterogeneous environments must navigate in order to forage or capture food, defend territories, and locate mates. These heterogeneous environments have a variety of substrates that differ in their roughness, texture, and other properties, all of which may alter locomotor performance. Despite such natural variation in substrate, many studies on locomotion use noncompliant surfaces that either are unrepresentative of the range of substrates experienced by species or underestimate maximal locomotor capabilities. The goal of this study was to determine the role of forefeet and hindfeet on substrates with different properties during walking in a generalized sprawling tetrapod, the tiger salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum). Adult salamanders (n = 4, SVL = 11.2–14.6 cm) walked across level dry sand (DS), semi-soft plaster of Paris (PoP), wet sand (WS), and a hard, noncompliant surface (table)—substrates that vary in compliance. Trials were filmed in dorsal and anterior views. Videos were analyzed to determine the number of digits and surface area of each foot in contact with the substrate. The surface area of the forelimbs contacting the substrate was significantly greater on DS and PoP than on WS and the table. The surface area of the hindlimbs contacting the substrate was significantly greater on DS than on all other substrates. There were no significant differences in the time that the fore- or hindfeet were in contact with the substrate as determined by the number of digits. We conclude that salamanders modulate the use of their feet depending on the substrate, particularly on DS which is known to increase the mechanical work and energy expended during locomotion owing to the fluid nature of its loose particles. More studies are needed to test a wider range of substrates and to incorporate behavioral data from field studies to get a better understanding of how salamanders are affected by different substrates in their natural environment.

scholarly journals Electromyography of the fin musculature of the cuttlefish Sepia officinalis

1989 ◽  
Vol 143 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-31 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. M. Kier ◽  
K. K. Smith ◽  
J. A. Miyan
Keyword(s):  
Connective Tissue ◽  
Muscle Activity ◽  
Functional Role ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Muscle Fibres ◽  
Sepia Officinalis ◽  
Critical Test ◽  
Dimensional Array ◽  
Movement Monitoring

The musculature of the fins of the cuttlefish Sepia officinalis (Mollusca, Cephalopoda) was studied with electromyography to test predictions of the functional role of the various muscle masses. Previous research had shown the fins to consist of a tightly packed, three-dimensional array of muscle with distinct zones of anaerobic glycolytic and oxidative muscle fibres. In addition, a network of crossed oblique connective tissue fibres was observed within the musculature. In a previous paper a model of the function of the muscle and connective tissue was presented. In the present paper, we present recordings of electrical activity from the various muscle bundles in the fin, in conjunction with the output from an electronic movement-monitoring device, and correlate muscle activity with both the phase and the intensity of the fin-beat cycle. The results obtained here support the hypothesis that the oxidative muscle fibres produce gentle fin movements and are consistent with the hypothesis that the network of crossed oblique connective tissue fibres provides skeletal support. The results also support predictions that the anaerobic glycolytic muscle fibres both produce vigorous fin movements and provide support for that movement. This study provides a critical test of models of the role of the tightly packed, three-dimensional array of muscle found in muscular hydrostats such as the arms and tentacles of cephalopods and tongues of mammals and lizards.

scholarly journals 45 Opportunity with functional role of supplemental amino acids

2019 ◽  
Vol 97 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 24-24
Author(s):  
Yanbin Shen ◽  
Sung Woo Kim
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Amino Acid ◽  
Social Stress ◽  
Functional Role ◽  
Building Blocks ◽  
Animal Production ◽  
The Body ◽  
Technological Advancement ◽  
Crystalline Amino Acids

Abstract The technological advancement in production of crystalline amino acids has driven the cost of crystalline amino acids down significantly and facilitated the wide use of crystalline amino acids in food animal production. The primary reason of use of crystalline amino acids in am animal’s diet is to provide dietary essential nutrients for protein synthesis and to balance the diet and reduce dietary cost. Extensive researches with amino acids have greatly enabled such use. As a result, most swine diets today are formulated with 3 or 4 supplemental amino acids. However, the economical return on including beyond 4 supplemental amino acids becomes low and thus discourages the use of more than 4 supplemental amino acids for dietary saving purpose. The use of the functional role of amino acids might bear the new opportunity for amino acids. Tryptophan has unique physiological functions involving synthesize serotonin in the body. Increasing tryptophan intake is shown to elevate serotonin synthesis in the brain of pigs and reduce stress and improve performance of pigs under social stress. Research shows that methionine is used as a precursor of glutathione to protect intestinal mucosa from oxidative damages during weaning stress. Arginine, glutamine, and glutamate are shown to have functions in cell proliferation, potentially improving intestinal and immune function of nursery pigs and preventing loss of lean body mass in the sow. Leucine is a ketogenic amino acid. The carbon skeleton of leucine is converted to acetylCoA, which could be used for fatty acid synthesis in muscle tissue. Research showed that intramuscular fat was increased by feeding high dietary leucine levels. Overall, the different functions of individual AA beyond their roles as the building blocks for proteins give additional opportunities of amino acid application in animal production.

scholarly journals ADrosophilalarval premotor/motor neuron connectome generating two behaviors via distinct spatio-temporal muscle activity

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aref Arzan Zarin ◽  
Brandon Mark ◽  
Albert Cardona ◽  
Ashok Litwin-Kumar ◽  
Chris Q. Doe
Keyword(s):  
Motor Neurons ◽  
Muscle Activity ◽  
Recurrent Network ◽  
The Body ◽  
Temporal Muscle ◽  
Motor Circuits ◽  
Premotor Neurons ◽  
Spatio Temporal ◽  
Locomotor Behaviors

AbstractAnimals generate diverse motor behaviors, yet how the same motor neurons generate distinct behaviors remains an open question.Drosophilalarvae have multiple behaviors – e.g. forward crawling, backward crawling, self-righting and escape – and all of the body wall motor neurons (MNs) driving these behaviors have been identified. Despite impressive progress in mapping larval motor circuits, the role of most motor neurons in locomotion remains untested, the majority of premotor neurons (PMNs) remain to be identified, and a full understanding of proprioceptor-PMN-MN connectivity is missing. Here we report a comprehensive larval proprioceptor-PMN-MN connectome; describe individual muscle/MN phase activity during both forward and backward locomotor behaviors; identify PMN-MN connectivity motifs that could generate muscle activity phase relationships, plus selected experimental validation; identify proprioceptor-PMN connectivity that provides an anatomical explanation for the role of proprioception in promoting locomotor velocity; and identify a new candidate escape motor circuit. Finally, we generate a recurrent network model that produces the observed sequence of motor activity, showing that the identified pool of premotor neurons is sufficient to generate two distinct larval behaviors. We conclude that different locomotor behaviors can be generated by a specific group of premotor neurons generating behavior-specific motor rhythms.

The Role of Polyphenols in the Modulation of Plasma Non-Enzymatic Antioxidant Capacity (NEAC)

2012 ◽  
Vol 82 (3) ◽  
pp. 228-232 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mauro Serafini ◽  
Giuseppa Morabito
Keyword(s):  
Antioxidant Capacity ◽  
Dietary Intervention ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
The Body ◽  
Dietary Polyphenols ◽  
Enzymatic Antioxidant ◽  
Endogenous Antioxidant

Dietary polyphenols have been shown to scavenge free radicals, modulating cellular redox transcription factors in different in vitro and ex vivo models. Dietary intervention studies have shown that consumption of plant foods modulates plasma Non-Enzymatic Antioxidant Capacity (NEAC), a biomarker of the endogenous antioxidant network, in human subjects. However, the identification of the molecules responsible for this effect are yet to be obtained and evidences of an antioxidant in vivo action of polyphenols are conflicting. There is a clear discrepancy between polyphenols (PP) concentration in body fluids and the extent of increase of plasma NEAC. The low degree of absorption and the extensive metabolism of PP within the body have raised questions about their contribution to the endogenous antioxidant network. This work will discuss the role of polyphenols from galenic preparation, food extracts, and selected dietary sources as modulators of plasma NEAC in humans.

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