Jumping and kicking in the false stick insectProsarthria teretrirostris: kinematics and motor control

2002 ◽  
Vol 205 (11) ◽  
pp. 1519-1530 ◽  
Author(s):  
Malcolm Burrows ◽  
Harald Wolf

SUMMARYThe false stick insect Prosarthria teretrirostris looks and behaves like a real stick insect but can jump and kick rapidly and powerfully like a locust, to which it is more closely related. It has an elongated body with slender hind legs that are some 2.5 times longer than the front and middle legs. A male with a body 67 mm long and weighing 0.28 g can jump 90 cm with a take-off angle of 40° and velocity of 2.5 ms-1,requiring an energy expenditure of 850 μJ. The body is accelerated at 165 ms-2 for only 30 ms. The larger and heavier females (mean body length 104 mm and weighing 1.5 g) can jump on average a distance of 49 cm.During jumping, the tibiae of the hind legs are extended in 30 ms with maximum rotational velocities of 11.5° per ms, but during kicking, when there is no body weight to support, extension is complete in 7 ms with rotational velocities as high as 48° per ms. The short time available to accelerate the body indicates that the movements are not powered by direct muscle contractions and that there must be storage of elastic energy in advance. The motor patterns responsible for generating the necessary forces in the hind legs for jumping and kicking are similar and consist of three phases;an initial flexion of the tibia is followed by a co-contraction of the small flexor and large extensor tibiae muscles lasting several hundred milliseconds while the tibia remains fully flexed. Finally, the flexor motor neurons stop spiking so that the tibia is able to extend rapidly. The small semi-lunar processes at the femoro-tibial joints are not distorted, so that they cannot act as energy stores. Some 7% of the energy is stored transiently by bending the thin tibiae during the initial acceleration phase of a jump and releasing it just before take-off.The jumping and kicking mechanisms of Prosarthria teretrirostrishave features in common with those used by locusts but also have their own characteristics. The evolution of jumping in Orthoptera is discussed in this context.

2021 ◽  
pp. 73-140
Author(s):  
Michael A. Arbib

Architects design spaces that offer perceptual cues, affordances, for our various effectivities. Lina Bo Bardi’s São Paulo Museum demonstrates how praxic and contemplative actions are interleaved—space is effective and affective. Navigation often extends beyond wayfinding to support ongoing behavior. Scripts set out the general rules for a particular kind of behavior, and may suggest places that a building must provide. Cognitive maps support wayfinding. Other maps in the brain represent sensory or motor patterns of activity. Juhani Pallasmaa’s reflections on The Thinking Hand lead into a view of how the brain mediates that thinking, modeling hand–eye coordination at two levels. The first coordinates perceptual and motor schemas. The body schema is an adaptable collage of perceptual and motor skills. The second coordinates the ventral “what” pathway that can support planning of actions, and the dorsal “how” pathway that links affordance-related details to motor control. A complementary challenge is understanding how schemas in the head relate to social schemas. Finally, the chapter compares the cognitive challenges in designing a building and in developing a computational brain model of cognitive processes.


1964 ◽  
Vol 15 (6) ◽  
pp. 989 ◽  
Author(s):  
WG Allden ◽  
RS Young

The influence of previous nutrition on both the intake of herbage and the body weight changes of grazing sheep was examined in two field experiments. In the first experiment, herbage intake and weight changes were compared at different stocking rates (three, six, and nine sheep per acre). The second experiment was designed to examine the influence of previous undernutrition on the digestive capacity of sheep and on their rate of consumption of herbage in the field. As compared with previously better-fed sheep under similar grazing conditions, the previously undernourished animals showed a capacity to compensate for their nutritional handicap at all stocking rates. Within a short time they reduced the body weight advantage held by their better-fed mates to a non-significant margin. Compensatory growth was associated with a significantly (up to 20%) greater herbage intake by the undernourished animals, but this higher feed intake did not cause an increase in wool production. Undernutrition did not influence the apparent digestibility of a diet, but was associated with an increased rate of herbage consumption under field conditions.


2005 ◽  
Vol 93 (6) ◽  
pp. 3177-3188 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark A. Masino ◽  
Joseph R. Fetcho

Larval zebrafish provide a unique model for investigating the mechanisms involved in generating rhythmic patterns of behavior, such as swimming, due to the array of techniques available including genetics, optical imaging, and conventional electrophysiology. Because electrophysiological and imaging studies of rhythmic motor behaviors in paralyzed preparations depend on the ability to monitor the central motor pattern, we developed a fictive preparation in which the activity of axial motor neurons was monitored using extracellular recordings from peripheral nerves. We examined spontaneous and light induced fictive motor patterns in wild type and mutant larval zebrafish (4–6 days post-fertilization) paralyzed with curare. All spontaneous and light-induced preparations produced alternation of motor activity from side-to-side (mean contralateral phase = 50.7 ± 7.0%; mean burst frequency = 35.6 ± 4.7 Hz) and a progression of activity from head-to-tail (mean ipsilateral rostrocaudal delay = 0.8 ± 0.5 ms per segment), consistent with lateral undulation and forward propulsion during swimming, respectively. The basic properties of the motor pattern were similar in spontaneous and light-induced swimming. This fictive preparation can be used in combination with conventional electrophysiological and imaging methods to investigate normal circuit function as well as to elucidate functional deficits in mutant lines. Toward this end, we show that two accordion class mutants, accordion and bandoneon, have alternating activity on opposite sides of the body, contradicting the hypothesis that their deficit results from the absence of the reciprocal glycinergic inhibition that is typically found in the spinal cord of swimming vertebrates.


2014 ◽  
Vol 84 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 5-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eun Y. Jung ◽  
Sung C. Jun ◽  
Un J. Chang ◽  
Hyung J. Suh

Previously, we have found that the addition of L-ascorbic acid to chitosan enhanced the reduction in body weight gain in guinea pigs fed a high-fat diet. We hypothesized that the addition of L-ascorbic acid to chitosan would accelerate the reduction of body weight in humans, similar to the animal model. Overweight subjects administered chitosan with or without L-ascorbic acid for 8 weeks, were assigned to three groups: Control group (N = 26, placebo, vehicle only), Chito group (N = 27, 3 g/day chitosan), and Chito-vita group (N = 27, 3 g/day chitosan plus 2 g/day L-ascorbic acid). The body weights and body mass index (BMI) of the Chito and Chito-vita groups decreased significantly (p < 0.05) compared to the Control group. The BMI of the Chito-vita group decreased significantly compared to the Chito group (Chito: -1.0 kg/m2 vs. Chito-vita: -1.6 kg/m2, p < 0.05). The results showed that the chitosan enhanced reduction of body weight and BMI was accentuated by the addition of L-ascorbic acid. The fat mass, percentage body fat, body circumference, and skinfold thickness in the Chito and Chito-vita groups decreased more than the Control group; however, these parameters were not significantly different between the three groups. Chitosan combined with L-ascorbic acid may be useful for controlling body weight.


2020 ◽  
Vol 99 (6) ◽  
pp. 271-276

Introduction: Prevalence of obesity is 30 % in the Czech Republic and is expected to increase further in the future. This disease complicates surgical procedures but also the postoperative period. The aim of our paper is to present the surgical technique called hand-assisted laparoscopic nephrectomy (HALS), used in surgical management of kidney cancer in morbid obese patients with BMI >40 kg/m2. Methods: The basic cohort of seven patients with BMI >40 undergoing HALS nephrectomy was retrospectively evaluated. Demographic data were analyzed (age, gender, body weight, height, BMI and comorbidities). The perioperative course (surgery time, blood loss, ICU time, hospital stay and early complications), tumor characteristics (histology, TNM classification, tumor size, removed kidney size) and postoperative follow-up were evaluated. Results: The patient age was 38−67 years; the cohort included 2 females and 5 males, the body weight was 117−155 kg and the BMI was 40.3−501 kg/m2. Surgery time was 73−98 minutes, blood loss was 20−450 ml, and hospital stay was 5−7 days; incisional hernia occurred in one patient. Kidney cancer was confirmed in all cases, 48–110 mm in diameter, and the largest removed specimen size was 210×140×130 mm. One patient died just 9 months after the surgery because of metastatic disease; the tumor-free period in the other patients currently varies between 1 and 5 years. Conclusion: HALS nephrectomy seems to be a suitable and safe surgical technique in complicated patients like these morbid obese patients. HALS nephrectomy provides acceptable surgical and oncological results.


Author(s):  
E.P. Dolgov ◽  
◽  
A.A. Abramov ◽  
E.V. Kuzminova ◽  
E.V. Rogaleva ◽  
...  

The article presents the data on the study of the influence of mycotoxins combination (T-2 toxin at the concentration of 0.095 mg/kg and aflatoxin B1 in the concentration of 0.019 mg/kg) on the body of quails and the results of pharmacocorrection of toxicosis with a complex consisting of beet pulp and lecithin. Structural changes in the intestines of quais at fodder mycotoxicosis are described. The use of antitoxic feed additives in poultry led to a weakening of the action of xenobiotics, which was confirmed by an increase in the safety of poultry and increase in body weight of quails, a decrease in the clinical manifestations of intoxication, as well as in positive changes in the structure of the intestine of the poultry during histological examination.


Author(s):  
Hawraa M. Murad ◽  
Tamadhur Hani Hussein ◽  
Audai Sulaiman Khudhair ◽  
Manal Muhi Murad ◽  
Jawad Kadhim Faris

This study was conducted to find out hepatoprotective activity of hesperidin (HES) 100mg/kg body weight (b.w.) against ciprofloxacin (CPX) 100 mg/kg induced hepatotoxicity in local breed rabbits .CPX is a broad spectrum antibiotic used for treatment of many bacterial infections. Twenty four male rabbits were divided into four groups ,group1: control, (1 ml/kg Saline orally) group 2: CPX (100 mg/kg orally) for (14) consecutive days , group 3: HES (100 mg//kg) orally for (14) consecutive days group 4: CPX (100 mg/kg orally) plus HES (100 mg//kg orally ) for (14) consecutive days. All the rabbits were killed on the (15) day of the experiment, and then the blood, and livers samples were taken. CPX induced hepatotoxicity was proved by a significant (p less than 0.01) reduction in the body weight ,and a significant (p less than 0.01) increased serum aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT) , Malonaldehyde enzyme (MAD) and histopathological changes. Protective hepatic toxicity effect and oxidative damage caused by CPX significantly (p less than 0.01) increasing in body weight and significantly (p less than 0.01) decreasing AST , ALT, MAD and improving tissue morphology in HES (100 mg//kg) . These results assure that HES (100 mg//kg) antioxidant effects can protect CPX-induced hepatotoxicity in rabbits.


GYNECOLOGY ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 9-13
Author(s):  
A R Khachaturian ◽  
E V Misharina ◽  
M I Yarmolinskaya

Androgen-dependent dermopathy, as well as premenstrual syndrome of varying severity in young women, can cause emotional depression, difficulties in social adaptation and even depressive disorders. The aim of the study was to study the safety and efficacy of using a combined oral contraceptive (COC) Dimia® containing 20 μg ethinyl estradiol and 3 mg drospirenone in young women, as well as its therapeutic effects in androgen-dependent dermopathy. Materials and methods. The study included 57 young women aged 23.1±2.2 years with signs of androgen-dependent dermopathy. The evaluation of the change in the character of menstrual bleeding, the anthropometric parameters (body weight, waist circumference and hips), the therapeutic effect of the drug on the symptoms of androgen-dependent dermopathy, as well as the dynamics of arterial pressure, hemoglobin level, serum iron have been studied. The psycho-emotional state was assessed using the SAN questionnaire (well-being-activity-mood). Results. During 6 months of observation, there was no significant change in the body mass index, waist circumference, and hips, and the drug did not affect the blood pressure numbers. Against the background of taking the drug, there was an increase in the parameters of iron metabolism (hemoglobin content, serum iron). After 3 months of taking the contraceptive with drospirenone, the number of patients with a complaint about the abundance of menstruation decreased more than twofold (from 22.8 to 10.5%), and after 6 months of taking the drug no patient noted the profuse nature of menstruation. Before the start of taking COC with drospirenone, 57.9% of women reported painful menstrual bleeding. Against the background of taking the contraceptive within 3 months, this complaint was stopped in all patients. Sufficient efficacy of treatment of androgen dependent dermopathy in young women with the help of a microdosed drospirenone-containing combined oral contraceptive is estimated from the dermatological acne index. The analysis of the SAN questionnaire made it possible to reveal the improvement in the psychoemotional state of patients on the background of taking the drug. The conclusion. The results obtained proved the effectiveness and safety of the microclinized COC Dimia®. The drug has no significant effect on body weight, blood pressure, provides reliable control of the cycle and a decrease in menstrual bleeding, which results in stabilization of iron metabolism in the body. Dimia® is effective in the treatment of androgen-dependent dermopathy and can be recommended to young women for starting contraception.


2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 75-84
Author(s):  
M.V. Arisov ◽  
I.P. Belykh ◽  
V.V. Artemov

The purpose of the research: the study of the efficacy of the preparations for veterinary use "Inspector Quadro C" and "Inspector Quadro K" against ecto- and endoparasitoses of dogs and cats. Materials and methods. Studies were conducted on spontaneously infected dogs and cats of different sexes, age, weight and breed. The diagnosis of infection with ectoparasites was made based on the clinical picture and laboratory methods of investigation (microscopy of scrapings taken from ectoparasitized skin areas, examination of the coat for fleas, lice, worms, ixodids). Infection with helminths was established by detecting eggs of helminths in faeces of animals by the method of Füleleborn and mature segments of cestodes. Preparations were applied to the animals by drip application on dry undamaged skin in places inaccessible to licking in a dose of 0.1-0.4 ml per 1 kg of body weight. The results were statistically processed. Results and discussion. "Inspector Quadro S" and "Inspector Quadro K" showed 100% efficacy at sarcoptosis in dogs, notoedrosis in cats, otodectosis in dogs and cats, ixodidoses and entomoses. "Inspector Quadro C" showed a high efficiency (92.3%) at demodecosis in dogs. However, single mites were found in one dog. 100% efficacy of "Inspector Quadro C" and "Inspector Quadro K" has been established against intestinal nematodes and cestodes in dogs and cats. Negative effects of drugs on the body of animals have not been revealed.


2018 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 201-210
Author(s):  
Muryanto Muryanto ◽  
Pita Sudrajad ◽  
Amrih Prasetyo

The aim of the study was to determine the development of ramie plants (Boehmeria nivea L. Gaud) and the effect of using ramie leaves on feed on the body weight gain of Wonosobo Sheep (Dombos). Research on the development of ramie plants using survey methods in the area of ramie plant development in Wonosobo Regency. While the research on the use of ramie leaves for fattening was carried out in Butuh Village, Kalikajar District, Wonosobo Regency in 2018. 21 male Dombos were divided into 3 feed treatments with forage proportions of 70%, 50% and 30 ramie leaves respectively. %. The results showed that currently ramie plants were being developed in Wonosobo Regency by CV. Ramindo Berkah Persada Sejahtera in Gandok Village, Kalikajar District, Wonosobo Regency, Central Java. Until now the area of the crop has reached 13 ha. Of this area will produce ramie leaves 195,000 kg / year. If one sheep needs 4 kg of ramie / tail / day leaves, then the potential capacity of sheep is 135 heads / year, if the given one is 50% then the Jurnal Litbang Provinsi Jawa Tengah, Volume 16 202 Nomor 2 – Desember 2018potential capacity is 270 heads / year and if it is reduced again to 25% of ramie leaves then the potential capacity 440 heads / year. The use of ramie leaves as a feed for Wonosobo Sheep fattening can be given as much as 30% in fresh form.


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