A diversity of animals move on and bury within dry and wet granular media, such as dry desert sand or rainforest soils. Little is known about the biomechanics and neural control strategies used to move within these complex terrains. Burial and subsurface locomotion provides a particularly interesting behavior in which to study principles of interaction because the entire body becomes surrounded by the granular environment. In this dissertation, we used three model organisms to elucidate control principles of movement within granular substrates: the sand-specialist sandfish lizard which dives into dry sand using limb-ground interactions, and swims subsurface using body undulations; the long-slender shovel-nosed snake which undulates subsurface in dry sand with low slip; and the ocellated skink, a desert generalist which buries into both wet and dry substrates. Using muscle activation measurements we discovered that the sandfish targeted optimal kinematics which maximized forward speed and minimized the mechanical cost of transport. The simplicity of the sandfish body and kinematics coupled with a fluid-like model of the granular media revealed the fundamental mechanism responsible for neuromechanical phase lags, a general timing phenomenon between muscle activation and curvature along the body that has been observed in all undulatory animals that move in a variety of environments. Kinematic experiments revealed that the snake moved subsurface using a similar locomotion strategy as the sandfish, but its long body and low skin friction enabled higher performance (lower slip). The ocellated skink used a different locomotor pattern than observed in the sandfish and snake but that was sufficient for burial into both wet and dry media. Furthermore, the ocellated skink could only reach shallow burial depths in wet compared to dry granular media. We attribute this difference to the higher resistance forces in wet media and hypothesize that the burial efficacy is force-limited. These studies reveal basic locomotor principles of burial and subsurface movement in granular media and demonstrate the impact of environmental interaction in locomotor behavior.

Over the past five decades spatial behavior has been a subject of research interest in psychology and neuroscience, in part based on philosophical theories of mental spatial representations. In order to continue uncovering the facts regarding spatial behavior, the focus of this thesis was on the contribution of entry point and visual inputs to the organization of exploratory locomotion and spatial representation in the rat. Despite the contribution of the hippocampus to spatial abilities, the exploratory locomotion is still visually organized in rats with damage to the hippocampus. On the other hand, recent studies have demonstrated a contribution of visual areas to the spatial ability of the rat. Nevertheless, the contribution of visual cortex to the organization of exploratory locomotion has not been studied in an open field. The experiments in this thesis were designed to characterize the organization of exploratory locomotion to the point of entry and/or visual cues. Rats were started from the edge or center of an open table near or on which a salient object could be placed. The main findings were that rats organized their exploratory locomotion to their point of entry and modified their behavior as they encountered objects. Also, rats with damage to visual cortex displayed an extra-attachment to the visual objects and in contrast to controls did not expand their exploratory locomotion with time. The results are discussed with respect to the centrality of the entry point in the organization of exploratory locomotion and the neural network that control visual exploration in the rat. / xiii, 220 leaves : ill. ; 29 cm. --

Made available in DSpace on 2015-05-14T16:53:17Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2014-03-28Bitstream added on 2015-05-14T16:59:04Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 000822331.pdf: 1554623 bytes, checksum: 733126bd470d0b2e838cbf2e48edbcc0 (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) / Alterações locomotoras são incomuns em cães com leishmaniose visceral. Embora a origem dos sinais clínicos permaneça obscura, a poliartrite deve ser considerada como um potencial diagnóstico nestes casos. Muitos agentes etiológicos podem causar poliartropatias, sendo estas classificadas em não inflamatórias e inflamatórias. Acredita-se que a poliartrite induzida por Leishmania spp. seja decorrente de uma reação inflamatória granulomatosa, causada pela presença de parasitos ou por uma resposta celular e humoral. O diagnóstico clínico ainda é um desafio para os profissionais de saúde, devido à grande variedade de sinais inespecíficos em decorrência da leishmaniose visceral. Desta forma, o presente trabalho teve como objetivos avaliar radiotomograficamente as articulações umeroradioulnares, radiocarpicametacárpicas, femurotibiopatelares e tibiotarsicametatársicas, a fim de caracterizar as lesões osteoarticulares, fornecendo subsídios para os clínicos que atuam em áreas endêmicas. Para tanto, foram utilizados 46 cães, naturalmente infectados, com diagnóstico firmado por meio dos exames imunocromatográfico (95,65%), ELISA (97,82%) e/ou parasitológico direto (95,65%), provenientes do Centro de Controle de Zoonoses de Bauru. Não houve predileção quanto ao sexo (1:1). A maioria dos animais não apresentava precisa definição racial (78,26%). A idade variou entre um a 12 anos, com mediana igual a três anos. Sinais clínicos compatíveis com poliartrite foram observados em 32,60%. Alterações radiográficas e tomográficas importantes foram observadas em 77% e 91% dos caninos, respectivamente, sendo as articulações tibiotarsicametatársicas a mais afetada em ambos os testes, acomentendo cães sintomáticos e assintomáticos. Os sinais imaginológicos foram variados, não sendo possível determinar um padrão específico para a doença, porém a presença de trabeculado ósseo evidente, ... / Locomotor alterations are uncommon in dogs with visceral leishmaniasis (VL). Although the origin of clinical signs remain unclear, polyarthritis should be considered as a potential diagnosis in these cases. Many etiological agents may cause polyarthropathies, which are classified into inflammatory and non-inflammatory. It is believed that the polyarthritis induced by Leishmania spp. may be due to a granulomatous inflammatory reaction caused by the presence of parasites or by cellular and humoral response. Clinical diagnosis is still a challenge for health professionals, due to the great variety of nonspecific clinical signs on VL. Thus, the aim of the present study were to evaluate radiographically and tomographically elbows, carpal, stifle and tarsal joints, in order to characterize the osteoarticular lesions, providing subsidies for veterinary practitioners in endemic areas. For this, 46 dogs were used, naturally infected, with diagnosis confirmed by immunochromatography (95.65%), ELISA (97.82%) and/or cytological (95.65%) methods, from the Zoonoses Control Center of Bauru. There was no preference to gender (1:1). The majority of animals were mixed breed (78.26%). Ages varied from 1 to 12 years, with a median of 3 years. Clinical signs consistent with polyarthritis were observed in 32.60%. Radiographic and tomographic alterations were observed in 77% and 91% of dogs, respectively, with tarsal joints the most affected on both methods, on asymptomatic and symptomatic dogs. Imaging signs varied, and it was not possible to establish a pattern for the disease, however the presence of apparent trabecular bone, bone sclerosis and osteolysis were the most frequently observed. Furthermore, we noticed a tendency for bilateral and symmetric involvement. It was observed a lack of significance when comparing the radiographic and tomographic lesions between symptomatic and asymptomatic ... / FAPESP: 12/02484-2

Orientador: Maria Jaqueline Mamprim / Banca: Sheila Canavese Rahal / Banca: Maria Lúcia Gomes Lourenço / Banca: Luciana Del Rio Pinoli Ciarlini / Banca: Priscilla Macedo de Souza / Resumo: Alterações locomotoras são incomuns em cães com leishmaniose visceral. Embora a origem dos sinais clínicos permaneça obscura, a poliartrite deve ser considerada como um potencial diagnóstico nestes casos. Muitos agentes etiológicos podem causar poliartropatias, sendo estas classificadas em não inflamatórias e inflamatórias. Acredita-se que a poliartrite induzida por Leishmania spp. seja decorrente de uma reação inflamatória granulomatosa, causada pela presença de parasitos ou por uma resposta celular e humoral. O diagnóstico clínico ainda é um desafio para os profissionais de saúde, devido à grande variedade de sinais inespecíficos em decorrência da leishmaniose visceral. Desta forma, o presente trabalho teve como objetivos avaliar radiotomograficamente as articulações umeroradioulnares, radiocarpicametacárpicas, femurotibiopatelares e tibiotarsicametatársicas, a fim de caracterizar as lesões osteoarticulares, fornecendo subsídios para os clínicos que atuam em áreas endêmicas. Para tanto, foram utilizados 46 cães, naturalmente infectados, com diagnóstico firmado por meio dos exames imunocromatográfico (95,65%), ELISA (97,82%) e/ou parasitológico direto (95,65%), provenientes do Centro de Controle de Zoonoses de Bauru. Não houve predileção quanto ao sexo (1:1). A maioria dos animais não apresentava precisa definição racial (78,26%). A idade variou entre um a 12 anos, com mediana igual a três anos. Sinais clínicos compatíveis com poliartrite foram observados em 32,60%. Alterações radiográficas e tomográficas importantes foram observadas em 77% e 91% dos caninos, respectivamente, sendo as articulações tibiotarsicametatársicas a mais afetada em ambos os testes, acomentendo cães sintomáticos e assintomáticos. Os sinais imaginológicos foram variados, não sendo possível determinar um padrão específico para a doença, porém a presença de trabeculado ósseo evidente, ... / Abstract: Locomotor alterations are uncommon in dogs with visceral leishmaniasis (VL). Although the origin of clinical signs remain unclear, polyarthritis should be considered as a potential diagnosis in these cases. Many etiological agents may cause polyarthropathies, which are classified into inflammatory and non-inflammatory. It is believed that the polyarthritis induced by Leishmania spp. may be due to a granulomatous inflammatory reaction caused by the presence of parasites or by cellular and humoral response. Clinical diagnosis is still a challenge for health professionals, due to the great variety of nonspecific clinical signs on VL. Thus, the aim of the present study were to evaluate radiographically and tomographically elbows, carpal, stifle and tarsal joints, in order to characterize the osteoarticular lesions, providing subsidies for veterinary practitioners in endemic areas. For this, 46 dogs were used, naturally infected, with diagnosis confirmed by immunochromatography (95.65%), ELISA (97.82%) and/or cytological (95.65%) methods, from the Zoonoses Control Center of Bauru. There was no preference to gender (1:1). The majority of animals were mixed breed (78.26%). Ages varied from 1 to 12 years, with a median of 3 years. Clinical signs consistent with polyarthritis were observed in 32.60%. Radiographic and tomographic alterations were observed in 77% and 91% of dogs, respectively, with tarsal joints the most affected on both methods, on asymptomatic and symptomatic dogs. Imaging signs varied, and it was not possible to establish a pattern for the disease, however the presence of apparent trabecular bone, bone sclerosis and osteolysis were the most frequently observed. Furthermore, we noticed a tendency for bilateral and symmetric involvement. It was observed a lack of significance when comparing the radiographic and tomographic lesions between symptomatic and asymptomatic ... / Doutor

No description available.

The purpose of this thesis was to determine the neuronal circuitry mediating U50,488-induced locomotion in preweanling rats. To this end, preweanling rats received bilateral electrolytic lesions of the ventromedial thalamus or superior colliculus and, two days later, the same rats received a challenge injection of U50,488. It was predicted that bilateral lesions of the ventromedial thalamus or superior colliculus would attenuate the U50,488-induced locomotor activity of 18-day-old rats.

No description available.

Snakes are one of the world’s most versatile organisms, at ease slithering through rubble or climbing vertical tree trunks. Their adaptations for conquering complex terrain thus serve naturally as inspirations for search and rescue robotics. In a combined experimental and theoretical investigation, we elucidate the propulsion mechanisms of snakes on both hard and granular substrates. The focus of this study is on physics of snake interactions with its environment. Snakes use one of several modes of locomotion, such as slithering on flat surfaces, sidewinding on sand, or accordion-like concertina and worm-like rectilinear motion to traverse crevices. We present a series of experiments and supporting mathematical models demonstrating how snakes optimize their speed and efficiency by adjusting their frictional properties as a function of position and time. Particular attention is paid to a novel paradigm in locomotion, a snake’s active control of its scales, which enables it to modify its frictional interactions with the ground. We use this discovery to build bio-inspired limbless robots that have improved sensitivity to the current state of the art: Scalybot has individually controlled sets of belly scales enabling it to climb slopes of 55 degrees. These findings will result in developing new functional materials and control algorithms that will guide roboticists as they endeavor towards building more effective all-terrain search and rescue robots.

Whether there are sex differences in the kinematic organization of non-reproductive behaviors is rarely addressed. In this thesis, evidence is presented that male and female rats organize their posture and stepping differently during a food protection task, contact righting, skilled reaching, and vertical rearing. Neonatal gonadal steroid exposure can alter sex-typical patterns of movement organization. Whether these differences are due to sex differences in body morphology or central nervous system (CNS) was also addressed using gravid females and tfm males. The results reveal that sex differences in movement are CNS based. Furthermore, the expression and choice of sex-typical patterns of movement can be altered by CNS injury. Finally, evidence is presented that sex differences in movement organization are also present in marsupials and insects. The implications of these results for our understanding of the evolution of sex differences in CNS anatomy and behavior will be discussed. / xvi, 249 leaves : ill. ; 28 cm.

Orientador: Irenilza de Alencar Naas / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia Agrícola / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-14T16:50:04Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Cordeiro_AlexandraFerreiradaSilva_M.pdf: 698775 bytes, checksum: 00cd96699cf75d7552399f75087669d7 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009 / Resumo: O Brasil é hoje um dos maiores produtores e exportadores de carne de frango no mundo, mas para continuar nessa posição é necessário respeitar o bem-estar animal e manter baixos custos de produção. Problemas locomotores impedem que a ave se movimente livremente e, com isso, acesse os equipamentos necessários a sua sobrevivência: comedouro e bebedouro, prejudicando seu bem- estar e sua produtividade. A hipótese dessa pesquisa é que frangos de corte produzidos em condições de estresse apresentam problemas locomotores. O objetivo desse trabalho foi avaliar deficiências locomotoras em frangos de corte alojados em condições de estresse. Para tanto, foram realizados dois experimentos, sendo o primeiro a determinação da pressão plantar de aves de 28, 35, 42, e 49 dias, o qual foi realizado no Centro de Tecnologia da Universidade estadual de Campinas, São Paulo, Brasil. Essa medida foi determinada por sensores localizados sob uma esteira enquanto as aves caminhavam sobre ela, nesta ocasião também foi determinado o gait score dessas aves. As mais pesadas tiveram mais dificuldade de andar e tiveram maior valor de gait score. Não houve diferença significativa (p = 0,05) no pico da força das patas direito e esquerdo para aves com gait score 0 e 1; entretanto, para frangos mais pesados com gait score 2 houve desbalanço severo no pico das forças entre as patas. A força total expressa em porcentagem do peso vivo aumentou com a idade como esperado, mostrando uma correlação positiva com o gait score para as aves selecionadas. A deficiência de locomoção foi automaticamente detectada devido ao movimento desigual, como seu peso não foi distribuído igualmente nas patas durante caminhada. O segundo experimento constou de observação visual no campo, em granjas da região de Campinas-SP, com determinação do gait score em aves de 28, 35, e 42 dias. Neste experimento o gait score foi avaliado por três metodologias, aves estimuladas a andar, aves sem estímulo para andar e em 10 aves ao acaso dentro do galpão. Não foram encontradas evidências de interação entre os fatores Metodologia e Idade. Há influencia significativa da Metodologia sobre a determinação do gait score. A metodologia de 10 aves ao acaso foi a que se apresentou menos confiável. Os resultados de gait score foram menores na metodologia com estímulo para as aves andar. Entretanto nas três avaliações realizadas e em todas as idades, os resultados de gait score foram piores que o aceitável, sendo que a maior freqüência para gait score 0 (padrão normal) encontrada nesta pesquisa foi de 50%. Estes resultados poderiam ser atribuídos as condições de estresse ambiental inapropriadas em que os frangos foram produzidos. / Abstract: Brazil is today one of the largest poultry meat producer and exporter of the world; however, in order to continue in this production level and quality it is needed to apply animal welfare principles maintaining the same production costs. Locomotors problems keep away the bird from moving freely and to access the needed equipments for its survival: feeder and drinker, reducing their welfare and productivity. The hypothesis of this research it is that Brazilian poultry production presents locomotors problems. The objective of this research was is to evaluate locomotors deficiencies in broiler chicken housed under stressful conditions. For that two experiment were done, the first was the determination of the feet pressure of broiler with the ages of 28, 35, 42 and 49 days. This first experiment was carried out at the Center for Technology, State University of Campinas, SP. The feet force measurement was determined by sensors over a mat while the birds walked over it, and at the same time the gait score was also determined. The heavier birds had more difficult in walking and presented higher gait score. No significant difference was found (p = 0.05) in the force peak of the right and left feet for the birds with gait score 0 and 1; however, older broilers with gait score 2 presented severe unbalance in the peak of force in both feet. The total force expressed as the percentage of the live weight increased with age as expected showing a positive correlation with the gait score of the tested broilers. The locomotion deficiency was automatic detected due to the unbalanced movement as the weight was not equally distributed in both legs during walking. The second experiment constituted of a visual observation in the field, in commercial broiler farms in the region of Campinas, SP, for determining the gait score of birds 28, 35 and 42 days old. In this trial the gait score was estimated in three ways, broilers stimulated to walking, birds without stimulus for walking and broilers chosen randomly inside the housing. No evidence of interaction between the factor Methodology and Age. Significant influence of Methodology over the determination of gait score was found. The methodology of chosen 10 bird at random was the one least reliable. The results of gait score were lower when using the methodology that stimulated the birds to waking. However, in the three evaluations and in all ages the results of gait score were worst than the acceptable, since the frequency of gait score 0 (normal pattern) found in this research was 50%. These results could be accredited to the inappropriate ambient harsh conditions the broilers were reared. / Mestrado / Construções Rurais e Ambiencia / Mestre em Engenharia Agrícola