A síndrome da dor patelofemoral é uma disfunção do joelho comum entre mulheres jovens fisicamente ativas que causa limitações na atividade física e atividades de vida diária, podendo evoluir para a artrite patelofemoral. Este estudo verificou a influência da síndrome da dor patelofemoral nos movimentos e coordenação dos membros inferiores e avaliou os efeitos agudos de uma intervenção cinesioterapêutica em indivíduos com síndrome da dor patelofemoral no descer escada. O Estudo 1 comparou a intensidade da dor, os movimentos, os padrões de coordenação e a variabilidade de coordenação dos membros inferiores de indivíduos com e sem a síndrome da dor patelofemoral durante o descer escada. A cinemática 3D do joelho, tornozelo e multisegmentar do pé foi comparada entre 30 mulheres adultas jovens, 16 com síndrome da dor patelofemoral e 14 controles. Os padrões e a variabilidade da coordenação foram comparados entre os grupos utilizando uma análise do vetor codificado. A escala visual analógica de dor (EVA) foi utilizada para analisar a intensidade da dor. O Estudo 2 verificou os efeitos imediatos de uma intervenção cinesioterapêutica na intensidade da dor e nos movimentos dos membros inferiores de indivíduos com síndrome da dor patelofemoral no descer escada. O grupo com síndrome da dor patelofemoral foi dividido em grupo intervenção cinesioterapêutica (n=8) e grupo controle (n=8). A cinemática 3D e a intensidade da dor (EVA) durante o descer escada foram analisadas antes e depois da intervenção. O Estudo 1 mostrou que a síndrome da dor patelofemoral está relacionada à menor inversão do antepé nas fases iniciais do descer escada e que a intensidade da dor aumenta durante a descida de escada. Os padrões de coordenação do membro inferior mostraram estratégias de restrição da flexão do joelho, assim como restrição da mobilidade do pé em indivíduos com síndrome da dor patelofemoral. Este estudo não confirmou que a menor variabilidade da coordenação está relacionada à síndrome da dor patelofemoral. O Estudo 2 mostrou que uma sessão de intervenção cinesioterapêutica é capaz de modificar os movimentos do tornozelo e pé, consequentemente modificando o movimento do joelho no plano sagital. A intervenção cinesioterapêutica diminui a dor durante a descida de escada em indivíduos com síndrome da dor patelofemoral. Estudos são necessários para a comprovação da eficácia clínica da intervenção cinesioterapêutica em médio e longo prazos / Patellofemoral pain syndrome is one of the most common dysfunctions of the knee among physical active young women. This knee dysfunction can limit physical activity as well as daily living activities. Patellofemoral pain syndrome can also lead to patellofemoral arthritis. This study aimed to verify the influence of patellofemoral pain on the lower extremity movements and coordination as well as verify the acute effects of a kinesiotherapy intervention on the lower extremity of individuals with patellofemoral pain during stair descent. On the first study, we compared the pain intensity, the lower extremity movements, coordination patterns and coordination variability between participants with and without patellofemoral pain during stair descent. 3D kinematics of the knee, ankle and multisegmental of the foot were compared between 30 adult young women, 16 with and 14 without patellofemoral pain. The coordination patterns and variability were compared between groups using a modified vector coding technique.The pain intensity was analized using a visual analogic pain scale (VAS). The second study aimed to verify the acute effects of an intervention on the pain intensity and lower extremity movements in participants with patellofemoral pain during stair descent. The participants with patellofemoral pain (n=16) were divided into two groups, intervention group (n=8) and control group (n=8). We analized the 3D kinematics and pain intensity (VAS) before and after the intervention. The outcome measures of the first study show that patellofemoral pain is associated with less forefoot inversion during the support phase of stair descent. Besides that, the pain intensity increases during stair descent in participants with patellofemoral pain. The coordination patterns show strategies of knee flexion constrain as well as mobility constrain of the foot in individuals with patellofemoral pain. The coordination variability was not associated with patellofemoral pain in this study. The second study shows that the intervention can imediatelly modify the foot, ankle and knee movements and decrease the patellofemoral pain during stair descent. Future studies should address the intervention effectiveness in medium and long- term

A instabilidade articular é responsável pelo desenvolvimento de lesões degenerativas incapacitantes que comprometem o desempenho funcional. Compreender os processos desenvolvidos para estabilização dinâmica articular é um desafio para pesquisadores das mais diversas áreas. O presente estudo propõe o uso da abordagem Biomecânica para reconhecer os mecanismos relacionadas ao processo de estabilização dinâmica articular, por meio de três diferentes condições experimentais. No experimento 1 foi analisada a Força de Reação do Solo (FRS) e a cinemática 3-D no andar, correr e saltar de portadores (n=10) e não portadores de instabilidade crônica (n=10) do tornozelo. No experimento 2 foi analisada a Eletromiografia dos músculos tibial anterior, fibular longo, fibular curto e gastrocnêmio lateral de portadores (n=14) e não portadores de instabilidade crônica (n=14) do tornozelo antes e após um protocolo de indução à fadiga muscular. No experimento 3 (n=20) foi analisado o efeito do exercício de alongamento muscular estático passivo dos músculos fibular longo e fibular curto na simulação da entorse do tornozelo. Nos protocolos de locomoção foram encontrados no lado acometido picos tardios e aumento dos Impulsos da FRS. No início da fase de apoio o tornozelo instável no andar aumentou a dorsiflexão, no correr aumentou a eversão e no saltar diminuiu a inversão e aumentou a dorsiflexão. Tais estratégias representam a tentativa de melhorar a estabilidade dinâmica articular. No entanto, a variação angular da articulação no plano sagital e frontal aumentaram, sugerindo que há mais amplitude de movimento no tornozelo acometido e maior estresse sobre os estabilizadores passivos locais. Em condições de fadiga muscular, após simulação da entorse, indivíduos com articulações saudáveis aumentam a rigidez articular e a intensidade de contração dos eversores do tornozelo, antecipadamente a perturbação, diferente de portadores de instabilidade crônica. A execução do exercício de alongamento dos músculos fibulares longo e curto, seguido da simulação da entorse, gerou o retardo da resposta motora e diminuição da intensidade de ativação. Desta forma, as estratégias desenvolvidas por portadores de instabilidade crônica podem ser relacionadas à causa e/ou consequência do quadro, a fadiga muscular altera o desenvolvimento de estratégias de proteção e o exercício de alongamento pode prejudicar a estabilização dinâmica articular / Joint instability is associated with degenerating injuries that lead to functional incapacitation. Knowing the process involved in joint dynamic stabilization is a challenge to researchers in many fields. This study proposes the use of a biomechanical approach to recognize the mechanisms involved in joint stabilization through three different experimental conditions. The first experiment analyzed the Ground Reaction Force (GRF) and the 3D kinematics in participants with (n=10) and without (n=10) chronic ankle instability during walking, running and jumping. The second experiment analyzed the Electromyography signal of tibialis anterior, peroneus longus, peroneus brevis e gastrocnemius lateralis in participants with (n=14) and without (n=14) chronic ankle instability before and after a muscle fatigue protocol. The third experiment (n=20) analyzed the effect of static passive stretching of peroneus longus and peroneus brevis muscles on the ankle sprain simulation. During the locomotion protocols the injured side showed late peaks and an increase of the GRF impulses. The instable ankle showed an increase of dorsiflexion during the initial phase of gait and an increase of eversion during running. The instable ankle also showed a decrease of inversion and an increase of dorsiflexion during jumping. These strategies represent an attempt to improve the joint dynamic stability. There was an increase in sagittal and frontal angular displacement, suggesting more range of motion as well as more stress in the passive structures that are responsible for stabilization in the injured ankle. During muscular fatigue, after an ankle sprain simulation, subjects with healthy joints increase the joint stiffness and the intensity of the ankle eversion muscles activation, before the intervention, differently from subjects with chronic instability. The peroneus longus and brevis stretching exercise followed by the ankle sprain simulation caused a delay on the motor response and a decrease in the activation intensity. The strategies developed by the subjects with chronic instability can be related to the cause and/or the consequence of the dysfunction. The muscular fatigue changes the development of strategies of protection and the stretching exercise can weaken the dynamic stability of the joint

Contextualização: O tempo e, mais recentemente, a análise dos movimentos compensatórios, têm sido utilizados na avaliação funcional de crianças com distrofia muscular de Duchenne (DMD). Embora estejam relacionadas, essas duas variáveis podem progredir distintamente em crianças com DMD, no intervalo de um ano. Objetivo: Descrever e comparar a evolução do tempo e dos movimentos compensatórios durante atividades de locomoção em crianças com DMD no período de um ano. Método: Foram avaliados filmes de 32 meninos (média de idade 10 anos) durante a marcha em local plano, por 10 m, o subir e o descer quatro degraus. O tempo foi cronometrado e utilizou-se a escala de avaliação funcional para DMD (Functional Evaluation Scale for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, FES-DMD) para pontuar os movimentos compensatórios. Aplicou-se a análise multivariável de variância (MANOVA), com (alfa < 0.05) para comparar as variáveis em três momentos: avaliação inicial (AV0), após 6 meses (AV6) e após 12 meses (AV12). Resultados: Os movimentos compensatórios mais comuns observados durante a marcha foram flexão plantar de tornozelos, aumento da base de apoio, anteriorização de cabeça e tronco e aumento da dissociação de cinturas. Na atividade de subir degraus foram flexão plantar de tornozelos, aumento da base de apoio, hiperlordose lombar e aumento da inclinação lateral do tronco. Ao descer degraus, esses movimentos também foram observados, acrescidos de rotação de tronco, flexão do joelho de apoio, flexão plantar do tornozelo de balanço e descida parando em cada degrau. A MANOVA mostrou que as variáveis aumentaram significativamente no período de um ano (p < 0,05 para todas as comparações) durante a marcha, o subir e o descer degraus. Interações entre o tempo e a pontuação dos movimentos compensatórios evidenciaram progressões distintas durante o subir e descer degraus (p < 0,05 para ambos). Durante a marcha, o tempo aumentou 47% e a pontuação dos movimentos compensatórios aumentou 55%. Ao subir degraus, o tempo aumentou 144% e a pontuação dos movimentos compensatórios aumentou 44%. Durante o descer degraus, o tempo aumentou 186% e a pontuação dos movimentos compensatórios aumentou 58%. Conclusão: Na marcha, as crianças com DMD mostraram aumento discretamente maior dos movimentos compensatórios, quando comparado ao aumento do tempo. Durante o subir e descer degraus, o aumento do tempo foi mais expressivo do que o aumento dos movimentos compensatórios. Acompanhar a evolução do tempo e dos movimentos compensatórios em crianças com DMD permitiu uma avaliação mais precisa e o acompanhamento da progressão das tarefas de locomoção / Introduction: Timed performance and, more recently, compensatory movements, have been used to assess children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Although being strongly related, these variables may progress distinctly within one year. Objective: To describe and compare the progression of timed performance and compensatory movements on locomotion tasks in children with DMD, followed for one year. Method: Films of 32 boys (mean age 10 yrs) performing 10-m walking, climbing up and down four steps were analyzed. Time was digitally measured and compensatory movements were quantified with the Functional Evaluation Scale for DMD (FES-DMD). Multivariate analyses of variance (MANOVAs) (alfa < 0.05) compared the variables on three assessments: initial (A0), after 6 months (A6) and after 12 months (A12). Results: The most common compensatory movements on walking were ankles plantar flexion, increased base of support, head and trunk anteriorization and increased upper and lower body dissociation. On climbing up steps, ankles plantar flexion, increased base of support, lumbar hyperlordosis and excessive trunk lateral inclination. On climbing down steps, these movements were also observed, associated to trunk rotation, stance knee flexion, equinus swing foot and pauses after steps. MANOVAs showed that both variables increased significantly within one year (p < 0.05 for all comparisons) on walking, climbing up and climbing down steps. Interactions between timed performance and compensatory movements evidenced distinct progressions of timed performance and compensatory movements on climbing up and down steps (p < 0.05 for both). On walking, timed performance increased 47% and compensatory movements increased 55%. On climbing up steps, timed performance increased 144% and compensatory movements increased 44%. On climbing down steps, timed performance increased 186% and compensatory movements increased 58%. Conclusion: On walking, children with DMD showed a discrete higher increase of compensatory movements, compared to the increase of timed performance. However, when climbing up and down steps, the timed performance increased much more than the compensatory movements. Evaluating the progression of timed performance and compensatory movements in children with DMD allowed more precise assessment and follow up of locomotion tasks evolution

A progressão da distrofia muscular de Duchenne (DMD) resulta no surgimento de múltiplas e variadas sinergias para compensar a fraqueza muscular e para lidar com as demandas de tarefas funcionais, como por exemplo, a marcha. Alguns instrumentos de avaliação funcional para pessoas com DMD permite a análise subjetiva (descrição) e objetiva (escore) sem levar em consideração os movimentos compensatórios. Por esta razão, os médicos e os fisioterapeutas enfrentam dificuldades na avaliação clínica e tomada de decisão. Este estudo teve como objetivo elaborar o domínio marcha da Escala de Avaliação Funcional para DMD / Functional Evaluation Scale (FES-DMD-D4), testar sua confiabilidade intraexaminador e interexaminadores e sua relação com a idade, escala Vignos e tempo de desempenho da marcha. Uma amostra de 120 vídeos da marcha de 30 crianças com DMD foi analisada. Os movimentos detectados foram classificados considerando suas características cinesiológicos e padrões de compensações. FES-DMD-D4 foi criada e submetida à avaliação de 10 especialistas. Após a incorporação das sugestões propostas, a escala foi utilizada no total da amostra para avaliação por três examinadores. Foi calculada a confiabilidade intraexaminador e interexaminadores utilizando ICC. As relações entre o FES-DMD-D4 e a idade, a escala Vignos e o tempo de desempenho foram testadas com teste de correlação de Spearman (p < 0,05). A FES-DMD-D4 foi composta por três fases, e 14 itens. Coeficientes de correlação intraclasse variaram de aceitável (0,79) a excelente (0,98). A pontuação total da FES-DMD-D4 correlacionou-se com a idade e o tempo de desempenho, mas não com a escala Vignos / The progression of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) results in the emergence of multiple and varied synergies to compensate muscle weakness and to deal with the demands of functional tasks, such as gait. Few functional evaluation instruments for people with DMD allows for subjective analysis (description) and objective (score) without taking into account the compensatory movements. For this reason, clinicians and physiotherapists face difficulties in clinical assessment and decision-making. This study aimed to elaborate the gait domain of the Functional Evaluation Scale for DMD, gait domain (FES-DMD-D4) and to test its reliability intraexaminer and interexaminers and its relationship with age, Vignos score and timed motor performance. A sample of 120 gait videos of 30 children with DMD was analyzed. The detected movements were classified, considering the kinesiological characteristics of the compensation movements. FES-DMD-D4 was created and submitted to the review of 10 experts. After the incorporation of the suggestions proposed by the experts, the scale was used to analyse a total sample by 3 examiners. The reliability intraexaminer and interexaminers was calculated using ICC. The relationships between FES-DMD-D4 and age, Vignos score and timed motor performance was tested with Spearman correlation test (p < 0.05). The FES-DMD-D4 was composed of 3 phases, and 14 items. Intraclass correlation coefficients ranged from acceptable (0.79) to excellent (0.98). The scores on FES-DMD-D4 correlated to age and timed motor performance, but not to Vignos score

In this thesis, the effect of infection elicited by entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) Steinernema carpocapsae on Pyrrhocoris apterus and Drosophila melanogaster models were evaluated, and a role of adipokinetic hormones (AKHs) during the infection was characterized. These were monitored by determination of mortality, and various biochemical and physiological characteristics such as AKH levels both in the central nervous system (CNS) and in hemolymph, AKH gene expression in CNS, level of anti-oxidative stress markers, general metabolism and level of nutrients in normal and genetically modified insects. At P. apterus the mortality tests revealed that application of AKH increases the efficacy of EPN treatment. This result was confirmed using the firebugs with AKH receptor deficiency. Further, the increase of AKH expression and AKH levels in CNS and hemolymph seemed to be coordinated after the nematode treatment. At the D. melanogaster model also, the effect of adenosine into the above-mentioned characteristics was included. For this, mutants in AKH (AHK1), adenosine receptor (AdoR1) genes, and in both these genes together (AHK1 AdoR1 double mutant) were employed. Altogether, the results confirmed the involvement of AKH, and partially also adenosine into the antistress defense reactions elicited by the nematobacterial infection. Finally, the last part of the study was focused on examination of the vitellogenin (Vg) role in the defense reaction in firebug body P. apterus affected by two entomopathogenic organisms, the nematode S. carpocapsae and the fungus Isaria fumosorosea. The results revealed that Vg proteins play an important role in the defense against both types of the infections and are also able to kill entomopathogenic bacteria Xenorhabdus nematophila, that are symbionts of S. carpocapsae and that increase toxicity of this nematode.

No description available.

Le travail de recherche dans ce mémoire aborde les problèmes de l'identification des systèmes non linéaires et également de l'application de la théorie d'optimisation. Dans une première partie, nous proposons des méthodes efficaces et nouvelles afin d'identifier les systèmes linéaires dans le cas d'expérimentations multiples, les séries de Volterra à horizon infini et les systèmes quadratiques en l'état. Dans une seconde partie, nous appliquons la théorie d'identification à la modélisation de la locomotion humaine. Nous abordons ensuite l'optimisation des mouvements des robots humanoïdes, l'imitation des mouvements humains par un robot humanoïde et enfin le paramétrage temporel des chemins dans l'espace des configurations pour un robot humanoïde. Les résultats expérimentaux de nos méthodes sur la plate-forme HRP-2 ont révélé non seulement leur efficacité, mais aussi leurs bonnes performances qui dépassent largement celles des méthodes conventionnelles.

Cette recherche propose d'étudier l'incidence de l'environnement urbain sur certains aspects du déplacement de la personne aveugle. Dans une approche écologique, nous prenons en considération plusieurs paramètres en étudiant, en situation réelle, la perception et le ressenti liés à l'environnement, la vitesse de marche, la représentation mentale et enfin le stress, vécu et objectivé. Nous faisons l'hypothèse que la structure urbaine a un effet notable sur l'ensemble de ces paramètres, affectant ou facilitant le déplacement. Notre protocole a mobilisé 27 personnes aveugles, utilisant une canne blanche ou un chien-guide sur un trajet urbain de 1 km, qui offre cinq scènes urbaines successives (" Ruelle A ", " Place ", " Berges ", " Rue " et " Ruelle B "). La première session s'est faite au bras du chercheur afin d'étudier la perception et le ressenti liés à l'environnement, grâce à la technique des trajets commentés. La seconde session a été consacrée à la mémorisation du trajet. Enfin, la troisième session, intégralement enregistrée sur vidéo, a consisté en un déplacement autonome. Nous avons également enregistré l'activité électrodermale in situ, afin d'en saisir les variations au fur et à mesure du trajet. Nous avons, enfin, demandé aux participants de dessiner le trajet effectué (carte mentale). Les résultats indiquent que les différentes scènes présentent des ambiances vécues comme très différentes par les marcheurs aveugles. L'environnement influence le ressenti en termes de plaisir, de sentiment de sécurité et de stress. Il influence également la vitesse de marche, ainsi que la capacité à mener le trajet à son terme. Les " Ruelles " et la " Rue " sont les scènes les plus favorables au déplacement, alors que les espaces ouverts comme la " Place " et les " Berges " se sont avérés défavorables. L'analyse de l'activité électrodermale révèle également un effet de la scène. Elle nous a permis d'identifier des zones problématiques sur le trajet. Ces nœuds correspondent aux lieux où les marcheurs aveugles doivent prendre des décisions importantes (traverser la chaussée, choisir une orientation). Enfin, la représentation mentale semble être en rapport avec les aspects précédents et varie en fonction des scènes. Les lieux les plus sécurisants sont sous-représentés, alors que les lieux vécus comme les plus stressants sont surreprésentés dans les dessins. Ces résultats invitent à prendre en considération la perception incarnée et l'expérience que les personnes aveugles ont de leur environnement dans l'élaboration des aménagements de nos cités, pour permettre à tous une meilleure autonomie et liberté de déplacement.

<p>In this thesis, the shape of the distal humerus trochlea is analysed using landmark-based morphometrics and multivariate methods, with the aim of exploring locomotor evolution in carnivorans. Elbow joint morphology is used together with body size and craniodental morphology to characterize past and present carnivorans. Evolutionary implications are studied at the ordinal, familial, and species levels, testing specific hypotheses about scaling, morphological constraints, evolutionary trajectories, and potential for social pack-hunting behaviour. The circumference of the distal humerus trochlea is found to be highly correlated with body mass, and appears to scale similarly throughout the order Carnivora. A general predictive model for carnivoran bodymass is presented (a=0.601; b= 2.552; r2=0.952, SEE=0.136, p<0001, n=92), which removes the need for the investigator to actively choose between the diverging estimates that different predictors and their equations often produce. At the elbow joint, manual manipulation and locomotion appear to be conflicting functions, thus suggesting mutually exclusive lifestyles involving either forelimb grappling or pursuit. At large body sizes, carnivorans are distributed over a strongly dichotomised pattern (grappling or locomotion), a pattern coinciding with the postulated threshold in predator-prey size ratio at 21.5-25 kg. This pattern is compared to that of two carnivoran faunas from the Tertiary. In the Oligocene (33.7-23.8 Myr BP), the overall pattern is remarkably similar to that observed for extant Carnivora. In the Miocene (23.8-11.2 Myr BP) carnivores show a similarly dichotomised pattern as the Oligocene and Recent, although the whole pattern is shifted towards larger body sizes. This difference is suggested to be a reflection of the extraordinary species richness of browsing ungulates in the early Miocene of North America. Such an increase in prey spectrum would create a unique situation, in which large carnivores need not commit to a cursorial habitus in order to fill their nutritional requirements. Finally, the elbow joints and craniodental morphology (14 measurements) of fossil canids were examined with the aim of assessing the potential for pack-hunting in fossil canids. It is clear that small and large members of the Recent Caninae share similar craniodental morphologies. However, this pattern is not present in Borophaginae and Hesperocyoninae. In the latter, large representatives are characterized by being short-faced, with reduced anterior premolars and enlarged posterior premolars, thus approaching a “pantherine-like” craniodental configuration. These traits are interpreted as an adaptation for killing prey with canine bites. It is similarly determined that, unlike recent Caninae, all analyzed species of borophagines and hesperocyonines have retained the ability to supinate their forearms. It is therefore likely that manual manipulation was part of their hunting behaviour, thus removing an essential part of the argument for social pack-hunting in these forms, as the benefits of such a strategy become less obvious.</p>

In this thesis, the shape of the distal humerus trochlea is analysed using landmark-based morphometrics and multivariate methods, with the aim of exploring locomotor evolution in carnivorans. Elbow joint morphology is used together with body size and craniodental morphology to characterize past and present carnivorans. Evolutionary implications are studied at the ordinal, familial, and species levels, testing specific hypotheses about scaling, morphological constraints, evolutionary trajectories, and potential for social pack-hunting behaviour. The circumference of the distal humerus trochlea is found to be highly correlated with body mass, and appears to scale similarly throughout the order Carnivora. A general predictive model for carnivoran bodymass is presented (a=0.601; b= 2.552; r2=0.952, SEE=0.136, p&lt;0001, n=92), which removes the need for the investigator to actively choose between the diverging estimates that different predictors and their equations often produce. At the elbow joint, manual manipulation and locomotion appear to be conflicting functions, thus suggesting mutually exclusive lifestyles involving either forelimb grappling or pursuit. At large body sizes, carnivorans are distributed over a strongly dichotomised pattern (grappling or locomotion), a pattern coinciding with the postulated threshold in predator-prey size ratio at 21.5-25 kg. This pattern is compared to that of two carnivoran faunas from the Tertiary. In the Oligocene (33.7-23.8 Myr BP), the overall pattern is remarkably similar to that observed for extant Carnivora. In the Miocene (23.8-11.2 Myr BP) carnivores show a similarly dichotomised pattern as the Oligocene and Recent, although the whole pattern is shifted towards larger body sizes. This difference is suggested to be a reflection of the extraordinary species richness of browsing ungulates in the early Miocene of North America. Such an increase in prey spectrum would create a unique situation, in which large carnivores need not commit to a cursorial habitus in order to fill their nutritional requirements. Finally, the elbow joints and craniodental morphology (14 measurements) of fossil canids were examined with the aim of assessing the potential for pack-hunting in fossil canids. It is clear that small and large members of the Recent Caninae share similar craniodental morphologies. However, this pattern is not present in Borophaginae and Hesperocyoninae. In the latter, large representatives are characterized by being short-faced, with reduced anterior premolars and enlarged posterior premolars, thus approaching a “pantherine-like” craniodental configuration. These traits are interpreted as an adaptation for killing prey with canine bites. It is similarly determined that, unlike recent Caninae, all analyzed species of borophagines and hesperocyonines have retained the ability to supinate their forearms. It is therefore likely that manual manipulation was part of their hunting behaviour, thus removing an essential part of the argument for social pack-hunting in these forms, as the benefits of such a strategy become less obvious.