Doctoral Dissertation Research: Biomechanics of Digitigrade Hand Postures in Primate Quadrupedal Locomotion

博士论文研究：灵长类四足运动中数字手部姿势的生物力学

• 批准号: 0524988
• 负责人: Susan Larson
• 金额: $ 1.2万
• 依托单位: SUNY at Stony Brook
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2005
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2005-07-01 至 2007-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0524988&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Doctoral; Dissertation; Research; Biomechanics; Digitigrade

Arboreality is a central component in theories regarding the origin and subsequent radiation of the Primate Order, and most extant primate species do spend the majority of their time in the trees. However, a few living species of primates are primarily terrestrial, and fossil evidence suggests that terrestriality may have been more common in the past, possibly evolving independently in several lineages. Indeed, it has been suggested that some of the earliest monkeys and apes, not to mention the ancestors of our own species, were at least partly terrestrial. However, while many studies have identified behavioral and morphological specializations of primates associated with arboreal habits, relatively little is known about the functional morphology of features related to terrestriality. Digitigrade hand posture during quadrupedal locomotion, although considered a hallmark of terrestrial habits, is one such feature about which little is known. The goal of the present study, therefore, is to examine the biomechanics of different hand postures in primates by drawing upon biomechanical theory proposed for different postures observed in the distal extremities in other mammals. Specifically, this study will quantify the locomotor mechanics associated with digitigrade versus palmigrade hand postures in two closely related Old World monkey species during quadrupedal locomotion. Two lines of investigation will be presented: 1) experimental analysis of primate quadrupedal locomotion on both terrestrial and simulated arboreal substrates to quantitatively describe and compare different hand postures; and 2) an exploration of the association between the kinematics and kinetics of different hand postures on metacarpal bone strain using computer simulated finite element analysis (FEA). This analysis will provide a better understanding of the adaptive value of digitigrade hand postures in a functional context, and these results can in turn be applied to derive anatomical measures to be better able to interpret fossil material. Thus the results of this analysis will improve our knowledge of form:function relationships, and aid in the understanding of the course of primate locomotor evolution, including that of our own species. In addition, resolution of the biomechanics of digitigrady in primates may offer new insight into why digitigrady has evolved numerous times in vertebrates.The broader impacts of this work stem from the integration of research in multiple scientific disciplines including anthropology, functional morphology, and bioengineering. The Co-PI will be sufficiently trained using sophisticated techniques including three-dimensional motion and force plate analysis, bone strain, and finite element analysis to address a variety of questions related to animal locomotion in the future as an independent researcher. Undergraduate and other graduate students at Stony Brook University will be encouraged to participate in this research to learn experimental techniques as well as to explore their own research questions with the animal subjects acquired with this proposal. All finite element models will be made publicly available to promote collaborative research and to provide the opportunity for independent tests of the models. This research is expected to be of interest to a wide scientific community including researchers in anthropology, paleontology, biomechanics, bone biology, biomedical engineering, veterinary science, and sports medicine.

树栖性是灵长目起源和随后的辐射理论的核心组成部分，大多数现存的灵长类物种确实在树上度过了大部分时间。 然而，一些现存的灵长类物种主要是陆生的，化石证据表明，陆生在过去可能更常见，可能在几个谱系中独立进化。 事实上，有人提出，最早的一些猴子和猿，更不用说我们自己物种的祖先，至少部分是陆地动物。 然而，虽然许多研究已经确定了与树栖习性相关的灵长类动物的行为和形态学特化，但对与陆生性相关的功能形态学知之甚少。 四足动物运动时的指状手姿势，虽然被认为是陆地生活习惯的标志，但也是一个鲜为人知的特征。 因此，本研究的目的是研究灵长类动物不同的手姿势的生物力学，通过借鉴生物力学理论提出的不同姿势观察在其他哺乳动物的远端四肢。 具体而言，这项研究将量化的运动力学与digitigrade与掌指手姿势在两个密切相关的旧大陆猴种在四足运动。 本研究将提出两条研究路线：1）灵长类动物四足动物在陆地和模拟树木上的实验分析，以定量描述和比较不同的手部姿势; 2）使用计算机模拟有限元分析（FEA）探索不同手部姿势对掌骨应变的运动学和动力学之间的关联。这种分析将提供一个更好的理解digitigrade手姿势的适应性价值的功能背景下，这些结果可以反过来被应用到派生的解剖措施，能够更好地解释化石材料。 因此，这项分析的结果将提高我们对形式：功能关系的认识，并有助于理解灵长类动物运动进化的过程，包括我们自己的物种。 此外，解决灵长类动物digitigrady的生物力学可能会提供新的见解，为什么digitigrady已经进化了无数次的脊椎动物。更广泛的影响，这项工作源于多个科学学科的研究，包括人类学，功能形态学和生物工程的整合。 Co-PI将使用复杂的技术进行充分的培训，包括三维运动和测力板分析，骨应变和有限元分析，以解决未来作为独立研究人员与动物运动相关的各种问题。 将鼓励斯托尼布鲁克大学的本科生和其他研究生参与本研究，学习实验技术，并探索他们自己的研究问题与动物受试者获得本建议。 所有有限元模型都将公开，以促进合作研究，并为模型的独立测试提供机会。 这项研究预计将引起广泛的科学界的兴趣，包括人类学，古生物学，生物力学，骨生物学，生物医学工程，兽医学和运动医学的研究人员。