An Integrative Study of the Functional Interactions Between Primate Hip Joint Morphology and Loading Environment

本研究提出应用先进的工程方法研究灵长类动物的髋关节功能。灵长类动物的髋关节是一个复杂的结构，具有广泛的用途。更好地了解这种结构不仅有助于我们了解髋关节的功能，而且为早期人类运动的进化过程提供了重要的证据。这是因为在向两足运动形式过渡的过程中，髋关节经历了实质性的重组。尽管在过去的两个世纪里对这一结构进行了广泛的研究，但对髋关节的功能仍然知之甚少。到目前为止，大多数工作都局限于髋部骨骼形状的记录，很少有人投入精力分析观察到的形态特征的功能含义。这个项目将采取最近才成为可能的综合方法。它将首次系统地将外部髋关节形态、内部小梁骨密度模式和功能负荷纳入全球股骨和髋臼模型。它将研究人类臀部以及其他各种大型灵长类动物的形式和功能之间的关系。本研究的目的是：(1)量化不同行为的猴子、猿和人类的骨密度模式。(2)验证关于孤立关节特征的生物力学意义的预测。(3)将外部形态特征、内部结构和关节载荷整合到一个单一的全局模型中，从而研究单个变量和变量集对关节力和肌肉力的相对敏感性。(4)利用这些被发现是可靠的加载指标的变量来重建化石物种的位置行为。本项目将在以下领域做出重大贡献：(1)比较功能形态学：本研究将通过整合关节面几何、骨小梁骨密度和机械载荷数据，为比较解剖学领域提供新的信息。(2)古人类学：本研究将扩展我们目前对现存灵长类动物臀部形态/功能关系的认识，并为古生物学家重建灭绝物种的位置行为提供新的工具。(3)方法上的贡献：将现代骨重塑理论与计算机和生物工程技术相结合是生物人类学的新途径，将有助于建立新的研究前沿。

This study proposes to apply advanced engineering methods to study primate hip function. The primate hip joint is a complex structure that serves a wide range of purposes. A better understanding of this structure will not only facilitate our knowledge of hip joint function but also provide important evidence about the evolutionary process of early human locomotion. This is because the hip joint underwent substantial reorganization in the transition to a bipedal form of locomotion. Despite extensive research efforts devoted to this structure in the last two centuries, hip functions remain poorly understood. Up until now, most work has been confined to the documentation of the shape of the hip skeleton and little effort has been invested to analyze the functional implications of observed morphological traits. This project will take a comprehensive approach that has only recently become possible. It will for the first time systematically incorporate external hip morphology, internal trabecular bone density patterns, and functional loads into global femoral and acetabular models. It will examine the relationship between form and function in the hip of humans as well as various other large bodied primates. The objectives of this study are: (1) To quantify bone density patterns in behaviorally diverse monkeys, apes, and humans. (2) To test predictions concerning the biomechanical significance of isolated joint features. (3) To integrate external morphological features, internal architecture and joint loads into a single global model so that the relative sensitivity of single variables and sets of variables to joint forces and muscle forces can be investigated. (4) To use those variables which are found to be sound indicators of loading to reconstruct positional behavior in fossil species. This project will make substantial contributions in the following fields: (1) Comparative Functional Morphology: This study will contribute new information to the field of comparative anatomy by integrating data on joint surface geometry, trabecular bone density and mechanical loading. (2) Paleoanthropology: This study will extend our current understanding of form/function relationships in the hip of living primates and provide paleontologists with new tools to reconstruct positional behavior in extinct species. (3) Methodological Contribution: The integration of modern bone remodeling theories with computer and bioengineering technologies is a new approach in biological anthropology and will help to establish new research frontiers.