Ethology of morphogenesis reveals the design principles of cnidarian size and shape development

SummaryDuring development, organisms interact with their natural habitats while undergoing morphological changes, yet it remains unclear whether the interplay between developing systems and their environments impacts animal morphogenesis. Here, we use the cnidarian Nematostella vectensis as a developmental model to uncover a mechanistic link between organism size, shape and behavior. Using quantitative live imaging, including extensive behavioral profiling, combined with molecular and biophysical experiments, we demonstrate that the muscular hydraulic machinery that controls body movement directly drives larva-polyp morphogenesis. Unexpectedly, size and shape development are differentially controlled by antagonistic muscles. A simple theoretical model shows how a combination of slow-priming and fast-pumping pressures generated by muscular hydraulics acts as a global mechanical regulator that coordinates tissue remodeling. Altogether, our findings illuminate how dynamic behavioral modes in the environment can be harnessed to drive morphogenetic trajectories, establishing ethology as a critical component of organismal morphogenesis – termed ethology of morphogenesis.

Humanoid Lower Limb: Design, Analysis, Observer-Based Fuzzy Adaptive Control and Experiment

With flexibility similar to human muscles, pneumatic artificial muscles (PAMs) are widely used in bionic robots. They have a high power-mass ratio and are only affected by single-acting pneumatic pressure. Some robots are actuated by a pair of PAMs in the form of antagonistic muscles or joints through a parallel mechanism. The pneumatic pressure and length of PAMs should be measured simultaneously for feedback using a pressure transducer and draw-wire displacement sensor. The PAM designed by the FESTO (10 mm diameter) is too small to install a draw-wire displacement sensor coaxially and cannot measure muscle length change directly. To solve this problem, an angular transducer is adopted to measure joint angles as a whole. Then, the inertia of the lower limb is identified, and observer-based fuzzy adaptive control is introduced to combine with integrated control of the angular transducer. The parameters of the fuzzy control are optimized by the Gaussian basis neural network function, and an observer is developed to estimate the unmeasured angular accelerations. Finally, two experiments are conducted to confirm the effectiveness of the method. It is demonstrated that piriformis and musculi obturator internus act as agonistic muscle and antagonistic muscles alternatively, and iliopsoas is mainly responsible for strengthening because of the constant output force. Piriformis has a greater influence on yaw and roll angles, while musculi obturator internus is the one that influences the pitch angle the most. Due to joint friction, the dead zone of the high-speed on-off valve, lag of compressed air in the trachea, and coupling among angles are very difficult to realize precise trajectory tracking of the pitch, yaw, and roll angles simultaneously.

Impedance of the Human Ankle During Standing for Posture Control

The stiffness and damping of anatomical joints can be modulated by muscle co-contraction, where antagonistic muscles contract simultaneously, increasing both the joint’s stiffness and damping. In a second order system, the mechanical impedance, or simply impedance, is a function of the system’s inertia, damping, and stiffness. The ankle impedance can be defined as the resultant force due to an external motion perturbation. The impedance modulation of the human ankle is required for stable walking. The estimation of the time-varying impedance modulation of the human ankle is the focus of research by different groups [1,2].

Dynamic Analysis of the Abnormal Isometric Strength Movement Pattern between Shoulder and Elbow Joint in Patients with Hemiplegia

Patients with hemiplegia usually have weak muscle selectivity and usually perform strength at a secondary joint (secondary strength) during performing a strength at one joint (primary strength). The abnormal strength pattern between shoulder and elbow joint has been analyzed by the maximum value while the performing process with strength changing from 0 to maximum then to 0 was a dynamic process. The objective of this study was to develop a method to dynamically analyze the strength changing process. Ten patients were asked to perform four group asks (maximum and 50% maximum voluntary strength in shoulder abduction, shoulder adduction, elbow flexion, and elbow extension). Strength and activities from seven muscles were measured. The changes of secondary strength had significant correlation with those of primary strength in all tasks (R>0.76, p<0.01). The antagonistic muscles were moderately influenced by the primary strength (R>0.4, p<0.01). Deltoid muscles, biceps brachii, triceps brachii, and brachioradialis had significant influences on the abnormal strength pattern (all p<0.01). The dynamic method was proved to be efficient to analyze the different influences of muscles on the abnormal strength pattern. The muscles, deltoid muscles, biceps brachii, triceps brachii, and brachioradialis, much influenced the stereotyped movement pattern between shoulder and elbow joint.