MONTOOTH, K.L.*; CLARK, A.G.; MARDEN, J.H.: Physiological genetics of flight performance in Drosophila melanogaster. Given the high demand that insect flight places on glycolytic metabolism, insect flight performance should be particularly sensitive to the functional effects of allelic and regulatory variation in energy metabolism. However, the contribution of variation in energy metabolism to variation in […]

NICHOLSON, G.S.*; JAMISON, M.; KELLEY, K.M.: Insulin-Regulated Glucose Transport in Muscle of the Goby, Gillichthys mirabilis In the goby, a total pancreatic endocrine isletectomy (Ix) is followed by hyperglycemia and several additional symptoms typical of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM). Insulin treatment of Ix gobies normalizes serum glucose levels, with a significant glucose-lowering effect of the […]

MCGOWAN, C.P.; CARD, G.; BIEWENER, A.A.: Muscle Work in Hopping Wallabies Unlike other bipeds and quadrupeds, wallabies do not increase O2 consumption with increased hopping speed. This unique terrestrial locomotor economy has led to several studies on the mechanics of hopping and elastic energy recovery. To date, studies have focused primarily on the large Achilles […]

CHI, K.-J.*; SCHMITT, D.: How can a heel pad perform multiple mechanical roles? During each step the human foot decelerates and reaccelerates. As a result, the heel pad must cushion impact, stabilize the foot, and return elastic energy. To perform each function, pads must have specific mechanical properties. To cushion impact, the pad has to […]

FISH, F.E.*; SMELSTOYS, J.; BAUDINETTE, R.V.; REYNOLDS, P.S.: Fur doesn’t fly, it floats: buoyancy of hair in semi-aquatic mammals The evolution from a terrestrial existence to an aquatic lifestyle in mammals required the development of adaptations for locomotion and stability in water. We postulated that the non-wettable fur of semi-aquatic mammals, in addition to providing […]

SHEFELBINE, SJ; CARTER, DR: Effects of mechanical loads on morphological changes in the femur during development Many morphologic changes occur during growth and development of the femur. In particular, the bicondylar angle (angle between the diaphysis and the intracondylar plane) increases about 8 degrees. The neck-shaft angle and anteversion angle of the proximal femur both […]

MAIN, R.P.*; DONOVAN, C.M.; BIEWENER, A.A.: Bone strain, bone geometry, and histology in the radii of goats through ontogeny The measurement of patterns of in vivo bone strain in relation to ontogenetic growth is an area of vertebrate biomechanics that has received little attention. Furthermore, the examination of ontogenetic strain data in light of complementary […]

LANDRY, S.O.: Bipedal Upright Stance in Ground Sloths. Measurements in dinosaurs of the estimated height of the heart from the ground suggest that this distance never exceeds about two meters, no matter what the size of the animal. This generalization appears to hold good for all terrrestrial animals. An apparent exception are the giant ground […]

STEWART, J.R.*; THOMPSON, M.B.; East Tennessee State Univ., Johnson City; Univ. of Sydney, Australia: Similarity and Novelty in the Evolution of Reptilian Placentation The placenta of squamate reptiles, which has evolved independently in more than 100 lineages, is a composite structure that arises as a functional interaction between the maternal uterus and extraembryonic membranes. The […]

MUELLER, R. L.; University of California, Berkeley: Genome size, cell size, and the evolution of enucleated red blood cells in the salamander genus Batrachoseps Plethodontid salamanders of the genus Batrachoseps have very unusual blood; a majority of their red blood cells, like those of mammals, do not contain a nucleus. This unusual feature is seen […]