... abundance of muscle spindles primarily function to lengthen and absorb energy, while muscles with a greater spindle abundance perform active-stretch–shorten cycles with no net work, suggesting that muscle spindle abundance may be underpinned by muscle function. Compared with other mammalian muscles...

... relate to in vivo muscle function. Here, we map the in situ F – L and F – V characteristics of guinea fowl ( Numida meleagris ) lateral gastrocnemius (LG) to the in vivo operating range during walking and running. We test the hypothesis that muscle fascicles operate on the F – L plateau, near the optimal...

... relationship derived from static conditions may not predict force output during dynamic contractions as differing muscle starting lengths are needed to evoke maximal force and power. Force Isometric activation Dynamic activation Skeletal muscle mechanics Muscle function Force–length relationship...

.... , Altringham , J. D. , Williams , T. and Block , B. A. ( 2000 ). Slow muscle function of Pacific Bonito (Sarda Chiliensis) during steady swimming . J. Exp. Biol. 203 , 2001 - 2013 . 10.1242/jeb.203.13.2001 Eshima , H. , Tamura , Y. , Kakehi , S. , Kurebayashi , N...

... generation during jumping. Muscle strain Electromyography EMG Muscle function Sonomicrometry Optimal velocity National Science Foundation http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/100000001 1553550 Army Research Office http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/100000183 66554-EG...

... comprehensive assessment of muscle function. For instance, the higher mechanical work required during incline versus level walking is associated with higher activation and a greater amount of fascicle shortening in the MG muscle ( Lichtwark and Wilson, 2006 ). However, to date, no study has combined both...

..., and humerotriceps activation phase and duration, indicate functional plasticity that can effectively power different flight behaviors. Flight Active wing morphing Wing muscle Muscle function Work loop Pigeon The avian wing undergoes substantial shape change during both flapping and gliding...

... the complex relationship between muscle function and locomotion. Autotomy Locomotion Muscle Activity Muscle function Electromyography Kinematics Locomotion is fundamental to animal survival, where it is critical for prey capture and predator evasion. The ability to successfully accomplish...

... support. Understanding the principles that underlie the flexibility of muscle function can provide key insights into the sources of animal functional and behavioural diversity. * Author for correspondence ( [email protected] ) Competing interests The authors declare no competing or financial...

... muscle function remains an important but neglected question in ecophysiology. Here, we used high-speed videography, electromyography, in situ contractile experiments and morphology to examine gastrocnemius muscle function during arboreal locomotion in the Cuban knight anole, Anolis equestris...

... § Present address: School of Sport Science, Exercise and Health, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia * Author for correspondence ( [email protected] ) 5 7 2011 © 2011. 2011 muscle function muscle moment arm muscle physiology In vivo...

... muscle function biarticular fascicle strain electromyography (EMG) Capra hircus kinematics triceps Muscle–tendon units (MTUs) in animal limbs can be categorized as monoarticular if they cross one joint, biarticular if they cross two joints,and multiarticular if they cross three or more...

..., and generally increased shortening velocity after peak gape. The shortening velocities measured in this study suggest that the SH actively shortens to generate power during suction feeding. This study is the first direct measurement of in vivo muscle function during suction feeding, the most common mechanism...

... for the reduced power output at low temperature, but it is not known how much low temperature actually reduces power output in vivo . ‘Optimized’ work-loop measurements, which are thought to approximate muscle function in vivo , give a Q 10 of approximately 2.3 for power output of scup ( Stenotomus chrysops ) red...

... Altringham , J. D. and Johnston , I. A. ( 1990 ). Modelling muscle power output in a swimming fish . J. Exp. Biol . 148 , 395 – 402 . 10.1242/jeb.148.1.395 Altringham , J. D. , Wardle , C. S. and Smith , C. I. ( 1993 ). Myotomal muscle function at different locations...

... duty cycles and the relative timing of muscle activation, suggesting some alteration in the functional mechanics of the underlying musculature. Only by studying muscle function in animals moving under more variable conditions can we begin to characterize the functional breadth of the vertebrate...

...-dimensional kinematics to measure the orientation of the fin surface, digital particle image velocimetry (DPIV) was used to describe flow in the wake of the fin and to estimate force exerted on the water, and electromyography was used to assess pectoral fin muscle function. Sturgeon (size range 25–32 cm total...