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The role of swimming of the robusticity of the human upper limb
Toperczerová, Barbora ; Sládek, Vladimír (advisor) ; Struška, Michal (referee)
This bachelor thesis discusses effect of regular swimming on human bone tissue robusticity. The goal of this thesis is to summarize results of studies focusing on bone tissue of swimmers and to describe why is the bone tissue of swimmers less robust than bone tissue of individuals participating in other athletic activities. In the first part of the thesis, robusticity, bone modeling and remodeling, and responses of bone tissue on athletic activity are described. Further, the thesis focuses specifically on regular swimming. Forces, which are acting upon swimmers body and which are making swimming possible, are described. Next, four swimming strokes are described and which muscles have the highest contributions in those four swimming strokes. Bone tissue properties are compared between swimmers, other athletes and non-athletes. Special attention is given to bone tissue of human upper limbs. Lastly, the effects of weightlessness environment and absence of mechanical stimuli is described. Key words robusticity, bone functional adaptation, swimming, swimming strokes, upper limb
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Factors influencing the success of endurance hunting
Červenková, Lucie ; Struška, Michal (advisor) ; Oplt, Pavla Alexia (referee)
The persistence hunting involves the long-term pursuit of prey in typically hot and arid environments until the animal becomes exhausted and is overtaken. This hunting method played a significant role in the evolution of the genus of Homo and led to many adaptations for endurance movement, namely running. This work explores the adaptations necessary for utilizing this type of hunting as a subsistence strategy. It first focuses on thermoregulatory adaptations that occurred in the evolution of hominins and how they may be applied in hunting strategy. It further addresses adaptations associated with oxygen transport, for which information from modern endurance athletes has been primarily utilized. The aim is to determine which morphological and physiological factors play the most important role in success, and then to describe the influence of genetics and training on endurance. Lastly, the work focuses on the topic of female hunters and the likelihood of their participation in persistence hunting. It also investigates significant adaptations in women that could have provided an advantage for this type of hunting. Key words: persistence hunting, evolution, H. erectus, thermoregulatory adaptations, sweating, VO2max, woman the hunter
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Locomotion in extant and extinct nonhuman Hominidae: Implications for hominin bipedalism
Šetlíková, Julie ; Hora, Martin (advisor) ; Struška, Michal (referee)
The purpose of this thesis is to examine extinct and extant nonhuman Hominidae locomotion, through analysis of observational and fossil postcranial research. The extant genera reviewed were Pongo, Gorilla, and Pan. Knucklewalking is the primary locomotor form observed in African great apes while suspension predominates in Pongo. Less prominent are palmigrade quadrupedalism, bridging, vertical climb, scrambling, and other forms of suspensory behavior. Bipedalism, primarily assisted, is found in all examined extant apes with Pongo utilizing it the most. Extinct genera were selected based on the recent, thoroughgoing phylogenetic study by Pugh (2022), categorizing probable stem hominids, stem hominids, pongines, and hominines. Main forms of locomotion utilized were quadrupedalism, vertical climb, and suspensory behavior. Kenyapithecus and Sivapithecus are suggested to have used, along arboreal quadrupedalism, knucklewalking. Most of the discussed hominines, phylogenetically closest to our chimpanzee-human last common ancestor (CHLCA), have limited postcranial data and locomotion could not be concluded. Danuvius guggenmosi, Lufengpithecus lufengensis, and Ouranopithecus macedoniensis are thought to have employed bipedalism. Lufengpithecus and Danuvius further show signs of recently termed extended limb...
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The relationship between body dimensions and locomotion in human and other hominins
Fedrová, Johana ; Struška, Michal (advisor) ; Vážná, Anna (referee)
We work with estimates of body weights and dimensions of hominins derived from fossil finds. The reliability of the estimate is important for calculations related to thermoregulation and energetics of the individual. The termoregulation of individual is influenced by number of factors including breathing type, sweating ability, body hair, type of locomotion, size of limbs to size of body ratio. Hair loss allows for greater heat loss. The ability to sweat and thermoregulate in hominins is more important for running than for walking. Heat loss is influenced by the trunk breath and the distal limb element lenght. Body shape in the current human population conforms to Allen's rule. Populations living closer to the equator show smaller bi-iliac width and longer limbs relative to body size. This trend can be observed in hominins. The cost of locomotion, the cost needed to travel a given distance in a given time, is affected by the lower limb lenght. Longer lower limbs reduce this cost, they allow to cover the distance using fewer steps. Each step is more costly because more muscle power is needed to move the longer limb. The step lenght and the optimal movement speed of the individual is proportional to the individual's stature. Man excels in the ability of bipedal locomotion, which Australopithecus...
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The current state of physical activity and the development of motor skills in present children
Briššová, Barbora ; Vážná, Anna (advisor) ; Struška, Michal (referee)
Over the last few decades, due to changes in society, whether in the urbanization, technology or other factors, sedentary lifestyle has increased. Children and adolescents spend their free time on their mobile devices, watching television or using other electronics. The current state of physical activity of both Czech children and children in the world is very alarming, as shown by results from the Global Matrix project, where was observed that only one third of the world's population complies with daily recommendations for physical activity. Within the Czech Republic, the Czech School Inspectorate's project also investigated the level of physical fitness of Czech children and adolescents, and the possibilities they are given within the school for the development of their movement. The results were also not satisfactory. Lack of movement can lead to the development of chronic diseases or poorly fixed skeletal structures, and it also contributes to the development of obesity. This is a very significant and serious problem that needs to be given more attention. This work provides an overview of motor skills and physical activity, in general, within development, as well as an overview of the current state in the population of children and possible methods of monitoring, as well as possible...
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Influence of high level of stress on the adaptative mechanisms of the bones
Suková, Jaroslava ; Sládek, Vladimír (advisor) ; Struška, Michal (referee)
The main purpose of this paper is to describe the mechanism of the effect of high load on bone tissue and its ability to adapt to the given load. In the first part of this paper I am going to focus on the description of the mechanism of the load effect on bone tissue according to the mechanostat theory of Harold Frost and Jullius Wolff. In the second part I am going to describe how high load affects the bone tissue and how the adaptation mechanisms of the bone will react to the load. In this part I am also going to focus on pathological high load and the occurrence of cracks and fractures on bones due to this load being higher than the bone can sustain. In the last part of the paper I am going to focus on the bone repair mechanisms needed when fractures and cracks disrupt the integrity of the bone. Keywords Adaptability of the bone, physiological mechanisms of the bone, pathological overload, Frost's mechanostat, reparational mechanisms of the bone, bone damage
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Throwing ability in human evolution
Struška, Michal ; Sládek, Vladimír (advisor) ; Hora, Martin (referee)
The aim of this thesis is to describe the origin of bone markers that characterize individuals who throw habitually and the usability of these markers in research of past populations. The thesis also summarizes knowledge of the origin and development of projectile weapons in Pleistocene. The effectiveness (accuracy and speed) of throw is probably related to differences in morphology of pectoral girdle, torso and hand. Therefore, a part of the text summarizes the morphology of pectoral girdle, torso and hand in the species H. erectus, which was probably the first group of hominins able to throw with effectiveness close to the one of anatomically modern humans. The development of projectile technology, which came after the adoption of effective throwing ability, is usually inferred from archaeological findings of spears and arrows. Various interpretations of archaeologically found weapons bring different conclusions regarding the usage of these weapons. The usage may be inferred from bone characteristics originating as consequences of moves that individual executes when manipulating weapons.
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Evolutionary aspects of (epi)genetic determination of laterality with a special focus on upper limb
Holoubková, Tereza ; Daňková, Pavlína (advisor) ; Struška, Michal (referee)
Handedness is one of the most distinct asymmetries of the human body. There is approximately 90 % of right-handers in the population, which is the strongest bias in handedness among all primates. Handedness is connected with lateralization of brain for language and is determined both genetically and by the environment. Genetic determination of the handedness has not been yet figured out, although there are many candidate genes and regions. In addition to candidate genes, the genetic determination is shaped by the epigenetic mechanisms and the role of testosterone. Handedness occurred alongside the beginning of the human population development, approximately in the Middle Pleistocene, with the same percentage of left-handers as today. Handedness polymorphism is maintained in the population based on the frequency-dependent model because of the advantages and disadvantages associated with left-handedness.
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Reconstruction of the influence of grinding technology on upper limb muscle activity
Struška, Michal ; Sládek, Vladimír (advisor) ; Hora, Martin (referee)
Interpretation of changes of humeral asymmetry during the Holocene period was based on the analysis of upper limb muscle activity during cereal grinding using the saddle quern and rotary quern. The aim of the diploma thesis was to test if the dominant upper limb muscle activity during cereal grinding using the saddle quern and rotary quern might be estimated by measuring the activity of musculus deltoideus (pars clavicularis), musculus infraspinatus, musculus pectoralis major and musculus triceps brachii (caput longum). Using surface electromyography, we have analyzed activity of musculus biceps brachii, musculus deltoideus (pars clavicularis), musculus deltoideus (pars acromialis), musculus deltoideus (pars spinalis), musculus pectoralis major, musculus infraspinatus, musculus triceps brachii (caput laterale) and musculus triceps brachii (caput longum) during cereal grinding using the saddle quern and rotary quern in 25 subjects. Consistent with our prediction, musculus biceps brachii was the least active muscle during saddle quern grinding and clockwise rotary grinding, therefore it is possible to exclude musculus biceps brachii from the sample of analyzed muscles. Pars clavicularis, pars acromialis and pars spinalis of musculus deltoideus were more active during rotary quern grinding than...
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Throwing ability in human evolution
Struška, Michal ; Sládek, Vladimír (advisor) ; Hora, Martin (referee)
The aim of this thesis is to describe the origin of bone markers that characterize individuals who throw habitually and the usability of these markers in research of past populations. The thesis also summarizes knowledge of the origin and development of projectile weapons in Pleistocene. The effectiveness (accuracy and speed) of throw is probably related to differences in morphology of pectoral girdle, torso and hand. Therefore, a part of the text summarizes the morphology of pectoral girdle, torso and hand in the species H. erectus, which was probably the first group of hominins able to throw with effectiveness close to the one of anatomically modern humans. The development of projectile technology, which came after the adoption of effective throwing ability, is usually inferred from archaeological findings of spears and arrows. Various interpretations of archaeologically found weapons bring different conclusions regarding the usage of these weapons. The usage may be inferred from bone characteristics originating as consequences of moves that individual executes when manipulating weapons.
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