Experimental-numerical method for calculating bending moments in swimming fish shows that fish larvae control undulatory swimming with simple actuation

Modeling zebrafish escape swim reveals maximum neuromuscular power output and efficient body movement adaptation to increased water viscosity

Under evolutionary pressure, the kinematic and energetic characteristics of animal locomotion have been optimized for survival. We investigated the kinematics and energetic performance of zebrafish eleutheroembryo escape swims triggered by electrical stimuli in fluids of increasing viscosity. Eleutheroembryos exhibited a decrease in both tail movement frequency and swimming velocity in more viscous environments, while the amplitude of body curvature remains constant. We then combined experimental imaging of freely swimming eleutheroembryos with Navier-Stokes numerical simulations. The results showed that the mechanical power output was initially maximal and remained essentially stable with increasing viscosity, while the cost of transport was linearly correlated with viscosity. Eleutheroembryos maximize neuromuscular power output during the fast-start escape response, enabling them to potentially escape predators under all circumstances in a natural environment. This model may be used to identify genetic and toxicological factors that reduce the mechanical power developed by the neuromuscular system or induce a loss of efficiency in its use.

Mapping spatial patterns to energetic benefits in groups of flow-coupled swimmers

The coordinated motion of animal groups through fluids is thought to reduce the cost of locomotion to individuals in the group. However, the connection between the spatial patterns observed in collectively moving animals and the energetic benefits at each position within the group remains unclear. To address this knowledge gap, we study the spontaneous emergence of cohesive formations in groups of fish, modeled as flapping foils, all heading in the same direction. We show in pairwise formations and with increasing group size that (1) in side-by-side arrangements, the reciprocal nature of flow coupling results in an equal distribution of energy requirements among all members, with reduction in cost of locomotion for swimmers flapping inphase but an increase in cost for swimmers flapping antiphase, and (2) in inline arrangements, flow coupling is non-reciprocal for all flapping phase, with energetic savings in favor of trailing swimmers, but only up to a finite number of swimmers, beyond which school cohesion and energetic benefits are lost at once. We explain these findings mechanistically and we provide efficient diagnostic tools for identifying locations in the wake of single and multiple swimmers that offer opportunities for hydrodynamic benefits to aspiring followers. Our results imply a connection between the resources generated by flow physics and social traits that influence greedy and cooperative group behavior.

Hydrodynamic Interaction of Two Self-Propelled Fish Swimming in a Tandem Arrangement

Collective locomotion in biological systems is ubiquitous and attracts much attention, and there are complex hydrodynamics involved. The hydrodynamic interaction for fish schooling is examined using two-dimensional numerical simulations of a pair of self-propelled swimming fish in this paper. The effects of different parameters on swimming speed gain and energy-saving efficiency are investigated by adjusting swimming parameters (initial separation distance d0, tail beat amplitude A, body wavelength λ, and period of oscillation T) at different phase difference δϕ between two fish. The hydrodynamic interaction performance of fish swimming in a tandem arrangement is analyzed with the help of the instantaneous vorticity contours, pressure contours, and mean work done. Using elementary hydrodynamic arguments, a unifying mechanistic principle, which characterizes the fish locomotion by deriving a scaling relation that links swimming speed u to body kinematics (A, T, and λ), arrangement of formation (d0), and fluid properties (kinematic viscosity ν), is revealed. It is shown that there are some certain scaling laws between similarity criterion number (Reynolds number (Re) and Strouhal number (St)) and energy-consuming coefficient (CE) under different parameters (Δ). In particular, a generality in the relationships of St–Re and CE–(Re ·Δ) can emerge despite significant disparities in locomotory performance.

Maternal food restriction during pregnancy affects offspring development and swimming performance in a placental live-bearing fish

How pregnant mothers allocate limited resources to different biological functions such as maintenance, somatic growth, and reproduction can have profound implications for early life development and survival of offspring. Here, we examined the effects of maternal food restriction during pregnancy on offspring in the matrotrophic (i.e. mother-nourishment throughout gestation) live-bearing fish species Phalloptychus januarius (Poeciliidae). We fed pregnant females with either low or high food levels for 6 weeks and quantified the consequences for offspring size and body fat at birth and 1 week after birth. We further measured fast-start escape performance of offspring at birth, as well as swimming kinematics during prey capture at 0, 2 and 7 days after birth. We found that the length of maternal food restriction during pregnancy negatively affected offspring dry mass and lean dry mass at birth, as well as body fat gain during the first week after birth. Moreover, it impacted the locomotor performance of offspring during prey capture at birth and during the first week after birth. We did not observe an effect of food restriction on fast-start escape performance of offspring. Our study suggests that matrotrophic poeciliid fish are maladapted to unpredictably fluctuating resource environments, because sudden reductions in maternal food availability during pregnancy result in smaller offspring with slower postnatal body fat gain and an inhibition of postnatal improving swimming skills during feeding, potentially leading to lower competitive abilities after birth.

Highlighted Article: Maternal food restriction during pregnancy results in smaller offspring, slower postnatal body fat gain and an inhibition of postnatal improvement of swimming skills during feeding, possibly leading to lower competitive abilities after birth.

Fishes regulate tail-beat kinematics to minimize speed-specific cost of transport

Energetic expenditure is an important factor in animal locomotion. Here we test the hypothesis that fishes control tail-beat kinematics to optimize energetic expenditure during undulatory swimming. We focus on two energetic indices used in swimming hydrodynamics, cost of transport and Froude efficiency. To rule out one index in favour of another, we use computational-fluid dynamics models to compare experimentally observed fish kinematics with predicted performance landscapes and identify energy-optimized kinematics for a carangiform swimmer, an anguilliform swimmer and larval fishes. By locating the areas in the predicted performance landscapes that are occupied by actual fishes, we found that fishes use combinations of tail-beat frequency and amplitude that minimize cost of transport. This energy-optimizing strategy also explains why fishes increase frequency rather than amplitude to swim faster, and why fishes swim within a narrow range of Strouhal numbers. By quantifying how undulatory-wave kinematics affect thrust, drag, and power, we explain why amplitude and frequency are not equivalent in speed control, and why Froude efficiency is not a reliable energetic indicator. These insights may inspire future research in aquatic organisms and bioinspired robotics using undulatory propulsion.

Three-dimensional topology optimization model to simulate the external shapes of bone

Elucidation of the mechanism by which the shape of bones is formed is essential for understanding vertebrate development. Bones support the body of vertebrates by withstanding external loads, such as those imposed by gravity and muscle tension. Many studies have reported that bone formation varies in response to external loads. An increased external load induces bone synthesis, whereas a decreased external load induces bone resorption. This relationship led to the hypothesis that bone shape adapts to external load. In fact, by simulating this relationship through topology optimization, the internal trabecular structure of bones can be successfully reproduced, thereby facilitating the study of bone diseases. In contrast, there have been few attempts to simulate the external structure of bones, which determines vertebrate morphology. However, the external shape of bones may be reproduced through topology optimization because cells of the same type form both the internal and external structures of bones. Here, we constructed a three-dimensional topology optimization model to attempt the reproduction of the external shape of teleost vertebrae. In teleosts, the internal structure of the vertebral bodies is invariable, exhibiting an hourglass shape, whereas the lateral structure supporting the internal structure differs among species. Based on the anatomical observations, we applied different external loads to the hourglass-shaped part. The simulations produced a variety of three-dimensional structures, some of which exhibited several structural features similar to those of actual teleost vertebrae. In addition, by adjusting the geometric parameters, such as the width of the hourglass shape, we reproduced the variation in the teleost vertebrae shapes. These results suggest that a simulation using topology optimization can successfully reproduce the external shapes of teleost vertebrae. By applying our topology optimization model to various bones of vertebrates, we can understand how the external shape of bones adapts to external loads.

In this paper, we developed a computational method to investigate the relationship between three-dimensional bone shape and external loads imposed on bones. Many studies report that bone formation varies in response to external loads. An increased external load induces bone synthesis, whereas a decreased external load induces bone resorption. This relationship led to the hypothesis that the shape of bones adapts to external load. However, it remains unclear whether this hypothesis can explain the shape of bones. Here, we constructed a three-dimensional mathematical model that imitates the cellular activities of bone formation to attempt the reproduction of the shape of teleost vertebrae. In teleosts, the shape of the vertebrae differs among the species. We set the multiple types of external load conditions in the simulations and compared the simulation results with different teleost vertebrae. The produced structures that can resist the deformation of the surrounding tissues exhibited multiple structural features similar to the vertebrae of several teleost species. This result shows that the formation of bone shape can be explained by the adaptation to external load.

Zebrafish as a Model for the Study of Lipid-Lowering Drug-Induced Myopathies

Drug-induced myopathies are classified as acquired myopathies caused by exogenous factors. These pathological conditions develop in patients without muscle disease and are triggered by a variety of medicaments, including lipid-lowering drugs (LLDs) such as statins, fibrates, and ezetimibe. Here we summarise the current knowledge gained via studies conducted using various models, such as cell lines and mammalian models, and compare them with the results obtained in zebrafish (Danio rerio) studies. Zebrafish have proven to be an excellent research tool for studying dyslipidaemias as a model of these pathological conditions. This system enables in-vivo characterization of drug and gene candidates to further the understanding of disease aetiology and develop new therapeutic strategies. Our review also considers important environmental issues arising from the indiscriminate use of LLDs worldwide. The widespread use and importance of drugs such as statins and fibrates justify the need for the meticulous study of their mechanism of action and the side effects they cause.

Effect of body stiffness distribution on larval fish-like efficient undulatory swimming

Energy-efficient propulsion is a critical design target for robotic swimmers. Although previous studies have pointed out the importance of nonuniform body bending stiffness distribution (k) in improving the undulatory swimming efficiency of adult fish-like robots in the inertial flow regime, whether such an elastic mechanism is beneficial in the intermediate flow regime remains elusive. Hence, we develop a class of untethered soft milliswimmers consisting of a magnetic composite head and a passive elastic body with different k These robots realize larval zebrafish-like undulatory swimming at the same scale. Investigations reveal that uniform k and high swimming frequency (60 to 100 Hz) are favorable to improve their efficiency. A shape memory polymer-based milliswimmer with tunable k on the fly confirms such findings. Such acquired knowledge can guide the design of energy-efficient leading edge-driven soft undulatory milliswimmers for future environmental and biomedical applications in the same flow regime.

Experimental-numerical method for calculating bending moments in swimming fish shows that fish larvae control undulatory swimming with simple actuation

Most fish swim with body undulations that result from fluid-structure interactions between the fish's internal tissues and the surrounding water. Gaining insight into these complex fluid-structure interactions is essential to understand how fish swim. To this end, we developed a dedicated experimental-numerical inverse dynamics approach to calculate the lateral bending moment distributions for a large-amplitude undulatory swimmer that moves freely in three-dimensional space. We combined automated motion tracking from multiple synchronised high-speed video sequences, computation of fluid dynamic stresses on the swimmer's body from computational fluid dynamics, and bending moment calculations using these stresses as input for a novel beam model of the body. The bending moment, which represent the system's net actuation, varies over time and along the fish's central axis due to muscle actions, passive tissues, inertia, and fluid dynamics. Our three-dimensional analysis of 113 swimming events of zebrafish larvae ranging in age from 3 to 12 days after fertilisation shows that these bending moment patterns are not only relatively simple but also strikingly similar throughout early development and from fast starts to periodic swimming. This suggests that fish larvae may produce and adjust swimming movements relatively simply, yet effectively, while restructuring their neuromuscular control system throughout their rapid development.