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Symmetry
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Applications Based on Symmetrical Characteristics of the Human Body
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Applications Based on Symmetrical Characteristics of the Human Body

A special issue of Symmetry (ISSN 2073-8994). This special issue belongs to the section "Life Sciences".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2019) | Viewed by 20999

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Karl Grammer

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, University of Vienna, Althan strasse 14, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
Interests: geometric morphometrics; computer supported analysis and simulation of human behavior; human ethology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Most organisms are bilaterally symmetric and symmetry is supposed to contribute to biological fitness. Indeed, developmental stability refers to the capacity of an individual to produce a well-developed, symmetrical phenotype in the face of developmental perturbations caused by factors, such as disease, toxins, parasites, etc. The inability of an organism to implement such a developmental program when challenged by developmental stress leads to small random deviations in bilateral symmetry. Such deviations are referred to as fluctuating asymmetry, and may provide a measure of an individual’s exposure to adverse developmental effects and its corresponding ability to resist such stresses...

Prof. Dr. Karl Grammer
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Symmetry is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • The symmetrical human

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

8 pages, 429 KiB  
Article
Bilateral and Unilateral Asymmetries of Strength and Flexibility in Young Elite Sailors: Windsurfing, Optimist and Laser Classes
by Israel Caraballo, José Luis González-Montesinos and Antonio Alías
Symmetry 2020, 12(1), 184; https://doi.org/10.3390/sym12010184 - 20 Jan 2020
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3707
Abstract
In sport sailing, performance is related to the sailor’s ability to maintain the stability of the boat, and the boat class determines the variables involved in such ability. In monohull-type vessels, such as the Optimist and Laser classes, the flexibility of the hip [...] Read more.
In sport sailing, performance is related to the sailor’s ability to maintain the stability of the boat, and the boat class determines the variables involved in such ability. In monohull-type vessels, such as the Optimist and Laser classes, the flexibility of the hip joint is a key performance factor. In the Windsurfing class, performance is determined by the strength of the flexors of the fingers and elbows. The performance of the sailor may be affected by asymmetries in the strength and flexibility of the muscles and joints involved in technical actions. The objective of this study was to evaluate asymmetries in strength and flexibility in young sailors. Thirty-three young sailors (ten girls) from the Windsurfing, Optimist and Laser classes were assessed for manual strength and flexibility, by dynamometry and straight leg lift tests, respectively. The symmetry index and the functional asymmetry of compression force were calculated. The results showed no differences between sailors according to gender. The sailors of the Laser class obtained the highest levels of manual strength, whereas those of the Windsurfing class showed the highest flexibility levels. The girls’ group and Windsurfing class had the highest percentage of sailors with strength asymmetry, whereas, the sailors of the Optimist class presented a greater percentage of asymmetry in flexibility. There were no differences in upper limb strength and lower limb flexibility between the dominant and non-dominant sides. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications Based on Symmetrical Characteristics of the Human Body)
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23 pages, 1821 KiB  
Article
Functional Asymmetry and Fingerprint Features of Left-Handed and Right-Handed Young Yakuts (Mongoloid Race, North-Eastern Siberia)
by Elena Shadrina and Yakov Vol’pert
Symmetry 2018, 10(12), 728; https://doi.org/10.3390/sym10120728 - 6 Dec 2018
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 6299
Abstract
An ethnically homogeneous group of Yakuts (Mongoloid race, Northeast Asia), aged 18–31, was studied to characterize the diversity of particular features between left- and right-handed individuals. A total of 52 left-handed (32 women and 20 men) and 100 right-handed (50 women and 50 [...] Read more.
An ethnically homogeneous group of Yakuts (Mongoloid race, Northeast Asia), aged 18–31, was studied to characterize the diversity of particular features between left- and right-handed individuals. A total of 52 left-handed (32 women and 20 men) and 100 right-handed (50 women and 50 men) individuals were studied. Testing included two sets of questions and tasks, dynamometry of the right and left hand, and fingerprint analysis. Left-handed and right-handed people were found to differ in functional asymmetry of psychophysiological and motor reactions. Right-handers were characterized by higher intragroup similarity, while, among left-handers, greater dispersion of these traits was observed. Asymmetry in hand grip strength was less pronounced in the left-handed people than in the right-handed; this difference was statistically significant, and the difference was greater in men than in women. This suggests that the non-dominant hand in the left-handed people was subjected to a greater load and indicates the forced adaptation of the left-handed people to “dextrastress”. No significant difference between sexes was found when analyzing fingerprint patterns. Left-handers had arches significantly more often than right-handers. Radial loops were most often found on the index finger, and, in the left-handers, their occurrence was significantly higher on three to five fingers of the left hand compared with the right-handers. The levels of fluctuating asymmetry in left-handers and right-handers were similar. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications Based on Symmetrical Characteristics of the Human Body)
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21 pages, 5625 KiB  
Article
Assessment of Pattern and Shape Symmetry of Bilateral Normal Corneas by Scheimpflug Technology
by Francisco Cavas-Martínez, David P. Piñero, Daniel G. Fernández-Pacheco, Jorge Mira, Francisco J. F. Cañavate and Jorge L. Alió
Symmetry 2018, 10(10), 453; https://doi.org/10.3390/sym10100453 - 1 Oct 2018
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 4520
Abstract
Purpose: The aim of this study was to assess bilateral symmetry in normal fellow eyes by using optical and geometric morphometric parameters. Methods: All participants underwent complete biocular examinations. Scheimpflug tomography data from 66 eyes of 33 patients were registered. The interocular symmetry [...] Read more.
Purpose: The aim of this study was to assess bilateral symmetry in normal fellow eyes by using optical and geometric morphometric parameters. Methods: All participants underwent complete biocular examinations. Scheimpflug tomography data from 66 eyes of 33 patients were registered. The interocular symmetry was based on five patterns: morphogeometric symmetry, axial symmetry at the corneal vertex, angular-spatial symmetry, direct symmetry (equal octants), and enantiomorphism (mirror octants). Results: No statistically significant differences were found between right and left eyes in corneal morphogeometric (p ≥ 0.488) and aberrometric parameters (p ≥ 0.102). Likewise, no statistically significant differences were found in any of the axial symmetry parameters analyzed (p ≥ 0.229), except in the surface rotation angle beta (p = 0.102) and translation coordinates X0 and Y0 (p < 0.001) for the anterior corneal surface, and the rotation angle gamma (p < 0.001) for the posterior surface. Similarly, no statistically significant differences were identified for direct symmetry (p ≥ 0.20) and enantiomorphism (p ≥ 0.75), except for some elevation data in the posterior surface (p < 0.01). Conclusions: The level of symmetry of both corneas of a healthy individual is high, with only some level of disparity between fellow corneas in rotation and translation references. Abnormalities in this pattern of interocular asymmetry may be useful as a diagnostic tool. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications Based on Symmetrical Characteristics of the Human Body)
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7 pages, 1124 KiB  
Article
Human Bodily Asymmetry Relates to Behavioral Lateralization and May not Reliably Reflect Developmental Instability
by Stefan Van Dongen
Symmetry 2018, 10(4), 117; https://doi.org/10.3390/sym10040117 - 18 Apr 2018
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 4977
Abstract
(1) Background: The link between behavioral lateralization and bodily asymmetry in humans is studied to investigate the reliability of fluctuating asymmetry as a measure of developmental instability; (2) Methods: Morphological asymmetries of arms and legs, obtained from 3D body scans, were correlated with [...] Read more.
(1) Background: The link between behavioral lateralization and bodily asymmetry in humans is studied to investigate the reliability of fluctuating asymmetry as a measure of developmental instability; (2) Methods: Morphological asymmetries of arms and legs, obtained from 3D body scans, were correlated with different measures of behavioral lateralization; (3) Results: Observed associations were in the directions expected, showing that more asymmetric use of the body increases asymmetry, especially in the arms, and more symmetric body use appears to have a symmetrizing effect; and (4) Conclusions: The results presented here question the suitability of human bodily asymmetry in arms and legs—or at least part of them—as a measure of developmental instability. There is a need for future research that identifies regions of the body that are not affected by behavioral lateralization and can reliably reflect developmental instability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications Based on Symmetrical Characteristics of the Human Body)
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