Motor Dimensions Research Articles

Mathematical modeling of torsional vibrations of the wheel-motor unit of mains diesel locomotive UZTE16M

The article considers methods for studying torsional vibrations of the wheel-motor block of a diesel locomotive UZTE16M. The diesel locomotives in question were modernized at the structural enterprise “O’ztemiryo’lmashta’mir” (Machine building and repair in Uzbekistan Railways company) under the joint-stock company “O’zbekiston temir yo’llari” (Uzbekistan railways). The authors of the article developed a dynamic model for the analysis of torsional vibrational movements that occur in the traction transmissions of the UZTE16M diesel locomotive, taking into account the geometric dimensions of the electric traction motors of the main locomotives and the degree of their wear. Based on the model of the wheel-motor block of mainline locomotives, differential equations of the torsional-vibrational motion of traction gears are obtained in the form of Lagrange equations of the 2nd kind. The results of numerical studies of the amplitudes of torsional vibrations of the wheel-motor block of the UzTE16M locomotive at different frequencies are presented. All calculations were performed in the MATHCAD 15 environment.

Correlation of disability with quality of life in patients with multiple sclerosis treated with natalizumab: primary results and post hoc analysis of the TYSabri ImPROvement study (PROTYS)

BackgroundIn patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), relapses and disability progression have been associated with decreased health-related quality of life (HRQoL).MethodsPROTYS, a prospective, multicentre, single-arm, observational study in seven Swiss MS...

Stepen i kvalitet povezanosti motoričkih sposobnosti i džudo tehnika

The research was conducted with the aim of determining the degree and quality of the connection between judo techniques and motor skills defined as manifest and latent dimensions. Therefore, 237 male respondents aged 11 to 12 years were tested. This sample can be considered representative of judokas of the same age. 20 motor tests were used to assess motor skills. They were chosen for the structural analysis to be performed at the level of second-order factors according to the structural model. For the evaluation of the technical competence of judokas, 7 representatives of certain major groups of techniques were taken. The groups of judo techniques are taken to cover: hand techniques, side techniques, leg techniques, sacrifice techniques, ground hold techniques, chokes and leverage techniques. All variables used in previous research were subjected to thorough validation. Canonical analysis of latent motor dimensions and judo techniques indicated a significant correlation. However, apart from the fact that this method is currently considered the optimal research procedure, numerous further researches are needed that would continuously supplement knowledge about the methods and laws of the relationship between motor skills and judo techniques.

Multidimensional motor performance in children with autism mostly remains stable with age and predicts social communication delay, language delay, functional delay, and repetitive behavior severity after accounting for intellectual disability or cognitive delay: A SPARK dataset analysis.

When motor difficulties continue into adolescence/adulthood, they could negatively impact an individual with autism spectrum disorder (ASD)'s daily living skills, physical fitness, as well as physical and mental health/well-being. Few studies have examined motor difficulties in children with ASD as a function of sex or age; however, greater cognitive challenges are associated with worse general motor performance. Based on the Developmental Coordination Disorder-Questionnaire (DCD-Q) data from the SPARK study sample, 87%-88% children with ASD were at-risk for a general motor impairment that persisted until 15 years and was related to their core and co-occurring difficulties. Bhat et al. confirmed motor difficulties in children with ASD on multiple motor dimensions that predicted core and co-occurring conditions after accounting for age and sex. However, presence of intellectual disability (ID) or cognitive delay was not controlled in the previous analysis. Additionally, the effects of age, sex, and cognitive ability on multidimensional motor difficulties of the SPARK sample have not been discussed before. Therefore, this analysis examines the effects of age, sex, and cognitive ability (presence of ID or level of cognitive delay) on the motor performance of children from the SPARK sample using the DCD-Q. Except fine motor skills, multiple motor domains did not change with age in children with ASD. Females without ID improved their fine motor scores with age, and performed better compared to males without ID. Children with ASD and ID had greater motor difficulties across multiple motor domains than those without ID. Even after controlling for age, sex, and presence of ID/cognitive delay; motor performance was predictive of social communication skills, repetitive behavior severity, as well as language and functional delays. Gross motor skills contributed more than fine motor and general motor competence skills in predicting social communication delay. However, fine motor and general motor competence skills contributed more than gross motor skills in predicting repetitive behavior severity and language delay. Both, fine and gross motor skills predicted functional delay. In light of consistent findings on motor difficulties in children with ASD, adding motor issues as a specifier within the ASD definition could provide a clear clinical route for movement clinicians to address motor difficulties of individuals with ASD.

Cognitive-Perceptive and Psychomotor Relationships in Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder

This article analyzes the relationship between symptomatic groups that make up the diagnosis of people with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and the motor structure themselves to design a global intervention program facilitating integrated psychosocial development. A total of 28 participants with ASD participated in this experimental study. Correlation analysis observed to three variables- dimensions: diagnostic, cognition and psychomotor variables show significant data regarding interactions between to three dimensions statistically calculated. So variables of diagnostic dimension correlate with cognitive variables (r= .896) and with psychomotor dimension (r= 682). Likewise, cognitive dimension correlate significantly with motor dimension (r= .766). Finally, it´s designed an integral systemic psychoeducational program to facilitate global development of people with ASD.

A small piezoelectric stack motor designed for vacuum and micro-dust environment

With the development of moon exploration, higher requirements have been proposed for the adaptability of small motors under vacuum and micro-dust conditions. In this paper, a rotational motor based on piezoelectric stacks is proposed, which can be driven by a single-phase direct current with a simple drive circuit. The motor dimensions are 24 mm × 24 mm × 24 mm (length × width × height), and the mass is 11.4 g. In air environment, the maximum output rotational speed of the motor is 1372 rpm, and the maximum stall torque is 3.2 mN m at 40 V DC and 5.93 kHz. An open-loop control system is established to drive the stepping motion of the motor, and the minimum stepping angle is measured as 0.122 mrad. An environmental experiment of the motor is conducted in a lunar simulator module, which can simulate a high vacuum (6.7 × 10−5 Pa) and micro-dust (average 75 μm) environment of the lunar surface. The result shows that the motor can work steadily in the vacuum and micro-dust environment with an average speed of 1723 rpm, which demonstrates its potential applications in the space environment.

Методика проектирования асинхронных гребных электродвигателей с заданным коэффициентом мощности

The article considers the problem of improving the quality of electricity, in particular the power factor. The increased value of the power factor leads to decreasing the reactive component of the currents in the ship power network and, as a result, to a decreased power of converting equipment, generators and cable products. There is studied 
 a section in the methodology of designing ship electrical machines developed at the Department of Electric Drives and Electrical Equipment of Coastal Power Plants in Admiral Makarov State University of Maritime and Inland Shipping, which allows to evaluate the parameters of asynchronous electric motors at the design stage. Today, in designing electrical machines there are used the methods developed in the last century, which do not allow to carry out electromagnetic calculations subject to the required value of the power factor. The power factor is known to be determined by empirical formulas after setting the main parameters of the mechanism. The equivalent circuit of asynchronous electric motor containing the parameters of stator and rotor windings, and its mathematical description based on equations corresponding to Kirchhoff's laws are considered. Transformations of the equations describing the electromagnetic processes in the engine given for the static mode of operation in a complex form are made. There are given the expressions that allow determining the magnetizing current, magnetic conductivities, magnetizing forces, air gap and magnetic saturation coefficients, overall dimensions of the electric motor, and electromagnetic torque that it develops. Basing on the transformed equations describing an asynchronous electric motor there have been derived the regularities that help set the value of the power factor as initial data at the stage of design. The practical significance of the applied methodology and importance of the chosen subject have been analyzed.

The Italian Sensorimotor Norms: Perception and action strength measures for 959 words

Neuroscience research has provided evidence that semantic information is stored in a distributed brain network involved in sensorimotor and linguistic processing. More specifically, according to the embodied cognition accounts, the representation of concepts is deemed as grounded in our bodily states. For these reasons, normative measures of words should provide relevant information about the extent to which each word embeds perceptual and action properties. In the present study, we collected ratings for 959 Italian nouns and verbs from 398 volunteers, recruited via an online platform. The words were mostly taken from the Italian adaptation of the Affective Norms for English Words (ANEW). A pool of 145 verbs was added to the original set. All the words were rated on 11 sensorimotor dimensions: six perceptual modalities (vision, audition, taste, smell, touch, and interoception) and five effectors (hand-arm, foot-leg, torso, mouth, head). The new verbs were also rated on the ANEW dimensions. Results showed good reliability and consistency with previous studies. Relations between perceptual and motor dimensions are described and interpreted, along with relations between the sensorimotor and the affective dimensions. The currently developed dataset represents an important novelty, as it includes different word classes, i.e., both nouns and verbs, and integrates ratings of both sensorimotor and affective dimensions, along with other psycholinguistic parameters; all features only partially accomplished in previous studies.

Comparison of the Cognitive Disengagement and Hypoactivity Components of Sluggish Cognitive Tempo in Autism, ADHD, and Population-Based Samples of Children.

An international Sluggish Cognitive Tempo (SCT) Work Group proposed a new term for SCT, "cognitive disengagement syndrome," that more accurately describes the syndrome than does SCT. According to the Work Group, symptoms of SCT represent a cognitive dimension (cognitive disengagement) and a motor dimension (hypoactivity). Our study determined (1) if distinct factors representing cognitive disengagement and hypoactivity emerged when SCT items were factor analyzed and (2) the degree of differences in cognitive disengagement and hypoactivity within diagnostic groups. Mothers rated 1,177 children with autism, 725 with ADHD-Combined, and 307 with ADHD-Inattentive (4-17years) and 665 elementary school children (6-12years) on the Pediatric Behavior Scale (PBS). SCT prevalence rates were autism 32%, ADHD-Inattentive 27%, ADHD-Combined 18%, and elementary school students 7%. Factor analysis of the SCT items yielded two factors reflecting cognitive disengagement (in a fog/confused and stares/preoccupied/in own world) and hypoactivity (sluggish/slow moving/low energy, drowsy/sleepy/not alert, and tires easily) in all diagnostic groups. Cognitive disengagement prevalence rates and scores were significantly higher than hypoactivity in the autism and ADHD-C groups and in the autism and ADHD-C subgroups of children with SCT (but not in the ADHD-I and elementary school total groups and SCT subgroups). Our findings factor analyzing five SCT items support two SCT subfactors: cognitive disengagement and hypoactivity.

Significant early and long-term improvement of neuropsychiatry symptomatology in HCV-infected patients after viral eradication with DAA

IntroductionChronic Hepatitis C infection is considered a systemic disease with extrahepatic manifestations, mainly neuropsychiatric symptoms, which is associated with a chronic low-grade inflammatory state. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) eradication is currently achieved in >98% of cases with oral direct-acting antivirals (DAA).ObjectivesTo study potential clinical neuropsychiatric changes (mood, cognition, sleep, gastrointestinal, sickness, and motion) in HCV-infected patients after HCV eradication with DAA.MethodsDesign: Cohort study. Subjects: 37 HCV-infected patients, aged<55 years old, with non-advanced liver disease receiving DAA; free of current mental disorder. 24 healthy controls were included at baseline. Assessment: -Baseline (BL) (socio-demographic and clinical variables, MINI-DSM-IV, and Neurotoxicity Scale (NRS), (mood, cognitive, sleep, gastrointestinal, sickness and motor dimensions). Follow-up: End-of-treatment, 12weeks-after and 48weeks-after DAA: NRS. Analysis: Descriptive and bivariate non-parametrical analysis.ResultsNRS total score and dimensions where different between cases and controls (.000) at baseline. NRS total score (.000) and mood (.000), cognition (.000), sleep (.002), gastrointestinal (.017), and sickness (.003), except motor dimension score (.130) showed significant longitudinal improvement.ConclusionsHCV-infected patients with mild liver disease presented significantly worse scores for neurotoxicity symptomatology in all dimensions compared to healthy individuals. After HCV eradication with DAA, both at short and long follow-up a significant improvement of the NRS total score and each of the dimensions (except motor) were observed. However, they did not reach the values of healthy individuals, suggesting a not complete neuropsychiatric restoration in the period studied. Grant: ICIII-FIS:PI17/02297.(One way to make Europe) (RMS) and Gilead Fellowship-GLD17/00273 (ZM); and the support of SGR17/1798 (RMS)DisclosureNo significant relationships.

Prehabilitation and heart failure: main outcomes in the COVID-19 era.

The advent of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has resulted in an increase in sedentary behavior, with consequences on cardiopulmonary capacity, especially in the elderly population. Prehabilitation is a strategy usually used before a surgical procedure to improve functional capacity; however, it can be used for non-surgical patients and not in the acute phase of disease. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a prehabilitation program, using telerehabilitation, in frail elderly patients with chronic heart failure. This is a randomized, controlled, single-blind study. Fifteen patients with chronic heart failure were randomized into three groups: two active groups (telerehabilitation and in-person) and the control group. Patients in the active groups underwent a rehabilitation program divided into two 4-week periods, for 45-60 minutes per day, 2 days per week. In the Study Group, the quality of life significantly improved (EQoL-5D), and between the two groups a statistically significant difference in the motor dimension of SF-36 was identified. The telerehabilitation prehabilitation program for patients with chronic heart failure was confirmed to be effective and not inferior to a prehabilitation program performed in-person, avoiding the worsening of some domains of quality of life and motor performance, and leading to the improvement of others.

Reduction of the core size and power losses by using soft magnetic material for a single-phase induction motor

Induction motors are widely used in our daily life and industrial machines. Single-phase induction motors with small power, manufactured with few horsepowers (HP), are preferred as compressor motors for household refrigerators and air conditioners. This inevitably leads to the lower energy consumption of compressor systems and requirements for a more compact design. In this study, a single-phase induction motor manufactured with classical core material for a certain power value is modeled using finite element analysis (FEA) software and the power losses are investigated. Later, this electric motor is designed with 6.5% SiFe jfe super core material, one of the soft magnetic core materials, for the same power value and comparative performance studies are performed. In these comparisons, mechanical volume and weight for the motor dimensions, electrical power losses and electromagnetic parameters are studied. It is therefore recommended that the jfe super core material, which has become popular in recent years, be used for the manufacture of single-phase induction motors, which are often used in household appliances.

Fault-Tolerant Capability Analysis of Six-Phase Induction Motor with Distributed, Concentrated and Pseudo-Concentrated Windings

Six-phase motors are becoming more popular because of their advantages such as lower torque ripple, better power distribution per phase, higher efficiency, and fault-tolerant capability compared to the three-phase ones. This paper presents the fault-tolerant capability analysis of a symmetrical six-phase induction motor equipped with distributed, conventional concentrated, and pseudo-concentrated windings under open-circuit fault scenarios. For further investigation, different load types such as constant-speed, constant-torque, and constant-power are applied to the motor. Two concepts of magnetic and physical phase separations are introduced as factors affecting the motor reliability. Analytically, these factors give an insight into how the pseudo-concentrated winding could be a fault-tolerant alternative. Moreover, five parameters such as the change of output power, power loss, power factor, efficiency, and expected load loss are considered as the fault-tolerant capability parameters to evaluate the windings reliability. The aforementioned parameters are reported using the finite element analysis for different fault scenarios and different load types. Although the baseline motor dimensions are not optimized for applying the pseudo-concentrated winding, the pseudo-concentrated shows a promising performance with high fault-tolerant capability.

A further study of relations between motor impairment and social communication, cognitive, language, functional impairments, and repetitive behavior severity in children with ASD using the SPARK study dataset.

Motor impairments are pervasive and persistent in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) throughout childhood and adolescence. Based on recent studies examining motor impairments in children with ASD between 5 and 15 years (i.e., SPARK study sample), 87-88% of this population is at-risk for a motor impairment, these problems persisted until 15 years, and related to their core (social communication skills and repetitive behaviors [RBs]) and comorbid (language, cognitive, and functional) impairments. Persistent motor impairments extending into adolescence/adulthood could negatively impact their independent daily living skills, physical fitness/activity levels, and physical/mental health. While multiple studies have examined relations between motor dimensions and core/comorbid impairments in young children with ASD, few studies have examined such relations in school-age children/adolescents with ASD. This paper conducts a further multidimensional study of which motor domains (i.e., gross-motor including visuo-motor or multilimb coordination/planning, fine motor [FM] or general coordination [GC] skills) best distinguish subgroups of school-age children/adolescents with ASD and help predict core and comorbid impairments after accounting for age and sex. Visuomotor, FM and certain GC skills were better at explaining variations in/predicting social communication impairments whereas FM skills were slightly better at explaining variations in/predicting RB severity. Multilimb coordination/planning and FM skills explained variations in/predicted cognitive delays whereas visuomotor and FM skills explained variations in and better predicted language delays. All three motor dimensions explained variations in/predicted functional delays. This study provides further evidence for inclusion of motor impairments within the ASD definition (criteria or specifiers). LAY SUMMARY: Gross-motor skills were related to social communication and functional delays of children with ASD (visuomotor skills related to language delays and multilimb coordination/planning skills related to cognitive delays). Fine-motor skills were related to repetitive behavior severity, language, cognitive, and functional delays in ASD. Diagnosticians should recommend systematic motor screening, further evaluations, and treatments for children at-risk for and diagnosed with ASD. Motor advocacy and enhanced public/clinical community awareness is needed to fulfill the unmet motor needs of children with ASD.

The Relationship between Executive Functions and Gross Motor Skills in Rural Children Aged 8-10 Years.

Considering that cognitive and motor dimensions of human beings grow together, and that primary school age is one of the most important stages of children’s cognitive and motor development, the aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between executive functions and gross motor skills in rural children aged 8–10 years. This descriptive and correlational research was conducted with 93 Iranian rural primary school children aged 8 to 10 years. A Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF) questionnaire and the Test of Gross Motor Development, second edition (TGMD-2) were used to collect data on executive functions and gross motor skills, respectively. The results showed that most of the correlations between criterion and predictor variables were moderate. In the regression results we observed that among the components of executive functions, inhibition, working memory, planning/organizing, and organization had a significant relationship with gross motor skills, but no relationship was found between other components and motor skills. As a result, it can be said that in predicting cognitive development and specifically mentioned executive functions, gross motor skills are an important and effective factor among rural children and, given the importance of cognitive development and executive functions in childhood, it seems that by helping to develop their gross motor skills, executive functions will also be strengthened. Finally, possible future studies are addressed, which could investigate the effect of different aspects of motor skill classifications on executive functions.

Step-Up and Step-Down Converter Integrated With Motor Inverter for Powertrain Applications

Motor inverter high-voltage regulation improves the system efficiency and reduces the dimensions of a permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM). This article presents an isolated inverter with step-up and step-down dc-link voltage regulation for an electrical vehicle powertrain system, which will improve the system performance in wide ranges of load and battery levels. Step-up and step-down converter and the motor inverter are merged into a single converter. Bidirectional and galvanically isolated energy transmission between battery and motor with reduced semiconductors number, easy control, and high efficiency are demonstrated. In addition, inverter transistors’ RMS current results lower than in common solutions. Topology waveforms, devices losses, and zero-voltage switching (ZVS) condition are analyzed. Based on this study, a converter design procedure to meet main electrical vehicles requirements is proposed. Converter operation and design procedure are verified by simulation and experiment in two prototypes of 3.3 kW and 300 W.

Associations of Motor Performance and Executive Functions: Comparing Children with Down Syndrome to Chronological and Mental Age-Matched Controls.

Background. Children with Down syndrome (DS) exhibit lower motor and cognitive performance than typically developing children (TD). Although there is a relationship between these two developmental domains, only a few studies have addressed this association in children with DS compared to groups of the same chronological age (CA) or mental age (MA) within one study. This study aimed to fill this research gap. Method and Procedures. The Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2 and the Trail-Making Test was used to assess motor and cognitive performances in 12 children (M = 10.5 ± 10.08) with DS, 12 CA-matched, and 12 MA-matched controls. Results. There are significant group differences in the motor dimension (total test score; p < 0.001, η2p = 0.734), for processing speed (p < 0.001, η2p = 0.396), and cognitive flexibility (p < 0.001, η2p = 0.498). Between TD-CA and both other groups, the differences in the magnitude of correlations for the motor dimension balance are also significant (compared to DS: z = −2.489; p = 0.006, and to TD-MA: z = −3.12; p < 0.001). Conclusions. Our results suggest that the relationships depend on the studied cognitive and motor skills. It seems crucial to select a wide range of tasks for both domains that are as isolated as possible for future studies, to better understand the relationships between cognitive and motor skills in children with DS.

Prehabilitation and heart failure: perspective in primary outcomes, a randomized controlled trial.

Prehabilitation, intended as a multidisciplinary approach where physical training is combined with educational and counselling training, in cardiology could optimizing care, and has been shown to be able to reduce morbidity and mortality in several diseases. The present study aims to assess the effectiveness of a prehabilitation program in elderly patients (over 65) with chronic heart failure and to evaluate functional and quality indices of life. This is randomized, single blind controlled trial. Fourteen older adult patients diagnosed with chronic heart failure were enrolled. Patients were randomly assigned into the study or the control group. Patients in the study group underwent physical training organized into 10 twice-weekly meetings, nutritional and lifestyle counseling. In the Study Group, the quality of life improved significantly (EQoL-5D), and between the two groups there is a statistically significant difference in the motor dimension of SF-36. Because of our preliminary results, prehabilitation program should be included among the management strategies of in elderly patients with chronic heart failure to better manage their disease and to improve their Quality of Life.

STRUCTURE OF SITUATIONAL MOTOR ABILITIES IN HANDBALL

Goal work is to determine the structure of situational motor skills in handball, code students of the Faculty of Sports and Physical Education in Leposavić, aged 19 to 21. By applying the method of component factor analysis inthree latent dimensions are isolated in the situational motor space: the first is responsible for the speed of movement without the ball and with the ball and handling the ball; the second for the power of throwing the ball and situational accuracy of shooting from 7 m; The results of the research confirmed the connection between isolated latent situational motor dimensions and that the speed of ballless movement with the ball, ball handling, ball throwing power and situational accuracy depend on the same regulatory mechanisms. The conclusion is that in determining the optimal anthropological model in domain kinesiological education, planning, programming and selection in handball, special attention should be paid to situational motor skills.

Multi-Axis Electric Stepper Motor

Multi-axis stepper motors offer a compact solution to actuate multiple degrees of freedom in a mechanical system by a single device. This research presents an electric stepper motor with three coaxial shafts driven by a single stator. The motor dimensions are 42 × 42 × 44 mm$^3$ (excluding output shafts), its mass is 0.326 kg and it includes three rotors of height 7 mm and different number of teeth. The maximum torque for one rotor at low speed and 1 A current is 0.10 N m, which is comparable to that of a conventional stepper motor with similar rotor size. When multiple rotors are driven simultaneously, then the total power has to be distributed over the three rotors, resulting in 42% lower torque on average. The maximum no-load speed is 4000 revolutions per minute. The coaxial output shaft configuration poses significant challenges but also unique opportunities in actuating multiple joints of a robotic system. In many applications, the mechanical design can be redesigned to make effective use of the multi-motor design. An example of a three-DOF robot arm is demonstrated that can be efficiently driven by the proposed motor.