Motor Control Centers Research Articles

Management of Mixed Cerebral Palsy Through Ayurveda

Cerebral Palsy (CP) is the most common cause of developmental and functional disabilities in children. A non-progressive neuromotor condition of posture and movement. Cerebral palsy (CP) is described as the result of improper development of injury to the brain's motor control centers. Due to its multifactorial nature and vast range of clinical symptoms, it cannot be associated with a particular Ayurvedic disease or condition. According to Vagbhaṭa it is classified in the categories of Sahaja (hereditary), Garbhaja (congenital) and Jataja (psychosomatic) disorders. There is no known "cure" for any of the several forms and subtypes of cerebral palsy. A three-year-old male child was reported to pediatric OPD of Sanjeevani Ayurveda Hospital, Dr. S. R. Rajasthan Ayurved University, Jodhpur, Rajasthan with complaints of mixed cerebral palsy. The case was taken up and aim to assess the effectiveness of the Ayurvedic management method in enhancing the child’s quality of life, improving or enhancing his functional capacity to become dependent and facilitating early rehabilitation to avoid subsequent complications.

Monitoring and evaluation of the status of Motor-Operated Valves in nuclear power plants

To address the inability to monitor the performance status of Motor-Operated Valves (MOV) during the operation of nuclear power plants, develop the MOV status evaluation model and design a valve online monitoring system. During valve operation, the data acquisition unit (DAU) installed in the distribution cabinet of the motor control center (MCC) can capture the voltage, current and switch signals. On the basis of the aforementioned parameters, the active power curve and characteristic points of the valve can be determined, implemented monitoring and evaluation of the status and performance of MOV.

The spinal cord facilitates cerebellar upper limb motor learning and control; inputs from neuromusculoskeletal simulation.

Complex interactions between brain regions and the spinal cord (SC) govern body motion, which is ultimately driven by muscle activation. Motor planning or learning are mainly conducted at higher brain regions, whilst the SC acts as a brain-muscle gateway and as a motor control centre providing fast reflexes and muscle activity regulation. Thus, higher brain areas need to cope with the SC as an inherent and evolutionary older part of the body dynamics. Here, we address the question of how SC dynamics affects motor learning within the cerebellum; in particular, does the SC facilitate cerebellar motor learning or constitute a biological constraint? We provide an exploratory framework by integrating biologically plausible cerebellar and SC computational models in a musculoskeletal upper limb control loop. The cerebellar model, equipped with the main form of cerebellar plasticity, provides motor adaptation; whilst the SC model implements stretch reflex and reciprocal inhibition between antagonist muscles. The resulting spino-cerebellar model is tested performing a set of upper limb motor tasks, including external perturbation studies. A cerebellar model, lacking the implemented SC model and directly controlling the simulated muscles, was also tested in the same. The performances of the spino-cerebellar and cerebellar models were then compared, thus allowing directly addressing the SC influence on cerebellar motor adaptation and learning, and on handling external motor perturbations. Performance was assessed in both joint and muscle space, and compared with kinematic and EMG recordings from healthy participants. The differences in cerebellar synaptic adaptation between both models were also studied. We conclude that the SC facilitates cerebellar motor learning; when the SC circuits are in the loop, faster convergence in motor learning is achieved with simpler cerebellar synaptic weight distributions. The SC is also found to improve robustness against external perturbations, by better reproducing and modulating muscle cocontraction patterns.

Embodied mechanisms of motor control in the octopus

Achieving complex behavior in soft-bodied animals is a hard task, because their body morphology is not constrained by a fixed number of jointed elements, as in skeletal animals, and thus the control system has to deal with practically an infinite number of control variables (degrees of freedom). Almost 30 years of research on Octopus vulgaris motor control has revealed that octopuses efficiently control their body with strategies that emerged during the adaptive coevolution of their nervous system and body morphology. In this minireview, we highlight principles of embodied organization that were revealed by studying octopus motor control, and that are used as inspiration for soft robotics. We describe the evolved solutions to the problem, implemented from the lowest level, the muscular system, to the network organization in higher motor control centers of the octopus brain. We show how the higher motor control centers, where the sensory-motor interface lies, can control and coordinate limbs with large degrees of freedom without using body-part maps to represent sensory and motor information, as they do in vertebrates. We demonstrate how this unique control mechanism, which allows efficient control of the body in a large variety of behaviors, is embodied within the animal's body morphology.

Organization of descending neurons in the brain of the desert locust.

In most animals, multiple external and internal signals are integrated by the brain, transformed and, finally, transmitted as commands to motor centers. In insects, the central complex is a motor control center in the brain, involved in decision-making and goal-directed navigation. In desert locusts, it encodes celestial cues in a compass-like fashion indicating a role in sky-compass navigation. While several descending brain neurons (DBNs) including two neurons transmitting sky compass signals have been identified in the locust, a complete analysis of DBNs and their relationship to the central complex is still lacking. As a basis for further studies, we used Neurobiotin tracer injections into a neck connective to map the organization of DBNs in the brain. Cell counts revealed a maximum of 324 bilateral pairs of DBNs with somata distributed in 14 ipsilateral and nine contralateral groups. These neurons invaded most brain neuropils, especially the posterior slope, posterior and ventro-lateral protocerebrum, the antennal mechanosensory and motor center, but less densely the lateral accessory lobes that are targeted by central-complex outputs. No arborizations were found in the central complex and only few processes in the mushroom body, antennal lobe, lobula, medulla, and superior protocerebrum. Double label experiments provide evidence for the presence of GABA, dopamine, tyramine, but not serotonin, in small sets of DBNs. The data show that some DBNs may be targeted directly by central-complex outputs, but many others are likely only indirectly influenced by central-complex networks, in addition to input from multiple other brain areas.

Taking Medium-Voltage Motor Control Centers to New Levels of Safety: A Quick and Simple Approach to Creating A Secure Work Environment

Medium-Voltage (MV) motor control centers designed around the requirements of UL 347 [1] have been successfully utilized in petrochemical industries for many decades. Since they continue to provide consistent control of large MV assets, they have also become key components within the intelligent control requirements of today’s complex petrochemical facilities. Through the incorporation of proven technologies employed in other safety-based products used globally, these control products can be moved beyond their traditional safety requirements specified by the current product design and testing standards. This article covers the implementation and utilization of these proven technologies that can provide additional levels of personnel safety within these traditional designs.

Motor Control Center Breaker Modification Through On/Off Switch to Prevent Motor Failure

Motor Control Center (MCC) GT module, is a power breaker device that connects the voltage source to the load. MCC breaker rack-in and rack-out activities can be classified as unsafe action and unsade condition. Because there is a possibility of explosion. As it had happened several times in several places in the world. In 2021 there were 3 force derating and force outages which are caused by MCC motor breaker failures. That accident resulted 500,516.67 KWh loss or Rp 682,262,223,- ($ 44,766). Therefore, modifications need to be made to 0.4kV MCC breaker by adding a selector for the order off blocker to minimize socket damage due to frequent rack-in-rack-out breakers activity. After installing the modification to all breakers in Priok POMU, there was no failures occurred. The frequency of rack-in-rack-out activities were reduced significantly and that is a good result for operation safety. This modification can also prevent Priok POMU from a potential loss and potentially increase net profit up to Rp 221,549,398,- ($ 14,537).

Panel MCC-300 Sebagai Alat Pengontrol Mesin Pompa Distribusi Air Bersih di Spam Perumdam Tirta Madani Kota Serang

The Motor Control Center (MCC) Panel is a collection of components that become the control center in the operation of a three-phase electric motor with a larger capacity used as a clean water distribution pump machine. In this study has several objectives, including namely 1). Knowing the process of the Drinking Water Supply System (SPAM) in Perumdam Tirta Madani Serang City, 2). Knowing the working system of the MCC-300 Panel as a controller for the distribution machine at Perumdam Tirta Madani, Serang City, 3). Knowing how to maintain the MCC-300 Panel and clean water distribution machines at Perumdam Tirta Madani, Serang City. The methods used are observation, interviews, documentation and literature study. Prumdam Tirta Madani Serang City has several components in the clean water supply system, including raw water components, raw water transmission components, production unit components, and distribution unit components. In the working system the MCC-300 Panel consists of two blocks and there are other components contained in the panel. Then maintenance is carried out on the MCC-300 Panel and Distribution Machine, namely planned maintenance starting from cleaning to carrying out tests on components and machines using an electric meter.

유사 성능 기기의 지진에 대한 거동특성 분석

Damage to nuclear power plants results in loss of life and environmental disasters. Safety-related equipment installed in the nuclear power plants are controlled by electrical control equipment. Safety-related equipment are required to have seismic performance. In this study, the seismic performance of the motor control center (MCC), an electrical control equipment, is tested. Therefore, a shaking table test was conducted using the design response spectrum and uniform hazard spectra. The equipment installed in the nuclear power plants are supplied by various manufacturers. Because the seismic performance of MCC varies depending on the design and manufacturing method, the shaking table test is conducted for two different MCCs with the same function. The dynamic characteristics and shapes of two different types of MCCs were compared, and the seismic performance according to the shape was examined. Additionally, the difference in seismic performance according to the structural shape was examined through seismic fragility tests.

Developing an IEEE Continuous Thermal Monitoring Standard and a Major Company’s Protection of Their Electrical Assets: Exploring Continuous Thermal Monitoring for Electrical Connections and Components

The process of initiating an IEEE standard is not well understood by many. The objective of this paper is to follow the development of an IEEE Standard Working Group (WG) and the initial efforts to develop an IEEE Standard for continuous thermal monitoring (CTM). This also investigates methods to monitor the operating condition of equipment connections as an alternative to infrared (IR) thermography surveys. It includes a review of methods that can capture data for analysis, trending, and predictive maintenance for personnel safety and extended equipment reliability. Maintenance of electrical switchgear and motor control centers (MCCs) is critical to elevating safety and assuring facilities’ uptime in all industries. Key concerns in every company’s electrical distribution system include the connections and terminations of electrical equipment.

Probing the structure and function of locus coeruleus projections to CNS motor centers.

The brainstem nucleus locus coeruleus (LC) sends projections to the forebrain, brainstem, cerebellum and spinal cord and is a source of the neurotransmitter norepinephrine (NE) in these areas. For more than 50 years, LC was considered to be homogeneous in structure and function such that NE would be released uniformly and act simultaneously on the cells and circuits that receive LC projections. However, recent studies have provided evidence that LC is modular in design, with segregated output channels and the potential for differential release and action of NE in its projection fields. These new findings have prompted a radical shift in our thinking about LC operations and demand revision of theoretical constructs regarding impact of the LC-NE system on behavioral outcomes in health and disease. Within this context, a major gap in our knowledge is the relationship between the LC-NE system and CNS motor control centers. While we know much about the organization of the LC-NE system with respect to sensory and cognitive circuitries and the impact of LC output on sensory guided behaviors and executive function, much less is known about the role of the LC-NE pathway in motor network operations and movement control. As a starting point for closing this gap in understanding, we propose using an intersectional recombinase-based viral-genetic strategy TrAC (Tracing Axon Collaterals) as well as established ex vivo electrophysiological assays to characterize efferent connectivity and physiological attributes of mouse LC-motor network projection neurons. The novel hypothesis to be tested is that LC cells with projections to CNS motor centers are scattered throughout the rostral-caudal extent of the nucleus but collectively display a common set of electrophysiological properties. Additionally, we expect to find these LC projection neurons maintain an organized network of axon collaterals capable of supporting selective, synchronous release of NE in motor circuitries for the purpose of coordinately regulating operations across networks that are responsible for balance and movement dynamics. Investigation of this hypothesis will advance our knowledge of the role of the LC-NE system in motor control and provide a basis for treating movement disorders resulting from disease, injury, or normal aging.

Reconditioned Low-Voltage Circuit Breakers: Considering Electrical Safety for Applications in Industry

For many years, manufacturing plants in process industries, along with hospitals, schools, and commercial building owners, have installed used circuit breakers in panelboards, switchboards, switchgear, and motor control centers. Often, due to the vintage of existing electrical equipment, reconditioned circuit breaker replacements are the only available option. Is this practice safe? Some recognized industry standards, such as the Professional Electrical Apparatus Reconditioning League (PEARL)/ANSI <i>Accredited Electrical Equipment Reconditioning Standard</i> (<i>EERS</i>) say yes. For molded-case circuit breakers (MCCBs), the recently published U.S. National Electric Code, National Fire Protection Association NFPA 70-2020, says no.

IEC Versus ANSI/UL Medium-Voltage Motor Control: Which One Should You Use and Does It Matter?

Most companies engaged in the oil, gas, and chemicals sector have global operations. For simplicity, commonality, and increased reliability of operations and for economies of scale in procurement, the companies prefer to buy common products across all operations. When it comes to medium-voltage motor control centers, the issue of which standard to follow then becomes critical with the IEC and UL ones being most common. An increasing degree of commonality can be seen in these standards. It is an opportune time to revisit the topic of whether it matters which set of standards is followed. In this article, we cover the key similarities and differences between UL 347 and the IEC 62271-1, -200, and -106 standards and see what the implications are for the applications seen in our industry. To-date, no such review is available in published technical literature.

Series FACTS controllers in industrial low voltage electrical distribution networks for reducing fault current levels

In this paper, series FACTS devices like Thyristor control series capacitor(TCSC)and Static synchronous series compensator (SSSC) with designed control logic used to reduce the fault current located in LV distribution network at the LV busbar. The electrical distribution network in small and medium scale industries such as steel plants, process and power plants is through low voltage switchgear (LVS) fed from motor control centre (MCC) switchgear through step down transformer of 11kV or 33kV /415V. The designed switchgear in the LV side for these utilities usually is at 50kA. However, the process loads are continuously increasing and sustained with additional feeders with the existing switchgear. Consequently, the fault current at the busbar of the switchgear increases which may require the replacement of entire switchgear to the new design fault current. However, upgrading the existing switchgear is not an economical solution to the industries. Alternatively reducing the fault current at the busbar is feasible. Controller design implemented for reducing the short circuit current with series FACTS devices. A study carried on 800 MW Thermal power plant Ash handling LVS in ETAP and Matlab. It is observed that the results are encouraging to use series FACTS devices effectively in the LVS.

Seismic capacity re-evaluation of the 480V motor control center of South Korea NPPs using earthquake experience and experiment data

The recent seismic events that occurred in South Korea have increased the interest in the re-evaluation of the seismic capacity of nuclear power plant (NPP) equipment, which is often conservatively estimated. To date, various approaches—including the Bayesian method proposed by the United States (US) Electric Power Research Institute —have been developed to quantify the seismic capacity of NPP equipment. Among these, the Bayesian approach has advantages in accounting for both prior knowledge and new information to update the probabilistic distribution of seismic capacity. However, data availability and region-specific issues exist in applying this Bayesian approach to Korean NPP equipment. Therefore, this paper proposes to construct an earthquake experience database by combining available earthquake records at Korean NPP sites and the general location of equipment within NPPs. Also, for the better representation of the seismic demand of Korean earthquake datasets, which have distinct seismic characteristics from those of the US at a high-frequency range, a broadband frequency range optimization is suggested. The proposed data construction and seismic demand optimization method for seismic capacity re-evaluation are demonstrated and tested on a 480 V motor control center of a South Korea NPP.

Functional Organization of Extraocular Motoneurons and Eye Muscles

Eye movements are indispensable for visual image stabilization during self-generated and passive head and body motion and for visual orientation. Eye muscles and neuronal control elements are evolutionarily conserved, with novel behavioral repertoires emerging during the evolution of frontal eyes and foveae. The precise execution of eye movements with different dynamics is ensured by morphologically diverse yet complementary sets of extraocular muscle fibers and associated motoneurons. Singly and multiply innervated muscle fibers are controlled by motoneuronal subpopulations with largely selective premotor inputs from task-specific ocular motor control centers. The morphological duality of the neuromuscular interface is matched by complementary biochemical and molecular features that collectively assign different physiological properties to the motor entities. In contrast, the functionality represents a continuum where most motor elements contribute to any type of eye movement, although within preferential dynamic ranges, suggesting that signal transmission and muscle contractions occur within bands of frequency-selective pathways.

Functional organization of the midbrain periaqueductal gray for regulating aversive memory formation

Innately aversive experiences produce rapid defensive responses and powerful emotional memories. The midbrain periaqueductal gray (PAG) drives defensive behaviors through projections to brainstem motor control centers, but the PAG has also been implicated in aversive learning, receives information from aversive-signaling sensory systems and sends ascending projections to the thalamus as well as other forebrain structures which could control learning and memory. Here we sought to identify PAG subregions and cell types which instruct memory formation in response to aversive events. We found that optogenetic inhibition of neurons in the dorsolateral subregion of the PAG (dlPAG), but not the ventrolateral PAG (vlPAG), during an aversive event reduced memory formation. Furthermore, inhibition of a specific population of thalamus projecting dlPAG neurons projecting to the anterior paraventricular thalamus (aPVT) reduced aversive learning, but had no effect on the expression of previously learned defensive behaviors. By contrast, inactivation of dlPAG neurons which project to the posterior PVT (pPVT) or centromedial intralaminar thalamic nucleus (CM) had no effect on learning. These results reveal specific subregions and cell types within PAG responsible for its learning related functions.

Development of Wireless Heat Variation Detection System between MCCBs and MCs within an MCC

In this study, we developed a wireless heat variation detection system that can measure the temperature difference between the molded case circuit breaker (MCCB) and magnetic contactor (MC) of the motor control center (MCC), collect data, and monitor the heat variation of the MCC connection. Thus far, we have developed a temperature controller and applied a multi-communication technique based on Bluetooth Low Energy between the repeater and temperature controller between the MCCB and MC. Furthermore, we designed the measured temperature data to be transmitted to the cloud server via a gateway. To verify the functionality and performance of the developed wireless heat variation detection system, we initially installed 1 gateway for communication with the MCC server, 4 sets of 4 types of temperature controllers in Repeater 1, 12 sets of 4 types of temperature controllers in Repeater 2, and 6 sets of 4 types of temperature controllers in Repeater 3. Then, we conducted an experiment to periodically monitor the temperature at 12 locations of the MCCB and MC terminal connections in real-time. This developed device can be applied not only to the MCC but also to the power distribution system using the MCCB and MC. This will contribute to the prevention and management of electrical fire accidents caused by heat variation that can occur because of poor contact, overcurrent, and abnormal current.

Effect of Bilateral Opercular Syndrome on Speech Perception.

Speech perception ability and structural neuroimaging were investigated in two cases of bilateral opercular syndrome. Due to bilateral ablation of the motor control center for the lower face and surrounds, these rare cases provide an opportunity to evaluate the necessity of cortical motor representations for speech perception, a cornerstone of some neurocomputational theories of language processing. Speech perception, including audiovisual integration (i.e., the McGurk effect), was mostly unaffected in these cases, although verbal short-term memory impairment hindered performance on several tasks that are traditionally used to evaluate speech perception. The results suggest that the role of the cortical motor system in speech perception is context-dependent and supplementary, not inherent or necessary.

Descending and Ascending Signals That Maintain Rhythmic Walking Pattern in Crickets.

The cricket is one of the model animals used to investigate the neuronal mechanisms underlying adaptive locomotion. An intact cricket walks mostly with a tripod gait, similar to other insects. The motor control center of the leg movements is located in the thoracic ganglia. In this study, we investigated the walking gait patterns of the crickets whose ventral nerve cords were surgically cut to gain an understanding of how the descending signals from the head ganglia and ascending signals from the abdominal nervous system into the thoracic ganglia mediate the initiation and coordination of the walking gait pattern. Crickets whose paired connectives between the brain and subesophageal ganglion (SEG) (circumesophageal connectives) were cut exhibited a tripod gait pattern. However, when one side of the circumesophageal connectives was cut, the crickets continued to turn in the opposite direction to the connective cut. Crickets whose paired connectives between the SEG and prothoracic ganglion were cut did not walk, whereas the crickets exhibited an ordinal tripod gait pattern when one side of the connectives was intact. Crickets whose paired connectives between the metathoracic ganglion and abdominal ganglia were cut initiated walking, although the gait was not a coordinated tripod pattern, whereas the crickets exhibited a tripod gait when one side of the connectives was intact. These results suggest that the brain plays an inhibitory role in initiating leg movements and that both the descending signals from the head ganglia and the ascending signals from the abdominal nervous system are important in initiating and coordinating insect walking gait patterns.