Rotation Ability Research Articles

Salidroside exerts neuroprotective effects on retrograde neuronal death following neonatal axotomy via activation of PI3K/Akt pathway and deactivation of p38 MAPK pathway

Salidroside, a glucoside of tyrosol, is a powerful active ingredient extracted from the Chinese herb medicine Rhodiola rosea L.. As a neuroprotective agent, the application of salidroside in combination with neural tissue engineering has recently attracted much attention in peripheral nerve repair and reconstruction. However, the cellular and molecular mechanisms by which salidroside promotes nerve regeneration remain to be elucidated. We aim to evaluate the long-term neuroprotective potential of salidroside in an experimental rat model of neonatal sciatic nerve crush injury, with a focus on target-deprived neuronal death and the mechanisms involved. Behavioral analysis showed that salidroside dose-dependently improved voluntary hindlimb behavior and rod rotation ability following neonatal axotomy during an 8-week observation period. According to electrophysiology, Fluoro-Gold retrograde tracing, histological and immunohistochemical analyses, salidroside significantly improved nerve regeneration and reinnervation. Nissle and TUNEL staining, as well as caspase-3 activation assay indicated a beneficial effect of salidroside on retrograde loss and apoptosis of motoneurons within 2 weeks after axotomy. qPCR, ELISA and oxidative stress experiments revealed that salidroside improved the imbalance of spinal microenvironment, including oxidative stress and down-regulation of neurotrophic factors. Western blotting analysis showed that salidroside enhanced the activation of PI3K/Akt and inhibited the p38 MAPK signaling pathway following axotomy. The oxidative stress and axonal disconnection/regeneration models of primary motoneurons in vitro further confirmed the involvement of these two pathways in the neuroprotective effects of salidroside. These data provide a theoretical basis for the application of salidroside in peripheral nerve repair and reconstruction.

Inducing strategies to solve a mental rotation task is possible: evidence from a sex-related eye-tracking analysis

The study of spatial skills is gaining importance due to their relevance in everyday activities and their critical role in developing competencies across various academic disciplines. The main goal of this study was to explore whether mental rotation strategies, such as the so-called holistic –rotating an entire object- and piecemeal –rotating individual parts of the object- approaches, can be induced, and whether sex differences emerge during the process of strategy induction. This objective holds a pivotal role as it could lead to the enhancement of mental rotation abilities and the development of effective interventions. To achieve this, a mental rotation task was conducted while eye movements were recorded. In the first block, participants solved the task freely, while in the second block, they received instructions to solve it through either a holistic (42 participants) or a piecemeal (43 participants) strategy in a between-subjects design. In both strategies, participants showed better performance in the second block compared to the first. Males outperformed females. The holistic strategy resulted in faster reaction times in the second block. The number of fixations and saccadic movements decreased in the second block compared to the first for the holistic strategy, while the piecemeal strategy exhibited the opposite ocular pattern. These results indicate that effective mental rotation strategies were successfully elicited. No sex differences were found in the analyzed eye movement variables.

Frequency response control strategy of wind farm based on wind turbine state

Abstract With the development of new power systems, the inertia of the power system generated by connecting the air power generation to the high power network is gradually decreasing. First, the proposed piecewise element is to determine the production frequency of the wind electric field classification based on the operating state and average velocity of the wind electric field. On the other hand, the inertia and frequency during the parameter operation decrease as a function of the rotational air dynamic ability, while monitoring the rotational air distribution dynamics closely and monitoring the change in the reference power. This allows power to be used to convey unit rotor energy at higher frequencies to avoid the lower unit speed involved in frequency control. Simulation results show that the strategy can fix the active effects of power based on the fan, the state of the wind electric field, and the possible kinetic energy during rotation.

Axial rotation affects the cognitive characteristics of spatial ability.

To test spatial ability in athletes with different axial rotation experience and analyze their behavioral data to explain the cognitive mechanisms of spatial ability in athletes. Experiment 1: A total of 147 athletes were selected for the paper-and-pencil mental rotation test (MRT). The athletes were separated according to three sport types: open high-spatial (OH) sport, closed high-spatial (CH) sport, closed low-spatial (CL) sport. Spatial ability testing with a two-factor mixed experimental design of 3 (sport type) × 2 (stimulus type). Experiment 2: In this study, 47 players were selected for computerized mental rotation test, with a three-factor mixed experimental design of 3 (sport type) × 2 (angle: 45°, 90°) × 3 (rotational axis: left-right axis, up-down axis, and front-back axis). Repeated-measures ANOVA was performed to evaluate the data. (1) The CH group and OH group outperformed the CL group in the non-embodied task (all ps < 0.003) and the CH group was better than the other groups in the embodied and tasks (all ps < 0.008). (2) Under 45° rotational conditions, the reaction time (RT) for the left-right (LR) and up-down (UD) axes were shorter than that for the front-back (FB) axis (all ps < 0.026). However, under 90° conditions, the RT for FB < LR < UD, with superior accuracy and rotational speed for the FB axis than for the LR and UD axes (all ps < 0.034). (3) Male players from the CH and CL groups had shorter RTs than did those from the OH group at both angles (all ps < 0.047). For female players, the CH group presented a shorter RT than the OH and CL groups did at 90° (all ps < 0.006). (4) No sex difference was found for paper and pencil MRTs, but a male advantage existed only in the CL group for computerized MRTs (p = 0.005). The motor skills associated with axial rotation could promote mental rotation performance and compensate for sex differences in mental rotation ability.

Effects of particle elongation on dense granular flows down a rough inclined plane.

Granular materials in nature are nearly always nonspherical, but particle shape effects in granular flow remain largely elusive. This study uses discrete element method simulations to investigate how elongated particle shapes affect the mobility of dense granular flows down a rough incline. For a range of systematically varied particle length-to-diameter aspect ratios (AR), we run simulations with various flow thicknesses h and slope angles θ to extract the well-known h_{stop}(θ) curves (below which the flow ceases) and the Fr-h/h_{stop} relations following Pouliquen's approach, where Fr=u/sqrt[gh] is the Froude number, u is the mean flow velocity, and g is the gravitational acceleration. The slope β of the Fr-h/h_{stop} relations shows an intriguing S-shaped dependence on AR, with two plateaus at small and large AR, respectively, transitioning with a sharp increase. We understand this S-shaped dependence by examining statistics of particle orientation, alignment, and hindered rotation. We find that the rotation ability of weakly elongated particles (AR≲1.3) remains similar to spheres, leading to the first plateau in the β-AR relation, whereas the effects of particle orientation saturate beyond AR≈2.0, explaining the second plateau. An empirical sigmoidal function is proposed to capture this nonlinear dependence. The findings are expected to enhance our understanding of how particle shape affects the flow of granular materials from both the flow- and particle-scale perspectives.

Enhancing Cognitive Fit: Exploring the Potential of Mixed Reality for Developing Mental Rotation Skills

Mixed Reality is a promising venue for spatial ability training, allowing participants to engage in problem-solving through gesture-based interactions with holographic objects. 3-D measurement of learning in Mixed Reality environments may result in a better cognitive fit than 2-D. This mixed-method study measures and enhances mental rotation ability and investigates user experience in Mixed Reality. To assess mental rotation ability, we adapted the Purdue Spatial Visualization Test:Rotation for Microsoft HoloLens 2, creating a measurement tool for our Mixed Reality-based training program, Holomental. Comparing 2-D and 3-D tests, we explored how stimulus dimensionality influences accuracy and cognitive load. Our findings indicate that Holomental enhances mental rotation performance, both in 2-D and 3-D. Cognitive load in the 3-D test was lower than in the 2-D test. Semi-structured interviews revealed participants’ appreciation for the representational and interactional affordances of the training environment. This study provides valuable insights into the effectiveness of 3-D spatial training, with implications and suggestions for future design considerations.

A Cognitive Load Approach to Molecular Geometries: Augmented Reality Technology and Visuospatial Abilities in Chemistry

Within chemistry education, methods for effectively teaching students the three-dimensional spatial arrangements of matter at the molecular level remains a topical issue. As a form of geometric problem solving, it requires learners to apply mental rotation abilities as an evolved visuospatial skill to obtain subject-specific content knowledge. Recent research into the use of Cognitive Load Theory (CLT) as a framework for instructional design in conjunction with augmented reality (AR) technology as a learning tool has begun to show promise in reducing unnecessary cognitive activity to improve learning. Yet, broader conclusions remain inconclusive, especially within the context of a learner’s mental rotation abilities. This study investigated the relationship between these factors by collecting data using a 2 × 3 experimental design that divided a sample of Year 10 students (n = 42) into two groups. The intervention group (n = 24) used mobile devices utilising AR technology with instructional 3D molecular geometry content featuring design principles based on CLT to encourage hand movements to rotate three-dimensional molecular structures. The non-AR-based control group (n = 18) was taught using traditional methods. Analysis of the data revealed participants using AR technology that featured CLT design principles experienced less cognitive load and improved achievement in post-testing compared to those taught using traditional methods, suggesting under certain conditions, the use of hand movement applied to AR design material improves learning.

Blended-Wing-Body Regional Aircraft Optimization with High-Fidelity Aerodynamics and Critical Design Requirements

Conventional tube-and-wing and proposed blended-wing-body airliners must satisfy several design requirements, but the latter configuration is tightly integrated and sensitive to these requirements. In this work, blended-wing-body regional aircraft are investigated using a gradient-based mixed-fidelity multidisciplinary optimization framework centered on a Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes solver. In addition to sizing and cruise trim, design requirements considered include one-engine-inoperative directional trim, takeoff rotation ability, takeoff field length, initial climb performance, low-speed trim and static margin, and top-of-climb rate of climb. Results show how optimal design features vary and performance is overpredicted if critical design requirements are excluded and how key elements of geometric freedom help realize the potential of the configuration. A 4.8% block fuel burn benefit is enabled by pivot-piston variable-length landing gear even with low-mounted engines and high design freedom. The off-design constraints penalize block fuel burn by 3.2% if variable-length landing gear is considered, but this value reaches 7.6% if lower geometric freedom that inhibits tight cabin contouring and the formation of a novel forebody ridge is removed. Leading-edge carving is found to be optimal. The high design freedom and high-fidelity aerodynamics model help efficiently satisfy the design requirements, resulting in a cruise lift-to-drag ratio of 21.7 at 36,000 ft and Mach 0.78.

The relationship between computational thinking and mental rotation ability: a functional near-infrared spectroscopy study

ABSTRACT This study investigates the correlation between computational thinking (CT) skills and mental rotation ability, utilizing functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to assess neural efficiency as a potential underlying factor. We divided 38 participants into groups with high and low CT skills to perform mental rotation tasks. Prefrontal brain activity was monitored via a 48-channel fNIRS system. The experimental results suggested that participants possessing superior CT skills exhibited enhanced performance on the mental rotation test, accompanied by a higher neural efficiency index in the specified cerebral regions, as denoted by reduced oxygen consumption. This implies that individuals endowed with advanced CT capabilities can process information with greater efficacy, thereby attaining superior performance utilising lesser cognitive exertion. Our study offers some of the first empirical evidence regarding the neural basis underlying the relationship between CT skills and mental rotation ability in undergraduate students.

The Modified Superomedial Pedicle Breast Reduction Technique for Cases with SN-N Distance Exceeding 33 cm.

Symptomatic breast hypertrophy affects the quality of life of a large number of women globally. Many reduction mammoplasty techniques have been described for patients with breast hypertrophy. The aim of this study was to provide our clinic's experience in utilizing the modified superomedial pedicle breast reduction technique in specific patients suffering from breast hypertrophy, with sternal notch-to-nipple distance of more than 33 cm. Our study included twenty patients who underwent, from January 2022 to December 2023, the modified superomedial pedicle breast reduction technique due to symptomatic breast hypertrophy with sternal notch-to-nipple distance of more than 33 cm in the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Department at Nicosia General Hospital in Cyprus. Patient demographics, comorbidities, pre- and postoperative breast anthropometric measurements and surgical complications were recorded and analyzed. The average age at the time of the reduction was 48 years. The mean preoperative body mass index was 28.52 kg/m2. Patients' comorbidities included one (5%) patient with diabetes, seven (35%) with obesity and three (15%) with hypertension. The mean preoperative sternal notch-to-nipple distance was 35.25 cm for the right breast and 34.90 cm for the left breast, while the mean postoperative was 20.65 cm for both breasts. The total mean resection weight of both breasts was 1643.45 g. Surgical complications were minor including two (10%) cases of local hematoma and one (5%) case of T-Junction wound breakdown. All patients were relieved from their preoperative symptoms and were satisfied with the final result. Our modified superomedial pedicle technique is a safe, effective and versatile pedicle to be used with many advantages, in specific patients suffering from breast hypertrophy with sternal notch-to-nipple distance of more than 33 cm, including its shape and rotational abilities, viability of the nipple and excellent outcome of glandular plication and breast reshaping. This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

Mental rotation abilities of gymnasts and soccer players: a comparison of egocentric and object-based transformations. An exploratory and preliminary study.

The experience obtained from motor expertise may contribute to and enhance the development of particular visuo-spatial abilities. This exploratory and preliminary study compares the response times of a mental rotation task with egocentric and object-based transformation instructions between soccer players of varying performance levels and gymnasts. Fifty-six male participants were grouped based on their sports experience. Soccer-specific novices (SS-N: n = 19; age = 15.9 ± 0.87), soccer-specific experts (SS-E: n = 17; age = 16.4 ± 0.70), gymnastic-specific experts (GS-E: n = 10; age = 16.6 ± 1.71), and gymnastic-specific novices (GS-N: n = 10; age = 16.0 ± 1.63) were recruited to perform a perceptual task (recognition of soccer-specific poses) and mental rotation tasks with different stimuli (soccer-specific poses, cubes, line-drawings of hands, letters). During the perceptual task with instructions on egocentric transformation and soccer-specific poses, we observed that gymnasts had longer response times than soccer players. Our findings also suggest that experts correctly identified most of the poses in terms of accuracy. In the mental rotation task with object-based transformation, gymnasts processed all stimuli, even the soccer-specific poses, more accurately than both soccer groups. Our results suggest that gymnasts' motor expertise plays a role in their performance on mental rotation tasks involving both egocentric and object-based transformations, regardless of the stimuli presented.

Using a golf specific functional movement screen to predict golf performance in collegiate golfers.

This study aims to examine the relationship between functional movements and golf performance using the Golf Specific Functional Movement Screen (GSFMS). This cross-sectional study included a total of 56 collegiate golfers (aged 20.89 ± 0.99 years, height of 174.55 ± 7.76 cm, and weight 68.48 ± 9.30 kg) who met the criteria, and were recruited from Hainan Normal University in June 2022. The participants' golf motor skills (1-yard putt, 10-yard putt, 25-yard chip, 130/100-yard set shot, driver, and 9-hole stroke play) were tested and the GSFMS (e.g., pelvic tilt, pelvic rotation, and torso rotation) was used. There were significant weak or moderate correlations between the variables. Furthermore, a multiple linear regression analysis found that pelvic rotation and lower-body rotation abilities can significantly predict golf skill levels, which collectively explain 31.2% of the variance in golf skill levels among collegiate golfers (Adjusted R2 = 0.312, F = 2.663, p < 0.05). Standardised β values indicate that pelvic rotation (β = 0.398) has a more substantial impact on golf skill levels than lower-body rotation (β = 0.315). This study found the weak to moderate correlations between the GSFMS and golf performance, and pelvic rotation and lower-body rotation abilities, thus predicting golf skills. Our findings provide novel insights into the relationship between functional abilities and comprehensive skill performance within the context of the Gray Cook's Movement Pyramid model, and provide theoretical support and practical reference for collegiate golf motor-skill learning and sports injury prevention.

From Imagination to Abstract Analysis: How Natural Language Enhances Spatial Intelligence Through Enhancing Abstract Reasoning and Spatial Rotational Ability

Spatial intelligence is traditionally conceptualized within the IQ framework as innate and unaffected by experiential factors; it encompasses two primary faculties: abstract reasoning and spatial rotational ability. Contemporary evidence challenges this notion, positing that language, an acquired experiential factor, coherently and systematically augments these two capabilities. Specifically, language encoding and verbalization shift abstract reasoning from a primarily habitual process to a state that is distinctly more abstract and analytical. In parallel, relational language descriptors (e.g., above, below) aid in transitioning spatial rotational ability from a primarily imaginative domain to an abstract, analytical one. While previous studies have shown languages influence on discrete faculties in spatial intelligence separately, a comprehensive understanding of its systematic enhancement remains elusive. This paper attempts to bridge this gap, proposing that IQ determinants are not innate. Moreover, this paper shows that language uniformly and methodically enhances all facets of spatial intelligence through the same medium (transformation to an abstract-analytical task space) and that this task space proves more productive than its imaginative or habitual counterparts.

Short-term transfer effects of Tetris on mental rotation: Review and registered report — A Bayesian approach

The existence of transfer effects of video games on cognitive performance are controversially discussed in experimental psychology. Whereas recent meta-analyses suggest the absence of far transfer effects, empirical evidence regarding near transfer effects is more controversial. This conceptual replication investigated the short-term near transfer effect of playing Tetris on mental rotation abilities. The design of the conceptual replication was based on a comprehensive compilation of the methods used by previous literature on this topic and advanced in order to reach a high scientific state-of-the-art standard. We ran a high-powered conceptual replication study with 366 participants randomly assigned to either an experimental group playing Tetris or a control group playing Solitaire. Both groups completed three commonly used mental rotation tests in a pre- and a posttest session. Additionally, the experimental group played Tetris while the control group played Solitaire. Playing time was 10 hours in total within 4 weeks. Based on previous research, we hypothesized that this might generate a short-term transfer effect of Tetris on mental rotation. While participants showed a repeated testing effect for the mental rotation tests in both groups, we found evidence that Tetris does not produce a short-term transfer effect on mental rotation. Both gender and expected outcomes did not influence this effect. Our study suggests that playing Tetris does not improve mental rotation skills.

Twofold rigidity activates ultralong organic high-temperature phosphorescence

A strategy is pioneered for achieving high-temperature phosphorescence using planar rigid molecules as guests and rigid polymers as host matrix. The planar rigid configuration can resist the thermal vibration of the guest at high temperatures, and the rigidity of the matrix further enhances the high-temperature resistance of the guest. The doped materials exhibit an afterglow of 40 s at 293 K, 20 s at 373 K, 6 s at 413 K, and a 1 s afterglow at 433 K. The experimental results indicate that as the rotational ability of the groups connected to the guests gradually increases, the high-temperature phosphorescence performance of the doped materials gradually decreases. In addition, utilizing the property of doped materials that can emit phosphorescence at high temperatures and in high smoke, the attempt is made to use organic phosphorescence materials to identify rescue workers and trapped personnel in fires.

Unveiling the Influence of the Menstrual Cycle on Mental Rotation Abilities: A Comparative Analysis of Three-Dimensional vs. Two-Dimensional Tasks

The activational effects of sex hormones on spatial ability have been well documented. It has been suggested that these effects might be related to hormonally induced changes in interhemispheric communication. In this EEG study, we opted to explore menstrual cycle-related changes in the efficacy of solving mental rotation tasks and laterality indices while participants were engaged with the tasks. We compared 2D and 3D mental rotation tasks, as they differ both psychometrically and in terms of lateralization. A group (n = 39) of healthy young women was tested twice, once during the mid-luteal (high estrogen and progesterone) and once during the early follicular (low levels of sex hormones) phase of menstrual cycle. The differences in power within the same frequency band on homologous sites of the left and right hemispheres were then calculated. Participants were faster, more accurate, and showed higher laterality scores when solving 3D mental rotation tasks in the early follicular phase compared to the mid-luteal phase. This indicates a higher lateralization of this specific spatial function when the levels of sex hormones are low. However, for 2D mental rotation tasks, participants showed neither shifts in efficacy nor in hemispheric laterality as a function of the menstrual cycle. This pattern of results provides further support for the notion that fluctuations in sex hormones affect laterality, and consequently, the expression of lateralized cognitive abilities.

Embodied mental rotation ability in open- and closed-skill sports: pilot study with a new virtual paradigm

Embodied mental rotation is the influence of the body on mental rotation ability. Sports expertise enhances embodied mental rotation ability. However, sport-skill-dependent effects remain unclear. Previous studies refer to the influence of body positions on mental rotation ability. Yet, in sports, the investigation of the effect of simultaneous body and mental rotation movements is essential. Athletes need to constantly mentally and physically adapt to environmental changes and new motor tasks while being in motion themselves. This study aimed to investigate embodied mental rotation ability with simultaneous body and mental rotation in individuals with different sport skills, i.e., in open- and closed-skill sports. Forty-eight men and women, divided into two groups depending on their sport, performed 32 trials of an extended embodied mental rotation task. Simultaneous body and mental rotation were enabled by a novel test method including Virtual Reality. Results revealed shorter response times to the task stimulus in closed-skill sports participants than in open-skill sports participants. This group difference was significant for trials in which rotation directions of the own body and the mental rotation stimulus were aligned. The results might be related to sport-specific skill development processes. Motor imitation skills, as relevant in many closed-skill sports, may facilitate cognitive processes when the motion direction of the own body and of the mental rotation stimulus are aligned. The novel test method identifies potential applications that should be increasingly explored in the future, both for cognitive science and sports research.

No role of working memory in the relation between mental rotation and postural stability

This study investigated the relationship between mental rotation ability and postural stability, with a focus on the role of the visuospatial sketchpad of working memory, as it has been found to be correlated with both concepts. A total of 87 healthy young adults completed a postural stability task on a force plate, a mental rotation task, and both spatial and object working memory tasks in a counterbalanced order. Bayesian correlations revealed weak positive correlations between mental rotation and postural stability, as well as a correlation between mental rotation and spatial working memory. A weak association was also observed between mental rotation and object working memory. No correlation was found between the working memory components and postural stability. Furthermore, the results showed that spatial working memory did not play a crucial role in predicting postural stability. We conclude that the visuospatial sketchpad, particularly the spatial working memory component, cannot explain the relationship between mental rotation and postural stability.

Viewing angle matters in British Sign Language processing

The impact of adverse listening conditions on spoken language perception is well established, but the role of suboptimal viewing conditions on signed language processing is less clear. Viewing angle, i.e. the physical orientation of a perceiver relative to a signer, varies in many everyday deaf community settings for L1 signers and may impact comprehension. Further, processing from various viewing angles may be more difficult for late L2 learners of a signed language, with less variation in sign input while learning. Using a semantic decision task in a distance priming paradigm, we show that British Sign Language signers are slower and less accurate to comprehend signs shown from side viewing angles, with L2 learners in particular making disproportionately more errors when viewing signs from side angles. We also investigated how individual differences in mental rotation ability modulate processing signs from different angles. Speed and accuracy on the BSL task correlated with mental rotation ability, suggesting that signers may mentally represent signs from a frontal view, and use mental rotation to process signs from other viewing angles. Our results extend the literature on viewpoint specificity in visual recognition to linguistic stimuli. The data suggests that L2 signed language learners should maximise their exposure to diverse signed language input, both in terms of viewing angle and other difficult viewing conditions to maximise comprehension.

Design and Validation of a Virtual Reality Mental Rotation Test

Mental rotation, a common measure of spatial ability, has traditionally been assessed through paper-based instruments like the Mental Rotation Test (MRT) or the Purdue Spatial Visualization Test: Rotations (PSVT:R). The fact that these instruments present 3D shapes in a 2D format devoid of natural cues like shading and perspective likely limits their ability to accurately assess the fundamental skill of mentally rotating 3D shapes. In this paper, we describe the Virtual Reality Mental Rotation Assessment (VRMRA), a virtual reality-based mental rotation assessment derived from the Revised PSVT:R and MRT. The VRMRA reimagines traditional mental rotation assessments in a room-scale virtual environment and uses hand-tracking and elements of gamification in attempts to create an intuitive, engaging experience for test-takers. To validate the instrument, we compared response patterns in the VRMRA with patterns observed on the MRT and Revised PSVT:R. For the PSVT:R-type questions, items requiring a rotation around two axes were significantly harder than items requiring rotations around a single axis in the VRMRA, which is not the case in the Revised PSVT:R. For the MRT-type questions in the VRMRA, a moderate negative correlation was found between the degree of rotation in the X direction and item difficulty. While the problem of occlusion was reduced, features of the shapes and distractors accounted for 50.6% of the variance in item difficulty. Results suggest that the VRMRA is likely a more accurate tool to assess mental rotation ability in comparison to traditional instruments which present the stimuli through 2D media. Our findings also point to potential problems with the fundamental designs of the Revised PSVT:R and MRT question formats.