Motor Skills and Exercise Capacity Are Associated with Objective Measures of Cognitive Functions and Academic Performance in Preadolescent Children

PubMed Central

Thomas, Richard; Larsen, Malte Nejst; Dahn, Ida Marie; Andersen, Josefine Needham; Krause-Jensen, Matilde; Korup, Vibeke; Nielsen, Claus Malta; Wienecke, Jacob; Ritz, Christian; Krustrup, Peter; Lundbye-Jensen, Jesper

2016-01-01

Objective To investigate associations between motor skills, exercise capacity and cognitive functions, and evaluate how they correlate to academic performance in mathematics and reading comprehension using standardised, objective tests. Methods This cross-sectional study included 423 Danish children (age: 9.29±0.35 years, 209 girls). Fine and gross motor skills were evaluated in a visuomotor accuracy-tracking task, and a whole-body coordination task, respectively. Exercise capacity was estimated from the Yo-Yo intermittent recovery level 1 children's test (YYIR1C). Selected tests from the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) were used to assess different domains of cognitive functions, including sustained attention, spatial working memory, episodic and semantic memory, and processing speed. Linear mixed-effects models were used to investigate associations between these measures and the relationship with standard tests of academic performance in mathematics and reading comprehension. Results Both fine and gross motor skills were associated with better performance in all five tested cognitive domains (all P<0.001), whereas exercise capacity was only associated with better sustained attention (P<0.046) and spatial working memory (P<0.038). Fine and gross motor skills (all P<0.001), exercise capacity and cognitive functions such as working memory, episodic memory, sustained attention and processing speed were all associated with better performance in mathematics and reading comprehension. Conclusions The data demonstrate that fine and gross motor skills are positively correlated with several aspects of cognitive functions and with academic performance in both mathematics and reading comprehension. Moreover, exercise capacity was associated with academic performance and performance in some cognitive domains. Future interventions should investigate associations between changes in motor skills, exercise capacity, cognitive functions, and academic performance to elucidate the causality of these associations. PMID:27560512

Differential sensitivity of cranial and limb motor function to nigrostriatal dopamine depletion

PubMed Central

Plowman, Emily K.; Maling, Nicholas; Rivera, Benjamin J.; Larson, Krista; Thomas, Nagheme J.; Fowler, Stephen C.; Manfredsson, Fredric P.; Shrivastav, Rahul; Kleim, Jeffrey A.

2012-01-01

The present study determined the differential effects of unilateral striatal dopamine depletion on cranial motor versus limb motor function. Forty male Long Evans rats were first trained on a comprehensive motor testing battery that dissociated cranial versus limb motor function and included: cylinder forepaw placement, single pellet reaching, vermicelli pasta handling; sunflower seed opening, pasta biting acoustics, and a licking task. Following baseline testing, animals were randomized to either a 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) (n = 20) or control (n = 20) group. Animals in the 6-OHDA group received unilateral intrastriatal 6-OHDA infusions to induce striatal dopamine depletion. Six-weeks following infusion, all animals were re-tested on the same battery of motor tests. Near infrared densitometry was performed on sections taken through the striatum that were immunohistochemically stained for tyrosine hydroxylase (TH). Animals in the 6-OHDA condition showed a mean reduction in TH staining of 88.27%. Although 6-OHDA animals were significantly impaired on all motor tasks, limb motor deficits were more severe than cranial motor impairments. Further, performance on limb motor tasks was correlated with degree of TH depletion while performance on cranial motor impairments showed no significant correlation. These results suggest that limb motor function may be more sensitive to striatal dopaminergic depletion than cranial motor function and is consistent with the clinical observation that therapies targeting the nigrostriatal dopaminergic system in Parkinson’s disease are more effective for limb motor symptoms than cranial motor impairments. PMID:23018122

Closed-loop thrust and pressure profile throttling of a nitrous oxide/hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene hybrid rocket motor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peterson, Zachary W.

Hybrid motors that employ non-toxic, non-explosive components with a liquid oxidizer and a solid hydrocarbon fuel grain have inherently safe operating characteristics. The inherent safety of hybrid rocket motors offers the potential to greatly reduce overall operating costs. Another key advantage of hybrid rocket motors is the potential for in-flight shutdown, restart, and throttle by controlling the pressure drop between the oxidizer tank and the injector. This research designed, developed, and ground tested a closed-loop throttle controller for a hybrid rocket motor using nitrous oxide and hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene as propellants. The research simultaneously developed closed-loop throttle algorithms and lab scale motor hardware to evaluate the fidelity of the throttle simulations and algorithms. Initial open-loop motor tests were performed to better classify system parameters and to validate motor performance values. Deep-throttle open-loop tests evaluated limits of stable thrust that can be achieved on the test hardware. Open-loop tests demonstrated the ability to throttle the motor to less than 10% of maximum thrust with little reduction in effective specific impulse and acoustical stability. Following the open-loop development, closed-loop, hardware-in-the-loop tests were performed. The closed-loop controller successfully tracked prescribed step and ramp command profiles with a high degree of fidelity. Steady-state accuracy was greatly improved over uncontrolled thrust.

Anodal transcranial direct current stimulation enhances the effects of motor imagery training in a finger tapping task.

PubMed

Saimpont, Arnaud; Mercier, Catherine; Malouin, Francine; Guillot, Aymeric; Collet, Christian; Doyon, Julien; Jackson, Philip L

2016-01-01

Motor imagery (MI) training and anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) applied over the primary motor cortex can independently improve hand motor function. The main objective of this double-blind, sham-controlled study was to examine whether anodal tDCS over the primary motor cortex could enhance the effects of MI training on the learning of a finger tapping sequence. Thirty-six right-handed young human adults were assigned to one of three groups: (i) who performed MI training combined with anodal tDCS applied over the primary motor cortex; (ii) who performed MI training combined with sham tDCS; and (iii) who received tDCS while reading a book. The MI training consisted of mentally rehearsing an eight-item complex finger sequence for 13 min. Before (Pre-test), immediately after (Post-test 1), and at 90 min after (Post-test 2) MI training, the participants physically repeated the sequence as fast and as accurately as possible. An anova showed that the number of sequences correctly performed significantly increased between Pre-test and Post-test 1 and remained stable at Post-test 2 in the three groups (P < 0.001). Furthermore, the percentage increase in performance between Pre-test and Post-test 1 and Post-test 2 was significantly greater in the group that performed MI training combined with anodal tDCS compared with the other two groups (P < 0.05). As a potential physiological explanation, the synaptic strength within the primary motor cortex could have been reinforced by the association of MI training and tDCS compared with MI training alone and tDCS alone. © 2015 Federation of European Neuroscience Societies and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Primer Stepper Motor Nomenclature, Definition, Performance and Recommended Test Methods

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Starin, Scott; Shea, Cutter

2014-01-01

There has been an unfortunate lack of standardization of the terms and components of stepper motor performance, requirements definition, application of torque margin and implementation of test methods. This paper will address these inconsistencies and discuss in detail the implications of performance parameters, affects of load inertia, control electronics, operational resonances and recommended test methods. Additionally, this paper will recommend parameters for defining and specifying stepper motor actuators. A useful description of terms as well as consolidated equations and recommended requirements is included.

Ecological validity of the German Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency - 2nd Edition.

PubMed

Vinçon, Sabine; Green, Dido; Blank, Rainer; Jenetzky, Ekkehart

2017-06-01

The diagnosis of Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) is based on poor motor coordination in the absence of other neurological disorders. In order to identify the presence of movement difficulties, a standardised motor assessment is recommended to determine the extent of movement problems which may contribute to deficits in daily task performance. A German version of the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency, Second Edition (German BOT-2) was recently published. This study aimed to determine the ecological validity of the German BOT-2 by considering the relationship between assessment of fundamental motor skills with the BOT-2 and performance of everyday motor activities as evaluated by parents. This study used data obtained from the German BOT-2 standardisation study (n=1.177). Subtests were compared with theoretically corresponding tasks via parental ratings of overall fine and gross motor abilities and performance in six typical motor activities. Non-parametric Jonckheere Terpstra test was used to identify differences in ordered contrasts. Subtests reflecting 'Strength', 'Running Speed and Agility', 'Upper-Limb Coordination', 'Balance', and 'Fine Motor Precision' were associated with parental evaluation of gross motor skills (p<0.001). The subtest 'Fine Motor Integration' significantly correlated with parental ratings of females' fine motor skills. Parental ratings of males' fine motor skills were associated with three further subtests. Regarding everyday motor activities, the first three fine motor BOT-2 subtests were associated with parent evaluations of drawing, writing and arts and crafts (p<0.001). Gross motor subtests of 'Bilateral Coordination' and 'Balance' showed no relationship to bike riding or performance in sports. Subtests of 'Upper-Limb Coordination' and 'Strength' showed significant correlations with sports, ball games and cycling. The results of this study suggest that the closer the proximity in the nature of the motor skills assessed in the German BOT-2 to daily motor tasks, the stronger the relationship between the clinical test and parental report of everyday performance of their child. The body functions tested in the German BOT-2, and hypothesized to underpin certain skills, were not automatically relevant for specific activities undertaken by German children. Future research should investigate the relationships of the various BOT-2 constructs for diagnosis of DCD. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Improved perceptual-motor performance measurement system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parker, J. F., Jr.; Reilly, R. E.

1969-01-01

Battery of tests determines the primary dimensions of perceptual-motor performance. Eighteen basic measures range from simple tests to sophisticated electronic devices. Improved system has one unit for the subject containing test display and response elements, and one for the experimenter where test setups, programming, and scoring are accomplished.

Motor Decline in Clinically Presymptomatic Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 2 Gene Carriers

PubMed Central

Velázquez-Perez, Luis; Díaz, Rosalinda; Pérez-González, Ruth; Canales, Nalia; Rodríguez-Labrada, Roberto; Medrano, Jacquelín; Sánchez, Gilberto; Almaguer-Mederos, Luis; Torres, Cira; Fernandez-Ruiz, Juan

2009-01-01

Background Motor deficits are a critical component of the clinical characteristics of patients with spinocerebellar ataxia type 2. However, there is no current information on the preclinical manifestation of those motor deficits in presymptomatic gene carriers. To further understand and characterize the onset of the clinical manifestation in this disease, we tested presymptomatic spinocerebellar ataxia type 2 gene carriers, and volunteers, in a task that evaluates their motor performance and their motor learning capabilities. Methods and Findings 28 presymptomatic spinocerebellar ataxia type 2 gene carriers and an equal number of control volunteers matched for age and gender participated in the study. Both groups were tested in a prism adaptation task known to be sensible to both motor performance and visuomotor learning deficits. Our results clearly show that although motor learning capabilities are intact, motor performance deficits are present even years before the clinical manifestation of the disease start. Conclusions The results show a clear deficit in motor performance that can be detected years before the clinical onset of the disease. This motor performance deficit appears before any motor learning or clinical manifestations of the disease. These observations identify the performance coefficient as an objective and quantitative physiological biomarker that could be useful to assess the efficiency of different therapeutic agents. PMID:19401771

Stepping-Motion Motor-Control Subsystem For Testing Bearings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Powers, Charles E.

1992-01-01

Control subsystem closed-loop angular-position-control system causing motor and bearing under test to undergo any of variety of continuous or stepping motions. Also used to test bearing-and-motor assemblies, motors, angular-position sensors including rotating shafts, and like. Monitoring subsystem gathers data used to evaluate performance of bearing or other article under test. Monitoring subsystem described in article, "Monitoring Subsystem For Testing Bearings" (GSC-13432).

Motor performance in children with Noonan syndrome.

PubMed

Croonen, Ellen A; Essink, Marlou; van der Burgt, Ineke; Draaisma, Jos M; Noordam, Cees; Nijhuis-van der Sanden, Maria W G

2017-09-01

Although problems with motor performance in daily life are frequently mentioned in Noonan syndrome, the motor performance profile has never been systematically investigated. The aim of this study was to examine whether a specific profile in motor performance in children with Noonan syndrome was seen using valid norm-referenced tests. The study assessed motor performance in 19 children with Noonan syndrome (12 females, mean age 9 years 4 months, range 6 years 1 month to 11 years and 11 months, SDS 1 year and 11 months). More than 60% of the parents of the children reported pain, decreased muscle strength, reduced endurance, and/or clumsiness in daily functioning. The mean standard scores on the Visual Motor Integration (VMI) test and Movement Assessment Battery for Children 2, Dutch version (MABC-2-NL) items differed significantly from the reference scores. Grip strength, muscle force, and 6 min Walking Test (6 MWT) walking distance were significantly lower, and the presence of generalized hypermobility was significantly higher. All MABC-2-NL scores (except manual dexterity) correlated significantly with almost all muscle strength tests, VMI total score, and VMI visual perception score. The 6 MWT was only significantly correlated to grip strength. This is the first study that confirms that motor performance, strength, and endurance are significantly impaired in children with Noonan syndrome. Decreased functional motor performance seems to be related to decreased visual perception and reduced muscle strength. Research on causal relationships and the effectiveness of interventions is needed. Physical and/or occupational therapy guidance should be considered to enhance participation in daily life. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Cryogenic actuator testing for the SAFARI ground calibration setup

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Jonge, C.; Eggens, M.; Nieuwenhuizen, A. C. T.; Detrain, A.; Smit, H.; Dieleman, P.

2012-09-01

For the on-ground calibration setup of the SAFARI instrument cryogenic mechanisms are being developed at SRON Netherlands Institute for Space Research, including a filter wheel, XYZ-scanner and a flipmirror mechanism. Due to the extremely low background radiation requirement of the SAFARI instrument, all of these mechanisms will have to perform their work at 4.5 Kelvin and low-dissipative cryogenic actuators are required to drive these mechanisms. In this paper, the performance of stepper motors, piezoelectric actuators and brushless DC-motors as cryogenic actuators are compared. We tested stepper motor mechanical performance and electrical dissipation at 4K. The actuator requirements, test setup and test results are presented. Furthermore, design considerations and early performance tests of the flipmirror mechanism are discussed. This flipmirror features a 102 x 72 mm aluminum mirror that can be rotated 45°. A Phytron stepper motor with reduction gearbox has been chosen to drive the flipmirror. Testing showed that this motor has a dissipation of 49mW at 4K with a torque of 60Nmm at 100rpm. Thermal modeling of the flipmirror mechanism predicts that with proper thermal strapping the peak temperature of the flipmirror after a single action will be within the background level requirements of the SAFARI instrument. Early tests confirm this result. For low-duty cycle operations commercial stepper motors appear suitable as actuators for test equipment in the SAFARI on ground calibration setup.

Comparative Study of Motor Performance of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students in Reaction Time, Visual-Motor Control and Upper Limb Speed and Dexterity Abilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gkouvatzi, Anastasia N.; Mantis, Konstantinos; Kambas, Antonis

2010-01-01

Using the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test the motor performance of 34 deaf--hard-of-hearing pupils, 6-14 year, was evaluated in reaction time, visual-motor control and upper limb speed and dexterity. The two-way ANOVA variance analysis for two independent variables, group, age, and the Post Hoc (Scheffe test) for multiple comparisons were used. The…

QM-8 final performance evaluation report: SEALS, volume 4

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nelsen, L. V.

1989-01-01

The Space Shuttle Redesigned Solid Rocket Motor (RSRM) static test of Qualification Motor-8 (QM-8) was conducted. The QM-8 test article was the fifth full-scale, full-duration test, and the third qualification motor to incorporate the redesigned case field joint and nozzle-to-case joint. This was the second static test conducted in the T-97 test facility, which is equipped with actuators for inducing external side loads to a 360 degree external tank (ET) attach ring during test motor operation, and permits heating/cooling of an entire motor. The QM-8 motor was cooled to a temperature which ensured that the maximum propellant mean bulk temperature (PMBT) of 40 F was achieved at firing. All test results are not included, but rather, the performance of the metal case, field joints, and nozzle-to-case joint is addressed. The involvement is studied of the Structural Applications and Structural Design Groups with the QM-8 test which includes: assembly procedures of the field and nozzle-to-case joints, joint leak check results, structural test results, and post-test inspection evaluations.

MNASA as a Test for Carbon Fiber Thermal Barrier Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bauer, Paul; McCool, Alex (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

A carbon fiber rope thermal barrier is being evaluated as a replacement for the conventional room temperature vulcanizing (RTV) thermal barrier that is currently used to protect o-rings in Reusable Solid Rocket Motor (RSRM) nozzle joints. Performance requirements include its ability to cool any incoming, hot propellant gases that fill and pressurize the nozzle joints, filter slag and particulates, and to perform adequately in various joint assembly conditions as well as dynamic flight motion. Modified National Aeronautics and Space Administration (MNASA) motors, with their inherent and unique ability to replicate select RSRM internal environment features, were an integral step in the development path leading to full scale RSRM static test demonstration of the carbon fiber rope (CFR) joint concept. These 1/4 scale RSRM motors serve to bridge the gap between the other classes of subscale test motors (extremely small and moderate duration, or small scale and short duration) and the critical asset RSRM static test motors. A series of MNASA tests have been used to demonstrate carbon fiber rope performance and have provided rationale for implementation into a full-scale static motor and flight qualification.

Auto Indexer Auto-Indexer for Percussive Hammers: Vane Motor Dynamometer Testing

DOE Data Explorer

Su, Jiann

2012-01-01

Objectives Options associated with geothermal drilling operations are generally limited by factors such as formation temperature and rock strength. The objective of the research is to expand the "tool box" available to the geothermal driller by furthering the development of a high-temperature drilling motor that can be used in directional drilling applications for drilling high temperature geothermal formations. The motor is specifically designed to operate in conjunction with a pneumatic down-the-hole-hammer. It provides a more compact design compared to traditional drilling motors such as PDMs (positive displacement motors). The packaging can help to enhance directional drilling capabilities. It uses no elastomeric components, which enables it to operate in higher temperatures ( >250 °F). Current work on the motor has shown that is a capable of operating under pneumatic power with a down-the-hole-hammer. Further development work will include continued testing and refining motor components and evaluating motor capabilities. Targets/Milestones Complete testing current motor - 12/31/2010 Make final material and design decisions - 01/31/2011 Build and test final prototype - 04/31/2011 Final demonstration - 07/31/2011 Impacts The development of the motor will help to achieve program technical objectives by improving well construction capabilities. This includes enabling high-temperature drilling as well as enhancing directional drilling. A key component in the auto indexer is the drive motor. It is an air-driven vane motor that converts the energy stored in the compressed air to mechanical energy. The motor is attached to hammer-like components which impart an impulsive load onto the drive shaft. The impulsive force on the drive shaft in turn creates an indexing action. A controlled test was performed to characterize the performance of the the vane motor for a given pressure. The Sandia dynamometer test station was used to determine the performance of the motor for a given input pressure.

The qualification of the shuttle booster separation motors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chase, C. A.; Fisher, K. M.; Eoff, W.

1978-01-01

Four booster separation motors (BSM) located at each end of every solid rocket booster (SRB) provide the needed side force to separate the boosters from the external tank at booster burnout. Four BSMs at the top of the SRB are located in a box pattern in the nose cone frustum. The four BSMs at the aft end of the SRB are arranged side-by-side on the SRB aft skirt. Aspects of BSM design and performance are considered, taking into account a motor design/performance summary, the case design, the insulation, the grain design, the nozzle/aft closure design, the ignition system, the propellant, and the motor assembly. Details of motor testing are also discussed, giving attention to development testing, qualification testing, and flight testing.

Motor Performance and Rhythmic Perception of Children with Intellectual and Developmental Disability and Developmental Coordination Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kartasidou, Lefkothea; Varsamis, Panagiotis; Sampsonidou, Anna

2012-01-01

Professionals who work with children presenting intellectual and developmental disability (IDD) and developmental coordination disorder (DCD) are concerned with their motor development and their rhythmic perception. The aim of this study is to investigate the correlation between a motor performance test and a music rhythmic test that measures…

Relationship between writing skills and visual-motor control in low-vision students.

PubMed

Atasavun Uysal, Songül; Aki, Esra

2012-08-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between handwriting skills and visual motor control among students with low vision and to compare this with the performance of their normal sighted peers. 42 students with low vision and 26 normal sighted peers participated. The Bruininks-Oseretsky Motor Proficiency Test-Short Form (BOTMP-SF), Jebsen Taylor Hand Function Test's writing subtest, and a legibility assessment were administered. Significant differences were found between groups for students' writing speed, legibility, and visual motor control. Visual motor control was correlated both writing speed and legibility. Students with low vision had poorer handwriting performance, with lower legibility and slower writing speed. Writing performance time was related to visual motor control in students with low vision.

Interlimb coordination and academic performance in elementary school children.

PubMed

da Silva Pacheco, Sheila Cristina; Gabbard, Carl; Ries, Lilian Gerdi Kittel; Bobbio, Tatiana Godoy

2016-10-01

The specific mechanisms linking motor ability and cognitive performance, especially academic achievement, are still unclear. Whereas the literature provides an abundance of information on fine and visual-motor skill and cognitive attributes, much less has been reported on gross motor ability. This study examined interlimb coordination and its relationship to academic performance in children aged 8-11 years. Motor and academic skills were examined in 100 Brazilian children using the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency and the Academic Performance Test. Participants were grouped into low (<25%) and high (>75%) academic achievers. There was a significant difference between groups for Total Motor Composite (P < 0.001) favoring the high group. On regression analysis there was a significant association between academic performance and Body Coordination. Of the subtests of Body Coordination (Bilateral Coordination and Balance), Bilateral Coordination accounted for the highest impact on academic performance. Of interest here, that subtest consists primarily of gross motor tasks involving interlimb coordination. Overall, there was a positive relationship between motor behavior, in particular activities involving interlimb coordination, and academic performance. Application of these findings in the area of early assessment may be useful in the identification of later academic problems. © 2016 Japan Pediatric Society.

Summary of electric vehicle dc motor-controller tests

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcbrien, E. F.; Tryon, H. B.

1982-01-01

The differences in the performance of dc motors are evaluated when operating with chopper type controllers, and when operating on direct current. The interactions between the motor and the controller which cause these differences are investigated. Motor-controlled tests provided some of the data the quantified motor efficiency variations for both ripple free and chopper modes of operation.

Performance Analysis of Saturated Induction Motors by Virtual Tests

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ojaghi, M.; Faiz, J.; Kazemi, M.; Rezaei, M.

2012-01-01

Many undergraduate-level electrical machines textbooks give detailed treatments of the performance of induction motors. Students can deepen this understanding of motor performance by performing the appropriate practical work in laboratories or in simulation using proper software packages. This paper considers various common and less-common tests…

Design assurance test of the Thiokol Te-M-521-5 apogee kick motor tested in the spin mode at simulated altitude conditions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cimino, A. A.

1973-01-01

One Thiokol Chemical Corporation TE-M-521-5 solid-propellant apogee rocket motor was successfully fired at an average simulated altitude of about 108,000 ft while spinning at 46 rpm. The general program objectives were to verify compliance of motor performance with the manufacturer's specifications. Specific primary objectives were to determine vacuum ballistic performance of the motor after prefire vibration conditioning and temperature conditioning at 40F, altitude ignition characteristics, motor structural integrity, and motor temperature-time history during and after motor operation. Additional objectives were to measure the lateral (nonaxial) thrust component during motor operation and to measure radiation heat flux in the vicinity of the nozzle exit plane.

Motor Learning as Young Gymnast's Talent Indicator.

PubMed

di Cagno, Alessandra; Battaglia, Claudia; Fiorilli, Giovanni; Piazza, Marina; Giombini, Arrigo; Fagnani, Federica; Borrione, Paolo; Calcagno, Giuseppe; Pigozzi, Fabio

2014-12-01

Talent identification plans are designed to select young athletes with the ability to achieve future success in sports. The aim of the study was to verify the predictive value of coordination and precision in skill acquisition during motor learning, as indicators of talent. One hundred gymnasts, both cadets (aged 11.5 ± 0.5 yr.) and juniors (aged 13.3 ± 0.5 years), competing at the national level, were enrolled in the study. The assessment of motor coordination involved three tests of the validated Hirtz's battery (1985), and motor skill learning involved four technical tests, specific of rhythmic gymnastics. All the tests were correlated with ranking and performance scores reached by each gymnast in the 2011, 2012, and 2013 National Championships. Coordination tests were significantly correlated to 2013 Championships scores (p < 0.01) and ranking (p < 0.05) of elite cadet athletes. Precision, in skill acquisition test results, was positively and significantly associated with scores in 2013 (adj. R(2) = 0.26, p < 0.01). Gymnasts with the best results in coordination and motor learning tests went on to achieve better competition results in three- year time. Key pointsIn talent identification and selection procedures it is better to include the evaluation of coordination and motor learning ability.Motor learning assessment concerns performance improvement and the ability to develop it, rather than evaluating the athlete's current performance.In this manner talent identification processes should be focused on the future performance capabilities of athletes.

Motor Learning as Young Gymnast’s Talent Indicator

PubMed Central

di Cagno, Alessandra; Battaglia, Claudia; Fiorilli, Giovanni; Piazza, Marina; Giombini, Arrigo; Fagnani, Federica; Borrione, Paolo; Calcagno, Giuseppe; Pigozzi, Fabio

2014-01-01

Talent identification plans are designed to select young athletes with the ability to achieve future success in sports. The aim of the study was to verify the predictive value of coordination and precision in skill acquisition during motor learning, as indicators of talent. One hundred gymnasts, both cadets (aged 11.5 ± 0.5 yr.) and juniors (aged 13.3 ± 0.5 years), competing at the national level, were enrolled in the study. The assessment of motor coordination involved three tests of the validated Hirtz’s battery (1985), and motor skill learning involved four technical tests, specific of rhythmic gymnastics. All the tests were correlated with ranking and performance scores reached by each gymnast in the 2011, 2012, and 2013 National Championships. Coordination tests were significantly correlated to 2013 Championships scores (p < 0.01) and ranking (p < 0.05) of elite cadet athletes. Precision, in skill acquisition test results, was positively and significantly associated with scores in 2013 (adj. R2 = 0.26, p < 0.01). Gymnasts with the best results in coordination and motor learning tests went on to achieve better competition results in three- year time. Key points In talent identification and selection procedures it is better to include the evaluation of coordination and motor learning ability. Motor learning assessment concerns performance improvement and the ability to develop it, rather than evaluating the athlete’s current performance. In this manner talent identification processes should be focused on the future performance capabilities of athletes. PMID:25435768

Trends in Motor Performance of First Graders: A Comparison of Cohorts from 2006 to 2015.

PubMed

Spengler, Sarah; Rabel, Matthias; Kuritz, Arvid Marius; Mess, Filip

2017-01-01

Motor performance is an important factor for health. Already in childhood, motor performance is associated with, e.g., obesity and risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. It is widely believed that the motor performance of children has declined over recent years. However, this belief is lacking clear evidence. The objective of this study was to examine trends in motor performance of first grade students during a period of 10 years (2006-2015). We examined trends in (a) aerobic fitness, (b) strength, (c) speed, and (d) balance for boys and girls separately and considered body mass index (BMI) as a potential confounder. From 2006 to 2015, we tested 5,001 first graders [50.8% boys; mean age 6.76 (0.56) years] of 18 primary schools in Germany. Each year between 441 and 552 students of the same schools were surveyed. Performance tests were taken from the Motorik-Module Study and the "German Motor Ability Test": "6-min run," "push-ups," "20-m sprint," and "static stand." Linear regression models were conducted for statistical analysis. A slightly negative trend in aerobic fitness performance was revealed in boys (β = -0.050; p  = 0.012) but not in girls. In the strength performance test no trend over time was detected. Performance in speed (boys: β = -0.094; girls: β = -0.143; p  ≤ 0.001) and balance tests (boys: β = -0.142; girls: β = -0.232; p  ≤ 0.001) increased over time for both boys and girls. These findings held true when BMI was considered. This study only partly supported the assumption that motor performance of children has declined: in our study, aerobic fitness declined (only in boys), while strength remained stable and speed and balance even increased in both sexes. Moreover, it seems as if BMI can explain changes in performance only to a small extent. Changed lifestyles might be a substantial cause. Further research on recent trends of motor performance and interacting variables is needed to support the results of our study and to provide more knowledge on causes of these trends.

MotorBrain: A mobile app for the assessment of users' motor performance in neurology.

PubMed

Vianello, Andrea; Chittaro, Luca; Burigat, Stefano; Budai, Riccardo

2017-05-01

Human motor skills or impairments have been traditionally assessed by neurologists by means of paper-and-pencil tests or special hardware. More recently, technologies such as digitizing tablets and touchscreens have offered neurologists new assessment possibilities, but their use has been restricted to a specific medical condition, or to stylus-operated mobile devices. The objective of this paper is twofold. First, we propose a mobile app (MotorBrain) that offers six computerized versions of traditional motor tests, can be used directly by patients (with and without the supervision of a clinician), and aims at turning millions of smartphones and tablets available to the general public into data collection and assessment tools. Then, we carry out a study to determine whether the data collected by MotorBrain can be meaningful for describing aging in human motor performance. A sample of healthy participants (N= 133) carried out the motor tests using MotorBrain on a smartphone. Participants were split into two groups (Young, Old) based on their age (less than or equal to 30 years, greater than or equal to 50 years, respectively). The data collected by the app characterizes accuracy, reaction times, and speed of movement. It was analyzed to investigate differences between the two groups. The app does allow measuring differences in neuromotor performance. Data collected by the app allowed us to assess performance differences due to the aging of the neuromuscular system. Data collected through MotorBrain is suitable to make meaningful distinctions among different kinds of performance, and allowed us to highlight performance differences associated to aging. MotorBrain supports the building of a large database of neuromotor data, which can be used for normative purposes in clinical use. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Co-variation of tests commonly used in stroke rehabilitation.

PubMed

Langhammer, Birgitta; Stanghelle, Johan Kvalvik

2006-12-01

The aim of the present study was to analyse the co-variation of different tests commonly used in stroke rehabilitation, and specifically used in a recent randomized, controlled study of two different physiotherapy models in stroke rehabilitation. Correlations of the performed tests and recordings from previous work were studied. The test results from three-month, one-year and four-year follow-up were analysed in an SPSS Version 11 statistical package with Pearson and Spearman correlations. There was an expected high correlation between the motor function tests, both based on partial and total scores. The correlations between Nottingham Health Profile Part 1 and Motor Assessment Scale (MAS), Sødring Motor Evaluation Scale (SMES), the Berg Balance Scale (BBS) and Barthel Activities of Daily Living (ADL) index were low for all items except physical condition. The correlations between registered living conditions, assistive devices, recurrent stroke, motor function (MAS, SMES), ADL (Barthel ADL index) and balance (BBS) were high. The same variables showed weak or poor correlation to the Nottingham Health Profile (NHP). The co-variations of motor function tests and functional tests were high, but the co-variations of motor, functional and self-reported life-quality tests were poor. The patients rated themselves on a higher functional level in the self-reported tests than was observed objectively in the performance-based tests. A possible reason for this is that the patients may have been unaware they modified their performance to adjust for physical decline, and consequently overestimate their physical condition. This result underlines the importance of both performance-based and self-reported tests as complementary tools in a rehabilitation process.

Kinematic performance of fine motor control in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: the effects of comorbid developmental coordination disorder and core symptoms.

PubMed

Lee, I-Ching; Chen, Yung-Jung; Tsai, Chin-Liang

2013-02-01

The aims of this study were: (i) to determine whether differences exist in the fine motor fluency and flexibility of three groups (children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder [ADHD], children in whom ADHD is comorbid with developmental coordination disorder [DCD] [denoted as ADHD+DCD], and a typically developing control group); and (ii) to clarify whether the degree of severity of core symptoms affects performance. The Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Revised, the Beery-Buktenica Development Test of Visual-Motor Integration and the Movement Assessment Battery for Children were used as prescreening tests. The Integrated Visual and Auditory+Plus test was utilized to assess subjects' attention. The redesigned fine motor tracking and pursuit tasks were administered to evaluate subjects' fine motor performance. No significant difference was found when comparing the performance of the Children with ADHD and the typically developing group. Significant differences existed between children in whom ADHD is comorbid with DCD and typically developing children. Children with ADHD demonstrated proper fine motor fluency and flexibility, and deficient performance occurred when ADHD was comorbid with developmental coordination disorder. Children with ADHD had more difficulty implementing closed-loop movements that required higher levels of cognitive processing than those of their typically developing peers. Also, deficits in fine motor control were more pronounced when ADHD was combined with movement coordination problems. The severity of core symptoms had a greater effect on children with ADHD's fine motor flexibility than did fluency performance. In children with pure ADHD, unsmooth movement performance was highly related to the severity of core symptoms. © 2012 The Authors. Pediatrics International © 2012 Japan Pediatric Society.

Modulating Tone to Promote Motor Development Using a Neurofacilitation of Developmental Reaction (NFDR) Approach in Children with Neurodevelopmental Delay

PubMed Central

Batra, Vijay; Batra, Meenakshi; Pandey, Ravindra Mohan; Sharma, Vijai Prakash; Agarwal, Girdhar Gopal

2015-01-01

Objective To compare the efficacy of a Neurofacilitation of Developmental Reaction (NFDR) approach with that of a Conventional approach in the modulation of tone in children with neurodevelopmental delay. Methods Experimental control design. A total of 30 spastic children ranging in age from 4 to 7 years with neurodevelopmental delay were included. Baseline evaluations of muscle tone and gross motor functional performance abilities were performed. The children were allocated into two intervention groups of 15 subjects each. In groups A and B, the NFDR and conventional approaches were applied, respectively, for 3 months and were followed by subsequent re-evaluations. Results Between group analyses were performed using independent t test for tone and primitive reflex intensity and a Mann-Whitney U test for gross motor functional ability. For the within-group analyses, paired t tests were used for tone and primitive reflex intensity, and a Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used for gross motor functional ability. Conclusion The NFDR approach/technique prepares the muscle to undergo tonal modulation and thereby enhances motor development and improves the motor functional performance abilities of the children with neurodevelopmental delay. PMID:28239268

Is Mental Rotation Ability a Predictor of Success for Motor Performance?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoyek, Nady; Champely, Stéphane; Collet, Christian; Fargier, Patrick; Guillot, Aymeric

2014-01-01

Previous studies provided evidence of a relationship between mental rotation (MR) and motor processes in children and adults. However, there is no direct evidence that MR ability is a reliable predictor of success for motor performance. After completion of a MR test, the motor performance of 7- to 8-year-old and 11- to 12-year-old children was…

Effect of Group Setting on Gross Motor Performance in Children 3-5 Years Old with Motor Delays.

PubMed

Fay, Deanne; Wilkinson, Tawna; Wagoner, Michelle; Brooks, Danna; Quinn, Lauren; Turnell, Andrea

2017-02-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate differences in gross motor performance of children 3-5 years of age with motor delays when assessed individually compared to assessment in a group setting among peers with typical development (TD). Twenty children with motor delays and 42 children with TD were recruited from a preschool program. A within-subject repeated measures design was used; each child with delay was tested both in an individual setting and in a group setting with two to four peers with TD. Testing sessions were completed 4-8 days apart. Ten different motor skills from the Peabody Developmental Motor Scales-2 were administered. Performance of each item was videotaped and scored by a blinded researcher. Overall gross motor performance was significantly different (p < .05) between the two settings, with 14 of 20 children demonstrating better performance in the group setting. In particular, children performed better on locomotion items (p < .05). The higher scores for locomotion in the group setting may be due to the influence of competition, motivation, or modeling. Assessing a child in a group setting is recommended as part of the evaluation process.

Motor imagery training improves precision of an upper limb movement in patients with hemiparesis.

PubMed

Grabherr, Luzia; Jola, Corinne; Berra, Gilberto; Theiler, Robert; Mast, Fred W

2015-01-01

In healthy participants, beneficial effects of motor imagery training on movement execution have been shown for precision, strength, and speed. In the clinical context, it is still debated whether motor imagery provides an effective rehabilitation technique in patients with motor deficits. To compare the effectiveness of two different types of movement training: motor imagery vs. motor execution. Twenty-five patients with hemiparesis were assigned to one of two training groups: the imagery or the execution-training group. Both groups completed a baseline test before they received six training sessions, each of which was followed by a test session. Using a novel and precisely quantifiable test, we assessed how accurately patients performed an upper limb movement. Both training groups improved performance over the six test sessions but the improvement was significantly larger in the imagery group. That is, the imagery group was able to perform more precise movements than the execution group after the sixth training session while there was no difference at the beginning of the training. The results provide evidence for the benefit of motor imagery training in patients with hemiparesis and thus suggest the integration of cognitive training in conventional physiotherapy practice.

The Performance of Fundamental Gross Motor Skills by Children Enrolled in Head Start.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woodard, Rebecca J.; Yun, Joonkoo

2001-01-01

This study sought to descriptively evaluate the performance of fundamental gross motor skills among Head Start children. Levels of performance were compared and contrasted with performance profiles of the Test of Gross Motor Development. Findings suggest that Head Start curriculum should focus on the importance of developing fundamental gross…

Contained rocket motor burn demonstrations in X-tunnel: Final report for the DoD/DOE Joint Demilitarization Technology Program

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

S. W. Allendorf; B. W. Bellow; R. f. Boehm

Three low-pressure rocket motor propellant burn tests were performed in a large, sealed test chamber located at the X-tunnel complex on the Department of Energy's Nevada Test Site in the period May--June 1997. NIKE rocket motors containing double base propellant were used in two tests (two and four motors, respectively), and the third test used two improved HAWK rocket motors containing composite propellant. The preliminary containment safety calculations, the crack and burn procedures used in each test, and the results of various measurements made during and after each test are all summarized and collected in this document.

Cathodal Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Over Left Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex Area Promotes Implicit Motor Learning in a Golf Putting Task.

PubMed

Zhu, Frank F; Yeung, Andrew Y; Poolton, Jamie M; Lee, Tatia M C; Leung, Gilberto K K; Masters, Rich S W

2015-01-01

Implicit motor learning is characterized by low dependence on working memory and stable performance despite stress, fatigue, or multi-tasking. However, current paradigms for implicit motor learning are based on behavioral interventions that are often task-specific and limited when applied in practice. To investigate whether cathodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) area during motor learning suppressed working memory activity and reduced explicit verbal-analytical involvement in movement control, thereby promoting implicit motor learning. Twenty-seven healthy individuals practiced a golf putting task during a Training Phase while receiving either real cathodal tDCS stimulation over the left DLPFC area or sham stimulation. Their performance was assessed during a Test phase on another day. Verbal working memory capacity was assessed before and after the Training Phase, and before the Test Phase. Compared to sham stimulation, real stimulation suppressed verbal working memory activity after the Training Phase, but enhanced golf putting performance during the Training Phase and the Test Phase, especially when participants were required to multi-task. Cathodal tDCS over the left DLPFC may foster implicit motor learning and performance in complex real-life motor tasks that occur during sports, surgery or motor rehabilitation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Associating Physical Activity Levels with Motor Performance and Physical Function in Childhood Survivors of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.

PubMed

Hung, Stanley H; Rankin, Anne; Virji-Babul, Naznin; Pritchard, Sheila; Fryer, Christopher; Campbell, Kristin L

2017-01-01

Purpose: This cross-sectional, observational study investigated whether physical activity (PA) levels are associated with motor performance and physical function in children after treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Method: Participants aged 8-13 years who had completed treatment for ALL (3-36 months post-treatment) were tested at their oncology long-term follow-up appointment at the British Columbia Children's Hospital. PA level was measured using the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Children (PAQ-C). Motor performance was measured using the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency, Second Edition, Short Form (BOT-2 SF), and physical function was measured using the 6-minute walk test (6MWT). Results: Thirteen children completed testing. PAQ-C scores were not associated with BOT-2 SF or 6MWT performance. Eleven children (85%) performed below the norm for the 6MWT. Children with elevated body mass index had poorer 6MWT but similar PAQ-C scores. Conclusion: PA was not found to be associated with motor performance and physical function. Participants who were overweight or obese had poorer 6MWT performance, which may indicate the need for closer monitoring of post-treatment weight status and physical function in the oncology follow-up setting.

Associating Physical Activity Levels with Motor Performance and Physical Function in Childhood Survivors of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

PubMed Central

Hung, Stanley H.; Rankin, Anne; Virji-Babul, Naznin; Pritchard, Sheila; Fryer, Christopher

2017-01-01

Purpose: This cross-sectional, observational study investigated whether physical activity (PA) levels are associated with motor performance and physical function in children after treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Method: Participants aged 8–13 years who had completed treatment for ALL (3–36 months post-treatment) were tested at their oncology long-term follow-up appointment at the British Columbia Children's Hospital. PA level was measured using the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Children (PAQ-C). Motor performance was measured using the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency, Second Edition, Short Form (BOT-2 SF), and physical function was measured using the 6-minute walk test (6MWT). Results: Thirteen children completed testing. PAQ-C scores were not associated with BOT-2 SF or 6MWT performance. Eleven children (85%) performed below the norm for the 6MWT. Children with elevated body mass index had poorer 6MWT but similar PAQ-C scores. Conclusion: PA was not found to be associated with motor performance and physical function. Participants who were overweight or obese had poorer 6MWT performance, which may indicate the need for closer monitoring of post-treatment weight status and physical function in the oncology follow-up setting. PMID:28154445

Comprehensive Hand Repetitive Intensive Strengthening Training (CHRIST)-induced morphological changes in muscle size and associated motor improvement in a child with cerebral palsy: an experimenter-blind study.

PubMed

Lee, Dong Ryul; You, Joshua H; Lee, Nam Gi; Oh, Jin Hwan; Cha, You Jin

2009-01-01

This case study was conducted to determine Comprehensive Hand Repetitive Intensive Strengthening Training (CHRIST)-induced morphological changes in the commonly affected extensor carpi radialis (ECR) and triceps brachii (TRI) muscle and associated muscle strength and motor performance in a child with hemiparetic cerebral palsy (CP) using standardized clinical tests and ultrasound imaging. A single case study with pre-/post-test. A 4.9-year-old female, diagnosed with hemiparetic CP. The child received a 5-week course of CHRIST course, comprising of 60-minute periods a day, five times a week. A real-time ultrasound imaging was performed to determine the CHRIST-induced changes in cross-sectional area (CSA) of the ECR and TRI. Clinical tests including the modified Wolf Motor function test (WMFT), the modified Jebsen-taylor hand function test (Jebsen hand) and the modified Pediatric Motor Activity Log (PMAL) questionnaire were used to compare the intervention-related changes in motor performance in upper extremity. Ultrasound imaging data showed that the CSAs of both ECR and TRI muscles of the affected upper limb at relaxation and contraction states were enhanced and these therapy-induced morphological changes were associated with enhanced muscle strength and gross motor performance in reaching and grasping skills. Our results suggest that the CHRIST is effective in treating muscle weakness and motor function in a child with hemiparetic CP. This is the first evidence in literature that might shed light on the therapeutic efficacy of our novel intervention on muscle size, associated muscle strength and motor improvement.

Can Perceptuo-Motor Skills Assessment Outcomes in Young Table Tennis Players (7-11 years) Predict Future Competition Participation and Performance? An Observational Prospective Study.

PubMed

Faber, Irene R; Elferink-Gemser, Marije T; Faber, Niels R; Oosterveld, Frits G J; Nijhuis-Van der Sanden, Maria W G

2016-01-01

Forecasting future performance in youth table tennis players based on current performance is complex due to, among other things, differences between youth players in growth, development, maturity, context and table tennis experience. Talent development programmes might benefit from an assessment of underlying perceptuo-motor skills for table tennis, which is hypothesized to determine the players' potential concerning the perceptuo-motor domain. The Dutch perceptuo-motor skills assessment intends to measure the perceptuo-motor potential for table tennis in youth players by assessing the underlying skills crucial for developing technical and tactical qualities. Untrained perceptuo-motor tasks are used as these are suggested to represent a player's future potential better than specific sport skills themselves as the latter depend on exposure to the sport itself. This study evaluated the value of the perceptuo-motor skills assessment for a talent developmental programme by evaluating its predictive validity for competition participation and performance in 48 young table tennis players (7-11 years). Players were tested on their perceptuo-motor skills once during a regional talent day, and the subsequent competition results were recorded half-yearly over a period of 2.5 years. Logistic regression analysis showed that test scores did not predict future competition participation (p >0.05). Yet, the Generalized Estimating Equations analysis, including the test items 'aiming at target', 'throwing a ball', and 'eye-hand coordination' in the best fitting model, revealed that the outcomes of the perceptuo-motor skills assessment were significant predictors for future competition results (R2 = 51%). Since the test age influences the perceptuo-motor skills assessment's outcome, another multivariable model was proposed including test age as a covariate (R2 = 53%). This evaluation demonstrates promising prospects for the perceptuo-motor skills assessment to be included in a talent development programme. Future studies are needed to clarify the predictive value in a larger sample of youth competition players over a longer period in time.

Real-Time Inhibitor Recession Measurements in Two Space Shuttle Reusable Solid Rocket Motors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McWhorter, B. B.; Ewing, M. E.; Bolton, D. E.; Albrechtsen, K. U.; Earnest, T. E.; Noble, T. C.; Longaker, M.

2003-01-01

Real-time internal motor insulation char line recession measurements have been evaluated for two full-scale static tests of the Space Shuttle Reusable Solid Rocket Motor (RSRM). These char line recession measurements were recorded on the forward facing propellant grain inhibitors to better understand the thermal performance of these inhibitors. The RSRM propellant grain inhibitors are designed to erode away during motor operation, thus making it difficult to use post-fire observations to determine inhibitor thermal performance. Therefore, this new internal motor instrumentation is invaluable in establishing an accurate understanding of inhibitor recession versus motor operation time. The data for the first test was presented at the 37th AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference and Exhibit (AIAA 2001-3280) in July 2001. Since that time, a second full scale static test has delivered additional real-time data on inhibitor thermal performance. The evaluation of this data is presented in this paper. The second static test, in contrast to the first test, used a slightly different arrangement of instrumentation in the inhibitors. This instrumentation has yielded a better understanding of the inhibitor time dependent inboard tip recession. Graphs of inhibitor recession profiles with time are presented. Inhibitor thermal ablation models have been created from theoretical principals. The model predictions compare favorably with data from both tests. This verified modeling effort is important to support new inhibitor designs for a five segment Space Shuttle solid rocket motor. The internal instrumentation project on RSRM static tests is providing unique opportunities for other real-time internal motor measurements that could not otherwise be directly quantified.

Performance in complex motor tasks deteriorates in hyperthermic humans.

PubMed

Piil, Jacob F; Lundbye-Jensen, Jesper; Trangmar, Steven J; Nybo, Lars

2017-01-01

Heat stress, leading to elevations in whole-body temperature, has a marked impact on both physical performance and cognition in ecological settings. Lab experiments confirm this for physically demanding activities, whereas observations are inconsistent for tasks involving cognitive processing of information or decision-making prior to responding. We hypothesized that divergences could relate to task complexity and developed a protocol consisting of 1) simple motor task [TARGET_pinch], 2) complex motor task [Visuo-motor tracking], 3) simple math task [MATH_type], 4) combined motor-math task [MATH_pinch]. Furthermore, visuo-motor tracking performance was assessed both in a separate- and a multipart protocol (complex motor tasks alternating with the three other tasks). Following familiarization, each of the 10 male subjects completed separate and multipart protocols in randomized order in the heat (40°C) or control condition (20°C) with testing at baseline (seated rest) and similar seated position, following exercise-induced hyperthermia (core temperature ∼ 39.5°C in the heat and 38.2°C in control condition). All task scores were unaffected by control exercise or passive heat exposure, but visuo-motor tracking performance was reduced by 10.7 ± 6.5% following exercise-induced hyperthermia when integrated in the multipart protocol and 4.4 ± 5.7% when tested separately (both P < 0.05 ). TARGET_pinch precision declined by 2.6 ± 1.3% ( P < 0.05 ), while no significant changes were observed for the math tasks. These results indicate that heat per se has little impact on simple motor or cognitive test performance, but complex motor performance is impaired by hyperthermia and especially so when multiple tasks are combined.

Evaluating fine motor coordination in children who are not ready for handwriting: which test should we take?

PubMed

de Vries, Liesbeth; van Hartingsveldt, Margo J; Cup, Edith H C; Nijhuis-van der Sanden, Maria W G; de Groot, Imelda J M

2015-06-01

When children are not ready to write, assessment of fine motor coordination may be indicated. The purpose of this study was to evaluate which fine motor test, the Nine-Hole Peg Test (9-HPT) or the newly developed Timed Test of In-Hand Manipulation (Timed-TIHM), correlates best with handwriting readiness as measured by the Writing Readiness Inventory Tool In Context-Task Performance (WRITIC-TP). From the 119 participating children, 43 were poor performers. Convergent validity of the 9-HPT and Timed-TIHM with WRITIC-TP was determined, and test-retest reliability of the Timed-TIHM was examined in 59 children. The results showed that correlations of the 9-HPT and Timed-TIHM with the WRITIC-TP were similar (rs = -0.40). The 9-HPT and the complex rotation subtask of the Timed-TIHM had a low correlation with the WRITIC-TP in poor performers (rs = -0.30 and -0.32 respectively). Test-retest reliability of the Timed-TIHM was significant (Intraclass Correlation Coefficient = 0.71). Neither of these two fine motor tests is appeared superior. They both relate to different aspects of fine motor performance. One of the limitations of the methodology was unequal numbers of children in subgroups. It is recommended that further research is indicated to evaluate the relation between development of fine motor coordination and handwriting proficiency, on the Timed-TIHM in different age groups. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Modal Survey of ETM-3, A 5-Segment Derivative of the Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Booster

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nielsen, D.; Townsend, J.; Kappus, K.; Driskill, T.; Torres, I.; Parks, R.

2005-01-01

The complex interactions between internal motor generated pressure oscillations and motor structural vibration modes associated with the static test configuration of a Reusable Solid Rocket Motor have potential to generate significant dynamic thrust loads in the 5-segment configuration (Engineering Test Motor 3). Finite element model load predictions for worst-case conditions were generated based on extrapolation of a previously correlated 4-segment motor model. A modal survey was performed on the largest rocket motor to date, Engineering Test Motor #3 (ETM-3), to provide data for finite element model correlation and validation of model generated design loads. The modal survey preparation included pretest analyses to determine an efficient analysis set selection using the Effective Independence Method and test simulations to assure critical test stand component loads did not exceed design limits. Historical Reusable Solid Rocket Motor modal testing, ETM-3 test analysis model development and pre-test loads analyses, as well as test execution, and a comparison of results to pre-test predictions are discussed.

Physical activity and motor decline in older persons.

PubMed

Buchman, A S; Boyle, P A; Wilson, R S; Bienias, Julia L; Bennett, D A

2007-03-01

We tested the hypothesis that physical activity modifies the course of age-related motor decline. More than 850 older participants of the Rush Memory and Aging Project underwent baseline assessment of physical activity and annual motor testing for up to 8 years. Nine strength measures and nine motor performance measures were summarized into composite measures of motor function. In generalized estimating equation models, global motor function declined during follow-up (estimate, -0.072; SE, 0.008; P < 0.001). Each additional hour of physical activity at baseline was associated with about a 5% decrease in the rate of global motor function decline (estimate, 0.004; SE, 0.001; P = 0.007). Secondary analyses suggested that the association of physical activity with motor decline was mostly due to the effect of physical activity on the rate of motor performance decline. Thus, higher levels of physical activity are associated with a slower rate of motor decline in older persons.

Interrelations between three fine motor skills in young adults.

PubMed

Lorås, Håvard; Sigmundsson, Hermundur

2012-08-01

Motor skills are typically considered to be highly specific, although some researchers have attempted to identify evidence for general motor aptitude. The present study tested these contentions by assessing the extent of relationship between fine motor tasks, using correlations between selected performance measures for three fine motor skills. University students ages 18 to 35 years (N = 305; 147 men, 158 women) completed three fine motor tasks with both right and left hands (placing pegs, posting coins, and placing bricks). Performance was assessed by time to complete each individual task. The intercorrelations between the three tasks were generally low and at a level that can be expected by chance (r < or = .3), indicating that performance was quite specific to the individual skills rather than attributable to a general ability. As a further test for evidence for a general motor ability, the dimensionality of the data set was analyzed using a principal component analysis on the correlation matrix. A three-factor solution explaining approximately 80% of the total variance in performance on the fine motor tasks was identified, where each factor could be associated with each fine motor task. These findings provide further support for the high specificity in fine motor skills and against the existence of a general aptitude for motor ability.

Solid Propellant Test Article (SPTA) Test Stand

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1991-01-01

This photograph shows the Solid Propellant Test Article (SPTA) test stand with the Modified Nasa Motor (M-NASA) test article at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). The SPTA test stand, 12-feet wide by 12-feet long by 24-feet high, was built in 1989 to provide comparative performance data on nozzle and case insulation material and to verify thermostructural analysis models. A modified NASA 48-inch solid motor (M-NASA motor) with a 12-foot blast tube and 10-inch throat makes up the SPTA. The M-NASA motor is being used to evaluate solid rocket motor internal non-asbestos insulation materials, nozzle designs, materials, and new inspection techniques. New internal motor case instrumentation techniques are also being evaluated.

Childhood Motor Performance Traits on the Short Form Bruininks-Oseretsky Test.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Broadhead, Geoffrey D.; Bruininks, Robert H.

1982-01-01

This paper describes the short form of the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency, 14 items that measure motor skill development. The results of a standardization study of nonhandicapped students (5-14 years old) are presented. Uses of the test for evaluating students in need of special education are discussed. (PP)

Dissociable effects of practice variability on learning motor and timing skills.

PubMed

Caramiaux, Baptiste; Bevilacqua, Frédéric; Wanderley, Marcelo M; Palmer, Caroline

2018-01-01

Motor skill acquisition inherently depends on the way one practices the motor task. The amount of motor task variability during practice has been shown to foster transfer of the learned skill to other similar motor tasks. In addition, variability in a learning schedule, in which a task and its variations are interweaved during practice, has been shown to help the transfer of learning in motor skill acquisition. However, there is little evidence on how motor task variations and variability schedules during practice act on the acquisition of complex motor skills such as music performance, in which a performer learns both the right movements (motor skill) and the right time to perform them (timing skill). This study investigated the impact of rate (tempo) variability and the schedule of tempo change during practice on timing and motor skill acquisition. Complete novices, with no musical training, practiced a simple musical sequence on a piano keyboard at different rates. Each novice was assigned to one of four learning conditions designed to manipulate the amount of tempo variability across trials (large or small tempo set) and the schedule of tempo change (randomized or non-randomized order) during practice. At test, the novices performed the same musical sequence at a familiar tempo and at novel tempi (testing tempo transfer), as well as two novel (but related) sequences at a familiar tempo (testing spatial transfer). We found that practice conditions had little effect on learning and transfer performance of timing skill. Interestingly, practice conditions influenced motor skill learning (reduction of movement variability): lower temporal variability during practice facilitated transfer to new tempi and new sequences; non-randomized learning schedule improved transfer to new tempi and new sequences. Tempo (rate) and the sequence difficulty (spatial manipulation) affected performance variability in both timing and movement. These findings suggest that there is a dissociable effect of practice variability on learning complex skills that involve both motor and timing constraints.

Association between vestibular function and motor performance in hearing-impaired children.

PubMed

Maes, Leen; De Kegel, Alexandra; Van Waelvelde, Hilde; Dhooge, Ingeborg

2014-12-01

The clinical balance performance of normal-hearing (NH) children was compared with the balance performance of hearing-impaired (HI) children with and without vestibular dysfunction to identify an association between vestibular function and motor performance. Prospective study. Tertiary referral center. Thirty-six children (mean age, 7 yr 5 mo; range, 3 yr 8 mo-12 yr 11 mo) divided into three groups: NH children with normal vestibular responses, HI children with normal vestibular responses, and HI children with abnormal vestibular function. A vestibular test protocol (rotatory and collic vestibular evoked myogenic potential testing) in combination with three clinical balance tests (balance beam walking, one-leg hopping, one-leg stance). Clinical balance performance. HI children with abnormal vestibular test results obtained the lowest quotients of motor performance, which were significantly lower compared with the NH group (p < 0.001 for balance beam walking and one-leg stance; p = 0.003 for one-leg hopping). The balance performance of the HI group with normal vestibular responses was better in comparison with the vestibular impaired group but still significantly lower compared with the NH group (p = 0.020 for balance beam walking; p = 0.001 for one-leg stance; not significant for one-leg hopping). These results indicate an association between vestibular function and motor performance in HI children, with a more distinct motor deterioration if a vestibular impairment is superimposed to the auditory dysfunction.

The Motor Subsystem as a Predictor of Success in Young Football Talents: A Person-Oriented Study

PubMed Central

Zibung, Marc; Zuber, Claudia; Conzelmann, Achim

2016-01-01

Motor tests play a key role in talent selection in football. However, individual motor tests only focus on specific areas of a player’s complex performance. To evaluate his or her overall performance during a game, the current study takes a holistic perspective and uses a person-oriented approach. In this approach, several factors are viewed together as a system, whose state is analysed longitudinally. Based on this idea, six motor tests were aggregated to form the Motor Function subsystem. 104 young, top-level, male football talents were tested three times (2011, 2012, 2013; Mage, t2011 = 12.26, SD = 0.29), and their overall level of performance was determined one year later (2014). The data were analysed using the LICUR method, a pattern-analytical procedure for person-oriented approaches. At all three measuring points, four patterns could be identified, which remained stable over time. One of the patterns found at the third measuring point identified more subsequently successful players than random selection would. This pattern is characterised by above-average, but not necessarily the best, performance on the tests. Developmental paths along structurally stable patterns that occur more often than predicted by chance indicate that the Motor Function subsystem is a viable means of forecasting in the age range of 12–15 years. Above-average, though not necessary outstanding, performance both on fitness and technical tests appears to be particularly promising. These findings underscore the view that a holistic perspective may be profitable in talent selection. PMID:27508929

Straight and chopped dc performance data for a Prestolite MTC-4001 motor and a general electric EV-1 controller

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Edie, P. C.

1981-01-01

Performance data on the Prestolite MTC-4001 series wound dc motor and General Electric EV-1 Chopper Controller is supplied for the electric vehicle manufacturer. Data are provided for both straight and chopped dc input to the motor, at 2 motor temperature levels. Testing was done at 6 voltage increments to the motor, and 2 voltage increments to the controller. Data results are presented in both tabular and graphical forms. Tabular information includes motor voltage and current input data, motor speed and torque output data, power data and temperature data. Graphical information includes torque-speed, motor power output-speed, torque-current, and efficiency-speed plots under the various operating conditions. The data resulting from this testing show the speed-torque plots to have the most variance with operating temperature. The maximum motor efficiency is between 76% and 82%, regardless of temperature or mode of operation.

Waist circumference as a mediator of biological maturation effect on the motor coordination in children.

PubMed

Luz, Leonardo G O; Seabra, André; Padez, Cristina; Duarte, João P; Rebelo-Gonçalves, Ricardo; Valente-Dos-Santos, João; Luz, Tatiana D D; Carmo, Bruno C M; Coelho-E-Silva, Manuel

2016-09-01

The present study aimed to: 1) examine the association of biological maturation effect on children's performance at a motor coordination battery and 2) to assess whether the association between biological maturation and scores obtained in motor coordination tests is mediated by some anthropometric measurement. The convenience sample consisted of 73 male children aged 8 years old. Anthropometric data considered the height, body mass, sitting height, waist circumference, body mass index, fat mass and fat-free mass estimates. Biological maturation was assessed by the percentage of the predicted mature stature. Motor coordination was tested by the Körperkoordinationstest für Kinder. A partial correlation between anthropometric measurements, z-score of maturation and the motor coordination tests were performed, controlling for chronological age. Finally, causal mediation analysis was performed. Height, body mass, waist circumference and fat mass showed a slight to moderate inverse correlation with motor coordination. Biological maturation was significantly associated with the balance test with backward walking (r=-0.34). Total mediation of the waist circumference was identified in the association between biological maturation and balance test with backward walking (77%). We identified an association between biological maturation and KTK test performance in male children and also verified that there is mediation of waist circumference. It is recommended that studies be carried out with female individuals and at other age ranges. Copyright © 2016 Sociedade de Pediatria de São Paulo. Publicado por Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

Paravertebral Spinal Injection for the Treatment of Patients with Degenerative Facet Osteoarthropathy: Evidence of Motor Performance Improvements based on Objective Assessments

PubMed Central

Toosizadeh, Nima; Harati, Homayoon; Yen, Tzu-Chuan; Fastje, Cindy; Mohler, Jane; Najafi, Bijan; Dohm, Michael

2016-01-01

Background This study examined short- and long-term improvements in motor performance, quantified using wearable sensors, in response to facet spine injection in degenerative facet osteoarthropathy patients. Methods Adults with confirmed degenerative facet osteoarthropathy were recruited and were treated with medial or intermediate branch block injection. Self-report pain, health condition, and disability (Oswestry), as well as objective motor performance measures (gait, balance, and timed-up-and-go) were obtained in five sessions: pre-surgery (baseline), immediately after the injection, one-month, three-month, and 12-month follow-ups. Baseline motor performance parameters were compared with 10 healthy controls. Findings Thirty patients (age=50(14) years) and 10 controls (age=46(15) years) were recruited. All motor performance parameters were significantly different between groups. Results showed that average pain and Oswestry scores improved by 51% and 24%, respectively among patients, only one month after injection. Similarly, improvement in motor performance was most noticeable in one-month post-injection measurements; most improvements were observed in gait speed (14% normal walking, P<0.02), hip sway within balance tests (63% eyes-open P<0.01), and turning velocity within the timed-up-and-go test (28%, P<0.02). Better baseline motor performance led to better outcomes in terms of pain relief; baseline turning velocity was 18% faster among the responsive compared to the non-responsive patients. Interpretations Spinal injection can temporarily (one to three months) improve motor performance in degenerative facet osteoarthropathy patients. Successful pain relief in response to treatment is independent of demographic characteristics and initial pain but dependent on baseline motor performance. Immediate self-reported pain relief is unrelated to magnitude of gradual improvement in motor performance. PMID:27744005

Changes in cortical, cerebellar and basal ganglia representation after comprehensive long term unilateral hand motor training.

PubMed

Walz, A D; Doppl, K; Kaza, E; Roschka, S; Platz, T; Lotze, M

2015-02-01

We were interested in motor performance gain after unilateral hand motor training and associated changes of cerebral and cerebellar movement representation tested with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) before and after training. Therefore, we trained the left hand of strongly right-handed healthy participants with a comprehensive training (arm ability training, AAT) over two weeks. Motor performance was tested for the trained and non-trained hand before and after the training period. Functional imaging was performed for the trained and the non-trained hand separately and comprised force modulation with the fist, sequential finger movements and a fast writing task. After the training period the performance gain of tapping movements was comparable for both hand sides, whereas the motor performance for writing showed a higher training effect for the trained hand. fMRI showed a reduction of activation in supplementary motor, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, parietal cortical areas and lateral cerebellar areas during sequential finger movements over time. During left hand writing lateral cerebellar hemisphere also showed reduced activation, while activation of the anterior cerebellar hemisphere was increased. An initially high anterior cerebellar activation magnitude was a predictive value for high training outcome of finger tapping and visual guided movements. During the force modulation task we found increased activation in the striate. Overall, a comprehensive long-term training of the less skillful hand in healthy participants resulted in relevant motor performance improvements, as well as an intermanual learning transfer differently pronounced for the type of movement tested. Whereas cortical motor area activation decreased over time, cerebellar anterior hemisphere and striatum activity seem to represent increasing resources after long-term motor training. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Integrated versus isolated training of the hemiparetic upper extremity in haptically rendered virtual environments.

PubMed

Qiu, Qinyin; Fluet, Gerard G; Saleh, Soha; Lafond, Ian; Merians, Alma S; Adamovich, Sergei V

2010-01-01

This paper describes the preliminary results of an ongoing study of the effects of two training approaches on motor function and learning in persons with hemi paresis due to cerebrovascular accidents. Eighteen subjects with chronic stroke performed eight, three-hour sessions of sensorimotor training in haptically renedered environments. Eleven subjects performed training activities that integrated hand and arm movement while another seven subjects performed activities that trained the hand and arm with separately. As a whole, the eighteen subjects made statistically significant improvements in motor function as evidenced by robust improvements in Wolf Motor Function Test times and corresponding improvements in Jebsen Test of Hand Function times. There were no significant between group effects for these tests. However, the two training approaches elicited different patterns and magnitudes of performance improvement that suggest that they may elicit different types of change in motor learning and or control.

Superconducting coil development and motor demonstration: Overview

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gubser, D. U.

1995-12-01

Superconducting bismuth-cuprate wires, coils, and magnets are being produced by industry as part of a program to test the viability of using such magnets in Naval systems. Tests of prototype magnets, coils, and wires reveal progress in commercially produced products. The larger magnets will be installed in an existing superconducting homopolar motor and operated initially at 4.2K to test the performance. It is anticipated that approximately 400 Hp will be achieved by the motor. This article reports on the initial tests of the magnets, coils, and wires as well as the development program to improve their performance.

Big data in Parkinson's disease: using smartphones to remotely detect longitudinal disease phenotypes.

PubMed

Prince, John; Arora, Siddharth; de Vos, Maarten

2018-04-26

To better understand the longitudinal characteristics of Parkinson's disease (PD) through the analysis of finger tapping and memory tests collected remotely using smartphones. Using a large cohort (312 PD subjects and 236 controls) of participants in the mPower study, we extract clinically validated features from a finger tapping and memory test to monitor the longitudinal behaviour of study participants. We investigate any discrepancy in learning rates associated with motor and non-motor tasks between PD subjects and healthy controls. The ability of these features to predict self-assigned severity measures is assessed whilst simultaneously inspecting the severity scoring system for floor-ceiling effects. Finally, we study the relationship between motor and non-motor longitudinal behaviour to determine if separate aspects of the disease are dependent on one another. We find that the test performances of the most severe subjects show significant correlations with self-assigned severity measures. Interestingly, less severe subjects do not show significant correlations, which is shown to be a consequence of floor-ceiling effects within the mPower self-reporting severity system. We find that motor performance after practise is a better predictor of severity than baseline performance suggesting that starting performance at a new motor task is less representative of disease severity than the performance after the test has been learnt. We find PD subjects show significant impairments in motor ability as assessed through the alternating finger tapping (AFT) test in both the short- and long-term analyses. In the AFT and memory tests we demonstrate that PD subjects show a larger degree of longitudinal performance variability in addition to requiring more instances of a test to reach a steady state performance than healthy subjects. Our findings pave the way forward for objective assessment and quantification of longitudinal learning rates in PD. This can be particularly useful for symptom monitoring and assessing medication response. This study tries to tackle some of the major challenges associated with self-assessed severity labels by designing and validating features extracted from big datasets in PD, which could help identify digital biomarkers capable of providing measures of disease severity outside of a clinical environment.

A Review of ETM-03 (A Five Segment Shuttle RSRM Configuration) Ballistic Performance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McMillin, J. E.; Furfaro, J. A.

2004-01-01

Marshall Space Flight Center and ATK Thiokol Propulsion worked together on the engineering design of a five-segment Engineering Test Motor (ETM-03), the world's largest segmented solid rocket motor. The data from ETM-03's static test have helped to provide a better understanding of the Reusable Solid Rocket Motor's (RSRM's) margins and the techniques and models used to simulate solid rocket motor performance. The enhanced performance of ETM-03 was achieved primarily by the addition of a RSRM center segment. Added motor performance was also achieved with a nozzle throat diameter increase and the incorporation of an Extended Aft Exit Cone (EAEC). Performance parameters such as web time, action time, head-end pressure, web time average pressure, maximum thrust, mass flow rate, centerline Mach number, pressure and thrust integrals were all increased over RSRM. In some cases, the performance increases were substantial. Overall, the measured data were exceptionally close to the pretest predictions.

Altered neuronal activities in the motor cortex with impaired motor performance in adult rats observed after infusion of cerebrospinal fluid from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients.

PubMed

Sankaranarayani, R; Nalini, A; Rao Laxmi, T; Raju, T R

2010-01-05

Although definite evidences are available to state that, neuronal activity is a prime determinant of animal behavior, the specific relationship between local field potentials of the motor cortex after intervention with CSF from human patients and animal behavior have remained opaque. The present study has investigated whether cerebrospinal fluid from sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (sALS) patients could disrupt neuronal activity of the motor cortex, which could be associated with disturbances in the motor performance of adult rats. CSF from ALS patients (ALS-CSF) was infused into the lateral ventricle of Wistar rats. After 24h, the impact of ALS-CSF on the local field potentials (LFPs) of the motor cortex and on the motor behavior of animals were examined. The results indicate that ALS-CSF produced a bivariate distribution on the relative power values of the LFPs of the motor cortex 24h following infusion. However, the behavioral results did not show bimodality, instead showed consistent decrease in motor performance: on rotarod and grip strength meter. The neuronal activity of the motor cortex negatively correlated with the duration of ALS symptoms at the time of lumbar puncture. Although the effect of ALS-CSF was more pronounced at 24h following infusion, the changes observed in LFPs and motor performance appeared to revert to baseline values at later time points of testing. In the current study, we have shown that, ALS-CSF has the potential to perturb neuronal activity of the rat motor cortex which was associated with poor performance on motor function tests.

Space Shuttle Projects

NASA Image and Video Library

1991-07-01

This photograph shows the Solid Propellant Test Article (SPTA) test stand with the Modified Nasa Motor (M-NASA) test article at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). The SPTA test stand, 12-feet wide by 12-feet long by 24-feet high, was built in 1989 to provide comparative performance data on nozzle and case insulation material and to verify thermostructural analysis models. A modified NASA 48-inch solid motor (M-NASA motor) with a 12-foot blast tube and 10-inch throat makes up the SPTA. The M-NASA motor is being used to evaluate solid rocket motor internal non-asbestos insulation materials, nozzle designs, materials, and new inspection techniques. New internal motor case instrumentation techniques are also being evaluated.

Implicit motor learning promotes neural efficiency during laparoscopy.

PubMed

Zhu, Frank F; Poolton, Jamie M; Wilson, Mark R; Hu, Yong; Maxwell, Jon P; Masters, Rich S W

2011-09-01

An understanding of differences in expert and novice neural behavior can inform surgical skills training. Outside the surgical domain, electroencephalographic (EEG) coherence analyses have shown that during motor performance, experts display less coactivation between the verbal-analytic and motor planning regions than their less skilled counterparts. Reduced involvement of verbal-analytic processes suggests greater neural efficiency. The authors tested the utility of an implicit motor learning intervention specifically devised to promote neural efficiency by reducing verbal-analytic involvement in laparoscopic performance. In this study, 18 novices practiced a movement pattern on a laparoscopic trainer with either conscious awareness of the movement pattern (explicit motor learning) or suppressed awareness of the movement pattern (implicit motor learning). In a retention test, movement accuracy was compared between the conditions, and coactivation (EEG coherence) was assessed between the motor planning (Fz) region and both the verbal-analytic (T3) and the visuospatial (T4) cortical regions (T3-Fz and T4-Fz, respectively). Movement accuracy in the conditions was not different in a retention test (P = 0.231). Findings showed that the EEG coherence scores for the T3-Fz regions were lower for the implicit learners than for the explicit learners (P = 0.027), but no differences were apparent for the T4-Fz regions (P = 0.882). Implicit motor learning reduced EEG coactivation between verbal-analytic and motor planning regions, suggesting that verbal-analytic processes were less involved in laparoscopic performance. The findings imply that training techniques that discourage nonessential coactivation during motor performance may provide surgeons with more neural resources with which to manage other aspects of surgery.

INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENT, MOTOR APTITUDE AND INTELLECTUAL PERFORMANCE.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

GRUBER, J.J.; ISMAIL, A.H.

THE RELATIONSHIP OF MOVEMENT RESPONSES TO LEARNING ACHIEVEMENT WERE INVESTIGATED (1) TO IDENTIFY FACTORS CLAIMED TO MEASURE MOTOR APTITUDE AND INTELLECTUAL ACHIEVEMENT IN PRE-ADOLESCENTS, (2) TO DEVELOP MOTOR APTITUDE TEST BATTERIES FOR PREDICTING INTELLECTUAL ACHIEVEMENT, (3) TO STUDY RELATIONSHIPS OF COORDINATION AND BALANCE TEST ITEMS IN…

The influence of a real job on upper limb performance in motor skill tests: which abilities are transferred?

PubMed

Giangiardi, Vivian Farahte; Alouche, Sandra Regina; de Freitas, Sandra Maria Sbeghen Ferreira; Pires, Raquel Simoni; Padula, Rosimeire Simprini

2018-06-01

To investigate whether the specificities of real jobs create distinctions in the performance of workers in different motor tests for the upper limbs, 24 participants were divided into two groups according to their specific job: fine and repetitive tasks and general tasks. Both groups reproduced tasks related to aiming movements, handling and strength of the upper limbs. There were no significant differences between groups in the dexterity and performance of aiming movements. However, the general tasks group had higher grip strength than the repetitive tasks group, demonstrating differences according to job specificity. The results suggest that a particular motor skill in a specific job cannot improve performance in other tasks with the same motor requirements. The transfer of the fine and gross motor skills from previous experience in a job-specific task is the basis for allocating training and guidance to workers.

Effect of Yoga practice on reducing cognitive-motor interference for improving dynamic balance control in healthy adults.

PubMed

Subramaniam, Savitha; Bhatt, Tanvi

2017-02-01

The purpose of our study was to investigate the effects of Yoga on reducing cognitive-motor interference (CMI) for maintaining balance control during varied balance tasks. Yoga (N=10) and age-similar non-practitioners (N=10) performed three balance tasks including the Limits of Stability test (LOS - Intentional balance), Motor Control test (MCT - Reactive balance), and Sensory Organization Test (SOT -condition 6: inducing both somatosensory and visual conflicts) under single-task (ST) and dual-task (DT, addition of a cognitive working memory task) conditions. The motor performance was assessed by recording the response time (RT) and movement velocity (MV) of the center of pressure (CoP) on LOS test, weight symmetry (WS) of CoP on the MCT test and equilibrium (EQ) of CoP on the SOT test. Cognitive performance was recorded as the number of correct responses enumerated in sitting (ST) and under DT conditions. The Motor cost (MC) and cognitive cost (CC) were computed using the formula ([ST-DT]/ST)*100 for all the variables. Greater cost indicates lower performance under DT versus ST condition. The Yoga group showed a significantly lesser MC for both MCT and SOT tests (p<0.05) in comparison to their counterparts. The CC were significantly lower on LOS and MCT test for the Yoga group (p<0.05). Results suggest that Yoga practice can significantly reduce CMI by improving allocation and utilization of attentional resources for both balance control and executive cognitive functioning; thus resulting in better performance under DT conditions. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Test Platform for Advanced Digital Control of Brushless DC Motors (MSFC Center Director's Discretionary Fund)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gwaltney, D. A.

2002-01-01

A FY 2001 Center Director's Discretionary Fund task to develop a test platform for the development, implementation. and evaluation of adaptive and other advanced control techniques for brushless DC (BLDC) motor-driven mechanisms is described. Important applications for BLDC motor-driven mechanisms are the translation of specimens in microgravity experiments and electromechanical actuation of nozzle and fuel valves in propulsion systems. Motor-driven aerocontrol surfaces are also being utilized in developmental X vehicles. The experimental test platform employs a linear translation stage that is mounted vertically and driven by a BLDC motor. Control approaches are implemented on a digital signal processor-based controller for real-time, closed-loop control of the stage carriage position. The goal of the effort is to explore the application of advanced control approaches that can enhance the performance of a motor-driven actuator over the performance obtained using linear control approaches with fixed gains. Adaptive controllers utilizing an exact model knowledge controller and a self-tuning controller are implemented and the control system performance is illustrated through the presentation of experimental results.

The Comparison of School-Age Children's Performance on Two Motor Assessments: The Test of Gross Motor Development and the Movement Assessment Battery for Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Logan, Samuel W.; Robinson, Leah E.; Rudisill, Mary E.; Wadsworth, Danielle D.; Morera, Maria

2014-01-01

Background: Competence in the motor domain is associated with positive, health-related outcomes. Physical education teachers often administer assessments into their programs to measure motor competence for a variety of reasons. Recently, researchers have questioned the relatedness of performance on different assessments. Purpose: The purpose of…

Motor expertise and performance in spatial tasks: A meta-analysis.

PubMed

Voyer, Daniel; Jansen, Petra

2017-08-01

The present study aimed to provide a summary of findings relevant to the influence of motor expertise on performance in spatial tasks and to examine potential moderators of this effect. Studies of relevance were those in which individuals involved in activities presumed to require motor expertise were compared to non-experts in such activities. A final set of 62 effect sizes from 33 samples was included in a multilevel meta-analysis. The results showed an overall advantage in favor of motor experts in spatial tasks (d=0.38). However, the magnitude of that effect was moderated by expert type (athlete, open skills/ball sports, runner/cyclist, gymnast/dancers, musicians), stimulus type (2D, blocks, bodies, others), test category (mental rotation, spatial perception, spatial visualization), specific test (Mental Rotations Test, generic mental rotation, disembedding, rod-and-frame test, other), and publication status. These findings are discussed in the context of embodied cognition and the potential role of activities requiring motor expertise in promoting good spatial performance. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Small-Scale Hybrid Rocket Test Stand & Characterization of Swirl Injectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Summers, Matt H.

Derived from the necessity to increase testing capabilities of hybrid rocket motor (HRM) propulsion systems for Daedalus Astronautics at Arizona State University, a small-scale motor and test stand were designed and developed to characterize all components of the system. The motor is designed for simple integration and setup, such that both the forward-end enclosure and end cap can be easily removed for rapid integration of components during testing. Each of the components of the motor is removable allowing for a broad range of testing capabilities. While examining injectors and their potential it is thought ideal to obtain the highest regression rates and overall motor performance possible. The oxidizer and fuel are N2O and hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene (HTPB), respectively, due to previous experience and simplicity. The injector designs, selected for the same reasons, are designed such that they vary only in the swirl angle. This system provides the platform for characterizing the effects of varying said swirl angle on HRM performance.

Relationships between academic performance, SES school type and perceptual-motor skills in first grade South African learners: NW-CHILD study.

PubMed

Pienaar, A E; Barhorst, R; Twisk, J W R

2014-05-01

Perceptual-motor skills contribute to a variety of basic learning skills associated with normal academic success. This study aimed to determine the relationship between academic performance and perceptual-motor skills in first grade South African learners and whether low SES (socio-economic status) school type plays a role in such a relationship. This cross-sectional study of the baseline measurements of the NW-CHILD longitudinal study included a stratified random sample of first grade learners (n = 812; 418 boys and 394 boys), with a mean age of 6.78 years ± 0.49 living in the North West Province (NW) of South Africa. The Beery-Buktenica Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration-4 (VMI) was used to assess visual-motor integration, visual perception and hand control while the Bruininks Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency, short form (BOT2-SF) assessed overall motor proficiency. Academic performance in math, reading and writing was assessed with the Mastery of Basic Learning Areas Questionnaire. Linear mixed models analysis was performed with spss to determine possible differences between the different VMI and BOT2-SF standard scores in different math, reading and writing mastery categories ranging from no mastery to outstanding mastery. A multinomial multilevel logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the relationship between a clustered score of academic performance and the different determinants. A strong relationship was established between academic performance and VMI, visual perception, hand control and motor proficiency with a significant relationship between a clustered academic performance score, visual-motor integration and visual perception. A negative association was established between low SES school types on academic performance, with a common perceptual motor foundation shared by all basic learning areas. Visual-motor integration, visual perception, hand control and motor proficiency are closely related to basic academic skills required in the first formal school year, especially among learners in low SES type schools. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A novel approach to sports concussion assessment: Computerized multilimb reaction times and balance control testing.

PubMed

Vartiainen, Matti V; Holm, Anu; Lukander, Jani; Lukander, Kristian; Koskinen, Sanna; Bornstein, Robert; Hokkanen, Laura

2016-01-01

Mild traumatic brain injuries (MTBI) or concussions often result in problems with attention, executive functions, and motor control. For better identification of these diverse problems, novel approaches integrating tests of cognitive and motor functioning are needed. The aim was to characterize minor changes in motor and cognitive performance after sports-related concussions with a novel test battery, including balance tests and a computerized multilimb reaction time test. The cognitive demands of the battery gradually increase from a simple stimulus response to a complex task requiring executive attention. A total of 113 male ice hockey players (mean age = 24.6 years, SD = 5.7) were assessed before a season. During the season, nine concussed players were retested within 36 hours, four to six days after the concussion, and after the season. A control group of seven nonconcussed players from the same pool of players with comparable demographics were retested after the season. Performance was measured using a balance test and the Motor Cognitive Test battery (MotCoTe) with multilimb responses in simple reaction, choice reaction, inhibition, and conflict resolution conditions. The performance of the concussed group declined at the postconcussion assessment compared to both the baseline measurement and the nonconcussed controls. Significant changes were observed in the concussed group for the multilimb choice reaction and inhibition tests. Tapping and balance showed a similar trend, but no statistically significant difference in performance. In sports-related concussions, complex motor tests can be valuable additions in assessing the outcome and recovery. In the current study, using subtasks with varying cognitive demands, it was shown that while simple motor performance was largely unaffected, the more complex tasks induced impaired reaction times for the concussed subjects. The increased reaction times may reflect the disruption of complex and integrative cognitive function in concussions.

Solid rocket booster performance evaluation model. Volume 1: Engineering description

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1974-01-01

The space shuttle solid rocket booster performance evaluation model (SRB-II) is made up of analytical and functional simulation techniques linked together so that a single pass through the model will predict the performance of the propulsion elements of a space shuttle solid rocket booster. The available options allow the user to predict static test performance, predict nominal and off nominal flight performance, and reconstruct actual flight and static test performance. Options selected by the user are dependent on the data available. These can include data derived from theoretical analysis, small scale motor test data, large motor test data and motor configuration data. The user has several options for output format that include print, cards, tape and plots. Output includes all major performance parameters (Isp, thrust, flowrate, mass accounting and operating pressures) as a function of time as well as calculated single point performance data. The engineering description of SRB-II discusses the engineering and programming fundamentals used, the function of each module, and the limitations of each module.

Can Perceptuo-Motor Skills Assessment Outcomes in Young Table Tennis Players (7–11 years) Predict Future Competition Participation and Performance? An Observational Prospective Study

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Forecasting future performance in youth table tennis players based on current performance is complex due to, among other things, differences between youth players in growth, development, maturity, context and table tennis experience. Talent development programmes might benefit from an assessment of underlying perceptuo-motor skills for table tennis, which is hypothesized to determine the players’ potential concerning the perceptuo-motor domain. The Dutch perceptuo-motor skills assessment intends to measure the perceptuo-motor potential for table tennis in youth players by assessing the underlying skills crucial for developing technical and tactical qualities. Untrained perceptuo-motor tasks are used as these are suggested to represent a player’s future potential better than specific sport skills themselves as the latter depend on exposure to the sport itself. This study evaluated the value of the perceptuo-motor skills assessment for a talent developmental programme by evaluating its predictive validity for competition participation and performance in 48 young table tennis players (7–11 years). Players were tested on their perceptuo-motor skills once during a regional talent day, and the subsequent competition results were recorded half-yearly over a period of 2.5 years. Logistic regression analysis showed that test scores did not predict future competition participation (p >0.05). Yet, the Generalized Estimating Equations analysis, including the test items ‘aiming at target’, ‘throwing a ball’, and ‘eye-hand coordination’ in the best fitting model, revealed that the outcomes of the perceptuo-motor skills assessment were significant predictors for future competition results (R2 = 51%). Since the test age influences the perceptuo-motor skills assessment’s outcome, another multivariable model was proposed including test age as a covariate (R2 = 53%). This evaluation demonstrates promising prospects for the perceptuo-motor skills assessment to be included in a talent development programme. Future studies are needed to clarify the predictive value in a larger sample of youth competition players over a longer period in time. PMID:26863212

Association between fine motor skills and binocular visual function in children with reading difficulties.

PubMed

Niechwiej-Szwedo, Ewa; Alramis, Fatimah; Christian, Lisa W

2017-12-01

Performance of fine motor skills (FMS) assessed by a clinical test battery has been associated with reading achievement in school-age children. However, the nature of this association remains to be established. The aim of this study was to assess FMS in children with reading difficulties using two experimental tasks, and to determine if performance is associated with reduced binocular function. We hypothesized that in comparison to an age- and sex-matched control group, children identified with reading difficulties will perform worse only on a motor task that has been shown to rely on binocular input. To test this hypothesis, motor performance was assessed using two tasks: bead-threading and peg-board in 19 children who were reading below expected grade and age-level. Binocular vision assessment included tests for stereoacuity, fusional vergence, amplitude of accommodation, and accommodative facility. In comparison to the control group, children with reading difficulties performed significantly worse on the bead-threading task. In contrast, performance on the peg-board task was similar in both groups. Accommodative facility was the only measure of binocular function significantly associated with motor performance. Findings from our exploratory study suggest that normal binocular vision may provide an important sensory input for the optimal development of FMS and reading. Given the small sample size tested in the current study, further investigation to assess the contribution of binocular vision to the development and performance of FMS and reading is warranted. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Design and performance testing of an ultrasonic linear motor with dual piezoelectric actuators.

PubMed

Smithmaitrie, Pruittikorn; Suybangdum, Panumas; Laoratanakul, Pitak; Muensit, Nantakan

2012-05-01

In this work, design and performance testing of an ultrasonic linear motor with dual piezoelectric actuator patches are studied. The motor system consists of a linear stator, a pre-load weight, and two piezoelectric actuator patches. The piezoelectric actuators are bonded with the linear elastic stator at specific locations. The stator generates propagating waves when the piezoelectric actuators are subjected to harmonic excitations. Vibration characteristics of the linear stator are analyzed and compared with finite element and experimental results. The analytical, finite element, and experimental results show agreement. In the experiments, performance of the ultrasonic linear motor is tested. Relationships between velocity and pre-load weight, velocity and applied voltage, driving force and applied voltage, and velocity and driving force are reported. The design of the dual piezoelectric actuators yields a simpler structure with a smaller number of actuators and lower stator stiffness compared with a conventional design of an ultrasonic linear motor with fully laminated piezoelectric actuators.

Fine Motor Function Skills in Patients with Parkinson Disease with and without Mild Cognitive Impairment.

PubMed

Dahdal, Philippe; Meyer, Antonia; Chaturvedi, Menorca; Nowak, Karolina; Roesch, Anne D; Fuhr, Peter; Gschwandtner, Ute

2016-01-01

The objective of this study was to investigate the relation between impaired fine motor skills in Parkinson disease (PD) patients and their cognitive status, and to determine whether fine motor skills are more impaired in PD patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) than in non-MCI patients. Twenty PD MCI and 31 PD non-MCI patients (mean age 66.7 years, range 50-84, 36 males/15 females), all right-handed, took part in a motor performance test battery. Steadiness, precision, dexterity, velocity of arm-hand movements, and velocity of wrist-finger movements were measured and compared across groups and analyzed for confounders (age, sex, education, severity of motor symptoms, and disease duration). Statistical analysis included t tests corrected for multiple testing, and a linear regression with stepwise elimination procedure was used to select significant predictors for fine motor function. PD MCI patients performed significantly worse in precision (p < 0.05), dexterity (p < 0.05), and velocity (arm-hand movements; p < 0.05) compared to PD non-MCI patients. The fine motor function skills were confounded by age. Fine motor skills in PD MCI patients are impaired compared to PD non-MCI patients. Investigating the relation between the fine motor performance and MCI in PD might be a relevant subject for future research. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Fine-motor skills testing and prediction of endovascular performance.

PubMed

Bech, Bo; Lönn, Lars; Schroeder, Torben V; Ringsted, Charlotte

2013-12-01

Performing endovascular procedures requires good control of fine-motor digital movements and hand-eye coordination. Objective assessment of such skills is difficult. Trainees acquire control of catheter/wire movements at various paces. However, little is known to what extent talent plays for novice candidates at entry to practice. To study the association between performance in a novel aptitude test of fine-motor skills and performance in simulated procedures. The test was based on manual course-tracking using a proprietary hand-operated roller-bar device coupled to a personal computer with monitor view rotation. A total of 40 test repetitions were conducted separately with each hand. Test scores were correlated with simulator performance. Group A (n = 14), clinicians with various levels of endovascular experience, performed a simulated procedure of contralateral iliac artery stenting. Group B (n = 19), medical students, performed 10 repetitions of crossing a challenging aortic bifurcation in a simulator. The test score differed markedly between the individuals in both groups, in particular with the non-dominant hand. Group A: the test score with the non-dominant hand correlated significantly with simulator performance assessed with the global rating scale SAVE (R = -0.69, P = 0.007). There was no association observed from performances with the dominant hand. Group B: there was no significant association between the test score and endovascular skills acquisition neither with the dominant nor with the non-dominant hand. Clinicians with increasing levels of endovascular technical experience had developed good fine-motor control of the non-dominant hand, in particular, that was associated with good procedural performance in the simulator. The aptitude test did not predict endovascular skills acquisition among medical students, thus, cannot be suggested for selection of novice candidates. Procedural experience and practice probably supplant the influence of innate abilities (talent) over time.

78 FR 2236 - Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards; New Pneumatic Tires for Motor Vehicles With a GVWR of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-10

... Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) Recommended Practice J918b--Passenger Car Tire Performance Requirements and Test Procedures (January 1967). 2, 3 As part of the strength test, a plunger is driven into a...--Passenger Car Tire Performance Requirements and Test Procedures (January 1967) Section 3.1. \\5\\ FMVSS No...

Fine motor skills predict performance in the Jebsen Taylor Hand Function Test after stroke.

PubMed

Allgöwer, Kathrin; Hermsdörfer, Joachim

2017-10-01

To determine factors characterizing the differences in fine motor performance between stroke patients and controls. To confirm the relevance of the factors by analyzing their predictive power with regard to the Jebsen Taylor Hand Function Test (JTHFT), a common clinical test of fine motor control. Twenty-two people with slight paresis in an early chronic phase following stroke and twenty-two healthy controls were examined. Performance on the JTHFT, Nine-Hole Peg Test and 2-point discrimination was evaluated. To analyze object manipulation skills, grip forces and temporal measures were examined during (1) lifting actions with variations of weight and surface (2) cyclic movements (3) predictive/reactive catching tasks. Three other aspects of force control included (4) visuomotor tracking (5) fast force changes and (6) grip strength. Based on 9 parameters which significantly distinguished fine motor performance in the two groups, we identified three principal components (factors): grip force scaling, motor coordination and speed of movement. The three factors are shown to predict JTHFT scores via linear regression (R 2 =0.687, p<0.001). We revealed a factor structure behind fine motor impairments following stroke and showed that it explains JTHFT results to a large extend. This result can serve as a basis for improving diagnostics and enabling more targeted therapy. Copyright © 2017 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Is there differences in cognitive and motor functioning between hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis patients?

PubMed

Radić, Josipa; Ljutić, Dragan; Radić, Mislav; Kovačić, Vedran; Sain, Milenka; Dodig-Ćurković, Katarina

2011-01-01

Change in cognitive function is one of the well-known consequences of the end-stage renal disease (ESRD). The aim of this study was to determine the effect of hemodialysis (HD) and continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) on cognitive and motor functions. In this cross-sectional study, cognitive and motor functions were investigated in a selected population of 42 patients with ESRD (22 patients on chronic HD and 20 patients on CAPD, aged 50.31 ± 11.07 years). Assessment of cognitive and motor functions was performed by Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT) and Complex Reactiometer Drenovac (CRD-series), a battery of computer-generated psychological tests to measure simple visual discrimination of signal location, short-term memory, simple convergent visual orientation, and convergent thinking. The statistically significant difference in cognitive-motor functions between HD and CAPD patients was not found in any of the time-related parameters in all CRD-series tests or SDMT score. Higher serum levels of albumin, creatinine, and calcium were correlated with better cognitive-motor performance among all patients regardless of dialysis modality. The significant correlation between ultrafiltration rate per HD and short-term memory actualization test score (CRD-324 MT) among HD patients was found (r = 0.434, p = 0.025). This study has demonstrated that well-nourished and medically stable HD and CAPD patients without clinical signs of dementia or cognitive impairment and without significant difference in age and level of education performed all tests of cognitive-motor abilities without statistically significant difference.

Early motor deficits in mouse disease models are reliably uncovered using an automated home-cage wheel-running system: a cross-laboratory validation.

PubMed

Mandillo, Silvia; Heise, Ines; Garbugino, Luciana; Tocchini-Valentini, Glauco P; Giuliani, Alessandro; Wells, Sara; Nolan, Patrick M

2014-03-01

Deficits in motor function are debilitating features in disorders affecting neurological, neuromuscular and musculoskeletal systems. Although these disorders can vary greatly with respect to age of onset, symptomatic presentation, rate of progression and severity, the study of these disease models in mice is confined to the use of a small number of tests, most commonly the rotarod test. To expand the repertoire of meaningful motor function tests in mice, we tested, optimised and validated an automated home-cage-based running-wheel system, incorporating a conventional wheel with evenly spaced rungs and a complex wheel with particular rungs absent. The system enables automated assessment of motor function without handler interference, which is desirable in longitudinal studies involving continuous monitoring of motor performance. In baseline studies at two test centres, consistently significant differences in performance on both wheels were detectable among four commonly used inbred strains. As further validation, we studied performance in mutant models of progressive neurodegenerative diseases--Huntington's disease [TgN(HD82Gln)81Dbo; referred to as HD mice] and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis [Tg(SOD1G93A)(dl)1/GurJ; referred to as SOD1 mice]--and in a mutant strain with subtle gait abnormalities, C-Snap25(Bdr)/H (Blind-drunk, Bdr). In both models of progressive disease, as with the third mutant, we could reliably and consistently detect specific motor function deficits at ages far earlier than any previously recorded symptoms in vivo: 7-8 weeks for the HD mice and 12 weeks for the SOD1 mice. We also conducted longitudinal analysis of rotarod and grip strength performance, for which deficits were still not detectable at 12 weeks and 23 weeks, respectively. Several new parameters of motor behaviour were uncovered using principal component analysis, indicating that the wheel-running assay could record features of motor function that are independent of rotarod performance. This represents a powerful new method to detect motor deficits at pre-symptomatic stages in mouse disease models and should be considered as a valid tool to investigate the efficacy of therapeutic agents.

Early motor deficits in mouse disease models are reliably uncovered using an automated home-cage wheel-running system: a cross-laboratory validation

PubMed Central

Mandillo, Silvia; Heise, Ines; Garbugino, Luciana; Tocchini-Valentini, Glauco P.; Giuliani, Alessandro; Wells, Sara; Nolan, Patrick M.

2014-01-01

Deficits in motor function are debilitating features in disorders affecting neurological, neuromuscular and musculoskeletal systems. Although these disorders can vary greatly with respect to age of onset, symptomatic presentation, rate of progression and severity, the study of these disease models in mice is confined to the use of a small number of tests, most commonly the rotarod test. To expand the repertoire of meaningful motor function tests in mice, we tested, optimised and validated an automated home-cage-based running-wheel system, incorporating a conventional wheel with evenly spaced rungs and a complex wheel with particular rungs absent. The system enables automated assessment of motor function without handler interference, which is desirable in longitudinal studies involving continuous monitoring of motor performance. In baseline studies at two test centres, consistently significant differences in performance on both wheels were detectable among four commonly used inbred strains. As further validation, we studied performance in mutant models of progressive neurodegenerative diseases – Huntington’s disease [TgN(HD82Gln)81Dbo; referred to as HD mice] and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis [Tg(SOD1G93A)dl1/GurJ; referred to as SOD1 mice] – and in a mutant strain with subtle gait abnormalities, C-Snap25Bdr/H (Blind-drunk, Bdr). In both models of progressive disease, as with the third mutant, we could reliably and consistently detect specific motor function deficits at ages far earlier than any previously recorded symptoms in vivo: 7–8 weeks for the HD mice and 12 weeks for the SOD1 mice. We also conducted longitudinal analysis of rotarod and grip strength performance, for which deficits were still not detectable at 12 weeks and 23 weeks, respectively. Several new parameters of motor behaviour were uncovered using principal component analysis, indicating that the wheel-running assay could record features of motor function that are independent of rotarod performance. This represents a powerful new method to detect motor deficits at pre-symptomatic stages in mouse disease models and should be considered as a valid tool to investigate the efficacy of therapeutic agents. PMID:24423792

Development of a DC propulsion system for an electric vehicle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kelledes, W. L.

1984-01-01

The suitability of the Eaton automatically shifted mechanical transaxle concept for use in a near-term dc powered electric vehicle is evaluated. A prototype dc propulsion system for a passenger electric vehicle was designed, fabricated, tested, installed in a modified Mercury Lynx vehicle and track tested at the contractor's site. The system consisted of a two-axis, three-speed, automatically-shifted mechanical transaxle, 15.2 Kw rated, separately excited traction motor, and a transistorized motor controller with a single chopper providing limited armature current below motor base speed and full range field control above base speed at up to twice rated motor current. The controller utilized a microprocessor to perform motor and vehicle speed monitoring and shift sequencing by means of solenoids applying hydraulic pressure to the transaxle clutches. Bench dynamometer and track testing was performed. Track testing showed best system efficiency for steady-state cruising speeds of 65-80 Km/Hz (40-50 mph). Test results include acceleration, steady speed and SAE J227A/D cycle energy consumption, braking tests and coast down to characterize the vehicle road load.

Associations of motor and cardiovascular performance with academic skills in children.

PubMed

Haapala, Eero A; Poikkeus, Anna-Maija; Tompuri, Tuomo; Kukkonen-Harjula, Katriina; Leppänen, Paavo H T; Lindi, Virpi; Lakka, Timo A

2014-01-01

We investigated the associations of cardiovascular and motor performance in grade 1 with academic skills in grades 1-3. The participants were 6- to 8-yr-old children with complete data in grades 1-2 for 174 children and in grade 3 for 167 children. Maximal workload during exercise test was used as a measure of cardiovascular performance. The shuttle run test (SRT) time, the errors in balance test, and the number of cubes moved in box and block test (BBT) were measures of motor performance. Academic skills were assessed using reading fluency, reading comprehension, and arithmetic skill tests. Among boys, longer SRT time was associated with poorer reading fluency in grades 1-3 (β = -0.29 to -0.39, P < 0.01), reading comprehension in grades 1-2 (β = -0.25 to -0.29, P < 0.05), and arithmetic skills in grades 1-3 (β = -0.33 to -0.40, P < 0.003). Poorer balance was related to poorer reading comprehension (β = -0.20, P = 0.042). The smaller number of cubes moved in BBT was related to poorer reading fluency in grades 1-2 (β = 0.23-0.28, P < 0.03), reading comprehension in grade 3 (β = 0.23, P = 0.037), and arithmetic skills in grades 1-2 (β = 0.21-0.23, P < 0.043). Among girls, longer SRT time was related to poorer reading fluency in grade 3 (β = -0.27, P = 0.027) and arithmetic skills in grade 2 (β = -0.25, P = 0.040). The smaller number of cubes moved in BBT was associated with worse reading fluency in grade 2 (β = 0.26, P = 0.030). Cardiovascular performance was not related to academic skills. Poorer motor performance was associated with worse academic skills in children, especially among boys. These findings emphasize early identification of children with poor motor performance and actions to improve these children's motor performance and academic skills during the first school years.

Simulation and performance of brushless dc motor actuators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gerba, A., Jr.

1985-12-01

The simulation model for a Brushless D.C. Motor and the associated commutation power conditioner transistor model are presented. The necessary conditions for maximum power output while operating at steady-state speed and sinusoidally distributed air-gap flux are developed. Comparison of simulated model with the measured performance of a typical motor are done both on time response waveforms and on average performance characteristics. These preliminary results indicate good agreement. Plans for model improvement and testing of a motor-driven positioning device for model evaluation are outlined.

Visual Constructive and Visual-Motor Skills in Deaf Native Signers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hauser, Peter C.; Cohen, Julie; Dye, Matthew W. G.; Bavelier, Daphne

2007-01-01

Visual constructive and visual-motor skills in the deaf population were investigated by comparing performance of deaf native signers (n = 20) to that of hearing nonsigners (n = 20) on the Beery-Buktenica Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration, Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure Test, Wechsler Memory Scale Visual Reproduction subtest, and…

Difference in children's gross motor skills between two types of preschools.

PubMed

Chow, Bik C; Louie, Lobo H T

2013-02-01

The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of preschool type (public vs private) on motor skill performance in 239 (121 boys, 118 girls) preschool children ages 3 to 6.5 yr. Preschoolers were tested on 12 fundamental motor skills from the Test of Gross Motor Development-Second Edition and 11 anthropometrics (body height, weight, Body Mass Index, waist and hip girths, and body segment lengths). Analysis of variance controlled for anthropometrics and age indicated that children from private preschools performed better on locomotor skills than those from public preschools. However, no difference was found in object control skills. The results suggest that performance of locomotor skills by preschool children is affected by their schools' physical environment.

Quarterly Progress Report: Modeling and Simulation of the Homopolar Motor Test Apparatus

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-05-01

Quarterly Progress Report: Modeling and Simulation of the Homopolar Motor Test Apparatus 5. FUNDING NUMBERS Contract # N00014-1-0588 6. AUTHOR(S) K...superconducting homopolar motor /generator (SCHPMG) machine for ship propulsion. Electrical contact (brush/slip ring) performance is a limiting factor in SCHPMG...SUBJECT TERMS superconducting homopolar motors , inhomogenous brush wear, polarity dependence, destabilized force 15. NUMBER OF PAGES 11 16. PRICE CODE

Influence of methylphenidate on motor performance and attention in children with developmental coordination disorder and attention deficit hyperactive disorder.

PubMed

Bart, Orit; Daniel, Liron; Dan, Orrie; Bar-Haim, Yair

2013-06-01

Individuals with attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) often have coexisting developmental coordination disorder (DCD). The positive therapeutic effect of methylphenidate on ADHD symptoms is well documented, but its effects on motor coordination are less studied. We assessed the influence of methylphenidate on motor performance in children with comorbid DCD and ADHD. Participants were 30 children (24 boys) aged 5.10-12.7 years diagnosed with both DCD and ADHD. Conners' Parent Rating Scale was used to reaffirm ADHD diagnosis and the Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire was used to diagnose DCD. The Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2 and the online continuous performance test were administrated to all participants twice, with and without methylphenidate. The tests were administered on two separate days in a blind design. Motor performance and attention scores were significantly better with methylphenidate than without it (p<0.001 for improvement in the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2 and p<0.006 for the online continuous performance test scores). The findings suggest that methylphenidate improves both attention and motor coordination in children with coexisting DCD and ADHD. More research is needed to disentangle the causality of the improvement effect and whether improvement in motor coordination is directly affected by methylphenidate or mediated by improvement in attention. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Motor Sensory Performance - Skylab Student Experiment ED-41

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1973-01-01

This chart describes the Skylab student experiment Motor Sensory Performance, proposed by Kathy L. Jackson of Houston, Texas. Her proposal was a very simple but effective test to measure the potential degradation of man's motor-sensory skills while weightless. Without knowing whether or not man can retain a high level of competency in the performance of various tasks after long exposure to weightlessness, this capability could not be fully known. Skylab, with its long-duration missions, provided an ideal testing situation. The experiment Kathy Jackson proposed was similar in application to the tasks involved in docking one spacecraft to another using manual control. It required one of the greatest tests of the motor-sensory capabilities of man. In March 1972, NASA and the National Science Teachers Association selected 25 experiment proposals for flight on Skylab. Science advisors from the Marshall Space Flight Center aided and assisted the students in developing the proposals for flight on Skylab.

The Effect of Picture Task Cards on Performance of the Test of Gross Motor Development by Preschool-Aged Children: A Preliminary Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Breslin, Casey M.; Robinson, Leah E.; Rudisill, Mary E.

2013-01-01

Performance on the Test of Gross Motor Development (Second Edition; TGMD-2) by children with autism spectrum disorders improves when picture task cards were implemented into the assessment protocol [Breslin, C.M., & Rudisill, M.E. (2011). "The effect of visual supports on performance of the TGMD-2 for children with autism spectrum…

Corticospinal tract integrity and lesion volume play different roles in chronic hemiparesis and its improvement through motor practice.

PubMed

Sterr, Annette; Dean, Phil J A; Szameitat, Andre J; Conforto, Adriana Bastos; Shen, Shan

2014-05-01

Initial evidence suggests that the integrity of the ipsilesional corticospinal tract (CST) after stroke is strongly related to motor function in the chronic state but not the treatment gain induced by motor rehabilitation. We examined the association of motor status and treatment benefit by testing patients with a wide range of severity of hemiparesis of the left and right upper extremity. Diffusion tensor imaging was performed in 22 patients beyond 12 months after onset of stroke with severe to moderate hemiparesis. Motor function was tested before and after 2 weeks of modified constraint-induced movement therapy. CST integrity, but not lesion volume, correlated with the motor ability measures of the Wolf Motor Function Test and the Motor Activity Log. No differences were found between left and right hemiparesis. Motor performance improved significantly with the treatment regime, and did so equally for patients with left and right arm paresis. However, treatment benefit was not associated with either CST integrity or lesion volume. CST integrity correlated best in this small trial with chronic long-term status but not treatment-induced improvements. The CST may play a different role in the mechanisms mediating long-term outcome compared to those underlying practice-induced gains after a chronic plateau in motor function.

Effects of home and education environments on children's motor performance in China.

PubMed

Hua, Jing; Duan, Tao; Gu, Guixiong; Wo, Da; Zhu, Qinqin; Liu, Jiang-Qin; Liu, Ming; Wu, Zhuochun; Meng, Wei

2016-08-01

The aim of this study was to examine the effects of home and educational environments on children's motor performance in China. We conducted a cross-sectional study of 4001 preschool children selected from 160 classes. The children's motor performance was assessed using the Movement Assessment Battery for Children, 2nd edition (MABC-2). Home and educational environments were evaluated using validated checklists. The effects of home and educational environments on motor performance were analysed using mixed and multilevel logistic regression models. The results showed that one score increase in the outside space of the family home was positively associated with the increase in total test score (0.104) subtest score of aiming and catching (0.037), and balance (0.034) of the MABC-2, after adjusting for potential confounders (each p<0.05). Possession of motor toys at home and parental rearing behaviours were also related to total test score, manual dexterity, and balance (β=0.022-0.104, each p<0.05). Space and furnishings, activity, and interaction in the classroom had a significant positive association with total test score (β=0.069-0.201), and with subtest scores of manual dexterity, aiming and catching, and balance respectively (β=0.115-0.206). Space and furnishings of classrooms and possession of toys in the household were protective factors for 'at risk' or significant poor performance (odds ratio 0.942-0.973, each p<0.05). A permissive and accepting family and educational environment made a positive contribution to children's motor performance. Access to sufficient space and furnishings within the classroom, as well as toys in the family, were protective factors for poor motor performance. Future assistance is needed to support an advantageous environment in early childhood programmes in China. © 2016 Mac Keith Press.

The effect of amblyopia on fine motor skills in children.

PubMed

Webber, Ann L; Wood, Joanne M; Gole, Glen A; Brown, Brian

2008-02-01

In an investigation of the functional impact of amblyopia in children, the fine motor skills of amblyopes and age-matched control subjects were compared. The influence of visual factors that might predict any decrement in fine motor skills was also explored. Vision and fine motor skills were tested in a group of children (n = 82; mean age, 8.2 +/- 1.7 [SD] years) with amblyopia of different causes (infantile esotropia, n = 17; acquired strabismus, n = 28; anisometropia, n = 15; mixed, n = 13; and deprivation n = 9), and age-matched control children (n = 37; age 8.3 +/- 1.3 years). Visual motor control (VMC) and upper limb speed and dexterity (ULSD) items of the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency were assessed, and logMAR visual acuity (VA) and Randot stereopsis were measured. Multiple regression models were used to identify the visual determinants of fine motor skills performance. Amblyopes performed significantly poorer than control subjects on 9 of 16 fine motor skills subitems and for the overall age-standardized scores for both VMC and ULSD items (P < 0.05). The effects were most evident on timed tasks. The etiology of amblyopia and level of binocular function significantly affected fine motor skill performance on both items; however, when examined in a multiple regression model that took into account the intercorrelation between visual characteristics, poorer fine motor skills performance was associated with strabismus (F(1,75) = 5.428; P = 0.022), but not with the level of binocular function, refractive error, or visual acuity in either eye. Fine motor skills were reduced in children with amblyopia, particularly those with strabismus, compared with control subjects. The deficits in motor performance were greatest on manual dexterity tasks requiring speed and accuracy.

Effects of a trampoline exercise intervention on motor performance and balance ability of children with intellectual disabilities.

PubMed

Giagazoglou, Paraskevi; Kokaridas, Dimitrios; Sidiropoulou, Maria; Patsiaouras, Asterios; Karra, Chrisanthi; Neofotistou, Konstantina

2013-09-01

Balance and motor impairments are most evident among inactive individuals with ID that might be particularly susceptible to a loss of basic functioning and further limit the person's autonomy in activities of daily living. The aim of the study was to assess the effect of a 12-week trampoline exercise intervention program on motor and balance ability of school aged children with intellectual disability (ID). Eighteen healthy schools aged children (mean age=10.3 ± 1.6 years) with moderate ID were assigned either to an experimental group (n=9) or a control group (n=9). The experiment group attended a 12 weeks trampoline training intervention program consisting of daily individualized 20-min sessions, while the control group followed the regular school schedule. Balance was assessed using three tasks of increased difficulty (double-leg stance with eyes opened or closed, and one-leg stance with eyes opened) performed while standing on an electronic pressure platform (EPS). Motor performance of all participants was tested using sit and reach test and long and vertical jump tests all derived from the Eurofit Test Battery of physical fitness. Trampoline intervention resulted in significant improvements of participants' performance in all motor and balance tests. In conclusion, trampoline training can be an effective intervention for improving functional outcomes and can be recommended as an alternative mode of physical activity programming for improving balance and motor performance. Furthermore, it also supports the idea that individuals with ID require enjoyable and interesting intervention programs such as the trampoline program used in this study so as to remain active and consequently to facilitate their overall development and promote a more active and healthier way of life. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An Allometric Modelling Approach to Identify the Optimal Body Shape Associated with, and Differences between Brazilian and Peruvian Youth Motor Performance

PubMed Central

Silva, Simonete; Bustamante, Alcibíades; Nevill, Alan; Katzmarzyk, Peter T.; Freitas, Duarte; Prista, António; Maia, José

2016-01-01

Children from developed and developing countries differ in their body size and shape due to marked differences across their life history caused by social, economic and cultural differences which are also linked to their motor performance (MP). We used allometric models to identify size/shape characteristics associated with MP tests between Brazilian and Peruvian schoolchildren. A total of 4,560 subjects, 2,385 girls and 2,175 boys aged 9–15 years were studied. Height and weight were measured; biological maturation was estimated with the maturity offset technique; MP measures included the 12 minute run (12MR), handgrip strength (HG), standing long jump (SLJ) and the shuttle run speed (SR) tests; physical activity (PA) was assessed using the Baecke questionnaire. A multiplicative allometric model was adopted to adjust for body size differences across countries. Reciprocal ponderal index (RPI) was found to be the most suitable body shape indicator associated with the 12MR, SLJ, HG and SR performance. A positive maturation offset parameter was also associated with a better performance in SLJ, HG and SR tests. Sex differences were found in all motor tests. Brazilian youth showed better scores in MP than their Peruvian peers, even when controlling for their body size differences The current study identified the key body size associated with four body mass-dependent MP tests. Biological maturation and PA were associated with strength and motor performance. Sex differences were found in all motor tests, as well as across countries favoring Brazilian children even when accounting for their body size/shape differences. PMID:26939118

An Allometric Modelling Approach to Identify the Optimal Body Shape Associated with, and Differences between Brazilian and Peruvian Youth Motor Performance.

PubMed

Silva, Simonete; Bustamante, Alcibíades; Nevill, Alan; Katzmarzyk, Peter T; Freitas, Duarte; Prista, António; Maia, José

2016-01-01

Children from developed and developing countries differ in their body size and shape due to marked differences across their life history caused by social, economic and cultural differences which are also linked to their motor performance (MP). We used allometric models to identify size/shape characteristics associated with MP tests between Brazilian and Peruvian schoolchildren. A total of 4,560 subjects, 2,385 girls and 2,175 boys aged 9-15 years were studied. Height and weight were measured; biological maturation was estimated with the maturity offset technique; MP measures included the 12 minute run (12MR), handgrip strength (HG), standing long jump (SLJ) and the shuttle run speed (SR) tests; physical activity (PA) was assessed using the Baecke questionnaire. A multiplicative allometric model was adopted to adjust for body size differences across countries. Reciprocal ponderal index (RPI) was found to be the most suitable body shape indicator associated with the 12MR, SLJ, HG and SR performance. A positive maturation offset parameter was also associated with a better performance in SLJ, HG and SR tests. Sex differences were found in all motor tests. Brazilian youth showed better scores in MP than their Peruvian peers, even when controlling for their body size differences The current study identified the key body size associated with four body mass-dependent MP tests. Biological maturation and PA were associated with strength and motor performance. Sex differences were found in all motor tests, as well as across countries favoring Brazilian children even when accounting for their body size/shape differences.

Individual Differences in Motor Timing and Its Relation to Cognitive and Fine Motor Skills

PubMed Central

Lorås, Håvard; Stensdotter, Ann-Katrin; Öhberg, Fredrik; Sigmundsson, Hermundur

2013-01-01

The present study investigated the relationship between individual differences in timing movements at the level of milliseconds and performance on selected cognitive and fine motor skills. For this purpose, young adult participants (N = 100) performed a repetitive movement task paced by an auditory metronome at different rates. Psychometric measures included the digit-span and symbol search subtasks from the Wechsler battery as well as the Raven SPM. Fine motor skills were assessed with the Purdue Pegboard test. Motor timing performance was significantly related (mean r = .3) to cognitive measures, and explained both unique and shared variance with information-processing speed of Raven's scores. No significant relations were found between motor timing measures and fine motor skills. These results show that individual differences in cognitive and motor timing performance is to some extent dependent upon shared processing not associated with individual differences in manual dexterity. PMID:23874952

Individual differences in motor timing and its relation to cognitive and fine motor skills.

PubMed

Lorås, Håvard; Stensdotter, Ann-Katrin; Öhberg, Fredrik; Sigmundsson, Hermundur

2013-01-01

The present study investigated the relationship between individual differences in timing movements at the level of milliseconds and performance on selected cognitive and fine motor skills. For this purpose, young adult participants (N = 100) performed a repetitive movement task paced by an auditory metronome at different rates. Psychometric measures included the digit-span and symbol search subtasks from the Wechsler battery as well as the Raven SPM. Fine motor skills were assessed with the Purdue Pegboard test. Motor timing performance was significantly related (mean r = .3) to cognitive measures, and explained both unique and shared variance with information-processing speed of Raven's scores. No significant relations were found between motor timing measures and fine motor skills. These results show that individual differences in cognitive and motor timing performance is to some extent dependent upon shared processing not associated with individual differences in manual dexterity.

Influence of Structural Parameters on the Performance of Vortex Valve Variable-Thrust Solid Rocket Motor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, Xianggeng; Li, Jiang; He, Guoqiang

2017-04-01

The vortex valve solid variable thrust motor is a new solid motor which can achieve Vehicle system trajectory optimization and motor energy management. Numerical calculation was performed to investigate the influence of vortex chamber diameter, vortex chamber shape, and vortex chamber height of the vortex valve solid variable thrust motor on modulation performance. The test results verified that the calculation results are consistent with laboratory results with a maximum error of 9.5%. The research drew the following major conclusions: the optimal modulation performance was achieved in a cylindrical vortex chamber, increasing the vortex chamber diameter improved the modulation performance of the vortex valve solid variable thrust motor, optimal modulation performance could be achieved when the height of the vortex chamber is half of the vortex chamber outlet diameter, and the hot gas control flow could result in an enhancement of modulation performance. The results can provide the basis for establishing the design method of the vortex valve solid variable thrust motor.

Straight and chopped dc performance data for a General Electric 5BT 2366C10 motor and an EV-1 controller

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Edie, P. C.

1981-01-01

Performance data on the General Electric 5BT 2366C10 series wound dc motor and EV-1 Chopper Controller is supplied for the electric vehicle manufacturer. Data is provided for both straight and chopped dc input to the motor, at 2 motor temperature levels. Testing was done at 6 voltage increments to the motor, and 2 voltage increments to the controller. Data results are presented in both tabular and graphical forms. Tabular information includes motor voltage and current input data, motor speed and torque output data, power data and temperature data. Graphical information includes torque-speed, motor power output-speed, torque-current, and efficiency-speed plots under the various operating conditions. The data resulting from this testing shows the speed-torque plots to have the most variance with operating temperature. The maximum motor efficiency is between 86% and 87%, regardless of temperature or mode of operation. When the chopper is utilized, maximum motor efficiency occurs when the chopper duty cycle approaches 100%.

Motor cortical encoding of serial order in a context-recall task.

PubMed

Carpenter, A F; Georgopoulos, A P; Pellizzer, G

1999-03-12

The neural encoding of serial order was studied in the motor cortex of monkeys performing a context-recall memory scanning task. Up to five visual stimuli were presented successively on a circle (list presentation phase), and then one of them (test stimulus) changed color; the monkeys had to make a single motor response toward the stimulus that immediately followed the test stimulus in the list. Correct performance in this task depends on memorization of the serial order of the stimuli during their presentation. It was found that changes in neural activity during the list presentation phase reflected the serial order of the stimuli; the effect on cell activity of the serial order of stimuli during their presentation was at least as strong as the effect of motor direction on cell activity during the execution of the motor response. This establishes the serial order of stimuli in a motor task as an important determinant of motor cortical activity during stimulus presentation and in the absence of changes in peripheral motor events, in contrast to the commonly held view of the motor cortex as just an "upper motor neuron."

Motor-Enriched Learning Activities Can Improve Mathematical Performance in Preadolescent Children.

PubMed

Beck, Mikkel M; Lind, Rune R; Geertsen, Svend S; Ritz, Christian; Lundbye-Jensen, Jesper; Wienecke, Jacob

2016-01-01

Objective: An emerging field of research indicates that physical activity can benefit cognitive functions and academic achievements in children. However, less is known about how academic achievements can benefit from specific types of motor activities (e.g., fine and gross) integrated into learning activities. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate whether fine or gross motor activity integrated into math lessons (i.e., motor-enrichment) could improve children's mathematical performance. Methods: A 6-week within school cluster-randomized intervention study investigated the effects of motor-enriched mathematical teaching in Danish preadolescent children ( n = 165, age = 7.5 ± 0.02 years). Three groups were included: a control group (CON), which received non-motor enriched conventional mathematical teaching, a fine motor math group (FMM) and a gross motor math group (GMM), which received mathematical teaching enriched with fine and gross motor activity, respectively. The children were tested before (T0), immediately after (T1) and 8 weeks after the intervention (T2). A standardized mathematical test (50 tasks) was used to evaluate mathematical performance. Furthermore, it was investigated whether motor-enriched math was accompanied by different effects in low and normal math performers. Additionally, the study investigated the potential contribution of cognitive functions and motor skills on mathematical performance. Results: All groups improved their mathematical performance from T0 to T1. However, from T0 to T1, the improvement was significantly greater in GMM compared to FMM (1.87 ± 0.71 correct answers) ( p = 0.02). At T2 no significant differences in mathematical performance were observed. A subgroup analysis revealed that normal math-performers benefitted from GMM compared to both CON 1.78 ± 0.73 correct answers ( p = 0.04) and FMM 2.14 ± 0.72 correct answers ( p = 0.008). These effects were not observed in low math-performers. The effects were partly accounted for by visuo-spatial short-term memory and gross motor skills. Conclusion: The study demonstrates that motor enriched learning activities can improve mathematical performance. In normal math performers GMM led to larger improvements than FMM and CON. This was not the case for the low math performers. Future studies should further elucidate the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying the observed behavioral effects.

Motor-Enriched Learning Activities Can Improve Mathematical Performance in Preadolescent Children

PubMed Central

Beck, Mikkel M.; Lind, Rune R.; Geertsen, Svend S.; Ritz, Christian; Lundbye-Jensen, Jesper; Wienecke, Jacob

2016-01-01

Objective: An emerging field of research indicates that physical activity can benefit cognitive functions and academic achievements in children. However, less is known about how academic achievements can benefit from specific types of motor activities (e.g., fine and gross) integrated into learning activities. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate whether fine or gross motor activity integrated into math lessons (i.e., motor-enrichment) could improve children's mathematical performance. Methods: A 6-week within school cluster-randomized intervention study investigated the effects of motor-enriched mathematical teaching in Danish preadolescent children (n = 165, age = 7.5 ± 0.02 years). Three groups were included: a control group (CON), which received non-motor enriched conventional mathematical teaching, a fine motor math group (FMM) and a gross motor math group (GMM), which received mathematical teaching enriched with fine and gross motor activity, respectively. The children were tested before (T0), immediately after (T1) and 8 weeks after the intervention (T2). A standardized mathematical test (50 tasks) was used to evaluate mathematical performance. Furthermore, it was investigated whether motor-enriched math was accompanied by different effects in low and normal math performers. Additionally, the study investigated the potential contribution of cognitive functions and motor skills on mathematical performance. Results: All groups improved their mathematical performance from T0 to T1. However, from T0 to T1, the improvement was significantly greater in GMM compared to FMM (1.87 ± 0.71 correct answers) (p = 0.02). At T2 no significant differences in mathematical performance were observed. A subgroup analysis revealed that normal math-performers benefitted from GMM compared to both CON 1.78 ± 0.73 correct answers (p = 0.04) and FMM 2.14 ± 0.72 correct answers (p = 0.008). These effects were not observed in low math-performers. The effects were partly accounted for by visuo-spatial short-term memory and gross motor skills. Conclusion: The study demonstrates that motor enriched learning activities can improve mathematical performance. In normal math performers GMM led to larger improvements than FMM and CON. This was not the case for the low math performers. Future studies should further elucidate the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying the observed behavioral effects. PMID:28066215

Comparing motor performance, praxis, coordination, and interpersonal synchrony between children with and without Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

PubMed

Kaur, Maninderjit; M Srinivasan, Sudha; N Bhat, Anjana

2018-01-01

Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have basic motor impairments in balance, gait, and coordination as well as autism-specific impairments in praxis/motor planning and interpersonal synchrony. Majority of the current literature focuses on isolated motor behaviors or domains. Additionally, the relationship between cognition, symptom severity, and motor performance in ASD is unclear. We used a comprehensive set of measures to compare gross and fine motor, praxis/imitation, motor coordination, and interpersonal synchrony skills across three groups of children between 5 and 12 years of age: children with ASD with high IQ (HASD), children with ASD with low IQ (LASD), and typically developing (TD) children. We used the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency and the Bilateral Motor Coordination subtest of the Sensory Integration and Praxis Tests to assess motor performance and praxis skills respectively. Children were also examined while performing simple and complex rhythmic upper and lower limb actions on their own (solo context) and with a social partner (social context). Both ASD groups had lower gross and fine motor scores, greater praxis errors in total and within various error types, lower movement rates, greater movement variability, and weaker interpersonal synchrony compared to the TD group. In addition, the LASD group had lower gross motor scores and greater mirroring errors compared to the HASD group. Overall, a variety of motor impairments are present across the entire spectrum of children with ASD, regardless of their IQ scores. Both, fine and gross motor performance significantly correlated with IQ but not with autism severity; however, praxis errors (mainly, total, overflow, and rhythmicity) strongly correlated with autism severity and not IQ. Our study findings highlight the need for clinicians and therapists to include motor evaluations and interventions in the standard-of-care of children with ASD and for the broader autism community to recognize dyspraxia as an integral part of the definition of ASD. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Rehabilitation of the elbow extension with motor imagery in a patient with quadriplegia after tendon transfer.

PubMed

Grangeon, Murielle; Guillot, Aymeric; Sancho, Pierre-Olivier; Picot, Marion; Revol, Patrice; Rode, Gilles; Collet, Christian

2010-07-01

To test the effect of a postsurgical motor imagery program in the rehabilitation of a patient with quadriplegia. Crossover design with kinematic analysis. Rehabilitation Hospital of Lyon. Study approved by the local Human Research Ethics Committee. C6-level injured patient (American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale grade A) with no voluntary elbow extension (triceps brachialis score 1). The surgical procedure was to transfer the distal insertion of the biceps brachii onto the triceps tendon of both arms. The postsurgical intervention on the left arm included 10 sessions of physical rehabilitation followed by 10 motor imagery sessions of 30 minutes each. The patient underwent 5 sessions a week during 2 consecutive weeks. The motor imagery content included mental representations based on elbow extension involved in goal-directed movements. The rehabilitation period of the right arm was reversed, with motor imagery performed first, followed by physical therapy. The kinematics of upper-limb movements was recorded (movement time and variability) before and after each type of rehabilitation period. A long-term retention test was performed 1 month later. Motor imagery training enhanced motor recovery by reducing hand trajectory variability-that is, improving smoothness. Motor performance then remained stable over 1 month. Motor imagery improved motor recovery when associated with physical therapy, with motor performance remaining stable over the 1-month period. We concluded that motor imagery should be successfully associated with classic rehabilitation procedure after tendon transfer. Physical sessions may thus be shortened if too stressful or painful. Copyright 2010 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Motor Skills of Extremely Obese Children and Adolescents Based on the Multicentre Longitudinal Obesity Database (APV)].

PubMed

Koch, B; Graf, C; Hoffmeister, U; Platschek, A-M; Gruber, W; Holl, R

2016-03-01

Obese children and adolescents often exhibit progressively declining motor skills. To support young obese patients adequately, it is necessary to assess their individual physical and motor abilities, taking the degree of obesity into account. A total of 5 924 children and adolescents (mean age: 12.7±2.5 years, range 6.0-18.0 years, 3 195 girls) were examined in a standardised multicentre evaluation survey (APV). Fitness parameters were correlated with age- and gender-specific BMI-SDS (Standard Deviation Score) Methods: Anthropometric data were collected and patients performed the modified Munich fitness test (mMFT: maximal power, coordination, trunk flexibility) and a 6-min walk-test (aerobic endurance capacity). 33% of patients were extremely obese (BMI>99.5th percentile). Mean BMI-SDS was + 2.32±0.53 (♀-Δ=+ 0.06; p<0.001). The data indicated significant negative correlations between BMI-SDS and selected components of motor performance, especially maximal power (r=- 0,134), and particularly aerobic endurance capacity (r=- 0,214; all p<0.001). Motor performance was significantly below average (n=27 473, 6-18 years), especially among extremely obese patients. Performance in all motor tasks was lower in girls compared to boys, except for trunk flexibility (p<0.001). Correlations were found between BMI-SDS and motor performance. Extremely obese patients and obese girls showed the most pronounced motor deficits. These results emphasize the importance of standardized evaluation of individual motor performance in children and adolescents with obesity. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Space shuttle Production Verification Motor 1 (PV-1) static fire

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1989-01-01

All inspection and instrumentation data indicate that the PV-1 static test firing conducted 18 Aug. 1988 was successful. With the exception of the intentionally flawed joints and static test modifications, PV-1 was flight configuration. Fail-safe flaws guaranteeing pressure to test the sealing capability of primary O-rings were included in the aft field joint, case-to-nozzle joint, and nozzle internal Joint 5. The test was conducted at ambient conditions, with the exception of the field joints and case/nozzle joints which were maintained at a minimum of 75 F. Ballistics performance values were within specification requirements. The PV-1 motor exhibited chamber pressure oscillations similar to previously tested Space Shuttle redesigned solid rocket motors, particularly QM-7. The first longitudinal mode oscillations experienced by PV-1 were the strongest ever measured in a Space Shuttle motor. Investigation into this observation is being conducted. Joint insulation performed as designed with no evidence of gas flow within unflawed forward field joints. The intentionally flawed center and aft case field joint insulation performance was excellent. There was no evidence of hot gas past the center field joint capture feature O-ring, the case-to-nozzle joint primary O-ring, or the aft field joint primary O-ring. O-ring seals and barriers with assured pressure at the flaws showed erosion and heat effect, but all sealed against passage of hot gases with the exception of the aft field joint capture feature O-ring. There was no evidence of erosion, heat effect, or blowby on any O-ring seals or barriers at the unflawed joints. Nozzle performance was nominal with typical erosion. Post-test examination revealed that the forward nose ring was of the old high performance motor design configuration with the 150-deg ply angle. All nozzle components remained intact for post-test evaluation. The thrust vector control system operated correctly. The water deluge system, CO2 quench, and other test equipment performed as planned during all required test operations.

Cross-cultural adaptation, reliability and predictive validity of the Italian version of Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire (DCDQ).

PubMed

Caravale, Barbara; Baldi, Silvia; Gasparini, Corinna; Wilson, Brenda N

2014-05-01

Developmental coordination disorder (DCD) is a motor disorder of unclear etiology that severely interferes with a child's ability to perform daily motor tasks. As a useful alternative to a time-consuming motor test and specialist evaluation, parents or teachers can complete motor questionnaires. A tool used worldwide to screen motor performance in 4- to 14-year-old children is the Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire 2007 (DCDQ'07). To describe how we translated the Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire 2007 (DCDQ'07) and adapted it to the Italian population and to test its preliminary psychometric properties in Italian children. Parents of a clinical group of 26 children (5-11 years old) with a diagnosis of DCD and 52 matched controls completed the DCDQ translated into Italian and adapted for cross-cultural purposes according to current guidelines. Twenty-four parents of typically developing children randomly selected completed the questionnaire twice to examine test-retest reliability. The internal consistency value (Cronbach alpha) for the Italian DCDQ was 0.94. The Italian DCDQ achieved moderate-to-high test-retest reliability (ICC) for 14/15 items and a good diagnostic performance for identifying children with DCD (sensitivity 88% and specificity 96%). The Italian DCDQ is a valid screening tool for assessing motor performance in 5- to 11-year-old children that merits research in a larger sample. Copyright © 2013 European Paediatric Neurology Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A novel virtual motor rehabilitation system for Guillain-Barré syndrome. Two single case studies.

PubMed

Albiol-Pérez, S; Forcano-García, M; Muñoz-Tomás, M T; Manzano-Fernández, P; Solsona-Hernández, S; Mashat, M A; Gil-Gómez, J A

2015-01-01

This article is part of the Focus Theme of Methods of Information in Medicine on "New Methodologies for Patients Rehabilitation". For Guillain-Barré patients, motor rehabilitation programs are helpful at the onset to prevent the complications of paralysis and in cases of persistent motor impairment. Traditional motor rehabilitation programs may be tedious and monotonous, resulting in low adherence to the treatments. A Virtual Motor Rehabilitation system has been tested in Guillain-Barré patients to increase patient adherence and to improve clinical results. Two people with Guillain-Barré performed 20 rehabilitation sessions. We tested a novel system based on Motor Virtual Rehabilitation in three periods of time (baseline evaluation, final evaluation, and follow-up. In the training program, the participants carried out a specific treatment using the Active Balance Rehabilitation system (ABAR). The system is composed of customizable virtual games to perform static and dynamic balance rehabilitation. Significant improvements in clinical results were obtained by both participants, with significant results in the static balance clinical test of the Anterior Reach test in the standing position and unipedal stance time. Other significant results were found in dynamic balance clinical tests in the Berg Balance Scale test and the 30-second Sit-to-Stand test. With regard to acceptance of the system, both patients enjoyed the experience, and both patients thought that this system was helpful for their rehabilitation. The results show that Virtual Motor Rehabilitation for Guillain-Barré patients provides clinical improvements in an entertaining way.

Pathfinder

NASA Image and Video Library

1994-09-22

This photodepicts a 15 K Fastrac motor ignition test performed at Marshall Test Stand-116. The Fastrac motor is an alternative low-cost engine which is being developed and tested at Marshall. This engine was to eventually be used on an X-34 launchvehicle. The X-34 program was cancelled in 2001.

Effects of intermittent theta-burst stimulation on practice-related changes in fast finger movements in healthy subjects.

PubMed

Agostino, Rocco; Iezzi, Ennio; Dinapoli, Loredana; Suppa, Antonio; Conte, Antonella; Berardelli, Alfredo

2008-08-01

In this paper we investigated the effects of intermittent theta-burst stimulation (iTBS) applied to the primary motor cortex on practice-related changes in motor performance. Seventeen healthy subjects underwent two experimental sessions, one testing real iTBS and the other testing sham iTBS. Before and after both iTBS sessions, the subjects practiced fast right index-finger abductions for a few minutes. As measures of cortical excitability we calculated resting motor threshold and motor-evoked potential amplitude. As measures of practice-related changes we evaluated the mean movement amplitude, peak velocity and peak acceleration values for each block. When subjects practiced the movement task, the three variables measuring practice-related changes improved to a similar extent during real and sham iTBS whereas cortical excitability increased only during real iTBS. In a further group of five healthy subjects we investigated the effect of real and sham iTBS on changes in motor performance after a longer task practice and found no significant changes in motor performance and retention after real and sham iTBS. From our results overall we conclude that in healthy subjects iTBS applied to the primary motor cortex leaves practice-related changes in an index finger abduction task unaffected. We suggest that iTBS delivered over the primary motor cortex is insufficient to alter motor performance because early motor learning probably engages a wide cortical and subcortical network.

Age-Dependent Relationship between Socio-Adaptability and Motor Coordination in High Functioning Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kostrubiec, Viviane; Huys, Raoul; Jas, Brunhilde; Kruck, Jeanne

2018-01-01

Abnormal perceptual-motor coordination is hypothesized here to be involved in social deficits of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). To test this hypothesis, high functioning children with ASD and typical controls, similar in age as well as verbal and perceptive performance, performed perceptual-motor coordination tasks and several social competence…

Is motor activity during cognitive assessment an indicator for feigned attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adults?

PubMed

Fuermaier, Anselm B M; Tucha, Oliver; Koerts, Janneke; Send, Tabea S; Weisbrod, Matthias; Aschenbrenner, Steffen; Tucha, Lara

2018-04-25

Several approaches, ranging from self-ratings of symptoms and impairments to objective neuropsychological testing, have been utilized during clinical evaluation in order to assess symptom and performance validity of individuals with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adulthood. Motor activity has not been considered yet in this context, which is surprising given that hyperactivity is a prominent characteristic of ADHD. Hence, the goal of the present study was to explore the incremental value of motor activity when assessing the credibility of individuals with adult ADHD at clinical evaluation. Forty-six patients diagnosed with ADHD took part in the study. A simulation design was performed, in which 152 healthy individuals were allocated to either a control condition (n = 36) or one of three simulation conditions (n = 116), the latter requesting participants to feign ADHD. All participants completed a self-rating scale of cognitive functioning and performed a computerized test for vigilance. Body movements were recorded during vigilance testing via a motion tracker attached to the back of the participant's chair. Patients with ADHD reported significantly more pronounced cognitive complaints and performed significantly poorer on the vigilance test than control participants. Simulators of ADHD, as compared to genuine patients, showed excessively low performance on the vigilance test. However, neither self-ratings of cognitive functioning nor measures of motor activity were suitable to distinguish genuine from feigned ADHD. A hierarchical logistic regression model showed that motor activity had no incremental value in detecting feigned ADHD when vigilance test performance has already been considered. Standard neuropsychological tests of vigilance may be useful to measure both performance and credibility of individuals with adult ADHD at clinical evaluation. In contrast, self-reports of symptoms and impairments, as well as measures of body movements, may not support the assessment of credibility in this context.

The predictive power of physical function assessed by questionnaire and physical performance measures for subsequent disability.

PubMed

Hoshi, Masayuki; Hozawa, Atsushi; Kuriyama, Shinichi; Nakaya, Naoki; Ohmori-Matsuda, Kaori; Sone, Toshimasa; Kakizaki, Masako; Niu, Kaijun; Fujita, Kazuki; Ueki, Shouzoh; Haga, Hiroshi; Nagatomi, Ryoichi; Tsuji, Ichiro

2012-08-01

To compare the predictive power of physical function assessed by questionnaire and physical performance measures for subsequent disability in community-dwelling elderly persons. Prospective cohort study. Participants were 813 aged 70 years and older, elderly Japanese residing in the community, included in the Tsurugaya Project, who were not disabled at the baseline in 2003. Physical function was assessed by the questionnaire of "Motor Fitness Scale". Physical performance measures consisted of maximum walking velocity, timed up and go test (TUG), leg extension power, and functional reach test. The area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic curve for disability was used to compare screening accuracy between Motor Fitness Scale and physical performance measures. Incident disability, defined as certification for long-term care insurance, was used as the endpoint. We observed 135 cases of incident disability during follow-up. The third or fourth quartile for each measure was associated with a significantly increased risk of disability in comparison with the highest quartile. The AUC was 0.70, 0.72, 0.70, 0.68, 0.69 and 0.74, for Motor Fitness Scale, maxi- mum walking velocity, TUG, leg extension power, functional reach test, and total performance score, respectively. The predictive power of physical function assessed by the Motor Fitness Scale was equivalent to that assessed by physical performance measures. Since Motor Fitness Scale can evaluate physical function safely and simply in comparison with physical performance tests, it would be a practical tool for screening persons at high risk of disability.

Star 48 solid rocket motor nozzle analyses and instrumented firings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Porter, R. L.

1986-01-01

The analyses and testing performed by NASA in support of an expanded and improved nozzle design data base for use by the U.S. solid rocket motor industry is presented. A production nozzle with a history of one ground failure and two flight failures was selected for analyses and testing. The stress analysis was performed with the Champion computer code developed by the U.S. Navy. Several improvements were made to the code. Strain predictions were made and compared to test data. Two short duration motor firings were conducted with highly instrumented nozzles. The first nozzle had 58 thermocouples, 66 strain gages, and 8 bondline pressure measurements. The second nozzle had 59 thermocouples, 68 strain measurements, and 8 bondline pressure measurements. Most of this instrumentation was on the nonmetallic parts, and provided significantly more thermal and strain data on the nonmetallic components of a nozzle than has been accumulated in a solid rocket motor test to date.

A Decision-Theoretic Examination of the Usefulness of Two Motor Performance Tests in Identifying Children for Assignment to Adapted Physical Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

King, Harry A.; Aufsesser, Peter M.

Data from administration of the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency and the Cornish Test of Motor Planning were taken on 120 children (5-13 years old), 60 of whom had been classified learning disabled (LD). Thirty of the LD Ss had been assigned to adapted physical education. The study sought to do two things: (1) determine whether the…

Early and progressive sensorimotor anomalies in mice overexpressing wild-type human alpha-synuclein.

PubMed

Fleming, Sheila M; Salcedo, Jonathan; Fernagut, Pierre-Olivier; Rockenstein, Edward; Masliah, Eliezer; Levine, Michael S; Chesselet, Marie-Françoise

2004-10-20

Accumulation of alpha-synuclein in brain is a hallmark of synucleinopathies, neurodegenerative diseases that include Parkinson's disease. Mice overexpressing alpha-synuclein under the Thy-1 promoter (ASO) show abnormal accumulation of alpha-synuclein in cortical and subcortical regions of the brain, including the substantia nigra. We examined the motor deficits in ASO mice with a battery of sensorimotor tests that are sensitive to alterations in the nigrostriatal dopaminergic system. Male wild-type and ASO mice were tested every 2 months for 8 months for motor performance and coordination on a challenging beam, inverted grid, and pole, sensorimotor deficits in an adhesive removal test, spontaneous activity in a cylinder, and gait. Fine motor skills were assessed by the ability to grasp cotton from a bin. ASO mice displayed significant impairments in motor performance and coordination and a reduction in spontaneous activity as early as 2 months of age. Motor performance and coordination impairments became progressively worse with age and sensorimotor deficits appeared at 6 months. Fine motor skills were altered at 4 months and worsened at 8 months. These data indicate that overexpression of alpha-synuclein induced an early and progressive behavioral phenotype that can be detected in multiple tests of sensorimotor function. These behavioral deficits provide a useful way to assess novel drug therapy in genetic models of synucleinopathies.

Older age relates to worsening of fine motor skills: a population-based study of middle-aged and elderly persons.

PubMed

Hoogendam, Yoo Young; van der Lijn, Fedde; Vernooij, Meike W; Hofman, Albert; Niessen, Wiro J; van der Lugt, Aad; Ikram, M Arfan; van der Geest, Jos N

2014-01-01

In a population-based study of 1,912 community-dwelling persons of 45 years and older, we investigated the relation between age and fine motor skills using the Archimedes spiral-drawing test. Also, we studied the effect of brain volume on fine motor skills. Participants were required to trace a template of a spiral on an electronic drawing board. Clinical scores from this test were obtained by visual assessment of the drawings. Quantitative measures were objectively determined from the recorded data of the drawings. As tremor is known to occur increasingly with advancing age, we also rated drawings to assess presence of tremor. We found presence of a tremor in 1.3% of the drawings. In the group without tremor, we found that older age was related to worse fine motor skills. Additionally, participants over the age of 75 showed increasing deviations from the template when drawing the spiral. Larger cerebral volume and smaller white matter lesion volume were related to better spiral-drawing performance, whereas cerebellar volume was not related to spiral-drawing performance. Older age is related to worse fine motor skills, which can be captured by clinical scoring or quantitative measures of the Archimedes spiral-drawing test. Persons with a tremor performed worse on almost all measures of the spiral-drawing test. Furthermore, larger cerebral volume is related to better fine motor skills.

Motor Function in Former Professional Football Players with History of Multiple Concussions.

PubMed

Tarazi, Apameh; Tator, Charles H; Wennberg, Richard; Ebraheem, Ahmed; Green, Robin E A; Collela, Brenda; Saverino, Christina; Khodadadi, Mozghan; Misquitta, Karen; Tartaglia, Maria Carmela

2018-04-15

The objective of this study was to assess the incidence of motor impairment in former professional Canadian Football League (ex-CFL) players with multiple concussions. We investigated motor symptoms and signs in 45 ex-CFL players with multiple concussions and 25 age- and education-matched healthy controls with no history of concussion. Neurological assessment included items from the SCAT3 (Sport Concussion Assessment Tool 3) and the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale part III (UPDRS-Part III). A performance-based measurement of manual motor function was undertaken using the Grooved Pegboard test. Cognition was measured with patient-reported outcomes for memory, executive and behavioral symptoms as well as performance-based measures of memory and executive function. Symptoms of anxiety and depression were measured using the Personality Assessment Inventory. There was no significant difference between the ex-CFL players and controls on the UPDRS-Part III scores, and neither group reported clinically significant motor complaints. Ex-CFL players did not perform differently from control subjects on the Grooved Pegboard test. In contrast, with regard to cognitive and mood testing, players were more symptomatic: The ex-CFL players reported significantly more memory (77.8% vs. 16%, respectively, p < 0.001), executive (53.3% vs. 8%, respectively, p < 0.001), and behavioral symptoms (66.7% vs. 20%, respectively, p < 0.001). No significant differences were found when comparing ex-CFL players and controls in performance on memory and executive tests. In summary, in a group of retired CFL players who self-reported declines in memory, executive and behavioral symptoms, no motor symptoms were reported and no motor signs were detected.

Modeling the Gas Dynamics Environment in a Subscale Solid Rocket Test Motor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eaton, Andrew M.; Ewing, Mark E.; Bailey, Kirk M.; McCool, Alex (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

Subscale test motors are often used for the evaluation of solid rocket motor component materials such as internal insulation. These motors are useful for characterizing insulation performance behavior, screening insulation material candidates and obtaining material thermal and ablative property design data. One of the primary challenges associated with using subscale motors however, is the uncertainty involved when extrapolating the results to full-scale motor conditions. These uncertainties are related to differences in such phenomena as turbulent flow behavior and boundary layer development, propellant particle interactions with the wall, insulation off-gas mixing and thermochemical reactions with the bulk flow, radiation levels, material response to the local environment, and other anomalous flow conditions. In addition to the need for better understanding of physical mechanisms, there is also a need to better understand how to best simulate these phenomena using numerical modeling approaches such as computational fluid dynamics (CFD). To better understand and model interactions between major phenomena in a subscale test motor, a numerical study of the internal flow environment of a representative motor was performed. Simulation of the environment included not only gas dynamics, but two-phase flow modeling of entrained alumina particles like those found in an aluminized propellant, and offgassing from wall surfaces similar to an ablating insulation material. This work represents a starting point for establishing the internal environment of a subscale test motor using comprehensive modeling techniques, and lays the groundwork for improving the understanding of the applicability of subscale test data to full-scale motors. It was found that grid resolution, and inclusion of phenomena in addition to gas dynamics, such as two-phase and multi-component gas composition are all important factors that can effect the overall flow field predictions.

The validity of parental reports on motor skills performance level in preschool children: a comparison with a standardized motor test.

PubMed

Zysset, Annina E; Kakebeeke, Tanja H; Messerli-Bürgy, Nadine; Meyer, Andrea H; Stülb, Kerstin; Leeger-Aschmann, Claudia S; Schmutz, Einat A; Arhab, Amar; Ferrazzini, Valentina; Kriemler, Susi; Munsch, Simone; Puder, Jardena J; Jenni, Oskar G

2018-05-01

Motor skills are interrelated with essential domains of childhood such as cognitive and social development. Thus, the evaluation of motor skills and the identification of atypical or delayed motor development is crucial in pediatric practice (e.g., during well-child visits). Parental reports on motor skills may serve as possible indicators to decide whether further assessment of a child is necessary or not. We compared parental reports on fundamental motor skills performance level (e.g., hopping, throwing), based on questions frequently asked in pediatric practice, with a standardized motor test in 389 children (46.5% girls/53.5% boys, M age = 3.8 years, SD = 0.5, range 3.0-5.0 years) from the Swiss Preschoolers' Health Study (SPLASHY). Motor skills were examined using the Zurich Neuromotor Assessment 3-5 (ZNA3-5), and parents filled in an online questionnaire on fundamental motor skills performance level. The results showed that the answers from the parental report correlated only weakly with the objectively assessed motor skills (r = .225, p < .001). Although a parental screening instrument for motor skills would be desirable, the parent's report used in this study was not a valid indicator for children's fundamental motor skills. Thus, we may recommend to objectively examine motor skills in clinical practice and not to exclusively rely on parental report. What is Known: • Early assessment of motor skills in preschool children is important because motor skills are essential for the engagement in social activities and the development of cognitive abilities. Atypical or delayed motor development can be an indicator for different developmental needs or disorders. • Pediatricians frequently ask parents about the motor competences of their child during well-child visits. What is New: • The parental report on fundamental motor skills performance level used in this study was not a reliable indicator for describing motor development in the preschool age. • Standardized examinations of motor skills are required to validly assess motor development in preschoolers.

Development of a dc motor with virtually zero powered magnetic bearing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1971-01-01

The development of magnetic bearings for use in direct current electric motors is discussed. The characteristics of the magnets used in the construction of the bearings are described. A magnetic bearing using steel armoring on permanent magnets was selected for performance tests. The specifications of the motor are presented. The test equipment used in the evaluation is described.

Qualification Motor no. 8 (QM-8), volume 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Garecht, D. M.

1989-01-01

All inspection and instrumentation data indicate that the QM-8 static test firing conducted 20 January 1989 was successful. Ambient temperature at T-0 was 28 F. With two flights successfully accomplished, this final test in the redesigned solid rocket motor (RSRM) program certified that the design meets motor performance requirements under extreme cold conditions. This test was a prerequisite to the third flight. The entire test article was cold conditioned at 20 to 25 F for approximately 31 days to assure a maximum propellant mean bulk temperature (PMBT) of 40 F, making it the lowest PMBT in the history of the program. This extreme condition also presented the opportunity to certify critical components at low temperatures. Certification of field joint and igniter heaters, adhesive bondline integrity, flex bearing performance, flight instrumentation performance, RSRM seal performance, and LSC and nozzle plug performance was accomplished. Prior to motor ignition, the field joints were maintained between 75 to 130 F, the igniter-to-case joint was maintained between 75 to 123 F, and the case-to-nozzle joint was maintained between 75 to 120 F. QM-8 was tested with induced side loads to simulate the strut loads experienced during ignition and maximum aerodynamic loading conditions. The ability of the safe and arm device to change position from safe-to-arm and arm-to-safe was certified. Ballistics performance was certified at the lower limits. Values were within specification requirements. Nozzle performance was nominal with typical erosion. The use of Fiberite carbon-cloth phenolic was certified. The water deluge system, CO2 quench, and other test equipment performed as planned during all required test operations.

Early Cognitive/Social Deficits and Late Motor Phenotype in Conditional Wild-Type TDP-43 Transgenic Mice.

PubMed

Alfieri, Julio A; Silva, Pablo R; Igaz, Lionel M

2016-01-01

Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are two neurodegenerative diseases associated to mislocalization and aggregation of TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43). To investigate in depth the behavioral phenotype associated with this proteinopathy, we used as a model transgenic (Tg) mice conditionally overexpressing human wild-type TDP 43 protein (hTDP-43-WT) in forebrain neurons. We previously characterized these mice at the neuropathological level and found progressive neurodegeneration and other features that evoke human TDP-43 proteinopathies of the FTD/ALS spectrum. In the present study we analyzed the behavior of mice at multiple domains, including motor, social and cognitive performance. Our results indicate that young hTDP-43-WT Tg mice (1 month after post-weaning transgene induction) present a normal motor phenotype compared to control littermates, as assessed by accelerated rotarod performance, spontaneous locomotor activity in the open field test and a mild degree of spasticity shown by a clasping phenotype. Analysis of social and cognitive behavior showed a rapid installment of deficits in social interaction, working memory (Y-maze test) and recognition memory (novel object recognition test) in the absence of overt motor abnormalities. To investigate if the motor phenotype worsen with age, we analyzed the behavior of mice after long-term (up to 12 months) transgene induction. Our results reveal a decreased performance on the rotarod test and in the hanging wire test, indicating a motor phenotype that was absent in younger mice. In addition, long-term hTDP-43-WT expression led to hyperlocomotion in the open field test. In sum, these results demonstrate a time-dependent emergence of a motor phenotype in older hTDP-43-WT Tg mice, recapitulating aspects of clinical FTD presentations with motor involvement in human patients, and providing a complementary animal model for studying TDP-43 proteinopathies.

Intensification of the Learning Process: Gross Motor Performance Scale. A Series of Reports Designed for Classroom Use.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bucks County Public Schools, Doylestown, PA.

The Gross Motor Performance Screening Test was designed to aid the classroom teacher in obtaining specific information about the child's physical abilities. The test includes items which have been found to measure the various factors of physical fitness. It also includes items to measure skills important to the child and adult. Included also are…

System For Characterizing Three-Phase Brushless dc Motors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Howard, David E.; Smith, Dennis A.

1996-01-01

System of electronic hardware and software developed to automate measurements and calculations needed to characterize electromechanical performances of three-phase brushless dc motors, associated shaft-angle sensors needed for commutation, and associated brushless tachometers. System quickly takes measurements on all three phases of motor, tachometer, and shaft-angle sensor simultaneously and processes measurements into performance data. Also useful in development and testing of motors with not only three phases but also two, four, or more phases.

Mediating effects of motor performance, cardiorespiratory fitness, physical activity, and sedentary behaviour on the associations of adiposity and other cardiometabolic risk factors with academic achievement in children.

PubMed

Haapala, Eero A; Lintu, Niina; Eloranta, Aino-Maija; Venäläinen, Taisa; Poikkeus, Anna-Maija; Ahonen, Timo; Lindi, Virpi; Lakka, Timo A

2018-03-09

We investigated the associations of cardiometabolic risk factors with academic achievement and whether motor performance, cardiorespiratory fitness, physical activity, or sedentary behaviour mediated these associations. Altogether 175 children 6-8 years-of-age participated in the study. We assessed body fat percentage (BF%), waist circumference, insulin, glucose, triglycerides, HDL cholesterol, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure, leptin, alanine aminotransferase, and gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT). Reading fluency, reading comprehension, and arithmetic skills were assessed using standardized tests. Speed/agility, balance, and manual dexterity test results were used to calculate motor performance score and physical activity was assessed by combined heart rate and movement sensor and cardiorespiratory fitness by maximal cycle ergometer test. In boys, BF% was inversely associated with reading fluency (β = -0.262, P = 0.007) and reading comprehension (β = -0.216, P = 0.025). Motor performance mediated these associations. Leptin was inversely related to reading fluency (β = -0.272, P = 0.006) and reading comprehension (β = -0.287, P = 0.003). The inverse association of leptin with reading fluency was mediated by motor performance. In girls, GGT was inversely associated with reading fluency independent of confounders (β = -0.325, P = 0.007). The inverse association of BF% with academic achievement among boys was largely explained by motor performance. Leptin in boys and GGT in girls were inversely associated with academic achievement independent of confounding factors.

Executive Function Is Associated With Off-Line Motor Learning in People With Chronic Stroke.

PubMed

Al-Dughmi, Mayis; Al-Sharman, Alham; Stevens, Suzanne; Siengsukon, Catherine F

2017-04-01

Sleep has been shown to promote off-line motor learning in individuals following stroke. Executive function ability has been shown to be a predictor of participation in rehabilitation and motor recovery following stroke. The purpose of this study was to explore the association between executive function and off-line motor learning in individuals with chronic stroke compared with healthy control participants. Seventeen individuals with chronic stroke (>6 months poststroke) and 9 healthy adults were included in the study. Participants underwent 3 consecutive nights of polysomnography, practiced a continuous tracking task the morning of the third day, and underwent a retention test the morning after the third night. Participants underwent testing on 4 executive function tests after the continuous tracking task retention test. Participants with stroke showed a significant positive correlation between the off-line motor learning score and performance on the Trail-Making Test from Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System (r = 0.652; P = 0.005), while the healthy control participants did not. Regression analysis showed that the Trail-Making Test-Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System is a significant predictor of off-line motor learning (P = 0.008). This is the first study to demonstrate that better performance on an executive function test of attention and set-shifting predicts a higher magnitude of off-line motor learning in individuals with chronic stroke. This emphasizes the need to consider attention and set-shifting abilities of individuals following stroke as these abilities are associated with motor learning. This in turn could affect learning of activities of daily living and impact functional recovery following stroke.Video Abstract available for more insights from the authors (see Video, Supplemental Digital Content 1, http://links.lww.com/JNPT/A166).

Different motor tasks impact differently on cognitive performance of older persons during dual task tests.

PubMed

Simoni, David; Rubbieri, Gaia; Baccini, Marco; Rinaldi, Lucio; Becheri, Dimitri; Forconi, Tatiana; Mossello, Enrico; Zanieri, Samanta; Marchionni, Niccolò; Di Bari, Mauro

2013-07-01

Dual task paradigm states that the introduction of a second task during a cognitive or motor performance results in a decreased performance in either task. Treadmill walk, often used in clinical applications of dual task testing, has never been compared to overground walk, to ascertain its susceptibility to interference from a second task. We compared the effects of overground and treadmill gait on dual task performance. Gait kinematic parameters and cognitive performance were obtained in 29 healthy older adults (mean age 75 years, 14 females) when they were walking freely on a sensorized carpet or during treadmill walking with an optoelectronic system, in single task or dual task conditions, using alternate repetition of letters as a cognitive verbal task. During overground walking, speed, cadence, step length stride length, and double support time (all with P value<0.001) and cognitive performance (number of correct words, P<0.001) decreased substantially from single to dual task testing. When subjects walked at a fixed speed on the treadmill, cadence decreased significantly (P=0.005), whereas cognitive performance remained unaffected. Both motor and cognitive performances decline during dual task testing with overground walking. Conversely, cognitive performance remains unaffected in dual task testing on the treadmill. In the light of current dual task paradigm, these findings may have relevant implication for our understanding of motor control, as they suggest that treadmill walk does not involve brain areas susceptible to interference from the introduction of a cognitive task. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Skeletal maturation, fundamental motor skills and motor performance in preschool children.

PubMed

Freitas, D L; Lausen, B; Maia, J A; Gouveia, É R; Antunes, A M; Thomis, M; Lefevre, J; Malina, R M

2018-06-01

Relationships among skeletal age (SA), body size and fundamental motor skills (FMS) and motor performance were considered in 155 boys and 159 girls 3-6 years of age. Stature and body mass were measured. SA of the hand-wrist was assessed with the Tanner-Whitehouse II 20 bone method. The Test of Gross Motor Development, 2 nd edition (TGMD-2) and the Preschool Test Battery were used, respectively, to assess FMS and motor performance. Based on hierarchical regression analyses, the standardized residuals of SA on chronological age (SAsr) explained a maximum of 6.1% of the variance in FMS and motor performance in boys (ΔR 2 3 , range 0.0% to 6.1%) and a maximum of 20.4% of the variance in girls (ΔR 2 3 , range 0.0% to 20.4%) over that explained by body size and interactions of SAsr with body size (step 3). The interactions of the SAsr and stature and body mass (step 2) explained a maximum of 28.3% of the variance in boys (ΔR 2 2 , range 0.5% to 28.3%) and 16.7% of the variance in girls (ΔR 2 2 , range 0.7% to 16.7%) over that explained by body size alone. With the exception of balance, relationships among SAsr and FMS or motor performance differed between boys and girls. Overall, SA per se or interacting with body size had a relatively small influence in FMS and motor performance in children 3-6 years of age. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Acute Exercise Improves Motor Memory Consolidation in Preadolescent Children

PubMed Central

Lundbye-Jensen, Jesper; Skriver, Kasper; Nielsen, Jens B.; Roig, Marc

2017-01-01

Objective: The ability to acquire new motor skills is essential both during childhood and later in life. Recent studies have demonstrated that an acute bout of exercise can improve motor memory consolidation in adults. The objective of the present study was to investigate whether acute exercise protocols following motor skill practice in a school setting can also improve long-term retention of motor memory in preadolescent children. Methods: Seventy-seven pre-adolescent children (age 10.5 ± 0.75 (SD)) participated in the study. Prior to the main experiment age, BMI, fitness status and general physical activity level was assessed in all children and they were then randomly allocated to three groups. All children practiced a visuomotor tracking task followed by 20 min of rest (CON), high intensity intermittent floorball (FLB) or running (RUN) with comparable exercise intensity and duration for exercise groups. Delayed retention of motor memory was assessed 1 h, 24 h and 7 days after motor skill acquisition. Results: During skill acquisition, motor performance improved significantly to the immediate retention test with no differences between groups. One hour following skill acquisition, motor performance decreased significantly for RUN. Twenty-four hours following skill acquisition there was a tendency towards improved performance for FLB but no significant effects. Seven days after motor practice however, both FLB and RUN performed better when compared to their immediate retention test indicating significant offline gains. This effect was not observed for CON. In contrast, 7 days after motor practice, retention of motor memory was significantly better for FLB and RUN compared to CON. No differences were observed when comparing FLB and RUN. Conclusions: Acute intense intermittent exercise performed immediately after motor skill acquisition facilitates long-term motor memory in pre-adolescent children, presumably by promoting memory consolidation. The results also demonstrate that the effects can be accomplished in a school setting. The positive effect of both a team game (i.e., FLB) and running indicates that the observed memory improvements are determined to a larger extent by physiological factors rather than the types of movements performed during the exercise protocol. PMID:28473761

Motor Timing Deficits in Sequential Movements in Parkinson Disease Are Related to Action Planning: A Motor Imagery Study

PubMed Central

Avanzino, Laura; Pelosin, Elisa; Martino, Davide; Abbruzzese, Giovanni

2013-01-01

Timing of sequential movements is altered in Parkinson disease (PD). Whether timing deficits in internally generated sequential movements in PD depends also on difficulties in motor planning, rather than merely on a defective ability to materially perform the planned movement is still undefined. To unveil this issue, we adopted a modified version of an established test for motor timing, i.e. the synchronization–continuation paradigm, by introducing a motor imagery task. Motor imagery is thought to involve mainly processes of movement preparation, with reduced involvement of end-stage movement execution-related processes. Fourteen patients with PD and twelve matched healthy volunteers were asked to tap in synchrony with a metronome cue (SYNC) and then, when the tone stopped, to keep tapping, trying to maintain the same rhythm (CONT-EXE) or to imagine tapping at the same rhythm, rather than actually performing it (CONT-MI). We tested both a sub-second and a supra-second inter-stimulus interval between the cues. Performance was recorded using a sensor-engineered glove and analyzed measuring the temporal error and the interval reproduction accuracy index. PD patients were less accurate than healthy subjects in the supra-second time reproduction task when performing both continuation tasks (CONT-MI and CONT-EXE), whereas no difference was detected in the synchronization task and on all tasks involving a sub-second interval. Our findings suggest that PD patients exhibit a selective deficit in motor timing for sequential movements that are separated by a supra-second interval and that this deficit may be explained by a defect of motor planning. Further, we propose that difficulties in motor planning are of a sufficient degree of severity in PD to affect also the motor performance in the supra-second time reproduction task. PMID:24086534

Motor loop dysfunction causes impaired cognitive sequencing in patients suffering from Parkinson's disease.

PubMed

Schönberger, Anna R; Hagelweide, Klara; Pelzer, Esther A; Fink, Gereon R; Schubotz, Ricarda I

2015-10-01

Cognitive impairment in Parkinson's disease (PD) is often attributed to dopamine deficiency in the prefrontal-basal ganglia-thalamo-cortical loops. Although recent studies point to a close interplay between motor and cognitive abilities in PD, the so-called "motor loop" connecting supplementary motor area (SMA) and putamen has been considered solely with regard to the patients' motor impairment. Our study challenges this view by testing patients with the serial prediction task (SPT), a cognitive task that requires participants to predict stimulus sequences and particularly engages premotor sites of the motor loop. We hypothesised that affection of the motor loop causes impaired SPT performance, especially when the internal sequence representation is challenged by suspension of external stimuli. As shown for motor tasks, we further expected this impairment to be compensated by hyperactivity of the lateral premotor cortex (PM). We tested 16 male PD patients ON and OFF dopaminergic medication and 16 male age-matched healthy controls in an functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging study. All subjects performed two versions of the SPT: one with on-going sequences (SPT0), and one with sequences containing non-informative wildcards (SPT+) increasing the demands on mnemonic sequence representation. Patients ON (compared to controls) revealed an impaired performance coming along with hypoactivity of SMA and putamen. Patients OFF compared to ON medication, while showing poorer performance, exhibited a significantly increased PM activity for SPT+ vs. SPT0. Furthermore, patients' performance positively co-varied with PM activity, corroborating a compensatory account. Our data reveal a contribution of the motor loop to cognitive impairment in PD, and suggest a close interplay of SMA and PM beyond motor control. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Gender Differentiations of Some Anthropological Characteristics of Karate Players--Cadets.

PubMed

Jukić, Josefina

2015-07-01

The research was conducted with the aim of determining gender differentiations of some anthropological characteristics of male and female cadet karate players. To achieve this aim, a group of 10 morphological variables, ten motor tests, five situation motor test and six technical performance evaluation tests was applied. Two hundred and six competing players were measured, of which 105 male and 101 female. The examinees were divided according to weight categories (lower and higher weight categories). Based on the variance analysis and canon discrimination analysis a conclusion can be made: gender differentiations are most strongly expressed in morphological and basic motor area, and significantly less in the area of specific motor abilities and motor knowledge (technical efficiency).

Analogy motor learning by young children: a study of rope skipping.

PubMed

Tse, Andy C Y; Fong, Shirley S M; Wong, Thomson W L; Masters, Rich

2017-03-01

Research in psychology suggests that provision of an instruction by analogy can enhance acquisition and understanding of knowledge. Limited research has been conducted to test this proposition in motor learning by children. The purpose of the present study was to examine the feasibility of analogy instructions in motor skill acquisition by children. Thirty-two children were randomly assigned to one of the two instruction protocols: analogy and explicit instruction protocols for a two-week rope skipping training. Each participant completed a pretest (Lesson 1), three practice sessions (Lesson 2-4), a posttest and a secondary task test (Lesson 5). Children in the analogy protocol displayed better rope skip performance than those in the explicit instruction protocol (p < .001). Moreover, a cognitive secondary task test indicated that children in the analogy protocol performed more effectively, whereas children in the explicit protocol displayed decrements in performance. Analogy learning may aid children to acquire complex motor skills, and have potential benefits related to reduced cognitive processing requirements.

The Test of Infant Motor Performance at 3 months predicts language, cognitive, and motor outcomes in infants born preterm at 2 years of age.

PubMed

Peyton, Colleen; Schreiber, Michael D; Msall, Michael E

2018-03-13

To determine the relationship between the Test of Infant Motor Performance (TIMP) at 3 months and cognitive, language, and motor outcomes on the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition (Bayley-III) at 2 years of age in high-risk infants born preterm. One hundred and six infants (47 females, 59 males) born at earlier than 31 weeks gestational age were prospectively tested with the TIMP at 10 to 15 weeks after term age and were assessed again with the Bayley-III at 2 years corrected age. Sensitivity and specificity were calculated for various cut points of the TIMP z-score and Bayley-III composite scores of no more than 85. The TIMP z-scores at 10 to 15 weeks of age were significantly associated with all three subscales on the Bayley-III at 2 years of age (p<0.001). Using a TIMP z-score cutoff of -0.5, specificity was relatively high for cognitive (87%), language (88%), and motor (89%) outcomes, but sensitivity was low (cognitive 41%, language 49%, motor 57%). This study demonstrates that the TIMP is related to cognitive, language, and motor outcomes on the Bayley-III at 2 years of age in high-risk infants born preterm. The Test of Infant Motor Performance (TIMP) predicts Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition outcomes at 2 years of age. The TIMP is relatively good at discriminating between children who will and will not have typical development. © 2018 Mac Keith Press.

Human θ burst stimulation enhances subsequent motor learning and increases performance variability.

PubMed

Teo, James T H; Swayne, Orlando B C; Cheeran, Binith; Greenwood, Richard J; Rothwell, John C

2011-07-01

Intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) transiently increases motor cortex excitability in healthy humans by a process thought to involve synaptic long-term potentiation (LTP), and this is enhanced by nicotine. Acquisition of a ballistic motor task is likewise accompanied by increased excitability and presumed intracortical LTP. Here, we test how iTBS and nicotine influences subsequent motor learning. Ten healthy subjects participated in a double-blinded placebo-controlled trial testing the effects of iTBS and nicotine. iTBS alone increased the rate of learning but this increase was blocked by nicotine. We then investigated factors other than synaptic strengthening that may play a role. Behavioral analysis and modeling suggested that iTBS increased performance variability, which correlated with learning outcome. A control experiment confirmed the increase in motor output variability by showing that iTBS increased the dispersion of involuntary transcranial magnetic stimulation-evoked thumb movements. We suggest that in addition to the effect on synaptic plasticity, iTBS may have facilitated performance by increasing motor output variability; nicotine negated this effect on variability perhaps via increasing the signal-to-noise ratio in cerebral cortex.

Analyze Experiment For Vigas and Pertamax to Performance and Exhaust Gas Emission for Gasoline Motor 2000cc

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

As'adi, Muhamad; Chrisna Ayu Dwiharpini Tupan, Diachirta

2018-02-01

The purpose and target for this analyze experiment is we get the performance variabel from gasoline motor which used LGV for fuel and Pertamax, so can give knowledge to community if LGV can be using LGV for fuel to transportation industry and more economic. We used experiment method of engine gasoline motor with 2000 cc which is LGV and Pertamax for fuel. The experiment with static experiment tes above Dyno Test. The result is engine perform to subscribe Torque, power, fuel consumption. Beside the static test we did the Exhaust Steam Emission. The result is the used LGV with the commercial brand Vigas can increase the maximum Engine Power 20.86% and Average Power 14.1%, the maximum torque for Motor which is use LGV as fuel is smaller than Motor with Pertamax, the decrease is 0.94%.Using Vigas in Motor can increase the mileage until 6.9% compare with the Motor with pertamax.Air Fuel Ratio (AFR) for both of the fuels still below the standard, so still happen waste of fuel, specially in low compression.Using Vigas can reduce the Exhaust Steam Emission especially CO2

Effects of handcuffs on neuropsychological testing: Implications for criminal forensic evaluations.

PubMed

Biddle, Christine M; Fazio, Rachel L; Dyshniku, Fiona; Denney, Robert L

2018-01-01

Neuropsychological evaluations are increasingly performed in forensic contexts, including in criminal settings where security sometimes cannot be compromised to facilitate evaluation according to standardized procedures. Interpretation of nonstandardized assessment results poses significant challenges for the neuropsychologist. Research is limited in regard to the validation of neuropsychological test accommodation and modification practices that deviate from standard test administration; there is no published research regarding the effects of hand restraints upon neuropsychological evaluation results. This study provides preliminary results regarding the impact of restraints on motor functioning and common neuropsychological tests with a motor component. When restrained, performance on nearly all tests utilized was significantly impacted, including Trail Making Test A/B, a coding test, and several tests of motor functioning. Significant performance decline was observed in both raw scores and normative scores. Regression models are also provided in order to help forensic neuropsychologists adjust for the effect of hand restraints on raw scores of these tests, as the hand restraints also resulted in significant differences in normative scores; in the most striking case there was nearly a full standard deviation of discrepancy.

Fuzzy control of small servo motors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maor, Ron; Jani, Yashvant

1993-01-01

To explore the benefits of fuzzy logic and understand the differences between the classical control methods and fuzzy control methods, the Togai InfraLogic applications engineering staff developed and implemented a motor control system for small servo motors. The motor assembly for testing the fuzzy and conventional controllers consist of servo motor RA13M and an encoder with a range of 4096 counts. An interface card was designed and fabricated to interface the motor assembly and encoder to an IBM PC. The fuzzy logic based motor controller was developed using the TILShell and Fuzzy C Development System on an IBM PC. A Proportional-Derivative (PD) type conventional controller was also developed and implemented in the IBM PC to compare the performance with the fuzzy controller. Test cases were defined to include step inputs of 90 and 180 degrees rotation, sine and square wave profiles in 5 to 20 hertz frequency range, as well as ramp inputs. In this paper we describe our approach to develop a fuzzy as well as PH controller, provide details of hardware set-up and test cases, and discuss the performance results. In comparison, the fuzzy logic based controller handles the non-linearities of the motor assembly very well and provides excellent control over a broad range of parameters. Fuzzy technology, as indicated by our results, possesses inherent adaptive features.

Comparison of Scores on Two Visual-Motor Tests for Children Referred for Learning or Adjustment Difficulties.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeMers, Stephen T.; And Others

1981-01-01

This study compared the performance of school-aged children referred for learning or adjustment difficulties on Beery's Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration and Koppitz's version of the Bender-Gestalt test. Results indicated that the tests are related but not equivalent when administered to referred populations. (Author/AL)

A Review of Standardized Tests of Nonverbal Oral and Speech Motor Performance in Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCauley, Rebecca J.; Strand, Edythe A.

2008-01-01

Purpose: To review the content and psychometric characteristics of 6 published tests currently available to aid in the study, diagnosis, and treatment of motor speech disorders in children. Method: We compared the content of the 6 tests and critically evaluated the degree to which important psychometric characteristics support the tests' use for…

Quantitative psychomotor dysfunction in schizophrenia: a loss of drive, impaired movement execution or both?

PubMed

Docx, Lise; Sabbe, Bernard; Provinciael, Pieter; Merckx, Niel; Morrens, Manuel

2013-01-01

The aim of the present study was to investigate the predictive value of qualitative psychomotor performance levels and subaspects of the negative syndrome for quantitative motor activity levels in patients with schizophrenia. Twenty-seven stabilized patients with schizophrenia and 22 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were included in the study. An extensive battery of psychomotor performance tests (Finger Tapping Test, Purdue Pegboard Test, Line Copying Test, Neurological Evaluation Scale, Salpêtrière Retardation Rating Scale), clinical rating scales (Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale) and 24-hour actigraphy were administered to all participants. Correlational analyses showed that motor activity levels were associated with avolition as well as clinically assessed psychomotor slowing. However, in a regression model, only avolition was found to be a significant predictor for motor activity levels in patients with schizophrenia; none of the psychomotor performance tests nor the severity of emotional expressivity deficits contributed to the model. Qualitative and quantitative psychomotor deficits seem to be independent phenomena in stabilized patients with schizophrenia. The diminishing in motor activity in patients with schizophrenia is related to a loss of drive and not to problems in the quality of movement execution. © 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Modeling of Nonacoustic Combustion Instability in Simulations of Hybrid Motor Tests

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rocker, M.

2000-01-01

A transient model of a hybrid motor was formulated to study the cause and elimination of nonacoustic combustion instability. The transient model was used to simulate four key tests out of a series of seventeen hybrid motor tests conducted by Thiokol, Rocketdyne, and Martin Marietta at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). These tests were performed under the Hybrid Propulsion Technology for Launch Vehicle Boosters (HPTLVB) program. The first test resulted in stable combustion. The second test resulted in large-amplitude, 6.5-Hz chamber pressure oscillations that gradually damped away by the end of the test. The third test resulted in large-amplitude, 7.5-Hz chamber pressure oscillations that were sustained throughout the test. The seventh test resulted in elimination of combustion instability with the installation of an orifice immediately upstream of the injector. Formulation and implementation of the model are the scope of this presentation. The current model is an independent continuation of modeling presented previously by joint Thiokol-Rocketdyne collaborators Boardman, Hawkins, Wassom. and Claflin. The previous model simulated an unstable independent research and development (IR&D) hybrid motor test performed by Thiokol. There was very good agreement between the model and test data. Like the previous model, the current model was developed using Matrix-x simulation software. However, tests performed at MSFC under the HPTLVB program were actually simulated. ln the current model, the hybrid motor, consisting of the liquid oxygen (lox) injector, the multiport solid fuel grain, and nozzle, was simulated. The lox feedsystem, consisting of the tank, venturi. valve, and feed lines, was also simulated in the model. All components of the hybrid motor and lox feedsystem are treated by a lumped-parameter approach. Agreement between the results of the transient model and actual test data was very good. This agreement between simulated and actual test data indicated that the combustion instability in the hybrid motor was due to two causes: 1. a lox feed system of insufficient stiffness, and 2. a lox injector with an impedance (it pressure drop that was too low to provide damping against the feed system oscillations. Also, it was discovered that testing with a new grain of solid fuel sustained the combustion instability. However, testing with a used grain of solid fuel caused the combustion instability to gradually decay.

Esophageal motor function: technical aspects of manometry.

PubMed

Gyawali, C Prakash; Patel, Amit

2014-10-01

High-resolution manometry (HRM) has advanced the understanding of esophageal peristaltic mechanisms and has simplified esophageal motor testing. In this article the technical aspects of HRM are addressed, focusing on test protocols, in addition to concerns and pitfalls in performing esophageal motor studies. Specifically, catheter positioning, equipment-related artifacts, basal data acquisition, adequate swallows, and provocative maneuvers are discussed. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Polyphasic Temporal Behavior of Finger-Tapping Performance: A Measure of Motor Skills and Fatigue.

PubMed

Aydin, Leyla; Kiziltan, Erhan; Gundogan, Nimet Unay

2016-01-01

Successive voluntary motor movement involves a number of physiological mechanisms and may reflect motor skill development and neuromuscular fatigue. In this study, the temporal behavior of finger tapping was investigated in relation to motor skills and fatigue by using a long-term computer-based test. The finger-tapping performances of 29 healthy male volunteers were analyzed using linear and nonlinear regression models established for inter-tapping interval. The results suggest that finger-tapping performance exhibits a polyphasic nature, and has several characteristic time points, which may be directly related to muscle dynamics and energy consumption. In conclusion, we believe that future studies evaluating the polyphasic nature of the maximal voluntary movement will lead to the definition of objective scales that can be used in the follow up of some neuromuscular diseases, as well as, the determination of motor skills, individual ability, and peripheral fatigue through the use of a low cost, easy-to-use computer-based finger-tapping test.

Assessment of global motor performance and gross and fine motor skills of infants attending day care centers.

PubMed

Souza, Carolina T; Santos, Denise C C; Tolocka, Rute E; Baltieri, Letícia; Gibim, Nathália C; Habechian, Fernanda A P

2010-01-01

To analyze the global motor performance and the gross and fine motor skills of infants attending two public child care centers full-time. This was a longitudinal study that included 30 infants assessed at 12 and 17 months of age with the Motor Scale of the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition (Bayley-III). This scale allows the analysis of global motor performance, fine and gross motor performance, and the discrepancy between them. The Wilcoxon test and Spearman's correlation coefficient were used. Most of the participants showed global motor performance within the normal range, but below the reference mean at 12 and 17 months, with 30% classified as having "suspected delays" in at least one of the assessments. Gross motor development was poorer than fine motor development at 12 and at 17 months of age, with great discrepancy between these two subtests in the second assessment. A clear individual variability was observed in fine motor skills, with weak linear correlation between the first and the second assessment of this subtest. A lower individual variability was found in the gross motor skills and global motor performance with positive moderate correlation between assessments. Considering both performance measurements obtained at 12 and 17 months of age, four infants were identified as having a "possible delay in motor development". The study showed the need for closer attention to the motor development of children who attend day care centers during the first 17 months of life, with special attention to gross motor skills (which are considered an integral part of the child's overall development) and to children with suspected delays in two consecutive assessments.

Motor performance of tongue with a computer-integrated system under different levels of background physical exertion

PubMed Central

Huo, Xueliang; Johnson-Long, Ashley N.; Ghovanloo, Maysam; Shinohara, Minoru

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to compare the motor performance of tongue, using Tongue Drive System, to hand operation for relatively complex tasks under different levels of background physical exertion. Thirteen young able-bodied adults performed tasks that tested the accuracy and variability in tracking a sinusoidal waveform, and the performance in playing two video games that require accurate and rapid movements with cognitive processing using tongue and hand under two levels of background physical exertion. Results show additional background physical activity did not influence rapid and accurate displacement motor performance, but compromised the slow waveform tracking and shooting performances in both hand and tongue. Slow waveform tracking performance by the tongue was compromised with an additional motor or cognitive task, but with an additional motor task only for the hand. Practitioner Summary We investigated the influence of task complexity and background physical exertion on the motor performance of tongue and hand. Results indicate the task performance degrades with an additional concurrent task or physical exertion due to the limited attentional resources available for handling both the motor task and background exertion. PMID:24003900

Integrated Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit-A (AMSU-A). Performance Verification Report: AMSU-A1 Antenna Drive Subsystem, PN 1331720-2, S/N 106

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Luu, D.

1999-01-01

This is the Performance Verification Report, AMSU-A1 Antenna Drive Subsystem, P/N 1331720-2, S/N 106, for the Integrated Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit-A (AMSU-A). The antenna drive subsystem of the METSAT AMSU-A1, S/N 106, P/N 1331720-2, completed acceptance testing per A-ES Test Procedure AE-26002/lD. The test included: Scan Motion and Jitter, Pulse Load Bus Peak Current and Rise Time, Resolver Reading and Position Error, Gain/ Phase Margin, and Operational Gain Margin. The drive motors and electronic circuitry were also tested at the component level. The drive motor test includes: Starting Torque Test, Motor Commutation Test, Resolver Operation/ No-Load Speed Test, and Random Vibration. The electronic circuitry was tested at the Circuit Card Assembly (CCA) level of production; each test exercised all circuit functions. The transistor assembly was tested during the W3 cable assembly (1356941-1) test.

Identifying patterns of motor performance, executive functioning, and verbal ability in preschool children: A latent profile analysis.

PubMed

Houwen, Suzanne; Kamphorst, Erica; van der Veer, Gerda; Cantell, Marja

2018-04-30

A relationship between motor performance and cognitive functioning is increasingly being recognized. Yet, little is known about the precise nature of the relationship between both domains, especially in early childhood. To identify distinct constellations of motor performance, executive functioning (EF), and verbal ability in preschool aged children; and to explore how individual and contextual variables are related to profile membership. The sample consisted of 119 3- to 4-year old children (62 boys; 52%). The home based assessments consisted of a standardized motor test (Movement Assessment Battery for Children - 2), five performance-based EF tasks measuring inhibition and working memory, and the Receptive Vocabulary subtest from the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence Third Edition. Parents filled out the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function - Preschool version. Latent profile analysis (LPA) was used to delineate profiles of motor performance, EF, and verbal ability. Chi-square statistics and multinomial logistic regression analysis were used to examine whether profile membership was predicted by age, gender, risk of motor coordination difficulties, ADHD symptomatology, language problems, and socioeconomic status (SES). LPA yielded three profiles with qualitatively distinct response patterns of motor performance, EF, and verbal ability. Quantitatively, the profiles showed most pronounced differences with regard to parent ratings and performance-based tests of EF, as well as verbal ability. Risk of motor coordination difficulties and ADHD symptomatology were associated with profile membership, whereas age, gender, language problems, and SES were not. Our results indicate that there are distinct subpopulations of children who show differential relations with regard to motor performance, EF, and verbal ability. The fact that we found both quantitative as well as qualitative differences between the three patterns of profiles underscores the need for a person-centered approach with a focus on patterns of individual characteristics. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Simulation of Non-Acoustic Combustion Instability in a Hybrid Rocket Motor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rocker, Marvin

1999-01-01

A transient model of a hybrid motor was formulated to study the cause and elimination of non-acoustic combustion instability. The transient model was used to simulate four key tests out of a series of seventeen hybrid motor tests conducted by Thiokol, Rocketdyne and Martin Marietta at NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center (NASAIMSFC). These tests were performed under the Hybrid Propulsion Technology for Launch Vehicle Boosters (HPTLVB) program. The first test resulted in stable combustion. The second test resulted in large-amplitude, 6.5 Hz chamber pressure oscillations that gradually damped away by the end of the test. The third test resulted in large-amplitude, 7.5 Hz chamber pressure oscillations that were sustained throughout the test. The seventh test resulted in the elimination of combustion instability with the installation of an orifice immediately upstream of the injector. The formulation and implementation of the model are the scope of this presentation. The current model is an independent continuation of modeling presented previously by joint Thiokol-Rocketdyne collaborators Boardman, Hawkins, Wassom, and Claflin. The previous model simulated an unstable IR&D hybrid motor test performed by Thiokol. There was very good agreement between the model and the test data. Like the previous model, the current model was developed using Matrix-x simulation software. However, the tests performed at NASA/MSFC under the HPTLVB program were actually simulated. In the current model, the hybrid motor consisting of the liquid oxygen (LOX) injector, the multi-port solid fuel grain and the nozzle was simulated. Also, simulated in the model was the LOX feed system consisting of the tank, venturi, valve and feed lines. All components of the hybrid motor and LOX feed system are treated by a lumped-parameter approach. Agreement between the results of the transient model and the actual test data was very good. This agreement between simulated and actual test data indicated that the combustion instability in the hybrid motor was due to two causes. The first cause was a LOX feed system of insufficient stiffness. The second cause was a LOX injector with an impedance or pressure drop that was too low to provide damping against the feed system oscillations. Also, it was discovered that testing with a new grain of solid fuel sustained the combustion instability. However, testing with a used grain of solid fuel caused the combustion instability to gradually decay.

Simulation of Non-Acoustic Combustion Instability in a Hybrid Rocket Motor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rocker, Marvin

1999-01-01

A transient model of a hybrid motor was formulated to study the cause and elimination of non-acoustic combustion instability. The transient model was used to simulate four key tests out of a series of seventeen hybrid motor tests conducted by Thiokol, Rocketdyne and Martin Marietta at NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center (NASA/MSFC). These tests were performed under the Hybrid Propulsion Technology for Launch Vehicle Boosters (HPTLVB) program. The first test resulted in stable combustion. The second test resulted in large-amplitude, 6.5 Hz chamber pressure oscillations that gradually damped away by the end of the test. The third test resulted in large-amplitude, 7.5 Hz chamber pressure oscillations that were sustained throughout the test. The seventh test resulted in the elimination of combustion instability with the installation of an orifice immediately upstream of the injector. The formulation and implementation of the model are the scope of this presentation. The current model is an independent continuation of modeling presented previously by joint Thiokol-Rocketdyne collaborators Boardman, Hawkins, Wassom, and Claflin. The previous model simulated an unstable IR&D hybrid motor test performed by Thiokol. There was very good agreement between the model and the test data. Like the previous model, the current model was developed using Matrix-x simulation software. However, the tests performed at NASA/MSFC under the HPTLVB program were actually simulated. In the current model, the hybrid motor consisting of the liquid oxygen (LOX) injector, the multi-port solid fuel grain and the nozzle was simulated. Also, simulated in the model was the LOX feed system consisting of the tank, venturi, valve and feed lines. All components of the hybrid motor and LOX feed system are treated by a lumped-parameter approach. Agreement between the results of the transient model and the actual test data was very good. This agreement between simulated and actual test data indicated that the combustion instability in the hybrid motor was due to two causes. The first cause was a LOX feed system of insufficient stiffness. The second cause was a LOX injector with an impedance or pressure drop that was too low to provide damping against the feed system oscillations. Also, it was discovered that testing with a new grain of solid fuel sustained the combustion instability. However, testing with a used grain of solid fuel caused the combustion instability to gradually decay.

Motor intensive anti-gravity training improves performance in dynamic balance related tasks in persons with Parkinson's disease.

PubMed

Malling, Anne Sofie B; Jensen, Bente R

2016-01-01

Recent studies indicate that the effect of training on motor performance in persons with Parkinson's disease (PDP) is dependent on motor intensity. However, training of high motor intensity can be hard to apply in PDP due to e.g. bradykinesia, rigidity, tremor and postural instability. Therefore, the aim was to study the effect of motor intensive training performed in a safe anti-gravity environment using lower-body positive pressure (LBPP) technology on performance during dynamic balance related tasks. Thirteen male PDP went through an 8-week control period followed by 8 weeks of motor intensive antigravity training. Seventeen healthy males constituted a control group (CON). Performance during a five repetition sit-to-stand test (STS; sagittal plane) and a dynamic postural balance test (DPB; transversal plane) was evaluated. Effect measures were completion time, functional rates of force development, directional changes and force variance. STS completion time improved by 24% to the level of CON which was explained by shorter sitting-time and standing-time and larger numeric rate of force change during lowering to the chair, indicating faster vertical directional change and improved relaxation. DPB completion time tended to improve and was accompanied by improvements of functional medial and lateral rates of force development and higher vertical force variance during DPB. Our results suggest that the performance improvements may relate to improved inter-limb coordination. It is concluded that 8 weeks of motor intensive training in a safe LBPP environment improved performance during dynamic balance related tasks in PDP. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Role of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in context-dependent motor performance.

PubMed

Lee, Y-Y; Winstein, C J; Fisher, B E

2016-04-01

Context-dependent motor performance is a phenomenon in which people perform better in the environmental context where they originally practised a task. Some animal and computer simulation studies have suggested that context-dependent performance may be associated with neural activation of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). This study aimed to determine the role of the DLPFC in context-dependent motor performance by perturbing the neural processing of the DLPFC with repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in healthy adults. Thirty healthy adults were recruited into the Control, rTMS DLPFC and rTMS Vertex groups. The participants practised three finger sequences associated with a specific incidental context (a coloured circle and a location on the computer screen). One day following practice, the rTMS groups received 1 Hz rTMS prior to the testing conditions in which the sequence-context associations remained the same as practice (SAME) or changed (SWITCH). All three groups improved significantly over practice on day 1. The second day testing results showed that the DLPFC group had a significantly lower decrease in motor performance under the SWITCH condition than the Control and Vertex groups. This finding suggests a specific role of the DLPFC in context-dependent motor performance. © 2016 Federation of European Neuroscience Societies and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Starting Performance Analysis for Universal Motors by FEM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kurihara, Kazumi; Sakamoto, Shin-Ichi

This paper presents a novel transient analysis of the universal motors taking into account the time-varying brush-contact resistance and mechanical loss. The transient current, torque and speed during the starting process are computed by solving the electromagnetic, circuit and dynamic motion equations, simultaneously. The computed performances have been validated by tests in a 500-W, 2-pole, 50Hz, 100V universal motor.

Alternative High-Performance Motors with Non-Rare Earth Materials, Final Publishable Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Galioto, Steven; Johnson, Francis

Electric drive systems, which include electric machines and power electronics, are a key enabling technology for advanced vehicle propulsion systems that reduce the petroleum dependence of the transportation sector. To have significant effect, electric drive technologies must be economical in terms of cost, weight, and size while meeting performance and reliability expectations. The goal of the project is to develop traction motors that reduce or eliminate the use of rare-earth materials and meet the DoE specifications for such a traction motor. This is accomplished by evaluating and developing multiple motor topologies in conjunction with advanced materials. Eight non-permanent magnet motormore » topologies and two reduced or non-rare earth motor topologies are analyzed and compared using a common set of requirements. Five of the motors are built and tested to validate the analysis. This paper provides a detailed quantitative comparison of the different machine topologies that reduce or eliminate rare-earth materials. Conclusions are drawn from the analysis and test data to show the tradeoffs related to selecting each of the motor topologies with the hope of providing practicing engineers and researchers in the field enough guidelines for choosing the “optimum” machine topology that suits their applications and set of performance requirements. Four materials technologies were investigated for their ability to enable a reduced rare earth electric motor. Two of the technologies were soft magnetic materials, one was a non-rare-earth containing permanent magnet technology, and the last was an insulation material. These processing and performance of these materials were first demonstrated in small coupons. The coupon tests justified proceeding to larger scale processing for two of the materials technologies: 1) a dual-phase soft magnetic material for use in rotor laminates and 2) a high temperature insulation material for use as a slot liner in the stator. The dual phase soft magnetic material was produced at a scale sufficient to build and test a sub-scale motor prototype. The high temperature insulation material was first evaluated in a series of “statorettes” before being demonstrated in the stator of one of the full-scale motor prototypes. Testing of the dual phase material revealed issues with process variability in larger production volumes that are being addressed in a subsequent project. The performance of the high-temperature slot liner insulation was demonstrated during the operation of a full-scale prototype. Furthermore, the insulation material was shown to survive aging tests of 2000 hours and 280 °C and 800 hours at 300 °C. This program provides analysis and data to accelerate the introduction of hybrid electric vehicles into the U.S. road vehicle fleet and bring the added benefits of reduced fuel consumption and environmental impacts« less

The influence of age, gender and education on the performance of healthy individuals on a battery for assessing limb apraxia

PubMed Central

Mantovani-Nagaoka, Joana; Ortiz, Karin Zazo

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Introduction: Apraxia is defined as a disorder of learned skilled movements, in the absence of elementary motor or sensory deficits and general cognitive impairment, such as inattention to commands, object-recognition deficits or poor oral comprehension. Limb apraxia has long been a challenge for clinical assessment and understanding and covers a wide spectrum of disorders, all involving motor cognition and the inability to perform previously learned actions. Demographic variables such as gender, age, and education can influence the performance of individuals on different neuropsychological tests. Objective: The present study aimed to evaluate the performance of healthy subjects on a limb apraxia battery and to determine the influence of gender, age, and education on the praxis skills assessed. Methods: Forty-four subjects underwent a limb apraxia battery, which was composed of numerous subtests for assessing both the semantic aspects of gestural production as well as motor performance itself. The tasks encompassed lexical-semantic aspects related to gestural production and motor activity in response to verbal commands and imitation. Results: We observed no gender effects on any of the subtests. Only the subtest involving visual recognition of transitive gestures showed a correlation between performance and age. However, we observed that education level influenced subject performance for all sub tests involving motor actions, and for most of these, moderate correlations were observed between education level and performance of the praxis tasks. Conclusion: We conclude that the education level of participants can have an important influence on the outcome of limb apraxia tests. PMID:29213460

The influence of age, gender and education on the performance of healthy individuals on a battery for assessing limb apraxia.

PubMed

Mantovani-Nagaoka, Joana; Ortiz, Karin Zazo

2016-01-01

Apraxia is defined as a disorder of learned skilled movements, in the absence of elementary motor or sensory deficits and general cognitive impairment, such as inattention to commands, object-recognition deficits or poor oral comprehension. Limb apraxia has long been a challenge for clinical assessment and understanding and covers a wide spectrum of disorders, all involving motor cognition and the inability to perform previously learned actions. Demographic variables such as gender, age, and education can influence the performance of individuals on different neuropsychological tests. The present study aimed to evaluate the performance of healthy subjects on a limb apraxia battery and to determine the influence of gender, age, and education on the praxis skills assessed. Forty-four subjects underwent a limb apraxia battery, which was composed of numerous subtests for assessing both the semantic aspects of gestural production as well as motor performance itself. The tasks encompassed lexical-semantic aspects related to gestural production and motor activity in response to verbal commands and imitation. We observed no gender effects on any of the subtests. Only the subtest involving visual recognition of transitive gestures showed a correlation between performance and age. However, we observed that education level influenced subject performance for all sub tests involving motor actions, and for most of these, moderate correlations were observed between education level and performance of the praxis tasks. We conclude that the education level of participants can have an important influence on the outcome of limb apraxia tests.

Older Age Relates to Worsening of Fine Motor Skills: A Population-Based Study of Middle-Aged and Elderly Persons

PubMed Central

Hoogendam, Yoo Young; van der Lijn, Fedde; Vernooij, Meike W.; Hofman, Albert; Niessen, Wiro J.; van der Lugt, Aad; Ikram, M. Arfan; van der Geest, Jos N.

2014-01-01

Introduction: In a population-based study of 1,912 community-dwelling persons of 45 years and older, we investigated the relation between age and fine motor skills using the Archimedes spiral-drawing test. Also, we studied the effect of brain volume on fine motor skills. Methods: Participants were required to trace a template of a spiral on an electronic drawing board. Clinical scores from this test were obtained by visual assessment of the drawings. Quantitative measures were objectively determined from the recorded data of the drawings. As tremor is known to occur increasingly with advancing age, we also rated drawings to assess presence of tremor. Results: We found presence of a tremor in 1.3% of the drawings. In the group without tremor, we found that older age was related to worse fine motor skills. Additionally, participants over the age of 75 showed increasing deviations from the template when drawing the spiral. Larger cerebral volume and smaller white matter lesion volume were related to better spiral-drawing performance, whereas cerebellar volume was not related to spiral-drawing performance. Conclusion: Older age is related to worse fine motor skills, which can be captured by clinical scoring or quantitative measures of the Archimedes spiral-drawing test. Persons with a tremor performed worse on almost all measures of the spiral-drawing test. Furthermore, larger cerebral volume is related to better fine motor skills. PMID:25309436

Cognitive and motor aging in female chimpanzees.

PubMed

Lacreuse, Agnès; Russell, Jamie L; Hopkins, William D; Herndon, James G

2014-03-01

We present the first longitudinal data on cognitive and motor aging in the chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes). Thirty-eight adult female chimpanzees (10-54 years old) were studied. The apes were tested longitudinally for 3 years in a modified Primate Cognition Test Battery, which comprised 12 tests of physical and social cognition. The chimpanzees were also administered a fine motor task requiring them to remove a steel nut from rods of various complexity. There was little evidence for an age-related decline in tasks of Physical Cognition: for most tasks, performance was either stable or improved with repeated testing across age groups. An exception was Spatial Memory, for which 4 individuals more than 50 years old experienced a significant performance decline across the 3 years of testing. Poorer performance with age was found in 2 tasks of Social Cognition, an attention-getting task and a gaze-following task. A slight motor impairment was also observed, with old chimpanzees improving less than younger animals with repeated testing on the simplest rod. Hormonal status effects were restricted to spatial memory, with non-cycling females outperforming cycling females independently of age. Unexpectedly, older chimpanzees were better than younger individuals in understanding causality relationships based on sound. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

10 CFR 431.17 - Determination of efficiency.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... state-registered professional engineer, who is qualified to perform an evaluation of electric motor... EQUIPMENT Electric Motors Test Procedures, Materials Incorporated and Methods of Determining Efficiency § 431.17 Determination of efficiency. When a party determines the energy efficiency of an electric motor...

Interaction between motor ability and skill learning in children: Application of implicit and explicit approaches.

PubMed

Maxwell, Jon P; Capio, Catherine M; Masters, Rich S W

2017-05-01

The benefits of implicit and explicit motor learning approaches in young adults have been studied extensively, but much less in children. This study investigated the relationship between fundamental motor ability and implicit/explicit learning in children using the errorless learning paradigm. First, the motor ability of 261 children (142 boys, 119 girls) aged 9-12 years (M = 9.74, SD = 0.67) was measured. Second, children with motor ability scores in the upper and lower quartile learned a golf-putting skill in either an errorless (implicit) or errorful (explicit) learning condition. Four groups were formed: Errorless High-Ability (n = 13), Errorless Low-Ability (n = 11), Errorful High-Ability (n = 10), and Errorful Low-Ability (n = 11). Learning consisted of 300 practice trials, while testing included a 50-trial retention test, followed by a 50-trial secondary task transfer test, and another 50-trial retention test. The results showed that for high- and low-ability errorless learners, motor performance was unaffected by the secondary task, as was the case for high-ability errorful learners. Low-ability errorful learners performed worse with a secondary task and were significantly poorer than the corresponding high-ability group. These results suggest that implicit motor learning (errorless) may be beneficial for children with low motor ability. The findings also show a trend that children of high motor ability might benefit from learning explicitly (errorful). Further research is recommended to examine the compatibility of implicit and explicit approaches for children of different abilities.

The impact of diurnal sleep on the consolidation of a complex gross motor adaptation task

PubMed Central

Hoedlmoser, Kerstin; Birklbauer, Juergen; Schabus, Manuel; Eibenberger, Patrick; Rigler, Sandra; Mueller, Erich

2015-01-01

Diurnal sleep effects on consolidation of a complex, ecological valid gross motor adaptation task were examined using a bicycle with an inverse steering device. We tested 24 male subjects aged between 20 and 29 years using a between-subjects design. Participants were trained to adapt to the inverse steering bicycle during 45 min. Performance was tested before (TEST1) and after (TEST2) training, as well as after a 2 h retention interval (TEST3). During retention, participants either slept or remained awake. To assess gross motor performance, subjects had to ride the inverse steering bicycle 3 × 30 m straight-line and 3 × 30 m through a slalom. Beyond riding time, we sophisticatedly measured performance accuracy (standard deviation of steering angle) in both conditions using a rotatory potentiometer. A significant decrease of accuracy during straight-line riding after nap and wakefulness was shown. Accuracy during slalom riding remained stable after wakefulness but was reduced after sleep. We found that the duration of rapid eye movement sleep as well as sleep spindle activity are negatively related with gross motor performance changes over sleep. Together these findings suggest that the consolidation of adaptation to a new steering device does not benefit from a 2 h midday nap. We speculate that in case of strongly overlearned motor patterns such as normal cycling, diurnal sleep spindles and rapid eye movement sleep might even help to protect everyday needed skills, and to rapidly forget newly acquired, interfering and irrelevant material. PMID:25256866

A Portable Platform for Evaluation of Visual Performance in Glaucoma Patients

PubMed Central

Rosen, Peter N.; Boer, Erwin R.; Gracitelli, Carolina P. B.; Abe, Ricardo Y.; Diniz-Filho, Alberto; Marvasti, Amir H.; Medeiros, Felipe A.

2015-01-01

Purpose To propose a new tablet-enabled test for evaluation of visual performance in glaucoma, the PERformance CEntered Portable Test (PERCEPT), and to evaluate its ability to predict history of falls and motor vehicle crashes. Design Cross-sectional study. Methods The study involved 71 patients with glaucomatous visual field defects on standard automated perimetry (SAP) and 59 control subjects. The PERCEPT was based on the concept of increasing visual task difficulty to improve detection of central visual field losses in glaucoma patients. Subjects had to perform a foveal 8-alternative-forced-choice orientation discrimination task, while detecting a simultaneously presented peripheral stimulus within a limited presentation time. Subjects also underwent testing with the Useful Field of View (UFOV) divided attention test. The ability to predict history of motor vehicle crashes and falls was investigated by odds ratios and incident-rate ratios, respectively. Results When adjusted for age, only the PERCEPT processing speed parameter showed significantly larger values in glaucoma compared to controls (difference: 243ms; P<0.001). PERCEPT results had a stronger association with history of motor vehicle crashes and falls than UFOV. Each 1 standard deviation increase in PERCEPT processing speed was associated with an odds ratio of 2.69 (P = 0.003) for predicting history of motor vehicle crashes and with an incident-rate ratio of 1.95 (P = 0.003) for predicting history of falls. Conclusion A portable platform for testing visual function was able to detect functional deficits in glaucoma, and its results were significantly associated with history of involvement in motor vehicle crashes and history of falls. PMID:26445501

Sensory-guided motor tasks benefit from mental training based on serial prediction

PubMed Central

Binder, Ellen; Hagelweide, Klara; Wang, Ling E.; Kornysheva, Katja; Grefkes, Christian; Fink, Gereon R.; Schubotz, Ricarda I.

2017-01-01

Mental strategies have been suggested to constitute a promising approach to improve motor abilities in both healthy subjects and patients. This behavioural effect has been shown to be associated with changes of neural activity in premotor areas, not only during movement execution, but also while performing motor imagery or action observation. However, how well such mental tasks are performed is often difficult to assess, especially in patients. We here used a novel mental training paradigm based on the serial prediction task (SPT) in order to activate premotor circuits in the absence of a motor task. We then tested whether this intervention improves motor-related performance such as sensorimotor transformation. Two groups of healthy young participants underwent a single-blinded five-day cognitive training schedule and were tested in four different motor tests on the day before and after training. One group (N = 22) received the SPT-training and the other one (N = 21) received a control training based on a serial match-to-sample task. The results revealed significant improvements of the SPT-group in a sensorimotor timing task, i.e. synchronization of finger tapping to a visually presented rhythm, as well as improved visuomotor coordination in a sensory-guided pointing task compared to the group that received the control training. However, mental training did not show transfer effects on motor abilities in healthy subjects beyond the trained modalities as evident by non-significant changes in the Jebsen–Taylor handfunctiontest. In summary, the data suggest that mental training based on the serial prediction task effectively engages sensorimotor circuits and thereby improves motor behaviour. PMID:24321273

Flight Test of the Aerojet 7KS-6000 T-27 Jato Rocket Motor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bond, Aleck C.; Thibodaux, Joseph G., Jr.

1949-01-01

A flight test of the Aero jet Engineering Corporation's 7KS-6000 T-27 Jato rocket motor was conducted at the Langley Pilotless Aircraft Research Station at Wallops Island, Va, to determine the flight performance characteristics of the motor. The flight test imposed an absolute longitudinal acceleration of 9.8 g upon the rocket motor at 2.8 seconds after launching. The total impulse developed by the motor was 43,400 pound-seconds, and the thrusting time was 7.58 seconds. The maximum thrust was 7200 pounds and occurred at 4.8 seconds after launching. No thrust irregularities attributable to effects of the flight longitudinal acceleration were observed. Certain small thrust irregularities occurred in the flight test which appear to correspond to irregularities observed in static tests conducted elsewhere. A hypothesis regarding the origin of these small irregularities is presented.

COLD TEMPERATURE MOTOR VEHICLE EMISSIONS TESTING IN ALASKA

EPA Science Inventory

A motor vehicle emissions testing study was conducted in Anchorage and Fairbanks during the winter of 1998-99 to collect actual measurements of initial idle emission rates. The study was performed for a sample of 111 automobiles and light-duty trucks under cold wintertime ambient...

The effects of a single bout of exercise on motor memory interference in the trained and untrained hemisphere.

PubMed

Lauber, Benedikt; Franke, Steffen; Taube, Wolfgang; Gollhofer, Albert

2017-04-07

Increasing evidence suggests that cardiovascular exercise has positive effects on motor memory consolidation. In this study, we investigated whether a single session of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) mitigates the effects of practicing an interfering motor task. Furthermore, learning and interference effects were assessed in the actively trained and untrained limb as it is known that unilateral motor learning can cause bilateral adaptations. Subjects performed a ballistic training and then the HIIT either before (HIIT_before) or after (HIIT_after) practicing an interfering accuracy task (AT). The control group (No_HIIT) did not participate in the HIIT but rested instead. Performance in the ballistic task (BT) was tested before and after the ballistic training, after the exercise and practice of the AT and 24h later. After ballistic training, all groups showed comparable increases in performance in the trained and untrained limb. Despite the practice of the AT, HIIT_before maintained their BT performance after the high-intensity interval training whereas HIIT_after (trend) & No_HIIT showed prominent interference effects. After 24h, HIIT_before still did not show any interference effects but further improved ballistic motor performance. HIIT_after counteracted the interference resulting in a comparable BT performance after 24h than directly after the ballistic training while No_HIIT had a significantly lower BT performance in the retention test. The results were similar in the trained and untrained limb. The current results imply that a single session of cardiovascular exercise can prevent motor interference in the trained and untrained hemisphere. Overall learning was best, and interference least, when HIIT was performed before the interfering motor task. Copyright © 2017 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Position of pelvis in the 3rd month of life predicts further motor development.

PubMed

Gajewska, Ewa; Sobieska, Magdalena; Moczko, Jerzy

2018-06-01

The aim of the study is to select elements of motor skills assessed at 3 months that provide the best predictive properties for motor development at 9 months. In all children a physiotherapeutic assessment of the quantitative and qualitative development at the age of 3 months was performed in the prone and supine positions, which was presented in previous papers as the quantitative and qualitative assessment sheet of motor development. The neurological examination at the age of 9 months was based on the Denver Development Screening Test II and the evaluation of reflexes, muscle tone (hypotony and hypertony), and symmetry. The particular elements of motor performance assessment were shown to have distinct predictive value for further motor development (as assessed at 9 months), and the pelvis position was the strongest predictive element. Irrespective of the symptomatic and anamnestic factors the inappropriate motor performance may already be detected in the 3rd month of life and is predictive for further motor development. The assessment of the motor performance should be performed in both supine and prone positions. The proper position of pelvis summarizes the proper positioning of the whole spine and ensures proper further motor development. To our knowledge, the presented motor development assessment sheet allows the earliest prediction of motor disturbances. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Reactivity, stability, and strength performance capacity in motor sports.

PubMed

Baur, H; Müller, S; Hirschmüller, A; Huber, G; Mayer, F

2006-11-01

Racing drivers require multifaceted cognitive and physical abilities in a multitasking situation. A knowledge of their physical capacities may help to improve fitness and performance. To compare reaction time, stability performance capacity, and strength performance capacity of élite racing drivers with those of age-matched, physically active controls. Eight élite racing drivers and 10 physically active controls matched for age and weight were tested in a reaction and determination test requiring upper and lower extremity responses to visual and audio cues. Further tests comprised evaluation of one-leg postural stability on a two-dimensional moveable platform, measures of maximum strength performance capacity of the extensors of the leg on a leg press, and a test of force capacity of the arms in a sitting position at a steering wheel. An additional arm endurance test consisted of isometric work at the steering wheel at +30 degrees and -30 degrees where an eccentric threshold load of 30 N.m was applied. Subjects had to hold the end positions above this threshold until exhaustion. Univariate one way analysis of variance (alpha = 0.05) including a Bonferroni adjustment was used to detect group differences between the drivers and controls. The reaction time of the racing drivers was significantly faster than the controls (p = 0.004). The following motor reaction time and reaction times in the multiple determination test did not differ between the groups. No significant differences (p>0.05) were found for postural stability, leg extensor strength, or arm strength and endurance. Racing drivers have faster reaction times than age-matched physically active controls. Further development of motor sport-specific test protocols is suggested. According to the requirements of motor racing, strength and sensorimotor performance capacity can potentially be improved.

Effects of Levodopa on Vowel Articulation in Patients with Parkinson's Disease.

PubMed

Okada, Yukihiro; Murata, Miho; Toda, Tatsushi

2016-04-27

The effects of levodopa on articulatory dysfunction in patients with Parkinson's disease remain inconclusive. This study aimed to investigate the effects of levodopa on isolated vowel articulation and motor performance in patients with moderate to severe Parkinson's disease, excluding speech fluctuations caused by dyskinesia. 21 patients (14 males and 7 females) and 21 age- and sex- matched healthy subjects were enrolled. Together with motor assessment, the patients phonated five Japanese isolated vowels (/a/, /i/, /u/, /e/, and /o/) 20 times before and 1 h after levodopa treatment. We made the frequency analysis of each vowel and measured the first and second formants. From these formants we constructed the pentagonal vowel space area which should be the good indicator for articulatory dysfunction of vowels. In control subjects, only speech samples were analyzed. To investigate the sequential relationship between plasma levodopa concentrations, motor performances, and acoustic measurements after treatment, entire drug cycle tests were performed in 4 patients. The pentagonal vowel space area was significantly expanded together with motor amelioration after levodopa treatment, although the enlargement is not enough for the space area of control subjects. Drug cycle tests revealed that sequential increases or decreases in plasma levodopa levels after treatment correlated well with expansion or decrease of the vowel space areas and improvement or deterioration of motor manifestations. Levodopa expanded the vowel space area and ameliorated motor performance, suggesting that dysfunctions in vowel articulation and motor performance in patients with Parkinson's disease are based on dopaminergic pathology.

Deficits in motor abilities and developmental fractionation of imitation performance in high-functioning autism spectrum disorders.

PubMed

Biscaldi, Monica; Rauh, Reinhold; Irion, Lisa; Jung, Nikolai H; Mall, Volker; Fleischhaker, Christian; Klein, Christoph

2014-07-01

The co-occurrence of motor and imitation disabilities often characterises the spectrum of deficits seen in patients with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Whether these seemingly separate deficits are inter-related and whether, in particular, motor deficits contribute to the expression of imitation deficits is the topic of the present study and was investigated by comparing these deficits' cross-sectional developmental trajectories. To that end, different components of motor performance assessed in the Zurich Neuromotor Assessment and imitation abilities for facial movements and non-meaningful gestures were tested in 70 subjects (aged 6-29 years), including 36 patients with high-functioning ASD and 34 age-matched typically developed (TD) participants. The results show robust deficits in probands with ASD in timed motor performance and in the quality of movement, which are all independent of age, with one exception. Only diadochokinesis improves moderately with increasing age in ASD probands. Imitation of facial movements and of non-meaningful hand, finger, hand finger gestures not related to social context or tool use is also impaired in ASD subjects, but in contrast to motor performance this deficit overall improves with age. A general imitation factor, extracted from the highly inter-correlated imitation tests, is differentially correlated with components of neuromotor performance in ASD and TD participants. By developmentally fractionating developmentally stable motor deficits from developmentally dynamic imitation deficits, we infer that imitation deficits are primarily cognitive in nature.

Nature of Motor Imitation Problems in School-Aged Boys with Autism: A Motor or a Cognitive Problem?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vanvuchelen, Marleen; Roeyers, Herbert; De Weerdt, Willy

2007-01-01

This case-control study explores the underlying mechanisms of imitation problems in boys with autism by manipulating imitation task variables and by correlating imitation performance with competence on general motor tests (Movement Assessment Battery for Children and Peabody Developmental Motor Scales). Fifty-five boys participated in this study:…

Cortical Motor Circuits after Piano Training in Adulthood: Neurophysiologic Evidence.

PubMed

Houdayer, Elise; Cursi, Marco; Nuara, Arturo; Zanini, Sonia; Gatti, Roberto; Comi, Giancarlo; Leocani, Letizia

2016-01-01

The neuronal mechanisms involved in brain plasticity after skilled motor learning are not completely understood. We aimed to study the short-term effects of keyboard training in music-naive subjects on the motor/premotor cortex activity and interhemispheric interactions, using electroencephalography and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). Twelve subjects (experimental group) underwent, before and after a two week-piano training: (1) hand-motor function tests: Jamar, grip and nine-hole peg tests; (2) electroencephalography, evaluating the mu rhythm task-related desynchronization (TRD) during keyboard performance; and (3) TMS, targeting bilateral abductor pollicis brevis (APB) and abductor digiti minimi (ADM), to obtain duration and area of ipsilateral silent period (ISP) during simultaneous tonic contraction of APB and ADM. Data were compared with 13 controls who underwent twice these measurements, in a two-week interval, without undergoing piano training. Every subject in the experimental group improved keyboard performance and left-hand nine-hole peg test scores. Pre-training, ISP durations were asymmetrical, left being longer than right. Post-training, right ISPAPB increased, leading to symmetrical ISPAPB. Mu TRD during motor performance became more focal and had a lesser amplitude than in pre-training, due to decreased activity over ventral premotor cortices. No such changes were evidenced in controls. We demonstrated that a 10-day piano-training was associated with balanced interhemispheric interactions both at rest and during motor activation. Piano training, in a short timeframe, may reshape local and inter-hemispheric motor cortical circuits.

Multivariate Relationships among Morphology, Fitness and Motor Coordination in Prepubertal Girls

PubMed Central

Luz, Leonardo G. O.; Coelho-e-Silva, Manuel J.; Duarte, João P.; Valente-dos-Santos, João; Machado-Rodrigues, Aristides; Seabra, André; Carmo, Bruno C. M.; Vaeyens, Roel; Philippaerts, Renaat M.; Cumming, Sean P.; Malina, Robert M.

2018-01-01

Motor coordination and physical fitness are multidimensional concepts which cannot be reduced to a single variable. This study evaluated multivariate relationships among morphology, physical fitness and motor coordination in 74 pre-pubertal girls 8.0-8.9 years of age. Data included body dimensions, eight fitness items and four motor coordination tasks (KTK battery). Maturity status was estimated as percentage of predicted mature stature attained at the time of observation. Canonical correlation analysis was used to examine the relationships between multivariate domains. Significant pairs of linear functions between indicators of morphology and fitness (rc = 0.778, Wilks’ Lambda = 0.175), and between fitness and motor coordination (rc = 0.765, Wilks’ Lambda = 0.289) were identified. Girls who were lighter and had a lower waist-to-stature ratio and % fat mass attained better scores in the endurance run, sit-ups and standing long jump tests, but poorer performances in hand grip strength and 2-kg ball throw. Better fitness test scores were also associated with better motor coordination scores. Relationships between body size and estimated fatness with motor fitness suggested an inverse relationship that was particularly evident in performance items that required the displacement of the body through space, while motor coordination was more closely related with fitness than with somatic variables. Key points Morphology and motor coordination were not substantially related in this sample of 8-year-old girls suggesting that motor coordination was independent of variation in morphology. Sit-ups (abdominal strength and endurance), the 10x5-m shuttle run (agility) and the 20-m aerobic endurance tests were the main contributors to the significant canonical correlation between fitness and motor coordination. By inference, development of these components of fitness is important during the primary school years. Relationships between estimated maturity status based on percentage of predicted mature height and fitness and coordination were negligible, with the exception of a moderate and inverse association with aerobic endurance. Nevertheless, within the single chronological age group, girls who were advanced in maturity status tended to taller and heavier and performed better in tests which did not require displacement of the body through space. PMID:29769820

Auditory and motor imagery modulate learning in music performance

PubMed Central

Brown, Rachel M.; Palmer, Caroline

2013-01-01

Skilled performers such as athletes or musicians can improve their performance by imagining the actions or sensory outcomes associated with their skill. Performers vary widely in their auditory and motor imagery abilities, and these individual differences influence sensorimotor learning. It is unknown whether imagery abilities influence both memory encoding and retrieval. We examined how auditory and motor imagery abilities influence musicians' encoding (during Learning, as they practiced novel melodies), and retrieval (during Recall of those melodies). Pianists learned melodies by listening without performing (auditory learning) or performing without sound (motor learning); following Learning, pianists performed the melodies from memory with auditory feedback (Recall). During either Learning (Experiment 1) or Recall (Experiment 2), pianists experienced either auditory interference, motor interference, or no interference. Pitch accuracy (percentage of correct pitches produced) and temporal regularity (variability of quarter-note interonset intervals) were measured at Recall. Independent tests measured auditory and motor imagery skills. Pianists' pitch accuracy was higher following auditory learning than following motor learning and lower in motor interference conditions (Experiments 1 and 2). Both auditory and motor imagery skills improved pitch accuracy overall. Auditory imagery skills modulated pitch accuracy encoding (Experiment 1): Higher auditory imagery skill corresponded to higher pitch accuracy following auditory learning with auditory or motor interference, and following motor learning with motor or no interference. These findings suggest that auditory imagery abilities decrease vulnerability to interference and compensate for missing auditory feedback at encoding. Auditory imagery skills also influenced temporal regularity at retrieval (Experiment 2): Higher auditory imagery skill predicted greater temporal regularity during Recall in the presence of auditory interference. Motor imagery aided pitch accuracy overall when interference conditions were manipulated at encoding (Experiment 1) but not at retrieval (Experiment 2). Thus, skilled performers' imagery abilities had distinct influences on encoding and retrieval of musical sequences. PMID:23847495

Effects of aquatic exercises in a rat model of brainstem demyelination with ethidium bromide on the beam walking test.

PubMed

Nassar, Cíntia Cristina Souza; Bondan, Eduardo Fernandes; Alouche, Sandra Regina

2009-09-01

Multiple sclerosis is a demyelinating disease of the central nervous system associated with varied levels of disability. The impact of early physiotherapeutic interventions in the disease progression is unknown. We used an experimental model of demyelination with the gliotoxic agent ethidium bromide and early aquatic exercises to evaluate the motor performance of the animals. We quantified the number of footsteps and errors during the beam walking test. The demyelinated animals walked fewer steps with a greater number of errors than the control group. The demyelinated animals that performed aquatic exercises presented a better motor performance than those that did not exercise. Therefore aquatic exercising was beneficial to the motor performance of rats in this experimental model of demyelination.

Ocular dominance stability and reading skill: a controversial relationship.

PubMed

Zeri, Fabrizio; De Luca, Maria; Spinelli, Donatella; Zoccolotti, Pierluigi

2011-11-01

Evidence is mixed concerning the relationship between stability of ocular dominance and reading deficits. Contrasting results may be due to the use of different tests of dominance, different samples of readers, and different scoring methods. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship among ocular dominance, general visual abilities, and reading performance, and to evaluate the consistency and reliability of different tests of ocular dominance and the effects of different types of eye dominance scoring. In a group of young adults, we measured: (a) main optometric parameters; (b) reading time and accuracy; and (c) ocular dominance in two sighting and four motor tests. Dominance was determined using different scoring methods (relative, absolute, and binary scores). All dominance tests showed good levels of internal reliability. Sighting tests were consistent regardless of the scoring method, and all participants had stable dominance. Three of four motor tests were moderately consistent when dominance was measured with relative scores but not when it was measured with absolute or binary scores. No relationship was found between stability of dominance and reading performance, regardless of the type of test or scoring method. No systematic pattern of correlation was found between binocular vision variables and dominance measures. Choosing the type of motor test to measure ocular dominance is crucial, because the level of consistency among tests is low to moderate. Furthermore, motor tests were not correlated with reading performances. Present results suggest caution when trying to link reading difficulties with specific profiles of ocular dominance.

Factors associated with motor performance among overweight and nonoverweight Tyrolean primary school children.

PubMed

Ruedl, Gerhard; Greier, Klaus; Kirschner, Werner; Kopp, Martin

2016-01-01

The increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity among children is often associated with motor deficits. Motor performance among children partly depends on modifiable factors, for example, weight status, electronic media use, sports club participation, and on nonmodifiable factors, for example, sex, age, migration background, or socio-economic status. To evaluate factors associated with motor performance among overweight and nonoverweight Tyrolean primary school children. Height, weight, and sport motor performance of primary school children were measured using the German motor performance test DMT 6-18. In addition, children were asked about migration background, sports club participation, and electronic media use in their room. A total of 304 children (48.7% girls) with a mean age of 8.0 ± 1.2 years were tested. In total, 61 (20.1%) children were overweight or obese. Regarding motor performance, nonoverweight children showed significantly higher total z-scores (106.8 ± 5.7 vs. 102.4 ± 6.8). For the total cohort, results of the multiple linear regression analysis (R (2) = 0.20) revealed that factors male sex (β = 0.12), nonoverweight children (β = 0.28), higher school grade (β = 0.23), sports club participation (β = 0.18),and > 2 weekly lessons of physical education (β = 0.26) were associated with an increased motor performance. For nonoverweight children results of the multiple linear regression analysis (R (2) = 0.09) found that a higher school grade (β = 0.17), sports club participation (β = 0.16),and more than 2 weekly lessons of physical education (β = 0.22) were associated with an increased motor performance. For the overweight children, results of the multiple linear regression analysis (R (2) = 0 .43) showed that no migration background (β = 0.23), a higher school grade (β = 0.55), sports club participation (β = 0.33) and more than 2 weekly lessons of physical education (β = 0.48) were associated with an increased motor performance. Regarding modifiable factors, motor performance among overweight and nonoverweight children is strongly associated with a higher number of weekly lessons in physical education. Therefore, daily lessons in physical education are strongly recommended to improve motor performance especially among overweight primary school children.

Internal Flow Simulation of Enhanced Performance Solid Rocket Booster for the Space Transportation System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ahmad, Rashid A.; McCool, Alex (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

An enhanced performance solid rocket booster concept for the space shuttle system has been proposed. The concept booster will have strong commonality with the existing, proven, reliable four-segment Space Shuttle Reusable Solid Rocket Motors (RSRM) with individual component design (nozzle, insulator, etc.) optimized for a five-segment configuration. Increased performance is desirable to further enhance safety/reliability and/or increase payload capability. Performance increase will be achieved by adding a fifth propellant segment to the current four-segment booster and opening the throat to accommodate the increased mass flow while maintaining current pressure levels. One development concept under consideration is the static test of a "standard" RSRM with a fifth propellant segment inserted and appropriate minimum motor modifications. Feasibility studies are being conducted to assess the potential for any significant departure in component performance/loading from the well-characterized RSRM. An area of concern is the aft motor (submerged nozzle inlet, aft dome, etc.) where the altered internal flow resulting from the performance enhancing features (25% increase in mass flow rate, higher Mach numbers, modified subsonic nozzle contour) may result in increased component erosion and char. To assess this issue and to define the minimum design changes required to successfully static test a fifth segment RSRM engineering test motor, internal flow studies have been initiated. Internal aero-thermal environments were quantified in terms of conventional convective heating and discrete phase alumina particle impact/concentration and accretion calculations via Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulation. Two sets of comparative CFD simulations of the RSRM and the five-segment (IBM) concept motor were conducted with CFD commercial code FLUENT. The first simulation involved a two-dimensional axi-symmetric model of the full motor, initial grain RSRM. The second set of analyses included three-dimensional models of the RSRM and FSM aft motors with four-degree vectored nozzles.

Space shuttle booster separation motor design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, G. W.; Chase, C. A.

1976-01-01

The separation characteristics of the space shuttle solid rocket boosters (SRBs) are introduced along with the system level requirements for the booster separation motors (BSMs). These system requirements are then translated into specific motor requirements that control the design of the BSM. Each motor component is discussed including its geometry, material selection, and fabrication process. Also discussed is the propellant selection, grain design, and performance capabilities of the motor. The upcoming test program to develop and qualify the motor is outlined.

The Effects of Rhythm and Robotic Interventions on the Imitation/Praxis, Interpersonal Synchrony, and Motor Performance of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

Srinivasan, Sudha M.; Kaur, Maninderjit; Park, Isabel K.; Gifford, Timothy D.; Marsh, Kerry L.; Bhat, Anjana N.

2015-01-01

We assessed the effects of three interventions, rhythm, robotic, and standard-of-care, on the imitation/praxis, interpersonal synchrony, and overall motor performance of 36 children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) between 5 and 12 years of age. Children were matched on age, level of functioning, and services received, prior to random assignment to one of the three groups. Training was provided for 8 weeks with 4 sessions provided each week. We assessed generalized changes in motor skills from the pretest to the posttest using a standardized test of motor performance, the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency, 2nd edition (BOT-2). We also assessed training-specific changes in imitation/praxis and interpersonal synchrony during an early and a late session. Consistent with the training activities practiced, the rhythm and robot groups improved on the body coordination composite of the BOT-2, whereas the comparison group improved on the fine manual control composite of the BOT-2. All three groups demonstrated improvements in imitation/praxis. The rhythm and robot groups also showed improved interpersonal synchrony performance from the early to the late session. Overall, socially embedded movement-based contexts are valuable in promoting imitation/praxis, interpersonal synchrony, and motor performance and should be included within the standard-of-care treatment for children with ASD. PMID:26793394

Determination of efficiencies, loss mechanisms, and performance degradation factors in chopper controlled dc vehical motors. Section 1: Test program results and recommendations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hamilton, H. B.; Strangas, E.

1980-01-01

The conventional series motor model is discussed as well as procedures for obtaining, by test, the parameters necessary for calculating performance and losses. The calculated results for operation from ripple free DC are compared with observed test results, indicating approximately 5% or less error. Experimental data indicating the influence of brush shift and chopper frequency are also presented. Both factors have a significant effect on the speed and torque relationships. The losses and loss mechanisms present in a DC series motor are examined and an attempt is made to evaluate the added losses due to harmonic currents and fluxes. Findings with respect to these losses is summarized.

Does the Animal Fun program improve motor performance in children aged 4-6 years?

PubMed

Piek, J P; McLaren, S; Kane, R; Jensen, L; Dender, A; Roberts, C; Rooney, R; Packer, T; Straker, L

2013-10-01

The Animal Fun program was designed to enhance the motor ability of young children by imitating the movements of animals in a fun, inclusive setting. The efficacy of this program was investigated through a randomized controlled trial using a multivariate nested cohort design. Pre-intervention scores were recorded for 511 children aged 4.83 years to 6.17 years (M=5.42 years, SD=3.58 months). Six control and six intervention schools were compared 6 months later following the intervention, and then again at 18 months after the initial testing when the children were in their first school year. Changes in motor performance were examined using the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency short form. Data were analyzed using multi-level-mixed effects linear regression. A significant Condition×Time interaction was found, F(2,1219)=3.35, p=.035, demonstrating that only the intervention group showed an improvement in motor ability. A significant Sex×Time interaction was also found, F(2,1219)=3.84, p=.022, with boys improving over time, but not girls. These findings have important implications for the efficacy of early intervention of motor skills and understanding the differences in motor performance between boys and girls. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cognitive and motor dual task gait training improve dual task gait performance after stroke - A randomized controlled pilot trial.

PubMed

Liu, Yan-Ci; Yang, Yea-Ru; Tsai, Yun-An; Wang, Ray-Yau

2017-06-22

This study investigated effects of cognitive and motor dual task gait training on dual task gait performance in stroke. Participants (n = 28) were randomly assigned to cognitive dual task gait training (CDTT), motor dual task gait training (MDTT), or conventional physical therapy (CPT) group. Participants in CDTT or MDTT group practiced the cognitive or motor tasks respectively during walking. Participants in CPT group received strengthening, balance, and gait training. The intervention was 30 min/session, 3 sessions/week for 4 weeks. Three test conditions to evaluate the training effects were single walking, walking while performing cognitive task (serial subtraction), and walking while performing motor task (tray-carrying). Parameters included gait speed, dual task cost of gait speed (DTC-speed), cadence, stride time, and stride length. After CDTT, cognitive-motor dual task gait performance (stride length and DTC-speed) was improved (p = 0.021; p = 0.015). After MDTT, motor dual task gait performance (gait speed, stride length, and DTC-speed) was improved (p = 0.008; p = 0.008; p = 0.008 respectively). It seems that CDTT improved cognitive dual task gait performance and MDTT improved motor dual task gait performance although such improvements did not reach significant group difference. Therefore, different types of dual task gait training can be adopted to enhance different dual task gait performance in stroke.

Motor heuristics and embodied choices: how to choose and act.

PubMed

Raab, Markus

2017-08-01

Human performance requires choosing what to do and how to do it. The goal of this theoretical contribution is to advance understanding of how the motor and cognitive components of choices are intertwined. From a holistic perspective I extend simple heuristics that have been tested in cognitive tasks to motor tasks, coining the term motor heuristics. Similarly I extend the concept of embodied cognition, that has been tested in simple sensorimotor processes changing decisions, to complex sport behavior coining the term embodied choices. Thus both motor heuristics and embodied choices explain complex behavior such as studied in sport and exercise psychology. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fine motor skills of the hands in Polish and Czech female senior citizens from different backgrounds.

PubMed

Skrzek, Anna; Přidalová, Miroslava; Sebastjan, Anna; Harásková, Dominika; Fugiel, Jaroslaw; Ignasiak, Zofia; Slawinska, Teresa; Rozek, Krystyna

2015-08-01

The aim of the present study was an in-depth analysis of fine motor skills of the hands in elderly women from different socio-cultural backgrounds. The research also included analysis of the associations of age with the variables assessing right- and left-hand motor skills and its effect on hand performance asymmetry. The study examined 486 women over the age of 60. The study measured dominant and non-dominant hand performance using the motor performance series test battery (aiming, line tracking, inserting pins, tapping) from the Vienna test system. The best results in the tests assessing coordinated hand movements were achieved by the group of elderly women attending a University of the Third Age in Poland. This may be the result of a larger variety of physical activity programs offered at this type of institution. However, due to the cross-sectional design of the study, additional research of a longitudinal nature needs to be performed using the same sample of individuals to draw any definitive conclusions. Additionally, a decrease in the differences between dominant and non-dominant hand function with age was observed.

Effects of motor congruence on visual working memory.

PubMed

Quak, Michel; Pecher, Diane; Zeelenberg, Rene

2014-10-01

Grounded-cognition theories suggest that memory shares processing resources with perception and action. The motor system could be used to help memorize visual objects. In two experiments, we tested the hypothesis that people use motor affordances to maintain object representations in working memory. Participants performed a working memory task on photographs of manipulable and nonmanipulable objects. The manipulable objects were objects that required either a precision grip (i.e., small items) or a power grip (i.e., large items) to use. A concurrent motor task that could be congruent or incongruent with the manipulable objects caused no difference in working memory performance relative to nonmanipulable objects. Moreover, the precision- or power-grip motor task did not affect memory performance on small and large items differently. These findings suggest that the motor system plays no part in visual working memory.

Effects of an integrated physical education/music program in changing early childhood perceptual-motor performance.

PubMed

Brown, J; Sherrill, C; Gench, B

1981-08-01

Two approaches to facilitating perceptual-motor development in children, ages 4 to 6 yr., were investigated. The experimental group (n = 15) received 24 sessions of integrated physical education/music instruction based upon concepts of Kodaly and Dalcroze. The control group (n = 15) received 24 sessions of movement exploration and self-testing instruction. Analysis of covariance indicated that significant improvement occurred only in the experimental group, with discharges changes in the motor, auditory, and language aspects of perceptual-motor performance as well as total score.

Fine and gross motor skills differ between healthy-weight and obese children.

PubMed

Gentier, Ilse; D'Hondt, Eva; Shultz, Sarah; Deforche, Benedicte; Augustijn, Mireille; Hoorne, Sofie; Verlaecke, Katja; De Bourdeaudhuij, Ilse; Lenoir, Matthieu

2013-11-01

Within the obesity literature, focus is put on the link between weight status and gross motor skills. However, research on fine motor skills in the obese (OB) childhood population is limited. Therefore, the present study focused on possible weight related differences in gross as well as fine motor skill tasks. Thirty-four OB children (12 ♀ and 22 ♂, aged 7-13 years) were recruited prior to participating in a multidisciplinary treatment program at the Zeepreventorium (De Haan, Belgium). Additionally, a control group of 34 age and gender-matched healthy-weight (HW) children was included in the study. Anthropometric measures were recorded and gross and fine motor skills were assessed using the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency, second edition (BOT-2). Results were analyzed by independent samples t-tests, multivariate analysis of variance, and a chi-squared test. Being OB was detrimental for all subtests evaluating gross motor skill performance (i.e., upper-limb coordination, bilateral coordination, balance, running speed and agility, and strength). Furthermore, OB children performed worse in fine motor precision and a manual dexterity task, when compared to their HW peers. No group differences existed for the fine motor integration task. Our study provides evidence that lower motor competence in OB children is not limited to gross motor skills alone; OB children are also affected by fine motor skill problems. Further investigation is warranted to provide possible explanations for these differences. It is tentatively suggested that OB children experience difficulties with the integration and processing of sensory information. Future research is needed to explore whether this assumption is correct and what the underlying mechanism(s) could be. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Infant Motor Skills After a Cardiac Operation: The Need for Developmental Monitoring and Care.

PubMed

Uzark, Karen; Smith, Cynthia; Donohue, Janet; Yu, Sunkyung; Romano, Jennifer C

2017-08-01

Neurodevelopmental dysfunction is increasingly recognized as a common outcome of congenital heart defects and their treatment in infancy. The effects of the intensive care unit (ICU) experience and environment on these infants are unknown and potentially modifiable, but no validated metric is available for objective evaluation of early motor impairments in the ICU/hospital setting. The purpose of this study was to characterize the motor status of hospitalized infants after cardiac operations, including the development and field-testing of the Congenital Heart Assessment of Sensory and Motor Status (CHASMS) metric. CHASMS item generation was based on review of the literature, focused interviews with parents, and expert consensus. A nurse administered CHASMS to 100 infants aged younger than 10 months old undergoing cardiac operations. Preoperative and postoperative CHASMS scores were compared, and associations between CHASMS scores and patient characteristics were examined. Physical therapists assessed neuromotor skills by using the Test of Infant Motor Performance or the Alberta Infant Motor Scales for correlation with CHASMS scores. CHASMS gross motor scores declined postoperatively in 64% (25 of 39). Lower CHASMS scores, after adjusting for age, were associated with longer duration of mechanical ventilation (p < 0.001) and ICU length of stay (p = 0.001). Gross motor CHASMS scores were significantly correlated with Test of Infant Motor Performance (r = 0.70, p < 0.001) and Alberta Infant Motor Scales scores (r = 0.88, p < 0.001). Motor impairments in infants after cardiac operations are common and may be exacerbated by longer intubation and prolonged exposure to the ICU environment. The feasibility, reliability, and validity of CHASMS were supported for the evaluation of motor skills in this at-risk population. Copyright © 2017 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Non-Asbestos Insulation Testing Using a Plasma Torch

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morgan, R. E.; Prince, A. S.; Selvidge, S. A.; Phelps, J.; Martin, C. L.; Lawrence, T. W.

2000-01-01

Insulation obsolescence issues are a major concern for the Reusable Solid Rocket Motor (RSRM). As old sources of raw materials disappear, new sources must be found and qualified. No simple, inexpensive test presently exists for predicting the erosion performance of a candidate insulation in the full-scale motor, Large motor tests cost million of dollars and therefore can only be used on a few very select candidates. There is a need for a simple, low cost method of screening insulation performance that can simulate some of the different erosion environments found in the RSRM. This paper describes a series of erosion tests on two different non-asbestos insulation formulations, a KEVLAR(registered) fiber-filled and a carbon fiber-filled insulation containing Ethylene-Propylene-Diene Monomer (EPDM) rubber as the binder. The test instrument was a plasma torch device. The two main variables investigated were heat flux and alumina particle impingement concentration. Statistical analysis revealed that the two different formulations had very different responses to the main variable. The results of this work indicate that there may be fundamental differences in how these insulation formulations perform in the motor operating environment. The plasma torch appears to offer a low-cost means of obtaining a fundamental understanding of insulation response to critical factors in a series of statistically designed experiments.

Body image, perceived physical ability, and motor performance in nonoverweight and overweight Italian children.

PubMed

Colella, Dario; Morano, Milena; Robazza, Claudio; Bortoli, Laura

2009-02-01

The purpose was to examine body image, perceived physical ability, and motor performance in nonoverweight (n=105, 53 boys and 52 girls) and overweight (n=105, 52 boys and 53 girls) children, ranging in age from 8 to 10 years and attending elementary schools in southeastern Italy. Body image was measured on Collins' Child Figure Drawings, while self-efficacy was assessed by the Perceived Physical Ability Scale for Children. Age-appropriate field-based tests of standing long jump, 1-kg medicine-ball throw, basketball throw, and 10-m and 20-m sprint from a standing position were also administered to gauge motor performance. Univariate analyses of variance [2 (group) x 2 (sex) x 3 (8, 9, 10 yr.)] showed that overweight children reported larger body-dissatisfaction scores, lower self-efficacy scores, and poorer performance on weight-bearing tasks than nonoverweight peers. In addition, boys had higher mean scores on physical self-efficacy and better performance on all motor tests. The correlation between Body Mass Index and body dissatisfaction was positive for boys and girls.

Large-Scale Hybrid Motor Testing. Chapter 10

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Story, George

2006-01-01

Hybrid rocket motors can be successfully demonstrated at a small scale virtually anywhere. There have been many suitcase sized portable test stands assembled for demonstration of hybrids. They show the safety of hybrid rockets to the audiences. These small show motors and small laboratory scale motors can give comparative burn rate data for development of different fuel/oxidizer combinations, however questions that are always asked when hybrids are mentioned for large scale applications are - how do they scale and has it been shown in a large motor? To answer those questions, large scale motor testing is required to verify the hybrid motor at its true size. The necessity to conduct large-scale hybrid rocket motor tests to validate the burn rate from the small motors to application size has been documented in several place^'^^.^. Comparison of small scale hybrid data to that of larger scale data indicates that the fuel burn rate goes down with increasing port size, even with the same oxidizer flux. This trend holds for conventional hybrid motors with forward oxidizer injection and HTPB based fuels. While the reason this is occurring would make a great paper or study or thesis, it is not thoroughly understood at this time. Potential causes include the fact that since hybrid combustion is boundary layer driven, the larger port sizes reduce the interaction (radiation, mixing and heat transfer) from the core region of the port. This chapter focuses on some of the large, prototype sized testing of hybrid motors. The largest motors tested have been AMROC s 250K-lbf thrust motor at Edwards Air Force Base and the Hybrid Propulsion Demonstration Program s 250K-lbf thrust motor at Stennis Space Center. Numerous smaller tests were performed to support the burn rate, stability and scaling concepts that went into the development of those large motors.

The Relationship between Gross Motor Skills and Academic Achievement in Children with Learning Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Westendorp, Marieke; Hartman, Esther; Houwen, Suzanne; Smith, Joanne; Visscher, Chris

2011-01-01

The present study compared the gross motor skills of 7- to 12-year-old children with learning disabilities (n = 104) with those of age-matched typically developing children (n = 104) using the Test of Gross Motor Development-2. Additionally, the specific relationships between subsets of gross motor skills and academic performance in reading,…

The influence of imagery capacity in motor performance improvement.

PubMed

Ruffino, Célia; Papaxanthis, Charalambos; Lebon, Florent

2017-10-01

Motor imagery (MI) training improves motor performance, but the inter-individual variability of this improvement remains still unexplored. In this study, we tested the influence of imagery ability on the performance improvement following MI training. Twenty participants were randomly distributed into the MI or control group. They actually performed, at pre- and post-test sessions, a revisited version of the Nine Hole Peg Test, a speed-accuracy trade-off task, commonly used in clinics. Between the tests, the MI group mentally trained on the task (5 blocks of 10 trials), while the control group watched a non-emotional documentary. Before and during MI training, we tested the imagery ability of the MI group, by the revised version of Movement Imagery Questionnaire and by the estimation of vividness for the movement task at each block (subjective evaluation-SE). In the post-test, the MI group significantly decreased the movement duration by -12.1 ± 5.7% (P < 0.001), whereas the control group did not (-2.68 ± 5%, P = 0.68). For the MI group, the percentage of improvement was correlated neither to the MIQ-R nor to the SE reported after block 1. However, we observed an evolution of the SE during training, with a positive correlation between performance improvement and SE at block 4 (R = 0.61, P = 0.03) and at block 5 (R = 0.68, P = 0.04). The current study shows that motor performance may be positively influenced, whilst not predicted, by the capacity to form vivid movement images throughout the mental training. These findings are of interest for clinical interventions using MI as a complementary rehabilitation tool.

Design and test of a four channel motor for electromechanical flight control actuation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1984-01-01

To provide a suitable electromagnetic torque summing approach to flight control system redundancy, a four channel motor capable of sustaining full performance after any two credible failures was designed, fabricated, and tested. The design consists of a single samarium cobalt permanent magnet rotor with four separate three phase windings arrayed in individual stator quadrants around the periphery. Trade studies established the sensitivities of weight and performance to such parameters as design speed, winding pattern, number of poles, magnet configuration, and strength. The motor electromagnetically sums the torque of the individual channels on a single rotor and eliminate complex mechanical gearing arrangements.

Bradykinesia and bradyphrenia revisited: patterns of subclinical deficit in motor speed and cognitive functioning in head-injured patients with good recovery.

PubMed

Gray, C; Cantagallo, A; Della Sala, S; Basaglia, N

1998-05-01

Twenty-four patients, showing a good clinical recovery from coma-inducing injury and coping well with the activities of everyday living, were tested, at least 1 year after trauma, on motor speed and reaction time, and given a neuropsychological examination. While the patients generally performed within the normal range on the neuropsychological tests, their motor speeds and reaction times--both simple (SRT) and complex (CRT)--were significantly slower than those of matched controls. This points to a subclinical bradykinesia. The patients' motor speed scores did not correlate significantly with any of the neuropsychological tests; nor did SRT or CRT. While the difference between simple and complex reaction time was significantly greater in the patient group, the percentage difference was not significantly different between the two groups. Collectively, these results suggest that bradykinesia and bradyphrenia do not necessarily overlap. Finally, there was no significant correlation between motor performance and severity of original injury, whether the latter was measured by number and size of lesions or by duration of post-traumatic amnesia.

Lumbopelvic motor control and low back pain in elite soccer players: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Grosdent, Stéphanie; Demoulin, Christophe; Rodriguez de La Cruz, Carlos; Giop, Romain; Tomasella, Marco; Crielaard, Jean-Michel; Vanderthommen, Marc

2016-01-01

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the history of low back pain and quality of lumbopelvic motor control in soccer players. Forty-three male elite soccer players (mean age, 18.2 ± 1.4 years) filled in questionnaires related to low back pain and attended a session to assess lumbopelvic motor control by means of five tests (the bent knee fall out test, the knee lift abdominal test, the sitting knee extension test, the waiter's bow and the transversus abdominis test). A physiotherapist, blinded to the medical history of the participants, scored (0 = failed, 1 = correct) the performance of the players for each of the tests resulting in a lumbopelvic motor control score ranging from 0 to 5. Forty-seven per cent of the soccer players reported a disabling low back pain episode lasting at least two consecutive days in the previous year. These players scored worse lumbopelvic motor control than players without a history of low back pain (lumbopelvic motor control score of 1.8 vs. 3.3, P < 0.01). The between-groups difference was particularly marked for the bent knee fall out test, the knee lift abdominal test and the transversus abdominis test (P < 0.01). In conclusion, most soccer players with a history of low back pain had an altered lumbopelvic motor control. Further research should examine whether lumbopelvic motor control is etiologically involved in low back pain episodes in soccer players.

Cumulative effects of anodal and priming cathodal tDCS on pegboard test performance and motor cortical excitability.

PubMed

Christova, Monica; Rafolt, Dietmar; Gallasch, Eugen

2015-01-01

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) protocols applied over the primary motor cortex are associated with changes in motor performance. This transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) study examines whether cathodal tDCS prior to motor training, combined with anodal tDCS during motor training improves motor performance and off-line learning. Three study groups (n=36) were trained on the grooved pegboard test (GPT) in a randomized, between-subjects design: SHAM-sham stimulation prior and during training, STIM1-sham stimulation prior and atDCS during training, STIM2-ctDCS stimulation prior and atDCS during training. Motor performance was assessed by GPT completion time and retested 14 days later to determine off-line learning. Cortical excitability was assessed via TMS at baseline (T0), prior training (T1), after training (T2), and 60 min after training (T3). Motor evoked potentials (MEP) were recorded from m. abductor pollicis brevis of the active left hand. GPT completion time was reduced for both stimulated groups compared to SHAM. For STIM2 this reduction in time was significantly higher than for STIM1 and further off-line learning occurred after STIM2. After ctDCS at T1, MEP amplitude and intracortical facilitation was decreased and intracortical inhibition was increased. After atDCS at T2, an opposite effect was observed for STIM1 and STIM2. For STIM2 these neuromodulatory effects were retained until T3. It is concluded that application of atDCS during the training improves pegboard performance and that additional priming with ctDCS has a positive effect on off-line learning. These cumulative behavioral gains were indicated by the preceding neuromodulatory changes. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Sema4D/CD100 deficiency leads to superior performance in mouse motor behavior.

PubMed

Yukawa, Kazunori; Tanaka, Tetsuji; Takeuchi, Noriko; Iso, Hiroyuki; Li, Li; Kohsaka, Akira; Waki, Hidefumi; Miyajima, Masayasu; Maeda, Masanobu; Kikutani, Hitoshi; Kumanogoh, Atsushi

2009-05-01

Sema4D/CD100 is a type of class 4 semaphorin, exhibiting crucial roles in growth cone guidance in developing neurons. Sema4D is widely expressed throughout the central nervous system in embryonic mouse brain, and is selectively localized to oligodendrocytes and myelin in the postnatal brain. However, direct evidence of the actual involvement of Sema4D in the neuronal network development crucial for neurobehavioral performance is still lacking. The present study therefore examined whether Sema4D deficiency leads to abnormal behavioral development. Both wild-type and Sema4D-deficient mice were subjected to behavioral analyses including open-field, adhesive tape removal, rotarod tests and a water maze task. Open-field tests revealed increased locomotor activity in Sema4D-deficient mice with less percentage of time spent in the center of the field. In both the adhesive tape removal and rotarod tests, which examine motor coordination and balance, Sema4D-deficient mice showed significantly superior performance, suggesting facilitated motor behavior. Both Sema4D-deficient and wild-type mice successfully learnt the water maze task, locating a hidden escape platform, and also showed precise memory for the platform position in probe tests. However, the swimming speed of Sema4D-deficient mice was significantly faster than that of wild-type mice, providing further evidence of their accelerated motor behavior. Our mouse behavioral analyses revealed enhanced motor activity in Sema4D-deficient mice, suggesting the crucial involvement of Sema4D in the neurodevelopmental processes of the central structures mediating motor behavior in mice.

Neuropsychological Investigation of Motor Impairments in Autism

PubMed Central

Duffield, Tyler; Trontel, Haley; Bigler, Erin D.; Froehlich, Alyson; Prigge, Molly B.; Travers, Brittany; Green, Ryan R.; Cariello, Annahir N.; Cooperrider, Jason; Nielsen, Jared; Alexander, Andrew; Anderson, Jeffrey; Fletcher, P. Thomas; Lange, Nicholas; Zielinski, Brandon; Lainhart, Janet

2013-01-01

It is unclear how standardized neuropsychological measures of motor function relate to brain volumes of motor regions in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). An all male sample composed of 59 ASD and 30 controls (ages 5–33 years) completed three measures of motor function: strength of grip (SOG), finger tapping test (FTT), and grooved peg-board test (GPT). Likewise, all participants underwent magnetic resonance imaging with region of interest (ROI) volumes obtained to include the following regions: motor cortex (pre-central gyrus), somatosensory cortex (post-central gyrus), thalamus, basal ganglia, cerebellum and caudal middle frontal gyrus. These traditional neuropsychological measures of motor function are assumed to differ in motor complexity with GPT requiring the most followed by FTT and SOG. Performance by ASD participants on the GPT and FTT differed significantly from controls, with the largest effect size differences observed on the more complex GPT task. Differences on the SOG task between the two groups were non-significant. Since more complex motor tasks tap more complex networks, poorer GPT performance by those with ASD may reflect less efficient motor networks. There was no gross pathology observed in classic motor areas of the brain in ASD, as region of interest (ROI) volumes did not differ, but FTT was negatively related to motor cortex volume in ASD. The results suggest a hierarchical motor disruption in ASD, with difficulties evident only in more complex tasks as well as a potential anomalous size-function relation in motor cortex in ASD. PMID:23985036

Past and Present Large Solid Rocket Motor Test Capabilities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kowalski, Robert R.; Owen, David B., II

2011-01-01

A study was performed to identify the current and historical trends in the capability of solid rocket motor testing in the United States. The study focused on test positions capable of testing solid rocket motors of at least 10,000 lbf thrust. Top-level information was collected for two distinct data points plus/minus a few years: 2000 (Y2K) and 2010 (Present). Data was combined from many sources, but primarily focused on data from the Chemical Propulsion Information Analysis Center s Rocket Propulsion Test Facilities Database, and heritage Chemical Propulsion Information Agency/M8 Solid Rocket Motor Static Test Facilities Manual. Data for the Rocket Propulsion Test Facilities Database and heritage M8 Solid Rocket Motor Static Test Facilities Manual is provided to the Chemical Propulsion Information Analysis Center directly from the test facilities. Information for each test cell for each time period was compiled and plotted to produce a graphical display of the changes for the nation, NASA, Department of Defense, and commercial organizations during the past ten years. Major groups of plots include test facility by geographic location, test cells by status/utilization, and test cells by maximum thrust capability. The results are discussed.

Psychomotor performance during a 28 day head-down tilt with and without lower body negative pressure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Traon, A. Pavy-le; de Feneyrols, A. Rous; Cornac, A.; Abdeseelam, R.; N'uygen, D.; Lazerges, M.; Güell, A.; Bes, A.

Several factors may affect psychomotor performance in space: sensory-motor changes, sleep disturbances, psychological modifications induced by the social isolation and confinement. However, psychomotor performance is difficult to assess. A battery of standardized and computerized tests, so-called "Automated Portable Test System" (APTS) was devised to ascertain the cognitive, perceptive and motor abilities and their possible fluctuations according to environmental effects. Antiorthostatic bedrest, often used to simulate weightlessness, (particularly cardiovascular modifications) also constitutes a situation of social confinement and isolation. During two bedrest experiments (with head-down tilt of -6°) of 28 days each, we intended to assess psychomotor performance of 6 males so as to determine whether: —on the one hand, it could be altered by remaining in decubitus; —on the other, the Lower Body Negative Pressure sessions, designed to prevent orthostatic intolerance back on Earth, could improve the performance. To accomplish this, part of the APTS tests as well as an automated perceptive attention test were performed. No downgrading of psychomotor performance was observed. On the contrary, the tasks were more accurately performed over time. In order to assess the experimental conditions on the acquisition phase, the learning curves were modelled. A beneficial effect of the LBNP sessions on simple tests involving the visual-motor coordination and attention faculties can only be regarded as a mere trend. Methods used in this experiment are also discussed.

Aspects of Motor Performance and Preacademic Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Feder, Katya; Kerr, Robert

1996-01-01

The Miller Assessment for Preschoolers (MAP) and a number/counting test were given to 50 4- and 5-year-olds. Low performance on counting was related to significantly slower average response time, overshoot movement time, and reaction time, indicating perceptual-motor difficulty. Low MAP scores indicated difficulty processing visual spatial…

Assessment of motor balance and coordination in mice using the balance beam.

PubMed

Luong, Tinh N; Carlisle, Holly J; Southwell, Amber; Patterson, Paul H

2011-03-10

Brain injury, genetic manipulations, and pharmacological treatments can result in alterations of motor skills in mice. Fine motor coordination and balance can be assessed by the beam walking assay. The goal of this test is for the mouse to stay upright and walk across an elevated narrow beam to a safe platform. This test takes place over 3 consecutive days: 2 days of training and 1 day of testing. Performance on the beam is quantified by measuring the time it takes for the mouse to traverse the beam and the number of paw slips that occur in the process. Here we report the protocol used in our laboratory, and representative results from a cohort of C57BL/6 mice. This task is particularly useful for detecting subtle deficits in motor skills and balance that may not be detected by other motor tests, such as the Rotarod.

Assessment of Motor Balance and Coordination in Mice using the Balance Beam

PubMed Central

Southwell, Amber; Patterson, Paul H.

2011-01-01

Brain injury, genetic manipulations, and pharmacological treatments can result in alterations of motor skills in mice. Fine motor coordination and balance can be assessed by the beam walking assay. The goal of this test is for the mouse to stay upright and walk across an elevated narrow beam to a safe platform. This test takes place over 3 consecutive days: 2 days of training and 1 day of testing. Performance on the beam is quantified by measuring the time it takes for the mouse to traverse the beam and the number of paw slips that occur in the process. Here we report the protocol used in our laboratory, and representative results from a cohort of C57BL/6 mice. This task is particularly useful for detecting subtle deficits in motor skills and balance that may not be detected by other motor tests, such as the Rotarod. PMID:21445033

Curriculum enrichment with self-testing activities in development of fundamental movement skills of first-grade children in Greece.

PubMed

Karabourniotis, Dimitrios; Evaggelinou, Christina; Tzetzis, George; Kourtessis, Thomas

2002-06-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of self-testing activities on the development of fundamental movement skills in first-grade children in Greece. Two groups of children were tested. The Control group (n = 23 children) received the regular 12-wk. physical education school program and the Experimental group (n = 22 children) received a 12-wk. skill-oriented program with an increasing allotment of self-testing activities. The Test of Gross Motor Development was used to assess fundamental movement skills, while the content areas of physical education courses were estimated with an assessment protocol, based on the interval recording system called the Academic Learning Time-Physical Education. A 2 x 2 repeated measures analysis of variance with group as the between factor and testing time (pretest vs posttest) as the repeated-measures factor was performed to assess differences between the two groups. A significant interaction of group with testing time was found for the Test of Gross Motor Development total score, with the Experimental group scoring higher then the Control group. A significant main effect was also found for test but not for group. This study provides evidence supporting the notion that a balanced allotment of the self-testing and game activities beyond the usual curriculum increases the fundamental motor-skill development of children. Also, it stresses the necessity for content and performance standards for the fundamental motor skills in educational programs. Finally, it seems that the Test of Gross Motor Development is a useful tool for the assessment of children's fundamental movement skills.

The impact of diurnal sleep on the consolidation of a complex gross motor adaptation task.

PubMed

Hoedlmoser, Kerstin; Birklbauer, Juergen; Schabus, Manuel; Eibenberger, Patrick; Rigler, Sandra; Mueller, Erich

2015-02-01

Diurnal sleep effects on consolidation of a complex, ecological valid gross motor adaptation task were examined using a bicycle with an inverse steering device. We tested 24 male subjects aged between 20 and 29 years using a between-subjects design. Participants were trained to adapt to the inverse steering bicycle during 45 min. Performance was tested before (TEST1) and after (TEST2) training, as well as after a 2 h retention interval (TEST3). During retention, participants either slept or remained awake. To assess gross motor performance, subjects had to ride the inverse steering bicycle 3 × 30 m straight-line and 3 × 30 m through a slalom. Beyond riding time, we sophisticatedly measured performance accuracy (standard deviation of steering angle) in both conditions using a rotatory potentiometer. A significant decrease of accuracy during straight-line riding after nap and wakefulness was shown. Accuracy during slalom riding remained stable after wakefulness but was reduced after sleep. We found that the duration of rapid eye movement sleep as well as sleep spindle activity are negatively related with gross motor performance changes over sleep. Together these findings suggest that the consolidation of adaptation to a new steering device does not benefit from a 2 h midday nap. We speculate that in case of strongly overlearned motor patterns such as normal cycling, diurnal sleep spindles and rapid eye movement sleep might even help to protect everyday needed skills, and to rapidly forget newly acquired, interfering and irrelevant material. © 2014 The Authors. Journal of Sleep Research published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of European Sleep Research Society.

Indicators of sailing performance in youth dinghy sailing.

PubMed

Callewaert, Margot; Boone, Jan; Celie, Bert; De Clercq, Dirk; Bourgois, Jan G

2015-01-01

This study aimed to determine indicators of sailing performance in 2 (age) groups of youth sailors by investigating the anthropometric, physical and motor coordination differences and factors discriminating between elite and non-elite male optimist sailors and young dynamic hikers. Anthropometric measurements from 23 optimist sailors (mean ± SD age = 12.3 ± 1.4 years) and 24 dynamic youth hikers (i.e. Laser 4.7, Laser radial and Europe sailors <18 years who have to sail the boat in a very dynamic manner, due to a high sailor to yacht weight ratio) (mean ± SD age = 16.5 ± 1.6 years) were conducted. They performed a physical fitness test battery (EUROFIT), motor coordination test battery (Körperkoordinationstest für Kinder) and the Bucket test. Both groups of sailors were divided into two subgroups (i.e. elites and non-elites) based on sailing expertise. The significant differences, taking biological maturation into account and factors discriminating between elite and non-elite optimist sailors and dynamic hikers were explored by means of multivariate analysis of covariance and discriminant analysis, respectively. The main results indicated that 100.0% of elite optimist sailors and 88.9% of elite dynamic hikers could be correctly classified by means of two motor coordination tests (i.e. side step and side jump) and Bucket test, respectively. As such, strength- and speed-oriented motor coordination and isometric knee-extension strength endurance can be identified as indicators of sailing performance in young optimist and dynamic youth sailors, respectively. Therefore, we emphasise the importance of motor coordination skill training in optimist sailors (<15 years) and maximum strength training later on (>15 years) in order to increase their isometric knee-extension strength endurance.

Consecutive learning of opposing unimanual motor tasks using the right arm followed by the left arm causes intermanual interference

PubMed Central

Thürer, Benjamin; Stein, Thorsten

2017-01-01

Intermanual transfer (motor memory generalization across arms) and motor memory interference (impairment of retest performance in consecutive motor learning) are well-investigated motor learning phenomena. However, the interplay of these phenomena remains elusive, i.e., whether intermanual interference occurs when two unimanual tasks are consecutively learned using different arms. Here, we examine intermanual interference when subjects consecutively adapt their right and left arm movements to novel dynamics. We considered two force field tasks A and B which were of the same structure but mirrored orientation (B = -A). The first test group (ABA-group) consecutively learned task A using their right arm and task B using their left arm before being retested for task A with their right arm. Another test group (AAA-group) learned only task A in the same right-left-right arm schedule. Control subjects learned task A using their right arm without intermediate left arm learning. All groups were able to adapt their right arm movements to force field A and both test groups showed significant intermanual transfer of this initial learning to the contralateral left arm of 21.9% (ABA-group) and 27.6% (AAA-group). Consecutively, both test groups adapted their left arm movements to force field B (ABA-group) or force field A (AAA-group). For the ABA-group, left arm learning caused significant intermanual interference of the initially learned right arm task (68.3% performance decrease). The performance decrease of the AAA-group (10.2%) did not differ from controls (15.5%). These findings suggest that motor control and learning of right and left arm movements involve partly similar neural networks or underlie a vital interhemispheric connectivity. Moreover, our results suggest a preferred internal task representation in extrinsic Cartesian-based coordinates rather than in intrinsic joint-based coordinates because interference was absent when learning was performed in extrinsically equivalent fashion (AAA-group) but interference occurred when learning was performed in intrinsically equivalent fashion (ABA-group). PMID:28459833

Consecutive learning of opposing unimanual motor tasks using the right arm followed by the left arm causes intermanual interference.

PubMed

Stockinger, Christian; Thürer, Benjamin; Stein, Thorsten

2017-01-01

Intermanual transfer (motor memory generalization across arms) and motor memory interference (impairment of retest performance in consecutive motor learning) are well-investigated motor learning phenomena. However, the interplay of these phenomena remains elusive, i.e., whether intermanual interference occurs when two unimanual tasks are consecutively learned using different arms. Here, we examine intermanual interference when subjects consecutively adapt their right and left arm movements to novel dynamics. We considered two force field tasks A and B which were of the same structure but mirrored orientation (B = -A). The first test group (ABA-group) consecutively learned task A using their right arm and task B using their left arm before being retested for task A with their right arm. Another test group (AAA-group) learned only task A in the same right-left-right arm schedule. Control subjects learned task A using their right arm without intermediate left arm learning. All groups were able to adapt their right arm movements to force field A and both test groups showed significant intermanual transfer of this initial learning to the contralateral left arm of 21.9% (ABA-group) and 27.6% (AAA-group). Consecutively, both test groups adapted their left arm movements to force field B (ABA-group) or force field A (AAA-group). For the ABA-group, left arm learning caused significant intermanual interference of the initially learned right arm task (68.3% performance decrease). The performance decrease of the AAA-group (10.2%) did not differ from controls (15.5%). These findings suggest that motor control and learning of right and left arm movements involve partly similar neural networks or underlie a vital interhemispheric connectivity. Moreover, our results suggest a preferred internal task representation in extrinsic Cartesian-based coordinates rather than in intrinsic joint-based coordinates because interference was absent when learning was performed in extrinsically equivalent fashion (AAA-group) but interference occurred when learning was performed in intrinsically equivalent fashion (ABA-group).

The effect of handedness on spatial and motor representation of pitch patterns in pianists

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

This study investigated the effect of handedness on pianists’ abilities to adjust their keyboard performance skills to new spatial and motor mappings. Left- and right-handed pianists practiced simple melodies on a regular MIDI piano keyboard (practice) and were then asked to perform these with modified melodic contours (the same or reversed melodic contour causing a change of fingering) and on a reversed MIDI piano keyboard (test). The difference of performance duration between the practice and the test phase as well as the amount of errors played were used as test measures. Overall, a stronger effect for modified melodic contours than for the reversed keyboard was observed. Furthermore, we observed a trend of left-handed pianists to be quicker and more accurate in playing melodies when reversing their fingering with reversed contours in their left-hand performances. This suggests that handedness may influence pianists’ skill to adjust to new spatial and motor mappings. PMID:29718946

Development, evaluation and application of performance-based brake testing technologies field test : executive summary

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1999-09-01

This report presents the results of the field test portion of the Development, Evaluation, and Application of Performance-Based Brake Testing Technologies sponsored by the Federal Highway Administrations (FHWA) Office of Motor Carriers.

Generic system components of the Thiokol ultrasonic RSRM case-to-insulation bondline inspection system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cook, M.

1989-01-01

Qualification testing of the Ultrasonic Redesigned Solid Rocket Motor Bondline Inspection Systems (URBIS) was conducted at the Thiokol Nondestructive Evaluation Test Facility M337A and at the Rotation Process Storage Facility at Kennedy Space Center. The test was performed on portions of the URBIS that are generic to redesigned solid rocket motor case-to-insulation bondline inspections. Testing began on Feb. 13, 1989 and was completed on May 26, 1989. The main purpose of the test was to verify that each URBIS performed to the manufacturer's specifications in the same manner and to make any procedural changes necessary for specific redesigned solid rocket motor inspections. All five URBISs passed every stage of the qualification test. Each URBIS is now qualified for use on redesigned solid rocket motors. Verifying the fact that each URBIS obtains and analyzes data in a similar fashion has eliminated concerns about variations in data between the five systems. The following recommendations were made as a result of this test: (1) each URBIS should be located within a stable environment; (2) an electronic preventative maintenance program should be established for each URBIS; (3) when the URBIS is being utilized to perform transducer analysis, the URBIS equipment setting should match the equipment setting noted on the manufacturer-supplied transducer certification sheet; and (4) optimum scan velocities for each inspection technique (clevis, capture feature, pinhole and membrane) should be determined through further testing.

Long-term retention of a divided attention psycho-motor test combining choice reaction test and postural balance test: A preliminary study.

PubMed

Rossi, R; Pascolo, P B

2015-09-01

Driving in degraded psychophysical conditions, such as under the influence of alcohol or drugs but also in a state of fatigue or drowsiness, is a growing problem. The current roadside tests used for detecting drugs from drivers suffer various limitations, while impairment is subjective and does not necessarily correlate with drug metabolite concentration found in body fluids. This work is a validation step towards the study of feasibility of a novel test conceived to assess psychophysical conditions of individuals performing at-risk activities. Motor gestures, long-term retention and learning phase related to the protocol are analysed in unimpaired subjects. The protocol is a divided attention test, which combines a critical tracking test achieved with postural movements and a visual choice reaction test. Ten healthy subjects participated in a first set of trials and in a second set after about six months. Each session required the carrying out of the test for ten times in order to investigate learning effect and performance over repetitions. In the first set the subjects showed a learning trend up to the third trial, whilst in the second set of trials they showed motor retention. Nevertheless, the overall performance did not significantly improve. Gestures are probably retained due to the type of tasks and the way in which the instructions are conveyed to the subjects. Moreover, motor retention after a short training suggests that the protocol is easy to learn and understand. Implications for roadside test usage and comparison with current tests are also discussed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

RELIABILITY OF ANKLE-FOOT MORPHOLOGY, MOBILITY, STRENGTH, AND MOTOR PERFORMANCE MEASURES.

PubMed

Fraser, John J; Koldenhoven, Rachel M; Saliba, Susan A; Hertel, Jay

2017-12-01

Assessment of foot posture, morphology, intersegmental mobility, strength and motor control of the ankle-foot complex are commonly used clinically, but measurement properties of many assessments are unclear. To determine test-retest and inter-rater reliability, standard error of measurement, and minimal detectable change of morphology, joint excursion and play, strength, and motor control of the ankle-foot complex. Reliability study. 24 healthy, recreationally-active young adults without history of ankle-foot injury were assessed by two clinicians on two occasions, three to ten days apart. Measurement properties were assessed for foot morphology (foot posture index, total and truncated length, width, arch height), joint excursion (weight-bearing dorsiflexion, rearfoot and hallux goniometry, forefoot inclinometry, 1 st metatarsal displacement) and joint play, strength (handheld dynamometry), and motor control rating during intrinsic foot muscle (IFM) exercises. Clinician order was randomized using a Latin Square. The clinicians performed independent examinations and did not confer on the findings for the duration of the study. Test-retest and inter-tester reliability and agreement was assessed using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC 2,k ) and weighted kappa ( K w ). Test-retest reliability ICC were as follows: morphology: .80-1.00, joint excursion: .58-.97, joint play: -.67-.84, strength: .67-.92, IFM motor rating: K W -.01-.71. Inter-rater reliability ICC were as follows: morphology: .81-1.00, joint excursion: .32-.97, joint play: -1.06-1.00, strength: .53-.90, and IFM motor rating: K w .02-.56. Measures of ankle-foot posture, morphology, joint excursion, and strength demonstrated fair to excellent test-retest and inter-rater reliability. Test-retest reliability for rating of perceived difficulty and motor performance was good to excellent for short-foot, toe-spread-out, and hallux exercises and poor to fair for lesser toe extension. Joint play measures had poor to fair reliability overall. The findings of this study should be considered when choosing methods of clinical assessment and outcome measures in practice and research. 3.

What Do Eye Gaze Metrics Tell Us about Motor Imagery?

PubMed

Poiroux, Elodie; Cavaro-Ménard, Christine; Leruez, Stéphanie; Lemée, Jean Michel; Richard, Isabelle; Dinomais, Mickael

2015-01-01

Many of the brain structures involved in performing real movements also have increased activity during imagined movements or during motor observation, and this could be the neural substrate underlying the effects of motor imagery in motor learning or motor rehabilitation. In the absence of any objective physiological method of measurement, it is currently impossible to be sure that the patient is indeed performing the task as instructed. Eye gaze recording during a motor imagery task could be a possible way to "spy" on the activity an individual is really engaged in. The aim of the present study was to compare the pattern of eye movement metrics during motor observation, visual and kinesthetic motor imagery (VI, KI), target fixation, and mental calculation. Twenty-two healthy subjects (16 females and 6 males), were required to perform tests in five conditions using imagery in the Box and Block Test tasks following the procedure described by Liepert et al. Eye movements were analysed by a non-invasive oculometric measure (SMI RED250 system). Two parameters describing gaze pattern were calculated: the index of ocular mobility (saccade duration over saccade + fixation duration) and the number of midline crossings (i.e. the number of times the subjects gaze crossed the midline of the screen when performing the different tasks). Both parameters were significantly different between visual imagery and kinesthesic imagery, visual imagery and mental calculation, and visual imagery and target fixation. For the first time we were able to show that eye movement patterns are different during VI and KI tasks. Our results suggest gaze metric parameters could be used as an objective unobtrusive approach to assess engagement in a motor imagery task. Further studies should define how oculomotor parameters could be used as an indicator of the rehabilitation task a patient is engaged in.

Effect of Touch Screen Tablet Use on Fine Motor Development of Young Children.

PubMed

Lin, Ling-Yi; Cherng, Rong-Ju; Chen, Yung-Jung

2017-10-20

To investigate the effects of touch-screen tablet use on the fine motor development of preschool children without developmental delay. 40 children who used a touch-screen tablet more 60 minutes per week for at least 1 month received a 24-week home fine motor activity program using a touch-screen-tablet. 40 children matched for age (mean = 61.0 months) and sex who did not meet the criteria for previous tablet use received a 24-week program consisting of manual play activities. Motor performance was measured using the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency. The two-factor mixed design ANOVA was used to compare performance of the touch-screen tablet and non-touch-screen tablet groups. Pretest analysis showed no group differences in motor performance and pinch strength. At posttest, children in the nontouch-screen-tablet group made significantly greater changes in fine motor precision (p < 0.001), fine motor integration (p = 0.008), and manual dexterity (p = 0.003). Using a touch screen tablet extensively might be disadvantageous for the fine motor development of preschool children.

Implicit sequence-specific motor learning after sub-cortical stroke is associated with increased prefrontal brain activations: An fMRI study

PubMed Central

Meehan, Sean K.; Randhawa, Bubblepreet; Wessel, Brenda; Boyd, Lara A.

2010-01-01

Implicit motor learning is preserved after stroke, but how the brain compensates for damage to facilitate learning is unclear. We used a random effects analysis to determine how stroke alters patterns of brain activity during implicit sequence-specific motor learning as compared to general improvements in motor control. Nine healthy participants and 9 individuals with chronic, right focal sub-cortical stroke performed a continuous joystick-based tracking task during an initial fMRI session, over 5 days of practice, and a retention test during a separate fMRI session. Sequence-specific implicit motor learning was differentiated from general improvements in motor control by comparing tracking performance on a novel, repeated tracking sequences during early practice and again at the retention test. Both groups demonstrated implicit sequence-specific motor learning at the retention test, yet substantial differences were apparent. At retention, healthy control participants demonstrated increased BOLD response in left dorsal premotor cortex (BA 6) but decreased BOLD response left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC; BA 9) during repeated sequence tracking. In contrast, at retention individuals with stroke did not show this reduction in DLPFC during repeated tracking. Instead implicit sequence-specific motor learning and general improvements in motor control were associated with increased BOLD response in the left middle frontal gyrus BA 8, regardless of sequence type after stroke. These data emphasize the potential importance of a prefrontal-based attentional network for implicit motor learning after stroke. The present study is the first to highlight the importance of the prefrontal cortex for implicit sequence-specific motor learning after stroke. PMID:20725908

Motor function and incident dementia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Kueper, Jacqueline Kathleen; Speechley, Mark; Lingum, Navena Rebecca; Montero-Odasso, Manuel

2017-09-01

cognitive and mobility decline are interrelated processes, whereby mobility decline coincides or precedes the onset of cognitive decline. to assess whether there is an association between performance on motor function tests and incident dementia. electronic database, grey literature and hand searching identified studies testing for associations between baseline motor function and incident dementia in older adults. of 2,540 potentially relevant documents, 37 met the final inclusion criteria and were reviewed qualitatively. Three meta-analyses were conducted using data from 10 studies. Three main motor domains-upper limb motor function, parkinsonism and lower limb motor function-emerged as associated with increased risk of incident dementia. Studies including older adults without neurological overt disease found a higher risk of incident dementia associated with poorer performance on composite motor function scores, balance and gait velocity (meta-analysis pooled HR = 1.94, 95% CI: 1.41, 2.65). Mixed results were found across different study samples for upper limb motor function, overall parkinsonism (meta-analysis pooled OR = 3.05, 95% CI: 1.31, 7.08), bradykinesia and rigidity. Studies restricted to older adults with Parkinson's Disease found weak or no association with incident dementia even for motor domains highly associated in less restrictive samples. Tremor was not associated with an increased risk of dementia in any population (meta-analysis pooled HR = 0.80, 95% CI 0.31, 2.03). lower limb motor function was associated with increased risk of developing dementia, while tremor and hand grip strength were not. Our results support future research investigating the inclusion of quantitative motor assessment, specifically gait velocity tests, for clinical dementia risk evaluation. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Geriatrics Society.All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com

Motor and cognitive performances of parkinsonian patients in the on and off phases of the disease.

PubMed Central

Girotti, F; Carella, F; Grassi, M P; Soliveri, P; Marano, R; Caraceni, T

1986-01-01

Twenty-one Parkinsonian patients were tested in on and off phases during chronic levodopa therapy for cognitive function, affective status, and evaluation of motor performance with reaction and movement times. A worsening of mood was observed from the on to the off phase. No variation in cognitive performance was observed from the on to the off phase in spite of evident motor changes. Mood changes during on-off variations may reflect involvement of mesocortical and mesolimbic dopaminergic systems. PMID:3734822

Neuropsychological sequelae of exposure to welding fumes in a group of occupationally exposed men.

PubMed

Bowler, Rosemarie M; Gysens, Sabine; Diamond, Emily; Booty, Andrew; Hartney, Christopher; Roels, Harry A

2003-10-01

This study compares the neuropsychological function, emotional status, visual function, and illness prevalence of 76 former and current chemical industry welders primarily involved in steel welding, and exposed to welding fumes for an average of 24.9 years with that of 42 unexposed, non-welder controls. Health and occupational history questionnaires were administered, as were the neuropsychological tests included in the World Health Organization Neurobehavioral Core Test Battery, Luria Motor Test, and selected tests from the WAIS-III, and WMS-III. Emotional status tests included the BSI, POMS, BAI, and BDI, and vision tests included the Snellen near visual acuity, Lanthony d-15 color vision, Vistech Contrast Sensitivity, and Schirmer strips. While welders and controls performed similarly on tests of verbal skills, verbal retention, and auditory span, welders performed worse than controls on tests of verbal learning, working memory, cognitive flexibility, visuomotor processing speed, and motor efficiency. Welders had poorer color vision and emotional status, and increased prevalence of illnesses and psychiatric symptoms. The increased symptoms in welders were related to decreased scores on tasks measuring verbal learning, visuomotor abilities, visuospatial abilities, and information processing, and motor efficiency. Within the group of welders, the number of hours welding was negatively related to scores on verbal learning, auditory span, working memory, cognitive flexibility, and motor efficiency.

How Kinesthetic Motor Imagery works: a predictive-processing theory of visualization in sports and motor expertise.

PubMed

Ridderinkhof, K Richard; Brass, Marcel

2015-01-01

Kinesthetic Motor Imagery (KMI) is an important technique to acquire and refine motor skills. KMI is widely used by professional athletes as an effective way to improve motor performance without overt motor output. Despite this obvious relevance, the functional mechanisms and neural circuits involved in KMI in sports are still poorly understood. In the present article, which aims at bridging the sport sciences and cognitive neurophysiology literatures, we give a brief overview of relevant research in the field of KMI. Furthermore, we develop a theoretical account that relates KMI to predictive motor control theories assuming that it is based on internal activation of anticipatory images of action effects. This mechanism allows improving motor performance solely based on internal emulation of action. In accordance with previous literature, we propose that this emulation mechanism is implemented in brain regions that partially overlap with brain areas involved in overt motor performance including the posterior parietal cortex, the cerebellum, the basal ganglia and the premotor cortex. Finally, we outline one way to test the heuristic value of our theoretical framework for KMI; we suggest that experience with motor performance improves the ability to correctly infer the goals of others, in particular in penalty blocking in soccer. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Motor Inhibition Test: Technical Report 13. Disadvantaged Children and Their First School Experiences. ETS-Head Start Longitudinal Study. Technical Report Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ward, William C.

The Motor Inhibition Test, which measures "impulse control," requires the child to perform three motor acts. These acts are: walking a distance of six feet on a five-ince wide runway; drawing a line, using ruler and pencil, between two points 8-1/2 inches apart; and winding a toy jeep up to the rear of a toy two truck, a distance of 30…

Motor system contributions to verbal and non-verbal working memory.

PubMed

Liao, Diana A; Kronemer, Sharif I; Yau, Jeffrey M; Desmond, John E; Marvel, Cherie L

2014-01-01

Working memory (WM) involves the ability to maintain and manipulate information held in mind. Neuroimaging studies have shown that secondary motor areas activate during WM for verbal content (e.g., words or letters), in the absence of primary motor area activation. This activation pattern may reflect an inner speech mechanism supporting online phonological rehearsal. Here, we examined the causal relationship between motor system activity and WM processing by using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to manipulate motor system activity during WM rehearsal. We tested WM performance for verbalizable (words and pseudowords) and non-verbalizable (Chinese characters) visual information. We predicted that disruption of motor circuits would specifically affect WM processing of verbalizable information. We found that TMS targeting motor cortex slowed response times (RTs) on verbal WM trials with high (pseudoword) vs. low (real word) phonological load. However, non-verbal WM trials were also significantly slowed with motor TMS. WM performance was unaffected by sham stimulation or TMS over visual cortex (VC). Self-reported use of motor strategy predicted the degree of motor stimulation disruption on WM performance. These results provide evidence of the motor system's contributions to verbal and non-verbal WM processing. We speculate that the motor system supports WM by creating motor traces consistent with the type of information being rehearsed during maintenance.

Motor system contributions to verbal and non-verbal working memory

PubMed Central

Liao, Diana A.; Kronemer, Sharif I.; Yau, Jeffrey M.; Desmond, John E.; Marvel, Cherie L.

2014-01-01

Working memory (WM) involves the ability to maintain and manipulate information held in mind. Neuroimaging studies have shown that secondary motor areas activate during WM for verbal content (e.g., words or letters), in the absence of primary motor area activation. This activation pattern may reflect an inner speech mechanism supporting online phonological rehearsal. Here, we examined the causal relationship between motor system activity and WM processing by using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to manipulate motor system activity during WM rehearsal. We tested WM performance for verbalizable (words and pseudowords) and non-verbalizable (Chinese characters) visual information. We predicted that disruption of motor circuits would specifically affect WM processing of verbalizable information. We found that TMS targeting motor cortex slowed response times (RTs) on verbal WM trials with high (pseudoword) vs. low (real word) phonological load. However, non-verbal WM trials were also significantly slowed with motor TMS. WM performance was unaffected by sham stimulation or TMS over visual cortex (VC). Self-reported use of motor strategy predicted the degree of motor stimulation disruption on WM performance. These results provide evidence of the motor system’s contributions to verbal and non-verbal WM processing. We speculate that the motor system supports WM by creating motor traces consistent with the type of information being rehearsed during maintenance. PMID:25309402

Voltage directive drive with claw pole motor and control without rotor position indicator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stroenisch, Volker Ewald

Design and testing of a voltage directive drive for synchronous variable speed claw pole motor and control without rotor position indicator is described. Economic analysis of the designed regulation is performed. Computations of stationary and dynamic behavior are given and experimental operational behavior is determined. The motors can be used for electric transportation vehicles, diesel motors, and electric railway engines.

Development of Young Adults' Fine Motor Skills when Learning to Play Percussion Instruments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gzibovskis, Talis; Marnauza, Mara

2012-01-01

When playing percussion instruments, the main activity is done with the help of a motion or motor skills; to perform it, developed fine motor skills are necessary: the speed and precision of fingers, hands and palms. The aim of the research was to study and test the development of young adults' fine motor skills while learning to play percussion…

Independent and combined influence of the components of physical fitness on academic performance in youth.

PubMed

Esteban-Cornejo, Irene; Tejero-González, Carlos Ma; Martinez-Gomez, David; del-Campo, Juan; González-Galo, Ana; Padilla-Moledo, Carmen; Sallis, James F; Veiga, Oscar L

2014-08-01

To examine the independent and combined associations of the components of physical fitness with academic performance among youths. This cross-sectional study included a total of 2038 youths (989 girls) aged 6-18 years. Cardiorespiratory capacity was measured using the 20-m shuttle run test. Motor ability was assessed with the 4×10-m shuttle run test of speed of movement, agility, and coordination. A muscular strength z-score was computed based on handgrip strength and standing long jump distance. Academic performance was assessed through school records using 4 indicators: Mathematics, Language, an average of Mathematics and Language, and grade point average score. Cardiorespiratory capacity and motor ability were independently associated with all academic variables in youth, even after adjustment for fitness and fatness indicators (all P≤.001), whereas muscular strength was not associated with academic performance independent of the other 2 physical fitness components. In addition, the combined adverse effects of low cardiorespiratory capacity and motor ability on academic performance were observed across the risk groups (P for trend<.001). Cardiorespiratory capacity and motor ability, both independently and combined, may have a beneficial influence on academic performance in youth. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Primary motor and premotor cortex in implicit sequence learning--evidence for competition between implicit and explicit human motor memory systems.

PubMed

Kantak, Shailesh S; Mummidisetty, Chaithanya K; Stinear, James W

2012-09-01

Implicit and explicit memory systems for motor skills compete with each other during and after motor practice. Primary motor cortex (M1) is known to be engaged during implicit motor learning, while dorsal premotor cortex (PMd) is critical for explicit learning. To elucidate the neural substrates underlying the interaction between implicit and explicit memory systems, adults underwent a randomized crossover experiment of anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (AtDCS) applied over M1, PMd or sham stimulation during implicit motor sequence (serial reaction time task, SRTT) practice. We hypothesized that M1-AtDCS during practice will enhance online performance and offline learning of the implicit motor sequence. In contrast, we also hypothesized that PMd-AtDCS will attenuate performance and retention of the implicit motor sequence. Implicit sequence performance was assessed at baseline, at the end of acquisition (EoA), and 24 h after practice (retention test, RET). M1-AtDCS during practice significantly improved practice performance and supported offline stabilization compared with Sham tDCS. Performance change from EoA to RET revealed that PMd-AtDCS during practice attenuated offline stabilization compared with M1-AtDCS and sham stimulation. The results support the role of M1 in implementing online performance gains and offline stabilization for implicit motor sequence learning. In contrast, enhancing the activity within explicit motor memory network nodes such as the PMd during practice may be detrimental to offline stabilization of the learned implicit motor sequence. These results support the notion of competition between implicit and explicit motor memory systems and identify underlying neural substrates that are engaged in this competition. © 2012 The Authors. European Journal of Neuroscience © 2012 Federation of European Neuroscience Societies and Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Murine motor and behavior functional evaluations for acute 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) intoxication.

PubMed

Hutter-Saunders, Jessica A L; Gendelman, Howard E; Mosley, R Lee

2012-03-01

Acute intoxication with 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) induces nigrostriatal neurodegeneration that reflects Parkinson's disease (PD) pathobiology. The model is commonly used for rodent studies of PD pathogenesis and diagnostics and for developmental therapeutics. However, tests of motor function in MPTP-intoxicated mice have yielded mixed results. This unmet need reflects, in part, lesion severity, animal variability, and the overall test sensitivity and specificity. In attempts to standardize rodent motor function and behavioral tests, mice were trained on the rotarod or habituated in an open field test chamber, and baseline performance measurements were collected prior to MPTP intoxication. One week following MPTP intoxication, motor function and behavior were assessed and baseline measurements applied to post-MPTP measurements with normalization to PBS controls. Rotarod and open field tests assessed in this manner demonstrated significant differences between MPTP- and saline-treated mice, while tests of neuromuscular strength and endurance did not. We conclude that the rotarod and open field tests provide reliable measures of motor function for MPTP-intoxicated mice.

Fluid-Rock Characterization for NMR Well Logging and Special Core Analysis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

George Hirasaki; Kishore Mohanty

2007-12-31

The overall objective of this effort is to develop, build and test a high-speed drilling motor that can meet the performance guidelines of the announcement, namely: 'The motors are expected to rotate at a minimum of 10,000 rpm, have an OD no larger than 7 inches and work downhole continuously for at least 100 hours. The motor must have common oilfield thread connections capable of making up to a drill bit and bottomhole assembly. The motor must be capable of transmitting drilling fluid through the motor'. To these goals, APS would add that the motor must be economically viable, inmore » terms of both its manufacturing and maintenance costs, and be applicable to as broad a range of markets as possible. APS has taken the approach of using a system using planetary gears to increase the speed of a conventional mud motor to 10,000 rpm. The mud flow is directed around the outside of the gear train, and a unique flow diversion system has been employed. A prototype of the motor was built and tested in APS's high-pressure flow loop. The motor operated per the model up to {approx}4200 rpm. At that point a bearing seized and the performance was severely degraded. The motor is being rebuilt and will be retested outside of this program.« less

Indirect and direct methods for measuring a dynamic throat diameter in a solid rocket motor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Colbaugh, Lauren

In a solid rocket motor, nozzle throat erosion is dictated by propellant composition, throat material properties, and operating conditions. Throat erosion has a significant effect on motor performance, so it must be accurately characterized to produce a good motor design. In order to correlate throat erosion rate to other parameters, it is first necessary to know what the throat diameter is throughout a motor burn. Thus, an indirect method and a direct method for determining throat diameter in a solid rocket motor are investigated in this thesis. The indirect method looks at the use of pressure and thrust data to solve for throat diameter as a function of time. The indirect method's proof of concept was shown by the good agreement between the ballistics model and the test data from a static motor firing. The ballistics model was within 10% of all measured and calculated performance parameters (e.g. average pressure, specific impulse, maximum thrust, etc.) for tests with throat erosion and within 6% of all measured and calculated performance parameters for tests without throat erosion. The direct method involves the use of x-rays to directly observe a simulated nozzle throat erode in a dynamic environment; this is achieved with a dynamic calibration standard. An image processing algorithm is developed for extracting the diameter dimensions from the x-ray intensity digital images. Static and dynamic tests were conducted. The measured diameter was compared to the known diameter in the calibration standard. All dynamic test results were within +6% / -7% of the actual diameter. Part of the edge detection method consists of dividing the entire x-ray image by an average pixel value, calculated from a set of pixels in the x-ray image. It was found that the accuracy of the edge detection method depends upon the selection of the average pixel value area and subsequently the average pixel value. An average pixel value sensitivity analysis is presented. Both the indirect method and the direct method prove to be viable approaches to determining throat diameter during solid rocket motor operation.

Effects of Single Compared to Dual Task Practice on Learning a Dynamic Balance Task in Young Adults

PubMed Central

Kiss, Rainer; Brueckner, Dennis; Muehlbauer, Thomas

2018-01-01

Background: In everyday life, people engage in situations involving the concurrent processing of motor (balance) and cognitive tasks (i.e., “dual task situations”) that result in performance declines in at least one of the given tasks. The concurrent practice of both the motor and cognitive task may counteract these performance decrements. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of single task (ST) compared to dual task (DT) practice on learning a dynamic balance task. Methods: Forty-eight young adults were randomly assigned to either a ST (i.e., motor or cognitive task training only) or a DT (i.e., motor-cognitive training) practice condition. The motor task required participants to stand on a platform and keeping the platform as close to horizontal as possible. In the cognitive task, participants were asked to recite serial subtractions of three. For 2 days, participants of the ST groups practiced the motor or cognitive task only, while the participants of the DT group concurrently performed both. Root-mean-square error (RMSE) for the motor and total number of correct calculations for the cognitive task were computed. Results: During practice, all groups improved their respective balance and/or cognitive task performance. With regard to the assessment of learning on day 3, we found significantly smaller RMSE values for the ST motor (d = 1.31) and the DT motor-cognitive (d = 0.76) practice group compared to the ST cognitive practice group but not between the ST motor and the DT motor-cognitive practice group under DT test condition. Further, we detected significantly larger total numbers of correct calculations under DT test condition for the ST cognitive (d = 2.19) and the DT motor-cognitive (d = 1.55) practice group compared to the ST motor practice group but not between the ST cognitive and the DT motor-cognitive practice group. Conclusion: We conclude that ST practice resulted in an effective modulation of the trained domain (i.e., motor or cognitive) while only DT practice resulted in an effective modulation of both domains (i.e., motor and cognitive). Thus, particularly DT practice frees up central resources that were used for an effective modulation of motor and cognitive processing mechanisms. PMID:29593614

The value of a non-sport-specific motor test battery in predicting performance in young female gymnasts.

PubMed

Vandorpe, Barbara; Vandendriessche, Joric B; Vaeyens, Roel; Pion, Johan; Lefevre, Johan; Philippaerts, Renaat M; Lenoir, Matthieu

2012-01-01

Gymnastics talent identification focuses on the identification of young gymnasts who display characteristics for potential success in the future. The aim of this study was to identify which current performance characteristics are related to performance in competition 2 years later. Twenty-three female gymnasts aged 7-8 years completed a multidimensional test battery measuring anthropometric, physical, and coordinative characteristics and were technically evaluated by expert coaches. Two years later, the all-around competition results of those gymnasts now participating in elite (n = 12) and sub-elite (n = 11) competition were obtained. None of the initial measurements significantly correlated with the results of the sub-elite gymnasts 2 years later. For the elite gymnasts, a non-sport-specific motor test battery correlated strongly with the competition result, with more than 40% of the variation in competition performance being explained by the result on that test 2 years earlier. Neither the coaches' judgement nor the anthropometric and physical characteristics were sensitive enough to predict performance. A motor coordination test might be valuable in the early identification of gymnasts, as its discriminative and predictive qualities might be sufficiently powerful for selection within a relatively homogeneous population of gymnasts exhibiting similar anthropometric and physical profiles.

24 Inch Reusable Solid Rocket Motor Test

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

A scaled-down 24-inch version of the Space Shuttle's Reusable Solid Rocket Motor was successfully fired for 21 seconds at a Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) Test Stand. The motor was tested to ensure a replacement material called Lycocel would meet the criteria set by the Shuttle's Solid Motor Project Office. The current material is a heat-resistant, rayon-based, carbon-cloth phenolic used as an insulating material for the motor's nozzle. Lycocel, a brand name for Tencel, is a cousin to rayon and is an exceptionally strong fiber made of wood pulp produced by a special 'solvent-spirning' process using a nontoxic solvent. It will also be impregnated with a phenolic resin. This new material is expected to perform better under the high temperatures experienced during launch. The next step will be to test the material on a 48-inch solid rocket motor. The test, which replicates launch conditions, is part of Shuttle's ongoing verification of components, materials, and manufacturing processes required by MSFC, which oversees the Reusable Solid Rocket Motor project. Manufactured by the ATK Thiokol Propulsion Division in Promontory, California, the Reusable Solid Rocket Motor measures 126 feet (38.4 meters) long and 12 feet (3.6 meters) in diameter. It is the largest solid rocket motor ever flown and the first designed for reuse. During its two-minute burn at liftoff, each motor generates an average thrust of 2.6 million pounds (1.2 million kilograms).

The physiotherapeutic context of loss of dominant arm function due to occupational accidents.

PubMed

Kostiukow, Anna; Kaluga, Elżbieta; Samborski, Włodzimierz; Rostkowska, Elżbieta

2016-12-23

The study examines the problem of dominant arm function loss in rural adult patients due to work-related accidents. The types of risks involved in farmyard work include falling from a height, manually moving loads, overturning/accident whilst driving an agricultural tractor, noise and vibration, use of pesticides, and the risk of being cut or injured. The study focuses on adaptation of the non-dominant arm. The main aim of the study was evaluation of visual-motor coordination on the basis of performance of the non-dominant hand in patients after the loss of function of the dominant arm. The research sample consisted of 52 patients with a permanent or temporary loss of function or severely limited function of the dominant arm. The subjects were patients with arm amputations due to various occupational injuries sustained while operating agricultural and construction machinery and forestry equipment, following traumas or complicated medical surgeries of the arm, or due to car accidents. The following tests were applied in the analysis: I) Dufour cross-shaped apparatus test for assessing visual motor-coordination; II) paper-and-pencil tests and the Relay Baton motor fitness test; III) anthropometric measurements; IV) Edinburgh Handedness Inventory; and V) a questionnaire survey. The results of the apparatus and motor tests indicate the same tendency: reaction to stimuli measured on the basis of performance of the non-dominant arm is longer in shorter and older patients. Visual-motor coordination, as measured by the performance of the non-dominant arm, is significantly affected by the subject's body height and arm length.

RSRM and ETM03 Internal Flow Simulations and Comparisons

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ahmad, R. A.; Morstadt, R. A.; Eaton, A. M.

2003-01-01

ETM03 (Engineering Test Motor-03) is an extended length RSRM (Reusable Solid Rocket Motor) designed to increase motor performance and create more severe internal environments compared with the standard four-segment RSRM motor configuration. This is achieved primarily through three unique design features. First is the incorporation of an additional RSRM center segment, second is a slight increase in throat diameter, and third is the use of an Extended Aft Exit Cone (EAEC). As a result of these design features, parameters such as web time, action time, head end pressure, web time average pressure, maximum thrust, mass flow rate, centerline Mach number, pressure and thrust integrals have all increased compared with nominal RSRM values. In some cases these increases are substantial. The primary objective of the ETM03 test program is to provide a platform for RSRM component margin testing. Test results will not only provide direct data concerning component performance under more adverse conditions, but serve as a second design data point for developing, validating and enhancing component analytical modeling techniques. To help component designers assess how the changes in motor environment will affect performance, internal flow simulations for both the nominal RSRM and ETM03 motor designs were completed to obtain comparisons of aero-thermal boundary conditions and system loads. Full geometries for both motors were characterized with two-dimensional axi-symmetric models at burn times of 1, 20, 54, 67 and 80-seconds. A sixth set considered burn times of 110 and 117-seconds for RSRM and ETM03, respectively. The simulations were performed using the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) commercial code FLUENT (trademark). Of particular interest were any differences between the two motor environments that could lead to a significant increase in system loads, or in internal insulation and/or nozzle component charring and erosion in ETM03 compared with RSRM. Based on these comparative analyses conducted in this study, the objective of ETM03 will be achieved by providing a more adverse operating environment for motor components than the nominal RSRM environment. For example: Higher chamber pressure drop in ETM03 than in RSRM; higher centerline Mach numbers approaching the nozzle in ETM03 than in RSRM; higher heat transfer rates for the internal insulation and nozzle components in ETM03 than in RSRM; and higher levels of droplet impingement and slag accumulation in ETM03 than in the RSRM.

User's Self-Prediction of Performance in Motor Imagery Brain-Computer Interface.

PubMed

Ahn, Minkyu; Cho, Hohyun; Ahn, Sangtae; Jun, Sung C

2018-01-01

Performance variation is a critical issue in motor imagery brain-computer interface (MI-BCI), and various neurophysiological, psychological, and anatomical correlates have been reported in the literature. Although the main aim of such studies is to predict MI-BCI performance for the prescreening of poor performers, studies which focus on the user's sense of the motor imagery process and directly estimate MI-BCI performance through the user's self-prediction are lacking. In this study, we first test each user's self-prediction idea regarding motor imagery experimental datasets. Fifty-two subjects participated in a classical, two-class motor imagery experiment and were asked to evaluate their easiness with motor imagery and to predict their own MI-BCI performance. During the motor imagery experiment, an electroencephalogram (EEG) was recorded; however, no feedback on motor imagery was given to subjects. From EEG recordings, the offline classification accuracy was estimated and compared with several questionnaire scores of subjects, as well as with each subject's self-prediction of MI-BCI performance. The subjects' performance predictions during motor imagery task showed a high positive correlation ( r = 0.64, p < 0.01). Interestingly, it was observed that the self-prediction became more accurate as the subjects conducted more motor imagery tasks in the Correlation coefficient (pre-task to 2nd run: r = 0.02 to r = 0.54, p < 0.01) and root mean square error (pre-task to 3rd run: 17.7% to 10%, p < 0.01). We demonstrated that subjects may accurately predict their MI-BCI performance even without feedback information. This implies that the human brain is an active learning system and, by self-experiencing the endogenous motor imagery process, it can sense and adopt the quality of the process. Thus, it is believed that users may be able to predict MI-BCI performance and results may contribute to a better understanding of low performance and advancing BCI.

Motor Imitation Abilities and Neurological Signs in Autistic Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Vicki; Prior, Margot

1985-01-01

Ten autistic children were compared with 10 chronologically and mentally normal children on two tests of motor imitation and on the Herzig Battery for Non-Focal Neurological Signs. Results indicated that autistic Ss had significant handicaps in the neurodevelopmental area, with very poor performance on motor imitation tasks and a universal and…

Motor and gestural performance in children with autism spectrum disorders, developmental coordination disorder, and/or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

PubMed

Dewey, Deborah; Cantell, Marja; Crawford, Susan G

2007-03-01

Motor and gestural skills of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), developmental coordination disorder (DCD), and/or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) were investigated. A total of 49 children with ASD, 46 children with DCD, 38 children with DCD+ADHD, 27 children with ADHD, and 78 typically developing control children participated. Motor skills were assessed with the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency Short Form, and gestural skills were assessed using a test that required children to produce meaningful gestures to command and imitation. Children with ASD, DCD, and DCD+ADHD were significantly impaired on motor coordination skills; however, only children with ASD showed a generalized impairment in gestural performance. Examination of types of gestural errors revealed that children with ASD made significantly more incorrect action and orientation errors to command, and significantly more orientation and distortion errors to imitation than children with DCD, DCD+ADHD, ADHD, and typically developing control children. These findings suggest that gestural impairments displayed by the children with ASD were not solely attributable to deficits in motor coordination skills.

Motor development and sensory processing: A comparative study between preterm and term infants.

PubMed

Cabral, Thais Invenção; Pereira da Silva, Louise Gracelli; Tudella, Eloisa; Simões Martinez, Cláudia Maria

2014-10-16

Infants born preterm and/or with low birth weight may present a clinical condition of organic instability and usually face a long period of hospitalization in the Neonatal Intensive Care Units, being exposed to biopsychosocial risk factors to their development due to decreased spontaneous movement and excessive sensory stimuli. This study assumes that there are relationships between the integration of sensory information of preterm infants, motor development and their subsequent effects. To evaluate the sensory processing and motor development in preterm infants aged 4-6 months and compare performance data with their peers born at term. This was a cross-sectional and comparative study consisting of a group of preterm infants (n=15) and a group of term infants (n=15), assessed using the Test of Sensory Functions in Infants (TSFI) and the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS). The results showed no significant association between motor performance on the AIMS scale (total score) and sensory processing in the TSFI (total score). However, all infants who scored abnormal in the total TSFI score, subdomain 1, and subdomain 5 presented motor performance at or below the 5th percentile on the AIMS scale. Since all infants who presented definite alteration in tolerating tactile deep pressure and poor postural control are at risk of delayed gross motor development, there may be peculiarities not detected by the tests used that seem to establish some relationship between sensory processing and motor development. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reliability of the test of gross motor development second edition (TGMD-2) for Kindergarten children in Myanmar

PubMed Central

Aye, Thanda; Oo, Khin Saw; Khin, Myo Thuzar; Kuramoto-Ahuja, Tsugumi; Maruyama, Hitoshi

2017-01-01

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to investigate reliability of the test of gross motor development second edition (TGMD-2) for Kindergarten children in Myanmar. [Subjects and Methods] Fifty healthy Kindergarten children (23 males, 27 females) whose parents/guardians had given written consent were participated. The subjects were explained and demonstrated all 12 gross motor skills of TGMD-2 before the assessment. Each subject individually performed two trials for each gross motor skill and the performance was video recorded. Three raters separately watched the video recordings and rated for inter-rater reliability. The second assessment was done one month later with 25 out of 50 subjects for test-rest reliability. The video recordings of 12 subjects were randomly selected from the first 50 recordings for intra-rater reliability six weeks after the first assessment. The agreement on the locomotor and object control raw scores and the gross motor quotient (GMQ) were calculated. [Results] The findings of all the reliability coefficients for the locomotor and object control raw scores and the GMQ were interpreted as good and excellent reliability. [Conclusion] The results represented that TGMD-2 is a highly reliable and appropriate assessment tool for assessing gross motor skill development of Kindergarten children in Myanmar. PMID:29184278

Reliability of the test of gross motor development second edition (TGMD-2) for Kindergarten children in Myanmar.

PubMed

Aye, Thanda; Oo, Khin Saw; Khin, Myo Thuzar; Kuramoto-Ahuja, Tsugumi; Maruyama, Hitoshi

2017-10-01

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to investigate reliability of the test of gross motor development second edition (TGMD-2) for Kindergarten children in Myanmar. [Subjects and Methods] Fifty healthy Kindergarten children (23 males, 27 females) whose parents/guardians had given written consent were participated. The subjects were explained and demonstrated all 12 gross motor skills of TGMD-2 before the assessment. Each subject individually performed two trials for each gross motor skill and the performance was video recorded. Three raters separately watched the video recordings and rated for inter-rater reliability. The second assessment was done one month later with 25 out of 50 subjects for test-rest reliability. The video recordings of 12 subjects were randomly selected from the first 50 recordings for intra-rater reliability six weeks after the first assessment. The agreement on the locomotor and object control raw scores and the gross motor quotient (GMQ) were calculated. [Results] The findings of all the reliability coefficients for the locomotor and object control raw scores and the GMQ were interpreted as good and excellent reliability. [Conclusion] The results represented that TGMD-2 is a highly reliable and appropriate assessment tool for assessing gross motor skill development of Kindergarten children in Myanmar.

When affordances climb into your mind: advantages of motor simulation in a memory task performed by novice and expert rock climbers.

PubMed

Pezzulo, Giovanni; Barca, Laura; Bocconi, Alessandro Lamberti; Borghi, Anna M

2010-06-01

Does the sight of multiple climbing holds laid along a path activate a motor simulation of climbing that path? One way of testing whether multiple affordances and their displacement influence the formation of a motor simulation is to study acquired motor skills. We used a behavioral task in which expert and novice rock climbers were shown three routes: an easy route, a route impossible to climb but perceptually salient, and a difficult route. After a distraction task, they were then given a recall test in which they had to write down the sequence of holds composing each route. We found no difference between experts and novices on the easy and impossible routes, whereas on the difficult route, the performance of experts was better than that of novices. This suggests that seeing a climbing wall activates a motor, embodied simulation, which relies not on perceptual salience, but on motor competence. More importantly, our results show that the capability to form this simulation is modulated by individuals' motor repertoire and expertise, and that this strongly impacts recall. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Investigation of Perceptual-Motor Behavior Across the Expert Athlete to Disabled Patient Skill Continuum can Advance Theory and Practical Application.

PubMed

Müller, Sean; Vallence, Ann-Maree; Winstein, Carolee

2017-12-14

A framework is presented of how theoretical predictions can be tested across the expert athlete to disabled patient skill continuum. Common-coding theory is used as the exemplar to discuss sensory and motor system contributions to perceptual-motor behavior. Behavioral and neural studies investigating expert athletes and patients recovering from cerebral stroke are reviewed. They provide evidence of bi-directional contributions of visual and motor systems to perceptual-motor behavior. Majority of this research is focused on perceptual-motor performance or learning, with less on transfer. The field is ripe for research designed to test theoretical predictions across the expert athlete to disabled patient skill continuum. Our view has implications for theory and practice in sports science, physical education, and rehabilitation.

Psychometric properties of the motor diagnostics in the German football talent identification and development programme.

PubMed

HÖner, Oliver; Votteler, Andreas; Schmid, Markus; Schultz, Florian; Roth, Klaus

2015-01-01

The utilisation of motor performance tests for talent identification in youth sports is discussed intensively in talent research. This article examines the reliability, differential stability and validity of the motor diagnostics conducted nationwide by the German football talent identification and development programme and provides reference values for a standardised interpretation of the diagnostics results. Highly selected players (the top 4% of their age groups, U12-U15) took part in the diagnostics at 17 measurement points between spring 2004 and spring 2012 (N = 68,158). The heterogeneous test battery measured speed abilities and football-specific technical skills (sprint, agility, dribbling, ball control, shooting, juggling). For all measurement points, the overall score and the speed tests showed high internal consistency, high test-retest reliability and satisfying differential stability. The diagnostics demonstrated satisfying factorial-related validity with plausible and stable loadings on the two empirical factors "speed" and "technical skills". The score, and the technical skills dribbling and juggling, differentiated the most among players of different performance levels and thus showed the highest criterion-related validity. Satisfactory psychometric properties for the diagnostics are an important prerequisite for a scientifically sound rating of players' actual motor performance and for the future examination of the prognostic validity for success in adulthood.

Twelve Weeks of Plyometric Training Improves Motor Performance of 7- to 9-Year-Old Boys Who Were Overweight/Obese: A Randomized Controlled Intervention.

PubMed

Nobre, Gabriela G; de Almeida, Marcelus B; Nobre, Isabele G; Dos Santos, Fernanda K; Brinco, Raphael A; Arruda-Lima, Thalison R; de-Vasconcelos, Kenya L; de-Lima, Jociellen G; Borba-Neto, Manoel E; Damasceno-Rodrigues, Emmanuel M; Santos-Silva, Steve M; Leandro, Carol G; Moura-Dos-Santos, Marcos A

2017-08-01

Nobre, GG, de Almeida, MB, Nobre, IG, dos Santos, FK, Brinco, RA, Arruda-Lima, TR, de-Vasconcelos, KL, de-Lima, JG, Borba-Neto, ME, Damasceno-Rodrigues, EM, Santos-Silva, SM, Leandro, CG, and Moura-dos-Santos, MA. Twelve weeks of plyometric training improves motor performance of 7- to 9-year-old boys who were overweight/obese: a randomized controlled intervention. J Strength Cond Res 31(8): 2091-2099, 2017-The prevalence of childhood overweight/obesity has increased, and physical training at school may to be effective to combat this scenario. We analyzed the effects of a protocol of plyometric training on body composition and motor performance of boys who were overweight/obese aged 7-9 years. The sample was randomly assigned into 2 groups: plyometric training group (T, n = 40) and control group (C, n = 19). Training consisted of 20 min·d (twice a week, during 12 weeks) of lower extremity plyometric exercise. Health-related physical fitness was measured by handgrip strength, standing long jump (SLJ), curl-ups, sit and reach, square test, running speed, and mile run test. Gross motor coordination was evaluated by means of the Körperkoordinations-test für Kinder (KTK) tests. Baseline and postintervention differences were investigated, and effect size was estimated through Cohen's d coefficient. Both groups showed increased body weight, height, and sitting height after intervention with a negligible effect size. Only T group showed increased fat-free mass (p = 0.011) compared with baseline values with small effect size. Plyometric training improved handgrip strength (d = 0.23), sit and reach (d = 0.18), curl-ups (d = 0.39), SLJ (d = 0.80), agility (d = 0.48), and time in the mile run test (d = 0.38). For gross motor coordination results, T group showed better performance in all tests after plyometric training with moderate/large effect size. Thus, 12 weeks of PT improved health-related physical fitness components and motor coordination acquisition of 7- to 9-year-old boys who were overweight/obese.

The malleability of infant motor development: cautions based on studies of child-rearing practices in Yucatan.

PubMed

Solomons, H C

1978-11-01

Tests with the Bayley Motor Scale were given to 288 infants, equally divided by sex, in Yucatan, Mexico. These were 2 to 54 weeks in age and came from three sociocultural levels. In comparison to USA infants, early acceleration of motor development was followed by a marked downward trend. This phenomenon, if observed in a single child, may indicate progressive neurologic disease. Child-rearing practices would appear to account for the difference in pattern of test performance.

Impairment of motor skills in children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders in remote Australia: The Lililwan Project.

PubMed

Lucas, Barbara R; Doney, Robyn; Latimer, Jane; Watkins, Rochelle E; Tsang, Tracey W; Hawkes, Genevieve; Fitzpatrick, James P; Oscar, June; Carter, Maureen; Elliott, Elizabeth J

2016-11-01

We aimed to characterise motor performance in predominantly Aboriginal children living in very remote Australia, where rates of prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) are high. Motor performance was assessed, and the relationship between motor skills, fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) and PAE was explored. Motor performance was assessed using the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency-Second Edition Complete Form, in a population-based study of children born in 2002 or 2003 living in the Fitzroy Valley, Western Australia. Composite scores ≥2SD (2nd percentile) and ≥1SD (16th percentile) below the mean were used respectively for FASD diagnosis and referral for treatment. FASD diagnoses were assigned using modified Canadian Guidelines. A total of 108 children (Aboriginal: 98.1%; male: 53%) with a mean age of 8.7 years was assessed. The cohort's mean total motor composite score (mean ± SD 47.2 ± 7.6) approached the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency-Second Edition normative mean (50 ± 10). Motor performance was lower in children with FASD diagnosis than without (mean difference (MD) ± SD: -5.0 ± 1.8; confidence interval: -8.6 to -1.5). There was no difference between children with PAE than without (MD ± SE: -2.2 ± 1.5; confidence interval: -5.1 to 0.80). The prevalence of motor impairment (≥-2SD) was 1.9% in the entire cohort, 9.5% in children with FASD, 3.3% in children with PAE and 0.0% both in children without PAE or FASD. Almost of 10% of children with FASD has significant motor impairment. Evaluation of motor function should routinely be included in assessments for FASD, to document impairment and enable targeted early intervention.[Lucas BR, Doney R, Latimer J, Watkins RE, Tsang TW, Hawkes G, Fitzpatrick JP, Oscar J, Carter M, Elliott EJ. Impairment of motor skills in children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders in remote Australia: The Lililwan Project. Drug Alcohol Rev 2016;35:719-727]. © 2016 Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs.

Evaluation of Retrofit Variable-Speed Furnace Fan Motors

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Aldrich, R.; Williamson, J.

2014-01-01

In conjunction with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and Proctor Engineering Group, Ltd. (PEG), the Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings (CARB) has evaluated the Concept 3™ replacement motors for residential furnaces. These brushless, permanent magnet (BPM) motors can use much less electricity than their PSC (permanent split capacitor) predecessors. This evaluation focuses on existing homes in the heating-dominated climate of upstate New York with the goals of characterizing field performance and cost effectiveness. The project includes eight homes in and near Syracuse, NY. Tests and monitoring was performed both before and after fan motors weremore » replaced. Results indicate that BPM replacement motors will be most cost effective in HVAC systems with longer run times and relatively low duct static pressures. More dramatic savings are possible if occupants use the fan-only setting when there is no thermal load. There are millions of cold-climate, U.S. homes that meet these criteria, but the savings in most homes tested in this study were modest.« less

Improving balance, mobility, and dual-task performance in an adolescent with cerebral palsy: A case report.

PubMed

Fisher-Pipher, Sarah; Kenyon, Lisa K; Westman, Marci

2017-07-01

Improving functional mobility is often a desired outcome for adolescents with cerebral palsy (CP). Traditional neurorehabilitation approaches are frequently directed at impairments; however, improvements may not be carried over into functional mobility. The purpose of this case report was to describe the examination, intervention, and outcomes of a task-oriented physical therapy intervention program to improve dynamic balance, functional mobility, and dual-task performance in an adolescent with CP. The participant was a 15-year-old girl with spastic triplegic CP (Gross Motor Classification System Level II). Examination procedures included the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure, 6-minute walk test, Muscle Power Sprint Test, 10 x 5-meter sprint test, Timed Up and Down Stairs Test, Gross Motor Function Measure, Gillette Functional Assessment Questionnaire, and functional lower extremity strength tests. Intervention focused on task-oriented dynamic balance and mobility tasks that incorporated coordination and speed demands as well as task-specific lower extremity and trunk strengthening activities. Dual task demands were integrated into all intervention activities. Post-intervention testing revealed improvements in cardiovascular endurance, anaerobic power, agility, stair climbing, gross motor skills, and mobility. The participant appeared to benefit from a task-oriented program to improve dynamic balance, functional mobility, and dual-task performance.

Age-related motor unit remodeling in the Tibialis Anterior.

PubMed

Siddiqi, Ariba; Kumar, Dinesh; Arjunan, Sridhar

2015-01-01

Limited studies exist on the use of surface electromyogram (EMG) signal features to detect age-related motor unit remodeling in the Tibialis Anterior. Motor unit remodeling leads to declined muscle strength and force steadiness during submaximal contractions which are factors for risk of falls in the elderly. This study investigated the remodeling phenomena in the Tibialis Anterior using sample entropy and higher order statistics. Eighteen young (26.1 ± 2.9 years) and twelve elderly (68.7 ± 9.0 years) participants performed isometric dorsiflexion of the ankle at 20% maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) and their Tibialis Anterior (TA) EMG was recorded. Sample entropy, Gaussianity and Linearity Test statistics were calculated from the recorded EMG for each MVC. Shapiro-Wilk test was used to determine normality, and either a two-tail student t-test or Wilcoxon rank sum test was performed to determine significant difference in the EMG features between the young and old cohorts. Results show age-related motor unit remodeling to be depicted by decreased sample entropy (p <; 0.1), increased non-Gaussianity (p <; 0.05) and lesser degree of linearity in the elderly. This is due to the increased sparsity of the MUAPs as a result of the denervation-reinnervation process, and the decrease in total number of motor units.

Assessing fundamental motor skills in Belgian children aged 3-8 years highlights differences to US reference sample.

PubMed

Bardid, Farid; Huyben, Floris; Lenoir, Matthieu; Seghers, Jan; De Martelaer, Kristine; Goodway, Jacqueline D; Deconinck, Frederik J A

2016-06-01

This study aimed to understand the fundamental motor skills (FMS) of Belgian children using the process-oriented Test of Gross Motor Development, Second Edition (TGMD-2) and to investigate the suitability of using the United States (USA) test norms in Belgium. FMS were assessed using the TGMD-2. Gender, age and motor performance were examined in 1614 Belgian children aged 3-8 years (52.1% boys) and compared with the US reference sample. More proficient FMS performance was found with increasing age, from 3 to 6 years for locomotor skills and 3 to 7 years for object control skills. Gender differences were observed in object control skills, with boys performing better than girls. In general, Belgian children had lower levels of motor competence than the US reference sample, specifically for object control skills. The score distribution of the Belgian sample was skewed, with 37.4% scoring below average and only 6.9% scoring above average. This study supported the usefulness of the TGMD-2 as a process-oriented instrument to measure gross motor development in early childhood in Belgium. However, it also demonstrated that caution is warranted when using the US reference norms. ©2016 Foundation Acta Paediatrica. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The effects of shift work and time of day on fine motor control during handwriting.

PubMed

Hölzle, Patricia; Hermsdörfer, Joachim; Vetter, Céline

2014-01-01

Handwriting is an elaborate and highly automatised skill relying on fine motor control. In laboratory conditions handwriting kinematics are modulated by the time of day. This study investigated handwriting kinematics in a rotational shift system and assessed whether similar time of day fluctuations at the work place can be observed. Handwriting performance was measured in two tasks of different levels of complexity in 34 shift workers across morning (6:00-14:00), evening (14:00-22:00) and night shifts (22:00-6:00). Participants were tested during all three shifts in 2-h intervals with mobile testing devices. We calculated average velocity, script size and writing frequency to quantify handwriting kinematics and fluency. Average velocity and script size were significantly affected by the shift work schedule with the worst performance during morning shifts and the best performance during evening shifts. Our data are of high economic relevance as fine motor skills are indispensable for accurate and effective production at the work place. Handwriting is one of the most complex fine motor skills in humans, which is frequently performed in daily life. In this study, we tested handwriting repeatedly at the work place in a rotational shift system. We found slower handwriting velocity and reduced script size during morning shifts.

Adaptive control schemes for improving dynamic performance of efficiency-optimized induction motor drives.

PubMed

Kumar, Navneet; Raj Chelliah, Thanga; Srivastava, S P

2015-07-01

Model Based Control (MBC) is one of the energy optimal controllers used in vector-controlled Induction Motor (IM) for controlling the excitation of motor in accordance with torque and speed. MBC offers energy conservation especially at part-load operation, but it creates ripples in torque and speed during load transition, leading to poor dynamic performance of the drive. This study investigates the opportunity for improving dynamic performance of a three-phase IM operating with MBC and proposes three control schemes: (i) MBC with a low pass filter (ii) torque producing current (iqs) injection in the output of speed controller (iii) Variable Structure Speed Controller (VSSC). The pre and post operation of MBC during load transition is also analyzed. The dynamic performance of a 1-hp, three-phase squirrel-cage IM with mine-hoist load diagram is tested. Test results are provided for the conventional field-oriented (constant flux) control and MBC (adjustable excitation) with proposed schemes. The effectiveness of proposed schemes is also illustrated for parametric variations. The test results and subsequent analysis confer that the motor dynamics improves significantly with all three proposed schemes in terms of overshoot/undershoot peak amplitude of torque and DC link power in addition to energy saving during load transitions. Copyright © 2015 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Two-motor direct drive control for elevation axis of telescope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, T.; Tan, Y.; Ren, G.

2014-07-01

Two-motor application has become a very attractive filed in important field which high performance is permitted to achieve of position, speed, and acceleration. In the elevation axis of telescope control system, two-motor direct drive is proposed to enhance the high performance of tracking control system. Although there are several dominant strengths such as low size of motors and high torsional structural dynamics, the synchronization control of two motors is a very difficult and important. In this paper, a multi-loop control technique base master-slave current control is used to synchronize two motors, including current control loop, speed control loop and position control loop. First, the direct drive function of two motors is modeled. Compared of single motor direct control system, the resonance frequency of two motor control systems is same; while the anti-resonance frequency of two motors control system is 1.414 times than those of sing motor system. Because of rigid coupling for direct drive, the speed of two motor of the system is same, and the synchronization of torque for motors is critical. The current master-slave control technique is effective to synchronize the torque, which the current loop of the master motors is tracked the other slave motor. The speed feedback into the input of current loop of the master motors. The experiments test the performance of the two motors drive system. The random tracking error is 0.0119" for the line trajectory of 0.01°/s.

Gross motor skill development of kindergarten children in Japan.

PubMed

Aye, Thanda; Kuramoto-Ahuja, Tsugumi; Sato, Tamae; Sadakiyo, Kaori; Watanabe, Miyoko; Maruyama, Hitoshi

2018-05-01

[Purpose] The purposes of this study were to assess and explore the gender-based differences in gross motor skill development of 5-year-old Japanese children. [Subjects and Methods] This cross-sectional study recruited 60 healthy 5-year-old (third-year kindergarten, i.e., nencho ) children (34 boys, 26 girls) from one local private kindergarten school in Otawara city, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. Gross motor skills, including six locomotor and six object control skills, were assessed using the test of gross motor development, second edition (TGMD-2). All subjects performed two trials of each gross motor skill, and the performances were video-recorded and scored. Assessment procedures were performed according to the standardized guidelines of the TGMD-2. [Results] The majority of subjects had an average level of overall gross motor skills. Girls had significantly better locomotor skills. Boys had significantly better object control skills. [Conclusion] The gross motor skill development of 5-year-old Japanese children involves gender-based differences in locomotor and object control skills. This study provided valuable information that can be used to establish normative references for the gross motor skills of 5-year-old Japanese children.

When Affordances Climb into Your Mind: Advantages of Motor Simulation in a Memory Task Performed by Novice and Expert Rock Climbers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pezzulo, Giovanni; Barca, Laura; Bocconi, Alessandro Lamberti; Borghi, Anna M.

2010-01-01

Does the sight of multiple climbing holds laid along a path activate a motor simulation of climbing that path? One way of testing whether multiple affordances and their displacement influence the formation of a motor simulation is to study acquired motor skills. We used a behavioral task in which expert and novice rock climbers were shown three…

Self-Concept in Adolescents—Relationship between Sport Participation, Motor Performance and Personality Traits

PubMed Central

Klein, Markus; Fröhlich, Michael; Emrich, Eike

2017-01-01

The relationship between sport participation, personality development, self-concept and self-esteem has been discussed repeatedly. In this research, a standardized written survey together with tests on motor performance were carried out with 1399 students (707 male; 692 female) in school years 7 (12.9 ± 0.6 years) and 10 (15.8 ± 0.6 years) to measure the extent of a relationship between physical self-concept (self-developed short scale) and sporting activity, measured motor performance (German motor performance test DMT (Deutscher Motorik-Test) 6–18) and report mark in physical education. Relationships were also analyzed between physical self-concept and general personality traits (neuroticism, extraversion, openness to experiences, compatibility, and conscientiousness, measured with NEO Five Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI)). The assessment of own physical attractiveness and own athleticism differs by sex (F(1, 962) = 35.21; p < 0.001), whereby girls assess themselves more critically. Weak significant relationships are displayed between motor performance and the assessment of own physical attractiveness (r(395) = 0.31; p < 0.01). Motor performance is given a higher predictive value with regard to a subject’s own self-concept, (physical attractiveness β = 0.37; t(249) = 5.24; p < 0.001; athleticism β = 0.40; t(248) = 6.81; p < 0.001) than the mark achieved in physical education (physical attractiveness β = −0.01; n.s.; athleticism β = −0.30; t(248) = 5.10; p < 0.001). Relationships were found overall between personality traits and physical self-concept. The influence of the ‘neuroticism’ trait is particularly strong (physical attractiveness β = −0.44; t(947) = −13.58; p < 0.001; athleticism β = −0.27; t(948) = −7.84; p < 0.001). The more pronounced this trait, the lower the assessment of own physical attractiveness and own athleticism. PMID:29910382

Space Shuttle Reusable Solid Rocket Motor Program Overview and Lessons Learned

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Graves, Stan R.; McCool, Alex (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

An overview of the Space Shuttle Reusable Solid Rocket Motor (RSRM) program is provided with a summary of lessons learned since the first test firing in 1977. Fifteen different lessons learned are discussed that fundamentally changed the motor's design, processing, and RSRM program risk management systems. The evolution of the rocket motor design is presented including the baseline or High Performance Solid Rocket Motor (HPM), the Filament Wound Case (FWC), the RSRM, and the proposed Five-Segment Booster (FSB).

Motor current signature analysis for gearbox condition monitoring under transient speeds using wavelet analysis and dual-level time synchronous averaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bravo-Imaz, Inaki; Davari Ardakani, Hossein; Liu, Zongchang; García-Arribas, Alfredo; Arnaiz, Aitor; Lee, Jay

2017-09-01

This paper focuses on analyzing motor current signature for fault diagnosis of gearboxes operating under transient speed regimes. Two different strategies are evaluated, extensively tested and compared to analyze the motor current signature in order to implement a condition monitoring system for gearboxes in industrial machinery. A specially designed test bench is used, thoroughly monitored to fully characterize the experiments, in which gears in different health status are tested. The measured signals are analyzed using discrete wavelet decomposition, in different decomposition levels using a range of mother wavelets. Moreover, a dual-level time synchronous averaging analysis is performed on the same signal to compare the performance of the two methods. From both analyses, the relevant features of the signals are extracted and cataloged using a self-organizing map, which allows for an easy detection and classification of the diverse health states of the gears. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of both methods for diagnosing gearbox faults. A slightly better performance was observed for dual-level time synchronous averaging method. Based on the obtained results, the proposed methods can used as effective and reliable condition monitoring procedures for gearbox condition monitoring using only motor current signature.

Electric Motor Thermal Management R&D. Annual Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bennion, Kevin

With the push to reduce component volumes, lower costs, and reduce weight without sacrificing performance or reliability, the challenges associated with thermal management increase for power electronics and electric motors. Thermal management for electric motors will become more important as the automotive industry continues the transition to more electrically dominant vehicle propulsion systems. The transition to more electrically dominant propulsion systems leads to higher-power duty cycles for electric drive systems. Thermal constraints place significant limitations on how electric motors ultimately perform, and as thermal management improves, there will be a direct trade-off between motor performance, efficiency, cost, and the sizingmore » of electric motors to operate within the thermal constraints. The goal of this research project is to support broad industry demand for data, analysis methods, and experimental techniques to improve and better understand motor thermal management. Work in FY15 focused on two areas related to motor thermal management: passive thermal performance and active convective cooling. Passive thermal performance emphasized the thermal impact of materials and thermal interfaces among materials within an assembled motor. The research tasks supported the publication of test methods and data for thermal contact resistances and direction-dependent thermal conductivity within an electric motor. Active convective cooling focused on measuring convective heat-transfer coefficients using automatic transmission fluid (ATF). Data for average convective heat transfer coefficients for direct impingement of ATF jets was published. Also, experimental hardware for mapping local-scale and stator-scale convective heat transfer coefficients for ATF jet impingement were developed.« less

Testing the Motor Simulation Account of Source Errors for Actions in Recall

PubMed Central

Lange, Nicholas; Hollins, Timothy J.; Bach, Patric

2017-01-01

Observing someone else perform an action can lead to false memories of self-performance – the observation inflation effect. One explanation is that action simulation via mirror neuron activation during action observation is responsible for observation inflation by enriching memories of observed actions with motor representations. In three experiments we investigated this account of source memory failures, using a novel paradigm that minimized influences of verbalization and prior object knowledge. Participants worked in pairs to take turns acting out geometric shapes and letters. The next day, participants recalled either actions they had performed or those they had observed. Experiment 1 showed that participants falsely retrieved observed actions as self-performed, but also retrieved self-performed actions as observed. Experiment 2 showed that preventing participants from encoding observed actions motorically by taxing their motor system with a concurrent motor task did not lead to the predicted decrease in false claims of self-performance. Indeed, Experiment 3 showed that this was the case even if participants were asked to carefully monitor their recall. Because our data provide no evidence for a motor activation account, we also discussed our results in light of a source monitoring account. PMID:29033874

The relationship between motor performance and peer relations in 9- to 12-year-old children.

PubMed

Livesey, D; Lum Mow, M; Toshack, T; Zheng, Y

2011-07-01

Poor motor skills have been associated with peer relationship difficulties, with lower peer preference and greater likelihood of suffering from withdrawal and low self-worth. Most research into these relationships has focused upon children with motor problems and on activities involving physical skills (play/sport). The current study examined the link between motor performance and peer relations in 9- to 12-year-old children in both physical and non-physical (schoolwork) settings using a community sample. Participants were 192 school children whose motor performance was tested using the Movement Assessment Battery for Children. Peer acceptance was assessed using the Peer Rating Scale and teachers completed the Peer Exclusion subscale of the Child Behaviour Scale to indicate each child's peer status. Children were also asked to indicate their level of physical activity and their perceived freedom in leisure using self-report questionnaires. Children with poor motor performance had lower levels of physical activity, and freedom in leisure and were less preferred by their peers in both play and classroom settings. These effects were stronger for boys than for girls. Teacher indicated that children with poorer motor skills experienced higher levels of peer rejection in the classroom setting. When motor performance was separated into fine- and gross-motor performance it was found that only the latter was significantly correlated with peer acceptance in the play context but that fine-motor skills contributed significantly to variance in teacher ratings of peer exclusion in the classroom setting. The results support and extend earlier findings that children with poor motor performance are less accepted by their peers in play settings and provide some support for this extending to settings involving low levels of physical activity (classroom settings). The results similarly support previous findings that motor performance is associated with perceived freedom in leisure and with the likelihood of participating in active pursuits. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Five-week sensory motor training program improves functional performance and postural control in young male soccer players - A blind randomized clinical trial.

PubMed

Heleno, Lucas Rafael; da Silva, Rubens A; Shigaki, Leonardo; Araújo, Cynthia Gobbi Alves; Coelho Candido, Cristiane Regina; Okazaki, Victor Hugo Alves; Frisseli, Ariobaldo; Macedo, Christiane de S Guerino

2016-11-01

Sensory motor training programs are used in the rehabilitation and prevention of injuries among soccer players. Inconsistencies are found in the literature regarding the duration of the protocols and the exercises and equipment used. To evaluate the benefits of a five-week sensory motor training program on the functional performance and postural control of young soccer players. The study sample comprised 22 young male soccer players who were evaluated using: the Figure-of-Eight Test (F8), Side Hop Test (SHT), Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT), and a force platform. The players were randomly divided into a control group (N = 10), who continued their soccer practice sessions and an intervention group (N = 12), who continued their soccer practice sessions and were also enrolled in a supervised five-week sensory motor training program. After the five-week training program, the intervention group obtained significant results in the F8, SHT and SEBT, as well as in the following parameters: area of pressure of sway center (COP), mean velocity and mean frequency of COP. The five-week sensory motor training program, carried out with easily available and low cost equipment, was effective at improving functional performance and postural control in young soccer players. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Alternate bearing design fabrication and test program, exhibit B

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1978-01-01

A 50 ft-lb-sec (FPS) reaction wheel was modified with an ironless armature brushless dc motor and a magnetic bearing suspension. The purpose was to demonstrate the performance of an alternate bearing concept, i.e., a magnetic bearing suspension, which could be used in Skylab type CMG's to meet the attitude control requirements of long term space stations. A magnetic suspension was built, installed and tested in the 50 FPS reaction wheel. A secondary effort included the build and test of a compatible reaction wheel motor. Performance characteristics of both are presented and discussed.

Longitudinal motor performance development in early adolescence and its relationship to adult success: An 8-year prospective study of highly talented soccer players

PubMed Central

Kelava, Augustin; Raabe, Johannes; Höner, Oliver

2018-01-01

Several talent identification and development (TID) programs in soccer have implemented diagnostics to measure players’ motor performance. Yet, there is a lack of research investigating the relationship between motor development in adolescence and future, adult performance. This longitudinal study analyzed the three-year development of highly talented young soccer players’ speed abilities and technical skills and examined the relevance of this development to their adult success. The current research sample consisted of N = 1,134 players born between 1993 and 1995 who were selected for the German Soccer Association’s TID program and participated in nationwide motor diagnostics (sprinting, agility, dribbling, ball control, shooting) four times between the Under 12 (U12) and Under 15 (U15) age class. Relative age (RA) was assessed for all players, and a total motor score was calculated based on performances in the individual tests. In order to investigate players’ future success, participants were divided into two groups according to their adult performance level (APL) in the 2014/2015 season: Elite (1st-5th German division; N = 145, 12.8%) and non-elite players (lower divisions; N = 989, 87.2%). Using multilevel regression analyses each motor performance was predicted by Time, Time2 (level-1 predictors), APL, and RA (level-2 covariates) with simultaneous consideration for interaction effects between the respective variables. Time and Time2 were significant predictors for each test performance. A predictive value for RA was confirmed for sprinting and the total motor score. A significant relationship between APL and the motor score as well as between APL and agility, dribbling, ball control, and shooting emerged. Interaction effects distinctly failed to reach significance. The study found a non-linear improvement in players’ performance for all considered motor performance factors over a three-year period from early to middle adolescence. While their predictive value for future success was confirmed by a significant relationship between APL and most of the considered factors, there was no significant interaction between APL and Time. These findings indicate that future elite players had already been better at the beginning of the TID program and maintained this high level throughout their promotion from U12 to U15. PMID:29723200

Longitudinal motor performance development in early adolescence and its relationship to adult success: An 8-year prospective study of highly talented soccer players.

PubMed

Leyhr, Daniel; Kelava, Augustin; Raabe, Johannes; Höner, Oliver

2018-01-01

Several talent identification and development (TID) programs in soccer have implemented diagnostics to measure players' motor performance. Yet, there is a lack of research investigating the relationship between motor development in adolescence and future, adult performance. This longitudinal study analyzed the three-year development of highly talented young soccer players' speed abilities and technical skills and examined the relevance of this development to their adult success. The current research sample consisted of N = 1,134 players born between 1993 and 1995 who were selected for the German Soccer Association's TID program and participated in nationwide motor diagnostics (sprinting, agility, dribbling, ball control, shooting) four times between the Under 12 (U12) and Under 15 (U15) age class. Relative age (RA) was assessed for all players, and a total motor score was calculated based on performances in the individual tests. In order to investigate players' future success, participants were divided into two groups according to their adult performance level (APL) in the 2014/2015 season: Elite (1st-5th German division; N = 145, 12.8%) and non-elite players (lower divisions; N = 989, 87.2%). Using multilevel regression analyses each motor performance was predicted by Time, Time2 (level-1 predictors), APL, and RA (level-2 covariates) with simultaneous consideration for interaction effects between the respective variables. Time and Time2 were significant predictors for each test performance. A predictive value for RA was confirmed for sprinting and the total motor score. A significant relationship between APL and the motor score as well as between APL and agility, dribbling, ball control, and shooting emerged. Interaction effects distinctly failed to reach significance. The study found a non-linear improvement in players' performance for all considered motor performance factors over a three-year period from early to middle adolescence. While their predictive value for future success was confirmed by a significant relationship between APL and most of the considered factors, there was no significant interaction between APL and Time. These findings indicate that future elite players had already been better at the beginning of the TID program and maintained this high level throughout their promotion from U12 to U15.

Selective Efficacy of Static and Dynamic Imagery in Different States of Physical Fatigue.

PubMed

Kanthack, Thiago Ferreira Dias; Guillot, Aymeric; Altimari, Leandro Ricardo; Nunez Nagy, Susana; Collet, Christian; Di Rienzo, Franck

2016-01-01

There is compelling evidence that motor imagery contributes to improved motor performance, and recent work showed that dynamic motor imagery (dMI) might provide additional benefits by comparison with traditional MI practice. However, the efficacy of motor imagery in different states of physical fatigue remains largely unknown, especially as imagery accuracy may be hampered by the physical fatigue states elicited by training. We investigated the effect of static motor imagery (sMI) and dMI on free-throw accuracy in 10 high-level basketball athletes, both in a non-fatigued state (Experiment 1) and immediately after an incremental running test completed until exhaustion (20 m shuttle run-test-Experiment 2). We collected perceived exhaustion and heart rate to quantify the subjective experience of fatigue and energy expenditure. We found that dMI brought better shooting performance than sMI, except when athletes were physically exhausted. These findings shed light on the conditions eliciting optimal use of sMI and dMI. In particular, considering that the current physical state affects body representation, performing dMI under fatigue may result in mismatches between actual and predicted body states.

The Applicability of Standard Error of Measurement and Minimal Detectable Change to Motor Learning Research-A Behavioral Study.

PubMed

Furlan, Leonardo; Sterr, Annette

2018-01-01

Motor learning studies face the challenge of differentiating between real changes in performance and random measurement error. While the traditional p -value-based analyses of difference (e.g., t -tests, ANOVAs) provide information on the statistical significance of a reported change in performance scores, they do not inform as to the likely cause or origin of that change, that is, the contribution of both real modifications in performance and random measurement error to the reported change. One way of differentiating between real change and random measurement error is through the utilization of the statistics of standard error of measurement (SEM) and minimal detectable change (MDC). SEM is estimated from the standard deviation of a sample of scores at baseline and a test-retest reliability index of the measurement instrument or test employed. MDC, in turn, is estimated from SEM and a degree of confidence, usually 95%. The MDC value might be regarded as the minimum amount of change that needs to be observed for it to be considered a real change, or a change to which the contribution of real modifications in performance is likely to be greater than that of random measurement error. A computer-based motor task was designed to illustrate the applicability of SEM and MDC to motor learning research. Two studies were conducted with healthy participants. Study 1 assessed the test-retest reliability of the task and Study 2 consisted in a typical motor learning study, where participants practiced the task for five consecutive days. In Study 2, the data were analyzed with a traditional p -value-based analysis of difference (ANOVA) and also with SEM and MDC. The findings showed good test-retest reliability for the task and that the p -value-based analysis alone identified statistically significant improvements in performance over time even when the observed changes could in fact have been smaller than the MDC and thereby caused mostly by random measurement error, as opposed to by learning. We suggest therefore that motor learning studies could complement their p -value-based analyses of difference with statistics such as SEM and MDC in order to inform as to the likely cause or origin of any reported changes in performance.

Rotating rake design for unique measurement of fan-generated spinning acoustic modes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Konno, Kevin E.; Hausmann, Clifford R.

1993-01-01

In light of the current emphasis on noise reduction in subsonic aircraft design, NASA has been actively studying the source of and propagation of noise generated by subsonic fan engines. NASA/LeRC has developed and tested a unique method of accurately measuring these spinning acoustic modes generated by an experimental fan. This mode measuring method is based on the use of a rotating microphone rake. Testing was conducted in the 9 x 15 Low-speed Wind Tunnel. The rotating rake was tested with the Advanced Ducted Propeller (ADP) model. This memorandum discusses the design and performance of the motor/drive system for the fan-synchronized rotating acoustic rake. This novel motor/drive design approach is now being adapted for additional acoustic mode studies in new test rigs as baseline data for the future design of active noise control for subsonic fan engines. Included in this memorandum are the research requirements, motor/drive specifications, test performance results, and a description of the controls and software involved.

WiiPD--an approach for the objective home assessment of Parkinson's disease.

PubMed

Synnott, J; Chen, L; Nugent, C D; Moore, G

2011-01-01

This paper introduces WiiPD, an approach to home-based objective assessment of Parkinson's disease. WiiPD aims to make use of the many capabilities of the Nintendo Wii Remote in combination with a number of bespoke data gathering methods to provide a rich and engaging user experience that can capture a wide range of motor and non-motor metrics. In this paper we discuss the architecture of the approach, and provide details of the implementation and testing of the motor-assessment component of the system. Initial results of testing on 6 users indicate that the system is able to differentiate between normal and abnormal motor performance, suggesting that the system has the potential to monitor the motor fluctuations associated with Parkinson's disease.

Firing test of propellant-cracked solid motor under X-ray TV

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fujiwara, Tsutomu; Tanemura, Toshiharu; Itoh, Katsuya; Kakuta, Yoshiaki; Shimizu, Morio; Takahashi, Michio

This paper presents the effects of a big crack on the combustion behaviors of the scaled-down Japanese H-I upper stage motors of the National Space Development Agency (NASDA). The big crack was generated by cooling down the propellant grain below -100 C; the crack was identified and measured with the X-ray computer tomography (CT) system designed for medical use. It was found that the crack spread widely from inner bore to liner and fore-and-aft of the motor. The firing test of the propellant-cracked solid motor was performed under X-ray TV observation, and the motor exploded just after the ignition because of the abrupt chamber pressure increase due to flame propagation into the crack.

Plasma torch testing for thermostructural evaluation of rocket motor nozzle materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Prince, Andrew S.; Bunker, Robert C.; Lawrence, Tim

1989-01-01

This paper presents data from the thermostructural testing of tape-wrapped carbon phenolic. This work has been performed with the use of a plasma torch and loading device in an effort to study the anomalous erosion characteristicfs of that seen in the Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Motor Nozzle STS-8A. Testing is conducted in an effort to determine conditions or parameters involved in this mode of failure.

Development and Initial Validation of the Preschooler Gross Motor Quality Scale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sun, Shih-Heng; Zhu, Yi-Ching; Shih, Ching-Lin; Lin, Chien-Hui; Wu, Sheng K.

2010-01-01

Motor skills have great impact on children in adapting to an environment and developing interpersonal interaction, cognition, and social behavior. Understanding what children can do and how they perform it is essential. Most motor tests seldom contain quality evaluation in the items or criteria. The purpose of this study was to develop and…

Design and Experimental Study on Spinning Solid Rocket Motor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xue, Heng; Jiang, Chunlan; Wang, Zaicheng

The study on spinning solid rocket motor (SRM) which used as power plant of twice throwing structure of aerial submunition was introduced. This kind of SRM which with the structure of tangential multi-nozzle consists of a combustion chamber, propellant charge, 4 tangential nozzles, ignition device, etc. Grain design, structure design and prediction of interior ballistic performance were described, and problem which need mainly considered in design were analyzed comprehensively. Finally, in order to research working performance of the SRM, measure pressure-time curve and its speed, static test and dynamic test were conducted respectively. And then calculated values and experimental data were compared and analyzed. The results indicate that the designed motor operates normally, and the stable performance of interior ballistic meet demands. And experimental results have the guidance meaning for the pre-research design of SRM.

Reusable Solid Rocket Motor - Accomplishment, Lessons, and a Culture of Success

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moore, D. R.; Phelps, W. J.

2011-01-01

The Reusable Solid Rocket Motor (RSRM) represents the largest solid rocket motor (SRM) ever flown and the only human-rated solid motor. High reliability of the RSRM has been the result of challenges addressed and lessons learned. Advancements have resulted by applying attention to process control, testing, and postflight through timely and thorough communication in dealing with all issues. A structured and disciplined approach was taken to identify and disposition all concerns. Careful consideration and application of alternate opinions was embraced. Focus was placed on process control, ground test programs, and postflight assessment. Process control is mandatory for an SRM, because an acceptance test of the delivered product is not feasible. The RSRM maintained both full-scale and subscale test articles, which enabled continuous improvement of design and evaluation of process control and material behavior. Additionally RSRM reliability was achieved through attention to detail in post flight assessment to observe any shift in performance. The postflight analysis and inspections provided invaluable reliability data as it enables observation of actual flight performance, most of which would not be available if the motors were not recovered. RSRM reusability offered unique opportunities to learn about the hardware. NASA is moving forward with the Space Launch System that incorporates propulsion systems that takes advantage of the heritage Shuttle and Ares solid motor programs. These unique challenges, features of the RSRM, materials and manufacturing issues, and design improvements will be discussed in the paper.

Motor Asymmetry and Substantia Nigra Volume Are Related to Spatial Delayed Response Performance in Parkinson Disease

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Foster, Erin R.; Black, Kevin J.; Antenor-Dorsey, Jo Ann V.; Perlmutter, Joel S.; Hershey, Tamara

2008-01-01

Studies suggest motor deficit asymmetry may help predict the pattern of cognitive impairment in individuals with Parkinson disease (PD). We tested this hypothesis using a highly validated and sensitive spatial memory task, spatial delayed response (SDR), and clinical and neuroimaging measures of PD asymmetry. We predicted SDR performance would be…

A Comparison of the Motor Performances of Boys and Girls in the Lower Elementary Grades.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DiNucci, James M.

This study investigated the possible differences in motor performance between 6- to 9-year-old boys and girls. Forty-eight test items which measured muscular strength, muscular endurance, cardiovascular endurace, power, speed, agility, flexibility, and balance were administered to 238 boys and 183 girls. The t ratio indicated that boys were…

Motor Imagery and Tennis Serve Performance: The External Focus Efficacy

PubMed Central

Guillot, Aymeric; Desliens, Simon; Rouyer, Christelle; Rogowski, Isabelle

2013-01-01

There is now ample evidence that motor imagery (MI) contributes to enhance motor performance. Previous research also demonstrated that directing athletes’ attention to the effects of their movements on the environment is more effective than focusing on the action per se. The present study aimed therefore at evaluating whether adopting an external focus during MI contributes to enhance tennis serve performance. Twelve high-level young tennis players were included in a test-retest procedure. The effects of regular training were first evaluated. Then, players were subjected to a MI intervention during which they mentally focused on ball trajectory and specifically visualized the space above the net where the serve can be successfully hit. Serve performance was evaluated during both a validated serve test and a real match. The main results showed a significant increase in accuracy and velocity during the ecological serve test after MI practice, as well as a significant improvement in successful first serves and won points during the match. Present data therefore confirmed the efficacy of MI in combination of physical practice to improve tennis serve performance, and further provided evidence that it is feasible to adopt external attentional focus during MI. Practical applications are discussed. Key Points Motor imagery contributes to enhance tennis serve performance. Data provided evidence of the benefits of adopting an external focus of attention during imagery. Results showed significant improvement in successful first serves and won points during a real match. PMID:24149813

The construction, testing, and installation of a 6500 r/min 15 000-hp adjustable-speed electric drive for a centrifugal gas compressor

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lawrence, R.G.; Finney, D.; Davidson, D.F.

1988-07-01

The construction, testing, and installation of a 6500 r/min 15 000-hp adjustable-speed electric drive for a centrifugal gas compressor is presented. A power electronic converter is applied to control the speed of a 5-kV motor. The motor is directly coupled to a 6500 r/min compressor and replaced a steam turbine. Dual converters are used in a twelve-pulse arrangement at both the utility and the motor. The motor is of solid rotor construction, with dual 30/sup 0/ displaced stator windings. Finite-element analysis is used to optimize the motor designs for use with a variable-frequency static converter. Full-power tests are completed whichmore » confirm theoretical predictions on losses, performance, and operation. The electrical drive takes up considerably less space and is much more efficient than the steam turbine it replaced.« less

Towards a user-friendly brain-computer interface: initial tests in ALS and PLS patients.

PubMed

Bai, Ou; Lin, Peter; Huang, Dandan; Fei, Ding-Yu; Floeter, Mary Kay

2010-08-01

Patients usually require long-term training for effective EEG-based brain-computer interface (BCI) control due to fatigue caused by the demands for focused attention during prolonged BCI operation. We intended to develop a user-friendly BCI requiring minimal training and less mental load. Testing of BCI performance was investigated in three patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and three patients with primary lateral sclerosis (PLS), who had no previous BCI experience. All patients performed binary control of cursor movement. One ALS patient and one PLS patient performed four-directional cursor control in a two-dimensional domain under a BCI paradigm associated with human natural motor behavior using motor execution and motor imagery. Subjects practiced for 5-10min and then participated in a multi-session study of either binary control or four-directional control including online BCI game over 1.5-2h in a single visit. Event-related desynchronization and event-related synchronization in the beta band were observed in all patients during the production of voluntary movement either by motor execution or motor imagery. The online binary control of cursor movement was achieved with an average accuracy about 82.1+/-8.2% with motor execution and about 80% with motor imagery, whereas offline accuracy was achieved with 91.4+/-3.4% with motor execution and 83.3+/-8.9% with motor imagery after optimization. In addition, four-directional cursor control was achieved with an accuracy of 50-60% with motor execution and motor imagery. Patients with ALS or PLS may achieve BCI control without extended training, and fatigue might be reduced during operation of a BCI associated with human natural motor behavior. The development of a user-friendly BCI will promote practical BCI applications in paralyzed patients. Copyright 2010 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. All rights reserved.

Buckling Testing and Analysis of Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Motor Cylinders

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weidner, Thomas J.; Larsen, David V.; McCool, Alex (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

A series of full-scale buckling tests were performed on the space shuttle Reusable Solid Rocket Motor (RSRM) cylinders. The tests were performed to determine the buckling capability of the cylinders and to provide data for analytical comparison. A nonlinear ANSYS Finite Element Analysis (FEA) model was used to represent and evaluate the testing. Analytical results demonstrated excellent correlation to test results, predicting the failure load within 5%. The analytical value was on the conservative side, predicting a lower failure load than was applied to the test. The resulting study and analysis indicated the important parameters for FEA to accurately predict buckling failure. The resulting method was subsequently used to establish the pre-launch buckling capability of the space shuttle system.

Space Shuttle Projects

NASA Image and Video Library

2002-08-01

A scaled-down 24-inch version of the Space Shuttle's Reusable Solid Rocket Motor was successfully fired for 21 seconds at a Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) Test Stand. The motor was tested to ensure a replacement material called Lycocel would meet the criteria set by the Shuttle's Solid Motor Project Office. The current material is a heat-resistant, rayon-based, carbon-cloth phenolic used as an insulating material for the motor's nozzle. Lycocel, a brand name for Tencel, is a cousin to rayon and is an exceptionally strong fiber made of wood pulp produced by a special "solvent-spirning" process using a nontoxic solvent. It will also be impregnated with a phenolic resin. This new material is expected to perform better under the high temperatures experienced during launch. The next step will be to test the material on a 48-inch solid rocket motor. The test, which replicates launch conditions, is part of Shuttle's ongoing verification of components, materials, and manufacturing processes required by MSFC, which oversees the Reusable Solid Rocket Motor project. Manufactured by the ATK Thiokol Propulsion Division in Promontory, California, the Reusable Solid Rocket Motor measures 126 feet (38.4 meters) long and 12 feet (3.6 meters) in diameter. It is the largest solid rocket motor ever flown and the first designed for reuse. During its two-minute burn at liftoff, each motor generates an average thrust of 2.6 million pounds (1.2 million kilograms).

Motor unit recruitment by size does not provide functional advantages for motor performance

PubMed Central

Dideriksen, Jakob L; Farina, Dario

2013-01-01

It is commonly assumed that the orderly recruitment of motor units by size provides a functional advantage for the performance of movements compared with a random recruitment order. On the other hand, the excitability of a motor neuron depends on its size and this is intrinsically linked to its innervation number. A range of innervation numbers among motor neurons corresponds to a range of sizes and thus to a range of excitabilities ordered by size. Therefore, if the excitation drive is similar among motor neurons, the recruitment by size is inevitably due to the intrinsic properties of motor neurons and may not have arisen to meet functional demands. In this view, we tested the assumption that orderly recruitment is necessarily beneficial by determining if this type of recruitment produces optimal motor output. Using evolutionary algorithms and without any a priori assumptions, the parameters of neuromuscular models were optimized with respect to several criteria for motor performance. Interestingly, the optimized model parameters matched well known neuromuscular properties, but none of the optimization criteria determined a consistent recruitment order by size unless this was imposed by an association between motor neuron size and excitability. Further, when the association between size and excitability was imposed, the resultant model of recruitment did not improve the motor performance with respect to the absence of orderly recruitment. A consistent observation was that optimal solutions for a variety of criteria of motor performance always required a broad range of innervation numbers in the population of motor neurons, skewed towards the small values. These results indicate that orderly recruitment of motor units in itself does not provide substantial functional advantages for motor control. Rather, the reason for its near-universal presence in human movements is that motor functions are optimized by a broad range of innervation numbers. PMID:24144879

Motor unit recruitment by size does not provide functional advantages for motor performance.

PubMed

Dideriksen, Jakob L; Farina, Dario

2013-12-15

It is commonly assumed that the orderly recruitment of motor units by size provides a functional advantage for the performance of movements compared with a random recruitment order. On the other hand, the excitability of a motor neuron depends on its size and this is intrinsically linked to its innervation number. A range of innervation numbers among motor neurons corresponds to a range of sizes and thus to a range of excitabilities ordered by size. Therefore, if the excitation drive is similar among motor neurons, the recruitment by size is inevitably due to the intrinsic properties of motor neurons and may not have arisen to meet functional demands. In this view, we tested the assumption that orderly recruitment is necessarily beneficial by determining if this type of recruitment produces optimal motor output. Using evolutionary algorithms and without any a priori assumptions, the parameters of neuromuscular models were optimized with respect to several criteria for motor performance. Interestingly, the optimized model parameters matched well known neuromuscular properties, but none of the optimization criteria determined a consistent recruitment order by size unless this was imposed by an association between motor neuron size and excitability. Further, when the association between size and excitability was imposed, the resultant model of recruitment did not improve the motor performance with respect to the absence of orderly recruitment. A consistent observation was that optimal solutions for a variety of criteria of motor performance always required a broad range of innervation numbers in the population of motor neurons, skewed towards the small values. These results indicate that orderly recruitment of motor units in itself does not provide substantial functional advantages for motor control. Rather, the reason for its near-universal presence in human movements is that motor functions are optimized by a broad range of innervation numbers.

Subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation impacts language in early Parkinson's disease.

PubMed

Phillips, Lara; Litcofsky, Kaitlyn A; Pelster, Michael; Gelfand, Matthew; Ullman, Michael T; Charles, P David

2012-01-01

Although deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the basal ganglia improves motor outcomes in Parkinson's disease (PD), its effects on cognition, including language, remain unclear. This study examined the impact of subthalamic nucleus (STN) DBS on two fundamental capacities of language, grammatical and lexical functions. These functions were tested with the production of regular and irregular past-tenses, which contrast aspects of grammatical (regulars) and lexical (irregulars) processing while controlling for multiple potentially confounding factors. Aspects of the motor system were tested by contrasting the naming of manipulated (motor) and non-manipulated (non-motor) objects. Performance was compared between healthy controls and early-stage PD patients treated with either DBS/medications or medications alone. Patients were assessed on and off treatment, with controls following a parallel testing schedule. STN-DBS improved naming of manipulated (motor) but not non-manipulated (non-motor) objects, as compared to both controls and patients with just medications, who did not differ from each other across assessment sessions. In contrast, STN-DBS led to worse performance at regulars (grammar) but not irregulars (lexicon), as compared to the other two subject groups, who again did not differ. The results suggest that STN-DBS negatively impacts language in early PD, but may be specific in depressing aspects of grammatical and not lexical processing. The finding that STN-DBS affects both motor and grammar (but not lexical) functions strengthens the view that both depend on basal ganglia circuitry, although the mechanisms for its differential impact on the two (improved motor, impaired grammar) remain to be elucidated.

Subthalamic Nucleus Deep Brain Stimulation Impacts Language in Early Parkinson's Disease

PubMed Central

Phillips, Lara; Litcofsky, Kaitlyn A.; Pelster, Michael; Gelfand, Matthew

2012-01-01

Although deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the basal ganglia improves motor outcomes in Parkinson's disease (PD), its effects on cognition, including language, remain unclear. This study examined the impact of subthalamic nucleus (STN) DBS on two fundamental capacities of language, grammatical and lexical functions. These functions were tested with the production of regular and irregular past-tenses, which contrast aspects of grammatical (regulars) and lexical (irregulars) processing while controlling for multiple potentially confounding factors. Aspects of the motor system were tested by contrasting the naming of manipulated (motor) and non-manipulated (non-motor) objects. Performance was compared between healthy controls and early-stage PD patients treated with either DBS/medications or medications alone. Patients were assessed on and off treatment, with controls following a parallel testing schedule. STN-DBS improved naming of manipulated (motor) but not non-manipulated (non-motor) objects, as compared to both controls and patients with just medications, who did not differ from each other across assessment sessions. In contrast, STN-DBS led to worse performance at regulars (grammar) but not irregulars (lexicon), as compared to the other two subject groups, who again did not differ. The results suggest that STN-DBS negatively impacts language in early PD, but may be specific in depressing aspects of grammatical and not lexical processing. The finding that STN-DBS affects both motor and grammar (but not lexical) functions strengthens the view that both depend on basal ganglia circuitry, although the mechanisms for its differential impact on the two (improved motor, impaired grammar) remain to be elucidated. PMID:22880117

Influence of mental practice and movement observation on motor memory, cognitive function and motor performance in the elderly

PubMed Central

Altermann, Caroline D. C.; Martins, Alexandre S.; Carpes, Felipe P.; Mello-Carpes, Pâmela B.

2014-01-01

Background With aging, it is important to maintain cognitive and motor functions to ensure autonomy and quality of life. During the acquisition of motor skills, it is necessary for the elderly to understand the purpose of the proposed activities. Physical and mental practice, as well as demonstrations, are strategies used to learn movements. Objectives To investigate the influence of mental practice and the observation of movement on motor memory and to understand the relationship between cognitive function and motor performance in the execution of a sequence of digital movements in the elderly. Method This was a cross-sectional study conducted with 45 young and 45 aged subjects. The instruments used were Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Manual Preference Inventory and a Digital Motor Task (composed of a training of a sequence of movements, an interval and a test phase). The subjects were divided into three subgroups: control, mental practice and observation of movement. Results The elderly depend more strongly on mental practice for the acquisition of a motor memory. In comparing the performances of people in different age groups, we found that in the elderly, there was a negative correlation between the MMSE score and the execution time as well as the number of errors in the motor task. Conclusions For the elderly, mental practice can advantage motor performance. Also, there is a significant relationship between cognitive function, learning and the execution of new motor skills. PMID:24839046

Comparison of the Effect of Sensory-Level and Conventional Motor-Level Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulations on Quadriceps Strength After Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Prospective Randomized Single-Blind Trial.

PubMed

Yoshida, Yosuke; Ikuno, Koki; Shomoto, Koji

2017-12-01

To compare sensory-level neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) and conventional motor-level NMES in patients after total knee arthroplasty. Prospective randomized single-blind trial. Hospital total arthroplasty center: inpatients. Patients with osteoarthritis (N=66; mean age, 73.5±6.3y; 85% women) were randomized to receive either sensory-level NMES applied to the quadriceps (the sensory-level NMES group), motor-level NMES (the motor-level NMES group), or no stimulation (the control group) in addition to a standard rehabilitation program. Each type of NMES was applied in 45-minute sessions, 5d/wk, for 2 weeks. Data for the quadriceps maximum voluntary isometric contraction, the leg skeletal muscle mass determined using multiple-frequency bioelectrical impedance analysis, the timed Up and Go test, the 2-minute walk test, the visual analog scale, and the range of motion of the knee were measured preoperatively and at 2 and 4 weeks after total knee arthroplasty. The motor-level NMES (P=.001) and sensory-level NMES (P=.028) groups achieved better maximum voluntary isometric contraction results than did the control group. The motor-level NMES (P=.003) and sensory-level NMES (P=.046) groups achieved better 2-minute walk test results than did the control group. Some patients in the motor-level NMES group dropped out of the experiment because of discomfort. Motor-level NMES significantly improved muscle strength and functional performance more than did the standard program alone. Motor-level NMES was uncomfortable for some patients. Sensory-level NMES was comfortable and improved muscle strength and functional performance more than did the standard program alone. Copyright © 2017 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Correlation between the Quality of Attention and Cognitive Competence with Motor Action in Stroke Patients.

PubMed

Arsic, S; Konstantinovic, Lj; Eminovic, F; Pavlovic, D; Popovic, M B; Arsic, V

2015-01-01

It is considered that cognitive function and attention could affect walking, motion control, and proper conduct during the walk. To determine whether there is a difference in the quality of attention and cognitive ability in stroke patients and patients without neurological damage of similar age and education and to determine whether the connection of attention and cognition affects motor skills, the sample consisted of 50 stroke patients tested with hemiparesis, involved in the process of rehabilitation, and 50 persons, randomly chosen, without neurological damage. The survey used the following tests: Trail Making (TMT A B) test for assessing the flexibility of attention; Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) for cognitive status; Functional Ambulation Category (FAC) test to assess the functional status and parameters of walk: speed, frequency, and length of stride; STEP test for assessing the precision of movement and balance. With stroke patients, relationship between age and performance on the MMSE test was marginally significant. The ratio of performance to TMT A B test and years does not indicate statistical significance, while statistical significance between the MMSE test performance and education exists. In stroke patients, performance on MMSE test is correlated with the frequency and length of stride walk. The quality of cognitive function and attention is associated with motor skills but differs in stroke patients and people without neurological damage of similar age. The significance of this correlation can supplement research in neurorehabilitation, improve the quality of medical rehabilitation, and contribute to efficient recovery of these patients.

Exercise-induced expression of monocarboxylate transporter 2 in the cerebellum and its contribution to motor performance.

PubMed

Hoshino, Daisuke; Setogawa, Susumu; Kitaoka, Yu; Masuda, Hiroyuki; Tamura, Yuki; Hatta, Hideo; Yanagihara, Dai

2016-10-28

Monocarboxylate transporter 2 (MCT2) is an important component of the lactate transport system in neurons of the adult brain. Purkinje cells in the cerebellum have been shown to have high levels of MCT2, suggesting that this protein has a key function in energy metabolism and neuronal activities in these cells. However, it is not known whether inhibition of lactate transport via MCT2 in the cerebellum affects motor performance. To address this question, we examined motor performance in mice following the inhibition of lactate transport via MCT2 in the cerebellum using α-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamate (4-CIN). 4-CIN or saline was injected into the subarachnoidal space of the cerebellum of mice and motor performance was analyzed by a rotarod test both before and after injection. 4-CIN injection reduced retention time in the rotarod test by approximately 80% at 1h post-injection compared with pre-injection. No effect was observed at 2h post-injection or in mice treated with the vehicle control. Because we observed that MCT2 plays an important role in motor performance, we next investigated the effects of acute exercise on MCT2 transcription and protein levels in mice sampled pre-exercise and at 0 and 5h after 2h of treadmill running. We found a significant increase in MCT2 mRNA levels, but not of protein levels, in the cerebellum at 5h after exercise. Our results indicate that lactate transport via MCT2 in the cerebellum may play an important role in motor performance and that exercise can increase MCT2 expression at the transcriptional level. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Low elementary movement speed is associated with poor motor skill in Turner's syndrome.

PubMed

Nijhuis-van der Sanden, Maria W G; Smits-Engelsman, Bouwien C M; Eling, Paul A T M; Nijhuis, Bianca J G; Van Galen, Gerard P

2002-01-01

The article aims to discriminate between 2 features that in principle both may be characteristic of the frequently observed poor motor performance in girls with Turner's syndrome (TS). On the one hand, a reduced movement speed that is independent of variations in spatial accuracy demands and therefore suggests a problem in motor execution. On the other hand, a disproportional slowing down of movement speed under spatial-accuracy demands, indicating a more central problem in motor programming. To assess their motor performance problems, 15 girls with TS (age 9.6-13.0 years) and 14 female controls (age 9.1-13.0 years) were tested using the Movement Assessment Battery for Children (MABC). In additionally, an experimental procedure using a variant of Fitts' graphic aiming task was used to try and disentangle the role of spatial-accuracy demands in different motor task conditions. The results of the MABC reestablish that overall motor performance in girls with TS is poor. The data from the Fitts' task reveal that TS girls move with the same accuracy as their normal peers but show a significantly lower speed independent of task difficulty. We conclude that a problem in motor execution is the main factor determining performance differences between girls with TS and controls.

“Effects of combined peripheral nerve stimulation and brain polarization on performance of a motor sequence task after chronic stroke”

PubMed Central

Celnik, Pablo; Paik, Nam-Jong; Vandermeeren, Yves; Dimyan, Michael; Cohen, Leonardo G.

2009-01-01

Background Recent work demonstrated that application of peripheral nerve and cortical stimulation independently can induce modest improvements in motor performance in patients with stroke. Objective To test the hypothesis that combining peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS) to the paretic hand with anodal direct current stimulation (tDCS) to the ipsilesional primary motor cortex (M1) would facilitate beneficial effects of motor training more than each intervention alone or sham (tDCSSham and PNSSham). Methods Nine chronic stroke patients completed a blinded, cross-over designed study. In separate sessions, we investigated the effects of single applications of PNS+tDCS, PNS+tDCSSham, tDCS+PNSSham and PNSSham+tDCSSham prior to motor training on the ability to perform finger motor sequences with the paretic hand. Results PNS+tDCS resulted in a 41.3% improvement in the number of correct key presses relative to PNSSham+tDCSSham, 15.4% relative to PNS+tDCSSham and 22.7% relative to tDCS+PNSSham. These performance differences were maintained 1 and 6 days after the end of the training. Conclusions These results indicate that combining PNS with tDCS can facilitate the beneficial effects of training on motor performance beyond levels reached with each intervention alone, a finding of relevance for the neurorehabilitation of motor impairments after stroke. PMID:19286579

Motor planning flexibly optimizes performance under uncertainty about task goals.

PubMed

Wong, Aaron L; Haith, Adrian M

2017-03-03

In an environment full of potential goals, how does the brain determine which movement to execute? Existing theories posit that the motor system prepares for all potential goals by generating several motor plans in parallel. One major line of evidence for such theories is that presenting two competing goals often results in a movement intermediate between them. These intermediate movements are thought to reflect an unintentional averaging of the competing plans. However, normative theories suggest instead that intermediate movements might actually be deliberate, generated because they improve task performance over a random guessing strategy. To test this hypothesis, we vary the benefit of making an intermediate movement by changing movement speed. We find that participants generate intermediate movements only at (slower) speeds where they measurably improve performance. Our findings support the normative view that the motor system selects only a single, flexible motor plan, optimized for uncertain goals.

Intentional Movement Performance Ability (IMPA): a method for robot-aided quantitative assessment of motor function.

PubMed

Shin, Sung Yul; Kim, Jung Yoon; Lee, Sanghyeop; Lee, Junwon; Kim, Seung-Jong; Kim, ChangHwan

2013-06-01

The purpose of this paper is to propose a new assessment method for evaluating motor function of the patients who are suffering from physical weakness after stroke, incomplete spinal cord injury (iSCI) or other diseases. In this work, we use a robotic device to obtain the information of interaction occur between patient and robot, and use it as a measure for assessing the patients. The Intentional Movement Performance Ability (IMPA) is defined by the root mean square of the interactive torque, while the subject performs given periodic movement with the robot. IMPA is proposed to quantitatively determine the level of subject's impaired motor function. The method is indirectly tested by asking the healthy subjects to lift a barbell to disturb their motor function. The experimental result shows that the IMPA has a potential for providing a proper information of the subject's motor function level.

Alcohol hangover: type and time-extension of motor function impairments.

PubMed

Karadayian, Analía G; Cutrera, Rodolfo A

2013-06-15

Alcohol hangover is defined as the unpleasant next-day state following an evening of excessive alcohol consumption. Hangover begins when ethanol is absent in plasma and is characterized by physical and psychological symptoms. During hangover cognitive functions and subjective capacities are affected along with inefficiency, reduced productivity, absenteeism, driving impairments, poor academic achievement and reductions in motor coordination. The aim of this work was to study the type and length of motor and exploratory functions from the beginning to the end of the alcohol hangover. Male Swiss mice were injected i.p. either with saline (control group) or with ethanol (3.8 g/kg BW) (hangover group). Motor performance, walking deficiency, motor strength, locomotion and exploratory activity were evaluated at a basal point (ZT0) and every 2 h up to 20 h after blood alcohol levels were close to zero (hangover onset). Motor performance was 80% decreased at the onset of hangover (p<0.001). Hangover mice exhibited a reduced motor performance during the next 16 h (p<0.01). Motor function was recovered 20 h after hangover onset. Hangover mice displayed walking deficiencies from the beginning to 16 h after hangover onset (p<0.05). Moreover, mice suffering from a hangover, exhibited a significant decrease in neuromuscular strength during 16 h (p<0.001). Averaged speed and total distance traveled in the open field test and the exploratory activity on T-maze and hole board tests were reduced during 16 h after hangover onset (p<0.05). Our findings demonstrate a time-extension between 16 to 20 h for hangover motor and exploratory impairments. As a whole, this study shows the long lasting effects of alcohol hangover. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effectiveness of cognitive orientation to (daily) occupational performance (CO-OP) on children with cerebral palsy: A mixed design.

PubMed

Ghorbani, Neda; Rassafiani, Mehdi; Izadi-Najafabadi, Sara; Yazdani, Farzaneh; Akbarfahimi, Nazila; Havaei, Naser; Gharebaghy, Soraya

2017-12-01

Cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common cause of physical disabilities during childhood. Therapeutic interventions mainly focus on impairment reduction to address motor-based difficulties. In contrast, Cognitive Orientation to daily Occupational Performance (CO-OP) is a cognitive approach, providing intervention at the level of activity and participation. This study aims to determine whether the CO-OP approach improves motor skills and achievement in motor-based occupational performance goals in children with CP. In this mixed design research (i.e., a multiple baseline single case experimental design and a one-group pretest-posttest design), five children with CP participated in 12 CO-OP intervention sessions. Repeated measures of motor skills for the multiple baseline single case experimental design were taken using the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency (BOTMP); pre- and post-measures of parent/child perception of performance and satisfaction were identified using the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM); level of achievement was identified using Goal Attainment Scaling (GAS). According to the BOTMP results, all children were able to engage in the CO-OP intervention to improve motor performance. Significant differences after treatment were found in both performance and performance satisfaction ratings using the COPM as rated by parents and children. The GAS results showed progress in achievement levels for all children; all goals were achieved or exceeded. CO-OP intervention can be helpful in improving motor skills and achieving self-identified, motor-based goals in children with CP. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Predicting Slag Generation in Sub-Scale Test Motors Using a Neural Network

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wiesenberg, Brent

1999-01-01

Generation of slag (aluminum oxide) is an important issue for the Reusable Solid Rocket Motor (RSRM). Thiokol performed testing to quantify the relationship between raw material variations and slag generation in solid propellants by testing sub-scale motors cast with propellant containing various combinations of aluminum fuel and ammonium perchlorate (AP) oxidizer particle sizes. The test data were analyzed using statistical methods and an artificial neural network. This paper primarily addresses the neural network results with some comparisons to the statistical results. The neural network showed that the particle sizes of both the aluminum and unground AP have a measurable effect on slag generation. The neural network analysis showed that aluminum particle size is the dominant driver in slag generation, about 40% more influential than AP. The network predictions of the amount of slag produced during firing of sub-scale motors were 16% better than the predictions of a statistically derived empirical equation. Another neural network successfully characterized the slag generated during full-scale motor tests. The success is attributable to the ability of neural networks to characterize multiple complex factors including interactions that affect slag generation.

The Motor-Proficiency-Test for children between 4 and 6 years of age (MOT 4-6): an investigation of its suitability in Greece.

PubMed

Kambas, A; Venetsanou, F; Giannakidou, D; Fatouros, I G; Avloniti, A; Chatzinikolaou, A; Draganidis, D; Zimmer, R

2012-01-01

Given the negative influence of motor difficulties on people's quality of life their early identification seems to be crucial and consequently the information provided by a sound assessment tool is of great importance. The aim of this study was to examine the suitability of the MOT 4-6 (Zimmer & Volkamer, 1987) for use with preschoolers in Greece. Seven hundred and seventy-eight Greek children aged 48-71 months participated in the study. The two-way ANOVA used on total MOT performance revealed significant differences among the age groups formed in preschool age within Greeks, while boys' and girls' scores were quite similar. From the comparisons of Greeks' scores with the German standardization sample's ones, statistically significant differences were found in two age groups. However according to the Cohen's d effect size they were not of great importance. The distribution of Greeks' scores according to the test cut-offs, revealed that the MOT can differentiate all levels of performance, although a slight deviation from the distribution of Germans' scores was noticed. Finally, both the test-retest reliability and internal consistency of the test were found to be excellent. The MOT 4-6 seems to be a valuable motor assessment tool for Greek preschoolers. Regarding its norms, despite the minor differences that were noticed between the motor development of Greek and German preschoolers, their adjustment was thought to be unnecessary. Instead of lowering the norms, efforts for preventing the motor performance decline should be enhanced. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Age-Related Decline in Anticipatory Motor Planning and Its Relation to Cognitive and Motor Skill Proficiency.

PubMed

Stöckel, Tino; Wunsch, Kathrin; Hughes, Charmayne M L

2017-01-01

Anticipatory motor planning abilities mature as children grow older, develop throughout childhood and are likely to be stable till the late sixties. In the seventh decade of life, motor planning performance dramatically declines, with anticipatory motor planning abilities falling to levels of those exhibited by children. At present, the processes enabling successful anticipatory motor planning in general, as do the cognitive processes mediating these age-related changes, remain elusive. Thus, the aim of the present study was (a) to identify cognitive and motor functions that are most affected by normal aging and (b) to elucidate key (cognitive and motor) factors that are critical for successful motor planning performance in young ( n = 40, mean age = 23.1 ± 2.6 years) and older adults ( n = 37, mean age = 73.5 ± 7.1 years). Results indicate that normal aging is associated with a marked decline in all aspects of cognitive and motor functioning tested. However, age-related declines were more apparent for fine motor dexterity, processing speed and cognitive flexibility. Furthermore, up to 64% of the variance in motor planning performance across age groups could be explained by the cognitive functions processing speed, response planning and cognitive flexibility. It can be postulated that anticipatory motor planning abilities are strongly influenced by cognitive control processes, which seem to be key mechanisms to compensate for age-related decline. These findings support the general therapeutic and preventive value of cognitive-motor training programs to reduce adverse effects associated with high age.

Beery-Buktenica Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration Performance in Children with Traumatic Brain Injury and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sutton, Griffin P.; Barchard, Kimberly A.; Bello, Danielle T.; Thaler, Nicholas S.; Ringdahl, Erik; Mayfield, Joan; Allen, Daniel N.

2011-01-01

Evaluation of visuoconstructional abilities is a common part of clinical neuropsychological assessment, and the Beery-Buktenica Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration (VMI; K. E. Beery & N. A. Beery, 2004) is often used for this purpose. However, few studies have examined its psychometric properties when used to assess children and…

Effect of prematurity and low birth weight in visual abilities and school performance.

PubMed

Perez-Roche, T; Altemir, I; Giménez, G; Prieto, E; González, I; Peña-Segura, J L; Castillo, O; Pueyo, V

2016-12-01

Prematurity and low birth weight are known risk factors for cognitive and developmental impairments, and school failure. Visual perceptual and visual motor skills seem to be among the most affected cognitive domains in these children. To assess the influence of prematurity and low birth weight in visual cognitive skills and school performance. We performed a prospective cohort study, which included 80 boys and girls in an age range from 5 to 13. Subjects were grouped by gestational age at birth (preterm, <37 weeks; term, 37-42 weeks) and birth weight (small for gestational age (SGA), <10th centile; appropriate weight for gestational age (AGA), ≥10th centile). Each child underwent full ophthalmologic assessment and standardized testing of visual cognitive abilities (Test of Visual Perceptual Skills and Test of Visual Analysis Skills). Parents completed a questionnaire on school performance in children. Figure-ground skill and visual motor integration were significantly decreased in the preterm birth group, compared with term control subjects (figure-ground: 45.7 vs 66.5, p=0.012; visual motor integration, TVAS: (9.9 vs 11.8, p=0.018), while outcomes of visual memory (29.0 vs 47.7, p=0.012), form constancy (33.3 vs 52.8, p=0.019), figure-ground (37.4 vs 65.6, p=0.001), and visual closure (43.7 vs 62.6 p=0.016) testing were lower in the SGA (vs AGA) group. Visual cognitive difficulties corresponded with worse performance in mathematics (r=0.414, p=0.004) and reading (r=0.343, p=0.018). Specific patterns of visual perceptual and visual motor deficits are displayed by children born preterm or SGA, which hinder mathematics and reading performance. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of Sensory and Motor Skills in Neurosurgery Applicants Using a Virtual Reality Neurosurgical Simulator: The Sensory-Motor Quotient.

PubMed

Roitberg, Ben Z; Kania, Patrick; Luciano, Cristian; Dharmavaram, Naga; Banerjee, Pat

2015-01-01

Manual skill is an important attribute for any surgeon. Current methods to evaluate sensory-motor skills in neurosurgical residency applicants are limited. We aim to develop an objective multifaceted measure of sensory-motor skills using a virtual reality surgical simulator. A set of 3 tests of sensory-motor function was performed using a 3-dimensional surgical simulator with head and arm tracking, collocalization, and haptic feedback. (1) Trajectory planning: virtual reality drilling of a pedicle. Entry point, target point, and trajectory were scored-evaluating spatial memory and orientation. (2) Motor planning: sequence, timing, and precision: hemostasis in a postresection cavity in the brain. (3) Haptic perception: touching virtual spheres to determine which is softest of the group, with progressive difficulty. Results were analyzed individually and for a combined score of all the tasks. The University of Chicago Hospital's tertiary care academic center. A total of 95 consecutive applicants interviewed at a neurosurgery residency program over 2 years were offered anonymous participation in the study; in 2 cohorts, 36 participants in year 1 and 27 participants in year 2 (validation cohort) agreed and completed all the tasks. We also tested 10 first-year medical students and 4 first- and second-year neurosurgery residents. A cumulative score was generated from the 3 tests. The mean score was 14.47 (standard deviation = 4.37), median score was 13.42, best score was 8.41, and worst score was 30.26. Separate analysis of applicants from each of 2 years yielded nearly identical results. Residents tended to cluster on the better performance side, and first-year students were not different from applicants. (1) Our cumulative score measures sensory-motor skills in an objective and reproducible way. (2) Better performance by residents hints at validity for neurosurgery. (3) We were able to demonstrate good psychometric qualities and generate a proposed sensory-motor quotient distribution in our tested population. Copyright © 2015 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Thermal Characterization of Adhesive

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spomer, Ken A.

1999-01-01

The current Space Shuttle Reusable Solid Rocket Motor (RSRM) nozzle adhesive bond system is being replaced due to obsolescence. Down-selection and performance testing of the structural adhesives resulted in the selection of two candidate replacement adhesives, Resin Technology Group's Tiga 321 and 3M's EC2615XLW. This paper describes rocket motor testing of these two adhesives. Four forty-pound charge motors were fabricated in configurations that would allow side by side comparison testing of the candidate replacement adhesives and the current RSRM adhesives. The motors provided an environment where the thermal performance of adhesives in flame surface bondlines was compared. Results of the FPC testing show that: 1) The phenolic char depths on radial bond lines is approximately the same and vary depending on the position in the blast tube regardless of which adhesive was used; 2) The adhesive char depth of the candidate replacement adhesives is less than the char depth of the current adhesives; 3) The heat-affected depth of the candidate replacement adhesives is less than the heat-affected depth of the current adhesives; and 4) The ablation rates for both replacement adhesives are slower than that of the current adhesives.

Increased augmentation index and central systolic arterial pressure are associated with lower school and motor performance in young adolescents.

PubMed

Vogrin, Bernarda; Slak Rupnik, Marjan; Mičetić-Turk, Dušanka

2017-12-01

Objective In adults, improper arterial function has been linked to cognitive impairment. The pulse wave velocity (PWV), augmentation index (AIx) and other vascular parameters are useful indicators of arterial health. In our study, we monitored arterial properties, body constitution, school success, and motor skills in young adolescents. We hypothesize that reduced cognitive and motor abilities have a vascular origin in children. Methods We analysed 81 healthy school children aged 11-16 years. Anthropometry central systolic arterial pressure, body mass index (BMI), standard deviation scores (SDS) BMI, general school performance grade, and eight motor tests were assessed. PWV, AIx, and central systolic arterial pressure (SBPao) were measured. Results AIx and SBPao correlated negatively with school performance grades. Extremely high AIx, PWV and SBPao values were observed in 5% of children and these children had average to low school performance. PWV correlated significantly with weight, height, and waist and hip circumference. AIx, PWV, school success, and BMI correlated strongly with certain motor functions. Conclusions Increased AIx and SBPao are associated with lower school and motor performance in children. PWV is influenced by the body's constitution.

The assessment of preschool children's motor skills after familiarization with motor tests.

PubMed

Tomac, Zvonimir; Hraski, Zeljko; Sporis, Goran

2012-07-01

This research study was conducted to establish the influence of familiarization on the information component of movement in a motor task for the assessment of preschool children's motor skills. The sample included 50 children whose mean age was 5.9 years (71.5 months). The experimental group consisted of 27 children who were 5.9 years (71.5 months) old, and the control group consisted of 23 children who were 5.9 years (71.5 months) old. The examinees performed 2 motor tasks, standing long jump (SJ, explosive strength) and standing on 1 leg on a beam "flamingo test" (FT, balance). The experimental group underwent a period of familiarization with the motor task in 3 sessions with 5 trials every 3 days. The results indicate statistically significant differences in the final testing between both groups of examinees; the experimental group mean was 112.73 cm, and the control group mean was 100.62 in the SJ test (p = 0.00), and the experimental group mean was 27.10 seconds and the control group mean was 15.01 seconds in the FT (for balance) (p = 0.00). The results obtained in this research indicate that children significantly improved the results in the motor test of strength and balance, being influenced by familiarization. It was confirmed that it was necessary for preschool children to be familiar with the test and it is not justified to use testing and assessment protocols and standards for adults. Physical educators and coaches, when testing preschool children, should introduce children to tests to obtain the best result.

Baseline tests of the Zagato Elcar electric passenger vehicle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sargent, N. B.; Maslowski, E. A.; Slavick, R. J.; Soltis, R. F.

1977-01-01

The Elcar vehicle performance test results are presented. The Elcar Model 2000 is a two-passenger vehicle with a reinforced fiberglass body. It is powered by eight 12-volt batteries. The batteries are connected to the motor through an arrangement of contactors operated from a foot pedal in conjunction with a hand-operated switch. These contactors change the voltage applied to the 2-kilowatt motor. Acceleration tests, operating characteristics, and instrumentation are described.

Space Launch System Base Heating Test: Sub-Scale Rocket Engine/Motor Design, Development and Performance Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mehta, Manish; Seaford, Mark; Kovarik, Brian; Dufrene, Aaron; Solly, Nathan; Kirchner, Robert; Engel, Carl D.

2014-01-01

The Space Launch System (SLS) base heating test is broken down into two test programs: (1) Pathfinder and (2) Main Test. The Pathfinder Test Program focuses on the design, development, hot-fire test and performance analyses of the 2% sub-scale SLS core-stage and booster element propulsion systems. The core-stage propulsion system is composed of four gaseous oxygen/hydrogen RS-25D model engines and the booster element is composed of two aluminum-based model solid rocket motors (SRMs). The first section of the paper discusses the motivation and test facility specifications for the test program. The second section briefly investigates the internal flow path of the design. The third section briefly shows the performance of the model RS-25D engines and SRMs for the conducted short duration hot-fire tests. Good agreement is observed based on design prediction analysis and test data. This program is a challenging research and development effort that has not been attempted in 40+ years for a NASA vehicle.

Effects of interactive games on motor performance in children with spastic cerebral palsy

PubMed Central

AlSaif, Amer A.; Alsenany, Samira

2015-01-01

[Purpose] Motor control and muscle strength impairments are the prime reasons for motor behavior disorders in children with spastic cerebral palsy. These impairments lead to histological changes in muscle growth and the learning of motor skills. Therefore, such children experience reduced muscle force generation and decreased muscle flexibility. We investigated the effect of training with Nintendo Wii Fit games on motor performance in children with spastic cerebral palsy. [Subjects and Methods] Forty children with cerebral palsy spastic diplegia aged 6–10 years diagnosed with level-3 functional capabilities according to the Gross Motor Classification System (GMFCS) were enrolled. Participants were divided randomly into equal groups: group (A) that practiced with the Nintendo Wii Fit game for at least 20 minutes/day for 12 weeks and group (B) that underwent no training (control group). The Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2 (mABC-2) was used to assess motor performance, because it mainly involves motor tasks very similar to those involved in playing Nintendo Wii Fit games, e.g., goal-directed arm movements, balancing, and jumping. [Results] There were significant improvements in the subscales of the motor performance test of those who practiced with the Nintendo Wii, while the control group showed no significant changes. [Conclusion] Using motion interactive games in home rehabilitation is feasible for children with cerebral palsy. PMID:26180367

Effects of interactive games on motor performance in children with spastic cerebral palsy.

PubMed

AlSaif, Amer A; Alsenany, Samira

2015-06-01

[Purpose] Motor control and muscle strength impairments are the prime reasons for motor behavior disorders in children with spastic cerebral palsy. These impairments lead to histological changes in muscle growth and the learning of motor skills. Therefore, such children experience reduced muscle force generation and decreased muscle flexibility. We investigated the effect of training with Nintendo Wii Fit games on motor performance in children with spastic cerebral palsy. [Subjects and Methods] Forty children with cerebral palsy spastic diplegia aged 6-10 years diagnosed with level-3 functional capabilities according to the Gross Motor Classification System (GMFCS) were enrolled. Participants were divided randomly into equal groups: group (A) that practiced with the Nintendo Wii Fit game for at least 20 minutes/day for 12 weeks and group (B) that underwent no training (control group). The Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2 (mABC-2) was used to assess motor performance, because it mainly involves motor tasks very similar to those involved in playing Nintendo Wii Fit games, e.g., goal-directed arm movements, balancing, and jumping. [Results] There were significant improvements in the subscales of the motor performance test of those who practiced with the Nintendo Wii, while the control group showed no significant changes. [Conclusion] Using motion interactive games in home rehabilitation is feasible for children with cerebral palsy.

Supplementary motor area activation in patients with frontal lobe tumors and arteriovenous malformations.

PubMed

Sailor, Janet; Meyerand, M Elizabeth; Moritz, Chad H; Fine, Jason; Nelson, Lindsey; Badie, Behnam; Haughton, Victor M

2003-10-01

Some patients who undergo surgical resection of portions of the supplementary motor area (SMA) have severe postoperative motor and language deficits, whereas others have no deficits. We tested the hypothesis that in some patients with lesions affecting the SMA, the contralateral SMA exhibits some of the activation normally associated with the ipsilateral SMA. Functional MR imaging studies in seven healthy volunteers and 19 patients with frontal lobe tumors or arteriovenous malformations were reviewed retrospectively. The hemisphere in which the SMA activation predominated was tabulated for right and left motor tasks. The relative hemispheric dominance in the SMA for the right and left motor tasks was compared in the healthy and patient groups and with the location of the lesion in the patient group. None of the control subjects performing a right hand motor task activated predominantly the right SMA. Fifty percent of the patients with lesions overlapping the left SMA performing the right motor task activated predominantly the right SMA. Fifty-seven percent of control subjects performing the left hand motor task activated the left SMA predominantly. One hundred percent of patients with lesions overlapping the right frontal SMA performing the left motor task activated the left SMA predominantly. Differences between patients and controls were statistically significant. A lesion that contacts or overlaps the SMA is associated with an increased functional MR imaging response within the contralateral SMA.

Acute tolerance to alcohol impairment of behavioral and cognitive mechanisms related to driving: drinking and driving on the descending limb.

PubMed

Weafer, Jessica; Fillmore, Mark T

2012-04-01

Alcohol effects on behavioral and cognitive mechanisms influence impaired driving performance and decisions to drive after drinking (Barry 1973; Moskowitz and Robinson 1987). To date, research has focused on the ascending limb of the blood alcohol curve, and there is little understanding of how acute tolerance to impairment of these mechanisms might influence driving behavior on the descending limb. To provide an integrated examination of the degree to which alcohol impairment of motor coordination and inhibitory control contributes to driving impairment and decisions to drive on the ascending and descending limbs of the blood alcohol curve. Social-drinking adults (N = 20) performed a testing battery that measured simulated driving performance and willingness to drive, as well as mechanisms related to driving: motor coordination (grooved pegboard), inhibitory control (cued go/no-go task), and subjective intoxication. Performance was tested in response to placebo and a moderate dose of alcohol (0.65 g/kg) twice at comparable blood alcohol concentrations: once on the ascending limb and again on the descending limb. Impaired motor coordination and subjective intoxication showed acute tolerance, whereas driving performance and inhibitory control showed no recovery from impairment. Greater motor impairment was associated with poorer driving performance under alcohol, and poorer inhibitory control was associated with more willingness to drive. Findings suggest that acute tolerance to impairment of motor coordination is insufficient to promote recovery of driving performance and that the persistence of alcohol-induced disinhibition might contribute to risky decisions to drive on the descending limb.

Acute tolerance to alcohol impairment of behavioral and cognitive mechanisms related to driving: drinking and driving on the descending limb

PubMed Central

Weafer, Jessica

2015-01-01

Rationale Alcohol effects on behavioral and cognitive mechanisms influence impaired driving performance and decisions to drive after drinking (Barry 1973; Moskowitz and Robinson 1987). To date, research has focused on the ascending limb of the blood alcohol curve, and there is little understanding of how acute tolerance to impairment of these mechanisms might influence driving behavior on the descending limb. Objectives To provide an integrated examination of the degree to which alcohol impairment of motor coordination and inhibitory control contributes to driving impairment and decisions to drive on the ascending and descending limbs of the blood alcohol curve. Methods Social-drinking adults (N=20) performed a testing battery that measured simulated driving performance and willingness to drive, as well as mechanisms related to driving: motor coordination (grooved pegboard), inhibitory control (cued go/no-go task), and subjective intoxication. Performance was tested in response to placebo and a moderate dose of alcohol (0.65 g/kg) twice at comparable blood alcohol concentrations: once on the ascending limb and again on the descending limb. Results Impaired motor coordination and subjective intoxication showed acute tolerance, whereas driving performance and inhibitory control showed no recovery from impairment. Greater motor impairment was associated with poorer driving performance under alcohol, and poorer inhibitory control was associated with more willingness to drive. Conclusions Findings suggest that acute tolerance to impairment of motor coordination is insufficient to promote recovery of driving performance and that the persistence of alcohol-induced disinhibition might contribute to risky decisions to drive on the descending limb. PMID:21960182

Typical and Atypical (Cerebral Palsy) Development of Unimanual and Bimanual Grasp Planning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Janssen, Loes; Steenbergen, Bert

2011-01-01

In the present study we tested 13 children with cerebral palsy (CP) and 24 typically developing children (7-12 years old) in a unimanual and bimanual motor planning task. We focused on two research questions: (1) How does motor planning develop in children with and without CP? and (2) Is motor planning facilitated when the task is performed with…

Reusable Solid Rocket Motor - Accomplishments, Lessons, and a Culture of Success

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moore, Dennis R.; Phelps, Willie J.

2011-01-01

The Reusable Solid Rocket Motor represents the largest solid rocket motor ever flown and the only human rated solid motor. Each Reusable Solid Rocket Motor (RSRM) provides approximately 3-million lb of thrust to lift the integrated Space Shuttle vehicle from the launch pad. The motors burn out approximately 2 minutes later, separate from the vehicle and are recovered and refurbished. The size of the motor and the need for high reliability were challenges. Thrust shaping, via shaping of the propellant grain, was needed to limit structural loads during ascent. The motor design evolved through several block upgrades to increase performance and to increase safety and reliability. A major redesign occurred after STS-51L with the Redesigned Solid Rocket Motor. Significant improvements in the joint sealing systems were added. Design improvements continued throughout the Program via block changes with a number of innovations including development of low temperature o-ring materials and incorporation of a unique carbon fiber rope thermal barrier material. Recovery of the motors and post flight inspection improved understanding of hardware performance, and led to key design improvements. Because of the multidecade program duration material obsolescence was addressed, and requalification of materials and vendors was sometimes needed. Thermal protection systems and ablatives were used to protect the motor cases and nozzle structures. Significant understanding of design and manufacturing features of the ablatives was developed during the program resulting in optimization of design features and processing parameters. The project advanced technology in eliminating ozone-depleting materials in manufacturing processes and the development of an asbestos-free case insulation. Manufacturing processes for the large motor components were unique and safety in the manufacturing environment was a special concern. Transportation and handling approaches were also needed for the large hardware segments. The reusable solid rocket motor achieved significant reliability via process control, ground test programs, and postflight assessment. Process control is mandatory for a solid rocket motor as an acceptance test of the delivered product is not feasible. Process control included process failure modes and effects analysis, statistical process control, witness panels, and process product integrity audits. Material controls and inspections were maintained throughout the sub tier vendors. Material fingerprinting was employed to assess any drift in delivered material properties. The RSRM maintained both full scale and sub-scale test articles. These enabled continuous improvement of design and evaluation of process control and material behavior. Additionally RSRM reliability was achieved through attention to detail in post flight assessment to observe any shift in performance. The postflight analysis and inspections provided invaluable reliability data as it enables observation of actual flight performance, most of which would not be available if the motors were not recovered. These unique challenges, features of the reusable solid rocket motor, materials and manufacturing issues, and design improvements will be discussed in the paper.

Technical Evaluation Motor 3 (TEM-3)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Garecht, Diane

1989-01-01

A primary objective of the technical evaluation motor program is to recover the case, igniter and nozzle hardware for use on the redesigned solid rocket motor flight program. Two qualification objectives were addressed and met on TEM-3. The Nylok thread locking device of the 1U100269-03 leak check port plug and the 1U52295-04 safe and arm utilizing Krytox grease on the barrier-booster shaft O-rings were both certified. All inspection and instrumentation data indicate that the TEM-3 static test firing conducted 23 May 1989 was successful. The test was conducted at ambient conditions with the exception of the field joints (set point of 121 F, with a minimum of 87 F at the sensors), igniter joint (set point at 122 F with a minimum of 87 F at sensors) and case-to-nozzle joint (set point at 114 F with a minimum of 87 F at sensors). Ballistics performance values were within specification requirements. Nozzle performance was nominal with typical erosion. The nozzle and the case joint temperatures were maintained at the heaters controlling set points while electrical power was supplied. The water and the CO2 quench systems prevented damage to the metal hardware. All other test equipment performed as planned, contributing to a successful motor firing. All indications are that the test was a success, and all expected hardware will be refurbished for the RSRM program.

Vehicle test report: South Coast Technology electric Volkswagen Rabbit with developmental low-power armature chopper

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marte, J. E.; Bryant, J. A.; Livingston, R.

1983-01-01

Dynamometer performance of a South Coast Technology electric conversion of a Volkswagen (VW) Rabbit designated SCT-8 was tested. The SCT-8 vehicle was fitted with a transistorized chopper in the motor armature circuit to supplement the standard motor speed control via field weakening. The armature chopper allowed speed control below the motor base speed. This low speed control was intended to reduce energy loss at idle during stop-and-go traffic; to eliminate the need for using the clutch below base motor speed; and to improve the drivability. Test results indicate an improvement of about 3.5% in battery energy economy for the SAE J227a-D driving cycle and 6% for the C-cycle with only a minor reduction in acceleration performance. A further reduction of about 6% would be possible if provision were made for shutting down field power during the idle phases of the driving cycles. Drivability of the vehicle equipped with the armature chopper was significantly improved compared with the standard SCT Electric Rabbit.

Sleep and memory consolidation: motor performance and proactive interference effects in sequence learning.

PubMed

Borragán, Guillermo; Urbain, Charline; Schmitz, Rémy; Mary, Alison; Peigneux, Philippe

2015-04-01

That post-training sleep supports the consolidation of sequential motor skills remains debated. Performance improvement and sensitivity to proactive interference are both putative measures of long-term memory consolidation. We tested sleep-dependent memory consolidation for visuo-motor sequence learning using a proactive interference paradigm. Thirty-three young adults were trained on sequence A on Day 1, then had Regular Sleep (RS) or were Sleep Deprived (SD) on the night after learning. After two recovery nights, they were tested on the same sequence A, then had to learn a novel, potentially competing sequence B. We hypothesized that proactive interference effects on sequence B due to the prior learning of sequence A would be higher in the RS condition, considering that proactive interference is an indirect marker of the robustness of sequence A, which should be better consolidated over post-training sleep. Results highlighted sleep-dependent improvement for sequence A, with faster RTs overnight for RS participants only. Moreover, the beneficial impact of sleep was specific to the consolidation of motor but not sequential skills. Proactive interference effects on learning a new material at Day 4 were similar between RS and SD participants. These results suggest that post-training sleep contributes to optimizing motor but not sequential components of performance in visuo-motor sequence learning. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

77 FR 43145 - American Honda Motor Co., Inc., Grant of Petition for Decision of Inconsequential Noncompliance

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-23

... standard. FMVSS No. 139 specifies a low inflation pressure performance test in which the tire is loaded to... analysis also noted that the subject tires must be certified to the low inflation pressure performance... fully comply with paragraph S4.2(a) of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 138, Tire...

Motor Performance Age and Race Differences between Black and Caucasian Boys Six to Nine Years of Age.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DiNucci, James M.

This study was undertaken to compare the motor performance age and race differences between black and caucasian boys ages six to nine. One hundred and twenty subjects were administered 25 test items which measured (a) muscular strength, (b) muscular endurance, (c) cardio-respiratory endurance, (d) speed, (e) power, (f) agility, (g) balance, and…

Skylab

NASA Image and Video Library

1973-01-01

This chart describes the Skylab student experiment Motor Sensory Performance, proposed by Kathy L. Jackson of Houston, Texas. Her proposal was a very simple but effective test to measure the potential degradation of man's motor-sensory skills while weightless. Without knowing whether or not man can retain a high level of competency in the performance of various tasks after long exposure to weightlessness, this capability could not be fully known. Skylab, with its long-duration missions, provided an ideal testing situation. The experiment Kathy Jackson proposed was similar in application to the tasks involved in docking one spacecraft to another using manual control. It required one of the greatest tests of the motor-sensory capabilities of man. In March 1972, NASA and the National Science Teachers Association selected 25 experiment proposals for flight on Skylab. Science advisors from the Marshall Space Flight Center aided and assisted the students in developing the proposals for flight on Skylab.

Relationship between children's performance-based motor skills and child, parent, and teacher perceptions of children's motor abilities using self/informant-report questionnaires.

PubMed

Lalor, Aislinn; Brown, Ted; Murdolo, Yuki

2016-04-01

Occupational therapists often assess the motor skill performance of children referred to them as part of the assessment process. This study investigated whether children's, parents' and teachers' perceptions of children's motor skills using valid and reliable self/informant-report questionnaires were associated with and predictive of children's actual motor performance, as measured by a standardised performance-based motor skill assessment. Fifty-five typically developing children (8-12 years of age), their parents and classroom teachers were recruited to participate in the study. The children completed the Physical Self-Description Questionnaire (PSDQ) and the Self-Perception Profile for Children. The parents completed the Developmental Profile III (DP-III) and the Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire, whereas the teachers completed the Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire and the Teacher's Rating Scale of Child's Actual Behavior. Children's motor performance composite scores were determined using the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency, Second Edition (BOT-2). Spearman's rho correlation coefficients were calculated to identify if significant correlations existed and multiple linear regression was used to identify whether self/informant report data were significant predictors of children's motor skill performance. The child self-report scores had the largest number of significant correlations with the BOT-2 composites. Regression analysis found that the parent report DP-III Physical subscale was a significant predictor of the BOT-2 Manual Coordination composite and the child-report questionnaire PSDQ. Endurance subscale was a significant predictor of the BOT-2 Strength and Agility composite. The findings support the use of top-down assessment methods from a variety of sources when evaluating children's motor abilities. © 2016 Occupational Therapy Australia.

Talent in Female Gymnastics: a Survival Analysis Based upon Performance Characteristics.

PubMed

Pion, J; Lenoir, M; Vandorpe, B; Segers, V

2015-11-01

This study investigated the link between the anthropometric, physical and motor characteristics assessed during talent identification and dropout in young female gymnasts. 3 cohorts of female gymnasts (n=243; 6-9 years) completed a test battery for talent identification. Performance-levels were monitored over 5 years of competition. Kaplan-Meier and Cox Proportional Hazards analyses were conducted to determine the survival rate and the characteristics that influence dropout respectively. Kaplan-Meier analysis indicated that only 18% of the female gymnasts that passed the baseline talent identification test survived at the highest competition level 5 years later. The Cox Proportional Hazards Model indicated that gymnasts with a score in the best quartile for a specific characteristic significantly increased chances of survival by 45-129%. These characteristics being: basic motor skills (129%), shoulder strength (96%), leg strength (53%) and 3 gross motor coordination items (45-73%). These results suggest that tests batteries commonly used for talent identification in young female gymnasts may also provide valuable insights into future dropout. Therefore, multidimensional test batteries deserve a prominent place in the selection process. The individual test results should encourage trainers to invest in an early development of basic physical and motor characteristics to prevent attrition. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

A statistical characterization of the finger tapping test: modeling, estimation, and applications.

PubMed

Austin, Daniel; McNames, James; Klein, Krystal; Jimison, Holly; Pavel, Misha

2015-03-01

Sensory-motor performance is indicative of both cognitive and physical function. The Halstead-Reitan finger tapping test is a measure of sensory-motor speed commonly used to assess function as part of a neuropsychological evaluation. Despite the widespread use of this test, the underlying motor and cognitive processes driving tapping behavior during the test are not well characterized or understood. This lack of understanding may make clinical inferences from test results about health or disease state less accurate because important aspects of the task such as variability or fatigue are unmeasured. To overcome these limitations, we enhanced the tapper with a sensor that enables us to more fully characterize all the aspects of tapping. This modification enabled us to decompose the tapping performance into six component phases and represent each phase with a set of parameters having clear functional interpretation. This results in a set of 29 total parameters for each trial, including change in tapping over time, and trial-to-trial and tap-to-tap variability. These parameters can be used to more precisely link different aspects of cognition or motor function to tapping behavior. We demonstrate the benefits of this new instrument with a simple hypothesis-driven trial comparing single and dual-task tapping.

Microelectronics Instrument Products Shock and Vibration Electro-Optics. Section B; Acceptance Data Package

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1995-01-01

The motor/encoder (henceforth referred to as the UUT) test sequence began with a baseline functional evaluation, which demonstrated that the motor satisfied the operating torque, cogging torque, winding resistance, and mechanical requirements of SOW. In addition, the encoder electrical requirements were verified, as well as the alignment of the encoder outputs relative to the motor shaft position. There were no discrepancies observed in this portion of the test. The UUT was then exposed to a number of environments, including thermal vacuum, thermal cycling, random and sine vibration, and mechanical shock. During the thermal environments, the performance of the UUT under load was verified at specified points in the cycles, as described in ATP 20049. In addition, the UUT was bench tested between the two thermal environments. No anomalies were observed during the thermal tests. The vibration and shock tests were performed by East-West Technology Corporation, West Babylon, New York. The UUT was delivered to the lab in a sealed vibration fixture in order to maintain the cleanliness levels required by the SOW. In addition, a three ounce load was attached to the motor shaft. The attachment method of this load caused damage to the shaft and bearing during random vibration of S/N 0003 on April 28, 1995, and is described further in NCR 00168.

Gross motor skill development of kindergarten children in Japan

PubMed Central

Aye, Thanda; Kuramoto-Ahuja, Tsugumi; Sato, Tamae; Sadakiyo, Kaori; Watanabe, Miyoko; Maruyama, Hitoshi

2018-01-01

[Purpose] The purposes of this study were to assess and explore the gender-based differences in gross motor skill development of 5-year-old Japanese children. [Subjects and Methods] This cross-sectional study recruited 60 healthy 5-year-old (third-year kindergarten, i.e., nencho) children (34 boys, 26 girls) from one local private kindergarten school in Otawara city, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. Gross motor skills, including six locomotor and six object control skills, were assessed using the test of gross motor development, second edition (TGMD-2). All subjects performed two trials of each gross motor skill, and the performances were video-recorded and scored. Assessment procedures were performed according to the standardized guidelines of the TGMD-2. [Results] The majority of subjects had an average level of overall gross motor skills. Girls had significantly better locomotor skills. Boys had significantly better object control skills. [Conclusion] The gross motor skill development of 5-year-old Japanese children involves gender-based differences in locomotor and object control skills. This study provided valuable information that can be used to establish normative references for the gross motor skills of 5-year-old Japanese children. PMID:29765187

cTBS disruption of the supplementary motor area perturbs cortical sequence representation but not behavioural performance.

PubMed

Solopchuk, Oleg; Alamia, Andrea; Dricot, Laurence; Duque, Julie; Zénon, Alexandre

2017-12-01

Neuroimaging studies have repeatedly emphasized the role of the supplementary motor area (SMA) in motor sequence learning, but interferential approaches have led to inconsistent findings. Here, we aimed to test the role of the SMA in motor skill learning by combining interferential and neuroimaging techniques. Sixteen subjects were trained on simple finger movement sequences for 4 days. Afterwards, they underwent two neuroimaging sessions, in which they executed both trained and novel sequences. Prior to entering the scanner, the subjects received inhibitory transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) over the SMA or a control site. Using multivariate fMRI analysis, we confirmed that motor training enhances the neural representation of motor sequences in the SMA, in accordance with previous findings. However, although SMA inhibition altered sequence representation (i.e. between-sequence decoding accuracy) in this area, behavioural performance remained unimpaired. Our findings question the causal link between the neuroimaging correlate of elementary motor sequence representation in the SMA and sequence generation, calling for a more thorough investigation of the role of this region in performance of learned motor sequences. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Hybrid fuel formulation and technology development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dean, D. L.

1995-01-01

The objective was to develop an improved hybrid fuel with higher regression rate, a regression rate expression exponent close to 0.5, lower cost, and higher density. The approach was to formulate candidate fuels based on promising concepts, perform thermomechanical analyses to select the most promising candidates, develop laboratory processes to fabricate fuel grains as needed, fabricate fuel grains and test in a small lab-scale motor, select the best candidate, and then scale up and validate performance in a 2500 lbf scale, 11-inch diameter motor. The characteristics of a high performance fuel have been verified in 11-inch motor testing. The advanced fuel exhibits a 15% increase in density over an all hydrocarbon formulation accompanied by a 50% increase in regression rate, which when multiplied by the increase in density yields a 70% increase in fuel mass flow rate; has a significantly lower oxidizer-to-fuel (O/F) ratio requirement at 1.5; has a significantly decreased axial regression rate variation making for more uniform propellant flow throughout motor operation; is very clean burning; extinguishes cleanly and quickly; and burns with a high combustion efficiency.

Cathodal transcranial direct current stimulation in children with dystonia: a pilot open-label trial.

PubMed

Young, Scott J; Bertucco, Matteo; Sheehan-Stross, Rebecca; Sanger, Terence D

2013-10-01

Studies suggest that dystonia is associated with increased motor cortex excitability. Cathodal transcranial direct current stimulation can temporarily reduce motor cortex excitability. To test whether stimulation of the motor cortex can reduce dystonic symptoms in children, we measured tracking performance and muscle overflow using an electromyogram tracking task before and after stimulation. Of 10 participants, 3 showed a significant reduction in overflow, and a fourth showed a significant reduction in tracking error. Overflow decreased more when the hand contralateral to the cathode performed the task than when the hand ipsilateral to the cathode performed the task. Averaged over all participants, the results did not reach statistical significance. These results suggest that cathodal stimulation may allow a subset of children to control muscles or reduce involuntary overflow activity. Further testing is needed to confirm these results in a blinded trial and identify the subset of children who are likely to respond.

A summary of laboratory testing performed to characterize and select an elastomeric O-ring material to be used in the redesigned solid rocket motors of the space transportation system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Turner, J. E.

1993-01-01

An elastomeric O-ring material is used in the joints of the redesigned solid motors (RSRM's) of the National Space Transportation System (NSTS). The selection of the O-ring material used in the RSRM's was a very thorough process that included efforts by NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center and the Langley Research Center, and the Thiokol Corporation. One of the efforts performed at MSFC was an extensive in-house laboratory test regime to screen potential O-ring materials and ultimately to characterize the elastomeric material that was chosen to be used in the RSRM's. The laboratory tests performed at MSFC are summarized.

Acquisition of Motor and Cognitive Skills through Repetition in Typically Developing Children

PubMed Central

Magallón, Sara; Narbona, Juan; Crespo-Eguílaz, Nerea

2016-01-01

Background Procedural memory allows acquisition, consolidation and use of motor skills and cognitive routines. Automation of procedures is achieved through repeated practice. In children, improvement in procedural skills is a consequence of natural neurobiological development and experience. Methods The aim of the present research was to make a preliminary evaluation and description of repetition-based improvement of procedures in typically developing children (TDC). Ninety TDC children aged 6–12 years were asked to perform two procedural learning tasks. In an assembly learning task, which requires predominantly motor skills, we measured the number of assembled pieces in 60 seconds. In a mirror drawing learning task, which requires more cognitive functions, we measured time spent and efficiency. Participants were tested four times for each task: three trials were consecutive and the fourth trial was performed after a 10-minute nonverbal interference task. The influence of repeated practice on performance was evaluated by means of the analysis of variance with repeated measures and the paired-sample test. Correlation coefficients and simple linear regression test were used to examine the relationship between age and performance. Results TDC achieved higher scores in both tasks through repetition. Older children fitted more pieces than younger ones in assembling learning and they were faster and more efficient at the mirror drawing learning task. Conclusions These findings indicate that three consecutive trials at a procedural task increased speed and efficiency, and that age affected basal performance in motor-cognitive procedures. PMID:27384671

Acquisition of Motor and Cognitive Skills through Repetition in Typically Developing Children.

PubMed

Magallón, Sara; Narbona, Juan; Crespo-Eguílaz, Nerea

2016-01-01

Procedural memory allows acquisition, consolidation and use of motor skills and cognitive routines. Automation of procedures is achieved through repeated practice. In children, improvement in procedural skills is a consequence of natural neurobiological development and experience. The aim of the present research was to make a preliminary evaluation and description of repetition-based improvement of procedures in typically developing children (TDC). Ninety TDC children aged 6-12 years were asked to perform two procedural learning tasks. In an assembly learning task, which requires predominantly motor skills, we measured the number of assembled pieces in 60 seconds. In a mirror drawing learning task, which requires more cognitive functions, we measured time spent and efficiency. Participants were tested four times for each task: three trials were consecutive and the fourth trial was performed after a 10-minute nonverbal interference task. The influence of repeated practice on performance was evaluated by means of the analysis of variance with repeated measures and the paired-sample test. Correlation coefficients and simple linear regression test were used to examine the relationship between age and performance. TDC achieved higher scores in both tasks through repetition. Older children fitted more pieces than younger ones in assembling learning and they were faster and more efficient at the mirror drawing learning task. These findings indicate that three consecutive trials at a procedural task increased speed and efficiency, and that age affected basal performance in motor-cognitive procedures.

Two-Speed Gearbox Dynamic Simulation Predictions and Test Validation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lewicki, David G.; DeSmidt, Hans; Smith, Edward C.; Bauman, Steven W.

2010-01-01

Dynamic simulations and experimental validation tests were performed on a two-stage, two-speed gearbox as part of the drive system research activities of the NASA Fundamental Aeronautics Subsonics Rotary Wing Project. The gearbox was driven by two electromagnetic motors and had two electromagnetic, multi-disk clutches to control output speed. A dynamic model of the system was created which included a direct current electric motor with proportional-integral-derivative (PID) speed control, a two-speed gearbox with dual electromagnetically actuated clutches, and an eddy current dynamometer. A six degree-of-freedom model of the gearbox accounted for the system torsional dynamics and included gear, clutch, shaft, and load inertias as well as shaft flexibilities and a dry clutch stick-slip friction model. Experimental validation tests were performed on the gearbox in the NASA Glenn gear noise test facility. Gearbox output speed and torque as well as drive motor speed and current were compared to those from the analytical predictions. The experiments correlate very well with the predictions, thus validating the dynamic simulation methodologies.

Enhancement of motor learning by focal intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) of either the primary motor (M1) or somatosensory area (S1) in healthy human subjects.

PubMed

Platz, Thomas; Adler-Wiebe, Marija; Roschka, Sybille; Lotze, Martin

2018-01-01

Motor rehabilitation after brain damage relies on motor re-learning as induced by specific training. Non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) can alter cortical excitability and thereby has a potential to enhance subsequent training-induced learning. Knowledge about any priming effects of NIBS on motor learning in healthy subjects can help to design targeted therapeutic applications in brain-damaged subjects. To examine whether complex motor learning in healthy subjects can be enhanced by intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) to primary motor or sensory cortical areas. Eighteen young healthy subjects trained eight different arm motor tasks (arm ability training, AAT) once a day for 5 days using their left non-dominant arm. Except for day 1 (baseline), training was performed after applying an excitatory form of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (iTBS) to either (I) right M1 or (II) S1, or (III) sham stimulation to the right M1. Subjects were randomly assigned to conditions I, II, or III. A principal component analysis of the motor behaviour data suggested eight independent motor abilities corresponding to the 8 trained tasks. AAT induced substantial motor learning across abilities with generalisation to a non-trained test of finger dexterity (Nine-Hole-Peg-Test, NHPT). Participants receiving iTBS (to either M1 or S1) showed better performance with the AAT tasks over the period of training compared to sham stimulation as well as a bigger improvement with the generalisation task (NHPT) for the trained left hand after training completion. Priming with an excitatory repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation as iTBS of either M1 or S1 can enhance motor learning across different sensorimotor abilities.

BPM Motors in Residential Gas Furnaces: What are theSavings?

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lutz, James; Franco, Victor; Lekov, Alex

2006-05-12

Residential gas furnaces contain blowers to distribute warm air. Currently, furnace blowers use either a Permanent Split Capacitor (PSC) or a Brushless Permanent Magnet (BPM) motor. Blowers account for the majority of furnace electricity consumption. Therefore, accurate determination of the blower electricity consumption is important for understanding electricity consumption of furnaces. The electricity consumption of blower motors depends on the static pressure across the blower. This paper examines both types of blower motors in non-condensing non-weatherized gas furnaces at a range of static pressures. Fan performance data is based on manufacturer product literature and laboratory tests. We use field-measured staticmore » pressure in ducts to get typical system curves to calculate how furnaces would operate in the field. We contrast this with the electricity consumption of a furnace blower operating under the DOE test procedure and manufacturer rated conditions. Furnace electricity use is also affected by operating modes that happen at the beginning and end of each furnace firing cycle. These operating modes are the pre-purge and post-purge by the draft inducer, the on-delay and off-delay of the blower, and the hot surface ignitor operation. To accurately calculate this effect, we use the number of firing cycles in a typical California house in the Central Valley of California. Cooling hours are not considered in the DOE test procedure. We also account for furnace blower use by the air conditioner and stand-by power. Overall BPM motors outperform PSC motors, but the total electricity savings are significantly less than projected using the DOE test procedure conditions. The performance gains depend on the static pressure of the household ducts, which are typically much higher than in the test procedures.« less

Supervised versus unsupervised technology-based levodopa monitoring in Parkinson's disease: an intrasubject comparison.

PubMed

Lopane, Giovanna; Mellone, Sabato; Corzani, Mattia; Chiari, Lorenzo; Cortelli, Pietro; Calandra-Buonaura, Giovanna; Contin, Manuela

2018-06-01

We aimed to assess the intrasubject reproducibility of a technology-based levodopa (LD) therapeutic monitoring protocol administered in supervised versus unsupervised conditions in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). The study design was pilot, intrasubject, single center, open and prospective. Twenty patients were recruited. Patients performed a standardized monitoring protocol instrumented by an ad hoc embedded platform after their usual first morning LD dose in two different randomized ambulatory sessions: one under a physician's supervision, the other self-administered. The protocol is made up of serial motor and non-motor tests, including alternate finger tapping, Timed Up and Go test, and measurement of blood pressure. Primary motor outcomes included comparisons of intrasubject LD subacute motor response patterns over the 3-h test in the two experimental conditions. Secondary outcomes were the number of intrasession serial test repetitions due to technical or handling errors and patients' satisfaction with the unsupervised LD monitoring protocol. Intrasubject LD motor response patterns were concordant between the two study sessions in all patients but one. Platform handling problems averaged 4% of total planned serial tests for both sessions. Ninety-five percent of patients were satisfied with the self-administered LD monitoring protocol. To our knowledge, this study is the first to explore the potential of unsupervised technology-based objective motor and non-motor tasks to monitor subacute LD dosing effects in PD patients. The results are promising for future telemedicine applications.

SRM Internal Flow Tests and Computational Fluid Dynamic Analysis. Volume 3; Titan, ASRM, and Subscale Motor Analyses

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1995-01-01

A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis has been performed on the aft slot region of the Titan 4 Solid Rocket Motor Upgrade (SRMU). This analysis was performed in conjunction with MSFC structural modeling of the propellant grain to determine if the flow field induced stresses would adversely alter the propellant geometry to the extent of causing motor failure. The results of the coupled CFD/stress analysis have shown that there is a continual increase of flow field resistance at the aft slot due to the aft segment propellant grain being progressively moved radially toward the centerline of the motor port. This 'bootstrapping' effect between grain radial movement and internal flow resistance is conducive to causing a rapid motor failure.

Patterned-string tasks: relation between fine motor skills and visual-spatial abilities in parrots.

PubMed

Krasheninnikova, Anastasia

2013-01-01

String-pulling and patterned-string tasks are often used to analyse perceptual and cognitive abilities in animals. In addition, the paradigm can be used to test the interrelation between visual-spatial and motor performance. Two Australian parrot species, the galah (Eolophus roseicapilla) and the cockatiel (Nymphicus hollandicus), forage on the ground, but only the galah uses its feet to manipulate food. I used a set of string pulling and patterned-string tasks to test whether usage of the feet during foraging is a prerequisite for solving the vertical string pulling problem. Indeed, the two species used techniques that clearly differed in the extent of beak-foot coordination but did not differ in terms of their success in solving the string pulling task. However, when the visual-spatial skills of the subjects were tested, the galahs outperformed the cockatiels. This supports the hypothesis that the fine motor skills needed for advanced beak-foot coordination may be interrelated with certain visual-spatial abilities needed for solving patterned-string tasks. This pattern was also found within each of the two species on the individual level: higher motor abilities positively correlated with performance in patterned-string tasks. This is the first evidence of an interrelation between visual-spatial and motor abilities in non-mammalian animals.

Results of a 24-inch Hybrid Motor Performance Uncertainty Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sims, Joseph D.; Coleman, Hugh W.

1998-01-01

The subscale (11 and 24-inch) hybrid motors at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) have been used as versatile and cost effective testbeds for developing new technology. Comparisons between motor configuration, ignition systems, feed systems, fuel formulations, and nozzle materials have been carried out without detailed consideration as to haw "good" the motor performance data were. For the 250,000 lb/thrust motor developed by the Hybrid Propulsion Demonstration Program consortium, this shortcoming is particularly risky because motor performance will likely be used as put of a set of downselect criteria to choose between competing ignition and feed systems under development. This analysis directly addresses that shortcoming by applying uncertainty analysis techniques to the experimental determination of the characteristic velocity, theoretical characteristic velocity, and characteristic velocity efficiency for a 24-inch motor firing. With the adoption of fuel-lined headends, flow restriction, and aft mixing chambers, state of the an 24-inch hybrid motors have become very efficient However, impossibly high combustion efficiencies (some computed as high as 108%) have been measured in some tests with 11-inch motors. This analysis has given new insight into explaining how these efficiencies were measured to be so high, and into which experimental measurements contribute the most to the overall uncertainty.

Hybrid rocket motor testing at Nammo Raufoss A/S

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rønningen, Jan-Erik; Kubberud, Nils

2005-08-01

Hybrid rocket motor technology and the use of hybrid rockets have gained increased interest in recent years in many countries. A typical hybrid rocket consists of a tank containing the oxidizer in either liquid or gaseous state connected to the combustion chamber containing an injector, inert solid fuel grain and nozzle. Nammo Raufoss A/S has for almost 40 years designed and produced high-performance solid propellant rocket motors for many military missile systems as well as solid propellant rocket motors for civil space use. In 2003 an in-house technology program was initiated to investigate and study hybrid rocket technology. On 23 September 2004 the first in-house designed hybrid test rocket motor was static test fired at Nammo Raufoss Test Center. The oxidizer was gaseous oxygen contained in a tank pressurized to 10MPa, flow controlled through a sonic orifice into the combustion chamber containing a multi port radial injector and six bore cartridge-loaded fuel grain containing a modified HTPB fuel composition. The motor was ignited using a non-explosive heated wire. This paper will present what has been achieved at Nammo Raufoss since the start of the program.

Evaluation of 2004 Toyota Prius Hybrid Electic Drive System Interim Report - Revised

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ayers, C.W.; Hsu, J.S.; Marlino, L.D.

The 2004 Toyota Prius is a hybrid automobile equipped with a gasoline engine and a battery-powered electric motor. Both of these motive power sources are capable of providing mechanical drive power for the vehicle. The engine can deliver a peak power output of 57 kilowatts (kW) at 5000 revolutions per minute (rpm) while the motor can deliver a peak power output of 50 kW at 1300 rpm. Together, this engine-motor combination has a specified peak power output of 82 kW at a vehicle speed of 85 kilometers per hour (km/h). In operation, the 2004 Prius exhibits superior fuel economy comparedmore » to conventionally powered automobiles. Laboratory tests were conducted to evaluate the electrical and mechanical performance of the 2004 Toyota Prius and its hybrid electric drive system. As a hybrid vehicle, the 2004 Prius uses both a gasoline-powered internal combustion engine and a battery-powered electric motor as motive power sources. Innovative algorithms for combining these two power sources results in improved fuel efficiency and reduced emissions compared to traditional automobiles. Initial objectives of the laboratory tests were to measure motor and generator back-electromotive force (emf) voltages and determine gearbox-related power losses over a specified range of shaft speeds and lubricating oil temperatures. Follow-on work will involve additional performance testing of the motor, generator, and inverter. Information contained in this interim report summarizes the test results obtained to date, describes preliminary conclusions and findings, and identifies additional areas for further study.« less

Magnetostrictive direct drive motors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Naik, Dipak; Dehoff, P. H.

1990-01-01

Developing magnetostrictive direct drive research motors to power robot joints is discussed. These type motors are expected to produce extraordinary torque density, to be able to perform microradian incremental steps and to be self-braking and safe with the power off. Several types of motor designs have been attempted using magnetostrictive materials. One of the candidate approaches (the magnetostrictive roller drive) is described. The method in which the design will function is described as is the reason why this approach is inherently superior to the other approaches. Following this, the design will be modelled and its expected performance predicted. This particular candidate design is currently undergoing detailed engineering with prototype construction and testing scheduled for mid 1991.

Acute exercise and motor memory consolidation: Does exercise type play a role?

PubMed

Thomas, R; Flindtgaard, M; Skriver, K; Geertsen, S S; Christiansen, L; Korsgaard Johnsen, L; Busk, D V P; Bojsen-Møller, E; Madsen, M J; Ritz, C; Roig, M; Lundbye-Jensen, J

2017-11-01

A single bout of high-intensity exercise can augment off-line gains in skills acquired during motor practice. It is currently unknown if the type of physical exercise influences the effect on motor skill consolidation. This study investigated the effect of three types of high-intensity exercise following visuomotor skill acquisition on the retention of motor memory in 40 young (25.3 ±3.6 years), able-bodied male participants randomly assigned to one of four groups either performing strength training (STR), circuit training (CT), indoor hockey (HOC) or rest (CON). Retention tests of the motor skill were performed 1 (R1h) and 24 h (R1d) post acquisition. For all exercise groups, mean motor performance scores decreased at R1h compared to post acquisition (POST) level; STR (P = 0.018), CT (P = 0.02), HOC (P = 0.014) and performance scores decreased for CT compared to CON (P = 0.049). Mean performance scores increased from POST to R1d for all exercise groups; STR (P = 0.010), CT (P = 0.020), HOC (P = 0.007) while performance scores for CON decreased (P = 0.043). Changes in motor performance were thus greater for STR (P = 0.006), CT (P < 0.001) and HOC (P < 0.001) compared to CON from POST to R1d. The results demonstrate that high-intensity, acute exercise can lead to a decrease in motor performance assessed shortly after motor skill practice (R1h), but enhances offline effects promoting long-term retention (R1d). Given that different exercise modalities produced similar positive off-line effects on motor memory, we conclude that exercise-induced effects beneficial to consolidation appear to depend primarily on the physiological stimulus rather than type of exercise and movements employed. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Testing cognition in the wild: factors affecting performance and individual consistency in two measures of avian cognition.

PubMed

Shaw, Rachael C

2017-01-01

Developing cognitive tasks to reliably quantify individual differences in cognitive ability is critical to advance our understanding of the fitness consequences of cognition in the wild. Several factors may influence individual performance in a cognitive task, with some being unrelated to the cognitive ability that is the target of the test. It is therefore essential to assess how extraneous factors may affect task performance, particularly for those tasks that are frequently used to quantify individual differences in cognitive ability. The current study therefore measured the performance of wild North Island robins in two tasks commonly used to measure individual differences in avian cognition: a novel motor task and a detour reaching task. The robins' performance in the motor task was affected by prior experience; individuals that had previously participated in a similar task that required a different motor action pattern outperformed naïve subjects. By contrast, detour reaching performance was influenced by an individual's body condition, suggesting that energetic state may affect inhibitory control in robins. Designing tasks that limit the influence of past experience and developing means of standardising motivation across animals tested in the wild remain key challenges to improving current measurements of cognitive ability in birds. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Influence of prolonged static stretching on motor unit firing properties.

PubMed

Ye, Xin; Beck, Travis W; Wages, Nathan P

2016-05-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of a stretching intervention on motor control strategy of the biceps brachii muscle. Ten men performed twelve 100-s passive static stretches of the biceps brachii. Before and after the intervention, isometric strength was tested during maximal voluntary contractions (MVCs) of the elbow flexors. Subjects also performed trapezoid isometric contractions at 30% and 70% of MVC. Surface electromyographic signals from the submaximal contractions were decomposed into individual motor unit action potential trains. Linear regression analysis was used to examine the relationship between motor unit mean firing rate and recruitment threshold. The stretching intervention caused significant decreases in y-intercepts of the linear regression lines. In addition, linear slopes at both intensities remained unchanged. Despite reduced motor unit firing rates following the stretches, the motor control scheme remained unchanged. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Development of the Algol III solid rocket motor for SCOUT.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Felix, B. R.; Mcbride, N. M.

1971-01-01

The design and performance of a motor developed for the first stage of the NASA SCOUT-D and E launch vehicles are discussed. The motor delivers a 30% higher total impulse and a 35 to 45% higher payload mass capability than its predecessor, the Algol IIB. The motor is 45 in. in diameter, has a length-to-diameter ratio of 8:1 and delivers an average 100,000-lb thrust for an action time of 72 sec. The motor design features a very high volumetrically loaded internal-burning charge of 17% aluminized polybutadiene propellant, a plasma-welded and heat-treated steel alloy case, and an all-ablative plastic nose liner enclosed in a steel shell. The only significant development problem was the grain design tailoring to account for erosive burning effects which occurred in the high-subsonic-Mach-number port. The tests performed on the motor are described.

Transistorized PWM inverter-induction motor drive system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Peak, S. C.; Plunkett, A. B.

1982-01-01

This paper describes the development of a transistorized PWM inverter-induction motor traction drive system. A vehicle performance analysis was performed to establish the vehicle tractive effort-speed requirements. These requirements were then converted into a set of inverter and motor specifications. The inverter was a transistorized three-phase bridge using General Electric power Darlington transistors. The description of the design and development of this inverter is the principal object of this paper. The high-speed induction motor is a design which is optimized for use with an inverter power source. The primary feedback control is a torque angle control with voltage and torque outer loop controls. A current-controlled PWM technique is used to control the motor voltage. The drive has a constant torque output with PWM operation to base motor speed and a constant horsepower output with square wave operation to maximum speed. The drive system was dynamometer tested and the results are presented.

Characterization and Modeling of a Control Moment Gyroscope

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-03-26

parallel, and angular directions [16]. The rotor is powered by a brushless DC motor rated to 557.9 mN-m (4.938 in-lbf) [4]. The motor has Hall effect ...mass balance installed on rotor housing Gimbal Balancing Test Procedures. To evaluate the effectiveness of the mass balance, the gimbal was tested...in which the rotor is running The vehicle-level model test (Section 4.9) predicts the effects of CMG gear lash on overall vehicle performance. Gear

Biometric Digital Health Technology for Measuring Motor Function in Parkinson's Disease: Results from a Feasibility and Patient Satisfaction Study.

PubMed

Mitsi, Georgia; Mendoza, Enrique Urrea; Wissel, Benjamin D; Barbopoulou, Elena; Dwivedi, Alok K; Tsoulos, Ioannis; Stavrakoudis, Athanassios; Espay, Alberto J; Papapetropoulos, Spyros

2017-01-01

To assess the feasibility, predictive value, and user satisfaction of objectively quantifying motor function in Parkinson's disease (PD) through a tablet-based application (iMotor) using self-administered tests. PD and healthy controls (HCs) performed finger tapping, hand pronation-supination and reaction time tasks using the iMotor application. Thirty-eight participants (19 with PD and 17 HCs) were recruited in the study. PD subjects were 53% male, with a mean age of 67.8 years (±8.8), mean disease duration of 6.5 years (±4.6), Movement Disorders Society version of the Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale III score 26.3 (±6.7), and Hoehn & Yahr stage 2. In the univariate analysis, most tapping variables were significantly different in PD compared to HC. Tap interval provided the highest predictive ability (90%). In the multivariable logistic regression model reaction time (reaction time test) ( p  = 0.021) and total taps (two-target test) ( p  = 0.026) were associated with PD. A combined model with two-target (total taps and accuracy) and reaction time produced maximum discriminatory performance between HC and PD. The overall accuracy of the combined model was 0.98 (95% confidence interval: 0.93-1). iMotor use achieved high rates of patients' satisfaction as evaluated by a patient satisfaction survey. iMotor differentiated PD subjects from HCs using simple alternating tasks of motor function. Results of this feasibility study should be replicated in larger, longitudinal, appropriately designed, controlled studies. The impact on patient care of at-home iMotor-assisted remote monitoring also deserves further evaluation.

Jump Rope Training: Balance and Motor Coordination in Preadolescent Soccer Players

PubMed Central

Trecroci, Athos; Cavaggioni, Luca; Caccia, Riccardo; Alberti, Giampietro

2015-01-01

General physical practice and multidimensional exercises are essential elements that allow young athletes to enhance their coordinative traits, balance, and strength and power levels, which are linked to the learning soccer-specific skills. Jumping rope is a widely-used and non-specific practical method for the development of athletic conditioning, balance and coordination in several disciplines. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a short-term training protocol including jumping rope (JR) exercises on motor abilities and body balance in young soccer players. Twenty-four preadolescent soccer players were recruited and placed in two different groups. In the Experimental group (EG), children performed JR training at the beginning of the training session. The control group (CG), executed soccer specific drills. Harre circuit test (HCT) and Lower Quarter Y balance test (YBT-LQ) were selected to evaluate participant’s motor ability (e.g. ability to perform rapidly a course with different physical tasks such as somersault and passages above/below obstacles ) and to assess unilateral dynamic lower limb balance after 8 weeks of training. Statistical analysis consisted of paired t-test and mixed analysis of variance scores to determine any significant interactions. Children who performed jumping rope exercises showed a significant decrease of 9% (p < 0.01, ES = 0.50-0.80) in the performance time of HCT. With regard to the CG, no differences were highlighted (p > 0.05, ES = 0.05-0.2) from pre- to post-training. A training-by-group interaction was found for the composite score in both legs (p < 0.05, Part η2 > 0.14). Our findings demonstrated that JR practice within regular soccer training enhanced general motor coordination and balance in preadolescent soccer players. Therefore, the inclusion of JR practice within regular soccer training session should encouraged to improve children’s motor skills. Key points Performing jumping rope exercises within a regular soccer program can be an additional method to improve balance and motor coordination. The performance improvement in the Harre Circuit Test associated with jump rope training can potentially be attributed to an enhancement of the inter-limb coordination and SSC ability. Results from the present study indicate that young soccer players should be encouraged to practice general physical activities together with sport-specific exercise during their training sessions. PMID:26664276

Jump Rope Training: Balance and Motor Coordination in Preadolescent Soccer Players.

PubMed

Trecroci, Athos; Cavaggioni, Luca; Caccia, Riccardo; Alberti, Giampietro

2015-12-01

General physical practice and multidimensional exercises are essential elements that allow young athletes to enhance their coordinative traits, balance, and strength and power levels, which are linked to the learning soccer-specific skills. Jumping rope is a widely-used and non-specific practical method for the development of athletic conditioning, balance and coordination in several disciplines. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a short-term training protocol including jumping rope (JR) exercises on motor abilities and body balance in young soccer players. Twenty-four preadolescent soccer players were recruited and placed in two different groups. In the Experimental group (EG), children performed JR training at the beginning of the training session. The control group (CG), executed soccer specific drills. Harre circuit test (HCT) and Lower Quarter Y balance test (YBT-LQ) were selected to evaluate participant's motor ability (e.g. ability to perform rapidly a course with different physical tasks such as somersault and passages above/below obstacles ) and to assess unilateral dynamic lower limb balance after 8 weeks of training. Statistical analysis consisted of paired t-test and mixed analysis of variance scores to determine any significant interactions. Children who performed jumping rope exercises showed a significant decrease of 9% (p < 0.01, ES = 0.50-0.80) in the performance time of HCT. With regard to the CG, no differences were highlighted (p > 0.05, ES = 0.05-0.2) from pre- to post-training. A training-by-group interaction was found for the composite score in both legs (p < 0.05, Part η(2) > 0.14). Our findings demonstrated that JR practice within regular soccer training enhanced general motor coordination and balance in preadolescent soccer players. Therefore, the inclusion of JR practice within regular soccer training session should encouraged to improve children's motor skills. Key pointsPerforming jumping rope exercises within a regular soccer program can be an additional method to improve balance and motor coordination.The performance improvement in the Harre Circuit Test associated with jump rope training can potentially be attributed to an enhancement of the inter-limb coordination and SSC ability.Results from the present study indicate that young soccer players should be encouraged to practice general physical activities together with sport-specific exercise during their training sessions.

Performance analysis of SA-3 missile second stage

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Helmy, A. M.

1981-01-01

One SA-3 missile was disassembled. The constituents of the second stage were thoroughly investigated for geometrical details. The second stage slotted composite propellant grain was subjected to mechanical properties testing, physiochemical analyses, and burning rate measurements at different conditions. To determine the propellant performance parameters, the slotted composite propellant grain was machined into a set of small-size tubular grains. These grains were fired in a small size rocket motor with a set of interchangeable nozzles with different throat diameters. The firings were carried out at three different conditions. The data from test motor firings, physiochemical properties of the propellant, burning rate measurement results and geometrical details of the second stage motor, were used as input data in a computer program to compute the internal ballistic characteristics of the second stage.

Is the lateral jack-knife position responsible for cases of transient neurapraxia?

PubMed

Molinares, Diana Margarita; Davis, Timothy T; Fung, Daniel A; Liu, John Chung-Liang; Clark, Stephen; Daily, David; Mok, James M

2016-01-01

The lateral jack-knife position is often used during transpsoas surgery to improve access to the spine. Postoperative neurological signs and symptoms are very common after such procedures, and the mechanism is not adequately understood. The objective of this study is to assess if the lateral jack-knife position alone can cause neurapraxia. This study compares neurological status at baseline and after positioning in the 25° right lateral jack-knife (RLJK) and the right lateral decubitus (RLD) position. Fifty healthy volunteers, ages 21 to 35, were randomly assigned to one of 2 groups: Group A (RLD) and Group B (RLJK). Motor and sensory testing was performed prior to positioning. Subjects were placed in the RLD or RLJK position, according to group assignment, for 60 minutes. Motor testing was performed immediately after this 60-minute period and again 60 minutes thereafter. Sensory testing was performed immediately after the 60-minute period and every 15 minutes thereafter, for a total of 5 times. Motor testing was performed by a physical therapist who was blinded to group assignment. A follow-up call was made 7 days after the positioning sessions. Motor deficits were observed in the nondependent lower limb in 100% of the subjects in Group B, and no motor deficits were seen in Group A. Statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) were found between the 2 groups with respect to the performance on the 10-repetition maximum test immediately immediately and 60 minutes after positioning. Subjects in Group B had a 10%-70% (average 34.8%) decrease in knee extension strength and 20%-80% (average 43%) decrease in hip flexion strength in the nondependent limb. Sensory abnormalities were observed in the nondependent lower limb in 98% of the subjects in Group B. Thirty-six percent of the Group B subjects still exhibited sensory deficits after the 60-minute recovery period. No symptoms were reported by any subject during the follow-up calls 7 days after positioning. Twenty-five degrees of right lateral jack-knife positioning for 60 minutes results in neurapraxia of the nondependent lower extremity. Our results support the hypothesis that jack-knife positioning alone can cause postoperative neurological symptoms.

Cognitive-motor interference during fine and gross motor tasks in children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD).

PubMed

Schott, Nadja; El-Rajab, Inaam; Klotzbier, Thomas

2016-10-01

While typically developing children produce relatively automatized postural control processes, children with DCD seem to exhibit an automatization deficit. Dual tasks with various cognitive loads seem to be an effective way to assess the automatic deficit hypothesis. The aims of the study were: (1) to examine the effect of a concurrent cognitive task on fine and gross motor tasks in children with DCD, and (2) to determine whether the effect varied with different difficulty levels of the concurrent task. We examined dual-task performance (Trail-Making-Test, Trail-Walking-Test) in 20 children with DCD and 39 typically developing children. Based on the idea of the Trail-Making-Test, participants walked along a fixed pathway, following a prescribed path, delineated by target markers of (1) increasing sequential numbers, and (2) increasing sequential numbers and letters. The motor and cognitive dual-task effects (DTE) were calculated for each task. Regardless of the cognitive task, children with DCD performed equally well in fine and gross motor tasks, and were slower in the dual task conditions than under single task-conditions, compared with children without DCD. Increased cognitive task complexity resulted in slow trail walking as well as slower trail tracing. The motor interference for the gross motor tasks was least for the simplest conditions and greatest for the complex conditions and was more pronounced in children with DCD. Cognitive interference was low irrespective of the motor task. Children with DCD show a different approach to allocation of cognitive resources, and have difficulties making motor skills automatic. The latter notion is consistent with impaired cerebellar function and the "automatization deficit hypothesis", suggesting that any deficit in the automatization process will appear if conscious monitoring of the motor skill is made more difficult by integrating another task requiring attentional resources. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Orion Launch Abort System Jettison Motor Performance During Exploration Flight Test 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McCauley, Rachel J.; Davidson, John B.; Winski, Richard G.

2015-01-01

This paper presents an overview of the flight test objectives and performance of the Orion Launch Abort System during Exploration Flight Test-1. Exploration Flight Test-1, the first flight test of the Orion spacecraft, was managed and led by the Orion prime contractor, Lockheed Martin, and launched atop a United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy rocket. This flight test was a two-orbit, high-apogee, high-energy entry, low-inclination test mission used to validate and test systems critical to crew safety. This test included the first flight test of the Launch Abort System performing Orion nominal flight mission critical objectives. Although the Orion Program has tested a number of the critical systems of the Orion spacecraft on the ground, the launch environment cannot be replicated completely on Earth. Data from this flight will be used to verify the function of the jettison motor to separate the Launch Abort System from the crew module so it can continue on with the mission. Selected Launch Abort System flight test data is presented and discussed in the paper. Through flight test data, Launch Abort System performance trends have been derived that will prove valuable to future flights as well as the manned space program.

Age-Related Decline in Anticipatory Motor Planning and Its Relation to Cognitive and Motor Skill Proficiency

PubMed Central

Stöckel, Tino; Wunsch, Kathrin; Hughes, Charmayne M. L.

2017-01-01

Anticipatory motor planning abilities mature as children grow older, develop throughout childhood and are likely to be stable till the late sixties. In the seventh decade of life, motor planning performance dramatically declines, with anticipatory motor planning abilities falling to levels of those exhibited by children. At present, the processes enabling successful anticipatory motor planning in general, as do the cognitive processes mediating these age-related changes, remain elusive. Thus, the aim of the present study was (a) to identify cognitive and motor functions that are most affected by normal aging and (b) to elucidate key (cognitive and motor) factors that are critical for successful motor planning performance in young (n = 40, mean age = 23.1 ± 2.6 years) and older adults (n = 37, mean age = 73.5 ± 7.1 years). Results indicate that normal aging is associated with a marked decline in all aspects of cognitive and motor functioning tested. However, age-related declines were more apparent for fine motor dexterity, processing speed and cognitive flexibility. Furthermore, up to 64% of the variance in motor planning performance across age groups could be explained by the cognitive functions processing speed, response planning and cognitive flexibility. It can be postulated that anticipatory motor planning abilities are strongly influenced by cognitive control processes, which seem to be key mechanisms to compensate for age-related decline. These findings support the general therapeutic and preventive value of cognitive-motor training programs to reduce adverse effects associated with high age. PMID:28928653

Evaluation of exercise capacity after severe stroke using robotics-assisted treadmill exercise: a proof-of-concept study.

PubMed

Stoller, O; de Bruin, E D; Schindelholz, M; Schuster, C; de Bie, R A; Hunt, K J

2013-01-01

Robotics-assisted treadmill exercise (RATE) with focus on motor recovery has become popular in early post-stroke rehabilitation but low endurance for exercise is highly prevalent in these individuals. This study aimed to develop an exercise testing method using robotics-assisted treadmill exercise to evaluate aerobic capacity after severe stroke. Constant load testing (CLT) based on body weight support (BWS) control, and incremental exercise testing (IET) based on guidance force (GF) control were implemented during RATE. Analyses focussed on step change, step response kinetics, and peak performance parameters of oxygen uptake. Three subjects with severe motor impairment 16-23 days post-stroke were included. CLT yielded reasonable step change values in oxygen uptake, whereas response kinetics of oxygen uptake showed low goodness of fit. Peak performance parameters were not obtained during IET. Exercise testing in post-stroke individuals with severe motor impairments using a BWS control strategy for CLT is deemed feasible and safe. Our approach yielded reasonable results regarding cardiovascular performance parameters. IET based on GF control does not provoke peak cardiovascular performance due to uncoordinated walking patterns. GF control needs further development to optimally demand active participation during RATE. The findings warrant further research regarding the evaluation of exercise capacity after severe stroke.

Brushed permanent magnet DC MLC motor operation in an external magnetic field.

PubMed

Yun, J; St Aubin, J; Rathee, S; Fallone, B G

2010-05-01

Linac-MR systems for real-time image-guided radiotherapy will utilize the multileaf collimators (MLCs) to perform conformal radiotherapy and tumor tracking. The MLCs would be exposed to the external fringe magnetic fields of the linac-MR hybrid systems. Therefore, an experimental investigation of the effect of an external magnetic field on the brushed permanent magnet DC motors used in some MLC systems was performed. The changes in motor speed and current were measured for varying external magnetic field strengths up to 2000 G generated by an EEV electromagnet. These changes in motor characteristics were measured for three orientations of the motor in the external magnetic field, mimicking changes in motor orientations due to installation and/or collimator rotations. In addition, the functionality of the associated magnetic motor encoder was tested. The tested motors are used with the Varian 120 leaf Millennium MLC (Maxon Motor half leaf and full leaf motors) and the Varian 52 leaf MKII MLC (MicroMo Electronics leaf motor) including a carriage motor (MicroMo Electronics). In most cases, the magnetic encoder of the motors failed prior to any damage to the gearbox or the permanent magnet motor itself. This sets an upper limit of the external magnetic field strength on the motor function. The measured limits of the external magnetic fields were found to vary by the motor type. The leaf motor used with a Varian 52 leaf MKII MLC system tolerated up to 450 +/- 10 G. The carriage motor tolerated up to 2000 +/- 10 G field. The motors used with the Varian 120 leaf Millennium MLC system were found to tolerate a maximum of 600 +/- 10 G. The current Varian MLC system motors can be used for real-time image-guided radiotherapy coupled to a linac-MR system, provided the fringe magnetic fields at their locations are below the determined tolerance levels. With the fringe magnetic fields of linac-MR systems expected to be larger than the tolerance levels determined, some form of magnetic shielding would be required.

Changes in selected physical, motor performance and anthropometric components of university-level rugby players after one microcycle of a combined rugby conditioning and plyometric training program.

PubMed

Pienaar, Cindy; Coetzee, Ben

2013-02-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of a microcycle (4 weeks) combined rugby conditioning plyometric compared with a nonplyometric rugby conditioning program on selected physical and motor performance components and anthropometric measurements of university-level rugby players. Players (18.94 ± 0.40 years) were assigned to either a control (n = 16) or experimental group (n = 19) from the U/19 rugby teams of the North-West University (South Africa). Twenty-six direct and indirect anthropometric measurements were taken, and the players performed a battery of 5 physical and motor performance tests before and after a microcycle (4 week) combined rugby conditioning plyometric (experimental group) and a nonplyometric rugby conditioning program (control group). The dependent t-test results showed that the control group's upper-body explosive power decreased significantly, whereas the stature, skeletal mass, and femur breadth increased significantly from pre- to posttesting. The experimental group showed significant increases in wrist breadth, speed over 20 m, agility, and power and work measurements of the Wingate anaerobic test (WAnT). Despite these results, the independent t-test revealed that speed over 20 m, average power output at 20 seconds, relative work of the WAnT, and agility were the only components of the experimental group that improved significantly more than the control group. A microcycle combined rugby conditioning plyometric program therefore leads to significantly bigger changes in selected physical and motor performance components of university-level rugby players than a nonplyometric rugby conditioning program alone. Based on these findings, coaches and sport scientists should implement 3 weekly combined rugby conditioning plyometric programs in rugby players' training regimens to improve the players' speed, agility, and power.

Measuring intellectual ability in children with cerebral palsy: can we do better?

PubMed

Sherwell, Sarah; Reid, Susan M; Reddihough, Dinah S; Wrennall, Jacquie; Ong, Ben; Stargatt, Robyn

2014-10-01

Standard intelligence tests such as the WPPSI-III have limitations when testing children with motor impairment. This study aimed to determine the proportion of children with cerebral palsy with sufficient verbal and motor skills to complete the WPPSI-III, to determine their comparative ability to complete tasks with and without a significant motor component, and to investigate short forms of the WPPSI-III as alternatives. Participants were 78 of 235 eligible 4-5 year old children with cerebral palsy resident in the Australian state of Victoria. Verbal IQ (VIQ), Performance IQ (PIQ), and Full-scale IQ (FSIQ) were determined using the WPPSI-III. Initial screening for pointing and verbal abilities determined which tests were attempted. The impact of speed was investigated by comparing scores on the Block Design subtest with and without an imposed time limit. FSIQ scores were calculated from two short forms of the WPPSI-III and compared to the full form. On screening, 16 children had inadequate pointing (14) and verbal abilities (2). FSIQ was obtained in 62 (82%) children. Strong associations were seen between completion of the entire test battery and topographical pattern, level of manual ability and level of gross motor function. Scores on subtests requiring manual ability were depressed relative to other scores. Children performed better using short forms of the WPPSI-III and, for a minority, when time limits were disregarded. In summary, children with cerebral palsy often lack the fine and gross motor skills necessary to complete the WPPSI-III, scoring relatively poorly on tasks requiring a fine motor response. Using short-form estimations of FSIQ comprised of subtests without a significant fine motor component has the potential to increase a child's FSIQ by approximately 5 points. These findings have important clinical implications when assessing a child with both motor and cognitive limitations. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Primary control of a Mach scale swashplateless rotor using brushless DC motor actuated trailing edge flaps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saxena, Anand

The focus of this research was to demonstrate a four blade rotor trim in forward flight using integrated trailing edge flaps instead of using a swashplate controls. A compact brushless DC motor was evaluated as an on-blade actuator, with the possibility of achieving large trailing edge flap amplitudes. A control strategy to actuate the trailing edge flap at desired frequency and amplitude was developed and large trailing edge flap amplitudes from the motor (instead of rotational motion) were obtained. Once the actuator was tested on the bench-top, a lightweight mechanism was designed to incorporate the motor in the blade and actuate the trailing edge flaps. A six feet diameter, four bladed composite rotor with motor-flap system integrated into the NACA 0012 airfoil section was fabricated. Systematic testing was carried out for a range of load conditions, first in the vacuum chamber followed by hover tests. Large trailing edge flap deflections were observed during the hover testing, and a peak to peak trailing edge flap amplitude of 18 degree was achieved at 2000 rotor RPM with hover tip Mach number of 0.628. A closed loop controller was designed to demonstrate trailing edge flap mean position and the peak to peak amplitude control. Further, a soft pitch link was designed and fabricated, to replace the stiff pitch link and thereby reduce the torsional stiffness of the blade to 2/rev. This soft pitch link allowed for blade root pitch motion in response to the trailing edge flap inputs. Blade pitch response due to both steady as well as sinusoidal flap deflections were demonstrated. Finally, tests were performed in Glenn L. Martin wind tunnel using a model rotor rig to assess the performance of motor-flap system in forward flight. A swashplateless trim using brushless DC motor actuated trailing edge flaps was achieved for a rotor operating at 1200 RPM and an advance ratio of 0.28. Also, preliminary exploration was carried out to test the scalability of the motor driven trailing edge flap concept. In conclusion, the concept of using brushless DC motors as on-blade actuators, actuating trailing edge flaps has the potential to replace the current mechanically complex swashplate with a hydraulic-free swashplateless system and thereby reduce overall weight and hub drag.

Communication skills in individuals with spastic diplegia.

PubMed

Lamônica, Dionísia Aparecida Cusin; Paiva, Cora Sofia Takaya; Abramides, Dagma Venturini Marques; Biazon, Jamile Lozano

2015-01-01

To assess communication skills in children with spastic diplegia. The study included 20 subjects, 10 preschool children with spastic diplegia and 10 typical matched according to gender, mental age, and socioeconomic status. Assessment procedures were the following: interviews with parents, Stanford - Binet method, Gross Motor Function Classification System, Observing the Communicative Behavior, Vocabulary Test by Peabody Picture, Denver Developmental Screening Test II, MacArthur Development Inventory on Communicative Skills. Statistical analysis was performed using the values of mean, median, minimum and maximum value, and using Student's t-test, Mann-Whitney test, and Paired t-test. Individuals with spastic diplegia, when compared to their peers of the same mental age, presented no significant difference in relation to receptive and expressive vocabulary, fine motor skills, adaptive, personal-social, and language. The most affected area was the gross motor skills in individuals with spastic cerebral palsy. The participation in intervention procedures and the pairing of participants according to mental age may have approximated the performance between groups. There was no statistically significant difference in the comparison between groups, showing appropriate communication skills, although the experimental group has not behaved homogeneously.

Validity of the Test of Infant Motor Performance for prediction of 6-, 9- and 12-month scores on the Alberta Infant Motor Scale.

PubMed

Campbell, Suzann K; Kolobe, Thubi H A; Wright, Benjamin D; Linacre, John Michael

2002-04-01

The Test of Infant Motor Performance (TIMP) is a test of functional movement in infants from 32 weeks' post-conceptional age to 4 months postterm. The purpose of this study was to assess in 96 infants (44 females, 52 males) with varying risk, the relation between measures on the TIMP at 7, 30, 60, and 90 days after term age and percentile ranks (PR) on the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS). Correlation between scores on the TIMP and the AIMS was highest for TIMP tests at 90 days and AIMS testing at 6 months (r=0.67, p=0.0001), but all comparisons were statistically significant except those between the TIMP at 7 days and AIMS PR at 9 months. In a multiple regression analysis combining a perinatal risk score and 7-day TIMP measures to predict 12-month AIMS PR, risk, but not TIMP, predicted outcome (21% of variance explained). At older ages TIMP measures made increasing contributions to prediction of 12-month AIMS PR (30% of variance explained by 90-day TIMP). The best TIMP score to maximize specificity and correctly identify 84% of the infants above versus below the 10th PR at 6 months was a cut-off point of 1 SD below the mean. The same cut-off point correctly identified 88% of the infants at 12 months. A cut-off of -0.5 SD, however, maximized sensitivity at 92%. A negative test result, i.e. score above -0.5 SD at 3 months, carried only a 2% probability of a poor 12-month outcome. We conclude that TIMP scores significantly predict AIMS PR 6 to 12 months later, but the TIMP at 3 months of age has the greatest degree of validity for predicting motor performance on the AIMS at 12 months and can be used clinically to identify infants likely to benefit from intervention.

Relationships between Motor and Executive Functions and the Effect of an Acute Coordinative Intervention on Executive Functions in Kindergartners

PubMed Central

Stein, Marion; Auerswald, Max; Ebersbach, Mirjam

2017-01-01

There is growing evidence indicating positive, causal effects of acute physical activity on cognitive performance of school children, adolescents, and adults. However, only a few studies examined these effects in kindergartners, even though correlational studies suggest moderate relationships between motor and cognitive functions in this age group. One aim of the present study was to examine the correlational relationships between motor and executive functions among 5- to 6-year-olds. Another aim was to test whether an acute coordinative intervention, which was adapted to the individual motor functions of the children, causally affected different executive functions (i.e., motor inhibition, cognitive inhibition, and shifting). Kindergartners (N = 102) were randomly assigned either to a coordinative intervention (20 min) or to a control condition (20 min). The coordination group performed five bimanual exercises (e.g., throwing/kicking balls onto targets with the right and left hand/foot), whereas the control group took part in five simple activities that hardly involved coordination skills (e.g., stamping). Children’s motor functions were assessed with the Movement Assessment Battery for Children 2 (Petermann, 2009) in a pre-test (T1), 1 week before the intervention took place. Motor inhibition was assessed with the Simon says task (Carlson and Wang, 2007), inhibition and shifting were assessed with the Hearts and Flowers task (Davidson et al., 2006) in the pre-test and again in a post-test (T2) immediately after the interventions. Results revealed significant correlations between motor functions and executive functions (especially shifting) at T1. There was no overall effect of the intervention. However, explorative analyses indicated a three-way interaction, with the intervention leading to accuracy gains only in the motor inhibition task and only if it was tested directly after the intervention. As an unexpected effect, this result needs to be treated with caution but may indicate that the effect of acute coordinative exercise is temporally limited and emerges only for motor inhibition, but not for cognitive inhibition or shifting. More generally, in contrast to other studies including older participants and endurance exercises, no general effect of an acute coordinative intervention on executive functions was revealed for kindergartners. PMID:28611709

Fine motor skills in adult Tourette patients are task-dependent.

PubMed

Neuner, Irene; Arrubla, Jorge; Ehlen, Corinna; Janouschek, Hildegard; Nordt, Carlos; Fimm, Bruno; Schneider, Frank; Shah, N Jon; Kawohl, Wolfram

2012-10-11

Tourette syndrome is a neuropsychiatric disorder characterized by motor and phonic tics. Deficient motor inhibition underlying tics is one of the main hypotheses in its pathophysiology. Therefore the question arises whether this supposed deficient motor inhibition affects also voluntary movements. Despite severe motor tics, different personalities who suffer from Tourette perform successfully as neurosurgeon, pilot or professional basketball player. For the investigation of fine motor skills we conducted a motor performance test battery in an adult Tourette sample and an age matched group of healthy controls. The Tourette patients showed a significant lower performance in the categories steadiness of both hands and aiming of the right hand in comparison to the healthy controls. A comparison of patients' subgroup without comorbidities or medication and healthy controls revealed a significant difference in the category steadiness of the right hand. Our results show that steadiness and visuomotor integration of fine motor skills are altered in our adult sample but not precision and speed of movements. This alteration pattern might be the clinical vignette of complex adaptations in the excitability of the motor system on the basis of altered cortical and subcortical components. The structurally and functionally altered neuronal components could encompass orbitofrontal, ventrolateral prefrontal and parietal cortices, the anterior cingulate, amygdala, primary motor and sensorimotor areas including altered corticospinal projections, the corpus callosum and the basal ganglia.

Ambulatory monitoring of activities and motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease.

PubMed

Zwartjes, Daphne G M; Heida, Tjitske; van Vugt, Jeroen P P; Geelen, Jan A G; Veltink, Peter H

2010-11-01

Ambulatory monitoring of motor symptoms in Parkinsons disease (PD) can improve our therapeutic strategies, especially in patients with motor fluctuations. Previously published monitors usually assess only one or a few basic aspects of the cardinal motor symptoms in a laboratory setting. We developed a novel ambulatory monitoring system that provides a complete motor assessment by simultaneously analyzing current motor activity of the patient (e.g. sitting, walking) and the severity of many aspects related to tremor, bradykinesia, and hypokinesia. The monitor consists of a set of four inertial sensors. Validity of our monitor was established in seven healthy controls and six PD patients treated with deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus. Patients were tested at three different levels of DBS treatment. Subjects were monitored while performing different tasks, including motor tests of the Unified Parkinsons Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS). Output of the monitor was compared to simultaneously recorded videos. The monitor proved very accurate in discriminating between several motor activities. Monitor output correlated well with blinded UPDRS ratings during different DBS levels. The combined analysis of motor activity and symptom severity by our PD monitor brings true ambulatory monitoring of a wide variety of motor symptoms one step closer..

Mounted Smartphones as Measurement and Control Platforms for Motor-Based Laboratory Test-Beds †

PubMed Central

Frank, Jared A.; Brill, Anthony; Kapila, Vikram

2016-01-01

Laboratory education in science and engineering often entails the use of test-beds equipped with costly peripherals for sensing, acquisition, storage, processing, and control of physical behavior. However, costly peripherals are no longer necessary to obtain precise measurements and achieve stable feedback control of test-beds. With smartphones performing diverse sensing and processing tasks, this study examines the feasibility of mounting smartphones directly to test-beds to exploit their embedded hardware and software in the measurement and control of the test-beds. This approach is a first step towards replacing laboratory-grade peripherals with more compact and affordable smartphone-based platforms, whose interactive user interfaces can engender wider participation and engagement from learners. Demonstrative cases are presented in which the sensing, computation, control, and user interaction with three motor-based test-beds are handled by a mounted smartphone. Results of experiments and simulations are used to validate the feasibility of mounted smartphones as measurement and feedback control platforms for motor-based laboratory test-beds, report the measurement precision and closed-loop performance achieved with such platforms, and address challenges in the development of platforms to maintain system stability. PMID:27556464

Mounted Smartphones as Measurement and Control Platforms for Motor-Based Laboratory Test-Beds.

PubMed

Frank, Jared A; Brill, Anthony; Kapila, Vikram

2016-08-20

Laboratory education in science and engineering often entails the use of test-beds equipped with costly peripherals for sensing, acquisition, storage, processing, and control of physical behavior. However, costly peripherals are no longer necessary to obtain precise measurements and achieve stable feedback control of test-beds. With smartphones performing diverse sensing and processing tasks, this study examines the feasibility of mounting smartphones directly to test-beds to exploit their embedded hardware and software in the measurement and control of the test-beds. This approach is a first step towards replacing laboratory-grade peripherals with more compact and affordable smartphone-based platforms, whose interactive user interfaces can engender wider participation and engagement from learners. Demonstrative cases are presented in which the sensing, computation, control, and user interaction with three motor-based test-beds are handled by a mounted smartphone. Results of experiments and simulations are used to validate the feasibility of mounted smartphones as measurement and feedback control platforms for motor-based laboratory test-beds, report the measurement precision and closed-loop performance achieved with such platforms, and address challenges in the development of platforms to maintain system stability.

The Orion Pad Abort 1 (PA-1) Flight Test: A Propulsion Success

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, Daniel S.

2015-01-01

This poster provides a concise overview of the highly successful Orion Pad Abort 1 (PA-1) flight test, and the three rocket motors that contributed to this success. The primary purpose of the Orion PA-1 flight was to help certify the Orion Launch Abort System (LAS), which can be utilized in the unlikely event of an emergency on the launchpad or during mission vehicle ascent. The PA-1 test was the first fully integrated flight test of the Orion LAS, one of the primary systems within the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV). The Orion MPCV is part of the architecture within the Space Launch System (SLS), which is being designed to transport astronauts beyond low-Earth orbit for future exploration missions. Had the Orion PA-1 flight abort occurred during launch preparations for a real human spaceflight mission, the PA-1 LAS would have saved the lives of the crew. The PA-1 flight test was largely successful due to the three solid rocket motors of the LAS: the Attitude Control Motor (ACM); the Jettison Motor (JM); and the Abort Motor (AM). All three rocket motors successfully performed their required functions during the Orion PA-1 flight test, flown on May 6, 2010 at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, culminating in a successful demonstration of an abort capability from the launchpad.

A new injury prevention programme for children's football--FIFA 11+ Kids--can improve motor performance: a cluster-randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Rössler, R; Donath, L; Bizzini, M; Faude, O

2016-01-01

The present study evaluated the effects of a newly developed injury prevention programme for children's football ("FIFA 11+ Kids") on motor performance in 7-12-year-old children. We stratified 12 football teams (under-9/-11/-13 age categories) into intervention (INT, N = 56 players) and control groups (CON, N = 67). INT conducted the 15-min warm-up programme "FIFA 11+ Kids" twice a week for 10 weeks. CON followed a standard warm-up (sham treatment). Pre- and post-tests were conducted using: single leg stance; Y-balance test; drop and countermovement jump; standing long jump; 20-m sprint; agility run; slalom dribble; and wall volley test. We used magnitude-based inferences and linear mixed-effects models to analyse performance test results. We observed likely beneficial effects favouring INT in Y-balance (right leg; +3.2%; standardised mean difference (SMD) = 0.34; P = 0.58) and agility run (+3.6%; SMD = 0.45; P = 0.008). Possibly beneficial effects were found in Y-balance, drop jump reactive strength index, drop jump height, countermovement jump, standing long jump, slalom dribble and wall volley test. At least possibly beneficial improvements in favour of "FIFA 11+ Kids" were observed in nearly all parameters. Most effects were small, but slight improvements in motor performance may potentially contribute to a reduction of injury risk.

Can Alberta infant motor scale and milani comparetti motor development screening test be rapid alternatives to bayley scales of infant development-II at high-risk infants

PubMed Central

Yıldırım, Zeynep Hoşbay; Aydınlı, Nur; Ekici, Barış; Tatlı, Burak; Çalişkan, Mine

2012-01-01

Purpose: The main object of the present study is to assess neuromotor development of high-risk infants by using three tests, and to determine inter-test concordance and the feasibility of these tests. Materials and Methods: One-hundred and nine patients aged between 0 and 6 months and identified as “high-risk infant” according to the Kliegman's criteria were enrolled to the study. Three different tests were used to assess neuromotor development of the patients: Bayley scales of infant development-II (BSID-II), Alberta infant motor scale (AIMS), and Milani Comparetti Motor Development Screening Test (MCMDST). Results: Correlation analysis was performed between pure scores of BSID-II motor scale and total scores of AIMS. These two tests were highly correlated (r:0.92). Moderate concordance was found between BSID-II and AIMS (k:0.35). Slight concordance was found between BSID-II and MCMDST; and the concordance was slight again for AIMS and MCMDST (k:0.11 and k:0.16, respectively) too. Conclusion: AIMS has a high correlation and consistency with BSID-II and can be used with routine neurological examination as it is based on observations, has few items, and requires less time to complete. PMID:22919192

Can Alberta infant motor scale and milani comparetti motor development screening test be rapid alternatives to bayley scales of infant development-II at high-risk infants.

PubMed

Yıldırım, Zeynep Hoşbay; Aydınlı, Nur; Ekici, Barış; Tatlı, Burak; Calişkan, Mine

2012-07-01

The main object of the present study is to assess neuromotor development of high-risk infants by using three tests, and to determine inter-test concordance and the feasibility of these tests. One-hundred and nine patients aged between 0 and 6 months and identified as "high-risk infant" according to the Kliegman's criteria were enrolled to the study. Three different tests were used to assess neuromotor development of the patients: Bayley scales of infant development-II (BSID-II), Alberta infant motor scale (AIMS), and Milani Comparetti Motor Development Screening Test (MCMDST). Correlation analysis was performed between pure scores of BSID-II motor scale and total scores of AIMS. These two tests were highly correlated (r:0.92). Moderate concordance was found between BSID-II and AIMS (k:0.35). Slight concordance was found between BSID-II and MCMDST; and the concordance was slight again for AIMS and MCMDST (k:0.11 and k:0.16, respectively) too. AIMS has a high correlation and consistency with BSID-II and can be used with routine neurological examination as it is based on observations, has few items, and requires less time to complete.

Melodic Priming of Motor Sequence Performance: The Role of the Dorsal Premotor Cortex.

PubMed

Stephan, Marianne A; Brown, Rachel; Lega, Carlotta; Penhune, Virginia

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine whether exposure to specific auditory sequences leads to the induction of new motor memories and to investigate the role of the dorsal premotor cortex (dPMC) in this crossmodal learning process. Fifty-two young healthy non-musicians were familiarized with the sound to key-press mapping on a computer keyboard and tested on their baseline motor performance. Each participant received subsequently either continuous theta burst stimulation (cTBS) or sham stimulation over the dPMC and was then asked to remember a 12-note melody without moving. For half of the participants, the contour of the melody memorized was congruent to a subsequently performed, but never practiced, finger movement sequence (Congruent group). For the other half, the melody memorized was incongruent to the subsequent finger movement sequence (Incongruent group). Hearing a congruent melody led to significantly faster performance of a motor sequence immediately thereafter compared to hearing an incongruent melody. In addition, cTBS speeded up motor performance in both groups, possibly by relieving motor consolidation from interference by the declarative melody memorization task. Our findings substantiate recent evidence that exposure to a movement-related tone sequence can induce specific, crossmodal encoding of a movement sequence representation. They further suggest that cTBS over the dPMC may enhance early offline procedural motor skill consolidation in cognitive states where motor consolidation would normally be disturbed by concurrent declarative memory processes. These findings may contribute to a better understanding of auditory-motor system interactions and have implications for the development of new motor rehabilitation approaches using sound and non-invasive brain stimulation as neuromodulatory tools.

Relationship between binocular vision, visual acuity, and fine motor skills.

PubMed

O'Connor, Anna R; Birch, Eileen E; Anderson, Susan; Draper, Hayley

2010-12-01

The aims of this study were to analyze the relationship between the performance on fine motor skills tasks and peripheral and bifoveal sensory fusion, phasic and tonic motor fusion, the level of visual acuity (VA) in the poorer seeing eye, and the interocular VA difference. Subjects aged 12 to 28 years with a range of levels of binocular vision and VA performed three tasks: Purdue pegboard (number of pegs placed in 30 s), bead threading task (with two sizes of bead to increase the difficulty, time taken to thread a fixed number of beads), and a water pouring task (accuracy and time to pour a fixed quantity into five glass cylinders). Ophthalmic measures included peripheral (Worth 4 dot) and bifoveal (4 prism diopter) sensory fusion, phasic (prism bar) and tonic (Risley rotary prism) motor fusion ranges, and monocular VA. One hundred twenty-one subjects with a mean age of 18.8 years were tested; 18.2% had a manifest strabismus. Performance on fine motor skills tasks was significantly better in subjects with sensory and motor fusion compared with those without for most tasks, with significant differences between those with and without all measures of fusion on the pegboard and bead task. Both the acuity in the poorer seeing eye (highest r value of all motor tasks = 0.43) and the interocular acuity difference were statistically significantly related to performance on the motor skill tasks. Both sensory and motor fusion and good VA in both eyes are of benefit in the performance of fine motor skills tasks, with the presence of some binocular vision being beneficial compared with no fusion on certain sensorimotor tasks. This evidence supports the need to maximize fusion and VA outcomes.

Dual Task of Fine Motor Skill and Problem Solving in Individuals With Multiple Sclerosis: A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Goverover, Y; Sandroff, B M; DeLuca, J

2018-04-01

To (1) examine and compare dual-task performance in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and healthy controls (HCs) using mathematical problem-solving questions that included an everyday competence component while performing an upper extremity fine motor task; and (2) examine whether difficulties in dual-task performance are associated with problems in performing an everyday internet task. Pilot study, mixed-design with both a within and between subjects' factor. A nonprofit rehabilitation research institution and the community. Participants (N=38) included persons with MS (n=19) and HCs (n=19) who were recruited from a nonprofit rehabilitation research institution and from the community. Not applicable. Participant were presented with 2 testing conditions: (1) solving mathematical everyday problems or placing bolts into divots (single-task condition); and (2) solving problems while putting bolts into divots (dual-task condition). Additionally, participants were required to perform a test of everyday internet competence. As expected, dual-task performance was significantly worse than either of the single-task tasks (ie, number of bolts into divots or correct answers, and time to answer the questions). Cognitive but not motor dual-task cost was associated with worse performance in activities of everyday internet tasks. Cognitive dual-task cost is significantly associated with worse performance of everyday technology. This was not observed in the motor dual-task cost. The implications of dual-task costs on everyday activity are discussed. Copyright © 2017 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Relationship between Procedural Tactical Knowledge and Specific Motor Skills in Young Soccer Players

PubMed Central

Aquino, Rodrigo; Marques, Renato Francisco R.; Petiot, Grégory Hallé; Gonçalves, Luiz Guilherme C.; Moraes, Camila; Santiago, Paulo Roberto P.; Puggina, Enrico Fuini

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between offensive tactical knowledge and the soccer-specific motor skills performance. Fifteen participants were submitted to two evaluation tests, one to assess their technical and tactical analysis. The motor skills performance was measured through four tests of technical soccer skills: ball control, shooting, passing and dribbling. The tactical performance was based on a tactical assessment system called FUT-SAT (Analyses of Procedural Tactical Knowledge in Soccer). Afterwards, technical and tactical evaluation scores were ranked with and without the use of the cluster method. A positive, weak correlation was perceived in both analyses (rho = 0.39, not significant p = 0.14 (with cluster analysis); and rho = 0.35; not significant p = 0.20 (without cluster analysis)). We can conclude that there was a weak association between the technical and the offensive tactical knowledge. This shows the need to reflect on the use of such tests to assess technical skills in team sports since they do not take into account the variability and unpredictability of game actions and disregard the inherent needs to assess such skill performance in the game. PMID:29910300

The influence of speed abilities and technical skills in early adolescence on adult success in soccer: A long-term prospective analysis using ANOVA and SEM approaches

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Several talent development programs in youth soccer have implemented motor diagnostics measuring performance factors. However, the predictive value of such tests for adult success is a controversial topic in talent research. This prospective cohort study evaluated the long-term predictive value of 1) motor tests and 2) players’ speed abilities (SA) and technical skills (TS) in early adolescence. The sample consisted of 14,178 U12 players from the German talent development program. Five tests (sprint, agility, dribbling, ball control, shooting) were conducted and players’ height, weight as well as relative age were assessed at nationwide diagnostics between 2004 and 2006. In the 2014/15 season, the players were then categorized as professional (n = 89), semi-professional (n = 913), or non-professional players (n = 13,176), indicating their adult performance level (APL). The motor tests’ prognostic relevance was determined using ANOVAs. Players’ future success was predicted by a logistic regression threshold model. This structural equation model comprised a measurement model with the motor tests and two correlated latent factors, SA and TS, with simultaneous consideration for the manifest covariates height, weight and relative age. Each motor predictor and anthropometric characteristic discriminated significantly between the APL (p < .001; η2 ≤ .02). The threshold model significantly predicted the APL (R2 = 24.8%), and in early adolescence the factor TS (p < .001) seems to have a stronger effect on adult performance than SA (p < .05). Both approaches (ANOVA, SEM) verified the diagnostics’ predictive validity over a long-term period (≈ 9 years). However, because of the limited effect sizes, the motor tests’ prognostic relevance remains ambiguous. A challenge for future research lies in the integration of different (e.g., person-oriented or multilevel) multivariate approaches that expand beyond the “traditional” topic of single tests’ predictive validity and toward more theoretically founded issues. PMID:28806410

Student Performance Evaluation. Physical Educators for Equity. Module 7.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Uhlir, Ann

Guidelines are presented to aid secondary school physical education teachers in evaluating student performance in a way that avoids sex-role stereotyping and sex discrimination. Suggestions made for conducting testing in a bias-free setting include: (1) avoid sex-differentiated role tasks; (2) organize motor-performance testing procedures so that…

Superconducting homopolar motor and conductor development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gubser, Donald U.

1996-10-01

The U.S. Navy has been developing superconducting homopolar motors for ship applications since 1969; a successful at-sea demonstration of the first motor, using NbTi wire for the magnet, was achieved in the early 1980s. Recently, this same motor was used as a test bed to demonstrate progress in high-critical-temperature superconducting magnet technology using bismuth-strontium- calcium-copper-oxide (BSCCO) compounds. In the fall of 1995, this motor achieved a performance of 124 kW operating at a temperature of 4.2 K and 91 kW while operating at 28 K. Future tests are scheduled using new magnets with conductors of both the 2223 and the 2212 BSCCO phases. This article describes the advantages of superconducting propulsion and recent progress in the development of BSCCO conductors for use in Navy power systems.

Development of a drive system for a sequential space camera

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sharpsteen, J. T.; Solheim, C. D.; Stoap, L. J.

1976-01-01

An electronically commutated dc motor is reported for driving the camera claw and magazine, and a stepper motor is described for driving the shutter with the two motors synchronized electrically. Subsequent tests on the breadboard positively proved the concept, but further development beyond this study should be done. The breadboard testing also established that the electronically commutated motor can control speed over a wide dynamic range, and has a high torque capability for accelerating loads. This performance suggested the possibility of eliminating the clutch from the system while retaining all of the other mechanical features of the DAC, if the requirement for independent shutter speeds and frame rates can be removed. Therefore, as a final step in the study, the breadboard shutter and shutter drive were returned to the original DAC configuration, while retaining the brushless dc motor drive.

Gross motor skill performance in children with and without visual impairments--research to practice.

PubMed

Wagner, Matthias O; Haibach, Pamela S; Lieberman, Lauren J

2013-10-01

The aim of this study was to provide an empirical basis for teaching gross motor skills in children with visual impairments. For this purpose, gross motor skill performance of 23, 6-12 year old, boys and girls who are blind (ICD-10 H54.0) and 28 sighted controls with comparable age and gender characteristics was compared on six locomotor and six object control tasks using the Test of Gross Motor Development-Second Edition. Results indicate that children who are blind perform significantly (p<.05) worse in all assessed locomotor and object control skills, whereby running, leaping, kicking and catching are the most affected skills, and corresponding differences are related to most running, leaping, kicking and catching component. Practical implications are provided. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The operation of a single-sided linear induction motor with squirrel-cage and solid-steel reaction rails

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eastham, A. R.; Katz, R. M.

1980-09-01

Two test programs have been conducted to evaluate the performance of a single-sided linear induction motor with a squirrel-cage reaction rail and with a solid steel reaction rail. A 1.73-m-long six-pole stator interacted with the rails mounted on the rim of a 7.6-m-diam wheel. A 64-channel data acquisition system allowed tests to be performed over a wide range of operating conditions at speeds up to 20 m/sec. Typical test results which compare and contrast the mechanical, electrical and magnetic behavior of the SLIMs are presented. The test data are being used to assess the SLIM as an integrated suspension/propulsion system and for other transportation applications.

Performance characteristics of three-phase induction motors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wood, M. E.

1977-01-01

An investigation into the characteristics of three phase, 400 Hz, induction motors of the general type used on aircraft and spacecraft is summarized. Results of laboratory tests are presented and compared with results from a computer program. Representative motors were both tested and simulated under nominal conditions as well as off nominal conditions of temperature, frequency, voltage magnitude, and voltage balance. Good correlation was achieved between simulated and laboratory results. The primary purpose of the program was to verify the simulation accuracy of the computer program, which in turn will be used as an analytical tool to support the shuttle orbiter.

Is the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2nd edition a reliable instrument to measure motor performance in 3 year old children?

PubMed

Smits-Engelsman, Bouwien C M; Niemeijer, Anuschka S; van Waelvelde, Hilde

2011-01-01

Formal testing of 3 year old children is a new feature in the revised version of the Movement Assessment Battery for Children (Movement ABC-2). Our study evaluated the reliability and explored the clinical applicability of the Movement ABC-2 Test in this young age group. A total of 50 typically children were given two trials of the test within a one to two week interval by two physical therapists: same assessor (n=28 children) and different assessors (n=22 children). Psychometric properties were evaluated by calculating internal consistency (Cronbach α), intra-class correlation (ICC), the standard error of measurement (SEM), the smallest detectable difference (SDD) and Kappa values for classification agreement. The results are promising for future implementation of the Movement ABC-2 in clinical practice. The children's performance was highly reproducible when tested by the same assessor (ICC .94) The SEM was 1.7 or 2.1 standard scores for 90% or 95% confidence intervals respectively, making the test sensitive enough to detect individual changes. If two different assessors tested the children the ICC was .76. In conclusion, the revised test can be applied to assess motor performance in typically developing 3-year old children. Future studies are needed to confirm if the same can be said for children with motor delays. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Locomotor function after long-duration space flight: effects and motor learning during recovery.

PubMed

Mulavara, Ajitkumar P; Feiveson, Alan H; Fiedler, James; Cohen, Helen; Peters, Brian T; Miller, Chris; Brady, Rachel; Bloomberg, Jacob J

2010-05-01

Astronauts returning from space flight and performing Earth-bound activities must rapidly transition from the microgravity-adapted sensorimotor state to that of Earth's gravity. The goal of the current study was to assess locomotor dysfunction and recovery of function after long-duration space flight using a test of functional mobility. Eighteen International Space Station crewmembers experiencing an average flight duration of 185 days performed the functional mobility test (FMT) pre-flight and post-flight. To perform the FMT, subjects walked at a self selected pace through an obstacle course consisting of several pylons and obstacles set up on a base of 10-cm-thick, medium-density foam for a total of six trials per test session. The primary outcome measure was the time to complete the course (TCC, in seconds). To assess the long-term recovery trend of locomotor function after return from space flight, a multilevel exponential recovery model was fitted to the log-transformed TCC data. All crewmembers exhibited altered locomotor function after space flight, with a median 48% increase in the TCC. From the fitted model we calculated that a typical subject would recover to 95% of his/her pre-flight level at approximately 15 days post-flight. In addition, to assess the early motor learning responses after returning from space flight, we modeled performance over the six trials during the first post-flight session by a similar multilevel exponential relation. We found a significant positive correlation between measures of long-term recovery and early motor learning (P < 0.001) obtained from the respective models. We concluded that two types of recovery processes influence an astronaut's ability to re-adapt to Earth's gravity environment. Early motor learning helps astronauts make rapid modifications in their motor control strategies during the first hours after landing. Further, this early motor learning appears to reinforce the adaptive realignment, facilitating re-adaptation to Earth's 1-g environment on return from space flight.

Improved transistorized AC motor controller for battery powered urban electric passenger vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Peak, S. C.

1982-01-01

An ac motor controller for an induction motor electric vehicle drive system was designed, fabricated, tested, evaluated, and cost analyzed. A vehicle performance analysis was done to establish the vehicle tractive effort-speed requirements. These requirements were then converted into a set of ac motor and ac controller requirements. The power inverter is a three-phase bridge using power Darlington transistors. The induction motor was optimized for use with an inverter power source. The drive system has a constant torque output to base motor speed and a constant horsepower output to maximum speed. A gear shifting transmission is not required. The ac controller was scaled from the base 20 hp (41 hp peak) at 108 volts dec to an expanded horsepower and battery voltage range. Motor reversal was accomplished by electronic reversal of the inverter phase sequence. The ac controller can also be used as a boost chopper battery charger. The drive system was tested on a dynamometer and results are presented. The current-controlled pulse width modulation control scheme yielded improved motor current waveforms. The ac controller favors a higher system voltage.

Dissociable contributions of motor-execution and action-observation to intramanual transfer.

PubMed

Hayes, Spencer J; Elliott, Digby; Andrew, Matthew; Roberts, James W; Bennett, Simon J

2012-09-01

We examined the hypothesis that different processes and representations are associated with the learning of a movement sequence through motor-execution and action-observation. Following a pre-test in which participants attempted to achieve an absolute, and relative, time goal in a sequential goal-directed aiming movement, participants received either physical or observational practice with feedback. Post-test performance indicated that motor-execution and action-observation participants learned equally well. Participants then transferred to conditions where the gain between the limb movements and their visual consequences were manipulated. Under both bigger and smaller transfer conditions, motor-execution and action-observation participants exhibited similar intramanual transfer of absolute timing. However, participants in the action-observation group exhibited superior transfer of relative timing than the motor-execution group. These findings suggest that learning via action-observation is underpinned by a visual-spatial representation, while learning via motor-execution depends more on specific force-time planning (feed forward) and afferent processing associated with sensorimotor feedback. These behavioural effects are discussed with reference to neural processes associated with striatum, cerebellum and motor cortical regions (pre-motor cortex; SMA; pre-SMA).

Focus of attention and automaticity in handwriting.

PubMed

MacMahon, Clare; Charness, Neil

2014-04-01

This study investigated the nature of automaticity in everyday tasks by testing handwriting performance under single and dual-task conditions. Item familiarity and hand dominance were also manipulated to understand both cognitive and motor components of the task. In line with previous literature, performance was superior in an extraneous focus of attention condition compared to two different skill focus conditions. This effect was found only when writing with the dominant hand. In addition, performance was superior for high familiarity compared to low familiarity items. These findings indicate that motor and cognitive familiarity are related to the degree of automaticity of motor skills and can be manipulated to produce different performance outcomes. The findings also imply that the progression of skill acquisition from novel to novice to expert levels can be traced using different dual-task conditions. The separation of motor and cognitive familiarity is a new approach in the handwriting domain, and provides insight into the nature of attentional demands during performance. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

SRM Internal Flow Test and Computational Fluid Dynamic Analysis. Volume 1; Major Task Summaries

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whitesides, R. Harold; Dill, Richard A.; Purinton, David C.

1995-01-01

During the four year period of performance for NASA contract, NASB-39095, ERC has performed a wide variety of tasks to support the design and continued development of new and existing solid rocket motors and the resolution of operational problems associated with existing solid rocket motor's at NASA MSFC. This report summarizes the support provided to NASA MSFC during the contractual period of performance. The report is divided into three main sections. The first section presents summaries for the major tasks performed. These tasks are grouped into three major categories: full scale motor analysis, subscale motor analysis and cold flow analysis. The second section includes summaries describing the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) tasks performed. The third section, the appendices of the report, presents detailed descriptions of the analysis efforts as well as published papers, memoranda and final reports associated with specific tasks. These appendices are referenced in the summaries. The subsection numbers for the three sections correspond to the same topics for direct cross referencing.

Media use, sports activities, and motor fitness in childhood and adolescence.

PubMed

Kaiser-Jovy, Sebastian; Scheu, Anja; Greier, Klaus

2017-07-01

Physical activity is one of the key determinants of physical, mental, and social health of children and adolescents. Therefore, the early development of health-relevant behavior patterns is of high relevance. To examine the impact of selected socioeconomic factors as well as media consumption, on sports activities and the motor skills of 10- to 14-year-old secondary school students. Body height and body weight were measured. The motor skills were determined with the Deutschen Motorik Test (DMT 6‑18; German Motor Test). Information about media use, media equipment, recreational sports activities, migration status, and the parents' profession was collected by means of a standardized questionnaire. A total of 391 adolescents have been tested (male 235; female 156). Body mass index (BMI) types are evenly distributed on gender. On a weekday, the pupils spend 10.3 h using media (SD ± 9.1 h). On weekends, media use increases up to 12 h per day on average (SD ± 9.7 h). The number of available media is independent from the age of the respondents and the social status of their families. According to bivariate correlations, heavy media use, a high BMI as well as migration status correlate negatively with both sports activities and motor skills. BMI seems to have the strongest influence on athletic performance (b = 0.41). Media use is an important determinant of juvenile sports activity and motor performance, being part of a complex juvenile leisure behavior.

Visual perceptual abilities of Chinese-speaking and English-speaking children.

PubMed

Lai, Mun Yee; Leung, Frederick Koon Shing

2012-04-01

This paper reports an investigation of Chinese-speaking and English-speaking children's general visual perceptual abilities. The Developmental Test of Visual Perception was administered to 41 native Chinese-speaking children of mean age 5 yr. 4 mo. in Hong Kong and 35 English-speaking children of mean age 5 yr. 2 mo. in Melbourne. Of interest were the two interrelated components of visual perceptual abilities, namely, motor-reduced visual perceptual and visual-motor integration perceptual abilities, which require either verbal or motoric responses in completing visual tasks. Chinese-speaking children significantly outperformed the English-speaking children on general visual perceptual abilities. When comparing the results of each of the two different components, the Chinese-speaking students' performance on visual-motor integration was far better than that of their counterparts (ES = 2.70), while the two groups of students performed similarly on motor-reduced visual perceptual abilities. Cultural factors such as written language format may be contributing to the enhanced performance of Chinese-speaking children's visual-motor integration abilities, but there may be validity questions in the Chinese version.

AMT-200S Motor Glider Parameter and Performance Estimation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Taylor, Brian R.

2011-01-01

Parameter and performance estimation of an instrumented motor glider was conducted at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Dryden Flight Research Center in order to provide the necessary information to create a simulation of the aircraft. An output-error technique was employed to generate estimates from doublet maneuvers, and performance estimates were compared with results from a well-known flight-test evaluation of the aircraft in order to provide a complete set of data. Aircraft specifications are given along with information concerning instrumentation, flight-test maneuvers flown, and the output-error technique. Discussion of Cramer-Rao bounds based on both white noise and colored noise assumptions is given. Results include aerodynamic parameter and performance estimates for a range of angles of attack.

Using dual tasks to test immediate transfer of training between naturalistic movements: a proof-of-principle study.

PubMed

Schaefer, Sydney Y; Lang, Catherine E

2012-01-01

Theories of motor learning predict that training a movement reduces the amount of attention needed for its performance (i.e., more automatic). If training one movement transfers, then the amount of attention needed for performing a second movement should also be reduced, as measured under dual task conditions. The authors' purpose was to test whether dual task paradigms are feasible for detecting transfer of training between two naturalistic movements. Immediately following motor training, subjects improved performance of a second untrained movement under single and dual task conditions. Subjects with no training did not. Improved performance in the untrained movement was likely due to transfer, and suggests that dual tasks may be feasible for detecting transfer between naturalistic actions.

Performance of 22.4-kW nonlaminated-frame dc series motor with chopper controller. [a dc to dc voltage converter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schwab, J. R.

1979-01-01

Performance data obtained through experimental testing of a 22.4 kW traction motor using two types of excitation are presented. Ripple free dc from a motor-generator set for baseline data and pulse width modulated dc as supplied by a battery pack and chopper controller were used for excitation. For the same average values of input voltage and current, the motor power output was independent of the type of excitation. However, at the same speeds, the motor efficiency at low power output (corresponding to low duty cycle of the controller) was 5 to 10 percentage points lower on chopped dc than on ripple free dc. The chopped dc locked-rotor torque was approximately 1 to 3 percent greater than the ripple free dc torque for the same average current.

Impact of perinatal asphyxia on the GABAergic and locomotor system.

PubMed

Van de Berg, W D J; Kwaijtaal, M; de Louw, A J A; Lissone, N P A; Schmitz, C; Faull, R L M; Blokland, A; Blanco, C E; Steinbusch, H W M

2003-01-01

Perinatal asphyxia can cause neuronal loss and depletion of neurotransmitters within the striatum. The striatum plays an important role in motor control, sensorimotor integration and learning. In the present study we investigated whether perinatal asphyxia leads to motor deficits related to striatal damage, and in particular to the loss of GABAergic neurons. Perinatal asphyxia was induced in time-pregnant Wistar rats on the day of delivery by placing the uterus horns, containing the pups, in a 37 degrees C water bath for 20 min. Three motor performance tasks (open field, grip test and walking pattern) were performed at 3 and 6 weeks of age. Antibodies against calbindin and parvalbumin were used to stain GABAergic striatal projection neurons and interneurons, respectively. The motor tests revealed subtle effects of perinatal asphyxia, i.e. small decrease in motor activity. Analysis of the walking pattern revealed an increase in stride width at 6 weeks of age after perinatal asphyxia. Furthermore, a substantial loss of calbindin-immunoreactive (-22%) and parvalbumin-immunoreactive (-43%) cells was found in the striatum following perinatal asphyxia at two months of age. GABA(A) receptor autoradiography revealed no changes in GABA binding activity within the striatum, globus pallidus or substantia nigra. We conclude that perinatal asphyxia resulted in a loss of GABAergic projection neurons and interneurons in the striatum without alteration of GABA(A) receptor affinity. Despite a considerable loss of striatal neurons, only minor deficits in motor performance were found after perinatal asphyxia.

Earth Scanner Bearing Accelerated Life Test

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dietz, Brian J.; VanDyk, Steven G.; Predmore, Roamer E.

2000-01-01

The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS) optical instrument for NASA Goddard will measure biological and physical processes on the Earth's surface and in the lower atmosphere. A key component of the instrument is an extremely accurate scan mirror motor/encoder assembly. Of prime concern in the performance and reliability of the scan motor/encoder is bearing selection and lubrication. This paper describes life testing of the bearings and lubrication selected for the program.

Motor abilities and anthropometrics in youth cross-country skiing.

PubMed

Stöggl, R; Müller, E; Stöggl, T

2015-02-01

The purposes were to validate whether general motor abilities and anthropometrics are determinants of youth cross-country (XC) skiing performance; evaluate gender-specific differences; and to establish noninvasive diagnostics. Fifty-one youth XC skiers (34 boys; 13.8 ± 0.6 years and 17 girls; 13.4 ± 0.9 years) performed motor skill and laboratory tests, and anthropometric data were collected and correlated with XC skiing performance. Anthropometrics and maturity status were related to boys but not to girls XC skiing performance. Push-ups and 20-m sprint were correlated to XC skiing performance in both boys and girls. XC skiing performance of boys was predominantly influenced by upper body and trunk strength capacities (medicine ball throw, push-ups, and pull-ups) and jumping power (standing long and triple jump), whereas XC skiing of girls was mainly influenced by aerobic capacities (3000-m run). Laboratory measures did not reveal greater correlations to XC skiing performance compared with simple test concepts of speed, strength, and endurance. Maturity was a major confounding variable in boys but not girls. Use of noninvasive simple test concepts for determination of upper body strength, speed, and endurance represent practicable support for ski clubs, schools, or skiing federations in the guidance and evaluation of young talent, being aware of the effect of maturity especially in boys. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

New reference values for the Alberta Infant Motor Scale need to be established.

PubMed

Fleuren, K M W; Smit, L S; Stijnen, Th; Hartman, A

2007-03-01

The Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS) is an infant developmental test, which can be used to evaluate motor performance from birth to independent walking. Between 1990 and 1992 Piper and Darrah determined reference values in a cohort in Canada. To our knowledge no study has been carried out to determine whether the Canadian data are representative for other countries. In the present study we aimed to establish whether the AIMS test needs new reference values for Dutch children. Motor performance of 100 Dutch children, aged 0-12 months, was measured using the AIMS test. The mean percentile score of the Dutch children was 28.8 (+/-22.9, range 1-85). The percentile scores of the group were significantly lower than scores of the Canadian norm population (p < 0.001), whereby 75% of the Dutch children scored below the 50th percentile. These lower scores were not be explained by sex, racial differences or congenital disorders and were seen in all age groups. We conclude that new reference values on the AIMS test for the age group of 0-12 months need to be established for Dutch children. It is recommended that the need for new normative data is also determined in all other European countries.

Behaviour planning and problem solving deficiencies in children with symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder from the Balobedu culture, Limpopo province, South Africa.

PubMed

Pila-Nemutandani, Refilwe Gloria; Meyer, Anneke

2016-07-01

To compare planning behaviour (frontal lobe functioning) in children with and without symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). A total of 90 children (45 with symptoms of ADHD and 45 matched controls without ADHD symptoms) of both genders, who were medication naïve, from the Balobedu culture (Limpopo province, South Africa), aged 7-13 years, participated in the study. The performance of the two groups was compared on a test of planning and problem solving, the Tower of London (ToL) task. The results were analysed as a function of gender and ADHD subtype. The Finger Tapping test (testing fine motor skills) was used as a control test to verify that the expected differences were not due to poor motor skills. The children with ADHD symptoms scored significantly lower than the non-ADHD comparison group which indicated deficiency in frontal lobe functioning (p = 0.00). The difference in performance was not due to poor motor control (p = 0.70). Children with ADHD symptoms show deficits in behavioural planning which indicates impairment of functions of the frontal areas supplied by the mesocortical dopamine branch. More so than others, the ADHD Inattentive and Combined subtypes showed poor performance in the Tower of London task, indicating poor organisational and planning skills in these groups. The results also did show that the difference was not due to problems with motor control and that the ToL task is a culture-fair instrument for testing planning behaviour.

Beneficial effects of an investigational wristband containing Synsepalum dulcificum (miracle fruit) seed oil on the performance of hand and finger motor skills in healthy subjects: A randomized controlled preliminary study.

PubMed

Gorin, Steven; Wakeford, Charles; Zhang, Guodong; Sukamtoh, Elvira; Matteliano, Charles Joseph; Finch, Alfred Earl

2018-02-01

Miracle fruit (Synsepalum dulcificum) seed oil (MFSO) contains phytochemicals and nutrients reported to affect musculoskeletal performance. The purpose of this study was to assess the safety and efficacy of a compression wristband containing MFSO on its ability to measurably improve the hand and finger motor skills of participants. Healthy right-handed participants (n = 38) were randomized in this double-blind, placebo-controlled study of MFSO and vehicle wristbands. Subjects wore the wristband on their left hand 4-6 weeks and then only on their right hand 2-4 weeks; the contralateral untreated hand served as an additional control. Twelve hand/finger motor skills were measured using quantitative bio-instrumentation tests, and subject self-assessment questionnaires were conducted. With each hand, in 9/12 tests, the MFSO group showed a clinically meaningful average improvement compared with an average worsening in the vehicle group. Statistical superiority to the control treatment group was exhibited in 9/12 tests for each hand (p < .01). After discontinuing the MFSO wristband on the left hand, test values regressed toward baseline levels. Subjects favored the MFSO wristband over the control, rating it as effective in improving their motor skills. Use of the MFSO wristband may improve an individual's manual dexterity skills and ability to maintain this performance. Copyright © 2017 The Authors Phytotherapy Research Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Patients with Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophies are not more asymmetrical than healthy controls on timed performance of upper limb tasks

PubMed Central

Artilheiro, M.C.; Sá, C.S.C.; Fávero, F.M.; Caromano, F.A.; Voos, M.C.

2017-01-01

This study aimed to investigate possible asymmetries and relationships between performance of dominant and non-dominant upper limbs (UL) in patients with Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophies (DMD/BMD), to compare UL performance of patients and healthy subjects and to investigate the relationship between timed performance of UL and age, motor function and muscle strength in DMD/BMD patients. Sixteen patients with DMD and 3 with BMD were evaluated with Jebsen-Taylor Test (timed performance), Vignos scale and Dimension 3 of Motor Function Measure (motor function), and Medical Research Council scale (muscle strength) on a single session. ANOVA showed no asymmetry between dominant and non-dominant UL, except in the writing subtest, in patients and in healthy controls. There were relationships between dominant and non-dominant UL performances. Correlations between timed performance, motor function and muscle strength were found, but age was not correlated with these variables. These findings may reduce the assessment time, prevent fatigue and provide more accurate clinical reasoning involving UL in DMD/BMD treatment. PMID:28746422

Evidence from a cohort of able bodied adults to support the need for driver training for motorized scooters before community participation.

PubMed

Nitz, Jennifer C

2008-02-01

This study sought to utilize the implementation of a new competency test in order to define skills required to safely drive a motorized scooter. This test endeavours to reduce the number of driving and pedestrian related accidents, by determining an acceptable level of driver skill and awareness. Healthy subjects, who might at some time use a motorized scooter for mobility, were recruited from the local community. Each undertook a driver competency test including basic driving skills, traffic and multiple tasks. Ten subjects repeated the test three times to determine practice effect on proficiency. Thirty-three of the 50 participating subjects (mean age 34 years) failed at least one test item. Basic skills of reversing, weave and zigzag, and all traffic and performing multiple simultaneous tasks produced failures. Driving skills for motorized scooters need to be taught and learned with assessment for competency recommended before unrestricted community driving is allowed. Basic driving skills including weaving, steering in reverse and traffic and multiple tasking need to be taught and tested for all new users of this equipment.

Action Anticipation and Interference: A Test of Prospective Gaze

PubMed Central

Cannon, Erin N.; Woodward, Amanda L.

2013-01-01

In the current study we investigate the proposal that one aspect of social perception, action anticipation, involves the recruitment of representations for self-produced action. An eye tracking paradigm was implemented to measure prospective gaze to a goal while performing either a motor or working memory task. Results indicate an effect of the motor task, suggesting the interference of a shared motor and action perception representation. PMID:25285317

Motor function tests for 0-2-year-old children - a systematic review.

PubMed

Kjølbye, Camilla Buch; Drivsholm, Thomas Bo; Ertmann, Ruth Kirk; Lykke, Kirsten; Rasmussen, Rasmus Køster

2018-06-01

There is no evidence on how motor function is best evaluated in children in a low-risk setting. The method used in the Danish Preventive Child Health Examination Programme (DPCHEP) in general practise has not been validated. The objective of this review was to identify existing motor function tests for 0-2-year-old children that were validated for use in the background population and which are suitable for use in the DPCHEP. This systematic review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines. A systematic literature search was performed in PubMed, Embase, SwedMed, PsycInfo and CINAHL in accordance with the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Five motor function tests were identified. The Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS) exclusively assesses motor function, the Harris Infant Neuromotor Assessment also assesses cognition and the Early Motor Questionnaire (EMQ) additionally assesses perception-action integration skills. The Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ) and The Brigance Infant and Toddler Screen include further aspects of development. All test methods, except for the AIMS, are based on parent involvement. For implementation in the DPCHEP, five motor function tests were potentially adequate. However, the time consumption and extensive use of tools render three of the five tests unsuitable for implementation in the existing programme. The two remaining tests, the ASQ and the EMQ, are parent questionnaires. We suggest that these should be pilot tested with a view to their subsequent implementation in the DPCHEP. It may be considered to present the test elements in a more manageable and systematic way, possibly with illustrations. Articles published in the DMJ are “open access”. This means that the articles are distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial License, which permits any non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author(s) and source are credited.

Heavy Chronic Ethanol Exposure From Adolescence to Adulthood Induces Cerebellar Neuronal Loss and Motor Function Damage in Female Rats

PubMed Central

da Silva, Fernando B. R.; Cunha, Polyane A.; Ribera, Paula C.; Barros, Mayara A.; Cartágenes, Sabrina C.; Fernandes, Luanna M. P.; Teixeira, Francisco B.; Fontes-Júnior, Enéas A.; Prediger, Rui D.; Lima, Rafael R.; Maia, Cristiane S. F.

2018-01-01

Over the last years, heavy ethanol consumption by teenagers/younger adults has increased considerably among females. However, few studies have addressed the long-term impact on brain structures’ morphology and function of chronic exposure to high ethanol doses from adolescence to adulthood in females. In line with this idea, in the current study we investigated whether heavy chronic ethanol exposure during adolescence to adulthood may induce motor impairments and morphological and cellular alterations in the cerebellum of female rats. Adolescent female Wistar rats (35 days old) were treated with distilled water or ethanol (6.5 g/kg/day, 22.5% w/v) during 55 days by gavage. At 90 days of age, motor function of animals was assessed using open field (OF), pole, beam walking and rotarod tests. Following completion of behavioral tests, morphological and immunohistochemical analyses of the cerebellum were performed. Chronic ethanol exposure impaired significantly motor performance of female rats, inducing spontaneous locomotor activity deficits, bradykinesia, incoordination and motor learning disruption. Moreover, histological analysis revealed that ethanol exposure induced atrophy and neuronal loss in the cerebellum. These findings indicate that heavy ethanol exposure during adolescence is associated with long-lasting cerebellar degeneration and motor impairments in female rats.

Heavy Chronic Ethanol Exposure From Adolescence to Adulthood Induces Cerebellar Neuronal Loss and Motor Function Damage in Female Rats.

PubMed

da Silva, Fernando B R; Cunha, Polyane A; Ribera, Paula C; Barros, Mayara A; Cartágenes, Sabrina C; Fernandes, Luanna M P; Teixeira, Francisco B; Fontes-Júnior, Enéas A; Prediger, Rui D; Lima, Rafael R; Maia, Cristiane S F

2018-01-01

Over the last years, heavy ethanol consumption by teenagers/younger adults has increased considerably among females. However, few studies have addressed the long-term impact on brain structures' morphology and function of chronic exposure to high ethanol doses from adolescence to adulthood in females. In line with this idea, in the current study we investigated whether heavy chronic ethanol exposure during adolescence to adulthood may induce motor impairments and morphological and cellular alterations in the cerebellum of female rats. Adolescent female Wistar rats (35 days old) were treated with distilled water or ethanol (6.5 g/kg/day, 22.5% w/v) during 55 days by gavage. At 90 days of age, motor function of animals was assessed using open field (OF), pole, beam walking and rotarod tests. Following completion of behavioral tests, morphological and immunohistochemical analyses of the cerebellum were performed. Chronic ethanol exposure impaired significantly motor performance of female rats, inducing spontaneous locomotor activity deficits, bradykinesia, incoordination and motor learning disruption. Moreover, histological analysis revealed that ethanol exposure induced atrophy and neuronal loss in the cerebellum. These findings indicate that heavy ethanol exposure during adolescence is associated with long-lasting cerebellar degeneration and motor impairments in female rats.

Determinants of Objectively Measured Physical Functional Performance in Early to Mid-stage Parkinson Disease

PubMed Central

Kluger, Benzi M.; Brown, R. Preston; Aerts, Shanae; Schenkman, Margaret

2014-01-01

Background Parkinson disease (PD) may lead to functional limitations through both motor and non-motor symptoms. While patients with advanced disease have well-documented and profound functional limitations, less is known about the determinants of function in early to mid-stage disease where interventions may be more likely to benefit and preserve function. Objective The objective of the current study was to identify motor, cognitive and gait determinants of physical functional performance in patients with early to mid-stage PD. Design Secondary analysis of cross-sectional baseline data from a randomized clinical trial of exercise. Setting Tertiary academic medical center. Participants 121 patients with early to mid-stage PD. Methods Our functional performance outcomes included: 1) the Continuous Scale Functional Performance Test (CS-PFP; primary outcome); 2) the timed up and go (TUG) tests; and Section 2 (Activities of Daily Living) of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS). Explanatory variables included measures of disease severity, motor function, cognitive function, balance and gait. Step-wise linear regression models were used to determine correlations between explanatory variables and outcome measures. Results In our regression models the CS-PFP significantly correlated with walking endurance (six minute walk; r2 = 0.12, p < .0001), turning ability (360 degree turn; r2 = .03, p = .002), attention (brief test of attention; r2 = .01, p = .03), overall cognitive status (Mini-mental State Examination; r2 = .01, p = .04) and bradykinesia (timed tapping; r2 = .02, p = .02). The TUG significantly correlated with walking speed (5 meter walk; r2 = 0.33, p <.0001), stride length (r2 = 0.25, p <.0001), turning ability (360 turn r2 = .05, p = .0003) and attention (r2 = .016, p = .03). Section 2 of the UPDRS was significantly correlated with endurance (r2 = .09, p < .0001), turning ability (r2 = .03, p = .001) and attention (r2 = .01, p = .03). Conclusions Gait, motor and cognitive function all contribute to objectively measured global functional ability in mild to moderate PD. Subjectively measured functional activity outcomes may underestimate the impact of both motor and non-motor symptoms. PMID:24880056

Prechamber Compression-Ignition Engine Performance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moore, Charles S; Collins, John H , Jr

1938-01-01

Single-cylinder compression-ignition engine tests were made to investigate the performance characteristics of prechamber type of cylinder head. Certain fundamental variables influencing engine performance -- clearance distribution, size, shape, and direction of the passage connecting the cylinder and prechamber, shape of prechamber, cylinder clearance, compression ratio, and boosting -- were independently tested. Results of motoring and of power tests, including several typical indicator cards, are presented.

Harmine treatment enhances short-term memory in old rats: Dissociation of cognition and the ability to perform the procedural requirements of maze testing.

PubMed

Mennenga, Sarah E; Gerson, Julia E; Dunckley, Travis; Bimonte-Nelson, Heather A

2015-01-01

Harmine is a naturally occurring monoamine oxidase inhibitor that has recently been shown to selectively inhibit the dual-specificity tyrosine-(Y)-phosphorylation-regulated kinase 1A (DYRK1A). We investigated the cognitive effects of 1mg (low) Harmine and 5mg (high) Harmine using the delayed-match-to-sample (DMS) asymmetrical 3-choice water maze task to evaluate spatial working and recent memory, and the Morris water maze task (MM) to test spatial reference memory. Animals were also tested on the visible platform task, a water-escape task with the same motor, motivational, and reinforcement components as the other tasks used to evaluate cognition, but differing in its greater simplicity and that the platform was visible above the surface of the water. A subset of the Harmine-high treated animals showed clear motor impairments on all behavioral tasks, and the visible platform task confirmed a lack of competence to perform the procedural components of water maze testing. After excluding animals from the high dose group that could not perform the procedural components of a swim task, it was revealed that both high- and low-dose treatment with Harmine enhanced performance on the latter portion of DMS testing, but had no effect on MM performance. Thus, this study demonstrates the importance of confirming motor and visual competence when studying animal cognition, and verifies the one-day visible platform task as a reliable measure of ability to perform the procedural components necessary for completion of a swim task. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Temperament and physical performance in children with osteogenesis imperfecta.

PubMed

Suskauer, Stacy J; Cintas, Holly L; Marini, Joan C; Gerber, Lynn H

2003-02-01

Children with osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) must participate in therapy to achieve motor performance objectives. Their behavioral style may influence motor performance. For this reason, the temperament of children with types III or IV OI was assessed prospectively to 1) compare their temperament with that of nondisabled children, 2) investigate the relationship between temperament and gross motor performance, and 3) examine relationships among temperament, parental overprotection and coping, physical activity, muscle strength, and motor performance. Age-appropriate Carey Temperament Scales, Brief Assessment of Motor Function (BAMF), and the Vulnerable Child/Overprotecting Parents Scale were completed for 35 children 1 to 12 years old. Additional measures included the Childhood Health Assessment Questionnaire, Parent Daily Hassles Scale, manual muscle testing, Pediatric Activity Record, and a Summed Severity Score. Spearman correlations and multiple regression were used to identify and predict significant relationships. Temperament of children with OI differed from age-based norms in only 1 domain: activity. Motor performance (BAMF) correlated significantly with 3 domains of temperament: persistence (r = -.48), approach (r = -.34), and activity (r =.40). Activity was also related to the ratio of head circumference to body length (r = -.45) and the number of fractures in the preceding year (r = -.35). Parents' reports of their daily hassles significantly correlated with several domains of the child's temperament. No significant relationships were identified between parental overprotection and temperament or motor performance. The temperament of children with types III and IV OI does not differ from that of their nondisabled peers, with the exception of lower activity scores. Although it is considered a biological attribute, the expression of temperament, specifically activity, may be influenced by learned behaviors. Because gross motor performance is related to activity, persistence, and approach/avoidance, knowledge of an individual's temperament may enhance the child's ability to benefit from interventions to improve motor skill and activity levels.

The influence of playing a non-reward game on motor ability and executive function in Parkinson's disease.

PubMed

Araújo Lima, Alisson Menezes; Cordeiro Hirata, Fabiana de Campos; Sales de Bruin, Gabriela; Salani Mota, Rosa Maria; Bruin, Veralice Meireles Sales de

2012-01-01

The aim of this study is to evaluate the acute effect of playing games on executive function and motor ability in Parkinson's disease (PD). Consecutive cases with PD were studied with the Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS), Mini-Mental State examination (MMSE), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Stroop test, finger tapping and 14-meter walk test. After randomization, patients performed a game of dominoes and were tested before and after experiment being further categorized as control, winners or non-winners. Forty patients, 27 male (67.5%), aged 48 to 84 years (63.2 ± 8.5), Hoehn & Yahr I to III were included. Twenty-eight (70%) presented depressive symptoms (BDI > 10). Groups (Control N = 13; Winners = 14 and Non-winners = 13) were not different regarding age, disease duration, age at onset, BMI, MMSE scores, depressive symptoms, levodopa dose, and previous practice of games. Winners presented significantly better results on executive function (Stroop test, p = 0.002) and on motor activity (Finger tapping, p = 0.01). Non-winners showed a trend of better performance in the 14-meter-walk test. This study shows that the practice of a non-reward game acutely improved memory and motor skills in PD. Our results suggest a role for the reward system in the modulation of the dopaminergic function of the basal ganglia in these patients.

RSRM Nozzle Anomalous Throat Erosion Investigation Overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clinton, R. G., Jr.; Wendel, Gary M.

1998-01-01

In September, 1996, anomalous pocketing erosion was observed in the aft end of the throat ring of the nozzle of one of the reusable solid rocket motors (RSRM 56B) used on NASA's space transportation system (STS) mission 79. The RSRM throat ring is constructed of bias tape-wrapped carbon cloth/ phenolic (CCP) ablative material. A comprehensive investigation revealed necessary and sufficient conditions for occurrence of the pocketing event and provided rationale that the solid rocket motors for the subsequent mission, STS-80, were safe to fly. The nozzles of both of these motors also exhibited anomalous erosion similar to, but less extensive than that observed on STS-79. Subsequent to this flight, the investigation to identify both the specific causes and the corrective actions for elimination of the necessary and sufficient conditions for the pocketing erosion was intensified. A detailed fault tree approach was utilized to examine potential material and process contributors to the anomalous performance. The investigation involved extensive constituent and component material property testing, pedigree assessments, supplier audits, process audits, full scale processing test article fabrication and evaluation, thermal and thermostructural analyses, nondestructive evaluation, and material performance tests conducted using hot fire simulation in laboratory test beds and subscale and full scale solid rocket motor static test firings. This presentation will provide an over-view of the observed anomalous nozzle erosion and the comprehensive, fault-tree based investigation conducted to resolve this issue.

Passing thoughts on the evolutionary stability of implicit motor behaviour: performance retention under physiological fatigue.

PubMed

Poolton, J M; Masters, R S W; Maxwell, J P

2007-06-01

Heuristics of evolutionary biology (e.g., survival of the fittest) dictate that phylogenetically older processes are inherently more stable and resilient to disruption than younger processes. On the grounds that non-declarative behaviour emerged long before declarative behaviour, Reber (1992) argues that implicit (non-declarative) learning is supported by neural processes that are evolutionarily older than those supporting explicit learning. Reber suggested that implicit learning thus leads to performance that is more robust than explicit learning. Applying this evolutionary framework to motor performance, we examined whether implicit motor learning, relative to explicit motor learning, conferred motor output that was resilient to physiological fatigue and durable over time. In Part One of the study a fatigued state was induced by a double Wingate Anaerobic test protocol. Fatigue had no affect on performance of participants in the implicit condition; whereas, performance of participants in the explicit condition deteriorated significantly. In Part Two of the study a convenience sample of participants was recalled following a one-year hiatus. In both the implicit and the explicit condition retention of performance was seen and, contrary to the findings in Part One, so was resilience to fatigue. The resilient performance in the explicit condition after one year may have resulted from forgetting (the decay of declarative knowledge) or from consolidation of declarative knowledge as implicit memories. In either case, implicit processes were left to more effectively support motor performance.

49 CFR 240.215 - Retaining information supporting determinations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

...; (3) Any relevant data furnished by a governmental agency concerning the person's motor vehicle... administered. (e) The information concerning demonstrated performance skills that the railroad shall retain... the performance skills test(s) that documents the relevant operating facts on which the evaluation is...

An SCR inverter for electric vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Latos, T.; Bosack, D.; Ehrlich, R.; Jahns, T.; Mezera, J.; Thimmesch, D.

1980-01-01

An inverter for an electric vehicle propulsion application has been designed and constructed to excite a polyphase induction motor from a fixed propulsion battery source. The inverter, rated at 35kW peak power, is fully regenerative and permits vehicle operation in both the forward and reverse directions. Thyristors are employed as the power switching devices arranged in a dc bus commutated topology. This paper describes the major role the controller plays in generating the motor excitation voltage and frequency to deliver performance similar to dc systems. Motoring efficiency test data for the controller are presented. It is concluded that an SCR inverter in conjunction with an ac induction motor is a viable alternative to present dc vehicle propulsion systems on the basis of performance and size criteria.

Automatic Human Movement Assessment With Switching Linear Dynamic System: Motion Segmentation and Motor Performance.

PubMed

de Souza Baptista, Roberto; Bo, Antonio P L; Hayashibe, Mitsuhiro

2017-06-01

Performance assessment of human movement is critical in diagnosis and motor-control rehabilitation. Recent developments in portable sensor technology enable clinicians to measure spatiotemporal aspects to aid in the neurological assessment. However, the extraction of quantitative information from such measurements is usually done manually through visual inspection. This paper presents a novel framework for automatic human movement assessment that executes segmentation and motor performance parameter extraction in time-series of measurements from a sequence of human movements. We use the elements of a Switching Linear Dynamic System model as building blocks to translate formal definitions and procedures from human movement analysis. Our approach provides a method for users with no expertise in signal processing to create models for movements using labeled dataset and later use it for automatic assessment. We validated our framework on preliminary tests involving six healthy adult subjects that executed common movements in functional tests and rehabilitation exercise sessions, such as sit-to-stand and lateral elevation of the arms and five elderly subjects, two of which with limited mobility, that executed the sit-to-stand movement. The proposed method worked on random motion sequences for the dual purpose of movement segmentation (accuracy of 72%-100%) and motor performance assessment (mean error of 0%-12%).

Multitarget transcranial direct current stimulation for freezing of gait in Parkinson's disease.

PubMed

Dagan, Moria; Herman, Talia; Harrison, Rachel; Zhou, Junhong; Giladi, Nir; Ruffini, Giulio; Manor, Brad; Hausdorff, Jeffrey M

2018-04-01

Recent findings suggest that transcranial direct current stimulation of the primary motor cortex may ameliorate freezing of gait. However, the effects of multitarget simultaneous stimulation of motor and cognitive networks are mostly unknown. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of multitarget transcranial direct current stimulation of the primary motor cortex and left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex on freezing of gait and related outcomes. Twenty patients with Parkinson's disease and freezing of gait received 20 minutes of transcranial direct current stimulation on 3 separate visits. Transcranial direct current stimulation targeted the primary motor cortex and left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex simultaneously, primary motor cortex only, or sham stimulation (order randomized and double-blinded assessments). Participants completed a freezing of gait-provoking test, the Timed Up and Go, and the Stroop test before and after each transcranial direct current stimulation session. Performance on the freezing of gait-provoking test (P = 0.010), Timed Up and Go (P = 0.006), and the Stroop test (P = 0.016) improved after simultaneous stimulation of the primary motor cortex and left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, but not after primary motor cortex only or sham stimulation. Transcranial direct current stimulation designed to simultaneously target motor and cognitive regions apparently induces immediate aftereffects in the brain that translate into reduced freezing of gait and improvements in executive function and mobility. © 2018 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society. © 2018 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Normative Data for an Instrumental Assessment of the Upper-Limb Functionality.

PubMed

Caimmi, Marco; Guanziroli, Eleonora; Malosio, Matteo; Pedrocchi, Nicola; Vicentini, Federico; Molinari Tosatti, Lorenzo; Molteni, Franco

2015-01-01

Upper-limb movement analysis is important to monitor objectively rehabilitation interventions, contributing to improving the overall treatments outcomes. Simple, fast, easy-to-use, and applicable methods are required to allow routinely functional evaluation of patients with different pathologies and clinical conditions. This paper describes the Reaching and Hand-to-Mouth Evaluation Method, a fast procedure to assess the upper-limb motor control and functional ability, providing a set of normative data from 42 healthy subjects of different ages, evaluated for both the dominant and the nondominant limb motor performance. Sixteen of them were reevaluated after two weeks to perform test-retest reliability analysis. Data were clustered into three subgroups of different ages to test the method sensitivity to motor control differences. Experimental data show notable test-retest reliability in all tasks. Data from older and younger subjects show significant differences in the measures related to the ability for coordination thus showing the high sensitivity of the method to motor control differences. The presented method, provided with control data from healthy subjects, appears to be a suitable and reliable tool for the upper-limb functional assessment in the clinical environment.

Normative Data for an Instrumental Assessment of the Upper-Limb Functionality

PubMed Central

Caimmi, Marco; Guanziroli, Eleonora; Malosio, Matteo; Pedrocchi, Nicola; Vicentini, Federico; Molinari Tosatti, Lorenzo; Molteni, Franco

2015-01-01

Upper-limb movement analysis is important to monitor objectively rehabilitation interventions, contributing to improving the overall treatments outcomes. Simple, fast, easy-to-use, and applicable methods are required to allow routinely functional evaluation of patients with different pathologies and clinical conditions. This paper describes the Reaching and Hand-to-Mouth Evaluation Method, a fast procedure to assess the upper-limb motor control and functional ability, providing a set of normative data from 42 healthy subjects of different ages, evaluated for both the dominant and the nondominant limb motor performance. Sixteen of them were reevaluated after two weeks to perform test-retest reliability analysis. Data were clustered into three subgroups of different ages to test the method sensitivity to motor control differences. Experimental data show notable test-retest reliability in all tasks. Data from older and younger subjects show significant differences in the measures related to the ability for coordination thus showing the high sensitivity of the method to motor control differences. The presented method, provided with control data from healthy subjects, appears to be a suitable and reliable tool for the upper-limb functional assessment in the clinical environment. PMID:26539500

The classification of explosion-proof protected induction motor into adequate temperature and efficiency class

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brinovar, Iztok; Srpčič, Gregor; Seme, Sebastijan; Štumberger, Bojan; Hadžiselimović, Miralem

2017-07-01

This article deals with the classification of explosion-proof protected induction motors, which are used in hazardous areas, into adequate temperature and efficiency class. Hazardous areas are defined as locations with a potentially explosive atmosphere where explosion may occur due to present of flammable gasses, liquids or combustible dusts (industrial plants, mines, etc.). Electric motors and electrical equipment used in such locations must be specially designed and tested to prevent electrical initiation of explosion due to high surface temperature and arcing contacts. This article presents the basic tests of three-phase explosion-proof protected induction motor with special emphasis on the measuring system and temperature rise test. All the measurements were performed with high-accuracy instrumentation and accessory equipment and carried out at the Institute of energy technology in the Electric machines and drives laboratory and Applied electrical engineering laboratory.

Evaluation of Esophageal Motor Function With High-resolution Manometry

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

For several decades esophageal manometry has been the test of choice to evaluate disorders of esophageal motor function. The recent introduction of high-resolution manometry for the study of esophageal motor function simplified performance of esophageal manometry, and revealed previously unidentified patterns of normal and abnormal esophageal motor function. Presentation of pressure data as color contour plots or esophageal pressure topography led to the development of new tools for analyzing and classifying esophageal motor patterns. The current standard and still developing approach to do this is the Chicago classification. While this methodical approach is improving our diagnosis of esophageal motor disorders, it currently does not address all motor abnormalities. We will explore the Chicago classification and disorders that it does not address. PMID:23875094

A MR-conditional High-torque Pneumatic Stepper Motor for MRI-guided and Robot-assisted Intervention

PubMed Central

Chen, Yue; Kwok, Ka-Wai; Tse, Zion Tsz Ho

2015-01-01

Magnetic Resonance Imaging allows for visualizing detailed pathological and morphological changes of soft tissue. This increasingly attracts attention on MRI-guided intervention; hence, MR-conditional actuations have been widely investigated for development of image-guided and robot-assisted surgical devices under the MRI. This paper presents a simple design of MR-conditional stepper motor which can provide precise and high-torque actuation without adversely affecting the MR image quality. This stepper motor consists of two MR-conditional pneumatic cylinders and the corresponding supporting structures. Alternating the pressurized air can drive the motor to rotate each step in 3.6° with the motor coupled to a planetary gearbox. Experimental studies were conducted to validate its dynamics performance. Maximum 800mNm output torque can be achieved. The motor accuracy independently varied by two factors: motor operating speed and step size, was also investigated. The motor was tested within a Siemens 3T MRI scanner. The image artifact and the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) were evaluated in order to study its MRI compliancy. The results show that the presented pneumatic stepper motor generated 2.35% SNR reduction in MR images and no observable artifact was presented besides the motor body itself. The proposed motor test also demonstrates a standard to evaluate the motor capability for later incorporation with motorized devices used in robot-assisted surgery under MRI. PMID:24957635

Reliability and validity of the adapted Resistance Training Skills Battery for Children.

PubMed

Furzer, Bonnie J; Bebich-Philip, Marc D; Wright, Kemi E; Reid, Siobhan L; Thornton, Ashleigh L

2017-12-29

Resistance training (RT) is emerging as a training modality to improve motor function and facilitate physical activity participation in children across the motor proficiency spectrum. Although RT competency assessments have been established and validated among adolescent cohorts, the extent to which these methods are suitable for assessing children's RT skills is unknown. This project aimed to assess the psychometric properties of the adapted Resistance Training Skills Battery for Children (RTSBc), in children with varying motor proficiency. Repeated measures design with 40 participants (M age=8.2±1.7years) displaying varying levels of motor proficiency. Participants performed the adapted RTSBc on two occasions, receiving a score for their execution of each component, in addition to an overall RT skill quotient child (RTSQc). Cronbach's alpha, intra-class correlation (ICC), Bland-Altman analysis, and typical error were used to assess test-retest reliability. To examine construct validity, exploratory factor analysis was performed alongside computing correlations between participants' muscle strength, motor proficiency, age, lean muscle mass, and RTSQc. The RTSBc displayed an acceptable level of internal consistency (alpha=0.86) and test-retest reliability (ICC range=0.86-0.99). Exploratory factor analysis supported internal test structure, with all six RT skills loading strongly on a single factor (range 0.56-0.89). Analyses of structural validity revealed positive correlations for RTSQc in relation to motor proficiency (r=0.52, p<0.001) and strength scores (r=0.61, p<0.001). Analyses revealed support for the construct validity and test-retest reliability of the RTSBc, providing preliminary evidence that the RTSBc is appropriate for use in the assessment of children's RT competency. Copyright © 2018 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Orion Launch Abort System Performance on Exploration Flight Test 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McCauley, R.; Davidson, J.; Gonzalez, Guillermo

2015-01-01

This paper will present an overview of the flight test objectives and performance of the Orion Launch Abort System during Exploration Flight Test-1. Exploration Flight Test-1, the first flight test of the Orion spacecraft, was managed and led by the Orion prime contractor, Lockheed Martin, and launched atop a United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy rocket. This flight test was a two-orbit, high-apogee, high-energy entry, low-inclination test mission used to validate and test systems critical to crew safety. This test included the first flight test of the Launch Abort System preforming Orion nominal flight mission critical objectives. NASA is currently designing and testing the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV). Orion will serve as NASA's new exploration vehicle to carry astronauts to deep space destinations and safely return them to earth. The Orion spacecraft is composed of four main elements: the Launch Abort System, the Crew Module, the Service Module, and the Spacecraft Adapter (Fig. 1). The Launch Abort System (LAS) provides two functions; during nominal launches, the LAS provides protection for the Crew Module from atmospheric loads and heating during first stage flight and during emergencies provides a reliable abort capability for aborts that occur within the atmosphere. The Orion Launch Abort System (LAS) consists of an Abort Motor to provide the abort separation from the Launch Vehicle, an Attitude Control Motor to provide attitude and rate control, and a Jettison Motor for crew module to LAS separation (Fig. 2). The jettison motor is used during a nominal launch to separate the LAS from the Launch Vehicle (LV) early in the flight of the second stage when it is no longer needed for aborts and at the end of an LAS abort sequence to enable deployment of the crew module's Landing Recovery System. The LAS also provides a Boost Protective Cover fairing that shields the crew module from debris and the aero-thermal environment during ascent. Although the Orion Program has tested a number of the critical systems of the Orion spacecraft on the ground, the launch environment cannot be replicated completely on Earth. A number of flight tests have been conducted and are planned to demonstrate the performance and enable certification of the Orion Spacecraft. Exploration Flight Test 1, the first flight test of the Orion spacecraft, was successfully flown on December 5, 2014 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Space Launch Complex 37. Orion's first flight was a two-orbit, high-apogee, high-energy entry, low-inclination test mission used to validate and test systems critical to crew safety, such as heat shield performance, separation events, avionics and software performance, attitude control and guidance, parachute deployment and recovery operations. One of the key separation events tested during this flight was the nominal jettison of the LAS. Data from this flight will be used to verify the function of the jettison motor to separate the Launch Abort System from the crew module so it can continue on with the mission. The LAS nominal jettison event on Exploration Flight Test 1 occurred at six minutes and twenty seconds after liftoff (See Fig. 3). The abort motor and attitude control motors were inert for Exploration Flight Test 1, since the mission did not require abort capabilities. A suite of developmental flight instrumentation was included on the flight test to provide data on spacecraft subsystems and separation events. This paper will focus on the flight test objectives and performance of the LAS during ascent and nominal jettison. Selected LAS subsystem flight test data will be presented and discussed in the paper. Exploration Flight Test -1 will provide critical data that will enable engineering to improve Orion's design and reduce risk for the astronauts it will protect as NASA continues to move forward on its human journey to Mars. The lessons learned from Exploration Flight Test 1 and the other Flight Test Vehicles will certainly contribute to the vehicle architecture of a human-rated space launch vehicle.

Optimal input selection for neural machine interfaces predicting multiple non-explicit outputs.

PubMed

Krepkovich, Eileen T; Perreault, Eric J

2008-01-01

This study implemented a novel algorithm that optimally selects inputs for neural machine interface (NMI) devices intended to control multiple outputs and evaluated its performance on systems lacking explicit output. NMIs often incorporate signals from multiple physiological sources and provide predictions for multidimensional control, leading to multiple-input multiple-output systems. Further, NMIs often are used with subjects who have motor disabilities and thus lack explicit motor outputs. Our algorithm was tested on simulated multiple-input multiple-output systems and on electromyogram and kinematic data collected from healthy subjects performing arm reaches. Effects of output noise in simulated systems indicated that the algorithm could be useful for systems with poor estimates of the output states, as is true for systems lacking explicit motor output. To test efficacy on physiological data, selection was performed using inputs from one subject and outputs from a different subject. Selection was effective for these cases, again indicating that this algorithm will be useful for predictions where there is no motor output, as often is the case for disabled subjects. Further, prediction results generalized for different movement types not used for estimation. These results demonstrate the efficacy of this algorithm for the development of neural machine interfaces.

Does practicing a skill with the expectation of teaching alter motor preparatory cortical dynamics?

PubMed

Daou, Marcos; Lohse, Keith R; Miller, Matthew W

2018-05-01

Recent evidence suggests practicing a motor skill with the expectation of teaching it enhances learning by increasing information processing during motor preparation. However, the specific motor preparatory processes remain unknown. The present study sought to address this shortcoming by employing EEG to assess participants' motor preparatory processes while they completed a golf putting pretest, and then practiced putting with the expectation of (a) teaching another participant how to putt the next day (teach group, n = 30), or (b) being tested on their putting the next day (test group, n = 30). Participants' EEG during the 3-s prior to and 1-s after initiating putter movement was analyzed. All participants completed posttests 1 day after the practice session. The teach group exhibited better posttest performance (superior learning) relative to the test group, but no group differences in motor preparatory processing (EEG) emerged. However, participants in both groups exhibited linear decreases in both theta power at frontal midline and upper-alpha power over motor areas during putt initiation. These results suggest a decrease in working memory and action monitoring (frontal midline theta), and an increase in motor programming (motor upper-alpha) during putt initiation. Further, participants in both groups exhibited increased frontal midline theta from pretest to practice, but decreases in both upper motor-alpha and upper-alpha coherence between left/right temporal and motor planning regions. These results suggest participants utilized working memory and action monitoring to a greater extent during practice relative to pretest, while refining their motor programming and verbal-analytic/visuospatial involvement in motor programming. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The role of whiskers in compensation of visual deficit in a mouse model of retinal degeneration.

PubMed

Voller, Jaroslav; Potužáková, Barbora; Šimeček, Vojtěch; Vožeh, František

2014-01-13

Sensory deprivation in one modality can enhance the development of the remaining modalities via mechanisms of synaptic plasticity. Mice of the C3H strain suffer from RD1 retinal degeneration that leads to visual impairment at weaning age. We examined a role of whiskers in compensation of the visual deficit. In order to differentiate the contribution of the whiskers from other mechanisms that can take part in the compensation, we investigated the effect of both chronic and acute tactile deprivation. Three-month-old mice were used. We examined motor skills (rotarod, beam walking test), gait control (CatWalk system), spontaneous motor activity (open field) and CNS excitability to an acoustic stimulus for assessment of compensatory changes in auditory system (audiogenic epilepsy). In the sighted mice, the only effect was a decline in their rotarod test performance after acute whisker removal. In the blind animals, chronic tactile deprivation caused changes in their gait and impaired the performance in motor tests. Some other compensatory mechanisms were involved but the whiskers are essential for the compensation as it emerged from more marked change of gait and the worsening of the motor performance after the acute whisker removal. Both chronic and acute tactile deprivation induced anxiety-like behaviour. Only a combination of blindness and chronic tactile deprivation led to an increased sense of hearing. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Orion Launch Abort System (LAS) Propulsion on Pad Abort 1 (PA-1)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, Daniel S.

2015-01-01

This presentation provides a concise overview of the highly successful Orion Pad Abort 1 (PA-1) flight test, and the three rocket motors that contributed to this success. The primary purpose of the Orion PA-1 flight was to help certify the Orion Launch Abort System (LAS), which can be utilized in the unlikely event of an emergency on the launchpad or during mission vehicle ascent. The PA-1 test was the first fully integrated flight test of the Orion LAS, one of the primary systems within the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV). The Orion MPCV is part of the architecture within the Space Launch System (SLS), which is being designed to transport astronauts beyond low-Earth orbit for future exploration missions. Had the Orion PA-1 flight abort occurred during launch preparations for a real human spaceflight mission, the PA-1 LAS would have saved the lives of the crew. The PA-1 flight test was largely successful due to the three solid rocket motors of the LAS: the Attitude Control Motor (ACM); the Jettison Motor (JM); and the Abort Motor (AM). All three rocket motors successfully performed their required functions during the Orion PA-1 flight test, flown on May 6, 2010 at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, culminating in a successful demonstration of an abort capability from the launchpad.

Integrative Examination of Motor Abilities in Dialysis Patients and Selection of Tests for a Standardized Physical Function Assessment.

PubMed

Bučar Pajek, Maja; Leskošek, Bojan; Vivoda, Tjaša; Svilan, Katarina; Čuk, Ivan; Pajek, Jernej

2016-06-01

To reduce the need for a large number of executed physical function tests we examined inter-relations and determined predictive power for daily physical activity of the following tests: 6-min walk, 10 repetition sit-to-stand, time up-and-go, Storke balance, handgrip strength, upper limb tapping and sitting forward bend tests. In 90 dialysis and 140 healthy control subjects we found high correlations between all tests, especially those engaging lower extremities. Sit-to-stand, forward bend and handgrip strength were selected for the test battery and composite motor performance score. Sit-to-stand test was superior in terms of sensitivity to uremia effects and association with daily physical function in adjusted analyses. There was no incremental value in calculating the composite performance score. We propose to standardize the physical function assessment of dialysis patients for cross-sectional and longitudinal observations with three simple, cheap, well-accessible and easily performed test tools: sit-to-stand test, handgrip strength and Human Activity Profile questionnaire. © 2016 International Society for Apheresis, Japanese Society for Apheresis, and Japanese Society for Dialysis Therapy.

Study of solid rocket motors for a space shuttle booster. Appendix B: Prime item development specification

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1972-01-01

The specifications for the performance, design, development, and test requirements of the P2-156, S3-156, and S6-120 space shuttle booster solid rocket motors are presented. The applicable documents which form a part of the specifications are listed.

Effects of an Integrated Physical Education/Music Program in Changing Early Childhood Perceptual-Motor Performance.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Judy; And Others

1981-01-01

Two approaches to facilitating perceptual-motor development in children ages 4-6 were investigated. Fifteen children (the experimental group) received integrated physical education/music instruction based on Kodaly and Dalcroze (Eurhythmics) concepts. The control group received movement exploration and self-testing instruction. Significant…

Clinical value of the VMI supplemental tests: a modified replication study.

PubMed

Avi-Itzhak, Tamara; Obler, Doris Richard

2008-10-01

To carry out a modified replication of the study performed by Kulp and Sortor evaluating the clinical value of the information provided by Beery's visual-motor supplemental tests of Visual Perception (VP) and Motor Coordination (MC) in normally developed children. The objectives were to (a) estimate the correlations among the three tests scores; (b) assess the predictive power of the VP and MC scores in explaining the variance in Visual-Motor Integration (VMI) scores; and (c) examine whether poor performance on the VMI is related to poor performance on VP or MC. METHODS.: A convenience sample of 71 children ages 4 and 5 years (M = 4.62 +/- 0.43) participated in the study. The supplemental tests significantly (F = 9.59; dF = 2; p < or = 0. 001) explained 22% of the variance in VMI performance. Only VP was significantly related to VMI (beta = 0.39; T = 3.49) accounting for the total amount of explained variance. Using the study population norms, 11 children (16% of total sample) did poorly on the VMI; of those 11, 73% did poorly on the VP, and none did poorly on the MC. None of these 11 did poorly on both the VP and MC. Nine percent of total sample who did poorly on the VP performed within the norm on the VMI. Thirteen percent who performed poorly on the MC performed within the norm on the VMI. Using the VMI published norms, 14 children (20% of total sample) who did poorly on the VP performed within the norm on the VMI. Forty-eight percent who did poorly on MC performed within the norm on the VMI. Findings supported Kulp and Sortor's conclusions that each area should be individually evaluated during visual-perceptual assessment of children regardless of performance on the VMI.

The effect of sensory-motor training on hand and upper extremity sensory and motor function in patients with idiopathic Parkinson disease.

PubMed

Taghizadeh, Ghorban; Azad, Akram; Kashefi, Sepiede; Fallah, Soheila; Daneshjoo, Fatemeh

2017-11-14

Blinded randomized controlled trial. Patients with Parkinson disease (PD) have sensory problems, but there is still no accurate understanding of the effects of sensory-motor interventions on PD. To investigate the effects of sensory-motor training (SMT) on hand and upper extremity sensory and motor function in patients with PD. Forty patients with PD were allocated to the SMT group or the control group (CG) (mean ages ± standard deviation: SMT, 61.05 ± 13.9 years; CG, 59.15 ± 11.26 years). The CG received the common rehabilitation therapies, whereas the SMT group received SMT. The SMT included discrimination of temperatures, weights, textures, shapes, and objects and was performed 5 times each week for 2 weeks. Significantly reducing the error rates in the haptic object recognition test (dominant hand [DH]: F = 15.36, P = .001, and effect size [ES] = 0.29; nondominant hand [NDH]: F = 9.33, P = .004, and ES = 0.21) and the error means in the wrist proprioception sensation test (DH: F = 9.11, P = .005, and ES = 0.19; NDH: F = 13.04, P = .001, and ES = 0.26) and increasing matched objects in the hand active sensation test (DH: F = 12.15, P = .001, and ES = 0.24; NDH: F = 5.03, P = .03, and ES = 0.12) founded in the SMT. Also, the DH (F = 6.65, P = .01, and ES = 0.15), both hands (F = 7.61, P = .009, and ES = 0.17), and assembly (F = 7.02, P = .01, and ES = 0.15) subtests of fine motor performance, as well as DH (F = 10.1, P = .003, and ES = 0.21) and NDH (F = 8.37, P = .006, and ES = 0.18) in upper extremity functional performance, were improved in the SMT. SMT improved hand and upper extremity sensory-motor function in patients with PD. The SMT group showed improved sensory and motor function. But these results were limited to levels 1 to 3 of the Hoehn and Yahr Scale. Copyright © 2017 Hanley & Belfus. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Universal computer control system (UCCS) for space telerobots

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bejczy, Antal K.; Szakaly, Zoltan

1987-01-01

A universal computer control system (UCCS) is under development for all motor elements of a space telerobot. The basic hardware architecture and software design of UCCS are described, together with the rich motor sensing, control, and self-test capabilities of this all-computerized motor control system. UCCS is integrated into a multibus computer environment with direct interface to higher level control processors, uses pulsewidth multiplier power amplifiers, and one unit can control up to sixteen different motors simultaneously at a high I/O rate. UCCS performance capabilities are illustrated by a few data.

Motility abnormalities in esophageal body in GERD: are they truly related to reflux?

PubMed

Ciriza de los Ríos, C; García Menéndez, L; Díez Hernández, A; Fernández Eroles, A L; Vega Fernández, A; Enguix Armada, A

2005-03-01

Esophageal motility abnormalities have been observed in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease. The aim of the present study was to determine if esophageal motor disorders in patients with a positive response to the omeprazole test are related to the existence of reflux or they are concomitant findings. A 24-hour pH monitoring and a stationary manometry were performed on 128 patients: 49 of them had normal manometry, 31 hypotensive lower esophageal sphincter, 29 motor disorder in esophageal body, and 19 hypotensive lower esophageal sphincter and motor disorder in esophageal body. We found an association between the presence of abnormal reflux and motor disorder in esophageal body (chi test; P < 0.05). However, ineffective esophageal motility was the disorder most strongly related to reflux, whereas the hypercontractile disorders were not clearly attributed to it. Esophageal manometric abnormalities should be considered cautiously before considering a motor disorder as a consequence of abnormal reflux.

Synergistic Effects on the Elderly People's Motor Control by Wearable Skin-Stretch Device Combined with Haptic Joystick

PubMed Central

Yoon, Han U.; Anil Kumar, Namita; Hur, Pilwon

2017-01-01

Cutaneous sensory feedback can be used to provide additional sensory cues to a person performing a motor task where vision is a dominant feedback signal. A haptic joystick has been widely used to guide a user by providing force feedback. However, the benefit of providing force feedback is still debatable due to performance dependency on factors such as the user's skill-level, task difficulty. Meanwhile, recent studies have shown the feasibility of improving a motor task performance by providing skin-stretch feedback. Therefore, a combination of two aforementioned feedback types is deemed to be promising to promote synergistic effects to consistently improve the person's motor performance. In this study, we aimed at identifying the effect of the combined haptic and skin-stretch feedbacks on the aged person's driving motor performance. For the experiment, 15 healthy elderly subjects (age 72.8 ± 6.6 years) were recruited and were instructed to drive a virtual power-wheelchair through four different courses with obstacles. Four augmented sensory feedback conditions were tested: no feedback, force feedback, skin-stretch feedback, and a combination of both force and skin-stretch feedbacks. While the haptic force was provided to the hand by the joystick, the skin-stretch was provided to the steering forearm by a custom-designed wearable skin-stretch device. We tested two hypotheses: (i) an elderly individual's motor control would benefit from receiving information about a desired trajectory from multiple sensory feedback sources, and (ii) the benefit does not depend on task difficulty. Various metrics related to skills and safety were used to evaluate the control performance. Repeated measure ANOVA was performed for those metrics with two factors: task scenario and the type of the augmented sensory feedback. The results revealed that elderly subjects' control performance significantly improved when the combined feedback of both haptic force and skin-stretch feedback was applied. The proposed approach suggest the feasibility to improve people's task performance by the synergistic effects of multiple augmented sensory feedback modalities. PMID:28690514

Advanced dc motor controller for battery-powered electric vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Belsterling, C. A.

1981-01-01

A motor generation set is connected to run from the dc source and generate a voltage in the traction motor armature circuit that normally opposes the source voltage. The functional feasibility of the concept is demonstrated with tests on a Proof of Principle System. An analog computer simulation is developed, validated with the results of the tests, applied to predict the performance of a full scale Functional Model dc Controller. The results indicate high efficiencies over wide operating ranges and exceptional recovery of regenerated energy. The new machine integrates both motor and generator on a single two bearing shaft. The control strategy produces a controlled bidirectional plus or minus 48 volts dc output from the generator permitting full control of a 96 volt dc traction motor from a 48 volt battery, was designed to control a 20 hp traction motor. The controller weighs 63.5 kg (140 lb.) and has a peak efficiency of 90% in random driving modes and 96% during the SAE J 227a/D driving cycle.

Design and performance tests of a distributed power-driven wheel loader

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jin, Xiaolin; Shi, Laide; Bian, Yongming

2010-03-01

An improved ZLM15B distributed power-driven wheel loader was designed, whose travel and brake system was accomplished by two permanent magnet synchronous motorized-wheels instead of traditional mechanical components, and whose hydraulic systems such as the working device system and steering system were both actuated by an induction motor. All above systems were flexibly coupled with 3-phase 380VAC electric power with which the diesel engine power is replaced. On the level cement road, traveling, braking, traction and steering tests were carried out separately under non-load and heavy-load conditions. Data show that machine speed is 5 km/h around and travel efficiency of motorized-wheels is above 95%; that machine braking deceleration is between 0.5 and 0.64 m/s2 but efficiency of motorized-wheels is less than 10%; that maximum machine traction is above 2t while efficiency of motorized-wheels is more than 90% and that adaptive differential steering can be smoothly achieved by motorized-wheels.

Design and performance tests of a distributed power-driven wheel loader

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jin, Xiaolin; Shi, Laide; Bian, Yongming

2009-12-01

An improved ZLM15B distributed power-driven wheel loader was designed, whose travel and brake system was accomplished by two permanent magnet synchronous motorized-wheels instead of traditional mechanical components, and whose hydraulic systems such as the working device system and steering system were both actuated by an induction motor. All above systems were flexibly coupled with 3-phase 380VAC electric power with which the diesel engine power is replaced. On the level cement road, traveling, braking, traction and steering tests were carried out separately under non-load and heavy-load conditions. Data show that machine speed is 5 km/h around and travel efficiency of motorized-wheels is above 95%; that machine braking deceleration is between 0.5 and 0.64 m/s2 but efficiency of motorized-wheels is less than 10%; that maximum machine traction is above 2t while efficiency of motorized-wheels is more than 90% and that adaptive differential steering can be smoothly achieved by motorized-wheels.

Music-supported motor training after stroke reveals no superiority of synchronization in group therapy.

PubMed

Van Vugt, Floris T; Ritter, Juliane; Rollnik, Jens D; Altenmüller, Eckart

2014-01-01

Music-supported therapy has been shown to be an effective tool for rehabilitation of motor deficits after stroke. A unique feature of music performance is that it is inherently social: music can be played together in synchrony. The present study explored the potential of synchronized music playing during therapy, asking whether synchronized playing could improve fine motor rehabilitation and mood. Twenty-eight patients in neurological early rehabilitation after stroke with no substantial previous musical training were included. Patients learned to play simple finger exercises and familiar children's songs on the piano for 10 sessions of half an hour. Patients first received three individual therapy sessions and then continued in pairs. The patient pairs were divided into two groups. Patients in one group played synchronously (together group) whereas the patients in the other group played one after the other (in-turn group). To assess fine motor skill recovery the patients performed standard clinical tests such as the nine-hole-pegboard test (9HPT) and index finger-tapping speed and regularity, and metronome-paced finger tapping. Patients' mood was established using the Profile of Mood States (POMS). Both groups showed improvements in fine motor control. In metronome-paced finger tapping, patients in both groups improved significantly. Mood tests revealed reductions in depression and fatigue in both groups. During therapy, patients in the in-turn group rated their partner as more sympathetic than the together-group in a visual-analog scale. Our results suggest that music-supported stroke rehabilitation can improve fine motor control and mood not only individually but also in patient pairs. Patients who were playing in turn rather than simultaneously tended to reveal greater improvement in fine motor skill. We speculate that patients in the former group may benefit from the opportunity to learn from observation.

Performance assessment of an onboard monitoring system for commercial motor vehicle drivers : a field operational test.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-11-01

The onboard monitoring system (OBMS) field operational test (FOT) was conducted to determine whether onboard monitoring systems that provide real-time performance feedback to commercial truck and motorcoach drivers could reduce the number of safety-c...

Ravens, New Caledonian crows and jackdaws parallel great apes in motor self-regulation despite smaller brains.

PubMed

Kabadayi, Can; Taylor, Lucy A; von Bayern, Auguste M P; Osvath, Mathias

2016-04-01

Overriding motor impulses instigated by salient perceptual stimuli represent a fundamental inhibitory skill. Such motor self-regulation facilitates more rational behaviour, as it brings economy into the bodily interaction with the physical and social world. It also underlies certain complex cognitive processes including decision making. Recently, MacLean et al. (MacLean et al. 2014 Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 111, 2140-2148. (doi:10.1073/pnas.1323533111)) conducted a large-scale study involving 36 species, comparing motor self-regulation across taxa. They concluded that absolute brain size predicts level of performance. The great apes were most successful. Only a few of the species tested were birds. Given birds' small brain size-in absolute terms-yet flexible behaviour, their motor self-regulation calls for closer study. Corvids exhibit some of the largest relative avian brain sizes-although small in absolute measure-as well as the most flexible cognition in the animal kingdom. We therefore tested ravens, New Caledonian crows and jackdaws in the so-called cylinder task. We found performance indistinguishable from that of great apes despite the much smaller brains. We found both absolute and relative brain volume to be a reliable predictor of performance within Aves. The complex cognition of corvids is often likened to that of great apes; our results show further that they share similar fundamental cognitive mechanisms.

Thermal Analysis in Support of the Booster Separation Motor Crack Investigation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davis, Darrell; Prickett, Terry; Turner, Larry D. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

During a post-test inspection of a Booster Separation Motor (BSM) from a Lot Acceptance Test (LAT), a crack was noticed in the graphite throat. Since this was an out-of-family occurrence, an investigation team was formed to determine the cause of the crack. This paper will describe thermal analysis techniques used in support of this investigation. Models were generated to predict gradients in nominal motor conditions, as well as potentially anomalous conditions. Analysis was also performed on throats that were tested in the Laser Hardened Material Evaluation Laboratory (LHMEL). Some of these throats were pre-cracked, while others represented configurations designed to amplify effects of thermal stresses. Results from these analyses will be presented in this paper.

Thermal Analysis in Support of the Booster Separation Motor Crack Investigation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davis, Darrell; Prickett, Terry

2002-01-01

During a post-test inspection of a Booster Separation Motor (BSM) from a Lot Acceptance Test (LAT), a crack was noticed in the graphite throat. Since this was an out-of-family occurrence, an investigation team was formed to determine the cause of the crack. This paper will describe thermal analysis techniques used in support of this investigation. Models were generated to predict gradients in nominal motor conditions, as well as potentially anomalous conditions. Analysis was also performed on throats that were tested in the Laser Hardened Material Evaluation Laboratory (LHMEL). Some of these throats were pre-cracked, while others represented configurations designed to amplify effects of thermal stresses. Results from these analyses will be presented in this paper.

Temperature dependency in motor skill learning.

PubMed

Immink, Maarten A; Wright, David L; Barnes, William S

2012-01-01

The present study investigated the role of temperature as a contextual condition for motor skill learning. Precision grip task training occurred while forearm cutaneous temperature was either heated (40-45 °C) or cooled (10-15 °C). At test, temperature was either reinstated or changed. Performance was comparable between training conditions while at test, temperature changes decreased accuracy, especially after hot training conditions. After cold training, temperature change deficits were only evident when concurrent force feedback was presented. These findings are the first evidence of localized temperature dependency in motor skill learning in humans. Results are not entirely accounted for by a context-dependent memory explanation and appear to represent an interaction of neuromuscular and sensory processes with the temperature present during training and test.

Brief report: Response inhibition and processing speed in children with motor difficulties and developmental coordination disorder.

PubMed

Bernardi, Marialivia; Leonard, Hayley C; Hill, Elisabeth L; Henry, Lucy A

2016-01-01

A previous study reported that children with poor motor skills, classified as having motor difficulties (MD) or Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD), produced more errors in a motor response inhibition task compared to typically developing (TD) children but did not differ in verbal inhibition errors. The present study investigated whether these groups differed in the length of time they took to respond in order to achieve these levels of accuracy, and whether any differences in response speed could be explained by generally slow information processing in children with poor motor skills. Timing data from the Verbal Inhibition Motor Inhibition test were analyzed to identify differences in performance between the groups on verbal and motor inhibition, as well as on processing speed measures from standardized batteries. Although children with MD and DCD produced more errors in the motor inhibition task than TD children, the current analyses found that they did not take longer to complete the task. Children with DCD were slower at inhibiting verbal responses than TD children, while the MD group seemed to perform at an intermediate level between the other groups in terms of verbal inhibition speed. Slow processing speed did not account for these group differences. Results extended previous research into response inhibition in children with poor motor skills by explicitly comparing motor and verbal responses, and suggesting that slow performance, even when accurate, may be attributable to an inefficient way of inhibiting responses, rather than slow information processing speed per se.

NARC Rayon Replacement Program for the RSRM Nozzle, Phase IV Qualification and Implementation Status

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haddock, M. Reed; Wendel, Gary M.; Cook, Roger V.

2005-01-01

The Space Shuttle NARC Rayon Replacement Program has down-selected Enka rayon as a replacement for the obsolete NARC rayon in the nozzle carbon cloth phenolic (CCP) ablative insulators. Full qualification testing of the Enka rayon-based carbon cloth phenolic is underway, including processing, thmal/structural properties, and hot-fire subscale tests. Required thermal-structural capabilities, together with confidence in erosio/char performance in simulated and subscale hot fire tests such as Wright-Patterson Air Force Base Laser Hardened Materials Evaluation Laboratory testing, NASA-MSFC 24-inch motor tests, NASA-MSFC Solid Fuel Torch - Super Sonic Blast Tube, NASA-MSFC Plasma Torch Test Bed, ATK Thiokol Forty Pound Charge and NASA-MSFC MNASA justified the testing of the new Enka-rayon candidate on full-scale static test motors. The first RSRM full-scale static test motor nozzle, fabricated using the new Enka rayon-based CCP, was successfully demonstrated in June 2004. Two additional static test motors are planned with the new Enka rayon in the next two years along with additional A-basis property characterization. Process variation or "corner-of-the-box" testing together with cured and uncured aging studies are also planned as some of the pre-flight implementation activities with 5-year cured aging studies over-lapping flight hardware fabrication.

Traveling by Private Motorized Vehicle and Physical Fitness in Taiwanese Adults.

PubMed

Liao, Yung; Tsai, Hsiu-Hua; Wang, Ho-Seng; Lin, Ching-Ping; Wu, Min-Chen; Chen, Jui-Fu

2016-08-01

Although the time spent sitting in motorized vehicles has been determined to be adversely associated with cardiometabolic health, its association with other health indicators remains unclear. This study examined associations between traveling by private motorized vehicle and 4 indicators of physical fitness in adults. Data from 52,114 Taiwanese adults aged 20 to 65 years who participated in the 2013 National Adults Fitness Survey were used. The examined variables were height, body mass, and performance in modified sit-and-reach (flexibility), bent-leg sit-up (abdominal muscular strength and endurance), and a 3-min step test (cardiorespiratory endurance). Participants were asked on how many days they had used a private car or motorcycle for traveling from place to place and categorized as non-, occasional, and daily private motorized vehicle travelers. Logistic and linear regression models were used to examine associations between the categories of using private motorized vehicles to travel and physical fitness performance. After an adjustment for potential demographic and behavioral confounders, daily traveling by private motorized vehicle was associated with a higher probability of overweight (odds ratio = 1.18), lower performance of abdominal muscular strength and endurance (-0.37 times/min), and lower cardiorespiratory fitness (-0.60 physical fitness index) than was traveling that did not involve private motorized vehicles. The results suggest that in addition to unfavorable cardiorespiratory fitness and a risk of overweight, daily traveling by private motorized vehicle is associated with poor performance in abdominal muscular strength and endurance.

Effect of a Trampoline Exercise on the Anthropometric Measures and Motor Performance of Adolescent Students

PubMed Central

Aalizadeh, Bahman; Mohammadzadeh, Hassan; Khazani, Ali; Dadras, Ali

2016-01-01

Background: Physical exercises can influence some anthropometric and fitness components differently. The aim of present study was to evaluate how a relatively long-term training program in 11-14-year-old male Iranian students affects their anthropometric and motor performance measures. Methods: Measurements were conducted on the anthropometric and fitness components of participants (n = 28) prior to and following the program. They trained 20 weeks, 1.5 h/session with 10 min rest, in 4 times trampoline training programs per week. Motor performance of all participants was assessed using standing long jump and vertical jump based on Eurofit Test Battery. Results: The analysis of variance (ANOVA) repeated measurement test showed a statistically significant main effect of time in calf girth P = 0.001, fat% P = 0.01, vertical jump P = 0.001, and long jump P = 0.001. The ANOVA repeated measurement test revealed a statistically significant main effect of group in fat% P = 0.001. Post hoc paired t-tests indicated statistical significant differences in trampoline group between the two measurements about calf girth (t = −4.35, P = 0.001), fat% (t = 5.87, P = 0.001), vertical jump (t = −5.53, P = 0.001), and long jump (t = −10.00, P = 0.001). Conclusions: We can conclude that 20-week trampoline training with four physical activity sessions/week in 11–14-year-old students seems to have a significant effect on body fat% reduction and effective results in terms of anaerobic physical fitness. Therefore, it is suggested that different training model approach such as trampoline exercises can help students to promote the level of health and motor performance. PMID:27512557

Effect of a Trampoline Exercise on the Anthropometric Measures and Motor Performance of Adolescent Students.

PubMed

Aalizadeh, Bahman; Mohammadzadeh, Hassan; Khazani, Ali; Dadras, Ali

2016-01-01

Physical exercises can influence some anthropometric and fitness components differently. The aim of present study was to evaluate how a relatively long-term training program in 11-14-year-old male Iranian students affects their anthropometric and motor performance measures. Measurements were conducted on the anthropometric and fitness components of participants (n = 28) prior to and following the program. They trained 20 weeks, 1.5 h/session with 10 min rest, in 4 times trampoline training programs per week. Motor performance of all participants was assessed using standing long jump and vertical jump based on Eurofit Test Battery. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) repeated measurement test showed a statistically significant main effect of time in calf girth P = 0.001, fat% P = 0.01, vertical jump P = 0.001, and long jump P = 0.001. The ANOVA repeated measurement test revealed a statistically significant main effect of group in fat% P = 0.001. Post hoc paired t-tests indicated statistical significant differences in trampoline group between the two measurements about calf girth (t = -4.35, P = 0.001), fat% (t = 5.87, P = 0.001), vertical jump (t = -5.53, P = 0.001), and long jump (t = -10.00, P = 0.001). We can conclude that 20-week trampoline training with four physical activity sessions/week in 11-14-year-old students seems to have a significant effect on body fat% reduction and effective results in terms of anaerobic physical fitness. Therefore, it is suggested that different training model approach such as trampoline exercises can help students to promote the level of health and motor performance.

Protein Synthesis Inhibition in the Peri-Infarct Cortex Slows Motor Recovery in Rats.

PubMed

Schubring-Giese, Maximilian; Leemburg, Susan; Luft, Andreas Rüdiger; Hosp, Jonas Aurel

2016-01-01

Neuroplasticity and reorganization of brain motor networks are thought to enable recovery of motor function after ischemic stroke. Especially in the cortex surrounding the ischemic scar (i.e., peri-infarct cortex), evidence for lasting reorganization has been found at the level of neurons and networks. This reorganization depends on expression of specific genes and subsequent protein synthesis. To test the functional relevance of the peri-infarct cortex for recovery we assessed the effect of protein synthesis inhibition within this region after experimental stroke. Long-Evans rats were trained to perform a skilled-reaching task (SRT) until they reached plateau performance. A photothrombotic stroke was induced in the forelimb representation of the primary motor cortex (M1) contralateral to the trained paw. The SRT was re-trained after stroke while the protein synthesis inhibitor anisomycin (ANI) or saline were injected into the peri-infarct cortex through implanted cannulas. ANI injections reduced protein synthesis within the peri-infarct cortex by 69% and significantly impaired recovery of reaching performance through re-training. Improvement of motor performance within a single training session remained intact, while improvement between training sessions was impaired. ANI injections did not affect infarct size. Thus, protein synthesis inhibition within the peri-infarct cortex impairs recovery of motor deficits after ischemic stroke by interfering with consolidation of motor memory between training sessions but not short-term improvements within one session.

Bilateral transfer phenomenon: A functional magnetic resonance imaging pilot study of healthy subjects.

PubMed

Uggetti, Carla; Ausenda, Carlo D; Squarza, Silvia; Cadioli, Marcello; Grimoldi, Ludovico; Cerri, Cesare; Cariati, Maurizio

2016-08-01

The bilateral transfer of a motor skill is a physiological phenomenon: the development of a motor skill with one hand can trigger the development of the same ability of the other hand. The purpose of this study was to verify whether bilateral transfer is associated with a specific brain activation pattern using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). The motor task was implemented as the execution of the Nine Hole Peg Test. Fifteen healthy subjects (10 right-handers and five left-handers) underwent two identical fMRI runs performing the motor task with the non-dominant hand. Between the first and the second run, each subject was intensively trained for five minutes to perform the same motor task with the dominant hand. Comparing the two functional scans across the pool of subjects, a change of the motor activation pattern was observed. In particular, we observed, in the second run, a change in the activation pattern both in the cerebellum and in the cerebral cortex. We found activations in cortical areas involved in somatosensory integration, areas involved in procedural memory. Our study shows, in a small group of healthy subjects, the modification of the fMRI activation pathway of a motor task performed by the non-dominant hand after intensive exercise performing the same task with the dominant hand. © The Author(s) 2016.

Design and application of electromechanical actuators for deep space missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haskew, Tim A.; Wander, John

1994-01-01

This progress report documents research and development efforts performed from August 16, 1993 through February 15, 1994 on NASA Grant NAG8-240, 'Design and Application of Electromechanical Actuators for Deep Space Missions.' Following the executive summary are four report sections: Motor Selection, Tests Stand Development, Health Monitoring and Fault Management, and Experiment Planning. Three specific motor types have been considered as prime movers for TVC EMA applications: the brushless dc motor, the permanent magnet synchronous motor, and the induction motor. The fundamental finding was that, in general, the primary performance issues were energy efficiency and thermal dissipation (rotor heating). In terms of all other issues, the three motor types were found to compare quite equally. Among the design changes made to the test stand since the last progress report is the addition of more mounting holes in the side beams. These additional holes allow the movable end beam to be attached in a greater number of positions than previously. With this change the movable end beam can move from full forward to full back in three inch increments. Specific mathematical details on the approach that have been employed for health monitoring and fault management (HMFM) have been reported previously. This approach is based on and adaptive Kalman filter strategy. In general, a bank of filters can be implemented for each primary fault type. Presently under consideration for the brushless dc machine are the following faults: armature winding open-circuits, armature winding short-circuits (phase-to-phase and phase-to-ground), bearing degradation, and rotor flux weakening. The mechanically oriented experiments include transient loading experiments, transverse loading experiment, friction experiment, motor performance experiment, and HMFM experiment.

Evaluation of 2004 Toyota Prius Hybrid Electric Drive System

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Staunton, R. H.; Ayers, C. W.; Marlino, L. D.

2006-05-01

The 2004 Toyota Prius is a hybrid automobile equipped with a gasoline engine and a battery- and generator-powered electric motor. Both of these motive-power sources are capable of providing mechanical-drive power for the vehicle. The engine can deliver a peak-power output of 57 kilowatts (kW) at 5000 revolutions per minute (rpm) while the motor can deliver a peak-power output of 50 kW over the speed range of 1200–1540 rpm. Together, this engine-motor combination has a specified peak-power output of 82 kW at a vehicle speed of 85 kilometers per hour (km/h). In operation, the 2004 Prius exhibits superior fuel economymore » compared to conventionally powered automobiles. To acquire knowledge and thereby improve understanding of the propulsion technology used in the 2004 Prius, a full range of design characterization studies were conducted to evaluate the electrical and mechanical characteristics of the 2004 Prius and its hybrid electric drive system. These characterization studies included (1) a design review, (2) a packaging and fabrication assessment, (3) bench-top electrical tests, (4) back-electromotive force (emf) and locked rotor tests, (5) loss tests, (6) thermal tests at elevated temperatures, and most recently (7) full-design-range performance testing in a controlled laboratory environment. This final test effectively mapped the electrical and thermal results for motor/inverter operation over the full range of speeds and shaft loads that these assemblies are designed for in the Prius vehicle operations. This testing was undertaken by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) as part of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) – Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) FreedomCAR and Vehicle Technologies (FCVT) program through its vehicle systems technologies subprogram. The thermal tests at elevated temperatures were conducted late in 2004, and this report does not discuss this testing in detail. The thermal tests explored the derating of the Prius motor design if operated at temperatures as high as is normally encountered in a vehicle engine. The continuous ratings at base speed (1200 rpm) with different coolant temperatures are projected from test data at 900 rpm. A separate, comprehensive report on this thermal control study is available. This report summarizes vehicle-level and subsystem-level test results obtained for the 2004 Prius and various electrical and mechanical subassemblies of its hybrid electric drive system. The primary objective of these tests was to (1) characterize the electrical and mechanical performance of the 2004 Prius, and (2) map the performance of the inverter/motor system over the full design speed and load ranges.« less

Regaining motor control in musician's dystonia by restoring sensorimotor organisation

PubMed Central

Rosenkranz, Karin; Butler, Katherine; Williamon, Aaron; Rothwell, John C.

2010-01-01

Professional musicians are an excellent human model of long term effects of skilled motor training on the structure and function of the motor system. However, such effects are accompanied by an increased risk of developing motor abnormalities, in particular musician's dystonia. Previously we found that there was an expanded spatial integration of proprioceptive input into the hand area of motor cortex (sensorimotor organisation, SMO) in healthy musicians as tested with a transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) paradigm. In musician's dystonia, this expansion was even larger, resulting in a complete lack of somatotopic organisation. We hypothesised that the disordered motor control in musician's dystonia is a consequence of the disordered SMO. In the present paper we test this idea by giving pianists with musician's dystonia 15 min experience of a modified proprioceptive training task. This restored SMO towards that seen in healthy pianists. Crucially, motor control of the affected task improved significantly and objectively as measured with a MIDI piano, and the amount of behavioural improvement was significantly correlated to the degree of sensorimotor re-organisation. In healthy pianists and non-musicians, the SMO and motor performance remained essentially unchanged. These findings suggest a link between the differentiation of SMO in the hand motor cortex and the degree of motor control of intensively practiced tasks in highly skilled individuals. PMID:19923295

Overweight and obese infants present lower cognitive and motor development scores than normal-weight peers.

PubMed

Camargos, Ana Cristina Resende; Mendonça, Vanessa Amaral; Andrade, Camila Alves de; Oliveira, Katherine Simone Caires; Lacerda, Ana Cristina Rodrigues

2016-12-01

Compare the cognitive and motor development in overweight/obese infants versus normal-weight peers and investigate the correlation of body weight, body length and body mass index with cognitive and motor development. We conducted a cross-sectional study with 28 overweight/obese infants and 28 normal-weight peers between 6 and 24 months of age. Both groups were evaluated with cognitive and motor scales of the Bayley-III infant development test. The t-test for independent samples was performed to compare the groups, and the Spearman correlation was used to verify the association between variables. Overweight/obese infants showed lower cognitive and motor composite scores than their normal-weight peers. A significant negative association was found of body weight and body length with cognitive development and of body mass index with motor development. This is the first study that found an effect on both cognitive and motor development in overweight/obese infants when compared with normal-weight peers between 6 and 24 months of age. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Effect of Propellant Variables on Slag in Subscale Spin Motors. Part 1; Design and Qualification of a Slag Discrimination Motor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Perkins, F. M.; Beus, R. W.; May, D. H.

1995-01-01

The formation, collection, and expulsion of aluminum oxide slag is known to affect the performance of many solid rocket motor systems. Slag expulsion, in particular, is believed to be capable of causing pressure and thrust perturbations. Propellant combustion studies, performed and documented by many investigators, have shown that variations in propellant raw materials and processing affect the nature of alumina droplets at the burning propellant surface, and hence, may affect the quantity of slag retained in the motor chamber, available for expulsion. Thiokol has completed an experimental and analytical evaluation to determine the effects of several material and process variables on Space SHuttle propellant and its propensity to 'slag'. This paper describes the test article, a small scale spin motor with special nozzle, designed and qualified as a slag discriminating tool for use in the evaluation.

Development and performance characterization of an electric ground vehicle with independently actuated in-wheel motors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Rongrong; Chen, Yan; Feng, Daiwei; Huang, Xiaoyu; Wang, Junmin

This paper presents the development and experimental characterizations of a prototyping pure electric ground vehicle, which is equipped with four independently actuated in-wheel motors (FIAIWM) and is powered by a 72 V 200 Ah LiFeYPO 4 battery pack. Such an electric ground vehicle (EGV) employs four in-wheel (or hub) motors to independently drive/brake the four wheels and is one of the promising vehicle architectures primarily due to its actuation flexibility, energy efficiency, and performance potentials. Experimental data obtained from the EGV chassis dynamometer tests were employed to generate the in-wheel motor torque response and power efficiency maps in both driving and regenerative braking modes. A torque distribution method is proposed to show the potentials of optimizing the FIAIWM EGV operational energy efficiency by utilizing the actuation flexibility and the characterized in-wheel motor efficiency and torque response.

Novel Observer Scheme of Fuzzy-MRAS Sensorless Speed Control of Induction Motor Drive

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chekroun, S.; Zerikat, M.; Mechernene, A.; Benharir, N.

2017-01-01

This paper presents a novel approach Fuzzy-MRAS conception for robust accurate tracking of induction motor drive operating in a high-performance drives environment. Of the different methods for sensorless control of induction motor drive the model reference adaptive system (MRAS) finds lot of attention due to its good performance. The analysis of the sensorless vector control system using MRAS is presented and the resistance parameters variations and speed observer using new Fuzzy Self-Tuning adaptive IP Controller is proposed. In fact, fuzzy logic is reminiscent of human thinking processes and natural language enabling decisions to be made based on vague information. The present approach helps to achieve a good dynamic response, disturbance rejection and low to plant parameter variations of the induction motor. In order to verify the performances of the proposed observer and control algorithms and to test behaviour of the controlled system, numerical simulation is achieved. Simulation results are presented and discussed to shown the validity and the performance of the proposed observer.

Brain mechanisms controlling decision making and motor planning.

PubMed

Ramakrishnan, Arjun; Murthy, Aditya

2013-01-01

Accumulator models of decision making provide a unified framework to understand decision making and motor planning. In these models, the evolution of a decision is reflected in the accumulation of sensory information into a motor plan that reaches a threshold, leading to choice behavior. While these models provide an elegant framework to understand performance and reaction times, their ability to explain complex behaviors such as decision making and motor control of sequential movements in dynamic environments is unclear. To examine and probe the limits of online modification of decision making and motor planning, an oculomotor "redirect" task was used. Here, subjects were expected to change their eye movement plan when a new saccade target appeared. Based on task performance, saccade reaction time distributions, computational models of behavior, and intracortical microstimulation of monkey frontal eye fields, we show how accumulator models can be tested and extended to study dynamic aspects of decision making and motor control. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Perceived Motor Competence Differs From Actual Performance in 8-Year-Old Neonatal ECMO Survivors.

PubMed

Toussaint, Leontien C C; van der Cammen-van Zijp, Monique H M; Janssen, Anjo J; Tibboel, Dick; van Heijst, Arno F; IJsselstijn, Hanneke

2016-03-01

To assess perceived motor competence, social competence, self-worth, health-related quality of life, and actual motor performancein 8-year-old survivors of neonatal extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). In a prospective nationwide study, 135 children completed the extended version of the "athletic competence" domain of the Self Perception Profile for Children (SPPC) called the m-CBSK (Motor supplement of the Competentie BelevingsSchaal voor Kinderen) to assess perceived motor competence, the SPPC, and the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL), andwere tested with the Movement Assessment Battery for Children. SD scores (SDS) were used to compare with the norm. The mean (SD) SDS for perceived motor competence, social competence, and self-worth were all significantly higher than the norm: 0.18 (0.94), P = .03; 0.35 (1.03), P < .001; and 0.32 (1.08), P < .001, respectively. The total PedsQL score was significantly below the norm: mean (SD) SDS: -1.26 (1.53), P < .001. Twenty-two percent of children had actual motor problems. The SDS m-CBSK and actual motor performance did not correlate (r = 0.12; P = .17). The SDS m-CBSK significantly correlated with the athletic competence domain of the SPPC (r = 0.63; P < .001). Eight-year-old ECMO survivors feel satisfied with their motor- and social competence, despite impaired PedsQL scores and motor problems. Because motor problems in ECMO survivorsdeteriorate throughout childhood, clinicians should be aware that these patients may tend to "overrate" their actual motor performance. Education andstrict monitoring of actual motor performanceare important to enable timelyintervention. Copyright © 2016 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

The Design and its Verification of the Double Rotor Double Cage Induction Motor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sinha, Sumita; Deb, Nirmal K.; Biswas, Sujit K.

2017-02-01

The concept of a double rotor motor presented earlier and its equivalent circuit has been developed, showing a non-linear parameter content. The two rotors (which are recommended to be double cage type for development of high starting torque) can run with equal or unequal speed independently, depending on their individual loading. This paper presents the elaborate design procedure, step-by-step, for the double rotor double cage motor and verifies the designed data with that obtained from three separate tests (compared to two for conventional motor) on a prototype, such that optimum performance can be obtained from the motor.

The Use of Cognitive Cues for Anticipatory Strategies in a Dynamic Postural Control Task - Validation of a Novel Approach to Dual-Task Testing.

PubMed

Laessoe, Uffe; Grarup, Bo; Bangshaab, Jette

2016-01-01

Dual-task testing is relevant in the assessment of postural control. A combination of a primary (motor) and a secondary (distracting cognitive) tasks is most often used. It remains a challenge however, to standardize and monitor the cognitive task. In this study a new dual-task testing approach with a facilitating, rather than distracting, cognitive component was evaluated. Thirty-one community-dwelling elderly and fifteen young people were tested with respect to their ability to use anticipatory postural control strategies. The motor task consisted of twenty-five repetitive tasks in which the participants needed to exceed their limit of stability in order to touch one out of eight lights. The participants performed three tests. In two of the tests the color cues of the lights allowed the participants to utilize cognitive strategies to plan their next movement and improve their performance time. The young performed the baseline motor task test in an average of 29 seconds, while the average time for the elderly was 44 seconds. When comparing the performance time with a leading cue to the time with no cue, the young group improved their performance time significantly better than the elderly did: young: 17% (5), elderly: 5% (8); p<0.001. Similar differences were seen with a more complicated leading cue: young: 12% (5), elderly: 4% (9); p<0.01. The reliability of the test showed moderate to substantial agreement (ICC = 0.74), with a small learning effect between two sessions. The dual-task test was sensitive enough to discriminate between elderly and young people. It revealed that the elderly did not utilize cognitive cues for their anticipatory postural control strategies as well as the young were able to. The test procedure was feasible and comprehensible for the participants, and it may be relevant to standardize a similar test for an alternative dual-task approach in the clinical setting.

Baseline tests of the Kordesh hybrid passenger vehicle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Soltis, R. F.; Bozek, J. M.; Denington, R. J.; Dustin, M. O.

1978-01-01

Performance test results are presented for a four-passenger Austin A40 sedan that was converted to a heat-engine-alternator-and battery-powered hybrid. It is propelled by a conventional, gasoline-fueled, heat-engine-driven alternator and a traction pack powering a series-wound, 10 hp direct-current electric drive motor. The 16 hp gasoline engine drives the 7 kilowatt alternator, which provides electrical power to the drive motor or to the 96 volt traction battery through a rectifier. The propulsion battery consists of eight 12 volt batteries connected in series. The electric motor is coupled to a four-speed standard transmission, which drives the rear wheels. Power to the motor is controlled by a three-step foot throttle, which actuates relays that control armature current and field excitation. Conventional hydraulic brakes are used.

Motor cortex synchronization influences the rhythm of motor performance in premanifest huntington's disease.

PubMed

Casula, Elias P; Mayer, Isabella M S; Desikan, Mahalekshmi; Tabrizi, Sarah J; Rothwell, John C; Orth, Michael

2018-03-01

In Huntington's disease there is evidence of structural damage in the motor system, but it is still unclear how to link this to the behavioral disorder of movement. One feature of choreic movement is variable timing and coordination between sequences of actions. We postulate this results from desynchronization of neural activity in cortical motor areas. The objective of this study was to explore the ability to synchronize activity in a motor network using transcranial magnetic stimulation and to relate this to timing of motor performance. We examined synchronization in oscillatory activity of cortical motor areas in response to an external input produced by a pulse of transcranial magnetic stimulation. We combined this with EEG to compare the response of 16 presymptomatic Huntington's disease participants with 16 age-matched healthy volunteers to test whether the strength of synchronization relates to the variability of motor performance at the following 2 tasks: a grip force task and a speeded-tapping task. Phase synchronization in response to M1 stimulation was lower in Huntington's disease than healthy volunteers (P < .01), resulting in a reduced cortical activity at global (P < .02) and local levels (P < .01). Participants who showed better timed motor performance also showed stronger oscillatory synchronization (r = -0.356; P < .05) and higher cortical activity (r = -0.393; P < .05). Our data may model the ability of the motor command to respond to more subtle, physiological inputs from other brain areas. This novel insight indicates that impairments of the timing accuracy of synchronization and desynchronization could be a physiological basis for some key clinical features of Huntington's disease. © 2018 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society. © 2018 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Using dual tasks to test immediate transfer of training between naturalistic movements: A proof-of-principle study

PubMed Central

Schaefer, Sydney Y.; Lang, Catherine E.

2012-01-01

Theories of motor learning predict that training a movement reduces the amount of attention needed for its performance (i.e. more automatic). If training one movement transfers, then the amount of attention needed for performing a second movement should also be reduced, as measured under dual task conditions. The purpose of this study was to test whether dual task paradigms are feasible for detecting transfer of training between two naturalistic movements. Immediately following motor training, subjects improved performance of a second untrained movement under both single and dual task conditions. Subjects with no training did not. Improved performance in the untrained movement was likely due to transfer, and suggests that dual tasks may be feasible for detecting transfer between naturalistic actions. PMID:22934682

Cognitive Performances Are Selectively Enhanced during Chronic Caloric Restriction or Resveratrol Supplementation in a Primate

PubMed Central

Marchal, Julia; Picq, Jean-Luc; Aujard, Fabienne

2011-01-01

Effects of an 18-month treatment with a moderate, chronic caloric restriction (CR) or an oral supplementation with resveratrol (RSV), a potential CR mimetic, on cognitive and motor performances were studied in non-human primates, grey mouse lemurs (Microcebus murinus). Thirty-three adult male mouse lemurs were assigned to three different groups: a control (CTL) group fed ad libitum, a CR group fed 70% of the CTL caloric intake, and an RSV group (RSV supplementation of 200 mg.kg−1.day−1) fed ad libitum. Three different cognitive tests, two motor tests, one emotional test and an analysis of cortisol level were performed in each group. Compared to CTL animals, CR or RSV animals did not show any change in motor performances evaluated by rotarod and jump tests, but an increase in spontaneous locomotor activity was observed in both groups. Working memory was improved by both treatments in the spontaneous alternation task. Despite a trend for CR group, only RSV supplementation increased spatial memory performances in the circular platform task. Finally, none of these treatments induced additional stress to the animals as reflected by similar results in the open field test and cortisol analyses compared to CTL animals. The present data provided the earliest evidence for a beneficial effect of CR or RSV supplementation on specific cognitive functions in a primate. Taken together, these results suggest that RSV could be a good candidate to mimic long-term CR effects and support the growing evidences that nutritional interventions can have beneficial effects on brain functions even in adults. PMID:21304942

Is generic physical activity or specific exercise associated with motor abilities?

PubMed

Rinne, Marjo; Pasanen, Matti; Miilunpalo, Seppo; Mälkiä, Esko

2010-09-01

Evidence of the effect of leisure time physical activity (LTPA) modes on the motor abilities of a mature population is scarce. The purpose of this study was to compare the motor abilities of physically active and inactive men and women and to examine the associations of different exercise modes and former and recent LTPA (R-LTPA) with motor ability and various physical tests. The LTPA of the participants (men n = 69, women n = 79; aged 41-47 yr) was ascertained by a modified Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire, including questions on the frequency, duration, and intensity of R-LTPA and former LTPA and on exercise modes. Motor abilities in terms of balance, agility, and coordination were assessed with a battery of nine tests supplemented with five physical fitness tests. Multiple statistical methods were used in analyses that were conducted separately for men and women. The MET-hours per week of R-LTPA correlated statistically significantly with the tests of agility and static balance (rs = -0.28, P = 0.022; rs = -0.25, P = 0.043, respectively) among men and with the static balance (rs = 0.41), 2-km walking (rs = 0.36), step squat (rs = 0.36) (P < or = 0.001, respectively), and static back endurance (rs = 0.25, P = 0.024) among women. In the stepwise regression among men, the most frequent statistically significant predictor was the playing of several games. For women, a history of LTPA for more than 3 yr was the strongest predictor for good results in almost all tests. Participants with long-term and regular LTPA had better motor performance, and especially a variety of games improve components of motor ability. Diverse, regular, and long-term exercise including both specific training and general activity develops both motor abilities and physical fitness.

A Longitudinal Motor Characterisation of the HdhQ111 Mouse Model of Huntington's Disease.

PubMed

Yhnell, Emma; Dunnett, Stephen B; Brooks, Simon P

2016-05-31

Huntington's disease (HD) is a rare, incurable neurodegenerative disorder caused by a CAG trinucleotide expansion with the first exon of the huntingtin gene. Numerous knock-in mouse models are currently available for modelling HD. However, before their use in scientific research, these models must be characterised to determine their face and predictive validity as models of the disease and their reliability in recapitulating HD symptoms. Manifest HD is currently diagnosed upon the onset of motor symptoms, thus we sought to longitudinally characterise the progression and severity of motor signs in the HdhQ111 knock-in mouse model of HD, in heterozygous mice. An extensive battery of motor tests including: rotarod, inverted lid test, balance beam, spontaneous locomotor activity and gait analysis were applied longitudinally to a cohort of HdhQ111 heterozygous mice in order to progressively assess motor function. A progressive failure to gain body weight was demonstrated from 11 months of age and motor problems in all measures of balance beam performance were shown in HdhQ111 heterozygous animals in comparison to wild type control animals from 9 months of age. A decreased latency to fall from the rotarod was demonstrated in HdhQ111 heterozygous animals in comparison to wild type animals, although this was not progressive with time. No genotype specific differences were demonstrated in any of the other motor tests included in the test battery. The HdhQ111 heterozygous mouse demonstrates a subtle and progressive motor phenotype that begins at 9 months of age. This mouse model represents an early disease stage and would be ideal for testing therapeutic strategies that require elongated lead-in times, such as viral gene therapies or striatal transplantation.

Inertial piezoelectric linear motor driven by a single-phase harmonic wave with automatic clamping mechanism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Liangguo; Chu, Yuheng; Hao, Sai; Zhao, Xiaoyong; Dong, Yuge; Wang, Yong

2018-05-01

A novel, single-phase, harmonic-driven, inertial piezoelectric linear motor using an automatic clamping mechanism was designed, fabricated, and tested to reduce the sliding friction and simplify the drive mechanism and power supply control of the inertial motor. A piezoelectric bimorph and a flexible hinge were connected in series to form the automatic clamping mechanism. The automatic clamping mechanism was used as the driving and clamping elements. A dynamic simulation by Simulink was performed to prove the feasibility of the motor. The finite element method software COMSOL was used to design the structure of the motor. An experimental setup was built to validate the working principle and evaluate the performance of the motor. The prototype motor outputted a no-load velocity of 3.178 mm/s at a voltage of 220 Vp-p and a maximum traction force of 4.25 N under a preload force of 8 N. The minimum resolution of 1.14 μm was achieved at a driving frequency of 74 Hz, a driving voltage of 50 Vp-p, and a preload force of 0 N.

Recycling of electrical motors by automatic disassembly

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karlsson, Björn; Järrhed, Jan-Ove

2000-04-01

This paper presents a robotized workstation for end-of-life treatment of electrical motors with an electrical effect of about 1 kW. These motors can, for example, be found in washing machines and in industry. There are two main steps in the work. The first step is an inspection whereby the functionality of the motor is checked and classification either for re-use or for disassembly is done. In the second step the motors classified for disassembly are disassembled in a robotized automatic station. In the initial step measurements are performed during a start-up sequence of about 1 s. By measuring the rotation speed and the current and voltage of the three phases of the motor classification for either reuse or disassembly can be done. During the disassembly work, vision data are fused in order to classify the motors according to their type. The vision system also feeds the control system of the robot with various object co-ordinates, to facilitate correct operation of the robot. Finally, tests with a vision system and eddy-current equipment are performed to decide whether all copper has been removed from the stator.

Linear ultrasonic motor for absolute gravimeter.

PubMed

Jian, Yue; Yao, Zhiyuan; Silberschmidt, Vadim V

2017-05-01

Thanks to their compactness and suitability for vacuum applications, linear ultrasonic motors are considered as substitutes for classical electromagnetic motors as driving elements in absolute gravimeters. Still, their application is prevented by relatively low power output. To overcome this limitation and provide better stability, a V-type linear ultrasonic motor with a new clamping method is proposed for a gravimeter. In this paper, a mechanical model of stators with flexible clamping components is suggested, according to a design criterion for clamps of linear ultrasonic motors. After that, an effect of tangential and normal rigidity of the clamping components on mechanical output is studied. It is followed by discussion of a new clamping method with sufficient tangential rigidity and a capability to facilitate pre-load. Additionally, a prototype of the motor with the proposed clamping method was fabricated and the performance tests in vertical direction were implemented. Experimental results show that the suggested motor has structural stability and high dynamic performance, such as no-load speed of 1.4m/s and maximal thrust of 43N, meeting the requirements for absolute gravimeters. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Skill transfer from symmetric and asymmetric bimanual training using a robotic system to single limb performance

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Humans are capable of fast adaptation to new unknown dynamics that affect their movements. Such motor learning is also believed to be an important part of motor rehabilitation. Bimanual training can improve post-stroke rehabilitation outcome and is associated with interlimb coordination between both limbs. Some studies indicate partial transfer of skills among limbs of healthy individuals. Another aspect of bimanual training is the (a)symmetry of bimanual movements and how these affect motor learning and possibly post-stroke rehabilitation. Methods A novel bimanual 2-DOF robotic system was used for both bimanual and unimanual reaching movements. 35 young healthy adults participated in the study. They were divided into 5 test groups that performed movements under different conditions (bimanual or unimanual movements and symmetric or asymmetric bimanual arm loads). The subjects performed a simple tracking exercise with the bimanual system. The exercise was developed to stimulate motor learning by applying a velocity-dependent disturbance torque to the handlebar. Each subject performed 255 trials divided into three phases: baseline without disturbance torque, training phase with disturbance torque and evaluation phase with disturbance torque. Results Performance was assessed with the maximal values of rotation errors of the handlebar. After exposure to disturbance torque, the errors decreased for both unimanual and bimanual training. Errors in unimanual evaluation following the bimanual training phase were not significantly different from errors in unimanual evaluation following unimanual training. There was no difference in performance following symmetric or asymmetric training. Changing the arm force symmetry during bimanual movements from asymmetric to symmetric had little influence on performance. Conclusions Subjects could adapt to an unknown disturbance torque that was changing the dynamics of the movements. The learning effect was present during both unimanual and bimanual training. Transfer of learned skills from bimanual training to unimanual movements was also observed, as bimanual training also improved single limb performance with the dominant arm. Changes of force symmetry did not have an effect on motor learning. As motor learning is believed to be an important mechanism of rehabilitation, our findings could be tested for future post-stroke rehabilitation systems. PMID:22805223

Effectiveness of motor practice in lucid dreams: a comparison with physical and mental practice.

PubMed

Stumbrys, Tadas; Erlacher, Daniel; Schredl, Michael

2016-01-01

Motor practice in lucid dreams is a form of mental rehearsal where the dreamer can consciously rehearse motor skills in the dream state while being physically asleep. A previous pilot study showed that practice in lucid dreams can improve subsequent performance. This study aimed to replicate those findings with a different task (finger-tapping) and compare the effectiveness of lucid dream practice (LDP) not only to physical but also to mental practice (MP) in wakefulness. An online experiment was completed by 68 participants within four groups: LDP group, MP group, physical practice (PP) group and control (no practice) group. Pre-test was accomplished in the evening, post-test in the next morning, while the practice was done during the night. All three practice groups significantly improved their performance from pre-test to post-test, but no significant improvements were observed for the control group. Subjective sleep quality was not affected by night practice. This study thus corroborates the previous findings that practice in lucid dreams is effective in improving performance. Its effects seem to be similar to actual PP and MP in wakefulness. Future studies should establish reliable techniques for lucid dream induction and verify the effects of LDP in sleep laboratory conditions.

Development of a menu of performance tests self-administered on a portable microcomputer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilkes, Robert L.; Kuntz, Lois-Ann; Kennedy, Robert S.

1987-01-01

Eighteen cognitive, motor, and information processing performance subtests were screened for self-administration over 10 trials by 16 subjects. When altered presentation forms of the same test were collectively considered, the battery composition was reduced to 10 distinctly different measures. A fully automated microbased testing system was employed in presenting the battery of subtests. Successful self-administration of the battery provided for the field testing of the automated system and facilitated convenient data collection. Total test administration time was 47.2 minutes for each session. Results indicated that nine of the tests stabilized, but for a short battery of tests only five are recommended for use in repeated-measures research. The five recommended tests include: the Tapping series, Number Comparison, Short-term Memory, Grammatical Reasoning, and 4-Choice Reaction Time. These tests can be expected to reveal three factors: (1) cognition, (2) processing quickness, and (3) motor. All the tests stabilized in 24 minutes, or approximately two 12-minute sessions.

High-efficiency induction motor drives using type-2 fuzzy logic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khemis, A.; Benlaloui, I.; Drid, S.; Chrifi-Alaoui, L.; Khamari, D.; Menacer, A.

2018-03-01

In this work we propose to develop an algorithm for improving the efficiency of an induction motor using type-2 fuzzy logic. Vector control is used to control this motor due to the high performances of this strategy. The type-2 fuzzy logic regulators are developed to obtain the optimal rotor flux for each torque load by minimizing the copper losses. We have compared the performances of our fuzzy type-2 algorithm with the type-1 fuzzy one proposed in the literature. The proposed algorithm is tested with success on the dSPACE DS1104 system even if there is parameters variance.

Cold startup and low temperature performance of the Brayton cycle electrical subsystem

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vrancik, J. E.; Bainbridge, R. C.

1971-01-01

Cold performance tests and startup tests were conducted on the Brayton-cycle inverter, motor-driven pump, dc supply, speed control with parasitic load resistor and the Brayton control system. These tests were performed with the components in a vacuum and mounted on coldplates. A temperature range of ?25 to -50 C was used for the tests. No failures occurred, and component performance gave no indication that there would be any problem with the safe operation of the Brayton power generating system.