Visual processing of optic flow and motor control in the human posterior cingulate sulcus

Previous studies have shown that the human posterior cingulate contains a visual processing area selective for optic flow (CSv). However, other studies performed in both humans and monkeys have identified a somatotopic motor region at the same location (CMA). Taken together, these findings suggested the possibility that the posterior cingulate contains a single visuomotor integration region. To test this idea we used fMRI to identify both visual and motor areas of the posterior cingulate in the same brains and to test the activity of those regions during a visuomotor task. Results indicated that rather than a single visuomotor region the posterior cingulate contains adjacent but separate motor and visual regions. CSv lies in the fundus of the cingulate sulcus, while CMA lies in the dorsal bank of the sulcus, slightly superior in terms of stereotaxic coordinates. A surprising and novel finding was that activity in CSv was suppressed during the visuomotor task, despite the visual stimulus being identical to that used to localize the region. This may provide an important clue to the specific role played by this region in the utilization of optic flow to control self-motion.

MiR-375 is essential for human spinal motor neuron development and may be involved in motor neuron degeneration

The transcription factor REST is a key suppressor of neuronal genes in non-neuronal tissues. REST has been shown to suppress pro-neuronal microRNAs in neural progenitors indicating that REST-mediated neurogenic suppression may act in part via microRNAs. We used neural differentiation of Rest-null mouse ESC to identify dozens of microRNAs regulated by REST during neural development. One of the identified microRNAs, miR-375, was upregulated during human spinal motor neuron development. We found that miR-375 facilitates spinal motor neurogenesis by targeting the cyclin kinase CCND2 and the transcription factor PAX6. Additionally, miR-375 inhibits the tumor suppressor p53 and protects neurons from apoptosis in response to DNA damage. Interestingly, motor neurons derived from a spinal muscular atrophy patient displayed depressed miR-375 expression and elevated p53 protein levels. Importantly, SMA motor neurons were significantly more susceptible to DNA damage induced apoptosis suggesting that miR-375 may play a protective role in motor neurons.

Multi-sensory treatment for children with developmental motor speech disorders

What this paper adds? What is already known on the subject? Multi-sensory treatment approaches have been shown to impact outcome measures positively, such as accuracy of speech movement patterns and speech intelligibility in adults with motor speech disorders, as well as in children with apraxia of speech, autism and cerebral palsy. However, there has been no empirical study using multi-sensory treatment for children with speech sound disorders (SSDs) who demonstrate motor control issues in the jaw and orofacial structures (e.g. jaw sliding, jaw over extension, inadequate lip rounding/retraction and decreased integration of speech movements). What this paper adds? Findings from this study indicate that, for speech production disorders where both the planning and production of spatiotemporal parameters of movement sequences for speech are disrupted, multi-sensory treatment programmes that integrate auditory, visual and tactile–kinesthetic information improve auditory and visual accuracy of speech production. The training (practised in treatment) and test words (not practised in treatment) both demonstrated positive change in most participants, indicating generalization of target features to untrained words. It is inferred that treatment that focuses on integrating multi-sensory information and normalizing parameters of speech movements is an effective method for treating children with SSDs who demonstrate speech motor control issues.

A simplified method for determining the high frequency induction motor equivalent electrical circuit parameters to be used in EMI effect

The aim of this paper is to present a simple method for determining the high frequency parameters of a three-phase induction motor to be used in studies involving variable speed drives with PWM three-phase inverters, in which it is necessary to check the effects caused to the motor by the electromagnetic interference, (EMI) in the differential mode, as well as in the common mode. The motor parameters determination is generally performed in adequate laboratories using accurate instruments, such as very expensive RLC bridges. The method proposed here consists in the identification of the motor equivalent electrical circuit parameters in rated frequency and in high frequency through characteristic tests in the laboratory, together with the use of characteristic equations and curves, shown in the references to be mentioned for determining the motor high frequency parasite capacitances and also through system simulations using dedicated software, like Pspice, determining the characteristic waveforms involved in the differential and common mode phenomena, comparing and validating the procedure through published papers [01].

AC-DC three-phase multipulse converter with boost DC-DC stage and constant hysteresis control

This work proposes a new three-phase multipulse rectifier based on the delta autotransformer connection with DC-DC Boost stages and constant hysteresis control which has the objective of providing a reliable DC bus for on-board applications, electric motor drives and similars, always considering power quality issues. Thus, the proposal presents 0.99 power factor, 6% harmonic distortions in the currents from the mains and enhanced magnetic core utilization, which results in low weight and volume for the overall converter. The proposed control technique uses the simple constant hysteresis concept, thus leading to a low-cost but effective and reliable strategy. © 2011 IEEE.

Caracterização do pescador e da frota pesqueira comercial de Manoel Urbano e Sena Madureira (AC) e Boca do Acre (AM)

Vários estudos sobre o setor pesqueiro têm sido feitos na região amazônica, entretanto, a maior parte se concentra em regiões próximas à calha do rio do Amazonas e sua foz. Este trabalho foi voltado para caracterização da pesca no rio Purus, frota pesqueira comercial e do pescador em três municípios pesquisados nas margens desse rio, estimando, assim, a produção e a renda da frota pesqueira naquela região. Os resultados mostram que em Manoel Urbano (AC) predomina a pesca de lagos, enquanto que Sena Madureira (AC) os ambientes de pesca são mais diversificados, com registros de pesca em lagos, rios e igarapés. Em Boca do Acre (AM) prevalece a pesca no rio Purus, principalmente na área dos municípios de Pauiní e Lábrea. Quanto ao tipo de embarcação utilizada, em Manoel Urbano a pesca é praticada somente em canoas, sendo que um pequeno percentual corresponde a canoas sem motor, enquanto que em Sena Madureira a maioria dos pescadores pesca de canoas e alguns utilizam barco motor; já em Boca do Acre a pesca é praticada basicamente de barcos, sendo menor o número de canoas motorizadas. Em relação aos custos da viagem, a análise mostrou que os custos variáveis representam 63% da receita dos pescadores de canoa e 76% da receita total dos barcos de pesca. A análise também mostra que pescadores de canoa motorizada apresentaram maior capacidade produtiva por unidade de esforço em relação aos pescadores de barcos.

Projeto de controladores robustos para acionamento de um motor de indução trifásico

Pós-graduação em Engenharia Elétrica - FEIS

Adaptive control of sinusoidal brushless DC motor actuators

Electrical Power Assisted Steering system (EPAS) will likely be used on future automotive power steering systems. The sinusoidal brushless DC (BLDC) motor has been identified as one of the most suitable actuators for the EPAS application. Motor characteristic variations, which can be indicated by variations of the motor parameters such as the coil resistance and the torque constant, directly impart inaccuracies in the control scheme based on the nominal values of parameters and thus the whole system performance suffers. The motor controller must address the time-varying motor characteristics problem and maintain the performance in its long service life. In this dissertation, four adaptive control algorithms for brushless DC (BLDC) motors are explored. The first algorithm engages a simplified inverse dq-coordinate dynamics controller and solves for the parameter errors with the q-axis current (iq) feedback from several past sampling steps. The controller parameter values are updated by slow integration of the parameter errors. Improvement such as dynamic approximation, speed approximation and Gram-Schmidt orthonormalization are discussed for better estimation performance. The second algorithm is proposed to use both the d-axis current (id) and the q-axis current (iq) feedback for parameter estimation since id always accompanies iq. Stochastic conditions for unbiased estimation are shown through Monte Carlo simulations. Study of the first two adaptive algorithms indicates that the parameter estimation performance can be achieved by using more history data. The Extended Kalman Filter (EKF), a representative recursive estimation algorithm, is then investigated for the BLDC motor application. Simulation results validated the superior estimation performance with the EKF. However, the computation complexity and stability may be barriers for practical implementation of the EKF. The fourth algorithm is a model reference adaptive control (MRAC) that utilizes the desired motor characteristics as a reference model. Its stability is guaranteed by Lyapunov’s direct method. Simulation shows superior performance in terms of the convergence speed and current tracking. These algorithms are compared in closed loop simulation with an EPAS model and a motor speed control application. The MRAC is identified as the most promising candidate controller because of its combination of superior performance and low computational complexity. A BLDC motor controller developed with the dq-coordinate model cannot be implemented without several supplemental functions such as the coordinate transformation and a DC-to-AC current encoding scheme. A quasi-physical BLDC motor model is developed to study the practical implementation issues of the dq-coordinate control strategy, such as the initialization and rotor angle transducer resolution. This model can also be beneficial during first stage development in automotive BLDC motor applications.

Personalisation of intelligent homecare services adapted to children with motor impairments

Ambient Intelligence could support innovative application domains like motor impairments' detection at the home environment. This research aims to prevent neurodevelopmental disorders through the natural interaction of the children with embedded intelligence daily life objects, like home furniture and toys. Designed system uses an interoperable platform to provide two intelligent interrelated home healthcare services: monitoring of children¿s abilities and completion of early stimulation activities. A set of sensors, which are embedded within the rooms, toys and furniture, allows private data gathering about the child's interaction with the environment. This information feeds a reasoning subsystem, which encloses an ontology of neurodevelopment items, and adapts the service to the age and acquisition of expected abilities. Next, the platform proposes customized stimulation services by taking advantage of the existing facilities at the child's environment. The result integrates Embedded Sensor Systems for Health at Mälardalen University with UPM Smart Home, for adapted services delivery.

Operator and organizational maintenance manual : generator set, diesel engine, precise power, 100 kw, AC, 120/208V, 240/416V, 3 phase, 60 cycle, at 1800 rpm, 83.3 kw, 120/208V, 240/416V, 3 phase, 50 cycle at 1500 rpm, skid mounted ....

"April 1961."

Field and depot maintenance manual : generator set, diesel engine precise power; 100 KW, AC, 120/208 V, 240/416 V, 3 phase, 60 cycle at 1800 RPM, 83.3 KW, 120/208 V 240/416 V, 3 phase, 50 cycle at 1500 RPM; skid mounted (Detroit Diesel Divn. General Motors Corp. model 6910A) FSN 6115-798-3444.

Includes index.

Organizational maintenance repair parts and special tools lists : generator set, diesel engine, 45 KW, AC, 120/208V, 240/416V, 3 phase, 400 HZ, skid mounted (Stewart and Stevenson model 52300), NSN 6115-00-475-6573.

Includes index.

Direct support and general support maintenance repair parts and special tools list (including depot maintenance repair parts) : generator set, self-powered, diesel engine driven, 30 KW. AC, 3-phase, 120/208V, 240/416V, 60 hertz, convertible to 25 KW, 50 hertz, skid mounted (Military Design model SF-30-MD/CIED), NSN 6115-00-935-5111.

"April 1978."

Operator, organizational, DS, and GS maintenance manual : generator set, diesel engine driven, liquid cooled, AC, 100 KW, 120 208, 240 416 volt, 3 phase, 4 wire, 50 60 HZ, skid mtd (Jeta power model D8001M) FSN 6115-156-4342).

"July 1970."