Recent Tests of the Equilibrium-Point Hypothesis (λ Model)

Motor Control ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 189-205 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anatol G. Feldman ◽  
David J. Ostry ◽  
Mindy F. Levin ◽  
Paul L. Gribble ◽  
Arnold B. Mitnitski

The λ model of the equihbrium-point hypothesis (Feldman & Levin, 1995) is an approach to motor control which, like physics, is based on a logical system coordinating empirical data. The model has gone through an interesting period. On one hand, several nontrivial predictions of the model have been successfully verified in recent studies. In addition, the explanatory and predictive capacity of the model has been enhanced by its extension to multimuscle and multijoint systems. On the other hand, claims have recently appeared suggesting that the model should be abandoned. The present paper focuses on these claims and concludes that they are unfounded. Much of the experimental data that have been used to reject the model are actually consistent with it.

Behaviour ◽  
1994 ◽  
Vol 130 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 229-252 ◽  
Author(s):  
Irenaeus J.A. Te Boekhorst ◽  
Paulien Hogeweg

AbstractChimpanzees live in societies that are characterised both by disorder and order. On the one hand, party size fluctuates in a randomlike fashion and party membership is unpredictable ; on the other hand, fundamental party structures are apparent; males are often in all-male parties whereas females remain mostly solitary. The customary sociobiological explanation is based on the assumptions that 1) competition for food favors solitariness (especially in females); 2) chimpanzee males share the costs of territorial defense against rivals from neighbouring communities and 3) genetical relatedness among males within a community compensates for fitness losses due to their competition for food and females. We point to some theoretical flaws in the reasoning that forms the basis of the current neo-Darwinistic model and to the lack of empirical data concerning male relatedness. Most importantly, chimpanzee-like party structures emerge by self-organisation in an artificial "world" in which "CHIMPs" do nothing more than searching for food and mates, without requiring any of the assumptions of the sociobiological model.


2018 ◽  
Vol 120 (2) ◽  
pp. 729-740 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth J. Woytowicz ◽  
Kelly P. Westlake ◽  
Jill Whitall ◽  
Robert L. Sainburg

Two contrasting views of handedness can be described as 1) complementary dominance, in which each hemisphere is specialized for different aspects of motor control, and 2) global dominance, in which the hemisphere contralateral to the dominant arm is specialized for all aspects of motor control. The present study sought to determine which motor lateralization hypothesis best predicts motor performance during common bilateral task of stabilizing an object (e.g., bread) with one hand while applying forces to the object (e.g., slicing) using the other hand. We designed an experimental equivalent of this task, performed in a virtual environment with the unseen arms supported by frictionless air-sleds. The hands were connected by a spring, and the task was to maintain the position of one hand while moving the other hand to a target. Thus the reaching hand was required to take account of the spring load to make smooth and accurate trajectories, while the stabilizer hand was required to impede the spring load to keep a constant position. Right-handed subjects performed two task sessions (right-hand reach and left-hand stabilize; left-hand reach and right-hand stabilize) with the order of the sessions counterbalanced between groups. Our results indicate a hand by task-component interaction such that the right hand showed straighter reaching performance whereas the left hand showed more stable holding performance. These findings provide support for the complementary dominance hypothesis and suggest that the specializations of each cerebral hemisphere for impedance and dynamic control mechanisms are expressed during bilateral interactive tasks. NEW & NOTEWORTHY We provide evidence for interlimb differences in bilateral coordination of reaching and stabilizing functions, demonstrating an advantage for the dominant and nondominant arms for distinct features of control. These results provide the first evidence for complementary specializations of each limb-hemisphere system for different aspects of control within the context of a complementary bilateral task.


1903 ◽  
Vol 3 (9-10) ◽  
pp. 548-549
Author(s):  
E. Board

Lung surgery is one of the youngest departments of surgical science. The basis for the development of methods of operative intervention in pulmonary diseases lies in the 1st possibility of preventing the danger of pneumothorax, which (danger) is currently so insignificant that some surgeons consider it even necessary to cause preliminary pneumothorax. On the other hand, the experimental data have shown the possibility of the loss of parts of the lung tissue and the conditions for the healing of its wounds.


2010 ◽  
Vol 2010 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yih-Sheng Huang ◽  
Sheng-Haur Yu ◽  
Yea-Ru Sheu ◽  
Kuo-Shien Huang

This experiment aims to produce a free radical while annoying the oxidizing-reducing reagent of the ammonium persulfate and the sodium bisulfite under nitrogen, then trigger copolymerization between modified-mica and chitosan to prepare a variety of copolymers. This experiment also aims to study the related properties of these copolymer materials. The experimental data shows that the copolymer has more thermal stability and better absorption of UV than chitosan. But the above physical properties will be less if the mica ratio in copolymer is more than 8%. On the other hand, the SEM photo of the microstructure also shows that the modified mica distributes homogeneously on the surface of the film of the copolymer.


2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (18) ◽  
pp. 6510
Author(s):  
Alexandre A. de Castro ◽  
Daniel A. Polisel ◽  
Bruna T. L. Pereira ◽  
Elaine F. F. da Cunha ◽  
Kamil Kuca ◽  
...  

Organophosphorus (OP) compounds are used as both chemical weapons and pesticides. However, these agents are very dangerous and toxic to humans, animals, and the environment. Thus, investigations with reactivators have been deeply developed in order to design new antidotes with better efficiency, as well as a greater spectrum of action in the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) reactivation process. With that in mind, in this work, we investigated the behavior of trimedoxime toward the Mus musculus acetylcholinesterase (MmAChE) inhibited by a range of nerve agents, such as chemical weapons. From experimental assays, reactivation percentages were obtained for the reactivation of different AChE–OP complexes. On the other hand, theoretical calculations were performed to assess the differences in interaction modes and the reactivity of trimedoxime within the AChE active site. Comparing theoretical and experimental data, it is possible to notice that the oxime, in most cases, showed better reactivation percentages at higher concentrations, with the best result for the reactivation of the AChE–VX adduct. From this work, it was revealed that the mechanistic process contributes most to the oxime efficiency than the interaction in the site. In this way, this study is important to better understand the reactivation process through trimedoxime, contributing to the proposal of novel antidotes.


1961 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 588-599 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. A. Blokh ◽  
Ch. L. Melamed

Abstract The experimental data collected on the interaction of active centers of carbon black with the rubber on the one hand and of the active centers of carbon black with the sulfur and accelerators, and also with the antioxidants, on the other hand, provide a sound basis for belief that the problem of reinforcement of rubber by active fillers in the process of vulcanization cannot be explained from the physical aspect alone. The facts indicate the considerable importance of the chemical reactions between the active groups of carbon black and the compounding ingredients in the course of vulcanization.


Author(s):  
Bin Hu ◽  
Yong Huang ◽  
Jianzhong Xu

According to the Lefebvre's model and flame volume (FV) concept, an FV model about lean blow-out (LBO) was proposed by authors in early study. On the other hand, due to the model parameter (FV) contained in FV model is obtained based on the experimental data, FV model could only be used in LBO analysis instead of prediction. In view of this, a hybrid FV model is proposed that combines the FV model with numerical simulation in the present study. The model parameters contained in the FV model are all estimated from the simulated nonreacting flows. Comparing with the experimental data for 11 combustors, the maximum and average uncertainties of hybrid FV model are ±16% and ±10%.


2008 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Latash

Evolution of Motor Control: From Reflexes and Motor Programs to the Equilibrium-Point HypothesisThis brief review analyzes the evolution of motor control theories along two lines that emphasize active (motor programs) and reactive (reflexes) features of voluntary movements. It suggests that the only contemporary hypothesis that integrates both approaches in a fruitful way is the equilibrium-point hypothesis. Physical, physiological, and behavioral foundations of the EP-hypothesis are considered as well as relations between the EP-hypothesis and the recent developments of the notion of motor synergies. The paper ends with a brief review of the criticisms of the EP-hypothesis and challenges that the hypothesis faces at this time.


2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Omer Karin ◽  
Uri Alon ◽  
Eduardo Sontag

AbstractWe recently identified a motif for dynamical compensation (DC) – a property where a system maintains the dynamics and steady-state of a regulated variable robust in the face of fluctuations in key parameters. Such parameters are therefore unidentifiable from measurements of the regulated variable at steady-state. On the other hand, since the models showing dynamical compensation are typically non-redundant, their parameters are identifiable from experimental data. We clarify this apparent discrepancy by requiring that the parameters of DC circuits be identifiable both away from steady-state and when measuring other system variables. We use this observation to provide a definition for DC in terms of parameter identifiability and discuss its relevance for the examples provided in Karin et al.


2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 91-101
Author(s):  
T.N. Soboleva ◽  

The article is devoted to the poorly studied problem of the formation of talent in the conditions of different degrees of freedom in activity and the impact on that formation of a person’s conservative and innovative semantic attitudes towards the introduction of new equipment. The main objective of the study is to describe how the conditions of different degrees of freedom in the activity are refracted with internal conditions, which are conservative and innovative semantic attitudes and various talent structures. The study was conducted on a sample of 54 qualified railway drivers using a specialized simulator which allows to simulate three degrees of freedom in the activity. The psychological analysis of the activity revealed seven abilities ensuring the implementation of the activity. Based on empirical data, the article shows that low, medium and high degrees of freedom in activity are manifested in different degrees of productivity. Conservative and innovative semantic attitudes to the introduction of new equipment do not have a significant effect on the productivity of the activity in the conditions of different degrees of freedom. Along with this, depending on the conservative and innovative semantic attitudes, different structures of talent in terms of composition and degree of integration under the conditions of different degrees of freedom in the activity are formed. On the one hand, conservative and innovative semantic attitudes act as internal determinants; on the other hand, low, medium and high degrees of freedom in the activity act as external determinants of the formation of various talent structures.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document