The impact of demagnetization on the feasibility of permanent magnet synchronous motors in industry applications

Permanent magnet (PM) motors are rapidly replacing the dominant induction motors in industrial applications including pumps, fans, and compressors. PM motors are also gaining ground in critical sustainable energy applications such as wind systems, photovoltaic pumping systems and electric vehicles. Compared to induction motors, PM have higher efficiency. In this paper, the financial feasibility of replacing induction motors by PM motors at various operating conditions was analyzed on a preliminary basis. The impact of partial demagnetization and full loss of excitation on the feasibility of the replacement was also preliminarily investigated. It is found that the feasibility of replacement was less sensitive to reduction in the life time of PM motors than reduction in efficiency due to partial demagnetization. While detailed and lengthy studies are planned in the future, investigation outcomes suggest that the replacement remains feasible despite risks of demagnetization when utilization rates are above 50%. Details of the investigation are reported in the paper.

The Impact of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) and its Lockdown Measures on the Mental and Functional Health of Older Individuals

The effect of the COVID-19 on the physical and mental health of Italian older individuals displaying signs of cognitive deterioration has not been deeply investigated. This longitudinal study examined the impact of COVID-19 lockdown measures on the psychological well-being and motor efficiency of a sample of Italian community-dwellers with and without cognitive decline. Forty-seven participants underwent instrumental gait analysis performed in ecological setting using wearable sensors, and completed a battery of tasks assessing cognitive functioning and psychological well-being, before and after the full lockdown due to the COVID-19 spreading. A series of Multivariate Analyses of Variance (MANOVAs) documented that the superior gait performance of the cognitively healthy participants exhibited before the COVID-19 spread, vanished when they were tested at the end of the lockdown period. Moreover, before the outbreak of the COVID-19, cognitively healthy participants and those with signs of cognitive decline reported similar levels of psychological well-being, whereas, after the lockdown, the former group reported better coping, emotional competencies, and general well-being than the participants displaying signs of cognitive decline. In conclusion, the full COVID-19 outbreak had a significant impact on the mental and motor functioning of older individuals with and without signs of cognitive deterioration living in Italy.

Is Cognitive Reserve a Determinant of Functional and Mental Health in Older People of the Sardinian Blue Zone? A Mediational Approach

The main purpose of this study was to examine the mediating role of cognitive reserve in the relationship between functional health (expressed through the amount and intensity of performed physical activity objectively assessed using wearable accelerometers) and psychological well-being (i.e., assessed in terms of self-reported depressive signs) of older people living in an area of exceptional longevity, the so-called Sardinian Blue Zone. A further goal was to investigate the impact of gender on the cognitive reserve and physical health of our participants, using global cognitive functioning as a covariate. A battery of tests assessing motor efficiency, cognitive reserve, global cognitive functioning, and self-reported depressive symptoms was individually presented to 120 community dwellers (Mage = 82 years, SD = 8.4 years) of the Sardinian Blue Zone. Significant associations were found between cognitive reserve, motor efficiency, and self-reported depressive signs. Moreover, three mediation analyses documented that distinct indexes of cognitive reserve and motor efficiency explain 27.2-31% of the variance in the self-reported depression condition. Following this, it was also found that people with scarce cognitive reserve tended to exhibit significant signs of depression and showed worse motor abilities. In addition, after controlling for the effect of global cognitive functioning, motor efficiency, and cognitive reserve were generally more preserved in males than in females. Overall, these findings suggest that cognitive reserve is a compensatory resource that contributes significantly to the enhancement of health-related quality of life in the last decades of life.

Women have the power: When motor efficiency makes the difference in older individuals of the sardinian blue zone

This study was mainly aimed at exploring the effect of gender on the patterns of Physical Activty (PA) in older people living in an area of exceptional longevity, the so-called Sardinian Blue Zone. Furthermore, the study intended to investigate the nature of the relationships among PA metrics, cognitive measures, and age. One hundred and nine community-dwelling participants (Mage = 81.7 years old, SD = 8.1 years) completed a battery of cognitive tests (i.e., Mini-Mental State Examination and Trail Making Test) and were provided a wearable accelerometer to collect data for 7 consecutive days about amount and intensity of the performed PA on a daily basis. A series of Analyses of Covariance was conducted to examine the impact of gender on PA variables, whereas the global cognitive functioning measure was used as a covariate. Thus, it was found that women outperformed men in terms of a more active lifestyle, as indicated by the significantly reduced sedentary behavior and increased percentage of time spent in PA of moderate to vigorous intensity (MVPA). Moreover, significant associations were found among age, PA, and cognitive measures. Finally, global cognitive functioning was significantly associated with MVPA and overall accelerometric counts, as well as significant relationships were found between time spent in sedentary behavior and MVPA, accelerometric counts, speed of processing, and cognitive flexibility, respectively. Overall, these outcomes suggest that older individuals, especially women, exhibiting more preserved cognitive efficiency also reported superior levels of PA. Therefore, the promotion of a more active lifestyle is essential to achieve better functional and cognitive health in late adulthood.