Increase In Reaction Time Research Articles

In situ cell-scale probing nucleation, growth and evolution of CsPbBr3 nanowires by optical absorption spectroscopy

The growth kinetics of colloidal lead halide perovskite nanomaterials are an integral part of their applications, remains poorly understood due to complex nucleation processes and lack of in situ size monitoring method. Here we demonstrated that absorption spectra can be used to observe in situ growth processes of ultrathin CsPbBr3 nanowires in solution with reference to the effective mass infinite deep square potential well model. By means of this method, we have found that the ultrathin nanowires, fabricated by hot injection method, were firstly formed within one minute. Subsequently, they merge with each other into a thicker structure with increasing reaction time. We revealed that the nucleation, growth, and merging of the CsPbBr3 nanowires are determined by the acid concentration and ligand chain length. At lower acidity, the critical nucleation size of the nanowire is smaller, while the shorter the ligand chain length, the faster the merging among the nanowires. Moreover, the merging mode between nanowires changed with their nucleation size. This growth kinetics of CsPbBr3 nanowires provides a reference for optimizing the synthesis conditions to obtain the one-dimensional CsPbBr3 with desired size, thus enabling accurate control of the nanowire shape.

The anterior cingulate cortex is involved in intero-exteroceptive integration for spatial image transformation of the self-body

Spatial image transformation of the self-body is a fundamental function of visual perspective-taking. Recent research underscores the significance of intero-exteroceptive information integration to construct representations of our embodied self. This raises the intriguing hypothesis that interoceptive processing might be involved in the spatial image transformation of the self-body. To test this hypothesis, the present study used functional magnetic resonance imaging to measure brain activity during an arm laterality judgment (ALJ) task. In this task, participants were tasked with discerning whether the outstretched arm of a human figure, viewed from the front or back, was the right or left hand. The reaction times for the ALJ task proved longer when the stimulus presented orientations of 0°, 90°, and 270° relative to the upright orientation, and when the front view was presented rather than the back view. Reflecting the increased reaction time, increased brain activity was manifested in a cluster centered on the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), suggesting that the activation reflects the involvement of an embodied simulation in ALJ. Furthermore, this cluster of brain activity exhibited overlap with regions where the difference in activation between the front and back views positively correlated with the participants' interoceptive sensitivity, as assessed through the heartbeat discrimination task, within the pregenual ACC. These results suggest that the ACC plays an important role in integrating intero-exteroceptive cues to spatially transform the image of our self-body.

Relation between the effect of increasing reaction time, reaction temperature and ratio of substrate on incorporation of lauric acid into palm kernel oil

Lauric acid is a medium chain fatty acid that is composed of 12 C atoms, also found in palm kernel oil (PKO). PKO belongs to medium chain triglycerides (MCT) containing high levels of lauric acid which has health benefits. This research aims to find the relationship between the effect of increasing reaction time and reaction temperature and the mole ratio of substrate on the incorporation of lauric acid into palm kernel oil. From the research results it was revealed that increasing the reaction time up to 24 hours could increase the incorporation of lauric acid but decreased if the reaction time was increased to 40 hours. Furthermore, an increase in the reaction temperature from 44°C to 64°C increased the incorporation of lauric acid, if it was increased from 64°C to 84°C it resulted in a decrease in incorporation of lauric acid, if it was increased again to 104°C it resulted in incorporation of lauric acid -21.6%. In increasing the substrate ratio, the higher the substrate ratio (1:11), the higher the incorporation of lauric acid.

Activities of cell‐wall‐degrading enzymes produced by Pestalotiopsis guepinii

AbstractPestalotiopsis guepinii is a pathogenic fungus that causes grey blight on Camellia pitardii. In this study, we investigated the enzyme activity and kinetics of these cell‐wall‐degrading enzymes (CWDEs) produced by Pestalotiopsis guepinii in both C. pitardii leaves and culture medium. Our enzyme activity experiments revealed that the activities of xylanase, pectin methyl‐galacturonase (PMG), β‐1,4‐endoglucanase (Cx), and β‐glucosidase were high in both C. pitardii leaves and culture medium. These enzymes played a significant role in the pathogenic process. However, the activity of laccase was found to be very low and had a minor impact on the pathogenic process. Furthermore, our enzyme dynamics experiments demonstrated that the optimal reaction temperature for PMG and Cx was 50°C, while for β‐glucosidase and xylanase, it was 60°C. The optimal reaction pH for Cx, β‐glucosidase, and xylanase was 5.0, whereas for PMG, it ranged from 5.0 to 6.0. This indicates that these four enzymes prefer acidic conditions. Moreover, we observed that the activities of Cx, PMG, and xylanase decreased with increasing reaction time. On the other hand, the activity of β‐glucosidase initially increased sharply and then decreased slowly. The maximum reaction rates of the four cell‐wall‐degrading enzymes were ranked as follows: xylanase > PMG > β‐glucosidase > Cx. Additionally, the affinities of these enzymes with substrates were ranked as follows: PMG < Cx < xylanase < β‐glucosidase.

High visual salience of alert signals can lead to a counterintuitive increase of reaction times

It is often assumed that rendering an alert signal more salient yields faster responses to this alert. Yet, there might be a trade-off between attracting attention and distracting from task execution. Here we tested this in four behavioral experiments with eye-tracking using an abstract alert-signal paradigm. Participants performed a visual discrimination task (primary task) while occasional alert signals occurred in the visual periphery accompanied by a congruently lateralized tone. Participants had to respond to the alert before proceeding with the primary task. When visual salience (contrast) or auditory salience (tone intensity) of the alert were increased, participants directed their gaze to the alert more quickly. This confirms that more salient alerts attract attention more efficiently. Increasing auditory salience yielded quicker responses for the alert and primary tasks, apparently confirming faster responses altogether. However, increasing visual salience did not yield similar benefits: instead, it increased the time between fixating the alert and responding, as high-salience alerts interfered with alert-task execution. Such task interference by high-salience alert-signals counteracts their more efficient attentional guidance. The design of alert signals must be adapted to a “sweet spot” that optimizes this stimulus-dependent trade-off between maximally rapid attentional orienting and minimal task interference.

Influence of Temperature and Blending Ratio on Product Yield for Co-gasification of Torrefied Palm Kernel Shell (TPKS) and Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE)

This study investigated the product yields produced from the co-gasification of torrefied palm kernel shell (TPKS) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE). Prior co-gasification, PKS was undergo pre-treatment process at different temperature. The optimum parameter for torrefaction was found at 250 oC for 60 min reaction time with 4.89 wt.% moisture content and 10.48 wt.% fixed carbon. Thus, the result indicated that TPKS a suitable fuel feedstock for further thermal conversion. Then, TPKS and LDPE were gasified at different temperature and blending ratio for 60 min reaction time. The results showed that, Co-gasification is significantly influenced by temperature. A higher gasification temperature improves the gasification rate by increasing carbon conversion. By varying temperature from 600 to 1000 oC, the tar production dropped significantly from 49.61 to 35.03 wt.%, while the gas yield grew significantly from 25.88 to 45.94 wt.%. However, as temperature increased from 800 to 1000 oC, tar yield increased from 26.58 to 35.03 wt.%. Meanwhile, char yield decreased from 24.50 wt.% to 19.02 wt.% when the temperature from 600 to 1000 oC. For the effect of blending ratio, through blending of TPKS and LDPE, the gas and char yield increase, while tar decrease with increase torrefied TPKS ratioAdditionally, it was found that the highest gas yield with low tar and char yield was obtained from the co-gasification of TPKS and LDPE at 50:50 blending ratios produce the than another blending ratio. Therefore, based on the effect of temperature and blending ratio on product yield shows that the optimum parameter to produce maximum gas yield with minimum tar and char yield are at 50:50 (TPKS: LDPE) blending ratio at 800oC for 60 minutes reaction time. The gas analysis exhibited in increasing H2 composition when the reaction time increase for TPKS: LDPEcompared than UnPKS:LDPE.

Head rotation and the perception of eyelid height and contour

PurposeEffective visual perceptual processing is one of the many components of surgical competence. Human face identification is most efficient when viewed upright. However, it is not yet clear how this...

Sprint performance following plyometric conditioning activity in elite sprinters

Introduction: Considering the significance of the ankle joint for sprinting with the spring-like properties of the Achilles tendon, it seems that plyometric activating exercises could significantly potentiate maximum velocity sprinting. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of specific plyometric exercises engaging the ankle joint, called stiff-legged hops as a conditioning activity (CA) on countermovement jump (CMJ) and sprinting performance evaluated over a distance of 50m in elite female and male sprinters that differ in athletics level. Material and methods: Thirty-two sprinters of the Polish National Team were assigned into experimental and control (CTRL) groups, while the experimental group was further equally divided by the 50m sprint time (ELITE; S-ELITE). All participants performed pre-CA (5 min before) and post-CA (5 and 10 min after CA) CMJ and 50m sprints. The CA consists of 3 sets of 10 repetitions of stiff-legged hops, while the CTRL group did not perform any activity. Results: The stiff-legged hops had no significant effect on either CMJ or the 50 m sprint performance in both the ELITE and S-ELITE athletes. However, there was a significant increase in 20 m (p = 0.025; η2 = 0.162) and 30 m sprint time (p = 0.02; η2 = 0.172), with an increase in ground reaction time (p = 0.009; η2 = 0.211) in post-CA from pre-CA with no difference between the groups. The use of stiff-legged hops as a pre-sprint CA did not provide noticeable benefits or drawbacks in CMJ and 50 m sprinting among elite sprinters. However, it may even deteriorate 20 and 30 m performed due to increased ground reaction time. Conclusion: The results of this research do not provide evidence that supports the use of such CA in training or pre-competition contexts.

Binderless synthesis of hierarchical, marigold flower-like NiCo2O4 films for high-performance symmetric supercapacitor

The facile and cost-effective chemical bath deposition method is employed for the binder-free synthesis of NiCo2O4 marigold flower-like nanostructures on a flexible stainless-steel substrate. Binderless and surfactant-free synthesis of NiCo2O4 films for supercapacitor application is a crucial part of this synthesis process. The effect of reaction times on the deposition of NiCo2O4 nanostructured films has been discussed briefly based on the electrochemical performance and surface morphology of films. The reaction time is varied as 2, 4, 6, and 8 h. The prepared films were analyzed by structural and morphological characterizations. The time-dependent significant change in morphology of NiCo2O4 films is discussed in detail. The development of the Marigold-like flowers from wheat grain-like nanostructures has been observed for increasing reaction time. The film deposited at 6 h reaction time (NCO-6 electrode) showed better specific capacitance of 1277 F/g at 5 mA/cm2, which retained about 95 % after 10,000 cycles. The NiCo2O4 film exhibited a 0.7 V potential window with the maximum energy and power density of 86 Wh/kg and 2333 W/kg, respectively. The fabricated aqueous symmetric device i.e., NCO//NCO showed energy density and power density of 16.4 Wh/kg and 275.5 W/kg, respectively. The fabricated device shows 90.5 % retention in performance after 5000 cycles. These results revealed that NiCo2O4 can be a better electrode material for energy storage devices.

Effects of Instability Neuromuscular Training Using an Inertial Load of Water on the Balance Ability of Healthy Older Women: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

The reflexive responses to resist external forces and maintain posture result from the coordination between the vestibular system, muscle, tendon, and joint proprioceptors, and vision. Aging deteriorates these crucial functions, increasing the risk of falls. This study aimed to verify whether a training program with water bags, an Instability Neuromuscular training (INT) using the inertial load of water, could positively impact balance ability and dynamic stability. This study was conducted with twenty-two healthy older women aged ≥ 65 (mean age: 74.82 ± 7.00 years, height: 154.20 ± 5.49 cm, weight: 55.84 ± 7.46 kg, BMI: 23.55 ± 3.58 kg/m2). The participants were randomly allocated into two groups: a group that used water bags and a control group performing bodyweight exercises. The intervention training lasted 12 weeks, with 2 sessions per week totaling 24 sessions, each lasting 60 min. The pre- and post-tests were compared using t-tests to examine within- and-between-group differences. The effect size was examined based on the interaction between group and time using a two-way repeated measures ANOVA. The Modified Timed Up and Go manual (TUG manual), Sharpened Romberg Test (SRT), and Y-balance test (YBT) were conducted to assess dynamic stability, including gait function, static stability, and reactive ability. In comparison between groups, the waterbag training group showed a decrease in task completion time associated with an increase in walking speed in the TUG manual test (p < 0.05), and an increase in static stability and reaction time in the Sharpened Romberg test with eyes closed (p < 0.05), and an increase in single-leg stance ability in both legs in the Y-balance test (p < 0.05). All statistical confidence interval levels were set 95%. INT using the inertial load of water enhanced the somatosensory system and gait related to dynamic stability in older women. Therefore, the clinical application of this training program is expected to reduce the risk of falls in healthy older women, improving dynamic stability related to gait.

A comparative study of simple reaction time in PCOS and non-PCOS patients and its relation with BMI

Introduction and Aim: Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal disorder of the female reproductive system causing infertility, an irregular menstrual cycle, and hormonal imbalance characterized by hyperandrogenism. Reaction to any stimulus is a voluntary response that measures the speed of response of a person. There is gender variation in reaction time, hence there is a need for evaluation of reaction time in PCOS. Thus, auditory and visual reaction time may be affected in the women with polycystic ovaries. The aim of the study was to compare ART and VRT in PCOS and non-PCOS Individuals and to correlate ART and VRT with BMI in PCOS individuals. Materials and Methods: Age-matched 25 normal and 25 PCOS were subjected to ART and VRT and recordings were obtained. The anthropological parameters like height, weight, and BMI were computed. The results were analyzed using a t-test and Pearson’s correlation test using SPSS software. Results: The auditory reaction time showed significant (p&lt;0.001) increase in PCOS 0.318±0.0388 than non-PCOS individuals 0.239±0.0629. There was positive correlation(r=0.491, p&lt;0.05) of BMI with visual reaction time in PCOS individuals. Conclusion: Since there is an increase in reaction time and a positive relation with BMI we can say that there is a decline in cognition in PCOS individuals probably due to hormonal changes and obesity.

Characterization of Peat Water Electrocoagulation Flocs from Sarawak Southern Region

Sarawak located in Borneo is endowed with the vast availability of peat water sources, particularly for the state southern region. Several investigations have shown that electrocoagulation treatment with aluminium electrodes is feasible to treat peat water in which the quality is comparable to the National Water Quality Standard (NWQS). Even though electrocoagulation treatment is feasible to treat peat water, the characteristics of peat water electrocoagulation flocs have not been reported. As such, this study aims to investigate the characteristics of the electrocoagulation flocs from peat water derived from the Sarawak southern region by using batch electrocoagulation treatment. The objectives of this study are to conduct an experimental study analysis of and identify the minerals on the electrocoagulation flocs along with operating energy cost analysis of peat water batch electrocoagulation treatment. Consequently, this study has found that reaction time and current density affect the production of flocs in which the amount of flocs increases with the increasing reaction time and current density. The flocs produced are found to consist of a large fraction of oxygen (O), carbon (C), iron (Fe), and aluminium (Al) along with a small fraction of potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca) and Silicon (Si). The presence of Al observed in the flocs is due to the aluminium hydroxide generated during the electrocoagulation process. The total operating cost for peat electrocoagulation with a current density of 5A and reaction time of 20 minutes is about RM0.31 per m3. As a result, the electrocoagulation of peat water process is able to treat peat water as well as produce flocs in which earth elements and heavy metals could be recovered.

Ultrasound-assisted facile and green preparation of Ag nanoparticle conductive ink for printing electronics

The development of low-cost, high-efficiency, and environment-friendly methods for the preparation of Ag nanoparticle (NP) conductive inks is key to promoting the application of such inks for printing flexible electronic components. This article presents an effective method for preparing a AgNP ink by reducing silver compounds in a polyol solution with ultrasonication. When the silver solution was ultrasonicated at 640 W, 21-nm AgNPs were readily produced within 5 min, and the particles grew considerably to 53 nm as the reaction was continued for 15 min. Thereafter, the NP size increased marginally with further increase in reaction time. When the reaction was conducted for a fixed duration of 15 min and the ultrasonic power was increased from 480 to 760 W, the AgNP size decreased from 63 to 48 nm. During ultrasonication, the bubble eruption in the solution generates large temperature and pressure gradients, inducing the rapid reduction of the Ag(I) to Ag(0). Printing experiments revealed that the synthesized AgNP ink has good inkjet printability. During the sintering of the printed film, the bridge connections between large particles increased and the interparticle voids decreased gradually, resulting in a decrease in film resistivity. A relatively low resistivity of 40×10−5 Ωcm was obtained when the flexible AgNP pattern was heated at 250 °C for 80 min. The facile synthesis process and the favorable conductive properties of the obtained ink render this preparation method promising for the low-cost production of flexible electronics.

The effects of mental fatigue on fine motor performance in humans and its neural network connectivity mechanism: a dart throwing study.

While it is well known that mental fatigue impairs fine motor performance, the investigation into its neural basis remains scant. Here, we investigate the impact of mental fatigue on fine motor performance and explore its underlying neural network connectivity mechanisms. A total of 24 healthy male university students were recruited and randomly divided into two groups: a mental fatigue group (MF) and a control group (Control). Both groups completed 50 dart throws, while electroencephalography (EEG) data were collected. Following the Stroop intervention, participants in the MF group exhibited a decrease in Stroop task accuracy and throwing performance, and an increase in reaction time along with VAS and NASA scores. The EEG data during dart-throwing revealed that the network connectivity strength of theta oscillations in the frontal and left central regions was significantly higher in the MF group compared with the Control group, while the network connectivity strength of alpha oscillations in the left parietal region was significantly enhanced. The interregional connectivity within the theta and alpha rhythm bands, particularly in the frontal-central-parietal network connections, also showed a significant increase in the MF group. Mental fatigue impairs dart throwing performance and is accompanied by increased connectivity in alpha and theta.

Optical Investigation of Reduced Graphene Oxide / Titanium Dioxide Nanocomposite Thin Films Synthesized by Hydrothermal Method

The growing need for unique optical properties in the manufacturing of electronic devices has led the world to the field of hybrid materials and their composites. In this study, a simple physical technique was used to successfully manufacture hybrid nanocomposites containing nanoparticles of titanium dioxide (TiO2) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) from tetrabutyl titanate (TBT) and graphene oxide (GO) powder using the hydrothermal method. For two hydrothermal treatment times (12h and 24h), various samples were created: TiO2, rGO, and TiO2/rGO nanocomposites thin films. Fourier transformer infrared (FTIR) spectra of the samples gave clear evidence for the reduction of GO and the engagement of Ti with reduced graphene by the formation of a Ti-O-C bond. The measurement of the energy band gap obtained by the photoluminescence spectrometer shows a decrease in the energy band gap for all samples after the hydrothermal reaction time increases, for the composite, the band gap decreases to 2.65 eV and 2.64 eV.

The role of cognitive control and naming in aphasia

The classical aphasia literature has placed considerable emphasis on the language-centered understanding of aphasia and failed to consider the role of executive functions (EFs) regarding different aspects of patients’ performance. Many current studies suggest deficits in EFs in individuals with aphasia, however, the available data is still limited. Here, our aim was to investigate the impairment of EFs and its potential negative effects on naming (slower performance, increased reaction time and/or decreased accuracy). We sought to determine whether the poor performance observed in word fluency task correlated with similar outcomes in naming. Our study involved five Hungarian post stroke aphasic patients (2 males and 3 females) between the ages of 60 and 70, as well as a control group matched for age and gender. The participants were diagnosed with different types of aphasia (global, Wernicke’s, anomic and conduction). This study employed various neuropsychological and linguistic batteries. By comparing the patients’ performance to that of the control group, we aimed to investigate the impacts of stroke. Within the aphasia group, we observed difficulties in following complex commands and a connection between general slowness and reduced accuracy in naming. We concluded that impairment of executive functions may have a negative impact on naming, comprehension, and fluency. Therefore, it is important to consider functional variations in neural networks, and to base our interpretations on the available psychophysiological data in literature. Our findings provide an alternative perspective to the traditional assessment of aphasia and highlight the importance of considering the role of executive functions.

Driver Drowsiness Multi-Method Detection for Vehicles with Autonomous Driving Functions.

The article outlines various approaches to developing a fuzzy decision algorithm designed for monitoring and issuing warnings about driver drowsiness. This algorithm is based on analyzing EOG (electrooculography) signals and eye state images with the aim of preventing accidents. The drowsiness warning system comprises key components that learn about, analyze and make decisions regarding the driver's alertness status. The outcomes of this analysis can then trigger warnings if the driver is identified as being in a drowsy state. Driver drowsiness is characterized by a gradual decline in attention to the road and traffic, diminishing driving skills and an increase in reaction time, all contributing to a higher risk of accidents. In cases where the driver does not respond to the warnings, the ADAS (advanced driver assistance systems) system should intervene, assuming control of the vehicle's commands.

Tecoma stans Floral Extract-Based Biosynthesis for Enhanced Surface Plasmon-Coupled Emission and a Preliminary Study on Fluoroimmunoassay.

We demonstrate the synthesis of biogenic supported silver spiked star architectures and their application to increase the electromagnetic field intensity at its tips that enhance plasmon-coupled emission. Tecoma stans floral extract has been used to synthesize silver nanocubes and spiked stars. We observe ∼445-fold and ∼680-fold enhancements in spacer and cavity configurations, respectively, in the SPCE platform. The hotspot intensity and Purcell factor are evaluated by carrying out finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulations. Time-based studies are presented to modulate the sharpness of the edges wherein an increase in the tip sharpness with the increase in reaction time up to 5 h is observed. The unique morphology of the silver architectures allowed us to utilize them in biosensing application. A SPCE-based fluoroimmunoassay was performed, achieving a 1.9 pg/mL limit of detection of TNF-α cytokine. This combination of anisotropic architectures, SPCE and immunoassay prove to be a powerful platform for the ultrasensitive detection of biomarkers in surface-bound assays.

Photoluminescence Studies of DoF Effect on the Photopolymerization Reaction of a GelMA‐Based Monomers for Tissue Engineering

AbstractIn the present work methacrylated gelatin (GelMA) is obtained at different methacrylate anhydride concentrations (5.8% V/V and 10% V/V), different reaction times (1 h and 3 h), and under pH control. A ninhydrin test and NMR are used to determine the degree of functionalization (DoF) of the samples showing that pH controlling produces better functionalization degrees than an increase in methacrylate anhydride concentration or longer reaction times. The photopolymerization process of GelMA samples is studied by time‐resolved photoluminescence at different photoinitiator (PI) concentrations: 0.5%w/V, 1%w/V, and 2%w/V. An increase in PI concentration and DoF produces changes in the crosslink. The 2%w/V concentration produces a higher reaction speed in the first 10 minutes and requires longer times to end the reaction. No significant differences were found in the use of smaller concentrations.This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved

Visual perceptual processing is unaffected by cognitive fatigue

Cognitive fatigue (CF) can lead to an increase in the latency of simple reaction time, although the processes involved in this delay are unknown. One potential explanation is that a longer time may be required for sensory processing of relevant stimuli. To investigate this possibility, the current study used a visual inspection time task to measure perceptual processing speed before and after a CF (math and memory) or non-fatiguing (documentary film) intervention. Subjective fatigue and simple reaction time significantly increased following the CF, but not the non-fatiguing intervention, confirming that CF was induced. Conversely, there was no effect of CF on inspection time task performance. It was therefore concluded that the speed of perceptual processing is not significantly impacted by CF, and thus is unlikely to underlie CF-related reaction time increases. Instead, increases in simple reaction time latency in CF may be due to delays in response preparation or initiation.