Reaction Timing Research Articles

Attentional, anticipatory and spatial cognition fluctuate throughout the menstrual cycle: potential implications for female sport

Current research suggests that menstruating female athletes might be at greater risk of musculoskeletal injury in relation to hormonal changes throughout the menstrual cycle. A separate body of work suggests that spatial cognition might also fluctuate in a similar manner. Changes in spatial cognition could, in theory, be a contributing risk factor for injury, especially in fast-paced sports that require precise, millisecond accuracy in interactions with moving objects in the environment. However, existing theories surrounding causes for increased injury risk in menstruating females largely focus on biomechanical mechanisms, with little consideration of possible cognitive determinants of injury risk. Therefore, the aim of this proof-of-principle study was to explore whether menstruating females exhibit fluctuations in cognitive processes throughout their cycle on a novel sport-oriented cognitive test battery, designed to measure some of the mental processes putatively involved in these sporting situations.A total of 394 participants completed an online cognitive battery, a mood scale and a symptom questionnaire twice, 14 days apart. After exclusions, 241 eligible participants were included in the analyses (mean: 28 ± 6 years) (male = 96, female(menstruating) = 105, female(contraception) = 47). Cycle phase for menstruating females was based on self-reported information. The cognitive battery was designed to measure reaction times, attention, visuospatial functions (including 3D mental rotation) and timing anticipation. Three composite scores were generated using factor analysis with varimax rotation (Errors, Reaction Time, Intra-Individual Variability). Mixed model ANOVAs and repeated measures ANOVAs were performed to test for between and within-subject effects.There was no group difference in reaction times and accuracy between males and females (using contraception and not). However, within subject analyses revealed that regularly menstruating females performed better during menstruation compared to being in any other phase, with faster reaction times (10ms c.ca, p < .01), fewer errors (p < .05) and lower dispersion intra-individual variability (p < .05). In contrast they exhibited slower reaction times (10ms c.ca, p < .01) and poorer timing anticipation (p < .01) in the luteal phase, and more errors in the predicted ovulatory phase (p < .01). Self-reported mood, cognitive and physical symptoms were all worst during menstruation (p < .01), and a significant proportion of females felt that their symptoms were negatively affecting their cognitive performance during menstruation on testing day, which was incongruent with their actual performance.These findings suggest that visuospatial and anticipatory processes may fluctuate throughout the menstrual cycle in the general population, with better performance during the menstrual phase and poorer performance during the luteal phase. If these extend to associations between phase-specific cognitive performance and injury incidence, they would support a cognitive theory of determinants of injury risk in cycling female athletes, opening an opportunity to develop mitigation strategies where appropriate.

Differences in time-intensity sensory profiles of sweet taste intensity of glucose between older and young adults.

To understand age-related changes in sweet taste perception in daily life, it is important to understand taste intensity at the suprathreshold level. Previous studies have attempted to characterize the temporal aspects of human taste perception in terms of time-intensity evaluations. The perception of dynamic taste intensity in older adults increases slowly for salty taste; however, there have been no previous studies on time-intensity sensory evaluation of sweet taste in older adults. We hypothesized that older adults perceive sweet taste intensity more slowly than young adults. Fifty young and 40 older adults participated in the study and glucose solutions of 0.6 M and 1.5 M were used as stimuli. The study comprised two experiments: (1) a cup tasting test (static taste perception in the mouth), and (2) a time-intensity sensory evaluation, in which the solutions were presented using a custom-made delivery system. The intra-oral device was made to fit each participant's dentition. Further, the level of gag reflex was taken into consideration for each participant in the design of the intra-oral device. A suction tube was placed across the posterior tongue near the throat to remove solution and saliva. The solution delivery system was controlled by an original computer program. Older adults presented significantly different maximum intensity timing and slope for both concentrations compared with young adults (slope for 1.5 M, p < 0.01; others, p < 0.05). No significant differences were found between the older and young adults for reaction timing and maximum intensity. We conclude that older adults perceived sweetness more slowly than young adults, and ultimately perceived almost the same intensity as young adults. This is the first reported characterization of the time-intensity profile of sweet taste intensity of glucose in older adults. Using a standardized system enabled us to assess and compare feedback on taste intensities among different age groups in real-time. Based on this, we recommend older adults "savor" to perceive sweet tastes at the same level experienced by young adults.

Kinematic performance declines as group size increases during escape responses in a schooling coral reef fish

IntroductionEscaping predation is essential for species survival, but prey must effectively match their response to the perceived threat imposed by a predator. For social animals, one mechanism to reduce risk of predation is living in larger group sizes, which dilutes each individual's risk of capture. When a predator attacks, individuals from a range of taxa (e.g., fishes, sharks, and amphibians) perform an escape response, to evade the attack.MethodsUsing the schooling coral reef damselfish Chromis viridis, we assess if there is an optimal group size that maximizes both individual escape response performance as well as group cohesion and coordination following a simulated predator attack, comparing schools composed of four, eight, and sixteen fish. The escape response was assessed through simulated predator attacks, measuring escape latency, kinematics (average turning rate, and distance covered), and group dynamics (school cohesion and coordination). The experiments were conducted with varying group sizes to analyze the impact on escape performance and group behavior.ResultsWe found that fish in various group sizes exhibited no difference in their reaction timing to a simulated predator attack (i.e., escape latency), but larger groups exhibited slower kinematics (i.e., lower average turning rate and shorter distance covered during the escape response), potentially because larger groups perceived the predator attack as less risky due to safety in numbers. Both school cohesion and coordination (as measured through alignment and nearest neighbor distance, respectively) declined in the 100 ms after the predator's attack. While there was no impact of group size on alignment, larger group sizes exhibited closer nearest neighbor distances at all times.DiscussionThe findings suggest that larger group sizes in schooling coral reef fish may lead to energy conservation by displaying less costly behavioral responses to predator threats. This potential energy saving could be attributed to a higher threshold of perceived threat required to trigger a rapid escape response in larger groups. The study emphasizes the intricate interplay between individual and collective behaviors in response to predation and sheds light on the nuanced dynamics of group living in the face of predation.

Quantitative determination of fluorescence labeling implemented in cell cultures

BackgroundLabeling efficiency is a crucial parameter in fluorescence applications, especially when studying biomolecular interactions. Current approaches for estimating the yield of fluorescent labeling have critical drawbacks that usually lead them to be inaccurate or not quantitative.ResultsWe present a method to quantify fluorescent-labeling efficiency that addresses the critical issues marring existing approaches. The method operates in the same conditions of the target experiments by exploiting a ratiometric evaluation with two fluorophores used in sequential reactions. We show the ability of the protocol to extract reliable quantification for different fluorescent probes, reagents concentrations, and reaction timing and to optimize labeling performance. As paradigm, we consider the labeling of the membrane-receptor TrkA through 4′-phosphopantetheinyl transferase Sfp in living cells, visualizing the results by TIRF microscopy. This investigation allows us to find conditions for demanding single and multi-color single-molecule studies requiring high degrees of labeling.ConclusionsThe developed method allows the quantitative determination and the optimization of staining efficiency in any labeling strategy based on stable reactions.

562. Multipronged Approach to Recruitment of Pediatric Patients with Beta-Lactam Allergies for Evaluation and De-labeling

Abstract Background Penicillin allergy is the most commonly reported drug allergy in the pediatric population. However, most reports do not represent true IgE-mediated or late-onset severe hypersensitivity reactions. False allergy labels can lead to unnecessarily broad and/or non-first line antibiotic utilization, the development of antibiotic resistance, adverse drug side effects, and have implications for the use of antimicrobials in adulthood. In an effort to decrease inappropriate allergy labeling, we have implemented a multipronged approach for the evaluation of documented beta-lactam allergies in pediatric patients and potential “de-labeling” of inaccurate or outdated allergies. Methods We performed retrospective chart review of pediatric patients (0-18 years) with a documented beta-lactam allergy who were seen in clinic at a single tertiary medical center between 2014-2019. Prospective telephone screening then began to further characterize reaction symptoms and timing to determine patient candidacy for allergy testing (Fig. 1). Inpatient screening began in April 2022. If amenable to referral, eligible patients are then referred for outpatient Allergy and Immunology (A/I) assessment. Figure 1Process map for pediatric beta-lactam allergy risk-stratifying algorithm. Results A total of 1160 eligible pediatric patients were identified, and initial results are summarized (Fig. 2). Of those screened, 48 (57%) patients were referred. 5 (6%) patients were de-labeled via screening, of which 3 had received and tolerated repeat dosing. 11 (33%) patients have attended allergy appointments; 4 (36%) were tested and all were de-labeled (ages 6-11 years) from mostly non-IgE-mediated reactions. Additionally, 16 patients have upcoming appointments, and recruitment efforts are ongoing to include increased inpatient recruitment. Conclusion Use of an inpatient and outpatient algorithm can help identify pediatric patients less likely to have a true or persistent beta-lactam allergy (delayed-onset mild symptoms, or IgE-mediated reaction &amp;gt;5 years ago) and who could benefit from formal allergy testing to potentially remove their allergy label. In the future, algorithm implementation within the electronic medical record may assist clinicians in thorough documentation of beta-lactam allergies and expeditious referral for allergy testing when appropriate. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures.

Interfinger Synchronization Capability of Paired Fingers in Discrete Fine-Force Control Tasks.

This study examined whether within-a-hand and between-hands finger pairings would exhibit different interfinger synchronization capabilities in discrete fine-force control tasks. Participants were required to perform the designed force control tasks using finger pairings of index and middle fingers on one or two hands. Results demonstrated that the delayed reaction time and the timing difference of paired fingers showed a significant difference among finger pairings. In particular, paired fingers exhibited less delayed reaction time and timing difference in between-hands finger pairings than in within-a-hand finger pairings. Such bimanual advantage of the pairings with two symmetric fingers was evident only in the task types with relatively high amplitudes. However, for a given finger pairing, the asymmetric amplitude configuration, assigning a relatively higher amplitude to either left or right finger of paired fingers, has no significant effect on the interfinger synchronization. Therefore, paired fingers on both hands showed a bimanual advantage in the relatively high force, especially for the pairing of symmetrical fingers, whereas asymmetric amplitude configuration for a finger pairing was able to suppress the bimanual advantage. These findings would enrich the understanding of the interfinger synchronization capability of paired fingers and be referential for interactive engineering applications when leveraging the interfinger synchronization capability in discrete fine-force control tasks.

Machine learning approach to diabetic foot risk classification with biomechanics data

Diabetic foot wound onset, recurrence and healing are globally considered a challenge [1]. In particular, the prevention topic is pursued through several recommendations, however, it is desirable to classify the risk of ulceration before their occurrence, to prevent severe ulcers and subsequent amputations [1]. With regard to the biomechanical properties of the diabetic foot, diabetic patients showed higher load on the push-off associated with lower dorsi-plantar flexion of the ankle during stance and the push-off phase [2]. The aim of this study was to automatically define a risk index of the diabetic foot ulceration by applying machine learning (ML) algorithms to a dataset of standard gait analysis, musculoskeletal modelling and finite element modeling data and of routine diabetic neuropathy screening scores [4]. The study included retrospectively the data of 80 subjects (26.3% healthy subjects, 37.5% diabetics without neuropathy and 36.3% diabetics with neuropathy). Diabetic patients were clinically assessed according to the ADA guidelines [3] as reported in [4]. Kinematic, kinetic and electromyographic (EMG) data were acquired through a modified version of the IORgait protocol [3,5] while subjects were walking several gait cycles at self selected speed. Muscle forces were estimated with the Opensim gait 2392 model and internal stresses were determined using a foot finite element model [6]. Joint angles and moments, ground reaction forces, plantar pressures, EMG envelopes and timing of activation, muscular forces and internal stresses were considered for the ML algorithm. For what regards the clinical features, presence or absence of peripheral and autonomic neuropathy, retinopathy, microalbuminuria, vasculopathy, knee-hallux-toes deformities, plantar callosity were selected for the ML algorithm. MongoDB was chosen as database program and data extractions were performed through the library Pandas. Regarding the ML algorithm, the values of different gaits were merged using an arithmetic mean, in order to obtain a narrower dataset and more stable values of the features. Due to the size of the dataset, ‘simple’ and linear models were adopted, and, among these, Logistic Regression, Linear Model and Perceptron were chosen. For completeness, some more complex classifiers like Kernel Support Vector Machine, Random Forest, Gradient Boosting Tree and eXtreme Gradient Boosting Tree were also adopted but showed lower performances. Logistic Regression with the adoption of 4 features achieved the best result: 83% of precision and 83% of accuracy (Fig. 1). Once the model was developed, a React Native mobile application was implemented with a relative Application Protocol Interface (API) to produce an environment to host and exploit the model. Diabetic foot risk classification according to ADA [3] was used as comparison for the results of the ML approach. The performance of the model is not considered to be optimal, but the results are encouraging from a diabetic foot risk point of view. Future development includes the expansion of databases and the exploration of other ML algorithms.

α‐Aryl‐β,β‐Ditosyloxy Ketones as Versatile Precursors: Convenient, Direct, Metal‐free and Regioselective Synthesis of 4,5‐Diaryl/1,4,5‐Triaryl Pyrazoles

AbstractThe present study demonstrate the synthetic applications of α‐aryl‐β,β‐ditosyloxy ketones 3 as 1,3‐dielectrophilic three carbon atom versatile precursors to synthesize scarcely underexplored 4,5‐diaryl/1,4,5‐triaryl pyrazoles as small aza‐heterocycles. The exact regiochemistry around pyrazole nucleus has been confirmed by single crystal XRD analysis along with spectroscopic data (1H &amp; 13C‐NMR, IR) and HRMS analysis. The single crystal‐XRD analysis exposed that, crystallization of 4,5‐diaryl pyrazoles 5 b in trigonal systems with R‐3 space group. The strategy was found advantageous especially owing to (i) operationally simplicity of procedure (ii) high regioselectivity (iii) less reaction timing (iv) versatile reactivity due to presence of two p‐toluenesulfonyloxyl groups which behaves as excellent leaving group as well as electron withdrawing group. Additionally, we conjectured that present methodology can broaden the aspects of synthetic chemistry in ongoing medicine chemistry programs for designing and synthesis of regioisomeric analogues of some well‐recognised drugs like celecoxib.

Image features influence reaction time

We aim to ask and answer an essential question " how quickly do we react after observing a displayed visual target?" To this end, we present psychophysical studies that characterize the remarkable disconnect between human saccadic behaviors and spatial visual acuity. Building on the results of our studies, we develop a perceptual model to predict temporal gaze behavior, particularly saccadic latency, as a function of the statistics of a displayed image. Specifically, we implement a neurologically-inspired probabilistic model that mimics the accumulation of confidence that leads to a perceptual decision. We validate our model with a series of objective measurements and user studies using an eye-tracked VR display. The results demonstrate that our model prediction is in statistical alignment with real-world human behavior. Further, we establish that many sub-threshold image modifications commonly introduced in graphics pipelines may significantly alter human reaction timing, even if the differences are visually undetectable. Finally, we show that our model can serve as a metric to predict and alter reaction latency of users in interactive computer graphics applications, thus may improve gaze-contingent rendering, design of virtual experiences, and player performance in e-sports. We illustrate this with two examples: estimating competition fairness in a video game with two different team colors, and tuning display viewing distance to minimize player reaction time.

One-pot solvent-free microwave-assisted aza-Michael addition reaction of acrylonitrile

A novel and highly effective one-pot microwave-assisted aza-Michael addition reaction of acrylonitrile, as Michael acceptor with various primary aliphatic and aromatic amines, as Michael donor has been reported. The reaction was catalyzed by a cost-effective, highly efficient and eco-friendly catalyst, molecular sieve of 4 A0 size, under solvent-free conditions. A detail investigation on reaction controlling parameters like reaction timing and amount of catalyst was studied. The plausible mechanistic pathway has been proposed for the formation of acrylonitrile adducts. The identity of the synthesized products was established by conventional spectroscopic techniques FT-IR, 1H and 13C{1H} NMR, ESI-MS and DLS measurements. DLS result shows hydrodynamic diameter of lower alkyl chain in the range of 200–300 nm and for higher alkyl chain around 1 μm. Sheldon's hot filtration test confirms the significance of the catalyst and their heterogeneity was also confirmed by recycling it for five consecutive cycles without any noticeable change in the yield.

The Smooth Transition From Many-Legged to Bipedal Locomotion-Gradual Leg Force Reduction and its Impact on Total Ground Reaction Forces, Body Dynamics and Gait Transitions.

Most terrestrial animals move with a specific number of propulsive legs, which differs between clades. The reasons for these differences are often unknown and rarely queried, despite the underlying mechanisms being indispensable for understanding the evolution of multilegged locomotor systems in the animal kingdom and the development of swiftly moving robots. Moreover, when speeding up, a range of species change their number of propulsive legs. The reasons for this behaviour have proven equally elusive. In animals and robots, the number of propulsive legs also has a decisive impact on the movement dynamics of the centre of mass. Here, I use the leg force interference model to elucidate these issues by introducing gradually declining ground reaction forces in locomotor apparatuses with varying numbers of leg pairs in a first numeric approach dealing with these measures’ impact on locomotion dynamics. The effects caused by the examined changes in ground reaction forces and timing thereof follow a continuum. However, the transition from quadrupedal to a bipedal locomotor system deviates from those between multilegged systems with different numbers of leg pairs. Only in quadrupeds do reduced ground reaction forces beneath one leg pair result in increased reliability of vertical body oscillations and therefore increased energy efficiency and dynamic stability of locomotion.

From When to When: Evaluating Naturalness of Reaction Time via Viewing Turn around Behaviors

This paper addresses the effects of visual reaction times of a turn around behavior toward touch stimulus in the context of perceived naturalness. People essentially prefer a quick and natural reaction time to interaction partners, but appropriate reaction times will change due to the kinds of partners, e.g., humans, computers, and robots. In this study, we investigate two visual reaction times in touch interaction: the time length from the touched timing to the start of a reaction behavior, and the time length of the reaction behavior. We also investigated appropriate reaction times for different beings: three robots (Sota, Nao and Pepper) and humans (male and female). We conducted a web-survey based experiment to investigate natural reaction times for robots and humans, and the results concluded that the best combinations of both reaction times are different between each robot (i.e., among Sota, Nao and Pepper) and the humans (i.e., between male and female). We also compared the effect of using the best combinations for each robot and human to prove the importance of using each appropriate reaction timing for each being. The results suggest that an appropriate reaction time combination investigated from the male model is not ideal for robots, and the combination investigated from the female model is a better choice for robots. Our study also suggests that calibrating parameters for individual robots’ behavior design would enable better performances than using parameters of robot behaviors based on observing human-human interaction, although such an approach is a typical method of robot behavior design.

Long-term benefit of probiotic peanut oral immunotherapy on quality of life in a randomized trial

Food allergy prevalence has increased globally in recent decades.1-3 Management relies on avoidance of trigger foods, but accidental ingestion is common, causing frequent and sometimes life-threatening reactions.4 With no reliable means to predict reaction severity or timing, patients and caregivers live in fear of unpredictable life-threatening allergic reactions. This uncertainty gives rise to extreme anxiety and avoidance on the one hand, or frustration and risky behaviors on the other.5,6 Intense effort has been directed toward identifying an effective food allergy treatment that can improve health-related quality of life (QoL).

Effect of Intake Air Temperature and Premixed Ratio on Combustion and Exhaust Emissions in a Partial HCCI-DI Diesel Engine

Homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) is considered an advanced combustion method for internal combustion engines that offers simultaneous reductions in oxides of nitrogen (NOx) emissions and increased fuel efficiency. The present study examines the influence of intake air temperature (IAT) and premixed diesel fuel on fuel self-ignition characteristics in a light-duty compression ignition engine. Partial HCCI was achieved by port injection of the diesel fuel through air-assisted injection while sustaining direct diesel fuel injection into the cylinder for initiating combustion. The self-ignition of diesel fuel under such a set-up was studied with variations in premixed ratios (0–0.60) and inlet temperatures (40–100 °C) under a constant 1600 rpm engine speed with 20 Nm load. Variations in performance, emissions and combustion characteristics with premixed fuel and inlet air heating were analysed in comparison with those recorded without. Heat release rate profiles determined from recorded in-cylinder pressure depicted evident multiple-stage ignitions (up to three-stage ignition in several cases) in this study. Compared with the premixed ratio, the inlet air temperature had a greater effect on low-temperature reaction and HCCI combustion timing. Nonetheless, an increase in the premixed ratio was found to be influential in reducing nitric oxides emissions.

Type of exercise may influence postural adaptations in chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy.

ObjectiveTraditional posturography measurements characterize postural instability in patients with chemotherapy‐induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN), while underlying postural control mechanisms remain unclear. Taking a model‐based approach can yield insights into these mechanisms. This study’s aim was to characterize the modifications in postural control of CIPN patients associated with exercise in relation to the postural behavior of healthy control participants (hCON) via an exploratory approach.MethodsThirty‐one CIPN patients were randomly assigned to two interventions (balance plus moderate endurance training vs. moderate endurance training only) and exercised twice per week over 12 weeks. Baseline data were compared to 36 matched hCONs. We recorded spontaneous sway and postural reactions to platform tilts using Optotrak and a Kistler force platform pre‐ and post‐intervention. Data interpretation relied on a model‐based parameter identification procedure.ResultsSpontaneous sway amplitudes were larger and postural reactions smaller, with a relative phase advance, in our pre‐intervention patients than the hCONs. Post‐intervention, spontaneous sway, and postural reactions were reduced and the sensory‐motor ratio larger in both groups, while the postural reaction timing differed between groups.InterpretationThe abnormally small postural reactions in CIPN patients before the intervention can be interpreted as the consequence of abnormally strong velocity control—a strategy modification that may serve as a prediction mechanism to compensate for the lack of timely and accurate proprioceptive signals. While both groups reduced postural sway and showed an adapted sensory‐motor ratio post‐intervention, the interventions seemed to trigger different velocity control strategies. This study emphasizes the need for taking a more differentiated perspective on intervention effects.Trial registrationGerman Clinical Trials Register (DRKS) number: DRKS00005419, prospectively registered on November 19, 2013.

Predictive factors for carboplatin hypersensitivity reactions in gynecologic cancers: Effect of BRCA status.

Carboplatin hypersensitivity reactions have been reported to occur in up to 16% of patients with gynecologic cancers. Several predisposing factors have been suggested including presence of BRCA1/2 mutation, however, contribution of these mutations to reaction development has not been extensively studied. The purpose of this study was to determine if there is an association between BRCA1/2 mutation status and the development of carboplatin hypersensitivity reactions.Methodology: Eligible patients were women aged 18 years or older with a diagnosis of ovarian, fallopian tube, uterine, endometrial, or primary peritoneal cancer who attempted to receive at least one dose of carboplatin. The primary outcome was the effect of BRCA1/2 status on the development of carboplatin hypersensitivity reactions with regard to: reaction frequency, timing, and severity. Secondary outcomes included identification of additional risk factors that may help identify predisposition to carboplatin hypersensitivity reaction. A total of 44 patients were included in this study. Five patients (38%) in the reaction group and 4 patients (31%) in the no reaction group had a documented mutation in one or both BRCA genes (p = 1.00). No significant differences were found in terms of reaction severity or symptoms, and timing of reaction after dose administration. Incidence of thyroid disorder was significantly higher among patients who experienced a hypersensitivity reaction (1 (4%) vs 10 (45%); p = 0.004). BRCA mutation status was not associated with an increased risk of carboplatin hypersensitivity in our patient population. Further investigation into thyroid dysfunction as a risk factor for reaction development is warranted.

Neurocognitive markers of late‐onset ADHD: a 6‐year longitudinal study

There is an increased interest in 'late-onset' attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), referring to the onset of clinically significant ADHD symptoms after the age of 12years. This study aimed to examine whether unaffected siblings with late-onset ADHD could be differentiated from stable unaffected siblings by their neurocognitive functioning in childhood. We report findings from a 6-year prospective, longitudinal study of the Dutch part of the International Multicenter ADHD Genetics (IMAGE) study, including individuals with childhood-onset (persistent) ADHD (n=193), their siblings with late-onset ADHD (n=34), their stable unaffected siblings (n=111) and healthy controls (n=186). At study entry (mean age: 11.3) and follow-up (mean age: 17.01), participants were assessed for ADHD by structured psychiatric interviews and multi-informant questionnaires. Several neurocognitive functions were assessed at baseline and after 6years, including time reproduction, timing variability (reaction time variability and time production variability), reaction time speed, motor control and working memory; intelligence was taken as a measure of overall neurocognitive functioning. Siblings with late-onset ADHD were similar to individuals with childhood-onset ADHD in showing longer reaction times and/or higher error rates on all neurocognitive measures at baseline and follow-up, when compared to healthy controls. They differed from stable unaffected siblings (who were similar to healthy controls) by greater reaction time variability and timing production variability at baseline. No significant group by time interaction was found for any of the tasks. For unaffected siblings of individuals with ADHD, reaction time variability and timing production variability may serve as neurocognitive marker for late-onset ADHD.

Price reaction, volatility timing and funds’ performance during Covid-19

In this paper we assess the price reaction, performance and volatility timing of European investment funds during the outbreak of Covid-19. We analyze the time period between January and June 2020 and demonstrate that while most of the investment funds exhibit stressed performance, social entrepreneurship funds endured resilience. This performance remained robust during the various stages of evolution of this contagion. The social funds also demonstrated volatility timing that was absent for most of their counterparts. We attribute the overall stability of these funds to their niche investments in social enterprises that specialize in providing innovative solutions for social issues.

Detection of the assimilation characteristics of iron ores: Dynamic resistance measurements

Resistance in iron ore undergoes a sharp change of up to several orders of magnitude when the sintered solid phase changes to liquid phase. In view of the insufficiency of existing assimilation detection methods, a timing-of-assimilation reaction is proposed, which was judged by continuously detecting the changes in resistance at the reaction interface. Effects of pole position and additional amounts of iron ore on assimilation reaction timing were investigated. The results showed that the suitable depth of pole groove was about 2 mm, and there was no obvious impact when the distance of the poles changed from 4 to 6 mm, or the amount of iron ore changed from 0.4 to 0.6 g. The temperature of sudden change of resistance in the temperature-resistant image was considered to be the lowest assimilation temperature of iron ore. The accuracy of this resistance method was clarified by X-ray diffraction, optical microscope, and scanning electron microscope/energy dispersive spectrometer (SEM/EDS) analyses.

Nucleic acid detection strategy using gold nanoprobe of two diverse origin.

In recent years, nanoparticles especially with gold and silver nanoparticles based point of care diagnostic methods is being developed for the lethal diseases like dengue. This study focused to work on the dengue virus detection in a simplest method using gold nanoparticles probe (AuNPs) with thiol tagged single strand DNA (ss-DNA). A sensitive, fluorescence-based detection strategy was designed to examine and quantified the hybridisation process and also elucidated the behaviour of AuNPs before and after interaction of biomolecule. The detection process was focused on aggregation of gold nanoprobe in the presence of complementary strand (target region). Hence the percentage of aggregation was measured and as a result, the limit of detection was found to be 10-6 dilutions. Current detection method was highly sensitive, easy to perform and the reaction timing is rapid between 5 and 10 min, and it can be observed through naked eye.