Response Threshold Research Articles

Long-Lasting Auditory and Vestibular Recovery Following Gene Replacement Therapy in a Novel Usher Syndrome Type 1c Mouse Model.

Usher syndrome type 1C (USH1C) is a genetic disorder caused by mutations in the USH1C gene, which encodes harmonin, a key component of the mechanoelectrical transduction complex in auditory and vestibular hair cells. USH1C leads to deafness and vestibular dysfunction in humans. An Ush1c knockout (KO) mouse model displaying these characteristic deficits is generated in our laboratory. To examine gene replacement therapy (GT) in this model, a synthetic adeno-associated viral vector, Anc80L65, driving harmonin expression is administered, to the inner ears of Ush1c KO mice at postnatal day 2 (P2). Remarkably, this single treatment significantly improved auditory brainstem response (ABR) thresholds and balance motor function at 1 month post-injection, with these effects persisting for up to 10 months. At 12 months post-treatment, the vestibular function is assessed using the vestibular-ocular reflexes (VOR) and single vestibular afferent recordings. The GT treatment significantly restored both the canal and otolith VORs and increased vestibular afferent spontaneous firing rates and responses to head rotation and translation. These findings provide the first evidence of long-lasting restoration of both the auditory and vestibular functions by GT in a novel mouse model of Usher syndrome, highlighting the potential of GT for treating deficits associated with USH1C.

The Performance of the Acoustic Change Complex Versus Psychophysical Behavioral Measures: A Systematic Review of Measurements in Adults.

The acoustic change complex (ACC) is a cortical auditory evoked potential that shows promise as an objective test of the neural capacity for speech and sound discrimination, particularly for difficult-to-test populations, for example, cognitively impaired adults. There is uncertainty, however, surrounding the performance of the ACC with behavioral measures. The objective of this study was to systematically review the literature, focusing on adult studies, to investigate the relationship between ACC responses and behavioral psychophysical measures. Original peer-reviewed articles conducting performance comparisons between ACCs and behavioral measures in adults were identified through systematic searches. The review was conducted using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines for reporting, and the methodological quality of the included articles was assessed. A total of 66 studies were retrieved that conducted adult ACC measurements, of which 27 studies included performance comparisons. Meta-analysis revealed a total of 41 significant correlations between ACC responses (amplitudes, latencies, and thresholds) and behavioral measures of speech perception (2 weak, 28 moderate, and 11 strong correlations), and 12 significant moderate/strong correlations were identified with behavioral measures of frequency discrimination. This systematic review finds that ACC responses are associated with speech perception and frequency discrimination, in addition to other types of sound discrimination. The choice of evoking stimuli, ACC outcome measure, and behavioral measure used may influence the strength and visibility of potential correlations between the objective (ACC) and behavioral measures. The performance of the ACC technique highlighted in this review suggests that this tool may serve as an alternative measure of auditory discrimination when corresponding behavioral measures prove challenging or unfeasible.

Sustainable and Low-Cost Greenhouse Soil Moisture Monitoring Using Battery-Free RFID Sensors

Intelligent irrigation based on measurements of soil moisture levels in every pot in a greenhouse can not only improve plant productivity and quality but also save water. However, existing soil moisture sensors are too expensive to deploy in every pot. We therefore introduce GreenTag, a low-cost RFID-based soil moisture sensing system whose accuracy is comparable to that of an expensive soil moisture sensor. Our key idea is to attach two RFID tags to a plant’s container so that changes in soil moisture content are reflected in their Differential Minimum Response Threshold (DMRT) metric at the reader. We show that a low-pass filtered DMRT metric is robust to changes both in the RF environment (e.g., from human movement) and in pot locations. In addition, we propose a fast DMRT acquisition algorithm and a time-efficient tag query protocol, which can reduce the sensing latency by 90%. In a realistic setting, GreenTag achieves a 90-percentile moisture estimation errors of 5%, which is comparable to the 4% errors using expensive soil moisture sensors. Moreover, this accuracy is maintained despite changes in the RF environment and container locations. We also show the effectiveness of GreenTag in a real greenhouse.

Analgesic Activity of the Low Molecular Weight Neurotrophin-3 Dipeptide Mimetic GTS-301.

It was previously shown that the original dipeptide mimetic of the 4th loop of neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) hexamethylenediamide bis-(N-monosuccinyl-L-asparaginyl-L-asparagine) (GTS-301), like the full-length neurotrophin, predominantly activates the tyrosine kinase receptor TrkC and has a neuroprotective effect in vitro at concentrations of 10-5-10-12 M, as well as antidiabetic (0.1 and 0.5 mg/kg) and antidepressant (5 and 10 mg/kg) effects after systemic administration in rodents. In this work, the analgesic properties of GTS-301 were identified, which were manifested in the dose range of 0.01-10 mg/kg after acute intraperitoneal injection to rats in the "tail flick" test. Dipeptide GTS-301 increased the threshold of pain response by 20-30%; this effect persisted for at least 24 h after administration.

P0321 Early improvement of mental health is associated with long-term disease remission in Ulcerative Colitis

Abstract Background Emerging evidence underscore the critical role of mental health in managing ulcerative colitis. However, the potential impact of early mental health improvement on long-term therapeutic outcomes remains poorly understood. This study aimed to explore the association between early mental health improvements and long-term disease remission. Methods This was a post hoc analysis using data from the SELECTION trial (NCT02914522) involving 381 patients treated with filgotinib. Mental health was assessed using the mental health subscale of the 36-item Short-Form Survey. Endoscopic, clinical, and histologic outcomes were assessed at week 58. Multivariable logistic regression was used to calculate adjusted odds ratios (aOR) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). Receiver operating characteristic curves, combined with bootstrap resampling, were employed to determine the mental health response threshold. Results Early mental health improvements at week 10 were significantly associated with disease remission at week 58. After adjusting for potential confounders, the aOR of mental health improvements was 1.03 (95% CI: 1.00–1.06) for endoscopic remission, 1.03 (95% CI: 1.01–1.05) for clinical remission, 1.03 (95% CI: 1.01–1.05) for histologic remission, and 1.04 (95% CI: 1.01–1.07) for disease clearance at week 58. Patients who exhibited a mental health response at week 10 (defined as an increase in the mental health subscale score of ≥7.85) were more likely to achieve long-term endoscopic remission (aOR 2.67, 95% CI: 1.43–5.25), clinical remission (aOR 1.91, 95% CI: 1.22–2.99), histologic remission (aOR 1.98, 95% CI: 1.27–3.12), and disease clearance (aOR 3.48, 95% CI: 1.74–7.50). Additionally, incorporating mental health response assessment along with clinical remission significantly enhanced outcome predictions. Specifically, patients with only clinical remission at week 10 were approximately half as likely to achieve week-58 endoscopic remission (aOR 0.45, 95% CI: 0.21–0.91) compared to those who attained both mental health response and clinical remission. Conclusion Early mental health improvements independently predicted long-term disease remission in ulcerative colitis. Integrating mental health assessments into the management strategies may provide valuable insights beyond physical symptoms.

Response patterns of the freshwater green microalgae Kirchneriella obesa (Chlorophyta, Sphaeropleales) to free copper ions

ABSTRACT Microalgae can be exposed to a gradual copper (Cu) increase over a wide concentration range in the environment, but most studies focus on punctual increases. This research investigates the effects of quasi-continuous Cu exposure on Kirchneriella obesa, providing new insights on thresholds of healthy and unhealthy cellular responses. Photosynthesis, cell density, and biomolecules were measured at 20 free Cu levels, from environmental to toxic (3x10−9 to 4 x 10−5 mol L−1). Using nonlinear Bayesian regression models, we established mathematical functions describing the relationship between measurements and Cu level and computed credibility intervals for the curves. Our findings revealed two distinct physiological response patterns dependent on Cu concentration and variable. Growth rate gradually decreased with Cu increase, whereas total proteins and carbohydrates increased. A steep transition from healthy to unhealthy condition was present in most photosynthetic variables, whereas others exhibited gradual variation. The Cu2+ concentration triggering these physiological changes differed, signalizing varying photosynthetic susceptibility. The most sensitive variables were rETRmax (120 to 50 μmol e− m−2 s−1) and Ek (180 to 80 μmol photons m−2 s−1) with a steep decrease between 6.5 x 10−8 and 5 x 10−7 mol L−1 Cu2+. Conversely, NPQ demonstrated resilience, increasing steeply from 0.2 at 4.1 x 10−7 mol L−1 Cu2+ to 1.1 at 5.0 x 10−7 mol L−1 Cu2+. Overall, photosynthesis was more resistant to Cu stress than growth rate. This research offers important insights into the responses of a common microalga exposed to a wide range of Cu concentrations, reflecting a scenario of gradual increase in the environment.

Study in Murine Model: Is There a Relationship Between Presbycusis and Frailty?

Age-related hearing loss, or Presbycusis, is the most frequent sensory deficiency in older adults and is associated with comorbidities such as falls, cognitive decline, and frailty. Frailty is related to poor health outcomes in old age. Recent research suggested that age-related hearing loss may be a potentially modifiable risk factor for frailty, although inconclusive. The use of animal models to study the correlation between age-related hearing loss and frailty is important to test future interventions to be translated into clinical practice. The aim of this study was to determine if there is an association between age-related hearing loss and frailty in experimental animals based on the human frailty phenotype. This research studied male and female C57Bl/6J mice at different ages (6, 14, and 22 months). Auditory steady-state response threshold shifts were measured at different frequencies. To assess frailty status, we were based on the "Valence Score," which consists of measuring: weakness, weight loss, low level of activity, slowness, and little resistance. We found that hearing is significantly lower in older age groups. The mice become frail as they age. The worsening in auditory steady-state responses threshold shifts with age correlates significantly with an increasing frailty. No significant differences were found between both sexes. Our research is, to our knowledge, the first carried out in experimental animals to establish the association between age-related hearing loss and frailty, which would provide a useful tool to evaluate future interventions in mice before translating them into clinical practice.

Cause and consequences of Common Snook (Centropomus undecimalis) space use specialization in a subtropical riverscape

Variability in space use among conspecifics can emerge from foraging strategies that track available resources, especially in riverscapes that promote high synchrony between prey pulses and consumers. Projected changes in riverscape hydrological regimes due to water management and climate change accentuate the need to understand the natural variability in animal space use and its implications for population dynamics and ecosystem function. Here, we used long-term tracking of Common Snook (Centropomus undecimalis) movement and trophic dynamics in the Shark River, Everglades National Park from 2012 to 2023 to test how specialization in the space use of individuals (i.e., Eadj) changes seasonally, how it is influenced by yearly hydrological conditions, and its relationship to the between individual trophic niche. Snook exhibited seasonal variability in space use, with maximum individual specialization (high dissimilarity) in the wet season. The degree of individual specialization increased over the years in association with greater marsh flooding duration, which produced important subsidies. Also, there were threshold responses of individual space use specialization as a function of floodplain conditions. Greater specialization in space use results in a decrease in snook trophic niche size. These results show how hydrological regimes in riverscapes influence individual specialization of resource use (both space and prey), providing insight into how forecasted hydroclimatic scenarios may shape habitat selection processes and the trophic dynamics of mobile consumers.

Investigation of the Ocular Response and Corneal Damage Threshold of Exposure to 28 GHz Quasi-millimeter Wave Exposure.

Electromagnetic radiation energy at millimeter wave frequencies, typically 30 GHz to 300 GHz, is ubiquitously used in society in devices for telecommunications; radar and imaging systems for vehicle collision avoidance, security screening, and medical equipment; scientific research tools for spectroscopy; industrial applications for non-destructive testing and precise measurement; and military and defense applications. Understanding the biological effects of this technology is essential. We have been investigating ocular responses and damage thresholds comparing various frequencies using rabbit eyes and dedicated experimental apparatus. In this study we investigated the 28 GHz quasi-millimeter wave band (wavelength: 10.7 mm), a candidate for 5G communication. Similar to millimeter wave frequencies, ocular damage from exposure to 28 GHz for 6 min (400 mW cm-2) included corneal epithelial damage, corneal edema, and opacity. The incident power density threshold, indicating a 50% probability of ocular damage from exposure for 6 min, was found to be 359 mW cm-2 for 28 GHz. Comparing the ocular exposure area for various millimeter wave frequencies (40, 75, 95 GHz) and 28 GHz quasi-millimeter waves using a thermosensitive liquid crystal capsule, we found that for millimeter waves, even at identical incident power densities, the ocular exposure area decreases as the frequency increases (lens effect). However, this lens effect was not observed at 28 GHz, where the entire anterior segment area was exposed to radio waves.

Parameter identifiability in evidence-accumulation models: The effect of error rates on the diffusion decision model and the linear ballistic accumulator.

A variety of different evidence-accumulation models (EAMs) account for common response time and accuracy patterns in two-alternative forced choice tasks by assuming that subjects collect and sum information from their environment until a response threshold is reached. Estimates of model parameters mapped to components of this decision process can be used to explain the causes of observed behavior. However, such explanations are only meaningful when parameters can be identified, that is, when their values can be uniquely estimated from data generated by the model. Prior studies suggest that parameter identifiability is poor when error rates are low but have not systematically compared this issue across different EAMs. We conducted a simulation study investigating the identifiability and estimation properties of model parameters at low error rates in the two most popular EAMs: The diffusion decision model (DDM) and the linear ballistic accumulator (LBA). We found poor identifiability at low error rates for both models but less so for the DDM and for a larger number of trials. The DDM also showed better identifiability than the LBA at low trial numbers for a design with a manipulation of response caution. Based on our results, we recommend tasks with error rates between 15% and 35% for small, and between 5% and 35% for large trial numbers. We explain the identifiability problem in terms of trade-offs caused by correlations between decision-threshold and accumulation-rate parameters and discuss why the models differ in terms of their estimation properties.

Tumour Mutational Burden and Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Response in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer: A Continuous Modelling Approach.

Tumour mutational burden (TMB) is an established biomarker for patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). The optimal TMB cut-off is uncertain. It is also uncertain whether there is a sharp TMB threshold or a more graduated change in clinical outcomes as TMB increases. We aimed to determine the relationship between TMB and ICI treatment outcomes using alternative statistical approaches in patients with non-small cell lung cancer. Tumour mutational burden was evaluated as a prognostic and predictive biomarker in advanced non-small cell lung cancer utilising data from two real-world cohorts of ICI use (n = 968) and three randomised controlled trials evaluating ICIs (n = 1588). The non-linear relationship between continuous TMB and response/survival/efficacy outcomes was evaluated using statistical methods that do not require specifying a TMB cut-off. Median TMB for all cohorts was seven mutations/megabase, excluding MYSTIC, where the median was 13 mutations/megabase. Progressively higher TMB was significantly associated with a progressively higher objective response rate and progression-free survival in ICI-treated patients in Memorial Sloan Kettering-Integrated Mutation Profiling of Actionable Cancer Targets [MSK-IMPACT] (objective response rate: p < 0.001, progression-free survival: p < 0.001), Strata Clinical Molecular Database [SCMD] (progression-free survival: p = 0.023) and OAK/POPLAR (objective response rate: p = 0.017, progression-free survival: p < 0.001) This relationship was not apparent for patients treated with chemotherapy. There was no obvious TMB threshold for ICI response. The relationship between TMB and overall survival was more complex and heterogeneous. Using a single cut-off to analyse a continuous biomarker may hide important information. Methods that provide more nuance to the underlying relationship between TMB and outcomes enable readers to judge for themselves the value and limitations of TMB cut-offs proposed for clinical practice.

Analysis on trend of hearing changes in infants with p.V37I mutation in GJB2 gene at different months of age

Objective:To explore the trend of hearing changes in infants with GJB2 gene p.V37I mutation at different months. Methods:The subjects were 54 children（108 ears） with p.V37I homozygous or compound heterozygous mutation in GJB2 gene. All the subjects underwent auditory brainstem response, auditory steady-state response, acoustic immittance and other audiological tests. Children were divided into three groups according to their age, 26 cases in group A were ≤3 months old, 17 cases in group B were>3~≤6 months old, and 11 cases in group C were>6 months old. Statistical analysis was performed on the three groups of ABR response threshold, hearing degree, the ASSR average response threshold of four frequencies and the ASSR response thresholds for each frequency of 500, 1 000, 2 000 and 4 000 Hz. Results:Among the 54 cases, 35 were male and 19 were female, with an age rang of 2-27 months and a median age of 4 months. The ABR response threshold of the three groups were ranked from low to high as group A, group B and group C, and the difference was statistically significant（P<0.05）. The ABR response thresholds of the three groups were ranked from low to high as group A, group B, and group C. The comparison between groups showed that the ABR response thresholds of group C was higher than that of group A（P=0.006）. The proportion of confirmed hearing loss in the three groups was 34.61%, 50.00% and 63.64%, respectively, and the difference of hearing level among the three groups was statistically significant（P<0.05）. The comparison between groups showed that the difference between group A and group C was statistically significant（P=0.012）, normal hearing accounted for the highest proportion in group A（65.39%）, while mild hearing loss accounted for the highest proportion in group C（45.46%）. The ASSR average response thresholds of the four frequencies in the three groups were ranked from low to high as group A, group B and group C, and the difference is statistically significant（P<0.05）. The comparison between groups showed that response ASSR thresholds of group C was higher than that of group A（P=0.002）. Response thresholds of ASSR in each frequency in the three groups were all ranked from low to high as in group A, group B and group C, and the differences were statistically significant（P<0.05）. Compared with each other between groups, response ASSR thresholds of group C was higher than those of group A（P=0.003） and group B（P=0.015） at 500 Hz, while response ASSR thresholds of group C was higher than group A at 1 000 Hz（P=0.010） and 2 000 Hz（P<0.001）, and there was no statistical difference at 4 000 Hz. Conclusion:The incidence of hearing loss in GJB2 gene p.V37I mutation increased with age, and the degree of hearing loss increased, the hearing progression was mainly 500, 1 000 and 2 000 Hz suggesting regular follow-up and alert to hearing changes.

A review on recent advancement and pharmacological management of migraine

Modern theories suggest that the primary disorder in migraine takes place within the CNS and that this inspires adjustments in blood vessels within pain-producing intracranial meningeal systems that deliver upward push to headache pain. Migraine is now concept of as a neurovascular ailment it has been proposed that genetic abnormalities may be answerable for changing the response threshold to migraine particular trigger elements in the mind of a migraine compared to a normal individual. the exact nature of the principal disorder that is produced in migraine continues to be not clear and can contain spreading despair-like phenomena and activation of mind stem monoaminergic nuclei that are a part of the primary autonomic, vascular and ache control facilities. it is commonly notion that local vasodilatation of intracranial extracerebral blood vessels and a consequent stimulation of surrounding trigeminal sensory nervous ache pathways is a key mechanism underlying the era of headache ache related to migraine. This activation of the Trigeminovascular device’ is idea to reason the release of vasoactive sensory neuropeptides, mainly CGRP, that boom the ache reaction. The activated trigeminal nerves deliver nociceptive records to significant neurons within the mind stem trigeminal sensory nuclei that in turn relay the ache alerts to better facilities in which headache pain is perceived. it's been hypothesized that these significant neurons may become sensitized as a migraine assault progresses.The ‘triptan’ anti-migraine marketers (e.g. sumatriptan, rizatriptan, zolmitriptan naratriptan) are serotonergic agonists which have been proven to act selectively via inflicting vasoconstriction through 5-HT1B receptors which are expressed in human intracranial arteries and by way of inhibiting nociceptive transmission via an movement at five-HT1D receptors on peripheral trigeminal sensory nerve terminals within the meninges and crucial terminals in brain stem sensory nuclei. these 3 complementary web sites of movement underlie the clinical effectiveness of the 5-HT1B/1D agonists towards migraine headache pain and its related signs and symptoms

Low-Cost and Portable Biosensor Based on Monitoring Impedance Changes in Aptamer-Functionalized Nanoporous Anodized Aluminum Oxide Membrane.

We report a low-cost, portable biosensor composed of an aptamer-functionalized nanoporous anodic aluminum oxide (NAAO) membrane and a commercial microcontroller chip-based impedance reader suitable for electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS)-based sensing. The biosensor consists of two chambers separated by an aptamer-functionalized NAAO membrane, and the impedance reader is utilized to monitor transmembrane impedance changes. The biosensor is utilized to detect amodiaquine molecules using an amodiaquine-binding aptamer (OR7)-functionalized membrane. The aptamer-functionalized membrane is exposed to different concentrations of amodiaquine molecules to characterize the sensitivity of the sensor response. The specificity of the sensor response is characterized by exposure to varying concentrations of chloroquine, which is similar in structure to amodiaquine but does not bind to the OR7 aptamer. A commercial potentiostat is also used to measure the sensor response for amodiaquine and chloroquine. The sensing response measured using both the portable impedance reader and the commercial potentiostat showed a similar dynamic response and detection threshold. The specific and sensitive sensing results for amodiaquine demonstrate the efficacy of the low-cost and portable biosensor.

Auditory brainstem response thresholds and functional hearing: implications for cochlear implant candidacy.

This study assessed the relevance of auditory brainstem response (ABR) thresholds in evaluating cochlear implantation (CI) candidacy by studying their correlation with functional hearing in patients with sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). In this retrospective study, we examined correlations between ABR thresholds, speech perception scores in quiet and pure-tone audiometry in 191 adults. We compared these correlations between individuals with different degrees of SNHL to discern differences in potential CI candidates and individual with less severe SNHL. A significant negative correlation was found between ABR thresholds and unaided speech perception scores at 70 dB SPL (R = -0.397, Pcorr<0.0001). For patients scoring 50% or higher on speech audiometry, a significant correlation was observed (R = -0.604, Pcorr<0.004), but not for those scoring less than 50% (R = -0.168, Pcorr=0.084). In the subgroup with ABR thresholds better than 60 dB nHL, a moderate correlation was observed (R = -0.575, Pcorr = 0.032), which was not significant in patients with ABR thresholds of 60 dB nHL or worse (R = -0.175, Pcorr = 0.084). In patients with severe hearing loss (speech perception <50% or ABR thresholds ≥60 dB nHL), the ABR threshold does not correlate with speech perception, limiting its clinical validity for functional auditory performance or CI candidacy evaluation.

Prospective observational study of FKRP‐related limb‐girdle muscular dystrophy R9: A GRASP consortium study

AbstractObjectiveLimb‐girdle muscular dystrophy R9 (LGMDR9, formerly known as LGMD2I), caused by variants in the fukutin‐related protein (FKRP) gene leads to progressive muscle weakness of the shoulder and pelvic limb‐girdles and loss of motor function over time. Clinical management and future trial design are improved by determining which standardized clinical outcome assessments (COA) of function are most appropriate to capture disease presentation and progression, informing endpoint selection and enrollment criteria. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the cross‐sectional validity and reliability of clinical outcome assessments in patients with FKRP‐related LGMDR9 participating in the Genetic Resolution and Assessments Solving Phenotypes in LGMD (GRASP) natural history study.MethodsEnrolled patients completed a battery of COA on two consecutive days, including the North Star Assessment for limb girdle‐type dystrophies (NSAD), the 100‐m timed test (100 m), and the Performance of Upper Limb 2.0 (PUL).ResultsA total of 101 patients with FKRP‐related LGMDR9 completed COA evaluations. All functional COA were highly and significantly correlated even across constructs, except for the 9‐hole peg test. Similarly, all tests demonstrated excellent test–retest reliability across 2‐day visits. The NSAD and PUL demonstrate robust psychometrics with good targeting, ordered response thresholds, fit and stability, and limited dependency of items across the scales.ConclusionsThis study has determined the suitability of several functional COA, cross‐sectionally, in LGMDR9 to inform future trial design and clinical care.

Application of Carrera Unified Formulation and Hybrid AI-Composition with CNN and ReliefF feature selection: presenting some useful suggestions for improving the stability of football and sport equipment via advanced nanocomposites

This study explores the dynamic deflection and vibrational analysis of a spherical shell, modeled as a football game ball, reinforced with graphene platelet nanocomposites (GPLs). The analysis leverages the Carrera Unified Formulation (CUF) for accurate and efficient modeling of the mechanical behavior of the shell under dynamic loads. CUF’s flexibility in adapting to complex geometries and material properties is utilized to represent the heterogeneous reinforcement of GPLs within the spherical shell structure. To enhance the reliability of the computational results, a hybrid artificial intelligence (AI) framework is implemented for result verification. This framework integrates Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) for spatial data representation with ReliefF feature selection to identify and prioritize influential variables. The hybrid AI system ensures robust predictive modeling, addressing the high-dimensional nature of the problem domain. The study also delves into the implications of graphene reinforcement on the ball’s performance, focusing on factors such as deformation under load, vibrational response, and stability thresholds. The results indicate that GPL reinforcement significantly improves the dynamic stability and stiffness of the spherical shell. Comparative analyses validate the efficiency of the CUF-based computational approach through mathematics benchmarks and AI-verified predictions. This interdisciplinary work highlights the potential of combining advanced computational mechanics, nanomaterials, and AI-driven verification in optimizing dynamic stability for applications in sports engineering and beyond.

The functional role of the task-irrelevant stimulus feature in the congruency sequence effect.

Humans have to deal with conflicting information. This is studied in conflict tasks such as the Simon task or the flanker task. For example, participants respond with the left or right hand to the color of a stimulus (task-relevant stimulus feature) which is presented in a left or right position (irrelevant feature) in the Simon task or to a letter (relevant) which is flanked by same or different letters (irrelevant) in the flanker task. In incongruent trials, in which relevant and irrelevant stimulus features require different responses, reaction time is longer and errors are more frequent. This congruency effect is reduced after incongruent trials, dubbed congruency sequence effect (CSE). Here, we show that with temporally separated presentations of relevant and irrelevant stimulus features in the Simon task the CSE is strong with leading irrelevant feature, but declines with leading relevant feature. For the flanker task, this modulation of the CSE was unreliable. By means of an extended leaky, competing accumulator model, we contrasted two mechanisms of the CSE for the Simon task: gating of the irrelevant stimulus information and re-mapping of the stimulus positions to response positions after incongruent trials. The gating model failed to account for some aspects of the observed data which could be simulated by the re-mapping model. For the flanker task, there was not only a CSE, but also overall longer reaction times after incongruent trials. This required an extension of the re-mapping model in terms of higher response thresholds after incongruent than after congruent trials. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Impact of repeated intranasal gentamicin irrigation on auditory brainstem evoked potentials in rats.

Gentamicin is a bactericidal aminoglycoside antibiotic that broadly targets Gram-negative microbes. Both human and animal studies have shown that administration of gentamicin is ototoxic by several routes of administration and results in sensorineural hearing loss due to damaged hair cell at the base of the cochlea. However, gentamicin is also administered intranasally to treat sinusitis in humans, but no animal studies have examined ototoxicity of gentamicin administered via this route. We hypothesized that intranasal irrigation of gentamicin will result in ototoxicity and impaired auditory function similar to systemic delivery. We investigated this hypothesis in Sprague-Dawley rats that received intranasal irrigations of gentamicin or saline from postnatal day (P) 21-31. We examined auditory function by assessing brainstem auditory evoked potentials in response to both broadband clicks and pure tone-pips (4, 8, 16, 24 and 32kHz) on P41. We found significant changes in auditory function in gentamicin-exposed animals. Specifically, gentamicin-exposed animals had significantly higher thresholds in response to both clicks and tone-pips. In response to broadband clicks, there were no changes in latency for waves I through IV. However, we found significantly longer wave and interwave latencies for all waves in response to the 24kHz tone-pip. Together, these findings suggest that intranasal administration of gentamicin results in impaired auditory function consistent with other routes of delivery.

Controlled Locomotion of a Minimal Soft Structure by Stick-Slip Nonlinearity.

We present a locomotion mechanism that uses the stick-slip transition of a soft passive structure with an internal mechanical resonance. The structure is harmonically driven by a global vertical shaking and, because of its resonance dephasing and the threshold response of stick-slip transition, it can either move forward or backward. We establish a relation for the motion acceleration threshold that we experimentally validate. We identify a nontrivial regime close to the resonance with a velocity inversion for a constant excitation frequency and an increasing driving amplitude. We finally show that we can achieve a controlled multimodal motion by combining multiple internal resonances.