Response Time Research Articles

Green Edge: Harnessing situational awareness for sustainable systems

Green computing and Building Management Systems (BMS)are closely related through their shared goal of improving energy efficiency and reducing environmental impact. Field controllers that connect with the sensors and actuators at the field level act as an interface between field devices and enterprise applications. Data transfer, protocol conversion, data processing, computing, and control actuators based on predefined logic are the functions of the field controllers. Fast response time is one of the crucial parameters of these field controllers hence reducing the load on these field controllers by enabling Edge computing functionality is very much required. Maharudrayya Nandimath and others [16] in their “Edge Computing in IBMS (Integrated Building Management Systems). (2024 International Conference on Computer Communication and Informatics (iccci. in)) the paper suggested many of the measures to reduce the load on these field controllers. Building Management Systems are essential for optimizing the operation of modern buildings, ensuring comfort, safety, and energy efficiency. By integrating advanced technologies such as Situation Awareness (SA) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), BMS can be significantly enhanced to provide real-time monitoring, predictive maintenance, and intelligent decision-making. This paper explores the potential of combining SA and AI with BMS, leveraging insights from recent research on industrial processes, IoT cloud-edge continuum, and smart cities. The proposed system architecture includes feedback loops and contextual awareness, aiming to improve building operations and reduce energy consumption, thereby supporting global sustainability goals.

Selective Identification of Hazardous Gases Using Flexible, Room-Temperature Operable Sensor Array Based on Reduced Graphene Oxide and Metal Oxide Nanoparticles via Machine Learning.

Selective detection and monitoring of hazardous gases with similar properties are highly desirable to ensure human safety. The development of flexible and room-temperature (RT) operable chemiresistive gas sensors provides an excellent opportunity to create wearable devices for detecting hazardous gases surrounding us. However, chemiresistive gas sensors typically suffer from poor selectivity and zero-cross selectivity toward similar types of gases. Herein, a flexible, RT operable chemiresistive gas sensors array is designed, featuring reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and rGO decorated with zinc oxide (ZnO), titanium dioxide (TiO2), and tin dioxide (SnO2) nanoparticles (NPs) on a flexible polyimide (PI) substrate. The sensor array consists of four different sensing layers capable of the selective identification of various hazardous gases such as NO2, NO, and SO2 using machine learning (ML). The gas sensor array exhibits a stable response even when mechanically deformed or exposed to high humidity (up to 60%). Each gas sensor, due to the different metal oxide NPs, shows unique responses in terms of sensitivity, responsiveness, response time, and recovery time to different gases. Consequently, the sensor array generates distinct response patterns that effectively differentiate between the target gases. By leveraging these distinctive recovery patterns and employing a data fusion approach in ML, specific concentrations of target gases can be distinguished. Using ML with fused array sensing data, the training and test accuracies achieved were 98.20 and 97.70%, respectively. This innovative combination of sensor arrays and ML offers significant potential for selective gas detection in environmental monitoring and personal safety applications.

Warm-White Light Emission of Lead-free CsAg2I3 Single Crystal Scintillator with a One-Dimensional Electronic Structure.

Presently, the exploration of novel inorganic lead-free perovskite scintillators has emerged as a prominent topic in the field of perovskite materials. Extensive attention has been garnered by materials such as Cs3Cu2I5 due to their notable advantage in scintillation intensity, but the response time constants in the microsecond or even millisecond range severely constrain their potential applications in scintillators. In this study, large-sized (5-6 mm) CsAg2I3 single crystals with an ultrafast warm-white light emission on a nanosecond time scale are presented. Specifically, upon X-ray excitation, the single crystal demonstrates a broad-spectrum white light emission with a color temperature as high as 5129 K, attributed to its self-trapped exciton emission. The 137Cs energy spectrum reveals that CsAg2I3 possesses an ultrafast response for γ rays with a time constant of 15 ns, which is significantly faster than that of Cs3Cu2I5. Furthermore, time-resolved photoluminescence unveils a subnanosecond component with a response time of 0.9 ns. The characteristics of ultrafast warm-white light emission exhibit the significant potential of CsAg2I3 in radiation scintillation detection and its probability of playing a pivotal role in future radiation detection technology.

Design and Implementation of a 7-Person Voting Device based on Quartus

As the complexity of digital system design continues to increase, efficient and precise decision support systems have become increasingly important. This paper presents the design and implementation of a 7-voter decision system based on Altera’s Quartus software. The voter is applied in the core decision-making process to ensure the accuracy and efficiency of decisions. The study begins by outlining the design principles of the 7-voter decision system, using a design philosophy that minimizes timing delays and optimizes hardware resource utilization. A complex majority voting logic circuit is implemented using high-level hardware description languages (VHDL/Verilog), ensuring the advanced nature and applicability of the voting circuit. In terms of the logical implementation of the voting circuit, the paper conducts an in-depth analysis of the optimization of combinational and sequential logic and standardizes the input and output to enhance the signal stability and the system’s resistance to interference. On the Quartus platform, the design process of the voting system is elaborated in detail, with careful consideration given to boundary conditions and hardware compatibility. The implementation of the voter has undergone rigorous simulation and testing. Strict parameter setting for simulations and waveform analysis confirm the correctness of the circuit, and fault simulation tests further confirm its reliability. Performance indicators such as response time and percentage of resource utilization have been quantitatively analyzed and meet the design objectives set beforehand. Overall, this research not only realizes a highperformance 7-voter decision system but also provides an effective case study for applications on the high-performance Quartus design platform. Future research can build on the current work to further optimize algorithms and hardware, explore the potential for the application of the voter in a broader range of fields, and adapt to the new features of the Quartus platform to achieve more powerful decision support functions.

Factors influencing travel time and getaway time of helitack crews on wildfires in the province of Quebec

Background Reducing the delay between the detection of a fire and the arrival of the initial attack (IA) crew can have a significant impact on the likelihood of the IA’s success. Aims The objective of this study was to identify factors influencing same-day getaway time, next-day getaway time and travel time of helitack IA crews in the province of Quebec, Canada. Methods Using generalised linear modelling and model selection, we analysed the impact of multiple factors on these three distinct times. Key results Our results show that factors such as the distance between the departure base and the fire, the number of flight legs to reach a fire, dispatch hour, departure base location, the fire’s rate of spread, Julian date, the number of active fires, fuel type and the fire’s size at detection all influenced getaway time and travel time with varying degrees of influence. Conclusions The factors with the highest influence were distance for travel time and dispatch hour for both same-day and next-day getaway times. Implications Addressing these high-impact factors through the modification of deployment policies and the positioning of helitack crews could help reduce response times.

Health-related quality of life among refugees from Nagorno Karabagh resided in Kotayk, Armenia

Abstract Background In September 2023, more than 100,000 ethnic Armenians were displaced from Nagorno Karabakh (NK). This study assessed the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and associated factors among NK refugees who settled in Kotayk province of Armenia. Methods We surveyed 197 refugees using a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire, which collected information about socio-demographics, chronic diseases, smoking status, HRQoL, utilization of healthcare services, living conditions and food access. The SF-36 Health Survey assessed HRQoL. Ophthalmic examination was conducted. Eyeglasses and medications were provided at no cost to those requiring them. Results The participants’ mean age was 64.8 years and 59.4% were retired. The most commonly reported chronic diseases were bone/joint diseases (67.5%), hypertension (55.3%) and heart diseases (24.9%). Around 48.7% of participants experienced sleeping disorders often/ very often. The mean total SF-36 score was 57.42±23.12; the mean physical (PHC) and mental health component (MHC) scores were 63.57±26.28 and 59.37±20.04, respectively. Only 28% of the participants utilized healthcare services after displacement. Most participants had consistent access to an adequate food supply. In the adjusted analysis age (B/PHC=-0.94, p < 0.001; B/MHC=-0.61, p < 0.001), sleeping disorder (B/PHC=-21.86, p = 0.011; B/MHC=-17.44, p = 0.001), use of medical service (B/PHC=-8.63, p = 0.022; B/MHC=-6.95; p = 0.015) and having more than one chronic disease (B/PHC=-17.35, p < 0.001; B/MHC=-10.90, p = 0.001) were associated with both PHC and MHC. Conclusions This study marks the first assessment of HRQoL among NK refugees. Governmental support and interventions targeting individuals with ophthalmic, sleeping, and chronic diseases might be beneficial. Follow-up assessments should track changes in both physical and mental health scores in this population, as they may fluctuate over time in response to displacement challenges. Key messages • Age, sleeping disorder, use of medical service, and the number of chronic diseases were significantly associated with decreased PHC and MHC of HRQoL • Interventions targeting individuals with restricted access to healthcare services, as well as those affected by eye diseases and chronic health issues might be beneficial.

Comorbidities in Japanese testicular cancer survivors: A multi-institutional, cross-sectional study.

To evaluate comorbidities in Japanese testicular cancer (TC) survivors in a multi-institutional, cross-sectional study. This study enrolled TC survivors who visited any of the eight high-volume institutions in Japan from 2018 to 2019. After obtaining informed consent, participants answered questionnaires about their comorbidities. We analyzed the impact of treatment on comorbidities rate in TC survivors. A total of 509 TC survivors responded to the comorbidity questionnaires. Median age at the time of response was 43 years (IQR 35-51 years) and median follow-up period after treatment was 5.1 years (IQR 2.1-9.2 years). TC survivors were divided according to the number of cycles of chemotherapy into the following groups: None (n = 153); 1-2 cycles (n = 34); 3-4 cycles (n = 234); or ≥5 cycles (n = 88). The prevalence of kidney disease increased significantly with increasing number of cycles of chemotherapy (p < 0.05). The relative risk of cardiovascular disease in the groups with three or more cycles was 2.6 compared to the group without chemotherapy. The present study showed that the prevalence of kidney disease in TC survivors was increased with increasing number of cycles of chemotherapy.

Intelligent Control Algorithms for Enhanced Frequency Stability in Single and Interconnected Power Systems

Ensuring stable power system performance is crucial for reliable grid operation. This study assesses various Load Frequency Control (LFC) strategies, including conventional PID, pole placement, Genetic Algorithm (GA)-optimized PID, Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO)-optimized PID, and an Artificial Neural Network (ANN)-based controller, in single and interconnected power grids. The results reveal that GA- and PSO-optimized PID outperform conventional methods, offering minimal overshoot and fast settling times. Pole placement strikes a balance between response time and stability, while the ANN controller demonstrates adaptability and quick rise times but exhibits higher overshoot and longer settling times compared to the optimization techniques. Tie-line bias control aids in frequency stabilization but presents challenges with overshoot and prolonged settling times. Notably, PSO-optimized PID emerges as a promising solution, effectively mitigating overshoot and achieving rapid frequency recovery. This study underscores the importance of tailored control strategies for optimal LFC, which are essential for enhancing power system stability and efficiency. Future research should explore the potential of advanced techniques, such as deep learning and reinforcement learning, to further improve control performance.

The influence of pragmatic function on children's comprehension of complex because- and if-sentences

IntroductionIn complex adverbial sentences, the connectives because and if can perform different pragmatic functions (e.g. Content, Speech-Act), although this is often overlooked in studies investigating children's acquisition of these connectives. In this study, we investigated whether pragmatic variation is responsible for some of the difficulty young children have in understanding because- and if-sentences and tested the extent to which patterns of acquisition are related to the cognitive complexity or input frequency of the different pragmatic types.MethodsNinety-two children (aged 3–5; F = 39) and 20 adults (F = 12) took part in a forced-choice picture task where they had to identify correct pictures after hearing Content and Speech-Act because- and if-sentences.ResultsResults showed that children were most accurate on the sentence type where cognitive simplicity and input frequency converge (If Content), but this pattern was largely driven by the girls in the study. For response times, children were fastest with the least cognitively complex sentence types. However, for because Speech-Act sentences, there was an inverse relationship between response time and input frequency.DiscussionTaken together, these findings suggest that neither account (cognitive complexity or input frequency) can fully explain the findings. Instead, we suggest that the relative contributions of both factors are best understood in terms of the relevance of these utterances to children and the precise contexts in which children hear these utterances produced.

Illusory truth effect across languages and scripts.

The repetition of a statement increases its credibility, a phenomenon known as the illusory truth effect. Here we tested whether the illusory truth effect persists across languages and scripts. In two experiments, Italian-English (n = 80) and Greek-English (n = 66), unbalanced bilinguals were exposed to 60 written unknown trivia statements in English. After a distractor math task, participants rated the truthfulness of the same 60 (repeated) statements and 60 new statements, which were presented either in the same language as in the exposure phase (English) or in a different language (Italian, Experiment 1, or Greek, Experiment 2). Response times were faster when information was repeated in the same language compared to a different language, suggesting increased processing fluency in the former than in the latter case. Truth ratings yielded an illusory truth effect: repeated statements were considered more truthful than new statements. Interestingly, the magnitude of the illusory truth effect remained regardless of whether the repetition was in the same or in a different language and persisted even when the different language condition also entailed a different script (Latin in exposure phase and Greek in repetition). The results suggest that the language of information presentation is not a critical factor to affect the illusory truth effect, despite the fact that repetition in the same language increases processing speed. We interpret our results in light of the referential theory (Unkelbach & Rom, Cognition 160: 110-126, 2017), attributing the illusory truth effect to conceptual fluency induced by the overlap of activated conceptual representations in bilingual memory.

Scattering-Free and Fast Response Polymer Brush-Stabilized Liquid Crystals Beam Steering Using Surface-Initiated Polymerization Technique.

Nonmechanical fast response optical beam steering technology is increasingly essential for telecommunications, imaging systems, optical sensing, displays, and military applications. Polymer network liquid crystal (PNLC) beam steering can achieve submillisecond response times but faces limitations due to scattering issues arising from the refractive index mismatch between the polymer network and the liquid crystals (LCs). In this article, we demonstrate a scattering-free, fast-response LC beam steering by using polymer brushes to stabilize the gradient refractive index. First, the initiator is incorporated into the alignment layer and the monomer is mixed into the LC layer. Surface-initiated polymerization (SIP) is then employed to grow the polymer brushes exclusively on the substrate's surface, thus confining the polymer network's growth to the LC bulk and reducing interfacial scattering. For polymer brush stabilized liquid crystal (PBSLC) beam steering device with a period size of 225 μm and a cell gap of 7.2 μm, the average transmission rate reaches 88% in the visible light spectrum with a haze value of only 6.91. The steering angle is 0.16, and the diffraction efficiency is 80.3%. When a voltage of 35 Vrms is applied, the primary energy can be tuned to the zeroth order, with a response time close to 1 ms. By cascading two PBSLC beam steering devices with opposite steering directions, the primary energy of the beam can be adjusted between zeroth, +1, and -1 order. This method requires only a UV light source, a precision displacement stage, a power supply, and a mask, avoiding the need for expensive equipment and complex electrode fabrication. By adjustment of the phase change period, step width, and number of steps during fabrication, the steering angles and diffraction efficiency of the PBSLC beam steering device can be easily controlled, highlighting its significant potential for industrial production.

The impact of misinformation on social media in the context of natural disasters

Abstract Background Rapid dissemination of information during natural disasters plays a crucial role in managing public responses and ensuring safety. Social media can be a tool to disseminate lifesaving information but is also a ground for the propagation of misinformation. This study examines the impact of misinformation spread through social media in the context of natural disasters and explores related dynamics, effects, and countermeasures. Methods Cochrane and PRISMA recommendations were used for protocol development and sound reporting. Key terms related to misinformation, social media and natural disasters were used, with the search conducted in PubMed, and without time limitation for adequate capture. Only research papers in English were eligible for inclusion. Journal and article quality were considered. No restriction was imposed on country or age of target populations. Results Findings reveal significant influence of misinformation on public behaviour during disasters, often leading to panic and hindering effective disaster management. Specific characteristics of misinformation were identified, incl. its origins and spread mechanisms; proximity -both spatial and social- was found to be a critical factor in terms of spread and reach. Emerging evidence highlights the importance of trusted sources to effectively counter misinformation, yet response time remains a critical challenge. Technical detection of misinformation can help combat it but requires further enhancements for real-time application in diverse disaster scenarios. Conclusions Misinformation on social media poses complex challenges to disaster management, affecting both individual and societal resilience. Proactive communication strategies are critical, as is the development of advanced verification tools, and public education strategies to combat misinformation. Future research should focus on refining strategies to enhance disaster preparedness and response, ensuring a resilient and well-informed public.

Crowd-Sourced Assessment of Laparoscopic Surgical Skills for Ob/Gyn Residents

Importance Feedback is an essential part of graduate medical education. With increasing demands on time and fewer opportunities for formal feedback in residency, there is an increasing need for objective and actionable feedback. Objective To understand how the Crowd-Sourced Assessment of Technical Skills (CSATS) assessment of residents’ laparoscopic skills compares with the current faculty assessment in an obstetrics/gynecology residency program. Design, Setting, and Participants This was a prospective educational intervention study involving residents from a single academic obstetrics/gynecology residency program at a large tertiary teaching hospital. Individual performance videos of hysterectomies, myomectomies, and endometriosis resections were recorded and uploaded to the CSATS database where they were analyzed. Formal written feedback reports from the CSATS system were sent to the residents. Residents then completed a survey addressing satisfaction, timeliness, and utility of the CSATS feedback method overall and in comparison with the residency’s in-person feedback and with the standard written, electronic feedback evaluation. Results A total of 16 residents submitted 65 videos of operations. Overall comparison of CSATS vs faculty evaluation was equivalent. Residents found that CSATS response time was slower than receiving in-person feedback from faculty. When comparing CSATS with the standard feedback form, residents felt strongly that CSATS was superior for both surgical skill feedback and procedure evaluation, with both categories having a mean top score. When comparing low-volume CSATS utilization vs high-volume CSATS utilization, there were no statistical differences. Overall, residents reported high satisfaction with CSATS evaluation. Conclusions Residents were generally satisfied with CSATS as an overall feedback tool. CSATS could be a possible addition to help improve resident education.

Recyclable Chitosan-Modified Cellulose Fiber Porous Structure for Sensitive and Robust Moisture-Driven Actuators and Automatic Cooling Textiles.

Moisture-driven actuators featuring programmable stimuli-responsiveness and a rapid response have garnered substantial research attention. Cellulose-based actuators face challenges, including prolonged and unstable responsiveness, along with inadequate interfacial bonding. Herein, we developed a bilayer structured moisture actuator by integrating multiscale cellulose fibers with chitosan. The protonated chitosan forms strong electrostatic attractions with negatively charged cellulose nanofibrils (CNF), achieving a robust interfacial interaction. Leveraging the hierarchically porous structure and varying hygroscopicity of microfibrillated cellulose (MFC) and CNF, the film establishes an effective wettability gradient, enabling a stable and rapid moisture actuation performance. The bilayer film exhibits large deformation toward moisture with a bending angle of 60°, a short response time of 12 s, good stability over 50 wetting and drying cycles, and promising recyclability. Harnessing these advantageous properties, the bilayer film was demonstrated for its applications in automatic cooling textiles, contactless electrical switches, and artificial moisture-activated muscles, showing great potential for practical use.

Emerging Roots: Investigating Early Access to Meaning in Maltese Auditory Word Recognition.

In Semitic languages, the consonantal root is central to morphology, linking form and meaning. While psycholinguistic studies highlight its importance in language processing, the role of meaning in early lexical access and its representation remain unclear. This study investigates when meaning becomes accessible during the processing of Maltese verb forms, using a computational model based on the Discriminative Lexicon framework. Our model effectively comprehends and produces Maltese verbs, while also predicting response times in a masked auditory priming experiment. Results show that meaning is accessible early in lexical access and becomes more prominent after the target word is fully processed. This suggests that semantic information plays a critical role from the initial stages of lexical access, refining our understanding of real-time language comprehension. Our findings contribute to theories of lexical access and offer valuable insights for designing priming studies in psycholinguistics. Additionally, this study demonstrates the potential of computational models in investigating the relationship between form and meaning in languageprocessing.

Initiation response, maximized therapeutic efficacy, and post-treatment effects of biological targeted therapies in myasthenia gravis: a systematic review and network meta-analysis

BackgroundAs targeted drug development in myasthenia gravis (MG) continues to advance, it is important to compare the efficacy of these drugs for better clinical decision-making. However, due to the varied regimens and dosages used in clinical trials for different drugs, a standardized comparison between them is necessary.MethodsThis study enrolled participants in phase II and III trials of innovative targeted drugs for MG. The primary outcome was the change in Quantitative Myasthenia Gravis score (MG-QMG) from baseline. The efficacy of all drugs at four time points was separately analyzed at four time points: initiation 1 week, initiation 4 weeks, maximized response, and post last dose 4 weeks. A network meta-analysis was conducted to compare the results of the different drugs.ResultsA total of 9 drugs, including Efgartigimod, Rozanolixizumab, Batoclimab, Eculizumab, Belimumab, Zilucoplan, Ravulizumab, Nipocalimab, Rituximab, derived from 12 studies were analyzed. At the initiation 1-week time point, three drugs exhibited significant improvement compared to the placebo effect: Efgartigimod, Zilucoplan, Rozanolixizumab. At the initiation 4-week time point, four drugs showed significant improvement compared to the placebo effect: Efgartigimod, Rozanolixizumab, Batoclimab, Zilucoplan. At the maximized response time point, six drugs achieved significant improvement compared to the placebo effect: Efgartigimod, Rozanolixizumab, Batoclimab, Eculizumab, Zilucoplan, Ravulizumab. At the post last dose 4-week point, all drugs statistically showed no significant difference from the placebo.ConclusionAlthough the MG subtypes were not consistent across trials, within the regimen design of each trial, neonatal Fc receptor inhibitors—represented by Efgartigimod, Rozanolixizumab, and Batoclimab—exhibited the most effective response rates when compared to complement and B-cell inhibitor drugs.

Filiform Papillae‐Inspired Wearable Pressure Sensor with High Sensitivity and Wide Detection Range

AbstractFlexible pressure sensor (FPS) has promising applications in fields like health monitoring and human–machine interactions. The achieving of both high sensitivity and wide detection range in FPS remains highly challenging. Here, inspired by the filiform papillae on cat tongue, a FPS (noted as FPSp) with a sensitivity up to 504.5 kPa−1, a detection range from 30 Pa to 350 kPa, a fast response time of 83 ms, and a high stability over 8000 cycles is developed. The papilla‐like structure continuously shifts the location of stress concentration under increasing pressure, which avoids the accumulation of stress at papillae tips, resulting in a high sensitivity and wide detection range. Moreover, FPSp demonstrates capabilities in monitoring human physiological signals and movement status and can serve as the human‐machine interaction interface. The work not only presents a promising wearable pressure sensor but also establishes a design strategy for high‐performance wearable bioelectronics.

A Novel PCR-Free Ultrasensitive GQD-Based Label-Free Electrochemical DNA Sensor for Sensitive and Rapid Detection of Francisella tularensis

Biological warfare agents are infectious microorganisms or toxins capable of harming or killing humans. Francisella tularensis is a potential bioterrorism agent that is highly infectious, even at very low doses. Biosensors for biological warfare agents are simple yet reliable point-of-care analytical tools. Developing highly sensitive, reliable, and cost-effective label-free DNA biosensors poses significant challenges, particularly when utilizing traditional techniques such as fluorescence, electrochemical methods, and others. These challenges arise primarily due to the need for labeling, enzymes, or complex modifications, which can complicate the design and implementation of biosensors. In this study, we fabricated Graphene Quantum dot (GQD)-functionalized biosensors for highly sensitive label-free DNA detection. GQDs were immobilized on the surface of screen-printed gold electrodes via mercaptoacetic acid with a thiol group. The single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) probe was also immobilized on GQDs through strong π−π interactions. The ssDNA probe can hybridize with the ssDNA target and form double-stranded DNA, leading to a decrease in the effect of GQD but a positive shift associated with the increase in DNA concentration. The specificity of the developed system was observed with different microorganism target DNAs and up to three-base mismatches in the target DNA, effectively distinguishing the target DNA. The response time for the target DNA molecule is approximately 1010 s (17 min). Experimental steps were monitored using UV/Vis spectroscopy, Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), and electrochemical techniques to confirm the successful fabrication of the biosensor. The detection limit can reach 0.1 nM, which is two–five orders of magnitude lower than previously reported methods. The biosensor also exhibits a good linear range from 105 to 0.01 nM and has good specificity. The biosensor’s detection limit (LOD) was evaluated as 0.1 nM from the standard calibration curve, with a correlation coefficient of R2 = 0.9712, showing a good linear range and specificity. Here, we demonstrate a cost-effective, GQD-based SPGE/F. tularensis DNA test suitable for portable electrochemical devices. This application provides good perspectives for point-of-care portable electrochemical devices that integrate sample processing and detection into a single cartridge without requiring a PCR before detection. Based on these results, it can be concluded that this is the first enzyme-free electrochemical DNA biosensor developed for the rapid and sensitive detection of F. tularensis, leveraging the nanoenzyme and catalytic properties of GQDs.

Tackling Pertussis in Schools: A Public Health Unit’s Approach

Abstract Issue Pertussis is a highly infectious bacterial respiratory disease, easily transmitted in closed settings, such as schools. In Portugal, 2019 was the last year with a significant number of cases (83). As pertussis usually follows epidemic cycles from 3 to 5 years, another wave is expected in 2024. Children aged 1-5 years are particularly vulnerable as they no longer benefit from maternal vaccination and have not yet received the 5-year boost recommended in the national schedule. Description of the problem In April 2024, the Cascais Public Health Unit (PHU) addressed two possible pertussis cases in preschools. A streamlined response protocol was drafted, including an online contact tracing form and task distribution among response team members, along with templates and a scripted guide for standardized communication. Results We were provided a list of close contacts for the children and staff and shared an online form. In the first case, 34 in 35 identified contacts responded to the form, while in the second case, 38 in 55. When comparing both scenarios, the average scripted call duration decreased from 10 to 6 minutes. The PHU response to the first index case took 6 hours, involving 4 physicians and 5 nurses, whereas to the second took 4 hours, involving 3 physicians and 3 nurses. However, implementation requires at least one team member with basic information technology skills to set up the system. Lessons Clear communication channels between schools and public health authorities are vital for effective outbreak management. Streamlining communication processes with online forms and scripted conversation guides improved efficiency. Centralised data collection reduced response time and resource requirements in each outbreak. Key messages • Established communication channel, standardized data collection, and streamlined protocol allow more effective outbreak management. • Centralized data collection via digital tools is particularly useful in limited human resources settings.

How ADHD Self-Report Scale Scores Predict Vigilance Task Performance

As technology advances, the integration of automation into human-machine systems is increasing and humans are more frequently assuming the role of monitor. Unfortunately, humans are poor monitors and struggle to sustain attention. This struggle is often greater for individuals with ADHD. As a result, they tend to exhibit impaired performance on vigilance tasks compared to their counterparts. Prior research has proposed that ADHD is more prevalent in the general population, with many going undiagnosed. The present study conducted several exploratory analyses to determine how differences in ADHD-like symptom manifestation predict vigilance task performance. The results provide evidence for a predictive relationship between impulsive scores and detection accuracy as well as inattention scores and response time on a cognitive vigil. This suggests that various dimensions of attention may influence performance on different measures. Such differences should be considered when assigning monitoring roles to operators.