Snake, rattle ‘n’ run

Reading is one of the essential processes during the maturation of an individual. It is estimated that 5–10% of school-age children are affected by dyslexia, the reading disorder characterised by difficulties in the accuracy or fluency of word recognition. There are many studies which have reported that coloured overlays and background could improve the reading process, especially in children with reading disorders. As dyslexia has neurobiological origins, the aim of the present research was to understand the relationship between physiological parameters and colour modifications in the text and background during reading in children with and without dyslexia. We have measured differences in electroencephalography (EEG), heart rate variability (HRV), electrodermal activities (EDA) and eye movements of the 36 school-age (from 8 to 12 years old) children (18 with dyslexia and 18 of control group) during the reading task in 13 combinations of background and overlay colours. Our findings showed that the dyslexic children have longer reading duration, fixation count, fixation duration average, fixation duration total, and longer saccade count, saccade duration total, and saccade duration average while reading on white and coloured background/overlay. It was found that the turquoise background, turquoise overlay, and yellow background colours are beneficial for dyslexic readers, as they achieved the shortest time duration of the reading tasks when these colours were used. Additionally, dyslexic children have higher values of beta (15–40 Hz) and the broadband EEG (0.5–40 Hz) power while reading in one particular colour (purple), as well as increasing theta range power while reading with the purple overlay. We have observed no significant differences between HRV parameters on white colour, except for single colours (purple, turquoise overlay, and yellow overlay) where the control group showed higher values for mean HR, while dyslexic children scored higher with mean RR. Regarding EDA measure, we found systematically lower values in children with dyslexia in comparison to the control group. Based on the present results, we can conclude that both pastel and intense background/overlays are beneficial for reading of both groups and all sensor modalities could be used to better understand the neurophysiological origins in dyslexic children.

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Gamma entrainment frequency affects mood, memory and cognition: an exploratory pilot study

Brain Informatics ◽

10.1186/s40708-020-00119-9 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Ryan L. S. Sharpe ◽

Mufti Mahmud ◽

M. Shamim Kaiser ◽

Jianhui Chen

Keyword(s):

Pilot Study ◽

Correlation Analysis ◽

Negative Correlation ◽

Cognitive Abilities ◽

Statistical Significance ◽

Assessment Scores ◽

Frequency Group ◽

Before And After ◽

Mood Score ◽

40 Hz

AbstractHere we provide evidence with an exploratory pilot study that through the use of a Gamma 40 Hz entrainment frequency, mood, memory and cognition can be improved with respect to a 9-participant cohort. Participants constituted towards three binaural entrainment frequency groups: the 40 Hz, 25 Hz and 100 Hz. Participants attended a total of eight entrainment frequency sessions twice over the duration of a 4-week period. Additionally, participants were assessed based on their cognitive abilities, mood as well as memory, where the cognitive and memory assessments occurred before and after a 5-min binaural beat stimulation. The mood assessment scores were collected from sessions 1, 4 and 8, respectively. With respect to the Gamma 40 Hz entrainment frequency population, we observed a mean improvement in cognitive scores, elevating from 75% average to 85% average upon conclusion of the experimentation at weak statistical significance ($$\alpha$$ α = 0.10, p = 0.076). Similarly, memory score improvements at a greater significance ($$\alpha$$ α = 0.05, p = 0.0027) were noted, elevating from an average of 87% to 95%. In pertinence to the mood scores, a negative correlation across all populations were noted, inferring an overall increase in mood due to lower scores correlating with elevated mood. Finally, correlation analysis revealed a stronger R$$^2$$ 2 value (0.9838) within the 40 Hz group between sessions as well as mood score when compared across the entire frequency group cohort.

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Decreased Gamma Auditory Steady-State Response Is Associated With Impaired Real-World Functioning in Unmedicated Patients at Clinical High Risk for Psychosis

Clinical EEG and Neuroscience ◽

10.1177/1550059420982706 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 155005942098270

Author(s):

Sarah Ahmed ◽

Jennifer R. Lepock ◽

Romina Mizrahi ◽

R. Michael Bagby ◽

Cory J. Gerritsen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Steady State ◽

High Risk ◽

Functional Impairment ◽

Real World ◽

Steady State Response ◽

Clinical High Risk ◽

State Response ◽

Auditory Steady State Response ◽

Gamma Synchrony ◽

40 Hz

Aim Deficits in synchronous, gamma-frequency neural oscillations may contribute to schizophrenia patients’ real-world functional impairment and can be measured electroencephalographically using the auditory steady-state response (ASSR). Gamma ASSR deficits have been reported in schizophrenia patients and individuals at clinical high risk (CHR) for developing psychosis. We hypothesized that, in CHR patients, gamma ASSR would correlate with real-world functioning, consistent with a role for gamma synchrony deficits in functional impairment. Methods A total of 35 CHR patients rated on Global Functioning: Social and Role scales had EEG recorded while listening to 1-ms, 93-dB clicks presented at 40 Hz in 500-ms trains, in response to which 40-Hz evoked power and intertrial phase-locking factor (PLF) were measured. Results In CHR patients, lower 40-Hz PLF correlated with lower social functioning. Conclusions Gamma synchrony deficits may be a biomarker of real-world impairment at early stages of the schizophrenia disease trajectory.

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Are the Assioma Favero Power Meter Pedals a Reliable Tool for Monitoring Cycling Power Output?

Sensors ◽

10.3390/s21082789 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (8) ◽

pp. 2789

Author(s):

Víctor Rodríguez-Rielves ◽

José Ramón Lillo-Beviá ◽

Ángel Buendía-Romero ◽

Alejandro Martínez-Cava ◽

Alejandro Hernández-Belmonte ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Power Output ◽

Gold Standard ◽

Cycle Ergometer ◽

Test Reliability ◽

Direct Drive ◽

Validity And Reliability ◽

Power Meter ◽

High Workload ◽

Vibration Stress ◽

40 Hz

This study aimed to examine the validity and reliability of the recently developed Assioma Favero pedals under laboratory cycling conditions. In total, 12 well-trained male cyclists and triathletes (VO2max = 65.7 ± 8.7 mL·kg−1·min−1) completed five cycling tests including graded exercises tests (GXT) at different cadences (70–100 revolutions per minute, rpm), workloads (100–650 Watts, W), pedaling positions (seated and standing), vibration stress (20–40 Hz), and an 8-s maximal sprint. Tests were completed using a calibrated direct drive indoor trainer for the standing, seated, and vibration GXTs, and a friction belt cycle ergometer for the high-workload step protocol. Power output (PO) and cadence were collected from three different brand, new pedal units against the gold-standard SRM crankset. The three units of the Assioma Favero exhibited very high within-test reliability and an extremely high agreement between 100 and 250 W, compared to the gold standard (Standard Error of Measurement, SEM from 2.3–6.4 W). Greater PO produced a significant underestimating trend (p < 0.05, Effect size, ES ≥ 0.22), with pedals showing systematically lower PO than SRM (1–3%) but producing low bias for all GXT tests and conditions (1.5–7.4 W). Furthermore, vibrations ≥ 30 Hz significantly increased the differences up to 4% (p < 0.05, ES ≥ 0.24), whereas peak and mean PO differed importantly between devices during the sprints (p < 0.03, ES ≥ 0.39). These results demonstrate that the Assioma Favero power meter pedals provide trustworthy PO readings from 100 to 650 W, in either seated or standing positions, with vibrations between 20 and 40 Hz at cadences of 70, 85, and 100 rpm, or even at a free chosen cadence.

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Human oscillatory brain activity near 40 Hz coexists with cognitive temporal binding.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences ◽

10.1073/pnas.91.24.11748 ◽

1994 ◽

Vol 91 (24) ◽

pp. 11748-11751 ◽

Cited By ~ 339

Author(s):

M. Joliot ◽

U. Ribary ◽

R. Llinas

Keyword(s):

Brain Activity ◽

Temporal Binding ◽

Oscillatory Brain Activity ◽

40 Hz

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Crackle Pitch Rises Progressively during Inspiration in Pneumonia, CHF, and IPF Patients

Pulmonary Medicine ◽

10.1155/2012/240160 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 2012 ◽

pp. 1-4 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Andrey Vyshedskiy ◽

Raymond Murphy

Keyword(s):

Heart Failure ◽

Lung Volume ◽

Interstitial Fibrosis ◽

Lung Sounds ◽

Lung Sound ◽

Lung Volumes ◽

Alternate Explanation ◽

40 Hz

Objective. It is generally accepted that crackles are due to sudden opening of airways and that larger airways produce crackles of lower pitch than smaller airways do. As larger airways are likely to open earlier in inspiration than smaller airways and the reverse is likely to be true in expiration, we studied crackle pitch as a function of crackle timing in inspiration and expiration. Our goal was to see if the measurement of crackle pitch was consistent with this theory.Methods. Patients with a significant number of crackles were examined using a multichannel lung sound analyzer. These patients included 34 with pneumonia, 38 with heart failure, and 28 with interstitial fibrosis.Results. Crackle pitch progressively increased during inspirations in 79% of all patients. In these patients crackle pitch increased by approximately 40 Hz from the early to midinspiration and by another 40 Hz from mid to late-inspiration. In 10% of patients, crackle pitch did not change and in 11% of patients crackle pitch decreased. During expiration crackle pitch progressively decreased in 72% of patients and did not change in 28% of patients.Conclusion. In the majority of patients, we observed progressive crackle pitch increase during inspiration and decrease during expiration. Increased crackle pitch at larger lung volumes is likely a result of recruitment of smaller diameter airways. An alternate explanation is that crackle pitch may be influenced by airway tension that increases at greater lung volume. In any case improved understanding of the mechanism of production of these common lung sounds may help improve our understanding of pathophysiology of these disorders.

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