Number-Time Interaction: Search for a Common Magnitude System in a Cross-Modal Setting

A theory of magnitude (ATOM) suggests that a generalized magnitude system in the brain processes magnitudes such as space, time, and numbers. Numerous behavioral and neurocognitive studies have provided support to ATOM theory. However, the evidence for common magnitude processing primarily comes from the studies in which numerical and temporal information are presented visually. Our current understanding of such cross-dimensional magnitude interactions is limited to visual modality only. However, it is still unclear whether the ATOM-framework accounts for the integration of cross-modal magnitude information. To examine the cross-modal influence of numerical magnitude on temporal processing of the tone, we conducted three experiments using a temporal bisection task. We presented the numerical magnitude information in the visual domain and the temporal information in the auditory either simultaneously with duration judgment task (Experiment-1), before duration judgment task (Experiment-2), and before duration judgment task but with numerical magnitude also being task-relevant (Experiment-3). The results suggest that the numerical information presented in the visual domain affects temporal processing of the tone only when the numerical magnitudes were task-relevant and available while making a temporal judgment (Experiments-1 and 3). However, numerical information did not interfere with temporal information when presented temporally separated from the duration information (Experiments-2). The findings indicate that the influence of visual numbers on temporal processing in cross-modal settings may not arise from the common magnitude system but instead from general cognitive mechanisms like attention and memory

Action-Outcome Delays Modulate the Temporal Expansion of Intended Outcomes

The phenomenon of intentional binding pertains to the perceived connection between a voluntary action and its anticipated result. When an individual intends an outcome, it appears to subjectively extend in time due to a pre-activation of the intended result, particularly evident at shorter action-outcome delays. However, there is a concern that the operationalisation of intention might have led to a mixed interpretation of the outcome expansion attributed to the pre-activation of intention, given the sensitivity of time perception and intentional binding to external cues that could accelerate the realisation of expectations. To investigate the expansion dynamics of an intended outcome, we employed a modified version of the temporal bisection task in two experiments. Experiment 1 considered the action-outcome delay as a within-subject factor, while experiment 2 treated it as a between-subject factor. The results revealed that the temporal expansion of an intended outcome was only evident under the longer action-outcome delay condition. We attribute this observation to working memory demands and attentional allocation due to temporal relevancy and not due to pre-activation. The discrepancy in effects across studies is explained by operationalising different components of the intentional binding effect, guided by the cue integration theory. Moreover, we discussed speculative ideas regarding the involvement of specific intentions based on the proximal intent distal intent (PIDI) theory and whether causality plays a role in temporal binding. Our study contributes to the understanding of how intention influences time perception and sheds light on how various methodological factors, cues, and delays can impact the dynamics of temporal expansion associated with an intended outcome

A Matter of Time: How Musical Training Affects Time Perception

Musical training has been linked to changes in early attentional and perceptual processing. Thus, such an altered attentional and perceptual processing has enabled musicians to judge the duration differently than non-musicians. Although these claims seem intriguing, there are many questions that are not addressed yet, for example, how would the performance of musically-trained differ from that of untrained on visual and auditory temporal judgments? Is there any advantage to musically-trained person in temporal processing? To understand these questions, we thus conducted a series of Auditory and Visual Temporal Bisection Tasks on 32 musically-trained and 32 musically-untrained participants. We hypothesized that if music training modulates general sensitivity to temporal dimensions, then the temporal judgments of musically-trained participants would differ from those of untrained participants in both visual and auditory tasks. Each participant performed a total of 140 trials (70 visual and 70 auditory) in two different blocks. For each participant,

Clinical Metabolomics Investigation of Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients Receiving Ayurvedic Whole System Intervention

BACKGROUND: Arthritis is a common clinical condition seen in Ayurveda clinics. Clinical trials have reported Ayurvedic interventions to be of benefits in many arthritic conditions including Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). No mechanistic details however are available about how such interventions on their own or as a combination of whole system Ayurveda might be working. OBJECTIVE: The study aims to evaluate simultaneously the clinical outcome of Ayurveda whole system (AWS) intervention in RA patients and identifying the serum metabolic signatures which could be useful for diagnosing the disease and monitoring treatment response. MATERIAL AND METHODS: RA patients (n = 37) simultaneously diagnosed as Amavata fulfilling the specific inclusion and exclusion criteria were recruited in the study and were given Ayurveda whole system (AWS) intervention comprised of oral medicines, local therapy and dietary recommendation for 3 months. The clinical and serum metabolic changes were investigated for pre-treatment RA patients (baseline RA group, n = 37) and post-treatment RA patients (following treatment of 6-weeks (RA_F, n = 26) and three months (RA_T, n = 36). For comparative serum metabolomics analysis, 57 normal healthy control (HC) subjects were also involved and the serum metabolic profiles were measured at high-field 800 MHz NMR spectrometer. The serum metabolic profiles were compared using multivariate statistical analysis and discriminatory metabolic features were evaluated for diagnostic potential using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. RESULTS: A significant reduction in DAS-28 ESR, AAM Score, total swollen joints, total tender joints were observed following AWS intervention. The clinical outcomes were concordant with changes in metabolic profiles of RA patients as these were also shifting towards the normal levels following the intervention. Compared to healthy control (HC) subjects, the sera of baseline RA patients were characterised by increased circulatory level of succinate, lysine, mannose, creatine, and 3-Hydroxybutyrate (3-HB) and decreased levels of alanine. The present study also evaluated the serum metabolic ratios for their discriminatory and diagnostic potential and notably, six metabolic ratios (KHR, KThR, KVR, GHR, PTR and SHR) were found significantly altered (elevated) in baseline RA patients. However, in RA patients receiving AWS treatment, these metabolic changes showed marked convergence towards the metabolic signatures of healthy controls. CONCLUSION: This first of its kind study clearly shows the clinical efficacy of Ayurvedic Whole System (AWS) intervention in the management of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), as demonstrated by significant improvements in key clinical parameters. The intervention not only alleviated symptoms but also induced a profound metabolic shifting towards normalization; thus, underscoring the potential of AWS intervention to modulate cellular metabolism in a manner that facilitates a return to homeostasis in RA patients. However, future studies are imperative to confirm these preliminary observations and delineate the underlying mechanisms of action of intervention in cases of RA

Numerical investigation on effect of spark plug configuration on performance in an engine cylinder

A numerical investigation of combustion inside single and twin-spark engines was performed to study the effect of a spark plug, positions and spark timings on engine performance. Improvement in engine performance is one of the automotive industry's primary research areas. Consequently, the study's results can be utilised to optimise engine configurations to achieve maximum performance. The investigation was conducted using a finite volume-based open-source software, OpenFOAM, for computational simulations. Simulations were conducted using the XiEngineFOAM solver with a transport equation for modelling flame fronts. The Standard k-e turbulence model was used to predict turbulence parameters. The simulation was conducted for compression and power stroke (crank angle between - 180° and 180°), assuming an even distribution of the air-fuel mixture within the pentroof 4-valve engine cylinder. Simulations were conducted for four cases, including variations in the position and timing of spark plugs in single-spark and twin-spark engines. According to the results of the simulations, the single-spark engine provides the best performance when the spark plug is ignited early and positioned at the cylinder's centre. When placed at an optimal position determined by flame travel and collision, the twin-spark engine gives the best performance at the highest difference between the spark timings of the two spark plugs