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Jónsdóttir LK, Forslund T, Frick MA, Frick A, Heeman EJ, Brocki KC. A challenge to the expected: Lack of longitudinal associations between the early caregiving environment, executive functions in toddlerhood, and self-regulation at 6 years. Dev Sci 2024:e13526. [PMID: 38712829 DOI: 10.1111/desc.13526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Revised: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
Previous research and theory indicate an importance of the quality of the early caregiving environment in the development of self-regulation. However, it is unclear how attachment security and maternal sensitivity, two related but distinct aspects of the early caregiving environment, may differentially predict self-regulation at school start and whether a distinction between hot and cool executive function is informative in characterizing such predictions through mediation. In a 5-year longitudinal study (n = 108), we examined these associations using measures of maternal sensitivity and attachment security at 10-12 months, executive function at 4 years, and self-regulation at 6 years. Surprisingly, and despite methodological rigor, we found few significant bivariate associations between the study variables. We found no credible evidence of a longitudinal association between maternal sensitivity or attachment security in infancy and self-regulation at 6 years, or between executive function at 4 years and self-regulation at 6 years. The lack of bivariate longitudinal associations precluded us from building mediation models as intended. We discuss our null findings in terms of their potential theoretical implications, as well as how measurement type, reliability, and validity, may play a key role in determining longitudinal associations between early caregiving factors and later self-regulation and related abilities. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: The early caregiving environment has been implicated in the development of later self-regulation, which includes more basic skills, such as hot and cool executive functions (EF). In a 5-year longitudinal study, with a sample of 108 children, we rigorously measured aspects of early caregiving, EF, and self-regulation. We found no significant longitudinal associations between early caregiving and self-regulation at 6 years, nor between EF at 4 years and self-regulation at 6 years. These null results highlight the complexity of modeling self-regulation development and raise critical questions about general methodological conventions within self-regulation development research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lilja K Jónsdóttir
- Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- Centre for Women's Mental Health During the Reproductive Lifespan - WOMHER, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Tommie Forslund
- Department of Psychology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Matilda A Frick
- Department of Psychology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Medical Sciences, Psychiatry, Uppsala University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Andreas Frick
- Department of Medical Sciences, Psychiatry, Uppsala University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Emma J Heeman
- Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- Centre for Women's Mental Health During the Reproductive Lifespan - WOMHER, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Karin C Brocki
- Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
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Nimmapirat P, Fiedler N, Suttiwan P, Sullivan MW, Ohman-Strickland P, Panuwet P, Barr DB, Prapamontol T, Naksen W. Predictors of executive function among 2 year olds from a Thai birth cohort. Infant Behav Dev 2024; 74:101916. [PMID: 38096613 PMCID: PMC10947867 DOI: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2023.101916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2024]
Abstract
Executive function (EF) is a critical skill for academic achievement. Research on the psychosocial and environmental predictors of EF, particularly among Southeast Asian, agricultural, and low income/rural populations, is limited. Our longitudinal study explored the influence of agricultural environmental, psychosocial, and temperamental factors on children's emerging EF. Three-hundred and nine farm worker women were recruited during the first trimester of pregnancy. We evaluated the effects of prenatal insecticide exposure and psychosocial factors on "cool" (i.e., cognitive: A-not-B task, looking version) and "hot" EF (i.e., affective, response inhibition) measures of emerging EF. Maternal urine samples were collected monthly during pregnancy, composited, and analyzed for dialkylphosphate (DAP) metabolites of organophosphate insecticides. Psychosocial factors included socioeconomic status, maternal psychological factors, and quality of mother-child behavioral interactions. Backward stepwise regressions evaluated predictors of children's EF at 12 (N = 288), 18 (N = 277) and 24 (N = 280) months of age. We observed different predictive models for cool EF, as measured by A-not-B task, vs. hot EF, as measured by response inhibition tasks. Report of housing quality as a surrogate for income was a significant predictor of emerging EF. However, these variables had opposite effects for cool vs. hot EF. More financial resources predicted better cool EF performance but poorer hot EF performance. Qualitative findings indicate that homes with fewer resources were in tribal areas where children must remain close to an adult for safety reasons. This finding suggests that challenging physical environments (e.g., an elevated bamboo home with no electricity or running water), may contribute to development of higher levels of response inhibition through parental socialization methods that emphasize compliance. Children who tended to show more arousal and excitability, and joy reactivity as young infants in the laboratory setting had better cognitive performance. In contrast, maternal emotional availability was a significant predictor of hot EF. As expected, increased maternal exposure to pesticides during pregnancy was associated with worse cognitive performance but was not associated with inhibitory control. Identifying risk factors contributing to the differential developmental pathways of cool and hot EF will inform prevention strategies to promote healthy development in this and other unstudied rural, low income Southeast Asian farming communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pimjuta Nimmapirat
- Chulalongkorn University, Faculty of Psychology, LIFE Di Center, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Nancy Fiedler
- Rutgers School of Public Health, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health and Justice, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Panrapee Suttiwan
- Chulalongkorn University, Faculty of Psychology, LIFE Di Center, Bangkok, Thailand.
| | | | - Pamela Ohman-Strickland
- Rutgers School of Public Health, Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Parinya Panuwet
- Emory University, Rollins School of Public Health, Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Dana Boyd Barr
- Emory University, Rollins School of Public Health, Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Tippawan Prapamontol
- Chiang Mai University, Research Institute for Health Sciences, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Warangkana Naksen
- Chiang Mai University, Faculty of Public Health, Chiang Mai, Thailand
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Wang Y, Ji H. Hot and cool executive function in the development of behavioral problems in grade school. Dev Psychopathol 2024:1-11. [PMID: 38415404 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579424000415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
Despite the well-established link between children's executive function and behavioral adjustment, it remains unclear whether the hot and cool aspects of executive function are uniquely associated with children's behavioral problems. Using longitudinal data spanning in the grade school (N = 1,140), this study aimed to examine whether hot and cool executive function skills may be uniquely related to the development of behavioral problems. Hot and cool executive function skills were measured with tasks, standardized tests, and questionnaires at 54 months and in the first grade, respectively. Internalizing and externalizing problems were evaluated by teachers using questionnaires throughout the grade school. The results indicated that, independent of each other, hot and cool executive function skills were uniquely and negatively related to the development of internalizing and externalizing problems over time at the between-individual level, adjusting for within-individual fluctuations. Moreover, internalizing and externalizing problems were positively related at the between-individual level across the grade school. Findings provide needed evidence to clarify the relations between hot and cool executive function and children's behavioral problems, emphasizing the importance of both aspects of executive function in understanding the development of behavioral problems in school-age children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiji Wang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Psychological Crisis Intervention, Affiliated Mental Health Center (ECNU), School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
- NYU-ECNU Institute of Brain and Cognitive Science at New York University Shanghai, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Changning Mental Health Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Huayu Ji
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Psychological Crisis Intervention, Affiliated Mental Health Center (ECNU), School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
- NYU-ECNU Institute of Brain and Cognitive Science at New York University Shanghai, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Changning Mental Health Center, Shanghai, China
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Parhoon K, Aita SL, Mohammadi A, Roth RM. Do executive functions differentiate Iranian children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder with and without comorbid obesity? Arch Clin Neuropsychol 2023; 38:1659-1670. [PMID: 37494423 DOI: 10.1093/arclin/acad053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/24/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To compare multiple dimensions of executive function between children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) with and without comorbid obesity. METHOD Participants were 90 Iranian children (ages 8-13, 50% female) who were equally dispersed across three study groups: typically developing (TD), ADHD with obesity (ADHD+O), and ADHD without obesity (ADHD-O). Study participants were administered a comprehensive battery of Iranian-adapted "cool" executive function tasks including Digit Span from the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fifth Edition (WISC-V), Victoria Stroop Test (VST), Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), Tower of London, and dot-probe task (i.e., a task of attentional bias). Parents completed the Children's Scale for Future Thinking Questionnaire, which assesses future-oriented cognition (e.g., saving, planning, episodic foresight, delay of gratification), aligning more with "hot" executive functions. Groups were compared using multivariate and post-hoc univariate general linear models. RESULTS Significant group effects were observed for all executive function variables, broadly with the gradient pattern of TD > ADHD-O > ADHD+O. ADHD+O had poorer performances than ADHD-O for WISC-V Digit Span (d = -0.84), WCST Categories Completed (d = -0.55) and Perseverative Responses (d = 1.15), VST Interference Errors (d = 0.83) and Interference Time (d = 1.38), and Dot-Probe Task (d = 0.84). Relative to the ADHD-O group, ADHD+O had also poorer parent-reported Prospective Memory (d = -0.62), Episodic Foresight (d = -0.63), and Delay of Gratification (d = -0.54). CONCLUSIONS Children with ADHD-O have poorer executive functioning than those without obesity. We observed stronger effects for "cool" rather than "hot" domains of executive function, though this could be due to the former being performance-based and the latter parent-reported.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamal Parhoon
- Postdoc Researcher in Cognitive Psychology, Kharazmi University, Tehran 15719, Iran
| | - Stephen L Aita
- Department of Mental Health, VA Maine Healthcare System, Augusta ME, 04330, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469, USA
| | - Azad Mohammadi
- Educational Neuroscience, University of Tehran, Tehran 15719, Iran
| | - Robert M Roth
- Department of Psychiatry, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center / Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH 03756, USA
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Wu D, Chang C, Yang J, Luo J, Xie S, Li H. Habit-DisHabit Design with a Quadratic Equation: A Better Model of the Hemodynamic Changes in Preschoolers during the Dimension Change Card Sorting Task. CHILDREN (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 10:1574. [PMID: 37761535 PMCID: PMC10528280 DOI: 10.3390/children10091574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2023] [Revised: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
General linear modeling (GLM) has been widely employed to estimate the hemodynamic changes observed by functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) technology, which are found to be nonlinear rather than linear, however. Therefore, GLM might not be appropriate for modeling the hemodynamic changes evoked by cognitive processing in developmental neurocognitive studies. There is an urgent need to identify a better statistical model to fit into the nonlinear fNIRS data. This study addressed this need by developing a quadratic equation model to reanalyze the existing fNIRS data (N = 38, Mage = 5.0 years, SD = 0.69 years, 17 girls) collected from the mixed-order design Dimensional Change Card Sort (DCCS) task and verified the model with a new set of data with the Habit-DisHabit design. First, comparing the quadratic and cubic modeling results of the mixed-order design data indicated that the proposed quadratic equation was better than GLM and cubic regression to model the oxygenated hemoglobin (HbO) changes in this task. Second, applying this quadratic model with the Habit-DisHabit design data verified its suitability and indicated that the new design was more effective in identifying the neural correlates of cognitive shifting than the mixed-order design. These findings jointly indicate that Habit-DisHabit Design with a quadratic equation might better model the hemodynamic changes in preschoolers during the DCCS task.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dandan Wu
- Faculty of Education and Human Development, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China;
| | - Chunqi Chang
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518055, China; (C.C.); (J.Y.)
| | - Jinfeng Yang
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518055, China; (C.C.); (J.Y.)
| | - Jiutong Luo
- Faculty of Education, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China; (J.L.); (S.X.)
- Faculty of Education, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Sha Xie
- Faculty of Education, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China; (J.L.); (S.X.)
| | - Hui Li
- Faculty of Education and Human Development, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China;
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Moriguchi Y, Phillips S. Evaluating the Distinction between Cool and Hot Executive Function during Childhood. Brain Sci 2023; 13:brainsci13020313. [PMID: 36831856 PMCID: PMC9953946 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13020313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Revised: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/11/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2023] Open
Abstract
This article assesses the cool-hot executive function (EF) framework during childhood. First, conceptual analyses suggest that cool EF (cEF) is generally distinguished from hot EF (hEF). Second, both EFs can be loaded into different factors using confirmatory factor analyses. Third, the cognitive complexity of EF is similar across cEF tasks, and the cognitive complexity of cEF is similar to hEF tasks. Finally, neuroimaging analysis suggests that children activate the lateral prefrontal regions during all EF tasks. Taken together, we propose that the cool-hot framework is a useful, though not definitive way of characterizing differences in EF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yusuke Moriguchi
- Graduate School of Letters, Kyoto University, Yoshidahoncho, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +81-75-753-2852
| | - Steven Phillips
- Mathematical Neuroscience Group, Human Informatics and Interaction Research Group, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba 305-8566, Japan
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Frick A, Chevalier N. A First Theoretical Model of Self-Directed Cognitive Control Development. JOURNAL OF COGNITION AND DEVELOPMENT 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/15248372.2022.2160720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Aurélien Frick
- GIGA-CRC in Vivo Imaging, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
- Psychology and Neuroscience of Cognition Research Unit, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
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Zelazo PD, Carlson SM. Reconciling the Context-Dependency and Domain-Generality of Executive Function Skills from a Developmental Systems Perspective. JOURNAL OF COGNITION AND DEVELOPMENT 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/15248372.2022.2156515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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An fNIRS Study of Applicability of the Unity-Diversity Model of Executive Functions in Preschoolers. Brain Sci 2022; 12:brainsci12121722. [PMID: 36552181 PMCID: PMC9776044 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12121722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Executive function (EF) includes a set of higher-order abilities that control one's actions and thoughts consciously and has a protracted developmental trajectory that parallels the maturation of the frontal lobes, which develop speedily over the preschool period. To fully understand the development of EF in preschoolers, this study examined the relationship among the three domains of executive function (cognitive shifting, inhibitory control, and working memory) to test the applicability of the unity-diversity model in preschoolers using both behavioral and fNIRS approaches. Altogether, 58 Chinese preschoolers (34 boys, 24 girls, Mage = 5.86 years, SD = 0.53, age range = 4.83-6.67 years) were administered the Dimensional Card Change Sort (DCCS), go/no-go, and missing scan task. Their brain activations in the prefrontal cortex during the tasks were examined using fNIRS. First, the behavioral results indicated that the missing scan task scores (working memory) correlated with the DCCS (cognitive shifting) and go/no-go tasks (inhibitory control). However, the latter two did not correlate with each other. Second, the fNIRS results demonstrated that the prefrontal activations during the working memory task correlated with those in the same regions during the cognitive shifting and inhibitory control tasks. However, the latter two still did not correlate. The behavioral and neuroimaging evidence jointly indicates that the unity-diversity model of EF does apply to Chinese preschoolers.
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Chevalier N, Lipina S, Scerif G, Segretin MS. Special issue on development of self-regulation, cognitive control, and executive function, Part II: Editorial note. Dev Sci 2022; 25:e13326. [PMID: 36112772 DOI: 10.1111/desc.13326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Sebastián Lipina
- Unidad de Neurobiología Aplicada (UNA, CEMIC-CONICET), Instituto Universitario CEMIC, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Gaia Scerif
- Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - M Soledad Segretin
- Unidad de Neurobiología Aplicada (UNA, CEMIC-CONICET), Instituto Universitario CEMIC, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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11
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Correction to "Development of self-regulation, cognitive control, and executive function". Dev Sci 2022; 25:e13327. [PMID: 36200287 DOI: 10.1111/desc.13327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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Xie S, Gong C, Lu J, Li H, Wu D, Chi X, Chang C. Enhancing Chinese preschoolers' executive function via mindfulness training: An fNIRS study. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:961797. [PMID: 36090651 PMCID: PMC9452775 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.961797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Mindfulness training has been found to enable cognitive and emotional awareness and diminish emotional distraction and cognitive rigidity. However, the existing intervention studies have largely focused on school children, adolescents, and adults, leaving young children unexplored. This study examined the influence of mindfulness training on young children using the one-group pretest-posttest design. Altogether 31 Chinese preschoolers (M age = 67.03 months, SD = 4.25) enrolled in a 5-week, twice-per-week mindfulness training. Their cognitive shifting, inhibitory control, and working memory were examined using a battery of executive function tasks. And their brain activations in the region of interest during the tasks were measured using fNIRS before and after the intervention. Results showed that their cognitive shifting and working memory tasks performance significantly improved, and their activation in the DLPFC significantly changed. Implications for this study were also included.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sha Xie
- Department of Early Childhood Education, Faculty of Education, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Chaohui Gong
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jiahao Lu
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Hui Li
- Shanghai Institute of Early Childhood Education, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China
- Macquarie School of Education, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Dandan Wu
- Department of Early Childhood Education, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Xinli Chi
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Chunqi Chang
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
- Peng Cheng Laboratory, Shenzhen, China
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Ali AH, Zidan AS. Detection of Antibodies in Patients with COVID-19 by Rapid Chromatographic Immunoassay. TURKISH JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.4274/tji.galenos.2022.26349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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