Open Eyes Research Articles

Effects of one-week bilateral cerebellar iTBS on resting-state functional brain network and multi-task attentional performance in healthy individuals: A randomized, sham-controlled trial

Background:Cerebellar intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) modulates the excitability of the cerebral cortex and may enhance attentional performance. To date, few studies have conducted iTBS on healthy subjects for one week and used electroencephalography (EEG) to investigate the effect of multiple stimulation sessions on resting-state functional brain networks and the daily stimulation effect on attentional performance. Methods:16 healthy subjects participated in a one-week experiment, receiving bilateral cerebellar iTBS or sham stimulation and engaging in multi-task attentional training. The primary measures were the one-week attentional performance and pre- and post-experiment resting-state EEG activities. Amplitude Envelope Correlation (AEC) was used to construct the functional connectivity in the eye-open (EO) and eye-closed (EC) phases. Results:At least three sessions of iTBS were required to enhance multi-task performance significantly, whereas only one or two sessions failed to elicit the improvement. Compared with the control group, iTBS induced significant changes in PSD, AEC functional connectivity, and AEC network properties during the EO phase, while it had little effect during the EC phase. During the EO phase, the network property changes of the iTBS subject were correlated with improved attentional performance. Conclusion:The multi-task performance requires multiple stimulations to enhance. iTBS affects the resting-state alpha band brain activities during the EO rather than the EC phase. The AEC network properties may serve as a biomarker to assess the attentional potential of healthy subjects.

Acute effects of prismatic adaptation on penalty kick accuracy and postural control in young soccer players: A pilot study

BackgroundPrismatic adaptation (PA) is a visuomotor technique using prismatic glasses that are capable of moving the visual field and to affect the excitability of certain brain areas. The aim of this pilot study was to explore potential acute effects of PA on penalty kick accuracy and postural control in youth soccer players. MethodsIn this randomized crossover study, seven young male soccer players performed three PA sessions (rightward PA, r-PA; leftward PA, l-PA; sham PA, s-PA) with a washout period of 1-week between them. Immediately before and after each PA session, penalty kick accuracy and postural control were assessed. ResultsWe detected an increase in penalty kick accuracy following PA, regardless of the deviation side of the prismatic glasses (F1,5 = 52.15; p = 0.08; ηp2 = 0.981). In detail, our results showed an increase in the penalty kick accuracy toward the right target of the football goal following r-PA and toward the left target of the football goal following l-PA. We detected a significant effect on the sway path length (F2,12 = 10.42; p = 0.002; ηp2 = 0.635) and the sway average speed (F2,12 = 9.17; p = 0.004; ηp2 = 0.605) parameters in the stabilometric test with open eyes following PA, regardless of the deviation side of the prismatic glasses. In detail, our results showed a significant difference in both the stabilometric parameters (p = 0.016 and p = 0.009, respectively) only following l-PA. ConclusionThe findings of this pilot study indicate that PA could positively affect penalty kick accuracy and postural control suggesting that PA could be used as a visual training technique in athletes.

Analysis and Enlightenment of Blind Box Culture "Go Viral"

In recent years, "Blind Box Consumption" has set off waves in China. Blind box products quickly occupy the vast market and become a hot topic of public discussion. Behind the blind box trend of the blind box is the localized development of Japanese tide play in China, from which we can get a glimpse of China's popular consumption model and consumer mentality. The paper mainly analyzes the cultural characteristics and current situation of blind boxes from the following three aspects: The reason for the "explosion" of blind boxes in China; Consumer psychology and behavior analysis and the potential harm of blind box consumption. It is found that the blind box, as a new consumption model, brings short and varied emotional experiences to consumers. At the same time, the uncertainty of blind box products increases the repurchase rate of customers, allowing consumers to form emotional dependence during the purchase process, thus achieving the effect of "addiction", resulting in addictive spending beyond the consumption budget. Therefore, the development of the blind box industry urgently needs the government departments to refine and improve the industry laws and regulations, and the regulatory authorities need to supervise the merchants and establish a perfect after-sales service mechanism. Consumers should also be accomplished with open eyes, understand the publicity mode and potential harm behind the blind box, and establish a scientific and rational consumption concept.

Changes in high-order interaction measures of synergy and redundancy during non-ordinary states of consciousness induced by meditation, hypnosis, and auto-induced cognitive trance

High-order interactions are required across brain regions to accomplish specific cognitive functions. These functional interdependencies are reflected by synergistic information that can be obtained by combining the information from all the sources considered and redundant information (i.e., common information provided by all the sources). However, electroencephalogram (EEG) functional connectivity is limited to pairwise interactions thereby precluding the estimation of high-order interactions. In this multicentric study, we used measures of synergistic and redundant information to study in parallel the high-order interactions between five EEG electrodes during three non-ordinary states of consciousness (NSCs): Rajyoga meditation (RM), hypnosis, and auto-induced cognitive trance (AICT). We analyzed EEG data from 22 long-term Rajyoga meditators, nine volunteers undergoing hypnosis, and 21 practitioners of AICT. We here report the within-group changes in synergy and redundancy for each NSC in comparison with their respective baseline. During RM, synergy increased at the whole brain level in the delta and theta bands. Redundancy decreased in frontal, right central, and posterior electrodes in delta, and frontal, central, and posterior electrodes in beta1 and beta2 bands. During hypnosis, synergy decreased in mid-frontal, temporal, and mid-centro-parietal electrodes in the delta band. The decrease was also observed in the beta2 band in the left frontal and right parietal electrodes. During AICT, synergy decreased in delta and theta bands in left-frontal, right-frontocentral, and posterior electrodes. The decrease was also observed at the whole brain level in the alpha band. However, redundancy changes during hypnosis and AICT were not significant. The subjective reports of absorption and dissociation during hypnosis and AICT, as well as the mystical experience questionnaires during AICT, showed no correlation with the high-order measures. The proposed study is the first exploratory attempt to utilize the concepts of synergy and redundancy in NSCs. The differences in synergy and redundancy during different NSCs warrant further studies to relate the extracted measures with the phenomenology of the NSCs.

Perceived stress and brain connectivity in subthreshold depression: Insights from eyes-closed and eyes-open states

Perceived stress is an acknowledged risk factor for subthreshold depression (StD), and fluctuations in perceived stress are thought to disrupt the harmony of brain networks essential for emotional and cognitive functioning. This study aimed to elucidate the relationship between eye-open (EO) and eye-closed (EC) states, perceived stress, and StD. We recruited 27 individuals with StD and 33 healthy controls, collecting resting state fMRI data under both EC and EO conditions. We combined intrinsic connectivity and seed-based functional connectivity analyses to construct the functional network and explore differences between EC and EO conditions. Graph theory analysis revealed weakened connectivity strength in the right superior frontal gyrus (SFG) and right median cingulate and paracingulate gyrus (MCC) among participants with StD, suggesting an important role for these regions in the stress-related emotions dysregulation. Notably, altered SFG connectivity was observed to significantly relate to perceived stress levels in StD, and the SFG connection emerges as a neural mediator potentially influencing the relationship between perceived stress and StD. These findings highlight the role of SFG and MCC in perceived stress and suggest that understanding EC and EO states in relation to these regions is important in the neurobiological framework of StD. This may offer valuable perspectives for early prevention and intervention strategies in mental health disorders.

Schirmer tear test-1 with open or closed eyelids: An evaluation in brachycephalic and nonbrachycephalic dogs.

Assess aqueous tear production when measured with the dogs' eyelids open or closed. Thirty healthy dogs (15 Shih Tzus, 15 Labrador retrievers) were recruited. With the order of testing randomized for each dog, two sessions (separated by 30 min) of STT-1 testing were performed with the dogs' eyelids closed or open. Schirmer strip wetness (every 10 s for 60 s) and number of time(s) the strip dislodged during testing were recorded in each eye. Preferred STT-1 method was surveyed via a global Listserv of the veterinary ophthalmology community. STT-1 values were significantly higher in closed versus open eyes in Shih Tzus (18.6 ± 2.7 mm/min vs. 16.3 ± 2.5 mm/min; p = .002) and Labrador retrievers (21.6 ± 2.9 mm/min vs. 17.8 ± 3.2 mm/min, p < .001), findings that were also significant at times <60 s for either breed (p ≤ .004). Schirmer strips dislodged from six dogs with open eyelids and no dogs with closed eyelids. Maximal STT-1 difference with closed versusopen eyelids was 13 mm/min in Labrador retrievers and 7 mm/min in Shih Tzus. Survey results from 275 veterinarians showed STT-1 performed with "closed eyelids" (38.5%), "open eyelids" (26.9%), or "never paid attention, sometimes closed, sometimes open" (34.6%). Eyelids status (closed or open) during STT-1 testing had a significant impact on aqueous tear secretion in brachycephalic and nonbrachycephalic dogs, highlighting the importance of consistency when repeating STT-1 in a canine patient. STT-1 differences are likely due to sustained reflex tearing throughout the test duration when the dogs' eyelids are closed.

Static Plantar Pressure under Different Conditions in Children with Surgically Treated Unilateral Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis.

Slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) is the most common hip disease during infancy and adolescence. Our study aimed to analyze static plantar pressure in children with surgically treated unilateral SCFE. Twenty-two children with right SCFE with in situ fixation with one percutaneous screw were assessed by PoData plantar pressure analysis under three different conditions (open eyes, eyes closed, and head retroflexed). The total foot loading was significantly higher on the unaffected limb compared with the affected one for all the three testing conditions (p < 0.05). When assessing the differences between testing conditions, there were no significant differences for the right and left foot loadings, or for the three sites of weight distribution, except for the right fifth metatarsal head (lower loading in eyes-closed condition in comparison to eyes open, p = 0.0068), left fifth metatarsal head (increased loading in head-retroflexed condition in comparison to eyes open, p = 0.0209), and left heel (lower loading in head-retroflexed condition in comparison to eyes open, p = 0.0293). Even after a successful surgical procedure, differences in foot loading can impact the postural static activities in different conditions (natural eyes-open, eyes-closed, or head-retroflexed posture).

Wavelength division multiplexing of free space optical system under the effect of oil fire smoke

Abstract In this paper, two wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) based free space optical (FSO) systems (single, multiple) are proposed and their performance is compared on the basis of Q-factor, eye opening diagrams and the total power of the received signal for different link distances under effect of oil fire smoke. The obtained results illustrate that the values of WDM single FSO of (1 km) distance exhibit good performance based on (Q-factor ≥ 6), but it was out of line performance at (2 km) FSO distance. The values of (1 km) distance exhibit good performance. On the other hand, the results of the FSO distance (2 km) indicate poor performance without signal loss. The presented results show that the eye opening for all the power values of (1 km) distance for both systems. Moreover, the eye opened only at the highest power value of (2 km) distance for single FSO systems. The eye opened partially at the lowest power of (2 km) distance and became fully opened at the mid-point and highest power values for multiple FSO systems. Thus, the proposed MIMO-FSO systems with multiplexes multiple optical carriers WDM demonstrates better results than SISO-FSO systems with WDM and the well knowing systems under similar atmospheric conditions.

Dependence on visual information in patients with ACL injury for multi-joint coordination during single-leg squats: a case control study.

The influence of vision on multi-joint control during dynamic tasks in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) deficient patients is unknown. Thus, the purpose of this study was to establish a new method for quantifying neuromuscular control by focusing on the variability of multi-joint movement under conditions with different visual information and to determine the cutoff for potential biomarkers of injury risk in ACL deficient individuals. Twenty-three ACL deficient patients and 23 healthy subjects participated in this study. They performed single-leg squats under two different conditions: open eyes (OE) and closed eyes (CE). Multi-joint coordination was calculated with the coupling angle of hip flexion, hip abduction and knee flexion. Non-linear analyses were performed on the coupling angle. Dependence on vision was compared between groups by calculating the CE/OE index for each variable. Cutoff values were calculated using ROC curves with ACL injury as the dependent variable and significant variables as independent variables. The sample entropy of the coupling angle was increased in all groups under the CE condition (P < 0.001). The CE/OE index of coupling angle variability during the descending phase was higher in ACL deficient limbs than in the limbs of healthy participants (P = 0.036). The CE/OE index of sample entropy was higher in the uninjured limbs of ACL deficient patients than in the limbs of healthy participants (P = 0.027). The cutoff value of the CE/OE index of sample entropy was calculated to be 1.477 (Sensitivity 0.957, specificity 0.478). ACL deficient patients depended on vision to control multiple joint movements not only on the ACL deficient side but also on the uninjured side during single leg squat task. These findings underscore the importance of considering visual dependence in the assessment and rehabilitation of neuromuscular control in ACL deficient individuals.

Open access EEG dataset of repeated measurements from a single subject for microstate analysis

Electroencephalography (EEG) microstate analysis is a neuroimaging analytical method that has received considerable attention in recent years and is widely used for analysing EEG signals. EEG is easily influenced by internal and external factors, which can affect the repeatability and stability of EEG microstate analysis. However, there have been few reports and publicly available datasets on the repeatability of EEG microstate analysis. In the current study, a 39-year-old healthy male underwent a total of 60 simultaneous electroencephalography and electrocardiogram measurements over a period of three months. After the EEG recording was completed, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was also conducted. To date, this EEG dataset has the highest number of repeated measurements for one individual. The dataset can be used to assess the stability and repeatability of EEG microstates and other analytical methods, to decode resting EEG states among subjects with open eyes, and to explore the stability and repeatability of cortical spatiotemporal dynamics through source analysis with individual MRI.

Integrative function of proprioceptive system in the acute effects of whole body vibration on the movement performance in young adults.

The proprioceptive system coordinates locomotion, but its role in short-term integration and recovery of motor activity in imbalance of motor patterns and body remains debated. The aim of this study is investigating the functional role of proprioceptive system in motor patterns and body balance in healthy young adults. 70 participants (aged 20.1 ± 0.3) were divided into experimental groups EG1 (n = 30), EG2 (n = 30), control group (CG, n = 10). EG1 performed single WBV session on Power Plate (7 exercises adapted to Functional Movement Screen (FMS). EG2 performed single session of FMS Exercises (FMSE). CG didn't perform any physical activity. All participants performed pre- and post-session of FMS and stabilometric measurements. FMS total score in EG1 increased by 2.0 ± 0.2 (p0 < 0.001), this was significantly differed (p0 < 0.001) from EG2 and CG. Acute effects of WBV and FMSE on rate of change and standard deviation (SD) of pressure center (COP) were shown in all groups during Static Test (p0 < 0.01). SD increased (p0 < 0.01) in Given Setting Test in EG1 and EG2, and in Romberg Test (p0 < 0.001) in EG1. Length, width and area (p0 < 0.01) of confidence ellipse, containing 95% of the statokinesiogram points, decreased in Static Test in EG1; width and area (p0 < 0.01) decreased in EG2 group. Significant (p0 < 0.01) decrease in Given Setting Test was in EG1, and significant (p0 < 0.01) increase was in Romberg Test (open eyes) in CG. Maximum amplitude of COP oscillations: significantly (p0 < 0.01) decreasing along X and Y axes in EG1 and EG2, and along Y axis in CG during Static Test; along Y axis (p0 < 0.01) in all groups during Given Setting Test. Significant differences were identified (p0 < 0.01) in calculated energy consumption for COP moving during all stabilometric tests. However, inter-group differences in COP after acute WBV and FMSE sessions have not been identified. Acute WBV session eliminates the deficits in motor patterns which is not the case after acute FMSE session, which, according to our integrative movement tuning hypothesis, is due to high activation of integrative function of proprioceptive system. Efficacy of WBV and FMSE on COP performance indicates a high sensitivity of postural control to different levels of proprioceptive system activity.

Factors Affecting Balance Performance in Adolescents.

(1) Background: The influence of different factors on balance in adolescence is assessed by conducting functional balance tests that examine its different components. (2) Materials and methods: The study sample comprised 110 healthy adolescents of both sexes, aged 12-18 years. Single Leg Stance with Eyes Open (SLS-EO) and Eyes Closed (SLS-EC) tests were conducted to evaluate static balance, whereas the Functional Reach Test (FRT) and Lateral Reach Test (LRT) were performed to establish functional stability limits. The influence of sex, age, demographic factors, anthropometric characteristics, participation in sports activities, and trunk extensor muscle endurance (Biering-Sorensen test) on balance performance was determined through correlational and univariate linear regression analyses. (3) Results: Older age (Beta [β] = 0.247; 95% CI [0.75, 5.20]; p < 0.01) and better trunk extensor muscle endurance (β = 0.224; 95% CI [0.015, 0.13]; p < 0.05) were significant predictors of the SLS-EO results, while younger age (β = -0.219; 95% CI [-1.32, -0.11]; p < 0.05) and higher muscle percentage (β = 0.237; 95% CI [0.06, 0.48]; p < 0.05) emerged as significant predictors of LRT performance, and greater bone mass was a significant predictor of FRT results (β = 0.444; 95% CI [3.62, 8.17]; p < 0.01). However, none of the independent variables was a statistically significant predictor of the SLS-EC results. (4) Conclusions: The current study found that age, trunk extensor muscle endurance, muscle percentage, and bone mass are significant predictors of different balance components, suggesting that balance is task-specific.

Breathing, postural stability, and psychological health: a study to explore triangular links.

This study aims to test the hypothesis that breathing can be directly linked to postural stability and psychological health. A protocol enabling the simultaneous analysis of breathing, posture, and emotional levels in university students is presented. This aims to verify the possibility of defining a triangular link and to test the adequacy of various measurement techniques. Twenty-three subjects (9 females and 14 males), aged between 18 and 23years, were recruited. The experiment consisted of four conditions, each lasting 3minutes: Standard quiet standing with open eyes 1), with closed eyes 2), and relaxed quiet standing while attempting deep abdominal breathing with open eyes 3) and with closed eyes 4). These latter two acquisitions were performed after subjects were instructed to maintain a relaxed state. All subjects underwent postural and stability analysis in a motion capture laboratory. The presented protocol enabled the extraction of 4 sets of variables: Stabilometric data, based on the displacement of the center of pressure and acceleration, derived respectively from force plate and wearable sensors. Postural variables: angles of each joint of the body were measured using a stereophotogrammetric system, implementing the Helen Hayes protocol. Breathing compartment: optoelectronic plethysmography allowed the measurement of the percentage of use of each chest compartment. Emotional state was evaluated using both psychometric data and physiological signals. A multivariate analysis was proposed. A holistic protocol was presented and tested. Emotional levels were found to be related to posture and the varied use of breathing compartments. Abdominal breathing proved to be a challenging task for most subjects, especially females, who were unable to control their breathing patterns. In males, the abdominal breathing pattern was associated with increased stability and reduced anxiety. In conclusion, difficulties in performing deep abdominal breathing were associated with elevated anxiety scores and decreased stability. This depicts a circular self-sustaining relationship that may reduce the quality of life, undermine learning, and contribute to muscular co-contraction and the development of musculoskeletal disorders. The presented protocol can be utilized to quantitatively and holistically assess the healthy and/or pathological condition of subjects.

Gamma activity in Autism Spectrum Disorder: Enhanced response to visual input

IntroductionAutism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a childhood onset neurodevelopmental condition, that leads to permanent disability in a high proportion of cases. ASD is associated with a heterogeneous symptom presentation, which - besides social interaction and communication difficulties - encompasses altered sensory reactivity, including excessive hyper-sensitivity to stimuli, especially in the visual domain. Meta-analyses of fMRI studies revealed increased reactivity in visual task conditions in the temporal and occipital brain regions. Neural oscillations in the EEG gamma band are viewed as a candidate neurobiological marker for higher order sensory and perceptual processes, and social interactions.ObjectivesWe investigated changes in gamma activity in the EEG in the eyes open (EO) vs. eyes closed (EC) condition in order to identify the neurobiological underpinning of the enhanced sensitivity to visual input in ASD as compared to typically developing (TD) subjects.MethodsEEGs were obtained in EC and EO condition in ASD (N=23) and TD subjects (N=24) in an ongoing study. For EEG recording we used a high-density 128-channel BioSemi system, with 0.5 Hz frequency resolution. The spectral power in the gamma band (30-100Hz) was quantified by the power spectral density. To investigate whether changes in the gamma band were linked to changes in arousal instead of enhanced visual processing, we also examined alterations in the alpha band (8-13Hz) in the EO condition. Spectral power changes were determined for each EEG channel by computing the difference between the EC and EO conditions (EO-EC).ResultsSpectral power in the gamma band showed changes in the opposite direction in the two study groups: ASD subjects manifested significant (p&lt;0.05) increase, while TD subjects had a decrease in the EO vs. EC condition in the temporal and occipital brain regions. By contrast, the changes in the alpha band were similar, with both groups exhibiting a spectral power decrease in the EO compared to the EC condition.ConclusionsIn ASD, an enhancement of gamma activity is present in the EO as compared to the EC condition in the posterior brain areas. These brain areas are involved in the processing of visual information, and gamma activity is considered as a measure of perceptual processes. Thus, the gamma alterations in the EO vs. EC condition may underlie the hyper-sensitivity symptoms to visual stimuli in ASD, and EEG can offer a simple to use tool to delineate the neurobiological foundation of the symptom presentation.Funding statement: Hungarian Brain Research program,#NAP2022-I-4/2022Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

The Effect of Physical Activity on Postural Abilities in Menopausal Women

Introduction Menopause marks a significant physiological transition in a woman’s life, often accompanied by various health challenges. Understanding the impact of physical activity on postural abilities in menopausal women is crucial for promoting their overall well-being during this transformative stage.ObjectivesThe aim of our study was to investigate the effect of a physical activity program on postural abilities, psychological well-being, and the quality of life of menopausal women.Methods Nineteen menopausal women, averaging 56±3 years of age, participated in a 12-week Zumba-style physical training program, consisting of three 50-minute sessions per week. The exercise regimen incorporated aerobic workouts, muscle conditioning, balance exercises, and flexibility training, predominantly inspired by Latin dances. Postural balance was evaluated using a stabilometric force platform, measuring the average velocity of the center of pressure (COPvm) under open eyes (OE) and closed eyes (CE) conditions on both firm and soft surfaces. Quality of life and mood were assessed using the SF-36 questionnaire (Short Form Survey-36) and the BMIS score (Brief Mood Introspection Scale). Assessments were conducted before (pre-test) and after (post-test) the 12-week training period.Results The findings revealed a significant decrease in COPvm values in the post-test for both conditions (on a firm surface: OE p=0.05, CE p=0.01; on a soft surface: OE p=0.001, CE p=0.05). Additionally, improvements in mood (p=0.05) and quality of life (p=0.05) were observed compared to baseline values.ConclusionsThis study underscores the positive impact of Zumba-style physical training on postural abilities, mood, and quality of life among menopausal women. These results suggest that such exercise programs hold promise in reducing the risk and incidence of falls associated with menopauseDisclosure of InterestNone Declared

Permutation entropy analysis of EEG signals for distinguishing eyes-open and eyes-closed brain states: Comparison of different approaches.

Developing reliable methodologies to decode brain state information from electroencephalogram (EEG) signals is an open challenge, crucial to implementing EEG-based brain-computer interfaces (BCIs). For example, signal processing methods that identify brain states could allow motor-impaired patients to communicate via non-invasive, EEG-based BCIs. In this work, we focus on the problem of distinguishing between the states of eyes closed (EC) and eyes open (EO), employing quantities based on permutation entropy (PE). An advantage of PE analysis is that it uses symbols (ordinal patterns) defined by the ordering of the data points (disregarding the actual values), hence providing robustness to noise and outliers due to motion artifacts. However, we show that for the analysis of multichannel EEG recordings, the performance of PE in discriminating the EO and EC states depends on the symbols' definition and how their probabilities are estimated. Here, we study the performance of PE-based features for EC/EO state classification in a dataset of N=107 subjects with one-minute 64-channel EEG recordings in each state. We analyze features obtained from patterns encoding temporal or spatial information, and we compare different approaches to estimate their probabilities (by averaging over time, over channels, or by "pooling"). We find that some PE-based features provide about 75% classification accuracy, comparable to the performance of features extracted with other statistical analysis techniques. Our work highlights the limitations of PE methods in distinguishing the eyes' state, but, at the same time, it points to the possibility that subject-specific training could overcome these limitations.

The 2-Minutes Walking Test Is Not Correlated with Aerobic Fitness Indices but with the 5-Times Sit-to-Stand Test Performance in Apparently Healthy Older Adults.

The 2-minutes walking test (2-MWT) is a valid and reliable test that has a high correlation with the distance walked in the 6-minutes walking test (6-MWT). However, to date, no study has determined the relationship between 2-MWT performance and the aerobic fitness indices obtained during a maximal incremental test to confirm if this test is a valid surrogate of aerobic fitness in apparently healthy older adults. The main objective of this work was to identify the factors associated to the performance in the 2-MWT, including aerobic fitness, functional and spatial-temporal gait parameters. Seventeen elderly adults performed a maximal incremental cycling test to determine maximum oxygen consumption (VO2max) and ventilatory thresholds (VT1 and VT2), two static standing balance tests with open and close eyes, a 5-times sit-to-stand test (5-TSTS), a handgrip test, and a 2-MWT on three different days over 2 weeks. No correlations were found between aerobic fitness indices and the distance covered in 2-MWT, but significant moderate correlations were found between the distance covered in 2-MWT and the time to perform the 5-TSTS (rho = -0.49) and with stride length (rho = 0.52) during the test. In conclusion, the 2-MWT does not seem a good test to assess aerobic capacity while it showed to be associated to the 5-TSTS performance of the elderly.

237 SeeMe: An Automated Methodology to Detect Early Signs of Recovery After Acute Brain Injury

INTRODUCTION: Assessing the functional state of the brain and predicting recovery after acute brain injury (ABI) remains a major unsolved problem. At present, physicians make predictions using clinical examination, traditional scoring systems, and statistical models, which have significant shortcomings and lack the ability to forecast recovery on an individual basis. METHODS: SeeMe is based on analyzing subtle facial expressions in response to auditory commands (i.e., “open your eyes,” “make a smile”) over time and compares the results to a pre-stimulus baseline. These subtle motions are often not detectable by the naked eye. We enrolled 26 comatose ABI patients and 16 healthy volunteers to test this tool. Command-evoked eye-opening movements were compared to clinical observation and the JFK Coma Recovery Scale-Revised (CRS-R). RESULTS: In our study, 22 of 26 (85%) patients recovered consciousness during hospitalization after ABI. On average, SeeMe detected command-evoked eye opening ∼9 days before clinical assessment using the CRS-R and ∼3 days before blinded human raters who observed the recorded videos using the naked eye.Using the optimally identified decision threshold, SeeMe demonstrated the following performance metrics on ABI patients with no eye opening to command (auditory CRS subscale = 2): sensitivity = 74.1%, specificity = 66.6%, positive predictive value = 16.8%, and negative predictive value = 96.6%. CONCLUSIONS: These findings demonstrate the high predictive performance of SeeMe in assessing consciousness in ABI patients and provide a quantitative tool for studying neural circuits and developing novel therapeutic approaches. SeeMe's ability to detect low-amplitude motor movements opens new avenues for understanding and facilitating recovery of consciousness in patients with ABI.

Аналіз розвитку основних рухових якостей жінок-військовослужбовців в період правового режиму воєнного стану

The article examines and analyzes the development of basic motor qualities in 30 female military members of the Armed Forces of Ukraine under the conditions of the legal regime of martial law. The average age of the participants was 30.8±2.6 years. The aim of the study was to analyze the development of strength, endurance, and coordination abilities. To achieve the stated goal, the following research methods were used: analysis of scientificmethodical literature, analysis of requirements for the development of basic motor qualities in modern combat conditions, summarizing the advanced experience in the theory and organization of physical training of military personnel, pedagogical testing, application of stabilography method, and methods of mathematical statistics. Results. The analysis of endurance development in female military personnel was conducted based on the performance in a 1 km run. The median time to complete the distance was 5.45 min, indicating a low level, and corresponded to only 58 out of 100 possible points on\ the rating scale. It was found that 23.3 % (n = 7) of the participants completed the distance in 6.35 min to 7.14 min and could score only 38 points or less. The median result in the strength endurance exercise test No. 21 was 78 points. It is important to note that among the study participants, no military servicewomen were found who could score the maximum number of points in the range of 95-100 for the performance of any control exercise. Our results indicate that the physical training program requires correction to improve the level of development of basic motor qualities in this category of military personnel. Analysis of static spatial stability of the body in female military personnel, which involved comparing the results of two tests with open and closed eyes, showed statistically significant changes in the majority of the investigated indicators. The center of pressure (CoP) sway length and CoP mean velocity showed an increase of 401.0 mm (p &lt; 0.001) and an increase from 5.4 mm·s-1 t o 9.1 mm·s-1 respectively (p &lt; 0.001) in the test with closed eyes, indicating the significant influence of the visual analyzer on static stability and the dynamics of the body’s CoP sway. Additionally, the quality of balance function, showed a statistically significant decrease to 72.3 % in the test with closed eyes compared to the result of 90.1 % in the test with open eyes (p &lt; 0.001). The comprehensive study of static spatial stability in female military personnel included the Romberg test, which is a classical method for assessing static balance. It was found that 23.3 % of the participants had above-average results, 40 % were within the norm, and 36.7 % showed below-average results, indicating the need for improvement of methods for training static balance in this category. Conclusion. T he o btained r esults o f t he study of the development of basic motor qualities in female military personnel under the conditions of the legal regime of martial law are an important contribution to the scientific discourse and are relevant for the practical activities of military personnel.

Postural behaviour in people with multiple sclerosis: A complexity paradox

BackgroundBalance deficits are a major concern for people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS). Measuring complexity of motor behaviour can offer an insight into MS-related changes in adaptability of the balance control system when dealing with increasingly complex tasks. QuestionDoes postural behaviour complexity differ between pwMS at early stages of the disease and healthy controls (HC)? Does postural behaviour complexity change across increasingly complex tasks? MethodsForty-eight pwMS and 24 HC performed four increasingly complex postural tasks with eyes open (EO), eyes closed (EC), on firm (FS) and compliant surface (CS). Lumbar and sternum sensors recorded 3D acceleration, from which complexity index (CI) was calculated using multiscale sample entropy (MSE) in the frontal and sagittal planes. ResultsWe found that only the complexity index in both planes during the eyes closed on compliant surface (EC-CS) task was significantly lower in pwMS compared to HC. We also found that complexity in pwMS was significantly lower during EC-CS compared to the other three tasks when using both lumbar and sternum sensors. SignificanceIncreasing the complexity of postural tasks reduces the complexity of postural behaviour in pwMS. This paradox may reflect reduced adaptability of the sensorimotor integration processes at early stages of MS. CI can provide a different perspective on balance deficits and could potentially be a more sensitive biomarker of MS progression and an early indicator of balance deficit.