Symptoms Of Sickness Research Articles

Transcutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation for Visually Induced Motion Sickness: An eLORETA Study

Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS), a non-invasive form of electrical brain stimulation, has shown potent therapeutic potential for a wide spectrum of conditions. How taVNS influences the characterization of motion sickness – a long mysterious syndrome with a polysymptomatic onset – remains unclear. Here, to examine taVNS-induced effects on brain function in response to motion-induced nausea, 64-channel electroencephalography (EEG) recordings from 42 healthy participants were analyzed; collected during nauseogenic visual stimulation concurrent with taVNS administration, in a crossover randomized sham-controlled study. Cortical neuronal generators were estimated from the obtained EEG using exact low-resolution brain electromagnetic tomography (eLORETA). While both sham and taVNS increased insula activation during electrical stimulation, compared to baseline, taVNS additionally augmented middle frontal gyrus neuronal activity. Following taVNS, brain regions including the supramarginal, parahippocampal, and precentral gyri were activated. Contrasting sham, taVNS markedly increased activity in the middle occipital gyrus during stimulation. A repeated-measures ANOVA showed that taVNS reduced motion sickness symptoms. This reduction in symptoms correlated with taVNS-induced neural activation. Our findings provide new insights into taVNS-induced brain changes, during and after nauseogenic stimuli exposure, including accompanying behavioral response. Together, these findings suggest that taVNS has promise as an effective neurostimulation tool for motion sickness management.

DIAGNOSIS OF BRAIN REGIONS DISORDERS CAUSED BY DIVING USING INTELLIGENT MODEL BASED ON CELLULAR NEURAL NETWORK

Diver’s disease is a complication that the human body suffers from after being in a high-pressure space and then quickly entering a low-pressure space. These pressures are very harmful for the tissues of the body, especially for the brain. Decompression sickness occurs when nitrogen bubbles up in the bloodstream, caused by staying underwater too long or surfacing too quickly. Decompression sickness symptoms usually appear with a delay after diving. By processing electroencephalography, information about neurophysiological disorders can be extracted precisely. Since the diagnosis of divers’ diseases has not been dealt with using a unique model, this paper deals with the diagnosis of brain abnormalities caused by diving. In this paper, an intelligent model using the electroencephalography of divers will be presented to diagnose the brain disorders. The proposed model based on the brain function can show the connections of the divers’ brain regions using cellular neural networks. First, the effective features are extracted from the signals, and then based on the proposed architecture based on the brain, the differences in the brain connections of divers compared to non-divers are expressed. The obtained results show that there are differences in intra-regional connections of some brain regions of divers including T7, T8, O1 and O2 ([Formula: see text] < 0.05) compared to nondivers.

Preparation, characterization, and in vitro cytogenotoxic evaluation of a novel dimenhydrinate-β-cyclodextrin inclusion complex.

Dimenhydrinate (DMH), used to alleviate motion sickness symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and vertigo, encounters limitations in oral pharmaceutical formulations due to its poor water solubility and bitter taste. Our research hypothesized that inclusion complexation with β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) might address these drawbacks while ensuring that the newly formed complexes exhibit no cytotoxic or genotoxic effects on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Inclusion complexes were prepared using the kneading method and the solvent evaporation method. The phase solubility analysis, attenuated total reflectance-fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) were conducted to evaluate the complexation efficacy and stability constant of the new binary systems. The results demonstrated that both methods provided complete and efficient complexation. Cytogenotoxic analysis, including the 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, alkaline comet assay, and cytokinesis-block micronucleus cytome (CBMN-cyt) assay, was conducted to assess the cytogenotoxic potential of DMH-β-CD inclusion complexes, a topic previously unexamined. No cytotoxic or genotoxic effects were observed within the concentration range of 36.36 to 109.09 ng/mL. Cell viability of treated PBMCs exceeded 85% for all tested concentrations. No significant increases in DNA strand breaks were observed at any dose, and tail intensity of all complexes remained lower or up to 2.2% higher than the negative control. Parameters indicating genotoxic effects, as well as cytotoxic and cytostatic potential in the CBMN-cyt assay, did not significantly differ from untreated controls. These results suggest that inclusion complexation with β-CD might be a safe and promising solution to overcome the limitations of poor solubility and unpleasant taste of DMH, potentially providing opportunities for new and improved oral pharmaceutical dosage forms.

A Brain Network Analysis Model for Motion Sickness in Electric Vehicles Based on EEG and fNIRS Signal Fusion

Motion sickness is a common issue in electric vehicles, significantly impacting passenger comfort. This study aims to develop a functional brain network analysis model by integrating electroencephalography (EEG) and functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) signals to evaluate motion sickness symptoms. During real-world testing with the Feifan F7 series of new energy-electric vehicles from SAIC Motor Corp, data were collected from 32 participants. The EEG signals were divided into four frequency bands: delta-range, theta-range, alpha-range, and beta-range, and brain oxygenation variation was calculated from the fNIRS signals. Functional connectivity between brain regions was measured to construct functional brain network models for motion sickness analysis. A motion sickness detection model was developed using a graph convolutional network (GCN) to integrate EEG and fNIRS data. Our results show significant differences in brain functional connectivity between participants in motion and non-motion sickness states. The model that combined fNIRS data with high-frequency EEG signals achieved the best performance, improving the F1 score by 11.4% compared to using EEG data alone and by 8.2% compared to using fNIRS data alone. These results highlight the effectiveness of integrating EEG and fNIRS signals using GCN for motion sickness detection. They demonstrate the model’s superiority over single-modality approaches, showcasing its potential for real-world applications in electric vehicles.

A broad appraisal of decompression-induced physiological stress in different simulated dive profiles

Background: The present study was designed to observe if different decompression profiles, calculated as a function of tissue supersaturation during ascent, would result in significantly different outcomes, measured through different physiological stress indicators, even in the absence of symptoms of decompression sickness. Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate if simulated decompression profiles would affect the immune system, oxidative stress indicators, and heart rate variability. Methods: A total of 23 volunteers participated in two different experimental protocols in a dry hyperbaric chamber. These simulated dives comprised two different compression–decompression arrangements with the same maximum pressure and duration but different decompression profiles. Results: The shallow decompression profile with shorter deeper stops and longer shallow stops presented an increase in the standard deviation of the normal-to-normal R-R interval (a wide indicator of overall variability); the deep decompression profile with longer deeper stops and shorter shallow stops did not exhibit such increase. The shallow decompression profile resulted in an increase in neutrophil count and its microparticles (MPs), but no changes were observed for platelet count and its MPs, as well as for endothelial-derived MPs. In contrast, the deep decompression profile resulted in no changes in neutrophil count and its MPs, but a decrease in platelet count along with an increase in MPs from both platelets and endothelial cells. The observed difference might be related to different levels of decompression-related activation of immune system responses and oxidative processes triggered by different levels of inert gas supersaturation upon surfacing. Conclusion: From previous results and literature data, we present a tentative schematic of how the velocity of ascent would trigger (or not) pro-inflammatory and immune system responses that could ultimately lead to the development of decompression sickness. Relevance for patients: Increasing safety in exposure to hyperbaric environments and subsequent decompression by evaluating individual physiological responses to the process.

Use of anti-motion sickness reading glasses in vehicles: study protocol for a cluster-randomised trial

Motion sickness, or kinetosis, is a common phenomenon and is usually induced during passive locomotion in vehicles, generated by different body accelerations when movement stimuli occur. Its main symptoms are nausea, vomiting, paleness, and sweating in the exposed individual. Thus, the anti-motion sickness glasses were developed, which work using a fluid that moves in rings arranged around the eyes. This study protocol aims to evaluate the possibility that these glasses can avoid the sensory conflict that causes motion sickness, attenuating or eliminating the symptoms of motion sickness while reading in vehicles. Therefore, a crossover study shall be conducted, in which volunteers in two groups will travel in a standard car using antikinetosis goggles while reading, covering a predetermined path, in a trajectory that will last for 15 minutes. The first group (G1) will use functional glasses on the first day of testing. The second group (G2), in turn, will start the tests using the adulterated glasses, similar to the functional ones in appearance, but without the proposed effects of reducing or eliminating symptoms. On the second day of testing, for each group, the previously unused model will be employed instead. At the end of each clinical trial day, a questionnaire based in the MSSQ-Short shall be applied, evaluating the intensity of possible symptoms, their duration and the time till their appearance. Thus, the persistence of symptoms or the appearance of some clinical improvement will be evaluated, making it possible to verify the effectiveness of the object of study.

Sensitization of Visually Induced Motion Sickness by Prior Provocative Physical Motion

INTRODUCTION: Habituation to motion has therapeutic applications for motion sickness desensitization and rehabilitation of patients with vestibular disease. Less attention has been devoted to the opposite process: sensitization. METHODS: Subjects (N = 50) were randomly allocated to four sequences: Baseline visual stimulus; then 15 min of time gap; cross-coupled motion (C-C) or a Control condition; then a time gap of 15 min or 2 h; then a retest visual stimulus. Motion exposures were for 10 min or until moderate nausea, whichever was sooner. The visual stimulus was a scene rotating in yaw at 0.2 Hz with superimposed "wobble". C-C was whole-body rotation on a turntable with eight 45° head tilts during each 30-s period. Control was head tilt without rotation. Rotational velocity was incremented in staircase steps of 3° · s−1 every 30 s. RESULTS: Groups were equivalent for Total Motion Sickness Symptom scores elicited by the first visual stimulus (combined: mean ± SD 10.8 ± 8.4). C-C produced greater Total Symptoms (20.3 ± 6.8) than Control (3.1 ± 3.7). Subjects recovered subjectively from C-C before retest of visual stimulus. For the retest visual stimulus, Total Symptoms were higher following C-C (15.1 ± 9.0) than following Control (8.3 ± 7.1) for both the 15 min and 2 h retests. Sickness ratings (SR) mirrored these effects of C-C. DISCUSSION: C-C motion sensitized subsequent responses to visual stimulation up to 2 h later. Sensitization of visual stimulation crossed modalities and appeared subconscious since it occurred despite subjective recovery from C-C. For some individuals, a previously relatively innocuous visual stimulus became nauseogenic on retest. The results have implications for the use of visual technologies within hours of exposure to provocative motion. Golding JF, Alund D, Gresty MA, Flynn MB. Sensitization of visually induced motion sickness by prior provocative physical motion. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2024; 95(10):741–748.

Impact of Acute Short-term Hypobaric Hypoxia on Anterior Chamber Geometry

Précis: Hypobaric hypoxia, the major environmental factor at high altitudes, has been observed to induce pupil miosis and widening of the anterior chamber angle. This environment may be safe for individuals with narrow angle and deserves further study. Purpose: This study aimed to quantify anterior chamber biometric parameters before and after acute short-term, effortless exposure to hypobaric hypoxia (HH) in healthy lowlanders using swept-source anterior segment optical coherence tomography (SS AS-OCT). Methods: This prospective study included 25 healthy young lowlanders (50 eyes) who underwent SS AS-OCT measurements and intraocular pressure (IOP) assessments under baseline sea-level conditions (T1).They were then passively exposed to simulated 4000 m above sea level for 3 hours and underwent Acute mountain sickness (AMS) symptoms evaluation and IOP measurement after 2-hours exposure to HH (T2).Repeat SS AS-OCT measurements and IOP assessments were taken within 15 minutes after leaving the hypobaric chamber (T3). Anterior segment parameters including anterior chamber depth (ACD),lens vault (LV),angle opening distance (AOD500), trabecular-iris space area (TISA500), angle recess area (ARA500) at 500 μm from the scleral spur, iris curvature (IC), iris volume (IV), pupil diameter (PD), and central corneal thickness (CCT) were obtained through SS AS-OCT. These repeated measurements were compared using linear mixed model analysis. Results: In comparison to sea level, both IOP (16.4±3.4 vs. 14.9±2.4 mm Hg, P=0.029) and PD (5.36±0.77 vs. 4.78±0.89 mm, P=0.001) significantly decreased after exposure to HH. Significant post-HH changes (Mean difference (95% CI)) were observed in AOD500 (0.129 (0.006, 0.252), P=0.04), TISA500 (0.059 (0.008, 0.11), P=0.025), ARA500 (0.074 (0.008, 0.141), P=0.029), IV (1.623 (0.092, 3.154), P=0.038), and IC (−0.073 (−0.146, 0.001), P=0.047), while CCT, ACD, and LV remained stable. After adjusting for age, post-HH variations in AOD500 (Beta=0.553, 95% CI: 0.001, 1.105, P=0.048) and TISA500 (Beta=0.256, 95% CI: 0.02, 0.492, P=0.034) were associated with decreased IC but were not related to lowered arterial oxygen pressure or IV increase per millimeter of pupil miosis (IV/PD). These differences in anterior segment parameters were neither correlated with differences in IOP nor AMS. Conclusion: After short-term, effortless exposure to hypobaric hypoxia, pupil miosis occurred with widening of the anterior chamber angle and decreased IC. These changes in anterior chamber angle parameters were associated with decreased IC but did not correlate with the post-hypobaric variations in IV/PD, IOP, or AMS.

Rapid reconfiguration of cortical networks after repeated exposure to visual-vestibular conflicts

Visual-vestibular conflicts can induce motion sickness and further postural instability. Visual-vestibular habituation is recommended to reduce the symptoms of motion sickness and improve postural stability with an altered multisensory reweighting progress. However, it is unclear how the human brain reweights multisensory information after repeated exposure to visual-vestibular conflicts. Therefore, we synchronized a rotating platform and a virtual scene to present visual-vestibular congruent (natural visual stimulation) and incongruent (conflicted visual stimulation) conditions and collected EEG and center of pressure (COP) data. We constructed the effective brain connectivity of region of interest (ROI) derived from source-space EEG in theta-band activity, and quantified the postural stability and the inflow and outflow of each ROI. We found repeated exposure to congruent and incongruent conditions both decreased COP path length and increased COP complexity. Besides, we found that repeated exposure to the incongruent environment decreased the inflow into visual cortex, suggesting the brain down-weighted the less reliable visual information for postural stability. In contrast, repeated exposure to the congruent environment increased the inflow into posterior parietal cortex and the outflow from visual cortex and S1, suggesting an increase in efficiency of multisensory integration. We concluded that repeated exposure to congruent and incongruent conditions both improved postural stability with different multisensory reweighting patterns as revealed by different dynamic changes of brain networks.

Effects of Virtual Reality Motor-Cognitive Training for Older People With Cognitive Frailty: Multicentered Randomized Controlled Trial.

Cognitive frailty refers to a clinical syndrome in which physical frailty and mild cognitive impairment coexist. Motor-cognitive training and virtual reality (VR) have been used to launch various therapeutic modalities to promote health in older people. The literature advocates that motor-cognitive training and VR are effective in promoting the cognitive and physical function of older people. However, the effects on older people with cognitive frailty are unclear. This study examined the effects of VR motor-cognitive training (VRMCT) on global cognitive function, physical frailty, walking speed, visual short-term memory, inhibition of cognitive interference, and executive function in older people with cognitive frailty. This study used a multicentered, assessor-blinded, 2-parallel-group randomized controlled trial design. Participants were recruited face-to-face in 8 older adult community centers. Eligible participants were aged ≥60 years, were community dwelling, lived with cognitive frailty, had no dementia, and were not mobility restricted. In the intervention group, participants received VRMCT led by interventionists with 16 one-hour training sessions delivered twice per week for 8 weeks. In the control group, participants received the usual care provided by the older adult community centers that the investigators did not interfere with. The primary outcome was global cognitive function. The secondary outcomes included physical frailty, walking speed, verbal short-term memory, inhibition of cognitive interference, and executive function. Data were collected at baseline (T0) and the week after the intervention (T1). Generalized estimating equations were used to examine the group, time, and interaction (time × group) effects on the outcomes. In total, 293 eligible participants enrolled in the study. The mean age of the participants was 74.5 (SD 6.8) years. Most participants were female (229/293, 78.2%), had completed primary education (152/293, 52.1%), were married (167/293, 57.2%), lived with friends (127/293, 43.3%), and had no VR experience (232/293, 79.5%). In the intervention group, 81.6% (119/146) of participants attended >80% (13/16, 81%) of the total number of sessions. A negligible number of participants experienced VR sickness symptoms (1/146, 0.7% to 5/146, 3%). VRMCT was effective in promoting global cognitive function (interaction effect: P=.03), marginally promoting executive function (interaction effect: P=.07), and reducing frailty (interaction effect: P=.03). The effects were not statistically significant on other outcomes. VRMCT is effective in promoting cognitive functions and reducing physical frailty and is well tolerated and accepted by older people with cognitive frailty, as evidenced by its high attendance rate and negligible VR sickness symptoms. Further studies should examine the efficacy of the intervention components (eg, VR vs non-VR or dual task vs single task) on health outcomes, the effect of using technology on intervention adherence, and the long-term effects of the intervention on older people with cognitive frailty at the level of daily living. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04730817; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04730817.

Female performance in skyrunning: biological and psychosocial aspects.

Skyrunning is a running sport performed in a mountain environment, characterized by reaching an altitude of at least 2000 meters above sea level, where symptoms of acute mountain sickness can appear. This sport has recently gained significant popularity, with an increasing number of participants. The purpose of this study was to analyze female performances in the different subdisciplines of skyrunning. The study considered official results of 173 races of the Italian Skyrunning Federation held in 2021 and 2022. Female and male biological sexes, as well as age and race time of 13,850 participants who crossed the finish line were analyzed. Female athletes represented 16% of finishers and showed a preference for competitions of medium distances (skyrace and skytrail). They were younger and more self-selected among the most talented in terms of performance compared to males (P<0.001). Males showed significantly faster race times than females in all the competitions (P<0.05). Race times of female winners were on average 123-144% higher than those of male counterparts. In both sexes, winners were predominantly young; female winners were more represented among the older age-groups in skyrace and vertical kilometer (P<0.05). Regardless of biological differences affecting female sporting performances, gender inequalities are still widely present despite the progress made in every sport. Since gender equality in sports cannot be separated from gender equality in the sociocultural sphere, it is necessary to invest economically and take proactive measures to achieve real equity, both in the macro-social and sports contexts.

Microglia-mediated neuroimmune suppression in PTSD is associated with anhedonia

Dynamic brain immune function in individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder is rarely studied, despite evidence of peripheral immune dysfunction. Positron emission tomography brain imaging using the radiotracer [11C]PBR28 was used to measure the 18-kDa translocator protein (TSPO), a microglial marker, at baseline and 3 h after administration of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a potent immune activator. Data were acquired in 15 individuals with PTSD and 15 age-matched controls. The PTSD group exhibited a significantly lower magnitude LPS-induced increase in TSPO availability in an a priori prefrontal-limbic circuit compared to controls. Greater anhedonic symptoms in the PTSD group were associated with a more suppressed neuroimmune response. In addition, while a reduced granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor response to LPS was observed in the PTSD group, other measured cytokine responses and self-reported sickness symptoms did not differ between groups; these findings highlight group differences in central-peripheral immune system relationships. The results of this study provide evidence of a suppressed microglia-mediated neuroimmune response to a direct immune system insult in individuals with PTSD that is associated with the severity of symptoms. They also provide further support to an emerging literature challenging traditional concepts of microglial and immune function in psychiatric disease.

Symptom clusters and sentinel symptoms in breast cancer survivors based on self-reported outcomes:A cross-sectional survey.

To investigate symptom clusters and sentinel symptoms in breast cancer survivors based on self-reported outcomes, explore the impact of sentinel symptoms on patients' quality of life and psychological distress, provide a basis for implementing accurate symptom management. A cross-sectional survey. The study was conducted from September 2021 to December 2022. We recruited 281 patients who were re-examined in an outpatient department of a tertiary hospital in Hebei Province. The European Organization for the Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality-of-Life Questionnaire - Core30 (QLQ-C30), the EORTC Quality-of-Life Questionnaire Breast Cancer - 23 (QLQ-BR23), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) were used to conduct the survey. Symptom clusters were explored using principal component analysis, sentinel symptoms were explored using the Apriori algorithm. Correlation analysis was used to explore the relationship between sentinel symptoms and quality of life, correlation with psychological distress. This paper adhered to the STROBE guidelines. Breast cancer survivors have a wide range of self-reported symptoms in the form of four symptom clusters: a fatigue symptom cluster, a gastrointestinal symptom cluster, a sickness symptom cluster and a surgical trauma-related symptom cluster. Three sentinel symptoms were explored: pain, alopecia and limited function of the upper limbs. Except for sexual function, all of the sentinel symptoms were negatively correlated with patients' quality of life and positively correlated with psychological distress (p < .05). Breast cancer survivors have a variety of symptoms in the form of four symptom clusters. Pain, alopecia and limited function of the upper limbs are the sentinel symptoms, which affect patients' quality of life and psychological distress.

Unleashing the Potential of β -cyclodextrin Inclusion Complexes in Bitter Taste Abatement: Development, Optimization and Evaluation of Taste Masked Anti-emetic Chewing Gum of Promethazine Hydrochloride.

Motion sickness also known as kinetosis is a condition in which there exists a disagreement between visually perceived movement and the vestibular system's sense of movement. Nausea, vomiting, dizziness, fatigue, and headache are the most common symptoms of motion sickness. This study mainly focuses on the taste masking of Promethazine Hydrochloride (PMZ) by inclusion complexation method, its formulation development in the chewing gum form by using directly compressible gum base HIG® and its quality and performance testing. Different molar ratios (1:1, 1:2, 1:3 and 1:4) of PMZ-cyclodextrin complexes were prepared by using β-Cyclodextrin(β-CD) as a taste masking agent. These complexes were evaluated for FTIR, DSC, % Entrapment Efficiency, % drug yield, and taste evaluation by E-Tongue. The optimized ratio was further evaluated by sophisticated analytical techniques such as Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD). A central composite design (CCD) (3 ^2) was utilized to examine the effects of independent variables (amount of gum-X1 and amount of plasticizer-X2) on dependent variables (%CDRY1 and hardness Y2). The prepared gums were evaluated for drug content, organoleptic properties, in-vitro dissolution testing by fabricated disintegration apparatus, texture analysis, etc. The optimization statistics showed that on decreasing the amount of gum, in- vitro drug release increases and hardness decreases. The optimized batch MCG-2 of Promethazine MCG showed 92.34 ± 0.92% of drug release, whereas for marketed formulation (Phenergan®-25mg) drug release value was 86.19 ± 1.88%. Results provided evidence that PMZ MCGs could be a better alternative to conventional tablet formulations with improved drug release, palatability and texture.

Rotavirus Sickness Symptoms: Manifestations of Defensive Responses from the Brain.

Rotavirus is infamous for being extremely contagious and for causing diarrhea and vomiting in infants. However, the symptomology is far more complex than what could be expected from a pathogen restricted to the boundaries of the small intestines. Other rotavirus sickness symptoms like fever, fatigue, sleepiness, stress, and loss of appetite have been clinically established for decades but remain poorly studied. A growing body of evidence in recent years has strengthened the idea that the evolutionarily preserved defensive responses that cause rotavirus sickness symptoms are more than just passive consequences of illness and rather likely to be coordinated events from the central nervous system (CNS), with the aim of maximizing the survival of the individual as well as the collective group. In this review, we discuss both established and plausible mechanisms of different rotavirus sickness symptoms as a series of CNS responses coordinated from the brain. We also consider the protective and the harmful nature of these events and highlight the need for further and deeper studies on rotavirus etiology.

Gaze-contingent adaptation of VR stereo parameters for cybersickness prevention

Extended exposure to virtual reality displays has been linked to the emergence of cybersickness, characterized by symptoms such as nausea, dizziness, fatigue, and disruptions in eye movements. The main objective of our study is to examine the effects of real-time fine-tuning of stereo parameters and blurriness in virtual reality on the discomfort level of users who are experiencing motion sickness triggered by the display. Our hypothesis proposes that by dynamically correcting the rendering settings, the symptoms of motion sickness can be relieved and the overall VR user experience can be improved. Our methodology commences with a prediction model for the comfort level of the viewer based on their gaze parameters, such as pupil diameter, blink count, gaze position, and fixation duration. We then propose a method to dynamically adapt the stereoscopic rendering parameters by considering the predicted comfort level of the viewer.

Oral quercetin nanoparticles in hydrogel microspheres alleviate high-altitude sleep disturbance based on the gut-brain axis

High-altitude sleep disturbance is a common symptom of acute mountain sickness, which can be alleviated via modulation of the gut-brain axis. Quercetin (Que) is used to modulate gut microbiota and serves as a potential drug to regulate the gut-brain axis, but the poor solubility and bioavailability affect its biological functions. Here, Que nanoparticles (QNPs) were prepared with zein using an antisolvent method, and QNP-loaded calcium alginate hydrogel microspheres (QNP@HMs) were prepared using electrospinning technology to improve the gastrointestinal stability and intestinal adhesion of QNPs. In the mouse model of high-altitude sleep disturbance, oral administration of QNP@HMs before the mice entering high altitude prolonged sleep duration, improved blood cell recovery, spontaneous behavior and short-term memory, and reduced such inflammation factors as TNF-α and iNOS. Moreover, QNP@HMs enhanced the abundance of probiotics in the gut, including Lactobacillus and Lachnospira, and reduced intestinal inflammation. However, in the mice after gut sterilization by long-term oral antibiotics, QNP@HMs showed no therapeutic effect. QNP@HMs are a promising medication for the prevention of high-altitude sleep disturbance based on the gut-brain axis.

Qualitative Study to Explore the Occupational and Reproductive Health Challenges among Women Tobacco Farm Laborers in Mysore District, India.

Tobacco farm laborers are primarily women and children working for very low wages. The aim of this study was to explore occupational and reproductive health challenges faced by women tobacco farm laborers in Mysore District, India. We conducted interviews and six focus group discussions among 41 women tobacco farm laborers. Codes and themes were generated based on deductive and inductive approaches using the socioecological model. Participants reported symptoms of green tobacco sickness including headaches, back pain, gastric problems, weakness, and allergies during menstruation, pre-natal, and post-natal periods. Participants had poor awareness about the health effects of tobacco farming, and there were gender inequalities in wages and the use of personal protective equipment. Participants received support from family and community health workers during their pregnancy and post-natal period. Women reported wanting maternity benefits from the tobacco board, as well as monetary support and nutritional supplements. There is a need for health education about the environmental dangers of tobacco among farm laborers, and more supportive policies for women farmworkers during pregnancy and post-natal periods.

A study on the discomfort of virtual reality glasses: A systematic review

The aim of this article is to present a systematic review of the literature on technological innovations in the use of Virtual Reality glasses and possible discomfort. Based on concepts such as “cybersickness” and “motion sickness”, we will have a starting point for deepening our knowledge of the effects of using virtual reality glasses, such as nausea, headaches and others. The methodology used in this systematic review and bibliometric analysis focused on the discomfort associated with wearing virtual reality (VR) glasses. The research adopted a quantitative analysis of the data and information available on the subject, with the aim of understanding the effects such as nausea, headaches, among others, when using VR glasses. The results obtained in the review addressed various aspects of VR use, including the promise of immersive VR being safe and effective for application in the elderly, with no significant records of symptoms of simulation sickness. The research highlighted the importance of understanding user needs and satisfaction in the process of designing and implementing VR solutions, highlighting how VR can play a significant role in a variety of contexts, from pre-occupancy assessment in the elderly to training and reducing symptoms of kinetosis using VR technologies. In addition, it was investigated whether individual characteristics of balance and tendency to kinetosis are related to vulnerability to cyber sickness, a side effect caused by the use of virtual reality with head-mounted displays. In summary, this systematic review has contributed to the understanding of the discomfort associated with the use of VR glasses, exploring strategies to minimize adverse effects and improve the user experience, with the aim of increasing the adoption of this technology in various areas.

HOW DOES MENTAL DISTRACTION INDUCED BY AN ADDITIONAL TASK AFFECT THE SEVERITY OF SIMULATOR SICKNESS SYMPTOMS IN PILOTS: A SPATIAL DISORIENTATION SIMULATOR STUDY

Introduction: To improve the effectiveness of spatial disorientation (SD) training in a flight simulator, pilots are recommended to perform an additional task that induces a mental distraction. The presented study explored how the inclusion of an additional task that may enhance the effectiveness of SD training changes the severity of simulator sickness symptoms reported after exposure in the Gyro-IPT simulator. Methods: We compared the incidence of simulator sickness symptoms in pilots across four setups of flight scenarios (varying according to cognitive load distraction) collected during our previous studies. A total of 77 male military pilots (age 28.3±6.2) with flight experience (810.72 ±969.43 hours) were randomly assigned to one of four groups and then exposed to a 60-min long flight session (12 flight profiles, six involved an SD-conflict) with active control in the Gyro IPT simulator. In addition to the primary flying task, in three flight scenarios, pilots were asked to perform an additional visual (a change detection flicker task [CDFT]), auditory (an auditory N-back task [NBT]), or duration-discrimination task (DDT)). To measure simulator sickness symptoms, the Simulator Sickness Questionnaire (SSQ) was administered pre- and post-simulator exposure. Results: The severity of simulator sickness symptoms due to visual and motion cues did not significantly change when the pilot performed a non-sickening cognitive task (additional visual or auditory task). The total SSQ score and scores for nausea, oculomotor disturbance, and disorientation in the CDFT and DDT were slightly higher than in the control condition (flight without additional task). Despite the observed differences, according to the SSQ scoring criteria, the simulator sickness symptoms reported by the pilots were negligible. Conclusions: The additional tasks (CDFT, auditory NBT, or DDT) applied to improve the effectiveness of SD training in the Gyro-IPT simulator do not significantly change unwanted effects, such as simulator sickness.