Virtual reality as a tool for balance research: Eyes open body sway is reproduced in photo-realistic, but not in abstract virtual scenes

als.fakia shared this article with you from Inoreader Virtual reality as a tool for balance research: Eyes open body sway is reproduced in photo-realistic, but not in abstract virtual scenes Via PLOS ONE Alerts: New Articles by Lorenz Assländer, Stephan Streuber Virtual reality (VR) technology is commonly used in balance research due to its ability to simulate real world experiences under controlled experimental conditions. However, several studies reported considerable differences in balance behavior in real world environments as compared to virtual environments presented in a head mounted display. Most of these studies were conducted more than a decade ago, at a time when VR was still struggling with major technical limitations (delays, limited field-of-view, etc.). In the meantime, VR technology has progressed considerably, enhancing its capacity to induce the feeling of presence and behavioural realism. In this study, we addressed two questions: Has VR technology now reached a point where balance is similar in real and virtual environments? And does the integration of visual cues for balance depend on the subjective experience of presence? We used a state-of-the-art head mounted VR system and a custom-made balance platform to compare bal ance when viewing (1) a real-world environment, (2) a photo-realistic virtual copy of the real-world environment, (3) an abstract virtual environment consisting of only spheres and bars ('low presence' VR condition), and, as reference, (4) a condition with eyes closed. Body sway of ten participants was measured in three different support surface conditions: (A) quiet stance, (B) stance on a sway referenced surface, and (C) surface tilting following a pseudo-random sequence. A 2-level repeated measures ANOVA and PostHoc analyses revealed no significant differences in body sway between viewing the real world environment and the photo-realistic virtual copy. In contrast, body sway was increased in the 'low presence' abstract scene and further increased with eyes closed. Results were consistent across platform conditions. Our results support the hypothesis that state of the art VR reached a point of behavioural realism in which balance in photo-realistic VR is similar to balance in a real environment. Presence was lower in the abstract virtual condition as compared to the photo-realistic condition as measured by the IPQ presence questionnaire. Thus, our results indicate that spatial presence may be a moderating factor, but further research is required to confirm this notion. We conceive that virtual reality is a valid tool for balance research, but that the properties of the virtual environment affects results. View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Family History of Cancer Predicts Allergic Rhinitis and Asthma Development

gnorimies2015 shared this article with you from Inoreader Family History of Cancer Predicts Allergic Rhinitis and Asthma Development Via Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology The respiratory tract is a common entry point into the human body for both allergens and natural/manmade carcinogens, the latter of which could result in lung, gastrointestinal, and other malignancies.(1) We previously determined, in analyzing data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) that there was a significant negative relationship between diagnoses of cancer with allergic rhinitis or asthma. The obstruction associated with both allergic rhinitis and asthma may act to block the entry of both allergens and carcinogens.(2) Although other studies have examined the relationship between personal cancer diagnoses in asthmatic or allergic individuals, or via biomarkers such as IgE, (3, 4), the heritability of such an effect, which may provide a survival benefit, has not been evaluated through family studies. View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Stimulierende und inhibierende Signalwege der APZ- und T-Zell-Interaktion sowie Einfluss von TLR-Agonisten auf APZ

gnorimies2015 shared this article with you from Inoreader Stimulierende und inhibierende Signalwege der APZ- und T-Zell-Interaktion sowie Einfluss von TLR-Agonisten auf APZ Via HNO Zusammenfassung Hintergrund CD8+-T-Effektor-Zellen spielen eine Schlüsselrolle in der Identifikation und Elimination von Tumorzellen. Tumoren entkommen einer effektiven T‑Zell-Antwort durch Induktion eines Erschöpfungszustands, der die zytotoxische Kapazität der Effektorzellen mindert. Neuartige Checkpointinhibitoren wirken u. a. durch Reaktivierung erschöpfter, dysfunktionaler T‑Zellen. CD8+-T-Zellen eliminieren Tumorzellen nach Darbietung tumorspezifischer Antigene durch antigenpräsentierende Zellen (APZ). Die APZ-vermittelte Tumorerkennung wird v. a. Toll-like-Rezeptoren (TLR) stimuliert. Ziel der Arbeit Untersucht wurde der Einfluss von TLR-Agonisten auf APZ sowie stimulierende und inhibierende Signalwege der T‑Zell- und APZ-Interaktion. Material und Methoden Die Genexpression von Interleukin (IL-)12 und PDL1 wurde nach Stimulation von CD14+-Zellen mit CpG über 0, 8, 24 und 48 h analysiert. Die Expression des inhibitorischen kappa-B-Proteins (IκBα) nach Stimulation mit CpG wurde mittels Westernblot ausgewertet. CD8+-T-Zellen wurden über 72 h mit und ohne PD1-Checkpointblockade stimuliert und mittels Durchflusszytometrie auf die Expression von PD1, Tim‑3, CTLA4 und Lag3 untersucht. Ergebnisse Durch TLR-Stimulation (unmethylierte CpG-DNA) von APZ wurden immunstimulierende Signale wie die IL-12-Expression gesteigert, aber auch immuninhibierende Signalwege wie die PDL1-Expression aktiviert. Diese Signalwege werden NF-κB-vermittelt. Nach alleiniger Blockade der PD1-PDL1-Signalwege zeigte sich eine Überexpression anderer Immuncheckpointrezeptoren als potenzielle Ursache für fehlendes Ansprechen auf TLR-Stimulation mit PD1-Checkpointblockade. Schlussfolgerung Durch eine TLR-Stimulation exprimieren APZ im Tumormikromilieu NF-κB-vermittelt PDL1 und tragen so zur Erschöpfung von CD8+-T-Zellen bei. Der Effekt einer PD1-Blockade wird dabei potenziell durch Überexpression anderer Checkpointinhibitoren beeinträchtigt. View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

2015 American Thyroid Association guidelines and thyroid‐stimulating hormone suppression after thyroid lobectomy

gnorimies2015 shared this article with you from Inoreader 2015 American Thyroid Association guidelines and thyroid‐stimulating hormone suppression after thyroid lobectomy Via Head & Neck Abstract Background 2015 American Thyroid Association (ATA) guidelines recommended more conservative treatment in low‐risk well‐differentiated thyroid cancer (WDTC), stating that lobectomy alone may be sufficient. The guidelines further recommend mild thyroid‐stimulating hormone (TSH) level suppression (0.5‐2 mU/L) for this population. Our goal is to evaluate the natural history of patients undergoing lobectomy to determine the percentage that would require postoperative levothyroxine supplementation under these guidelines. Methods Retrospective chart review of 168 patients that underwent lobectomy between 2010 and 2019 was performed. Preoperative and postoperative TSH values and the rate of patients prescribed levothyroxine were analyzed. Results Thirty‐five percent of patients were prescribed levothyroxine postoperatively. At 6 weeks postoperatively, 66% had TSH value of >2; this increased to 76% by 6 to 12 months. Conclusion To adhere to ATA guidelines for WDTC managed with lobectomy alone, the majority of patients (76%) would require postoperative levothyroxine supplementation. Low preoperative TSH was found to be the most significant predictor for postoperative TSH < 2. View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Swallowing Assessment in Parkinson’s Disease: Patient and Investigator Reported Outcome Measures are not Aligned

gnorimies2015 shared this article with you from Inoreader Swallowing Assessment in Parkinson's Disease: Patient and Investigator Reported Outcome Measures are not Aligned Via Dysphagia Abstract This study determines the relationship between patient and investigator reported outcome measures (PROMs versus IROMs) on oropharyngeal dysphagia (OD) in Parkinson's disease (PD). The PROMs used are the MD Anderson Dysphagia Inventory (MDADI) and the Dysphagia Severity Scale (DSS). The IROMs used are fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES) and videofluoroscopy of swallowing (VFS). Ninety dysphagic PD patients were included. Multilayer perceptron (MLP) neural network analysis was used to investigate the relationship between PROMs and IROMs on OD in PD. MLP neural network analysis showed a moderate agreement between PROMs and IROMs, with an area under the curve between 0.6 and 0.7. Two-step cluster analysis revealed several clusters of patients with similar scores on FEES and/or VFS variables, but with significant different scores on MDADI and DSS variables. This study highlights that there are PD patients with similar FEES and/or VFS findings that cannot be lumped together under the same pathophysiological umbrella due to their differences in PROMs. Since the exact origin of these differences is not fully understood, it seems appropriate for the time being to take into account the different dimensions of OD during the swallowing assessment so that they can be included in a patient-tailored treatment plan. View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Immunological imprint of COVID‐19 on human peripheral blood leukocyte populations

gnorimies2015 shared this article with you from Inoreader Immunological imprint of COVID‐19 on human peripheral blood leukocyte populations Via Allergy Abstract Background SARS‐CoV‐2 has triggered a pandemic that is now claiming many lives. Several studies have investigated cellular immune responses in COVID‐19 patients during disease but little is known regarding a possible protracted impact of COVID‐19 on the adaptive and innate immune system in COVID‐19‐convalescent patients. Methods We used multiparametric flow cytometry to analyze whole peripheral blood samples, and determined SARS‐CoV‐2 specific antibody levels against the S‐protein, its RBD‐subunit and viral nucleocapsid in a cohort of COVID‐19 convalescent patients who had mild disease approximately 10 weeks after infection (n=109) and healthy control subjects (n=98). Furthermore, we correlated immunological changes with clinical and demographic parameters. Results Even ten weeks after disease COVID‐19 convalescent patients had fewer neutrophils, while their cytotoxic CD8+ T cells were activated, reflected as higher HLA‐DR and CD38 expression. Multiparametric regression analyses showed that in COVID‐19 patients both CD3+CD4+ and CD3+CD8+ effector memory cells were higher, while CD25+Foxp3+ T regulatory cells were lower. In addition, both transitional B cell and plasmablast levels were significantly elevated in COVID‐19 patients. Fever (duration, level) correlated with numbers of central memory CD4+ T cells and anti‐S and anti‐RBD, but not anti‐NC antibody levels. Moreover, a "young immunological age" as determined by numbers of CD3+CD45RA+CD62L+CD31+ recent thymic emigrants was associated with a loss of sense of taste and/or smell. Conclusion Acute SARS‐CoV‐2 infection leaves protracted beneficial (i.e., activation of T cells) and potentially harmful (i.e., reduction of neutrophils) imprints in the cellular immune system in addition to induction of specific antibody responses. View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Spotlight on microRNAs in allergy and asthma

gnorimies2015 shared this article with you from Inoreader Spotlight on microRNAs in allergy and asthma Via Allergy Abstract In past ten years, microRNAs (miRNAs) have gained scientific attention due to their importance in the pathophysiology of allergic diseases and theirpotential as biomarkersin liquid biopsies. They act as master post‐transcriptional regulators that control most cellular processes. As one miRNA can target several mRNAs, often within the same pathway, dysregulated expression of miRNAs may alter particular cellular responses and contribute, or lead, to the development of various diseases.In this review, we give an overview of the current research on miRNAs in allergic diseases, including atopic dermatitis, allergic rhinitis and asthma. Specifically, we discuss howindividualmiRNAs function in the regulation of immune responses in epithelial cells and specialized immune cells in response to different environmental factors and respiratory viruses. In addition, we review insightsobtained fromexperiments with murine models of allergic airway and skin inflammation andoffer an overview of s tudiesfocusing on miRNA discovery using profiling techniques and bioinformatic modelling of the network effect of multiple miRNAs. In conclusion, we highlight the importance of research intomiRNA function in allergy and asthma to improve our knowledge of the molecular mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of this heterogeneousgroup of diseases. View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.