Background In the context of population aging and longer working lives, increasing attention is being paid to safe and sustained functioning in transport-related work. Functional fitness to drive is multidimensional, and laboratory motion extrapolation represents only one perceptual-cognitive component that may contribute to driving performance. Objective To examine whether age, trait anxiety, and fluid intelligence are associated with motion extrapolation performance in professional drivers. Methods A total of 294 male professional drivers aged 25–75 years completed the State–Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Raven's Standard Progressive Matrices (SPM), and a laboratory motion extrapolation task assessing anticipatory timing under temporarily occluded motion. Hierarchical regression analyses were used to test main and interaction effects. Results Higher fluid intelligence was associated with more favourable performance. Higher STAI-X2 scores were associated with poorer performance on selected outcomes and moderated the association between age and performance, indicating less favourable age-related differences at higher STAI-X2 levels. Conclusion The findings concern performance on a laboratory motion extrapolation task and do not establish overall fitness to drive or on-road safety. They may inform research on perceptual-cognitive components that may contribute to functional fitness to drive.
Background Fatigue, impaired sleep quality and daytime sleepiness, common in neurodegenerative and immune-mediated diseases, are debilitating and have serious societal and economic implications. Currently, measurement of these symptoms largely relies on self-reported questionnaires, which are burdensome for patients and lack sensitivity, granularity and reliability. Methods Building on a preceding feasibility study and qualification advice of the European Medicines Agency, the Clinical Observational Study of the European project Identifying Digital Endpoints to Assess FAtigue, Sleep and acTivities of daily living in Neurodegenerative disorders and Immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IDEA-FAST) investigates the relationship between digital and clinical parameters of the target concepts of fatigue, reduced sleep quality and daytime sleepiness. Results Between 2022 and 2025, 2000 people are being recruited at 24 European sites – 500 with Parkinson's disease, 500 with inflammatory bowel disease, 200 with each of the following diseases: Huntington's disease, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, primary Sjögren's syndrome and 200 healthy volunteers. Participants are followed over a 24-week period with four visits, each including a 1-week assessment phase at home using CE-certified digital health (including active and passive) technologies. The latter collect information on physical activity, physiology, cognition as well as social interaction and behaviour as core dimensions of the target concepts. Conclusion This study will help to develop reliable, valid and efficient digital endpoints of fatigue, impaired sleep quality and daytime sleepiness for use in future clinical studies and trials.
Background. Seborrheic dermatitis (SD) is a common, chronic, relapsing inflammatory dermatosis affecting sebum-rich areas, primarily the scalp, face, and intertriginous regions. Despite its generally benign nature, the relapsing course, visible distribution of lesions, and pruritus may substantially reduce patients’ quality of life. Methods. A targeted literature review was conducted in the PubMed and Cochrane Library databases. Systematic reviews, meta-analyses, randomized clinical trials, and up-to-date narrative reviews on seborrheic dermatitis were included. The search terms comprised: “seborrheic dermatitis”, “Malassezia”, “topical treatment”, “anti-inflammatory treatment”, and “maintenance therapy”. Results. Available evidence supports a multifactorial pathogenesis of SD, involving Malassezia yeasts, epidermal barrier dysfunction, and an abnormal host immune response. Topical antifungals remain the cornerstone of treatment, while short courses of anti-inflammatory therapy are effective during flares. Increasing emphasis is placed on maintenance strategies and steroid-sparing approaches. New nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents show promising efficacy and safety. Conclusions. Long-term control of seborrheic dermatitis is best achieved through a stepwise therapeutic approach aimed at rapid management of flares and maintenance strategies that reduce relapse frequency
Introduction: Night vision goggles (NVGs) introduce several limitations to human vision, including a reduced field of view, monochromatic imagery, lower visual acuity, and impaired depth perception. These factors make object detection and recognition during NVG-supported night flights, particularly at low altitudes, especially demanding. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of flight crew members in detecting and recognizing visual targets representing potential terrain threats under NVG-aided versus NVG-free photopic conditions. Methods: Seventy NVG-inexperienced flight personnel were randomly assigned to a control group (n = 33) or an experimental group (n = 37). Participants performed a target discrimination task using a 3D terrain model under two lighting conditions: natural daylight (photopic vision) for the control group and NVG display screen illumination for the experimental group. The task involved detecting and recognizing six high-contrast geometric targets (triangles and squares) simulating terrain obstacles. Responses were recorded using a structured questionnaire. Results: Detection and recognition performance was significantly lower under NVG-aided conditions. Age and flight experience did not influence outcomes, and target shape had no significant effect on recognition accuracy in either condition. Conclusions: NVG use was associated with impaired target detection and recognition, independent of participant demographics. The results point to both optical and system-level limitations, underscoring the need for improved NVG calibration procedures and performance assessments under realistic, lower-contrast conditions, as well as targeted user training to ensure reliable operational performance and flight safety.
Background: Haemodialysis (HD) superimposes additional circulatory stress on the microvasculature, leading to endothelial dysfunction, which plays a key role in the development of haemodialysis-associated multiorgan dysfunction. This study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of a single HD session on retinal and choroidal microcirculation, using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) in relation to changes in the blood levels of selected biochemical modulators of endothelial function. Methods: The vessel density (VD) of 35 patients was evaluated before and after a single HD session, using OCTA in the superficial capillary plexus (SCP), deep capillary plexus (DCP) and choriocapillaris (CC). Retinal thickness (RT) and choroidal thickness (CT) were also assessed. Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), endothelin-1 (ET-1) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, oxidative stress (OS) status and systemic parameters were assessed before and after a single HD session. The correlation between changes in these parameters and changes in selected OCTA parameters was tested. Results: A single HD session resulted in a significant increase in RT and a decrease in CT. In addition to increased oxidative and osmotic stress resulting from a significant reduction in plasma osmolality, the HD session was associated with a significant increase in ET-1 levels and a decrease in ADMA levels. These biochemical changes correlated with changes in RT and CT, as well as with changes in VD in the retinal capillary plexuses and the CC. Increased ET-1 levels and decreased plasma osmolality were identified as predictors of RT increase, whereas increased MDA levels corrected serum creatinine-predicted CT reduction. Conclusions: Changes in ADMA and ET-1 and OS, as well as osmotic stress induced by a single HD session, affect the eye microcirculation and morphology of the retina and choroid. OCTA examination is a promising method for assessing microcirculation in HD patients.
