The phenomenon of binocular luster can be evoked by simple dichoptic center-surround stimuli showing a luminance contrast difference between the eyes. Previous findings support the idea that this phenomenon is mediated by a low-level conflict mechanism that integrates the monocular signals from different types of contrast detector cells. Also, isoluminant stimuli with different chromatic contrasts between eyes can trigger sensations of luster. Here, we investigate whether the lustrous impression in such purely chromatic stimuli depends on interocular contrast differences and in particular on interocular contrast polarity pairings in a similar way as in the achromatic case. In our experiments, we measured the magnitude of the lustrous response using a series of isoluminant dichoptic center-ring-surround stimuli with varying ring width whose chromatic properties were varied along the red-green and blue-yellow cardinal directions. The trends in the data were very similar to those of our former study with achromatic stimuli, indicating similar mechanisms in both cases. The empirical luster data could also be predicted fairly well by a chromatic version of our interocular conflict model (with overall R2 values between 0.577 and 0.639), for which two different receptive field models were used, simulating the behavior of color-sensitive double-opponent cells in V1.

Attenuated social attention is a key marker of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Recent neuroimaging findings also emphasize an altered processing of sensory salience in ASD. The locus coeruleus-norepinephrine system (LC-NE) has been established as a modulator of this sensory salience processing (SSP). We tested the hypothesis that altered LC-NE functioning contributes to different SSP and results in diverging social attention in ASD.
We analyzed the baseline eye-tracking data of the EU-AIMS Longitudinal European Autism Project (LEAP) for subgroups of autistic participants (n = 166, age = 6-30 years, IQ = 61-138, gender [female/male] = 41/125) or neurotypical development (TD; n = 166, age = 6-30 years, IQ = 63-138, gender [female/male] = 49/117) that were matched for demographic variables and data quality. Participants watched brief movie scenes (k = 85) depicting humans in social situations (human) or without humans (non-human). SSP was estimated by gazes on physical and motion salience and a corresponding pupillary response that indexes phasic activity of the LC-NE. Social attention is estimated by gazes on faces via manual areas of interest definition. SSP is compared between groups and related to social attention by linear mixed models that consider temporal dynamics within scenes. Models are controlled for comorbid psychopathology, gaze behavior, and luminance.
We found no group differences in gazes on salience, whereas pupillary responses were associated with altered gazes on physical and motion salience. In ASD compared to TD, we observed pupillary responses that were higher for non-human scenes and lower for human scenes. In ASD, we observed lower gazes on faces across the duration of the scenes. Crucially, this different social attention was influenced by gazes on physical salience and moderated by pupillary responses.
The naturalistic study design precluded experimental manipulations and stimulus control, while effect sizes were small to moderate. Covariate effects of age and IQ indicate that the findings differ between age and developmental subgroups.
Pupillary responses as a proxy of LC-NE phasic activity during visual attention are suggested to modulate sensory salience processing and contribute to attenuated social attention in ASD.

Sensory features are part of the diagnostic criteria for autism and include sensory hypo/hyper reactivity and unusual sensory interest; however, additional sensory differences, namely differences in sensory integration, have not been routinely explored. This study characterized sensory integration differences in a cohort of children (n = 93) with a confirmed diagnosis of autism (5-9 years) using a standardized, norm-referenced battery. Mean z scores, autism diagnostic scores, and IQ are reported. Participants showed substantial deficits in tactile perception, praxis, balance, visual perception, and visual-motor skills. Relationship with autism diagnostic test scores were weak or absent. Findings suggest additional sensory difficulties that are not typically assessed or considered when characterizing sensory features in autism. These data have implications for a greater understanding of the sensory features in the autism phenotype and the development of personalized treatments.

UNASSIGNED: Current therapeutic interventions for dysesthesias caused by spinal cord dysfunctions are ineffective. We propose a novel intervention using transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) for dysesthesias, and we present an in-depth case series.
UNASSIGNED: Conventional high-frequency TENS and the novel dysesthesia-matched TENS (DM-TENS) were applied to 16 hands of nine patients with spinal cord dysfunction. The dysesthesia-matched TENS\' stimulus intensity and frequency matched the intensity and somatosensory profile of the patients\' dysesthesias. The Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire version-2 (SF-MPQ2) and quantitative sensory testing (QST) were applied during electrical stimulation/no stimulation. We determined intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) to evaluate the reliability of the setting and the effects on the dysesthesias and the change in subjective dysesthesia between each patient\'s baseline without TENS and DM-TENS.
UNASSIGNED: We were able to apply electrical stimulation matching the patients\' subjective dysesthesia for 14 hands (eight patients). TENS could not be applied for the remaining patient due to severe sensory deficits. Compared to the patients\' baseline and high-frequency TENS, the DM-TENS provided significant decreases in tingling/pins-and-needles and numbness on the SF-MPQ2, and it significantly improved the dynamic and static mechanical detection on QST. Regarding the reliability of the dysesthesia-matched TENS settings, the ICCs (1,5) were intensity, 0.95; frequency, 1.00; and effect on dysesthesia, 0.98.
UNASSIGNED: DM-TENS improved the dysesthesias and mechanical hypoesthesia caused by spinal cord dysfunction. The effectiveness of DM-TENS particularly for tingling and numbness was clearly higher and was reliable within the patients. These results may suggest an effective treatment of dysesthesias in patients with spinal cord dysfunction.
UNASSIGNED: [https://rctportal.niph.go.jp/s/detail/um?trial_id=UMIN000045332], identifier [UMIN000045332].

Motion platforms have been used in simulators of all types for several decades. Since it is impossible to reproduce the accelerations of a vehicle without limitations through a physically limited system (platform), it is common to use washout filters and motion cueing algorithms (MCA) to select which accelerations are reproduced and which are not. Despite the time that has passed since their development, most of these algorithms still use the classical washout algorithm. In the use of these MCAs, there is always information that is lost and, if that information is important for the purpose of the simulator (the training simulators), the result obtained by the users of that simulator will not be satisfactory. This paper shows a case study where a BMW 325Xi AUT fitted with a sensor, recorded the accelerations produced in all degrees of freedom (DOF) during several runs, and data have been introduced in mathematical simulation software (washout + kinematics + actuator simulation) of a 6DOF motion platform. The input to the system has been qualitatively compared with the output, observing that most of the simulation adequately reflects the input to the system. Still, there are three events where the accelerations are lost. These events are considered by experts to be of vital importance for the outcome of a learning process in the simulator to be adequate.

Somatosensory disorders are often present after cerebral stroke. These deficits are associated with patients\' disability. Therefore, their rehabilitation takes an importance in recovery program. However, the treatment of sensation remains poorly considered during neurorehabilitation and evidence for active sensory training is limited. Mirror Box Therapy is a simple training used to treat upper extremity motor deficits and pain also in patients with stroke. However, the effects of Mirror Box Therapy on somatosensory impairments in post-stroke patients are not deeply investigated and often exclusively motor exercises are provided during therapy.The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of Mirror Box Therapy sensory training on somatosensory deficits in a stroke patient presenting upper limb impairment.The patient underwent to four weeks of training, five days a week. Before, during and after the Mirror Box Therapy treatment, the patient was assessed by Rivermead Assessment of Somatosensory Performance. Before and after training also upper limb motor function and performance in activities of daily living were assessed.After training patient showed an improvement in somatosensory performance. The gain was maintained at follow-up.This case report shows the effects of Mirror Box Therapy sensory training on the upper extremity for the improvement of sensation and movement in a patient with a thalamo-capsular hemorrhagic stroke during the subacute phase.

OBJECTIVE: One of the most common and debilitating complications of diabetes is peripheral neuropathy. Physical modalities such as whole-body vibration are used to treat diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN), but there are limted studies on the effectiveness of local vibration for the treatment of PDN. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of local vibration in treating a patient with DPN.
METHODS: The local vibration was applied on the plantar side of both feet. The patient received 10 min of local vibration with 62.5 Hz frequency for five sessions. We used brief BESTest for balance evaluation, Numerical Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) for pain assessment, monofilament examination score for protective sensation evaluation, vibration threshold, and skin temperature to evaluate the effects of local vibration, which were measured before the treatment, after one session  of treatment, and after 5th session of treatment.
RESULTS: There was a 62.5% reduction in pain severity after five sessions of treatment. Vibration threshold of both patient\'s feet and protective sensation of right foot returned to normal after treatment. Skin temperature was increased in all evaluated points of both patient\'s feet, brief BESTest score increased by six points after five treatment sessions, indicating improvements in the blood flow of feet and balance, respectively.
CONCLUSIONS: Local plantar vibration was effective in improving the symptoms of DPN.

UNASSIGNED: The pathophysiology of abnormal temperature sensation in Parkinson\'s disease (PD) remains unclear. Abnormal thermal detection does not seem to depend on the dopaminergic deficit, suggesting that other systems play a role in these changes, probably both central and peripheral.
UNASSIGNED: We measured thermal detection thresholds (TDT) using quantitative sensory testing (QST) in 28 patients with PD and compared them with 15 healthy controls.
UNASSIGNED: Of 28 patients, 21% had increased TDT according to the normative data. TDT were higher on the dominant side. No correlation between TDT and disease duration, severity of motor impairment, and dopaminergic therapy was observed. 50% of the patients had difficulty differentiating between warm and cold stimuli, as TDT were within the normal range in most of these patients.
UNASSIGNED: Twenty-one percent of the patients in our study had increased TDT according to the normative data. Abnormal thermal detection was more pronounced on the dominant side. Abnormal differentiation between the thermal stimuli suggest impaired central processing of thermal information.

A rare case of a 62-year-old woman with an atypical cardiac symptom of sensation of laryngeal obstruction as a manifestation of acute coronary syndrome is described. Initially, the patient showed unremarkable test results and was diagnosed with laryngopharyngitis and discharged from hospital. However, 24 hours later she returned to the hospital with an abnormal electrocardiogram (ECG) and elevated blood troponin levels and was diagnosed with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). She developed heart failure, cardiogenic shock and died. Clinicians should be aware that patients with an unexplained sensation of laryngeal obstruction should be considered for the presence of MI within their differential diagnosis since this may be the only symptom in some patients with life-threatening cardiac ischemia.

Processed nerve allografts are used increasingly in the treatment of traumatic neuroma in small sensory nerves. The goal of the present study was to investigate the use of an allograft after different intervals between injury and repair and to analyze results, not only for the success of pain relief, but also for potential recovery of sensation in time. Four patients with painful neuroma in small sensory nerves in the lower extremity were surgically treated with a decellularized allograft. Patients were followed prospectively for at least 1 y. Clinical outcome was assessed using the Likert scale. Recovery of sensation was tested using Semmes-Weinstein monofilaments. In all 4 cases an allograft of 3-cm was used to reconstruct a defect in the superficial peroneal (3) or sural nerve (1) after excision of the neuroma. Complete relief of pain symptoms was achieved in 2 patients: 1 case concerned the reconstruction of a neuroma with an interval of less than 1 y between injury and repair and 1 case a neuroma-in-continuity. Sensation recovered completely in these 2 cases. In the other 2 cases, that had an interval between injury and reconstruction of more than 1 y, there was neither successful pain relief nor recovery of sensation. This prospective study shows that processed nerve allografts can be successful for the reconstruction of small sensory nerves after excision of the traumatic neuroma both for recovery of pain and sensation, but in this small case series only if the interval between injury and reconstruction was <1 y.