A small yet impactful change would be to omit all unhealthy snacks from your and your family’s diet. To ensure this, you can plan on upturning your pantry, and replacing any unwholesome options with healthy foods like almonds…writes Siddhi Jain.
Family is the most precious paradise that a person could ever get in life. Every year, May 15 is observed as International Day of Families. It celebrates the importance of families and aims to raise awareness of issues relating to families. The pandemic has put a pause on one’s family’s daily routine and has left many families with no option but to stay home. Schools have been closed, workplaces shut, and many parents and caretakers are home with their families. Keeping this in mind, the theme this year for the day has been kept as what the impact of new technologies has been on the well-being of families.
On the account of International Day of Families, we need to contribute to better health and well-being for our families and ourselves and take charge of everyone’s health by incorporating small yet impactful changes to our lifestyle. A good way to start this is by making informed food choices and snacking right. Nuts like almonds are a source of 15 nutrients such as vitamin E, magnesium, protein, riboflavin, zinc, etc.
Leading Bollywood actress Soha Ali Khan said, “There is little doubt that the coronavirus pandemic has affected every aspect of our lives. No one knows how long this is going to last, but, as a mother, it’s important for me to protect and improve my family’s health. The first thing I would recommend is to start including healthy foods such as almonds to your own and your family’s daily diet. Beyond adding a host of nutrients to the diet, daily almond consumption may also help support immunity as they are high in copper and are a source of zinc, folate and iron. Almonds are also high in Vitamin E, which acts as an anti-oxidant to support pulmonary immune function. Vitamin E is also known to offer protection against infections caused by viruses and bacteria. Besides this, in these grim times, it is imperative for the family to stick together and provide physical, emotional and mental support to one another. Even a small gesture like having one meal a day together as a family, while sharing with each other highlights from school, college or work is a great way to stay connected and aid in each other’s well-being.”
Adding to this, Ritika Samaddar, Regional Head — Dietetics, Max Healthcare — Delhi, said, “Through the last year, it has been the families who have faced the brunt of the crisis, sheltering their members from harm, caring for children and at the same time continuing work responsibilities. Families need to eat nutritiously and be physically active. A small yet impactful change would be to omit all unhealthy snacks from your and your family’s diet. To ensure this, you can plan on upturning your pantry, and replacing any unwholesome options with healthy foods like almonds.”
According to Madhuri Ruia, Pilates Expert and Diet and Nutrition Consultant, “I believe families need to treat their health as a priority — partners, parents and children included. A family should strive and work together to care for one another — health-wise and nutrition-wise. For parents with a hectic work schedule and a family to look after, eating right should be a priority. You can rely on almonds as a great option to promote family wellness. Research indicates that almonds can help maintain healthy blood sugar levels and may lower the blood sugar impact of carbohydrate foods eaten in the same meal, which can be important for those with and without diabetes. Keep a handful of almonds around so that everyone always has a healthy snack handy.”
Sheela Krishnaswamy, Nutrition and Wellness Consultant, “It is important for every family member, old or young, to take stock of their health amid todays busy lifestyle. A convenient yet healthy thing that can be done is to add almonds to the family’s daily diet. This will have a positive impact, as research shows that almonds can help in maintaining healthy blood sugar levels, an important consideration given the rising incidence of type 2 diabetes in India.”
Fitness Expert and Celebrity Master Instructor, Yasmin Karachiwala, says her family’s health has always been a priority for her.
Family (ANI)
“No matter how busy our lives get, compromising on fitness and a healthy lifestyle is never an option. Especially with our children, with restrictions in place, their outdoor activities are on hold and snacking on processed, or oily food is at an all-time high. The consumption of this type of food can have side effects on their weight and growth in the long run. As parents, it’s important for us to keep an eye out on our child’s daily diet. Nuts such as almonds are a great replacement for unhealthy snacks as they may have satiating properties that promote feelings of fullness, which will help keep your kid full in between meals and limit their outreach for fried, unhealthy snacks.”
This International Day of Families, celebrate the joy of togetherness while taking a pledge to be healthier.
The researchers germinated the seeds, conducted whole genome sequencing of the germinated samples and used this genome data to examine the genetics of these Judean date palms….reports Asian LIte News
Researchers from New York University (NYU) Abu Dhabi’s Centre for Genomics and Systems Biology have successfully sequenced the genome of previously extinct date palm varieties that lived more than 2,000 years ago.
They did so using date palm seeds that were recovered from archaeological sites in the southern Levant region and radiocarbon-dated from the 4th century BCE to the 2nd century CE.
The researchers germinated the seeds, conducted whole genome sequencing of the germinated samples and used this genome data to examine the genetics of these Judean date palms.
This study marks the first time researchers have sequenced the genomes of plants from ancient germinated seeds.
By examining the genome of the (Phoenix dactylifera L.) species that thrived centuries ago, Professor of Biology Michael D. Purugganan and his NYUAD colleagues, along with research partners in Israel and France, were able to see how these plants evolved over a period of time.
— Global Plant Council (@GlobalPlantGPC) May 4, 2021
In this case, they observed that between the 4th century BCE and 2nd century CE, date palms in the eastern Mediterranean started to show increasing levels of genes from another species, Phoenix theophrasti, which today grows in Crete and some other Greek islands, as well as southwestern Turkey, as a result of hybridisation between species. They conclude that the increasing level of genes from P. theophrasti over this period shows the increasing influence of the Roman Empire in the eastern Mediterranean.
Their findings have been published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Science USA.
“We are fortunate that date palm seeds can live a long time – in this case, more than 2,000 years – and germinate with minimal DNA damage, in the dry environment of the region,” Purugganan said. “This ‘resurrection genomics’ approach is a remarkably effective way to study the genetics and evolution of past and possibly extinct species like Judean date palms.”
He added, “By reviving biological material such as germinating ancient seeds from archaeological, paleontological sites, or historical collections, we can not only study the genomes of lost populations but also, in some instances, rediscover genes that may have gone extinct in modern varieties.”
Samsung with 20 per cent market share was second, growing the highest at 52 per cent (YoY) while Vivo was third with 16 per cent share…reports Asian Lite News
Xiaomi once again led the India smartphone market with 26 per cent market share in Q1 2021, as total shipments grew 23 per cent (on-year) to reach over 38 million units in the January-March period, a new report said on Monday. The report cautioned that the second quarter is likely to be impacted owing to the lethal second Covid wave.
Samsung with 20 per cent market share was second, growing the highest at 52 per cent (YoY) while Vivo was third with 16 per cent share, according to the latest research from Counterpoint’s Market Monitor service.
realme was fourth with 11 per cent market share.
“Continuing with its stellar run, India’s smartphone market registered a third consecutive quarter of record shipments in Q1 2021, riding on pent-up demand. Consumer confidence also increased due to the beginning of a vaccination drive in the country,” said Senior Research Analyst Prachir Singh.
“But these numbers should be taken with caution as a second and more virulent wave of COVID-19 is currently on in the country and is likely to impact the coming quarters,” he cautioned.
The Chinese brands held a 75 per cent share in the March-ended quarter.
Australia and India are the next two largest countries in terms of security spending due to the presence of large number of businesses…reports Asian Lite News
Driven by increased cloud adoption and massive work-from-home migration, Australia and India will account 26 per cent of the overall security spending in the Asia-Pacific region in 2021, according to the IDC.
Australia and India are the next two largest countries in terms of security spending due to the presence of large number of businesses catering to domestic as well as international customers.
Overall, spending on security hardware, services, and software in Asia/Pacific is expected to reach $23.1 billion in 2021 — an increase of 12.6 per cent over the previous year.
IDC expects investment on security related products and services to grow at a five-year CAGR of 13.3 per cent over the forecast period (2019-24) and reach $35 billion by 2024.
“In Asia/Pacific, investments on security-related products and solutions (endpoint security, VPN, and firewalls) will experience double-digit growth in 2021 due to the increased spending by both governments and enterprises (particularly in the banking, telecom, and professional services industry),” explained Sharad Kotagi, Associate Market Analyst at IDC IT Spending Guides, Customer Insights ans Analysis.
The industries that are seeing the greatest increase in security spending this year are state/local government (18.5 per cent), transportation (13.9 per cent), and retail (13.7 per cent) — driven by increased focus on data security, e-commerce, work from home, digitalization of logistic monitoring, payments, and contracts.
While air power inarguably retains great value in present day warfare, it is rapidly imbuing an unmanned character. The US Department of Defence (DoD), in its Unmanned Aircraft Systems Roadmap 2005-2030, defines UAVs as “A powered aerial vehicle that does not carry a human operator, uses aerodynamic forces to provide vehicle lift, can fly autonomously or be piloted remotely, can be expendable or recoverable, and can carry a lethal or non-lethal payload”, writes Binay Kumar Singh
The manned fighter aircraft is dead!
The Air Warfare Symposium, conducted by the US Air Force Association on 27 and 28 February, 2020, may go down in history as an event where history was foretold. It was here, on the morning of 28 February, 2020, that Elon Musk, the quintessential disruptor, set the cat among the pigeons. In a room overflowing with Air Force personnel, many fighter pilots among them, Musk famously predicted the end of the manned fighter aircraft. Much consternation followed, and copious amounts of newsprint was invested in the counter-narrative that flowed, mainly from the US Air Force and its veterans. Notably, much of the criticism of Musk’s proclamation was aimed at targeting him personally as a ‘head-line grabber’, rather than to disprove his assertion through solid logic and evidence. This is probably indicative of the fact that Musk’s prediction may hold more than a modicum of truth.
History Tells a Story. History is replete with examples of path-breaking inventions being viewed with disdain at inception, and thought either impractical or even impossible. For instance, Marshal Ferdinand Foch, the Supreme Commander of Allied Forces in 1918 was quite dismissive of aviation, and had famously said that “airplanes are interesting toys, but of no military value.” The past Century, and the significant role that air power has played in conflicts therein, from WWI and WWII to the Gulf Wars as well as the 1971 Indo-Pak wars, bear testimony to the inaccuracy of Marshal Foch’s proclamation. However, in a similar vein, it may be imprudent to wish away the monumental technological advancements of recent years and the potential for change that they portend, merely because such changes may be undesirable, sound improbable or, in some cases, seem outlandish.
The age of unmanned systems
While air power inarguably retains great value in present day warfare, it is rapidly imbuing an unmanned character. The US Department of Defence (DoD), in its Unmanned Aircraft Systems Roadmap 2005-2030, defines UAVs as “A powered aerial vehicle that does not carry a human operator, uses aerodynamic forces to provide vehicle lift, can fly autonomously or be piloted remotely, can be expendable or recoverable, and can carry a lethal or non-lethal payload.” The extensive use of drones by the US across the world, the clear advantages drawn by Azerbaijan over Armenia in their recent conflict, and numerous other examples, point to the manner in which unmanned aircraft technology can serve as a force multiplier. As far back as 2013, analyst Dan Parsons had estimated that “future autonomous air refueling of unmanned systems would accord them the capability to remain ‘on station’ for months, and allow all roles from combat to cargo handling.” The question that bears consideration, therefor, is can unmanned aircraft (drones) become the mainstay of air power in the near future (2030)?
Concomitant with the advent of unmanned aerial systems, modern Air Defence has also witnessed significant advances in capability. Integrated Air Defence Systems (IADS) have become the order of the day, characterized by highly mobile sensors and weapons, organised in a multi-layered manner. Within these systems, weapons like the Russian S-400 and Chinese HQ-9 cover a significantly large area. Analysts estimate that Russian IADS deployed on NATO’s Eastern Flank threaten to keep NATO Air Power at arm’s length.
AD Systems Vs Drones
While AD systems have evolved, increasing number of actors are opting to use drones as a mitigating measure. For instance, in mid-2020, Turkish supplied drones assisted the Libyan Govt of National Accord in destroying Russian Pantsir SHORADS being used by rebel forces. Similarly, the drone attacks on Aramco in Saudi Arabia also underscored the relative advantages that these unmanned aerial systems possess. In this instance, Saudi Arabian Air Defence Systems proved helpless when two oil facilities were attacked by alleged Houthi rebels, who launched 18 drones and seven cruise missiles against two facilities on 14 September 2019. Evidently, unmanned aerial systems in conjunction with long-range missiles, offer an option that is more viable against expensive, highly capable AD systems, as compared to equally expensive, and resource-intensive manned aircraft.
Modern long-range missilesModern long-range missiles
As the US plans for an increasingly challenging ‘great power competition’ scenario with China, the Pentagon appears to have realised that air support may not be readily available to ground troops caught in a high intensity conflict over heavily contested air spaces. Accordingly, the US Army has rated ‘Long Range Precision Fire’ as its highest priority. In consonance with this outlook, Lockheed Martin’s website advertises development of a next-generation, modular Precision Strike Missile, in conjunction with the Army. Long-range ballistic/ quasi-ballistic trajectory missiles offer the government a relatively cheaper option to undertake precision attack, as compared to the large number of prohibitively expensive manned aircraft squadrons, currently maintained for such a role.
The future air force
From a Balanced to an Unmanned Force. At present, many Air Forces across the world are striving to achieve a balance between manned and unmanned systems, based on threat perceptions, budgets and desired capabilities. However, as alluded to by Elon Musk, the day of the manned aircraft may soon be over. This flows from the following aspects:-
The cost of unmanned aircraft will be significantly lower than manned aircraft. Financial savings will accrue, not only from the relatively lower cost of Unmanned Aircraft (UA), but also from the fact that expenditure on training will evolve. This would, initially cover ground based controllers and, eventually, to no controllers at all, as UAs gradually become completely autonomous. This will lead to further savings resulting from reduced requirement of flying to maintain pilot currency, decreased pay and allowances expenditure, etc.
The potential losses suffered in battle would not include precious human lives.
Countries will increasingly realise that sending in unmanned aircraft to penetrate defended air space may be more cost effective. Justin Bronk, the Editor of RUSI Defence Systems, had predicted a “significant move towards unmanned systems for vanguard penetrating roles”.
Manned aircraft carry missiles, as can unmanned aircraft. The features mandated onboard an aircraft designed for manned flight are significantly more than on an unmanned one, e.g. ejection seats, Head-Up Displays, etc.
At present, an air strike into hostile or contested areas mandates a comprehensive air package comprising a wide array of aircraft, from AWACS to EW escorts, AD escorts, et al. In effect, the number of actual strike aircraft in a package is only a small proportion of the overall number of aircraft deployed. In an unmanned scenario, this requirement will reduce drastically, leading to further cost saving.
AI is slowly becoming ubiquitous in nature, and organisations across the world are scrambling to harness the immense potential of this niche technology. Militaries are no different, and numerous air forces have also invested heavily in research and development in this field. DARPA recently undertook a simulated flight combat competition pitting a top US fighter pilot against AI in five rounds of combat. The AI program won all five rounds in under two minutes.
While this may not lead to a definitive conclusion that the fighter pilot is no longer required, it does point to the possibilities that the future portends.
Land and sea-based long-range vectors
Apart from the effect that UAs will have on the size, role and capabilities of a future Air Force, the advent of long-range, precision vectors � sea-based and land-based � will also play a key role. The following aspects assume salience:-
Land-based vectors
Existing land-based capabilities, already extend to thousands of kilometres, which comfortably covers most areas in India’s immediate vicinity. Added to this is the strategic location of India’s island territories, where mobile, long-range missile batteries (Brahmos) could be positioned. This would be able to exert influence over large swaths of sea areas, including choke points. Such deployment of missiles, in lieu of aircraft, would accrue financial savings as well. This derives from the fact that expensive airfields would no longer need to be maintained for manned flights on these islands.
Sea-based vectors
With regard to sea-based vectors, it is common knowledge that 70 per cent of the earth is covered with water which, as a corollary, also implies accessibility for sea-based forces to almost every part of the globe. For instance, in the Indian context, the long range Nirbhay missile (also a product of ‘Made in India’) is reported to have advanced features, including sea-skimming/ terrain-hugging and loiter capabilities. It is also estimated to be capable of an extended range of over 1000 Km. Coupled with this, development of modern, sea-based, long-range vectors provide naval forces the capability to address targets deep in the hinterland. Therefore, the need for air forces to traverse long distances, using multiple support aircraft (AWACS/ FRA), escorts, etc, to strike distant targets is steadily diminishing.
The issues highlighted above are indicative of the role of future air forces being limited primarily to supporting friendly forces in the Tactical Battle Area. Collectively, these aspects along with developments in the field of unmanned systems, buttress the case for a re-evaluation of the future structure of air forces.
Representational pic (ANI)
The smart way ahead
USA has drawn out a clear roadmap for UA induction, including fighter aircraft. It may be prudent to adopt a similarly aspirational outlook and plan for a calibrated move from manned to completely unmanned and autonomous air power. In the case of India, with adversarial nations to the West and North, the savings accrued from charting the unmanned course would free up budgets for much required capabilities such as additional Mountain Strike Corps, Submarines and Aircraft Carriers � also carrying unmanned aircraft.
Strategic guidance
Prime Minster Narendra Modi has clearly laid down the guidance and vision for the Country in terms of adoption of innovations, AI, niche technologies and the need to ‘leapfrog’ capability gaps. His expectations and intent were made amply clear through his articulation that “India is placed to leverage power of technology and leapfrog into the future.” In the military sense, the low hanging fruit is air power, which can easily evolve to becoming a completely unmanned force in the medium term.
Conclusion
China is investing heavily in AI and niche technologies, many of which will enable and drive a move to unmanned aerial assets. It would be short-sighted at best, and disastrous at worst, for India to be left behind in this race for transformation into unmanned air power. Hence, while it may be tempting to dismiss claims such as those made by Elon Musk as outlandish, and easy to provide convenient self-serving logic for retaining manned air forces, it may result in India sliding backwards, rather than surging forward in the race for technology and military capabilities. Hence, embracing unmanned solutions in lieu of the current philosophy of manned aircraft will be operationally relevant, financially prudent, and conceptually futuristic. We need to open our eyes and mind to see that the future is truly unmanned.
(Binay Kumar Singh is an author and columnist. He can be reached at Twitter: @BinayBharat. The views expressed are personal)
From 2019 to 2020, the number of users encountering targeted ransomware increased by around 767 percent…reports Asian Lite News.
The ransomware attacks on high-profile targets such as corporations, government agencies, and municipal organisations globally increased by a whopping 767 percent in one year (from 2019 to 2020), according to a new report.
Targeted ransomware attacks have become a major concern globally in the past few years, especially for organisations and businesses in the APAC region, especially India.
“At least 61 entities from the region were breached by a targeted ransomware group in 2020. Australia and India being the top two countries that logged the highest number of incidents across APAC,” said Chris Connell, Managing Director, Kaspersky (APAC).
The increase in targeted ransomware occurred alongside a 29 percent decrease in the overall number of users affected by any kind of ransomware, with WannaCry still being the most frequently encountered family, according to cybersecurity firm Kaspersky.
Targeted ransomware attacks involve significantly more sophistication (network compromise, reconnaissance and persistence, or lateral movement) and a much larger payout.
From 2019 to 2020, the number of users encountering targeted ransomware increased by around 767 percent.
The ransomware family most frequently encountered by users is still WannaCry, the ransomware Trojan that first appeared in 2017 and led to damages of at least $4 billion across 150 countries.
Nearly 22 percent of the users that encountered ransomware in 2019 encountered WannaCry, but this decreased to 16 percent in 2020.
“We’ll most likely see fewer and fewer widespread campaigns targeting everyday users. Of course, that’s not to say users aren’t still vulnerable,” said Fedor Sinitsyn, a security expert at Kaspersky.
“However, the primary focus will likely continue to be on companies and large organisations, and that means ransomware attacks will continue to become more sophisticated and more destructive,” he added.
The ransomware threat — when attackers encrypt private information and hold it to ransom — became mainstream news in the 2010s following large-scale outbreaks, such as WannaCry and Cryptolocker.
They targeted tens of thousands of users and often requested relatively small amounts from victims to have their files returned.
Some of the most prolific targeted ransomware families during this time were Maze, the infamous group involved in several loud incidents, and RagnarLocker, also covered in the news.
Both of these families began the trend of exfiltration of data in addition to encrypting it and threatening to make the confidential information public if the victims refused to pay, according to the report.
The satellite broadband company will double the internet speed to 300 Mbps this year…reports Asian Lite News.
A world without internet is inconceivable in the present days. Elon Musk has said that the new Starlink internet service by SpaceX that will make web access more affordable for people in remote areas worldwide including in India should be fully mobile later this year.
The satellite broadband company will double the internet speed to 300 Mbps this year.
The company currently promises speeds between 50 and 150 Mbps for the Starlink project that plans to deliver high-speed internet through a network of about 12,000 satellites. The company has already put over 1,200 of its Starlink satellites in orbit.
Responding to a follower on Twitter about the launch of the service, Musk said on Friday: “Yeah, should be fully mobile later this year, so you can move it anywhere or use it on an RV or truck in motion. We need a few more satellite launches to achieve compete coverage & some key software upgrades.”
“Service uptime, bandwidth & latency are improving rapidly. Probably out of beta this summer,” he added.
SpaceX has sought approval from regulators in the US to connect its Starlink satellite Internet network to large vehicles including trucks and ships.
The request, filed with the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC), marks a move to expand the Starlink satellite Internet network from rural areas to other sectors.
Musk has clarified that SpaceX is not connecting the Starlink satellite Internet network to Tesla cars.
“Not connecting Tesla cars to Starlink, as our terminal is much too big. This is for aircraft, ships, large trucks & Rvs,” he said in a tweet.
SpaceX is currently offering the beta version of Starlink on pre-orders in India for a fully refundable deposit of $99.
A team of Israeli researchers has identified new drug candidates from probiotic Kefir yogurt that may combat pathogenic bacteria and treat various inflammatory conditions, including inflammatory bowel disease and Covid-19 infections.
The study, led by researchers from the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) in Israel, highlighted the mechanism by which milk fermented probiotics can protect against pathogenic infections and aid the immune system.
The drug candidates are based on molecules isolated from Kefir yogurt — a fermented probiotic dairy drink made by infusing cow or goat milk with kefir grains containing yeast and lactic acid bacteria.
The findings, published in the journal Microbiome, demonstrated that the kefir-secreted molecules can significantly reduce virulence of Vibrio cholerae — which causes cholera. The anti-bacterial effect was based on disrupting communication among the bacterial cells.
India’s pharma exports surge as tide turns against China
Further, the experimental results revealed that the isolated molecules effectively healed mice inflicted with a lethal “cytokine storm” — the extreme immune response, which is one of the main causes of death in Covid-19 patients.
The molecules not only eliminated the cytokine storm, but also restored balance to the immune system, an extraordinary feat pointing to significant therapeutic potential.
While the healthy properties of probiotics in yogurt have been widely recognised, the study showed how these actually have the potential to be highly effective drugs, the researchers said.
“These results are notable, since this is the first demonstration that virulence of human pathogenic bacteria can be mitigated by molecules secreted in probiotic milk products, such as yogurt or kefir,” said Raz Jelinek, Professor at the BGU.
“Following promising results in animal models, we look forward to administering these drug candidates to patients who are experiencing a cytokine storm due to Covid-19 infection, or people suffering from acute inflammatory bowel pathologies, such as Crohn’s disease,” Jelinek added.
The researchers have formed a new company to develop and commercialise the technology.
One in three adults in the UK intend to use social media and personal messaging to encourage people to get vaccinated against Covid-19, while almost one in 10 intend to discourage people from getting vaccinated using the same platforms, finds a new research.
The study, by Loughborough University researchers, is based on an October 2020 survey of 5,114 UK adults that explored how people’s attitudes and their consumption of Covid-19 news links to their intention to use social media and personal messaging apps to encourage or discourage vaccination.
Around 57 per cent were undecided on if or how they will endorse the vaccines online, revealed the study to be published in the journal Social Media and Society.
“Vaccine hesitancy is a longstanding problem, but it has assumed great urgency due to the pandemic. We know that people’s media diets provide them with the information they share online, and we know online endorsement can make a difference to people’s attitudes and decisions,” said Andrew Chadwick, a Professor at the varsity.
A man wearing a face mask walks past a rapid test for COVID-19 point in Rome, Italy, Jan. 27, 2021. (Xinhua/Cheng Tingting)
“Our findings suggest that when people gain a broad perspective, from a range of different media and information sources, they gather evidence and are more likely to positively endorse vaccination online. This is good news for collective public health,” Chadwick added.
The team identified ‘media diets’ for getting news and information about Covid-19 among the UK public. It was then linked to vaccine hesitancy and two key attitudes: conspiracy mentality — the hostile distrust of public authorities based on false belief that secret organisations influence political decisions — and the news finds me perception — where people give low priority to active monitoring of news and rely more on their online networks of friends for information.
The findings showed a clear link between vaccine hesitancy and the intention to use social media and personal messaging apps to discourage others from getting vaccinated.
“Avoiding news and having a ‘news-finds-me’ attitude is perhaps most troubling, because this combination of factors links with the online discouragement of others from taking the vaccine,” Chadwick said.
Virtual reality (VR) can reduce types of pain typically seen in patients with nerve injuries, and that VR can boost the dysfunctional pain suppression system, a new study suggests.
The study, published in The Journal of Pain, showed that VR can also reduce pain symptoms such as prickling and pain following touch, that are often seen in patients with nerve injury.
“It’s brilliant that we’ve seen these results as it shows more evidence that virtual reality can not only reduce pain perception in human models of chronic pain, but also gives us insight into the mechanisms behind this effect,” said researcher Sam Hughes, Lecturer in Psychology at the University of Plymouth.
“The next step of course is to conduct the study with people who experience chronic pain to see if it works for them,” Hughes added.
According to the researchers, we all feel physical pain in different ways, but people with nerve injuries often have a dysfunctional pain suppression system, making them particularly prone to discomfort.
For the study, the team focussed on conditioned pain modulation (CPM) – a pain inhibitory pathway in humans.
The team previously published work showing that watching soothing 360-degree scenes of the Arctic in virtual reality can help to ease pain symptoms similar to those experienced during sunburn.
The team have also gone one step further and measured VR’s direct effects on CPM.A
CPM is dysfunctional in patients with nerve injury, so by knowing what can enhance its action, scientists can help to stimulate the body’s natural pain inhibiting process, the researchers said.
The findings indicated that 360-degree scenes of the Arctic in virtual reality had an effect on the CPM efficiency, while the 2D versions of the same scenes (described as ‘sham VR’) reduced CPM efficiency.
“If it does work, it could be a really helpful in forming part of ongoing pain management by helping to target the dysfunctions in the brain that underpin chronic pain,” Hughes added.
