Methyl aminolevulinate photodynamic therapy after partial debulking in the treatment of superficial and nodular basal cell carcinoma: 3-years follow-up.

BACKGROUND: The increase in the number of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) lesions has prompted use of minimally invasive therapies, including Photodynamic therapy (PDT). . The objective of the present work was to analyze the efficacy of methyl aminolevulinate-mediated photodynamic therapy (MAL-PDT) in patients suffering from superficial or nodular BCCs. METHODS: A total of 220 BCC lesions (76 superficial and 144 nodular), clinically diagnosed and confirmed by histopathology analysis, were treated in 174 patients (mean age 72.5). Debulking using curettage was performed before two or three MAL-PDT sessions (λ = 630 nm; 90 J/cm2; 23 min) at 4-week intervals. Analyses of clinical clearance and cosmetic outcome were carried out by direct examination, dermoscopy, photographs, as well as by fluorescence diagnosis using a Wood's lamp. Evaluations were carried out at the different PDT sessions and follow-ups over a 3-year period. RESULTS: MAL-PDT was safe and highly tolerated. After an average of 2.6 MAL-PDT sessions, the overall clearance rate at 3-year follow-up was 96.1 % (95 % confidence interval [CI] 100 %-92 %) for superficial BCCs and 95.2 % (95 % [CI] 99 %-92 %) for nodular BCCs after an average of 2.7 sessions. Minimal side effects such as crushing, erythema and edema were reported. All BCC lesions showed excellent or good cosmetic results. CONCLUSION: The protocol followed in the present study has shown that MAL-PDT is a safe and effective treatment for superficial and nodular types of BCC.

Emotional processing in obsessive-compulsive disorder.

The aim of the present study was to investigate whether there are differences in emotional processing among people with obsessive-compulsive disorder, using Lang's dimensional model of emotions. A total of 22 individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder participated in the study and were compared to a control group (n=25). All participants assessed a set of photographs with emotional content (pleasant, neutral, unpleasant, and with obsessive-compulsive content) using the Self-Assessment Manikin pictorial scales for rating emotional valence (pleasant/unpleasant), arousal (calm/aroused) and dominance (controlling/controlled). The results show significant differences in the processing of emotional images among individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder and the high predictive value of dominance for diagnosis.

Brief report Effects of spinal cord injuries on the subjective component of emotions.

Responses to a structured interview by 19 patients with spinal cord injuries (SCI) (7 women and 12 men) concerning their past (pre-injury) and present emotions were analysed and compared with responses by 19 SCI-free controls matched for sex, age, and education. In addition, subjects assessed the valence and arousal of 10 pleasant, 10 neutral, and 10 unpleasant pictures selected from the International Affective Picture System. The results indicate that there is no decrease in emotional experience among individuals with SCI compared with those without. For all the emotional scales (joy, love, sentimentalism, positive emotions as a whole, fear, anger, sadness, and negative emotions as a whole) the SCI group always showed either no change or an increase; this increase was significantly higher in SCI than in control subjects for sadness. No differences were observed between the two groups in the subjective assessment of the pictures. The implications of the results for the James versus Cannon controversy on the theory of emotions are discussed.

Modulación emocional de los reflejos defensivos mediante visualización de imágenes afectivas / Emotional modulation of defensive reflexes by viewing affective pictures

Se presentan los resultados de un estudio en el que se examinó la modulación de la respuesta cardiaca de defensa y del reflejo motor de sobresalto (parpadeo), evocados por estímulos acústicos, mediante la visualización simultánea de imágenes afectivas seleccionadas de la adaptación española del International Affective Picture System. 60 mujeres estudiantes voluntarias participaron en el estudio. El test psicofisiológico consistió en 9 ensayos en los que se presentaron durante 9 segundos 3 diapositivas agradables, 3 desagradables y 3 neutrales, balanceadas según el orden de presentación, con un intervalo entre ensayos de 95-120 segundos. Cada ensayo de visualización iba acompañado de la presentación, a través de auriculares, de un ruido blanco de 105 dB de intensidad, 500 milisegundos de duración y tiempo de subida instantáneo, que se iniciaba 3,5 segundos después de iniciada la diapositiva. Las variables dependientes fueron la frecuencia cardiaca segundo a segundo y la electromiografía integrada del músculo orbicular del ojo. Los resultados muestran una potenciación tanto de la respuesta cardiaca de defensa como del reflejo motor de sobresalto ante la visualización de las imágenes desagradables. La visualización de imágenes agradables produjo inhibición, en comparación con la visualización de imágenes neutrales, sólo en el caso del reflejo motor de sobresalto. Estos resultados dan apoyo empírico a la teoría del priming motivacional de los reflejos propuesta por Lang y confirman el carácter dinámico y secuencial de la respuesta cardiaca de defensa (AU)

We present the results of a study aimed to examine the modulation of the cardiac defense response and the startle reflex (eyeblink), elicited by acoustic stimuli, by simultaneous visualization of affective pictures selected from the Spanish adaptation of the International Affective Picture System. 60 volunteer student women participated in the study. The psychophysiological test consisted of 9 trials in which 3 pleasant, 3 unpleasant and 3 neutral pictures were presented, in counterbalanced order, during 6 seconds, with an inter-trial interval between 95 and 120 seconds. Each visualization trial was accompanied by the presentation, through headphones, of a white noise of 105 dB intensity, 500 ms duration and instantaneous risetime. The noise was initiated 3.5 s after initiation of the picture. Dependent variables were second-by-second heart rate and integrated electromyography of the orbicularis oculi muscle. Results show a potentiation of both the cardiac defense response and the startle reflex by visualization of unpleasant pictures. Visualization of pleasant pictures showed inhibition, as compared to neutral pictures, only of the startle reflex. These results give support to the motivational priming theory of defensive reflexes proposed by Lang and confirm the dynamic and sequential character of the cardiac defense response (AU)

Revisiting the James versus Cannon debate on emotion: startle and autonomic modulation in patients with spinal cord injuries.

James' hypothesis that impaired peripheral physiology in patients with spinal cord injuries (SCI) impairs emotional processing, as manifested in the modulation of physiological responses and in the subjective component of emotions, was examined in the present study. A pilot study confirmed the utility of Lang's picture viewing paradigm in a group of 78 students using the Spanish norms of the International Affective Picture System. In the main study, 19 patients with SCI and 19 well controls matched for sex, age and education were examined. Results showed: (1) no differences between SCI and control participants in the valence and arousal ratings of the pictures; (2) similar heart rate modulation in both groups, i.e. the unpleasant pictures produced greater deceleration than the pleasant ones; and (3) no decrease in emotional experience in the SCI group compared with the control group. The implications of the results for the James versus Cannon controversy on the theory of emotions are discussed.

Modulación emocional de la respuesta de sobresalto / Emotional modulation of startle reflex

Se presentan los resultados sobre el reflejo parpebral de sobresalto evocado por un estímulo auditivo intenso y su modulación mediante la visualización de diapositivas afectivas. El objeto del estudio fue poner a prueba la adaptación española de la metodología y los instrumentos desarrollados por Lang y colaboradores en la Universidad de Florida y aportar datos que confirmaran o desconfirmaran su modelo de 'priming' motivacional. Se estudiaron a 78 estudiantes de 2° de Psicología de la Universidad de Málaga. Los resultados confirman que los sujetos universitarios estudiados modulan la amplitud de la respuesta de sobresalto en función de la valencia de las imágenes observadas, potenciándola ante las desagradables e inhibiéndolas antes las agradables. Estos resultados confieren validez a la adaptación española del paradigma del reflejo de sobresalto y al modelo teórico propuesto por Lang (AU)

We present the results on the startle-probe reflex evoked by an intense auditory stimulus and its modulation through affective slide visualization. The aim was to test the validity of the Spanish adaptation of the methodology and instruments developed by Lang and colleagues at Florida University and to confirm his model of motivational priming. 78 students in the second year of Psychology from Málaga University participated in the study. The results confirm that the university students modulated the magnitude of the startle-probe reflex according to the emotional valence of the image: it was largest when the subject was viewing unpleasant slides and smallest when viewing pleasant ones. These results confer validity on the Spanish adaptation of the startle-probe reflex paradigm and Lang’s theoretical model (AU)