The Role of Perceived Control in the Psychophysiological Responses to Disgust of Subclinical OCD Women.

Obsessive‒compulsive disorder (OCD), and especially contamination obsessions and washing compulsions, has been related to disgust. However, when its cardiovascular correlates have been studied, contradictory results have been found, including heart rate accelerations and decelerations. The aim of this study is to analyze emotional, cognitive, and cardiovascular responses in nonclinical (control) and subclinical participants with obsessive‒compulsive contamination/washing symptoms when confronted with a disgusting stimulus. Twenty-seven participants (14 subclinical OCD) completed a behavioral avoidance task with a contamination-based stimulus while their heart rate and subjective variables were measured. Results showed heart rate reductions in both samples, whereas subjective measures reflected higher disgust, anxiety, dirtiness, and emotional valence in the subclinical sample. However, at the same time, the sense of dominance was lower in the control group. In conclusion, our results support a heart rate deceleration during exposure to a disgusting stimulus dissociated from the subjective experience.

The Characterization of Normal Male and Female Voice from Surface Electromyographic Parameters.

Currently, there is no consensus on the characterization of the human voice. The objective of the present study is to describe the myoelectric behavior of the extrinsic musculature of the larynx in 146 people with normal voice (Spanish speakers), aged between 20 and 50 years old. Different vocal tasks were recorded using a surface electromyograph (SEMG). In all vocal tasks, it was observed that women had higher activation (µV) in the suprahyoid and sternocleidomastoid muscles than men, while men had higher activation in the infrahyoid muscles. SEMG is a valid procedure to help define normal vocal characteristics in the studied population, providing reference values during clinical examination. However, it is necessary to adopt a universal system of assessment tasks and standardized measurement techniques to allow for comparisons with future studies.

What Are the Contemporary Trends on Euphonic Voice Research? A Scientometric Analysis.

(1) Background: The study of the human euphonic voice is a subject that has been researched in recent years from different perspectives. Therefore, it is pertinent to assess the current state of the science. The aim of analyzing the characteristics of normal voice-related publications over the last 11 years is to identify research trends, the numerical and temporal evolution of the publications, their type, and the most-used descriptors. (2) Methods: Bibliometric data from 2011 to 2021 were obtained through several databases. Subsequently, a science mapping analysis was made via VOSviewer software. (3) Results: A total of 901 publications were obtained. The analysis of the scientific production on the field of study regarding the euphonic voice shows a slight increase over the last 11 years, with an average of 82 publications per year. Co-authorship analysis revealed a 6215 authors contributing to the field with a 901 articles (headed by Jiang, J.J. with 18 articles). Keyword co-occurrence analysis highlighted the lack of temporal advancement and variety in the terminology used in the field of voice research. (4) Conclusions: This scientometric study sheds light to the need to broaden in this field of study and the establishment of solid research groups to contribute to its advancement.

Are Endodontic Solvents Cytotoxic? An In Vitro Study on Human Periodontal Ligament Stem Cells.

The aim of this study was to assess the influence of eucalyptol, chloroform, and Endosolv on the proliferative capability, cell viability, and migration rates of human periodontal ligament stem cells (hPDLSCs) in vitro. Solvent eluates were formulated following ISO 10993-5 guidelines, and 1%, 0.25%, and 0.1% dilutions were prepared. The HPDLSCs were isolated from the extracted third molars of healthy donors. The following parameters were assessed: cell viability via trypan blue and IC50 assays, cell migration via horizontal wound healing assay, cell morphology via cell cytoskeleton staining (phalloidin labeling), and cell oxidative stress via reactive oxygen species assay. The data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and Tukey's posthoc tests, and their significance was established at p < 0.05. Chloroform and eucalyptol exhibited significantly higher cytotoxicity on the hPDLSCs in vitro compared to the control group, as shown by the cell viability, migration, morphology, and reactive oxygen species release assays. Alternatively, Endosolv showed adequate cytotoxicity levels comparable to those of the control group. The cytotoxicity of the tested endodontic solvents increased in a dose-dependent manner. The results from the present study highlight the cytotoxicity of chloroform and eucalyptol. Thus, their limited and cautious use is recommended, avoiding solvent extrusion.

Proximal and distal. Rethinking linguistic form and use for clinical purposes.

With clinical purposes in mind, a review of the proximal/distal opposition is carried out in order to define a universal parameter of variability in semiotic procedures. By taking into consideration different-although notionally inter-related-senses of the proximal/distal opposition, a cluster of semiotic properties is proposed, which initially permits one to characterize dimensions of variability in the form and use of gestures. The subsequent and central aim of this paper is, however, to demonstrate that the same, or homologous, properties can also serve to characterize variability in the use of language, by assuming a basic connection between gesturing and linguistic behaviour. The main focus of interest and the starting point for reflections are communicative impairments as manifested in apraxia and aphasia.

Assessing natural metalinguistic skills in people with Alzheimer's disease and frontotemporal dementia.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this paper is to assess whether the use of natural metalinguistic skills can be used to differentiate linguistic-communicative profiles of people with dementia (Alzheimer's disease and frontotemporal dementia in the behavioural and primary progressive aphasia variants) in the earliest stages of the disease. METHOD: A sample of 180 people was selected. Sixty had Alzheimer's disease, 20 had frontotemporal dementia of the behavioural variant, and 40 had frontotemporal dementia of the primary progressive aphasia variant (20 had non-fluent primary progressive aphasia and 20 had semantic dementia). The control group was composed of 60 healthy people with ages, gender, and professions as similar as possible to those of the people in the dementia groups. All the participants were administered the Spanish adaptation of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the Global Deterioration Scale (GDS) to assess dementia severity. To assess the use of natural metalinguistic skills, a 40-item test (MetAphAs), specifically designed for this aim, was administered. RESULTS: The test showed high internal validity and high positive correlations with the MMSE. Statistically significant differences were observed in the total scores on this test and in the scores on each of its sections, when comparing the whole group and the subgroups of people with dementia with the control group. Additionally, the scores on most of the sections of the MetAphAs test presented statistically significant differences when the different subgroups of people with dementia were compared. CONCLUSIONS: A test like the MetAphAs, specifically designed to assess natural metalinguistic abilities, may be useful for obtaining differential communicative-linguistic profiles according to the type of dementia in the early stages of the disease. However, additional research is needed to obtain more conclusive results.

Syntax and conversation in aphasia. A strategic restrictive use of Spanish and Catalan connector QUE by aphasic speakers.

Oral conversational data are deemed to be a relevant empirical source when it comes to formulating and supporting hypotheses about cognitive processes involved in aphasic linguistic production. With this assumption in mind, free conversational uses of the Spanish and Catalan connector QUE by fluent and non-fluent aphasic speakers are examined by contrasting them with normal speakers' (i.e. conversational partners') productions. Strictly ungrammatical uses in aphasic speakers are practically non-existent in free conversation. Nevertheless, this data permits one to characterize the aphasic production of the morpheme QUE as restrictive--to different degrees--with respect to normal production. Moreover, this restriction, selectively affecting the types of syntactic environments examined, can be considered strategic in nature: it is guided by some kind of knowledge about the administration of remnant linguistic resources.

Theory of Mind (ToM) and language: stimulating metalinguistic skills in people with dementia.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this paper was to assess the use of the Metalinguistic Skills Stimulation Program in Theory of Mind (ToM) in people with dementia. METHODS: An experimental research design was developed. Forty-two subjects, 28 women and 14 men, aged 61 to 87 participated in the study. The three following groups were created: Experimental Group and Control Group - both composed of people with dementia, and Normal Group - consisting of people without dementia or any medical and psychological disorders that keep them from living a normal life. All subjects in the sample were evaluated using the MMSE30 Test and the MetAphAs Test. The stimulation program was used with the Experimental Group in 40-minute sessions held twice a week for five months. After the program, a second evaluation or retest was performed. The data obtained were compared statistically and qualitatively, individually and between the different groups. RESULTS: A clear effect of the treatment was observed: most of the patients improved their average scores in the performance of various tasks and on the MetAphAs Test. Significant differences were observed when comparing the Experimental Group with the Control Group. CONCLUSIONS: The evolution of each patient presents a multifactorial etiology, and it was influenced by different variables related to the patients and their psychosocial environment. The data encourage the development of further research with larger samples in order to achieve more conclusive results.

Emotional and Cognitive Variables Associated with Contamination-Related Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms.

Different variables have been associated with the development/ maintenance of contamination-related obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), although the relevance of these factors has not been clearly established. The present study aimed to analyze the relevance and specificity of these variables. Forty-five women with high scores on obsessive-compulsive contamination symptoms (n = 16) or checking symptoms (n = 15), or non-clinical scores (n = 14) participated in a behavioral approach/avoidance task (BAT) with a contamination-OCD stimulus. Vulnerability variables and participants' emotional, cognitive, physiological and behavioral responses to the BAT were appraised. Results show that fear of illness was a relevant vulnerability variable specific to contamination participants (p = .001; η2 p = .291). Contamination participants responded with significantly higher subjective disgust (p =.001; η2 p = .269), anxiety (p = .001; η2 p = .297), urge to wash (p < .001; η2 p = 370), threat from emotion (p < .001; η2 p = .338) and contamination severity (p = .002; η2 p = .260) appraisals, and with lower behavioral approach (p = .008; η2 p = .208) than the other two groups. Moreover, contamination participants showed lower heart rate acceleration (p = .046; η2 p = .170) and higher contamination likelihood appraisals (p < .001; η2 p = .342) than the non-clinical group. Urge to wash was predicted by state disgust (R 2 change = .346) and threat from emotion (R 2 change = .088). These responses were predicted by general anxiety sensitivity (R 2 change = .161), disgust propensity (R 2 change = .255) and fear of illness (R 2 change = .116), but not by other vulnerability variables such as dysfunctional beliefs about thoughts (Responsibility and Overestimation of threat) or disgust sensitivity. State disgust, threat from disgust, anxiety sensitivity and fear of illness were found to be the most relevant variables in contamination symptoms.

Theory of Mind (ToM) and language: stimulating metalinguistic skills in people with dementia

ABSTRACT Purpose The purpose of this paper was to assess the use of the Metalinguistic Skills Stimulation Program in Theory of Mind (ToM) in people with dementia. Methods An experimental research design was developed. Forty-two subjects, 28 women and 14 men, aged 61 to 87 participated in the study. The three following groups were created: Experimental Group and Control Group - both composed of people with dementia, and Normal Group - consisting of people without dementia or any medical and psychological disorders that keep them from living a normal life. All subjects in the sample were evaluated using the MMSE30 Test and the MetAphAs Test. The stimulation program was used with the Experimental Group in 40-minute sessions held twice a week for five months. After the program, a second evaluation or retest was performed. The data obtained were compared statistically and qualitatively, individually and between the different groups. Results A clear effect of the treatment was observed: most of the patients improved their average scores in the performance of various tasks and on the MetAphAs Test. Significant differences were observed when comparing the Experimental Group with the Control Group. Conclusions The evolution of each patient presents a multifactorial etiology, and it was influenced by different variables related to the patients and their psychosocial environment. The data encourage the development of further research with larger samples in order to achieve more conclusive results.