Oxytocin interference in the effects induced by inhalation of 7.5% CO2 in healthy volunteers

Objective The objective of this study was to assess the acute effect of intranasally administered oxytocin (OT) on subjective states, cardiovascular, and endocrine parameters in healthy volunteers who inhaled 7.5% CO2. Methods Forty-five subjects were allocated into three matched groups of subjects who received 24?international units (IU) of OT, 2?mg of lorazepam (LZP), or placebo (PL). The challenge consisted of medical air inhalation for 20?min, 10?min of rest, and CO2 7.5% inhalation for 20?min. Subjective effects were evaluated by self-assessment scales; heart rate, blood pressure, skin conductance, and salivary cortisol were also measured. Assessments were performed at four time points: (i) baseline (-15?min); (ii) post-air inhalation (90?min); (iii) post-CO2 inhalation (120?min), and (iv) post-test (160?min). Results CO2 inhalation significantly increased the anxiety score in the PL group compared with the post-air measurement but not in the OT or LZP groups. The LZP reduced anxiety after medical air inhalation. Other parameters evaluated were not affected by OT. Conclusion OT, as well as LZP, prevented CO2-induced anxiety, suggesting that this hormone has anxiolytic properties. Copyright (C) 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Musicians' working memory for tones, words, and pseudowords

Studies investigating factors that influence tone recognition generally use recognition tests, whereas the majority of the studies on verbal material use self-generated responses in the form of serial recall tests. In the present study we intended to investigate whether tonal and verbal materials share the same cognitive mechanisms, by presenting an experimental instrument that evaluates short-term and working memories for tones, using self-generated sung responses that may be compared to verbal tests. This paradigm was designed according to the same structure of the forward and backward digit span tests, but using digits, pseudowords, and tones as stimuli. The profile of amateur singers and professional singers in these tests was compared in forward and backward digit, pseudoword, tone, and contour spans. In addition, an absolute pitch experimental group was included, in order to observe the possible use of verbal labels in tone memorization tasks. In general, we observed that musical schooling has a slight positive influence on the recall of tones, as opposed to verbal material, which is not influenced by musical schooling. Furthermore, the ability to reproduce melodic contours (up and down patterns) is generally higher than the ability to reproduce exact tone sequences. However, backward spans were lower than forward spans for all stimuli (digits, pseudowords, tones, contour). Curiously, backward spans were disproportionately lower for tones than for verbal material-that is, the requirement to recall sequences in backward rather than forward order seems to differentially affect tonal stimuli. This difference does not vary according to musical expertise.

EMERGENT CONDITIONAL RELATIONS IN A GO/NO-GO PROCEDURE: FIGURE-GROUND AND STIMULUS-POSITION COMPOUND RELATIONS

Past research has demonstrated emergent conditional relations using a go/no-go procedure with pairs of figures displayed side-by-side on a computer screen. The present Study sought to extend applications Of this procedure. In Experiment, 1, we evaluated whether emergent conditional relations Could be demonstrated when two-component stimuli were displayed in figure-ground relationships-abstract figures displayed on backgrounds of different colors. Five normal)), capable adults participated. During training, each two-component stimulus Was presented successively. Responses emitted in the presence of some Stimulus pairs (A1B1, A2B2, A3B3, B1C1, B2C2 and B3C3) were reinforced, whereas responses emitted in the presence of other pairs (A1B2, A1B3, A2B1, A2B3, A3B1, A3B2, B1C2, B1C3, B2C1, B2C3, B3C1 and B3C2) were not. During tests, new configurations (AC and CA) were presented, thus emulating structurally the matching-to-sample tests employed in typical equivalence Studies. All participants showed emergent relations consistent with stimulus equivalence during testing. In Experiment 2, we systematically replicated the procedures with Stimulus compounds consisting Of four figures (A1, A2, C1 and C2) and two locations (left - B1 and right - 132). A,11 6 normally capable adults exhibited emergent stimulus-stimulus relations. Together, these experiments show that the go/no-go procedure is a potentially useful alternative for Studying emergent. conditional relations when matching-to-sample is procedurally cumbersome or impossible to use.

Ontogeny of manipulative behavior and nut-cracking in young tufted capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella): a Perception-action perspective

How do capuchin monkeys learn to use stones to crack open nuts? Perception-action theory posits that individuals explore producing varying spatial and force relations among objects and surfaces, thereby learning about affordances of such relations and how to produce them. Such learning supports the discovery of tool use. We present longitudinal developmental data from semifree-ranging tufted capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella) to evaluate predictions arising from Perception-action theory linking manipulative development and the onset of tool-using. Percussive actions bringing an object into contact with a surface appeared within the first year of life. Most infants readily struck nuts and other objects against stones or other surfaces from 6 months of age, but percussive actions alone were not sufficient to produce nut-cracking sequences. Placing the nut on the anvil surface and then releasing it, so that it could be struck with a stone, was the last element necessary for nut-cracking to appear in capuchins. Young chimpanzees may face a different challenge in learning to crack nuts: they readily place objects on surfaces and release them, but rarely vigorously strike objects against surfaces or other objects. Thus the challenges facing the two species in developing the same behavior (nut-cracking using a stone hammer and an anvil) may be quite different. Capuchins must inhibit a strong bias to hold nuts so that they can release them; chimpanzees must generate a percussive action rather than a gentle placing action. Generating the right actions may be as challenging as achieving the right sequence of actions in both species. Our analysis suggests a new direction for studies of social influence on young primates learning sequences of actions involving manipulation of objects in relation to surfaces.

ASSOCIATIVE SYMMETRY BY PIGEONS AFTER FEW-EXEMPLAR TRAINING

The present experiment investigated whether pigeons can show associative symmetry on a two-alternative matching to-sample procedure The procedure consisted of a within subject sequence of training and testing with reinforcement and It provided (a) exemplars of symmetrical responding and (b) all prerequisite discriminations among test samples and comparisons After pigeons had learned two arbitrary matching tasks (A B and C D) they were given a reinforced symmetry test for half of the baseline relations (B1-A1 and D1-C1) To control for the effects of reinforcement during testing two novel nonsymmetrical responses were concurrently reinforced using the other baseline stimuli (D2-A2 and B2-C2) Pigeons matched at chance on both types of relations thus indicating no evidence for symmetry These symmetrical and nonsymmetrical relations were then directly trained in order to provide exemplars of symmetry and all prerequisite discriminations for a second test The symmetrical test relations were now B2-A2 and D2-C2 and the nonsymmetrical relations were D1-A1 and B1-C1 On this test 1 pigeon showed clear evidence of symmetry 2 pigeons showed weak evidence and 1 pigeon showed no evidence The previous training of all prerequisite discriminations among stimuli and the within subject control for testing with reinforcement seem to have set favorable conditions for the emergence of symmetry in nonhumans However the variability across subjects shows that methodological variables still remain to be controlled

OBSERVING BEHAVIOR AND ATYPICALLY RESTRICTED STIMULUS CONTROL

Restricted stimulus control refers to discrimination learning with atypical limitations in the range of controlling stimuli or stimulus features In the study reported here 4 normally capable individuals and 10 individuals with Intellectual disabilities (ID) performed two-sample delayed matching to sample Sample stimulus observing was recorded with an eye tracking apparatus High accuracy scores indicated stimulus control by both sample stimuli for the 4 nondisabled participants and 4 participants with ID and eye tracking data showed reliable observing of all stimuli Intermediate accuracy scores indicated restricted stimulus control for the remaining 6 participants Their eye tracking data showed that errors were related to failures to observe sample stimuli and relatively brief observing durations Five of these participants were then given interventions designed to improve observing behavior For 4 participants the interventions resulted initially in elimination of observing failures increased observing durations and Increased accuracy For 2 of these participants contingencies sufficient to maintain adequate observing were not always sufficient to maintain high accuracy subsequent procedure modifications restored It however For the 5th participant initial improvements in observing were not accompanied by improved accuracy in apparent Instance of observing without attending accuracy improved only after an additional intervention that imposed contingencies on observing behavior Thus interventions that control observing behavior seem necessary but may not always be sufficient for the remediation of restricted stimulus control

PREPARATORY EMG ACTIVITY REVEALS A RAPID ADAPTATION PATTERN IN HUMANS PERFORMING LANDING MOVEMENTS IN BLINDFOLDED CONDITION

The main questions addressed in this work were whether and how adaptation to suppression of visual information occurs in a free-fall paradigm, and the extent to which vision availability influences the control of landing movements. The prelanding modulation of EMG timing and amplitude of four lower-limb muscles was investigated. Participants performed six consecutive drop-landings from four different heights in two experimental conditions: with and without vision. Experimental design precluded participants from estimating the height of the drop. Since cues provided by proprioceptive and vestibular information acquired during the first trials were processed, the nervous system rapidly adapted to the lack of visual information, and hence produced a motor output (i.e., prelanding EMG modulation) similar to that observed when performing the activity with vision available.

Temporal memory of emotional experience

The few studies that have investigated judgments of time have suggested that the memory of duration is distorted more for emotional events than for neutral events, while in contrast there is abundant evidence that other aspects of memories of emotional events are more accurate. To reconcile this apparent discrepancy, we used a procedure in which the participants learned a standard duration over several trials under three emotional conditions: a threatening, a nonthreatening, and a neutral control condition. They were then tested either immediately or 24 h after learning. In this test phase, they had to indicate whether presented comparison durations were or were not the same as the previously learned standard duration. We found that durations were recalled better in the emotional than in the neutral condition, and that this occurred to a greater extent in the threatening than in the nonthreatening condition. Arousing emotions thus enhanced temporal memory, just as they enhance memory for other aspects of emotional events.

Exploration time of static images implying different body movements causes time distortions

Studies of subjective time have adopted different methods to understand different processes of time perception. Four sculptures, with implied movement ranked as 1.5-, 3.0-, 4.5-, and 6.0-point stimuli on the Body Movement Ranking Scale, were randomly presented to 42 university students untrained in visual arts and ballet. Participants were allowed to observe the images for any length of time (exploration time) and, immediately after each image was observed, recorded the duration as they perceived it. The results of temporal ratio (exploration time/time estimation) showed that exploration time of images also affected perception of time, i.e., the subjective time for sculptures representing implied movement were overestimated.\

A DEVELOPMENTAL PERSPECTIVE OF INTERMANUAL PERFORMANCE ASYMMETRY IN AIMING

This study compared intermanual performance asymmetry between adults and children of different ages in timing components of an aiming task. Participants manipulated a computer mouse with either hand, aiming to rapidly reach targets of different widths with a pointer on a monitor. Results showed longer deceleration movements with the left hand in children, leading to increased intermanual performance asymmetry when aiming at narrower targets. Increased intermanual performance asymmetry in children is conceptualized to derive from planning to minimize trajectory variability when controlling the nondominant hand.

Assessment of beginners' front-crawl stroke efficiency

Efficiency in front-crawl stroke has been inferred primarily by means of the analysis of arm actions, specifically, stroke frequency and stroke length. The objective of the present study was to investigate whether swimming efficiency could be better assessed in children still learning the front-crawl stroke by analyzing the movement pattern as a whole. Forty-two children enrolled in private swimming programs volunteered to participate in the study. The task consisted of swimming 30 m as fast as possible. Three experts analyzed the movement pattern of the participants using a checklist. Both stroke frequency and stroke length were calculated. The correlation coefficients between the time taken to swim and both the stroke frequency and stroke length were not significant, but the total and components of the checklist scores were. Results indicate that the swimming efficiency of children learning the front-crawl stroke can be better assessed by analyzing their whole movement pattern.

Integrating fundamental movement skills in late childhood

The study examined how children of different ages integrate fundamental movement skills, such as running and throwing, and whether their developmental status was related to the combination of these skills. Thirty children were divided into three groups (G1 = 6-year-olds, G2 = 9-year-olds, and G3 = 12-year-olds) and filmed performing three tasks: running, overarm throwing, and the combined task. Patterns were identified and described, and the efficiency of integration was calculated (distance differences of the ball thrown in two tasks, overarm throwing and combined task). Differences in integration were related to age: the 6-year-olds were less efficient in combining the two skills than the 9- and 12-year-olds. These differences may be indicative of a phase of integrating fundamental movement skills in the developmental sequence. This developmental status, particularly throwing, seems to be related to the competence to integrate skills, which suggests that fundamental movement skills may be developmental modules.

Contribuição para a formação de Psicólogos: análise de artigos de Carolina Bori publicados até 1962

A Psicologia, no Brasil, foi reconhecida legalmente no ano 1962. Contudo, antes desse ano, diversos profissionais já atuavam na área. Carolina Martuscelli Bori tem sido considerada um desses profissionais, e, dentre as contribuições que deu, sua luta para melhorar a formação profissional é uma das mais citadas. Com este trabalho, buscou-se conhecer sua contribuição a partir de artigos que Bori publicou até o ano 1962. A partir de uma busca feita nas revistas Ciência e Cultura, Boletim de Psicologia e Jornal Brasileiro de Psicologia, e no seu currículo Lattes, pela busca na biblioteca da Universidade de São Paulo e em referências de artigos escritos sobre a própria Carolina Bori, 19 artigos foram localizados, dos quais oito foram publicados até 1962. A análise feita permite afirmar que a obra de Carolina Bori apresenta discussões que podem auxiliar na elaboração e no direcionamento de várias questões éticas e acadêmicas atuais, como: a pesquisa experimental em cursos de graduação, a metodologia científica, o desenvolvimento científico e a produção do conhecimento.

Effect of topical clay application on the synthesis of collagen in skin: an experimental study

Background. Clay is often used in cosmetic treatments, although little is known about its action. Aim. To evaluate the effect of topical clay application on the histoarchitecture of collagen fibres in rat skin. Methods. Animals received a daily application of clay and retinoic acid (RA) 0.025% to the dorsal skin over 7 and 14 days, under vaporization at 37 degrees C for 40 min. Control skin was not vaporized. Samples from each region were excised, and stained with picrosirius red for collagen evaluation. Results. Seven days after clay treatment, an increase in the number of collagen fibres was observed in treated skin compared with control skin (51.74 +/- 1.28 vs. 43.39 +/- 1.79%, respectively, P < 0.01), whereas RA did not alter the collagen level (45.66 +/- 1.10%). Clay application over 14 days did not induce a further increase in skin collagen, whereas treatment with RA did (58.07 +/- 1.59%; P = 0.001 vs. control). Conclusion. Clay application promotes an increase in the number of collagen fibres, which may account for its beneficial effects.

Effect of age at disease onset in the clinical profile of spondyloarthritis: a study of 1424 Brazilian patients

Objectives To analyse demographic and clinical variables in patients with disease onset before and after 40, 45 and 50 years in a large series of Brazilian SpA patients. Methods A common protocol of investigation was prospectively applied to 1424 SpA patients in 29 centres distributed through the main geographical regions in Brazil. The mean age at disease onset was 28.56 +/- 12.34 years, with 259 patients (18.2%) referring disease onset after 40 years, 15.1 (10.6%) after 45 years and 81 (5.8%) after 50 years. Clinical and demographic variables and disease indices (BASDAI, BASFI, BASRI, MASES, ASQoL) were investigated. Ankylosing spondylitis was the most frequent disease (66.3%), followed by psoriatic arthritis (18%), undifferentiated SpA (6.7%), reactive arthritis (5.5%), and enteropathic arthritis (3.5%). Results Comparing the groups according to age of disease onset, those patients with later onset presented statistical association with female gender, peripheral arthritis, dactylitis, nail involvement and psoriasis, as well as negative statistical association with inflammatory low hack pain, alternating buttock pain, radiographic sacroiliitis, hip involvement, positive familial history, HLA-B27 and uveitis. BASDAI, BASFI and quality of life, as well as physicians and patient's global assessment, were similar in all the groups. Radiographic indices showed worse results in the younger age groups. Conclusion There are two different clinical patterns in SpA defined by age at disease onset: one with predominance of axial symptoms in the group with disease onset <= 40 years and another favouring the peripheral manifestations in those with later disease onset.