A Preliminar Evidence of Quantum Like Behavior in Measurements of Mental States

Experimental results presented in this paper supports the hypothesis on quantum-like statistical behaviour of cognitive systems (at least human beings). Our quantum-like approach gives the possibility to represent mental states by Hilbert space vectors (complex amplitudes). Such a representation induces huge reduction of information about a mental state. We realize an approach that has no direct relation with reductionist quantum models and we are not interested in statistical behavior of micro systems forming the macro system of the brain. We describe only probabilistic features of cognitive measurements. Our quantum-like approach describes statistics of measurements of cognitive systems with the aim to ascertain if cognitive systems behave as quantum-like systems where here quantum-like cognitive behavior means that cognitive systems result to be very sensitive to changes of the context with regard to the complex of the mental conditions

Fractal Fluctuations and Quantum-Like Chaos in the Brain by Analysis of Variability of Brain Waves: A New Method Based on a Fractal Variance Function and Random Matrix Theory

We developed a new method for analysis of fundamental brain waves as recorded by EEG. To this purpose we introduce a Fractal Variance Function that is based on the calculation of the variogram. The method is completed by using Random Matrix Theory. Some examples are given

Does the somatosensory temporal discrimination threshold change over time in focal dystonia?

BACKGROUND: The somatosensory temporal discrimination threshold (STDT) is defined as the shortest interval at which an individual recognizes two stimuli as asynchronous. Some evidence suggests that STDT depends on cortical inhibitory interneurons in the basal ganglia and in primary somatosensory cortex. Several studies have reported that the STDT in patients with dystonia is abnormal. No longitudinal studies have yet investigated whether STDT values in different forms of focal dystonia change during the course of the disease. METHODS: We designed a follow-up study on 25 patients with dystonia (15 with blepharospasm and 10 with cervical dystonia) who were tested twice: upon enrolment and 8 years later. STDT values from dystonic patients at the baseline were also compared with those from a group of 30 age-matched healthy subjects. RESULTS: Our findings show that the abnormally high STDT values observed in patients with focal dystonia remained unchanged at the 8-year follow-up assessment whereas disease severity worsened. CONCLUSIONS: Our observation that STDT abnormalities in dystonia remain unmodified during the course of the disease suggests that the altered activity of inhibitory interneurons-either at cortical or at subcortical level-responsible for the increased STDT does not deteriorate as the disease progresses

Effect of high level of bladder filling on spinal nociception and motoneuronal excitability

To verify whether high level of bladder distension may counteract the inhibitory effect of descending pathways on sacral spinal cord neurons and to investigate which spinal circuitries are possibly involved in such a viscero-somatic interaction. Nociceptive withdrawal reflex (NWR), cutaneous silent period (CSP), and H-reflex were recorded in both lower and upper limbs of twenty-eight healthy subjects. Subjects were examined during baseline (empty bladder, no voiding desire), high level of bladder filling (urgency desire), and control (empty bladder, no voiding desire) sessions. Results showed that the NWR and its related pain perception were reduced in the upper limbs, while only a pain perception reduction in males was observed in the lower limbs. The H-reflex was inhibited in both limbs. No effects were found on the CSP duration. The decrease in both the NWR and its related pain perception in the upper limbs confirms the presence of a bladder distension-induced descending inhibitory modulation on nociception at spinal level. The lack of a similar inhibitory effect in the lower limbs suggests that excitatory nociceptive inputs from bladder afferents counterbalance the inhibitory effect on sacral spinal cord. The lack of the descending inhibitory effect may be a mechanism aimed at forcing the micturition phase to avoid bladder damage caused by bladder sovradistension

Gluten-free dough-making of specialty breads: Significance of blended starches, flours and additives on dough behaviour

The capability of different gluten-free (GF) basic formulations made of flour (rice, amaranth and chickpea) and starch (corn and cassava) blends, to make machinable and viscoelastic GF-doughs in absence/presence of single hydrocolloids (guar gum, locust bean and psyllium fibre), proteins (milk and egg white) and surfactants (neutral, anionic and vegetable oil) have been investigated. Macroscopic (high deformation) and macromolecular (small deformation) mechanical, viscometric (gelatinization, pasting, gelling) and thermal (gelatinization, melting, retrogradation) approaches were performed on the different matrices in order to (a) identify similarities and differences in GF-doughs in terms of a small number of rheological and thermal analytical parameters according to the formulations and (b) to assess single and interactive effects of basic ingredients and additives on GF-dough performance to achieve GF-flat breads. Larger values for the static and dynamic mechanical characteristics and higher viscometric profiles during both cooking and cooling corresponded to doughs formulated with guar gum and Psyllium fibre added to rice flour/starch and rice flour/corn starch/chickpea flour, while surfactant- and protein-formulated GF-doughs added to rice flour/starch/amaranth flour based GF-doughs exhibited intermediate and lower values for the mechanical parameters and poorer viscometric profiles. In addition, additive-free formulations exhibited higher values for the temperature of both gelatinization and retrogradation and lower enthalpies for the thermal transitions. Single addition of 10% of either chickpea flour or amaranth flour to rice flour/starch blends provided a large GF-dough hardening effect in presence of corn starch and an intermediate effect in presence of cassava starch (chickpea), and an intermediate reinforcement of GF-dough regardless the source of starch (amaranth). At macromolecular level, both chickpea and amaranth flours, singly added, determined higher values of the storage modulus, being strengthening effects more pronounced in presence of corn starch and cassava starch, respectively.The authors acknowledge the financial support of Regione Autonoma della Sardegna, Legge 7, project title “Ottimizzazione della formulazione e della tecnologia di processo per la produzione di prodotti da forno gluten-free fermentati e non fermentati” and Spanish institutions Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) and Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (Project AGL2011-22669).Peer Reviewe