Superior Facial Expression, But Not Identity Recognition, in Mirror-Touch Synesthesia

Simulation models of expression recognition contend that to understand another's facial expressions, individuals map the perceived expression onto the same sensorimotor representations that are active during the experience of the perceived emotion. To investigate this view, the present study examines facial expression and identity recognition abilities in a rare group of participants who show facilitated sensorimotor simulation (mirror-touch synesthetes). Mirror-touch synesthetes experience touch on their own body when observing touch to another person. These experiences have been linked to heightened sensorimotor simulation in the shared-touch network (brain regions active during the passive observation and experience of touch). Mirror-touch synesthetes outperformed nonsynesthetic participants on measures of facial expression recognition, but not on control measures of face memory or facial identity perception. These findings imply a role for sensorimotor simulation processes in the recognition of facial affect, but not facial identity

Dissociation between Face Perception and Face Memory in Adults, but Not Children, with Developmental Prosopagnosia

Cognitive models propose that face recognition is accomplished through a series of discrete stages, including perceptual representation of facial structure, and encoding and retrieval of facial information. This implies that impaired face recognition can result from failures of face perception, face memory, or both. Studies of acquired prosopagnosia, autism spectrum disorders, and the development of normal face recognition support the idea that face perception and face memory are distinct processes, yet this distinction has received little attention in developmental prosopagnosia (DP). To address this issue, we tested the face perception and face memory of children and adults with DP. By definition, face memory is impaired in DP, so memory deficits were present in all participants. However, we found that all children, but only half of the adults had impaired face perception. Thus, results from adults indicate that face perception and face memory are dissociable, while the results from children provide no evidence for this division. Importantly, our findings raise the possibility that DP is qualitatively different in childhood versus adulthood. We discuss theoretical explanations for this developmental pattern and conclude that longitudinal studies are necessary to better understand the developmental trajectory of face perception and face memory deficits in DP

Caracterização das lesões em desportos de combate: Kickboxing e Muaythai

O Kickboxing e o Muaythai pela sua técnica individual, exigem a concretização de movimentos amplos para a manutenção do equilíbrio, agilidade e resistência muscular. A frequência e intensidade exigida pela prática destas modalidades, podem predispor o atleta a possíveis lesões musculosqueléticas, bem como a alterações posturais e ocorrência de traumas. Objetivo: Analisar as lesões ocorridas durante a prática de desportos de combate e os fatores que lhe estão associados. Método: Realizamos um estudo transversal analítico, numa população de 400 atletas que praticam kickboxing, muaythai ou ambos, obtendo-se uma amostra de 128 atletas de ambos os sexos, com idades compreendidas entre os 15 e os 45 anos e residentes em Portugal Continental e Ilhas, que se disponibilizaram a participar no estudo. Como instrumento de recolha de dados foi elaborado um questionário fechado para a caraterização sociodemográfica, hábitos de vida, contexto desportivo e histórico de lesão desportiva. O questionário foi inserido na plataforma informática Google Forms, onde se gerou um link de convite, facultado ao Presidente da Federação Portuguesa de Kickboxing e Muaythai, que após contactar os treinadores pertencentes aos clubes de kickboxing e muaythai, enviou via email o link do questionário para preenchimento aos seus atletas. Estes, após consentirem participar no estudo acederam ao questionário. O estudo obteve o parecer favorável nº 66/2021 da Comissão de Ética do Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, assim como da Federação Portuguesa de Kickboxing e Muaythai. Para todas as variáveis foi determinada a frequência absoluta e relativa, bem como a média e desvio padrão para as variáveis contínuas. Foram utilizados os testes ANOVA e Tukey para a comparação múltipla de variáveis, o valor de significância foi de 0,05. Resultados: A amostra do estudo é maioritariamente do sexo masculino (84; 65,6%), com maior prevalência do estado civil solteiro (79; 61,7%) e nacionalidade portuguesa (124; 96,8%), com uma média de idades de 28,23 anos no sexo feminino e 30,13 anos no sexo masculino. O peso foi significativamente mais elevado nos homens bem como a altura. O IMC médio foi de 24 kg/m2. A prevalência de lesões foi de 49,2%. Verificou-se associação estatisticamente significativa, entre o número de lesões com o sexo masculino, a altura do(a) atleta, com a prática das duas modalidades em simultâneo, nos atletas que realizam maior número de treinos por semana, com o escalão sénior em competição e na classe profissional e também nos atletas que praticam a modalidade há mais de dez anos (p<0,05). Verificou-se ainda uma associação nos atletas que ingerem entre três a quatro cafés diariamente. Conclusões: Observamos que aproximadamente metade da amostra sofreu lesão. O número de lesões relacionou-se com o sexo masculino, com o escalão sénior, com os atletas mais altos, os que praticam as duas modalidades e há mais tempo, em competição e na classe profissional, ainda nos atletas que ingerem entre três a quatro cafés diariamente. Assim, sugerimos uma monitorização clínica mais frequente dos atletas, essencialmente nos grupos identificados e acompanhamento dos mesmos durante o treino e competição. A inclusão do Enfermeiro Especialista em Médico-Cirúrgica na equipa multidisciplinar de assistência aos atletas, em contexto competitivo para o acompanhamento do atleta no local aquando da ocorrência de lesões e planeamento do seu encaminhamento. Sugerimos também a promoção de campanhas para uma melhoria dos hábitos de vida, relacionadas com a diminuição da ingestão de cafeína, bem como, a realização de outros estudos com amostras maiores, com a inclusão de outras variáveis e metodologias diferentes.Kickboxing e o Muaythai, due to their individual technique, require the implementation of wide movements to maintain balance, agility and muscular endurance. The frequency and intensity required by the practice of these modalities can predispose the athlete to possible musculoskeletal injuries, as well as postural changes and the occurrence of trauma. Aim: Analyse the injuries that occurred during the practice of combat sports and the factors associated with them. Method: We carried out na analytical cross-sectional study, in a population of 400 athletes who practice kicboxing, muaythai or both, obtaining a sample of 128 athletes of both sexes, aged between 15 and 45 years and residing in Mainland Portugal and Islands, who volunteered to participate in the estudy. As a data collection instrument, a closed questionnaire was prepared for the sociodemographic characterization, life habits, sports context and history of sports injuries. The questionnaire was inserted into the Google Forms computer platform, where an invitation link was generated, provided to the President of the Portuguese Kickboxing and Muaythai Federation, who, after contacting the coaches belonging to the kickboxing and muaythai clubs, sent the questionnaire link by email to fill in your athletes. These, after consenting to participate in the study, accessed the questionnaire. The study obtained favorable opinion nº 66/2021 from the Ethics Committee of the Polytechnic Institute of Bragança, as well as from the Portuguese Kickboxing and Muaythai Federation. For all variables, the absolute and relative frequencies were determinated, as well as the mean and standard deviation for continuous variables. The ANOVA and Tukey tests were used for the multiple comparison of variables, the significance value was 5%. Results: The study sample is mostly male (84; 65,6%), with a higher prevalence of single marital status (79; 61,7%) and Portuguese nationality (124; 96,8%), with na average age 28,23 years old for females and 30,13 years old for males. Weight was significantly higher in men as was height. The mean BMI was 24 kg/m2 . The prevalence of injuries was 49,2%. There was a statistically significant association between the number of injuries with males, the athlete's height, with the practice of both modalities simultaneously, in athletes who perform a greater number of training sessions per week, with the senior level in competition and in the professional class and also in athletes who have been practicing the modality for more than ten years (p<0.05). There was also an association in athletes who ingest between three to four coffees daily. Conclusion: We observed that approximately half of the sample suffered injury. The number of injuries was related to males, to the senior level, to the highest athletes, those who practice both modalities and for a longer time, in competition and in the professional class, even in athletes who ingest between three to four coffees daily. Thus, we suggest a more frequent clinical monitoring of athletes, essentially in the identified groups and monitoring them during training and competition. The inclusion of the Specialist Medical-Surgical Nurse in the multidisciplinary team to assist athletes, in a competitive context, to monitor the athlete on the spot when injuries occur and plan their referral. We also suggest promoting campaigns to improve lifestyle habits, related to reducing caffeine intake, as well as carrying out other studies with larger samples, with the inclusion of other variables and different methodologies

Efeito de três ecótipos de Cynara cardunculus L. na proteólise do qeijo de Évora ao longo da maturação

O extrato aquoso da flor de Cynara cardunculus L. tem sido muito utilizado no fabrico de queijos DOP, estimulando a investigação da ação das enzimas deste extrato nas transformações bioquímicas do queijo. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o efeito de três ecótipos de Cynara cardunculus L. (Cynara 1, Cynara 2, Cynara 3) e de um agente coagulante animal (Animal) na degradação das frações de caseína do Queijo de Évora, com 1, 7, 14, 21, 35, 49 e 63 dias de maturação. Os resultados obtidos por ureia-PAGE evidenciam uma maior degradação proteica dos queijos fabricados com os agentes coagulantes vegetais relativamente ao agente coagulante animal. Até aos 35 dias de maturação a taxa de degradação das caseínas aumenta, permanecendo relativamente constante até ao final da maturação. Após 63 dias de maturação as αS-caseínas (54,90%) foram mais degradadas do que as β-caseínas (37,27%) nos queijos fabricados com Cynara cardunculus L. Proteolytic effect of three ecotypes of Cynara Cardunculus L. in “Queijo de Évora” during ripening Abstract: Cynara cardunculus L. flower aqueous extracts have been employed for many centuries in the manufacture of PDO cheeses, leading to the investigation of the action of the enzymes of this extract on the biochemical transformations of cheese. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of three ecotypes of Cynara cardunculus L. (Cynara 1, Cynara 2, Cynara 3) and an animal coagulant (Animal) in the casein fractions degradation of Évora cheese, during day 1, 7, 14, 21, 35, 49 and 63 of ripening. Urea-PAGE electrophoretic results showed a higher protein degradation of cheeses made with vegetable coagulant than cheeses made with animal coagulant. Up to 35 days of ripening there was an increase of the casein degradation rate, remaining relatively constant until the end of maturation. After 63 days of ripening, αS-caseins (54.90%) were more degraded than β-caseins (37.27%) in cheeses made with the Cynara cardunculus L. ecotypes

The development of upright face perception depends on evolved orientation-specific mechanisms and experience

Here we examine whether our impressive ability to perceive upright faces arises from evolved orientation-specific mechanisms, our extensive experience with upright faces, or both factors. To do so, we tested Claudio, a man with a congenital joint disorder causing his head to be rotated back so that it is positioned between his shoulder blades. As a result, Claudio has seen more faces reversed in orientation to his own face than matched to it. Controls exhibited large inversion effects on all tasks, but Claudio performed similarly with upright and inverted faces in both detection and identity-matching tasks, indicating these abilities are the product of evolved mechanisms and experience. In contrast, he showed clear upright superiority when detecting “Thatcherized” faces (faces with vertically flipped features), suggesting experience plays a greater role in this judgment. Together, these findings indicate that both evolved orientation-specific mechanisms and experience contribute to our proficiency with upright faces

Cynara cardunculus: Use in Cheesemaking and Pharmaceutical Applications

Cynara cardunculus L. is the most widespread species of Cynara genus (f. Asteraceae). This herbaceous perennial plant is native to the Mediterranean region and invasive in other parts of the world, growing naturally in harsh habitat conditions. There are three subspecies: globe artichoke; cultivated cardoon and the progenitor of the two, the wild cardoon. The culture of Cynara cardunculus L. follows an annual growth cycle, emerging in autumn and harvesting in summer. Cynara cardunculus has been considered as a multi-purpose crop due to its relevant biochemical profiles. Inflorescences have been used as food, whereas leaves are a rich source of bioactive compounds. Consequently, larger plants without spines have been selected for technological purposes. Due to its high cellulose and hemicellulose content, the lignocellulosic fraction has been used as solid biofuel, biogas and bioethanol. Both pulp fibers production and seeds oil are suitable for biodiesel production. Over the centuries, the inflorescence pistils of Cynara cardunculus L. have been widely used for cheesemaking. The present chapter gives an overview of the Cynara cardunculus L. emphasizing recent knowledge regarding the use, conservation, preparation and application of Cynara cardunculus in ovine milk cheesemaking, as well as other biotechnological applications

The Glasgow Voice Memory Test: Assessing the ability to memorize and recognize unfamiliar voices

One thousand one hundred and twenty subjects as well as a developmental phonagnosic subject (KH) along with age-matched controls performed the Glasgow Voice Memory Test, which assesses the ability to encode and immediately recognize, through an old/new judgment, both unfamiliar voices (delivered as vowels, making language requirements minimal) and bell sounds. The inclusion of non-vocal stimuli allows the detection of significant dissociations between the two categories (vocal vs. non-vocal stimuli). The distributions of accuracy and sensitivity scores (d’) reflected a wide range of individual differences in voice recognition performance in the population. As expected, KH showed a dissociation between the recognition of voices and bell sounds, her performance being significantly poorer than matched controls for voices but not for bells. By providing normative data of a large sample and by testing a developmental phonagnosic subject, we demonstrated that the Glasgow Voice Memory Test, available online and accessible fromall over the world, can be a valid screening tool (~5 min) for a preliminary detection of potential cases of phonagnosia and of “super recognizers” for voices