“Emotional Nose”: The Hedonic Character of Olfaction and its Epistemological and Clinical Implications

The olfactory system is the oldest device that most organisms have to perceive their physical and social environment. However, progressing in the evolutionary tree, the importance of the olfactory perception has decreased, and the sight has taken dominance. Notwithstanding, the olfaction still plays a fundamental role, as it is strictly associated with emotions, which are a medium between perception and behavior. The current work aims at addressing the hedonic character of the olfaction, showing its strong clinical implications for clinical psychology, neuropsychology, and CogInfoCom

Metáforas na investigação biomédica: diagnóstico e tipologia

A presente comunicação apresenta os primeiros resultados da análise de um conjunto de artigos publicados na área da pesquisa biomédica no que respeita à utilização da metáfora. O objectivo aqui é indicar como, a partir de uma abordagem cognitivista, elaborámos uma extensa listagem de conceitos metafóricos posteriormente classificados e ordenados num elenco de oito grandes categorias. Finalmente, apontamos o modo como estas categorias poderão servir de base a uma análise mais detalhada no que respeita aos processos de nomeação dos conceitos usados na área da biomedicina, à elaboração de uma ontologia da representação que, de certa forma, modela e condiciona a actividade dos investigadores, ao desenvolvimento de uma possível distinção entre metáforas “comuns”, metáforas “epistémicas” e metáforas “disciplinares”, e ainda quanto à caracterização do uso da metáfora em alguns fenómenos de tipo pragmático.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A presença da metáfora em artigos de investigação biomédica

O projecto “O Uso de Metáforas na Pesquisa Biomédica” tem como objectivo geral compreender como a utilização das metáforas pode influenciar a pesquisa biomédica e prevê a inclusão de uma revisão da literatura recentemente publicada sobre o assunto, tanto em formato livro como em artigos de investigação. Nesta comunicação, apresentamos os resultados da revisão dos artigos de investigação com origem em áreas biomédicas e conexas recentemente publicados e acessíveis através da base de dados online da PubMed®. Através do respectivo sítio na Internet, foram compilados 319 artigos com data de publicação entre Janeiro de 2010 e Setembro de 2012, mencionando o termo “metaphor” no título ou resumo. Depois de enquadrados num panorama cronológico mais amplo, estes artigos foram caracterizados segundo a respectiva tipologia e identificadas as áreas disciplinares de maior interesse pelo tema. Seguidamente, foram analisados o modo como a influência da metáfora neles é percebida pelos próprios investigadores e as interpretações mais comuns do termo, revelando quais serão as suas acepções mais correntes entre um público de formação superior, mas presumivelmente alheio aos aspectos técnicos dos debates que se têm desenvolvido acerca da metáfora na área da filosofia. Finalmente, procurámos distinguir nos artigos compilados as linhas de investigação mais relevantes sobre a metáfora na área da biomedicina.The overall objective of the project “The use of metaphors in biomedical research” is to understand some of the ways by which the use of metaphor may influence biomedical research and includes a survey of the most recently published literature on the subject, in books as well as in research papers. This paper presents the results of a survey of research articles in biomedical areas that have been recently published and are accessible through PubMed®, an online database. Through its internet site, 319 research articles have been compiled, with publishing dates ranging from January 2010 to September 2012. All of these articles hold the word “metaphor” in their title and / or their abstract. These articles were then included within a wider chronological frame. They were then divided by different categories according to the disciplinary areas that are more keen on the subject. Subsequently, we were able to identify the way the use of metaphor is acknowledged and understood by researchers themselves and what are the most common interpretations of this notion amidst the scientific community. Finally we were able to identify what are the most relevant areas of research on metaphor within biomedical studies.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Olfactory-related quality of life impacts psychological distress in people with COVID-19: The affective implications of olfactory dysfunctions

Background Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) often causes chemosensory impairment, and olfactory dysfunctions may have negative consequences on psychological distress. This study aimed at assessing which dimension of perceived olfactory disfunctions (i.e., subjective olfactory capability, smell-related problems, or olfactory-related quality of life [QoL]) was most associated with psychological distress in people diagnosed with COVID-19. Methods 364 participants (65 men and 299 women) diagnosed with COVID-19 on average 7 months prior to the beginning of the study were recruited between June 5 and 21, 2021, to take part in an online cross-sectional survey. Participants answered questions on demographics, clinical factors, perceived olfactory functioning, and psychological distress. Hierarchical multiple linear regression analysis was conducted, assessing the role of demographics, clinical factors, and perceived olfactory functioning dimensions on psychological distress. Results More than half of the participants met the cut-off for all perceived olfactory dysfunctions scales and psychological distress. Being women, smoker, with comorbidities, and greater severity of COVID-19 symptoms were associated with higher scores on psychological distress. Among perceived olfactory functioning scales, only impairment in olfaction QoL was associated with psychological distress. Limitations Limitations concerned the cross-sectional nature of the study and the unbalanced sample in terms of gender. Conclusions The study confirmed the core intertwining between mood, perceived QoL, and olfactory functioning, showing how impairments in olfactory processing are strongly correlated with psychological distress through the impact they have on the perceived QoL

The Centrencephalic Space of Functional Integration: a Model for Complex Intelligent Systems

If we have recently begun to understand how DNA gives life to embryos and then to individuals, only very little is understood of the intricate interactions between the biological bases of life, the environment and the human brain. The exponential acceleration of technological change could change many, perhaps all, the rules that have guided our civilization so far. It is very likely that these intelligent artificial entities will take much less time to understand the codes that constitute them, gaining forms of (self) awareness, decision-making skills, introspective capacities, mind reading and even free will. If all this is achieved, in the coming decades humanity will be destined to a profound cultural, epistemological and even physiological transformation. In this paper, we aim to show how the success or failure of a balanced man-machine co-evolution will also depend on some answers to fundamental scientific questions that have remained unexplored, such as consciousness and decision-making, creativity, but above all to the adaptive factor that more radically sustained and pushed the evolution beyond the constraints of our genetic code: improvisation. This entanglement of neuronal matrices could be at the origin of an intermodal communication — consists of a stream of semantic phenomena, mental images and more, tuned thanks to “pattern recognition” in centrencephalic space of functional integration — thus explaining “remote spectrum actions” at the base of primary adaptive unconscious and experiences life

Why people were less compliant with public health regulations during the second wave of the Covid-19 outbreak: The role of trust in governmental organizations, future anxiety, fatigue, and Covid-19 risk perception

Trust in governmental organizations is a crucial factor in terms of encouraging people to conform to public health regulations, such as those recommended to slow down the spread of SARS-CoV-2. However, trust in governmental organizations tends to decline over time, reducing the compliance with public health regulations. This study aimed at exploring, first, the role of future anxiety and fatigue as serial mediators of the relationship between trust in governmental organizations and protective behaviors, and, secondly, the role of Covid-19 risk perception as amoderator between fatigue and protective behaviors. A total of 948 Italian participants (302 males and 646 females), ranged from 18 to 80 years (M= 27.20, SD = 11.01), answered an online survey during the second wave of the Covid-19 outbreak. A moderated serial mediation model was performed using a structural equation modeling. The results indicate that: (1) a higher trust in Italian governmental organizations was associated with a greater compliance in terms of adopting protective behaviors; (2) a lower trust in Italian governmental organizations increased anxiety about the future which, in turn, raised levels of fatigue, leading, finally, to a reduction in the levels of protective behaviors; and (3) as the perceived risk related to Covid-19 increased, the effect of fatigue on protective behaviors decreased. The findings of the current study may provide indications for public health policy on how to increase compliance with the recommended behaviors to be adopted in order to decrease the spread of the SARS-CoV-2

Gender Identity Milestones, Minority Stress and Mental Health in Three Generational Cohorts of Italian Binary and Nonbinary Transgender People

Transgender and gender nonconforming (TGNC) people experience high rates of minority stress and associated risk for negative health outcomes. However, during the last years, significant positive socio-cultural changes have happened, and younger cohorts of TGNC individuals are having diverse experiences compared to older cohorts. By integrating the minority stress theory and the life course perspective, this cross-sectional, web-based study aimed to explore in 197 Italian TGNC people aged 18 to 54 years (M = 29.82, SD = 9.64) whether the average ages of gender identity milestones (i.e., first insights about being TGNC, self-labeling as a TGNC person, and coming out), minority stress, and mental health vary among three generational cohorts (i.e., Generation Z, Millennials, and Generation X). Compared with older cohorts, younger participants: (a) were more likely to be in the trans-masculine spectrum; (b) self-labeled as TGNC and came out earlier; (c) had more negative expectations and lower levels of disclosure; and (d) had higher levels of mental health problems. No generational differences related to first insights about being TGNC and distal minority stressors were found. Furthermore, compared with binary individuals, participants with a non-binary identity: (a) reported later ages for the gender identity milestones; (b) had higher negative expectations; and (c) had higher levels of mental health problems. Overall, our findings indicated that changes in the social environments have a limited impact on stigmatization processes and mental health of Italian TGNC people

A Moderated Mediation Analysis of the Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Well-Being and Sport Readiness of Italian Team Sports Players: The Role of Perceived Safety of the Training Environment

Background: The protective restrictions (e.g., lockdowns, quarantines, social and physical distancing) consequent to the global pandemic caused by COVID-19 posited new challenges to athletes practicing competitive team sports. This study aimed to gain an understanding of the impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic on the well-being and sports readiness to train and to compete of competitive female and male athletes practicing outdoor (i.e., rugby, soccer) and indoor (i.e., volleyball, basketball) team sports who were active during the Italian first and second waves of COVID-19. Methods: An online survey assessing demographic characteristics, perceived safety of the training environment, COVID-19 risk, fear of COVID-19, well-being, and sport (training and competition) readiness was administered to 619 team sports players. We examined differences by gender, previous COVID-19 experience, and team sport setting (i.e., outdoor vs. indoor). A moderated mediation analysis was conducted to assess the impact of perceived COVID-19 risk and fear of COVID-19 on athletes’ well-being and sports readiness, using perceived safety of the training environment as a mediator and gender and sport setting as moderators. Results: Indoor team sports and female athletes showed higher perceived COVID-19 risk, while athletes with no-COVID-19 experience reported higher fear of COVID-19. Perceived COVID-19 risk (directly and via perceived safety of the training environment) and fear of COVID-19 were negatively associated with athletes’ well-being and sports readiness. Conclusions: This study highlighted an understanding of the psychological implications of the COVID-19 pandemic, emphasizing the role of the perceived safety of the training environment on athletes’ well-being and sports readiness. Future studies may advance safety-based interventions to promote well-being and a safer return to sport

The psychological benefits and efficacy of computer-assisted training on competency enhancement in adults with intellectual disability. A systematic review

The use of modern technologies as instructional tools is becoming increasingly prevalent in both general and special education. This systematic review examines the effects of computer-assisted and digital training on competency enhancement for adults with intellectual disabilities. As opposed to mere knowledge, “competency” was defined as the ability to apply and employ acquired knowledge to carry out tasks and solve problems in professional, social, and personal life domains. The PRISMA procedure was used to search for records dealing with competency enhancement using computerized training for intellectually disabled adults. Twenty-two articles met the inclusion criteria, showing that contemporary technology, computer-based tools, and digital instruments can positively affect the quality of life of adults with intellectual disabilities, and enhance their personal, professional, and social competencies. Ultimately, fostering computer-based technology to enhance competencies in adults with intellectual disabilities appears to be very promising, in that it allows these individuals to better integrate into society and live more independently, autonomously, and effectively

Revision on psychometric properties of the temperament and character inventory in a clinical sample

Cloninger’s Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) although elaborated on the general population, is frequently used in clinical samples. The study evaluates the psychometric characteristics of TCI in clinical populations with the aim of creating a reduced version of the test suitable for these subjects. This research was conducted on two groups of mental health outpatients. In the first study, 44 items, correlated with the psychiatric disorders, was selected. These items, divided in four dimensions utilizing both statistic and psychopathological criteria, show good internal consistency and external validity and constitute a Reduced Version (TR-TCI) of the test. In the second study, the predictive validity of the TR-TCI was evaluated through the ROC curves and a logistic regression model. The results show a good predictive validity of TR-TCI, that allows us to use this instrument in order to identify the personality structures that make people sensitive to psychiatric pathologies