Measuring interoception: The phase adjustment task

Interoception, perception of one's bodily state, has been associated with mental health and socio-emotional processes. However, several interoception tasks are of questionable validity, meaning associations between interoception and other variables require confirmation with new measures. Here we describe the novel, smartphone-based Phase Adjustment Task (PAT). Tones are presented at the participant's heart rate, but out of phase with heartbeats. Participants adjust the phase relationship between tones and heartbeats until they are synchronous. Data from 124 participants indicates variance in performance across participants which is not affected by physiological or strategic confounds. Associations between interoception and anxiety, depression and stress were not significant. Weak associations between interoception and mental health variables may be a consequence of testing a non-clinical sample. A second study revealed PAT performance to be moderately stable over one week, consistent with state effects on interoception.

Voltage breakdown follower avoids hard thermal constraints in a Geiger mode avalanche photodiode

A novel approach to single-photon detection by means of an avalanche photodiode is described and preliminary results obtained by implementation of a prototype are reported. The electronic circuit (breakdown voltage follower) avoids the use of complex temperature controls typically used with these devices, thus reducing system complexity and cost. Data obtained without any thermoregulation show the same behavior with respect to systems thermoregulated to within a few hundredths of a degree celsius.

[Vocal function after cordectomy (traditional surgical treatment vs CO2 laser): a comparative objective-instrumental evaluation]

Concerning the wider use of the CO2 laser in the treatment of laryngeal diseases, the Authors, in a comparative study based on an objective-instrumental evaluation, evaluated residual vocal function after traditional surgical treatment (chordectomy) vs. CO2 laser treatment. Forty-one patients treated for T1a glottic carcinoma (U.I.C.C. 1987) in last 8 years were examined Vocal function following CO2 laser surgery was evaluated in 17 patients (16 males and 1 female, aged between 38 and 78, with an average age of 53) and compared to vocal function of 24 patients treated with traditional chordectomy (23 males and 1 female, aged between 51 and 73, with an average age of 58). All patients showed a minimum follow-up of 30 months and none, at the time of evaluation, had undergone phonatory re-education. Glottic functionality evaluation was performed as follows: Evaluation of anatomical and functional results by means of a rigid fiberoptic laryngoscopy and subsequent photographic documentation for successive comparative evaluation. Evaluation of residual voice quality by phoniatricians otorhinolaryngologists and the patients themselves. Recording and electroacoustic analysis of some vocal samples. Laryngeal objectivity of surgical results were constantly related to subjective and instrumental voice evaluation. Phonatory results in patients treated with CO2 laser were better than those found in patients treated with traditional chordectomy.

[Significance of associated causes in the evaluation of post-traumatic vestibular damage]

Any evaluation of vestibular diseases following head and neck injuries must take into consideration the existence of other diseases which may act with the trauma causing lesions which might not have taken place otherwise or which would have had less import. In the present work the authors examine what medico-legal doctrine considers in regard to pre-existing, simultaneous and cropped up aggravations of lesions or of invalidity. Finally, an explanation is given of personal experience with 1500 patients with head and neck injury. It is pointed out how in 130 cases the presence of pathological conditions associated with the traumatic event was the cause of problems in evaluation of primary importance.