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Objectives. To determine heart rate influence on voice fundamental frequency under stress conditions. Methods. In 14 healthy volunteers, heart rate and blood pressure variables were analyzed during three classical autonomic tasks. Sustained voice samples were obtained to analyze F0. Results. Cold pressure test increased mean blood pressure, without effect on heart rate; isometric and mental tasks increased heart rate and blood pressure. Voice F0 was only affected by mental and cold ice tasks; it significantly correlated with the heart rate that occurred before and during every vocal emission. Discussion. Cardiovascular changes showed that subjects were significantly stressed during autonomic tasks. Heartbeat variations had a regular and significant influence on phonatory frequency, and this effect occurred during baseline and stress conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present research investigated first the facial feedback measured by EMG (electromyography) during decisions to engage in prosocial-helping behaviors and secondly the relation between this psychophysiological correlate and emotional empathy trait in young people. Thirty young subjects were invited to choose to adopt or not a prosocial behavior in response to social interactions. An increased zygomatic and corrugator muscle activity was found in response to prosocial interventions. Moreover, a significant positive correlation was found between empathic profile and the EMG modulation. These results highlight the role of emotions and empathy in prosocial behavior, induced by an "emotional contagion effect." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to introduce a new method - request-driven generation of calculation (data and model) chains - to facilitate the automatic adaptation of analysis tools to varying output demands or input supply, and consequently reducing programming efforts. The method was implemented in a prototype for a calculation algorithm based on meta-information. To demonstrate the potential of the method, the algorithm was integrated with a model library and xml-based end-user interfaces for a case study where several calculation chains were generated for the comparison of different forest inventory systems. In our application, the autonomic analysis tool automatically adapted itself to varying output requests, input data sources, and contents of the model library. To summarize, the algorithm supports sharing and re-using of models and existing analysis tools. As a stand-alone calculation system, the algorithm can be utilized as a research and development tool, e.g. when testing and comparing models, calculation chains and cost-effective combinations of models, and data for practical forest inventory and planning systems. As an add-on or embedded component, the algorithm makes it easy to enhance data with varying models, or to adapt the existing analysis tools to locally accessible models or specific user requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conclusions . It was found that there was a close correlation between sympathetic skin response (SSR) parameters and nystagmus parameters obtained in caloric tests. Further studies are needed to investigate the clinical correlation of these findings. Objectives . To investigate whether the caloric response creates a measurable SSR and, if so, to compare the SSR parameters with the nystagmus parameters and the feelings of the patient. Material and methods . Patients completed an autonomic symptom questionnaire (ASQ) regarding their past history of autonomic symptoms. They used a visual analog scale (VAS) to assess the severity of symptoms during simultaneous SSR and caloric tests. Symptoms were also noted separately by the investigator. Results . Eighteen patients were included in the study (13 females, 5 males). Eight of the patients had central and 10 had peripheral vertigo. The mean VAS score was 6.6±1.9 and the mean ASQ score was 7.2±3.6. In terms of the recorded parameters, there were no significant differences between patients with central and peripheral vertigo, males and females or warm and cold irrigation. The number of SSR waves increased significantly when the slow-phase velocity was?>?26°/s ( p [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Cadaveric studies of the blood supply to the human cervical sympathetic chain and ganglia are lacking in the English literature. This study seeks to elucidate the gross blood supply of the cervical sympathetic chain so as to avoid surgical disruption of these vessels and thus decrease the risk of vascular insufficiency and subsequent dysfunction of thoracolumbar autonomic outflow to the head and neck. Methods. Twelve (24 sides) human cadavers (8 male and 4 female) were dissected and their brachiocephalic veins, internal carotid arteries, and vertebral arteries cannulated. Red and blue latex was injected into the arteries and veins respectively. Dissection of the neck was carefully performed and the blood supply of the cervical sympathetic chain identified. Results: The primary arterial supply to the sympathetic chain and ganglia were from superior to inferior the ascending pharyngeal, ascending cervical, thyrocervical trunk, and supreme intercostal arteries. The primary venous drainage of these structures was primarily by direct posterior branches into the internal jugular vein. In addition, we have found an area at the junction of the lower two-thirds and upper one-third of the neck, which is deficient in blood supply (both arterial and venous). Conclusions. Although sympathetic injury is a rare consequence of cervical operations, the current data should be useful to the surgeon who operates in the cervical region so as to void potential complications from disruption of the primary blood supply of the cervical sympathetic chain and ganglia. Also, future techniques of selective iatrogenic disruption of the blood supply to portions of these structures e.g. stellate ganglion may be helpful in treating entities such as hyperhydrosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]