Non-strategic detection of identity-threatening information: Epistemic validation and identity defense may share a common cognitive basis

Readers use prior knowledge to evaluate the validity of statements and detect false information without effort and strategic control. The present study expands this research by exploring whether people also non-strategically detect information that threatens their social identity. Participants (N = 77) completed a task in which they had to respond to a “True” or “False” probe after reading true, false, identity-threatening, or non-threatening sentences. Replicating previous studies, participants reacted more slowly to a positive probe (“True”) after reading false (vs. true) sentences. Notably, participants also reacted more slowly to a positive probe after reading identity-threatening (vs. non-threatening) sentences. These results provide first evidence that identity-threatening information, just as false information, is detected at a very early stage of information processing and lends support to the notion of a routine, non-strategic identity-defense mechanism.

THE SECOND-GENERATION PLATELET CONCENTRATES IN THE TREATMENT OF CHRONIC OSTEOMYELITIS: ONE MODERN REGENERATIVE SURGERY

Background: Hypothesis is that the use of fibrin rich in leukocytes and platelets advanced (A-PRF) in ulcer osteomyelitis on diabetic foot, allows recovery from this serious disease. In this study, the goal was to standardize the use of PRF in patients with osteomyelitis, to use this second-generation platelet concentrate, as a facilitator of healing. Methods: Authors produced and used peripheral blood A-PRF (1300 g × 8 min) membranes in 7 patients (all diabetic) with osteomyelitis and skin lesions for at least 6 months. Membranes, together with the supernatant liquid derived from compression, were inserted into the skin lesion down to the bone after surgical debridement. Evolution of the lesions over time was analyzed. Results: All seven patients had a positive Probe-to-Bone test, MRI detected cortico-periosteal thickening and/or foci of cortico-cancellous osteolysis adjacent to the ulcer. Gram-positive bacteria were found in our patients in 52% of cases. Cocci Gram +, such as S. Aureus (15.6%), S. -haemolytic (12.1%), S. Viridans (7.1%), and Bacilli Gram- such as Pseudomonas (10.6%), Proteus (7.8%), Enterobacter (5.7%) are present. Candida Albicans is present in 2.8%. Blood count showed no major changes. To date, skin lesions have healed in 6 of the seven patients treated (one patient for more than five years) with no signs of infection or recurrence. Conclusions: Results obtained on our patients suggest that PRF membranes may be a therapeutic option in this difficult to treat pathology.

Does concealing familiarity evoke other processes than concealing untrustworthiness? – Different forms of concealed information modulate P3 effects

It was investigated whether concealing learned stimulus attributes (i.e., trustworthiness vs. untrustworthiness) has similar effects on the P3 amplitude than concealing stimulus familiarity. According to salience hypothesis, known, deceptive stimuli (probe) are (perceived) more relevant than truthful, unknown stimuli (irrelevant) evoking a more positive probe P3 amplitude. When all stimuli are known, concealing information is more cognitively demanding than non-concealing information evoking a less positive P3 amplitude according to the mental effort account. Ninety-seven participants concealed knowledge of previously learned faces in the familiarity condition (probe vs. irrelevant stimuli). In the trustworthiness condition, participants concealed untrustworthiness to previously learned faces and responded truthfully to previously learned trustworthy and untrustworthy faces (known, concealed vs. known, truthful stimuli). The parietal mean P3 amplitude was more positive for probe stimuli than for irrelevant stimuli in the familiarity condition providing evidence for the salience hypothesis. In the trustworthiness condition, concealing untrustworthiness showed the smallest parietal mean P3 amplitude suggesting evidence for the mental effort hypothesis. Individual differences of perpetrator’s sensitivity to injustice modulated the P3 amplitude in the trustworthiness condition.

Making the diagnosis of osteomyelitis. The role of prevalence

Clinicians may have poor sensitivity in determining whether a given diabetic patient with a foot ulcer has osteomyelitis. Thus many turn to diagnostic tests. The literature was reviewed and data on the sensitivity and specificity of five commonly used diagnostic tests were compiled. Using Bayes' theorem, the authors' analysis suggests that pretest probability may be more important in the decision-making process than individual test characteristics. Also, a positive probe-to-bone test is as predictive of osteomyelitis as the other four tests. A negative magnetic resonance imaging test most likely rules out osteomyelitis. Interpretation of any test result is greatly influenced by the pretest probability of disease. Future work needs to focus on aiding the clinician in determining the patient's probability of disease prior to testing in order to optimize patient care.