Does loving-kindness meditation elicit empathic emotions? The moderating role of self-discrepancy and self-esteem on guilt.

Our understanding of the emotions elicited by loving-kindness meditation (LKM) at early stages of practice is limited, despite the influence that these emotions may have on later engagement. Past work suggests that LKM may elicit emotional ambivalence at early stages of the practice, but it is still unclear whether the content of LKM activates this ambivalence and who is more likely to experience it. Given the specific content of LKM, we defend that this meditation is likely to elicit empathetic emotions, both positive (compassion and gratitude) and negative (guilt), to a greater extent than an active control. Guilt is likely to be elicited by memories of incidents where naïve meditators were not able to experience compassion and/or by the difficulties in sending compassionate love to disliked others during the meditation. Furthermore, individuals with greater self-discrepancy and lower self-esteem are more likely to experience guilt. These hypotheses were tested in two experimental studies with community and student samples (n = 55 and n = 33, respectively) and using a brief intervention. The results support the hypotheses. These findings have implications for instructors of LKM, especially when organizing meditation practices with naïve meditators who should be aware of the potential negative emotions elicited by this meditation.

What makes implementation intention interventions effective for promoting healthy eating behaviours? A meta-regression.

This study examines the efficacy of implementation intentions (II), a widely used self-regulatory strategy to help people achieve their goals. Although previous research has shown that the effect of II interventions is significantly higher in promoting healthy eating behaviours than in diminishing unhealthy eating behaviours, the factors that can moderate the effectiveness of these interventions remain unclear. In a meta-analysis of 70 interventions (N = 9689), we confirmed that II interventions for healthy eating behaviours yielded a medium significant effect size (d = 0.33) and a low significant effect size for unhealthy eating behaviors (d = 0.18). We show that the moderator variables of II interventions for healthy and unhealthy eating goals are very different. Regarding healthy eating, since moderator variables explain 53% of the variance in the heterogeneity of the effect sizes, the present study helps in gaining an understanding of the previous inconsistent results and offers suggestions for designing more efficient interventions. Effect size was negatively predicted by age, indicating that for younger people the effect size is higher, and II check, showing that if the instructor checks the plan it decreases its efficacy. Moreover, the effect of II interventions on students is significantly smaller than in non-student samples. In contrast, the effect size was positively predicted by initial training, off-line delivered interventions and, specific if-then and action plans versus complex plans. For unhealthy eating behaviours, our results show that there is less room to improve the intervention; there is only one moderator variable (plan formulation), and the heterogeneity found in the studies is lower for unhealthy eating behaviours (I2 = 46.70%) than for healthy eating behaviours (I2 = 73.25%), indicating that the intervention has low efficacy regardless of the design of the intervention.

Reducing fat intake using implementation intentions: A meta-analytic review.

PURPOSE: To study the efficacy of forming implementation intentions for fat intake reduction as well as possible moderating variables. METHODS: Systematic review and meta-analysis of 12 empirical studies (N = 3,323) published in English and Spanish in the Web of Science (Core Collection) and MEDLINE (1990-January 2016) databases. RESULTS: This study found that the efficacy of planning interventions on fat consumption reduction was higher than expected, as a moderate overall effect of implementation intentions was observed (d = 0.488). Moreover, planning for a fat intake reduction seems to be more powerful for men than for women (ß = -.623; p = .025) and in cases where there is no monitoring during the intervention (d = 0.671 vs. d = 0.231). CONCLUSIONS: Previous research was sceptical of the efficacy of planning in the case of avoiding goals in healthy eating. However, our results show that planning is an efficient intervention that can be used by health education programmes to reduce fat intake and, therefore, increase citizen well-being. These results also support the existence of a key variable in the implementation intentions process, that is, goal complexity, and the presence of two moderating variables, that is, gender and monitoring. Statement of contribution What is already known on this subject? Implementation intentions are action plans subordinate to goal intentions that specify the 'when, where, and how' of responses leading to goal attainment. In healthy eating, the average effect of forming implementation intentions is small to medium, but this efficacy changes depending on the type of intended behaviour. Past evidence shows that the effect size seems to be lower when the intervention aims at reducing unhealthy behaviours versus promoting healthy behaviours. What does this study add? Forming implementation intentions is an efficient intervention to reduce fat intake with a medium overall effect. The efficacy of this intervention is increased when men are targeted and when there is no monitoring during the process. This study introduces a new line of research focused on the study of the effect of planning on complex goals.

[Aplication of demineralized human bone matrix in the surgical dental fusion treatment. Report of a case]. / Aplicación de matriz de hueso humano desmineralizado en el procedimiento quirúrgico de la fusión dentaria. Reporte de un caso.

The purpose of this work is to present a surgical alternative in the treatment of the dental fusions through the placement of demineralized human bone matrix (DHBM) (Grafton Putty)*, immediately after the separation and extraction of the fused tooth to the permanent one. The dental fusion is a dental anomaly of union, that consists in the union of two dental germs during development. It could happen at any of the dental germ evolution stages from the dental sheet or from more advanced processes of differentiation. For the clinical treatment, an allograft of DHBM with osteoinductive and osteoconductive properties was used. This had several factors of bone growth, it allowed the gradual growth of a new bone that helped to correct the bone defects post-extraction and to cover the exposed distal wall of the remaining permanent tooth. The clinic evaluation and the periapical and panoramic radiographies images were used for the clinical control. It can be concluded that the surgical separation and the extraction of the tooth with less anatomical likeness to the contralateral and the placement of the DHBM, represent a surgical treatment alternative of the dental fusion.

Aplicación de matriz de hueso humano desmineralizado en el procedimiento quirúrgico de la fusión dentaria: reporte de un caso / Aplication of demineralized human bone matrix in the surgical dental fusion treatment: report of a case

El propósito del presente trabajo es dar a conocer una alternativa quirúrgica en el tratamiento de las fusiones dentarias mediante la colocación de matriz de hueso humano desmineralizado (MHHD) (Grafton® Putty, New Jersey Eatotown, Osteotech), luego de la separación y exodoncia del diente fusionado al permanente. La fusión de los dientes es una anomalía dentaria de unión, que consiste en la unión de dos gérmenes dentarios en desarrollo, pudiendo suceder en cualquiera de los estadios de evolución del germen dental a partir de la lámina dentaria o en períodos más avanzados del proceso de diferenciación. Para el tratamiento, se utilizó un aloinjerto de MHHD con propiedades osteoinductivas y osteoconductivas, que además posee varios factores de crecimiento óseo, lo cual permitió el crecimiento gradual de nuevo hueso, que corrigió los defectos óseos acarreados post exodoncia y cubrió la pared distal expuesta del diente permanente remanente. Para el control clínico se realizaron radiografías periapicales y panorámicas. Se concluyó que la separación quirúrgica y exodoncia del diente con menor similitud anatómica al contralateral y posterior colocación de MHHD, representa una alternativa en el tratamiento quirúrgico de las fusiones dentarias.

VIP and PACAP receptors coupled to adenylyl cyclase in human lung cancer: a study in biopsy specimens.

Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) are important neuropeptides in the control of lung physiology. Both of these commonly bind to specific G protein coupled receptors named VPAC(1)-R and VPAC(2)-R, and PAC(1)-R (with higher affinity for PACAP). VIP and PACAP have been implicated in the control of cell proliferation and tumor growth. This study examined the presence of VIP and PACAP receptors in human lung cancer samples, as well as the functionality of adenylyl cyclase (AC) stimulated by both peptides. Results from RT-PCR and immunoblot experiments showed the expression of VPAC(1)-, VPAC(2)- and PAC(1)-R in lung cancer samples. Immunohistochemical studies showed the expression of VPAC(1) and VPAC(2) receptors. These receptors were positively coupled to AC, but the enzyme activity was impaired as compared to normal lung. There were no changes in Galpha(s) or Galpha(i) levels. Present results contribute to a better knowledge of VIP/PACAP actions in lung cancer and support the interest for the development of VIP/PACAP analogues with therapeutic roles.