Thinking about feeling: using trait emotional intelligence in understanding the associations between early maladaptive schemas and coping styles

Objectives: Maladaptive interpersonal schemas can trigger distressing emotions and drive dysfunctional behaviour that leads to difficulties in interpersonal relationships and perpetuates the original maladaptive schemas. This study sought to identify patterns of association between trait emotional intelligence (TEI), early maladaptive schemas (EMS), and coping styles in a non‐clinical sample. Emotionality profiles were hypothesized to be associated with EMS severity and poorer coping, as early experiences can shape an individual's self‐perceptions through reinforcement by maladaptive responses. Design: Cross‐sectional study with 142 undergraduate students. Methods: We obtained self‐reports of TEI, coping styles, and EMS. Results: Disengagement coping was strongly correlated with EMS severity (r = .565, p < .01). TEI was negatively correlated with EMS (r = −.660, p < .01) and Disengagement (r = −.405, p < .01). Emotionality, Impaired Autonomy, and Overvigilance partially mediated the relationship between Disconnection and Emotion‐Focused Disengagement. Self‐Control fully mediated the relationship between Impaired Limits and Problem‐Focused Disengagement. Conclusions: The findings suggest that lower TEI is associated with the likelihood for maladaptive coping in response to EMS. The preference for certain coping styles associated with a particular domain of EMS may be explained by an individual's perceived metacognitive ability to regulate their stress and emotions. When individuals’ needs for love, safety, and acceptance from others are not met, there might be poorer perceived self‐efficacies in Emotionality and the tendency to cope through emotional avoidance. Individuals with difficulties establishing internal limits are more likely to respond with problem avoidance, possibly due to deficient distress tolerance. Longitudinal studies with a clinical population are warranted to replicate these findings

An HDAC9-MALAT1-BRG1 complex mediates smooth muscle dysfunction in thoracic aortic aneurysm

Thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA) has been associated with mutations affecting members of the TGF-β signaling pathway, or components and regulators of the vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) actomyosin cytoskeleton. Although both clinical groups present similar phenotypes, the existence of potential common mechanisms of pathogenesis remain obscure. Here we show that mutations affecting TGF-β signaling and VSMC cytoskeleton both lead to the formation of a ternary complex comprising the histone deacetylase HDAC9, the chromatin-remodeling enzyme BRG1, and the long noncoding RNA MALAT1. The HDAC9–MALAT1–BRG1 complex binds chromatin and represses contractile protein gene expression in association with gain of histone H3-lysine 27 trimethylation modifications. Disruption of Malat1 or Hdac9 restores contractile protein expression, improves aortic mural architecture, and inhibits experimental aneurysm growth. Thus, we highlight a shared epigenetic pathway responsible for VSMC dysfunction in both forms of TAA, with potential therapeutic implication for other known HDAC9-associated vascular diseases

Dynamic Modeling and Control of Grid-Connected Photovoltaic Systems based on Amplitude-Phase Transformation

A voltage source inverter (VSI) is widely used as an interface for distributed generation (DG) systems. However, high-power applications with increasing voltage levels require an extra power converter to reduce costs and complications. Thus, a current source inverter (CSI) is used. This study presents a precise phasor modeling and control details for a VSI-based system for DG and compares it with a CSI-based system. First, the dynamic characteristics of the system based on amplitude-phase transformation are investigated via small signal analysis in the synchronous reference frame. Moreover, the performance of the grid-connected system is determined by adopting the closed-loop control method based on the obtained dynamic model. The control strategies employ an outer active-power loop cascaded with an inner reactive-power loop, which the inner loop is a single-input single-output system without coupling terms. The sensitivity analysis of the linearized model indicates the dynamic features of the system. The simulation results for the different conditions confirm proposed model and design of the controller

Simulation of induction tempering process of carbon steel using finite element method

A numerical model was developed to simulate an induction tempering process, solving an electromagnetic-thermal coupled problem. The temperature distribution inside an alloy steel work-piece was computed and the final hardness was predicted using Jaffe and Gordon relation. The experiments were undertaken with different induction process settings at some industrial conditions. The effects of induction parameters i.e. input AC current density, coil velocity and coil stay time were investigated by employing the proposed model and the results were compared to the experimental data. The computed results are in a good agreement with the experimental data. As an example, the model predicted the final hardness at three given points 47, 45 and 37 HRC. For this tempering condition the experimental results were 51, 45 and 36 HRC, respectively. © 2011

Achieving an exceptional ductility at room temperature in a low SFE copper alloy fabricated by severe plastic deformation

Low stacking fault energy alloys often exhibit low ductility. However, sometimes these alloys show unusual mechanical behavior following specific processing parameters. In this study, a low stacking fault energy α+β brass was processed by equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) at 350 °C in ‘route C’ through three passes. Room temperature tensile testing showed that ductility, surprisingly, reached ~80%, whilst good tensile strength was maintained. Investigation of alloy microstructure revealed a combination of deformation mechanisms, including slip and twinning, accompanied by grain boundary serration and grain fragmentation. It is suggested that these deformation modes triggered these unexpected mechanical properties in this intrinsically brittle alloy. The required energy for discontinuous recrystallization was supplied after only one pass in the α phase, and three passes in the β phase, which then prompted good ductility. In order to study texture evolution, the macro-texture was measured. A high fraction of recrystallized grains and change in strain path fostered the development of Goss, Rotated Goss and Rotated Cube components in the α phase. While in the β phase {011} and Goss components were dominant. Despite the high Schmid factor, Hall-Petch effects and work hardening led to increase of strength and hardness after the final pass