Existential Psychotherapies: Similarities and Differences Among the Main Branches

Authors agree that a range of different existential therapies exist. However, not much has been written about what is characteristic and distinctive of each existential therapy, and the few claims that have been made are mainly hypothetical. Practitioners from the four main branches of existential therapy were asked about the authors and texts that have most influenced their practice and the practices they considered most characteristic of existential therapy. From all over the world, 29 daseinsanalysts, 82 existential-humanistic, 573 existential-phenomenological, and 303 logotherapy and/or existential analysis practitioners participated in this study. Data show that the scope of influence of an author is pretty much limited to the branch he or she is related to and only a few authors, in particular Frankl and Yalom, influence practitioners from all four branches. Five categories of practice are shared among the main existential branches as the most characteristics of existential therapy, with phenomenological practices being the most shared category: But the frequency of each of these categories of practice differs significantly depending on respondents’ training or affiliated branch. Data corroborate the idea of different existential therapies, with logotherapy and/or existential analysis being the most markedly different branch of them all

Simplicial minisuperspace models in the presence of a massive scalar field with arbitrary scalar coupling

We extend previous simplicial minisuperspace models to account for arbitrary scalar coupling \eta R\phi^2.Comment: 24 pages and 9 figures. Accepted for publication by Classical and Quantum Gravit

Mercapturate Pathway in the Tubulocentric Perspective of Diabetic Kidney Disease

BACKGROUND: The recent growing evidence that the proximal tubule underlies the early pathogenesis of diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is unveiling novel and promising perspectives. This pathophysiological concept links tubulointerstitial oxidative stress, inflammation, hypoxia, and fibrosis with the progression of DKD. In this new angle for DKD, the prevailing molecular mechanisms on proximal tubular cells emerge as an innovative opportunity for prevention and management of DKD as well as to improve diabetic dysmetabolism. SUMMARY: The mercapturate pathway (MAP) is a classical metabolic detoxification route for xenobiotics that is emerging as an integrative circuitry detrimental to resolve tubular inflammation caused by endogenous electrophilic species. Herein we review why and how it might underlie DKD. Key Messages: MAP is a hallmark of proximal tubular cell function, and cysteine-S-conjugates might represent targets for early intervention in DKD. Moreover, the biomonitoring of urinary mercapturates from metabolic inflammation products might be relevant for the implementation of preventive/management strategies in DKD.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Hermitian Yang-Mills instantons on resolutions of Calabi-Yau cones

We study the construction of Hermitian Yang-Mills instantons over resolutions of Calabi-Yau cones of arbitrary dimension. In particular, in d complex dimensions, we present an infinite family, parametrised by an integer k and a continuous modulus, of SU(d) instantons. A detailed study of their properties, including the computation of the instanton numbers is provided. We also explain how they can be used in the construction of heterotic non-Kahler compactifications.Comment: 20 pages, 1 figure; typos corrected, section 3.1 expande

Gauged U(1)RU(1)_R Symmetries and Fayet-Iliopoulos Terms in 5D Orbifold Supergravity

We discuss a gauged $U(1)_R$ supergravity on five-dimensional (5D) orbifold ($S^1/Z_2$) in which both a $Z_2$-even U(1) gauge field and the $Z_2$-odd graviphoton take part in the $U(1)_R$ gauging. Based on the off-shell formulation of 5D supergravity, we analyze the structure of Fayet-Iliopoulos (FI) terms allowed in such model. Introducing a $Z_2$-even $U(1)_R$ gauge field accompanies new bulk and boundary FI terms in addition to the known integrable boundary FI term which could be present in the absence of any gauged $U(1)_R$ symmetry. Some physical consequences of these new FI terms are examined.Comment: 1+17 pages, 9 figures, typeset in JHEP styl

ANALYSIS OF THE PERFORMANCE OF ABOVE-KNEE AMPUTEES IN CLIMBING STAIRS

INTRODUCTION Although a large investment has been already made in the study of the walking performance of amputees a greater understanding of the capacities of these subjects is still needed. In this context we undertook the present study in order to analyse the performance of above-knee amputees (AKA) in tasks related to locomotion. We studied two groups of individuals, one of able bodied (AB) subjects and a AKA group, perform ing two different tasks, namely, level ground (LG) walking and climbing stairs (CS). METHODS For each individual and for each task three trials were recorded. The CS task corresponded to the. climbing of a staircase of three 16 cm in height steps. The performances were normalised by comparing a complete LG walking cycle and the climbing CS from the first to the second step. These performances were filmed by two video cameras, one located at the side and another at the back of the track. A thirteen segments body model is used to calculate the center of mass (CM). The percent values of the CM co-ordinates relative to the subject's height is calculated along the vertical (Z axis) , the horizontal antero-posterior (Y axis) and the (axis X) normal to the previous ones using a method developed by Enseberg et al. (1992). The sagittal and lateral inclinations of the trunk and the sagittal rotation of the knee are also computed. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS The CM for the AKA group performing the LG and CS tasks is located at a lower level (Z), further to the back (Y) and, generally, on the side of the prosthesis . (X) as compared with its location for the AB group performing the same tasks. These results agree with those obtained Engsberg et al. (1992) for the LG task. The CM location along the Z axis is determined fundamentally by the forward flexion of the trunk and, for both groups of subjects, is lower for the CS task than for the LG tasks as a result of the need to place this center on the vertical of the propulsive limb. For both tasks, the CM location along the Y axis is similar for the two groups and only slightly more posterior for the AKA group in result of the larger backwards rotation of the arm opposite to the prosthesis. The CM location along the X is, for the AKA group, always opposite to the prosthetic side as a result of the trunk compensating inclination in that direction. For the AB group, the CM oscillates naturally from side to side of the body sagittal plane. CONCLUSIONS We may conclude from these results that the two tasks correspond to significantly different performances and that the differences are more profound for the AKA group. The use of a staircase to test the performance of AKA subjects is clinically relevant as it brings up some of the most serious problems associated with the quality of adaptation of the prosthesis to the patient. REFERENCES Engsberg, J., K. Tedford & J. Harder (1992). Center of mass location and segment angular orientation of below-knee amputee and able-bodied children during walking. Arch. Phys. Med. Reahabili, 73, 1163-1168

Rapid spectral and flux time variations in a solar burst observed at various dm-mm wavelengths and at hard X-rays

A solar burst was observed with high sensitivity and time resolution at cm-mm wavelengths by two different radio observatories (Itapetinga and Algonquin), with high spectral time resolution at dm-mm wavelengths by patrol instruments (Sagamore Hill), and at hard X-rays (HXM Hinotori). At the onset of the major burst time structure there was a rapid rise in the spectral turnover frequency (from 5 to 15 GHz), in about 10s, coincident to a reduction of the spectral index in the optically thin part of the spectrum. The burst maxima were not time coincident at the optically thin radio frequencies and at the different hard X-ray energy ranges. The profiles at higher radio frequencies exhibited better time coincidence to the high energy X-rays. The hardest X-ray spectrum (-3) coincided with peak radio emission at the higher frequency (44 GHz). The event appeared to be built up by a first major injection of softer particles followed by other injections of harder particles. Ultrafast time structures were identified as superimposed on the burst emission at the cm-mm high sensitivity data at X-rays, with predominant repetition rates ranging from 2.0 to 3.5 Hz

State transition and electrocaloric effect of BaZrx_{x}Ti1−x_{1-x}O3_3: simulation and experiment

The electrocaloric effect (ECE) of BaZr$_{x}$Ti$_{1-x}$O$_3$ (BZT) is closely related to the relaxor state transition of the materials. This work presents a systematic study on the ECE and the state transition of the BZT, using a combined canonical and microcanonical Monte Carlo simulations based a lattice-based on a Ginzburg-Landau-type Hamiltonian. For comparison and verification, experimental measurements have been carried on BTO and BZT ($x=0.12$ and $0.2$) samples, including the ECE at various temperatures, domain patterns by Piezoresponse Force Microscopy at room temperature, and the P-E loops at various temperatures. Results show that the dependency of BZT behavior of the Zr-concentration can be classified into three different stages. In the composition range of $0 \leq x \leq 0.2$, ferroelectric domains are visible, but ECE peak drops with increasing Zr-concentration harshly. In the range of $0.3 \leq x \leq 0.7$, relaxor features become prominent, and the decrease of ECE with Zr-concentration is moderate. In the high concentration range of $x \geq 0.8$, the material is almost nonpolar, and there is no ECE peak visible. Results suggest that BZT with certain low range of Zr-concentration around $x=0.12 \sim 0.3$ can be a good candidate with relatively high ECE and simutaneously wide temperature application range at rather low temperature

Stochastic Optimization for Network-Constrained Power System Scheduling Problem

The stochastic nature of demand and wind generation has a considerable effect on solving the scheduling problem of a modern power system. Network constraints such as power flow equations and transmission capacities also need to be considered for a comprehensive approach to model renewable energy integration and analyze generation system flexibility. Firstly, this paper accounts for the stochastic inputs in such a way that the uncertainties are modeled as normally distributed forecast errors. The forecast errors are then superimposed on the outputs of load and wind forecasting tools. Secondly, it efficiently models the network constraints and tests an iterative algorithm and a piecewise linear approximation for representing transmission losses in mixed integer linear programming (MILP). It also integrates load shedding according to priority factors set by the system operator. Moreover, the different interactions among stochastic programming, network constraints, and prioritized load shedding are thoroughly investigated in the paper. The stochastic model is tested on a power system adopted from Jeju Island, South Korea. Results demonstrate the impact of wind speed variability and network constraints on the flexibility of the generation system. Further analysis shows the effect of loss modeling approaches on total cost, accuracy, computational time, and memory requirement

Towards a Conceptualization of Sociomaterial Entanglement

In knowledge representation, socio-technical systems can be modeled as multiagent systems in which the local knowledge of each individual agent can be seen as a context. In this paper we propose formal ontologies as a means to describe the assumptions driving the construction of contexts as local theories and to enable interoperability among them. In particular, we present two alternative conceptualizations of the notion of sociomateriality (and entanglement), which is central in the recent debates on socio-technical systems in the social sciences, namely critical and agential realism. We thus start by providing a model of entanglement according to the critical realist view, representing it as a property of objects that are essentially dependent on different modules of an already given ontology. We refine then our treatment by proposing a taxonomy of sociomaterial entanglements that distinguishes between ontological and epistemological entanglement. In the final section, we discuss the second perspective, which is more challenging form the point of view of knowledge representation, and we show that the very distinction of information into modules can be at least in principle built out of the assumption of an entangled reality