Inter-individual cognitive variability in children with Asperger's syndrome

Multiple studies have tried to establish the distinctive profile of individuals with Asperger's syndrome (AS). However, recent reports suggest that adults with AS feature heterogeneous cognitive profiles. The present study explores inter-individual variability in children with AS through group comparison and multiple case series analysis. All participants completed an extended battery including measures of fluid and crystallized intelligence, executive functions, theory of mind, and classical neuropsychological tests. Significant group differences were found in theory of mind and other domains related to global information processing. However, the AS group showed high inter-individual variability (both sub- and supra-normal performance) on most cognitive tasks. Furthermore, high fluid intelligence correlated with less general cognitive impairment, high cognitive flexibility, and speed of motor processing. In light of these findings, we propose that children with AS are characterized by a distinct, uneven pattern of cognitive strengths and weaknesses.Fil: González Gadea, María Luz. Universidad Diego Portales; Chile. Universidad Favaloro; Argentina. Instituto de Neurología Cognitiva; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Tripicchio, Paula. Instituto de Neurología Cognitiva; Argentina. Universidad Favaloro; ArgentinaFil: Rattazzi del Carril, Alexia. Instituto de Neurología Cognitiva; Argentina. Universidad Favaloro; ArgentinaFil: Báez Buitrago, Sandra Jimena. Universidad Favaloro; Argentina. Universidad Diego Portales; Chile. Universidad Catolica Argentina; Argentina. Instituto de Neurología Cognitiva; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Marino, Julián Carlos. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Psicología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Roca, María. Universidad Favaloro; Argentina. Instituto de Neurología Cognitiva; Argentina. Universidad Diego Portales; Chile. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Manes, Facundo Francisco. Instituto de Neurología Cognitiva; Argentina. Universidad Favaloro; Argentina. Universidad Diego Portales; Chile. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Centre of Excellence in Cognition and its Disorders; AustriaFil: Ibanez Barassi, Agustin Mariano. Instituto de Neurología Cognitiva; Argentina. Universidad Favaloro; Argentina. Universidad Diego Portales; Chile. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Centre of Excellence in Cognition and its Disorders; Austria. Universidad Autonoma del Caribe; Colombi

Census of HII regions in NGC 6754 derived with MUSE: Constraints on the metal mixing scale

We present a study of the HII regions in the galaxy NGC 6754 from a two pointing mosaic comprising 197,637 individual spectra, using Integral Field Spectrocopy (IFS) recently acquired with the MUSE instrument during its Science Verification program. The data cover the entire galaxy out to ~2 effective radii (re ), sampling its morphological structures with unprecedented spatial resolution for a wide-field IFU. A complete census of the H ii regions limited by the atmospheric seeing conditions was derived, comprising 396 individual ionized sources. This is one of the largest and most complete catalogue of H ii regions with spectroscopic information in a single galaxy. We use this catalogue to derive the radial abundance gradient in this SBb galaxy, finding a negative gradient with a slope consistent with the characteristic value for disk galaxies recently reported. The large number of H ii regions allow us to estimate the typical mixing scale-length (rmix ~0.4 re ), which sets strong constraints on the proposed mechanisms for metal mixing in disk galaxies, like radial movements associated with bars and spiral arms, when comparing with simulations. We found evidence for an azimuthal variation of the oxygen abundance, that may be related with the radial migration. These results illustrate the unique capabilities of MUSE for the study of the enrichment mechanisms in Local Universe galaxies.Comment: 13 pages, 7 Figurs, accepted for publishing in A&

De cómo vio Taico los embajadores de la China: Una historia de intrigas, conspiraciones y terremotos durante las negociaciones de paz de la Imjin waeran (1592-1598)

The peace negotiations that the ambassadors of Ming China and the representatives of the Japanese leader Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1537-1598) achieved in the 16th century constitute to the most convulsive and complex phase of the greatest war that occurred worldwide during this century. The main objective of this article is to analyze the diplomatic activity carried out within the framework of the warlike conflict called Imjin waeran (1592-1598), drawing on the texts prepared by the European religious who were developing their proselytizing work in the Far East. The study emphasizes in particular an unpublished manuscript titled De cómo vio Taico los embajadores de la China (1596). A set of unpublished data from this text was collected which complements and, to a large extent, refutes the information provided by Asian sources and which allows us to shape a more complete image of said peace agreements.Las negociaciones de paz que los embajadores de la China Ming y los representantes del caudillo japonés Toyotomi Hideyoshi llevaron a cabo en el siglo xvi constituyen la fase más convulsa y compleja de la mayor guerra que acaeció a nivel mundial en dicho siglo. El objetivo primordial del presente artículo es analizar la actividad diplomática desarrollada en el marco del conflicto bélico denominado Imjin waeran (1592-1598), y hacerlo a partir de los textos elaborados por los religiosos europeos que se encontraban desarrollando su labor proselitista en el Lejano Oriente. En concreto, centraremos la atención en un manuscrito inédito que lleva por título De cómo vio Taico los embajadores de la China (1596). En este escrito se recoge un conjunto de datos inéditos que complementan y, en buena medida, refutan las informaciones aportadas por las fuentes asiáticas, lo que permite configurar una imagen más completa de estos conciertos de paz. Patrocinios Este estudio ha recibido financiación del programa de investigación e innovación Horizon 2020 de la Unión Europea en el marco del acuerdo de subvención Marie Sklodowska-Curie nº 892029 (EURO-IMJIN) y por el European Research Council (ERC) bajo el programa de investigación de la Unión Europea nº 758347 (AFTERMATH)

Treating anxiety and depression of cancer survivors: Behavioral activation versus acceptance and commitment therapy

Resumen tomado de la publicaciónTratamiento de ansiedad y depresión en supervivientes de cáncer: activación conductual versus terapia de aceptación. Antecedentes: la activación conductual (AC) y la terapia de aceptación y compromiso (ACT) se plantean como tratamientos especialmente útiles para los problemas emocionales de los supervivientes de cáncer. Se evaluó y comparó la eficacia de ambas terapias aplicadas en formato grupal. Método: se analizaron los cambios pre-post tratamiento en el estado emocional y los patrones de activación/evitación de 52 supervivientes de cáncer con ansiedad y/o depresión que se asignaron aleatoriamente a tres grupos (AC/ACT/control de lista de espera). Resultados: ambas terapias fueron superiores al no tratamiento en todas las variables evaluadas. Se encontraron diferencias significativas entre tratamientos a favor de la ACT en deterioro social y evitación/rumia. Conclusiones: la AC y la ACT, en formato grupal, son eficaces para el tratamiento de las dificultades emocionales más prevalentes en supervivientes de cáncer. Los resultados apuntan a la activación y la evitación como mecanismos responsables de los cambios.Universidad de Oviedo. Biblioteca de Psicología; Plaza Feijoo, s/n.; 33003 Oviedo; Tel. +34985104146; Fax +34985104126; [email protected]

Searching for light echoes due to circumstellar matter in SNe Ia spectra

We present an analytical model for light echoes (LEs) coming from circumstellar material (CSM) around Type Ia Supernovae (SNe Ia). Using this model we find two spectral signatures at 4100 Å and 6200 Å that are useful to identify LEs during the Lira law phase (between 35 and 80 days after maximum light) coming from nearby CSM at distances of 0.010.25 pc. We analyze a sample of 89 SNe Ia divided into two groups according to their B V decline rate during the Lira law phase, and search for LEs from CSM interaction in the group of SNe with steeper slopes by comparing their spectra with our LE model. We find that a model with LEs + pure extinction from interstellar material (ISM) fits the observed spectra better than a pure ISM extinction model that is constant in time, but we find that a decreasing extinction alone explains the observations better without the need of LEs, possibly implying dust sublimation due to the radiation from the SN.Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y GeofísicasInstituto de Astrofísica de La Plat

Activation vs. Experiential avoidance as a transdiagnostic condition of emotional distress: An empirical study

Background: From a contextual transdiagnostic approach, this study focuses on the importance of the processes of Experiential Avoidance and Activation in explaining and treating psychological problems. There exists widespread empirical evidence to suggest that the response pattern known as Experiential Avoidance, a general unwillingness to remain in contact with particular private experiences through the use of maladaptive avoidance strategies, acts as a functional dimension in various psychological problems. Activation, that is, maintaining contact with experiences/conditions of life and consequently with associated sources of reward, is a condition present in most therapeutic processes. Although a great deal of research has analyzed the relationship of the value of reward with the etiology and maintenance of psychological problems, Activation, as a transdiagnostic factor, has been studied less. The aim of this paper is to carry out an empirical study of the relationship between Activation, EA and emotional state and analyze the capacity of these two conditions to discriminate the intensity and symptomatology type in subjects with emotional distress.Methods: The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Environmental Reward Observation Scale (EROS) and Behavioral Activation for Depression Scale (BADS) were completed by 240 health center users.Results: Of the participants, 55% showed clinically relevant emotional distress. All cases of depression showed clinical anxiety. To discriminate between subjects without (n = 109) and with emotional distress (n = 131), analyses of the ROC curves and logistic regression analysis identified the BADS-Avoidance/Rumination followed by the EROS. To discriminate between subjects with anxiety but without depression (n = 61) and with anxiety and depression (n = 70), the most efficient scales were EROS followed by BADS-Social Impairment.Conclusion: It was shown that people with no emotional complaints maintained greater contact with life experiences and with environmental sources of reward than those with emotional distress. Response patterns showing Experiential Avoidance and a reduction in Activation responses were associated with clinical distress. A reduction in Activation was the condition which distinguished those people with the greatest distress and also the greatest comorbidity of symptoms of depression and anxiety. These data support the transdiagnostic nature of Activation and suggest greater attention should be paid to this concept

Los demás animales como miembros de la comunidad política : superando el antropocentrismo constitucional a través de la paz como fin del Derecho

El "giro político" del movimiento animalista ha cuestionado el antropocentrismo constitucional que excluye a los demás animales -los no humanos-. Este trabajo reflexiona acerca de la consideración de los animales no humanos en tanto miembros de nuestras comunidades estatales, revisando para ello el concepto de constitución y su rol en relación a la paz como fin último del Derecho. Desde una comprensión profunda de nuestras relaciones con las demás formas de vida, es innegable que humanos y no humanos somos habitantes del planeta, y que en muchos casos conformamos comunidad e incluso familia. Tal circunstancia es razón suficiente para que los textos constitucionales incorporen y protejan a los demás animales, dado que por su carácter de seres sintientes, sus vidas también se ven afectadas por el poder político y estatal. Esta nueva visión también impone nuevas obligaciones al Estado y un cambio en las relaciones de poder de los particulares hacia los demás animales.The "political turn" of the animal movement has questioned the constitutional anthropocentrism that excludes other animals - nonhuman animals. This paper reflects on the consideration of other animals as members of our state communities, thus reviewing the concept of constitution and its role in relation to peace as the ultimate aim of law. From a profound understanding of our relationship with other life forms, it is undeniable that humans and nonhumans are inhabitants of the planet, and that in many cases we form communities and even families together. This circumstance is reason enough for constitutional texts to incorporate and protect other animals, given that due to their nature as sentient beings, their lives are also affected by political and state power. This new perspective also imposes new obligations on the state, and a change in power relations between individuals and other animals

Meta-analisis of the etiology of odontogenic maxillary sinusitis

Objective: To identify and evaluate the frequency of the different odontogenic conditions that may lead to maxillary sinusitis. Study design: An observational and retrospective meta-analysis was carried out on 770 cases of maxillary sinusitis obtained from a literature review of 15 articles. Results: Maxillary sinusitis most commonly manifests itself as chronic maxillary sinusitis. It is more common in females and is most often diagnosed in the fifth decade of life. The teeth most predominantly affected are the molars, with the first molar tooth being the most frequently involved. The principal etiological factor is extraction