Ringschlußreaktionen von 2-Aza- und 2,4-Diazapentadienyl-Lithium-Verbindungen

N-Heterocyclen sind vor allem für die Naturstoff-, Farben-, Arzneimittel- sowie Pestizid- und Biochemie von größter Bedeutung. Einen wichtigen Zugang zu dieser Verbindungsklasse bieten neben Cycloadditionsreaktionen die Ringschlußreaktionen entsprechender Vorläuferverbindungen. So konnten durch 1,5-Elektrocyclisierung von 2-Aza- und 2,4-Diazapentadienyl-Lithium-Verbindungen verschiedene N-Heterocyclen mit Pyrrol-, Imidazol- sowie Dihydroimidazol-Grundgerüst dargestellt und charakterisiert werden. Anhand von quantenmechanischen Berechnungen konnten Erkenntnisse über den Einfluß verschiedener Substituenten auf den Reaktionsverlauf der Cyclisierung sowie auf die Acidität der offenkettigen Ausgangsverbindungen gewonnen werden

Specific Contributions of Age of Onset, Callous-Unemotional Traits and Impulsivity to Reactive and Proactive Aggression in Youths with Conduct Disorders.

Youths with conduct disorders (CD) are particularly studied for their violent and aggressive behaviors. Many researchers considered aggressive behaviors as being either reactive or proactive. Moreover, factors such as age of CD onset, impulsivity, and callous-unemotional traits, separately, have been related to these different types of aggressive behaviors. However, very few studies addressed the combined contribution of these three factors on proactive and reactive aggression. This question was tested in a sample composed of 43 male adolescents with CD. A single regression analysis including all predictors and outcomes, using Bayesian statistics, was computed. Results indicated that impulsivity was related to reactive aggression, while CU traits were related to proactive aggression. These results suggest first, an important heterogeneity among youth with CD, probably leading to different trajectories and, second, that youths with callous-unemotional traits should receive special attention and care as they are more at risk for proactive aggression

Processus psychologiques de gestion du stress et régulation neuroendocrinienne chez les adolescents délinquants en institution fermée : une étude pilote [Psychological processes of stress management and neuroendocrine regulation in incarcerated adolescent offenders: A pilot study]

Adolescence is a stressful period where important biological, psychological and social changes occur. Adolescents are particularly vulnerable during this developmental period and can use various strategies to deal with daily stress, such as substance use or externalizing behaviors. In previous studies, stress in adolescents with externalizing behaviors was often linked to ineffective cognitive coping strategies (i.e., constructive thinking) and overlooking the biological aspects involved in stress management such as neuroendocrine regulation. Indeed, repeated activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in chronic stress situations may have long-term effects on subsequent cortisol regulation and lead to psychological difficulties. It was also shown that basal cortisol levels are lower in adolescents with externalizing behaviors. This study aims to assess the links between constructive thinking and neuroendocrine regulation in adolescent offenders and their association with externalizing symptoms (e.g., aggression, delinquency, psychopathic traits, substance use). Identifying particular biopsychological patterns can help to better understand stress management in youth with externalizing behaviors and to improve clinical treatments. Sixteen adolescent males aged from 12 to 18 years were recruited in an institution for juvenile offenders. Exclusion criteria were insufficient reasoning abilities assessed using the Raven Matrices Test. Regarding psychological dimensions, constructive thinking was assessed through the Constructive thinking inventory (CTI), psychopathic traits through the Youth psychopathic traits inventory (YPI), externalizing behaviors through 30 items (out of 113) and 2 subscales (aggressive behavior and delinquency problems) from the Child behavior checklist-youth self-report (CBCL), and substance use through the Dep-ado. Regarding biological dimensions, cortisol daily secretion and regulation were assessed through saliva samples that were collected during 3 consecutive days (4 samples per day: directly after awakening, at 10 a.m., at 4 a.m., and before going to bed). Adolescent offenders presented maladaptative thinking styles and a particular neuroendocrine regulation in their daily management with stress. In particular, their level of cortisol in the morning was higher than those expected in a general population (20.34 nmol/L while the norm is around 10 nmol/L). They also showed more agressive and delinquent behaviors (CBCL) as well as more psychopathic traits (YPI) than the general population. Moreover, constructive thinking style was associated with personality and behavioral dimensions. Indeed, results indicated positive and significant correlations between categorical thinking style (CTI), psychopathic traits (YPI) (r=0.57, P=0.021) and externalizing behaviors (CBCL) (r=0.55, P=0.028). In other words, the more adolescent offenders used categorical thinking, the more they presented psychopathic traits and externalizing behaviors. With respect to the association between psychological and biological dimensions in stress management, we observed a significant and positive correlation between cortisol regulation and esoteric thinking (r=0.57, P=0.028) and a trend with superstitious thinking (r=0.47, P=0.075). The more adolescent offenders used esoteric and superstitious thinking, the poorer was their cortisol regulation. We also observed a trend between the life style scale of the YPI (i.e., impulsive, irresponsible) and the daily secretion of cortisol (r=0.51; P=0.052) as well as cortisol regulation (r=0.49, P=0.065). The more adolescent offenders presented psychopathic traits, the higher tended to be their daily secretion of cortisol and the poorer their cortisol regulation. Finally, cortisol regulation (r=0.54, P=0.038) and secretion (r=0.73, P=0.002) were significantly correlated with the DEP-Ado score. In other words, a poor cortisol regulation and a high secretion of cortisol seem to be associated with substance use. Adolescent offenders face an important amount of daily stress and do not always have the appropriate skills to deal with it. Indeed, we know from clinical experience that they often report a sense of hopelessness toward their lack of professional perspectives as well as familial conflicts which can be important stressors in addition to the incarceration in itself. Therefore, treatment aiming to improve psychic elaboration can help these adolescents to make their thinking styles more flexible and use more appropriate ways of coping with stress instead of externalizing behaviors and substance use. Moreover, considering the complex cases of these adolescents and the many changes of caregivers and institutions where they have lived, which can be important stressors as well, professionals working with these youth should be aware of their emotional reactions toward them and try to encourage continuity of care

Leichte Platten aus Beton als bionische Struktur

Im vorliegenden Beitrag werden drei bionische Strukturen vorgestellt, die für den Einsatz in Stahlbetonplatten mit biaxialen Lastabtrag entwickelt wurden: Bewehrungsführung nach dem Funktionsprinzip des Spinnennetzes, bionische Querschnittsgestaltung an der Plattenunterseite sowie eine Optimierung der Form und Anordnung von Hohlkörpern. Durch diese innovativen Tragstrukturen wird der Kraftfluss beeinflusst und es stellt sich ein verbessertes Tragverhalten ein. Zur Formfindung und Entwicklung der Strukturen wurden evolutionäre Optimierungsprozesse kombiniert mit (nichtlinearen) Finite-Elemente-Berechnungen eingesetzt. Zum Abschluss der Forschungsphase werden die entwickelten Plattensysteme experimentell untersucht

Ishtar: a flexible and lightweight software for remote data access

In this paper, we present Ishtar, a lightweight and versatile collection of software for remote data access and monitoring. The monitoring architecture is crucial during the development and experimentation of autonomous systems like Micro Air Vehicles. Ishtar comprises a flexible communication layer that allows enumeration, inspection and modification of data in the remote system. The protocol is designed to be robust to the data loss and corruption that typically arises with small autonomous system, while remaining efficient in its bandwidth use. In addition to the communication layer, Ishtar offers a flexible graphical software that allows to monitor the remote system, graph and log its data and display them using a completely customisable cockpit. Emphasis is put on the flexibility to allow Ishtar to be used with arbitrary platforms and experimental paradigms. The software is designed to be cross-platform (compatible with Windows, Mac OS and Linux) and cross-architecture (it is compatible with both microcontroller- and embedded-PC-based remote systems). Finally, Ishtar is open source and can therefore be extended and customised freely by the user community

Leichte Platten aus Beton mit biaxialem Lastabtrag als bionische Strukturen

Das Ziel des Forschungsvorhabens ist die Entwicklung von leichten, ressourcenschonenden und tragfähigen Stahlbetonplatten als bionische Struktur, die durch Adaption natürlicher Formen und Prinzipien einen naturähnlichen Kraftfluss aufweisen. Es wurden drei voneinander unabhängige bionische Stahlbetonplattenstrukturen entwickelt und hinsichtlich des Tragverhaltens untersucht. Das Forschungsprojekt gliedert sich in die drei Arbeitsphasen: 1. Untersuchung und Optimierung einer spinnennetzartigen Bewehrungsanordnung, 2. Entwicklung einer bionischen Querschnittsgestaltung an der Plattenunterseite, 3. Optimierung des Kraftflusses durch die Form und die Anordnung von Hohlkörpern im Platteninneren. Die naturinspirierte Gestaltung der Plattenunterseite führt neben der veränderten Tragstruktur zu einer innovativen Formgebung, die die überwiegend kantigen und „langweiligen“ Betonstrukturen ersetzen kann. [Aus: Forschungsanlass

Examination of the importance of age of onset, callous-unemotional traits and anger dysregulation in youths with antisocial behaviors.

Age of onset, callous-unemotional (CU) traits and anger dysregulation have separately been proposed as relevant factors in explaining the heterogeneity of antisocial behaviour (ASB). Taking a dimensional perspective, this study examined the specific contributions and the mutual influences (i.e., interactions) of these three characteristics on specific dimensions of ASB (i.e., criminal behaviours and externalizing symptoms). Assessments were conducted on 536 youths from institutions with the youth psychopathic traits inventory (CU traits), the Massachusetts youth screening instrument-second version (anger dysregulation), the criminology questionnaire (criminal behaviours) and the child behavior checklist (externalizing symptoms), rated by both the youths and their carers. Using Bayes as estimators, the results revealed that the number and frequency of crimes (and, more specifically, damage to property, property offenses and media crimes) were explained by a specific contribution of each factor (age of onset, CU traits and anger dysregulation). Additionally, the interactions between age of onset and CU traits or anger dysregulation were relevant predictors of some types of crimes (i.e., damage to property, property offences and media crimes). Furthermore, when rated by youths, externalizing symptoms were explained by CU traits and anger dysregulation. However, when rated by the carer, anger dysregulation was more important in explaining externalizing symptoms. This study highlights the importance of considering these factors altogether and the value of using a dimensional perspective when examining the structure of ASB in youths. Consequently, future classifications should take into account the mutual account of these characteristics, which were previously studied separately

Faces presenting sadness enhance self-control abilities in gifted adolescents.

Self-regulation skills refer to processes allowing emotional and cognitive adaptation of the individual. Some gifted adolescents are known for their imbalance between high intellectual abilities and low emotional skills. Thus, this study aimed at examining the interplay between emotion and cognition in gifted and non-gifted adolescents. A stop-signal task, a response inhibition task including neutral, happy, or sad faces as signal triggering inhibition, was administered to 19 gifted and 20 typically developing male adolescents (12-18 years old). Gifted adolescents showed lower response inhibition abilities than non-gifted adolescents in the neutral and happy face conditions. Sad faces in gifted adolescents were associated with higher response inhibition compared to happy condition. In typically developing adolescents, emotional information (happy or sad faces) was related to lower response inhibition compared to neutral face condition. This study highlights that gifted adolescents present different self-regulation skills than their typically developing peers. Statement of contribution What is already known on this subject? Some gifted adolescents present higher intellectual abilities alongside with lower socio-emotional skills. Self-regulation skills refer to processes allowing emotional and cognitive adaptation. Self-regulation skills might help to understand gifted adolescents, but remain scarcely studied. What does this study adds? Task-relevant emotional information impaired cognitive control in typically developing adolescents. Gifted adolescents are able to use sad faces to enhance their cognitive control abilities