Gender differences in the relationship between attachment styles, self-esteem and online deception: A mediation model

Online Deception is growing as a topic of research due to its potential risks for mental health and behaviors. This study explored the relationships between attachment styles and intentional misrepresentation of oneself in online dating (i.e., online deception) and investigated the mediating role of self-esteem. A cross-sectional online survey was conducted with voluntary Italian participants (N = 272) to test the proposed hypotheses. It was found that anxious attachment styles positively predicted online deception. Also, self-esteem was found to be mediator between anxious attachment styles and online deception, as well as between close attachment styles and online deception. Our results demonstrate the need to develop prevention interventions that target individuals’ styles of attachment that in turn foster self-esteem which co-contribute to promote a sensible and healthy use of online dating

Prenatal parental representations: Influences on perceived romantic couple adjustment and infant's temperament during pregnancy and after the infant's birth

Objective: The present work aimed to evaluate the differences between fathers' and mothers' prenatal parental representations, the differences between pre- and postnatal perceptions of couple adjustment, and whether the quality of prenatal parental representations is associated with the perception of couple adjustment and with the perception of infant temperament at 3 months. Background: Within a multifactorial, transactional model, several studies indicated that prenatal parental representations are relevant to the quality of infant–parent relationship and the child's development. Method: Couples experiencing their first pregnancy (n = 40) (mothers: Mage = 33.7 years, SD = 5,1 years; fathers: (Mage = 37.4 years, SD = 5.6 years) responded to the Parental Representations Interview During Pregnancy and the Dyadic Adjustment Scale during the seventh month of pregnancy. When couples' infant was 3 months of age, the parents completed the Infant Behavior Questionnaire-R to assess infant temperament. Results: Analyses revealed that mothers and fathers who had an unbalanced and unintegrated parental representation perceived their couple adjustment as less cohesive, and this was related to a more negative perception of the child's temperament. Conclusions: Prenatal parental representations were found to be a significant variable in terms of their influence on the quality of pre- and postnatal parents' romantic couple adjustment and on the infant's temperament. Implications: It is important to include both mothers and fathers to further our understanding of parental influence on a child's development and to enhance the efficacy of preventive programs since pregnancy

Protection and Diagnostic Systems for High Intensity Beams

This paper presents a summary of the facilities for beam interlocks and diagnostics to protect the CERN SPS machine. An overview of the existing systems is given, which are based on beam loss and beam current monitors and large beam position excursion in the horizontal plane. The later system mainly protects the system against a failure of the transverse damping system. The design for a new large excursion interlock for both transverse planes is also presented in some detail. For this system a digital approach is being taken to allow post-mortem analysis of the behaviour of the beam prior to the activation of the interlock

Revisão de modelos matemáticos da dinâmica do banco de sementes de plantas daninhas em agrossistemas.

O crescimento das plantas obedece a certos princípios fisiológicos, que podem ser descritos em termos quantitativos, até certo ponto, por equações matemáticas. No ambiente agrícola, a dinâmica do banco de sementes está fortemente relacionada ao estabelecimento de espécies daninhas e pode ser descrita por um sistema de equações que relaciona a densidade de plântulas com a densidade de sementes produzidas em áreas de cultivo. O objetivo deste artigo foi descrever, através de modelos matemáticos citados na literatura, as características do comportamento dinâmico do banco de sementes de populações de plantas daninhas em sistemas agrícolas

First-Time Mothers’ and Fathers’ Developmental Changes in the Perception of Their Daughters’ and Sons’ Temperament: Its Association With Parents’ Mental Health

Objective: Most studies investigating the role of parenting behaviors on a child’s development are directed to mothers. However, recent analyses show that mothers and fathers have a different influence on a child’s functioning, specifically her/his temperament. The present study explored the developmental change of parents’ perception of their daughters’ and sons’ temperament and its association with parental mental health problems. Methods: The sample included 188 parents (94 couples) and their at-term 94 babies (55.3% boys, 44.7% girls). Assessments by self-reports were conducted at 3 (Time 1) and 12 (Time 2) months after the children’s birth; at Time 1, mothers and fathers independently answered: the State–Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), and the Infant Behavior Questionnaire (IBQ-R). At Time 2, EPDS, STAI, and IBQ-R were again administered to mothers and fathers. Results: In general, mothers and fathers would give similar descriptions of their child’s temperament throughout the first year of life; however, infant temperament showed developmental changes as well as gender differences. Mother and father anxiety and depression symptoms are associated with the infants’ negative affectivity. Also, mothers with high anxiety and depression levels perceive their infants with a minor tendency to approach novelty, to seek environmental stimulation, and to express/experience positive emotions. Conclusion: The results highlight the need to screen for infants’ temperament vulnerabilities in the context of maternal and paternal depression in order to protect the child from behavioral, cognitive, and emotional difficulties and to create specific programs aimed at preventing dysfunctional parent–infant relationships

Nitrogen removal in fixed-bed submerged biofilters without backwashing

The paper reports the findings of four years of pilot-scale research on nitrogen removal in fixed-bed biofilters fed on real raw municipal wastewater. The plant was made of two fixed-bed biofilm reactors in series with an intermediate settling tank from which excess biomass from the first stage was discharged. The first filter was used for carbon removal either with oxygen or nitrates. The second filter was used for nitrification. The average nitrification rate at 20°C was 0.84 gNH 4 + -N m −2 d −1 with 5 mg l −1 dissolved oxygen in the bulk liquid. Temperature dependence was calculated (r n = r n,20° 1,05 T-20 ). The influent organic load strongly affected ammonia oxidation. If the organic loading exceeded 2.5 gCOD m −2 d −1 nitrification rate was reduced by 50%. Denitrification was performed by recycling nitrates back from the second filter and by using sewage itself as carbon source. Denitrification rate showed to be strongly dependent on temperature (r d = r d,20° 1.11 T-20 ) and on the recycle rate. Hydrolysis of the colloidal COD fraction showed a similar dependence on both temperature and recycle rate. Therefore, it has been concluded that the hydrolysis of finely dispersed COD particles can be the limiting step of denitrification in the biofilter when real sewage is used as carbon source