In Search of Exoplanets

Using data archives containing radial-velocity and light intensity information for stars, the DePaul Astrophysics Working Group created MATLAB programs to read and analyze the data in hopes of detecting extrasolar planets. The codes were able to successfully create graphs and obtain orbital periods for potential planets which matched published results. Additional tests were then researched to be used in the future as to confirm new planets

Levels of Structural Integration Mediate the Impact of Metacognition on Functioning in Non-affective Psychosis: Adding a Psychodynamic Perspective to the Metacognitive Approach

Synthetic metacognition is defined by integrative and contextualizing processes of discrete reflexive moments. These processes are supposed to be needed to meet intrapsychic as well as interpersonal challenges and to meaningfully include psychotic experience in a personal life narrative. A substantial body of evidence has linked this phenomenon to psychosocial functioning and treatment options were developed. The concept of synthetic metacognition, measured with the Metacognition Assessment Scale-Abbreviated (MAS-A), rises hope to bridge gaps between therapeutic orientations and shares valuable parallels to modern psychodynamic constructs, especially the 'levels of structural integration' of the Operationalized Psychodynamic Diagnosis (OPD-2). As theoretical distinctions remain, aim of this study was to compare the predictive value of both constructs with regard to psychosocial functioning of patients with non-affective psychoses, measured with the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (MINI-ICF-APP). It was further explored if levels of structural integration (OPD-LSIA) would mediate the impact of metacognition (MAS-A) on function (MINI-ICF-APP). Expert ratings of synthetic metacognition (MAS-A), the OPD-2 'levels of structural integration' axis (OPD-LSIA), psychosocial functioning (MINI-ICF-APP) and assessments of general cognition and symptoms were applied to 100 individuals with non-affective psychoses. Whereas both, MAS-A and OPD-LSIA, significantly predicted MINI-ICF-APP beyond cognition and symptoms, OPD-LSIA explained a higher share of variance and mediated the impact of MAS-A on MINI-ICF-APP. Levels of structural integration, including the quality of internalized object representations and unconscious interpersonal schemas, might therefore be considered as valuable predictors of social functioning and as one therapeutic focus in patients with non-affective psychoses. Structural integration might go beyond and form the base of a person's actual reflexive and metacognitive capabilities. Psychotherapeutic procedures specific for psychoses may promote and challenge a patient's metacognitive capacities, but should equally take the need for maturing structural skills into account. Modern psychodynamic approaches to psychosis are shortly presented, providing concepts and techniques for the implicit regulation of interpersonal experience and aiming at structural integration in this patient group

Measuring Emotional Awareness in Patients With Schizophrenia and Schizoaffective Disorders

The ability to mentalize (i.e., to form representations of mental states and processes of oneself and others) is often impaired in people with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Emotional awareness (EA) represents one aspect of affective mentalizing and can be assessed with the Levels of Emotional Awareness Scale (LEAS), but findings regarding individuals with schizophrenia spectrum disorders are inconsistent. The present study aimed at examining the usability and convergent validity of the LEAS in a sample of N = 130 stabilized outpatients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorders. An adequacy rating was added to the conventional LEAS rating to account for distortions of content due to, for example, delusional thinking. Scores of the patient group were compared with those of a matched healthy control sample. Correlation with symptom clusters, a self-report measure of EA, a measure of synthetic metacognition (MAS-A-G), and an expert rating capturing EA from the psychodynamic perspective of psychic structure (OPD-LSIA) were examined. Regarding self-related emotional awareness, patients did not score lower than controls neither in terms of conventional LEAS nor in terms of adequacy. Regarding other-related emotional awareness, however, patients showed a reduced level of adequacy compared to controls whereas no such difference was found for conventional LEAS scores. Higher conventional LEAS scores were associated with fewer negative symptoms, and higher structural integration of self-perceptions measured by the OPD-LSIA. Higher adequacy of responses correlated with fewer symptoms of disorganization as well as excitement, higher scores of self-reflection on the MAS-A-G as well as self- and object-perception and internal and external communication as measured by the subscales of the OPD-LSIA. Findings suggest that the LEAS might not be sensitive enough to detect differences between mildly symptomatic patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorders and healthy controls. However, LEAS ratings are still suitable to track intraindividual changes in EA over time. Observing the adequacy of patients' responses when using the LEAS may be a promising way to increase diagnostical utility and to identify patterns of formal and content-related alterations of mentalizing in this patient group. Methodological indications for future studies are discussed

Level of structural integration in people with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorders - applicability and associations with clinical parameters

IntroductionThe psychic structure of people with psychosis has been the subject of theoretical and qualitative considerations. However, it has not been sufficiently studied quantitatively. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore the structural abilities of people diagnosed with schizophrenia and schizoaffective psychosis using the Levels of Structural Integration Axis of the Operationalized Psychodynamic Diagnosis System (OPD-2-LSIA). The study aimed to determine possible associations between the OPD-2-LSIA and central parameters of illness. Additionally, possible structural differences between people diagnosed with schizophrenia and schizoaffective psychosis were tested.MethodsThis cross-sectional study included 129 outpatients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorders. Measures of structural integration, symptom load, severity of illness, cognition, and social functioning were obtained. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the overall structural level and the structural dimensions. Correlation coefficients were computed to measure the associations between OPD-2-LSIA and variables regarding the severity of illness and psychosocial functioning. Regression models were used to measure the influence of illness-related variables on OPD-2-LSIA, and the influence of OPD-2-LSIA on psychosocial functioning. Participants diagnosed with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorders were examined with regard to possible group differences.ResultsThe results of the OPD-2-LSIA showed that the overall structural level was between ‘moderate to low’ and ‘low level of structural integration’. Significant correlations were found between OPD-2-LSIA and psychotic symptoms (but not depressive symptoms), as well as between OPD-2-LSIA and psychosocial functioning. It was found that variables related to severity of illness had a significant impact on OPD-2-LSIA, with psychotic, but not depressive symptoms being significant predictors. OPD-2-LSIA was found to predict psychosocial functioning beyond symptoms and cognition. No significant differences were found between participants with schizophrenia and schizoaffective psychosis. There was also no correlation found between OPD-2-LSIA and depressive symptomatology (except for the subdimension Internal communication).DiscussionContrary to theoretical assumptions, the results of the study show a heterogenous picture of the psychic structure of people with psychosis. The associations between OPD-2-LSIA and severity of illness, particularly psychotic symptomatology, as well as the influence of OPD-2-LSIA on psychosocial functioning, are discussed

Towards a standardized protocol to assess natural capital and ecosystem services in solar parks

1. Natural capital and ecosystem services have emerged as fundamental concepts of ecosystem management strategies in the past two decades, particularly within major international land assessment frameworks, including the UN's Millennium Ecosystem Assessment and the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services' Global Assessment Report. 2. Despite the recent development of several analytical methods and models to quantify changes in natural capital and ecosystem services resulting from land use change, incorporating them into the land planning process can be challenging from a practical point of view without guidance on standard methods. 3. In an attempt to decarbonize energy supply systems to meet internationally agreed targets on climate change, solar energy production, in the form of ground-mounted solar parks, is emerging as one of the dominant forms of temporary land use for renewable energies globally. 4. We propose 19 directly measurable indicators associated with 16 ecosystem services within three major stocks of natural capital (biodiversity, soil and water) that are most likely to be impacted by the development of solar parks. Indicators are supported by well-established methods that have been widely used in pure and applied land use research within terrestrial ecosystems. Moreover, they can be implemented flexibly according to interest or land management objectives. 5. Whilst not intended as a precise recipe for how to assess the effects of solar park development on hosting ecosystems, the protocol will guide the solar energy industry and all actors involved, be they researchers, practitioners, ecological consultancies or statutory bodies, to implement a standardized approach to evaluate temporal and spatial changes in natural capital and ecosystem services resulting from solar park development and operation, with the ultimate aim of generating comparable and reproducible data on ecosystem impact assessment across the solar energy sector

Method to determine the degrees of consistency in experimental datasets of perceptual color differences

This paper was published in Journal of the Optical Society of America A and is made available as an electronic reprint with the permission of OSA. The paper can be found at the following URL on the OSA website:https://www.osapublishing.org/josaa/abstract.cfm?uri=josaa-33-12-2289. Systematic or multiple reproduction or distribution to multiple locations via electronic or other means is prohibited and is subject to penalties under law"We propose a fuzzy method to analyze datasets of perceptual color differences with two main objectives: to detect inconsistencies between couples of color pairs and to assign a degree of consistency to each color pair in a dataset. This method can be thought as the outcome of a previous one developed for a similar purpose [J. Mod. Opt. 56, 1447 (2009)], whose performance is compared with the proposed one. In this work, we present the results achieved using the dataset employed to develop the current CIE/ISO color-difference formula, CIEDE2000, but the method could be applied to any dataset. Specifically, in the mentioned dataset, we find that some couples of color pairs have contradictory information, which can interfere in the successful development of future color-difference formulas as well as in checking the performance of current ones. (C) 2016 Optical Society of AmericaMinisterio de Economia y Competitividad (MINECO) del Gobierno de Espana (FIS2013-40661-P, FIS2013-45952-P, MTM2015-64373-P); European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).Morillas, S.; Gómez-Robledo, L.; Huertas, R.; Melgosa, M. (2016). Method to determine the degrees of consistency in experimental datasets of perceptual color differences. Journal of the Optical Society of America A. 33(12):2289-2296. doi:10.1364/JOSAA.33.002289S22892296331

Release of sICAM-1 in Oocytes and In Vitro Fertilized Human Embryos

Background: During the last years, several studies have reported the significant relationship between the production of soluble HLA-G molecules (sHLA-G) by 48–72 hours early embryos and an increased implantation rate in IVF protocols. As consequence, the detection of HLA-G modulation was suggested as a marker to identify the best embryos to be transferred. On the opposite, no suitable markers are available for the oocyte selection. Methodology/Principal Findings: The major finding of the present paper is that the release of ICAM-1 might be predictive of oocyte maturation. The results obtained are confirmed using three independent methodologies, such as ELISA, Bio-Plex assay and Western blotting. The sICAM-1 release is very high in immature oocytes, decrease in mature oocytes and become even lower in in vitro fertilized embryos. No significant differences were observed in the levels of sICAM-1 release between immature oocytes with different morphological characteristics. On the contrary, when the mature oocytes were subdivided accordingly to morphological criteria, the mean sICAM-I levels in grade 1 oocytes were significantly decreased when compared to grade 2 and 3 oocytes. Conclusions/Significance: The reduction of the number of fertilized oocytes and transferred embryos represents the main target of assisted reproductive medicine. We propose sICAM-1 as a biochemical marker for oocyte maturation and grading

Between a rock and a hard place: Associations between Mentzos' “dilemma”, self‐reported interpersonal problems, and psychosocial functioning in individuals with non‐affective psychoses

Primary aim of this study was to determine the extent and type of self-reported interpersonal problems in patients with non-affective psychoses and their impact on psychosocial functioning. Furthermore, we aimed to explore potential links with the psychodynamic construct of Stavros Mentzos' "psychotic dilemma", which describes an insufferable inner tension caused by an individual's struggle of being torn between "self-oriented" and "object-oriented" tendencies. In a cross-sectional study among 129 patients with non-affective psychoses, measures of cognition, symptom load and social functioning as well as a tentative, psychodynamic assessment of Mentzos' "dilemma" were obtained during a clinical research visit. Self-report data on interpersonal problems were gathered using the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems (IIP-64D) and compared with a German representative standard sample. Second, IIP-64D scores were compared between groups with or without Mentzos' "dilemma". Hierarchical regression analyses were performed to test for the impact of interpersonal problems on psychosocial functioning, while controlling for cognitive deficits and psychopathology. Results showed that IIP-64D scores differed significantly from healthy controls, except for "self-centred" and "intrusive" interpersonal styles. Participants with a potential "psychotic dilemma" scored significantly higher on the subscales: "domineering", "self-centred", "cold", and "socially avoidant" than the group without a "psychotic dilemma". The total amount of interpersonal problems, and particularly high scores on the IIP-64D "socially avoidant" subscale, predicted psychosocial dysfunction, whereas a "cold" interpersonal style had an opposite effect. In conclusion, specific interpersonal problems may predict psychotherapeutic outcome measures like psychosocial functioning and are partly compatible with the psychodynamic construct of Stavros Mentzos' "psychotic dilemma"

Pervasive gaps in Amazonian ecological research

Biodiversity loss is one of the main challenges of our time,1,2 and attempts to address it require a clear un derstanding of how ecological communities respond to environmental change across time and space.3,4 While the increasing availability of global databases on ecological communities has advanced our knowledge of biodiversity sensitivity to environmental changes,5–7 vast areas of the tropics remain understudied.8–11 In the American tropics, Amazonia stands out as the world’s most diverse rainforest and the primary source of Neotropical biodiversity,12 but it remains among the least known forests in America and is often underrepre sented in biodiversity databases.13–15 To worsen this situation, human-induced modifications16,17 may elim inate pieces of the Amazon’s biodiversity puzzle before we can use them to understand how ecological com munities are responding. To increase generalization and applicability of biodiversity knowledge,18,19 it is thus crucial to reduce biases in ecological research, particularly in regions projected to face the most pronounced environmental changes. We integrate ecological community metadata of 7,694 sampling sites for multiple or ganism groups in a machine learning model framework to map the research probability across the Brazilian Amazonia, while identifying the region’s vulnerability to environmental change. 15%–18% of the most ne glected areas in ecological research are expected to experience severe climate or land use changes by 2050. This means that unless we take immediate action, we will not be able to establish their current status, much less monitor how it is changing and what is being lostinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio