The general factor of personality : history of an interdisciplinary venture

The General Factor of Personality (GFP) is a new psychological approach of the study of the human personality that is based on the idea that, as in the case of General Intelligence, there is a personality super-factor that agglutinates and represents all the other aspects of personality. Therefore, it can be considered as a system of personality subsystems, or a global and integrated system of all the different components from the personality

Learning to be a psychostimulants addict with self-regulation therapy

This article presents the results of a single-case experiment of alternative treatments in which a participant applied the Self-Regulation Therapy (SRT) to reproduce the effects of a stimulant drug, methylphenidate, and a sedative, alcohol. The SRT is a learning procedure based on classic conditioning and suggestion that reproduces the effect of drugs by remembering the effects they have. The participant reproduced the effects of both drugs during ten sessions held on 5 consecutive days. To record effects, adjective scales were used that measured Drug effect, High, Rush, Energy, Tension and the General Factor of Personality (GFP). The results indicated that the participant was capable of independently reproducing the effects of both the above-cited drugs, and that most of these effects were graphically represented as an inverted U-shape. This inverted U can be interpreted as a process in which effects of drugs become progressively more marked (sensitization) to become progressively less marked (tolerance). In this way, the inverted U represents the equivalent to a complete process of becoming addicted to a drug. The participant ?learnt to be an addict? without using drugs. The theoretical implications and therapeutic potential of this procedure are discussed

A genetic algorithm to calibrate dynamical systems : Confidence intervals for parameters and residuals

This paper presents a genetic algorithm to calibrate dynamical systems that is able to calculate confidence intervals for the parameters of the system. As an application case is used to calibrate the system that reproduces the dynamical response of the General Factor of Personality (GFP) to a given stimulus, particularly to a stimulant drug dose. The model is called in Literature as the response model and includes an integro-differential equation. The presented application case is a single case ABC experimental design where the stimulus is methylphenidate

Advances in the general factor of personality dynamics

This paper presents a dynamical integro-differential equation to reproduce the dynamical response of the General Factor of Personality (GFP) to a stimulus dose, particularly to a stimulant drug dose. The model is called in the past authors publications as response model. We refer to it as the old response model, due to a new response model presented here that solves partially the problem of the model validation: how to forecast the GFP dynamical response from a previous model calibration. The application case presented is an individual ABC experimental design where the stimulus used is methylphenidate.     

Influence of the secondary motions on pollutant mixing in a meandering open channel flow

[EN] This paper presents large eddy simulation of turbulent flow in a meandering open channel with smooth wall and rectangular cross-section. The Reynolds number based on the channel height is 40,000 and the aspect ratio of the cross-section is 4.48. The depthaveraged mean stream-wise velocity agree well to experimental measurements. In this specific case, two interacting cells are formed that swap from one bend to the other. Transport and mixing of a pollutant is analysed using three different positions of release, e.g. on the inner bank, on the outer bank and on the centre of the cross section. The obtained depth-average mean concentration profiles are reasonably consistent with available experimental data. The role of the secondary motions in the mixing processes is the main focus of the discussion. It is found that the mixing when the scalar is released on the centre of the cross-section is stronger and faster than the mixing of the scalar released on the sides. When the position of release is close to a bank side, the mixing is weaker and a clear concentration of scalar close to the corresponding side-wall can be observed in both cases.MGV acknowledges the financial support of the Spanish Ministry of Education through the program Jose Castillejo.Moncho Esteve, IJ.; Folke, F.; García-Villalba, M.; Palau-Salvador, G. (2017). Influence of the secondary motions on pollutant mixing in a meandering open channel flow. Environmental Fluid Mechanics. 17(4):695-714. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10652-017-9513-4S695714174Julien PY, Duan JG (2005) Numerical simulation of the inception of channel meandering. Earth Surf Process Landf J Br Geomorphol Res Group 30:1093–1110Boussinesq J (1868) Mémoire sur l’influence des frottements dans les mouvements reguliers des fluids. J Math Pures Appl 13:377–424Thomson J (1876) On the origin of windings of rivers in alluvial plains, with remarks on the flow of water round bends in pipes. 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In: Proceedings of 8th FMTM-CongressMockmore C (1943) Flow around bends in stable channels. Trans ASCE 3:334Blanckaert K, De Vriend HJ (2004) Secondary flow in sharp open-channel bends. J Fluid Mech 498:353–380. doi: 10.1017/S0022112003006979Balen WV, Uijttewaal WSJ, Blanckaert K (2009) Large-eddy simulation of a mildly curved open-channel flow. J Fluid Mech 630:413–442. doi: 10.1017/S0022112009007277van Balen W, Blanckaert K, Uijttewaal WSJ (2010) Analysis of the role of turbulence in curved open-channel flow at different water depths by means of experiments, LES and RANS. J Turbul 11:N12. doi: 10.1080/14685241003789404Christensen HB (1999) Secondary turbulent flow in an infinte bend. Iahr Symp. River Coast. Estuar. MorphodynamicsBlanckaert K, Graf WH (2004) Momentum transport in sharp open-channel bends. J Hydraul Eng 130:186–198. doi: 10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9429(2004)130:3(186)Stoesser T, Ruether N, Olsen NRB (2010) Calculation of primary and secondary flow and boundary shear stresses in a meandering channel. Adv Water Resour 33:158–170. doi: 10.1016/j.advwatres.2009.11.001Blanckaert K, Duarte A, Chen Q, Schleiss AJ (2012) Flow processes near smooth and rough (concave) outer banks in curved open channels. J Geophys Res Earth Surf 117:F04020. doi: 10.1029/2012JF002414Vaghefi M, Akbari M, Fiouz AR (2016) An experimental study of mean and turbulent flow in a 180 degree sharp open channel bend: secondary flow and bed shear stress. KSCE J Civ Eng 20:1582–1593. doi: 10.1007/s12205-015-1560-0Kang S, Lightbody A, Hill C, Sotiropoulos F (2011) High-resolution numerical simulation of turbulence in natural waterways. 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Ph.D., The University of IowaFischer HB (1969) The effect of bends on dispersion in streams. Water Resour Res 5:496–506. doi: 10.1029/WR005i002p00496Rozovskii IL (1957) Flow of water in bends of open channels. Kiev Acad. Sci. Ukr. SSR Isr. Program Sci. Transl. Wash. DC Available Off. Tech. Serv. US Dept Commer. 1957 Ie Jerus. 1961Taylor G (1954) The dispersion of matter in turbulent flow through a pipe. Proc R Soc Lond Math Phys Eng Sci 223:446–468. doi: 10.1098/rspa.1954.0130Elder JW (1959) The dispersion of marked fluid in turbulent shear flow. J Fluid Mech 5:544–560. doi: 10.1017/S0022112059000374Boxall JB, Guymer I (2003) Analysis and prediction of transverse mixing coefficients in natural channels. J Hydraul Eng 129:129–139. doi: 10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9429(2003)129:2(129)Demuren AO, Rodi W (1984) Calculation of turbulence-driven secondary motion in non-circular ducts. 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Simple inlet devices and their influence on thermal stratification in a hot water storage tank

[EN] Thermal energy storage is a technology used mostly in buildings and industries in order to preserve thermal energy so that the stored energy can be used at a later time. Thermal stratification during the charge process in a cylindrical water tank was investigated using tools of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). Simulations were validated by means of experimental measurements of time-dependent temperature profiles. The results showed that the model was able to adequately capture the experimental temperature evolution in the tank for all the validation cases. Once validated the model, simple modifications of the usual inlet devices and inflow rate by CFD techniques were accomplished with the intention of improving the tank performance. It was found that the modifications of the simulated inlet devices affected the stratification level. This could lead to improve designs and optimize system efficiency. The analyses confirmed numerically the results obtained experimentally, and it was evidenced that a sintered bronze conical diffuser can improve stratification compared to a conventional bronze elbow inlet. Therefore, CFD techniques proved to be quite a valuable complement of experimental studies. The use of low inflow, smooth out inlet velocity and operate inflow upwards near the top of the tank enhanced stratification. (C) 2017 Published by Elsevier B.V.This research was supported by the Plan Nacional de I+D+i del Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacion (ENE2009-13376). The authors would like to thank L.H. Sanchis for his valuable and constructive suggestions during the planning and development of this research.Moncho Esteve, IJ.; Gasque Albalate, M.; González Altozano, P.; Palau-Salvador, G. (2017). Simple inlet devices and their influence on thermal stratification in a hot water storage tank. Energy and Buildings. 150:625-638. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2017.06.012S62563815

A numerical study of the complex flow structure in a compound meandering channel

In this study, we report large eddy simulations of turbulent flow in a periodic compound meandering channel for three different depth conditions: one in-bank and two overbank conditions. The flow configuration corresponds to the experiments of Shiono and Muto (1998). The predicted mean streamwise velocities, mean secondary motions, velocity fluctuations, turbulent kinetic energy as well as mean flood flow angle to meandering channel are in good agreement with the experimental measurements. We have analyzed the flow structure as a function of the inundation level, with particular emphasis on the development of the secondary motions due to the interaction between the main channel and the floodplain flow. Bed shear stresses have been also estimated in the simulations. Floodplain flow has a significant impact on the flow structure leading to significantly different bed shear stress patterns within the main meandering channel. The implications of these results for natural compound meandering channels are also discussed

A numerical study of the complex flow structure in a compound meandering channel

[EN] In this study, we report large eddy simulations of turbulent flow in a periodic compound meandering channel for three different depth conditions: one in-bank and two overbank conditions. The flow configuration corresponds to the experiments of Shiono and Muto (1998). The predicted mean streamwise velocities, mean secondary motions, velocity fluctuations, turbulent kinetic energy as well as mean flood flow angle to meandering channel are in good agreement with the experimental measurements. We have analyzed the flow structure as a function of the inundation level, with particular emphasis on the development of the secondary motions due to the interaction between the main channel and the floodplain flow. Bed shear stresses have been also estimated in the simulations. Floodplain flow has a significant impact on the flow structure leading to significantly different bed shear stress patterns within the main meandering channel. The implications of these results for natural compound meandering channels are also discussed.Moncho Esteve, IJ.; García-Villalba, M.; MUTO Y.; SHIONO K.; Palau-Salvador, G. (2018). A numerical study of the complex flow structure in a compound meandering channel. Advances in Water Resources. 116:95-116. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.advwatres.2018.03.013S9511611

Chanching the externalizing and internalizing spectrum of personality with self-regultaion therapy

[EN] This article presents an integrator model of changes in the externalizing and internalizing factors of personality grouped in the General Factor of Personality (GFP), based on the Unique Trait Personality Theory (UTPT) [1]. This theory proposes that a continuum exists between personality and psychopathology, as well as the existence of a GFP that occupies the apex of the hierarchy of personality, and extends from an impulsiveness-and-aggressiveness pole (externalizing spectrum) to an anxiety-and-introversion pole (internalizing spectrum). With an experimental intra-group design, 30 regular users of stimulant drugs (cocaine and amphetamine) used the Self-Regulation Therapy (SRT). The SRT is a psychological procedure based on classic conditioning and suggestion used to experience a relaxation effect after the first session, and a stimulation effect during the second session. This stimulation is achieved by reproducing, by the SRT, the sensations produced by stimulant drugs. Effects were recorded on format-state scales of personality adjectives and activation, which represented both externalizing and internalizing factors. The results showed that both relaxation and stimulation, by imitating the effects of drugs, brought about short-term changes in both the GFP, and the externalizing and internalizing factors, and also in the predicted direction, i.e., changes in global personality.Amigó Borrás, S.; Micó, JC.; Caselles Moncho, A. (2018). Chanching the externalizing and internalizing spectrum of personality with self-regultaion therapy. Revista Internacional de Sistemas. 22:22-28. http://hdl.handle.net/10251/123856S22282