Modelling developments in consciousness within a multidimensional framework.

A recent advancement in consciousness science has been the introduction of a multidimensional framework of consciousness. This framework has been applied to global states of consciousness, including psychedelic states and disorders of consciousness, and the consciousness of non-human animals. The multidimensional framework enables a finer parsing of both various states of consciousness and forms of animal consciousness, paving the way for new scientific investigations into consciousness. In this paper, the multidimensional model is expanded by constructing temporal profiles. This expansion allows for the modelling of changes in consciousness across the life cycles of organisms and the progression over time of disorders of consciousness. The result of this expansion is 2-fold: (i) it enables new modes of comparison, both across stages of development and across species; (ii) it proposes that more attention be given to the various types of fluctuations that occur in patients who are suffering from disorders of consciousness.

CCL5 Levels Predict Stroke Volume Growth in Acute Ischemic Stroke and Significantly Diminish in Hemorrhagic Stroke Patients.

Stroke remains an important health challenge. Here, we study whether circulating chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 5 (CCL5) levels may predict clinical outcomes for stroke patients. A total of 100 consecutive stroke patients (36 acute ischemic and 64 hemorrhagic) were admitted to the stroke unit. Clinical history data and monitoring parameters were recorded. Blood serum was collected at days 0, 1, and hospital discharge to measure CCL5 levels by ELISA. Infarct or hemorrhagic volume, neurological severity (NIHSS), and functional prognosis (mRankin scale) were measured as clinical outcomes. CCL5 levels were lower in patients with hemorrhagic stroke than in patients with acute ischemic stroke. No differences were found between females and males in both types of stroke. Ischemic stroke patients whose infarct volume grew had lower CCL5 levels at day 0. Levels of CCL5 in ischemic and hemorrhagic patients were not associated with more severe symptoms/worse prognosis (NIHSS > 3; mRankin > 2) at admission or at 3 months. CCL5 could be used as a diagnostic marker to distinguish between ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes. Furthermore, CCL5 levels could predict the infarct volume outcomes in ischemic patients.

Spatial-temporal distribution, cancer risk, and disease burden attributed to the dietary dioxins exposure of Chinese residents.

This study analyzed the characteristics of dioxins represented by polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) as well as dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (dl-PCBs) in food from China. The spatial-temporal distribution characteristics of dioxins dietary intake, cancer risk, and disease burden were evaluated among the Chinese population. In the temporal dimension, descending trends in animal-origin-food were found both in dietary intake PCDD/Fs and dl-PCBs, with the reverse for plant-origin-food. The probability assessments of dietary intakes showed that after 2007, the exposure level of PCDD/Fs through diets of urban and rural residents in China was significantly lower than that before 2007 (p < 0.05). The spatial distribution results showed that the southern coastal regions were high exposure regions of dietary intakes of PCDD/Fs and dl-PCBs. Cancer risk and disease burden of dietary dioxins showed downward trends after 2007 both under an average exposure scenario and an extreme exposure scenario. After 2007, the disease burden resulting from exposure to dl-PCBs became higher and approached the median of values reported by the WHO, while the disease burden resulting from exposure to PCDD/Fs approached the lower level of 95% CI reported by the WHO. The results indicate that accompanying the National Implementation Plan and a series of subsequent scientific guidance documents launched for reducing dioxins pollution in 2007, the health benefits and the health risks caused by dl-PCBs should be given further attention and evaluation in future studies.

Dynamics of Maize Vegetative Growth and Drought Adaptability Using Image-Based Phenotyping Under Controlled Conditions.

Changes in climate are likely to have a negative impact on water availability and soil fertility in many maize-growing agricultural areas. The development of high-throughput phenotyping platforms provides a new prospect for dissecting the dynamic complex plant traits such as abiotic stress tolerance into simple components. The growth phenotypes of 20 maize (Zea mays L.) inbred lines were monitored in a non-invasive way under control, nitrogen, and water limitation as well as under combined nitrogen and water stress using an automated phenotyping system in greenhouse conditions. Thirteen biomass-related and morphophysiological traits were extracted from RGB images acquired at 33 time points covering developmental stages from leaf count 5 at the first imaging date to leaf count 10-13 at the final harvest. For these traits, genetic differences were identified and dynamic developmental trends during different maize growth stages were analyzed. The difference between control and water stress was detectable 3-10 days after the beginning of stress depending on the genotype, while the effect of limited nitrogen supply only induced subtle phenotypic effects. Phenotypic traits showed different response dynamics as well as multiple and changing interaction patterns with stress progression. The estimated biovolume, leaf area index, and color ratios were found to be stress-responsive at different stages of drought stress progression and thereby represent valuable reference indicators in the selection of drought-adaptive genotypes. Furthermore, genotypes could be grouped according to two typical growth dynamic patterns in water stress treatments by c-means clustering analysis. Inbred lines with high drought adaptability across time and development were identified and could serve as a basis for designing novel genotypes with desired, stage-specific growth phenotypes under water stress through pyramiding. Drought recovery potential may play an equal role as drought tolerance in plant drought adaptation.

Balanced time perspective as a facilitator of immigrants' psychological adaptation: A study among Ukrainian immigrants in Poland.

The perception of time plays a fundamental role in the organisation of basic psychological processes, and as such may also influence migrants' psychological wellbeing. This paper investigates the relationship between the perception of time and immigrants' psychological adaptation (i.e., affective aspects of migration) based on a sample of 238 Ukrainians residing in Poland. To assess time perception, we drew primarily from time perspective theory, which defines time perspective as a measure of the degree to which individuals non-consciously construe the past, the present, and the future. Psychological adaptation was assessed, focusing on participants' basic psychological needs satisfaction, their satisfaction with life, and their psychological condition. We observed a relatively strong negative relationship between negative past and fatalistic present time perspectives and psychological adaptation. Additionally, we found that a more balanced and less negative temporal profile was related to significantly better psychological adaptation of immigrants. We discuss these results in light of the cultural validity of time perspective theory, the destructive impact of negative time perspective on migrants' psychological wellbeing, and the potential applications of time perspective-based therapy in integration interventions for immigrants.

Present and future temporal profiles and their relationship to health intentions and behaviors: A test on a Norwegian general population sample.

We investigated the temporal profiles of a Norwegian general population sample and their relation to health behaviors and intentions. The profiles were based on variables from the present and future dimensions of the Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory (ZTPI), the Consideration of Future Consequences Scale (CFCS), and the combination of both scales. The analysis revealed that there were only two stable clusters that corresponded to the present and the future profiles. Generally, CFCS-based present and future profiles were more effective at predicting health behaviors and intentions than ZTPI-based profiles. Profiles based on the CFCS variables were more predictive of eating behaviors. However, the profiles based on the combination of both CFCS and ZTPI were more predictive of smoking, exercising, and health intentions than the profiles based solely on the CFCS. The variation in walking was explained only by the profiles based on a combination of CFCS and ZTPI.

Temporal variation of normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and calculation of the crop coefficient (Kc ) from NDVI in areas cultivated with irrigated soybean / Variação temporal do Índice de Vegetação por Diferença Normalizada (NDVI) e obtenção do coeficiente de cultura (Kc ) a partir do NDVI em áreas cultivadas com soja irrigada

ABSTRACT: Vegetation indices obtained by remote sensing products have various applications in agriculture. An important application of the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) is obtaining the crop coefficient (Kc). The aims of this study were to analyze NDVI temporal profiles and to obtain Kc from the NDVI vegetation index product MOD13Q1. The analysis is based on the phenological stages of irrigated soybean crops in the municipality of Planura/MG during the 2010/2011 growing season. Areas planted with irrigated soybean were identified through fieldwork. Temporal series of the MOD13Q1 products were used to analyze NDVI, allowing the extraction of NDVI values for all points in the period studied. The NDVI temporal profiles showed a similar pattern to each other and corresponded to the crop cycle. The KcNDVI values for the MOD13Q1 products were well correlated to the FAO Kc values (r2=0.72). Thus, NDVI can be used as an alternative for obtaining crop coefficient (Kc).

RESUMO: Os índices de vegetação obtidos a partir de produtos de sensoriamento remoto apresentam várias aplicações na agricultura. Uma importante aplicação do índice de vegetação Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) está relacionada à obtenção do coeficiente de cultura (Kc). Assim, o objetivo deste trabalho foi analisar os perfis temporais de NDVI e obter o Kc a partir do produto de índice de vegetação NDVI (MOD13Q1), baseado na análise dos estádios fenológicos da cultura de soja irrigada, no município de Planura/MG, safra 2010/2011. A identificação das áreas plantadas com soja irrigada foi feita através de pesquisa de campo. As séries temporais do produto MOD13Q1 foram utilizadas para analisar o NDVI, permitindo a extração dos valores de NDVI para todos os pontos no período estudado. Os perfis temporais de NDVI apresentaram um padrão semelhante entre si e quanto ao ciclo da cultura. Os valores de KcNDVI variaram, em média, de acordo com os valores de Kc FAO, representando uma correlação linear (r2) de 0,72 para o produto MOD13Q1. Assim, o NDVI pode ser usado como uma alternativa na obtenção do Kc.

The relationship between temporal profiles and alcohol-related problems in University undergraduates: Results from the United Kingdom.

Time perspective is an individual difference variable which assesses the extent to which orientation to the past, present and future affects current behaviors. The present study investigated the viability of temporal profiles and the degree (if any) to which these predict meaningful differences in alcohol-related problems. Participants were undergraduates recruited from a University in the North West of England. Full survey data were available for 455 individuals (aged 18-25; 49.7% male) on (a) time perspective, and (b) alcohol-related problems. Four profiles emerged and were labeled Future-Positive, Present, Past Negative-Future, and Ambivalent. As hypothesized, the Future-Positive profile was associated with the best alcohol-related outcomes. The Present profile was associated with the worst outcomes. This study demonstrates that temporal profiles are associated with alcohol-related problems.

Concurrent validity of Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory profiles: A secondary analysis of data from the United Kingdom.

This paper examined the association between membership in profiles based on a shortened form of the Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory (ZTPI-S; McKay, Andretta, McGee, & Worrell, 2014) and other temporal and psychosocial variables. Participants consisted of 1620 adolescents attending high school in Northern Ireland. ZTPI-S scores had correlations with other temporal and psychosocial variables that were similar to those reported for ZTPI scores in previous studies. Four ZTPI-S profiles were identified-Balanced, Past Negative, Present Hedonistic, and Future-and results indicated that these profiles had theoretically meaningful relationships with self-esteem, self-efficacy, aggression, parental attachment, consideration of future consequences, and future temporal focus. Unlike studies of college students where the Balanced profile was related to more adaptive functioning, the Future profile was related to more adaptive functioning. Future studies are needed to establish the generalizability of these profiles and to determine if there are developmental differences in which profiles are more adaptive.

What do temporal profiles tell us about adolescent alcohol use? Results from a large sample in the United Kingdom.

The psychological construct broadly known as time perspective is potentially useful in understanding a range of adolescent behaviours, including alcohol use. However, the utility of the construct has been hindered by measurement and conceptual problems. To date the vast majority of studies have assessed the relationship between time perspective and other measures in a variable-focussed (correlational) rather than a person-centred way. The present series of studies used a person-centred approach to assess the relationship between temporal profiles and alcohol use in a large sample (n = 1620) of adolescents from High Schools in Northern Ireland. Although a 'Balanced' time perspective has been suggested as optimal, the present study suggests that having a 'Future' temporal profile is associated with less problematic use of alcohol, while having a 'Past Negative' or 'Hedonist' profile is associated with more problematic consumption. Results are discussed in the context of the time perspective and alcohol use literatures.