Designing a neuroclinical assessment of empathy deficits in psychopathy based on the Zipper Model of Empathy.

The heterogeneity of the literature on empathy highlights its multidimensional and dynamic nature and affects unclear descriptions of empathy in the context of psychopathology. The Zipper Model of Empathy integrates current theories of empathy and proposes that empathy maturity is dependent on whether contextual and personal factors push affective and cognitive processes together or apart. This concept paper therefore proposes a comprehensive battery of physiological and behavioral measures to empirically assess empathy processing according to this model with an application for psychopathic personality. We propose using the following measures to assess each component of this model: (1) facial electromyography; (2) the Emotion Recognition Task; (3) the Empathy Accuracy task and physiological measures (e.g., heart rate); (4) a selection of Theory of Mind tasks and an adapted Dot Perspective Task, and; (5) an adjusted Charity Task. Ultimately, we hope this paper serves as a starting point for discussion and debate on defining and assessing empathy processing, to encourage research to falsify and update this model to improve our understanding of empathy.

[Identification of spatio-temporal variation in the seaside water quality along Macau Peninsula].

Cluster analysis (CA) and discriminant analysis (DA) were coupled to identify the spatial and temporal variation of the seaside water quality for 14 parameters and 22 different sites along Macau Peninsula, so as to identify the temporal and spatial variation for further optimizing the monitoring network and controlling the seaside water quality along Macau Peninsula. The results show that 12 months could be grouped into two periods, June-September and the remaining months, and the entire area was divided into two clusters, one located at western sides of Macau Peninsula, and another one is in southeast and southern sides of the Macau peninsula. Through backward stepwise DA, pH, Cl-, TSS, color and TP, Cl-, color, NH4+, DO, COD were identified as the discriminant variables of spatial and temporal variation, with 84.82% and 76.57% correct assignments, respectively. This study illustrates the application of multivariate statistical techniques is beneficial for understanding the temporal and spatial variation of seaside water quality and further effective water quality management.

Characterization of surface runoff from a subtropics urban catchment.

Characteristics of surface runoff from a 0.14-km2 urban catchment with separated sewer in Macau was investigated. Water quality measurements of surface runoff were carried out on five rainfall events during the period of August to November, 2005. Water quality parameters such as pH, turbidity, TSS, COD, TN, Zn, Pb, and Cu were analyzed. The results show that TN and COD are the major pollutants from surface runoff with mean concentration of 8.5 and 201.4 mg/L, both over 4-fold higher compared to the Class V surface water quality standard developed by China SEPA. Event mean concentration (EMC) for major pollutants showed considerable variations between rainfall events. The largest rainfall event with the longest length of antecedent dry weather period (ADWP) produced the highest EMC of TN, TSS and COD. From the pollutographs analysis, the peak concentration of TN precedes the peak runoff flow rate for all three rainfall events. The tendency of the concentration of TSS, turbidity and COD changing with runoff flow varies between rainfall events. The relationship between TSS and other parameters were analyzed to evaluate the efficiency of the physical treatment process to control the surface runoff in the urban catchment. Based on the correlation of parameters with TSS, high treatment efficiency of TSS, TN and COD was expected. The most significant event in term of first flush is the one with the strongest rainfall intensity and longest length of ADWP. TN always showed first flush phenomenon in all three rainfall events, which suggested that the surface runoff in the early stage of surface runoff should be dealt with for controlling TN losses during rainfall events.

[Characterization of urban surface runoff in two urban catchments in Macau].

Characteristics of pollutants from urban surface runoff were investigated. Two catchments with a seperated system in Macau were selected for sampling on rainfall events during the period of August to November, 2005. Water quality parameters such as pH, turbidity, TSS, COD, TOC, TN, TP, Zn, Pb, and Cu were analyzed. The results show that the commercial-residential urban catchment shows high level of COD, TN, TP, and the park urban catchment has high TN and TP concentration. From the pollutograph analysis, the peak of TSS, TN, TP concentration appears in the first and the third sample respectively in ELH and YLF catchments, and then the pollutants concentration tend to decrease. Regression analysis between TSS and TN & TP in two urban catchments resulted in a high value (R2 > 0.95) of the coefficient of determination R2 indicating a close relationship between soil losses and nitrogen & phosphorus discharged from surface runoff. The profile of TSS and COD discharged from surface runoff relates greatly to the surface flow change, whereas the surface flow change has little influence on the profile of TN and TP. The heavy metals such as Zn, Pb and Cu fluctuate with the continuous input of vehicles during rainfall events. Pollutants such as TSS, TN, COD discharged from surface runoff depend greatly on the dry periods and storms intensity in such two urban catchments.