University of Coimbra

About: University of Coimbra is a education organization based out in Coimbra, Portugal. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Mitochondrion. The organization has 14318 authors who have published 43067 publications receiving 994733 citations. The organization is also known as: UC & Universidade dos Estudos Gerais.

Fears of compassion: development of three self-report measures.

Abstract: Objectives. There is increasing evidence that helping people develop compassion for themselves and others has powerful impacts on negative affect and promotes positive affect. However, clinical observations suggest that some individuals, particularly those high in self-criticism, can find self-compassion and receiving compassion difficult and can be fearful of it. This study therefore developed measures of fear of: compassion for others, compassion from others, and compassion for self. We also explored the relationship of these fears with established compassion for self and compassion for others measures, self-criticism, attachment styles, and depression, anxiety, and stress. Method. Students (N= 222) and therapists (N= 53) completed measures of fears of compassion, self-compassion, compassion for others, self-criticism, adult attachment, and psychopathology. Results. Fear of compassion for self was linked to fear of compassion from others, and both were associated with self-coldness, self-criticism, insecure attachment, and depression, anxiety, and stress. In a multiple regression, self-criticism was the only significant predictor of depression. Conclusion. This study suggests the importance of exploring how and why some people may actively resist engaging in compassionate experiences or behaviours and be fearful of affiliative emotions in general. This has important implications for therapeutic interventions and the therapeutic relationship because affiliative emotions are major regulators of threat-based emotions.

A multi-species synthesis of physiological mechanisms in drought-induced tree mortality

Abstract: Widespread tree mortality associated with drought has been observed on all forested continents and global change is expected to exacerbate vegetation vulnerability. Forest mortality has implications for future biosphere-atmosphere interactions of carbon, water and energy balance, and is poorly represented in dynamic vegetation models. Reducing uncertainty requires improved mortality projections founded on robust physiological processes. However, the proposed mechanisms of drought-induced mortality, including hydraulic failure and carbon starvation, are unresolved. A growing number of empirical studies have investigated these mechanisms, but data have not been consistently analysed across species and biomes using a standardized physiological framework. Here, we show that xylem hydraulic failure was ubiquitous across multiple tree taxa at drought-induced mortality. All species assessed had 60% or higher loss of xylem hydraulic conductivity, consistent with proposed theoretical and modelled survival thresholds. We found diverse responses in non-structural carbohydrate reserves at mortality, indicating that evidence supporting carbon starvation was not universal. Reduced non-structural carbohydrates were more common for gymnosperms than angiosperms, associated with xylem hydraulic vulnerability, and may have a role in reducing hydraulic function. Our finding that hydraulic failure at drought-induced mortality was persistent across species indicates that substantial improvement in vegetation modelling can be achieved using thresholds in hydraulic function.

Lenalidomide and dexamethasone in transplant-ineligible patients with myeloma

Abstract: Background The combination melphalan–prednisone–thalidomide (MPT) is considered a standard therapy for patients with myeloma who are ineligible for stem-cell transplantation. However, emerging data on the use of lenalidomide and low-dose dexamethasone warrant a prospective comparison of the two approaches. Methods We randomly assigned 1623 patients to lenalidomide and dexamethasone in 28-day cycles until disease progression (535 patients), to the same combination for 72 weeks (18 cycles; 541 patients), or to MPT for 72 weeks (547 patients). The primary end point was progression-free survival with continuous lenalidomide–dexamethasone versus MPT. Results The median progression-free survival was 25.5 months with continuous lenalidomide–dexamethasone, 20.7 months with 18 cycles of lenalidomide–dexamethasone, and 21.2 months with MPT (hazard ratio for the risk of progression or death, 0.72 for continuous lenalidomide–dexamethasone vs. MPT and 0.70 for continuous lenalidomide–dexamethasone vs. 18 cycles of len...

Experimental verification of epsilon-near-zero metamaterial coupling and energy squeezing using a microwave waveguide.

Abstract: Utilizing a microwave setup, we experimentally verify our recently developed theory of energy squeezing and tunneling [Phys. Rev. Lett. 97, 157403 (2006)] through an ultranarrow waveguide channel that mimics zero-permittivity properties. Exploiting the infinite phase velocity supported by a waveguide transition section at cutoff, we test our theory of tunneling in this zero-permittivity region without use of resonant inclusions. This ``supercoupling'' is shown to have unique anomalous properties: an almost uniform phase along the narrow channel and weak dependence over its geometry.

Excited-state proton transfer reactions II. Intramolecular reactions

Abstract: Excited-state intramolecular proton transfer reactions are reviewed. Special emphasis is given to the intrinsic processes and to the mechanisms of proton transfers in relation to the nature of the intramolecular hydrogen bond ring.