University of Zurich

About: University of Zurich is a education organization based out in Zurich, Switzerland. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Medicine. The organization has 50842 authors who have published 124042 publications receiving 5304521 citations. The organization is also known as: UZH & Uni Zurich.

Multicultural assessment of child and adolescent psychopathology with ASEBA and SDQ instruments : research findings, applications, and future directions

Abstract: Around the world, cultural blending and conflict pose challenges for assessment and understanding of psychopathology. Economical, evidence-based, culturally robust assessment is needed for research, for answering public health questions, and for evaluating immigrant, refugee, and minority children. This article applies multicultural perspectives to behavioral, emotional, and social problems assessed on dimensions describing children's functioning, as rated by parents, teachers, children, and others. The development of Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment (ASEBA) and Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) forms and their applications to multicultural research are presented. A primary aim of both questionnaires is to identify children at high risk of psychiatric disorders and who therefore warrant further assessment. The forms are self-administered or administered by lay interviewers. ASEBA problem items are scored on 6 DSM-oriented scales and 3 broader band scales, plus 8 syndromes derived statistically as taxonomic constructs and supported by uniform confirmatory factor analyses of samples from many populations. Comparisons of ASEBA scale scores, psychometrics, and correlates are available for diverse populations. SDQ forms are scored on one broad-band scale and 5 a priori behavioral dimensions supported by data from various populations. For both instruments, factor analyses, psychometrics, and correlates are available for diverse populations. The willingness and ability of hundreds of thousands of respondents from diverse groups to complete ASEBA and SDQ forms support this approach to multicultural assessment. Although particular items and scales may have differential relevance among groups and additional assessment procedures are needed, comparable results are found in many populations. Scale scores vary more within than between populations, and distributions of scores overlap greatly among different populations. Ratings of children's problems thus indicate more heterogeneity within populations than distinctiveness between populations. Norms from multiple populations can be used to compare children's scores with relevant peer groups. Multicultural dimensional research can advance knowledge by diversifying normative data; by comparing immigrant children with nonimmigrant compatriots and with host country children; by identifying outlier findings for elucidation by emic research; and by fostering efforts to dimensionalize DSM-V diagnostic criteria.

Glacier and lake-level variations in west-central Europe over the last 3500 years

Abstract: On the basis of glacier and lake-level records, this paper attempts, for the first time, a comparison between high-resolution palaeohydrological and palaeoglaciological data in west-central Europe over the past 3500 years. A data set of tree-ring width, radiocarbon and archaeological data, in addition to historical sources, were used to reconstruct fluctuations of the Great Aletsch, the Gorner and the Lower Grindelwald glaciers in the Swiss Alps. The three ice-streams experienced nearly synchronous advances at c. 1000-600 BC and AD 500-600, 800-900, 1100-1200 and 1300-1860. These glacier fluctuations show strong correspondence with lake-level variations reconstructed in eastern France (Jura mountains and Pre-Alps) and on the Swiss Plateau. This supports the hypothesis of climatically driven fluctuations. Historical data available for the period since AD 1550 reveal, in detail, various meteorological conditions behind the successive glacier advances. However, in agreement with the general trend shown by th...

Visualization and quantification of electrochemical and mechanical degradation in Li ion batteries.

Abstract: High–energy-density materials that undergo conversion and/or alloying reactions hold promise for next-generation lithium (Li) ion batteries. However, these materials experience substantial volume change during electrochemical operation, which causes mechanical fracture of the material and structural disintegration of the electrode, leading to capacity loss. In this work, we use x-ray tomography during battery operation to visualize and quantify the origins and evolution of electrochemical and mechanical degradation. Tomography provides the time-resolved, three-dimensional chemical composition and morphology within individual particles and throughout the electrode. In the model material tin(II) oxide, we witness distributions in onset and rate of core-shell lithiation, crack initiation and growth along preexisting defects, and irreversible distortion of the electrode, highlighting tomography as a tool to guide the development of durable materials and strain-tolerant electrodes.

EULAR recommendations for the management of large vessel vasculitis

Abstract: Objectives: To develop European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) recommendations for the management of large vessel vasculitis. Methods: An expert group (10 rheumatologists, 3 nephrologists, 2 immunolgists, 2 internists representing 8 European countries and the USA, a clinical epidemiologist and a representative from a drug regulatory agency) identified 10 topics for a systematic literature search through a modified Delphi technique. In accordance with standardised EULAR operating procedures, recommendations were derived for the management of large vessel vasculitis. In the absence of evidence, recommendations were formulated on the basis of a consensus opinion. Results: Seven recommendations were made relating to the assessment, investigation and treatment of patients with large vessel vasculitis. The strength of recommendations was restricted by the low level of evidence and EULAR standardised operating procedures. Conclusions: On the basis of evidence and expert consensus, management recommendations for large vessel vasculitis have been formulated and are commended for use in everyday clinical practice.