19th c. Coloured stuccos and plasters from Grilos' Church (Oporto, Portugal): Materials and techniques employed

The Oporto's St. Lourenço Church of the Jesuit College is locally known, since the St. Augustin Barefooted Eremites occupation (1779/80), as Grilos' Church. The Oporto's siege laid by D. Pedro and D. Miguel (1832/33) succeed in the college abandonment by Grilo's Friars. Throughout Augustin Friars presence period, the white plasters of the nave (end of 18th c.) were executed and it was constructed the Holly Sacrament Chapel (early 19th c.) with neoclassic coloured stuccos and plasters, influenced by Robert Adam, Luigi Chiari and Teixeira Barreto ornamental motifs. Pigments were added to the external layer to imitate the marble and to achieve the “base” colour of the panels. This study of the blue, rose and white stuccos and plasters of H.S. Chapel of Grilo's Church allows carrying out useful database on the original mortars composition by the use of different analytical techniques, important to select the most adequate solutions for restoration interventions. Optical microscopy, XRD, TG-DTA, SEM-EDS, XRF analysis results were considered to identify the composition of different layers and to provide mineralogical, microstructure and chemical characterization of the mortars components and to quantify the binder content in those mortars. These results were compared with collected information on compositions from other sources. This study allowed the identification of the decay causes of decorative stuccos and plaster, suggesting that water retention in the masonries and wooden laths structure of the dome of the chapel is the main factor.

The Associations Between the Maladaptive Personality Dimensions of Neediness and Self-Criticism, Defense Styles, Selfobject Needs, and Attachment Styles in an Iranian Sample

The present study extends previous findings by examining whether defense styles, selfobject needs, attachment styles relate to Neediness and Self-Criticism, as maladaptive personality dimensions focused, respectively, on relatedness and self-definition in an Iranian sample. Three hundred and fifty two participants completed a socio-demographic questionnaire as well as the Persian forms of the Depressive Experiences Questionnaire, Experience of Close Relationships-Revised, Defense Style Questionnaire, Beck Depression Inventory–II and Selfobject Needs Inventory. Two Multiple Linear Regression Analyses, entering Self-criticism and Neediness as criterion variables, were computed. According to the results high Attachment anxiety, high Immature defenses, high depressive symptoms, and high need for idealization were related to self-criticism, and explained 47% of its variance. In addition, high attachment anxiety, low mature defenses, high neurotic defenses, high avoidance of mirroring, and low avoidance of idealization/twinship were related to neediness, and explained 40% of its variance. A Principal Component Analysis was performed, entering all the studied variables. Three factors emerged; one describing a maladaptive form of psychological functioning and two describing more mature modes of psychological functioning. The results are discussed in their implications for the understanding of neediness and self-criticism as maladaptive personality dimensions focused, respectively, on relatedness and self-definition.