Novel Evidence hat Attributing Affectively Salient Signal to Random Noise Is Associated with Psychosis

We wished to replicate evidence that an experimental paradigm of speech illusions is associated with psychotic experiences. Fifty-four patients with a first episode of psychosis (FEP) and 150 healthy subjects were examined in an experimental paradigm assessing the presence of speech illusion in neutral white noise. Socio-demographic, cognitive function and family history data were collected. The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) was administered in the patient group and the Structured Interview for Schizotypy-Revised (SIS-R), and the Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences (CAPE) in the control group. Patients had a much higher rate of speech illusions (33.3% versus 8.7%, ORadjusted: 5.1, 95% CI: 2.3-11.5), which was only partly explained by differences in IQ (ORadjusted: 3.4, 95% CI: 1.4-8.3). Differences were particularly marked for signals in random noise that were perceived as affectively salient (ORadjusted: 9.7, 95% CI: 1.8-53.9). Speech illusion tended to be associated with positive symptoms in patients (ORadjusted: 3.3, 95% CI: 0.9-11.6), particularly affectively salient illusions (ORadjusted: 8.3, 95% CI: 0.7-100.3). In controls, speech illusions were not associated with positive schizotypy (ORadjusted: 1.1, 95% CI: 0.3-3.4) or self-reported psychotic experiences (ORadjusted: 1.4, 95% CI: 0.4-4.6). Experimental paradigms indexing the tendency to detect affectively salient signals in noise may be used to identify liability to psychosis.

A novel hollow-core holey fibre with random hole distributions in the cladding

We provide a novel hollow-core holey fibre that owns a random distribution of air holes in the cladding. Our experiments demonstrate that many of the features previously attributed to photonic crystal fibres with perfect arrangement of air holes, in particular, photonic bandgap guidance, can also be obtained in the fibre. Additionally, this fibre exhibits a second guided mode with both the two-lobe patterns, and each pattern is in different colour.

Effects of oxygen partial pressure on packing density and laser damage threshold of TiO2 thin films

TiO2 films are deposited by electron beam evaporation as a function of oxygen partial pressure. The packing density, refractive index, and extinction coefficient all decrease with the increase of pressure, which also induces the change of the film's microstructure, such as the increase of voids and H2O concentration in the film. The laser-induced damage threshold (LIDT) of the film increases monotonically with the rise of pressure in this experiment. The porous structure and low nonstoichiometric defects absorption contribute to the film's high LIDT. The films prepared at the lowest and the highest pressure show nonstoichiometric and surface-defects-induced damage features, respectively.(C) 2007 American Institute of Physics.

One-dimensional potential for image-potential states on graphene

In the framework of dielectric theory, the static non-local self-energy of an electron near an ultra-thin polarizable layer has been calculated and applied to study binding energies of image-potential states near free-standing graphene. The corresponding series of eigenvalues and eigenfunctions have been obtained by numerically solving the one-dimensional Schrodinger equation. The imagepotential state wave functions accumulate most of their probability outside the slab. We find that the random phase approximation (RPA) for the nonlocal dielectric function yields a superior description for the potential inside the slab, but a simple Fermi-Thomas theory can be used to get a reasonable quasi-analytical approximation to the full RPA result that can be computed very economically. Binding energies of the image-potential states follow a pattern close to the Rydberg series for a perfect metal with the addition of intermediate states due to the added symmetry of the potential. The formalism only requires a minimal set of free parameters: the slab width and the electronic density. The theoretical calculations are compared with experimental results for the work function and image-potential states obtained by two-photon photoemission.

A coarse fish close season on canals. Paper in evidence to the review of fisheries policy and legislation. Paper number: EA-12

This paper gives the results of the Environment Agency's research into the canal close season to the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Review Group. It presents the findings of the research, explains why the research was undertaken and how it relates to the Agency's duties. The background for this report includes that angling representative bodies have long argued that the existing situation in which somecanals have a close season and others do not, is unsatisfactory.

Otimização do ciclo de liofilização de uma vacina viral

A liofilização - ou secagem a frio (freeze drying em inglês) - é um complexo processo multiestágios, onde o produto é primeiramente congelado e sua secagem feita através de sublimação. Devido a esta forma de secagem a liofilização se torna um processo atrativo particularmente importante para a estabilização de componentes orgânicos hidratados e lábeis, de origem biológica. O processo de liofilização é amplamente empregado na indústria farmacêutica, porém em termos de gestão de processo, deve-se evitar a liofilização a todo custo, pois o processo possui diversas desvantagens como: equipamentos de alto investimento, alta demanda energética, processo que demanda tempos longos e produtos com facilidade de hidratar e frágeis, necessitando ser cuidadosamente embalados e armazenados. Este trabalho tem como objetivo a diminuição do ciclo de liofilização de uma vacina viral e analisar a possibilidade de carregamento desse produto no liofilizador a temperaturas negativas, de forma a possibilitar o aumento de produtividade. Para tal, foram realizados três experimentos com ciclos de liofilização com 17 e 20h a menos que o ciclo de liofilização da vacina comercial. Os experimentos foram realizados com a mesma formulação do lote comercial e utilizando um liofilizador piloto. As modificações foram realizadas nas propriedades físicas do ciclo de liofilização atual (temperatura, pressão e tempo) e na temperatura de carga do produto, sem alteração na formulação da vacina ou embalagem primária. Amostras do produto liofilizado experimental foram analisadas quanto ao seu aspecto, desempenho, umidade residual, potência e termoestabilidade acelerada segundo os Mínimos Requerimentos da Organização Mundial da Saúde. Todos os resultados analisados estiveram dentro das especificações e próximos ou melhores quando comparados aos lotes comerciais de origem