Keep at bay! - Abnormal personal space regulation as marker of paranoia in schizophrenia.

BACKGROUND During threat, interpersonal distance is deliberately increased. Personal space regulation is related to amygdala function and altered in schizophrenia, but it remains unknown whether it is particularly associated with paranoid threat. METHODS We compared performance in two tests on personal space between 64 patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders and 24 matched controls. Patients were stratified in those with paranoid threat, neutral affect or paranoid experience of power. In the stop-distance paradigm, participants indicated the minimum tolerable interpersonal distance. In the fixed-distance paradigm, they indicated the level of comfort at fixed interpersonal distances. RESULTS Paranoid threat increased interpersonal distance two-fold in the stop-distance paradigm, and reduced comfort ratings in the fixed-distance paradigm. In contrast, patients experiencing paranoid power had high comfort ratings at any distance. Patients with neutral affect did not differ from controls in the stop-distance paradigm. Differences between groups remained when controlling for gender and positive symptom severity. Among schizophrenia patients, the stop-distance paradigm detected paranoid threat with 93% sensitivity and 83% specificity. CONCLUSIONS Personal space regulation is not generally altered in schizophrenia. However, state paranoid experience has distinct contributions to personal space regulation. Subjects experiencing current paranoid threat share increased safety-seeking behavior.

Die bodenpolitische Bedeutung der Haifa-Bay

Abraham Granovsky

Die Aufgaben der Privatinitiative in der Haifa-Bay

Josef Loewy

Das Tal Sebulon ("Emek Sewulun" - "Haifa-Bay")

Josef Waitz

Die Haifa-Bay Development Company vor neuen Aufgaben

Kurt Ruppin

Nighttime Catches of Fishes in a Tidal Cove in Montsweag Bay Near Wiscasset Maine

Summer nighttime abundance and localized distribution of fishes in a tidal cove were studied by beach seining for comparison with a previous daytime study. American eels were relatively abundant at night and absent during the day. Alewife, blueback herring, and Atlantic silver-side were more abundant in the cove at night. Although mummichog numbers were greatly reduced at night, they remained an important constituent of the night fauna. Lesser components of the night fauna included Atlantic herring, Atlantic tomcod, smooth flounder, winter flounder, and rainbow smelt.

Reconnaissance survey of Galveston Bay sediments for selective nonresidual trace metals

The nonresidual concentrations of five trace metals were determined for 322 sediments that were the product of a systematic sampling program of the entire Galveston Bay system. The nonresidual component of the trace metal concentration (e.g. that fraction of the metals that can be relatively easily removed from the sediments without complete destruction of the sediment particle) was considered to be more indicative of the anthropogenic metal pollution that has impacted the Galveston Bay ecosystem.^ For spatial analysis of the metal concentrations, the Galveston Bay system was divided into nine bay-areas, based on easily definable geological and geographical characteristics. Isopleth mapping analyses of these metal concentrations indicated a direct relationship with the $<$63$\mu$m fraction of the sediment (%FINE) in all of the bay areas. Covariate regression analyses indicated that position of the sediment within the Galveston Bay system (e.g. bay-area) was a better predictor of metal concentration than %FINE. Analysis of variance of the metals versus the bay-areas indicated that the five metals maintained a relatively constant order and magnitude of concentration for all the bay-areas.^ The major shipping channels of the Galveston Bay system, with their associated vessels and transported materials, are a likely source of metal pollution. However, these channels were not depositional corridors of high metal concentration. All metal concentration highs were found to be located away from the channels and associated with %FINE highs in the deeper portions of the bay-areas.^ Disturbance of the sediments, by the proposed widening and deepening of these channels, is not predicted to remobilize the trace metals. A more likely adverse effect on the health of the Galveston Bay ecosystem would come from the increase in turbidity of the water due to the dredging and in an extension of the salt water wedge farther north into the bay system. ^