Gentic risk for schizophrenia, birthweight, and cerebral ventricular enlargement.

Recent work by Silverton, Finello, Mednick, and F. Schulsinger (1985) indicates a relation between low birthweight and cerebral ventricular enlargement, as assessed in adulthood, in a group of subjects at risk for schizophrenia. In the present study, we examined the role of low birthweight in ventricular enlargement and tested the hypothesis that low birth weight interacts with a genetic predisposition for schizophrenia in its association with enlarged ventricles. This study reports on 34 subjects of the Danish high-risk-for-schizophrenia prospective study. Birthweight, paternal schizophrenia spectrum disorder (PSSD), and an interaction term for these two variables were analyzed in a regression with ventricle-to-brain ratio (VBR) as the dependent variable. As in Silverton et al. (1985), birthweight significantly contributed to the variance in VBR. Although PSSD did not significantly contribute to the variance in VBR, there was a significant interaction effect of birthweight and PSSD on VBR. Results were discussed in terms of a diathesis-stress model of schizophrenia. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Dynamic Photoswitching of Electron Energy Levels at Hybrid ZnO/Organic Photochromic Molecule Junctions

The functionality of interfaces in hybrid inorganic/organic (opto)electronic devices is determined by the alignment of the respective frontier energy levels at both sides of the heterojunctions. Controlling the interface electronic landscape is a key element for achieving favourable level alignment for energy and charge transfer processes. Here, it is shown that the electronic properties of polar ZnO surfaces can be reversibly modified using organic photochromic switches. By employing a range of surface characterization techniques combined with density functional theory calculations, it is demonstrated that self‐assembled monolayers (SAMs) of photochromic phosphonic acid diarylethenes (PA‐DAEs) can be employed to reversibly change the electronic properties of polar ZnO/SAM structures by light stimuli. The highest occupied molecular orbital level of PA‐DAE is raised by 0.7 eV and the lowest unoccupied one lowered by 0.9 eV, respectively, upon illumination by ultraviolet light and the levels shift back to their original position upon illumination by green light. The results thus provide a pathway to tailor hybrid interface electronic properties in a dynamic manner upon simple light illumination, which can be exploited to reversibly tune the electrical properties of photoswitchable (opto)electronic devices.     

High-Velocity Suspension Flame Spraying (HVSFS), a new approach for spraying nanoparticles with hypersonic speed

The fabrication of nanostructured coatings by means of thermal spray techniques is a challenging approach with new applications in mind. However, it requires the processing of very fine-grained powders with a grain size in the nanoscale. As nano- and submicrometer powders cannot be processed using mechanical powder feeders, new concepts have to be developed. Among these, suspension spraying is one of the most promising.High-velocity suspension flame spraying (HVSFS) is a new approach to spray micron, submicron or nanoparticles with hypersonic speed with the aim to form thin and dense coating layers. For this purpose, the powder is dispersed in aqueous or organic solvent and fed axially into the combustion chamber of a modified High-Velocity Oxyfuel (HVOF) spray torch. Several suspension feeder concepts were tested to ensure a constant flow of the suspension and, thus, a stable spray process.Different oxide materials were processed in form of a suspension containing submicrometer- or nanosized powders consisting of alumina, titania and yttrium stabilized zirconia (YSZ). The paper gives an introduction to HVSFS technology and will present first experimental results.     

The Consumer Reports study of psychotherapy: Invalid is invalid.

Contends that M. E. P. Seligman's (see record 1996-13324-001) reanalysis of the Consumer Reports survey does not warrant any new conclusions about the effectiveness of psychotherapy. Several methodological flaws are also noted. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Molecularly Engineered Near‐Infrared Light‐Emitting Electrochemical Cells

The development of near‐infrared (NIR) luminescent materials has emerged as a promising research field with important applications in solid‐state lighting (SSL), night‐vision‐readable displays, and the telecommunication industry. Over the past two decades, remarkable advances in the development of light‐emitting electrochemical cells (LECs) have stunned the SSL community, which has in turn driven the quest for new classes of stable, more efficient NIR emissive molecules. In this review, an overview of the state of the art in the field of near‐infrared light‐emitting electrochemical cells (NIR‐LEC) is provided based on three families of emissive compounds developed over the past 25 years: i) transition metal complexes, ii) ionic polymers, and iii) host–guest materials. In this context, ionic and conductive emitters are particularly attractive since their emission can be tuned via molecular design, which involves varying the chemical nature and substitution pattern of their ancillary ligands. Herein, the challenges and current limitations of the latter approach are highlighted, particularly with respect to developing NIR‐LECs with high external quantum efficiencies. Finally, useful guidelines for the discovery of new, efficient emitters for tailored NIR‐LEC applications are presented, together with an outlook towards the design of new NIR‐SSL materials.     

Improving collaborative learning in the classroom: Text mining based grouping and representing

Orchestrating collaborative learning in the classroom involves tasks such as forming learning groups with heterogeneous knowledge and making learners aware of the knowledge differences. However, gathering information on which the formation of appropriate groups and the creation of graphical knowledge representations can be based is very effortful for teachers. Tools supporting cognitive group awareness provide such representations to guide students during their collaboration, but mainly rely on specifically created input. Our work is guided by the questions of how the analysis and visualization of cognitive information can be supported by automatic mechanisms (especially using text mining), and what effects a corresponding tool can achieve in the classroom. We systematically compared different methods to be used in a Grouping and Representing Tool (GRT), and evaluated the tool in an experimental field study. Latent Dirichlet Allocation proved successful in transforming the topics of texts into values as a basis for representing cognitive information graphically. The Vector Space Model with Euclidian distance based clustering proved to be particularly well suited for detecting text differences as a basis for group formation. The subsequent evaluation of the GRT with 54 high school students further confirmed the GRT’s impact on learning support: students who used the tool added twice as many concepts in an essay after discussing as those in the unsupported group. These results show the potential of the GRT to support both teachers and students.     

Bewertung der GMX/Mailvelope-Ende-zu-Ende-Verschlüsselung

Ende-zu-Ende-verschlüsselte E-Mail-Kommunikation hat seit den Veröffentlichungen von Edward Snowden erneut an Bedeutung gewonnen. Obwohl die entsprechenden Möglichkeiten seit mehr als zwei Jahrzehnten gegeben sind, sind die technischen Umsetzungen für Endanwender häufig schwer zugänglich. Ein wesentlicher Grund dafür ist, wie Studien belegen, deren Nutzerschnittstelle. Mit Mailvelope versuchen die Anbieter GMX und WEB.DE derzeit, Ende-zu-Ende-verschlüsselte E-Mail-Kommunikation in ihren gewohnten Benutzerschnittstellen zu integrieren. Zur Bewertung dieses Ansatzes wurden ein Cognitive Walkthrough durchgeführt und die Sicherheit des Ansatzes bewertet.     

Barrier properties of poly(lactic acid)/cloisite 30B composites and their relation between oxygen permeability and relative humidity

Poly(lactic acid) based nanocomposite films were prepared by melt compounding and subsequent flat film extrusion. After characterizing the nanocomposites with the help of transmission electron microscopy and wide angle X‐ray diffraction to estimate the nanoclay distribution in the matrix material, the oxygen and water vapor permeability of untreated and annealed nanocomposite films were analyzed. A reduction to 34% of both permeability values could be realized by the addition of 6 wt % Cloisite 30B and subsequent annealing to realize maximum crystallinity. Experimental permeability as a function of nanoclay concentration was successfully described by the Tortuous Path Model. In addition, the correlation between oxygen permeability and relative humidity was analyzed for pure PLA and PLA based nanocomposite films. For both untreated films oxygen permeability decreased almost linearly between 0% and 96% RH to approximately 70% of the respective value for the dry sample. Annealed PLA films, on the other hand, showed a similar behavior up to 70% RH but an increase in oxygen permeation for higher moisture content. This is explained by the observed reduction in crystallinity generating more free volume, bringing the system closer to the amorphous case where permeability is generally higher. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017 , 134, 44424.