Posttraumatische Störungen bei Patienten mit Erkrankungen aus dem schizophrenen Formenkreis

Background The findings of international studies suggest high rates of interpersonal violence and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Only few studies, however, have so far been conducted in the German-speaking countries. Objectives The aim of our study was to determine the prevalence of lifetime experiences of interpersonal violence and comorbid PTSD among inpatients in a German university hospital. Method In N = 145 consecutively admitted patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (67 % male) the structured trauma interview (STI) was used to assess experiences of interpersonal violence and the structured clinical interview for DSM-IV (SCID) to assess comorbid PTSD. Results Sexual violence under the age of 16 years was reported by 17 % of the patients (women 27 %, men 12 %). Approximately one third (32 %) reported physical violence by parental figures (women 38 %, men 29 %). At least one form of early violence (sexual or physical) was reported by half of the women (48 %) and one third of the men (34 %). Negative sexual experiences later in life were reported by 17 %, physical violence by 38 % and at least one of these forms by 48 % of the patients. In total two thirds of all patients (66 %) reported experiences of violence during their lifetime. The prevalence of acute PTSD was 12 %. Another 9 % of patients had a subsyndromal PTSD. Conclusion The present study confirmed the high rates of experiences of interpersonal violence and comorbid PTSD in a German sample of patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Violence and it’s consequences should therefore be routinely assessed and the full spectrum of trauma-specific therapies should be integrated into the treatment of this group of patients

Effect of modulation-doping on luminescence properties of plasma assisted MBE-grown GaN/AIGaN quantum well

In order to improve the crystal quality of GaN-based light emitting devices, photoluminescence (PL) characterization of below-gap states in plasma assisted MBE-grown GaN/AlGaN quantum well (QW) structures has been done by utilizing a below-gap excitation (BGE) light in addition to an above-gap excitation light. The decrease of the band-edge PL intensity due to the addition of the BGE of 1.17 eV indicates the presence of an energy-matched below-gap state in the two-wavelength excited PL. In continuation to our previous efficiency improvement by applying modulation-doping to GaAs/AlGaAs QW's. we focused on several undopcd and Si-doped GaN/AlGaN QW's. Experimental results showed that Si modulation-doping reduces the density of below-gap states in the QW region, hence it is promising for increasing internal quantum efficiency of GaN-based QW's

Inline monitoring of structural quality and thermal conductivity of plastics in the hot extrusion process by means of infrared thermography

In a joint project called ”Sensoren und Auswertestrategien zur autonomen Überwachung von kontinuierlichen Kunststoffprozessen” (KontiSens), the Fraunhofer Institute for Chemical Technology (ICT), the WKI, and partners from industry work on the development of sensors and evaluation strategies for the autonomous monitoring of continuous plastics production processes. The task of the WKI is to develop a monitoring technology based on infrared imaging for the production of insulating materials by hot extrusion

Suitability of infrared thermography for monitoring the hot extrusion of insulating materials

This work presents first results of research aiming at the inline measurement of thermal conductivity of insulation materials produced by hot extrusion. Samples of insulation material were heated by laser pulses or cooled by cooling fingers. The resulting hot or cold spots were tracked, and their infrared intensities were recorded. These are a measure of the complex time dependency of the temperature in the excited areas. After an initial phase presumably characterized by the sample’s semitransparency, the intensities follow a well-understood proportionality to t-0.5 at least for some time, which allows the extraction of the thermal conductivity by fitting