Processing of spatial-frequency altered faces in schizophrenia: Effects of illness phase and duration

Low spatial frequency (SF) processing has been shown to be impaired in people with schizophrenia, but it is not clear how this varies with clinical state or illness chronicity. We compared schizophrenia patients (SCZ, n534), first episode psychosis patients (FEP, n522), and healthy controls (CON, n535) on a gender/facial discrimination task. Images were either unaltered (broadband spatial frequency, BSF), or had high or low SF information removed (LSF and HSF conditions, respectively). The task was performed at hospital admission and discharge for patients, and at corresponding time points for controls. Groups were matched on visual acuity. At admission, compared to their BSF performance, each group was significantly worse with low SF stimuli, and most impaired with high SF stimuli. The level of impairment at each SF did not depend on group. At discharge, the SCZ group performed more poorly in the LSF condition than the other groups, and showed the greatest degree of performance decline collapsed over HSF and LSF conditions, although the latter finding was not significant when controlling for visual acuity. Performance did not change significantly over time for any group. HSF processing was strongly related to visual acuity at both time points for all groups. We conclude the following: 1) SF processing abilities in schizophrenia are relatively stable across clinical state; 2) face processing abnormalities in SCZ are not secondary to problems processing specific SFs, but are due to other known difficulties constructing visual representations from degraded information; and 3) the relationship between HSF processing and visual acuity, along with known SCZ- and medication-related acuity reductions, and the elimination of a SCZ-related impairment after controlling for visual acuity in this study, all raise the possibility that some prior findings of impaired perception in SCZ may be secondary to acuity reductions

Dispositif de codage / decodage d'images : Implantation multi-processeurs

Dans cet article est décrit un exemple d'implantation d'un procédé de codage d'images sur un dispositif multiprocesseurs. La technique de codage est une méthode hybride composée de plusieurs fonctions combinées pour réduire le débit de transmission. Elle nécessite une transformée en cosinus discrète, un module d'analyse des fréquences spatiales, une quantification vectorielle et un codeur entropique à longueurs variables. Le prototype intégrant ces processus est un dispositif à intelligence répartie, basé sur une configuration multiprocesseurs exécutant simultanément des tâches spécialisées sur un flot de données image

Macrocyclic 14-membered-ring diketal dilactams: Spectroscopic studies and conformational analysis of their complexes with divalent cations

International audienceThe complexation behaviour of four new 14-membered-ring diketal dilactam macrocycles towards some divalent cation perchlorates has been investigated. Stoichiometries and binding constants were determined by 1H NMR titration experiments. The structures of the complexes were studied by IR, NMR (1H and 13C) and electrospray mass spectrometry. 13C longitudinal relaxation time data allowed identification of the donor atoms involved in the complexation and provided information on the intramolecular mobility of the complexed ligands. Molecular modelling was also used to gain further insights into the conformational changes undergone by these molecules as a result of metal ligation. It was found that i. the macrocycles formed complexes of essentially 1:1 stoichiometry in the binding order Sr2+ Ca2+ > Mg2+ > Ba2+, ii. the coordination process caused conformational changes that resulted in cleavage of the hydrogen bonds in the ligand structure and a new orientation of the NH-CO bonds and iii. the coordination of the cations involved either all six oxygen atoms of the ligands or five of them, depending on whether the OMe groups were cis or trans, and probably two oxygen atoms from the ClO4- counter-anion

Polyphenols isolated from the bark of Castanea Sativa. Mill. Chemical structures and auto-association

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Adrenergic Modulation of Potassium Currents in Isolated Human Atrial Myocytes.

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[Management of opioid maintenance treatments when analgesic treatments are required]

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Atmospheric pressure photoionization using tunable VUV synchrotron radiation

Document Type : Proceedings Paper Conference Date : JUN 21-25, 2011 Conference Location : Belgrade, SERBIA Conference Sponsor : Univ Belgrade, Inst Phys, Serbian Acad Sci & Arts (SASA), Republ Serbia, Minist Educ & Sci, Serbian Phys Soc, Serv Cooperat dact culturelle Ambassade France Serbie, Osterreichisches Kulturforum BelgradWe report here the first coupling of an atmospheric pressure photoionization (APPI) source with a synchrotron radiation beamline in the vacuum ultra-violet (VUV). A commercial APPI source of a QStar Pulsar i from Sciex was modified to receive photons from the DISCO beamline at the SOLEIL synchrotron radiation facility. Photons are delivered at atmospheric pressure in the 4-20 eV range. The advantages of this new set up, termed SR-APPI, over classical APPI are spectral purity and continuous tunability. The technique may also be used to perform tunable photoionization mass spectrometry on fragile compounds difficult to vaporize by classical methods. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

A Layered Structure in the Organic Envelopes of the Prismatic Layer of the Shell of the Pearl Oyster Pinctada margaritifera (Mollusca, Bivalvia)

The organic interprismatic layers of the mollusc Pinctada margaritifera are Studied using a variety of highly spatially-resolved techniques to establish their composition and structure. Our results show that both the interlamellar sheets of the nacre and interprismatic envelopes form layered structures. Additionally, these organic layers are neither homogeneous in composition, nor continuous in their structure. Both structures play a major role in the biomineralization process and act as a boundary between mineral units

Saponins from the stem bark of Filicium decipiens.

International audienceFour new saponins have been isolated from the stem bark of Filicium decipiens and identified as 3-O-{beta-D-glucopyranosyl(1-->2)-beta- D-glucopyranosyl}-28-O-{[alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl(1-->2)-beta- D-xylopyranosyl (1-->6)]. [4-O-angeloyloxy-alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl(1-->2)-alpha-L- rhamnopyranosyl(1-->2)]}-beta-D-glucopyranosyl gypsogenic acid, 3-O-{beta-D-glucopyranosyl(1-->2)-beta-D- glucopyranosyl}-28-O-{[alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl(1-->2)- beta-D-xylopyranosyl(1-->6)] [4-O-angeloyloxy-alpha-L- arabinopyranosyl(1-->2)-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1-->2)]}-beta-D- glucopyranosyl medicagenic acid, 3-O-{beta-D-glucopyranosyl(1-->2)-beta-D- glucopyranosyl}-28-O-{[alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl(1-->2)] [beta-D-xylopyranosyl(1-->4)]alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1-->2)-4-O-[3'- hydroxy-2'-methyl-butyroyloxy)-3-hydroxy-2-methyl-butyroyloxy++ +]-beta-D- fucopyranosyl} medicagenic acid and 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-28-O- {[alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl(1-->2)] [beta-D-xylopyranosyl(1-->4)] alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1-->2)-4- O-[(3'-hydroxy-2'-methyl-butyroyloxy)-3-hydroxy-2-methyl-butyro yloxy]-beta- D-fucopyranosyl} zanhic acid. These structures were elucidated by analysis of 2D-NMR spectra and of electrospray ionization mass spectra.Four new saponins have been isolated from the stem bark of Filicium decipiens and identified as 3-O-{beta-D-glucopyranosyl(1-->2)-beta- D-glucopyranosyl}-28-O-{[alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl(1-->2)-beta- D-xylopyranosyl (1-->6)]. [4-O-angeloyloxy-alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl(1-->2)-alpha-L- rhamnopyranosyl(1-->2)]}-beta-D-glucopyranosyl gypsogenic acid, 3-O-{beta-D-glucopyranosyl(1-->2)-beta-D- glucopyranosyl}-28-O-{[alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl(1-->2)- beta-D-xylopyranosyl(1-->6)] [4-O-angeloyloxy-alpha-L- arabinopyranosyl(1-->2)-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1-->2)]}-beta-D- glucopyranosyl medicagenic acid, 3-O-{beta-D-glucopyranosyl(1-->2)-beta-D- glucopyranosyl}-28-O-{[alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl(1-->2)] [beta-D-xylopyranosyl(1-->4)]alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1-->2)-4-O-[3'- hydroxy-2'-methyl-butyroyloxy)-3-hydroxy-2-methyl-butyroyloxy++ +]-beta-D- fucopyranosyl} medicagenic acid and 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-28-O- {[alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl(1-->2)] [beta-D-xylopyranosyl(1-->4)] alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1-->2)-4- O-[(3'-hydroxy-2'-methyl-butyroyloxy)-3-hydroxy-2-methyl-butyro yloxy]-beta- D-fucopyranosyl} zanhic acid. These structures were elucidated by analysis of 2D-NMR spectra and of electrospray ionization mass spectra