A Theory of Mind investigation into the appreciation of visual jokes in schizophrenia

BACKGROUND: There is evidence that groups of people with schizophrenia have deficits in Theory of Mind (ToM) capabilities. Previous studies have found these to be linked to psychotic symptoms (or psychotic symptom severity) particularly the presence of delusions and hallucinations. METHODS: A visual joke ToM paradigm was employed where subjects were asked to describe two types of cartoon images, those of a purely Physical nature and those requiring inferences of mental states for interpretation, and to grade them for humour and difficulty. Twenty individuals with a DSM-lV diagnosis of schizophrenia and 20 healthy matched controls were studied. Severity of current psychopathology was measured using the Krawiecka standardized scale of psychotic symptoms. IQ was estimated using the Ammons and Ammons quick test. RESULTS: Individuals with schizophrenia performed significantly worse than controls in both conditions, this difference being most marked in the ToM condition. No relationship was found for poor ToM performance and psychotic positive symptomatology, specifically delusions and hallucinations. CONCLUSION: There was evidence for a compromised ToM capability in the schizophrenia group on this visual joke task. In this instance this could not be linked to particular symptomatology

Talent management: the good, the bad, and the possible

In this essay we offer a critical investigation of talent management practices (TMP), which is an increasingly influential concept in contemporary organisations. We try to show how these organisational practices could have both a negative and a positive ethical impact on those identified as ‘talent’ within organisations. A critical analysis of how talent is defined, and how this impacts on individuals’ capacities for ethical reflection, allows us to highlight the ethical ambiguity inherent in talent management. We then highlight examples of some ‘bad’ consequences of TM, and explore some ‘good’ counter-examples. To highlight what may be ‘possible’ in talent management, we propose a more constructive relationship between talent management and ethics based on two dimensions: 1) the acceptance of ambiguity and personal struggle and 2) the development of more qualitative approaches to performance that could enable a better understanding of and sensitivity towards the broader context within which organisations function

Comparison of routes for achieving parenteral access with a focus on the management of patients with Ebola virus disease.

Dehydration is an important cause of death in patients with Ebola virus disease (EVD). Parenteral fluids are often required in patients with fluid requirements in excess of their oral intake. The peripheral intravenous route is the most commonly used method of parenteral access, but inserting and maintaining an intravenous line can be challenging in the context of EVD. Therefore it is important to consider the advantages and disadvantages of different routes for achieving parenteral access (e.g. intravenous, intraosseous, subcutaneous and intraperitoneal). To compare the reliability, ease of use and speed of insertion of different parenteral access methods. We ran the search on 17 November 2014. We searched the Cochrane Injuries Group's Specialised Register, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL, The Cochrane Library), Ovid MEDLINE(R) In-Process & Other Non-Indexed Citations, Ovid MEDLINE(R) Daily, Ovid MEDLINE(R) and Ovid OLDMEDLINE(R), Embase Classic + Embase (OvidSP), CINAHL (EBSCOhost), clinicaltrials.gov and screened reference lists. Randomised controlled trials comparing different parenteral routes for the infusion of fluids or medication. Two review authors examined the titles and abstracts of records obtained by searching the electronic databases to determine eligibility. Two review authors extracted data from the included trials and assessed the risk of bias. Outcome measures of interest were success of insertion; time required for insertion; number of insertion attempts; number of dislodgements; time period with functional access; local site reactions; clinicians' perception of ease of administration; needlestick injury to healthcare workers; patients' discomfort; and mortality. For trials involving the administration of fluids we also collected data on the volume of fluid infused, changes in serum electrolytes and markers of renal function. We rated the quality of the evidence as 'high', 'moderate', 'low' or 'very low' according to the GRADE approach for the following outcomes: success of insertion, time required for insertion, number of dislodgements, volume of fluid infused and needlestick injuries. We included 17 trials involving 885 participants. Parenteral access was used to infuse fluids in 11 trials and medications in six trials. None of the trials involved patients with EVD. Intravenous and intraosseous access was compared in four trials; intravenous and subcutaneous access in 11; peripheral intravenous and intraperitoneal access in one; saphenous vein cutdown and intraosseous access in one; and intraperitoneal with subcutaneous access in one. All of the trials assessing the intravenous method involved peripheral intravenous access.We judged few trials to be at low risk of bias for any of the assessed domains.Compared to the intraosseous group, patients in the intravenous group were more likely to experience an insertion failure (risk ratio (RR) 3.89, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.39 to 6.33; n = 242; GRADE rating: low). We did not pool data for time to insertion but estimates from the trials suggest that inserting intravenous access takes longer (GRADE rating: moderate). Clinicians judged the intravenous route to be easier to insert (RR 0.15, 95% CI 0.04 to 0.61; n = 182). A larger volume of fluids was infused via the intravenous route (GRADE rating: moderate). There was no evidence of a difference between the two routes for any other outcomes, including adverse events.Compared to the subcutaneous group, patients in the intravenous group were more likely to experience an insertion failure (RR 14.79, 95% CI 2.87 to 76.08; n = 238; GRADE rating: moderate) and dislodgement of the device (RR 3.78, 95% CI 1.16 to 12.34; n = 67; GRADE rating: low). Clinicians also judged the intravenous route as being more difficult to insert and patients were more likely to be agitated in the intravenous group. Patients in the intravenous group were more likely to develop a local infection and phlebitis, but were less likely to develop erythema, oedema or swelling than those in the subcutaneous group. A larger volume of fluids was infused into patients via the intravenous route. There was no evidence of a difference between the two routes for any other outcome.There were insufficient data to reliably determine if the risk of insertion failure differed between the saphenous vein cutdown (SVC) and intraosseous method (RR 4.00, 95% CI 0.51 to 31.13; GRADE rating: low). Insertion using SVC took longer than the intraosseous method (MD 219.60 seconds, 95% CI 135.44 to 303.76; GRADE rating: moderate). There were no data and therefore there was no evidence of a difference between the two routes for any other outcome.There were insufficient data to reliably determine the relative effects of intraperitoneal or central intravenous access relative to any other parenteral access method. There are several different ways of achieving parenteral access in patients who are unable meet their fluid requirements with oral intake alone. The quality of the evidence, as assessed using the GRADE criteria, is somewhat limited because of the lack of adequately powered trials at low risk of bias. However, we believe that there is sufficient evidence to draw the following conclusions: if peripheral intravenous access can be achieved easily, this allows infusion of larger volumes of fluid than other routes; but if this is not possible, the intraosseous and subcutaneous routes are viable alternatives. The subcutaneous route may be suitable for patients who are not severely dehydrated but in whom ongoing fluid losses cannot be met by oral intake.A film to accompany this review can be viewed here (http://youtu.be/ArVPzkf93ng)

Effect of polycrystallinity on the optical properties of highly oriented ZnO grown by pulsed laser deposition

We report the results of photoluminescence and reflectance measurements on highly c-axis oriented polycrystalline ZnO grown by pulsed laser deposition. The samples measured were grown under identical conditions and were annealed in-situ at various temperatures for 10-15 min. The band-edge photoluminescence spectra of the material altered considerably with an increase in grain size, with increased free exciton emission and observable excitonic structure in the reflectance spectra. The green band emission also increased with increasing grain size. A deformation potential analysis of the effect of strain on the exciton energy positions of the A- and B-excitons demonstrated that the experimental exciton energies could not be explained solely in terms of sample strain. We propose that electric fields in the samples due to charge trapping at grain boundaries are responsible for the additional perturbation of the excitons. This interpretation is supported by theoretical estimates of the exciton energy perturbation due to electric fields. The behaviour of the green band in the samples provides additional evidence in favour of our model

Mie-resonances, infrared emission and band gap of InN

Mie resonances due to scattering/absorption of light in InN containing clusters of metallic In may have been erroneously interpreted as the infrared band gap absorption in tens of papers. Here we show by direct thermally detected optical absorption measurements that the true band gap of InN is markedly wider than currently accepted 0.7 eV. Micro-cathodoluminescence studies complemented by imaging of metallic In have shown that bright infrared emission at 0.7-0.8 eV arises from In aggregates, and is likely associated with surface states at the metal/InN interfaces.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figures, submitted to PR

Crystal size and oxygen segregation for polycrystalline GaN

The grain size for polycrystallineGaN,grown in low-temperature gallium-rich conditions, is shown to be correlated to the oxygen content of the films. Films with lower oxygen content were observed to have larger crystals with an increased tendency to a single-preferred crystal orientation.Elastic recoil detection analysis with heavy ions (i.e., 200 MeV ¹⁹⁷Au ions) was used to determine the composition of the GaN films grown for the study, including the hydrogen, carbon, gallium, nitrogen, and oxygen content. Atomic force microscopy and x-ray diffraction were used to study the sample morphology. From these measurements, the available surface area of the films was found to be sufficient for a significant proportion of the oxygen present in the films to segregate at the grain boundaries. This interpretation is consistent with earlier theoretical studies of the formation and segregation of the VGa-(ON)₃defect complex at dislocation sites in gallium-rich GaN. For this work, however, the defect complex is believed to segregate at the grain boundary of the polycrystallineGaN.The authors would like to acknowledge the support of a U. S. NICOP Contract, No. N00014-99-1-GO17 sponsored through the U. S. Office of Naval Research. One of the authors (K.S.A.B.) would like to further acknowledge the support of a Macquarie University Research Fellowship

Calcinosis in juvenile dermatomyositis is influenced by both anti-NXP2 autoantibody status and age at disease onset.

Calcinosis is a major cause of morbidity in JDM and has previously been linked to anti-NXP2 autoantibodies, younger age at disease onset and more persistent disease activity. This study aimed to investigate the clinical associations of anti-NXP2 autoantibodies in patients with JDM stratified by age at disease onset