Ego-psychopathology: the concept and its empirical evaluation

A phenomenological construct of ego-consciousness, subdivided into 5 aspects (vitality, activity, consistency, demarcation, identity) may help for systematic overview of the schizophrenic syndrome. Its construction and empirical evaluation, and the data of 260 schizophrenic probands are presented. The therapeutic implications of the model are elaborated in body-oriented treatment, especially of acute and severely ill case

Subdividing the functional psychoses: a family hereditary approach

Family genetic data, based on standardized and independent diagnostic procedures of index and secondary cases, confirmed the dichotomy between schizophrenias and affective disorders. The classical schizophrenic subtypes exhibited a significant tendency towards homotypia among their secondary cases. The genetic evidence did not support the monopolar-bipolar subdivision of affective disorder. Schizo-affective disorders impinged on the clear-cut schizophrenic and affective psychotic disorders and there was no homotypical tendency among the relatives of index cases with this diagnosi

Current-voltage characteristics of semiconductor/ferromagnet junctions in the spin blockade regime

It was recently predicted [Phys. Rev. B 75, 193301 (2007)] that spin blockade may develop at nonmagnetic semiconductor/perfect ferromagnet junctions when the electron flow is directed from the semiconductor into the ferromagnet. Here we consider current-voltage characteristics of such junctions. By taking into account the contact resistance, we demonstrate a current stabilization effect: by increasing the applied voltage the current density through the junction saturates at a specific value. The transient behavior of the current density is also investigated

Spin memristive systems

Recently, in addition to the well-known resistor, capacitor and inductor, a fourth passive circuit element, named memristor, has been identified following theoretical predictions. The model example used in such case consisted in a nanoscale system with coupled ionic and electronic transport. Here, we discuss a system whose memristive behaviour is based entirely on the electron spin degree of freedom which allows for a more convenient control than the ionic transport in nanostructures. An analysis of time-dependent spin transport at a semiconductor/ferromagnet junction provides a direct evidence of memristive behaviour. Our scheme is fundamentally different from previously discussed schemes of memristive devices and broadens the possible range of applications of semiconductor spintronics

Time-domain simulation of the full hydrodynamic model

A simple upwind discretization of the highly coupled non-linear differential equations which define the hydrodynamic model for semiconductors is given in full detail. The hydrodynamic model is able to describe inertia effects which play an increasing role in different fields of opto- and microelectronics. A silicon $n^+ - n - n^+$ - structure is simulated, using the energy-balance model and the full hydrodynamic model. Results for stationary cases are then compared, and it is pointed out where the energy-balance model, which is implemented in most of today's commercial semiconductor device simulators, fails to describe accurately the electron dynamics. Additionally, a GaAs $n^+ - n - n^+$-structure is simulated in time-domain in order to illustrate the importance of inertia effects at high frequencies in modern submicron devices.Comment: 15 pages, 8 figures, prepared using jnmauth.cl

Influence of Charge Carrier Mobility on the Performance of Organic Solar Cells

The power conversion efficiency of organic solar cells based on donor--acceptor blends is governed by an interplay of polaron pair dissociation and bimolecular polaron recombination. Both processes are strongly dependent on the charge carrier mobility, the dissociation increasing with faster charge transport, with raised recombination losses at the same time. Using a macroscopic effective medium simulation, we calculate the optimum charge carrier mobility for the highest power conversion efficiency, for the first time accounting for injection barriers and a reduced Langevin-type recombination. An enhancement of the charge carrier mobility from $10^{-8}$m$^2$/Vs for state of the art polymer:fullerene solar cells to about $10^{-6}$m$^2$/Vs, which yields the maximum efficiency, corresponds to an improvement of only about 20% for the given parameter set.Comment: 3 pages, 4 figure

Erkennen in der Psychopathologie: Reflexionen zu Epistemologie und Überlegungen zum Gewinn von praxisrelevantem Wissen

The epistemic processes leading to a practically viable “knowledge” in psychopathology are traced back from the transcendental-philosophical premises and antecedents through various epistemic steps to the empirical recognition and systematisation into a scientific theory. Psychopathology should serve empirical procedures in diagnostics, epidemiology, etiological conditions. However, it should also produce viable advices for the interpersonal therapeutic transaction. This is illustrated by an example of a catatonic syndrome