Phenomenology of Neutrinos and Possible SO(10) Origins of Fermion Masses and Mixings

Important but yet unanswered questions in neutrino physics are the neutrino mass hierarchy, precision determination of mixings and CP violation. A widely studied mixing scheme upon which many models are based is tri-bimaximal mixing. We emphasize the importance of alternative mixing schemes and confront their predictions with current data on neutrino mixings. Where necessary we show how perturbations of the leading order predictions can result in viable schemes. Further we study the prospects to test the inverted hierarchy with neutrinoless double beta decay. We find that the lower limit of the effective neutrino mass relevant for this process and hence the prospects to experimentally exclude the inverted hierarchy are highly sensitive to the neutrino mixing angle theta(12). We further take into account uncertainties from nuclear physics. Next we analyze the possibility to explain the origin of fermion masses and mixings as well as the baryon asymmetry within renormalizable Grand Unified Theories based on SO(10), including effects of renormalization group evolution. Models with different Higgs representations are considered. After constraining the model parameters with experimental data we give the model predictions for undetermined observables; for the leptonic CP violating phase we also show the ranges allowed at 68% C.L

Untersuchung der Modulation motorkortikaler Exzitabilität mittels transkranieller Magnetstimulation während der Durchführung eines Go/NoGo-Paradigmas bei freiwilligen erwachsenen Probanden mit und ohne Methylphenidat

Die Modulation der motorkortikalen Exzitabilität, repräsentiert durch die MEP-Amplitude über dem ID-I, durch motorische (transkranielle Magnetstimulation), aufgabenbezogene bzw. behaviorale (Continous Performance Test) und pharmakologische (Methylphenidat) Faktoren wird an 31 gesunden Erwachsenen untersucht und eine Interaktion aller drei Faktoren im Sinne einer signifikanten Wechselwirkung zweiter Ordnung nachgewiesen. Die Aufgabe zur Aufmerksamkeit und hier die fazilitierende Bedingung scheint einen besonders großen modulierenden Effekt zu haben

Attitudes toward innovative mental health treatment approaches in Germany: E-mental health and home treatment

E-mental health and home treatment are treatment approaches that have proven to be effective, but are only slowly implemented in the German health care system. This paper explores the attitudes toward these innovative treatment approaches. Data was collected in two large, non-clinical samples representative of the German population in spring 2020 (N = 2,503) and winter 2020/2021 (N = 2,519). Statistical associations between variables were examined using two-tailed tests. Binary and multinomial logistic regressions were performed to predict attitudes toward online-based treatment concepts and home treatment approaches. Only few (<20%) people preferred online-based treatment approaches, while a larger proportion (~50%) could imagine being treated at home. Overall, younger subjects were more open to online-therapy approaches, while people with lower education preferred more often a traditional therapy setting. Acceptance of online-therapy did not raise significantly during the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic. When different online-based treatment options were available, the probability of accepting home treatment significantly increased with increasing levels of therapeutic support. Further promotion of acceptance for online-therapy and home treatment seems to be necessary. In the future, more information on innovative treatment approaches should be actively provided

Efficient and long-lived quantum memory with cold atoms inside a ring cavity

Quantum memories are regarded as one of the fundamental building blocks of linear-optical quantum computation and long-distance quantum communication. A long standing goal to realize scalable quantum information processing is to build a long-lived and efficient quantum memory. There have been significant efforts distributed towards this goal. However, either efficient but short-lived or long-lived but inefficient quantum memories have been demonstrated so far. Here we report a high-performance quantum memory in which long lifetime and high retrieval efficiency meet for the first time. By placing a ring cavity around an atomic ensemble, employing a pair of clock states, creating a long-wavelength spin wave, and arranging the setup in the gravitational direction, we realize a quantum memory with an intrinsic spin wave to photon conversion efficiency of 73(2)% together with a storage lifetime of 3.2(1) ms. This realization provides an essential tool towards scalable linear-optical quantum information processing.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figure

Phenotyping sleep disturbances in ADHD and identifying harmonised outcome measures: A personalised precision medicine approach to disruptive behaviours.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a widespread neurodevelopmental disorder. Currently, the diagnosis and treatment of ADHD in children and adolescents is primarily centred on daytime functioning and the associated impairment of academic performance, although disrupted and restless sleep have been frequently reported in individuals with ADHD. Further, it has been recognised that sleep disorders not only intensify existing ADHD symptoms but in some cases can also mimic ADHD symptoms in the paediatric population with primary sleep disorders. Under the title ‘The blind spot: sleep as a child’s right issue?’, professionals from diverse disciplines, including medicine and social sciences as well as individuals with an interest in ADHD and sleep medicine, including laypeople, have initiated a unifying discourse. The objective of this discourse is to improve our understanding of the diagnosis and treatment of ADHD and disruptive behaviours and to develop personalised and precision medicine. Research has shown that the existing, primarily descriptive and categorical diagnostic systems do not capture the heterogeneous nature of youth with attentional and behavioural difficulties and the phenotypic expressions thereof, including nighttime behaviours and sleep. New strategies for clinical phenotyping and the exploration of patient-reported behaviours are necessary to expand our understanding and develop personalised treatment approaches. In this position paper, we outline gaps in the clinical care of ADHD and related sleep disturbances, review strategies for closing these gaps to meet the needs of individuals with ADHD, and suggest a roadmap for escaping the one-size-fits-all approach that has characterised ADHD treatment algorithms to date

Robust frequency-based monetary policy rules

Optimal monetary policy studies typically rely on a single structural model and identification of model-specific rules that minimize the unconditional volatilities of inflation and real activity. In their proposed approach, the authors take a large set of structural models and look for the model-robust rules that minimize the volatilities at those frequencies that policymakers are most interested in stabilizing. Compared to the status quo approach, their results suggest that policymakers should be more restrained in their inflation responses when their aim is to stabilize inflation and output growth at specific frequencies. Additional caution is called for due to model uncertainty

Monetary policy rules: model uncertainty meets design limits

Optimal monetary policy studies typically rely on a single structural model and identification of model-specific rules that minimize the unconditional volatilities of inflation and real activity. In our proposed approach, we take a large set of structural models and look for the model-robust rules that minimize the volatilities at those frequencies that policymakers are most interested in stabilizing. Compared to the status quo approach, our results suggest that policymakers should be more restrained in their inflation responses when their aim is to stabilize inflation and output growth at specific frequencies. Additional caution is called for due to model uncertainty

Transition risk uncertainty and robust optimal monetary policy

Climate change has become one of the most prominent concerns globally. In this paper, we study the transition risk of greenhouse gas emission reduction in structural environmental-macroeconomic DSGE models. First, we analyze the uncertainty in model prediction on the effect of unanticipated and pre-announced carbon price increases. Second, we conduct optimal model-robust policy in different settings. We find that reducing emissions by 40% causes 0.7% - 4% output loss with 2% on average. Pre-announcement of carbon prices affects the inflation dynamics significantly. The central bank should react slightly less to inflation and output growth during the transition risk. With optimal carbon price designs, it should react even less to inflation, and more to output growth

Elektrokonvulsionstherapie im Kindes- und Jugendalter

&lt;jats:p&gt;Zusammenfassung. Hintergrund und Zielsetzung: Die Elektrokonvulsionstherapie (EKT) ist ein hoch wirksames und in der Erwachsenenpsychiatrie gut untersuchtes Therapieverfahren, das gerade bei schwerwiegenden depressiven und psychotischen Erkrankungen erfolgreich eingesetzt wird. Obwohl schwere Krankheitsverläufe auch im kinder- und jugendpsychiatrischen Bereich vorkommen, erfolgt ein Einsatz der EKT hier deutlich seltener. Dies liegt womöglich auch daran, dass kaum systematisch erhobene Daten zur Anwendung, Wirksamkeit und Verträglichkeit der EKT bei kinder- und jugendpsychiatrischen Patient_innen existieren. Ziel dieser Arbeit ist die Untersuchung und Darstellung von Krankheitsverläufen unter EKT-Behandlung im kinder- und jugendpsychiatrischen Bereich und damit eine Vergrößerung der bestehenden Datenbasis zu diesem Thema. Methoden: Es erfolgte eine retrospektive Erhebung zur EKT bei unter 18-jährigen Patient_innen an drei deutschen universitären Zentren. Hier wurden alle dokumentierten Fälle erfasst und auf Wirksamkeit und Verträglichkeit hin untersucht. Darüber hinaus erfolgte eine umfassende PubMed-basierte Datenbankrecherche. Ergebnisse und Schlussfolgerungen: International existieren keine Meta-Analysen oder kontrollierte randomisierte Studien und aus Deutschland kaum veröffentlichte Fälle zum Thema Elektrokonvulsionstherapie in der Kinder- und Jugendpsychiatrie. Unsere Daten zur EKT bei 29 12- bis 17-jährigen Patient_innen zeigen eine gute Wirksamkeit. Nebenwirkungen traten selten auf. Es ergaben sich keine Hinweise auf Unterschiede bezüglich Indikation (Depression, Katatonie, Schizophrenie), Wirksamkeit, negative Prädiktoren und Verträglichkeit einer EKT zwischen erwachsenen und minderjährigen Patient_innen. Die Ergebnisse deuten zudem darauf hin, dass der Einsatz der EKT bei Adoleszenten früher im therapeutischen Prozess in Erwägung gezogen werden sollte.&lt;/jats:p&gt