Distribution of compact object mergers around galaxies

Compact object mergers are one of the currently favored models for the origin of GRBs. The discovery of optical afterglows and identification of the nearest, presumably host, galaxies allows the analysis of the distribution of burst sites with respect to these galaxies. Using a model of stellar binary evolution we synthesize a population of compact binary systems which merge within the Hubble time. We include the kicks in the supernovae explosions and calculate orbits of these binaries in galactic gravitational potentials. We present the resulting distribution of merger sites and discuss the results in the framework of the observed GRB afterglows.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figures, submitted to MNRA

New Evidence for Proton Cyclotron Resonance in a Magnetar Strength Field from SGR 1806-20

A great deal of evidence has recently been gathered in favor of the picture that Soft Gamma Repeaters and Anomalous X-Ray Pulsars are powered by ultra-strong magnetic fields (B > 10^{14} G; i.e. magnetars). Nevertheless, present determination of the magnetic field in such magnetar candidates has been indirect and model dependent. A key prediction concerning magnetars is the detection of ion cyclotron resonance features, which would offer a decisive diagnostic of the field strength. Here we present the detection of a 5 keV absorption feature in a variety of bursts from the Soft Gamma Repeater SGR 1806-20, confirming our initial discovery (Ibrahim et al. 2002) and establishing the presence of the feature in the source's burst spectra. The line feature is well explained as proton cyclotron resonance in an ultra-strong magnetic field, offering a direct measurement of SGR 1806-20's magnetic field (B ~ 10^{15} G) and a clear evidence of a magnetar. Together with the source's spin-down rate, the feature also provides the first measurement of the gravitational redshift, mass and radius of a magnetar.Comment: Accepted for Publication in ApJ

A novel variant of the 13C-methacetin liver function breath test that eliminates the confounding effect of individual differences in sytemic CO2 kinetics

The principle of dynamic liver function breath tests is founded on the administration of a 13C-labeled drug and subsequent monitoring of 13CO2 in the breath, quantified as time series delta over natural baseline 13CO2 (DOB) liberated from the drug during hepatic CYP-dependent detoxification. One confounding factor limiting the diagnostic value of such tests is that only a fraction of the liberated 13CO2 is immediately exhaled, while another fraction is taken up by body compartments from which it returns with delay to the plasma. The aims of this study were to establish a novel variant of the methacetin-based breath test LiMAx that allows to estimate and to eliminate the confounding effect of systemic 13CO2 distribution on the DOB curve and thus enables a more reliable assessment of the hepatic detoxification capacity compared with the conventional LiMAx test. We designed a new test variant (named "2DOB") consisting of two consecutive phases. Phase 1 is initiated by the intravenous administration of 13C-bicarbonate. Phase 2 starts about 30 min later with the intravenous administration of the 13C-labelled test drug. Using compartment modelling, the resulting 2-phasic DOB curve yields the rate constants for the irreversible elimination and the reversible exchange of plasma 13CO2 with body compartments (phase 1) and for the detoxification and exchange of the drug with body compartments (phase 2). We carried out the 2DOB test with the test drug 13C-methacetin in 16 subjects with chronic liver pathologies and 22 normal subjects, who also underwent the conventional LiMAx test. Individual differences in the systemic CO2 kinetics can lead to deviations up to a factor of 2 in the maximum of DOB curves (coefficient of variation CV ≈ 0.2) which, in particular, may hamper the discrimination between subjects with normal or mildly impaired detoxification capacities. The novel test revealed that a significant portion of the drug is not immediately metabolized, but transiently taken up into a storage compartment. Intriguingly, not only the hepatic detoxification rate but also the storage capacity of the drug, turned out to be indicative for a normal liver function. We thus used both parameters to define a scoring function which yielded an excellent disease classification (AUC = 0.95) and a high correlation with the MELD score (RSpearman = 0.92). The novel test variant 2DOB promises a significant improvement in the assessment of impaired hepatic detoxification capacity. The suitability of the test for the reliable characterization of the natural history of chronic liver diseases (fatty liver-fibrosis-cirrhosis) has to be assessed in further studies

Couple-based interventions in the treatment of adult anorexia nervosa: A brief case example of UCAN.

Adult anorexia nervosa (AN) is a serious and often fatal illness that significantly erodes quality of life for both the patient and loved ones. Treatment of adults with AN has focused largely on individual therapy, with recent findings suggesting that improvement is limited and dropout rates are high. In an effort to improve treatment response, we developed a couple-based intervention, Uniting Couples in the treatment of Anorexia Nervosa (UCAN) as an adjunct treatment to standard multidisciplinary care. UCAN leverages the support of a partner and the relationship in treatment by decreasing avoidance around AN, teaching the couple how to effectively address the eating disorder, and helping to foster a more satisfying relationship. This paper presents a case study of a couple who completed UCAN, “Laura and Steve”, including their experiences in treatment and outcome measures at pretest, posttest, and three-month follow-up. Laura showed clinically significant change on the Restraint subscale of the EDE at follow-up, and both partners showed clinically significant improvements in relationship satisfaction, as well as on self-reported and observed communication. Both partners reported very high satisfaction with the treatment. A discussion of therapists' experiences in delivering UCAN is provided, including common challenges for therapists with primarily a couple therapy or an individual CBT for eating disorders background, as well as important factors for therapists to consider in order to optimally leverage the benefits of including partners in treatment for AN

Astroclimatic Characterization of Vallecitos: A candidate site for the Cherenkov Telescope Array at San Pedro Martir

We conducted an 18 month long study of the weather conditions of the Vallecitos, a proposed site in Mexico to harbor the northern array of the Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA). It is located in Sierra de San Pedro Martir (SPM) a few kilometers away from Observatorio Astron\'omico Nacional. The study is based on data collected by the ATMOSCOPE, a multi-sensor instrument measuring the weather and sky conditions, which was commissioned and built by the CTA Consortium. Additionally, we compare the weather conditions of the optical observatory at SPM to the Vallecitos regarding temperature, humidity, and wind distributions. It appears that the excellent conditions at the optical observatory benefit from the presence of microclimate established in the Vallecitos.Comment: 16 pages, 16 figures, Publication of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, accepte

Perceptions and experiences with eating disorder treatment in the first year of COVID-19: A longitudinal qualitative analysis

Objective: The COVID-19 pandemic created significant challenges in accessing and receiving treatment for individuals with eating disorders (EDs). The purpose of this study is to explore perceptions of and experiences with ED treatment during the first year of the pandemic among individuals with past and self-reported EDs in the United States. Methods: Online surveys were administered to adults (N = 510) with a past or current self-reported ED at 13 timepoints between April 2020 and May 2021. Using longitudinal qualitative analysis, 5651 free-text responses were examined to capture experiences with ED treatment and generate inferences of change over time. Results: We categorized results into four sequential, temporal quarters and identified patterns that explained participants' perceptions of facilitators, barriers, and experiences with ED treatment over time: Quarter 1. Treatment Disruption and Reorienting Recovery; Quarter 2. Accumulating COVID-19 Stress and Virtual Treatment Woes; Quarter 3. A Continuation of Inadequate Care; and Quarter 4. Ongoing Adaptation and Adjustment to Uncertainty. Participant experiences were marked by numerous barriers to accessing care, challenges adjusting to virtual treatment, unmet treatment needs, and beginning acceptance of telehealth. Discussion: Our findings present a timeline to help evaluate challenges related to navigating the switch to virtual care which created significant disruption to ED recovery. Participants spent much of the first year trying to adjust to unemployment, loss of insurance, and lack of access to in-person treatment. Future research should identify additional strategies to improve the receipt and experience of care for EDs. Public Significance: Our findings suggest that individuals with eating disorders were significantly challenged by accumulating COVID-19 stress, worsening symptomatology, and limited access to effective treatment during the first year of the pandemic. This knowledge can guide clinicians, treatment centers, and policy makers in addressing the behavioral health needs of individuals impacted by disordered eating amidst emergent public health crises

Familial liability for eating disorders and suicide attempts : evidence from a population registry in Sweden

Importance: Suicide attempts are common in individuals with eating disorders. More precise understanding of the mechanisms underlying their co-occurrence is needed. Objective: To examine the association between eating disorders and suicide attempts and whether familial risk factors contribute to the association. Design: A cohort design following a Swedish birth cohort 1979-2001 from age 6 until 31/12/2009. Setting: Information was acquired from Swedish national registers. Participants: Individuals born 1979-2001 and living in Sweden before age 6 (N= 2,268,786) were eligible for the study. Each individual was linked to his/her biological full-siblings, maternal half-siblings, paternal half-siblings, full-cousins, and half-cousins. Eating disorders were captured by three variables: any eating disorder, anorexia nervosa (AN), and bulimia nervosa (BN), identified by any lifetime diagnoses recorded in the registers. Suicide attempts were defined as any suicide attempts, including death by suicide, recorded in the registers. We examined the association between eating disorders and death by suicide separately, but were underpowered to explore familial liability for this association. Results: Individuals with any eating disorder had increased risk of suicide attempts (OR=5.28, 95%CI [5.04, 5.54]) and death by suicide (OR=5.39, 95%CI [4.00, 7.25]). The risks attenuated but remained significant after adjusting for comorbid major depressive disorder, anxiety disorders, and substance use disorder. Similar results were found for AN and BN, except that adjusted OR of death by suicide in BN became insignificant, possibly due to insufficient power. Individuals (index) who had a full-sibling with any eating disorder had increased risk of suicide attempts (OR=1.41, 95%CI [1.29, 1.53]). The risk attenuated for any eating disorder in more distant relatives (maternal half-siblings, OR=1.10, 95%CI [0.90, 1.34]; paternal half-siblings, OR=1.21, 95%CI [0.98, 1.49]; full-cousins, OR=1.11, 95%CI [1.06, 1.18]; half-cousins, OR=0.90, 95%CI [0.78, 1.03]). This familial pattern remained stable after adjusting for the index individuals’ eating disorders. Similar patterns were found for AN and BN. Conclusions and Relevance: Our results suggest increased risk of suicide attempts in individuals with lifetime eating disorders and their relatives. The pattern of familial co-aggregation suggests familial liability for the association between eating disorders and suicide. Psychiatric comorbidities partially explain this association, suggesting particularly high-risk presentations.China Scholarship CouncilAmerican Foundation for Suicide PreventionSwedish Initiative for Research on Microdata in the Social and Medical Sciences framework, 340-2013-5867Swedish Research Council, 538-2013Global Foundation for Eating DisordersSwedish Research Council, 538-2013-8864Manuscrip

Significant locus and metabolic genetic correlations revealed in genome-wide association study of anorexia nervosa

OBJECTIVE: The authors conducted a genome-wide association study of anorexia nervosa and calculated genetic correlations with a series of psychiatric, educational, and metabolic phenotypes. METHOD: Following uniform quality control and imputation procedures using the 1000 Genomes Project (phase 3) in 12 case-control cohorts comprising 3,495 anorexia nervosa cases and 10,982 controls, the authors performed standard association analysis followed by a meta-analysis across cohorts. Linkage disequilibrium score regression was used to calculate genome-wide common variant heritability (single-nucleotide polymorphism [SNP]-based heritability [h2SNP]), partitioned heritability, and genetic correlations (rg) between anorexia nervosa and 159 other phenotypes. RESULTS: Results were obtained for 10,641,224 SNPs and insertion-deletion variants with minor allele frequencies >1% and imputation quality scores >0.6. The h2SNP of anorexia nervosa was 0.20 (SE=0.02), suggesting that a substantial fraction of the twin-based heritability arises from common genetic variation. The authors identified one genome-wide significant locus on chromosome 12 (rs4622308) in a region harboring a previously reported type 1 diabetes and autoimmune disorder locus. Significant positive genetic correlations were observed between anorexia nervosa and schizophrenia, neuroticism, educational attainment, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and significant negative genetic correlations were observed between anorexia nervosa and body mass index, insulin, glucose, and lipid phenotypes. CONCLUSIONS: Anorexia nervosa is a complex heritable phenotype for which this study has uncovered the first genome-wide significant locus. Anorexia nervosa also has large and significant genetic correlations with both psychiatric phenotypes and metabolic traits. The study results encourage a reconceptualization of this frequently lethal disorder as one with both psychiatric and metabolic etiology

Speaking of That: Terms to Avoid or Reconsider in the Eating Disorders Field

Inspired by an article on 50 terms that, in the interest of clarity in scientific reasoning and communication in psychology, psychiatry, and allied fields, “should be avoided or at most be used sparingly and only with explicit caveats,”1 we propose a list of terms to avoid or think twice about before using when writing for the International Journal of Eating Disorders (IJED). Drawing upon our experience as reviewers or editors for the IJED, we generated an abridged list of such terms. For each term, we explain why it made our list and what alternatives we recommend. We hope that our list will contribute to improved clarity in scientific thinking about eating disorders, and that it will stimulate discussion of terms that may need to be reconsidered in our field's vocabulary to ensure the use of language that is respectful and sensitive to individuals who experience an eating disorder

Severe and enduring anorexia nervosa: Update and observations about the current clinical reality

Several objectives underlie the current article. First, to review historical diagnostic issues and clinical strategies for treating SE-AN. Second, to provide an overview of recent evidence informed strategies and clinical innovations for the treatment of SE-AN. Third, based on the authors' collective clinical and research experience, we offer eight observations that we believe capture the current clinical experience of patients with SE-AN. Some of these observations represent empirically testable hypotheses, but all are designed to generate a meaningful discussion about the treatment of this group of individuals with eating disorders. Finally, we hope to call clinicians, scientists, professional organizations, advocates, and policy makers to action to attend to critical issues related to the care of individuals with SE-AN. We believe that an international discussion could clarify areas of need for these patients and identify opportunities for clinical innovation that would enhance the lives of individuals with SE-AN and their families