Solar gravitational energy and luminosity variations

Due to non-homogeneous mass distribution and non-uniform velocity rate inside the Sun, the solar outer shape is distorted in latitude. In this paper, we analyze the consequences of a temporal change in this figure on the luminosity. To do so, we use the Total Solar Irradiance (TSI) as an indicator of luminosity. Considering that most of the authors have explained the largest part of the TSI modulation with magnetic network (spots and faculae) but not the whole, we could set constraints on radius and effective temperature variations (dR, dT). However computations show that the amplitude of solar irradiance modulation is very sensitive to photospheric temperature variations. In order to understand discrepancies between our best fit and recent observations of Livingston et al. (2005), showing no effective surface temperature variation during the solar cycle, we investigated small effective temperature variation in irradiance modeling. We emphasized a phase-shift (correlated or anticorrelated radius and irradiance variations) in the (dR, dT)-parameter plane. We further obtained an upper limit on the amplitude of cyclic solar radius variations, deduced from the gravitational energy variations. Our estimate is consistent with both observations of the helioseismic radius through the analysis of f-mode frequencies and observations of the basal photospheric temperature at Kitt Peak. Finally, we suggest a mechanism to explain faint changes in the solar shape due to variation of magnetic pressure which modifies the granules size. This mechanism is supported by our estimate of the asphericity-luminosity parameter, which implies an effectiveness of convective heat transfer only in very outer layers of the Sun.Comment: 17 pages, 2 figure, 1 table, published in New Astronom

Cognition and violent behavior in psychotic disorders: a nationwide case-control study

Background: The excess risk of violence in psychotic disorders may partly be explained by impairments in executive functions (EFs) and theory of mind (ToM). However, previous studies have been limited by composite measures of EFs and small samples of inpatients. Methods: Data were collected for the research project Genetic Risk and Outcome of Psychosis (GROUP). Patients with psychotic disorders (N=891) were recruited from various care settings in the Netherlands. The following neuropsychological tests were administered (targeted cognitive function in parentheses): (i) Continuous Performance Test-HQ (inhibition); (ii) Response Shifting Task (cognitive flexibility); (iii) Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, Third Edition (WAIS-III) Block Design subtest (fluid intelligence); (iv) Neuropsychological Assessment Battery (NAB) Mazes Test (planning); (v) Degraded Facial Affect Recognition Task (affective ToM); and (vi) Hinting Task (cognitive ToM). Lifetime violence was ascertained from medical records and patient interviews. We used analysis of covariance to compare the mean scores of violent and nonviolent patients on each test, adjusting for age and sex. Results: Violent patients performed significantly worse than nonviolent patients on the WAIS-III Block Design subtest (F [1, 847]=5.12, p=.024), NAB Mazes Test (F [1, 499]=5.32, p=.022) and Hinting Task (F [1, 839]=9.38, p=.002). For the other tests, the between-group differences were nonsignificant. Violent behavior explained no more than 1% of the variance in performance on each test. Conclusion: Impairments in EFs and ToM are unlikely to provide useful targets for risk assessment and interventions

Structural brain correlates of interpersonal violence: systematic review and voxel-based meta-analysis of neuroimaging studies

Owing to inconsistent nomenclature and results, we have undertaken a label-based review and anatomical likelihood estimation (ALE) meta-analysis of studies measuring the quantitative association between regional grey matter (GM) volume and interpersonal violence. Following PRISMA guidelines, we identified studies by searching 3 online databases (Embase, Medline, PsycInfo) and reference lists. Thirty-five studies were included in the label-based review, providing information for 1288 participants and 86 brain regions. Per region, 0–57% of the results indicated significant reductions in GM volume, while 0–23% indicated significant increases. The only region for which more than half of all results indicated significant reductions was the parietal lobe. However, these results were dispersed across subregions. The ALE meta-analysis, which included 6 whole-brain voxel-based morphometry studies totaling 278 participants and reporting 144 foci, showed no significant clusters of reduced GM volume. No material differences were observed when excluding experiments using reactive violence as outcome or subjects diagnosed with psychopathy. Possible explanations for these findings are phenomenological and etiological heterogeneity, and insufficient power in the label-based review and ALE metaanalysis to detect small effects. We recommend that future studies distinguish between subtypes of interpersonal violence, and investigate mediation by underlying emotional and cognitive processes

Did female prisoners with mental disorders receive psychiatric treatment before imprisonment?

© 2015 Mundt et al.; licensee BioMed Central. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly credited. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated.BackgroundThroughout the world, high prevalence rates of mental disorders have been found in prison populations, especially in females. It has been suggested that these populations do not access psychiatric treatment. The aim of this study was to establish rates of psychiatric in- and outpatient treatments prior to imprisonment in female prisoners and to explore reasons for discontinuation of such treatments.Methods150 consecutively admitted female prisoners were interviewed in Berlin, Germany. Socio-demographic characteristics, mental disorders, and previous psychiatric in- and outpatient treatments were assessed by trained researchers. Open questions were used to explore reasons for ending previous psychiatric treatment.ResultsA vast majority of 99 prisoners (66%; 95% CI: 58¿73) of the total sample reported that they had previously been in psychiatric treatment, 80 (53%; 95 CI: 45¿61) in inpatient treatment, 62 (41%; 95 CI: 34¿49) in outpatient treatment and 42 (29%; 21¿39) in both in- and outpatient treatments. All prisoners with psychosis and 72% of the ones with any lifetime mental health disorder had been in previous treatment. The number of inpatient treatments and imprisonments were positively correlated (rho¿=¿0.27; p¿<¿0.01). Inpatient treatment was described as successfully completed by 56% (N¿=¿41) of those having given reasons for ending such treatment, whilst various reasons were reported for prematurely ending outpatient treatments.ConclusionThe data do not support the notion of a general `mental health treatment gap¿ in female prisoners. Although inpatient care is often successfully completed, repeated inpatient treatments are not linked with fewer imprisonments. Improved transition from inpatient to outpatient treatment and services that engage female prisoners to sustained outpatient treatments are needed

Use of illicit substances and violent behaviour in psychotic disorders: two nationwide case-control studies and meta-analyses

Background. Substance use disorder explains much of the excess risk of violent behaviour in psychotic disorders. However, it is unclear to what extent the pharmacological properties and subthreshold use of illicit substances are associated with violence. Methods. Individuals with psychotic disorders were recruited for two nationwide projects: GROUP (N = 871) in the Netherlands and NEDEN (N = 921) in the United Kingdom. Substance use and violent behaviour were assessed with standardized instruments and multiple sources of information. First, we used logistic regression models to estimate the associations of daily and nondaily use with violence for cannabis, stimulants, depressants and hallucinogens in the GROUP and NEDEN samples separately. Adjustments were made for age, sex and educational level. We then combined the results in random-effects meta-analyses. Results. Daily use, compared with nondaily or no use, and nondaily use, compared with no use, increased the pooled odds of violence in people with psychotic disorders for all substance categories. The increases were significant for daily use of cannabis [pooled odds ratio (pOR) 1.6, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.2–2.0), stimulants (pOR 2.8, 95% CI 1.7–4.5) and depressants (pOR 2.2, 95% CI 1.1–4.5), and nondaily use of stimulants (pOR 1.6, 95% CI 1.2–2.0) and hallucinogens (pOR 1.5, 95% CI 1.1–2.1). Daily use of hallucinogens, which could only be analysed in the NEDEN sample, significantly increased the risk of violence (adjusted odds ratio 3.3, 95% CI 1.2–9.3). Conclusions. Strategies to prevent violent behaviour in psychotic disorders should target any substance use