Wernicke-Kleist-Leonhard phenotypes of endogenous psychoses: a review of their validity .

While the ICD-DSM paradigm has been a major advance in clinical psychiatry, its usefulness for biological psychiatry is debated. By defining consensus-based disorders rather than empirically driven phenotypes, consensus classifications were not an implementation of the biomedical paradigm. In the field of endogenous psychoses, the Wernicke-Kleist-Leonhard (WKL) pathway has optimized the descriptions of 35 major phenotypes using common medical heuristics on lifelong diachronic observations. Regarding their construct validity, WKL phenotypes have good reliability and predictive and face validity. WKL phenotypes come with remarkable evidence for differential validity on age of onset, familiality, pregnancy complications, precipitating factors, and treatment response. Most impressive is the replicated separation of high- and low-familiality phenotypes. Created in the purest tradition of the biomedical paradigm, the WKL phenotypes deserve to be contrasted as credible alternatives with other approaches currently under discussion.

A search for neutral Higgs bosons in the MSSM and models with two scalar field doublets

A search is described for the neutral Higgs bosons h^0 and A^0 predicted by models with two scalar field doublets and, in particular, the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (MSSM). The search in the Z^0 h^0 and h^0 A^0 production channels is based on data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 25 pb^{-1} from e^+e^- collisions at centre-of-mass energies between 130 and 172GeV collected with the OPAL detector at LEP. The observation of a number of candidates consistent with Standard Model background expectations is used in combination with earlier results from data collected at the Z^0 resonance to set limits on m_h and m_A in general models with two scalar field doublets and in the MSSM. For example, in the MSSM, for tan(beta) > 1, minimal and maximal scalar top quark mixing and soft SUSY-breaking masses of 1 TeV, the 95% confidence level limits m_h > 59.0 GeV and m_A > 59.5 GeV are obtained. For the first time, the MSSM parameter space is explored in a detailed scan.A search is described for the neutral Higgs bosons h^0 and A^0 predicted by models with two scalar field doublets and, in particular, the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (MSSM). The search in the Z^0 h^0 and h^0 A^0 production channels is based on data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 25 pb^{-1} from e^+e^- collisions at centre-of-mass energies between 130 and 172 GeV collected with the OPAL detector at LEP. The observation of a number of candidates consistent with Standard Model background expectations is used in combination with earlier results from data collected at the Z^0 resonance to set limits on m_h and m_A in general models with two scalar field doublets and in the MSSM. For example, in the MSSM, for tan(beta) > 1, minimal and maximal scalar top quark mixing and soft SUSY-breaking masses of 1 TeV, the 95% confidence level limits m_h > 59.0 GeV and m_A > 59.5 GeV are obtained. For the first time, the MSSM parameter space is explored in a detailed scan

Spin alignment of leading K∗(892)0K^{*}(892)^{0} mesons in hadronic Z0Z^0 decays

Helicity density matrix elements for inclusive K*(892)^0 mesons from hadronic Z^0 decays have been measured over the full range of K^*0 momentum using data taken with the OPAL experiment at LEP. A preference for occupation of the helicity zero state is observed at all scaled momentum x_p values above 0.3, with the matrix element rho_00 rising to 0.66 +/- 0.11 for x_p > 0.7. The values of the real part of the off-diagonal element rho_1-1 are negative at large x_p, with a weighted average value of -0.09 +/- 0.03 for x_p > 0.3, in agreement with new theoretical predictions based on Standard Model parameters and coherent fragmentation of the qq(bar) system from the Z^0 decay. All other helicity density matrix elements measured are consistent with zero over the entire x_p range. The K^*0 fragmentation function has also been measured and the total rate determined to be 0.74 +/- 0.02 +/- 0.02 K*(892)^0 mesons per hadronic Z^0 decay.Helicity density matrix elements for inclusive K*(892)^0 mesons from hadronic Z^0 decays have been measured over the full range of K^*0 momentum using data taken with the OPAL experiment at LEP. A preference for occupation of the helicity zero state is observed at all scaled momentum x_p values above 0.3, with the matrix element rho_00 rising to 0.66 +/- 0.11 for x_p > 0.7. The values of the real part of the off-diagonal element rho_1-1 are negative at large x_p, with a weighted average value of -0.09 +/- 0.03 for x_p > 0.3, in agreement with new theoretical predictions based on Standard Model parameters and coherent fragmentation of the qq(bar) system from the Z^0 decay. All other helicity density matrix elements measured are consistent with zero over the entire x_p range. The K^*0 fragmentation function has also been measured and the total rate determined to be 0.74 +/- 0.02 +/- 0.02 K*(892)^0 mesons per hadronic Z^0 decay.Helicity density matrix elements for inclusive K*(892)^0 mesons from hadronic Z^0 decays have been measured over the full range of K^*0 momentum using data taken with the OPAL experiment at LEP. A preference for occupation of the helicity zero state is observed at all scaled momentum x_p values above 0.3, with the matrix element rho_00 rising to 0.66 +/- 0.11 for x_p > 0.7. The values of the real part of the off-diagonal element rho_1-1 are negative at large x_p, with a weighted average value of -0.09 +/- 0.03 for x_p > 0.3, in agreement with new theoretical predictions based on Standard Model parameters and coherent fragmentation of the qq(bar) system from the Z^0 decay. All other helicity density matrix elements measured are consistent with zero over the entire x_p range. The K^*0 fragmentation function has also been measured and the total rate determined to be 0.74 +/- 0.02 +/- 0.02 K*(892)^0 mesons per hadronic Z^0 decay.Helicity density matrix elements for inclusive K*(892)^0 mesons from hadronic Z^0 decays have been measured over the full range of K^*0 momentum using data taken with the OPAL experiment at LEP. A preference for occupation of the helicity zero state is observed at all scaled momentum x_p values above 0.3, with the matrix element rho_00 rising to 0.66 +/- 0.11 for x_p > 0.7. The values of the real part of the off-diagonal element rho_1-1 are negative at large x_p, with a weighted average value of -0.09 +/- 0.03 for x_p > 0.3, in agreement with new theoretical predictions based on Standard Model parameters and coherent fragmentation of the qq(bar) system from the Z^0 decay. All other helicity density matrix elements measured are consistent with zero over the entire x_p range. The K^*0 fragmentation function has also been measured and the total rate determined to be 0.74 +/- 0.02 +/- 0.02 K*(892)^0 mesons per hadronic Z^0 decay.Helicity density matrix elements for inclusive K ∗ (892) 0 mesons from hadronic Z 0 decays have been measured over the full range of K ∗ 0 momentum using data taken with the OPAL experiment at LEP. A preference for occupation of the helicity zero state is observed at all scaled momentum x p values above 0.3, with the matrix element ϱ 00 rising to 0.66 ± 0.11 for x p > 0.7. The values of the real part of the off-diagonal element ϱ 1 - 1 are negative at large x p , with a weighted average value of −0.09 ± 0.03 for x p > 0.3, in agreement with new theoretical predictions based on Standard Model parameters and coherent fragmentation of the q q system from the Z 0 decay. All other helicity density matrix elements measured are consistent with zero over the entire x p range. The K ∗ 0 fragmentation function has also been measured and the total rate determined to be 0.74 ± 0.02 ± 0.02 K ∗ (892) 0 mesons per hadronic Z 0 decay

Effects of sleep deprivation on neural functioning: an integrative review

Sleep deprivation has a broad variety of effects on human performance and neural functioning that manifest themselves at different levels of description. On a macroscopic level, sleep deprivation mainly affects executive functions, especially in novel tasks. Macroscopic and mesoscopic effects of sleep deprivation on brain activity include reduced cortical responsiveness to incoming stimuli, reflecting reduced attention. On a microscopic level, sleep deprivation is associated with increased levels of adenosine, a neuromodulator that has a general inhibitory effect on neural activity. The inhibition of cholinergic nuclei appears particularly relevant, as the associated decrease in cortical acetylcholine seems to cause effects of sleep deprivation on macroscopic brain activity. In general, however, the relationships between the neural effects of sleep deprivation across observation scales are poorly understood and uncovering these relationships should be a primary target in future research

The Fukushima Daiichi Accident

The Fukushima Daiichi Accident consists of a Report by the IAEA Director General and five technical volumes. It is the result of an extensive international collaborative effort involving five working groups with about 180 experts from 42 Member States with and without nuclear power programmes and several international bodies. It provides a description of the accident and its causes, evolution and consequences, based on the evaluation of data and information from a large number of sources available at the time of writing. The set contains six printed parts and five supplementary CD-ROMs. Contents: Report by the Director General; Technical Volume 1/5, Description and Context of the Accident; Technical Volume 2/5, Safety Assessment; Technical Volume 3/5, Emergency Preparedness and Response; Technical Volume 4/5, Radiological Consequences; Technical Volume 5/5, Post-accident Recovery; Annexes. The JRC contributed to volumes 1,2 and 3, which are attached.JRC.F.5-Nuclear Reactor Safety Assessmen

Changing geographical patterns and trends in cancer incidence in children and adolescents in Europe, 1991–2010 (Automated Childhood Cancer Information System): a population-based study

Background: A deceleration in the increase in cancer incidence in children and adolescents has been reported in several national and regional studies in Europe. Based on a large database representing 1·3 billion person-years over the period 1991–2010, we provide a consolidated report on cancer incidence trends at ages 0–19 years. Methods: We invited all population-based cancer registries operating in European countries to participate in this population-based registry study. We requested a listing of individual records of cancer cases, including sex, age, date of birth, date of cancer diagnosis, tumour sequence number, primary site, morphology, behaviour, and the most valid basis of diagnosis. We also requested population counts in each calendar year by sex and age for the registration area, from official national sources, and specific information about the covered area and registration practices. An eligible registry could become a contributor if it provided quality data for all complete calendar years in the period 1991–2010. Incidence rates and the average annual percentage change with 95% CIs were reported for all cancers and major diagnostic groups, by region and overall, separately for children (age 0–14 years) and adolescents (age 15–19 years). We examined and quantified the stability of the trends with joinpoint analyses. Findings: For the years 1991–2010, 53 registries in 19 countries contributed a total of 180 335 unique cases. We excluded 15 162 (8·4%) of 180 335 cases due to differing practices of registration, and considered the quality indicators for the 165 173 cases included to be satisfactory. The average annual age-standardised incidence was 137·5 (95% CI 136·7–138·3) per million person-years and incidence increased significantly by 0·54% (0·44–0·65) per year in children (age 0–14 years) with no change in trend. In adolescents, the combined European incidence was 176·2 (174·4–178·0) per million person-years based on all 35 138 eligible cases and increased significantly by 0·96% (0·73–1·19) per year, although recent changes in rates among adolescents suggest a deceleration in this increasing trend. We observed temporal variations in trends by age group, geographical region, and diagnostic group. The combined age-standardised incidence of leukaemia based on 48 458 cases in children was 46·9 (46·5–47·3) per million person-years and increased significantly by 0·66% (0·48–0·84) per year. The average overall incidence of leukaemia in adolescents was 23·6 (22·9–24·3) per million person-years, based on 4702 cases, and the average annual change was 0·93% (0·49–1·37). We also observed increasing incidence of lymphoma in adolescents (average annual change 1·04% [0·65–1·44], malignant CNS tumours in children (average annual change 0·49% [0·20–0·77]), and other tumours in both children (average annual change 0·56 [0·40–0·72]) and adolescents (average annual change 1·17 [0·82–1·53]). Interpretation: Improvements in the diagnosis and registration of cancers over time could partly explain the observed increase in incidence, although some changes in underlying putative risk factors cannot be excluded. Cancer incidence trends in this young population require continued monitoring at an international level. Funding: Federal Ministry of Health of the Federal German Government, the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme, and International Agency for Research on Cancer

Neuronal Clustering of Brain fMRI Images

International audienceFunctional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) allows the neuroscientists to observe the human brain in vivo. The current approach consists in statistically validating their hypotheses. Data mining techniques provide an opportunity to help them in making up their hypotheses. This paper shows how a neuronal clustering technique can highlight active areas thanks to an appropriate distance between fMRI image sequences. This approach has been integrated into an interactive environment for knowledge discovery in brain fMRI. Its results on a typical dataset validate the approach and open further developments in this direction

Parakinesia: A Delphi consensus report.

Abnormal movements are intrinsic to some forms of endogenous psychoses. Spontaneous dyskinesias are observed in drug-naïve first-episode patients and at-risk subjects. However, recent descriptions of spontaneous dyskinesias may actually represent the rediscovery of a more complex phenomenon, 'parakinesia' which was described and documented in extensive cinematographic recordings and long-term observations by German and French neuropsychiatrists decades before the introduction of antipsychotics. With the emergence of drug induced movement disorders, the description of parakinesia has been refined to emphasize the features enabling differential diagnosis with tardive dyskinesia. Unfortunately, parakinesia was largely neglected by mainstream psychiatry to the point of being almost absent from the English-language literature. With the renewed interest in motor phenomena intrinsic to SSD, it was timely not only to raise awareness of parakinesia, but also to propose a scientifically usable definition for this phenomenon. Therefore, we conducted a Delphi consensus exercise with clinicians familiar with the concept of parakinesia. The original concept was separated into hyperkinetic parakinesia (HPk) as dyskinetic-like expressive movements and parakinetic psychomotricity (PPM), i.e., patient's departing from the patient's normal motion style. HPk prevails on the upper part of the face and body, resembling expressive and reactive gestures that not only occur inappropriately but also appear distorted. Abnormal movements vary in intensity depending on the level of psychomotor arousal and are thus abated by antipsychotics. HPk frequently co-occurs with PPM, in which gestures and mimics lose their naturalness and become awkward, disharmonious, stiff, mannered, and bizarre. Patients are never spontaneously aware of HPk or PPM, and the movements are never experienced as self-dystonic or self-alien. HPk and PPM are highly specific to endogenous psychoses, in which they are acquired and progressive, giving them prognostic value. Their differential diagnoses and correspondences with current international concepts are discussed