The ORFEUS II Echelle Spectrum of HD 93521: A reference for interstellar molecular hydrogen

During the second flight of the ORFEUS-SPAS mission in November/December 1996, the Echelle spectrometer was used extensively by the Principal and Guest Investigator teams as one of the two focal plane instruments of the ORFEUS telescope. The spectrum of HD 93521 was obtained during this mission with a total integration time of 1740 s. This spectrum shows numerous sharp interstellar absorption lines. We identified 198 lines of molecular hydrogen including at least 7 lines with a high velocity component. Also most of the 67 identified interstellar metal lines are visible with a high velocity component. We present plots of the complete ORFEUS Echelle spectrum together with tables of all identified interstellar absorption lines including all 14 detectable HI lines. In addition several identified stellar lines, partially with narrow absorption components, and stellar wind lines are given in a separate table.Comment: 18 pages, 33 figure

Clinical phenotypes of depressed patients with evidence of inflammation and somatic symptoms.

Funder: MQ: Transforming Mental Health; Grant(s): MQDS17\40, MQDS17/40Whether depressed patients with evidence of inflammation are more appropriate candidates for immunotherapies is being tested in several clinical trials, which are selecting patients based on elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) and inflammation-related symptoms. However, studies of the clinical and phenotypic profile of depressed patients with elevated CRP are relatively scarce. We have investigated detailed clinical characteristics of 84 depressed patients, grouped as those with (CRP≥3 mg/L) and without (CRP<3 mg/L) inflammation. All patients met the International Classification of Diseases 10th Revision criteria for current depressive episode and had somatic symptoms of depression. We report that depressed patients with inflammation are more likely to be older (P=0.04), have higher body mass index (P<0.01), and be on non-selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor anti-depressants (P=0.04). After adjusting for potential confounders, the inflammation group had higher depression severity (adjusted mean difference, 8.82; 95% CI, 3.91-13.72), somatic symptoms (adjusted mean difference, 3.25; 95% CI, 1.58-4.92), state anxiety (adjusted mean difference, 9.25; 95% CI, 3.82-14.67), perceived stress (adjusted mean difference, 4.58; 95% CI, 1.98-7.18), and fatigue (adjusted mean difference, 9.71; 95% CI, 3.09-6.33), but not anhedonia. The inflamed group also had poorer quality of life (adjusted mean difference, -0.18; 95% CI, -0.32-0.05). At individual depressive symptom level, the inflammation group had increased guilty feelings (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 7.28; 95% CI, 2.09-31.17), pessimism (adjusted OR, 5.38; 95% CI, 1.53-22.73), concentration difficulties (adjusted OR, 4.56; 95% CI, 1.32-19.02), and indecisiveness (adjusted OR, 4.21; 95% CI, 1.15-18.54). Our findings highlight the clinical features associated with inflammation in depressed patients with somatic symptoms, including poor quality of life, supporting the need for intervention targeting this group. These results could also aid patient and outcome selection in future clinical trials testing immunotherapies in depression. Replication of these findings in larger samples is required.This work was funded by a Wellcome Trust fellowship to GMK (grant code: 201486/Z/16/Z). GMK also acknowledges funding support from Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust R&D Department (Grant code: G101481), the BMA Foundation (J Moulton grant 2019); the MQ: Transforming Mental Health (grant code: MQDS17/40); and the Medical Research Council UK (grant codes: MC_PC_17213 and MR/S037675/1). The BMA Foundation J Moulton grant supports ÉMF and the MRC grant MC_PC_17213 supports JTP. NK is supported by the International Max Planck Research School of Translational Psychiatry (IMPRS-TP). The funding sources had no role in study design; collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; writing of the report; and the decision to submit the paper for publication

ORFEUS-II Far-Ultraviolet Observations of 3C273: 1. Interstellar and Intergalactic Absorption Lines

We present the first intermediate-resolution (lambda / 3000) spectrum of the bright quasi-stellar object 3C273 at wavelengths between 900 and 1200 A. Observations were performed with the Berkeley spectrograph aboard the ORFEUS-SPAS II mission. We detect Lyman beta counterparts to previously-identified intergalactic Lyman-alpha features at cz = 19900, 1600, and 1000 km/s; counterparts to other putative Lyman-alpha clouds along the sight line are below our detection limit. The strengths of the two very low redshift Lyman-beta features, which are believed to arise in Virgo intracluster gas, exceed preflight expectations, suggesting that the previous determination of the cloud parameters may underestimate the true column densities. A curve-of-growth analysis sets a minimum H I column density of 4 E14/cm^2 for the 1600 km/s cloud. We find marginally significant evidence for Galactic H_2 along the sight line, with a total column density of about 1 E15/cm^2. We detect the stronger interstellar O VI doublet member unambiguously; the weaker member is blended with other features. If the Doppler b value for O VI is comparable to that determined for N V then the O VI column density is 7 +/- 2 E14/cm^2, significantly above the only previous estimate. The O VI / N V ratio is about 10, consistent with the low end of the range observed in the disk. Additional interstellar species detected for the first time toward 3C273 (at modest statistical significance) include P II, Fe III, Ar I, and S III.Comment: LaTeX file, 11 pages, 4 encapsulated PostScript figures. Uses aaspp4.sty and astrobib.sty. (Astrobib is available from http://www.stsci.edu/software/TeX.html .) The ORFEUS telescope is described at http://sag-www.ssl.berkeley.edu/orfeus/ . To appear in ApJ (Letters

Dissecting the Association Between Inflammation, Metabolic Dysregulation, and Specific Depressive Symptoms: A Genetic Correlation and 2-Sample Mendelian Randomization Study.

IMPORTANCE: Observational studies highlight associations of C-reactive protein (CRP), a general marker of inflammation, and interleukin 6 (IL-6), a cytokine-stimulating CRP production, with individual depressive symptoms. However, it is unclear whether inflammatory activity is associated with individual depressive symptoms and to what extent metabolic dysregulation underlies the reported associations. OBJECTIVE: To explore the genetic overlap and associations between inflammatory activity, metabolic dysregulation, and individual depressive symptoms. GWAS DATA SOURCES: Genome-wide association study (GWAS) summary data of European individuals, including the following: CRP levels (204 402 individuals); 9 individual depressive symptoms (3 of which did not differentiate between underlying diametrically opposite symptoms [eg, insomnia and hypersomnia]) as measured with the Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (up to 117 907 individuals); summary statistics for major depression, including and excluding UK Biobank participants, resulting in sample sizes of 500 199 and up to 230 214 individuals, respectively; insomnia (up to 386 533 individuals); body mass index (BMI) (up to 322 154 individuals); and height (up to 253 280 individuals). DESIGN: In this genetic correlation and 2-sample mendelian randomization (MR) study, linkage disequilibrium score (LDSC) regression was applied to infer single-nucleotide variant-based heritability and genetic correlation estimates. Two-sample MR tested potential causal associations of genetic variants associated with CRP levels, IL-6 signaling, and BMI with depressive symptoms. The study dates were November 2019 to April 2020. RESULTS: Based on large GWAS data sources, genetic correlation analyses revealed consistent false discovery rate (FDR)-controlled associations (genetic correlation range, 0.152-0.362; FDR P = .006 to P < .001) between CRP levels and depressive symptoms that were similar in size to genetic correlations of BMI with depressive symptoms. Two-sample MR analyses suggested that genetic upregulation of IL-6 signaling was associated with suicidality (estimate [SE], 0.035 [0.010]; FDR plus Bonferroni correction P = .01), a finding that remained stable across statistical models and sensitivity analyses using alternative instrument selection strategies. Mendelian randomization analyses did not consistently show associations of higher CRP levels or IL-6 signaling with other depressive symptoms, but higher BMI was associated with anhedonia, tiredness, changes in appetite, and feelings of inadequacy. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: This study reports coheritability between CRP levels and individual depressive symptoms, which may result from the potentially causal association of metabolic dysregulation with anhedonia, tiredness, changes in appetite, and feelings of inadequacy. The study also found that IL-6 signaling is associated with suicidality. These findings may have clinical implications, highlighting the potential of anti-inflammatory approaches, especially IL-6 blockade, as a putative strategy for suicide prevention.Wellcome Trust (grant code: 201486/Z/16/Z

Association of Childhood Infection With IQ and Adult Nonaffective Psychosis in Swedish Men: A Population-Based Longitudinal Cohort and Co-relative Study.

Importance: Associations between childhood infection, IQ, and adult nonaffective psychosis (NAP) are well established. However, examination of sensitive periods for exposure, effect of familial confounding, and whether IQ provides a link between childhood infection and adult NAP may elucidate pathogenesis of psychosis further. Objectives: To test the association of childhood infection with IQ and adult NAP, to find whether shared familial confounding explains the infection-NAP and IQ-NAP associations, and to examine whether IQ mediates and/or moderates the childhood infection-NAP association. Design, Setting, and Participants: Population-based longitudinal cohort study using linkage of Swedish national registers. The risk set included all Swedish men born between 1973 and 1992 and conscripted into the military until the end of 2010 (n = 771 698). We included 647 515 participants in the analysis. Measurement of Exposures: Hospitalization with any infection from birth to age 13 years. Main Outcomes and Measures: Hospitalization with an International Classification of Diseases diagnosis of NAP until the end of 2011. At conscription around age 18 years, IQ was assessed for all participants. Results: At the end of follow-up, the mean (SD) age of participants was 30.73 (5.3) years. Exposure to infections, particularly in early childhood, was associated with lower IQ (adjusted mean difference for infection at birth to age 1 year: -1.61; 95% CI, -1.74 to -1.47) and with increased risk of adult NAP (adjusted hazard ratio for infection at birth to age 1 year: 1.19; 95% CI, 1.06 to 1.33). There was a linear association between lower premorbid IQ and adult NAP, which persisted after excluding prodromal cases (adjusted hazard ratio per 1-point increase in IQ: 0.976; 95% CI, 0.974 to 0.978). The infection-NAP and IQ-NAP associations were similar in the general population and in full-sibling pairs discordant for exposure. The association between infection and NAP was both moderated (multiplicative, β = .006; SE = 0.002; P = .02 and additive, β = .008; SE = 0.002; P = .001) and mediated (β = .028; SE = 0.002; P < .001) by IQ. Childhood infection had a greater association with NAP risk in the lower, compared with higher, IQ range. Conclusions and Relevance: Early childhood is a sensitive period for the effects of infection on IQ and NAP. The associations of adult NAP with early-childhood infection and adolescent IQ are not fully explained by shared familial factors and may be causal. Lower premorbid IQ in individuals with psychosis arises from unique environmental factors, such as early-childhood infection. Early-childhood infections may increase the risk of NAP by affecting neurodevelopment and by exaggerating the association of cognitive vulnerability with psychosis.Dr Khandaker is supported by an Intermediate Clinical Fellowship from the Wellcome Trust (201486/Z/16/Z) and a Clinical Lecturer Starter Grant from the Academy of Medical Sciences, UK (80354). Dr Jones reports having grant support from the Wellcome Trust (095844/Z/11/Z and 088869/Z/09/Z) and from the National Institute for Health Research: RP-PG-0616-20003, Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre and Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care East of England. Dr Dalman reports grant support from the Swedish Research Council. Dr Karlsson reports grant support from the Stanley Medical Research Institute

The ORFEUS II Echelle Spectrometer: Instrument description, performance and data reduction

During the second flight of the ORFEUS-SPAS mission in November/December 1996, the Echelle spectrometer was used extensively by the Principal and Guest Investigator teams as one of the two focal plane instruments of the ORFEUS telescope. We present the in-flight performance and the principles of the data reduction for this instrument. The wavelength range is 90 nm to 140 nm, the spectral resolution is significantly better than lambda/(Delta lambda) = 10000, where Delta lambda is measured as FWHM of the instrumental profile. The effective area peaks at 1.3 cm^2 near 110 nm. The background is dominated by straylight from the Echelle grating and is about 15% in an extracted spectrum for spectra with a rather flat continuum. The internal accuracy of the wavelength calibration is better than +/- 0.005 nm.Comment: 8 pages, 8 figure