34 research outputs found
Linking unfounded beliefs to genetic dopamine availability
Unfounded convictions involving beliefs in the paranormal, grandiosity ideas
or suspicious thoughts are endorsed at varying degrees among the general
population. Here, we investigated the neurobiopsychological basis of the
observed inter-individual variability in the propensity toward unfounded
beliefs. One hundred two healthy individuals were genotyped for four
polymorphisms in the COMT gene (rs6269, rs4633, rs4818, and rs4680, also known
as val158met) that define common functional haplotypes with substantial impact
on synaptic dopamine degradation, completed a questionnaire measuring
unfounded beliefs, and took part in a behavioral experiment assessing
perceptual inference. We found that greater dopamine availability was
associated with a stronger propensity toward unfounded beliefs, and that this
effect was statistically mediated by an enhanced influence of expectations on
perceptual inference. Our results indicate that genetic differences in
dopaminergic neurotransmission account for inter-individual differences in
perceptual inference linked to the formation and maintenance of unfounded
beliefs. Thus, dopamine might be critically involved in the processes
underlying one's interpretation of the relationship between the self and the
world
HST/WFPC2 and VLT/ISAAC observations of PROPLYDS in the giant HII region NGC 3603
We report the discovery of three proplyd-like structures in the giant HII
region NGC 3603. The emission nebulae are clearly resolved in narrow-band and
broad-band HST/WFPC2 observations in the optical and broad-band VLT/ISAAC
observations in the near-infrared. All three nebulae are tadpole shaped, with
the bright ionization front at the head facing the central cluster and a
fainter ionization front around the tail pointing away from the cluster.
Typical sizes are 6,000 A.U. x 20,000 A.U. The nebulae share the overall
morphology of the proplyds (``PROto PLanetarY DiskS'') in Orion, but are 20 to
30 times larger in size. Additional faint filaments located between the nebulae
and the central ionizing cluster can be interpreted as bow shocks resulting
from the interaction of the fast winds from the high-mass stars in the cluster
with the evaporation flow from the proplyds. The striking similarity of the
tadpole shaped emission nebulae in NGC 3603 to the proplyds in Orion suggests
that the physical structure of both types of objects might be the same. We
present 2D radiation hydrodynamical simulations of an externally illuminated
star-disk-envelope system, which was still in its main accretion phase when
first exposed to ionizing radiation from the central cluster. The simulations
reproduce the overall morphology of the proplyds in NGC 3603 very well, but
also indicate that mass-loss rates of up to 10^-5 Mo/yr are required in order
to explain the size of the proplyds. (abbreviated)Comment: 10 pages, 4 Postscript figures, uses emulateapj.sty and psfig.tex.
Astronomical Journal, in press (January 2000 issue
The Mid-infrared E-ELT Imager and Spectrograph (METIS)
METIS will be among the first generation of scientific instruments on the
E-ELT. Focusing on highest angular resolution and high spectral resolution,
METIS will provide diffraction limited imaging and coronagraphy from 3-14um
over an 20"x20" field of view, as well as integral field spectroscopy at R ~
100,000 from 2.9-5.3um. In addition, METIS provides medium-resolution (R ~
5000) long slit spectroscopy, and polarimetric measurements at N band. While
the baseline concept has already been discussed, this paper focuses on the
significant developments over the past two years in several areas: The science
case has been updated to account for recent progress in the main science areas
circum-stellar disks and the formation of planets, exoplanet detection and
characterization, Solar system formation, massive stars and clusters, and star
formation in external galaxies. We discuss the developments in the adaptive
optics (AO) concept for METIS, the telescope interface, and the instrument
modelling. Last but not least, we provide an overview of our technology
development programs, which ranges from coronagraphic masks, immersed gratings,
and cryogenic beam chopper to novel approaches to mirror polishing, background
calibration and cryo-cooling. These developments have further enhanced the
design and technology readiness of METIS to reliably serve as an early
discovery machine on the E-ELT.Comment: 18 pages, 14 figures, paper presented at the conference 'Astronomical
Telescopes and Instrumentation' in Montreal (2014
From pharmacogenetics to imaging pharmacogenetics: elucidating mechanisms of antidepressant response
The Differential Impact of Lockdown Measures Upon Migrant and Female Psychiatric Patients – A Cross-Sectional Survey in a Psychiatric Hospital in Berlin, Germany
The COVID-19 pandemic could have major effects on already vulnerable individuals with psychiatric disorders. It is important to assess how different patient groups respond to stress related to the pandemic, and what additional factors influence it, including family-related stress, migration background, and sex. We conducted a survey in a sample of 294 psychiatric patients in a large outpatient clinic in Berlin, measuring level of distress in relation to COVID-19 lockdown as well as family-related distress. We also measured potential influencing factors such as media consumption and medical support. In the migration background group, we found that women had more lockdown related psychological distress than men. This was not apparent in those patients with a German background. We found that females were more strongly affected by family-related distress, particularly those with a migration background. People with PTSD were most strongly affected by family-related distress, whereas people with psychotic disorders and addiction reported the least distress. There were no effects of media consumption. There were no differences in ability to abide by the lockdown related restrictions across diagnoses. Our results support earlier findings on differential vulnerability of diagnostic groups to these stressors. Thus, clinicians can optimize treatment by taking family-related stressors into account particularly for females and people with a migrant background
Quantifying energy and nutrient fluxes in coral reef food webs
The movement of energy and nutrients through ecological communities represents the biological 'pulse' underpinning ecosystem functioning and services. However, energy and nutrient fluxes are inherently difficult to observe, particularly in high-diversity systems such as coral reefs. We review advances in the quantification of fluxes in coral reef fishes, focusing on four key frameworks: demographic modelling, bioenergetics, micronutrients, and compound-specific stable isotope analysis (CSIA). Each framework can be integrated with underwater surveys, enabling researchers to scale organismal processes to ecosystem properties. This has revealed how small fish support biomass turnover, pelagic subsidies sustain fisheries, and fisheries benefit human health. Combining frameworks, closing data gaps, and expansion to other aquatic ecosystems can advance understanding of how fishes contribute to ecosystem functions and services