The genetic basis of major depression.

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a common, debilitating, phenotypically heterogeneous disorder with heritability ranges from 30% to 50%. Compared to other psychiatric disorders, its high prevalence, moderate heritability, and strong polygenicity have posed major challenges for gene-mapping in MDD. Studies of common genetic variation in MDD, driven by large international collaborations such as the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium, have confirmed the highly polygenic nature of the disorder and implicated over 100 genetic risk loci to date. Rare copy number variants associated with MDD risk were also recently identified. The goal of this review is to present a broad picture of our current understanding of the epidemiology, genetic epidemiology, molecular genetics, and gene-environment interplay in MDD. Insights into the impact of genetic factors on the aetiology of this complex disorder hold great promise for improving clinical care.

[Restless legs syndrome and cardiovascular risk]. / Restless-legs-Syndrom und kardiovaskuläres Risiko.

Large epidemiological studies have repeatedly suggested a possible association between restless legs syndrome (RLS) and common cardiovascular diseases and cardiovascular risk factors. Patients complaining of symptoms of RLS were also more likely to suffer from coronary artery disease, stroke, or, in some instances, hypertension. The underlying pathogenesis of the disease association depicted above has not been elucidated conclusively. Increased activation of the sympathetic nervous system - due to the RLS itself and the frequently accompanying periodic limb movements - has been linked to increased cardiovascular stress in patients with RLS.

Recoil-proton polarization in high-energy deuteron photodisintegration with circularly polarized photons.

We measured the angular dependence of the three recoil-proton polarization components in two-body photodisintegration of the deuteron at a photon energy of 2 GeV. These new data provide a benchmark for calculations based on quantum chromodynamics. Two of the five existing models have made predictions of polarization observables. Both explain the longitudinal polarization transfer satisfactorily. Transverse polarizations are not well described, but suggest isovector dominance.

Precision Rosenbluth measurement of the proton elastic form factors.

We report the results of a new Rosenbluth measurement of the proton electromagnetic form factors at Q2 values of 2.64, 3.20, and 4.10 GeV2. Cross sections were determined by detecting the recoiling proton, in contrast to previous measurements which detected the scattered electron. Cross sections were determined to 3%, with relative uncertainties below 1%. The ratio mu(p)G(E)/G(M) was determined to 4%-8% and showed mu(p)G(E)/G(M) approximately 1. These results are consistent with, and much more precise than, previous Rosenbluth extractions. They are inconsistent with recent polarization transfer measurements of similar precision, implying a systematic difference between the techniques.

Cross-section measurement of charged-pion photoproduction from hydrogen and deuterium.

We have measured the differential cross section for the gamman-->pi(-)p and gammap-->pi(+)n reactions at theta(c.m.)=90 degrees in the photon energy range from 1.1 to 5.5 GeV at Jefferson Lab (JLab). The data at E(gamma) greater, similar 3.3 GeV exhibit a global scaling behavior for both pi(-) and pi(+) photoproduction, consistent with the constituent counting rule and the existing pi(+) photoproduction data. Possible oscillations around the scaling value are suggested by these new data. The data show enhancement in the scaled cross section at a center-of-mass energy near 2.2 GeV. The cross section ratio of exclusive pi(-) to pi(+) photoproduction at high energy is consistent with the prediction based on one-hard-gluon-exchange diagrams.

Measurement of the high energy two-body deuteron photodisintegration differential cross section.

The first measurements of the d(gamma,p)n differential cross section at forward angles and photon energies above 4 GeV were performed at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (JLab). The results indicate evidence of an angular dependent scaling threshold. Results at straight theta(cm) = 37 degrees are consistent with the constituent counting rules for E(gamma) greater, similar 4 GeV, while those at 70 degrees are consistent with the constituent counting rules for E(gamma) greater, similar 1.5 GeV.

Evidence for a three-nucleon-force effect in proton-deuteron elastic scattering.

Developments in spin-polarized internal targets for storage rings have permitted measurements of 197 MeV polarized protons scattering from vector polarized deuterons. This work presents measurements of the polarization observables A(y), iT11, and C(y,y) in proton-deuteron elastic scattering. When compared to calculations with and without three-nucleon forces, the measurements provide further evidence that three-nucleon forces make a contribution to the observables. This work indicates that three-body forces derived from static nuclear properties appear to be crucial to the description of dynamical properties.