Abstract Purpose This study examined associations of gender identity and sexual orientation with self-reported eating disorder (SR-ED) diagnosis and compensatory behaviors in transgender and ...cisgender college students. Methods Data came from 289,024 students from 223 U.S. universities participating in the American College Health Association–National College Health Assessment II (median age, 20 years). Rates of past-year SR-ED diagnosis and past-month use of diet pills and vomiting or laxatives were compared among transgender students (n = 479) and cisgender sexual minority (SM) male (n = 5,977) and female (n = 9,445), unsure male (n = 1,662) and female (n = 3,395), and heterosexual male (n = 91,599) and female (n = 176,467) students using chi-square tests. Logistic regression models were used to estimate the odds of eating-related pathology outcomes after adjusting for covariates. Results Rates of past-year SR-ED diagnosis and past-month use of diet pills and vomiting or laxatives were highest among transgender students and lowest among cisgender heterosexual men. Compared to cisgender heterosexual women, transgender students had greater odds of past-year SR-ED diagnosis (odds ratio OR, 4.62; 95% confidence interval CI, 3.41–6.26) and past-month use of diet pills (OR, 2.05; 95% CI, 1.48–2.83) and vomiting or laxatives (OR, 2.46; 95% CI, 1.83–3.30). Although cisgender SM men and unsure men and women also had elevated rates of SR-ED diagnosis than heterosexual women, the magnitudes of these associations were lower than those for transgender individuals (ORs; 1.40–1.54). Conclusions Transgender and cisgender SM young adults have elevated rates of compensatory behavior and SR-ED diagnosis. Appropriate interventions for these populations are urgently needed.
Block copolymers (BCPs) must necessarily have high interaction parameters (χ), a fundamental measure of block incompatibility, to self-assemble into sub-10-nanometer features. Unfortunately, a high χ ...often results from blocks that have disparate interfacial energies, which makes the formation of useful thin-film domain orientations challenging. To mitigate interfacial forces, polymers composed of maleic anhydride and two other components have been designed as top coats that can be spin-coated from basic aqueous solution in the ring-opened, acid salt form. When baked, the anhydride reforms and switches polarity to create a neutral layer enabling BCP feature alignment not possible by thermal annealing alone. Top coats were applied to the lamella-forming block copolymers poly(styrene-block-trimethyilylstyrene-block-styrene) and poly(trimethylsilylstyrene-block-lactide), which were thermally annealed to produce perpendicular features with linewidths of 15 and 9 nanometers, respectively.
Abstract Background Delay discounting (DD), a decline in the subjective value of reward with increasing delay until its receipt, is an established behavioral model of impulsive choice, a key ...component of a broader impulsivity construct. Greater DD, i.e., a tendency to choose smaller immediate over larger delayed rewards, has been implicated as a potential intermediate phenotype (endophenotype) for addictive disorders and comorbid externalizing psychopathology, particularly in adolescence. However, genetic and environmental origins of DD remain unclear. Accordingly, the goal of the present study was to assess heritability of DD, an important aspect of its utility as an endophenotype. Methods A commonly used computerized procedure involving choice between varying amounts of money available immediately and a standard amount of $100 presented at variable delays was administered to a population-based sample of twins aged 16 and 18 ( n = 560, including 134 monozygotic and 142 dizygotic pairs). DD was quantified using area under the discounting curve and the k coefficient estimated by fitting a hyperbolic model to individual data. Heritability was assessed using linear structural equation modeling of twin data. Results The genetic analysis revealed significant heritability of both DD measures (area under the discounting curve: 46% and 62%; k: 35% and 55% at age 16 and 18, respectively). Conclusions The present study provides evidence for heritability of both model-based and model-free DD measures and suggests that DD is a promising intermediate phenotype for genetic dissection of impulsivity and externalizing spectrum disorders.
Delay discounting (DD) refers to the preference for smaller immediate rewards over larger but delayed rewards, and is considered to be a distinct component of a broader “impulsivity” construct. ...Although greater propensity for discounting the value of delayed gratification has been associated with a range of problem behaviors and substance abuse, particularly in adolescents, the origins of individual differences in DD remain unclear. We examined genetic and environmental influences on a real-life behavioral measure of DD using a longitudinal twin design. Adolescent participants were asked to choose between a smaller ($7) reward available immediately and a larger ($10) reward to be received in 7 days. Biometrical genetic analysis using linear structural equation modeling showed significant heritability of DD at ages 12 and 14 (30 and 51%, respectively) and suggested that the same genetic factors influenced the trait at both ages. DD was significantly associated with symptoms of conduct disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, substance use, and with higher novelty seeking and poor self-regulation. This study provides the first evidence for heritability of DD in humans and suggests that DD can be a promising endophenotype for genetic studies of addiction and externalizing disorders.
Block copolymers demonstrate potential for use in next-generation lithography due to their ability to self-assemble into well-ordered periodic arrays on the 3–100 nm length scale. The successful ...lithographic application of block copolymers relies on three critical conditions being met: high Flory–Huggins interaction parameters (χ), which enable formation of <10 nm features, etch selectivity between blocks for facile pattern transfer, and thin film self-assembly control. The present paper describes the synthesis and self-assembly of block copolymers composed of naturally derived oligosaccharides coupled to a silicon-containing polystyrene derivative synthesized by activators regenerated by electron transfer atom transfer radical polymerization. The block copolymers have a large χ and a low degree of polymerization (N) enabling formation of 5 nm feature diameters, incorporate silicon in one block for oxygen reactive ion etch contrast, and exhibit bulk and thin film self-assembly of hexagonally packed cylinders facilitated by a combination of spin coating and solvent annealing techniques. As observed by small angle X-ray scattering and atomic force microscopy, these materials exhibit some of the smallest block copolymer features in the bulk and in thin films reported to date.
Integrating block copolymer self-assembly with existing lithography processes to enhance their patterning capability is a promising approach for manufacturing a variety of semiconductor devices and ...next-generation magnetic storage media. Sub-10 nm block copolymer domains are specifically targeted in many of these applications, yet there are relatively few block copolymers that can achieve these dimensions. Here the synthesis and self-assembly characteristics of a new block copolymer poly(trimethylsilylstyrene-b-d,l-lactide) (PTMSS-b-PLA) capable of forming domains as small as ∼5 nm are described. Several lamellar and cylinder forming diblocks were synthesized with bulk domain periodicities of 12–15 nm which are among the smallest domains yet reported for any neat block copolymer. Such small domains are possible because this new material has a large segment–segment interaction parameter which is an order of magnitude higher than poly(styrene-b-methyl methacrylate) (PS-b-PMMA) and twice as large as poly(styrene-b-dimethylsiloxane) (PS-b-PDMS), two commonly studied polymers for these applications. Furthermore, the PTMSS-b-PLA blocks have glass transitions well above room temperature with a large reactive ion etch rate contrast between them (∼28) which is at least 4 times greater than PS-b-PMMA due to incorporation of a trimethylsilyl group into the styrene monomer.
Background Given moderately strong genetic contributions to variation in alcoholism and heaviness of drinking (50% to 60% heritability) with high correlation of genetic influences, we have conducted ...a quantitative trait genome-wide association study (GWAS) for phenotypes related to alcohol use and dependence. Methods Diagnostic interview and blood/buccal samples were obtained from sibships ascertained through the Australian Twin Registry. Genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping was performed with 8754 individuals (2062 alcohol-dependent cases) selected for informativeness for alcohol use disorder and associated quantitative traits. Family-based association tests were performed for alcohol dependence, dependence factor score, and heaviness of drinking factor score, with confirmatory case-population control comparisons using an unassessed population control series of 3393 Australians with genome-wide SNP data. Results No findings reached genome-wide significance ( p = 8.4 × 10−8 for this study), with lowest p value for primary phenotypes of 1.2 × 10−7 . Convergent findings for quantitative consumption and diagnostic and quantitative dependence measures suggest possible roles for a transmembrane protein gene ( TMEM108 ) and for ANKS1A . The major finding, however, was small effect sizes estimated for individual SNPs, suggesting that hundreds of genetic variants make modest contributions (1/4% of variance or less) to alcohol dependence risk. Conclusions We conclude that 1) meta-analyses of consumption data may contribute usefully to gene discovery; 2) translation of human alcoholism GWAS results to drug discovery or clinically useful prediction of risk will be challenging; and 3) through accumulation across studies, GWAS data may become valuable for improved genetic risk differentiation in research in biological psychiatry (e.g., prospective high-risk or resilience studies).
The ability to inhibit prepotent but context- or goal-inappropriate responses is essential for adaptive self-regulation of behavior. Deficits in response inhibition, a key component of impulsivity, ...have been implicated as a core dysfunction in a range of neuropsychiatric disorders such as ADHD and addictions. Identification of genetically transmitted variation in the neural underpinnings of response inhibition can help to elucidate etiological pathways to these disorders and establish the links between genes, brain, and behavior. However, little is known about genetic influences on the neural mechanisms of response inhibition during adolescence, a developmental period characterized by weak self-regulation of behavior. Here we investigated heritability of ERPs elicited in a Go/No-Go task in a large sample of adolescent twins assessed longitudinally at ages 12, 14, and 16. Genetic analyses showed significant heritability of inhibition-related frontal N2 and P3 components at all three ages, with 50 to 60% of inter-individual variability being attributable to genetic factors. These genetic influences included both common genetic factors active at different ages and novel genetic influences emerging during development. Finally, individual differences in the rate of developmental changes from age 12 to age 16 were significantly influenced by genetic factors. In conclusion, the present study provides the first evidence for genetic influences on neural correlates of response inhibition during adolescence and suggests that ERPs elicited in the Go/No-Go task can serve as intermediate neurophysiological phenotypes (endophenotypes) for the study of disinhibition and impulse control disorders.
•Neural mechanisms of response inhibition undergo significant developmental changes during adolescence•Individual differences remain stable across development•Inhibition-related brain activity is heritable•Heritability is due to both developmentally stable and age-specific genetic factors•The rate of developmental changes is also influenced by genetic factors
Top coat design, coating, and optimization methodologies are introduced that facilitate the synthesis, application, and identification of neutral top coats for block copolymer (BP) thin films. ...Polymeric top coat composition, controlled via synthesis, determines interfacial wetting characteristics. Trimethylammonium salts of top coats improve solubility and coating uniformity. A “confined” island and hole test conveniently establishes (non)preferential wetting at the top coat/BP interface, which depends upon top coat composition. The utility of these three concepts was demonstrated with two high-χ, lamella-forming BPs, poly(styrene-block-4-trimethylsilylstyrene) (PS-b-PTMSS) having two periodicities L 0 = 18 and 22 nm and poly(styrene-block-methyltrimethylsilylmethacrylate) (PS-b-PTMSM) with L 0 = 15 nm. The combination of neutral top and bottom interfaces resulted in a perpendicular orientation of lamellae independent of BP film thickness (1–3 L 0) when thermally annealed for 60 s or less.
Genetic influences on heart rate variability Golosheykin, Simon; Grant, Julia D.; Novak, Olga V. ...
International journal of psychophysiology,
05/2017, Letnik:
115
Journal Article
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Odprti dostop
Heart rate variability (HRV) is the variation of cardiac inter-beat intervals over time resulting largely from the interplay between the sympathetic and parasympathetic branches of the autonomic ...nervous system. Individual differences in HRV are associated with emotion regulation, personality, psychopathology, cardiovascular health, and mortality. Previous studies have shown significant heritability of HRV measures. Here we extend genetic research on HRV by investigating sex differences in genetic underpinnings of HRV, the degree of genetic overlap among different measurement domains of HRV, and phenotypic and genetic relationships between HRV and the resting heart rate (HR). We performed electrocardiogram (ECG) recordings in a large population-representative sample of young adult twins (n=1060 individuals) and computed HRV measures from three domains: time, frequency, and nonlinear dynamics. Genetic and environmental influences on HRV measures were estimated using linear structural equation modeling of twin data. The results showed that variability of HRV and HR measures can be accounted for by additive genetic and non-shared environmental influences (AE model), with no evidence for significant shared environmental effects. Heritability estimates ranged from 47 to 64%, with little difference across HRV measurement domains. Genetic influences did not differ between genders for most variables except the square root of the mean squared differences between successive R-R intervals (RMSSD, higher heritability in males) and the ratio of low to high frequency power (LF/HF, distinct genetic factors operating in males and females). The results indicate high phenotypic and especially genetic correlations between HRV measures from different domains, suggesting that >90% of genetic influences are shared across measures. Finally, about 40% of genetic variance in HRV was shared with HR. In conclusion, both HR and HRV measures are highly heritable traits in the general population of young adults, with high degree of genetic overlap across different measurement domains.
•We examined heritability of heart rate variability (HRV) in a large sample of young adult twins (n=1060)•HRV measures showed significant heritability indicating that 47 to 64% of inter-individual variability is accounted for by genetic factors.•Over 90% of genetic influences are shared across different HRV measures (time domain, frequency domain, and nonlinear)
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