The genetics of economic risk preferences

We examine the influence of genetics on economic risk preferences by administering a measure of these preferences to monozygotic (MZ) (i.e., identical) and dizygotic (DZ) (i.e., non‐identical) twin pairs. Our analysis supports a dominant genetic effect and virtually no additive genetic effect on economic risk preferences, with the heritability of preferences estimated at 0.63. These findings suggest that over half of the variation in such preferences can be explained by genetic factors, with the remainder of the variance explained by environmental influences not shared among sibling twins. We discuss the implications of our findings for the study of individual differences in economic risk preferences. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

抑郁症的影像遗传学研究:探索基因与环境的交互作用

抑郁症具有中等的遗传度。通过影像遗传学方法探讨抑郁相关基因的多态性对神经活动的影响,发现编码五羟色胺、促肾上腺素释放激素受体、多巴胺等神经递质或受体的基因多态性会影响杏仁核、前扣带等情绪加工脑区的功能或结构,且多数基因与压力生活经历发生交互作用。表明基因与环境的交互作用在抑郁症发病机理中扮演重要角色。未来的研究应拓展遗传和神经影像分析方法,重视环境因素的测量,通过整合遗传、神经影像及环境变量构建抑郁病理模型。     

Our obligations to future generations: the limits of intergenerational justice and the necessity of the ethics of metaphysics

Abstract

Theories of intergenerational justice are a very common and popular way to conceptualise the obligations currently living people may have to future generations. After briefly pointing out that these theories presuppose certain views about the existence, number and identity of future people, I argue that the presuppositions must themselves be ethically investigated, and that theories of intergenerational justice lack the theoretical resources to be able to do this. On that basis, I claim it is necessary to do the ‘ethics of metaphysics’ in order to fully comprehend what, if anything, we may owe future generations. I defend these claims against some important objections.     

What’s wrong with human extinction?

Abstract

This paper explores what could be wrong with the fact of human extinction. I first present four reasons why we might consider human extinction to be wrong: (1) it would prevent millions of people from being born; (2) it would mean the loss of rational life and civilization; (3) it would cause existing people to suffer pain or death; (4) it would involve various psychological traumas. I argue that looking at the question from a contractualist perspective, only reasons (3) and (4) are admissible. I then consider what implications this limitation on reasons has for the wrongfulness of various forms of human extinction.     

Psychometric properties of the Conners-3 and Conners Early Childhood Indexes in a Spanish school population

Ba#ckground/Obje#ctive: To examine the psychometric properties of the Conners 3 ADHD Index (Conners 3 AI) and the Conners Early Children Global Index (Conners ECGI) parents’ form (PF) and teachers’ form (TF) in Spanish schoolers. Method: Two-phase cross-sectional study. In the first phase, information was gathered from teachers (n = 1,796) and parents (n = 882) of 4-5 and 10-11 year-old children. In the second phase (n = 196), children at risk of ADHD and controls were individually assessed. Results: The results confirmed the two-factor structure of the Conners 3 ADHD Index, which contains hyperactive-impulsive and inattentive symptoms, and the two-factor structure of the Conners ECGI PF, consisting of emotional lability and restless-impulsive symptoms. In contrast with the original version, the Conners ECGI TF presented an additional inattentive factor. Moderate-to-high rates of evidence of convergent validity with Child Behavior Checklist and Kiddie-Schedule for Affective Disorders & Schizophrenia, and evidence of external validity (academic achievement) were found. Scores were significantly higher in boys than in girls, for both indexes. Raw scores corresponding to clinical T-scores were higher than the original version. Conclusions: The Conners indexes may be considered reliable and valid instruments for detecting ADHD symptoms in Spanish populations.     

Developmental Instability and Individual Variation in Brain Development: Implications for the Origin of Neurodevelopmental Disorders

ABSTRACT— Research on the origin of neurodevelopmental disorders has traditionally been pursued within a constrained, disorder-specific perspective. The developmental instability (DI) model described here offers a broader approach based on the evolutionary genetics of normal variation, reflecting our understanding that the processes generating genetic diversity are not unique to any specific disorder. The DI model helps account for shared features, including atypical functional and anatomic asymmetries, reduced general intellectual functioning, and complex patterns of heritability, across different types of neural variation. The model suggests research strategies that may help illuminate the specific and unique causal factors characterizing different types of neural variation.     

幽门螺杆菌cagA基因多态性对临床结局的影响:东亚菌株和西方菌株

CagA蛋白是幽门螺杆菌最重要的毒力因子之一.目前已证实cagA基因存在东亚及西方两种亚型.幽门螺杆菌产生CagA蛋白,注入胃上皮细胞后在其羧基端EPIYA重复序列区进行酪氨酸磷酸化,进而与SHP-2酪氨酸磷酸化酶相互作用,参与上皮细胞的信号传导,导致细胞骨架结构的重排,引起细胞表面形状的改变和细胞动力的增强,造成细胞异常的增殖和运动,在胃癌的发生中起了主要作用.cagA基因的羧基端EPIYA重复序列被认为是区分东亚型和西方型菌株的分子标记,东亚型CagA与SHP-2亲和力大于西方型,最终影响着不同CagA+菌株感染的临床表现.     

A brief opportunity to run does not function as a reinforcer for mice selected for high daily wheel-running rates

Mice from replicate lines, selectively bred based on high daily wheel-running rates, run more total revolutions and at higher average speeds than do mice from nonselected control lines. Based on this difference it was assumed that selected mice would find the opportunity to run in a wheel a more efficacious consequence. To assess this assumption within an operant paradigm, mice must be trained to make a response to produce the opportunity to run as a consequence. In the present study an autoshaping procedure was used to compare the acquisition of lever pressing reinforced by the opportunity to run for a brief opportunity (i.e., 90 s) between selected and control mice and then, using an operant procedure, the effect of the duration of the opportunity to run on lever pressing was assessed by varying reinforcer duration over values of 90 s, 30 min, and 90 s. The reinforcement schedule was a ratio schedule (FR 1 or VR 3). Results from the autoshaping phase showed that more control mice met a criterion of responses on 50% of trials. During the operant phase, when reinforcer duration was 90 s, almost all control, but few selected mice completed a session of 20 reinforcers; however, when reinforcer duration was increased to 30 min almost all selected and control mice completed a session of 20 reinforcers. Taken together, these results suggest that selective breeding based on wheel-running rates over 24 hr may have altered the motivational system in a way that reduces the reinforcing value of shorter running durations. The implications of this finding for these mice as a model for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are discussed. It also is proposed that there may be an inherent trade-off in the motivational system for activities of short versus long duration.     

Spiritual Assessment in Genetic Counseling

One hundred and twenty seven full members of the National Society of Genetic Counselors participated in this study exploring current spiritual assessment practices of genetic counselors and reactions to a spiritual assessment tool. While 60% of genetic counselors reported they had performed a spiritual assessment within the past year, fewer than 8.7% of these counselors assessed spirituality in more than half of their sessions. Counselors reporting high perceived relevance of spiritual assessment performed an assessment more frequently than those reporting a low perceived relevance. Barriers to spiritual assessment included lack of time, insufficient skills, and uncertainty regarding the role of spiritual assessment within genetic counseling. Almost two-thirds of counselors expressed that having a spiritual assessment tool would increase their ability to elicit relevant information. These data suggest a need for increased training regarding the methods for and relevance of spiritual assessment in genetic counseling. Recommendations for future directions of research are explored.