Pulsed Laser Deposited Nickel Doped Zinc Oxide Thin Films: Structural and Optical Investigations

Structural and optical studies has been done on Nickel doped Zinc Oxide (NixZn1 – xO, x 0.03, 0.05 and 0.07 by weight) thin films prepared by pulsed laser deposition technique. The films are characterized by X-ray diffraction, Uv-vis spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. We observed a slight red shift in the optical band gap in the NiZnO subsequent to Ni doping. This shift can be assigned due to the sp-d exchange interaction of Ni- d states with s and p-states of ZnO. Also X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy studies show that Ni has well substituted in + 2 oxidation state by replacing Zn2+. When you are citing the document, use the following link http://essuir.sumdu.edu.ua/handle/123456789/3101

Declines in prevalence of adolescent substance use disorders and delinquent behaviors in the USA: A unitary trend?

AbstractBackgroundDownward trends in a number of adolescent risk behaviors including violence, crime, and drug use have been observed in the USA in recent years. It is unknown whether these are separate trends or whether they might relate to a general reduction in propensity to engage in such behaviors. Our objectives were to quantify trends in substance use disorders (SUDs) and delinquent behaviors over the 2003–2014 period and to determine whether they might reflect a single trend in an Externalizing-like trait.MethodsWe analyzed data from 12 to 17 year old participants from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, a representative survey of the household dwelling population of the USA, across the 2003–2014 period (N = 210 599). Outcomes included past-year prevalence of six categories of substance use disorder and six categories of delinquent behavior.ResultsTrend analysis suggested a net decline of 49% in mean number of SUDs and a 34% decline in delinquent behaviors over the 12-year period. Item Response Theory models were consistent with the interpretation that declines in each set of outcomes could be attributed to changes in mean levels of a latent, Externalizing-like trait.ConclusionsOur findings suggest that declines in SUDs and some delinquent behaviors reflect a single trend related to an Externalizing-like trait. Identifying the factors contributing to this trend may facilitate continued improvement across a spectrum of adolescent risk behaviors.</jats:sec

Overlap of heritable influences between Cannabis Use Disorder, frequency of use and opportunity to use cannabis: Trivariate twin modelling and implications for genetic design

Background: The genetic component of Cannabis Use Disorder may overlap with influences acting more generally on early stages of cannabis use. This paper aims to determine the extent to which genetic influences on the development of cannabis abuse/dependence are correlated with those acting on the opportunity to use cannabis and frequency of use. Methods: A cross-sectional study of 3303 Australian twins, measuring age of onset of cannabis use opportunity, lifetime frequency of cannabis use, and lifetime DSM-IV cannabis abuse/dependence. A trivariate Cholesky decomposition estimated additive genetic (A), shared environment (C) and unique environment (E) contributions to the opportunity to use cannabis, the frequency of cannabis use, cannabis abuse/dependence, and the extent of overlap between genetic and environmental factors associated with each phenotype. Results: Variance components estimates were A = 0.64 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.58–0.70] and E = 0.36 (95% CI 0.29–0.42) for age of opportunity to use cannabis, A = 0.74 (95% CI 0.66–0.80) and E = 0.26 (95% CI 0.20–0.34) for cannabis use frequency, and A = 0.78 (95% CI 0.65–0.88) and E = 0.22 (95% CI 0.12–0.35) for cannabis abuse/dependence. Opportunity shares 45% of genetic influences with the frequency of use, and only 17% of additive genetic influences are unique to abuse/dependence from those acting on opportunity and frequency. Conclusions: There are significant genetic contributions to lifetime cannabis abuse/dependence, but a large proportion of this overlaps with influences acting on opportunity and frequency of use. Individuals without drug use opportunity are uninformative, and studies of drug use disorders must incorporate individual exposure to accurately identify aetiology

Multi-ancestry study of the genetics of problematic alcohol use in over 1 million individuals

Problematic alcohol use (PAU), a trait that combines alcohol use disorder and alcohol-related problems assessed with a questionnaire, is a leading cause of death and morbidity worldwide. Here we conducted a large cross-ancestry meta-analysis of PAU in 1,079,947 individuals (European, N = 903,147; African, N = 122,571; Latin American, N = 38,962; East Asian, N = 13,551; and South Asian, N = 1,716 ancestries). We observed a high degree of cross-ancestral similarity in the genetic architecture of PAU and identified 110 independent risk variants in within- and cross-ancestry analyses. Cross-ancestry fine mapping improved the identification of likely causal variants. Prioritizing genes through gene expression and chromatin interaction in brain tissues identified multiple genes associated with PAU. We identified existing medications for potential pharmacological studies by a computational drug repurposing analysis. Cross-ancestry polygenic risk scores showed better performance of association in independent samples than single-ancestry polygenic risk scores. Genetic correlations between PAU and other traits were observed in multiple ancestries, with other substance use traits having the highest correlations. This study advances our knowledge of the genetic etiology of PAU, and these findings may bring possible clinical applicability of genetics insights-together with neuroscience, biology and data science-closer

Predictors of subgroups based on maximum drinks per occasion over six years for 833 adolescents and young adults in COGA.

ObjectiveA person's pattern of heavier drinking often changes over time, especially during the early drinking years, and reflects complex relationships among a wide range of characteristics. Optimal understanding of the predictors of drinking during times of change might come from studies of trajectories of alcohol intake rather than cross-sectional evaluations.MethodThe patterns of maximum drinks per occasion were evaluated every 2 years between the average ages of 18 and 24 years for 833 subjects from the Collaborative Study on the Genetics of Alcoholism. Latent class growth analysis identified latent classes for the trajectories of maximum drinks, and then logistic regression analyses highlighted variables that best predicted class membership.ResultsFour latent classes were found, including Class 1 (69%), with about 5 maximum drinks per occasion across time; Class 2 (15%), with about 9 drinks at baseline that increased to 18 across time; Class 3 (10%), who began with a maximum of 18 drinks per occasion but decreased to 9 over time; and Class 4 (6%), with a maximum of about 22 drinks across time. The most consistent predictors of higher drinking classes were female sex, a low baseline level of response to alcohol, externalizing characteristics, prior alcohol and tobacco use, and heavier drinking peers.ConclusionsFour trajectory classes were observed and were best predicted by a combination of items that reflected demography, substance use, level of response and externalizing phenotypes, and baseline environment and attitudes

Is the relationship between binge eating episodes and personality attributable to genetic factors?

Aspects of disordered eating and personality traits, such as neuroticism are correlated and, individually, heritable. We examined the phenotypic correlation between binge eating episodes and indices of personality (neuroticism, extraversion, openness to experience, agreeableness, conscientiousness and control/impulsivity). For correlations ≥ |0.20|, we estimated the extent to which genetic and environmental factors contributed to this correlation. Participants included 3446 European-American same-sex female twins from the Missouri Adolescent Female Twin Study (median age = 22 years). Binge eating episode was assessed via interview questions. Personality traits were assessed by self-report questionnaires. There was a significant moderate phenotypic correlation between binge eating episode and neuroticism (r = 0.33), as well as conscientiousness (r=−0.21) while other correlations were significant but smaller (r ranging from −0.14 to 0.14). Individual differences in binge eating episodes, neuroticism and conscientiousness were attributed to additive genetic influences (38% [95% confidence interval: 21%–53%], 45% [38%–52%], and 44% [0.33–0.55] respectively), with the remaining variance due to individual-specific environmental influences. Covariance was attributable to genetic (neuroticism r(g) = 0.37; conscientiousness r(g) = −0.22) and individual-specific environmental (neuroticism r(e) = 0.28; conscientiousness r(e) = −0.19) influences. Personality traits may be an early indicator of genetic vulnerability to a variety of pathological behaviors including binge eating episode. Furthermore, prior research documenting phenotypic correlations between eating disorder diagnoses and personality may stem from etiological overlap between these personality traits and aspects of disordered eating, such as binge eating episode