Understanding mechanisms of genetic risk for adolescent internalizing and externalizing problems: The mediating role of parenting and personality

Genetic predispositions play an important role in the development of internalizing and externalizing behaviors. Understanding the mechanisms through which genetic risk unfolds to influence these developmental outcomes is critical for developing prevention and intervention efforts, capturing key elements of Irv's research agenda and scientific legacy. In this study, we examined the role of parenting and personality in mediating the effect of genetic risk on adolescents' major depressive disorder and conduct disorder symptoms. Longitudinal data were drawn from a sample of 709 European American adolescents and their mothers from the Collaborative Studies on Genetics of Alcoholism. Results from multivariate path analysis indicated that adolescents' depressive symptoms genome-wide polygenic scores (DS_GPS) predicted lower parental knowledge, which in turn was associated with more subsequent major depressive disorder and conduct disorder symptoms. Adolescents' DS_GPS also had indirect effects on these outcomes via personality, with a mediating effect via agreeableness but not via other dimensions of personality. Findings revealed that the pattern of associations was similar across adolescent gender. Our findings emphasize the important role of evocative gene-environment correlation processes and intermediate phenotypes in the pathways of risk from genetic predispositions to complex adolescent outcomes

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

NASA Project Develops Next-Generation Low-Emissions Combustor Technologies

NASA's Environmentally Responsible Aviation (ERA) Project is working with industry to develop the fuel flexible combustor technologies for a new generation of low-emissions engine targeted for the 2020 timeframe. These new combustors will reduce nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions to half of current state-of-the-art (SOA) combustors, while simultaneously reducing noise and fuel burn. The purpose of the low NOx fuel-flexible combustor research is to advance the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) and Integration Readiness Level (IRL) of a low NOx, fuel flexible combustor to the point where it can be integrated in the next generation of aircraft. To reduce project risk and optimize research benefit NASA chose to found two Phase 1 contracts. The first Phase 1 contracts went to engine manufactures and were awarded to: General Electric Company, and Pratt & Whitney Company. The second Phase 1 contracts went to fuel injector manufactures Goodrich Corporation, Parker Hannifin Corporation, and Woodward Fuel System Technology. In 2012, two sector combustors were tested at NASA's ASCR. The results indicated 75% NOx emission reduction below the 2004 CAEP/6 regulation level

Anderson transition of three dimensional phonon modes

Anderson transition of the phonon modes is studied numerically. The critical exponent for the divergence of the localization length is estimated using the transfer matrix method, and the statistics of the modes is analyzed. The latter is shown to be in excellent agreement with the energy level statistics of the disrodered electron system belonging to the orthogonal universality class.Comment: 2 pages and another page for 3 figures, J. Phys. Soc. Japa

Formation of Five-Dimensional String Solutions from the Gravitational Collapse

We study the formation of five-dimensional string solutions including the Gregory-Laflamme (GL) black string, the Kaluza-Klein (KK) bubble, and the geometry with a naked singularity from the gravitational collapse. The interior solutions of five-dimensional Einstein equations describe collapsing non-isotropic matter clouds. It is shown that the matter cloud always forms the GL black string solution while the KK bubble solution cannot be formed. The numerical study seems to suggest that the collapsing matter forms the geometries with timelike naked curvature singularities, which should be taken cautiously as the general relativity is not reliable in the strong curvature regime.Comment: 17 pages, 10 figures, LaTeX, to appear in Class. Quant. Grav., a appendix and some discussions added, title change

Social contexts of remission from DSM-5 alcohol use disorder in a high-risk sample

BACKGROUND: Measures of social context, such as marriage and religious participation, are associated with remission from alcohol use disorders (AUDs) in population-based and treatment samples, but whether these associations hold among individuals at high familial risk for AUD is unknown. This study tests associations of measures of social context and treatment with different types of remission from DSM-5 AUD in a high-risk sample. METHODS: Subjects were 686 relatives of probands (85.7% first-degree) who participated in a high-risk family study of alcohol dependence. All subjects met criteria for AUD at baseline and were re-interviewed 5 years later. Follow-up status was categorized as persistent AUD, high-risk drinking, remitted low-risk drinking, and abstinence. Social context measures were defined as stable or changing from baseline to follow-up, and their bivariate and multivariate associations with follow-up status were tested. RESULTS: At follow-up, 62.8% of subjects had persistent AUD, 6.4% were high-risk drinkers, 22.2% were remitted low-risk drinkers, and 8.6% were abstinent. Birth of first child during the interval was the only measure of social context associated with remitted low-risk drinking and was significant for women only. Abstinent remission was characterized by being stably separated or divorced for women, new marriage for both sexes, experiencing low levels of family support and high levels of friend support, and receiving treatment. High-risk drinkers were more likely than individuals with persistent AUD to have a stable number of children and to have been recently unemployed. CONCLUSIONS: The social contexts accompanying different types of remission in this high-risk sample resemble those found in population-based and clinical samples. Low-risk drinkers resemble natural remitters from population-based samples who change their drinking habits with life transitions. Abstainers resemble clinical samples in marital context, support from friends, and treatment. High-risk drinkers appear to continue to experience negative consequences of heavy drinking