Age at first birth in women is genetically associated with increased risk of schizophrenia

Prof. Paunio on PGC:n jäsenPrevious studies have shown an increased risk for mental health problems in children born to both younger and older parents compared to children of average-aged parents. We previously used a novel design to reveal a latent mechanism of genetic association between schizophrenia and age at first birth in women (AFB). Here, we use independent data from the UK Biobank (N = 38,892) to replicate the finding of an association between predicted genetic risk of schizophrenia and AFB in women, and to estimate the genetic correlation between schizophrenia and AFB in women stratified into younger and older groups. We find evidence for an association between predicted genetic risk of schizophrenia and AFB in women (P-value = 1.12E-05), and we show genetic heterogeneity between younger and older AFB groups (P-value = 3.45E-03). The genetic correlation between schizophrenia and AFB in the younger AFB group is -0.16 (SE = 0.04) while that between schizophrenia and AFB in the older AFB group is 0.14 (SE = 0.08). Our results suggest that early, and perhaps also late, age at first birth in women is associated with increased genetic risk for schizophrenia in the UK Biobank sample. These findings contribute new insights into factors contributing to the complex bio-social risk architecture underpinning the association between parental age and offspring mental health.Peer reviewe

Modeling Economic Growth for the Newly Formed Countries of the Former Soviet Union

This chapter identifies the determinants of economic growth for the newly formed countries of the former Soviet Union and the Socialist Bloc. Starting from a neoclassical theory of growth this chapter adds recently identified contributing factors such as human capital, economic freedom, and financial developments to find the determinant of the growth in the region. Other control variables such as population are also included. There are numerous variables that can measure any of the theoretically suggested factors, most of which are correlated. The study checks for multicollinearity among variables. It also accounts for differences in development stages of the countries under study. The data are measured in levels. Tests of normality and randomness are performed to assure compliance with theoretical requirements. This study utilizes panel data analysis using both fixed and random effect models, tested for relevance using the Breusch-Pagan method. The chapter identifies relevant factors and concludes that there are differences among per capita gross domestic products of the countries even after controlling for contributing variables

Energy efficiency improvements under conditions of low energy prices: the evidence from Russian regions

This study evaluates the productivity of energy efficiency (EE) measures taken at the regional level employing a set of non-parametric statistical methods. The first aspect is investigating the impact of various energy efficiency measures. A high proportion of the population lives in apartment buildings, with limited opportunities to manage their own energy efficiency. The second research aspect of this paper is the study of the effectiveness of various energy efficiency measures in the context of low energy prices. Our analysis indicates that only two tools exert a long-term positive effect on reducing the economy’s energy intensity for all regions. This is the use of combined heat sources in large cities and implementing ISO 50001 in large companies. These two energy efficiency measures work even under low energy prices, which do not sufficiently stimulate the introduction of innovative energy-saving technologies. © 2021 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC