Do twins share the same dress code?:Quantifying relative genetic and environmental contributions to subjective perceptions of "the dress" in a classical twin study

The phenomenon of contrasting color perceptions of "the dress" photograph has gained scientific interest. The mechanism underlying why individuals differ is yet to be fully explained. We use the powerful twin model design to ascertain the relative contribution of genetic and environmental factors on perception variation. A sample of 466 twins from the British TwinsUK registry were invited to report what color they saw in a standard image of the dress in standard illumination. The mean age of the participants was 49.5 (SD = 17.8) years, and 85% were female. When asked to choose between white and gold (WG) or blue and black (BB), 328 reported WG (70.4%) and 135 (29.0%) reported BB. Subjects choosing WG were significantly older (p < 0.01), but there was no significant difference in gender. Monozygotic (MZ) twins were more concordant in their responses than dizygotic (DZ) twins (0.46 vs. 0.36). Twin modeling revealed that genetic factors accounted for 34% (95% confidence interval, 5%-59%) of variation in the reported color of the dress when adjusted for age, whereas environmental factors contributed 66% (95% CI, 41%-95%). This study suggests environmental factors play a significant role in how an individual perceives the color of "the dress.

The status of women in world religions dan civilizations/ Soorma

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A major outbreak of asthma associated with a thunderstorm: Experience of accident and emergency departments and patients' characteristics

Objective - To investigate the time course of an epidemic of asthma after a thunderstorm, characteristics of patients affected, and the demand on emergency medical resources. Design - Study of registers and records in accident and emergency departments and questionnaire to staff Setting - London area. Subjects - All patients presenting at 12 accident and emergency departments with asthma or other airways disease. Main outcome measures-Numbers of patients, clinical features, information on shortage of resources-equipment, drugs, and staff. Results - The epidemic had a sudden onset on 24 June 1994; 640 patients with asthma or other airways disease attended during 30 hours from 1800 on 24 June, nearly 10 times the expected number. Over half (365) the patients were aged 21 to 30 years. A history of hay fever was recorded in 403 patients; for 283 patients this was the first known attack of asthma; a history of chronic obstructive airways disease was recorded in 12 patients. In all, 104 patients were admitted (including five to an intensive care unit). Several departments ran out of equipment or drugs, caned in additional doctors, or both. Concusions - This study supports the view that this epidemic was larger than previously reported epidemics and the hypothesis that 'thunderstorm associated asthma' is related to aeroallergens. Demands on resources were considerable; a larger proportion of patients needing intensive care would have caused greater problems

A major outbreak of asthma associated with a thunderstorm: Experience of accident and emergency departments and patients' characteristics

Objective - To investigate the time course of an epidemic of asthma after a thunderstorm, characteristics of patients affected, and the demand on emergency medical resources. Design - Study of registers and records in accident and emergency departments and questionnaire to staff Setting - London area. Subjects - All patients presenting at 12 accident and emergency departments with asthma or other airways disease. Main outcome measures-Numbers of patients, clinical features, information on shortage of resources-equipment, drugs, and staff. Results - The epidemic had a sudden onset on 24 June 1994; 640 patients with asthma or other airways disease attended during 30 hours from 1800 on 24 June, nearly 10 times the expected number. Over half (365) the patients were aged 21 to 30 years. A history of hay fever was recorded in 403 patients; for 283 patients this was the first known attack of asthma; a history of chronic obstructive airways disease was recorded in 12 patients. In all, 104 patients were admitted (including five to an intensive care unit). Several departments ran out of equipment or drugs, caned in additional doctors, or both. Concusions - This study supports the view that this epidemic was larger than previously reported epidemics and the hypothesis that 'thunderstorm associated asthma' is related to aeroallergens. Demands on resources were considerable; a larger proportion of patients needing intensive care would have caused greater problems

Electrical responses from human retinal cone pathways associate with a common genetic polymorphism implicated in myopia

Myopia is the commonest visual impairment. Several genetic loci confer risk, but mechanisms by which they do this are unknown. Retinal signals drive eye growth, and myopia usually results from an excessively long eye. The common variant most strongly associated with myopia is near the GJD2 gene, encoding connexin-36, which forms retinal gap junctions. Light-evoked responses of retinal neurons can be recorded noninvasively as the electroretinogram (ERG). We analyzed these responses from 186 adult twin volunteers who had been genotyped at this locus. Participants underwent detailed ERG recordings incorporating international standard stimuli as well as experimental protocols aiming to separate dark-adapted rod- and cone-driven responses. A mixed linear model was used to explore association between allelic dosage at the locus and international standard ERG parameters after adjustment for age, sex, and family structure. Significant associations were found for parameters of light-adapted, but not dark-adapted, responses. Further investigation of isolated rod- and cone-driven ERGs confirmed associations with cone-driven, but not rod-driven, a-wave amplitudes. Comparison with responses to similar experimental stimuli from a patient with a prior central retinal artery occlusion, and from two patients with selective loss of ON-bipolar cell signals, was consistent with the associated parameters being derived from signals from cone-driven OFF-bipolar cells. Analysis of single-cell transcriptome data revealed strongest GJD2 expression in cone photoreceptors; bipolar cell expression appeared strongest in OFF-bipolar cells and weakest in rod-driven ON-bipolar cells. Our findings support a potential role for altered signaling in cone-driven OFF pathways in myopia development