Familial Resemblance in Religiousness in a Secular Society: A Twin Study

2013 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 544-553 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dorte Hvidtjørn ◽  
Inge Petersen ◽  
Jacob Hjelmborg ◽  
Axel Skytthe ◽  
Kaare Christensen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Family Environment ◽  
Twin Study ◽  
Church Attendance ◽  
Environmental Influence ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Psychological Traits ◽  
Social Forms ◽  
Secular Society ◽  
Using Data

It is well known that human behavior and individual psychological traits are moderately to substantially heritable. Over the past decade, an increasing number of studies have explored the genetic and environmental influence on religiousness. These studies originate predominantly from countries generally considered more religious than the very secular northern European countries. Comparisons of the results are complicated by diverse definitions of religiousness, but several studies indicate that the influence of the family environment is most predominant in early life, whereas genetic influences increase with age. We performed a population-based twin study of religiousness in a secular society using data from a Web-based survey sent to 6,707 Danish twins born 1970–1989, who were identified in the Danish Twin Registry. We applied Fishman's three conceptual dimensions of religiousness: cognition, practice, and importance. In all polygenic models and biometric analyses, we controlled for gender and age. The study sample comprised 2,237 same sex twins, a response rate of 45%. We found high correlations within both monozygotic and dizygotic twin pairs in most items of religiousness, indicating a large influence from shared environmental factors. Personal religiousness such as praying to God, believing in God, and finding strength and comfort in religion were more influenced by genetic factors than were social forms of religiousness such as church attendance. We found a small tendency for increasing genetic influence with increasing age for some religious items, but not for all.

scholarly journals Differences in Religiousness in Opposite-Sex and Same-Sex Twins in a Secular Society

2015 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 35-46 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linda J. Ahrenfeldt ◽  
Rune Lindahl-Jacobsen ◽  
Sören Möller ◽  
Kaare Christensen ◽  
Dorte Hvidtjørn ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Religious Coping ◽  
Church Attendance ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Same Sex ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Lutheran Church ◽  
Opposite Sex ◽  
Secular Society ◽  
Evangelical Lutheran Church ◽  
Coping Patterns

Sex differences in religion are well known, with females generally being more religious than males, and shared environmental factors have been suggested to have a large influence on religiousness. Twins from opposite-sex (OS) and same-sex (SS) pairs may differ because of a dissimilar psycho-social rearing environment and/or because of different exposures to hormones in utero. We hypothesized that OS females may display more masculine patterns of religiousness and, vice versa, that OS males may display more feminine patterns. We used a web-based survey conducted in Denmark, which is a secular society. The survey included 2,997 twins aged 20–40 years, identified through the population-based Danish Twin Registry. We applied la Cour and Hvidt's adaptation of Fishman's three conceptual dimensions of meaning: Cognition, Practice, and Importance, and we used Pargament's measure of religious coping (RCOPE) for the assessment of positive and negative religious coping patterns. Differences between OS and SS twins were investigated using logistic regression for each sex. The analyses were adjusted for dependence within twin pairs. No significant differences in religiousness and religious coping were found for OS and SS twins except that more OS than SS females were members of the Danish National Evangelical Lutheran Church and fewer OS than SS females were Catholic, Muslim, or belonged to other religious denominations. Moreover, OS males at age 12 had higher rates of church attendance than did SS males. This study did not provide evidence for masculinization of female twins with male co-twins with regard to religiousness. Nor did it show any significant differences between OS and SS males except from higher rates of church attendance in childhood among males with female co-twins.

Strong Association between Serotonin Transporter 5-HTTVNTR Variant and Psychoactive Substance (Nicotine) Use in the Turkish Cypriot Population

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (6) ◽  
pp. 466-470
Author(s):  
Emine Kandemis ◽  
Gulten Tuncel ◽  
Ozen Asut ◽  
Sehime G. Temel ◽  
Mahmut C. Ergoren
Keyword(s):  
Serotonin Transporter ◽  
Association Studies ◽  
Strong Association ◽  
Smoking Behavior ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Genome Wide Association Studies ◽  
Genotype Distribution ◽  
Psychological Traits ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Turkish Cypriot

Background: The use of psychoactive substances is one of the most dangerous social problems worldwide. Nicotine dependence results from the interaction between neurobiological, environmental and genetic factors. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that has a wide range of central nervous system activities. The serotonin transporter gene has been previously linked to psychological traits. Objective: A variable number of tandem repeats within the serotonin transporter-linked polymorphic gene region are believed to alter the transcriptional efficiency of the 5-HTT gene. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the association between this polymorphic site and smoking behavior in the Turkish Cypriot population. Methods: A total of 259 (100 smokers, 100 non-smokers and 59 ex-smokers) Turkish Cypriots were included in this population-based cross-sectional study. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood samples and the 5-HTTVNTR2 polymorphisms were determined by the PCR-RFLP. Results: The allelic frequency and genotype distribution results of this study showed a strong association (P<0.0001) between smokers and non-smokers. No statistical significance was found between non-smokers and ex-smokers. Conclusion: This is the first genetic epidemiology study to investigate the allelic frequencies of 5-HTTVNTR2 polymorphisms associated with smoking behavior in the Turkish Cypriot population. Based on the results of this study, genome-wide association studies should be designed for preventive medicine in this population.

P3352Telemedicine transcends national boundaries in quest of creating a behemoth ami program

2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
S Mehta ◽  
R Botelho ◽  
F Fernandez ◽  
F Feres ◽  
A Abizaid ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Community Health Centers ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Primary Pci ◽  
Small Community ◽  
Hub And Spoke ◽  
Web Based ◽  
National Boundaries ◽  
Intelligent Tools ◽  
Time Of Presentation

Abstract Background The Latin America Telemedicine Infarct Network (LATIN) has exploited the remarkable competence of telemedicine for remote guidance. In doing so, LATIN created a mammoth population-based AMI network that employed experts located several hundred miles away to guide the reperfusion strategies for almost 800,000 screened patients. In this pioneering project, telemedicine was initially utilized to guide AMI management within national confines. We speculated whether LATIN telemedicine navigation could outstrip countrywide borders. Purpose To maximally harness the vast possibilities of telemedicine for improving AMI care. Methods During its pilot phase, LATIN began as a hub and spoke, AMI system in Colombia where 20 spokes (small community health centers and rural clinics) were configured with 3 hubs that could perform Primary PCI. These sites were linked through web-based connectivity. Expert cardiologists, located 50–250 miles away in Bogota, Colombia, used sophisticated telemedicine platforms for urgent EKG diagnosis and teleconsultation of the entire AMI process. Based upon the duration of chest pain and travel time to the hub, these experts guided patients through guideline-based strategies of thrombolysis, pharmaco invasive management or primary PCI. Efficiency of the telemedicine process was measured with the new metric of time to telemedicine diagnosis (TTD). Cloud computing, GPS navigation, and numerous business intelligent tools were gradually incorporated into LATIN telemedicine. As systems became more scalable, the program was expanded to Brazil, where LATIN flourished. Over the last 18 months, LATIN telemedicine capabilities have been pressed across national boundaries. Presently, all 82 LATIN centers in Mexico are guided by experts located in Bogota, Colombia and the 7 Argentina centers channeled through Santiago, Chile. Results 784,947 patients were screened for AMI at 350 LATIN centers (Brazil 143, Colombia 118, Mexico 82, Argentina 7). Navigation pathways are depicted in the attached figure. TTD remains extremely low in all four countries, and comparable efficiency and tele-accuracy have been achieved. With expanded geographic reach, 8,448 (1.08%) patients were diagnosed with STEMI and 3,911 (46.3%) urgently reperfused, including 3,049 (78%) with Primary PCI. Time to TTD ranged between 2.8 to 5.8 minutes, with a mean of 3.5 min. Tele-accuracy was 98.5%, D2B 51 min, and in-hospital mortality 5.2%. Various other comparative metrics for the 4 countries are being gathered and will be available at the time of presentation. Conclusions LATIN demonstrates the robust ability of telemedicine to transcend national boundaries to guide AMI management. This strategy can be adopted in under-developed countries in Asia and Africa to provide an umbrella of AMI care for the millions of disadvantaged patients.

Sibling Alcohol Use Disorder Is Associated With Increased Risk for Suicide Attempt

2021 ◽  
pp. 216770262110250
Author(s):  
Mallory E. Stephenson ◽  
Sara Larsson Lönn ◽  
Jessica E. Salvatore ◽  
Jan Sundquist ◽  
Kenneth S. Kendler ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alcohol Use ◽  
Suicide Attempt ◽  
Alcohol Use Disorder ◽  
Cox Regression ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Swedish Population ◽  
Sibling Pairs ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Shared Genetic

The association between having a sibling diagnosed with alcohol use disorder (AUD) and risk for suicide attempt may be attributable to shared genetic liability between AUD and suicidal behavior, effects of environmental exposure to a sibling’s AUD, or both. To distinguish between these alternatives, we conducted a series of Cox regression models using data derived from Swedish population-based registers with national coverage. Among full sibling pairs (656,807 males and 607,096 females), we found that, even after we accounted for the proband’s AUD status, the proband’s risk for suicide attempt was significantly elevated when the proband’s sibling was affected by AUD. Furthermore, the proband’s risk for suicide attempt was consistently higher when the sibling’s AUD registration had occurred more recently. Our findings provide evidence for exposure to sibling AUD as an environmental risk factor for suicide attempt and suggest that clinical outreach may be warranted following a sibling’s diagnosis with AUD.

scholarly journals Is Continuous Eruption Related to Periodontal Changes? A 16-Year Follow-up

2021 ◽  
pp. 002203452199936
Author(s):  
C. Wiedemann ◽  
C. Pink ◽  
A. Daboul ◽  
S. Samietz ◽  
H. Völzke ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tooth Wear ◽  
Total Sample ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Tooth Eruption ◽  
Reference Points ◽  
3 Dimensional ◽  
Probing Depth ◽  
Molar Teeth ◽  
Using Data

The aims of this study were to 1) determine if continuous eruption occurs in the maxillary teeth, 2) assess the magnitude of the continuous eruption, and 3) evaluate the effects of continuous eruption on the different periodontal parameters by using data from the population-based cohort of the Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP). The jaw casts of 140 participants from the baseline (SHIP-0) and 16-y follow-up (SHIP-3) were digitized as 3-dimensional models. Robust reference points were set to match the tooth eruption stage at SHIP-0 and SHIP-3. Reference points were set on the occlusal surface of the contralateral premolar and molar teeth, the palatal fossa of an incisor, and the rugae of the hard palate. Reference points were combined to represent 3 virtual occlusal planes. Continuous eruption was measured as the mean height difference between the 3 planes and rugae fix points at SHIP-0 and SHIP-3. Probing depth, clinical attachment levels, gingiva above the cementoenamel junction (gingival height), and number of missing teeth were clinically assessed in the maxilla. Changes in periodontal variables were regressed onto changes in continuous eruption after adjustment for age, sex, number of filled teeth, and education or tooth wear. Continuous tooth eruption >1 mm over the 16 y was found in 4 of 140 adults and averaged to 0.33 mm, equaling 0.021 mm/y. In the total sample, an increase in continuous eruption was significantly associated with decreases in mean gingival height ( B = −0.34; 95% CI, −0.65 to −0.03). In a subsample of participants without tooth loss, continuous eruption was negatively associated with PD. This study confirmed that continuous eruption is clearly detectable and may contribute to lower gingival heights in the maxilla.

scholarly journals Humidifier Disinfectant Consumption and Humidifier Disinfectant-Associated Lung Injury in South Korea: A Nationwide Population-Based Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (11) ◽  
pp. 6136
Author(s):  
Jeonggyo Yoon ◽  
Minsun Kang ◽  
Jaehun Jung ◽  
Min Jae Ju ◽  
Sung Hwan Jeong ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Insurance ◽  
Lung Injury ◽  
National Health Insurance ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Annual Number ◽  
Population Based Study ◽  
Annual Consumption ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Water Tanks ◽  
Biocidal Product

Humidifier disinfectant (HD) is a household biocidal product used in humidifier water tanks to prevent the growth of microorganisms. In 2011, a series of lung injury cases of unknown causes emerged in children and pregnant women who had used HD in Korea. This study investigated changes in the nationwide number of cases of humidifier disinfectant-associated lung injury (HDLI) in concordance with nationwide HD consumption using data covering the entire Korean population. More than 25 kinds of HD products were sold between 1994 and 2011. The number of diagnosed HDLI, assessed by S27.3 (other injuries of lungs) of the Korea National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) data, sharply increased by 2005, subsequently decreased after 2005, and almost disappeared after 2011 in concordance with the annual number of HD sales. The number of self-reported HDLIs, assessed using data from all suspected HDLI cases registered in the Korea Ministry of Environment, changed with the annual number of HD sales, with a delay pattern, potentially induced by the late awareness of lung injury diseases. The present study suggests that changes in the nationwide annual consumption of HD products were consistent with changes in the annual number of HDLI cases in Korea.

Adolescent religiousness and its influence on substance use: preliminary findings from the Mid-Atlantic School Age Twin Study

Twin Research ◽  
1999 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 156-168 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian M D'Onofrio ◽  
Lenn Murrelle ◽  
Lindon J Eaves ◽  
Michael E McCullough ◽  
Jessica L Landis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Substance Use ◽  
Drug Use ◽  
Problem Behavior ◽  
Twin Study ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Spiritual Practices ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
School Age ◽  
Attitudes And Practices

AbstractResearch has consistently shown that religiousness is associated with lower levels of alcohol and drug use, but little is known about the nature of adolescent religiousness or the mechanisms through which it influences problem behavior in this age group. This paper presents preliminary results from the Mid-Atlantic School Age Twin Study, a prospective, population-based study of 6–18-year-old twins and their mothers. Factor analysis of a scale developed to characterize adolescent religiousness, the Religious Attitudes and Practices Inventory (RAPI), revealed three factors: theism, religious/spiritual practices, and peer religiousness. Twin correlations and univariate behavior-genetic models for these factors and a measure of belief that drug use is sinful reveal in 357 twin pairs that common environmental factors significantly influence these traits, but a minor influence of genetic factors could not be discounted. Correlations between the multiple factors of adolescent religiousness and substance use, comorbid problem behavior, mood disorders, and selected risk factors for substance involvement are also presented. Structural equation modeling illustrates that specific religious beliefs about the sinfulness of drugs and level of peer religiousness mediate the relationship between theistic beliefs and religious/spiritual practices on substance use. Limitations and future analyses are discussed.

Registry of Adolescent and Young Adult Twins in the Tokyo Area

2006 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 811-816 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chizuru Shikishima ◽  
Juko Ando ◽  
Yutaka Ono ◽  
Tatsushi Toda ◽  
Kimio Yoshimura
Keyword(s):  
Behavior Genetics ◽  
Human Genetics ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Adolescent And Young Adult ◽  
Multiple Traits ◽  
Psychological Traits ◽  
Physical Measurements ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Psychology Perspective ◽  
Adult Twins

AbstractSince established in 1998, the Keio Twin Project (KTP) has been dedicated to investigating genetic and environmental sources contributing to human psychological traits in adolescence and young adulthood. A population-based twin registry was constructed by the KTP through the use of official residential records in the Tokyo area, and to date requests to participate in our research have generated 1040 pairs of twins and triplets of age 14 to 30, forming one of the largest twin registries in Asia. Our comprehensive datasets, obtained through questionnaires, performance tests, and physical measurements, cover a wide range of human traits: personality, psychiatry, mental health, sociality, cognition, and physical index. Demographic variables and environment of upbringing are also sought by twins and by some parents. This extensive information allows us to clarify the genetic and environmental overlap across multiple traits as well as specificities unique to single traits. Adding an evolutionary psychology perspective to the behavior genetics framework is currently being attempted in order to develop a grand theory of human genetics.

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