Genetic and Environmental Architecture of Five Factor Model and Super-Factors: An Italian Twin Study

No previous research explored the genetic and environmental structure of Big Five dimensions of personality and higher-order factors in a single twin study, except, in part, for just one study. We used the twin design to estimate the effects of genes and environment on both Five Factor model and related second- and third-order factors (i.e., Alpha [stability], Beta [plasticity], and GFP [general factor of personality]). We analyzed data from 314 adult twins (157 pairs: 83 monozygotic, 74 dizygotic; mean age: 52 years) enrolled in the Italian Twin Register. Participants underwent clinical and instrumental evaluations, and completed a 25-adjective list drawn from the Short Adjectives Checklist to Measure Big Five (SACBIF). We applied quantitative genetic models to unravel the sources of variation and covariation for the Big Five and higher-order factors. We found a similar etiological architecture across the different levels of analysis, with moderate to substantial non-additive genetic and unique environmental influences on all the personality traits, and no shared environmental contribution for any of them. We also detected significant genetic correlations for the Big Five dimensions and the Alpha and Beta super-factors. With some limitations, our results suggest that the etiological architecture of personality may be invariant to the factor level of analysis.

The Causes of Individual Differences in Autism Spectrum Disorder

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by various symptoms including impaired social interactions, unusually repetitive behaviors, and highly restricted interests etc. People with ASD differ significantly on their clinical profiles and the causes of such individual differences are not yet fully understood. The present paper provides an overview of the causes of individual differences in ASD from three different perspectives: genetic, environmental, and neurobiological perspectives. The present paper also describes one study design in detail within each perspective (i.e., classical twin design, epidemiological case-control design, and magnetic resonance imaging), and explains how each study design is informative about the causes of ASD.

Novel THOR Technology for Orientation of Vertical XT to Completions

On conventional vertical trees (VXTs) with a tubing hanger (TH) in the wellhead (WH), orientation of the VXT to the TH system is a complicated and expensive process. Leveraging patented technology, the tree to hanger orientation ring (THOR) and tooling were implemented to save CAPEX and OPEX while eliminating risks associated with conventional orientation solutions. An open-water tool installs an external alignment feature onto the wellhead, which is oriented with the tubing hanger already installed in the wellhead. The VXT then orients onto the wellhead with the help of this external alignment feature, resulting in correct orientation with the tubing hanger. This paper discusses the novel technology and its successful development and installation for a subsea project, which revolutionizes the VXT portfolio. Rapid development of THOR technology was required along with expedient project execution. Utilizing digital-twin design techniques such as finite element analysis and operator simulations, the operating life of THOR tooling was investigated in parallel with project engineering. The novel nature of the THOR required unconventional testing, which was performed in-house. Project execution plan was implemented for engineering and manufacturing to successfully build the production equipment on schedule. Comprehensive system integration testing was completed upon the first attempt. The system was deployed to staging facilities before being delivered offshore to the customer and installed subsea in stages during April 2020. Involvement of the operators and installation contractors during the development stage made THOR's first deployment attempt a major success with zero recorded nonproductive time, even during COVID-19. THOR technology reduces the number of components as well as the weight and size of the equipment. The novel THOR equipment can be run by a light intervention vessel rather than conventional equipment, which requires mobile offshore drilling units. The time spent to deploy the VXT system is also reduced, minimizing indirect supply-chain and field-service-related carbon emissions. This further enables reduced carbon emissions and overall carbon footprint of the entire project. The field-proven THOR technology is an evolutionary orientation technology that simplifies the installation operations for the vertical tree and tubing hanger. This technology maintains the robust conventional system configuration post installation and hence does not affect reliability of the VXT system.

The Babytwins Study Sweden (BATSS): A Multi-Method Infant Twin Study of Genetic and Environmental Factors Influencing Infant Brain and Behavioral Development

Twin studies can help us understand the relative contributions of genes and environment to phenotypic trait variation, including attentional and brain activation measures. In terms of applying methodologies such as electroencephalography (EEG) and eye tracking, which are key methods in developmental neuroscience, infant twin studies are almost nonexistent. Here, we describe the Babytwins Study Sweden (BATSS), a multi-method longitudinal twin study of 177 MZ and 134 DZ twin pairs (i.e., 622 individual infants) covering the 5−36 month time period. The study includes EEG, eye tracking and genetics, together with more traditional measures based on in-person testing, direct observation and questionnaires. The results show that interest in participation in research among twin parents is high, despite the comprehensive protocol. DNA analysis from saliva samples was possible in virtually all participants, allowing for both zygosity confirmation and polygenic score analyses. Combining a longitudinal twin design with advanced technologies in developmental cognitive neuroscience and genomics, BATSS represents a new approach in infancy research, which we hope to have impact across multiple disciplines in the coming years.

FROM REQUIREMENTS TO PROTOTYPING: APPLICATION OF HUMAN-SYSTEM INTEGRATION METHODOLOGY TO DIGITAL TWIN DESIGN

Industrial digital transformation is bringing a need for new tools and concepts. However, designing such complex tools and concept requires methods to be correctly implemented. These methods are studied as part of system engineering to satisfy various identified goals, and more specifically human-system integration, which is the topic of this paper. This article introduces the method used to define key elements of human perception of reality called reality anchors to design scenarios to be tested in a digital twin prototype. This method goes from regulation study to user cognitive function analysis on the specific case of digital twin designing in oil-and-gas industry. This method highlighted the differences between theoretical process and the followed process as well as tools and competencies used to identify reality anchors. This knowledge will then be used to implement a new process to be implemented with a digital twin and scenarios to test the prototype using realistic simulation.

Does the epigenetic clock GrimAge predict mortality independent of genetic influences: an 18 year follow-up study in older female twin pairs

Background Epigenetic clocks are based on DNA methylation (DNAm). It has been suggested that these clocks are useable markers of biological aging and premature mortality. Because genetic factors explain variations in both epigenetic aging and mortality, this association could also be explained by shared genetic factors. We investigated the influence of genetic and lifestyle factors (smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity, chronic diseases, body mass index) and education on the association of accelerated epigenetic aging with mortality using a longitudinal twin design. Utilizing a publicly available online tool, we calculated the epigenetic age using two epigenetic clocks, Horvath DNAmAge and DNAm GrimAge, in 413 Finnish twin sisters, aged 63–76 years, at the beginning of the 18-year mortality follow-up. Epigenetic age acceleration was calculated as the residuals from a linear regression model of epigenetic age estimated on chronological age (AAHorvath, AAGrimAge, respectively). Cox proportional hazard models were conducted for individuals and twin pairs. Results The results of the individual-based analyses showed an increased mortality hazard ratio (HR) of 1.31 (CI95: 1.13–1.53) per one standard deviation (SD) increase in AAGrimAge. The results indicated no significant associations of AAHorvath with mortality. Pairwise mortality analyses showed an HR of 1.50 (CI95: 1.02–2.20) per 1 SD increase in AAGrimAge. However, after adjusting for smoking, the HR attenuated substantially and was statistically non-significant (1.29; CI95: 0.84–1.99). Similarly, in multivariable adjusted models the HR (1.42–1.49) was non-significant. In AAHorvath, the non-significant HRs were lower among monozygotic pairs in comparison to dizygotic pairs, while in AAGrimAge there were no systematic differences by zygosity. Further, the pairwise analysis in quartiles showed that the increased within pair difference in AAGrimAge was associated with a higher all-cause mortality risk. Conclusions In conclusion, the findings suggest that DNAm GrimAge is a strong predictor of mortality independent of genetic influences. Smoking, which is known to alter DNAm levels and is built into the DNAm GrimAge algorithm, attenuated the association between epigenetic aging and mortality risk.