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Background Adversity has consistently been found to predict poor mental health outcomes in youth. Perhaps the most omnipresent form of adversity in the past several decades has been the coronavirus pandemic of 2020, a global health crisis linked to elevated rates of numerous forms of youth psychopathology. The ongoing nature of the pandemic renders it critical to identify the mechanisms underlying its effects on mental health. Methods The current study examines pandemic-related disruption across multiple domains (e.g., home life, finances) as an etiologic moderator of several common forms of youth psychopathology. Participants were 637 adolescent twin pairs from the Twin Study of Behavioral and Emotional Development in Children (TBED-C). Mothers reported on disruption experienced by the family, using the Epidemic-Pandemic Impacts Inventory. Results A series of biometric genotype-by-environment interaction models revealed that disruption augmented the nonshared environmental contributions to emotional distress and conduct problems but had little effect on the etiology of attention-deficit hyperactivity problems. Conclusions Our results indicate that identical and fraternal twin similarity in both emotional symptoms and conduct problems decreased with greater disruption, such that children in the same family became less alike, and did so regardless of their degree of genetic resemblance. Put differently, each twin sibling appeared to have their own idiosyncratic experience of pandemic-related disruptions, with downstream consequences for their mental health.

Do human personalities fall into definite types, and if so, does this have a genetic basis? One member of each of 1314 adult Australian twin pairs was used in a cluster-analysis procedure based on resemblance across 7 personality scales. Individuals from identical twin pairs were more likely to match in their cluster membership than individuals from fraternal twin pairs, suggesting genetic involvement. Clustering was examined at 3 criterion levels: minimum mutual intercorrelations of 0.10, 0.30, and 0.50. Higher criteria tended to yield smaller clusters, and more of them. A replication obtained clusters of similar general properties but not in individual correspondence with those in the original analysis, suggesting that human personalities are far from uniformly distributed, but that they do not fall into discrete and dependable types.

Wood bottom ash (WBA) is a type of wood waste ash produced as a by-product from the incineration or combustion from wood-fired power plants, pulp and paper and wood-burning industrial facilities. It is the fraternal twin of the most common and popular fly-ash which is obtained from the same process. Most of the WBA produced are disposed in landfills while few quantities of it are being used as supplementary cementitious materials (SCM) because of their pozzolanic activities. Several studies have been published to evaluate generally the use of wood waste and fly ashes as construction materials but the use of WBA as an entity has not found prominent attention when compared with the former. This review gives a comprehensive report of the factors determining the performance of WBA as cementitious material, physio-chemical characteristics of the ash, performance assessment of WBA on some cementitious properties, occupational hazard associated with WBA when used as a construction material and comparison with wood fly-ash and lastly the comparison of engineering properties between WBA and other major ashes used as SCMs’ for construction purposes. The other ashes considered and compared with WBA were wood fly ash (FA1), sugarcane bagasse ash (SB1), rice husk ash (RH1), palm-oil ash (PO1), coal fly ash (CA1), coal bottom ash (CA2), municipal solid waste ash (SW1), bamboo leaf ash (BL) and waste paper sludge ash (WP). The findings revealed that inclusion of WBA at an optimum level in cement-based materials is valuable to sustainable development as well as for waste management.

The current study examined whether socioeconomic status (SES) and chaos in the home mediate the shared environmental variance associated with cognitive functioning simultaneously estimating genetic influences in a twin design. Verbal and nonverbal cognitive development were assessed at 3 and 4 years for identical and same-sex fraternal twin pairs participating in the Twins Early Development Study (TEDS). Verbal and nonverbal skills were measured using the McArthur Scales of Language Development (VERBAL) and the Parent Report of Children's Abilities (PARCA), respectively. SES and chaos were assessed via questionnaire. Results suggest that SES and CHAOS mediate an independent and significant, but modest, portion of the shared environment for VERBAL and PARCA at Ages 3 and 4.

The design and operation of a separation unit based on frontal chromatography is described. The important feature of the design is the array column → detector → column which allows process monitoring below the detection limits of the monitor. By using “fraternal twin columns” an in-process calibration of the detector is achieved reducing the waste production. The design contains provisions for on-line destructive and non-destructive monitoring. Tests of the unit prove its versatility with respect to decontamination processes. Due to its compactness, the unit is transportable, if not portable, and the module construction allows easy posting and set-up in areas with restricted access. The unit is capable of processing up to 5 m 3 solution per year depending on the chemical system used.

Multivariate genetic analyses were applied to the six facets defining each of the five personality domains (Neuroticism, Extraversion, Openness to Experience, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness) assessed by Costa and McCrae's Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI-R). The analyses are designed to partition the observed covariance of facets defining each domain into their genetic and environmental bases to determine the basis for their coherence as a domain. The analyses were applied separately to a sample of 253 identical and 207 fraternal twin pairs from Canada and 526 identical and 269 fraternal pairs from Germany. Results showed that each of the NEO-PI-R domains is composed of multiple genetic and environmental factors common to the facets supporting the observed coherence of the NEO-PI-R facet sets. Differences between the German and Canadian sample appeared limited to the magnitude of the genetic and environmental effects on each facet, but not the number or type of genetic and environmental influences. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Myoclonus dystonia is a rare movement disorder caused by mutations in the SGCE gene on chromosome 7q21 (DYT11) encoding the epsilon-sarcoglycan. Myoclonus is present in almost all patients and affects most often neck, trunk and upper limbs. Dystonia is present in about half of the patients. The mode of inheritance is autosomal dominant with variable clinical expression and maternal imprinting. Onset is usually in childhood or adolescence. Alcohol might relieve symptoms. We present a 33 month old girl and her twin brother with disabling involuntary jerky movements during intentional tasks. Family history of this French family was positive for the paternal uncle, his two daughters and the paternal great grandfather. Sequencing of the SGCE gene revealed a novel nonsense mutation c.942C>A (p.Tyr314X) in exon 7, confirming the diagnosis of myoclonus dystonia. Treatment with valproic acid significantly reduced myoclonic episodes and ameliorated life quality.

Objective To discuss a case of asynchronous bilateral renal venous thrombosis with a review of current literature. Case A premature fraternal twin male was delivered via Cesarean section to a mother with a history of pre-eclampsia. He was initially diagnosed with a left renal venous thrombosis (RVT) but subsequently developed right RVT. Only intravenous fluids and supportive care were provided. Anticoagulation was withheld because of MRI findings of multiple areas of intracerebral bleeding. His serum creatinine concentration stabilized at 0.7 mg/dL, but follow-up renal ultrasound studies showed bilateral anechoic corticomedullary cysts. He also developed hypertension. Discussion Renal venous thrombosis usually occurs in neonates. Multiple clinical conditions are associated with RVT, two of which exist in this case. Recent work has focused on genetic prothrombotic risk factors, one of which our patient exhibits. Controversy exists over management, i.e. whether or not to initiate anticoagulation or antithrombotic therapy to decrease the development of renal atrophy, renal failure and hypertension. Conclusions This unusual case of asynchronous bilateral renal venous thrombosis recovered in the short term without antithrombotic therapy. Substantial insult early in life is reflected in the progressive worsening of his renal function, ultrasound findings and hypertension, highlighting the need for long-term vigilant observation of these patients.

Hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) is a common childhood viral illness characterized by vesicles in the mouth, hands, feet, and sometimes the buttocks. HFMD has a predilection for the summer and autumn seasons, and historically has been treated with supportive care. Coxsackievirus A16 and enterovirus 71 are the most commonly reported viruses responsible for HFMD. Coxsackievirus A6 (CVA6), however, has been associated with more widespread skin lesions and profound tissue destruction. Recently, the term eczema coxsackium (EC) was coined to describe patients with underlying atopic dermatitis who present with an eczema herpeticum-like eruption caused by CVA6 with vesicles and erosions in pre-existing areas of eczema. Enteroviral infections, particularly CVA6, should be on the clinicians’ differential diagnosis of children who present with extensive erosions and vesicles, and with a history of eczema. We present the first case, to our knowledge, that documents wet wrap therapy (WWT) as a viable treatment option for CVA6 EC, a condition that previously has only been treated with supportive measures. Our patients were 8-month-old former 36-week fraternal twin boys with medical histories significant for eczema. A few days before their January admission, the eczema of both patients were noted to be worsening and not responding to step-up therapy. The primary care physician had escalated therapy from daily moisturizing, as needed over-the-counter class VII topical corticosteroids (TCS), and twice a week diluted bleach baths, to a class V TCS, Hydrocortisone Valerate 0.2% cream (Perrigo Pharmaceuticals, Bronx, New York, New York). The patients were presented to the emergency department with rapid progression of a vesiculobullous rash that involved the face, particularly the perioral area, upper and lower extremities, and trunk. Of note, twin B was diagnosed with otitis media on the day before presentation to the hospital, for which his pediatrician started him on cefdinir. The infants were referred for admission because of worsening skin lesions, fussiness, and dehydration. Laboratory evaluation included a complete blood cell count with differential, comprehensive metabolic panel, and blood cultures. Vesicular fluid was aspirated and sent for herpes PCR, enterovirus PCR, and viral cultures. Intravenous acyclovir and ceftriaxone were started for empiric treatment of herpes and possible bacterial superinfection. Differential diagnosis included eczema herpeticum, varicella, EC from HFMD, and a severe eczema flare with secondary bacterial infection. Complete blood cell count and comprehensive metabolic panel results were within normal limits. Results of herpes PCR, viral cultures, and blood cultures were negative. The enteroviral PCR results were positive. Further testing by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed CVA6. Ceftriaxone and acyclovir were stopped when blood cultures and erpes simplex virus PCR results were negative, and WWT and low-potency Class VI TCS (desonide 0.05% ointment, Taro Pharmaceuticals Inc., Brampton, Ontario, Canada) were started. Although it is well known that WWT, in conjunction with TCS, is an effective and safe treatment for severe flares of atopic dermatitis refractory to increased TCS strength, to our knowledge there is no literature that mentions the use of WWT for treatment of EC. The benefits of WWT include an occlusive barrier that prevents scratch-induced skin trauma, increased skin hydration, decreased pruritus and inflammation by cooling of the skin, and increased penetration of the TCS. Complications, such as maceration of the skin or secondary skin infections, are possible but have been shown to be uncommon with proper application of WWT. Because standard skin therapy was unsuccessful for these patients before admission and because results of enteroviral PCR were positive, which raised our suspicion that this was a possible EC case, we considered the risks and benefits of increasing the potency of the TCS further, commensurate with the severity of the flare, versus implementing WWT with a low-potency TCS. Although there have been no reported complications with patients with CVA6 EC, there are no studies that evaluated whether the use of TCS, or occlusion from WWT, increases the risk of complication. Furthermore, there are no studies that evaluated whether the use of TCS, or occlusion from WWT, increases the risk of worsening the cutaneous findings of EC by immunosuppression and leads to more disseminated viral growth. When considering the large body surface area involved, and balancing the uncertainty of the theoretical risks of higher-potency corticosteroids inCVA6ECwith the knownbenefits ofWWTand TCS, we chose to continue treatment with a low-potency TCS with the addition of WWT. Systemic adverse effects from WWT with corticosteroid use were considered; however, prolonged suppression of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis has not been reported after short-term treatment with WWT and TCS. Therefore, we pursued only short-term use of combined WWT and low-dose TCS for 3 days. Wet wraps were applied 3 times a day, with the morning and evening wraps to include Aquafor (Beiersdorf, Hamburg, Germany) to unaffected areas and desonide 0.05% ointment to the affected areas, and the mid day wrap included Aquafor head to toe. The morning and mid day wraps wereworn for an hour, and the eveningwrapswereworn overnight. Within 24 hours, the patients demonstrated significant clinical improvement, and were discharged after extensive family education to continue the same WWT regimen at home. Twin B also was discharged on cefdinir for the previously diagnosed otitis media. By day 3 after discharge, the patients had improved dramatically, and WWT was discontinued. The twins were seen for follow-up 5 days after discharge and were noted to have had an

Any two people can travel the same road and see different things. Thus, others discussing the history of renal transplantation might have noted different landmarks. Valuable personal reminiscences have been written by R.Y Calne of England1 and J.E. Murray of Boston,2 whose initially separate careers came together in a remarkable joint venture at Harvard in 1960. In addition, original articles, which are usually cited in historical reviews, but rarely read because of their inaccessibility, were republished recently in a volume of the Clio Chirurgica series.3 Perusal of this material gives unusual insight into the process of discovery and development. Another prime source of historical information was published in 1972 by Professor Carl Groth, the Swedish transplantation surgeon who examined the medical literature from the crucial period of 1950 to 1970 and interviewed or corresponded with almost all of the physicians and surgeons who were working during this time.4 Kidney transplantation as a practical therapeutic option came from a series of steps that began to appear in the literature at the turn of this century. At first, the steps were small, widely spread in time, and often quixotic enough to be overlooked or condemned. As late as 1961, the Nobel Laureate Macfarland Burnet wrote in the New England Journal of Medicine that “… much thought has been given to ways by which tissues or organs not genetically and antigenically identical with the patient might be made to survive and function in the alien environment. On the whole, the present outlook is highly unfavorable to success . . . .”5 This opinion was published on the eve of the successful clinical renal transplantations in 1962 and 1963 that extended such procedures beyond the occasional identical and fraternal twin cases of the mid and late 1950s. These clinical trials in 1962 and 1963 provoked editorials questioning the inherent feasibility of such efforts, as well as their ethical basis.6 Yet, these trials were already late in a long, but at first slowly unfolding, story of whole organ transplantation, which was dominated by but not confined to the kidney.

The Fanconi anemia (FA) pathway plays an important role in DNA repair. In a recent issue of Cell , Smogorzewska et al. (2007) now demonstrate that FANCD2 has a paralog, FANCI. FANCI and FANCD2 form the "ID" complex that loads onto chromatin after DNA damage. Like FANCD2, monoubiquitination of FANCI requires the FA core complex. Importantly, FANCI and FANCD2 monoubiquitination is codependent, suggesting a novel mechanism in ubiquitin conjugation.

Demographics: 12 year 8 month old Caucasian female. Clinical Presentation: CM presented to the endocrinology clinic at age 10 years 3 months with lumbar and lower thoracic vertebral compression fractures. She was referred from the orthopedic clinic for endocrine evaluation of back pain and osteoporosis. She had spine x-rays and MRI which indicated severe osteoporosis, and significant loss of vertebral body height in the thoracolumbar region. Past History: She was the product of fraternal twin gestation, with birth weight of 5 lb, 11 oz. Previous fractures of the clavicle and finger have been reported. She has central obesity with BMI 26.6 kg/m (N97%). She drinks little milk, does not take vitamins, and participates in age-appropriate activities. Twin is unaffected. Evaluation: Height is 135 cm (10-25%ile), and weight is 48.4 kg (75-90%ile). Physical exam reveals a buffalo hump on the upper back, without abdominal striae. Laboratory assessments include: IGF-1 71 (117–771 ng/mL), 25-hydroxy vitamin D 20 ng/mL, alkaline phosphatase 216 (80–240 units/L), thyroid function studies normal, parathyroid hormone normal, morning cortisol 19.0 (2.9-19.4 μg/mL), urinary free cortisol 10.3 (1.0-45.0 μg/ 24 hr), growth hormone stimulation test using arginine and insulin with growth hormone maximum 0.8 ng/mL, and genetic testing for collagen mutation revealed a COL1A2 mutation consistent with osteogenesis imperfecta (OI). Radiologic assessments include: bone age 11 years at 10 years 3 months, and pituitary MRI normal. DEXA scan revealed bone mineral density (BMD) significantly below the expected range for the patient age. Interventions: CM was started on vitamin D supplementation 2000 IU/day for vitamin D deficiency. She was begun on growth hormone therapy at a dose of 0.3 mg/kg per week for severe growth hormone deficiency. Two years post therapy reveals no back pain, decreased fracture rate, increase in height to the 50th percentile, normal IGF-1, significant improvement in BMD, and repair of compressed vertebrae. Discussion: Both growth hormone deficiency and OI can contribute to loss of bone integrity, resulting in osteopenia or osteoporosis. The combination of these two conditions has resulted in significant impact upon the bony structure. Replacement with growth hormone only has demonstrated significant improvement in her medical condition.

Thirty-five purebred Angus calves, including six fraternal twin sets produced via embryo transfer, were fed during postweaning performance tests approximately 140 days in length. Singles had greater (P < 0.01) on-test weights than twins, reflecting their heavier weaning weights. Postweaning gains of singles and twins were similar (P=0.41). Twins were 13% lighter (P=0.04) than singles at 365 days of age and had 3.5% smaller (P=0.13) off-test hip heights. However, these differences were eliminated by adjustment for on-test weight. Off-test backfat thickness was not affected (P=0.43) by type of rearing. Scrotal circumference of single and twin bull calves at the conclusion of the postweaning test did not differ (P=0.58). Results indicate that calves raised as twins have acceptable postweaning performance.

The intrauterine relations of a pair of fraternal twins (male-female; dichorionic) near or in the eighth lunar month are described. The maternal ovaries, prepared histologically, show that the twins arose from ova in separate follicles of the right ovary, as indicated by the presence in it of two corpora lutea and the absence of a corpus in the left ovary. Since the two corpora lutea are very closely approximated it is quite probable that surface inspection of the ovary would have failed to disclose the double nature of the mass. Inspection of the ovarian surface at laparotomy is the only feasible observation in some twin cases, and the present finding points a warning against assuming that the full number of corpora lutea is invariably noted by this means.

Two-hundred and forty twins, from 5 to 11 years of age, were presented with an expanded set of arrays employed in a technique used by Elkind and Weiss to study perceptual exploration. The results support previous findings that exploration becomes more systematic and less error-prone with age. Identical twin pairs were more similar than fraternal twin pairs in their patterns of exploration. Unlike previous investigations, this study does not find left-right patterns of exploration for arrays with strong Gestalt properties when order of presentation is taken into account.

In certain cases, asymmetry of the craniofacial complex can be a problem of concern to the orthodontist, in both diagnostic and treatment procedures. Few studies have been made of this problem, the main reason being the lack of a suitable tool for the accurate measurement of right-left differences in three planes of space. By the application of solid geometry design for correction of size distortion, the two-film roentgenographic cephalometric technique introduced by Broadbent 6 has been used to record measurements of right and left structures within the craniofacial complex. By suitable mathematical treatment, the two-film procedure yields three-dimensional distances, thereby expressing both form and position of right and left structures. On the basis of recent findings regarding the relative stability of certain cranial and extracranial points, three registration points were selected, and distances from them to appropriate right and left structures were calculated. Values for both right and left sides were secured (1) relative to the cranial base, (2) for those within the maxilla, relative to anterior nasal spine , and (3) for those within the mandible, relative to the mandibular point, menton . Indexes were constructed which could be comparable both in time and within the sample on an individual-to-individual basis. Cross-sectional indexes represented observations at two particular moments in time, 1957 and 1960. Serial indexes included the interval between these two times, reflecting incremental changes in terms of asymmetry. By retention of the appropriate arithmetical sign, the preservation of direction of change , if any, was recorded. The sample employed in this study consisted of six same-sex sets of triplets of North American Caucasian descent, aged 9 to 15 years. By within-set pairings, six identical twin sets and twelve fraternal twin sets were secured. Through the use of serial records, taken in 1957 and again in 1960, and employing the twin-study method, many questions could be investigated with a small sample that could not be answered satisfactorily with a large population sample: 1. 1. Are craniofacial asymmetries predominantly controlled by heredity? Or is environment more influential in the production of rightleft differences? 2. 2. Do all regions of the craniofacial complex exhibit the same degree of asymmetry? Or, for example, is asymmetry of the maxillary region greater than asymmetry of the mandible? 3. 3. Is degree of asymmetry constantly proportional throughout the development of the individual? Or does the difference between right and left sides undergo changes with age? 4. 4. What are the ranges or limits of asymmetry in the craniofacial complex? To answer these questions, the data were then subjected to statistical treatment which permitted interpretation of possible differences (1) between identical and fraternal twin members, (2) between age groupings, (3) between times of observation, and (4) between regions within the craniofacial complex. The main statistical procedure used was multifactorial analysis of variance. Once differences were recognized, additional treatment was performed to determine means, ranges, and standard deviations. Means were then tested against each other to identify those which were truly different and those whose difference was small enough to have occurred by chance in the sampling process. The findings of this study were as follows: 1. 1. Regardless of method of analysis, I have failed to show significant differences between identical- and fraternal-twin groups. Thus, according to this study, heredity is not the controlling agent in the production of craniofacial asymmetry (excluding hereditary syndromes). 2. 2. Cross-sectional evaluation shows that there are decided differences in amounts of asymmetry of the various craniofacial regions and landmarks, but serial evaluation shows no differences. Therefore, although there may be initial differences between right and left sides, these differences are not intensified with dimensional changes occurring with increase in age. 3. 3. Although age differences of mean asymmetry exist on a cross-sectional basis, there is no effect of age on the individual's mean asymmetry (when measured serially). 4. 4. Ranges or limits of asymmetry have been established for the various craniofacial landmarks included in this study. An approach which utilizes conventional oriented lateral and posteroanterior roentgenograms for the measurement of craniofacial asymmetry has been offered. This procedure has been applied to answer basic questions concerning the nature of asymmetry. Three-dimensional assessment of gross asymmetries, such as cleft lip and cleft palate, condylar and facial dysplasia, and craniofacial hereditary syndromes, can now be made. Moreover, pretreatment and posttreatment evaluation can be made of those patients with gross asymmetries who would seek orthodontic, surgical, or prosthetic treatment.

The death from disseminated histoplasmosis of a patient with hypogammaglobulinemia, increased susceptibility to infection, splenomegaly and leukopenia led to an investigation of his family. Three of his six living children, a thirteen year old boy and six year old fraternal twin girls, were found to have a similar syndrome without evidence of infection with histoplasmosis. The patient's father had splenomegaly but no other features of this syndrome. The other members of the family had none of these abnormalities. In the involved members the level of gamma globulins and the degree of immunologic responsiveness, while depressed, were greater than usually observed in other forms of hypogammaglobulinemia. The evidence suggests that this apparently new clinical entity is an hereditary disturbance transmitted possibly by an autosomal dominant gene. The etiological features of the known forms of hypogammaglobulinemia are reviewed and commented upon.