scholarly journals Articulatory and acoustic inter-speaker variability in the production of German vowels

2010 ◽  
Vol 52 ◽  
pp. 19-42
Author(s):  
Melanie Weirich
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Similarity ◽  
Strong Influence ◽  
Monozygotic Twins ◽  
Monozygotic Twin ◽  
Shared Environment ◽  
Acoustic Similarity ◽  
Speaker Variability ◽  
Electromagnetic Articulography ◽  
Shared Time ◽  
The Impact

This study examines articulatory and acoustic inter-speaker variability in the production of the German vowels /i/, /u/ and /a/. Our subjects are 3 monozygotic twin pairs (2 female and 1 male pair) and 2 dizygotic female twin pairs. All of them were born, raised and are still living in Berlin and see their twin brother or sister regularly. We assume that monozygotic twins that are genetically identical and share the same physiology should be more similar in their articulation than dizygotic twins but that the shared time and social environment of twins, regardless of their genetic similarity, also plays a crucial role in the acoustic similarity of twins. Articulatory measurements were made with EMA (Electromagnetic Articulography) and the target positions of the produced vowels were analyzed. Additionally, the formants F1-F4 of each vowel were measured and compared within the twin pairs. Our data seems to point out the importance of a shared environment and the strong influence of learning over the anatomical identity of the monozygotic twins regarding the production of vowels. But, additional results suggest (1) the impact of physiology on the production of a vowel following a velar consonant and (2) the interaction of physiology and stress in inter-speaker variability.  

scholarly journals “Side by side”: Development of twin relationship dimensions from early to middle childhood and the role of zygosity and parenting

2021 ◽  
pp. 026540752110058
Author(s):  
Hila Segal ◽  
Ariel Knafo-Noam
Keyword(s):  
Middle Childhood ◽  
Family System ◽  
Monozygotic Twins ◽  
Monozygotic Twin ◽  
Developmental Courses ◽  
Dizygotic Twins ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Comprehensive Study

Twin relationships have a significant effect on the twins’ life and their families. In the first comprehensive study of this topic, our purpose was to examine the developmental courses of four dyadic dimensions of twins’ relationships: closeness, dependence, conflict and rivalry, and the impact of zygosity and parenting on their relationships. Parents reported on their twins’ relationships ( N = 1547 mothers and 536 fathers with data from at least one of four measurement points from 3 to 8–9 years of age). The sample included 322 monozygotic twin dyads (sharing virtually 100% of their genes), and 1194 dizygotic twin dyads (sharing 50% of their genetic variance, on average). Our findings indicated that closeness and dependence decreased while rivalry increased through childhood. Dependence and rivalry also presented quadratic change. The twins’ conflict increased only for dizygotic twins. As expected, we found that the twins’ closeness and dependence were highly associated, as did the associations between conflict and rivalry. The mostly nonsignificant associations of closeness with conflict and rivalry reinforced the notion that they are not bi-polar opposites. However, dependence was positively related to the twins’ conflict and rivalry. A zygosity effect was also evident as monozygotic twins had higher levels of closeness and dependence than dizygotic twins through childhood, but there was no significant difference in the levels of their conflict and rivalry. In congruence with family system theories, parental positivity predicted the twins’ closeness and dependence, and parental negativity predicted the twins’ dependence, conflict and rivalry. The results were discussed in light of an evolutionary perspective and the twins’ developmental challenges through childhood.

scholarly journals Effect of Storage Conditions on Storability and Antioxidant Potential of Pears cv. ‘Conference’

Agriculture ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 545
Author(s):  
Grzegorz P. Łysiak ◽  
Krzysztof Rutkowski ◽  
Dorota Walkowiak-Tomczak
Keyword(s):  
Mass Loss ◽  
Strong Influence ◽  
Storage Conditions ◽  
Quality Parameters ◽  
Soluble Solids ◽  
Controlled Atmosphere ◽  
Postharvest Diseases ◽  
Market Prices ◽  
Long Period ◽  
The Impact

Late pear cultivars, such as ‘Conference’, can be stored for a long period if kept in good storage conditions. A three-year study (2011–2013) compared the impact of six-month storage using four technologies—normal atmosphere, normal atmosphere + 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP), controlled atmosphere, and controlled atmosphere + 1-MCP—on the quality parameters of ‘Conference’ pears, such as mass loss, firmness, total soluble solids, acidity, antioxidant capacity, and the incidence of diseases and disorders. Additionally, the study analysed different storage conditions in terms of profitability, based on the market prices for pears in the seasons during which the pears were stored. The storage conditions had a very strong influence on the fruit quality parameters, and were found to affect most visibly the mass loss and the incidence of postharvest diseases and disorders. The storage of ‘Conference’ pears for 180 days in normal atmosphere is not economically viable, even if the fruit is subjected to 1-MCP treatment; at the same time, it is profitable to store ‘Conference’ pears in controlled atmosphere for the same period, no matter whether 1-MCP was applied or not.

scholarly journals The Project TALENT Twin and Sibling Study

2012 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 437-448 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carol A. Prescott ◽  
Deanna Lyter Achorn ◽  
Ashley Kaiser ◽  
Lindsey Mitchell ◽  
John J. McArdle ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Research ◽  
Original Data ◽  
Family Characteristics ◽  
Shared Environment ◽  
Occupational Outcomes ◽  
School Based ◽  
The Family ◽  
Specific Factors ◽  
The Impact

Project TALENT is a US national longitudinal study of about 377,000 individuals born in 1942–1946, first assessed in 1960. Students in about 1,200 schools participated in a 2-day battery covering aptitudes, abilities, interests, and individual and family characteristics (Flanagan, 1962; www.projectTALENT.org). Follow-up assessments 1, 5, and 11 years later assessed educational and occupational outcomes. The sample includes approximately 92,000 siblings from 40,000 families, including 2,500 twin pairs and 1,200 other siblings of twins. Until recently, almost no behavior genetic research has been conducted with the sample. In the original data collection information was not collected with the intent to link family members. Recently, we developed algorithms using names, addresses, birthdates, and information about family structure to link siblings and identify twins. We are testing several methods to determine zygosity, including use of yearbook photographs. In this paper, we summarize the design and measures in Project TALENT, describe the Twin and Sibling sample, and present our twin-sib-classmate model. In most twin and family designs, the ‘shared environment’ includes factors specific to the family combined with between-family differences associated with macro-level variables such as socioeconomic status. The school-based sampling design used in Project TALENT provides a unique opportunity to partition the shared environment into variation shared by siblings, specific to twins, and associated with school- and community-level factors. The availability of many measured characteristics on the family, schools, and neighborhoods enhances the ability to study the impact of specific factors on behavioral variation.

Associations between insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), IGF-binding protein-1, insulin and other metabolic measures after controlling for genetic influences: results from middle-aged and elderly monozygotic twins

1997 ◽  
Vol 153 (2) ◽  
pp. 251-257 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y Hong ◽  
K Brismar ◽  
K Hall ◽  
N L Pedersen ◽  
U de Faire
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Variation ◽  
Growth Factor ◽  
Monozygotic Twins ◽  
Monozygotic Twin ◽  
Genetic Influences ◽  
Insulin Like Growth Factor ◽  
Factor I ◽  
Igf I ◽  
Igf Binding ◽  
Igf Binding Protein

Abstract It has previously been shown that the serum levels of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), IGF-binding protein-1 (IGFBP-1), and insulin are influenced by genetic effects to various degrees. From a clinical and preventive point of view, however, it is important to identify potentially modifiable non-genetic factors influencing the levels of these measures. Because monozygotic twin pairs share the same genetic background, differences in phenotypic levels within monozygotic twin pairs are believed to be due to non-genetic influences. Accordingly, the associations between intrapair differences in one phenotype and intrapair differences in another phenotype are also due to non-genetic influences. The present sample of 97 pairs of monozygotic twins from the population-based Swedish Adoption/Twin Study of Aging (SATSA) provided the opportunity to assess non-genetic influences on the levels of IGF-I, IGFBP-1, and insulin. Several metabolic measures were found to account for the variation of IGF-I, IGFBP-1, and insulin after controlling for the genetic influences. IGFBP-1 and glucose were significant predictors for the levels of IGF-I. IGFBP-1 and glucose together explained about one quarter of the non-genetic variation of IGF-I. However, when IGFBP-1 was dropped from the regression model, insulin was the only independent predictor of IGF-I, and explained about 19% of the non-genetic variation for IGF-I. For IGFBP-1, insulin and IGF-I were the significant non-genetic predictors. Insulin and IGF-I explained about 28 and 8% respectively of the non-genetic variation for IGFBP-1, while for insulin, IGF-I, triglycerides, body height, glucose, and body mass index (BMI) explained approximately 20, 12, 6, 5 and 5% respectively of the non-genetic variation. Journal of Endocrinology (1997) 153, 251–257

scholarly journals Personality and the Impact of Celebrity Endorsements on Instagram

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 468-474
Author(s):  
Yair Amichai-Hamburger ◽  
Shir Etgar ◽  
Hadar Gil-Ad ◽  
Michal Levitan-Giat ◽  
Gaya Raz
Keyword(s):  
Social Networks ◽  
Social Network ◽  
Locus Of Control ◽  
Strong Influence ◽  
Online Social Network ◽  
Strong Impact ◽  
Celebrity Endorsements ◽  
Internal Locus Of Control ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

Celebrities are famous people who often belong to entertainment industry. They are known to have a strong influence on people’s behavior. In the digital age this impact has expanded to include the online arena. Celebrities increasingly utilize Instagram, an online social network, to promote commercial products. It is important to learn to what extent people are influenced by this type of promotion and what sort of people are likely to be swayed by it. Research has demonstrated that people’s personalities have a strong impact on their behaviors online. However, until now, these investigations have not included the relationship between personality and the degree of celebrity influence through social networks. This study examines how much the personality of a user is related to the degree to which he or she is influenced by these Celebrity Instagram messages. Participants comprised 121 students (34 males, 87 females). They answered questionnaires which focused on their personality and were asked about the degree of influence celebrities exerted upon them through Instagram. Results showed that people who are characterized as being open and having an internal locus of control are more resistant to such celebrity influences. This paper demonstrates that the personality of a recipient is likely to influence the degree of impact that a celebrity endorsement is likely to produce. The implications of these results are discussed.

On the Statistical Significance of one Pair of Monozygotic Twins in Clinical Genetics

1963 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 317-323
Author(s):  
L. Gedda
Keyword(s):  
Twin Pair ◽  
Statistical Significance ◽  
Statistical Treatment ◽  
Monozygotic Twins ◽  
Monozygotic Twin ◽  
Clinical Genetics ◽  
Pair Comparison ◽  
Monozygotic Twin Pair ◽  
Development Result

SUMMARYA case of one twin pair concordant or discordant as to a given disease is always very important for Clinical Genetics, especially when it is monozygotic. In Clinical Genetics, isolated pairs occur to the physician, and the diagnosis must therefore be based on intra-pair comparison. The statistical treatment of the case must consider the fact that a concordant monozygotic twin pair represents a statistical universe rather than a statistical unit. This entails taking into account many traits concerning the time of onset, the symptoms, development, result of treatment, etc. Suggestions are made for the statistical treatment of such cases.

Mental and Motor Development in Monozygotic Co-Twins With Dissimilar Birth Weights

PEDIATRICS ◽  
1974 ◽  
Vol 53 (6) ◽  
pp. 884-889
Author(s):  
Toshio Fujikura ◽  
Luz A. Froehlich
Keyword(s):  
Birth Weight ◽  
Human Brain ◽  
Motor Development ◽  
Monozygotic Twins ◽  
Monozygotic Twin ◽  
Mental Development

Developmental measures in 125 monozygotic twin sets with unequal birth weights between co-twins were studied. There were no significant differences between co-twins in the Bayley Mental and Motor Scores at 8 months nor the Stanford-Binet IQ at 4 years. A reportedly higher IQ for the heavier of monozygotic twins was not confirmed in this study, even among pairs with large birth-weight differences. Although the effects of nutrition on the mental development of the fetus are currently of great concern, these data suggest that the developing human brain seems to have a strong resistance to intrauterine deprivation.

scholarly journals Immune signatures of prodromal multiple sclerosis in monozygotic twins

2020 ◽  
Vol 117 (35) ◽  
pp. 21546-21556 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa Ann Gerdes ◽  
Claudia Janoschka ◽  
Maria Eveslage ◽  
Bianca Mannig ◽  
Timo Wirth ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Monozygotic Twins ◽  
Monozygotic Twin ◽  
T Cell Subsets ◽  
Effector T Cell ◽  
Immune Signatures ◽  
Relapsing Remitting ◽  
Immune Traits

The tremendous heterogeneity of the human population presents a major obstacle in understanding how autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis (MS) contribute to variations in human peripheral immune signatures. To minimize heterogeneity, we made use of a unique cohort of 43 monozygotic twin pairs clinically discordant for MS and searched for disease-related peripheral immune signatures in a systems biology approach covering a broad range of adaptive and innate immune populations on the protein level. Despite disease discordance, the immune signatures of MS-affected and unaffected cotwins were remarkably similar. Twinship alone contributed 56% of the immune variation, whereas MS explained 1 to 2% of the immune variance. Notably, distinct traits in CD4+effector T cell subsets emerged when we focused on a subgroup of twins with signs of subclinical, prodromal MS in the clinically healthy cotwin. Some of these early-disease immune traits were confirmed in a second independent cohort of untreated early relapsing-remitting MS patients. Early involvement of effector T cell subsets thus points to a key role of T cells in MS disease initiation.

scholarly journals Copy number variation analysis of twin pairs discordant for cleft lip with or without cleft palate

2019 ◽  
Vol 33 ◽  
pp. 205873841985587
Author(s):  
Luca Scapoli ◽  
Francesco Carinci ◽  
Annalisa Palmieri ◽  
Francesca Cura ◽  
Alessandro Baj ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cleft Palate ◽  
Copy Number ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Cleft Lip ◽  
Small Sample Size ◽  
Copy Number Variants ◽  
Monozygotic Twins ◽  
Monozygotic Twin ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
High Level

Non-syndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate (nsCL/P) is a frequent orofacial malformation. The comparison of concordance rate observed in monozygotic and dizygotic twins supports high level of heritability and a strong genetic component. However, phenotype concordance for orofacial cleft in monozygotic twins is about 50%. The aim of the present investigation was to detect postzygotic events that may account for discordance in monozygotic twins. High-density SNP microarrays hybridization was used to genotype two pairs of monozygotic twins discordant for nsCL/P. Discordant SNP genotypes and copy number variants were analyzed to identify genetic differences responsible of phenotype discrepancy. A number of differences were observed, none involving known nsCL/P candidate genes or genomic regions. Considering the limitation of the study, related to the small sample size and to the large-scale investigation method, the results suggest that the detection of discordant events in other monozygotic twin pairs would be remarkable and warrant further investigations.

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