scholarly journals Remembering John C. Loehlin: ‘Our Field Has Lost a Lion’/Twin Research Reviews: Cognitive Skills and Social Mobility, Risk of Arachnoid Hemorrhage, Heritability of Dental Traits, and Twin-to-Twin Transfusion Syndrome/Media Reports: Identical Twins With Different Health Histories, Twins Born 97 Days Apart, Retiring Twin Tennis Players, TikTok Twins and Twin Reality Stars

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-4
Author(s):  
Nancy L. Segal

Abstract John C. Loehlin, professor of psychology at the University of Texas, at Austin, passed away on August 9, 2020. John was 94 years of age. He will be remembered for his seminal contributions that have furthered the field of twin research in so many ways. An overview of his career is presented, with fond memories from his son and several colleagues. This tribute is followed by reviews of twin research on cognitive skills and social mobility, risk of subarachnoid hemorrhage, heritability of selected dental traits and twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome. Finally, twin-related topics of human interest include identical twins with different health histories, twins born 97 days apart, retiring twin tennis players, TikTok twins and twin reality stars.

2012 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 463-470 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruth E. Krasnow ◽  
Lisa M. Jack ◽  
Christina N. Lessov-Schlaggar ◽  
Andrew W. Bergen ◽  
Gary E. Swan

The Twin Research Registry (TRR) at SRI International is a community-based registry of twins established in 1995 by advertising in local media, mainly on radio stations and in newspapers. As of August 2012, there are 3,120 same- and opposite-sex twins enrolled; 86% are 18 years of age or older (mean age 44.9 years, SD 16.9 years) and 14% less than 18 years of age (mean age 8.9 years, SD 4.5); 67% are female, and 62% are self-reported monozygotic (MZ). More than 1,375 twins have participated in studies over the last 15 years in collaboration with the University of California Medical Center in San Francisco, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, and the Stanford University School of Medicine. Each twin completes a registration form with basic demographic information either online at the TRR Web site or during a telephone interview. Contact is maintained with members by means of annual newsletters and birthday cards. The managers of the TRR protect the confidentiality of twin data with established policies; no information is given to other researchers without prior permission from the twins; and all methods and procedures are reviewed by an Institutional Review Board. Phenotypes studied thus far include those related to nicotine metabolism, mutagen sensitivity, pain response before and after administration of an opioid, and a variety of immunological responses to environmental exposures, including second-hand smoke and vaccination for seasonal influenza virus and Varicella zoster virus. Twins in the TRR have participated in studies of complex, clinically relevant phenotypes that would not be feasible to measure in larger samples.


2020 ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
SAMPO RUOPPILA ◽  
ALBION M. BUTTERS

As a publicly funded institution,The University of Texas at Austin had to implement the state's legislation to allow concealed handguns on campus. Yet its own Campus Carry policy has sought to erase the matter from everyday campus life. The administration deems it a “nonissue,” presuming that students have become accustomed to the idea, do not think about it actively, and have a low interest in acquiring a handgun license. This paper, based on a survey of the university's undergraduates, questions these ideas. It shows that a majority of students think that the issue is important and examines in what sense the students are troubled by its effects. While opinions differ between supporters and opponents of Campus Carry, divergences also exist within their ranks, such as among supporters of the law regarding where guns should specifically be allowed at the university. On the basis of the survey, the essay also examines how many licensed carriers are actually on campus, compared to the university's estimates.


2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S45-S45
Author(s):  
Joseph Patrik Hornak ◽  
David Reynoso

Abstract Background Reported β-lactam allergy (BLA) is very common, yet less than 10% of these patients exhibit true hypersensitivity. When faced with reported BLAs, physicians often choose alternative antibiotics which can be associated with C. difficile infection, drug-resistance development, poorer outcomes, & increased costs. Effective identification of these patients is necessary for subsequent, appropriate BLA “de-labeling.” Here, we conducted a single-center analysis of alternative antibiotic utilization amongst patients reporting BLA and compare the frequency of drug-resistant infections and C. difficile infection in allergic & non-allergic patients. Methods This is a retrospective review of adult patients hospitalized at The University of Texas Medical Branch from 1/1/2015 to 12/31/2019. Pooled electronic medical records were filtered by antibiotic orders and reported allergies to penicillins or cephalosporins. Patients with drug-resistant and/or C. difficile infection (CDI) were identified by ICD-10 codes. Microsoft Excel & MedCalc were used for statistical calculations. Results Data were available for 118,326 patients and 9.3% (11,982) reported a BLA, with the highest rates seen in those receiving aztreonam (85.9%, 530/617) & clindamycin (33.7%, 3949/11718). Amongst patients reporting BLA, high ratios-of-consumption (relative to all patients receiving antibiotics) were seen with aztreonam (7.0), clindamycin (2.7), cephalosporin/β-lactamase inhibitors (2.4), & daptomycin (2.1). Compared to the non-BLA population, BLA patients more frequently experienced MRSA infection (3.0% vs 1.5%, OR 1.99, 95% CI 1.79–2.23, p< 0.0001), β-lactam resistance (1.2% vs 0.6%, OR 2.07, 95% CI 1.72–2.49, p< 0.0001), and CDI (1.2% vs 0.7%, OR 1.85, 95% CI 1.54–2.23, p< 0.0001). Conclusion Our measured BLA rate matches approximate expectations near 10%. Moreover, these patients experienced significantly higher frequencies of drug-resistant bacterial infections and CDI. Targeted inpatient penicillin allergy testing stands to be particularly effective in those patients receiving disproportionately utilized alternative agents (e.g. aztreonam, clindamycin, daptomycin). β-lactam allergy “de-labeling” in these patients is likely a valuable antimicrobial stewardship target. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures


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