MOTIVATION The genetic basis of complex traits often involves the function of multiple genetic factors, their interactions and the interaction between the genetic and environmental factors. Gene-environment (G×E) interaction is considered pivotal in determining trait variations and susceptibility of many genetic disorders such as neurodegenerative diseases or mental disorders. Regression-based ...

Osteoporosis is a common, complex disease that is influenced by genetic and environmental factors. Although molecular genetic studies have identified several potential regions of linkage, underlying susceptibility gene(s) are largely unknown. Genetic susceptibility to osteoporosis may be both context dependent and developmentally regulated, and epigenetic mechanisms are the likely link between ...

We study the interaction of mutations, developmental learning, and environmental change, as these processes effect changes in the genetic makeup of a population over time. Employing simulation based in genetic algorithms, we find that mutations have a consistent Diversifying Effect, which, in the presence of a changing environment, becomes an Adaptive Effect as average fitness increases, as wel...

BACKGROUND Historically, models to describe disease were exclusively nature-based or nurture-based. Current theoretical models for complex conditions such as cardiovascular disease acknowledge the importance of both biologic and non-biologic contributors to disease. A critical feature is the occurrence of interactions between numerous risk factors for disease. The interaction between genetic (i...

Gene-environment interaction (G x E) is likely to be a common and important source of variation for complex behavioral traits. Gene-environment interaction, or genetic control of sensitivity to the environment, can be incorporated into variance components twin and sib-pair analyses by partitioning genetic effects into a mean part, which is independent of the environment, and a part that is a li...

The impact of among-environment heteroscedasticity and genetic autocorrelation on the analysis of phenotypic plasticity is examined. Among-environment heteroscedasticity occurs when genotypic variances differ among environments. Genetic autocorrelation arises whenever the responses of a genotype to different environments are more or less similar than expected for observations randomly associate...

the fact that life styles and personal interests, aggregate within families suggests that shared environment in addition to shared bioligical factors could play a role in determining the phenotypic similarity of idividuals living in the same household. it is a major concern of cardiovascular epidemiologists to know how much of the familial aggregation of blood pressure is attributable to shared...