Individual Representations Research Articles

The harms of racial miscategorization: Comparing multiracial individuals' well-being in the continental U.S. versus Hawai'i.

The current work explores the effects of racial miscategorization (incongruence between other people's racial categorization of an individual and that individual's racial self-identification) and subjective well-being of multiracial individuals in Hawai'i versus California. We set out to examine how multiracial individuals experience racial miscategorization in more or less ethnically diverse environments and how this experience shapes the extent to which they feel a sense of belonging and inclusion. The study consisted of interviews with 55 multiracial undergraduate and graduate students conducted in Hawai'i (20 self-identified women and 9 self-identified men, with ages ranging from 18 to 47 years; M = 22.93, SD = 6.40) and California (16 self-identified women, 9 self-identified men, and 1 self-identified gender nonbinary person, with ages ranging from 18 to 31 years; M = 20.96, SD = 2.76). Thematic analysis identified two central themes relevant to subjective well-being: (a) racial miscategorization and its consequences and (b) contextual differences in the experiences of miscategorization. Results suggest that racial miscategorization is a pervasive experience among multiracial people and is associated with negative psychological well-being. We also found that environments with greater representation of multiracial individuals, such as Hawai'i, are associated with less racial miscategorization, more inclusion, and better psychological well-being among multiracial individuals. Racial miscategorization is a prominent and aversive experience among multiracial individuals, but multiracial environments can serve as a psychological buffer. Racial miscategorization has important theoretical and practical implications for racial and ethnic identity research, which we discuss. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Multi-Objective Optimization of Local Overlapping Community Detection: A Formal Model and Novel Evolutionary Algorithm

Local overlapping community detection (LOCD), which aims to discover the multiple communities containing a given starting node, becomes a hot research problem in community detection area. However, existing LOCD methods only consider the quality of each local community containing the starting node, while ignoring the information between the multiple local communities. To this end, in this paper, we first formulate a novel multi-objective model to better assess the quality of local overlapping communities, where two novel objectives are suggested by fully utilizing the information within and between the multiple local communities. Afterward, we propose a tri-division representation-based multi-objective evolutionary algorithm (TDR-MOEA) for effectively finding multiple local overlapping communities for a given node under the formulated multi-objective model. In TDR-MOEA, a tri-division individual representation scheme is designed to effectively encode and decode the local overlapping communities. Based on the representation, two novel crossover and mutation operators are then suggested. In addition, an effective population initialization strategy is designed to obtain an initial population with better diversity and convergence. The effectiveness of the proposed multi-objective model and TDR-MOEA is verified on several synthetic networks and real-world networks. The experimental results show that TDR-MOEA is superior to state-of-the-art algorithms for solving LOCD.

Characterizing heterogeneity in early adolescent reward networks and individualized associations with behavioral and clinical outcomes.

Associations between connectivity networks and behavioral outcomes such as depression are typically examined by comparing average networks between known groups. However, neural heterogeneity within groups may limit the ability to make inferences at the individual level as qualitatively distinct processes across individuals may be obscured in group averages. This study characterizes the heterogeneity of effective connectivity reward networks among 103 early adolescents and examines associations between individualized features and multiple behavioral and clinical outcomes. To characterize network heterogeneity, we used extended unified structural equation modeling to identify effective connectivity networks for each individual and an aggregate network. We found that an aggregate reward network was a poor representation of individuals, with most individual-level networks sharing less than 50% of the group-level network paths. We then used Group Iterative Multiple Model Estimation to identify a group-level network, subgroups of individuals with similar networks, and individual-level networks. We identified three subgroups that appear to reflect differences in network maturity, but this solution had modest validity. Finally, we found numerous associations between individual-specific connectivity features and behavioral reward functioning and risk for substance use disorders. We suggest that accounting for heterogeneity is necessary to use connectivity networks for inferences precise to the individual.

Opponent learning with different representations in the cortico-basal ganglia pathways can develop obsession-compulsion cycle.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) has been suggested to be associated with impairment of model-based behavioral control. Meanwhile, recent work suggested shorter memory trace for negative than positive prediction errors (PEs) in OCD. We explored relations between these two suggestions through computational modeling. Based on the properties of cortico-basal ganglia pathways, we modeled human as an agent having a combination of successor representation (SR)-based system that enables model-based-like control and individual representation (IR)-based system that only hosts model-free control, with the two systems potentially learning from positive and negative PEs in different rates. We simulated the agent's behavior in the environmental model used in the recent work that describes potential development of obsession-compulsion cycle. We found that the dual-system agent could develop enhanced obsession-compulsion cycle, similarly to the agent having memory trace imbalance in the recent work, if the SR- and IR-based systems learned mainly from positive and negative PEs, respectively. We then simulated the behavior of such an opponent SR+IR agent in the two-stage decision task, in comparison with the agent having only SR-based control. Fitting of the agents' behavior by the model weighing model-based and model-free control developed in the original two-stage task study resulted in smaller weights of model-based control for the opponent SR+IR agent than for the SR-only agent. These results reconcile the previous suggestions about OCD, i.e., impaired model-based control and memory trace imbalance, raising a novel possibility that opponent learning in model(SR)-based and model-free controllers underlies obsession-compulsion. Our model cannot explain the behavior of OCD patients in punishment, rather than reward, contexts, but it could be resolved if opponent SR+IR learning operates also in the recently revealed non-canonical cortico-basal ganglia-dopamine circuit for threat/aversiveness, rather than reward, reinforcement learning, and the aversive SR + appetitive IR agent could actually develop obsession-compulsion if the environment is modeled differently.

Reproducible Speech Research With the Artificial Intelligence-Ready PERCEPT Corpora.

Publicly available speech corpora facilitate reproducible research by providing open-access data for participants who have consented/assented to data sharing among different research teams. Such corpora can also support clinical education, including perceptual training and training in the use of speech analysis tools. In this research note, we introduce the PERCEPT (Perceptual Error Rating for the Clinical Evaluation of Phonetic Targets) corpora, PERCEPT-R (Rhotics) and PERCEPT-GFTA (Goldman-Fristoe Test of Articulation), which together contain over 36 hr of speech audio (> 125,000 syllable, word, and phrase utterances) from children, adolescents, and young adults aged 6-24 years with speech sound disorder (primarily residual speech sound disorders impacting /ɹ/) and age-matched peers. We highlight PhonBank as the repository for the corpora and demonstrate use of the associated speech analysis software, Phon, to query PERCEPT-R. A worked example of research with PERCEPT-R, suitable for clinical education and research training, is included as an appendix. Support for end users and information/descriptive statistics for future releases of the PERCEPT corpora can be found in a dedicated Slack channel. Finally, we discuss the potential for PERCEPT corpora to support the training of artificial intelligence clinical speech technology appropriate for use with children with speech sound disorders, the development of which has historically been constrained by the limited representation of either children or individuals with speech impairments in publicly available training corpora. We demonstrate the use of PERCEPT corpora, PhonBank, and Phon for clinical training and research questions appropriate to child citation speech. Increased use of these tools has the potential to enhance reproducibility in the study of speech development and disorders.

The Transformation of the Character Einar Wegener to A Transgender Woman in the Film ‘The Danish Girl’: A Psychological Point of View

This present work aimed to determine the process of transforming one’s identity from a man to a woman when one must overcome obstacles in a real-life condition depicted in the film The Danish Girl. It is based on Freud’s theory about the human psychological level, with the addition of Queer Theory in completing this research. This descriptive qualitative research obtained data source from the biographical film The Danish Girl directed by Tom Hopper, released in 2015. The subject studied is limited on the main character analysis, who later became Transgender and changed his name to Lili Elbe. In this case, this research focuses on changing the character of a man to a woman in a film and also the limitation used to examine this study is to pay attention to the psychological point of view by using and applying two theories as an approach to reviewing this research. Thus, based on the data, it was discovered there were 39 scenes of Einar transforming into transgender, of which 27 scenes represented ID, 7 represented EGO and 5 scenes were SUPEREGO. The objective of this study are expected to enrich issues related to the development of the human psyche. The researcher hoped that the result of this study also could enrich the next researcher’s knowledge about the psychological problem, especially about The Transformation of the Characters Einar Wegener to Transgender Women. In conclusion, Einar's transformation does not necessarily affect what is inside of him, but everything proceeds according to the time before he becomes a Transgender. The research opens up avenues for further exploration and analysis in the field of transgender studies, gender identity, and psychological development. It encourages future researchers to delve deeper into the topic and conduct more comprehensive studies on the representation of transgender individuals in various media forms.

Gender Diversification in The Perspective of Accounting Fraud: A Literature Review Study

Gender diversification or gender diversity refers to efforts to increase the representation and participation of individuals from diverse gender backgrounds in the workplace. Accounting fraud, on the other hand, refers to practices carried out by individuals or organizations to manipulate financial information for personal or organizational gain. This article provides an overview of gender diversification in the perspective of accounting fraud using a qualitative approach and literature review method. Content analysis is the analysis technique used in this literature review research to prevent possible misinterpretation due to the researcher's lack of knowledge or insufficient information in the literature. The research report is written in a simple and easy-to-understand language, considering the researcher's limitations in conducting an in-depth and detailed study. The principle of simplicity and ease is applied to ensure that the content of the counseling and guidance program evaluation report can be easily understood by readers

Gender and Sexual Health-Related Knowledge Gaps and Educational Needs of Parents of Transgender and Non-Binary Youth

Parents can have a substantial impact on adolescent sexual decision-making, but few studies have explored the role of parents in providing sexual health information to transgender and non-binary (TNB) youth, a population that experiences significant sexual and mental health disparities and lower levels of perceived family support compared with other youth. This study aimed to elucidate existing knowledge gaps and content deemed important for a sexual health curriculum and educational materials for parents of TNB youth. We conducted 21 qualitative interviews with five parents of TNB youth, 11 TNB youth aged 18+, and five healthcare affiliates to identify parents’ educational needs. We analyzed the data using theoretical thematic analysis and consensus coding. Parents self-reported multiple knowledge deficits regarding gender/sexual health for TNB individuals and were primarily concerned with long-term impacts of medical interventions. Youth goals for parents included greater understanding of gender/sexuality and sufficient knowledge to support youth through social transition to their affirmed gender identity. Content areas suggested for a future curriculum for parents of TNB youth included: basics of gender/sexuality, diverse narratives of TNB experiences/identities, gender dysphoria, non-medical gender-affirming interventions, medical gender-affirming interventions, and resources for peer support. Parents desired access to accurate information and wanted to feel equipped to facilitate affirming conversations with their child, something that could combat health disparities among TNB youth. An educational curriculum for parents has the potential to provide a trusted information source, expose parents to positive representations of TNB individuals, and help parents support their TNB child through decisions about potential gender-affirming interventions.

Evaluation of Equivalent Dynamic Active Distribution Network Models with Individual and Aggregated Consideration of Grid Forming Converters

Detailed active distribution network modeling in the context of stability studies of future power systems can be avoided by applying complexity‐reduced equivalent dynamic models. Previous work developed an approach to derive such equivalent dynamic network models of systems dominated by grid following and grid forming converters. Nevertheless, this approach lacks an investigation of the aggregation of multiple grid forming converters to one equivalent component. Also, the approach needs to be evaluated for a closed ring topology to substantiate its validity independent of the detailed network topology. This work applies and validates the developed approach on active distribution networks in the context of three scenarios. The detailed and equivalent network models are simulated for three events and the results are used to compare the models with respect to accuracy and complexity. The derived equivalent dynamic network models with an individual representation of grid forming converters reproduce the dynamic behavior of the corresponding detailed networks very well. The aggregation of grid forming converters results in an adequate reproduction of the detailed network's dynamic behavior under the constraint of aggregating only neighboring grid forming converters of one branch. This allows for the consideration of the detailed network's topology in the corresponding equivalent dynamic model.

The Lorax Effect


 
 
 As the globe continues to experience the effects of climate change, researchers must continue to investigate factors that contribute to individuals' attitudes concerning climate change. This study utilizes survey data from 1,539 Canadians gathered in 2019. The data was analyzed using ordinary least square linear regression to analyze how political ideology, gender, and level of education correlate with individuals’ level of environmental concern. Approximately 83.2% of Canadians rated themselves as having a moderate level of environmental concern or higher in the collected survey data, suggesting that most Canadians express some amount of environmental concern. Canadians with a conservative political ideology have a lower level of environmental concern than their liberal counterparts. Within the Canadian context, there is no statistically significant relationship between level of education and concern for the environment. Females are more concerned, on average, about the environment, compared to males. Canadians’ gender identity seems to influence their level of environmental concern. However, more representation of non-binary individuals is needed in future data-gathering to analyze non-binary individuals' level of environmental concern. The paper further discusses these variables' effects on the level of environmental concern.
 
 

The relationship between ensemble coding and individual representation of crowd facial emotion

In recent years, the processing mechanism of group expression has gradually gained the attention of researchers owing to its high ecological validity. However, research on the relationship between ensemble coding and individual representation is still in the early stage of the investigation, with many studies remaining at the behavioral level and findings varying widely. Based on our behavioral research (Experiment 1), we used EEG measures (Experiments 2A and 2B) to investigate the relationship between summary and object representations by manipulating the exposure time of crowd emotions. The behavioral results indicated that participants performed better in judging emotions of multiple faces compared to a single face during the shorter exposure time, whereas the reverse occurred during the long exposure time. Furthermore, ERP results revealed that the N2pc effect was not affected by the number of faces in the short exposure time; however, as the exposure time increased, the N2pc increased as a function of the number of faces. The findings of the current investigation align with time-dependent assumption, indicating that during short time of visual processing, although individual representations may not be fully developed, ensemble representations are initially established. With longer processing times, detailed individual representations become complete and take precedence.

Black and Hispanic Individuals with Tourette Syndrome are Under-Represented in Specialty Clinics (P11-11.016)

<h3>Objective:</h3> To examine the racial and ethnic distribution of Tourette Syndrome (TS) individuals presenting for care in the Massachusetts General Brigham System (MGB). <h3>Background:</h3> TS is thought to occur with similar frequencies across racial and ethnic groups. However, we observed a low representation of racial and ethnic minority TS individuals in our specialty clinic at the MGB Tourette Syndrome Center of Excellence (TS-COE). We hypothesized that Black and Hispanic TS individuals are under-represented in specialty clinics compared to white and Non-Hispanic individuals. <h3>Design/Methods:</h3> We extracted patient registry aggregate data for individuals ages 4–21 years who were seen in outpatient Pediatrics, Pediatric Neurology, and TS-COE clinics between 01/01/2015–11/17/2021 with a TS diagnosis (ICD-9:307.23; ICD-10:F95.2) and compared to all individuals seen for any type of outpatient clinical care within the MGB Healthcare System. Chi-square goodness-of-fit testing was performed to examine the racial and ethnic proportion of TS individuals seen in the specialty clinics and across MGB (reference group). Statistical significance was set at p=0.05 level for overall group comparisons and at p=0.0125 (race) and p=0.025 (ethnicity) for post-hoc testing. <h3>Results:</h3> All group comparisons were significant for race (p-values &lt;0.05). For ethnicity, group comparisons were significant for MGB vs. Pediatrics (p=0.01) and MGB vs. TS-COE (p=0.03). The proportion of: 1) Black TS individuals was lower in all clinics than in MGB, 2) white TS individuals was higher in the TS-COE (89.6%) compared to MGB (74.6%), and 3) Hispanic TS individuals was higher in Pediatrics (9.3%), but lower in the TS-COE (2.6%) when compared to those within MGB (5.2%). <h3>Conclusions:</h3> A more marked disparity is seen with lower proportions for Black TS individuals than Hispanic TS individuals across the clinics and in the TS-COE. Our findings illustrate the need for further research to identify relevant multi-level barriers to care for Black and Hispanic TS individuals. <b>Disclosure:</b> The institution of Dr. Dy-Hollins has received research support from CNCDP-K12. Lori B. Chibnik has nothing to disclose. Mr. Realbuto has nothing to disclose. Dr. Rao has received research support from National Institute for Health. Dr. Rao has received research support from National Institute for Drug Abuse. Dr. Sharma has received personal compensation in the range of $5,000-$9,999 for serving as an Editor, Associate Editor, or Editorial Advisory Board Member for Wiley. Dr. Sharma has received personal compensation in the range of $10,000-$49,999 for serving as an Editor, Associate Editor, or Editorial Advisory Board Member for Wiley. Dr. Sharma has received personal compensation in the range of $5,000-$9,999 for serving as an Expert Witness for Cambridge Expert Witness. The institution of Dr. Sharma has received research support from NIH. Elyse Park has received publishing royalties from a publication relating to health care. The institution of Carol Mathews has received research support from NIH. Carol Mathews has received publishing royalties from a publication relating to health care. The institution of Dr. Scharf has received research support from the TLC Foundation for Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors. Dr. Scharf has received personal compensation in the range of $500-$4,999 for serving as a Speaker for a TAA/CDC Family Day Symposium with the Tourette Association of America. Dr. Scharf has a non-compensated relationship as a Scientific Advisory Board Member with the Tourette Association of America that is relevant to AAN interests or activities.

Abstract 5534: “Simply ask and explain”: perspectives from Black patients with lung cancer on strategies to address racial disparities in biospecimen research participation

Abstract Background: Participation of racially diverse populations in research is necessary to advance cancer care. However, representation of Black individuals in biospecimen cancer research remains low and requires being asked to engage in research. We sought to understand the experiences, beliefs, and knowledge about biospecimen research among Black patients with lung cancer. Methods: Semi-structured interviews with a purposive sample of 15 Black patients diagnosed with lung cancer were conducted between January and August 2022 at a large academic center in North Carolina. Interviews were digitally recorded and transcribed and analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: Themes related to who should initiate discussions about biospecimen donation, what should be considered before donation, and communication strategies to increase participation of Black patients with cancer in biospecimen research emerged from the interviews. Most participants indicated that discussions about biospecimen donation should be initiated by trusted and knowledgeable members of the medical team and most expressed trusting their providers. Some also expressed the importance of including family members in discussions about medical and research decisions. Some participants felt it was important to consider if donating specimens would cause pain or would require additional procedures. Recommended communication strategies to facilitate participation included use of simple and easily understood language in addition to messaging related to how biospecimen donation would benefit others. Participants also felt cultural humility, respect, and empathy during research recruitment would help enhance enrollment of Black participants in biospecimen research. Of note, all participants reported never being asked to participate in biospecimen research and felt that underrepresentation of Black participants may be due to not being asked. Conclusion: Black participants in this study have not been asked to participate in biospecimen research but are willing to be engaged in conversations about research from their medical team. Simply being asked, trusting their medical provider, cultural humility, and framing the message on how the research will benefit others are some of the recommended strategies to enhance research participation among Black patients. Future research should incorporate these strategies into an intervention to assess the impact on recruiting Black individuals in biomedical research. Sponsored by the Lung Cancer Research Foundation Research Grant on Disparities in Lung Cancer Citation Format: Jeenn A. Barreiro-Rosa, Oluwatumilara Akeke, Annabella Opoku, Alison Hilton, Jessica Carda-Auten, Randall Teal, Aaron Carpenter, Hayley N. Morris, Lauren Matthews, Ashley Rankin Collins, Marjory Charlot. “Simply ask and explain”: perspectives from Black patients with lung cancer on strategies to address racial disparities in biospecimen research participation. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2023; Part 1 (Regular and Invited Abstracts); 2023 Apr 14-19; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(7_Suppl):Abstract nr 5534.

419 Integration of Trainees with Mobility Impairment in Neurological Surgery

INTRODUCTION: Increasing attention has been paid to diversity amongst neurosurgical trainees in recent years; but representation of individuals with mobility impairment within neurosurgical training has not been previously demonstrated. METHODS: A trainee with mobility impairment (JL) matriculated to neurosurgical residency in 2017 with programmatic and institutional support. Prior to matriculation he had independently developed standing wheelchairs and operating room protocols. Upon matriculation, a careful needs assessment was performed with the assistance of JL and the university ADA officer and accommodation recommendations were provided. These consisted of generally minor procedural or equipment alterations, including hand controls for surgical devices, cord covering mats in the operating rooms, minor changes to scrub stations and call room, parking access, etc. Minor iterative technique guidance was provided with respect to body mechanics and adaptive equipment which was not demonstrably different than that provided to other residents (eg left hand dominant residents). RESULTS: The trainee has successfully performed in all roles of neurosurgical residency, including the chief resident role, with no alteration of duties, expectations, or assignments. In regards to adaptive equipment, no one solution could be considered ideal for all situations. Specifically, operating room adaptations needed to optimize positioning and mobility while bedside adaptations needed to optimize ease of access and low profile. CONCLUSIONS: Integration and training of individuals with mobility impairment can be successful with minor procedural and equipment alterations, even in a small program with relatively limited resources. This experience demonstrates feasibility and provides a blueprint for other institutions and applicants with mobility impairment who desire to pursue neurosurgical training.

A Variable Granularity Search-Based Multiobjective Feature Selection Algorithm for High-Dimensional Data Classification

Evolutionary algorithms (EAs) have shown their competitiveness in solving the problem of feature selection (FS). However, in most of the existing EA-based FS methods, one bit in the individual only represents one feature, which means with the number of features increasing, the search space of these methods increases exponentially and makes them not suitable for the data classification with high dimensions. To tackle the issue, in this article, a variable granularity search-based multiobjective EA, termed as VGS-MOEA, is proposed for high-dimensional FS, where one bit in the individual representation denotes a group of features and results in the search space reducing greatly. To be specific, at the beginning, the search granularity of VGS-MOEA is coarse (a bit denotes a great number of features), which helps the proposed algorithm detect the potentially good feature subsets quickly. As the evolution continues, the search granularity is refined gradually, where a bit denotes a smaller number of features until it only represents one feature. With this decomposition of granularity, a more refined search is performed and leads to the VGS-MOEA obtaining feature subsets with higher quality. Experimental results on 12 high-dimensional data sets with different characteristics have shown that in comparison with the state of the arts, the proposed VGS-MOEA has demonstrated its superiority in terms of the classification accuracy, the number of selected features, and the running time.

Decolonizing my therapeutic identity: Going beyond the surface

In this essay, the author discusses ways people with marginalized identities within training programs may be impacted in their identity development as clinicians of color due to systemic oppression and the history of colonization. The author explores how the lack of literature and representation of non-White individuals in positions of power and the absence of conversations around White supremacy in training programs resulted in the erasure of the trainee’s cultural background in building their identity as an early career professional. This erasure of coloniality, culture, and language resulted in invisibility and silencing of the individual, as well as allowed for the dangers of colonial mentality and socialization toward Blackness going unprocessed. The author reckoned with their struggle to incorporate aspects of their own culture into the work and how the absence of acknowledgment of their Latinx identity in predominantly White supervisory spaces created an experience of shame and inferiority that can be politically localized. The reader is invited to feel and experience through the writer’s lens the damaging impact of these dynamics, revisit ways in which they withhold their identities from the therapeutic encounter, as well as ways in which they may enact this standard of Whiteness in their therapy and supervision.

Breaking barriers and advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in trauma and acute care surgery: A current perspective.

The importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in trauma and acute care surgery (ACS) has become increasingly apparent in the field of medicine. Despite the growing diversity of the patient population, the surgical specialty has traditionally been dominated by White males. This involves increasing the representation of diverse individuals in leadership positions, professional societies, scholarships, graduate education, and practicing physicians. This opinion piece aims to address the gaps in the literature regarding DEI in trauma and acute care surgery and highlight the issues related to the workforce, gender gap, patient outcomes, and health services. To effectively guide DEI interventions, it is essential to capture patient-reported experience data and stratify outcomes by factors including race, ethnicity, ancestry, language, sexual orientation, and gender identity. Only then can generalizable findings effectively inform DEI strategies. Using validated measurement tools, it is essential to conduct these assessments with methodological rigor. Collaboration between health care institutions can also provide valuable insights into effective and ineffective intervention practices through information exchange and constructive feedback. These recommendations aim to address the multifactorial nature of health care inequities in trauma and ACS. However, successful DEI interventions require a deeper understanding of the underlying mechanisms driving observed disparities, necessitating further research. Level V.

Genome-wide association study identifies four pan-ancestry loci for suicidal ideation in the Million Veteran Program.

Suicidal ideation (SI) often precedes and predicts suicide attempt and death, is the most common suicidal phenotype and is over-represented in veterans. The genetic architecture of SI in the absence of suicide attempt (SA) is unknown, yet believed to have distinct and overlapping risk with other suicidal behaviors. We performed the first GWAS of SI without SA in the Million Veteran Program (MVP), identifying 99,814 SI cases from electronic health records without a history of SA or suicide death (SD) and 512,567 controls without SI, SA or SD. GWAS was performed separately in the four largest ancestry groups, controlling for sex, age and genetic substructure. Ancestry-specific results were combined via meta-analysis to identify pan-ancestry loci. Four genome-wide significant (GWS) loci were identified in the pan-ancestry meta-analysis with loci on chromosomes 6 and 9 associated with suicide attempt in an independent sample. Pan-ancestry gene-based analysis identified GWS associations with DRD2, DCC, FBXL19, BCL7C, CTF1, ANNK1, and EXD3. Gene-set analysis implicated synaptic and startle response pathways (q's<0.05). European ancestry (EA) analysis identified GWS loci on chromosomes 6 and 9, as well as GWS gene associations in EXD3, DRD2, and DCC. No other ancestry-specific GWS results were identified, underscoring the need to increase representation of diverse individuals. The genetic correlation of SI and SA within MVP was high (rG = 0.87; p = 1.09e-50), as well as with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD; rG = 0.78; p = 1.98e-95) and major depressive disorder (MDD; rG = 0.78; p = 8.33e-83). Conditional analysis on PTSD and MDD attenuated most pan-ancestry and EA GWS signals for SI without SA to nominal significance, with the exception of EXD3 which remained GWS. Our novel findings support a polygenic and complex architecture for SI without SA which is largely shared with SA and overlaps with psychiatric conditions frequently comorbid with suicidal behaviors.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion on Editorial Boards of Global Health Journals.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s41649-023-00243-8.

On the representation of places

The reasons for representing places are manifold, and so are the ways in which they are represented. Travel guides, music, and paintings give an impression of often distant places, and scientific texts seek to represent places and their context objectively. By going beyond the existing semantic discourse on representations and focussing on places more specifically, this article seeks a better understanding of the representations of places. First, naturally occurring representations are discussed as the result of the patterns that are formed by place-making and the very being of a place, such as archaeological finds and traditions. Subsequently, I argue that many of the natural as well as non-natural representations can be understood as ‘representation-as’ in Goodman’s and Elgin’s sense, because they represent places as part of a genre, for example, as a tourist attraction or a retreat. This understanding facilitates the conceptualization of individual representations and their placement in the overall context, which in turn helps laying the foundation for a conceptual framework for ‘platial’ information.