Tombstone of Jeanette Molling nee Benjamin; Strangriede Cemetery (R 26.06); Hannover Cemeteries Tombs

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Tombstones of Joseph Benjamin and Marianne Benjamin nee Sussmann; Strangriede Cemetery (R 83.8 and R 83.9); Hannover Cemeteries Tombs

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Tombstones of Lea Benjamin nee Levy and Herz Benjamin; Strangriede Cemetery (R 83.11 and R 83.12); Hannover Cemeteries Tombs

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Tombstone of Joseph Benjamin; Strangriede Cemetery (R 83.8); Hannover Cemeteries Tombs

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Tombstone of Sophie Molling nee Benjamin; Strangriede Cemetery (R 20.09); Hannover Cemeteries Tombs

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Tombstone of Lea Benjamin nee Levy; Strangriede Cemetery (R 83.11); Hannover Cemeteries Tombs

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Margarete "Gretchen" Molling nee Benjamin holding her baby son Peter Adolf Molling.

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Studio portrait of Margarete "Gretchen" Molling nee Benjamin.

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GWAS of 126,559 individuals identifies genetic variants associated with educational attainment

A genome-wide association study (GWAS) of educational attainment was conducted in a discovery sample of 101,069 individuals and a replication sample of 25,490. Three independent single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are genome-wide significant (rs9320913, rs11584700, rs4851266), and all three replicate. Estimated effects sizes are small (coefficient of determination R(2) approximately 0.02%), approximately 1 month of schooling per allele. A linear polygenic score from all measured SNPs accounts for approximately 2% of the variance in both educational attainment and cognitive function. Genes in the region of the loci have previously been associated with health, cognitive, and central nervous system phenotypes, and bioinformatics analyses suggest the involvement of the anterior caudate nucleus. These findings provide promising candidate SNPs for follow-up work, and our effect size estimates can anchor power analyses in social-science genetics.

Elizabeth Engel nee Benjamin-Rasmussen in her home; Silver Springs, Maryland Portraits Women

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Elizabeth Engel nee Benjamin-Rasmussen with her daughter Dorel Hall nee Engel in Elizabeth's home; Silver Springs, Maryland Portraits Family

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Joseph Molling with wife Margarete "Gretchen" nee Benjamin and son Peter on a walk.

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Portrait of Hedwig and Ludwig Heinemann and Margarete nee Benjamin and Joseph Molling.

Elderly couple Hedwig and Ludwig Heinemann envolved with Adolph Molling Business. Younger couple is Margarete "Gretchen" Molling geb. Benjamin and Joseph Molling.

Portrait of Margarete "Gretchen" Molling nee Benjamin.

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Meta-analysis identifies 13 new loci associated with waist-hip ratio and reveals sexual dimorphism in the genetic basis of fat distribution

Waist-hip ratio (WHR) is a measure of body fat distribution and a predictor of metabolic consequences independent of overall adiposity. WHR is heritable, but few genetic variants influencing this trait have been identified. We conducted a meta-analysis of 32 genome-wide association studies for WHR adjusted for body mass index (comprising up to 77,167 participants), following up 16 loci in an additional 29 studies (comprising up to 113,636 subjects). We identified 13 new loci in or near RSPO3, VEGFA, TBX15-WARS2, NFE2L3, GRB14, DNM3-PIGC, ITPR2-SSPN, LY86, HOXC13, ADAMTS9, ZNRF3-KREMEN1, NISCH-STAB1 and CPEB4 (P = 1.9 × 10−9 to P = 1.8 × 10−40) and the known signal at LYPLAL1. Seven of these loci exhibited marked sexual dimorphism, all with a stronger effect on WHR in women than men (P for sex difference = 1.9 × 10−3 to P = 1.2 × 10−13). These findings provide evidence for multiple loci that modulate body fat distribution independent of overall adiposity and reveal strong gene-by-sex interactions.