ABSTRACT
Numerous studies have established associations between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and various behavioral and neurodevelopmental conditions. This study explores the links between SNPs in candidate genes involved in central nervous system (CNS) physiology and their implications for the behavioral and emotional aspects in children and teenagers. A total of 590 participants, aged 7-15 years, from the Early Life Exposures In Mexico To Environmental Toxicants (ELEMENT) cohort study in Mexico City, underwent genotyping for at least one of 15 CNS gene-related SNPs at different timepoints. We employed multiple linear regression models to assess the potential impact of genetic variations on behavioral and cognitive traits, as measured by the Behavioral Assessment System for Children (BASC) and Conners parent rating scales. Significant associations were observed, including the rs1800497 TC genotype (ANKK1) with the Cognitive Problems/Inattention variable (p value = 0.003), the rs1800955 CT genotype (DDR4) with the Emotional Lability Global index variable (p value = 0.01), and the rs10492138 GA and rs7970177 TC genotypes (GRIN2B) with the Depression variable (p values 0.007 and 0.012, respectively). These finds suggest potential genetic profiles associated with "risk" and "protective" behaviors for these SNPs. Our results provide valuable insights into the role of genetic variations in neurobehavior and highlight the need for further research in the early identification and intervention in individuals at risk for these conditions.
ABSTRACT
In the last 25 years, unplanned and dispersed urban development has become the norm rather than the exception mostly in medium and small cities of the global south, a region with high poverty rates and weak institutions in charge of land use changes. This paper is based on environmental discourses and governance policy integration to address the limitations in preventing the conversion of open land, which provides ecosystem services, into settlement land. It analyzes the case of the Metropolitan Zone of Queretaro in central Mexico, which has experienced particularly high rates of urban expansion in recent years. This paper focuses on the private sector's significant contribution to urban sprawl, a situation linked to the following deficits: policy domain integration deficit, which is related to competing goals among multi-level, multi-scale and multi-sector actors; the interdisciplinary deficit, which requires various procedures and instruments to promote stakeholder collaboration; and the democracy deficit, which involves micro-level actions rather than substantive policy design to encourage citizens to become agents of change and develop awareness of the value of nature in cities.