bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect mechanisms of ultrahigh-frequency radiation on biological objects
Authors: Korablev R A , Belocurov V P , Busarin E N
Published: November 2021

The article discusses the effect of microwave radiation on the seeds of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.). The aim of the research is to increase the efficiency of pre-sowing treatment of seeds with Ultra-high-frequency radiation (UHF) radiation, allowing one to increase the standard planting material yield and reduce its cultivation time. The specificity of enzyme systems for stressing effects is revealed, the dynamics of their change in the period after irradiation is ambiguous and depends on the time of irradiation. The stimulating and lethal doses of radiation are determined. The results show seed treatment with stimulating doses causes reversible changes in the structure and function of enzymes. The regularities and model of the impact of UHF radiation as a stimulating factor on seed viability are established. When exposed to stress factors (radiation), an increase in the activity of enzymes is observed, leading to the excitation or inhibition of growth processes at the first stages of development. As a result, a stimulating effect arises – the germination of seeds increases, the growth of seedlings in height increases, or depressing – the germination decreases and the growth of seedlings slows down.
Economic assessment of application of new reforestation technologies in conditions of climate change in the forest-steppe zone of Russia
Authors: Morkovina S , Panyavina E , Podmolodina I , Burmistrov A
Published: November 2021

The development and application of new reforestation technologies remain relevant due to climate change. The main technology of forest sowing in Russia does not provide effective reforestation. Innovative technologies of reforestation based on seedlings with a closed root system make it possible to increase the livelihood of plants and accelerate reforestation processes. Using the method of determining costs, a comparative economic analysis of the technologies for growing oak seedlings with an open and closed root system in the forest-steppe regions of Russia was carried out. It was found that the technology of growing seedlings with a closed root system is less labor-consuming and provides a high level of income for investments. The innovative technology of growing seedlings with a closed root system in greenhouses is more competitive and its use allows to generate income from one hectare of area 50 times more than when growing seedlings in forest nurseries by increasing the number of seedling rotation. A comparative economic assessment of two oak seedling projects under forest-steppe conditions suggests the feasibility of moving to innovative reforestation technologies. In the current climate change conditions, a serious correction of approaches to reforestation in the forest-steppe zones of Russia is necessary.
Forest recultivation of overburden dumps of the Kingisepp phosphorite field
Authors: Nedbaev I S , Elsukova E Y , Kushnir E A , Treschevskaya E I
Published: November 2021

The article is devoted to the study of the stages of forest recultivation of overburden dumps of the Kingisepp phosphorite field’s breed located in the North-West of the Russian Federation. 5 test areas with a total area of 63.7 hectares were laid to study the different stages of recultivation. In the course of the study, the author’s team identified four conditional stages of the formation of the spruce community of the forest recultivation of overburden dumps breed. The first stage, which has the conditional name ‘10 years’ is newly planted spruce trees on the recultivation territory. The second stage of the formation of the spruce community (‘20 years’) is that the European spruce passes into the stand. The third stage of community formation (‘30 years’) consists in the growth of all plantings to the level of a stand and in the creation of a birch-spruce or spruce-birch forest, since at the age of more than 30 years European spruce in recultivation by itself territories can occupy up to 50% of the stand. At the fourth stage, spruces displace birch trees from the community, remaining almost the only representative of the tree layer.
Results of computer modeling of a modular independent tubular suspension of a logging truck
Authors: Nikonov V O , Posmetev V I , Posmetev V V
Published: November 2021

The necessity of increasing the efficiency of timber trucks by improving the designs of their suspensions has been substantiated. The main disadvantages of traditional suspension structures used in modern logging trucks have been described. A promising design of a modular independent tubular torsion bar suspension for a logging truck has been proposed. The aim of the research consisted of two stages. At the first stage, a mathematical model for the functioning of the proposed torsion bar suspension has been developed. At the second stage, a computer program for a preliminary assessment of the effectiveness of the functioning of this suspension (when driving on an insufficiently equipped forest road) has been made. Time dependences of the angular positions of suspension arm fork and ends of the tubular torsion bars were obtained. The regularities of the influence of the movement speed, average height of irregularities, coefficient of dry friction on the relative spread of vertical loads and suspension indicators of vibration dispersions were revealed.
Adaptive forest management in the context of climate change (on the example of the Republic of Srpska (Bosnia and Herzegovina) and the Central Black Earth Region of Russia)
Authors: Prokhorova N , Moiseeva E , Govedar Z
Published: November 2021

The article examines the systems of adaptive forest management in the Republika Srpska (Bosnia and Herzegovina) and forest-steppe and steppe regions of the Central Black Earth region of Russia (within the Voronezh region) in the context of climate change, suggests measures for adaptive forest management. The concept of adaptive measures can be useful to rationalize and focus existing views on adaptation and restoration of forests. This area is designed to help reforestation, with particular attention to the ability of ecosystems to self-organize in the future and adapt to changing environmental conditions. adaptive capacity It is imperative to consider new or unparalleled ecosystems to ensure the best mix of ecosystem services in the face of future uncertainties. substantiation of improving models of forestry in the context of climate change and ensuring their practical implementation. Directions for further research in this area should relate to the development of risk-based planning approaches and multi-stakeholder decision-making.
Recycling of forestry waste
Authors: Yakovleva E , Titova E
Published: November 2021

The article examines the current state of wood waste recycling in the interests of ensuring sustainable development and minimizing the impact on climate change. Classification of wood waste based on the stage of the life cycle of a wood product has been carried out. The problem of organization of wood waste disposal and processing is relevant both directly in the forest industry and in the process of using wood since this leads to the preservation of primary wood material and significantly reduces the volume of deforestation. During the study methods of wood waste recycling and options for complex recycling have been identified. A wood waste recycling scheme which includes such stages as collecting wood waste, deep wood processing and involvement in secondary circulation has been developed. An econometric analysis of correlation between current environmental costs and indicators of economic activity associated with the use of wood waste on innovative basis has been carried out. It has been concluded that there is a tight relationship between the costs of environmental protection and the selected factors. The research results can be used in the development of wood waste recycling schemes by various economic entities of timber and woodworking sectors.
Ecology of the aviafauna of the Voronezh upland oak forest
Authors: Turchaninova E
Published: November 2021

The article presents the results of the analysis of changes in the fauna, population and ecology of the dominant and background bird species of the Voronezh upland oak forest, depending on the level of the recreational load. The object of research is the Voronezh upland oak grove, a unique natural landscape complex located within the city of Voronezh in the Central Federal District. The research period is 2014-2018. The census was carried out according to the standard method of counting birds according to the spring mating song with a fixed width of the counting strip equal to 50 m. The length of each route was 10,000 m. The results of the study showed that on the territory of the Voronezh upland oak forest, background and dominant bird species are represented by 38 species belonging to 5 orders … Most of the species belong to the order Passeriformes. In areas with a high degree of recreation, the number of synanthropic species and birds with a mixed type of diet increases. The consequences of the recreational impact are reflected in the number and species composition of birds.
Concentration-dependent stimulating and toxic effects of ZrS3 and TiS3 nanoribbons on forest woody plants in tissue culture in vitro
Authors: Zakharova O , Vasyukova I , Muratov D S , Korenkov V , Baranchikov P , Gusev A
Published: November 2021

Nanotechnology has a great potential for application in applied biotechnology. Here we demonstrate the effectiveness of synthesized by direct reaction ZrS3 and TiS3 nanoribbons as sterilizing agents, growth stimulators and activators of rhizogenesis of micro-sprouts of tree crops during clonal micropropagation. At the initiation stage at 6 and 15 μg/L ZrS3 and 3, 6 and 15 μg/L TiS3, complete sterility of shoots of brittle willow, red oak and Scots pine was noted. The maximum survival rate and seedling height at this stage was in the groups of 1.5 μg/L ZrS3 and 3 μg/L TiS3. An increase in the concentration of nanomaterials to 15 μg/L significantly reduced the viability of plants. At the proliferation stage the concentration of nanomaterials 1.5 and 3 μg/L increased the survival rate of regenerants, and at 3 μg/L with the phytohormones (benzylaminopurine, indoleacetic acid, gibberelic acid) the number of additional shoots increased. At the rooting stage ZrS3 and TiS3 at doses of 1.5 and 3 μg/L with auxin activated rhizogenesis, significantly increasing the number of seedlings with roots in comparison with the variants where only auxin were used. This effects can be associated both with the direct action of nanoribbons and with the release of hydrogen sulfide as a result of aqueous hydrolysis of nanoribbons, since H2S plays an important role in the regulation of plant physiological processes.
Increase of wear resistance of crankshafts of timber transport machines
Authors: Yakovlev K A , Latynin A V
Published: November 2021

The paper considers the technological process of restoration of crankshaft necks by plasma spraying with wear-resistant thermoreacting powder PG-NA80. Wear of the crankshaft necks during operation requires repair, restoration or replacement of this part. As a result of the literature analysis, plasma spraying was found to be the most optimal and relatively inexpensive method of crankshaft recovery. The purpose of our work is to investigate the wear resistance properties of the sprayed coating and the search for op-optimal parameters of its application process. The sprayed coatings were studied according to two parameters: joint strength and wear resistance. For the study, experimental equipment of the plasma spraying laboratory of the department was used. As a result of the experimental study, separate regression equations of the effect of the main factors of plasma spraying on relative wear resistance were obtained. A comparison of physical, mechanical and tribotechnical characteristics showed an improvement in the properties of coatings by 8-12% obtained from thermoreacting powder in comparison with traditional PGSR-4 and PN55T45. Analysis of the obtained research results showed that this technological process can be effectively used to restore worn out crankshafts of forestry vehicles.
Efficiency evaluation of the weighted mean calculation of the forest fire hazard class
Authors: Kotelnikov R V , Chugaev A N
Published: November 2021

Nowadays, cost-optimization of aerial patrolling plays a key role in the context of limited aerial forest protection funding. Forest Fire Danger Class is the main indicator that regulates the work of forest fire services. Usually, it’s calculated by the nearest weather station data. Some information systems use the mean of several nearby weather stations to estimate large areas, such as the surveyed area of aerial forest protection. The idea of using the mean weighted index with the weather stations weighting factor is not new. Even though, this idea isn’t widespread due to the calculation complexity and questionable efficiency in practice, this study proposes a scientifically substantiated method of quantitative comparison of two approaches and the direct calculation method of the economic impact when transition to using the mean weighted Forest Fire Danger Class calculation algorithm. The first time such an indicator was used to obtain derivatives of analytical information products. A long-term analysis of forest fire rate showed that the weighted mean of the Forest Fire Danger Class value is 6.7% greater in correlation with the number of forest fires than the usual mean value. The use logarithmic transformation of the forest fire occurrence frequency and population density allows statistical criteria to be reasonably used.
Resource-saving technologies in the production of glued laminated lumber with a glue line of increased strength
Authors: Latynin A V , Popov V M , Shvyrev A N , Lushnikova E N , Iakovlev K A , Garkusha O S , Usenko N S
Published: November 2021

One of the main problems of forestry is increased number of fellings and deforestation. Development of promising technologies in woodworking industry is one of the solutions to this problem. These technologies make it possible to reduce the production cost through the use of cheap and non-scarce materials and improve the quality of the resulting products to the level of premium products by improving the quality of the adhesive bond. The aim of the study is to obtain high-quality glued timber from non-grade oak wood (Quercus Robur L.) based on urea formaldehyde (resin, subsequently treated with ultrasound and constant magnetic field. The studies have shown that strength values of the adhesive bond based on the resin, subjected to shear testing along the wood grain, are significantly higher than that of the control specimens obtained using standard technology. Also, additional studies of internal stresses in the glue line and analysis of the microstructure were carried out. They enable obtain an explanation of the strengthening effect of adhesive joint.
Environmental properties of Phaeozems humus horizons of the Voronezh upland oak forest (Russia)
Authors: Alaeva L , Belik A , Gorbunova Y , Kharchenko N , Deviatova T
Published: November 2021

Within Voronezh city there is a green zone, the core of which are forest clusters of natural origin. The study sites are located in the recreational area of an upland oak forest. In such conditions, the forest litter and the upper soil horizon first experience transformation. All results were processed by StatSoft STATISTICA for Windows 10.0. In this study we found that low-thickness forest litter was formed in the Voronezh oak forest, in which the average content of macronutrients was (%): C – 2.91, N – 1.11, K – 0.32, and P – 0.18. These elements can be arranged in a variation series C > N > K > P. It is established that the edaphotope of oak forests of the forest-steppe has a favorable regime for the destruction of organic substances and the accumulation of decomposition products. The content of macronutrients in the forest litter and the upper part of the humus horizon is arranged in the same row N > K > P, which indicates their genetic relationship. The obtained data on the ecological state of the forest litter and the humus horizon of the gray forest soils of the oak forests of the megalopolis are important for understanding the biological cycle under conditions of technogenic and recreational loads.
In vitro selection of birch for tolerance to salinity stress
Authors: Mashkina O S , Tabatskaya T M , Korchagin O M
Published: November 2021

In vitro modelling of stress is one of the promising avenues for plant breeding for tolerance to negative environmental factors. In this study we examined the effect of NaCl (0.5%) on callusogenesis and morphogenesis of stem explants of different birch genotypes: Betula pendula Roth, B. pendula Roth var. carelica (Mercklin) Hämet-Ahti, B. pendula f. ‘dalecarlica’ (L.f.) Schneid., B. pubescens Ehrh. In our experiments we used pre-selected microclones from our in vitro collection on NaCl (0.2-1.0%) selective media. The clones were contrasted by the degree of their sensitivity to salinity (so-called ‘stable’ and ‘sensitive’ microclones). With the use of stem callus cultures we identified informative, simple and reproducible indicators for the selection of salt-tolerant genotypes. Among these indicators were the frequency of callus formation and the viability of callus cultures, which were significantly higher in ‘stable’ group of microclones. Polyploid birch clones (2n=4x=56, 2n=3x=42) were more resistant to salination compared to diploid clones (2n=28). Our study has shown that the selection of salt-tolerant birch lines can be based on the plants’ genetic diversity presented in the collection (various species, varieties, hybrids, polyploids) and manifested in the process of in vitro cultivation, as well as in the cellular heterogeneity of callus cultures.
Subsurface geological model of Malay basin using free air anomaly
Authors: Hwee Chia Jing , Jamil Farouq , Sidek Akhmal , Jaafar Zaidi , Junin Radzuan , Omar Shaziera , Hasani Fadzlin , Supee Aizuddin , Arifin Mohd Hariri
Published: November 2021

The aim of gravity survey is to assist in the detection and delineation of subsurface geological features such as salt domes and faults. In this study, free air anomaly (FAA) data was adopted for mapping and modelling process to delineate subsurface geological features and basement depth in Malay Basin. FAA is the measured gravity anomaly after a free air correction is applied, and it is used for elevation correction. The data of FAA in this study is obtained from Earth Gravitational Model (EGM) 2008 released by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA)-EGM Development Team. Oasis Montaj software was used in the mapping and modelling process whereby the base map which constructed by the Oasis Montaj is used to form the FAA map of Malay Basin. Typically, the positive anomaly is associated with the high-density intrusion at the base of the crust, while in contrast (negative anomaly), it is related to the sedimentary basin in the upper crust. On top of that, the regional-residual anomaly, total horizontal derivative (THD) and 3D Euler Deconvolution enhanced maps were produced and interpreted to acquire comprehensive insight of subsurface geological features. To conclude, this study showed 5% deviation as compared to previous reported works and the deepest basement depth encountered is 14.5 km.
Deriving offshore tidal datums using satellite altimetry around Malaysian seas
Authors: Hamden M H , Din A H M , Wijaya D D , Pa’suya M F
Published: November 2021

Tidal datums are important for calculating spatial coordinates especially the elevation relative to mean sea level and also crucial for defining the state sovereignty boundaries over maritime areas. Normally, sea level was measured by tide gauges along the coastal for tidal datums computation. However, knowledge of tides is still restricted in coastal areas. Furthermore, tidal range at offshore was simply assumed to be similar as coastal due to the difficulties installing offshore tide gauges. The launching of satellite altimeter technologies with precise orbit determination since 1993 had provided significant accuracy of sea surface height (SSH) measurements. The observed SSH from satellite altimetry can be offered as tide gauge measurements at each location globally. This study aims to derive offshore tidal datums using satellite altimetry around Malaysian seas. SSH time series from TOPEX, Jason-1, Jason-2 and Geosat Follow On (GFO) were analysed using harmonic analysis approach to estimate harmonic constants. A minimum of 19 years tidal predictions were then performed using UTide software to determine Lowest Astronomical Tide (LAT) and Highest Astronomical Tide (HAT). These tidal datums were interpolated into regular 0.125° grids and were assessed with ten selected coastal tide gauges. The findings showed the Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of spline interpolation yielded better accuracy, 25.5 cm (LATMSL) and 17.4 cm (HATMSL) as compared to the RMSE of Kriging interpolation, 31.8 cm (LATMSL) and 33.8 cm (HATMSL). In conclusion, deriving offshore tidal datums can serve as input data to unify marine database with coastal areas and also can support many marine applications.
The effects of climate change on flood hazards in Kelantan River Basin Malaysia
Authors: Tam Tze Huey , Rahman Muhammad Zulkarnain Abd , Harun Sobri , Try Sophal , Kaoje Ismaila Usman , Salleh Mohd Radhie Mohd , Abai Kimberly Vivian
Published: November 2021

Climate change has had a significant impact on the hydrological cycle, causing changes in precipitation patterns in both frequency and magnitude. The aim of this study is to assess the effect of climate change on flood hazards in Kelantan River Basin, Malaysia. A distributed hydrological model called Rainfall-Runoff-Inundation (RRI) simulates floods under current and future climate scenarios. The Climate Change Factor (CCF) is a tool for forecasting future climate scenarios. The storm used in this analysis had 50-year and 100-year recurrence intervals every 24 hours (ARI). The finding shows that the streamflow in Guillemard station will increase in the future for both the 50- and 100-year ARI. The streamflow increased to 10329 m3/s from 8434.9 m3/s in the current state and to 11220.2 m3/s from 9157.4 m3/s in the 50- and 100-year ARI, respectively. In both cases, the 100-year ARI flood magnitude is significantly less than the 50-year ARI flood extent (current and future). However, the flood depth in several towns located downstream of the Kelantan River Basin is more significant for the 100-year ARI than for the 50-year ARI for both cases. The study’s findings would be helpful to relevant agencies and government departments understand the current and potential flood hazard situation in the study area and assist them in developing effective mitigation strategies for future flood hazards.
Water treatment process using conventional and advanced methods: A comparative study of Malaysia and selected countries
Authors: Pakharuddin N H , Fazly M N , Ahmad Sukari S H , Tho K , Zamri W F H
Published: November 2021

Water treatment is the process of removing all those substances, whether biological, chemical, or physical, that are potentially harmful to the water supply for human and domestic use. This treatment helps to produce water that is safe, palatable, clear, colorless, and odorless. The basic steps of water treatment include coagulation, precipitation, filtration, and disinfection. Water treatment before supplying water to consumers is essential to improve water quality to create a sustainable life. Water treatment can eliminate potential or certain harmful substances in the water to prevent the consumption of contaminated water sources that can cause potential health problems. Therefore, it is important to establish a water treatment facility with sufficient capacity to remove pollutants according to standards before being supplied to consumers. In this study, the focus of the discussion is on the use of river water as a source of water for consumers in Japan, Australia, Canada, and Malaysia after a water treatment process. This paper reviews the recent progresses of water treatment process using both conventional and advanced methods. A brief discussion on the water quality index of each country’s rivers is presented. Several potential applications of Industrial Revolution 4.0 technology in the water treatment process are discussed. Adoption of the industrial revolution of technology in water treatment may provide many benefits to this field and excavate more potential improvement. This paper will deliver a scientific and technical overview and useful information to scientists, engineers, and stakeholders who work in this field.
Sulfate (SO42−) removal by electrocoagulation process under combined electrical connection of electrodes
Authors: Al-Raad A A , Hanafiah M M
Published: November 2021

Inorganic compounds in water can have detrimental effects on human health and the environment due to the high toxicity level of these ionic contaminants. This study assessed the efficiency of electrocoagulation process for removing sulfate (SO42−). The technology of electrocoagulation depends mainly on electrical applied that produce coagulant species in a certain position via electro-dissolution of sacrificial anodes which are often made of iron or aluminum. EC process illustrated great potential as a vital method in eliminating numerous types of contaminants including inorganic contaminants at a lesser cost, and ecologically friendly technique. In the present study, aluminum materials were utilized in both cathode and anode electrodes. Water samples were obtained from Sawa Lake, Al-Muthanna Province located in Iraq. Electrocoagulation formations with static electrodes were used under mutual electrical connection. The effects of the different variables such as pH, current density, inter electrode distance, reaction time and stirring speed were scrutinized to obtain a higher removal of SO42−. Preliminary outcomes exhibited the following optimal and functional conditions; pH = 8, current density = 0.8A, reaction time (RT) = 80 min, IED = 1 cm, temperature = 27 °C and agitation speed = 500 rpm. The maximum removal efficiency of SO42−is 88 %. The present statistical rates proved the effectiveness of EC method in terms of removing salts from lake water.
Solutions of contemporary problems of environmental safety as a component of national security
Authors: Popova L M , Skochko S A , Nesterenko O V
Published: November 2021

One of the priorities of the national interests of each country is to ensure environmental security as a component of national security. At the same time, among the current and projected threats to national security and national interests of almost all countries of the world are the consequences of climate change and the growth of man-made pressure on the environment. Therefore, today it is necessary to find ways to solve modern problems of environmental safety, including climate safety, which is the purpose of this scientific work. A promising way to reduce the risks of global climate threat is to ensure the environmental security of each country, which provides for the introduction of green technologies on the principle of construction of biopower plants in combination with poultry and livestock farms, as well as in combination with organic raw materials from the population, agricultural enterprises, utilities. In addition, it is planned to obtain biogas as an “alternative fuel”, which will produce electricity and heat, which will be used in lighting and heating of buildings. To prevent the complication of the environmental situation and reduce the intensity of climate change, it is proposed to reduce the area of landfills for organic raw materials. Analysis of soil contamination was conducted near the landfill for solid waste in Lozova city (Ukraine), from which the results of research.
Embracing the uncertainty: the evolution of SOFI into a diverse family of fluctuation-based super-resolution microscopy methods
Authors: Pawlowska Monika , Tenne Ron , Ghosh Bohnishikha , Makowski Adrian , Lapkiewicz Radek
Published: November 2021

Super-resolution microscopy techniques have pushed-down the limits of resolution in optical imaging by more than an order of magnitude. However, these methods often require long acquisition times in addition to complex setups and sample preparation protocols. Super-resolution optical fluctuation imaging (SOFI) emerged over ten years ago as an approach that exploits temporal and spatial correlations within the acquired images to obtain increased resolution with less strict requirements. This review follows the progress of SOFI from its first demonstration to the development of a branch of methods that treat fluctuations as a source of contrast, rather than noise. Among others, we highlight the implementation of SOFI with standard fluorescent proteins as well as microscope modifications that facilitate 3D imaging and the application of modern cameras. Going beyond the classical framework of SOFI, we explore different innovative concepts from deep neural networks all the way to a quantum analogue of SOFI, antibunching microscopy. While SOFI has not reached the same level of ubiquity as other super-resolution methods, our overview finds significant progress and substantial potential for the concept of leveraging fluorescence fluctuations to obtain super-resolved images.
Random quantum graphs
Authors: Chirvasitu Alexandru , Wasilewski Mateusz
Published: November 2021

We prove a number of results to the effect that generic quantum graphs (defined via operator systems as in the work of Duan-Severini-Winter / Weaver) have few symmetries: for a Zariski-dense open set of tuples(X1,⋯,Xd)(X_1,\cdots ,X_d)of traceless self-adjoint operators in then×nn\times nmatrix algebra the corresponding operator system has trivial automorphism group, in the largest possible range for the parameters:2≤d≤n2−32\le d\le n^2-3. Moreover, the automorphism group is generically abelian in the larger parameter range1≤d≤n2−21\le d\le n^2-2. This then implies that for those respective parameters the corresponding random-quantum-graph model built on the GUE ensembles ofXiX_i’s (mimicking the Erdős-RényiG(n,p)G(n,p)model) has trivial/abelian automorphism group almost surely.
Maternal Thyroid Anomalies and Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Progeny
Authors: Rotem Ran S , Chodick Gabriel , Davidovitch Michael , Bellavia Andrea , Weisskopf Marc G
Published: November 2021

Previous epidemiologic investigations suggested that maternal thyroid anomalies are a possible causal factor in attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in progeny, yet clinical trials indicated that levothyroxine treatment was ineffective in preventing neurodevelopmental impairments. We used an Israeli cohort of 385,542 singleton births from 1999–2012 to explore the interrelated roles of maternal thyroid conditions, laboratory gestational thyroid hormone measurements, use of thyroid medications, and offspring ADHD. Analyses were performed using Cox proportional hazards models. Results indicated that maternal hypothyroidism diagnosis was associated with an elevated progeny ADHD hazard (adjusted hazard ratio = 1.14, 95% confidence interval = 1.10, 1.18). However, this association was unmitigated by gestational use of levothyroxine and was unexplained by maternal gestational thyroid hormone levels. Associations with gestational thyrotropin values and hypothyroxinemia were also observed but were robust only in mothers without other records indicative of a thyroid problem. Results indicated that maternal thyroid hypofunction was associated with progeny ADHD but possibly not due to a direct causal relationship. Instead, maternal thyroid hypofunction may serve as a proxy indicator for other factors that affect neurodevelopment through thyroid hormone independent pathways, which are thus unaffected by pharmaceutical treatments for thyroid hypofunction. Factors known to disrupt thyroid functioning should be examined for their independent ADHD-related effects.
tcplfit2: an R-language general purpose concentration–response modeling package
Authors: Sheffield Thomas , Brown Jason , Davidson Sarah , Friedman Katie Paul , Judson Richard
Published: November 2021

Many applications of chemical screening are performed in concentration or dose–response mode, and it is necessary to extract appropriate parameters, including whether the chemical/assay pair is active and if so, what are concentrations where activity is seen. Typically, multiple mathematical models or curve shapes are tested against the data to assess the best fit. There are several commercial programs used for this purpose as well as open-source libraries. A widely used system for managing high-throughput screening (HTS) concentration–response data is tcpl (ToxCast Pipeline). The current implementation of tcpl has the concentration–response modeling code tightly integrated with the data management and databasing aspects of HTS data processing. Tcplfit2 is a stand-alone version of the curve-fitting and hitcalling core of tcpl that has been extended to include a large number of standard curve classes and to use benchmark dose modeling. This package will be useful for HTS concentration–response data such as high-throughput whole genome transcriptomics.

Availability and implementation

tcplfit2 is written in R and is available from CRAN.
A review of Mendelian randomization in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Authors: Julian Thomas H , Boddy Sarah , Islam Mahjabin , Kurz Julian , Whittaker Katherine J , Moll Tobias , Harvey Calum , Zhang Sai , Snyder Michael P , McDermott Christopher , Cooper-Knock Johnathan , Shaw Pamela J
Published: November 2021

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a relatively common and rapidly progressive neurodegenerative disease that, in the majority of cases, is thought to be determined by a complex gene–environment interaction. Exponential growth in the number of performed genome-wide association studies combined with the advent of Mendelian randomization is opening significant new opportunities to identify environmental exposures that increase or decrease the risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Each of these discoveries has the potential to shape new therapeutic interventions. However, to do so, rigorous methodological standards must be applied in the performance of Mendelian randomization. We have reviewed Mendelian randomization studies performed in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis to date. We identified 20 Mendelian randomization studies, including evaluation of physical exercise, adiposity, cognitive performance, immune function, blood lipids, sleep behaviours, educational attainment, alcohol consumption, smoking and type 2 diabetes mellitus. We have evaluated each study using gold standard methodology supported by the Mendelian randomization literature and the STROBE–Mendelian randomization checklist. Where discrepancies exist between Mendelian randomization studies, we suggest the underlying reasons. A number of studies conclude that there is a causal link between blood lipids and risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; replication across different datasets and even different populations adds confidence. For other putative risk factors, such as smoking and immune function, Mendelian randomization studies have provided cause for doubt. We highlight the use of positive control analyses in choosing exposure single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to make up the Mendelian randomization instrument, use of SNP clumping to avoid false positive results due to SNPs in linkage and the importance of multiple testing correction. We discuss the implications of survival bias for study of late age of onset diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and make recommendations to mitigate this potentially important confounder. For Mendelian randomization to be useful to the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis field, high methodological standards must be applied to ensure reproducibility. Mendelian randomization is already an impactful tool, but poor-quality studies will lead to incorrect interpretations by a field that includes non-statisticians, wasted resources and missed opportunities.
Low ambient temperature and temperature drop between neighbouring days and acute aortic dissection: a case-crossover study
Authors: Chen Jinmiao , Gao Ya , Jiang Yixuan , Li Huichu , Lv Minzhi , Duan Weixun , Lai Hao , Chen Renjie , Wang Chunsheng
Published: November 2021

Aims

The incidence of acute aortic dissection (AAD) has been shown to have seasonal variation, but whether this variation can be explained by non-optimum ambient temperature and temperature change between neighbouring days (TCN) is not clear.

Methods and results

We performed a time-stratified case-crossover study in the Registry of Aortic Dissection in China covering 14 tertiary hospitals in 11 cities from 2009 to 2019. A total of 8182 cases of AAD were included. Weather data at residential address were matched from nearby monitoring stations. Conditional logistic regression model and distributed lag nonlinear model were used to estimate the associations of daily temperature and TCN with AAD, adjusting for possible confounders. We observed an increase of AAD risk with lower temperature cumulated over lag 0–1 day and this association became statistically significant when daily mean temperature was below 24°C. Relative to the referent temperature (28°C), the odds ratios (ORs) of AAD onset at extremely low (−10°C) and low (1°C) temperature cumulated over lag 0–1 day were 2.84 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.69, 4.75] and 2.36 (95% CI: 1.61, 3.47), respectively. A negative TCN was associated with increased risk of AAD. The OR of AAD cumulated over lag 0–6 days was 2.66 (95% CI: 1.76, 4.02) comparing the extremely negative TCN (−7°C) to no temperature change. In contrast, a positive TCN was associated with reduced AAD risk.

Conclusion

This study provides novel and robust evidence that low ambient temperature and temperature drop between neighbouring days were associated with increased risk of AAD onset.

Key Question

Incidence of acute aortic dissection (AAD) was reported to have seasonal trends, but it remains unclear whether non-optimum ambient temperature and temperature change between neighbouring days (TCN) is associated with AAD onset.

Key Finding

Daily mean temperature lower than 24°C was significantly associated with increased risk of AAD at lag 0–1 day. A negative TCN (temperature drop) was associated with increased risk of AAD, whereas a positive TCN was associated with decreased risk.

Take Home Message

This multi-centre, case-crossover study provides novel and robust evidence that low ambient temperature and temperature drop between neighbouring days were associated with increased AAD risk.
Aging in Place During a Pandemic: Neighborhood Engagement and Environments Since the COVID-19 Pandemic Onset
Authors: Finlay Jessica M , Meltzer Gabriella , Cannon Melissa , Kobayashi Lindsay C
Published: November 2021

Background and Objectives

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic may fundamentally change neighborhood environments and ways of aging in place. This research aimed to investigate perceptions of and engagement in neighborhoods since the pandemic onset among aging Americans.

Research Design and Methods

Data were from the COVID-19 Coping Study, a longitudinal cohort study of health and well-being of U.S. adults aged 55 years or older during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the present analysis, we conducted a qualitative thematic analysis of responses to an open-ended survey question about how respondents felt that COVID-19 has affected their neighborhood and relationships with neighbors. The survey data were collected June–September 2020 and analyzed for a random-stratified subsample of 1,000 study participants. Sampling quotas for age, gender, race/ethnicity, and education aimed to match the U.S. population aged 55 years or older (average age: 67.7 years).

Results

We identified 4 overarching themes: altered neighborly social interactions, support levels, and community environments; and no observed changes. Geographic factors that affected neighborhood engagement included age structure, sociopolitical diversity, urbanicity/rurality, and walkability; while individual factors included age, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, political orientation, health status, duration of residence, lifestyle, and personality.

Discussion and Implications

The results highlight resilience among aging adults and their neighbors, sources of individual and community vulnerability, and opportunities to strengthen social infrastructure to support aging in place since the pandemic onset.
Company Law
Authors: Roach Dr Lee
Published: November 2021

Company Law provides an introduction to this topic. The text guides the reader through the intricacies of the subject with expert analysis of the application of principles to real-life cases. The chapters provide comprehensive coverage of all core aspects of company law. The relationship between company law and corporate governance is explored, ensuring that readers have a full picture of how and why companies are created and regulated. Topics include: the formation and nature of the company; the board of directors; membership of the company; and corporate rescue, restructuring, and insolvency.
Mutations of the histone linker H1–4 in neurodevelopmental disorders and functional characterization of neurons expressing C-terminus frameshift mutant H1.4
Authors: Tremblay Martine W , Green Matthew V , Goldstein Benjamin M , Aldridge Andrew I , Rosenfeld Jill A , Streff Haley , Tan Wendy D , Craigen William , Bekheirnia Nasim , Al Tala Saeed , West Anne E , Jiang Yong-hui
Published: November 2021

Rahman syndrome (RMNS) is a rare genetic disorder characterized by mild to severe intellectual disability, hypotonia, anxiety, autism spectrum disorder, vision problems, bone abnormalities and dysmorphic facies. RMNS is caused by de novo heterozygous mutations in the histone linker gene H1–4; however, mechanisms underlying impaired neurodevelopment in RMNS are not understood. All reported mutations associated with RMNS in H1–4 are small insertions or deletions that create a shared frameshift, resulting in a H1.4 protein that is both truncated and possessing an abnormal C-terminus frameshifted tail (H1.4 CFT). To expand understanding of mutations and phenotypes associated with mutant H1–4, we identified new variants at both the C- and N-terminus of H1.4. The clinical features of mutations identified at the C-terminus are consistent with other reports and strengthen the support of pathogenicity of H1.4 CFT. To understand how H1.4 CFT may disrupt brain function, we exogenously expressed wild-type or H1.4 CFT protein in rat hippocampal neurons and assessed neuronal structure and function. Genome-wide transcriptome analysis revealed ~ 400 genes altered in the presence of H1.4 CFT. Neuronal genes downregulated by H1.4 CFT were enriched for functional categories involved in synaptic communication and neuropeptide signaling. Neurons expressing H1.4 CFT also showed reduced neuronal activity on multielectrode arrays. These data are the first to characterize the transcriptional and functional consequence of H1.4 CFT in neurons. Our data provide insight into causes of neurodevelopmental impairments associated with frameshift mutations in the C-terminus of H1.4 and highlight the need for future studies on the function of histone H1.4 in neurons.
Genetic architecture of orbital telorism
Authors: Knol Maria J , Pawlak Mikolaj A , Lamballais Sander , Terzikhan Natalie , Hofer Edith , Xiong Ziyi , Klaver Caroline C W , Pirpamer Lukas , Vernooij Meike W , Ikram M Arfan , Schmidt Reinhold , Kayser Manfred , Evans Tavia E , Adams Hieab H H
Published: November 2021

The interocular distance, or orbital telorism, is a distinctive craniofacial trait that also serves as a clinically informative measure. While its extremes, hypo- and hypertelorism, have been linked to monogenic disorders and are often syndromic, little is known about the genetic determinants of interocular distance within the general population. We derived orbital telorism measures from cranial magnetic resonance imaging by calculating the distance between the eyeballs’ centre of gravity, which showed a good reproducibility with an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.991 (95% confidence interval 0.985–0.994). Heritability estimates were 76% (standard error = 12%) with a family-based method (N = 364) and 39% (standard error = 2.4%) with a single nucleotide polymorphism-based method (N = 34 130) and were unaffected by adjustment for height (model II) and intracranial volume (model III) or head width (model IV). Genome-wide association studies in 34 130 European individuals identified 56 significantly associated genomic loci (P < 5 × 10−8) across four different models of which 46 were novel for facial morphology, and overall these findings replicated in an independent sample (N = 10 115) with telorism-related horizontal facial distance measures. Genes located nearby these 56 identified genetic loci were 4.9-fold enriched for Mendelian hypotelorism and hypertelorism genes, underlining their biological relevance. This study provides novel insights into the genetic architecture underlying interocular distance in particular, and the face in general, and explores its potential for applications in a clinical setting.
A Randomized, Double-Blind, Multicenter, Noninferiority Study Comparing Paliperidone Palmitate 6-Month Versus the 3-Month Long-Acting Injectable in Patients With Schizophrenia
Authors: Najarian Dean , Sanga Panna , Wang Steven , Lim Pilar , Singh Arun , Robertson Mary Jane , Cohen Kristin , Schotte Alain , Milz Ruth , Venkatasubramanian Raja , T’Jollyn Huybrecht , Walling David P , Galderisi Silvana , Gopal Srihari
Published: November 2021

Background

This double-blind (DB), randomized, parallel-group study was designed to evaluate efficacy and safety of paliperidone palmitate 6-month (PP6M) formulation relative to paliperidone palmitate 3-month (PP3M) formulation in patients with schizophrenia.

Methods

Following screening, patients entered an open-label (OL) maintenance phase and received 1 injection cycle of paliperidone palmitate 1-month (PP1M; 100 or 150 mg eq.) or PP3M (350 or 525 mg eq.). Clinically stable patients were randomized (2:1) to receive PP6M (700 or 1000 mg eq., gluteal injections) or PP3M (350 or 525 mg eq.) in a 12-month DB phase; 2 doses of PP6M (corresponding to doses of PP1M and PP3M) were chosen.

Results

Overall, 1036 patients were screened, 838 entered the OL phase, and 702 (mean age: 40.8 years) were randomized (PP6M: 478; PP3M: 224); 618 (88.0%) patients completed the DB phase (PP6M: 416 [87.0%]; PP3M: 202 [90.2%]). Relapse rates were PP6M, 7.5% (n = 36) and PP3M, 4.9% (n = 11). The Kaplan-Meier estimate of the difference (95% CI) between treatment groups (PP6M − PP3M) in the percentages of patients who remained relapse free was −2.9% (−6.8%, 1.1%), thus meeting noninferiority criteria (95% CI lower bound is larger than the pre-specified noninferiority margin of −10%). Secondary efficacy endpoints corroborated the primary analysis. Incidences of treatment-emergent adverse events were similar between PP6M (62.1%) and PP3M (58.5%). No new safety concerns emerged.

Conclusions

The efficacy of a twice-yearly dosing regimen of PP6M was noninferior to that of PP3M in preventing relapse in patients with schizophrenia adequately treated with PP1M or PP3M.

Trial Registration

Clinical Trials.gov identifier: NCT03345342