Genetics of psycho-emotional well-being: genome-wide association study and polygenic risk score analysis

BackgroundPsycho-emotional well-being is essential for living a life of satisfaction and fulfillment. However, depression and anxiety have become the leading mental health issues worldwide, according to the World Health Organization. Both disorders have been linked to stress and other psychological factors. Their genetic basis remains understudied.MethodsIn 2020–2021, the psycho-emotional well-being of 30,063 Russians with no known psychiatric history was assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) for general mental health and the HADS subscale A (anxiety) for anxiety. Following the original instructions, an anxiety score of ≥11 points was used as the anxiety threshold. A genome-wide association study was performed to find associations between anxiety and HADS/HADS-A scores using linear and logistic regressions based on HADS/HADS-A scores as binary and continuous variables, respectively. In addition, the links between anxiety, sociodemographic factors (such as age, sex, and employment), lifestyle (such as physical activity, sleep duration, and smoking), and markers of caffeine and alcohol metabolism were analyzed. To assess the risk of anxiety, polygenic risk score modeling was carried out using open-access software and principal component analysis (PCA) to simplify the calculations (ROC AUC = 89.4 ± 2.2% on the test set).ResultsThere was a strong positive association between HADS/HADS-A scores and sociodemographic factors and lifestyle. New single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with genome-wide significance were discovered, which had not been associated with anxiety or other stress-related conditions but were located in genes previously associated with bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, or emotional instability. The CACNA1C variant rs1205787230 was associated with clinical anxiety (a HADS-A score of ≥11 points). There was an association between anxiety levels (HADS-A scores) and genes involved in the activity of excitatory neurotransmitters: PTPRN2 (rs3857647), DLGAP4 (rs8114927), and STK24 (rs9517326).ConclusionOur results suggest that calcium channels and monoamine neurotransmitters, as well as SNPs in genes directly or indirectly affecting neurogenesis and synaptic functions, may be involved in the development of increased anxiety. The role of some non-genetic factors and the clinical significance of physiological markers such as lifestyle were also demonstrated

Ventilation of window interpane cavity aimed at a higher temperature of the inner pane

An experimental study of the thermal performance of an air-flow window with triple glazing is described. The measurements were carried out in a climatic chamber under conditions close to a winter season. In the experiments, the temperature and heat-flux distributions on each pane surface, and also the air-temperature distribution over the window height at the middle of the ventilated cavity were determined. The thermal performances of forced and naturally ventilated windows with internal cavities of various thicknesses are reported for a wide range of air-flow rates

VENTILATION OF WINDOW INTERPANE CAVITY AIMED AT A HIGHER TEMPERATURE OF THE INNER PANE by

An experimental study of the thermal performance of an air-flow window with triple glazing is described. The measurements were carried out in a climatic chamber under conditions close to a winter season. In the experiments, the temperature and heat-flux distributions on each pane surface, and also the air-temperature distribution over the window height at the middle of the ventilated cavity were determined. The thermal performances of forced and naturally ventilated windows with internal cavities of various thicknesses are reported for a wide range of air-flow rates

First Multy-Proxy Studies Of High-Mountain Lakes In Armenia: Preliminary Results

Within the framework of the Russian-Armenian project “The Paleolimnological Aspect of Studying the Evolution of Ecosystems of High-Mountain Lakes of Russia and Armenia” in July-August 2018, we investigated four high-mountain lakes of Armenia. The research focuses on the lakes Kari, Umroi, Akna and Sev. All investigated lakes are located at the altitudes about 3000 m above sea level. We first time these lakes were investigated using a multi-proxy method that includes paleolimnological, geomorphological, hydrological, geochemical and biogeographic studies. The research offers the first statistical characteristics of lake depth distribution, water volume and other morphometrics. Lake sediments sequences and radiocarbon dates were received and analyzed for Armenian small lakes for the first time. We determined that all the studied lakes were formed during the Holocene. Sediments of Lake Kari were deposited in the last 4000 years, sediments of Lake Umroi – within the last 8000 years, while maximum thickness of sediments is around 1 m in both lakes. Hence, we assume low deposition rate in Armenian high-mountain lakes, however, it varied significantly in different periods of lake history

Mass balance, ice volume, and flow velocity of the Vestre Grønfjordbreen (Svalbard) from 2013/14 to 2019/20

ABSTRACTThe first seven years (2013/14–2019/20) of annual and seasonal mass-balance monitoring on the glacier Vestre Grønfjordbreen (16.4 km2), located south of the town of Barentsburg on Spitsbergen, Svalbard, are presented. This part of the archipelago is one of the least glaciated on Svalbard and at the same time it experiences the most prominent glacier retreat within the last few decades. The annual mass balance of Vestre Grønfjordbreen is negative, ranging from −0.60 ± 0.18 to −2.01 ± 0.26 m w.e. The results of direct observations are compared with the geodetic mass balance for the same period (July 2015 through end of summer 2019) to identify systematic bias in the record. As the mismatch between cumulative mass balances, defined by the glaciological method (−5.66 ± 0.47 m w.e.) and computed from geodetic differencing (−5.52 ± 0.40 m w.e.), lies within the uncertainty limits, no calibration of the mass-balance series is needed. From the results of a ground-penetrating radar (GPR) survey (spring 2019), which confirmed the polythermal glacier structure, a total glacier volume of 1.987 ± 0.139 km3 was found, meaning that the cumulative mass loss during the reported seven-year period equals 8 ± 1% of the total glacier mass. Observed annual ice-flow velocities, varying from 0.50 ± 0.10 to 4.50 ± 0.10 m year−1, are consistent with low mean bed and surface slopes (5° and 8°, respectively). Correlations of mass-balance values with meteorological observations at the Barentsburg weather station are mediocre, possibly due to anomalous values recorded for 2015/16: the negative mass-balance peak reported for the other land-terminating Svalbard glaciers was not observed at Vestre Grønfjordbreen

Chalcogenide Thin Films—Holographic Media for Augmented Reality Devices

Holographic characteristics of chalcogenide film materials with a typical thickness of 0.5–1.5 µm of a number of Ge-S and As-S compositions have been studied theoretically and experimentally with the aim of using them in augmented reality waveguide devices. The possibility of controlling the spectral and holographic properties of materials by varying their composition is shown. The recording of both volume and surface holographic elements operating in the total internal reflection mode was carried out. The operation of holograms in the “periscope mode” with a diffraction efficiency of about 10% is demonstrated. It is concluded that the recording of high-performance holographic elements on chalcogenide films requires significant values of exposure energy when recording in the near UV range (325–355 nm), which makes holographic recording currently ineffective for creating such elements

Data_Sheet_2_Genetics of psycho-emotional well-being: genome-wide association study and polygenic risk score analysis.docx

BackgroundPsycho-emotional well-being is essential for living a life of satisfaction and fulfillment. However, depression and anxiety have become the leading mental health issues worldwide, according to the World Health Organization. Both disorders have been linked to stress and other psychological factors. Their genetic basis remains understudied.MethodsIn 2020–2021, the psycho-emotional well-being of 30,063 Russians with no known psychiatric history was assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) for general mental health and the HADS subscale A (anxiety) for anxiety. Following the original instructions, an anxiety score of ≥11 points was used as the anxiety threshold. A genome-wide association study was performed to find associations between anxiety and HADS/HADS-A scores using linear and logistic regressions based on HADS/HADS-A scores as binary and continuous variables, respectively. In addition, the links between anxiety, sociodemographic factors (such as age, sex, and employment), lifestyle (such as physical activity, sleep duration, and smoking), and markers of caffeine and alcohol metabolism were analyzed. To assess the risk of anxiety, polygenic risk score modeling was carried out using open-access software and principal component analysis (PCA) to simplify the calculations (ROC AUC = 89.4 ± 2.2% on the test set).ResultsThere was a strong positive association between HADS/HADS-A scores and sociodemographic factors and lifestyle. New single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with genome-wide significance were discovered, which had not been associated with anxiety or other stress-related conditions but were located in genes previously associated with bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, or emotional instability. The CACNA1C variant rs1205787230 was associated with clinical anxiety (a HADS-A score of ≥11 points). There was an association between anxiety levels (HADS-A scores) and genes involved in the activity of excitatory neurotransmitters: PTPRN2 (rs3857647), DLGAP4 (rs8114927), and STK24 (rs9517326).ConclusionOur results suggest that calcium channels and monoamine neurotransmitters, as well as SNPs in genes directly or indirectly affecting neurogenesis and synaptic functions, may be involved in the development of increased anxiety. The role of some non-genetic factors and the clinical significance of physiological markers such as lifestyle were also demonstrated.</p

Data_Sheet_1_Genetics of psycho-emotional well-being: genome-wide association study and polygenic risk score analysis.docx

BackgroundPsycho-emotional well-being is essential for living a life of satisfaction and fulfillment. However, depression and anxiety have become the leading mental health issues worldwide, according to the World Health Organization. Both disorders have been linked to stress and other psychological factors. Their genetic basis remains understudied.MethodsIn 2020–2021, the psycho-emotional well-being of 30,063 Russians with no known psychiatric history was assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) for general mental health and the HADS subscale A (anxiety) for anxiety. Following the original instructions, an anxiety score of ≥11 points was used as the anxiety threshold. A genome-wide association study was performed to find associations between anxiety and HADS/HADS-A scores using linear and logistic regressions based on HADS/HADS-A scores as binary and continuous variables, respectively. In addition, the links between anxiety, sociodemographic factors (such as age, sex, and employment), lifestyle (such as physical activity, sleep duration, and smoking), and markers of caffeine and alcohol metabolism were analyzed. To assess the risk of anxiety, polygenic risk score modeling was carried out using open-access software and principal component analysis (PCA) to simplify the calculations (ROC AUC = 89.4 ± 2.2% on the test set).ResultsThere was a strong positive association between HADS/HADS-A scores and sociodemographic factors and lifestyle. New single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with genome-wide significance were discovered, which had not been associated with anxiety or other stress-related conditions but were located in genes previously associated with bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, or emotional instability. The CACNA1C variant rs1205787230 was associated with clinical anxiety (a HADS-A score of ≥11 points). There was an association between anxiety levels (HADS-A scores) and genes involved in the activity of excitatory neurotransmitters: PTPRN2 (rs3857647), DLGAP4 (rs8114927), and STK24 (rs9517326).ConclusionOur results suggest that calcium channels and monoamine neurotransmitters, as well as SNPs in genes directly or indirectly affecting neurogenesis and synaptic functions, may be involved in the development of increased anxiety. The role of some non-genetic factors and the clinical significance of physiological markers such as lifestyle were also demonstrated.</p