Genome-wide association and Mendelian randomisation analysis provide insights into the pathogenesis of heart failure

Heart failure (HF) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. A small proportion of HF cases are attributable to monogenic cardiomyopathies and existing genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have yielded only limited insights, leaving the observed heritability of HF largely unexplained. We report results from a GWAS meta-analysis of HF comprising 47,309 cases and 930,014 controls. Twelve independent variants at 11 genomic loci are associated with HF, all of which demonstrate one or more associations with coronary artery disease (CAD), atrial fibrillation, or reduced left ventricular function, suggesting shared genetic aetiology. Functional analysis of non-CAD-associated loci implicate genes involved in cardiac development (MYOZ1, SYNPO2L), protein homoeostasis (BAG3), and cellular senescence (CDKN1A). Mendelian randomisation analysis supports causal roles for several HF risk factors, and demonstrates CAD-independent effects for atrial fibrillation, body mass index, and hypertension. These findings extend our knowledge of the pathways underlying HF and may inform new therapeutic strategies

Growth Of High-Quality Single Crystals Of Fap (Ca5(Po4)3F) And Its Isomorphs

The Czochralski crystal growth of calcium fluorapatite Ca5(PO4)3F and calcium-strontium fluorapatite (Ca1-xSrx)5(PO4)3F is reported. The growth conditions for producing the rare earth and chromium doped crystals of high quality are presented. The influence of the replacement of some calcium for strontium in FAP on crystal quality and on spectroscopic properties is discussed

Imperfect low-angle boundaries and fracture in hydrothermally grown berlinite crystals

We present evidence for finite and/or imperfect low-angle grain boundaries and associated long-range stress fields, formed during the hydrothermal growth of berlinite (α-AlPO4) crystals on multiple-seed-plate arrays. These defective boundaries originate at angularly misaligned junctions between adjacent seed plates as a result of the failure of some component sets of dislocations to propagate epitaxially into the new growth. Lacking a full complement of dislocations, the newly grown boundary may be imperfect and generate long-range stresses, leading to fracture and/or plastic flow. © 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved

Caya104: New Low-Loss Substrate Material For Epitaxial Growth Of Superconducting Thin Films

A twin-free substrate material, CaYA104, was synthesized and used for the epitaxial growth of single crystal YBa2Cu307_j and Tl2Ba2CaCu208 thin films for the first time. The lattice parameters of ttus new substrate are a = b = 3.648Â and c=11.89Â. The dielectric properties, similar to those of LaA103, are 20(dielectric constant) and 4 x 10-5 (loss tangent) at 5 GHz and 77 K. Initial attempts at film growth on this substrate indicate degradation of both superconducting and microwave properties possibly due to interdiffusion. © 1991, IOP Publishing Ltd

Structure and optical properties of the RbNbB2O6 family of mixed borates

The mixed niobate-borate compound RbNbB2O6 (RNB) and its isomorphs have been produced in single crystal form using the spontaneous nucleation and top seeded solution growth (TSSG) techniques. X-ray diffraction studies show that RNB, KNB and certain K+, Na+ and Cs+ substituted variations of the pure compounds have monoclinic symmetry with the P11n space group. These crystals are transparent in the wavelength range 275 nm to 3.0 μm and have exceptionally high resistance to optical damage by high intensity laser radiation. The three indices of refraction of RNB and KNB have been measured as a function of wavelength by a polarised interferometric technique and observed to be intermediate between those of such compounds as β-BaB2O4 and LiNbO3. However, the birefringences of both RNB and KNB are smaller than those of other pure borate and niobate crystals. These results are discussed in terms of the structures of these different materials, in particular the role of odd-parity distortions of the NbO6 octahedra and B2O5 molecular ions. © 1997 Elsevier Science B.V

The Nonlinear Optical Properties Of The Xyb2O6 Family Of Compounds

The mixed niobate-borate crystals KNbB2O6 and RbNbB2O6 are monoclinic with space group Pna21 and point group m. Some of their properties are favourable for applications in non-linear optics including exceptional resistance to laser damage, UV cut-off at wavelengths below 290 nm and large d-coefficients. Although they have refractive indices that are similar to KTiPO5 their birefringences are smaller than anticipated for structures containing planar borate rings and distorted NbO6 octahedra, leading to large acceptance angles for second harmonic generation (SHG). Type 1 phase matching has been observed at 532 nm in RbNbB2O6. The birefringence of KNbB2O6 is smaller than that of RbNbB2O6, and KNbB2O6 is not phase-matchable at this wavelength. Nevertheless, it is possible to tune the birefringence of KNbB2O6 by replacing some K+ ions by the larger Rb+ ions so that non-critical phase matching may be possible at room temperature. © 2001 Elsevier Science B.V

Thermal Quenching Of Fluorescence In Chromium-Doped Fluoride Laser Crystals

The temperature dependence of the fluorescence lifetime of chromium ions in the fluorides LiBaAlF6, LiCaAlF6, LiSrAlF6, and LiSr0.8Ca0.2AlF6 is reported. In each crystal the lifetime at low temperatures is nearly constant. Above a temperature that depends on the host the lifetime drops rapidly with increasing temperature. This strong decrease is attributed to nonradiative decay processes. From the experimental data the radiative decay rate, the thermal quenching activation energy, and the nonradiative decay rate are determined. Excellent agreement with the Mott model is then demonstrated by using these parameters. © 1992 Optical Society of America

Generation Of 150-Fs Tunable Pulses In Cr:Lisraif6

We report ultrashort-pulse generation in a Cr:LiSrAlF6 solid-state laser. The 15-mm crystal was pumped by 1 W of red light from a cw krypton laser and actively mode locked at an 82-MHz repetition frequency using an acousto-optic modulator. Wavelength tuning was demonstrated over the range 800–880 nm, limited by the bandwidth of the optical components. By including intracavity dispersion compensation, pulse widths of 150 fs were obtained with evidence that self-phase modulation contributes to spectral broadening and pulse shortening. © 1992 Optical Society of America

Self-Mode-Locked Cr\u3csup\u3e3+\u3c/sup\u3e:Licaalf6 Laser

A cw-pumped Cr3+:LiCaAlF6 laser has been configured to produce chirp-free, self-mode-locked pulses of 170-fs duration. The prism-dispersion-compensated cavity contained no active or passive mode-locking device. Mode locking was accomplished through self-focusing in the LiCaAlF6 crystal with 2.5 W of red light from a cw krypton laser. Rocking of the output coupler initiated the ultrashort-pulse formation. © 1992 Optical Society of America

Optical Spectroscopy Of Cr\u3csup\u3e4+\u3c/sup\u3e:Y2Sio5

Spectroscopic data on the absorption and the fluorescence spectra and fluorescence lifetimes are presented for Cr4+:Y2SiO5, the newest Cr4+ -doped laser crystal. The fluorescence measurements were conducted at temperatures ranging from 10 to 310 K, and the absorption spectra were measured at room temperature and 77 K. Spectroscopic analysis of the absorption and the emission spectra is performed on the basis of a distorted tetrahedral symmetry for the Cr4+ site, namely C3v. The tetravalent chromium substitutes for Si4+ in this crystal, and there is no evidence for the presence of chromium in any other valence state. The Cr4+ site is characterized by strong crystal field parameters. We have tentatively assigned the sharp line at 1146 nm in the lowtemperature fluorescence spectrum (excited by 1064-nm radiation) to the spin-forbidden singlet-to-triplet transition 1E3A2, and the broad band with the peak at 1225 nm to the spin-allowed 3T23A2 transition. Excitation at 532 nm results in an additional type of emission in the near infrared. A similar dependence of the lasing wavelength on the pump wavelength was observed in the laser operation of the crystal at 77 K [Chai et al., in Advanced Solid-State Lasers, L. L. Chase and A. A. Pinto, eds., Vol. 13 of OSA Proceedings Series (Optical Society of America, Washington, D.C., 1992), pp. 28-30]. © 1993 Optical Society of America