Associations of autozygosity with a broad range of human phenotypes

In many species, the offspring of related parents suffer reduced reproductive success, a phenomenon known as inbreeding depression. In humans, the importance of this effect has remained unclear, partly because reproduction between close relatives is both rare and frequently associated with confounding social factors. Here, using genomic inbreeding coefficients (F-ROH) for >1.4 million individuals, we show that F-ROH is significantly associated (p <0.0005) with apparently deleterious changes in 32 out of 100 traits analysed. These changes are associated with runs of homozygosity (ROH), but not with common variant homozygosity, suggesting that genetic variants associated with inbreeding depression are predominantly rare. The effect on fertility is striking: F-ROH equivalent to the offspring of first cousins is associated with a 55% decrease [95% CI 44-66%] in the odds of having children. Finally, the effects of F-ROH are confirmed within full-sibling pairs, where the variation in F-ROH is independent of all environmental confounding.Peer reviewe

Reaction synthesis of heat-resistant materials

Exothermicity associated with the synthesis of aluminides can be utilized to obtain aluminides of transition metals. Combustion synthesis, extrusion, and hot pressing were utilized to obtain dense intermetallics and their composites. Composites were analyzed by X- ray diffraction and microscopy techniques, and tensile properties were measured on button-head and sheet specimens of intermetallics and their composites. Mechanical properties of intermetallics obtained by reaction synthesis and densification compare well with conventionally processed materials. Reaction-synthesis principles were also extended to weld overlays. Possible approaches to obtaining dense products by reaction synthesis and densification are summarized in a schematic illustration. 19 refs., 14 figs., 3 tabs

Exo-Melt{trademark} process for intermetallic powders

The methods of powder production for intermetallics are reviewed. An innovative method known as Exo-Melt{trademark} is described for producing molten aluminides for gas- and water-atomization processes that require a molten metal stream. The Exo-Melt{trademark} process is based on the effective utilization of the heats of formation of aluminides from their constituent elements. The Exo-Melt{trademark} process principles are discussed along with a description of a furnace-loading sequence that uses the principles for practical applications. The benefits of the Exo-Melt{trademark} process are compared with the problems associated with the conventional melting process

Reaction synthesis and processing of nickel and iron aluminides

Composites of Ni and Fe aluminides were obtained by hot pressing and hot extrusion of a blended mixture of Ni and Al or Fe and Al with ceramic phases such as TiC, ZrO{sub 2}, and Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}. Aluminides were analyzed by XRD to determine the phase structures, and optical and scanning electron microscopies were used to determine the grain sizes of the aluminides and dispersion of ceramics. Tensile properties (0.2% YS, UTS, total elong., RIA) were measured on buttonhead and sheet specimens of Ni and Fe aluminides and their composites at room and high temperatures in air at a strain rate of 1. 2x10{sup -3}/s. Tensile properties of Fe-8 wt% Al from partial mechanical alloying and then combustion synthesis compare very well with oxide-dispersed alloys of Fe. Fe aluminides of FeAl and their composites, based on Fe-24 wt% Al from hot pressing of Fe and Al powders with or without ceramic phases, exhibited full densities and uniform grain sizes. Tensile properties of FeAl and composites (hot pressing of elemental powders) were excellent compared to those of FeAl alloys from hot extrusion of water-atomized powders. Fe aluminides were also obtained by hot extrusion of Fe and Al powders at 950, 1000, and 1100 C

Ivabradine, the hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated channel blocker, elicits relaxation of the human corpus cavernosum: a potential option for erectile dysfunction treatment

PubMedID: 31741421Objective: To evaluate the effect of the If channel inhibitor, ivabradine on human corpus cavernosum (HCC) smooth muscle tone. Methods: HCC samples were obtained from erectile dysfunction(ED) patients (n = 12) undergoing penile prosthesis surgery. Concentration–response curves for ivabradine were exposed to various inhibitory and stimulatory agents. The relaxant and contractile responses to electrical field stimulation (EFS, 10 Hz and 80 Hz) were examined in the presence or absence of ivabradine (10 µM). HCN3 and HCN4 channel expression and localization were determined by Western blot and immunohistochemical analyses of HCC tissues. Results: Increasing ivabradine concentrations dependently reduced the maximal contractile responses of isolated HCC strips induced by KCl (59.5 ± 2.5%) and phenylephrine (84.0 ± 9.8%), which was not affected by nitric oxide synthase and soluble guanylyl cyclase inhibitors after phenylephrine-induced contraction. Nifedipine and tetraethylammonium inhibited the maximum relaxation to ivabradine by 75% and 39.3%, respectively. Fasudil and sildenafil increased the relaxation response to ivabradine without altering the maximum response. Pre-incubation with ivabradine significantly increased relaxant responses to EFS (p &lt; 0.01) and reduced the contractile tension evoked by EFS (72.3%) (p &lt; 0.001). Ivabradine incubation did not affect the expression and localization of HCN3 and HCN4 channels in the HCC smooth muscle cells. Conclusions: Ivabradine exhibits a relaxant effect on HCC tissues, which is likely to be attributed to the blocking of L-type Ca2+ channels and the opening of K+ channels, independent of changes in the activation of the nitric oxide/cyclic guanosine monophosphate system. Inhibition of HCN channels localized in cavernosal smooth muscle cells may offer pharmacological benefits for patients with cardiovascular risk factors. © 2019, © 2019 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group