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 (FROH) for >1.4 million individuals, we show that FROH 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: FROH 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 FROH are confirmed within full-sibling pairs, where the variation in FROH is independent of all environmental confounding

The structure of the alpha-Al2O3(0001) surface from low-energy electron diffraction: Al termination and evidence for large thermal vibrations

We have determined the surface structure of alpha-Al2O3(0001) using dynamical low-energy electron diffraction (LEED). Sapphire surfaces were prepared in three different ways, and the diffraction results were analyzed using an exhaustive search of possible models. For all sample processing conditions, the clearly favored structure has a single Al layer termination and a large first interlayer contraction. In addition, we find that the surface atoms have unusually large vibrational amplitudes at room temperature, suggestive of an anharmonic vibrational mode

The structure of the alpha-Al2O3(0001) surface from low-energy electron diffraction: Al termination and evidence for large thermal vibrations

We have determined the surface structure of alpha-Al2O3(0001) using dynamical low-energy electron diffraction (LEED). Sapphire surfaces were prepared in three different ways, and the diffraction results were analyzed using an exhaustive search of possible models. For all sample processing conditions, the clearly favored structure has a single Al layer termination and a large first interlayer contraction. In addition, we find that the surface atoms have unusually large vibrational amplitudes at room temperature, suggestive of an anharmonic vibrational mode

Innovations, patents and cash flow

Available from British Library Document Supply Centre-DSC:3597.9512(CEPR-DP--1432) / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreSIGLEGBUnited Kingdo

Agglomeration economies, technology spillovers and company productivity growth

SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre-DSC:3597.9512(1867) / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo