| 1. |
- de las Fuentes, Lisa, et al.
(author)
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Gene-educational attainment interactions in a multi-ancestry genome-wide meta-analysis identify novel blood pressure loci
- 2021
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In: Molecular Psychiatry. - : Springer Nature. - 1359-4184 .- 1476-5578. ; 26:6, s. 2111-2125
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Educational attainment is widely used as a surrogate for socioeconomic status (SES). Low SES is a risk factor for hypertension and high blood pressure (BP). To identify novel BP loci, we performed multi-ancestry meta-analyses accounting for gene-educational attainment interactions using two variables, “Some College” (yes/no) and “Graduated College” (yes/no). Interactions were evaluated using both a 1 degree of freedom (DF) interaction term and a 2DF joint test of genetic and interaction effects. Analyses were performed for systolic BP, diastolic BP, mean arterial pressure, and pulse pressure. We pursued genome-wide interrogation in Stage 1 studies (N = 117 438) and follow-up on promising variants in Stage 2 studies (N = 293 787) in five ancestry groups. Through combined meta-analyses of Stages 1 and 2, we identified 84 known and 18 novel BP loci at genome-wide significance level (P < 5 × 10-8). Two novel loci were identified based on the 1DF test of interaction with educational attainment, while the remaining 16 loci were identified through the 2DF joint test of genetic and interaction effects. Ten novel loci were identified in individuals of African ancestry. Several novel loci show strong biological plausibility since they involve physiologic systems implicated in BP regulation. They include genes involved in the central nervous system-adrenal signaling axis (ZDHHC17, CADPS, PIK3C2G), vascular structure and function (GNB3, CDON), and renal function (HAS2 and HAS2-AS1, SLIT3). Collectively, these findings suggest a role of educational attainment or SES in further dissection of the genetic architecture of BP.
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| 2. |
- Turcot, Valerie, et al.
(author)
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Protein-altering variants associated with body mass index implicate pathways that control energy intake and expenditure in obesity
- 2018
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In: Nature Genetics. - : Nature Publishing Group. - 1061-4036 .- 1546-1718. ; 50:1, s. 26-41
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified >250 loci for body mass index (BMI), implicating pathways related to neuronal biology. Most GWAS loci represent clusters of common, noncoding variants from which pinpointing causal genes remains challenging. Here we combined data from 718,734 individuals to discover rare and low-frequency (minor allele frequency (MAF) < 5%) coding variants associated with BMI. We identified 14 coding variants in 13 genes, of which 8 variants were in genes (ZBTB7B, ACHE, RAPGEF3, RAB21, ZFHX3, ENTPD6, ZFR2 and ZNF169) newly implicated in human obesity, 2 variants were in genes (MC4R and KSR2) previously observed to be mutated in extreme obesity and 2 variants were in GIPR. The effect sizes of rare variants are similar to 10 times larger than those of common variants, with the largest effect observed in carriers of an MC4R mutation introducing a stop codon (p.Tyr35Ter, MAF = 0.01%), who weighed similar to 7 kg more than non-carriers. Pathway analyses based on the variants associated with BMI confirm enrichment of neuronal genes and provide new evidence for adipocyte and energy expenditure biology, widening the potential of genetically supported therapeutic targets in obesity.
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| 3. |
- Chen, Anqi, et al.
(author)
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Highly Sensitive Graphene Oxide-based Fabry-Perot Low-frequency Acoustic Sensor With Low-coherence Polarized Demodulation Using Three-step Phase-Shifting Arctan Algorithms
- 2024
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In: Journal of Lightwave Technology. - 0733-8724 .- 1558-2213. ; In Press
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Developing low-frequency acoustic senor with high sensitivity is crucial for diverse applications, ranging from seismic monitoring, military operations, to pipeline surveillance. Here, we have proposed a high-sensitivity graphene oxide (GO)-based Fabry-Perot low-frequency sensor, in which a 170 nm thick, large-area and uniformly GO film was prepared by a vacuum filtration method. To enhance the accuracy and stability of the sensor, a low-coherence interference system based on birefringent crystal blocks was designed utilizing a three-step phase-shifting arctangent algorithm. Our sensor exhibited a sensitivity of -93.48 dB re 1 rad/μPa at 6-60 Hz with a fluctuation of 0.6 dB. The minimum detectable pressure of the sensor was measured at 0.37 μPa/Hz1/2 @20 Hz with a signal to noise ratio of 135.41 dB. Overall, this sensor offers simplicity in preparation, high sensitivity, low detectable sound pressure, making it a significant asset for low-frequency acoustic applications.
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| 4. |
- Zhang, Yanying, et al.
(author)
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Living diatoms integrate polysaccharide-Eu3+ complex for UV downconversion
- 2022
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In: Journal of Materials Research and Technology. - : Elsevier. - 2238-7854. ; 19, s. 2774-2780
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In this work, living diatoms (LDT) were fed Eu3+ -complex-polysaccharide aggregates (EIPA), and the living diatoms integrated-EIPAs (LDT-E) in a completely new UV downconversion biophotonic material. The EIPAs were embedded inside siliceous cell walls of living diatoms. When dried, these diatoms (LDT-Es) are luminescent at 612 nm, due to the Eu3+ - complex. As UV-downconversion material, LDT-E absorbs UV light in the band of 250-400 nm and converts into useful visible light, thus contributing to UV-protection and potentially to photocurrent generation in photovoltaic devices. This downconversion material from living diatom retains the porous characteristics of the diatom siliceous cells, as well as the diatom organic components. Most important is the absence of a chemical process to generate this biomaterial from natural living diatoms, in order to obtain UV protection and downconversion. (C) 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V.
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| 5. |
- de Vries, Paul S., et al.
(author)
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Multiancestry Genome-Wide Association Study of Lipid Levels Incorporating Gene-Alcohol Interactions
- 2019
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In: American Journal of Epidemiology. - : Oxford University Press. - 0002-9262 .- 1476-6256. ; 188:6, s. 1033-1054
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A person's lipid profile is influenced by genetic variants and alcohol consumption, but the contribution of interactions between these exposures has not been studied. We therefore incorporated gene-alcohol interactions into a multiancestry genome-wide association study of levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglycerides. We included 45 studies in stage 1 (genome-wide discovery) and 66 studies in stage 2 (focused follow-up), for a total of 394,584 individuals from 5 ancestry groups. Analyses covered the period July 2014-November 2017. Genetic main effects and interaction effects were jointly assessed by means of a 2-degrees-of-freedom (df) test, and a 1-df test was used to assess the interaction effects alone. Variants at 495 loci were at least suggestively associated (P < 1 x 10(-6)) with lipid levels in stage 1 and were evaluated in stage 2, followed by combined analyses of stage 1 and stage 2. In the combined analysis of stages 1 and 2, a total of 147 independent loci were associated with lipid levels at P < 5 x 10(-8) using 2-df tests, of which 18 were novel. No genome-wide-significant associations were found testing the interaction effect alone. The novel loci included several genes (proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 5 (PCSK5), vascular endothelial growth factor B (VEGFB), and apolipoprotein B mRNA editing enzyme, catalytic polypeptide 1 (APOBEC1) complementation factor (A1CF)) that have a putative role in lipid metabolism on the basis of existing evidence from cellular and experimental models.
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| 6. |
- Ding, Yunmei, et al.
(author)
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Factors influencing self-management behavior during the “Blanking Period” in patients with atrial fibrillation : A cross-sectional study based on the information-motivation-behavioral skills model
- 2023
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In: Heart and Lung. - : Elsevier BV. - 0147-9563. ; 58, s. 62-68
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is becoming increasingly common. Effective self-management during the “Blanking Period” is critical. The Information-Motivation-Behavioral skills (IMB) model can be used to study health behaviors in chronic disease patients, but it has not been studied in AF patients. Objective: The goal of this study was to explore the influencing factors and interaction pathways of self-management behavior in AF patients during the "Blanking Period" using the IMB model. Methods: From June to December 2021, a cross-sectional design was conducted. Patients with AF during the "Blanking Period" (N=220) were recruited. They filled out several quantitative questionnaires, including the Jessa Atrial Fibrillation Knowledge Questionnaire, the Confidence in Atrial Fibrillation Management Scale, the Perceived Social Support Scale, the All Aspects of Health Literacy Scale, and the Self-care Scale for Chronic Atrial Fibrillation Patients. Data were analyzed using correlation analysis, multiple regression analysis, and path analysis. Results: Total score of self-management behavior was (33.83 ± 10.66). AF knowledge (β = 0.252, P < 0.001), self-management confidence (β = 0.219, P < 0.001), social support (β = 0.291, P < 0.001), and health literacy (β = 0.262, P < 0.001) were all positively correlated with patients' self-management behavior, accounting for 66.50 percent of the total variance. Conclusions: During the "Blanking Period", the IMB model can be used to predict the factors that influence self-management behavior in AF patients. By using IMB model, interventions targeting patient-specific influencing factors could improve self-management behavior and quality of life in AF patients.
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| 7. |
- Evangelou, Evangelos, et al.
(author)
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Genetic analysis of over 1 million people identifies 535 new loci associated with blood pressure traits.
- 2018
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In: Nature Genetics. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1061-4036 .- 1546-1718. ; 50:10, s. 1412-1425
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- High blood pressure is a highly heritable and modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease. We report the largest genetic association study of blood pressure traits (systolic, diastolic and pulse pressure) to date in over 1 million people of European ancestry. We identify 535 novel blood pressure loci that not only offer new biological insights into blood pressure regulation but also highlight shared genetic architecture between blood pressure and lifestyle exposures. Our findings identify new biological pathways for blood pressure regulation with potential for improved cardiovascular disease prevention in the future.
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| 8. |
- Feitosa, Mary F., et al.
(author)
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Novel genetic associations for blood pressure identified via gene-alcohol interaction in up to 570K individuals across multiple ancestries
- 2018
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In: PLOS ONE. - : Public library science. - 1932-6203. ; 13:6
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Heavy alcohol consumption is an established risk factor for hypertension; the mechanism by which alcohol consumption impact blood pressure (BP) regulation remains unknown. We hypothesized that a genome-wide association study accounting for gene-alcohol consumption interaction for BP might identify additional BP loci and contribute to the understanding of alcohol-related BP regulation. We conducted a large two-stage investigation incorporating joint testing of main genetic effects and single nucleotide variant (SNV)-alcohol consumption interactions. In Stage 1, genome-wide discovery meta-analyses in approximate to 131 K individuals across several ancestry groups yielded 3,514 SNVs (245 loci) with suggestive evidence of association (P <1.0 x 10(-5)). In Stage 2, these SNVs were tested for independent external replication in individuals across multiple ancestries. We identified and replicated (at Bonferroni correction threshold) five novel BP loci (380 SNVs in 21 genes) and 49 previously reported BP loci (2,159 SNVs in 109 genes) in European ancestry, and in multi-ancestry meta-analyses (P < 5.0 x 10(-8)). For African ancestry samples, we detected 18 potentially novel BP loci (P< 5.0 x 10(-8)) in Stage 1 that warrant further replication. Additionally, correlated meta-analysis identified eight novel BP loci (11 genes). Several genes in these loci (e.g., PINX1, GATA4, BLK, FTO and GABBR2 have been previously reported to be associated with alcohol consumption. These findings provide insights into the role of alcohol consumption in the genetic architecture of hypertension.
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| 9. |
- Kato, Norihiro, et al.
(author)
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Trans-ancestry genome-wide association study identifies 12 genetic loci influencing blood pressure and implicates a role for DNA methylation
- 2015
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In: Nature Genetics. - : Nature Publishing Group. - 1061-4036 .- 1546-1718. ; 47:11, s. 1282-1293
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We carried out a trans-ancestry genome-wide association and replication study of blood pressure phenotypes among up to 320,251 individuals of East Asian, European and South Asian ancestry. We find genetic variants at 12 new loci to be associated with blood pressure (P = 3.9 × 10−11 to 5.0 × 10−21). The sentinel blood pressure SNPs are enriched for association with DNA methylation at multiple nearby CpG sites, suggesting that, at some of the loci identified, DNA methylation may lie on the regulatory pathway linking sequence variation to blood pressure. The sentinel SNPs at the 12 new loci point to genes involved in vascular smooth muscle (IGFBP3, KCNK3, PDE3A and PRDM6) and renal (ARHGAP24, OSR1, SLC22A7 and TBX2) function. The new and known genetic variants predict increased left ventricular mass, circulating levels of NT-proBNP, and cardiovascular and all-cause mortality (P = 0.04 to 8.6 × 10−6). Our results provide new evidence for the role of DNA methylation in blood pressure regulation.
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| 10. |
- Lee, James J, et al.
(author)
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Gene discovery and polygenic prediction from a genome-wide association study of educational attainment in 1.1 million individuals.
- 2018
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In: Nature genetics. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1546-1718 .- 1061-4036. ; 50:8, s. 1112-1121
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Here we conducted a large-scale genetic association analysis of educational attainment in a sample of approximately 1.1million individuals and identify 1,271independent genome-wide-significant SNPs. For the SNPs taken together, we found evidence of heterogeneous effects across environments. The SNPs implicate genes involved in brain-development processes and neuron-to-neuron communication. In a separate analysis of the X chromosome, we identify 10independent genome-wide-significant SNPs and estimate a SNP heritability of around 0.3% in both men and women, consistent with partial dosage compensation. A joint (multi-phenotype) analysis of educational attainment and three related cognitive phenotypes generates polygenic scores that explain 11-13% of the variance in educational attainment and 7-10% of the variance in cognitive performance. This prediction accuracy substantially increases the utility of polygenic scores as tools in research.
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