Design, execution, and interpretation of plant RNA-seq analyses.

Genomics has transformed our understanding of the genetic architecture of traits and the genetic variation present in plants. Here, we present a review of how RNA-seq can be performed to tackle research challenges addressed by plant sciences. We discuss the importance of experimental design in RNA-seq, including considerations for sampling and replication, to avoid pitfalls and wasted resources.

Multi-ancestry genome-wide study in >2.5 million individuals reveals heterogeneity in mechanistic pathways of type 2 diabetes and complications.

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a heterogeneous disease that develops through diverse pathophysiological processes. To characterise the genetic contribution to these processes across ancestry groups, we aggregate genome-wide association study (GWAS) data from 2,535,601 individuals (39.7% non-European ancestry), including 428,452 T2D cases.

Multi-ancestry genetic study of type 2 diabetes highlights the power of diverse populations for discovery and translation.

We assembled an ancestrally diverse collection of genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of type 2 diabetes (T2D) in 180,834 affected individuals and 1,159,055 controls (48.9% non-European descent) through the Diabetes Meta-Analysis of Trans-Ethnic association studies (DIAMANTE) Consortium. Multi-ancestry GWAS meta-analysis identified 237 loci attaining stringent genome-wide significance (P < 5 × 10), which were delineated to 338 distinct association signals.

Understanding treatment patterns and patient-reported outcomes associated with the use of authorized generics and corresponding independent generics across multiple therapeutic areas.

Objectives: To assess patient characteristics, treatment patterns, and patient-reported outcomes (PROs) associated with authorized generics (AGs) and independent generics (IGs) use.

Methods: Prescription claims and National Health and Wellness Survey (NHWS) data were linked. Adults with billable national drug code (AG or IG), NHWS completion from June 2015 to July 2019, AG or IG on-hand at NHWS completion, and continuous insurance eligibility in 12 months pre- and post-NHWS completion were included.

Multi-ancestry genome-wide association study of gestational diabetes mellitus highlights genetic links with type 2 diabetes.

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is associated with increased risk of pregnancy complications and adverse perinatal outcomes. GDM often reoccurs and is associated with increased risk of subsequent diagnosis of type 2 diabetes (T2D). To improve our understanding of the aetiological factors and molecular processes driving the occurrence of GDM, including the extent to which these overlap with T2D pathophysiology, the GENetics of Diabetes In Pregnancy Consortium assembled genome-wide association studies of diverse ancestry in a total of 5485 women with GDM and 347 856 without GDM.

Identification and characterization of a natural polymorphism in FT-A2 associated with increased number of grains per spike in wheat.

We discovered a natural FT-A2 allele that increases grain number per spike in both pasta and bread wheat with limited effect on heading time. Increases in wheat grain yield are necessary to meet future global food demands. A previous study showed that loss-of-function mutations in FLOWERING LOCUS T2 (FT2) increase spikelet number per spike (SNS), an important grain yield component.

New Strategies to Improve Patient Adherence to Medications for Noncommunicable Diseases During and After the COVID-19 Era Identified via a Literature Review.

Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) place a huge burden on healthcare systems and society as a whole. Relatively early in the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, clinicians became aware that in individuals infected with COVID-19, those with preexisting NCDs such as diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease (CVD) were at a greater risk of poor outcomes and mortality than those without. The importance of adherence to medications and lifestyle changes to control and prevent NCDs has been a major focus for many years, but with limited success - the proportion of patients adherent and persistent to their medications remains very low.

Laser Driven Miniature Diamond Implant for Wireless Retinal Prostheses.

The design and benchtop operation of a wireless miniature epiretinal stimulator implant is reported. The implant is optically powered and controlled using safe illumination at near-infrared wavelengths. An application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) hosting a digital control unit is used to control the implant's electrodes.

Fine-scale population structure in the UK Biobank: implications for genome-wide association studies.

The UK Biobank is a prospective study of more than 500 000 participants, which has aggregated data from questionnaires, physical measures, biomarkers, imaging and follow-up for a wide range of health-related outcomes, together with genome-wide genotyping supplemented with high-density imputation. Previous studies have highlighted fine-scale population structure in the UK on a North-West to South-East cline, but the impact of unmeasured geographical confounding on genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of complex human traits in the UK Biobank has not been investigated. We considered 368 325 white British individuals from the UK Biobank and performed GWAS of their birth location.

Multi-ancestry GWAS of the electrocardiographic PR interval identifies 202 loci underlying cardiac conduction.

The electrocardiographic PR interval reflects atrioventricular conduction, and is associated with conduction abnormalities, pacemaker implantation, atrial fibrillation (AF), and cardiovascular mortality. Here we report a multi-ancestry (N = 293,051) genome-wide association meta-analysis for the PR interval, discovering 202 loci of which 141 have not previously been reported. Variants at identified loci increase the percentage of heritability explained, from 33.

Dominance Effects and Functional Enrichments Improve Prediction of Agronomic Traits in Hybrid Maize.

Single-cross hybrids have been critical to the improvement of maize ( L.), but the characterization of their genetic architectures remains challenging. Previous studies of hybrid maize have shown the contribution of within-locus complementation effects (dominance) and their differential importance across functional classes of loci.

Education Level Predicts Appropriate Follow-Up of Incidental Findings From Lung Cancer Screening.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to identify predictors of appropriate follow-up for clinically significant incidental findings (IFs) detected with low-dose CT during lung cancer screening.

Methods: Charts of 1,458 prospectively enrolled lung screening patients from January 1, 2015, to October 31, 2018, were reviewed. IFs, other than coronary artery calcification and emphysema, were identified.

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.