Identification of genetic factors influencing metabolic dysregulation and retinal support for MacTel, a retinal disorder

Macular Telangiectasia Type 2 (MacTel) is a rare degenerative retinal disease with complex genetic architecture. We performed a genome-wide association study on 1,067 MacTel patients and 3,799 controls, which identified eight novel genome-wide significant loci (p < 5 × 10−8), and confirmed all three previously reported loci. Using MAGMA, eQTL and transcriptome-wide association analysis, we prioritised 48 genes implicated in serine-glycine biosynthesis, metabolite transport, and retinal vasculature and thickness. Mendelian randomization indicated a likely causative role of serine (FDR = 3.9 × 10−47) and glycine depletion (FDR = 0.006) as well as alanine abundance (FDR = 0.009). Polygenic risk scoring achieved an accuracy of 0.74 and was associated in UKBiobank with retinal damage (p = 0.009). This represents the largest genetic study on MacTel to date and further highlights genetically-induced systemic and tissue-specific metabolic dysregulation in MacTel patients, which impinges on retinal health

Mapping local patterns of childhood overweight and wasting in low- and middle-income countries between 2000 and 2017

A double burden of malnutrition occurs when individuals, household members or communities experience both undernutrition and overweight. Here, we show geospatial estimates of overweight and wasting prevalence among children under 5 years of age in 105 low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) from 2000 to 2017 and aggregate these to policy-relevant administrative units. Wasting decreased overall across LMICs between 2000 and 2017, from 8.4% (62.3 (55.1–70.8) million) to 6.4% (58.3 (47.6–70.7) million), but is predicted to remain above the World Health Organization’s Global Nutrition Target of <5% in over half of LMICs by 2025. Prevalence of overweight increased from 5.2% (30 (22.8–38.5) million) in 2000 to 6.0% (55.5 (44.8–67.9) million) children aged under 5 years in 2017. Areas most affected by double burden of malnutrition were located in Indonesia, Thailand, southeastern China, Botswana, Cameroon and central Nigeria. Our estimates provide a new perspective to researchers, policy makers and public health agencies in their efforts to address this global childhood syndemic

Mapping local patterns of childhood overweight and wasting in low- and middle-income countries between 2000 and 2017

A double burden of malnutrition occurs when individuals, household members or communities experience both undernutrition and overweight. Here, we show geospatial estimates of overweight and wasting prevalence among children under 5 years of age in 105 low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) from 2000 to 2017 and aggregate these to policy-relevant administrative units. Wasting decreased overall across LMICs between 2000 and 2017, from 8.4 (62.3 (55.1�70.8) million) to 6.4 (58.3 (47.6�70.7) million), but is predicted to remain above the World Health Organization�s Global Nutrition Target of <5 in over half of LMICs by 2025. Prevalence of overweight increased from 5.2 (30 (22.8�38.5) million) in 2000 to 6.0 (55.5 (44.8�67.9) million) children aged under 5 years in 2017. Areas most affected by double burden of malnutrition were located in Indonesia, Thailand, southeastern China, Botswana, Cameroon and central Nigeria. Our estimates provide a new perspective to researchers, policy makers and public health agencies in their efforts to address this global childhood syndemic. © 2020, The Author(s)

Author Correction: Mapping local patterns of childhood overweight and wasting in low- and middle-income countries between 2000 and 2017 (Nature Medicine, (2020), 26, 5, (750-759), 10.1038/s41591-020-0807-6)

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper. © 2020, The Author(s)

Author Correction: Mapping local patterns of childhood overweight and wasting in low- and middle-income countries between 2000 and 2017 (Nature Medicine, (2020), 26, 5, (750-759), 10.1038/s41591-020-0807-6)

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper. © 2020, The Author(s)

Molecular basis of alpha-thalassemia

Genetics of disease, diagnosis and treatmen

Efficiency of direct microbial diagnosis, IS900 PCR and microbial culture for detection of Mycobacterium avium subsp. Paratuberculosis in the feces of apparently healthy cattle

Johne’s disease or paratuberculosis is a chronic granulomatous enteritis in ruminants caused by Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP). The disease is responsible for significant economic losses in dairy industry worldwide.  Microbial culture as a golden standard test for detection of MAP in faecal specimens requires 6-16 weeks to complete, whereas accurate and rapid identification of cattle shedding MAP in their feces is essential for successful control of the disease in herds. In the present study, direct microbial diagnosis by Ziehl-Neelsen acid-fast staining, microbial culture on Herrolds’ egg yolk media and two IS900 direct PCR assays were carried out on 100 fecal specimens of apparently healthy cattle collected from dairy herds of Tabriz with a history of Johne’s disease. The number of positive specimens identified by the direct microbial diagnosis, microbial culture and PCR with F90/F91 and FP25/FP26 primes were 7 (7%), 14 (14%), 15(15%) and 25(25%) respectively. These results indicated that PCR detected more positive cases therefore it can be employed for rapid and accurate diagnosis of cattle shedding MAP it their feces and the type of primer used has a significant role in the sensitivity of this test. Direct microbial diagnosis by Ziehl-Neelsen acid-fast staining identified 7 (7%) specimens, two IS900 direct PCR assays identified 15 (15%) and 25 (25%) specimens, respectively, and microbial culture identified 7 (7%) specimens as positive. Collectively, these data indicate that PCR detection of MAP was more sensitive than direct microbial diagnosis by Ziehl-Neelsen acid-fast staining or faecal culture, especially if appropriate primers were used

Identifying microRNA Biomarkers in Prostate Cancer: A Transcriptome-Wide Association Studies (TWAS)

Prostate cancer (PrCa) is one of the leading causes of mortality and is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among men in Australia. The identification of novel biomarkers in PrCa could be valuable in the design of therapeutics and the identification of their molecular targets. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified about 170 PrCa risk variants and certain of them can be located within non-coding ribonucleic acid (RNA) regions such as microRNAs [1]. This study investigates the role of microRNAs in PrCa risk using a transcriptome-wide association studies (TWAS) approach, summary data-based mendelian randomisation (SMR). Six-microRNAs were identified by SMR and they were further analysed using HEIDI (heterogeneity in dependent instruments) method to evaluate single variants which effect both microRNAs and risk variants. The HEIDI test recognised hsa-miR-204-5p and hsa-miR-4661-5p as significant in PrCa risk. Moreover these miRNAs were predicted as tumor-suppressive by SMR effect sizes. The experimental works have already established that hsa-miR-204-5p repress PrCa oncogenes and hsa-miR-4661-5p was recorded for the first time which requires wet-lab experiments for validation[2]. After validating results, these microRNAs can be utilised in therapeutic drug designs. The given analytical approach can be implemented for other cancers which would be helpful to build up comprehensive microRNA profile in cancers