Genetic variability of Artemisia capillaris (Wormwood capillary) by random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) in Terengganu State, Malaysia

The genetic variability among individuals of Artemisia capillaris from state of Terengganu, Malaysia was examined by using the random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) technique. The samples were collected from differences regional in Terengganu State. The genomic DNA was extracted from the samples leaves. Fifthty-seven oligonucleotide primers were screened and ten primers were selected (OPA 04, OPA 09, OPA 16, OPA 17, OPA 18, OPG 03, OPG 05, OPG 09, OPG 15 and 391) to amplify DNAfrom five samples of A. capillaris. A total of 335 RAPD fragments (RAPDs) with all polymorphic fragments (100%) with size ranging from 150 – 3000 bp were scored from the population. Genetic distance for samples ranges from 0.0000 to 0.2600

Corrigendum to “Femur associated with the Deep Skull from the West Mouth of the Niah Caves (Sarawak, Malaysia)” [Journal of Human Evolution 127 (2019) 133–148](S0047248418301520)(10.1016/j.jhevol.2018.12.008)

In the original analyses of the Deep Skull femoral midshaft section, anteroposterior (AP) and mediolateral (ML) orientations were transposed, that is, AP and ML second moments of area, as well as linear external breadths, were reversed. Cross-sectional properties were also calculated using an approximate method employing radiographic breadths, while a more accurate method using actual periosteal and endosteal contours is possible given that a complete section is available (MomentMacro; https://fae.johnshopkins.edu/chris-ruff/). When this method is applied and orientations are corrected, the following properties are obtained. C.B. Ruff has been added to the author list of this article as he carried out the analyses that resulted in the new cross-sectional properties. [Table presented] The authors apologize for the original error

The accuracy of haemoglobin A1c as a screening and diagnostic test for gestational diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis of test accuracy studies

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is associated with adverse pregnancy complications. Accurate screening and diagnosis of gestational diabetes are critical to treatment, and in a pandemic scenario like coronavirus disease 2019 needing a simple test that minimises prolonged hospital stay. We undertook a meta-analysis on the screening and diagnostic accuracy of the haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) test in women with and without risk factors for gestational diabetes. RECENT FINDINGS: Unlike the oral glucose tolerance test, the HbA1c test is simple, quick and more acceptable. There is a growing body of evidence on the accuracy of HbA1c as a screening and diagnostic test for GDM. We searched Medline, Embase and Cochrane Library and selected relevant studies. Accuracy data for different thresholds within the final 23 included studies (16 921 women) were pooled using a multiple thresholds model. Summary accuracy indices were estimated by selecting an optimal threshold that optimises either sensitivity or specificity according to different scenarios. SUMMARY: HbA1c is more useful as a specific test at a cut-off of 5.7% (39 mmol/mol) with a false positive rate of 10%, but should be supplemented by a more sensitive test to detect women with GDM

Thermoelectric Generation in Hybrid Electric Vehicles

© 2020 by the authors. Improving the efficiency of an internal combustion engine (ICE) leads to the reduction of fuel consumption, which improves the performance of a hybrid vehicle. Waste heat recovery (WHR) systems offer options to improve the efficiency of an ICE. This is due to the ICE releasing approximately one third of the combustion energy as waste heat into the atmosphere. This paper focuses on one such upcoming system by analysing the efficiency of a thermoelectric generator (TEG) used as a waste heat recovery system in a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV). It summarises how the efficiency of the TEG can be improved by considering parameters such as the size of module, materials used, and the number of modules needed for the TEG system. The results obtained are then compared with other types of WHR system such as the Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) and turbocompounding (T/C) implemented on the same type of engine. The research is based on a 1.8 L Toyota Prius-type engine. The TEG model simulated in this research can generate a maximum power of 1015 W at an engine speed of 5200 RPM. The overall system efficiency of TEG implemented on the HEV model is 6% with the average engine speed operating at 2000 RPM

Mapping the root systems of individual trees in a natural community using genotyping-by-sequencing

•The architecture of root systems is an important driver of plant fitness, competition and ecosystem processes. However, the methodological difficulty of mapping roots hampers the study of these processes. Existing approaches to match individual plants to belowground samples are low throughput and species specific. Here, we developed a scalable sequencing-based method to map the root systems of individual trees across multiple species. We successfully applied it to a tropical dry forest community in the Brazilian Caatinga containing 14 species. • We sequenced all 42 individual shrubs and trees in a 14 × 14 m plot using double-digest restriction site-associated sequencing (ddRADseq). We identified species-specific markers and individual-specific haplotypes from the data. We matched these markers to the ddRADseq data from 100 mixed root samples from across the centre (10 × 10 m) of the plot at four different depths using a newly developed R package. • We identified individual root samples for all species and all but one individual. There was a strong significant correlation between belowground and aboveground size measurements, and we also detected significant species-level root-depth preference for two species. • The method is more scalable and less labour intensive than the current techniques and is broadly applicable to ecology, forestry and agricultural biology

Differentially expressed genes reflect disease-induced rather than disease-causing changes in the transcriptome.

Comparing transcript levels between healthy and diseased individuals allows the identification of differentially expressed genes, which may be causes, consequences or mere correlates of the disease under scrutiny. We propose a method to decompose the observational correlation between gene expression and phenotypes driven by confounders, forward- and reverse causal effects. The bi-directional causal effects between gene expression and complex traits are obtained by Mendelian Randomization integrating summary-level data from GWAS and whole-blood eQTLs. Applying this approach to complex traits reveals that forward effects have negligible contribution. For example, BMI- and triglycerides-gene expression correlation coefficients robustly correlate with trait-to-expression causal effects (r <sub>BMI </sub> = 0.11, P <sub>BMI </sub> = 2.0 × 10 <sup>-51</sup> and r <sub>TG </sub> = 0.13, P <sub>TG </sub> = 1.1 × 10 <sup>-68</sup> ), but not detectably with expression-to-trait effects. Our results demonstrate that studies comparing the transcriptome of diseased and healthy subjects are more prone to reveal disease-induced gene expression changes rather than disease causing ones

Acceptability and adherence to a Mediterranean diet in the postnatal period to prevent type 2 diabetes in women with gestational diabetes in the UK: a protocol for a single-arm feasibility study (MERIT)

Introduction: Women with gestational diabetes are at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life. In at-risk general populations, Mediterranean-style diet helps prevent type 2 diabetes. But its effect on postnatal women with a history of gestational diabetes is not known. Prior to a full-scale trial on Mediterranean-style diet in the postnatal period to prevent type 2 diabetes, a feasibility study is required to assess the acceptability of the diet and evaluate the trial processes. Methods and analysis: MEditerranean diet for pReventIon of type 2 diabeTes is a single-arm feasibility study (65 women) with qualitative evaluation of women who have recently given birth and had gestational diabetes. The intervention is a Mediterranean-style diet supplemented with nuts and olive oil, with dietary advice and an action plan. A dedicated Health Coach will interact with participants through an interactive lifestyle App. Women will follow the intervention from 6 to 13 weeks post partum until 1 year post partum. The primary outcomes are rates of recruitment, follow-up, adherence and attrition. The secondary outcomes are maternal dysglycaemia, cost and quality of life outcomes, and acceptability of the intervention to participants, and to healthcare professionals delivering the intervention. Feasibility outcomes will be reported using descriptive statistics. Ethics and dissemination: Ethical approval was obtained through the South Central—Berkshire Research Ethics Committee (19/SC/0064). Study findings will be disseminated via publication in peer-reviewed journals, as well as via newsletters made available to participants and members of Katie’s Team (a women’s health patient and public advisory group). Trial registration number: ISRCTN40582975