Healthcare Cost Savings Associated with Increased Whole Grain Consumption among Australian Adults

Many dietary guidelines emphasise “mostly” whole grain food choices as part of an overall healthy eating pattern based on evidence for enhancing nutritional status and reducing chronic disease. Still, countries including Australia fall short of their consumption targets. Furthermore, healthcare cost savings associated with increasing the consumption of whole grains in alignment with the Daily Target Intake (DTI) recommendation of 48 g are unknown. The aim of this study was to assess the potential savings in costs of healthcare and lost productivity associated with a reduction in the incidence of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) through meeting the 48 g DTI recommendation for whole grains among the Australian adult population (>20 years). A three-step cost-of-illness analysis was conducted using input parameters from: 1) estimates of proportions of consumers (5%, 15%, 50%, and 100%) who would increase their current intake of whole grains to meet the recommended DTI in Australia; 2) relative reductions in risk of T2DM and CVD associated with specific whole grain consumption, as reported in meta-analysis studies; and 3) data on costs of healthcare and productivity loss based on monetary figures by national healthcare authorities. A very pessimistic (5% of the population) through to universal (100% of the population) adoption of the recommended DTI was shown to potentially yield AUD 37.5 (95% CI 22.3–49.3) to AUD 750.7 (95% CI 445.7–985.2) million, and AUD 35.9 (95% CI 8.3–60.7) to AUD 717.4 (95% CI 165.5–1214.1) million in savings on annual healthcare and lost productivity costs for T2DM and CVD, respectively. Given such economic benefits of the recommended consumption of whole grains, in exchange for refined grains, there is a real opportunity to facilitate relevant socioeconomic cost-savings for Australia and reductions in disease. These results are suggestive of a much greater opportunity to communicate the need for dietary change at all levels, but particularly through food-based dietary guidelines and front-of-pack labelling initiatives.     

Evaluating Differences in Whole Blood,Serum, and Urine Screening Tests for Zika Virus,Puerto Rico,USA, 2016

We evaluated nucleic acid amplification testing (NAAT) for Zika virus on whole-blood specimens compared with NAAT on serum and urine specimens among asymptomatic pregnant women during the 2015–2016 Puerto Rico Zika outbreak. Using NAAT, more infections were detected in serum and urine than in whole blood specimens.     

Territorywide Study of Early Coronavirus Disease Outbreak,Hong Kong,China

Initial cases of coronavirus disease in Hong Kong were imported from mainland China. A dramatic increase in case numbers was seen in February 2020. Most case-patients had no recent travel history, suggesting the presence of transmission chains in the local community. We collected demographic, clinical, and epidemiologic data from 50 patients, who accounted for 53.8% of total reported case-patients as of February 28, 2020. We performed whole-genome sequencing to determine phylogenetic relationship and transmission dynamics of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infections. By using phylogenetic analysis, we attributed the community outbreak to 2 lineages; 1 harbored a common mutation, Orf3a-G251V, and accounted for 88.0% of the cases in our study. The estimated time to the most recent common ancestor of local coronavirus disease outbreak was December 24, 2019, with an evolutionary rate of 3.04 × 10⁻³ substitutions/site/year. The reproduction number was 1.84, indicating ongoing community spread.     

桔梗叶绿体比较基因组学分析及系统发育研究

目的 以桔梗Platycodon grandiflorus为材料,分析其叶绿体基因组特征,探究不同地区桔梗叶绿体基因组的差异及桔梗科其他物种的系统发育关系。方法 利用Illumina NovaSeq测序平台对桔梗叶绿体全基因组进行测序,完成其组装、注释和特征分析,采用生物信息学方法对不同地区桔梗进行比较基因组分析和系统发育分析。结果 桔梗叶绿体基因组全长172 770 bp,呈现典型的环状四分体结构,总GC含量为38.10%,注释到139个基因,其中蛋白质编码基因95个,核糖体RNA 8个和转运RNA 36个。经序列分析鉴定出139个SSR位点,大部分重复由A和T组成。该叶绿体基因组密码子偏好性A/U大于G/C。边界分析表明,不同地区桔梗的JLA边界区域存在差异。对比不同地区桔梗叶绿体基因组序列发现21个变异区间,包括ycf1、psbC、rps18和rpoB等编码区以及rpl32-trnL、trnS-psbZ和trnN-ycf1等非编码区。基于最大似然法（maximum likelihood method,ML）对桔梗及其他17种桔梗科植物进行系统发育分析,发现桔梗科物种形成一个单系群,各属物种聚为一束,支持率达100%。结论 桔梗科物种聚为一支与传统相符合,不同地区桔梗叶绿体基因组序列存在显著差异,为后期开展分子鉴定及群体遗传学研究提供提供科学依据。     

Digital breast pathology: validation and training for primary digital practice

Digital pathology is a technology which is transforming the way in which breast histopathology specimens are assessed, reported and reviewed. Large scale clinical laboratory deployments of whole slide imaging systems are occurring in diagnostic pathology departments across the world, requiring laboratory and diagnostic staff to navigate new skills and workflows. Transferring from conventional light microscopy assessment of breast specimens to the use of whole slide images (WSI) can be a challenging experience. This article describes an approach to training and validation for breast consultant histopathologists, which has been used and adapted at a number of sites. Examples of types of case that are suitable for training, and some of the potential “pitfalls” of digital reporting for the novice are described, and practical advice regarding clinical digital breast workflow is shared.     

Helicase Hmi1 stimulates the synthesis of concatemeric mitochondrial DNA molecules in yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Hmi1p is a helicase in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae required for maintenance of the wild-type mitochondrial genome. Disruption of the HMI1 ORF generates ^– and ⁰ cells. Here we demonstrate that, in ^– yeast strains, Hmi1p stimulates the synthesis of long concatemeric mitochondrial DNA molecules associated with a reduction in the number of nucleoids used for mitochondrial DNA packaging. Surprisingly, the ATPase negative mutants of Hmi1p can also stimulate the synthesis of long concatemeric ^– mitochondrial DNA molecules and support the maintenance of the wild-type mitochondrial genome, albeit with reduced efficiency. We show that, in the mutant hmi1–5 background, the wild-type mitochondrial DNA is fragmented; and we propose that, in hmi1 yeast cells, the loss of the wild-type mitochondrial genome is caused by this fragmentation of the mitochondrial DNA.     

动脉粥样硬化遗传易感性与HUMARA多态性的相关性

目的 研究HUMARA基因多态性在陕西地区老年动脉粥样硬化（AS）人群中分布规律及其该位点与AS遗传易感性的关系。方法 应用多聚酶链反应（PCR）对96例老年AS患及92例非AS老年人HUMARA－STR（短串联重复序列short tandem repeats)位点进行多态性分析。结果 在HUMARA位点重复单位：CAG,对照群体片段大小在280－445bp之间,重复次数为N＝23－77,杂合度为83％,多态信息量（PIC）为0．76;AS人群中HUMARA位点,其片段大小在220－445bp之间,重复次数为N＝2－77,杂合度为89％,PIC为0．80。两组的基因频率分布比较无显性差异,但将男性的AS组与对照比较差异有显性;女性的AS组与对照比较差异无显性;正常组男性与女性比较差异无显性;AS组男性与女性比较差异有显性。结论 HUMARA基因多态位点可能作为男性易患动脉粥样硬化的遗传标记。     

人类基因组计划、后基因组研究与基因医学——基因诊断、基因制药与基因治疗的新世纪

NIH于 1991年拟定人类基因组计划 (HumanGenomeProject,HGP) ,1993年正式启动了第一个五年计划 (1994～ 1998) ,1998年秋HGP圆满完成计划。预计人类DNA测序将于 2 0 0 3年完成。人类 2 3条染色体共约 30亿bp ,功能基因约 10万个 ,疾病相关基因约 50 0 0～ 10 0 0 0个。人类基因组计划涉及的遗传图谱、物理图谱、主要的模式生物的工作 ,已基本在 1994～ 1998年的第一个五年计划中完成。今后的任务是集中DNA测序。工作草图 (Workdraft)亦计划于 2 0 0 1年完成。 2 0 0 3年测序工作全部完成。后基因组研究包括生物信息学、基因功能学和基因的开发研究 ,将遍及 2 1世纪生命科学的各个领域并充实基因医学的真实内涵。     

A whole-slide imaging based workflow reduces the reading time of pathologists

Even though entirely digitized microscopic tissue sections (whole slide images, WSIs) are increasingly being used in histopathology diagnostics, little data is still available on the effect of this technique on pathologists' reading time. This study aimed to compare the time required to perform the microscopic assessment by pathologists between a conventional workflow (an optical microscope) and digitized WSIs. WSI was used in primary diagnostics at the Laboratory for Pathology Eastern Netherlands for several years (LabPON, Hengelo, The Netherlands). Cases were read either in a traditional workflow, with the pathologist recording the time required for diagnostics and reporting, or entirely digitally. Reading times were extracted from image management system log files, and the digitized workflow was fully integrated into the laboratory information system. The digital workflow saved time in the majority of case categories, with prostate biopsies saving the most (68% time gain). Taking into account case distribution, the digital workflow produced an average gain of 12.3%. Using WSI instead of conventional microscopy significantly reduces pathologists' reading times. Pathologists must work in a fully integrated environment to fully reap the benefits of a digital workflow.