No abstract

Arabidopsis thaliana is a small flowering plant that serves as the major model system in plant molecular genetics. The efforts of many scientists have produced genetic maps that provide extensive coverage of the genome (http://genome-www. stanford.edu/Arabidopsis/maps.html). Recently, detailed YAC, BAC, P1 and cosmid-based physical maps (that is, representations of genomic regions as sets of overlapping clones of corresponding libraries) have been established that extend over wide genomic areas ranging from several hundreds of kilobases to entire chromosomes. These maps provide an entry to gain deeper insight into the A. thaliana genome structure. A. thaliana has been chosen as the subject of the first large-scale project intended to determine the full genome sequence of a plant. This sequencing project, together with the increasing interest in map-based gene cloning, has highlighted the requirement for a complete and accurate physical map of this plant species. To supply the scientific community with a high-quality resource, we present here a complete physical map of A. thaliana using essentially the IGF BAC library. The map consists of 27 contigs that cover the entire genome, except for the presumptive centromeric regions, nucleolar organization regions (NOR) and telomeric areas. This is the first reported map of a complex organism based entirely on BAC clones and it represents the most homogeneous and complete physical map established to date for any plant genome. Furthermore, the analysis performed here serves as a model for an efficient physical mapping procedure using BAC clones that can be applied to other complex genomes.

Food insecurity is a significant public health problem in the United States leading to substantial social, economic, and health care–related burdens. While studies continue to estimate the prevalence of food insecurity, the long-term outcomes are not extensively explored. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of food insecurity on mortality. We analyzed data on adults (≥ 20 years) from the 1999–2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, with mortality data obtained through 2015. Among the total study participants (n = 25,247), 17.6% reported food insecurity. Food-insecure individuals were more likely to be younger in age, minorities, poorer, with lesser education, obese, smokers, and with diabetes compared to food-secure counterparts. During a 10.2-year follow-up, among the food insecure, 821 individuals died (11%). The hazard ratio (HR) for mortality among the food insecure compared with the food secure, with adjustment for age and gender only, was 1.58; 95% confidence interval [CI: 1.25, 2.01]. The adjusted HRs for all-cause mortality, HR = 1.46, CI [1.23, 1.72], p < .001, and cardiovascular mortality, HR = 1.75, CI [1.19, 2.57], p < .01, were statistically significantly higher among food-insecure individuals, after adjustment for multiple demographic and health risk factors. Individuals who are food-insecure have a significantly higher probability of death from any cause or cardiovascular disease in long-term follow-up. Comprehensive and interdisciplinary approaches to reducing food insecurity–related disparities and health risks should be implemented. Including food insecurity in health risk assessments and addressing food insecurity as a determinant of long-term outcomes may contribute to lower premature death rates.