Blood pressure (BP) is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease and more than 200 genetic loci associated with BP are known. Here, we perform a multi-stage genome-wide association study for BP (max N = 289,038) principally in East Asians and meta-analysis in East Asians and Europeans. We report 19 new genetic loci and ancestry-specific BP variants, conforming to a common ancestry-specific variant association model. At 10 unique loci, distinct non-rare ancestry-specific variants colocalize within the same linkage disequilibrium block despite the significantly discordant effects for the proxy shared variants between the ethnic groups. The genome-wide transethnic correlation of causal-variant effect-sizes is 0.898 and 0.851 for systolic and diastolic BP, respectively. Some of the ancestry-specific association signals are also influenced by a selective sweep. Our results provide new evidence for the role of common ancestry-specific variants and natural selection in ethnic differences in complex traits such as BP.

ABSTRACT. Body weight and abdominal fat traits in meat-type chickens are complex and economically important factors. Our objective was to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) responsible for body weight and abdominal fat traits in broiler chickens. The Northeast Agricultural University Resource Population (NEAURP) is a cross between broiler sires and Baier layer dams. We measured body weight and abdominal fat traits in the F 2 population. A total of 362 F 2 individuals derived from four F 1 families and their parents and F 0 birds were genotyped using 29 fluorescent microsatellite markers located on chromosomes 3, 5 and 7. Linkage maps for the three chromosomes were constructed and interval mapping was performed to identify putative QTLs. Nine QTL for body weight were identified at the 5% genome-wide level, while 15 QTL were identified at the 5% chromosome-wide level. Phenotypic variance explained by these QTL varied from 2.95 to 6.03%. In particular, a QTL region spanning 31 cM, associated with body weight at 1 to 12 weeks of age and carcass weight at 12 weeks of age, was first identified on QTL for body weight and abdominal fat traits chromosome 5. Three QTLs for the abdominal fat traits were identified at the 5% chromosome-wide level. These QTLs explained 3.42 to 3.59% of the phenotypic variance. This information will help direct prospective fine mapping studies and can facilitate the identification of underlying genes and causal mutations for body weight and abdominal fat traits.

Background To assess the relationship between peripheral anterior chamber depth and anthropomorphic measurements. Methods The Beijing Eye Study 2006 included 3251 (73.2%) subjects who returned for a followup examination after a baseline examination including 4335 subjects in 2001. The peripheral anterior chamber depth was estimated by slit lamp-assisted biomicroscopy using van Herick's method. Measurements of the body height and weight and assessment of the anterior chamber as inclusion criterion for this study were available for 3191 (98.2%) subjects.Results In a multivariate analysis, a shallow peripheral anterior chamber was significantly associated with higher age (Po0.001), female gender (Po0.001), and shorter height (Po0.001), whereas weight (P ¼ 0.97) and body mass index (P ¼ 0.82) were not significantly associated. Conclusions The peripheral anterior chamber depth was inversely correlated with height, ie, a shallow peripheral anterior chamber may be expected with a higher frequency in short subjects than in tall subjects. Height, in addition to higher age and female gender, may be taken as one of the parameters for screening of subjects being at risk for primary angleclosure glaucoma.

Purpose To assess ocular and systemic factors associated with diabetes mellitus in the adult population in rural and urban China. Methods The Beijing Eye Study 2006, a population-based, cross-sectional cohort study, included 3251 subjects aged 45 years and more (participation rate: 73.2%). Blood samples were available for 2960 (91.0%) subjects. Diabetes mellitus was defined by a fasting plasma glucose concentration Z7.0 mmol/l or by a self-reported history diagnosis of diabetes. Results Diabetes mellitus was found in 381 (12.9%) subjects. In binary regression analysis, the presence of diabetes mellitus was significantly associated with body mass index, systolic blood pressure, triglyceride concentrations, intraocular pressure, cylindrical refractive dioptre, presence of arteriolar sheathing, rural vs urban region, lower best-corrected visual acuity, lower highdensity lipoprotein level, and lower diastolic blood pressure. It was not statistically associated with age, presence of cataract (nuclear, cortical, or subcapsular), size of the optic disc, neuroretinal rim, a zone and b zone of peripapillary atrophy, retinal artery and vein diameters, arteriovenous nicking, focal or general narrowing, refractive error, prevalence of glaucoma, and early or late stage of agerelated macular degeneration.Conclusions In a population-based setting, diabetes mellitus was not associated with optic disc, rim and peripapillary atrophy measurements, retinal vessel diameters, arteriovenous nicking, focal or general retinal artery narrowing, and prevalence of age-related macular degeneration. Although diabetes mellitus was significantly correlated with higher intraocular pressure, it was not associated with glaucoma.