Clinical applications of Genome Polymorphism Scans

Applications of Genome Polymorphism Scans range from the relatively simple such as gender determination and confirmation of biological relationships, to the relatively complex such as determination of autozygosity and propagation of genetic information throughout pedigrees. Unlike nearly all other clinical DNA tests, the Scan is a universal test – it covers all people and all genes. In balance, I argue that the Genome Polymorphism Scan is the most powerful, affordable clinical DNA test available today.     

The postnatal histology of the epididymis in buffalo (Bubalus bubalis).

The epididymis of buffalo is differentiated into 6 regions. The head represents the first 3 regions, the body the 4th region and the tail the 5th and 6th region. At 3-30 weeks, the epithelium is simple high columnar with few basal cells in region I, simple low columnar with few basal cells in region II, pseudostratified low columnar in regions III, IV, V, and pseudostratified low columar in region VI. As age advances, the epithelium increases in height and shows a tendency toward advanced pseudostratification. The basal cells are greater in number in regions III, IV and V than in the other regions of the epididymis. The epithelial cells contain stereocilia in region I at 3 weeks and regions III, IV and V at 30 weeks, whereas they are absent in regions II and VI. The tubules in region I are the smallest in diameter while the tubules in region VI have the largest diameter.     

Separation and visualization of apolipoprotein B species by sodium dodecyl sulfate-agarose gel electrophoresis and immunoblotting

A method for separation and visualization of the different apolipoprotein B species using 0.2% sodium dodecyl sulfate-1.5% agarose gel electrophoresis and immunoblotting is described. The method is capable of demonstrating the different forms of apolipoprotein B (apo B) in plasma volumes of 10-50 microliters without prior ultracentrifugation. After ultracentrifugation of samples, estimation of the ratio between apo B 48 and apo B 100 is possible by scanning of Coomassie-stained gels or immunoblots.     

An influenza A virus-specific and HLA-DRw8-restricted T cell clone cross-reacting with a transcomplementation product of the HLA-DR2 and DR4 haplotypes

The clone TA10 is a T3+ T4+ T8- proliferative and cytolytic human T cell clone. This clone has been shown to be specific for the hemagglutinin of influenza A Texas virus and restricted by an HLA class II molecule associated with the DRw8-Dw8.1 phenotype. Here we show that TA10 and all of its subclones can also react with eight HLA-DRw8 negative, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-transformed cell lines or phytohemagglutinin blasts in the absence of influenza antigens. All of these cell lines are HLA-DR2/DR4 with a classic DR2 long haplotype. The only nonreactive HLA-DR2/DR4 cell line observed bears a DR2 short haplotype. Only heterozygous HLA-DR2/DR4 but not parental DR2 or DR4 EBV-transformed cell lines can be recognized by TA10, indicating that the cross-reacting determinant is a transcomplementation product between HLA-DR2 and HLA-DR4 haplotypes. DR-specific, but not DQ- or DP-specific monoclonal antibodies, inhibit in the proliferation assay and in the chromium release test both the DRw8-Dw8.1-restricted and the anti-DR2/DR4 reactions. These results show that HLA-DR-restricted, anti-viral human T cell clone can evidence cross-reactivity for allospecific class II molecules of the major histocompatibility complex, and human CTL can recognize transcomplementation products of class II HLA genes. In addition, the results suggest that a beta-chain coded for by an HLA-DR gene and associated with an alpha-chain coded for by a still unidentified but possibly HLA-DQ gene constitute this functional transcomplementation product.     

Salinity tolerance in different cultivars of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.)

Seven barley(Hordeum vulgäre L.) cultivars tested varied greatly in their responses to root medium salinity (electrical conductivity of 3, 5, 10, 15 and 20 dS nr^-1)-lant growth was relatively more adversely affected than seed germination. Dry/fresh mass ratio increased at higher salinity levels in all barley cultivars indicating reduced water uptake. Higher K/Na ratio in plant shoots compared to that in the root medium solution indicated selective uptake of K that seems to be among processes involved in tolerance of cultivars to salinity stress.     

Heart rate variability in subjects with different respiratory rates

The variability of the cardiac rhythm was studied in males with different initial respiratory rates. At rest and during voluntarily controlled breathing, subjects with medium respiratory rates were found to have a less variable heart rate than their counterparts with low or high respiratory rates.