Comparative organization of cattle chromosome 5 revealed by comparative mapping by annotation and sequence similarity and radiation hybrid mapping

A whole genome cattle-hamster radiation hybrid cell panel was used to construct a map of 54 markers located on bovine chromosome 5 (BTA5). Of the 54 markers, 34 are microsatellites selected from the cattle linkage map and 20 are genes. Among the 20 mapped genes, 10 are new assignments that were made by using the comparative mapping by annotation and sequence similarity strategy. A LOD-3 radiation hybrid framework map consisting of 21 markers was constructed. The relatively low retention frequency of markers on this chromosome (19%) prevented unambiguous ordering of the other 33 markers. The length of the map is 398.7 cR, corresponding to a ratio of ≈2.8 cR5,000/cM. Type I genes were binned for comparison of gene order among cattle, humans, and mice. Multiple internal rearrangements within conserved syntenic groups were apparent upon comparison of gene order on BTA5 and HSA12 and HSA22. A similarly high number of rearrangements were observed between BTA5 and MMU6, MMU10, and MMU15. The detailed comparative map of BTA5 should facilitate identification of genes affecting economically important traits that have been mapped to this chromosome and should contribute to our understanding of mammalian chromosome evolution.

A 4,103 marker integrated physical and comparative map of the horse genome

A comprehensive second-generation whole genome radiation hybrid (RH II), cytogenetic and comparative map of the horse genome (2n = 64) has been developed using the 5000rad horse x hamster radiation hybrid panel and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). The map contains 4,103 markers (3,816 RH; 1,144 FISH) assigned to all 31 pairs of autosomes and the X chromosome. The RH maps of individual chromosomes are anchored and oriented using 857 cytogenetic markers. The overall resolution of the map is one marker per 775 kilobase pairs (kb), which represents a more than five-fold improvement over the first-generation map. The RH II incorporates 920 markers shared jointly with the two recently reported meiotic maps. Consequently the two maps were aligned with the RH II maps of individual autosomes and the X chromosome. Additionally, a comparative map of the horse genome was generated by connecting 1,904 loci on the horse map with genome sequences available for eight diverse vertebrates to highlight regions of evolutionarily conserved syntenies, linkages, and chromosomal breakpoints. The integrated map thus obtained presents the most comprehensive information on the physical and comparative organization of the equine genome and will assist future assemblies of whole genome BAC fingerprint maps and the genome sequence. It will also serve as a tool to identify genes governing health, disease and performance traits in horses and assist us in understanding the evolution of the equine genome in relation to other species.

Formal organizations: a comparative approach,

Includes bibliography.

Comparative assessment of the organization of the colors of the Vita Classical color pallet by digital images and visual analysis for dental bleaching

New formularizations, techniques and devices have become the dental whitening most safe and with better results. Although this, the verification of the levels whitening is being continued for visual comparison, that is an empirical, subjective method, subject to errors and dependent of the individual interpretation. Normally the result of the whitening is express for the amplitude of displacement between the initial and the final color, being take like reference the tonalities of a scale of color commanded of darkest for more clearly. Although to be the most used scale, the ordinance of the Vita Classical (R) - Vita, according to recommendations of the manufacturer, reveals inadequate for the evaluation of the whitening. From digital images and of algorithm OER (ordinance of the reference scale), especially developed for the ScanWhite (C), the ordinance of the tonalities of the scale Vita Classical (R) was made. For such, the values of the canals of color R, G, and B of medium part average of the crowns was adopted as reference for evaluation. The images had been taken with the camera Sony Cybershoot DSC F828. The results of the computational ordinance had been compared with the sequence proposal for the manufacturer and with the earned one for the visual evaluation, carried through by 10 volunteers, under standardized conditions of illumination. It statistics analyzes demonstrated significant differences between the ordinances.

Comparative cytogenetic mapping of Sox2 and Sox14 in cichlid fishes and inferences on the genomic organization of both genes in vertebrates

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Genomic organization and comparative chromosome mapping of the U1 snRNA gene in cichlid fish, with an emphasis in Oreochromis niloticus

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Vascular organization of the hystricomorph placenta: a comparative study in the Agouti, capybara, guinea pig, paca and rock cavy

The placental vasculature of five hystricomorph rodents was examined by latex injection of the blood vessels, immunohistochemistry and scanning electron microscopy of vessel casts. The pattern of branching of the vessels is described at the level of fine structure. The placenta is divided into lobes separated by interlobular trophoblast. Fetal arteries course through the interlobular areas and give rise to capillaries from which blood drains into veins at the centre of the lobes. Maternal blood reaches the placenta through spiral arteries that pass around the perimeter of the subplacenta. They supply large maternal blood sinuses, lined by trophoblast, which run through the interlobular areas and into the centre of the lobes. Here they supply fine channels that run parallel to the fetal capillaries, so that maternal blood flows from the centre of the lobe to the periphery. This arrangement provides the morphological basis for countercurrent exchange. The maternal channels of the labyrinth drain into spaces formed by the latticework of the interlobular trophoblast and thence through venous lacunae to a basal venous lacunar ring. The subplacenta is supplied by a single fetal artery. The vessels within the subplacenta pursue a tortuous course with dilatations and constrictions as in an endocrine gland. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparative proteomic analysis of lung tissue from guinea pigs with leptospiral pulmonary haemorrhage syndrome (LPHS) reveals a decrease in abundance of host proteins involved in cytoskeletal and cellular organization

Leptospiral pulmonary haemorrhage syndrome (LPHS) is a particularly severe form of leptospirosis. LPHS is increasingly recognized in both humans and animals and is characterized by rapidly progressive intra-alveolar haemorrhage leading to high mortality. The pathogenic mechanisms of LPHS are poorly understood which hampers the application of effective treatment regimes. In this study a 2-D guinea pig proteome lung map was created and used to investigate the pathogenic mechanisms of LPHS. Comparison of lung proteomes from infected and non-infected guinea pigs via differential in-gel electrophoresis revealed highly significant differences in abundance of proteins contained in 130 spots. Acute phase proteins were the largest functional group amongst proteins with increased abundance in LPHS lung tissue, and likely reflect a local and/or systemic host response to infection. The observed decrease in abundance of proteins involved in cytoskeletal and cellular organization in LPHS lung tissue further suggests that infection with pathogenic Leptospira induces changes in the abundance of host proteins involved in cellular architecture and adhesion contributing to the dramatically increased alveolar septal wall permeability seen in LPHS. BIOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE The recent completion of the complete genome sequence of the guinea pig (Cavia porcellus) provides innovative opportunities to apply proteomic technologies to an important animal model of disease. In this study, the comparative proteomic analysis of lung tissue from experimentally infected guinea pigs with leptospiral pulmonary haemorrhage syndrome (LPHS) revealed a decrease in abundance of proteins involved in cellular architecture and adhesion, suggesting that loss or down-regulation of cytoskeletal and adhesion molecules plays an important role in the pathogenesis of LPHS. A publically available guinea pig lung proteome map was constructed to facilitate future pulmonary proteomics in this species.

Cognitive Comparative Advantage and the Organization of Work: Lessons from Herbert Simon's Vision of the Future

In a marvelous but somewhat neglected paper, 'The Corporation: Will It Be Managed by Machines?' Herbert Simon articulated from the perspective of 1960 his vision of what we now call the New Economy the machine-aided system of production and management of the late twentieth century. Simon's analysis sprang from what I term the principle of cognitive comparative advantage: one has to understand the quite different cognitive structures of humans and machines (including computers) in order to explain and predict the tasks to which each will be most suited. Perhaps unlike Simon's better-known predictions about progress in artificial intelligence research, the predictions of this 1960 article hold up remarkably well and continue to offer important insights. In what follows I attempt to tell a coherent story about the evolution of machines and the division of labor between humans and machines. Although inspired by Simon's 1960 paper, I weave many other strands into the tapestry, from classical discussions of the division of labor to present-day evolutionary psychology. The basic conclusion is that, with growth in the extent of the market, we should see humans 'crowded into' tasks that call for the kinds of cognition for which humans have been equipped by biological evolution. These human cognitive abilities range from the exercise of judgment in situations of ambiguity and surprise to more mundane abilities in spatio-temporal perception and locomotion. Conversely, we should see machines 'crowded into' tasks with a well-defined structure. This conclusion is not based (merely) on a claim that machines, including computers, are specialized idiots-savants today because of the limits (whether temporary or permanent) of artificial intelligence; rather, it rests on a claim that, for what are broadly 'economic' reasons, it will continue to make economic sense to create machines that are idiots-savants.

Comparative mapping of the human 22q11 chromosomal region and the orthologous region in mice reveals complex changes in gene organization

The region of human chromosome 22q11 is prone to rearrangements. The resulting chromosomal abnormalities are involved in Velo-cardio-facial and DiGeorge syndromes (VCFS and DGS) (deletions), “cat eye” syndrome (duplications), and certain types of tumors (translocations). As a prelude to the development of mouse models for VCFS/DGS by generating targeted deletions in the mouse genome, we examined the organization of genes from human chromosome 22q11 in the mouse. Using genetic linkage analysis and detailed physical mapping, we show that genes from a relatively small region of human 22q11 are distributed on three mouse chromosomes (MMU6, MMU10, and MMU16). Furthermore, although the region corresponding to about 2.5 megabases of the VCFS/DGS critical region is located on mouse chromosome 16, the relative organization of the region is quite different from that in humans. Our results show that the instability of the 22q11 region is not restricted to humans but may have been present throughout evolution. The results also underscore the importance of detailed comparative mapping of genes in mice and humans as a prerequisite for the development of mouse models of human diseases involving chromosomal rearrangements.

Brain maps, great and small: lessons from comparative studies of primate visual cortical organization

In this paper, we review evidence from comparative studies of primate cortical organization, highlighting recent findings and hypotheses that may help us to understand the rules governing evolutionary changes of the cortical map and the process of formation of areas during development. We argue that clear unequivocal views of cortical areas and their homologies are more likely to emerge for 'core' fields, including the primary sensory areas, which are specified early in development by precise molecular identification steps. In primates, the middle temporal area is probably one of these primordial cortical fields. Areas that form at progressively later stages of development correspond to progressively more recent evolutionary events, their development being less firmly anchored in molecular specification. The certainty with which areal boundaries can be delimited, and likely homologies can be assigned, becomes increasingly blurred in parallel with this evolutionary/developmental sequence. For example, while current concepts for the definition of cortical areas have been vindicated in allowing a clarification of the organization of the New World monkey 'third tier' visual cortex (the third and dorsomedial areas, V3 and DM), our analyses suggest that more flexible mapping criteria may be needed to unravel the organization of higher-order visual association and polysensory areas.

Comparative study of depth-dependent characteristics of equine and human osteochondral tissue from the medial and lateral femoral condyles

Articular cartilage defects are common after joint injuries. When left untreated, the biomechanical protective function of cartilage is gradually lost, making the joint more susceptible to further damage, causing progressive loss of joint function and eventually osteoarthritis (OA). In the process of translating promising tissue-engineering cartilage repair approaches from bench to bedside, pre-clinical animal models including mice, rabbits, goats, and horses, are widely used. The equine species is becoming an increasingly popular model for the in vivo evaluation of regenerative orthopaedic approaches. As there is also an increasing body of evidence suggesting that successful lasting tissue reconstruction requires an implant that mimics natural tissue organization, it is imperative that depth-dependent characteristics of equine osteochondral tissue are known, to assess to what extent they resemble those in humans. Therefore, osteochondral cores (4-8 mm) were obtained from the medial and lateral femoral condyles of equine and human donors. Cores were processed for histology and for biochemical quantification of DNA, glycosaminoglycan (GAG) and collagen content. Equine and human osteochondral tissues possess similar geometrical (thickness) and organizational (GAG, collagen and DNA distribution with depth) features. These comparable trends further underscore the validity of the equine model for the evaluation of regenerative approaches for articular cartilage.