Estimates of linkage disequilibrium and effective population size in rainbow trout

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The use of molecular genetic technologies for broodstock management and selective breeding of aquaculture species is becoming increasingly more common with the continued development of genome tools and reagents. Several laboratories have produced genetic maps for rainbow trout to aid in the identification of loci affecting phenotypes of interest. These maps have resulted in the identification of many quantitative/qualitative trait loci affecting phenotypic variation in traits associated with albinism, disease resistance, temperature tolerance, sex determination, embryonic development rate, spawning date, condition factor and growth. Unfortunately, the elucidation of the precise allelic variation and/or genes underlying phenotypic diversity has yet to be achieved in this species having low marker densities and lacking a whole genome reference sequence. Experimental designs which integrate segregation analyses with linkage disequilibrium (LD) approaches facilitate the discovery of genes affecting important traits. To date the extent of LD has been characterized for humans and several agriculturally important livestock species but not for rainbow trout.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We observed that the level of LD between syntenic loci decayed rapidly at distances greater than 2 cM which is similar to observations of LD in other agriculturally important species including cattle, sheep, pigs and chickens. However, in some cases significant LD was also observed up to 50 cM. Our estimate of effective population size based on genome wide estimates of LD for the NCCCWA broodstock population was 145, indicating that this population will respond well to high selection intensity. However, the range of effective population size based on individual chromosomes was 75.51 - 203.35, possibly indicating that suites of genes on each chromosome are disproportionately under selection pressures.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our results indicate that large numbers of markers, more than are currently available for this species, will be required to enable the use of genome-wide integrated mapping approaches aimed at identifying genes of interest in rainbow trout.</p

Analysis of BAC-end sequences in rainbow trout: Content characterization and assessment of synteny between trout and other fish genomes

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Rainbow trout (<it>Oncorhynchus mykiss</it>) are cultivated worldwide for aquaculture production and are widely used as a model species to gain knowledge of many aspects of fish biology. The common ancestor of the salmonids experienced a whole genome duplication event, making extant salmonids such as the rainbow trout an excellent model for studying the evolution of tetraploidization and re-diploidization in vertebrates. However, the lack of a reference genome sequence hampers research progress for both academic and applied purposes. In order to enrich the genomic tools already available in this species and provide further insight on the complexity of its genome, we sequenced a large number of rainbow trout BAC-end sequences (BES) and characterized their contents.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A total of 176,485 high quality BES, were generated, representing approximately 4% of the trout genome. BES analyses identified 6,848 simple sequence repeats (SSRs), of which 3,854 had high quality flanking sequences for PCR primers design. The first rainbow trout repeat elements database (INRA RT rep1.0) containing 735 putative repeat elements was developed, and identified almost 59.5% of the BES database in base-pairs as repetitive sequence. Approximately 55% of the BES reads (97,846) had more than 100 base pairs of contiguous non-repetitive sequences. The fractions of the 97,846 non-repetitive trout BES reads that had significant BLASTN hits against the zebrafish, medaka and stickleback genome databases were 15%, 16.2% and 17.9%, respectively, while the fractions of the non-repetitive BES reads that had significant BLASTX hits against the zebrafish, medaka, and stickleback protein databases were 10.7%, 9.5% and 9.5%, respectively. Comparative genomics using paired BAC-ends revealed several regions of conserved synteny across all the fish species analyzed in this study.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The characterization of BES provided insights on the rainbow trout genome. The discovery of specific repeat elements will facilitate analyses of sequence content (e.g. for SNPs discovery and for transcriptome characterization) and future genome sequence assemblies. The numerous microsatellites will facilitate integration of the linkage and physical maps and serve as valuable resource for fine mapping QTL and positional cloning of genes affecting aquaculture production traits. Furthermore, comparative genomics through BES can be used for identifying positional candidate genes from QTL mapping studies, aid in future assembly of a reference genome sequence and elucidating sequence content and complexity in the rainbow trout genome.</p

Singlet exciton fission in solution.

Singlet exciton fission, the spin-conserving process that produces two triplet excited states from one photoexcited singlet state, is a means to circumvent the Shockley-Queisser limit in single-junction solar cells. Although the process through which singlet fission occurs is not well characterized, some local order is thought to be necessary for intermolecular coupling. Here, we report a triplet yield of 200% and triplet formation rates approaching the diffusion limit in solutions of bis(triisopropylsilylethynyl (TIPS)) pentacene. We observe a transient bound excimer intermediate, formed by the collision of one photoexcited and one ground-state TIPS-pentacene molecule. The intermediate breaks up when the two triplets separate to each TIPS-pentacene molecule. This efficient system is a model for future singlet-fission materials and for disordered device components that produce cascades of excited states from sunlight.B.J.W. was supported by a Herchel Smith Research Fellowship. A.J.M. received funding from a Marie Curie Scholarship. D.B. is a FNRS Research Director. Both A.J.M and D.B. acknowledge support from the European Community’s Initial Training Network SUPERIOR (PITN-GA-2009-238177). Further funding for this project came from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and a pump-prime grant from the Winton Programme for the Physics of Sustainability.This is the accepted version of an article originally published in Nature Chemistry 5, 1019–1024 and available online at http://www.nature.com/nchem/journal/v5/n12/full/nchem.1801.html. Nature Publishing Group's conditions for reuse are detailed at http://www.nature.com/authors/policies/license.html

Comparative mapping of expressed sequence tags containing microsatellites in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

BACKGROUND: Comparative genomics, through the integration of genetic maps from species of interest with whole genome sequences of other species, will facilitate the identification of genes affecting phenotypes of interest. The development of microsatellite markers from expressed sequence tags will serve to increase marker densities on current salmonid genetic maps and initiate in silico comparative maps with species whose genomes have been fully sequenced. RESULTS: Eighty-nine polymorphic microsatellite markers were generated for rainbow trout of which at least 74 amplify in other salmonids. Fifty-five have been associated with functional annotation and 30 were mapped on existing genetic maps. Homologous sequences were identified for 20 of the EST containing microsatellites to identify comparative assignments within the tetraodon, mouse, and/or human genomes. CONCLUSION: The addition of microsatellite markers constructed from expressed sequence tag data will facilitate the development of high-density genetic maps for rainbow trout and comparative maps with other salmonids and better studied species

Do agreements between adolescent and parent reports on family socioeconomic status vary with household financial stress?

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Many studies compared the degree of concordance between adolescents' and parents' reports on family socioeconomic status (SES). However, none of these studies analyzed whether the degree of concordance varies by different levels of household financial stress. This research examines whether the degree of concordance between adolescents' and parent reports for the three traditional SES measures (parental education, parental occupation and household income) varied with parent-reported household financial stress and relative standard of living.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>2,593 adolescents with a mean age of 13 years, and one of their corresponding parents from the Taiwan Longitudinal Youth Project conducted in 2000 were analyzed. Consistency of adolescents' and parents' reports on parental educational attainment, parental occupation and household income were examined by parent-reported household financial stress and relative standard of living.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Parent-reported SES variables are closely associated with family financial stress. For all levels of household financial stress, the degree of concordance between adolescent's and parent's reports are highest for parental education (κ ranging from 0.87 to 0.71) followed by parental occupation (κ ranging from 0.50 to 0.34) and household income (κ ranging from 0.43 to 0.31). Concordance for father's education and parental occupation decreases with higher parent-reported financial stress. This phenomenon was less significant for parent-reported relative standard of living.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Though the agreement between adolescents' and parents' reports on the three SES measures is generally judged to be good in most cases, using adolescents reports for family SES may still be biased if analysis is not stratified by family financial stress.</p

Use of television, videogames, and computer among children and adolescents in Italy

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>This survey determined the practices about television (video inclusive), videogames, and computer use in children and adolescents in Italy.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A self-administered anonymous questionnaire covered socio-demographics; behaviour about television, videogames, computer, and sports; parental control over television, videogames, and computer.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Overall, 54.1% and 61% always ate lunch or dinner in front of the television, 89.5% had a television in the bedroom while 52.5% of them always watched television there, and 49% indicated that parents controlled the content of what was watched on television. The overall mean length of time daily spent on television viewing (2.8 hours) and the frequency of watching for at least two hours per day (74.9%) were significantly associated with older age, always ate lunch or dinner while watching television, spent more time playing videogames and using computer. Those with parents from a lower socio-economic level were also more likely to spend more minutes viewing television. Two-thirds played videogames for 1.6 daily hours and more time was spent by those younger, males, with parents that do not control them, who watched more television, and who spent more time at the computer. The computer was used by 85% of the sample for 1.6 daily hours and those older, with a computer in the bedroom, with a higher number of computers in home, who view more television and play videogames were more likely to use the computer.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Immediate and comprehensive actions are needed in order to diminish time spent at the television, videogames, and computer.</p

Duffy blood group gene polymorphisms among malaria vivax patients in four areas of the Brazilian Amazon region

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Duffy blood group polymorphisms are important in areas where <it>Plasmodium vivax </it>predominates, because this molecule acts as a receptor for this protozoan. In the present study, Duffy blood group genotyping in <it>P. vivax </it>malaria patients from four different Brazilian endemic areas is reported, exploring significant associations between blood group variants and susceptibility or resistance to malaria.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The <it>P. vivax </it>identification was determined by non-genotypic and genotypic screening tests. The Duffy blood group was genotyped by PCR/RFLP in 330 blood donors and 312 malaria patients from four Brazilian Amazon areas. In order to assess the variables significance and to obtain independence among the proportions, the Fisher's exact test was used.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The data show a high frequency of the <it>FYA/FYB </it>genotype, followed by <it>FYB/FYB, FYA/FYA</it>, <it>FYA/FYB-33 </it>and <it>FYB/FYB-33</it>. Low frequencies were detected for the <it>FYA/FY</it>^<it>X</it>, <it>FYB/FY</it>^<it>X</it>, <it>FYX/FY</it>^{<it>X </it>}and <it>FYB-33/FYB-33 </it>genotypes. Negative Duffy genotype (<it>FYB-33/FYB-33</it>) was found in both groups: individuals infected and non-infected (blood donors). No individual carried the <it>FY</it>^<it>X</it><it>/FYB-33 </it>genotype. Some of the Duffy genotypes frequencies showed significant differences between donors and malaria patients.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The obtained data suggest that individuals with the <it>FYA/FYB </it>genotype have higher susceptibility to malaria. The presence of the <it>FYB-33 </it>allele may be a selective advantage in the population, reducing the rate of infection by <it>P. vivax </it>in this region. Additional efforts may contribute to better elucidate the physiopathologic differences in this parasite/host relationship in regions endemic for <it>P. vivax </it>malaria, in particular the Brazilian Amazon region.</p