Toward Automation of the Supine Pressor Test for Preeclampsia

Preeclampsia leads to increased risk of morbidity and mortality for both mother and fetus. Most previous studies have largely neglected mechanical compression of the left renal vein by the gravid uterus as a potential mechanism. In this study, we first used a murine model to investigate the pathophysiology of left renal vein constriction. The results indicate that prolonged renal vein stenosis after 14 days can cause renal necrosis and an increase in blood pressure (BP) of roughly 30 mmHg. The second part of this study aimed to automate a diagnostic tool, known as the supine pressor test (SPT), to enable pregnant women to assess their preeclampsia development risk. A positive SPT has been previously defined as an increase of at least 20 mmHg in diastolic BP when switching between left lateral recumbent and supine positions. The results from this study established a baseline BP increase between the two body positions in nonpregnant women and demonstrated the feasibility of an autonomous SPT in pregnant women. Our results demonstrate that there is a baseline increase in BP of roughly 10-14 mmHg and that pregnant women can autonomously perform the SPT. Overall, this work in both rodents and humans suggests that (1) stenosis of the left renal vein in mice leads to elevation in BP and acute renal failure, (2) nonpregnant women experience a baseline increase in BP when they shift from left lateral recumbent to supine position, and (3) the SPT can be automated and used autonomously

A high-density transcript linkage map with 1,845 expressed genes positioned by microarray-based Single Feature Polymorphisms (SFP) in Eucalyptus

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Technological advances are progressively increasing the application of genomics to a wider array of economically and ecologically important species. High-density maps enriched for transcribed genes facilitate the discovery of connections between genes and phenotypes. We report the construction of a high-density linkage map of expressed genes for the heterozygous genome of <it>Eucalyptus </it>using Single Feature Polymorphism (SFP) markers.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>SFP discovery and mapping was achieved using pseudo-testcross screening and selective mapping to simultaneously optimize linkage mapping and microarray costs. SFP genotyping was carried out by hybridizing complementary RNA prepared from 4.5 year-old trees xylem to an SFP array containing 103,000 25-mer oligonucleotide probes representing 20,726 unigenes derived from a modest size expressed sequence tags collection. An SFP-mapping microarray with 43,777 selected candidate SFP probes representing 15,698 genes was subsequently designed and used to genotype SFPs in a larger subset of the segregating population drawn by selective mapping. A total of 1,845 genes were mapped, with 884 of them ordered with high likelihood support on a framework map anchored to 180 microsatellites with average density of 1.2 cM. Using more probes per unigene increased by two-fold the likelihood of detecting segregating SFPs eventually resulting in more genes mapped. <it>In silico </it>validation showed that 87% of the SFPs map to the expected location on the 4.5X draft sequence of the <it>Eucalyptus grandis </it>genome.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The <it>Eucalyptus </it>1,845 gene map is the most highly enriched map for transcriptional information for any forest tree species to date. It represents a major improvement on the number of genes previously positioned on <it>Eucalyptus </it>maps and provides an initial glimpse at the gene space for this global tree genome. A general protocol is proposed to build high-density transcript linkage maps in less characterized plant species by SFP genotyping with a concurrent objective of reducing microarray costs. HIgh-density gene-rich maps represent a powerful resource to assist gene discovery endeavors when used in combination with QTL and association mapping and should be especially valuable to assist the assembly of reference genome sequences soon to come for several plant and animal species.</p

Bedrock geology, Angijurjuk-Mary River, Baffin Island, Nunavut, NTS 37-G west 1:100,000 Map

This map presents the field observations and initial geological interpretations for the Angijurjuk-Mary River area (NTS 37-G west), Baffin Island, Nunavut. The regional bedrock geology depicted on CGM maps 402 to 406 comprises Archean tonalitic to monzogranitic gneiss that includes mafic to intermediate components, and relatively homogeneous monzogranite-granodiorite intrusions. The Archean Mary River Group forms discontinuous volcano-sedimentary belts, consisting of mafic volcanic rocks interlayered with siliciclastic strata, banded iron-formation, and felsic to intermediate and ultramafic volcanic units. The supracrustal rocks are intruded by monzogranite-granodiorite plutons. Pelitic to psammitic units, marble, and calc-silicate of the middle Paleoproterozoic Piling Group unconformably overlie the Archean units. Archean units are also unconformably overlain by Mesoproterozoic clastic and carbonate platform sequences of the Bylot Supergroup. These strata were deposited within a graben that forms part of the larger Borden Basin. Paleozoic (Cambrian to Ordovician) strata lie unconformably upon Archean and Paleoproterozoic felsic plutonic rocks in the western portion of northern Baffin Island