A comparison of SNP and STR loci for delineating population structure and performing individual genetic assignment

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Technological advances have lead to the rapid increase in availability of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in a range of organisms, and there is a general optimism that SNPs will become the marker of choice for a range of evolutionary applications. Here, comparisons between 300 polymorphic SNPs and 14 short tandem repeats (STRs) were conducted on a data set consisting of approximately 500 Atlantic salmon arranged in 10 samples/populations.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Global F_STranged from 0.033-0.115 and -0.002-0.316 for the 14 STR and 300 SNP loci respectively. Global F_STwas similar among 28 linkage groups when averaging data from mapped SNPs. With the exception of selecting a panel of SNPs taking the locus displaying the highest global F_STfor each of the 28 linkage groups, which inflated estimation of genetic differentiation among the samples, inferred genetic relationships were highly similar between SNP and STR data sets and variants thereof. The best 15 SNPs (30 alleles) gave a similar level of self-assignment to the best 4 STR loci (83 alleles), however, addition of further STR loci did not lead to a notable increase assignment whereas addition of up to 100 SNP loci increased assignment.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Whilst the optimal combinations of SNPs identified in this study are linked to the samples from which they were selected, this study demonstrates that identification of highly informative SNP loci from larger panels will provide researchers with a powerful approach to delineate genetic relationships at the individual and population levels.</p

Nicotinic receptors

Regulation of normal or abnormal behaviour is critically controlled by the central serotonergic systems. Recent evidence has suggested that serotonin (5-HT) neurotransmission dysfunction contributes to a variety of pathological conditions, including depression, anxiety, schizophrenia and Parkinson’s disorders. There is also a great amount of evidence indicating that 5-HT signalling may affect the reinforcing properties of drugs of abuse by the interaction and modulation of dopamine (DA) function. This chapter is focused on one of the more addictive drugs, nicotine. It is widely recognised that the effects of nicotine are strongly associated with the stimulatory action it exhibits on mesolimbic DAergic function. We outline the role of 5-HT and its plethora of receptors, focusing on 5-HT2 subtypes with relation to their involvement in the neurobiology of nicotine addiction. We also explore the novel pharmacological approaches using 5-HT agents for the treatment of nicotine dependence. Compelling evidence shows that 5-HT2C receptor agonists may be possible therapeutic targets for smoking cessation, although further investigation is required.peer-reviewe

The impact of analogical reasoning on US foreign policy towards Kosovo

NATO's military intervention in Kosovo, the southernmost province of Yugoslavia, in March 1999, was legitimized as the last resort to alleviate the suffering of the Kosovo Albanians. Diplomatic initiatives at Rambouillet, France, had earlier failed to broker an agreement between the Yugoslav authorities and the Kosovar Albanians, leading NATO to assert a moral imperative to intervene. Critics of the intervention maintain that the negotiations were a charade designed to facilitate the execution of a military operation. This article suggests that the failure to reach agreement was a direct consequence of the analogical reasoning employed by the chief US negotiators at the time, Madeleine Albright and Richard Holbrooke. It is difficult to identify what exactly Slobodan Miloevic's military advisers said during this period without undertaking exhaustive research into Yugoslav military correspondence during the period or conducting interviews with the people themselves, many of whom, such as Miloevic and Dragoljub Ojdani, are standing trial, or have been tried, at The Hague. The main focus of this article, therefore, is on the analogical reasoning employed by US diplomats. The analogical lens, through which the events in Kosovo were viewed, steered the negotiations down a necessarily confrontational channel, which made it impossible to achieve an agreement. The use of analogical reasoning in international diplomacy is not unique to Kosovo, and this article will argue that future, and ongoing, analysis of US interventions, and foreign policy in general, must take account of the role played by analogical reasoning. Rather than searching for imperial motives behind US foreign policy, observers and academics should initially examine the suitability of the analogies employed by US policymakers and the extent to which they dictate action. Using Kosovo as a case study, this article will outline both the dangers inherent in the over-reliance on analogical reasoning in foreign policy situations and the need to understand the role played by analogies when formulating an accurate analysis of US foreign policy. Copyright 2006 SAGE Publications. All rights reserved. Not for commercial use or unauthorized distribution