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The article discusses a study which examined the relationship between single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) in individuals of European ancestry. Results of genomic-wide association studies (GWAS) conducted in Japan and in China are reported. It concludes that SNPs associated with PDAC risk in Asians are not associated with PDAC risk in persons of European descent.

BACKGROUND: Most blood group alloantigens specific for red cells and platelets (PLTs) are based on single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in genes encoding relevant membrane proteins. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: By use of five human PLT antigen (HPA) systems as a model, the suitability of a fourth-generation microarray technique for SNP typing was investigated. The results of the former were compared with those of a parallel developed third-generation technique (TaqMan assay, Applied Biosystems). Both techniques were validated by use of a unique panel of 71 blinded DNA samples containing at least 15 aa, bb, and ab genotypes for the HPA-1, -2, -3, -5, and-15 systems. RESULTS: Unambiguous and concordant results were obtained with both techniques for all samples. CONCLUSION: The data presented here validate the use of microarray for large-scale SNP typing for clinically relevant blood group alloantigens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two rearing treatments are used at Lyons Ferry Hatchery to produce yearling (age-1) and subyearling (age-0) fall Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha for supplementing production of wild fish in the Snake River. We compared four indicators of yearling and subyearling postrelease performance, namely, seaward movement, condition factor, growth rate, and survival. A standard rearing treatment was used to grow yearlings slowly for 14 months to sizes of 152-162 mm (mean fork length). A second standard rearing treatment was used to grow medium subyearlings at a moderate rate for 5 months to 84-89 mm. Two modified rearing treatments were used to produce large subyearlings that were grown rapidly to 90-103 mm and small subyearlings that were grown slowly to 70-76 mm. We released yearlings in April and subyearlings in June on the typical supplementation schedule. Seaward movement, condition factor, growth, and survival varied among rearing treatments. Yearlings moved seaward fastest for reasons related to their large size. Yearlings had the lowest postrelease condition factors and growth rates because they were released when temperatures were cool and they moved seaward quickly, spending little time to feed. Yearlings had the highest survival because they were released when the water was cool, they moved seaward quickly, and their large size reduced susceptibility to predation. Small subyearlings moved seaward the slowest because of their small size and slow growth before release. Small subyearlings had the highest postrelease condition factors and highest growth rates because they lingered and were exposed to relatively high temperatures that were favorable for growth. Small subyearlings had the lowest survival because they lingered and were exposed to low flow and warm water for long durations and their small size increased susceptibility to predation. We conclude that fall Chinook salmon performance after... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Allogenic transplantation of umbilical cord blood (UCB) from HLA-identical siblings is a therapeutic concept of increasing importance. Prenatal HLA typing results can provide important information as to whether the UCB should be collected. Therefore, we tested the suitability of two methods based on polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for low-resolution HLA genotyping of uncultured amniocytes contaminated with maternal blood.Study Design: Amniotic fluid samples (~10 mL, n = 4) were collected and divided into 5 equal sized portions. Subsequently, maternal blood was added to produce a series of varying degrees of artificial contamination ranging from 0% to 5% (vol/vol). Corresponding maternal blood and cord blood samples were collected and served as reference material. After DNA preparation, all samples were subjected to both PCR-SSP (sequence-specific primers) and PCR-SSO (sequence-specific oligonucleotides) typing procedures, designed for low-resolution typing of the highly polymorphic HLA-B locus.Results: Both PCR tests were able to accurately predict the fetal HLA-B type when pure amniotic fluid was used in all cases. The PCR-SSP method could still determine the fetal HLA type at 0.1% contamination but not at levels above this; in contrast, PCR-SSO failed if any degree of contamination was present.Conclusion: Fetal cells from amniotic fluid represent a reasonable source for prenatal testing of the fetal HLA genotype with either the PCR-SSP or the PCR-SSO method. Low levels of contamination with maternal blood in the amniotic fluid are tolerated by the more robust PCR-SSP method. In contrast, the PCR-SSO procedure is more sensitive to any degree of contamination, but it is the method of choice if the amount of DNA is limited because of the very low volume of specimens of amniotic fluid available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We performed a multistage genome-wide association study (GWAS) including 7,683 individuals with pancreatic cancer and 14,397 controls of European descent. Four new loci reached genome-wide significance: rs6971499 at 7q32.3 (LINC-PINT; per-allele odds ratio [OR] = 0.79; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.74–0.84; P = 3.0×10−12), rs7190458 at 16q23.1 (BCAR1/CTRB1/CTRB2; OR = 1.46; 95% CI = 1.30–1.65; P = 1.1×10−10), rs9581943 at 13q12.2 (PDX1; OR = 1.15; 95% CI = 1.10–1.20; P = 2.4×10−9), and rs16986825 at 22q12.1 (ZNRF3; OR = 1.18; 95% CI = 1.12–1.25; P = 1.2×10−8). An independent signal was identified in exon 2 of TERT at the established region 5p15.33 (rs2736098; OR = 0.80; 95% CI = 0.76–0.85; P = 9.8×10−14). We also identified a locus at 8q24.21 (rs1561927; P = 1.3×10−7) that approached genome-wide significance located 455 kb telomeric of PVT1. Our study has identified multiple new susceptibility alleles for pancreatic cancer worthy of follow-up studies.

Subyearling coho salmon Oncorhynchus kisutch and steelhead O. mykiss were placed together and separately in laboratory stream channels to assess their habitat use, interactions, and response to cover and predators. We studied the fish in six replicated riffle-pool-riffle units in the laboratory channels during 12 trials of 7 d each. In all test situations, we allowed the fish to emigrate from the test units. More fish remained in the units of the laboratory streams when both species were together than when either species was alone. The presence of larger fish (potential predators) caused both species to change habitats, regardless of cover available, and many left the test units or were eaten. Coho salmon used mainly the pools, whether stocked alone or together with steelhead; steelhead used both the riffles and pools when alone but shifted slightly toward increased use of the riffles when both species were present. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We observed young coho salmon Oncorhynchus kisutch, steelhead O. mykiss, and Dolly Varden Salvelinus malma in a second-order stream on Prince of Wales Island, Alaska, to assess differences between species in habitat use and response to cover and predators. Habitat use by subyearlings of the three species differed primarily in depth of water and position in the water column. Coho salmon selected the relatively deep areas of the small stream; steelhead were more evenly spread across the bottom, regardless of depth; and Dolly Varden were close to the bottom in water less than 20 cm deep. All three species selected lower positions in the water column in pools without cover than in pools with riparian or instream cover. We detected no shift in habitat use in response to fish predators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]