Medullary Thyroid Cancer

Medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) arises from the thyroid C-cells and accounts for 1 to 2% of thyroid cancers in the United States. Most tumors are sporadic but may occur as a part of the familial syndromes multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) 2A, MEN2B, and familial MTC. Surgery is the mainstay of treatment of these tumors, although recent advances in molecular genetics have enabled the development and use of targeted therapies such as tyrosine kinase inhibitors to treat patients with symptomatic metastatic disease. This review contains 2 figures, 3 tables and 34 references Key Words: genetics, management, medullary thyroid cancer, MEN2A, MEN2B, targeted therapies

Medullary Thyroid Cancer

Medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) arises from the thyroid C-cells and accounts for 1 to 2% of thyroid cancers in the United States. Most tumors are sporadic but may occur as a part of the familial syndromes multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) 2A, MEN2B, and familial MTC. Surgery is the mainstay of treatment of these tumors, although recent advances in molecular genetics have enabled the development and use of targeted therapies such as tyrosine kinase inhibitors to treat patients with symptomatic metastatic disease. This review contains 2 figures, 3 tables and 34 references Key Words: genetics, management, medullary thyroid cancer, MEN2A, MEN2B, targeted therapies

RELATIONSHIPS AMONG TURKISH PRE-SERVICE SCIENCE TEACHERS’ GENETICS LITERACY LEVELS AND THEIR ATTITUDES TOWARDS ISSUES IN GENETICS LITERACY

The importance of genetically literate individuals who can understand and join debates about genetics related issues, including gene therapy or cloning has been acknowledged by societies. With this respect, raising genetically literate individuals has become more prominent. Teachers’ knowledge in genetics literacy and their attitudes towards issues in genetics literacy influence their teaching practices. As a wide range of variables effect teachers’ genetics literacy levels and attitudes, this study examined how a set of variables including pre-service science teachers’ self-perceived interest, knowledge and importance of genetics, gender, academic achievement, socioeconomic status (household income, employment status and educational level of parents) are related to the their genetics literacy levels and attitudes towards various genetics literacy issues. Data was collected from 355 pre-service science teachers through administration of Genetics Literacy Assessment Inventory and Attitudes towards Issues in Genetics Literacy Scale. Canonical correlation analysis suggested that self-perceived interest and importance in genetics literacy issues, gender and parents’ educational levels were positively associated with participants’ genetics literacy levels, as well as attitudes towards the use of genetic information, gene therapy, and gene therapy applications. On the other hand, self-perceived knowledge, GPA, household income, employment status of parents were not found to be associated. Key words: genetics literacy, pre-service science teachers, attitude, socio-demographic variables.

A Review of the Role of Genetic Testing in Pain Medicine

Background: Pain clinicians have always been challenged by the variability of response to pain treatment. Differences in the degree of pain stimulation and pain sensitivity, weight and age differences, prior opioid use and tolerance, as well as the differences in bioavailability of various opioid formulations have been cited as causes for the wide variability in analgesia seen with opioids. Genetics may explain the variability of responses and help to predict more effective (or less dangerous) medication choices and doses. Genetics may also help to predict the response to specific opioids and antidepressants. Objectives: In this review article, we discuss the genetic influence of nociception, analgesia, and hyoanalgesia. The CYP450 enzymes involved in the metabolism and activity of opioids and adjuvant analgesics are genetically controlled, as are the opioid receptors and a variety of brain chemistries. Methods: This article discusses the specific pain implications of genetic variations in CYP1A2, CYP2C8, CYP2C9, CYP2C19, CYP2D6, CYP2E1, CYP3A4, CYP3A7, OPRM1, OPRK1, OPRD1, COMT, GABA, UGT, MC1R, GCH1, ABCB1, P-glycoprotein, 5HTR1A, 5HTR2A, MTHFR, CACNA2D2, and 5-HTTLPR. Results: Recent research findings suggest the relationship between genetic predisposition and clinical behavior, including the risk of opioid misuse and addiction. While urine drug testing may hint at genetic issues regarding opioid metabolism, cheek swab DNA testing has become economically viable, and we review the current and future genetic pain issues that may influence the decisions that pain clinicians make every day. Conclusion: Genetic testing may explain and predict many of the clinical responses seen with opioids and adjuvant medications, and may help the clinician identify those patients at genetic risk of opioid misuse and addiction. Key words: Genetics, genetic testing, opioid metabolism, drug interactions, urine drug testing, opioid risk evaluation, opioid receptors

Genetika Roman Panglipur Wuyung

Roman panglipur wuyung secara ideologis menggambarkan keinginan yang diidam- kan hadir di dunia nyata. Kota adalah tempat yang ideal untuk memperolehnya. Sebaliknya, de- sa adalah dunia sepi, miskin, dan serba kekurangan. Meskipun demikian, kesadaran akan keter- asingan di kota tidak dapat dimiliki oleh para tokoh cerita yang umumnya didominasi para re- maja. Dunia nyata yang ada di kota inilah yang diidamkan dalam cerita roman panglipur wu- yung. Kesenangan dan kekayaan adalah hal ideal yang diimpikan, yang dicita-citakan, dan yang harus hadir di dunia nyata ini. Genetika sosial roman berasal dari masyarakat kapitalisme semu. Abstract: The romance of Panglipur wuyung ideologically describes an ideal aspiration emerges in the real world. A city is basically an ideal place to get it. Conversely, a country is a quiet, poor world, and lack of anything. The consciousness of alienation in the city, however, cannot be possessed by the characters generally dominated by teenagers in this roman. The city is the real world which is dreamt, aspired in the romance. The social genetics of romance originates from a pseudo-capitalism society. Key Words: genetics; ideology; real world

Association Between the ACE I/D) Gene Polymorphism and Physical Performance in a Homogeneous Non-Elite Cohort

Background: I/D polymorphism of the ACE gene may be associated with better endurance performance and a stronger response to exercise training. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between ACE gene polymorphism and athletic performance in a homogeneous cohort. Methods: Eighty-eight male non-elite Caucasian Turkish athletes with similar training backgrounds for at least for 6 months were studied for ACE gene polymorphisms by PCR analysis. Performance on the 60-meter sprint and middle-distance running tests were evaluated. Results: The distributions of the ACE I/D genotypes were 20.5%, 40.9%, and 38.6% for II, ID, and DD polymorphisms in the whole group (N = 88), respectively. The ACE DD genotype frequency was significantly higher in the superior group (56.7%) than in the poor (37.9%) and mediocre (20.7%) group in middle-distance running performance (χ2 = 11.778; p = 0.019). Conclusion: The ACE DD genotype may be related to better short-duration aerobic endurance performance. Larger homogeneous cohorts may help clarify the association between ACE I/D polymorphism and physical performance. Key words: genetics, endurance performance, DNA, sprint

Construction of an RFLP map in sorghum and comparative mapping in maize

An F2 population derived from a cross between Sorghum bicolor ssp. bicolor ('CK60') and Sorghum bicolor ssp. drummondii ('PI229828') was used to develop an RFLP genetic linkage map of sorghum. The map consists of 201 loci distributed among 10 linkage groups covering a map distance of 1530 cM, with an average 8 cM between adjacent loci. Maize genomic probes (52), maize cDNA probes (124), and sorghum genomic probes (10) were used to define the loci (55, 136, and 10, respectively). Ninety-five percent of the loci fit expected segregation ratios. The loci with distorted segregation ratios were confined almost exclusively to a region of one linkage group. Comparison of sorghum and maize maps indicated high correspondence between the two genomes in terms of loci order and genetic distance. Many loci linked in maize (45 of 55) were also linked in sorghum. Instances of both conserved and rearranged locus orders were detected. Key words: genetics, gene mapping, Sorghum bicolor, Zea mays.

Generation and utilization of chemical-resistant mutants in Pyrenophora tritici-repentis, the causal agent of tan spot of wheat

Tan spot, caused by the fungal pathogen Pyrenophora tritici-repentis, is a major leaf spot disease of wheat worldwide. To facilitate genetic analysis of this homothallic fungus, mutants resistant to the fungicide iprodione or hygromycin B were created through ultraviolet light mutagenesis and used in sexual crosses. Conidia from two isolates of P. tritici-repentis, sensitive to both chemicals (iprodione-S hygromycin-S), were exposed to ultraviolet light to obtain four mutants resistant to iprodione but sensitive to hygromycin B (iprodione-R hygromycin-S) and three mutants resistant to hygromycin B but sensitive to iprodione (iprodione-S hygromycin-R). The mutants were paired in all combinations, and the markers allowed crossed progeny to be distinguished from selfed progeny. Crossed ascospore progeny from pairings between iprodione-R hygromycin-S isolates and iprodione-S hygromycin-R isolates and between iprodione-R hygromycin-R isolates and iprodione-S hygromycin-S segregated 1:1 for resistance–sensitivity to both iprodione and hygromycin B. These results indicate that one locus controls iprodione resistance and a second independent locus controls hygromycin B resistance. This study should facilitate further genetic research on the tan spot fungus by providing a simple marker system. Key words: genetics, inheritance, Drechslera, yellow spot, leaf spot.

Towards making willows pilot species for coppicing production

Long and short term breeding of willows for energy production in Sweden and basic research related to these activities is presented. The strategy is to concentrate on one species, S. viminalis, to functionally separate long and short-term breeding and to emphasize general biological research on Salix. In the long term breeding we have a sub-divided breeding population where we aim for inbreeding in the sublines. The selection of cultivars is based on both family and individual selection and cloning is used in this process. The basic research is concerned with the components of growth, the genetics of small populations and host-parasite interaction. Key words: genetics, long term breeding, S. viminalis, subdivided breeding population, components of growth, small populations, host-parasite interaction.

SELECTION LIMITS: HAVE THEY BEEN REACHED IN THE POULTRY INDUSTRY?

Present emphasis is on the heavy turkey, grown to relatively heavy body weight and subsequently jointed and further processed. Rapid selection for broad-breasted conformation led to problems in natural mating; hence the fertilization of almost all commercial turkey hatching eggs by artificial insemination. Meat chickens have experienced similar selection for growth and conformation. While reproductive performance has not been affected as much as with turkeys, rate of lay, fertility and hatchability of meat chickens has room for improvement. Increased feed intake, in response to selection for growth improvements has led to increased fat deposition, an unwanted feature. Breeding programs for egg production stocks differ fundamentally from those for meat stocks because they are concerned with multiple objectives. Many of these are of low heritibility and some are antagonistic to others. Because of this, selection intensity for any one trait has not been as high as among meat chickens and turkeys. Selection for increased rate of egg production has often been based on "part record;" since this is measured at a time of maximum lay, this trait approaches what may be regarded as a physiological limit, but not necessarily a genetic one. Persistency of lay, on the other hand, shows potential for further improvement. Egg weight and body weight, as they determine feed efficiency, are discussed, as are egg interval and shell quality. No genetic limit has been reached for any of these traits. The application of genetic disease resistance to Marek's disease, for example, affords considerable scope for future improvements. The large resevoir of genetic diversity, coupled with the use of multiple objectives, suggests that even after 40 years of relatively intense selection, genetic variation does not appear to be exhausted. Key words: Genetics, selection, egg production, broilers, turkeys