Reciprocal chromosome painting among human, aardvark, and elephant (superorder Afrotheria) reveals the likely eutherian ancestral karyotype

The Afrotheria, a supraordinal grouping of mammals whose radiation is rooted in Africa, is strongly supported by DNA sequence data but not by their disparate anatomical features. We have used flow-sorted human, aardvark, and African elephant chromosome painting probes and applied reciprocal painting schemes to representatives of two of the Afrotherian orders, the Tubulidentata (aardvark) and Proboscidea (elephants), in an attempt to shed additional light on the evolutionary affinities of this enigmatic group of mammals. Although we have not yet found any unique cytogenetic signatures that support the monophyly of the Afrotheria, embedded within the aardvark genome we find the strongest evidence yet of a mammalian ancestral karyotype comprising 2n = 44. This karyotype includes nine chromosomes that show complete conserved synteny to those of man, six that show conservation as single chromosome arms or blocks in the human karyotype but that occur on two different chromosomes in the ancestor, and seven neighbor-joining combinations (i.e., the synteny is maintained in the majority of species of the orders studied so far, but which corresponds to two chromosomes in humans). The comparative chromosome maps presented between human and these Afrotherian species provide further insight into mammalian genome organization and comparative genomic data for the Afrotheria, one of the four major evolutionary clades postulated for the Eutheria.

Chromosome painting refines the history of genome evolution in hares and rabbits (order Lagomorpha)

Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) was used to define homologous segments among representatives of 7 of the 11 recognized leporid genera. Chromosome painting using 22 rabbit chromosome-specific paints derived from flow-sorted chromosomes revealed that at least 18 fusions and six fissions differentiate the extant karyotypes from the presumed ancestral state (2n = 48). The riverine rabbit, Bunolagus monticularis, has the most derived karyotype, differing from the ancestor by seven fusions and five fissions, followed by Pronolagus rupestris, with four fusions and one fission. These findings are consistent with the proposed Palaeolaginae/Leporinae dichotomy in the lagomorphs. The molecular cytogenetic data allow for a refinement of the structural changes that have shaped genome evolution in this group of mammals and underscore the rapid radiation of the Leporidae suggested by mitochondrial DNA sequence data.

Smcy transgene does not rescue spermatogenesis in sex-reversed mice

In mouse, the Sxr(b) deletion interval (delta Sxr(b)) maps to the small short arm of the Y chromosome and is known to contain gene(s) required for normal spermatogenesis; in particular, Spy, which is essential for the postnatal mitotic proliferation of spermatogonia. This deletion interval is approximately 1-2 Mb and contains eight known genes. In this paper we report the construction of YAC transgenic mice containing different regions of the delta Sxr(b) interval including Zfy1, Ube1y, Smcy, and Eif2s3. Two male and one female founder mice, transgenic for all four genes, were sterile. However, a fertile transgenic, carrying a full-length copy of the Smcy gene integrated into central Chr 12, was identified. Smcy is a highly conserved Y chromosome-located gene, encoding peptides corresponding to epitopes of the male-specific antigen, H-Y. The Smcy transgene was ubiquitously expressed in all organs and tissues tested in male and female carriers. Introduction of the transgene into an X Sxr(b)/O genetic background did not rescue the early arrest of spermatogenesis characteristic of these males. These data indicate that the presence of Smcy is not sufficient to restore spermatogenesis, making it a highly unlikely candidate for Spy.

A transgenic insertion causing cryptorchidism in mice

A distinctive feature of gonadal maturation in mammals is the movement to an extraabdominal location. Testicular descent is a complex, multistage process whereby the embryonic gonads migrate from their initial abdominal position to the scrotum. Failure in this process results in cryptorchidism, a frequent congenital birth defect in humans. We report here a new mouse transgenic insertional mutation, cryptorchidism with white spotting (crsp). Males homozygous for crsp exhibit a high intraabdominal position of the testes, associated with complete sterility. Heterozygous males have a wild-type phenotype, and homozygous females are fertile. Surgically descended testes in crsp/crsp males show normal spermatogenesis. Using FISH and genetic analyses, the transgenic insert causing the crsp mutation has been mapped to the distal part of mouse chromosome 5. Transgene integration resulted in a 550-kb deletion located upstream of the Brca2 gene. A candidate gene encoding a novel G protein-coupled receptor (Great) with an expression pattern suggesting involvement in testicular descent has been identified.

A transgenic insertion upstream of sox9 is associated with dominant XX sex reversal in the mouse

In most mammals, male development is triggered by the transient expression of the Y-chromosome gene, Sry, which initiates a cascade of gene interactions ultimately leading to the formation of a testis from the indifferent fetal gonad. Several genes, in particular Sox9, have a crucial role in this pathway. Despite this, the direct downstream targets of Sry and the nature of the pathway itself remain to be clearly established. We report here a new dominant insertional mutation, Odsex (Ods), in which XX mice carrying a 150-kb deletion (approximately 1 Mb upstream of Sox9) develop as sterile XX males lacking Sry. During embryogenesis, wild-type XX fetal gonads downregulate Sox9 expression, whereas XY and XX Ods/+ fetal gonads upregulate and maintain its expression. We propose that Ods has removed a long-range, gonad-specific regulatory element that mediates the repression of Sox9 expression in XX fetal gonads. This repression would normally be antagonized by Sry protein in XY embryos. Our data are consistent with Sox9 being a direct downstream target of Sry and provide genetic evidence to support a general repressor model of sex determination in mammals.

A molecular cytogenetic analysis of X chromosome repatterning in the Bovidae: transpositions, inversions, and phylogenetic inference

Chromosomal homologies among the X chromosomes of species representative of eight bovid subfamilies and most of the recognized tribes were established using a combination of FISH and conventional G- and C-banding. Our analyses allowed for the delimitation of three X chromosome types represented, respectively, by cattle (Bovinae, tribe Bovini), the tragelaphines (Bovinae, tribe Tragelaphini), and a large assemblage comprising all the remaining subfamilies and their tribes (the Cephalophinae, Hippotraginae, Alcelaphinae, Antilopinae, Aepycerotinae, Peleinae, and Caprinae). The use of the bacterial artificial chromosome probe BAC 101 (which maps to Xp12 in cattle) and an Xp painting probe comprising sequences specific for the short arm of cattle Xp (Xp24-->p12) allowed us to orient this region, which has moved as a conserved euchromatic block during the evolution of the bovid X chromosome. We show that the differences between the three chromosomal types are attributable to a transposition, two inversions, and heterochromatic additions/deletions. A paucity of comparative mapping data precludes the assignment of the sequences contained in cattle Xp to either the presumed conserved (XCR) or the recently added (XAR) region of the eutherian X chromosome, and the reasons for the retention of these sequences as an evolutionarily conserved unit in the intrachromosomal restructuring of the bovid X across lineages remain enigmatic.

Mutations in a new photoreceptor-pineal gene on 17p cause leber congenital amaurosis. Nat gen 2000;24:79-83

Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA, MIM 204000) accounts for at least 5% of all inherited retinal disease1 and is the most severe inherited retinopathy with the earliest age of onset2. Individuals affected with LCA are diagnosed at birth or in the first few months of life with severely impaired vision or blindness, nystagmus and an abnormal or flat electroretinogram (ERG). Mutations in GUCY2D (ref. 3), RPE65 (ref. 4) and CRX (ref. 5) are known to cause LCA, but one study identified disease-causing GUCY2D mutations in only 8 of 15 families whose LCA locus maps to 17p13.1 (ref. 3), suggesting another LCA locus might be located on 17p13.1. Confirming this prediction, the LCA in one Pakistani family mapped to 17p13.1, between D17S849 and D17S960—a region that excludes GUCY2D. The LCA in this family has been designated LCA4 (ref. 6). We describe here a new photoreceptor/pineal-expressed gene, AIPL1 (encoding arylhydrocarbon interacting protein-like 1), that maps within the LCA4 candidate region and whose protein contains three tetratricopeptide (TPR) motifs, consistent with nuclear transport or chaperone activity. A homozygous nonsense mutation at codon 278 is present in all affected members of the original LCA4 family. AIPL1 mutations may cause approximately 20% of recessive LCA, as disease-causing mutations were identified in 3 of 14 LCA families not tested previously for linkage.

Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor with a t(X;18)

We describe an ankle tumor arising in a 16-year-old girl. The tumor demonstrated histology typical of a malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST), but exhibited a variant form of the (X;18) translocation associated with synovial sarcoma. Immunohistochemical stains were positive for vimentin, CD57, collagen type IV, and Bcl-2. Routine and molecular cytogenetic studies showed an unbalanced 3-way chromosomal translocation that involved chromosomes X, 18, and 1. Electron microscopic findings were noncontributory. This unusual tumor raises the following questions and possibilities: (1) As the t(X;18) suggests, could this tumor be a monophasic synovial sarcoma with the histologic features of an MPNST? (2) Or, as the histology suggests, is this tumor an MPNST that has a t(X;18)? (3) Finally, could MPNST histology, a t(X;18), and no defining immunohistochemical or electron microscopic features represent an as yet unrecognized part of a spectrum that spans from synovial sarcoma to MPNST or other spindle cell tumors?

Immunohistochemical determination of HER-2/neu expression in invasive breast carcinoma

Numerous methods exist for HER-2/neu assessment; however, technical and interpretive standardization is virtually absent. We evaluated 2 commercially available antibodies on routinely fixed paraffin-embedded tissue sections to establish our own guidelines. Thirty-three cases of infiltrating breast carcinoma were evaluated simultaneously with monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies. Only membranous staining, no matter how focal, was considered positive. An additional 32 tumors were studied subsequently using only the polyclonal antibody. Of all carcinomas, 13.0% showed immunohistochemical evidence of HER-2/neu overexpression. High-grade tumors were more often positive. There was no HER-2/neu gene expression in the benign epithelium that generally was present in the tissue section or in any of the well-differentiated tumors tested. The polyclonal antibody proved more sensitive than the monoclonal antibody. While true cytoplasmic staining was present occasionally, it did not create substantial difficulty in interpretation. The polyclonal antibody cost substantially less than the monoclonal antibody. Fluorescence in situ hybridization assay for HER-2/neu gene amplification performed on 32 of 65 cases showed concordant results in 31 cases. The immunohistochemical assay for HER-2/neu gene overexpression, using our methods, is accurate, economic, and easily integrated into the laboratory.

Endothelin antagonists diminish postischemic microvascular incompetence and necrosis in the heart

The endothelin receptor antagonists BQ-610 and BQ-123 were used to clarify the role of endothelin in the pathogenesis of postischemic microvascular incompetence in the myocardium. Forty-five isolated rat hearts were perfused with Krebs-Henseleit buffer (KHB) for 15 min and then subjected to 0, 15, or 60 min of ischemia followed by 5 min of reperfusion with KHB, KHB + BQ-610, or KHB + BQ-123. They were fixed by perfusion with 2.5% glutaraldehyde and then perfused with nuclear track emulsion as an indicator of vascular flow. Transmural sections of resin-embedded myocardium were examined by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Following 60 min of ischemia, the subendocardial third of the LV wall of hearts treated with BQ-123 showed nearly three times the proportion (P < 0.001) of competent capillaries in untreated hearts. Reperfusion after 15 min of ischemia of hearts treated with BQ-123 showed a 30% increase in the proportion of competent capillaries compared to controls (P < 0. 002). Treatment of corresponding groups with BQ-610 increased the proportion of competent capillaries but these differences were not statistically significant. In addition, both ET-I antagonists dramatically reduced the amount of ultrastructural change evident in myocardium reperfused after 60 min of ischemia. Thus endothelin plays a significant role in the pathogenesis of postischemic microvascular incompetence in the myocardium and, probably by its effects on Ca(2+) uptake, contributes also to the ultrastructural damage to the myocytes and endothelium which follows postischemic reperfusion of irreversibly injured myocardium.

Donor cell leukemia: report of a case occurring 11 years after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation and review of the literature

We report the case of a man with chronic myelocytic leukemia (CML) and a 46,XY,t(5;9;22) karyotype who developed acute myelocytic leukemia (AML) with a 45,X,t(8;21) karyotype 11 years after bone marrow transplantation (BMT) from his HLA-matched sister. Fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) studies and molecular analysis using short tandem repeat (STR) sequences proved the new leukemia to be of donor cell origin. Donor cell leukemia (DCL) after BMT is rare. Our review of the literature found 15 cases following BMT for leukemia and 2 cases after BMT for benign hematological disorders. In fewer than half the reported cases were molecular studies available to confirm the cytogenetic evidence for DCL, and the longest previously reported interval between BMT and DCL was 6 years.

Mutations in a new photoreceptor-pineal gene on 17p cause Leber congenital amaurosis

Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA, MIM 204000) accounts for at least 5% of all inherited retinal disease and is the most severe inherited retinopathy with the earliest age of onset. Individuals affected with LCA are diagnosed at birth or in the first few months of life with severely impaired vision or blindness, nystagmus and an abnormal or flat electroretinogram (ERG). Mutations in GUCY2D (ref. 3), RPE65 (ref. 4) and CRX (ref. 5) are known to cause LCA, but one study identified disease-causing GUCY2D mutations in only 8 of 15 families whose LCA locus maps to 17p13.1 (ref. 3), suggesting another LCA locus might be located on 17p13.1. Confirming this prediction, the LCA in one Pakistani family mapped to 17p13.1, between D17S849 and D17S960-a region that excludes GUCY2D. The LCA in this family has been designated LCA4 (ref. 6). We describe here a new photoreceptor/pineal-expressed gene, AIPL1 (encoding aryl-hydrocarbon interacting protein-like 1), that maps within the LCA4 candidate region and whose protein contains three tetratricopeptide (TPR) motifs, consistent with nuclear transport or chaperone activity. A homozygous nonsense mutation at codon 278 is present in all affected members of the original LCA4 family. AIPL1 mutations may cause approximately 20% of recessive LCA, as disease-causing mutations were identified in 3 of 14 LCA families not tested previously for linkage.

Insertional mutation of the collagen genes Col4a3 and Col4a4 in a mouse model of Alport syndrome

Mice homozygous for the transgenic insertion in line OVE250 exhibit severe progressive glomerulonephritis. Ultrastructural changes in the glomerular basement membrane (GBM) at 2 weeks of age resemble those in Alport syndrome. The transgenic insertion site was mapped by FISH to mouse chromosome 1 close to Pax3. Genetic and molecular analyses identified a deletion of genomic DNA at the transgene insertion site. Exons 1 through 12 of the collagen IV gene Col4a4, exons 1 and 2 of the adjacent Col4a3 gene, and the intergenic promoter region are deleted. Transcripts of Col4a3 and Col4a4 are undetectable in mutant kidney, and both proteins are missing from the GBM. Persistent cellular proliferation in mutant kidneys suggests that interaction with the extracellular matrix may be important for cell maturation. Evolutionarily conserved sequence elements in the promoter regions of human and mouse Col4a3 and Col4a4 include a 19-bp element that was tandemly duplicated in the human lineage and a CTC box element common to several genes encoding extracellular matrix proteins. This new animal model of Alport syndrome, Col4Delta3-4, lacks both alpha3 and alpha4 chains of collagen IV and exhibits an earlier disease onset than mice lacking alpha3 only.

Expression of the rat liver carnitine palmitoyltransferase I (CPT-Ialpha) gene is regulated by Sp1 and nuclear factor Y: chromosomal localization and promoter characterization

Carnitine palmitoyltransferase (CPT)-I catalyses the transfer of long-chain fatty acids from CoA to carnitine for translocation across the mitochondrial inner membrane. Expression of the 'liver' isoform of the CPT-I gene (CPT-Ialpha) is subject to developmental, hormonal and tissue-specific regulation. To understand the basis for control of CPT-Ialpha gene expression, we have characterized the proximal promoter of the CPT-Ialpha gene. Here, we report the sequence of 6839 base pairs of the promoter and the localization of the rat CPT-Ialpha gene to region q43 on chromosome 1. Our studies show that the first 200 base pairs of the promoter are sufficient to drive transcription of the CPT-Ialpha gene. Within this region are two sites that bind both Sp1 and Sp3 transcription factors. In addition, nuclear factor Y (NF-Y) binds the proximal promoter. Mutation at the Sp1 or NF-Y sites severely decreases transcription from the CPT-Ialpha promoter. Other protein binding sites were identified within the first 200 base pairs of the promoter by DNase I footprinting, and these elements contribute to CPT-Ialpha gene expression. Our studies demonstrate that CPT-Ialpha is a TATA-less gene which utilizes NF-Y and Sp proteins to drive basal expression.

Multifocal osteosarcoma: an unusual presentation

PURPOSE

Report the unusual presentation, clinical course, and cytogenetic abnormalities in a child with multifocal osteosarcoma.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A 10-year-old boy had multifocal osteosarcoma involving the entire skeleton, pleura, bone marrow, and lungs. He had marked anemia, thrombocytopenia, and severe hypocalcemia at diagnosis.

RESULTS

Despite aggressive chemotherapy, he died from progressive disease 1 month after diagnosis. Cytogenetic analysis of tumor cells within the pleural fluid showed multiple chromosomal abnormalities with amplification of the c-myc oncogene.

CONCLUSION

Multifocal osteosarcoma should be considered in the differential diagnosis of a child with pancytopenia and multiple bone lesions. Amplification of the c-myc oncogene may have had a significant role in the pathogenesis, etiology, and rapid progression of this patient's multifocal disease. Additional studies will be needed to determine the biologic significance of c-myc amplification in multifocal osteosarcoma.

Cytogenetic analysis of a scapular chondromyxoid fibroma

Chondromyxoid fibroma (CMF) is a rare cartilaginous tumor of bone. It typically presents in the lower extremities of young males. Cytogenetic analysis of two chondromyxoid fibromas has been previously reported. We studied a scapular CMF from an 11-year-old female by cytogenetic and molecular cytogenetic methods and found an unbalanced reciprocal translocation between the short arm of chromosome 3 and the long arm of chromosome 6. In this translocation, several bands from chromosome 3 (3p12, 3p13, 3p14, 3p21) are lost and several bands on chromosome 6 (6q21, 6q22, 6q23) appear rearranged. Two known cartilage-related genes are located in the regions affected by this unbalanced rearrangement: the type X collagen gene (COL10A1) located at 6q21-q22 and the parathyroid hormone/parathyroid hormone-related peptide receptor gene (PTH/PTHrP) located at 3p21.1-p22. These genes function to control growth and maturation of endochondral bone, the site of origin of cartilaginous tumors.

Detection of double minute chromosomes in a child with acute lymphoblastic leukemia

A child with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) whose predominant leukemic clone demonstrated double minute chromosomes (dmin) is presented. The patient had no history of mutagen or carcinogen exposure and responded well to combination chemotherapy. Although dmin have been described in acute myelogenous leukemia and various solid tumors in adults, their presence in childhood neoplasms is less frequent and limited primarily to neurogenic tumors. This is the first documentation of dmin in childhood ALL, suggesting that there may be an unrecognized subgroup of ALL patients with gene amplification.

Chromosomes of Brants' whistling rat and genome conservation in the Otomyinae revealed by G-banding and fluorescence in situ hybridization

Conventional G- and C-banding were used to describe the chromosomes of the whistling rat, Parotomys brantsii. This species has a diploid number of 42 chromosomes. C-banding showed that large blocks of pericentromeric heterochromatin or entirely heterochromatic short arms characterize most chromosomes. G-banding and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) incorporating two laboratory mouse chromosome paints were used to compare the genomes of P. brantsii, the bush karoo rat (Otomys unisulcatus; 2n = 28), and the vlei rat (O. irroratus; 2n = 28-31). The FISH results showed that sequences corresponding to mouse chromosome 2 are conserved as a single chromosome in O. irroratus but are found on two separate chromosomes in P. brantsii and O. unisulcatus. In contrast, a mouse chromosome 6 paint showed hybridization to single chromosomes in all three species examined. When taken together, the FISH and cytogenetic results produce two important findings: (1) previously undetected homoeologies between the two Otomys species can be identified and (2) a high proportion of conserved chromosomes exists between P. brantsii and O. unisulcatus. This, in conjunction with previously reported allozyme and immunoblot data, raises serious questions about the validity of the current generic taxonomy of the Otomyinae.

Human glutamate pyruvate transaminase (GPT): localization to 8q24.3, cDNA and genomic sequences, and polymorphic sites

Two frequent protein variants of glutamate pyruvate transminase (GPT) (E.C.2.6.1.2) have been used as genetic markers in humans for more than two decades, although chromosomal mapping of the GPT locus in the 1980s produced conflicting results. To resolve this conflict and develop useful DNA markers for this gene, we isolated and characterized cDNA and genomic clones of GPT. We have definitively mapped human GPT to the terminus of 8q using several methods. First, two cosmids shown to contain the GPT sequence were derived from a chromosome 8-specific library. Second, by fluorescence in situ hybridization, we mapped the cosmid containing the human GPT gene to chromosome band 8q24.3. Third, we mapped the rat gpt cDNA to the syntenic region of rat chromosome 7. Finally, PCR primers specific to human GPT amplify sequences contained within a "half-YAC" from the long arm of chromosome 8, that is, a YAC containing the 8q telomere. The human GPT genomic sequence spans 2,7 kb and consists of 11 exons, ranging in size from 79 to 243 bp. The exonic sequence encodes a protein of 495 amino acids that is nearly identical to the previously reported protein sequence of human GPT-1. The two polymorphic GPT isozymes are the results of a nucleotide substitution in codon 14, coding for a histidine in GPT-1 and an asparagine in GPT-2, which causes a gain or loss of an NlaIII restriction site. In addition, a cosmid containing the GPT sequence also contains a previously unmapped, polymorphic microsatellite sequence, D8S421. The cloned GPT gene and associated polymorphisms will be useful for linkage and physical mapping of disease loci that map to the terminus of 8q, including atypical vitelliform macular dystrophy (VMD1) and epidermolysis bullosa simplex, type Ogna (EBS1). In addition, this will be a useful system for characterizing the telomeric region of 8q. Finally, determination of the molecular basis of the GPT isozyme variants will permit PCR-based detection of this world-wide polymorphism.

X chromosome evolution in the suni and eland antelope: detection of homologous regions by fluorescence in situ hybridization and G-banding

Comparative cytogenetics and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) were used to track structural rearrangements in the X chromosomes of two African antelope species, the eland (Taurotragus oryx; tribe Tragelaphini) and the suni (Neotragus moschatus; tribe Neotragini). Using two microdissected cattle chromosome painting probes (one specific for Xp-containing sequences corresponding to Xp24-->p12 of the cattle X, and one specific for Xq-containing sequences corresponding to Xq12-->qter), we show that intrachromosomal rearrangements distinguish the X chromosomes of these species. Furthermore, there is clear evidence that, superimposed on this background of intrachromosomal evolutionary change, the sequences contained in the cattle Xp painting probe appear to have moved as a complete unit during the repatterning of the bovid X. Although we are unable to infer the order of the rearranged chromosomal segments, given the large regions of homology detected by the chromosome paints, we nonetheless believe that this approach (combining conventional and molecular cytogenetic studies on the X chromosome) will prove useful for inferring phylogenetic relationships in the family Bovidae, particularly as more probes become available.

Characterization of human DSPG3, a small dermatan sulfate proteoglycan

PG-Lb is a small dermatan sulfate proteoglycan that has been previously characterized in chicken. In the developing limb, chick PG-Lb appears to be exclusively expressed in the zone of flattened chondrocytes. We have cloned and sequenced the human homolog to chick PG-Lb from two human chondrocyte cDNA libraries and a human chondrocyte RNA sample. The human homolog has been named DSPG3, as it is the third member of the small dermatan sulfate proteoglycan family to be identified and characterized along with biglycan (PG-I) and decorin (PG-II). DSPG3 maps to chromosome 12q21 and is composed of 1515 nucleotides of cDNA that code for a 322-amino-acid protein. The protein contains three potential glycosaminoglycan attachment sites, two N-glycosylation sites, a poly- glutamic acid stretch, and six cysteines. By Northern analysis, we have demonstrated that DSPG3 is expressed in cartilage, as well as ligament and placental tissues.

Chromosomal evolution in duiker antelope (Cephalophinae: Bovidae): karyotype comparisons, fluorescence in situ hybridization, and rampant X chromosome variation

Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and conventional banding techniques were used to identify patterns of similarity among the genomes of six species of antelope, subfamily Cephalophinae. The G-banded euchromatic portions of the autosomes were invariable in all species; however, significant modifications of the X chromosomes were detected. Two of the taxa, Cephalophus maxwellii and C. monticola, were characterized by acrocentric X's, while X chromosome morphology varied from submetacentric to metacentric in the remaining species (C. dorsalis, C. natalensis, Sylvicapra grimmia, and C. silvicultor). The short arm of the X was heterochromatic in each species. Total genomic DNAs from these antelope were used as hybridization probes against Cephalophus metaphase chromosomes and resulted in robust fluorescence in the pericentromeric region of each autosome and in the heterochromatic short arm of the X chromosome, indicating complimentarity of DNA sequences in these regions. Conversely, chromosome painting involving genomic DNAs derived from the subfamilies Alcelaphinae (Pygargus dorcas) and Neotraginae (Oreotragus oreotragus) showed a marked absence of hybridization at these sites. Additionally, X chromosome comparisons between the Cephalophinae and Bovinae (represented by Bos taurus) revealed two euchromatic pericentric inversions which had occurred since their common ancestry. There is good G-band homoeology between the inverted cattle chromosome region Xq12 --> q34 and most of the proximal portion of Xq in duikers, as well as between the distal third of the duiker Xq and the cattle Xp. The latter rearrangement was further confirmed by in situ hybridization using a probe containing an insert spanning bands p12 to p14 of the cattle X chromosome.

Mutations in exon 17B of cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) cause pseudoachondroplasia

Pseudoachondroplasia (PSACH) is a well characterized dwarfing condition mapping to chromosome 19p12-13.1. Cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP), a cartilage specific protein, maps to the same location within a contig that spans the PSACH locus. Using single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis and nucleotide sequencing we have identified COMP mutations in eight familial and isolated PSACH cases. All mutations involve either a single base-pair change or a three base-pair deletion in exon 17B. Six mutations delete or change a well conserved aspartic acid residue within the calcium-binding type 3 repeats. These results demonstrate that mutations in the COMP gene cause pseudochondroplasia.

Alexithymia among Vietnam veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder

The authors studied 227 inpatients from a large Veterans Administration Medical Center to evaluate whether alexithymia is associated with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and to assess the validity of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) alexithymia scale. Three groups--a carefully diagnosed PTSD group (N = 76), an alcohol abuse group (N = 76), and a general psychiatric group (N = 75)--were given a battery of psychological tests, including the MMPI, the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory, and the Beck Depression Inventory, along with several cognitive measures. PTSD veterans were also evaluated on psychophysiologic indices (including a stressor) and on their subjective ratings to these indices. Results showed that alexithymia was more characteristic of PTSD patients than of the other groups. Also, alexithymia was inversely related to heart rate. Alexithymia was not significantly correlated with the subjective experience of stressors. The authors discuss the importance of the construct of alexithymia among PTSD patients and recommend the use of the alexithymia scale for these patients. The independence of this measure from the psychophysiologic condition of hyperarousal and the subjective experience of this state were also addressed.

MMPI F-K index among hospitalized Vietnam veterans

The F-K index of the MMPI has been used as a marker of symptom overreporting. One population for which previous research has shown this pattern is Vietnam in-country veterans with PTSD. This study assessed the F-K index on 515 inpatients: 329 Vietnam in-country and 186 Vietnam-era patients. Normative data on psychiatric inpatients were presented. Also, a special MMPI subscale (MMPI-PTSD), a measure to identify PTSD among these veterans, was used. Results showed that all Vietnam veterans, especially in-country veterans, overreport symptoms to a high degree. The overall mean for in-country vets was 7.3. Also, when the special MMPI-PTSD subscale was used, a vast majority of in-country veterans who were in the PTSD range had high F-K index scores. Dissimulation as a symptom of PTSD was discussed.

Interest patterns among Vietnam-era veterans

The relationship between interest themes and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and its symptoms is virtually unknown. This study addressed three issues: (a) the relationship of interest themes to PTSD symptoms, (b) comparison of PTSD versus nonPTSD veterans on interest themes, and (c) a determination of those psychiatric symptoms and interest themes that differentiated PTSD from nonPTSD veterans. Vietnam-era veterans represented PTSD ( n = 40) and nonPTSD ( n = 35) groups. These subjects were administered a battery of psychological tests including the Strong-Campbell Interest Inventory and the MMPI (Scales 2, 4, 7, 8, and MMPI-PTSD Scale were used). Demographic/background variables were also obtained. Analysis shows no significant relations between PTSD symptoms and interest themes, no differences between groups on interest themes and, relative to psychiatric problems, occupational themes contribute in only a minor way to a PTSD/nonPTSD distinction. Discussion focused on the lowered interest patterns for these veterans and their generalized psychiatric problems.

Estimating WAIS IQ from the Shipley Institute of Living Scale: a replication

This study represents a replication of the linear regression techniques and continuous norming used to estimate age-adjusted WAIS IQ from the Shipley Institute of Living Scale. The sample was composed of 125 male, right-handed, psychiatric patients, who represented five age decades between 20 and 70. The overall correlation coefficient between observed and estimated IQs was .79. The data suggest that the prediction formula is robust across all five age groups. The data also show the Shipley estimated WAIS Full Scale IQ to be somewhat better when compared with the continuously normed WAIS IQ than when compared with the WAIS tabled norms. Thus, the present results provide support for the utility of the continuous norming procedure for predicting WAIS IQ from the Shipley and argue for its use.

Use of the Harris and Lingoes Depression MMPI. Subscales in assessing later life

A profile of later life depression was developed. One hundred later life psychiatric inpatients were administered the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory and Beck Depression Inventory. These subjects were divided into depressed and nondepressed groups based on two criteria, an MMPI–-D T score ≥ 70 and a Beck score of 17. These two groups were compared on the MMPI Harris and Lingoes and Serkownek subscales and the Wiggins subscales. On 26 subscales depressed group were significantly higher than the nondepressed group. All but three of these 26 subscales were considered conceptually related to one of the five Harris and Lingoes-Depression subscales. This provided a profile of later life depression. There were also six subscales on which the nondepressed group was higher than the depressed group. These were distinctly nondepressive symptoms.

Key determinants of the MMPI-PTSD subscale: treatment considerations

Seventy-five "in country" Vietnam combat psychiatric inpatients were given a battery of measures upon admission to the medical center. These included the MMPI, VETS Adjustment Scale, State-Trait Anxiety Scale, Rotter Locus of Control, Profile of Mood Scale, and a variation of the Figley Stress Scale that measures current stress. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was determined by the MMPI-PTSD subscale. Ten of the battery variables were used as predictors for a multiple regression analysis on the MMPI-PTSD subscale. Results yielded a multiple R of .89 for two predictors, Figley Stress Scale and Rotter Locus of Control (external). Patients with PTSD, therefore, suffer most from perceived and experienced current stressors and a low sense of control. Arguments are made for more present-centered and interpersonal strategies in the treatment of PTSD combat veterans.

MMPI overreporting by Vietnam combat veterans

The MMPI-PTSD scale is the only psychometric measure that has been cross-validated on Vietnam veterans for the determination of PTSD. Despite this, there may be problems with this scale related to symptom exaggeration. Three groups of Vietnam inpatients (N = 75) were defined carefully by both clinical and actuarial methods--PTSD combat, Non-PTSD combat, and Non-combat. This study applied symptom exaggeration methods based on the MMPI obvious/subtle items and on the F scale to these groups. Results show that all the items of this scale are either obvious or neutral, that a carefully distinguished PTSD group differentially responds to these obvious and neutral items relative to other inpatient Vietnam groups, and that the F scale is exaggerated by the PTSD group. In addition, a separate analysis on an independent sample of 50 combat and 50 non-combat Vietnam veterans showed that the combat group endorsed the obvious items on selected scales by 20 T score points at higher rates than other groups. Caution in the use of the MMPI-PTSD scale is discussed.

Depression, anxiety, paranoid reactions, hypochondriasis, and cognitive decline of later-life inpatients

The relationships among the psychopathological states of depression, anxiety, hypochondriasis, paranoid reactions, and cognitive decline for later-life psychiatric inpatients were addressed. The relationship of these variables to life satisfaction, health, pain, and behavior was also considered. Sixty later-life (older than 55 years) psychiatric patients on an acute geropsychiatric unit were administered a battery of psychological scales; Mini Mental State, Beck Depression Inventory (somatic and psychological components), State-Trait Anxiety Scale, MMPI Paranoia scale (and Harris-Lingoes subscales), the Hypochondriasis Scale (Institutional Geriatric), Life Satisfaction Scale-Z, and self-rated pain responses. In addition, these patients were rated on the MACC-Behavioral Adjustment Scale and the Cumulative Illness Rating Scale. Results showed that there is a high degree of interrelationship among the psychopathological variables except cognition. Independent stepwise regression showed that life satisfaction was accounted for by hypochondriasis and anxiety; health, by depression; pain, by hypochondriasis; and behavior, by cognition.

Painless myocardial infarction with interventricular septal rupture presenting as the acute onset of congestive heart failure

Two cases of ventricular septal rupture complicating infero-posterior myocardial infarction which are atypical in presentation, clinical course, and outcome are presented and the relevant literature is reviewed. The patients presented late after the acute onset of congestive heart failure, without a history of chest pain, were diagnosed noninvasively, survived with medical therapy for 2 and 4 months, and went on to successful surgical repair.

MMPI scales and subscales: patterns of older, middle-aged, and younger inpatients

There has been virtually no research on the relationship of age and MMPI subscales, such as the Harris and Lingoes, Wiggins, Subtle/Obvious, and other specialized subscales. One hundred younger (less than or equal to 39), middle-aged (40-49), and older (greater than or equal to 50) psychiatric inpatients were compared on the basic 13 MMPI scales and 77 MMPI subscales. Results showed that, as a whole, older patients tended to respond more conservatively to these scales, to show less pathology, and to endorse fewer subtle/obvious items than the other age groups. They responded, however, lower on Dominance, on Hostility, and on Social Maladjustment. Later-life patients also endorsed differentially many of the Harris and Lingoes 4 and 6 subscales in the less pathological direction than did the other groups.

Estimating WAIS IQ of neuropsychiatric patients at three educational levels

In this study the relative accuracy of the WAIS Vocabulary subtest and the Shipley Scale subtests, Conceptual Quotient (CQ), and Shipley Total Score to predict WAIS Full Scale IQ in three groups of 48 each mixed male neuropsychiatric patients with different educational achievement (grammar school, high school, and college) was examined. These patients were matched on age case by case. Discharge diagnoses across the three groups were similar. The WAIS Vocabulary was a better estimate of over-all intelligence than the individual Shipley subtests and the CQ, although the Shipley Total Score seems to compare as well as WAIS Vocabulary. Observed differences in the correlations across educational groups are probably associated with the variances within each group. No evidence supports a differential prediction for Full Scale IQ based on educational achievement. These data generally support the work which suggests that WAIS Vocabulary and the Shipley Total Score can be used to obtain a brief but accurate estimate of IQ, although the role of educational achievement does not appear important enough to include in currently available formulae for predicting WAIS IQ.

Irrational ideas. Older vs. younger inpatients

The relationship to age of irrational beliefs among psychiatric inpatients has not been explored using the rational-emotive model. This study addressed the following two questions: 1) Do older and younger psychiatric inpatients differ in irrational beliefs? 2) Do older depressives differ from older nondepressives in irrational beliefs? Upon admission to a large medical center, 58 younger (less than 45 years old) and 54 older (greater than 55 years old) subjects were assessed on a battery of psychological tests, including the Idea Inventory and the Beck Depression Inventory. Results showed that older and younger inpatients did not differ on irrational beliefs. Results also showed that older and younger groups of depressives did not differ on the irrationality scores. When a correlational analysis was used, depression was related to irrationality within the older group but not within the younger group.

Unbalanced translocation (15;17)(q13;13.3) with apparent Prader-Willi syndrome but without Miller-Dieker syndrome

We studied after death a 3-month-old girl whose karyotype was 45,XX,-15,-17,+der(17),t(15;17)(q13;p13.3) and thus combines abnormalities of chromosome 15 associated with the Prader-Willi syndrome and of chromosome 17 associated with the Miller-Dieker syndrome. This infant had several manifestations of the Prader-Willi syndrome in infancy but none of the Miller-Dieker syndrome. We propose that essentially no loss of 17p material has occurred and confirm previous reports that the critical region for the production of the Miller-Dieker phenotype is located subterminally in the 17p13.3 region.

Older alcoholics: profile of decline

Administered to 235 chronic alcoholics in an inpatient setting a standard psychological test battery 2 weeks after admission. Two analyses were calculated: A correlational analysis between age and the test variables and a comparison analysis between a younger (less than 50) and an older group. Results suggest that visual-spatial and constructional tasks, newer learning tasks, and secondary memory (and memory delay) show a more pronounced decline than do verbal or "left hemisphere" tasks. A sub-analysis of 30 younger and 30 older psychiatric patients further revealed that alcohol asserts a significant influence on decline in complex abstract tasks and on visual-spatial tasks (age is also a significant factor on visual-spatial tasks). This study re-validated previous findings using a more chronic alcohol population with standard psychological tests in a clinical setting.