Fast Isolation by AFLP of Sequences Containing Repeats

Fast isolation by AFLP of sequences containing repeats (FIASCO) is a rapid and simple method for separating microsatellite-containing DNA fragments from genomic DNA de novo. The method takes the advantage of the amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) technique that relies on effective digestion-ligation reaction. The repeat-containing fragments are selectively hybridized to biotinylated probes and harvested by streptavidin-coated magnetic beads. The enriched microsatellite-containing fragments can be cloned and sequenced to yield a variety of microsatellite loci for applications in many different fields in molecular genetics.

Maintenance of genetic diversity in cyclic populations - a longitudinal analysis in Myodes glareolus

Conspicuous cyclic changes in population density characterize many populations of small northern rodents. The extreme crashes in individual number are expected to reduce the amount of genetic variation within a population during the crash phases of the population cycle. By long-term monitoring of a bank vole (Myodes glareolus) population we show that despite the substantial and repetitive crashes in the population size, high heterozygosity is maintained throughout the population cycle. The striking population density fluctuation in fact only slightly reduced the allelic richness of the population during the crash phases. Effective population sizes of vole populations remained also relativel…

Genetic diversity in the wild : cyclic population dynamics and population isolation

Long-term UVB irradiation affects the immune functions of carp (Cyprinus carpio) and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss).

The effects of long-term, low-dose ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation on immune functions of two fish species representing different taxonomic groups, carp (Cyprinus carpio) and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), were assessed in this study. The fish were exposed to 7, 20 or 60 mJ cm(-2) UVB three times per week, for 6 weeks. In carp, UVB exposure affected the respiratory burst activity of blood and head kidney phagocytes, differential blood leukocyte counts and blood chemistry. Phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-stimulated in vitro proliferation responses of blood and head kidney lymphocytes, however, remained unchanged. Rainbow trout tolerated the irradiations with fewer alterations, but significant c…

A large panel of novel microsatellite markers for the bank vole (Myodes glareolus)

We describe a set of 66 highly polymorphic microsatellite loci isolated from the bank vole, Myodes (Clethrionomys) glareolus. These microsatellites were characterized for a long-term study on periodically fluctuating density of the bank vole population in Central Finland. We detected six to 38 alleles per locus in the population sampled at two different density phases, and the levels of observed and expected heterozygosities varied between 0.17 and 1.00, and between 0.72 and 0.95, respectively. This microsatellite panel serves as an informative tool for population and molecular genetic studies.

Maintenance of genetic diversity in cyclic populations-a longitudinal analysis inMyodes glareolus

Conspicuous cyclic changes in population density characterize many populations of small northern rodents. The extreme crashes in individual number are expected to reduce the amount of genetic variation within a population during the crash phases of the population cycle. By long-term monitoring of a bank vole (Myodes glareolus) population, we show that despite the substantial and repetitive crashes in the population size, high heterozygosity is maintained throughout the population cycle. The striking population density fluctuation in fact only slightly reduced the allelic richness of the population during the crash phases. Effective population sizes of vole populations remained also relative…

Maintenance of genetic diversity in cyclic populations—a longitudinal analysis in Myodes glareolus

Conspicuous cyclic changes in population density characterize many populations of small northern rodents. The extreme crashes in individual number are expected to reduce the amount of genetic variation within a population during the crash phases of the population cycle. By long-term monitoring of a bank vole (Myodes glareolus) population, we show that despite the substantial and repetitive crashes in the population size, high heterozygosity is maintained throughout the population cycle. The striking population density fluctuation in fact only slightly reduced the allelic richness of the population during the crash phases. Effective population sizes of vole populations remained also relative…

Additive effects of enhanced ambient ultraviolet B radiation and increased temperature on immune function, growth and physiological condition of juvenile (parr) Atlantic Salmon, Salmo salar.

Climate change models predict increased ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation levels due to stratospheric ozone depletion and global warming. In order to study the impact of these two environmental stressors acting simultaneously on the physiology of fish, Atlantic salmon parr were exposed, for 8 weeks in outdoor tanks, to different combinations of UVB radiation (depleted and enhanced) and temperature (standard rearing temperature of 14 °C or 19 °C). The immune function (plasma IgM, lysozyme activity and complement bacteriolytic activity), growth (body weight) and physiological condition (haematocrit and plasma protein concentration) of the fish were determined. Increased UVB level, regardless of w…

Genetics of maximal walking speed and skeletal muscle characteristics in older women.

AbstractThe aim of this study was to examine whether maximal walking speed, maximal isometric muscle strength, leg extensor power and lower leg muscle cross-sectional area (CSA) shared a genetic effect in common. In addition, we wanted to identify the chromosomal areas linked to maximal walking speed and these muscle characteristics and also investigate whether maximal walking speed and these three skeletal muscle characteristics are regulated by the same chromosomal areas. We studied 217 monozygotic (MZ) and dizygotic (DZ) female twin pairs aged 66 to 75 years in the Finnish Twin Study on Aging study. The DZ pairs (94) were genotyped for 397 microsatellite markers in 22 autosomes and X-chr…

Äitien kokemuksia sosiaalisesta tuesta ensikodissa : tuen merkitykset ja yhteydet psyykkiseen hyvinvointiin

Tutkimuksessa tarkastellaan sitä, millaisia sosiaalisen tuen kokemuksia ensikodissa asuneilla äideillä on ensikotijaksonsa ajalta ja miten nämä kokemukset ovat yhteydessä äitien psyykkiseen hyvinvointiin. Tässä tutkimuksessa sosiaalisella tuella viitataan käytännön apuun, päätöksentekoon liittyvään tukeen ja empatiaan. Aiemman tutkimuksen mukaan nämä sosiaalisen tuen muodot lisäävät yksilön psyykkistä hyvinvointia esimerkiksi ehkäisemällä masentuneisuutta ja lisäämällä itseluottamusta. Äitien saaman sosiaalisen tuen määrää ja heidän ilmaisemansa psyykkisen hyvinvoinnin tasoa ja siinä ensikotijakson aikana tapahtunutta muutosta kartoitettiin kyselylomakkeiden avulla, sosiaalisen tuen kokemuk…