Controlled crystalline structure and surface stability of cobalt nanocrystals.

The synthesis of monodispersed 10 nm cobalt nanocrystals with controlled crystal morphology and investigation of the surface stability of these nanocrystals are described. Depending on the surfactants used, single crystalline or multiple grain nanocrystals can be reproducibly produced. The relative surface stability of these nanocrystals is analyzed using the temperature dependences of the dc magnetic susceptibility.

SNP500Cancer: a public resource for sequence validation, assay development, and frequency analysis for genetic variation in candidate genes.

The SNP500Cancer database provides sequence and genotype assay information for candidate SNPs useful in mapping complex diseases, such as cancer. The database is an integral component of the NCI Cancer Genome Anatomy Project (http://cgap.nci.

Comparison of yield and genotyping performance of multiple displacement amplification and OmniPlex whole genome amplified DNA generated from multiple DNA sources.

The promise of whole genome amplification (WGA) is that genomic DNA (gDNA) quantity will not limit molecular genetic analyses. Multiple displacement amplification (MDA) and the OmniPlex PCR-based WGA protocols were evaluated using 4 and 5 ng of input gDNA from 60 gDNA samples from three tissue sources (mouthwash, buffy coat, and lymphoblast). WGA DNA (wgaDNA) yield and genotyping performance were evaluated using genotypes determined from gDNA and wgaDNA using the AmpFlSTR Identifiler assay and N = 49 TaqMan SNP assays.

Corroboration of a familial chordoma locus on chromosome 7q and evidence of genetic heterogeneity using single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs).

Chordoma, a rare bone tumor originating from notochordal remnants, has a genetic predisposition in some families. Previously, we performed linkage analysis using microsatellite (STR) markers on 3 unrelated chordoma kindreds (16 patients with chordoma) and reported significant evidence for linkage to chromosome 7q33 (Z(max) = 4.78) with a minimal disease gene region of 11 cM.

Genomic regions linked to alcohol consumption in the Framingham Heart Study.

Background: Pedigree, demographic, square-root transformed maximum alcohol (SRMAXAPD) and maximum cigarette (MAXCPD) consumption, and genome-wide scan data from the Framingham Heart Study (FHS) were used to investigate genetic factors that may affect alcohol and cigarette consumption in this population-based sample.

Results: A significant sister:sister correlation greater than spouse correlation was observed for MAXCPD only. Single-point sib-pair regression analysis provided nominal evidence for linkage of loci to both SRMAXAPD and MAXCPD consumption traits, with more significant evidence of linkage to SRMAXAPD than to MAXCPD.

A genome-wide linkage scan for body mass index on Framingham Heart Study families.

Background: Genome-wide scan data from a community-based sample was used to identify the genetic factors that affect body mass index (BMI). BMI was defined as weight (kg) over the square of height (m), where weight and height were obtained from the first measurement available between the ages of 40 and 50 years.

Results: Significant familial correlations were observed in mother:father (spouse) relative pairs and in all relative pairs examined except parent:daughter pairs.

SNP500Cancer: a public resource for sequence validation and assay development for genetic variation in candidate genes.

The SNP500Cancer Database provides sequence and genotype assay information for candidate single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) useful in mapping complex diseases, such as cancer. The database is an integral component of the NCI's Cancer Genome Anatomy Project. SNP500Cancer provides bi-directional sequencing information on a set of control DNA samples derived from anonymized subjects (102 Coriell samples representing four self-described ethnic groups: African/African-American, Caucasian, Hispanic and Pacific Rim).

Performance of high-throughput DNA quantification methods.

Background: The accuracy and precision of estimates of DNA concentration are critical factors for efficient use of DNA samples in high-throughput genotype and sequence analyses. We evaluated the performance of spectrophotometric (OD) DNA quantification, and compared it to two fluorometric quantification methods, the PicoGreen assay (PG), and a novel real-time quantitative genomic PCR assay (QG) specific to a region at the human BRCA1 locus. Twenty-Two lymphoblastoid cell line DNA samples with an initial concentration of approximately 350 ng/uL were diluted to 20 ng/uL.