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Biomedical subjects

M A De Arce

Publications and source records attributed to M A De Arce.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

Further evidence consistent with Yqh as an indicator of risk of gonadal blastoma in Y-bearing mosaic Turner syndrome.

An 8-year-old girl with some features of Turner syndrome and karyotype 45X/46XY had developed a bilateral gonadoblastoma in her rudimentary ovaries. Her normal Y chromosome showed the characteristic distal fluorescence, as seen in her father's. Another mosaic, this time 45X/46XidicY, and also with some Turner features had rudimentary ovaries, but no gonadoblastoma had developed at age 14. The nature of her idicY, which showed no fluorescent distal Yq and had one of the centromeres inactivated, was confirmed by in situ hybridisation with a Yp-specific probe. Using primers from a human Yp-specific sequence, we amplified DNA extracted from paraffin-embedded ovarian tissue from both cases, and from a normal testicle and a normal ovary as controls. The finding of the expected Y-derived PCR product in the rudimentary gonads from these mosaic patients indicates the presence of their Y chromosome in both. We discuss the validity of the findings, and the possible role of sequences in or near the fluorescent part of Yq in the origin of gonadoblastoma in Y-bearing mosaic Turner syndrome.

Base Sequence

Frequency of deletion 508 among Irish cystic fibrosis patients.

We estimate the incidence of cystic fibrosis in Ireland to be at least 1 case per 1838 live births. We have analysed DNA from 44 Irish CF patients for the presence of deletion 508, using the polymerase chain reaction. The deletion was found in 76% of their chromosomes, and approximately 58% of the patients are homozygous for this deletion. Our results are not significantly different from those found in Canadian or UK patient populations, in which frequencies are higher than those found in Southern European countries.

Chromosome Deletion

Sequential sampling in clinical cytogenetics: a quality control viewpoint.

We have observed that there is some resemblance between the problems of sampling in industrial quality control and the process of diagnosis of mixed cell populations in cytogenetics. This resemblance enabled us to draw from the methodology of the former science to solve some diagnostic problems in the latter. We considered which of the several sampling procedures available for quality control would be more efficient and more suitable in clinical cytogenetics, concluding that 'sequential sampling' combines both features. We also studied the effect that some abnormalities due to technical factors had on sample size required to reach a diagnosis with a given level of confidence. We give a set of tables for sequential sampling in diagnostic laboratories, illustrating their use in discriminating between mosaicism and pseudomosaicism in prenatal diagnosis and in the diagnosis of the fragile X syndrome. Finally, we discuss the merits of sequential sampling as shown here, comparing it with the current method used in cytogenetics to exclude chromosomal mosaicism.

Cytogenetics

A computer model for the study of segregation in reciprocal translocation carriers: application to 20 new cases.

We report on a computer program that, given the breakpoints and the chromosomes involved in a translocation, generates all the possible imbalanced gametes, calculates their corresponding imbalances, and arranges them in order of increasing imbalance. When compared to current, more cumbersome criteria from the literature, both methods agreed on 196 cases of 199 (greater than 98%). When compared to observed data from families with aneuploid offspring, both our program and the other reported methods yield a rate of accurate prediction of 87%. The use of the program is illustrated in 20 new translocations from our laboratory. The possible influence of crossing over in meiosis I in altering the gamete that is most likely to be passed to aneuploid live births is discussed.

Abortion, Habitual

The fragile X syndrome: the patients and their chromosomes.

We have reviewed recent publications, mostly from 1980 onwards, concerned with the problem of identifying patients with the fragile X chromosome and mental retardation, considering the two practical sides of the problem, that is, identification by their external appearance and by chromosomal studies. We conclude that this condition covers a large range of physical findings which occur in varying degrees in people with the chromosome marker. We have tried to clarify the existent criteria that have to be considered for an accurate cytogenetic diagnosis.

Face

Tables for the cytogenetic study of fragile X chromosomes for diagnostic purposes.

The frequency of expression of the fragile X chromosome varies from patient to patient. Many cases have been reported showing frequencies of less than 2%. With such low frequencies, the risk of erroneous diagnosis is great unless the appropriate number of cells is studied. We present here Tables based on the binomial distribution relating the frequency of expression of the fragile X in a patient with the sample size required to obtain a probability P of correct diagnosis according to different criteria.

Chromosome Fragility