Genome-wide association study reveals three susceptibility loci for common migraine in the general population

Migraine is a common, heterogeneous and heritable neurological disorder. Its pathophysiology is incompletely understood, and its genetic influences at the population level are unknown. In a population-based genome-wide analysis including 5,122 migraineurs and 18,108 non-migraineurs, rs2651899 (1p36.32, PRDM16), rs10166942 (2q37.1, TRPM8) and rs11172113 (12q13.3, LRP1) were among the top seven associations (P < 5 × 10(-6)) with migraine. These SNPs were significant in a meta-analysis among three replication cohorts and met genome-wide significance in a meta-analysis combining the discovery and replication cohorts (rs2651899, odds ratio (OR) = 1.11, P = 3.8 × 10(-9); rs10166942, OR = 0.85, P = 5.5 × 10(-12); and rs11172113, OR = 0.90, P = 4.3 × 10(-9)). The associations at rs2651899 and rs10166942 were specific for migraine compared with non-migraine headache. None of the three SNP associations was preferential for migraine with aura or without aura, nor were any associations specific for migraine features. TRPM8 has been the focus of neuropathic pain models, whereas LRP1 modulates neuronal glutamate signaling, plausibly linking both genes to migraine pathophysiology.     

Systematics and distribution of the winter stonefly genus Capnia (Plecoptera:Capniidae) in North America

The genus Capnia in North America is reviewed and compared to other genera in the family. The genus is divided into 10 species groups. A key to the 51 species of Capnia in North America is given along with a listing of type localities, type repositories, diagnoses, and distributions. New illustrations of structures bearing characters important for identification and classification are presented. An annotation of the list of Capnia of North America given by Stark, Szczytko, and Baumann (1986) reflecting current generic placement of species is produced. From this list Capnia bakeri and sugluka are moved to Mesocapnia . Capnia barbata Frison is placed in synonymy under Capnia decepta . The movement of cygna (synonym of venosa ), elevata, fibula, manitoba, venosa , and wanica to Capnura (Nelson and Baumann, 1987b) is noted. Capnia disala and ensicala are placed in Paracapnia .     

Monitoring with a modified Robel pole on meadows in the central Black Hills of South Dakota

This study using a modified Robel pole was conducted in the central Black Hills, South Dakota. The objectives were to test the relationship between visual obstruction readings and standing herbage, develop guidelines for monitoring, and estimate sample size. The relationship between visual obstruction and standing herbage was linear with 2 segments in a piecewise model. Regression coefficients were highly significant ( P ≤ 0.001). Standard error of the estimate for a single mean was 373 kg ? ha –1 . Herbage ranged from 89 to 3821 kg ? ha –1 with a mean of 1416 kg ? ha –1 . The average number of visually obstructed bands was 6.4 and ranged from 0.21 to 20.4. Cluster analyses grouped the visual obstruction readings into 3 management categories: short, medium, and tall. A minimum of 3 transects (20 stations per transect) is recommended for monitoring areas ≤259 ha (1 section) to be within 20% of the mean at 80% confidence. The protocol developed to monitor standing herbage is accurate, precise, and easy to apply. This tool provides pertinent information for managers to develop guidelines based on the bands and/or standing herbage for monitoring livestock and wildlife use.     

Stoneflies (Plecoptera) of the Black Hills of South Dakota and Wyoming, USA: distribution and zoogeographic affinities

The Black Hills of South Dakota and Wyoming are an insular mountain range completely surrounded by the Great Plains. The stonefly (Plecoptera) fauna of the Black Hills was surveyed and zoogeographic affinities examined. Twenty-seven species representing 22 genera and 6 families were found. Fifteen new state records for South Dakota and 2 for Wyoming are presented. Two species are removed from the South Dakota list. An analysis of the North American distribution of each species showed a strong relationship between the Black Hills and the Rocky Mountains, with much weaker relationships between the Black Hills and eastern and northern regions. Results of a logistic regression analysis comparing factors contributing to long-distance dispersal ability against presence/absence in the Black Hills were inconclusive. However, other evidence suggests that the Black Hills fauna is a result of expansion and subsequent vicariance of stonefly populations during Pleistocene climatic oscillations.     

Reproduction in the snake Lampropeltis pyromelana

Reproduction in L. pyromelana infralabialis Tanner is reported. Eggs were measured and weighed and incubation time and hatching reported. Hatchlings were measured and weighed, and feeding was observed.     

Status of Spea stagnalis Cope (1875), Spea intermontanus Cope (1889), and a systematic review of Spea hammondii Baird (1839) (Amphibia: Anura)

In this report emphasis is placed on the dorsal skull characters of the genus Spea and the three species, bombifrons , hammondii , and intermontana . Spea hammondii is a polytypic species with at least three subspecies, hammondii , multiplicatus , and stagnalis , each of which is described and the distribution indicated. Drawings and photographs of skulls are provided for each species, with hammondii and intermontana receiving special consideration.     

Disruption of mouse Slx4, a regulator of structure-specific nucleases, phenocopies Fanconi anemia

The evolutionarily conserved SLX4 protein, a key regulator of nucleases, is critical for DNA damage response. SLX4 nuclease complexes mediate repair during replication and can also resolve Holliday junctions formed during homologous recombination. Here we describe the phenotype of the Btbd12 knockout mouse, the mouse ortholog of SLX4, which recapitulates many key features of the human genetic illness Fanconi anemia. Btbd12-deficient animals are born at sub-Mendelian ratios, have greatly reduced fertility, are developmentally compromised and are prone to blood cytopenias. Btbd12(-/-) cells prematurely senesce, spontaneously accumulate damaged chromosomes and are particularly sensitive to DNA crosslinking agents. Genetic complementation reveals a crucial requirement for Btbd12 (also known as Slx4) to interact with the structure-specific endonuclease Xpf-Ercc1 to promote crosslink repair. The Btbd12 knockout mouse therefore establishes a disease model for Fanconi anemia and genetically links a regulator of nuclease incision complexes to the Fanconi anemia DNA crosslink repair pathway.     

Common variants at MS4A4/MS4A6E, CD2AP, CD33 and EPHA1 are associated with late-onset Alzheimer's disease

The Alzheimer Disease Genetics Consortium (ADGC) performed a genome-wide association study of late-onset Alzheimer disease using a three-stage design consisting of a discovery stage (stage 1) and two replication stages (stages 2 and 3). Both joint analysis and meta-analysis approaches were used. We obtained genome-wide significant results at MS4A4A (rs4938933; stages 1 and 2, meta-analysis P (P(M)) = 1.7 × 10(-9), joint analysis P (P(J)) = 1.7 × 10(-9); stages 1, 2 and 3, P(M) = 8.2 × 10(-12)), CD2AP (rs9349407; stages 1, 2 and 3, P(M) = 8.6 × 10(-9)), EPHA1 (rs11767557; stages 1, 2 and 3, P(M) = 6.0 × 10(-10)) and CD33 (rs3865444; stages 1, 2 and 3, P(M) = 1.6 × 10(-9)). We also replicated previous associations at CR1 (rs6701713; P(M) = 4.6 × 10(-10), P(J) = 5.2 × 10(-11)), CLU (rs1532278; P(M) = 8.3 × 10(-8), P(J) = 1.9 × 10(-8)), BIN1 (rs7561528; P(M) = 4.0 × 10(-14), P(J) = 5.2 × 10(-14)) and PICALM (rs561655; P(M) = 7.0 × 10(-11), P(J) = 1.0 × 10(-10)), but not at EXOC3L2, to late-onset Alzheimer's disease susceptibility.