Chromosome Walking

December 29, 2011 Posted by

Chromosome WalkingChromosome walking is a method used to clone in an orderly fashion the DNA segments along the chromosome starting at any point for which we have a probe. To build up a series of overlapping cloned DNA fragments, it begins with one clone from a library, and then identifies a second clone whose insert overlaps with the insert in the first clone. This was the first method, called chromosome walking, devised for assembly of clone contigs. But there is a limitation to the speed of chromosome walking and that is because of the small size of the fragments that are to be cloned, another limitation is the difficulty of walking through the repeated sequence that are scattered through the gene. A more straightforward approach thus is to use the insert DNA from the starting clone as a hybridization probe to screen all the other clones in the library. Positive hybridization signals that are given by clones, whose inserts overlap with the probe, are used as new probes to continue the walk. There are about 96 clones that a library consists of and each clone contains a different insert. The insert from one of the selected clones is then used as a hybridization probe with all other clones in the library.

A probe may have a genome wide repetition of sequencesand this is a problem that is faced during the walk as then it will not only hybridize to overlapping clones but will also to non overlapping clone whose inserts also contain copies of repeat. This unwanted hybridization can be reduced by blocking the repeat sequence with pre-hybridization with unlabeled genomic DNA. But this isn’t that affective solution especially in the case when high capacity vectors such as BACs or YACs are used in the walk. (more…)

Sinus Endoscopy

December 29, 2011 Posted by

Sinus EndoscopyPeople require sinus endoscopy or sinoscopy when they have complex nasal problems which cannot be treated using basic medication. Professionals who operate on those who have sinus problems are called otolaryngologists and their expertise is mainly to deal with nasal, throat and ear problems.

They use this form of surgery to remove anything that may obstruct aeration in some parts of a persons’ skull. Exploration of all the causes that lead to sinusitis are done and corrected during this process.

WHAT ARE THE MAJOR CAUSES THAT LEAD TO HAVE THIS PROCEDURE DONE?

People require this kind of sinus surgery when they have lost the ability to taste or smell, find it very difficult to breathe, have obstructions in their nasal canal and feel a lot of pain on the face especially the skull. It is usually done when other methods such as the use of medication has been tried without much success.

There are several reasons that may cause this procedure to be done as outlined below:-

Swellings in asthmatic patients, called polyps or cysts which are not cancerous but are usually filled with water may block the nasal passage.

An infection in a person’s tooth may lead to sinusitis. When there is an accumulation of mucous in an infected tooth, it may spread out to the sinuses which may eventually require endoscopy depending on the infection and how complex the situation is.

Poor ventilation in a home where a person lives. (more…)