WkS+paper+5

This page is for Yong-Hui, Mark, & Nicola

Hey, Have a look at this website: http://www.abc.net.au/science/news/ and maybe we can decide on which topic that we can work on? As discussed on the phone Mark, if you are interested in environmental area, try looking at this website http://www.abc.net.au/science/topics/?topic=enviro it contains all the environmental science news, so pick something and we can discuss it. I don't mind which topic we work on- Yong

These look interesting especially what had happened to us in the last few months -: "Australians are "complacent" to the risks posed by earthquakes and that one could strike a major city, say earthquake experts." http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2009/03/27/2527994.htm?site=science&topic=enviro

and

"A weather pattern centred on the Indian Ocean may provide an early warning system for major bushfires in southern Australia, climate experts say." http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2009/03/25/2525580.htm?site=science&topic=enviro Yong

Hi Yong in response to our talk and above, i can't find the original article or authors in the weather patterns of the Indian Ocean and the first article i think is just a story about earthquakes not based on a primary source. You did your oral talk on the cardiovascular system today, i have a sub major in physiology and and am interested in any thing that relates to this as well, plus there is trillions of articles on this. I'll search a bit more and post something tomorrow or ring you. I'm not fussed what we do it on as long as its done. speak to you soon cheers Mark

Hey Mark, I found this article, what do you think? :-

**Study finds high blood pressure genes**
[]

I found a relevant article on the Nature Journal magazine, but i do not have access to it :- [] I will go to Hargrave library and see if i can locate this specific journal. Other websites which also uses the above journal article:- [] Yong P.S. Nicola - if you are still doing this unit, please tell us what you think as well. Cheers
 * Association of common variants in //NPPA// and //NPPB// with circulating natriuretic peptides and blood pressure**
 * Newton-Cheh C, Larson MG, Vasan RG, et al. Association of common variants in NPPA and NPPB with circulating natriuretic peptides and blood pressure. //Nat Genet// 2009; DOI:10.1038/ng.328. Available at: [].
 * Variants in ANP, BNP genes associated with reduced BP**

ML great to see you underway. I have not been able to contact Nicola so I think you should proceed on the assumption that she will not be able to participate. . Hi Yong Yes no problem, being 30 Kg overweight and an Essendon supporter, blood pressure is is relavent to me,if you can't get in to Uni i'll go in tommorow night( the peanuts want $18 bucks for it) speak to you soon. Mark

Hey Mark, Got the journal article, check your email, let me know immediately if there's any problem. I am at uni all day and working all night tomorrow, I do have a hard copy with me, in case if the pdf do not work, let me know asap, preferably before mid-day so i can arrange to get it express post to your house. Cheers mate, I will try to do some reading on it tonight if I can get my other assignments (due tonight) out of the way first. Cheers mate, Yong HI Yong, **you ripper**! I.ve got it,relax about this, do your other assignments, go to uni /work and spend some quality time with your misses, have a read on Tuesday night and give me a ring and tell me what you think. Cheers Mark. PS Mary Wiki is fine!

ML: Good (about the wiki). Make sure there is enough of the summarising etc done on it for me to be convinced that you have both done some work - ie don't do it all by email where it is out of my sight! And yong, if you go to the monash library site and search for journals from within it you should be able to get access to nature genetics. Most journals are only accessible to subscribers, which monash is (not to all of course, but to a great many). If you try to get in as an ordinary citizen you will usually fail.

Hey Mark, This is a really hard paper to understand, well for me it is anyway. I have no background knowledge on genetics. I will just put up a draft summary, so that we can add stuff or delete stuff or do whatever to do.


 * Association of common variants in NPPA and NPPB with circulating natriuretic peptides and blood pressure**

Hypertension is a disease that affects billions of people around the world and it can cause cardiovascular disease which is one of the top killers in Australia. There are epidemiologic studies which suggested that the genetic factors could be responsible for heritability of blood pressure. There are some rare genetic variants which are responsible for monogenic forms of hypertension however there are no common variants which directly associated with blood pressure had been identified.

The discovery of vasodilatory and natriuretic hormonnes which are hormones that responds to wall stress. And there are speculation that these molecules (known as natriuretic peptides) could potentially be the regulatory factor in blood pressure in humans. In an experiment in which the mice are knockout of one copy of the atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) gene is associated with salt-sensitive hypertension. In the mice where there are overexpression of ANP had a lower systolic blood pressure. However the link between these peptide in human had not been established.

The production of natriuretic peptide is regulated by increased systolic blood pressure. the natriuretic peptide precursor A and natriuretic peptide precursor B gene lies in tandem 9.7 kb apart on chromosome 1. 13 sets of SNPs are genottyped to captured majority of common variation at NPPA-NPPB locus. Relationship between the increasing ANP and BNP concentration with the increasing copies of minor alleles of rs5068, rs198358 and rs632793 were observed in both hypertensive and non hypertensive groups. The conclusion of the study was that the carriers of rs5068 minor alleles and rs198358 minor alleles had a lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Both minor alleles were associated with 0.9-1.5 mm Hg reduction for systolic blood pressure and 0.3-0.8 mm Hg reduction for diastolic blood pressure. This shows that both minor alleles were strongly associated with blood pressure.

However, most of the studies relating to natriuretic peptide endcoding genes to human blood pressure is inconclusive, association with rs5068 and rs198358 had nevertheless lead to a small and modest change in systolic blood pressure. These small changes in blood pressure is valuable and even 1 mm Hg decrement in systolic blood pressure can lower the risk of death from a heart attack or stroke by 8%.

--- Cheers, Yong Yong - **Mate** I thought we are supposed to answer page 24 the unit guide and follow the marking criteria of the email Mary sent last week! if so i would give you a 10/10 for being a great bloke but a 2/10 for the above. **Have a read of mine, we need to talk - ring Me 87075103** The news piece “**Study finds high blood pressure genes**” from ABC Science found at the following web address: [] Was based from the original peer-reviewed article in nature Genetics” **Association of common variants in NPPA and NPPB with circulating natriuretic peptides and blood pressure” found at the following address:** [] Besides stating the study was performed on over 30 thousand subjects (actual number 14,743) the article from the ABC had a high degree of accuracy on what was reported. It was unbiased and didn’t sensationalise things to a large extent, however it did state over a billion people were affected from hypertension which is unsourced and may include relatives of suffers.

As this was found on the ABC website (not the Truth or HearaldSun) the heading although not catchy/memorable, was explanatory and straight to the point. As this short article concentrated on blood pressure, other information such as individual nucleotides effects,1st time identified in humans and further required experiments were not reported on. However the possible health benefits (treatments/identifications) and therefore implications and high relevance to society were. The report may have included more pictures /graphs and additional sources for a different angle, but for a short article I believe it achieved its objectives.

The science was significantly simplified, if not less than 1 percent of readers (possibly the author) would be able to follow it. Few people would understand the terminology describing allele/locus identification or mapping/positioning in the genome. Even the statistical analysis was 2nd year tertiary standard. This terminology was then continually used in the explanation of: 1.The theory behind and the need for isolating the genetic variants.2. The multi-stages of the experiment including homogenous /heterogeneous combinational effects of these alleles on natriuretic peptide concentrations and therefore blood pressure.3.Then again in the conclusion along with the stats.

Hey Mark, ah, I see, sorry mate, i completely done it wrong again. i am going to blame it on all the stress i am having from the assignment on other units. :P haha. I am actually still at work. I will have a good look at it again tonight when i get home. Sorry once again Cheers, Yong

Hey Mark, The "over a billion people were affected from hypertension" IS sourced from the journal article. It came from: 1Center for Human Genetic Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, USA. and "After exclusions, samples sizes were 1,705 (sample 1), 751 (sample 2), 5,196 (sample 3), 7,091 (sample 4) and 14,516 (sample 5). An additional 458 subjects in Finrisk97 with data on blood pressure but not natriuretic peptide concentrations were available for stage 3." I think that accounts for the "over 30 thousand subjects" so this will make the abc article complete based on the journal which is really unbiased and of extreme accuracy but this does make the ABC article significantly simplified and does not talk about details.

The first two sentence becomes: ABC article was unbiased and didn’t sensationalise things to a large extent. It states that over a billion people were affected from hypertension and that over 30 thousand subjects were included in the study was sourced from the journal which shows that ABC had a high degree of accuracy on what was reported.

What do you think? I haven't changed anything from the summary yet, I seems to be making a lot of mistake lately... lol Apart from that, i am happy with what you have got. cheers, Yong Yong nothing to be sorry about you saved me hours by getting the original artical, i'm happy with changes i can't see that you have submitted it so i'll do it (it'a 8.42am) thanks/tillnext time. Hi Mary i've kept it to the word length(+ or - 10%) to avoid penalies? and put it as a reply to work 5 paper you posted on th 6th. hope this is OK thanks Mark.

Thanks Mark, all the best with the rest of the semester, see you around :D