SPG7 is a newly identified gene involved in an autosomal recessive form of hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP), a genetically heterogeneous group of neurodegenerative disorders. This gene encodes a protein characterized as a nuclear-encoded mitochondrial metalloprotease. The present report describes the genomic structure of the SPG7 gene. It is organized into 17 exons ranging from 78 to 242 bp and spans approximately 52 kb within three overlapping cosmids. The exon/intron boundaries and all splice junctions are consistent with the published consensus sequences for donor and acceptor sites. The provided genomic structure of SPG7 should facilitate the screening for mutations in this gene in patients with HSP and other related mitochondrial disease syndromes. SPG7 has been mapped to chromosome 16q24.3, a region of frequent loss of heterozygosity (LOH) seen in sporadic breast and prostate cancer. We have performed single-strand conformation polymorphism analysis of ten exons of this gene in a number of sporadic breast cancer samples showing LOH at 16q24.3. No mutations were detected; only single nucleotide polymorphisms were observed in exon 11, intron 7, intron 10 and intron 12. An expression analysis study has revealed the differential expression of SPG7 mRNA in various tissues and at different developmental stages.

ATPases Associated with Diverse Cellular Activitie↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Analysis of current practices in recruitment of residents for Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation: survey of PM&R department chairs.

The purpose of this study was to survey the current opinion of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (PM&R) chairs on issues of resident recruitment. There was a 92% response rate after two mailings. A majority (62%) of chairs reported more difficulty now than two years ago in obtaining an adequate number of American medical graduates for their residency programs. This was true regardless of program size, type, or location. The three highest ranking reasons for this difficulty were as follows: competition from primary internal medicine; primary care emphasis in medical school curriculums; competition from family medicine. The majority of chairs (87%) reported no increased difficulty in recruiting international medical graduates. The three most frequently used recruiting methods were as follows: clinical rotation electives; using faculty as student advisors; teaching in the physical diagnosis course. The chairs' opinion of the three most important reasons residents choose a specific program include the following: having a committed and interested faculty; having happy current residents; having an established program with successful graduates. A reduction in the number of residents in their programs during the next four years was predicted by 27% of the chairs. The chairs also felt that we currently have too many residency slots, preferring numbers of 600 to 1,300 (mean, 1,010). The chairs had no clear choices in methods to downsize programs if that were to be mandated by the federal government but appeared the least interested in doing so by reducing every program by a flat percentage.

Career Choice↗