Monthly Archives: March 2016

The Science of the Tax-Dollar Double Dip

Posted on March 30, 2016 by DWN

Much research is federally funded, but if you want to see what you paid for, that’s going to cost you—again. RICHARD ASLIN March 30, 2016 Anyone upset about wasted government spending should take a look at for-profit scientific publishing, a $25 … Continue reading →

Posted in Toxicology | Comments Off on The Science of the Tax-Dollar Double Dip

Inferring Population-Size History from Large Samples of Genome-Wide Molecular Data: An Approximate Bayesian Computation Approach

Posted on March 20, 2016 by DWN

Molecular data sampled from present-day surviving individuals can contain considerable information about their demographic history. In particular, one classical question in population genetics is to reconstruct past population-size changes from such data. Relating these changes to various climatic, geological, or … Continue reading →

Posted in Gene Nomenclature | Comments Off on Inferring Population-Size History from Large Samples of Genome-Wide Molecular Data: An Approximate Bayesian Computation Approach

Pediatric patient diagnosed with VUS as “the cause for intractable seizures

Posted on March 15, 2016 by DWN

This article is from theDNAexchange.com web site and is “pretty heavy”, … but it does describe some of the genomics and bioethical controversies surrounding genetic testing [including the patient, physicians in charge, and the lab(s) asked to do the genetic … Continue reading →

Posted in Center for Environmental Genetics | Comments Off on Pediatric patient diagnosed with VUS as “the cause for intractable seizures

Is the Diagnosis Really ADHD, or Just Immaturity?

Posted on March 15, 2016 by DWN

This is a recent article from the New York Times., summarizing a paper that recently appeared in J Pediat. This topic strikes at the heart of attention deficity hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It seems (to many physicians) that this diagnosis is … Continue reading →

Posted in Center for Environmental Genetics | Comments Off on Is the Diagnosis Really ADHD, or Just Immaturity?

Evolution of Hox gene topologically-associating domains (TADs) by way of studying the amphioxus, one of the earliest chordates

Posted on March 15, 2016 by DWN

Recently we have seen spectacu­lar progress in elucidating evolutionarily the 3-dimensional organization of the vertebrate genome and its impact on gene expression. In particular, genes controlling embryonic development have been found to be regulated by sets of remote cis-acting elements, … Continue reading →

Posted in Center for Environmental Genetics | Comments Off on Evolution of Hox gene topologically-associating domains (TADs) by way of studying the amphioxus, one of the earliest chordates

Integrative approaches for large-scale transcriptome-wide association studies

Posted on March 15, 2016 by DWN

“Complex traits” (also called “multifactorial traits”) represent those in which hundreds if not thousands of genes contribute, as well as contribution from epigenetic factors, plus daily bombardment of environmental stimuli (both beneficial and damaging). Many genetic variants influence complex traits … Continue reading →

Posted in Center for Environmental Genetics | Comments Off on Integrative approaches for large-scale transcriptome-wide association studies

Genes having mono-allelic expression contribute disproportionately to genetic diversity in humans

Posted on March 15, 2016 by DWN

An unexpectedly large number of human autosomal genes are subject to mono-allelic expression (MAE). In the attached report, analysis of 4,227 “MAE genes” uncovers surprisingly high genetic variation––across human populations. This increased diversity is unlikely to reflect relaxed purifying selection … Continue reading →

Posted in Gene Nomenclature | Comments Off on Genes having mono-allelic expression contribute disproportionately to genetic diversity in humans

Ancient gene flow from early modern humans into Eastern Neanderthals

Posted on March 15, 2016 by DWN

Our understanding of The Great Human Diaspora continues to become increasingly complex..!! First, it was presumed that Homo neaderthalensis, a subline splitting off from Homo sapiens following migration of early humans Out of Africa, did not interbreed with modern humans, … Continue reading →

Posted in Gene Nomenclature | Comments Off on Ancient gene flow from early modern humans into Eastern Neanderthals

Evolutionary History of the Human Being

Posted on March 15, 2016 by DWN

This is a Youtube (animated) video (3.4-minute) sarcastically describing 500,000 years of “human evolution” ……  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfGMYdalClU

Posted in Center for Environmental Genetics | Comments Off on Evolutionary History of the Human Being

“Smell dating”..??

Posted on March 9, 2016 by DWN

One might think that this is just a laughable matter, but it’s also a gene-environment interaction. Hundreds of olfactory receptor genes (ORs) encode olfactory receptors, which are constantly registering the odors from the environment (smells, pheromones). The result <<could lead>> … Continue reading →

Posted in Center for Environmental Genetics | Comments Off on “Smell dating”..??