Monthly Archives: August 2019

‘Eco-anxiety’ over climate change causing stress, panic in millions

Posted on August 29, 2019 by DWN

This article, appearing just today in https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2019/08/28/, is very appropriate to the recent GEITP emails. The article reaffirms how psychologically serious — especially to the young mind — false propaganda about global warming can be. This article reminds me: not … Continue reading →

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Theroa zethus caterpillars use behavior and anti-predator weaponry to disarm host plants

Posted on August 28, 2019 by DWN

Caterpillars within the Notodontidae family (butterflies and moths with approximately 3,800 known species, found in all parts of the world, but mostly in the tropics, especially in the New World; they feed primarily on leaves of ‘woody’ trees and shrubs) … Continue reading →

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Genetics for a warming world

Posted on August 28, 2019 by DWN

This email chain-evoked such a strong outcry (of support) that I feel obliged to share with everyone some of the highlights. 😊 I chose just the “top ten.” To protect everyone’s career, all comments are anonymous. Additional supportive comments, unfortunately, … Continue reading →

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A genetics-led approach defines the drug target landscape of 30 immune-related traits

Posted on August 27, 2019 by DWN

It is assumed that human genetics can help identify new drug targets. However, the best way to prioritize genes as therapeutic targets remains controversial. Authors [see attached article & editorial] describe a framework to prioritize potential targets by integrating genome-wide … Continue reading →

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Recessive gene disruptions in autism spectrum disorder

Posted on August 27, 2019 by DWN

These GEITP pages have often chatted about autism spectrum disorder (ASD) — because it represents a mysterious complex disease that is clearly multifactorial (i.e. the trait represents contribution of genes, epigenetic effects, environmental factors, and perhaps endogenous influences and the … Continue reading →

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High-throughput identification of human SNPs affecting regulatory element activity

Posted on August 26, 2019 by DWN

Frequently these GEITP pages have chatted about gene expression, which is constantly being altered by environmental signals; these signals stimulate a cascade of downstream reactions which of course begin by tickling the regulatory elements that control gene expression, make the … Continue reading →

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Advances in epigenetics link genetics to the environment and disease (Nice Review)

Posted on August 26, 2019 by DWN

Biologists have long sought to understand how a fertilized egg can form an organism composed of hundreds of specialized cell-types, each expressing a defined set of genes. Same with an acorn: how does this little nut form an oak tree, … Continue reading →

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CRISPR/Cas9 Whole-Genome Screen Identifies Genes Required for AHR-Dependent Induction of Functional CYP1A

Posted on August 22, 2019 by DWN

Very central to the topic of gene-environment interactions are endogenous and exogenous “signals,” recognized by the basic-helix/loop/helix (bHLH) transcription factor, aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHH) — followed by activation of numerous genetic and biochemical pathways that represent “responses” to those signals. … Continue reading →

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Artificial Intelligence (AI) used to test evolution’s oldest mathematical model

Posted on August 21, 2019 by DWN

I cannot claim to be an expert on artificial intelligence (AI) or machine-learning, but I would say that the essence of this approach is as follows: Many things in science (more so in biology than perhaps in chemistry, and even … Continue reading →

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HGNC Summer 2019 NewsLetter and DR Nelson Blog on “Seeing Red

Posted on August 20, 2019 by DWN

Pasted below is the Summer 2019 NewsLetter for the HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC) — which has now combined forces with the Vertebrate Gene Nomenclature Committee (VGNC). Below that is their first blog, this one by that “famous gene superfamily … Continue reading →

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