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Genomic Detectives Crack the Case of the Missing Heritability

By Guest PostFebruary 23, 2013Scienceantibiotics, bert vogelstein, caffeine, case, caused by mutation, common dna spelling, crohns disease, dna code, dna variation, drugs, environmental factors, eye color, family traits, genetic causes, genetic code, genetic factors, genomic detectives, gwas, ian ehrenreich, joshua bloom, leonid kruglyak, metal compounds, missing heritability, missing heritability problem, model organism, patterns of inheritance, physical characteristic, princeton university, regions of dna, researcher, risk, risk of diseases, schizophrenia, southern california, thuy lan lite, type 2 diabetes, university, variation, wesley loo, yeast cell

Despite years of research, the genetic factors behind many human diseases and characteristics remain unknown. The inability to find the complete genetic causes of family traits such as height or the risk of type 2 diabetes has been called the “missing heritability” problem.

A new study by Princeton University researchers, however, suggests that missing heritability may not be missing after all — at least not in yeast cells, which the researchers used as a model for studying the problem. Published in the journal Nature, the results suggest that heritability in humans may be hidden due only to the limitations of modern research tools, but could be discovered if scientists know where (and how) to look. (more…)

Avoiding Virus Dangers in ‘Domesticating’ Wild Plants for Biofuel Use

By Guest PostFebruary 23, 2013Environmentannual plants, bioenergy, domesticating wild plants, energy sources, switchgrass, wild plants

In our ongoing quest for alternative energy sources, researchers are looking more to plants that grow in the wild for use in biofuels, plants such as switchgrass. (more…)

Immigration among Latin American Countries Fails to Improve Income

By Guest PostFebruary 23, 2013Politicsdeveloping nations, donald bogue, economic opportunities, foreign born, foreign immigrants, immigration, improve income, industrialized nations, ipums international, lack of data, latin american countries, Mexico, migration context, popular, populations, strata of migrants, theories of immigration, theory on immigration, typical immigrant, united states, university of minnesota, us immigrants

New study challenges theory of upward mobility in developing nations

Although immigration to the United States from Latin American countries, particularly Mexico, has captured much public attention, immigrants who move between countries in Latin America have more difficulty than those moving to the United States.

Donald Bogue, professor emeritus in sociology and a distinguished scholar of demography, has found that unlike immigrants to the United States, immigrants between nations in Latin America frequently do not improve their lives by moving. (more…)

Facial Research

By Guest PostFebruary 23, 2013Scienceaggression, any prejudicial beliefs, automatic, b leitner, context, controversial social behaviors, eric hehman, expression of prejudice, facial, facial research, fwhr, greater fwhr, matthew p deegan, predict, racial prejudice, ratio, reporting prejudices, samuel l gaertner, social dominance, structure of face, testosterone related behaviors, university of delaware, width to height

Structure of face may help predict expression of prejudice, researchers report

The structure of a man’s face may indicate his tendency to express racially prejudiced beliefs, according to new research published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science.

Studies have shown that facial width-to-height ratio (fWHR) is associated with testosterone-related behaviors, which some researchers have linked with aggression. But psychological scientist Eric Hehman of Dartmouth College and colleagues at the University of Delaware speculated that these behaviors may have more to do with social dominance than outright aggression. Hehman conducted the research while he was a graduate student at UD. (more…)

Brown Researchers Build Robotic Bat Wing

By Guest PostFebruary 23, 2013Sciencebat flight, bats, elasticity of skin, flight parameters, flight secrets, robot wing, robotic bat wing, wing movements

The strong, flapping flight of bats offers great possibilities for the design of small aircraft, among other applications. By building a robotic bat wing, Brown researchers have uncovered flight secrets of real bats: the function of ligaments, the elasticity of skin, the structural support of musculature, skeletal flexibility, upstroke, downstroke. (more…)

A Humanitarian and A Scholar

By Guest PostFebruary 22, 2013Educationanatomy lab course, certified, community college, emergency medical technician, emt, ethical implications, fulbright scholar experience, human biology, humanitarian, humanitarian work, iowa, lesa nord, life sciences, linguistics, Mexico, north hennepin, scholar, school biology, spanish, twin cities campus, united kingdom, university of manchester, visible heart lab

U alum Lesa Nord talks about her Fulbright Scholar experience

Lesa Nord was one of two U students on the Twin Cities campus to receive a highly competitive Fulbright Scholarship this year to the United Kingdom, where she is completing an interdisciplinary degree in humanitarianism and conflict response at the University of Manchester.

Nord began her college education at North Hennepin Community College before transferring to the U and receiving a bachelor of individualized studies with high distinction from the College of Liberal Arts. Along the way she has become a certified Emergency Medical Technician, and she’s already served as a volunteer interpreter and technician on medical mission trips in developing countries. (more…)

Researchers Coat Spinal Polymer Implants with Bioactive Film to Improve Bonding with Bone

By Guest PostFebruary 22, 2013Health, Scienceafsaneh rabiei, bioactive film, body, bonding, bone, calcium phosphate, challenge, clinical testing, coating of hydroxyapatite, crystalline structure, degrees celsius, dissolve, heat shield, implants, improve, microwave, north Carolina, peek, spinal polymer implants, state university, stefan sandukas, success rate, surrounding bone, tissue, ysz, ysz layer, yttria stabilized zirconia

Researchers from North Carolina State University have for the first time successfully coated polymer implants with a bioactive film. The discovery should improve the success rate of such implants – which are often used in spinal surgeries.

The polymer used in these implants, called PEEK, does not bond well with bone or other tissues in the body. This can result in the implant rubbing against surrounding tissues, which can lead to medical complications and the need for additional surgeries. (more…)

Building Healthy Bones Takes Guts

By Guest PostFebruary 22, 2013Health, Scienceamericans, bacterium, balance, begins at childhood, bone density, bone fractures, bone loss, bone tissue, cellular physiology, chronic condition, coevolved with humans, female mice, food fermentation, gut, harmful effect, healthier bones, immune system, infection, inflammation, inflammatory bowel disease, joint, laura mccabe, laura schaefer, male mice, mice lactobacillus reuteri, michigan state university, microorganisms, muscle pain, natural probiotic supplement, natural remodeling, negative side effects, osteoporosis, osteoporosis drugs, postmenopausal women, regina irwin, robert britton, species, treatments, type 1 diabetes

In what could be an early step toward new treatments for people with osteoporosis, scientists at Michigan State University report that a natural probiotic supplement can help male mice produce healthier bones.

Interestingly, the same can’t be said for female mice, the researchers report in the Journal of Cellular Physiology.

“We know that inflammation in the gut can cause bone loss, though it’s unclear exactly why,” said lead author Laura McCabe, a professor in MSU’s departments of Physiology and Radiology. “The neat thing we found is that a probiotic can enhance bone density.” (more…)

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