Genetics

Why Your Dog Thinks You Are The Best Thing Ever

By |2016-11-20T07:53:40-05:00October 12th, 2016|Categories: Dogs, Genetics|Tags: , , , , |

Hint: It's genetic.  Be the person your dog thinks you are - how true this seems to be.  Dogs are always happy when you walk in the door.  They follow you from room to room.  (I have a pack of three that follow me.)  They love to sit next to you and snuggle. "I'm awesome," you think. [...]

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Inherited immunity?

By |2016-10-05T06:46:12-04:00June 15th, 2009|Categories: Books, Genetics|Tags: , , , , |

I'm currently reading (amongst the other 25 books I'm reading) Silent Travelers: Germs, Genes, and the "Immigrant Menace" by Alan M. Kraut. The book is a fascinating historical look at how epidemics are spread, and the politics and class issues that are involved in determining the cause and treatment of epidemics. While reading the book, I [...]

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Do you have blue eyes? Then we’re related!

By |2016-10-05T06:46:15-04:00January 31st, 2008|Categories: Genetics|Tags: , , , |

Blue eyes came about via a genetic mutation that affects the OCA2 gene. Everyone had brown eyes 6,000 to 10,000 years ago. Then a mutation in the gene reduced the production of melanin in the iris. Voila, blue eyes. The theory is that everyone with blue eyes has one common ancestor. So if you have blue [...]

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Migration patterns and ADHD

By |2016-10-05T06:46:15-04:00January 21st, 2008|Categories: ADHD, Genetics|

A study looked at patterns of migration and the prevalence of the gene DRD4 (which is one of the ADHD genes). The study found that out of the cultures that had macro-migration (migrating long distances) had a higher proportion of long alleles for DRD4. The proportion of long alleles for DRD4 in this group was .85. [...]

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Scientists able to reverse Fragile X in mice

By |2016-11-20T07:53:50-05:00June 28th, 2007|Categories: Autism, Genetics, Research|Tags: , , , |

Fragile X is the leading cause of mental retardation and is the most common genetic cause of autism. Scientists were able to reverse the damage caused by Fragile X in mice by ihibiting a brain chemical called PAK. http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070627/hl_afp/ushealthautism I'm an animal lover as much as the next person, but this study is exactly why we [...]

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