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DNA tests may not be as realiable as previously thought
This story was posted by Abstract Artist. But now he has gone away. He seems to have deleted all his posts. Does anybody know why he left?
This is a very interesting story and people should know about this. People from different races sharing similar DNA profiles with as many as 13 points of comparison.
Excerpt:
A discovery leads to questions about whether the odds of people sharing genetic profiles are sometimes higher than portrayed. Calling the finding meaningless, the FBI has sought to block such inquiry.
This story was posted by Abstract Artist. But now he has gone away. He seems to have deleted all his posts. Does anybody know why he l... more -
Study finds genetic link to violence, delinquency
Genes may play an important role in determining why some young men raised in rough neighborhoods or deprived families become violent criminals while others do not, accordidng to the August issue of the American Sociological Review as quoted by media Tuesday.
One gene called MAOA that plays an especially strong role has been shown in other studies to affect antisocial behavior -- and it is disturbingly common, according to the team at the University of North Carolina.
People with a particular variation of the MAOA gene called 2R were very prone to criminal and delinquent behavior, said sociology professor Guang Guo, who led the study.
"I don't want to say it is a crime gene, but 1 percent of people have it and scored very high in violence and delinquency," Guo said in a telephone interview with media.
Guo's team found specific variations in three genes -- the monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) gene, the dopamine transporter 1(DAT1) gene and the dopamine D2 receptor (DRD2) gene -- were associated with bad behavior.
Guo's team, which studied only boys, used data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, a nationally representative sample of about 20,000 adolescents in grades 7 to 12. The young men in the study were interviewed in person regularly, and some gave blood samples.
His team constructed a "serious delinquency scale" based on some of the questions the youngsters answered.
"Nonviolent delinquency includes stealing amounts larger or smaller than 50 U.S. dollars, breaking and entering, and selling drugs," it wrote in the Review.
"Violent delinquency includes serious physical fighting that resulted in injuries needing medical treatment, use of weapons to get something from someone, involvement in physical fighting between groups, shooting or stabbing someone,deliberately damaging property, and pulling a knife or gun on someone." Genes may play an important role in determining why some young men raised in rough neighborhoods or deprived families become violent c... more -
Albino Humans and Beasts
There are many misconceptions about the condition of albinism. Albinos are not a freak show.
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Mystery Bug Found at London Museum
"July 15, 2008—Even with 28 million insect specimens in their collection, experts at London's Natural History Museum haven't found a match for a mysterious bug—pictured above—found in their own backyard.
Since it was discovered last year by entomologist Max Barclay, the tiny, red-and-black, seed-eating ground bug has become the most common insect in the museum's wildlife garden.
It has also been spotted elsewhere in the city.
"Today we've had people ringing us up saying they've known about this thing in [central] London for six or seven years," Barclay said.
"It's only when it gets to somewhere like the Natural History Museum, where there are loads of specialists hanging around, that somebody will pick it up."
While the insect looks similar to a Central European species, Arocatus roeselii, it is a darker red and lives on plane trees—what Americans call sycamores—instead of alders.
It also resembles a mystery insect found in France that likely isn't native to Europe at all, Barclay said.
"It's also very similar to a common North American pest called the boxelder bug, but it isn't that," he added.
Barclay believes the ground bug either represents a variation of a known exotic species or it's a newly discovered species.
Museum scientists hope an analysis of the insect's DNA will finally solve the mystery."
Cool! Mysteries abound! I love stories like this.
"July 15, 2008—Even with 28 million insect specimens in their collection, experts at London's Natural History Museum haven't found a m... more -
German villagers share DNA with cavemen
Local people in a small German village share the same rare DNA pattern as the bones of cavemen who lived in the area 3,000 years ago.
The Bronze Age remains were discovered by archaeologists in the Lichtensteinhohle cave in the foothills of the Harz mountains in Lower Saxony, near the village of Nienstedt in 1994.
The bones of 40 people were shielded from the elements by calcium deposits that formed a protective skin around the skeletons.
All the remains turned out to be from the same family group who had a distinctive - and rare - DNA pattern.
When people in the local area were tested with saliva swabs, two nearby residents turned out to have the same distinctive genetic characteristic.
Manfred Huchthausen, a 58-year-old teacher, and Uwe Lange, a 48-year-old surveyer, now believe they are even more local than either of them thought.
"We used to play in these caves as kids," said Mr Lange. "If I'd known that there were 3,000-year-old relatives buried there I wouldn't have set foot in the place." Local people in a small German village share the same rare DNA pattern as the bones of cavemen who lived in the area 3,000 years ago. ... more -
DNA testing proves two of five severed feet from the same man
Two of the five feet that have mysteriously washed ashore in southwest B.C. over the past year are from the same man, DNA testing has revealed. Two of the five feet that have mysteriously washed ashore in southwest B.C. over the past year are from the same man, DNA testing has ... more
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DNA clears Ramseys, points to 'Unexplained Party'
A new type of DNA test has again cleared the family of JonBenet Ramsey in her death. The new results prompted Boulder County District Attorney Mary Lacy to meet with John Ramsey, JonBenet's father, Wednesday and give him a letter of apology, CBS station KCNC-TV in Denver reports.
A new type of DNA test has again cleared the family of JonBenet Ramsey in her death. The new results prompted Boulder County District ... more -
DNA clears JonBenet's Family
(CNN) -- Recently developed "touch DNA" technology has cleared all members of JonBenet Ramsey's family of her slaying, authorities said Wednesday.
The DNA reportedly points to an unidentified male as her suspected killer. (CNN) -- Recently developed "touch DNA" technology has cleared all members of JonBenet Ramsey's family of her slaying, authorities sai... more -
Artificial DNA created in Japan; could power future computers
Chemists claim to have created the world's first DNA molecule made almost entirely of artificial parts.
The finding could lead to improvements in gene therapy, futuristic nano-sized computers, and other high-tech advances, the Japanese researchers say.
DNA, popularly illustrated as a double helix, holds the blueprints of life and controls what every living organism becomes and how it functions.
Scientists have tried for years to develop artificial versions of DNA in order to take advantage of its amazing information storage capabilities. Already, DNA has been harnessed to create simple electronic circuits.
DNA uses just four basic building blocks, known as bases, to code proteins used in cell functioning and development. Other researchers have crafted DNA molecules with a few artificial parts.
But Masahiko Inouye and colleagues at the University of Toyama used stitched together four entirely new, artificial bases inside the sugar-based framework of a DNA molecule, creating unusually stable, double-stranded structures resembling natural DNA, they say.
Like natural DNA, the new ripoffs were right-handed and some easily formed triple-stranded structures. "The unique chemistry of these structures and their high stability offer unprecedented possibilities for developing new biotech materials and applications," the researchers said in a statement.
The breakthrough will be detailed in the July 23 issue of the Journal of the American Chemical Society.
"The artificial DNA might be applied to a future extracellular genetic system with information storage and amplifiable abilities," the researchers write.
Chemists claim to have created the world's first DNA molecule made almost entirely of artificial parts. ... more -
A Genetic Quest for Better Chocolate
A five-year project to sequence and analyze the entire cocoa genome.
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DNA retrieved from 1,000-year-old Vikings
Strands of 1,000-year-old DNA from 10 Viking skeletons have been retrieved, a team of scientists claims.
If true, the achievement would be notable, since many researchers say it is impossible to recover authentic DNA from ancient humans.
Jorgen Dissing of the University of Copenhagen and colleagues say they retrieved the genetic material from the freshly sampled teeth of skeletons dating back to around A.D. 1000 and found at a non-Christian burial site called Galgedil on the Danish island of Funen.
Wearing protective suits, the researchers removed the teeth from the jaw at the moment the skeletons were unearthed, where they had lain untouched for 1,000 years. Subsequent laboratory procedures were carefully controlled to avoid contamination with modern human DNA.........
................However, analysis of the Viking DNA showed no evidence of contamination with extraneous DNA, Dissing said, and typing of the DNA gave reproducible results and showed that these individuals were just as diverse as contemporary humans.
Analysis of DNA from the remains of ancient humans provides valuable insights into such questions as the origin of genetic diseases, migration patterns of our forefathers and tribal and family patterns.
"A reliable retrieval of authentic DNA opens the way for a valuable use of prehistoric human remains to elucidate the genetic history of past and extant populations," the authors wrote. Strands of 1,000-year-old DNA from 10 Viking skeletons have been retrieved, a team of scientists claims. ... more -
DNA Testing Company Stops Direct-to-Consumer Sales in California
A genetic testing company has stopped direct-to-consumer sales in California as a result of receiving a cease-and-desist letter from the state's health department.
HairDX, which offers a genetic test that claims to predict clients' risk of hair loss, has decided, on advice of legal counsel, to require California (and New York) residents to order their tests through a doctor.
Other companies targeted by California continue to sell their services in the state, but HairDX's CEO, Andy Gores, said closing down their Internet orders in the market was an easy decision.
"It's not our mainstay business," Gores said. "We are focused mainly on [selling through] doctors."
Still, the company's decision to stop offering its genetic test to California residents is a sign that the Public Health Department's cease-and-desist letters are already having an impact on the nascent genetic testing industry.
On June 9th, the Laboratory Field Services division sent the letters to thirteen genetic testing companies. So far, in addition to HairDX, only Navigenics, 23andMe and DNATraits have confirmed they received a letter.
The Health Department requested responses to the letters by today, June 23, containing plans for coming into compliance with the department's interpretation of California state clinical laboratory testing laws.
Gores, like representatives from other genetic testing companies Wired.com has spoken with, voiced frustration with the health department's one-letter-fits-all regulatory action.
"I think their letter is a shotgun approach," he said. "The 23andMes of the world are more in the entertainment realm... We're on the opposite end of the spectrum."
The company's attorney, Elliott J. Stein, said he was preparing a response for the state, but was unsure of exactly what type of compliance plan the state desired.
"I don't know how all of this is supposed to play out," he said, but was confident that his client's business would ultimately prove acceptable to the health department.
In the meantime, Laboratory Field Services' chief Karen Nickel's declaration that California is "no longer tolerating direct to consumer genetic testing," has already succeeded in pushing one company out of the state. A genetic testing company has stopped direct-to-consumer sales in California as a result of receiving a cease-and-desist letter from t... more -
In continua evoluzione
È stato verificato che la specie umana è in continua evoluzione: nel corso degli ultimi 100.000 anni, si sono verificati profondi cambiamenti a livello genetico. Alcuni ricercatori dell'Università di Cornell (New York), osservando le mutazioni del DNA nel corso di diverse generazioni, hanno scoperto che il 10% del genoma umano attuale potrebbe essere il risultato di questi "recenti" cambiamenti genetici.
Gli studiosi hanno esaminato oltre un milione di variazioni genetiche nel DNA di 24 individui di diverse etnie. Innanzitutto, hanno cercato aree del genoma umano che hanno subito una mutazione benefica ad oggi presente in un'intera popolazione. Poi, osservando la variabilità del DNA attorno alla mutazione, il team è stato in grado di determinare quando questa mutazione si sia estesa a tutta la comunità.
Più di cento aree del genoma mostrano prove inconfutabili a sostegno di una recente evoluzione. Tra queste, i geni responsabili dei cambiementi in: tessuto muscolare, capelli, udito, sistema immunitario, pigmentazione della pelle, olfatto e risposta del corpo allo stress da calore.
English version: http://current.com/items/89045075_human_genome_reveals_... È stato verificato che la specie umana è in continua evoluzione: nel corso degli ultimi 100.000 anni, si sono verificati profondi camb... more -
Human genome reveals signs of recent evolution
New genetic evidence suggests that evolution has continued to shape our species powerfully over the past 100,000 years. By looking for signals based on how much DNA mutates over generations, researchers found clues that as much as 10 percent of the human genome may be linked to these recent adaptive genetic changes.
Cornell University population geneticist Scott Williamson and colleagues analyzed over a million genetic variations in DNA samples from 24 individuals, including African Americans, European Americans, and Chinese. They were looking for regions in the genome where a beneficial mutation is carried by everyone in a population. Then, by looking at the variability in the DNA surrounding the mutation, the team could figure out how long ago the mutation spread through the population.
More than a hundred sites in the genome showed strong evidence of recent selection, including genes that affect muscle tissue, hair, hearing, immune-system function, skin pigmentation, sense of smell, and the body’s response to heat stress.
by Jennifer Barone
Discover Magazine
http://discovermagazine.com/2008/jan/human-genome-revea...
Localizing Recent Adaptive Evolution in the Human Genome
http://www.plosgenetics.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/jo... New genetic evidence suggests that evolution has continued to shape our species powerfully over the past 100,000 years. By looking for... more -
Triple Helix DNA?
It has been known for some time of the Scientific possibility of a Triple Helix, in fact it can be artificially created. However most scientists dismiss the idea that we as humans could have a Third DNA Strand. A strand that is perhaps not yet visable with primative scientific instruments.
If you look at most pictures of the Double Helix, you can see that there is clearly room for additional parallel strands. And there is Scientific Proof that additional strands can FIT into the DNA structure.
Our scientific understandings are always changing as we gain new knowledge
"The difficulty lies, not in the new ideas, but in escaping the old ones, which ramify, for those brought up as most of us have been, into every corner of our minds."
- John Maynard Keynes
How is a Triple Helix formed?
http://www.mun.ca/biochem/courses/3107/Topics/DNA_and_R...
Bonding Strands to DNA
http://employees.csbsju.edu/hjakubowski/classes/ch331/b...
Triple Helix DNA discussion
http://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread83906/pg1
The Sun is changing our DNA?
http://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread359154/pg3&am...
3-stranded DNA can be made with RecA
http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/abstract/88/8/2984 It has been known for some time of the Scientific possibility of a Triple Helix, in fact it can be artificially created. However most... more -
Sixth severed foot found turned out to be a hoax
A forensic pathologist and an anthropologist have examined the discovery "and determined a skeletonized animal paw was inserted into the shoe with a sock and packed with dried seaweed," the coroners service announced.
A forensic pathologist and an anthropologist have examined the discovery "and determined a skeletonized animal paw was inserted into t... more -
Uno studio made in Italy svela il perche' genetico dell'omosessualita' maschile.
Il tratto genetico si eredita per linea materna e aumenterebbe la fecondità femminile.
L'omosessualita' maschile ha una predisposizione genetica ereditata dalla madre. Lo sostiene lo studio di un gruppo di ricercatori dell'Universita' di Padova, pubblicato sulla rivista 'PloS_ONE', secondo il quale i geni dell'omosessualita' maschile sono stati individuati sulla base di un modello matematico... continua Il tratto genetico si eredita per linea materna e aumenterebbe la fecondità femminile. ... more -
Harvard Team Creates the World's 1st Synthesized Cells
Mixing some fatty acids and DNA in a test tube of water, they found that the lipid molecules formed a crude ring around the information-rich core. Even more strikingly, nucleotides added to the solution successfully entered the cell and replicated the DNA within a day. We can only hope the scientist took this chance to raise the test tube and cry "In my hand I hold the secret to LIFE ITSELF!", triggering dramatic lightning strikes and thunder in the background. Mixing some fatty acids and DNA in a test tube of water, they found that the lipid molecules formed a crude ring around the informatio... more
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Study: Chimps calm each other with hugs, kisses
This puts the lie to the assertion that empathy is an exclusively human feature. Admittedly, chimpanzees are, after all, our closest relatives in our group of simians - the Great Apes - and have a staggering 98% or thereabouts identical DNA to that of humans. This puts the lie to the assertion that empathy is an exclusively human feature. Admittedly, chimpanzees are, after all, our closest r... more
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Jurassic Park comes true: How scientists are bringing dinosaurs back to life
Dinosaurs walking the Earth once again . . . quite a concept.
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