An understanding of the genetic concepts applicable to individual cases of deafness, as well as an appreciation of the complex nature of determinaton of recurrence risks in families, will facilitate the referral of individuals and families for genetic evaluation and counseling. (Author)

Described is the BSCS Center for Education and Medical Genetics project, designed to examine the treatment of ethical issues in the genetic counseling process and to develop and evaluate a model instructional program from increasing the ability of genetic counselors to recognize and deal with ethical problems. (Author/DS)

Results of a study involving 136 pairs of identical twins reared together, 175 pairs of fraternal twins reared together, 83 pairs of identical twins reared apart, and 182 pairs of fraternal twins reared apart suggest that genotype- environment covariance is important for the work environment and should be included as a parameter in behavior…

Presents 11 statements from the American Association of Physical Anthropologists (AAPA) as revisions of the 1964 United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) statement on race. (YDS)

Hans Eysenck, who died in September 1997, was one of the most well-known psychologists in the world. A believer that intelligence is genetically controlled, Eysenck recognized the need for scientific investigation in the study of intelligence and creativity. He was characterized by extraordinary creativity and commitment to his scientific message.…

Studied the association between the number of cytosine-guanine-guanine (CCG) repeats in the FMR2 gene (a fragile X mental retardation gene) and IQ score among 902 school age children. Results indicate that variation in CGG size, among normal-size FMR2 alleles, is not a contributor to normal variation in intelligence. (SLD)

This study investigated the role of the myelin oligodendrocye glycoportein (MOG) gene to reading disability in 22 children with dyslexia and 96 random controls. Results suggest that, although alleles in the MOG gene may be in linkage disequilibrium with a locus that contributes to reading disability, the MOG gene itself is probably not involved.…

Scientists have shown that a genetic element on one chromosome may direct gene activity on another. Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) researchers report that a multitasking master-control region appears to over-see both a set of its own genes and a related gene on a nearby chromosome. The findings reinforce the growing importance of location…

The potential for genetically modified (GM) crops to threaten biodiversity conservation and sustainable agriculture is substantial. Megadiverse countries and centers of origin and/or diversity of crop species are particularly vulnerable regions. The future of sustainable agriculture may be irreversibly jeopardized by contamination of in situ…

Transgenic insecticidal Bt crops are being increasingly used worldwide, and concern is increasing about resistance and their effects on nontarget organisms. The toxin acts as a weak pesticide and, hence, the effects are subtler than those of chemical biocides. However, the toxin is ever present, but concentrations vary with age of plant and plant…

We review the different strategies currently used to try to identify susceptibility genes for idiopathic autism. Although identification of genes is usually straightforward in Mendelian disorders, it has proved to be much more difficult to establish in polygenic disorders like autism. Neither genome screens of affected siblings nor the large…

The history of human evolution is fascinating and complex indeed. Modern science as revealed by the disciplines of archaeology, palaeontology, and genetics presents strong evidence about the common origins of humankind. Dispersal from the birthplace over millennia has produced a mosaic of identities that are cultural artefacts or social constructs…

NMITA is a reef coral biodiversity database that we use to introduce students to the expansive realm of bioinformatics beyond genetics. We introduce a series of lessons that have students use this database, thereby accessing real data that can be used to test hypotheses about biodiversity and evolution while targeting the "National Science …