Protein translation is a fundamental biological process taught in introductory general biology classes at the undergraduate level. This core scientific topic is often hard for students to understand as it involves several key players and piecing together of information learned in multiple lectures. The current study examines the effectiveness of…

Background: Due to the progressive deterioration of motor, cognitive, and psychological function, individuals with Huntington's disease (HD) rely heavily on family caregivers, including children in the home. This "young carer" role can result in responsibilities that are inappropriate for the child's age and abilities. Also referred to…

Mutations can cause genetic diseases and the vast majority of these have no effective treatment. They raise some difficult questions on the boundaries of science and social science. Selective breeding to "improve" the human race (eugenics) is often regarded as a Victorian relic or Nazi fantasy. Yet, three fetuses with Down syndrome are…

Myhre syndrome (MS) is a connective tissue disorder with multisystem involvement with or without intellectual disability. In most cases SMAD4 mutations are reported. To date, 55 individuals have been molecularly confirmed. Autism has been proposed among associate clinical features of MS but no standardized diagnosis was available in previous…

Formation of long-term synaptic plasticity that underlies long-term memory requires new protein synthesis. Years of research has elucidated some of the transcriptional and translational mechanisms that contribute to the production of new proteins. Early research on transcription focused on the transcription factor cAMP-responsive element binding…

This study examined the experiences of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) genetic testing among parents of children with ASD. A nationwide sample of 552 parents of children with ASD completed an online survey. Nearly one-quarter (22.5%) of the parents reported that their affected children had undergone ASD genetic testing. The testing utilization was…

Understanding redox reactions in biochemistry requires a clear grasp of three definitions: electron exchange, oxidation number, and oxygen atom insertion. Here, the electrochemical cell is explained for redox-active ions, introducing a new comparison between the measurement of midpoint potential and the measurement of initial velocity for enzymes.…

The notion that 'intelligence' or 'ability' is genetically inherited refuses to die. This article reviews the way such a notion has long been used to justify inequality in society, and considers the methodological failings and deceptions, and the interpretative blind spots, of those who advance the heritability of 'intelligence' as a basis for…

The aim of this study is to determine the effects of both static and dynamic strength trainings on oxidative stress and DNA damage in elite boxers. 19 elite male boxers participated in the study. Boxers were instructed to perform strength exercises 3 days a week for 8 weeks. Blood samples were taken before exercises (resting), after the first…

Behavior genetic methods are useful for examining mechanisms underlying the interaction between genetic and family environmental factors of internalizing problem behavior (INT). Previous twin studies, however, have shown little consistency in interaction patterns, depending on type and operationalization of measured environments. The aim of the…

Background: Significant advances in the treatment of Cystic Fibrosis (CF) have extended life expectancy, increasing the number of CF caregivers who deliver demanding daily treatment regimens and manage uncertainty. With the impact these changes have on CF caregivers, it is critical to understand CF caregiver quality of life (QoL). Purpose: To…

Integrating the nature of science (NOS) into textbooks is one of the challenges in science curricula. This case study assessed the issue based on a sample of high school biology textbooks in Mainland China. We quantitatively compared changes in the extent, quality, and distribution of NOS representations between 2004 and 2019 editions. Three main…

We examined the cognitive, language, and instructional predictors of early word-reading ability in a sample of children with Williams syndrome longitudinally. At Time 1, sixty-nine 6-7-year-olds (mean age = 6.53 years) completed standardized measures of phonological awareness, visual-spatial perception, vocabulary, and overall intellectual…

CRISPR technologies are among the most powerful advancements in modern biology because they accurately manipulate the genomes of living cells and have the potential of curing various genetic diseases. This study examined the attitudes of undergraduate health science students towards somatic cell and germline gene editing therapies and whether…

Aided augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) modeling is an important approach to facilitating language learning for individuals with complex communication repertoires. This study examines the implementation of this approach during COVID-19 virtual schooling. Key implementation challenges are identified, along with implications for…