Multiple sclerosis is an inflammatory autoimmune disease that attacks the central nervous system through the destruction of myelin. Frequently cited symptoms include cognitive impairment as a hallmark repercussion, neuropsychological executive dysfunction, and psychosocial disturbances, such as affective disorders and fatigue. Other symptomatology…

Perturbing the circadian system by electrolytically lesioning the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) or varying the environmental light:dark schedule impairs memory, suggesting that memory depends on the circadian system. We used a genetic approach to evaluate the role of the molecular clock in memory. Bmal1[superscript -/-] mice, which are arrhythmic…

Genetics is perhaps the most rapidly growing field of science today. Recent findings such as those of the Human Genome Project have led to new understandings of basic genetic phenomena and even to increased confusion about some basic genetic ideas, such as the nature of the gene. These developments directly influence how we should teach genetics.…

Sleep disruption is common in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Genes whose products regulate endogenous melatonin modify sleep patterns and have been implicated in ASD. Genetic factors likely contribute to comorbid expression of sleep disorders in ASD. We studied a clinically unique ASD subgroup, consisting solely of children with…

This experiment exposed 3rd and 4th y undergraduates and graduate students taking a course in advanced food analysis to DNA extraction, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and DNA sequence analysis. Students provided their own fish sample, purchased from local grocery stores, and the class as a whole extracted DNA, which was then subjected to PCR,…

The etiological forces of development have been a central question for the developmental sciences (however defined) since their crystallization as a distinct branch of scientific inquiry. Although the history of these sciences contains examples of extreme positions capitalizing on either the predominance of the genome (i.e., the accumulation of…

Reasoning about visual representations in science requires the ability to control one's attention, inhibit attention to irrelevant or incorrect information, and hold information in mind while manipulating it actively--all aspects of the limited-capacity cognitive system described as humans' executive functions. This article describes pedagogical…

Background: The present study aimed at investigating mother-child dyadic co-regulation patterns in dyads with children with intellectual disability (ID). Method: 24 children paired for developmental age and vocabulary size (8 with chromosome 14 aberrations, 8 with Down syndrome, and 8 with typical development) and their mothers participated in the…

Both accurate monitoring and adequate control are crucial for effective self-regulation when learning from problem-solving tasks. Prior research has shown that self-regulated learning is especially harmful for low prior knowledge students, given their difficulties with accurate monitoring and control decisions. Although many studies have indicated…

This research focuses on the educational and daily life of a gifted individual with albinism. The purpose of this current research was to determine the difficulties faced by this twice-exceptional individual in his education life and how these difficulties have been overcome. The study has been conducted by narrative study design of the…

Reasoning about visual representations in science requires the ability to control one's attention, inhibit attention to irrelevant or incorrect information, and hold information in mind while manipulating it actively--all aspects of the limited capacity cognitive system described as humans' Executive Functions (EFs) (see Diamond, 2002). This…

Self-injurious and aggressive behaviors are common in fragile X syndrome (FXS). However, little is known about the persistence of these behaviors and associated risk markers. We established the prevalence and persistence of self-injurious and aggressive behaviors over eight years in males with FXS, and associations with risk markers. Results…

Purpose: Children with poor language tend to have worse psychosocial outcomes compared to their typically developing peers. The most common explanations for such adversities focus on developmental psychological processes whereby poor language triggers psychosocial difficulties. Here, we investigate the possibility of shared biological effects by…

This article focuses on students' discursive moves and reasoning practices while engaged in a task that requires making explanatory links between sickle cell disease and malaria. Both diseases pertain to key areas of the biology curriculum, namely, genetic variability and natural selection, and are connected to the theory of evolution of living…

This paper highlights learning supports associated with genetics lessons that were implemented in a urban high school biology classroom. The supports provided access to science content for ELLs [English language learners], students with IEPs [individualized education programs], and struggling readers during an introductory unit on genetics. Due to…