Surveyed literature on genetics and fears and phobias to determine what might be heritable. Found, for ordinary fears among the general population, heredity appears to contribute mainly to a trait of general fearfulness and may be a major reason for the strong intercorrelation among different fears. Found evidence of little environmental…

Presents interview with Thomas Bouchard, a leading researcher of identical twins reared apart. Describes major themes in the Minnesota twin research. Claims, although genetic influence is central, Bouchard pleas for the impact of environmental factors in optimal human development. Includes Bouchard's surprising experiences, current focus, and…

Data analysis of 134 twin pairs from the Colorado Reading Project found that approximately 40 percent of the deficit observed in disabled readers is because of genetic factors, 35 percent because of environmental influences shared by twin pairs, and 25 percent because of environmental factors unique to the individual and/or error variance.…

Genetic research has shown that dyslexia is familial, substantially heritable, and heterogeneous in its genetic mechanisms. Evidence also supports the view that the primary symptom in dyslexia is a deficit in the phonological coding of written language, a symptom that appears to be heritable. (Author/JDD)

Describes basic genetic concepts and genetic services provided by social workers which involve counseling clients with genetic concerns. Contends this adds to the requisites of social work practice. Discusses the ramifications of genetic concepts for social work profession. (Author/ABL)

Presents a student simulation activity based on the dideoxy chain termination method of determining the nucleotide sequence of DNA fragments developed in 1977 by Fred Sanger. (JRH)

Conceptual ambiguity surrounds notions of gifted and talented; justification for talent development is often linked with rejection of the term gifted. Talent development should mean identification of those who show superior natural abilities as well as aptitudes for a particular domain and emphasis on developing those special skills. (SK)

The authors provide an introduction to the inheritance of coat colors in cats and suggest strategies designed to integrate the domestic cat (Felis domesticus or catus) into the teaching of genetics. Provides examples to illustrate dominance, recessiveness, epistasis, multiple allelism, environmental effect of phenotype, incomplete dominance,…

Research points to two distinct regions within the Prader-Willi chromosome region: one for Prader Willi syndrome and one for Angelman syndrome. Genetic mechanisms in Angelman syndrome are complex, and at present, three mechanisms are recognized: maternal deletion, paternal uniparental disomy, and a nondeleted nondisomic form. (Author/JDD)

Forty-two parents of children with autistic disorder, 15 children with autistic disorder, 17 siblings of children with autistic disorder, and 12 unrelated normal controls were studied for binding characteristics of their immunoglobulins. Results did not support the hypothesis that two specific autoantibodies are characteristic of autism.…

To examine the basis of familiar associations with poor language achievement, 62 twin pairs and 3 triplet sets were studied in which at least one member presented poor oral-language status in the absence of other impairments. The language status of monozygotic pairs was highly similar. (Author/CR)

This study was an attempt to replicate a previously reported quantitative trait loci association between general cognitive ability and a marker identified as EST00083 (P. Skuder et al., 1995). The association remained significant for 51 high and 51 average IQ child subjects but not for 40 extremely high and 50 average IQ subjects. Implications are…

Researchers interested in linear causal models discovered that a genetic biologist, Sewall Wright, had laid the groundwork for these models over nearly 50 years. This annotated bibliography covers Wright's development of the method of path coefficients. (Author/SLD)

A sample of 879 basic nursing programs was used to identify the type and amount of genetics content in curricula. Recommendations were made for increasing genetics content as a result of the synthesis of the survey data with previously collected data. (25 references) (Author/JOW)

Presents a game called the Meiosis Shuffle that helps students simulate the process of meiosis in which homologous cards representing chromosomes pair up, line up, and split apart. Students respond well to the simulation and are better able to conceptualize what chromosomes do and how independent assortment causes genetic variation. (CCM)