The neuronal ceroid-lipofuscinoses (NCL's, Batten disease) represent a group of severe neurodegenerative diseases, which mostly present in childhood. The phenotypes are similar and include visual loss, seizures, loss of motor and cognitive function, and early death. At autopsy, there is massive neuronal loss with characteristic storage in…

The debate about the relevance of human genetics knowledge to everyday life has been marked by fluctuations of interest and enthusiasm. The negative impact of eugenics on the public consciousness suppressed dialogue between geneticists and the public for most of the second half of the 20th century (Ridley, 1999). For the most part, nongeneticists…

Spina bifida (SB) refers to a subgroup of congenital defects where the neural tube fails to fuse, often resulting in a protruding spinal cord. This is often due to a defect or absence of vertebral arches resulting from a failure of the mesoderm to organize over the region of the defect. SB occurs during gestation between the third and sixth week…

Individuals with sex chromosome trisomies (SCTs) have an increased risk of language delays and impairments. However, there are only a few data relative to their language development in early childhood. The present study aimed to investigate the preverbal skills shown by a group of 8-month-old children with SCTs to assess the presence of a possible…

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), a progressive genetic neuromuscular disease, affects all major muscle groups in the body. Academic functioning is affected by the progressive nature of DMD and physical fatigue. To explore the experiential account of schooling and the barriers in schooling among children with DMD in India and to develop…

The essence of Genetics lies in the understanding of the concepts of Central Dogma of Molecular Biology. Although these ideas are fundamental to the field, they are notoriously difficult to understand and visualize. While simulation-based instructional materials are found to improve the teaching-learning process in science education, little has…

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…

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.…

Every November, the University of Calgary iGEM (international Genetically Engineered Machines) team presents their synthetic biology project to the world. Weekly team meetings are a microcosm of the iGEM experience of bringing ideas to fruition. The peer teaching, mentoring, and consultations that occur at these meetings are triggers for deeper…

Generalization of fear can involve abnormal responding to cues that signal safety and is common in people diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. Differential auditory fear conditioning can be used as a tool to measure changes in fear discrimination and generalization. Most prior work in this area has focused on elevated amygdala activity…

Surviving threats in the environment requires brain circuits for detecting (or anticipating) danger and for coordinating appropriate defensive responses (e.g., increased cardiac output, stress hormone release, and freezing behavior). The bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) is a critical interface between the "affective…

Two simple discrete-time models of mutation-induced cannibalism are introduced and investigated, one linear and one nonlinear. Both form the basis for possible classroom activities and independent investigative study. A range of classroom exercises are provided, along with suggestions for further investigations.