Lissencephalies are congenital malformations responsible for epilepsy and mental retardation in children. A number of distinct lissencephaly syndromes have been characterized, according to the aspect and the topography of the cortical malformation, the involvement of other cerebral structures and the identified genetic defect. A mutation in…

In a randomized controlled trial we tested the role of genetic differences in explaining variability in intervention effects on child externalizing behavior. One hundred fifty-seven families with 1- to 3-year-old children screened for their relatively high levels of externalizing behavior participated in a study implementing Video-feedback…

Although the field of gifted education generally recognizes the foundational work of Lewis Terman, rarely does one stop to examine the details of his longitudinal study and their connection to present-day gifted education. This article reexamines the beginnings of Terman's longitudinal study with a focus on elementary-school-aged children.…

This article reports the findings of a study conducted to examine the types of information used by graduate students in the fields of biological and agricultural sciences at Iowa State University (ISU). The citations of doctoral dissertations submitted in nine agriculture and biological science subject fields (crop production and physiology;…

Several forms of eye movement dysfunction (EMD) are regarded as promising candidate endophenotypes of schizophrenia. Discrepancies in individual study results have led to inconsistent conclusions regarding particular aspects of EMD in relatives of schizophrenia patients. To quantitatively evaluate and compare the candidacy of smooth pursuit,…

In his 1979 "Human Development" article reprinted in this anniversary issue, James Wertsch presented an approach to genetic analysis of the shifting regulation of problem-solving behavior in early childhood. In my reflections on Wertsch's seminal contribution, I discuss ways that subsequent inquiry built upon ideas he elaborated in the…

Discusses the applicability and advantages of using yeasts as popular and ideal model systems for studying and understanding eukaryotic biology at the cellular and molecular levels. Cites experimental tractability and the cooperative tradition of the research community of yeast biologists as reasons for this success. (RT)

Various typs of DNA are discussed. Areas considered include highly repetitive and satellite sequences, genes encoding, ribosomal RNA, histone protein genes, and dispersed repeated genes that jump. Regulated genetic misbehavior, structure and use of unique genes, and higher order complexities of chromosomes are also discussed. (JN)

This module, for high school teachers, is the second of two modules about the Human Genome Project (HGP) produced by the Biological Sciences Curriculum Study (BSCS). The first section of this module provides background information for teachers about the structure and objectives of the HGP, aspects of the science and technology that underlie the…

Current research in plant genetics is described. Benefits of this research (which includes genetic engineering applications) will include reduction/elimination of crop diseases, assurance of genetic stability, and the creation of new crop varieties. (JN)

Carriers of fragile X mental retardation 1 ("FMR1") premutation alleles (55 to 200 CGG repeats) are generally spared the more serious neurodevelopmental problems associated with the full-mutation carriers (greater than 200 repeats) of fragile X syndrome. However, some adult male premutation carriers (55-200 repeats) develop a neurological syndrome…

Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is characterized by a pattern of morphological, functional, and molecular characteristics with, in at least some cases, apparent relationships among phenotypic features at different levels. Gross morphology differences in the sizes of some human brain regions are accompanied by fine structural alterations in the shapes and…

What causes dyslexia, and how does it manifest across languages? As bilingualism becomes increasingly important globally, these questions have never been more critical--and this comprehensive volume from The Dyslexia Foundation explores them in unprecedented depth. Bringing together the best brain-based, genetics, and behavioral research in the…

Individuals with a cancer-predisposing genetic trait have a lifetime risk to develop cancer approaching 100 percent, and cancer often strikes early in age, before standard recommended cancer screening begins. Identifying hereditary cancer predisposition through genetic cancer risk assessment (GCRA) allows for intensified measures to prevent…

Near the end of his illustrious career, Gottlieb lamented the continued dominance of heritability analysis in human psychology and the difficulties in winning support for the developmental point of view. Recent, spectacular progress in molecular genetic neuroscience and the genetic study of behavior, however, is rendering heritability analysis…