Tuesday April 8th, 2014
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GeneTrends
Human
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BRCA1 and BRCA2 are classic tumor-suppressor genes that repair breaks in double-stranded DNA. But even with the BRCA mutations known to cause disease, the range of risk is huge: 40 percent in some, 90 percent in others. There is still a formidable tangle of causes and potential causes and still-unknown causes, genetic and otherwise, and it's not just in breast cancer.
Agriculture
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clockwork-orange-brainwash
A University Of Northern Iowa (UNI) instructor invited two professors to engage in an exercise analyzing arguments for and against crop biotechnology, and reflect on how biases can distort the way we discuss issues. The ensuing discussion dissolved into a GMO bashing session.
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Cyrus Farivar uses several direct to consumer genetic testing companies to explore his health risks, specifically for Alzheimer's disease. In the end, he wonders, why should we bother at all with DTC genetics?
The Public Library of Science will now require scientists who want to publish genetic association studies in the journal to provide additional information about the rationale for the study. The journal editors hope this will decrease the number of papers published with false positive results.
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The Black Death ravaged the European population, but some survived due to a genetic mutation also implicated in HIV infection.
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Do advances in conventional breeding make genetic engineering unnecessary? That's the controversial claim by Union of Concerned Scientist's Doug Gurian-Sherman, whose views, including claims that there is no international consensus that GMOs are safe, are under fire from mainstream scientists.
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Princess Anne argues that genetically modified crops do have a role to play in using land more efficiently, putting her at odds with brother Prince Charles over the British countryside.
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FDA commissioner's science-based support for voluntary labeling of GMOs disappointed anti-GMO campaigners, some of whom are now advocating ripping up biotech crops.
"It's a computer -- inside a cockroach." So writes Sarah Spickernell in a fascinating account at New Scientist of DNA-based nanorobots being used to develop nanocomputers that can live inside an oranism's bloodstream and treat disease.
Fourth-generation family farmer muses on the soon-to-be-planted four billionth acre of biotech crops at Truth About Trade & Technology. What does this milestone mean to him as a farmer? What does it mean to the ongoing GMO debate, where it's often suggested that crop biotechnology hasn't actually taken root yet.
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