Genetics

Speed of Expertise Acquisition Depends upon Inherited Factors

by Philippe Chassy

Evison, M., Graham, E., Haimes, E., Leach Scully, J., Ludwig, A., Maguire, C., et al. (2012). A comment on the Hill–Turney exchange: from normative antagonism to interdisciplinary collaboration. New Genetics and Society, 1-6.

by NUCFS - Centre for Forensic Science

A recent issue of NG&S included an exchange between forensic odontologist Anthony Hill (2011) and social scientist... more A recent issue of NG&S included an exchange between forensic odontologist Anthony Hill (2011) and social scientist Lyn Turney (2011) discussing an earlier paper on the use of DNA identification in the Australian bush fires disaster of 2009 (Turney, 2010). An editor’s introduction to the exchange solicited further observations on the issues raised by the two participants (Glasner, 2011). What follows is a response to that solicitation. It has been written jointly by individuals from a wide range of disciplinary backgrounds (including forensic genetics, forensic anthropology, sociology, bioethics, and science & technology studies) located within two research centres (the Northumbria University Centre for Forensic Science (NCUFS); the Policy, Ethics and Life Sciences Research Centre at Newcastle University (PEALS)). We currently collaborate on a range of research topics including the uses of the life sciences for Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) . Some of us have worked as scientists commissioned by the UK Government and other agencies in response to particular disasters; others of us have an interest in the formation of policy and in the uses of science and technology as they affect a range of social goods including health, justice and security.

Epigenetic mechanism mediating the impact of child adversity on life-long adverse behavior

by Andrés Ginestet

Although epidemiological data provide evidence that early life experience plays a critical role in human development,... more Although epidemiological data provide evidence that early life experience plays a critical role in human development, the mechanism of how this works remains in question. Recent data from human and animal literature suggest that epigenetic changes, such as DNA methylation, are involved not only in cellular differentiation, but also in the modulation of genome function in response to early life experience affecting gene
function and the phenotype. Such modulations may serve as a mechanism for life-long genome adaptation.
These changes seem to be widely distributed across the genome and to involve central and peripheral systems. Examining the environmental circumstances associated with the onset and reversal of DNA methylation will be critical for understanding risk and resiliency.

Rethinking dog domestication by integrating genetics, archeology, and biogeography

by Angela Perri

A CLASH OF CULTURES IN OUR GENES by Carol P. Christ

by Feminism and Religion

Originally published on the Feminism and Religion project

I carry the exact replica of MDNA handed down from mother to daughter since the depths of the last Ice Age 17,000... more I carry the exact replica of MDNA handed down from mother to daughter since the depths of the last Ice Age 17,000 years ago.  My father carries  the YDNA of the Indo-Europeans handed down from father to son since the time when his male ancestors invaded Europe about 5000 years ago. 

My female ancestors moved with the seasons as they gathered fruits and nuts, roots and greens to feed their families. Some of them may have blown red ochre around their hands to leave their marks in ritual cave-wombs.

Rethinking Human Nature and the Place of (Wo)Man in the world: Anthropology between Philosophy and Science. A Manifesto

by Giacomo Pezzano

We are knowing more and more about (Wo)Man, but the determination of her/his nature is still problematic: asking «What... more We are knowing more and more about (Wo)Man, but the determination of her/his nature is still problematic: asking «What is (Wo)Man?» is paradoxically possible only in the space left open by (wo)man’s erasure. Whatever human nature is, (wo)man wants to know her/himself, because if (s)he does not know who (s)he is, (s)he can not know where to go: moving from hominitas to humanitas requires a definition of (wo)man’s nature, of her/his «place» in the world, in view of describing ex-istence as a modulation of the «World Openness» and an attempt to find a way of articulate the possibilities, as intrinsically «medial» and «modal» since it is founded on «referral» and «relationship with the outside»

Cooperative genome-wide analysis shows increased homozygosity in early onset Parkinson's disease

by Laura Kilarski

Parallel evolution of auditory system for echolocation in bats and toothed whales

by Robert Murphy

Shen, Y.-y., L. Liang, G.-S. Li, R.W. Murphy, and Y-.p. Zhang. In press. Parallel evolution of auditory system for echolocation in bats and toothed whales. PLoS Genetics

Early life stressors and genetic influences on the development of bipolar disorder: The roles of childhood abuse and brain-derived neurotrophic factor

by Richard Liu

DNA isolation from fruit bats. 1999

by M.T. Abdullah, PhD

Phylogenetics of Pteropodidae

by M.T. Abdullah, PhD

Phylogenetics of Pteropodinae. 2006

by M.T. Abdullah, PhD

Phylogenetics of Macroglossinae

by M.T. Abdullah, PhD

Systematics of Malaysian woolly bats (Vespertilionidae: Kerivoula ) inferred from mitochondrial, nuclear, karyotypic. 2010. F AISAL A LI A NWARALI .J.Mammology

by M.T. Abdullah, PhD

Read the paper by Hassan & Abdullah 2011 on morphometrics of Kerivoula. Mammalian Studies

The canonical E-box motif: A target for glucocorticoid action that drives rhythmic mouse Pai-1 transcription in vitro

by Joanne Singletary

Genetics and morphology of bats. 2008

by M.T. Abdullah, PhD

Understanding Biodiversity with Socio-Cultural & Environmental Aspects. 30 April 2011

by M.T. Abdullah, PhD

This paper discusses on some concepts and new ideas related to the high biological diversity in Malaysia. This may be... more This paper discusses on some concepts and new ideas related to the high biological diversity in Malaysia. This may be known as integrative biological diversity.

Phylogeny and Phylogeography of insect bat Myotis muricola. 2012

by M.T. Abdullah, PhD

http://scholar.google.com.my/citations?hl=en&user=ylnvJSAAAAAJ

Myotis muricola is a widespread species covering the Malay Archipelago through the West and East of Wallace’s Line.... more Myotis muricola is a widespread species covering the Malay Archipelago through the West and East of Wallace’s Line. The genetic analysis, based on partial cytochrome b gene, shows the high genetic variation within M. muricola. The phylogenetic analysis has indicated that M. muricola in the Malay Archipelago are monophyletic. Members of M. muricola Eastern are grouped together independently of M. muricola Western and both groups are distantly related. On the other hand, M. muricola Western and M. muricola Eastern are distinct species and sister taxa to M. mystacinus. Based on the high genetic distance (26.8% to 38.5%) and the Genetic Species Concept (Baker & Bradley, 2006), it can be concluded that M. muricola Western and M. muricola Eastern should be considered as two distinct species. Furthermore, two subgroups within M. muricola Western, namely Sumatra-Asian and Bornean subgroups, are recognised as distinct subspecies (with genetic distance of 5.1% to 10.8%). The evidence from the molecular data indicated M. muricola Eastern as the ancestor of M. muricola species complex in the Malay Archipelago, which had earlier diverged into the western region during the Pliocene. Meanwhile, the geographical conditions during the Pleistocene had given more chances for fauna to diversify. It was predicted that M. muricola diverged in the western part of the Malay Archipelago during the Pleistocene when the sea level dropped and produced some landbridges among the islands in Sundaland. The hypothetical dispersal routes of M. muricola are related to the ancient Sunda River systems that produced gallery forest corridors for migration and which served as Pleistocene
refuges during the migration.

Phylogeny and Phylogeography of insect bat Myotis muricola (Gray, 1846) (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) from the West and and East of Wallace's Line Inferred from Partial MtDNA Cytochrome b Gene. Sigit Wiantoro, Ibnu Maryanto and M.T. Abdullah. 2012. Pertanika Journal of Tropical Agricultural Science 35(2): 271-292.

Malaysian fruit bats phylogeny inferred using ribosomal RNA. Ryan, J.R., K.H.G. Andy, V.K. Jayaraj, Y. Esa, A.A. Sallehin and Abdullah, M.T. 2008. Pertanika Journal of Tropical Agricultural Science 31(1):107-117. (SCOPUS-Cited Publication).

by M.T. Abdullah, PhD

Fourteen species of the Malaysian fruit bats (Pteropodidae) were used in this DNA taxonomy using 1,334bp of the 12S... more Fourteen species of the Malaysian fruit bats (Pteropodidae) were used in this DNA taxonomy using 1,334bp of the 12S ribosomal RNA (rRNA), transfer RNA (tRNA) valine and 16S rRNA gene segments. Previous studies using DNA found contradictions between morphology and molecular data in inferring the phylogeny of the fruit bats proposed by Andersen (1912). Our phylogenetic analysis using the neighbor-joining and the maximum parsimony methods did not support the monophyly of the subfamily Macroglossinae and the cynopterine group of the subfamily Pteropodinae as proposed by classical taxonomists. This is congruent with previous molecular studies. Here, we provide the first registered 12S rRNA, tRNA valine and 16S rRNA sequence records for Dyacopterus spadiceus in the GenBank database. This study represents the first attempt to infer the phylogenetic relationship of fruit bats from Malaysia using molecular methods.

Biogeography of fruit bats in Southeast Asia. Les S. Hall, Gordon G. Grigg, Craig Moritz, Besar Ketol, Isa Sait, Wahab Marni and M.T. Abdullah.

by M.T. Abdullah, PhD

Should read Abdullah (2003).

We studied on the biogeography and diversity of fruit bats in Southeast Asia, from Borneo to Asian Mainland.The... more We studied on the biogeography and diversity of fruit bats in Southeast Asia, from Borneo to Asian Mainland.The patterns of distribution of distribution, diversity and abundance are related to ecological and biogeographical factors and possible past Pleistocene events.

Les S. Hall, Gordon G. Grigg, Craig Moritz, Besar Ketol, Isa Sait, Wahab Marni and M.T. Abdullah. 2004. Sarawak Museum Journal 81: 191-284.