A study to be published later this month in the journal Molecular Autism confirms previous research that people with Asperger Syndrome (AS) are more likely to carry specific variations in a particular gene. More strikingly, the study supports existing findings that the same gene is also linked to how much empathy typically shown by individuals in the general population. The research was…
To the classic case studies of evolution, such as Darwin’s finches and the peppered moth, a small group of researchers would now add the Mexican tetra. This small, freshwater fish is mostly found as a drably colored inhabitant of creeks and rivers. But at least a half dozen times, populations have taken up residence in caves, where they have been…
Lemurs can be sneaky. They’ll wait until a human’s back is turned to take a treat. But a new study shows that in the same situation, they don’t seem to realize that making a racket will draw unwanted attention. Joel Bray, Christopher Krupenye, and Brian Hare of Duke University wanted to see if ring-tailed lemurs could take the perspective of others.…
ISG faculty, Christina Palmer and Janet Sinsheimer, along with ISG associate, Patrick Boudreault, and their colleagues, have published a paper titled “Using a social marketing framework to evaluate recruitment of a prospective study of genetic counseling and testing for the deaf community” in BMC Medical Research Methodology. ABSTRACT: Background Recruiting deaf and hard-of-hearing participants, particularly sign language-users, for genetics health service research…
UCLA biologists reported last year on the evolution of 129 primate faces in species from Central and South America. This research team now reports on the faces of 139 Old World African and Asian primate species that have been diversifying over some 25 million years. With these Old World monkeys and apes, the species that are more social have more…
Several years ago, an energetic young mother, Tia, was out and about with her infant Aimee when disaster struck: a group of men, accompanied by vicious dogs, surrounded the pair, snatched up Aimee, and brutalized Tia. They left her helpless and without her daughter. Aimee was eventually rescued. But Tia was too battered to look after her. While Tia tended…