Category Archives: DNA

Jun 27 2012

so is there a genetic reason you’re a smarty pants?

Image courtesy ENIGMA Network

Growing up, when you brought home an A on a test, did your parents ever argue over who’s side of the family “the smarts” came from?  I can recall complete reconstructions of the family tree based on what subjects my sister and I were excelling in.

In reality, the grades probably had more to do with good study habits and a certain pride in my work, but new research indicates that there may be more of a genetic component than previously realized.  In addition to diet, as we learned in my last post, recent work from Dr. Paul Thompson’s team reveals that genetic variations can have measurable impacts on learning and intelligence.  I came across his work thanks to a great piece written by Moheb Costandi at ScienceNOW.

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Mar 21 2012

keep your muscles big and strong…while doing nothing

What a beast Popeye was.  No time in the gym, no real effort whatsoever.  Just pop a can of leafy greens and lookout.  Maybe you’re of his ilk, but personally, I have to put a little work towards attempting a stunning physique.

Perhaps that won’t be the case in the future, however.  Yet again, I present another bit of research in the vein of good ole’ exercise.  Dr. Andrew R. Judge’s team at the University of Florida has recently published their findings on the regulation of muscle mass in the Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology. Continue reading →

Mar 15 2012

working out accomplishes more than you ever imagined

A good friend of mine pointed me to what’s turned out to be a very successful strength training program about a year back.  However, when I first checked out the website, this image was the first thing I saw.  I kid you not.  I don’t want to work for the circus, maybe just get in better shape.  Luckily, those results apparently aren’t typical.  Or I’m not doing it right.  Who knows.

In any case, building up muscles or endurance isn’t the only thing that comes from exercise.  As we learn from an article published recently in Cell Metabolism, it stimulates changes all the way down to our DNA. Continue reading →

Feb 23 2012

if you give a taz a smooch, it might give you cancer

If you give a mouse a cookie, he’ll probably ask you for a glass of milk.  And then he’ll do a bunch of other stuff, and get thirsty.  And if he gets thirsty, he’ll ask you for a glass of milk.  And if he asks you for a glass of milk, chances are he’ll want a cookie to go with it.

I remember reading that book so much as a kid.  I also remember being obsessed with Taz as well.  Unfortunately, the rhyme doesn’t carry over.  If you get too cuddly with Taz, he might pass on his contagious facial cancer.  Fortunately, work published in Cell last week reveals the sequence of  the Tasmanian devil genome and of its cancer to help understand why it may be so transmissible.

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