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Knight Watch: Who Put The If In Scientific?
By Knight Pierce Hirst
DNA fingerprinting was invented in 1984 at England's Leicester University. Twenty-four years later scientists at the same university did a study of 2,500 men. By analyzing DNA in the Y chromosome – the chromosome that determines maleness and is passed from father to son – the scientists discovered there's a 24% chance two men with the same surname are genetically linked. The chance increases to 50% if the surname is rare. The ability for forensic scientists to use DNA fingerprinting to identify surnames of victims and suspects would be progress not in name only. In 2008 the Nobel Prize for chemistry was awarded to three scientists who also worked with genetics. In the 1960's Osamu Shimomura isolated the "green fluorescent protein" from a species of jellyfish – a protein that glows bright green when exposed to ultraviolet light. Thirty years later Martin Chalfie inserted the GFP gene into cells of living creatures for use as a visual marker. Roger Tsien then expanded the technique by creating GFP's that glow cyan, blue and yellow, enabling researchers to mark different cell proteins and observe their interaction. Obviously, the GFP gene is the work of three "gene-iuses". David Savage is the 3rd American to receive a hand transplant from a cadaver, but his is the 1st transplant to reveal a unique genius of the human brain. Magnetic resonance scanning of his brain revealed that the same part of Savage's brain that was responsible for sensation in his original hand is creating sensation in his new hand. Because similar results haven't been seen in other patients, the scientists theorize that intensive physical therapy enabled Savage's brain to remap itself. This discovery could lead to prostheses that function more normally and have a sense of touch. Because 44 hand transplants have been done worldwide, there's great opportunity for more hands-on research. Research done by scientists at the Oregon Research Institute discovered one reason why it's hard for obese people not to overeat. Because chocolate excites the brain, 77 women were asked to drink chocolate milkshakes while having their brains scanned. After tracking the brain's blood flow, the scientists discovered the obese women experienced less dopamine response in the brain's reward center. Because the chemical dopamine is necessary for a pleasure response, the scientists surmised that obese people overeat to compensate for food not tasting as good as they'd expected. They don't get a fair shake from a milkshake.
This intel first appeared on: http://knightwatch.typepad.com
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PLEASE VISIT THE CONTRIBUTOR'S WEBSITE
Knight Watch
KNIGHT WATCH IS A HUMOROUS 400 WORDS
knightwatch.typepad.com
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Leicester University, is unsurprisingly in Leicester not London. The origional DNA article can be found at http://www.eurograduate.com/arch_article.asp?id=2196
CONTRIBUTOR'S REPLY
Thank you for taking time to correct the typo - hopefully not "typocal" of my articles.....
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