James Kohl, Author at RNA-Mediated

microRNAs differentiate neuronal cell types

July 31, 2014

microRNAs: key triggers of neuronal cell fate Excerpt: “In light of the fact that miRNAs have very precise expression patterns depending on the cell type, tissue and/or developmental stage; it is challenging to generalize a single mechanism to regulate their expression and to identify the target genes that each miRNA has during each stage of neurogenesis. Thus, the combination of bioinformatic tools and experimental techniques will help in the study of miRNAs role in early neurogenesis and how they, their…

microRNAs and species relationships

July 30, 2014

James Kohl

Pharmacogenomics

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Flaws emerge in RNA method to build tree of life Study finds problems with alluringly simple way to tease out evolutionary relationships through microRNA. Amy Maxmen 28 July 2014 Excerpt 1: “…some pieces of RNA are only expressed at particular moments in an animal’s lifetime, whereas genes in the genome are steady.” Excerpt 2): “…microRNAs cannot alone unveil species relationships.” My comment: Until earlier today, I was not aware that anyone had been touting the evolution of microRNA (miRNA) or…

Drunks and Monkeys: Pseudoscientific nonsense

June 21, 2014

James Kohl

Diseases & Disorders, Ecology

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Drunks and Monkeys Understanding our primate ancestors’ relationship with alcohol can inform its use by modern humans. By Robert Dudley | June 1, 2014 Excerpt: “…if the right kinds of bacteria are also present, fermentation will stabilize certain foodstuffs (think cheese, yogurt, sauerkraut, and kimchi, for example).” My comment: Epigenetic changes induced by ethanol in astrocytes link histone acetylation, DNA methylation, and non-coding microRNAs in the developing and adult brain from frugivory to the nutrient-dependent de novo creation of olfactory receptor genes in bats. The…

The quantum biology of consciousness

June 19, 2014

James Kohl

Adaptations, Ecology, Human Brain, Variations

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Everything known about quantum biology “…suggests conscious experience is intrinsically connected to the fine-scale structure of space–time geometry, and that consciousness could be deeply related to the operation of the laws of the universe.” See for review: Consciousness in the universe: A review of the ‘Orch OR’ theory. These laws of the universe might lead others to think in terms of “laws of biology” (biological laws). Indeed, many informed scientists could expect that ecological, social, and neurogenic niche construction would result…

Behavior is receptor-mediated

June 15, 2014

James Kohl

Adaptations, Ecology, Human Brain

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Mechanism explains complex brain wiring Excerpt: “How neurons are created and integrate with each other is one of biology’s greatest riddles.” My comment: The biology of behavior is receptor-mediated. If you can convince people it is not receptor-mediated, you can probably convince them that the different morphological and behavioral phenotypes of species from microbes to man somehow evolved via mutations and natural selection rather than via RNA-mediated events. However, without the nutrient-dependent pheromone-controlled de novo creation of olfactory receptor genes,…

Genes and Race: Human History?

May 26, 2014

James Kohl

Adaptations, Ecology

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Roundup of Book Reviews of Nicholas Wade’s A Troublesome Inheritance My comment: Many reviewers of Wade’s book on genes and race appear to think he has accurately represented issues of differences in cell types that evolutionary theorists associate with mutations, natural selection, and the evolution of human biodiversity. This may be cause for concern among those who are interested in accurate representations of biologically-based cause and effect. In this century, it has become clear that ecological variation results in biodiversity, which…

Soft atheism: a case for Creation

May 18, 2014

James Kohl

Ecology

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The Case for ‘Soft Atheism’ By GARY GUTTING Excerpt: “…much as I admire Dawkins’s work in evolutionary biology and in enhancing the public understanding of science…” My comment: The case against evolution. Quantitative analysis of RNA-protein interactions on a massively parallel array reveals biophysical and evolutionary landscapes Biophysical constraints that enable the intermolecular tethering of RNA to DNA also link the epigenetic landscape to the physical landscape of DNA via the conserved molecular mechanisms of RNA-mediated events in species from…

Nutrition, pheromones and cancer (2)

May 10, 2014

James Kohl

Adaptations, Ecology, Model Organisms, Pharmacogenomics

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See: Nutrition, pheromones and cancer Despite the inaccurate reporting of exeperimental evidence, the link from the nutrient-dependent pheromone-controlled microRNA / messenger RNA balance is becoming clearer. Unfortunately, due to the inaccurate reporting, others may need to take the free course: Epigenetic Control of Gene Expression, before they can begin to understand the scientific progress in cancer research, which is occurring because some researchers have dispensed with the pseudoscientific nonsense of evolutionary theory. See for example: Biogenesis of intronic miRNAs located…

Ecologically linked adapted ants and brains

April 25, 2014

James Kohl

Adaptations, Ecology, Human Pheromones, Model Organisms, Pharmacogenomics, Variations

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Ants Swarm Like Brains Think A neuroscientist studies ant colonies to understand feedback in the brain. By Carrie Arnold April 24, 2014 Excerpt: “The behavior of each individual in the group is set by the rate at which it meets other ants and a set of basic rules. Its behavior alters that of its neighbors, which in turn affects the original ant, in a classic example of feedback. The result is astonishing, complex behavior.” My comment: The molecular mechanisms of…

MiRNAs methylation and ecological adaptation sans mutations

April 17, 2014

James Kohl

Adaptations, Diseases & Disorders, Ecology, Variations

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MiRNAs methylation and ecological adaptation sans mutations “Our 2003 Molecular and Cellular Biology paper …opened the mechanistic ‘black box’ of the developmental origins of adult disease susceptibility, and firmly placed the word, epigenetics, in the vernacular of this research field.” — Randy Jirtle (2009) Our 1996 Hormones and Behavior paper included a section on molecular epigenetics with evidence that attested to the involvement of epigenetics in the context of olfactory/pheromonal input and the developmental origins of hormone-organized and hormone-activated adult sexual behavior.…