by University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center A hairpin loop from a pre-mRNA. Highlighted are the nucleobases (green) and the ribose-phosphate backbone (blue). Note that this is a single strand of RNA that folds back upon itself. Credit: Vossman/ Wikipedia Researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have discovered a critical new...
The inherited disease of phenylketonuria is expressed in the inability of the body to absorb certain amino acids, mainly phenylalanine The inherited disease of phenylketonuria is expressed in the inability of the body to absorb certain amino acids, mainly phenylalanine. A person affected by this disease has to follow a low-protein diet all his life....
People with congenital phenylketonuria, a condition in which the amino acid phenylalanine is overproduced, have to undergo regular blood testing. This is important in part because maintaining a proper diet can reduce phenylalanine levels, so gauging the effectiveness of one’s diet can help control the condition. Currently, though, blood samples have to be sent out...
In the 1959 novella Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes (and the 1968 film Charly), 32-year-old Charlie Gordon, a janitor at a New York City bakery, undergoes experimental surgery that has boosted the intelligence of a laboratory mouse, Algernon. Soon, Charlie is devouring books, asking questions, and even solving problems at work. But then Algernon dies, and...
