MIKE WATERSInvestigators from the University of Copenhagen and their colleagues have sequenced the first ancient North American genome—that of the 12,600-year-old remains of an infant found buried in Montana. Comparative analyses suggested that the child descended from ancient Asians, not from Western Europeans. The work was published in Nature this week (February 12).
“This study, like other recent studies of ancient genomes, shows that genetic patterns have changed over time, and we must be cautious about inferring ancient patterns of human genetic variation from present-day patterns,” said molecular anthropologist Deborah Bolnick from the University of Texas at Austin, who was not involved in the work.
WIKIMEDIA, ALLEN INSTITUTE FOR BRAIN SCIENCECannabinoid type-1 (CB1) receptors in the olfactory bulb help increase olfaction, promoting feeding behavior in fasted mice, researchers from the French Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM) and elsewhere have found. Their work was published this week (February 9) in Nature Neuroscience.
“The study clearly establishes the relationship of food intake and olfactory processing and implicates the endocannabinoid system as a key player in this signaling pathway,” said Howard University College of Medicine’s Thomas Heinbockel, who was not involved in the work.
WIKIMEDIA, MPLAJAAs the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) finalizes its rules for equity-based crowdfunding, American biotech firms are beginning to jump into the fray. QuantuMDx is one such firm that’s seeking crowd-based funds, to test its handheld device to diagnose malaria in the field. The company’s CEO told The Scientist that the Indiegogo campaign is as much about raising awareness as it is about raising money.
