Scent through the looking glass

In 1896, Tiemann first raised the question of whether or not enantiomers might exhibit different odors. The classic work of von Braun should have settled the issue in 1927 but the debate continued for decades, often rather acrimoniously. Various factors such as purity of samples and subjectivity of odors provided the confusion necessary to perpetuate disagreement. Nowadays, we have enough good-quality data to know that sometimes, absolute configuration affects odor perception and sometimes it does not. We are, therefore, left with some interesting academic and commercial questions to be addressed.     

A step through the looking glass

正Despite our many advances in deconstructing and understanding cellular and biomolecular machineries,the homochirality of life remains an enigma.Since our earliest ancestors,the central dogma has operated solely on D-DNA     

Left-right asymmetry: actin-myosin through the looking glass

Despite being bilaterally symmetric, most Metazoa exhibit clear, genetically determined left-right differences. In several animals, microtubule-based structures are thought to be the source of chiral information used to establish handedness. Now, two new studies in Drosophila identify a role for unconventional myosin motors in this process.     

Taiwanese American Transnational Families: Women and Kin Work

Taiwanese American Transnational Families: Women and Kin Work. Maria W. L. Chee. New York: Routledge, 2005. 272 pp.     

Educational Case Report Cervical cytology through the looking glass

A 25‐year‐old woman underwent a routine cervical smear that was reported as showing borderline change. Six months later when 6 months pregnant she had a repeat smear. This is shown in Figure 1 (Pap., original mag. × 600.) What is your opinion? For the correct answer please read the Educational Case Report (page 54).     

Circulating RNA: looking at the liver through a frosted glass

Abstract

Context: The evaluation of the liver condition, based on serum enzymatic activity and biopsies, is insufficient. Therefore, it is a priority to find a correlation between circulating RNAs and liver damage.

Methods: Publications were retrieved by the search terms “circulating RNA AND liver”.

Results: Although differences exist between studies, a profile of RNAs that repeatedly appeared as indicators of liver damage was identified.

Discussion: We highlight those circulating RNAs useful to diagnostic, and discuss the transport mechanisms.

Conclusion: Several studies have proven that circulating RNAs are useful to establish a diagnostic and a prognosis of liver diseases.     

Why were the first anthropologists creationists?

Anthropologists in every generation have been tarred as creationists by radical Darwinians. In only the very first generation of scholarly anthropology, however, does the charge really stick; that is, in the founding tradition of liberal German humanistic anthropology from about 1860–1890. This paper explores the ideas that may have motivated their rejection of evolution.