Publications (3)4.68 Total impact
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Article: Generalist genes and the Internet generation: etiology of learning abilities by web testing at age 10
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ABSTRACT: A key translational issue for neuroscience is to understand how genes affect individual differences in brain function. Although it is reasonable to suppose that genetic effects on specific learning abilities, such as reading and mathematics, as well as general cognitive ability (g), will overlap very little, the counterintuitive finding emerging from multivariate genetic studies is that the same genes affect these diverse learning abilities: a Generalist Genes hypothesis. To conclusively test this hypothesis, we exploited the widespread access to inexpensive and fast Internet connections in the UK to assess 2541 pairs of 10-year-old twins for reading, mathematics and g, using a web-based test battery. Heritabilities were 0.38 for reading, 0.49 for mathematics and 0.44 for g. Multivariate genetic analysis showed substantial genetic correlations between learning abilities: 0.57 between reading and mathematics, 0.61 between reading and g, and 0.75 between mathematics and g, providing strong support for the Generalist Genes hypothesis. If genetic effects on cognition are so general, the effects of these genes on the brain are also likely to be general. In this way, generalist genes may prove invaluable in integrating top-down and bottom-up approaches to the systems biology of the brain.Genes Brain and Behavior 07/2008; · 3.48 Impact Factor -
Article: Replacement of fishmeal in diets for Australian silver perch Bidyanus bidyanus (Mitchell). II. Effects of cooking on digestibility of a practical diet containing different starch products
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ABSTRACT: Abstract The interactive effects of cooking and starch type on the dry matter, gross energy and protein digestibility of diets fed to fingerling silver perch were examined. Nine experimental diets were made: a reference diet either uncooked or cooked, six other diets comprising uncooked reference diet supplemented with 30% uncooked or cooked wheat, maize or potato starch and one diet comprising uncooked reference diet supplemented with 15% pregelatinized maize starch. Cooking involved autoclaving at 121 °C for 15 min. The indirect method was used to calculate apparent digestibility coefficients, and chromic oxide (1%) was used as the inert indicator. Both ingredient type and cooking influenced dry matter and gross energy digestibility of diets. All diets had significantly different digestibility coefficients in the following order (from most to least digestible): reference > wheat > maize > potato, for both dry matter and gross energy. Cooking significantly increased the apparent digestibility of diets for both dry matter and gross energy. There was no significant effect of ingredient or cooking or their interaction on protein digestibility. Dry matter and energy digestibility of the diet containing pregelatinized maize starch were significantly higher than for diets containing cooked or uncooked starch products. Ingredient digestibility followed the same trend as diet digestibility. The results from this study indicate that the successful use of starch in practical diets for silver perch is dependent on the origin and processing of the starch. The significant benefits of cooking in the reference diet suggest that pelleted diets should be cooked (e.g. steam conditioned or extruded).Aquaculture Research 01/2003; 34(3):195 - 204. · 1.20 Impact Factor -
Article: Cold storage effects on setting of larvae of the Sydney rock oyster, Saccostrea commercialis, and the Pacific oyster, Crassostrea gigas
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ABSTRACT: Cold storage and transport of pediveliger stage larvae to commercial growers for delayed on-site setting reduces the cost of using hatchery produced seed. The percentage of Sydney rock oyster (Saccostrea commercialis) larvae arech set following cold storage at 11°C for up to 98 h was excellent (77–85%). Percentage of Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas) larvae set (68%) was unaffected by a storage temperature of 6°C for 98 h. Shell length and eyespot diameters may be useful criteria for assessing when pediveliger stage larvae are ready for storage. Critical values for shell length and eyespot diameter for Sydney rock oyster larvae were 292.2 μm and 20.3 μm and for Pacific oyster larvae were 325.4 μm and 14.2 μm, respectively.Aquaculture.
