Science Buzz Lunch in BP-3 (Bldg 1, Room 104), June 3 & 7, 2013
Topics discussed included:
1) The different benefits of communicating in English versus communicating in one's native language for non-native speakers of English. These benefits may not be the same for biologists (with much need for English communication) as for mathematicians (with not so much need for English communication because they use strictly defined terms and formulae in their work).
2) Recent news reports about the current status (not yet successful) of mathematicians' attempts to verify the proof of the "ABC conjecture" published last year by Kyoto University professor Shinichi Mochizuki.
3) The recent paper "Developmental Basis of Phallus Reduction during Bird Evolution" by Ana M. Herrera et al. in Current Biology. 06 June 2013
This paper reveals the molecular basis of the puzzling evolutionary loss of the phallus in most (including chicken), but not all, lineages of birds (ducks, for example, have a phallus). They show that distal expression of Bmp4 in the developing chick genital tubercle causes apoptosis and regression of the embryonic chick phallus. Basal birds and ducks lack this distal Bmp4 expression and develop elongated phalluses. The authors say that Bmps have played major roles in reshaping (generally reducing) vertebrate teeth, limbs, digits, genitalia, etc. during bird evolution.
Topics discussed included:
1) The different benefits of communicating in English versus communicating in one's native language for non-native speakers of English. These benefits may not be the same for biologists (with much need for English communication) as for mathematicians (with not so much need for English communication because they use strictly defined terms and formulae in their work).
2) Recent news reports about the current status (not yet successful) of mathematicians' attempts to verify the proof of the "ABC conjecture" published last year by Kyoto University professor Shinichi Mochizuki.
3) The recent paper "Developmental Basis of Phallus Reduction during Bird Evolution" by Ana M. Herrera et al. in Current Biology. 06 June 2013
This paper reveals the molecular basis of the puzzling evolutionary loss of the phallus in most (including chicken), but not all, lineages of birds (ducks, for example, have a phallus). They show that distal expression of Bmp4 in the developing chick genital tubercle causes apoptosis and regression of the embryonic chick phallus. Basal birds and ducks lack this distal Bmp4 expression and develop elongated phalluses. The authors say that Bmps have played major roles in reshaping (generally reducing) vertebrate teeth, limbs, digits, genitalia, etc. during bird evolution.
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