While planing our Transalp trip next summer I discovered a new way to transfer maps to my 60CSX (Show me more…)

How did epigenetic research start? Thanks to KP I learned about the biography of Paul Kammerer “Der Krötenküsser” by Arthur Köstler. Wikipedia summarizes the rather long (and sad) story (Show me more…)

This is just a material collection for a forthcoming review. I am collecting links to studies showing an increased mutation rate in CpG islands that may possibly fix gene activation status. (Show me more…)

Here comes a do it yourself tip for a portable striplight (basically build from a standard scientist equipment). Just insert a white or silver paper into a transparen poster roll by leaving a 5 cm gap between the paper ages for light outlet (my one comes from a company called “Rumold” and can be bought at Amazon although I bought mine 10 years ago at Theresienstrasse/Munich). Then insert the flash reflector into the upper aperture that’s it. Setup time is <1min, costs are <15€, weight is approx 440 gram including paper, effective light outlet 92 cm.

Having done lung function testing on hundreds, even thousands of children, I believe that this is not an easy task – it’s not only about abdominal mechanics and airway diameter but also about physical fitness – and let’s be cruel – also about intelligence. Even worse, I remember a long discussion how to adjust lung function parameter appropriately – should we use standing or sitting height? Two new papers large ignore these questions. But read first what the Charge consortium writes (Show me more…)

This may be an unusual post before Christmas – about the hell on earth for women – our world however, is not a peaceful world. A new study in PLoS Medicine shows this new pathologic behaviour from Panzi Hospital, Bukavu, South Kivu, Congo where doctor Mukwege is working (Show me more…)