Unanswered Questions
4,809 questions with no upvoted or accepted answers
25
votes
1answer
2k views
Additive genetic variance components from LMER in R
I've set up some dummy data in R which makes 40 genetically related lines, they are all siblings within a line so are genetically related by a factor of ½ thus additive genetic variance should be ...
17
votes
0answers
292 views
Effect of Aging on SA node's sympathetic fibers
I am trying to understand the effect of aging on the sympathetic fibers of SA node.
I know that aging shifts the vagal curve to left in frequency due to aging.
However, I am interested if aging has ...
15
votes
1answer
304 views
At which step should I apply a detection filter when preprocessing microarray data? (Before/After normalization, batch effects removal)
What is the best practice when preprocessing microarray data using a detection filter (on scanner p-value)?
Suppose I have a microarray dataset that I have to normalize with Loess and correct with ...
12
votes
0answers
440 views
Help identify this creature
I found this strange insect while on Son Tra, Da Nang in central Vietnam. It was about 4cm long and although it was on the ground, was obviously capable of flying. I've never seen anything like this ...
11
votes
2answers
4k views
How does the immune system fight scabies mites?
After a distressing episode involving my elderly mother and a nursing home, I've been reading up on scabies. It seems that in healthy people, the immune system limits the mite population to around 10 ...
11
votes
0answers
372 views
Identifying Some Kind Of Fossil
This was found off the coast of Ireland by a friend of mine. The running gag is it's some kind of fetish or totem and should be immediately discarded, but we're interested in whether it's perhaps a ...
11
votes
2answers
222 views
Are there certain symmetric-pair muscles that are slightly bigger and NOT due to handedness?
Ok, hear me out, I was just thinking about an article in Nature I read in the past titled "Scrotal asymmetry in man and in ancient sculpture"$^{\dagger}$ and more recently an entire medical textbook ...
10
votes
1answer
974 views
Squirrel nest construction
I've often wondered how squirrels -- specifically, eastern grey squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis) make their nests. Specifically, I've been curious about how they "weave" everything together to make ...
10
votes
0answers
348 views
Anatomical Angle Made by the Fingers of an Extended Palm
Does the angle made by the fingers (excluding the thumb) of an extended palm (as shown in the figure below) have a name (such as the Lovibond or Cobb angle, for instance) ?
I have already checked ...
9
votes
0answers
161 views
ID request ~2mm insect monstrosity
This tiny monstrosity (~2mm in length) was inside of some kind of "flat tent cocoon" on a pepper plant leaf in Washington state, USA.
Not sure what's going on here. Is it malformed or infected?
9
votes
0answers
286 views
Do ring species exist?
In trying to understand evolution better, I have been looking at examples of speciation, and have thus come across the topic of ring species. I have tried to find concrete examples of how these work, ...
9
votes
1answer
371 views
What percentage of the genetic variance is explained by the 'n'- most important loci?
Introduction
Standard models in population genetics look up at the evolution of few loci which impact fitness. The variance in fitness is determined by the genetic variance and the environmental ...
8
votes
0answers
109 views
Where does Darwin state his “principle of multiple utility”?
I have never heard of Darwin's 'principle of multiple utility', but several papers refer to it. For example, from Darwin at the molecular scale: selection and variance in electron tunnelling proteins ...
8
votes
0answers
159 views
I am trying to identify this plant
I am trying to identify this medium arching shrub growing to about 1.5m high x 2m wide in the subtropical climate of the Mt Coot-tha Botanic Gardens in Brisbane, Australia. Unfortunately there was no ...
8
votes
1answer
744 views
Genetic expression in interspecific hybrids
Referring to interspecific hybrids, I have the following two questions:-
Quoting from wikipedia:-
The offspring of an interspecific cross are very often sterile; thus,
hybrid sterility prevents ...
