Among other things, the gene, called derriere, affects the formation of the neural tube and the muscles flanking the spinal cord. Without the gene, the head developed normally, but the trunk and tail were missing, replaced by a batch of disorganized tissue. The scientists from the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Massachussetts Institute of Technology and Genetics Institute, Inc., conclude that derriere controls the formation of the body from the neck down. The findings, published in Development, will help scientists decipher the key genetic events involved in the development of a normal body.
Studies confirm what many people have long believed - prayer can heal.
The findings, by scientists at Harvard university and San Francisco General Hospital, among others, indicate prayer can have a measurable effect on health and happiness and can even increase recovery rates for surgical patients. More than 300 studies have been published in the last 10 years attempting to explain the powerful effects of prayer, she notes. What researchers have discovered is that people who are prayed for, regardless of religious beliefs, heal faster and even live longer. Nothing is as powerful as prayer. A postage-sized patch for treating the symptoms of menopause is now available to U.S. women.