05.18.13 /15:30/♥ 1289
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scientificillustration: The western painted turtle genome, a model for the evolution of extreme physiological adaptations in a slowly evolving lineage Background “We describe the genome of the western painted turtle, Chrysemys picta bellii, one of the most widespread, abundant and well-studied turtles. We place the genome into a comparative evolutionary context, and focus on genomic features associated with tooth loss, immune function, longevity, sex differentiation and determination, and the species? physiological capacities to withstand extreme anoxia and tissue freezing. Results Our phylogenetic analyses confirm that turtles are the sister group to living archosaurs, and demonstrate an extraordinarily slow rate of sequence evolution in the painted turtle. The ability of the painted turtle to withstand complete anoxia and partial freezing appears to be associated with common vertebrate gene networks, and we identify candidate genes for future functional analyses. Tooth loss shares a common pattern of pseudogenization and degradation of tooth-specific genes with birds, although the rate of accumulation of mutations is much slower in the painted turtle. Genes associated with sex differentiation generally reflect phylogeny rather than convergence in sex determination functionality. Among gene families that demonstrate exceptional expansions or show signatures of strong natural selection, immune function and musculoskeletal patterning genes are consistently overrepresented. Conclusions Our comparative genomic analyses indicate that common vertebrate regulatory networks, some of which have analogs in human diseases, are often involved in the western painted turtle?s extraordinary physiological capacities. As these regulatory pathways are analyzed at the functional level, the painted turtle may offer important insights into the management of a number of human health disorders.” Genome Biology 2013, 14:R28 Image source
05.16.13 /13:28/♥ 122
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jomobimo: Plate 45, The zoology of the voyage of H.M.S. Beagle Elder & Co.,1838
05.10.13 /18:02/♥ 39
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americanchickens: Illustration crush: marinamuun
05.10.13 /16:36/♥ 410
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so lovely… anyone know where it’s from or the artist? EDIT: illustration poetry
05.09.13 /00:23/♥ 4689
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goat-soap: a thing for a thing
05.04.13 /21:21/♥ 79
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sisterwolf: Mineral specimens, 1897
04.29.13 /22:53/♥ 1212
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hoodoothatvoodoo: Q. Cassetti ‘Bee Goddess’ From A Pursuit of Bees 2010
04.26.13 /19:10/♥ 134
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melissa-castrillon: Finally i’ve got round to putting up some images from the project i’ve been working on over the past few months for my Masters. Here are letters C, J and M from the alphabetical adventures of a girl and her dress. Each letter follows the girl through her imagination as she transforms her self into a mountain, a bird, a hot air balloon, a theatre, etc. The book is in dummy form for now but i plan to develop this idea into a written story for a full length picture book over the next year. 
04.11.13 /12:34/♥ 116
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04.10.13 /19:15/♥ 1995
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Canvas  by  andbamnan