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news/Bids/classifieds Advertising deadlines 12:00 Noon Monday Hours: Monday - Friday 8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. To place your ad, email advertising@theskanner.com Specific IQ genes Still Elusive, New genetic research Finds By alicia chang and Malcolm ritter aP Science Writers loS angeleS (AP) — Scientists who hunt for “intel- ligence genes” used to think there were fewer than half a dozen of them. In recent years, they determined there may be at least 1,000 - each with just a tiny effect on the differences in peo- ple’s IQ. A study released Tuesday found new evidence that many genes play a role in intelligence, but scientists still couldn’t pinpoint the specific genes involved. “It’s been kind of a shock to the system that it hasn’t worked,” said psychologist Eric Turkheimer at the University of Virginia, who had no role in the study. “We can’t find the effects of any individual genes that are large enough to seem worth worrying about.” Previous work involving twins and adopted children has found that genes have a significant influence on differences in IQ scores, producing about half the difference between adults in general. The influence of genes on IQ appears to grow from childhood to adulthood. Scientists have come to realize that, as with height, dif- ferences in intelligence come not from a few genes, but rather the overall effect of many genes, each with only tiny influence. That makes them hard to tease out. The new DNA study, reported online Tuesday in the jour- nal Molecular Psychiatry, came to similar conclusions. Many genes work together to shape intelligence much like the different instruments of an orchestra that play in sync. Unless there’s a soloist playing, it’s often difficult to deci- pher the contributions of individual instruments. As important as genes are in determining intelligence, they don’t act alone and the role of one’s upbringing and experiences cannot be ignored. So why do researchers care so much about the relation- ship between genes and intelligence? Our memory, reasoning skills and thinking abilities tend to decline as we age, some faster than others. Understanding the genetics of intelligence may someday help researchers gain a better handle on mind-robbing dis- eases such as Alzheimer’s. The new work was done by I.J. Deary of the University of Edinburgh in Scotland and colleagues in several countries. The team wanted to find out “whether genetic differences that we could test on people’s DNA could explain some of the reasons that people have different intelligence test scores,” Deary said in an email. Researchers didn’t ID any genes affecting IQ. But they estimated that they found a genetic influence that accounts for at least 40 percent to 50 percent of the differences on intelligence test scores in the 3,511 unrelated adults in their Scientists have come to realize that, as with height, differences in intelligence come not from a few genes, but rather the overall effect of many genes, each with only tiny influence study who were tested on knowledge and problem-solving skills. They focused on more than 500,000 places in the partici- pants’ DNA, looking for evidence that IQ-influencing genes lay close to those places. They concluded that the overall effect was coming from many scattered genetic differences, each of only small influence. The latest work adds to evidence that even the most pow- erful of these has only weak influence. Deary said that future studies will probably need to involve millions of peo- ple to detect the genetic effects. Robert Plomin of the Institute of Psychiatry in London, who’s looked for intelligence-related genes for 15 years but I f you have a child who receives free school lunches, then you can apply for a high-speed Internet connection for just $9:95 a month. Comcast is offering the service to low- income families who live in their service area –and that’s not all. Comcast is also offering a low-cost note- book computer when you sign up. The Internet Service Company is starting the pro- gram, called Internet Essentials for the start of the 2011-2012 school year. The program is designed to sup- port learning for low- income children who might not have access to the edu- cational advantages that come with high-speed Internet access. Comcast provides Internet, phone and cable TV services across the Portland metro area. Who should apply? Anyone who has at least one child eligible and signed up for free school lunches is eligible for the program. So long as you have not been a subscriber in the last 90 days, and do not have out- standing Comcast bills or unreturned equipment. Call Comcast at 1-855-846-8376 to get your application form. The program offers home Internet service at download speeds of 1.5 Mbps and upload speeds of up to 384 Kbps. Comcast gurantees you will never have any price increases or pay any activation or equipment rental fees. And you can buy a netbook at initial enroll- ment for the low price of just $149.99 + tax. Every computer shipped includes Windows 7 Starter operat- ing system and Internet browser software. Comcast will also include free Internet training — online, in print and in person and a Norton security system, as well as parental controls to help protect kids while they’re online. Nonprofits and service organizations are invited to help sign up families, through a partner program accessible online at http://internetessentials.com / SUB-BIDS REQUESTED Sound Transit U250 University of Washington Station OREGON UNIVERSITY SYSTEM NOTICE OF PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT CONTRACT OPPORTUNITY high Speed Internet $10 a month for low-income kids didn’t participate in the new study, isn’t surprised by the lat- est findings. “We’ve got a century of twin and adoption studies,” such as those comparing twins reared in different families, that support the notion that about half of IQ differences come from DNA, he said. Plomin said this doesn’t mean half of a person’s intelli- gence is due to genes nor does such a genetic influence imply that a person’s intelligence is fixed. Turkheimer, the Virginia psychologist, thinks other types of research such as brain scans might have better luck in understanding what intelligence is. Those methods are better than “pinning your hopes on adding together a bunch” of small effects from individual genes, he said. John Olsen, of Orange, Calif., who was adopted at birth, attributes his brainpower to his genes. As a kid, he always wondered where his inquisitiveness came from. School bored him and there were no lively debates at the dinner table growing up. “I was a bit of a challenge,” he recalled. “I was very curi- ous and like a lot of intelligent people always asked, `Why?’” In his late 20s, Olsen took a genius test and scored high enough to get accepted into Mensa, the high IQ group. A telephone call from a long-lost aunt several years ago led to a reunion with his biological mother. Olsen soon discovered his mother had the same curiosity and liked to ask probing questions. He also learned his maternal grandmother was fond of one-line comebacks and “was wickedly smart till the day she died.” The Oregon University System (OUS) is accepting sealed bids for a public improvement project at University of Oregon until 11:00 AM, Pacific Time, August 23, 2011 for the Prince Lucien Campbell Hall Brick Veneer Replacement project located on the campus of the University of Oregon, in Eugene, Oregon. The project includes: Complete removal of existing brick veneer sys- tem; including copper weep flashings, veneer ties, and shelf angels back to existing concrete structural wall. Install new waterproofing on existing concrete wall, new shelf angles with self adhered flexible weep flashings, new seismic veneer ties, and new brick veneer. A mandatory pre-bid conference and examination of the site and conditions will be conducted at 10:00 AM, August 11, 2011. Bidders shall meet with OUS Representative at the main entrance to the PLC plaza on the east, off the Memorial Quad for that purpose. Attendance will be documented through a sign-in sheet prepared by the OUS representative. Prime bidders who arrive more than 5 minutes after start of time of the meet- ing (as stated in the solicitation and by the OUS repre- sentative's watch) or after the discussion portion of the meeting (whichever comes first) shall not be permitted to sign in and will not be permitted to submit a bid on the project. Bids will be opened and publicly read aloud on August 23, 2011 at 11:15 AM, at University of Oregon Faclities Services at 1295 Franklin Blvd. Eugene, Oregon, 97403 by the OUS representative David Ward. Bids will be received on a lump-sum basis for all of the work. Bid packets may be downloaded at no charge from: OUS website: https://secure.ous.edulbapp/bopps/index/ Soderstrom Architect's FTP site: ftp.sdra.com usemame: PLC; password: Soderstrom01234; (login usemame and password are case sensitive) All bidders must comply with requirements of the prevail- ing wage law in ORS 279C.800 through ORS 279C.870. All bidders must be registered with the Construction Contractor's Board at the time of bid submission. No bid will be considered unless fully completed in the manner provided in the "Instructions to Bidders" upon the Bid Form provided and accompanied by Bid Security. OUS encourages bids from Minority, Women, and Emerging Small Businesses. OREGON STATE BOARD OF HIGHER EDUCATION By: Francis Dyke, Vice president for Finance and Administration, Director Facilities and Services Bid Package #UWST-06.A: Architectural Metals Bid Package #UWST-06.B: Doors, Frames and Hardware Bid Package #UWST-06.C: Storefronts and Glazing Bid Package #UWST-06.D: GWB Systems, Insulation and Fireproofing Bid Package #UWST-06.E: Ceiling Systems Bid Package #UWST-06.F: Painting and Coatings Bid Package #UWST-06.G: Tile Bid Package #UWST-06.H: Overhead Coiling Grilles Bid Package #UWST-06.I: Misc. Specialties and Equipment PRE-BID MEETING: August 10, 2011 at 2:00pm BIDS DUE: September 9, 2011 at 2:00pm HOFFMAN CONSTRUCTION COMPANY OF WASHINGTON Bid Phone: (206) 286-6697 Fax: (206) 286-7523 1505 Westlake Ave N, Suite 500 Seattle, WA 98109 LIC # HOFFMCC164NC We are an equal opportunity employer and request sub bids from all interested firms including disad- vantaged, minority, women, disabled veterans and emerging small business enterprises. Other Subcontracting Opportunities - Internet http://www.hoffmancorp.com 8-10-11 8-10-11 august 10, 2011 The Seattle Skanner Page 7
