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The two British couples no doubt thought that their appeal for medical help in conceiving a child was entirely reasonable. Over several generations, many female members of their families had died of breast cancer. One or both spouses in each couple had probably inherited the genetic mutations for the disease, and they wanted to use in-vitro fertilization and preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) to select only the healthy embryos for implantation. Their goal was to eradicate breast cancer from their family lines once and for all.
A torrent of new information on human genetics could pose acute challenges to human rights in the near future, according to an expert in the history of medicine.
Daniel Kevles, a professor at Yale University, warns that dramatic advances in genetic science have "revived some of the old issues" surrounding the eugenics movement that flourished in the United States and Europe during the early part of the 20th century.
Kevles, author of In the Name of Eugenics: Genetics and the Uses of Human Heredity, gave the Second Annual Heinz and Virginia Herrmann Distinguished Lecture on Science and Human Rights at Konover Auditorium April 3.
Daniel Kevles, a professor at Yale University, warns that dramatic advances in genetic science have "revived some of the old issues" surrounding the eugenics movement that flourished in the United States and Europe during the early part of the 20th century.
Kevles, author of In the Name of Eugenics: Genetics and the Uses of Human Heredity, gave the Second Annual Heinz and Virginia Herrmann Distinguished Lecture on Science and Human Rights at Konover Auditorium April 3.
Lord Patel of Dunkeld, chairman of the UK National Stem Cell Network and chancellor of Dundee University, told the Scotsman earlier this week that research involving stem cells would likely lead to therapies, but that ultimately such treatments could prove too risky for human use.
He also said it could be five to ten years before viable stem cell treatments were available. But even then, he observed, "We have to be cautious. It may not deliver therapy for anything. We may find that stem therapy is quite a risky business."
He also said it could be five to ten years before viable stem cell treatments were available. But even then, he observed, "We have to be cautious. It may not deliver therapy for anything. We may find that stem therapy is quite a risky business."
DENVER - Alamosa officials opened the faucet, poured themselves a glass of water and toasted the state health department's declaration Friday that tap water was safe to drink after more than three weeks of restrictions because of salmonella contamination.
Suicidal people searching the internet are more likely to find advice on how to end life than sites offering help and support, a new study claims.
Researchers from the universities of Bristol, Oxford and Manchester performed searches likely to be undertaken by a person looking for instructions and information about methods of suicide using the four most popular search engines.
Researchers from the universities of Bristol, Oxford and Manchester performed searches likely to be undertaken by a person looking for instructions and information about methods of suicide using the four most popular search engines.
Whether a criminal teenager turns into a violent adult or grows out of crime, may be related to how low his ears are set or the types of food he was given as a child. International research shows antisocial behaviour in young adults can be written into their genetic code, and made worse by bad parenting.
The human mind, far from being a highly efficient computer, is in fact the product of a bumpy evolutionary path, serving as a marvelous storage facility but operating as a shaky retrieval system, concludes New York University's Gary Marcus in his new book Kluge: The Haphazard Construction of the Human Mind (Houghton Mifflin).
"Kluge," a term popularized by computer pioneer Jackson Granholm, is "an ill-assorted collection of poorly matching parts, forming a distressing whole."
"Kluge," a term popularized by computer pioneer Jackson Granholm, is "an ill-assorted collection of poorly matching parts, forming a distressing whole."
The highly pathogenic H5N1 bird flu virus has passed from human-to-human in China, raising fears that the virus may have started to mutate. In a highly rare case, genetic tests on a 52-year-old father diagnosed with bird flu in the Jiangsu province of China has shown that he was infected by H5N1 from his 24-year-old dying son.
Researchers at Emory University are learning how vitamins and minerals in the diet can stimulate or prevent the appearance of colon cancer.
Emory investigators will present their findings on biological markers that could influence colon cancer risk in three abstracts at the American Association for Cancer Research meeting in San Diego.
In a clinical study of 92 patients, supplementing diet with calcium and vitamin D appeared to increase the levels of a protein called Bax that controls programmed cell death in the colon. More Bax might be pushing pre-cancerous cells into programmed cell death, says Emory researcher Veronika Fedirko, who will present her team's results (abstract 464).
Previous studies have shown that calcium and vitamin D tend to reduce colon cancer risk.
Emory investigators will present their findings on biological markers that could influence colon cancer risk in three abstracts at the American Association for Cancer Research meeting in San Diego.
In a clinical study of 92 patients, supplementing diet with calcium and vitamin D appeared to increase the levels of a protein called Bax that controls programmed cell death in the colon. More Bax might be pushing pre-cancerous cells into programmed cell death, says Emory researcher Veronika Fedirko, who will present her team's results (abstract 464).
Previous studies have shown that calcium and vitamin D tend to reduce colon cancer risk.
Some kids with autism may have a genetic defect that affects the muscles, according to research that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology 60th Anniversary Annual Meeting in Chicago, April 12 - 19, 2008.
The study looked at 37 children with autism spectrum disorders who were evaluated for mitochondrial disease, which causes muscle weakness and prevents a child from being able to participate in physical activities and sports. Mitochondrial disease occurs when genetic mutations affect the mitochondria, or the part of the cell that releases energy.
The study looked at 37 children with autism spectrum disorders who were evaluated for mitochondrial disease, which causes muscle weakness and prevents a child from being able to participate in physical activities and sports. Mitochondrial disease occurs when genetic mutations affect the mitochondria, or the part of the cell that releases energy.
