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Post by Kahlessa on Jul 2, 2007 22:32:26 GMT -5
A Challenge to Gene Theory - a Tougher Look at BiotechBy DENISE CARUSO, NY Times, July 1, 2007 www.nytimes.com/2007/07/01/business/yourmoney/01frame.htmlTHE $73.5 billion global biotech business may soon have to grapple with a discovery that calls into question the scientific principles on which it was founded.
Last month, a consortium of scientists published findings that challenge the traditional view of how genes function. The exhaustive four-year effort was organized by the United States National Human Genome Research Institute and carried out by 35 groups from 80 organizations around the world. To their surprise, researchers found that the human genome might not be a “tidy collection of independent genes” after all, with each sequence of DNA linked to a single function, such as a predisposition to diabetes or heart disease.
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Post by Kahlessa on Jul 7, 2007 7:51:38 GMT -5
A new study by the United States National Human Genome Research Institute, The ENCODE Project, could make the patenting of genes even more problematic. According to the study, genes may not work independently, but interact with many other genes. Another study found that malaria may involve 500 genes. As the New York Times article stated: “The presumption that genes operate independently has been institutionalized since 1976, when the first biotech company was founded. In fact, it is the economic and regulatory foundation on which the entire biotechnology industry is built.”If many different genes are involved in a disease or medical condition, then one company cannot “own the disease”. If different companies hold the patent on separate genes that interact, what effect does that have on research, testing, and treatment? The link for United States National Human Genome Research Institute is: www.genome.gov/Information on the Encode Project can be found here: www.genome.gov/25521622
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Post by Lukaran on Jul 26, 2007 14:55:45 GMT -5
Thanks for posting this!
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Post by Kahlessa on Jul 26, 2007 21:06:30 GMT -5
Here's an op-ed in the New York Times by Lori Andrews. She’s a law professor who was a major source for Michael Crichton’s research for Next. THE BONES WE CARRIEDThe New York Times, June 22, 2007 By LORI ANDREWS, Chicago www.loriandrews.com/nyt.htmlHere’s her website: www.loriandrews.com
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Post by Kahlessa on Aug 9, 2007 7:24:13 GMT -5
Here’s an article from the Washington Post about a woman who died after an experimental gene therapy treatment. It has some interesting information about the regulation of this research and how biotech companies try to cover up fatalities, which Michael Crichton has written about. Death Points to Risks in Research
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Post by Kahlessa on Aug 28, 2007 7:27:50 GMT -5
In the New York Times is a review of a book about Charles Lindbergh and Dr. Alexis Carrel, who both advocated eugenics. The Immortalists: Charles Lindbergh, Dr. Alexis Carrel and Their Daring Quest to Live ForeverBy David M. Friedman www.nytimes.com/2007/08/28/health/28books.htmlAn excerpt from the review: “In his 1935 best seller "Man, the Unknown," Carrel urgently argued for the creation of biologic classes, with the weak and sick at one end, and the strong and fit (long might they live, propagate and receive new organs as needed) at the other. The sorting was to be accomplished by a council of scientific experts much like himself.”The review concludes: “But for a demonstration of the bizarrely particulate nature of human intelligence, which allows scientific brilliance and moral idiocy to thrive side by side, forget Jekyll, Hyde and Frankenstein: this is the book to read.”
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julian
Junior Member
Posts: 23
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Post by julian on Aug 30, 2007 9:45:17 GMT -5
I haven't got my hands on book yet, Kahlessa. Have you any idea when it be released in my country.
I can't find it in any major bookstores.
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julian
Junior Member
Posts: 23
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Post by julian on Sept 2, 2007 23:27:42 GMT -5
Good news! I just purchased Next just yesterday from a local bookstore. They told me that it had actually gone out of stock. I've just started reading it.
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Post by Kahlessa on Sept 4, 2007 16:17:31 GMT -5
In the Genome Race, the Sequel Is PersonalBy NICHOLAS WADE, NY Times, September 4, 2007 The race to decode the human genome may not be entirely over: the loser has come up with a new approach that may let him prevail in the end.
In 2003, a government-financed consortium of academic centers announced it had completed the human genome, fending off a determined challenge from the biologist J. Craig Venter. The consortium’s genome comprised just half the DNA contained in a normal cell, and the DNA used in the project came from a group of people from different racial and ethnic backgrounds.
But the loser in the race, Dr. Venter, could still have the last word. In a paper published today, his research team is announcing that it has decoded a new version of the human genome that some experts believe may be better than the consortium’s.www.nytimes.com/2007/09/04/science/04vent.html
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Post by Space Monkey on Sept 12, 2007 7:17:06 GMT -5
Hi Kahlessa! Sound familiar? Study finds left-wing brain, right-wing brain... "In a simple experiment reported today in the journal Nature Neuroscience, scientists at New York University and UCLA show that political orientation is related to differences in how the brain processes information." The brain and politics( I guess you have to copy and paste the link into your browser sorry! It's a LA Times article-and you really are supposed to register to read it. Hope it works!) (I fixed it--Kahlessa)
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Post by Kahlessa on Sept 12, 2007 20:36:54 GMT -5
Here are two interesting articles about an African Grey parrot: Brainy Parrot Dies, Emotive to the EndBy BENEDICT CAREY, NY Times, September 11, 2007 He knew his colors and shapes, he learned more than 100 English words, and with his own brand of one-liners he established himself in television shows, scientific reports and news articles as perhaps the world’s most famous talking bird.But last week Alex, an African gray parrot, died, apparently of natural causes, said Dr. Irene Pepperberg, a comparative psychologist at Brandeis University and Harvard who studied and worked with the parrot for most of his life and published reports of his progress in scientific journals. The parrot was 31. www.nytimes.com/2007/09/11/science/11parrot.html Alex the ParrotBy VERLYN KLINKENBORG, NY Times, September 12, 2007 Thinking about animals — and especially thinking about whether animals can think — is like looking at the world through a two-way mirror. There, for example, on the other side of the mirror, is Alex, the famous African Grey parrot who died unexpectedly last week at the age of 31. But looking at Alex, who mastered a surprising vocabulary of words and concepts, the question is always how much of our own reflection we see. What you make of Dr. Irene Pepperberg’s work with Alex depends on whether you think Alex’s cognitive presence was real or merely imitative.www.nytimes.com/2007/09/12/opinion/12wed4.html
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Post by Kahlessa on Sept 16, 2007 22:43:11 GMT -5
In today’s New York Times is an interesting article about women who don’t have breast cancer who decide to have mastectomies based on genetic tests that indicate they have a high risk of getting the disease. Cancer Free at Age 33, but Weighing a MastectomyBy AMY HARMON, NY Times, September 16, 2007 CHICAGO — Her latest mammogram was clean. But Deborah Lindner, 33, was tired of constantly looking for the lump.
Ever since a DNA test had revealed her unusually high chance of developing breast cancer, Ms. Lindner had agonized over whether to have a mastectomy, a procedure that would reduce her risk by 90 percent.www.nytimes.com/2007/09/16/health/16gene.htmlIt’s the latest in a series of articles in the New York Times titled “The DNA Age”, a series which explores “the impact of new genetic technology on American life.” topics.nytimes.com/top/news/national/series/dnaage/index.html
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Post by Kahlessa on Oct 3, 2007 18:26:24 GMT -5
In the New York Times is a review of a book about Charles Lindbergh and Dr. Alexis Carrel, who both advocated eugenics. The Immortalists: Charles Lindbergh, Dr. Alexis Carrel and Their Daring Quest to Live ForeverBy David M. Friedman www.nytimes.com/2007/08/28/health/28books.htmlDavid Friedman is going to be discussing his book on Book TV (CSpan-2) this weekend. Friedman on Book TV
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Post by Lucidity on Oct 4, 2007 6:07:47 GMT -5
This is a response to the post about Alex, the African grey parrot who died last month. I have tears in my eyes as I think about this bird. Before some burglars robbed me, I had a video of Alex working with Dr. Pepperberg and student trainers. The most amazing thing I saw was an exchange between Alex and Dr. Pepperberg. Dr. Pepperberg asked Alex to perform a familiar task, but Alex did it wrong. Deliberately. He did it wrong several times before Dr. Pepperberg said to him, "Okay. If you're not going to cooperate, I'll leave." and she turned and walked a few steps away. Alex called after her, "Sorry!" I was blown away! THINK of that! Alex knows the concept of apologizing and did so at an appropriate time. And there is more. Dr. Pepperberg, upon hearing his apology, returned to Alex and again asked him to do the task, and Alex did so, correctly. He continued to do the rest of his tasks correctly. In another training session with a student trainer, Alex became restless and asked, "Go cage, now?" The student told him that he needed to do a little bit more. They did another task, and again, Alex asked to go back to his cage. After performing another task or two, Alex was permitted to climb onto the trainer's hand and was returned to his cage. As soon as the cage door was shut, Alex looked at the trainer and said, "You go away, now!" Given these two sophisticated interchanges, it is obvious that Alex hardly used English in an "imitative" way as too many dense "experts" have speculated, unwilling to state what is so clear. Alex understood English, and he was also cognizant of social relationships and behavior. There is a book, The Human Nature of Birds, which mentions Alex and also tells of communications between humans and wild birds. I highly recommend it. The story of Alex and this book are food for some profound thinking on how much other animals truly understand and probably share of human nature.
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Post by Space Monkey on Oct 7, 2007 6:09:48 GMT -5
Wow that's a cool story Lucidity. I had no idea!
Here's my contribution, I found an article in the news that combines Next with State of Fear this morning: Look what they are doing now! (tee hee):
""We are not afraid to take on things that are important just because they stimulate thinking," he said. "We are dealing in big ideas. We are trying to create a new value system for life. When dealing at this scale, you can't expect everybody to be happy."" -I am creating artificial life, declares US gene pioneer.
· Scientist has made synthetic chromosome · Breakthrough could combat global warming
<a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2007/oct/06/genetics.climatechange">link</a>
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