Ethics watch: the threatened trade in human ova

It is well known that there is a shortage of human ova for in vitro fertilization (IVF) purposes, but little attention has been paid to the way in which the demand for ova in stem-cell technologies is likely to exacerbate that shortfall and create a trade in human eggs. Because the 'Dolly' technology relies on enucleated ova in large quantities, allowing for considerable wastage, there is a serious threat that commercial and research demands for human eggs will grow exponentially from the combination of these two pressures. In the absence of legal regulation in the United Kingdom, and in the context of a globalized trade in human organs, we face a 'Wild West' situation in genetic and biotechnological research that involves human ova

Master of Science

thesisAlthough testosterone (T) has been dubbed the "hormone of desire," the link between T and sex drive has proven inconsistent among women. The mixed pattern of findings suggests that woman vary in the degree to which changes in T correspond to changes in sex drive (i.e., the T-drive linkage). Yet, to date no one has examined why this variation exists. The current study sought to answer 2 questions: First, within each individual woman, does T-drive linkage change as a function of ovulation? Second, is the overall degree of T-drive linkage higher in women with greater sexual motivation, greater average T, or greater daily variability in T, and among lesbian, bisexual or heterosexual women? We further explored how between-person and within-person characteristics interact to shape the T-drive linkage. To do this, we assessed daily T and daily sex drive over the middle 2 weeks of the menstrual cycle in a sample of 157 heterosexual, lesbian, and bisexual women. Multilevel modeling analyses demonstrated that lesbian and bisexual women showed a significant T-drive linkage, but only following ovulation, whereas heterosexual women had a significant T-drive linkage, but only prior to ovulation. Moreover, women with higher average T levels showed an inverse T-drive linkage prior to ovulation and a positive T-drive linkage following ovulation, whereas women with lower average T levels did not show a significant T-drive linkage during any ovulatory phase. Results suggest that considering menstrual cycle timing and trait-like characteristics are key to understanding variation in the T-drive linkage

Douwe Draaisma (2000) Metaphors of Memory: A History of Ideas about the Mind. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0 521 65024 0

Metaphors of the human mind, if not of human memoryA finely illustrated ‘history of ideas about the mind’ this certainly is, though more a book concerned with the metaphors, than with the essence, of human memory per se. What it does superbly well, but not explicitly, is to tell us why this topic is important to the philosophy of mind and consciousness

The kinetics of elementary reactions

The fundamental aim of the work contained in this thesis is the better understanding of the factors that govern the rates of chemical reactions. Most of the work is concerned with the investigation of reactions in the gas phase, because homogeneous gas reactions may be expected to yield most readily to theoretical treatment. True gas reactions are free from such complicating factors as solvatiot, adsorption and, except in special cases, diffusion. There are however some solution reactions which might be simple; they are the reactions for which the transfer of a proton is the rate- determining step. Some of the work in this thesis is concerned with reactions of this type. It will be seen from the published papers that the most complex experimental techniques are often required to investigate the reactions of greatest formal simplicity. The rate constants of these simple reactions can usually only be measured when the experimental systems are carefully designed for this specific purpose.Book. • Gas Kinetics: An Introduction to the Kinetics of Homogeneous Gas Reactions. • • Published Papers. • 1. The Reactions of Methyl Radicals. • 2. Entropy Changes in Free Radical Reactions. • 3. Studies in Energy Transfer II. The Isomerization of Cyclopropane -a quasi- Unimolecular Reaction. with H.O.Pritchard and R.G.Sowden. • 4. Studies in Energy Transfer III. The Effect of Added Gases on the Decomposition of Cyclobutane. with H.O.Pritchard and R.G.Sowden. • 5., The Thermal Decomposition of Azomethane. with H.O.Pritchard and M.Page. • 6. The Thermal Decomposition of t- Butylamine. with H.O.Pritchard and R.G.Sowden. • 7. The Reactions of Methyl Radicals with Acetone, Diethyl Ketone and Di -t -butyl Peroxide. with G.O.Pritchard and H.O.Pritchard. • 8. The Exchange of Iodine Atoms between Iodine and Methyl Iodide in the Temperature Range 150 -3751). with D.Clark and H.O.Pritchard. • 9. The Study of Chlorine Atom Reactions in the Gas Phase. with H.O.Pritchard and J.B.Pyke. • 10. The Reactions of Trifluoromethyl Radicals. with G.O.Pritchard, H.O.Pritchard and H.I.Schiff. • 11. The Thermal Decomposition of Cyclopentyl Bromide. with S.J.W.Price and R.Shaw. • 12. The Reactions of Chlorine Atoms - A Test of the Transition State Theory. with J.H.Knox. • 13. The Crystal Structure of Nitramide, NH2NO2. with C .A .Beevers. • 14. Recent Developments of Gas Kinetics. • • General. • 15. The Teaching of Chemical Kinetics. Shorter Contributions. • 16. A Method for the Study of Chlorine Atom Reaction. The Reaction Cl - CH4 -- CH3 _ HC1. with H.O.Pritchard and J.B.Pyke. • 17. The Photolysis of Acetaldehide. with G.O.Pritchard and H.O.Pritchard. • 18. The C -C Bond Dissociation Enegies in Cyclanes. with H.O.Pritchard. • 19. The C -C Bond Dissociation Energy in Cyclobutane. with H.O.Pritchard. • 20. The Photolysis of Hexafluoroazomethane and the Reactions of CF Radicals with Methane and nButane. with G.O.Pritchard,and H.O.Pritchard. • 21. The C -H Bond Dissociation Energy in Fluorofom. with G.O.Pritcha.rd, H.O.Pritchard and H.I.Schiff. • 22. The Reactions of Methylene. with J.H.Knox. • 23. The Isomerization of Cyclopropane at very low Pressures. with H.O.Pritchard and R.G.Sowden. • 24. The Combination of Nitrogen Atoms. with G.Boocock and H.O.Pritchard. • • Papers in the course of publication. • 25. Carbon -Metal Bonds I. The Pyrolyses of Dimethyl Mercury and Dimethyl Cadmium. with S.J.'rA.Price. • 26. Carbon Metal Bonds 2. The Pyrolysis of Dimethyl Zinc. with S.J.W.Price. • 27. The Decomposition of Nitramide in Anisole Catalysed by Anilines. with G.C.Fettes, J.A.Kerr, A.McClure, J.S.älater and C.Steel. • 28. The Photoinitiated Decomposition of Acetaldehyde Catalysed by Thiols. with R.N.Birrell, R.F.Smith and H.Wilkie. • 29. The Pyrolysis of t -Butyl Forrñate. with R.Gordon and S. J. W. Price. • 30. The Study of Free Radical Reaction by Competitive methods. with J.H.Knox. • 31. The Reactions of Methylene with Alkanes, with J.H.Knox. • 32. The Reactions of Methyl Radicals with Thiols. with J.A.Kerr

The lady vanishes: what's missing from the stem cell debate

Most opponents of somatic cell nuclear transfer and embryonic stem cell technologies base their arguments on the twin assertions that the embryo is either a human being or a potential human being, and that it is wrong to destroy a human being or potential human being in order to produce stem cell lines. Proponents’ justifications of stem cell research are more varied, but not enough to escape the charge of obsession with the status of the embryo. What unites the two warring sides in ‘the stem cell wars’ is that women are equally invisible to both: ‘the lady vanishes’. Yet the only legitimate property in the body is that which women possess in their reproductive tissue and the products of their reproductive labour. By drawing on the accepted characterisation in law of property as a bundle of rights, and on a Hegelian model of contract as mutual recognition, we can lessen the impact of the tendency to regard women and their eggs as merely receptacles and women’s reproductive labour as unimportant

A feasibility study of hand kinematics for EVA analysis using magnetic resonance imaging

A new method of analyzing the kinematics of joint motion is developed. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) offers several distinct advantages. Past methods of studying anatomic joint motion have usually centered on four approaches. These methods are x-ray projection, goniometric linkage analysis, sonic digitization, and landmark measurement of photogrammetry. Of these four, only x-ray is applicable for in vivo studies. The remaining three methods utilize other types of projections of inter-joint measurements, which can cause various types of error. MRI offers accuracy in measurement due to its tomographic nature (as opposed to projection) without the problems associated with x-ray dosage. Once the data acquisition of MR images was complete, the images were processed using a 3D volume rendering workstation. The metacarpalphalangeal (MCP) joint of the left index finger was selected and reconstructed into a three-dimensional graphic display. From the reconstructed volumetric images, measurements of the angles of movement of the applicable bones were obtained and processed by analyzing the screw motion of the MCP joint. Landmark positions were chosen at distinctive locations of the joint at fixed image threshold intensity levels to ensure repeatability. The primarily two dimensional planar motion of this joint was then studied using a method of constructing coordinate systems using three (or more) points. A transformation matrix based on a world coordinate system described the location and orientation of a local target coordinate system. Future research involving volume rendering of MRI data focusing on the internal kinematics of the hand's individual ligaments, cartilage, tendons, etc. will follow. Its findings will show the applicability of MRI to joint kinematics for gaining further knowledge of the hand-glove (power assisted) design for extravehicular activity (EVA)

Directional mass transport in an atmospheric pressure surface barrier discharge

In an atmospheric pressure surface barrier discharge the inherent physical separation between the plasma generation region and downstream point of application reduces the flux of reactive chemical species reaching the sample, potentially limiting application efficacy. This contribution explores the impact of manipulating the phase angle of the applied voltage to exert a level of control over the electrohydrodynamic forces generated by the plasma. As these forces produce a convective flow which is the primary mechanism of species transport, the technique facilitates the targeted delivery of reactive species to a downstream point without compromising the underpinning species generation mechanisms. Particle Imaging Velocimetry measurements are used to demonstrate that a phase shift between sinusoidal voltages applied to adjacent electrodes in a surface barrier discharge results in a significant deviation in the direction of the plasma induced gas flow. Using a two-dimensional numerical air plasma model, it is shown that the phase shift impacts the spatial distribution of the deposited charge on the dielectric surface between the adjacent electrodes. The modified surface charge distribution reduces the propagation length of the discharge ignited on the lagging electrode, causing an imbalance in the generated forces and consequently a variation in the direction of the resulting gas flow

Na(v )1.8-null mice show stimulus-dependent deficits in spinal neuronal activity

BACKGROUND: The voltage gated sodium channel Na(v )1.8 has a highly restricted expression pattern to predominantly nociceptive peripheral sensory neurones. Behaviourally Na(v )1.8-null mice show an increased acute pain threshold to noxious mechanical pressure and also deficits in inflammatory and visceral, but not neuropathic pain. Here we have made in vivo electrophysiology recordings of dorsal horn neurones in intact anaesthetised Na(v )1.8-null mice, in response to a wide range of stimuli to further the understanding of the functional roles of Na(v )1.8 in pain transmission from the periphery to the spinal cord. RESULTS: Na(v )1.8-null mice showed marked deficits in the coding by dorsal horn neurones to mechanical, but not thermal, -evoked responses over the non-noxious and noxious range compared to littermate controls. Additionally, responses evoked to other stimulus modalities were also significantly reduced in Na(v )1.8-null mice where the reduction observed to pinch > brush. The occurrence of ongoing spontaneous neuronal activity was significantly less in mice lacking Na(v )1.8 compared to control. No difference was observed between groups in the evoked activity to electrical activity of the peripheral receptive field. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that deletion of the sodium channel Na(v )1.8 results in stimulus-dependent deficits in the dorsal horn neuronal coding to mechanical, but not thermal stimuli applied to the neuronal peripheral receptive field. This implies that Na(v )1.8 is either responsible for, or associated with proteins involved in mechanosensation

EVA Glove Research Team

The goal of the basic research portion of the extravehicular activity (EVA) glove research program is to gain a greater understanding of the kinematics of the hand, the characteristics of the pressurized EVA glove, and the interaction of the two. Examination of the literature showed that there existed no acceptable, non-invasive method of obtaining accurate biomechanical data on the hand. For this reason a project was initiated to develop magnetic resonance imaging as a tool for biomechanical data acquisition and visualization. Literature reviews also revealed a lack of practical modeling methods for fabric structures, so a basic science research program was also initiated in this area