From owner-gdb@net.bio.net Wed Jan 04 22:00:00 1995 Newsgroups: bionet.drosophila,bionet.general,bionet.genome.arabidopsis,bionet.genome.chrom22,bionet.genome.chromosomes,bionet.immunology,bionet.info-theory,bionet.jobs,bionet.journals.note,bionet.metabolic-reg,bionet.molbio.ageing,bionet.molbio.bio-matrix,bionet.molbio.embldatabank,bionet.molbio.evolution,bionet.molbio.gdb,bionet.molbio.genbank,bionet.molbio.gene-linkage,bionet.molbio.genome-program,bionet.molbio.hiv Path: biosci!bloom-beacon.mit.edu!gatech!newsfeed.pitt.edu!uunet!xnet!quake.xnet.com!research From: crta@xnet.com (Norman Fraley) Subject: New Research & Testing Association Formed Message-ID: Sender: news@amiserv.chi.il.us Nntp-Posting-Host: research.crta.org Organization: Contract Research & Testing Association X-Newsreader: News Xpress Version 1.0 Beta #2 Date: Thu, 5 Jan 1995 20:52:00 GMT Lines: 66 Xref: biosci bionet.drosophila:777 bionet.general:12714 bionet.genome.arabidopsis:2789 bionet.genome.chromosomes:390 bionet.immunology:2755 bionet.info-theory:3047 bionet.jobs:6983 bionet.journals.note:371 bionet.metabolic-reg:390 bionet.molbio.ageing:1085 bionet.molbio.bio-matrix:526 bionet.molbio.embldatabank:419 bionet.molbio.evolution:2265 bionet.molbio.gdb:273 bionet.molbio.genbank:1873 bionet.molbio.gene-linkage:506 bionet.molbio.genome-program:1101 bionet.molbio.hiv:814 As the primary resource of research information, the Internet was the primary choice for making all concerned individuals aware of the formation of the Contract Research & Testing Association. CRTA is an International Association designed to serve the needs of contract research, product and process development organizations and consultants throughout the world. Contract research organizations have specific public, governmental, and industry perception and promotion needs which are not addressed by existing scientific industry associations. CRTA operates as a non-profit, tax-exempt, corporation eligible for scientific research and public awareness charitable organization contributions as provided for in the IRC 501(c)(3) provisions. Being a scientific research and public awareness related organization, CRTA exists to benefit its members by providing: 1) An organization devoted to the promotion of Contract Research. 2) A unified voice on matters of common interest or concern. 3) Point of contact for media relations relative to contract research. 4) Business opportunity referrals as a research clearinghouse. 5) Professional networking opportunities for its members. 6) Periodic publishing of information beneficial to the membership. 7) Periodic dissemination of applicable research results to the public. 8) Governmental representation on issues affecting CRO's. 9) Public promotion of the strengths of its membership. 10) A directory of Contract Research Organizations and Consultants. CRTA will provide: 1) A forum for the exchange of information. 2) Formal recognition to the CRO's role in business. 3) Standards for the professionals so engaged. 4) Representation the profession in matters of common interest. 5) The development of techniques and methods to improve the practice and management of CROs. CRTA will also offer: 1) A monthly news publication. 2) Annual meetings 3) Active promotional media publicity programs. 4) A professional placement service 5) A Contract Research Service Directory. 6) Media topics and contacts directory If you have an interest in joining the Contract Research & Testing Association, please E-mail your reply to crta@xnet.com. Please include: 1) The word "membership" in your RE: or header information, 2) Your interest in the association / your area of work, 3) Your dues payment preference (check, money order, credit card, company check, wire xfer, etc.) DO NOT INCLUDE ANY CREDIT CARD INFORMATION! Only your preference for the manner of payment. 4) Most importantly, your email address, and additional contact information if you desire. We will then e-mail membership information and ALL FURTHER INFORMATION directly to you at your email location. Thank you for taking the time to read this announcement. If membership in this program this does not appeal to you, thank you for your patience and understanding. Sincerely, Membership Department Contract Research & Testing Association Best Regards, Norman Fraley CRTA@xnet.com Executive Director BBS:708-515-0494 Contract Research & Testing Association From owner-gdb@net.bio.net Wed Jan 04 22:00:00 1995 Newsgroups: bionet.molbio.gdb Path: biosci!galaxy.ucr.edu!ihnp4.ucsd.edu!swrinde!gatech!newsfeed.pitt.edu!uunet!fdn.fr!jussieu.fr!univ-lyon1.fr!swidir.switch.ch!scsing.switch.ch!rzusuntk.unizh.ch!lucas From: lucas@molbio2.unizh.ch (Lucas Leuzinger) Subject: Warblefly, Botfly or Dermatobia sp. ???? Message-ID: <1995Jan5.184441.24374@rzu-news.unizh.ch> Sender: newsadm@rzu-news.unizh.ch (CNEWS ADMINISTRATION) Organization: University of Zurich, Switzerland X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.2 PL2] Date: Thu, 5 Jan 1995 18:44:41 GMT Lines: 19 Hi ! I need for my diploma-thesis some or any information about the BOTFLY or the WARBLEFLY, Dermatobia hominis (Oestridae), that live in warm Central- and Southamerica ... Do you know any specialist or person working on this subject, or parasitic flies in general ???, any source of information ??? I'm very grateful for any kind of help !!! Please write me : Lucas Leuzinger lucas@molbio2.unizh.ch Thanks a lot! From owner-gdb@net.bio.net Wed Jan 04 22:00:00 1995 Path: biosci!bloom-beacon.mit.edu!uhog.mit.edu!nntp.club.cc.cmu.edu!newsfeed.pitt.edu!uunet!fonorola!inforamp.net!woody16.inforamp.net!intermed From: intermed@inforamp.net (Ian Clarke) Newsgroups: bionet.molbio.gdb Subject: Attention Canadian Researchers Date: Thu, 5 Jan 1995 12:54:54 Organization: InfoRamp Inc. Lines: 19 Message-ID: NNTP-Posting-Host: woody16.inforamp.net X-Newsreader: Trumpet for Windows [Version 1.0 Rev A] Inter Medico is the Canadian distributor for many of the world's leading molecular biology companies. Inter Medico represents Genzyme(cytokines, chemokines, cell adhesion molecules), Novagen (pET bacterial expression systems, mRNA purification systems), Amresco (fine chemicals, thermostable DNA polymerases, nucleic acid isolation kits), SLT (ELISA readers, fluorometers, microplate washers), BioDesign (a huge selection of biologically important antibodies), and The Binding Site ( clinically-relevant antibody-based diagnostic systems). As part of Inter Medico's continuing dedication to the Canadian research community, we have established a user-group to share the latest information about molecular biology products designed to save you time and money. There are valuable discounts available only to subscribers. There is no charge to join. If you are interested in joining, please send an e-mail message to Majordomo@inforamp.net. In the body of the letter, type Subscribe Research . Join today, and start enjoying the benefits immediately. From owner-gdb@net.bio.net Thu Jan 12 22:00:00 1995 Newsgroups: bionet.molbio.gdb Path: biosci!ns1.faseb.org!darwin.sura.net!news.gdb.org!news From: help@gdb.org (GDB User Support) Subject: GDB Unavailable Jan 19 during 5.5.1 installation Message-ID: <1995Jan13.194940.10786@news.gdb.org> Sender: news@news.gdb.org Nntp-Posting-Host: sif.gdb.org Reply-To: bionet.molbio.gdb Organization: The Johns Hopkins University - Genome Data Base (GDB) Date: Fri, 13 Jan 1995 19:49:40 GMT Lines: 19 GDB Release 5.5.1 is scheduled to be installed on the computer at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore on Thursday January 19. The following services will be unavailable on this day from 8:00am to 12 noon Eastern Time while the database is converted: GDB at JHU GDB Browser on WWW When the new GDB software has been installed, we will post the release notes describing the enhancements included in the release. For information about accessing GDB, please contact: GDB User Support help@gdb.org From owner-gdb@net.bio.net Sun Jan 15 22:00:00 1995 Newsgroups: bionet.molbio.gdb Path: biosci!agate!howland.reston.ans.net!EU.net!sun4nl!sci.kun.nl!davidf From: davidf@caos.kun.nl (David Featherstone) Subject: GDB & OMIM Training via WWW Message-ID: Sender: news@sci.kun.nl (News owner) Nntp-Posting-Host: cammsg1.caos.kun.nl Organization: CAOS/CAMM X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.2 PL0] Date: Mon, 16 Jan 1995 12:16:53 GMT Lines: 59 GDB & OMIM On-line Training via the World Wide Web Dear Users of GDB and OMIM; We are pleased to announce our on-line training course for GDB & OMIM. If you have a WWW browser on your workstation, PC or Macintosh, simply point it to: http://www.caos.kun.nl/genomics/GDB_OMIM_TOC.html and begin! The course can be taken in two modes: interactively, with a parallel GDB or OMIM session, so you may try the commands as they are described, or passively, reading and looking at the results shown in the screen "snap-shots" included on the pages. I recommend the interactive mode. Users attempting the entire course, trying the examples and checking the results, should set aside about six hours. Further, I suggest using three hours on each of two days. This course is continually updated. I try to make certain the answers to the example questions are current with the databases, but with daily updates to the databases, you might notice some differences between my answers and yours. Please TELL ME when you find a discrepancy, and I'll correct it! Finally, please note that I have tried to take full advantage of the graphics capabilities of most WWW servers; if you find yourself on a S L O W connection to our facility, and the pages take inconveniently long to load, try turning OFF the "automatic image loading" feature of your WWW client. For example, in the Options menu of NCSA Mosaic, select "Delay Image Loading". In Mosaic Netscape, go to the Options menu and de-select "Auto Load Images". Those of you using Lynx, the text-only WWW browsing tool, will miss the graphics, of course, but can compensate by printing the pages and using them to guide you through an active GDB or OMIM session. Best of luck, and please contact me with suggestions for improvements! David Featherston ============================================================================ David Featherston Research Geneticist & CAOS/CAMM Center, Computational Genetics Consultant P.O. Box 9010, davidf@caos.kun.nl 6500 GL, Nijmegen dwf11@phx.cam.ac.uk The Netherlands dfeather@hgmp.mrc.ac.uk +31 (0)80 653383 tlf http://www.caos.kun.nl/davidf.html +31 (0)80 652977 FAX -------------------------------------------------------- The CAOS/CAMM Center is the Dutch GDB Node & EMBnet Node ============================================================================ From owner-gdb@net.bio.net Wed Jan 18 22:00:00 1995 Path: biosci!GDB.ORG!ksg From: ksg@GDB.ORG (Kay Gottesman) Newsgroups: bionet.molbio.gdb Subject: GDB Release 5.5.1 installed Jan 19 at Johns Hopkins University Date: 19 Jan 1995 12:01:28 -0800 Organization: BIOSCI International Newsgroups for Molecular Biology Lines: 95 Sender: daemon@net.bio.net Distribution: world Message-ID: <9501191958.AA28993@dev.gdb.org> -------------------------------------------------------------------------- GDB Release 5.5.1 Installed January 19 at JHU -------------------------------------------------------------------------- The new GDB release installed at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore January 19 includes the enhancements summarized in the Release Notes below. People with GDB/Accessor-5.2 on their Macs should be able to continue using Accessor-5.2 with the new GDB 5.5.1. For information about accessing GDB, please contact: GDB User Support help@gdb.org ***** GDB Version 5.5.1 January 19, 1995 ***** This is a minor release which includes bug fixes and the following enhancements. ENHANCEMENTS for ALL USERS Probe * Retrieve PCR probes by STS status Manager The Probe Retrieve screen now includes an STS Flag field with options [Any, Yes, No], so you can retrieve PCR probes based on whether or not they are a Sequenced Tagged Site (STS). --------------------------------------------------------------------- Locus * Retrieve Locus MIM numbers and Disorder MIM numbers Manager The MIM Number field on the Locus Retrieve screen now retrieves loci associated with the MIM numbers directly and also loci indirectly associated with the MIM numbers though MIM disorders. Previously this field only retrieved loci directly associated with the MIM numbers. ===================================================================== ENHANCEMENTS for GDB EDITORS Citation * Published status has default value "Published" Manager On the Add/Modify Citation screen for journals and book, the Published field includes the options: Published (default) In Press Submitted When you enter the screen, the default "Published" is automatically filled in. To change the value, select Help->Field Values. In GDB 5.5, the default "Published" was not displayed on the Add/Modify Citation screen. In GDB 5.4 the field had been a Rotating Choice field with options Yes (default displayed) and In Press. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Messages * Citations in DB Object field include GDB Id numbers The Detail View of messages associated with specific citations now includes the GDB Id number of the citation in addition to the first author and year. This additional information lets you distinguish between different citations which have the same first author and year. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Locus * Associate MIM Disorder Number with Disorder Name Manager On the Edit Disorders screen you can now include a MIM Disorder Number associated with a specific MIM Disorder Name. Previously you could only enter the Disorder Name. The number and name fields work together as follows: . A disorder can have a name only, but a disorder number must have an associated name. . If you enter a number and the name field is empty, the name will automatically be filled in, if available. If no name is filled in, you must enter one. . If you enter a number and a name is already there, the existing name will remain. Note that since retrieving loci by MIM numbers now also checks for MIM disorder numbers (as described above), you should enter only Locus MIM Numbers on the Add and Modify screens, and let the Disorder Numbers be added on the Edit Disorders screen. =================================================================== PROBLEMS FIXED All Users: * In the Citation Manager, all users can select VIEW->LINKS to see the objects linked to a specific citation. - END - From owner-gdb@net.bio.net Tue Jan 24 22:00:00 1995 Newsgroups: bionet.molbio.gdb Path: biosci!ns1.faseb.org!darwin.sura.net!news.gdb.org!news From: help@gdb.org (GDB User Support) Subject: GDB/OMIM unavailable Jan 25th at JHU due to Internet problem Message-ID: <1995Jan25.214613.10775@news.gdb.org> Sender: news@news.gdb.org Nntp-Posting-Host: sif.gdb.org Reply-To: bionet.molbio.gdb Organization: The Johns Hopkins University - Genome Data Base (GDB) Date: Wed, 25 Jan 1995 21:46:13 GMT Lines: 13 GDB and OMIM at Johns Hopkins University were unavailable on Wednesday January 25th due to problems at our Internet provider (SURAnet). We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. For information about GDB and OMIM, please contact: GDB User Support Genome Data Base help@gdb.org From owner-gdb@net.bio.net Sun Jan 29 22:00:00 1995 Path: biosci!bcm!cs.utexas.edu!howland.reston.ans.net!ix.netcom.com!netcom.com!csus.edu!news.ucdavis.edu!rocky!ez006804 From: Phandaal Newsgroups: bionet.molbio.ageing,bionet.molbio.bio-matrix,bionet.molbio.embldatabank,bionet.molbio.evolution,bionet.molbio.gdb,bionet.molbio.gene-linkage,bionet.molbio.genome-program,bionet.molbio.hiv,bionet.molbio.rapd,bionet.molbio.yeast Subject: controversies & ethics Date: Mon, 30 Jan 1995 11:59:15 -0800 Organization: University of California, Davis Lines: 37 Message-ID: NNTP-Posting-Host: rocky.ucdavis.edu Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII X-Sender: ez006804@rocky Xref: biosci bionet.molbio.ageing:1203 bionet.molbio.bio-matrix:531 bionet.molbio.embldatabank:430 bionet.molbio.evolution:2374 bionet.molbio.gdb:279 bionet.molbio.gene-linkage:513 bionet.molbio.genome-program:1135 bionet.molbio.hiv:850 bionet.molbio.rapd:949 bionet.molbio.yeast:2260 I've been asked to give a lecture to upper-division college students on the controversies and ethical considerations in producing transgenic organisms, especially transgenic plants. It's been a while since I gave this lecture, and so I was wondering if anybody had any good examples of controversies or ethical considerations that I could incorporate into the talk. Two I can think of off-hand are: 1) introducing insecticidal proteins (such as the Bacillus thuringiensis protein) into plants may create resistant insect populations (under the force of heavy selection pressure), which could then overrun the resistant plants and make worthless the efforts by conventional growers who *use* Bt protein as a topical pesticidal spray. 2) altering fatty acid metabolism in oil-crops (like canola) so that they produce oils found chiefly in palm and coconut could severely damage the palm oil and coconut oil industries in Third World countries... thus severely depressing the economies of these already struggling countries. If you are aware of any other similar cases, or simply have a point which you think would be useful for the lecture, I'd appreciate hearing from you! Thanks, Peter Schuerman plschuerman@ucdavis.edu />>/>>/>> In nature there are neither rewards nor <<\<<\<<\ \>>\>>\>> punishments--there are consequences. <>/>>/>> <>\>>\>> From owner-gdb@net.bio.net Mon Jan 30 22:00:00 1995 Path: biosci!rutgers!uwm.edu!vixen.cso.uiuc.edu!howland.reston.ans.net!swiss.ans.net!emi.com!pauling.wadsworth.org!rebecca!labonnes From: labonnes@csc.albany.edu (S. LaBonne) Newsgroups: bionet.molbio.ageing,bionet.molbio.bio-matrix,bionet.molbio.embldatabank,bionet.molbio.evolution,bionet.molbio.gdb,bionet.molbio.gene-linkage,bionet.molbio.genome-program,bionet.molbio.hiv,bionet.molbio.rapd,bionet.molbio.yeast Subject: Re: controversies & ethics Date: 31 Jan 1995 01:21:34 GMT Organization: University at Albany, SUNY Lines: 39 Message-ID: <3gk3au$pdp@rebecca.albany.edu> References: NNTP-Posting-Host: freia.albany.edu Xref: biosci bionet.molbio.ageing:1206 bionet.molbio.bio-matrix:532 bionet.molbio.embldatabank:431 bionet.molbio.evolution:2376 bionet.molbio.gdb:280 bionet.molbio.gene-linkage:514 bionet.molbio.genome-program:1138 bionet.molbio.hiv:851 bionet.molbio.rapd:950 bionet.molbio.yeast:2266 In article , Phandaal wrote: >I've been asked to give a lecture to upper-division college students on >the controversies and ethical considerations in producing transgenic >organisms, especially transgenic plants. It's been a while since I gave >this lecture, and so I was wondering if anybody had any good examples of >controversies or ethical considerations that I could incorporate into the >talk. > >Two I can think of off-hand are: > >1) introducing insecticidal proteins (such as the Bacillus thuringiensis >protein) into plants may create resistant insect populations (under the >force of heavy selection pressure), which could then overrun the resistant >plants and make worthless the efforts by conventional growers who *use* Bt >protein as a topical pesticidal spray. > >2) altering fatty acid metabolism in oil-crops (like canola) so that they >produce oils found chiefly in palm and coconut could severely damage the >palm oil and coconut oil industries in Third World countries... thus >severely depressing the economies of these already struggling countries. My problem with these examples is that I see nothing about them that is unique to transgenic technology. Similar sorts of problems are raised all the time by "conventional" technologies, including very ancient ones like selective breeding. An analogue to 1 is simply overuse of pesticides (or antibiotics for that matter), which can render them worthless in the way you describe. And 2 in no way raises ethical issues different from, say, starting a palm oil industry in Key West, possibly after selective breeding of oil palms to produce strains that give high yields there. Indeed, I doubt that there _are_ any ethical issues which depend _specifically_ on agricultural use of biotechnology as opposed to agricultural technologies in general. -- Steve LaBonne *********************** (labonnes@csc.albany.edu) "It can never be satisfied, the mind, never." - Wallace Stevens From owner-gdb@net.bio.net Mon Jan 30 22:00:00 1995 Newsgroups: bionet.molbio.gdb Path: biosci!ns1.faseb.org!darwin.sura.net!nih-csl!helix.nih.gov!luism From: "Luis M. Alvarez" Subject: mammalian cells transfection Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII Message-ID: Sender: postman@alw.nih.gov (AMDS Postmaster) Organization: National Institutes of Health Mime-Version: 1.0 Date: Tue, 31 Jan 1995 19:16:38 GMT Lines: 14 Hi! Do anyone have a protocol for coupling poly-L-lysine to adenovirus particles? I am trying to perform receptor-mediated transfection of mammalian cells, but for some reason this protocol seems quite a bit elusive. Thank you. Dr. Luis M. Alvarez-Salas Lab. of Biology NCI/NIH luism@helix.nih.gov From owner-gdb@net.bio.net Mon Jan 30 22:00:00 1995 Path: biosci!rutgers!uwm.edu!vixen.cso.uiuc.edu!howland.reston.ans.net!pipex!uunet!news.u.washington.edu!roach From: roach@u.washington.edu (Jared Roach) Newsgroups: bionet.molbio.ageing,bionet.molbio.bio-matrix,bionet.molbio.embldatabank,bionet.molbio.evolution,bionet.molbio.gdb,bionet.molbio.gene-linkage,bionet.molbio.genome-program,bionet.molbio.hiv,bionet.molbio.rapd,bionet.molbio.yeast Subject: Re: controversies & ethics Date: 31 Jan 1995 20:52:25 GMT Organization: University of Washington Lines: 28 Message-ID: <3gm7u9$t5e@nntp1.u.washington.edu> References: <3gk3au$pdp@rebecca.albany.edu> NNTP-Posting-Host: saul3.u.washington.edu Xref: biosci bionet.molbio.ageing:1212 bionet.molbio.bio-matrix:533 bionet.molbio.embldatabank:432 bionet.molbio.evolution:2379 bionet.molbio.gdb:282 bionet.molbio.gene-linkage:515 bionet.molbio.genome-program:1140 bionet.molbio.hiv:853 bionet.molbio.rapd:951 bionet.molbio.yeast:2273 While it is true that there is to a first approximation nothing that one can do with transgenic agriculture that could not be done with traditional plant breeding, there is no denying that recombinant DNA is MUCH faster. This to me is the crux of the ethical issue. Not what, or even why, but how fast. It would presumably take a very long time to breed arctic fish with strawberries to get frost resistant strawberries (or more likely, to select over umpteen generations of strawberries for the same trait). Now one might argue that the speed of recombinant research has two dangers: 1) The rest of the ecosystem is not changing as fast to modify itself so as to maintain some kind of ecological "balance." Furthermore, scientists may be slower to understand ecological impact than they are in developing new organisms. 2) The human race as a whole (or national governments, or individuals) is slow to reach consensus on ethical issues (i.e. religion, abortion, the creation of new species, etc.) Science should slow its pace of discovery to allow Ethics to catch up. There are excellnt counterpoints, but I will allow others to continue the dialectic. Jared Roach Dept. of Molecular Biotechnology University of Washington roach@u.washington.edu From owner-gdb@net.bio.net Tue Jan 31 22:00:00 1995 Path: biosci!bcm!cs.utexas.edu!howland.reston.ans.net!swiss.ans.net!emi.com!pauling.wadsworth.org!rebecca!labonnes From: labonnes@csc.albany.edu (S. LaBonne) Newsgroups: bionet.molbio.ageing,bionet.molbio.bio-matrix,bionet.molbio.embldatabank,bionet.molbio.evolution,bionet.molbio.gdb,bionet.molbio.gene-linkage,bionet.molbio.genome-program,bionet.molbio.hiv,bionet.molbio.rapd,bionet.molbio.yeast Subject: Re: controversies & ethics Date: 1 Feb 1995 00:39:33 GMT Organization: University at Albany, SUNY Lines: 37 Message-ID: <3gml85$fb5@rebecca.albany.edu> References: <3gk3au$pdp@rebecca.albany.edu> <3gm7u9$t5e@nntp1.u.washington.edu> NNTP-Posting-Host: bathsheba.albany.edu Xref: biosci bionet.molbio.ageing:1216 bionet.molbio.bio-matrix:534 bionet.molbio.embldatabank:433 bionet.molbio.evolution:2381 bionet.molbio.gdb:283 bionet.molbio.gene-linkage:516 bionet.molbio.genome-program:1141 bionet.molbio.hiv:856 bionet.molbio.rapd:952 bionet.molbio.yeast:2275 In article <3gm7u9$t5e@nntp1.u.washington.edu>, Jared Roach wrote: > Now one might argue that the speed of recombinant research >has two dangers: > 1) The rest of the ecosystem is not changing as fast to >modify itself so as to maintain some kind of ecological "balance." >Furthermore, scientists may be slower to understand ecological impact >than they are in developing new organisms. This is not an ethical issue until the ecological problems are shown to be more concrete than vague forebodings. Even then, it is not an ethical problem of a new _kind_, being nothing more than the familiar tradeoffs between benefits and environmental impact that must be considered in the case of virtually _any_ technological change. > 2) The human race as a whole (or national governments, or >individuals) is slow to reach consensus on ethical issues (i.e. >religion, abortion, the creation of new species, etc.) Science >should slow its pace of discovery to allow Ethics to catch up. There is much to be said for this contention, but again biotechnology is not unique in giving rise to such considerations. I still say there are _no_ ethical considerations that are _unique to biotechnology as such_, and I fail to see the case for singling out biotechnology in an ethics course; what's more, this tends to give scientifically naive students, and members of the public, an irrational fear of biotechnology over and above other technologies. Naturally, biotechnology can serve as a valuable source of _examples_ in discussions of the ethics of applying new technologies in general. -- Steve LaBonne *********************** (labonnes@csc.albany.edu) "It can never be satisfied, the mind, never." - Wallace Stevens From owner-gdb@net.bio.net Tue Jan 31 22:00:00 1995 Path: biosci!daresbury!trane.uninett.no!sunic!pipex!pipex!howland.reston.ans.net!news2.near.net!das-news2.harvard.edu!casaba.srv.cs.cmu.edu!bb3.andrew.cmu.edu!andrew.cmu.edu!hb10+ From: "Howard M. Bomze" Newsgroups: bionet.molbio.ageing,bionet.molbio.bio-matrix,bionet.molbio.embldatabank,bionet.molbio.evolution,bionet.molbio.gdb,bionet.molbio.genome-program,bionet.molbio.hiv,bionet.molbio.rapd,bionet.molbio.yeast,bionet.molbio.gene-linkage Subject: Re: controversies & ethics Date: Wed, 1 Feb 1995 17:31:58 -0500 Organization: Doctoral student, Biology, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA Lines: 15 Message-ID: References: <3gk3au$pdp@rebecca.albany.edu> <3gm7u9$t5e@nntp1.u.washington.edu> <3gml85$fb5@rebecca.albany.edu> NNTP-Posting-Host: po2.andrew.cmu.edu In-Reply-To: <3gml85$fb5@rebecca.albany.edu> Xref: biosci bionet.molbio.ageing:1221 bionet.molbio.bio-matrix:535 bionet.molbio.embldatabank:434 bionet.molbio.evolution:2387 bionet.molbio.gdb:284 bionet.molbio.genome-program:1144 bionet.molbio.hiv:858 bionet.molbio.rapd:953 bionet.molbio.yeast:2278 bionet.molbio.gene-linkage:518 Steve Bonne has been saying that there are no new ethical considerations for agricultural biotechnologies. However, he has been missing one very important one, that is the possibility of an engineered gene to be transfered to a different species. The transgenic plant not only has the sequences of the desired gene, it also contains the sequences which are necesary to insert the gene into the genome. So a question which must be looked at is this: If a gene for herbicide resistance has been put into a corn plant so that that herbicide can be used to kill all of the crab grass in the corn field, what happens if the gene is transfered to the crab grass? There are also ethical problems with other non-agricultural biotechnology. Howard Bomze