Abraham Lincoln's DNA and Other Adventures in GeneticsFor laypeople and professionals alike who yearn for a better understanding of genetically engineered crops, DNA fingerprinting, cloning, or gene therapy, here is a valuable addition to a small but critical literature that will frame the public discourse as it is decided how to use the burgeoning knowledge of the genome. The lessons are delivered in the course of fascinating historical tales (including an especially enjoyable chapter on Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec) with a hint of Lewis Thomas-like awe and fascination with the power of genetic analysis. |
Contents
1 | |
13 | |
25 | |
Old Bones DNA and Skeletons | 37 |
Justice The DNA Revolution in the Courts | 49 |
DNA Detectives The New DNA Evidence | 51 |
Cold Hits The Rise of DNA Felon Databanks | 63 |
Genes and Violence Do Mutations Cause Crime? | 77 |
Transgenic Animals New Foods and New Factories | 171 |
Endangered Species New Genes Beat Extinction | 185 |
Xenotransplantation Animal Organs to Save Humans | 197 |
Diseases The Genetic Revolution in Medicine | 209 |
Cystic Fibrosis Should Everyone Be Tested? | 211 |
Breast Cancer The Burden of Knowing | 221 |
Alzheimer Disease Are You at High Risk? | 233 |
Gene Therapy The Dream and the Reality | 245 |
Wrongful Birth What Should the Doctor Know? | 91 |
Behavior Do Genes Make Us the Way We Are? | 101 |
Mental Illness How Much Is Genetic? | 103 |
Personality Were We Born This Way? | 115 |
Talent Nature or Nurture? | 129 |
Gay Genes Whats the Evidence? | 143 |
Plants and Animals Genetic Engineering and Nature | 153 |
Genetically Modified Organisms The Next Green Revolution? | 155 |
Dilemmas Genetic Technologies and Individual Choice | 259 |
Genetic Testing and Privacy Who Should Be Able to Know Your Genes? | 261 |
Frozen Embryos People or Property? | 275 |
Cloning Why Is Everyone Opposed? | 287 |
Eugenics Can We Improve the Gene Pool? | 301 |
Bibliography | 315 |
Index | 329 |
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Common terms and phrases
abortion allele Alzheimer disease animal apoE4 argued behavior birth blood bone born BRCA1 breast cancer breeding called carrier cause cells child chromosome clinical convicted copies couples court created crime scene criminal cystic fibrosis databanks decade develop diagnosis DNA analysis DNA profile DNA testing donor early embryos enzyme eugenics evidence felon fetus Florida panther forensic Fragile X syndrome frozen embryos gene therapy genetic disorders genetic testing genetically engineered geneticists genome groups homosexuality hormone human cloning human embryos human gene identical twins illness inherited Lincoln Marfan syndrome match medicine mental retardation mitochondrial DNA mother mutation normal organs ovarian cancer pairs parents patients perfect pitch persons physicians plants population predisposing pregnancy prenatal protein relatively risk samples scientists screening species sperm sterilization tion tissue Toulouse-Lautrec transgenic transplant virus woman women X chromosome XYY syndrome
Popular passages
Page 3 - tall, lank, lean man considerably over 6 feet in height with stooping shoulders, long pendulous arms terminating in hands of extraordinary dimensions which, however, were far exceeded in proportion by his feet.
Page 5 - behind that eye. In the track of the wound were found fragments of bone which had been driven forward by the ball which was embedded in the anterior lobe of the left hemisphere of the brain.
Page 297 - each individual has a right to his or her own genetic identity and that human cloning is, and must continue to be, prohibited.
Page 164 - with the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA),
Page 120 - progressed in certain moral qualities such as in affection, trustworthiness, temper, and probably in general intelligence.
Page 126 - It may be that trying to be happier is as futile as trying to be taller and therefore is counterproductive.
Page 17 - Davenport, Director of the Station for Experimental Evolution at Cold Spring Harbor, New York,
Page 283 - Ordinarily, the party wishing to avoid procreation should prevail, assuming that the other party has
Page 70 - murder. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. THE
Page 283 - reasonable possibility of achieving parenthood by means other than use of the preembryos in question.
References to this book
Tears of the Cheetah: The Genetic Secrets of Our Animal Ancestors Stephen J. O'Brien No preview available - 2005 |