Re: The incredible disappearing twin
At 02:06 PM 11/28/03 -0600, Robert Seeberger wrote: http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/11/27/1069825920727.html How a woman consumed her twin and became two individuals - genetically speaking. By Garry Barker. The woman was in shock. At the age of 52, she had just been told that she was not the mother of two of her three grown sons, yet she knew she had conceived them with her husband and delivered them naturally. The case, encountered in Boston and the subject of a report in New Scientist magazine this month, has led researchers to conclude that the woman is a chimera, genetically two individuals in a single, otherwise normal, body. The US researchers suggest the woman was formed when two non-identical twin embryos - two eggs released into her mother's womb at the same time and simultaneously fertilised - that would have developed into sisters, fused to develop into a single foetus. But, says Alan Trounson, of Monash University, one of the world's leading experts on human reproduction, the facts could be even more bizarre. The chimera could be the product of what is known as the "disappearing twin" phenomenon, in which one twin foetus consumes the other and, in the process, absorbs some of its cells. "Disappearing twins are relatively common in human pregnancies - certainly a few in every hundred pregnancies," Trounson said. "They are diagnosed as twins and then one disappears." Nobody was yet sure why it happened, he said, but the phenomenon had been found "very frequently" in IVF cases where several embryos were implanted at the same time. "Then they went and looked at general pregnancies and found the disappearing twin was relatively common there, too. "It happens fairly early in a pregnancy," Trounson said. "Not early, early, but usually in the first third of a pregnancy." As a result of, say, fusion of blood vessels, "one twin could consume the other so that cells are transferred. One twin becomes parasitic on the other and eventually that second twin disappears." Trounson discounted the fusion of embryos theory. "But nobody really knows," he said. "Certainly, it can be done artificially in animals by mixing embryonic cells to form a chimera, so it is at least possible. But it might be unlikely. "Mixing as is suggested in the Boston case would have to happen in the first week and I cannot see that happening because of the impervious shell around an embryo." But, later in the first third of a pregnancy, "one of the twins could form a fusion with the other. Say the blood vessels fuse, which has been reported, and one twin then consumes the other - basically draws out the material of the other twin and it disappears," Trounson said. Nothing comparable with the Boston case had so far emerged in Australia, he said, but that did not mean chimeras did not exist here. "We have not tested for them," he said. "I doubt there has been any large-scale testing of IVF children for chimerism. It would be interesting to check it out." The Boston case emerged after the chimeric woman found she needed a kidney transplant. Her three sons volunteered as donors. Blood tests showed one son to be equipped with the two blocks of genes, known as haplotypes, that humans inherit, one each from the father and from the mother. But while the other boys had their father's haplotypes, they had different haplotypes from those the tests determined to be their mother's. In fact, their mother had two sets of haplotypes, one dominant. Chimeras are rare, but far from unknown. Some have eyes of completely different colour, others, according to the New Scientist report, are discovered when they seek medical help for reproductive problems and are found to have both male and female structures in their bodies. In almost all cases, chimerism causes no problems and remains undetected. Yet there may also be an advantage: when an organ transplant is required, a chimera has twice the chance of finding a match as an ordinary human because they have two sets of haplotypes on which they can be matched. _Weekly World News_ cover story: "WOMAN CONFESSES: I ATE MY OWN TWIN SISTER!! -- Ronn! :) ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: The incredible disappearing twin
> The case, encountered in Boston and the subject of a report in New > Scientist magazine this month, has led researchers to conclude that the > woman is a chimera, genetically two individuals in a single, otherwise > normal, body. > I thought that the biological term _chimera_ was exclusively applied to the mix of cells from different _species_. The case reported here would be _mosaic_. Alberto Monteiro ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
The incredible disappearing twin
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/11/27/1069825920727.html How a woman consumed her twin and became two individuals - genetically speaking. By Garry Barker. The woman was in shock. At the age of 52, she had just been told that she was not the mother of two of her three grown sons, yet she knew she had conceived them with her husband and delivered them naturally. The case, encountered in Boston and the subject of a report in New Scientist magazine this month, has led researchers to conclude that the woman is a chimera, genetically two individuals in a single, otherwise normal, body. The US researchers suggest the woman was formed when two non-identical twin embryos - two eggs released into her mother's womb at the same time and simultaneously fertilised - that would have developed into sisters, fused to develop into a single foetus. But, says Alan Trounson, of Monash University, one of the world's leading experts on human reproduction, the facts could be even more bizarre. The chimera could be the product of what is known as the "disappearing twin" phenomenon, in which one twin foetus consumes the other and, in the process, absorbs some of its cells. "Disappearing twins are relatively common in human pregnancies - certainly a few in every hundred pregnancies," Trounson said. "They are diagnosed as twins and then one disappears." Nobody was yet sure why it happened, he said, but the phenomenon had been found "very frequently" in IVF cases where several embryos were implanted at the same time. "Then they went and looked at general pregnancies and found the disappearing twin was relatively common there, too. "It happens fairly early in a pregnancy," Trounson said. "Not early, early, but usually in the first third of a pregnancy." As a result of, say, fusion of blood vessels, "one twin could consume the other so that cells are transferred. One twin becomes parasitic on the other and eventually that second twin disappears." Trounson discounted the fusion of embryos theory. "But nobody really knows," he said. "Certainly, it can be done artificially in animals by mixing embryonic cells to form a chimera, so it is at least possible. But it might be unlikely. "Mixing as is suggested in the Boston case would have to happen in the first week and I cannot see that happening because of the impervious shell around an embryo." But, later in the first third of a pregnancy, "one of the twins could form a fusion with the other. Say the blood vessels fuse, which has been reported, and one twin then consumes the other - basically draws out the material of the other twin and it disappears," Trounson said. Nothing comparable with the Boston case had so far emerged in Australia, he said, but that did not mean chimeras did not exist here. "We have not tested for them," he said. "I doubt there has been any large-scale testing of IVF children for chimerism. It would be interesting to check it out." The Boston case emerged after the chimeric woman found she needed a kidney transplant. Her three sons volunteered as donors. Blood tests showed one son to be equipped with the two blocks of genes, known as haplotypes, that humans inherit, one each from the father and from the mother. But while the other boys had their father's haplotypes, they had different haplotypes from those the tests determined to be their mother's. In fact, their mother had two sets of haplotypes, one dominant. Chimeras are rare, but far from unknown. Some have eyes of completely different colour, others, according to the New Scientist report, are discovered when they seek medical help for reproductive problems and are found to have both male and female structures in their bodies. In almost all cases, chimerism causes no problems and remains undetected. Yet there may also be an advantage: when an organ transplant is required, a chimera has twice the chance of finding a match as an ordinary human because they have two sets of haplotypes on which they can be matched. xponent Semi-Singleton Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Glowing fish to be first genetically changed pet
- Original Message - From: "Reggie Bautista" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Friday, November 28, 2003 12:46 PM Subject: Re: Glowing fish to be first genetically changed pet > rob wrote: > >>http://www.reuters.co.uk/printerFriendlyPopup.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=4 07 > >>444 > > > > > > A little tropical fish that glows fluorescent red will be the first > > > genetically engineered pet, a Texas-based company has said. > > Cathlin E. Daley replied: > >santa got the boys ANOTHER fish tankbut he comes in Dec NOT Jan :) > > Are you going saltwater or freshwater? My wife and I have a little > freshwater > tank with a couple of zebra danios, a couple of guppies, and a pair of > large- > bellied mollies. The danios and the guppies school together, and the > mollies > usually just hang around as a couple and don't interact much with the > others. > I never kept danios or guppies. I always kept Cichlids, and they don't do well with such mild mannered fishies. Mostly I would keep africans and a south american or two and keep them crowded to suppress the aggresiveness. Most of my experience was with various zebra cichlids, socolofi, kenyii, auratus, jewels, haplochromis compresiceps, trewavasaeetc...plus some red devils, jack dempseys, and green terrors. My favorites were dwarves though, and I always kept some in a tank with a family of kribensis. I've been hoping to get back into aquariums again, but never seem to quite get started on it. gotta have a BIG tank this time. xponent Its All Latin To Me Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Challenge: 80's Lyrics Quiz
Gary Nunn wrote: Kind of long, and my score was embarrassingly low...but fun. http://www.yetanotherdot.com/asp/80s.html I had sent my score to the list but I see now that it never made it. I don't remember my exact score; it was 76 point something. Looking at the ones I missed, I definitely had some "DOH!" moments... Reggie Bautista _ Gift-shop online from the comfort of home at MSN Shopping! No crowds, free parking. http://shopping.msn.com ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Glowing fish to be first genetically changed pet
rob wrote: http://www.reuters.co.uk/printerFriendlyPopup.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=407 444 > > A little tropical fish that glows fluorescent red will be the first > genetically engineered pet, a Texas-based company has said. Cathlin E. Daley replied: santa got the boys ANOTHER fish tankbut he comes in Dec NOT Jan :) Are you going saltwater or freshwater? My wife and I have a little freshwater tank with a couple of zebra danios, a couple of guppies, and a pair of large- bellied mollies. The danios and the guppies school together, and the mollies usually just hang around as a couple and don't interact much with the others. XXOOYFSB ? Reggie Bautista Curious Maru _ online games and music with a high-speed Internet connection! Prices start at less than $1 a day average. https://broadband.msn.com (Prices may vary by service area.) ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Urrrp!
Ronn! wrote: > > >> Remember: you are what you eat. (Or drink.) I replied: > > > Anyone on the list eat haggis? Willam T Goodall responded: > > Some people don't eat haggis? Julia answered: > I've never had the pleasure. (I wasn't weaned yet the only > time I was in > Scotland, for one thing) [EMAIL PROTECTED] said: Several years ago I had to go to Scotland to look at some radiology equipment (snip) Customs said that it was not properly packed. I think that they just don't let it in because it is, well, haggis Kansas City has a Highland Games weekend every year, and depending on which vendors come, sometimes you can get haggis and sometimes you can get "haggis sausage." There are Scottish Festivals and Celtic Festivals like this across the US every year where you can get decent haggis, or haggis sausage. Not being able to import it or eat it in Scotland is no excuse, at least not for Americans... ;-) House of Douglas Bakery, by the way, is a frequent vendor at these events, and they make the best Eccles Cakes I've ever tasted. Reggie Bautista VFP Douglas Clan, Kirkpatrick Sept http://homepages.paradise.net.nz/gemsonli/septs.html Class _ From the hottest toys to tips on keeping fit this winter, youll find a range of helpful holiday info here. http://special.msn.com/network/happyholidays.armx ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Urrrp!
In a message dated 11/27/2003 10:21:45 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: > Ronn! wrote: > > >> Remember: you are what you eat. (Or drink.) > > > > > > Anyone on the list eat haggis? > > > > Some people don't eat haggis? > > I've never had the pleasure. (I wasn't weaned yet the only > time I was in > Scotland, for one thing) Several years ago I had to go to Scotland to look at some radiology equipment. I went with a colleague who is in love with all things Scotish. He ran around until he found a cd of "Donny keep your trowser's on". We had dinner with a couple of his sailing buddies. The vendor was paying so usually you get taken to a great place. We were in a dive; a dive however with the largest collection of single malts in all of Glasgow. My friend tried them all (I am not a scotch drinker so I had to content myself with warm beer). But one thing was missing; haggis. It was out of season we were told with great formality and one only has real haggis in season. But we did find some in the airport shop and my friend enthusiastically told me we would have it upon our return to the US. I was thrilled (not). But luck was on my side. When we got to US customs they would not let the haggis in. Customs said that it was not properly packed. I think that they just don't let it in because it is, well, haggis ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
