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This is an excellent review of the issues raised with manipulation of human stem cells. It covers all kinds of scenarios and sees them through various perspectives. The book is enriched by essays from distinguish authorities in complementary areas. Everyone gives their opinion and explains their point of view in a non-techincal language. Besides it includes a very interesting interview with a panel of personalities such as James Watson. I do not like long reviews, so this would be short too, just to finish a last warning, this is not the latest publication on the subject and since its publication tons of related work has been done. This is important so if you want to be updated you will certainly need recent information, nevertheless this covers all in an excellet manner, I highly recommend it.

Important developments in the rapidly-changing field of human genetics are in the newspaper virtually every day, but the underlying ethical and moral issues seem to remain constant from year to year. This book does a very fine job of exploring those concerns and examining the larger implications of human "germline" engineering.

Although it also contains additional related essays, "Engineering the Human Germline" basically seems to be an edited transcript of a thought-provoking symposium (of the same name) which a thousand or so others and I attended at UCLA in March 1998. During that public event, an impressive panel of experts delivered intelligent, understandable lectures, then debated the great promises and dangers which might result from altering the genes which get passed to our children, grandchildren, etc. (such theoretical alteration of genes, in a nutshell, is what "germline" genetic engineering is). "Engineering the Human Germline" proves to be a worthy record of that symposium.

Some say the human gene pool is a sacred thing and that we should never "play God." Clearly, if you monkey around with the genetic code of an early-state embryo, you might wind up with a monstrosity on your hands. But what if (at some point in the future) you knew exactly what you were doing when you corrected (or requested the correction of) a pre-embryo's faulty genetic code? What if, as a result of your intervention, the resulting human being neither developed a deadly or life-shattering genetic disease (that it would have inherited, otherwise), nor passed the faulty gene(s) on to the next generation? The value of this promise seems to be at the core of what's explored by the numerous contributors of "Engineering the Human Germline."

At one point in this book we have a very outspoken James Watson (the 1962 Nobel-winning co-discoverer of DNA structure who also helped establish the Human Genome Project) saying, "It's common sense to try to develop it ... If we could make better human beings by knowing how to add genes, why shouldn't we do it? What's wrong with it? Who is telling us not to do it?... We should be honest and say that we shouldn't just accept things that are incurable. I just think, 'What would make someone else's life better?'"

All in all, "Engineering the Human Germline" is a balanced, intelligent, readable resource for professionals, students or the average citizen who wants to know more about the groundbreaking developments in human genetics and the surrounding issues which will affect us all.

dental surger

This book brought a lot of answers to a set of parents who were confused on what exactly Sensory Integration Dysfunction was. The only thing I would have added was more advice on how to cope as parents.

When my son, at age 2, was evaluated by professionals in our city's Early Intervention program, and diagnosed as having sensory issues along with some developmental delays (fine motor and speech) and apraxia, I had no idea what they were talking about. Our OT suggested I read The Out-of-Sync-Child and click, I got it. Suddenly all these "quirky" behaviors of my son's made sense: The intense craving for movement like swinging or jumping (while other kids in the swings smiled, he was hysterically whooping, and when other kids needed quiet time before bed, he needed to jump to exhaustion). The vigorous head shaking. The penchant for lying on the floor or the sidewalk, particularly in the middle of a tantrum. He pushed puzzle pieces so hard they'd pop out of place, smack a drum or xylophone so hard that he'd almost break the beater. His focus was terrible--and yet, if we "overstimulated" him by playing airplane or crushing him with pillows, suddenly his focus would be terrific. After reading this book, I understood that he has problems processing proprioceptive and vestibular sensations--these are senses I didn't even know we have. Now that my husband and I understand the importance of giving him the stimulation he needs, we can see a huge improvement. The behaviors have lessened and his focus is a thousand times better. I can't recommend this enough to anyone who suspects their child has sensory issues.

This book is a life-saver for the child and the parent. If you are willing to consistently apply the techniques Carol recommends, you can desensitize your child's overly sensitive areas, and sensitize your child's undersensitize areas, in a manner of speaking. You can learn to adjust your environment to accommodate the neurophysiological problems that underlie the behaviors you're witnessing. And you should consider Central Auditory Processing, as well. Your child, as Carol and Larry clearly explain, cannot help the reactions when that flight/fight syndrome is triggered. Many children with SI Dysfunction also have autonomic problems, and these techniques help with those problems, too. I am giving a copy to each of my child's teachers, just so they have a good understanding of her problems. I wish this book had been out when we were dealing with my child's early development; we had to learn these things the hard way. Furthermore, Carol's work is right in line with the Neonatal research that proved touch and massage increase growth weight in Neonatal Intensive Care; the research that proved touch therapy increases the rate of healing after surgery, etc., for those skeptics among you that pooh pooh the general idea of touch. Bravo!