RSS Feeds

Earth Science

Space Science

Life Science

Fields of Scientific Study

Nanotechnology

Cancer

Definitions of The Fields of Scientific Study

Prenatal Diagnosis Could Aid Treatment Of Beta Thalassaemia (pp 6, 41)

July 02, 2003

Authors of a research letter in this week's issue of THE LANCET highlight how prenatal testing could identify fetuses with appropriate tissue for treating beta thalassaemia in their older siblings. Prenatal testing could also identify fetuses who will develop beta thalassaemia and who could be treated with bone-marrow transplantation from a family member.

Beta thalassaemia is a hereditary blood disorder characterised by impaired haemoglobin function. It effects thousands of people worldwide and is common in Mediterranean countries. 95% of young children can be effectively treated with bone-marrow transplantation from individuals with the same tissue type (called HLA).

Francesca Argiolu and colleagues from the University of Cagliari, Italy, did genetic testing to identify HLA status in fetuses of 49 couples at risk of having a baby with beta thalassaemia. Nine affected fetuses had a normal sibling, and 40 unaffected fetuses had an affected sibling. Two affected children were born and successfully received a transplantation from a family donor. Five unaffected fetuses were HLA compatible with an affected sibling; the umbilical cord blood was harvested for a future transplantation.

Francesca Argiolu comments: "We believe that prenatal HLA typing is a safe, ethical strategy that should be used more often, not only in beta thalassaemia but in all genetic diseases that can be cured by stem-cell transplantation and for which prenatal diagnosis is available."

In an accompanying Commentary (p 6), J Delhanty from University College London, UK, compares fetal HLA testing with pre-implantation genetic diagnosis. He concludes: "The ethical issues of the two different approaches have similarities; in both, the fetus or young child is used as a source of donated cells without being able to give consent. However, the likelihood of a successful outcome with preimplantation genetic diagnosis in cases that involve testing for two genetic loci is very low. Because of the complexity of the HLA genetic locus, the chance of finding an embryo that is both HLA compatible and free of b thalassaemia is about one in 12, and the chances that the embryo would then result in a live child in this particular case is about one in ten. Fetal HLA-typing would appear to be a better use of resources."

Contact: Dr Francesca Argiolu, University Degli Studi di Cagliari, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche e Biotecnologie, Centro TMO Ospedale per le Microcitemie, Cagliari, Italy; T) +39 070 609 5646 or 609 5512; F) +39 070 503696; E) fargiolu@mcweb.unica.it
Professor J D A Delhanty, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University College London, London WC1E 6HX, UK; T) +44 (0)20 7679 6077; F) +44 (0)20 7383 7429; E) j.delhanty@ucl.ac.uk

Lancet

Science Research Departments

	Scientific Explorer's Mind Blowing Science Kit for Young Scientists by Scientific Explorer Mind blowing experiments to delight and educate young scientists! Erupt a color changing volcano. Mix up magic ooze with a mind of its own. Play with sand that never gets wet. Mix safe chemicals and watch colors change before your eyes. You'll amaze yourself and your friends as you explore the science behind these truly remarkable reactions.
	The Everything Kids' Science Experiments Book: Boil Ice, Float Water, Measure Gravity-Challenge the World Around You! (Everything Kids Series) by Tom Robinson (Author) Science has never been so easy - or so much fun! With The Everything Kids' Science Experiments Book, all you need to do is gather a few household items and you can recreate dozens of mind-blowing, kid-tested science experiments. High school science teach Tom Robinson shows you how to expand your scientific horizons - from biology to chemistry to physics to outer space. You'll discover answers to questions like: Is it possible to blow up a balloon without actually blowing into it? What is inside coins? Can a magnet ever be "turned off"? Do toilets always flush in the same direction? Can a swimming pool be cleaned with just the breath of one person? Get ready to enter the laboratory and learn how to conduct cool experiments, understand scientific terms...
	Scientific Explorer's Disgusting Science - A Kit for Studying the Science of Revolting Things by Scientific Explorer Grow your own friendly germs and fuzzy molds. Mix up a batch of coagulating fake blood. Even make a stinky intestine. learn the science behind unmentionable bodily functions while doing some truly NASTY Experiments. Ages 8+
	The Science Book: Everything You Need to Know About the World and How It Works (National Geographic) by National Geographic (Author), Marshall Brain (Foreword) A delight for the casual reader, yet so complete and wide-ranging that science buffs and students will welcome it, The Science Book encapsulates centuries of scientific thought in one richly illustrated volume. Natural phenomena, revolutionary inventions, and the most up-to-date investigations are explained in detailed text, and 2,000 vivid illustrationsincluding 3-D graphics and pictogramsmake the information even more accessible and amazing to discover. The Science Book offers both a general overview of topics for the browsing reader and more specific information for those seeking deeper insight into a particular subject. Six major sections, ranging from the universe and planet Earth to biology, chemistry, physics, and mathematics, encompass everything from microscopic life...
	Scientific Explorer's The Magic Science Wizard's Kit by Scientific Explorer Cast real smoke from your fingertips, make a wizard wand, and whip up color-changing potions in your test tube laboratory. Also included are laminated cards with wizard facts, an instruction booklet with 11 activities, lab equipment, and mysterious wizard powders that will mix together to mystify you!
	Scientific Explorer's Tasty Science Chemistry in the Kitchen Kit by Scientific Explorer Who knew science could taste so good? With this kit, you’ll whip up cupcakes, cookies, candy, and more—all in the name of science! Learn what makes cakes rise, candy crystallize, and more real chemistry happen in the kitchen. Tasty Science is packed with ingredients, recipes, activity cards, a test tube laboratory, and lots more to explore the science of taste.
	The Complete Book of Science, Grades 5-6 by School Specialty Publishing (Author) The Complete Book of Science for grades 5 to 6 teaches children important science skills! Children complete a variety of exercises that help them develop a number of skills in this 352 page workbook. Including a complete answer key this workbook features a user-friendly format perfect for browsing, research, and review. Over 4 million in print! The best-selling Complete Book series offers a full complement of instruction, activities, and information about a single topic or subject area. Containing over 30 titles and encompassing preschool to grade 8 this series helps children succeed in every subject area! ...
	Magic School Bus Journey into the Human Body Science Kit by Young Scientist Club The Magic School Bus and Ms. Frizzle take Young Scientists on a wild ride into the human body with these breathtaking experiments. Young Scientists bend bones, make joints, map taste buds, expand lungs, build a stethoscope, measure lung capacities and heart rates, perform the iodine starch test, spin glitter, simulate synovial fluid, create a human body poster, and much, much more! This exciting kit includes a life-size poster with eight sheets of body part stickers. So put on your seat belts, students, and get ready to discover The Human Body!
	Scientific Explorer's Glow in the Dark Fun Lab Science Kit by Scientific Explorer You will love setting up your own Glow in the Dark Fun Lab. Create a light wand, make your own glow stick, and even generate a human-powered light.
	What Is the World Made Of? All About Solids, Liquids, and Gases (Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science, Stage 2) by Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld (Author), Paul Meisel (Author) Did you ever walk through a wall? Drink a glass of blocks? Have you ever played with a lemonade doll, or put on milk for socks? This latest addition to the Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science series introduces the youngest readers to an important science concept: the differences between solids, liquids, and gases. Any child who wants to know why he can't walk through a wall will enjoy Kathleen Zoehfeld's simple text and Paul Meisel's playful illustrations.