Nature in the laboratory — nature as a laboratory. Considerations about the ethics of release experiments

Field tests with genetically modified organisms go beyond the boundaries of the politically and morally neutralized space that normally surrounds scientific experiments. They enter public areas. As a social process of shaping nature they are political in a fundamental sense. Consequences of this observation concern the legitimacy of decisions and the legitimacy of deciding procedures. The political rights of citizens and their human rights can only be respected if these procedures are democratic. Without a more serious exploration of the specific circumstances of release tests — for example, the precise ecological context, the consequences for the future development of the affected ecosystem, the social consequences, and the possible institutional ways of establishing gene technology in agriculture — we do not really know what we are doing when we release transgenic organisms. Moral judgements today can therefore only be prima facie, not free from shortcomings. As responsible judges we must confess that we are still morally blind.     

Structuralism and the conformity of mathematics and nature

Structuralists typically appeal to some variant of the widely popular ‘mapping’ account of mathematical representation to suggest that mathematics is applied in modern science to represent the world’s physical structure. However, in this paper, I argue that this realist interpretation of the ‘mapping’ account presupposes that physical systems possess an ‘assumed structure’ that is at odds with modern physical theory. Through two detailed case studies concerning the use of the differential and variational calculus in modern dynamics, I show that the formal structure that we need to assume in order to apply the mapping account is inconsistent with the way in which mathematics is applied in modern physics. The problem is that a realist interpretation of the ‘mapping’ account imposes too severe of a constraint on the conformity that must exist between mathematics and nature in order for mathematics to represent the structure of a physical system.     

Studies on the Dd antigen-antibody system. I. The nature of antigen Dd and its antibodies

Summary The nature of antigen Dd, an antigen present in the extracts of human dandruff which precipitates human sera selectively, and antibodies reacting with it are reported.This work was supported through U.G.C. Grant No. F.23-230/75/SR II. H.K. participated in this study, first as J.R.F. of U.G.C. and then as S.R.F. of I.C.M.R. We are grateful to Dr Baruch S. Blumberg for his invaluable suggestions and to Professor H. Walter for the gift of IgG, IgM and IgA immune sera.     

Histochemical nature of the motor endplate

Zusammenfassung Die Enzyme und Produkte der motorischen Endplatte in der Skelettmuskulatur werden nach der Doppelfärbung mit Cholesterinesterase untersucht. Dabei erweist sich die Succinodehydrogenase in der Endplatte als stark aktiviert. In der Endplatte der neurogenen, atrophischen Muskelfasern ist sie jedoch vermindert.     

Renomedullary deficiency. A contributory factor in the pathogenesis of experimental renal hypertension

Summary The results indicate that renomedullary deficiency induced by renal artery clipping might contribute to the development of renal hypertension.Acknowledgments. The authors are grateful to Dr.B. B. Lozzio for constant help and encouragement. Supported by the American Heart Association grant No. 74-831.     

On the nature of calcium phosphates in urinary calculi

Résumé Parmi les phosphates de calcium, la carbonatapatite est le plus fréquent constituant de quelque 120 calculs urinaires provenant de la Macédoine (Yougoslavie). Le phosphate octacalcique pourrait en Être aussi, mais on n'y a pas constaté la présence d'hydroxyapatite, de whitlockite et de brushite.     

Occurrence, distribution and nature of neuropeptide Y in the rat pancreas

Significant quantities of a newly discovered peptide, neuropeptide Y, were found in the rat pancreas, where they were localized to nerves in the exocrine parenchyma and around arterial and ductal structures. Although unaffected by surgical parasympathectomy, the periarterial and periductal nerves were abolished by chemical sympathectomy, suggesting that NPY is partially costored with sympathetic transmitters in nerve fibers.     

Occurrence,distribution and nature of neuropeptide Y in the rat pancreas

Summary Significant quantities of a newly discovered peptide, neuropeptide Y, were found in the rat pancreas, where they were localized to nerves in the exocrine parenchyma and around arterial and ductal structures. Although unaffected by surgical parasympathectomy, the periarterial and periductal nerves were abolished by chemical sympathectomy, suggesting that NPY is partially costored with sympathetic transmitters in nerve fibers.