December 15, 2000
Researchers Say They've Cloned Bull
ASSOCIATED PRESS
COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) -- Researchers at Texas A&M University say they
have cloned a disease-resistant bull.
After testing hundreds of cattle since the 1970s, scientists at A&M found a
bull that was naturally resistant to brucellosis, which in cattle causes
abortions, lessens fertility and reduces milk production. The bull also was
found to be resistant to tuberculosis and salmonellosis, a bacterial
infection that can also kill cattle.
The bull died of natural causes three years ago, but DNA material from it
was used to create the cloned calf, which is about a month old, said Diane
Oswald, a spokeswoman for A&M's College of Veterinary Medicine.
A&M scientists planned to unveil the calf and discuss their findings at a
news conference Monday.
Although the diseases are mostly under control in the United States, they
are still found in cattle around the world and could find their way back
into domestic herds.
One of the project's researchers, Mark Westhusin, is involved in a $2.3
million effort to clone a dog for the first time.
This is not the first time researchers at Texas A&M have cloned a bull. In
1999, scientists unveiled a cloned calf named Second Chance, whose DNA came
from skin cells from a 21-year-old steer named Chance.
At 07:08 AM 12/17/2000 -0800, you wrote:
>WWW = What Women Want
>
>For Barbara: Thirty minutes daily of (mathematical) play
>
>"...I'd suggest sampling as many things
>as possible. You may find something that ignites your interest. When I was
>in school I found that my mind seemed sharper if I took at least one math
>course each semester. Even now I find that I can think more clearly if I
>spend at least half an hour each day engaged in mathematical play."
>
>Today's play involves Parronde's Paradox.
>Random or non-random alteration of two losing strategies can result in a
>winning strategy via Brownian ratcheting.
>
>Applicable to the domains of knowledge, ecology, economy...Yep!, even
>self-replication.
>
>http://seneca.fis.ucm.es/parr/
>(Then pick "Paradoxical Games" followed by "The original games in brief")
>A description of the original game with a graphic that demonstrates results
>after 50,000 runs for a couple of combinations.
>
>http://hampshire.edu/lspector/parrondo/parrondo.html
>This will get you going with the Parrondo's Paradox Simulator
>
>You might also like works by Theoni Pappas. Amazon has her latest offering:
>"The Mathematics Calendar 2001"
>[...in this latest calendar she shows how math describes nature, impacts the
>sciences, is inseparable from music and the arts, and exercises and
>tantalizes the mind.]
>
>ct
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