Quantity discrimination by kittens of the domestic cat (Felis silvestris catus)

Animal Cognition - Quantitative abilities are well described in many species and in diverse life situations, including in the adult domestic cat. However, such abilities have been much less studied...     

Ethics, biotechnology, and global health: the development of vaccines in transgenic plants

As compared with conventional vaccine production systems, plant-made vaccines (PMVs) are said to enjoy a range of advantages including cost of production and ease of storage for distribution in developing countries. In this article, we introduce the science of PMV production, and address ethical issues associated with development and clinical testing of PMVs within three interrelated domains: PMVs as transgenic plants; PMVs as clinical research materials; and PMVs as agents of global health. We present three conclusions: first, while many of the ethical issues raised by PMVs are familiar, PMVs add a new dimension to old issues, and raise some novel issues for ethicists and policy-makers; secondly, it is premature to promise broad applicability of PMVs across the developing world without having demonstrated their feasibility; thirdly, in particular, proponents of PMVs as a solution to global health problems must, as a condition of the ethical conduct of their research, define the commercial feasibility of PMVs for distribution in the developing world.     

The pornography/aggression linkage: Results from a field study

Renewed concern over the possible effects of pornography has been sparked by a “new” body of research. Foremost among these concerns is the possibility of a linkage between viewing pornography and subsequent aggressive behavior, especially toward women. However, the vast majority of this research is limited to laboratory settings. This study reports on a field experiment which assesses the impact of presenting a pornographic movie on a college campus. A longitudinal, self‐report study of 230 women students was conducted to determine any effects of the film's showing on the sample's experiences with aggression from males. Compared with the weeks prior to and following the movie's showing, no significant difference in reported aggression was found. Further, those women reporting association with males attending the movie reported no significantly different levels of experienced aggression from those women whose companions did not view the film. Reasons for the apparent lack of effect are discussed in light of the laboratory‐based literature.