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Choosy Eggs May Pick Sperm for Their Genes, Defying Mendel’s Law

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Re: Choosy Eggs May Pick Sperm for Their Genes, Defying Mendel’s Law

#51
post #29
post #4

I feel like this is a misunderstanding how strict Mendelian genetics is. Most evolutionary theorists think more like physicists and do realize every trait is selectable.

This... Mendel's law is only applicable to a really small hand full of traits.

Try saying that around a geneticist :( most i know consider mendelian genetics to apply to everything and nearly all traits/phylogenies are considered monogenic.

Re: Choosy Eggs May Pick Sperm for Their Genes, Defying Mendel’s Law

#52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've talked to people who have miscarried, and the parent post is actually a fine, lighthearted summary of the most reassuring conclusion that they came to: there was something off genetically and the potential child would have had severe health issues. I don't think it's out of place or off color in a discussion of conception.

That's quite the generalization you're making. It doesn't apply nearly to all people, especially for couples who miscarry at a very late stage in the pregnancy. A friend of mine to who had the misfortune of this happening to him described it as the "worst thing he could ever image happening to a person" - they were mentally broken for months. So I wouldn't say this is a lighthearted comment to make, especially if you…

Late in the pregnancy it is called a stillbirth rather than a miscarriage.

Stillbirth is rare. Miscarriage is incredibly common.

Both are painful I suspect a stillbirth far more so. The difference is that people shouldn't expect a stillbirth anymore than the death of a child - there is no need to prepare for it as a likely outcome. Meanwhile if you are intending to have more than one birth child you are more likely to experience miscarriage than not - it is better to be ready for it than have it come as a total surprise.

Edited slightly.

Re: Choosy Eggs May Pick Sperm for Their Genes, Defying Mendel’s Law

#53
post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You cannot throw this kind of jokes around given how this subject can be hard to read for people to which it happened. HN is a community with people of lot of different backgrounds so it's important to be careful.

Apology aside, I'd like to add, I was also trying to suggest (perhaps poorly) there are times (e.g., miscarriage) when Mother Nature is actually do a positive. That is, it realizes something is off target. Mind you, I get the couple is often guttes. But emotions aside, it's a biological positive.

Don't apologize. You said nothing wrong.

When you experience this the only thing that helps is understanding that it is nothing you did but a simple case of things not having worked.

Re: Choosy Eggs May Pick Sperm for Their Genes, Defying Mendel’s Law

#54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's quite the generalization you're making. It doesn't apply nearly to all people, especially for couples who miscarry at a very late stage in the pregnancy. A friend of mine to who had the misfortune of this happening to him described it as the "worst thing he could ever image happening to a person" - they were mentally broken for months. So I wouldn't say this is a lighthearted comment to make, especially if you…

Late in the pregnancy it is called a stillbirth rather than a miscarriage. Stillbirth is rare. Miscarriage is incredibly common. Both are painful I suspect a stillbirth far more so. The difference is that people shouldn't expect a stillbirth anymore than the death of a child - there is no need to prepare for it as a likely outcome. Meanwhile if you are intending to have more than one birth child you are more likely t…

Good point, thanks for clarifying.

Re: Choosy Eggs May Pick Sperm for Their Genes, Defying Mendel’s Law

#55
post #4

I feel like this is a misunderstanding how strict Mendelian genetics is. Most evolutionary theorists think more like physicists and do realize every trait is selectable.

This is a problem I have with this sort of journalism. In the big picture, the prevalence of the effect is low, and so we do not have to throw away all of reproductive and evolutionary biology as a consequence, but that is exactly what creationists will claim.

Re: Choosy Eggs May Pick Sperm for Their Genes, Defying Mendel’s Law

#56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Apology aside, I'd like to add, I was also trying to suggest (perhaps poorly) there are times (e.g., miscarriage) when Mother Nature is actually do a positive. That is, it realizes something is off target. Mind you, I get the couple is often guttes. But emotions aside, it's a biological positive.

Don't apologize. You said nothing wrong. When you experience this the only thing that helps is understanding that it is nothing you did but a simple case of things not having worked.

While I don't like his politics, I am a proponent of Frank Luntz's "It's not what you say, it's what they hear."

I agree, on the surface my intent (from my POV) was not to offend. That said, I can see how my word / idea choice could have been better.

The apology is to acknowledge that yes I could have done better and then even if I didn't mean to offend the receiver's does still have value. Human to human, I wanted to acknowledge that.

Perhaps not very HN but I'm comfortable with that ;)

Re: Choosy Eggs May Pick Sperm for Their Genes, Defying Mendel’s Law

#57
post #51
post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This... Mendel's law is only applicable to a really small hand full of traits.

Try saying that around a geneticist :( most i know consider mendelian genetics to apply to everything and nearly all traits/phylogenies are considered monogenic.

You hang out with the wrong geneticists. Most do not consider most traits to be monogenetic. It’s just vastly easier to focus on them when doing research. But the field as a whole has long since accepted that most interesting traits aren’t Mendelian. The whole field of GWAS and (e)QTL studies is founded around that recognition, and virtually all modern genetic models assume at least an additive effect of (known and unknown) variations as contributors to a given phenotype (and have, for a very long time).

Re: Choosy Eggs May Pick Sperm for Their Genes, Defying Mendel’s Law

#58
Don't be surprised if Todd Akin comes out of the woodwork to say he was right.

i.e. Mr. "It seems to be, first of all, from what I understand from doctors, it’s really rare. If it’s a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut the whole thing down."

Re: Choosy Eggs May Pick Sperm for Their Genes, Defying Mendel’s Law

#59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Don't apologize. You said nothing wrong. When you experience this the only thing that helps is understanding that it is nothing you did but a simple case of things not having worked.

While I don't like his politics, I am a proponent of Frank Luntz's "It's not what you say, it's what they hear." I agree, on the surface my intent (from my POV) was not to offend. That said, I can see how my word / idea choice could have been better. The apology is to acknowledge that yes I could have done better and then even if I didn't mean to offend the receiver's does still have value. Human to human, I wanted t…

This is of course your prerogative. However, I would rather discuss this with someone who starts with a slightly off comment than not have it discussed at all.

Re: Choosy Eggs May Pick Sperm for Their Genes, Defying Mendel’s Law

#60
this is interestingly in line with chinese traditional medicines perspective on reproduction. their theory is that it’s heavily based on the receptability of the egg and therefore it’s largely the mother who’s largely in control of things like gender selection. things like eating more acidic or basic foods affect the environment for the sperm to swim in and even the month of the mother’s life has an effect on what the egg would choose.
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