The technique involves identifying and separating sperm cells that carry the Y chromosome, which produces males, from those that carry the X chromosome, which produces females without the presence of a Y chromosone.
Dr. Edward Fugger of the Genetics & IVF Institute said today that sperm cells can be segregated by the amount of DNA they contain before being used to fertilize an egg through artificial insemination.
The institute's research is published in the September edition of the journal Human Reproduction.
The Y-chromosome sperm has about 2.8 percent less genetic material than sperm with the X chromosome.
Researchers were able to sift sperm to produce samples in which 85 percent of the cells had an X chromosome. If they targeted Y-bearing sperm, the result was a sperm sample in which 65 percent of the cells contained a Y chromosome, The New York Times reported yesterday.
The institute said 29 women who wanted to have girls became pregnant. So far, nine of those women have given birth to 11 healthy baby girls, including two sets of twins.
The Clinton administration is pushing for congressional extension of a policy that has given local INS directors some flexibility to release nonviolent offenders marked for deportation. Without that discretionary authority, due to expire next month, INS officials say the detained population could quickly double.
"There's no possible way we can detain all of these people - nor should we," INS Commissioner Doris Meissner said recently.
The looming crisis has INS officials scrambling. The $700 million now budgeted annually for detention and depor
tation soon will have to be doubled if the population continues to grow at current rates, officials say.
To help alleviate the pressure, the INS is trying to convince the U.S. Bureau of Prisons to take custody of its "lifer" detainees, now numbering about 2,800.
Supporters say they still think the nation's retirement system would benefit from putting some money in stocks. But they're now cautioning that such privatization can't guarantee a comfortable old age for everyone.
"We shouldn't get carried away with the idea that ... we're going to make every worker an instant millionaire," Sen. Phil Gramm (R-Texas) said yesterday.
Meanwhile, opponents who believe privatizing Social Security is too risky are saying, "I told you so."
09-10-98
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