SUMMARY The high incidence of chromosome abnormalities in clinically recognised pregnancies is well documented, but experience of these problems at the time of conception is extremely limited. Using donated oocytes from women seeking surgical sterilisation, we have established reliable cytogenetic techniques for chromosome analysis of human pre-embryos. These have resulted in the first report of trisomy 1. The pre-embryo showed no other obvious abnormality in relation to follicular characteristics, embryo morphology, and cleavage kinetics. The usefulness of such data in explaining the high incidence of occult human pregnancy loss and the current poor success following embryo replacement is emphasised.It is generally accepted that chromosome abnormalities are a major cause of spontaneous abortion in man,' with more that half of the first trimester spontaneous abortions being chromosomally abnormal.2 3 Triploidy is common, as is monosomy X, while trisomy for 21 of the 22 human autosomes has been reported. Trisomy 5 is very rare4 and, to the best of our knowledge, trisomy 1 has not been previously documented.The recent advent of in vitro fertilisation (IVF) has provided a unique opportunity to study chromosomes at the earliest embryonic stages. The supply of pre-embryos is scant and cytogenetic study has been limited to the first few cleavage divisions. Thus, chromosome harvesting techniques have been fraught with problems in view of the small number of cells and the difficulty in estimating when metaphase is due to occur in the cell cycle. However, despite these technical difficulties, a few reports of the chromosome constitution in IVF pre-embryos are beginning to appear, detailing aneuploid conditions rarely seen in clinically recognised pregnancies, for example, monosomy and nullisomy.5We would like to augment this very limited body of knowledge by reporting a case of trisomy I in an eight cell human pre-embryo arising through IVF of a volunteer donor oocyte.

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Librarians face a future of rapid and disconcerting change, and it is increasingly important to address this change in a constructive way. In contrast to problem-solving approaches which focus on the negative, Appreciative Inquiry helps staff recognize the good attributes of their organization and explore ways to build on those strengths for the future. This study investigated the application of Appreciative Inquiry in the context of a theological library at Trinity International University. Interviews and a summit meeting were held with staff to elicit positive characteristics of the library and their jobs. These results were then used to suggest proposals for the future. The process itself is a useful way to transform the culture of a library and create an environment that welcomes positive change.