Mobile Phones Do Not Raise Risks of Brain Cancer, International Study Finds

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/world/2010/0518/1224270601489.html

This is a picture of a man smiling while talking on a cell phone.





http://www.handsoncare.com/html/contact.html



Cookson, Clive. "Mobile phones do not raise risk of brain cancer, international study finds." Irish Times. The Financial Times Ltd., 18 May 2010. Web. 17 May 2010.

(Due to writing and posting in a earlier time zone, article was posted on May 18, 2010 in Ireland, while it is still May 17, 2010 in America.)

• Largest international study of cell phones, reveals that they do not promote brain cancer, with the exception of a slight growth of tumors in intense users.
• Scientists in 13 countries carry out interview on 5,100 cancer patients, and a similar number of non-cancer patients with similar cell phone use.
• Cell phone users actually had less cancer rate than nonusers, though there is no biological way that they can protect against tumors.
• Most intense users have higher risks of cancer.

Reflection

Although this study has evidence to prove it, I do not think this study is entirely accurate. If I had conducted this study, I would have taken into mind that their are many factors that can cause brain cancer that have nothing to do with cell phones or radiation. Due to its widespread variety of participants, the different environments the projects were conducted in, and different backgrounds, the study, in my perspective, is not consistent and therefore not accurate. If I was conducting a international study, I would have brought people to one location and isolated them for a period of time before examining their tendency to talk and their susceptibility to brain cancer. This study does prove interesting results however, even if it is inaccurate. Though it may be just an error, as noted in the article, the higher percentage of brain cancer goes to the non-phone users is a very interesting idea. This has taught me that even the best scientists seem to make mistakes or inconsistent observations.

Trauma Leaves its Mark on Immune System Genes

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn18865-trauma-leaves-its-mark-on-immune-system-genes.html?DCMP=OTC-r






This is a picture of a soldier in the battlefield. Stress is obviously taking hold of him.


Picture found with article (Link Above)


Hamzelou, Jessica. "Trauma leaves its mark on immune system genes ." New Scientist Health. Reed Business Information Ltd., 06 May 2010. Web. 11 May 2010.

• New research has revealed that stress can leave chemical marks on DNA
• Could explain post-traumatic stress disorder(PTSD)
• In all PTSD patients examined, a certain gene was altered, which weakens brain cell and immune system growth
• Gene changed called methylation
• PTSD patients also had large amount of antibodies to cytomegalovirus (CMV), a herpes virus.

Reflection

This discovery explains many things about stress, and it can help treat post-traumatic stress disorder with more success. A genetic imprint on DNA could definitely harm the person or people who are stressed and it could turn out to be worse than first thought to be. Although PTSD normally affects soldiers and others exposed to extreme stress, the sad thing is, is that anyone can suffer from stress and it could prove dangerous if too much stress is invoked on the person. If scientists can reverse the method of the imprinting or find a way to prevent such a thing from happening, it could definitely reduce the percentage of people who suffer from excess stress. Also, reducing the number of soldiers who suffer from stress could increase the number of troops able to fight, because stress sometimes affects the performance of someone. I think that another discovery in this field will definitely help reduce stress. This discovery has helped me believe that DNA truly is as important as our physical features, simply because we depend on out DNA to live.

Possible Big Advance Against Brain Cancer

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/05/10/earlyshow/health/main6470978.shtml

Ashton, Jennifer. "Possible Big Advance Against Brain Cancer." CBS News. CBS Interactive Inc., 10 May 2010. Web. 10 May 2010.

• Trials of a fluorescent liquid called 5-aminolevulinic acid in patients with glioma, a common brain tumor.
• Ultraviolet light illuminates infected cancer cells, which allows the surgeons to operate more efficiently.
• Originated in Germany, but reached US after a doctor read a medical journal.
• Could possibly work with treating colon cancer.

Reflection

This treatment sounds like it has a lot of potential. It has a simple yet effective process and it can help improve the accuracy of the surgeries performed with it. Although this can only lengthen the time a person with glioma can live, it is still better than nothing and it is a breakthrough none-the-less. If someone could perfect this technology, it would be a wonderful breakthrough that could boost the chances of surgery, instill confidence in the surgeon, and much more. Also, if this could work on treating colon cancer, then this inventioin could definitely be helpful with making even more operations successful and safe. This information has aided me in the understanding of how cancer can be operated on and treated.

Monsanto's Seeds of Discord

http://money.cnn.com/2010/05/06/news/companies/monsanto_patent.fortune/

This is a picture of machines Monsanto uses to engineer their products.

Picture found at article site. (Link above)





Parloff, Ron. "Monsanto's Seeds of Discord." CNN Money. Cable News Network, 11 May 2010. Web. 10 May 2010.

• Monsanto owns a part of more than 80% of the soybeans and cotton harvested in America because they have at least one patented Monsanto gene in them, along with more than 70% of corn grown in fields.
• Rival company DuPont believes Monsanto is using abusive patent license provisions and other tricks of the trade.
• If Monsanto can prevent competing products from getting out, farmers will have to switch to Monsanto products and it will cost farmers and consumers billions of dollars.
• As Monsanto's patent term on Roundup Ready draws to a close in 2014, the concern is that Monsanto could, extend its monopoly an extra five to seven years, if not longer.

Reflection

I can easily agree with those opposing Monsanto because Monsanto is trying to take over the whole GMO industry for the crops they engineer. They have done this by using procedures that out other companies out of business very quickly. One patent in a gene, and Monsanto owns a part of the crop. I think they're over expanding a little too much, because many rival companies fear that Monsanto will take over too much property. If one company runs the whole industry, then it would be very bad if or as soon as the company goes down. Also, if the company gains any more power, it could prove too big of a company for the government to control. Even though this sounds a bit far-fetched, it can actually happen in time. This has taught me that some things created to alter the environment, aren't actually created for its ideal purpose. Sometimes it is just created for a profit of wealth.

Study Sheds Light on the Evolution of Lizards

http://www.dnaindia.com/scitech/report_study-sheds-light-on-the-evolution-of-lizards_1381454

This is a picture of a lizard, climbing a branch, that is trying to blend with its environment.


http://www.arklowbiz-oc.com/images/PetMaster/lizards.jpg





"Study sheds light on the evolution of lizards." DNA India. Dilligent Media Corporation Ltd. , 10 May 2010. Web. 10 May 2010. .

• New research discovers that competition not predation is the primary selective force in island lizards.
• Scientists take lizards from islands, enhance predation in one environment and take it away in another. Did not prove much difference.
• Faster lizards survived better, while the slow ones were not as successful.
• Large, high stamina, long-legged lizards survived better than small, wimpy ones.

Reflection

To me, this discovery is somewhat surprising. Normally people think that a population would go extinct due to too many predators eating the inhabitants. Of course, a factor in this that is connected to predators could be that the predators were settled nearby the lizards' food sources and only the fit ones were able to grab food and make it out alive. This is a clear example of survival of the fit, which is part of Darwin's theory of evolution. The fitness of the lizards probably came from outrunning predators and it happened upon some by chance. As the weak are weeded out, there will be a change in variation and eventually the fit lizards will be dominant in the population. A helpful teaching article, this story has aided me in the understanding of evolution and the need to survive in the environment.

Stomach Cancer on the Rise Among White Adults

http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=115988




Reinberg, Steven. "Stomach Cancer on the Rise Among Young, White Adults." Medicine Net. Medicine Net, 04 May 2010. Web. 07 May 2010. .

• Though stomach cancer is supposedly decreasing, it is actually increasing in the young, white population.
• The main cause of lower stomach cancer is infection with the bacteria helicobacter pylori while cancer in the upper stomach is often caused by acid reflux.
• Young white people have increased rates in gastric cancer (Ages 25-39)
• Over 30 years, the rate of lower stomach cancer dropped from 5.9 to 4.0 per 100,000 people among whites, from 13.7 to 9.5 per 100,000 among blacks, and from 17.8 to 11.7 per 100,000 among other racial groups.

Reflection

This article actually surprises me for many reasons. Caucasian people have better living conditions than other racial groups, which would normally make them for protected from other diseases that are more easily caught in less sanitary environments. You would think that minorities would be infected more often with diseases because the majority of them live in less protected environments and areas. Then again, perhaps is is solely caused by the types of food people eat, and how much of it they eat. Obesity could be a factor in this unusual increase, but most likely the main cause of the cancer is smoking, simply because smoking can easily damage your internal body, especially your lungs and stomach. I would like to believe that it is simply a hereditary problem, because if need to be, it can be found more easily and weeded out. This has enlightened me on the topic on evolution, for it involves the steps of a Darwinian theory, and this is a real live example.

Vitamin A Boosted Corn Could Help 40m Kids

http://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/Health-condition-categories/Eye-health/Vitamin-A-boosted-corn-could-help-40m-kids

This is a picture of GMO corn, which looks the same as any other corn, but is different.

http://www.mtdusa.com/imagelib/HerbertJEvans/gmo%20corn.jpg


(Staff reporter). "Vitamin A boosted corn could help 40m kids." Nutra-Ingredients USA. Decision News Media, 03 May 2010. Web. 17 May 2010. .

• Genetically boosted corn could help prevent xerophthalmia, an eye disease that causes blindness.
• Xerophthalmia typically affects 40 million kids worldwide, another 250 million suffer from other Vitamin A deficiencies.
• By isolating two certain genes, scientists has said they can triple the carotenoid levels in corn, and they can reach even farther with other products.
• Association mapping is a technique that employs statistical analysis and DNA sequencing in order to find the chromosomes responsible for carotenoid levels.
• Example: African corn has only 0.1mcg of beta-carotene per gram of corn, researchers could reach 15mcg or more.

Reflection
40 million kids is a lot of people to save from xerophthalmia, along with another 250 people who suffer from other problems. This is definitely a major topic that scientists are working on, as it has the chance to help the lives of almost 300 million people. GMO's have their downsides of course, but I think that this modified corn could really work out as a benefit to the communities that suffer from Vitamin A reduction and loss. GMO's have developed over the past few years, and this new discovery will only add to the accomplishments made by the scientists. This new corn has revealed more to me on the topic of GMO's. So far I have learned that, for the most part, GMO's hardly benefit anyone. But now, there is a new perspective that I can learn from. This perspective has appeared as a window to the other side of the arguement over GMO foods.

Lung Cancer Patients Likely to Respond to Erlotinib May Be Identified By Blood Test

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/187352.php




This is a picture of the anatomy of the lungs with a tumor that develops into cancer.



http://www.myseek.info/health/what-causes-lung-cancer/images/JAMA_Cancer_Lung_JPP_01.jpg

Pavinato, Vanessa. "Lung Cancer Patients Likely To Respond To Erlotinib May Be Identified By Blood Test." Medical News Today. MediLexicon International Ltd., 03 May 2010. Web. 03 May 2010. .

• Specific cancer protein in lung cancer can be treated better if susceptible to Erlotinib
• Drugs such as Erlotinib slow the growth of tumors, but are more effective against certain tumors.
• Blood samples from the NCIC CTG BR.21 study had shown that erlotinib improved survival compared to two other drugs.
• Technique called FISH is the study of tumor cells directly under a microscope.
• A serum test can predict up to 99% of people who have proteomic status.

Reflection

This article seemed like any normal article at first, but when I read it, the article had a whole new meaning to it. Now it seems as if there may be a possible cure for cancer, if not that, then at least a prevention. I have never heard of erlotinib or anything similar to it, but if it can help prevent cancer, then it must be very important. I wonder if there are more ways to prevent cancer that are more effective than erlotinib. Lung cancer is becoming more deadly everyday, and if it is possible to reduce its death rate, that would be something I would approve of. This article has helped me understand the helpfulness of a potentially useless drug.

Immune Cells Predict Neck Cancer Therapy

http://www.upi.com/Health_News/2010/04/27/Immune-cells-predict-neck-cancer-therapy/UPI-41091272406310/


This is a picture of someone undergoing treatment for a head cancer http://www.perthcosmeticsurgery.com.au/jsp/gallery/images/Skin_Revolution_Medica_Spa/Skin_cancer

"Immune Cells predict Neck Cancer Therapy." United Press International. United Press International, 27 Apr 2010. Web. 28 Apr 2010. .

• Cancer treatments more predictable with use of immune cells.


• Observation of level of immune cells in neck or head helps determine cancer treatments.


• Looking at level of immune cells through microscope can help determine the minimum toxicity need to treat the infection.


• High level of killer T cells located in HPV-positive patients.


• Even better when surveying whether pateint is HPV positive or negative.
  
  

Reflection

When I read the title of this article, I thought "Isn't this obvious?", at first. I figured that even a layman could work this out. But as i read the story, I realized that it is more complicated and confusing than it seems. I chose this article to examine because it involves both parts of the immune system and cancer in its content. Neck and head cancer is very serious and can be very deadly. My cousin actually was in a situation with similar consequences just yesterday. She had a brain hemorrhage that was leaking blood and she was in a lot of danger. The surgery was successful, but it will take awhile for her to rehabilitate. Cancer is similar to this situation in both danger and consequence, the strongest being death. I hope that this testing will help create better treatments for patients, and maybe even my cousin. This story has helped me understand that simple yet effective processes can help scientists with difficult studies.

EXPERT ASSESSMENT - Kenya: Controversy over GMO Maize Import Deepens

http://allafrica.com/stories/201004141073.html



PART 1
Odhianbo, Allan. "Kenya: Controversy over GMO Maize Import Deepens." All Africa Global Media. All Africa Global Media, 15 04 2010. Web. 19 Apr 2010. http://allafrica.co/stories/201004141073.htm

Purpose: Inform the reader about the controversy surrounding the importation of GMO maize.

Key information includes:

1. 40,000 tons of South African Maize lying in the port still
2. Regular priced corn gets more expensive as GMO corn influences the market even more.
   

Key Conclusion: GMO maize can ultimately harm the environment and possibly the economy if parts of Africa decide not to buy GMO corn.

I can better understand this article and the controversy behind it because of this course. I've learned to look deeper into the article and to assume what the author of the article is saying.

• Kenyan Government
• Mombasa
• Kenyan Biodiversity Coalition
• National Biosafety Committee
• National Council for Science and Technology (NCST)

This is a report on a topic with international implications.


PART 2

Article 1
Kenyan GM maize shipment blocked
Kenyan GM maize shipment blocked." Kenya Broadcasting Corporation 9 Apr 2010: 1. Web. 13 May 2010.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8609316.stm

(Informational Article)

• Kenyan Biodiversity Coalition claimed Kenyan authorities had failed to tell the public of its decesion to import GM maize.
• Many African countries are under increasing pressure to grow GM crops to tackle hunger and malnutrtion, and drought in recent years has caused food shortages in Kenya.

Article 2

Butunyi, Cosmas. "Kenya ‘aware that maize was GMO’." Daily Nation. Daily Nation, 19 Apr 2010. Web. 14 May 2010.
http://www.nation.co.ke/News/-/1056/902498/-/w6wou6/-/index.html

(Informational Article)

Over 40,000 tonnes of maize lying in port untouched

Several sources can verify modification

Part 3

1. There is a small amount of bias through selection and omission. The writer included several negative comments from people related to the topic. Spoken by the Kenya Biodiversity Coalition's advocacy coordinator, Anna Maria "...It will contaminate the Kenyan gene pool."
2. There does not seem to be any bias in the placement of information in the article. The information seems organized by importance of information in general, not by favortism of a side of the arguement.
3. There is bias in the headline. The word controversy gives the situation a negative effect in the reader's mind.
4. There is no bias in photos, caption, and camera angles simply because there are no pictures connected to the article.
5. There is not bias in use of names or titles because everyone referred to are addressed by their proper titles.
6. There is bias in statistics. To make it sound more bigger, the author decided to use actual numbers to describe how much maize there is on the port. Instead of saying "a large amount of maize", the author used actual numbers such as "40,000 tonnes of maize"
7. There was not bias in the sources used in the article. The author used information received from both sides of the arguement.
8. Though not too noticeable, the author uses some negative terms, instead of positive terms. Similar to the bias in the headline, subtle words like controversy make the situation seem more negative.

Stem Cells Harvested From Teeth

http://www.fox12idaho.com/global/story.asp?s=12274274

This is a mouth with a nice set of teeth.

http://womenofthecongo.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/images/white-teeth.26373811_std.jpg

"Stem Cells Harvested From Teeth." Fox 12 Idaho. World Now and KTVR, 07 Apr 2010. Web. 08 Apr 2010. .

• Doctor Lon McRae from Boise, Idaho has harvested stem cells from teeth.


• Can use baby teeth or regular teeth.


• "Stemsave" is a company that stores the stem cells.


• Doctor McRae has only tried this experiment on his son so far.


• Wisdom teeth have the strongest cells.
  

Reflection

This story caught my eye when I read it because I thought stem cells only came from certain places, specifically embryonic cells. Now, stem cells are being found all over the body. Teeth seem like a logical choice because they are strong tissues that are packed together. These hardened tissues could possibly be a source of stem cells. This story seems similar to Embryos-R-Us, because so many people and corporations have a stake in this discovery. I wonder if this experiment will work on others besides his son, the single patient Doctor McRae has already performed on. If it does, then it may create a new breakthrough in stem cell technology. This new experiment has shown me that anyone can discover something, if they look close enough in biology.

Acne Drug Prevents HIV Breakout

http://www.redorbit.com/news/health/1839199/acne_drug_prevents_hiv_breakout/index.html?source=r_health


This is a picture of an unfortunate HIV patient. Published by http://www.cehjournal.org/

Clements, Janice, Gregory Szeto, Angela Brice, Shelia Barber, and Robert Siliciano. "Acne Drug Prevents HIV Breakout." Red Orbit. Red Orbit, 20 Mar 2010. Web. 25 Mar 2010. .

• Minocycline, a drug found in an acne prevention product, is able to prevent dormant HIV from reactivating or replicating by working with HAART.


• Inexpensive and safe antibiotic discovered to work on HIV by Janice Clements and Gregory Szeto.


• Can lock the virus in a dormant state by altering T-cells and reducing their ability to activate and proliferate, which is a key state in the development of HIV.


• More effective than other treatments, because it targets cellular passages, not the individual proteins.


• Drug doesn't obliterate the cells or diminish their ability to communicate; all it does is keep the virus cells from reactivating.

Reflection

This seemed like an interesting topic to cover because I fins it ironic that a solution to preventing one of the most notoriously dangerous viruses in the world was found in an acne drug. Acne drugs are very unpredictable because I have heard of certain acne drugs causing things from major migraines to depression. Now there is a prevention to HIV that is coming from an acne drug. I wonder if the scientists will be able to produce an actual cure to the virus from what they have so far in the future. I would like to know what possessed the scientists to look in something as random as acne prevention products for the prevention to HIV. Perhaps there is a connection between the two different items, but maybe Minocycline is found in other things, besides acne drugs. I hope that the scientists will be able to put this discovery into action soon and I hope that it will work on regular patients. This has reinforced my thoughts about how something can become famous or useful for an item it wasn't intented to help.

Using own Skin Cells to Repair Hearts on Horizon

http://www.physorg.com/news186758255.html


This a picture of the skin cell stucture. Picture found at: http://www.health-pictures.com/skin/skin-cell.htm



Watts, Chris. "Using own skin cells to repair hearts on horizon." Physorg. Physorg, 02 Mar 2010. Web. 10 Mar 2010. .

• Advancement in stem cell research: Skin cells engineered to function as early stage heart cells by Doctor Robert Schwartz.
  
• Skin cells similar to embryonic stem cells, so it is possible to change the skin cells.


• This advancement may lead to treatment of Alzheimer's, diabetes, and many other diseases.
• Even though Schwartz is not the first to turn adult cells into stem cells, his discovery is the most groundbreaking.


• This method requires less steps and the result has more stem cells.

Reflection

I chose this story because it seemed very interesting that specialized cells can be turned back into stem cells. We learned that specialized cells cannot be changed into stem cells, but I guess skin cells aren't really specialized. Also, advancements are being made everyday and new theories are replacing and proving old theories wrong. This also shows that everything in the body, no matter how small, has potential to become important. This is comparable to having a normal worker become an executive director in a small period of time. I hope that this research is successful one day, because it is very possible that this will save many lives one day. This topic interests me greatly, because it seems like a "gravity-defying" moment in stem cell research. This would definitely be a topic I would like to research further on another day. It has revealed to me that old theories are being proven wrong and that new advances change the basis of modern biology today.

Beef Import Decision "risks Aussie jobs"

http://www.watoday.com.au/breaking-news-national/beef-import-decision-risks-aussie-jobs-20100205-nhiw.html

This cow here is infected with BSE and cannot stand.

Picture found at http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2009/03/14/finallygovenment-bans-downer-cows-from-food-supply




Jenkins, Simon. " Beef import decision 'risks Aussie jobs' ." WA Today. Fairfax Digital, 05 Feb 2010. Web. 10 Mar 2010. .

• The Australian government's decision to allow beef from BSE infected countries may cost 300,000 workers their jobs in a single week.
  
• Australia had so far not been infected by BSE, Scrapie, Blue Tongue, or FMD, which are the major diseases that animals contract.


• They could lose their disease-free selling advantage by allowing infected beef to enter the country.


• Professor John Matthews believes there will be no further risk in letting beef from disease countries come into the countries.


• The only argument is how many new cases will show up with this development, but it should not change too much.

Reflection

The reason I chose to analyze this story is because it was hard to process the fact that letting beef from extra sources come in for the first time, could cost 300,000 people their jobs. Also, this job loss happening in a single week is just as astonishing as the previous statistic. I'm a little impressed that Australia has not been affected by any of the main diseases that are often seen in livestock. I can see why they have held out so long, mainly because they are an island nation, isolated geographically from the other continents. I believe the government has a reason to start accepting the beef from other nations. They cannot grow reliable on their own meat or only some countries. On the other hand, I believe the public should have a good say in this argument, with sound evidence provided, so that political fallout does not occur due to the government's important decision that was made without public consent. This has helped me learn the gruesome truth about diseases that are in our world today.

Mystery Virus Claims More Lives in Kanpur

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/

This picture shows the region of Dehat in the country of India.

Found at: http://thisbluemarble.com/showthread.php?p=2405

(Can be found near middle of page)

• A mysterious virus has been killing people in the Kanpur Dehat villages.
  

• The death toll has been raised to 210 deaths over a series of 350 villages


• The virus is spreading to other neighboring villages and districts.


• The doctors and medical staff do not know how to stop the virus.


• The worst affected villages are Dhar and Malasa.
  
  

Reflection

This story caught my eye right away when I saw it. "Mystery Virus" had me thinking about what we were discussing in class, a few weeks ago. The movie, "Outbreak" has a similar story line. The thought of a big epidemic and no idea where it came from or how to cure it reflects the first part of the movie. However, while the movie is made up, this virus is real and is killing actual people in an actual environment. This story also reminded me of the swine flu when scientists did not know what it really was. Maybe this mystery virus is actually a different strain of the H1N1 virus. The effects of the virus are also predictable; chaos and fear of infection are clearly the biggest concerns. I believe that the leader of the area should appeal to the government for help and they should consider it a state of emergency, because it is an unknown virus that is threatening to spread to other places on the globe. It is sad that some people have no money and cannot afford better treatment for themselves or their family. I think the first step to stopping the virus is clearly identifying it and finding out what can stop it. This has shown me that new things are still being discovered everyday and that science isn't always perfect.

GMO Wheat Acceptance Hinges on Public Benefit

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE5560KI20090607

This is a picture of a stalk of wheat.

Picture found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kenny_barker/3750628251/

Nickel, Rod. "GMO wheat acceptance hinges on public benefit." Reuters. Reuters, 07 Jun 2009. Web. 10 Mar 2010. .

• It is hard or scientists to find a direct benefit in GMO's for the public, because some consumers are wary.

• Europeans are at least a decade away from accepting bio tech food.


• The goal was to create wheat that people with ceiac disease could eat.


• Countries such as Canada are waiting for other countries to approve of GMO foods, until they decide whether or not to allow it.


• GMO's would be a last resort in India since the consumers are very wary of what they eat there.
  
  

Reflection

From this reflection, I have come to think that Europeans are stubborn when it comes to many things, including GMO's. Most likely GMO's have already made it into many of their food products so I wonder why they don't just allow the GMO's with extensive checks on all foods. I was surprised to learn that soe people cannot eat grains, because of a disease in their bodies. I decided to choose this story to review because I find it odd that people won't accept modified wheat that helps defeat diseases and I wanted to research the story a bit more. I'm sure that I'm eating GMO's right now in the food I eat everyday, as are millions to billions of other normal people. I wonder if other opponents of GMO's realize that. I do realize that some GMO's are not good for humans and can be dangerous if abused. I hope that one day, all foods are same and consumable. This has definitely taught me that GMO's, something engineered genetically, has to be very specific to work well. Otherwise, it just makes everything worse for people who are unaware of the problem.

Bread Mold May Hold Secret to Eliminating Disease-Causing Genes

http://www.bio-medicine.org/medicine-news-1/Bread-mold-may-hold-secret-to-eliminating-disease-causing-genes-18838-1/

Picture of a very moldy piece of bread.

Found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/wurr/487545405/

Jones, Bryan. "Bread mold may hold secret to eliminating disease-causing genes." Bio-Medicine. Bio-Medicine, 08 May 2008. Web. 09 Mar 2010. .

• Mold on bread May be key for targeting viruses like the HIV virus by silencing certain genes in meiosis.


• A small mechanism that is activated during meiosis can detect anomalies, and if a gene is silenced, it is possible to shutdown invading viruses.


• During meiosis, and by silencing a gene, mold can shutdown all copies when it detects an intruder in the process of meiosis, which in this case would be the virus.


• Basically, when a virus, deadly or not, invades mold, there is a chance that the mold may be able to shutdown the section of virus itself by silencing and detecting the anomaly during meiosis.


• This advancement could possibly improve disesase prevention, if it is possible to link this process to human genes.
  

Reflection

This story of bread mold is truly puzzling, but very intriguing. i chose this article, because it sounded extraordinarily odd, yet interesting in the same manner. Mold stopping viruses as big as the HIV virus is very impressive. If the process of silencing genes during the process of meiosis in order to shutdown viruses can be applied to humans with the same effect, then this would be a major weapon against fighting disease. I only wonder why only mold has the mechanism that can trigger the virus on and off. Maybe it was an adaptation from the process of decay. It could have a Darwinian explanation, or simply it was because of the environment that mold thrives in. I don't have any real interest in pursuing the field of researching meiosis but I hope this advancement is expanded on. I wish that one day someone can discover a way to manipulate something in a gene to prevent diseases and viruses. I've learned that perhaps looking for help in biology, doesn't always come from the most ideal places. Any new gene or item can be found anywhere in the structure of an organism.

Squirrels Winning At "Outwitting Trees" Survival Strategy

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/12/064222093028.htm

Picture of a squirrel with a cone.

Found at: http://www.flickir.com/photos/cjfinley/328325129/

Michigan State University. "Squirrels Winning At Outwitting Trees' Survival Strategy." ScienceDaily 24 December 2006. 09 Mar 2010 /releases/2006/12/061222093058.htm>.

• There is an evolutionary arms race between squirrels and trees that is taking place.


• The squirrels need food for themselves and their offspring and the trees are protecting themselves and their crops.


• Recent developments include squirrels being able to harvest the cones of trees before they are able to grow and the trees develop a process called masting, which is to produce an overabundance of cones one year, and very few in another year.


• Squirrels must be able to predict when the seed boom occurs, otherwise if they reproduce during the famine period, their pups may not be able to survive and there would be strong competition for food.


• If squirrels reproduce right before the abundance of cones, then more squirrels are able to survive and reproduce.

Reflection

This article about the evolutionary arms race between suqirrels and trees is a very odd, but common story. I'm slightly surprised that the squirrels and trees are actually smart enough to predict and counter each others' moves. I decided to choose this story because it seemed like such a common topic in many other sections of life, such as war, industry, and technology. I think that the trees' masting process is having limited success, however. If the squirrels are able to reporduce right before the overproduction of seeds, this only increases the chancese of more squirrels surviving, rather than some of them dying due to the lack of food. Some questions that may arise from this situation may include: Who will turn out to be the most adapted and have the upper hand over the other organism? Will one species go extinct due to the other species dependence on it? I think that the squirrels and trees will grow so complex, that they won't need to depend on each other. This has taught me that humans aren't the only organisms evolving in this world and we aren't the only ones who fight agaisnt others.

Evolution- Why Scientists Believe It

http://www.allaboutscience.org/evolution.htm

This is a picture of the general evolution of man.

Found at: http://www.inter-sections.net/category/technology/

"Evolution- Why Scientists Believe It." All About Science. All About Science, n.d. Web. 17 May 2010. .

• Some scientists believe in the theory of evolution, others don't.


• The evidence that is being shown is the same.


• Because the evidence, the scientists' conclusions are not based on the evidence itself, but their interpretation of it.


• Darwin's theory is not an organized scientific method; rather it is a widely accepted "guess"


• Scientists are not always correct in their statements. Moreover, some don't tell the truth, in order to back their opinions.

Reflection

I chose this article to cover, because it seemed contradictory that the world's smartest men can't agree on where organisms came from and how they grew complex. Of course, it is harder than is sounds, but it struck me as odd why they can't agree on a common answer. Evolution seems like it will grow even more as evidence surfaces. I think that we will continue to evolve as more complications arise. I think the article is trying to explain that evolution has not been solved, and that scientists are currently neither right, not wrong. They simply don't have enough evidence to prove their claims as completely valid. One day, evolution will become understandable to the human brain; until then, researchers continue to gather evidence on what evolution really is. This article has shown me how difficult it is to understand and agree upon biology and evolution, whether it be simple or as complicated as this topic.

Methane May Cause Drastic Climate Change

http://www.cnsnews.com/news/print/53276

This is what a methane molecule looks like.

Found at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methane

Hanley, Charles J. "Natural Occuring Methane Vents May Spell Climate Trouble." CNS News. Associated Press, 31 Aug 2009. Web. 08 Mar 2010. .

• Methane is a naturally occurring gas that has been contributing to the recent climate change.
  
• The temperature in the Arctic is rising higher and it is possible that the temperature can go up another 13 Degrees Fahrenheit in the century.
  
• Methane plumes are popping up all over the permafrost tundra.
  
• The permafrost is warming, and has reached a temperature of 28 degrees Fahrenheit, as opposed to a lower temperature.


• The permafrost is melting, and there is a chance that a massive release of methane could let out an estimated 50 billion tons of methane.

Reflection

This story tells us information that affects out lives very greatly. I chose it because the temperature increase is very dangerous to us. Our body's normal temperature is around the high 90 degrees. Any 2-3 degrees higher may result in a fever and the body will have difficulty operating at such a high temperature. If the climate goes up any more, then so will our body temperature. Too hot, and we might just boil all the liquids in our bodies. I feel that regular people like us can do something to help, by using less gas and prevent releasing so much carbon dioxide into the air. There are some factors that are not our direct fault too. Global Warming, which is indirectly our fault, is causing the permafrost to melt and the methane plumes to rise up. If we stay environmentally safe, it will slow down the temperature rise. This article has taught me that the study of the environment and biology in general is a very important topic that certainly needs paying attention to. If ignored, it could possibly be our undoing of life.