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.