Sydney+Edelson

WEEK THREE: PROS AND CONS OF GENE THERAPY! (GOVT REGULATIONS ON AESTHETIC USES)

SHOULD THE GOVERNMENT MAKE LAWS PROHIBITING VAIN/AESTHETIC USES of GENE THERAPY, bECAUSE IT WILL CROWD OUT THE OPPORTUNITY FOR SICK, SUFFERING PEOPLE TO BE CURED? AND PROVIDE A DISPARITY BETWEEN THE RICH, INTELLIGENT AND POWERFUL & POOR OR MIDDLE CLASS, AVG MEMBER OF SOCIETY???

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"We used to think that our fate was in our stars, but now we know that, in large measure, our fate is in our genes, "quotes James Watson.

Gene Therapy is the introduction of genes into existing cells to prevent or cure a wide range of diseases. Basically, new genes are introduced into the genome, thus altering the genetic sequence of an effected individual to correct their deformity or disease or suppress tumor growth or cancer from spreading. It changes the instructions of the body so that the body is now told to perform the proper function. GENE THERAPY WILL TRANSFORM MEDICENE FROM BEING TREATMENT-BASED TO PREVENTION BASED.

Purpose: reprogram the faulty genes by inserting proper ones through a virus or some other effective vector, so the body can correct itself. EXAMPLE : Rapidly dividing cells have created a cancerous brain tumor, formed due to some defective or mutated gene. The therapy chosen for this case would be to use a herpes virus that has had its virulence removed, rendering it harmless. The virus is still able to insert its genetic material into the target cells. The virus is injected into mouse cells, where it makes additional copies of itself. These mouse cells, now containing the virus, are then injected into the brain containing the tumor. Once inside the brain, the virus seeks out the target tumor cells and invades them. The tumor will now start to produce herpes enzymes because the virus has inserted its genetic material into the tumor cells. Now a physician can treat the patient with a herpes curing drug that will destroy the tumor cells along with the mouse cells that are producing the herpes enzyme.

TECHNOLOGICAL PROBLEMS:
 * Viruses may target the wrong cells
 * might not seek out proper target cell and could insert itself into the wrong segment of DNA, thus triggering uncontrollable growth. This could create a TUMOR, or enlarge a pre-existing one due to a mutated virus or inaccurate insertion.
 * Virus may properly insert gene, but gene MAY FAIL TO EXPRESS ITSELF
 * ex) virus used in cystic fibrosis produced an inflammatory response. (obviously, not desired response, then new research has to be conducted to find a new vector.
 * Delivering the viruses into bone-marrow stem cells.
 * These cells divide infrequently, and the viruses used in gene therapy only insert genes in to cells that are dividing.



Disadvantages of gene therapy :(:(:(

media type="custom" key="26169182" SHOULD THE GOVERNMENT MAKE LAWS PROHIBITING VAIN/AESTHETIC USES of GENE THERAPY, bECAUSE IT WILL CROWD OUT THE OPPORTUNITY FOR SICK, SUFFERING PEOPLE TO BE CURED? AND PROVIDE A DISPARITY BETWEEN THE RICH, INTELLIGENT AND POWERFUL & POOR OR MIDDLE CLASS, AVG MEMBER OF SOCIETY???
 * To find these genes, scientists must perform genetic tests or genetic screening to see if the gene that causes for example, cystic fibrosis, is present. This genetic testing is producing much controversy and raising many ethical and legal problems.
 * Privacy
 * Prenatal testing could lead to increase in number of abortions
 * Insurance coverage impossible to find, get rejected, very costly
 * Regulation of Gene therapy uses
 * fear of being monopolized by the cosmetic industry (scientists learn how to manipulate youth and beauty genes)
 * whether baldness, height, or beauty should be enough of a reason to require gene therapy. Federal regulation will have to come into play in deciding whether a big nose is as important of a genetic problem as cystic fibrosis and which requires gene therapy.
 * Fear of abuse by wealthy or intelligent people

WEEK TWO : WE MUST DECREASE OUR CARBON FOOTPRINT

(DECREASE ENERGY CONSUMPTION)

In class we have been discussing sustainability, or the ability for biological systems to remain diverse, productive and prosperous... taking into account economic, cultural, political and ecological components.

OECD: Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development

Reducing Energy Consumption not only reduces electricty costs :), but saves the environment. The OECD warns that by 2050 energy related emissions will increase by 70 percent.

Our overconsumption is going to accelerate the process of global-warming, further deplete the ozone layer and cause even more drastic climate change, including hotter temperatures and extreme weather events. When you leave your DVD player plugged in all the time, or your laptop constantly in the wall, you are adding greenhouse gasses to the environment



“Leaving your laptop plugged in all the time will use nearly 300 kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity each year, and a desktop computer left to idle will use more than 600 kW of electricity annually. Even leaving your fully charged cellphone attached to its charger can waste almost 20 kWh a year, explains the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.”



Coal and natural gas supplied more than 2/3 o f the ene rgy in the US in 2011... we are wasting our resources so badly. The US wasted 2 billion dollars on inefficient outdoor lighting alone each year.

(coal supplied 42% of US energy needs in 2011)

__ REDUCTION IN SUPPLY (SO COST __ __ LY) __

Energy prices are determined by supply and demand, in areas with higher population densities, the prices are jacked up... LETS DEMAND LESS. Some power plants charge more during peak hours of consumption and the overuse will cause a shortage which drives up prices. In the long run, the increase in demand will threaten environmental zones such as coastal areas or wildlife refuges to acquire resources. Drilling for natur al gas or more coal to meet excessive demands will negatively impact the environment.



Extra fact: ( KEEPING ALL YOUR ELECTRONICS AND APPLIANCES PLUGGED IN ACTUALLY DECREASES THEIR LIFESPAN).

http://homeguides.sfgate.com/effects-overusing-energy-78753.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APBGvILzTxo

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(TED TALK)

Simple Fixes:


 * Unplug electronics or appliances you are not using
 * Ex) at end of night, unplug microwave and toaster
 * Keep light off while going to bathroom
 * open window shades and don't be so light switch friendly.

WEEK ONE : COULD THE SUN BE GOOD FOR YOUR HEART?<3

"Our bodies get Vitamin D from the sun, but as dermatologist Richard Weller suggests, sunlight may confer another surprising benefit too. New research by his team shows that nitric oxide, a chemical transmitter stored in huge reserves in the skin, can be released by UV light, to great benefit for blood pressure and the cardiovascular system. What does it mean? Well, it might begin to explain why Scots get sick more than Australians ..." ~ted.com

https://www.ted.com/talks/richard_weller_could_the_sun_be_good_for_your_heart

"VITAMIN D is NOT the only story in town", High levels of Vitamin D indicate abundant sunlight exposure, and this sunlight exposure is good for heart disease.

1998: new chemical transmitter= nitric oxide. What nitric oxide does is it dilates blood vessels, so it lowers your blood pressure. It also dilates the coronary arteries, so it stops angina.

NITRIC OXIDE: incredibly simple molecule, a nitrogen and an oxygen that are stuck together, and yet these are hugely important for [unclear] our low blood pressure, for neurotransmission, for many, many things, but particularly cardiovascular health.



" that the skin produces nitric oxide. So it's not just in the cardiovascular system it arises. It arises in the skin. in the skin we have huge stores not of nitric oxide, because nitric oxide is a gas, and it's released -- (Poof!) -- and in a few seconds it's away, but it can be turned into these forms of nitric oxide -- nitrate, NO3; nitrite, NO2; nitrosothiols. And these are more stable, and your skin has got really large stores of NO. And we then thought to ourselves, with those big stores, I wonder if sunlight might activate those stores and release them from the skin, where the stores are about 10 times as big as what's in the circulation." ~ Richard Weller

WHY I S THIS RELEVANT? In mammals including humans, NO is an important cellular signaling molecule involved in many physiological and pathological processes. Research into its function led to the 1998 Nobel Prize for discovering the role of nitric oxide as a cardiovascular signaling molecule.

A major natural source is [|lightning]. The use of [|internal combustion engines] has drastically increased the presence of nitric oxide in the environment. One purpose of [|catalytic converters] in cars is to minimize NO emission by catalytic reversion to O 2 and N 2.

ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS

Nitric oxide in the airmay convert to [|nitric acid], which has been implicated in [|acid rain]. However, it is an important source of nutrition for [|plant] life in the form of [|nitrates]. Furthermore, both NO and NO 2 participate in [|ozone layer depletion]. Nitric oxide is a small highly diffusible gas and a ubiquitous bioactive molecule.

Nitric Oxide has SOOOOO MANY biological functions
 * key vertebrate bio messenger
 * cause vasodilation and increase blood flow
 * Nitrate-rich vegetables, in particular leafy greens, such as <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration: none;">[|spinach], <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration: none;">[|arugula] , and <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration: none;">[|beetroot] , have been shown to increase cardioprotective levels of nitric oxide with a corresponding reduction in blood pressure in pre- <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-decoration: none;">[|hypertensive] persons
 * contributes to vessel homeostasis
 * crucial for immune response (generated by phagocytes)
 * IN PLANTS
 * acts against oxidative stress and plays important role in plant pathogen interaction

**<span class="talk-transcript__fragment">"we know that the skin has got very large stores of nitric oxide as these various other forms. We suspect a lot of these come from diet, green leafy vegetables, beetroot, lettuce has a lot of these nitric oxides that we think go to the skin. We think they're then stored in the skin, and we think the sunlight releases this where it has generally beneficial effects." **

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: Arial,;">[|Nitric Oxide Donor Exisulind Is an Effective Inhibitor of Murine Photocarcinogenesis (pages 1141–1148)] on http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/php.2012.88.issue-5/issuetoc