When I was looking at the Life Science Communications Blog Fall 2010 a health article from the New York Times Blog caught my eye. The article is called "From Farm to Fridge to Garbage Can". The main point from the article is about how much food a typical family wastes. This really interests me due to the fact that at my dorm I am in the process of trying to start this event where the wasted food from the cafeteria that has not been touched can be brought to the local homeless shelter that same day. One day I saw the cook through out an entire pan of food that had not even been touched at all.
According to the article, "By most estimates, a quarter to half of all food produced in the United States goes uneaten — left in fields, spoiled in transport, thrown out at the grocery store, scraped into the garbage or forgotten until it spoils". This is a major problem due to the fact that world hunger is a major issue that we are dealing with right now. If half of the food in our country is being wasted then how are we letting children die every day from malnutrition.
Wasting food affects the environment, the economy, and especially a persons health. In our economy right now we are used to only eating "perfect", genetically modified foods. This is a major problem because people who think that a food is "rotten" without proper knowledge just throws the food in the garbage. The article gives the advice that if there is a small brown or mushy spot just cut it off and the food is still perfectly fine to consume. I think with more awareness of this new way of thinking about food hopefully families in the United States will start reducing their amounts of waste.
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Ethics in Stem Cell Research
Due to my blog search I found out that the issue of scientific stem cell research controversy started here in Madison! In 1998 a biology researcher from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Dr. James Thomson, first reported the isolation of human embryonic cells. This epic finding, right here at our University, started the ongoing, brutal debate of one of the largest ethical research processes in history.
Although, "The fact is, Dr. Thomson said in an interview, he had ethical concerns about embryonic research from the outset, even though he knew that such research offered insights into human development and the potential for powerful new treatments for disease". Dr. Thomson decided in the end to go ahead with the research, realizing that the work was important and that he was using embryos from fertility clinics that would have been destroyed otherwise. The couples whose sperm and eggs were used to create the embryos had said they no longer wanted them. Dr. Thomson said, announcing that he had obtained human embryonic stem cells was “scary,” adding, “It was not known how it would be received.”But he never anticipated the extent of the stem cell debate. For nearly a decade now, the issue has bitterly divided patients and politicians, religious groups and researchers.
Even though the finder of this great scientific opportunity is skeptical of this research process I still believe that it is the only way we are going to be able to advance in the medical world. I realize that there are logical reasons for thinking stem cell research is not ethical but I think that people need to look past this ethical dilemma for now and let this great research save lives. The benefits in my opinion weigh out the risks significantly. I would be very interested to know what my peers think about stem cell research starting at our University and what they think about this great scientific advancement.
Although, "The fact is, Dr. Thomson said in an interview, he had ethical concerns about embryonic research from the outset, even though he knew that such research offered insights into human development and the potential for powerful new treatments for disease". Dr. Thomson decided in the end to go ahead with the research, realizing that the work was important and that he was using embryos from fertility clinics that would have been destroyed otherwise. The couples whose sperm and eggs were used to create the embryos had said they no longer wanted them. Dr. Thomson said, announcing that he had obtained human embryonic stem cells was “scary,” adding, “It was not known how it would be received.”But he never anticipated the extent of the stem cell debate. For nearly a decade now, the issue has bitterly divided patients and politicians, religious groups and researchers.
Even though the finder of this great scientific opportunity is skeptical of this research process I still believe that it is the only way we are going to be able to advance in the medical world. I realize that there are logical reasons for thinking stem cell research is not ethical but I think that people need to look past this ethical dilemma for now and let this great research save lives. The benefits in my opinion weigh out the risks significantly. I would be very interested to know what my peers think about stem cell research starting at our University and what they think about this great scientific advancement.
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Response to Natalie's Ethics and Medicine Blog
Natalie brought up a great point that one of the major topics of ethics and medicine today is stem cell research. She explains that the ethical question of stem cell research is that the cells could be seen as a human being because they are most likely taken from embryonic cells. Certain groups see this type of research as "murder". I think Natalie did a great job explaining both sides of the ethical argument.
From the website that Natalie used for learning more about the pros and cons concerning the morality issues of stem cell research I found some really interesting information. The information is from the International Society for Stem Cell Research. It says how stem cell research, in their opinion, is ethical because it is trying to relieve human suffering. The main opponents to this statement is catholic church groups which say that the use of embryonic cells is considered murder.
Considering my opinion I also agree with Natalie. I agree that there is so much potential benefits for this kind of research. I think that it is the only way we can advance in the medical world right now. I also agree that there are so many more benefits than negative outcomes to this type of research. Hopefully although there is a lot of controversy people will realize that one day we could have a cure for cancer. If one isn't able to research there is not even a chance of finding a cure.
From the website that Natalie used for learning more about the pros and cons concerning the morality issues of stem cell research I found some really interesting information. The information is from the International Society for Stem Cell Research. It says how stem cell research, in their opinion, is ethical because it is trying to relieve human suffering. The main opponents to this statement is catholic church groups which say that the use of embryonic cells is considered murder.
Considering my opinion I also agree with Natalie. I agree that there is so much potential benefits for this kind of research. I think that it is the only way we can advance in the medical world right now. I also agree that there are so many more benefits than negative outcomes to this type of research. Hopefully although there is a lot of controversy people will realize that one day we could have a cure for cancer. If one isn't able to research there is not even a chance of finding a cure.
Technorati Search
Technorati search is a very useful search for looking at what different people and organizations have to say about your paper topic. I happened to search Pediatric Obesity which is what I wrote about for my informative paper. It is a topic that I have always been interested in and want to learn more about the causes and solutions.
The article and blog I found was about Penn State researchers taking on the epidemic of pediatric obesity and diabetes. The article was provided by PhysOrg.com a blog about leading web-based science, research and technology news service which covers a full range of topics. These include physics, earth science, medicine, nanotechnology, electronics, space, biology, chemistry, computer sciences, engineering, mathematics and other sciences and technologies. The article is provided Pennsylvania State University and written by Melissa Beattie-Moss. The blog has been active since March 2004. They publish 100 articles every business day.
From the article I learned that The USDA’s 2010 dietary guidelines report calls the obesity epidemic "the single greatest threat to public health in this century." Type 2 diabetes, one of the major side effects of pediatric obesity, is becoming younger every year. What used to be a disease of grandparents and parents is becoming a disease of children. If something is not done our children will not have the same life expectancy us we have now. At Penn State they are trying to tackle the problem from the molecular aspect to the public health aspect. They have made an online program that will hopefully impact the lives of elementary school children.
The article and blog I found was about Penn State researchers taking on the epidemic of pediatric obesity and diabetes. The article was provided by PhysOrg.com a blog about leading web-based science, research and technology news service which covers a full range of topics. These include physics, earth science, medicine, nanotechnology, electronics, space, biology, chemistry, computer sciences, engineering, mathematics and other sciences and technologies. The article is provided Pennsylvania State University and written by Melissa Beattie-Moss. The blog has been active since March 2004. They publish 100 articles every business day.
From the article I learned that The USDA’s 2010 dietary guidelines report calls the obesity epidemic "the single greatest threat to public health in this century." Type 2 diabetes, one of the major side effects of pediatric obesity, is becoming younger every year. What used to be a disease of grandparents and parents is becoming a disease of children. If something is not done our children will not have the same life expectancy us we have now. At Penn State they are trying to tackle the problem from the molecular aspect to the public health aspect. They have made an online program that will hopefully impact the lives of elementary school children.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Response to Jacob Ninneman's Blog Post
I believe that Jacob's post was very interesting. He conducted a technorati search for a blog on athletic nutrition. The blog that he commented on is called The Optimal Health Resource Blog. This blog reports on the cutting edge lifestyle modification and supplements to enhance and improve the length and quality of life. It says to monitor key health factors such as weight, blood glucose, blood pressure and body temperature. The main purpose of this blog is to have relevant findings on nutritional factors and how to incorporate this latest information into one's lifestyle.
The most recent article posted is about how the body has a delicate metabolic balance and is sensitive to the type of food that people eat as well as the environment that surrounds everyone. Most of the food that people are eating today are packed with artificial chemical enhancers.
I think that Jacob really promotes the fact that he is passionate about athletic nutrition. He is involved in a lot of sports so it is very important for him to keep using the technorati search to find blogs he is interested in. It is a great resource not only to gain more knowledge about something he is passionate about but also to relate to others that have his same interests. I think it would be interesting if his blog all semester reflected the style of John Phillips's blog that he researched.
The most recent article posted is about how the body has a delicate metabolic balance and is sensitive to the type of food that people eat as well as the environment that surrounds everyone. Most of the food that people are eating today are packed with artificial chemical enhancers.
I think that Jacob really promotes the fact that he is passionate about athletic nutrition. He is involved in a lot of sports so it is very important for him to keep using the technorati search to find blogs he is interested in. It is a great resource not only to gain more knowledge about something he is passionate about but also to relate to others that have his same interests. I think it would be interesting if his blog all semester reflected the style of John Phillips's blog that he researched.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Asthma in Children
The article that caught me off guard dealing with the life sciences was the article, "For Minority Kids, No Room to Breathe" by Aliyah Baruchin. I also have asthma so reading this article was very informative for me. The article is about how among Americans with asthma, minority children are in by far the worst situation. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, African-American and Puerto Rican children are six times as likely as white children to die of asthma. The most prevalent evidence for this statistic according to Dr. Andrew Liu of the National Jewish Medical and Research center in Denver, "Children in poor inner-city communities are disproportionately exposed to both indoor and outdoor allergens - cockroaches, mice, mold, dust cigarette smoke, automobile exhaust, soot - that can trigger breathing problems". Also other major factors of this tragic statistic are that chronic lack of access to outpatient health care and the poorer quality of care in inner-city neighborhoods.
I think that this problem definitely needs to be solved. The quality of heath care in this country is already a problem. The United States government needs to figure out the best way to ration health care that provides the greatest number of benefits to most people. I understand that there cannot be equal health care for all because that is unrealistic. But, we as a country cannot sit back while minority children are dying from asthma. A condition that already has been discovered how to control the symptoms.
In conclusion, the lack of access to quality care, patterns of medication use and genetics play a role in the prevalence of asthma in minority children. The horrible thing is that public health programs can help with two of these major issues! The lack of access to quality care of children is unacceptable and the patterns of medication use can easily be changed. I would love to hear what others have to think about this topic and minority health care so write back and let me know! Thanks!
Alyssa
I think that this problem definitely needs to be solved. The quality of heath care in this country is already a problem. The United States government needs to figure out the best way to ration health care that provides the greatest number of benefits to most people. I understand that there cannot be equal health care for all because that is unrealistic. But, we as a country cannot sit back while minority children are dying from asthma. A condition that already has been discovered how to control the symptoms.
In conclusion, the lack of access to quality care, patterns of medication use and genetics play a role in the prevalence of asthma in minority children. The horrible thing is that public health programs can help with two of these major issues! The lack of access to quality care of children is unacceptable and the patterns of medication use can easily be changed. I would love to hear what others have to think about this topic and minority health care so write back and let me know! Thanks!
Alyssa
Learning How to Waterski Speech evaluation
Hello Bloggers,
I have always had trouble with public speaking. I think that I did a pretty good job with not getting nervous for my speech. There were a couple things that I need to better next time though. First of all I need to get the use of the phrase "um" under control. I am really glad that Camille put this video up because I was never aware of my "um" over usage. For the next speech I will really try to focus on not using "um" for a break in a sentence. Secondly, I cannot have a helper sheet for my next speech. I think that it was just a distraction for me and I overused it. Thirdly, I didn't make enough eye contact with my audience. One last thing is that when I get nervous I talk with my hands and move around when I am speaking. For the most part I think I did a good job with involving my audience and using my powerpoint well.
Thanks for listening!
Alyssa Garr
I have always had trouble with public speaking. I think that I did a pretty good job with not getting nervous for my speech. There were a couple things that I need to better next time though. First of all I need to get the use of the phrase "um" under control. I am really glad that Camille put this video up because I was never aware of my "um" over usage. For the next speech I will really try to focus on not using "um" for a break in a sentence. Secondly, I cannot have a helper sheet for my next speech. I think that it was just a distraction for me and I overused it. Thirdly, I didn't make enough eye contact with my audience. One last thing is that when I get nervous I talk with my hands and move around when I am speaking. For the most part I think I did a good job with involving my audience and using my powerpoint well.
Thanks for listening!
Alyssa Garr
Friday, October 8, 2010
Response to Alex's Blog
Response to Alex's Blog Post
I completely agree with everything Alex mentioned. It really seems that we share the same opinions on the selling of organs. I never thought about the fact that if we start putting price tags on organs people will start to receive donations due to social class not how high one is on the list. This will cause major issues and just thinking about the whole unfair aspect is sickening.
Another idea that Alex brought up was the problem of the "black market". This issue is highly dangerous due to all the violence the black market has caused in the past. I completely agree with Alex that the concept of letting one sell their organs will cause the black market to go out of hand.
My entire opinion about people "wanting to donate their organs is also Alex's main point in his blog post. He mentions that if people start selling their organs, the entire process of keeping the person donating the organ "private" will now be lost. Only the wealthy will be able to afford transplants and the poor even if they are first on the list, will not be able to afford an organ to save their lives.
I completely agree with everything Alex mentioned. It really seems that we share the same opinions on the selling of organs. I never thought about the fact that if we start putting price tags on organs people will start to receive donations due to social class not how high one is on the list. This will cause major issues and just thinking about the whole unfair aspect is sickening.
Another idea that Alex brought up was the problem of the "black market". This issue is highly dangerous due to all the violence the black market has caused in the past. I completely agree with Alex that the concept of letting one sell their organs will cause the black market to go out of hand.
My entire opinion about people "wanting to donate their organs is also Alex's main point in his blog post. He mentions that if people start selling their organs, the entire process of keeping the person donating the organ "private" will now be lost. Only the wealthy will be able to afford transplants and the poor even if they are first on the list, will not be able to afford an organ to save their lives.
Organs for Sale
Organ donation has always been a controversial subject. But to me it has never been more than a necessity. During the summer I was a nanny for a family. The dad of the family was in a tragic motorcycle accident and was unfortunately not wearing a helmet. The dad struggled for 2 years just waiting for several organ donations. Sadly, it was too late.
According to Mayo Clinic staff, " Enough people to populate a small city — over 100,000 — are waiting for an organ donation in the United States. Unfortunately, thousands never get the call saying that a suitable donor organ — and a second chance at life — has been found". Just thinking back to the family's tragic story, I cannot believe how many people are dying due to the lack of organs being donated. There are so many people out there that are potential organ donors but chose not to be. I understand that it is against some religions but to me saving a life is more important. I do not think it is right for a person to "sell" their organs. Personally, i think it should just be a choice that people are willing to make regardless of money.
After reading the article from BBC, I do understand that selling organs would potentially raise the supply of organs which would save more people's lives. But, I still cannot come to terms with thinking that someone or one's family is going to "sell" one's body parts. There is something about this concept that does not seem ethical to me. Even though I believe that there should be more people out there registered as organ donors, I truly believe that one should make that choice regardless of money.
According to Mayo Clinic staff, " Enough people to populate a small city — over 100,000 — are waiting for an organ donation in the United States. Unfortunately, thousands never get the call saying that a suitable donor organ — and a second chance at life — has been found". Just thinking back to the family's tragic story, I cannot believe how many people are dying due to the lack of organs being donated. There are so many people out there that are potential organ donors but chose not to be. I understand that it is against some religions but to me saving a life is more important. I do not think it is right for a person to "sell" their organs. Personally, i think it should just be a choice that people are willing to make regardless of money.
After reading the article from BBC, I do understand that selling organs would potentially raise the supply of organs which would save more people's lives. But, I still cannot come to terms with thinking that someone or one's family is going to "sell" one's body parts. There is something about this concept that does not seem ethical to me. Even though I believe that there should be more people out there registered as organ donors, I truly believe that one should make that choice regardless of money.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Obstacles in Writing/Reading The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
I think that The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot is a great lesson of ethics. It is an extraordinary story of a woman whose cells were used for research without her consent. While I was reading the synopsis of the book inside the front cover, I made several connections to my own life. I have several relatives who perished in the Holocaust. The Nazi's violated several people's bodies by conducting life threatening tests and using their biological samples for research. In memory of my ancestors I feel like it is my job to make sure that a tragedy like the Holocaust does not happen again. Although the story of Henrietta Lacks is not to the degree of the Holocaust it is the same concept that ethical laws of human rights were broken. This is why it is important for the public to know this story. It is our job as the human race to establish rules of morals and values so that the mistreatment of humans does not exist. Before reading the synopsis of this book I had never heard of the HeLa cells. I never had even imagined that a doctor would disregard his moral responsibility to his patient for research. The only way for our world to prosper is for the spread of knowledge. The public needs to be informed about controversial issues.
When Rebecca Skloot chose to write this story I think she purposely made it for a large audience. This is very difficult because as the author she has to make sure that not only medical experts comprehend her word choice and tone but also the general public. The story of Henrietta Lacks could potentially bring forward similar controversial issues that have not been exposed yet.
I think that while reading The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks I will have to think about my own ethical morals and values. Since I am only 18 years old I do not have a strong set of my own values yet. They are in the process of being developed through my life experiences. I will have to think about bioethics and what I would do if I was in the place of Henrietta Lack's family.
When Rebecca Skloot chose to write this story I think she purposely made it for a large audience. This is very difficult because as the author she has to make sure that not only medical experts comprehend her word choice and tone but also the general public. The story of Henrietta Lacks could potentially bring forward similar controversial issues that have not been exposed yet.
I think that while reading The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks I will have to think about my own ethical morals and values. Since I am only 18 years old I do not have a strong set of my own values yet. They are in the process of being developed through my life experiences. I will have to think about bioethics and what I would do if I was in the place of Henrietta Lack's family.
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