Technological Advances in Health Care

It's an obvious statement to say that technology has improved greatly in the past decades, and with it has come a huge improvement in our understanding of the human body and it's systems in countless ways. Think big picture at first. What is one technology that has completely revolutionized that way in which doctors can easily look inside a patient?

The Ultrasound machine uses high-frequency sound waves to look at organs and structures inside the body. This piece of technology is primarily used to examine heart, blood vessels, kidneys, liver and other organs. Ultrasound can also be used to examine the fetus during pregnancy. Unlike x-rays, ultrasound does not involve exposure to radiation.

X-Ray is a popular form of medical examination. Having it to be the most simple and easy way form examination it is a popular choice for many health care professionals. They are used to look for broken bones, problems in your lungs and abdomen, cavities in your teeth and many other problems. For example, mammograms use X-rays to look for tumors or suspicious areas in the breasts.

However, the x-ray is a rather old technology. Since then, we've continuously evolved technologically, and now, we have we is called the Magnetic Resonance Imaging technique. This is another way in which one can look inside the body of another without the need to perform surgery. Although, this MRI technology can tell the difference between tissues all throughout your body, and has become a crucial factor is diagnosing cancer.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are large magnet and radio waves that are used to look at organs and structures inside your body. Health care professionals use MRI scans to diagnose a variety of conditions, from torn ligaments to tumors. MRI's are very useful for examining the brain and spinal cord.



MRI scan of brain.

Cell study has allowed us to produce many different kinds of views on the human body and many other fields of work. For example, many different kinds of sicknesses, like cancer, were misunderstood before the theory of cells came to be. Blood typing can be one of the most important and overall check ups since your doctor will be able to check for diseases like leukemia through the counting of some blood cells.

Our very own Canadian Frederick Banting is the man who discovered a way to intake insulin, so as to offset the effects of diabetes. In his case, Frederick Banting saved the lives of countless, literally countless people who have to live with diabetes. This discovery has lengthened their life spans considerably. With the use of technology we can, diagnose those who suffer from serious illnesses, early predict the effect of the illness, and produce a number treatment options to those truly in need. Life without technology can be quite devastating. We continuously grow however, and there are definitely going to be more and more advancements that will even further our understanding of the body, and soon enough we will be able to diagnose and fix any sickness.

References:

http://scienceaid.co.uk/biology/cell/analysingcells.html

http://www.magnet.fsu.edu/education/tutorials/magnetacademy/mri/

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/xrays.html

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ultrasound.html

Biosolids As Sustainable Agricultural Fertilizer, Good or Bad?

 

The use of biosolids (human waste) from sewage treatment plants are being used as sustainable agricultural fertilizers in other parts of the world. The though of using human feces might be seen as efficient or obscene by different people around the world based on if they are influenced by western views of human waste being unsanitary and disgusting. No matter your position on the matter, using biosolids as sustainable fertilizers use it pros and cons just like other current agricultural practices.

The advantages of using biosolids as a sustainable fertilizers include a reduction in the amount of money spent of fertilizers, biosolids usually contain about 4% nitrogen (this nitrogen molecule is released slowly over time), and biosolids also contain phosphorus. These two are just a few of the micronutrients can is provide in biosolids that is beneficial to crop growth. The addition of organic materials to the soil is another advantage that comes from the use of biosolids. An example of organic matters contributions to soil are it reduces runoff, reduces erosion, and improves the water and nutrients capacity of the soil. In the southern United States, Georgia, where soils are naturally low in organic matter, depend on biosolids that have been very beneficial to this uprising problem.

The disadvantages of using biosolids as sustainable agricultural fertilizers is the presence of metal that can be absorbed into the soil, metals such as arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, mercury, nickel, and zinc can be dangerous for growing plants in when there are large amounts embedded in the soil, pathogens like bacteria and parasites can find their way into crops fertilizers with biosolids and pose significant risks to the environment and human health, odour let off by biosolids can cause public disturbance within communities in the general area that there are being used.

 

Process of Creating Biosolids

The potential stakeholders in this issue of biosolids include farmers and the government. Farmers around the world can use the low cost fertilizers, biosolids for example, for their agricultural land with the same effects and results as alternate fertilizers like cow manure. The government also benefits by saving money from not having to pay thousand for the disposal of biosolids. The topic of biosolids needs some clear and in-depth research on chemical and health related issues to be certain that using this biosolids doesn’t pose any long term threats by chemicals and substances that can be harmful to our environment and our health. THe western view of human wastes as unsanitary and disgusting nuisance has blinded us from seeing the many advantanges of biosolids and the disadvantages that are very much similar to though of currently used agricultural practices and farming methods.

In the end, the advantages and disadvantages of biosolids are similar to those of the use of cow manure, which is a sustainable agriculture fertilizer that we already use in farming and gardening, so why can't biosolids be a realistic alternative to our current agricultural practices.

 

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Genetic Diversity and Our Food

The genetic diversity of the foods that we eat can be produced in two ways. The first is known as "Industrial Agriculture," this is a form of modern farming that refers to the industrialized production of crops, which includes a small variety of fruits and vegetables.


Scientist breeding biotechnological crops.

Industrial agriculture emerged in the 20th century and is built up of technoscientific, economic, and political methods. In the process these methods make work of innovation in agricultural machinery and farming methods, genetic technology, the creation of new and more diverse markets for consumption, advancements in altering genetic information, and global trade. These methods are widespread in developed nations and increasingly worldwide.

In fact, most of the meat, dairy, eggs, fruits, and vegetables available in supermarkets are produced using these methods of industrial agriculture. Although industrial farming has proved to be benefit in the amount of food that is produced, it has also had a tremendous impact on the world's water resources and soil quality because of the massive use of chemical pesticides, herbicides, insecticides and fertilizers. The production of industrial agriculture also lowers the rate of genetic diversity in the agricultural world with the increase of certain crops, like corn that are in high demand from its wide range of uses.

The sceond way that food is produced is known as "Sustainable Agriculture," unlike the methods of industrial agriculture using manufacturing, food produced through sustainable agriculture follows the principles of ecology, which is the study of relationships between organism and their environment or simply planting and waiting for crops to grow, with no artifical/industrial methods or plant foods. In the long term this method of farming has made the most from the use of non-renewable resources and on-farm resources and integrate, where appropriate, natural biological cycles and controls, sustain the economic viability of farm operations, and has enhanced the quality of life for farmers and society as a whole.


Sustainable agriculture farmers in Kenya.

The natural and environmentally friendly methods of sustainable agriculture have shown to be more benefitcial then industrial methods, where in the end you end up ruining the very system the provides us the the food that we need to survive. For example, industrial agriculture brings damage upon natural systems from chemical pestricides that flow into bodies of water depleting oxygen for things like fish and microorganism that depend on it. It also has effects on economic cost with having to pay for repairs to damage to fisheries, surface (land/water) clean up, and results in the loss of worker, farmers, and urral communites that are exposed to the health risks of various toxic chemicals. In the end the SUSTAINABLE agriculture is the most effective and least harmful way of producing the food we need.





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Designer Babies: Should We Really Be Modifying Our Children?

The term, “Designer Babies” to some may be seen as a baby in designer clothes or even the baby of a fashion designer, but the real meaning of this term is used to describe a baby whose genetic make up has been artificially selected by genetic engineering combined with vitro fertilization to ensure that specific characteristics or genes are present or absent. This has been made possible by recent advancements in genetics, leaving people with the questions like, “Should we be able to choose our children’s genes? What effect would genetic enhancement have on our society? What about the safety of the child? Is this pushing our moral and ethical limits? And most importantly, should we really have this power and will it we used right way in the many years to come?

 

A technique used to generate designer babies is beginning with an embryo created by in vitro fertilization or IVF. Genetic engineers modify the embryo’s DNA and move its placement into a womb. Blinded by the technological advances of genetic engineering, we have yet to see or be concerned with the safety of the ones we love, to simply achieve genetic modification.

Many current technologies of genetic modification introduce genes in random points of the genome. We should being keeping in mind that unwanted genes can still be placed in the genetic code of one without knowing, until the symptoms of this are seen later on in the certain person’s life. For example, the NR2B gene, which codes for one type of glutamate reporter and plays the role of brain development, is found in humans and transmitted naturally through normal reproduction, but if inserted in the target genome in the wrong way it can cause the disruption of other genes crucial for survival.

Although there are many hazards and risks of genetic engineering, the technology has proved to be beneficial has through the advancements that have been made in this field a designer baby’s embryo, genetic diseases Cystic fibrosis and Down’s syndrome can be tested for through the biotechnology that is known polymerase chain reaction or PCR. Polymerase chain reaction is a technique in molecular biology to amplify a single or a few copies of DNA across several orders of magnitude, generating thousands to millions of copies or a particular DNA sequence chosen by the scientists.

Even if there has been much advancement in genetic engineering from scientists like Kary Mullis for PCR or Frederick Sanger for his study of the Human Genome Project, to me I believe that humans shouldn’t be given the chance to play the role of God by being able to get rid of or gain characteristics and genes that parents wanted or wanted to get rid of in their life in quest of trying to achieve genetically perfect babies, and side effects in embryos that we can’t see are signs that this shouldn’t even be being attempted.

References:

http://www.actionbioscience.org/biotech/agar.html

http://www.biotecharticles.com/Genetics-Article/Designer-Babies-Method-and-Ethical-Issues-78.html

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/projects/genome/probe/doc/TechPCR.shtml

http://www.nature.com/mp/journal/v7/n10/full/4001152a.html

Blogs I Commented On:
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http://feliixx.blogspot.com/2011/01/designer-babies.html?showComment=1307027342286#c1919961803359250268
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http://mayhemmark.blogspot.com/2011/01/unit-five-you-are-babys-daddy_12.html?showComment=1307027865562#c2157879753446616823



Protecting the World's Tropical Forests

The United Nations Environmental Program claims that each year, Tropical Forests are dissappearing at a rate of 4.6 million hectares a year in worldwide regins such as Asia, Latin America, Africa, and the Caribbean. Although Tropical Forests around the world are being demolished at an increasing rate, organizations such as WWF (World Wildlife Fund) are putting together initiatives and projects to halt the loss of forest and freshwater biodiversity by 2020.

In Africa places like Congo Basin, one-quarter of the world's tropical forests, are being protecting by WWF Vision by strengthening the network of protected areas and building sustentation partnerships with governments and local people, allowing the sound use of natural resources and sustainable development. Within this organization's projects and intitiatives the forests, rivers, savanna, swamps, and flooded forests that are brimming with life are protected. You may ask "What's so special about the protection of these forests?" Well it just so be that these forests regulate local climate and the flow of water, enhance and protect soil, keep diseases under control, and safeguard water quality. On top of all this it always make up one of the most important wilderness areas that are left on earth.

A large variety of wildlife is found within the forests of the Congo Basin. Species such as Bonobos (Monkeys), Hippos, Okapis (Forest Giraffes), Leatherback Turtles, etc. Many endangered species like Mountain and Western lowland Gorillas and Forest Elephants are being protected by the WWF from illegal trade to exotic buyers and collectors.

Not only does the WWF projects in Congo Basin help to benefit the forests and it's wildlife inhabitants, it also provides food, fresh water, medicine, and shelter to over 75 million people. Humans have inhabited the Congo Basin for 50,000 years by the Ba'Aka people, with the help of the WWF they have not only protected the Congo Basin, but the physical, spiritual, and cultural are intertwine with the forest. The WWF has done a lot to protect and preserve the forest and continues to do so.

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