Tuesday, December 31, 2019

The World Of Genetic Engineering - 1968 Words

A large majority of Homo sapiens do not appreciate the existence of bacteria, as evinced by the myriad hand sanitizer bottles ubiquitous in daily life, boasting, â€Å"Kills 99.9% of germs.† This is a highly rational response to the group of microscopic organisms, of which it is true many are malignant to maintaining homeostasis as agents of disease. However, bacteria are essential to the world’s functioning, with important roles and many benefits. Recently, scientists studying certain bacteria have found a mechanism in their immune systems that can alter the very code of life, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). This new tool is called Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR/Cas9), and has revolutionized the world of genetic engineering. CRISPR/Cas9 is less expensive, more accurate, and more effective, making this method much more amicable and available to the common geneticist compared to former techniques such as Transcription Activator Like E ffector Nucleases (TALENs) and Zinc-Fingered Nucleases (ZFNs). This availability and potential applicability to the human genome raises important questions about ethics and modification of subsequent generations of humans. CRISPR has brought bioethicists and scientists together to demarcate the limits of genetic modification. Most agree aberrations to the human race as a whole may result in unforeseeable and irrevocable effects. Although genetic engineering performed on human beings is indubitably an avenueShow MoreRelatedApplication Of Genetic Engineering On The World1606 Words   |  7 PagesApplication of Genetic Engineering on Taro Adam Mohamed 10/23/2015 Introduction The field of genetic engineering is very promising, pertaining to the future of agriculture around the world. Research in this area is allowing for more and more improvements to the various aspects of a crop such as yield, visual quality, taste, nutritional value, disease immunity, and cold resistance, as well as many other benefits. A further understanding of both the genetics of crops and how to influenceRead MoreGenetic Engineering: Brave New World1012 Words   |  5 PagesGenetic engineering has been around for many years and is widely used all over the planet. Many people don’t realize that genetic engineering is part of their daily lives and diet. Today, almost 70 percent of processed foods from a grocery store were genetically engineered. Genetic engineering can be in plants, foods, animals, and even humans. Although debates about genetic engineering still exist, many people have accepted due to the health benefits of gene therapy. The lack of knowledge has alwaysR ead MoreGenetic Engineering and a Brave New World1694 Words   |  7 PagesGenetic Engineering is one of the current hot button topics of our world today and its also the fundamental theme in widely know novels such as Brave New World and My Sister’s Keeper. But what exactly is Genetic Engineering? What exactly does Genetic Engineering entail? Genetic Engineering in its self is a mammoth and board field, yet not many people actually know or even understand the diversity that Genetic Engineering entails. When most people perceive the slightest sound of the word GeneticRead MoreGenetic Engineering : A World Where Autism And Downs Syndrome1270 Words   |  6 PagesGenetic Engineering Imagine a world where autism and downs syndrome are a thing of the past, and where there is no shortage on food for anybody. Over the years mankind has developed and improved technology to save more and more lives through the manipulation of the DNA that makes up all living organisms. However, there are those who oppose this approach. Despite the risks and ethical concerns, genetic engineering holds the potential to benefit humanity through both direct and indirect means. InRead More Genetic Engineering and the End of the World As We Know It Essay1405 Words   |  6 PagesIts The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine) --- From a Song by REM Having completed the Human Genome Project, scientists now seek to uncover the secrets of the human proteome (Begley 1). It is guesstimated that the proteome, meaning all the proteins, will involve up to 1000 times more data than the genome did. But this again brings us to the question: What will the scientific and medical communities do with all this information? deCode Genetics, partnered with Roche HoldingRead More Genetic Engineering: Our Key to a Better World Essay1128 Words   |  5 Pages What is genetic engineering one might ask and why is there so much moral controversy surrounding the topic? Genetic engineering as defined by Pete Moore, is the name given to a wide variety of techniques that have one thing in common: they all allow the biologist to take a gene from one cell and insert it into another (SS1). Such techniques included in genetic engineering (both good and bad) are, genetic screening both during the fetal stage and later in life, gene therapy, sex selectionRead MoreEssay on Genetic Engineering Can Be Beneficial in the Modern World1924 Words   |  8 Pageshave now applied what they have learned in the study of genetics to help modify and improve the properties of plants and organisms that we can benefit greatly from. Genetic engineering can be beneficial for humanity in the modern age as they are considered safe, able to support the demand of resources by the ever-increasing human population, and provide potential cure to many incurable diseases and p ossible life extension. Genetic engineered products that have been approved for use in theRead MoreGenetic Engineering in Donny and Ursula Save the World by Sharon Weil666 Words   |  3 Pagesgoes on† (Robert Frost). People from the beginning of civilization have cultivated crops ranging from methods of fermentation to classical selection for desired traits. In essence, genetic modification is not a new concept only conceived in the twentieth century; it has been occurring for millenias. Genetic engineering is only a step forward as the latest form of gene selection utilizing biotechnology, which merely catalyzes processes that previously required generations upon generations to that ofRead MoreAn Enhanced Genotype: Ethical Issues Involved with Genetic Engineering and their Impact as Revealed by Brave New World2301 Words   |  10 PagesEnhanced Genotype: Ethical Issues Involved with Genetic Engineering and their Impact as Revealed by Brave New World Human society always attempts to better itself through the use of technology. Thus far, as a species, we have already achieved much: mastery of electronics, flight, and space travel. However, the field in which the most progress is currently being made is Biology, specifically Genetic Engineering. In Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World, humanity has taken control of reproduction and biologyRead MoreBenefits Of Genetically Engineered Food1240 Words   |  5 PagesThe alteration of plant and animal genetic codes for the ultimate purpose of increasing food abundance is an increasingly popular, yet controversial practice in the 21st century. Genetic engineering of food is done for a number of reasons, the biggest of which is increasing food supplies in the world, especially for the third world countries. However, there are arguments and even activist movements against genetic engineering of food, which begs the question â€Å"why is genetically engineered food so

Monday, December 23, 2019

Library Management - 1847 Words

Stephanie Library Management The creation of library management is crucial for any type of libraries that wish to work effectively in the ever changing environments. With elements like worker efficiency, introduction of technology, and the changes of cultural environment managers are always looking for ways to create an efficient environment for their workers as well as those they serve. When it comes to management systems, there are two different types that are examined in this paper. These type models include the Luther Gulick’s POSDCORB, as well as the Mintzberg’s managerial model. While examine these models, there was also comparison done to current library management. Are these two models still in use, or has the uses of these†¦show more content†¦After much deliberation, the chosen methodology to effectively examine the manger to see whether these models are still used was a combination of two different aspects, which are the observation and the interviewing technique. Observation wa s chosen since the examinee had easy access to the chosen manager, and proved to most reliable for firsthand examination of these models. The interview process was also chosen on the premise of the time table of observation could possibly not process most of the elements that both of the chosen models required. The manager was observed from afar for a span of a week, from thirty minutes to an hour each day. This technique was chosen to most effective since by spreading out the observation times, the manager would more than likely be engaged in different aspects of these models and provide more varied data. This technique was also chosen because it was less obtrusive for the manager and flexible for the examinee when gathering data. Those elements that weren’t seen through observation were discussed in the interview process at great length. Analysis of data collected Analysis of data :collected Week of October 18/22 The observation phase of the research was highly successful when examining the number of ways the manager handled a number of situations internally andShow MoreRelatedLibrary Management System1779 Words   |  8 PagesStudy 7.2 Conclusion and Justification Chapter 8 8.1 Recommendation 1.1 Introduction The LIBRARY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM is a data processing to perform routine Library activities. This system is concerned with developing a library management system using visual basic. In this system the library management becomes more efficient and easier to handle with its reliable system components. Library system was developed in order to make computerized the borrowing and returning of books, return booksRead MoreLibrary Management204752 Words   |  820 Pages Library and Information Center Management Recent Titles in Library and Information Science Text Series Library and Information Center Management, Sixth Edition Robert D. Stueart and Barbara B. Moran United States Government Information: Policies and Sources Peter Hernon, Harold C. Relyea, Robert E. Dugan, and Joan F. Cheverie Library Information Systems: From Library Automation to Distributed Information Access Solutions Thomas R. Kochtanek and Joseph R. Matthews The Complete Guide to AcquisitionsRead MoreLibrary Management System6342 Words   |  26 PagesValeriano Fugoso Public Library Integrated Library System A Case Study Presented to the Department of Information Computer Studies Faculty of Engineering University of Santo Tomas In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements in Database Management Systems October 2010 Title Page Table of Contents 1. Introduction. 2. About the Company 1. Background and History 2. Organizational Chart 3. Contact Person/s 3. The Current System 1. DetailedRead MoreQuality Management in Academic Libraries Essay1288 Words   |  6 PagesQuality management has been extensively applied within the manufacturing industry over a decade. later, the service industry has increasingly emphasized this area. Quality management is increasingly integrated into library services, following their perceived success in manufacturing industries with particular emphasis on improving service quality. Since manufacturing industries differ in terms of the characteristic quality, different criteria must be used for measuring these industries. Quality managementRead More Management Study at a Library Essay examples2401 Words   |  10 PagesIntroduction Management, as defined by Daft and Marcic, is the effective and efficient attainment of organizational goals, through planning, organizing, leading and controlling organizational resources. This community service organizational study has allowed our group to extend our learning outside the classroom and apply management theories to the real world. The site that we volunteered at was the Venice Library. Upon first arriving, our team thought that it was going to be a struggle to tryRead MoreMy Personal Philosophy On Library Management1983 Words   |  8 PagesBettina Scales Dr. Abdullahi LSIS 5120 November 1, 2014 My Personal Philosophy on Library Management Within the library profession, a key component is management.Proper Management is vital for successful libraries.I think library managers must possess qualities of friendliness, vision, approachability, and decisiveness. As a future archivist, of a museum or school library like Shepard Library, I would want to be a leader that embodies these qualities. Along with great qualities, I would need toRead MoreData Management And The Library System1591 Words   |  7 Pages Data management in Libraries Iteration 1 Snowy Osahan Wilmington University Table of Contents Iteration 1: Orientation to Inspiration Space 3 Plan 3 Action 5 Observation 6 Reflection 7 References 9 Iteration 1: Orientation to Inspiration Space The orientation session will be conducted for the interns at Inspiration Space for a period of two days. During this phase, the interns will be introduced to the employees of Inspiration Space and the library that are associatedRead MoreProject Management Library Renovation2266 Words   |  10 PagesProject management principles Project management principles are typically learnt from experience and are generally valid for all projects and the project manager has to know when and how to apply them to a project (Harold, 2009). In the library building project these principles could have helped reduce problems during and after renovations of the library. Tailor to suit the environment: whatever project management methodology or framework a manger favours, it must be tailored to suit the needsRead MoreAcademic One File of Lyceum of the Philippines University Library as Perceived by the Selected Student of College of International Tourism and Hospitality Management2242 Words   |  9 PagesACADEMIC ONE FILE OF LYCEUM OF THE PHILIPPINES UNIVERSITY LIBRARY AS PERCEIVED BY THE SELECTED STUDENT OF COLLEGE OF INTERNATIONAL TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT A thesis presented to the faculty of College of Arts and Sciences Lyceum of the Philippines University In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Science International Hospitality Management with specialization in Cruise Line Operation in Hotel Services Mary Angelie M. Andres Dan Paolo M. Asuncion KarenRead MoreQuality Management System For Coventry University Library2593 Words   |  11 PagesThe `Know IT` (Knowledge intergration ) quality management system for coventry university library Introduction Higher education intuitions have always resisted total quality management, quality management systems were perceived as incompatible with the academic culture. However, universities have become market driven, so in order to compete on a global scale and attract international students, they had to establish quality management systems to set themselves apart from the competition. It has

Sunday, December 15, 2019

Parkinsons Disease Free Essays

string(47) " that target the neurotransmitter systems \(e\." PD normally affects people over the age of 50. It becomes more common with increasing age. ‘About 5 in 1,000 people in their 60s and about 40 in 1,000 people in their 80s have PD’1. We will write a custom essay sample on Parkinsons Disease or any similar topic only for you Order Now It affects both men and women but is a little more common in men. PD is not usually inherited, and can affect anyone. However, genetic factors may be important in the small number of people who develop the disease before the age of 50. PD therefore affects a lot of people in the UK and I have chosen this topic so I have a greater understanding of what they go through and how we can help those affected. Background: Biology of Parkinson’s disease? Parkinson’s disease is a chronic disorder of part of the brain called the substantia nigra. It mainly affects the way the brain co-ordinates the movements of the muscles in various parts of the body. This area of the brain sends messages down nerves in the spinal cord to help control the muscles of the body. Messages are passed between brain cells, nerves and muscles by chemicals called neurotransmitters. Dopamine is the main neurotransmitter that is made by the brain cells in the substantia nigra1. Muscular System: Muscle Metabolism iframe class="wp-embedded-content" sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" style="position: absolute; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);" src="https://phdessay.com/muscular-system-muscle-metabolism/embed/#?secret=XWYQr2myDT" data-secret="XWYQr2myDT" width="500" height="282" title="#8220;Muscular System: Muscle Metabolism#8221; #8212; Free Essays - PhDessay.com" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"/iframe In PD, cells in the substantia nigra are damaged and die. The cause is unknown. Over time, more and more cells become damaged and die. The more cells that are damaged the less dopamine is produced. The reduction of cells and the low level of dopamine in the cells in this part of the brain causes nerve messages to the muscles to become slowed and abnormal1. In the long term PD will ultimately lead to death. Causes We are still unsure of the causes of PD but here are the most likely and most talked about suggestions: 1. The hereditary form of PD occurs in fifteen per cent of cases2. The genes affected help clear nerve cells of excess proteins. Scientists are not sure but it is thought that when the ‘production process for protein manufacture breaks down, little clumps of ill-formed proteins begin to accumulate in cell’ 17, causing cell death. Tests carried out on rats using rotenone imply that pesticides and toxins may lead to PD. The rats experienced shaking and a loss of muscle control as well as developing Lewy bodies (spherical lumps found in dying brain cells), which are commonly associated with Parkinson’s disease. However, researchers are yet to find evidence for any definitive link to a particular toxin or drug in humans. 2. There seems to be a link between variants of the mitochondrial genes and PD. The Parkinson’s Disease Research Agenda states that â€Å"mitochondrial dysfunction has numerous consequences, including energetic failure, generation of reactive oxygen species, disregulation of calcium homeostasis and induction of apoptosis, each of which may be important in Parkinson’s disease†3. 3. High concentrations of free-radicals in the body and a lack of antioxidants. Free radicals damage cells and if too many dopamine-producing cells were damaged then this could lead to PD. Antioxidants prevent the production of free radicals and repair damage done by them. Symptoms and effects There is no easy test to diagnose PD, so it is diagnosed by ruling out other diseases and looking for the classic symptoms: * Slowness of movement (bradykinesia)1. It will become more of an effort to walk or get out bed. People may just think they are getting old and it is not till other symptoms develop that you may think about PD. * Stiffness of muscles (rigidity) and muscles may feel tenser. Also, your arms do not tend to swing as much when you walk. * Shaking (tremor) is common, but does not always occur. It normally affects the fingers, thumbs, hands, and arms, but can affect other parts of the body. It is most noticeable when you are resting and may become worse when you are anxious or emotional. It’s generally less obvious when you use your hand to do something such as picking up an object or writing. Symptoms will tend to get worse and worse and as the disease develops. Some other symptoms may develop due to problems with the way affected brain cells and nerves control the muscles. These include: * Fewer facial expressions such as smiling or frowning. Less blinking. * Difficulty with fine movements such as tying shoe laces or buttoning shirts. * Difficulty with writing (handwriting tends to become smaller), balance and posture and swallowing. * Speech may become slow and monotonous. * Tiredness aches and pains. As PD gets really bad, symptoms such as the following might develop, dependant on the individual: * Constipation- †PD prevents the proper transmission of the neurological messages that tell the rectal sphincter muscles to open†7 * Hallucinations (seeing, hearing or smelling things that are not real) * Sweating- PD can affect the autonomic nervous system8 that controls the autonomic functions (functions done automatically by the brain and body without conscious thought) such as sweating, breathing etc. * Difficulties with sleeping * Weight loss- there is a generally decreased appetite associated with PD. This may largely be due to swallowing difficulties and other gastrointestinal disturbances8 * Pain * Depression Anxiety- anxiety disorders occur in up to 40% of patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD)9. The article states †Current evidence suggests that anxiety may not be a psychological reaction to the illness but rather may be linked to specific neurobiological processes accompanying PD.† * Problems with controlling impulses (for example compulsive eating, shopping or gambling) Most people will only suffer form a few of these symptoms and which ones will get worse and the speed at which they get worse varies hugely from person to person. Some rare brain diseases can have very similar symptoms in which case a specialist brain scan can often be used to distinguish between them. The Treatments At the moment there is no cure for PD and most treatments simply have the job of relieving symptoms. 1. Drugs Intro: there are two main types of drug used in PD treatment. Firstly, drugs that target the neurotransmitter systems (e. You read "Parkinsons Disease" in category "Papers"g. dopamine) or secondly drugs that are designed to interfere with steps in the neurodegenerative processes (they may aim to sustain nerve cells or tackle the issue of free radicals). Drugs are cheap and effective, especially in relieving symptoms but show little potential as a full cure to the disease. Most also need to be taken daily for the remainder of a patients lifetime. Many drugs may have minor side affects. Some side affects have social impacts such as mood swings or may not allow the user to fly or travel to certain places. Dopaminergic Agents- use to activate the production or use of Dopamine. Levodopa- is an amino acid that is converted in the brain into dopamine. According to the WE MOVE website10 ‘Levodopa was introduced as a PD therapy in the 1960s, and remains the most effective therapy for motor symptoms’ although there are many drugs that do a similar job such as Rasagiline. It reduces the effect of and helps control the symptoms of PD. Like most amino acids levodopa is absorbed into the blood stream through the wall of the intestines. Amino acids require a ‘transporter’ to transfer them across the membrane of the intestines and into the blood stream. These transporters can only work at a certain rate and so diet is important. To much dietary protein can slow the transport of levodopa into the blood stream meaning the dose may be ineffective. Alternatively to avoid the competition with other amino acids, doses should be taken between meals. Levodopa has to cross from the blood stream into the brain using the same transport system again, making diet and timing doubly important. MAO-B Inhibitors- slow the breakdown of dopamine in the brain and aim to prevent or slow the death of neurons. ‘MAO is responsible for the mitochondrial metabolism of monoamine neurotransmitters, including dopamine and serotonin.’11 Ethical implications Some of the many ethical issues revolve around the decision to move from testing on artificial tissue (often grown from stem cells, which may in the future replace animal testing altogether. Stem cells, however create there own ethical issues) to animals, and further on the line, of animal testing to trails on human patients. The graph below shows the stages involved in developing a new drug and is taken from the MSD website (21/3/10): (http://www.msd.com.hk/health_info/drug_education/e_ddp_introduction.html) Animal testing is very closely regulated in the UK however many, often false, accusations of animal abuse have lead to darkened perceptions of animal testing in the public eye. Animal abuse is definitely a reality but ‘improved transparency, accountability and regulations’12 should reduce it happening and make sure those responsible are prosecuted. Unlike humans, animals are unable to consent to testing. It is forced upon them and often involves a certain amount of pain, stress, suffering and discomfort. Researchers will try to reduce this, possibly using anaesthetics although this can often interfere with the drug being tested so the animal may have to suffer the full amount of pain. Unfortunately, in PD, a number of animals are tested on normally starting with mice or rats before moving on to monkeys and finally human trails. Some people believe that animals like monkeys and most primates shouldn’t be experimented upon as they aren’t in the same plentiful supply that rats and mice are in, nor are they considered pests. However, for potentially dangerous drugs it is essential animals with a similar genetic make up (primates) are tested on to greatly reduce the risks in human clinical trails. Economics of drugs in PD As shown in figure 1.2 drug development requires a huge amount of research and testing and can take more than 10 years before a useable drug is created. This obviously requires a huge amount of investment and general drug development costs vary between 500 and 2,000 million dollars. R;D is often done by independent companies or government organizations. Most companies or organizations will link with universities to share information and facilities and hopefully quicken to process of discovering a new drug. ‘After approval, pharmaceutical companies have a short period of exclusivity before patents expire and other companies can market the same drugs as generics. This time is used to recoup the massive investment required to develop and launch a new drug. However, the companies must also continue to test their drugs and monitor the feedback from healthcare professionals in order to identify undiscovered side effects, risk factors and interactions.’13 Drug companies are some of the most profitable industries in the world and although a large amount of money is needed in research and development (R;D) only 1 in 5 dollars made is then invested in further research. Many companies spent nearly twice as much money on advertising and marketing than R;D and demand is so much higher than it needs to be that companies can afford to boost prices to maximise profit. Luckily with PD this becomes less of a problem as people are unlikely take and therefore buy drugs that are meant for PD when they don’t actually need it. This is because the symptoms tend to be quite clear and drugs like levodopa are not readily available unless prescribed. Benefits to humans Drugs can have a massive impact on people suffering from PD and they aim to do a number of things: 1) Improve standards of living- by reducing the affects of PD and slowing the process of neurodegeneration it should allow the person suffering to do basic things (such as tying shoelaces, writing etc) more easily and for longer before they require full time medical care. This allows them to be more independent. 2) The use of drugs such as levodopa, in the long term, will reduce the affects of symptoms such as tiredness, aches and pains. Painkillers like amantadine will also be used for more short term relieve along side drugs like levodopa. This will simply make life less painful for a PD patient. 3) Drugs are the most well know and reliable of PD treatments. This reduces the risks of any unknowns or mistakes and far fewer mistakes will be made than in using other treatments. Risks to humans 1) Unfortunately Nausea and vomiting are common side effects of using levodopa that are due to the building up of dopamine in the bloodstream. The most serious and severe effect of this treatment is dyskinesias. ‘Dyskinesias are uncontrolled movements, including writhing, twitching, and shaking. Dyskinesias result from the combination of long-term levodopa use and continued neurodegeneration. They typically begin to develop in milder forms after 3 to 5 years of treatment, but are more severe after 5 to 10 years of treatment.’10 2) There is always risk of allergies when using drugs and for some unfortunate people drugs may do more damage than good. 3) Side affects of drugs vary from person to person and it is impossible to know beforehand how a certain drug will affect an individual. For some, side affects may be far worse than for others. 4) Dosages need to be got right and it is a common problem that people take to little and don’t get the full benefit of the drug or take to much and suffer more/worse side affects. A massive overdose will likely lead to death. Alternative Cures? 2. Gene therapy- is still in early research stages and it is likely to be a while before this technique is actually used on humans. Like stem cells it has exciting potential to provide a future cure and avoid the ethical issues associated with stem cells. How it works? Gene therapy aims to introduce new and functioning genetic material into cells that have abnormal genes that are causing proteins (in the case of PD, dopamine) not to be created or created faulty. The genetic material can normally be inserted into the cells using viruses. ‘Some types of virus, such as retroviruses, integrate their genetic material (including the new gene) into a chromosome in the human cell. Other viruses, such as adenoviruses, introduce their DNA into the nucleus of the cell, but the DNA is not integrated into a chromosome.’13There is still much development needed as scientists are still unable to target specific cells and there is the potential threat of virus mutation which may cause even further problems. There is also major worry about the potential for gene therapy to be used to improve basic human traits such as height, intelligence etc. People could simply choice characteristics and this in many people’s eyes could be used for the wrong reason. For example, this may be used to give some athletes a major advantage over others or possibly creating super humans. 3. Stem Cells I think stem cells have shown exciting potential and will hopefully provide a full time future cure for the disease. How they work? Stem cells are unspecialised cells that have the ability to develop into highly specialised cells like nerve cells. They can also self-renew, which means they are capable of replenishing themselves for long periods of time by dividing4. For Parkinson’s disease it is hoped that large numbers of the brain cells that produce dopamine can be produced and inserted, through transplantation, into a patient’s brain. Therefore, nerve messages to all parts of the body will be normal again. However, stem cells not been successfully used to cure PD yet and there are many problems facing researchers. Therefore stem cells are relatively useless for PD at the moment but may be able to provide an easy and affective cure in the future. Problems with the types of Stem cells There are three main types of stem cells: 1. Adult stem cells can come from Skin, Bone marrow, Brain, Blood vessels, Liver and Skeletal muscle. However, adult stem cells are found in such small quantities it is difficult to identify and isolate them in viable numbers. Because adult stem cells aren’t as ‘young’ as embryonic stem cells, they contain more DNA abnormalities acquired with age4. These can be caused by the environment, toxins or errors in DNA replication. Adult stem cells have limited potential because unlike embryonic stem cells they can not differentiate into any specialised cell in the body. 2. Cord blood cells are normally found in the umbilical cord and placenta after the cord is cut. One problem is the lack of cells obtained and these may not be enough relative to a patient’s size. Cord blood cells generally take longer to grow, therefore completion of therapy will take longer. It obviously requires a pregnant woman to donate the cells. 3. Embryonic stem cells are found in human embryos and have a seemingly unlimited potential to develop into any cell in the human body. However they are surrounded by a number of ethical issues. Many people and especially religious group condemn the use of embryonic stem cells as they believe it is destroying a life. They believe it is immoral to save a life at the expense of another. However new developments in stem cells research means that Totipotent* stem cells can now be collected without the loss of embryo life: Somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) – nucleus is removed from a somatic cell and is then implanted into a donor egg that has had its nucleus removed6. It divides just as normal before forming an embryo. Cells from the inner cell mass are extracted and cultured to provide embryonic stem cells but the technique destroys the embryo. Although the embryo is destroyed it is a created clone and so may not be considered the loss of new, individual life. Altered nuclear transfer (ANT), however, prevents an embryo from actually being created. The nucleus of the somatic cell is altered, or genetically reprogrammed, before being transferred into the egg. The alteration consequence is that the somatic cell DNA still produces stem cells but does not generate an embryo. Blastomere Extraction is performed on a two-day old embryo, following the division of the fertilized egg into eight blastomeres (cells). One blastomere is removed and can be triggered to divide and the resulting stem cells could still be used for research and disease treatment. The embryo, ‘now with only seven blastomeres can still be implanted into the mother and assuming no defect has been found these embryos will still grow into healthy babies’4. 1. Name of article: Parkinson’s Disease Url: http://www.patient.co.uk/health/Parkinson’s-Disease.htm Date accessed: 15/2/10 Evaluation: The article is certified as a reliable source of health and social care information. It certificate states- ‘The authors and editors of this article are employed to create accurate and up to date content reflecting reliable research evidence, guidance and best clinical practice. They are free from any commercial conflicts of interest.’ The article states that Parkinson’s disease affects the part of the brain know as the substantia nigra. WE MOVE (Worldwide Education and Awareness for Movement Disorders- http://www.wemove.org/par/par_subn.html) states: ‘In PD, cells of the SN (substantia nigra) degenerate, and therefore can no longer produce adequate dopamine.’ This information is further backed up on the Parkinson’s Disease Research Agenda that states ‘cells that produce the neurotransmitter dopamine die in a small brain area called the substantia nigra.’ As the information provided is backed by what I consider to be re liable resources I think that the information on the website is also therefore reliable, but should be checked with other sources before being used. 2. Name of article: Possible Causes of Parkinson’s Disease (PD) Url: http://www.healthtree.com/articles/parkinsons-disease/causes.php Date accessed: 20/2/10 3. Name: Parkinson’s Disease Research Agenda URL: http://www.ninds.nih.gov/about_ninds/plans/nihparkinsons_agenda.htm#Parkinson Date accessed: 20/2/10 Evaluation: Parkinson’s disease Research Agenda is written by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). It primary aim is to †reduce the burden of neurological disease – a burden borne by every age group, by every segment of society, by people all over the world.† It is funded by the government so should provide no bias and the site aims to educate people about various neurological disorders including Parkinson’s disease. It states â€Å"mitochondrial dysfunction has numerous consequences†¦ each of which may be important in Parkinson’s disease.† This is also backed by an article: http://www.nature.com/nrneurol/journal/v6/n2/full/nrneurol.2009.221.html that states † dysfunctional energy metabolism might be a central element of the pathological process underlying the development of PD.† The site was last updated on the 25th of July 2008. As the site is run and updated by the government with no other purpose but to inform I think it can be used a very reliable source of information. How to cite Parkinsons Disease, Papers

Saturday, December 7, 2019

Mobile Web Application Facebook Messenger and Google Hangouts

Question: Discuss about the Mobile Web Application Facebook Messenger and Google Hangouts. Answer: Introduction The webs applications on the mobile have been a great development in the field of information and technologies (Dalmasso et al. 2013). In addition to this, the chatting Apps also have great impact on the development of this apps. The report consists of discussions about two of these apps. The Facebook Messenger and the Google Hangouts application taken up for discussions in this report. Overview of the Applications: Facebook Messenger: The Facebook messenger is a very useful application. It one of the most popular application for the purpose of social networking (Bailis et al. 2016). In addition to this, the application helps the people to get connected to the people of their choices. In addition to this the application is one of the most downloaded app on the android platform. This app is developed by the Facebook Company. This application is only used for the messaging function of social networking website Facebook. The app do not require any additional information about the email or the phone number of the user. They only require a valid Facebook account and the user can easily log in to the app with the login credentials that are used for Facebook. Google Hangouts: The Google Hangouts is one of the competitor of the Facebook Messenger App. This app was developed by the Google Company (Schnell et al. 2015). This app also is very popular in the field of social networking. In addition to this the app is very useful. The application is very small in size and provides efficient features to the users for chatting on the web. The people can easily get connected to other people with the help of their Gmail accounts. The only criteria for using this app is that the person has be registered on Google and the person he or she wants to connect to should also be registered on Google. The app can be very easy logged in by someone who has an active Google account, and just need to provide the Google log in credentials while logging in. Strength and Weakness of the Applications: Facebook Messenger: Strengths: The Facebook messenger is a very useful app and provides notification to user instantly in a message is received (Jobe 2013). The App supports chat bots that the uses can get information from whenever they need. In addition to this, the App provides the users the option of free calling and also video chatting. The live video feature of the app is very popular among the people. In addition to this the application provides the user the facilities of sending media files. The new update of the application also allows the users to send documents to each other. Weakness: The main weakness of the application is that the size of the app is bit high for a chat application (Erman et al. 2015). In addition to this the application is subjected to update very frequently as features are being added to the application for increasing the popularity of the application. In addition to this the size of the application increases with each update of the application. The application is generally used for informal conversations, formal conversations are very rare in this application. Gaps: The size of application is very big and hence, there is a scope to optimize the application. The data consumed by the app is also too much and hence, this issue also requires efficient addressing. Google Hangouts: Strengths: The Google hangouts provide a useful platform for the users to have formal as well as informal conversations (Dinh et al. 2013). In addition to this, the application allows the users to have the informal conversations as the mails are only used for the formal conversations. The application provides a more sophisticated approach to the chatting on web. The application provides the facilities of going live on the video chat. In addition to this the supplication is very small in size and also very easy user interface. Weakness: The application is designed by keeping in mind solely the formal methods of chatting (Medini et al. 2013). In addition to this application is less interactive and do not have a fancy outlook. The frequency of the update of the app is very low. Gaps: The looks of the application are not as attractive as the other applications and hence this features requires some up gradation. The applications is a primitive type and hence requires to incorporate some additional features in it. Discussion The two apps were considered for discussion and were under the scope of analysis by the evaluation framework that is considered in this report (Li et al. 2015). The applications are evaluated on the basis of the popularity of the applications. The popularity is decide by the number of downloads of the applications. In addition to this, the applications were also judged on the basis of their usefulness and also on the size of the application and the user interfaces. Hence, in addition to this the update of the apps and the frequency at which the apps are being updated was very useful for the analysis of the apps. The internal features of the apps were also taken for consideration. The ability of the apps to transfer the files and different kind of media in between the users and the efficiency of the transfers were also taken into account. In addition to this the video calling and the normal calling facilities provided by the apps were also considered. Recommendation The following recommendation are to be provided to the apps for their development. Firstly, the size of apps need to be very optimal. In addition to this, the applications should increase the security constrains so that the user data cannot be obtained by other sources easily. In addition to this the company should look to introduce ad free versions of the apps so the users would not be frustrated with the pop ups that come up again and again. The application should be modified so that all kinds of extensions are supported by the applications and the users can make transfer their very easily. Conclusion For conclusion it can be said that the Facebook Messenger and Google Hangouts have been identified as the applications that are being used for the discussions. In addition to this the strength and weaknesses of the apps have also been provided in the report and also some recommendations have been provided for the improvement of the applications. References Bailis, P., Yang, J., Reddi, V.J. and Zhu, Y., 2016. Research for practice: web security and mobile web computing.Communications of the ACM,60(1), pp.50-53. Schnell, N., Robaszkiewicz, S., Bevilacqua, F. and Schwarz, D., 2015, January. 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