Understanding Internal Body Systems through Technology

Today, there are various technologies that enables medical practitioners to see our internal body systems such as the digestive, circulatory and respiratory systems. There are also many technologies that help treat any problems that are found in our bodies. 

An example of a technology that helps doctors see inside our bodies is Ultrasound. Ultrasound images, or sonograms, use high-frequency sound waves to produce a picture of parts withing our bodies. Ultrasounds are captured in real-time, so the structure and movement of internal organs and blood flow can be seen. Ultrasounds are not painful and do not use radiation like x-rays.

Computed tomography (CT or CAT) scanning combines powerful computers and x-ray equipment to create images of the body's insides. These pictures can be examined on a computer monitor, printed or transferred on a CD.

CT scans are used to look for:

- Internal bleeding

- Broken bones

- Signs of cardiovascular disease

- Cancer

- Trauma

An example of a technology that helps treat health problems is Insulin. The insulin was invented by two Canadian doctors, Charles Best and Frederick Banting. Insulin is an injection used to control blood sugar for people who are diagnosed with type 1 diabetes or people who have type 2 diabetes that can't be controlled only by medications. The injection is used to take the place of insulin that is normally produced in the body and also helps to move sugar from blood to other tissues for energy. It is also used to stop the production of more sugar by the liver.

Although technology is not always necessary in health care, it helps doctors determine any problems we have in our bodies quicker, as well as cure them faster before it gets worse.

Sites used:

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

http://www.medicinenet.com/ultrasound/article.htm

http://www.endocrineweb.com/conditions/diabetes/diabetes-what-insulin

http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?pg=bodyct

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/meds/a682611.html

Pictures from:

http://www.hvurology.com/services/diagnostictests-ctscan.php

http://drpinna.com/insulin-is-both-good-and-bad-5819

http://www.physics.utoronto.ca/~jharlow/teaching/phy138_0708/lec04/ultrasoundx.htm

Feeding a Growing Population vs. Conserving Biodiversity

With the rapid growth of human population, some are wondering whether the agriculture industry can produce enough crops and livestock to accomodate for everyone. Farmers are using two ways of raising food that will hopefully better the system and produce animals and crops faster.

Industrial Agriculture

Industrial Agriculture is a form of intensive farming in which machines are used in substitute for the labor of animals and humans. The purpose of Industrial Agriculture is to get low food prices for American consumers, be a potential energy source, and substantial exports to foreign markets. But even though this way of farming can benefit farmers and consumers, the disadvantages outweigh the advantages.

- Genetic diversity in agriculture is very important but has been declining because of industrial agriculture. This decline has had a bad effect on crops. Crops that are similar to each other in appearance and yield may also be similar in their vulnerability to disease. Growing millions of acres of plants that are genetically the same make the supply very susceptible to disease.

- Industrial agriculture relies on pesticides, herbicides, insecticides and fungicides. According to the Environment of Protection Agency, the U.S. used a total of 1.1 billion pounds of active pesticides ingredients in 1992.

- Before, farmers raised crops and animals on the same farm. Products and byproducts produced could be recycled on the farm. This reduced off-farm purchases. Now, some animals are grown in concentrated livestock. They generate water-polluting manure that has become and unsafe waste product instead of a valuable contribution.

But is an industrial-style agriculture the only way to produce food for the world? No, sustainable agriculture can be another option.

Sustainable Agriculture

Sustainable Agriculture is a way of raising food that doesn't harm the environment, provides fair wage to farmers, is humane for workers and is safe and healthy for animals and consumers. There are many advantages in using sustainable agriculture as a way of farming.

- Sustainable agriculture is better for biodiversity because farms produce different kinds of plants and animals.

- Seasonally, plants are rotated around the fields. This results in enriched soils and prevents diseases and outbreaks of pests.

- Farmers take care of their animals by facilitating them to exhibit their natural behaviours.

- Sustainable agriculture increases the use of renewable environmental resources and is therefore beneficial for the environment.

In the end, even if industrial agriculture is a faster way of producing livestock and crops to feed more consumers, it can be dangerous to the environment, as well as the animals and plants itself, which ultimately leads to the risks of health problems for people buying it. Also, biodiversity is decreasing as plants and animals are being produced to be genetically similar. By using sustainable agriculture as a way of farming, not only will it be substantially less harmful to the environment, but it will also be advantageous to the diversity of livestock and plants.

Sources used:

http://www.economywatch.com/agriculture/types/industrial.html

http://www.naturalnews.com/023326_food_culture_consumers.html

http://www.ucsusa.org/food_and_agriculture/science_and_impacts/impacts_industrial_agriculture/industrial-agriculture-features.html

http://www.sarep.ucdavis.edu/concept.htm

Pictures from:

http://www.grinningplanet.com/2004/04-13/agriculture-farm-workers-3-article.htm

http://www.greenhopes.in/?p=81

Are Biosolids Good or Bad?

Biosolids is a term used for materials that result from municipal wastewater treatment. These materials are rich in nutrient and also contain phosporus, nitrogen, phosphorus, copper, molybdenum and zinc. Since the 1970's, farmers and companies have been using these biosolids as crop fertilizers as the materials it contains are important for plant growth and the need for chemical fertilizers will be reduced. Although some may see biosolids as beneficial to soil fertility and plant growth, others see it as dangerous and a potential health hazard.

Pros:
The application of biosolids to land helps improve and replenish healthy soil, increases the water-holding capacity of soil and reduces topsoil runoff. Biosolids also improve water quality and reduces the chance of soil erosion by helping with binding soil particles.

Not only does using biosolids benefit plants and soil, but also landfills that are close to being shut down due to limited space. In the United states, more than 1,200 landfills were closed due to the rising cost of environmental requirements. Cities are running out of space for landfill and new places for waste have become challenging because communities do not want them due to health risks. So using biosolids somewhere else where it can actually used helps resolve dilemma of landfill shortage.

Cons:
Biosolids may contain traces of chemicals and pollution and if by chance, in high concentrations, then it would be a human and environmental danger. In some parts of Canada, people who have been exposed to fields containing biosolids are getting sick, or worse, dying.

According to the Canada Free Press, an 11-year-old boy from Osceola Mills died of staphylococcal septicaemia. Several days after riding his motorbike through a field containing biosolids, he complained of a sore throat, headaches and boils on several body parts. When antibiotics were given, the boy did not respond to them and passed away six days after the bacteria traveled into his bloodstream.

In some cases, a number of house pets of families that live near fields have been put down due to boils that they developed.

Another con of using biosolids on farms is the odour. When passing by farms with cow manure, people can't stand the horrible smell of it. Imagine passing by a field with human waste. Some describe the smell to be worse than that of cow manure.

In my opinion, I think that using biosolids on crops could be beneficial in terms of helping to improve plant growth and the fertilization of soil. But I believe that using too much biosolids on fields can cause health problems for residents that live nearby. Biosolids shouldn't be a thought of as a permanent replacement for regular fertilizer as it hasn't been proven to be 100% safe.

Resources:
http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/nm/nasm/sewbiobroch.htm#1
http://www.cwwa.ca/faqbiosolids_e.asp
http://www.biosolids.com/benefits.html
http://www.canadafreepress.com/2002/ed80502.htm

Pictures used:
http://toxics.usgs.gov/photo_gallery/photos/ec_earthworms/BiosolidsSamplingArea_l.jpg
http://pubs.acs.org/cen/news/89/i15/8915scene3.html
http://www.dep.state.fl.us/secretary/post/2010/0409_1.htm

Designer Babies

The term, Designer Babies, is used to describe an infant whose embryo was modified by genetic engineers through In Vitro Fertilization or IFV and then implanted into a womb. It is also predicted that in the future, due to advanced technology, not only can a baby avoid genetic disorders, but also, parents will get a chance to choose the traits of their babies such as hair colour, eye colour and even their intelligence level.

Germ line therapy is another way to genetically modify embryos. Although, germ line therapy is still in it's early stages and has not yet become part of the mainstream medicine. Initially, with this therapy, genetic makeup of reproductive tissues can be altered before they are fertilized. Embryos containing genetic diseases could be cured by replacing sections of DNA with healthy DNA.

Though this idea may sound good to people, not everyone can afford it. Many are opposed to this idea due to the fact that they believe those who are rich get the chance to know beforehand if their child will be born with a genetic disorder and if so, change it so that he or she is as perfect and healthy as possible, while those who don't have enough money can only pray and hope that nothing happens to their unborn infant. Also, people believe that children are gifts, not commodities. All children are unique and should be valued for themselves. Some people also fear that this could lead to the abortion of those who have a chance of being born with a disablity and the unnecessary eradication of foetuses. Those who were born with disabilities are not very comfortable with this idea that instead of having a baby the way it is, disability or not, some people choose to either pay to change the baby or abort it.

Another issue that designer babies raise is that will anything happen to these infants in the near future? This technology is still new, so nobody knows what might happen to them in a couple of years. They might remain healthy or develop problems with their genes that could cause death.

Also, altering the genes of a child may be offensive to those in the religious community. It is believed children are a gift from God and that their appearances and traits cannot be changed by anyone.

In my opinion, modifying the genes of a baby is okay if its sole purpose is to save a child's life. But if it's only used to change the features and traits of an infant to the parents' liking, then I don't think that it is right. This can lead to a stereotype of beauty. If a couple chooses to change their baby's genes so that he or she has brunette hair, green eyes and is tall because they find this beautiful, what about other features and traits? Are they not beautiful as well?

Works Cited:

Amber Angelle. "Genetic Tests to Make a Designer Baby." Popular Mechanics. 1 Jan. 2010. <http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/health/genetics/4340490>

Keith Kleiner. "Designer Babies - Like It Or Not, Heare They Come." Singularity Hub. 25 Feb. 2009. <http://singularityhub.com/2009/02/25/designer-babies-like-it-or-not-here-they-come/>

Gautam Naik. "A Baby, Please. Blond, Freckles -- Hold the Colic." The Wall Street Journal. 12 Feb. 2009. <http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123439771603075099.html>

"Genetic Engineering - Designer Babies." The Future of Human Evolution. 2010 <http://www.humansfuture.org/genetic_engineering_designer_babies.php.htm>

Pictures from:

http://singularityhub.com/2009/02/25/designer-babies-like-it-or-not-here-they-come/

http://www.geneticsandsociety.org/article.php?id=4561

Blogs I Commented on:

http://fionnasbioblog.blogspot.com/2010/11/designer-babies-ethical-and-social.html

http://biobobombs.blogspot.com/2010/11/topic-2-designer-babies.html