gubble gubble

If I had had more time to research and mull over the topic and stuff like that (though I feel like I've been more thorough than most) I would have made better use of the bibliographies of my scholarly sources. My bibliography compares with the bibliographies of my sources in that it is full of scholarly articles from credible sources. However, while I have like eight sources for a thirteen page paper, most of my articles have like thirty sources for a six page paper. We must take into consideration, though, the highly scholastic nature of my topic... gene therapy. I wrote a paper worthy of a 300-level genetics class for my English150 classes. Except for a I did a lot more explaining of the simple things for readers completely unfamiliar with subject of genetics. Hmmmm... whatever.

Introductory Paragraph PART B

Since the dawn of time, people have wanted to be healthy. Unfortunately, there have always been unfavorable weather conditions, germs, poor living conditions, and faulty genes that thwart them in their ever-present quest. Of the above mentioned causes of disease, humans have generally learned how to provide themselves with shelter, kill bacteria with antibiotics, and stay clean and well-nourished, but genetic disease remained a profound mystery, but until the discovery of genetics and DNA. Currently, there are some treatments for these diseases, but not cures. Those who inherited type A diabetes from their parents, for example, can supplement their body with insulin injections. But there are many of these diseases that have no really treatments whatsoever like Huntington's disease. However, there is a new kind of technology that aims to cure these diseases entirely by altering the human genetic code. Gene therapy, as this science is called, uses genetically-altered viruses to insert re-engineered DNA into affected human cells. Though this science is still rather young and controversial, gene therapy should be more extensively researched, tested, and eventually commercialized.

P. S. I would never really start my paper with "since the dawn of time..." I just thought I'd get the temptation to do that out of my system before I actually wrote my paper :)

Introductory Paragraph PART A

You start to sniffle, cough, and get a sore throat. You know that you’re about to endure a few weeks of the common cold. While this may be an annoying inconvenience, you know that it will eventually go away and you will return to health. Now, imagine being born with an illness that you will have your entire life—but it is much worse than the common cold. What would it be like to have to go through your entire life afflicted with an illness like Huntington’s disease, hemophilia, severe combined immune deficiency (SCID), or cystic fibrosis? Not only do these diseases severely impair the health of an individual, they and many others like them are incurable. A doctor cannot prescribe an antibiotic to treat these diseases, because they are caused by a defective genetic code, not a pathogen. It has only been within the last hundred years that scientists have discovered the cause of genetic diseases which were a profound medical mystery up until the discovery of genes and DNA as the genetic blueprint. Modern science has made certain therapies available for some of these diseases so that individuals with Type I diabetes, for example, can receive insulin injections, and hemophilia patients can receive supplements of the clotting factor that their body does not produce. However, many of these genetic diseases, such as SCID, have no treatment to supplement the deficiencies of a faulty genetic code. Children born with SCID are confined to a germ-free “bubble” their entire lives unless they are lucky enough to get a bone marrow transplant that their body does not reject. Being diagnosed with a genetic disease is extremely sad because there is usually little to no hope for a cure or even a treatment.

However, within the last couple decades researchers have discovered a new way to treat genetic diseases. Instead of just providing supplements and making up for what the body doesn’t produce, why not alter the human genome and “fix” the genes? Gene therapy, as this new treatment is called, is much more complicated than most people, and even most scientists, comprehend, but it is with reach. In 1998, for example, ten SCID patients were treated using gene therapy and all but one were able to live normal lives thanks to this new alternative treatment. However, anytime a scientist wants to mess with the human genome, there is ethical controversy. Though gene therapy research generally does not involve the use of embryonic stem cells, bioethicists are concerned that gene therapy will lead to the standardization of eugenic practices, especially as regards fetal gene therapy. Also, many of the clinical trials associated with gene therapy have failed. Mistakes in gene therapy research protocol have resulted in tight restrictions on the progress of research by the federal government. With more research and safer clinical trials, gene therapy could eventually become an important treatment for genetic diseases. Currently, researchers are also using gene therapy to treat certain types of cancer and preliminary research is now underway to test gene therapy as a treatment for AIDS. Through controversy surrounds the study of gene therapy, this life-saving science could be more extensively researched, funded, and eventually commercialized so that people born with serious genetic diseases can have hope for a healthy, productive life.

The Three Levels of Coolness in Gene Therapy Articles

My topic for the Issues Paper is gene therapy. Gene therapy is the science of using altered gene sequences in viral vectors and oncolytic (cancer-killing) viruses to alter human DNA in specific tissues to kill cancer cells and prevent or cure severe genetic disorders. The most famous feat of gene therapy thus far has been Alain Fischer's gene therapy for severe combined immune deficiency (SCID) patients. He was able to successfully use viral vectors to cure 9 of 10 SCID patients... only one died of complications related to the therapy. This is actually really incredible, because normally all of these children would have died within their first few years of life.

But on to my sources... the most credible of my three sources was an article entitled, "Viral Therapy for Glioblastoma," from the May/June 2003 issue of The Cancer Journal, a highly reputable source for current cancer research. The only thing about this source that might that make it a bit less desirable than others is that it is five years old. Especially when you're talking about science, this could be very outdated information. However, from the background research that I've done concerning this topic, the science of gene therapy is not progressing very fast due to general tentativeness and government restrictions because there have been a few patient deaths associated with clinical gene therapy trials. This article, however, was full to the brim of techincal terms, intutive scientific perspectives, and current research (or at least as of 2003). Every author listed has an MD and a PhD.

My article of 'medium' credibility, "The Glimmering Promise of Gene Therapy," was from a more popular science magazine, Technology Review, not a scholarly journal. However, this article provided an interesting and (as far as I can tell) accurate overview of the the history of gene therapy research. The author does not have an advanced degree, but is quite prolific and has authored many well-respected science books and written lots of articles on various scientific topics. Also, a healthy portion of the article was derived from personal interviews that the author had with prominent gene therapy scientists such an Alain Fischer. While this article can't boast the hardcore scholarly credibility of the one from The Cancer Journal, I believe that it is still a good source for background research and an "interview perspective."

Finally, my least credible source was the "Gene Therapy" article from Wikipedia. While there was some important basic information in this article and it might be an okay resource for someone who had a primitive curiosity in gene therapy, there were a lot of holes in the information presented and the facts were basic and conceptual with little scientific backing. It was evident that many different people had edited the article... some of whom didn't even finish what they started. Like I said, it might be a good overview for some random person who just wanted to know was gene therapy was, but for my Issues paper, I will definitely be looking for more scholarly, indepth, scientifically-based sources than Wikipedia.

Don't be stupid: drink living water, eat the bread of life...

One of my favorite talks this past general conference was Lawrence E. Corbridge's words about the importance of choosing to follow Jesus Christ and keep his commandments. When he first started speaking, I have to admit that I was kind of lost and a bit quizzical... his remarks didn't seem to have a lot of direction or an overarching theme... at first anyways. However, the rhetorical techniques that he used were rather powerful... using lots of logical appeals, he presents the alternatives of following Christ and not following Christ... and the consequences for those that choose one way or the other. The powerful scriptural references he used, and the way that he just made the alternatives so clear was rather moving. In a world were gray is the chique color, it was refreshing to something so black and white... so this talk was appropriate as far as kairos goes as well. Elder Corbridge also used ethical appeals as he spoke of Christ's power and authority. Who would not want to trust in such a benevolent, loving being as Jesus Christ who offers us so much peace and happiness? Overall, I enjoyed this talk from the Saturday Afternoon Session. Though I was a bit confused at the beginning, I was left in awe of the importance of following Jesus Christ... Elder Corbridge was a very effective speaker.

Early Morning Exercise Is Amazing Beyond All Reason

People will constantly tell you that they are not "morning people." I think they mean that they don't like to get up early--that they would much rather go to bed late and sleep in than get to bed early and rise early. There's a seven a.m. meeting and the person who comes in late excuses himself, "I'm sorry, I'm just not a morning person!" But really what kind of an excuse is that? In the reality, even the most disciplined among us would like to sleep in. But there are so many things to do in the mornings! Our church leaders have counseled that there is "power in the mornings," indicating that it is a good time for prayer and scripture study. Also, if there's anything you need to do around the apartment that you don't want anyone else to know about, or that you don't need anyone else around for, get up early and get it done. It's likely that your roommates are just as lazy as you would normally be. But how do you go about making yourself a morning person? It really would be so much easier to just press the "snooze" button indefinitely or to just get up late like a normal person. What's the key to loving the mornings, even when you've had a late night?

I will admit that I was never a morning person either. I hated to get up for early morning seminary and relished every chance I got to sleep in until noon. This changed last summer when I participated in a swim team that practiced at 5:30 a.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. There is nothing more physically cleansing and invigorating than swimming early in the mornings. I would come home and the whole world felt beautiful and open. I was up early enough that I had time for scripture study and prayer. I had time to prepare for the day and make myself a good breakfast before work. Plus, it always feels really good to walk around all day knowing that you've exercised... at least I feel proud and happy during the day after I've exercised. This is very vain and awful, but it's fun to think to yourself, "I got up and exercised this morning... and no one else here did! Mua ha ha ha!" It's not usually quite that wicked-sounding inside my head, but if I've exercised in the morning, I feel empowered and more confident in myself. I also feel like I can eat more during the day, which doesn't really make sense if I'm trying to lose wight. However, there has been scientific research suggesting that people who exercise before noon (in the mornings) are more likely to lose weight than those who only exercise in the afternoons or evenings. So if you just want to maintain your current weight and not demoralize over eating a bowl ice cream or going out to lunch, swim in the morning... or participate in whatever kind of exercise suits your fancy.

Anyway, in the course of making myself get up for early to swim, I became a morning person, and now I love to get up early so that I can swim. I'm crazy... I know. This, of course, does not mean that I don't like to sleep in on the weekends. I would die if I had to get up at 5:30 or 6:00 every single morning of my life. The principle point is that if you want to become a morning person, want an ideal time to exercise, want to lose weight, or just want a fantastic start to your day, your should start exercising in the mornings. It's awesome. It's hard at first and makes you develop a lot of self-discipline, but it's awesome. Try working out with a group or team at first... that will make you be accountable to someone for showing up. It's a lot harder to try to do all by yourself. If I hadn't had the swim team, I'm not sure that I ever would've gotten up and gone swimming that early. If I hadn't carried that habit of early morning exercise on into college, I would probably weigh like 200 pounds right now. No joke. However, I love swimming and getting up early to swim, so if you have any inclination at all, I would recommend that you plan out your workout schedule today and begin tomorrow morning. You will only regret it for the few minutes in between when you make youself get out of bed and when you start working out. But you are tough and can get through it. I believe in you! Become a morning person and begin your early morning exercise routine as soon as possible!

Darling Little Moscow

Sledding in the wheat fields, curling up with a cup of the world's best hot cocoa in a little coffee shop downtown, swimming at 5:30 in the morning at the outdoor pool, going to lunch at the Silos or downtown, riding the Chipman trail, participating in University activities and using University facilities, going on runs in the country side, driving through the snow to early morning seminary, going on midnight Ben and Jerry's runs to Safeway, owning two adorable hunting dogs, loving life, and living it in the small town of Moscow, ID.

According to an Associated Press report a few years back, Moscow was voted one of the top ten places in the United States to raise a family. Having lived and gone to school in Moscow since I was about 10, I can see why. My siblings and I were fortunate enough to attend Lena Whitmore Elementary... the best elementary school in the world, by the way... and we were all afforded numerous opportunities throughout our childhoods to attend special cultural events like Rendezvous in the Park, the Renaissance Fair, and many others. Moscow is also very close to many outdoor opportunities... drive two hours in any direction and you can find many places to fish, hike, swim, camp, whatever. It's awesome.

One of the greatest resources that Moscow boasts is the University of Idaho. Our community is so much richer because of the many intellects and talents that the University brings. The University brings lots of new culture and diversity to Moscow. One of my good friends from high school was a Muslim from Egypt whose dad taught engineering at the University. The University also provides dual enrollment for high school students, helping them to get university credits before they even graduate from high school. Speaking of which, Moscow High School is often referred to as "The Pride of North" because students in Moscow School District generally test higher than any other students in the panhandle. There are many great clubs, sports programs, and academic programs at Moscow High School. One in particular is the Extended Learning Internship program which allows a student to design their own course and set their own goals for a semester of learning about whatever they what. I owe my present satisfaction with my declared major to this program. First semester of my senior year, I studied neuroscience... more specifically, Uniqueness and Creativity in the Brain. I had the greatest mentor ever and it was through the ELI program that I was able to fall in love with brains and determine my current major.

I had a lot of friends from high school who were so so so excited to get out of Moscow when they graduated, but I miss my little hometown. The mountains here are very nice, but I miss the rolling wheat fields, Paradise Creek, and good old Moscow Mountain... though when compared to the mountains here, Moscow Mountain was more like a nice little rise with some trees. Oh well. I still miss it and love it. I am already super excited to go home at Christmas time. Moscow truly is the best hometown in the whole world!!!