Myostatin Boy Essay Example for Free

Myostatin Boy Essay Many scientists believe the find could eventually lead to drugs for treating eople with muscular dystrophy and other muscle-destroying conditions. And athletes would almost surely want to get their hands on such a drug and use it like steroids to bulk up. The boys mutant DNA segment was found to block production of a protein called myostatin that limits muscle growth. The news comes seven years after researchers at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore created buff mighty mice by turning off the gene that directs cells to produce myostatin. Now we can say that myostatin acts the same way in humans as in animals, said the boys physician, Dr. Markus Schuelke, a professor in the child neurology department at Charite/ University Medical Center Berlin. We can apply that knowledge to humans, including trial therapies for muscular dystrophy. Given the huge potential market for such drugs, researchers at universities and pharmaceutical companies already are trying to find a way to limit the amount and activity of myostatin in the body. Wyeth has Just begun human tests of a genetically engineered antibody designed to neutralize myostatin. Dr. Lou Kunkel, director of the genomics program at Boston Childrens Hospital and professor of pediatrics and genetics at Harvard Medical School, said success is possible within several years. Just decreasing this protein by 20, 30, 50 percent can have a profound effect on muscle bulk, said Kunkel, who is among the doctors participating in the Wyeth research. Slow wasting process Muscular dystrophy is the worlds most common genetic disease. There is no cure and the most common form, Duchennes, usually kills before adulthood. The few treatments being tried to slow its progression have serious side effects. Muscle asting also is common in the elderly and patients with diseases such as cancer and AIDS. If you could find a way to block myostatin activity, you might slow the wasting process, said Dr. Se-Jin Lee, the Johns Hopkins professor whose team created the mighty mice. Lee said he believes a myostatin blocker also could suppress fat accumulation and thus thwart the development of diabetes. Lee and Johns Hopkins would receive royalties for any myostatin-blocking drug made by Wyeth. Dr. Eric Hoffman, director of Childrens National Medical Centers Research Center for Genetic Medicine, said he believes a muscular dystrophy cure will be found, but he is unsure whether it will be a myostatin-blocking drug, another treatment or a combination, because about a dozen genes have some effect on muscles. He said a mystotatin- blocking drug could help other groups of people, including astronauts and others who lose muscle mass during long stints in zero gravity or when immobilized by illness or a broken limb. Eventual health problems? Researchers would not disclose the German boys identity but said he was born to a nd three other close male relatives all were unusually strong, with one of them a construction worker able to unload heavy curbstones by hand. In the mother, one copy of the gene is mutated and the other is normal; the boy has two mutated copies. One almost definitely came from his father, but no information about him has been disclosed. The mutation is very rare in people. The boy is healthy now, but doctors worry he could eventually suffer heart or other health problems. In the past few years, scientists have seen great potential in myostatin-blocking strategies. Internet marketers have been hawking myostatin-blocking supplements to bodybuilders, though doctors say the products are useless and perhaps dangerous. Some researchers are trying to turn off the myostatin gene in chickens to produce more meat per bird. And several breeds of cattle have natural variations in the gene that, aided by selective breeding, give them far more muscle and less fat than other steer. He could do the iron cross when he was 5 months old, said his adoptive mother, Dana Hoekstra of Roosevelt Park. She was referring to a difficult gymnastics move in hich a male athlete suspends himself by his arms between two hanging rings, forming the shape of a cross. Liam has the kind of physical attributes that bodybuilders and other athletes dream about: 40 percent more muscle mass than normal, Jaw-dropping strength, breathtaking quickness, a speedy metabolism and almost no body fat. Liam can run like the wind, has the agility of a cat, lifts pieces of furniture that most children his age couldnt push across a slick floor and eats like there is no tomorrow without gaining weight. Liam Hoekstra was hanging upside down by his feet when he performed an inverted sit-up, his shirt falling away to expose rippled abdominal muscles. It was a display of raw power one might expect to see from an Olympic gymnast. Liam is 19 months old. The so-called myostatin blockade has generated tremendous interest in the bodybuilding community. Some nutritional supplements claim to block myostatin, but researchers have said the claims are not scientifically valid. If the myostatin protein is knocked out, muscles grow and rejuvenate much more uickly,

Tay-Sachs Essays -- Health Medical Medicine Biology Essays

Tay-Sachs Abstract Tay-Sachs is a disease caused by a mutation to the gene which codes for Hex A. Without Hex A, a cell cannot degrade GM2 ganglioside into GM3 ganglioside. This results in a build up of ganglioside’s in lysosomes of neurons. The result is varying degrees of mental deterioration. New DNA-based screening is currently being developed to replace the enzyme-based screening techniques that have been used since 1969. This will not only speed up the diagnosis, but also allow for earlier detection of Tay-Sachs by using the parents genotypes. Introduction Tay-Sachs disease is one of three autosomal recessive, lysosomal storage disorders, collectively known as the GM2 gangliosidoses. They result from accumulation of GM2 ganglioside in lysosomes, primarily of neurons. The clinical symptoms of Tay-Sachs vary from infantile lethal neurodegenerative disease to less severe adult onset forms. The latter are often characterized by motor neuron impairments. The recognition of the high incidence of this disease among Ashkenazi Jews and the identification of the deficiency of hexosaminidase A as the basic defect were essential findings leading to the establishment of mass carrier screening programs for this disease [2]. Recently, research has focused on the DNA-based diagnostics that are anticipated to play a role in future carrier screening programs [1]. GM2 ganglioside hydrolysis The lysosomal hydrolase, beta-hexosaminidase, occurs predominantly in two forms, hexosaminidase A (Hex A) and hexosaminidase B (Hex B). Hex A is comprised of one alpha and one beta subunit while Hex B is comprised of two beta subunits [3]. While both subunits contain similar active sites, only the alpha subunit can hydrolyze GM2 gan... ... Gravel, R. (1990). The molecular basis of Tay-Sachs disease: mutation identification and diagnosis. Clin. Biochem. 23:409-415. 2. Navon, R., Proia, R. (1991). Tay-Sachs disease in Moroccan Jews deletion of a phenylalanine in the alpha-subunit of beta--hexosaminidase. Am. J. Hum. Genet. 48:412-419. 3. Gray, R.G.F., Green, A., Rabb, L., Broadhead, D.M., Besley, G.T.N. (1990). A case of the B1 variant of GM2-gangliosidosis. J. Inher. Metab. Dis. 13:280-282. 4. Meier, E., Schwarzmann, G., Furst, W., Sandhoff, K. (1991). The human GM2 activator protein. J. Biological Chem. 266:1879-1887. 5. Mahuran, D.J. (1991). The biochemistry of HEXA and HEXB gene mutations causing GM2 gangliosidosis. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta. 1096:87-94. 6. Robbins, S., Ranzi, R., Kumar, V., (Eds). (1984). Pathologic Basis of Disease. Philadelphia, PA: Saunders Co. 142-145.

Ethical Issues in Business Essay

The issue of ethical behavior is one of the top challenges facing organizations today. A good definition of ethics includes the thought of doing what is morally acceptable or what is â€Å"good† and â€Å"right† as opposed to doing what is â€Å"bad† or â€Å"wrong† (Sims, 1992). But why are these issues a concern for organizations? What can they do to promote ethical behavior from their employees? Organizations should be concerned with ethical behavior for many reasons. Even though ethical decisions are not always black and white, ethical behavior is important to the organization because ethical behavior enhances the corporate reputation, helps attract talented employees, and enhances the corporate image. First, there is evidence that profitability is enhanced by a reputation for honesty and corporate citizenship (Kinicki, Kreitner, 2009). After all, the number one reason for business is to make a profit, thus returning value to its share holders. Consumers are more likely to buy goods or services from a reputable company then one with a reputation for unethical behavior. The Ford Company in the 1970’s was a good example of lost sales due to an unethical decision. When the Ford Pinto was hit in the rear, the gas tank would often explode. Ford was slow to acknowledge the problem. By the time Ford admitted that they had a flawed design, many consumers had stopped buying Fords. Another reason organizations should be concerned with ethical behavior is its ability to attract talented employees. In a recent survey eighty three percent of those polled rated a company’s record as â€Å"very important† when deciding to accept a job offer (Kinicki, Kreitner, 2009). Hiring and keeping innovative, creative and talented employees is essential for businesses as they attempt to compete in this global economy. Without talented people, organizations will be at a disadvantage when it comes to competing for future business. Being good corporate citizens is another reason that organizations should be concerned with ethical behavior. Businesses have many stakeholders that rely on them. These include shareholders, current and former employees, customers, suppliers and communities where facilities are located (Kinicki, Kreitner, 2009). Businesses are more than just profit centers today. When making decisions, businesses must consider the social, political, and environmental effects as well as the profitability aspect. The challenge to be a good corporate citizen has put the emphasis on being an ethical company, with every decision made. Ethics is an important organizational issue, but ethics starts with the individual. We make decisions based on a combination of our personality characteristics, values and moral principles (Kinicki, Kreitner, 2009). Each of us â€Å"learns† what is right or wrong as we grow up. Our moral compass is set by what we learn from parents, teachers, grandparents, siblings and society. We take our observations and experiences and use them to form our opinion as to what right and wrong means. We then use our moral compass to make decisions as we become employees and managers of business. Organizations should do everything necessary to address ethical issues up front. If they are unsuccessful in eliminating issues before they happen, organizations should be forthright in communicating any possible wrongdoing. Consider an example shared recently in the Wall Street Journal. Defense contractor DynCorp International Inc. recently admitted that it may have violated Foreign Corrupt Practices when it tried to speed up the issuances of visas and licensing related to work for the U. S. government overseas† (Cole, 2009, p. B. 4). This possible violation, if legitimate, was committed by sub-contractors working for DynCorp. By proactively disclosing possible wrongful behavior, DynCorp is sending a message that it will not tolerate unethical behavior by its employees or sub-contractors. But organizations can do more than address possible issues after they occur. They can impact ethical behavior in a positive manner through various means. By utilizing different measures organizational culture can be affected in a positive way. Ethical behavior starts at the top (Sims, 1992). The ethical tone of an organization is set with its top managers. How top management acts when faced with an ethical dilemma, strongly effects how the rest of the organization will react when they face questionable issues. By walking the walk and talking the talk, organizational leaders can show their subordinates what they expect in the area of ethics. Actions and words by top executives will set the tone for the entire organization. Another way an organization can positively affect ethical behavior is through a corporate code of ethics. This code of ethics should be shared with all employees throughout the organization. The company that I work for emails the code of ethics to all employees annually. A high ranking executive will send the code out for all to read. Each employee then is required to electronically sign indicating that he or she understands the code. This annual process sends the message that unethical behavior will not be tolerated. Organizations have much to do to be a productive, profitable entity in today’s global economy. Building an organizational culture that supports ethical decision making through active leadership, positive community actions, and employee involvement will go a long way toward meeting business goals. With a strong culture in place, organizations will be seen in a positive light by their customers, future and current employees, and by the communities where they do business. Being a good corporate citizenship will lead to a well liked, responsible, financially supported organization that can be competitive in the twenty first century.

Native Elements and Minerals List

Native elements are chemical elements that occur in nature in an uncombined or pure form. Although most elements are found only in compounds, a rare few are native. For the most part, native elements also form chemical bonds and occur in compounds. Here is a list of these elements: Native Elements That Are Metals Ancient man was familiar with several pure elements, mainly metals. Several of the noble metals, such as gold and platinum, exist free in nature. The gold group and platinum group, for example, are all elements that exist in the native state. The rare earth metals are among elements that do not exist in native form. Aluminum - AlBismuth -Â  BiCadmium - CdChromium - CrCopper - CuGold - AuIndium - InIron - FeIridium - IrLead - PbMercury - HgNickel - NiOsmium - OsPalladium - PdPlatinum - PtRhenium - ReRhodium - RhSilver - AgTantalum - TaTin - SnTitanium - TiVanadium - VZinc - Zn Native Elements That Are Metalloids or Semimetals Antimony - SbArsenic - AsSilicon - SiTellurium - Te Native Elements That Are Nonmetals Note gases are not listed here, even though they may exist in pure form. This is because gases are not considered minerals and also because they freely mix with other gases, so you are unlikely to encounter a pure sample. However, the noble gases do not readily combine with other elements, so you might consider them native in that respect. The noble gases include helium, neon, argon, krypton, xenon, and radon. Similarly, diatomic gases, such as hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen are not considered native elements. Carbon - CSelenium - SeSulfur - S Native Alloys In addition to elements that occur in the native state, there are a few alloys also found free in nature: BrassBronzeElectrumGerman SilverGold-Mercury AmalgamPewterSilver-Mercury AmalgamWhite Gold The native alloys and other native metals were mankinds only access to metals prior to the development of smelting, which is believed to have begun around 6500 BC. Even though metals were known before this, they typically occurred in very small quantities, so they were not available to most people. Sources Fleischer, Michael; Cabri, Louis J.; Chao, George Y.; Pabst, Adolf (1980). New Mineral Names. American Mineralogist. 65: 1065–1070.Mills, S.J.; Hatert, F.; Nickel, E.H.; Ferraris, G. (2009). The standardisation of mineral group hierarchies: application to recent nomenclature proposals. Eur. J. Mineral. 21: 1073–1080. doi:10.1127/0935-1221/2009/0021-1994