Stem Cell Research - Stem cell research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Stem Cell Research - Stem cell research - Essay Example There are a number of sources for obtaining human stem cells. The first is IVF (In Vitro Fertilization) treatment, where surplus embryos (and unfertilized eggs for creating embryos) are donated for research with the consent of the donor rather than being destroyed following treatment. The second source is aborted tissues, which are used as stem cells taken from the aborted foetus. Another is umbilical cord blood, rich in stem cells. These cells are harvested following the baby's birth. The most controversial is perhaps therapeutic cloning, where cells are created for research that is genetically identical to the donor (patient). This is done by removing the nucleus of an egg and fusing this egg with any enucleated cell from the donor. This will create an embryo genetically identical to the donor. Cells can then be harvested from this embryo for treatment. Being an exact replica, there is potentially less chance of rejection following transplantation. The US President's Council on Bioethics recently published a whole white paper on Alternate Sources of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells (www.bioethics.gov). Sometimes these cells could be taken from the recipient patients themselves, avoiding any immune-rejection difficulties. At other times they are taken from donors. There are even proposals to create new non-embryonic organisms which can produce human stem-cells. What all these 'adult' stem-cells have in common is that they are derived from people without harming anyone. Umbilical cord blood, the placenta and even the amniotic fluid have in fact been found to be rich in stem-cells (McGuckin et al 245-255). Stem-cells have also been found in all the tissues found in our bodies such as the brain, pancreas, liver, skin, fat, muscle, blood, bone marrow, lungs, nose and tooth pulp. There is substantial opposition from various religious groups on the ethical issues. One of the most important concerns is that embryonic stem-cells are taken from human embryos. It basically involves killing the embryos which is destined to become a complete human being if it is allowed to. These embryos are taken in the very early stages of their development and hence are very small, having only developed to the stage of 120 cells or so since their creation by IVF or, more recently, by cloning. They are still young-approximately 5 to 6 days old-and grown in a culture in some Petri dish; they might even be a few years old, having been stored in some freezer soon after their manufacture (Fisher 2005). The main area of controversy surrounding this research arises from the harvesting of cells for research. The most flexible stem cells are obtained from embryos owing to their ability to become any type of tissue cell in the body. In fact it is a proven fact that adult stem cells also have similar possibilities. An embryonic stem cell is derived as follows- A fertilized egg forms a blastocyst 4 days after conception. This blastocyst has two types of cells; an outer layer (which becomes the placenta and other supporting tissues needed for foetal development) and an inner cell mass (the stem cells). In order to harvest these cells, they are removed from the blastocyst, a

Islam Is the Way of Life Essay Example for Free

Islam Is the Way of Life Essay Thank yuo Mrs. Chairman. Well, good morning everyone. I would like to utter my very first salam to the honourable judges, respected teachers and fellow friends. My name is Noor Husna Bt. Ahmad Toha and Im from the red team. The reason why am I standing here today is to give a speech entitled Islam is the Way of Life. First and foremost, I believed that each one of us had already heard the phrase Islam is the Way of Life quite often but what does it really means? So today, lets make ourselves clear with it. Teachers and students, Islam guides from the cradle to the grave. It guides us in all aspects of life rather than just prayer and worship. The way of life of Prophet Muhammad P.B.U.H is the way of life of Islam. His 24 hours of life is the perfect model for the people to follow until the Dooms Day. His way of speech, dresiing, his dealing with the wives, children and people in general, his sitiing, walking, sleeping, eating and even his way in the lavatory are model to us. His dealing as the ruler of the Islamic nation, as the judge, as the commander in chief of army, as the head of the family are examples to follow. Prophet Muhammad had once said, I have left two things with you which if you hold onto, you shall not misguided; The Book of God and my example. Humans are made to obey The Creator. Following the Sunnah are one of the many ways to show our devotion to Allah, and the most important is surely to be gracious and respectful to Allahs Messenger as stated in the Holy Quran in the first sentence of Surat Al-Hujurat which means, O you who believe, do not put yourselves forward before Allah and His Messenger, but fear Allah: for Allahis He Who hears and knows all things. We can see a lot of scams in the business nowadays which is very contrary to what has been taught to us by the Prophet. It is a compulsary to us to be fair and honest in trading. Deceiving is completely forbidden. Cheating in business does not benefits anything but it is more likely to gives bad effect to our own life.

Positive Effects Of Social Networking Media Essay

Positive Effects Of Social Networking Media Essay The first type of social networking created was Email, which was invented in 1975 (Email). Since then social networking has advanced into a profile with numerous features that can be used and has integrated the use of email. Now social networking is changing the way the world interacts with people, and has provided many useful tools for the world to use. Still these social networks are continuing to advance to provide better features for users, and these popular sites will continue to grow in size. Even though social networks can have negative effects such as wasting time, it also affects people positively by allowing people to communicate and remain in contact with friends in a much easier way. In the article Are social networking sites good for our society? (2009) social networking is defined as an online community that allow people to develop profiles of their backgrounds and interests, communicate with friends and strangers, and share thoughts, photos, Internet links, music, and more (p.1). Once a social network is joined users are prompted to identify others in the system with which they have a relationship known generally as friends. Social networking sites vary greatly with the features they have to offer, and is what makes each site different from the other. Six Degrees was the first major social network, similar to social networking today, to be launched and was launched in 1997 (Bhutkar, 2009). Social networking as it is today did not become popular until 2003 when Friendster MySpace and LinkedIn were launched. Then in 2004 Facebook was launched but was only open to college students with a valid university email. Facebook remained a college only network for two yea rs before it opened to the general public in 2006. Since then Facebook has become the number one social networking site (Bhutkar, 2009). Social networking sites allow people to communicate and remain in contact with friends as well as meet new people. These sites allow people to find others with similar interests that they can create a relationship with and get to know one another. Groups can be joined or formed to meet people with similar interests, and views. Social networking allows for creative expression by using tools such as blogging and messaging to post ideas and stories (Are social networking sites good for our society, 2009). Users also share poems, interest in music, TV shows, hobbies, photos, and many other things (Jasson). Event invitations can be made and sent to friends rather than having to mail invitations and friends can also rsvp for an event on the site. Not only is it used to talk to friends, but it is also used to discuss educational topics. Social networking is said to increase a persons quality of life, and can reduce health risks. Many people report that they have not had any negative experiences with social networking, and schools are starting to look at it as an educational tool (Thelwell, 2006). The use of social networking helps improve technological skills of students, and exposes them to many diverse views about things. It also has helped with communication skills, and allows the learning of cultures from users all over the world. Also students use social networking to discuss homework topics with peers online, and to get help on assignments (Reid, 2009). Sixty percent of students on social networks have said that they talk about education, and 50 percent specifically talk about school work assignments. These students seem to have an extraordinary set of traditional and 21st century skills including communication, creativi ty, collaboration, and leadership skills and technology proficiency. Parents are expecting schools to take advantage of using online social networking to educate children, but to do so in a safe way. Some public schools have created a secure social network for its student to be able to communicate with other students, and to do so in a more safe way (National School Board Association, 2007). Social Networking does not just benefit individuals, but it also benefits businesses as well. These sites allow businesses to advertise and market services to a large audience, and a profile is free to set up (Gillin). Numerous businesses have created profiles that provide detailed information about the business to advertise in a low cost way (Roberts, 2008). Businesses will gain more attention on social networks because the business profile is available to for all users of the social network to see. Also businesses like to use social networks to learn what potential employees are like, and make decisions based on the information provided on the persons profile (Ellison, Steinfield, Lampe, 2007). Social networking has already completely changed the way people interact in the world, but also it is advancing more to make it easier to access. Now social networking is becoming mobile and can be accessed through the use of a cell phone. It is thought to be a great idea and would increase the use of social networking since a lot of people carry cell phones with them at all times. People can use mobile phones to update their status, post comments, upload photos, send messages, and update profile from just about anywhere (Kharif, 2006). This allows people to be able to get things done as well as take some time to log onto social networks. Making social networks accessible through cell phones is also expected to increase the number of users by a significant amount (Gillin). So far mobile social networking is being used more than social networking from pc computers. The top sites that are being visited using mobile phones are Facebook, MySpace, and Bebo. Being able to access social net works from the cell phone unlocks the full potential of social network, and makes it more convenient for people to use. Since it is more convenient to use the number of users has increased and the mobile social networking has increased significantly (Hamblen, 2008). Social networking does have negative effects as well, but are nothing compared to the advantages of using it. These sites reduce the amount of face to face socializing and replace it with online interaction which is believed to result in low quality relationships with other people (Mikami, Szwedo, Allen, Evans, Hare, 2010). Teens over share information to the public that can hurt them in the future when trying to get a job, and deleting the information is not good enough. Cyber bullying occurs as well, which is bullying people online in a public way, but occurs at a small percentage. People that frequently use online social networking are also prone to social isolation which can lead to depression and decreased social skills (Mikami, Szwedo, Allen, Evans, Hare, 2010). A false sense of security leaves social networking site users vulnerable to security attacks such as hacking, leaking sensitive information, and sending viruses. Identity theft can occur when a cybercriminal uses the network to gather personal information posted about people (University of the Pacific). It also has been said that social networking sites endanger children by allowing pedophiles to seek out children (Are social networking sites good for our society?). Also since they are becoming mobile it might encourage people to use cell phone to access these sites while driving just like text messaging was a popular thing to do while driving. Social networking becoming mobile use will increase cell phone use and the problem with that is that cell phones have been found to emit electromagnetic radiation that is absorbed by the brain and body. This absorption disrupts the brain sites for memory and learning and can cause confusion and forgetfulness (Thomas, 2004). It is also been reported that cell phones can cause cancer from the electromagnetic exposure to other parts of the body, but little emphasis has been placed on it. The cause of cancer in the brain has been the main health concern with cell phones, which social networking by mobile phone is not exposing the brain to the waves. Also, cell phones give small amounts of radiation off and would require a lot of use and over a long period of time for it to start to cause cancer. Research is needed to provide evidence to determine that actual health risk of cell phones. Social networking has its advantages and its disadvantages like everything else does. The sites are continuously advancing, and changing to fix the negative problems. One example would be accessing social networking sites using cell phones so that people can access the site on the go rather than sit at home on a computer. Most users have stated that they have had only positive experiences with social networking, and very few people experience cyber bullying. There are still problems that need to be fixed, but it seems that the positive effects outweigh the negative effects. Social networking is a very valuable tool that can be used to meet new people, and allow people to remain in contact with friends. Even though it can waste time, social networking positively affects the world by allowing people to communicate, and remain in contact with friends in an easy and convenient way.

Isolation Through Symbolism in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter :: essays research papers

Isolation Through Symbolism in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A symbol is an object used to stand for something else. Symbolism has a hidden meaning lying within it; these meanings unite to form a more detailed theme. Symbolism is widely used in The Scarlet Letter to help the reader better understand the deep meanings Nathaniel Hawthorne portrays throughout his novel. He shows that sin, known or unknown to the community, isolates a person from their community and from God. Hawthorne also shows this by symbols in nature around the town, natural symbols in the heavens, and nature in the forest.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  First, two symbols in the town show how sin isolate people. In the first chapter there is a plant that stands out, â€Å"But on one side of the portal, and rooted almost at the threshold, was a wild rosebush, covered, in this month of June, with its delicate gems† (46). It stands out as wild and different among the grass and weeds as Hester does in the Puritan town. She wears her scarlet letter as the rosebush wears its scarlet blossoms. Later in the book Arthur Dimmesdale and Roger Chillingworth (Hester’s unknown husband) discuss a strange dark plant that Chillingworth discovered. â€Å"I found them growing on a grave that bore no tombstone, nor other memorial of the dead man, save these ugly weeds that have taken upon themselves to keep him in remembrance. They grew out of his heart, and typify, it maybe, some hideous secret that was buried with him, and which he had done better to confess during his lifetime† (127). Here there is a man whos e sin was not publicly discovered while he was alive. This person tried to keep wrongdoing a secret by hiding it within himself. Yet the sin was too strong to hide and later reveled after his death. There remains nothing honorable about the place where this person lies, but the weed that grew out of the blackness of this person’s heart.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The next area is a symbol in the heavens. This occurs during the second famous scaffold scene. Dimmesdale, Hester, and Pearl are on the scaffold when, â€Å"a light gleamed far and wide over all the muffled sky. It was doubtless caused by one of those meteors† (150). â€Å"The minister looking upward to the zenith, beheld there the appearance of an immense letter-the letter ‘A’- marked out in lines of dull red light† (152).

Psychology Case Write Up Essay

1. What traits are prominent in these cases? Name two or three from the Big Five and give examples from each person’s behavior, emotional reactions or thought processes as ‘evidence’. Shirley: Shirley seems to not be open to new experiences. At age 57 she has put herself back into psychotherapy. The childhood with a drunken and possible depressed mother seem to play part in the way she raised her children. Where now she only has active contact with one of her daughters and struggles to accept the fact that the other daughter is gay and the son is living in a halfway house. She married an abusive husband which correlates to the men her mother used to date who used to abuse Shirley. Death seems to be a continuous cycle of experiences for Shirley. Her mother died then her first husband, second husband and then her child. She seems to be continuously living the same life over and over and nothing new really happening. An event that does interfere with openness is the fact that she did become a lay minister; open to helping others. Conflicting because she is able to admit she potentially could be an alcoholic but refers to it as a â€Å"problem†. So I would assume she wants something new but the conflict starts when she exhibits the same behaviors over and over. Shirley seems to be an extrovert. Although she struggles with depression she still shows signs of wanting to be around people and have some interaction. She decided to go back to psychotherapy which involves group interaction or one-on-one meetings. There is still the effort of keeping in touch with one daughter. It seems Shirley didn’t like being alone hence the reason she re-married after her first husband died and joined the lay ministry when her second husband died. Perhaps the reason for connecting with people is a way for her to not worry about herself as much. For example she works for the state and is a lay minister but states â€Å"herself as â€Å"mentally ill†, but that she ‘may’ also have a drinking ‘problem'†. Greg: Greg seems to be conscientious in some areas and not so much in others. He graduated college with his masters but has a hard time completing his work on the job. Perhaps the reason he struggles with communicating to the children’s parents could be a reason why he isn’t close to his colleagues; lack of assertiveness. He has never developed a relationship with his father and isn’t completely honest with his mother in regards to his sexuality. He seems to be a great achiever within himself but dealing or doing things for something else is where he struggles. For example â€Å"has trouble being assertive and setting limits both with clients and colleagues but he works out at the gym and is quite muscular†. Greg seems to be an extrovert. He enjoys singing in the

A Freedom Trail in Boston

Boston is the largest city of the Common wealth of Massachusetts and belongs to one of the oldest cities of United State of America.   It was founded by Puritan colonialist from England in 1630.Boston was a short way across Boston Harbor at Charlestown from immediate area which was settled by Euro-Americans that made it grow. Its deep habor and advantageous geographic position helped it to be the busiest port of Massachusetts Bay Colony.Boston played a fundamental role in the American Revolution. Several events and battles such as Boston Massacre, the Boston Tea Party, The Battle of the Lexington and Concord, the Battle of Bunker Hill and the Siege of Boston all occurred near or in the city. Boston is sometimes referred to be Cradle of Liberty. It has historic sites remains which have been of tourist attraction. It has preserved colonial and revolutionary past from the harboring of the U.S.S. Constitution to many famous sites along the freedom Trail (Seasholes, 2003).It is this Fre edom Trail caught my attention during our visit to Boston. Freedom Trail is a reddish path that runs through downtown of Boston and Massachusetts leading to sixteen important historic sites. It is a four kilometer walk that starts from the Boston Common to the Bunker Hill Moment in Charlestown. Originally, the Freedom Trail was conceived by local journalist William Schofield who promoted the idea of linking local landmarks with a pedestrian since 1951.For any visitors like us to Boston, they must include a walk into history along the Freedom Trail. However, one can begin the walk in the middle or the end and wend way through the streets of Boston. This Trail took us sixteen historical sites in about three hours and we covered about a half century of the America’s most significant past.To visit these historical sites, one may opt to have a self guide or assistance of tour guides who are available through the Boston Common Visitors Centers at 148 Tremont Street or the Bostix Bo oth located at Faneuil Hall. Also one can decide to take a ride by paying one of the trolley tours, which are unofficial guided tours and have disembark at selected stops but we decided to take a tour guide. The best point to start for Freedom Trail excursion is the Boston Common which is the America’s oldest public park where we definitely started.This park rests on forty four acres of open land. Initially it was used as common pasture for grazing cattle that was owned by the townspeople of Boston. Later it became a ‘trayning’ field for militia which was used as British Army camp. Also it was use to hand pirates, witches or publicly pillory criminals besides serving for public oratory and discourse. Currently, the place is used for concert and provides calm respite from the bustle of city life (http://www.aviewoncities.com/boston/bostonattractions.htm n.d).From Boston Common the next historical site we visited was the State House. It was built on 1798 and is wid ely considered to be one of the most magnificent and well suited buildings in the county. It was constructed shortly after the revolution by Charles Bullfinch as a new center of the state governance.Presently, the building serves as the seat of the government of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. From state house our next stop was at Park Street Church. It was founded in 1809. Its 217 ft steeple was the first landmark travelers saw when approaching to the Boston. It has gained a lot of significance due for its involvement in political, social and humanitarian issues. For instance, in 1829 Wiliam Lloyd Garrison delivered a speech from the church pulpit condemning slavery and he was the first to do so in public.Just after this the next Freedom Trail stop was Old Granary Burying Ground. Originally it was called South Burying Ground due to its location in the southern area of Boston settlement and latter was renamed Middle Bury Ground as Boston grew towards south. Its present name is de rived from a grain storage building which stood at same site with Park Street Church.Some of Boston’s famous revolutionaries were buried here including John Hancock, Samuel Adams, and Robert Treat Paine all three who signed Declaration of Independence and also Paul Revere and victims of Boston Massacre.   Following the red line of the Freedom Trail it led us to King’s Chapel and Burying Ground. The Royal Governor built King’s Chapel on the this town burying ground   in 1688 , as no one would sell him land to build a non-Puritan church for king’s men   who were British law enforcers (Ibid).