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=Boricua Science Class Student Work Space=

Student Name:
Marisol Rivera

End of Term Reflection
Here are some of the activities we did in class this term: Harper's Magazine ("Boots on the Ice"), Hurricane Evacuation Plan, Designer Babies (GATACA), Genetic Diseases, Evolution Movies/Research, NYT Science Reviews, Punnett Squares, Chemical Bond Diagrams, The Periodic Table, The Birth and Death of Stars

Computer Class = more Videos = more Student Group Activities = more Evaluations = n/a I enjoyed this class very much it was a challenge since my weakness is science. I found that science is important and I learned a lot. I struggled with the experiments I just could not get it. I believe if we had more time in the class I could of learned more. It was a lot of information that had to be learned and not enough time. Professor Lewis gave us a lot information. The Chemical Bond Diagrams were my favorite.
 * What 2-3 activities did you enjoy/learn the most? The three activities I enjoyed the most was Hurricane Evacuation Plan, Genetic Diseases and Chemical Bond Diagrams.
 * What 2-3 activities topic did you find the most difficult to understand? The topics that I found difficult were The Birth and Death of Stars.
 * Describe how could we improve this course in the future
 * Explain why you enjoyed, or why you struggled through, this class, offering whatever insights you may feel are valuable:

Symptom

 * 1) It is a genetic condition that causes the skin to be very fragile and blister.
 * 2) In mild cases the body parts that are affected are the feet, hands, knees, and elbows.
 * 3) Servere cases a person can even loss their vision, difigueration, and have serious medical issues.

Genes

 * 1) The COL7A1 gene provides instruction for providing protein.
 * 2) VII Collagen strengthen and stabalizes the skin.
 * 3) When Collagen VII is abnormal or missing friction it can cause two layers of skin to seperate.

Cytogenetic Location
3p21.1

Base Pair Sites
48,576,509 48,607,688

Community
Ridgewood, N.Y.

Evacuation Center

 * 1) I am not in an evacuation zone area. There is no evacation order in effect.
 * 2) Implemented Plan- does not apply

Your Evacuation Plan
Stay at home and be prepared to shelter in place for several days. I will watch the weather on the television or listen to the weather report on the radio. We would know that a huricane is going to hit New York so, my family will already be at home and not going until it is safe.

Supplies: batteries, portable radio/televison, flashlights, first aid kit, inflatable raft and paddle, candles, lighters, generator, plenty of can food like tuna fish, salmon, soup, beefstew, vegtables,etc., plenty of bottle water to drink, paper cups, plastic spoons, forks, and plates, collect gallons of water for bathing and brushing our teeth, and toilet use etc.

#1 For Stem Cells, a Role in the Battlefield
> Scientist reported making 10 billion to100 billion red cells from embryonic stem cells but, this is less then needed. A unit of blood that is a pint contains more than a trillion cells. James Thompson of the University of Winsconson was the first person to derive humanembryoni stem cells, was a founder of stem cell products. > People donated blood for free and free is a difficult price to compete with, donated blood is processed. Hospitals can buy a unit for $200. Red cells from embryonic stem cells could be thousands of dollars. Advance cell technology is struggling to raise money to stay in business. Stem cells are like a miracle potion for many diseases it is like something you see in one of those science fiction movies. You wish that something like that was true a cure for all diseases and make the paralyzed walk again, keep a person feeling and looking young like the fountain of youth.
 * 1) Summary – Red cells can be produced by embryonic stem cells it can be used for treating diseases like parkinsons,heart attacks, diabetes, but embryonic stem cell are very controvercial. It is outlawed under president Bush's administration policy federal money can be spent on only small numbers of approved embryonic stem cells. There are other ways to produce red cells. One is called indulced pluripotent stem cells these are made from adult skin cells, they avoid the ethically controversial destruction of embryos. Another way to make red cells is called bone marrow or cord blood but, these cells can not reproduce like embryonic stem cells. Manufactured cells might not last long in the body like donated red blood cells blood substitutes may harm patients.
 * 1) Book Citation – I linked this article to pages 494 and 495 in the book. Pages 494 and 495 is about stem cells, cloning, and Regenerative Medicine.
 * 2) This chapter also mentions James Thompson and it tells us that by finding the just right chemical enviornment for his stem cells, Thompson
 * 3) would be able to keep the genes in his cells from being switched off. Scientist realized that if they could learn to coax stem cells into turning into different kinds of tissue, they could deal with diseases that are now untreatable. Like generating new muscles to repair damaged hearts, new
 * 4) neurons to relieve the symptoms of Parkinson's disease, and a new pancreatic cells to treat diabetes.
 * 5) Personal Interest – This article was interesting to me because lots of people are suffering from all these diseases and it would be nice if we could find a cure or a treatment. I learned that if people donated more blood it would help other people who need red cells to help cure their desease. I enjoyed reading this article because I learned more about how stem cells can help cure diseases. I didn't know much about stem cells.
 * 1) Personal Interest – This article was interesting to me because lots of people are suffering from all these diseases and it would be nice if we could find a cure or a treatment. I learned that if people donated more blood it would help other people who need red cells to help cure their desease. I enjoyed reading this article because I learned more about how stem cells can help cure diseases. I didn't know much about stem cells.

#2 After Hurricane Ike, Finding the Coastline Rearranged, Again

 * 1) Summary – Hericanes and Global warming are erroding coast line on many islands in some time some of these islands will disappear all together according to the scientist and geologist. Asbury H Sallenger a oceanographer in a plane flying over Ship island could not be found. Maps and G.P.S. systems told them it should be in the eastern coast but it was not there. They spoted the western part and the eastern part of the Ship island was now under water. Right after Hurricane Ike struck the gulf coast and sea level continues to rise. Global warming the world of the Outer Banks of North Carolina will vanish if the sea rises just two feet. On the gulf coast it would be less than 3 years since hurricane Katrina, Ike, and Gustavo destroyed many islands west of Louisianna. Storms and climate changes are partly the blame federal dredging projects are robbing island of sand. Karen Morgan a geologist surveying not by shoreline but, by a line of white water island remains. Many animals depend on these islands.
 * 2) Book Citation – I linked to page 377 in the textbook this page does not talk about hurricane Ike but, it does talk about hurricane Katrina and el Nino. Tropical storms that begin in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Africa or in the Caribbean Sea and affect North America are called hurricanes. Now we have satelites that spot and track tropical storms. For hurricane Katrina residents had a several days warning.
 * 3) Personal Interest I chose this article because I have family that live in Puerto Rico and they always have hurricanes there. I remember in 1980 when I lived there it was like August and they had a few hurricanes. It rain for days and the wind was just blowing eveything. I could hear the avocados hitting the tin roofs. Some of the house were just blown away. I was too young to know why we had those storms. In New York I had never experienced that. It is scary, all the stores are closed for days, there is no school, sometimes there is no light and water for days. I enjoyed the hurricane topic Mr. Lewis taught us because now I know why we have hurricanes.

#3 SHORTER RADIATION FOR CANCER OF THE BREAST

 * 1) Summary – Canadian reasearches have reported, that after monitoring a large groupd of patients for 12 years women with early stages of breast cancer who recieve just three weeks of radiation treatment will have the same effect as id they had 5weeks of readiation. By shortening the radiation schedules it will help make it safer and the patients life much easier. Clinics will be able to shorten the waiting list and treat women without buying more machines. the number of women who develop breast cancer is about 18,000 a year. 30 to 40% are candidates for this type of treatment given in the study. Centers using these kind of treatments are widely avaiable in Canada & parts of Europe. Dr. Anthony I Zietman, a radiation oncologist at Harvard Medical School says we're really got to give it serious consideration in the U.S. According to Dr.Anthony I Zietman this only applies to women with early cancer which is removed by lumpectomy and has not spread to the lymph nodes.. Doctors are experimenting with ways to treat just a part of the breast instead of all of it, so it doesnt expose to the heart and lungs. Radiation is to prevent that teh cancer comes back by killing any tumor cells. Survival rates have climbed so high 98% with early stages of breast cancer live at least five years after treatment. In NOrth America 20 to 30 % of women who need treatment sip it. And some women live to far to go back and forth for treatment so they just choose to get a mastectony. Patients should ask questions. All breast cancer is not treated the same. Canadians decided to do this reasearch to limit the number of radiation machines. The study was done with 1,234 women from 1993 to 1996. There were concerns of the lower overall dose would allow recurrences or over time the higher daily doses might damage the breat tissue, lungs or heart. Injuries caused by radiation can tae years to show up.

2. Book Citation – I lined to page 499 in the textbook. the title on the page is Cancer-A Different ing of Genetic Disease. Cancer has many diseases it can affect different organs in the human body in different ways. Cancer can occur when a group of cells in the body reproduce without restraint. there are different ways that it can be treated such as surgery, radiation, therapy and the use of deadly deadly chemicals to remove or kill these rogue cells. Cancer occurs when this fundemental guardianship fails. the situation worsens when an individual is born with genetic defects. In the U.S. a patient who is diagnosed a tenth of the cancer patient have inherieted an abnormality in their genes. The probablility that any single cell will accummulate the additional hits needed to make a tumor. Personal Interest – I choose this article about Breast Cancer because it si something that has become very popular over the years. Breast cancer is on a similar page as lung cancer. Women are faced with this fear on a daily basis. Cancer has taken a large tow on the world. It is spreading rapidly all over and i thin taht all women should get the know as to how one can detect the sympotoms and get checked up on a regular basis. Back to Science homepage