Wonderful Stem Cells

Science Essay

By: Elias Dorsey

Authors Note: This essay is about how stem cells are beneficial, the risks of stem cell treatment, and why there is controversy surrounding this subject.

            What would you do if you were in critical condition in the hospital, and the only thing that could save you was a cell that was harvested for a human embryo? Well that’s what the wonderful cell named the “Stem” cell is. Stem cells are cells that can duplicate without limit to replenish other cells as long as that animal/person is alive. Examples are that it has been showing progression in a number of diseases such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s, spinal cord injuries, Diabetes, Schizophrenia, cancer, and many other diseases so why don’t we use them?  Stem cells offer a lot of medical benefits in sectors of regenerative therapy and cloning.

            Unfortunately though, President George W. Bush cut off the funding for researching stem cells while he was in office. However, that hasn’t stopped the stem cells from working their magic. A living example of stem cell therapy is 2-year-old Nate Liao. He used to have a fatal disease that prevented him from eating solid food, playing with his siblings, and wearing normal clothes, and now, he’s doing just that. This proves that stem cell treatments are reliable, but it’s kind of an experiment in progress. They haven’t officially started regularly using stem cells for treatment of diseases and ailments.

            Although stem cells have worked miracles and saved lives in many cases there is also risk to using stem cells in such a way. “Much work remains to be done in the laboratory and the clinic to understand how to use these cells for cell-based therapies to treat disease, which is also referred to as regenerative or reparative medicine” (Stem Cell Basics, 2009). If the process of the cell division and differentiation goes wrong, there are serious medical problems. Some of the worst diseases like cancer and some birth defects are due to complications with the cell differentiation which is basically what stem cells do besides the repairing of the tissues.

            Although there are risks and benefits, those aren’t the reasons we’re not using stem cells regularly. The reason stem cell therapy isn’t a regular type of treatment is because to get the cell you have to extract it from a human embryo. That in itself is kind of weird but, the benefits outweigh the disadvantages by a lot. These cells have the ability to duplicate, and then the duplicated versions of the cell can turn into undifferentiated (specialized) cells, and regenerate damaged tissue. They can even duplicate into cells like brain cells. The sole disadvantage that everyone gets touchy about has to get the cell from an embryo. If we used stem cells officially, more lives would be saved than embryos harmed.

            If a family member of anyone was in critical condition in the hospital, I’m sure they would take the stem cell treatments over potentially losing him/her. In conclusion it’s understandable why people don’t like taking the cell out of a human embryo, but if they were in the same position I’m sure they would take the treatment. Mostly because when you think about the big picture, it’s about how you can save lives. Only the people that haven’t had the option of whether to have their family use stem cells would disagree. These cells can open doors for all medicinal work because instead of testing medicines on animals or humans, they can test it on the stem cell. This subject needs to have at least a little bit of light shed on it. Surely if anyone knew what they could do, they would change their mind too.

Bibliography

II, T. H. (2008, June 7th). Stem cells apparently cure boy's fatal disease. Retrieved April 19th, 2012, from http://articles.latimes.com/2008/jun/07/science/sci-stem7

Kinsley, M. (2004, May 23rd). The False Controversy of Stem Cells. Retrieved April 23rd, 2012, from http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,641157,00.html

Ladock, J. (n.d.). Pro's and Con's of Stem Cell Therapy . Retrieved April 19th, 2012, from http://www.healthguidance.org/entry/12366/1/Pros-and-Cons-of-Stem-Cell-Therapy.html

Stem Cell Basics. (2009, April 28). Retrieved April 25, 2012, from Stem Cell Information: http://stemcells.nih.gov/info/basics/defaultpage.asp

Dynamo

Samuel

By: Elias Dorsey

Authors Note: This piece is about how Samuel is a dynamic character and also this is describing his mentality and his journey.

  In the book “Woods Runner” by Gary Paulsen, A young boy named Samuel embarks on a quest to get his family back from the intruders that took them from his village. He must get his family back before it’s too late. Samuel is a very dynamic character. Samuel is fresh into his teens, being 13, when he goes on a hunting trip which ends in disaster when he comes back to his slaughtered village, burned down with everyone mutilated. Samuel has a musket and he’s barefoot with brown hair. He holds a musket throughout the story. To him, his musket is a tool of revenge.

He is emotionally stable and knows how to handle a situation. Even when he comes upon the ruins of his own house he conceals his emotions. He is proactive and knows what to do and when to do it. He also is a very intelligent human and he is very confident in his belief that he will find his parents and get them out of there. His rage is a blazing fire, waiting to spread, and unleash its destructive power to anything obstructing its forward path to his parents.

  Throughout the story so far, Samuel has yet to come across his parents he ever so dearly loves. After seeing what seems like forever, he finally stumbles upon what seems to be a group of prisoners that look like they have been to the end of the world and back... By being dragged by their faces. It seemed like they were okay though (Not Really).

At one point in the book he took a tomahawk to the face.  I am pretty dang sure that, he's been doing pretty great for TAKING A TOMAHAWK TO HIS FACE. Thwack! It knocked him out cold. He was unconscious for three days as if he were a bear in hibernation. A burly bear being treated by a bewildered man for a bad, but bandaged, wound.

In conclusion Samuel is a very dynamic character. He came from being a thirteen year old who was very dependent on his parents and now, he is independent and brave. Strong enough to embark on a journey to get his parents back. Bullheaded because he doesn’t care what’s in his way because he will demolish it. He has come a long way and he still has a long way to go.

How free were Africans in the North?

How free were Africans in the North?

By: Elias Dorsey

Authors Note: This piece is about how Africans were free in the north but many of the luxuries and privileges that Caucasian people had.

            In 1865 the Civil War ended freeing most African Americans in the north and south. The treaty ending it officially was signed in Appomattox in April of the year. Slavery was abolished, but was racism? The answer was no. Racism was still very much alive, in the south and in the north. One question remains though. How free were Africans in the north really? The North fought to extinguish slavery, and won, but were Africans really “free” even after the war? The answer is yes, but it is also no at the same time. Sure they couldn’t be slaves anymore, but they were extremely restricted.

For example, they were free, but not enough to go to the same restaurants as Caucasian people. They were free, but not so much as to be able to marry a person outside of their own race. They were free, but not so far as to be able to vote. They had no say in what was going to become a law or who would be the next president.  No participation at all in government whatsoever. Why did they fight to end slavery only to restrict African people’s say in what’s best for the country?

Furthermore, they had little to no economic freedom. They barely offered jobs to African Americans, if not never. They couldn’t buy land or even own land in the northern states that fought for their freedom. One of the few ways they could own land was if they were slaves then they had worked for their master long enough. Then they were released and given a small amount of land. Other than that it was really hard for them to get a job and support any other family members that they might’ve had.

Lastly, they were separated from everybody and treated as outcasts. Just because their skin was a different color. There were different places that they could and couldn’t go and everything was totally separated. This was because we were different and they didn’t want to accept change in their society. Eventually though they did/had to. So I guess I’m thankful for that

In conclusion I think that they weren’t ever really free enough to even be classified that way. So the answer to the how free were Africans in the north question is, no. No they were not, because they didn’t have the rights that Caucasians had neither did they have the luxuries that they did.