Leah's Locker

A Quick Decision: Is it Necessary?
   
Stem-cell research continues to be one of the most controversial issues today among the public in America; but what exactly are stem cells and why are they considered to be so important? Some doctors say that within the next few years, stem-cell therapy could become the leading treatment in athletic injury repair. The two separate sides of the argument regarding stem-cell research favor disagreeing resolutions to the problem. However, a decision has yet to be made. “A Law in Time” supports funding for embryonic stem-cell research and hopes that the recent halt of the research can be reversed. The contradictory article, “Americans Oppose Taxpayer Funding for Embryonic Stem-cell Research” opposes embryonic stem-cell research and favors the use of adult stem cells instead.  

 
In the September 2010 issue of Nature, the most current Editorial, “A Law in Time” focuses on the importance of a speedy decision concerning stem-cell research. The thesis of this article can be found in the last sentence of the first paragraph which states, “Unless the injunction is quickly reversed, and unless the government then prevails when the case is heard on merits, hundreds of experiments funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will be crippled, and many will have to be abandoned.” According to the author of “A Law in Time”, a decision must be made quickly regarding stem-cell research because there is much at stake. The author’s main objective focuses primarily on Congress reaching a speedy decision so that stem-cell research can continue; this demonstrates evidence showing that the author wants the stem-cell lawsuit reversed so that NIH funding for the research can continue.
  
 On the opposing side, Rep. Phil Roe, who represents the First Congressional District of Tennessee supports the law prohibiting taxpayer funding for embryonic stem-cell research in his article titled “Americans Oppose Taxpayer Funding for Embryonic Stem-cell Research”. The thesis of Roe’s article in The Daily Caller is clear and can also be found in the last sentence of the first paragraph stating, “Ensuring that the law restricting the use of taxpayer dollars for embryonic stem-cell research remains intact is the moral obligation of this Congress.” Roe feels strongly that Congress should not pass legislation allowing federal funding to be used for embryonic stem-cell research because he believes this decision reflects the will of the American people. According to Roe, Americans should support using adult stem cells over embryonic because many researchers believe that adult stem cells will provide more valuable information in treating  a large number of sports-related injuries and certain other diseases.
 Stem-cell research remains controversial due to moral and political values being crossed and the growing diversity of Americans’ viewpoints and beliefs. Both articles present plausible arguments and persuasive reasoning as to why each author supports a specific claim. Although both authors are in favor of stem-cell research, their arguments diverge at which types of stem cells should be used: adult or embryonic stem cells? However, as Congress makes the final decision on the matter, I believe this decision should not be based on political values or to show which party seems to possess more power and political pull. I feel the answer to this significant issue should be based exclusively on which solution will benefit society most as a whole concerning sports injuries, disease treatments and potential repair for joints, muscles and tendons

 
Human CYP3A Locus and Athletic Effects

 
 After completing extensive research on the implications and relevance between population genetics of human CYP3A locus and evolutionary environmental medicine, I realized that one altered gene could affect the health and future of an athlete. I will try to show the causal link between the research study conducted and an athlete’s future and give an analysis of the results based on my understanding of this scholarly research article titled, “Molecular Population Genetics of Human CYP3A Locus: Signatures of Positive Selection and Implications for Evolutionary Environmental Medicine.”        

 
Functional variants in the human CYP3A gene cluster codes were selected and tested under a range of environmental conditions to find possible strategies for the interpretation of athletic genetic analysis and sports-related environmental responses. The CYP3A4, CYP3A5, CYP3A7 and CYP3A43 enzymes of Africans, Caucasians and Chinese were tested in the research. Each of the enzymes mentioned could have life-changing effects on an athlete’s future. Put simply, the function of the CYP3A4 enzyme metabolizes half of all drugs on the market; CYP3A5 is also a drug-metabolizing enzyme, which common genetic variants of the gene do not modify the risk of developing digestive cancers in Western Europe; CYP3A7 serves as a major form of cytochrome P450 (family of the body’s more powerful detox enzymes) in human fetal livers; and the CYP3A43 enzymes are involved in testosterone metabolism.  As a result, certain functions in each of the enzymes mentioned could impinge on an athlete’s performance and physical ability.        

 
After simplifying the data involved, the materials and methods used in the human-athletes genetics research study became clear and easily understandable. The study consisted of obtaining human DNA samples of deoxygenated blood from 29 unrelated, healthy Chinese men; from 11 females and 13 males of the Caucasian race; and 9 females and 15 males from the African race. A sequencing strategy screened 54 genomic DNA fragments--totaling 43, 675 bases--and then resequenced four randomly selected segments. Next, polymorphisms were identified by sequencing polymerase chain reaction products from both ends. In the data analysis stage, a bootstrapping method (which relies on empirical distribution) was used to test the statistical significance of each pair-wise comparison between populations. Based on the results, this study could either positively or negatively affect the future of an athlete involved in a wide variety of sports. Finally, the results of the sequence variations showed numerous lines of evidence indicating signatures of natural selection of CYP3A4 and CYP3A7 in all three populations in the study. Also, researchers observed low nucleotide diversities at both gene loci in all three populations. Therefore, molecular adaption to the evolving environment is possible for the CYP3A locus or individual genes in this locus. This molecular adaption could have a significant outcome concerning all aspects of athletic performances.        

 
 While interpreting the facts and gaining an understanding of this study, it became clear that populations have their own unique allelic fingerprints, coding the xenobiotic (chemical compound that is foreign to a living organism) response system. These genetic variants have practical relevance with respect to drug response and environmentally related diseases (Nebert and Dieter 2000). With regards to athletics, this particular scholarly article testing the genetics of human CYP3A locus has informed me and left me with a new sense of knowledge and a better understanding regarding the study of natural sciences.

·         Xiaoping C, Wang H, Zhou G, et al. Molecular Population Genetics of Human CYP3A Locus: Signatures of Positive Selection and Implications for Evolutionary Environmental Medicine. Environmental Health Perspectives [serial online]. October 2009;117(10):1541-1548. Available from: Academic Search Premier, Ipswich, MA. Accessed September 12, 2010.  http://ehis.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=3&hid=116&sid=32530d9e-cd44-4a32-a0c6-b21fd17d269a%40sessionmgr114
·         Nebert DW, Dieter MZ. 2000. The E

Stem-cell Therapy: A Future Healing Option?

Is stem-cell therapy really an effective, accurate treatment as certain researchers claim, or do the possible risks of this specific treatment outweigh the benefits? One must question if this ongoing research treatment is really worth the possibilities of tumors and cell lumps -- two reported outcomes associated with stem-cell therapy that occurred in Moscow and Thailand. Yet, regardless of reported risks, stem-cell therapy has been labeled as the “future healing method” for sports injuries; disease treatments; and potential repair for joints, muscles and tendons.

According to scientists, stem-cell therapy has been predicted to become a method of healing in the future; however, this process has undergone extensive testing to check the accuracy of the therapy’s benefits. Like most all research studies, when a new idea is proposed, there will be glitches and setbacks in its ability to provide the predicted results immediately; and stem-cell therapy research is no different. The possibilities of stem-cell therapy are great; therefore, it is important that all questions regarding this healing method get answered as quickly as possible to ensure the treatment’s accuracy. According to Dr. Scott Rodeo, physician for the New York Giants football team, a three-to-five year time span for the research is not unreasonable. Researchers claim that within a few years, stem-cell therapy will be the basis of sports-injury repair, used for the healing and rehabilitation of tendons, ligaments, muscles and cartilage.

On the contrary, stem-cell researchers have dealt with their fair share of negative comments and doubts concerning the therapy; but at the same time, stem cell studies have made vast progress in proving its credibility in the last year. A recent Nature article, “Order from chaos,” claims that “much tighter regulations are needed to reap the full benefits of stem-cell treatments.”  Despite skeptics like the author of this article and a few researchers in the medical research field, the therapies have eager advocates as well (The New York Times). The aim of stem-cell therapy is to repair and restore damaged stem cell tissues that cannot heal on its own. Although never banned, stem-cell research has recently had to deal with very limited funding. This result of limited funds is due to inconsistent Government regulation of stem-cell research (Nature).

However, the medical promise of this new therapy certainly remains real and within reach. There is clearly a huge potential for stem-cell based therapies. Researchers have shown that human blood can be reproduced under the right conditions through stem cells (BioMed Central). Another benefit of the research is its use in investigating the stages of diseases, so that the best treatment options can be offered. A Colorado woman, Mary Posta, went to Costa Rica this past February and enrolled in a four-week program of stem-cell and physical therapies. Posta received the successful stem-cell treatment because she was a multiple sclerosis patient, and today she claims the experience was a blessing. Certain studies have shown that between 70 and 80 percent of MS patients who received stem-cell therapy did not relapse afterwards (BioMed Central). However, one major factor that ties into the effectiveness of therapeutic processes involving stem cells depend on the successful delivery and transplant of stem cells into the area of the body that is in need. There are many delivery techniques that are used as ways for stem cells to enter into the body. On top of that, it is also believed that stem cells can be helpful in treating heart disease, type 1 diabetes, arthritis, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer and Parkinson disease (Mayflower1). After reading and learning about the long list of benefits that have been the direct results of stem cells, it undoubtedly seems that stem-cell therapy must be an effective healing treatment for a multitude of injuries and diseases.

After viewing both sides of the argument regarding stem-cell therapy, it became clear that each side has its own perspectives that support one specific viewpoint or the other. However, the benefits that have been discovered through stem cells appear to overpower the negative risks. Even Emmy Award winning actor, Michael J. Fox supports funding for stem-cell research to ensure the development of improved therapies that involve stem cells. Since stem cells serve as a repair system in the body, there are a limitless number of uses for this therapy that can be applied to treat and replenish many other cells in a living body (Mayflower1). Another major hype associated with this healing method states that stem-cell therapy—the latest therapeutic leap to healing athletes and those involved in strenuous activity—could transform sports medicine (The New York Times). Dr. Rodeo states, “stem cells clearly have some beneficial role in inducing tissue regeneration.”

With all the recent publicity and debates taking place on the topic of stem cells, there has been a lot of dispute and talk describing the good and bad effects of this particular therapy. A Russian histologist stated that stem cells are the equivalent of a generator for the human body because they can regenerate and revamp themselves under the right conditions (BioMed Central). Even with all the claims made in the Nature article against stem-cell therapy, I could not specifically find enough support and verification in the article that even remotely swayed me toward the side of those opposing the therapy. In conclusion, as stem cell technologies continue to advance and progress over time toward a more accurate and trusted healing method, many people continue to prepare for the restorative possibilities that stem-cell therapies have promised to provide.


·         Hrynaszkiewicz, Iain. “Stem Cell Research & Therapy - advancing the pathway to the clinic." BioMed Central, 16 March 2010. Web. 21 Sept. 2010. http://blogs.openaccesscentral.com/blogs/bmcblog/entry/stem_cell_research_therapy_advancing
·         n.p. (Jenny). “Stem cells research.” LiveJournal, 20 Sept. 2010. Web. 22 Sept. 2010 http://mayflower1.livejournal.com/21190.html
·         “Order from chaos.” Nature, 30 June 2010. Web. 21 Sept. 2010. http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v466/n7302/full/466007b.html
·         Pennington, Bill. “Sports medicine turns to stem cell 'repair kits'” The New York Times, 20 March 2007. Web. 27 Sept. 2010. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/20/health/20iht-stem.4970019.html?_r=1



 

 
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