Extra Credit! Bioethics Readings/Discussion

Bilateral risk-reducing mastectomy is the most common risk-reducing surgery for possible breast cancer patients. This surgery could include the total removal of both breasts, which is called total mastectomy, or just the removal of as much tissue as possible while leaving the nipples, which is subcutaneous mastectomy. This surgery is for women with very high risks of getting breast cancer. These women have such a high, predictable risk of breast cancer because they may have a disease-causing mutation in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene, high penetrance mutation in a gene connected with breast cancer risk, like TP53 or PTEN, or they have family history of ovarian and/or breast cancer.


www.nationalbreastcancer.org 




The potential benefits of this technology include greatly decreasing the risk of breast cancer. Patient Angelina Jolie, an actress who had subcutaneous mastectomy surgery performed, reported in her article, "My Medical Choice", of her risk of breast cancer dropping from 87% to below 5%. Bilateral prophylactic mastectomy has also been able to reduce the risk of breast cancer by 90% with women who have a family history of breast cancer, and at least 95% in women who have a disease causing mutation.Though these mastectomies have plenty of benefits, they also have some potential risks. While there may be bleeding, infection, loss of the breast to function in the action site of the surgery, and/or a decrease in estrogen production, the most common risks are psychological. The surgery may cause anxiety and trouble with body image and sexual relationships.

cancer.org

pinterest.com

Because the benefits greatly outweigh the costs, a mastectomy surgery is definitely a smart choice. Breast cancer can spread to other parts of the body and be fatal, but with a mastectomy, the chances of being diagnosed with breast cancer plummets. There is a chance of some seemingly minor physical and emotional side effects, but they are especially minor compared to the physical and emotional perils of breast cancer. A mastectomy surgery can prevent lots of pain in many aspects, showing how important and useful this technology is.


Sources:

"My Medical Choice" (Angelina Jolie, NY Times)
http://www.cancer.gov/types/breast/risk-reducing-surgery-fact-sheet
http://www.foxnews.com/story/2007/10/04/five-myths-about-breast-cancer-and-why-shouldnt-believe-them.html

Unit 6 Reflection

In this unit, we learned about biotechnology, recombinant DNA, and genetic engineering.
The essential understanding for biotechnology was why it was important, and how the characteristics of DNA and enzymes used. Biotech is important because it is the study and manipulation of living things to benefit us. Biotech generally focuses on DNA, proteins, and inheritance. The characteristics of DNA and enzymes are used in a procudure to amplify a specific DNA region.
The essential understanding for recombinant DNA is how it is created and inserted into bacteria. It completes this mission by using restriction enzymes to get certain DNA parts out, and ligase to attach it back in.
Understanding why biotech is important was one of my strengths. Partly because it makes so much sense and is very important, and partly because the information is logical and can even be figured out. Remembering how recombinant DNA is created and inserted into bacteria is difficult because there's
so much information to remember.
From the "Thinking Like a Biotechnician" lab, ( http://joansbioblog.blogspot.com/2016/01/thinking-like-biotechnician.html ) I learned about restriction enzymes and how to use them. This lab was especially helpful because it allowed me to have a hands on experience with what I was learning.
The "Candy Electrophoresis" lab (http://joansbioblog.blogspot.com/2016/01/candy-electrophoresis-lab.html) showed me exactly how gel electrophoresis works and how we determine the wavelengths of different DNA strands.
The "pGLO Lab" (http://joansbioblog.blogspot.com/2016/01/pglo-lab.html) showed me how we use genetic engineering and how we make certain bacteria grow.
I want to learn more about gel electrophoresis. I'm still a little confused about how it works, so I'm going to study it a bit more.
My goals that I made earlier this month are coming along very well. I have practiced piano everyday, and I am studying whenever I have free time.

pGLO Lab

pGLO Observations , Data Recording & Analysis

1.

Obtain your team plates.  Observe your set of  “+pGLO” plates under room light and with UV light.  Record numbers of colonies and color of colonies. Fill in the table below. Plate Number of Colonies Color of colonies under room light Color of colonies under   UV light - pGLO LB 400 yellow dull greenish yellow - pGLO LB/amp 0 no colonies no colonies + pGLO LB/amp 225 yellow dull greenish yellow + pGLO LB/amp/ara 200 yellow neon green

2.	What two new traits do your transformed bacteria have?
	The bacteria glows neon green and it has grown.
3.	Estimate how many bacteria were in the 100 uL of bacteria that you spread on each plate. Explain your logic.
	On the LB/amp/ara, there was about 215, because there were about 200 colonies, and there are some hidden ones on the side. There was about 245 for LB/amp, and about 415 for LB because of the reasons above. There weren't any bacteria for LB/amp because there weren't any colonies.
4.	What is the role of arabinose in the plates?
	The sugar feeds the bacteria and helps it grow.
5.	List and briefly explain three current uses for GFP (green fluorescent protein) in research or applied science.
	Cancer cells can be implemented with materials to make it glow. Then, these cells can be put in lab rats and be easily seen and easily tested on. GFP can also act as a biosensor or cell marker, or can be used for studying protein-protein interactions.
6.	Give an example of another application of genetic engineering. Genetic engineering can be used to mass produce human growth hormones and insulin.

Candy Electrophoresis Lab

Most of the dyes expanded a little in the plasmid. I did not notice any dyes that were different colors from the reference bands. The colors were one, solid color, except the reds were more of orange-reds. None of the colors went the "wrong" way.  These dyes are filled with DNA.
Fast green FCF and Carminic acid would probably travel at the same speed as the dyes that I tested because they are all big and would probably travel just as slow.
Manufactures put dyes in food to make it more appealing to its target market.
One food I ate had  was Red 3, which is red. The natural dye for the same color is annatto, which comes from the seed of an achiote. Another dyes I had was Green 7, which is blue. The natural alternative is chloryphyllin, which comes from chlorella algae.
Artificial coloring may be more preferable because it may be easier to obtain, cheeper, and has a longer shelf life.
The colored dyes move depending on the length of their DNA's wavelength, and how much electricity is being pumped into it.
Electricity helps move the dyes through the gel.
Shorter wavelength can move faster because they are smaller, while longer wavelengths take a longer time to go an equal distance because they are larger due to their length.
600, 1000, and 2000 datons would be more close together, while 5000 would be very far away because it has such a larger amount of datons.

Thinking Like a Biotechnician

1. I could use tetracycline to see if bacteria is taken in my plasmid. I could not use ampicillan antibiotics because that is what my plasmid is resistant to.
2. Restriction enzymes are enzymes that cut DNA whenever it reads a specific sequence. I used Eco RI because it fit once in my plasmid and twice in my cell DNA.
3. If I cut the plasmid twice, there would be two spaces for only one cell DNA section, and combined they would create a line instead of a circle.
4. In our everyday life, this process is important to help take out harmful genes and/or take out certain genes that are resistant to some antibiotics that are needed to cure or treat a disease.
5. Current technologies use recombinant DNA to clone animals (like "Dolly" the sheep) and to produce genetically modified foods.


https://www.content.time.com

Goals

1. Get all As for this semester.

• Study 15 minutes at least every other day for every subject.
• Do homework as soon as possible.
• Look for other sources to help me understand topics better.

2. Learn how to play the piano.

• Practice at least 30 minutes every other day.
• Listen to piano music.
• Find songs that I like and learn to play them.