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Kate’s Controversies
Kate's Controversies is a place for conversation and discussion about controversies in science, technology, engineering, and many other topics. Kate, the blog's owner, will use this blog to publicly bring to light controversial topics that catch her eye.
*Please note: This is a controversial blog presenting interesting topics that are controversial. Just because I choose to write about these particular controversies does not always mean that I am taking a side. I just want to let people know what is being said.
Follow @ControversyKate on Twitter.
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Posted February 02, 2010 5:00 AM
by Sharkles
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We'd all like to think we have good ideas from time-to-time,
especially when we're collaborating on CR4. Last week, a thread about using shipping containers for temporary housing in Haiti was considered to be a "good
idea" by many on the site. Unfortunately, turning good ideas into reality can
be tough, which is why I was interested to see (albeit late) the "Pepsi Refresh
Project" in the news.
What is the Pepsi
Refresh Project?
The Pepsi Refresh Project invites individuals, businesses,
non-profits, etc. to think about the world we live in and how to save, create,
or change things for the better. Pepsi is encouraging ideas for all sectors of
our lives, including Arts & Culture, Food & Shelter, The Planet,
Education, Health, and Neighborhoods. The best ideas, as voted by online users,
will receive a Refresh grant ranging from $5,000 - $250,000.
Clear, constructive suggestions can be submitted to www.refresheverything.com. The
site began taking submissions on January 13th, but up to 1,000 submissions
are still being accepted a month. Ideas must have achievable goals, measureable
results, and be ready to start soon.
The Process
When submitting an idea, a user creates a project profile
that can be saved and edited throughout. This project profile includes a plan
detailing the 5 Ws, potential challenges, time estimates, personnel needed to
complete the project, and other necessary steps in accomplishing the goal. Users
are also asked to realistically estimate which grant amount would make their
project possible.
Because grants are given to ideas with the most votes, Pepsi
encourages adding some "bells and whistles," such as pictures, video,
animations, etc. to make ideas eye-catching and exciting. Social networking is
highly suggested for promoting ideas as well. As matter of fact, I read about
this project through Good, whom I follow on Twitter.
Voting decides which ideas get funded. So even if you don't
submit an idea yourself, you can vote for ones that you think are good. Voting
officially began February 1st and finalists will be announced March
1st. In the meantime, go to the Pepsi Refresh site and make your
voice known for each of the grant categories.
Fine Print
Although CR4 is a global community, the Pepsi Refresh
Project is not as inclusive. Qualifying ideas must be from persons 13 years or
older who are legal U.S residents. If a user is submitting an idea on behalf of
an organization, the company must also operate within the U.S.
Don't worry about these limitations, however. There may be a
silver lining here, as online collaboration makes many things possible. Many
good ideas have come out of CR4 discussions; maybe this project can put some of
them to use!
Resources:
http://www.refresheverything.com/
http://www.refresheverything.com/how-it-works
http://www.refresheverything.com/docs/idea-toolkit.pdf
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Posted January 28, 2010 10:14 AM
by Sharkles
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Today is International Data Privacy Day, a holiday seeking
to raise awareness and promote data privacy education. It is coordinated by The
Privacy Projects, a non-profit organization founded in 2008 for investigating
and recommending enhancements to current privacy polices, practices, and
technologies.
In today's fast-paced, networked world, our identities,
locations, contacts, purchases, histories, etc. are documented in various bytes
and bits. Data Privacy Day asks that we stop and question how information is
being collected, who is collecting it, and what they're doing with it. It also
aims to raise awareness in people who may not be particularly web-savvy or
knowledgeable about how to protect themselves and how their information is
being used.

On January 26, 2009 the United State House of
Representatives declared January 28 2009 Data Privacy Day. The U.S.
Senate passed a resolution two days later, marking the first data privacy celebration.
The day is currently celebrated in the United
States, Canada,
and 27 European counties.
The Privacy Projects says that data privacy is not only for
individuals, but that businesses need to understand the importance of their
compliance with privacy laws and regulations. The group stresses that business
operators must understand that consumers need/want to trust their products or
services before they're willing to pay for them; it is up to the consumers to
enforce this attitude. This link contains a list of organizations participating
in Data Privacy Day 2010.
Personally, I hadn't heard of this event until I was
perusing Engineering News this morning, but it's good to be aware of. Had anyone
else heard of this day, or any organization doing anything for it?
For more information on Data Privacy Day, please see the
following links:
http://dataprivacyday2010.org/
http://theprivacyprojects.org/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_Privacy_Day
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Posted January 18, 2010 12:00 AM
by Sharkles
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This blog is no stranger to the topic of bisphenol-A (BPA). The
chemical is considered the most common form of polycarbonate plastic, and is
largely found in #7 plastic materials and as an antioxidant in plasticizers for
#3 plastics. BPA is an endocrine disruptor, which may mimic the body's hormones
and lead to negative health effects through chemical leeching from the plastic
into the body.
Although the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
declared plastics containing BPA to be safe in 2008, the chemical has been
credited with a number of human health aliments ranging from increased estrogen
receptors in the body to neurological issues. In 2009, The Endocrine Society
released a scientific study expressing concern about the current rate of human exposure
to BPA. Basic research on the topic of BPA points to a number of other issues
related to this chemical as well.
A More Aggressive
FDA?
Increasing numbers of medial reports and studies, like the
one from The Endocrine Society, have continued to bring the issue of BPA
leeching to light. A study of over 2,000 people found that 90% of participants
had BPA in their urine. Traces were also found in breast milk, the blood of
pregnant women, and umbilical cord blood. The study also fueled another aspect
of this massive health debate – that babies were even being exposed to BPA in
the womb.
Last Friday, January 15th, the FDA said that it had
"some concern about the potential effects of BPA on the brain, behavior and
prostate gland of fetuses, infants and children." The FDA also said it would be
joining other federal health agencies in studying the chemical effects on animals
and humans; however, the agency still maintains that there is no proof that BPA
is dangerous to humans.
Ch-Ch-Cha-Changes
(Maybe)
The U.S.
government will spend $30 million to research BPA's effects on humans and
animals. This study will take place over 18-24 months. The research will include
effects on human behavior, obesity, diabetes, reproductive disorders, cancer,
heart disease, asthma, and generational effects. Additionally, the FDA is
considering changing it's classification of BPA from "food additive" to "food contact
substance." The new classification would allow the agency more power - and the
ability to act quickly if needed.
After fighting the good fight against BPA for a couple of years,
I was surprised to learn about the FDA's new concern over this chemical. Of
course, so much has happened since I first wrote about BPA. People have
protested. Companies have changed their manufacturing processes (Nalgene
bottles no longer contain BPA!) and even recalled items containing BPA. Yet it
still took this long. Better late than never?
Resources
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/16/health/16plastic.html
Related Articles
Poisonous Plastics
Poisonous Plastics – Part Two: Human Effects
Poisonous Plastics – Part Three: What to Do?
More
Poisonous Plastics: Consumers Can't Catch a Break
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Posted January 14, 2010 11:38 AM
by Sharkles
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All eyes are on Haiti
after a tumultuous, 7.0-magnitude earthquake destroyed much of the capital
city of Port-au-Prince
this week. Although the world has seen similar disasters in the last decade, experience
does little to lessen the pain of such an event. Unfortunately, reports are
beginning to indicate that the extent of the damage in Haiti could have been less had proper
engineering measures been in place.
A Warning Unheeded
Last month, a study by the Organization of American States
(OAS) concluded that the conditions of most buildings in Haiti were unlikely to survive any natural
disasters - even a 2.0-magnitude earthquake. Specifically, the OAS warned about
structures built on sloped land and without satisfactory foundations, buildings
made with improper building techniques, and structures built with insufficient
amounts of necessary building materials such as steel.
The Price of Poverty
One of the largest factors behind the poor building
conditions is Haiti's
overwhelming poverty. In developing countries, there is little money to be
spent on building and construction. In these places, construction standards and
building codes also tend to be more lax than in larger, developed nations.
In fact, Haiti
(and much of the Caribbean, really) lacks a
national set of building codes. Some construction companies voluntarily work
with an existing code, such as the French or Canadian standards or the
International Building Code, but compliance is not enforced.
This lack of building standards was also cited as a
reason for the loss of lives, goods, and land in Eastern
Haiti during 2004. Since then, the OAS has warned that building
codes in Haiti
need to be a priority. As Cletus Springer, director of the Department of
Sustainable Development at OAS explained, "So now we need to work with the
Haitian authorities to develop a building code that is suited to Haiti and its
peculiar conditions… (but) because of the poverty levels, not everybody's going
to be able to build to the exacting standards that a building code would
require."
How You Can Help
This morning, reports estimated that over 3 million Haitians
have been affected by the earthquake thus far. More information on the tragedy
continues to come to light as the dust literally settles. For those CR4ers who
would like to help Haiti,
there are numerous ways to be involved. Below are a few ways to contribute financially:
The Disasters Emergency Committee in the UK is taking donations for Haiti via phone, website, or post. Click
here for more information.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is also
taking donations on their website.
The American Red Cross is also allowing users to donate
by texting "Haiti"
(90999); each text represents a $10 donation that will be charged to your
cellphone bill.
Help Haiti Now is
a non-profit organization that aims to "provide food, water, medical supplies,
housing assistance, and financial assistance to families, schools and
churches."
What's Next for Haiti?
There will probably be many more ways to be involved, too, even
if you cannot contribute financially. Keeping Haiti in your thoughts, and
understanding the factors behind such a disaster, helps also. As engineers,
what measures or actions would you like to see go into the reconstruction of Haiti?
Resources:
http://www.oas.org/dsd/Nat-Dis-Proj/HBSD/Background.htm
http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/01/13/haiti.construction/index.html
http://www.slate.com/id/2241439/
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Posted January 13, 2010 5:00 AM
by Sharkles
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Humans are always striving to improve things, including
matters pertaining to health. At one time, PETA wanted us to consider the
advantages of using
human breast milk. Now, scientists in Russia
and the Netherlands
are hoping to use transgenic proteins from the milk of rabbits and mice for
what they claim are potentially lifesaving drugs for humans.
Transgenic Organisms:
A Primer
Transgenic organisms and animals are considered to be a
subset of genetically-modified organisms (GMOs). These terms refer to organisms
that are inserted with DNA that originated in a different species. Transgenic
animals are often used for biomedical research in regards to creating human
drugs or hormones, such as insulin.
Mice and Lactoferrin
In Russia,
an experimental farm is working with mice to produce the human breast milk
protein, lactoferrin. This particular protein protects babies from viruses and
bacteria while their immune systems are still developing.
Typically, breastfeeding mothers produce 4 to 5 grams (0.1
to 0.2 ounces) of lactoferrin per liter of milk. Mouse milk is naturally rich
in protein. So, when used transgenically, it can translate into high
concentrations of lactoferrin – up to 160 grams (6 oz) per liter.
To milk such small creatures, a team of researchers had to
anaesthetize the mice and use specially-adapted pumps that were created to fit
their tiny teats. Patrick van Berkel, a senior director at Danish biotech
company, Genmab, believes that commercially producing mouse milk would be a
"logistic and technical nightmare." "Larger animals such as rabbits, goats, or
cows are required for commercial application," he said.
Rabbits and C1
Inhibitor Protein
Rabbits are also being eyed as a useful transgenic animal.
Researchers at Pharming, a Dutch biotechnology firm, say they're ready to begin
commercially milking rabbits, pending authorization from European authorities.
Pharming has been experimenting with milking rabbits for
years. They've outfitted the animals with a human gene that produces the
protein known as C1 inhibitor. C1 inhibitor deficiency is associated with
hereditary angioedema, which causes swelling due to leakage of fluid from blood
vessels into connective body tissue. Human C1 inhibitor proteins can also be
obtained through blood donations, but Pharming claims that their method is
best, as there would be no safety issues in terms of blood viruses.
According to a Pharming spokesperson, Marjolein can Helmond, rabbits can
average up to 120 millimeters of milk a day. When modified with the protein,
the rabbits' milk contains up to 12 grams of C1 inhibitor per liter. The
rabbits, like the rats, are milked with miniature pumping machines that attach
to the female's teats.
From their research, Pharming has developed a drug called
Rhucin from the rabbit-milk produced C1 inhibitor protein. In September 2009,
the company submitted Rhucin for market approval to the European Medicines
Agency, which evaluates drug safety. Pending approval, Pharming would begin
milking a herd of about a thousand rabbits.
Thoughts
I've covered different aspects of genetics in this blog for
some time now, but sometimes I'm not sure where to stand. While using
transgenic animals to help humans is good, I can't help but think that our
species has survived long enough without these seemingly-drastic measures. Or,
are we surviving longer because of methods like this – ones that are common
now, but may have been objectionable at first? I'm interested in what the CR4
community thinks, so please share your thoughts in the comments section.
Resources:
http://www.bioprotein.com/gb/faq
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/06/090602-mice-milk-baby-formula.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C1-inhibitor
http://users.rcn.com/jkimball.ma.ultranet/BiologyPages/T/TransgenicAnimals.html
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/12/091201-rabbits-milk-human-protein-drug.html
Related Posts:
Human
Breast Milk in Your Ice Cream
Human-Animal
Hybrids
Designer
Lifestyles and Genetic Engineering
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