Stem Cell Rubric Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Stem Cell Rubric - Research Paper Example However, there are certain advantages in using embryonic stem cells (ESC) that the others still cannot provide. Unlike ESC that are known to come from pre-implanted embryos, the source of ASC is still to be discovered. By some reason still unknown to researchers, ESC proliferate and remain undifferentiated for a year longer than ASC do. In addition, ESC have the potential to differentiate into all cell types of the body, while ASC can only differentiate into the cell types of its tissue of origin. Also, it is much easier to increase the number of ESC than that of ASC (National Institutes of Health, 2009). For example, if it is hematopoietic ASC, then it can only be induced to form blood cells. However, despite the seemingly more advantageous ESC, ASC are believed to induce less graft transplantation reaction, as it can be derived from the patients themselves (National Institutes of Health, 2009). Benefits of Stem Cell Research Arguably, the most important benefit of stem cell researc h is the use of these cells in stem cell transplantation therapy. In fact, for 40 years already, hematopoietic or blood-forming ASC from bone marrow have been used in transplants to cure health conditions such as leukemia (National Institutes of Health, 2009). ... It is important to develop therapies for these illnesses, especially cancer and cardiovascular diseases, as these occupy the top of the list of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Aside from that, further stem cell research (SCR) paves the way for more discoveries, such as the regulating factors behind stem cell proliferation and self-renewal. These factors, in the future, may be used in the regeneration of destroyed tissues, such as that in myocardial infarction, one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the United States. In addition, these pluripotent cells can provide a better observation of human development from embryo to infancy. This then may lead to researches on the abnormal cellular development, as seen in physical birth defects, genetic abnormalities and cancer. Large amount of cells grown in vivo from stem cells may also be used in easier and safer testing of drug safety and effectiveness (Johnson and Williams, 2006). Disadvantages of Stem Cell Research Whic h Lives to Save Despite the many scientific advancements contributed by stem cell research, many still argue against it. One argument reasons that the fertilized eggs used in SCR are already alive, and thus it is not right to take someone else’s life, no matter for what purpose. Partly causing such conflict stems from the fact that until now, there is no specific age of gestation at which life has been pinpointed to start at. The Health Risk of Stem Cell Therapy Another argument against SCR claims that the chemical and biological factors used to manipulate the cells in vivo can cause adverse effects once the resulting specialized cells from them are transplanted to humans for therapy. For example, viruses from the

Fiesta and Social Control in Rural Mexico Essay

Fiesta and Social Control in Rural Mexico - Essay Example 'The nature of things' do form the notion of mind. (Bacon 1960, first published in 1620). Stanley Brandes also enters in the field with the pre-conceived notion that fiestas do have the mechanism of social control and mechanism is thrust by power and persuasion. Following the steps of Bricker (1973) and Crumrine (1976) he believes that ceremonial life is also helpful in understanding the Mexican Indian ideas about humanity. The study of hierarchical order and his personal observation of rural Mexico provide him the bases to substantiate his hypotheses. The objective is to explore the paradox of the way the fiestas promote order and social control in Rural Mexico whereas, at the surface level the fiestas are the break from the rut of routine life and mostly are 'formless and chaotic' but in reality it helps to "reinforce the Brandes cites the early efforts of Robert Redfield (1930) and Elsie Clews Parson (1939) who tried to demonstrate the relationship of ideology and social behavior. The writers mentioned above became the victim of the biases of the methodology of qualitative descriptive research and jaundiced their point of view by romanticizing the Mexican folklore, giving the impression that Indians were 'free of psychic and social conflict.' In the later study of Gossen (1974) et al it comes out that ethnic identity is confirmed by the ceremonials, since the person who does not share the rituals and belief of its community is considered an outsider; providing Brandes the base to study fiesta as mechanism of social control. He found that fiestas are the mechanism of controlling process and it is maintained through power and persuasion. Persuasion to Brandes is "the totality of informal pressures and instructive procedures that lead people to conduct their lives with regard to particular standards." Persuasion is concept to bring to light the influence that social equals exercise on one other. Brandes defines power as, "Coercive and manipulative influences of formally constituted organs of church and state." The church and state become the active agents of supernatural to mobilize people for 'collective religious action' and the skills demonstrated in performing rituals and fulfilling the responsibilities on behalf of community is to exert their power over the community. The study is concerned with the 'fiesta cycle' in anthropological domain fiesta cycle is defined as rituals and folklorists call it festivals. The analysis pattern in the book is of 'Cycle's History' and its effect. The analysis tries to resolve two paradoxes. Ethic and aggrandizement of self have replaced the shared values of equality and the concept of 'shared poverty' in Tzintzuntzan. With the disappearance of the old cargo system the responsibility to bear the brunt of funding has been shifted to the community. The cargo system relied on two major principles; first was the individual responsibility and the nobles of the community were to sponsor, for longer or short period of time, fiesta and they also fulfilled the responsibility to take care of the sacred images, churches and chapels. The second was the hierarchal order, wherein, the