Genetic Disease: Cri du Chat

The genetic disease Cri du Chat is a disease that effects one in every twenty thousand to fifty thousand infants. This was discovered in the year 1963. Almost all people that can be vulnerable to this disease are newborn infants even if there was never any family history of the illness. At the molecular level, the cause of this disease is a piece of chromosome number five is missing or multiple genes from the chromosome have been deleted. The chromosome number five has a specific gene named T.E.R.T (telomerase reverse transcriptase).This is one of the genes that can be deleted, the gene T.E.R.T. is in control of cell growth which is vital at their young age. There are many symptoms due to this disease including:

- cry that is high pitched like a cat
- downward slant to eyes
- low birth weight and slow growth
- low set or abnormally shaped ears
- mental retardation
- partial webbing or fusing of fingers or toes
- skin tags in front of ears
- slow or incomplete development of motor skills
- small head
- small jaw

Although this disease is horrible, there is no deaths from this disease. Two major complications in the long run is that the person with Cri du Chat may not be able to care for theirselves and the inability to care for themselves. Right now there are no known treatments of cures, but genetic counseling is recommended. A few alternate names for this illness is 5p deletion syndrome, 5p minus syndrome, and cat cry syndrome. This disease also accounts for 1% of the individuals with severe mental retardation. Some cases can result from one parent carrying a rearrangement of chromosome 5 called a translocation. Diagnosis of Cri du Chat is made in the hospital at birth. Information obtained from www.nlm.nih.gov/.

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Governor Corzine Praises Jobs, Private Investment and Baseball in New Jersey

As you may know there has been increasing job losses all over the country. Governor Jon Corzine has been pulling strings with MLB Network and private investments to help a few people here in New Jersey.

There has been recent state news that Governor Jon Corzine officially welcomed MLB Network to their new headquarters in Secaucus on February 4.He has been thanking the company for growing jobs in New Jersey and investing approximately fifty million dollars in the state-of-the-art facility.The MLB has created more than two hundred new full-time jobs as well as more than two hundred part-time positions in the New Jersey. MLB Network launched on January 1, 2009 in approximately fifty million homes as the largest network debut in cable history. Jon Corzine also had this to say, "New Jersey remains committed to attracting high quality jobs and encouraging private investment in our cities," said Governor Corzine. "Our continued support of business growth and community investment are critical to ensuring our state emerges from the national economic recession, and MLB Network's decision to make New Jersey its home is great news during these tough economic times." Sources from http://www.state.nj.us/.

In my opinion, this was a great opportunity to create jobs for New Jersey. Even though it was a few jobs created, it is better than none. Hopefully in time they will create more jobs for people.

Roller Coasters

Now in class we are building model roller coasters based on Newton's laws of motion. Building a roller coaster is harder than expected. This is only the beginning though, and it will get tough. I have now learned about what needs to be applied to this to complete this task. An aspect of this project I like is that we have to "purchase" the items needed to build with our budget. Of course everyone plays a role in this with all of the tasks at hand. I can't wait to see the end product of everyones project and if they work accurately.

First Stem Cell Study for Spinal Injuries Begin

Recently, the U.S. had approved the controversial issue on stem cell research to start back up again. A U.S. biotech company says it plans to start this summer the world's first study of a treatment based on human stem cells aimed at helping spinal cord injury. They had recently gotten federal permission to inject eight to ten patients within two weeks of their injury, with cells derived from embryonic cells. All of the patients will be paraplegics, who can use their arms but cannot walk. What the doctors are hoping for is signs of improvement, like return of sensation or movement of legs. Whatever the outcome is, the study will mark a new chapter in the controversial history of stem cell research in the United States.

Obama Inauguration

Just yesterday, america had just inaugurated our new president Barack Obama. The long awaited day has finally come after the November election. Nobody knows what lies ahead for the president and what lies in the future. The only thing we know is that he will try his best to fufill his duties.

I had read an article about president Obama's inauguration on www.nbc.com which had clearly shown how people's life has been changed by this historic moment. The reporter had mainly spoken to people at the national mall and people on their way there. Many different stories and views came from many different people. For just about everyone interviewed this had changed their life greatly both emotionally and mentally. One of the quotes the reporter had taken from an 86 year old World War II veteran who was one of the first black military airman said,"my heart had skipped a beat", as Michelle Obama walked to the platform. To me this article says most people are looking forward to some change in the U.S. and are having high expectations of President Obama.

The second article I had read about Obama's inauguration was from www.usatoday.com which had covered Obama on the day of his Inauguration. From a long train ride to being sworn in, Obama had a long but fufilling day. It was pointed out that Obama uses the word change not just for a catchy buzzword, but as a moral. A quote that greatly supports that is, "I believed that our future is our choice, and that if we could just recognize ourselves in one another and bring everyone together — Democrats, Republicans and independents; North, South, East and West; black, white, Latino, Asian and Native American; gay and straight; disabled and not — then not only would we restore hope and opportunity in places that yearned for both, but maybe, just maybe, we might perfect our union in the process," said Obama in his Inauguration. This article basically compares Obama to day one to being inaugurated and how he expresses the issues and the opinions of America.

In my opinion, I think Obama will become a great forty-fourth president. Just as most people, I am enthusiastic about his presidency and his plans for America. We know things will not get better fast but in time everything will be fixed.

Third Hand Smoke

In recent scientific discoveries, there is a type of new health hazard called third hand smoke. This was found out by using a tool to measure exposure to tobacco products including second hand smoke. Third hand smoke refers to tobacco smoke contamination that remains a while after the cigarette has been smoked. Now the toxins and chemicals stay on materials such as hair, clothing, inside cars, carpets, beds, sofas and curtains. Although this is a discovered health hazard, it is a distinct one. Until now, more than fifty percent of smokers were unaware of the hazard caused.