Tufte writes an article “PowerPoint does Rocket Science – and Better Techniques for Technical Reports,” and in this he points out the faults in PowerPoint presentations that can cause the audience to be mislead. Tufte explains in depth these faults and how important proper PowerPoint presentations are because even people in the aeronautics use these presentations to describe their information and put it in terms that are understandable to a general audience. Specifically, in the Columbia Shuttle disaster Tufte talks about one of the slides used in that presentation and how an overuse of certain words can cause the audience to lose concentration on the topic and the word that was used repetitively no longer has the same connotation.
In addition, Tufte talks about the main focus of a PowerPoint presentation which is organization, specifically hierarchical organization. Although these hierarchical organizations are good, the presentation could be dumped down if too much text is added to one particular slide because the information would seem superfluous. If the audience sees too much information on one slide, the presentation could easily be misinterpreted.
All in all, Tufte focuses on pointing out the main points that will help the audience from becoming unnecessarily confused. Not only does her talk about negative influences of a PowerPoint, but he also talks about that important positive aspects such as certain images or videos added to the presentation. These images and videos would help keep the audience’s attention and make it easier for them to acknowledge the information.
Cervical cancer has been affecting more and more women in the past thirty years. Currently cervical cancer is affecting 13,000 women and of that 13,000 approximately thirty percent of them die. Back in the 1980's it was thought that cervical cancer was cause by the herpes simplex one virus, however, today we know that it is caused by one of the four major strains of the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). The porblem with this virus is that it has over a hundred strains but only a few of those strains are capable of causing cancer of the cervix.
In 2006, the research pharmaceutical company Merck discovered the HPV vaccine and it was eventually approved by the FDA and named Gardasil. This vaccine contains "virus like particles" of the HPV strains 5,11,16 and 18 and it has been proved that types 16 and 18 have cause approximately 70 percent of cervical cancer cases. This vaccine has proved to be so great that many states in the United States are starting to mandate it for pre-teen girls, however is act is causing some parents and other gaurdians to lash out and fight against this mandation.
Many parents believe that this vaccine will promote sexual activity and promiscuity of their girls at an early age and a result refuse to get their child vaccinated. However, if they would step back and realize that young girls are going to do what they want regardless of their parents input and should vaccinate their child as a safety percaution they could prevent their child from obtain a serious form of cancer later on in their life.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Implanting of Electrodes in the Deep Brain Region
The movie process for the deep brain stimulation project is going well. After receiving feedback from the class, we both realized that we need to focus more on the persuasive part of our movie. The dialogue is good but strays too far into the scientific terminology. We will add more dialogue that focuses on the argument of the topic.
As for voice recording, we’ll use certain aspects of audacity to minimize or possibly delete the static. The video organization of the video seems to have no major glitches; we just need to add more video near the end to bring closure to the project and add more emphasis on the argument of the topic. Also the background will be edited to adjust accordingly with the images.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Controversy over Gardasil Vaccine
Gardasil, an HPV vaccine developed by Merck and Co. was designed to protect woman against four strains of the HPV virus. These four strains are the ones that are mainly responsible for approximately 70% of cancer cases. As good as this vaccine sounds, it took a very long time for the FDA to finally approve it. However, now that it is approved it is a major cause of some serious controversy involving promiscuity of pre-teens. This vaccine is mainly requested for females from the ages 9-26, however it is suggested that it is issued before the female becomes sexually active. For safety purposes, the main age requested is before the teenage year, which is frowned upon by most guardians. A result parents have become very upset and feel as if this vaccine will promote sexual activity and promiscuity at an early age. Another main reason for the controversy is that parents feel as if there kids think that this vaccine protects against all strains of the HPV virus and are completely protected, when in actuality it only protects against four. Lastly, there is always that set of naïve parents that think that such a virus could never be obtained by there children and that it is a waste of time and money. This is one of the biggest controversies ever created by a vaccine especially since it involves the increasing promiscuity of pre-teens. Many are unaware how common the virus is and how serious it can be if one of the cancerous strains are contracted.
1)Rx for the FDA- Because of past controversies with certain drugs the drug agency now has the authority to require companies to conduct follow up studies on pre approved drugs and change the current drug labels. The pharmaceutical company which is generally such a respected field is now being so significantly shunned because of recent controversy. http://www.dr-rath-foundation.org.za/news/pharma.htm
2)Australia Faces a Waterless Future- Australia is currently experiencing one of the worst droughts in history. This is more than likely a result of global warming which unfortunately is only getting worse as time goes on. Since this “waterless future” is due to global warming, there is a high probability that many nations around the world are going to have to learn to deal with less water in the future. Not only are they going to have to learn to deal with less water, but they are going to have to adapt in a short period of time.http://www.aspo-australia.org.au/References/Senate-ASPO/fleaysupp.pdf.
3)Astronomers Find Huge Hole in Space-Astronomers led by Lawrence Rudnick, have now discovered what they think is the “biggest bubble of all.” They have known that there are many giant holes in space, however, “nobody expected to find on that large.” This giant whole was originally discovered because of a cold spot in the microwave background that was carefully looked at by one of Rudnick’s graduate student assistants. So far is this is the ONLY supervoid to be detected. http://www.physorg.com/news107109720.html
4)Quantifying Global Warming- Al Gore Jr. is trying to help governmental institutions to work on the amount of carbon dioxide emitted into the environment. Even though efforts have definitely showed some improvement, the data shows that there are still some negative effects sure to global warming. For example, in Antarctica a California size piece of snow has melted sure to warm air that has been blowing in. http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/abstract/264/5156/243
5)Controversy over Cervical Cancer Vaccine- The new HPV vaccine has been mandated in 24 states, due to that fact that it protects against 70 percent of cervical cancer and 90 percent of genital warts. It is absolutely ridiculous for people to think that a vaccine has promote sexual promiscuity, when in actuality it is everything around us that promotes this behavior. It is extremely important that more states continue to mandate this vaccine to help preteen girls avoid future cervical cancer problems. http://www.nature.com/nm/journal/v13/n4/full/nm0407-392b.html
6)Why Loneliness Is Bad for You- Loneliness can lead to cardiovascular problems, viral infections and higher mortality. The study found that loneliness desensitizes the glucocorticoid receptors, which cuts off the immune control and the release of cortisol ( a stress related hormone that helps turn carbohydrates into energy) http://biosingularity.wordpress.com/2007/08/18/loneliness-is-bad-for-your-health/
7)Human Genome Reveals Signs of Recent Evolution- Recent skin pigmentations pathways probably is a result from Humans spreading out into Africa and other parts of the world. This new pigmentation will allow them to adapt to their local environment. This along with genome topics of research have showed that even today able to reveal signs of extremely recent evolution. http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/bigphotos/5940588.html
8)How to Erase a Single Memory- This experiment was recently conducted on a group of rats, in which place two separate traumatic memories in the rats’ brains were signaled with two types of sounds: a beep and a siren. Because mice don’t have the ability to communicate with humans, it is hard to tell whether one of these “memories” were truly erased or not. http://digg.com/general_sciences/Scientists_wipe_out_a_single_memory_in_mice
9)Arctic Thaw- The melting of the Arctic Sea is accelerating like it never has before; as a result the countries with claims on the Arctic Circle territory are now going insane. They are racing to send mapping expeditions to the Antarctic on a “sovereignty operation.” As a result of this melting ice in Greenland, there has been a diamond rush and the “black gold” or oil in the Arctic is said to contain about 3% of the worlds reservoir, so as you can imagine this race is more intense than ever. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/21/AR2006032101722.html
10)Functions of Appendix Explained- A group of researchers at Duke have now declared that the appendix is actually a “safe house” for beneficial bacteria. Although it is attached to the intestine, it has NO affect with digestion and was therefore first conceived as having no purpose (also known as vestigial). The shape of the appendix also backs up the fact that it indeed does have a purpose; it is narrow and has great inaccessibility and therefore is a perfect sanctuary for bacteria. http://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail-episode/463181/96-and-heres-why-you-have-an-appendix
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Nanotechnology
My Interviewee,MuhilPrabakar, is currently an undergrad at University of Miami where she is majoring in microbiology and immunology in the college of Arts and Sciences. Muhil hopes to one day get accepted to the Miller Medical Program at the University, where she will then follow her dream of working in the medical field. Currently, she has an intense technological interest on the development and application of nanotechnology. While interviewing here on her growing interest in nanotechnology, I learned more about our future and how much advancing technology really has to offer our generations and the ones to come.
According to Muhil, nanotechnology is a form of applied science in which the goal is to control matter on both the molecular and atomic scale ( in nanometers).This applied science comes from all the fields of physics, chemistry, and even engineering. Nanotechnology deals with matter that can be considered invisible to the naked eye, however, with proper size enhancing tools these "invisible" molecules become large enough to manipulate into almost anything.
As Muhil was informing me, nanotechnology is still very much its developmental stages, nanotechnology has many promising solutions for the future. One prime example is nanomedicines, these infinitely small reformulated version of existing drugs can enable a new method for delivering the medicine throughout the human body. These nanomedicines will specifically be used for the treatment of cardiovascular (heart) disease, Parkinson's, tuberculosis, and even cancer. Obviously cancer being the most fatal out of those three diseases, scientists have specifically focused on conjuring up nanomaterials that could potentially be used as a cure.
Although, there are many positive consequences associated with the development of nanotechnology, there are also may controversies on the continuation on this applied science. For example, this technology could become so large and powerful that it could ultimately takeover all the major resource companies. Also, environmental activists worry how this development is ultimately creating something that doesn't exist in "nature."
Interview
What sparked your interest in nanotechnology?
While reading a magazine article, I came a across one of the newest accomplishments of nanotechnology and it completely blew my mind that such a task was able to be accomplished. This article explained how scientists have now been able to magnify matter so extensively that they were able to manipulate individual molecules to construct a nano-sized train that was capable of running through a single strand of human hair.
What are the exact components of nanotechnology that you are most interested in?
With most of my interest being focused in the field of medicine, I began to research the affects that nanotechnology has on assisting the cure of certain diseases and medical instruments. I know currently scientists are researching microscopic computer chips that are invisible to the naked eye and working on placing them inside cancer patients' body. Ultimately, the chip would move around the body and work on slowly destroying the cancer a little bit at a time.In addition to nano chips there are nanomaterials that are used to produce artificial tissues that will eventually be used to replace diseased kidneys and livers or possibly repair certain types of nerve damage.
How do you think this technology will help us in the future?
In the future, nanotechnology will take over many aspects of life and will ultimately become incorporated in everything from medicine to architecture, this technology is "flawless." With this they can manage infinite molecules and construct virtually anything. With this power many devices no longer need to be built with natural resources but instead only with the required molecules. Nano research could promote an industry that would mobilize around a billion dollars by 2015.
What could you possibly construct from these infinite molecules that would be so helpful? By magnifying carbon molecules such as Buckminsterfullerene you could ultimately be able form certain materials such subjects of reaserch under the umbrella of nanotechnology. Certain as a rope. These nano-sized molecules would be compressed together using advanced scientific tools and would result in a rope that would be impossible to break. This subject of carbon structures is one of the major materials act differently under the the nanoscale then under the macroscale. There are many controversial issues with nanotechnology especially with environmental activists is there anything that this technology does for the environment? Nanotechnology is showing progressing methods of cleaning up polluted sites and for monitoring water supplies. There is also and effort to conserve energy throughout the globe with this technology. This conservation would occur by improving the efficiency in production and transmission of fossil fuels which could hopefully eliminate them as a power source. 'Nanotechnology has many possibilties and the growth for this applied science is even more exponential than the number of divisions that occur to get to a nanometer".
