Gene Therapy for Alzheimers Disease

Gene Therapy for Alzheimers Disease Imagine that in fifty years, people no longer fear forgetting how to make a sandwich, driving to the store without getting lost, or no longer recognizing loved ones; thats a future people can look forward to when Alzheimers disease has been eradicated by gene therapy. Alzheimers is a type of dementia that affects people worldwide as well as those who love them. Gene therapy, the transplantation of normal genes into cells to replace defective ones, is a promising treatment for correcting the underlying causes of the disease instead of just controlling its horrendous symptoms. Alzheimers is a disease for which there is currently no cure. Symptoms of the disease include problems remembering newly learned information, confusion, memory loss, behavioral changes and much more (Alzheimers). Currently available treatments only help to delay the progression of symptoms and improve the quality of life for those it affects. It is imperative that progress be made in treating the disease considering that Alzheimers is the most common form of dementia, accounting for between sixty to eighty percent of dementia cases, affecting over forty million people worldwide, and being the sixth main cause of death in the United States (Brazier, 2016). However, in order to be effective in combating this degenerative brain disease, researchers must first understand the underlying causes. Researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine as well as in the United Kingdom have found a protein fragment that they believe is a factor in causing Alzheimers: the beta-amyloid protein, AB. AB by itself is not detrimental to the health of the human brain; however, when the concentration of AB in the brain increases, the protein begins destroying synapses before clumping into plaques that ultimately lead to nerve cell death (Goldman, 2013). Scientists at Stanford found that as long as AP is in its soluble form it can travel freely in the brain without negative consequences. However, in its insoluble, clustered form, called plaques, AB can bind to receptors on nerve cells, starting a process that erodes the synaptic connections between cells (Goldman, 2013). AB is generated by the cleavage of the amyloid precursor protein, APP, by the enzyme B-secretase. It was found, in research conducted by S. Herbert, et. al., that the expression of the enzyme B-secretase is Alzheimers patients than in people without Alzheimers. B-secretase is the rate determining step in the production of AB, therefore a reduction in the expression of B-secretase is expected to reduce AB concentration in the brain and maintain a harmless, soluble level, and thus destructive plaques will not be created. Researchers began to develop a new gene therapy that could prevent the accumulation of AB in the brain. The discovery that the PPARy-coactivator-1a, PGC-1a, gene, whose expression is reduced in Alzheimers patients, regulates the transcription of B-secretase (Katsouri, 2016), allowed researchers to start working on a gene therapy to increase PGC-1a expression, thereby reducing B-secretase in the brain. Using mice as models of Alzheimers, researchers experimented with creating a lentiviral vector to express PGC-1a and replace damaged genes with healthy ones in patients brain cells. The mice, called APP23 mice, were bred to develop AB plaques in their brains that increase in size as they age, similar to the way AB plaques in Alzheimers patients behave (Katsouri, 2016). The similarities between the brains of these mice and those of Alzheimers patients allowed the researchers to experiment with the lentiviral vector they developed and observed the effect the ehalthy gene had on the brains of the mice. It was found that, four months after the injection of the PGC-1a carrying lentiviral vector, the mice showed remarkable improvement in spatial and recognition memory as well as significant reduction in AB deposition and B-secretase expression (Katsouri, 2016). The researchers also found that the treatment had neuroprotective effects and helped to preserve neurons and synapses that, without treatment, were being destroyed. Based on the results they observed, L. Katsouri, et. al., were able to conclude that selective induction of PGC-1a in specific areas of the brain is effective in targeting Alzheimers-related neurodegeneration and holds great potential as a therapeutic threatment for this disease. Unlocking the genetic code has been one of the greatest scientific advancements of this age. Treatments such as gene therapy can be used to treat many of the maladies we face and the importance of research in this field cannot be overstated. Utilizing gene therapy, Alzheimers may no longer cause trepidation as we age. Citations/References: Alzheimers Association. (n.d.). Alzheimers Disease Dementia. Retrieved March 01, 2017, from http://www.alz.org/alzheimers_disease_what_is_alzheimers.as Brazier, Y. (2016, October 11). Gene therapy could prevent Alzheimers, study suggests. Retrieved March 1, 2017, from http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/313412.php Herbert, S. S., Horre, K., Nicolai, L., Papadopoulou, A. S., Mandemakers, W., Silahtaroglu, A. N., . . . Strooper, B. D. (2008). Loss of microRNA cluster miR-29a/b-1 in sporadic Alzheimers disease correlates with increased BACE1/ -secretase expression. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 105(17), 6415-6420. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0710263105 Goldman, B. (2013, September 19). Scientists reveal how beta-amyloid may cause Alzheimers. Retrieved March 01, 2017, from http://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2013/09/scientists-reveal-how-beta-amyloid-may-cause-alzheimers.html Katsouri, L., Lim, Y. M., Blondrath, K., Eleftheriadou, I., Lombardero, L., Birch, A.M., . . . Sastre, M. (2016). PPARy-coactivator-1a gene transfer reduces neuronal loss and amyloid-B generation by reducing B-secretase in an Alzheimers disease model. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 113(43), 12292-12297. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1606171113

Slumdog Millionaire Analysis

The film †Slumdog Millionare† tells a compelling story of an eighteen year old Indian boy from the dirty slums of Mumbai who manages to cash in the main prize of the TV-show †Who wants to be a millionaire?† Combined with the directing of Danny Boyle and co-direction from Indian Lovleen Tandan, this 2008 movie is a great mash up between Hollywood and Bollywood. The film based on Vikars Swarup’s novel tells a dramatic and romantic story with a twist of humour through a set of very cogent actors. The protagonist of this movie is eighteen year old â€Å"slumdog† Jamal Malik. Taking Jamal’s past in consideration, it’s highly unlikely that an uneducated boy from the Mumbai slums is able to reach the final question of â€Å"Who want’s to be a millionaire?† Some people aren’t happy with this, and he is being accused for deceit. This is primarily what we are being introduced to in the opening scene, and it starts off with Jamal being interrogated and tortured by suspicious minds who think he has cheated. The story then flashes back in time to the day he participated on the TV show. Shortly after the story takes a leap back to his childhood, where Jamal and his brother, Salim, and some friend are running away from Indian officers for playing of private property. Throughout the movie we unravel more stories of his life, which ultimately helps him win the main prize. As Jamal continues to answer questions, he looks back at his childhood. We soon find out that Jamal’s mother is killed and that Jamal is forced to live on the streets with his brother, Salim. During their stay at the reckless streets of Mumbai they meet a girl named Latika. The three of them is then later discovered by a man who runs an orphanage where they get shelter and food, in return the children is sent out on the streets during the day to collect money as beggars. As it turns out the man is not as nice as he appears to be and Jamal and Salim manages to escape, unwillingly leaving Latika behind. Once again Jamal and Salim are back on the streets. As the story progresses Jamal is portrayed as a person who never gives up on what he sets out to do. In this context, it’s his quest to find the love of his life, Latika. His love for her sets him out on a life experiencing journey which finally places him in the seat of â€Å"Who wants to be a millionaire?† His brother, Salim on the other hand is portrayed as a more dynamic person. In fact he is quite unreliable, he is not an evil person, but his selfishness and hunger for money and control hurts the ones around him, tearing him apart from his own brother and rescinding their connection. As stated earlier there are flashbacks in this movie, in fact the flashbacks are present throughout the whole movie. The fascinating thing about this though is how cleverly the directors have combined two stories running parallel to each other, making them crash together during the end and creating the present. This leaves the viewer curious how Jamal will answer the final question in an exciting and creative way. Through clever camera use and light setting, the film has an intriguing feeling to it. There is a lot of shifting between warm colours and dark colours, the latter mostly used in dramatic and scenes shot during the night. The warm colours on the other hand create a feeling of heat which fits perfectly to the setting. Also the music plays a big role in setting the mood of the film. The use of Indian music especially furthers the intriguing feeling. Focusing on camera use, it’s interesting to see the way the directors shot scenes from a children’s point of view during the flashback scenes from Jamal’s childhood. This gives the viewer a feeling that the children are small compared to the big wide world. Furthermore a lot of close-up shots are used during conversations which give the viewer the ability to see more detailed facial expressions which is something that pulls the viewer more in to the story. Also worth mentioning is the contrast we see of the wealthy parts of India compared the poor parts through the use of camera. For example we get an overview from the Mumbai slum during one of the flashbacks; this really helps stating that India has had an enormous economic growth during recent years. In my eyes the film creates a message that’s telling you to never let go of your goals, and to be optimistic and focused. Just because someone grew up with a poor and tough childhood, it does not mean that this person have a lesser intellect life or is worth less than you. Anything is possible, with good dose luck. Subliminally I think this movie also wants to show off India’s present economic situation compared to a decade ago and how India’s wealth has increased. Personally I really enjoyed watching this film, one of the main reasons for that is the way the story is laid out. It makes it exciting and it also blows some new life in to the well know â€Å"Who wants to be a millionaire?† It is certainly not the first thing I would have thought making a movie about. The fact that behind every question there is a story is quite exciting and it leaves me waiting for the next turn. On this foundation, I strongly recommend this movie to everyone.

Hip Hop Music And Its Effects Essay - 1984 Words

Many individuals associate the art of Hip-Hop music with drug abuse, explicit sex, senseless violence, gang activity, misogyny, crime, and luxurious lifestyles. Hip-Hop was constructed as a form of artistic expression among many underprivileged African American communities during the late 1970s. Due to the many systemic racial barriers that limited many individuals of color from possessing resources, these individuals created a platform that allowed them to express their frustrations. The popularity of hip-hop music rapidly expanded, but as time progressed, the intent and purpose of the music would become distorted and altered. Hip-Hop music served as a reflection of the realities that existed in many impoverished communities. Drugs, lack of resources, extremely high crime rates, and poverty were extensively present within such communities, providing individuals within these communities to express these issues to individuals outside of their communities. Hip-Hop music has seemingly b ecame a mechanism that provided impoverished communities a voice that would be heard by the masses of society. High rates of poverty, lack of educational resources, and unavailability of jobs have seemingly forced many women of color into criminal activities in the attempt to gain some sort of economic stability. Such acts, particularly prostitution, become an economic threshold for impoverished women, providing them with the idea that this will improve their socioeconomic status. With suchShow MoreRelatedThe Effects Of Hip Hop Music On Society2876 Words   |  12 PagesMaria Hofman Enc 1102 22 July 2015 Negative Effects Of Hip Hop Music in Society Music is a powerful form of sound that affects our emotional state. However it is not the only kind of sound that affects the emotions; for example the sound of the waves and birds. Music has been around since the beginning of civilization. Music was used to tell myths, religious stories, and warrior tales. 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Teaching Styles For Student Understanding And Creative...

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