Gene Case Studies Samples For Students

Behavioral Genetics

Three genes and relationship to psychological functioning
Some genes have been associated with certain psychological functions. Among them is the dopamine receptor D4 gene. Scientists have established that this gene has a repeated correlation with impulsive response modes on the human psychology. The second gene is the catechol-o-methyl transferase gene. This gene is highly linked with cognitive behavior and task orientation in the human mind. The major aspect of the gene is to execute different functions such as experiencing rewards. The catechol-o-methyl transferase gene is also associated with response to stimulant in children. Both genes exhibit some strong associations with ...

Question 1: Explain the pathophysiologic defect of Cystic Fibrosis.

A mutation of a single gene, on chromosome 7, leads to the disease, cystic fibrosis. The gene is responsible for encoding the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) protein. The normal CFTR is a regulator of chloride channels, which can lead to the regulation of chloride and sodium channels on the surface of the cell. The most common mutation leading to an abnormal CFTR is a mutation is delta F508. The disease can have different phenotypic manifestations depending on the extent of the mutation. The differences in chloride transduction leads to abnormal secretions in various organs, such as the lungs leading to ...

Introduction

In the modern world, genetic testing at workplace is slowly trending towards becoming a controversial issue. Well from one perspective, genetic testing is perceived to be beneficial (Howard, 2011). For instance, through genetic testing organizations are able to determine side effects and illnesses in employees that might result from chemical exposure. However, there is still fear related to the testing outcome. In many articles that have previously researched on this topic, the utilitarian perspective seems to be supported. From this perspective, gene testing is highly disqualified as an invalid method of determining the hereditary diseases. Hence, gene testing has been ...

How I would evaluate the situation if I were a part of the ethics board

If I were a part of the ethics counsel, I would analyze this case based on autonomy and beneficence. Autonomy holds that a physician should respect the rights of the patient and present all treatment options so that the patient can make an informed decision (Brody and Colloca, 2013). In the case of Mr. and Mrs. Harrelson, the inheritance of two FGFR3 genes would lead to adverse impacts such as stillbirth while inheritance of one gene would result in dwarfism (Veatch, Haddad, and English, 2010). However, there is a chance that one child in four will not inherit the ...

Analysis of the Documentary Food, Inc. through the Lens of Ethical Theories and Ideas

Some may wonder whether the food choice is an ethical issue. After all, we make these choices at least three times a day and our individual decisions influence the global industry of food growth, production and processing. As Jones, Cardinal and Hayward remind us, we exist in society and are connected to other people. This is why our choices, in our case, the food choices, affect other people, and their decisions influence us as well (2006, p. 3). Various theories of ethics propose different ways of viewing the problems of food production and consumption and seek solutions in distinct ...

The aging process occurs during a person’s lifespan. Nobody can escape this process and it happens to everyone. Aging is associated with maturation, growth, and discovery (Cohen et al., 2015). Many abilities of human beings peak before the age of 30, but there are other abilities that continue to grow and develop throughout the life of a person. Most people who are over the age of 65 are healthy, fully independent, and happy while others start experiencing signs of deterioration. These changes are normal and not harmful. The hair thins and start turning gray and skins thins and ...

Plaintiff (π): Association for Molecular Pathology et al.

Defendants (Δ): Myriad Genetics, Inc.
Appellants: Myriad Genetics, Inc.
Respondent: Association for Molecular Pathology et al.
The important facts of the case:
BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes were discovered by Myriad Genetics, Inc. These genes were found to increase the risk of breast and ovarian cancer substantially.
Myriad Genetics Inc. was involved in developing several tests that could detect the gene mutation leading to the increment in the cancer risk.
In addition to this, Myriad took the patent on those genes and took the exclusive rights that could prevent others from

Researching on the topics related to those genes

Conducting tests and establishing labs to conducts the test ...

Genetic testing for children is a task that should be applied according to needs. In their article, Ross and Moon are focused on how to test genes, in which cases, and are trying to find out whether it will be correct in ethical and personal aspects. The article consists of the following parts: Introduction, Ethics Overview, Testing High-Risk Children, Identification of Career Status, and Conclusions.
In the opinion of Ross and Moon, recent success in gene discoveries brought many problems to life including those that are related to ethical standards. In any case, the authors do not give specific ...

According to Shortliffe and Cimino (2006), Bioinformatics enables students understand the processes involved in biotic systems. Biotic systems support in the study of how complex social systems interact by accumulating information, forming restrained behavior and maintaining prebiotic evolution models. Shortliffe and Cimino assert that developing this database we need to develop and design complex interfaces that researchers use to access the available data, revise it and then submit the data (2006). Bioinformatics helps to study, analyze and interpret data that involve amino acid and nucleotide sequence. Using of the computer has also improved the study of bioinformatics hence enabling ...

Hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC) exhibit genetic heterogeneity. Most of the HCC tumors are associated with activation of insulin/IGF-1/IRS-1/Ras/Raf/MAPK/Erk and a WNT/Frizzled receptors/β catenin signaling cascade which provides targets for therapy. All the pathways are mediated by genetic mutations and signaling compounds and the loss of regulatory proteins also contributes for tumor generation. Two signaling pathways are involved in the carcinogenesis which includes insulin/IGF 1/IRS 1/MAPK and Wnt/FZD/β catenin pathways.
The insulin/IGF-1/IRS-1/MAPK cascade plays a crucial role in regulating regeneration of liver and embryonic development. The constitutive activation of these cascades which is due to IRS 1 over expression leads to HCC ...

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Part #1

Biotechnology has shown a promising future to humankind, though it has been very controversial and always been linked to ethical issues, but the impacts of its application in daily life have delivered certain significant results that led to re-consider the biotechnology as a valuable option. Several examples of biotechnology that have improved our lives include transgenic crops, biomedicines and bioengineered vaccines, trans-fat free oils etc (Halpin, 2005). Biotechnological implementations in medicinal science have revolutionized the concept of medicine that helped in revealing the hidden secrets under the genomic pool and produced the ...

Environmental and Nutritional Requirements of Lactobacillus casei

Lactobacillus species have attracted considerable attention during the past few years due to the health benefits to the gastrointestinal tract when they are added as probiotics to food products such as yogurt and other fermented milk drinks (Broadbent, Larsen, Deibel, & Steele, 2010). In general, Lactobacillus species exhibit very complex nutritional and environmental requirements for optimal growth. Particularly, Lactobacillus casei is a rod shaped, aciduric (prefers acidic environments), facultative (capable of living in aerobic or anaerobic conditions) and mesophilic (temperature range between 15-40°C) lactic acid bacterium. These characteristics allow its isolation from different environments including fermented milk, meat or vegetable ...

Test cross

What was the phenotypic ratio for the offspring resulting from this testcross?
Results for the F1 generation for monohybrid cross between a female fly with brown eye (BW) color with a male fly having ebony body (E) color are as shown below.

Fly lab Lab Notes for Steven F

Parents
(Female: BW) x (Male: E)
Offspring
Phenotype Number Proportion Ratio
Female: + 494 0.5067 1.027
Male: + 481 0.4933 1.000

Total 975

All the offspring had a wild-type phenotype for the brown eyes and ebony body. This shows that, both brown eye and ebony body are recessive genes. The phenotypic ratio for the offspring resulting from the ...

Sandy most likely has Rheumatoid arthritis. The signs of arthritis that Sandy has include early morning stiffness of the small joints of the hands and the recent swelling up of both her knees.

The erythrocyte sedimentation rate at 23mm/hr is high and indicates an on-going inflammation. Also the Rheumatoid factor is positive. Most patients with Rheumatoid arthritis have a positive Rheumatoid factor assay.

There is actually no test result that is pathognomonic of rheumatoid arthritis. Diagnosis is made using a combination of clinical features, laboratory investigations and imaging features.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can be prescribed. One type is the non-selective Cyclooxygensae ...