Joelving, Frederik. “Hospitals hype robot surgery for women: Study.” The American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology. (2012). Accessed October 29, 2012. http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/07/20/us-hospitals-hype-robot-surgery-idUSBRE86J0UQ20120720
This resource highlights robotic surgery for women and identifies better outcomes. Basically, the article makes a reference to the better result of robot surgery since the approach offers a surgeon a magnified 3-D view with excellent imaging of extremely small blood vessels. While doctors make long incision in an open surgery which makes patients profusely bleed and take time to heal, robot surgery facilitates faster recovery and reduced blood loss. However, the article notes increased operating time and higher cost as the potential downside when compared with conventional surgery.
Lanfranco, Anthony, Andres E. Castellanos, Jaydev P. Desai, and William C. Meyers. “Robotic Surgery.” Ann Surg, 239(1). (2004): 14–21. Accessed October 29, 2012. doi: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1356187/
The article notes that while robotic surgery is at its infancy, it is of great value, specifically fields inaccessible to the procedures of conventional laparoscopic. The article identifies that robotic surgery is at its infancy and that the practical uses are restricted to surgical procedures which are smaller. It identifies benefits that overcome laparoscopic surgery obstacles, i.e. increased dexterity, improved visualization, and restore proper hand-eye coordination and an ergonomic position. In fact, the authors argue that the past impossible surgeries have been made feasible, thanks to robotic surgery. However, it highlights lack of established efficacy and high costs as major downsides to robotic surgery.
Kolata, Gina. “Results Unproven, Robotic Surgery Wins Converts.” (2010). Accessed October 29, 2012. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/14/health/14robot.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
This article presents uncertainty of robotic surgery with regard to surgery outcomes. Besides, it notes that robotic surgery costs more than the conventional surgery but still leads to fewer in hospital complications. However, the article points out marketing hype in robotic surgery. The downside is that robots reach into smaller spaces is pitiful. Unlike doctors, robots cannot feel how the tissues are being grabbed and comparatively take longer time for prostrate operation. It recognizes that the outcomes of both conventional and robotic surgery are the same.
Dharia, Sejal, and Tommaso Falcone. “Robotics in reproductive medicine.” American Society for Reproductive Medicine, no. 84. (2005): 1–11. Accessed October 29, 2012. http://allaboutroboticsurgery.com/images/robotics.pdf
This article highlights robotic surgery as an emerging technology that basically is an alternative to traditional surgical techniques in the reproductive medicine. Similarly, it states that robotic surgery play a role in telepresence surgery and surgical education.
Ostrom, Carol M. “Use of surgical robots booming despite hefty cost.” The Seattle Times, July 7, 2012. Accessed October 29, 2012. http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2018631542_robot08m.html
The article mentions the high costs associated with robotic surgery. It also notes that both large and small hospital have enthusiastically adopted robotic surgery simply because robots give fresh powerful abilities in the operation rooms, provide short time recovery and also decrease chances of complications taking place. However, it highlights some doctors as well mention the downside of deficiency of national training standards. Specifically, surgeons with sufficient experience easily use the technology and may eventually lead to technology abuse. Therefore, the article identifies that while robots have better outcomes, they pose unique risks to patients like lacerations and burns when a wrong hand uses them on a wrong patient. Also, patients are likely to be anesthetized longer since surgery takes comparatively longer time.
Biofuels
“Biofuel.” CNN.com. Last modified. Monday, October 29, 2012. http://articles.cnn.com/keyword/biofuel
The various authors in the article appear to be having divided opinion about bio-fuels on their effect on climate change. Biofuel can potentially impact emissions of greenhouse gases. It also raises concern with the world food supply. To others, it allows the protection of the environment as it is a clean form of energy.
Bourne, Joel K. “Biofuels.” (2007). Accessed October 29, 2012. http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2007/10/biofuels/biofuels-text
The article highlights the benefits of biofuels. In particular, it identifies some of the benefits that farmers get as a result of using biofuel. For instance, it shows that biofuel cuts carbon dioxide emission. However, corn demands larger herbicide doses and nitrogen fertilizer. This is likely to degrade the environment through soil erosion. It also shows that the boom in biofuel demand has eventually pushed corn prices. Basically, it identifies some of the threats associated with biofuels like carbon dioxide emission and creation of a closed-loop system.
Massey, Nathanael. “Growing Biofuels on ‘Surplus’ Land May Be Harder Than Estimated.” (2012). Accessed October 29, 2012. http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=growing-biofuels-on-surplus-land-may-be-harder-than-estimated
The article highlights land unused or surplus land in conservation or agricultural production as the solution to fuel versus food arguments that for long have inundated bioenergy exploitation. Also, it shows that a break should be put on bioenergy because many states have set their bioenergy extremely high. it thus highlights the shortage problem can be effectively curbed from both sides--from the top and from the bottom. It further mentions water availability resource, greenhouse emissions, quality of soil and conservation requirements as the core factors to put into consideration while assessing surplus lands’ viability.
Lee, Sa Yong, Martin, A. “Hubbe And Shiro Saka. Prospects For Biodiesel As A Byproduct Of Wood Pulping. A Review.” Bio Resources, 1(1). (2006): 150-171. Accessed October 29, 2012. http://www.ncsu.edu/bioresources/BioRes_01/BioRes_01_1/BioRes_01_1_150_171_Lee_HS_Biodiesel_from_Wood_Pulping.pdf
The article demonstrates that effective utilization of byproducts impacts the kraft pulping profitability and eventually helps production of cellulosic fibers from the wood. It further highlights that tall components obtained from the kraft pulping can be used as biodiesel fuel raw material. It also shows the various approaches that may be used, constituting alkali and acid catalyzed esterification, enzymatic conversations, hydrogenation and reactions in supercritical fluids. It thus demonstrates that kraft pulping process can be a major source of biodiesel oil.
Cell Research
“Nobel Prize In Medicine 2012: John Gurdon, Shinya Yamanaka Win For Cell Research.” HuffPost. Last modified August 10, 2012. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/08/nobel-prize-in-medicine_n_1947456.html
The source mentions the possibility that the mature, specialized of the body can be effectively reprogrammed into a stem cell. The article further shows that scientists aim to effectively harness the Yamanaka’s invention in creating replacement tissues capable of treating diseases such as Parkinson's. It also shows that the tissues can be used in the laboratory to study the roots of diseases. It demonstrates that specialized cells are able to turn back developmental clock in given circumstances.
Zhou et al., “Generation of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Using Recombinant Proteins.” Cell Stem Cell. (2009). Accessed October 29, 2012. http://masspec.scripps.edu/publications/public_pdf/2009CellStemCell.pdf
This article highlights the possibility of the generation of protein-induced pluripotent stem cells (piPSCs) from murine embryonic fibroblasts using recombinant cell-penetrating reprogramming proteins. Besides, it shows that the piPSCs can self-renew in the long term and that they are pluripotent in vitro and in vivo.
Robinson, B. A. “Stem cell research: All viewpoints.” Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance (1998).. Last modified September 28, 2010. Accessed October 29, 2012. http://www.religioustolerance.org/res_stem.htm
The article is about stem cells. It highlights stem cells as human life simply because they are alive has DNA content. It besides show the unique stem cells unique features. Specifically, they are able to be coaxed into the development of 220 cell types available in the human body. It identifies embryonic stem cells as the one having greatest potential. Besides, it shows that the induced pluripotent stem cells specifically are treated cells and can be processed to have a similar behaviour as embryonic stem cells.
