GAC013 Assessment Event 2: Case Study Investigation (Draft) Compare and Contrast the Two Scientific Advances Student’s Name: Song Yongsung Student ID #: HUK21984 Teacher: Daniel Choi Due Date: 19 July 2012 Word Count: 702 Table of Contents Abstract .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 1 Introduction .................................................................................................................................................................................. 1 Methodology ................................................................................................................................................................................ 1 Process ................................................................................................................................................................................... 1 Data collection methods................................................................................................................................................... 1 Addressing the Research Purpose ............................................................................................................................. 2 Findings .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 2 Discussion .................................................................................................................................................................................... 3 Conclusions and Recommendations ............................................................................................................................. 3 Reference ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 4 Appendices ................................................................................................................................................................................... 5 Appendix A .......................................................................................................................................................................... 5 Appendix B .......................................................................................................................................................................... 6 GAC013 AE2 Song Yong Sung HUK21984 Abstract Two scientific researches about genetic mutation and cholesterol are both helpful to human society. I used the internet when I researched about these topics in The New York Times. Also, I made a table to compare the two findings. Next, I will explain how these findings contribute to human progress which is helpful to general health. Finally, I choose the genetic mutation contribute better than other findings. Introduction This essay is made to compare and contrast the two scientific discoveries for distinguishing the scientific advances for human between finding good cholesterol which is called HDL and finding a fish which adapt to PCBs by genetic mutation. Before I did a research on these two topics, I had a stereotype that cholesterol is no way helpful for human health and that genetic mutation is always harmful for organisms. This scientific finding should be helpful for human society so people don’t avoid foods with low cholesterol content and the other predicted effect is that genetic mutation can be helpful for people. Methodology Process a) I decided on the two topics. b) I researched on the internet to finding scientific discovery. c) Compare the two scientific advances d) Choose which one is better. Data collection methods a) Internet 7/19/2012 page 1 GAC013 AE2 Song Yong Sung HUK21984 A. Site 1 – New York Times Addressing the Research Purpose A. New York Times – 1. Genetic mutation give help to tomcod to survive. 2. Tomcod didn’t affected to PCBs 3. HDL may lower the disease risk 4. HDL may have no relationship that make better to heart disease. Findings A genetic mutation allows Hudson River fish to adapt to PCBs. Genetic mutation is not always harmful. It also can give help to organisms. It can solve that surviving the extremely rough environments. ‘Good cholesterol’ structure identified could help explain protective effects. Cholesterol is not always harmful to human health. This discovery can be the solution to many kinds of disease. Which part of science does it belong to and why? Biochemistry and genetics. Health science, biology and biochemistry. When and by who was it discovered? NYUS of Medicine scientist found out at 2/18/2011 UC researchers found out at 13/3/2011 Topic Aspects to be examined What is the scientific advance? Which issue does it address Provide a historical perspective what was the previous strategy for dealing with the issue? What is the contribution of the scientific advance to human progress? Similarities People found out just basic information like appearance. And can survive the rough circumstance-So they didn't eat the tomcod. Genetic mutation can be helpful for the survival of people regardless of the location. People think all cholesterol is harmful. Hence, they don't eat the foods which have lots of cholesterol. This discovery gives help to human health such as heart diseases. These two discoveries are related to health science. Also, people stereotype is changed. Finding timing was similar. Table 1: result of compare and contrast the two topics. This table shows some questions to illustrate the comparison. Generally, I explained the comparison and how these scientific findings can affect human progress in a good way. Also, what the people 7/19/2012 page 2 GAC013 AE2 Song Yong Sung HUK21984 were thinking, before these scientific findings were found out, was dicussed. Lastly, I also tried to determine the similarities between Hudson River fish and Good cholesterol. Discussion The reason why tomcods can survive in Hudson River which is polluted with PCBs is the extremely bad environment occurred the genetic mutation to tomcod which is changing the gene called ARH2 which can control the toxic. Before scientists knew about this fish, people thought there was no fish in Hudson River because of PCBs. After people found out, they start to avoid. But the New York University medical scientists want to know how they can survive. And so they did a research on it. This discovery proves that the genetic mutation is not always bad. For example, we can make genetic mutation artificially so people who live in a bad environment can adapt to that region. Also, this can help in finding solutions to some diseases. Hence, by the discovery of genetic mutation, some diseases can be treated. According to UC researchers, the discovery of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) that is called good cholesterol can also be helpful to human health. Especially, cardiovascular diseases like stroke can be prevented by a high number of HDL. This is because HDL has lots of Apo lipoprotein A-I. Prior to the research, people think that cholesterol is always bad. After this, people’s thinking has changed. However, according to The New York Times, HDL may have no influence to cardiovascular diseases. Only a little part of HDL molecules can affect heart diseases. Also, trials in which taking medicines that help to improve the HDL level were stopped because there were no improvements on cardiovascular endurance. On the other hand, this scientific finding can still contribute in making medicines for cardiovascular diseases. Although The New York Times stated that there may be no relationship between heart diseases and HDL, it’s not clearly identified yet. Conclusions and Recommendations After the comparison between the two discoveries, finding a genetic mutation that allows Hudson River fish to adapt to PCBs is a better finding. This is for the reason that the former involves only a 7/19/2012 page 3 GAC013 AE2 Song Yong Sung HUK21984 specific part of the human body while the latter can be of help to the human society. Reference Kolata, Gina. “Doubt Cast on the ‘Good’ in ‘Good Cholesterol’.” The New York Times. The New York Times, 18 May 2012. Web. 19 July 2012. 7/19/2012 page 4 GAC013 AE2 Song Yong Sung HUK21984 Rabin, Roni Caryn. “ ‘Good’ Cholesterol May Lower Alzheimer’s Risk.” The New York Times, The New York Times. 16 Dec. 2010. Web. 19 July 2012. Reinberg, Steven. “Trial Stopped After Niacin Brings No Benefit to Heart Patients.” US News. US News, 26 May 2011. Web. 19 July 2012. Rudolf, John Collins. “Speedy Evolution, Indeed.” The New York Times, The New York Times. 18 Feb. 2011 Web. 19 July 2012. Zimmer, Carl. “Evolution Right Under Our Noses.” The New York Times. The New York Times, 25 July 2011. Web. 19 July 2012, Appendices Appendix A – it’s a picture that tomcod in Hudson River. 7/19/2012 page 5 GAC013 AE2 Song Yong Sung HUK21984 Appendix B- This picture is show the difference between HDL and LDL Readability Statistics: 7/19/2012 page 6 GAC013 AE2 Song Yong Sung HUK21984 Comment: 7/19/2012 page 7