Abstract
This paper provides insight into genetic engineering and gene therapy, the changing of an organism's genes in order to remove unwanted characteristics within an organism or to add other characteristics. In particular, it examines how genetic engineering techniques can be used to identify and treat certain diseases as well as aid doctors in creating custom-made drugs for specific patients. It shows that while the current application of genetic engineering on humans is limited, the hope is that genetic engineering will be able to treat many common diseases. It also describes the controversial issues surrounding its use with doctors, ethicists, religious groups and politicians and examines why science should be careful when applying this technology.

From the Paper
"The use of gene therapy began on September 14, 1990 and was use to treat a four-year old girl who was suffering from adenosine deaminase (ADA) deficiency. This is a fatal disease that attacks the immune system. The problem was that her cells were not creating the ADA enzyme necessary for the immune functions of the cells. Doctors at the National Institute of Health in Bethesda Maryland removed blood cells from the patent and modified them with a viral vector from normal ADA genes. When the blood was infused back into the girl's blood stream, the ADA gene programmed the cells to produce the missing enzyme. This helped the girl to develop a resistance to infection, albeit temporarily (Isasi, 2002)."

Tags:cells, dna, testing, therapy

Abstract
In this article, the writer first explains that tissue engineering is an interdisciplinary field which utilizes the principles of life sciences as well as engineering for the creation of biological substitutes or replacements that can heal, improve, maintain or restore the functions of tissues. The writer notes that tissue engineering can be utilized to manufacture whole tissues in vitro or outside the body. The writer discusses the tissue engineering process and looks at biological printing and bionanotechnology. Further, the writer discusses the treatment of patients with spinal cord injury and the applications of tissue engineering in agriculture. The writer concludes that ethical and political aspects of fertility treatments, cloning, stem cell research and genetically modified food can influence or hamper further research and development in this field.

From the Paper
"Another new technology being used to engineer tissues is bionanotechnology. One of the major advantages of using this technology is that the patient's own cells can be used to fabricate the artificial tissue. This would effectively deal with the issue of organ rejection as the new tissue would have the same immunological characteristics as the patient's own tissue. Tissue engineering with the help of nanotechnology involves the manufacture of a "smart matrix" on a nano-scale containing signals for the growth and differentiation of the cells. The matrix provides a framework of scaffold for the systematic arrangement of embryonic or adult stem cells and provides them with an optimum environment for the growth of the engineered tissue. An interesting fact about stem cells is that they have the capability to differentiate into diverse tissues with different morphology, sensory abilities, functions and synthetic capabilities. Various research studies have suggested that the application of external electrical stimulus can effectively control the process of organ formation."

Tags:biological, substitutes, transplant, replacement

Abstract
This paper reviews the "audience" and "scope of the project" components of a major grant application which seeks to implement a wide-ranging computer game system into classrooms with the avowed goal of encouraging more young women to pursue careers in the sciences, mathematics and even in engineering. The students in question range from grades 7 to 12 and the project will be a multi-year affair (preferably 7 years with the hope of even additional time) that will involve collaboration with local industries interested in developing and in harvesting female talent. The paper ultimately makes a strong case that any project on the level of the proposed project is one that can benefit not simply young girls, but also their teachers and, of course, corporations.

From the Paper
"In a related vein, another major reason that young girls in the middle and early high school years are targeted is because they are particularly impressionable during this period. For example, if they see their other female friends declining to engage with mathematics and/or science courses, there is an element of peer pressure which steadily builds until they, too, have walked away from a potentially bright future in a non-traditional occupation. Fontana and Beckerman (2004) have expertly illustrated how computer video games can be used to produce social competencies in children; surely one other skill that video games can nurture is the ability of young women to believe in themselves and in their dreams. "

Tags:mathematics, science, girls

Abstract
This paper reviews the "audience" and "scope of the project" components of a major grant application which seeks to implement a wide-ranging computer game system into classrooms with the avowed goal of encouraging more young women to pursue careers in the sciences, mathematics and even in engineering. The paper relates that the students in question range from grades 7 to 12 and the project will be a multi-year affair (preferably 7 years with the hope of even additional time) that will involve collaboration with local industries interested in developing and in harvesting female talent. The paper ultimately makes a strong case that any project on the level of the proposed project is one that can benefit not simply young girls, but also their teachers and, of course, corporations.

Tags:sciences, mathematics, girls

Abstract
This paper deals with the subject of genetic engineering, explaining the process that is involved in carrying it out and of transmitting the specifically designed changes to successive generations via genetic inheritance. The author also provides some historical background and discusses the ethical controversies that surround this subject.

Outline:
Background and History
Beneficial Applications
Ethical Controversies

From the Paper
"British microbiologist Fred Griffith identified two forms of the pneumococcus bacterium distinguishable by the presence or absence of a smooth exterior cellular coating responsible for its resistance to the human immune system response. Griffith accidentally transmitted that characteristics of the deadly pneumococci responsible for human pneumonia to subsequent generations of the harmless pneumococci that lacked that distinctive exterior coating (Aldridge 1998).
"The subsequent discovery of the underlying structure of the DNA molecule and specific mechanism of genetic inheritance announced by James Watson and Francis Crick in 1957 lead to the eventual explosion of DNA sciences including the purposeful alteration of genetic material to produce desirable genetic traits in biological organisms. In fact, so much research into the mechanics of human heredity were conducted in the
interim between Griffith's first experiments that culmination in their 1957 announcement for which they shared a Nobel Prize, that the work of Watson and Crick is considered by many to unfairly overshadow the valuable contributions of Griffith and other predecessors (Gibbon 2002).

Tags:beneficial, breakthrough, inheritable

From the Paper
" We have become a population of specialists, with each person so deep in his chosen field that he scarcely realizes the existence of other fields. Perhaps biology is ignored more than most other fields because of its stereotypical image. When people think of biology, they picture a scientist wearing a white lab coat (complete with pocket protectors), carrying numerous volumes of big, pictureless books, and muttering confusing, multisyllabic words. Although this is one type of biologist, most scientists do not fit this description. Regardless of their appearance, these scientists' labors cannot be ignored-especially in the field of genetics--because they affect everyone: philosophers, lawyers, priests, and laypersons. Geneticists, specifically genetic engineers, propose to alter the genetic (...)"

Tags:SCIENCE

Abstract
This paper explains the history of the development of genetic identity testing as used in DNA fingerprinting, profiling, and typing especially its use in forensics. Next, the author reviews the use of DNA testing in medical science to eliminate genetic defects, diagnose and treat diseases like cancer, re-engineer the embryo and improve periodontal dentistry. The paper concludes that, along with the promise of accurate detection and treatment of virtually every disease, DNA testing also creates the possibility of abuse through genetic discrimination. The paper has end notes with the bibliography.

Table of Contents:
The Beginnings of Genetic Identity Testing
DNA fingerprinting
Getting Rid of Genetic Defects through DNA Testing
More Miracles Forthcoming
Shaping Tomorrow's Super People
DNA Knowledge, a Prime Advantage in Court
Unbeatable Forensic Tool
Injectables in Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment
A Milestone in Dental Science
A DNA Database for Healthcare
Genetic Discrimination, a Downside
Summary

From the Paper
"The father of DNA science, James Watson, expressed the belief that legislation could eliminate genetic defects from future generations. Current fears of creating "designer babies" control the law and these fears obstruct the dream from getting realized. In that dream, the genes of sperms, eggs and embryos can be altered to remove those defects. There may be risks, Dr.Watson admits, but calculated benefits far outweigh and justify those risks. Dr. Watson shared the Nobel Prize for the discovery of the DNA double helix in 1953 with Francis Crick."

Tags:genomics, germ-line gene therapy, gene-based designer drugs, database discrimination

Abstract
This paper explains that the only way that engineers will find success today is if they adopt a global perspective in their thinking. The paper maintains that a global outlook is necessary in an engineering education if engineers want to be aware of their competition and their need to compete in an increasingly global marketplace. The paper also asserts that the global outlook is necessary so that engineers are aware that they may need to collaborate with individuals from other countries.

Introduction
International Outlook
Educational Requirements
Current Implementation
Conclusions

From the Paper
"Engineering was founded on change, and today, more than ever, change drives engineering. Engineering, in its most basic form, is the creation of something new in order to bring about an improvement in the field for which that creation was designed. To continue that process, an engineer must attempt to broaden the existing designs to their fullest extent and introduce new designs. To ensure that the engineer has successfully undertaken a project, he or she must consider all of the possibilities available as part of the design process. Certainly, the only way to do so is to look beyond the familiar. By broadening his or her horizons, today's engineer can find success. Therefore, engineers must be exposed to the broadest base of information available. A global outlook is now required."

Tags:students, science, math, workplace, designing, projects, information, technology

Abstract
This paper explores the main debate that arises when altering human genetics. It discusses the ethical implications, potential deadly side effects and the possibility of genetic discrimination. The paper also looks at the views of Jeremy Rifkin and Stephen Jay Gould. The author maintains that the solution is to establish an international ban on human genetic engineering. The author is also of the opinion that biological engineering does not have nor ever will have a place in society.

From the Paper
"The excitement streamed throughout their bodies as the newlywed couple walked into the doctor's office. Today marks six weeks of pregnancy for the couple, and they have a doctor's appointment to go over their choices regarding the baby's sex, color, height, and personality of the future newborn. One might ask is this health care professional the form of a supernatural being. Indeed, one would consider this situation as the sick plot of a typical science fiction piece, but suppose this story had the potential to become reality. Unfortunately, the doctor is nothing more than a human being misusing science without ethical regard. This hypothetical example poses a scary prospect, which can be made possible through the practice of biological engineering."

Tags:ethics, morals, bioengineering, nature, science, doctors

Abstract
In this paper, the writer discusses that during the 19th century, the application of science to inventions started the Industrial Revolution, the mass production of material goods by machines. The writer notes that although population growth had reached new highs, the first step in this revolution happened in mid-eighteenth-century England, with the development of the steam engine and machines for spinning and weaving textiles. The writer maintains that industrialism was the reason for the West's economic and military dominance over the rest of the world. The writer points out that the industrial revolution was created by the discoveries of modern metals, creating machines and techniques to find and transport the fuel to produce goods. However, the writer notes that the needs of the masses who worked in the resulting factories grew faster than their purses. The writer concludes that after the industrial boom had passed, they were left without jobs to deal with their sociological problems and with very little help or sympathy from the classes above them, who had started the factories and swept up the profits from their enterprises.

From the Paper
"Wealthy entrepreneurs and corporations were able to create great structures in the major cities. In 1856 Henry Bessemer (British) perfected the process for producing inexpensive steel; and the next year E.G. Otis (American) installed the first safety elevator. From 1773, cast iron provided strength without bulk and provided architects to span broader widths and raise structures to greater heights than traditional stone buildings. John Nash used cast iron in 1815 for the Brighton Pavilion. The first cast-iron suspension bridge began to be constructed in 1836, but not until mid-century was iron used as skeletal support for mills, warehouses and railroad stations. Joseph Paxton built Paxton's Crystal Palace for the Great Exhibition of London in 1851 of glass and steel in only nine months. It was a prefabricated structure, and after the exhibition was moved to a new site. It burned down in 1930. The Eiffel Tower was also built as a novelty, but became an emblem of modernism. Designed as a viewing tower by Gustave Eiffel for the Paris World Exhibition of 1889, it is a 1,064-foot-high cast iron skeleton equipped with elevators."

Tags:machines, technologies, railway, industry