Browsing by Subject "biology"

Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
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    The Beginning of Personhood: A Thomistic Biological Analysis
    (Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd., 2000-04) Eberl, Jason T.
    “When did I, a human person, begin to exist?” In developing an answer to this question, I utilize a Thomistic framework which holds that the human person is a composite of a biological organism and an intellective soul. Eric Olson and Norman Ford both argue that the beginning of an individual human biological organism occurs at the moment when implantation of the zygote in the uterus occurs and the “primitive streak” begins to form. Prior to this point, there does not exist an individual human organism, but a cluster of biological cells which has the potential to split and develop as one or more separate human organisms (identical twinning). Ensoulment (the instantiation of a human intellective soul in biological matter) does not occur until the point of implantation. This conception of the beginning of human personhood has moral implications concerning the status of pre-implantation biological cell clusters. A new understanding of the beginning of human personhood entails a new understanding of the morality of certain medical procedures which have a direct affect on these cell clusters which contain human DNA. Such procedures discussed in this article are embryonic stem cell research, in vitro fertilization, procured abortion, and the use of abortifacient contraceptives.
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    Introducing Biology Undergraduates to Authentic Research through Grand Challenges in Global Health: Examining Environmental Factors that Influence the Development of Zebrafish Embryos
    (Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research, 2014-04-11) Sarmah, Swapnalee; Chism, Grady; Vaughan, Martin; Marrs, James A.; Marrs, Kathleen A.
    To increase student excitement and engagement in science, a course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE) has been introduced in the curriculum at IUPUI. In Fall 2013, original research projects investigating prenatal alcohol, nicotine and caffeine exposure effects on development of zebrafish embryos was introduced into the Introductory Biology K102 course. This research project was also a part of a new Themed Learning Community (TLC) at IUPUI called “From Molecules to Medicines” that examined grand challenges in global health. In documenting the developmental effects on zebrafish embryos, and designing new protocols to address student research questions, students gained experience with authentic research methods, laboratory techniques, microscopy, image analyses, statistical analyses, scientific writing and presentation skills. This project, especially in a freshman undergraduate lab setting, requires a new way of problem-solving, but greatly facilitates student excitement and engagement in science through the use of research-based high-impact practices for student success and persistence. To continue an inquiry-based lab on global health issues and to keep IUPUI biology curricula current with the rapid rise of bioinformatics, concepts of bioinformatics were introduced into the Cell Biology Laboratory K325 course in Spring, 2014. Students were allowed to work on their own investigatory projects to analyzed zebrafish microarray data to find genes affected after ethanol exposure. Students used NCBI/ Ensembl databases to retrieve the gene/protein sequences, and various freely available tools (GeneBank, Protein Data Bank, BLAST, ClustalW, ExPasy, Phylogenetic Tree) to investigate the evolutionary conservation of genes/proteins affected after ethanol exposure. Student learnt 3D-protein structure construction and observed how 3D-protein structure could change with single amino acid changes. Preliminary assessment indicates that students are gaining an understanding the web-based databases and tools and enjoying the investigatory nature of the lab exercises.
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    Purinergic Receptors of the Central Nervous System: Biology, PET Ligands, and Their Applications:
    (Sage, 2020-04-10) Zarrinmayeh, Hamideh; Territo, Paul R.; Radiology and Imaging Sciences, School of Medicine
    Purinergic receptors play important roles in central nervous system (CNS). These receptors are involved in cellular neuroinflammatory responses that regulate functions of neurons, microglial and astrocytes. Based on their endogenous ligands, purinergic receptors are classified into P1 or adenosine, P2X and P2Y receptors. During brain injury or under pathological conditions, rapid diffusion of extracellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP) or uridine triphosphate (UTP) from the damaged cells, promote microglial activation that result in the changes in expression of several of these receptors in the brain. Imaging of the purinergic receptors with selective Positron Emission Tomography (PET) radioligands has advanced our understanding of the functional roles of some of these receptors in healthy and diseased brains. In this review, we have accumulated a list of currently available PET radioligands of the purinergic receptors that are used to elucidate the receptor functions and participations in CNS disorders. We have also reviewed receptors lacking radiotracer, laying the foundation for future discoveries of novel PET radioligands to reveal these receptors roles in CNS disorders.
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    What Makes Us Human?
    (Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research, 2016-04-08) Goss, Sarah; King, Justin; Smith, Rebekah; Walker, Whitney; Whitman, Priya
    What makes us human? Is it something innate within us, perhaps in our souls, if we even have them? Or are we determined by biology and genetics? It is increasingly clear that we cannot simply reduce humanity to the false dichotomies illustrated in antiquated arguments such as nature vs. nurture. Throughout history, the Cartesian mind-body divide has fueled a schism between understandings of what makes us human. Our infographic dispels these false dichotomies, indicating that humans are shaped myriad elements including genetics, socio-cultural constructs, the environment, and consciousness. This infographic shows the audience some of the greatest thinkers’ philosophies and ideas regarding areas such as human biology, consciousness, and evolution. We explain three prominent thought pathways, their roots, connotations, and interdependencies on a web of human thought, mapping out genetic foundations, theories of consciousness and human nature, and socio-cultural constructs. This web of humanity shows how the many theories of what makes us human coexist and interconnect; further indicating that humanity cannot be reduced to either the biological or the intellectual. What was once viewed as a dichotomy has become an open space for examination of human nature through the many lenses that are required for our complex nature. Perhaps the historic division of science and the humanities has provided the arena for deep thought on all sides. But now, there is a space to bridge the divide, and this bridge shows us that we are niche creators founded in biology and genetics and extant in our socio-cultural constructs. We exist in intentional space unintentionally. We are human, and perpetually evolving to be.