Role of Genetic Variations in Human Diseases Research Paper

Role of Genetic Variations in Human Diseases - Research Paper Example Sufficient advances have been made to date in the area of understanding disease etiology and pathogenesis from the perspective and context of genetic variation as a driver, and with development of modern genetic laboratory technologies, it is now a reality that in the near future, there would be increasing role for genetics in the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of complex diseases, almost all except those caused by trauma. In fact following the knowledge accumulation from the Human Genome Project, the causation of common and complex diseases in relation to genetic variation in the fields of molecular epidemiology, medicine, and pharmacogenomics was a prime research interest. This was in sharp contrast with the traditional approach of studying human diseases contemplated to be caused by relatively rare single-gene diseases, which cumulatively account for merely 10% of diseases apparent in the pediatric age group. However, in reality, the post Human Genome Project research in this field is tending to increasingly demonstrate that virtually every medical condition has a genetic component. There is, however, considerable difficulty in characterizing these conditions since there is a vast number of genetic variations and their combinations, synergistic effects of multiple causative genes, and reactions of genetic traits with environmental factors, all of which may play roles together to cause manifestations of a complex disease. Disease loci of single gene variations through Mendelian inheritance have been successfully mapped; however, delineating the genetic variations and determinants had been more difficult and is a comparatively newer area of research. Currently, significant advances in the area of Bioinformatics have increased the possibilities of successful investigations about the genetic determinants of complex diseases. As is often evident from a patient's family history, many common disorders such as hypertension, heart disease, asthma, diabetes mellitus, and mental illnesses are significantly influenced by the genetic background. These polygenic or multifactorial disorders involve the contributions of many different genes, as well as environmental factors that can modify disease risk. Cancer has a genetic basis since it results from acquired somatic mutations in genes controlling growth and differentiation. In addition, the development of many cancers is associated with a hereditary predisposition. The prevalence of genetic diseases, combined with their severity and chronic nature, imposes a great financial, social, and emotional burden on society, and therefore research in this area is strongly indicated to solve the problems of application of this science into accurate characterization of the disease processes, so a clinical and therapeutic solution for these problems are accessible to both the medical community and the patients. While traditionally and historically, genetics has focused its attention on Mendelian causation of chromosomal and metabolic disorders such as trisomy 21, Turner Syndrome and

Answering the Quastion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Answering the Quastion - Essay Example Domestic violence is a social crime because it leads to severe mental problems and psychological breakdowns due to which the victimized spouse is often considered as an abnormal person. Statistics make us think why mostly women are killers in homicides. The reason is the fact that when husbands physically or mentally abuse their wives, the latter develop such mental problems and anxiety disorders that lead them to kill their husbands and get rid of the abuse once and for all. It is not only a social crime but also a religious crime. Bible stops humans to be abusive toward their life partners. Chopp (239) states in her book, â€Å"†¦we recognize that the church is not immune to such problems as alcohol and sexual abuse.† God wants humans to spread peace and live with love, and nurture family system with care and honesty. Hence, domestic abuse is both a social and a religious crime. Question # 4 Christians have developed ways for thinking about those who are different, and this has lead to strikingly different kinds of treatment of different people. For Christians, it is the message of God to spread love and humanity, and to treat all people on equal basis. No person from another socio-economic or cultural background is inferior. No matter what the background is, all people should share the same status and respect. Christianity encourages thinking about different people in a caring way, which should include right kind of treatment of others. For example, America enjoys a diverse population, and people from different cultural, ethnic, and societal backgrounds live with each other. Students from different backgrounds study together in same schools, and this has lead to the promotion of equality and brotherhood. Christianity encourages that people should treat others with kindness, care, love, and concern, so that such a society must be established where no one feels insecure and unstable. â€Å"God has done God’s part and the rest is up to us,â €  says Moore (69). Hence, it is now our responsibility to devise and implement ways and strategies that should be able to treat all humans from different backgrounds on an equal basis. We should promote justice and fairness in the society, and should resist against racial, sexual, and gender discrimination. This is how different people are treated so that they feel loved and accepted in a strange society. Question # 5 We are living in a post-modern world. Post-modernism has made us understand the realities of life more distinctly and truthfully. It started in later twentieth century, and focuses on the reality of things from a critical point of view. Post-modernism also boosts feminism, and rejects the idea of women being kept at homes for household only. Modernism struggled against the home captivity of women, and post-modernism saw the liberation of women. Not only this, post-modernism has given new meaning to arts, culture, social norms, politics, agriculture, and economics. One aspect of post-modernism is that people are no longer ready to accept things as they are. They have started questioning the realities of life, and do not accept ambiguous realities. This has given rise to research and rejection of olden times’ myths and suppositions. For example, the existence of God has been debated upon in the post-modern world, and it has been proved with facts and logics. â€Å"