Day 5 Daddy Blog

Life Card- I got a new job at the nuclear power plant. This will negatively effect the baby and anyone else I am around. When the baby is exposed to the radiation, can cause harmful health effects. It can result in permanent damage of the tissues. Sunburn, melanoma or different types of cancers are caused by overexposure to nuclear radiations.
Time-line:

• Week 8:  Your embryo, now the 6th week of development, is about the size of a grape. The arms have grown longer and bend at the elbows. The eyelid folds and ears are forming and even the tip of the nose is visible. Places where fingers and toes eventually will grow are becoming noticeable.
• Week 9:  The embryo measures about 0.9 inches to 1.2 inches about the size of a size of a strawberry. The arms and legs are longer. The head is more erect and neck is more developed. The baby now moves its body and limbs, and this movement can be visible during an ultrasound, but the mother won't be able to feel the movements yet.
• Week 10:  At week 10 the baby becomes a "fetus".  It looks a little like a medium shrimp, measuring 1.25 to 1.68 inches from crown to rump, and weighing a little less than two-tenths of an ounce. The eyes are covered by skin that will eventually split to form eyelids.You will be happy to note that most physical malformations, when they happen, have occurred by the end of this week, so the most critical part of your baby's development is safely behind you. But other developmental processes, such as those affecting behavior and intelligence, will continue.
• Week 11:  The fetus, about the size of a lime, measures about 1.75 to 2.4 inches from crown to rump and weighs about .3oz. Fingernails and external genitalia are showing distinguishing characteristics, and the baby is swallowing and kicking, although you still won't feel it.
• Week 12:  The fetus now measures about 2.5 inches and is between three-tenths of an ounce and half an ounce. The fetus fully formed, from tooth buds to toenails, and your baby's job now is to continue getting larger and stronger for the rest of your pregnancy. With the fetus being fully developed, the chance of miscarriage drops considerably after this week.
• Week 13:  the complete fetus, now in about its 11th week of development, measures 2.6 to 3.1 inches  and weighs between half an ounce and seven-tenths of an ounce, about the size of a peach. The head is still abnormally bigger than the body, but the rest of the body is growing rapidly. In fact, your baby is growing tremendously these days. By this time all twenty teeth (baby teeth) have formed and are waiting. The face is starting to look more human, with eyes moving closer together. Toes and fingers are clearly separate, and ankles and wrists have formed. External genitalia are becoming visible.
• Week 14:  Your baby measures about 3.2 to 4.1 inches from crown to rump now and weighs almost an ounce. The ears are shifting from the neck to the sides of the head, and the neck is getting longer and chin more prominent. Facial features and unique fingerprints are all there. Your baby is beginning to respond to outside stimuli. For Example if you poked your abdomen is , the fetus will try to wriggle away.
• Week 15:  Your 13-week-old fetus now measures about 4.1 to 4.5 inches from crown to rump and weighs about 1.75 ounces.Your child may even be sucking his thumb by now. Its body is covered by an ultrafine hair, called lanugo, which is usually gone before birth. Eyebrows and hair on the top of the head are beginning to grow.
• Week 16:  Your baby now measures about 4.3 to 4.6 inches from crown to rump and weighs about 2.8 ounces. Fingernails are well-formed and the  lanugo, may grow on the head. The baby goes to the bathroom every 40-45 minutes. The nervous system is functioning and muscles are responding to stimulation from your baby's brain. You may be able to hear the baby's heartbeat in the doctor's office.

Dady Blog Day 4

1.The the term for the differentiation of cells is Cell Differentiation. Cell differentiation is a process in which a generic cell develops into a specific type of cell in response to specific triggers from the body or the cell itself. This allows single celled organisms to develop into organisms with billions of cells.
2. http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Cellular_differentiation



3. The steps in Cell Differentiation are the Morula stage, the Blastula stage the Gastrula stage, and the Neurula stage.




4. Germ Layers
Endoderm

The endoderm produces tissue within the lungs, thyroid, and pancreas.
The endoderm is one of the germ layers formed during animal embryogenesis. The endoderm forms: the stomach, the colon, the liver, the pancreas, the urinary bladder, the lining of the urethra, the epithelial parts of trachea, the lungs, the pharynx, the thyroid, the parathyroid, and the intestines.

Mesoderm

The mesoderm aids in the production of cardiac muscle, skeletal muscle, smooth muscle, tissues within the kidneys, and red blood cells.
The mesoderm germ layer forms in the embryos of triploblastic animals. During gastrulation, some of the cells migrating inward contribute to the mesoderm, an additional layer between the endoderm and the ectoderm.
The mesoderm forms: skeletal muscle, the skeleton, the dermis of skin, connective tissue, the urogenital system, the heart, blood (lymph cells), and the spleen.

Ectoderm
 

The ectoderm produces tissues within the epidermis, aids in the formation of neurons within the brain, and constructs melanocytes. The ectoderm is the start of a tissue that covers the body surfaces. It emerges first and forms from the outermost of the germ layers. The ectoderm forms: the central nervous system, the lens of the eye, cranial and sensory, the ganglia and nerves, pigment cells, head connective tissues, the epidermis, hair, and mammary glands.

Day Three Dady Blog

I am very happy that we are having one girl. Her name will be Charlotte.  I am concerned that I will spoiler her, also I am concerned as a girl she will like her Mom more. If you had a miscarriage or thought you were a parent but were not there are a number of options out there. One option is adoption, though it can be a painstaking process it is worth the pain. Another option is artificial insemination, however this process isn't always a success.

Generally, the sucess rate it is 10 to 15% per menstrual cycle and about 60 to 70% of patients have achieved pregnancy using this treatment.

Day 2 Parent Blog

Baby Development 4-8 Weeks Gestation

• Embryo inside is about 3/8" and weighs less than 1 gram.
• Nose and lips formation begins.
• Hands and feet are 1st seen.
• Major organs begin development.
• Embryo is about the size of a hen's egg.
• Embryo is 1" long and about 4 grams.
• Brain is develops and lumen of spinal cord connects with the brain allowing free cerebral spinal fluid flow.
• Baby is extremely reactive to its environment.
• Male sex hormone (testosterone) produced by testes
• Masculine development in males there is no change in females.

Changes in Moms Body

• In the 8th week of pregnancy the mom can have their first antenatal check-up which will take place at the hospital where she plans to have the baby. Due to the pregnancy hormones Mourning Sickness becomes a daily event. The development of the infant makes the bulge of the uterus the size of an apple.

Twins or Triplets Odds

• One thing to keep in mind is that the statistics - the odds or chances of having twins or multiples - are based on populations, not individuals. Consider the statistics for whole populations in relation to the factors that increase or decrease the chances of having twins.
• Twins: 1.2 per 100 live births 
• Triplets occur 1 per 6,889 births

Doctor/Midwife/Home-birth

• When looking into this area it is best to find a practice that has midwifes and doctors. Choosing between a doctor and a midwife is largely personal question. Normally, doctors are present only for the actual delivery of the baby and periodical checks during labor. Midwives on the the hand are typically present through the duration of labor and childbirth. You can choose to have your child at home but they are serious risks that must be thought through before doing so.

Tips for Healthy(Happy) Pregnancy

• The mother should get at least 8hrs of sleep every night, if you cant get it at night take naps throughout the day.
• Continue to wear your seat belt when riding in a car, the shoulder portion of the restraint should be positioned over the collar bone. The lap portion should be placed under the abdomen as low as possible on the hips and across the upper thighs, never above the abdomen. Also, pregnant women should sit as far from the air bag as possible.
• Eat 5-6 well balenced meals a day.
•  Dont consume alchool or take illegal narcotics.
• Don't even take over-the-counter medications or herbal remedies without first consulting your doctor.

Daddy Blog

1. One change in the development of the embryo is the zygote undergoes mitotic cellular divisions, but does not increase in size.  A hollow cavity forms marking the blastocyst stage. This occurs a day and a half to three days after fertilization. Then embryonic stem cells, that are found in the blastocyst, implant in the lining of the mothers uterus. This happens 5 to 6 days after fertilization.  The embryo in its second week after fertilization contains about 150 cells.
2. One change in the mothers body is that during pregnancy the menstrual cycle temporary ends. Another change in the mothers body is the breasts tend to enlarge because hormones (mainly estrogen) are preparing the breasts for milk production. The mothers stomach size increases every day with the developing baby. She may also be nauseated particularly in the mornings (morning sickness). They may be caused by the high levels of estrogen and human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG), two hormones that help maintain the pregnancy. Not many physically changes occur to the father in pregnancy. Emotionally however the dad is normally preparing to be a father, maybe he starts to act more responsible.
3.  One thing Mom should seriously consider doing is not drinking alcohol or smoking. These activities seriously harm the infant. When Mom is not drinking Dad probably shouldn't drink while Mom is around to support Mom. If the Mom works she probably would want to take some time off for the pregnancy, an the Dad should probably do the same for emotional support. The parents should think about opening a bank account for their child so that if any thing horrible happened he would have a solid economic foundation. Both Mom and Dad are thinking about what they are going to name there boy or girl.

Position Papers(Task 2)

"Should there be government regulations requiring genetically engineered foods to be labeled?"

            Government regulations are an absolute must on genetically engineered foods.  Without government regulations genetically enginnerd foods pose a major threat to the envoirment and to other people.

          Genetically altred foods can potrntially disrupt the natural world. One example is the creation of a genetically alterd super weed.  The weed would have no natural enemies and could cause an increase in world hungar. The consumer advocate agreed on the labeling of these genetically engineered foods.  She said that the consumer has the right to know and choose what types of food they eat. Consumers do not want to be eating foods that could give them a mild or severe allergic reaction.  If genetically engineered foods are not labeled, people could become ill because they were unaware of what ingriedents were in their food. By labeling genetically engineered foods, consumers can become aware of the risks that these genetically engineered foods contain. The safety of these products is not fully known so the consumer should have the choice on whether or not they want to eat the genetically modified foods.  She also stated that some people may have a specific intolerance or allergies to foods so whether or not the product is genetically modified should also be visible.  The consumer advocate wanted to address the fact that some people have religious beliefs that forbid them to eat certain foods.Iif the genetically engineered foods aren’t labeled, these people may by accident eat something that goes against their beliefs. Also, vegetarians may eat genetically engineered foods that contain a gene from meat; hence vegetarians have a right to know whether their “genetically modified vegetables” contain meat.  On the other hand, the legislature was concerned with the money that it would take to label each individual product.  The legislature was much divided on whether or not to pass the bill that would require the labeling of genetically modified foods.  He finally decided to pass the bill only because he knew that the health of many lives was at stake if he didnt and he knew that in the end, passing the bill would be worth it.  Also, he wanted to make sure consumers knew that they were consuming genetically engineered foods so by passing the bill, he was ensuring the health of others.  The environmentalist, scientist, consumer advocate, and legislature each came to the agreement that people use food labeling to express a wide variety of religious, ethical, and environmental preferences. If foods weren’t labeled, the health of a person could be put a very high danger. The scientist believes that the genetically modified foods have plenty of risks and people need to be aware of these risks.  By labeling genetically engineered foods, consumers can become aware of the risks that these genetically engineered foods contain. 

          In the end the environmentalist, consumer advocate, legislature and scientist each agreed that the government should label genetically engineered foods.  People would use the food labeling to protect a wide variety of religious, ethical, and environmental preferences.

"Should there be government regulations to protect the environment from genetically engineered crops?"

          The environment gives every living organism on this planet life, why shouldn’t we protect it. Without government regulations genetically engineered crops could destroy the environment as we know it.

The scientist found that genetically engineering crops are more resistant to pesticides which allow farmers to use more pesticides with little fear of crop damage. That could in turn lead to greater pollution of our soil and groundwater.  Also, animals genetically engineered to be larger, to carry specific diseases for research, or to serve as pharmacological factories are frequently sickly, crippled, or otherwise abnormal. As the environmentalist I feel the government should be doing everything in its power to protect the environment.  With genetically engineered foods you can create offspring with no biodiversity, thus making the plants more susceptible to extinction. The consumer advocate stated that genetically engineered foods need to be reviewed for possible risks before being released. Before any genetically engineered crop is allowed to be sold, the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) should have to approve that the crop is safe for human and animal consumption. The legislature was worried about losing jobs and revenue if people find out these foods could possibly be harmful for the environment, they may not eat the foods as much.  The GE companies hold 2.5 million American jobs in each 50 states. So if people don’t eat the genetically engineered foods as much then the employees of these GE companies may not make as much money anymore.  The legislature finally realized that some of these genetically engineered foods are destroying crops so he agreed with the group that actions need to be taken by the government to protect the environment.

The environmentalist, scientist, consumer advocate, and legislature all came to the general consensus that the government needs to have strict regulations to protect our environment because if not, the world may lose the environment as we know it.

Envoirmentalist Role

Food biotechnology is good for the envoirmewnt with some risks.
1. One benefit with food biotechnology farmers can plant crops in regions that used to be inacssible because the crops can be alterd with a no-till technique. Next you can alter a crop in a drought situation to consume less water, saving water for other purposes.
2.  With GE foods you create offspring with no biodiversity making the plants succeptable to exctiontion.  
One risk is that you may alter a plant create a superweed.