My CAJ: Stem Cells

My Current Affairs Journal is about stem cells. I will mainly focus on adult pluripotent stem cells and the ethics of embryonic stem cell use.

What are stem cells?
Stem cells are unspecialized human cells that have the ability to transform into any specialized cell, e.g. a blood cell or a muscle cell. Scientists hope to use stem cells to treat diseases like Alzheimer's disease, repair damaged organs, or even grow organs from them.
Until recently, the most common way to derive stem cells was from human embryos. To gain stem cells, scientists use embryos that were created for in vitro fertilization but not implanted in the womb. Since the embryos are destroyed in the process, the use of embryonic stem cells sparked many ethical debates. While stem cells can also be derived from adults, this process is much more challenging, because adult stem cells are rare and cannot be cultivated as easily as embryonic cells.
However, in 2006 scientists discovered a way to "reprogram" specialized adult cells so they would assume a stem cell-like state. These cells are called "induced pluripotent stem cells" or adult pluripotent stem cells (pluripotent = ability to differentiate into almost any cell type).

Sources:
http://stemcells.nih.gov/info/basics/pages/basics1.aspx
http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/stemcells/scissues/
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/info/stem_cell/

PSA: After-Death Avatars

Being in a very loving relationship with a very big age difference, I can fully understand the temptations of the idea of creating after-death avatars of your loved ones. But don’t make a fool of yourself. Death is an irreversible part of life and no computer program can change that. Don’t lose your life to an illusion. Better learn to let go and to heal.

A Day in My Life

Yesterday was a typical, nice day of my life. I had to get up early, at seven o’clock, because Tuesday’s Russian class starts at 8:15. I usually don’t like having to get up that early, but at least I got to enjoy a beautiful sunrise from my balcony. After my usual breakfast – cornflakes with milk and a glass of fruit juice – and my usual morning hygiene I went on my way to the university. I sat through a Russian and an English lesson, and then it was time for my lunch break. After grabbing a sandwich and a fruit smoothie from a nearby shop, I returned to do some of my Russian homework together with a group of fellow students. I had hardly completed half of my tasks when the next Russian lesson started, followed by a somewhat tiring Spanish lesson. When the clock finally showed 16:45 I was starving. I went to my good friend Simon’s place where we made lasagna. To be perfectly honest, he made it while I grated the cheese, but it turned out deliciously. In fact, we made so much I’ll be eating it for the next two days. When we had finished our meal we did some more of our Russian homework and then I went on my way home. In the tram I met an old flat mate of mine who had spent half a year in Peru and had just returned to Graz. We had a quick catch-up chat before we had to separate at Jakominiplatz, as we were going in different directions, but promised to keep in touch. At home, I stacked two to three servings of lasagna into the fridge and called my love. After my conversation with him (mainly about our weekend-plans), I tried to finish the book I’m currently reading, but a few chapters before the end I dozed off.