ACCHS Biology & Physics 2017

Should vaccination be required? The United States houses a profit driven healthcare system.  This leaves many uneasy about their health and who to entrust with its care.  Vaccinations have become a hot topic in the wake of falsified connections to autism and mysterious measles outbreaks in Southern California.  The decision to vaccinate our children should be a choice, though there may be merit in compulsory vaccination when dealing with spreadable, life altering illnesses like Measles, Pertussis and Polio. If 90% of children within a given population are getting vaccinated then theoretically the community is protected via "herd Immunity."  However, what happens when that percentage drops below 90% as parents start opting out of vaccinating their children for personal reasons? Herd Immunity is threatened and individual decisions start to impact the safety of the community.  Should other states follow California by taking away basic human rights i.e education...

I recently received a message from my sister as she studied for her board exam to become a Family Nurse Practiioner.  It was a picture of one of her practice test questions. "The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS) favors all of the following in the management of sympathetic OA of the knee except: a) low-impact aerobic exercises  b) weight loss for those with a BMI >25kg/m2 c) acupuncture d) strengthening exercises Guess which one was correct? My sister followed up with, "Its probably understudied" which is absolutely true in the western world. Despite thousands of years if effective healing, is it possible to test the efficacy of TCM in western terms?  This is a troubling conundrum as clinical trials attempt to streamline participants and conditions to reduce variability whereas in the world of TCM, the diagnosis, treatment plan and healing process varies dramatically from patient to patient.   This topic challenges our inten...

What is it that distinguishes humans as living systems? On the most basic level,  we are comprised of cells, tissues, organs and organ systems.  Our cells house an individualized code and allows for potential reproduction.  We engage with and respond to our environment, absorbing gases and nutrients to make energy.  We identify and eliminate non-self invaders and eject waste products.  Our innate understanding of 'self' propels us into a series of negative feedback loops that help us survive.  When the environment shifts and changes, our bodies tap into their resources to maintain homeostasis.  According to Maturana, Varela and Uribe, living things are autopoietic and in a constant state of self-referral so that any environmental adaptation is a relentless effort of remain uniquely ourselves. Despite the determination of the living system's to hold onto it's identity, his or her survival is at the mercy of specific environmental conditions. Water, ...

In my minds eye, I picture radioactive disaster as a cascade of toxic ions spewing into the atmosphere, bleeding into our water systems, maintaining integrity as it spreads. I imagine a pool of water and a droplet of blue food coloring- Initially, it remains concentrated in one area, but eventually there is a touch of blue throughout the pool.  Agitation from wind, rain or swimming bodies will increase the rate of diffusion and allow small amounts of food coloring to escape the pool. If living bodies enter the pool, the blue will enter an orifice and exit the pool with its host.  Extreme heat will cause blue gases to leak into the atmosphere and it is certain that the blue will ceaselessly spread beyond the parameters of the pool. This blue food coloring analogy is how I imagine the aftermath of the Tsunami wreckage of the Fukushima Daichi nuclear power plant in 2011.  It is said that nearly 80 of the Radioactive wreckage has ended up in the pacific, some of which has b...

MY MORNING 7/23/17: WRITTEN IN ENGLISH (E) PRIME I recall opening my eyes and my clock appeared to read 8:30 EST.  I prepared a blend of Reishi Roast and green tea with coconut creamer.  My body felt tired and I sensed a sluggish mind.  I made a decision to do laundry, which seemed to me liked a productive use of time at that moment. Stepping out my door I noticed a blob of human feces on my stairwell. It appeared that someone left the front gate ajar.  I assumed at that moment that the neighbor with the long hair did it while purchasing a Yerba Mate spritzer at the bodega. I made the decision not to clean the feces for several reasons.   Reason number 1 : I imagined being nauseated.   Reason number 2: I felt frustrated by my neighbor for leaving the gate open and thought he should clean it as punishment and as a reminder that the landlord probably installed the gate for the purpose of keeping unwanted folk (and their waste products) out.  I held my...

From my limited vantage point, the HIV epidemic is more of a memory then an everyday struggle.  Growing up in the Boston dance community, the late 1980's and early 1990's were shocking times. Friends were disappearing, bodies were weakening and hearts were breaking.  The fear of infection seemed to be the only deterrent from this deadly virus. This over-exaggerated paranoia seemed to keep us safe. I  recall the distressed moment when my 6th grade friend told me that she shared a razor with her father. Many of us were, for the most part, in the dark. Today 1.1 Million people are living with HIV in the US.  This statistic pales in comparison to the 19 million sufferers in South Eastern Africa.  In 2015, 46% of the total new HIV infections were in this region, 40% of whom are said to be unaware of their condition.  The virus targets lower economic communities who struggle with accession to proper healthcare and education.  Between 2000 and 2015, there ...