Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease or CJD is commonly and erroneously confused with the already mentioned Mad Cow Disease (MCD). Even if it is technically wrong, confusing them is not a big mistake, CJD is the human equivalent of the MCD. Once a human eats “infected” meat it will contract the disease, however since the symptoms and host are different the disease receives a different name, CJD (Creutzfeldt - Jakob disease).
CJD was first discovered by the German neurologist Hans Creuzfeldt when treating one of his patients in 1920. A few years later, in 1922 another German neurologist Alfons Maria Jakob did further studies with other patients with what Creuzfeldt first stated. After all of this processes scientists decided that both had some true statements about the disease and by combining they finally named it: Creuzfeldt-Jakob disease.
Fully understanding MCD might be difficult, but understanding the differences between Mad Cow Disease and CJD is even harder since they are very similar. As we know, MCD is an encephalopathy, actually the most common of the spongiform diseases. Spongiform is a key word to understanding both MCD and CJD. Spongiform is a term used by scientists when a disease is a degenerativeneurological disorder (brain disease) in which the brain starts being “drilled” by different means because whatever is attacking the brain will start drilling it making little holes everywhere around the brain making it look like a sponge, from there we find the name: spongiform.
Now that we know in depth what the disease is, lets focus on the symptoms. (not listed in order of appearance)
1. Progressive Dementia (main difference between MCD and CJD).
2. Loss of memory and movement.
3. Lack of coordination.
4. Visual problems.
5. In some cases depression and insomnia.
It is worthy to notice that the symptoms are very similar to the MCD, that is why people oftenconfuse them, and as stated before is not that much of a big deal. They can be considered “twin” or “sibling” diseases, one of them mutating over the other to take humans as a host.
Some patients do not suffer as much dementia, while others suffer a big loss in memory. That is why some scientists, neurologists and even medics have confused some cases of CJD with Alzheimers.
Unlike other common disease like flu, there is no real way of diagnosing CJD. Until now the only way of ever noticing it is by an autopsy (brain surgery) in which the brain is revealed to the surgeon, he/she will notice that holes are begining to sprout in the brain, and then treat the patient to see what type of spongiform encephalopathy he suffer from. This holes damage the brain making it work “improperly” and that is what causes the dementia on the patient, a small amount of holes aren’t dangerous but once the brain has been “drilled” a lot it can not work properly and that is what causes death. Notice that the most common spongiform encephalopathy is CJD.
It is sad that even if the disease is noticed at an early stage before developing, its almost unworthy since until now a days there is no actual cure for CJD as there is no cure for MCD. Neither is there any treatment to control the disease, what normally is done is that the patient is sent to a mental hospital/madhouse where he is treated properly according to his symptoms.
Over time the spongi will keep spreading. As time passes the brain will be drilled continuously, with no medical treatment being able to stop it, until the brain is so degenerated that it will stop working, leading to the patient’s death.
Having no way to stop this disease is sad and frustrating. Luckily only 1 of one million people contract CJD. It is estimated that there are only around 200 cases of CJD in the United States every year.
Even if the amount of cases are low, this is a disease that should not even exist. Scientists currently do not know how it emerged but have noticed how it happened. It has all been fault of the now common “factory farming”, the unproper treatment given to the cattle has created a disease, a disease that not only affects cattle but has mutates to take a toll on humans.
“Scientists generally agree that BSE is transmitted when cows consume meat scraps from other cows. Farmers in the UK had been using slaughterhouse waste to supplement cattle feed since the early part of the 20th century, and it became common practice to feed offal (discarded animal parts) to livestock throughout Europe and the U.S. within a few decades.
A series of bans on the use of meat and bone meal in cattle and other livestock feed have been enacted in various countries since the first ban was put in place in the UK in July of 1988. Over the course of almost a decade, regulations were enacted to extend “feed bans” in Europe and the U.S. to stop the spread of mad cow disease and protect cattle and humans from its devastating effects.
Unfortunately, loopholes and violations have meant offal is still sometimes fed to cattle, and a few recent cases of mad cow have been identified in cattle born after the feed bans. This is a serious problem. It only takes a piece of infected brain or spinal cord tissue about the size of a single grain of rice (10 milligrams) to transmit BSE from one cow to another. “
By: http://www.sustainabletable.org/issues/madcow/
As of now it is worthy of notice that factory farming is behind all of this. All these kind of disease are a product of factory farming and their improper treatments to animals, making them sick and therefore affecting our health too.
This is not how nature meant animals to be used, and if we do not stop it as of now, perhaps we will have more diseases similar to CJD or even worse.
Bibliography:
· http://www.sustainabletable.org/issues/madcow/
· http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creutzfeldt%E2%80%93Jakob_disease
· http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/cjd/detail_cjd.htm#103133058
· http://beyondfactoryfarming.org/get-informed/health/mad-cow-disease-bse
By: Luis Arturo Martinez Silveyra
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Disadvantages of Feeding Animals with Hormones
Compare to plants, animals have different kinds of hormones and other functions, consequently the use of hormones are more harmful for the development of animals than for plants because of all their parts and delicate organs and systems.
Animals fed with additives (which can be hormones and antibiotics) suffer from the following setback:
Use of hormones and antibiotics leave residues in meat, milk and eggs, which is objectionable.
Feeding with a low concentration of antibiotics may favor the proliferation of antibiotic resistant microorganisms, which could have serious consequences for disease control in humans and domestic animals like dogs, cats and birds.
However, it is difficult to develop intensive animal breeding without antibiotic feed hormones. Example:
“Recombinant bovine somatotropin (rBST) or recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH) is an artificial growth hormone produced using recombinant DNA technology (biotechnology) . When injected into cows, rBGH increases milk production 10-15 percent and even up to 40 percent in some cases. It is approved in the United States since 1993; however, its use has been controversial since farmers have started using it.” (Source Link 3)
The studies of this hormone have revealed that rBGH use in animal production causes problems. It shows an alarming rise in the number of deformed calves and increases in mastitis (a painful bacterial infection of the udder which causes inflammation, swelling and puss and blood secretions into milk). The presence of rBGH in a cow blood also stimulates production of insulin, which has been linked to colon and breast cancer in humans.
The European Union, Japan, Australia and Canada have all outlawed the use of rBST in animal production due to the animal and human health concerns.
Reports and studies also reveal that these additives can affect or alter the environment in multiple ways. For example, they affect natural habitats with the use of their hormones and antibiotics which can be passed to water and to the food of other animals.
It is argued that with the use of growth hormones, more plentiful quality meats can be sold for affordable prices. Growth hormones are often not well looked upon due to the use of synthetic hormones and also fears about the consumption of these hormones from the meat products. Due to the fact that synthetic hormones are unnatural, there are concerns about how they could affect the bodily functions of consumers. The long term affects of the consumption of synthetic hormones have not been thoroughly examined in animals or humans.
Conclusion:
Feed hormones. Though less expensive and safe from a human health point view, need more investigation and exploration about the active ingredients and the mode of their action so that their potential effects can be explained in terms of animal production and creation.
Bibliography:
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/advantages-and-disadvantages-for-intensive-farming.html
http://employees.csbsju.edu/ssaupe/biol327/Lecture/hormones.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cattle_feeding
http://www.studentsguide.in/animal-biotechnology/animal-feed-additives/disadvantages-of-feed-additives.html
Animals fed with additives (which can be hormones and antibiotics) suffer from the following setback:
Use of hormones and antibiotics leave residues in meat, milk and eggs, which is objectionable.
Feeding with a low concentration of antibiotics may favor the proliferation of antibiotic resistant microorganisms, which could have serious consequences for disease control in humans and domestic animals like dogs, cats and birds.
However, it is difficult to develop intensive animal breeding without antibiotic feed hormones. Example:
“Recombinant bovine somatotropin (rBST) or recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH) is an artificial growth hormone produced using recombinant DNA technology (biotechnology) . When injected into cows, rBGH increases milk production 10-15 percent and even up to 40 percent in some cases. It is approved in the United States since 1993; however, its use has been controversial since farmers have started using it.” (Source Link 3)
The studies of this hormone have revealed that rBGH use in animal production causes problems. It shows an alarming rise in the number of deformed calves and increases in mastitis (a painful bacterial infection of the udder which causes inflammation, swelling and puss and blood secretions into milk). The presence of rBGH in a cow blood also stimulates production of insulin, which has been linked to colon and breast cancer in humans.
The European Union, Japan, Australia and Canada have all outlawed the use of rBST in animal production due to the animal and human health concerns.
Reports and studies also reveal that these additives can affect or alter the environment in multiple ways. For example, they affect natural habitats with the use of their hormones and antibiotics which can be passed to water and to the food of other animals.
It is argued that with the use of growth hormones, more plentiful quality meats can be sold for affordable prices. Growth hormones are often not well looked upon due to the use of synthetic hormones and also fears about the consumption of these hormones from the meat products. Due to the fact that synthetic hormones are unnatural, there are concerns about how they could affect the bodily functions of consumers. The long term affects of the consumption of synthetic hormones have not been thoroughly examined in animals or humans.
Conclusion:
Feed hormones. Though less expensive and safe from a human health point view, need more investigation and exploration about the active ingredients and the mode of their action so that their potential effects can be explained in terms of animal production and creation.
Bibliography:
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/advantages-and-disadvantages-for-intensive-farming.html
http://employees.csbsju.edu/ssaupe/biol327/Lecture/hormones.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cattle_feeding
http://www.studentsguide.in/animal-biotechnology/animal-feed-additives/disadvantages-of-feed-additives.html
Greenhouse Gases Emission and Factory Farming
The waste that produce farm animals, are a problem becauses it smells and may cause pollution, waste is the biggest social problem associated with industrial agriculture. Unfortunately, no one think about the entire product that industries and farms produce, helping making a balance in the Nation's Economy.
Greenhouse gases (GHGs) absorb radiation and cause the greennhouse effect, which warms the Earth. The GHGs are natural gases, such as carbon dioxide, water vapos, methane, and nitrous oxide.
- 65% of nitrous oxide emission comes from animal agriculture.
- All beef production increases GHGs whether on a factory or an organic farm.
Ecomonies of Scale
- Because of their large size, Factory Farming achieve, "economies of scale", producing much more food at a cheaper prices.
- In 1967, there were one million pig farms in America; as of 2002, there were 114,000, with 80 million pigs killed each year on factory farms.
- Experts predict that by 2050 nearly twice as much meat will be produced as today, for a projected total of more than 465 million tons.
They achieved higher than they expected, if trends continue, the product on sale will be at a lower price, more affordable to people, and will have a better quality than current products.
The factory farming is increasing. As a result, the greenhouse gases are increasing. There are solutions to this problem, such as changing the diet of the farm animals. The benefits of growing better aniamls and putting better product on sale will improve the economy.
http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/1605/ggccebro/chapter1.html
www.cifap.org
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/29/AR2008042902602.html
Greenhouse gases (GHGs) absorb radiation and cause the greennhouse effect, which warms the Earth. The GHGs are natural gases, such as carbon dioxide, water vapos, methane, and nitrous oxide.
- 65% of nitrous oxide emission comes from animal agriculture.
- All beef production increases GHGs whether on a factory or an organic farm.
Ecomonies of Scale
- Because of their large size, Factory Farming achieve, "economies of scale", producing much more food at a cheaper prices.
- In 1967, there were one million pig farms in America; as of 2002, there were 114,000, with 80 million pigs killed each year on factory farms.
- Experts predict that by 2050 nearly twice as much meat will be produced as today, for a projected total of more than 465 million tons.
They achieved higher than they expected, if trends continue, the product on sale will be at a lower price, more affordable to people, and will have a better quality than current products.
The factory farming is increasing. As a result, the greenhouse gases are increasing. There are solutions to this problem, such as changing the diet of the farm animals. The benefits of growing better aniamls and putting better product on sale will improve the economy.
http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/1605/ggccebro/chapter1.html
www.cifap.org
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/29/AR2008042902602.html
Every aspect of the Animal Life is controlled
Every aspect of the animal and behavior is controlled to ensure that productivity and profits are maximized. The use of additives may help to improve the growth of the animal, also in the aspect of health.
Feed Additives
Feed additives are rpoducts in animal nutrition for purposes of improving the quality of feed and the quality of food, or to improve the animal's performance and health.
To promote growth and weight gain, farm animals are routinely fed antibiotics and related drugs at low levels in their feed or water.
Animal Health
the objective is to protect and raise the health status and condition of animals, controlling and preventing diseases that may cause a lost in the production. one of the best ways of preventing disease is by creating inmunity in the animal; this can by achieved by vaccionation.
Animals, just like humans, suffer from a range of infectious diseases. Prevention of disease has become a very important task as healthy food comes from healthy animals.
- Serous animal epidemics in the past have highlited the importance of having well-prepared, personnel available to efficiently manage animal disease outbreaks.
( Avian influenza, bluetongue, bovine spongiform encephalopathy, brucellosis, chronic wasting disease, classical swine fever and other diseases that are caused by bacteria.)
- Satisfactory results in animal production depend to a large extent on the use of domestic animals og high genetic quality.
http://www.saveantibiotics.org/ourwork.html
http://www.noah.co.uk/issues/controls.htm
Feed Additives
Feed additives are rpoducts in animal nutrition for purposes of improving the quality of feed and the quality of food, or to improve the animal's performance and health.
To promote growth and weight gain, farm animals are routinely fed antibiotics and related drugs at low levels in their feed or water.
Animal Health
the objective is to protect and raise the health status and condition of animals, controlling and preventing diseases that may cause a lost in the production. one of the best ways of preventing disease is by creating inmunity in the animal; this can by achieved by vaccionation.
Animals, just like humans, suffer from a range of infectious diseases. Prevention of disease has become a very important task as healthy food comes from healthy animals.
- Serous animal epidemics in the past have highlited the importance of having well-prepared, personnel available to efficiently manage animal disease outbreaks.
( Avian influenza, bluetongue, bovine spongiform encephalopathy, brucellosis, chronic wasting disease, classical swine fever and other diseases that are caused by bacteria.)
- Satisfactory results in animal production depend to a large extent on the use of domestic animals og high genetic quality.
http://www.saveantibiotics.org/ourwork.html
http://www.noah.co.uk/issues/controls.htm
The economic advantage of Factory Farming
The main advantage of Factory farming is that it satisfies the demand, provides a continuous and relatively inexpensive meat supply. This intensive farming brings meat down to a price affordable to the poorest people.
Economic impact of Factory Farming
- Those who remained in agriculture increased their efficiency by expanding and specializing their operations to take advantages of the economies of scale.
- Technological developments in agriculture have been particularly influential in driving change in the farm sector.
Farming's changing role in the Nation's Economy
- Farms have grown dramaticalle, allowing consumers spend an smaller portion of theri income in food.
http://www.sraproject.org/factoryfarms/issues/economics/impact/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Factory_farming
Monday, May 3, 2010
Types of hormones fed to animals and their effects
Currently it is very common that animals for human consumption, like chickens, pigs, and cows, have been fed with hormones to increase their weight, size, and to make them grow faster so they can be sold faster. This makes them more profitable than normal animals.
Unfortunately these hormones affect the way that our system functions; over time this can bring us several health problems.
There are six natural and artificial hormones that are used in agricultural livestock production which have a potential risk to human health.
Natural hormones used in agriculture animals are:
These types of hormones can leave residues on the meat that humans consume. It is possible that all these different kinds of residues can affect the health of those who eat meat.
“The Committee also questioned whether hormone residues in the meat of "growth enhanced" animals and can disrupt human hormone balance, causing developmental problems, interfering with the reproductive system, and even leading to the development of breast, prostate or colon cancer.” (Quote Link 1)
Hormones can be harmful to the point that they cause different types of cancer in the human beings who consume this meat.
Bibliography:
1. http://www.sustainabletable.org/issues/hormones/ (Quote)
2. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10844188
3. http://envirocancer.cornell.edu/Factsheet/Diet/fs37.hormones.cfm
By: Andres David Veloz Hernandez
Unfortunately these hormones affect the way that our system functions; over time this can bring us several health problems.
There are six natural and artificial hormones that are used in agricultural livestock production which have a potential risk to human health.
Natural hormones used in agriculture animals are:
- Progesterone: is a naturally occurring reproductive hormone. It has been linked to tumors in the reproductive tract of animals.
- Testosterone: is a steroid reproductive hormone. It has been linked to prostate cancer in laboratory animals.
- Estradiol: is a hormone identified as a “complete carcinogen”, which promotes and initiates the growth of tumors. it has been linked to shrinking of the thymus gland.
(Source on link 1)
Artificial or synthetic hormones are:
- Trenbolone: (trenbolone acetate hormone) is a hormone that has been linked to the pancreatic and liver tumors as well as hyperplasia.
- Zeranol: is another synthetic hormone linked to testicular abnormalities and pituitary gland tumors.
- Melengestrol: is systematically fed to cattle as a feed additive. It is linked to mammary tumors in female laboratory animals.
(Source on link 1)
These types of hormones can leave residues on the meat that humans consume. It is possible that all these different kinds of residues can affect the health of those who eat meat.
“The Committee also questioned whether hormone residues in the meat of "growth enhanced" animals and can disrupt human hormone balance, causing developmental problems, interfering with the reproductive system, and even leading to the development of breast, prostate or colon cancer.” (Quote Link 1)
Hormones can be harmful to the point that they cause different types of cancer in the human beings who consume this meat.
Bibliography:
1. http://www.sustainabletable.org/issues/hormones/ (Quote)
2. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10844188
3. http://envirocancer.cornell.edu/Factsheet/Diet/fs37.hormones.cfm
By: Andres David Veloz Hernandez
Hormones and their functions
Human hormones are chemicalsnaturally released by cells in the body that send out messages that affect cells in other parts of the organism. Hormones coordinate processes like growth, metabolism, and fertility. For example, hormones plays different roles but they have a particularly vital role in helping the body to adjust to changes in its environment, which is often necessary for survival. Hormones are the reason of why your arms are the same length and why you transform food into energy every day.
All cells are exposed to hormones circulating in the bloodstream but not all of them react. The hormones only target cells which will respond to the signal and have receptors for that hormone. So when the hormone blinds to its receptor it causes a biological response within the cell. They are like a radio signal with an antenna, but signaling ends when the circulating hormones are broken down and excreted by the body.
The hormones that humans produce naturally may regulate the production and release of other kinds of hormones, other functions of these hormones are:
All cells are exposed to hormones circulating in the bloodstream but not all of them react. The hormones only target cells which will respond to the signal and have receptors for that hormone. So when the hormone blinds to its receptor it causes a biological response within the cell. They are like a radio signal with an antenna, but signaling ends when the circulating hormones are broken down and excreted by the body.
The hormones that humans produce naturally may regulate the production and release of other kinds of hormones, other functions of these hormones are:
- Regulation of the metabolism
- Control the reproductive cycle
- Stimulation or inhibition of growth
- Mood swings
- Preparation of body for a new phase of life
- Hunger cravings
- Activation or inhibition of the immune system
- Preparation of the body for mating, fighting, fleeing and other activities
Among the various activities of the body that make homoestasis (homeostasis is the tendency of an organism or a cell to regulate its internal conditions) possible are those of the hormones, literally meaning "exciters" or "arousers". They are extremely powerful tiny bits of either simple or compound substances that accomplish their mission in quantities so small as to defy imagination. Some hormone particles are so small that it would take three thousand million of them to equal one ounce.
So these are properties and functions of the human body hormones and for what are used in the organism and why its harmful or dangerous to have more than neccesary hormones produced by the body, and the dangerous risk of cancer in the worst cases of excessive hormones on human body.
By: Andres David Veloz Hernandez
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