Major league pitcher admits to use of hGH

Paul Byrd, a major league pitcher for the Cleveland Indians, recently admitted to the public of his past, extensive use of human growth hormone, hGH. To date, eleven major league baseball players have been found to have used hGH, including Byrd. Byrd reportedly spent $24,850 on more than 1,000 vials of hGH and many syringes, consuming the drug from August 2002 through January 2005. Byrd tells the public that his use of hGH was strictly medical, as he has had a growth-hormone deficiency. In spring of 2007, doctors found a brain tumor on Byrd’s pituitary gland, which could have relevance to why, in the past, he had a growth hormone deficiency. However, his purchase of 1,000 vials of hGH equates him to of having injected one vial a day during the time he claims to have used the drug. Byrd claims that he did no wrong because the hGH he received was through prescription. He leaves out that he received the prescriptions for hGH from a Florida anti-aging facility and a dentist, whose license was suspended in 2003 for writing illicit prescriptions, not involving the prescriptions he gave to Byrd. Byrd also claims his innocence by stating that he is a devout Christian and that God has control of his life.

Unknown Terms: pituitary gland

· The pituitary gland is located at the base of the brain and secretes hormones that induce growth in humans.

I think it’s clear that Byrd had more than one intention when he used the hGH. He may have had a growth hormone deficiency, but I think that injecting a vial of growth hormone each day is excessive. Also the places that he received his “legal” prescriptions seem sketchy, the Florida anti-aging facility sounds like a day spa and the dentist who prescribed him additional hGH has had his license revoked for writing prescriptions not medically needed for his patients, which did not involve the prescription the dentist wrote for Byrd.

Bob Dutton. Knight Ridder Tribune Business News. Washington: Oct 22, 2007.

New Fuel Cell Cleans Up Air Pollution and Produces Energy

New Fuel Cell Cleans Up Air Pollution and Produces Energy

A major draw back of using fuel as energy is the pollution it produces as a byproduct. However, recent breakthroughs from scientists in Pennsylvania have discovered a new fuel cell that converts pollution from coal and metal mines into energy. A major problem associated with this pollution is called Acid Mine Drainage (AMD). AMD is the buildup of iron and other metals in everything from plants to water supplies. AMD is a major environmental concern and has very costly consequences. The new fuel cell technology is based on microbial fuel cells; and recent studies have shown, that when placed in wastewater similar to AMD, the new cell efficiently removes dissolved iron and creates electricity. Researchers hope that improvements will lead to more efficient power generation in the future… but this new technology brings hope to a very pollutant fuel. [1]

I always find new technology for renewable energy interesting. I particularly found this article interesting; when it combined the potential for both water treatment and a renewable energy source. Currently, coal has been put on the ‘back burner’ as an energy source because of its environmental effects. But if we could convert the pollution into a good thing; then I think this technology has some very interesting applications. Either way, I think the next few decades will produce some interesting alternative fuels, and recycling methods.

[1] ScienceDaily 4 December 2007. 3 December 2007 .

Anabolic Steroids

Several aspects of your body are controlled by a set of closely related molecules, which are steroids. Each of these contains alcohol and or keytone groups connected to a large hydrocarbon structure. The carbon backbone of this structure is the steroid system connected by the sharing of two carbons. Testosterone is one of several anabolic steroids. Testosterone promotes muscle growth, the development if male secondary sex characteristics, and the production of sperm. People in need of muscle growth and athletes in need of weight are tempted to use steroids. The synthetic versions of the hormone have the anabolic characteristics of testosterone but do not rapidly decompose a testosterone itself does if it is taken orally or by injection. There can be significant side effects, such as liver damage, to taking anabolic steroids over long periods at high doses. For females, side effects include the development of male sex characteristics such as facial hair and a deeper voice, and some loss of female sex characteristics. All compounds with the steroid system are highly lipophilic, so they readily dissolve in fat and consequently remain in the body for some time.

Lipophilic: the ability of a chemical compound to dissolve in fats, oils, and non-polar solvents.

The common misconception is that steroids are a substance put in the body to gain just muscle and weight. It is commonly used in medical procedures to rehab injuries. Cortisone shots are a common use for sore muscles and are injected into patients. Steroids are overused because the competition is so extreme in most sports athletes are looking for the competitive edge. It seems that the side-effects outweigh the pros of steroid use. Therefore, why is steroid use so common in professional sports? As long as restrictions and penalties are enforced, then this will limit the amount of athlete enhancement.

Nanotechnology Ethics on the Table

Scientific experts are undecided on whether nanotechnology is beneficial or potentially dangerous. At the nanoethics discussion in Canberra, Australia at the Centre for Applied Philosophy and Public Ethics, this particular issue was discussed by experts in the field, who brought up questions like nanotechnology's implication on privacy problems caused by current technologies. According to Dr. Peter Binks of Nanotechnology Victoria, "Nanotechnology is just part of the general march of technology and we don't want to see it treated as anything different." However, physical chemist Dr. John White of the Australian National University in Canberra saw it differently, citing nanotechnology's supremely small scale as a possible concern. One example of this is tiny radio-frequency tags implanted in Mexican government workers to control access to the attorney general's office. Yet like all controversy, it will stimulate conversation and debate which will lead to understanding and compromise in the future.

I thought that the idea of a privacy invasion to be particularly interesting since I had never thought about the small size in that sense before. It is interesting to think about unwittingly ingesting some sort of unwanted material into your system, and what the implications of an industry unregulated in the area would be. Obviously much more government regulation and simple precautions need to be taken before any kind of nanotechnology becomes commercially used.

Salleh, Anna. "Nanotechnology Ethics on the Table", The Australian Broadcasting Corporation Website. July 2004. http://www.abc.net.au/science/news/stories/s1160631.htm. Accessed December 3, 2007.

When They Begin Smoking

Taylor Atchison
Chemistry and Your Future
December 3, 2007
When They Begin Smoking.

In this article, “Adolescent Cigarette Smoking,” the main question is why and when do teens begin smoking. The answer is surprisingly young. More than 70 percent of children who have tried smoking smoke it before they are fifteen. And ninety percent who have tried smoking smoked it before they were 17. The fact that it is at such a young age astonishes scientists today. Not only are they trying it before adulthood but they are obtaining it before they can legally use it. The reasons why they begin to use include parent usage, relieve stress, curious, to look cool, and pleasurable.
This article is important information because we need to pinpoint the use of cigarettes at the source. If we can figure out a way to prevent more adolescents and teens from smoking the less likely they will become smokers later in life. More than two thirds of those who are daily smokers senior year of high school are daily smokers eight years later. It also said only five percent of those daily smokers believe they will be smoking later on. In order to reduce the supply of smokers to the tobacco companies we must deter children with different tactics from smoking.

Johnson, Roberta. “Adolescent Cigarette Smoking.” National Opinion Research Center. 2000. 3, Dec. 2007.

Recycling of Tires

Tire recycling is an increasing problem in our modern society. They are similar to plastic, both representing a consumer commodity. An average of one 10-kilogram rubber tire per person per year is later discarded, whereas a total of one-third of a billion tires are annually disposed. Their flammable material consists of oil which if ignited, tends to produce smoke, carbon monoxide, and toxins and hold tight air pockets, making it difficult to extinguish. There have been attempts where tires could be recycled and reused for fuel or filter for asphalt, however only 10% of the tires are consumed for those purposes. Although it is quite early to tell whether or not the rubber of tires will be completely resuable, chemists at the GoodYear Tire and Rubber Company have found a way to remove sulfur added to rubber in vulcanization, so that the rubber maybe reused. Pyrolysis is also a process where researches have practiced the reprocess of shredded tires. So far recycled rubber tires have been used to build homes, which are filled with dirt and covered with stucco or adobe. Currently, they have also been appearing in the use of doormats and footwear.
It's too bad that this is a problem that is continously progressing, due to the fact that there are increasing productions and manufacturing of cars which encourage consumers to dispose of their previous ones. However, it is good to know that there are certain uses of recycled rubber tires that are safe. Since chemists of the GoodYear Tire Company have began to find ways to reuse tires almost completely, there is hope that one day it will be commercially viable.

Terms:

1. Pyrolysis-the process of thermal degradation of a material in the abscence of oxygen, where the resulting products are low-grade gaseous and liquid fuels, along with char, can be further treated and converted into activated carbon.

2. Char-a mixture containing minerals and a low-grade version of carbon black.

3. Adobe-sun-dried brick made of clay and straw, in common use in countries having little rainfall.



Baird, Colin. Chemistry in Your Life: 2nd Edition. “Recycling of Tires.” W. H. Freeman and Co. New York. 2006. Pg. 203-204.

Steroids

On the DEAs website on steroids, they provide a large amount of information about anabolic steroids as well as different ways in which people use them. They discuss how they can be taken orally, intramuscularly, or simply rubbed on the skin. The site then goes on to discuss how many people who take anabolic steroids take more than one type of drug thinking that different drugs will target certain areas of their bodies. Some people also take steroids for a period of time, stop for a short while and then begin taking the drugs again. This is a popular method for taking anabolic steroids and is known as cycling. Another method for taking the drugs is known as pyramiding in which the athlete gradually increases the amount of steroids throughout the cycle and then eases back down towards the end. This information is very interesting to me because I think that most people do not realize how serious steroids are. The people who take these drugs have very specific things that they do, and routines that they follow. Steroids are a very serious matter and have tremendous effects on the human body both positively and negatively so I guess in a way it is good that those who use the drugs have a regimented system for what they do. On the other hand I highly doubt that pumping yourself full of different types of steroids is the best decision for one’s health but I guess if you are going to cheat you better make sure you are being safe.

Steroids. 2006. 3 Dec. 2007. http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/concern/steroids.html