• Format
  • Publications (documents)
• Type
  • Text
• Source institution
  • Western Carolina University
• Identifier
  • HL_WesternCarolinian_1983-04-07_Vol47_No25_04

4 Western Carolinian/April 7. 1983 News Genetic Engineering by Kay Arrowood As the I970's descended upon the world, so did the prospect of genetic engineering. Critics accused the "new biologists" of the new technology of trying to "play God." Today genetic engineering is no longer a prospect, but a reality. Yet, along with this reality comes responsibility, in this case, responsibility for the ethical and moral aspects of this new science. Genetic engineering is a broad term that refers to the manipulation of genetic material. Here's how it works. A gene is a portion of the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) molecule. The DNA molecule contains the information that produces particular proteins. Genes, in turn, cause the formation of the proteins, which determine the organism's characteristics. Now, in every cell of an organism, the genetic make-up is exactly the same. The type of cell, for example a liver or kidney cell, is determined by the amount of gene activity. In genetic- engineering, the trick is to figure out what genes make what proteins. With this information, one can instigate the production of any protein. The broad term genetic- engineering includes a wide variety of subtopics. The process of crossing plants is a form of genetic engineering as is animal breeding. The most common type of genetic engineering, however, is recombinant DNA. In this process, genes of one organism are put into the cells of another organism. This type is the most practiced of all types of genetic engineering. "In biology, the process of genetic engineering is concerned with knowing the sequence of the DNA molecule," states Dr. Jerry West, a biology professor at Western. Different sequences call for a particular protein. When a biologist knows the particular sequence, the gene can by synthesized. The gene can then be put into bacteria and the protein can be produced. Today, this protein-production is done on a large scale basis in factories equipped with bacteria vats. For example, insulin, produced naturally in the pancreas, controls the level of sugar in the blood. Diabetics cannot produce this insulin and, thus, must take insulin injections. Drug companies can now code the genes that produce the insulin in the body and produce the insulin in large masses in a factory setting. At the present time, work is currently being done on the gene itself. Doctors arc able to detect diseases such as Dow ns Syndrome by counting the amount of chromosomes of a gene (a chromosome is t he- actual carrier of the genetic material inside a cell). Cells taken from the developing embryo in a woman's womb can be tested for such diseases as Downs Syndrome. This new advancement in both technology and medicine, however, has led to some serious moral and ethical questions. Should a mother- to-be who is carrying a child known to have Downs Syndrome, or another disease, be allowed to abort the fetus? Furthermore, a more recent form of genetic engineering known as cloning has also made society voice several important questions. Cloning is the process whereby the nucleus of a female's fertilized egg is removed and the nucleus of another organism's cell is inserted. When the egg divides and develops, the off-spring will be exactly like the organism from which the inserted nucleus came. In the late I950'sand the m id-1960's, this procedure was done by both British and American scientists. The organisms used were frogs. Cloning in humans, however, is more complicated. The human egg is much smaller than a frog's egg and much harder to retrieve from its location in the productive tract. Also, once fertilized, the human egg must be transplanted back into the womb where it develops. This is the idea behind the test- Blackmon Resigned T&S by Paul Griffin & Allan Dawson Thursday, March 31 was Frank Blackmon's last day as Director of Traffic and Security at Western Carolina University. Blackmon came to Western'on October I, 198I from Emory University. Blackmon is originally a native of Georgia and he returns there to take the position of Assistant Director of Traffic and Security at Georgia State University, which is located in downtown Atlanta. Georgia State has an enrollment of 22,000 people and a security force of 63 officers, compared to Western's I I. This means the new job is a significant step upward in Blackmon's career even though he is moving from the position of Director to assistant Director of Traffic and Security. At Georgia State University Blackmon will deal more with the administrative aspects of security, rather than becoming involved with investigations as he has done here at Western. Upon leaving Cullowhee, Blackmon said that he thoroughly enjoyed his stay at Western. He feels that many steps forward have been taken by Western's Traffic and Security force during his stay and he is leaving with a good feeling about the shape of the force. Blackmon said that he was proud of many things that have taken place during his tenure at Western. He feels that his most important achievement at Western was bringing a professional attitude and procedures to the Traffic and Security force. He stated that the people he worked with at Western were extremely competent and good officers and thanked them for their support during his stay here. "Without their support and confidence, it would have been impossible to have accomplised anything; and for that I would like to sincerely thank them." Blackmon is leaving with many good thoughts about Cullowhee and Western Carolina University. He feels that both the school and the Department of Traffic and Security will continue to grow in the future. He feels that the department will continue to receive strong leadership since there are "many fine applicants" for the job. In the meantime, John McCracken will serve as interim director. Blackmon also had many pointers for the people of Cullowhee in trying to improve security. He stressed that there should be more communication between students and faculty and the security force. Better communication would stop a lot of thecrimesthat do happen. Blackmon sees that the biggest problem at this time is the lack of involvement with the students and the faculty. He stated that people should not be reluctant to call security when encountering a suspicious situation. Calling security would indeed result in fewer problems. There have not been any major problems with traffic and security during Blackmon's stay at Western and hopefully things will remain that way. Frank Blackmon has in fact already begun his job in Atlanta since last Monday, and his wife will be working in Atlanta as a school teacher. We here at Western will hate to lose a man like Frank Blackmon but wish him happiness and success in his new endeavors at Georgia. f tube baby. The mother's egg is fertilized outside the womb with the father's sperm and then transplanted back into the womb. It continues its growth until time of birth. In July I978. the first test-tube baby was successfully delivered in Oldham, England. This method is much more used in the present time. But the idea of cloning has. reached farther than test-tube babies. Theoretically, scientists say, by using cloning, exact replicas of a person can be made. The process would mean inserting the nucleus of any cell from a human into the fertilized egg of a female. The embryo would develop into an exact copy of the human which donated the cell. How? All cells of an organism have the same genetic make-up. Thus, any of your cells could produce an exact copy of you. Some scientists argue that cloning would result in a loss of varialbility in the human gene pool, diversity that is essential to survival in an ever-changing environment. Economical concerns concentrate on who would control the cloning production. The religious concerns center on the argument that cloning by-passes the natural process of reproduction and damages the sacred institutions of marriage and the family. The abortion issue is also confronted. Does life begin at insertion of the donor nucleus? This question is comparable to the question that is asked concerning abortions: Does life begin at conception or at birth? The psychological community is concerned about the trauma an adult donor is subjected to. Others may argue that the research itself on cloning is harmful since embryos can be damaged or destroyed during the process. Thus, genetic engineering is not a totally infallible idea. "I am sure," states Dr. West, "that we will see much more of genetic engineering in the future." Yet, even so, the moral and ethical aspects of this science must be considered. MmJmmM aj ~-^^^mW- V ^""^3* Tm 4. ^M ^^ ^MM ^M\ ^^MMMMAl. ^^M\ ^* V* ^^MM aW. ^^ ak <W~*±*MMm\ fcr* laflBkat \ WWCU recently received a new transmitter, boosting the station's power from 327 to 1000 watts. The power increase will allow a larger segment of the county to enjoy "the valley's music FM." Alpha Epsilon Rho by Priscilla McMinn The Western Carolina University chapter of Alpha Epsilon Rho National Honorary Broadcasting Society placed fourth in the national "chapter of the year" competition at the 4lst national AERho convention, March 23-26 in Atlanta, GA. Western's AERho chapter belongs to the east central region of Alpha Epsilon Rho, which was named as the outstanding region of the year. Fifteen members represented WCU at the convention. Among these were newly elected officers for 1983-84: Patrick Carmody, president; David Batten, vice president; Sherry Trull, secretary; Russ Randolph, treasurer; and Cathy McDaniel, member-at-large. The convention hosted personalities such as Ted Turner, owner of Superstation WTBS, CNN and CNN Headline News in Atlanta; Gordon Jump of "WKRP in Cincinnati"; Gary Stevens, president of Doubleday Broadcasting; and Steve Nenno, ABC Entertainment. Professionals from all areas of broadcasting were available to talk with members and answer questions. AERho is an active organization on campus which sponsors the annual air band concert and published the "Men of Western Carolina" calendar. All broadcasting students and professionals are eligible for membership. US Surplus Food Costs $600,000 Per Week by Allan Dawson The United States, which has had the reputation of being the land of plenty, is experiencing hunger. High rates of unemployment, decreasing amounts of money allocated to social services, and volatile economic conditions have all contributed to produce deprivation and want similar to that experienced during the Great Depression. Nature has seldom been kinder to the nation's wheat farmers, with lush fields and promising forecasts, but it is not a time for rejoicing. Thousands of farmers are on the verge of bankruptcy, wheat prices keep dropping and the pressure is rising in Washington for some kind of emergency aid. The farmers also face increasing labor and fuel costs, and growing wheat stockpiles that they Thornburg Confirmed by Judy Murphy Tuesday, March 22, Lacy H. Thornburg confirmed his position as a candidate for Governor of North Carolina. Thornburg, of Webster, N.C, resigned as a Superior Court judge last month in order to run as a Democrat candidate in the race. According to the Sylva Herald which printed his complete statement Thornburgs platform is based on issues of unemployment, education, drunken drivingand government - citizen relations. In his statement, Thornburg said unemployment "is one of the major problems that must be faced by the next governor." He said, "the state government should help create jobs and encourage new industry to base here. He also encourages the expansion of existing industry." On the subject of education, Thornburg said in the same article, "the expanded development of our State depends ... upon a trained and educated people ... The fundamental role of education in the training and to page 11 cannot afford to store. A recent survey, conducted by the Department of Agriculture, concluded that out of 226,100 farmers in nine wheat-growing states 73,200 will have some trouble paying off their debts, and 13,900 could be forced out of business. The basic problem is simply too much wheat and other surplus food. Farmers, of course, are not the only ones feeling the pressure. Soup lines, food banks, and emergency food services of all kinds find themselves staggering under the weight of ever-increasing demand. In Detroit, social service agencies report a 100% increase in requests for assistance from 1981 to 1982, while in Boston, Community groups are serving 14,000 more meals per month now than they were in 1980. Emergency food supplies in New York City have become so limited that the programs cannot allow their phone numbers or addresses to be given out. In Chicago, a study of 2,000 patients at a community hospital found that 44% were admitted with nutritional deficiencies. The situation has become so critical that increasing numbers of people are forced to scavenge for food, to page 11 35%OFF SKIING AT SNOWSHOE Thats Almost Heauen! To make great skiing even better, we're taking 35% off the price of lifts, lodging, lessons and rentals ^ Every day from March 21 to the season's end So for late season savings on big mountain skiing, it's Almost Heaven at Snowshoe, call 304-799-6762. Wt XNIMXklSORI Box 10, Snowshoe, West Virginia 26209 r i i i i i i Let's Loosen Up Student Government VOTE ROBERT WERTIS SGA PRESIDENT Free Delivery $2o« Any $3o« Any Medium expires 4/14/83 L*r9e Pizza Pizza ARE YOU NEW IN THE JOB MARKET? JUNIOR EXECS SALARY Starts $17,200 - $24,100 increasing annually to $28,600 - $44,800 in four years. QUALIFICATIONS College grads, all degrees and degree levels considered. Recent grads looking for first jobs as well as thosecontemplatingajobchange(underage 34) are encouraged to apply. Required to pass mental and physical exams. BENEFITS Full medical, dental, unlimited sick leave, 30 days annual paid vacation, post grad education programs and retirement in 20 years! JOB Positions are still available in the following areas: Management (technical and non-technical). Engineering, Nuclear, Teaching, Intelligence, Aviation Management, Diving, Pilots, Finance, Personnel Management. Worldwide locations—we pay relocation expenses. If you are interested in more information send your school transcripts or resume to: FRANK WIGGINS U.S. NAVY OFFICER PROGRAMS 1001 Navaho Dr. Raleigh, N.C. 27609 Or call 1-800-662-7231 8 a.m. - 4 p.m., Mon. - Fri. See the Navy's Flight Demonstration Team "Blue Angles Saturday, April 23rd at the Marine Corps Air Station, Cherry Point. N.C. SAVE TIME AND MONEY Send a letter of inquiry or resume'to the 500 Largest Industrial Corporations in America. Purchase company addresses (on labels) and phone numbers. Top 100/$8, 250/$15, 500/ | $25. Also available Top 100 Banking Institutions and Insurance Companies. Send check to: AmeriCAT, P.O. Unx 6184, Norfolk, Va. 21508.

The Western Carolinian is Western Carolina University's student-run newspaper. The paper was published as the Cullowhee Yodel from 1924 to 1931 before changing its name to The Western Carolinian in 1933.

• Creator
  • Western Carolina University
• Format
  • Publications (documents)
• Type
  • Text
• Date
  • Date original: 1983-04-07
  • Date digitized: 2019-01-31
• Extent
  • Dimension: 15" x 11.5"
  • Pages: 14 pages
• Subject - Topic
  • College student newspapers and periodicals
  • Cullowhee (N.C.) -- Newspapers
  • Universities and colleges -- North Carolina -- Cullowhee -- Newspapers
• Location
  • Jackson County (N.C.)
  • Cullowhee (N.C.)
• Source institution
  • Western Carolina University
• Source Collection
  • WCU Students Newspapers Collection
• Identifier
  • HL_WesternCarolinian_1983-04-07_Vol47_No25
• Repository
  • Western Carolina University Hunter Library