Ethical and moral issues of Genetic Engineering

Genetics by far has become the most dominant subject of interest for many scientists. Its deep mysteries interest and puzzle many who work with genetics and its branching sciences. When Mendel first discovered that traits were inherited from parent to offspring and that this was controlled by certain laws, it gave birth to the study of genetics. Since then, genetics has developed itself into one of the most powerful aspects of day to day life. From understanding simple inheritance of traits and diseases, genetics is now concerned with genetically engineered plants, fruits and sometimes controversial topics such as human genome project, making of a super human and cloning.

When we think about the future of genetics, we tend to think of all the things that were believed to be impossible once upon a time. Things that were believed unlikely to happen are now happening. Genetics can cure diseases, it can change lives, it can cut down on fertilizer costs for plants etc. There are so many advantages when it comes to advancing in genetics, but just like the world balances on good and the evil, genetics and its uses can be challenged ethically and morally. For example, there are certain things related to genetics and its related sciences that are frowned upon by religious groups and certain other groups. Here I will show you some of the benefits of genetic engineering and how it’s ethically challenged.

Life expectancy: tests are now done on worms with concerns on increasing life span of some earth worms. With a single alteration of a gene, the worms’ enzyme activity changes and life span increases. This could easily affect our lives in the future. With more genetic research, this could apply to humans and someday genetics might be able to change lives of many. Humans will be able to live longer. Retirement ages will differ; elderly with more experience will now be preferred by companies. People in general will be happier, healthier and pleasant.

But with such changes, there will be drastic social fluctuations. There will be more elderly in the society. People with age get weak and now they will have to live longer with all the weaknesses. This will be a burden upon them. Ethically, we should ask ourselves, is this just a starting brick to creating a slave race that would enable us humans to exploit that certain race. If it’s possible to change life expectancy, then it would be possible to change all sorts of genes that would control other features. This would no doubt create social gaps and possibly bring about more differences amongst us humans.

Genetic engineering: today a lot of plants have been genetically modified to resist disease and pests. Animals and plants can be 'tailor made' to show desirable characteristics. Genes could also be manipulated in trees for example, to absorb more CO² and reduce the threat of global warming. Genetic Engineering could increase genetic diversity, and produce more variant alleles which could also be crossed over and implanted into other species. It is possible to alter the genetics of wheat plants to grow insulin for example. Such breakthroughs are economically very sound; it can greatly reduce labor costs and other costs such as pesticide costs etc.GM fruits can be sold at a lower rate but with all that comes many disadvantages too. Local farmers will not benefit from this and will suffer economically. Nature is an extremely complex inter-related chain consisting of many species linked in the food chain. Some scientists believe that introducing genetically modified genes may alter food chains and effect nature. Genetic engineering also has many ethical and moral issues. So when we think of this ethically, it’s pretty clear that we are crossing the boundaries. To a group, it’s a violation of Gods laws, to some others it’s unnatural and immoral. We are not yet confident about the long term effects of releasing the transgenic organism to the environment. It might be harmful to the rest of the bio-life and it might be too big of a risk to take.

Genetics could predict diseases and help avoid a genetically inherited disease (gene therapy): In the future, with genetic mapping, we will be able to detect and identify those genes that cause disease in humans. We will have a disease free society or almost a disease free society with such advances in genetics. People will live longer and happily. But even with that comes ethical issues. Some religious groups claim that people are taking gods matters into their own hands. This is just a religious concern and not a major disadvantage. Like mentioned above, genetic mapping can selectively breed a superior or an inferior race which could be controlled by another race. It’s very immoral to play around with genes which will govern the rest of a person’s life. For example, a mistake that would lead to a genetic disease could be paid for by that genetically modified human for the rest of his life

Usage of fruit flies and fish to study human genes: Fruit flies and fish have genes that are similar to human genes. The scientists choose to study the fruit fly because they have many genes with the same functions as human genes. Defects in the fly's gene that is the equivalent of the genes in humans that cause brain diseases cause the flies to lose brain function as they age, the same way the diseases do in humans. This is important to humans because of Alzheimer's Parkinson's and many other motor neurone diseases. There are no significant disadvantages but one could be animal testing which is not acceptable. Research also consumes a lot of money, animals and equipment must be handled with care and maintained. Most of these are expensive. And if a cure is not found, it will be a waste of money. 

Use of mice and other animals for testing is no doubt an ongoing controversial topic at large. It’s morally and ethically very wrong. They deserve to live as we do and we human beings we are suppose to make sure that happens. It’s a known fact that most people make use of animal testing for mere curiosity and has no scientific base to it. Most animals are subjected to excruciating pain which is frowned upon by many welfare and religious groups. Let’s just hope science will find ways to move around animal testing

In my opinion, all the point I mentioned above have its own advantages and disadvantages. Today most of the people are just looking at the advantages and if there is a gain, they will not consider any ethical or moral issue which comes with it. What I suggest is that there should be a standard, where the people needs to consider the values of ethics and to do what is best for the mankind in the long run. The links which I have posted below will give you more information on these topics.

Sources

• Micheal K Reiss, (2001). Improving Nature: The science and ethics of genetic engineering. . (), pp.
• D Bruce, A Bruce, (1998). Engineering Genesis: the ethics of genetic engineering in non human species. 1st ed. London: .

Oil and gas powering US manufacturing industry.

It is widely accepted throughout the world that, oil and gas is the best source of non renewable energy that is currently available to mankind. The applications and the possibilities that come with the use of oil and gas as energy sources are endless. Our everyday life would be very different if not for oil and gas, as our dependence on them range from simple household appliances to the running of cars, machinery, industries etc. So how great would it be if there is a drop in the cost of energy-specifically oil and natural gases, as it has been the continuous case over the recent past.

Also, at the moment U.S is one of the most attractive places to manufacture.Today, a large percentage of U.S GDP is taken control from the manufacturing industry . Due to this reason, naturally, there is a large boom in the field of manufacturing industry. One factor for the increase in interest in manufacturing engineering can be attributed to the above mention drop in the prices of oil and gas.All of these positive signs in the oil and gas trade have created more opportunities to manufacturers as well as they are also supplied with new machined equipment . There will be increased need for new and innovative manufacturing technologies that will help meet the growing demand and increase overall productivity. This in turn increases the opportunities in the manufacturing engineering field.

Manufacturing engineers also expect to see an increase in the amount of manufacturing technology used specifically in oil and gas applications. Such technology includes advance machinery such as reliable rugged machine tools with long boring bar and deep milling capabilities, as well as high horsepower, large bore, multiple spindles, multiple turret machines and those with bigger overall work envelopes.

All these new improvements and innovations are happening due to the increase in the need for oil and gas, and with the continual drop in their energy price I believe that the field of manufacturing engineering will be a hot topic in the coming future with lots of benefits being available to manufacturing engineers all over the world. 

Sources:

• Brian Papke (). Oil and gas industries powering US manufacturing. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.sme.org/MEMagazine/Article.aspx?id=71172&taxid=1433. [Last Accessed 03/30/2013].
  

Radio Frequency Identification

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology is one of the most recognized, rapidly developing, easy-to-use technologies that will re-shape the world and the human everyday life. It offers a means of transmitting data through wireless transmission through very small and low cost devices, which makes this technology very popular among the industries. This opportunity arises from the confluence of the continued march of electronics miniaturization and recent innovations that dramatically drive down the cost of manufacturing microelectronic devices. Some complex applications of RFID technologies are missile guidance, aircraft identification transponders, automatic toll way identification, access control, central locking systems in automobiles and asset identification and tracking. This technology is also used in supply chain management in order to eliminate human errors, reduces their inventories, reduce the loss and waste and improve the safety and security of the process.

How this system works

A typical RFID system is composed with RFID tags, RFID readers, RFID antenna/middleware and RFID application software. In this system, the RFID tags are attached to the objects. Each tag has an internal memory which it stores the information about the object, such as the unique serial number, manufacture date, product specification and etc. The tags start to transmit the data once they pass via the field which is generated by the antenna. The reader captures the information and sends them to the RFID application software to process the data and then identify the object and the data in it. The goal of the RFID technology was  on readers and tags which are used to transmit low volumes of information which are used by systems.  But this has been changing as, today RFID technology is used in supply chains to transmit huge volumes of data and these information can goes through new RFID application called the savants.

Active and Passive RFID

There are two types of RFID technologies: Active and Passive RFID. Active and passive RFID systems have the similar working mechanism. The major advantage in active RFID system is its long reading ranges and its larger storage of data, whereas the passive RFID systems can only be used up to three to five meters, and its storage is less than 128 bytes. Active RFID system uses its own internal power, which is provided from its internal tagged battery, whereas passive RFID does not have its own power to generate its signals.  Passive RFID tags some sort of external power to generate its signals.The main advantage of active RFID and passive RFID is that it enables multi-tag reading. The active RFID can recognize thousands of tags at once, whereas with passive RFID will recognize only few hundreds. These tags can be recognized at a very fast pace.

Advantages in using RFID technology

The major advantage of using RFID technology is that it is much more powerful than other AutoID technologies such as the bar codes. An organization can easily implement this technology into their process, since it is cheaper than other technologies. The RFID tags can stand at any harsh and hazardous environments such as near highways or even under the surface of the earth. They enable the multiple tags reading and writing at long ranges. This technology is most suitable for the identification of mass productions.

I think, this blog will help you a general idea about the RFID technology which is widely used in our organizations today. This technology will help to change the global supply chain and the human life will also be affected in many ways such as grocery, shopping, lodging, anti-counterfeit of ID card and etc. Therefore in my opinion, I think it is always good know about these developments and how they are used.

Thanks.

Source:

• Automation Production systems and computer-integrated manufacturing by Mikell P. Groover
• http://www.microwavejournal.com/articles/7632-rfid-the-next-generation-auto-id-technology
• Stewe Lewis, (2004). A basic introduction to RFID Technology and its use in the supply chain.. e.g. Jet Powered Motors. (), pp.
  

What is Industrial Engineering?

Are you interested in learning how things work? How a process is built? Do you enjoy the rewarding feeling of success? If so, you might want to think about choosing a career path in industrial engineering! Unlike electrical, mechanical or civil engineering, industrial engineering is one of the most diverse careers you could find in the field of engineering.  An industrial engineering has a broad scope where an industrial engineer can easily be  working as manufacturing engineer, system engineer, an operation researcher or else a human factors and safety engineer. So if you choose a career path in industrial engineering, you would have a wide range of opportunities and lot of options in hand. As mentioned above, you could be an industrial engineer working at a manufacturing plant as a lean coordinator or a human factors engineer working at a health care facility or even start your own firm. These are the variety of career opportunities available to you if you are an industrial engineer. This is why I chose industrial engineering as my major.

What does an Industrial Engineer do?

Industrial engineering is formerly described as a branch of engineering engages with the improving of complex systems and process. It mostly deals with the improvement, development and implementation of incorporated complex systems which include people, information, money and resources. In simpler words, industrial engineers look for different ways and methods to make products/services offered to customers cheaper, easier and faster, by improving its process and quality.

A major success for an industrial engineer or an IE should be their ability to detect when a process needs to be improved. The only way this could be done is by understanding the process itself that needs to be improved. Only then you start to identify the areas that needs to be improved in the present system and can devise a method to improve the system. Improving a process does not solely fall on just improving the machinery. Sometimes the area of improvement may lie in where and how people do their work. May be it is a change in routine that is needed, or a change in the workstation design. So as an industrial engineer you should be open to all possibilities of improvement in a work place.

What is the purpose of industrial Engineering?

As mentioned above, we IEs focus mainly on how a process or a product can be improved from their current state. Some would argue and say that what we do it not important; that a product might still be made even if the process of making is faulty and outdated. It is true to some extent. A product could still be made with outdated or faulty processes, but the difference would be that how would you be able to afford them at a decent price. For example, the computer that you are reading this on, the espresso machine at your work place, the steam cooker in your kitchen would not have been affordable if the processes that used to make them were very expensive and outdated. So therefore by improving the process, we also reduce the cost of operations thus reducing the cost and leading to higher profit margins. This is important from a business stand point.

So in conclusion I would like to say industrial engineering is a great career opportunity for everyone as it is a diverse field and offer many different opportunities. There are many more applications to industrial engineering other than improving processes. So if you are interested to know more about industrial engineering, please take few minutes of your valuable time to watch the video below. Who knows, you might like what you see

Source:

• (). Industrial Engineering. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.thecb.state.tx.us/index.cfm?objectid=4710703B-0EAD-59C0-B6D2309B3335C8D4. [Last Accessed 03/30/2013].
• (). What do engineering do. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.pitt.edu/~ejg40/EngineeringCareers.html. [Last Accessed 03/30/2013].