Velez College

F. Ramos St., Cebu City

Activities 5 and 6 - For Week Starting 04/21/20 to 04242020 and 04/28/2020 to 05012020

Deadline: Thursday, May 7, 2020

LAGUE , INAH KRIZIA O. BSN – 2A

Unit 3, Chapter 4: The Nano World

Instruction: You need to read Unit 3 (Chapter 4) of reference book and answer briefly the following
questions.

I. Essential Questions

1-5 What are the different uses of nanotechnology and its respective medical applications.

 Drug Delivery - In nanotechnology nano particles are used for site specific drug delivery. In this
technique the required drug dose is used and side-effects are lowered significantly as the active
agent is deposited in the morbid region only. This highly selective approach can reduce costs
and pain to the patients.
 Application - Abraxane, is albumin bound paclitaxel, of the nano particles which is used
for treatment of breast cancer and non-small- cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Nano particles
are used to deliver the drug with enhanced effectiveness for treatment for head and
neck cancer, in mice model study.

 Proteins and Peptide Delivery - Protein and peptides are macromolecules and are called
biopharmaceuticals. These have been identified for treatment of various diseases and disorders
as they exert multiple biological actions in human body.
 Application - Nano particles were found useful in delivering the myelin antigens, which
induce immune tolerance in a mouse model with relapsing multiple sclerosis.
 Cancer - Due to the small size of nano particles can be of great use in oncology, particularly in
imaging.
 Application - Nano particles are used in cancer photodynamic therapy, wherein the
particle is inserted within the tumor in the body and is illuminated with photo light from
the outside.
 Nanotechnology in the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders - For the delivery of CNS
therapeutics, various nano carriers such as, dendrimers, nano gels, nano emulsions, liposomes,
polymeric nano particles, solid lipid nano particles, and nano suspensions have been studied.
 Application - Parkinson's disease: This can improve current therapy of Parkinson's
disease (PD).
 Nanotechnology in operative dentistry - Nano filled composite resin materials are believed to
offer excellent wear resistance, strength, and ultimate aesthetics due to their exceptional
polishability and luster retention.
 Application - In operative dentistry, nano fillers constitute spherical silicon dioxide (SiO2
) particles with an average size of 5-40 nm.
6-10 What are the dangers of using nanotechnology?

 Inhaled carbon nanotubes can suppress the immune system by affecting the function of T cells,
a type of white blood cell that organises the immune system to fight infections.
 Nanoparticles may damage the lungs. We know that 'ultra fine' particles from diesel
machines, power plants and incinerators can cause considerable damage to human
lungs.
 Nanoparticles can get into the body through the skin, lungs and digestive system. This may help
create 'free radicals' which can cause cell damage and damage to the DNA.
 The human body has developed a tolerance to most naturally occurring elements and molecules
that it has contact with. It has no natural immunity to new substances and is more likely to find
them nanoparticles toxic.
 If carbon nanotubes get into the wrong place, they can cause mesothelioma

11-15 How can the possible risks of using this emerging technology in different disciplines be
minimized?

The impacts of hazardous nanoparticles on human health and the environment could be
prevented by limiting exposure. Project managers should ensure to detect significant risks in a systematic
approach and provide decisions and suitable actions regarding the health of their employees and also help
them to record and document the information. A basic knowledge of the work is essential for doing an
adequate assessment. Therefore, workplace personnel who have extensive knowledge of the field should
always be involved. To be able to make a thorough risk assessment, the work should be divided into
sections, subsections and tasks or process-units. They should identify all nanoparticles that are, or will be,
used or produced in every work unit and process and also identify the type of nanoparticle. The supplier
should provide information about the nanomaterials. The most important thing is to consider the nature
and severity of the hazard and the degree of exposure of people involved in the process.

Resources :

Goudarzi, S. (2013). Nano technology risks: A 10-step risk management model in nanotechnology
projects. Retrieved from : https://www.researchgate.net/

Nikalje,A. ( 2015). Nanotechnology and its Applications in Medicine. Retrieved from :

Hilakari,L. (2015). Nanotechnology - a new hazard. Retrieved from : https://www.ohsrep.org.au/

Many say that "We should not mess with human life" and "Humans should not be trying to
play God". Destroying human embryos is a commonly raised concern, often based on religious
beliefs. In embryonic stem cell research, embryos are taken from eggs that have been fertilized in in vitro
and were not used or were rejected. These embryos are then donated for the research. People from
religious groups, concerned citizens and pro-life groups believe that there is an ethical with the process
and that these embryos are human beings.

Stem cell research can potentially help treat a range of medical problems. It could lead
humanity closer to better treatment and possibly cure a number of disease such as Parkinson’s disease,
Alzheimer’s Disease ,Heart Diseases, Stroke and Type 1 Diabetes , Birth Defects , Spinal Cord Injuries ,
Replace or Repair Damaged Organs , Reduced Risk of Transplantation and play a major role in cancer.
Stem cell Research offer lots of medical benefits, come in different types and provide insights to the
growth and development of human cells. However, some argue that stem cell research in the far future
can lead to knowledge on how to clone humans. It is hard to say whether this is true, but we have seen
devastating consequences of other research-programs, even with good intentions, such as nuclear
research. The controversy regarding the method involved was much tenser when researchers used
Embryonic Stem Cells as their main method for stem cell research. It can be likened to murder and no one
really knows if any of the stem cells will work. Along with the discovery of a potential cure is the discovery
of the side effects in the long-term. Unfortunately, these too are unknown until someone receives medical
trials and suffers through the negative results of the treatment used.
The controversy surrounding stem cell research led to an intense debate about ethics. Up until
the recent years, the research method mainly focused on Embryonic Stem Cells, which involves taking
tissue from an aborted embryo to get proper material to study. The stem cell-research is an example of
the, sometimes difficult, cost-benefit analysis in ethics which scientists need to do. Even though many
issues regarding the ethics of stem cell research have now been solved, it serves as a valuable example of
ethical cost-benefit analysis.