Monday, September 21, 2009

RJA #4c: Research Question Check

Research Question Check:


Blogs commented on:


RJA #4b: Search Strings

Search Strings:

Search Engine Math:

  • + growth + hormones
  • + growth hormones -protein

Boolean:

  • growth AND hormones
  • human AND growth
  • humans AND NOT children
  • growth hormones AND NOT anabolic steroids

RJA #4a: Keywords

What harmful effects does the usage of HGH have on health?



FO - What, what are, which, which are

harmful, harm, harms, harming, harmed

effects, effect, affecting, affected

usage, use, using, uses, used, user, users

have, has, having, had

health, healthy

RE - What, which, who, whose, who's, how

harmful, hazardous, dangerous, damaging, unhealthy

effects, influences, altering, symptoms, consequences, repercussions

usage, cosumption, taking, involvement, intake

have, are, present, exist, surface, result

health, well-being, safety, longevity, fitness, natural, balanced

ST - What, which, who, whose, who's, how

harmful, hazardous, dangerous, perilous, lethal, fatal

effects, symptoms, repercussions, changes, influences

usage, consumption, intake

health, well-being, safety, longevity

Monday, September 14, 2009

RJA # 3c: Developing Research Question

Developing Research Question

Write a Research Question, p.45 (text)

1. Basic Question Words - who, what, when, where, how, why, should, would, are, Is etc.
  • What are the pros and cons of using human growth hormones (HGH)?
  • Should human growth hormones (HGH) be a legal substance?
  • Should the use of human growth hormones (HGH) be legal for athletes?
  • Is the use of human growth hormones (HGH) safe?

2. Writing Goal - My goal is to share information about my issue and to evaluate it, and to use my research to help explain why I am against HGH.

3. The audience in this paper is anyone who is roughly age 15 and older, basically anyone with a developed enough body to sustain the supplements. Even though many older folks aren't active, they are still an audience because the knowledge is still very valuable to them. Everyone has family members that could be exposed to these substances. In their interest of protecting a friend or a loved one, or in the interest of the affected themelselves, I believe these people would surely like to know what it is and what it can do.

4. Is the use of human growth hormones safe?

5. The question that interested me the most ended up being : Is the use of human growth hormones (HGH) safe?


RJA # 3b: Narrowing Research Topic

Narrowing Research Topic:

Based on the information from Chapter 3 of the textbook, I believe that I need to narrow my topic slightly. I decided to change my topic from heat strokes in athletes to the use of human growth hormones. In order to formulate a research question to form my paper around, I think I need to take one side of the argument as to whether or not these substances should be used or allowed. I personally do not believe in taking these hormones just from doing the small amount of research that I've done so far. I don't expect that to change, however after some deeper research I do expect to learn some interesting aspects of both sides so that i can really try to weigh the pros and cons in order to strengthen the paper. Then I will use one specific question that has two opposing arguments, each with a large group of people backing them.

RJA #3a: Exploring Research Topic

Exploring Research Topic: Sites Searched/Found

- Controversies regarding human growth hormones (HGH): 1) claims of exaggerated, misleading, or ufound assertions that real growth hormone treatment slows or reverses the effects of aging 2) sale of products that fraudulantly or misleadingly pruport to be growth hormone or to increase the user's own secretion of HGH to a beneficial degree

- side effects of the drug include edema (retention of fluids) in extremities, arthralgia (joint pain), carpal tunnel syndrome, hypertension, diabetes as well as other glucose metabolism imbalances, gyencomastia (enlargement of male mammary glands)

- a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted that studied the effects of six-month growth hormone replacement in 24 adults with growth hormone deficiency. study concluded that the growth hormone has a role in the regulation of body composition in adults, and is thought to be because of anabolic and lipolytic actions

- 1988 Olympics - Ben Johnson, world-record sprinter has gold medal stripped due to performance-enhancing drugs, making news around world - 2000 Olympics- several gold medal winners have their medals stripped also for use of performance-enhancing drugs - performance-enhancing drugs include steroids, testosterone, human growth hormone, blood doping, stimulants, and other drugs taken to build muscle-bulk during training

RJA #2b: Research Topic

Research Topic: Athletes and Heat Strokes

For the research paper this semester, I decided on a topic that I could relate to first-hand, but also that I still am not very educated about. That topic is heat strokes concerning athletes; and more specifically lies with the question: Should football programs for all ages be required to monitor the health conditions of the players with technological devices? To elaborate, these devices would be used to look at body fluid levels, heart rate, blood pressure, and circulation to ensure that the player will not only be hydrated and fit to play but also safe, healthy, and alive. As extreme as this sounds, it has become a true debate and a real topic of concern amongst many players, parents, and coaches across the country. The controversy struck recently when a high school player collapsed and later died of a heat stroke during practice. This was also not the first football fatality due to a stroke. In fact, it happened at the NFL level just a few years ago. So it just goes to show that even the most premeire athletes could be in danger.
Although I never played football in my life, I can relate to heat strokes first hand from playing soccer for 15 years, starting when I was about 4. I personally experienced overwhelming exertional migraines from over-exercise under the sun without enough water. On a handful of occasions, I even experienced heat strokes severe enough for me to go to the hospital. Although I was not in grave danger, the experience was still very frightening and the feeling was worse than any virus I've had in my life. That said, I was experiencing these heat stroke problems playing the sport of soccer, not football. In football, you are exercising almost as hard, except you are wearing pounds of padding that's not only weighing you down but also holding in body heat. On hot days this can cause a player to over-heat in no time. I can only imagine how much worse it could have been for me had I been wearing padding like that. So I feel for these players, and I would like to indulge into the topic to gain as much knowledge as I can.
As far as what I would like to learn about the topic, there is a wide range of things. First, I want to learn the chemical process of what actually causes heat strokes and exertional migranes to occur. This would give me a better understand of the functions and uses of certain treatments and what exactly to do to either prevent, avoid, or treat strokes. Also, I would like to know statistics on stroke death, as well as the right numbers and levels of certain elements or substances that cause the body to be balanced or unbalanced. Perhaps the one thing that I would like to learn the most about this topic is what side of the argument I should be on, based on my research and the information I find.

Sunday, September 13, 2009

RJA #2a: Possible Topics

Possible Topics for Research Paper:

1) Should schools K-12 across the country be required to abide by a set of regulations designed to offer the healthiest food possible in their cafeterias?

2) **CHOSEN TOPIC** Athletes and Heat Strokes - Recent controversy struck when a high school football player collapsed and later died of a heat stroke during practice. Should football programs of all levels be required to monitor the health conditions of the players (i.e. heart rate, hydration, blood pressure, circulation, nutrients) with new-age technological devices?

3) Should the health care plan of the United States be altered to allow full accomodation of all citizens by the country's government?

4) Should marijuana (in the non-medicinal form) be legalized in the United States?

5) Should all automobile manufacturers be required to prodcue vehicles powered only by hybrid or electric engines?