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Let's Talk Science: Mutation breeding,
petroleum plants, and STDs

, Chitwan Khosla
| Features Editor
ne © features
@theotherpress.ca

 

fs

Science is about questions and
looking for their answers. If
Newton hadn't wondered and
looked for why the apple fell to
the Earth instead of going up,
we might have never found out
about gravity. So, like Newton,
this section is a quest to find
answers in the field of science,
logic, and theories. If you

have a question about science
that youd like answered, send
it to Chitwan at features@
theotherpress.ca

wre is mutation
breeding in plants?

Mutation occurs when
inheritable changes in
organisms perpetuate and alter
genetics. This gives way to new
traits which are not found in
the parent. Mutation breeding
improves the quality of the crop
by removing the defective traits
in them. Mutation breeding is
the most viable way to improve

: the quality of seedless plants, as
: reported on Academia.edu by

: Ranjith Pathirana. The agents

: used to induce the mutation

: are called mutagens. UV rays,

: gamma rays and X-rays are

: common physical mutagens

: while chemical mutagens like

: base analogues, alkylating

: agents, and acridine dyes are

: also popular. New varieties of

: crops like wheat-NP 836, Todd’s
: Mitcham peppermint (high oil

: content and disease resistant),

: Aruna castor, and Atomita-2

: rice are some which have newly
: developed with the help of

: mutation breeding.

: What are petroleum plants?
: Living in a world constantly

: being stripped of its resources,
: the human race needs to find

: alternatives. Nobel laureate

: Melvin Calvin suggested that

: the issue can be tackled by

: extracting petroleum from

: certain plants: petroleum

: plants. These hydrocarbon-

: producing plants produce large
: amounts of latex. Latex is made
: up of long hydrocarbon chains

: which can be used directly or
: can be broken down, similar

: to those hydrocarbon chains

: present in petrol. Commercial
: use of these plants is not

: feasible at present because it

: is too expensive produce, but

: there is hope for the future.

: What are some sexually

: transmitted diseases other

: than AIDS and syphilis?

: While AIDS and syphilis are

: terrifying sexual diseases, there
: are, unfortunately, a great deal
: more out there: genital herpes,
: genital warts, chancroid,

: gonorrhoea, chlamydia, and

: trichomoniasis, to name a few.
: None are anything one would

: like to be better acquainted

: with, but being aware of the

: dangers is a good first defence.
: Genital herpes is caused by

: the herpes simplex virus

: (HSV); it is treated by pain

: relievers, saline compresses,

: and other oral drugs. Genital

: warts are another sexual

: disease caused by a virus called
: the human papillomavirus

: (HPV). It increases the risk

: of vaginal, vulvar, penile, and
: cervical cancers. Chanroid

: is caused by Gram-negative

: streptobacillus Haemophilus
: ducreyi. Gonorrhoea is caused
: by the Neisseria gonorrhoeae
: bacterium. It is dangerous if not :
: treated, causing infertility and
: arthritis. Chlamydia is caused

: by an unusual bacterium,

: Chlamydia trachomatis, that

: cannot reproduce outside

: the cells of the host. Painful

: discharge and urination in

: males and cervicitis in females
: are common results. If not

: treated properly, it can cause

: sterility in males. In females,

: it can cause infections in the

: urethra too. Uterine tubes can
: be infected as well, which may
: cause increased risks of ectopic
: pregnancy thereby, resulting

: in complications in conceiving.
: Trichomoniasis is caused by a

: protozoan called Trichomonas
: vaginalis which leads to

: inflammation of the mucous

: membrane of the vagina in

: females and the urethra in the
: males. Men can experience

: no symptoms yet transfer the

Photo of Petrochemical Plant in Saudi Arabia via Wikimeda

  

Get

: disease to females during sexual
: intercourse.

All of these have different

oral and physical treatments
: and can be avoided by adopting
: some simple preventive

measures. Using condoms

: prevents many bacteria

: from transmitting. Other

: contraceptives help in avoiding

: pregnancy but not always with

: these infectious sexual diseases.
: Once cured, individuals must

: use condoms (male and female)
: to avoid any re-occurrences.

: Symptoms must not be ignored
: and medical help should be

: sought immediately. Dental

: dams and condoms should be

: used during oral sex to reduce

: the risks. As many of these

: diseases do not have early

: symptoms, it is highly advisable
: to test regularly for them during
: the periods of high sexual

: activity, or when you get a new

: sexual partner. Proper sexual

: hygiene is also essential: avoid

: using any unnecessary chemical
: creams and gels on genitals as

: they may increase the risk of

: infection.