STS Midterms Reviewer

CSTC COLLEGE OF SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY AND
COMMUNICATION, INC.
CSTC College Bldg. Gen. Luna St. Maharlika Hi-way, Pob. 3, Arellano Sub.
Sariaya Province of Quezon R4A
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SCHOOL OF PSYCHOLOGY AND HUMAN SERVICES
Instructional Module in
GE MST 101: Science, Technology, and Society
Preliminaries
I. Chapter Number 3
II. Chapter Title Specific Issues in Science, Technology, and Society (Part I)
III. Brief Introduction of This chapter engages students to confront the realities brought about
the Lesson by science and technology in society. Such realities pervade the personal,
the public, and the global aspects of our living and are integral to human
development. Scientific knowledge and technological development happen
in the context of society with all its socio-political, cultural, economic, and
philosophical underpinnings at play. This course seeks to instill reflective
knowledge in the students that they are able to live the good life and display
ethical decision making in the face of scientific and technological
advancement.
IV. Lesson Objectives At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to:
a. Trace the development of Information Age,
b. Differentiate gene and stem cell therapies,
c. Explain the impact of biodiversity on human population growth, and
d. Appreciate the importance of nano science and nanotechnology.
Lesson Proper
I. Getting Started
#STSDigitization
Tell something about the picture. Are you a digital native? How did you say so?
II. Discussion
Lesson 1: The Information Age
Introduction
The Information Age is considered a historic period in the 21st century. Characterized by the rapid
shift from traditional industry, it is also called computer age, digital and the new media age. It is marked by
a very fast growth in communication and information technology. This age holds a significant influence as
educators and learners.
The invention of the computer which gave people access to information with the touch of a button.
The internet has tuned society into homebodies and individuals who do everything from the comfort of their
homes. People do their tasks only such as shopping, paying bills, working, education, entertainment and
ordering food.
1.1 Historical Development
The information age also referred to as Computer Ages and New Media Age is a historic period in
the 21st Century characterized by the rapid shift from traditional industry.
It began around the 1970s and still going on today. This era brought about a time period in which
people could access information and knowledge easily. As in the field of literature, the renaissance
influenced this age by creating the idea inventions that led to modern ones.
Information Age also referred to people, information and societies that chronicle the birth and
growth of electronic information from ancient times to Samuel Morse's invention of the telegraph in the
1890s through the development of the telephone, radio, television, and computers.
(http.//www.tcf.va.edu/az/thistory.outline.htm).
There are four periods of the Information Age, namely:

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 Pre-Mechanical – 3,000 BC 1450 A.D.

 Mechanical — 1450-1840
 Electro-Mechanical 1840-1940
 Electronic/lnformation-1940-present
Some pioneers who belonged to these periods were Blaire Pascal, Alexander Graham Bell, Steven
Wozmak, Steven Jobs, Bill Gates.
Personal computers had become widespread by the end of the 1980s. They can be connected to
local or national networks. Through a device called the modern, individual users could list their computers
to a wealth of information using conventional phone lines.
The internet was developed during the 1970s. In the early days, it was used mainly by scientists to
communicate with other scientists. At this time, the internet users problem was speed. The development of
the fiber-optic hastened the rate of sending message.
In the 1990s, the world wide web was developed mainly for commercial purposes. New services
were created to sell products. Now, airline tickets, hotel reservations, books and even cars and houses can
be purchased online, Colleges and universities would post research data on the internet so students could
find Valuable information without leaving their homes.
Claide Shannon is regarded as the Father of the Information Age.
Timeline of the Information Age

Year Event
3000 BC  Sumerian writing system used pictographs to represent words.
2900 BC  Beginnings of Egyptian hieroglyphic writing 1300 BC Tortoise shell and
oracle bone writing were used.
500 BC  Papyrus roll was used.
220 BC  Chinese small seal writing was developed.
100 AD  Book (parchment codex)
105 AD  Woodblock printing and paper was invented by the Chinese.
1455  Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press using movable metal type.
1755  Samuel Johnson's dictionary standardized English spelling.
1802  The Library of Congress was established.
 Invention of the carbon arc lamp
1824  Research on persistence of vision published
1830s  First viable design for a digital computer
 Augusta Lady Byron writes the world's first computer program.
1837  Invention of the telegraph in Great Britain and the United States
1861  Motion pictures were projected onto a screen
 Dewey Decimal system was introduced
 Eadweard Muybridge demonstrated high-speed photography
1899  First magnetic recordings were released
1902  Motion picture special effects were used
1906  Lee DeForest invented the electronic amplifying tube (triode).
1923  Television camera tube was invented by Zvorkyn
1926  First practical sound movie
1939  Regularly scheduled television broadcasting began in the US
1940s  Beginnings of information science as a discipline
1945  Vannevar Bush foresaw the invention of hypertext
1946  ENIAC computer was developed.
1948  Birth of field-of-information theory proposed by Claude E. Shannon
 Planar transistor was developed by Jean Hoerni
 First integrated circuit
1960s  Library of Congress developed LC MARC (machinereadable code)
1969  UNIX operating system was developed, which could handle multitasking
1971  Intel introduced the first microprocessor chip
1972  Optical laserdisc was developed by Philips and MCA
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1974  MCA and Philips agreed on a standard videodisc encoding

1975  Altair Microcomputer Kit was released: first personal computer for the
public
1977  RadioShack introduced the first complete personal computer
1984  Apple Macintosh computer was introduced
Mid 1980s  Artificial intelligence was separated from information science
1987  Hypercard was developed by Bill Atkinson recipe box metaphor.
1991  Four hundred fifty complete works of literature on one CDROM was
released.
January 1997  RSA (encryption and network security software) Internet security code
cracked for a 48-bit number.
1.2 Computer
Computers are among the most important contributions of advances in the Information Age to
society. A computer is an electronic device that stores and processes data (information). It runs on a
program that contains the exact, step-by-step directions to solve a problem (US history.org, 2017).
Types of Computer
Computers are associated with numerous terms and descriptions. Most people suggest the
dimensions, intended use, or the computer's power. While the term "computer" can apply to virtually any
device that has a microprocessor in it, most people think of a computer as a device that receives input from
the user through a mouse (hand-guided directions tool) or keyboard, processes it in some fashion, and
presents the result on a screen.
1. Personal Computer (PC)
It is a single-user instrument. PCs were first known as microcomputers since they were a complete
computer but built on a smaller scale than the enormous systems operated by most businesses.
2. Desktop Computer
It is described as a PC that is not designed for portability. The assumption with a desktop is that it
will be set up in a permanent spot. A workstation is simply a desktop computer that has a more powerful
processor, additional memory, and enhanced capabilities for performing special group of tasks, such as 3D
graphics or game development. Most desktops offer more storage, power, and versatility than their portable
versions (UShistory.org, 2017).
3. Laptops
These are portable computers that integrate the essentials of a desktop computer in a battery-
powered package, which are somewhat larger than a typical hardcover book. They are commonly called
notebooks.
4. Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs)
These are tightly integrated computers that usually have no keyboards but rely on a touch screen
for user input. PDAs are typically smaller than a paperback, lightweight, and battery powered
(UShistory.org, 2017).
5. Server
It refers to a computer that has been improved to provide network services to other computers.
Servers usually boast powerful processors, tons of memory, and large hard drives (UShistory.org, 2017).
6. Mainframes
These are huge computer systems that can fill an entire room. They are used especially by large
firms to describe the large, expensive machines that process millions of transactions every day. The term
"mainframe" has been replaced by enterprise server. Although some supercomputers are single computer
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systems, most comprise multiple, high-performance, parallel computers working as a single system
(UShistory.org, 2017).
4.3 The World Wide Web
Several historians trace the origin of the Internet to Claude E. Shannon, an American
Mathematician who was considered as the "Father of Information Theory." He worked at Bell Laboratories
and at age 32, he published a paper proposing that information can be quantitatively encoded as a
sequence of ones and zeroes.
The Internet is a worldwide system of interconnected networks that facilitate data transmission
among innumerable computers. It was developed during the 1970s by the Department of Defense. In case
of an attack, military advisers suggested the advantage of being able to operate on one computer from
another terminal. In the early days, the Internet was used mainly by scientists to communicate with other
scientists. The Internet remained under government control until 1984 (Rouse, 2014).
One early problem faced by Internet users was speed. Phone lines could only transmit information
at a limited rate. The development of fiber-optic cables allowed for billions of bits of information to be
received every minute. Companies like Intel developed faster microprocessors so personal computers
could process the incoming signals at a more rapid rate (UShistory.org, 2017).
Sergey Brin and Larry Page, directors of a Stanford research project, built a search engine that
listed results to reflect page popularity when they determined that the most popular result would frequently
be the most usable. After talking with family, friends, and other investors into contributing $1 million, the
researchers launched their company in 1998. Google is now the world's most popular search engine,
accepting more than 200 million queries daily.
Back then, new forms of communication were also introduced. Electronic mail, or email, was a
suitable way to send a message to fellow workers, business partners, or friends. Messages could be sent
and received at the convenience of the individual. A letter that took several days to arrive could be read in
minutes. Internet service providers like America Online and CompuServe set up electronic chat rooms.
These were open areas of cyberspace where interested parties could join in a conversation with perfect
strangers. "Surfing the net" became a pastime in and of itself (UShistory.org, 2017).
Consequently, companies whose businesses are built on digitized information have become
valuable and powerful in a relatively short period of time; the current Information Age has spawned its own
breed of wealthy influential brokers, from Microsoft's Bill Gates to Apple's Steve Jobs to Facebook's Mark
Zuckerberg.
Critics charged that the Internet created a technological divide that increased the gap between the
members of the higher class and lower class of society. Those who could not afford a computer, or a
monthly access fee were denied these possibilities. Many decried the impersonal nature of electronic
communication compared to a telephone call or a handwritten letter.
On one hand, the unregulated and loose nature of the Internet allowed pornography to be broadcast
to millions of homes. Protecting children from these influences or even from meeting violent predators would
prove to be difficult. Nowadays, crimes in various forms are rampant because of the use of social media.
Cyberbullying is an issue that poses alarm worldwide. Consequently, we need to be aware of the possible
harm and damage due to abuse of these advances in the Information Age.
4.4 Applications of Computers and the World Wide Web in Everyday Living
Technology is increasingly playing a crucial role in the success of organizations particularly in

school in this Information Age. The impact of IT has been enormous on various domains including
education. Computers and the information they process and store have transformed every aspect of the
society.
Since we live in the Information Age, IT has become a part of our everyday lives. There have been
tremendous changes in the ways people live work and play over the past three decades
(hitechplatform.blogspot.com/2011/04/most-important-effect-ofinformation.html) IT is composed of
computer, networks, mobile and wireless devices, satellite communications, robotics, videotext, cable
television, electronic mail (e-mail), electronic gadget and automated office equipment. Technological
innovation and entrepreneurship have been the key players in the changes that we experience.
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Every day, we use technology in new ways. Computers are becoming increasingly affordable, and
they continue to be more powerful as information processing tools. Some of the advantages of Information
Technology are:
1. Globalization - It has brought the world closer together, led to sharing information more quickly
and efficiently and enabled countries to share ideas and information with each other.
2. Communication - It has made communication cheaper, quicker and more efficient. The use of
the internet opened face-to-face communication from different parts of the world.
3. Cost effectiveness - it has led to computerization of business processes and increased
productivity that gave more profits, better pay and working conditions.
4. Creation of new jobs - It has led to the opening up of opportunity for computer programmers,
system analysts, hardware and software developers and web designers.
The Information Age has introduced changes in the different aspects of people's lives, because of
the following:
1. Emergence of online companies
2. Creation of economically and stimulating businesses
3. More mature and educated people
4. Reshaping governments with new technologies
III. Application (Performance Task - 40%)

MARE, ANONG LATEST SA FACEBOOK?
Direction: Read the selection entitled “The Effects of Using the Facebook” by Anne Gelene Tobias-
Domangsang. After doing so, present the positive and negative effects of using Facebook in a
creative format (table, video, song, etc.). Add your personal experience in each of these positive
and negative effects.
The Effects of Using the Facebook

By Anne Gelene Tobias-Domangsang
"Think about what people are doing on Facebook today. They're keeping up with their
friends and family, but they're also building an image and identity for themselves, which in a sense
is their brand. They're connecting with the audience what they want to connect to. It's almost a
disadvantage if you're not in a now." - Mark Zuckerberg.
With the advent and the continuous development of technology comes the
Internet Statistics, and there the emerging issues that it brings. According to the Internet
World Today, it is no doubt are that approximately such number 2,267,233,742 has dramatically
internet increased.users worldwide in 2012.
could communicate many source people be The of valuable entertainment purpose used
with in people. the of their the Internet and fields Internet Today, socialization. mainly of however,
has study to been research and You many changing life can people endeavors. even and from
acquire bet use time that the It relevant has many to Internet time. also of information Decades
these been as their used Internetmainago,hatto
users only go online to check their Facebook accounts.
It is important to learn that the Statistics Portal reports 1.44 billion monthly active
Facebook users monthly as of the first quarter of 2015. Active users are defined as those have
logged into Facebook during the last 30 days. Interestingly, Facebook users 2008 did not even
reach a hundred million. But in the third quarter 2012, the number of active Facebook users
skyrocketed and surpassed 1 billion. Furthermore, as of that quarter, the social network had 1.25
billion active mobile users.
A question remains, however: what is really the impact of Facebook in our world today?
The Facebook can be used to connect with people. Probably, all of us have found friends
and acquaintances that we would like to reconnect with in the Facebook. This has been one of
the fastest way to chat and communicate with people all over the world. We can use this social
network to invite friends to an important event, inform people of significant news in our lives, and
vice versa. This has also been a very effective way to advertise business pursuits, look for job
opportunities, validate the credibility of a certain individual or organization, be informed about
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important world phenomenon, search for great leisure places, find a great educational opportunity
and many more.
However, if the Facebook, renders countless benefits, it may also cause danger to users
who are not cautious and alert. For example, adding strangers, fake accounts and untrustworthy
acquaintances on Facebook may cause threat on the individual and his or her family security. If
not careful, one may also be a victim of business and other organizational scams. Other people
may even believe on information and news from unreliable sources, and cause other people to
be misled by sharing such information. Pornography and other materials that are not appropriate
for young people can be accessed easily. Cyberbullying and persecution have caused many
people pain and suffering. Sometimes, opportunities for genuine face-to-face interaction are
sacrificed, and precious time is wasted.
Kimberly S. Young's research study entitled "Internet Addiction: A New Clinical

Phenomenon and It's Consequences" in 2013, tackles very critical issues that happen in reality
among Internet users, in which she explains that the Internet has great effects, not just to the
students and employees, but also to family relationships. In fact, three surprising problems among
users emerged after conducting the study: (1) cyber affair, (2) student internet abuse and (3)
employee internet abuse. Social media, specifically the Facebook, play a great role in such
issues.
Positive Use of Facebook Negative Use of Facebook
Criteria:
Content Clarity: 20 points Creativity: 20 points
Grammar/Spelling and Timeliness: 10 points
IV. Assessment (Written Works - 30%) and Reflection (Performance Task - 40%)
1. Who are the contributors of the technological advances in the Information Age? Provide a short
description for each of them.
2. Aside from the mentioned aspects, what other aspects are being influenced by the Information Age?
3. Think of a device with special features that you can develop to help improve lives of the people in
the future. Tell something about it.
Criteria for each question:

Content: 5 points Grammar and spelling: 3 points
Timeliness: 2 points
VI. References
Prieto, N.G., Vega, V.A., Felipe, E. F. & Meneses, J.L. (2019). Science, Technology, and Society. Cubao,
Quezon City: Lorimar Publishing, Inc.
McNamara, D.J., Valverde, V.M., & Beleno, R. (2018). Science, Technology, and Society. South Triangle,
Quezon City: C & E Publishing, Inc.
Serafica, J.P., Pawilen, G.T., Caslib, B.N. & Alata, E.J. (2018). Science, Technology, and Society.
Sampaloc, Metro Manila: Rex Book Store, Inc.
Prepared by:
MICHELLE D. CUETO, PhD

Instructor
Reviewed by: Approved by:
ARGELOU PADERES JESS JAY M. SAJISE, DBA

Program Head, School of Psychology and Human Vice President of Academic Affairs External
Services
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GE MST 101: Science, Technology, and Society
Preliminaries
I. Chapter Number 3
II. Chapter Title Specific Issues in Science, Technology, and Society (Part 2)
advancement.
Lesson Proper
I. Getting Started
#STSMutation
Direction: Observe each picture and tell something about them. Give your opinion about mutation in plants
and animals.
II. Discussion
Lesson 2.1: Gene Therapy vs Stem Cell Therapy
Introduction
Genetic risks to health come from a variety of sources and predicting those risks can be much more
complicated than simply assessing disease inheritance patterns. The majority of health conditions are not
related to a single genetic cause but result from a combination of inherited and environmental influences.
Our topic will highlight risk factors and provide risk assessment tools, which can improve healthcare
decision-making.
Because chromosomes and genes provide instructions for our bodies, any changes to these
structures have the potential to cause genetic disease and negatively impact health. We will discuss the
types of genetic diseases, how these diseases are inherited, and the potential health outcomes.
2.1.1 Understanding Gene Therapy
The expression of genetic conditions is not always as simple as the amount of DNA
(Deoxyribonucleic acid) present, or the inheritance patterns of a single gene disorder. There are many
factors that determine how one's genotype (genetic makeup) correlates to one's phenotype (physical
manifestations). Among these are penetrance, expressivity, mosaicism, and X-inactivation.
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Penetrance is a measure of how often a disease genotype correlates to the disease phenotype.
For example, in a completely penetrant disease, every individual who is genetically positive for the disease
would have clinical manifestations of said disease. In contrast, for diseases with incomplete penetrance,
some individuals who are genetically positive for that disease may be entirely asymptomatic.
Organisms inherit genetic information in a variety of ways that result in continuity of structure and
function between parents and offspring. Suppose you as a child have a genetic disease-one that could be
cured by diet or a similarly straightforward therapy. Wouldn't the parents want the disease diagnosed? Or
take another example, perhaps two people are getting married. Wouldn't it be beneficial to know what
chance their offspring have of inheriting one or several harmful genetic traits? We are now armed with the
different advance procedures like the PCR, Southern blotting, RFLP mapping, and DNA sequencing.
Different laboratories have already developed the ability to provide a very detailed look at our genetic
materials. Is there a necessity to apply all these techniques to all of us? What harm might it do to have a
complete picture of our genes? In totality, these procedures do not insert new genetic material into cells, no
changes of any kind are made. We are only provided with information about what is already there.
Cases of prenatal or perinatal diagnosis of a birth defect or an enzyme deficiency is one situation
where DNA diagnosis could be of immediate beneficial use. What must be emphasized is that the
information to be garnered by the new technology should be private and used by choice by the individual
whose DNA has been read. A person's DNA sequence to my mind should be protected by law from
distribution to other parties without the individual's specific permission. This goes the same with physicians
who have obtained such information, who should also treat it as they do any privileged material.
The introduction of foreign genes into organisms doesn't seem to be dangerous. The resulting
organisms don't appear to be better able to reproduce than any others. Attempts to remedy human disease
by somatic gene therapy also don't appear to pose ethical dilemmas. But the introduction of genes into the
human germ line does. The diagnostic procedures that genetic engineering allows are very powerful. Before
anything else, it will be relatively easy to correlate the presence of various DNA polymorphisms with disease
and other hereditary characteristics.
2.1.1 Understanding Stem Cell Therapy
Stem cell therapy, also known as regenerative medicine, promotes the repair response of
diseased, dysfunctional, or injured tissue using stem cells or their derivatives. It is the next chapter in organ
transplantation and uses cells instead of donor organs, which are limited in supply. As of 2016, the only
established therapy using stem cells is hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. This usually takes the form
of a bone-marrow transplantation, but the cells can also be derived from umbilical cord blood.
Stem cell therapies have been used to treat autoimmune, inflammatory, neurological, orthopedic
conditions and traumatic injuries with studies conducted on use for Crohn's disease, Multiple Sclerosis,
Lupus, COPD, Parkinson's, ALS, Stroke recovery and more. While stem cell therapy does not necessarily
provide a cure for these conditions, the premise is to allow the body to heal itself well enough to mitigate
the symptoms of the conditions for long periods. In many cases, this effect can substantially increase the
quality of life for patients as well as delay disease progression.
Where do stem cells come from?
Stem cells can be obtained from many different sources. These include adipose (fat tissue),
umbilical cord tissue, placental tissue, umbilical cord blood, or bone marrow.
‍How are stem cells administered?
Stem cells can be administered in a variety of fashions; IV Stem Cell Therapy (Intravenous
administration), Intrathecal (directly into the spinal canal), Site injections into problem areas (Knee, hips,
hands, etc.)
‍How does stem cell therapy work?
Mesenchymal stem cells utilize their self-renewal, immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, signaling,

and differentiation properties to influence positive change within the body. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs)
also have the capacity to self-renew by dividing and developing into multiple specialized cell types present
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in a specific tissue or organ. Mesenchymal stem cells are adult stem cells, meaning they present no ethical
concerns, MSCs are not sourced from embryonic material.
Source: https://www.dvcstem.com/post/stem-cell-therapy
Lesson 2.2 The Role of Genes in Heredity
Introduction
HEREDITY is the passing on of traits from parents to their offspring, either through asexual
reproduction or sexual reproduction, the offspring cells or organisms acquire the genetic information of their
parents, through heredity, variations between individuals can accumulate and cause species to evoke by
natural selection. The study of heredity is biology of genetics.
2.2.1 The Role of Genes in Heredity
The heredity information is contained or within the genes, located in the chromosomes of each cell.
An inherited trait can be determined by one or by many and a single gene can influence more than one trait.
A human cell contains many of different genes in the nucleus.
Heredity factors known as genes are thought to exist as discrete portions (known loci) of
chromosomes. The term "discrete" refers to the concept that genes are always located at the same point
or (locus) on a chromosome.
It is believed that pairs of homologous chromosomes contain linear, matching arrangements of

genes exerting parallel control over the same traits. Pairs of genes that exercise such parallel control over
the same traits are known as alleles, which are of two kinds: dominant and recessive.
Genetic characteristics can be extremely complex and may require the actions of several separate
genes to be expressed in the adult organism. An example of traits that require more than a single pair of
genes to be expressed are human height and human color. Other traits may be controlled such as albinism
by a single (lack pair of skin pigment) in humans.
Common genetic disorder

 Down syndrome
 Sickle cell disease
 Phenylsketoneeria (PKU)
 Hemophilia
Each of our gene codes contains unique protein and each protein has a separate and distinct
function to perform in the cell.
2.2.2 Effects of Genes in our Environment
Genes are inherited, but their expression can be modified by interactions with the environment.
Genetic traits are determined largely through the precise information found in the cell's gene structure. A
variety of factors in the environment can actually alter the effects of a particular gene. Some examples of
this effect are as follows:
 Effect of light or chlorophyll production - Although most plants have the genetic ability to
produce chlorophyll, they will do this only in the presence of light. Without light, these plants
produce only a light-yellow pigment and therefore appear pale and sickly until they are exposed to
sunlight. After a few days of exposure to sunlight, the chlorophyll production mechanism is enabled
and green color returns.
 Gene Mutations
Genes are segments of DNA molecules. Any alteration of the DNA sequence is a mutation.
Usually, an individual cell's altered gene will be passed on to every cell that develops from it.
Gene mutations may be defined as being any changes in the nitrogenous base sequence of
a molecule DNA. When the base sequence of DNA is altered, the amino acid sequence of the
polypeptide for which it codes will likewise be altered. Such an alteration may affect the operation
of the resulting enzyme, preventing it from properly catalyzing its reaction and thus preventing a
trait from being expressed by the cell. The majority of gene mutations are harmful because they
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result in the cell being impaired from performing some specific task. In rare cases, a mutation may
result in a lethal gene that kills the cell either by producing a substance toxic to the cell or by failing
to produce a protein of vital importance to the cell.
Gene mutations are passed to every cell that arises from the mutated. If the mutation occurs
in somatic (body) tissues, its defect is limited to the tissues immediately surrounding the mutated
cell. If the mutation occurs in a primary sex cell, it passed on to the offspring that result from
fertilization of or by gametes produced from the primary sex cell. A mutation can enter the gene pool
of a population and be passed on to succeeding generations. This is known to be a cause of
variation in a species.
On the other hand, DNA is a polymer made up of a repeating chemical unit known as the
NUCLEOTIDE. Thousands of the units are known to comprise a single DNA molecule, making it
one of the largest of all organic compounds.
DNA exists in hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of different forms, depending on the
precise arrangement of nucleotides in the molecule. Its variability is the key to genetic variation in
living things.
DNA nucleotides themselves are quite complex, being composed of three separate
subunits:
1. Phosphate group - a chemical group made up of phosphorous and oxygen
2. Deoxyribose - a five-carbon sugar made up of carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen
3. Nitrogenous base - a chemical unit composed of carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, and

nitrogen. Bases found in DNA are adenine (A), thymine (T), cytosine (C), and guanine (G)
Lesson 2.3 Genetically Modified Organisms
Introduction
Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are living organisms whose genetic material has been
artificially manipulated in a laboratory through genetic engineering. This creates combinations of plant,
animal, bacteria, and virus genes that do not occur in nature or through traditional crossbreeding methods.
Most GMOs have been engineered to withstand the direct application of herbicide and/or to produce
an insecticide. However, new technologies are now being used to artificially develop other traits in plants,
such as a resistance to browning in apples, and to create new organisms using synthetic biology. Despite
biotech industry promises, there is no evidence that any of the GMOs currently on the market offer
increased yield, drought tolerance, enhanced nutrition, or any other consumer benefit.
2.3.1 GMOs in Food and Agricultural Industries
The Center for Ecogenetics and Environmental Health (CEEH, 2013) identified the following roles
of GMOs in the food and agricultural industries:
1. Pest resistance - genetically modified plants to resist certain pests.

An example is Bt Corn. The DNA (genome) of the Bt Corn has been modified with the gene
of Bacillus thuringiensis, a soil bacterium that produces proteins which is toxic to corn borers
(worms).
2. Virus resistance - genetically modified plants to resist certain viruses.

An example is GM papaya or rainbow papaya. The papaya ringspot virus (PRSV) is known
to be detrimental to papaya plants. The protein of PRSV was introduced to the papaya plant through
plant tissue which turned out to be resistant to the virus itself. The effect was like the vaccines
humans have against measles or influenza virus.
3. Herbicide tolerance – genetically modified plants to tolerate herbicide.

An example is Roundup Ready soybean. Glyphosate, an herbicide for weeds, was
introduced to soybeans making it tolerant to the herbicide itself. Farmers then can spray the
herbicide killing the weeds but not the soybeans.
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4. Fortification – genetically modified plants fortified with certain minerals.

An example is Golden Rice. Beta-carotene, a precursor of vitamin A, was introduced
through biosynthesis genes to the rice, making the rice grains fortified with vitamin A.
5. Cosmetic preservation – genetically modified plants resist natural discoloration.

An example is Arctic Apple. The apple variety was genetically modified to suppress the
browning of apple due to superficial damage.
6. Increase growth rate – a genetically modified organism that has higher yield in growth than normal
species.
An example is AquAdvantage salmon. A gene from an ocean pout, an eel-like fish was
introduced to Pacific Chinook salmon, making the salmon grow faster than its normal rate.
2.3.2 GMOs in Non-Food Crops and Microorganisms
Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in non-food crops and some microorganisms involve the
following:
1. Flower production - GMOs in flower production are seen in modified color and extended vase life
of flowers.
Examples are Blue Roses. The so-called "blue" roses, which are, in reality, lilac or purple,
contained cyanidin 3,5-diglucoside, together with large amounts of flavonols. The introduction of
the flavonoidi, 51-hydroxylase gene into pelargonidin- or cyanidinproducing rose cultivars diverts
the anthocyanin biosynthetic pathway toward the production of delphinidin glucosides and the
flower color to blue (Elomaa & Holton, 1994).
2. Paper production - modified characteristics of trees for higher yield of paper production.
Examples are poplar trees. Lignin is a complex polymer in trees that is removed from wood
to make paper through kraft process, through inserting genes that code for ferulic acid in young
poplar trees, the lignin structure is modified, making lignin easier to breakdown (Veniza, 2014).
3. Pharmaceutical productions - modified plants to produce pharmaceutical products.

Examples are periwinkle plants. Bacterial genes were added to the periwinkle plant to
enhance the production of vinblastine, an alkaloid usually added to drugs for cancer treatments like
Hodgkin's lymphoma (Runguphan, 2010).
4. Bioremediation – use of modified plants that can assist in the bioremediation of polluted sites.
An example is shrub tobacco. Nicotiana glauca, or shrub tobacco genetically modified with
phytochelatin TaPCS11, is used for bioremediation. It shows high level accumulation of zinc, lead,
cadmium, nickel, and boron and produces high biomass.
5. Enzyme and drug production - use of modified microorganisms that can produce enzymes for
food processing and medicines.
One example of this is CGTase. Cyclomaltodextrin glycosyltransferase (CGTase), an
enzyme used for food flavor enhancer, is produced in higher quantity by bacterium Bacillus which
was genetically modified with the gene of a thermophilic anaerobe, Thermoanaerobacter, carrying
CGTase (Pedersen & Jorgensen, 1995).
6. GMOs in the medical field - genetic engineering is playing a significant role from diagnosis to
treatment of human-dreaded diseases. It helps in the production of drugs, gene therapy, and
laboratory research.
One classic example is Humulin, the genetically engineered insulin used by Type 1
diabetes patients who are insulin dependent. In the past, insulin is extracted from the pancreases
of pigs and cows that have caused allergic reactions to some diabetics using it. In 1978,
researchers from the City of Hope National Medical Center and Genentech Biotechnology
Company were able to produce human insulin. The gene for insulin was inserted to bacterial DNA
that was able to produce almost exactly the same human insulin. This was a breakthrough in the
mass production of human insulin. In 1996, modified human insulin was approved, called the
Humalog.

GMOs: Boon or Bane?
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Direction: Upon watching the video about Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), jot down its
advantages and disadvantages in a creative manner. Post your answer in our NEO LMS
classroom.
Criteria:
Stem Cell Therapy vs Gene Therapy
How does stem cell differ to gene therapy? How do they help alleviate our health conditions? Explain.

VI. References
Prepared by:

Instructor

Services
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GEMST 101: Science, Technology, and Society
Preliminaries
I. Chapter Number 3
II. Chapter Title Specific Issues in Science, Technology, and Society (Part 3)
advancement.
Lesson Proper
I. Getting Started
#Kapaligiran
Direction: Listen to the song ‘Masdan mo ang kapaligiran’ by Asin remixed by Tropavibes Reggae. Share
your insights afterwards.
II. Discussion
Lesson 3.1: Biodiversity and the Healthy Society
Introduction
Our Planet Earth share trillions of varied species. The different species of our plants and animals
and the places they live is called biodiversity. All together they give us all our needs in our life like food,
clear drinking water, crisp air, medicines and provide us our homes. Biodiversity is like a safety net. We take
into consideration, the huge variety of animals and plants in our planet Earth as threads in the net. The more
threads that adhere and intertwine, the net gets stronger, and the better nature can provide for us and less
threats for a climate change. Unfortunately, people have been disregarding the safety and help of the net
for decades. The forests were flattened to give way for farming. We have netted young fishes until their
numbers have collapsed. Wetlands were bulldozed causing floods and wreak havocs. The great impact
man has done for the very first time in human history is full understanding of when to start mending the
affected net wherein our natural world we love and depend upon. There is still the need to reverse the losses
of nature, but we need to move swiftly to avoid any catastrophic change.
3.1.1 The Impact of Biodiversity on Human Life
The human species is just one of Earth's 1.9 million living life forms. It has arisen by the same
mechanisms as other species. It has the same physical requirements as other, similar species. It is
dependent for its survival on its successful interactions with
Earth's plant and animal species. Ultimately. It is a subject to the same limitations to growth as any
other species. However, humans are also unlike any other species because of their niche as thinking,
planning, and technological beings. Due to their ability to use technology, the human population is growing
virtually unchecked by the natural factors that limit other species populations. Human technologies have
had significant impacts on the natural world by producing materials that pollute the air, water and soil. Its
activities are increasingly displacing or destroying natural habitats and their ecological communities,
reducing biodiversity and endangering the survival of many, if not all, Earth's living things. As a species, it
is essential that we understand the necessity of preserving the natural environment and its living species
as a means of ensuring our own survival. While some progress has been made in correcting certain
environmental problems, much remains to be done. Education and environmental awareness on a global
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level is essential. Governments, industries, and the general public must come together with the long-range
impact of human activity that destroys the very fabric of biological life on Earth.
a. Human Population Growth
Unlike all other species, human population growth has risen at a very rapid rate over the past
centuries. The development of medical technology has reduced the incidence of disease in many parts of
the world; modern agriculture had reduced the incidence of disease in many parts of the world; modern
agriculture had reduced the likelihood of starvation in developed nations. This rapid increase in human
population and technology that supports that growth has put extreme pressures on the natural world,
threatening the survival of natural species and habitats.
In many less developed areas of the world, the human population has grown faster than the food
supply, causing widespread famine that threatens to eliminate large portions of the populations. Poverty
and hunger in these areas had led to the resurgence of diseases that have been all but eradicated in the
world's developed nations. These same conditions have forced some people to abandon their homes in
search of food and to be exposed to the elements, further reducing their ability to survive. Such occurrences
are becoming more frequent and severe. It remains to be seen when similar collapses will occur in
developed countries. Apparently, the human species is rapidly approaching a point where it will be unable
to sustain continued growth.
b. Pollution and Destruction in our Environment
Technological and industrial processes have led to the production of chemicals and by-products that
are harmful (toxic) to living things. Such toxic chemicals have contributed to our global environmental
pollution. Examples of pollutants include acidic ions, pesticides. When they are released into the
environment, these pollutants contaminate water, air, and / or soil, and make survival of natural species
difficult or also impossible. subject To that their extent, toxic effects. humans The are industrial exposed by-
products to these pollutants, such as and dioxin we pose are similar dangers to many species, including
humans the combining of acidic ions with atmospheric water has resulted in acid precipitation (acid rain),
which has acidified lakes and disrupted natural ecosystems.
c. Destruction of Habitat
Humans have used their technologies to remove trees and other plant life from wide areas of their
natural habitat for the purpose of creating agricultural lands, industrial zones, roadways, or residential and
commercial developments. Humans have drained, filled, or redirected wetlands, ponds, streams and other
natural water habitats for these same purposes. Collectively known as habitat destruction, these activities
have had the effect of displacing plant and animal species important to the maintenance of a balanced
ecosystem. Human agriculture has produced a variety of negative effects due to inattention to its impact on
the natural environment. Failure to use cover crops (crops that protect soil from erosion) between planting
cycles has exposed bare soil to erosion, resulting in loss of topsoil and sedimentation of water sources.
Over cropping is the failure to allow soil to recover nutrients and organic matter content between plantings.
Overgrazing is the practice of allowing large numbers of domestic animals to graze an area too small to
support them.
d. Exploitation of Animals and Plants
Humans who have great desire to possess exotic animals and plants or their products have been
enabled by modern transportation, communication, and economic technologies. This resulted in the
exploitation for exotic species of primates such as monkey, cats birds such as parrots and other pets. Some
animals are killed for their horns, elephants for their tusks, tigers and other species for their pelts. Each
species loss has impacted its ecosystem in a negative way. Each exploited species is to one degree or
another, in danger of extinction because of this exploitation.
In an activity known as direct harvesting, humans have removed plants from the ecosystem for their
economic value without regard for the effect of its removal on the natural ecosystem. This removal has
negatively impacted the ecosystem by decreasing biodiversity (variety of life) in these habitats. Forest trees
were directly harvested from our mountains to provide lumber for building purposes, and denuded in the
process, allowing fragile soils to be washed away. This activity resulted in the destruction of entire mountain
habitats. Worldwide, direct harvesting activities for exotic hardwoods in tropical rain forests has resulted in
similar habitat destruction and loss of biodiversity.
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3.1.2 Signs of Environmental Contamination
Many warning signs exist indicate that a dangerous disequilibrium is being created in our
ecosystems. Some researchers suspect that toxic chemicals by-products, heavy metals, pesticides,
hormones, pharmaceuticals and other contaminants are responsible for an increased frequency in
deformation of illnesses, death of natural populations worldwide. An example is the dramatic decline and
deformation in frog populations which have been observed in aquatic ecosystems around the world. The
culprits suspected by some scientists are hormone-disrupting chemicals in agricultural runoff. Other
examples include:
 reproductive cycle disruption in birds as a result of high concentrations of DDT and other
pesticides;
 deaths and population decline of birds and fish linked to contamination from oil spills; and
 deaths and disorientation of marine mammals (tortoise and whales) possibly due to coastal
pollutant runoff contaminated waters.
In our own species, adverse health effects linked to chemical exposure are increasingly prevalent
among infancy and early childhood. These are the periods of vulnerability to environmental pollution,
because they spend more energy, require more food, water, and oxygen per unit of mass than adults, hence
young children are likely to take in and store more toxic chemicals per pound than adults. Recently, the
incidence of birth defects and diseases linked to environmental pollution has risen among children living in
environmentally contaminated areas of the world. Childhood cancer has become the second leading cause
of childhood deaths. Other health problems being experienced today by children living in contaminated
communities include chronic lung disease and childhood asthma.
Lesson 3.2 The Nano World
Introduction
Nanoworld of science and technology is of great interest to governments, industries and academia.
The prefix "nano" denotes sizes of the order of one billionth of a meter. "Nanostructure science and
technology are a broad and interdisciplinary area of research and development activity that has been
growing explosively worldwide in the past few years. It has the potential for revolutionizing the way in which
materials and products are created and the range and nature of functionalities that can be accessed"
(Siegel, 1999).
The history of nanotechnology traces the development of the concepts and experimental work falling
under the broad category of nanotechnology. Although nanotechnology is a relatively recent development
in scientific research, the development of its central concepts happened over a longer period of time. The
emergence of nanotechnology in the 1980s was caused by the convergence of experimental advances
such as the invention of the scanning tunneling microscope in 1981 and the discovery of fullerenes in 1985,
with the elucidation and popularization of a conceptual framework for the goals of nanotechnology.
3.2.1 Defining the terms
The two terms often used in the literature with reference to the world of nano materials are
nanoscience and nanotechnology. Nano materials denote divided matter." As Rao (1999) said, "if you take
a piece of solid matter (say a metal) containing an Avogadro’s number of atoms and go on dividing it to
smaller bits, you will ultimately end up with an atom of the substance. Before that, you will reach a stage of
very tiny particles containing 100 to 10,000 atoms. Such particles with diameters of (1-50nm) (10-500) Ao
are referred to as nanoparticles.
Nanomaterials exhibit properties entirely different from bulk materials and constitute materials of the
future. Increased surface area and quantum effects are the two key factors that separate nanomaterials
from bulk materials (The Royal Society and The Royal Academy of Engineering, 2004). A substance of size
3 nm has 50% of its atoms on the surface compared to a substance of size 30 nm with 5% of its atoms on
its surface. As size decreases more quantum effects begin to manifest in the form of electrical, magnetic
and optical properties.
Nanoscience refers to the scientific study of materials of nanometer size, i.e., one billionth of a meter
(The Royal Society, 1994). It is a combination of developments in solid state chemistry, synthetic chemistry,
molecular biology, solid state physics and engineering, and scanning tunneling microscopy. According to
Alfred Nordmann (cited in Schummer, 2003), it is a site-oriented technoscience approach that differs both
from classical theory-driven and problem-driven (p. 2). For example, nanosized indium melts at much lower
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temperature than respective bulk metal (Allen, 2002). Copper in extremely thin layers, in the presence of
magnetic field, becomes a poor conductor of electricity (Loder, 2005).
Nanotechnology refers to various technologies to produce materials of extra high precision and
dimensions on the scale of one-billionth of a meter. (Norio Taniguchi of Tokyo Science University is credited
with coining the term "nanotechnology" in 1974). Nanotechnology "implies the ability to generate and utilize
structures, components, and devices with a size range from about 0.1 nm (atomic and molecular scale) to
about 100nm (or larger in some situations) by control at atomic molecular, and macromolecular levels"
(Roco, 1999) One of the most interesting aspects of nanotechnology is building molecule-by-molecule
materials similar to those produced by biological self-assembly, self-organization and self-regulation
(Carraher, Jr. 1994).
3.2.2 What is Nano World
To understand the nano world here are presented important personages who have contributed to the
growth and study of the Nano World.
The retroactive rediscovery of Feynman's "Plenty of Room" gave nanotechnology. a

packaged history that provided an early date of December 1959, plus a connection to the
charisma and genius of Richard Feynman. Feynman's stature as a Nobel laureate and
as an iconic figure in 20th century science surely helped advocates of nanotechnology
and provided a valuable intellectual link to the past.
His paper on the Nano systems: Molecular Machinery, Manufacturing, and

Computation, received the Association of American Publishers award for Best
Computer Science Book of 1992. Erick Drexler founded the Foresight Institute in 1986
with the mission of "Preparing for nanotechnology.
Nanotechnology and nanoscience got a boost in the early 1980s with two major developments: the
birth of cluster science and the invention of the scanning tunneling microscope (STM). These developments
led to the discovery of fullerenes in 1985 and the structural assignment of carbon nanotubes a few years
later.
The scanning tunneling microscope, an instrument for imaging surfaces at the atomic level, was
developed in 1981 by Gerd Binnig and Heinrich Rohrer at IBM Zurich Research Laboratory, for which
they were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1986 [18][19] Binnig, Calvin Quate and Christoph Gerber
invented the first atomic force microscope in 1986. The first commercially available atomic force microscope
was introduced in 1989.
IBM researcher Don Eigler was the first to manipulate atoms using a scanning tunneling microscope
in 1989. He used 35 Xenon atoms to spell out the IBM logo. [20] He shared the
2010 Kavli Prize in Nanoscience for this work.
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3.2.3 Initial commercial applications and potential uses

The early 2000s saw the beginnings of the use of nanotechnology in commercial products, although
most applications are limited to the bulk use of passive nanomaterials. Examples include titanium dioxide
and zinc oxide nanoparticles in sunscreen, cosmetics and some food products; silver nanoparticles in food
packaging, clothing, disinfectants and household appliances such as Silver Nano; carbon nanotubes for
stain-resistant textiles; and cerium oxide as a fuel catalyst.[51] As of March 10, 2011, the Project on
Emerging Nanotechnologies estimated that over 1300 manufacturer-identified nanotech products are
publicly available, with new ones hitting the market at a pace of 3-4 per week.
Potential Uses
The joint Center for Bioethics in Canada ranked potential uses of nanosciences and
nanotechnologies with respect to development. The top ten uses follow (BBC News, 2005).
 Energy production, conservation and storage
 Enhancement of agricultural productivity
 Treatment and remediation of water
 Screening and diagnosing diseases
 Systems for drug delivery
 Processing and storing food
 Controlling air pollution
 Construction
 Monitoring health
 Detecting and controlling pests

#Biodiversity (By Group)
Direction: Each group will complete the given matrix below based on the discussion.
Concepts of Impact Areas of Life Affected Insights/Values

Biodiversity Learned
Criteria:
#NanoReport (By Group)

Direction: Prepare a mini research report on the current uses or applications of nano science and
nanotechnology. Indicate your sources/references at the end of the report. Get ready to present
your output through slides of 5 – 10 only.
Criteria:
Essay
1. What is the most important thing did I realize about biodiversity?
2. What is the most important thing did I realize about nanotechnology?

VI. References
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CSTC COLLEGE OF SCIENCES TECHNOLOGY AND

SCHOOL OF PSYCHOLOGY AND HUMAN SERVICES

1.1 Historical Development

There are four periods of the Information Age, namely:

 Pre-Mechanical – 3,000 BC 1450 A.D.

Claide Shannon is regarded as the Father of the Information Age.

Timeline of the Information Age

1974  MCA and Philips agreed on a standard videodisc encoding

1. Personal Computer (PC)

4. Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs)

4.3 The World Wide Web

Technology is increasingly playing a crucial role in the success of organizations particularly in

III. Application (Performance Task - 40%)

The Effects of Using the Facebook

users only go online to check their Facebook accounts.

Kimberly S. Young's research study entitled "Internet Addiction: A New Clinical

Positive Use of Facebook Negative Use of Facebook

Criteria for each question:

MICHELLE D. CUETO, PhD

Reviewed by: Approved by:

ARGELOU PADERES JESS JAY M. SAJISE, DBA

SCHOOL OF PSYCHOLOGY AND HUMAN SERVICES

2.1.1 Understanding Gene Therapy

2.1.1 Understanding Stem Cell Therapy

Where do stem cells come from?

‍How are stem cells administered?

‍How does stem cell therapy work?

Mesenchymal stem cells utilize their self-renewal, immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, signaling,

2.2.1 The Role of Genes in Heredity

It is believed that pairs of homologous chromosomes contain linear, matching arrangements of

Common genetic disorder

2.2.2 Effects of Genes in our Environment

1. Phosphate group - a chemical group made up of phosphorous and oxygen

2. Deoxyribose - a five-carbon sugar made up of carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen

3. Nitrogenous base - a chemical unit composed of carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, and

Lesson 2.3 Genetically Modified Organisms

2.3.1 GMOs in Food and Agricultural Industries

1. Pest resistance - genetically modified plants to resist certain pests.

2. Virus resistance - genetically modified plants to resist certain viruses.

3. Herbicide tolerance – genetically modified plants to tolerate herbicide.

4. Fortification – genetically modified plants fortified with certain minerals.

5. Cosmetic preservation – genetically modified plants resist natural discoloration.

2.3.2 GMOs in Non-Food Crops and Microorganisms

3. Pharmaceutical productions - modified plants to produce pharmaceutical products.

III. Application (Performance Task - 40%)

Criteria for each question:

MICHELLE D. CUETO, PhD

Reviewed by: Approved by:

ARGELOU PADERES JESS JAY M. SAJISE, DBA

SCHOOL OF PSYCHOLOGY AND HUMAN SERVICES

3.1.1 The Impact of Biodiversity on Human Life

a. Human Population Growth

b. Pollution and Destruction in our Environment

d. Exploitation of Animals and Plants

3.1.2 Signs of Environmental Contamination

Lesson 3.2 The Nano World

3.2.1 Defining the terms

3.2.2 What is Nano World

The retroactive rediscovery of Feynman's "Plenty of Room" gave nanotechnology. a

His paper on the Nano systems: Molecular Machinery, Manufacturing, and

3.2.3 Initial commercial applications and potential uses

III. Application (Performance Task - 40%)