Living Environment Honor Article Research Paper

Angelina Schnettler February 25, 2013 Honors LE Period 2a/3 Mrs. Raimondi 1. Authors—Cohen, Sheldon; Janicki-Deverts, Denise; Tuner, Ronald B.; Casselbrant, Margaretha L.; Li-Korotky, Ha-Sheng; Epel, Elissa S.; Doyle, William J.; “Biological Marker Predicts Susceptibility to Common Cold”; http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130219172157.htm; 1 ½ pages long; February 20, 2013 2. The authors’ purpose for writing this article was to inform people and other scientists about how there is a genetic factor behind fighting the common cold. The telomere length had been able to determine how likely a person was to getting the cold virus., and the younger to 18 years of age a person is, the larger the length of the telomere were, thus making these younger adults less likely to have the cold virus. This helps scientists when it comes down to eliminating the cold virus. This information may later on be able to give scientist information on how to fight the flu and other viruses. 3. A) The study, led by Sheldon Cohen, found that the length of telomeres predicts resistance to upper respiratory infections in young and midlife adults. B) Having shorter telomeres is associated with early onset of aging related diseases such as cardiovascular disease and cancer, and with mortality in older adults.
C) Factors other than aging, such as chronic stress and poor health behaviors, are associated with shorter telomeres in older people. D) Although there was no relationship between telomere length and infection among the youngest participants, beginning at about age 22, telomere length started to predict whether individuals would develop an infection.
E) Telomere length of a specific type of white blood cell—a CD8CD28- T-cytolytic cell—was a superior predictor of infection and cold symptoms than other white blood cell types. F) The telomeres found in CD8CD28- cells shorten more quickly than those found in other cell types, and previous research has found