For years, epipen auto-injectors have dominated the market for emergency allergy treatment, but now a cheaper alternative is being developed: an epinephrine tablet that dissolves under the tongue. Scientists have long known that epinephrine is useless when swallowed since the hormone, which occurs naturally in the body breaks down in the stomach and liver before it can hit the bloodstream. However, Mutasem Rawas-Qalaji, a pharmaceutical researcher at Nova Southeastern University in Florida, designed a pill that works similar to an orally disintegrating tablet, or ODT. In Rawas-Qalaji’s version, the tablet would be placed under the tongue so that it would dissolve directly into the blood-rich area at the base of the mouth. Like an injection, the drug would be delivered straight to the bloodstream. I chose this article because my brother is allergic to nuts and occasionally has to use the epipen. I thought this article could give me a better background on the topic of allergies and could possibly be a game changer to my brother, who has had severe allergies since a kid.
Although this article was well written, it was quite bias. Most of the article involved the scientists telling us about the improvements the new epipen would provide, yet gave no incite to how regular people viewed it. To further improve this article, they should interview ordinary people with allergies to see how they feel about the possible new development.
I thought this article was quite interesting. If this new study is able to be carried out and become successful, I believe it could truly benefit those with allergies, like my brother. It is also satisfying to know that the scientists are making their new product affordable and portable, making the invention all around more convenient. Overall, this article has given me a clearer understanding of how everyday people deal with severe allergies. Hopefully, this new study will accommodate patient’s needs and become another life long improvement to the field of science.
posted for L. Cruikshank
Kirsten Ircha 10/23/16
ReplyDeleteBiology 10H Current Event #6 Comment
Citation:
"Forget The EpiPen-It's Time For An Epi-Pill." Popular Science. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Oct.
2016..
Lindsey Cruikshank wrote a very insightful review on, “FORGET THE EPIPEN—IT’S TIME FOR AN EPI-PILL,” by Rose Rimler. I feel that the review was very well written and used proper punctuation, grammar, and spelling. I found no errors in these categories as the review was thoroughly edited. Also, Lindsey stated a good amount of background information about traditional EpiPens and their effects on the bloodstream. This set the tone for the review and allowed the reader to understand future points made about the Epi-Pill. Lastly, Lindsey had a very strong connection to the article as her own brother suffers from peanut allergies. Lindsey expresses how the Epi-Pill could be a game changer in the life of her brother. This made the review feel very personal and thoughtful.
Two areas of improvement could make the review easier to read for the audience. First, Lindsey can make sure that her sentences are not repetitive. Towards the end of her review I feel the same points were sated in multiple ways. This made the content seem overused. In the future, Lindsey can look over her review to make sure that each point is state once and not repeated. Also, some word choices in the review felt very simple and basic. In the future Lindsey can take out some of this language and replace it with more complex phrases or words. This will bring the review to another level of excellence.
This review made me think about how so many people could improve their lives through the use of the Epi-Pill. My own cousin had extremely serious peanut allergies and has to constantly read food labels before consuming any new products. If he fails to read these labels thoroughly, the reaction can be fatal. The thought of having a pill that could aid my cousin with his allergies in the case of an emergency makes me thrilled that his life can be made slightly easier. The review gives me hope that future advancements will be made to potentially help find a cure to allergic reactions.
Samantha Huss
ReplyDeleteMr. Ippolito
D Block Odd
25 October 2016
Current Event #6 Comment
"Forget The EpiPen-It's Time For An Epi-Pill." Forget The EpiPen-It's Time For An Epi-Pill. N.p., 14 Oct. 2016. Web. 24 Oct. 2016. .
Lindsay wrote a very good review on the article, “Forget the EpiPen-It’s Time for an Epi-Pill.” Her review had many positive aspects, one of these was her use of detail to explain the article. She clearly explained the article’s purpose and helped the reader to understand it. Also, Lindsay did a great job of detecting the bias within the article. She noticed that the author of the article only included one side of the argument; that the Epi-pill would be very useful. The author did not get the perspective of the people with allergies that would be using it. Finally, Lindsay had a great connection to the article. Her brother has a peanut allergy and therefore, she was able to tie in her personal experiences very well. She made a great choice on the article which she was reviewing because of this.
Although her review was very well done, there were a few things which I would change in order to better her review. One of these is the organization of her review. She did not follow the rubric and the suggested organization for current event reviews which is a summary paragraph, relevance paragraph, and critique paragraph. Instead, it looks like she accidently combined the structures of the review and the current event comment. She created a summary paragraph, critique paragraph, and an overall closing paragraph. She could improve this by structuring her review in such a way that it is more clear to the reader by following the recommended structure. Finally, some of her sentence structures were repeated and she did not use very advanced vocab, this made her review feel slightly repetitive. In order to fix this, she could have changed up her word choice and sentence structure.
Overall, Lindsay’s review was well done and very informative. One thing that I thought was surprising was that scientists have found a way for the contents from an orally transmitted tablet to be inserted straight into the bloodstream. Usually, when swallowed, the contents of pills must go through the digestive system before it reaches the bloodstream. Now, scientists have created a pill that dissolves under the tongue and its contents can go directly into the bloodstream. The review was overall very interesting and gave me new information about possible solutions to allergies which affect many of my friends and a few members of my family.
My classmate Lindsay wrote a very good review on the article, “Forget The EpiPen-It's Time For An Epi-Pill.” Three things stood out in particular that were excellent. Firstly, she did a very good job of including specific details in the summary, that gave additional insight into the issue stated by the article. For example, she included information gathered by the pharmaceutical researcher, Mutasem Rawas-Qalaji. Secondly, she did a very good job relating the content of the article to her own life. Lindsay talks about how her brother has allergies, which gives this review a more personal feel. Finally, she did a an excellent job analyzing and identifying the bias within the article, and how this can be fixed to make the article even better.
ReplyDeleteAlthough there were many good aspects of this review, there are two things that could be improved. First of all, she could have included specific quotes from the article. She talks about research from specific scientists, but if quotes were added it may add confirmation that the information provided is valid. In addition, Lindsay could talk more about why this discovery is important. She only really gives a couple of sentences emphasizing the point of the article, so adding a couple of sentences would make the review even better.
Overall, I thought this review provided a very interesting summary and analysis of the article. I found it very interesting that a pill may be used instead of an epi-pen, because my brother also has severe allergies, and could be affected by this discovery.
Bridget Sands
ReplyDeleteMr. Ippolito
Core Bio 10
25 October 2016
Citation/Hyperlink given in report:
Rimler, Rose. "Forget The EpiPen-It's Time For An Epi-Pill." Popular Science. 14 Oct. 2016. Web. 16 Oct. 2016.
I read my classmate Lindsey’s report on how there have been new development on the study of the epipen, and how it may become a pill. Lindsey’s report was both well written and organized. One component she excelled in was explaining the summary of the article, and the problem at hand. She explained how the epipen itself is expanding into new ideas, including the easier way of the pill. Also, she noted how the pill would work just like the pen, going straight into the bloodline, through the bloodstream under the tongue. Not to mention, Lindsey did a great job linking the problem and article to everyday life. She explained on how it directly affected her, for her brother’s allergies. By noting this, she shows that everyday people are affected by allergies, and the pill may be a better alternative for most, for it is a simpler and easier way to control the process of going into anaphylactic shock. Lastly, Lindsey shined in her critique, when she mentioned that the article was clearly biased. By mentioning that the pill was clearly favored by the authors, she makes aware that the other side of the story is not seen, showing that there might be problems with the pill.
Although Lindsey’s report was well written, there were some places where improvement could be made. First, Lindsey could’ve created a proper MLA citation for her report, instead of just the hyperlink. This would have given proper credit to the first author of the report, instead of just the overall credit of the link. Also, Lindsey could’ve pushed her research further by looking for the cons of the pill, instead of just the pros. By doing this, we could’ve seen the other half of the story, the way the pill might not be so good, such as being a struggle when the patient’s throat is closing.
When reading Lindsey’s report, I had an “ah-ha” moment. This was when I first read that instead of the epipen a pill could be used. This was because I have a fear of needles, and if I had a severe allergy, such as Lindsey’s brother, I would opt for the pill rather than the epipen.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteQuin Madden
ReplyDeleteMr. Ippolito
Core Bio 1H
25 October, 2016
Forget The EpiPen-It's Time For An Epi-Pill
Rimler, Rose. "Forget The EpiPen-It's Time For An Epi-Pill." Popular Science. 14 Oct. 2016. Web. 16 Oct. 2016.
Lindsay wrote a spectacular review on the article, “Forget the EpiPen-It’s Time for an Epi-Pill.” Lindsey did a great job of breaking down all the information and made it easy for the reader to understand what was going on in the article. She gave distinct details that helped give insight on how the pill actually works. Lindsey didn't just state facts she often gave examples after a claim that she gave. For example, she included information gathered by the pharmaceutical research, Mutasem Rawas-Qalaji. Lindsey related the text to her life. For example, she said that her brother had a peanut butter allergy and this could be more helpful to him. I thought that relating it back to her life was great because it shows how she is acutely interested about this topic.
Even though she had a great review, there are still things that could have been in her current event review. I wish she had quoted the test more, so we could actually see what the researchers are saying and not just what Lindsey is saying. If she added qoutes it would give the reader the reassurance that what she is saying really exist. Lindsay should add 3-4 more sentences on why the discovery is so important.
In conclusion, I thought this article was very interesting,lindsey had a great summary, and review on “Forget the EpiPen-It’s Time for an Epi-Pill.” I find that this new invention could help many people with allergies.I find it interesting on how a pill can substitute for the epi-pen needle.
Tommy Purdy
ReplyDeleteMr. Ippolito
Biology D-Even
25 October 2016
Current Event 6
http://bhscorebio.blogspot.com/2016/10/forget-epipen-its-time-for-epi-pill.html
"Forget The EpiPen-It's Time For An Epi-Pill." Popular Science. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Oct.
2016..
My classmate Lindsey wrote a very well written review on the article she read called, "Forget The EpiPen-It's Time For An Epi-Pill." One reason it was very good was because of its explanation. The explanation mentions that the technology of the Epi-Pill is brand new because of the pills design and also how they discovered it. This is very good because without this the reader would be a lot more confused about what they are reading about. Lindsey also does a good job stating the bias in the article. She states, “Most of the article involved the scientists telling us about the improvements the new epipen would provide, yet gave no incite to how regular people viewed it.” By Lindsey saying this, it proves that she took her time to analyze the article. She even backs this statement up by saying how to improve this. Another aspect of Lindsey's review that is well made is the introductory sentence. The introduction states, “For years, epipen auto-injectors have dominated the market for emergency allergy treatment, but now a cheaper alternative is being developed.” This introductory helps the reader have a good background on the history of epinephrine pens and why they are so important to society. This also is a good setup for the following review because it gives the reader a good basis on how the pen is used.
Although the review is overall good, there are a few issues that could be worked on. One issue is the conclusion. The conclusion feels very rushed and seems to have little time put into it. Lindsey makes a personal connection in the conclusion which feels a little out of place. SHe could fix this by moving it into the second paragraph. Another things Lindsey can work on in her conclusion is giving more final thoughts. There are only a few sentences in her conclusion which is not enough to finish her thoughts. She can fix this by writing more in the conclusion. Another thing that she could fix, which is very minor, is her missing citation. Thought it is small, it is considered very important because she is giving no credit to the author who wrote it. She can easily make a citation by going onto a website such as “easybib” to create one.
Overall, this article is very well written. I learned a lot of interesting things about the brand new epi-pill, which can be very important these days due to the rising prices of epipens. I chose this article because last year I learned how to use an epipen in CPR and I am still very interested in the whole concept behind them. Also, they idea of an epi-pill seems very interesting. This will change my perception in life because soon, it might become much easier for people to get fast allergic reaction relief without having to stick a needle into themselves. This scientific advancement can be one that will have a major impact on society.
Sarah Whitney
ReplyDeleteMr. Ippolito
Biology D-Odd
24 October 2016
"Forget The EpiPen-It's Time For An Epi-Pill." Popular Science. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Oct. 2016.
Original: http://www.popsci.com/forget-epipen-its-time-for-an-epi-pill?dom=rss-default&src=syn
My classmate Lindsey wrote an article on “Forget the EpiPen-It’s Time for an Epi-Pill.” This review had many good aspects, such as linking the article to her personal life. She stated “I chose this article because my brother is allergic to nuts and occasionally has to use the epipen.” I think this is a good thing to incorporate in reviews because it shows the significance of the article. Another thing that Lindsey did well was her description of why a pill would work as well as the injection, and also be easier. “...the tablet would be placed under the tongue so that it would dissolve directly into the blood-rich area at the base of the mouth. Like an injection, the drug would be delivered straight to the bloodstream.” Once again, this shows the significance of the article. Lastly, I thought it was great how Lindsey included the idea of interviewing “regular people” with allergies and get their feedback.
Though this review had many great aspects, there are two things that Lindsey could improve on. First, she could have included direct quotes from the article to support her claims. Also in her last paragraph, Lindsey repeated what was said earlier in the review. This isn’t needed and will insure that the reader won’t be confused.
After reading this review, I am convinced that the epi-pill would be a great replacement for the epi-pen. I was also surprised that a dissolvable pill could enter the bloodstream from under the tongue. This review has definitely changed my view because it clearly shows how science is evolving to help people, and in this case, people with severe allergies.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteLyric Abbott
ReplyDeleteOctober 20, 2016
Core Biology
Current Events #6
"Forget The EpiPen-It's Time For An Epi-Pill." Forget The EpiPen-It's Time For An Epi-Pill. N.p., 14 Oct. 2016. Web. 24 Oct. 2016.
I read Lindsey’s current event on, “Forget the EpiPen-It’s Time For An Epi-Pill” which I thought she did an incredible job reviewing. She starts off the current event very clearly and directly by getting right to the point in the first sentence, “a cheaper alternative is being developed: an epinephrine tablet that dissolves under the tongue” and by stating the point right away, it helped me as the reader understand what the rest of the article was going to be about. She then goes on to further explain the main idea of the article which is the science behind this new invention and she talks about the research that went into it, “Mutasem Rawas-Qalaji, a pharmaceutical researcher at Nova Southeastern University in Florida, designed a pill that works similar to an orally disintegrating tablet, or ODT. ...the tablet would be placed under the tongue so that it would dissolve directly into the blood-rich area at the base of the mouth. Like an injection, the drug would be delivered straight to the bloodstream.” This explanation really helped me as a reader better understand the science and research behind the epi-pill and the benefit of it. One last aspect of her article I liked was the personal touch she added at the end when she talked about her brother and his allergies and the kind of positive impact this new invention could have on him and people with the same or similar allergies, “I thought this article could give me a better background on the topic of allergies and could possibly be a game changer to my brother, who has had severe allergies since a kid.” This personal touch helps the reader see how this research is related to the world around us and is an incredible breakthrough in science.
Although Lindsey did a great job reviewing this article, I think there are a few things she could have done differently to improve it. For example, I think she could have gone into even more detail about the pill and Rawas-Qalaji's research and how it is “a less efficient method than an injection straight to the muscle, because a lot of the drug gets lost in the mouth” because this is very interesting information to have learned while reading the article. One other aspect I think could be improved is talking more about the epipen. Since this article was more against this article than for it, I think she could have talked more about the negatives of the epipen compared to the positives of the epi-pill, “EpiPens have their own flaws… only 16 percent of patients used the device correctly. Most failed to jam it hard enough into their leg or didn’t hold it in place for the recommended ten seconds.” I think including this in the article could have gotten the positives of the pill across better.
Overall I thought Lindsey’s current event was extremely well written and very interesting as well. I learned a lot more from reading this and I chose it because the idea of taking a pill that dissolves in your mouth instead of having to use an epipen which can be a bit inconvenient sometimes sounds very interesting and shows the huge advances in technology. This article changes my point of view because I now know a lot more about epipens vs epi-pills and how technology is continuing to improve and will continue to do so in the future.
Caitlin Mooney 10/21/16
ReplyDeleteCore Bio Current event 7
My classmate Lindsey wrote a review on the article, “Forget the eppi-pen - It’s time for an eppi-pill” by Rose Rimler. A researcher in Nova Southeastern university created a tablet that can deliver a help save people from allergic reactions. I thought my classmate Lindsey did a great job writing her review. One reason I think this is because she did a good job relating her topic to society when she told the readers that her brother had a peanut allergy and the epi- pill could possibly benefit him. Another thing I think Lindsey did well was was how she was able to critique the author by saying Rimler was biased. Also Lindsey did a great job explaining the epi- pill and how it works. She told the readers how the epi- pill dissolves in the mouth so it can go directly to a blood rich area.
Although I think Lindsey did a great job overall on her current event review, I still think there are some things she could do to improve her review. One thing I think Lindsay could have done to improve her review is she could have included specific quotes from the article instead of just explaining the topic to the reader. If she had done this I think that the review would be given more credibility because the quotes could have backed up her claims. Another way for Lindsey to improve her review is that she could have credited the author in the beginning of the article so readers wouldn’t have to go to the citation, or the website to find out who wrote the article.
Overall, I think Lindsey’s review was very good and she covered an important and relevant topic. Now that I have read this article I am very excited for the epi-pill to be commercially released. Since my family has a history of developing a nut allergy later in life I am excited for the epi- pill incase I develop an allergy.
Citation:
http://esciencenews.com/sources/popsci/2016/10/14/forget.the.epipen.it.s.time.for.an.epi.pill
Rimler, Rose. "Forget The EpiPen-It's Time For An Epi-Pill." Forget The EpiPen-It's Time For An Epi-Pill. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Nov. 2016.
http://bhscorebio.blogspot.com/2016/10/forget-epipen-its-time-for-epi-pill.html
Cruikshank, Lindsey. "Forget The EpiPen-It's Time For An Epi-Pill." Bronxville HS Core Biology:. N.p., 01 Jan. 1970. Web. 11 Nov. 2016.