News
Wasp Stings Possible
Weapon Against Cancer
Presidential Race for the
Debate
Kaity Melvin, Staff Writer
A peptide found in the venom of
the Brazilian wasp Polybia paulista
could stop cancer in its tracks, a new
collaborative study published in the
Biophysical Journal finds. Research
ers from Sao Paulo State University in
Brazil and the University of Leeds in
the UK, have unlocked the secrets of
how this peptide works.
Other studies conducted in the past
five years have determined that this
peptide, called MPl, can not only de
stroy both gram-negative and gram
positive bacteria, but also inhibit the
growth and reproduction of blad
der, prostate and multidrug-resis
tant leukemia cancer cells. However,
MPl does all of this without harming
healthy cells.
For a number of years it has been
known that cancer cell membranes
differ from healthy cells in their dis
tribution of phospholipids. Healthy
phospholipids face the inside of the
cell, where cancerous cells the phos
pholipids face outside the cell. It was
hypothesized that MPl was interacting
with these changed phospholipids to
target cancerous cells only. The study
released by Natalia Bueno Leite of Sao
Paulo State University and Paul A.
Beales of the University of Leeds, has
shown that MPi does indeed iiiteract
with the phospholipids of cancer cells.
Brook Boatright, Staff Writer
binding with them and ripping holes
in their cell membranes. Co-author
Dr. Neto said that these holes “are
big enough to allow critical molecules
such as RNA and proteins to easily es
cape cells.”
RNA performs a broad range of
needed functions within the cell.
When the RNA and proteins leak out
via these holes it disrupts any normal
function that the cell could perform,
including reproduction. According to
Dr. Beales “This could be useful in de
veloping new combination therapies,
where multiple drugs are used simul
taneously to treat a cancer by attack
ing different parts of the cancer cells
at the same time.” However, it will be
some time before this method is com
mercially available, as more testing
is needed to ensure that MPi is not
harmful to normal cells.
Photo Credits IFLSCIENC'E!
With the upcoming presidential elec
tions it is more important than ever to
become informed of the options that
are available to the general Ameri
can public. That being said there are
many opportunities to become an in
formed citizen. There will be many
chances in the near future. In fact,
on Wednesday, September l6, 2015
the second Republican debate will be
aired on CNN and Salem Radio at the
Reagan Library in Simi Valley, Cali
fornia. The debate will be moderated
by Jake Tapper, Dana
Bash and Hugh Hewitt.
The debate will be split
into two sections. The
candidate that had at
least 1% of the polls
which happens at 6pm
and the primetime de
bate which includes the
top 11 candidates in the poll happens
at 8pm. Some of the more interesting
facts of our candidates are as follows:
Donald Trump, a man who has con
sidered running for president a total
of five times; 1988, 2000, 2004, 2012
and now 2016. If elected he would be
only the second president to have a
star on the Hollywood walk of fame.
Four of his businesses have filed for
bankruptcy.
Jeb Bush who talks about deporting
illegal aliens but has a Mexican wife
and has a degree in Latin American
Studies. He was also the only Repub
lican to serve two four-year terms as
governor of Florida.
Scott Walker a man who is the first
governor to survive a recall election
in the history of the United States. He
would also, if elected, be one of the
only presidents without a college de
gree the other being Harry Truman.
Ben Carson used to have a serious
anger management problem, even to
the point of hurting
others, but he is now a
renowned physician.
Ben Carson pioneered
the separating of con
joined twins. He also
was diagnosed With
Photo Credits The American Center cancer and is now
cancer free due to a sur
gery to remove it.
Carly Fiorina the woman that every
one hears about due how outspoken
she is. She beat the odds and will be
allowed into the primary debate even
though it was very close. She battled
and defeated breast cancer. She was
named after her fallen ancestors of
the civil war. She dropped out of law
school and yet became the first woman
to be a CEO of a Fortune 500 compa-
Sanctions Against China
Lead to Cyber War?
Out of State Homesickness
at Meredith
Abigail Ojeda, Staff Writer
As conflict arises over increasing
cyber-attacks from China, concern has
grown regarding the United States’
response. The Obama administration
is preparing a package of economic
sanctions for Chinese companies and
individuals who have committed cy
ber-theft. These sanctions are being
planned even though China’s Presi
dent Xi Jinping will arrive in Wash
ington for his first state visit later this
month.
Cyber-attacks in the past year have
escalated, culminating in thefts by
Chinese hackers who have stolen
nuclear power plant designs, search
engine source code information, and
confidential negotiating positions of
energy companies, according to the
. Washington Post. In fact, FBI direc
tor James Comey said in an interview
with CBS News that China is at the
top of the list when it comes to infil
trating and attacking the U.S. through
cyberspace, the hits costing billions of
dollars annually. As Comey stated,
there are two kinds of big companies
in the United States. There are those
who’ve been hacked by the Chinese
and those who don’t know they’ve
been hacked by the Chinese.”
The proposed sanctions would be the
first to result from an executive order
signed by President Obama this year.
Ultimately, the order allows for sanc
tions to be directed at individuals who
engage in malicious cyber-enabled
activities. There has been an increas
ing sense of urgency regarding cy
ber-crime, an issue President Obama
voiced in his most recent State of the
Union Address. According to the The
Washington Post, it is possible the
Obama administration may hold back
or cancel the sanctions, perhaps due
to the visit of China’s president.
If the sanctions are indeed carried
out, some wonder what the effects will
be: “I’d say the chances of Chinese
retaliation are high,” noted Obama’s
former principal advisor on Asia, Jef
fery A. Bader, according to the Wash
ington Post. However, the relation
ship between the world’s two largest
economies is multi-faceted, and al
though cyber-crime may be a deli
cate topic, Bader concluded that “if a
Chinese company was a beneficiary of
stolen intellectual property from an
American company, and the evidence
is clear cut, then actions or sanctions
against that Chinese company strike
me as appropriate.”
Eveiything considered, the sanctions
on Chinese individuals and companies
could provoke retribution and more
cyber-conflict. According to CNN, of
ficials hope the message gets across to
Xi—even if the sanctions are imple
mented after his visit.
Photo Credits PressTV
Sarah Kiser, Staff Writer
Kristin Eiffert drove non-stop from
Dallas, Texas to Raleigh, North Caro
lina for move-day, and somehow fit
herself, her parents, and all of her
stuff into a 2002 Honda. She had been
to campus twice before move in day so
she had some idea of the atmosphere
on campus and in the city. She said
of her first day, “I was really nervous
because coming from Texas, I knew
absolutely no one.” Compared to Dal
las, Eiffert says, Raleigh is smaller and
cleaner. Dallas is dominated by sky
scrapers, factories, and smog.
“The week before school started [we]
had different activities you had to do
which kept away the home sickness for
me, and now since I’m in a routine it’s
easier to not think about back home
as much,” said Eiffert. According to a
peer reviewed study in the database
of the Institute of Education Sciences,
“68.8 percent of college freshmen re
ported experiencing homesickness.”
Unlike many of her friends, fresh
man Okirah Harris, chose to move
out of state for college instead of stay
close to home in New Jersey. Harris
lived in Hopewell, New Jersey for her
last three years of high school. Previ
ously, she had lived in Mississippi,
Michigan, and Texas— travelling was
a part of life. “I’ve always been okay
and adapted to moving, and I really
felt like I wanted to go to school wth
something different. I don’t know any
one at my school or in my friend group
who even dared to go to an all-wom
en’s college. You normally don’t hear
that where I’m from.”
She is now a sophomore at Meredith
and reflecting on her past year she
said, “I was nervous at how I would
meet people, how I’d fit. At first, I
thought coming to an all-women’s col
lege in the South, it would be really
hard to get along with people. I didn’t
know how well people would accept
others here. My first day of school
completely changed that notion.”
Harris recalled “being homesick
hit me hard about three weeks into
school, and when everything got to the
nitty gritty of it, I was on my own, had
to be over my own school work, all at
the same time by being by myself, it
hit me hard.” She continued by saying
“I adjusted pretty well. I would call my
family a lot and ask for their support.
Then I had friends here who could
help me with that.”
Harris advises freshmen “come here
with open arms.” She was guarded
when she arrived, but having “lived
and experienced it” she knows that
it’s a great community of supportive
women. She also advised for freshman
to make use of all the resources made
available to them.
Harris has moved several times in
her life; she knows a little bit about
every part of the country and North
Carolina is now one of her favorite
states. “There’s so much opportunity.
Coming from a northern state to here,
it just feels better. The atmosphere is
so welcoming; people are patient, and
I think that goes into play with how
you view your day.”