Grid
computing is a computer system where
interconnected machines take advantage of each other’s resources, such as processing
power, memory, and data storage. In a
grid, the computers are controlled separately and can perform tasks unrelated
to the grid. The programs can be run in
the background of the computer and can be made invisible to the user. The grids themselves vary in size. It
could be as small as a group of computer workstations in a business, or, as
large as many companies networking together.[1]
Grid computing can benefit our world
in ways no lab could ever recreate. It can be used on an array of disciplines
ranging from medicine to economics. The higher computing provided by grids allows for a common
goal, often a complex mathematical or scientific calculation, to be
accomplished more efficiently and quickly. Just like a manager of a store
distributes work among employees, grid computing shares the workload across
multiple computers. This way, there is a bigger pool of resources and less work
has to be done by each machine. Typically, a computer can only utilize its own
resources, limiting the speed and quality at which it can operate. However, grid
computing allows one computer to access the collected power of all the
networked computers, essentially creating one supercomputer.
For example, the world's largest
non-profit computing grid, World Community Grid, connects volunteers' devices from
across the globe. They claim, “That innovation combined with visionary
scientific research and large-scale volunteerism can help make the planet
smarter.” The grid-computing project we are involved in aims to identify the
different chemical markers associated with many types of cancer. Finding the
markers will allow for earlier detection of cancer, as well as more
personalized cancer care. In order to participate, one can download and install
secure, free software on a computer, smartphone or tablet by clicking on the
following link: http://www.worldcommunitygrid.org/
Breast
Cancer Overview
a) Symptoms
i) In
early stages a person normally show no signs of symptoms
ii) The
first major sign of breast cancer is the appearance of small, painless lumps in
the breast or underarm regions of the body
iii) Pain or
tenderness of the breasts may occur along with a change in size, texture, or
shaping of the breasts
iv) A change in the nipple area such as dimpling,
itching, burning, or ulcerations
v) Paget’s
disease, a scaly rash of the nipple region can be linked to early signs of an
underlying cancer
b) Diagnostic
tests
i) Mammogram
(1) Most
effective way to find lumps within the breast region
ii) Self
examination
(1) Look
for any signs of changes in the symmetry of the breasts
(2) Check
for lumps near the surface of the breast by pressing lighting around the region
and increase pressure to check for lumps in deeper tissue
iii) Ultrasound
(1) Best
way to determine if a lump is just a benign cyst or if it is a cancerous tumor
iv) Biopsy
(1) Best
way to confirm a diagnosis of breast cancer by taking a sample of the tissue
within the lump
c) Treatment
i) Determined
by the size of the tumor, the extent of the disease (spreading), as well as
general factors such as age and pre-existing health issues
ii) Most
common forms of treatment:
(1) Localized
(within the breast and surrounding regions)
(a) Surgery:
removes the cancerous tissue
(b) Radiation
therapy: uses high levels of radiation to kill cancerous cells or to prevent
spreading
(2) Systemic
(throughout the body)
(a) Chemotherapy:
drug therapy to kill cancerous cells, but has many side effects such as nausea,
hair loss, and low blood counts
(b) Hormone
therapy: uses drugs to prevent certain hormones from promoting the growth of
the cancer cells and it usually used after surgical treatments
Breast Cancer and grid computing sources
