The primary goal of the article analyzed was to define the patterns of inactivation of the infectious proteins knows as “prions” of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) from cattle, mice, hamsters, and humans. The hypothesis outlined by the researchers was the assumption that the inactivation of the aforementioned prions had to be approached differently regarding the prion strain carrier (Giles et al., 2008). The importance of such analysis is caused by the fact that, in recent years, some of the most developed states, such as the US and the UK, have faced the issue of BSE infection dissemination.
One of the most outstanding aspects of the following research is the scope of the prion strain examination. Previously, researchers pooled the effort in identifying the way to inactivate the BSE prion strain in separate species (Giles et al., 2008). This study, however, aims at presenting a full-scale comparative analysis in order to emphasize the difference between inactivation in cattle when compared to any other infection carrier.
Despite the scope of the empirical research conducted throughout the study, the article structure itself may be confusing even for a scholar examining the issue. The coherent methodology description of the research, along with the hypothesis outlined, are difficult to identify prior to familiarizing oneself with the whole work. No other weaknesses were identified in terms of the analysis, as the article was not biased by any commercial enterprise, and the visual material was cohesive and comprehensive.
Having taken the article content into consideration, it may be concluded that the research itself is extremely useful. First, the idea of comparative studies provides the researchers with a better perspective on the future of prion inactivation and dissemination prevention. Secondly, both the scope and the structure of the research allow future scholars to elaborate on the data with further implications. Hence, the study may serve as a beneficial assisting tool in terms of BSE control and prevention.
Reference
Giles, K., Glidden, D. V., Beckwith, R., Seoanes, R., Peretz, D., DeArmond, S. J., & Prusiner, S. B. (2008). Resistance of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) prions to inactivation. PLoS Pathogens, 4(11), e1000206. Web.