Evaluation of New York Times Stories

Diagnoses of Concussions Increase by Nearly a Third Over Last Season

by Ben Shpigel

Ben Shpigel's revealing op-ed in The New York Times regarding the overwhelming concern of players' traumatic head injuries obtained during their tenure with the National Football League. The preceding context of this piece was the 2014 lawsuit filed against the NFL by thousands of past and current players. The overwhelming number of cases of CTE (neurological deterioration) within players that were resulting in brain disorders, including aphasia, loss of recognition as well as speech, and unfortunately even suicide, provoked this necessary course of action. The controversial case resulted in a $1 billion settlement from the NFL and a commitment to enhanced oversight of concussion-related situations on and off the field.

Diana, Peter. "Bengals linebacker Burfict suspended three games for hit on Antonio Brown" 01/11/2016 via Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Public Domain Dedication License.

1. This article, moreover the entire NFL-concussion saga, centers around the players as the protagonists. The consistent denial and ignorance displayed by the NFL towards the presence of concussions and their detrimental effects on their employees has portrayed them in a bad light to the public eye, thus characterizing the players as the protagonists. The doctors play a secondary role in this controversial situation in that they are do what they are told but can be influenced badly by either side as players often neglect symptoms to stay in games and the league often asks them to turn a blind eye to keep notable players eligible in order to maintain revenue and entertainment value. 

2. The significant increase in diagnosed concussions, both indicative of NFL's neglect over the years and a conscious effort to improve in the worrying area, occurs on the sidelines and within team facilities of each respective NFL team. The most prevalent area of diagnosis is immediately after a play in which a player is suspected of suffering a concussion where said player is taken through concussion protocol and evaluation by the team's neurotrama consultants. Throughout the following week, players are re-evaluated at team facilities where the team doctor will treat and evaluate until the players' concussion symptoms are cleared to prevent aggravation of the injury. Multiple interviews of NFL executives were also conducted, perhaps at the league office in New York City. 

3. Some objections and debates are construed in the piece in that there are still blemishes in the diagnosis, treatment, and adherence of the process. The specific debate stems from players, such as the situation of Houston Texans quarterback Case Keenum, who conceal their symptoms in order to remain in games and avoid missing any time. Another prevalent controversy is the NFL's failure to acknowledge if more concussions were sustained this past season than past years. The livelihood of the players is on the line and the NFL's integrity, credibility, finances, and overall business is at stake with the concussion dilemma.

New Weapon to Fight Zika: The Mosquito

by Andrew Pollack

Furfur. "Zika virus infections worldwide" 01/21/16 via Wikimedia Commons. Public Domain Dedication License.

The Zika virus, the latest epidemic running rampant abroad, is a mosquito-borne virus infamously causing thousands of babies to be born with fatal traits, most notably significantly small heads, in northern South America and Central America. The latest efforts consist of bioengineered mosquitoes released daily into the Brazilian environment to mate with the arachnid couriers of the virus and hopefully eradicate the detrimental species.

1. The individuals, such as doctors, researchers, among others, combatting the virus running amuck particularly in Brazil are the protagonists of the fight against the Zika virus. They are the leading preemptive effort to rid the subjected population of the mosquito-borne virus. The pregnant women worried about the epidemic play a crucial role in that their emotional sentiment and urgency is furthering the effort.

2. This particular proposal and where this proposal was developed at Oxitec, a biotech company. The mosquitoes designed to fight the spread of the virus are released in the southeastern Brazilian city of Piracicaba daily in increments of hundreds of thousands.

3. The singular debate is what exactly will combat this virus. Aside from that, the anti-abortion laws of Brazil are also now subject to debate in that pregnant mothers concerned about the quality of their future child's lives because of the virus should be allowed exception to the rule.