Thursday, December 16, 2010

Green Human Project!!! :)





Monday, December 13, 2010

Dry Lab!

Take a look at this cooooool prezi for dry lab procudures!!!

http://prezi.com/0h_urq63da8g/dry-lab/

Thanks!!!!!!!!!     :)

Monday, December 6, 2010

Poisons!!

Poison Frogs:
Most of the "colorful and small" frogs in the wild today are poisonous, but not all. Although they are, they tend to loose most of their toxicity when bred in captivity. This is true even if they are born in the wild! These frogs get most of their toxicity from an ant that they can only eat in the wild, because of them being in captivity, they are not fed these ants and therefore they loose most if not all of their toxicity. Although frogs are labeled as the most "poisonous," just by them coming into contact with the human skin wont kill a person, but if one were to have an open cut and touched a poisonous frog, they would die before they would get to say, "oops that frog is poisonous." Some tribes in rainforests dip their arrows in frog poison to make them deadly weapons. That's probably where "poison dart frogs" got their common name.


http://allaboutfrogs.org/info/species/poison.html




Thursday, December 2, 2010

Phenylketonuria (PKU)

What happens when one single enzyme in your body isnt working correctly? One would think it wouldnt be that big of a deal right? Well, in this instance that incorrect. Phenylketonuria (PKU) is a disorder that one inherits, and if left untreated, there are changes in cells inside the brain that lead to mental retardation. This disorder has been traced to a tiny mutation in a single gene on chromosome 12. The cause of PKU is when a person inherits a genetic mutation that disrupts the function of a crucial metabolic enzyme (PAH). Normally, PAH is produced in the liver, and there is helps convert an amino acid, phenylalanine into another amino acid called tyrosine. A person without a good PAH can accumulate dangerously high phenylalanine levels in the brain. With an excess of phenylalanine, it poions neurons and causes mental retardation and epilepsy if the condition is not treated. A person only gets PKU when he or she inherits two copies of the mutated gene, one from each parent. So there have to be certain symptoms right? Well in a way yes, a child with undetected PKU may have a smaller than normal head, epilepsy, and mental retardation. The excess phenylalanine in the skin creates a musty odor and a deficiency in tyrosin leads to lighter skin and hair. Most children in developed countries are screened at brith for PKU, before symptoms develop. PKU appears in about 1 in 10,000 births in Caucasians and East Asians. There are some ethnic groups that have higher rates (Turks, Irish) and some even have lower rates (Japanese). PKU is exceedingly rare in Africans. As a newborn baby, they are screened for high levels of phenylalanine in their blood. Some other blood tests must be conducted in order to determine if high levels is due to PKU or another protein-BH4-which causes the same symptoms. As one can see, by just one single enzyme in the body not working, it can cause something very hurtful and horrible to a single person or even a whole family.

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Cell Structure!!!!! :)

SOOOOOOOO!!!! We just got done learning about the cell structure right?? Well here is a little poster type thingy to help you see what all we covered!!! ENJOY!!!! :)

http://kelsearae.glogster.com/Glog/

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Cystic Fibrosis!!

What exactly is Cystic Fibrosis? Well, its a life threatening genetic disease that causes mucus to build up and clog some of the organs throughout the body, mainly the lungs and pancreas. When this happens, it makes it very hard to breathe. The mucus build up could also lead to bacteria or germs getting stuck in the airways, this causes inflammation or swelling and infections that lead to severe lung damage. Mucus can stop the digestive enzymes from getting to the intestines, and the body needs those enzymes to break down food, providing important nutrients to help people grow and stay healthy. People with Cystic Fibrosis most times need to replace enzymes with medicine that helps the body digest food, and get the proper nutrition needed. So now that we know what cystic fibrosis is, how exactly do people get it?? Well, as mentioned before, CF is a genetic disease, or in other words people inherit it from their parents through genes (DNA). In order for someone to have CF, they must inherit two copies of the defective CF gene, or one copy from each parent. Who exactly gets CF and what are some of the common symptoms? This number may shock you, approximately 30,000 children and adults in the US have CF, and about 1 in every 31 Americans are carriers of the defective CF gene, but don't have the disease themselves. Caucasians are most likely to get CF, but it can affect all races. Symptoms include; very salty tasting skin, persistent coughing and at times with phlegm, frequent lung infections, like pneumonia or bronchitis, wheezing or shortness of breath, poor growth/weight gain in spite of good appetite, and small, fleshy growths in the nose called nasal polyps. How is one diagnosed with CF? Most people are diagnosed with CF at birth. They do this through a newborn screening. If not caught at birth, before the age of 2, if a doctors sees signs of CF, they will order a sweat test or a genetic test in order to confirm the diagnosis. If someone has CF, is there a cure for it? As of right now, there is no current cure for CF. However, specialized medical care, aggressive drug treatments and therapies along with the proper CF nutrition can lengthen and improve the quality of life for someone with CF. Would a lung transplant cure CF? Because of the defective gene that causes the disease is in all of the cells in the body and not just in the lung, a lung transplant will not cure CF. Around 1,000 new cases of cystic fibrosis are diagnosed each year. More than 70% of the patients are diagnosed by the age of 2. More than 45% of the CF patient population is age 18 or older. The predicted median age of survival for a person with CF is in the mid 30's. As one could tell, Cystic Fibrosis is having a huge impact on the US today, and the fact that there is no cure for it, its going to continue to hold steady, sadly.

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Fluid Mosaic Model of the Cell Membrane!!

While doing this project, there were a few questions that I discovered while making my poster. First off,  I was curious as to what the purpose of the Protein Channel was. I soon found out that cells create and install their own protein channels which are also called membrane structure, because cells need a way to move useful substances into themselves and pump waste outside. Proteins act like little machines moving around other molecules. My next question, was what do carbohydrate chains do? Surely they have a purpose right? Well, I found that they serve as recognition markers. Protein molecules repair, regulate, and protect the human body. Did you know that 45% of our body is made up of protein? After walking around in the Gallery Walk, there was a lot more info being put out there amongst us. There were several different types of posters, but there were also some that were the same. 

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Lipids!!

Lipids:

4 major types of molecules:
1.) 
2.) Lipids
3.) 
4.) Nucleic Acids
Insoluble in water-dont dissolve
     Long chains of repeating CH2 units
     Renders molecule non polar

Types of Lipids:All non polar
Type                                                  Organismal Use                                                                      Human Uses
*Fats                                             Long term energy storage & thermal insulation in animals               Butter, lard
*Oils                                              Long term energy storage in plants and their seeds                        Cooking oils
*Phospholipids                               Component of plasma membrane                                                  No-stick pan spray
*Steroids                                       Component of plasma membrane; hormones                                  Medicines
*Waxes                                          Wear resistance; retain water                                                       Candles, polishes

Triglycerides(fats)
     Long term energy storage
     Backbone of one glycerol molecule
      -Three carbon alcohol
      -Each has an OH group
     Three fatty acids attached to each glycerol molecule
      -Long hydrocarbon chain
      -Saturated- no double bonds between carbons
      -Unsaturated- >_ 1 double bonds between carbons
      -Carboxylic acid at one end
      -Carboxylic acide connects to -OH on glycerol in dehydration reaction
         Unsaturated- Corn, Corn Oil-double bonds "missing hydrogens" Saturated- Milk, Butter-hydrogens
Phospholipids
     Derived from triglycerides
     Two fatty acids attached instead of three
     Third fatty acid replace by phosphate group
      -The fatty acids are non polar and hydrophobic
      -The phosphate group is polar and hydrophilic
     Molecules self arrange when placed in water
      -Polar phosphate "heads" next to water
      -Non polar fatty acids "tails" overlap and exclude water
      -Spontaneously form double layer and a sphere

Steroids & Waxes
     Steroids
     Cholesterol, testosterone, estrogen
     Skeletons of four fused carbon rings
     Waxes
     Long-chain fatty acids bonded to a long chain alcohol
      High Melting point
      Waterproof
      Resistant to degradation
     

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Collagen!

Collagen is your most plentiful protein. Around one quarter of all the protein in the human body is collagen! It forms molecular cables that help strengthen the tendons. Ever wonder how teeth are made? Well, they are made by adding mineral crystals to collagen! Without collagen we wouldn't have our body structure. Collagen supports the softer tissues and connects them with the skeleton. Although it plays a big part in our body, it is a relatively simple protein. Three chains- thats what collagen is composed of, while wound together in a tight triple helix. Each and every chain is over 1400 amino acids long! Every third amino acid is whats called glycine, which is a small amino acid that fits perfectly inside the helix. So where do the remaining positions in the chains go? They are filled by two unexpected amino acids. There must be something that is critical for collagen stability right? Of course! Its hydroxyproline. Sadly our body cannot make Vitamin C, therefore it is very important to get enough, or else the results can be disastrous. A shortage of Vitamin C slows the production of hydroxyproline, and stops the construction of new collagen, causing scurvy. What are some of the symptoms of scurvy? Loss of teeth and easy bruising. They are caused by the lack of collagen to repair the wear and tear that may be caused by everyday activities.

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Just a little knowledge on Carbohydrates!

There are three different things that make up carbohydrates; Monosaccharides, Disaccharides, and Polysaccharides. Monosaccarides are "single sugars" three things in monosaccarides are ribose, galactose, and fructose. Disaccarides are "two sugars" and include sucrose, maltose, and lactose. Polysaccarides include starches. Carbohydrates are made up of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. All carbohydrates have 4 calories per gram. Insulin in the body allows glucose to be removed from the blood and moved into the cells to be stored as glycogen. There are three types of complex carbohydrates, starch, glycogen, and cellulose. Starch is found in plants and is made up of many glucose units linked together. Starch is the energy storage form of carbohydrates. Glycogen is found in the muscle and livers of animals. The amount of glycogen in animals tissue at the time of slaughter does affect the pH of meat. Cellulose helps plants keeo their shape, it acts like a plant skeleton. Cellulose is unable to digestm however it is one of the important components of fiber!

Monday, October 11, 2010

Research Article

While reading the article "‘Dead simple’ way to see atomic structure", I learned that moving molecules can be pinned down under room temperature conditions. They tested several different experiments to test this idea. Some researchers are even working to improve the resolution so that it could be used to image the atomic structure of biomolecules and other proteins. They are saying that it may be possible to determince the structure of complicated molecules, such as protein-protein complexes that are very different to crystallized. The data from one molecule might reveal the gross structure. The first layer of water is ice, even if it is at room temp. At a high humidity levels, a second layer of water will cover the first layer, this is also known as ice. Additional layers of water will coat the surfaces as droplets. While reading this article, I was able to research several different topics that I didn't know about water molecules.

Friday, October 8, 2010

Things so far

While being in this class, I have learned so much. I have learned how to research work, labs, and articles on certain topics to broaden my knowledge in biology. I know when I am reading false information, and when there is a time that maybe internet research could help.

During the labs so far, I have found out how to first of all get organized enough to be ready for the lab. Without organization things could easily get mixed up in a lab. It is always important to have all the appropriate materials while doing a lab, you don't want to be running around trying to get things put together after you have already started.

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Carbohydrates!




Carbohydrates- The body breaks carbohydrates down into simple sugars, which is the main source of energy. While doing the carbohydrates lab, many of the items we tested had several different results. Here is a little on what I learned on Carbohydrates!!!!


Monday, September 27, 2010

Acid Lab Reflection!

Out of the things that I learned from the acid lab, the most important thing was how the acids and bases react together. Acids react with zinc, magnesium, or aluminum, and form hydrogen. Bases react wit most cations to precipitate hydroxides. There are only 6 "strong acids," which include HCI, H2SO4, HNO3, HCIO4, HBr, HI. All the rest are considered "weak acids." Most weak bases are anions of weak acids. Acids react with compounds containing CO,-2, and form carbon dioxide and water, and turns litmus red. Bases feel soapy or slippery, and turns litmus blue. By learning this in the acid lab, I was able to greater understand the meanings of acids and bases, and how great the differences were.

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Acids in the Stomach! Reflection

During the last week, my group and I studied acids in the stomach. While doing this, I learned that the generic brand and the regular brand have a lot in common. There isn't many things that set them apart. The pH levels when they were added to vinegar were the slightly different, if not the exact same. Before doing this experiment, my group and I discussed all the options, and we figured that the name brands would be so much better compared to the generic. Boy were we in for a surprise! There was no difference in the pH level, but there were definitely some different observations that we could tell from the way they reacted. Although I doubt we would have known the difference between the regular and the generic if they were all placed together. The best product out of the ones we used was by far the baking soda, with a pH of 6. There was a lot learned during this lab, but the most important was how the acids and bases react together, and the effects they cause.

Monday, September 20, 2010

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

PROPERTIES OF WATER!!!

This is my coooooool properties of water show! http://www.photoshow.com/watch/TM3Rk4BW

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Control Groups

A control group, is a scientific experiment in which the factor being tested is not applied so that it may serve as a standard for comparison against another group where the factor is applied. A control group is used to make conclusions more accurate. This being, because both the control and other experimental groups are to the same conditions, apart from being tested. An example of a control group, would be if two of the same animal are being tested, one gets a special type of medicine, and the other one doesn't. The one that doesn't would be the control animal.

Friday, September 3, 2010

How does the European Corn Borer affect the yield of corn?- Virtual Lab. Standard #4

During this virtual lab, I was asked to test the affect of the European Corn Borer on the yield of corn. The effects of the ECB infestations showed a great difference in the growth of the corn. In my first experiment, I test Golden Corn against both high and low levels of ECB. I found out that with a higher level, the growth of the corn was lower. The average of the first test was a 137.7 out of three plates of kernel. With a lower level of ECB, the average was much higher. The three averaged 173.2. This study shows that the ECB levels in the Golden Corn had a major impact. During my second study, I decided to test BT 123 and BT 456, also one with a high level and one with a lower level of ECB. The BT 123 was tested with the higher level. I soon found out that the average was closer to the lower lever on the Golden Corn, with an average of 160.6. As found in the first study, lower levels make the corn grow better. The BT 456 was tested with a lower level, and was just slightly over the average of the low Golden Corn. The average of the BT 456 Low was 177. If a farmer had no ECB in a year, I don't think it would affect the growth to much depending on what type of corn he was growing. If he was to grow the BT corn, the affect of the ECB's wouldn't be that noticeable. After participating in this lab, I learned that in some types of corn the ECB level does matter, but in some other types it doesn't matter as much.

This experiment was a controlled experiment, because we were able to control what was grown, and the amount of ECB levels. By being able to control this, we kinda controlled our results as well. While doing some other research, I learned all about a double-blind study. A double- blind study is a study in which neither the patient nor the doctor know which test group the patient is in. After the first two weeks in biology, there has been a lot to learn. :)