Macromolecules in Cells

http://www.webpages.uidaho.edu/bionet/biol115/t2_basics_of_life/lesson2.htm
1. What is a macromolecule?
Macromolecules are polymers that are built or broken down in the same way. They are usually referred to as a large molecules that are very important biologically. There are four different types of macromolecule which are proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, and nucleic acid; each one of them usually has more than one function
2. What is a monomer?
A monomer is any of several small molecular structure that may be chemically bonded together to form long multi-part polymer molecules
3. What is a polymer?
A polymer is a large molecule made up of similar or identical subunits called monomers.
4. What are four main types of macromolecules?
Four main types of macromolecules are protein, lipids, carbohydrates, and nucleic acid.
http://www.webpages.uidaho.edu/bionet/biol115/t2_basics_of_life/flash/T2L2M1_activity_polymer.htm
5. What are the types of reactions that macromolecules are shown to undergo?
The types of reactions that macromolecules are shown to undergo are condensation and hydrolysis.
6. Describe how monomers are joined together.
Monomers are linked together by a process called dehydration synthesis which can also be called a condensation reaction in which a covalent bond is formed between the two monomers while a water molecule is also formed.
7. Describe how polymers are broken down.
Polymers are broken down by a hydrolysis also a water molecule in which breaks the covalent bond.
8. What is the specific name for the bond between simple sugar monomers?
The specific name for the bond between simple sugar monomers is a covalent bond being formed.
9. Which kind of enzyme joins monomers together?
The kind of enzyme is a polymerase.
http://www.webpages.uidaho.edu/bionet/biol115/t2_basics_of_life/flash/T2L2M4_activity_carbonhydrate.htm
10. Describe how you had to arrange the sugar monomers in order to build a polysaccharide?
If sugar molecules were to link together by glycosidic linkages, then it takes two sugar monomers to create a glycosidic linkage.
11. Which building blocks of macromolecules are not used in building carbohydrates?
The building blocks of macromolecules that are not used in building carbohydrates are amino acid, fatty acid, and Nucleotide.
http://www.nutramed.com/nutrition/carbohydrates.htm
12. Why is sugar stored as a glycogen in the human body?
It is stored in the human body because glycogen is a long term energy storage. It is stored until you need it usually in your liver.
13. Why are plant food essential to animal life?
Plant food is essential to animal life because plants are proteins and contain all the essential amino acids. They also contain glycogen.
14. Describe how starch is digested by animals.
First off, starch is the most valuable polysaccharide. the starch molecule is tree like, with branches of varying length. Also starch digestion begins in the mouth with salivary amylase, also continuing in the small intestine with pancreatic amylase. The short chains of glucoses are referred to as alpha-dextrin, maltotriose, and maltose. Glucoamylase breaks the short chain down to individual glucose  molecules which are absorbed. Starch is the best fuel, supplying sustained-release glucose.
15. What is "fiber" and why is it important in your diet?
Fiber is something that helps your body with digestion. It is important in your diet because it is known for lowering cholesterol, blood sugar, blood pressure, risk of heart disease and risk of diabetes. It is a name of carbohydrates
16. What causes you to pass gas according to this article?
According to the article when we eat and drink, sometimes we swallow small amounts of air and not know it. The gas in our digestive system mainly contains nitrogen and oxygen. So when we digest food the gas in the form of  hydrogen, methane, and carbon dioxide is released. When the gas in your digestive builds up and the body will release it.
http://www.nutramed.com/nutrition/lowcarbo_madness.htm
17. What are some disadvantages of a low-carb diet?
Some disadvantages of a low-carb diet is the water loss with no improvement of health, which isn't good. After a low carb diet most people tend to gain the wait back. When you don't eat carbs you don't get much fiber. Your body needs the carbs.
http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/articles/article/christafavotcolumn1.htm/
18. Describe the role that sugars play in cavity formation in your teeth.
The role that sugar plays in cavity formation in your teeth is the bacteria that forms together to form plague on your teeth uses sugar as the energy. Sugar also helps the bacteria to stick to your teeth like glue. This also makes it harder to get the bacteria off of your teeth.

Acid in Your Stomach Lab

Antacid Lab

This lab was really different but it was kind of fun to do. I thought the whole purpose of this lab was to see which antacid worked the best.  My group and I tested weather or not there was a difference between Extra Strength Tums and Extra Strength Rolaids. We all tested the difference between the Generic Brand and the name brand Tums. Our final results were quite shocking.

 

My Hypothesis

If you take an Extra Strength Tums then your stomach will stop hurting because I am assuming the name brand will work the best.

In the beginning of starting the lab we gathered the different substances that we would need. Then we grabbed four beakers and filled each of them up with 50 mL of vinegar. Afterwards we smashed up the small tablets into a powder substance. We had done this to each of the brands and put them into the vinegar and stirred them. We had pretty similar reactions. When we started to stir the vinegar and the tums they would foam up and expand. This happened with all four different substances that we decided to use. Afterwards we used the PH Papers for each beaker and the shade turned an orange red for all of the strips of paper. So after this we learned that all four types of antacid worked the same in some way. It didn't matter if one bottle had the word extra strength  or its the name brand, they all work the same.

Properties of Water

Properties of Water Lab

There are many different properties of water and in the lab we got to see some of the different types. We had three labs  hat we needed to complete and learn something different from all three of them. There were different reasoning's as to why the water did what it did in each lab.

Pennies Lab

In lab A which was the pennies lab we had to get a penny and a dropper. At the beginning it was quite difficult for my group and I to put the drops of water on the penny without it spilling over. We each had to do it quite a few times before we realized we had to just go slow while we put them on the penny. Between all of my group our average drops were 54 for drops before it had spilled over. We then did the lab again but this time we used alcohol and with using alcohol we didn't get as many drops. Our average drops for alcohol as a group was 29 drops before it again had spilled over. I then observed that the water or alcohol would start to build up a shell over the penny with the water over the edge and this was called surface tension.

Wax Lab

In lab B I had to gather a small piece of wax paper and put a tiny drop of water. Before I cut the drop of water in half, I observed it and notice that the wax paper had not absorbed the water. I later on learned the wax paper was hydrophobic and that had explained why the water wouldn't stick to it. I had also noticed that the drop of water was round circular and bubbly. As I used my toothpick to cut the drop in half, the larger drop had separated into smaller drops. The property of water that was being evaluated in the lab was cohesion. If I had used notebook paper rather then wax paper the notebook paper would have absorbed the water because notebook paper is not hydrophobic like wax paper is.

String Lab

The string lab was by far the most interesting lab between the other two labs we had to do. We had to get two beakers and a string of our chosen size, one of the beakers was filled with water while the other one was empty. The whole objective was to get the water to travel through the string into the empty beaker. I of course thought this was going to be simple and easy going but I was wrong, it was harder then it looked. My group and I had made a big mess with the water before we actually got the hang of it. Jake and I ended up learning that the winning solution to this challenge was to keep the string tight and hold it up pretty straight. When we poured the water we had to make sure it caught to the string. During out class discussion we learned that the water sticks to the string because of adhesion which means water sticks to other objects.

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Conducting Investigations

How Science Work

In many science textbooks, they always tend to introduce scientific method. Many can misinterpret it as something as easy as a cookbook but science is complex and can not be a single prepackaged recipe. Many scientific investigations tend to repeat the same steps to gain new information and ideas. Science studies are not done once by just one scientists but are rather done by many and is shared to the scientific community. The process of science is never quite boring, it often relies on many to think outside the box and think creatively. A conclusion can always be edited, its not just not something that's final and  can't be changed. I had received all the information from this article.

Corn Lab

While in this I learned the way of creating your own lab by controlling what is going to happen and in the lab I noticed that when the level of ECB infestation was high the corn would die. When the infestation was low the corn would grow very well. The high infestation is to much for the corn to handle and it wouldn't be able to survive through it. I also had to make sure they had the same amount of sun and water.In both pots for the two different corn variety's BT 456 and golden crop they grew well with the low infestations. 

Clinical Trial

1.) The name of the study I had chosen was Comparing Efficacy and Safety Between Eperisone a BID and a TID Regimen in Acute Low Back Pain Patients.
2.) The purpose of the study is for the Multi-center Study to Compare Efficacy and Safety between Eperisone a BID and a TID Regimen in Acute Low Back Pain Patients during 7 day time period.
3.) The protocol that will be followed is for both men and women between the ages of 20 and 60 years old, they must not be healthy and has symptoms of acute lower back pain. The treatment that is being investigated is Eperisone a BID and a TID Regimen. It is administered by taking a 50mg tablet after breakfast and dinner, and pacebo tablet after the lunch for 7 days. The controls is the amount of medication given each day and the amount of days it was given. The duration of the study was February of  2013 up until July of 2013. The results will be determined by knowing efficacy and Safety between Eperisone a BID and a TID Regimen in Acute Low Back Pain Patients during 7 days.
4.) A double-blind trial is a scientific experiment where some of the people involved are prevented from knowing certain information that might lead to conscious or unconscious bias on their part, invalidating the results. 
5.) Both male and female between the ages of 20 and 60 years old are eligible to participate in the study.
http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/?term=Double-blind+pacebo&rank=5
https://www.google.com/#q=what+is+a+double+blind+trial

Clinical Trials 

Clinical trials are when participants receive specific interventions that follows a research plan. A clinical
trial is usually to test weather or not one medication is working, they can also test other situations. When a new product or approach is being studied, it is not usually known whether it will be helpful, harmful, or no different than available alternatives that is when the trials come in. The outcome of the patient is measured to know weather it is safe and effective. Some clinical trials may be compared to a new medical approach to a standard one that is already available.
http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/about-studies/learn#WhatIs