Muddiest Point

I don't understand the difference between depolarization and repolarization and when each is supposed to occur.

Muddiest Point

My mussiest point is telling the difference between a moncot and dicot root. How can you tell the difference between the two?

Class on Thursday, 2/23

Today in class, we worked on a lab called the General Classification of Vertebrates on pages 41-42. In this lab, we observed many vertebrates which were preserved in jars and we used the identification key in the lab to figure out which kingdom, phylum, and class that vertebrate belonged to. At the end of class we just watched a bit of a video about reptiles.

Our only homework for today was to comment on a Muddiest Point, due Tomorrow. Also study for our unit test on Monday! Remember that the TV add is due Tuesday, the 28th.

Also we had a sub today, so we didn't hand in our homework on pages 54-55.

KEVIN will be the next scribe

Muddiest Point

My muddiest point in this unit was understanding the difference between the 3 groups of fish: Agnatha, Chondrichthyes, and Osteichthyes. Thanks!

Muddiest Point

My muddiest point in this unit is understanding why the anthropoids and the hominoids are two separate classes, since they are both primates. Can someone please explain?

Thanks!
-Andrijana

Class on Tuesday, 1/10/11

Today in class we reviewed the menstrual cycle, learned about the development of the embryo, and watched a video on it.

When estrogen levels get low, the hypothalamus signals the pituitary gland to release FSH (Follicle Stimulating Hormone) and LH (Leutinizing Hormone). FSH stimulates the ovaries to produce more estrogen, which builds up the lining of the uterus, while LH controls the formation of the corpus luteum and signals for ovulation to occur.

Fertilization occurs in the oviduct. A fertilized egg is called a zygote. Cell division will begin; the embryo is just one cell, the morula is a solid ball of cells, then the blasocyst which is a hollow ball of cells. The blasocyst takes a week to implant in the uterine lining (implantation). After this, differentiation occurs and the cells specialize. This then leads to gastrulation.

Gastrulation is the formation of 3 embryonic development germ layers. Endoderm makes up the lining of the digestive, reproductive, and respiratory system. Mesoderm makes up the muscles, blood, and bones. Ectoderm makes up the skin and nervous system.

In the video, we saw how the embryo turns into the morula and then into the blasocyst. We saw how the blasocyst implants in the uterine lining and the development of the baby in the uterus.

Our homework for today is to post a muddiest point by tonight and comment on one tomorrow. We also have a test on this unit this Thursday.

Muddiest Point

My muddiest point in this unit was why the release of FSH and LH are needed and how the hypothalamus know to signal the pituitary gland to release these hormones.

My Muddiest Point

My muddiest point in this unit was the differences between prophase 1 and prophase 2 of the two phases of meiosis. How are they different?

Hemochromatosis

        Hemochromatosis is a disorder which causes the body to absorb too much iron from the person's diet. Hemochromatosis is an autosomal recessive disorder, which means that the person can only inherit the disorder if they inherit the abnormal (recessive) gene from both parents. There are two genetic mutations associated with hemochromatosis; C282Y and H63D. The numbers 282 and 63 label the place of the defects of the HFE gene located on chromosome number 6.
        People with hemochromatosis have no symptoms at a young age and have no idea that they have the disorder. Symptoms may not appear until the person is in their forties or fifties. Iron deposits in the skin cause the skin to become darker and look slightly orange. There is also an elevated level of iron in the blood. Iron deposits in the pancreas result in a decrease of the production of insulin causing diabetes mellitus. Iron deposits in the heart muscle can cause heart failure and abnormal rhythms of the heart. Iron deposits in the liver can cause scarring of the liver and an increased risk of liver cancer.
        Most people with hemochromatosis are diagnosed at an early age and show no symptoms. The disorder us detected when elevated levels of iron in the blood are found in blood testing.
        The most common and most effective treatment for hemochromatosis reduces the level of iron in the body. This treatment is called phlebotomy and in this treatment blood is withdrawn from the veins in the person's arm. Usually, the person goes in every one or two weeks to withdraw one unit of blood, which has 250 mg of iron in it. Chelation therapy uses chemical compounds and proteins from the body to remove toxic metal molecules from the blood. Also, a diet with lots of vitamin C can help absorb some of the iron in the blood. Fruits and vegetables are good for the diet and too much red meat should be avoided.
        Type 1 hemochromatosis is one of the most common genetic disorders in the United States, affecting about one million people. It mostly affects people of Northern European descent. All other types of hemochromatosis is very rare; only a small number of people are affected with hemochromatosis (not type 1) worldwide.
        Most people affected with hemochromatosis life the average life expectancy.

                                                                           

Iron is contained in red blood cells.

Friday, 11/18

In class on Friday, we did a lab regarding protein synthesis. The point of the lab was to understand the roles of mRNA(messenger RNA) and tRNA(translation RNA) in protein synthesis. To help our understanding, we constructed a model of protein synthesis. FIrst, we built two stands of DNA. Then we separated the two stands and built the corresponding strand of mRNA (using uracil instead of thymine). After that, we separated the mRNA strands form the DNA strands and made a codon of the mRNA strand, or the tRNA strand. Then we attached an amino acid to the right tRNA molecule by it's R-group. DNA polymerase is the enzyme needed for DNA replication. The enzyme used to build mRNA and tRNA is RNA polymerase.

The two steps in protein synthesis are transcription and translation. Transcription takes place in the nucleus and forms mRNA strands from one of the strands of DNA. Translation occurs in the cytoplasm on a ribosome and the codons of mRNA (tRNA) are translated into amino acids to form proteins.

Our homework for this weekend was to finish UP 23-28, UP 39-40 (online), UP 15-20, read section 13.3, and finish our tribune article, all due on Monday.

Don't forget to study for the unit test this Tuesday! 


Next scribe will be Elizabeth.

AndrijanaA's Muddiest Point

My muddiest point in this unit was the difference between the nucleus and the nucleolus. I get their functions mixed up. Can someone please explain? Thanks.

AndrijanaA

AndrijanaA's Muddiest Point

My muddiest point so far had to do with the food web. I don't understand which consumer is the primary consumer in the web. I also don't quite understand what "Niches" are.

Thanks, AndrijanaA

Class Monday, 9/17

Today in class we turned in our lab number 58 from our biology workbooks. That was the lab that we went outside for in class on friday. Our homework for today was to finish our Water Testing labs by tomorrow and to read chapter 6.3 by Thursday. Our comparison chart for chapters 6.2 and 6.4 was supposed to be due today, but it is instead due for tomorrow because of technical issues with moodle. We will be presenting/turning in our Duckweed lab presentations on friday. We also have to post a "Muddy Point" on the blog by wednesday, which is something that we had trouble with in this unit. Today in class we met up with out lab groups and did a Water Testing lab to find out how polluted the Des Plaines River is. We used actual water from the Des Plaines River to use for out tests. Most of my group's test results showed that the Des Plaines' River water is very polluted. One thing we did to test the water was but Nitrates in the water in a test tube and let it dissolve for 5 minutes. Then we check the color of the water to the color chart for the Nitrates test. The color of the water shows how polluted the water from the Des Plaines River is. We talked a little bit about how the river water might have gotten so polluted. There were sheets at our lab group tables that instructed us on how to organize and do the lab.

Next Scribe will be GabyM