The daphnia lab report
Introduction: Coffee beans, chocolate and tea, all contain caffeine. Caffeine can be artificially produced and added to foods but is made naturally in seeds of plants and leaves. Caffeine is characterized as a drug, which stimulates our central nervous system by momentary relief of drowsiness and restoring alertness. In humans, caffeine is absorbed directly into the bloodstream through the intestinal tract. If used in moderation, caffeine behaves as a gentle stimulant to the nervous system, it blocks neurotransmitters (adenosine) and the outcome is feelings of well-being and awareness. Medically known as trimethylxantive, Caffeine is also in pain relievers, within 5 minutes of Caffeine consumption, the Central Nervous system is stimulated and the heart begins to beat faster and faster as it supply's oxygenated blood to the rest of the human body. Since caffeine affects the brain and nerves, it can affect a person's mood and behavior. Children and teens are at a much higher risk of experiencing side effects versus adults who are bigger in size. A moderate amount of caffeine usually lifts the mood of the consumer. However, too much caffeine is dangerous. It is also known that caffeine affects one's sleep. In Taipei times, a recent story states that an 18 year old boy was rushed to hospital after consuming 8 16-ounce cans of Rockstar drinks each night. Which showed that
recombinant DNA
AS biology course work on recombinant DNA Brief description of RDNA Recombinant DNA is the general name for taking a piece of one DNA, and and combining it with another strand of DNA. Thus, the name recombinant Recombinant DNA is also sometimes referred to as "chimera." By combining two or more different strands of DNA, scientists are able to create a new strand of DNA. The most common recombinant process involves combining the DNA of two different organisms. The Recombinant DNA technique was engineered by Stanley Norman Cohen and Herbert Boyer in 1973. They published their findings in a 1974 paper entitled "Construction of Biologically Functional Bacterial Plasmids in vitro", which described a technique to isolate and amplify genes or DNA segments and insert them into another cell with precision, creating a transgenic bacterium. Recombinant DNA technology was made possible by the discovery of restriction endonucleases by Werner Arber, Daniel Nathans, and Hamilton Smith, for which they received the 1978 Nobel Prize in Medicine. (reference:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recombinant_DNA , info taken on 25 january 2008. this site gives a general description on recombinant dna and its founders also some of the uses of recombinant dna) Uses of RDNA: Genetically engineered micro organisms-human organisms are inserted into bacteria which are grown into fermenters , the
Thalassemia is a genetic (inherited) conditions affecting the blood. There are different types of thalassemia.
Beta Thalassemia [Wolverhampton University] Introduction Thalassemia is a genetic (inherited) conditions affecting the blood. There are different types of thalassemia. Depending what you have, thalassemia can cause disease at all, or it could be a serious life condition requiring treatment. What causes thalassemia? The cause is genetic changes, including the genes that indicate the body as an important chemical called hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is a chemical which carries oxygen in the blood - is the one who gives blood its red color. Hemoglobin is in the cells, called "red blood cells, which are an integral part of blood. (Nassar, Rechdan, 2006) Hemoglobin is made from various parts. The main part is called "Alpha chains and beta chains, which are put together to make a molecule of hemoglobin. In thalassemia, a part of hemoglobin is damaged - usually either the alpha chain or beta-chain. This means that some of the hemoglobin is not working properly. As a result, not enough normal hemoglobin and red blood cells break down easily. This makes a person "anemic" (not in hemoglobin), with different symptoms. Meanwhile, the body trys to make more hemoglobin and red blood cells. Thus, the blood is in the 'surplus' mode, which can lead to symptoms and complications. (Nassar, Rechdan, 2006) Depending on the type of thalassemia, the number of abnormal hemoglobin is different. This
Thalassaemia is an inherited disease that is caused when there are mutations or a missing gene that affects how haemoglobin is produced. Haemoglobin is the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen around the body.
Thalassaemia Thalassaemia is an inherited disease that is caused when there are mutations or a missing gene that affects how haemoglobin is produced. Haemoglobin is the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen around the body. If you have thalassaemia, it means you don't have enough red blood cells, and therefore do not produce enough haemoglobin; this could result in either mild or severe anaemia. Haemoglobin is made up of four polypeptide chains, two alpha globin and two beta globin. If you have alpha thalassaemia, this means that you have a mutation with your alpha chains: you can either have minor (a) or major (b) Alpha To make enough alpha globin protein chains, you inherit two genes (one from each parent). Alpha Thalassaemia occurs when one or more of these genes are missing or have been mutated, the severity of the disease depends on how many of the genes are missing/mutated. * if one gene is affected you are likely to have no or little symptoms and are known as a silent carrier * If two genes are affected this means that you will have alpha thalassaemia trait and are therefore known as a carrier. you will also experience mild anaemia * If you have three genes affected, you will have moderate to severe anaemia, also known as haemoglobin H disease. This results in chronic anaemia. * if all your genes are mutated you will have alpha thalasaemia major,
To investigate the energy content of different foods.
Food for fuel Aim: To investigate the energy content of different foods. Introduction: We can show that food is a fuel by burning it, using this, we are going to investigate the energy content of four different foods; peanut, bread, pasta and a Brazil nut. Food is also a fuel in another sense. Plants and animals use food to get their energy. Different foods contain different types and amounts of energy. When food, and all other fuels (e.g. coal, oil, etc.), is burned, energy in the form of heat is transferred to it's surroundings warming them. The body's most basic need is for energy. To get energy it needs food as a fuel and oxygen to burn it. The amount of energy foods can produce is measured in units called calories. A food calorie, or kilocalorie, is the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds) of water 1 degree Celsius (1.8 degrees Fahrenheit). The body changes the calories in food into energy, which is necessary for every act from blinking an eye to running a race. Energy is also used for the growing process, for rebuilding damaged cells, and for regulating body systems. The number of calories needed each day depends upon how much energy an individual's body uses. An active child can need more calories than an adult who works at a desk. The body needs more calories in cold weather to stay at an even temperature.
Succession is the progression of plant and animal species in an area from smaller simpler organisms to larger more complex organisms, eventually leading to a climax community.
Succession Introduction Succession is the progression of plant and animal species in an area from smaller simpler organisms to larger more complex organisms, eventually leading to a climax community. The climax community is reached when the species found in the area remain constant over time with few or no species being wiped out or starting to grow- there is an equal balance between births and deaths and gross primary productivity is the same as total respiration. The climax community exists as long as biotic and abiotic factors allow. Things which could devastate a climax community include forest fires and drastic changes in climate, or biotic factors like Dutch elm disease, a fungus transmitted by European and American bark beetles which killed millions of elm trees in the 1980's. The climax community arises in stages called seral stages. There are two types of succession, primary and secondary. Primary succession A primary succession is one that takes place in an area or piece of land which was not previously populated by other organisms. Examples of places where primary successions can take place include newly bared rocks, sand dunes, river deltas where fertile silt is deposited, hardened lava from a volcanic eruption or in a freshwater lake. A xerosere is the name given to a succession which begins on dry rock and the plants which grow there are called
The effect of caffeine on the heart rate
The effect of caffeine on heart rate Aim: To investigate the effect of caffeine on the heart rate of Daphnia (water fleas). Introduction: Plants produce caffeine as an insecticide. Cocoa in South America, coffee in Africa and tea in Asia have all been used for hundreds of years to produce 'pick me up' drinks containing caffeine. These days, caffeine is also used as a flavour enhancer in a wide range of cola and other soft drinks. In addition, it has medicinal uses in aspirin preparations, and is found in weight-loss drugs and as a stimulant in students' exam-time favourites like Pro-plus and Red Bull. In humans, caffeine acts as a stimulant drug, causing increased amount of stimulatory neurotransmitters to be released. At high levels of consumption caffeine has been linked to restlessness, insomnia and anxiety, causing raised stress and blood pressure. This can lead to heart and circulation problems. Daphnia are small, planktonic crustaceans commonly called water fleas because of their saltatory swimming style (although fleas are insects and thus only very distantly related). They live in various aquatic environments ranging from acidic swamps to freshwater lakes, ponds, streams and rivers. Hypothesis: Caffeine will increase the heart rate of the Daphnia (water fleas). Equipment needed: * Culture of Daphnia (water fleas) * Cavity slides * Dropping pipettes *
The Role of ATP
The Role of ATP Living organisms all need energy to live, for reproduction and for movement. This energy is used in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). It is known as the 'energy currency of living organisms' and can be produced by two methods: . Photosynthesis 2. Chemical Energy Photosynthesis is the absorption of light energy from the sun, which is then transferred into chemical energy. It occurs in plants and results in a useful supply of carbon. Chemical energy is acquired from a 'ready made' source of carbon such as biological materials found in plants and animals, although this energy still originally comes from the sun. ATP * One molecule can contain large amounts of energy which can be used very easily. * ATP is not a storage molecule. * Every cell makes its on ATP, depending on how active it is and its job. * ATP is constantly made and used. 40 kg is made in a 24hr period. Structure Organic base - adenine Pentose sugar - ribose 3 Phosphate groups - inorganic phosphates which are joined by high energy bonds. ATP is a nucleotide and because of its structure, is water soluble and is easily transported around the cell. To release the energy in ATP it is hydrolysed. When water is added, a phosphate group is broken off and energy is released. An enzyme called ATPase catalyses this reaction. When phosphate 1 is removed, a total of 30.6 kJ mol-1
Global Warming
> Global Warming can be defined as the term used to refer to the fact that the average temperature around the earth is increasing. > Global Warming is caused by many different factors which are mostly as a result of human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels like coal, oil and wood which produce carbon dioxide > The excess Carbon Dioxide that is released in the atmosphere is also contributed by the emission of fumes by factories and motor vehicles. The extra carbon dioxide therefore creates a 'blanket' around the earth resulting in the rapid increase of temperature > Over the past century there has been a marked increase in the concentration of he Greenhouse gases. Greenhouse Gases include carbon dioxide, water vapour, methane, nitrous oxide and ozone. > The Green house gases are also play a huge role in global warming as these gases trap the heat that would otherwise escape to into space. This is called the greenhouse effect > Deforestation is also another cause of global warming because when the excess amount of trees are cut down and not replanted, there becomes an increase in Carbon Dioxide concentration in the atmosphere as there are no trees to use it for respiration. This Carbon dioxide therefore plays a role in global warming as it begins to trap heat on the earth's surface. Consequences of Global Warming > Global warming results in many changes in
Coronary Heart Disease
Coronary Heart Disease: The risks and factors The heart is a crucial muscle in the body, it pumps on average five litres of blood a minute around the body. The heart itself has its own blood supply from a network of blood vessels on the surface of the heart known as the coronary arteries. Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) is formed when the supply of blood to the heart is blocked off due to the build up of fatty substances in these coronary arteries. CHD has numerous causes and thus it is the UK's biggest killer with approximately 300,000 people having a heart attack each year. Cholesterol is one of the four main causes of CHD, it is made in the liver from saturated fats and is carried through the blood stream by lipoproteins. There are also many different types of lipoproteins, but the main two are low density lipoproteins (LDL) and high density lipoproteins (HDL). LDL cholesterol builds up in the coronary arteries, which can then cause CHD as mentioned previously. Whereas HDL cholesterol does the opposite and takes the cholesterol away from the cells and back to the liver, thus this is often referred as the good cholesterol. A good total blood cholesterol level is 5 or lower, as if you allow your LDL level to get too high the HDL will not be to remove the cholesterol sufficiently. CHD can even happen to the fittest of people, for example a footballer in Spain last year
