Thursday, March 8, 2012

BOW Invertebrates

Blog
Pick 3 invertebrates Compare them in terms of physical features and systems. Identify at least 3 similarities and 3 differences Include pictures and References

Starfish
-Echinoderms that belong to the class Asteroidea.
-Internal anatomy deals with a circulatory system(hemal system), digestive system, nervous system, water vascular system(locomotion), endoskeleton, respiration(coccurs through the tube feet and through papillae) and excretion.
-Bilateral symmetry as larval forms.
-5 rays or arms from it's central disk
-Capable of asexual and sexual reproduction.
-Dioecious(male and female)
-found in ocean

Jellyfish
-Transparent or transluscent.
-classes: Scyphozoa, Staurozoa, Cubozoa, Hydrozoa.
-found in ocean
-Most jellyfish do not have specialized digestive, osmoregulatory, central nervous, respiratory, or circulatory systems.
-Gastrovascular cavity where digestion takes place.
-Do not need a respiratory system because skin is thin enough that body is oxygenated by diffusion.
-hydrostatic skeleton.
-Don;t have a nervous system but have a nerve net located in the epidermis.
-Have ocelli for vision.
-Able to reproduce sexually and asexually.
-nematocysts

Coral
-Class: Anthozoa
-found in ocean.
-major contributors to coral reefs.
-require sunlight and grow in clear, shallow water.
-Can have porous skeletons or solid skeletons.
-Gastrovascular canals allowing the absorption of nutrients
-Exoskeleton
-Tentacles(nematocysts)
-Reproduce sexually or asexually.


sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coral#Anatomy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jellyfish#Anatomy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starfish#Internal_anatomy

Friday, March 2, 2012

5th Genome Entry

Chromosome 10 STRESS
In this chapter the gene known as CYP17 enables the conversion of cholesteral to cortisol and also testosterone to oestradiol. These steroids relate to the stress released by the brain. By signaling stress the brain sets genetic triggers. This causes genes to turn on and odd which brings into play other systems of the body, for example the immune system. Ridley begins to compare the human body and it's connections to the real life world outside of a body like the connections between systems, they all lead to a control. Everything that occurs in the human body is just like the outside, you have a control and that leads to systems.

Thursday, March 1, 2012

4th Genome Entry

Chromosome 4 FATE
In this part of Genome we are introduced to Huntington's disease and the motivation Nancy Wexler had. She was willing to find the root of this disease to dig deeper and to find a cure. By reading this chapter you learn that the repetition of CAG is something you might not like since it is the primary cause or symptom of Huntington's Disease. A repetitiong of about 35 times is normal anything above that is abnormal. With this disease you are incapable of your own life, your mind begins to deteriorate. It takes as long as fifteen to twenty five years for this to take place, depending on the amount of repetition. It doesn't matter how much you take care of yourself or how much you do not take care of yourself, you either have it or don't. Nancy had a half and half chance of having this gene herself which was probably the primary cause of her endeavor to finding the gene of this disease. It wa sproven that "more than a dozen human diseases are caused by expanded three-letter wor repeats- so-called polygltamine disease. It accumulates in chunks which eventually kill cells. Nancy was close to the gene, she never was tested or diagnosed, she called it "Mapping Fate" the fate of having a disease either through hereditary or through just simple fate.

BOW Importance of Intelligence

Why is it important to define and debate our understanding of intelligence and its origins? How does this relate to you?

Defining and debating our understanding of intelligence is a great way to help ourselves. By understanding it's origins we are more able to improve our working techniques in order to better our knowledge through scientific foundations of intelligence. This relates to not only me but to all of the AP bio class. Ms. Malonek had this discussion with us so we can realize what exactly is ahead of us. It is important to know that everyone as an individual has it's unique strategy that makes them intelligent in their own way. With this I not only have realized how much I may have to cram for this AP test but also how much I need to learn from my mistakes and how much I need to work on my weaknesses. I may be a visual, musical, intellectual, or any type of learner and it is important to know what your learning style is so you are more able to learn the right way, MY WAY.

3rd Genome Entry

Chromosome 6 intelligence
I found this to be very interesting. Ridley is in search of a specific intelligence gene. The true debate though, is whether intelligence comes naturally or does it gradually grow? The search began with IQ testing and determining who were smart or geniuses but this made me realize the unfairness of this IQ test. This IQ test only enabled scientist to find the difference in the IGF2R gene. After testing children with IQ test scientist based themselves off of 2 basic ideas, is intelligence hereditable or do you gradually become intelligence? It was proven that intelligence is demonstrated depending upon the individual and their genes.People tend to express their intelligence as they grow older. I strongly believe that intellgience is not a natural thing. I believe it is something that is strongly dependant of your work ethic and how much your willing to work to be smart. Now if intelligence were something you were born with don't you think you wouldn't have to learn anything as a baby? Or school wouldn't be necessary because you learn things naturally. Intelligence is like a flower, it needs water and sunlight to grow in this case you need to be educated for your intelligence to grow.