Memes about Weather

1. Condescending Wonka

2. Condescending Wonka

3. I Lied

4. Y U NO guy

5. Bad Teacher

Current Events: Wrist Band Sensors Can Detect, and Possible Predict, Life-Threatening Seizures

    Some seizures may not be all that bad, must some can be deadly. Why would you, or someone you know, ever want to go through a seizure that no one expected? You wouldn't. Luckily, media researchers at MIT (Massachusetts Institution of Technology) have created wristbands that can detect when seizures are occuring. How do these wristbands work? They measure skin conductance, or how easily electrical currents can pass through skin (how much you sweat). Skin conductance can change for a variety of reasons and a researcher discovered that skin conductance spikes before and during a seizure. More tests and experiments have shown that if the seizure lasts for a long time, it doesn't guarantee the seizure is deadly. How bad a seizure is can be found by seeing how fast the brain returns to normal after. After testing 11 children, the researchers found that the higher the skin conductance, the longer it took for the brain to return to normal, causing the seizure to be more deadly.

     I believe that the MIT media researchers should continue to improve this wristband because it can be very beneficial in the future. By running more tests and experiments, researchers can fix all the bugs in the wristband an insure that they work properly. If they work properly, people who suffer from seizures are able to tell when they are going to have a seizure. This is helpful because then the seizure victim can find help immediately and find a place to stay that won't harm anyone. In addition, this will help the seizure victim feel more safe and stressed. Originally, many seizures would be sudden, but with this wristband, they do not need to worry about a seizure coming up out of the blue. Finally, the wristband will also show how bad the seizure will be, so people can get the necessary help. These seizure detecting wristbands will be extremely helpful in society and will do nothing but help seizure victims.

Seizure Detecting wristbands

Article and picture from:
http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2012-05/wristband-sensors-can-detect-and-possibly-predict-life-threatening-seizures

Current Events: The First Drug Made by Genetically Modified Plants is Approved for Human Use by the FDA

     Imagine having Gaucher Disease. This is a lysosomal storage disorder and is caused by lack of a specific enzyme. You may have worried about possible drugs to use to help cure your disease, but now there is no more need to look. Engineers at an Israeli biotech firm (Protalix Biotherapeutics) have been able to produce this enzyme in carrot cells. They just need to inject a specific gene into them. The drug is called Elelyso. Results from trials have showed that using Elelyso have showed greater improvement than another treatment from hamster cells. Elelyso is the first drug made by genetically modified plant cells approved for humans. Previously, there have been concerns about using drugs made from genetically modified plants, but in recent years treatments have been proven successful for animals. This may have lead the FDA (Federal Drug Administration) to approve Elelyso for humans.
      I believe that this drug will lead to other drugs from modified plant cells. Researchers believe this too; they believe that they can create enzymes to treat many other disorders and diseases. In addition this treatment doesn't contain pathogens that can affect mammalian cell stocks and doesn't lead to a shortage of usable drugs. Furthermore, the FDA approving this drug may mean that they are open to other drugs from genetically modified plant cells. This will lead to more drugs that can treat other disorders like the Gaucher Disease. Thanks to the engineers in the Israeli biotech firm, a new door as been open to new types of drugs created from genetically modified plants.

By injecting a gene into carrots, engineers are able to produce a specific enzyme needed from Gaucher Disease patients


Article and picture from:
http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2012-05/first-plant-derived-biologic-drug-approved-human-use-fda

   

Current Events: Eco-Friendly Battery Runs on Old Newspapers

     The article Eco-Friendly Battery Runs on Old Newspapers is about the Sony Company and how they were able to use old newspapers and cardboard to generate electricity and power a battery. This idea was inspired by a previous successful experiment in which Sony used fruit juice to power a music player. Though the article does not say when and where this happened, they do state how they managed to make the project work. Sony recycling-engineers take old paper products and mix them with water and cellulase (enzyme). The cellulase enzyme is actually found in wood-eating species such as the termite. The cellulase and water solution helps decompose the cellulose in the paper products to form the necessary glucose. The glucose is then combined with oxygen and other enzymes, creating electrons and hydrogen ions which then are used to power the battery. Although the battery isn't powerful enough to power anything except a music player, only water and gluconolactone (a neutral product) are the left behind.

      I believe that this idea and project is very clever and effective because now we can begin to create energy using recycled materials. Newspapers and cardboard has already been used so using them again would just be helpful instead of wasting new materials. In addition, no harm to the environment was done when they used the newspapers to power the battery. While other products may cause waste and harm the earth, this way does not. This eco-friendly and creative experiment could lead to other ideas and projects that help save the environment while still giving us the same results that using regular materials (that could potentially harm the earth) would. I predict that in the future, we'll be able to develop even more advanced and efficient ways to generate energy and electricity just like using the old paper products did. Overall, I think this is a great idea and hope in the future we are able to develop more environment friendly ways to create energy and electricity.

Article and picture from:
http://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2011-12/eco-friendly-battery-runs-old-newspapers

States Of Matter Lab Report

http://www.fropki.com/very-pretty-candles-vt31534.html

Observing a Candle

     The first thing we did in this lab was observe the candle. We did this so we could better understand what kind of materials we are dealing with and so we could compare after we finished manipulating the candle. We observed that the candle was hard, waxy, and solid. Next, we lit the candle. Whenever you are burning something, the process is called combustion. As the candle was lit, the wax, which was solid, began to melt, becoming a liquid (physical change). The candle was chemically changed when the heat and the oxygen and the wick of the candle produced carbon dioxide. 

Pouring a Gas

     First we lit a large white candle. Next, we mixed vinegar and baking soda together so that it would produce carbon dioxide. As we held the vinegar and baking soda mixture to the flame, the flame would go out. This is because fire needs oxygen to "live" and when the carbon dioxide took away that oxygen, the fire had to go out.

http://www.dreier.com/blog/burning-marshmallow/

Marshmallow Fun

     I enjoyed this lab very much. First we had to observe a large and small marshmallow. Then we ripped the small marshmallow, causing a physical change. Next, we had to eat our small marshmallow. This was a physical change  because we tore the marshmallow with our teeth and a chemical change because our stomach turned the food into nutrients for our body. Using a Bunsen burner, we roasted the larger marshmallow. The outside layer because blacked and tasted bitter unlike the original marshmallow taste (sweet). We caused a chemical change to the larger marshmallow because we burned it. I think that the marshmallow was a solid because it had a definite volume and shape. It's molecules were also closely packed together and it couldn't really move.

http://www.ehow.com/how_8220027_burn-sugar-cube.html

Observing Changes in Matter

     The final lab that we did had to do with burning sugar. Once again, we had to observe a sugar cube (size, shape, color, taste, hardness, texture). Then we physically changed the sugar because we crushed it with a mortar and pestle. When the sugar was mixed with the water, you couldn't see the sugar anymore. The sugar was still there, it just dissolved in the water. When we burned the sugar, water was condensing to the sides of the test tube because the water from the sugar was evaporating. Smoke was also coming out of the test tube. First, the sugar turned into a thick liquid. Then it slowly turned to black. When we removed the test tube from the Bunsen burner, it hardened. The process of burning the sugar was called caramelization. When we cracked open the test tube, we observed what was left over from the burnt sugar (carbon) which was a result of a chemical change. 

In Conclusion...

     I learned a lot from these labs. I learned the difference between a physical and chemical change and the different states of matter there are. In addition, these labs taught me the importance of observing and comparing when doing labs so you can tell the difference from the "before" and "after". I can use the skills that I've learned later in life. For example, if I ever need to make candy, I'll know how to burn sugar. Also, I can now classify different things as either solid, liquid, or gas. Furthermore, if I ever need to light a fire, I'll know that there must be oxygen in order for there to be a flame. 

Separating a Mixture

 http://chemistree11.blogspot.com/2010/10/october-5-2010-lab.html

Procedure:

1. Use the spoon to take out the plastic bug from the mixture and place on the tray.
2. Use your fingers to take out the toothpicks from the mixture and place it on the tray.
3. Use the spoon to take out the beans from the mixture and place it onto the tray.
4. Line the funnel with the filter paper and place funnel onto the beaker.
5. Pour mixture down the funnel that is lined with the filter paper.
6. Wait for the mixture to filter.
7. Place the beaker with the filtered water onto the hot plate and turn the hot plate on.
8. While the water is boiling, spread the remaining parts of the mixture onto the lab table and use your fingers to spread it out.
9. Use the magnet and wave it over the parts you just spread out. The magnet will pick up the iron filings from the remaining mixture.
10. Use the beaker tongs to take the beaker off of the hot plate when the water has evaporated and place the beaker on the lab table.
11. Turn off the hot plate and let the beaker cool.
12. Observe all the parts of the mixture.
13. Clean up.

Parts of the mixture:
1. Plastic bug
2. Beans
3. Toothpicks
4. Iron Filings
5. Water
6. Sand
7. Salt

Frog Dissection Lab

Photo From: http://dnr.wi.gov/eek/critter/amphibian/leopard.htm

Over a course of two days, our class completed a frog dissection lab. The purpose of this lab was to have a better understanding of the organs and parts of the frog, the functions of those organs and parts, and how they connect with us. On the first day, we focused on cutting open the frog, taking out the fat bodies, and taking out the eggs and oviducts if the frog was female. I was surprised how strong the skin of the frog was. I had expected it to cut open easily, but it actually took our group a few tries to finally cut it. After the skin, was a layer of muscle, which actually seemed easier to cut, but that may have been because our group was used to cutting by then. The first thing I noticed after the frog was cut open, was the eggs. There were black spherical eggs everywhere in the frog. This told us that we had a female. Taking out the eggs required patience and perserverance. As soon as you thought you had finished taking out all of the eggs, you'd find more. It almost seemed never ending. I envied the groups that had male frogs and didn't need to clean out all the eggs. Eventually, we focused on clearing out the fat bodies and oviducts. There were still a few eggs scattered around, but we still had visibility of the organs and parts. That was the end of day one.

Picture From: http://www.realfishbaitcompany.com/products/

On day two, we focused on identifying the parts of the frog, which we had named Kermit, and the functions of those parts. For me, the pancreas and kidney were the hardest to tell apart. They seem so similar, although they have different functions. What surprised me the most was how small the lung seemed to be. After all, the lungs hold oxygen. It's hard to imagine it expanding into anything large enough to hold oxygen for a frog. In addition, I thought the gall bladder would be bigger. The liver, which produces bile, is the largest structure in the body cavity, but the gall bladder, which stores the bile, is about the size of a pea. This dissection also caused me to realize that the parts of the frog are more complex than the worms, and similar to ours (such as the digestive system). Overall, this frog dissection lab was very interesting, as well as surprising, and gave me a better understanding of the frog parts and functions, and how they connect with us.

Left Image from: http://www.nomenclaturo.com/frog-anatomy-labelled-diagram.html

Right Image from: http://www.biologyjunction.com/frog_dissection.htm

For more information on frogs, and frog dissection visit:

http://www.biologyjunction.com/frog_dissection.htm

http://www.e-tutor.com/et3/lessons/view/52133/print

http://www.ecokids.ca/pub/eco_info/topics/frogs/quiz/quiz_3.cfm

http://www.biologycorner.com/bio2/notes-frog.html