Writing in Biology - Section 1

Proteins are classified by four levels of structure. Primary structure of a protein is the sequence of amino acids which make up the protein.  The protein's secondary structure involves two structures within the protein. These are referred to alpha-helices (α helices) and beta-sheets (β-sheets). These are two ways that proteins organize themselves that contribute to their spatial arrangement and three-dimensional shape, which is their tertiary structure. A protein's quaternary structure is the arrangement and number of polypeptide chains within a protein, and therefore only exists if there is more than one polypeptide chain present in the protein. Protein structure is determined by intramolecular interactions as well as the protein's function and where it will be located when it does its job. Proteins generally have a hydrophilic exterior and a hydrophobic interior, due to its environment in the cell containing a lot of water. These interactions help to hold the protein together, otherwise a hydrophobic exterior would denature the protein. Protein structure tells us a lot about the protein and much can be theorized about its possible function and properties by analyzing the protein structure.

When materials in a lab or hospital need to be sterilized, the most common method to do so is with an autoclave. An autoclave uses steam to sterilize equipment used by surgeons and lab workers. It is the most efficient method of sterilization in terms of power consumption and sterilization efficiency. Other methods like incineration or dry heat sterilization use a lot of fuel and take a long time to sterilize, and often are complicated to operate and require high-level maintenance to run properly, but autoclaves don't go without their specifics too. The steam used in an autoclave can't be too high a temperature or have too much moisture, otherwise the steam cannot penetrate the load to be cleaned well enough and the sterilization is inefficient. Too much moisture in the steam can leave a wet environment after the sterilization, a good environment for bacteria to live if they have not been all killed off. Autoclaves can come in smaller, desktop forms or large devices that can sterilize many tools and devices at once. 

I believe she is a feminist ethnographer and her past depicts it too. Feminist ethnography is a very broad term and does not necessarily have a label to it. It is purely power dynamics and inequities; their struggle as women and their struggle being a mother. For example, we see the birth process that Nisa had to go through in this book. Shostak spent her time photographing, audiotaping music, and studying women’s artistic productions such as beadwork way before she ever travelled to do fieldwork on the !Kung people. She was also where she was a supporter of the women’s equal rights movement. I believe that Nisa had made her into a real female ethnographer as Nisa changed her life and was particularly special to Shostak. The majority of the book is speaking about females and her interview with women as she probably believes that she can connect and conduct an interview with a female much easier than she can with a man. She stood out in Shostak’s eyes for her highly articulate stories, her emphatic methods of storytelling, and her profound and often tragic life experiences. She takes into account all genders, and even speaks about them in the text, however she pays particular attention to women by honing on women’s statuses, for ex: Nisa. I woud says she presents her ethnography as a range of methods, as she interviews 15+ females and asks about their life history. 

In terms of emotionally, they live a very traditional life in which they were very humble and thoughtful of other’s people’s emotions; for example, bragging is bad and considered bad manners. They rely closely on each other and sit in very close proximity. This shows a very genuine interaction, one that I believe we lack in 2019, we get very angry at each other very easily, and our way of playing “games” usually involves technology, such as the movie theatres. For them, all it takes is some land and a hand-made soccer ball. Mentally and physically, their illnesses are healed with a Healer. They also believe that sexual relations are very beneficial to an individual’s mind, although I would think they would be stricter about this certain aspect of intimacy. This in turn does not seem like a very difficult life! I do however think they need some education, as education is important, especially sexual education as the reason their life expectancy could be short may be due to their transmission of diseases. 

Copper hospital beds kill bacteria. A new study has found that copper hospital beds in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) harbored an average of 95 percent fewer bacteria than conventional hospital beds, and maintained these low-risk levels throughout patients' stay in hospital. In the United States, hospital beds are the 8th leading cause of death. This is not okay! The hospital should be a safe place to go when someone is already sick, not a place to receive more bacterias and infections. They are among the most contaminated surfaces in medical settings.  This idea came from ancient Ayurveda, when drinking water was often stored in copper vessels to prevent illness. Additionally, copper has been previously studied to have antimicrobial properties. 

This idea is new and is still being studied. To conduct an experiment for this, you need a control group, and a experimental group. Ex: comparing plastic beds with copper beds. Nearly 90 percent of the bacterial samples taken from the tops of the plastic rails had concentrations of bacteria that exceed levels considered safeAlthough these are not yet on the market, and will be costly, this will be beneficial for the future of our healthcare industry and microbe control.

In reading EKG, or ECG, outputs, there are many different types of dangerous systoles: deadly beating patterns of the heart. The four major deadly heart behaviors that are identifiable on ECGs are atrial fibrilation, ventrical fibrilation, ventrical tachycardia, and Torsades de Pointes. Notably, only one the four beat patterns involves just atrial issues: the atrial fibrilation. This irregular heart beat consists of a quivering or twitching atria that is not effectively pumping any blood into the ventricles. This can lead to death by lack of profusion from the heart. The ventricles simply are not pumping enough blood, even though the ventricles are pumping correctly, because there is very little blood getting into the them. Ventricle fibrilation is the same type of behavior seen in atria fibrilation but in the stronger, more important ventricle muscles. The quivering here prevents all profusion of blood to the body and lungs because there is no effective pump by the ventricles and the blood pools in the heart. Ventrical tachycardia ocurrs when the ventricles are acting without signal from the atria, and instead consistently beat without any rest period between beats. This prevents blood from exiting the heart because there is no time for the ventricles to fill with the succient amount of blood required to sustain life. Finally, Torsades de Pointes is a heart beating pattern that in english means "Twisted Spikes/Peaks". It looks similar to a sound wave on soundcloud. This pattern shows the ventricle pumping continuously, but at varying and inconsistent strength. It is non-stop beating with either strong or weak pumps, sometimes not beating at all. This is too inconsistent to sustain life by the continuous blood supply needed. 

Medicine is one of the most ancient sciences. Another idea I learned is that there is big difference between Eastern and Western medicine. This may be due to the fact that Western and Eastern medicine developed at different times and separately from each other, so they are radically different. This is again shown from the views of Lees and Lia's doctors. First difference I found was that the doctor focused on studying the causes of various pathological conditions in the human body. Basically, he aimed more at eliminating the consequences of diseases. Lia’s family viewed the world through that of Eastern medicine. Such that, Eastern doctors are more focused on the person as a whole and the body's ability to counteract pathogens. Medicine in the east is more focused on the prevention of diseases than on the fight against them. Furthermore, Lia’s family share a whole separate philosophy. Their view of medicine takes into account such concepts as energy, spirit. While the western doctor approaches medicine through dry scientific approach. Fadiman suggests that this differences in medical practice, belief, and inability to communicate were the failures that lead to the death of Lia.

Again, medicine is one of the most ancient sciences. Another idea I learned is that there is big difference between Eastern and Western medicine. This may be due to the fact that Western and Eastern medicine developed at different times and separately from each other, so they are radically different. This is again shown from the views of Lees and Lia's doctors. First difference I found was that the doctor focused on studying the causes of various pathological conditions in the human body. Basically, he aimed more at eliminating the consequences of diseases. Lia’s family viewed the world through that of Eastern medicine. Such that, Eastern doctors are more focused on the person as a whole and the body's ability to counteract pathogens. Medicine in the east is more focused on the prevention of diseases than on the fight against them. Furthermore, Lia’s family share a whole separate philosophy. Their view of medicine takes into account such concepts as energy, spirit. While the western doctor approaches medicine through dry scientific approach. Fadiman suggests that this differences in medical practice, belief, and inability to communicate were the failures that lead to the death of Lia.

·       When meeting with new people of other cultures, people usually have a natural tendency to perceive their behavior from the standpoint of their own culture. Misunderstanding of a foreign language, gestures, and other elements of behavior often leads to a false interpretation of the meaning of their actions. Another historical pieces of knowledge I gained from reading Fadiman’s book is that cultural biases have prevented us from connecting with others. In Hmong culture, epilepsy is known as quag dab peg, which means the spirit catches you and you fall down, the title of the book. In the Hmong culture seizures is known to be a good thing. Moreover, Fadiman states that, the Hmong people are distrustful of Western physicians who do nothing, but experiment on their patients. To connect with others, especially the Hmong people. This is evident when Fadiman tells the reader about a Hmong-American student who gave a presentation about fish soup and the Hmong culture. In that presentation, the student gave detailed methods of preparing the fish soup. To Fadiman, the fish soup gives a window to how best understand the Hmong culture. And that to truly understand the Hmong culture, we must understand their history and where they came from.