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Submitted by mglater on Wed, 03/07/2018 - 16:16

Along with discovering new genes, the experiment also identified Shh affecting transcription of other already known genes. These genes were divided into categories of positively regulated and negatively regulated. Multiple genes in each category were grouped together based off of common effects on development. One group of genes found to be positively regulated by Shh was follistatin and follistatin-like2. These genes are known to work on the Bone Morphogenic Protein (BMP) pathway. The fact that increased levels of Shh also increase the levels of these two proteins provides a link between Shh and BMP. It had been previously shown that BMP signalling had an effect on Hh signalling, but this experiment is the first evidence of Shh regulating follistatin. Other groups of genes were found which suggest Hh plays a role in development of different neural areas in the brain, modify expression in specific locations, and interact with other signalling pathways such as the iroquois (irx) genes.

 

Draft 3

Submitted by cfellrath on Wed, 03/07/2018 - 16:14

The answer is Irreversible. This is known because the question says that once the acetyl group is added there is no enzyme to remove it. This means that one the product is created that reactant cannot be formed. Therefore only the irreversible enzyme would fit this description. A reversible enzyme would allow for the acetyl group to be removed.

Draft 2

Submitted by cfellrath on Wed, 03/07/2018 - 16:14

The information you need to know to answer this question is the difference between irreversible and reversible enzymes. Irreversible inhibitors are unidirectional only making products. Once product are made the reaction cannot go backwards and make reactants. Reversible enzymes are bidirectional where reactants can become products ad products can transform into reactants.

Draft 1

Submitted by cfellrath on Wed, 03/07/2018 - 16:13

I took Statistics 240 during Fall 2016 in my sophomore year of college at University of Massachusetts, Amherst. I remember only a minimal amount of material from the course since I took it almost three semesters ago. I do remember the main topics such as standard deviation, standard error, variance, probability, and a few other her topics.

Week 7 Draft 3

Submitted by jngomez on Wed, 03/07/2018 - 15:48

From project one we learned that lung adenocarcinoma is a type of cancer that could lead to be metastatic. This occurs when lung cancer cells break away from a tumor and travel to other parts of the body through the blood or lymph system. The central idea is that the cancer cells are now thriving in a new place and multiplying. It is affecting other organs that are near the site of where the cancer was first found and formed. Some of the sites known to be affected by lung cancer is the liver, bone, brain, and other organs. Our route and plan of treatment has not yet been established however, we have been doing research on sime areas to explore and look into. So far out team has found a variety of sites that give us insights in what way to take our project. 

Evolutionary Significance of Olfactory Lateralization

Submitted by malberigi on Wed, 03/07/2018 - 15:45

We learned in class about how scout honeybees search for food and confer information regarding direction and distance to the rest of the colony.  Olfactory lateralization might allow for worker bees to better imitate the directions of the scout bees because certain olfactory cues to where the food can be found are more easily imitated when all bees have the same levels of lateralized olfaction.  Bees are social animals and in order to pass off information from one individual to another, similar lateralization of senses and brain function must play a role in understanding that information.

Biology Hero

Submitted by lgorman on Wed, 03/07/2018 - 13:45

Sandra Peterson also does research, mostly about brain signals that influence ovulation. Research in her lab focuses on three main things, one of which being the molecular and cellular mechanisms that underlie the brain signals that control ovulation. When ovary follicles mature, they begin to release estradiol. This release of estradiol triggers signals that activate hormone neurons, which then activates the release of luteinizing hormone from the pituitary gland. In order to trigger the signals, the estradiol targets specialized neurons called GABA/Glutamate neurons. The luteinizing hormone is what actually triggers ovulation. In her lab, they are currently researching how estradiol and daily signals work together to change the rates of GABA in vivo and in vitro.

Her lab also researches the developmental mechanisms responsible for sex differences in the brain that cause ovulation. The differences in the brains that are most visible can be seen with the GABA/Glutamate neurons. Her team’s work suggests that female brains have twice as many GABA/Glutamate neurons than male brains. They also discovered that exposing the GABA/Glu neurons to testosterone around birth reduces the ability the release the luteinizing hormones. Lastly, her lab focuses on how environmental contaminants can interfere with the the development of the brain region that controls the release of gonadotropins. The main contaminant that her lab focuses on is dioxins. Dioxins are very strong environmental pollutants that come from manufacturing processes. They recently found that dioxins can bind to the GABA/Glutamate neurons and cause males to retain the female neuroanatomy.

 

Stroop Test - Gait Lab

Submitted by ameserole on Wed, 03/07/2018 - 13:38

The Stroop Test is a way to measure selective concentration as well as reaction time. It requires finding a baseline reading of how quickly you can do a simple task, and then requires you to do a similar task but while ignoring certain stimuli. Exercise improved reaction time in both cases. I believe this is because an elevated heart rate leads to a higher level of alertness, which leads to an improved reaction time. Biologically this makes sense as an elevated heart rate would often coincide with important, possibly dangerous situations where higher alertness would be beneficial.

Case 1: Autonomy pt 1

Submitted by liamharvey on Wed, 03/07/2018 - 07:43

A man is discovered unconscious outside a Miami hospital and in deteriorating condition. When brought to the emergency room, doctors remove the man’s shirt to resuscitate him, only to find a tattoo on his chest that reads “Do Not Resuscitate”.  The man was found with no identification on him and no family or friends with him; there was no way to tell if his tattoo expressed his true wishes. The doctors discovered the patient had an infection that led to septic shock, which causes organ failure and extremely low blood pressure. The doctors had to decide soon as the patient would die, but how could they know if the tattoo really showed the patients wishes? What if the tattoo was very old and the patient hadn’t had the chance to remove it? The doctors decided initially to give the man a breathing mask, but before putting the man on any kind of life support the doctors spoke to an ethics consultant.

Results 3

Submitted by sworkman on Wed, 03/07/2018 - 00:58

The methods section also did not specify certain details which led to differences in the panels. The exact angle of the photograph was not in the methods which is likely the cause for the different frames for the pictures; more plants to the side and seeing the ground are included because of this. The format for the panels was not specified so the letters were in different locations and different sizes, the panels were in a different order and the spacing between panels were different. The equipment used was not specified so the pictures could have different coloring from different cameras used and the ruler was not the same. The only thing specified about the map was that it was done on inkscape; the differences in map outline chosen, different red shading and red box used as a key in Fig. 1 were not in the methods. And the label in Figure 2 panel A seems to not belong to that map, possibly from the template used from the other students map.

 

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