Drafts

To a round-bottom flask placed in a 30mL beaker was added cyclohexanol (2.0 g, 0.02 mol) with 85% phosphoric acid (0.5mL). The solution was heated using a sand bath and distilled using a fractional distillation apparatus. Upon completion of fractional distillation, the solution was washed with water (1-2mL) and saturated aqueous sodium chloride (1-2mL). After washing solution, the organic layer was transferred to a clean vial and CaCl2 spheres were added. The vial was capped and the contents gently. The product of cyclohexene was allowed to dry for 5 minutes and a yield was obtained of (0.562g, 28.1%). Chemical tests were performed of the cyclohexene product. A 3% solution of bromine in dichloromethane added dropwise to cyclohexene solution (0.5mL). Separately, a 1% solution of potassium permanganate was added dropwise to cyclohexene solution (0.3mL). A gas chromatography and IR spectrometry were preformed to determine purity and properties of obtained product.

The job seminar was very interesting, it was about how they could change the spindles and what possible applications they could have. One drawback to the seminar was that there were some technical difficulties so Professor Gatlin was unable to talk for the entire time. He began the seminar by giving an overview of cells and microtubules. One of the most interesting points that he brought up was that cell structures scale along with the size of the cell, similar to how organs scale inside different species of animals. His lab had an experiment where they controlled the size of the droplets of cell extract, and they found that the spindle size correlated with the width of the droplet. He then described the future uses of his research. He proposed that he can develop layered hydrogels in order to measure the forces that are exerted by the microtubules.

I would recommend that the biology department hires Professor Gatlin. I find it very interesting that he is from a mechanical engineering background. It gives him a different perspective on how the mechanical processes of the cell transpire. He made the seminar entertaining, because he was a pretty funny guy. His power point contained many videos and animations that really helped him get his point across. I would love to have a class with him as a teacher.

Plants can grow in all types of environments and there are many factors that can contribute to their survival. Understanding how these environmental factors influence the health and diversity of different species is critical to many fields like landscaping, farming, and conservation. This research project could provide information that could help people know what species of low living plant species could thrive in certain locations of land. For example, we could find out what species that should be included in grass seed that would provide a more resistant turf in a sunny backyard with little foot traffic, or a shady plot of grass right next to a busy roadway.

German Shepherds should be the dog breed that is saved. German Shepherds are the most logical of the dog breeds to save, because of their wide variety of uses. German Shepherds can be used as police dogs, guard dogs, hunting dogs, guide dogs, and even acting dogs. This array of potential jobs would allow service dogs to still be available when other dogs go extinct. The German Shepherds could also be used to breed other breeds and try and diversify the pool of dog breeds again.

German Shepherds are an adorable species, ranging in a tan and black mix to a fully black coat. There are countless images on the internet of German Shepherd puppies tilting their heads to try and understand their owners. They are an extremely intelligent and obedient dog, which is just one of the reasons they should be the species that is saved.

An inhibitor we would use to target TLR3 is (R)-2-(3-chloro-6-fluorobenzo[b]thiophene-2-carboxamido)-3-phenylpropanoic acid (4a) a compound known as 4a. It is an antagonist to TLR3 signaling and is also known to inhibit the expression of downstream signaling pathways assisted by the TLR3/dsRNA complex. This compound is able to inhibit TLR3 signaling and does not affect other types of TLRs which illustrates its highly selectivity characteristic. It also holds the property of being low cytotoxicity. In order to further emphasize that it directly binds to TLR3, a fluorescence anisotropy assay demonstrated that it competes with dsRNA, which we know is involved in activating TLRs.

The equilibrium is driven towards the product by removing some of the product and permitting it to condense and remain in the side arm of the distillation head, throughout the reaction time. The collected water separates from the desired n-propyl propanoate product in the side arm which when tipped back into the RB flask, the water layer remains and the n-propyl propanoate is back in the flask. In addition, for this experiment sulfuric acid serves as a catalyst which goes into the reaction the same way it came out. This strong acid speeds up the reaction towards equilibrium because it is a fast proton source for the oxygen carbonyl to pick up. It eventually gains back its proton from a protonated oxygen to prove itself as a catalyst. 

There are numerous intricate processes involved in the determination and evolution of
male guppy coloration. Since guppies exhibit sexual dimorphism, sexual selection is likely a
prominent factor in varying levels of male showiness. The more ornate a guppy is, the more
likely it is to obtain a mate, reproduce, and pass on its genes. However, theses elaborate colors
also pose a threat to survival, as they attract predators. Therefore, the varying environments and
substrates will affect survival, because certain environments will provide more protection and
hiding spots from predators. Several hypotheses for varying levels of male showiness are:
1. When predators are present, the type of substrate will affect survival, resulting in a
change in spot brightness over time.
2. As predation increases, male guppy spot brightness will decrease, because higher spot
brightness attracts predators.
3. In the absence of predation, and at low predations levels, spot brightness will increase
due to sexual selection.

Photosynthesis is an essential reaction in order for sustainable life. The products of the essential reaction include oxygen and glucose. Besides the obvious benefits in the production of glucose and oxygen these products prove to have many important functions within the cell. The glucose produced from the reaction is converted into storable starch. This starch can then enter the plasma membrane where it interacts with the cellulose synthesis complex. The product of this interaction is cellulose, the most prominent and strongest component of the cell wall. Considering that cellulose is the most prominent component of the cell wall and is present in the majority of plants in the world many scientists consider it one of the most abundant organic compound on earth. Cellulose is also a large source of fiber in the average humans diet.

            Setting up sand bath is the first thing to do, turning it up to about 30 but not higher. Weigh and take about ground nutmeg (1g). Then use a round-bottomed flask and with the help of a funnel, transfer the nutmeg over into the flask. Add tert-butyl methyl ether (3 mL) and add a few boiling chips. Use plastic connector then distillate using air condenser. Use the small three-pronged clamp to help assist. Allow the mixture to boil very gently and the mixture with nutmeg will boil violently. Make sure it doesn’t bump out of the flask.  Heat it for about 10 minutes then remove from the heat and let it sit to cool down. Micro-scale filtration needs to be done after using a tiny plug of cotton in a glass pipet. Also, use a clean and dry Erlenmeyer flask (25 mL) Once it is all done, remove the condenser, tip the round-bottomed flask and transfer it over to the top of the filtration apparatus. Let gravity take care of the rest, but when it becomes slower, gently squeeze to apply pressure to complete the filtration. After repeating to get everything transferred out, add fresh tert-butyl methyl ether (2 mL) and do the same steps. That is called rinsing. It will help ensure that no trimyristin is left behind. Use gentle stream of air over the solution so all the solvent will evaporate. Yellowish solid should now remain. This is the crude trimyristin. Raise the sand bath to 30 again and recrystallize trimyristin. Crude trimyristin should be air dried for another 5 minutes. Then add acetone (1 mL) per crude (50 mg). Crystals should now start forming, but if it is not then scratch the inside surface a bit with glass stirring rod. Use ice water bath and let it sit for 15 minutes. Collect crystals now by vacuum filtration. Cover the crystals with ice-cold acetone (1 mL) and allow air to pass over the crystals. Hydrolysis now must happen using trimyristin (60 mg) and use new clean RB flask. Add 6 M sodium hydroxide (2 mL) and 95% ethanol (2 mL). Use boiling chips once again and put it on the sand bath for 45 minutes. During hydrolysis time, recrystallize the remaining trimyristin a second time but do it with room temperature for 10 minutes. Collect the MP and weight.  After 45 minutes passes by, allow the flask to cool to room temperature and put it in a beaker with water (8 mL). Then carefully drop hydrogen chloride (2 mL), myristic acid should disappear by precipitation. Cool the beaker after for 10 minutes and stir it. Filtration happens and crystals starts to show. Let it dry overnight and weigh it and take MP (also the % yield).

For the Endospore Formation Lab, I hypothesized that the endospores observed under the phase contrast microscope would have fewer colonies and less variety after pasteurization. These results are expected because endospores can withstand excessive heat, giving them a competitive advantage over bacteria that can hardly form endospores, thus killing the vegetative cells. As the formation of a rich nutrient environment will allow bacteria to grow, once the process of pasteurization occurs the bacteria that have not formed endospores will die and the bacteria that have formed endospores will prosper.