kwarny's blog

From pure trimyristin, which was obtained from extraction, recrystallization and hydrolysis of nutmeg, myristic acid was synthesized in this lab. The yield of myristic acid is 34.5%.

    Recrystallization of trimyristin was processed twice and each melting point was recorded and observed. The tert-butyl methyl ether (3 mL) and nutmeg (1.000 g) were dissolved to obtain crude trimyristin that resulted in a 57.8% recovery yield (0.578 g). A 30.2% recovery yield, based on the original amount of nutmeg, was obtained from the trimyristin after the first recrystallization. The melting point of the first recrystallization was 53-54 ℃, which is 2℃ under the theoretical melting point. We can conclude from this that the product was relatively pure. A sample of trimyristin from the first recrystallization (0.167 g) was dissolved in a minimal amount of acetone in the second recrystallization in attempt to obtain a more pure product. A 49.1% recovery yield was obtained from the second recrystallization. The melting point recorded was 54-55℃, which is only 1℃ below the theoretical melting point and shows that the second recrystallized product is relatively pure.

To a 10 mL round bottom flask, tert-butyl methyl ether (TBME) (3mL) and nutmeg (1.000 g) were added in addition to boiling chips. For ten minutes, the solution was refluxed. The solution was filtered into a tared 25 mL Erlenmeyer flask after the solution had settled. To the round bottom flask, TBME (2 mL) was added and briefly refluxed and then filtered as before. Air was passed over the solution to evaporate the solvent. The crude product (0.578 g) and acetone (7 mL) were added in a 25 mL Erlenmeyer flask to recrystalize. After cooling in an ice bath, the crystals were dried and obtained via suction filtration and were rinsed with cold acetone (~1 mL). A small portion was set aside for the melting point. Trimyristin (0.60 g). 6 M NaOH (2 mL), ethanol (2 mL), and boiling chips were added to clean round bottom flask and refluxed for 45 minutes. The remaining trimyristin was then recrystallized for the second time and was cooled at room temperature for 10 minutes before cooling on ice for an additional 10 minutes. After 45 minutes of hydrolysis, the contents were poured into a clean 50 mL beaker that contained 8 mL of water and 2 mL of concentrated HCl, which was added dropwise. After all the contents were well stirred in the beaker, the solid was collected via suction filtration. The product was rinsed three times with 1 mL water and then allowed to dry overnight.

The documentary focuses on how homo sapiens were able to adapt to multiple environments in various locations without becoming extinct. They had incredible features to withstand harsh climates and tough living conditions and eventually pass their genes to future generations. Our earliest ancestors lived in hot, dry climates in Africa while later on, others lived in isolated freezing temperatures up to -40 ℉. Moreover, certain groups of homo sapiens adapted to live in dry lands with little access to water while others lived by the ocean and depended on sea animals for survival. Homo sapiens acquired valuable skills to allow the creation of sophisticated tools for hunting and consumption of nutrient rich foods, which together expanded the capacities of the brain. Over time, human brains expanded and become capable of performing more complex tasks. The findings of Lucy show how much smaller our brains were when the species first appeared. Paleontologists and archaeologists from around the world have found groundbreaking evidence through fossils and genetic DNA sequencing to find that there are overlapping similarities between the different groups such as Denisovans, Neanderthals, and Homo Sapiens.

Between the moving from the crude product to the recrystallized product, there is a 50% loss product. This could potentially be improved because it shows that product was lost during the recrystallization process. Acetone as a solvent could be used to increase the percent yield. A solvent that has a higher boiling point would allow the product more time to cool and more time to recrystalize. Ethanol has an even higher boiling point than acetone and could also be used as a better solvent for recrystallization.

Lithium aluminum hydride (LiAlH4) was not used as a reducing agent because it reacts too violently with the benzoin. For this experiment, changing the reducing agent from NaBH4 to LiAlH4 would not have caused an increase in the amount of conserved product. The use of NaBH4 showed that benzoin was completely reduced. Spot (C) on the TLC plates shows that there is a separation between the starting material and the product, therefore the starting material is not the same as the product. A more polar product is shown due to the differences in the Rf values, which confirms that the product is 1,2-diphenylethane-1,2 diol because the mechanism shows that the starting material is less polar than the product. After the benzoin is reduced, the hydrochloric acid protonated the oxygen ion. Adding more hydrochloric acid to the solution could make it so that the oxygen ion is more efficiently pronated, which would yield a higher product yield.

In addition, a survey calculated by the American College Health Association “found a significant increase- to 62 percent in 2016 from 50 percent in 2011- of undergraduates reporting “overwhelming anxiety” in the previous year” (Denizet-Lewis, 2017). More research conducted by the Higher Education Research Institute at U.C.L.A. asked incoming freshman if they “felt overwhelmed by all [they] had to do” during their recent year at college. They found that “in 1985, 18 percent said they did. By 2010, that number had increased to 29 percent. Last year, it surged to 41 percent” (Denizet-Lewis, 2017). Evidently, more college students all over America are experiencing more stress and as a result are more prone to developing disorders such as anxiety and depression. Academic demands from colleges are increasing and competition of acception rates are also increasing.

Over the past few years, the concern of mental health in teenagers has been on the rise in the United States. Research and studies are publishing astonishing results that show the increase in depression and anxiety in young adults. A recent article published in The New York Times, “Why Are More American Teenagers Than Ever Suffering From Severe Anxiety”, states that more college students are seeking help at counseling services due to anxiety more so than depression. Another research by the Association for University and College Counseling Center Directors reports that “more than half of the college students who visited their campus counseling centers during the 2015-2016 academic year reported symptoms of anxiety” (Tate, 2017). According to The National Institute of Mental Health, “anxiety is the most common mental-health disorder in the United States, affecting nearly one-third of both adolescents and adults” (Denizet-Lewis, 2017). Recently, anxiety in teenagers has been overlooked and perceived as somewhat normal from schools and parents to experience stress to a certain degree. However, the cases are quickly increasing and more attention must be brought to control and tame this health crisis.

The documentary focuses on how homo sapiens were able to adapt to different environment in various parts of the world without becoming extinct. They had incredible features that could withstand harsh climates and tough ways of living but yet the genes were still passed on from generation to generation. Our earliest ancestors lived in hot, dry climates in Africa while later others lived in isolated freezing temperatures up to -40 degrees. Moreover, certain groups of homo sapiens were adapted to live in dry lands with little access to water while others lived by the ocean and depended on sea animals for survival. Homo sapiens acquired several skills that allowed them to create sophisticated tools for hunting and consumed nutrient rich foods which together expanded the capacities of the brain. Over time, our brains expanded and become capable of performing more complex tasks. The findings of Lucy show how much smaller our brains were when the species first appeared. Paleontologists and archaeologists from around the world have found groundbreaking evidence through fossils and genetic DNA sequencing to find that there are overlapping similarities between the different groups such as Denisovans, Neanderthals, and Homo Sapiens.

Karyotyping is a representation of chromosomes captured at metaphase during meiosis or mitosis. When the chromosomes reach the metaphase phase, the division is halted and then the chromosomes are arranged by size into a karyotype. Several kinds of banding exists including, G-banding, Q-banding, C-banding, and R-banding. G-banding dyes heterochromatin in the chromosomes, Q-banding finds areas rich in A-T vs. G-T and dyes them to identify the homologous chromosomes. C-banding dyes centromeric heterochromatin and R-banding is the reverse of G-banding . With today’s modern technology, softwares can analyze the banding types once it is dyed and arrange them. Moreover, DNA in the nucleus are found in two forms, heterochromatin and euchromatin. Heterochromatin is tightly packed DNA material, whereas euchromatin is loosely packed chromosomes that become active during transcription. Many of these features can be visible with karyotyping method.

One of the greatest aspects of genetics is that it relates to every single person. To spread genetic literacy at Umass Amherst, I would organize a ‘DNA Day’. My goal would be to teach students some fundamental basics of genetics which they could relate to personally in order to optimize their interest. 3D models of the double helix and chromosomes would be made for students to physically hold and visualize from all aspects. I would also explain modern day uses of genetics such as DNA sequencing to demonstrate how these revolutionary tests have allowed scientists to provide evidence for ancient evolutionary relationships to mammals today. I would envision to organize more than one ‘DNA Day’ at Umass over time with a different topic each time so that students can choose to attend a variety of events that interest them. Other topics that I think would interest students and most importantly catch their attention for are gene editing, cancer genetics, and evolutionary genetics.