For the past few days, we have been going over derivatives. They actually have many practical applications. You can track many things through a graph. In order to know what something is doing at any moment, you have to take a derivative of it. The other day, it became more realistic to me that so many applications in science involve calculus. For example, rates of change in data, velocity, etc. can be calculated through using calculus. In fact, with calculus, you can track and graph one’s heart beat with a sine graph!

The other day in class, we took a famous equation: S= .5gt^2+Vo(t)+So. This equation is a way to solve for velocity.

• S=height
• g=force of gravity
• Vo=initial velocity
• So=initial height

The force of gravity for here on earth is -32 ft/sec^2 or (-9.8 m/sec^2). Therefore, you have the force of gravity constant already figured out to use.

If you have information, you can plug it into this formula to figure out many things about the velocity of an object. Using the derivative is all a part of the process of finding the answers to this equation once you have the information.

It is interesting to finally see some light at the end of the tunnel while going through these classes. Although computer software can solve this kind of stuff, it is important to learn the theory behind it. Plus, I guess I will be ready if my computer suddenly decides not to work.

The more I go through more science and math classes, the more I realize that calculus plays a huge role in discovery. Just my epiphany of the day!

(Plasmodium under a microscope.)

The Plasmodium bacteria is a parasitic, unicellular organism that targets and infects the red blood cells on one’s body. From the picture above, the red blood cells that are purple have been infected by the Plasmodium bacteria. A similar bacteria to Plasmodium, which I was able to study, is a bacteria known as Trypanosoma. This harmful bacteria causes African sleeping sickness. There is something neat about studying bacterial slides and samples of parasites that are so deadly.

As I was studying these, I had to become familiar with the different types (domains) of bacteria.

Coccus:

This type of bacteria appears as dots under the microscope.

Diplococcus

Diplococcus bacteria appear to have two spheres joined together.

Streptococcus

Streptococcus is a domain of bacteria that appears as a long chain. This domain of bacteria is a form of pneumonia. One of the bacterium that causes pneumonia is Streptococcus pneumonea.

Staphylococcus

Staphylococcus is a domain of bacteria that appears as clumps. Staphylococcus is a domain of bacteria that is involved in the disease known as MRSA (Staphylococcus aureas). MRSA is known as a type of staph infection because it involves the bacteria Staphylococcus.

Bacillus

Bacillus is known as the “rod shaped” bacteria. A diplobacillus bacteria appears as two of these “rods” joined together.

Streptobacillus

Streptobacillus is a bacteria that appears as multiple “rod” assembled together.

Spirillum

This bacteria has an interesting “chromosomal” shape.

Spirochaete

The Spirochaete bacteria has a distinguishable shape. These are typically chemoheterotrophic (receive nourishment from inorganic compounds).

Vibrio

This is the shape of the bacteria domain Vibrio. It commonly infect the gastrointestinal tracts of humans.

Over the course of a few hours, I was able to gain a better understanding of these prokaryotic bacteria domains. The lab was interesting, and I learned much from it. There is so much information to know about the prokaryotic bacteria. It is truly remarkable how detailed and how well designed they are. Everyday, I learn that God is so much smarter than I already thought He was!

Filed under: Concepts ]]> http://studenttosurgeon.wordpress.com/2012/02/01/prokaryotic-domains-for-bacteria/feed/ 0 bigb94 Plasmodium Coccus Diplococcus Streptococcus Staphylococcus Bacillus Streptobcillus Spirillum Spirochaete Vibrio http://studenttosurgeon.wordpress.com/2012/01/18/how-medicine-is-produced/ http://studenttosurgeon.wordpress.com/2012/01/18/how-medicine-is-produced/#comments Wed, 18 Jan 2012 19:01:19 +0000 Brandon http://studenttosurgeon.wordpress.com/?p=86 ]]> Have you ever wondered what processes are involved in producing medicine? I have certainly wondered. As I was researching, I found this video that was brilliantly created to show how medicine is made from molecules. If you have studied the basic DNA processes, you will notice that as the production dives into the human body, it examines the cellular level of DNA. It produced the DNA sequences of adenine, thymine, guanine, and cytosine very accurately.

I personally thought that it was amazing that it takes over 14 years to produce a drug. Before watching the video, I really had no clue how long it actually takes scientists to develop a drug.

The video briefly mentioned that the scientists target proteins that cause the ailment. In a previous post, I talked about how understanding the folding of proteins can help cure diseases. Many diseases could be eliminated if the protein folding process could be fully comprehended. The reality is that this is process is extremely complicated.

This video production also depicted the structure of DNA very well. It went from a visual standpoint of DNA all the way down to the actual chemistry of DNA. This video definitely helps one understand the process of creating new medicine!

Filed under: Concepts, Uncategorized ]]> http://studenttosurgeon.wordpress.com/2012/01/18/how-medicine-is-produced/feed/ 1 bigb94 http://studenttosurgeon.wordpress.com/2012/01/11/what-is-congestive-heart-failure/ http://studenttosurgeon.wordpress.com/2012/01/11/what-is-congestive-heart-failure/#comments Wed, 11 Jan 2012 10:00:09 +0000 Brandon http://studenttosurgeon.wordpress.com/?p=81 ]]>
Filed under: Concepts, Uncategorized ]]> http://studenttosurgeon.wordpress.com/2012/01/11/what-is-congestive-heart-failure/feed/ 0 bigb94 http://studenttosurgeon.wordpress.com/2012/01/09/how-understanding-the-folding-of-proteins-can-be-beneficial-for-curing-diseases/ http://studenttosurgeon.wordpress.com/2012/01/09/how-understanding-the-folding-of-proteins-can-be-beneficial-for-curing-diseases/#comments Mon, 09 Jan 2012 05:00:43 +0000 Brandon http://studenttosurgeon.wordpress.com/?p=51 ]]> Proteins are considered to be the building blocks for most of the cell structures in an organism. Their main purposes are to act as enzymes to carry on chemical reactions and to help fight against bacteria by transportation of materials. Proteins are simply a bunch of amino acids linked together by peptide bonds. The proteins that exist in an organism also provide energy.

Understanding the processes of a protein is important in comprehending many of the other events that occur in our bodies.  Something that is extremely important to note is the folding of a protein. This folding process, which occurs during the life of a protein, is important because it “makes or breaks” the protein. If the protein does not fold properly, it can become useless. More importantly, it could become something deadly to the human body. This event is what causes many serious diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease.

The folding process of a protein is complicated, but it can be understood. Scientists have discovered the major processes in which a protein undergoes during its folding. Chaperonins are proteins which help the other proteins to fold correctly. These proteins are barrel-shaped which have ring-shaped compartments on top. The chaperonin pulls the other protein into this compartment to begin the folding process. The protein is believed to fold when the chaperonin releases the protein and a chemical process occurs. This chemical process is believed to shape and fold the protein into its desired form. Because research is still being conducted, the exact method in which a protein folds is not yet determined.Researchers have found that the eight binding sites along the walls of the chaperonin’s chamber for the prokaryotic protein TRiC, helps in the folding process. Within these sites, there is what they call a loop. The team of scientists decided to mutate the loops within the eight binding sites to see if the protein changed at all. When the loops were closed, the protein did not fold. This clearly shows that the loops within the binding sites conduct chemical or physical processes that causes the protein to fold. Obviously this experiment was with prokaryotic proteins. The true test is to find out what happens to eukaryotic proteins. The chaperonin’s binding sites and loops are different in these cells.

Understanding how a protein folds is important in finding cures for diseases. If you can find exactly where and how the protein folds, you can begin to find a cure for the disease that is caused by the incorrect folding of the protein. If the cause of the unfolding (or incorrect folding) can be determined, the disease can be cured. Also, when and where the protein unfolds or improperly folds needs to be determined in order to cure the diseases that have affected many.

Hopefully, these processes can begin to be discovered more intensely. I believe that when these processes are discovered and understood, the medical field will begin to find cures for many diseases that affect so many individuals. I believe that this understanding will come very soon!

When normal cells divide, they obey the “rules” of cell division. In normal cells, growth stops when the cells begin to start to touch one another. This is commonly known as density-dependent inhibition. Cells also must be able to attach to a surface (anchorage dependence). This attatchment allows the necessary proteins and the cytoskeleton of the cell to continue in cell division. Cancer cells, however, completely ignore these “rules”. Instead, the continue dividing until they start building upon each other. When the cells keep replicating, it causes a tumor to form.

Here is a cool video that demonstrates the cause of cancer:

The Effects of Birth Order on Personality

It is evident that everyone has different personality characteristics and ambitions. Although most can notice a common personality connection between individuals of the same birth order, many respected researchers have confirmed the direct correlations between one’s birth order and personality traits. For example, first-borns are often known for being logical, ambitious, perfectionists, and are characterized by being natural leaders. Middle children, however, have been shown to possess characteristics completely opposite of the firstborn in the family. Generally, the middle child is noted to be shy, rebellious, and diplomatic. Although these characteristics hold true in some middle children, studies have shown that middle children can also be extroverted. The lastborns in the family are usually known for being idealists, adventurous, and humorous. Another type of individual is the only child. These individuals are typically more mature, responsible, and self-centered. Although studies and observations from researchers have shown the positive correlations between one’s birth order and personality to confirm their observations, there are a lot more factors that determine an individual’s personality. To simply conclude that all middle children are going to be rebellious would not be an accurate statement. Even though birth order largely contributes to personality, it is the environmental factors that actually determine one’s life.

 First Born Characteristics

As experts have begun to study more in depth into the psychology of birth order, they have begun to understand that environmental factors play more important roles than the order of birth in determining one’s characteristics. For example, the first born child is typically known to be more responsible. Often possessing ambitious character traits, first born children are usually natural born leaders. In fact, it has been recorded that “twenty-one of the first twenty-three astronauts were first-borns” (Hartshorne). In a Norwegian study, researchers showed that the first born individual generally had an average of a three IQ point advantage over the next sibling (Kluger). This three IQ point difference can be properly contributed to the amount of time parents were able to invest in the child. The more instructive times a child has with his parents, the more he will develop his intellect and logic. “According to a study by Brigham Young University economics professor, Joseph Price, first-borns receive roughly three thousand more hours of quality time from their parents compared to their later siblings…” (Corrigan). It only makes sense that the first born has an average of three IQ points higher than the next sibling because the first born has more time with the parents during the early stages of life. Jeffrey Kluger, senior writer for TIME, mentions that “just 2.3 IQ points can correlate to a 15-point difference in sat scores…” (Kluger). For this reason, first-borns are more likely to be accepted into prestigious schools and are more likely to choose careers in law, medicine, or business. It has also been recorded that more than half of the Presidents of the United States have been first-borns (Corrigan). This statistic strongly shows that first-borns are more logical and ambitious because their environment has helped to develop these characteristics from a young age.

Middle Child Characteristics

Although the middle child has often been labeled as the withdrawn or mysterious child, it is often difficult to determine the personality of a middle child because there are numerous ways in which the personalities can be affected. For the most part, middle children are going to be the complete opposite of the first-born’s personality. This occurs often because the middle child has to find a different method of receiving attention than the first born sibling. The middle child is often credited to being the neglected or rebellious child. The typical middle child is often attention seeking and diplomatic. Dalton Conley, author of “The Pecking Order”, says that the middle child is “five times more likely to be held back a grade” (qtd. in Stossel). Although this statistic holds true in most cases, the middle child’s personality all depends on the relationship with the parents. Dalton Conley mentions that middle children need “time when they’re not being compared, at least in their own heads, to their older, or to their younger siblings. Time where they can get the individual attention from their parents” (qtd. in Stossel). Because middle children often compare themselves to their older siblings, they have been found to commonly choose career paths in sales, advertising, or management (Murphy).

Last Born Characteristics

Although personalities fluctuate depending on the environment, the last-born children tend to be the most predictable because the correlations are strong. Last-born individuals are often characterized by taking risks and being adventurous. This occurs fairly often because the parents are usually relaxed about parenting by the time they have the last child. Also, the last-borns are typically more agreeable and less likely to provoke others (Kienlen). In a Midwestern University study, one-hundred nineteen undergraduates majoring in various fields were interviewed on their personalities and career pursuits. The results of the study yielded that “only children and first-born children tended to have more cognitive and analytical interests, while later-borns were more artistic and oriented to the outdoors” (ScienceDaily). Generally, last-borns are innovators because they are creative. Some famous last-borns such as Mark Twain, a great American novelist, and Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft, prove the creative side of the last-born. Because of their creativity and artistic tendencies, last-borns tend to choose careers in music, art, or sales (Murphy).

Only Child Characteristics

One interesting type of child in the study of the psychology of birth order is the only child. Known for having an extreme personality, only children are often called the “first-borns in triplicate” because they can take on the similar personalities of the main three types of individuals (Murphy). Although only children can take on the personality of any of the three types of individuals, they commonly show similar characteristics of the first born children. Only children are commonly known for being mature, responsible, self-centered, and perfectionists. Because only children never have siblings to grow up with, they are more comfortable around older individuals (Murphy). Although only children may differ slightly from first-borns, they commonly choose the same career paths. “In two related studies, researchers at Ohio State University, Columbus, found that only children–and to a certain extent first-borns–were more interested in intellectual, cognitive pursuits…” (USA Today).

Should The Studies Be Taken Seriously?

It is evident in years of research by well respected professionals that birth order has a major influence on one’s personality. A problem that could arise from birth order is that individuals take it whole-heartedly. For instance, if a couple was expecting their first child, it would not be correct to automatically assume that the child will have common first born characteristics. The characteristics develop because of the environment. For example, Robin Williams is not the typical middle child. It is common for the middle child to choose careers in sales, advertising, or management (Murphy). Robin Williams, on the contrary, chose a career in comedy and acting. These careers have been found to be linked commonly with last-borns. Dalton Conley says, “birth order makes as much sense as astrology, which is almost none” (qtd. in Stossel). Just because birth order has a major impact on one’s personality characteristics does not mean that it always applies to every individual in the same way. Birth order can also affect genders differently. For example, the middle child is often seen as the forgotten or neglected one, but if the middle child is a female surrounded by male siblings, she will most likely not take on the characteristics of the rebellious middle child because she probably receives more attention from her parents than the average middle child. Another instance in which birth order effects can be changed is the age gap between each sibling. “Researchers have found that an age gap of more than three years cancels out birth order effects” (Elkrull). For this reason, it is common to notice the same personalities in siblings that are spread out in age.

Although the psychology of birth order is an intricate subject, knowing the factors that contribute to one’s personality and life choices may be beneficial. Even though research has found a trend in first-borns to be ambitious and logical, it does not conclude that a first-born will manifest those particular characteristics. Although the middle child is commonly stereotyped by being characterized by rebellion and withdrawal from the family, it is evident that middle children do not always take on the common characteristics of middle children. The same aspect applies to the last-born child. Commonly observed to be adventurous and creative, last-borns can possess characteristics similar to first-borns. The only child can also take on the characteristics of any of the three main types of personalities. As studies have shown, there are a few factors that could change the effects of birth order: gender and age. For this reason, researchers have invested countless hours of studying the psychology of birth order to find the conclusion: the environment. Although birth order has a major impact on one’s life, it is the environment that determines the outcomes of an individual.

Research paper written by Brandon Gilliland. All rights reserved.

For example, if we have to much acid in a certain part of our body, the buffer will release hydroxide ions to balance out the acidity. One of the buffers that is amazing is a bicarbonate buffer. This buffer helps the human body maintain an average pH level of 7.4. The molecular formula for the bicarbonate buffer is HCO3-. I know this might seem basic, but it is really interesting to see how God designed everything in the human body chemically. If you were to just study the major chemicals that exists in the human body and what their functions are, you will be blown away. I will probably write on a few of these in future posts!

You might be asking right now how the bicarbonate buffer actually works to maintain the body’s pH level of 7.4? Well, the breakdown on paper is pretty simple, but the actually process is truly amazing! If our body has too much acidity, the bicarbonate chemical will go to work to absorb as many hydrogen (H+) ions as it can to be able to balance it out. When it absorbs hydrogen ions, the bicarbonate ion creates an acid known as carbonic acid (H2CO3-). This acid breaks down into water and carbon dioxide. This process occurs quite frequently. Especially after you work hard. From playing sports, you can build up too much acid in your body. This is when the bicarbonate ion buffer comes in to do its work.

Something to recognize is that these buffers must maintain homeostasis in the body. What happens if our body has too much alkalinity? This is when the buffer goes to work. It does not just relieve the body of acidity, but it also relieves it of alkalinity. Since we are talking about just one buffer in this post, the bicarbonate buffer, let’s look at how the buffer responds when too much alkalinity enters the body.

When we have too much alkalinity in our body (can result from too much water, medicine, etc.), the bicarbonate buffer goes to work. What happens is the buffer attaches one of its hydrogen protons to the base. This positive and negative charge coming together causes the compound to neutralize; therefore, the bicarbonate buffer strictly becomes a carbonate ion (CO3-).

Because God designed our body to be consisted of alkalinity and some of our major organs are designed to function more acidic, buffers must be working properly. It is an amazing system that God has designed! The bicarbonate buffer is just one of many that exist in the human body.