Video Review Two: NUCLEOTIDES

This is one of the many videos created by a “youtuber” named of College Level Biochemistry: aaronsbiochemvideos. His videos are very much helpful and filled with animation and materials related to our course outline for Biol 1362. He utilizes the reccommended textbook LEHNINGER PRINICPLES OF BIOCHEMISTRY 5th Ed, and uses most of the diagrams and chart in the text in his videos making it easy for one to follow provide that they have a textbook.

Please check the link below and Goodluck…Happy Studying 😀

http://www.youtube.com/user/aaronsbiochemvideos?feature=watch

Publish Paper #2: Can Brown adipose tissue regulate glucose homeostasis and insulin sensitivity???

Brown adipose tissue (BAT) is known for its capacity to generate heat in response to cold or diet to maintain thermal balance. The regulated production of heat is called adaptive thermogenesis. BAT is the main tissue for this adaptive thermogenesis in rodents and most likely in human infants.

Cold-stimulated adaptive thermogenesis in brown adipose tissue (BAT) to increase energy expenditure is suggested as a possible therapeutic target for the treatment of obesity. Scientist have recently shown high prevalence of BAT in adult humans, which was inversely related to body mass index (BMI) and body fat percentage (BF%), suggesting that obesity is associated with lower BAT activity.

(http://themedicalbiochemistrypage.org/images/brownfatheat.jpg)

(http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v458/n7240/images/458839a-f1.2.jpg)

Brown adipose tissue (BAT) is known to function in the dissipation of chemical energy in response to cold or excess feeding, and also has the capacity to modulate energy balance. To test the hypothesis that BAT is fundamental to the regulation of glucose homeostasis, highly qualified scientist transplanted BAT from male donor mice into the visceral cavity of age- and sex-matched recipient mice. By 8–12 weeks following transplantation, the recipient mice had improved glucose tolerance, increased insulin sensitivity, lower body weight, decreased fat mass, and a complete reversal of high-fat diet–induced insulin resistance. Increasing the quantity of BAT transplanted into recipient mice further improved the metabolic effects of transplantation. BAT transplantation increased insulin-stimulated glucose uptake in vivo into endogenous BAT, white adipose tissue (WAT), and heart muscle but, surprisingly, not skeletal muscle. The improved metabolic profile was lost when the BAT used for transplantation was obtained from IL6–knockout mice, demonstrating that BAT-derived IL-6 is required for the profound effects of BAT transplantation on glucose homeostasis and insulin sensitivity. These findings reveal a previously under-appreciated role for BAT in glucose metabolism.

A MicroPET Study Of Brown Adipose Tissue

Imaging(from left to right):control,obesity,and treatment group

(http://www.wmicmeeting.org/2010/Abstracts/forSystemUse/papers/images/0125_A.jpg)

REFERENCES

http://www.jci.org/articles/view/62308

RESEARCH ARTICLE

Stanford, Kristin I. , Roeland J.W. Middelbeek, Kristy L. Townsend, Ding An, Eva B. Nygaard, Kristen M. Hitchcox, Kathleen R. Markan, Kazuhiro Nakano, Michael F. Hirshman, Yu-Hua Tseng and Laurie J. Goodyear. Brown adipose tissue regulates glucose homeostasis and insulin sensitivity. Section on Integrative Physiology and Metabolism, Joslin Diabetes Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Volume 123, Issue 1 (January 2, 2013). Accessed 12th April, 2013. http://www.jci.org/articles/view/62308

Open Book Exam…Really???

How does one really have an ‘open book’ exam at the University level…well the name does not say it all unfortunately…there’s a catch!!! Obviously there were rules you had to obey… So I here I go…You we allowed to carry a half letter-size sheet with notes on any topic to aid in answering the questions in the exam. Seems only fair Right??? While many took this opportunity to carry notes…..others, like myself walked into the exam with nothing but a pen…Did I have any regrets? It’s 50/50, maybe if I had notes I would answered the questions in the alotted time but, looking for notes on the small sheet may have been time consuming as well…knowing my hand-writing.

The exam was manageable to say the least…it did in fact cover all the topics throught the seimester and also gave me a good idea of what to expect in the final exam.

However I was really disappointed with the time giving to do this exam. Repeaters and New Students were placed in separate classrooms for this exam. I believe that invigilators should learn to speak to the students….like really…you’re supervising a classroom of nervous students and you’ll speak as though you’re arguing…dont gotta be so harsh. Not to mention ‘We’ only got 40 minutes to do this exam. Doesn’t she own a watch??? Oh and the constant “whispering” in front the classroom…I am sorry but I was really annoyed at the fact that our exam time was so short…many didnt get to finish the exam. At 9:46 our exam finished, well for repeaters that is…as for the new students they were still in exam mode…and obviously they got full time. I am sure many felt the same fustration as I did after the exam…but what can I do about now….nothing!!! Can’t complain….clearly….oh well its all a learning experience…I’m still gonna “mash up” final exams…We all Are!!!

VIDEO REVIEW ONE

This was the very first video done by my lecturer on the topic of “The Cell.” Although the thought of watching a 40 minute seems a bit tedious to some many of you may find this video to be very interesting. If any of you looked at the course outline you would notice that the video stated exactly what we are to learn. I liked that the video was straight forward to the point…I was never “bored” or feeling the need to “x” of this video which has happeded to all of us. I must commend the use of slides in that they we not only easy to read but also the use of colours and illustration/imagary captured my attention. The Lecturer spoke fluently and with confidence giving me the assurance that he knows his stuff 😀

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A TYPICAL ANIMAL CELL

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A TYPICAL PLANT CELL

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PROKARYOTIC vs EUKARYOTIC CELLS

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ENDOSYMBIOTIC THEORY

(http://online.santarosa.edu/homepage/cgalt/BIO10-Stuff/Ch13-Evolution/Endosymbiotic_Theory_of_Eukaryotic_origin-Lateral_Gene_Transfer.JPG)

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CHECK OUT THE LINK BELOW VIDEO “THE CELL” BiochemJM

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GOOD LUCK!!!

BIOLOGICAL MOLECULES WORD SEARCH

O H K C D C S S O V E R R U Z A J T F D F E T N L 
X H E N A U L E W D C O M B O N A T I O N N R A A 
Y H O M L R D I I O N I M A X F L P Q B P I I H C 
G B Q F O I B T A D W O K Y Y M E P O Q V N P P I 
E I U L T G P O H C N L N T A P O Q K G Q A E T L 
N R I P E E L T N Y A E T V T L J T E B A L P P E 
S O E H P T O O R I D K M I T C M N K S A A T Y H 
H P D Y F X A S B Y N R D J U Q Z E X Z V L I R Y 
R R L U D D N R L I F E O V N Y N L T G V Y D T G 
Y O P L U I E R T S N P E G M G I F T I E N E A P 
P P U C E H H N N S K S W E E N T P V T S E L L U 
T X Z T Y G W W I Z B L S V T N R J C L F H F K H 
N Z O S E Q U E N C E U E D E X O A V F H P J O E 
I R Y Z V Z F U U E Y Q S S T J G H M J A D X C I 
P V U Q L T K T J N Y L A E H E E E P Q P I R A U 
X N G B P J C L V W N T G M E T N S V W Z C K U Y 
A A F E G U R S C E C X I J I I Y W Y G D A Q N Z 
R D Z X F W E M E Z W P W J T A M T Y M Y E S N J 
E R U T C U R T S S B W G K F D S M T M A U K V G 
G N I D L O F O X C A C T I V E L H B V U Y H Z E 
L B B X J Y L V Y T V K C V H L C S D R E C J A L 
Y F M D V A A B Q D D H K O X E N F G L B Y M S K 
N C G G A Q T Q K D S K F O W T X P V F Y O Z T L 
V X E D G N T E Y D D T I B M M G D U H V W R N T 
K D E U I S S Q W Z M T L B G V G N F C J R Q K T 

ACID
ACTIVE
AMINO
BOND
CARBON
COMBONATION
DIPEPTIDE
ENZYMES
FOLDING
GLYCINE
HELICAL
HEMOGLOBIN
HYDROGEN
NITROGEN
OXYGEN
PEPTIDE
PHENYLALANINE
POLYPEPTIDE
PROTEINS
SEQUENCE
SITE
STRUCTURE
SUBSTRATE
SULFUR
TRIPEPTIDE
TRYPTPHAN

TEST YOU KNOWLEDGE 2

1. The Properties of Amino Acids are:

A)     They contain both a Carboxyl Group (COOH) and an Amino Group (NH₂).

B)      It is easily ionized therefore the amino group becomes negatively charged and the carboxyl group becomes negatively charged making it dipolar such that it now becomes a zwitterions

C)      An energy store in animals because of its rich source of carbon-carbon bonds which can be oxidized to produce ATP

D)     They are the building blocks of proteins and there are 20 that are generally found in protein in living systems

E)      Amino acids are amphoteric meaning that they have both acidic as well as basic properties

1. I.                    A B C D
2. II.                  B C E A
3. III.                E A B D
4. IV.                D E C B

2. The Properties of an Enzyme are:

A)     Specificity

B)      Active Site

C)      Reversibility

D)     Enzyme Concentration

E)      Substrate Concentration

 

1. I.                    A B C D
2. II.                  A C D E
3. III.                A B D E B
4. IV.                B C D E

 

3. Globular proteins differ from fibrous proteins in the following ways:

A)     Globular proteins has polypeptide chains with regular repetitive sequences of amino acids

B)      Fibrous proteins shape is a compact globule of polypeptides

C)      Globular proteins are chemically less stable and its activity is affected by factors such as its concentration, ph and temperature

D)     Fibrous protein role is mainly in helping to maintain structure and providing support

E)      Globular Proteins are insoluble in water

 

1. I.                    A C D E
2. II.                  D A B C E
3. III.                C D E A
4. IV.                B C D

 

4. The following events occur during the process of phagocytosis in a cell

A)     The sorted lipids, enzymes and proteins are packed into lysosomes

B)      The lysosomes enzymes digest the contests of the vesicle containing particles

C)      The synthesis of lipids, enzymes and other proteins occur

D)     The lysosome fuses with a phagocytic vesicle containing nutrient particles

E)      The lipids, enzymes and other proteins are sent to the Golgi apparatus for modifying and sorting

Which sequence of these events correctly shows how phagocytosis occurs?

1. I.                    E  A D B C
2. II.                  C E A D B
3. III.                E A C D B
4. IV.                C A D B E

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PLEASE MAKE AN ATTEMPT AT THESE MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS AS THEY WILL BE HELPFUL IN YOUR PREPARATION TOWARDS FINAL EXAM. NOTE THERE ARE MORE THAN ONE POSSIBLE ANSWER…PLEASE ANSWER IN THE “COMMENT” SECTION BELOW…THANK YOU AND GOODLUCK…

“To know that we know what we know, and to know that we do not know what we do not know, that is true knowledge.”
Nicolaus Copernicus

Does One Really Know What Is Arsenic Poisoning??? Lets Learn More…

While doing some research I came across this very interesting article entitled “Arsenic Poisoning”, discussant Michael S. Gorby, M.D, Albuquerque. This article may seem a bit miss leading at first; I actually thought this article was based on two patients who had experienced arsenic poisoning. A 17 years old woman whom attempted suicide by ingesting arsenic poisoning trioxide containing rodenticide and 64 year old man who suffered with chronic arsenic poisoning who was admitted several times in hospitals for various complications.

However, this article instead discussed the chemistry of the element Arsenic, the sources of arsenic poisoning: it’s natural, industrial and administered sources. Also the biochemistry and toxicity of arsenic, the effects of arsenic poisoning whether it is acute or chronic and the treatment of arsenic poisoning were discussed.

So What is Arsenic Poisoning???

http://sp.life123.com/bm.pix/arsenic.s600x600.jpg

Arsenic is a member of the nitrogen family or group 5 of the periodic table of the elements. It has an atomic number 33 with an atomic weight of 74.9 and is classified as a transition element or metalloid. Arsenic is a natural element found in soil and minerals. Arsenic compounds are used to preserve wood, as pesticides, and in some industries. Arsenic can get into air, water, and the ground from wind-blown dust. It may also get into water from runoff.

You may be exposed to arsenic by:

• Taking in small amounts in food, water or air
• Breathing sawdust or burning smoke from arsenic-treated wood
• Living in an area with high levels of arsenic in rock
• Working in a job where arsenic is made or used

http://e-infopages.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/arsenic_in_food.png

Exposure to arsenic can cause many health problems. Being exposed to low levels for a long time can change the color of your skin. It can cause corns and small warts. Exposure to high levels of arsenic can cause death.

http://www.ualberta.ca/~xcle/img/hands.jpg\

REFERENCE

Gorby.S. Michael. 1988. Arsenic Poisoning. US National Library of Medicine. National Institute of Health. Western Journal of Medicine. Acessed 20th March, 2013. 308-315. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1026413/

The CELL Wordle

Highlighting all the Important Words With Respect to The Cell

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE

1. A food sample in a test tube contained sucrose and egg white. The table below shows the results of several different food tests. Which of the columns A, B, C or D, correctly show the results expected for the food sample containing sucrose and egg white?

REAGENT USED	A	B	C	D
Iodine Solution	Brown	Brown	Blue-Black	Blue-Black
Benedict’s Solution	Brick Red	Blue	Blue	Brick Red
Biuret Test	Purple	Purple	Blue	Purple

2. The diagram shows the molecular structure of a biological molecule. When many of these molecules condense together, which substance can be formed?

A   Glycogen

B   Phospholipid

C   Cellulose

D   Collegen

3. Glycogen is a polysaccharide that serves as major carbohydrate storages in animals and fungi. This function is due to its structure that consists of

A    α-glucose units with 1, 4 glycosidic links in an unbranded chain.

B    β-glucose units with 1, 4 glycosidic links in a branched chain.

C    α-glucose units with 1, 4 glycosidc links in highly branched short chains.

D    β-glucose units with 1, 6 glycosidic links in branched chains with cross bridges.

5. Desert animals, such as the kangaroo rat use fat to yield water during the oxidation of fat in cell respiration. Which statement explains the advantage of using fat, rather than carbohydrates, as a water source during cell respiration?

A    Fat has fatty acids that contain double bonds to make them unsaturated.

B    Fat has a higher proportion of hydrogen to oxygen compared with carbohydrates.

C    Carbohydrates usually have hydrogen bonds forming cross bridges that make it harder to be oxidised to produce water compared with fat.

D    Fat is easier to store than carbohydrates due to the hydrocarbon chains that form a compact shape.

5. Which of the following protein consisting of polypeptide chains that fold into a spherical shape to form a relatively unstable structure?

A   Insulin

B   Keratin

C   Collagen

D   Fibrinogen

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PLEASE INDICATE YOUR ANSWERS TO THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS IN THE COMMENT SECTION BELOW…Thank You and Good Luck 😀

Anybody who has…

Anybody who has been seriously engaged in scientific work of any kind realizes that over the entrance to the gates of the temple of science are written the words: ‘Ye must have faith.’ – Max Planck