Planaria Quickwrite

Kelly Diep
Oct. 31, 2014

QUESTIONS

1. What type of symmetry does the dugesia have?
radial bilateral asymmetry

2. What term is used to describe how a planarian can regrow its body parts?
regeneration fission cephalization

3. Which of the following is associated with the planarian's nervous system?
flame cells diffusion ganglia

4. Asexual reproduction can occur through a process called:
transverse fission binary fission cocoooning

5. A hermaphrodite is an animal that:
can asexually reproduce can regenerate has both male and female parts

6. The dugesia belongs to the phylum:
platyhelminthes planaria turbellaria

7. How could a a person catch a dugesia?
using a net to siphon them from the surface of the water
using a hook and raw liver to attract them

8. An animal that has no internal body cavity to hold organs is called a(n):
turbellarian hermaphrodite acoelomate

9. How does the dugesia obtain oxygen?
diffusion through gills with its flame cells

10. The dugesia will tend to stay in what areas?
dark light warm

Should GMO foods be allowed?

Kelly D.
October 8, 2014
Period 1

            GMO foods should not be allowed due to the many harmful effects it has on the US population. First of all, GMO foods have been discovered to downgrade our health and affect our bodies in terrible ways. According to the video, "Seeds of Death", an experiment was performed on pigs where one group was fed non-GMO foods and the other was fed GMO foods. After observing each group's organs, the GMO group had severe inflammation on their stomach lining which caused them to die off faster and the non-GMO group had no inflammation at all. Many parents have children whose bodies develops an allergic reaction to the GMO food in their bloodstream which could result in death. GMO foods have also recently been discovered to be the causes of stomach diseases along with many other types. That shows us how deadly GMO foods can be to our bodies and we, humans, should put our greatest efforts toward eliminating GMO foods. Secondly, GMO foods such as plants are fed to animals resulting in them becoming nutrient-deficient and following that, humans consuming those animals become nutrient-deficient. So, the cycle goes on and on and slowly kills off the US population. Not only in the US, but in other parts of the world, this cycle is occurring repetitively and affecting humans gravely, For example, in Africa, one farmer began feeding his livestock GMO foods and they began dying quickly suspiciously. Indeed, it was the GMO food he fed them that was making them die. This detrimental effect GMO foods has on the world is not a good thing for us and people should be encouraged to ban GMO foods. We should also lean more towards a non-GMO diet. Lastly, GMO foods eaten by pregnant women affected their unborn children. This has a serious effect on our future generations and if GMO foods continue to be allowed, this will decrease the amount of healthy infants in the US. It has been said that toxic pesticides in these GMO foods were found in many unborn children. These toxic pesticides will probably have a large impact on these newborns. In addition, many infant formulas are made from cows injected with GMO. Before you say yes to allowing GMO Foods, imagine the consequence of this, what would happen to our future generations and what can WE do to help them? Say NO to  GMO foods!

How has DNA fingerprinting changed forensics?

Kelly D.
Oct. 3, 2014
Period 1

       Before DNA fingerprinting, it was impossible for investigators to directly connect a person to evidence found at the crime scene which resulted in many unsolved crimes and wrongful convictions. Blood evidence could be collected from crime scenes; however, it could not be confirmed that it belonged to a suspect. Soon, fingerprints came along and produced a stronger identification, but DNA changed it all. To give an example, in 1987, DNA fingerprinting was used to clear a chief suspect and find the real killer of a murder case. Now, law enforcement officials can connect DNA profiles to crimes and evidence through CODIS. This method has become very efficient and important in identifying criminals of many cases

Sources:
http://www.grundyco.org/departments/coroner/item/the-changing-role-of-forensic-science
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The 3 Advantages of PCR

Kelly D.
Oct. 3, 2014
Period 1    

            Polymerase Chain Reaction, also known as PCR, is a method of cloning alleles. It allows biologists to make many copies of a particular gene chosen. One of the three advantages is that PCR can amplify STR in any amount needed to be profiled successfully. It can amplify any one area of DNA molecules. Secondly, STR profiling can be completed in a fraction of the time needed for VNTR and it is also safe to prepare to separate electrophoresis gels. The third advantage is that there is no need to work with any radioactive labeled probes or X-ray films. In addition, PCR is very versatile compared to other gene copying processes.