Ethical issues essay (Unit IV)

Who should reproduce?

Some people think that people over the age of thirty five should not reproduce. This is because women who become pregnant after the age of thirty five have a much higher chance of giving their children Down Syndrome, or other diseases involved with aging. Other people think that teenagers should not be able to reproduce because they cannot take care of their own body, so how are they able to care for a child of their own? It is scientifically been proven that women over the age of 35, and 40 have a much higher chance of giving their child a horrible disease, or raising children that innately have a lower intelligence that children born of 25 year old parents. It is also proven that teenagers don’t usually have the means, or the knowledge of how to properly care for themselves, and as a result, poorly affect their child’s health, and mental state. Although these perspectives on who should reproduce have some grain of truth to them, we can’t control people into thinking when the proper age is for children. Many adults also wait so long to have children, because they want to make sure that their children will be well cared for by their growing careers, and make sure that they are financially stable before they start to raise children. Some teens may actually also want to have children, because they are ready to become adults, and have always wanted to start a family. Either way, our society should not tell people what they can and can’t do, based on what they believe to be the proper thing to do.

Unit IV Lab Project

Bacteria found in yogurt :
Scientific name ~ Lactobacillus bulgaricus
Common name ~ Bacteria in yogurt
Ecological principle ~ Commensal
This is considered a domesticated species because it is in our food

Golden retriever:
Scientific name ~ Canis familiaris
Common name ~ Golden retriever
Ecological principle ~ Symbiotic
This is considered a domesticated species because of evolution

Chow:
Scientific name ~ Canis familiaris
Common name ~ Chow chow
Ecological principle ~ Symbiotic
This is considered a domesticated species because of evolution

Green algae:
Scientific name ~ Halimeda cuneata
Common name ~ Green algae
Ecological principle ~ Commensal
This is considered a non-domesticated species because it grows freely outdoors

Pine tree:
Scientific name ~ pinus monticola
Common name ~ Pine tree
Ecological principle ~ mutualism
This is considered a domesticated species because we are able to have them in our yards.

Bananas:
Scientific name ~ Musa acuminata Colla
Common name ~ Banana
Ecological principle ~ Commensal
This is considered a domesticated species because it is in our food

Apple:
Scientific name ~ Malus domestica
Common name ~ Apple
Ecological principle ~ Commensal
This is considered a domesticated species because it is in our food

Cheese:
Scientific name ~ Caseus
Common name ~ Cheese
Ecological principle ~ Commensal
This is considered a domesticated species because it is in our food

Coffee:
Scientific name ~ Gymnocladus dioicus
Common name ~ Coffee
Ecological principle ~ Commensal
This is considered a domesticated species because it is in our food

Milk:
Scientific name ~ Silybum
Common name ~ Milk
Ecological principle ~ Commensal
This is considered a domesticated species because it is in our food



Deer:
Scientific name ~ Antilocapra Americana
Common name ~ Deer
Ecological principle ~ Commensal
This is considered a non-domesticated species because people don’t usually own them, they run free.

Chipmunks:
Scientific name ~ Eutamias
Common name ~ Chipmunk
Ecological principle ~ Commensal
This is considered a non-domesticated species because people don’t usually own them, they run free.

Cactus:
Scientific name ~ Peromyscus eremicus
Common name ~ Cactus
Ecological principle ~ mutualism
This is considered a domesticated species because it is a plant that
People can have, but usually grows freely outdoors.

Javalina:
Scientific name ~ Pecari tajacu
Common name ~ Javalina
Ecological principle ~ Commensal
This is considered a non-domesticated species, and people don’t own
These as pets.

Raccoon:
Scientific name ~ Procyon lotor
Common name ~ Raccoon
Ecological principle ~ Commensal
This is considered a non-domesticated species, and people don’t own
These as pets.

Skunk:
Scientific name ~ Conepatus mesoleucus
Common name ~ Skunk
Ecological principle ~ parasitic
This is considered a non-domesticated species because people don’t
Usually own these as pets, and avoid contact with them.

Squirrels:
Scientific name ~ Sciurus aberti
Common name ~ Squirrel
Ecological principle ~ Commensal
This is considered a non-domesticated species, because people don’t
Usually own squirrels as pets.

Pigeons:
Scientific name ~ Columba fasciata
Common name~ Pigeon
Ecological principle ~ Commensal
This is considered a non-domesticated species of bird, which people
Don’t usually own.

Roadrunner:
Scientific name ~ Geococcyx californianus
Common name ~ Roadrunner
Ecological principle ~ Commensal
This is considered a non-domesticated species of bird, which people
Don’t usually own

Coral snake:
Scientific name ~ Micruroides euryxanthus
Common name ~ Coral snake
Ecological principle ~ Commensal
This is considered a non-domesticated species of reptile, and people can,
But don’t commonly own these.

Quail:
Scientific name ~ Colinus virginianus
Common name ~ Quail
Ecological principle ~ Commensal
This is considered a non-domesticated species of bird, and people don’t
Commonly own these.

Coyote:
Scientific name ~ Canis latrans Say
Common name ~ Coyote
Ecological principle ~ Commensal
This is considered a non-domesticated version of a dog, which people
Don’t usually own.

Daisy:
Scientific name ~ Erigeron
Common name ~ Daisy
Ecological principle ~ mutualism
This is considered a domesticated plant species, people own these.

Juniper:
Scientific name ~ Juniperus
Common name ~ Juniper
Ecological principle ~ Commensal
This is considered a domesticated plant species, people can have these.

Mesquite:
Scientific name ~ Prosopis
Common name ~ Mesquite
Ecological principle ~ Commensal
This is considered a domesticated plant species, but is free also.

Ponderosa:
Scientific name ~ P. ponderosa
Common name ~ Ponderosa
Ecological principle ~ Commensal
This is considered a domesticated plant species, but is free also

Sagebrush:
Scientific name ~ Artemisia
Common name ~ Sagebrush
Ecological principle ~ Commensal
This is considered a domesticated plant species, but is free also

Spruce:
Scientific name ~ Picea
Common name ~ Spruce
Ecological principle ~ Commensal
This is considered a domesticated plant species, but is free also

Yucca:
Scientific name ~ Yucca schidigera
Common name ~ Yucca
Ecological principle ~ Commensal
This is considered a domesticated plant species and is used frequently

Grasshopper:
Scientific name ~ Trimerotropis melanoptera
Common name ~ Black-winged grasshopper
Ecological principle ~ Commensal
This is considered a non-domesticated species of insect because people don’t usually own as pets.

Cricket:
Scientific name ~ Anabrus simplex
Common name ~ Cricket
Ecological principle ~ Commensal
This is considered a non-domesticated species of insect because people don’t usually own as pets

Online lab activity #2 (Unit IV)

NOTE: Havin g trouble posting all pictures

1. What was your high fertility rate country and what was its fertility rate?
The United States. The fertility rate set at 10.2. What was your low fertility rate country and what was its fertility rate?
China. The fertility rate set at 2.3. The initial demographic "shape" of your high fertility rate country should have been a pyramid, with high population in young age groups. Explain why high fertility rate results in a high percentage of young people in the population. How does this affect future population growth?
When the fertility rate was increased, then the fertility rate results in a high percentage of young people in the population. This would affect future population growth because there would be more young people having children, and therefore the percentage of young people would continue to rise.4. Your low fertility rate country might have had a more oval-shaped curve with high population in middle age groups. This is especially exaggerated if the fertility rate is below 2.00. Explain why low fertility rate leads to lots of middle-aged people.
The set fertility rate was set at two, which can result in a high population in middle age groups. This would affect future population growth because there would be more adults, and therefore the percentage of children would decrease.5. Write ten adjectives or descriptive phrases for what you might expect life, people's attitudes, conditions on the streets, etc. will be like in each of those situations. Imagine a situation with lots of middle-aged and older people in the population and write ten quick "brain-storm" descriptors for you think it would be like (Prescott, Arizona?). Then do the same for a situation with lots of children in the population.
Younger population: Chaotic, crazy, immature, weird, riot, loud, noisy, disorganized, incompetent, confused.

Online lab activity #1 (Unit IV)

NOTE: I couldn't post the pictures, so I posted other pictures that I found.

List of significant events during fetal development:

1.) Fertilization is the process when the sperm and egg unit in one of the fallopian tubes to form a one-celled entity called a zygote.
2.) Second week
3.) This is significant because this is the period when the genetic material is sorted out, to determine what you will look like when you’re born.
4.) http://content.revolutionhealth.com/contentimages/images-image_popup-r7_fertilization.jpg

1.) Implantation is the time the zygote is made up of 500 cells, and is known as a blastocyst.
2.) Third week
3.) This is significant, because by the end of this week, you are able to tell if you are pregnant by a test.
4.) http://www.aapsj.org/articles/aapsj0802/aapsj080250/aapsj080250_figure4.jpg

1.) When the embryonic period begins, the baby’s brain, spinal cord, heart, and other organs begin to form.
2.) Fourth week
3.) This is significant because without the healthy development of these organs, the child could have problems throughout their entire lives.
4.) http://www.nonprofitpages.com/mcfl/Early.jpeg

1.) The baby’s heart will begin to beat, and the circulatory system is taking shape, and can be detected with an ultrasound.
2.) Fifth week
3.) This is significant because the heart is the most important organ, and needs to constantly checked (ultrasounds can help with this)
4.) http://health.yahoo.com/media/mayoclinic/images/slideshow/pr22_4chamber.jpg

1.) The neural tubes in a baby’s back are now closed, and a baby’s heart is beating with a regular rhythm.
2.) Sixth week
3.) This is significant because growth is one of the most rapid during this week of development.
4.) http://embryology.med.unsw.edu.au/Notes/images/neuron/image_002.gif
1.) The umbilical cord is the link between the baby and the placenta.
2.) Week 7
3.) This is important because this is when the baby is able to receive nutrients from the mother’s food and drinks.

1.) Baby’s fingers and toes start to form, wrists, elbows, and ankles are visible, and the baby’s eyelids are starting to form.
2.) Week 8
3.) This is important because the baby’s limbs are starting to forms

1.) Movement begins, and the embryonic tail at the bottom of the baby’s spinal cord is shrinking, and making them look more human.
2.) Week 9
3.) This is important because the baby can now connect with its mother by moving.

1.) Neurons multiply, and the baby’s vital organs have a solid foundation.
2.) Week 10
3.) This is important because the baby’s ears can start to form, and tooth buds are forming as well.

1.) A baby’s sex may be apparent, and its weight with multiply by thirty, and its length will triple.
2.) Week 11This is important because it is considered the “halfway” mark of conception, and the baby is now officially called a fetus.

Compendium Review #2 (Unit IV)

Human landscapes:

There are several theories of the development of human kind. Two of the most popular theories are that God created everything, and the people evolved into what they are today, in the theory of evolution. However humans were created, we are able to interact with many things in our environment. According to Professor Frolich, in a community, relationships among species can be beneficial, damaging, or neutral.
There are five different types of relationships including symbiotic, parasitic, commensal, mutualism, and predation. Symbiotic simply means that both organisms benefit from interaction (Frolich). Another type of relationship is parasitic, which one species that is the parasite benefits, and the other species known as the host is harmed (Frolich). An addition type of relationship is commensal, which one species directly benefits, but instead of the other being harmed, the species is neutral and isn’t harmed or benefited (Frolich). The fourth type of relationship, known as mutualism, is where both species benefit, similar to symbiosis, but it may appear that one species has the advantage (Frolich). Though this is true, over a long-term period, both species actually benefit (Frolich). Lastly, predation (sometimes considered parasitic), where the predator is the parasite, but can also be seen as mutualistic (Frolich).

Deep time evolutionary history:

According to Professor Frolich, in order to understand evolution, we need to have an appreciation for deep time – time stretching beyond what is easy to intuitively grasp. Deep time is the concept of geologic time which was first recognized in the 1700’s in the western world by Scottish geologist James Hutton (Mader). Science in succeeding centuries has established the age of the Earth as between four and five billion years, with an exceedingly long history of change and development (Unknown).

There has been solid evidence that living humans form one single species known as homo sapiens (Frolich). Homo sapiens have the ability to interbreed, they have a little anatomical difference among populations, and little biochemical difference among populations (Frolich). They also have DNA and protein analysis that show recent single common ancestors within 1 million years.

http://www.scienceclarified.com/images/uesc_06_img0297.jpg

Natural selection:

Natural selection is the process by which favorable traits that are inherited, become more common in successive generations of a population of reproducing organisms (Mader). This also shows that unfavorable traits that are inherited become less common (Mader). Natural selection is basically the “phenotype”, or the characteristic that can be seen (Mader). In natural selection, people with the “phenotype” characteristic are said to be more likely to survive and reproduce than those with less favorable phenotypes. If these phenotypes have a genetic basis, then the genotype associated with the favorable phenotype will increase in frequency in the next generation (Mader).
http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/NR/rdonlyres/709C2B0A-DCBF-4A58-BD6A-C97BFF472375/0/conversion.gif
Over a long period of time, this process can result in adaptations that specialize organisms for particular ecological niches, which may eventually result in the emergence of new species (Mader). The term natural selection was introduced by Charles Darwin in 1859 (Unknown). Surprisingly, the concept of natural selection was originally developed in the absence of a valid theory of inheritance, and Darwin’s writing had nothing to do with modern genetics (Unknown).

Human Ecology:

Human ecology is basically that academic discipline that deals with the relationship between humans and their natural, social and created environments (Unknown). Human ecology investigates how humans and human societies interact with nature and with their environment (Unknown). When it comes to human ecology and the environment, species that live in communities are what humans interact with everyday (Unknown). Biologically, the human ecosystem has the same components known as biophysical resources (Frolich).
http://www.mdk12.org/instruction/curriculum/hsa/biology/images/ecosystem.gif
The change in ecosystems occurs because of natural processes (Unknown 2). The changes can take years of centuries, working so slowly that they are barely noticed (Unknown 2). They have a systematic pattern generated by community assembly, which follows an orderly progression known as ecological succession, another emergent property of ecosystems (Unknown 2). These ecosystems are able to change themselves, and people also change ecosystems. Because humans impact the ecosystem, and the ecosystem impacts humans, they depend on each other for survival.

Domestication:

Domestication refers to the process of taming a population of animals, plants or other species as a whole (Mader). Humans have brought these different populations under their care for many different reasons (Mader). Some of the reasons include to produce food, or valuable commodities such as wool, cotton, or silk (Mader). Other reasons are to use them for various types of work, transportation, or to enjoy as pets or ornamental plants (Mader).

http://www.dogfacts.org/dog-pictures.jpg
Plants are mainly domesticated for aesthetic enjoyment in and around the home are usually called house plants (Mader). Some plants are also domesticated for large-scale food production, generally known as crops (Mader). Also, domesticated animals are used for home companionship, known as pets, while animals domesticated for food or work are called livestock or farm animals (Mader).
http://files.turbosquid.com/Preview/Content_on_3_13_2003_05_10_27/Plant.jpg0E3A553F-8168-49C3-B5FE1C6CF6270646.jpgLarge.jpg

Although the thought of domestication is pretty clear, there is a debate within the scientific community over how the process of domestication works (Mader). Some researchers give credit to natural selection, where mutations outside of human control make some members of a species more compatible to human cultivation or companionship (Mader). Other researchers have shown that carefully controlled selective breeding is responsible for many of the collective changes associated with domestication (Mader).

Citations:
Frolich, Larry. “Human Landscape powerpoint” pg.1-5
Mader, Sylvia. “Human Biology 10th edition”. 2008
Unknown. “Human ecology” http://www.ecotippingpoints.com/
Unknown 2 “Ecosystems” http://www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/link=/earth/ecosystems.html&edu=elem

Compendium Review #1 (Unit IV)

Reproduction:

Reproduction is formally the biological process where individual organisms are produced (Mader). Reproduction is a fundamental feature of all life, and each individual exits as the result of reproduction (Mader). There are two main types of reproduction known as sexual and asexual (Mader). An individual organism can reproduce by itself without another organism of that species help (Mader). This type of reproduction is found in bacteria, and most plants (Mader). The division of bacterial cells into two daughter cells is an example of asexual reproduction (Mader). Asexual reproduction is also not limited to single-celled organisms (Mader). The opposite is sexual reproduction, which does require the involvement of two individuals (Mader). Normal human reproduction is a common example of sexual reproduction (Mader).

http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/human-reproduction-female.gif
Human life cycle:

Different researchers studying human development have different perspectives of how many stages in life there are. The human life cycle is said to be briefly broken down into four main stages known as infancy, childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. Infancy is the stage of life that is from birth to the age of two (Unknown). This is the age that children learn to use their gross motor skills, such as walking, as well as the time teeth and language develop rapidly (Unknown). This stage is also where you find disproportions of children’s head and body (Unknown).

http://cache.eb.com/eb/image?id=93125&rendTypeId=4

The next stage is focused on childhood and lasts from two years old to adolescence (Unknown). This is when bones are teeth are growing rapidly, and the time when permanent teeth develop (Unknown). Intellectual skills starts to broaden and become more defined (Unknown).


http://www.thecards.com/images/bigcards/childhood.jpg

The next stage is focused on adolescence, where the body becomes sexually mature (Unknown). Things that can start to occur during the adolescent stage are changes in growth, physically and mentally, and also voice changes for males. Because girls bodies are undergoing puberty (a time where they can become pregnant), they gain extra weight, in order to compensate for having a child (Unknown). This is the time where there are many raging hormones at work, and because the body is undergoing so many changes, it can be a stressful time for teenagers (Unknown).

The last stage for during the human life cycle is adulthood (Unknown). Adulthood is the time when the body slows down the production of all the necessary hormones, and the body is fully grown by this time (Unknown). Life styles changes may occur in adults, such as a decrease in physical activity because of the aging of the body’s joints (Unknown). However, this decrease in physical activity doesn’t have to occur in the adult stages of life, and if children are active and continue to stay healthy throughout their lives, they will age much better than adults that are healthy (Unknown).



Meiosis:

Meiosis, in terms of biology, is the process by which a diploid eukaryotic cell divides in order to generate four haploid cells called gametes (Mader). These gametes are the “sex cells” of the body (Mader). The term meiosis comes from the Greek word meioun, which translates “to make smaller”. This term is used because meiosis is the result in a reduction in chromosomes in the gamete cell (Mader).
http://www.ksu.edu/biology/pob/genetics/meiosis.gif

Meiosis is incredibly important to human beings because is essential for sexual reproduction, and without it, there wouldn’t be sustained life on this earth. Meiosis occurs in all eukaryotes that reproduce sexually, even in less complicated single-celled organisms (Mader). Even though sexual reproduction can occur in all eukaryotes, some have lost the ability to carry out meiosis, and have acquired the ability to reproduce by parthenogenesis (Mader).
During meiosis, the genome of a diploid germ cell, composed of DNA, undergoes DNA replication (Mader). After the DNA is replicated, it is able to be divided, which results in the form of gametes (Mader). Each gamete contains a complete set of chromosomes, or half of the genetic content of the original cell (Mader). This is why two parents genetic content combines to give us offspring that has characteristics of both its genetic donors. The gametes have to fuse together with another gamete of the opposite sex during fertilization, in order to create a new diploid cell, known as a zygote (Mader).
After this fertilization occurs, the division mechanism of meiosis is a reciprocal process to the joining of the two genomes (Mader). The chromosomes of each parent undergo genetic recombination, and each gamete and zygote will have a unique genetic blueprint encoded in its DNA. There are many other features that are unique to meiosis, including pairing and genetic recombination between homologous chromosomes, which means that they share the same origin but have a different function (Mader).
Another thing that occurs during meiosis are several processes including prophase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase (Mader). In the first stage of prophase, individual chromosomes begin to condense into longs strands within the nucleus (Mader). However, the two sister chromatids are still bond together so tightly that they are indistinguishable from one another (Mader). The next stage during meiosis is metaphase (Mader). During this stage, homologous pairs move together along the phase plate (Mader). The physical basis of the independent assortment of chromosomes is the random orientation of each bivalent along the metaphase plate (Mader). The next stage during meiosis is anaphase (Mader). During this stage the cell elongates in preparation for division down the middle. Also, homologous chromosomes that are closely associated in synapsis exchange segments by crossing over. The last stage during meiosis is telophase (Mader). During this stage, the microtubules that make up the spindle network disappear, and a new nuclear membrane surrounds each haploid set. The chromosomes uncoil back into chromatin. After that, cytokinesis (the pinching of the cell membrane) occurs, which completes the process of creating two daughter cells (Mader).

Fetal development and birth:

In early fetal development, there are three main stages a fetus goes through. These stages include the Germinal Stage, the Embryonic Stage, and the Fetal Stage (Feldman pg 75). The Germinal stage occurs from fertilization to two weeks of age. This is the shortest stage of prenatal development, but important because this is when the placenta is able to be used for nutrients and waste disposal through the umbilical cord (Feldman pg 74). The Embryonic stage occurs two weeks to eight weeks following fertilization (Feldman pg 75). This is the most important stage because the entire development of a child occurs during this stage (Feldman pg 75).

http://www.orwelltoday.com/babyub.jpg

There are three layers that form a different set of structures as a child’s development proceeds (Feldman pg 75). These layers are called the ectoderm, endoderm, and mesoderm. The ectoderm is where skin, hair, teeth, sense organs, the brain, and spinal cord will develop (Feldman pg 75). The endoderm produces the digestive system, liver, pancreas, and respiratory system (Feldman pg 75). Lastly, the mesoderm is where the muscles, bones, blood, and circulatory system are formed (Feldman pg 75). The last stage in fetal development is the fetal stage. This occurs from eight weeks until birth. Now the child is considered a fetus, and this is where labor comes into play (Feldman pg 75).
During all of these stages genes and chromosomes will be passed down to a child, and different aspects of their life are inherited (Feldman pg 125). Genes are what makes us look, and where different aspects of our behavior come from (Feldman pg 125). Chromosomes also play a very important role, and without even just one of them could cause several problems. For example, Fragile X syndrome occurs when a particular gene is injured on the X chromosome, which results in mild to moderate mental retardation (Feldman pg 56). Down syndrome can also occur when the presence of an extra chromosome is on the 21st pair. Another disorder is Klinefelter’s syndrome. Klinefelter’s syndrome occurs when there is the presence of an extra X chromosome, which accounts for genetic ‘gender’ related abnormalities (Feldman pg 56). These abnormalities occur from receiving the improper number of sex chromosomes (Feldman pg 56). In conclusion, having the correct amount of chromosomes and properly working genes can mean a huge difference in people’s lives.


Citations:

Mader, Sylvia. Human Biology 10th edition. 2008
Feldman, Robert. Development across the life span 4th edition 2006.
Unknown. “Human life cycle” http://***.tqnyc.org/NYC040719/life_cycle.htm

Ethical issues essay #3

Exercise--is the concept working?

All you have to do is eat healthy and exercise. Sounds like a simple concept, right? Wrong! These things can seem like very simple concepts, but can be very difficult for many people. There are many obstacles that can force someone into an unhealthy, and no time for exercise. School is a very good example. Although most college age students are relatively healthy, this isn’t due to their diet and profound exercise. Our bodies are able to regulate our unhealthy habits while we are young, but can have horrible results in the future. When it comes to exercise, time and energy are important factors in being able to do physical activity. Most people may not have the money to get a gym membership, or a car to get to the gym, or simply just no time or lack of energy due to the many stressful things that overwhelm human life. I don’t know if the concept of exercise is actually working. Seeing that a large percentage of people in our country are overweight, or obese, it is clear that we either don’t have time to exercise and eat right, or people are just to lazy to take care of themselves. Either way it is becoming an increasing problem, and is going to keep negatively effecting our world, until we can find a better alternative. According to the World Heath Organization, they predict that by the year 2050, 75% of all deaths will be caused by overweight related diseases and cancers. This number is outrageous, and something needs to be done in order to save millions of lives. People need to work together to incorporate more exercise programs, starting from grade school and up. Grade school children will be able to incorporate exercise, and continue a healthy lifestyle if they learn right away. The best way to do this is to make physical activity a requirement in the school system. Even in college, stressed out college students could be lacking in their health due to focusing on studies, but if a yoga or pilates class was required, maybe there would be more physically fit people.