October 24

Protein Synthesis Post : A & P 12

Transcription:

This process takes place in the nucleus of the cell.

  1. DNA unwinds/unzips because of the RNA polymerase
  2. The RNA polymerase connects the complimentary RNA bases to the DNA. DNA is like the template strand so that the mRNA can be created. RNA bases  covalently bond together to make  one single strand of mRNA

** instead of thymine RNA uses the base uracil**

** the m in mRNA stands for messenger

3.  When the mRNA is not connected to the DNA anymore the  DNA reforms its double helix (rewinds). The mRNA edits this single strand before leaving the nucleus.

mRNA then heads to the cytoplasm to attach itself to a ribosome. The  ribosomes are made out of rRNA. From this point on protein synthesis continues in its regular order.

Translation:

  1. The ribosome reads the information that the mRNA has made from the DNA copying process. ** all of this is happening from inside thee cytoplasm**
  2. Initiation: once the mRNA is read by the ribosome  it is ready to direct the tRNA. tRNA can take different amino acids and know which one to bring to thee ribosome.  the tRNA is able to  tell because it reads the mRNAs information using its  anti-codon.
  3. elongation: the mRNA is read one codon at a time by the tRNA, and the amino acid matching each codon is added to a directed protein chain.  this  protein  is held together with peptide bonds
  4. termination:  Termination is the last step in translation. it happens when the tRNA reads a stop codon in the mRNA (UAA, UAG, or UGA). this codon  means the creation of the protein is complete.

 

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January 26

How does the process of minimizing polarization and moving past the single story begin with me?

I have thought a lot about this question and all the different ways to answer it. Honestly this is a very hard question to answer, especially because before this course, I had no idea how completely blind I was to all of the single stories and polarization I have given into. However, I think I have found my answer, love, vulnerability, and knowledge. These three things are necessary in the process of minimizing polarization and helping to rise above all of the things our media and society have and are teaching us. I came to this conclusion by watching Anthropologist Weschs video  “How to stop hating (Country Music)”  where he says “ Love is something that doesn’t just happen to you, it’s something you do, you practice” and just like how Wesch says we to practice love the world also needs to practice vulnerability, and knowledge

 

I especially think this message shows through while talking about single stories. We need to realize that we don’t know everything, that not everything we see online and on the news is seeing the story from every angle and that it is insane that we are able to judge and categorize a whole group of people from false, altered, or incomplete information. These single stories need to stop and that starts with love, vulnerability, and knowledge. while watching a TED talk led by the writer Chimamanda Adiche she says something that I think relates to this situation perfectly. She says that she has “always felt that it is impossible to engage properly with a place or a person without engaging with all of its stories of the place and that person”. This is exactly what I am talking about when I mean the world needs to learn and practice love, vulnerability, and knowledge but also realize, how are we supposed to give love and show vulnerability and obtainknowledge if we have no prior knowledge of that person of place that you have gained yourself instead of from the media or other sources. An example of this is Germany, for so many people the word just reminds them of WW2 and the Nazis. Germany has created so many amazing things for the world and a wonderful culture. However, the single story that has been created for Germany keeps people at a distance where they are unable to share love, vulnerability, and knowledge.

 

In an early 2020 article written by Megan Schmidt called “How Reading Fiction Increases Empathy and Encourages Understanding” she explains that “Although there are many ways to cultivate empathy, they largely involve practicing positive social behaviors, like getting to know others, putting yourself in their shoes and challenging one’s own biases.” These are perfect examples that answer the main question perfectly. Ways of opening up and showing compassion, I tried this recently and made a new friend! Our recent assignment was getting to know someone new in our class, before the judgement, before the bias, just sitting down and asking questions to genuinely getting to know someone. This activity is just a small example of how much information, culture and fun is out in the world just waiting to be found. I enjoyed this activity so much and found things out about my partner that I would have never known if not for this task.

 

The world just needs to be more open in general, as Christopher Senaca says in his article called “How to Break Out of Your Social Media Echo Chamber”, we have something in our brain that makes it a “natural human tendency to seek, interpret, and remember new information in accordance with prexisting beliefs.” It is wired in ouor brain to judge and misconstrue information to make it make sense in our mind. Break free of these stereotypes, stop using, believing, and giving into single stories, make your own. Find a balance of love, vulnerability, and knowledge and the world will thank you.

photos:

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November 2

The difference between my freedoms and yours: a political paradox

“Abortion isn’t about abortion, and the pandemic is no longer about public health. For Republicans, it’s a case of government regulation for thee but not for me.” – Molly Jong-Fast

America is going through a very controversial time where everyone is very polarized in their opinions about issues that affect the lives of many. Thanks to the internet and social media, these personal opinions have been blown up into nation wide political and cultural polarizations.   Polarization and the fight for whose version of individual rights gets recognized over others is a global problem, but it seems especially apparent in the United States as, paradoxically the arguments as they relate to COVID and abortion have collided.

The logic of many Republicans’ is somewhat paradoxical. Recently some Republicans have been fighting for the freedom to not wear a medical mask in public.  For instance, schools seem to be the battle ground where they are asserting their rights. They debate that having to wear a mask restricts their breathing and is just a way that the government wants to control them. They explain that the demand to wear masks is against their human rights, that it is their body and so it should be their choice what they put on it. Now, is it not ironic that this same party is fighting against the right for women to have access to safe and legal abortions? They argue that it is ‘killing’ the ‘baby’ in question and should be considered as murder. However, their exact argument that could be used against them? If the logic behind their fight is “My Body My Choice” regarding masks, should not the same logic be applied to women’s fight for their right to make their own choices regarding their own body?

It seems that the people  who are campaigning their freedom, believe in that freedom but only for what they want. However, one could argue that their choice to not wear a mask is making a much bigger impact on the collective society than, let’s say, a single abortion for a woman in need. People who don’t wear masks can go on to be supe- spreaders, especially if they are a-symptomatic. This could lead to them passing on the virus that could potentially kill thousands. While the woman in need could be getting an abortion for a multiple of reasons, where having the baby would have more of an effect on her than getting rid of it before the fetus develops too far along. This reason can be anything from the woman being impregnated from a case of rape to other factors like age, accidental pregnancy, or even a difficult financial situation.  But no matter the reason for the abortion, they are still banned in states like Texas and many others, even in the case of rape. So, back to the paradox, why do these Republicans’ get to pick and choose what is correct and what is not? Especially when the freedoms they are fighting for (no mask) can affect entire communities and the freedoms they are fighting against (safe abortions and medical care) does not affect them at all.

Let’s examine how another paradox : The Republicans concern for the life ends when the baby is born. Since many women who want an abortion but are not able to get it did not want the baby because they are unable to care for the baby lean on programs such as food banks or social services to keep the child happy and healthy while growing up. But most Republicans  do not support these social services and think they are a waste of tax money. However, it is these socials programs that help keep the kids that they fought to live, alive and healthy. If their argument is that abortions are killing babies, and they are pro-life, why don’t their policies take care of children once they are born?

As a society we need to rethink or balance the rights of the  individual vs the rights of the collective .. Everyone needs to ask themselves: are the rights and freedoms that I am asking for contradicting those that I am taking away from others?

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October 4

My Empathy one-pager

Hello! Welcome to my one-pager! I worked hard to choose quotes that work well understanding that empathy is not something we have right off the bat but, something we learn and develop. Everyone (almost) deserves empathy and everyone should be able to feel it at least once in their life. Empathy is so important in our worlds and here a are a few reasons. The core competency I chose is “Construct meaningful personal connections between self, text, and world” I believe this relates to what I wrote because I made connections with my personal journey of learning about empathy when writing. I used examples and talked about tips I think would help others just as they did me. – Maggie M

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May 4

Into the Woods

  1. What adaptations allow them to survive in their environment? List several structures and explain how the structure allows the organism to survive and thrive in its environment. You will need to do some research. The following link may be helpful, but you are not limited to this site.

Black slug (Arion ater):

The black slug has two separate tentacles that have different uses. The upper, and larger tentacles are used for sight and smell as the lower and smaller tentacle are used for taste and touch. The pneumostome is how they breath and just under it is their gonopore which is where their eggs emerge from. To keep themselves moist they cover themselves in a thin layer of slimy mucus. The other benefit of this mucus is that it protects the slugs from predators as they do not like the taste.

Dandelion (Taraxacum):

  1. Where is the original (native) habitat of this species located?

Dandelions originated and are native to Eurasia.

  1. How was this species first introduced into foreign habitats?

Anywhere the European people migrated the dandelions came with them

  1. Provide at least one reason for why this species has flourished in its new habitat.

Every dandelion fuzz ball has around 100 seeds on it so, when the wind picks them up or if we blow them on one, that means there are 100 new spots for these plants to grow. The seeds are able to transport themselves very far and since they grow almost all year round it gives them lots of time and space to keep multiplying.

  1. Provide some detail as to how this species is causing ecological harm in its introduced habitat.

It takes over complete lawns in a matter of months and will push out or kill almost any other plant surrounding it. But they actually fertilize your grass and since the roots go so deep into the ground they can prevent erosion. So as there are lots of negatives they do have a few important positives.

  1. List two methods used to try to control this invasive species.

It is hard to control them as to actually make sure they cannot grow back you must remove the entire plant (all the way down to the ends of the roots). The easiest way is to use eco friendly weed killers. These do all the work so you don’t have to. Also keeping your lawn thick and healthy can help prevent dandelions and other weeds from infesting.

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