Lifeboat Dilemma

So again, after another project, I've just received another one (they just keep comming right after each other! Dx). Luckily, there was a story to it (yay, a story!):

A captain and his crew were in a small boat, for their ship had just sunken down in the depths of the sea (no, it didn't meet Spongebob... -.-"). The captain just found out that the small boat wouldn't be able to endure his and his crew's weight for some time and will soon, sink. Therefore, the captain decided to throw someone out of the ship.

We applied this story to a cell's situation: the crew became the cell organelles and the captain, well a captain itself (not the DNA or the nucleus, though).

So each of my classmates (including me) received a cell part (I received the cell wall) and what we had to do, was to create a speech about why are we (actually, the cell parts) important and shouldn't be thrown away into the "sea" (my class and I were also divided in groups to represent two plant cells and one animal cell). Since each group would represent the captain and his/her crew from the story, we had to present our speech within them.

This is my speech about the importance of the cell wall:



Just pay attention to the CELL WALL

 I believe that the cell wall is important for the eukaryotic plant cell because it protects the cell, helps it keep up with its shape, and to communicate with other cells. A plant is a living thing and as a living thing it needs water. So then, to prevent the cell from an excessive intake of water, the cell wall is needed. Moreover, if there are huge amounts of water in the plant cell, it will burst (if it doesn’t have a cell wall). A cell wall contains little holes called plasmodesmata. Although these holes do let some water in, they still help the cell, for it provides water to the cytoplasm, a cell organelle that consists of water and therefore, needs water (but not a lot).

Summarizing, the cell wall is like the boat itself in the story. 




Plasmodesmata



In addition to that, not only does the cell wall protect the cell from water, but also from pathogens. Furthermore, in a leaf’s case, in order to increase the photosynthetic capacity, the cell wall helps the plant cell keep up with its shape and by this, because of the plant cells’ rectangular shape (in case the plant cell is rectagular, for not all plant cells are like that), the close packing of these cells will leave no space left. Also, in order for a plant to grow and develop, the cell wall helps a plant cell to communicate with other plant cells. For that, the cell wall has the plasmodesmata, which allows encoded information molecules to pass between plant cells.





Pathogens



What Kind of Cell I would Like to be and Why?

  Ok, so now instead of just talking about some project I did, I have to answer the question:
"What Kind of Cell I would Like to be and Why?"

  First: Uuumm, I guess it's pretty obvious if you just look at the title. Second: (...) no comments...0.0 (hahaha just joking, miss). Er-herm! My teacher gave me three options to choose from in order to answer this question: a prokaryotic cell, an eukaryotic animal cell, and also, an eukaryotic plant cell.

  So the cell that I would like to be is an eukaryotic animal cell. You know, the cell with the nucleus, the cell membrane, the cytoplasm, etc., with all the other cell organelles with membranes that prokaryotic cells don't have, and with no cell wall, like the eukaryotic plant cells. 

  Also, the cell that has all of those ribosomes, that receive the RNA (messages/orders from the DNA) from the DNA, so that it can make its little proteins for the cell, and transport it to the endplasmic reticulums, that later, BAM! Goes away (the proteins) from the cell, all nicely packed up by the golgi apparatus. You knowm the one that utilizes the mitochondria for energy. Summarizing, the tiny tiny cell-like example of a protein factory.
  
  Er- herm! Continuiung...however though, I don't want to be just any animal cell...
The specific eukaryotic animal cell that I want to be is...
(...)
Well, it's

Big

it's

Bad

(...not for your health, but yeah, just want to make this interesting)

and it's

White!

Plus, it looks like a rice ball (0.0?)?!
 It's...

Guessed?
...the white blood cell...

  If I were to be a cell, I would like to be a white blood cell (a.k.a. leukocytes)! ;)

Why?

  Er-herm! Probably because I would like to defeat some of the bad guys that are present in the body (uuumm...lame? e.o)! I would like to become a super cell hero (...even more lame...-.-")! :D

  Background information (in case you are totally confused): white blood cells, are what helps the circulatory system, prevent diseases. When a germ, or anything unusual, that looks suspicious, is present in the blood, the white blood cells try to get rid of it. To do that, these cells can:
1) Produce antibodies that will get rid of the germ or the unusual thing.

2)Surround the evil thing and devour it (tasty?).

  Specifically, I would like to be a white blood cell that does does what number 2 is saying.
Again,

Why?


  Lets just say that since, I'm really into fighting (mostly in videogames, for in real life, I'm nothing, but a little midget - sad T^T).

 For your information, another reason for why I chose to be a white blood cell is because, since it fights (well it actually devours anything suspicious in the blood, but I still consider this as fighting, kind of), I think that these kinds of cells are pretty cool. Furthermore, if I were to have the responsability of protecting something very important (in this case, the human body), I would like to do anything that will assure of its security. Maybe I'm more of the heroin type (what's happening to me?! >o<)?

(...)

 Um, so I just found out that there are six main types of leukocytes in the body: (percentages will also be included)

• Neutrophils (58%)
• Eosinophils (2%)
• Basophils (1%)
• Bands (3%)
• Monocytes (4%)                     

I'll also be providing some information about each of them:

• Neutrophils - one of the body's main defenses against bacteria. They kill bacteria by phagocytizing them (ingesting them) - can phagocytize 5-20 bacteria in their lifetime.



Neutrophils are the little cells with the purple things in them.



Cool!

• Bands - immature neutrphils that are seen in the blood.

The purple cel on the left is a band neutrophil.

• Eosinophils - kills parasites and has a role in allergic reactions.

Eosinophil

• Basophils - also function in alergic reactions. They release histamine (causes blood vessels to leak and attract more white blood cells) and heparin (prevents clotting in the infected area so that the leukocytes can reach the bacteria).

Basophil

• Monocytes - stay in the blood for an average of 10-20 hours and then, enter the tissues, where they become larger and turn into macrophages (plus can live for months to years). In the tissue, they can phagocytize bacteria -up to 100 in their lifetime- throughout the body. These cells can also destroy old, damaged and dead cells in the body. They can be found in the liver, spleen, lungs, lymph nodes, skin, and intestine.

Monocyte

Macrophage

• Lymphocyte - are responsible for immune responses. There are two main cells: B cells and T cells. The B cells make antibodies that attack body cells, when taken over by viruses and also, when becoming cancerous.

Lymphocyte

  Out of all of these kinds of white blood cells, I want to be a monocyte, for they can ingest more bacteria, than neutrophils. Also because, like some of the other cells, I don't want to kill germs and bacteria with chemicals, but just by digesting them (muahahahaha I think that this kind of way is more like me, for I love eating!).

  Now something that I still haven't mentioned, which I guess you that must be wondering right now (or not :p), is: why a eukaryotic animal cell and not the other cells (er-herm as mentioned way above)?
Now, I shall answer this question:

1) Plants: I find plant cells more complicated, than animal cells; therefore I never had any interest in them. Actually (sorry for plant lovers), I actualy never had any interest in plants at all (...could it be because of the vegetables? x.x). Moreover, since I'm a human (umm...duh?) and I have the same cells that an animal has, I feel more excited in learning something that is more related to me, than something that isn't (plants). For then, I can have more knowledge in things that occur in my body, such as diseases, and be more aware of them.

2) Bacteria: Not that I have anything against them, but it's because, like I've mentioned before: since I'm a human (going to skip the "umm...duh?" -.-) and I have the same cells that an animal has, I feel more excited in learning something that is more related to me, than something that isn't. For then, I can have more knowledge in things that occur in my body, such as diseases, and be more aware of them.


  On Friday, my teacher showed my class and I a really cool video that explores the interior environment of a cell (I think it's an animal cell).

With a little song~

With a little explanation (urgh! Hahahah just kidding, miss! xD)

Meals on Wheels Project

   Here I am again talking about another activity that my class (and I of course) had done, under the orders of my 9th grade science teacher. This is its story:

 "Sarah Jones (my teacher's other identity hahaha) owns a company, Meals on Wheels, who delivers pre-made well balanced meals to a wide range of customers. She needs to add 2 diet menus to her list: a healthy and balanced menu that fits a long term weight loss program and a one week quick weight loss menu (she knows any quick weight loss diet is very restrictive and should not be done for too long so it needs to be as healthy as it can be)."

  So what we had to do was to evaluate three menus (Menus #1, #2, and #3): see whether they are, as said on the little story above, a long term weight loss program or an one week quick weight loss menu. We had to take the kinds of nutrients that are present in each menu, their importance, and their effects in our bodies, if ingested excessively or not, into consideration; in order to evalutate them. After doing that, we had to choose two menus that will be used by the project's company, Meals on Wheels.

 To do all of this work (oh boy), our teacher handed each group (oh did I tell you that this project consisted of group work? Well, luckily, it did. Phew!) a sheet, where we would write our plans for the project and for each member of the group. She also handed the menus.



  I had two members in my group (there was one more, but he was travelling to somewhere else-aaww I want to travel too!). Member #2, mostly took care of the visuals of our project's PowerPoint (oh dear, we also had to present it) and analyzed Menu #1, Member #3 had to evaluate Menu #3 and analyze the nutrients and the food in it (basically, she had to do all of the things that I mentioned on the third paragraph), and I, was the leader of the team, and therefore, had to keep ordering my teammates around (muahahahaha!)...nah, just kidding. Anyway continuing, I had to take care of the remaining menu, Menu #2 and with my superior artistic skills (not!), I also had to draw something to make our poster look fab (yeah, not only have we decided to do a PowerPoint presentation, but we also decided to utilize a poster)!



The cover of the poster



Inside the poster



  Thanks to my excellent leading skills (hohoho)...ok, and my fantastic teammates' help and dedication, I, no, we did a great job-in my opinion-and managed to do everything perfectly and according to plan. GO YELLOW TEAM (the name of my team)! Also, THANKS GUYS FOR HELPING ME IN THIS PROJECT, GOOD JOB!

To view the PowerPoint presentation, click on the link below:
https://docs.google.com/present/edit?id=0AQVRZYAGNu4MZGdxN3dwZzVfMmNodHdka3R4&hl=en_US

  After analyzing the three menus, my group and I came up with the conclusion that Menu #2 was the long term weight loss program and the best menu to utilize to loose weight in a healthy way, for it contains all the essential nutrients that the body needs, in order to carry out its essential processes. However though, since the purpose of this menu is to make the person loose weight, there are small amounts of fat present in it. Now Menu #1 is an one week quick weight loss menu, for it doesn't contain enough proteins and fats that our body needs, which leads to the body not being able to grow properly and to repair tissues (protein's job), plus to not have enough protection for its organs (fat's job). Although it makes a person loose weight faster (in a bad way), it is still better, than Menu #3 (also, a one week quick weight loss menu), which contains too much proteins and too much fat, which can lead to high cholesterol and uric acid stones. So then, the two menus we chose for the company, Meals on Wheels, were Menu #1 and #2. 

Uuum, this is a picture of an uric acid stone, I guess (yuck!).



During this nutrient-based project, my teammates and I learned new things too, such as the consequences of ingesting too much proteins, like uric acid stones, which occures when people eat too much red meat (noooo! Why does it have to be the red meat?! D:). The proteins in the meat are broken down into amino acids(http://www.ehow.com/facts_5513030_much-protein-cause-kidney-stones.html) and then, the huge amount of amino acids will gather in the urine, forming the uric acid stones( http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/stones_ez/). If you didn't understand my brief explanation, please check these sites.

 Thanks to this project, I've also started to remember all of the things that I learned in 8th grade about nutrients.I'm the kind of person that has a good memory that unfortunately, only lasts at least 2 days and in maximum, one week. I blame the vacations (oh curse the tempting fun stuff!)! Now, I am the NUTRIENT MASTER (...lame e.o)!

 Another good thing that occured in this project was that I've noticed that my leadership, organization, and time management skills have imrpoved. Why? Well, that's because with these three things, I managed do and present my project awesomely (hohohoho)...nah again! Okay, I'll be honest, the reason why I've noticed that those three skills of mine have improved is because:

1) I didn't feel shy or uncomfortable (like usual) while leading my group.

2) I managed to organize my plans properly, to the point that my group did manage to do everything according to plan; step by step.

3) I managed to do most of the activities (except the poster's drawings) on my created due dates.

Yay me! (...)
 0.0

“What was the purpose of these first two days of school and what are my plans for this year?”

  Yo this is Barb's blog (E-Portfolio). For some reason, my Science teacher told my class to create this blog to answer our question of the day:

“What was the purpose of these first two days of school and what are my plans for this year?”

  I've just started 9th grade Science ( in an unusual way-sorry miss). On the first day, my teacher told my class to try to create the tallest tower of spaghuetti sticks with a marshmallow on top (unfortunately, mine fell and resulted in a small marshmallow with tons of spaghuetti sticks sticked-...haha- right into it-poor marshmallow). The purpose of that acitivity was to show me (and co.) that we have to always plan  (carefully) something before we do it. Ok, this was the first day.

This is obviously, not my tower! This pictures is just to give you a better idea of "The Marshmallow Challenge"



  On the second day, my teacher showed a video of Dr. Tae (I think he was a physicist, not sure) trying to do some kind of trick on a skateboard. In the end, after lots of attempts, Dr. Tae gave me a wonderful lesson which was: "If you want to accomplish something, just work your *** off!" or something like that.

  Summarizing, combining these two lessons, I came up with: you should always plan something (anything) and work hard to accomplish it (did I get it right, miss?).

  Now, answering the second question (please look at the title or at the  big question above before asking any questions), my plans for this year is mainly to oversome my weakness of hating to see human body parts (urgh) because I really like Biology and in order to deepen my studies in this subject, I should try to, well, not LOVE, but at least, be able to look at real organs, guts, and stuff. To accomplish this, I shall watch many horror movies (muahahaha!)...NO, I will just try not to avoid looking at the human body pictures or videos. This will be a challenge, but I'm really looking foward to try it.

  ...I've just noticed that so far after writing all this, I still haven't introduced myself (oh boy, more stuff to write/read). I'm not going to say my name because as you can see it's pretty obvious what it is (please read the name of the blog and the first sentence of the first paragraph)...I LOVE BIOLOGY! So for those who are really interested in this subject, please give me any interesting information related to it. I'm all ears, trust me. I also love drawing (manga), reading (science-fiction, fiction, and mysteries), and listening to Japanese music (ooooooh yeah!). You may also share any informaiton about these things, but I don't think it will have anything to do with this blog, for it is for my Science class; in other words, right now, I think I'm just being random (...).