Characteristics of Living Things
Defining life can be very difficult. Scientists don’t all agree on a standard list of characteristics that define all life, but most generally agree on a common set of properties. Many of these properties are not limited to living things; some nonliving things may share a few of these characteristics as well. For instance, viruses don’t have the necessary machinery to reproduce themselves; they must use cellular hosts to make more viral copies. Because they cannot reproduce, they are not considered living.
Case Assignment
Your Assignment:
What is life? Research six specimens from the list below, describe them as living, nonliving, or dead and give support for why each belongs in their respective category.
Brown grassWhale spermHIV virusFertilized chicken eggHair from a human headPrionEgg from a grocery storeSkin cell from the back of the handAmoebaBlood cellMushroomCoral reef
What traits did you list as characteristics of living things, but were not easily observable?
List several processes that occur while an organism is alive, but cease when it is dead.
Did any nonliving things possess some of the same characteristics as living things? Which ones?
How do plants differ from animals in their life activities?
Define the word dormant. What factors influence whether something is considered dormant?
Research one of the following controversial discoveries: nanobacteria (Young & Martel, 2009), the “fossilized Martian bacteria” observed on the meteorite ALH84001 (McKay et al., 1996), or Craig Venter’s 2010 announcement of the first creation of “synthetic life” (Gibson et al., 2010). Review the claims made by the researchers who announced the discovery. Do the organisms fit the definition of life? How so?
Assignment Expectations
Organize this essay assignment using subtitles that summarize the topic from each question above. For example, to answer Question 1, use a descriptive subtitle like the following: What is Life?
Your essay should be approximately 2-3 pages in length. Answer each question under the subtitle using complete sentences that relate back to the question. Be sure to use APA formatting throughout your essay with 1-inch margins, 12-point type and double spacing throughout. Include a title page, introduction, answers to the questions with subtitles and concluding paragraph. Remember to include in-text citations within the body of the essay referencing your resources (i.e. Murray, 2014). Also, be sure to include a reference section at the end of your assignment listing all required readings and any additional resources you used to complete your essay. See the Trident guide to
APA Style, 7th edition
.
Direct quotes should be limited and must be designated by quotation marks. Paraphrased ideas must give credit to the original author, for example (Murray, 2014). Direct copying from “homework help” websites will not receive credit. Once you have completed your assignment within a word document, please upload your final version to the Module One Case Assignment dropbox. Please also note your Turnitin originality score and make revisions as needed. Please Citizen science projects are research activities that allow non-scientists to participate in data collection and make contributions to many areas of science from ecology to astronomy. These projects are sponsored by individuals, organizations and universities. Activities vary widely from observing and counting birds to completing surveys on pet behavior.
You will be creating a presentation researching one citizen science project from the list below (or you may search the internet for a citizen science project of your choosing). You do not have to participate in the study to complete your assignment, but many of these projects are available for citizen participation all over the world.
Wildwatch KenyaProject goal is to count, identify and track the giraffes in conservation field sites through trail camera photos.
https://www.zooniverse.org/projects/sandiegozooglobal/wildwatch-kenya
The Great Backyard Bird CountCitizens collect data on the highest number of birds of each species seen together at one time.
http://gbbc.birdcount.org/
Topics you should include in your presentation:
Slide 1Title Slide with Name, Course and DateSlides 2-3: IntroductionIntroduction and background on your chosen citizen science project, including what questions are being asked and who is asking them. Include a summary of why you chose this project:
What is the problem(s) the researchers are trying to solve?
Complete additional research to determine what is known about the problem(s).
What questions would you like answered?
Include supporting images
Slides 4-5Describe any observations or experiments that have been conducted to answer the research question(s). How will this help answer the questions being asked? Include any supporting images.Slides 6-7Add additional interesting facts you gathered about the citizen project (this may require additional research). Include any relevant images.Slides 8-9 – ConclusionSummarize your project findings.
Organelles can contribute to disease states in many ways. First, the organelle itself may be dysfunctional either because it contains one or more defective genes that impair its function or because it has been damaged by exposure to harmful substances such as chemicals, heavy metals or oxygen radicals. Additionally, an organelle can accumulate damage from processes occurring elsewhere in the cell. In this assignment, you will explore how normal cellular functions can be disrupted by dysfunctional organelles.
CASE ASSIGNMENT
CASE ASSIGNMENT
There are many diseases that are caused by the malfunction of specific organelles. Three examples are listed below:
(also known as Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome)
Select one of the disorders below and complete an essay of approximately 2-3 pages in length, addressing the questions below. A link is provided to introduce you to each disorder. You will need to conduct additional research to fully complete your essay. You should consult a minimum of three quality sources when researching parts I-IV below to complete your essay. Be sure to include which organelle(s) are malfunctioning and why in your essay.
I Cell Disease. National Organization for Rare Disorders.
https://rarediseases.org/rare-diseases/i-cell-disease/
Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome. National Organization for Rare Disorders.
https://rarediseases.org/rare-diseases/hutchinson-gilford-progeria/
Mucopolysaccharidoses. National Organization for Rare Disorders.
https://rarediseases.org/rare-diseases/mucopolysaccharidoses/
I. Cellular cause of disease
Describe the type of cell(s) involved with the disease. What is the specific function of this type of cell? If an organelle or other cell structure is the problem in the disease, include information about it. Are there more of a specific type of organelle in this type of cell? Why is the cell not performing properly in this type of disorder? Does this disorder affect other parts of the body?
II. Disease- Basic Information
Describe what someone with the disease would notice, and what doctors find when doing an examination. How serious is the disease? What happens if it is not treated? What effect does it have on normal living? Is it inherited? If so, describe the inheritance pattern and the gene responsible. How does the malfunctioning cell cause the symptoms? Usually there is a protein or enzyme that isn’t produced properly. How is this related to the symptoms?
III. Disease Treatment and Research
How is the disease currently being treated? Is it curable, or is the treatment only for the symptoms? What research is currently being conducted to find a cure/treatment? Is there hope for a cure/treatment? Are stem cells or gene therapy used in research? Can these therapies lead to a cure? Why is continued research important?
IV. Summarize your findings.
ASSIGNMENT EXPECTATIONS
ASSIGNMENT EXPECTATIONS
Organize this essay assignment using subtitles that summarize the topic from each question above. For example, to answer Question 1, use a descriptive subtitle like the following: Cellular Cause of Disease.
Biotechnology is a rapidly growing field that uses research tools from biology and chemistry to find solutions to current scientific problems. Some biotechnology professionals look for the genetic basis of disease or factors that affect lifespan. Others focus on solving food shortages, the climate crisis, or criminal investigations.
CASE ASSIGNMENT
To complete your essay for this assignment, select one of the biotechnology/genetic engineering topics below and answer the following questions in essay format:
ASSIGNMENT EXPECTATIONSOrganize this essay assignment using subtitles that summarize the topic from each question above. For example, to answer Question 1, use a descriptive subtitle like the following: Introduction to Animal Cloning.
Your essay should be approximately 1.5-2 pages in length. Answer each question under the subtitle using complete sentences that relate back to the question. Be sure to use APA formatting throughout your essay with 1-inch margins, 12-point type and double spacing throughout. Include a title page, introduction, answers to the questions with subtitles and concluding paragraph. Remember to include in-text citations within the body of the essay referencing your resources (i.e. Murray, 2014). Also, be sure to include a reference section at the end of your assignment listing all required readings and any additional resources you used to complete your essay. See the Trident guide to APA Style, 7th edition.
Direct quotes should be limited and must be designated by quotation marks. Paraphrased ideas must give credit to the original author, for example (Murray, 2014). Direct copying from “homework help” websites will not receive credit. Once you have completed your assignment within a word document, please upload your final version to the Module Three Case Assignment dropbox. Please also note your Turnitin originality score and make revisions as needed. Please contact your instructor with any questions.
You have already completed a basic study about genetics and mutations. For this assignment you will research a specific genetic disorder and create a PowerPoint to explain the disorder by addressing the information outlined below. Potential disorder topics are found in the table. You may also use the link provided below the table to begin your research.
List of possible Genetic Disorders to Research:
Progeria
Your Guide to Understanding Genetic Conditions. U.S. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved March 16, 2018 from
https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition
Topics you should include in your presentation:Slide 1Title Slide with Name, Course and DateSlide 2- IntroductionName and describe your chosen disorder. What happens to the body as a result of this disorder? What part or parts of the body does the disorder generally affect? How many people are generally affected in the US (or worldwide)?Slides 3-4Describe the symptoms of the disorder. What happens in the body to cause the disease? Is it a mutation? How is it inherited? Is it recessive or dominant or sex-linked? Is it triggered by other events? Find 1-2 images to illustrate the symptoms or cause of the disorder.Slides 5-6How is the disorder diagnosed? What tests are done? Is genetic counseling an option?Slide 7How is the disorder treated? Discuss medications, gene therapy, etc. Include an image to support your research.Slide 8- Application of researchSummarize new findings about your chosen disorder by researching current articles. What new information did you learn about your chosen disorder? Include the resource(s).Slide 9 – ConclusionSummarize your project findings.Slide 10—ReferencesPlease provide your sources in APA format.
volution is the change in populations over time. The frequencies of genes in a population change which results in changes in characteristics. The fossil record, biochemical evidence, genetic evidence, and other observations clearly show that these changes have occurred and are continuing to occur.
The mechanism for changes in populations is natural selection which is the differential survival and reproduction of individuals based on genetic differences among them. Organisms produce many more offspring than can survive. Because individuals have genetic differences, some are better able to survive and reproduce in a given environment. Populations change over time because of differences in individual survival and reproductive success.
Darwin observed that organisms often compete for mates. As a result, some individuals may produce many more offspring than others. For example, a peacock with brightly colored feathers and a complex courtship display is more likely to attract the attention of peahens and have an opportunity to pass his genes to the next generation. Male elephant seals compete with each other for breeding territories on beaches. A male without a territory is usually unable to attract females. The biggest, most aggressive males are usually the most successful. The advantage of having a large number of offspring outweighs the costs and perils. At some point a balance is reached between reproductive success and the costs of secondary sexual characteristics that can reduce survival (such as having bright feathers that attract predators as well as mates for example).
It is important to understand that natural selection impacts the population not the individual. The individual cannot evolve, but can only live or die, have offspring or not. The overall effect of natural selection is on the population.
CASE ASSIGNMENT
Answer the following questions in essay format. See the assignment expectations below for details on how to format your essay. You will be selecting one species from the video below to address questions 4 and 5 (video is approximately 12 minutes in length). You will need to conduct additional research to complete the essay in detail.
What kinds of variable traits might natural selection act upon within a population?Choose one species from the video below (examples include the peacock or North American Elk) to complete the remaining two questions for your Case Assignment:Conboy, R. Evolution – Why Sex? Retrieved March 13, 2018 from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AiHTcWejjQ
ASSIGNMENT EXPECTATIONS
Organize this essay assignment using subtitles that summarize the topic from each question above. For example, to answer Question 1, use a descriptive subtitle like the following: Natural Selection and Evolution..
One of the more important evolutionary concerns facing humans today is the impact on present day environments and populations. Consider how evolutionary processes may be impacting the fields of medicine, agriculture or the environment. Research topics such as antibiotic resistance, pesticide use (resistant insects/plants) or “recent” changes in human traits such as the theory of the “shrinking brain.”
Describe your chosen research topic on recent evolutionary processes. Explain how the evolution of rapidly changing populations or traits may be affecting humans in modern day society. Compare and contrast your research with that of your classmates.
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