Contemporary Issues In Biology TCU exam 1

What are the steps of the scientific method?

Observation

Hypothesis

tests of hypothesis

Results

What is a two group experimental design?

A control Group (given a placebo)

An experimental group (given a drug)

Peer review Process

Scientists in the same field give anonymous review either accepting or rejecting the publications

Can a peer reviewer know the author?

NO!

How many reviewed papers are accepted to Science Magazine?

only 8%

What is pseudoscience?

A claim, belief or practice which is presented as scientific, but which does not follow the scientific method

What are elements of something that is pseudoscience?

things that seem to be scientifically reputable by the use of scientific language and skewed facts

What is an example of a pseudoscience?

Dietary supplements

Why are dietary supplements dangerous?

FDA requires no scientific studies on safety; People use supplements without telling their doctors

Why are dietary supplements a waste of money?

Because the claims made are not backed scientifically

How much of biology do scientists understand as of right now

less than 50%

Who is the father of biology?

Aristotle

Where is sperm produced

the seminiferous tubules in the testes

Where is sperm stored?

epididymis

Where does sperm travel during sexual activity?

the Vas Deferens

What are the three accessory glands of the male reproductive system

Seminal Vesicles

Prostate gland

Bulbourethral gland

Who many sperm per ejaculate

280 million

How are male hormones regulated?

Through the raising of FSH and LH it works like a thermostat.

Causes of large prostate?

Age

Problems of enlarged prostate?

Constricts urethra

Prevents bladder from emptying

dilates bladder

causes discomfort

What are the 4 prostate cancer risk factors

Age

ancestry

Family History

Farmers

Current recommendation for prostate screening?

Digital rectal exams

PSA testing

Average age for Digital exams

40 years old

what does PSA testing stand for?

Prostate specific antigen testing

what does it mean to have a high PSA score

higher chances of prostate cancer

What are 5 treatments of prostate cancer

Radical Prostatectomy

Nerve-sparing Prostatectomy

Radiation treatments

Radiation seed implants

Hormone therapy

What is a radical Prostatectomy

Complete removal of the prostate

what is a Nerve-Sparing Prostatectomy

only suspicious parts of the prostate are removed; less risk of impotence

What is hormone therapy for prostate cancer

Drugs block testosterone production, generally used when cancer has spread beyond the prostate.

Side effects of prostatectomy

Impotence

Incontinence

side effects of radiation

less recovery time, can impair sexual function, may not eliminate all tumor cells, surgery is not possible after radiation

What does a vasectomy do

It cuts off sperm and prevents it from being ejaculated, by cutting the vas deferens

What is the pathway of the egg?

Follicle of ovary produces the egg

Egg passes down through oviduct

egg passes through uterus

Egg passes through vagina

Ovary

produces the egg

Oviduct (fallopian tube)

site of fertilization of the egg, goes from ovaries to uterus

Uterus

Where the blastocyst incubates

Cervix

Neck of the uterus

menstral cycle

the cyclic buildup and breakdown of the endometrium

Vagina

Female organ of intercourse; birth canal

Homone regulation for women

Balance of FSH and LH release egg

Follicle produces estrogen and progesterone

How old is the pill

50 years old

What does the pill do

it creates negative feedback by blocking the production of FSH and LH preventing release of an egg

How long does menopause last

roughly 5 years

Symptoms of menopause

hot flashes, dry skin, brittle hair, insomnia, vaginal dryness, mood swings, skipped periods

When does menopause occur?

late 40s early 50s

Hormone replacement theory (HRT)

taking hormones to compensate for hormone reduction

current HRT recommendation

Limited amounts for short periods of time

What is biological sex

genes you are born with/ sex you are born with

Ex. Male, Female, Intersex

What is gender identity

sense of being male or female, usually established by age 3

What is sexual orientation?

Who you are attracted to

gender expression

How people express themselves through clothing, hair ect

what are the 4 parts of the sexual response cycle?

Excitement

Plateau

Orgasm

Resolution

How does the sexual response cycle differ between men and women?

men have a refractory period

What is the frequency people have sex

up to an average of 84 times per year

What are the 4 man types of sexual disorders?

Desire disorders

arousal disorders

orgasm disorders

pain disorders

4 states of the physiology of an Erection

Stimulation increases cyclic GMP enzyme

increased blood flow

veins taking blood out are shut off

blood is trapped in erectile tissue

what is a cause of impotence

clogged arteries in a penis, and not able to produce enough GMP

How does viagra work

inhibits PDE from breaking down cyclic GMP

What have abortion rates looked like in the last 40 years?

increased from 1970-1980 and have steadily decreased since the 1980s

How does birth control work compared to plan B

Birth control is something taken consistently and Plan B is an emergency contraceptive

Diploid vs. Haploid

Cells having 2 copies of each chromosomes vs cells with only 1 copy (half the DNA)

Mitosis vs. Meiosis

Mitosis: one division forming 2 identical cells (clones); Meiosis: two divisions forming 4 genetically different cells

4 steps of mitosis

prophase, metaphase, anaphase, telophase

Fertilization to implantation

from a 2 cell zygote, then mitotic division until it reaches the blastocyst stage

cell differentiation

the process by which a cell becomes specialized for a specific structure or function.

Example of n adult cell with specialized function

nerve cells

How does in vitro work

sperm and eggs are put into petree dish and if a egg accepts the sperm then the product blastocyst is introduced to the uterus

what is a stem cell

a blastocyst that has is a on specialized cell

what is the concept of stem cells

stem cells could be injected into wounded parts of the body and the cells would then differentiate and be able to heal

What can stem cells be used for potentially

spinal cord injuries and injuries in general

What is a controversy of stem cell research from president Bush

you can not destroy life in order to save it

What do foreign clinics claim stem cells can do

cure parkinsons and alzheimers

how many proteins are humans made up of

2 million

What are structural proteins functions

Muscle and Hair

What are chemical proteins functions

Antibodies, Hormones and Enzymes

What are proteins made of?

Chains of amino acids shaped exactly right

How many amino acids are found in humans

20

What is the structure of DNA

double helix

What is the function of DNA

the coding of specific genes

who discovered the structure of DNA

Watson and Crick

How does mitosis correlate with cancer

Cancer is uncontrolled mitosis caused by mutations in DNA

What are the 3 types of DNA mutations

Insertion

deletion

substitution

What is the most common type of cancer

breast cancer

What is the most frequent age of diagnosis of breast cancer

55-64

What carries fluids through out the body that can spread cancer

the lymphatic system

can breast cancer be passed genetically

yes, types such as the BRCA gene mutation

what are the three ways of breast cancer detection

genetic testing for types of BRCA mutations

Breast Self exams

Mammograms

What is an Allele?

Different forms of a gene

What is a chromosome?

a long continuous thread of DNA that consists of numerous genes

How does meiosis create genetic variation?

by producing haploid cells

What are the three things identical twins have

Identical Chromosomes

Identical proteins

Very similar appearances

How can identical twins be different?

This can be due to factors such as the environment they are raised in

What mammal was the first to ever be cloned

dolly

How does the cloning process turn back on the zygotes

an electrical shock

do we clone today?

yes all types of mammals are cloned today

What are the two types of human cloning

therapeutic cloning

reproductive cloning

what are the risks of human cloning

high number of miscarriages and deformities

Have we cloned humans

NOT YET!

Is human cloning banned?

yes

Is syphilis bacterial or viral?

bacterial