Brown Recluse Venom

The brown recluse spider is a spider native to the US. It can be found in your home in the following places: Dark spots within baths, dormitories, garages, closets and cellars, vent and heating conducts, and seldom used clothes and shoes. Outside it can be found in the following places: storage places, underneath rocks or inside hollow trunks. This spider is actually fairly small, being only 1/4" to 1/2" it can sure pack a lot of venom! Usually if the spider bites you, you can't tell until a few hours later. You wont feel it bite you since it's so small. But after those few hours pass, you can see an irritation in the bitten area. Below is only day one from the Brown Recluse bite.

As you can see, nothing really out of the ordinary, swelling from the venom and irritation around the skin clearly indicates a bite, only you cant tell what really bit you yet since you cant see the real symptoms. After usually about 2 to 3 days you can really see when you have been bitten from something serious. Below is another picture from a Brown Recluse, only this is day 3.

sIf in fact, you notice you have been bitten by something, don't wait 3 days to do something. You need to react fast. Here's a list of the proper precautions to perform if you get bit.

• First, apply ice on the injury in order to lessen the pain and swelling.
• Whenever possible, place the bitten part of the body above your heart.
• Wash the entire area with cool water and soap -do not use warm water.
• Put sterilized bandages on the injury.
• Stay calm --nervous states help the venom spread inside your body.
• Try ibuprofen, naproxen, or similar anti-inflammatory drugs to relieve the pain.

After you realize you have been bitten by the Brown Recluse or any other spider like this, you should definitely call your doctor right away and see what you can do to prevent venom from spreading. The physical reaction to a brown recluse spider bite depends on the amount of venom injected and an individual's sensitivity to it. Some people are unaffected by a bite! Now, I will finally show you the 9th day of this man's painful bite from the Brown Recluse.

PKU

1. What enzyme is most commonly defective in people with phenylketonuria?
PKU occurs when a person inherits a genetic mutation that disrupts the function of a crucial metabolic enzyme(PAH).
2. What reaction does this enzyme catalyze?

3. Describe the symptoms of phenylketonuria.
 - Delayed mental and social skills
 - Hyperactivity
 - Mental Retardation
 - Seizures
 - Skin rashes
 - Tremors
4. What causes the symptoms of PKU, the lack of a substance or the buildup of one?
The build up of a substances can cause PKU. Certain substances are harmful to the central nervous system, and can even cause brain damage!
5. How common is phenylketonuria?
It is not usually common, normally 1 in 10,000 have it.

Enzyme Lab

In our enzyme lab, we measured the pressure of a mixture of hydrogen peroxide, water (h20) and yeast. The yeast was mixed in with the water and hydrogen peroxide because it is not only an enzyme, but it is also known as a peroxidase. A peroxidase is an enzyme that basically speeds up the reaction time of the process. That's what an enzyme is, something that speeds up the process of a reaction. We also used a pressure tester plugged into the mac book on one side, and a rubber cork in the test tube to see what the pressure looked like as it was increasing. The more drops of yeast we would mix with the water and peroxide, the more the reaction and pressure would increase. If you put enough drops of yeast in the tube, you could actually get such a rapid increase, the pressure cork would actually pop off!! Looking back at the lab, you can see we tested three different factors. We tested the enzyme concentrations, different temperatures of the tubes, and we also tested the ph levels. If you decrease the temperature of the tubes, the enzyme activity will decrease. If you heat up the tubes, then you can see the rapid increase of the temperatures.

Plant Cell Structure

There are actually lots of parts to a plant's cell structure. I will name and identify the most important parts, give you some pictures of cell plant structure, and show you the most helpful link I could find to give you the best idea of what a plant cell actually looks like on the inside:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCqQLoRaTNA

1. Nucleus- A part of the cell containing DNA or RNA and responsible for growth and reproduction
2. Nucleolus- A small round body of protein in a cell nucleus.
3. Golgi Apparatus- A netlike structure in the cytoplasm of animal cells.
4. Golgi Vesicles- A membrane-bound body that forms by "budding" from the Golgi apparatus. IT contains proteins such as digestive enzymes, and migrates to the cell (plasma) membrane.
5. Mitochondria- An organelle found in large numbers in most cells, in which the biochemical processes of respiration and energy production occur. It has a double membrane, the inner layer being folded inward to form layers.
6. Chloroplast- Plastid containing chlorophyll and other pigments.
7. Cell Wall- A rigid layer of polysaccharides enclosing the membrane of plant and prokaryotic cells.
8. Cell Membrane- A thin membrane enclosing the cytoplasm of a cell.
9. Endoplasmic Reticulum- A network of membranous tubules within the cytoplasm of a eukaryotic cell, continuous with the nuclear membrane. It usually has ribosomes attached and is involved in protein and lipid synthesis.
10. Ribosomes- An organelle in the cytoplasm of a living cell.
11. Nucleus- A part of the cell containing DNA and RNA and responsible for growth and reproduction.
12. Nucleolus-A small round body of protein in a cell nucleus.
13. Vacuole- A tiny cavity filled with fluid in the cytoplasm of a cell.
14. Cytoplasm- The protoplasm of a cell excluding the nucleus.