It has been argued that power plants should make use of off-peak hours (such as late at night) to generate mechanical energy and store it until it is needed during peak load times, such as the middle of the day. One suggestion has been to store the energy in large flywheels spinning on nearly frictionless ball-bearings. Consider a flywheel made of iron, with a density of 7800 kg/m3 , in the shape of a uniform disk with a thickness of 13.9 cm .

When starting a small business, you must be aware of which state laws are applicable to your new business. Are state laws the same for every state? What commercial and government sources are available to provide you with information for finding relevant state laws?

Response 1 

Grandma’s Experiences Leave a Mark on Your Genes

“Your ancestors’ lousy childhoods or excellent adventures might change your personality, bequeathing anxiety or resilience by altering the epigenetic expressions of genes in the brain.”

By           Dan Hurley     |Thursday, June 25, 2015

Please be sure to summarize and critique all 3 pages of this article. 

http://discovermagazine.com/2013/may/13-grandmas-experiences-leave-epigenetic-mark-on-your-genes

respond 2 

Listen to the following 30-minute podcast on YouTube: “Science Friday Interview with Carl Sagan – ‘Science Is a Way of Thinking’ (1996)”       

and/or

at least two of the following videos:

1. “Why the future of science depends on creativity and emotion | NASA’s Michelle Thaller | Big Think” (4:29 minutes)
2. “Three major thought processes in scientific creativity” Albert Rothenberg (2:36 minutes)
3. “Jeremy Nathans (Johns Hopkins/HHMI): Creativity in Science” (7:02 minutes)
4. “Carl Sagan’s most important lesson about science | NASA’s Michelle Thaller | Big Think” (2:15 minutes)

and/or

at least any 20 minutes of: “The Mad Science of Creativity” (1:26:32 minutes). The intro for the event is about 10 minutes long and not necessary to watch in order to appreciate any of the storytellers’ presentations.

Then, provide a brief summary and reaction to what you have observed of these recordings. In addition (within your 300+ word critique), address both of these questions:

1. What are some ways that scientific thinking and scientific endeavors (large or small) happen in every-day life? To answer this question, you may write about your personal experience(s) or more general occurrences.

b. What role, if any, do you see creativity playing in science?

response 3 

“A pill for longevity could become reality…”The following article is from 2006. Yes, it’s an old article. I still like to include it as an option, however, because of its interest and relevance to our module — and to invite you to see what has happened in this research area since 2006. You are welcome to include any newer information you find (from a reputable source, of course) in your critique, or critique that newer article instead of this one. Read and critique the article pasted below:     Many Happy Returns     by Caroline Williams   Source: New Scientist; 6/3/2006, Vol. 190 Issue 2554, p41-41, 3/4p, 1c   Title: MANY HAPPY RETURNS., By: Williams, Caroline, New Scientist, 02624079, 6/3/2006, Vol. 190, Issue 2554  Database: Academic Search Premier   A pill for longevity could become reality once we master the genetics and physiology of ageing   Looking for a magic pill to help you ward off ageing? No problem. With just a few clicks of your mouse you can buy enough snake oil to last your newly extended lifetime, complete with a list of promises as extravagant as the price tag.   Today’s booming market for anti-ageing products is founded on little more than hype and hope, but things are set to change. In the past few years, at least 10 gene mutations have been identified that extend the lifespan of mice by up to 50 per cent. Encouragingly, these long-lived supermice are no sickly rodent geriatrics: they remain healthy and active long after their litter-mates have succumbed to the many diseases of old age. The major hurdle in the quest to achieve similar results in humans is understanding exactly how these genes and others like them influence longevity.   One key factor, in mice at least, seems to be the production of growth hormones in early life. In 1996, the first mutation found to extend life in mice was one engineered into the so-called Ames dwarf mouse. Ames mice were given a mutation on the Prop-1 gene that affects the endocrine system, leaving them with a deficiency of growth hormone, among other hormones. It turned out they live up to 50 per cent longer as a result.   Five other mutations that reduce production of insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) have since been found to have a similar effect on longevity in mice. Something similar appears to happen in dogs. Small breeds, which have low levels of IGF-1 in early life, can live up to twice as long as larger dogs and remain free of signs of age-related disease until later in life.   Small is youthful   Could this point to the elixir of youth in humans? Hard evidence is scarce, but some as yet unpublished research suggests a subgroup of centenarians has a variation in one IGF-1 gene. Another gene variant, known as the Laron mutation, which affects the receptors for growth hormone and so leads to dwarfism, has also been anecdotally linked to longevity. Many experts see growth hormones and their receptors as possible targets for future anti-ageing drugs. The big obstacle is likely to be finding ways to sidestep the serious problems associated with growth hormone deficiencies, such as dwarfism and infertility.   An alternative and perhaps more promising route to longevity lies in finding ways to increase the resistance of cells to stresses such as the damage caused by free radicals. Many supposed anti-ageing compounds sold on the internet claim to work by providing antioxidants to mop up damaging free radicals, which are produced by the cell’s mitochondria when they make the ATP that fuels the cell’s activities. Though there is no evidence that popping antioxidant pills can hold back the years, delivering antioxidant enzymes direct to the mitochondria might do the trick. Experiments in mice show that this seems to protect mitochondrial DNA from mutations, extending lifespan by 20 per cent (New Scientist, 14 January, p 42).   To protect nuclear DNA, several different approaches are looking promising. Hot off the press comes research indicating that an aberrant form of a protein called lamin A plays a key role in damaging the nucleus and its contents, leaving it looking wrinkled (Science, DOI: 10.1126/science.1127168). Researchers from the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Maryland, were able to turn the clock back in old cells by blocking the production of this protein. Now they want to find out whether drugs that do the same thing can slow down ageing in animals.   Nuclear DNA is particularly susceptible to damage during cell division, when it is rearranged. In 1997, Lenny Guarente and David Sinclair from Harvard Medical School in Boston reported that this damage can cause ageing in yeast. They have since found that yeast with an extra copy of a gene called SIR2, which helps prevent this genetic rearrangement, lived between 30 and 50 per cent longer. Convinced that he has found a “longevity gene”, Sinclair is now studying the life-prolonging effects of the equivalent mammalian gene, SIRT1, in transgenic mice. With the mice still only 2 years old, it will be another couple of years before we know whether this approach works.   Meanwhile in humans there are tantalising hints that yet another member of this family of genes, dubbed the sirtuins, is linked to longevity. In 2003 a study led by Giovanna De Benedictis at the University of Calabria in Arcavata di Rende, Italy, reported that centenarian men were more likely than the general population to have two copies of the SIR3 gene.   Stress in a bottle   Can we harness the rejuvenative power of sirtuins? Sinclair is hopeful. Under normal circumstances, sirtuins are activated when cells are stressed, but he has found a set of plant molecules that bind to the SIR2 protein in a way that mimics the effects of mild stress in cells, so increasing the activity of sirtuin genes. Feeding mice one of these compounds, called resveratrol, which is found in red wine, suppresses the growth of cancerous tumours. Resveratrol has also increased the lifespan of every organism it has been tested in so far: yeast, nematodes, flies and fish. Sinclair’s next step it to find out whether it has the same effect in mice.   Other researchers believe their best chance lies in a fuller understanding of the physiology of ageing. To that end, Richard Miller from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor is studying cells from another strain of lab mice, called Snell dwarf mice, in the hope of finding out how they resist attack on many fronts, including free-radical damage, heat stress and DNA mutations. Meanwhile, the US National Institute of Aging is funding a long-term project to test the effects of a slew of compounds with potential to manipulate physiological pathways implicated in ageing. Results of the first five trials on mice are due later this year. Wannabe centenarians, watch this space.  

EOL Project Exploration (Lab)

I’ve been following the EOL project since prior to 2012, as it was first developing. In November of 2018, its website had

had a big overhaul. Several positive changes were made, at that time. However, I regret that some of the old information

about ELO (that was available since its inception) is no longer available. For instance, the “What is EOL?” page

is much shorter than it used to be! In order for you to answer some of the following questions about the origins of the

EOL, please see use these additional resources:

1) The following wiki page has some information about the founding of EOL. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Encyclopedia_of_Life

2) More historical and general information about the EOL program is found here: https://naturalhistory.si.edu/research/eol

The EOL continues to grow — as does its value to the community of biologists as a whole! Overview:

Through this WebQuest-like activity you will learn more about a massive biological undertaking on the Internet. It is

called the Encyclopedia of Life and presently resides at http://www.eol.org . This collaborative effort will produce a

vast catalog of information about living organisms. The database is free and easily accessible by both experts and

novices in the biological sciences as well the general public.

Some details:

Use the information at the above links and in the “What is ELO?” section of the website to briefly answer the

following questions. Each answer is worth 5 points, except for question 8.

1) Summarize what the developers of the Encyclopedia of Life seek to accomplish.

2) Is there an intention for the EOL to also include extinct species? (see wiki)

3) When did the EOL go live? (see wiki)

4) What impact could the EOL have on science? …on the public at large?

5) Fill in the blanks from this sentence in the wiki: “The initiative relies on indexing information compiled by other

efforts, including the Sp2000 and ________, _________, _________ and the Assembling Tree of Life project of _______,

AmphibiaWeb, Mushroom explorer, microscope, etc.”

6) According to the information at https://naturalhistory.si.edu/research/eol , who is currently leading the EOL?

7 & 8) Even if you are not a scientist, how can you contribute to the ELO? (10 point question)

9) How do you search for a species?

Try it out:

To answer the following questions, use information presented in Module 6 along with what you discover on the EOL.

To search the EOL, enter the name of the organism in question using the search box at the top of the webpage. (5 points

each)

10) Of the taxonomic domains you learned of in Mod 6, in which would Solanum lycopersicum L. be found?

11) What is the common name for the organism with the scientific name, Solanum lycopersicum L.?

12) What is the scientific name of the Death Cap Mushroom?

13) Name 3 countries where the Death Cap Mushroom has been found.

14) In what taxonomic domain would Wolbachia pipientis be found?

15) Distribution: In what host might you find Wolbachia pipientis?

16) Besides killing the host, what is one of the potential effects of Wolbachia on its host?

17) What is the common name of Dictyostelium?

18) To what taxonomic kingdom does Dictyostelium belong?

19) What is the scientific name (Genus species) of the Peregrine Falcon?

Personal opinions (5 points):

20) Briefly comment on your personal opinion about the EOL project. You may include answers to any or all of the

following questions. (There are no wrong answers, here.): Is this project something you consider important? Why or

why not? How, if ever, might you use this resource? If you had the opportunity, would you want to contribute to the

EOL project? If so, how?

Complete a written paper (750–1,250 words) based on the readings and class lecture and discussion,addressing the following questions:• What is your understanding of social justice?• What is the role if any, of public health leaders in promoting social justice?• Identify two things related to health (situation, health problem, social determinant, status quo,policy, etc.) that are socially unjust. Explain why you think this is the case and identify at least oneroot cause of the injustice.• Your paper should integrate social justice concepts introduced in the course readings and class discussions as they apply to the problems you’ve identified.• Be prepared for a discussion of social justice and the problems you’ve identified in the live session that corresponds to the due date