The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals by Michael Poll

The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals by Michael Pollan, was a great read. I came into the adventure without much background regarding what kind of book it was going to be, and to my astonishment it was more of an educational journey than pages of force-fed beliefs. Michael Pollan has a writing style that is both loose and intriguing and really kept my attention throughout. Having already read extensively concerning human nutrition and food, I am usually skeptical when beginning such reads as this one, but I was very surprised that Mr. Pollan was very objective, in that this was seemingly a field trip and journey from environment to plate. I will begin this report with a summary of this great book and delve deeper into the thoughts that the literary family has of it. I will then go on to explain its importance in the development of environmental policy and impact, and end with my thoughts regarding the material and the interaction among social and environmental values and impacts presented by the author Michael Pollan. Summary The book begins with the question of â€Å"What should we have for dinner?† and stands to answer that question the rest of the way. Speaking directly of Americans, Pollan explains in-depth how the Nation tends to jump from fad to fad, first being afraid of carbohydrates, and then switching to fats, and so on. He goes on to explain where this thought process might have come from with the history of the Carter administration in 1977, as dietary goals were issued and the red meat lovers of America were warned to cut back. From that time on it has been an ever-changing lipo-, carbo-, phobia, with a cycle of weight loss and gain. With this question at hand, Michael Pollan begins to dive de... ...ormative history as he travels from the cornfields of Iowa, to the feedlot, to the forest floor in search of chanterelles, and then coming full circle to the dinner table. The information given is not always pleasant, but it is necessary for an informed eater in America to be aware of. The effects of knowing can cause us to be more responsible in what we are purchasing at the grocery store (and essentially voting for). He shows that making the correct decision to the question â€Å"What should we have for dinner?† can also be the choice that tastes the best and is the best for you. Works Cited Kamp, D. (2006). â€Å"Deconstructing Dinner.† New York Times: Sunday Book Review. 26 April 2006.http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/23/books/review/23kamp.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 Pollan, M. The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals. New York. Random. 2006. Print

Factors That Affect the Rate of Reaction of Peroxidase

Factors that Affect the Rate of Reaction of Peroxidase Purpose: To determine the effect of various factors on the rate of reaction between an enzyme and its substrate, and also to determine the optimal ranges under which the enzyme activity is maximized. Also to determine whether saline and alcohol are inhibitors or activators Hypothesis: PH factor prediction: I predict that as the pH increases so the activity of the enzyme will increase until it reaches optimum pH range (pH 7) because the enzyme is less denatured when it reaches the preferred pH level, and after this it will decrease because the active site will change in shape and it will no longer accept substrates. Temperature factor prediction: I predict as the temperature increases, the enzyme activities will increase because there is more energy to speed up the reaction until it reaches the optimum temperature range (room temperature which is about 20  °C), and after that the enzyme activities will decrease because of denature of the enzymes (cause changes to active site that will no longer fit substrate) Concentration of enzymes prediction: I predict that as the concentration of enzyme increases, so the enzyme activities will increase because there is more enzyme to react with the substrates however when enzymes get saturated, the reaction will come to a plateau because eventually all the substrates will have enzymes to react with, and any extra will have no effect on the reaction whatsoever. I predict alcohol is an inhibitor of Peroxidase because alcohol when alcohol bind to the allosteric site it changes the active site shape of the enzymes thus deactivating enzymatic activities I predict salt is an activator of Peroxidase because salt contains Na ions which attaches to the allosteric site changing the shape of the enzyme to fit a substrate. Materials: †¢ Peroxidase (enzyme in potato) †¢ Hydrogen peroxide, 3% †¢ A strong acid, pH3 (lemon juice, or HCL) 0. 5 †¢ A strong base, pH 10 (drain cleaner, NaOH) 0. 5 mol/L †¢ A weak acid, pH 6 (vinegar, acetic acid( CH3COOH)) 0. 5 mol/L †¢ A weak base, pH 8 (baking soda, sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3)) 0. 5 mol/L a †¢ A saline solution, pH 7 (table salt, NaCl) 0. mol/L †¢ Alcohol, pH 7 (rubbing or spirits (isopropyl or ethanol)) 1 mol/L †¢ Distilled water, pH 7 †¢ Hot plate, stove, or kettle (hot water bath) †¢ Cold water (ice water bath) †¢ Eye dropper or oral, needle-less syringe 10 cc (10 mL) †¢ Graduated cylinder or needle-less syringe 10 cc( 10 mL) †¢ Disposable plastic plates †¢ Disposable plastic cups †¢ Thermometer †¢ Timing devi ce (with second hand) †¢ ice Safety Precautions Being sure to wash hands before and after handling materials. Use caution with hot and cold materials. Follow all safety procedures. Procedure: †¢ I placed a piece of raw potato in 10 mL of water at room temperature (20  °C) for three minutes. Put three drops of hydrogen peroxide (3 %) on it (after dabbing dry with paper towel) †¢ I placed a piece of raw potato in 10 mL of cold water at temperature 10  °C for three minutes. Put three drops of hydrogen peroxide (3 %) on it (after dabbing dry with paper towel) to observe the effect of temperature on reaction activity †¢ I placed a piece of raw potato in 10 mL of cold water at temperature 15  °C for three minutes. Put three drops of hydrogen peroxide (3 %) on it (after dabbing dry with paper towel) to observe the effect of temperature on reaction activity †¢ I placed a piece of raw potato in 10 mL of hot water at room temperature 25  °C for three minutes. Put three drops of hydrogen peroxide (3 %) on it (after dabbing dry with paper towel) to observe the effect of temperature on reaction activity †¢ I placed a piece of raw potato in 10 mL of hot water at temperature 30  °C for three minutes. Put three drops of hydrogen peroxide (3 %) on it (after dabbing dry with paper towel) to observe the effect of temperature on reaction activity I placed a piece of raw potato in 10 mL of lemon juice 0. 5 mol/L at room temperature (21  °C) for three minutes. Put three drops of hydrogen peroxide (3 %) on it (after dabbing dry with paper towel) to observe the effect of pH on reaction activity †¢ I placed a piece of raw potato in 10 mL of drain cleaner, NaOH at room temperature (21  °C) for three minutes. Put three drops of hydrogen peroxide (3 %) on it (after dabbing dry with paper towel) to observe the effect of pH on reaction activity †¢ I placed a piece of raw potato in 10 mL of vinegar, acetic acid 0. mol/L at room temperature (21  °C) for three minutes. Put three drops of hydrogen peroxide (3 %) on it (after dabbing dry with paper towel) to observe the effect of pH on reaction activity †¢ I placed a piece of raw potato in 10 mL of baking soda 0. 5 mol/L at room temperature (21  °C) for three minutes. Put three drops of hydrogen peroxide (3 %) on it (after dabbing dry with paper towel) to observe the effect of pH on reaction activity †¢ I placed a piece of raw potato in 10 mL of saline solution 0. 5 mol/L at room temperature (21  °C) for three minutes. Put three drops of hydrogen peroxide (3 %) on it (after dabbing dry with paper towel) to determine if saline is an inhibitor or activator †¢ I placed a piece of raw potato in 10 mL of alcohol solution 1 mol/L at room temperature (21  °C) for three minutes. Put three drops of hydrogen peroxide (3 %) on it (after dabbing dry with paper towel) to determine if alcohol is an inhibitor or activator †¢ I put three drops of hydrogen peroxide (3 %) on large pieces of potato to observe the effect of concentration (large pieces have smaller surface area which have less enzymes) I put three drops of hydrogen peroxide (3 %) on medium pieces of potato to observe the effect of concentration (large pieces have smaller surface area which have less enzymes) †¢ I put three drops of hydrogen peroxide (3 %) on small pieces of potato to observe the effect of concentration (smaller pieces have larger surface area which have more enzymes, the more the enzymes the greater the reaction activi ty) Analysis: Inquiry skills (scientific Method): The dependant variable is time The independent variable is Peroxidase enzyme The controlled variables are PH, temperature, and concentration The reason to create this datum is so that we could make a comparison. Without creating this action, it would be hard to see the effect of enzymes on the decomposition of peroxide. It’s to create this reference point to see how it decomposes before any enzymatic reaction and after. Inquiry skills (data management): [pic] Figure 1: Qualitative observation scale of Peroxidase-catalyzed peroxide decomposition Temperature factor (10  °C): Quantitative Datum (action)- (time in seconds) |Qualitative Datum (action) -(extent of bubbling) | |10 |0 | |20 |1 | |30 |1 | |40 |2 | |50 |1 | |60 |1 | |Average: |1 | Temperature factor (15  °C): Quantitative Datum (action)- (time in seconds) |Qualitative Datum (action)- (extent of bubbling) | |10 |1 | |20 |1 | |30 |2 | |40 |2 | |50 |2 | |60 |2 | |Average |2 | Temperature factor (20  °C): Quantitative Datum (action)- (time in seconds) |Qualitative Datum (action)- (extent of bubbling) | |10 |2 | |20 |2 | |30 |3 | |40 |3 | |50 |3 | |60 |2 | |Average |3 | Temperature factor (25  °C): Quantitative Datum (action)- (time in seconds) |Qualitative Datum (action)- (extent of bubbling) | |10 |3 | |20 |3 | |30 |4 | |40 |4 | |50 |2 | |60 |2 | |Average |3 | Temperature factor (30  °C): Quantitative Datum (action) – (time in seconds) |Qualitative Datum (action)- (extent of bubbling) | |10 |3 | |20 |2 | |30 |2 | |40 |2 | |50 |1 | |60 |0 | |Average |2 | pH factor (pH 3): Quantitative Datum (action)- (time in seconds) |Qualitative Datum (action)- (extent of bubbling) | |10 |0 | |20 |1 | |30 |1 | |40 |1 | |50 |1 | |60 |2 | |Average |1 | pH factor (pH 6): Quantitative Datum (action)- (time in seconds) |Qualitative Datum (action)- (extent of bubbling) | |10 |1 | |20 |2 | |30 |2 | |40 |3 | |50 |4 | |60 |4 | |Average |3 | pH factor (pH 7): Quantitative Datum (action)- (time in seconds) |Qualitative Datum (action)- (ext ent of bubbling) | |10 |2 | |20 |3 | |30 |3 | |40 |3 | |50 |4 | |60 |4 | |Average |3 | pH factor (pH 8): Quantitative Datum (action)- (time in seconds) |Qualitative Datum (action)- (extent of bubbling) | |10 |3 | |20 |2 | |30 |2 | |40 |2 | |50 |2 | |60 |1 | |Average |2 | pH factor (pH 10): Quantitative Datum (action)- (time in seconds) |Qualitative Datum (action)- (extent of bubbling) | |10 |2 | |20 |1 | |30 |1 | |40 |1 | |50 |0 | |60 |0 | |Average |1 | Concentration factor (large pieces): Quantitative Datum (action)- (time in seconds) |Qualitative Datum (action)- (extent of bubbling) | |10 |0 | |20 |1 | |30 |1 | |40 |1 | |50 |2 | |60 |2 | |Average |1 | Concentration factor (medium pieces): Quantitative Datum (action)- (time in seconds) |Qualitative Datum (action)- (extent of bubbling) | |10 |4 | |20 |4 | |30 |3 | |40 |3 | |50 |3 | |60 |2 | |Average |3 | Concentration factor (small pieces): Quantitative Datum (action)- (time in seconds) |Qualitative Datum (action)- (extent of bubbling) | |10 |4 | |20 |4 | |30 |3 | |40 |3 | |50 |3 | |60 |3 | |Average |3 | Saline inhibitor/activator factor: Quantitative Datum (action)- (time in seconds) |Qualitative Datum (action)- (extent of bubbling) | |10 |4 | |20 |4 | |30 |3 | |40 |3 | |50 |3 | |60 |2 | |Average |3 | Alcohol inhibitor/activator factor: Quantitative Datum (action)- (time in seconds) |Qualitative Datum (action)- (extent of bubbling) | |10 |1 | |20 |1 | |30 |1 | |40 |1 | |50 |0 | |60 |0 | |Average |1 | Knowledge and understanding (Data Analysis): The optimal range of temperature and pH of Peroxidase is about 20 °C to 25 ° C at a pH of 6. 0 to 7. 0 It seems to be that Peroxidase has a different temperature range than Catalase however both have similar pH range. Knowledge and Understanding (Concept Analysis): Enzymes are made of protein, depending on the structure of the amino acid, and the hydrogen and ionic bonds is what makes the difference between the two enzymes (Catalase and Peroxidase). It seems to be that Catalase has stronger hydrogen and ionic bonds than Peroxidase and that’s why it can withstand more temperature before it’s denatured. Conclusion: My experiment results agrees with my hypothesis. According to the data tables I have created, you notice that the enzymatic reaction (amount of bubbles) first increases starting from 15 °C then it starts to go down when it reaches over 25 °C (this matches with my first prediction on the effect of temperature on Peroxidase) Starting from pH 3 to pH 7, the reaction increases then it decreases after pH 7 (this matches with second prediction) Starting from low concentration, we get less reaction then it increases gradually (this matches with my third prediction)

History of Life Through Time Essay

1. The website shows the basic phylogeny of the three main lineages of life forms. They are â€Å"Archaea,† â€Å"Eubacteria,† and â€Å"Eukaryotes. † It also shows â€Å"Viruses† outside of the tree, with a question mark indicating that its place in the tree is undetermined, if it belongs in the tree at all. 2. This site attempts to show the two alternative phylogenies of the major lineages of life forms. The â€Å"archaea tree† distinguishes two variations of archaea, and shows that archaea are more closely related to eukaryotes than to eubacteria. In the â€Å"eocyte tree,† archaea are not specified at all, but eukaryotes are shown as most closely related to crenarchaeota-eocytes, which was a derivation of archaea in the previous tree. 3. Viruses are not listed in these two phylogenies because they are not proven to be actual life forms. Where archaea, eubacteria and eukaryotes are classified as â€Å"life forms† due to their ability to transfer genes, viruses have not been determined to be living. They are therefore not included on these two phylogenetic trees. At the other website, , a detailed phylogeny of the Eukaryotes is provided. From this it is evident that Fungi are more closely related to Animalia than to Plantae. 5. Both sites show that the major life classifications are â€Å"Bacteria,† â€Å"Eukaryotes,† and â€Å"Archaea. † The â€Å"Tree of Life† site shows the alternatives to how closely the lineages are related, giving two examples of how the three domains may be nested within each other instead of being derived equally. The University of California site breaks down the systematics of each domain separately and more specifically, leaving the three domains as separate entities entirely. Works Cited History of Life Through Time. 2009. University of California Museum of Paleontology. 3 June 2009 . Tree of Life Web Project. 1997. Life on Earth. Version 01 January 1997 (temporary). 3 June 2009 in The Tree of Life Web Project, .

The Benefits of a Standing Desk and Risks of Sitting

The Benefits of a Standing Desk and Risks of Sitting Standing desks offer many benefits for your health and ergonomics. Break free from the chains of sitting at a desk and stand up for yourself and your health. Health Benefits of a Standing Desk The first major benefit of using a standing desk is avoiding all of the negatives that make sitting at a desk bad for you! Sitting for long periods of time causes metabolic issues–you dont produce chemicals necessary for processing sugars and fats, and your circulation suffers. Your skeleton and muscles form a reactive frame for your body which wants to move and respond to outside forces. Additionally, your muscles need to regularly flex to support healthy functions and chemical production. Standing allows your body to adjust and move easily, flexing your muscles continuously. It also keeps your blood circulating well. Movement regulates your blood sugar and keeps your blood pressure lower. And this lets you live longer! Risks of Sitting Sitting increases your chances of developing diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and blood clots or thrombosis. Studies have shown some dramatic effects of sitting for long periods of time. Those who sit a lot are 54 percent more likely to have a heart attack. Men who sit more than six hours a day have a 20 percent higher mortality rate; women have a 40 percent higher mortality rate. If you sit for more than 23 hours a week, you are 64 percent more likely to die from heart disease. In addition, studies have also shown that regular exercise does not counteract the effects of prolonged sitting. The only way to reduce or eliminate the negative impact of prolonged sitting is to not do it. Working at a standing desk will accomplish that for most people. Another benefit of a standing desk is that you burn more calories throughout the day. That will help with weight loss or maintain a healthy weight. Standing while working will burn one-third more calories than sitting will, which could account for an additional 500 calories burned in a day. Standing Can Reduce Pain There is anecdotal and scientific evidence to show that standing while working will alleviate back pain and other repetitive stress injuries. The problem usually comes from not using your back enough. When you sit, you dont hold your upper body with your muscles; rather, you let the chair hold you. This leads significant compression within the chest and abdominal cavities, slouching of the shoulders and rolling of the spine. These are classic causes of repetitive stress injuries and back pain. Working at a standing desk will keep your core and back muscles engaged throughout the day and improve your posture. Mental Benefits of Standing Another benefit of a standing desk is an increase in your focus, alertness, and activity level. When standing, it is easier to release restless energy. Combine that with the good circulation, stable blood sugar, and an active metabolism, and it is easier to focus on the task at hand. Standing while working will burn one-third more calories. Many authors and statesmen throughout the centuries who swear by working at a standing desk have claimed that it helps get the creative juices flowing. It also fights fatigue and improves lethargy. While this may sound like a contradiction, it is not. Standing while working helps fight off the naturally occurring slumps and bouts of fatigue that often happen mid-morning or early afternoon. Those are often related to metabolic drops after meals are processed by the body. Keeping your blood sugar level helps avoid those. Staying active and releasing restless energy also promotes a satisfying tiredness when it is time to sleep. Your mind isnt racing and your body is ready to rest.

Free Essays on My Favorite Teacher

There are some teachers, who hardly ever make an impact on, or touch someone’s life for the better. Some just go through life teaching. But there are some that change a person’s life, for the better. He was the kind of person that everyone loved. He never asked too much, or expected too much. As I look back on my days at Warren High School, I remember what an impact this man had on my life. This man was my chemistry I and II teacher, Mr. Wilson. Computer information systems, was what I originally had planned for my future. Chemistry never even interested me. My sophomore year I decided to take IB Chemistry 1. The teacher I had was Mr. Wilson. As I entered that classroom, I thought about what I would learn, but nothing could have prepared me for the decisions I would come upon and make within one year. Throughout the year, Mr. Wilson made class interesting. There was never a dull moment in his classroom. Whether it was making jokes about different issues, making fun of the jocks for being 5-5 for two years in a row or just being there when someone did not understand something that was taught that day. He stayed after school, religiously, every day for one hour, just so kids could ask him for help. There was never one time when he left a minute early, or did not stay at all. More and more chemistry began to interest me. I could not figure out why I had just discovered the world of chemistry. Then it hit me. Had it not been for Mr. Wilson, I would have never thought about a career in chemistry. Had it not been for this man, I would have been lost and confused as to what my future in computer information systems would be like. He changed me in the sense that I had discovered a part of myself that I never knew existed. For that I am eternally grateful.... Free Essays on My Favorite Teacher Free Essays on My Favorite Teacher There are some teachers, who hardly ever make an impact on, or touch someone’s life for the better. Some just go through life teaching. But there are some that change a person’s life, for the better. He was the kind of person that everyone loved. He never asked too much, or expected too much. As I look back on my days at Warren High School, I remember what an impact this man had on my life. This man was my chemistry I and II teacher, Mr. Wilson. Computer information systems, was what I originally had planned for my future. Chemistry never even interested me. My sophomore year I decided to take IB Chemistry 1. The teacher I had was Mr. Wilson. As I entered that classroom, I thought about what I would learn, but nothing could have prepared me for the decisions I would come upon and make within one year. Throughout the year, Mr. Wilson made class interesting. There was never a dull moment in his classroom. Whether it was making jokes about different issues, making fun of the jocks for being 5-5 for two years in a row or just being there when someone did not understand something that was taught that day. He stayed after school, religiously, every day for one hour, just so kids could ask him for help. There was never one time when he left a minute early, or did not stay at all. More and more chemistry began to interest me. I could not figure out why I had just discovered the world of chemistry. Then it hit me. Had it not been for Mr. Wilson, I would have never thought about a career in chemistry. Had it not been for this man, I would have been lost and confused as to what my future in computer information systems would be like. He changed me in the sense that I had discovered a part of myself that I never knew existed. For that I am eternally grateful....

Calibrating a pressure gauge using an air-operated dead-weight pressure gauge tester for air gauges

Calibrating a pressure gauge using an air-operated dead-weight pressure gauge tester for air gauges INTRODUCTION: Calibrationis the set of operations that establish the relationship between the values of quantities indicated by a measuring instrument and the corresponding values realized by standards. The result of a calibration allows for the determination of corrections to be made with regards to the indicated values. It may also help in determining other metrological properties such as the effect of influence quantities. The results of a calibration are usually documented and referred to as calibration certificate or a calibration report. Necessary adjustments are made to the instrument after calibration so that it always indicates readings corresponding to given values of the quantity measured. When the instrument is made to give a null indication corresponding to a null value of the quantity to be measured, the set of operation is called zero adjustment . The Calibration Process The first thing to consider in calibrating an instrument is its design. In order to be able to cal ibrate an instrument, the design of the instrument has to be capable of measurements that are â€Å"withinengineering tolerance† when used within certain conditions and over a reasonable period of time. The criteria used for assigning tolerance values vary according to regions and according to type of industry. Manufacturers of instruments assign a general measurement tolerance and suggest the calibration interval as well as the optimum environment for use and storage of the instrument. The user of the instrument on the other hand assigns the actual calibration interval, on the instrument’s likely usage level. For example, if a manufacturer states that an instrument needs to be calibrated after usage for 8-12 hours of use 5 days per week is six months, that same instrument in 24/7 usage would generally get a shorter interval. The assignment of calibration intervals can be a formal process based on the results of previous calibrations. Calibration process versus cost G enerally, the process of calibrating an instrument is a difficult and expensive one. As a rule of thumb, the cost for ordinary equipment support is generally about 10% of the purchasing cost of the instrument on a yearly basis. Exotic devices such asscanning electron microscopes,gas chromatographsystems andlaserinterferometerdevices can be even more expensive to calibrate. When the instruments being calibrated are integrated with computers, the integrated computer programs and any calibration corrections are also under control. The calibration paradox Successful calibration has to be consistent and systematic. At the same time, the complexity of some instruments requires that only key functions be identified and calibrated. Under those conditions, a degree of randomness is needed to find unexpected deficiencies. Even the most routine calibration requires a willingness to investigate any unexpected observation. Theoretically, anyone who can read and follow the directions of a calibra tion procedure can perform the work. It is recognizing and dealing with the exceptions that is the most challenging aspect of the work. This is where experience and judgement are called for and where most of the resources are consumed. THEORY Principles of Operation Of Dead Weight Testers Pressure is defined as force per unit area i.e.

Developing Winning Competitive Strategies Essay

Developing Winning Competitive Strategies - Essay Example The digital camera users have appreciated our company's products and for this case, they have developed as a substantial worldwide market share. Our company emphasis on the market share in all continents although we failed to achieve a substantial market share in the United States and Asia since the amount of profit per share we were making was at minimal. We had a notion that the price of our products would assist as gain a substantial market share and for this case, we overlooked investing in the marketing department even though we had invested heavily on in the market share. Our main marketing strategy was our image rating as we believed that this would eventually as it expressed the quality of our product since it attracted more customers to purchase our products. Our sales increased gradually since our customers believed that our quality of the products was high as the quality of the product goes with the image rating as it was our case. ... Another strength that has assisted our company gains a substantial market share is advertising. People have to be made aware of a product for them to be purchased and it does not if the quality of a product is high, if people do not know of its existence, then a low quality may have a large market share since people of its existence. Our company invested heavily in the advertisement as they always exceeded their advertisement budget of $300 to the actual spending of $537 in advertising. Another strength that assisted our company to succeed against its competitors is the market share. We started from the beginning to market our products in all the continents in the world in order to increase our sales revenue. This strength really helped us since we increased our sales and eventually our profits went up as our products were made known throughout the world.