Fungal And Bacterial Amylase During Starch Breakdown Biology Essay

Fungal And Bacterial Amylase During Starch Breakdown Biology Essay The lab conducted focused on examining the effects of temperature on the ability of fungal and bacterial amylase to breakdown starch to maltose, and determine the temperature at which these two amylases work best, which is known as optimal temperature. The experimental part of the lab consisted in setting up the utensils that were going to be used during the actual experiment. During this section test tubes were labeled, and spot plates were placed in temperature/ time table created. For the second section of the experiment, iodine was placed in each row of the spot plates for each temperatures, and the solutions in the test tubes( bacterial , fungal amylase and starch mixture) were added to those same spots were iodine was added, depending on the time and the temperature corresponding to each amylase. The optimal temperature was deducted by observing the color change in the spot plates and comparing them with a color-coding scheme for starch hydrolysis. Conclusions for this task were reached by analyzing the data collected by each group, which suggests that a change in temperature disturbs the activity of enzyme amylase. When exposed to low and high temperatures, these enzymes were not able to function properly, therefore, reducing or eliminating their ability to breakdown certain compounds, especially starch. Enzymes need maintain at a certain temperature to be able to function at its optimal. Introduction: Enzymes are complex proteins produced by all living organisms with the function of enhancing chemical reactions through a process known as catalysis. During this process, the substrates, which are the molecules that will undergo the reaction, binds to the active site of the enzyme to form different molecules called products. Each active site on the enzyme is unique, permitting only substrates that match the shape of the active site to bind to the enzyme in a process known as lock and key model, however, active sites are able to adjust their shape to permit the binding with a substrate through the induced fit model, which moves entire protein domains (Raven et al., 2008; Ringe Petsko, 2008; Whitehurst Van Oort, 2009). Catalysts, like enzymes, work by reducing the amount of energy required for a chemical reaction to take place by linking two substrates in the correct orientation or by accentuating chemical bonds of a substrate, which reduces the energy difference between reactants and transition state. Enzymes are not consumed or changed during the reaction and they do not alter the equilibrium of the reactions they catalyze (Garcia et al, 2004; Raven et al., 2008; Whitehurst Van Oort, 2009; Alberte et al., 2012). The activity of enzymes is affected by multiple factors, including 1) pH (ranges from pH 6 to 8), 2) temperature (Rate of reaction increases with temperature, but only up to a point called optimum temperature. A change in temperature, either below or above the optimum, causes the active site to denature, decreasing or preventing substrate binding. When exposed to low temperatures enzymes are not flexible enough to permit induce fit, and in high temperatures enzymes are too weak to maintain their shape.), 3) substrate concentration (If amount of enzyme is preserved constant and substrate concentration is gradually increased, the reaction velocity will increase until it reaches a maximum. After this point increasing substrate concentration will not increase the rate of reaction), 4) allosteric inhibitors and activators (Inhibitors are substances that bind to an enzyme and decreases its activity, and they can occur in two ways; competitive inhibitors and noncompetitive inhibitors. Effec tors that enhance enzyme activity are referred to as allosteric activators, which bid to allosteric sites to keep an enzyme in its active configuration), and 4) cofactors (Many enzymes required the presence of other compounds, called cofactors, which during the catalytic activity, A cofactor can be a coenzyme, a prosthetic group or a metal ion activator (Harisha, 2006; Raven et al., 2008; Whitehurst Van Oort, 2009). Enzymes have a wide spectrum of functions in the bodies of living organisms; they are present from signal transduction to generation of muscle contraction. The also break starch molecules, forming smaller fragments of maltose, which can be easily absorbed by mammals. And it is the ability of enzymes to breakdown starch and the effect of temperature during this process that will be analyzed in the lab (Whitehurst Van Oort, 2009; Alberte et al., 2012), expecting that the results collected confirm that temperature does have an effect in bacterial and fungal amylase activity. Methods: The experiment should be performed once per group, using fungal (Apergillus oryzae) and bacterial amylase. Starch catalysis will be monitored by using Iodine test, which turns from yellow to blue-black in the presence of starch. Experimental Setup Place a paper under the spot plates and label the top side with temperature values 0,40,60,95 Â °C, and the side with the times 0,2,4,6,8,10 min. Obtain 4 test tubes and label each with a different temperature, enzyme source, either bacterial or fungal and group number. Repeat previous step, but this time include the letter S, which stands for Starch solution. Finally add 5ml of 1.5% starch solution into each of the test tubes labeled S. Effect of temperature in amylase activity Add 1ml of amylase into each of the test tubes that do not contain starch, and place the 8 test tubes (4 containing starch and 4 containing amylase) into their respective temperatures, allowing all test tubes to equilibrate for 5 minutes. Add 2-3 drops of iodine to the first row of the spot plate corresponding to o minutes. After 5 minutes has passed and test tubes are equilibrated, transfer a few drops of starch solution from each temperature to the row where you added the iodine. Pour the starch solution into the tube containing amylase without taking it put of bath, and set the timer for two minutes. Add 2-3 drops of iodine to the second row, and after 2 minutes has passes, transfer a few drops of the starch-amylase mixture from each tube to the 2 minutes row using the pipette correspondent to each temperature. After each additional 2 min, add 2-3 drops of iodine and a few drops from starch amylase mixture. At the end of 10 min, note the temperature and the time at which 100% hydrolysis occurred. Repeat the procedure using the other amylase type, and using the color-coding scheme convert results into numerical values. Results: Temp (Â °C) 0 40 60 95 Time (min) 0 5 5 5 5 2 4.333333 3.166667 3 5 4 4.166667 3.083333 2.833333 5 6 4 3 2.75 5 8 4 3 2.683333 5 10 3.833333 3 2.75 5 Table 1: Class Average for Bacterial Amylase activity After all groups performed the experiment, a class data for bacterial amylase was collected. The average of the data was calculated and presented in Table 1, showing color changes for each temperature. Temp (Â °C) 0 40 60 95 Time (min) 0 5 5 5 5 2 3.333333 2.666667 3.166667 5 4 3.333333 2.666667 3.083333 5 6 3.333333 2.666667 2.833333 5 8 3.333333 2.416667 2.833333 5 10 3.333333 2.416667 2.833333 5 Table 2: Class Average data for Fungal Amylase activity After all groups performed the experiment, a class data for fungal amylase was collected. The average of the data was calculated and presented in Table 2, showing color changes for each temperature. Graph 1: Class Average for Bacterial Amylase activity Graphical Representation Results from Table 1 exposed in a graph, showing that all groups optimal temperature for Bacterial amylase is 60Â °C Graph 2: Class Average Data for Fungal Amylase activity Graphical Representation Results from Table 2 were exposed in a graph, showing that all groups optimal temperature for Bacterial is 40Â °C Figure 1: Color coding-scheme for starch breakdown Starch hydrolysis color coding scheme is used to determine the optimal temperature for each amylase during starch breakdown Figure 2: Bacterial amylase activity spot plate Group number 1 spot plate during bacterial amylase experiment showing the amylase reaction during each temperature Figure 3: Fungal amylase activity spot plate Group number 1 spot plate for fungal amylase experiment showing starch breakdown during each temperature Graph 3: Bacterial Amylase Activity graphical representation Bacterial amylase activity data taken from table 1 showing that optimal temperature for this kind of amylase according to group 1 is 60Â °C Temp (Â °C) 0 40 60 95 Color # Color # Color # Color Time (min) 0 blue/black 5 blue/black 5 blue/black 5 blue/black 2 blue/black 4 med brown 3.5 light brown 3 blue/black 4 blue/black 4 light brown 3 light brown 3 blue/black 6 med brown 3.5 light brown 3 dark yellow 2.5 blue/black 8 med brown 3.5 light brown 3 med yellow 2 blue/black 10 med brown 3.5 dark yellow 2.5 med yellow 2 blue/black Table 3: Bacterial Amylase activity Group 1 recorded color changes for each temperature during breakdown of starch by bacterial amylase, and it was represented in numerical values by using color coding scheme presented in Figure 1 Graph 4: Fungal Amylase Activity graphical representation Fungal amylase activity data taken from Table 4 showing that optimal temperature for this kind of amylase according to group 1 is 40 Â °C Temp (Â °C) 0 40 60 95 Color # Color # Color # Color Time (min) 0 blue/black 5 blue/black 5 blue/black 5 blue/black 2 light brown 3 dark yellow 2.5 light brown 3 blue/black 4 light brown 3 dark yellow 2.5 light brown 3 blue/black 6 light brown 3 dark yellow 2.5 light brown 3 blue/black 8 light brown 3 med yellow 2 light brown 3 blue/black 10 light brown 3 med yellow 2 light brown 3 blue/black Table 4: Fungal Amylase Activity Group 1 recorded color changes for each temperature during breakdown of starch by fungal amylase, and it was represented in numerical values by using color coding scheme presented in Figure 1 Temp (Â °C) 0 40 60 95 Time (min) 0 0 0 0 0 2 0.408248 0.258199 0 0 4 0.258199 0.258199 0.258199 0 6 0.316228 0.316228 0.418330 0 8 0.316228 0.316228 0.376386 0 10 0.516398 0.316228 0.418330 0 Table 5: Class Average Standard Deviation for Bacterial Amylase activity From the results from Table 1, the standard deviation was taken, showing that the results collected by each group for Bacterial amylase are close to average results. Graph 5: Class Average Standard Deviation for Bacterial Amylase activity Graphical Representation Data from Table 5 was exposed in a graph, showing that the difference between the mean and the samples collected by each group is minimal. Temp (Â °C) 0 40 60 95 Time (min) 0 0 0 0 0 2 0.408248 0.516398 0.68313 0 4 0.408248 0.408248 0.66458 0 6 0.408248 0.408248 0.68313 0 8 0.408248 0.491596 0.68313 0 10 0.408248 0.449868 0.68313 0 Table 6: Class Average Standard deviation for Fungal Amylase Activity From the results from Table 2, the standard deviation was taken, showing that the results collected by each group for Bacterial amylase are close to average results. Graph 6: Class Average Standard Deviation graphical Representation Data from Table 6 was exposed in a graph, showing that the difference between the mean and the samples collected by each group is minimal Discussion: After evaluating the results of the experiment, present in Table 1 and 2 it can be concluded that the data provides enough evidence to support the predictions or hypothesis presented in the introduction section that when temperature is not optimal for an enzyme, it will denature or reduce its functions. The results showed that low or high temperatures have an effect in the ability of enzymes to break down starch (Graph 1 and 2). By comparing the results with color coding scheme provided (Figure 1), the optimal temperatures for both amylases were able to be determined. The optimal temperature for the enzyme had a bright yellow color, which meant that the amylase was able to breakdown the starch present in the solution; when the solution remained blue-black the enzyme is said to be denature, meaning that it was not capable of breaking down the starch( Figure 2 and 3). The most important parameters taken into account to get the previous results were temperature and time. Looking at the color for the reaction between starch and amylase, by using the Iodine test, it can be concluded that for bacterial amylase, the optimal temperature is 40 Â °C, and this occurs around the 6 minute time. Fungal amylase optimum temperature was reached at 6 minutes time and it was 60 Â °C. All the previous result can be observed in Figure 2 and 3, as well as in Graph 1 to 5 Table 5 and 6 show that the results of the experiment are consistent for all lab groups, because the difference between the sample data collected by each individual group and the average of that data is minimal, showing that, the results collected by each group are close very close to be accurate. What parameters of the experimental design were important in the expected (or unexpected) results? The expectations for the experiment concurred with the results, because a previous understanding of enzymes was given in the lab manual, however, the optimal temperatures were not exactly known because each enzyme works best depending on its environment. For future research, the range in temperature should be more variable, not only including positive values, but negative ones. Also, if enzymes sources had more variation, it will provide a better understanding of the optimal conditions and temperature of enzymes. Literature Cited/ References: Alberte J., Pitzer T., Calero K. (2012).General Biology Lab Manual / Second Edition. Florida International University: The McGraw Hill Companies. Garcia-Viloca M., Gao J., Karplus M. Truhlar D. G.(2004). How Enzymes Work: Analysis by Modern Rate Theory and Computer stimulations. Science 303:pp. 186-195. Harisha S. (2006). Introduction to Practical Biotechnology. India: Laxmi Publications. Raven P., Johnson G. B., Mason K. A., Losos J. B., Singer S. S. (2008). Biology 8th edition. New York: The McGraw Hill Companies. Ringe D., Petsko G. A. (2008). How Enzymes Work. Science 320: pp. 1428. Whitehurst R. J., Van Oort M. (2009). Enzymes in Food Technology: Wiley-Blackwell; 2nd edition.

Arthur Schnitzler’s dream story Essay

The focal point of this paper is to discuss and evaluate Arthur Schnitzler’s ‘Dream Story’ in the light of the inevitability of the conflict between desire and social responsibility. The source text is the translation of the original German work ‘Traumnovelle’ by author Arthur Schnitzler. The translation is done by J. M. Q. Davies. Arthur Schnitzler was an Austrian doctor by profession and was a noted author of his time (1862- 1931). His noted works includes Dying, Lieutenant Gustl, Berta Garlan, Blind Geronimo and his Brother, The Prophecy, Casanova’s Homecoming, The Road into the Open, The Green Cockatoo, The Lonely Way, Countess Mizzi and Living Hours. Dream Story was written in 1926 and is regarded as a novella by the critics. It could be enumerated as a plot that ventures into the inner self of Doctor Fridolin and narrates the incidents from his psychological perspectives and the eventual transformation of his self. The entire episode is formulated over a relatively brief period of time spanning over a period of 48 hours. Within this short time span Arthur Schnitzler incorporates several characters that Doctor Fridolin meets and which the author imports to create a world of affairs that provides us a clue of the circumstances that are inevitable in the immediate future. This immediate future culminates into the development of a masquerade ball where the author culminates several events that are wondrous in nature with the presence of individuals in masks. There is a flurry of sex involved with the indication of danger where Doctor Fridolin finds himself to be placed as a total outsider. Everything in this episode is projected as a point of view that is seen from the perspective of Doctor Fridolin. This part appears to be presented predominantly as a metaphor of Doctor Fridolin’s inner self of desire and lust. This episode of masquerade ball adds to the mystery of self discovery of Doctor Fridolin. Here the self discovery of Doctor Fridolin could be enumerated as a decent into the abyss of his self image. This is also a transition of relations among people in a certain sense too where the outer world is found to be involved in the changes along with individual shift of priority of life and discovery of greater truth of nature within the parameters of social norms. This novella could also be depicted as a plethora of symbolism and imagery where a person revels himself to the audience and the inner self at the same time that is predominantly psychological in nature. Arthur Schnitzler was a friend and contemporary of the noted psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud of Vienna. However, these two men had opposite theories, if not different, on human sexuality. Arthur Schnitzler firmly believed that the course of action of human sexuality is dependent upon instinct than anything else. But despite all the differences it is evident that a heavy influence of Freud can be felt while going through the text. This is exactly what is reflected in his novella ‘Dream Story’. For an age of 1920’s it is obvious that his views along with this work was extremely shocking as a subject and its narration as the basic conceptualization of the novella is based on the sexual fantasy of a couple and the eventual defoliation of relation due to these fantasies. On the other hand this novella could also be taken up as an account of truth, permissible or not, that is juxtaposed within the system of marriage and self individuality. The storyline zooms in the intimate conversation of the primal characters Fridolin and his wife Albertine. They are basically quite affluent and respectable in Vienna. The wife is found to be an able home maker where the central position is occupied by their daughter who is six. The conversation takes off when the little girl is put to the bed. The subject of the conversation is about the masquerade ball that they attended. Initially the dialogues were kept into the parameters of the adventures of Fridolin and his wife Albertine in the mask ball. Soon, the conversation developed into the stage where they revealed to each other that if there was enough chances and coincidences along with favorable situations both of them would have been unfaithful to each other. For the man it was a fifteen year old girl and for the wife it was man with a yellow suitcase. Both of them wanted to take revenge on the other and before the dialogue was able to unfold into greater adversaries they were interrupted by an emergency call from a patient. The doctor had to leave. From this point the novella turns into an intermingled atmosphere of mystery, fantasy and fairy tale mode. Doctor Fridolin is approached by numerous women for sexual pleasure or otherwise and Doctor Fridolin passes from one woman to another and ultimately ending up into the midst of a masquerade ball where the password appeared to be â€Å"Denmark† and as his friend told him there would be lots of naked women. But there is problem with this secret society. If one is identified as an outsider there is sure to be trouble. Doctor Fridolin is soon traced out as an outsider but is saved by a mystery woman. Now the paradox of social responsibilities and desire completes a full circle as the author indicates indirectly the identity of this mystery woman. This is because there is every chance that this woman is Albertine, but with no specific proof for Doctor Fridolin. Thus the social responsibility of a wife towards her man is completed successfully by the mystery woman if the woman is indeed his wife. Now if the mystery woman is really his wife Doctor Fridolin has every reason to be cheated as she appeared in the orgy. But at the same time Doctor Fridolin himself had every intention to join the orgy. Thus the paradox continues. Either it is desire that is to be forecasted and relished by an individual or it is important to engage into the human spirit of social interest? The answer appears to be cleared by the author himself in a way, though not in a very vivid manner, as he puts the social relation between a man and a woman hanging without ramifying the norms of the society by a large extent. Doctor Fridolin is saved by Albertine and that seems to be the bottom line of the story where the man understands the value of social bondage after an outrageous adventure of inner self. Reference Schnitzler, Arthur; Dream Story; translated by J. M. Q. Davies; Penguin Books; 2005.

Case enron Essay

Enron faces most of the risk ordinarily faced by any energy company, including price instability and foreign currency risks. Enron operated in many different areas of the world with different regulatory and political risks. Enron faced business risks such as a complex business model, extensive use of derivatives and special purpose entities, aggressive transaction structuring and accounting, rapid expansion of business through complex and unconventional ventures, extensive reliance on credit rating, and limitations in GAAP. The complex nature of the business model of Enron increased the likelihood of material misstatements. It enabled the management to overstate its revenue while not disclosing the actual value of its debt. The risk of fraud by management was high. The transactions involving SPE’s essentially involved Enron receiving borrowed funds that were shown as revenue without recording liabilities. Also, the amount of misstatements was huge as Enron had hundreds of such SPE’s. Complex financial derivative transactions were used to hide enormous amounts of debt. Huge increases in borrowing were made to look like hedges for commodity trades rather than new debt financing. The network of SPE’s along with complicated speculations and hedges kept an enormous amount of debt off the balance sheet. The accounting standards were inadequate in providing for the proper accounting of these transactions. The loopholes in the standards were used to structure transactions in such a way that hundreds of SPE’s were excluded from consolidation. Also, the management took advantage of the complexity of accounting standards to shroud the actual economic substance of the transactions. Adequate disclosures with regard to related party involvement and securing outside SPE investors against possible losses were not made.

Life and Work of Herbert Spencer

Herbert Spencer was a British philosopher and sociologist who was intellectually active during the Victorian period. He was known for his contributions to evolutionary theory and for applying it outside of biology, to the fields of philosophy, psychology, and within sociology. In this work, he coined the term survival of the fittest.  In addition, he helped develop the functionalist perspective, one of the major theoretical frameworks in sociology. Early Life and Education Herbert Spencer was born in Derby, England on April 27, 1820. His father, William George Spencer, was a rebel of the times and cultivated in Herbert an anti-authoritarian attitude. George, as his father was known, was the founder of a school that used unconventional teaching methods and was a contemporary of Erasmus Darwin, grandfather of Charles. George focused Herberts early education on science, and simultaneously, he was introduced to philosophical thinking through Georges membership in the Derby Philosophical Society. His uncle, Thomas Spencer, contributed to Herberts education by instructing him in mathematics, physics, Latin, and free-trade and libertarian political thinking. During the 1830s Spencer worked as a civil engineer while the railways were being constructed throughout Britain, but also spent time writing in radical local journals. Career and Later Life Spencers career became focused on intellectual matters in 1848  when he became an editor for  The Economist, the now widely-read weekly magazine that was first published in England in 1843. While working for the magazine through 1853, Spencer also wrote his first book,  Social Statics, and published it in 1851. Titled for a concept of August Comte, in this work, Spencer used Lamarcks ideas about evolution and applied them to society, suggesting that people adapt to the social conditions of their lives. Because of this, he argued, social order would follow, and so the rule of a political state would be unnecessary. The book was considered a work of libertarian political philosophy, but also, is what makes Spencer a founding thinker of the functionalist perspective within sociology. Spencers second book,  Principles of Psychology, was published in 1855 and made the argument that natural laws govern the human mind. At about this time, Spencer began to experience significant mental health problems that limited his ability to work, interact with others, and function in society. Despite this, he began work on a major undertaking, which culminated in the nine-volume  A System of Synthetic Philosophy. In this work, Spencer elaborated on how the principle of evolution had been applied within not only biology, but in psychology, sociology, and in the study of morality. Overall, this work suggests  that societies are organisms that progress through a process of evolution similar to that experienced by living species, a concept known to as social Darwinism. In the latter period of his life, Spencer was regarded as the greatest living philosopher of the time. He was able to live off of income from the sale of his books and other writing, and his works were translated into many languages and read all over the world. However, his life took a dark turn in the 1880s, when he switched positions on many of his well-known libertarian political views. Readers lost interest in his new work and Spencer found himself lonely as many of his contemporaries died. In 1902, Spencer received a nomination for the Nobel Prize for literature, but did not win it, and died in 1903 at the age of 83 years old. He was cremated and his ashes interred opposite the grave of Karl Marx in Highgate Cemetery in London. Major Publications Social Statics: The Conditions Essential to Human Happiness (1850)Education (1854)The Principles of Psychology (1855)The Principles of Sociology (1876-1896)The Data of Ethics (1884)The Man Versus the State (1884) Updated by Nicki Lisa Cole, Ph.D.