Encounter: Journal Post 3

My cell phone is a major part of my life. I use it to communicate with people, to keep myself entertained, to keep in touch with the world, and for many other purposes. When I have nothing to do, you can often catch me surfing the web and doing other trivial things on it. Today, as I waited for my next class to start, I was doing just that. I was surfing the web, going through pages and pages of useless information. I caught myself on NY Daily News and came across a very interesting news article entitled "Breakthrough 'Artificial Pancreas' Helps Control Diabetic's Insulin Levels." After reading that, I thought to myself--as most Cell Bio students would--what a great topic for my blog.

Now the story isn't as remarkable as it sounds, but it's still pretty fascinating. The article spoke of an app that was developed for study which gives insulin users a piece of mind. The purpose of the app is to calculate the insulin that's needed for each dose through the use of a sensor. The user wears the sensor which helps calculate the glucose levels in the body. This information is sent to the smartphone which then relays through a bluetooth connection to a pump. The pump then administers the correct dose of insulin, adjusting it as needed throughout the day. Thanks to this medical breakthrough, the app is now being dubbed the "artificial pancreas."

The app was developed by a team who is researching ways to make insulin administration easier, paying particular attention to those affected by Type 1 Diabetes. Dr. Carol Levy, lead investigator, and her team conducted a five-night sleep study on ten patients. The blood sugar levels were studied over night, allowing the team to view when the levels were low and how the app reacted to this scenario. The app was very particular and responded to even the smallest shifts. Overall, they felt it was a successful study but continue to fine-tune the app.

The app is still a few years away from being available due to FDA approval but it looks very promising. While Type 1 diabetics are the focus of the group, the team hopes to make the app available for Type 2 diabetics as well.

This encounter relates to the class in very obvious ways. Diabetes is a disease very much affected by the way cells work together. It can be characterized as a metabolic disease that prevents insulin production or prevents the body from reacting to insulin appropriately.

This encounter brought to my attention that we are becoming much more advanced at a more rapid rate. It's great that people are trying to simplify the way we live, especially when it deals with something as important as diabetes. This medical breakthrough is something that intrigued me very much. As I stated earlier, my phone is practically an extension of myself. Many people today would agree with that statement themselves. Such an innovation is paving the way for more advancements in medicine and technology. 

Resources: 

"Breakthrough 'Artificial Pancreas' Helps Control Diabetic’s Insulin Levels" article

Reflection: Journal Post 2

This week in class, we learned about different cellular processes including metabolism and simple functions of the cell. As we went deeper into discussion, a very powerful thought crossed my mind. I marveled at the copious amounts of work these cells endure. Each plays an important role in the overall makeup of the body. Such little details make a world of difference. Then, it hit me. All these things, these tiny little details, have the same Creator. This is a Being so powerful and meticulous that He cared enough to create a purpose for each cell within us. Just as He created a purpose for everything on this earth. 

I admit I am a little nervous about this class because there are so many details to remember. So many things that I knew once and had forgotten are starting to pop up again. It makes me wonder if I'll be able to keep up. As I think of this, I also keep in mind that I have a great purpose in this world. Whether I struggle or not, I know that success is in my future. So long as I focus and keep my eyes on the prize, I am able to succeed. 

Every science class I've taken at this university has made me come to this realization. I know that my thoughts and aspects would be different had I gone to another university. But again, it's the tiny details that mattered. Its the tiny details that make me who I am.

Dictionary: Journal Post 1

There were a few terms that were meant as review which were mentioned in class this week.

While these terms are familiar, I felt it was difficult to imagine a definition for the term.

These terms include:

Nuceloside - a molecule which consists of a nitrogenous base linked to a sugar but lacks a phosphate group. This is different from a nucleotide which contains a phosphate group.






Cell Fractionation - This method allows researched to separate a cell in order to isolate the part of study. This method is often used in the study of organelles and other studies regarding the mechanics of a cell.
The following link provides a very detailed animation, providing insight on the process of cell fractionation.



Alpha Carbohydrates - α-carbohydrates are characterized by a cis configuration, meaning the OH group and CH2OH group are on opposite sides of the ring. This is also characterized by the OH group pointing downward.

Beta Carbohydrates - β-carbohydrates are characterized by trans configuration, meaning the OH group and CH2OH group are on the same side of the ring. The OH group is pointing upward.