HSW1: Use theories, models and ideas to develop and modify scientific explanations.

HSW2: Use knowledge and understanding to pose scientific questions, define scientific problems, present scientific arguments and scientific ideas.

HSW3: Use appropriate methodology, including ICT, to answer scientific questions and solve scientific problems.

HSW4: Carry out experimental and investigative activities, including appropriate risk management, in a range of contexts.

HSW5: Analyse and interpret data to provide evidence, recognising correlations and causal relationships.

HSW6: Evaluate methodology, evidence and data, and resolve conflicting evidence.

HSW7: Appreciate the tentative nature of scientific knowledge.

HSW8: Communicate information and ideas in appropriate ways using appropriate terminology.

HSW9: Consider applications and implications of science and appreciate their associated benefits and risks.

HSW10: Consider ethical issues in the treatment of humans, other organisms and the environment.

HSW11: Appreciate the role of the scientific community in validating new knowledge and ensuring integrity.

HSW12: Appreciate the ways in which society uses science to inform decision making.

Les Dethlefsen and David Relman of Stanford University in California collected more than 50 stool samples from three people over a 10-month period that included two courses of the antibiotic ciprofloxacin. They used gene sequencing to identify the microbial strains present in each sample. They found that each person had a unique set of microbial flora, the composition of which fluctuated around an equilibrium which was disrupted by each course of drugs.

In most cases, the composition quickly returned to its previous state, but in a few, bacterial species present before treatment were replaced by related species. One person completely lost a common genus of bacteria, which did not return for the duration of the study (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1000087107).

Each round of antibiotics is a roll of the dice that could lead to lasting changes in a person’s gut microbes, says Dethlefsen. The work shows that antibiotics should be used only when truly necessary, he says.

From http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20727785.000-antibiotics-play-hell-with-gut-flora.html

Many of the side effects experienced by chemotherapy patients are due to the fact that the drugs they are taking aren’t selective enough. For instance, taking a drug that targets fast-growing tumor cells frequently results in hair loss, because cells in the hair follicle are among some of the fastest growing in the body. When it comes down to it, these drugs get the diagnosis wrong.

Read more at: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/09/100906160107.htm

Cane toads (Bufo marinus) were brought to Australia in the 1930s in an attempt to eradicate a beetle destroying sugar cane. They quickly spread (see map). Last year, the toads were found in Australia’s most western state for the first time. One downbeat local newspaper headline lamented: “Cane toad battle lost”.

Australia’s frog-eating predators, including snakes, crocodiles and the northern quoll – a type of marsupial – have been dying en masse after ingesting the poisonous invaders. The worry was that mushrooming toad populations would outcompete native frogs and birds too. With the elimination of these native species seemingly imminent, an ecological catastrophe looked on the cards.

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20727774.700-cane-toads-arent-quite-the-bad-guys-we-thought.html

Synoptic biology essentially means taking an important overview of the key parts of biology. If you

sat down an made a list of the kinds of things that keep cropping up again and again it should have some important concepts on it such as:

Enzymes, shape, cells, ATP, energy, movement, transport etc.

We should also add most of the How Science Works aspects to this too as far as the exam boards are concerned. If you are doing AQA you will have to face modules 4 and 5 having concepts in them that recur from AS. Over thecoming weeks we’ll build up a good idea of the apsets that you will need for Module 4.

Most of this at this stage is data handling. You were introduced to this in AS but the module 4 exam has lots more in it. I covered huge amounts of data handling in the Surviving Maths in AS Biology book and we’ll  do lots of example exam questions here to build up this knowledge and experience.

If you struggled with the maths parts of AS you might consider getting hold of this book, we now do a downloadable version which has tons of questions in it.

Starting tomorrow, bring your calculator and let’s do some data handling examples.

• Digestion is the chemical breakdown by hydrolysis of large insoluble food molecules by enzymes into smaller more soluble molecules that can be absorbed and assimilated.
• Digestion may be mechanical (mastication, chewing) or chemical (enzymatic, acidic).
• Some of the main food molecules of note are proteins and carbohydrates.