Survival of the sickest chapter 5 summary. Survival of the sickest chapter summary Free Essays 2022-10-23
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In chapter 5 of "Survival of the Sickest," the author, Dr. Sharon Moalem, discusses the evolution of sickle cell anemia, a genetic disease that causes abnormal curvature of red blood cells and can lead to severe pain, organ damage, and shortened lifespan.
Moalem begins by explaining that sickle cell anemia is caused by a mutation in the HBB gene, which codes for the production of the protein hemoglobin. This mutation causes the production of abnormal hemoglobin, known as sickle hemoglobin, which leads to the deformity of red blood cells.
One might wonder why this mutation has not been selected against and eradicated by natural selection. However, Moalem argues that sickle cell anemia has actually been advantageous in certain populations, particularly those living in regions where malaria is prevalent.
Malaria is caused by a parasite that is transmitted by mosquitoes. The parasite invades red blood cells and multiplies, causing severe symptoms and sometimes death. However, individuals with sickle cell anemia are resistant to malaria because the abnormal shape of their red blood cells makes it difficult for the parasite to invade and reproduce.
As a result, individuals with sickle cell anemia have a survival advantage in areas where malaria is common. This has led to the high frequency of the sickle cell gene in certain populations, including those in Africa, the Middle East, and India.
Moalem also discusses the concept of heterozygote advantage, which refers to the phenomenon where individuals who carry one copy of a mutated gene (and one normal copy) have a survival advantage over those who do not carry the mutation at all. This is because they are able to reap the benefits of the mutation (such as resistance to malaria) without experiencing the severe negative effects that come with having two copies of the mutated gene (such as sickle cell anemia).
In conclusion, sickle cell anemia is a genetic disease that has evolved in certain populations due to its ability to provide resistance to malaria. The concept of heterozygote advantage explains how this mutation has been able to persist in the genome despite its negative effects. Understanding the evolution of sickle cell anemia can help us better understand the complex interplay between genetics, evolution, and disease.
Survival of the Sickest Chapter Summaries Essay
The aquatic ape theory described in detail a relatively new and not yet widely accepted reason for how and why humans stand upright instead of on all fours like most animals. Iron is very important for …show more content… Many Europeans died out. Questions by Chapter Introduction 1. Survival in Aushwitz Summary Tyler Schmidt 4-18-12 Survival in Auschwitz Summary Survival in Auschwitz by Primo Levi is a highly insightful book. It's a difficult process that involves many different enzymes and a lot of organs, although most of the process takes place in the liver. Those children were born with genes that encouraged them to store as much food as they could, and were much more likely to be overweight as they got older Dovey, 2014.
AP Biology Summer Assignment: Survival Of The Sickest
In particular, pathogens use the iron in our macrophages white blood cells responsible for fighting biological invaders. He uses the research of several reproduction theorists to show that schools not only are not great equalizers, as most think, but actually reinforce social inequality. This includes instinctual behavior: for example, disgust at sights and smells prompt us to avoid things that are full of harmful bacteria, like animal waste or spoiled food. BMI measures individuals the weight and height. Evolution is a change in the inheritable traits of biological populations over successive generations.
Survival Of The Sickest Summary Free Essay Example
Individuals are diagnosed with diabetes whenever their pancreas produces and insufficient amount of insulin Centers for Disease Control, 2007. It also follows that host manipulation would generally involve a step in reproduction, because the imperative to survive and reproduce is key in spurring adaptation. Big Idea 1 is based on evolution, which is also the core focus of research throughout the entire novel. The Guinea worm, for example, is a pure parasite. Moalem illustrates the practicality behind understanding these interspecies relationships. Cholera that is transmitted through water is much more virulent deadly to the host than that which is transmitted through humans, because cholera that is transmitted through humans needs those humans to be mobile. So it keeps absorbing as much of it as possible, and this can have very, serious side effects including death.
Survival of the Sickest Chapter 5: Of Microbes and Men Summary & Analysis
Two years later, the first methicillin-resistant staph MRSA was reported. The Romans and Greeks give it its name, diabetes that means siphon, frequent urination Milchovich, 1990, p. Moalem reiterates the central idea of the chapter: that even when we try to combat disease, it is easy for them to adapt to the biological weapons that we throw at them because they adapt very quickly. The fact that both Moalem and his grandfather, along with 30 percent of people with Western European ancestry, have hemochromatosis is significant—there must be some underlying reason why a seemingly terrible disease has persisted in the gene pool over time. Beginnings and Endings are organized much like paragraphs and essays with the center focus being divided into topics and subtopics. Grapes, when experiencing a frost, offload water and increase their sugar content in order to lower their freezing point.
Survival of the Sickest by Sharon Moalem Plot Summary
Meat significantly contributes to increasing the number of individuals suffering from chronic diseases such as cancers, heart illness, and type-2 diabetes. In a perfect world, evolution would vote against all of the disease and harmful genes that ever existed in humans and other life-forms. This goes some way to prevent cancer cells which grow and reproduce uncontrollably from developing, though cancer cells have developed some mechanisms to circumvent this limit. In fact, each chapter in this book focuses on a different aspect of Moalem's overall conclusion that modern diseases were beneficial in the past. Moalem reveals that he, along with 30 percent of people with Western European ancestry, also have hemochromatosis. General cranial differences and variation based on long term generational change within species gives better evidence about how human evolution evolved over the past two million years. In doing so, Moalem hopes to instill a sense of curiosity in the reader and to help them better understand and take control of their own health.
Survival of the sickest chapter 5 summary Free Essays
Treatment then switched to use vancomycin, and the first case of vancomycin-resistant staph infection VRSA was reported in 1996. Unfortunately, no one takes 15-year-old Moalem seriously. When humans feel the cold for a long amount of time, they begin to have to pee to relieve blood pressure. Moalem next touches on some instincts that further emphasize surviving and reproducing on a species level rather than on an individual level. His vivid details and metaphors give the reader very powerful images of what the hell inside the camp was like. What we instead must do, as Moalem goes on to argue, is to find ways to put evolutionary pressure on the diseases to evolve to be less, not more, deadly.
Survival of the sickest chapter summary Free Essays
They can infect an animal when they are eaten or when animals eat the flesh of an infected animal. Moalem explains to the reader that less than 3 percent of DNA contains Premium DNA Evolution Organism Survival of the Sickest Answers Survival of the Sickest Notes Introduction : Hemochromatosis hereditary most common genetic disorder disrupts body metabolizing iron disorder that causes iron to build up in the body. However, if both of the parents have a there is a 75% higher possibility. These two groups increase the amount of cholesterol in their bloodstream, which can then be converted to vitamin D. If you do quality work you will probably w rite MORE than two paragraphs for a number of your responses. Once the parasites are fully grown, they make their way to the skin, secreting acid to burn an exit tunnel for themselves. Moalem talks about how cholesterol rises too.
Survival of the Sickest Introduction Summary & Analysis
Like when you consume alcohol, your body detoxifies it and then extracts calories from it. Moalem reveals that he, too, has hemochromatosis. Even if these organisms can evolve quickly, we can use their biology to direct their evolution to be less virulent less harmful to their hosts. Semmelweis, mentioned earlier, concluded in 1847 that doctors themselves were to blame for childbed fever, which was the leading cause of maternal death in childbirth. The origin for this hereditary disease is believed to be from Vikings that colonized the European coastline.
