Science Investigatory Project Essay Example for Free

Science Investigatory Project Essay Abstract The pineapple is one of the leading products in the Philippines, as it thrives in tropical climates. However, the pineapple peelings have low commercial value and are therefore merely thrown away, contributing to the Philippines waste problem. This study entitled â€Å"Saccharification of Pineapple Ananas comosus peelings through Dilute Acid Hydrolysis† was conducted to know the concentration of sugar content which can be used for other purposes like bioethanol. Three samples were used, each sample was composed of two trials; S1T1 (60 degree Celsius for 30 min. ), S1T2 (60 degree Celsius for 60 min.), S2T1 (70 degree Celsius for 30 min.), S2T2 (70 degree Celsius for 60 min.), S3T1 (80 degree Celsius for 30 min.), S3T2 (80 degree Celsius for 60 min). The phenol- sulfuric acid method was used to determine the concentration of sugar content present in the substrate. The test revealed that the dilute acid hydrolysis is an effective way and can saccharify pineapple peelings based on the standard curve. However, the temperature and time was found out that they both have no significant difference in yielding greater concentration of sugar as what as the statistical analysis revealed using Kruskal-Wallis test and Mann Whitney U-test. INTRODUCTION Background of the study Pineapple (Ananas comosus) is the common name for a tropical plant and its edible fruit which are coalesced berries. Pineapples are the only bromeliad fruit in widespread cultivation. It can be grown as an ornamental, especially from the leafy tops. Some sources say that the plant will flower after about 24 months produce a fruit during the following six months while others indicate a 20-month timetable. Pineapple is eaten fresh or canned or juiced. It is popularly used in desserts, salads, as a complement to meat dishes and infruit cocktail. The popularity of the pineapple is due to its sweet-sour taste containing 15% sugar and malic and citric fruit acids. It is also high in vitamin B1, B2, B6 and C. Its protein-digesting enzyme bromelain seems to help digestion at the end of a high protein meal. In the Philippines, pineapple leaves are used as the source of a textile fiber called pià ±a. The pineapple is a herbaceous short-lived perennial plant which grows to 1.0 to 1.5 metres ( 3.3 to 4.9 ft) tall. The plant only produces one fruit and then dies. Commercially suckers that appear around the base are cultivated. It has 30 or more long, narrow, fleshy, trough-shaped leaves with sharp spines along the margins that are 30 to 100 centimetres (1.0 to 3.3 ft) long, surrounding a thick stem. In the first year of growth the axis lengthens and thickens, bearing numerous leaves in close spirals. After 12 to 20 months the stem grows into a spike-like inflorescence up to 15 cm long with over 100 spirally arranged, trimerous flowers, each subtended by a bract. Flower colours vary, depending on variety, from lavender, through light purple to red. The ovaries develop into berries which coalesce into a large, compact, multiple accessory fruit. The fruit of a pineapple is arranged in two interlocking helices, eight in one direction, thirteen in the other, each being a Fibonacci number. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pineapple) Saccharification is the process of breaking a complex carbohydrate into its monosaccharide components. It is the hydrolysis of carbohydrates such as cellulose and starch. It increases hydrolysis rates by reducing product inhibition of enzymes and reduces tank usage by combining the processes into one (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/saccharification) Phenol Sulfuric Acid Method is an example of a colorimetric method that is widely used to determine the total concentration of carbohydrates present in foods. A clear aqueous solution of carbohydrates to be analyzed is placed in a test tube, then phenol and sulfuric acid are added.The solution turns a yellow- orange color as a result of the interaction between the carbohydrates and phenol. The sulfuric acid causes all non- reducing sugars to be converted to reducing sugars so that this method determines the total sugar present. This method is non- stoichemetric and so it is necessary to prepare a calibration curve using a series of standard known carbohydrate concentration (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/phenol-sulfuric acid method). Dilute Acid Hydrolysis is a process of hydrolyzing lignocellulosic materials by subjecting dried lignocellulosic material in a reactor to a catalyst comprised of a dilute solution of a strong acid to lower the activation energy of cellulose hydrolysis and ultimately obtain higher sugar yields (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dilute acid hydrolysis). Statement of the Problem This study aims to saccharify pineapple Ananas comosus peelings through dilute acid hydrolysis. Specifically, the study attempts: 1. To know whether the dilute acid hydrolysis is an effective way of yielding concentration of sugar from pineapple peelings; 2. To determine whether the temperature has an effect on the concentration of sugar; 3. To determine whether the length of time of reacion can affect the concentration of sugar that will be obtained. Hypothesis: 1. The dilute acid hydrolysis is an effective way of yielding a greater concentration of sugar. 2. The higher the temperature of the solution, the greater the concentration. 3. The longer the time of reaction, the greater the concentration of sugar that will be obtained. Significance of the study On average, 435,000 metric tons of pineapples are produced annually in the Philippines, which is one of the country’s leading commercial fruit products. However, there are a lot of unused excess parts of the pineapple, notably the peelings, which are considered as waste and contribute to the country’s garbage problem. This study aims to utilize pineapple peelings as a substrate for Saccharification process through dilute acid hydrolysis. By means of this, the concentration of sugar present in this biomass can be determined which can be use for other purposes and for other studies such as producing bioethanol or even biofuel. Scope and Limitation This study is limited to the use of pineapple Ananas comosus peelings as a substrate for the saccharification process. The peel samples were bought from the market. The experiment was conducted at Chemical Engineering where the chemicals and other laboratory materials were obtained located at University of the Philippines at Los Baà ±os, Laguna from November to December 2010. The study focuses only on the determination of the concentration of sugar present in the pineapple peelings. Definition of Terms Absorbance- is defined as the ratio of the radiant flux absorbed by a body to that incident upon it. Glucose- is called as a simple sugar or monosaccharide Saccharification the process of breaking a complex carbohydrate (as starch or cellulose) into its monosaccharide components Spectrophotometer- consists of two instruments, namely a spectrometer for producing light of any selected color (wavelength), and a photometer for measuring the intensity of light. Sulfuric acid (H2SO4) is a clear, colorless, odorless, viscous liquid that is very corrosive. Sugar- is a term for a class of edible crystalline carbohydrates, mainly sucrose, lactose, and fructose characterized by a sweet flavor. In food, sugar almost exclusively refers to sucrose, which primarily comes from sugar cane and sugar beet. Standard curve- is a quantitative research tool, a method of plotting assay data that is used to determine the concentration of a substance. It can be used in many biological experiments.

The Pardoners Tale Essay -- English Literature Essays

The Pardoner's Tale The world is full of hypocrites and in the story â€Å"The Pardoner’s Tale†, Chaucer writes about a man who is living a life of sin. The Pardoner’s tale is an epologia of a pardoner who has the power from the church to forgive others for their sins but makes a living out of lying and tricking his audience. Throughout the Pardoner’s Tale he preaches about greed, drinking, blasphemy, and gambling but in the Pardoner’s Prologue he admits to committing these sins himself. The pardoner is really just a 14th century con artist who makes a living by his own hypocrisy. In the Pardoner’s Tale the pardoner condemns people who drink and says, â€Å"Witness the Bible, which is most express/That lust is bred of wine and drunkenness† (263). He denounces drinkers and the evils they create, but in his prologue he states, â€Å"No, let me drink the liquor of the grape†¦Now as I’ve drunk a draught of corn-ripe ale† (262). The pardoner admits to drinking but later preaches against it, his hypocrisy knows no bounds as he makes others feel guilty for something that he himself does, after all, isn’t he telling the story while inside a bar. As a church appointed pardoner he is responsible to set a certain example for those who look to him for guidance but still he lives his greed controlled life. The pardoner teaches about gluttony and greed, and the evils that befall it, but in his prologue he contradicts his teachings many times. In his story he tells about three men who go searc...

Congestive Heart Failure In Pediatrics Essay

Congestive Heart Failure is not a disease, but a condition in which the heart is unable to pump enough blood needed to meet the cardiac demands of the body and facilitate systemic circulation. Congestive Heart Failure can be right or left-sided, and is mainly a fluid issue, in which there is a decreased amount of blood to the kidneys. In children, CHF can be long term and is most common in infants; it can also result from heart failure where ventricle contractility is impaired after an increased workload on the heart. â€Å"For most infants diagnosed with CHF, the cause is Congenital Heart Disease†(Perry, Hockenberry, Lowdermilk, & Wilson, 2010, p. 1454). There are many signs and symptoms of CHF, and if untreated damage to the heart occurs. Labs and diagnostic tests can include: a metabolic panel, brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), CBC’s, x-ray imaging, and a fetal echocardiography for fetuses suspected of CHF. Medical treatment can be extensive, but easily implemented wi th preparation, attention, and care. Congestive Heart Failure can be divided into right sided heart failure (HF) and left sided heart failure (HF). Right sided HF is also known as Cor pulmonale, and is â€Å"failure of the right side of the heart that occurs after chronic hypertension in the pulmonary arteries and right ventricles of the heart. Right sided HF occurs with left sided HF and often results in fluid backup in the abdomen, legs and feet causing swelling† (â€Å"Cor pulmonale,† 2012, p. 1). Venous high blood pressure throughout the body causes an enlarged liver and spleen, and occasionally edema. â€Å"Left sided HF is the most common form of HF and may result in fluid backup in the lungs† and â€Å"increased pressure in the left atrium and pulmonary veins† (â€Å"Heart Failure,† 2011, p. 1). The lungs become congested with blood, causing elevated pulmonary pressures and pulmonary edema†(Perry et al., 2010, p. 1453). It is not usual to see only right sided or only left sided HF in children. Signs and symptoms of CHF include: anxiety and restlessness, clubbed fingertips, confusion, cool moist skin, cyanosis, dilated pupils, edema, fatigue, fright, pallor, petechia, and weakness; decreased BP, weak pulses, jugular vein distension, tachycardia(irregularly fast heart beats  including an S3 gallop), and decreased cardiac input within the cardiovascular system; dyspnea, shortness of breath on exertion, adventitious breath sounds such as crackles and wheezing or grunting, decreased oxygen saturation, tachypnea, orthopnea, and pulmonary congestion within the respiratory system; decreased urinary output as kidneys compensate for an increase in carbon dioxide by retaining sodium and water, renal overload and potential renal failure within the genitourinary system; and decreased motility, decreased bowel sounds, lack of appetite, nausea and vomiting, and ascites within the genitointestinal system. â€Å"If the abnormalities precipitating CHF are not corrected, the heart muscle becomes damaged†(Perry et al., 2010, p. 1454). Diagnosing CHF thru testing is performed in various ways. Blood tests for congestive heart failure checks for levels of a hormone called B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP). Large amounts of BNP could indicate CHF. Coronary catheterization, or angiogram, is used to identify the strength of ones left ventricle and the health of the heart valves using a dye that is visible under x-ray. An echocardiogram can be used to produce a video image of your heart’s size, structure and function. It can help doctors determine the percentage of blood being pumped out of the left ventricle. â€Å"Right heart catheterization is a test in which a catheter is inserted through the neck or groin and is guided into the heart to measure pressures within the chambers† (â€Å"CHF Testing,† 2011, p. 2). These various tests, or combinations of tests, helps guide health care teams in the proper treatment of CHF. Medical treatment of Congestive Heart Failure includes but is not limited to: improving the heart’s function; removal of fluid in the peritoneal and thoracic cavities; decreasing cardiac demands; increasing tissue perfusion; and treating anaphylaxis. The primary focus is treating any underlying causes of signs and symptoms associated with CHF. Improving cardiac function may be done with oxygen administration, repositioning patients for comfort and increased vascular circulation, and medication administration including: Digoxin (Lanoxin) which increases cardiac output by increasing the strength and contractility of the heart; and ACE inhibitors, such as Captopril (Capoten) and Enalapril (Vasotec), which inhibit vasoconstriction, thus vasodilating blood vessels. Removal of fluid in the peritoneal thoracic cavities may include fluid restriction, and be completed via paracentesis or thoracentesis, or by administering  diuretics such as Furosemide (Lasix) and Spironolactone (Adalactone), which decrease water concentration in the blood and in turn lower arterial blood pressure. â€Å"Diuretics are the mainstay of therapy to eliminate excess water and salt to prevent re-accumulation†(Perry et al., 2010, p. 1459). Children are not more likely to have sodium-restricted diets because they need a higher caloric intake than adults and they may not eat as much as adults with CHF. Decreasing cardiac demands includes keeping metabolic needs low and may be done by maintaining body temperature, limiting activity, reducing the work of breathing, and treating any infections so the body can reach homeostasis. Cool cloths, clustered care, oxygen administration, sedative medications to promote relaxation, and prophylactic antibiotics may all be effective treatment methods for decreasing cardiac demands. Increasing tissue perfusion can be done with oxygen administered via nasal cannula, face mask, face tent or oxygen hood and will increase oxygenation to the heart and blood vessels and â€Å"improve myocardial function or lessen tissue oxygen demands† (Perry et al., 2010, p. 1459-60). Oxygen dilates blood vessels and increases pulmonary blood flow. Treating anaphylaxis includes: identification of alle rgens, detection of early and late signs of anaphylaxis, and management of anaphylaxis. Identification of allergens is recognizing what people may be allergic to or what may trigger anaphylactic reactions. Early signs of anaphylaxis are irritability, headache, dizziness, itching, sneezing, watery eyes, and rash. Late signs of anaphylaxis are shortness of breath and wheezing, pulmonary edema, decreased cardiac output, and if untreated, death. Management of anaphylaxis includes establishing airways for patients that may need intubation; oxygen administration; antihistamine and vasopressor administration; and education of how to prevent future anaphylactic events. As a nurse caring for a patient with Congestive Heart Failure, one needs to complete thorough assessments to identify signs and symptoms of CHF, report any abnormal lab values or findings to physicians immediately, and be prepared to assist with any interventions needed to manage the condition and provide comfort and support to patients and their families. Nurses responsibilities include but are not limited to assessing patients and the severity of their condition, forming nursing diagnoses for potential risks to patients and staff caring for patients with CHF, observing for worsening conditions, planning and  implementing adequate and professional care for CHF patients and their families, correct medication calculation and administration, and evaluating the effectiveness of care for patients to ensure that conditions will improve. CHF is a condition that has affected the lives of many people. Some well-known persons include: Bill Clinton, David Letterman, Larry King, Mike Ditka, Tommy Lasorta, Dick Cheney, Phyllis Diller, Elizabeth Taylor and Victoria Gotti. Famous people such as these often have access to better health care because of financial stability. This often times proves beneficial when treating congestive heart failure in earlier stages, and helps them extend their lifespan with less signs and symptoms. Unfortunately they also live a life that is altered by their disease and ultimately no form of financial stability will cure the condition. Congestive Heart Failure is not a disease, but a condition in which the heart is unable to pump enough blood needed to meet the cardiac demands of the body and facilitate systemic circulation. There are many signs and symptoms of CHF, and if untreated damage to the heart occurs. Medical treatment can be extensive, but easily implemented with preparation, attention and care. References Cor pulmonale. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/ PMH0001186/ Congestive Heart Failure Testing. (2011). Retrieved from http://labtestsonline.org /understanding/conditions/chf/start/1 Heart Failure. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/heart-failure/ds00061/dsection=causes Perry, S. E., Hockenberry, M. J., Lowdermilk, D. L., & Wilson, D. (2010). Maternal Child Nursing Care (4th ed.). Missouri: Mosby Elsevier.

Burns As A Patient At Craig Lockhart Hospital - 1558 Words

Burns, a patient at Craig Lockhart Hospital, refrains from receiving help or talking about his problems. His memories of the battlefield daunt him and contribute to reasons why he doesn’t want to talk about his problems. To Rivers, Burns is known as a ‘fossilised schoolboy’ due to the fact that all that is left of him is bone and a small amount of flesh. After a bomb threw him into the corpse of a gas-filled German, Burns hasn’t been able to eat resulting in his body feeding on his own fat, leaving him as skin and bone. He started participating in war at a young age. War has left him only a shell of the man he was before the war. The effect that war has on Burns is physical. On a miserable stormy night, Burns leaves the hospital and heads to the countryside where he comes across a tree with dead, decomposing animals hanging from its branches. At first it comes to a shock to Burns but he becomes comfortable with the situation and begins to act in an odd man ner. He gathers the dead animals from the tree and positions them in a circle on the ground, where he then strips bare and lays in the middle. After doing this, Burns feels soothed. To anyone this is seen as unusual, but to Burns it is normal to him. Maybe Burns felt that this was how the animals were supposed to die. Rather than them hanging from the tree branches, they’re supposed to lay on the ground where they can decompose and become part of the Earth, just like a soldier’s body would. He was trying to give theShow MoreRelatedCompare and Contrast the Ways in Which the Writers Present the Horrors of the War in Regeneration and Journeys End.2304 Words   |  10 Pagesneurologist, who was familiar with Dr. Riverss experiments on nerve Regeneration in the early twentieth century, yet she chooses not to use technical jargon so that her readers do not divert the focus from the painful experiencing on the part of both patient and therapist. Journeys End was written by a playwright who had first hand experience in the war. His play is based upon real life experiences, mirroring the way he and his comrades lived and fought, it relives some of its incidents. Because