Pre-Final Claymation: Phagocytosis

The Name of our Group

Claymation is an animated motion-picture process using clay figurines that are moved and filmed so as to create lifelike imagery and motion (Encarta Dictionary, 2013). This task was given to us by Prof. Rutchelle Enriquez during ICT in Biology class. The concept must be related to Biology and must have a minimum duration of 30 seconds. Our group has decided to pick Phagocytosis as the concept and make HUCHAI Film as our group name. This is a concept of Biology wherein macrophages “eat” up foreign invaders and digest it with the aid of the lysozyme. The foreign invader near the macrophage is engulfed to the vacuole of which. Lysosomes will release enzymes specifically lysozymes to digest the foreign invader (McGraw Hill). Below is a video from Cellsalive.com of a macrophage engulfing a yeast cell, Candida albicans:

Wikihow.com has established tips on making Claymation and here are the following:

• Setting up 0.125 seconds makes the claymation 8 frames a second. To make a smoother claymation, increase the number of frames per second (read the warnings). Try 10 frames/second or 0.1 if you need a smoother animation.
• Try to move the claymen in tiny increments, taking exactly three pictures each time.
• The claymen shouldn't be very big; about two inches is good.
• Focus your webcam so that the animation is crisper.
• A mini tripod works very well if there is a place in the bottom of the webcam that you can screw it into.
• If your lighting looks bad because it is in color then make it grayscale in Windows Movie Maker by selecting all pictures, right-clicking on 'video effects', scrolling to 'grayscale' and clicking 'add'.
• It may take a lot of tries to make the movie clip size to 1/4th of a second. It usually doesn't work the first time, but follow the steps mentioned above. An alternative to this is to set the default picture duration to 1/4 sec before you incorporate your photos into the movie. Do this (XP version) from the Tools > Options > Advanced tab and set Picture Duration to .250 sec.
• Adding grayscale might not work the way mentioned. If it doesn't then you need take the finished movie file, put it back into Windows Movie Maker, put it into the time line and then add the grayscale effect.
• If you have problems getting your clay figures to not flop over, then make them a simple skeleton out of wire, it'll give them structure.
• In Claymation motion pictures, they take 24 frames (or photos) for every one second of film.

Here is also an example of our partial Claymation which we presented last Thursday, September 27, 2013:

The Last Part of our Claymation

References:

www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Simple-Claymation-With-a-Webcam-and-Windows-Movie-Maker
www.highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0072495855/student_view0/chapter2/animation__phagocytosis .html
www.cellsalive.comEncarta Dictionary (2013). Microsoft Corporation (Computer Aplication).

Karyotyping As I Reflect It

Cut n' Paste Karyotyping Retrieved from www.learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/begin/traits/karyotype/

O’Connor (2013) had reported that karyotyping is the process of pairing and ordering all the chromosomes of an organism. It provides a genome-wide view of an individual’s chromosomes.  It helps us know what particular chromosome is damaged or excessed. With this, we will be able to identify what kind of genetic disorder does a person has. Genetic disorders may include trisomy, polyploidy and the like. Knowing what kind of genetic disorder does a person has, experts will be able to know what measures to be used on the particular disorder. Genetic disorders are often seen after childbirth but on the latter case it can be detected as early as conception through the use of gene therapy. This therapy is a booning technology that promises a better way of avoiding or treating genetic disorders.

On the karyotyping we did, we were able to see a normal genetic make-up of a human being having 23 pairs of chromosomes. On the other hand, having a slight difference on the karyotype would mean there is something wrong with the genetic make-up. This could put us into a conclusion that the genetic make-up has a genetic disorder which is an alarming state and needs an immediate treatment or therapy. Before I encountered karyotyping in Science, Technology and Society (STS), we did a karyotyping activity in General Biology 2. In contrast, General Biology 2 karyotyping was indeed tasky and a bit difficult rather than this activity. In the past karyotyping activity, we were be able to manage and compare the karyotypes of a genetic make-up with T-21, T-13, Super Female (XXX) and the like. Going back to the topic, I am very much privileged to do this activity again since I had recalled some of the ideas of karyotyping. Memories are such important for us. If some which are not used, it would perish gradually. This activity had taught me a few things:

Example of a Finished Karyotype

•  Karyotypes are used to detect what specific chromosome is impaired.
•  Knowing such things, it needs an immediate attention and therapy.
• Recalling knowledge such this is vital to have a better understanding on the human genome.
• We should be thankful and blessed that we are one of the exemptions to those people having genetic disorders.
• We should respect the people who have genetic disorders because they didn't mean to have this. It was such given to them by nature and what we can do is accept them whole-heartedly.

Reference:

O'Connor, C. (2008) Karyotyping for chromosomal abnormalities. Nature Education 1(1).

Third Day, Okay: Home Sweet Home

Facade of the Church of Sulangan

On the third day of the fieldtrip was a home-sweet-home moment for us. But before we left Guiuan, Eastern Samar, we visited the sacred church of Sulangan. We prayed there and lit candles and bought souveneirs. You know what’s the biggest thing I ever did on the entire trip? It was to take a bath only for 3 full dippers and must have washed your whole body with shampoo and soap. Sounds gross! But really taking a bath was quite a challenge yet I had overcome it. I did everything with no complains because I expected lots of things will happen because this was not just a family tour. My face was burned and I became more tan. Really tan! The funny stuff I thought was that of my lotion being applied everyday and in just a 3-day trip I became so tan. But the whole thing was no regrets. I really learned a lot on the trip! I enjoyed! I laughed! This trip was like applying of what we have learned about quadrats and transects and also about bats. We learned it in the classroom but we learned more about it when we conducted those activities. Biology indeed learning more outside the classroom than the otherwise. It’s because we see things in reality than imagining it. 

A Peek Inside of the Church

Ughhh, Tiring Calicoan Island!

A Part of Linaw CAve

Our second destination of our fieldtrip was Calicoan Island. We went there on the second day of the trip. The place has white sand and windy. Waves were big and seaweeds were evidently sporadic on the shore. Afternoon of the said day, we walked to Linaw Cave. We walked through paved road to sharp limestone rocks or the remnants of the corals to be exact. It was an underground cave. I did not go down of the cave. But according to them the water was salty instead of its natural water taste. We also saw sink holes as we went along the cave. On the night of the trip (same place), we assembled nets specialized for catching bats. We placed it on the opposite side of our camping site because it was a forest-like place. 3 nets were setup and hanged until 2:00am. We caught only 3 bats on the entire night of waiting. While waiting for the bats to be caught, we setup our quadrats on the low tide sea around 11:00pm. Quadrats are used to identify the diversity of species in a habitat. Our group had seen many species and had drawn it on a paper because the slate was missing. It lasted until 2:00am. Quite tiring yet fun! I had walked for a long period of time during the day and soaked my feet on the seawater when the twilight was coming in. I don’t know how my feet would react as long as I savored the very moment to enjoy and learn on this day. If I would to comment on the second day of the trip, I would barely say that this day was the most tiring and lots of works to do rather than of the Pearl Island escapade. Whoooo! I’m amazed of myself that I had did this for the first time. 

At Calicoan Island on a Hot Afternoon

DÉJÀ VU in Pearl Island

Educational tour in Guiuan, Eastern Samar was our first educational trip this year. It was successful and fun though there were some unexpected situations occurred during the entire activity. Instead of having a 4-day EDUTOUR, our professors shortened it to a 3-day tour because they were going to a seminar somewhere. Our first place to visit was Pearl Island. Whoa, it was not my first time to ride a pump boat but the real problem was the big waves that hit the pump boat! I’m pretty nervous back then. I was thinking that the boat will turn upside down then drown and I’ll die! But the experience was fun though I’m quite nervous. The place was really much serene. A place that I could tell a nice place to relax. The wind and the waves were relaxing much. The silence of the place and the sound of the barking dog put me back to nature. How nice to feel this way. As what I’ve heard from a sitcom in the radio “Gusto ko magin kapwa, para hayahay,” was the nicest way to define the place.

Our first activity in Pearl Island was to place a transect and to identify or draw (if not familiar with) the species as you move along the transect. Transect is used to make a cross section of a certain place and identify the species living in the area as you move along the transect. We placed it in the edge of the shore near the port. It was 20 meters long. To be able to see the species living near the transect (2m wide) we snorkeled for about an hour or two repetitively. Our group had seen different kinds of species especially animals in the vicinity of the transect. This part was my most favorite part of the entire trip. Another thing in this place was the sleeping time. It was amazing to see the beautiful moon reflecting its light to the water. Wow! In my amazement I slept outside on a “katre” in between of two trees. I was accompanied by Rovie and Flor. But I slept for an hour or two because of the strong wind so we decided to move inside of the BFAR office. What was really flabbergasting in our first stop on the trip? It was all “DÉJÀ VU.”

Best Picture

         Our class in ICT in Biology had been instructed by Prof. Rutchelle Enriquez to take a photo of any subject and made a watermark on it. This photo was taken on the old bus terminal near Tacloban public market. It was entitled as "LAMBONG" since it depicts the poor condition of Filipinos that is caused by corruption. They are the casted shadow of the people of the government doings. They are the one who suffer the effects of graft and corruption. Ma'am Rutchelle was to choose different pictures of our class which will get the titles:

a. Best Picture

b. Best Story

c. Best Title

Unfortunately, we did not get the Best Story but was grabbed by Sharbie Artoza  and the Best Title was grabbed by Jaypee Limbauan and his comrades but we were happy to hear that our picture was entitled as the Best Picture by Ms. Enriquez. She said that our picture was really that competitive to get the three titles but we only bested for the Best Picture. We were really grateful to have our picture be selected as the Best Picture by our Professor. :D

My PowerPoint Presentation in ICT in Biology

      This picture shows my powerpoint presentation in ICT in Biology. I presented Crustacean Allergy last July 22, 2013. I had chosen this topic because I really wanted to know why some people who eat crustacean suffer from allergic reaction. Then, I found out that it has something to do with the "MISINFORMED" production of antibodies. An allergen will cause an allergy when our body thought that a protein that has taken up was an invader.  This will cause an over-production of antibodies (IgE) and these antibodies will release histamine. Histamine will now cause the itchiness, stomachache, vomiting and the like. On the other hand, crustaceans are really a bunch but we have to be conscious with our body. You must know what are you allergic to. Remember that when allergy is severe it can cause anaphylaxis which will make your breathing so hard or it will cause death. This information led me to a better understanding about allergies and I had presented it successfully! Thanks God!