PCR amplification.
Writing Assignment #10 (maximum score of 10 points) For writing assignment two, we will prepare a single report covering our PCR amplification lab. Be sure to include a bit of information about the source of the MtDNA used in this lab, as well as some information about the ultimate goal of the study (=the aims of the activities involving the PCR product; for us these are: cloning, RFLP, and phylogenetic trees ). Label your sections as follows. ABSTRACT Introduce the major research problem which your study investigates, or what it aims to accomplish (1-2 sentences) Explain the specific aims (or hypotheses and predictions; 1-2 sentences per aim). Explain, in the simplest terms possible, how you tested these aims during lab Provide a summary of the results you obtained (2-4 sentences) Place results in a broader context. What comes next for the project? (1-3 sentences) Example (simulated): Many factors can impact the flow of disease between animals to humans, and thereby influence both public and wildlife health. To efficiently reduce the spread of disease, policy makers therefor need to first understand how these factors act (and interact) within a given ecosystem. Toxoplasma gondii, a protist parasite found in many mammals and birds, can spread to humans via multiple routes including cat feces, and consumption of undercooked meat. Both of these sources can be reduced through public health education. To prioritize informational content in awareness campaigns, it will be useful to learn first what a focal (human) population already knows about the potential sources of disease in this environment. We designed a survey and distributed it among households in the Masai Mara region of Kenya. Our gaol was to determine whether local residents know: 1) that direct removal of cat feces by hand incurs significant disease risk, 2) that this risk is particularly important during pregnancy, when T. gondii can induce neonatal defects, and 3) that undercooked meats can be a source of persistent or lifelong infection by gondii.. ~80% of the surveyed households reported that either “often” or “highly often” semi-feral cats retained for rodent control defecate within food preparation areas of the home. 40% of respondents recognized that it is best to remove this feces using tissues, but only 7% of reported that this is most important during planned or preterm pregnancies. We are currently completing pilot surveys of awareness about food safety during meat preparation. Our findings show that health policies within the Mara region should emphasize risks posed by handling cat feces, especially during pregnancy. Other risk factors still being surveyed, such as meat temperatures, should also be integrated into these plans in accordance with relative awareness levels in surveyed households. INTRODUCTION can include a brief background on the techniques used in the lab, and explanations of the expected outcomes. You may find this structure helpful: 1) A question from the field of study which the experiment targets 2) A list of approaches that can be used to investigate the question? 3) Info about projects in this area that have been completed by other investigators, and also a list of which questions remain unanswered?