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What is the BRCA gene?

When BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes are mutated or altered, the protein within is unable to function correctly. As a result, DNA is not repaired properly, and cells are more likely to develop genetic anomalies that lead to cancer, reports the National Cancer Institute.\nParticular inherited abnormalities in these genes are proven to increase the risk of cancer in breast and ovarian tissues. Mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 are responsible for between 20 and 25 percent of all hereditary breast cancer cases, while a mutation in these genes is responsible for about 15 percent of all ovarian cancers, states the..

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What is infrared used for?

Infrared is used in lamps for purposes that include helping to dry ink, paint or wallpaper. Restaurant workers often use infrared lamps to keep food warm while it waits in the kitchen, before it is served to the customers. Many businesses use infrared lamps outside during colder seasons to help keep customers warm. This heat can also be used as part of a therapeutic treatment. Infrared lasers are also used to read information that has been stored on compact discs.\nSince all warm objects give off infrared radiation, infrared radiation can be used to help detect sources of heat, such as finding..

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What is 1 gram equal to?

One gram is equal to 0.0353 ounces. A gram of sugar is approximately 1/4 teaspoon of sugar. A regular paper clip weighs about 1 gram.\nThe gram and kilogram are units of mass in the metric system of measurement. The metric system was invented in France in 1799. It was improved in 1960 and named the System of International Units, or SI. The SI system is used in most countries, with the United States being one of the exceptions..

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What is the key difference between a liquid and a gas?

Gas molecules vibrate and bounce off of each other from time to time. Liquid molecules also vibrate, but they're so close together that they slide around each other as opposed to bouncing off of each other.\nIf poured into a flask, a liquid takes on the shape of the flask, but it does not expand. Gas will take on both the shape and the volume of the flask as it expands to fill the entire vessel. Gas is also compressible, while liquid is only compressible to an extent. The compressibility of gas occurs because it is more vulnerable to changes in temperature and pressure.\nLiquids also disp..

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What does the hypothalamus do?

The hypothalamus is pearl sized and is involved in other processes such as the sleep-wake cycle and motor function. The hypothalamus, because of its role in making hormones, can affect a person's emotions, especially in the areas of hunger, sex drive, moods and thirst. The hypothalamus uses a body set point to make adjustments in various autonomic systems.

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How is acceleration measured?

Accelerometers can work in a variety of ways, but the two main types work through piezoelectricity, or capacitance. Piezoelectric material generates an electrical charge when a pressure is applied to it. When a vibration or change in motion (acceleration) occurs, a mass in the accelerometer will apply a pressure to the piezoelectric material proportional to the acceleration; thus, the piezoelectric material will generate an electric charge proportional to the acceleration. Since accelerometers are typically calibrated, the measured output charge can easily be corresponded to an acceleration.\n..

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What is the food chain in the tropical rainforest?

For example, a mango tree growing in a rainforest in Southeast Asia is a producer. A primary consumer, such as a house rat, may eat the mango. A python or hawk may fill the role of a secondary consumer by eating the rat. Eventually, the snake or hawk dies, and becomes food for decomposers such as earthworms, who release the nutrients inside the dead snake back into the environment.\nSometimes, food chains can be more complex and involve many more steps. For example, if the rat in the above example is replaced by an insect, the food chain becomes much longer. The insect may become prey for a li..

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What type of volcano is Surtsey?

Surtsey is located off Iceland's southern coast. The initial upward movement of the seamount that formed the island was not immediately discovered. As the submarine volcano neared the water surface, explosive ejections of pyroclastic materials began to occur.Cinders and lava fragments were propelled into the sky from the force of the eruptions. Heaving columns of steam and ash that extended to a height of six miles were also observed. On November 8, 1963, the seamount finally broke the surface and the island of Surtsey was born.

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How do electromagnets work?

Electromagnets are unique because they have the ability to be turned on and off. This is done by breaking or completing the circuit that gives the electromagnet its magnetic properties. For this reason, they are often used in different industrial settings that require the movement of large metal objects, such as junkyards.\nElectromagnets use a very simple property: tightly coiled wire around a piece of metal that creates a magnetic field if exposed to a current. Usually, the wire wrapped around this metal is copper. By themselves, these parts do not exhibit magnetic properties. However, once ..

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What is the climate of the tundra?

In the winter, there is very little light, and for parts of the short summer, the sun shines for almost 24 hours a day. During most seasons, vegetation grows in rock depressions where the wind is blocked and the temperatures are slightly higher. Averages temperatures in the winter are between -20 and -30 degrees Fahrenheit. In the summer, an abundance of wildflowers bloom, and average temperatures rise to just under 50 degrees Fahrenheit. The amount of precipitation in the tundra averages between 6 and 10 inches, which is comparable to some deserts.

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