Perceptions of Nudity essays

Perceptions of Nudity essays As I began my research for this project, I started to think about my own perceptions of nudity, not only in art, but also in society. I have sat through countless hours of Art History lectures and never really considered the vast meaning behind all of the nudity. More than anything, that fact really disturbed me considering I have been studying art extensively for about two years. I have overlooked the most basic subject matter in portraiture and dismissed nudity as just something prevalent in paintings and On the surface, art is what makes the difference between nude and naked. If I see a painting or photograph in a gallery of an unclothed woman, I look past the nakedness and see the beauty in the piece. On the other hand, I find absolutely no appeal in a Playboy or anything of a pornographic nature. However, on a fundamental level, it could be considered the same thing. Just like if an undressed person decided to take a walk outside, they would be arrested. But, if they painted their body and called it art, they have absolutely no problem. John Bergers chapter in Ways of Seeing was, to say the least, enlightening material. Berger describes men and women as opposites that work together in a virtually one sided relationship. Men get their type of life force from a show of power, or how much they can achieve or provide. Women are pretty much an impression, and anything she thinks or feels is merely expressed in her appearance (Berger 46). Men and women fit together like a sentence. Men are the subject and they do something that causes them to interact with the object, or woman. Even though this partial reality is disheartening, it does hold a substantial amount of truth. In many cases, the man would ask a woman to dinner, or a man is the one to be in charge of an entire nation of people because they are believed to have the natural gift for power...

10 Facts About Chromosomes

10 Facts About Chromosomes Chromosomes are cell components that are composed of DNA and located within the nucleus of our cells. The DNA of a chromosome is so long, that it must be wrapped around proteins called histones and coiled into loops of chromatin in order for them to be able to fit within our cells. The DNA comprising chromosomes consists of thousands of genes that determine everything about an individual. This includes sex determination and inherited traits such as eye color, dimples, and freckles. Discover ten interesting facts about chromosomes. 1) Bacteria Have Circular Chromosomes Unlike the thread-like linear strands of chromosomes found in eukaryotic cells, chromosomes in prokaryotic cells, such as bacteria, typically consist of a single circular chromosome. Since prokaryotic cells do not have a nucleus, this circular chromosome is found in the cell cytoplasm. 2) Chromosome Numbers Vary Among Organisms Organisms have a set number of chromosomes per cell. That number varies across different species and is on average between 10 to 50 total chromosomes per cell. Diploid human cells have a total of 46 chromosomes (44 autosomes, 2 sex chromosomes). A cat has 38, lily 24, gorilla 48, cheetah 38, starfish 36, king crab 208, shrimp 254, mosquito 6, turkey 82, frog 26, and E.coli bacterium 1. In orchids, chromosome numbers vary from 10 to 250 across species. The adders-tongue fern (Ophioglossum reticulatum) has the most number of total chromosomes with 1,260. 3) Chromosomes Determine Whether You are Male or Female Male gametes or sperm cells in humans and other mammals contain one of two types of sex chromosomes: X or Y. Female gametes or eggs, however, contain only the X sex chromosome, so if a sperm cell containing an X chromosome fertilizes, the resulting zygote will be XX, or female. Alternatively, if the sperm cell contains a Y chromosome, than the resulting zygote will be XY, or male. 4) X Chromosomes Are Bigger Than Y Chromosomes Y chromosomes are about one-third the size of X chromosomes. The X chromosome represents about 5% of the total DNA in cells, while the Y chromosome represents about 2% of a cells total DNA. 5) Not All Organisms Have Sex Chromosomes Did you know that not all organisms have sex chromosomes? Organisms such as wasps, bees, and ants do not have sex chromosomes. Sex is therefore determined by fertilization. If an egg becomes fertilized, it will develop into a male. Unfertilized eggs develop into females. This type of asexual reproduction is a form of parthenogenesis. 6) Human Chromosomes Contain Viral DNA Did you know that about 8% of your DNA comes from a virus? According to researchers, this percentage of DNA is derived from viruses known as Borna viruses. These viruses infect the neurons of humans, birds and other mammals, leading to infection of the brain. Borna virus reproduction occurs in the nucleus of infected cells. Viral genes that are replicated in infected cells can become integrated into chromosomes of sex cells. When this occurs, the viral DNA is passed from parent to offspring. It is thought that Borna virus could be responsible for certain psychiatric and neurological illness in humans. 7) Chromosome Telomeres are Linked to Aging and Cancer Telomeres are areas of DNA located at the ends of chromosomes. They are protective caps that stabilize DNA during cell replication. Over time, telomeres wear down and become shortened. When they become too short, the cell can no longer divide. Telomere shortening is linked to the aging process as it can trigger apoptosis or programmed cell death. Telomere shortening is also associated with cancer cell development. 8) Cells Dont Repair Chromosome Damage During Mitosis Cells shut off DNA repair processes during cell division. This is because a dividing cell does not recognize the difference between damaged DNA stands and telomeres. Repairing DNA during mitosis could cause telomere fusion, which may result in cell death or chromosome abnormalities. 9) Males Have Increased X Chromosome Activity Because males have a single X chromosome, it is necessary for cells at times to increase gene activity on the X chromosome. The protein complex MSL helps to up-regulate or increase gene expression on the X chromosome by helping the enzyme RNA polymerase II to transcribe DNA and express more of the X chromosome genes. With the help of the MSL complex, RNA polymerase II is able to travel further along the DNA strand during transcription, thereby causing more genes to be expressed. 10) There Are Two Main Types of Chromosome Mutations Chromosome mutations sometimes occur and can be categorized into two main types: mutations that cause structural changes and mutations that cause changes in chromosome numbers. Chromosome breakage and duplications can cause several types of chromosome structural changes including gene deletions (loss of genes), gene duplications (extra genes), and gene inversions (broken chromosome segment is reversed and inserted back into the chromosome). Mutations can also cause an individual to have an abnormal number of chromosomes. This type of mutation occurs during meiosis and causes cells to have either too many or not enough chromosomes. Down syndrome or Trisomy 21 results from the presence of an additional chromosome on autosomal chromosome 21. Sources: Chromosome. UXL Encyclopedia of Science. 2002. Encyclopedia.com. 16 Dec. 2015.Chromosome Numbers For Living Organisms. Alchemipedia. Accessed 16 Dec. 2015.X chromosome Genetics Home Reference. Reviewed January 2012. Y chromosome Genetics Home Reference. Reviewed January 2010.