Bioscience 1 Assessment 2 (Part B) - Vitamin B12 and Breathing

This document presents a completed assignment for Bioscience 1 Assessment 2 (Part B), addressing key concepts in human biology. The assignment begins with a review of feedback from a previous assessment, emphasizing the importance of referencing and paraphrasing in academic writing. Task 2 consists of short-answer questions that delve into the mechanics of pulmonary ventilation in a healthy individual, detailing the roles of the diaphragm, intercostal muscles, and Boyle's law in the processes of inspiration and expiration. The assignment also explores the essential nutrient vitamin B12, including its food sources, functions in the body, consequences of deficiency, and risk factors for deficiency. The solution includes in-text citations and a reference list, demonstrating adherence to academic standards.

Bioscience 1 Assessment 2 (Part B)
Do NOT delete any part of the template
Student Name: Helena Morris
Student ID:19551542
Task 1- Feedback review on Part A
This activity is to be completed and submitted as part of Assessment 2 (Part B).
This activity should bring to your attention the importance of referencing and
paraphrasing and help to improve your marks awarded for Academic Style and
Referencing.
Use your submitted Assessment 2 (Part A) when considering the following
questions. Please highlight or underline your chosen answer.
a) Did you include in-text references in your answer and a reference list at the end?
a) Yes
b) No
b) What is the purpose of including in-text references and a reference list in an
assessment?
a) Provide evidence for the source of the information
b) Allows information to be included without paraphrasing
c) Permits information to be directly copied without rewriting
c) What is the purpose of submitting your assessment through Turnitin?
a) Allows you to identify material that needs to be referenced
b) Allows you to identify material that needs to be paraphrased
c) Allows you to identify incorrect information that should be removed
d) Which of the following Turnitin similarity percentages best represents an
assessment that has been well paraphrased?
a) 80-95%
b) 50-60%
c) 10-30%
Make sure you include in-text references in every answer and check your Turnitin
similarity % at least three days before the due date so you have time to paraphrase
your answers.

Bioscience 1 Assessment 2 (Part B)
Task 2- Short answer questions.
Note: Answers must be in complete sentences and include in-text references
Answer the following questions:
Question 2-
Describe the mechanics of pulmonary ventilation in a resting healthy person (400
words)
Answer: Pulmonary ventilation is the mere process of breathing which involves two
steps- the expiration (exhaling the air from pulmonary cavity or lungs) and inspiration
(inhalation of the air). The diaphragm and the intercostal muscles are mainly involved in
the process. During inspiration, the diaphragm contracts and flattens allowing the
abdomen to distend. The thoracic cavity is uplifted, and there is expansion in its volume.
The intercostal muscles or the accessory muscles present externally is also contracted
and the sternum and ribs gets elevated, hence the volume of lungs increase. Boyle’s law
suggests that an increase in volume will lead to decrease in pressure. Hence, a low
pressure zone prevails inside the lungs (intrapleural pressure), while air pressure outside
is more. So, the air rushes in leading to inspiration (Goldsmith et al. 2016).
The exact mechanism occurs in the reverse direction during expiration. The
diaphragm and the intercostal muscles along with accessory muscles relax, expand in
volume, the elastic recoil property of lungs help them to retain its original shape, and
intrapleural pressure increases. Hence air forces out, following Boyle’s law. This is the
phenomena of expiration (Weinberger, Cockrill & Mandel 2017).
According to Cairo (2015), the pulmonary ventilation can be classified as minute
ventilation, alveolar ventilation and dead space ventilation. Alveolar ventilation is mostly
significant. Dead space of lungs refers to the portion of alveoli receiving minimum blood

Bioscience 1 Assessment 2 (Part B)
flow from adjacent portions. The function of the pulmonary ventilation is maintenance of
oxygen and carbon-dioxide concentrations within the lungs that will assist in the
transmission of gas between blood capillary and alveoli. In 1846, the earliest studies in
pulmonary ventilation reveal that the volume of lungs were measured via vital capacity or
static lung volume. Some other muscles apart from diaphragm or intercostal muscles
involved in the process of ventilation are- scalene muscles (present in neck that elevates
the rib, in case the diaphragm sustains injury), sternocleidomastoid muscles (muscular
connection of sternum and neck which can also lift rib), trapezius muscle (in shoulders,
which expands or contracts the thoracic cavity). Abdominal muscles also have a role to
play in the process which during exhalation provide pressure on diaphragm for
expansion, which contracts the thoracic cavity in return.
Question 3- Vitamin B12 is an essential nutrient that is important for normal
development and health. Please answer the following:
a) Name two food sources high in vitamin B12 (20 words)
Answer: Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble vitamin present in animal products such as
fish, meat, poultry eggs and among plant sources is present in fortified cereals
(National Institute of Health (NIH), 2019).
b) Describe the functions of vitamin B12 in the body (60 words)

Bioscience 1 Assessment 2 (Part B)
Answer: The important functions of Vitamin B12 includes-1. It is important in
proper functioning of central nervous system, as its deficiency can cause
neurological disorders. 2. It plays a pivotal role in red blood cell synthesis. 3. It
functions in regulation and DNA replication. 4. Vitamin B12 can help in energy
production and fatty acid synthesis (Moll &Davis 2017).
c) Describe the possible consequences to the body if there is a deficiency in
vitamin B12 (80 words)
Answer: Vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to complications such as anaemia,
weight loss, loss of appetite and fatigue. Neurological complications can arise
such as depression, anxiety, confusion, balancing anomaly etc. In infants, vitamin
B12 deficiency can lead to mobility disorders and megaloblastic anaemia.
Dementia, heart-related disorders, cognitive dysfunction can also result due to the
scarcity of vitamin B12. Most of these disorders are due to collective causes but
most of them can happen due to Vitamin B12(National Institute of Health (NIH),
2019)..
d) Name one group of people that is more likely to be at risk of becoming
deficient in vitamin B12 and why. (40 words)

Bioscience 1 Assessment 2 (Part B)
Answer: The individuals mostly at risk of developing the deficiency are those hanving
pernicious anaemia, postsurgical malabsorption of the vitamin and individuals with
atrophic gastritis. The persons with the disorder cannot absorb enough vitamin B12.
Older adults and dietary deficiency are also allied risks (Smith, Warren & Refsum 2017)
.
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Bioscience 1 Assessment 2 (Part B)
References
Cairo, J. M. (2015). Pilbeam's Mechanical Ventilation-E-Book: Physiological and Clinical Applications.
Elsevier Health Sciences.
Goldsmith, J. P., Karotkin, E., Suresh, G., & Keszler, M. (2016). Assisted Ventilation of the Neonate E-Book:
Evidence-Based Approach to Newborn Respiratory Care. Elsevier Health Sciences.
Moll, R., & Davis, B. (2017). Iron, vitamin B12 and folate. Medicine, 45(4), 198-203.
National Institute of Health. (2019). Vitamin B12. Access date:26th July, 2019. [Online]. Retrieved from:
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminB12-Consumer/
Smith, A. D., Warren, M. J., & Refsum, H. (2018). Vitamin B12. In Advances in food and nutrition
research (Vol. 83, pp. 215-279). Academic Press.
Weinberger, S. E., Cockrill, B. A., & Mandel, J. (2017). Principles of Pulmonary Medicine E-Book. Elsevier
Health Sciences.