1. Do Now & Agenda Get into “quiz seats” Take Safety Quiz
Scientific Method/Experimental Design
Homework: Finish Theophylline Case Study

2. Can’t really be modified…
Science refers to a system of acquiring knowledge. This system uses observation and experimentation to describe and explain natural phenomena.
EXPLAINS
DESCRIBES/ STATES
mathematical formula
Can be modified/disproven
Can’t really be modified…
Ex: Kinetic Molecular Theory
--explains the behavior of gas molecules
Ex: Boyle’s Law--States the relationship between gas volume and gas pressure

3. Theory vs. Law cont. **A theory DOES NOT become a law!**
Both are supported by LOTS of evidence
Both can be used to predict outcomes
Both are widely accepted by the vast majority of scientists
**A theory DOES NOT become a law!**

4. A Scientific Method
What is the “scientific method”? It is a process that is used to find answers to questions about the world around us. Note that there is not one “scientific method”
What is a hypothesis? It is an educated guess based on observations and your knowledge of the topic.
What is data? It is information gathered during an experiment.

5. Identify the problem
Form a Hypothesis
Create an Experiment
Perform an Experiment
Analyze the Data
Modify the Experiment
Communicate the Results

8. Variables in Scientific Experimentation
Independent Variable=the variable that _ (the scientist) __________________________
When graphing, this appears on the _____________
Dependent Variable=the variable that _____________ due to the _______________
It is what __________________
When graphing, this appears on the ______ I
have control over in an experiment
x-axis
changes/responds
independent variable
you are measuring
y-axis

9. Example My two variables are type of soda and fizzing time.
Let’s say we want to know if other sodas will react with Mentos like Diet Coke does. We test a bunch of different sodas with mentos and measured how long each one fizzed.
My two variables are type of soda and fizzing time.
What’s the Independent Variable?
What’s the Dependent Variable?

10. Variables in Scientific Experimentation
Constants=variables that are kept the same throughout the experiment
Control Group= the original experiment without any changes; it is the group you compare your results to

11. Think back to the soda and mentos example…
What are some things we could hold constant in this kind of experiment?
Which setup could serve as the “control” group, the one we compare all the results to?

12. Patterns in Data: When appropriate, data can be plotted as a scatterplot and a trend (pattern or relationship) may be observed between the two variables
Direct Relationship=as one variable increases, the other variable also increases

13. Inverse Relationship= as one variable increases, the other variable decreases

14. What was Mr. Krabs’ hypothesis?
What is the independent variable?
What is the dependent variable?
Which people are in the control group?  
Were there any variables that were held constant for both groups?  
What should Mr. Krabs’ conclusion be?
Why do you think 8 people in group B reported feeling better?

15. What was Patrick’s hypothesis?
What is the independent variable?
What is the dependent variable?
Which fish are in the control group?
Were there any constants for this experiment?
Look at the results in the charts. What should Patrick’s conclusion be?

16. Theophylline Case Study: Applying the Scientific Method in a Clinical Trial
Clinically effective drugs often have a therapeutic concentration range, whereby the minimum blood concentration is that concentration which triggers a minimal pharmacologic effect and the maximum blood concentration is that concentration that gives a maximum pharmacologic effect with no or minimal (tolerable) side effects.

17. Today’s Activity Work in groups of 2-4
Each group will get a set of ~24 patient cards
Everyone must complete their own copy. Color is encouraged 

18. Example Patient Card

19. Task 1: Determine the therapeutic theophylline level (it is a range of numbers)
Make a dot plot showing the theophylline concentration for patients in each of the 3 groups (continued asthma, controlled asthma, adverse effects)

20. Task 2: Analyze your “continued asthma” or “adverse effects” patient cards. Identify at least two patient characteristic that influences the theophylline blood levels and would require a modification in dosage

21. Theophylline Background
Theophylline is a drug that is prescribed to patients who have chronic asthma. Theophylline has been in clinical use for over three decades. However, inter-individual variability requires that theophylline be carefully dosed to each patient so that the blood concentrations are within the therapeutic concentration range.
Failure to individualize a theophylline dosing regimen may result in poor clinical management of the patient's asthmatic condition. Theophylline blood concentrations that are too low may result in continued, life-threatening asthmatic attacks; theophylline blood concentrations that are too high may result in toxic, adverse effects, such as nausea, vomiting, headache, life-threatening heart arrhythmias, seriously low blood pressure, seizures, brain damage, and death