Explain the concept of feedback control. Provide examples of positive and negative feedback loops. Describe how feedback loops can help the system to adapt.  

Please answer to all the following questions and provide references. You can consult any book or the internet. Answers are due on Tuesday October 18^th at 4 PM. Please use 11-point font, single spacing, and normal margins. The grade will be based on a) if you answer all questions in depth and b) the content of the answers. Minimum length is 1 page per question. Please upload your word or pdf document on blackboard.

1. Explain the concept of feedback control. Provide examples of positive and negative feedback loops. Describe how feedback loops can help the system to adapt.

1. Provide examples of evolutionary adaptation and physiological maladaptation leading to disease and imbalance. For a disease that is result of maladaptation such as diabetes and drug addiction, describe a strategy for normalizing/reversing the maladaptation.

1. How would you make the case that obesity and cancer are examples of maladaptation?

1. Blood types are differentially distributed around the world. Develop hypotheses that explain blood type differential abundance and geographical distribution. In developing your hypotheses, consider resistance to disease and other factors. Overall, what is the selective advantage of one group over the other? Different blood group carbohydrates on blood cells are also expressed in other cell types. What role the blood type carbohydrates can play in other cell types? Discuss three examples of how blood group antigens have important physiological or disease-causing functions outside the red blood cell system.

1. Give an example of how a mutation in a protein can alter its function to provide favorable advantage for the organism or the host. Give an example of a mutation that provides survival advantage during the early evolution of humans that is known to cause disease in modern society beyond the examples discussed in class (sickle cell disease/malaria). Hint: BRCA-1.