Mysteries of Science and God

Lung Cancer

2009-08-01T11:16:00.000-07:00

Debra Hulings

The leading cause of death in the United States among both sexes is lung cancer; it "is also among the most preventable cancers". (Mayo Clinic)

Smoking is the biggest cause of lung cancer, accounting for 85 to 90 percent of cases. "Other causes include exposure to radon, asbestos and secondhand smoke." (Mayo Clinic)

The type and stage of the tumor will determine the treatment for lung cancer. There are non-small cell cancers, from stage 0 to stage IV. With small cell cancers, there is a limited stage and an extensive stage.

Treatment for the former may include anything from a surgical removal, laser treatment, radiation and/or chemotherapy.

Treatments for the latter usually involve a combination of chemo and radiation to the chest and sometimes to the brain "to prevent the spread of cancer there". (Mayo Clinic) In the extensive stage, radiation is also given to areas (other than chest) that cause pain.

Reference:

http://www.mayoclinic.org/lung-cancer/patientstories.html

Aging and Illness

2009-08-01T11:10:00.000-07:00

Kathleen Kelly

As we get older we are susceptible to more illnesses and infections. We don’t respond as intensely to vaccines and as Tortora and Derrickson (2007) say about vaccines, “…they tend to produce more autoantibodies (antibodies against their body’s own molecules).” As we age our immune system doesn’t function as effectively as it did when we were younger. An example of this is that T cells become less responsive to antigens and then fewer T cells respond to infections. (The reason for this is because of decreased production of thymic hormones or an age-related decrease of the thymus). When T cells decrease with age, B cells also become less responsive. Therefore, anti-body levels don’t increase as quickly as they once did in response to a challenge by an antigen, and thus we become more likely to get infections as we get older. One study on this topic said, “Although results vary, many studies confirm that natural killer T cell activity is preserved even among the oldest old. Indeed, some studies have suggested that a decline in natural killer cell activity predicts an increasing risk of serious illness. However, there are some age-related declines in T cell function that affect B cell function, specifically the ability of B cells to help T cells fight infection.”

References:

Tortora, G.J. & Derrickson, B. (2007). Introduction to the Human Body, the Essentials
of Anatomy and Physiology. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

InfoAging.org. Immune Response and Aging Information Center. Retrieved on June 15,
2009 from http://websites.afar.org/site/PageServer?pagename=IA_b_immune_8_tcell

Asthma

2009-08-01T11:07:00.000-07:00

Caroline Leal

In the United States alone, an estimated twenty million people or more suffer from a type of asthma (Healthmad website, 2009). Asthma is a lung condition which affects a person’s bronchial (or “airway”) tubes, making the process of breathing difficult. According to Tortora and Derrickson (2007), asthma is “a disorder characterized by chronic airway inflammation, airway hypersensitivity to a variety of stimuli, and airway obstruction” (p. 467). When a person breathes normally, air is carried through the nose or mouth and into the trachea, (or “windpipe”), passing through the bronchial tubes, into the lungs, and back out again. In a person with asthma, however, these airways are inflamed, meaning that they swell and produce an overabundance of thick mucus. Because the airways are also highly sensitive, anything from dust mites, molds, and sulfating agents to cigarette smoke, cold air, and exercise can trigger an asthma attack. “Symptoms [of asthma] include difficult breathing, coughing, wheezing, chest tightness, tachycardia, fatigue, moist skin, and anxiety” (Tortora, Derrickson, 2007, p. 467).

Fortunately, asthma is a condition that may be reversed, at least partially if not fully, with treatment. Theophylline, for example, is a daily pill that opens airway passages by relaxing muscles around the airway, and is just one of many long-term medications that are available to asthma sufferers. Other short-term medications may include allergy-desensitization shots (immunotherapy), which are usually given once a week for several months, and inhaled medications such as Beta-2 agonists and Ipratropium (Mayoclinic website, 2009). Although treatment varies from person to person, a combination of long-term and short-term medications taken with a handheld inhaler are generally an effective means of combating this widespread lung condition.

References

Asthma: Treatment and drugs. (2009). Retrieved June 16, 2009, from http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/asthma/DS00021/DSECTION=treatments-and-drugs

How many people have asthma? (2009). Retrieved June 16, 2009, from http://www.healthmad.com/Conditions-and-Diseases/How-Many-People-Have-Asthma.453941

Tortora, G.J. & Derrickson, B. (2007) Introduction to the human body: The

essentials of anatomy and physiology (7th edition). New York, NY: John

Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

2009-08-01T11:06:00.000-07:00

LaToya Stevens

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease is a disease of the respiratory system which makes it difficult to breathe. According to Tortora & Derrickson, “the principal types of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease are emphysema and chronic bronchitis” (Tortora & Derrickson, 2007). The lungs use the alveoli which are the air sacs at the end of the branches in the lung that expand with inhalation and deflate with exhalation. COPD can occur when the alveoli lose their elasticity, the area between the air sac get inflamed, there can be an increase in mucus production.

Emphysema is when there is damage to the alveoli which lose their elasticity and destroys them. The alveoli once damaged cannot be repaired. When the alveoli are damaged the lungs are not able to exchange oxygen through the blood which causes shortness of breath. “As increasing numbers of alveolar wall are damaged, lung elastic recoil decreases due to loss of elastic fibers, and an increasing amount of air becomes trapped in the lungs at the end of exhalation” (Tortora & Derrickson, 2007).

Chronic Bronchitis is the excessive production of mucus with a cough. The mucus is a byproduct of airway irritants. The cilia are not able to move the mucus out of the airway. The excessive mucus that is produced by the irritants blocks the airways which make it difficult to breathe.
COPD is a progressive disease that is chronic in that there is no cure, because damage to the lungs cannot be reversed, and can be caused by any number of things from smoking, inhalation of second hand smoke to inhaled pollutants.

Tortora, G. J., & Derrickson, B. (2007). Introduction to the Human Body: The essentials of anatomy and physiology (7th Edition ed.). (B. Roesch, K. Trost, & K. Tavares, Eds.) New York, New York, United States of America: John Wiley & Sons, inc.

Spleen and Tonsils

2009-08-01T11:05:00.000-07:00

Emile Leal

Part of the Lymphatic system, the spleen and tonsils play an important role in maintaining immunity against disease and promoting homeostasis. The spleen is a secondary lymphatic organ, and according to Tortora and Derrickson, it is “…the largest single mass of lymphatic tissue in the body” (2007, p.425). Located between the stomach and diaphragm, the spleen contains both white and red pulp which consists of various substances, such as lymphocytes, red blood cells, and plasma cells. While the white pulp concentrates mainly on carrying out immune responses through B and T cells and destroying harmful substances with macrophages, the red pulp has three primary functions: 1). Removing dead or damaged platelets and blood cells, 2). Storing up to one-third of the body’s supply of platelets, and 3). Producing a fetus’s blood cells (Tortora & Derrickson, 2007). In addition, the spleen also helps to control the amount of blood in the body (nlm.nih.gov, 2009).

The tonsils are also part of the secondary lymphatic organ and tissue group, and they are composed of a mass of lymphatic tissue known as “lymphatic nodules.” According to Tortora and Derrickson, there are five tonsils “…which form a ring at the junction of the oral cavity” (2007, p.425). One tonsil, the pharyngeal tonsil, is located in the upper part of the throat, while others, such as the palatine and lingual tonsils, are situated in the back of the mouth and at the base of the tongue (Tortora & Derrickson, 2007). Working along with the spleen and other lymphatic organs, the tonsils “…are strategically positioned to participate in immune responses against inhaled or ingested foreign substances” (Tortora & Derrickson, 2007, p.425). By developing the spleen and tonsils, God provided mankind with two more amazing bodily defenses against disease and illness. Psalm 139:13-14 speaks of God’s skill in “…knitting together…” human beings, and defensive organs and tissue such as the spleen and tonsils are yet another tangible example of His love and care.

Resources

Hayford, J.W. [Executive editor] (2002) The new spirit filled life bible. Nashville,

Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc.

Spleen diseases. (2009, May) Retrieved June 16, 2009 from

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spleendiseases.html

Tortora, G.J. & Derrickson, B. (2007) Introduction to the human body: The

essentials of anatomy and physiology (7th edition). New York, NY: John

Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Pneumonia

2009-08-01T10:45:00.000-07:00

Theresa Gardner

Pneumonia occurs when the lower respiratory tract gets inflamed as a result of an infection or an injury. When microbes enter the lungs, toxins are released which causes the alveoli to fill with fluid, damaging it, and preventing gas exchange. Typically, our immune system begins an attack on the invaders, but oftentimes our natural defense system is not as strong as it should be. Common causes are upper respiratory infections, alcoholism, cigarette smoking, malnutrition, liver, kidney, and heart diseases.

Symptoms of pneumonia include chills, fever, cough, chest pain, labored breathing, fatigue, anorexia, headache, leukocytosis, and bloody sputum.

In the United States, pneumonia is the most common cause of death in terms of contagious infections. It is estimated that four million cases of pneumonia occur every year.

There are four types of pneumonia, and treatment varies according to the type.

Bacterial pneumonia is treated with antibiotics. Viral is only treated with lots of rest and plenty of fluids. Mycoplasma pneumonia mirrors symptoms of a chest cold, so people oftentimes do not seek medical attention. The symptoms generally go away on their own, but this type of pneumonia is treated with antibiotics as well. Fungal pneumonia is caused by a fungus, so antifungal medication is the typical course of treatment. It is important to note that coughing actually helps clear the lungs, so taking an over-the-counter cough suppressant is not usually advised.

Any type of pneumonia untreated can result in hospitalization. I actually have a couple of friends who ended up in this condition. By then, IV antibiotics and oxygen are administered for a few days, and the recovery time at home is a little longer.

References:

Tortora, G. J., & Derrickson, B. (2007). Introduction to the Human Body (7th Edition). New York, NY. John Wiley & Sons, inc.

Galvan, C. & Argabright, D. & Johnston, M. (2003). Medicinal Plants of the Southwest. Retrieved June 17, 2009 from http://medplant.nmsu.edu/Diseases/pneumonia/pneumonia.htm

Mayo Clinic Staff (2009). Pneumonia. Retrieved 6-18-09 from http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/AboutThisSite/AM00057 and http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/pneumonia/DS00135/DSECTION=treatments-and-drugs

Tuberculosis

2009-08-01T10:43:00.000-07:00

Elise Leal

Tuberculosis (TB) is a disease caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Torora & Derrickson, 2007, p. 467). Once the leading cause of death in the United States (CDC.gov, 2009), TB is highly contagious, and is spread when “a person with active TB disease of the lungs or throat coughs, sneezes, speaks, or sings” (CDC.gov, 2009). TB normally affects the respiratory system, particularly the lungs and the pleurae (Torora & Derrickson, 2007, p. 467), but it can also infect other body parts such as the kidneys and the brain.

There are two types of TB infection: latent TB infection (LTBI), and TB disease. LTBI occurs when the immune system is able to overcome TB bacteria, stopping them from growing and spreading. “TB bacteria can live in your body without making you sick….People with [LTBI] do not feel sick and do not have any symptoms. The only sign of TB infection is a positive reaction to the tuberculin skin test or special TB blood test. People with [LTBI] are not infectious…” (CDC.gov, 2009). LTBI patients are normally treated with the drug isoniazid for nine months to keep them from developing active TB (CDC.gov, 2009), and have a good chance of recovering. However, when the body is not able to overcome the bacteria, active TB disease occurs, and can cause serious illness or even death. “Fatigue, weight loss, lethargy, anorexia, a low-grade fever, night sweats, cough, dyspnea, chest pain, and spitting blood (hemoptysis)” (Torora & Derrickson, 2007, p. 467) are all symptoms of TB disease, although people with active TB may go years without showing these symptoms. People with TB disease are normally treated with several drugs for six to twelve months (CDC.gov, 2009), and if taking correctly and for enough time, may eventually recover.

References

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2009, June). Tuberculosis (TB). Retrieved

June 19, 2009 from http://www.cdc.gov/tb/

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2009, June). Basis TB facts. In Tuberculosis (TB). Retrieved June 19, 2009 from http://www.cdc.gov/tb/topic/basics/default.htm

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2009, June). Treatment. In Tuberculosis (TB). Retrieved June 19, 2009 from http://www.cdc.gov/tb/topic/treatment/default.htm

Tortora, G. J. and Derrickson, B. (2007). Introduction to the human body: The essentials

of anatomy and physiology (7th ed.). New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Coryza and Influenza

2009-08-01T10:40:00.000-07:00

Maria Williams

Coryza is a common cold. Coryza is a common disorder in the respiratory tract. It is a result of inflammation of the upper respiratory tract. Coryza is caused by hundreds of infectious virus and bacteria such as the rhinoviruses. Coryza has the typical symptoms which are dry cough, excessive nasal secretion of mucus or runny nose, nasal congestion, chilly sensations, sneezing, and on occasion a rise in temperature or fever. When a common cold complicates, some symptoms include “sinusitis, asthma, bronchitis, ear infections, and laryngitis” (Tortora p.467).

Influenza is a common flu also caused by a virus and infectious diseases. Influenza is like a severe cold stage of the Coryza. Its symptoms are high rise in temperature or fever, headaches, chill sensations, nausea, vomiting, and muscular aches or body aches. Influenza is a “cold-like symptoms” that “appear as the fever subsides” (Tortora p. 467) and can be contagious and transmitted in the air through coughs and sneezes spreading influenza.

It is imperative, especially in children, to get vaccinated with the proper vaccines and update their vaccine charts. It is also important for people to stay clean, wash hands regularly, and use antibacterial substances such as Germ-x when in contact with people infected of the common cold, Coryza, and/or the common flu, Influenza. If infected with a common disorder, it is also imperative to keep all symptoms to yourself, such as covering your mouth when coughing, covering your nose when sneezing, and disposing of materials with symptoms correctly.

References

Tortora, Gerald J., Derrickson,Bryan. (2007). Introduction to the Human Body: the essentials of anatomy and physiology. Seventh Edition. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Dehydration and aging

2009-08-01T10:39:00.001-07:00

Sarah Eck

As our bodies age, our kidneys shrink in size and as they shrink they are unable to filter as much blood as younger kidneys. The textbook states: “The mass of the two kidneys decreases from an average of 260 g in 20-year-olds to less than 200 g by age 80. Likewise, renal blood flow filtration rate decline by 50% between ages 40 and 70.” Some diseases that occur within the kidneys in aged adults are acute and chronic kidney inflammation and renal calculi, or more commonly known as kidney stones. As adults age, their sensation of thirst decreases, therefore leaving them more prone to dehydration. Some diseases that are commonly found in adults with age are polyuria, nocturia (excessive urination at night), increased frequency of urination, dysuria (painful urination), urinary retention or incontinence, and hematuria (blood in the urine). Another disease that the elderly are extremely prone to is a urinary tract infection, better known as a UTI. Treatments for urinary tract infections are typically simple, such as taking antibiotics or in extremer cases one can be injected with antibiotics. Another natural treatment can be consuming cranberries or blueberries.

Urethra

2009-08-01T10:37:00.000-07:00

Amelia Smalls

Urine is the liquid waste made by the kidneys when they clean and filter the blood. Urine flows from the kidneys through the ureters to the bladder. The bladder stores the urine until its eliminated from the body. Then urine flows from the bladder into the urethra and out of the body. The urethra is tube connected to the bladder on one end and open on the other. The female urethra is a narrow membranous canal extending from the internal to the external urethral orifice, embedded in the anterior wall of the vagina. The structure of the female urethra consist of three parts: muscular, erectile and mucous. The male urethra extends from the internal urethral orifice in the urinary bladder to the external urethral orifice at the end of the penis. It's divided into three sections, the prostatic, membranous and cavernous. At 8-9 inches long, the adult male urethra is longer than the adult female urethra which is approximately 1.5 inches long. Unlike the female urethra, the male urethra carries semen as well as urine.

Inflammation

2009-08-01T09:49:00.000-07:00

Dionne Willingham

Inflammation is a defense mechanism of the body. Inflammation occurs if someone is the victim of burns, or the invasion of bacteria or a virus (Tortora & Derrickson, 2007, pg. 427). Inflammation allows the body to dispose of the waste, such as toxins or foreign materials that can occur because of a burn injury as well as from bacteria and viruses. Four signs of inflammation are redness, pain, heat, and swelling. Inflammation is also an innate immune response of the body to tissue damage. Inflammation can also come in the form of a abscess which can normally be found in infections of the mouth and teeth. Fevers in the body normally occur when there is infection or inflammation in the body. Elevated body temperatures cause interferons to grow some microbes and that aides

Reference

Tortora,G.J.; Derrickson,B.;(2007). Introduction to the Human Body. The essentials of anatomy and physiology.New York. John Wiley & Sons

How do vascular spasm and platelet plug formation occur?

2009-08-01T09:47:00.000-07:00

Maria Williams

Vascular Spasm

A vascular spasm is the smooth muscle in the wall of a blood vessel that contracts and tightens a blood vessel when damaged. Hemostasis “is a sequence of responses that stops bleeding when blood vessels are injured” (Tortora p. 354) and the vascular spasm temporarily reduces blood flow “during which time the other hemostatic mechanisms begin to operate” (Tortora p. 354). A cause for a vascular spasm along with hearts attacks can be the use of illegal drugs such as cocaine that damages the blood vessels. Some symptoms of a vascular spasm can be an irregular heartbeat, chest pain, and/or an impaired arm or leg with a cold sensation. Vascular spasm remains maintained as platelets accumulate in the damage blood vessel.

Platelet Plug

The platelet plug is the gathering of platelets that come in connection with the damaged blood vessel and seal the wounded smooth muscle in the wall of the blood vessel. Platelets interact with one another releasing a yellowish sticky mass called the platelet plug on the injured blood vessel, thus supporting the vascular spasm decreasing the blood loss in the blood vessel. The platelet plug is like a cork screw, except the platelets are many platelets gathering together forming a platelet plug to help sustain the vascular spasm.

Reference

Tortora, G. J., Derrickson, B. (2007). Introduction to the Human Body: the essentials of anatomy and physiology. 7th Edition. New York: John Wiley & Son, Inc.

Blood

2009-08-01T09:45:00.000-07:00

Emile Leal

Part of the cardiovascular system, blood plays a tremendous role in transporting oxygen and other nutrients to body cells, as well as regulating pH and body temperature. However, in addition to these functions, blood is also a valuable source of protection. This protection comes in the form of gel-like blood clots, and when the body is injured, these clots are quick to form in order to avoid excessive blood loss. According to Tortora and Derrickson, the blood within blood vessels is liquid (2007). Yet, “If it [blood] is withdrawn from the body…it thickens and forms a gel” (Tortora & Derrickson, 2007, p.354), otherwise known as a blood clot. With the corporation of various clotting factors, such as calcium ions and several enzymes, the clot forms a web of fibrin threads in order to effectively plug the injured area and stop blood flow (Tortora & Derrickson, 2007). Through clot retraction, defined as “…the consolidation or tightening of the fibrin clot” (Tortora & Derrickson, 2007, p.356), the edges of a damaged blood vessel are pulled together in preparation for further, more permanent healing.

In addition to blood clotting, the blood also protects the body through the use of white blood cells. White blood cells are part of the body’s front line of defense against bacteria and disease. By producing certain proteins known as antibodies, the white blood cells carried throughout the body in the bloodstream can effectively control and eliminate harmful substances (Tortora & Derrickson, 2007). Additional proteins in the blood, interferons and complement, also support homeostasis by warding of disease (Tortora & Derrickson, 2007). Working together, the blood successfully protects the body through blood clotting, white blood cells, and various proteins. Truly, as the protective functions of the blood exemplify, the human body is “…fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14, NKJ).

Resources

Hayford, J.W. [Executive editor] (2002) The new spirit filled life bible. Nashville,

Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc.

Tortora, G.J. & Derrickson, B. (2007) Introduction to the human body: The

essentials of anatomy and physiology (7th edition). New York, NY: John

Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Week 5 - Leukocytosis, Leukopenia, and Differential WBC Count

2009-08-01T09:44:00.000-07:00

Elise Leal

In this week’s readings, two conditions were mentioned that have to do with white blood cell (WBC) count: leukocytosis and leukopenia. Although similar in name, and therefore easy to confuse, these two conditions are almost complete opposites of each other. According to Torora and Derrickson, leukocytosis is a condition in which there is “an increase in the number of WBCs” (2007, p. 353). Leukocytosis is caused when the body naturally produces an excessive amount of certain types of WBCs in order to combat a particular problem, and is normally harmless (Torora & Derrickson, 2007, p. 353). In contrast, leukopenia is characterized by “An abnormally low level of white blood cells…[and] is never beneficial” (Torora & Derrickson, 2007, p. 353). This condition has many causes, such as bacterial and viral infections, bone marrow disorders, and even certain types of medications (RnCeus.com, 2006).

Because both leukocytosis and leukopenia have so many different root causes, an examination of the differential WBC count can be very helpful in trying to determine their origins. The differential WBC count is “the percentage of each of the five types of white blood cells” (RnCeus.com, 2006) that exists within a particular blood sample. In the case of leukocytosis, which produces certain types of WBCs specific to certain disorders, the differential WBC count can offer clues as to which disorder the body is trying to combat by revealing which specific WBCs it is producing. When leukopenia is the problem, the differential WBC count indicates which types of WBCs are lacking, which helps to determine possible causes and treatments. Thus, while leukocytosis and leukopenia are completely different conditions, characterized by either too much or too little WBCs, they both may be accurately assessed through an examination of the differential WBC count, and thereby hopefully treated successfully.

References

RnCeus.com (2006). White blood cell count (WBC) and differential. Retrieved June 10,

2009 from http://www.rnceus.com/cbc/cbcwbc.html

Tortora, G. J. and Derrickson, B. (2007). Introduction to the human body: The essentials

of anatomy and physiology (7th ed.). New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

ANS and Heart Rate

2009-08-01T09:43:00.000-07:00

Caroline Leal

Along with certain hormones and ions, the autonomic nervous system is one of the most important factors in the regulation of heart rate in the body. According to Tortora and Derrickson (2007), “The nervous system regulation of the heart originates in the cardiovascular (CV) center in the medulla oblongata” (p. 377). The medulla oblongata, which is the lower portion of the brain, obtains input from the limbic system, cerebral cortex, and a variety of other sensory receptors and brain centers (Tortora, Derrickson, 2007). In response to this input, the cardiovascular center channels output by increasing or decreasing the nerve impulses that are directed towards the two primary divisions of the autonomic nervous system: the sympathetic division, and the parasympathetic division.

Extending from the cardiovascular center, parasympathetic neurons are responsible for decreasing heart rate by way of the vagus nerve. Tortora and Derrickson (2007) explain that “The neurotransmitter they [parasympathetic neurons] release – acetylcholine – decreases the heart rate by slowing the pacemaking activity of the SA node” (p. 378). The other branch of the ANS, the sympathetic branch, increases heart rate through a network of nerves called the “sympathetic plexus.” Baroreceptors also play an important role in the regulation of heart rate by the ANS. Whenever blood pressure increases, baroreceptors respond by stimulating the cardiovascular system in a way that causes heart rate to decrease. Conversely, if blood pressure falls and baroreceptors do not stimulate the cardiovascular system, heart rate increases (Tortora, Derrickson, 2007). Ultimately, the remarkable way in which the ANS system is designed to control so many body functions – and particularly, heart rate – is yet another testament to the awesomeness of our Creator as expressed through the marvelous, innner workings of the human body.

References

Tortora, G. J. and Derrickson, B. (2007). Introduction to the human body: The

essentials of anatomy and physiology (7th ed.). New York: John Wiley &

Sons, Inc

Neutrophils, Eosinophils, Basophils, Monocytes, B cells, T cells, and Natural killer cells

2009-08-01T09:42:00.000-07:00

LaToya Stevens

Neutrophils are designed to, “find bacteria or fungi and neutralize them by phagocytosis” (Miyasaki). Phagocytosis is the process by which phagocytes ingest particular matter, the ingestion of destruction of microbes, cell debris, and foreign matter” (Tortora & Derrickson, 2007).

Eosinophils are responsible for fighting infections,
parasites, and they also pay a roll in fighting histamines in response to allergic reactions.

Basophils, “Heparin and histamine are vasoactive substances. They dilate the blood vessels, make vessel walls more permeable and prevent blood coagulation. As a consequence, they facilitate the access of other lymphocytes and of plasma-borne substances of importance for the immune response (e.g. antibodies) to e.g. a site of infection” (Slomianka, 2006).

“Once monocytes enter the connective tissue they differentiate into macrophages” (Slomianka, 2006). Once they have turned into macrophages their function is phagocytosis.

B-cells secrete antibodies. B cells secrete specific antibodies. Once that cell is activated it changes to plasma and creates and secretes that particular antibody.

T cells help to defend the immune system by both directing attacks and attacking viruses, cancerous cells (Immune System T Cells, 2008).

Natural killer cells can attack various types of foreign cells including tumors. NKs begin their assault on infectious microbes upon contact. They bind to the target and release their chemicals.

Neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils, monocytes, B cells, T cells, and natural killers all fall under the White Blood Cell category. While they have different purposes and functions, when working properly they work in concert to help defend the body against foreign elements whose aim is to harm the body.

Immune System T Cells. (2008, October 3). Retrieved June 10, 2009, from National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases: National Institutes of Health: http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/topics/immuneSystem/immuneCells/tcells.htm

Miyasaki, K. (n.d.). Phagocytes-Neutrophils. Retrieved June 10, 2009, from UCLA Periodontics Information Center: http://www.dent.ucla.edu/pic/members/neutrophils/neutrophils.html

Slomianka, L. (2006, January 10). Blue Histology- Blood. Retrieved June 10, 2009, from School of Anatomy and Human Biology - The University of Western Australia: http://www.lab.anhb.uwa.edu.au/mb140/CorePages/Blood/Blood.htm#labeobaso

Tortora, G. J., & Derrickson, B. (2007). Introduction to the Human Body: The essentials of anatomy and physiology (7th Edition ed.). (B. Roesch, K. Trost, & K. Tavares, Eds.) New York, New York, United States of America: John Wiley & Sons, inc.

What are several substances transported by blood?

2009-08-01T09:40:00.000-07:00

Debra Hulings

Oxygen, carbon dioxide, nutrients, heat and waste products, hormones:

Oxygen is transported from the lungs by blood to the cells of the body. From the cells, carbon dioxide is transported by blood to the lungs. Oxygen breathed into the lungs goes throughout our bodies into the cells and comes back to the lungs as carbon dioxide which we exhale.

Blood "also carries nutrients from the gastrointestinal tract to body cells" (Tortorra & Derrickson, 2007, p. 346) The nutrients are absorbed from the small intestine and are distributed throughout our bodies.

Heat and waste products are gathered from cells by the blood and keep our temperature regulated and bodies "clean".

Hormones are absorbed from glands and the blood carries them throughout our bodies keeping us balanced in many ways.

We are fearfully and wonderfully made.

Reference:

Tortora, Gerard J. & Derrickson, Bryan. 2007. Introduction to the HUman Body: the essentials of anatomy and physiology. 7th Edition. New York, NY.: Wiley

Aerobics

2009-08-01T09:39:00.000-07:00

Ashley Allen

Aerobics are activities that work large body muscles for at least twenty minutes. Aerobics also elevate cardiac output, and accelerate metabolic rate. Cardiovascular fitness may be improved with regular exercise, regardless of current fitness or age. These exercises can include: swimming, bicycling, running, or brisk walking. When you exercise the muscles demand more oxygen. Once you have been training for several weeks you increase maximal cardiac output which increases rate of oxygen delivery to your tissues.

The book says that a well trained athlete can achieve a cardiac output double that of a sedentary person. Although the resting heart rates are the same between the athlete and normal person, the athlete's training causes hypertrophy (enlargement) of the heart. Aerobics also help to reduce blood pressure, anxiety, depression. Exercise also allows for weight control, and increases the your bodies ability to dissolve blood clots and increase fibrinolytic activity.

In the United States 800,000 people die of Coronary Artery Disease each year. The effects of aerobic exercise can help reduce your chance of a heart attack, because inactivity is the main factor in CAD.

Tortora, Gerard J. & Derrickson, Bryan. 2007. Introduction to the Human Body: the essentials of anatomy and physiology. 7th Edition. New York, NY.: Wiley

Erythropoiesis

2009-08-01T09:38:00.000-07:00

Theresa Gardner

Erythropoiesis is the formation of red blood cells. Near the end of the formation, a red blood cell precursor ejects its nucleus, becoming an immature red blood cell, or reticulocyte, which causes an indentation in the center of the cell. The reticulocyte passes from the red bone marrow and into the bloodstream and matures within one to two days.

Interestingly, the formation of the red blood cells and the destruction of red blood cells occur at the same pace. If the blood that carries oxygen from the lungs to the cells does not keep up with the rate of the destruction of red blood cells, then red blood cell production increases.

A hematocrit shows what percentage of red blood cells is in your blood and will show if someone is anemic or abnormally hydrated. Anemia or circulatory problems will cause a decrease of oxygen to the tissues which in turn will stimulate a release of the hormone EPO through the blood and into the red bone marrow, where it stimulates erythropoiesis. Athletes and people living at higher altitudes tend to have a higher hematocrit than others.

Blood Transfusions

2009-08-01T09:36:00.000-07:00

Kathleen Kelly

Blood is, as Tortora and Derrickson (2007) say, “… the most easily shared of human tissues, saving many thousands of lives every year through transfusion.” A transfusion is a transfer of blood components or whole blood into the bloodstream. RBC antigens can have differences though which can bring about an incompatible blood transfusion. Therefore it is very important to make sure blood types are matched before a transfusion takes place. If blood types aren’t matched, “…antibodies in the recipient’s plasma bind to the antigens on the donated RBC’s” (Tortora and Derrickson, 2007), which causes antigen-antibody complexes to form which then causes hemoglobins to be released into the plasma. This is called hemolysis, the rupturing of red blood cells. Despite the fact that Type O blood is referred to as the universal donor and Type AB is referred to as the universal recipient, this isn’t actually completely accurate and again, blood types should be matched when giving transfusions in order to avoid the problems that can arise from incompatible blood transfusions.

Reference:

Tortora G.J. & Derrickson B. (2007). Introduction to the

Human Body, the Essentials of Anatomy and Physiology.

New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Cardiovascular System and Aging

2009-08-01T09:34:00.000-07:00

Sarah Eck

There are many things that occur within the body that are signs of aging. As time passes, changes in the body’s different systems happen that cause the body physical pain. Within the cardiovascular system, some changes that happen are of the following: stiffness of the aorta, reduction in cardiac muscle fiber size, progressive loss of cardiac muscle strength, reduced cardiac output, a decline in maximum heart rate, and an increase in systolic blood pressure. Something that occurs in older Americans, which results in heart disease and death, is Coronary Artery disease (CAD). Another disease is congestive heart failure, which is a set of symptoms associated with impaired pumping of blood to the heart. Yet another disease that occurs in the elderly is atherosclerosis, which is a reduction of nourishment to the brain and results in the malfunction or death of brain cells. As adults age blood flow also changes within their bodies; the blood flow decreases, as the bodies grow older. When the human bodies reach 80 years old, the blood flow decreases by 20% less than the rest of the bodies life spam. Also when a person reaches 80, the blood flow to the kidneys is 50% less than when it was when the same person is 30 years old.

Blood

2009-08-01T09:33:00.000-07:00

Dionne Willingham

Blood is protective because it clots. Blood clots (become gel- like) in response to an injury which protects against its excessive loss from the cardiovascular system ( Tortora & Derrickson, 2007, pg. 346). An example of blood clotting is when a person has a deep cut or gash on their leg and it begins to bleed excessively. In order to stop the bleeding someone immediately take a cloth or towel and begin to apply immediate pressure to the area that has a gash or deep cut. The immediate pressure to the area that is bleeding causes the blood to become gel-like and it begins to clot which in turn stops the bleeding. This is one the ways that blood is protective because clotting stops you from bleeding to death.

There is another aspect of blood protectively and that is in the white blood cells. The white blood cells protect against disease by carrying on phagocytosis and producing proteins called antibodies. The blood also contains additional protein, called interferons and complements, that also help protect against disease.

Reference

Tortora,G.J.; Derrickson,B.;(2007). Introduction to the Human Body. The essentials of anatomy and physiology.New York. John Wiley & Sons

Cardiac Cycle

2009-08-01T09:29:00.000-07:00

Amelia Smalls

A single cycle of cardiac activity is associated with one heartbeat divided into two stages. The first stage is a diastole which refers to a phase of relaxation and systole, the second phase, refers to contraction. These two stages can be further analyzed in more detail into three phases: the relaxation period, atrial and ventricular systole. The relaxation period is the period of time when the heart relaxes after contraction in preparation for circulating blood. Atrial systole is the contraction of the heart muscle of the left and right atria. As the atria contract, the blood pressure in each atrium increases the blood flow into the ventricles. Ventricular systole is the contraction of the muscles of the left and right ventricles. When the ventricles contract the blood pressure in each ventricle increases. The cardiac cycle consist of activities of the heart through one complete heartbeat which is one contraction and relaxation of both the atria and ventricles. Also, the cardiac cycle includes changes of the blood volume and pressure within the heart, and the action of the heart valves.

Photopigments

2009-08-01T09:28:00.000-07:00

LaToya Stevens

First it must established what a photopigment is, “a photopigment is a substance that can absorb light and undergo a change in structure” (Tortora & Derrickson, 2007). Rhodopsin is the photpigment found in the rod in the eye. It is made up of retinal and opsin. The amount of light or dark in a room determines the chemical action that takes place in the eye. Light causes the rhodopsin molecules to split apart into opsin and retinal.

Rods in the eye allow us to see greys in low light (Tortora & Derrickson, 2007, p. 296), the cones in our eyes when activated by light allow us to see in color (there are three types of cones in the eye red, green, and blue each is sensitive to that specific color of light). The Rods and cones are located in the photoreceptor layer of the eye. When it is daylight the rods in the eye are not active, it takes longer for the process of reformation than the time required for the split in rhodopsin. Depending on what you read the amount of time necessary to allow the proper operation of the rods after exposure to light is anywhere between 30-40 minutes.

The processes the eye undergoes regarding photopigment are light adaptation and dark adaption. It takes longer for the eye to adjust from going from a bright environment to a dark environment (dark adaption) than it does for the eye to adjust from going to a bright/ light environment to a dark one (light adaption). “And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not”, John 1:5 (King James Version) (Christian Books Distributor, 2003).

Christian Books Distributor. (2003). The CBD Parallel Bible: KJV, NKJV, NIV, NLT. Peabody, Massachusettes, United States of America: Prince Press.

Tortora, G. J., & Derrickson, B. (2007). Introduction to the Human Body: The essentials of anatomy and physiology (7th Edition ed.). (B. Roesch, K. Trost, & K. Tavares, Eds.) New York, New York, United States of America: John Wiley & Sons, inc.

Flight or Fight

2009-08-01T09:27:00.000-07:00

Emile Leal

Throughout life, human beings often encounter stressful or harmful situations. Fortunately, however, God has equipped the human body to deal with these situations through a process know as the “fight-or-flight” response. Originally discovered by Harvard physiologist Walter Cannon (Neimark, 2009), the fight-or-flight response occurs in the sympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system, and corresponds to the hypothalamus section of the brain (Neimark, 2009). According to Tortora and Derrickson, the nerves of the sympathetic division are connected to the thoracic and lumbar sections of the spinal cord, and they stimulate such bodily structures as sweat glands, hair follicles, blood vessels, and the kidneys (2007).

According to Dr. Neil Neimark, the fight-or-flight response “…is hard-wired into our brains and represents a genetic wisdom designed to protect us from bodily harm” (2009). When the body experiences physical or emotional stress, such as emergency, embarrassment, or excitement, the sympathetic division activates by releasing hormones to support the body’s need to deal with the stress. These hormones, released through the adrenal medullae, produce certain physiological responses, such as dilated pupils, increased heart rate and blood pressure, and improved air flow in and out of the lungs (Tortora & Derrickson, 2007). One’s sweat glands are often activated, awareness intensifies, and hair follicles may stand up because of “goose bumps” (Tortora & Derrickson, 2007). In addition, all process not essential to dealing with the harmful situation, such as digestion, are slowed down so that blood flow normally used in these processes can be directed to other necessary areas. Truly, the fight-or-flight response is a wonderful source of protection from bodily harm, and it is crucial to maintaining and balancing the human body’s homeostasis in times of stress.

Responses

Neimark, N.F. (2009) The flight or fight response. Retrieved June 2, 2009 from

http://www.thebodysoulconnection.com/EducationCenter/fight.html

Tortora, G.J. & Derrickson, B. (2007) Introduction to the human body: the

essentials of anatomy and physiology (7th edition). New York, NY: John

Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Perception and Sensation

2009-08-01T09:26:00.000-07:00

Caroline Leal

As human beings, we interact with the world around us through our five primary senses – sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste. Sensation and perception are the means by which we perform these interactions. Although the words “sensation” and “perception” are often used interchangeably in everyday language, they do differ from one another in one very important respect. According to Tortora and Derrickson (2007), sensation is “the conscious or subconscious awareness of changes in the external or internal environment” (p. 285), while perception is defined as “the conscious awareness and interpretation of sensations …” (p. 285). Simply put, the difference between sensation and perception is this: sensation is the “picking up” of information from our sensory receptors, while perception is the interpretation of what is sensed.

A sensation occurs whenever a stimulus activates a sensory receptor, which “may be in the form of light, heat, pressure, mechanical energy, or chemical energy” (Tortora, Derrickson, 2007). The sensory receptor produces a nerve impulse which is received by the brain and integrated into a sensation. From there, perception occurs as a person applies experience to interpret the sensation, “and this can only be done on the basis of past experience of the same, similar, or related phenomena” (Audiblox website, 2009). Sensation is the process of relaying information to the brain, while perception is the process of attaching meaning to that information. In this way, sensation and perception differ from one another, but together, they are highly valuable body processes that enable individuals to experience, understand, and further enjoy the world around them.

References

Tortora, G.J. & Derrickson, B. (2007) Introduction to the human body: the

essentials of anatomy and physiology (7th edition). New York, NY: John

Wiley & Sons, Inc.

(2009). Sensation and perception: What is the difference? Retrieved June 2, 2009,

from http://www.learninginfo.org/sensation-perception.htm

Special Senses

2009-08-01T09:24:00.000-07:00

Maria Williams

The special senses are our receptors of senses which are smell, taste, sight, hearing, and equilibrium. Our senses are located in complex sensory organs such as eyes, ears, and throat. Our special senses differentiate one human being to another and give us the balance and understanding we need in our daily lives.

The sense of smell contains 10-10 million receptors for the sense of smell and it is called the olfaction. The olfaction consists of the olfactory receptors, supporting cells, the basal stem cells that take up the upper nasal cavity. These receptors stimulate the pathway for smell.

The sense of taste contains five primary tastes: sourness, sweetness, bitterness, saltiness, and savory or meaty taste. The meaty or savory taste is called the umami taste. This is called the gustation. The olfaction and the gustation work together because food has a sense of smell in which the smell of the food can pass upward from the mouth and into the nasal cavity.

The sense of sight has more than half of the sensory receptors in the human body. A grand part of the cerebral cortex located in the brain processes sight information. The eye has many structures in which it needs to function properly and accessories to protect the eye such as the eyebrow and eye lashes.

The sense of hearing is a sensitive structure. The ear is divided into three areas: the outer ear, the middle ear, and the inner ear. The outer ear gathers sounds/sound waves and sends them inward. The middle ear is an air filled cavity that communicates sound vibrations to the oval window between the eardrum and the inner ear. The inner ear protects the receptors for hearing and the equilibrium.

The receptor organs for the equilibrium are the saccule, utricle, and membranous semicircular ducts that are called vestibular apparatus. There are two types of equilibrium: static equilibrium and dynamic equilibrium. The static equilibrium keeps us in balance because it is the position of the body relative to the force of gravity. The dynamic equilibrium keeps us in balance because of the body position that responds to sudden movements like acceleration and deceleration.

Works Cited

Tortora, G. J., Derrickson, B. (2007). Somatic Senses and Special Senses. Introduction to the Human Body: The essentials of anatomy and physiology. Seventh edition. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Referred Pain

2009-08-01T09:23:00.000-07:00

Elise Leal

Of the many different types of pain, deep internal pain, or visceral pain, is the most common (Cervero). A part of the visceral senses, which “provide information about conditions within internal organs” (Tortora & Derrickson, 2007, p. 285), this pain usually originates in “the gut, the bladder, [and] the uterus” (Cervero). Oftentimes, however, visceral pain is not felt directly at the damaged site, but rather is felt in the tissue or skin just above, or in an area completely removed from, the affected organ. When visceral pain appears in this form, it is called referred pain, and often occurs when “the visceral organ involved and the area in which the pain is referred are served by the same segment of the spinal cord” (Tortora & Derrickson, 2007, p. 288). Thus, when the sensory neurons of an internal organ connect to the spine in the same place as some other superficial body part, such as the skin or the arms, the pain associated with problems in that organ will travel to and be felt in the superficial spot.

Referred pain is extremely helpful in diagnosing and treating various illnesses. By following the sensory pathway from the source of the pain to the organ that stimulates it, physicians can accurately identify internal problems, giving them a sound diagnosis with which to plan treatments. In some cases, referred pain can even be lifesaving. For example, referred pain in the left arm and chest are crucial indicators of a heart attack (Tortora & Derrickson, 2007, p. 288), while pain between the shoulder blades can sometimes be an indicator of gastric cancer. Referred pain, although unpleasant, is an invaluable symptom of internal disorders, and is given by the Creator for our protection. Truly, our bodies are “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14, NKJV).

References

Cevero, F. (n/d). Visceral pain. Retrieved June 2, 2009 from

http://www.wellcome.ac.uk/en/pain/microsite/science3.html

Hayford, J. W. (2002). The new spirit filled life bible. Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas

Nelson, Inc.

Tortora, G. J. and Derrickson, B. (2007). Introduction to the human body: The essentials of anatomy and physiology (7th ed.). New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Thyroid

2009-08-01T09:21:00.000-07:00

Debra Hulings

Thyroid hormones are active all over the body because most cells will receive them. The hormones stimulate oxygen consumption in these cells which in turn "increase[s] the metabolic rate" (Tortora & Davidson, 2007, p. 324). The high metabolic rate raises body temperature and causes "the cardiac output to increase" (Copenhagen Medical Publishers [CMP]).

So, thyroid hormones control body temperature, heart rate, cholesterol and have a significant part in the growth of the body. They also help with "the synthesis of important protein" (CMP), such as the Na+ - K+ pump which we learned about in week 3 lab. Thyroid hormones also have an impact on reproduction.

Calcitonin function by promoting phosphate into the bone which "cause[s] important bone remodeling"(CMP). When we age, our calcitonin levels in the blood get lower and is part of the reason for bone loss.

References:

Copenhagen Medical Publishers. 1999-2000. Textbook in Medical Physiology and Pathophysiology: Essentials and Clinical Problems. Retrieved on June 4, 2009 from http://www.mfi.ku.dk/PPaulev/chapter28/Chapter 28.htm

Tortora, Gerard J. & Derrickson, Bryan. 2007. Introduction to the Human Body: the essentials of anatomy and physiology. 7th Edition. New York, NY.: Wiley

Thyroid gland and pineal gland

2009-08-01T09:20:00.000-07:00

Kathleen Kelly

The thyroid gland is composed of right and left lobes and is located on either side of the trachea. The thyroid gland is made up primarily of sacs called thyroid follicles of which the walls produce two hormones: thyroxine and triiodothyronine. Thyroid hormones increase basal metabolic rate, which is the rate of oxygen consumption under standard conditions such as awake, rest, and fasting. Thus, thyroid hormones play an important role in the maintenance of body temperature. Thyroid hormones also participate in the stimulation of body growth.

The pineal gland is a small endocrine gland attached to the third ventricle of the brain at the midline. A hormone secreted by the pineal gland is melatonin, which helps to set the body’s biological clock.

It has been thought in the past that the pineal gland and the thyroid gland do not have that much to do with each other but recent “experiments with rats and hamsters have provided evidence for an inhibitory action of the pineal gland on the neuroendocrine-thyroid axis.” “Thyroid hormones are well-known to have wide-ranging biological actions in the body and both their excess and deficiency exert effect on almost all bodily processes. A substantial proportion of people with thyroid pathology observed in the last decade in the regions with unfavorable ecological situation makes correction of existing and search of new ways of thyroid disease treatment vitally important.”
To solve the problem, a relationship between the thyroid gland and centers regulating its activity has to be studied first. In this respect, the pineal gland hormones are of particular interest. Their role in initiation and development of thyroid gland disfunction as well as a possibility of using pineal hormones agents have not gained wide recognition in medical practice yet.”

Derrickson, B. & Tortora, G.J. (2007). Introduction to the Human Body, The Essentials of Anatomy and Physiology. New York: John Willey & Sons.

Bondarenko, L.A. (1991). Effect of Excess and Definciency of Thyroid Hormones on Blood Melatonin Level in Mature Male Rats. Retrieved from www:http://www.springerlink.com/content/j5701533h1576168/fulltext.pdf?page=1 on June 5, 2009.

Bondarenko, L., Somova, E., Komarova, I., Scherbakova, V.. New Approaches to Attach Thyroid Gland Disfunction. Research Institute of Endocrine Diseases Pharmacotherapy. Retrieved from: http://www.public.iastate.edu/~iwise/iwise/research/researchSummaries/BONDAR1.html on June 5, 2009.

Pituitary and Adrenal Glands

2009-08-01T09:18:00.000-07:00

Theresa Gardner

The pituitary gland is often called the “master gland” because it makes hormones that control other endocrine glands. It works together with the hypothalamus and links the nervous system and the endocrine system. The cells in the pituitary gland and the hypothalamus regulate all aspects of growth, development, metabolism, and homeostasis. Interestingly, the hormones that the pituitary secretes can be influenced by emotions and changes in seasons.

The hypothalamus provides information sensed by the brain (such as environmental temperature, light exposure patterns, and feelings) to the pituitary.

The anterior lobe of the pituitary gland regulates the activity of the thyroid, adrenals, and reproductive glands and also produces the growth hormone, which stimulates the adrenal gland to produce certain hormones. The pituitary also secretes hormones that signal the reproductive organs to make sex hormones and controls ovulation.

There are two adrenal glands, one on top of each kidney. The outer part produces hormones that among other things influences the body's response to stress, metabolism, the immune system, and sexual development and function.

If the pituitary gland produces too much growth hormone, a teen may grow excessively tall. If it produces too little, a teen may be unusually short.

If the adrenal glands don't produce sufficiently weakness, fatigue, abdominal pain, nausea, dehydration, and skin changes can occur.

References:

Dowshen, S., MD. (2007). The Endocrine System, retrieved June 3, 2009 from http://kidshealth.org/teen/your_body/body_basics/endocrine.html#

Derrickson, B. & Tortora, G.J. (2007). Introduction to the Human Body, The Essentials of Anatomy and Physiology. New York: John Willey & Sons.

Autonomic Nervous System

2009-08-01T09:16:00.000-07:00

Dionne Willingham

The autonomic sensory neurons serve as the main input to the autonomic nervous system. This is due to association of the neurons with the sensory receptors that monitor internal conditions, like the oxygen in the blood levels or the degree of the stretching in the walls of internal organ or blood vessels. The output (motor) of the autonomic nervous system has two main parts. The two main parts are the sympathetic division and the parasympathetic division. The sympathetic division and the parasympathetic division aide the dual innervations they effect most organs, they send impulses from the neurons. The two together are a happy balance. One causes excitation and one allows inhibition. That means that one (excitation) causes an increase in activity, where as the other one cause a decrease (inhibition) in activity. If one of the two were not working in harmony with the other it could and would affect the blood flow especially in the heart area for example.

Reference

Tortora,G.J.; Derrickson,B.;(2007). Introduction to the Human Body. The essentials of anatomy and physiology.New York. John Wiley & Sons

Melatonin

2009-08-01T09:15:00.000-07:00

Sarah Eck

The relationship between sleep and melatonin secretion is connected through the pineal gland. “The pineal gland is a small endocrine gland attached to the roof of the third ventricle of the brain at the midline” (p. 334). Melatonin is a hormone that is released by this gland, which is part of what makes up the body’s biological clock, which determines when your body needs rest. In the nighttime, when it is dark outside, the pineal gland releases more melatonin through your body to send messages to your brain that your body needs sleep, where as, during the day, when the sun is out, less melatonin is released so that you feel more awake and alert. When you are a child, the pineal gland releases more melatonin into your body, because children need more sleep than adults. As you mature, and grow into adulthood, the pineal gland releases less of this hormone. The hormone of melatonin also influences the reproductive functions of the body. Even though children have more melatonin released into their body, it is unsure of when the change occurs in melatonin secretion and its relationship to puberty and sexual maturation.

olfactory epithelium

2009-08-01T08:43:00.000-07:00

Amelia Smalls

As a chemical sensorm the olfactory epithelium detects food and influences social and sexual behaviors. The olfactory epithelium consist of olfactory receptor cells, sustentacular or supportung cells and basal cells. The olfactory cells are bipolar neurons that span the entire length of the epithelium and are the cell type that provides the sense of smell. Olfactory cells are extremely sensitive and able to detect odor at exceptional low concentrations. The next cell type are the supportive cells which provide mechanical and metabolic support to the olfactory cells; such as internal ear and taste buds. Finally, the basal cells which are simple the cells that will give rise to the new olfactory cells and serve as a stimulus transduction.

A Question of Heaven

2009-08-01T08:40:00.000-07:00

Steven Kruppe

The question of whether or not god exists is a question that has befuddled man since we could conceive such an idea. You can't really say whether or not god exists because god is presented as being there although you are unable to sense him with any of our senses. Because god is presented in such a manner it is very hard to say whether or not he exists. It is even hard to say whether there is proof of it either. However, you can't argue whether religion exists or not. Religion is a very heated topic possibly because of the mythical god spot which we have discussed in class. This paper will not definitively say whether god exists or not but rather talk about how people think of religion.

I do believe god exists but in some manners its easy to see why some people don't think he exists. There is famine, hatred, racism, war. All of these horrible things exist and I believe it's because of these poor situations that people find it difficult to believe in god. Pile all of the hardships within the world along with an intangible creator, you have a recipe for doubters.

I took a class on religion and I found it very interesting. There was a lot of debate on whether or not he existed as well as all the fighting throughout the world that has to do with religion. Looking back after taking this class, I feel it would have been exciting to have proposed the idea of the "God Spot". It truly is interesting that such a part of the brain may exist. Since there are fanatics of religion and also those that greatly oppose it and find it to be a horrible idea.

It seems that people who are in peril seem to find god in a hurry and almost without hesitation. So lets say someone is dying and they don't have much longer to live. The person will look to god and pray as if almost a last ditch effort to make sure they're "covered" in case there is a god. Person who is in peril wants to cover their ass in case there is a heaven and a hell. Also, people who are in prison seem to find God very easily as oppose to when they were not in prison they wouldn't have considered the idea. I think God gives people a feeling of hope. Whether or not it is false hope, no one knows for sure.

It's very hard to say whether or not God exists. One thing is for sure though, we all have our own choices to make in life as well as our own opinions. Some believe God exists and others find it a laughable topic due to other beliefs or outside influences.

Skeletal Muscle System

2009-08-01T08:38:00.000-07:00

Steven Kruppe

Our muscular system is an amazing thing. It allows us to move and perform tasks and do work on objects. Not only that but our muscles adapt the increased stress that is placed upon them. Lifting weights is an amazing phenomenon that shows you just what the body is capable of. Your body adapts to the increased stress that is placed upon it and thereby grows to meet the stress. However, i find it very interesting that you are born with the same amount of muscle cells that you will die with. The only thing that changes is the size of them.

There are muscles all over your body. Many of them you don't even realize you're using in your day to day lives. Without muscles you could not do the tasks you do on a daily basis. Movement, grabbing, pulling, all of these actions are done by muscles. There are 639 skeletal muscles in the human body. The skeletal muscle system is simply amazing.

Your muscles need energy in order to work however. The muscles get energy from carbohydrates which eventually turn into glucose which is also known as blood sugar. So when you have carbohydrates your muscles can perform the work that is requested of them. As we saw in the Bill Nye video, without the proper "fuel" for your body (a well balanced diet), you become tired, lethargic, and unable to do work as well as you are capable of.

Another way that your muscles perform the work that is put upon them is through something called ATP. ATP is the energy that is given to the muscles directly to contract and function. The only way ATP is produced, however, is by turning ADP into ATP. This is done through a chemical called creatine. Adam, the student who sat next to me during class, did a paper on creatine and validated why it is a proven supplement that many bodybuilders take so that they can workout longer and get increased energy while lifting weights. Once you break down the muscles, i.e. tearing them through resistance training, a full supply of proteins and amino acids are necessary to repair the damage that has been done. The human body does not store protein very well at all so you must constantly ingest protein to assure that the muscles are being repaired when they need it.

Its very interesting to see how your body comes together to do the incredible things that we do. The skeletal muscular system is a wonderful example of such. Whoever designed us, be it god or the way we evolved through evolution, the intricacies through which we came to be are fascinating and a marvel of engineering.

Respiratory system

2009-08-01T08:37:00.000-07:00

Diana Madel

The respiratory system is composed of lower respiratory system and upper respiratory system. There are several functions of the respiratory system such as moving air in and out of the system, production of sound and protection of foreign pathogens. The structures of upper respiratory system include: nose, nasal cavity, pharynx and the structures of lower respiratory system include larynx, bronchi and bronchioles.

In addition, the respiratory tract is also composed of airways and their function is to carry air to alveoli. The structure that is responsible for gas exchange.

The components of upper respiratory system are responsible for carrying air to the rest of the body. Air enters the system through the external nares. Mucosa that is inside the external nares trap foreign particles and make sure that air is clean and humidified. Then air go to pharynx and larynx. Pharynx is the part of the respiratory system that is shared with digestive tract. It consists of three parts such as nasopharynx, oropharynx and laryngopharynx.
Glottis and larynx are responsible for production of sound. The components of lower respiratory system such as trachea and primary bronchi make sure that air enters lungs. Trachea branches into primary and secondary bronchi.

Nervous system controls the activity of smooth muscle that are responsible for diameter of bronchioles. Sympathetic nervous system when stimulated leads to enlargement of bronchioles. The condition is known as bronchodilation.

Parasympathetic stimulation leads to reduction of bronchioles. The condition is known as bronchoconstriction.
There are to condition related to respiratory system such as Emphysema and lung cancer. Emphysema is a chronic shortness of breath. Emphysema is related to inhalation of toxic particles that can be found in cigarette smoke. Lung cancer affects cells of alveoli. Some common symptoms are: weight loss, chest pain and shortness of breath.

The air breathing is controlled by specific structures in our brain. These structures include: medulla oblongata and pons.
In conclusion respiratory system is composed of upper and lower structures that are very important in exchange of air in and out of the system. The conditions related to the diameter of bronchioles are called bronchodilation and bronchoconstriction. Parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous system controls the bronchodilation and bronchoconstriction. The structures of upper respiratory system include: nose, nasal cavity, pharynx and the structures of lower respiratory system include larynx, bronchi and bronchioles. Conditions related to respiratory system are Emphysema and lung cancer.

References:
Martini/Nath : Fundamentals of Anatomy and Physiology

The Central Nervous System

2009-08-01T08:36:00.000-07:00

Nicole Davis

The Central Nervous System consists of the brain, protected by the skull, and the spinal cord, protected by the vertebral column. The brain receives sensory information from the nerves that pass through the spinal cord, as well as other nerves such as those from sensory organs involved in sight and smell. Once received, the brain processes the sensory signals and initiates responses. The spinal cord is the principle route for the passage of sensory information to and from the brain.

The brain is divided into 5 major regions: the brain stem, hypothalamus, thalamus, cerebellum, and cerebrum. Within the brain stem there are three key parts: the medulla oblongata, which regulates heartbeat, breathing and blood pressure; the pons, which controls head movement responses to sight and sound, as well as, connects the cerebellum to the rest of the Central Nervous System; and the midbrain, which is the reflex center for vision, sight, and sound, and also connects the cerebrum and the cerebellum to the rest of the Central Nervous System. The hypothalamus is a part of the diencephalon and is responsible for maintaining homeostasis. Also, the hypothalamus houses the centers for hunger, thirst, sleep, body temperature, and blood pressure. The thalamus is also part of the diencephalon and it relays sensory information, such as sight, taste, touch, and sound, from the body to the brain. The cerebellum is located beneath the cerebrum and it controls muscle coordination. Additionally, it helps to maintain balance by interpreting information from the ears. The cerebellum plays a major role in controlling posture, head, and eye movements. The cerebrum is the largest portion of the brain and it is responsible for such functions as consciousness, learning, and communication. It is further divided into four lobes: the frontal, parietal, temporal, and occipital.

The spinal cord extends from the base of the skull through the first lumbar vertebra. The spinal cord receives sensory information from the skin, joints, and muscles of the trunk and limbs, and contains the motor neurons responsible for both voluntary and reflex movements. It also receives sensory information from the internal organs and controls many visceral functions. Within the spinal cord there is an orderly arrangement of sensory cell groups that receive input from the periphery and motor cell groups that control specific muscle groups. In addition, the spinal cord contains ascending pathway through which sensory information reaches the brain and descending pathways that relay motor command from the brain to motor neurons.

Does God Exist?

2009-08-01T08:34:00.000-07:00

Nicole Davis

I have no doubt that God does in fact exist. I believe with everything I am that there is a Supreme Being, Higher Power, or any other term that is used to describe Him. I do not believe because I am told to believe, but because I feel His presence. Throughout any given day, I find myself praying either for a personal situation or for others’. And I believe that my prayers are heard and that they are answered.
I do not consider myself a very religious person, but more spiritual. I have learned that there are aspects in every religion with which I am familiar that I can appreciate and relate to. As a result, I do not identify absolutely with any organized religion. Instead, I have faith in universal tenets such as love, honesty, and respect and incorporate them into my person code of belief.
Because Christianity was the dominant religious force throughout most of my life, there has been some internal struggle as I develop my own ideas about faith. As an educated person, I cannot simply accept what I know to be essentially a more modern type of cultural mythology. I know that the writers of the Bible were ignorant of many facts of the world. I also keep in mind that through all the various translations and editing that has occurred, the original meanings of many teachings have likely been skewed. Religion has always been manipulated by those in power to validate their authority. Therefore, I do not take the Bible literally although I think there is much to be learned from the Great Book. In fact, one of my strongest convictions has its roots in the story of Cain and Able.
From what I have read, in the original Hebrew text, God tells man that he has the ability to triumph over sin, granting us our greatest gift: the power of choice. In life, I believe that the most important lesson a person can learn is that we always have a choice and it is up to us to make our lives the best they can be. And that is the way I understand God to be; an all-forgiving, all-understanding Father who loves His children so much that he gave us the power to make our own choices.
Some people find it hard to believe in God because they question how He could let such evil exist in the world; that if there is such an all-powerful being, He would make the world better. But I believe that God leaves that to us. As Elie Wiesel said, “mankind must remember that peace is not God’s gift to us; peace is our gift to each other.” And if we do not chose to make the world a more peaceful, loving place, then how can we blame that on God?

The Digestive System

2009-08-01T08:33:00.000-07:00

Chris Bateman

The digestive system is one of the most important systems to the body. Without it we would not have the energy that we need to do our daily tasks, interact with each other, or live at all. The digestive system is a complex one that takes place in several steps.
Digestion begins in the mouth. Here we see both mechanical and chemical digestion. The mechanical digestion begins with the obvious chewing of the food. The chemical digestion is the breaking down of starches by the saliva that is secreted when we eat. The mechanical digestion breaks up the food, which makes it easier to digest later on in the system. After we swallow our food it goes into our stomach. Here we see both mechanical and chemical digestion again. The mechanical digestion is the churning of the food in our stomach. The chemical digestion is the breaking down of proteins due to enzymes in our stomach. There is also hydrochloric acid or stomach acid that helps to break down the food and turn it into chyme. After the food passes through the stomach it goes into the small intestine. Here is where a majority of the digestion takes place. There is digestion of starch, proteins, and fats. Food spends the most time in the small intestine due to the amount of digestion that is taking place. After traveling through our small intestine the food ends up in the large intestine, which is where most water is absorbed. After the water is absorbed we excrete the waste. This is what our food goes through in order to give us energy, or as we learned in class, the ability to do work. Without the digestive system we would have no way of obtaining energy. The body uses this energy to power the muscles in our body so we can move. It also gives our brain fuel so that we are able to think. Without the digestive system we would be nothing. Our system is the most complex in the living world because we eat so many types of foods. We are omnivores so we eat both plants and animals for our energy.
The digestive system is just one of the systems that are in our body. This system may be the most important one, however, because without it we are not able to do anything or power any of the other systems that are in our bodies.

Caffeine

2009-08-01T08:32:00.000-07:00

Jack Hagler

When given the assignment to write about any substance I jumped at the chance to write about something that all of us no matter where we grew up or what our social status is have experienced. That is of course the substance known as caffeine. The reason that I chose caffeine as the subject of my paper given that it is generally accepted by everyone as an everyday pick me up is because I decided a while back to stop drinking caffeine regularly and as such I noticed that when I do drink it I can actually notice its effects. Those effects are the short lasting bursts of energy followed by the more dampening crash. Well I will start off by addressing what exactly caffeine is. Caffeine is a form of stimulant that is found in many different types of plants. As it is a stimulant it does have an effect on our brain chemistry and as such someone could in fact become addicted to caffeine. The plants that caffeine is most commonly found in are tea leaves, coffee beans, and guarana plants. These plants are then used to produce such things as tea, soda, and energy drinks. As those familiar with those said products, the effects of caffeine are usually associated with increased alertness and lowered fatigue but are not in fact limited to that. The less know effects are muscle spasms, blurred vision, raised heartbeat, and dryness of mouth to name a few. Also as I stated before since it is a stimulant, people are able to become tolerant towards it as well as have withdrawal symptoms after becoming addicted. To add to the risk of addiction if overused, caffeine also has more immediate effects. Those effects are increased irritability, nervousness, increased anxiety, insomnia and many more. Again these symptoms are only in cases where people have abused caffeine to the extreme but are still out there. So next time you go to grab a can of Coke or Pepsi make sure that you understand the risks.

The Nervous System

2009-08-01T08:30:00.000-07:00

Jack Hagler

The Nervous system is the system of the human body that is responsible for things such as breathing, movement and sensation. It is responsible for these actions because of the many bundles of nerves that compose it. These bundles of nerves send signals throughout the body that give messages to different parts to do different things. An example would be telling your hand to move away from a hot stove or holding your breath. These signals are able to move throughout the body thanks to the millions of neurons that are in our body. These neurons take information that is received, whether it is pain or a command, and sends it through neural networks to the brain which then interprets the signal and sends it back to the desired location. The message is passed through the neural networks due to the make-up of the neuron itself. The information is first taken in through the dendrites of the neuron, or the long finger-like objects that shoot out of the neuron, and is then sent through the myelin sheaf into the axon and through the synaptic gap into another neuron. Some may be wondering about how it can be called a neural network when in fact none of the neurons are actually connected. Well the answer to that is simple; while each individual neuron is not directly attached to the next the signal is still carried through the gap by means of different neural transmitters which in turn causes the neurons to be indirectly linked. The neural transmitters that are used during this process vary greatly depending on what signal is currently being sent (pain, warmth, cold, etc.) as each different sensation has a different neural transmitter to deliver its signal. By having different neural transmitters act for different signals sent by the body, the body avoids having the signals being mixed up which would result in us feeling pain instead of warmth or something along those lines.

The Almighty God

2009-07-29T15:24:00.001-07:00

Abby Drogosz

Does God exist? This is a question that is discussed, argued, and preached about around the world on a daily basis. There are many religions out there that praise different gods. These religions most of the time are composed of different beliefs, rituals, and values.
I have been brought up in a catholic household my entire life. I was baptized in the Catholic Church, attended religious ed and ccd throughout my childhood, and attended church almost every Sunday with my family. I do believe that god exists. There is however things in the bible that I don’t necessarily 100 percent agree with, but gods’ existence is one thing that I truly do believe in. God has always been a positive figure in my life. God helps me make good and conscious decions. I know that god will always be there no matter where I am. It gives me hope and fate in life. Many times you will encounter people in your life that may not forgive you for the things you have done. You have may have made a mistake that someone will not forgive. However, I always know in that case I have god. He will accept you no matter what you did as long as you ask for forgiveness; he doesn’t judge you or hold grudges. People who have faith in their life will live a happy life. Many times when people don’t have faith in their lives they often get sidetracked by their environment. These people typically don’t look at right and wrong, because they may not know what is right from wrong.
I am not a super religious person. I will admit that I don’t go to mass every Sunday that however does not take away that god is in my life. I will pray to him about different situations in life. To give me the right thing to do and how to be the right person. One thing that I love about god is that he has a plan for all of us. I do believe that he does have a plan for all of us. This belief gives me the strength in a time of tragedy along with gods’ presences. I don’t judge people that don’t believe in god or have different views on their religion. Everyone is entitled to their own beliefs and values.

The Circulatory System

2009-07-29T15:22:00.000-07:00

Abby Drogosz
Biology 1100
July 28, 2009

The circulatory system may be one of the most important systems in our body. Without the circulatory system our heart would not be able to get the blood it needs to pump in order for us to be able to be alive. The most important parts of this system include the heart, blood, and the blood vessels. The main blood vessels that take the blood around our bodies are the vertebral artery, left carotid artery, and the basilar artery. There are many different arteries and veins amongst those that take the blood to and from the heart in a circular direction. Blood is made up of 3 different components. There are red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets.
Red blood cells look like little red discs. They contain no nucleus. One of the jobs of the red blood cells is to carry oxygen throughout the body. That oxygen diffuses into the cells of the body that is then used in the respiratory system. After that all takes place it is a cycle again to go back to the lungs and pick up more oxygen.
Many might not think of blood really having a function or job in our bodies besides pouring out of our bodies when we are hurt. Blood however does have several functions. First are digested foods are carried in the plasma of our blood, urea (wasted substances) are also carried in the plasma from the liver to the kidneys, and carbon dioxide is also carried in the plasma throughout the body. I already discussed how oxygen is carried throughout the body in the red blood cells. Blood is also an important factor to helping our bodies’ heat up.
The heart is the main site for the circulatory system. It is the center meeting spot for all those veins and arteries to meet. It is where all the blood is taken to and from. Our heart is divided into two sides. They both have different jobs. The right sides job pumps blood to your lungs where there it is able to pick up oxygen. The left side of your hearts job is to pump oxygen blood to the rest of your body. Both of these sides have different jobs, but they work together to make sure that your body gets the proper blood and oxygen it needs in order to function. Without our circulatory system our bodies would not be able to function.

Believing in God

2009-07-28T14:40:00.000-07:00

Iulia Kaulinite

Believing or not believing in God is extremely hot topic. People that do believe in God can’t understand the ones that don’t, also opposite is true. I believe that most people in the world do believe in God and faith and it is considered normal. However a big deal is made out of people that do not think that God exists. I belief that every human being has their own believes and values and sometimes they are different from the ones that you have or people close to you.

I myself do believe in God, and believe that everything that is happening is meant to be this way. I can’t say that I am extremely religious, I don’t go to church every Sunday and pray before each meal, however I was raised with believing that there is someone up there in heaven who can see every single thing we do and every single thing we say. I am not sure why I believe in God. Mostly probably because my parents and grandparents raised me this way and the thought that there should be someone who created this earth and everything on it, never left me.

Many religious people believe that it is a sin to not believe in God. In my opinion I think that it is not true. Just as I said before, many people belief in many different things. Moreover people that have different opinion from everyone around them should not be considered sinners because there is no evidence that his/ her opinion is actually wrong. No one knows for sure does God really exist or not. The possibility of God existence is the same as the possibility of God nonexistence. So how can believers judge others and say that they are wrong? I think that we all should allow each other to express our thoughts and values without being scared to be picked at and to be told that we are wrong. No matter how much a person tries to change someone else’s opinion about something he never believed in, most likely it will be unsuccessful. For example, if someone would try to convince me that there is no God, I can guarantee he won’t be successful in doing it. Just as I will try to convince someone who does not believe in God, the person won’t even want to listen to me.

Digestive System

2009-07-28T14:38:00.000-07:00

Gianna Melendez

The human body is made up of many different types of systems that add to the performance of the body. Some systems include nervous, digestive, muscular, cardiovascular circulatory, and skeletal. One of the main systems that provide energy to the whole body is the digestive system. This system makes sure everything flows and goes where it needs to go.

The digestive system has many different parts to this system. The main point of this system is to break down food and distribute the nutrition throughout the body. These nutrients provide fuel for the body to gain energy to function. The digestive system starts at the mouth. The food is first broken down by the teeth and tongue. The saliva in the mouth softens the food to allow an easier digestion down the throat. Your food than enters the esophagus which is a long tube that connects to your stomach. There is a part called the sphincter that opens to allow food into the stomach. This makes sure that no acid will back up into the esophagus. Once it enters the stomach, the muscles start to contract. This process helps to break down the food even more. The stomach has acid inside that breaks down the food too. The stomach acid can easily burn through skin so the stomach is lined with a coat that changes every three days to protect your insides. After the stomach, the broken down food enters the liver. The liver synthesizes various blood proteins. This area creates bile that is stored in the gall bladder. These substances break down the food into thin droplets. After this area, the food goes through the pancreas that adds chemicals to the food. It breaks down the carbohydrates and proteins. After the pancreas, the food than enters the small intestines absorbs nutrients and protects the bile and juice. The small intestines are where the most digestion occurs. The small intestines than leads to the large intestines, which absorb the excess water and eliminate digestive wastes. The food stays in the large intestines for 12 hours and leaves your body through your anal.

The digestive system is a long process but it is very effective. This process goes through many parts in your body such as esophagus, stomach, liver, gall bladder, pancreas, and intestines. The digestive system breaks down your food and distributes the nutrients throughout the human body. These nutrients provide the body with fuel and energy to do everyday activities.

Does God Exist?

2009-07-27T15:12:00.001-07:00

Jack Hagler

After receiving this week’s assignment for our article it seemed to be too good to be true, all I basically have to do is state my beliefs. So here I go, firstly and most importantly yes I do believe in that God exists. I believe this mainly because of my upbringing in the Christian faith but also because I believe that something greater than all of us must be out there. Like I said in the review of the God-spot article I do not believe that our brain chemistry has anything to do with how religious we are or if we do in fact believe in God. The reason I believe this is because we develop our faith over time and as such, it is not an easy thing to be destroyed but depending on someone’s life experiences it may just be subdued or even looked negatively upon. But by doing so I believe that it proves that that said person has had faith in the past but has chosen to discard it or ignore it. Another reason that I believe that God exists is because all religions, no matter where in the world the originated, believe that something created and watches over the world whether it be a singular god or a multitude of gods. Also if someone looked closely at the first passages of all of the scriptures of the main religions today you would find that they all have striking similarities that only grow further apart as they go on. This to me shows that there must be truth behind it even if there is no concrete or indisputable truth. Some people may argue that what I have based my beliefs on are nothing more than a conglomerate of stories that were passed through many countries and cultures which would in turn explain the differences. However if my ideas would be ignored for having no base then theirs would be doubly so and if they are not persuaded from that then I would just bring up the fact that no matter what kind of story or tale, there is always a base of truth that it is built upon. So right now you may be thinking that I am some religious fanatic but let me say to dissuade you that I am not; in fact I rarely go to church and the most religious thing that I do is wear a cross.

Digestive System

2009-07-25T17:00:00.000-07:00

Kelsey Klank 29 July 2009
Digestive Adventure
Digestion is one of the most essential and complex processes that our bodies facilitate. Through digestion we receive all of the minerals and vitamins that our bodies need to carry out everyday tasks. Without it, our bodies would become malnourished and would ultimately break down.
Digestion begins in the mouth. Sharper teeth tear away at meaty foods while our flatter, larger teeth grind down grains and vegetables. Along with the mechanics of the mouth, saliva is secreted from under the tongue and on the sides of the cheeks to aid in the chemical break down of food. More specifically, saliva breaks down many of the basic starches in the mouth. Throughout the whole process, the tongue also plays a vital role. Small taste buds detect the flavor of the food and whether it is something that is savory and should be swallowed or is undesirable and, therefore, will be spit out. After the teeth have ground up the food and saliva has begun to break it down, the tongue pushes the food to the back of the throat to be swallowed.
After food exits the mouth, it is brought through the esophagus. This muscular tube pushes the food down into the stomach where it will be broken down even farther. In the stomach Hydrochloric acid (HCl) breaks down the food as the walls of the stomach churn to further dissolve the food. Acid levels in the stomach are extremely important. Too much acid and ulcers or heart burn may result; too little and food does not get properly digested. Citrus fruits such as oranges can raise the amount of acid in the stomach whereas light carbohydrates such as saltine crackers tend to balance acid levels. It has also been proven that carbonated beverages may wear away at the stomachs lining. This is why it is beneficial to drink soft drinks only on occasion.
Once food has passed through the stomach, it goes into the small intestine where nutrients will finally be absorbed into the blood stream. The Pancreas also plays a large part in small intestine food break down as it secretes enzymes that break the food into fats, proteins, and carbohydrates. The Liver aids in the digestion of fats as it secretes bile through the Gallbladder.
After the small intestine, waste is brought into the large intestine. Waste is then brought into the colon where it will wait to be released from the body.

Works Cited
“Your digestive system and how it works.” National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse. April 2008. 25 July 2009 .

Immune System

2009-07-24T18:17:00.000-07:00

Rebecca Samson

In any organized system, all parts must function properly in order for it to be effective. The human body is no different. All parts of all systems must work so the individual will essentially be able to have a good existence. Just like any other system, the human body’s systems are all extremely interconnected. The smallest problem could kill the individual or make functioning strenuous. Each system is extremely interdependent. For example, the nervous system sends messages to all other systems on when to perform their function but without the circulatory system shipping oxygenated blood to the brain the nervous system would fail and so would everything else.
When one system goes haywire, they all have trouble working. For example, if you have a defective immune system you had better keep yourself healthy because everything else is completely open to attack. Everything inside the body also affects everything outside the body. No matter how much we would like to uphold the notion that we do not have an effect on the outside world, we do. We spread germs with every breath and touch. We receive germs every time we breathe and change location. Likewise, when our bodies are at war with themselves, we are at war with our environment. We try to stave off invasions by employing external or imported defenses such as hand washing, vitamin C, and etc. but we often end up sick regardless.
One of the first defenses a body employs is a fever. This fever is a good thing because germs cannot always survive in slightly warmer temperatures. If a fever gets out of control the body could permanently damage itself. From there on out the body may try different defense mechanisms. Vomiting or frequent urination will help expel the dangerous substance; after all, most of our immune system is in our stomach. Both of these can lead to dehydration, therefore lots of fluids are necessary. Coughing up sputum may also help lessen the actual count of infected cells in the body and speed the recovery process because even after your body beats the disease it will still be there until it is expelled.
Beyond expelling the infected material, the body will produce more white blood cells to combat it. In addition, those blood cells are stored, like a memory, just in case the same strain of sickness returns. The person also stores a mental memory of what the disease was like and possibly the circumstances that lead to contracting it. This allows the person to have a certain amount of comfort in knowing that they can control the disease in a way by avoiding it. They can also begin taking medicine early if it is seasonal or if it is just going around. This way we can rest assured that we have a bit more control over our own health, which lets us relax, which truly is the key to staying healthy.

God and Science

2009-07-23T19:32:00.000-07:00

Chris Bateman

Ever since the birth of science people have debated which has greater authority, God or science? To me the answer is simple, science explains god. While I do not believe in one particular faith I believe that something had to have created the universe. If there was no creator then the big bang could never have happened because there would have been nothing in the first place.

Science is a way that humans explain every thing that they see around them. We know what causes pretty much every phenomenon that we see in our daily lives, but science is not the only thing that explains this. While science might offer us an answer as to how it works, without a creator there would be no science. There would be no humans to create science and no world for humans to explain. God and science go hand in hand in our world. One hotly debated idea in science is the idea of evolution. It is quite clear that evolution exists because we have physical evidence of it. It also offers the simplest explanation as to how we got to where we are as a species. People who are known as creationists reject the idea of evolution completely. These people are foolish as are those who say that there is no god and that evolution completely explains life. Evolution is a product of whatever created our world to begin with. As I previously stated there could not have been a big bang with out something to create the precursors to the big bang, which were all of the particles that caused the explosion. While some may make the argument that if something created the big bang then there must have been something to create whatever created the big bang, this is a moot point. We will never be able to completely explain everything in our world today, but with science we can get closer to the answers. It is clear that there is a god just as clear as it is that science is real.

While there will never be complete agreement between religious people and scientists I believe that there should be a compromise. God created science and science helps to explain god. I am not saying that everyone should go out and convert to a specific religion, rather, people should simply acknowledge that there is a god and we are using science to get closer to how this god works.

Why I believe in God

2009-07-23T17:50:00.000-07:00

Diana Madel

There are many reasons why people belief in God. Some people belief in God because they feel in need to explain the natural origin of life thus they are strong believers that God is the creator. Other people feel the presence of god all the time, thus naturally they are going to have strong believes about God’s existence. Personally, I do believe that God exists for several reasons.
First, I believe that we all have purpose in our life, and that God invisibly guides us thru our life. I do not necessarily believe in the existence of heaven and hell, but I do believe that our lives serve no purpose unless there is something after we die.
Secondly, I believe in God because I was educated that way. Ever since I remember, my parents as well as priests in my church educated me about the existence of God. My parents and I were going to the church every Sunday, we prayed every night. I could not imagine myself not believing in God. Ever since, I have known, I was told that God exists, and I think it does. It just a matter of believing in the existence of God strongly, the more people question his existence, the more they are in doubt. There is no way you can prove the existence of God, and people have their own reasons behind their believes.
Lastly, I believe that we are created to be someone in our lives and that God is watching over us and directs us in that direction. For example, it is comforting to believe that every choice that we make has some purpose and even though we might make wrong decisions in life that directs us in a different way. We always come back to the starting point that eventually leads us to our destiny. Thus God is directing us thru our conscious mind to make decisions that reflect who we are within and thus ultimately we end up being people who we want to be and doing what we want to do.
In conclusion, people have their own reasons to believe or not to believe in God. In my opinion, every reason to believe in God is good. It is also okay to not believe in God. Everyone is different and has their own believes. Personally, I believe in God because I was educated that way and because I believe that God guides us thru our life.

Do science and religion mix?

2009-07-22T15:14:00.000-07:00

Gianna Melendez

There are many conspiracies and beliefs on God, the world, and life. There are two approaches people can decide these factors; science and religion. I believe that science provides more evidence behind their ideas. Religion is more of a belief of the mind without visual evidence to their ideas. I believe they can mix but is a big debate among the beliefs.
Science is an art of discovery and beliefs. Scientists gather ideas and use chemicals and research to prove their facts. Some people find that science is evil and ruins people’s thoughts. They believe that science does not allow the mind to explore. Although, with science you are able to see what is true and what is false. Finding the true facts can change your beliefs and thoughts completely. I believe science is a great thing to have because believing in something that’s completely wrong could damage everyone mentally and result in many debates without facts.
Religion is a bunch of beliefs created by people. It is basically a big group of people who think the same ideas and practice it through dedication of prayer. There are many different types of religions because there are so many different beliefs. Religion is a strong force that does not allow anyone to find out because the fear of being wrong. Religion is a blind-sided belief in many different ideas. Religion is where the debates begin on what to think. Religions can force their groups of people to hate and like certain things; such as they can teach people to hate science and their powers of changing their religious beliefs.
Science and religion, I believe, can mix very well. Religion creates ideas and beliefs and science is there to search and figure out if those ideas are true or false. Mixing these two together can cause a big corruption. Some religions do not allow their ideas to be explored. They should mix together because focusing on a false belief is like living a lie. You should be able to know what is right and wrong. Sometimes science cannot find the real truth.
Science and religion are both different. One is just a one sided belief and the other are beliefs with backed up evidence. They can mix together to find the most facts in the world by what normal people to scientist believe. Scientific evidence is there to prove every belief. People should know the real truth to what they dedicate their mind and thoughts to. Mixing these two is the best way to move further in the world.

Does God Exist?

2009-07-21T16:31:00.000-07:00

Rebbecca Samson

I do believe G-d exists. Being Jewish, however, I am encouraged to form my own beliefs and opinions on concepts within faith. I firmly believe that G-d appears to each person however he or she will best perceive G-d. On a side note, I do not refer to G-d as a he, she, or it because G-d is gender-less and out of respect. I also do not write the name of G-d because I would be required to treat each paper with the name on it as holy. Judaism does not allow icons or images of G-d. The term ‘G-d’ is not what we actually call G-d. To know the name of G-d is to possess immense power, which only the Priests, descendants of Aharon HaCohen, aka the Coheinu, are allowed. Aharon is the brother of Moses. I am a descendent of Aharon. Many more western peoples and religions have attempted to speak the name of G-d as ‘Yahweh’ but this, however, is an incorrect pronunciation. Hebrew many times does not have vowels and each letter is subject to context and knowledge of spoken/Torah/colloquial Hebrew in terms of accuracy.
I will someday be a linguist as one might discern from my study of Linguistic Anthropology and a German Language minor. I believe in the power of words. I think G-d gave us this power and it is a huge chunk of universal understanding because words exist regardless of speech or sign. There will always be meanings attached to objects and there will always be judgments based on these meanings and contexts. I personally believe that Jews, Muslims, and Coptic Christians [ONLY, NOT all Christians] got it completely right when they did not cast ‘spells’ aside in the process of developing their religions. They recognize the power of words through importance placed on accounts of King Solomon, son of King David and Bathsheba. [Another side note- Bathsheba translates to ‘Sheba, daughter of [insert name/s here]’and NOT a region or title.] King Solomon could summon demons and the most powerful weapon he had against him was their names. They HATE being known by their names because they cannot run from their identities.
The last reason why I believe G-d is universal is because of ‘good’ and ‘evil’ coexisting. If G-d was able to create everything than G-d could have easily banished the ‘evil’ or destroyed it completely since G-d is all powerful. However, in the accounts of either Solomon or David lays an important record. King Solomon, I believe, wound up somewhere he thought was familiar and entered the Temple. A demon came to him in human form and hurriedly hid him beneath the seats. Solomon then witnessed the beginning of a service. [This next sentence is the MOST important part of the story.] They were not worshipping a rogue deity; they were worshipping G-d. They sniffed Solomon out and he was able to leave the Temple due to the protection of this amiable demon, who argued that Solomon was lost. Simply put, G-d exists as the frequency of extreme empowerment, will, and power over others and other frequencies. G-d is a level of consciousness of the very soul of humanity.

*Another point worthy of noting is that the argument of ‘Satan’ as the ‘devil’ is falsely backed by those using a sadly edited account. “Satanel” was the leader of 200 [genderless] Watcher-Angels who lusted after the daughters of man with their, long, pretty hair. They, in an act of rebellion, went down to earth and mated with them, bringing forth demons and misshapen monsters. G-d flooded the earth in order to wipe the slate clean in the first major cleansing of mankind[end at least 2 ice ages ago]. This is from the Book of Enoch, grandson of Cain. All of G-d’s people are descendents of Cain. By G-d’s people, Jews are meant but the main attitude is that Adam married from another tribe of existing people. Jews are considered the Chosen Tribe and the Priests among all mankind but not ‘better’ or of any higher class/regard. That is why 2012 or any other mass extinction does not bother me because Jews are considered G-d’s original people with the baseline set of rules with by far the least amount of tampering because of the value of the oral and written word. By Torah accounts and others, Jews are always left on earth to rebuild upon the baseline foundations of G-d’s Kingdom.

Growth Hormone

2009-07-21T16:29:00.000-07:00

Jack Hagler

When I was given the assignment to write about a hormone of the body I decided to use the growth hormone. My reason for choosing this particular hormone is because after hearing about it several times in class, I became curious about it and decided to find out more about it. The main thing that one should know about the growth hormone is that it is the hormone- as the name suggests- that is responsible for our growth. While the end result is growth the actual process the hormone takes to accomplish this is a complex one. The hormone itself does not actually stimulate growth but instead stimulates the liver to release a reactant that has a direct effect in bone growth. However, the effects of growth hormone are not just limited to bone growth as it has affects protein, fat, and carbohydrate metabolisms as well. The way that protein metabolism is effected is due to the fact that growth hormone increases amino acid uptake and also increases protein synthesis. It helps with fat metabolism by enhancing the utilization of fat and also helps with carbohydrate metabolism by keeping the blood glucose within a normal range. Growth hormone also is a direct factor in a few diseases namely giantism and acromegaly. Giantism is a disease that is a result of having too much growth hormone which results in anyone with the condition to be much larger than the rest of the population. Acromegaly is a condition in which the excessive release of growth hormones in adults results in the formation of tumors over several years. Acromegaly can also lead to the development of some metabolic conditions such as hyperglycemia. Growth hormone has many pharmaceutical uses as well with the most common use being that it is given to children that are shorter in stature that the rest of the children their age which would then cause them to have increased growth. After reading about growth hormone I realized that it has quite a few more effects than one would guess from its name. I feel that I have now obtained a greater understanding of what effects growth hormone has on the human body, both the good and the bad.

Ginkgo Biloba

2009-07-21T16:26:00.000-07:00

Iulia Kaulinite

Before starting to write a paper about any supplement or vitamin, I didn’t have anything particular in mind to write about. I did a little research on few of the supplements and the one that I chose is herbal supplement called Ginkgo biloba. I chose to write about this particular supplement only because I found the name of it very unusual and interesting.
According to the first article that I found about this supplement, Ginkgo biloba is believed to enhance brain function. The same article also states that Ginkgo comes from the oldest species of trees on the earth and it was used in Chinese medicine for thousands of years. The article that I found about Ginkgo biloba on the University of Maryland website has lots of interesting information about this supplement. The author of the article described the plant and noted where it came from. Also the interesting thing I found in this article was that Ginkgo biloba is used in many other ways than just for enhancing the brain function. Ginkgo biloba is recommended for patients with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, intermittent claudication, tinnitus, for patients with eye problems and memory impairment. Also it may be used for depression, disorientation, high blood pressure, erectile dysfunction and in many other ways.
Even though Ginkgo biloba is used for treating a lot of illnesses it may also have some negative side effects on the person. The author of the article “Gingko Biloba” says that herbs contain components that can result side effects and interact with other herbs. That’s why this supplement should be taken with care. Side effects are rare with consuming this supplement but if they do occur the person might get gastrointestinal upset, headaches, skin reaction, and dizziness. One study found that gingko supplement taken together with cilostazol prolongs bleeding time. Gingko biloba is also not recommended for pregnant women and women who breastfeed. The author also says that no person should ingest Gingko biloba fruit or seed.
In conclusion, from this assignment I learned a lot of interesting facts about supplement I did not even hear about before. I find it fascinating how one type of herb can cure or decrease the symptoms of many diseases. Of course, just as the excess of any other supplements in the body can be harmful, the excess of Ginkgo biloba can also be damaging.

Work cited
WomensHealthQuestions. 10 Jul, 2009

UMM. 26 Jan, 2009. 10 Jul, 2009

The “G” Word

2009-07-21T16:25:00.000-07:00

Kim Puk

Does God exist? This is a difficult question to prove true to anyone not willing to believe in God. You can’t prove the existence of God by physical material. God, for me, is more mentally and spiritually proven. Many people have come to a point in their lives where they are having severe doubt about His existence, or they flat out reject that existence of God. I consider His existence to be a “blind faith” if you will. In the sense that I can not physically touch or see Him, but I feel His wonderful presence at multiple times throughout the day. Yet, I believe in the existence and healing power of God.

For me, it starts in the beginning. Where did we come from? At some point something had to come from nothing. We did not magically appear on day, our world was not created for nothing to live on it. People have argued for years on this subject of existence and most of the possible proof has been ignored. Saint Thomas Aquinas’ argued that motion exists. Motion can only be caused by other forms of motion. If you go back far enough you will find an initial unaffected mover. This unaffected mover is God. The beliefs of God existence of Catholics stem back to church doctrines’ arising from special revelation that evolved fundamentally from faith in exquisitely inspired revelations, including the life of Jesus Christ.

Back at my middle school, Ss. Peter and Paul, our teacher would talk about how God had to exist. She brought up many great points that I believe support his existence. Some of the points are considered the traditional “proofs” of God’s existence. The “proofs” are arguments about design, ontological, and cosmological or the First Cause. Look at any mechanism in the room and that complex mechanism is special. It has its own purpose and was not created by chance. Now look at the bigger picture of our world. From the planets orbiting the Sun to the cells we are composed of, this complex mechanism could not have possibly been created by luck. The ontological argument was about God being a perfect being. If God did not exist, He would not be a perfect being. Lastly, the Firs Cause was about having a primary mover in the universe which I addressed earlier.

The evidence of His existence is there if you choose to accept it. He does not force Himself upon us. He waits until we call on Him for whatever we may need. I believe in God and His existence.

The Importance of DNA

2009-07-19T11:07:00.000-07:00

Beata Kalinka

According to all the dictionaries, I found that all of them define biology as science of life. It is rather vague definition but we all must agree that everything in our lives is related to biology. It is such an important aspect we need to explore to better understand our world and what’s even more important: ourselves. Everyday scientists discover so many new things that have existed for billion of years but we just now learning about it. That just makes us ask the questions: “What else is out there?” What else can help us in treating diseases, resolve crimes, and simple everyday life situations? Biology in itself can give us what is necessary to accomplish some of our goals we obtain. The interesting part of biology, in my opinion, most definitely must be the aspect of the DNA. Without DNA, deoxyribonucleic acid, which carries genetic information in the cells of each living thing (US dictionary), nothing would be possible. DNA is what makes us who we are and how we all differ from one to another. It also informs us on how to live, and grow. It was discovered in 1951. It is amazing how it only happened 68 years ago, but it has opened so many doors thus far in understanding the world and the structure and complexity of our bodies. The DNA is made up of four chemical bases: adenine, guanine, cytosine, and thymine each represented by corresponding letters A, G, C, T. (Dictionary)
Since DNA makes us who we are it is important to learn and explore it. Biology can be interesting and intriguing because it combines and connects all human, living and non living things. DNA is a very important aspect in solving crimes and unsolved mysteries. Since our technology is rapidly advancing, DNA is a crucial part in investigations.
I believe that biology is a vital part of our society and a field of study that not many people are paying much attention to as much as they should. Our future is shaped on the discovery and advancement of science in our world. Biology can be used in all areas of human nature; one of the most influential subjects is DNA. This is the link that we must further explore and survey. In the end it will play an integral part in shaping our world.

Are we or are we not alone?

2009-07-19T11:06:00.002-07:00

Beata Kalinka

People ask themselves this question at least once in their lifetime. And yet we still don’t know the answer. We have people in this world that believe in aliens unconditionally and are probably going to die trying to prove their point. On the other hand we have people that laugh at this idea and say it’s impossible and they stop right there. Furthermore, there are people like me who stand right in the middle of it all. Scientist everyday try to analyze the evidence and provide a truthful statement but it seems like there is never enough information.
In the past, we believed that only Earth existed. Then we found other planets and other celestial bodies. Little things and facts like that make us think: what gives us the right to exclude the possibility of lives that might exist out there? None really. The universe is big enough for other humans and creatures, why would we be alone? Why only Earth? As far as the common knowledge goes it’s because only our planet has the necessary characteristics that human and animals need to survive. But again, we might be wrong. There might definitely be something we simply just don’t know about yet and might never find out.
Personally, the idea of aliens and people’s imagination of what they might look like and all the toys and stories they make of it, I’m not a huge fan of. Those are only someone’s ideas but kids grow up thinking it is true. I think people forget that aliens may not be human like only, we also talk about other living things like animals, plants, and even small ones such as bacteria.
My personal opinion is this: so far nothing has been proven but why are people so interested in it and simply why exclude the possibility? If scientists look at the signs of life out there everyday perhaps there is something there and we shouldn’t just give up on that idea. No matter what the public opinions are, I think either way it’s a very interesting topic. Since the universe is so old, around 10 billion years, who knows what happened in the past on other planets, or what is really happening now there now and what might happen in the future. We might never find out but I don’t think people should stop trying. For those who need to know at all cost should continue their passion and help the rest of us find out for certain whatever the final verdict is. Perhaps it is beyond our abilities to ever know. Nevertheless it is such an interesting question and aspect of live, and with people undeniable nature of curiosity, we will always wonder “what if…”

Does alien life exist?

2009-07-19T11:06:00.001-07:00

Diana Madel

Do aliens really exist? Scientists have been trying to answer this question for centuries. There have been couple of theories offered by scientists based on evidence of extraterrestrial life that has been showing up, but no one can fully explain and answer this divine question. Based on the article “ what is the theory of the extraterrestrial origin of life”, scientists try to explain the origin of the extraterrestrial life in a couple of ways such as UFO sighting, panspermia theory, SETI and solar system life search.
Listings of UFO sightings have been popular since 19th century. They include cases of alien sightings and possible abductions. For example: People believed that UFO crashed in Aurora, Texas in 1987, they claimed that the pilot was an alien and they buried him in the local cemetery. Can this case be used as an evidence of existence of alien life on Earth? It is for people to decide. Believe is sometimes more powerful that reason or scientific knowledge. If people want to believe that an alien is buried in their local cemetery, it is their right to do so. Is it a possible evidence of extraterrestrial life, highly unlikely.
Panspermia theory is used to explain the origin of the extraterrestrial life. It basically states that seeds of life have been spread out throughout the universe and that life on earth started from theses seeds. This theory implies that if seed of life have been spread out throughout the universe, it is possible that alien life could exist anywhere in the universe. We cannot exclude the possibility of the existence of alien life just because we could not find yet any evidence of it on earth. There are billions of places in the universe that an alien life could exist, since the seed of life have been spread out throughout the universe.
Another tool that scientists use to search for extraterrestrial life is SETI project
(Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence). Basically, scientists believe that if alien life exists in the universe, they can detect their signals or transmission using radio telescopes. Radio telescopes inspect the sky in the hope of detecting that signals.
Finally, scientists hope to find extraterrestrial life within our solar system. They examine Mars and meteors that have fallen to earth. They also think that microbial life can be found on Mars that could offer some explanation of alien life existence
In conclusion, scientists try to explain the origin of life using panspermia theory, unexplained phenomenon such as UFO listings and technologies such as radio telescopes. However, the question about the existence of aliens cannot be answer based on these tools. There is still a lot to learn about the universe and the Earth itself to even partially answer this divine question.
References:
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_UFO_sightings
What is the theory of the extraterrestrial origin of life? http://www.allaboutscience.org/extraterrestrial-origin-of-life-faq.htm

Ants

2009-07-19T11:05:00.001-07:00

Jack Hagler

In the world that we live in there are many different kinds of animals that each have their own abilities and traits. These traits can range from hooked claws to webbed toes and each adds unique advantages to the animal that possesses them such as allowing them to climb trees with a better grip or to tread water with ease. Among these creatures is the type that I am going to talk about today which is nature’s very own strongman: the ant.
While not the most flattering of all of the worlds creatures, the ant is by far one of the most adaptable. This is shown by the fact that they can be found almost anywhere one decides to travel. This adaptability is also cause for the different species of ants there are worldwide. For example carpenter ants, other than making a satisfying crunch when squished, tend to live indoors rather than outdoors. The type of species differs from region to region along with the temperament of the ants, as some ants are hostel towards humans while others are not. Some ants even go as far as cannibalism in harsh environments in order to survive though they do not necessarily eat those from their nest. This is best shown through red ants eating black ants although this could also just be related to territory. Other than theses subtle differences, there are also many similarities between the different species of ants.
The most recognizable similarity between ants is the fact that they can lift things that are multiple times their body weight. This allows them to bring massive amounts of food back with a minimal amount of effort. Another similar trait is that all types of ants can walk on vertical surfaces to a certain degree and have hairs on their feet to help them to do so. However the main similarity comes into view when one takes into account the actual nest itself. Inside every ant nest there is always going to be a queen and all the other ants are divided among different jobs.
Overall ants are the most overlooked creatures that walk the earth. This could possibly be due to their diminutive stature or just because of them being household pests. However one thing is for sure; the next time you see an ant, be that it is not your size or else you would be the one getting squished.

An Informed View on the Existence of Extraterrestrial Life

2009-07-19T10:27:00.002-07:00

Adam Mirkiania

Over the centuries, there have been uncountable myths and tall tales of celestial beings determining the fate of mankind. They have appeared in spiritual writings, and to this day in science fiction works. In recent years, more realistic possibilities of alien life are being researched. In opinion, I believe alien life exists among some group of distant planets. However, the proof of such life can be very hard to find. There are several limitations barring us from coming into immediate contact with such life, but many reasons why it can exist.
The stars in our sky are the bits of hope most “believers” look out upon, imagining the life that may exist. However, much closer to home there are still many possibilities. Mars is still a mission under way, on which we are striving to find living organisms and proof of past life. Although some fossils are thought to have been found on Mars, we have yet to come across water, or a deposit of bacteria near the surface. The deep ocean of Jupiter’s satellite, Europa, has been a speculated harbor for undersea life forms. This is especially possible if there are hydrothermal vents in existence, similar to those in the Oceans right here on Earth.
Intelligent life forms seem less than likely in our solar system, but in the distance of the stars we see at night, it is much more probable. Extrasolar planets are those which have been found orbiting a star other than ours in our galaxy. With Europes COROT space telescope, as many as 353 extrasolar planets have been found, with an unimaginable amount of intelligent civilizations having come to rise since the existence of our universe. Looking off into our galaxy, we may be able to spot Earth-like planets, but finding the life on such planets may not be so easy. Since light is not instantaneous, what we see with any telescope could be thousands or millions of years in the past; and travel by modern means is substantially slower, resulting in a multi-generational commute across the galaxy.
Since so many other planets are orbiting stars like our Sun, there is a high probability of at least one planet in existence suiting the requirements of life. Intelligent life takes millions of years to evolve, and any planet that may exist was more than likely to have flourished a population at a different time than Earth’s. This means that such a population could be more or less technologically evolved than ours. This can bring us to the debate presented in Dr. Costello’s “Does Hostile Alien Life Exist in Our Solar System,” if physical interaction among our worlds is presented. The very possibility of a hostile reaction among our races could prove devastating to one or both.

All-in-all, I wouldn’t positively say that intelligent alien life does exist. It is very likely, though, especially in accordance with what we have seen and studied in our very own solar system. So many stars and planets must have brought proper conditions for life to come into existence elsewhere than here.

Bibliography
A.Pawlowski. “Galaxy May Be Full of ‘Earths,’ Alien Life.” February 25, 2009. Cable News Network. June 22, 2009.
http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/space/02/25/galaxy.planets.kepler/index.html

The Daily Galaxy. June 22, 2009. The Daily Galaxy. June 22, 2009
http://www.dailygalaxy.com/my_weblog/2009/06/europa-one-of-the-most-interesting-non-earth--locations-in-the-solar-system-never-mind-ice-and-occasional-puddles--this-mo.html

David, Leonard. “Fossil Hunting on Mars.” March 17, 2004. Cable News Network. June 22, 2009.
http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/space/03/17/creature.features/index.html

KryssTal. 2004. KryssTal. June 22, 2009
http://www.krysstal.com/extrlife.html

Costello, John. “Does Hostile Alien Life Exist in Our Solar System?” Associated Content. June 15, 2009. Associated Content, Inc. June 22, 2009.
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1818184/does_hostile_alien_life_exist_in_our.html?cat=58

Alien Life, More Than Probable

2009-07-19T10:27:00.001-07:00

Steven Kruppe

I have always been a believer in many things that involve skepticism. Things such as ghosts, aliens, and even the predictions of Nostradamus. So when I noticed I would have the chance to write a paper about this, I thought it would be enjoyable. I do believe that there is a good possibility that aliens do in fact exist. When I say "aliens" I'm referring to the possibility of other bacterial life elsewhere, although there may be organisms that are like animals that do indeed exist outside of Earth. The whole universe is far too vast for there not to be some sort of alien life. Also, if evolution is true, then surely there are other planets that have good living conditions that planet Earth evolved into.
Continuing my prior statement, I do believe aliens exist. There are many other galaxies in this universe that of which have planets revolving around their own star. Since many other solar systems do indeed revolve around a star, then that would be a viable source of energy for living organisms to survive off of. Since everything on earth gets energy from the sun then I see that this could occur elsewhere.
Going along with my ideas in the prior paragraph, the laws of disorder would state that the odds of there being another planet similar to ours would be very slim and possibly even none. The sheer vastness of the universe leads me to believe there are other organisms surviving on another planet in another galaxy. From my understanding, we have yet to explore even a percent of our own galaxy which points to the fact of there being many possibilities for life other than our own. The probability and chance that there are other organisms elsewhere in the universe is far too great. It seems logical to me to believe that other organisms do indeed exist.
In all of my beliefs about skeptical ideas, I feel that alien life has the strongest probability of being true. I'm not sure how someone could deny the idea that there is other life out there. Not necessarily large animal like organisms, but even bacteria should exist elsewhere. I feel like as we progress in technology and space exploration that there will be exciting discoveries that will shock many doubters.

Supplement Creatine Monohydrate

2009-07-17T10:50:00.000-07:00

Art Kwiatkowski

There are thousands of vitamins and supplements that help people in many ways. Many consumers choose vitamins and supplements to fit their everyday life. Some choose something that they lack or feel that their body needs supplemented. Besides food and beverages, vitamins and supplements provide the body with basic nutrient doses that are missing in common foods or beverages. For example, if your body is lacking calcium C you don’t need to drink a whole bottle of orange juice to fulfill your needs; you can just simply take a couple vitamin C tablets to meet your requirements. One of the supplements that are very popular amongst athletes, muscle builders, and personal trainers is a supplement named Creatine Monohydrate. This supplement is sold almost everywhere, including GNC, health clubs, and some superstores.
According to the dictionary creatine is an amino acid, C4H9N3O2 that is a constituent of the muscles of vertebrates and is phosphorylated to store energy used for muscular contraction. Creatine is produced naturally in the kidney, liver, and pancreas of humans. Creatine is also supplied in meat and fish. Most creatine in the body is stored in the muscles, in the form of phosphocreatine. Creatine is a quickly available source of energy for muscle contraction. Creatine is also involved in muscle growth and scientifically proven to enhance athletic performance. Creatine's ability to enhance energy reserves in muscles comes from its muscle protein synthesizing action, while minimizing protein breakdown. This occurs because creatine has the effect of super-hydrating muscle cells with water. While in high school and college I took creatine due to my rigorous workout programs for football and basketball. During every 4 week cycle I noticed significant changes to my body. My weight increased, and my muscle mass also increased tremendously. I felt stronger, faster, and in great shape while taking creatine. There are many pros to taking creatine; the best part about creatine is it has no adverse effects. Creatine is totally safe and effective. Creatine has never been shown harmfully toxic. The only drawback I encountered while taking creatine is the amount of water that you are required to consume. After consumption of all that water, your body uses the restroom every half hour.
In conclusion I believe vitamins and supplements are a great benefit to an individuals well being. Whatever your reasons are for using, if taken properly your results will vastly improve your health. In my situation taking Creatine Monohydrate safely enhanced my athletic performance, and also resulted in my muscle gain, in the end result creating a huge confidence boost.

Paper 2-Does Alien Life Exist in Our Solar System?

2009-07-17T10:48:00.000-07:00

Art Kwiatkowski

Many scientists, researchers, and public citizens have studied and reported phenomena’s all over the world. One of the most controversial and most debated topics is the pre conceived notion that there is existence of other life forms in the universe. How will we ever discover the truth? Is there scientific evidence to support the claim that we are not alone in this world? I believe that those questions are answered within your own personal opinion based upon many stories and no real clear cut evidence to support either notion.
Does Hostile Alien Life Exist in Our Solar System? I believe that there is some sort of alien life that exists in our solar system. We do not completely understand all the phenomena that occur in our universe. Therefore how can we rule out that no other life forms out there. I also believe that there was a UFO crash in Roswell, New Mexico which was covered up by the government to throw people off, and not create an epidemic panic amongst people. There is also an exhibit that is located in New Mexico where the crash supposedly took place where visitors can visit a shrine that is dedicated to this unidentified crash investigation; reports, articles, and government official testimony are some of the items on display. What if we knew that we are not alone on earth and that there is extraterrestrial life in this world? Would we live our lives the same or conduct our lives differently? I would like to know the truth to what really happened in Roswell. I think that this would explain many unanswered questions about life outside our world.
Based upon my readings and research there is a clear explanation that according to science, and what we know it is almost impossible to decide if there is or isn’t any other life forms out there. I do believe the government knows the question to this answer and it will not disclose all the information because they know we are not alone on this planet. In due time scientists will discover the truth scientifically, but for now it is a question that you need to answer with an opinion rather then fact. Unless there is another unidentified object that crashes somewhere in the united states, which this time the government will not be able to cover up and hide from the public.

Cloning

2009-07-17T10:45:00.000-07:00

Art Kwiatkowski

There are many different parts of biology that people take interest in. The world’s technological and informational knowledge is expanding at a rapid rate. With new experiments evolving, the data gathered from past experiments sheds light on how this world may be unfolding. Biology has many facets that people grow interest in. In my opinion the most fascinating aspect of biology is cloning. According to the dictionary cloning in biology is the process of producing populations of genetically-identical individuals that occurs in nature when organisms such as bacteria, insects or plants reproduce asexually.
Cloning has two different types that really matter to us, and the outcomes are visible and can be compared to our human evolution. The first is animal cloning, which can take a certain animal’s small skin sample and perform a process called cryopreserving. This process keeps the animal's cells and genetic code (DNA) alive far beyond the animal's life. DNA is what you have to have in order to clone an animal, which is also a huge part of biology. The second part of cloning, which many believe to be unethical is human cloning. This is a tougher task due to the schematics’ and different DNA compounds that human being process. In any order, cloning has many misconceptions about the end result. Many people believe that if you clone something, animal or human, the end result will be the same as the original clone. This is false; the best description to explain this method is that cloning is like having an identical twin born later rather than at the time of birth. However, identical twins are not exactly the same; a clone will never be exactly the same as its parent. We have not yet discovered an exact clone to break this cycle. Only with time and our scientific advances will we discover more information that relates to cloning.
I believe that cloning is a very controversial topic. I think everyone’s DNA should be preserved and kept in a government laboratory. Cloning should be administered only if the individual dies in a horrific accident, and his death is unjustified by any means. If the situation arises then the government should ask the family if they would want there loved one cloned. This is the only reason cloning should exist. As years and centuries pass along our society will venture deeper into cloning and discover as exact replica clone, opening the doors to endless

Epinepherine

2009-07-17T10:30:00.000-07:00

Kelsey Klank

Each hormone in the body has specific tasks to complete. Melatonin regulates sleep patterns, Gastrin aids digestion, and many other hormones play other various roles. Similar to all other hormones of the human body, Epinephrine performs a most vital task.
Epinephrine is a hormone secreted by the adrenal glands located on the kidneys. Epinephrine helps regulate the sympathetic nervous system, which is part of the autonomic nervous system in charge of regulation homeostasis of the body. The hormone itself is secreted as the body’s response to stress, excitement or danger. From the moment it is released into the blood stream, Epinephrine works to raise the body’s heart rate, contract and relax various muscles, and release sugars stored by the liver. This ‘body response’ is most commonly known as the “fight or flight” response, preparing the body to engage or escape the object of stress.
Epinephrine can often be found in allergy-response kits because of its effect on the body. Epinephrine causes the body to go into an extreme survival mode, making it extremely useful to patients with allergies. When injected, Epinephrine inhibits the release of allergen-stimulated histamines that may cause airway obstruction due to swelling.
Although Epinephrine is beneficial to the body in terms of dealing with stressful situations, it has been discovered that it may cause changes in breast and prostate cancer cells that lead to drug resistance. Research has revealed that epinephrine causes cancer cells to be unresponsive to apoptosis, or programmed cell death. This kink in the function of cancer cells causes them to continue growing and eventually form a tumor. With this new found information, it can be inferred that staying out of stressful situations or finding healthy ways to cope may be a way to reduce the risk of cancer.
It is also possible that the research done on cancer cells may signify the importance of keeping positive during any kind of physical recovery. If stress can bring harm to the process of cell death, is it not possible that it could also have a great influence on healing overall?
Epinephrine is an extremely powerful hormone secreted by the adrenal glands. In stressful situations, Epinephrine prepares the body to flee or fight the stimuli. Because of its energizing effect, Epinephrine can often be found in many allergy response kits. Although it is valuable to the body, it should be noted that Epinephrine may lead to various cancer types.

Works Cited
“Stress Hormone Epinephrine May Sabotage Treatment of Prostate and Breast Cancer.” PSA Rising; Prostate Cancer Survivor news. Info & support. 10 April 2007. 14 July 2009 .
“Epinephrine.” 14 July 2009 .

Estrogen

2009-07-17T10:29:00.000-07:00

Kim Puk

There are many hormones in our body including insulin, testosterone, and estrogen. These hormones are generally found in both humans and animals. In the human body, hormones influence just about every cell by relaying information and instructions from one group of cells to another. Hormones serve a variety of functions such as regulating growth and development, speeding up or slowing down your metabolism, and regulating sexual functions and reproduction.

In this paper, I am going to discuss the hormone, estrogen. Estrogen is one of the most widely known hormones. Many people think estrogen is only in females, when males also have estrogen. Although, the reasons for males to have estrogen are not entirely clear. Females use estrogen to produce female sexual characteristics and reproduction in both humans and animals.

Estrogen is produced in the ovaries, adrenal glands, and fat tissues. There are three chemically similar hormones: estrone and estradiol which are produced in the ovaries in pre-menopausal women, and estriol produced during pregnancy by the placenta. Estrogen affects the breasts and uterus, brains, bones, liver and heart as well as other tissues. The hormone is needed during the menstrual cycle to control the growth of the uterine lining, for female development during adolescence, and also to regulate metabolic processes, such as bone growth and cholesterol levels.

One of the most important functions of estrogen occurs during pregnancy, which causes the thickening of the uterus. During a pregnancy, estrogen and progesterone work together to prevent further ovulation. Estrogen causes the uterus to thicken, creating a place for the fetus to grow. Progesterone levels increase after ovulation to prepare the uterine lining to receive a fertilized egg.

Additionally estrogen helps prevent bone loss by working with calcium and Vitamin D to keep bones strong. Too little estrogen can lead to osteoporosis in older women. Estrogen levels in the body begin declining during mid-life, which slows the body’s ability to rebuild bones. Menopause causes the body to break down more bone than it replaces, causing weak and brittle bones. Many females take additional calcium later in life to help keep their bones strong and help ease the loss of estrogen.

In conclusion, estrogen is one of the many hormones produced by the body of both animals and humans. As stated earlier, many people think estrogen is only in females, when males also have estrogen. The reasoning for estrogen in the males system is still unclear.

Adrenaline

2009-07-17T10:26:00.000-07:00

Gianna Melendez

There are many different types of hormones in the human body. Adrenaline is the strong hype hormone. Adrenaline stimulates the body to complete activities that the body does not think it can handle or undergo. There are many things that can trigger your adrenaline “rush,” such as fatigue, exercise, stress, life situations, and sugar.
Adrenaline is a hormone that boosts your energy for a short period of time. When adrenaline is released, it closes up some of the blood vessels allowing there to be a better blood flow. “With this better blood flow towards the skeletal muscles and liver, the muscles and liver will be able to function to their highest ability do to the increase in oxygen that they are receiving.” (What is adrenaline?) This will allow the body to accomplish the impossible and to its best. The adrenaline also causes the heart to pump faster so the blood flow is smoother and up in tempo.
There are many ways to trigger your adrenaline from releasing in your body. The most common way your adrenaline is shown is during a serious life situation. There was an incident that a baby had rolled under a car. The baby’s mom got scared and her adrenaline kicked in. This rush allowed the mom to life up the car and save her baby’s life. While you exercise there can be certain situations that will pump you up so you can perform better. For example, if your football game was tied you would be fired up to win and perform better even though you are really tired. Sugar is also another way for someone to receive the adrenaline rush. This is also a reason why parents refrain from giving their children sugar. Sugar speeds up your blood flow causing you to become hyper and out of control.
There are many effects to adrenaline releasing in the body. Your heart rate and blood pressure increase while your blood sugar level increases. Your pupils also become dilated. Instead of dealing with stress in other ways that increase your adrenaline, you should channel your stress in other ways. For example, you can take a bath, get a massage, nap, and exercise lightly.
Adrenaline is a hormone that allows a person to become stronger and braver. Once the adrenaline is released, your blood flow is faster and smoother. Most of the adrenaline is triggered by big life situations, sugar, exercising, and fatigue. Adrenaline has its effects and is recommended to be directed away from a stimulant.

"Adrenaline." The Cause of Internet Addiction? 14 July 2009 .
"What Is Adrenaline?" Cary Academy Homepage. 14 July 2009 .

Vitamin D

2009-07-17T10:22:00.000-07:00

Abby Drogosz

There are many supplements that people take in their lives to increase their overall well being. This can be from different vitamins, muscle boosters, etc. People want to fix something in their health and there is most likely some type of supplement to help improve it. However, different supplements are harder to find and each one has a different type of side effect to it.
“Vitamin D is essential for promoting calcium absorption in the gut and maintaining adequate serum calcium and phosphate concentrations to enable normal mineralization of bone and prevent hypocalcemictetany”( Office of Dietary Supplements). Vitamin D also helps keep your bones nice and strong. A lack of vitamin D causes bones to become weak and vulnerable to break. Many people when they are older end up developing osteoporosis, but with the right intake of vitamin D this can help reduce the risk of getting it. Vitamin D is very important to helping your body stay strong and healthy especially your bones.
Vitamin D is a vitamin that is not naturally produced in many foods. Some of the foods it is found in is in the flesh of some fish such as tuna and salmon. Other small amounts of vitamin D are found in cheese and egg yolks. The amount of Vitamin D present in these foods is not a great amount. Some foods have vitamin D added to them, to find these foods you can look on different nutrition labels to see if the supplement is added in. Many other people can take this supplement in a form of a pill or powder to make sure they have a good amount of vitamin D present in their body.
The most common way to get some vitamin D is through the sun. Ultraviolet rays hit the skin and trigger Vitamin D synthesis. The only negative of this way of obtaining vitamin D is the chance of over exposure to the sun, which can lead to skin cancer. A good way of protecting yourself while still getting vitamin d is to use spf sunscreen to help avoid over exposure.
Vitamin D is a very important to our bodies in the strength of our bones and for preventing diseases such as ostesoprosis. Many people lack this vitamin, but they don’t know that this supplement is very easy to obtain. It comes in forms of food, pills, sunlight, etc. Everyone should be more aware of their Vitamin D intake and change it if needed.
Website Used:
Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Vitamin D
Office of Dietary Supplements • National Institutes of Health

http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/vitamind.asp

Estrogen

2009-07-17T10:19:00.000-07:00

Abby Drogosz
All humans have different hormones running different emotions throughout their bodies. They are constantly changing especially when people are developing and changing. They tell our bodies’ different things to do and how to feel. Men and women have different hormones those one another. This is due to the fact that we have completely opposite bodies and body functions from one another.
Estrogen is the sex hormone in women’s bodies. This hormone has a very important role in the women’s body. It has an important role in your sexual development and also your sexual reproduction. Without this hormone many women would not be able to fully develop and have children off their own. However, this is not the only job that this hormone does. Estrogen affects how you may feel. When people go from being happy to be angry you can blame this hormone. It is like a rollercoaster, always up and down.
Estrogen is made up by your ovaries and adrenal glands. It is then taken throughout your body through blood attaching onto different cells. Estrogen is not just one hormone it is actually several hormones. The names of them are oestradoil, oestrone, and oestriol. Each of them have different levels and have a different impact on your body.
One thing I find interesting about men and women and their oestrogen and testrone(which is the a similar hormone for the men) is that we are not able to control how it affect our bodies. It has a lot of say on what goes on our body, but there is no way for us to really control it unless we take more of it. We can hardly control how the levels affect our different moods. These levels can rapidly change and make us happy one minuete and violently angry the next. Also it helps our bodies develop. There are supplements of these hormones that we can take to increase but we really have no say on how it is going to affect us in the long run.
There are so many hormones in our body that we have a different job of making us who we are. Oestrogen is the sex hormone that helps us develop sexual. It also lets us reproduce sexual. I would say that it is one of the most important hormones in our bodies yet we have no control on what it does to us physically and emotionally.
Website Used:
Health: Best Treatment
Oestrogen: Its Special Role.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/besttreatments/anorexia-oestrogen-its-special-role

Insulin as Related to Diabetes Mellitus

2009-07-17T10:15:00.000-07:00

Rebecca Samson

I personally think everyone will get tested for diabetes at some point in his or her life. I know I get tested at least twice or three times a year. Insulin is a hormone secreted in the pancreas. It is produced in beta cells in response to a rise in glucose because it helps to break glucose down.
Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus is also known as juvenile onset diabetes because of its typical appearance in children. This is typically genetic and most people who have it have at least one parent or close relative with it as well. It used to be a death sentence for children in the early to mid 20th century because little was known about treatment. This disease is also known as insulin dependent diabetes because there is little or no insulin circulating throughout the body due to either defective or absent production. In order to regulate glucose, patients will inject themselves regularly deep within the abdomen with insulin. The feeling is said to burn a little but is tolerable. Recently, public schools have adopted medical training to deal with diabetic students to their parents do not have to come in every single day for one injection.
Insulin resistance is a growing problem in the nation. I myself am insulin resistant but I need to go get my blood re-tested. My nutritionist said that it could be somewhat genetic, result from a high-carbohydrate diet, or even from excessive weight gain from hormones and other medications. She said a good course of action would to be to get retested, then, if necessary, take pills, and eventually inject insulin manually into my abdomen in order to stave off type II diabetes as I age. I will admit that my diet was far too high in carbohydrates as a child but my diet, apart from that, was rich in vegetables. The food pyramid used to put carbohydrates at the very bottom but now we have found that grains are good but starches and white pastas and breads should be used sparingly. Therefore I do not feel that my insulin resistance is entirely my fault. Basically my body will have a more difficult time processing glucose in the future and my insulin levels will rise in an attempt to combat this. It can lead to heart disease and weight gain.
Insulin resistance is a landmark on the way to type II Diabetes Mellitus also inaccurately known as non-insulin dependent diabetes. This term is only true at first but, eventually, patients will need injections of insulin. Usually this disease is brought on by the aforementioned ineffective lifestyle choices but type II diabetes in children or adolescents has risen very much over the past two decades. This suggests that there is a genetic component carried by one or both parents that leads to mutations, which lead to the production of faulty insulin.
There is hope, however, that, by use of animal insulin, that insulin will continue to become cheaper and more available for those who need it. To not have it means certain death in many situations. Without insulin, patients can have terrible seizures when their sugar levels are too low or go into comas when their insulin levels are too high. Diabetes is on the rise everywhere, not in just America, meaning that the demand for insulin will greatly increase. In my opinion, we should not settle for having to pay for insulin for the rest of our lives. I think the way to fix this is to continue making progress. If we can clone and genetically alter unborn children then all we have to do is make the jump to the already living. To me, settling is not an option and we limit ourselves every time we say, “We can’t,” or “That’s impossible.” We have to keep working harder and trying anything and everything for the sake of progress and this progress will emanate to all diseases of the common man.

I consulted a source to make sure my information is correct:
"Hormones of the Pancreas." RCN New York City | Digital Cable TV, High-Speed Internet Service & Phone in New York City, including Queens, Brooklyn and Manhattan. 15 July 2009

Creatine Monohydrate, a Brief Overview

2009-07-17T10:12:00.000-07:00

Adam Mirkiani

Mostly used as a supplement among the bodybuilding population, creatine exists naturally in vertebrates to provide energy to the muscular system. In the range of 100 to 120 grams of creatine are stored in the human body at any given moment, excluding most unsupplemented vegetarians. This is due to the creatine content in nearly all forms of fresh meat. Creatine Monohydrate is the pill or power-form supplement that is consumed safely in the range of 2-5g daily.

Creatine Monohydrate as a nutrient supplement provides a means to add more energy stored behind your muscle. An increased level of water consumption by the muscles is experienced. In fact, drinking too little water over the day can be noticed even more dramatically than one who is not taking creatine supplements; this is because the muscles begin to use water contained in other bodily systems. Added muscle and body mass is not uncommon among people who regularly supplement with it. If no physical activity is done over the time period in which it is synthesized, the mass may simply be that of retained water in the muscles.

Although there are no adverse effects of taking safe, recommended dosages, overdosing can occur resulting in overall discomfort, nausea, and almost all of the same hormonal side-effects that anabolic steroids cause. In fact, studies have shown that lightly-supplemented middle-aged adults displayed increased cognitive abilities and arithmetic memorization. Creatine is under study, showing promise of treatment in the case of many neuromuscular disorders. One of the main risks one takes in taking pure creatine is the specific form that is chosen. The accepted purity on the industrial level is a 99.95% pure source; otherwise elemental contaminants may cause health problems if ingested. Artificially produced performance enhancing products may contain supplements which are not FDA approved, while recognizably being advertised as only creatine monohydrate.

In humans, creatine monohydrate definitely holds its share of benefits, but can be a detriment if not used carefully. Although it is stored in our bodies, it can actually cause liver damage among many other discussed issues. Hope is present in the development of treatments for the diseases it may remedy. Time will tell us how well manufactured creatine may actually help us along the road, since it is not scientifically tested as widely as many would hope.

Alpha and Omega

2009-07-17T10:08:00.000-07:00

Kelsey Klank

The world around us is teeming with life; vibrant, diverse, and intelligent human life. The human hand is an excellent example of the complexity of life. Our hands are filled with tendons and muscles to help us perform specialized tasks. Special joints, such as that of our thumb give us range of motion. Did I mention the neurons that allow us to touch and grasp? I believe that by simply observing the complexity of the human body is enough evidence that we were made by an intelligent being and much of modern day science has helped to unravel the mystery of creation.
The beginning of existence as we know it to be is one of the most controversial and hotly debated topics of all time. Interestingly, science has lent itself to the idea of a creator. The big bang theory states that life came into being when molecules collided creating a large explosion. The flaw that this theory holds is that there must be a force that acts upon the objects to bring them together. Objects in motion must be set in motion.
Not only do I believe that this ‘motion’ was created by a superior being, but I believe that He did not create the earth (and planets, galaxies, etc.) simply because He ‘felt like it’; we were made by an intelligent God, a God with a purpose. The complexity of the human hand allows us to perform many tasks. Shortening the bones just slightly or being short a finger throws off the balance of the hand; each part is made with a purpose. Just like the hand, not one part of creation was placed hap-hazard. The creator of everything was purposeful and He was most definitely intelligent.
This ‘intelligent purpose’ has also been discussed and pondered throughout the expanse of human history. I would like to challenge that our purpose is as simple as our own desire for companionship of some sort. Just as one might call friends to go to a movie on a Friday night, God was in search of companionship. He was lonely, so He created a group of beings along with the Earth to support and sustain them. Fortunately, He made us with free will. Real friendship is based upon the desire to be in community with someone. Why would God want friends who are only there because He made them that way? We were created to be in relationship with our creator and He desires our friendship.

Vital hormone estrogen

2009-07-17T10:04:00.000-07:00

Diana Madel

Estrogen is a hormone that is found in both females and males. However, the amount of estrogen in females is much greater than in men. As many as any other important hormones that are found in our body, estrogen has many specific functions in our body. These functions include role in pregnancy, bone loss, as well as a role in menopause in women. In addition estrogen therapy has been implemented to treat these conditions and many more such as hot flashes.
Estrogen is a hormone that is very important for pregnancy. When fertilization takes place, this hormone pairs up with another hormone called progesterone to assist in stopping the next ovulation during pregnancy. Estrogen also has additional role that it has to fulfill such, as estrogen is very important in puberty. It is responsible for development of secondary characteristics in females.
Scientific community has also documented beneficial effects of estrogen in preventing bone loss. It has been found out that estrogen works together with calcium and vitamin D as well as with other hormones to prevent bone loss. This is very important especially for elderly that are very susceptible for bone mass loss. It has been documented that around age 30, women break more bones that build new bones. Estrogen is also directly related to menopause. When women experience menopause, their estrogen levels significantly falls. Thus it may result in bone loss as previously stated. In order to replace the estrogen levels, the doctors are starting to prescribe estrogen supplementation to patients hoping that it will prevent thinning of uterus and thus prevention of additional problems such as endometriosis.
Estrogen therapy has been widely recognized by medical communities for the treatment of vaginal atrophy as well as female hypogonadism in addition to many mild problems such as hot flashes and delayed puberty. Vaginal atrophy causes women’s vagina to become less functional in terms of its flexibility as well as proper moisture.
In conclusion, estrogen is a vital hormone that is very important for many human functions. Without this hormone, women would not be able to enter pubery. In addition estrogen is very beneficial for bone growth. It assists calcium as well as other hormones to help to build bone and prevent its damages. Furthermore, doctors have implemented estrogen to treat thinning of uterus as well as many symptoms associated with women that enter menopausal state. These conditions include vaginal atrophy as well as hypogonadism.

References:

http://longevity.about.com/od/researchandmedicine/a/estrogen_aging.htm
http:// www. healthywomen.org/healthtopics/estrogen

The Quest to Grow

2009-07-17T09:57:00.000-07:00

Steven Kruppe

I started my life off as a skinny short kid. I was teased because of it and i didn't care for the way i looked. I figured that as i grew older things would fall into place. I would no longer be small and i would grow and put on weight. As my life progressed however, i noticed that this was not going to be the case. I realized there are three different body types and i got stuck with the skinny frail one. If I wanted to grow it was going to take work, and lots of it. I took up lifting weights. As soon as i started I was addicted. I put on great mass and quickly too, because when you start you get noobie gains. It was a great stress release and surely let off endorphins in my body as i worked out. I also reaped great results. It was truly an addicting sensation. I began to learn of testosterone, protein, and all the parts of the puzzle that make up working out. There was one thing i was not sure of which is human growth hormone. I plan on focusing this paper on HGH while looking at it from an exercise standpoint.
From what i know about growth hormone, it is simply a hormone that causes you to grow. In what way it does that i am unsure of. Growth hormone has a laundry list of positive effects, which include decreased body fat, increased muscle mass, increased bone density, increased energy levels, improved skin tone and texture, and improved immune system function. All of these sound very good to me in the aspect of bulking up and weight lifting. It is also stated, however, that all the effects of growth hormone are not fully known and understood. There could be negative effects that we don't know about yet.
Now to look at some of the ways to induce growth hormone release. According to a bodybuilding website there are three simple factors that are at hand when wanting to increase GH. Those are consuming protein, getting adequate sleep, and lifting weights. In the region of protein, amino acids are required to build your muscles back up so the GH can induce it's effects. A wide variety of proteins are necessary to achieve the required amino acids for growth.
Adequate sleep is also necessary because that is when you secrete the most growth hormone. According to the article that is the reason why some people are fat, because they don't get adequate amounts of sleep. I hate to reference you directly in a paper, Dr. Costello, but it is also said that GH is a hormone that may actually work in an anti-aging matter. Which is why one should exercise to maintain a healthy body. But not any amount of exercise will do, resistance training for 20 minutes at four times a week is necessary for secreting growth hormone. Also said in the article is that when you contract and relax a muscle while lifting weights this induces GH to be released to repair the muscle and achieve the effect that is desired.
In doing this paper i learned alot and some of which i hope you can benefit from in reading it. Growth hormone is a fascinating hormone and witholds many exciting and desirable benefits. A good resistance training program should be the center for anyone wanting to lose weight and increase their wellbeing. So as discussed in class, that weight lifting is damaging to your body, it may also seem that the release of GH is beneficial or maybe counter-active, in some ways.

Growth Hormone

2009-07-17T09:54:00.000-07:00

Chris Bateman

Growth hormone is the hormone that stimulates growth in both humans and animals. In some cases people do not produce enough growth hormone or they produce too much and that results in a person being either a dwarf or a giant.
Growth hormone is something that every person possesses in different quantities. This is what creates people of varying sizes. People who do not have enough growth hormone can receive treatment with synthetic growth hormone called HGH. HGH stands for human growth hormone and treatment with it can be very beneficial for people who have growth hormone deficiencies. Treatment with growth hormone can also slow aging. Results of this treatment have resulted in decreased body fat, increased muscle mass, higher bone density, more energy, better skin, and a better immune system. However, treatment with human growth hormone can be very controversial. Human growth hormone is an anabolic steroid and it has been used by athletes since the 1970’s. It has been banned by the IOC and the NCAA as well as professional sports. However, human growth hormone is not detected in the urine so the ban could not be enforced until there was a blood test that was developed in the 2000’s. Increased levels of growth hormone can lead to gigantism. This has been seen in many cases such as that of Andre the Giant. He was a professional wrestler and an actor. There is no treatment for increased levels of growth hormone so it will inevitably lead to gigantism. Using growth hormone may result in a greater risk for diabetes, joint pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, and possibly cancer. Growth hormone is a peptide hormone that is produced in the anterior pituitary gland. I believe that taking synthetic growth hormone is not something that people should do for reasons other than medical treatment. People who take it to reduce aging or increase athletic performance are using it for dishonest purposes and it is unsafe for people to take unless it is absolutely necessary.
Human growth hormone produced in the pituitary gland is a very important hormone. It is what causes us to grow throughout our lives and without it we would all be the same size. Growth hormone can be taken synthetically; however, this is unethical unless it is for medical reasons such as treating disease. Taking synthetic growth hormone has negative consequences that people should consider prior to taking it and athletes should not take it because it is a banned substance and they will be banned from competition.

Information taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Growth_hormone

Growth Hormone

2009-07-17T09:52:00.000-07:00

Nicole Davis

Growth hormone is largely responsible for several of the body’s complex physiological processes, most importantly growth and metabolism. It is composed of approximately 190 amino acids and is synthesized and secreted by cells called somatotrophs in the anterior pituitary. Production of growth hormone is modified by various factors, including stress, sleep, exercise, and nutrition. However, its primary controllers are two hypothalamic hormones and one stomach hormone: Growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) is a hypothalamic peptide that stimulates both the synthesis and secretion of growth hormone; Somatostatin (SS)is a peptide produced by several bodily tissues, including the hypothalamus. SS inhibits the release of growth hormone in response to GHRH as well as to other stimulatory factors such as low concentration of blood glucose; Ghrelin is a peptide hormone secreted from the stomach. Ghrelin binds to receptors on somatotrophs and strongly stimulates secretion of growth hormone.
As far as contributing to the growth process, the major role of growth hormone is to stimulate the liver and other tissues to secrete IGF-I. IGH-I stimulates the production of chondrocytes (cartilage cells), resulting in bone growth. IGF-I appears to be the most important factor in muscle growth as well. It stimulates both the differentiation and proliferation of myoblasts. It also stimulates amino acid production and protein synthesis in muscles and other tissues. Growth hormone also has important effects on protein, lipid, and carbohydrate metabolism.
Clear evidence of this hormone’s role in normal physiology is apparent in states of both growth hormone excess and deficiency. Such states can indicate lesions in either the hypothalamus, the pituitary gland, or in target cells. A deficiency in the hormone can result not only a lack of production, but also in the target cell’s response to the hormone. Deficiency in growth hormone manifests as growth retardation or dwarfism. The appearance of growth hormone deficiency depends on the age of onset of the disorder and can be a result of either hereditary or acquired disease. The effect of excessive secretion of growth hormone is also largely dependent on the age of onset. Growth hormone excess is seen as either Giantism or Acromalogy. Giantism, which is a result of excessive growth hormone secretion in children or adolescents, is very rare disorder and typically results from a tumor of somatrotopes. Acromalogy, on the other hand, results from excessive secretion of growth hormone in adults and is usually caused by benign pituitary tumors.

Serotonin

2009-07-17T09:29:00.000-07:00

Micara Ludens

Serotonin is in the human body that make it possible for humans to live their daily lives. The majority of serotonin is found in a human’s digestive tract to help regulate the intestinal tract. Even though 80 -90% of a normal human beings serotonin is stored in the stomach area, the rest is stored in throughout the central nervous system.
Serotonin is composed of two enzymes tryptophan hydroxylase and amino acid decarboxylase. The most popular known aspect of serotonin is that it is known to have lower levels in people with depression. This is because serotonin is known to regulate human traits such as anger, sexuality, sleep patterns, mood levels, and as mentioned above appetite. If someone is diagnosed with depression, they are many times prescribed pills that contain serotonin in order to balance out unequal levels in their bodies.
In addition to the variety of things that serotonin helps regulate, it can help detect whether a person has cancer or tumors in their bodies. By using a urine test, doctors are able to test the amount of serotonin in the urine. When there are high levels of this hormone, it is usually a sign that there is some sort of tumor in your body that is producing these excess amounts of serotonin.
Some psychedelic drugs release large amounts of serotonin into your body in a short period of time resulting in an extreme level of happiness and euphoria.
Some of the side effects that are associated with the overuse or high volume use of serotonin can possibly have fatal effects. This can be known serotonin syndrome. The symptoms for serotonin syndrome usually come on very fast sometimes even happening within the span of minutes. Some of these symptoms can include increased heart rate, sweating, twitching, high blood pressure and many more serious symptoms. If not helped right away with these symptoms it is possible for people to start having seizures and renal failure which can lead to death. With serotonin, you have to ingest high amounts as well as variety of different forms of the hormone to have these sorts of side effects.
Overall, serotonin is most well known for regulating the intestinal tract and it’s effects of being a ‘happiness’ releaser. I think that because the side effects are hard to get and the possibilities to help fix depression, serotonin is a hormone that I would recommend using.

Fish Oil

2009-07-09T11:33:00.001-07:00

Kelsey Klank July 8, 2009
It seems as our diets become more saturated with unhealthy simple carbohydrates and sugars, our vitamin supplementation options are becoming increasingly diverse. Fish oil is among the many supplements that are available in drugs stores today. Fish oil most commonly comes in pill form and is beneficial to the body in many ways.
Fish oil itself comes from the oil of fish such as Salmon and Tuna and contains EPA and DHA fatty acids which help better eyesight and even brain function. In fact, Fish oil is used as a tool to help lessen the symptoms of ADHD and other neurological disorders. In an article addressing the benefits of fish oil, I found that it also may help prevent certain types of cancer (“What are the benefits of Fish oil?”). Omega 3, a plentiful nutrient in fish oil, has also been proven to lower the chances for cardiovascular disease and Type 2 Diabetes. Not only is fish oil beneficial to organs inside the body, but it also softens the appearance of skin and may help with skin problems such as eczema (“The Many Health Benefits of Fish oil Tablets”).
Although fish oil is mainly beneficial for consumption, too much may cause vitamin poisoning. When buying fish oil, it is important to consider the manufacturer and inspection of the oil as it may contain mercury or heavy metals that can be extremely harmful to women and children. Exceeding the recommended five grams of fish oil a day can lead to such symptoms as diarrhea. Fish oil has also been known to act as a blood thinner and, therefore, should not be taken along with blood thinners as the combination of the supplements may cause low blood pressure (“Side Effects of Fish Oil”).
Fish oil is an extremely valuable supplement and it can be used to help the body in many ways. Not only does fish oil aid in better eyesight and brain function, but it can also prevent cardiovascular disease and Type 2 Diabetes. As with any supplement, there are also risks to taking fish oil. If the oil is manufactured improperly, it may contain harmful substances such as mercury. Taking fish oil in excess can lead to diarrhea and combining it with blood thinners may lead to decreased blood pressure. Overall, the benefits of taking fish oil outweigh the risks. Taking precautions when selecting brands and dosages of fish oil can only lead to a healthier body and mind.

Works Cited
Fish Oil Benefits. 16 Sept. 2007. 1 July 2009. .

My Personal Experience with Lamictal in the Treatment of Bipolar Disorder/TLE

2009-07-09T11:21:00.000-07:00

Rebecca Samson

Lamictal is a prescription anticonvulsant drug used in the treatment of bipolar disorder and epilepsy, which I myself am using for the second time in my life. As one can probably ascertain, I am either bipolar or epileptic since I am on this drug. I am either bipolar or have temporal lobe epilepsy; we are unsure because an EEG scan yielded some interesting results where the doctor said there was some abnormal spiking typical for epilepsy but it was not full-blown epilepsy. At the time of the scan I was taking Lamictal, meaning that the results were altered and whatever issue I have could have been greatly suppressed. For now I am considered bipolar.

Before I was on Lamictal, I had been on Sertraline [serotonin] for a full year because I had been misdiagnosed as having depression. I had also been on birth control for three years because I would have cramps so bad I would throw up and end up missing school and would have to take painkillers so strong they gave me memory loss not conducive to the learning environment, not to mention that my cycle-related mood swings were unbearable. This combination of drugs mad me go from 131 lbs freshmen year of high school to 178 lbs my senior year. This is with a moderately active lifestyle and healthy eating habits. The most I grew was an inch and I was further along in puberty than most; I hit puberty when I was 10 in the 5th grade. Then, freshmen year in COLLEGE, I had a severe mental breakdown somewhere around my third week of school. I had been going through a break-up but was enjoying the change in location and lifestyle from high school to college. One day I could not get myself to stop thinking about a particular bottle of extra strength Tylenol; I wanted to see what would happen if I were to down the whole thing. Instead of doing that, I got myself to the Student Health Services building and convinced them to take me to the hospital. It turned out I was correct in believing I was bipolar and had been misdiagnosed and during the week I was there, they began to wean me off of the Sertraline, which took several months, and began a course of Lamictal.

What happened was that the Sertraline made me have manic episodes more frequently, however, I had always believed that manic or that invincibly ‘high’ feeling was normal. Therefore they kept upping the dosage. Between highs I was increasingly depressed to the point where I could only lay in bed and my poor mother could only sit on the floor next to me while I cried hysterically for sometimes weeks on end. No amount of Sertraline would fix that. In college I could not focus, I would zone out completely in class to the point of drooling and when I would come back, it felt as if I was waking up but in reality I had been sitting there, taking notes on auto-pilot and simply had no recollection thereof.

The second day I was on Lamictal in the SHORT TERM mental ward of the hospital I managed to read a 400 page novel in just one evening and retained it perfectly. Life was great after that. I was released after seven days and continued upping Lamictal and decreasing Sertraline until I was off Sertraline [I had ended hormones at the beginning of the school year]. February rolled around and I decided to go back on hormones because they helped with cycle-related mood swings that the Lamictal did not. That month I developed a rash that looked like sunburn and clothes made me feel unbearably itchy. They weaned me off of Lamictal for fear of Stevens-Johnson’s Syndrome: a rash so bad that your skin peels off and you die of infection. That rash, as I discerned months later, was caused by my hormones: they reduce the level of Lamictal in the bloodstream by 50% on active pill days, meaning that on inactive pill days the level shoots back up and this stark increase can be deadly. Once I accidentally quadrupled my intake for a week rather than doubling it and I felt like I had the flu without any upper respiratory symptoms; I was dizzy and hit my head on everything to the point of crawling along the wall to get from A to B and had a high fever. Withdrawals were awful; the doctors said I was very lucky because most people would have had a severe seizure from weaning in only five days.

Now I have started Lamictal again and can focus. After being off of it for three months and trying/failing with lithium, I realized I need this medicine because my mood swings are simply too much for myself and everyone around me to handle on a regular basis. I actually get everything done. I am collaborating with my doctor to make sure the hormones I am on work with Lamictal so I will not end up having that reaction again. I even managed to lose the freshmen 15 because Lamictal seems to suppress my appetite. In conclusion, I highly recommend this drug so long as one is willing to collaborate with their doctor. I fill out a made-up mood survey every single day and my dad tracks my moods and how good I say my day was on a monthly calendar, which we bring to the doctor to track progress.

Fish Oil and Its Effects

2009-07-09T11:19:00.000-07:00

Steven Kruppe

Fish oil has recently become a popular and well known health supplement. It has many various benefits and is very essential to having a healthy body. I believe it is important to supplement with fish oil because as humans we used to consume a lot of fish because it was an easily attainable food source. However, within the last hundred years or so, consumption has gone down dramatically. As to why this is, i am unsure of, but i do believe it has something to do with taste preference and the ease of which we have access to other meats at the grocery stores. Fish Oil's benefits range from anti-inflammatory properties to enhanced cardiovascular function and even optimizing brain functioning. It's easy to see that fish oil is a beneficial health supplement with proven results that i believe most people whom don't eat fish a couple times a week, should add to their supplement regimen.
First off the fish oil contains omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids. The reason why it is necessary to supplement with fish oil is due to the fact of not many people eating as much fish as they were in the past hundred years or so. Supplementing with fish oil is kind of ironic because the grocery sores have made it very easy to get fish into your diet yet people still don't realize the benefits of fish. The benfits of omega 3 and 6 pertain to proper brain functioning and health, enhanced immune system, and lessened the chance of cardiovascular disease. Another study stated that fish oil may reduce the risk of depression due to its effect on the brain. Omega 3 and 6 are in fish oil which should persuade you to start taking it.
Another great benefit to fish oil are it's anti-inflammatory properties. I myself have noticed these effects because i lift heavy weights. I notice that i am less sore in the following days when i am supplementing than when i am not supplementing. Also, any inflammation caused by your immune system fighting bacteria off, mainly pimples, are calmed and therefore these anti-inflammation properties are highly sought after.
When you lift weights you are breaking down the muscle tissue and then building it back up. When you do this act, you cause inflammation that is not wanted. Fish oil helps this issue. It is also said that fish oil helps enhance smooth muscle function. It has also been known to reduce the likeliness of getting multiple diseases.
Through all of my knowledge about fish oil, i believe that it is the closest thing to a miracle supplement that you can get. Many studies are coming out boasting the greatness of this supplement. It has many qualities that are sought after and will surely increase your quality of health.

Creatine

2009-07-09T11:16:00.000-07:00

Gianna Melendez

Male Americans have this huge mindset of being the biggest and strongest. Men will do almost anything to get to the top of everyone. They will even use illegal drugs, supplements, and do extreme workouts. One supplement men use, that is not illegal, is creatine. Creatine works as a powdery substance that builds up your muscles mass during work outs.

Unlike steroids, creatine is indeed legal in the United States. Steroids are used as an injection by a needle. Creatine is most commonly used in a powder or liquid substance. The substance is usually taken with a protein shake or fruit smoothies. Creatine must be taken with water to hydrate your muscles. It is used to supply your muscles with extra energy. This supplement was mainly used to treat a variety of neuromuscular diseases. After many experiments were completed, it was shown that creatine is a safe supplement and does not affect your kidneys. Creatine is the number one most used supplement used by trainers and athletes. It is legal and when used properly has great results.

“Research shows that creatine is most effective in high-intensity training and explosive activities.” (Creatine: Side Effects, What it is, What it Does) This supplement should be used for the right purposes of benefiting your health and goals. A regular couch potato should not randomly take creatine without the right work outs and dieting. “Creatine increases the body’s ability to produces energy rapidly. It improves endurance performance and aerobic-type exercise.” (Creatine: Side Effects, What it is, What it Does) Not only does creatine make your muscles increase it also will cause you to gain weight because it is pulling water into your muscles. Dieting is the main part of making creatine a success. People who are vegetarians have better results than people who eat meat. Meat already contains creatine so that will throw off a bodybuilder’s schedule of taking a creatine supplement. In order to allow creatine to be effective, you must do the work and not just take the substance. Not putting the supplement to work can further damage your body.

Creatine is a supplement that increases muscles energy. This supplement is best when taken with a liquid and the person performs a physical activity. Creatine is not a magical muscles building supplement. It takes energy and time to allow the supplement to perform its duties to make you strong and muscular. Creatine may not be for everyone; some people are not suitable to consume such a substance.

"(Creatine: Side Effects, What it is, What it Does)." Men's Health. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 July 2009.<“http://www.menshealth.com/cda/article.do?site=menshealth&channel=nutrition&category=vitamins>

Levonorgestrel

2009-07-09T11:14:00.000-07:00

Raquel Davis

There are many different kinds of birth control methods, whether it is the use of pills, condoms, or the complete absence of sex all together, among other methods. With all of this available help, there is still room for mistakes and unplanned events. In order to correct a mistake, there is are pills known as Plan B, or the morning after pill.

Plan B is a FDA approved emergency contraceptive that should be taken in the event of failure to use a birth control method. Plan B comes in a two pill package. The first pill should be taken within 72 hours of having unprotected sex or if there is any consideration that the alternate birth control method failed. The second should follow 12 hours after. The pills are effective up to three days after, however the sooner they are taken, the better. When taken correctly, it is proven that on average, Plan B has shown to be 89% effective in reducing chances of becoming pregnant.

The morning after pill is a hormonal pill made up of Levonorgestrel, the same thing found in birth control. Although it is made up of the same things as a birth control pill, there is a larger dose found in Plan B than found in a single regular birth control pill. This hormone keeps a woman’s ovaries from releasing an egg, a process known as ovulation. It is not possible for a woman to become pregnant if there is no egg to be fertilized. In addition to preventing ovulation, the hormone thickens the woman’s cervical mucus, making it more difficult for the sperm’s travel. Plan B does not contain estrogen, only progestin.

Plan B is Leconorgestrel, not RU-486, which is also known as the abortion pill. The morning after pill will not work if a woman is already pregnant, which is why it is best and most effective to take Plan B right away if there are any doubts about the preexisting birth control method of choice. Plan B is not a regular method of birth control and should not be used as one. Unlike some methods of birth control, Plan B will not protect a woman from contracting a STD or prevent the spread of HIV/AIDs.

Plan B is a relatively easy drug to find and pay for. A female under 18 needs a doctor’s prescription to receive it at any pharmacy. Women over the age of 18 do not need a prescription. The pills range anywhere from $10-$70.

Everybody makes mistakes; Plan B offers a safe and effective way of correcting one of these possible mistakes.

Creatine and Muscles

2009-07-09T11:13:00.000-07:00

Kim Puk

Do you want muscles? Do you want to outlast your competition? Wake up your superman! is one of the slogans for this dietary substance. Creatine is a protein that is in muscle tissue. Creatine, used to build powerful lean muscles, is one of the most widely used supplements in the sports field today. We strive to be the best in all aspects, we want to be faster than our opponents, and stronger than them as well. There are many uses for this supplement, but they are primarily used in strength conditioning and bulk building exercises.

Creatine is often known for the effects it has on our muscle system. It is known to improve performance in high intensity sports, such as basketball, football, bodybuilding, and wrestling. It is used to maximize your workouts, and give you an overall edge over your competition. Creatine does exactly what the label says it does; it makes you muscles bigger, faster, and stronger.

Like many supplements their purposes are known, but how the supplement actually works. Naturally occurring amino acids, creatine, is generated in our body. It is naturally produced in our kidneys and liver. It is also in the foods we eat especially our meat products. When we add more creatine to our bodies it causes the process of gaining muscle to speed up allowing us to get the results we want fast.

Every supplement in the market has its drawbacks and should be used with caution. An overdose can lead to problems. Most problems with creatine supplements often deal with kidneys and the gastro-intestinal upset. Creatine is not the answer to everyone or every athlete’s needs and problems. Be sure to consider your level of activity while using the supplement, it causes bursts of energy not consistent strength. Any sport that is not an aerobic based exercise, like cross country running, can be greater than before by the use of creatine. Creatine is also used to treat diseases. It has been used to help people with neuromuscular disorders. The doctors prescribe creatine to help the patient gain strength. It has helped people with Parkinson’s disease, arthritis, and congestive heart failure.

In conclusion, creatine has many uses. It is use to improve your performance in the competitive world and give you the edge over your opponents. It is used to treat disorders as well. Use this supplement with caution it is not for everyone.

Vitamin D

2009-07-09T11:10:00.000-07:00

Diana Madel

The article Vitamin D ( Calcitriol) presents many interesting facts about vitamin D and their importance for human health. Vitamin D is an important hormone that regulates many functions in humans. Even though, it has not been in particular interest for many years, scientists have been finding out many interesting properties of this vital hormone. The interesting properties include its mechanism of action, physiological effects and well as consequences of deficiency of vitamin D in our system.

Vitamin D is a hormone that basically binds to a receptor that exists inside a cell. This signal then activates a particular gene that is responsible for starting a physiological function. Studies have shown that vitamin D receptor can bind a several different forms of vitamin D, which gives it even greater abilities to start different effects in our bodies.

Due to binding of different forms of vitamin D, this hormone can initiate many physiological responses. The effects that have been documented by scientists include: mineral metabolism and bone growth, and effects on differentiation of different cells in our body. Vitamin D is very important for absorption of calcium mineral in our bone. Since we know that calcium is very vital for formation of bone, without vitamin D, humans would not be able to absorb this mineral and thus it would cause breakage of bones. In addition, studies have shown that vitamin D starts the expression of osteocalcin and blocks out the expression of synthesis of type I collagen.

Since Vitamin D is such an important hormone, its deficiency causes many serious effects such as rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults. These diseases are due to decreased exposure to sunlight that causes the formation of vitamin D on skin and well as decreased vitamin D supplementation. Many studies have shown that vitamin D deficiencies are due severe liver and kidney diseases that stop formation of an active form of vitamin D, and not enough exposure to sunlight.

The article also mentions that the excessive exposure to sunlight does not cause toxicity. Toxicity of this vitamin is due to the fact that is a fat-soluble vitamin and excessive dietary supplementation may contribute to this effect.

In conclusion, vitamin D has many properties and is very important for numerous physiological effects such as increases absorption of calcium that is important for bones as well as synthesis and suppression of important proteins. In addition, vitamin D deficiencies may cause serious diseases such as rickets and osteomalacia. Furthermore, toxicity may increase due to the nature of vitamin D, which is fat-soluble. Thus overdosing of vitamin D can cause serious physiological effects.

References: http://www.vivo.colostate.edu/hbooks/pathphys/endocrine/otherendo/vitamind.html es:

Creatine

2009-07-09T11:04:00.000-07:00

Chris Bateman

Creatine is a nitrogenous organic acid that is found naturally occurring in humans. It is and aid in muscle building. Most of the creatine in the body comes from food, especially meat. Many people take creatine, especially people who work out and are looking to build more muscle. However, creatine also has other effects on the body.
Creatine is seen all over work out magazines and the television advertisements. People take it hoping to build more muscle however, creatine can also be used to fight disease. Creatine was shown to have increased the lifespan of mice with neural degenerative diseases such as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease. It can also be used to treat arthritis, heart failure, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, mitochondrial diseases, and muscular dystrophy. Clearly this supplement is something that is not only for body builders. The effects of creatine should be looked at more closely by science because it clearly can be used to fight many diseases that plague the lives of people all over the world. The side effects of creatine use are generally low. Creatine has been known to cause dehydration in the user due to increase water uptake in the muscles. This is not surprising and it is the main side effect of the supplement. Studies have been shown that taking creatine doses up to three grams per day can be healthy and beneficial. Creatine is also known to cause leg pain. This can come from lack of water drainage from the muscles in the legs. Another positive aspect of creatine is its effects on IQ. Studies have shown that people who took a creatine supplement had higher IQ’s than another test group that took a placebo. This study was done on several age groups. The adult and elderly age groups were seen to have high effects of creatine versus the placebo, but the young adult test group did not have differing results due to the fact that young adults have the highest functioning brains. Creatine can be controversial as it was proposed as a banned performance enhancer by a French research group. Clearly it can increase performance, but the question is whether or not it is out of reason for the body to receive that much performance enhancement from creatine.
When I first thought of creatine I thought of just a supplement that body builders took to increase muscle mass, but I learned that creatine can have many other positive consequences for people taking it. Further research should be done in terms of its effectiveness on people suffering from degenerative diseases as well as whether or not it should be banned as a performance enhancer. However, until that happens people will continue to benefit from the consumption of creatine.

Information taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creatine

A Description of Flowers

2009-06-27T13:24:00.000-07:00

Kim Puk

A flower is a living thing, made up of many cells, with an organization, the ability to reproduce new plants and flowers, grow in size and become more complex, and responds to changes in its environment. Flowers are autotrophs, producing their own food and eukaryotes, containing many cells. All living things need food, water, and energy.

Plants develop through three basic cellular activities: cell division, cell elongation, and cell differentiation. Flowers are vascular plants containing transporting tubes: leaves, stems, and roots, to carry material throughout the plant. Flowering plants are part of an organization of cells, tissues, organs, organ systems, and organisms. A cell is the smallest of the parts, while tissue is a group of cells similar in structure and function. Roots, stems and leaves are the plant organs, and organ systems work together to perform certain functions, such as reproduction. An organism is the entire living thing that carries out all the life functions.

Flowers contain a male reproductive organ, the stamen, which is made up of a filament, which supports the anther; and the anther, which produces pollen and contains sperm. The female reproductive organ, the pistil is made up of three parts: the ovary, which contains the egg cells, the style, and the stigma, which is a sticky structure on top of the pistil. Fertilization occurs through self-pollination within the same plant or through cross-pollination with the aid of wind and animals.

Photosynthesis is the process by which green plants use carbon dioxide, water, and light energy to produce glucose and oxygen. Through photosynthesis plants make their own food which enables them to grow and develop the structure of the plant. Once the plant cells multiply and grow, developing the various parts of the plant, the plant will bud and then flower.

Lastly, a flower responds to changes in its environment. Soil conditions, sunlight, water, and temperature influence a flowers growth. Soil without the proper nutrients can make it difficult for a plant to grow. Some soils do not hold water as well as others. Flowers and plants need water to survive. Many flowers need full sunlight in order to do well; lack of sunlight can cause the plant to die. Climate also influences how well a plant does. Many flowers can only be grown in certain areas because of the temperatures. Sudden changes in temperature can kill plants or cause them to stop flowering and go dormant for winter. In short, plants are influenced by plant tropism, senses of light and gravity and seasonal responses.

Vampires are Lame

2009-06-27T13:22:00.000-07:00

Sean O’Connor

Ah, the fruit bat. Many mistake this harmless harvester for a “creature of the night” and go screaming to the hills, but that is not necessary. Many also think of the delightful pteropodidae as a sightless rat with wings, but an educated man knows better than this. No, fruit bats, also called a mega bat, are non-violent creatures that spend their nights searching for delicious plants to munch on. (2)
The average fruit bat is between 1.9 in. (50 mm) and 15.98 in (406 mm) in length with a wingspan of 5.57 ft. (1.7 m) and a weight between 2.86 lbs. (1.3 kg) and 3.52 lbs. (1.6 kg) making it one of the largest groups of bats in existence. (1) These airborne creatures of the night are actually mammals, and though they do ride the air, they do not fly, but rather glide on a thin membrane between their digits and climb with the small claws on the tip of their wings and feet. With their large eyes, pointed ears, and snouts, they are sometimes known as flying foxes, but don’t worry about them coming to eat your livestock. Fruit bats, as their name suggests, do not eat flesh and blood creatures, but rather are frugivorous and nectarivorous which means they eat things like apples and peaches respectively. (1) Some even eat the flowers before they turn into the fruits.
Much is unknown about their mating rituals, although there are many species that form harems of one male and up to thirty seven females while the bachelor males live separately. (1) Once impregnated, female bats form social circles with other pregnant bats. This lasts until the baby is born, which usually takes 4 to 6 months and is birthed as all other mammals are, with exception of the platypus, by uterus. (1) The average mega bat will live 30 years in a habitat that is sometimes eighty years old. Roosts can sometimes consist of up to 200,000 bats.
Unlike other bats, fruit bats do not use echolocation as their second sight, but instead have an acute olfactory gland that aides their perfectly good sight in directing them around. This does not mean that they do not use sound to their advantage. Most fruit bats can communicate vocally and do.
Like all bats, their feces is called Guano and is prominently used for fertilizer. This has become a large driving force behind bat conservation as they are hunted like elephants and tigers by poachers as well. The only difference is that those animals get a quick death while the bat has to suffer through over feeding and cramped spaces.
I have always taken an interest in bats due to their vilification by the average person. They are fascinating creatures and I hope that now you find so as well.

(1) Dewey, T., K. Luzynski, E. Sluzas, M. Wallen and P. Myers. 2009. "Pteropodidae" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed June 11, 2009 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Pteropodidae.html.
(2) http://www.thefreedictionary.com/megabat

Characteristics of Organisms

2009-06-27T13:21:00.000-07:00

Melendez

Living organisms, such as dogs, have many different characteristics to identify them as a living organism. Some characteristics include cell structures, organization, reproduction, growth and development, and responsiveness. Dogs can be called living organisms because their characteristics can be applied to each category of a living organism. These characteristics are tested scientifically and also observed visually.
“Animals are multicellular heterotrophs whose cells lack cell walls. At some point during their lives, all animals are capable of movement, although not all animals have muscles they use for this.” (Animal TS Types) Dogs fall into this category of cell structure and develop an internal and external skeleton to allow them to move around and survive on their own. Dogs are a species that has the ability to reproduce. This species reproduces, not just survival, and they can interbreed to produce fertile offspring. “A species which cannot reproduce enough offspring will disappear for ever from the face of the Earth - it will become extinct. Species, such as dogs, that give birth to live offspring which are called live-bearing or viviparous.” (The Door Open) Without this reproduction life would not exist for these organisms. They reproduce to assure that there will be life of that species after they die. For the growth and development characteristic, dogs increase their growth over time. They develop into their adult form of the species. “During growth, a living organism transforms material that is unlike itself into materials that are like it.” (Biology: Characteristics of Living Things) For example, Dogs will eat and sleep more often so the chemicals from the food can convert into the correct nutrients they will like in order to grow.
Dogs have the characteristic of responsiveness when it comes to the environment, stimulus, response, and energy. These organisms, dogs, respond to their environment of air, water, weather, temperature, and surrounding effects. “Organisms change their behavior in response to changes in the surrounding environment.” (Biology: Characteristic of Living Things) For example, when it is sunny outside dogs will find the sun spots in the house to retrieve the energy from the sun and become more energetic. From self observations, Dogs generally drink any water they see to provide themselves with fluids and to keep hydrated. Dogs are also responsive to a stimulus in temperature. If the weather drops a dog will generally curl into a ball or blanket. They will also show signs of fatigue. When the temperature rises, a dog generally is more energetic and playful. Dogs also have the characteristic of energy, the ability to do work. This species uses photosynthesis from the sun and food to retrieve its energy.
Dogs are one of many different types of living organisms. When a species is classified as a living organism it needs to meet the characteristics such as cell structures, organization, reproduction, growth and development, and responsiveness. Just from a visual observation of a dog people are able to naturally see the growth and development and responsiveness a dog illustrates. The other characteristics of cell structures and organization are seen through scientific tests and studies.

"ANIMAL TS TYPES." Www.estrellamountain.edu. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 June 2009. .

"Biology: Characteristics of Living Things - CliffsNotes." Homework Help and Free Study Guides - CliffsNotes. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 June 2009. .

"The Open Door Web Site : Biology : Animal Reproduction : Introduction." The Open Door Web Site : Home Page. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 June 2009. .

Characteristics of Plankton

2009-06-27T13:18:00.000-07:00

Chris Bateman

Plankton is the basis for all life in the ocean. They are some of the smallest creatures on earth, but they are among the most important because of the role they play in sustaining the earth’s oceans. They exhibit all of the characteristics of a living thing, which are organization, reproduction, growth and development, response to change, environment, and species
Plankton come in three varieties which are defined by the roles they play in the environment. Phytoplankton create their own food through photosynthesis, which classifies them as autotrophs. Zooplankton feed on smaller plankton and fish eggs. Bacterioplankton break down materials in order to redistribute minerals in the water, which allows for life to continue as it is in the oceans. Plankton as a whole are characterized by their inability to move against the ocean currents. While they can swim vertically they must rely on the currents to move them about horizontally. Plankton are a source of food for some of the smallest and some of the largest creatures in the ocean. Smaller fish eat them as well as large whales that have baleen in place of teeth. Plankton swarms are relied on by fish in order for their eggs to survive. Eggs hatching can coincide with plankton swarms for some varieties of fish and the hatchlings will feed off of the plankton swarms in order to survive. The role that bacterioplankton play may be the most important of all; not only are they food for the rest of the ocean, but they help to regulate the mineral content of the water. This is imperative for life because even the slightest of changes in the make up of the water can lead to the death of millions of lives in the oceans. Not only are plankton important in the water, but out of the water life would be vastly different without them. Many life forms outside of the water rely on a food source that is in the water. Without plankton to sustain that food source the life on land would not survive.
While plankton are small, they are among the most important life forms on our planet. Their role in providing food for the rest of the ocean is critical for sustaining life both in and out of the water. They also provide balance for the mineral content of the ocean waters, which allows for life to continue as it is. Without plankton it is fair to say that life as we know it would not exist.

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Alien: Friend or Foe?

2009-06-27T13:15:00.000-07:00

John D’Ambrose

It would be gigantic understatement to say that Aliens are cultural phenomena for the entire human race. A more accurate statement would be that the human race has an unhealthy obsession with them. From conspiracy theories to prestige academics, man has debated with one another over the existence of alien beings from another world. However, it is our culture that debates what kind of beings they are. A grand example of this is the classic science fiction film, The Day the Earth Stood Still. The film details the arrival of an alien who merely wants to make peace with the human race. However, many other films, like Ridley Scott’s Alien and Tim Burton’s Mars Attacks!, portrays aliens as supremely hostile beings with little or no reason for harming innocent human beings. Pushing aside these notions and beliefs, the question still remains: What are aliens going to be like when/if they come?
First things first, what traits does a species need to build any sort of intergalactic space craft? The species have to sentient enough to communicate with one another in order to accumulate ideas and organize the actual building of the structure; have a basic to advance thought process to come up with the mechanics and physics (or there equivalent of it); and some form of appendages with enough dexterity to do any sort of work. Under that description, aliens might have a lot in common with human beings. Keyword is might.
Without knowing what environment the aliens originated from, we really have no idea what they precisely look like or, for that matter, if they even think the same way as we do. In other words, they may not have the desire to do space exploration. To think that they do is to assume they have the same motives as human beings and not their own. Last question and the most important: Will they be hostile when they come? Like stated above, their intentions are merely theories at this time. Let’s say they are hostile and they do come to our planet, what would they want from us or this planet? If they are looking for resources on our planet, they’re kind of out of luck because we are having the same shortage as well. They could use planet as extra space, but the entire environment may not be compatible with their bodies. However, they might have the technology to colonize the planet to a more familiar environment, but in order to stay there they would need, again, more resources. Say the aliens decide to make peace with human beings they’ll have to figure out some way to communicate with us. Easier said than done, of course.
It’s not clear if we should start praying for our makers or begin preparing for an age of intergalactic peace. However, if they are in anyway like us, they maybe too busy dealing with their own problems to bother with us. In other words, we could be worrying for nothing. In fact, aliens might not exist at all. However, if we didn’t have at least one conspiracy to think about, we might bore ourselves to death.

Characteristics of Turtles

2009-06-27T13:12:00.000-07:00

Marie Schuhriemen

The turtle is a common enough creature, able to be found in one’s backyard or pet store. Yet the turtle as a species is incredibly varied and exotic. It is this ability to become so vastly different that has enabled the turtle to live on the globe since the Triassic period.
Like other reptiles, turtles are cold-blooded. To stay warm, turtles must live in regions that have sufficient heat and sunlight. Turtles often sun themselves by lying on rocks in full sunlight for hours. Sunlight provides both warmth and vitamins necessary for their shells.
The turtle is the only reptile to have a shell. Depending upon the species, this shell varies in hardness and shape. Turtles’ shells provide protection and also serve as their backbone, making them invertebrates. Land turtles have shells that are high and domed, whereas water turtles have flatter, more streamlined shells. The shell actually has two layers: the inside layer is part of the turtle’s skeleton, made up of boney plates. The exterior layer on most turtles is made up of hard, horny scutes, which are formed from skin tissues. On soft-shelled turtles, the outer part of the shell is a tough layer of skin. The shell covers a turtle’s back and its belly. The back part of the shell is called the carapace and the belly-part is called the plastron. The carapace and the plastron are joined along the sides by the boney “bridge”. Most species of turtles are able to draw their heads and limbs into their shell for increased protection. They are able to do this by the fact that their shoulder and hip bones are inside their ribcages. This skeletal feature is unique to the turtle. Sea turtles are unable to draw themselves into their shells as their shells are too small, not because they lack the skeletal structure.
Turtles can be found on every continent (excluding Antarctica), and therefore have evolved to adapt to many different environments. Different species can be found in deserts, forests, jungles, rivers, ponds, swamps, and even the ocean. There are over three hundred different species of turtles, all dwelling either on land, fresh-water, or salt-water. Because of their ability to live in vastly different environments, their diet is also varied, but most species are omnivorous.
As with other reptiles, turtles lay eggs, which they burry in nests. The parent turtles do not play any role in raising the young. While turtles fertilize their eggs internally, the gender of the offspring is determined by the temperature of the eggs’ nest after fertilization has taken place.
The extreme variety among turtles is testimony to their ability to adapt, which has allowed them to survive from the time of the dinosaurs to the modern day.

Bibliography

"Turtle," Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2009
http://encarta.msn.com © 1997-2009 Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

"Turtle." World Book Encyclopedia. 22 vols. Chicago: World Book, Inc, 1990. 519-24.

Language Can Kill

2009-06-27T13:10:00.000-07:00

Rebecca Samson

One can observe it all the time in high schools: self-conscious, adolescent girls and boys staring at themselves in any object that can vaguely reflect their own image. Middle schools even have their locker room mirrors tilted slightly for a more favorable response. What happens after high school? Does this behavior stop? The answer is no, this continues on and on throughout adult life and manifests itself in even larger ways. Human beings have a tendency to internally fuse symbols with their assigned meanings and even form special, sentimental attachments with inanimate objects for linguistic convenience, psychological ease, and should explore different approaches to the unfamiliar in order to feel more comfortable with their uncertain status in the universe.
First off, there are advantages to applying language to objects without an actual, organic connection. The most basic advantage is pure communication, without which conveying ideas would make interaction exhaustingly cumbersome and the linear flow of reactions that innovation rests on would not be possible. Simply put, language is the tool humanity developed in order to connect within itself, much like organs within an organism. This tool allows us to shorten long-winded phrases to smaller, more easily-comprehended terms in order to create certain images in the mind faster than using proper or scientific definitions. For example, astronomers have an entire system for cataloging stars, nebulas, planets, and other objects in the universe that consists of letters and numbers. Go up to a five-year-old kindergartener after their first fieldtrip ever to a planetarium and ask them to describe NGC 7293 and their response would probably be in the realm of a blank stare or total confusion. Ask them to describe the Helix or G-d’s Eye Nebula and it is much more probable that the child has a clue as to the reference made because it at least conjures up the image of an eye or a large spiral to trigger recall.
Next, though the ability to connect mind’s-eye images to actual meanings allows a certain psychological ease, it undeniably fuses these shortcuts to improper or false definitions and creates a more generalized, less consistent vocabulary. This can cause great errors in communication and misconstrue the idea one tries to convey. For example, people enjoy seeing aspects of human beings in anything and everything they can find. Therefore they tend to find a way to label inanimate objects as “faces” when there is no actual face present. The face of a clock is a proper, technical term but people in general tend to find “faces” in anything with two dots and a line underneath, like eggs and bacon for breakfast when there is no actual face present. Now people will argue that anything resembling a face must be a face, even when there, in fact, is no face present but only its shape. Henceforth humanity has just expanded the definition of a “face” to anything vaguely resembling it. This phenomenon allows us a certain psychological ease because now there is no need to know the precise definition and we can be content relying only on our eyes, which often mislead in the way of function and composition. The truth is that we have eliminated the need to really know everything about the word we are describing by meshing the definition with the description. This need gives us a comfort that what we see is real when really it is quite complex and different.
Lastly, the elimination of necessary curiosity has allowed humanity to fodder its intense fear of the unknown, which is incompatible with new information streaming in nearly daily about the unfamiliar universe we call home. We, as Americans, are reaching a cultural fork in the road. We either have to become a society that thirsts for more knowledge and really picks up the pace in schools or a society that fears new findings and regards them as potentially dangerous. Either attitude is what we will pass on to the next generations of students, which is why this leery attitude towards the unfamiliar is potentially toxic to the future of humanity, specifically the United States, which has the most money in the world but also a political format that can swing either in favor of slowing scientific progress or speeding it up in terms of law. One can clearly see how a fear of the unknown could inhibit scientific progress. Science reminds us every day we live that our universe is large in time and space and we are very small as humans; we learn that we reside on a planet, whose processes we have very little control over. On one hand that scares us. On the other, it gives us even more reason to embrace science rather than push it away as some day it will be vital to our most basic instinct, which is to preserve our very existence as a species.
In conclusion, human beings tend to redefine the world around them through language for their own comfort. That process is potentially detrimental to scientific progress because it promotes fear of the unknown, which disarms us as a species in terms of survival. This gross misuse of language is also weakening our strongest adaptation: culture. We do not run quickly, have sharp eyesight or teeth, smell well, or change shapes and colors but we do have an amazing capacity for culture and language is the means by which all human interaction is sustained. When we voluntarily change a mirror so we like what we see, are we doing our species justice or setting it up for annihilation at its own hand?

Characteristics of Starfish

2009-06-27T13:08:00.000-07:00

Abby Drogosz

Starfish that is found in a class called Asteroidea are very unique creatures in the animal kingdom. This organism is found in bodies of salt water usually attached to different rocks. Many people have the misconception that these creatures are fish given the word fish is part of its name. However starfish are classified as an echinoderm, which is a marine animal that consists of a spiny-skin.
The starfish’s body is a very rare looking animal. The shape of the starfish’s body looks exactly like a star. They have five or more arms, which make up the shape of the star. On the under part of their bodies consists of their mouth and their tube like feet. The mouth is in the center and extending out from that is their tube like feet. The starfish’s feet are not like human feet they are in the grooves that run down the arms. They do use their feet for a lot of things many species use their feet for. These actions consist of walking, clinging, and grabbing food. A couple essential body parts that seem to be an important part to ones ability function that starfish lack is eyes and a brain. Sea Stars do posses eyespots, which consist of a bunch of cells that can help detect light. This can help sea stars detect when an enemy is coming into close contact with them, and also to navigate itself around to different areas.
Knowing how different species reproduce is an important element in understanding how this organism works. Starfish are able to reproduce both sexual and asexual. The fertizlation of the sperm and egg take place externally. Both the male and the female release their egg and sperm into the water in hope to fertilize the egg. The fertilized eggs turn into larvae which overtime will develop into different shapes and eventually reach the goal of becoming a starfish. During this whole process the “mother” starfish may or may not care for its young. It depends on how many eggs the mother releases. Some release hundreds, which is going to be hard to keep track off. Also there is the problem of the current taking the larvae different directions. You cannot distinguish what sex a starfish is from just looking at it.
Starfish are generally known for their unique structure and shape it holds. However, they are very unique animals in the way that they function with their distinctive body parts. Many people like to keep dead and dried out starfish as decoration.

Bibliography
"Starfish." Starfish. How Stuff Works. 12 June 2009 .

Characteristics of Ants

2009-06-27T13:00:00.000-07:00

Adam Mirkiani

Some species are so essential to our ecosystem and existence; we may not exist without their presence. The tasks which ants take on is essential to the well-being of many species of plants and animals, but taken for granted due to their considerably small size. For such a miniscule organism, ants are rather complex creatures. From their bodily function, to their social structure, there may be many reminders of human factors in the study of these creatures. Ants spread the growth of plants; they create passageways to the fertility of soil; they provide food for larger species; ants can protect plants from attack or destruction by herbivores. More than fascinating to many scientists has been the discovery of the vast number of species of ant within their family.

Ants make up much of the living animal mass on Earth; existing natively in every country with the exception of polar climates, and a handful of islands. Their population is most densely located in tropical climates, where they are able to reproduce exponentially faster as population increases until carrying capacity. A good example of their presence is in the Amazon Rainforest, where their cumulative weight is equal to roughly four times the weight of mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibious creatures combined in the surrounding habitat. In the past 250 years, some twelve thousand species have been discovered, with nearly twenty-five thousand suspected to be in existence. Each species is provided with its own very unique adaptation(s) to the environment in which it has subsisted over the ages.

The anatomy of an ant is, in its own way, unique compared to other creatures with bodily segments like it. The body of an ant is comprised of its head, thorax (mid-section), and abdomen (rear-section). However, since a part of the abdomen is actually a part of the thorax, the term alitrunk has been coined in place of the thorax, which is followed by a thin waist, leading to what is referred to as the gaster instead of abdomen. On the head, the ant posses mandibles which act as upper jaws with a serrated surface; maxillae, which act as lower jaws to chew and extract liquid, and also the functions of a tongue to retrieve liquids. The palpi are antennae-like in appearance, but are for tasting. To see, some ants have two large eyes, or three simple eyes. Some ants can process an image in through their brain, some only detect light, and other have no sense of sight whatsoever; however it may not be important underground where there is no reason for such ants to see. The antennae on the top of the head are the ants’ most important utility, allowing them to touch, feel around, taste, smell, and communicate.

More than fascinating is the social structure of an ant colony. Ants subsist only through the order of their colonies, and the functions carried out to support the reproduction of their species. It all starts with their reproductive king and queen ants. Males serve no purpose in the social structure but to reproduce, and worker ants are all sterile, female supporters of the colony. Every colony goes through three stages during their existence. The first of which is named the founding stage; this is when the virgin queen leaves the care of the mother to fly off and acquaint a few males for insemination. Shortly after which, the male dies, and the queen finds a place in the soil, a hospitable plant, or rotting wood to create her nest. She cares for the brood until they are grown adults. This brings the evolution of the colony to the second stage, the ergonomic stage; this is when the queen is allocated to only laying eggs, the workers provide and care for the young, and enlarge the nest. This period may last anywhere from a few months to a few years. After the ergonomic stage comes the reproductive stage. The new queens and males have been produced and must leave the nest to produce new colonies, and the cycle flows again. This process is unique to the formicidae family, to which ants belong, and is only shared among them and bees.

In a simple, annotated study of ants, one may learn that mammals are not the only creatures on this planet with forms of social structure; but many other species’ existence and recreation relies on this very concept. We see them along the Earth wherever we go; the Ant is one of the most vitally influential creatures on this planet.

Works Cited

Encyclopedia of Life. 2008. Encyclopedia of Life.
6/15/2009. www.eol.org

Microsoft Encarta. “Ant.” MSN Encarta. Copyright 2009. Microsoft. 6/15/2009. http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761556353/Ant.html

Global Ant Project. Copyright 2009. Harvard University, The Consortium of the Barcode of Life, Encyclopedia of Life. 6/15/2009. http://gap.entclub.org/index.html

Underwater Organisms: Coral Reefs

2009-06-27T12:58:00.000-07:00

Raquel Davis

Organisms exist not only on land, but under water as well. In addition to the billions of other organisms such as fish, whales, sharks, and other swimming organisms, there are also organisms that do not swim and explore the ocean waters, rather they are confined to one spot of the ocean floor their entire life- coral reef. Within the ecosystem, coral reefs are one of the most ancient types, dating back nearly 225 million years ago, having thousands of coral that exist worldwide (Odyssey Expeditions). Covering less than .2% of the ocean’s floor, coral reefs contain possibly 25% of all marine species.
Among these many species, coral are often recognized often by their intricate and colorful formations. Although there are many different corals that exist in the world, reef building coral are only found in certain types of waters; Saline, warm, and clear waters. Corals are very dependent on light, and light is directly related to the growth of coral. Light penetration affects the vertical growth of a reef, which is the reasoning to why many coral reefs cohabitate in shallow waters. The deeper the water, the less reefs are found. Most exist at depths of waters ranging in 60-70 meters (Coral Reef Biology). In addition, corals are found in poor nutrient water. However, like all organisms, corals have evolved and adapted to its environment in order to survive.
Although reefs are confined in one area, they have found ways to reproduce, eat, and interact all within the environmental and biological constraints. Corals have the ability to reproduce both sexually and asexually, varying by species.
Zooxanthellae are dinoflagellates that live in the endodermal tissue of stony corals. Almost all reef-building corals have them. These zooxanthellae control how coral receive energy, with the help of photosynthesis. Corals also rely on zooplankton prey as another source of energy. Corals capture about 50% of the ocean’s calcium each year (Odyssey Expeditions). This calcium that is consumed is changed into calcium carbonate rock.
Corals also have a way of interacting with one another. “Corals require free substratum for settlement and free space for growth” (Coral Reef Biology). There are two basic approaches for stony corals to contend for their space; indirect and direct interactions. Faster growing corals can compete indirectly by overtopping the slower growing corals. These faster growing corals have the advantage of receiving more sunlight. Slower growing coral however can use aggression to compete for growing space. This involves the use of extruded digestive filaments and sweeper tentacles, which results in the death of the neighboring coral. (Coral Reef Biology). However, as all organisms encounter, there are environmental disturbances that affect both fast and slow growing coral, resulting in increased specie diversity.
Coral reefs are fascinating plant like creatures that have over-time adapted and evolved to its environment. However, coral reefs are among the most endangered ecosystems on earth. In 93 of the 109 countries where coral reef can be found, they have been damaged. These coral reefs are an important part of our ecosystem and need help to be kept around. They make up a high percentage of the underworld species and provide for a number of the ocean’s other creatures ecosystem needs.

Works Cited
"Coral Reef Biology Educational Online Course." Odyssey Expeditions - Tropical Marine Biology Voyages! 15 June 2009 .
"Coral Reef Biology." NOAA's Coral Reef Information System. 13 June 2009 .

Giraffe – An Organism

2009-06-27T12:54:00.000-07:00

Micara Ludens

An organism is any sort of life form and one of the most spectacular life forms is the giraffe cameopardalis, more commonly known as the giraffe. The giraffe is the tallest land animal species on the earth and is identified by the unique pattern on their coat. Typically the giraffe is covered in irregular patches of brown with an off white or cream background. (Dagg) The giraffe is only one of the two species in the giraffidae family, with the current model of the giraffe appearing thirty to fifty million years ago. (International Wildlife) By exploring the biology behind this organism, the giraffe can be realized as one of the most magnificent organisms on our planet.
Currently, giraffes which are a muliticellular organism roam the savannas, grasslands, and safari’s of Africa. In addition, the giraffe is located and roams south of the Sahara in Africa. (The Big Zoo) In giraffes, both male and females reach sexual maturity at the same time at around three to four years of age. (The Big Zoo) Mating in the giraffe species occurs year round and the gestation period lasting for 15 months (Sea World) Males don’t start mating until seven years old while females usually become pregnant in their fourth year of life. (Nature Wildlife) Giraffes are an amazing organism that live their twenty year average life peacefully in Africa. (Nature Wildlife)
The giraffe is classified as a heterotrophy but more specifically a herbivore. With it’s long forty five centimeter black purplish tongue the giraffe feeds off the leaves from the acacia and combretum trees but also will graze on more than one hundred other trees. (Nature Wildlife) The giraffes stomach is designed to go through the process of rumination, which is a digestive process by chewing cud over and over which allows the cellulose from plants to be broken down to be used by energy for the giraffe. (Nature Wildlife) The tongue is also extremely tough because many of the trees the giraffes feed off of are full of thorns. (African Wildlife Foundation) The giraffe is an amazing herbivore with a well designed digestive system.
Evolution is a very important part of any organisms survival. It has been theorized that giraffes originally had a dark coat background with cream spots, which is opposite of today’s current giraffe coat. (Turner, Anton) Many scientists agree that giraffes uniquely long necks are a result of evolution and a way to feed off of tall trees that eliminate competition from other grazing herbivores in the African continent. (Savage, Long)
The giraffe as an organism is very unique as evidenced by the small species group it belongs too. Through the background information of the giraffe and how it survives in nature because of it’s adapting and evolution over time, the giraffe has made itself an amazing organism on earth and a favorite animal among many in the human species.
Works Cited
Dagg, A.I. (1971). Mammalian Species 5 pp. 1-8
“Giraffe” (http://www.awf.org/content/wildlife/detail/giraffe). African Wildlife Foundation. http://www.awf.org/content/wildlife/detail/giraffe. Retrieved 2009-06-12
"Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis)." Nature-Wildlife. 12 June 2009 .

"Reticulated Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis reticulata)." TheBIGzoo.com - Virtual Zoo, Zoo Store, Zoo News. 12 June 2009 .

Savage, R.J.G. & Long, M.R. (1986). Mammal Evolution: an illustrated guide. New York: Facts on File. pp. 228-229. ISBN 0-8160-1194-X

What are Komodo Dragons?

2009-06-27T12:52:00.000-07:00

Stephanie Gerecke

These are among the heaviest lizards in the world. They can grow up to 10 ft and weigh 200 pounds. Komodos have a very good sense of smell and can smell things up to 5 miles away. They also are very fast and excellent swimmers. Young dragons are multi colored with yellow, green, brown and gray mixed into their skin. As adults, Komodos can vary from a red to a dark gray or black. There are about 3-5,000 Komodo dragons in the wild and they mostly reside in the Lesser Sunda Islands of Rinca, Komodo, Flores and the islands of Gili, Montang and Padar.
They're 60 teeth have serrated edges and are poisoned to cut open their prey. The komodo's skull is very flexible, so large prey are not hard to digest. Even if the prey survives the attack of the Komodo, it will die of infection later due to the virulent bacteria in the Komodo's mouth.
The climate in which the Komodo lives is very harsh. It is a volcanic area, with little water and frequent monsoons. The average temperature is 80 degrees F. They are more commonly situated in the savanna and lower arid forests.
Komodo dragons tend to keep very much to themselves, and do not travel in packs. The one time they may be around another Komodo is during mating season. Komodo dragons are very territorial and “own” up to 1.2 miles of their own land, which may extend due to food shortages. Komodos dig burrows to live in, and maintain their body temperature this way.
The Komodo is carnivorous and has a very large appetite. They can kill animals as big as a small deer and can bring down much larger animals such as a water buffalo. Komodo dragons look for every oppourtunity to atack and will attack anything from other drgaons to an injured human. Other dragons make up ten percent of the Komodo's diet. Komodo dragons usually live between 20 and 40 years.
Breeding takes place when a male Komodo presses his nose against a female's body, and flicks her with his long, forked, tougue. This gives the male chemical information about her receptivity. After this, he scratches her back with his claws, making a ratchet-like noise. If the female does not like this or is not interested, she raises her neck and inflates it, while hissing loudly.When the female is pregnant and laying her eggs, she will make a nest out of brush. She can lay up to 30 eggs. Each baby Komodo are about 15 inches long and about 4 ounces heavy.

What is a The Tiger Lily?

2009-06-27T12:49:00.000-07:00

Nicole Davis

In 1753, the Lilium tigrinium, or “Tiger Lily,” was first described by the famous Swedish botanist Carl von Linne. Today, this easily identifiable plant can be found in gardens around the country and the world, drawing much admiration for its large, bright flowers and strong, sweet scent. The term “tiger” is probably a direct reference to the lily’s deep orange coloring and spots, which is why “Leopard Lily” is also a common name for the flower. Lilies of this variety have six stamens composed of filaments and anthers, one pistil, a long style, and a three-lobed stigma (Tiger Lily).
This flower, a member of the Lilaceae family, possesses some very unique qualities which make it not only a pretty, but a practical plant. For example, this lily holds medical value as a result of its powers to alleviate both physical and emotional ailments. A tincture made from the fresh plant has proved to be effective in relieving uterine-neuralgia, congestion, as well as nausea and vomiting caused by pregnancy. Additionally, the essence of the follower can help suppress aggressive tendencies in individuals and aid in holistic healing. Parts of this lily can also be eaten. Aside from edible roots and shoots, the Tiger Lily has edible flower buds. When baked, the lily bulbs have a taste similar to potatoes (Tiger Lily).
Unfortunately, however, the Tiger Lily often acts as a carrier of viral diseases that infect other species so it is suggested that this flower is grown away from other lilies. Aphids are the vector that carries the virus from one plant to another, so keeping aphid populations down is ways to keep your lilies safe. Also, these flowers are sometimes attacked by slugs or lily beetles, but by using biological controls these pests can be kept at bay. These flowers are wild growing in nature, and therefore easy to cultivate. They thrive in moist to wet soils and full sunlight. In cooler climates, the best time to plant such bulbs is early to mid autumn, but in warmer areas they can be planted into late autumn. Although the Tiger Lily is sterile and does not produce seeds, they can be propagated through the bulbils that grown in the axils of the leaves (Tiger Lily).
“Tiger Lily.” The Flower Expert. 15 June 2009 < http://www.theflowerexpert.com/ content/ aboutflowers/wildflowers/tiger-lily>.

Characteristics of Beetles

2009-06-27T12:46:00.000-07:00

Thomas Schuhriemen

The most diverse and largest order in the animal kingdom is the order Coleoptera, or beetle. Beetles consist of 350,000 known species and more are classified each year.1 The name Coleoptera comes from Greek meaning “sheathed wing”. Beetles have an evolutionary history that can be traced back to the Early Permian period.2 The complete lifespan of most beetles is one year and they undergo complete metamorphosis during this time. Living in nearly every environment in the world, the anatomy and variety of beetles is fascinating.
Beetles have exoskeletons and, being arthropods, have three main body sections, the head, thorax, and abdomen. Beetles have three pairs of legs and two pairs of wings which are connected to the thorax. Beetles have two different pairs of wings, a hard shield-like outer wing for protection and a membranous inner wing for flight. Beetles retract their wings to their back when they are not in flight, forming an armored shell. The other appendages of the beetle are attached to the head. These include antennae which are used for smelling and feeling and maxillary palps and mandibles for moving food to its mouth and eating. In addition, mandibles serve well for fighting off predators that a beetle may encounter. The last major piece of exterior anatomy on the beetle is its compound eyes.
Although all beetles have the same basic anatomy, beetles have evolved into drastically different species. Size, shape, color, behavior and habitat vary greatly among the species. One of the most fascinating subfamilies of beetles is the rhinoceros beetle. Rhinoceros beetles are the strongest creatures in the world relative to their size and are able to carry up to eight hundred and fifty times their body weight.3 While some beetles are very small and are barely visible to the human eye, like the feather-winged beetle, others like the titan beetle can be as large as a human hand.4 Another interesting beetle is the tiger beetle. Its compound eyes can occasionally cause it some problems. According to Cole Gilbert, Cornell professor of entomology, the tiger beetle is arguably the fastest living creature relative to its size, reaching speeds of five miles per hour. However while at these speeds the tiger beetle temporarily goes blind. “If the tiger beetles move too quickly, they don't gather enough photons (illumination into the beetle's eyes) to form an image of their prey (…) That is why they have to stop, look around and go. Although it is temporary, they go blind.”5 These are just a few of the incredible varieties of beetles.

1 Smithsonian Institute: http://www.si.edu/Encyclopedia_SI/nmnh/buginfo/beetle.htm

2 New World Encyclopedia: http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Permian

3 Extreme Science: http://www.extremescience.com/StrongestCreature.htm

4 Smithsonian Institute: http://www.si.edu/Encyclopedia_SI/nmnh/buginfo/beetle.htm

5 Cornell News: http://www.news.cornell.edu/releases/Jan98/TigerBeetle.bpf.html