UGG for the Holidays

The article "UGG boots: 'Shearling' agony for feet?" talks about how UGG boots provide no support for both your feet and ankles. UGGs, when worn with bare feet, can cause many different types of foot fungus. I was not surprised when I learned this information, I had previously that this was an issue with the product last year. I had always seen people walking around with either side of the boots bulging out and knew that it could not be good, what-so-ever, to their feet.The information discussed in this article did not influence my decision to wear UGGs. I have been wearing UGGs for about four or five years now and I have not had a problem, there for I will continue to wear them. If i had to help educate the public about the health concerns of this product I would have more articles/studies to prove this information. I would try to have a segment on the news as well, because most people watch the news.

Arthritis

The article, Top 10 Things That Don't Cause Arthritis, discusses the many myths and misinformations about arthritis. There are many misconceptions made about the disease, along with misconceptions about things that cause the disease. Arhtritis is a very generic term, there are hundreds of types of arthritis. For example, the most common are osteoarthritis and  rheumatoid arthritis. The article clears up some believed causes of the disease such as, "cracking your knuckles will cause arthritis." False, it will not cause arthritis. Other things are poor posture, overuse of a joint, and bad diets are not causes of arthritis although many believe they are. The article was very informative. Before I read it, I thought arthritis could definitely be caused by using your joints too much, cracking knuckles, and poor posture. After reading, I now know that almost all of the so-called causes of arthritis really are not causes at all. People just assume things, when in fact, research has shown that it is not true. I suggest this article be read by many people, it would really clear up a lot of misconceptions.

Tainted Seafood

The article "Tainted Seafood" talks about the fish that are being imported into the U.S. from countries such as China. The fish are being grown in dirty sewage water and are having chemicals pumped into them before they are sold. I absolutely think the FDA could be doing more in order to help make our seafood safe. The FDA should require that BOTH resturaunts and grocery stores list what country the seafood was purchased from and that testing has been done on a percentage of the batch that resturaunt/store has recieved. They should not be allowed to sell any seafood that is at risk of having those chemicals or actually does. The FDA could do a few things to improve measures with out increasing costs such as produce fish to be eaten here in the U.S. and stop buying them from overseas. They could also research more where the fish are being bought from. If sea food keeps being grown the way it is now, soon we will not be able to eat it without getting sick.

Chain Smoking Toddler

When I watched the video, all I could think of was all the problems the world has. The world is slowly becoming more, and more corrupt. Toddlers smoking? It makes me think, what's next? Toddlers as young as two years old smoking is a tragedy. These kids are harming themselves at such a young age, it's unrealistic. Obviously the enviorment these children are in is unsafe and there is no followed laws. The government needs to take more control over what is happening. The environment is currently very harmful. I recconmend that in or to change this behavior many legal action are neccessary to be put down. There should be a minimal age that you can buy ciggarettes and that law should be enforced at all times. There is laws like this in the U.S. and you do not see toddlers smoking in the streets so obviously it is working. I also think parents should be more aware what there children are doing and make sure they are no smoking. I honestly don't believe that this will become a problem in this country. At the rate this world is going possibly in the next century however I can't really see it happening in the U.S. We and children in the United States have many restrictions and our society is completely different. In indonesia, toddlers smoking seems to be a way of life. In the U.S. that would be an absolute outrage.

Bullying

Bullying is a terribly mean thing to do to someone. I have been bullied before when I was in grade school. It made me feel absolutely awful. This was during the time when I had glasses. This one boy used to call me four-eyes, and being as little as I was, I would get so upset that I would cry. I felt very ugly and different from all of the other kids in my class that did not have glasses. I have never really bullied anyone before. I had be bullied myself before and the feeling was very upsetting therefore I do not wish anyone else to have to feel that way.  If I had bullied others I probably would of felt superior when I was bullying them but then after absolutely terrible. It is just plain mean and wrong to bully someone. It puts them in a bad place. I think that I can help prevent bullying from my environment by stopping people who are trying to bully someone and stick up for them. Bullying should be prevented by as many people as possible. If bullying is not at least somewhat prevented bad things can happen; as we see so many suicides today.

Healthy School Lunches

When I eat lunch at school, I find myself most drawn to hot food such as tater tots, nachos, and pasta. A usual chips or cold bagel does not usually sound appetizing when I am choosing what to eat during lunch. If these items were not being served or were not in plain sight then I pretty much think I would be eating healthier. It would force me to eat healthier because I wouldn't want to eat chips or anything, I would probally end up going for a sandwhich or a fruit salad. No, I do not think teenage student eating habits can change with changes in the school lunch offerings. Obviously their habits of eating at school would change, but as soon as those teens got home to their regular food they would continue to eating that. At home, kids are usually given what they like or want food wise, therefor changing school lunches would not change student eating habbits at home.

Marchione, M. (2010). Hide the dessert! Feds use psychology in school lunch line. Retrieved October 26, 2010 from MSNBC, Kids and Parenting: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/​id/​39636493/​ns/​health-kids_and_parenting/.

Prophlactic Mastectomy

If I could take a test to determine if I carried the gene for cancer, I would take the test, regardless if there was a cure or not. I would take the test because there are many ways you can prevent cancer. For instance, if I knew early on that I had the gene for cancer I would take precautions in order to reduce my chances of the disease actually taking over. I would not go tanning, I would not smoke or consume alcoholic beverages. Another reason why I would want to know is because if you catch the cancer earlier enough doctors have a better chance of containing the disease in that one area and eventually get rid of it.  Rather then not knowing that you have the gene/disease and finding out when it is too late to take action. However, if I had the gene I would not have a prophlactic mastectomy. Even though I would want to prevent the disease as much as possible I would not want to have a painful surgery and loose a major part of my body, especially at such a young age. I would rather know my fate and put up with it. If that is the what is supposed to happen to me, then that is what will happen.

Williams, B. (Narrator). Peshkin, B. (Writer). (2010). Prophylactic Mastectomy [Motion picture].

Chapter 3 Outline

Chapter 3: Cells & Tissues: Part I: Cells: The Living Units

1)    Cells (See Fig. 3.4)

a)    Definition – carry out all chemical activities needed to sustain life, cells are the building blocks of all living things

b)   Cytology – study of cells

c)    Tissues – when we group cells together that are similar in structure and function

d)   Cell structure – cells are not all the same, all cells share general structures, all cells have three main regions: nucleus, cytoplasm, and plasma membrane

i)     Plasma membrane – barrier for cell contents

ii)    Cytoplasm – is the material outside the nucleus and inside the plasma membrane

iii)  Cytosol – fluid that suspends other elements

iv)   Organelles – metabolic machinery of the cell, “little organs” that perform functions for the cell

v)    Inclusions – chemical substances such as stored nutrients or cell products

vi)   Nucleus – control center of the cell, contains genetic material. Three regions: nucleolus, nuclear envelope (membrane), and nucleoli

vii) Nucleolus – the dot within the nucleus, chromatin

viii)        Nuclear envelope – barrier of the nucleus, consists of a double membrane, contains nuclear press that allows for exchange of material with the rest of the cell

ix)  Nucleoli – site of the ribosomes, they migrate into the cytoplasm through nuclear pores

x)   Chromatin – composed of DNA and protein, present when the cell is not dividing, scattered throughout the nucleus

2)   Cell (plasma) membrane

a)    General characteristics

i)     Selective permeability

(1)  The plasma membrane allows some materials to pass while excluding others

(2) This permeability influences movement both into and out of the cell

ii)     Living cells maintain chemical gradient

b)   Structure – The Fluid Mosaic Model (See Fig. 3.2)

i)     Phospholipid bilayer

(1)  Hydrophilic polar head ( = water loving)

(2) Hydrophobic nonpolar tails (= water fearing)

ii)    Glycolipids and cholesterol

iii)  Proteins

(1)  Integral

(2) Peripheral

iv)   Microvilli  - finger-like projections that increase the surface area for absorption

c)    Membranes junctions

i)     Tight junctions – impermeable junctions, bring cells together into leakproof sheets

ii)    Desmosomes (See Fig. 3.3) – anchoring junctions that prevent cells from being pulled apart

iii)  Gap junctions – allow communication between cells

3)   The cytoplasm

a)    Basic characteristics

b)   Cytoplasmic organelles

i)     Mitochondria (powerhouse of the cell) – change shape continuously, carry out reactions where oxygen is used to break down food, carry out reactions where oxygen is used to breakdown food, provides ATP for cellular energy

(1)  Outer membrane

(2) Inner membrane = cristae

(3) Matrix

ii)    Ribosomes – made of protein and RNA, sites of protein synthesis, found at two locations: free in cytoplasm, as part of the rough endoplasmic reticulum

(1)  Free ribosomes

(2) Bound ribosomes

iii)  Endoplasmic reticulum – ER (endo=within; plasmic=cytoplasm; reticulum= network) (See Fig. 3.18)

(1)  Rough ER – RER (Granular)

(2) Smooth ER – SER (Agranular)

iv)   Golgi apparatus

v)    Lysosomes

vi)   Peroxisomes

vii) Cytoskeletal elements

(1)  Microtubules

(2) Microfilaments

(3) Intermediate filaments

viii)        Centrosome and centrioles

ix)  Cellular extensions

(1)  Cilia

(2) Flagella

4)   The nucleus

a)    Basic characteristics

b)   Nuclear envelope

i)     Nuclear pore

ii)    Nucleoplasm

c)    Nucleoli

d)   Chromatin (“beads on a string”)

i)     Nucleosome (beads)

(1)  Histones

(2) Double – stranded DNA

e)    Membrane Transport – movement of substances into and out of the cell

i)     Two basic methods of transport:

(1)  Passive transport (See Fig. 3.10) – no energy is required

(a)  Simple diffusion (See Fig. 3.9)

(i)   Particles tend to distribute themselves evenly within a solution

(ii)  Movement is from high concentration to low concentration, or “down a concentration gradient”

(iii) An unassisted process

(iv)  Solutes are lipid-soluble materials or small enough to pass through membrane pores

(b) Facilitated diffusion – substances require a protein carrier for passive transport

(i)   Transport lipid-insoluble and large substances

(c)   Osmosis (See Figs. 3.8 & 3.9) – simple diffusion of water through a membrane

(i)   Highly polar water molecules easily cross the plasma membrane through aquaporins

(ii)  Hypertonic solution (hyper = greater than, above)

1.     Higher concentration of solutes and a lower concentration of water

(iii)Hypotonic solution (hypo = less than, under)

1.     Lower concentration of solutes and higher concentration of water

(iv) Isotonic solution (iso = same)

(d) Solutions and Transport

(i)   Solution – homogeneous mixture of two or more components:

(ii)  Solvent – dissolving medium; typically water in the body

(iii) Solute – components in smaller quantities within a solution

(iv)  Intracellular fluid – inside the cell

(v)  Interstitial fluid – fluid on the exterior of the cell

(e)  Filtration

(2) Active transport – cell must provide metabolic energy (ATP)

(a)  Substances are transported that are unable to pass by diffusion

(b) Substances may be too large

(c)  Substances may not be able to dissolve in the fat core of the membrane

(d) Substances may have to move against a concentration gradient

(e)  ATP is used for transport

(f)  Na⁺/ K⁺ pump (See Fig. 3.11)

(g)  Vesicular transport (See Fig. 3.5)

(i)   Exocytosis (Exo = out of; cyt = cell; osis = process)

(ii)  Endocytosis (Endo = into; cyt = cell; osis = process)

1.     Phagocytosis

2.    Pinocytosis

ii)    Resting membrane potential

5)   Cell diversity – cells that:

a)    Cells that connect body parts (connective tissue)

b)   Cells that cover and line body organs (skin)

c)    Cells that move organs and body parts (muscle and skeletal tissue)

d)   Cells that store nutrients (fat)

e)    Cells that fight disease (immune system)

f)    Cells that gather information and control body functions (nerve cells)

g)    Cells of reproduction (sperm cells and egg cells)

6)   Cell growth and reproduction

a)    The cell cycle

i)     Interphase

(1)  G₁ = growth phase

(2) S = Synthetic phase

(a)  DNA replication = semiconservative replication (See Fig. 3.14)

(i)   Unwinding of double helix

(ii)  Formation of replication fork

(iii)DNA polymerase

1.     leading strand

2.    lagging strand

(iv) Formation of 2 double helices

(3) G₂ = final phase of interphase

ii)    Cell division (See Fig. 3.15)

(1)  Mitosis = Nuclear division

The phases of Mitosis:

(a)  Prophase

(i)   Early prophase

(ii)  Late prophase

(b) Metaphase

(c)  Anaphase

(d) Telophase

(2) Cytokinesis = Cytoplasmic division

b)   Protein synthesis (See Figs. 3.16)

i)     Basic terms

(1)  Gene

(2) Genetic code

(3) Transcription

(4) Translation

ii)    The role of RNA

(1)  tRNA

(2) rRNA

(3) mRNA

iii)  Transcription

(1)  Definition

(2) Steps

(a)  mRNA formation

(b) Editing of mRNA

iv)   Translation

Part II: Body Tissues: The Living Fabric

1)    Introduction

a)    Definition

i)     Tissue

ii)    Histology

b)   Types

i)     Epithelium

ii)    Connective tissue

iii)  Muscle

iv)   Nervous tissue

2)   Epithelial tissue

a)    Characteristics

i)     Cellularity

ii)    Special contacts

iii)  Polarity

iv)   Avascular

v)    Regenerative

vi)   Supported by connective tissue

b)   Classification of epithelia (See Fig. 3.17)

i)     Cellular shape

(1)  Squamous

(2) Cuboidal

(3) Columnar

ii)    Cellular arrangement (layers)

(1)  Simple

(2) Stratified

c)    Simple Epithelia (See Fig. 3.18)

i)     Simple squamous epithelium

ii)    Simple cuboidal epithelium

iii)  Simple columnar epithelium

iv)   Pseudostratified columnar epithelium

d)   Stratified Epithelia (See Fig. 3.18)

i)     Stratified squamous epithelium

ii)    Transitional epithelium

e)    Glandular Epithelium

i)     Endocrine glands

ii)    Exocrine glands

3)   Connective tissue  (See Fig. 3.19)

a)    Characteristics

i)     Common tissue of origin = mesenchyme

ii)    Vascularity

iii)  Nonliving Extracellular Matrix ECM

b)   Structural elements of connective tissue

i)     Ground substance

ii)    Fibers

(1)  Collagen fibers

(2) Elastic fibers

(3) Reticular fibers

iii)  Cells

(1)  Fibroblasts

(2) Chondroblasts

(3) Osteoblasts

(4) Hematopoeitic stem cell

c)    Types

i)     Mesenchyme

ii)    Connective tissue proper

(1)  Areolar connective tissue

(2) Adipose connective tissue

(3) Reticular connective tissue

(4) Dense regular connective tissue

iii)  Cartilage

(1)  Characteristics

(2) Types

(a)  Hyaline cartilage

(b) Elastic cartilage

(c)  Fibrocartilage

iv)   Bone = Osseous tissue

v)    Blood (See Fig. 4.9 k)

4)   Nervous tissue (See Fig. 3.21)

a)    Characteristics

b)   Types of cells

i)     Neurons

ii)    Supporting cells

5)   Muscle tissue (See Fig. 3.20)

a)    Characteristics

b)   Types

i)     Skeletal muscle

ii)    Cardiac muscle

iii)  Smooth muscle