A Poison Called Arsenic




This is a picture showing what it looks like when you breath in arsenic.

 

This is a picture showing what a case of poison arsenic looks like.






I'am writing an article to meet standard two. In the article, " Health Information about Arsenic", it is about how arsenic was discovered in Maryland, and how it is usually found in a combination with other elements. Many arsenic compounds are colorless powders that do not evaporate. Arsenic has no smell, and does not have a taste. The inorganic forms of arsenic are usually more toxic than its organic complex compounds found in animal and plant tissues. Arsenic is used for many things, such as controling insects and bacteria. People are exposed to this poison in many different ways such as breathing in dust particles that were contaminated with arsenic, and drinking groundwater that contains arsenic. Arsenic can't be destroyed because it is a basic element. It moves around in the environment, and changes forms. It usually moves with water, but sometimes it can stay in the soil for a very long time without traveling with the water through the soil. When arsenic enters your body it is carried in the bloodstream to parts of the body. Your liver converts the absorbed arsenic to a less hazardous form, and then your kidneys remove it in the urine. Then, the majority of the arsenic is gone after the exposure. Sometimes, your body can develop a burden of arsenic, if a large amount of arsenic is absorbed. High results of arsenic can result in death, and low levels of arsenic can result in vomitting and nausea. It can cause a pattern of skin changes.

Children are exposed to arsenic by playing in dirt, and putting their hands in their mouth. Children who have had a long-term exposure to arsenic has shown a result in lower IQ scores. They also are exposed to getting arsenic by playing on equipment made up of arsenic-treated lumber. Some ways to prevent the risks of being exposed to arsenic is to keep children away from playing in contaminated dirt, wash toys and pacifiers that children put in their mouths, avoid using arsenic-treated lumber around the home, was vegtetable and fruits in the garden to remove soil particles,  and prevent your pets from tracking in contaminated soil into your home. Tests of your fingernails, and hair can measure the exposure to arsenic over the past 6-12 months. Then, the tests can prove whether or not you have been exposed to high levels of arsenic. 90% of all arsenic produced is used as a preservative for wood so that it doesn't rot or decay. U.S. manufactures of wood preservatives have phased out the use of CCA in wood products, such as in picnic tables and boardwalks. I have a good understanding about arsenic and what it is. This article provided a lot of information about arsenic, and many helpful ways in order to prevent people and their families from being exposed to this poison.
  
          http://www.mde.state.md.us/programs/Marylander/PublicHealthHome/Documents/www.mde.state.md.us/assets/document/Factsheets/Arsenic_Health_Info.pdf

                                                                                

The Condition Phenylketonuria (PKU)

This is a diagram showing what the genes of an unaffected father and mother carrier are, and the possibilities of their child  having PKU.

    Phenylketonuria was introduced in 1934 by a Norwegian doctor named Asbjorn Folling. He found a substance in the urine of both a mother's handicapped children, and identified the substance as phenylketone, which gave him the name phenylketonuria. This rare condition builds up of a natural substance called phenylalanine that's in your body. It is a building block of proteins. Newborns are tested for PKU when they are born. Phenylalanine is found in the protein part of the different foods we eat, and it is a treatable condition. The development and the normal growth of the baby's brain was affected. Sometimes, children may become severely mentally abnormal. The purpose of the treatment is to stop the build up of phenylalanine, by using a special kind of diet. The treatment for PKU has been available since the 1950's. Doctors and many health professional are still learning about this condition. The normal diet is made up of sugars, proteins, and fats. The protein food can't be used properly in children who have PKU.

Phenylalanine is one of the amino acids, which explains why it can't be used properly. Whenever you eat meat, it begins by digesting in the stomach. It breaks down the links joining the amino acids together. Phenylalanine is used for growth. The extra amino acids are changed into other substances called enzymes which are special chemicals. Usually the excess phenylalanine is changed into another amino acid called tyrosine, by an enzyme called phenylalanine hydroxylase. Tyrosine makes a lot of important substances such as chemical messengers and hormones for the brain.

 In children who have phenylketonuria the enzyme phenylalanine hydroxylase is not present or it is working very poorly. The body is not capable of changing phenylalanine into tyrosine. This is what causes results in high concentrations of phenylalanine in the blood. So, in order to treat PKU you must lower the amount of phenylalanine in your diet so your body has just enough for tissue repair and growth. There have been products developed that have little or none phenylalanine. If your baby has PKU then you will have to send samples of your baby's blood to the hospital laboratory to check that the phenylalanine level is being kept at a normal limit. So, you have to eat food that has low protein, such as fruit juice and fruits. Around the age of 10-14 years old the diet can be discontinued safely.

Adults who have this condition usually have nervous system disorders such as poor coordination of the hand. Parents who have a baby with PKU had a normal gene and one faulty gene for the enzyme phenylalanine hydroxylase. 1 person in 50 people have one abnormal gene for PKU, and is a carrier of it. Parents who have more than one kid, it doesn't mean that all of their children will have this condition because each child inherits one gene from each parent. They can either inherit a PKU gene or a normal gene from each parent. The chances of your child with phenylketonuria having a partner who is a carrier of the PKU gene is about 1 in every 50 people. The risk of them having a child with PKU is around 1 in 100. Babies born to a mother with PKU with high phenylalanine levels may have a chance of being physically and mentally damaged in the womb, and the effects are permanent. A good developed diet control must be started before having a planned pregnancy. If an unplanned pregnancy occurs, then you must seek for advice. I have a good understanding about this condition PKU and how it is identified in babies, and how you treat it.

Different Parts of a Cell on Prezi

Blog Revision of Diffusion and Osmosis Lab Quiz

The concentrations of the glucose inside and outside of the dialysis bag after 1 hour would be that the glucose would leave the bag due to the process of diffusion. Its the movement of solutes from areas of the high concentration to the low concentration. So, the concentrations of glucose inside and outside of the bag  will eventually become equal. The side of the diagram that would tend to move inside the bag would be the water because the concentration is greater because of the presence of glucose and starch. The starch stays inside of the bag because its a bigger molecule. Osmosis will then happen as the water moves into the bag until the concentration is the same on both sides of the membrane. This describes the lab that we did because the evidence that we collected in our group showed that the bag was clear because the water diffused into the bag. Also, the starch stayed in the bag because there was purple stuff at the bottom. The glucose test strips showed evidence supporting why the glucose left the bag.

The Devastating Disease called Cystic Fibrosis (CF)



This is a picture represting organs that are affected by cystic fibrosis.







Cystic fibrosis is a life time threatening genetic disease that causes mucus to build up in your lungs, and clog organs in your body. By having mucus clog your lungs it causes you to have problems breathing well. Bacteria then occurs and it leads to horrible infections. People inherit this disease from their parents through genes. Genes are found in the nucleus of all the body's cells, and it controls cell function by serving the role for the production of proteins.

 In order to have cystic fibrosis, the person must inherit two copies of the defective CF gene, which is one copy from each parent. There are 30,000 people in the United States who have this disease. One in every 31 Americans are carriers of the defective CF gene, but they actually don't have the disease. Some of the symptoms of cystic fibrosis is if you have salt-tasting skin, if you have a lot of lung infections, the consistency of coughing a lot, and shortness of breath. The majority of people are diagnosed at birth through a process called newborn screening. If the doctor sees symptoms of cystic fibrosis then they will order a sweat test to confirm the diagnosis. A sweat test is a very common method that is used in which a small electrode is placed usually on your arm to stimulate the sweat glands. If the level of chloride is high then that means the person has cystic fibrosis.

The healthy CF gene makes a protein which is Cystic Fibrosis conductance Transmembrane Regulator which controls the movement of electrically charged particles in and out of the cells. People who have cystic fibrosis, this protein is defective and the salt balanced is disturbed. Since there is a small amount of salt and water on the outside of the cells, the layer of mucus becomes very thick. There is no cure for cystic fibrosis, but medical care, and drug treatments can lenghten the lives of people with this severe disease. Most of the people living with CF take multi-vitamins, and take pancreatic enzyme supplement capsules with every meal. There is not a life expectancy, because different factors affect a person's health. Mucus-Thinners and Anti- inflammatories are some medicines that treat lung infections. 

Lining cells have channels on their outside surface. There are two channels and one of the channels allow sodium ions to flow into the cell and the other channel controls the path of chloride ions out of the cell into the mucus on to the airway surface. Water is drawn out through the gaps between the cells, which keeps the mucus moist. The vital chloride channel is blocked in people with cystic fibrosis . There is no movement that occurs of chloride ions into the mucus. The chloride channel is made up of a protein called CF transmembrane regulator. Its main function is to maintain the flow of chloride ions from the cell. Nothin is confusing to me about the role of CF. I have a good concept of what cystic fibrosis is, and how the channels function by having this disease.

Cell Membrane Structure!!!

This is a picture of a cell membrane. 
  

In class, we have been studying about the structure of the cell membrane. The cell membrane is a fluid mosaic of lipids, proteins, and carbohydrates. Lipids are hydrophobic, in which the molecules consists of long 18-22 carbon. The backbones consists of a small amount of oxygen containing groups. Fats, steroids, and phospholipids are very important to the functioning of membranes in cells. Fats are categorized into two different classes of molecules, which are saturated and unsaturated. Saturated fatty acids don't have carbon-carbon double bonds. Unsaturated fatty acids have one to four double bonds between adjacent carbon atoms.

Phospholipids contain two fatty acid tails, which are hydrophobic that is attached to a glycerol head. Phospholipids are hydrophobic and hydrophilic because the tails repel water and the heads attract water. They serve as a very important function in the cells of all organisms. They form the phospholipids membranes which surrounds the cell and intracellular structures. Steroids are types of lipids that are based on a molecule with four carbon rings. It includes a lot of hormones of animals and cholesterol. In order for the cell to grow, the cell membrane must be a dynamic structure and respond to environmental changes. The correct ratio of saturated to unsaturated fatty acids keeps the membrane fluid at any temperature. 


Proteins are a different group of molecules that are composed of amino acids. They are classified into two categories, integral proteins and peripheral proteins. Integral proteins are transmembrane proteins, with hydrophobic regions that cover the surface of the membrane. They transmit signals in and out of the cell. Peripheral proteins stick to only one side of the membrane, which are usually attached to integral proteins. Proteins are much larger than lipids, and they move more slowly. Carbohydrate groups are attached to lipids, glycolipids, or proteins, or glycoproteins. These short oligosaccharides are chains f sugar molecules.The lipid bilayer is the main fabric of the membrane, and its structure creates a semi-permeable membrane. The functions in the membrane are determined by proteins. I have a good understanding of how the cell membrane functions, but I'am still confused on what certain things plays a certain role in the cell membrane.