Write Away Friday: For the LAST time!!!!!!

So I have recently figured out what I want to do this summer, Senior year, after senior year, and in college. I am pretty excited now that I have a reason to take the ACT, SAT and go to school everyday. Bahahaha. I mean I had a reason before but without a plan it seemed meaningless.  So far my plan is: 

• In the summer I will go to Girls Camp with my church. I will be a YCL (youth camp leader) and I will be in-charge of  team building activities, and doing beads. Also it is themed MISSION POSSIBLE!!! as a youth we have camp names and my name is Agent Foxy Mama (pssst. it is still a secret so don't go spreading rumors!!!!) But anyways I will be singing what does the fox say and it will be great!!!! Then I will work on quilts for the Linus Project and I need to finished the quilt I started for my brother years ago. Awhile after that I will have the opportunity, hopefully, to attend a Latin Dance class everyday. I am so so so looking forward to that. I don't know about this next plan but I will also be attending R.Y.L.A if they accept me. In it I will learn a bit about leadership! I hear it is kinda like the camp in the parent trap. My next activity will be a youth trek again in my church. In my church I am a member of the youth council, which means I am going to help plan it too!! Well that is pretty much the plan for summer.
• Next year in school I am mostly excited that I will be doing Excel. I want to be out of school so badly. I am kinda done with High school but give me a summer and that might change. 
• After high school I plan on  getting a job so that I can pay for a Mormon mission. 
• Then comes College and my future. I want to attend BYU. At BYU I hope to major in Physical Therapy and minor in Ballroom dance. I want to be on the BYU dance sport team. I may maintain a job after college but i may not. The most important thing to me is that I am smart enough and capable enough to be a mom. That is what I ultimately want to do. I hope that I can prepare well enough. Something that change me when thinking about what I want to do is something my sister said. She told me that a lot of time woman who plan on being moms say that they need to go to school in case something happens with their husbands. But this should not be the intent. College should be something that you want to do to be smart and be able to be a good mother and caretaker. I thought that was great advice.

Ultimately I  don't know what will happen but this sounds like a good plan to me. Also to talk a little about what I have done recently and learned recently. I took the S.A.T this morning. I think  I did well but I am not so sure. What I am most excited about sharing is the Frankenstein essay we are doing in Mrs. Hansens. I feel like I have done this whole essay really well. I am excited about learning how to write. I have always wanted to be eloquent in speech and for once I think it might happen!!! Hahaha probably not but I am so happy to be learning a lot. The more I learn, the more I feel prepared for the future. Oh and the last thing I wanted to talk about before I close is the thing about the cardiovascular system that shocked me. I had no idea that the sound of your heart comes from the valves closing. There are so many things we know about that we never understand or care to ask. It is just crazy!!! 

Fetal Blood

Fetal blood comes from the embryo.  At about 27 days the baby starts to create blood from their Hematopoetic blood cells. The blood type in the fetus is determined by the childs' genes. For example, a parent with Heterozygous type A blood mixed with another Heterozygous type B blood can have any kind of blood type. That combination can mean that there is a 25% chance of AB blood, 25% chance of A blood, 25% chance of B blood, and 25% chance of O blood. Whether or not the blood type is positive or negative is also genetic. In this case positive blood is the dominant type of blood and negative is recessive. A problem may arise with an Rh-negative mom having a Rh-positive baby. If a small amount of the baby’s blood mixes with mom's blood, their body may respond as if it were allergic to the baby and make antibodies that can cross the placenta. The mom's antibodies will  attack the baby’s blood. They break down the fetus’s red blood cells. This condition can become severe enough to cause serious illness, brain damage, or even death in the fetus or newborn. Normally, the mother's blood doesn't mix with the babies because of the placenta. However, It is common for the blood to mix in delivery though. This has little to no affect on that particular child but the antibodies will have been created by the mom. Rh antibodies are harmless until the mother's second or later pregnancies. If she is ever carrying another Rh-positive child, her Rh antibodies will recognize the Rh proteins on the surface of the baby's blood cells as foreign, and pass into the baby's bloodstream and attack those cells.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15906238
http://www.quia.com/jg/2502993list.html
http://americanpregnancy.org/pregnancycomplications/rhfactor-2.html
http://umm.edu/health/medical/pregnancy/specialcare-pregnancies/blood-group-rh-incompatibility

Write Away Friday: Lie Detectors

1. What tasks have you completed recently?  
Recently I have finished the book Frankenstein. Also I have finished another packet in Spanish Class.  Recently I have also started riding my bike again. I have done that really well and often. On Tuesday's though I go to my dance class. I have learned to do East Coast Swing. Every week we learn something new and I am loving it!!!!

2. What have you learned recently? 
 So last Friday I had a substitute in Spanish Class. He was an old F.B.I agent. He taught us a little bit about lie detecting. That is where the pictures come in. Automatically a person will look right when they make are making up something creatively. Conversely, when they look left they are recalling facts. Lastly, when they look down, it usually has to do with love. In every culture, people look to their heart when recalling the emotion love. I find this knowledge incredibly interesting. It is not a perfect science, however because distractions can change where you look and there can be other factors. That is why it is easier to pick up on these small hints in an interrogation room. But overall I find that it is cool that we all do this.   


3. What are you planning on doing next?
This week I plan on working really hard to finish my application for mayor's top teens. Also I have to work on my essay over Frankenstein. A few other things that I have to do include taking notes, reading my book, and other things to prepare for my classes. This week is a little short but I really cant think of anything else to add. 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6c/Woman_in_white_top_looking_down_22March2009.jpg
http://www.viewzone2.com/liar.middle.jpg

Write Away Friday: Happy New Years...Wait... WHAT?!?!

1. What tasks have you completed recently?  
You know how the beginning of the year is always the time to set new goals. Well this year I didn't really set any goals, and if I did, I don't remember them, so that tells you how sincere they were. Anyways this week I decided that I was going to spend more time on the things that matter.  I decided I was going to stop being on Facebook and Candy Crush as often. I decided that I was going to spend time doing things that are important. So here is what I have decided to do and what I have done so far. I decided I was going to make more time for reading the Book of Mormon. I have read it/ pondered about it for at least 20 minutes everyday this week. I also decided that I was going to think about my prayers and not just say simple repetition. I have done that a little bit and I have started to realized that I am talking to someone. He hears me. The next thing I am going to do is exercise. I didn't set up a goal for how many days but I am trying to fit it in where I can. This week I rode around my block Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I went 5-7 miles for about half an hour. The next thing I was going to do is get more sleep. I consistently go to bed around 10 or 11 and my goal is still 9:30 but I always have homework. Along with these goals concerning my health I have decided to eat healthier.  I have chosen better foods and have resisted fatty foods. Which empowers me:) But I still eat ice cream once in awhile.  I also want to be a better friend and feel better about myself and who I am. I am still working on that. The last thing I decided was to get good grades and endure to the end of this year. Frankly I am ready for high school to be over!!! Anyways I have set up a lot of goals and I will see them through. 

2. What have you learned recently? 
Recently I learned new vocabulary words for English. i also learned how babies are born along with how that effects the mother (which now terrifies me!!!). I have learn about the Cold War.  I have enhanced my knowledge of nutrition. And I have learned that sometime your best is all you can do. But there is always tomorrow. 

3. What are you planning on doing next?
Well a lot of  what I put under the first question apply to this one too, but I am planning on working on a lot of homework and studying this weekend. I need to get ready for the A.C.T. It is going to be a long weekend:(

Pregnancy, Labor & Delivery

Anatomical Changes:

• The uterus enlarges as the baby does. As the pregnancy continues it starts to push into the abdominal cavity. The abdominal organs start to push on the diaphragm, which also causes the ribs to flare and the thorax to widen. 
• The changes in the abdomen causes the woman's center of gravity to change and has a negative effect on the back. Often leads to the development of  Lordosis.
• During the last few months of pregnancy the placenta produces a hormone relaxin that prepares the body for delivery. It starts to relax and widen the pubic bones and makes them more flexible. 
• The last change is the intake of better foods as well as a slight amount more because the growing fetus needs building materials and so the mother takes them in to provide that.

Physiological Changes:

• Gastrointestinal System: The elevated levels of progesterone and estrogen causes many woman to have morning sickness (nausea) until their body adjusts. Heartburn is another problem due to the displacement of the esophagus and overcrowding of the stomach which favors reflux of stomach acid into the esophagus. Constipation occurs too because motility of the digestive track declines.
• Urinary System: The body has to now dispose of fetal metabolic waste so more is produced during pregnancy. Also the uterus puts pressure on the bladder which causes the urge to urinate more frequently and urgently.
•  Respiratory System:The nasal mucosa becomes swollen and congested because of estrogen. Therefore pregnant woman are more likely and do experience nasal stuffiness and nosebleeds. The respiratory rate increases but the volume compacity of the lungs decreases making it difficult to breath.
• Cardiovascular System: The total body water rises and blood volume increases by 25-40%. Blood pressure increases to help propel the greater quantity of blood throughout the body. However the pressure that comes from the uterus pushes on pelvic blood vessels and may result in varicose veins.

A premature baby on the left and a normal baby on the right. 

Premature Babies:

They don't know exactly why some babies are born premature but according to the Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research you are more at risk to have premature baby (born before 37 weeks of pregnancy) if the following thing apply to you, including :

• Having a previous premature birth
• Pregnancy with twins, triplets or other multiples
• An interval of less than six months between pregnancies
• Conceiving through in vitro fertilization
• Problems with the uterus, cervix or placenta
• Smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol or using illicit drugs
• Poor nutrition
• Some infections, particularly of the amniotic fluid and lower genital tract
• Some chronic conditions, such as high blood pressure and diabetes
• Being underweight or overweight before pregnancy
• Stressful life events, such as the death of a loved one or domestic violence
• Multiple miscarriages or abortions
• Physical injury or trauma
• Unusual shape of the uterus

Although some of these are out of the mother's control it is important to monitor eating habits and stress. Also avoid injuries and drugs. Doing some of these things will help to decrease the risk.  In the United States about 1 out of 8 pregnancies end prematurely. 

Sources:

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/premature-birth/basics/risk-factors/con-20020050

http://www.suehallmd.com/aboutprematurebabies.html

http://doctorstevenpark.com/what-all-pregnant-women-must-know

http://serviceartist.net/music-a-boon-to-premature-babies-health/

http://healthmeup.com/photogallery-healthy-living/newborn-care-weird-but-normal-things-about-your-baby/17777

http://www.csh.org.tw/dr.tcj/Educartion/teaching/PregChange1/index.htm

Write Away Friday: Is it Wisdom?

1. What tasks have you completed recently? 
Recently I have gotten all four of my wisdom teeth out. That's also kinda why this blog is so late. I was being rather selfish. I thought " I need to have a lot of fun while I am feeling up to it and I can worry about school stuff later cause I don't want to waste the two days I have before I can't eat or do what I want." So on Friday I learned how to do a dance they fiddle to at a contra dance. On Saturday I did a lot with my family and then I went to a baptism. And on Sunday I went to a church activity in Roswell called  a fireside where I heard Alex Boye speak. He is a famous LDS singer. He talked about his life and it was really inspiring what he has learned from it. I will post a youtube video he is in at the bottom. Monday I got my Wisdom Teeth out. I pretty much just watched a Korean Drama for the past three days including today. It was 20 hour long episodes. I finally feel good enough to start doing stuff. I mostly just laid around, slept , and ate mushy things for the past few days. It was nice if my jaw didn't hurt it would have been better though. For school stuff I have almost finished the coloring packets and I have a few things to do. But I think this is the first time I just forgot everything and took a few personal days since summer vacation and  let me tell you it feels good. We all need to take a few days to unwind sometimes. It's not good for our heath otherwise. Its too stressful.
2. What have you learned recently? 
Recently I learned from my dentist that laughing gas is Nitrous Oxide which is N2O. Also I discovered through experience that the lower jaw has a different set up of nerves because when they put the anesthetic in it started to feel numb everywhere even in my tongue, chin, and lips when they the top was a lot different and didn't effect so much. It mostly just effected that one area they got. Which I think is why the top hurt a lot more than the bottom. And also I had forgotten how swelling works. (And let me tell you it does). But I was sitting there going why can't I really open my mouth and my brother reminded me about how swelling works and then I remembered and now it makes sense. All I need to do now is remember to swish with mouth wash and salt water to make sure it doesn't get infected. Also I have been thinking a lot about a question that I see people ask a lot that I sorta went through but not to a big extreme. Often times when bad things happen to them people doubt what they know and ask, "If god is real why is this happening to me?" Well I like to think that god is like a parent to us. That's why I call him Heavenly Father. Anyways this is very similar to getting my wisdom teeth out. I knew sorta why they had to come out. Obviously it was because I didn't have room but while I was going through it I was really scared and I couldn't understand but I knew at the same time. I know my parents love me but I didn't quite believe they really had to come out or that they''d make me go through this. But sometimes in our lives bad things happen and they hurt and they require healing but sometimes it has to happen to avoid problems in the future that we can't exactly foresee that He can. And I am sure when I came out of the dentists office crying my mom probably thought for just a moment " why do I have to see my daughter suffer?" But that pain I went through had to come. It was unavoidable. But It was considerably lessened from what it would have been. And that isn't always the case but most times we don't see how painful things can actually be blessings that it wasn't worse. I don't know if this makes sense but I feel stronger and I am in a way grateful that I had this experience. I probably sound crazy but I feel stronger and maybe even a bit braver for what I am able to endure or sacrifice for better things in my life.
3. What are you planning on doing next?
Next I am going to finish coloring, drawing notes, doing the glog, and signing up for things to prepare for my future. I am ready to get back to normal. Or maybe I will rest some more. We will have to see:)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAJYk1jOhzk

STRESS STRESS STRESS STRESS STRESS STRESS STRESS STRESS STRESS STRESS STRESS STRESS STRESS STRESS

Stress!!!! I am probably wrong when I say this, but I feel like there is no one more acquainted with it than I. Personally I have found myself crying uncontrollably at  the littlest things because my emotions were so sensitive due to stress. I have had nights where I couldn't sleep because I was stressed. One night at three in the morning I was in my family room crying and watching a movie, drinking herbal tea, and just trying to let my mind relax so I could go to sleep and not be tired all day at school. Just this past week during the play I found myself unable to eat because I was nervous and stressed for the performance. I felt nauseous and I thought I was going to throw up on stage. My fight with stress comes and goes but I have felt that if bad enough can even cause me to get sick. As a whole stress is not a bad thing. Short-term stress is normal and once the threat is gone the body returns to normal conditions. However in today's society I think that stress is not a good excuse to not getting things done. We as a society are so concerned with deadlines and understanding things to a certain standard that we do stupid things to our health to get our homework done or just accomplish certain things. I am stressed out all the time but if I were to tell my teachers that I didn't do it because I needed to go to bed on time so I could be less stressed or I was late to school because I didn't want to fall asleep behind the wheel because at night I just can't relax  they would laugh at me because it is only when something bad happens that it becomes an o.k. excuse. So that leads me to the story of my life: Long term stress. The article about stress at the bottom says "For those constantly dealing with excessive and chronic stress, the body’s fight-or-flight response is constantly on. In turn, the resulting stress hormones released are chronically high." Cortisol  helps the body handle stress. In long term stress this lingers to help return the body to normal but it also increases appetite. However in our society the things that cause us stress don't usually burn calories so this response can cause us to gain weight. The article continues, "Another physiological reason that was found recently for why stress leads to obesity is a molecule that the body releases when stressed called NPY (neuropeptide Y). NPY appears to unlock certain receptors in fat cells, causing them to grow in both size and number." Long term stress can cause weight gain which can cause stress and continue. Long Term stress is a vicious cycle that can start the effects can lead to more stress. Long Term stress is unhealthy to normal body functions because it leaves the body in a state of fight or flight for a long time and can set normal functions out of wack. When I took the Stress inventory I had a total of 490 points. I could only cope to a total of 35 points. This is unhealthy. My body feels like I just go and go and it doesn't have time to relax or recope. This week ( I am not starting out to a good start) I will try to get more sleep. I will try to also go to my dance class again since the play is done. I think if I can manage to do that my stress will go down. For now I feel like I am piled under a mountain of stress and lists of things to do. But I haven't cried and hyperventilated like I did first semester so I think I have learned to cope a little bit more this year.  The video on this page was interesting and I really liked it. It looked so relaxing to me. I am now looking eager to try out relaxing. I also thought I would go to yoga this week too because I have missed the last two!!! So that's all for now and I hope you enjoy!!!

http://www.lowdensitylifestyle.com/health-and-wellness/stress/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_HXUhShhmY

So some time has passed and so I thought I would update you about my goals to go to my dance class and to get more sleep. I can tell you that I don't feel so stressed and I have somewhat accomplished both. I have gone to my dance class every week since this post, but I haven't reached my goal for sleeping more the way I wanted to.  I wanted to go to sleep at 9:30 and I don't think I have ever done that once, but when I wrote this I was going to bed at 12 or 1 in the morning. I have been able to go to sleep at 10 or 11 so that is a ton better and with spring break I have been able to sleep in and rest. It is definitely helping and I feel a lot happier and peaceful.

Literacy Glog: The Poisoner's Handbook Update

Well I am not doing so well with reading this book. I will definitely have to pick up the pace!!!!!! But so far I like the book, however it is so sad to hear the motives people have for killing others. This one guy killed his employer for money using chloroform. Sadly he couldn't even be convicted because the discussion the medical professionals had over the cause of death was too uncertain that it couldn't be presented in court. I find it strange also that the medical field was using it as a drug when it is actually a poison. And it was also interesting how the compound showed up on people sometimes as red marks around their mouth. I am eager to get into the book. I just have to find the time!!!!


http://www.denverpost.com/sports/ci_14710168

Write Away Friday: Beauty and the Beast

1. What tasks have you completed recently?  

This past weekend my life  was totally and 100% consumed with Beauty and the Beast. It was the funnest thing ever and now I really miss it. I was Mrs. Potts. There were 5 performances. Somehow I was able to fit in time to finish an essay and my wiki by Friday. However I never even got to homework this weekend at all. There was literally  no time to do it. I had the earliest call time because I took the longest for makeup, hair and costume. I had to be there anywhere between 2 and 3 hours before each two hour play. It was so stressful but I did it and now it is over;) and :(.  Those faces are me being both so joyful and also very sad.  Also I almost forgot. This week a few people from the cast got to go on the  radio. I actually got to sing Beauty and the Beast as a solo on Magic 105. Now I can say I sung on the radio!!!

2. What have you learned recently? 


Recently I learned  about the eyewhile making the video for the wiki. I learned a lot about how the eye works based on just thier form and function. It is now way easier to understand blind spots, what the retina looks like, and also how the glands work. It was funny because everyday I woke up with a little bit ofmake-up in my medial canthuses from the play even though I cleaned my face real good and I had to think " Thanks Lacrimal Gland for cleaning that out!" Anatomy Problems am I right?!?!








3. What are you planning on doing  next?

Well I am now very far behind because of how much time the play took this past week and the week before that everyday. I really need to get caught up in all my classes but really my Ap U.S history class because I have so much to do and so many questions to answer before the end of the nine weeks!!!!! Oh man I will be busy. 

Write Away Friday: Friendship

1. What tasks have you completed recently?  
 Well in the musical Beauty and the Beast, I am Mrs.Potts :) The days are few until the performance so this week  I have mastered the first act. The second act is a little rough but next week it will be mastered. I know my song and that is what counts. JK:) lol. Don't let anyone in the play read this blog though(Know what i mean). Anyways... Also this week and last week I worked really hard to get ready for the test. I did my glog and an extra credit glog. I did the blogs and an extra credit blog. I also did most of the extra credit lab and finished the lab. And I studied and I drew pictures like none other. On top of that I worked diligently on  the most ridiculously long coloring packet of my life. This week was so stressful. I am also in the process of writing my first essay of the year for Mrs. Hansen. I also attended a family history activity and I was able to learn a little more about my dad. He even let me wear the jacket he wore from West Point. Everyone says I look like him. hahaha. I kinda see it. Today I went to Yoga Club. We didn't do Yoga though because the instructor is out of town. Instead Mrs. Phillips did a relaxation class. I had a hard time relaxing my mind because I was thinking about being aware and how that part of the brain needed to just turn off. But then I became unaware and fell asleep. At the end Mrs. Phillips was counting down 5-4-3-2-1 and then was like okay its over and what not. Well I was half awake while she was counting and I could have sworn that it was Friday morning and I was in my bed getting ready to be woken up!!! So then I thought " why is mom counting down? That is so wierd!!" But when she got to the end I woke up and I realized that I was in Mrs. Phillips room at lunch. It was the strangest thing.

2. What have you learned recently? 
Recently I learned the foxtrot. I don't really like the foxtrot because it is more of a romantic dance and it is awkward to dance it with older men that go to the dance class at NMSU. But I mean, the guys there are always really nice but I just like to learn the dance. Well this subject got a little awkward for me... So we will continue. I learned a bit about friendship this week. Friends are so important. It is so important to be aware of their needs, but it is important to tell your friends what is going on with you. Explanations can help everyone understand where you are coming from. But it is also important to let them tell you when they are ready. Friendship helps to make another person feel like someone cares. We can not be expected to carry all the hardships we face. We need to bare one another's burdens because we are all strong at different things and at different times. I also learned how to make a really good pizza. Friends are also for someone to eat pizza or ice cream with lol. Sometimes I wish that maybe I had more friends or that I was better with people. But that is the worst attitude to have. It is important to realize what you have, life is fleeting. I think Charles Dickens said " life is full of meetings and partings, that is the way of it." I thought about the party my sister had when she was a junior. It seemed to my 8th grade self that she had so many friends and people that were close with her. Now that I am in high school I understand that friendships just grow so strong. That is why taking the time now is important. It helps you to grow and I feel like I am rambling but I am just so grateful for my friends.  That sounds like some cat poster. (If you have seen the Lego Movie that quote will make sense.) hahaha I am a jokester:) 

3. What are you planning on doing next?
Tomorrow I am going to the Priest and Laurels Conference. It is basically an activity for the older aged teens like 16-18 to get to know each other and enjoy living the gospel together. We usually do a service project or learn a skill and then have a dance. I am so excited. I am also going to start a few projects like that BIG one in Anat. and Phys. Tomorrow is also the day they are trying out the make up for Mrs. Potts on me. I am nervous but I am also excited. Well I need to get some unawareness time AKA sleep and I am probably sharing a lot more than I need to but that is okay.  
  

Restoring Connections with a Prosthetic Hand

               The nervous System and the brain is the " most incredible machine" because it is a complicated system of pathways that somehow makes a person unique and who they are. Not only is it responsible for making sure all the processes in your body continue, it is also what lets you interact with the world. It allows you to move and respond to your environment. Not only that, it allows you to understand your environment and internalize what happens all around you. It what helps us to live but live the person that we want to be by letting us decide things for ourselves. It is also incredible because it can transport messages from head to toe and in between, yet it takes little time to do so. Another thing that I have thought about since Gardner's class freshmen year is that one of the assumptions in science is that all observations are based on human senses. The sensory input we have is our only ability to access outside ourselves. That means that the definition we have of life can ONLY be based on our knowledge and experiences with the outside world. The characteristics of the Central Nervous System are so amazing because they are truly our only gateway to the outside world. 

                   In the TED Talk video Todd Kuiken was able to connect the prosthetic arm machine to the Pectoral muscle that could then connect to the brain via nerves with "computer signals" through the arm. Using the old pathways that were lost with amputation people were able to relearn how to move in different ways and faster then they could before. The work he did allowed them to feel pressure, but also to move more human like and naturally.  It  was easier to control and therefore they were more successful and took less time to do simple things like move block from one box to another. He has found a way to "tap" into the nervous system in certain ways to give feeling to people that don't have an arm. It is so amazing that as I was watching the video I was almost jealous because I wanted to try and see how it felt to use this new technology. This technology is so cool because lessens the gap between electronics and humans.

http://www.dekaresearch.com/deka_arm.shtml
http://www.zeitnews.org/life-sciences/biotechnology/blueprint-restoring-touch-prosthetic-hand

How does the brain work?

Everyone knows how the heart works, it pumps blood. But how much do you know about the brain? The brain can probably be most compared to a computer. It is responsible for sending signals that tells things what to do. All computers have a code that is responsible for telling things what to do and how to do it. That is like the brain. The code in your brain is split into sections or "folder" (in computer language) that are responsible for different functions. The brain has parts that do certain things. Some part tell you to breath. Some part are conscience thought or conscience movement. But what ever it does is from the signals that it sends about whatever has been stimulated. The brain works from this continual exchange of information that is shared through an action Potential. Explaining how the brain works is actually really difficult. It is a system of signals.

 http://www.dana.org/News/Details.aspx?id=43515

Blog Comments

Anytime I post a question or comment on a blog I will post the URL Here. In this way you will be able to explore what others perceive about similar topics and be apart of the conversation. This will be updated as we go:)

Literacy Glog: Book, what book?  :

http://florezjackie05.wordpress.com/2014/02/13/book-what-book/comment-page-1/#comment-1
http://rosebethany.wordpress.com/2014/02/13/squiddles/comment-page-1/#comment-2
http://accrouch617.wordpress.com/2014/02/13/typhoid-marry-captive-to-the-publics-health/comment-page-1/#comment-1

The Nervous System

http://joshuamorales96.wordpress.com/2014/02/14/the-nervous-system-2-13/comment-page-1/#comment-1

The Poisoner's Handbook

For Anatomy and Physiology I am reading a book called The Poisoner's Handbook. This is an unusual choice for me because I don't really have an interest in poisons and I don't know anything about them except for the obvious, they kill you!!! The only experience I have is of Iocain Powder from The Princess Bride. The reason I decided to pick it up was actually due to my sister Hannah. The night before we picked our books, I went to the airport to pick my sister up. She has a fascination and interest in studying serial killers.  On the hour drive home she actually told us a story, from a book she recently read, about a  woman who suspected a man in her apartment building of killing a string of woman. It took the police officers 10 years to start to take her remarks seriously and consider the evidence that she had told them about. I was really interested in her story and I thought it might be interesting to see how evidence in the human body is found. I also thought it would be nice to know what bodily clues are left behind from the poisons themselves. After I picked the book, I went home and told my sister about it. She said she would like to read it too! So in a way I picked it to learn about a poisons effect on the body, but also as a way to get closer to my sister by learning things that she is also interested in.  

http://whyfiles.org/2011/the-poisoners-handbook/

http://whtj.org/articles/american-experience-poisoners-handbook-2014-01-02

Write Away Friday: Twinses

1. What tasks have you completed recently?  
This week I had the opportunity to dissect a sheep brain and I loved it. I thought it was so cool. I only wish I had more time to actually look at it more. I really wanted to see the swirl from the hippocampus and I really liked the whole hands on approach. This isn't so much a task but I actually came to school on Friday in my green Misty Boyce T-shirt. When I walked into Anatomy class I saw that Ms. Gardner was also wearing her green Misty Boyce T-shirt. It was awesome cause we were twinses! Oh! and  I almost forgot, today I had the opportunity to go to the temple in Albuquerque. I will just say it was a great experience and I was so happy to be there:) 

2. What have you learned recently? 
In my Spanish class I learned how to make a smoothie using a recipe in Spanish. It had bananas, yogurt, orange juice, strawberries, and pineapple in it. I had a good time learning to do that. Also I learned this week in English class about Shostakovitch. I think my favorite thing about him was how he didn't let people push him down. When Stalin asked him to write a piece about how he is a great leader of Russia, instead of writing something powerful he wrote something cartoonist. Also I enjoyed how after Stalin death he wrote a piece using D, E flat, C, B. In German notation the notes are D, S, C, H, Demitri Shostakovich, as if to say "I am still here, when you (Stalin) are not!" I really enjoyed that class.  


3. What are you planning on doing next?
Next I am going to sleep, take a lot of notes, and work on my note taking skills. I have noticed that I need to change a few things up to do better in Anat. and Phys... To be honest, I am scared for the test because I know I am not getting it right now. I need to put a little more time into it. Also I need to be better visually with the drawings. Well that's it for now. Peace:)

HHMI Leech Lab

What was the point of the lab?
In the lab I was able to see a little bit about how the nerves on the ganglia respond to different objects such as a probe, feather and forceps. The feather was used for a gentle touch. Then the probe was for the feel of a blunt metal rod. And last the forceps gave two points of contact. The cell type that "responded" to no stimulus was R. The cell type T, R, and P responded to the Probe. The Feather also got a response to T and R but not P. Lastly, the forceps received a response from T, R, and N.  When I drew all five cell types they looked different. They were able to show what was stimulated and all seemed to occur in different places. So because I was able to visually dissect a leech to see it's response to stimuli it lead to the visualization of a neurons  form and structure. And also the Identification of the cell types.   

How is this applicable to people?
Leeches have simple nervous systems and Humans have complex nervous systems. That being said, information discovered on the simple system will correspond to the complex system. The tests on leeches can be followed by understanding the brain of a human. Using the leeches we can locate a single portion of the nervous system to see what happens, or what is stimulated by the stimulus. And also help to know what stimulus's work best. I am a little unsure of what they would use this information for. But it does help to see what the stimulated neuron looks like.  

http://tiffanysanatomyblog.wordpress.com/2013/01/14/intro-to-neurophysiology-and-leech-lab/

http://anatomykk.blogspot.com/2012/01/leech-neurophysiology-lab-write-up.html

Extra Credit Blog: Remote Controlled Roach

The controlled Roach video is so amazing because it is literally learning how to control the body using another persons brain/ movement(remote control). But could this ever do thoughts as well? In a human that might be scary because people could literally become someone totally different based on the thoughts another person stuck in their head. You could make the Roach do something but can you make it like doing it? Or can this potentially change who a person is? I think that having agency is one of the best things a person can have. Could technology ever hinder a persons ability to choose? If so, I believe, that would be very unethical. A statement I heard on the video from class talks about how in the future it may be difficult to see where we end and technology begins. In an experiment there were people who actually were able to use a persons thought to control another persons movement to win a video game. I think this technology and understanding of the brain has the potential to expand our limits and capability. But will freedom be the cost, Can a person be independent and controlled by another person? Also what damage could occur from doing things we can't naturally do on our own? Like is there a reason that there are limits that our brain gives? Science and research so far can't tell us the answers yet, but this science needs to proceed with caution because there are fine lines between doing something because we can or doing something because we should.

 

 http://virtualgardnerblogs.weebly.com/anatomy--physiology.html

http://www.washington.edu/news/2013/08/27/researcher-controls-colleagues-motions-in-1st-human-brain-to-brain-interface/

http://content.animalnewyork.com/wp-content/uploads/RoboRoach_small.jpg

Write Away Friday: Hi

1. What tasks have you completed recently?
This week I went to El Paso to pick up my sister Hannah. I also worked on a summary project about Great Expectations in English III. I went through and memorized most of my lines for Beauty and the Beast. And Lastly, I took a muscle test in Anatomy and Physiology.

2. What have you learned recently?
Recently I have learned that I can't always trust the rules that authority figures give me because the smallest details can change the action that was originally promised. Some (but not all) examples include the change in P.E credit. They are still discussing this, but the school board might take away the credit I earned in Marching Band. Even though they could easily just grandfather it in, they are choosing to distress those that got their P.E. credit another way.  Also I discovered a lot about the year classes that change the rules from where they were originally, without warning. One example of this is that missing 5 days of an all year credit gives you a No Credit mark on your report card. To get the credit you have to fill out an appeal packet which would be fine, except for the fact no one was aware of this rule. Because of these changes, and many others I have not added, I know that the littlest things can make a big difference. It would be nice if forewarning was given, then maybe the individual would have the knowledge to chose their course more carefully.

3. What do you plan on doing next?
Next I plan on working a lot on vocabulary for Spanish and English. Tambien (Also) I plan on doing the Test corrections because sadly I am good at forgetting information I need. Lastly I plan on getting some rest. But like the Idiot I am I have signed myself up for many responsibilities and the last might not happen.

http://www.kidshelpphone.ca/Teens/InfoBooth/School/Test-taking-tips.aspx

System Update: Muscle Anatomy & Physiology

 

The human body is very interesting. In muscles you could spend a least 5 or ten minutes just explaining what something is and what it is made up of. At least that it how a muscle is. A muscle is broken up into compartments. The whole muscle is surround by the Epimysium. Inside, there are sections of muscles surrounded by the Perimysium. Inside that, are the single muscle fibers. In between the fibers there is the Endomysium. All of which help the muscle to form bundles, making it stronger. But why are these bundles able to contract and ultimately get shorter in length? This is because each fiber is made out of individual strands called myofibrils. The myofibrils are striped. They have a Dark area called the A band and a light area called the I band. In the whole thing there are thick and thin filaments.

A section holding both from z disc to z disc is called a sarcomere. The main thing that causes movement is the sarcomere. The thick filament contain ATP which is needed for contraction and the thin filament is made of material that helps keep the myosin heads binding to only the active site. The form is so important because it makes sure that the body is able to move and then reset to move again and so forth so there isn't something happening out of place.    

 

There are multiple steps that happen in nanoseconds to create movement in the muscle. The motor neuron generates an action potential. It then releases Acetylcholine (ACh) which crosses the synapse and binds to it receptors on the sarcolemma. Temporarily the sarcolemma becomes more permeable so that Sodium can rush into the cell and Potassium can rush out. This change in electrical current  causes the action potential to travel to the T-Tubule. Next Calcium leaves the Sarcoplasmic Reticulum and goes into the cytoplasm. The Calcium ends up binding to troponin, which then changes shape. The Shape change causes the Tropomyosin to move off of the binding sites on the actin. This draw in the myosin heads to bind to the actin. And the muscle contracts due to the sliding filament theory which has the myosin heads pull the actin together. This process is fast but as it goes, it requires energy. It requires ATP in the Sodium Potassium pump, the cocking myosin heads and when the muscle resets and the crossbridge detaches. So therefore there has to be a way to get energy to go through this process. There are multiple ways get energy. One process is called glycolysis. This process occurs in the cytoplasm and doesn't require oxygen. It breaks down glucose into pyruvic acid. There is also the Krebs cycle that is a process that goes from ATP or adenosine triphosphate to ADP or  adenosine diphosphate. This cycle and electron transport chain can produce 36 ATP but it is slow and require oxygen. What is most important about all these processes is that in all of them there it is a cycle. That means that the body will never change how it gets energy and wont run out of material to do so because it recycles the material.

http://wps.aw.com/wps/media/tmp/labeling/2807554_dyn.jpg

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMS5AbU1kNCXzzdYiwR7xoPigfc_McZ_dUuhz93VXqKW2gALyOubges_uhZfMyRnMtzSTLJvEUJU9nBvlzNtNu4qz4hFxOIjQ_GOJ7zwwGcy4jX7kwPDHSvreOn_m4TqJmHQOm2__sWVs/s320/Image286.gif

 

Write Away Friday: Be your own kind of Beautiful

1. What tasks have you completed recently? 
Recently I have read the book Great Expectations by Charles Dickens for Honors English III. Also I am proud of the fact that as weeks come and go I have remained constant in writing my sister Kelli on her mission in Cabo Verde. She has been there since July and I have missed but few weeks. And I don't know about the rest of you but I am ecstatic to be done with the first semester. It was so stressful but I am proud of what I have done. Mostly I am just glad it is over!!

2. What have you learned recently?
I have learned a lot about myself in relation to others. I find myself often in extremes. I either think I am the worst thing to ever live, or the best thing that ever lived. I have a problem realizing who I am at times. I have kind of taken on a saying this past year. Your worth is not determined by your grades. It isn't determined by how fast you are, or anything of that nature. YOUR WORTH COMES FROM BEING YOU!!! I think the BEST thing to do with this is to STOP COMPARING yourself to others. You know your best and your worst, when you may only see their best.  

3. What are you planning on doing next?
Next I plan on getting ready for the Anatomy and Physiology muscle test. One major thing I need to do is work on my Glogs and Blogs. The last thing I need to do in multiple classes is just read. There are so many classes requiring you to do that outside of class its not even funny.

http://www.filmofilia.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/great-expectations.jpg
http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/30/b9/56/30b95631ed79dd70c32692c1d3fe724e.jpg