HW: Complete the following questions by copying and pasting them into your blog and regplying to them. Be sure to include MLA citations. This is due on Friday and will be graded.

Reading: http://www.pbs.org/wnet/redgold/basics/index.html

1.) Of the approximately 5 liters of blood in your body, what are the blood components (Hint: There are 3 main components. Explain what the function of each of these components is.

Plasma- it is the main part of the blood. it is all the liquid that the red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets are in.

Red blood cells- they are about 40 percent of the blood volume. it is what helps transport oxygen through the blood stream.

White blood cells- there are 5 types of white blood cells but the common acivitity between them is that they all try to defend the body.
2.) Plasma contains what essential components?

it contains red and white blood cells as well as platelets.
3.) Explain three functions of blood.

It can carry heat through the body. it lets oxygen flow through the body. defending the body from infections (the white blood cells)
4.) Name and describe three blood diseases.

Anemia is a condition in which the number of red blood cells or the amount of hemoglobin (the protein that carries oxygen in them) is low.

Idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome is a disorder in which the number of eosinophils increases to more than 1,500 cells per microliter of blood for more than 6 months without an obvious cause.

Myelofibrosis is a disorder in which fibrous tissue replaces the blood-producing cells in the bone marrow, resulting in abnormally shaped red blood cells, anemia, and an enlarged spleen.

Frenkel, Eugene. “Componets of Blood.” Blood Disorders. 01 Aug 2006. MERCK. 29 Oct 2008 <http://www.merck.com/mmhe/sec14/ch169/ch169b.html>.

1. What was the most difficult aspect of the heart dissection initially? As the dissection progressed?

I think the hardest part was getting over the smell by the stuff the hearts were in. As it progressed the smell got a little better. The next hardest thing was the actual cutting of the heart. I accidently cut a few things I shouldn’t have and I cut on the wrong side one time.

2. How do you feel morally about doing dissections on animal material?

I think that it is alright as long as the animal wasn’t killed just for the purpose of us being able to cut their hearts and whatnot. If they died or were going to be killed for food then I think it would be alright.

3. What was the most difficult aspect of making the incisions as you did the heart dissection?

I didn’t think that it was very hard to do. A few times it was hard to cut because the wall of the heart was so thick.

4. As a surgeon, if you were working on a “live” heart, what difficulties do you believe would exist that are not present in this experiment?

One thing would be the pressure. Imagine that you’re working on someone and then if you mess up, they are dead. You have a life in your hand and if you mess up then someone won’t be going home to their family later.

5. What was the most interesting aspect of Dr. Murphy’s presentation to you? What did you learn from this presentation? How do you feel about harvesting pig valves for transplant into people with congestive heart failure unless they get a mitral valve transplant.

The most interesting was actually learning that people use valves from pigs to repair the broken ones. I found it interesting that doctors prefer using the pig valves instead of using fake ones. I think that as long as it works and the people don’t object, it is a good thing to do. I would rather have one from a pig then a metal one because then I would have less complications

6. Valve surgery is a common surgery in cardiovascular medicine. Rheumatic fever is a common cause of a mitral valve defect. Investigate this. What is rheumatic fever? What causes it? Why don’t people in the US get it very often anymore? You may use the Internet for research. Make sure you cite your sources in MLA citations. You can use David Warlick’s citation machine. You can list your MLA citations at the end of your blog entry.

Rheumatic fever is when someone has strep throat and they don’t get it treated. Its normally found in little kids. Most people don’t get it in the US because when we go to the doctor’s office people get prescribed antibiotics which take care of everything.

1.) What is your interest in medicine or health care?

Im interested in healthcare because it seems really interesting. I think that the way the human body reacts with certain things is amazing. I really want to learn a lot about it. I also am interest in the pharmacutiles because they make a good bit of money. I think it would be really neat if I could be some scientific engineer who made things for the body.

2.) Why are you taking this elective?

I am taking it because Physics II would be way to hard for me. I can barely understand any of that and I think that this class has a lot to offer. It seems very interesting.

3.) What prior experience due you have with biology/anatomy/physiology?

I took biology in 9^th grade, but that’s about as far as it goes.

4.) Do you have any relatives with heart disease or who have had heart attacks and if so, who are they, and what happened?

Nope..not a single one.