Egil.

Fact or fiction?

When I first read this article I questioned if it was even real haha. But really, this story is mind blowing. MIND BLOWING. The picture above shows the priest about to crack Egil's skull in half to examine the exact thickness. Little did he know that the 150 year old skull would withstand the blow. How is this even possible? Egil the viking suffered from Paget's disease. This is a chronic disorder that results in englarged and misshaped bones. To be simple, the remodeling of bone is disturbed, not synchronized. Excessive bone growth causes bone pain, deformity  fracture, and arthitis... poor Egil :( Ultimately, the excessive bone growth is due to the osteoblasts in the bones creating an uncontrolled amount of osetocytes due to lack of osteoclasts. The cause of Paget's disease is unknown, but have recently discovered that the seqeustrome on chromosome 5 may be associated and that virus may be necessary to trigger this disease. Another fun fact: Paget's disease is common in approximately only 1% of the American population! This is my guess as to why there is little research and information on this chronic disorder. BUT for more information, click here ---> http://www.medicinenet.com/pagets_disease/article.htm

Portrait by Quentin Matsys of a duchess suffering from Pagets... 

Poor lady :(

citations

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paget's_disease_of_bone

http://www.flickr.com/photos/valkyr/4662811955/

Skeletal.

Two systems... Similar functions.

Both the skeletal system and integumentary system share the function of protection. The skeletal system, for example, includes the thoracic cage which protects internal organs, the skull which protects the brain, and also the pelvic girdle which protects the pelvis. So what about the skin you ask? WELL one of the integumentay system's main function is actually protection. The skin is the physical, chemical and water barrier. It protects the inside of the body from physical damage (cuts) and it's also hydrophobic (waterproof) to prevent loss or gain of hydration. The skin also protects the body from damage chemically, for example melanin prevents UV light from penetrating deep tissue! The skin is seriously amazing, obviously. These two systems are physiologically related by their functions and not to mention the skin (along with the muscle and nervous systems) actually protects the skeletal system itself! ---> I have a feeling this is just one example of how ALL the systems that allow our body to function are physiologically related. Which is fascinating to me because if you think about it, we are so perfectly designed? Creation or biological evolution...? 

 

Fun facts about the skin? Click below :)

http://youtu.be/YXC9QwAQBS0

Citations

http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-photo-1402875-water-drops-on-the-skin.php

http://www.rodandcustommagazine.com/featuredvehicles/0909rc_1932_ford_tudor_classic/photo_03.html

Choices.

To be honest, the book about using cocaine to cure disease was my first choice just because I was curious as to how that would be possible. Sadly it wasn't available at the time :( SOO I chose The Demon in the Freezer (bum bum buuuum). The main reason I chose this novel is because I was previously required to read The Hot Zone in my honors bio class with Mrs. Rewalt. Coincidentally, these books are written by the same author, Richard Preston. I actually kind of enjoyed The Hot Zone because it was very descriptive and gory (gross). Also, both books are based on a true story, which intrigued me. So, being the risk taker I am, chose a book that would probably be similar to a book I had actually enjoyed reading.

Interested in reading? Click the links below :)

http://www.amazon.com/The-Hot-Zone-Terrifying-Story/dp/0385479565

http://www.amazon.com/Demon-Freezer-True-Story/dp/0345466632

 

(what my book is about....) ^^^ 

citations

http://www.betterworldbooks.com/the-hot-zone-id-074356538X.aspx

http://www.amazon.com/Demon-Freezer-True-Story/dp/0345466632

http://urmablog.blogspot.com/2008_12_01_archive.html

Skin.

The functions of the skin (physiology) include protection (chemical/mechanical barrier and water barrier), excretion, sensation, vitamin D synthesis, and thermoregulation. Okay, so I'm going focus mainly on thermoregulation in the sense of maintaining and regulating homeostasis. Changes in glandular secretions, accessory organs, vasodilation, vasoconstriction all work to produce or dissipate heat to maintain a constant temperature of 37 degrees Celsius. How you ask? WELL more specifically, the skin can can use eccrine glands to produce sweat to cool down the body, and also vasodilation (dilation of blood vessels for permeability for evaporation) when the body overheats, hence the red tone of our skin when we are hot or exercising. The skin is so amazing that it can also insulate heat! Whaaat? The arrector pilli muscle works to pull the outer layer of skin closer to the dermis and hypodermis to insulate body heat, causing what we know as goosebumps (not the book). Vasoconstriction also helps to maintain body heat. The blood vessels within the dermis contract, decreasing blood flow therefore ->decreasing movement  which->decreases the amount of heat being given off. The integumentary system, as I just now explained, can be used as one example of the systems in our body that have specific functions that work together to maintain a dynamic state of equilibrium
.

citations

http://appalachiantrail.com/content/attractions/other-stuff/the-sweat-crew/

http://typophile.com/node/96914

Tissue.

I want to start off by saying that this video was really pretty cool (that was my first thought.). This actually increased my interest for bio engingeering and possibly choosing this as my major..? This BLEW MY MIND. But besides the point. The TED video by Flo Omenetto discussed and explained a discovery of a silk, film type material. This new material is composed simply of water and proteins. This material seems simple, but can be formed into a material of many forms and purposes with the help of bio engineering. This relates to the human body tissue because much like this new silk material, specific tissues are formed to fit certain functions. Depending on the engineering of the silk, it can be made specifically to fit anything from vein muscles to bones; just like cells in tissue directly relate to its function. Alright. My last thought: Like..where will science and technology be when I'm old? How many other discoveries will blow my mind?

Another educational TEDtalks video about DNA :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_b80fHmuWw&feature=share&list=PL2E1F56682B39C20E

citations

http://knowyourmeme.com/photos/288643-mind-blown

http://cnx.org/content/m43137/latest/?collection=col11410/latest

Passion.

I am passionate about cheerleading. Not just the sport, but also my team. We spend more time with eachother than our own families. Cheerleading is a year round sport. Along with all the practices, volleyball games, boys and girls basketball games, and football games, we also have to concentrate on our own competition season. Nothing compares to the feeling of working so hard for a stunt or a tumbling pass to hit, then finally hitting it.  That feeling of being proud of yourself, and proud to be part of your team after a performance or competition is indescribable.  The rush of everyone watching you and your team on the floor, performing a 2 and a half minute routine that represents all your hard work is what keeps me so passionate about my sport.

citations

http://misericordiacom215.tripod.com/AlexisCheer101/BasketTossPage.html