Unit 5 Reflection

In this unit, we established the difference between digestion in absorption. Digestion involves the breakdown of food these nutrients, while absorption involves the body's physical reception of these nutrients. In digestion, organs are separated into two main groups: the alimentary canal and the accessory digestive organs. Absorption involves the small intestine, the liver, and the large intestine.

The digestive system, which contains the alimentary canal, performs many basic functions including ingestion, secretion, propulsion, digestion, absorption, and defecation. The stomach provides a physical and chemical change in which proteins break down. The small intestine has 3 parts: the duodenum, jejunum, and the ileum. In the large intestine, food passes through the large intestines: cecum, appendix, ascending colon, transverse colon, descending colon, sigmord colon, rectum, and anus.

Diabetes has become more prevalent in our modern day society. Insulin is the hormone produced by the beta cells of the pancreas and is involved in the stimulation of glycogen synthesis. It is the key which unlocks cells allowing glucose to enter. Glucose is transported into muscle and fat cells by glucose transporter GLUT 4. In the presence of insulin, GLUT 4 travels to the plasma membrane. In Type 1, blood glucose levels are sensitive to small changes in diet. In Type 2 diabetes, the body does not react to insulin properly.

Fuel metabolism is an essential part of how we function in our daily lives. There are 3 stages of energy extraction: the large molecules are broken down, small molecules are turned into Acetyl CoA, and common pathways in oxidation of fuel molecules. The fed state, or absorptive state occurs directly after a meal. The fasting state occurs within one hour of a meal. A ketone body is produced from Acetyl CoA by the liver. The Cori cycle occurs during exercise, as muscles must rely on glycolysis for ATP, consequently producing lactic acid.

In our "Stress Metabolism, and Liquidating Your Assets" article, I learned that stress can affect appetite in a huge way. AcTH stimulates appetite while CRH represses it. When a stressful event occurs, there is a burst of CRH secretion. It takes many minutes to see a surge in glucocorticoid levels in the blood stream. CRH makes its effects clear in seconds while glucocorticoids take minutes to hours. When the stressor is released, CRH takes seconds to clear while glucocorticoids take hours to clear.

The endocrine system controls the processes involved in movement and physiological equilibrium. Steroid hormones are lipid soluble and diffuse through the cell membrane. Nonsteroid hormones are not lipid soluble and are received by receptors external to the cell membrane. The pituitary gland is controlled by the hypothalamus or other neural mechanisms. The thyroid gland regulates metabolism and increases protein synthesis. The parathyroid glands regulate phosphate levels.

Finally, the lymphatic system functions as a fluid recovery gutter by returning fluid to the bloodstream. Lymph flows within lymphatic vessels and is similar to plasma. A large number of T cells develop in the thymus, while the lymph nodes filter lymph trapping foreign substances, then destroyed by immune cells. The spleen is the largest lymphoid organ and contains both red pulp[ and white pulp.

In terms of my New Years resolution, I have been able to get more sleep, just because I'm better at managing my time as a second semester senior. I plan to sleep even earlier by setting an alarm to remind myself to sleep, even when I don't feel especially tired. In terms of my Anatomy goals, I have been able to adhere to those as well. Everyday before bed, I have been reviewing my notes, which allows me to do better on my temp checks. My next step is to begin reviewing earlier, which would enable me to sleep earlier as well.

The Digestive System Lab

1) In class today, we measured out different parts of our digestive system in ribbon to demonstrate the total length. I realized that the small intestine is much larger than the rest of the digestive system, likely because so much digestion occurs in the tract.




2) My height in meters is around 1.5, while my entire digestion system is much larger. I think my digestive system is able to fit because of how much it bends and squishes together. Also much of it is hollow, which is better because it takes up less space.


3) I think that it takes around 4 hours for the food to travel through the tract. When I looked it up online, MayoClinic said that it takes around 6 to 8 hours, which is much longer than I previously expected. The bends in the digestive tract definitely influences the speed of digestion and the kind of food eaten can definitely affect digestion. For example, foods with more fiber will take less time to digest.


4) Digestion is different from absorption in that digestion breaks down the food, thus releasing nutrients. On the other hand, absorption takes in the nutrients broken down. The mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, pancreas, gallbladder, colon, rectum, and anus are involved in digestion. The small intestine, liver, and stomach are involved in absorption.

5) What are the enzymes involved in the small intestine?

New Year's Goal

For this second semester, I will sleep more to improve my personal health. As a second semester senior, I will have more free time, thus giving me more time to complete homework and improve my sleep schedule.
Action Plan: 

1. regularly start homework as soon as I get home 
2. refrain from drinking caffeinated drinks before bed
3. wake up at regular times during the weekends 
4. sleep as soon as I finish homework 
5. spend less time on the internet 

Another goal I have for this semester is to review my Anatomy and Physiology notes every night. Solidifying this action would allow me to improve on my work ethic. 

Action Plan:

1. allot a specific time to study notes 
2. don't waste time on the internet 
3. sit away from the computer and review notes from my notebook 
4. only consult internet if I have questions 
5. repeat to make it a habit

Heart Dissection Lab

SHEEP HEART DISSECTION

CIRCULATORY CYCLE DISSECTION

Q1: What is the purpose of the pericardium?
The pericardium is a double-layered, membrane surrounding the heart and base roots of the major blood vessels leading into and out of the heart. It plays an important role in protecting and stabilizing the heart by limiting the size of the organ.


Q2: Observe the blood vessels connecting to the heart. How do arteries differ from veins in their structure?
Arteries have three layers: a smooth inner layer, a muscular layer, and a thin outer layer, and connective fibers in artery walls. Veins have less elasticity in the walls and are less muscular.


Q3: Place your finger inside the auricle. What function do you think the auricle serves?
The left auricle is a decompression chamber when atrial blood pressure is high.


Q4: Observe the external structures of the atria and ventricles. What differences do you observe?
Atria make up the top chambers of the heart and ventricles make up the bottom chambers. The right part of the heart receives unoxygenized blood and sends it from ventricles to the atria. Atria are smaller cavities but the ventricles seem to be larger cavities.

Q5: 


Coronary sinus

Inferior vena cava















Tricuspid valve


Q6: 

Q7: Why is the “anchoring” of the heart valves by the chordate tendinae and the papillary muscle important to heart function?
The papillary muscles anchoring the cords to the heart wall will contract to counter any stretch in the cord during vigorous pumping of the heart.


Q9: What is the function of the semi-lunar valves?
The semilunar valves act to prevent back flow of blood from the arteries to the ventricles during ventricular diastole, and to help maintain pressure on the major arteries.


Q10: Valvular heart disease is when one of more heart valves does not work properly. Improperly functioning heart valves can lead to regurgitation, which is the backflow of blood through a leaky valve. Ultimately this can lead to congestive heart failure, a condition that can be life threatening.

a. If the valve disease occurs on the right side of the heart, it results in swelling in the feet and ankles. Why might this happen?
The right side of the heart results in the swelling in the feet because the right side pumps blood to the lower side of the body. Reduced blood flow results in swelling.


b. If the valve disease occurs on the left side of the heart, what complications would you expect to see?
Failure in a valve in the left side of the heart – the aortic or the mitral valve – results in left-sided heart failure. This leads to an accumulation of fluids in the lungs, or pulmonary oedema.


Q12: Describe how the left and right sides of the heart differ from each other.The right side of the heart pumps blood to the lungs to pick up oxygen. The left side of the heart receives the oxygen-rich blood from the lungs and pumps it to the body.


Q13: Draw and label all structures visible in the interior of the cross-section.

Unit 3 Reflection

Content Reflection

Last year in AP Biology, we touched on the pulmonary veins and its molecular significance of being a specific part. In this unit of Anatomy and Physiology, we learned about the circulatory system's functions and main parts. Major components of the circulatory system include the heart, network of tubes, and blood. Accessory organs include lungs, kidneys, and intestines. Blood pressure is a measure of the force exerted on the wall of the arteries. Blood pressure includes systolic pressure (result of the contraction of the ventricles) and diastolic pressure (result of ventricle relaxation). Blood pressure varies with weight, race, mood, activity level, and posture. 

The human heart has three layers of wall: epicardium, myocardium, and endocardium. There are four hollow chambers of the heart: the right atria, right ventricle, left atria, and left ventricle. The atria and ventricles are separated by the interventricular septum, which divides the heart longitudinally. The pericardium of the heart lubricates the heart so that there is less friction. The four chambers of the heart are used to receive and discharge blood and carbon dioxide. The SA node is found in the right atrium and is one of the reasons our heart pumps regularly. When impulses move from the SA node to the AV node, the heart contracts. The cardiac cycle is the systole and diastole of both atria and both ventricles. 

The arteries carry blood from the heart while capillaries connect arterioles to venules. Capillaries have thin walls and exchange gases between the blood and body. A thin weakened section of a blood vessel wall can cause an aneurysm. It can be treated with a stent graft inserted through the femoral artery. Atherosclerosis, a buildup of plaque in the arteries, can be prevented by eating less fats in a diet. 

Sickle cell anemia, which got its name from the shape of the blood cell, results in an inadequate amount of oxygen provided to the body. Healthy red blood cells have no nucleus or genetic material. Neutrophils are active phagocytes that ingest bacteria. Basophils stimulate inflammation by releasing histamines. Eosinophils fight parasitic worms and inactivate inflammatory chemicals. Monocytes destroy more microbes than neutrophils. Platelets are cell fragments and initiate chain reactions that leads to blood clotting. 

Heart attacks, caused by atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries, results in reduced blood flow. Cardiac arrest occurs when there is an electrical malfunction. There are two types of cholesterol, LDL (which sticks to arteries) and HDL (which cleans up the LDL). Angiography is when dye is injected in order to determine the issue. Echocardiograms produce images of the heart with sound waves. Hemorrhagic strokes occur when an artery in the brain bursts while ischemic strokes occur when an artery supplying the brain becomes blocked. 

The nose contains the sinuses, which are air pockets in the skull bones. The pharynx is the passageway for food and air. The lungs are air sacks and contain the aveolar sac, which contains the alveoli. The larynx contains the epiglottis and is the voice box. Chronic bronchitis is the inflammation of the bronchioles with increased mucous production. 

Reflect on your learning process and self growth 

I believe that I work better in group environments when it comes to studying or remembering terms. I still find the memorization of the heart terminology to be very difficult, but that is only because my memory is weak. I did worse this unit because I failed to create more study guides to supplement my classroom knowledge. 

This unit, I was able to sleep more due to the outlining of my goals. When I realized my problem, I worked towards solving it by finishing homework earlier and studying in advance. My diet is still fairly poor due to lack of change in this area, but I will work on this long term goal for the future. 

Blood Pressure Lab

Systolic pressure is the result of contraction of the ventricles. The diastolic pressure is taken during the ventricle during relaxation. Heart rate is measured using fingers, while your blood pressure is taken with the sphygmomanometer. Using your thumb to measure heart rate is not ideal because your thumb has its own pulse. Therefore if you try to take your heart rate with your thumb, the two contradictory rates will be confusing.

Steps to use a sphygomomanometer: 

1. Position the pressure cuff on the right arm with the palm up. The arm should be at the same level as the heart. 
2. Inflate the cuff until it reaches 150mmHg. Deflate the cuff by turning the valve and allow it to deflate completely. Wait 30 seconds. 
3. In order to find the systolic pressure, listen closely as you let out air. As soon as you hear a faint tapping, note the reading on the gauge. 
4. In order to find diastolic pressure, at the exact point when you are unable to hear any more rhythmic tapping or swishing sounds, read the gauge. 
5. Blood pressure is written fractionally with systolic pressure over diastolic pressure. 

Unit 2 Reflection

Being healthy is a lot more than the absence of sickness. It incorporates physical, mental and social wellbeing. Sound individuals have the capacity to adapt to ordinary exercises and to adjust to their environment. An absence of illness is an attractive state, yet it doesn't characterize wellbeing, it is not a measure for wellbeing, and only it is not adequate to create wellbeing. 

The health triangle actually encompasses physical, mental and social wellbeing. Mental heath manages how we think, feel and adapt to day by day life. Additionally, this branch includes learning, anxiety administration, and dysfunctional behaviors or issues. Social wellbeing addresses the way we respond with individuals inside of our surroundings. It incorporates general wellbeing, family connections, and companion connections. Physical wellbeing includes the body's capacity to work. Physical wellbeing has numerous parts like activity, sustenance, rest, liquor and medications, and weight administration.


Hormones play a huge role in maintaining health. An essential capacity of leptin is to go about as a messenger to provide information on how much fat is stored. Leptin is discharged into the circulatory system by fat cells (adipocytes) in extent to the measure of fat mass. The more fat a man has, the more leptin discharged. 

Cortisol impacts, manages or balances a significant number of the progressions that happen in the body in light of anxiety. Glucagon serves to keep blood glucose levels sufficiently high for the body to capacity well. At the point when blood glucose levels are low, glucagon is discharged and flags the liver to discharge glucose into the blood. Insulin is a hormone that makes our body's cells collect glucose from the blood. The glucose is put away in the liver and muscle as glycogen and prevents the body from utilizing fat as a source of energy. At the point when there is next to no insulin in the blood, or none by any means, glucose is not taken up by body cells.


I also learned that there are six major classes of nutrients. 

I watched a TED talk last year about the importance of sleep. Not only is it the only way to rest our bodies, it also affects our emotional and physical responses to external sources of stress. People who got less sleep or poor sleep had slower reaction times when driving than people who got a lot of sleep. I thought this related to our unit because an entire pillar of health was solely dedicated to sleep. Out of all the pillars, I believe that my weakest link is sleep. I almost never get enough sleep, which results in a lethargic attitude throughout the day. I think that promoting greater health at Saratoga begins with sleep, so administrators should attempt to decrease the amount of homework assigned to students. 

HEALTH GOALS: