The Human Body's Non Specific Defence.
The Human Body's Non Specific Defence The skin The skin, in terms of surface area covered, is the largest organ of the body. It is the organ we see first (and indeed one of the few organs we can actually see when looking at a naked human body) and is of great importance in the defence of the body and thus in the delivery of nursing care. Further, since it reflects physiological and pathological changes in other areas of the body, skin changes can be used to aid both nursing and medical diagnosis. Another name for the skin is the integument (Latin integrere to cover over, protect) -The Longman Dictionary of the English Language (1984) defines integument as 'skin, membrane or husk'. Another term sometimes used for the superficial skin is the cuticle; hence the use of the word cutaneous, meaning pertaining to the skin. Just as the husk on a fruit or berry protects it from drying up in drought or swelling up in rain, so does the skin covering protect the body from the undue entry or loss of water. The skin contains glands known as sebaceous glands. These are associated with the hair follicles and are most numerous on the scalp, the face, the middle of the back and around the genitalia. They produce a substance known as sebum which comprises triglyceride, waxes, paraffins and cholesterol. The main function of the sebum is to waterproof the skin but it is also thought to
Investigating reflex behaviour in an invertebrate organism
Tom Gowing 10A - Biology practical coursework - Investigating reflex behaviour in an invertebrate organism The main point of this is to investigate how an invertebrate organism responds to certain stimuli in a controlled environment. A reflex is a response to certain stimuli. The main difference between this and any other movement is that the impulses from the receptor travel straight to the effectors before going to the brain, whereas most impulses go to the brain first, where it can decide what to do. Reflex behaviour is often for safety reasons, for example if you touch a hot stove, it would take longer for the impulse to travel to the brain and then to the effectors than it would for the impulses to travel straight from receptor to effector. This means that it takes less time for the effectors to respond, meaning less damage is done. Woodlice will be used for this experiment. Woodlice are not actually insects at all, but a form of crustacean, found commonly in gardens, they thrive in dark, damp places. They feed on almost anything, including wood, plant life and decaying objects. Woodlice have a flattened body with seven pairs of legs. Their respiratory organs (gills) are completely enfolded by perforated plates. The species vary in colour from grey to black. They evolved from sea-based life forms as opposed to insects, which evolved from land-based life forms. A
The object of the experiment is to see how maggots respond to certain stimuli such as light.
Responses of Maggots Planning Aim The object of the experiment is to see how maggots respond to certain stimuli such as light. The maggots are dropped onto some paper and how far they travel is recorded. My experiment is how the stimuli are affected by temperature. The maggots should respond to the different climates quite well as they have a nervous system. My hypothesis is that when the maggot is put in warm conditions then onto the paper it will move further than if the maggot is put in cold conditions. This is because the maggot's reactions should be slowed down the colder it is because the maggot is trying to maintain body heat. The warmer the substance that the maggot was in the further it will move along the paper. The maggot should move along the paper. The maggot's central nervous system (CNS) should make the maggot move more when warm than when cold. The evidence collected should be valid as alls test shall be repeated with different maggots in order to keep results accurate. The maggot should land on the paper, realise what it is moving on, on account of touch, and establish whether it is safe to move and then move. These processes are brought about by the nervous system sending messages from the brain to get muscles to move. Processes of a maggot's senses Method Apparatus: Maggots (some are dyed some are not) Tweezers (for moving maggots from beakers to
OCTOPUS, CUTTLEFISH, AND SQUID.
OCTOPUS, CUTTLEFISH, AND SQUID. * Since early times, tales of horror have been gone around strange sea creatures, especially the giant squid and the fearsome octopus. They are among the largest, strongest, fastest, most cunning, and ferocious of all animals. Many of them, however, are quite harmless and are useful in a variety of ways. _________________________________________ *The Eight-Armed Octopus The octopus is a soft, bag-shaped creature. It has eight long, slender arms, with cup shaped suckers and connected by thin membranes (a thin flexible tissue in the body), which reach out in all directions. *It may move over the bottom of the aquarium tank with the tips of its arms as delicately and gracefully as a ballet dancer. The impression you are likely to get is that the octopus is a soft, flexible creature in constant, controlled motion. *About 50 different kinds of octopuses are distributed throughout the oceans of the world. Those off the east and west coasts of North America have bodies only three or four inches long, with short arms about as long as the body. Other kinds reach a total length of nine or ten feet and may weigh 70 pounds. *The octopus lives on the ocean bottom in shallow waters where it crawls about on its arms, searching in every gap, hole or crack for its favorite food of shrimps, crabs, and mussels. It is a skillful hunter and attacks
Antibiotics are chemical compounds used to kill or inhibit the growth of infectious organisms.
Antibiotics Introduction (1) Antibiotics are chemical compounds used to kill or inhibit the growth of infectious organisms. Antibiotic refers generally to antibacterials. All antibiotics share the property of selective toxicity: They are more toxic to an invading organism than they are to an animal or human host. Penicillin is the most well known antibiotic and has been used to fight many infectious diseases, including syphilis, gonorrhea, tetanus, and scarlet fever. Another antibiotic, streptomycin, has been used to combat tuberculosis. Against The main problem scientists have come across where antibiotics are concerned is antibiotic resistance. (2) This is due to the large amount of antibiotics consumed by the nation as a whole. Many people believe that antibiotics are the answer to all illnesses such as the common cold or flu. Antibiotics are needed to fight infections caused by bacteria this means the infections caused by viruses, are totally different and need other forms of a cure. Very often patients wish to leave the doctors with an antibiotic prescription for their own peace of mind - a lot of it is psychological. (3) This result in them being oversubscribed when only a small percentage of people actually need them. Due to this reason this is why people can become addicted as they are always given to them and are seen as an easy option. On the other hand other
lion adaptations
The lion (Panthera leo) is a member of the family Felidae and one of four big cats in the genus Panthera. With exceptionally large males exceeding 250 kgin weight,] it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger. Wild lions currently exist in sub-Saharan Africa and in Asia with a critically endangered remnant population in northwest India, having disappeared from North Africa, the Middle East, and western Asia in historic times. Until the late Pleistocene (about 10,000 years ago), the lion was the most widespread large land mammal beside humans. They were found in most of Africa, much of Eurasia from western Europe to India, and the Bering land bridge and, in the Americas, from the Yukon to Peru. The lion is the second largest feline after the tiger. With powerful legs, a strong jaw, and long canine teeth, the lion can bring down and kill large prey.[33] Lion coloration varies from light buff to yellowish, reddish or dark ochraceous brown. The underparts are generally lighter and the tail tuft is black. The color of the mane varies from blond to black. Lionesses are powerful animals who usually hunt in groups and stalk their chosen prey. They can reach speeds of 59 km/h (40 mph), although, only for short bursts,so they have to be close to their prey before starting the attack. They take advantage of factors that reduce visibility; many kills take place near some form of
How different methods of farming provide plants with what they need(TM)- comparing methods of farming including Small-scale organic farming. Large scale arable farming. Hydroponics farming
'How different methods of farming provide plants with what they need'- comparing methods of farming including Small-scale organic farming. Large scale arable farming. Hydroponics farming How the plants get their nutrients from this method of farming. Small-scale organic farming. Organic growers rely on the quality off soil and the natural organic matter within free from contamination. Nitrogen is naturally formed my the breaking down of organic matter and will be found in the soil naturally but to supplement this organic growers might add dry blood meal a rich source of nitrogen. Other important minerals including phosphorus are found in cottonseed meal. All these organic alternatives are natural and can be sourced locally; one of the most common 'organic fertilisers' is manure, animal waste, rich in nutrients and minerals. The water source for the plants is usually left to the rain however during dry periods people will water the plants using a watering can or hose. The light and C02 are also naturally sourced from sunlight and the open air. A healthy plant grown organically in properly balanced soil resists most diseases and insect pests. There are many organic products otherwise to fight pests and diseases including a selection of sprays using natural ingredients.. Large-scale arable farming. Large-scale arable farmers have different methods due to the scale and
The importance uses of micro organisms.
The importance uses of micro organisms Microbes are the foundation of life as they're everywhere. They are in the air we breathe, in the food we eat, in the ground we walk on and even inside us. There are more microbes on a person's hand than there are people on the entire earth. Microorganisms are by dictionary definition 'microscopic organisms'. They do many jobs in an extremely wide field. Without them the planet wouldn't survive, as we know it. We couldn't digest our food, neither of course could animals, plants couldn't grow, rubbish and waste wouldn't decay and there would be a lot less oxygen in the air we breathe. Many people believe they were the very start of life, the start of evolution, which in turn led to humans, you and me. Microorganisms can be split into different groups, each with their own characteristics and 'jobs'. There are Bacteria, Fungi, Protozoan and Viruses (although some people believe that viruses are not alive.) Bacteria are a simple one-cell organism, measuring on average from 0.3 to 2 microns (0.001mm) in diameter and can been seen through a microscope. They are classified as prokaryotes. Bacteria are amazing organisms, when most people think of bacteria they think of disease and contamination. In reality bacteria can cause human and animal disease but they are also extremely important because of their immense flexibility of modification,
An Investigation of the Diversity and Abundance of Ground Flora in Coppices of Different Ages
An Investigation of the Diversity and Abundance of Ground Flora in Coppices of Different Ages PLANNING Aim: To investigate the diversity and abundance of ground flora in the young and old coppices at Nower Wood. INTRODUCTION Nower Wood location/background: Nower Wood is located in Leatherhead, Surrey and lies at the head of a dry valley. It covers approximately 80 acres of ancient woodland, consisting mainly of Oak and Sweet Chestnut tress. As it is an Educational Nature Reserve, we carried out our investigations here and extended our wide range of information about the woodland and what takes place. Nower Wood was originally purchased in 1970, and within two years a wooden building was bought in order to teach people in. Wardens were appointed to teach students about the woodland, and also to look after the wood. What is coppicing? This has been the common type of ancient woodland management at Nower Wood and has taken place over the past 400 years. It is the process in which young tree stems are cut down to either a low level or even right down to the ground to prevent them from overgrowing. Coppicing allows vigorous growth of new shoots, and as a result trees and shrubs which are cut down this way, can produce shoots that grow over 30cm in a week and a coppiced tree can live many times longer than if the tree had not been cut down at all. This is due to the fact that
Branded Bleach is more effective at killing E. coli than Non branded bleach - An investigation
Is branded bleach more effective at killing E.coli than a non branded version? Contents Page Number . Hypothesis 2. Introduction - 3 3. Plan 4 - 13 4. Results 4 5. Analysis 5 - 17 6. Evaluation 7 - 20 7. References/Bibliography 20 Appendices Attached Hypothesis Branded bleach, Domestos, will kill more bacteria than Non-branded Somerfield thick bleach. This will be shown by the larger zones of inhibition around branded bleach. Null Hypothesis There will be no significant difference between the zones of inhibition for each bleach. Introduction Both brands of bleach contain ingredients which are active in the death of the bacterium Escherichia coli, shown below. As a bacterial cell it is classified as prokaryotic which differs to eukaryotic cells found in humans; which means the cell's nuclear material is not bound by a nuclear envelope, prokaryotic cells also have fewer organelles and the volume/size of a prokaryotic cell is up to 10,000 times smaller. E.coli is a rod shaped Gram negative bacteria. Using the binomial naming system Escherichia coli is named with the genus of the bacterium first followed by the species, abbreviate to E.coli. Also bacteria named in this way are always written in italics. Further classification of the bacteria based on the cell wall can predict how the active ingredients of the bleach will affect the bacteria.
