Amoeba Anatomy, Digestion, and Reproduction

Amoebas are unicellular eukaryotic organisms classified in the Kingdom Protista. Amoebas are amorphous and appear as jelly-like blobs as they move about. These microscopic protozoa move by changing their shape, exhibiting a unique type of crawling motion that has come to be known as amoeboid movement. Amoebas make their homes in salt water and freshwater aquatic environments, wet soils, and some parasitic amoebas inhabit animals and humans. Key Takeaways: Amoebas An amoeba is an aquatic, single-celled protist characterized by a gelatinous body, amorphous shape, and amoeboid movement.Amoebas can form temporary extensions of their cytoplasm known as pseudopodia or false feet which can be used for locomotion or capturing food.Food acquisition is amoebas occurs by a type of endocytosis called phagocytosis. The food source (bacterium, algae, etc.) is engulfed whole, digested, and the waste expelled.Amoebas commonly reproduce by binary fission, a process in which the cell divides into two identical cells.Some species can cause disease in humans such as amebiasis, amoebic meningoencephalitis, and cornea infections of the eye. Classification Amoebas belong to the Domain Eukarya, Kingdom Protista, Phyllum Protozoa, Class Rhizopoda, Order Amoebida, and the Family Amoebidae. Amoeba Anatomy Amoebas are simple in form consisting of cytoplasm surrounded by a cell membrane. The outer portion of the cytoplasm (ectoplasm) is clear and gel-like, while the inner portion of the cytoplasm (endoplasm) is granular and contains organelles, such as a nuclei, mitochondria, and vacuoles. Some vacuoles digest food, while others expel excess water and waste from the cell through the plasma membrane. The most unique aspect of amoeba anatomy is the formation of temporary extensions of the cytoplasm known as pseudopodia. These false feet are used for locomotion, as well as to capture food (bacteria, algae, and other microscopic organisms). Pseudopodia may be broad or thread-like in appearance with many forming at one time or one large extension may form when needed. Amoebas dont have lungs or any other type of respiratory organ. Respiration occurs as dissolved oxygen in the water diffuses across the cell membrane. In turn, carbon dioxide is eliminated from the amoeba by diffusion across the membrane into the surrounding water. Water is also able to cross the amoeba plasma membrane by osmosis. Any excess accumulation of water is expelled by contractile vacuoles within the amoeba. Nutrient Acquisition and Digestion Amoebas obtain food by capturing their prey with their pseudopodia. The food is internalized through a type of endocytosis known as phagocytosis. In this process, the pseudopodia surround and engulf a bacterium or other food source. A food vacuole forms around the food particle as it is internalized by the amoeba. Organelles known as lysosomes fuse with the vacuole releasing digestive enzymes inside the vacuole. Nutrients are obtained as the enzymes digest the food inside the vacuole. Once the meal is complete, the food vacuole dissolves. Reproduction Amoebas reproduce by the asexual process of binary fission. In binary fission, a single cell divides forming two identical cells. This type of reproduction happens as a result of mitosis. In mitosis, replicated DNA and organelles are divided between two daughter cells. These cells are genetically identical. Some amoeba also reproduce by multiple fission. In multiple fission, the amoeba secretes a three-layered wall of cells that harden around its body. This layer, known as a cyst, protects the amoeba when conditions become harsh. Protected in the cyst, the nucleus divides several times. This nuclear division is followed by the division of the cytoplasm for the same number of times. The result of multiple fission is the production of several daughter cells that are released once conditions become favorable again and the cyst ruptures. In some cases, amoebas also reproduce by producing spores. Parasitic Amoebas Some amoeba are parasitic and cause serious illness and even death in humans. Entamoeba histolytica cause amebiasis, a condition resulting in diarrhea and stomach pain. These microbes also cause amebic dysentery, a severe form of amebiasis. Entamoeba histolytica travel through the digestive system and inhabit the large intestines. In rare cases, they can enter the bloodstream and infect the liver or brain. Another type of amoeba, Naegleria fowleri, causes the brain disease amoebic meningoencephalitis. Also known as brain-eating amoeba, these organisms typically inhabit warm lakes, ponds, soil, and untreated pools. If N. fowleri enter the body though the nose, they can travel to the frontal lobe of the brain and cause a serious infection. The microbes feed on brain matter by releasing enzymes that dissolve brain tissue. N. fowleri infection in humans is rare but most often fatal. Acanthamoeba cause the disease Acanthamoeba keratitis. This disease results from an infection of the cornea of the eye. Acanthamoeba keratitis can cause eye pain, vision problems, and may result in blindness if left untreated. Individuals who wear contact lenses most often experience this type of infection. Contact lenses can become contaminated with Acanthamoeba if they are not properly disinfected and stored, or if worn while showering or swimming. To reduce the risk of developing Acanthamoeba keratitis, the CDC recommends that you properly wash and dry your hands before handling contact lenses, clean or replace lenses when needed, and store lenses in a sterile solution. Sources: Acanthamoeba Keratitis FAQs Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 6 June 2017, www.cdc.gov/parasites/acanthamoeba/gen_info/acanthamoeba_keratitis.html.Naegleria fowleri — Primary Amebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM) — Amebic Encephalitis. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 28 Feb. 2017, www.cdc.gov/parasites/naegleria/.Patterson, David J. â€Å"Tree of Life Amoebae: Protists Which Move and Feed Using Pseudopodia.† Tree of Life Web Project, tolweb.org/accessory/Amoebae?acc_id51.

The Tragic Hero Of Oedipus The King - 1156 Words

The topic I chose is the tragic hero topic. There exists a number of parameters that describe a tragic hero and thus it was my desire to get to understand these parameters. It was also my desire to be in position to give the difference between normal heroes and a tragic hero and give see the main dimensions of the two figures. I preferred to work with the book by Sophocles Oedipus, the king, in order to portray the attributes of a tragic hero. The book contains adequate information concerning the attributes of a tragic hero and the manner in which the book brings it out is exquisite. The strengths of my essay are that I was able to perfectly portray the dimensions of a tragic hero. Oedipus being the protagonist of the play plays a keys†¦show more content†¦The nobility that Oedipus possesses naturally earns him respect in the society he lived in. Oedipus was to have some royal blood running in him as he is the son of Jocasta and Laius (page 19) and this thus makes him noble in the simplest way possible. This nobility that he possesses tends to earn him a lot of respect for his audience and on one occasion when he solves the riddle of Sphinx (Page 6) he ends up earning high respect as he is given dominion by Creon. There are several other instances that portray the nobility that is possessed by Oedipus and this, in turn, earn him respect and cause the audience to be emotionally attached to him. The other attribute that must be portrayed by tragic heroes according to Aristotle is the flaw and not just any flaw but a tragic flaw. According to Aristotle, the tragic hero must not have flaws as one of their essential characters as this would cause the audience to lose respect for them and thus fail to be emotionally attached to them. An ideal tragic hero must have a failing that is both arbitrary and accidental, and this would, therefore, cause the audience not to fear for their hero. Oedipus perfectly fits this description of a tragic hero according to Aristotle, and this begins by him lacking knowledge of his true identity. The failings and the flaws that are depicted by OedipusShow MoreRelatedThe Tragic Hero Of Oedipus The King1528 Words   |  7 Pagesdescribes the tragic hero as having three components which should be present in order to influence the audience. The audience must become involved emotionally with the hero so they become fearful for his welfare or well-being . The concluding suffering of the hero draws pity from the audience. Aristotle describes this emotional transition as â€Å"catharsis† which refers to the purging or releasing of emotions. This is what Aristotle believes entices audiences to watch tragedies. The hero must also beRead MoreOedipus The King : A Tragic Hero1541 Words   |  7 PagesAristotle (384-322 B.C.) defines a tragic hero as one who possesses the characteristics of hamartia, peripeteia, anagnorisis, and that the characters fate must be greater than deserved (Else). Since the main character in Sophocles’ classic tragedy Oedipus Rex or Oedipus the King matches up to Aristotle’s definition, Oedipus certainly exemplifies what it is to be a â€Å"tragic hero.† The play’s protagonist Oedipus is revered as a good man and intelligent ruler who acts quickly to support Thebes- a cityRead MoreThe Tragic Hero Of Oedipus The King987 Words   |  4 PagesWhile exemplifying the high estate, noble character, and flawed nature of Aristotle’s tragic hero, Oedipus fails to have a personal mistake become his undoing, hence denying him the status of Aristotle’s tragic hero. A key criteria of Aristotle’s tragic hero is that he or she comes from high estate, such as a royal family. Aristotle’s definition of the tragic hero is well thought out in this manner. High status is important as it gives the character a long way to fall (Kennedy Gioia, 2013). ThisRead MoreTragic Hero In Oedipus The King1502 Words   |  7 PagesThe idea of a tragic hero was first thought of by the philosopher Aristotle in his work, â€Å"Poetics†. In article discussing the philosopher’s ideology of a tragic hero, with emphasis on hamartia, the author states: The function of a tragedy is to arouse the emotions of pity and fear and Aristotle deduces the qualities of his hero from this function. He should be good, but not perfect, for the fall of a perfect man from happiness into misery, would be unfair and repellent and will not arouse pity. SimilarlyRead MoreOedipus The King : A Tragic Hero987 Words   |  4 PagesLike most greek tragedies, Oedipus the King had a tragic hero whose downfall was the result of a tragic flaw. Oedipus, like other greek characters, did not see his errors until his reign was coming to an end. Oedipus, the man who saved Thebes did not understand that every good thing must come to an end. A tragic hero defined by Aristotle has five characteristics that lead to their downfall and their understanding of why the situation happened. Oedipus is the ideal tragic hero because his downfall followedRead MoreThe Tragic Hero Of Oedipus And King1060 Words   |  5 Pageshowever, Oedipus and Dido lost much more than that. T hese were two great leaders that both, suffered by losing their reputations, their sanity, and their kingdoms. These are two great examples of what a tragic character displays, according to Aristotle’s conception. Aristotle’s definition of a tragic hero is a distinguished person occupying a high position, living in prosperous circumstances and falling into misfortune because of an error in judgment. King Oedipus and Queen Dido are tragic charactersRead MoreOedipus the King a Tragic Hero936 Words   |  4 PagesEnglish 1302-6504 Mrs.Weatherford 21 November 2011 A Tragic Hero Indeed! In Sophocles tragedy Oedipus the King, King Oedipus swears to solve the murder of former King Laios in order to free the city from the plague. The plague taunts the city destroying crops and livestock and making the women unable to bear children. A seer, Teirsias tells Oedipus that he himself is Thebes’s pollution for killing his father and marrying his mother. Oedipus ignores his words and is blind to the truth until he discoversRead MoreOedipus The King : A Tragic Hero870 Words   |  4 Pagestragedies and his most famous being performed there. While only seven of his plays have survived, many, like Oedipus the King, are still prevalent today. It definitely meets the five main criteria for a tragedy: a tragic hero of noble birth, a tragic flaw, a fall from grace, a moment of remorse, and catharsis. Oedipus the King is seen as a perfect tragedy. It features a hero with a tragic flaw, Oedipus, and highlights many common themes in Greek tragedy such as fate or destiny, love, pride, loss, the abuseRead MoreOedipus : The King Of Thebes And Tragic Hero Essay728 Words   |  3 PagesOedipus: The King of Thebes and Tragic Hero Ancient Greek Literature encompasses an assortment of poetry and drama to include the great masterpieces of tragedy. In Classic Literature, tragedies were commonly known for their elaboration of a protagonist fitting the classification of a tragic hero. This type of a tragic hero often collectively described as a character of noble birth, facing an adversity of some nature and a fate of great suffering. The characteristics of what encompassed a tragic heroRead MoreThe Tragic Hero Of Sophocles Oedipus The King1518 Words   |  7 Pagesaudiences so well. A tragic hero plays the most essential role in this. Tragic heroes can be defined differently for whoever is trying to force a character into the tragic hero mold. However Aristotle, the great Greek philosopher, established an outline of the requirements a tragic hero has to meet in order to be considered one. These requirements include a downfall, a hamartia, and recognition of said tragic hero’s condition. Oedipus, the prot agonist of Sophocles’ play Oedipus The King fits the mold.

Genetically Modified Microorganisms free essay sample

Organisms that have been genetically modified include microorganisms such as fish, insects, yeast, plants, and animals. Genetically modified organisms are widely used in scientific research which helps produce goods and foods, known also as genetically modified foods (Starr/Evers/Starr, 2013). Genetically modified organisms or genetically modified microorganisms are engineered through science by the process known as genetic engineering. Genetic engineering is the manipulation of genes, implying that the process is outside the organism’s reproductive process. This is done by the genetic engineering of splicing genes together. Splicing genes together is done by the researchers of a certain area of study employing genetic engineering to take certain genes from a source organism and put them into another plant or animal. An example of genetic engineering is when a scientist takes a Bacillus Thuringiensis organism, a commonly occurring soil bacteria, and use enzymes to remove from it the Bt gene. The Bt gene produces a protein that turns toxic in the digestive tract of caterpillars. The Bt gene is then spliced and then incorporated into the chromosome organism of a cotton or corn plant. The end result is a plant with a natural pesticide that kills any caterpillar that decides to feed upon these genetically modified and genetically engineered plants (Starr/Evers/Starr, 2013). Another section of genetic engineering is gene transfer. Gene transfer is done when a scientist is transferring of genes between species and amino acid sequences of polypeptides are then changed because genetic code is then universal. Gene transfer is done by removing the plasmid from the bacterium and the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is cut by a restriction enzyme. Next the foreign deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is then cut with the same enzyme and then the foreign deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is now inserted into the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) of the plasmid which is now known as a combined plasmid. The combined plasmid is then reinserted into the bacterium. The bacterium is used to insert the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) carrying the foreign gene into the chromosome of a cell or protein. The cells or the protein are then grown in a lab in a culture, which could be anything such as a test tube or a petri dish for a period of time. Now the plant or protein is generated from a cell clone. Now all of the cells carry the foreign gene and may express it as a new trait. Within the study of science gene transfer is mainly used to help cure viruses, inherited diseases, cancer, and infectious diseases such as AIDS (Eliash1988, 2007). Another section within genetic engineering having to deal with genetically modified organisms and genetically modified microorganisms is known as cloning. Cloning is the creation of an organism that is an exact genetic copy of another. This means that every single bit of DNA is the same between the two. The first well known subject and successful cloning was known as Dolly the sheep in 1997, but cloning technology has been around way longer than dolly. Cloning is also known as the process of nuclear transplantation or the transplantation of a nucleus of one organism. To make Dolly, researchers isolated a somatic cell  from an adult female sheep. Next, they transferred the nucleus, an enclosed compartment that contains all the information that cells need to form an organism,  from that cell to an egg cell from which the nucleus had been removed. After a couple of chemical tweaks, the egg cell, with its new nucleus, was behaving just like a freshly fertilized zygote. It developed into an embryo, which was implanted into a surrogate mother and carried to term. A somatic cell is any cell in the body other than the two types of reproductive cells, sperm and egg. Sperm and egg are also called germ cells. In mammals, every somatic cell has two complete sets of chromosomes, whereas the germ cells only have one complete set (Rott, 2013). Another section of genetic engineering which takes part due to cloning is called Therapeutic Cloning. Therapeutic Cloning is the production of embryonic stem cells for use in replacing or repairing tissues or organs. Therapeutic cloning is achieved by transferring a diploid nucleus from a body cell into an egg whose nucleus that has been removed. The stem cells are harvested from blastocyst that develops from the egg, which, if implanted into a uterus could produce a clone of the nucleus donor. Therapeutic cloning is used for extreme cases were self-transplants are needed, as well as Leukemia, degenerative diseases, extreme cases of spinal cord repair, and skin grafts for burn victims (Mcgill, 2007). Some benefits of genetic engineering with genetically modified organisms and genetically modified microorganisms are with these processes we can make beer use of our limited farm land by generating and creating higher yielding crops. With this it also helps generate a higher profit and saves a major amount of money spent on harvests. Another use of genetically modified organisms and genetically modified microorganisms is we can also create more food that has a longer shelf life and which can in turn can help by producing less waste. We can also produce and create a better quality of food that has better taste. We can also reduce a produces maturation time to help generate more food in a less amount of time (Philips, 2008). Some risks that are involved with genetic engineering, genetically modified organisms, and genetically modified microorganisms are the potential for human health implications that come from the food we genetically engineer and create. Everything we eat goes through our body and into our bloodstream and it is unknown to were the mass of the potential risks we cause ourselves with the food we eat. There are also concerns for potential environmental impact issues such as out-crossing. With the process of genetic engineering and the creation of our plants and food we have made to create their own personal pesticides we have created the inevitable out-crossing of transgenic plants with naturally occurring ones. By doing this we have created such problems as the super weed which is almost impossible to kill without destroying everything near it or taking such matters as digging the plant up and burning it. Other issues that can be caused are political and economic issues such as their being a company that has the production of food that is the domination of the world’s food production. There are now only a few big companies that develop massively and generate the world’s food by genetically engineered plants and produce. There are also only a few countries that use such means to develop food due to the health risks involved by eating genetically engineered foods. For example the U. S. does not have a law that makes it a requirement to label such foods as genetically engineered foods. Another concern that is brought with genetic engineering and genetically modified organisms are the ones that come from tampering with Mother Nature such as cross mixing animal genes to create bigger and stronger ones. Some call it playing god. Lastly the things most of us have to worry about are the weapons created by using genetic engineering such as biological weapons. With the advancements of science and chemicals only the imagination could limit the possibilities of the weapons that could be created to use against us or others (McPhersson, 2008). In my personal opinion I feel that we need to really regulate what we do with genetically modified microorganism and genetically modified organisms through genetic engineering. We really need to study and watch the health risks that come from us genetically modifying the produce and plants we eat. Same goes for the animals we slaughter. I feel companies are out to make the most money and are only looking at their own benefit by producing more to sell more. The health risks we have caused ourselves are just too great. We are already the country that contains the most obese people in it. Why make things worse. On that note, I do feel we need to keep or advancements and keep pushing forward on creating more ways to heal people with diseases and that have hade damage done to their bodies through disasters ad accidents. References Mcgill, J. (July 2007) Therapeutic Cloning: Promises and Issues. Retrieved From: http://www. ncbi. nlm. nih. gov/pmc/articles/PMC2323472/ McPhersson, J. (2008-08-24) Effects of Genetic Engineering. Retrieved From: http://www. disabled-world. com/artman/publish/genetic-engineering. shtml Eliash1988. (January 20, 2007) Genetic Transfer – Part 1. Retrieved From: http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=t4i0Q_irM8o Philips, T. (2008) Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs): Transgenic Crops  and Recombinant DNA Technology. Retrived From: http://www. nature. com/scitable/topicpage/genetically-modified-organisms-gmos-transgenic-crops-and-732 Rott, D. (January 21, 2013). IB Genetic Engineering Biotechnology Part 2. Retrieved From: http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=ltFl491UeJY Lisa Starr/Christine Evers/Cecie Starr. (2013). BIOLOGY TODAY AND TOMORROW WITHOUT PHYSIOLOGY, Fourth Edition Strayer University

Assessment Of My Health Record Samples †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Assessment Of My Health Record. Answer: Problems: My health record (MHR) was developed to assist the patients and the healthcare industry, and it is successful in achieving the targets. However, the system is not perfect and has problems associated with it. Out of the many problems associated with the technology, one of the most concerning is the implementation and skills to operate the system. The reason behind the above-made statement lies on the fact that the implementation of the system is costly and requires additional expenses in training and providing the training resources to the stakeholders (McAlearney et al., 2015). The training is provided to make the stakeholders comfortable and aware of the systems operations and uses. Additionally, maintaining the system also demands expertise which the healthcare units have to hire to maintain their servers and systems. Another problem that is associated with the MHR technology is the difficulties that the healthcare experts face in updating the data of the patient regularly. The people who are not comfortable with the technology also finds organising the data according to the priority a difficult task. The older patients also prefer the traditional method of their medical records because they feel comfortable with it. Other people think that the data is stored on the internet which makes the technology insecure and vulnerable to cyber-attacks (Dinev et al., 2016). Hence, in conclusion, it can be stated that no real problem is associated with the system except for the perception towards it. The problem with the implementation cost can also be ignored if the systems long-term benefits are measured. Capabilities: The discussed technology was designed to assist in the medical industry, and it is fulfilling its objective. The capabilities of the technology are vast, and one of the most significant of them is the e-documentation. E-documentation refers to maintaining individuals health record including the past and present condition electronically (Walsh et al., 2017). The documents are made available online to omit the hassle of carrying the documents and worrying about their safekeeping. The documents stored electronically can also be shared with healthcare units and experts in dire situation electronically with proper authentication. As discussed in the problems, one of the biggest challenges to the deemed system is the perception of the people that the system is insecure is a myth. The reason for the above-stated statement is that the data uploaded on the servers are kept encrypted, and appropriate authentication are provided to keep it protected from the trespassers. Additionally, a unique identification is provided to the users to enhance the security even further. The system stores data electronically which offers it the capability of managing and accessing the data from geographically diverse location. The system is also capable of enhancing the capabilities of the experts and the healthcare units. The experts and the healthcare units can test and evaluate new technologies and method in the deemed platform ("eHealth Reference Platform - Australian Digital Health Agency", 2018). The system is also capable of assisting the healthcare units in managing the inventory and offer notification when needed. Benefits: The deemed systems capability has been discussed in the above section which can be evaluated to determine the benefits of the system. On evaluation, it is evident that the system offers ease in the medical process. Hence, it can be stated that the system reduces the hassle in expert and patient communication and even enhances the caring of the patients which can be of great assistance for the people with disability and seniors (Hemsley et al., 2016). One of the capabilities of the deemed system is that it offers notification to the experts which helps the experts to cite proper attention towards the patient. The documentation part is also simplified which also preserves the experts time which he/she can use in caring for the patients. It is evident from the discussion above that the deemed technology is costly. However, it is partially correct as after the implementation the system saves a lot of money. For the healthcare units, the capital is preserved inventory management and testi ng of new systems and techniques which they can perform with assistance from the system. While the patients are financially benefitted by omitting the mailing costs and the transportation cost that the patients incur in visiting the healthcare units. The system is capable of assisting in large geographical domain which offers the benefits of assisting in the dire situation (Turvey et al., 2014). In case, the expert is not physically available to the patient due to geographical distance then the former can offer medical advice or even refer the latter to another suitable expert. Hence, it can be stated that the deemed system provides multiple benefits which should be entertained by everyone. References: Dinev, T., Albano, V., Xu, H., DAtri, A., Hart, P. (2016). Individuals attitudes towards electronic health records: A privacy calculus perspective. InAdvances in healthcare informatics and analytics(pp. 19-50). Springer, Cham. eHealth Reference Platform - Australian Digital Health Agency. (2018).Digitalhealth.gov.au. Retrieved 11 March 2018, from https://www.digitalhealth.gov.au/get-started-with-digital-health/what-is-digital-health/features-of-the-my-health-record-system/ehealth-reference-platform Hemsley, B., Georgiou, A., Carter, R., Hill, S., Higgins, I., van Vliet, P., Balandin, S. (2016). Use of the My Health Record by people with communication disability in Australia: A review to inform the design and direction of future research.Health Information Management Journal,45(3), 107-115. McAlearney, A. S., Hefner, J. L., Sieck, C. J., Huerta, T. R. (2015). The journey through grief: insights from a qualitative study of electronic health record implementation.Health services research,50(2), 462-488. Turvey, C., Klein, D., Fix, G., Hogan, T. P., Woods, S., Simon, S. R., ... Wakefield, B. (2014). Blue Button use by patients to access and share health record information using the Department of Veterans Affairs' online patient portal.Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association,21(4), 657-663. Walsh, L., Hemsley, B., Allan, M., Adams, N., Balandin, S., Georgiou, A., ... Hill, S. (2017). The E-health Literacy Demands of Australia's My Health Record: A Heuristic Evaluation of Usability.Perspectives in health information management,14(Fall).