Urinary question answered

The question I posed for the urinary system was what was a dangerous urinary disease. Lo and behold: benign prostatic hyperplasia. This disease is the enlargement of the prostate which can lead to the blockage of the urethra and urinary tract. Most men experience an enlargement of their prostate as they age, but it only become a problem if it becomes so bug as to block pathways.

  

Here are some symptoms of the disease:

• feeling that you must urinate right away (urgency)
• a delay when you start urinating
• weak or interrupted stream of urine
• tendency to dribble after urination
• feeling your bladder isn't empty after urination
• pain in the lower back, pelvis, or upper thighs

BPH can cause urinary infections and urinary stones as a result. If the u return becomes completely b,locked, it is a medical emrgency. It is not widely known what causes BPH, but those whoever are castrated do not experience this disease. There is a link between the testes and this common disease in aging men. It is thought that since testosterone decreases in male as they get older, and estrogen is still being produced,  the estrogen stimulates cell growth and possibly leads to BPH. 

Check out this YouTube video about BPH! :

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xYTjvqzyd9k

Got to  1:37 for the information to begin. 

http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/prostateenlargement/

http://chealth.canoe.ca/channel_condition_info_details.asp?disease_id=20&channel_id=2035&relation_id=20729

Engaging!

I engage in this class by attending class regularly and asking the teacher ( that's you!) questions that are puzzling me. Especially about pregnancy and female hormones, that is confusing!

After my trip to playland I realized just how much stress amusment park rides can place on one's heart.  Waiting in line for the ride did not greatly increase my heart rate because I was not placing my body under stress. However, when I got closer to the to getting into the ride, my heart rate increased in anticipation and stress from the build up of fear. On the ride my heart rate was the most spiked, especially on the first drop on the wooden rollar coaster and rught before it. My heart rate is affected because fear and stress cause adrenaline to start entering the blood stream and cause the heart to work  harder in response to a fight or flight situation.  Adrenaline works the body and causes more energy to be used in the muscles and thus the body is craving for more energy and needs more oxygen to support this need. This is why breathing rate increases. I did not experience many other things other than butterflies in my stomach and this is attributed to the body's fight or flight response.

I previously was not able to add on the labels for the images so I will list what was required of me.

(Top to bottom)
Of the heart:
1.superior vena cava
2. Right atrium
3. Tricuspid- right AV valve
4. Right ventricle
5. Inferior vena cava
6. Aorta
7. Pulmonary artery
8. Right semilunar valve
9. Pulmonary vein
10. Left atrium
11. Bicuspic- left AV valve
12. Left ventricle

Body- arteries and veins. I will name the artery or vein and it's location rather than label.

Subclavian arteries and veins- The arteries carry oxygenated blood to the arms, while the deoxygenated blood is carried from the arms to the superior vena cava.

Jugular veins- These veins carry deoxygenated blood from the head to the superior vena cava.

Carotid arteries- Carries oxygenated blood to the head

Mesentric arteries- Carries oxygenated blood to the digestive tract.

Superior and inferior vena cava- The largest veins and the superior vena cava collects deoxygenated blood from head, neck, and veins.  The inferior vena cava collects blood from the trunk and legs.

Hepatic vein, and hepatic portal vein- the hepatic veins runs from the liver to the inferior vena cava, while the hepatic portal vein runs from the small intestine to the liver.

Renal arteries and veins- carry deoxygenated and oxygenated blood to and from the kidneys.

Iliac arteries and veins- the iliac arteries and veins carry oxygenated and deoxygenated blood to and from the legs.

Coronary arteries and veins- carry oxygenated and deoxygenated blood to and from the head muscle.














Compare the following:

Pulmonary vs. systemic (blood vessels, function, oxygenated vs. deoxygenated)

Arteries vs. veins (structure)

1. The primary distinction from systemic circulation and pulmonary circulation is that the systemic circulation runs to and from body cells and the body, while pulmonary circulation runs to and from the heart and lungs. The pulmnonary system is incredibly important as this is where gas exchange takes place and without this circulation, the systemic circluation would not be able to do its job.  The systemic circulation carries many different types of blood vessels ranging from elastic to muscular, and branches off into all tissues. The pulmonary circulation only has two types of blood vessels that only branch off into the lungs. In the systemic circulation, arteries carry oxygenated blood to the tissues from the left ventricle of the heart. In the pulmonary circulation, the pulmonary artery carries deoxygenated blood to the lungs via the right ventricle.In the systemic circulation, veins carry deoxygenated blood to the heart, emptying into the right atrium of the heart. In the pulmonary circulation, the pulmonary vein carries oxygenated blood to the heart, emptying into the left atrium. Arteries carry oxygenated blood and have thicker and more muscular walls in order to pump to the rest of the body, while the veins are thinner. Veins also have valves that prevent the backflow of deoxygenated blood, while arteries do not.

2. Based on the picture in the textbook and google I will try to answer this question the best I can! I hope this answer is what you're asking for: The oxygenated blood that is carried to the brain through the carotid artery is then turned into deoxygenated blood after the exchange has taken place and the oxygen has reached its destination. After this, the deoxygenated blood returns down the jugular vein and into the superior vena cava.  From there, the deoxygenated blood enters the right atrium and then past the triscuspid valve into the right ventricle. The deoxygenated blood is then pumped past the pulmonary semi-lunar valve  and into the pulmonary trunk. Past the pulmonary artery, the deoxygenated blood enters the lungs where gas exhange takes place. the carbon dioxide is breathed out and oxygen is breathed in, oxidizing the blood. From here, the newly oxygenated blood is brought back to the heart through the pulmonary veins and then into the left atrium. From the the left atrium the blood travels past the bicuspid or mitral valve into the left ventricle. After this, the blood travels past the aortic semi-lunar valve into the aorta. This is where the oxygenated blood is pumped to reach the rest of the body.

3. In a fetus, the lungs and digestive system has nothing to digest. The baby gets all of its nutrients and respiration needs from the placenta, which is attached to the inside of the womb. The baby also has umbilical veins and arteries which supply blood to the baby that are intertwined with the placenta. The umbilical veins drain into the ductuc venosus which moves the blood to the inferior vena cava. A baby also have something called the formen ovale which is a hole which runs form the right atrium to the left atrium. This prevents the blood from going to the lungs which cannot be used.

://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNEb78iXAzg

1. How does your vital capacity compare to others in the class? Describe some reasons why you think your vital capacity is what it is. Why are the highest and lowest vital capacities the way they are?

My Vital capacity is a bit lower than that of everyone around me. Corey and I were away when this exercise was done, so in comparison to my sister I have a lower vital capacity. My vital capacity is different than others because I have asthma and therefore do not have lungs which work to their full potential and this makes it difficult to breath properly. Another factor is that I am a girl, and naturally have smaller lungs than that of the men. The highest capacities would probably be the people with the biggest and healthiest and lungs. Those conditioned through sports or otherwise would also have high capacities, and typically men would as well. Those with lower capacities could either be unhealthy, have smaller lungs, or a condition such as asthma.

2. How much air is in a usual breath? Why are our breaths the volume that they are?

Our breaths are the volume that they are because of a variety of things. one being our genes; another our gender.  Men typically will breathe in larger volumes of air because they have larger lungs. so the size of ones lungs attribute to the volume of breaths one takes. Again, health plays a major factor in volume. A usual breath is 500ml.

How is the mechanism of exhaling forcefully different than a usual exhalation? Why would practice at this via exercise/instrument playing/singing make you better at it?

Exhaling forcefully is different than a usual exhalation because regular exhalation is involuntary. When breathing forcefuly, you are expelling air as fast and as hard as you can.You are doing this consciously and his is the difference. Practicing an instrument or singing can increase your vital capacities because you are exercising your lungs and therefore increasing their strength over time. The lungs will need more air and like anything over time, you will become better and will be able to hold your breath longer.

Collapsed Lung

Today, we delve into the mucus-covered world of lungs. I've searched far and wide, to the furthest reaches of the internet to answer lingering questions surrounding the topic of a COLLAPSED LUNG.

What, pray tell, is a collapsed lung?

In accordance with this site, a collapsed lung is a collection of air in the space around your lungs which prevents the lung from expanding to the size of a normal breath, which, by the way is 500 ml. of air. 

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000087.htm

You may be wondering how can such a thing occur. Well, should the lung become punctured in some way, air would escape from it into the thoracic cavity, which is bad. Even worse, a spontaneous pneumothorax can occur, which is when lung collapse occurs out of the blue, without any evident cause. 
Some people who are more prone to lung collapse are those with asthma, smokers, and very thin people.
Tell-Tale signs of this ailment range from sharp chest pains and shortness of breath to more extreme symptoms as changing of skin colour caused by lack of oxygen and rapid heart rate. 
You can, however be tested and treated for these symptoms. 

This Youtube video does a great job of explaining causes and symptoms of a collapsed lung.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-sZzZ4TMnY