Misc. Writing

Biology Introduction: Hemolysis in Red Blood Cells

In the modern world, 75% of the Earth’s species live and thrive on land.  Any creature included in this percentage evidently abides by parameters enforced by mother nature itself – in other words the environment makes organisms on land function the way they do.  Organisms on land, for example, are exposed to several harmful pollutants which can affect their health.  Sea creatures represent another 15% of Earth’s organisms, obviously living in the saltwater oceans.  While such beings are surrounded by entirely different environments than our own, they too have their so-called parameters.  Sea creatures, for instance, must have several regulatory responses as a means of combating the salty nature of their environments.  The truth is that anything that exists on this planet abides by parameters set forth by its environment – members of the microscopic world are no different.  While large land and sea creatures are shaped by their surroundings, the very cells that such creatures are composed of are shaped by their own “living conditions” as well.  While incredibly small, cells are the building blocks of life and are therefore incredibly significant.  In the duration of this laboratory, the primary focus was on a specific type of cell known as the red blood cell and how it reacted to changes in its environment.

Red blood cells are actually exposed to not-so-friendly environments and any deviation from a particular set of conditions can render a cell useless and/or dead.  When dealing with red blood cells, the term osmosis is frequently brought up.  “By definition, osmosis is the movement of any solvent through a selectively permeable membrane into an area of higher solute concentration, the result of which will be an equalizing of solute concentration on either side of the membrane” (Staughton 1).  All cells, including RBC’s, are composed of semi-permeable membranes which allow for the transfer of materials to occur.  As just mentioned, osmosis refers to the transfer of water across a membrane – an incredibly important concept when it comes down to how RBC’s function.  RBC’s, under certain circumstances, will actually break down and die – this process is known as hemolysis.  Such a process can occur if a red blood cell is placed in an environment entirely composed of pure water.  In such conditions, the principle of osmosis states that water from the outside will flow into the cell to compensate for the lack of ions in the external environment.  Eventually, water would continue to diffuse into the cell even once it is completely full, thereby causing it to explode.  Of course, a red blood cell can be destroyed by opposite conditions as well.  If a cell is placed in a very ion-concentrated (salty) solution, all of the water from within the cell will flow out until it shrivels up and dies.  Thus, red blood cells are constantly regulating their internal environments to ensure hemolysis does not occur.  The death of a cell is of course inevitable; however, the time before that stage arrives can be prolonged by osmoregulation.

The primary motivation for the experiment was to find the conditions in which red blood cells could best function.  Clearly hemolysis would occur if the salinity in either the internal or external environment was significantly higher than the other.  Salinity refers to salt concentration, thus a solution which is extremely saline is one that has a high concentration of NaCl.  As previously mentioned, a high concentration of ions on the outside of RBC’s could cause them to lose water and implode, and a high concentration of ions on the inside could cause them to gain water and explode.  While this fact was clear, the conditions at which hemolysis was least likely to occur was unknown.  Thus, that is what was explored in the duration of the laboratory.  Experiments as such have been carried out by other scientists.  For example, scientist Ansel Gigandet in his methods, stated: “The hemolytic activity in vitro of chlorpromazine hydrochloride, chlordiazepoxide hydrochloride and brompheniramine maleate was examined using various intravenous solutions as the vehicle. Fresh human blood was employed in the investigation which used a colorimetric method for the determination of hemolysis” (Gigandet 7).  Evidently this is the very same process explored – only utilizing more complex electrolytes.

Using the aforementioned knowledge, it was hypothesized that red blood cells in a saline environment would suffer the least amount of hemolysis.  Of course, there is a limit to this hypothesis as an extremely saline solution could still cause many of the cells to die.  For experimentation, several solutions were created with varying NaCl concentrations.  Red blood cells were mixed with each and every one of these solutions, and the results were recorded and utilized for further calculation.

The life of a red blood cell is undeniably a difficult one, as there is no telling when an environment can suddenly change character.  Red blood cells must constantly regulate themselves based on the conditions which surround them, and often times they fail to do so in extreme circumstances.  Finding the conditions under which RBCs can best function could possibly aid scientists in finding ways to prolong their lifespans.

Work Cited

Khan Academy, Khan Academy, (2015), “Osmosis and Tonicity.” Retrieved from www.khanacademy.org/science/biology/membranes-and-transport/diffusion-and-osmosis/a/osmosis.

 

Koeppen, Bruce M., (2013), “Osmolarity and Osmolality.” Osmolarity and Osmolality – an Overview, Retrieved from www.sciencedirect.com/topics/immunology-and-microbiology/osmolarity-and-osmolality.

 

Zhang, Haimei, (2011), Impermeability – an Overview | ScienceDirect Topics, Retrieved from www.sciencedirect.com/topics/chemistry/impermeability.

 

 

 

Sophie Davis Supplemental Essay 1: How Mixed Martial Arts Changed My Life

As a young boy, I was always the ultimate target for bullies.  Whether at school or at the playground, they always seemed to find me.  One incident in particular, an older student kicked me in the face and sent me to the hospital.  Not too long after returning back to school, another student thought it would be funny to urinate on me.  At that age, school should have been a fun experience, a place to make friends, a safe zone, but for me it was nothing more than a barren landscape infested with predators.  I absolutely despised it.  Waking up in the morning for school felt like a curse.  For a long time, I asked myself why bullies chose me.  Was it because I was smaller than most?  Having been born two months prematurely, I wasn’t the largest of kids nor was I the most intellectually capable.  Admittedly, I was both physically and socially awkward. There was a lot about me that an outsider could pick on and knowing that, made my confidence and self-esteem non-existent.  Today, I would be the same boy, dreading going to school or any public event for fear of being a target.  Fortunately that wasn’t my fate.  Several years ago, my parents made a decision that changed my life forever.  That decision was enrolling me in mixed martial arts.

I began when I was just seven years old.  I remember walking into the dojo and feeling intimidated by the environment.  There were kids my age and size who moved with such grace and speed while striking pads.  There were also kids much larger than myself who displayed incredible power as they kicked heavy bags.  My fear was inevitable; a bully somehow always found me regardless of where I was.  Considering I had walked into a mixed martial arts school, I was sure to now encounter a bully who was trained to fight.  This very thought sent my anxiety skyrocketing, but my parents held firm in their decision.  I was going to take classes in self-defense whether I agreed to it or not.  When it was time for my session, I walked onto the mat trembling with anticipation.  The instructor introduced himself and began the class.

Truth be told, I was horrible.  My stance was completely off, my body stiff, and my strikes barely moved the punching bag.  I was aware of how poor my performance was and I waited for someone to laugh or tease me for my lack of know-how.  I waited for the children watching the class to hurl insults at me, but none of that was ever going to come.  My mistakes were plentiful, but the other students had no intentions of making fun of me.  Rather, they aided me any time I was having trouble and the instructor, whom I addressed as Sensei, did the same.  Perhaps the most pivotal moment of my experience occurred at the end of the class, when Sensei called us together for the daily group discussion.  He spoke on behalf of his own experiences of being bullied and explained how he was able to overcome such situations with his knowledge of mixed martial arts.  When he spoke, each of us listened intently.  Sensei finished by stating that a mixed martial arts school was no place for a bully and that no student of his would be permitted to train if they ever used their knowledge of self-defense in that way.  Every single student seemed to genuinely agree with Sensei’s statements.  At that moment, I realized I was surrounded by good people and regardless of my flaws, I would be fully accepted.

It is quite amazing how we humans work.  We all seem to have the innate ability to feel another’s energy with their mere presence.  The last bully encounter I experienced was in the third grade.  Not surprisingly, this was when I began my commitment to mixed martial arts.  I’ve never had to use my training for self-defense.  I believe this to be motivated by the moral teachings I’ve learned and the confidence instilled in me and my abilities.  I’ve applied this self-assuredness in all facets of my life.  Most importantly, confidence has allowed me to not be afraid of the world.  I have developed many relationships and welcome new challenges.  My self-confidence allows me to believe in myself and that I can achieve anything I set my mind to.

Among the things I have learned as a mixed martial artist, confidence is undeniably important, but the concept of a non-quitting spirit is just as crucial.  A martial artist, we are taught, should exercise his or her non-quitting spirit by executing a given task with maximum effort and not stopping until that task is completed.  Every time I train, I know I must abide by this rule, for I will not feel accomplished otherwise.  Such a mindset has been ingrained into me from the moment I began to train and has been the driving force behind virtually everything I do in my life.  The very same non-quitting spirit I use to finish my last push-up in a set or throw a final punch in a combination when I think I have nothing left, I have learned to use in my academics, work ethics, and overall way of life.  I am not one to ever give up, regardless of the task at hand and I can most certainly attribute this to the non-quitting spirit I developed from the discipline of the arts.  This is the mindset that brought me to where I am today, attending one of the most prestigious magnet high schools in New York City where I’ve earned Archon status in my junior year, summa cum laude awards in the national Latin exam, and national hispanic scholar recognition; all while maintaining an undefeated record as captain of my high school’s wrestling team.

Mixed martial arts revealed an incredible side I hadn’t known resided within me.  It affirmed to me my true potential, not only as an athlete, but also as a boy capable of overcoming all obstacles placed before him.  Today, I am a well-rounded individual because of the confidence I developed.  I am not afraid to participate in school productions or attend social events of any sorts.  My non-quitting spirit has simultaneously allowed me to excel as a student, an employee, and an overall good citizen.  Martial arts has molded me into the best possible version of myself and for this I am forever grateful.  I hope that one day, I will be able to impact the lives of others just as martial arts has influenced mine.

 

 

 

Sophie Davis Supplemental Essay 3: Why Do I Want to Become a Physician?

Centuries ago, the average human lived no longer than thirty five years of age.  At the time, the adult life that many of us look forward to in the modern world, was very short-lived.  Why was this the case?

The answer of course, is war, but not necessarily with one another.  Frequent skirmishes between empires surely were factors that contributed to premature death; however, they were not the primary cause.  That title belongs to microbes, organisms that were not understood during this time.  Microbes are everywhere and several thousand years ago, infection was common because of limitations in research.  Fast forward to present times, the average life expectancy has more than doubled to an astounding eighty years. What made this possible? Medicine.

Bacteria and viruses are complex beings, constantly mutating and growing in power.  Yet, we can effectively counter them with modern treatments.  Medicine has essentially taught the human body how to eradicate many foreign organisms which infiltrate it.  Thus, we are able to live longer.  In a brief span, what doctors have accomplished with modern medicine is nothing short of amazing and something I yearn to further contribute to in the future.

Today, science has enabled doctors the opportunity to remedy and/or treat practically anything.  A broken wrist or any broken bone for that matter, can be corrected with surgery.  If someone is suffering from severe scoliosis, it can be effectively treated by inserting titanium corrective support rods in the patient’s back.  Organ failure can be addressed with transplantation, such that a specimen from a healthy body replaces the non-functioning one.  Today’s physicians have all the tools available to be masters of their fields.  As time progresses the doctor’s  understanding of science in relation to the human body is growing exponentially.  However, has the emergence of this great knowledge created a gap between doctors and the average patient?

A particular experience with my grandmother stands out.  An immigrant from Ecuador, she settled in a largely hispanic community in Corona, Queens.  One-day, I accompanied her to the local doctor for a routine check-up.  We were shocked to hear that she was diagnosed with a heart condition.  For the next couple of years, she was treated with heart medication daily.  Surgery was eventually recommended and it was at this point that the fear of the potential consequences prompted us as a family to seek out a second opinion.  To our surprise, she had a perfectly healthy heart.  Being there from the inception of this diagnoses, I felt a barrage of emotions.  Mostly, I was disappointed.  The job of a doctor is to not only medically treat his or her patient, but to also educate them.  Statistically, citizens in underserved communities are less informed, thus to them, the word of a doctor immediately becomes law.  My grandmother, who didn’t speak any English, accompanied by me as a translator, and both with no medical knowledge, had no reason to believe she was being misdiagnosed.  The issue at hand, I realized, was not the doctor, but rather the knowledge gap that exists between the doctor and his/her patient.

I strongly feel the discipline of medicine is best served when there is a balance in the understanding of both, nurture and science.  When people hear the word ‘doctor’, they think of someone who is caring and simultaneously capable of treating any condition.  I want to fulfill my own role as a doctor by bringing that holistic approach to the medical field.  The experience I witnessed as a young child along with my thirst for knowledge in the sciences has sparked in me a dire need to serve in the medical field.  Countless communities fail to receive appropriate medical attention.  As a bilingual, second generation Hispanic-American, I am confident that I can contribute to the closing of the information gap in my community and others alike.  So what is it I want to achieve?  I want to solidify my personal relationship with the anatomy and function of the human body.  I want to be a reason why individuals look forward to a doctor’s visit.  I want to be a reason for people living healthy and longer lives.   I want to be the superhero that patients confide in.  My desire to obtain a profession in the medical field is driven by an incredible passion to learn and contribute to research and an even greater passion for helping those in need.

 

 

Narrative Medicine Reflection

Several events at my birth led me to become the student I was when I first began school, and to this day many of those qualities still persist – only suppressed.  I received speech services, along with physical therapy as a child due to my premature birth.  For the first few years of my life, I dealt heavily with social anxiety, and for that reason I was always the odd one out in school.  Over the years, the things that I had become involved in, school clubs, teams, and most importantly mixed martial arts, shot my confidence level up to a point I would never imagine I was capable of.  I’d like to say that because of this I completely escaped the social anxiety I once dealt with as a kid, but this couldn’t be further from the truth.  My social anxiety, while not as prominent as before, still shows itself regularly, only much more discreetly.  The fact that I do not like to participate in class is perhaps the biggest example of my fear of being social.  I force myself to speak because I know that it is imperative to my grade, and on a larger scale, my success as a doctor.  Often times; however, I am incredibly uncomfortable doing so, and this discomfort has led me not to share ideas even when I know they are factual and thought provoking.  On a positive note, at least I have my issue identified, as thus I know what I must do to fix it.  Watching the Ted talk that was assigned for this week was incredibly motivating, and while the speaker’s situation is drastically different from my own, I found similarities between our two stories.  I may not be dealing with breast cancer, and she may not be dealing with social anxiety that stems from childhood events, but the solution is the same.  Human beings are naturally social creatures – that is, we depend on our voices for survival.  Without speech, without some form of communication, there is no survival.  Even in the modern world, it is imperative for one to make themselves seen and heard, especially if they are in a position that may make them seem inferior.  The Ted speaker openly exposed her scars from her surgery to communicate her story, and by doing this she establishes herself in a dominant position of power – as a survivor.  I know that in my own case, I must constantly step out of my comfort zone and battle my social anxiety so that I can too establish myself in that position of power.