Edu blogging for Maximum Student Learning

Lessons

I have never ventured the area of blogging. Be it for business, personal or for educational purposes until this final year of my college course in which we were encouraged to post a meta-analysis of all things concerning the broad topic of Endocrinology and Toxicology. To be honest, at first I cannot grasp the importance of creating an account, posting all the meta-analyzed information concerning the subject matter and presenting it to the class while the professor is evaluating it. If the purpose is to learn wouldn't thorough reading and understanding suffice? Furthermore it is time consuming and needs internet connection. 

But then as I started gathering information (which I learnt more since I use several references including books and the internet), in here I learned how assess the credibility of a reference, how to meta-analyze—that is contrasting and combining results from different studies, in the hope of identifying patterns among study results, sources of disagreement among those results, or other interesting relationships that may come to light in the context of multiple studies.

While writing a post, certain terms that I cannot understand can be researched easily through internet and other references I have chosen therefore understanding the topic is made easier.

Additional visual aids such as pictures, video, graphs or figures that can help in simplifying a complex and broad topic is highly accessible by searching the web.

Educational blogging is a two way learning experience. It teaches both the blogger and the readers/fellow bloggers. 

Through blogging, these principles are exemplified thus maximizing the  student learning ability. As I have learned in the Principles of Teaching and Learning; it  states in the first principle that learning is an active process wherein it is summarized as:

What I hear, I forget.

What I see, I remember.

What I do, I understand.

It is further supported by the second principle which is the more  senses that are involved in learning, the more and the better the learning.

And through active learning using several senses, there is application and retention.

P.S.Thank you Ma'am VBG for introducing edu blogging to us!:)






Photocredit: I want you poster

Toxicology

Toxicology is the study of the adverse effects of chemicals or biological agents on living organisms. It is the study of symptoms, mechanisms, treatments and detection of poisoning.

History of Toxicology

Antiquity (3000 BCE–90 CE)

Middle Ages (476 CE – 1453)

   

Renaissance (1450–1600)

 

1700-1800

Origin of toxic agents

       Toxins

-      Released or produced by living organisms which will serve as toxic agents that provides them protection 
      as well as for capture and metabolism of food.

  Infectious agents

-Bacterial toxins: botulinum toxin, Staphylococcal toxin causing Toxic Shock Syndrome

-Fungal toxins/Mycotoxins: aflatoxin produced by Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus.

  Animal venoms

- Toxins produced in secretory glands and delivered during a biting or stinging act this targets acetylcholine receptors causing neuromuscular paralysis.

- Snake venom: contains crotalase enzyme that attacks fibrinogen causing internal bleeding as well as sarafotoxin which induces coronary vasoconstriction.

  Plant toxins

-      Toxins from plant have different active components. The most common effect to the body is gastrointestinal disturbances such as nausea, diarrhea and abdominal pain.

-      Others include allergies, local and systemic effects as well as neurologic disturbances.

  

  
        






     Toxicants

-      By products of anthropogenic activities.

 

                

          

Types of Toxic effects

• Mutagenicity: detection of possible ability to induce genetic alteration (mutation); UV light

• Carcinogenicity: detection of possible ability to induce abnormal clonal uncontrolled proliferation of genetically altered cells;  benzene, asbestos

• Teratogenicity: detection of possible deleterious effects on the developing fetus;  thalidomide

       

• Death: arsencic, cyanide
• Organ damage: ozone, lead

Forensic Toxicology& Drugs of Abuse

For our safety, let us familiarize ourselves with the different 
toxic and hazard symbols...

Photo credits:

• ADME properties
• Pathway of drug and its effects
• snake venom
• poisonous plants
• poison ivy, oak, sumac
• radiation 
• explosive

References:

• Historical Milestones and Discoveries Which Shaped the Toxicology Sciences by Steven G. Gilbert and Antoinette Hayes
• Toxicology introduction: Medical news
• A framework for describing diseases caused by toxic agents November, 2004 Boston Cure Project, Inc.
• General Principles of Pharmacology and Toxicology

A New Perspective and Introduction to Endocrinology

Humans value normalcy.  This may be explained through the idea that “normal” is equivalent to “easy and comfortable life”.  Strange but typical. No unnecessary and unwanted attention, no public scorn, no harmful rumours that destroy one’s reputation. We thrive in normalcy because being “normal” is what is universally accepted in this world. This is the harsh reality. This is called “humanity”.

Life can never be normal again. Why? Because of the different factors affecting our lifestyle, humans are bound to experience the luxuries and downsides of our own choices. Our choices give us the power to choose what we can and what we want to be. This is our own “freedom” or so we speak.

What will happen if this “freedom” will be taken away from us?

Most of us may have met a person having an abnormally short stature for his age, a condition known as “dwarfism” some call them the “little people” or “midget” coined in the earlier era wherein they were publicized for hilarity of towns people.  I cannot deny that when I was young they’ve been my subject of amusement, criticisms and chauvinism.



We point our accusing fingers and ask why they are different from us.  Different. In what aspects? Aside from their physical appearance we know for ourselves that we are human beings who live to be accountable for the wellness of our equals. We tend to be caught up with the privileges that keep on coming to us that we forget to be grateful for being born healthy devoid of any defects.

Chandra Bahadur Dangi, a 72 year old Nepalese farmer is the shortest man alive. Guinness World Record officials confirmed his height of 54.6 cm.

Bao Xishun with the towering height of 8 feet and 1 inch tall.

 Too much or too little of something isn’t good...

There’s bound to be a governing organ that oversees the balance in every matter. Like the cerebellum that maintains body coordination, the kidney that maintains blood pH, electrolyte and water balance. Same with the Endocrine system which is composed of different major glands.

1. HYPOTHALAMUS
-it is an integral part of the endocrine system that mediates several metabolic processes of the central nervous system which recognizes stimulus and regulates the synthesis of releasing or inhibiting the secretion of pituitary gland. It facilitates hunger, thirst, circadian rhythm, sleep, fatigue, heart rate as well as body temperature.

2. PITUITARY GLAND
- also called the master gland for it secretes hormones that regulate various body processes.

3. PINEAL GLAND
- secretes serotonin and melatonin that is responsible for wake and sleep patterns.

4. THYROID GLAND
- concerned with the basal metabolic rate which is the quantity of energy spent by an individual

5. PARATHYROID GLAND
-  responsible for muscle and bone development

6. PANCREAS
- secretes hormones for the breakdown or build-up of glucose in the body

7. ADRENAL GLAND
-affects heart rate, breathing and the commonly called adrenalin rush that comes in cases of in dire need

8. GONADS
- involves the sex organs namely the ovaries for female sex organ maturation and development of secondary characteristics and the testes for the male sex organ maturation and development of secondary characteristics.

In summary, Endocrinology provides a vast repertoire of elucidation on different body processes and the regulation in the synthesis, release and inhibition of secretion of hormones on the different glands.

Photo credits:
too much or too little is not good photo
Bao Xishun: tallest man alive
Shortest man alive: Chandra Bahadur Dangi
Endocrine system: glands and its hormones

References:
Calbreath, Donald F.: Clinical Chemistry A Fundamental Textbook. W.B Saunders
Tortora, Gerard J., and Derrickson, Bryan H: Principles of Anatomy and Physiology. Wiley 11th ed.