Negative Effects Of Technology Essay - 886 Words

Corey Hughes D. Sterling English 101 23 October 2017 Negative Effects of Technology There will always be problems in the world no matter what we do. Even when new technology is created to fix many problems, it just brings a whole set of problems to society. Technology changes so much in a short span of time that the negative effects are very visible. Although technology seems to become more advanced each day, it has many negative effects in the world that includes the lack of privacy, lack of social skills, and the decline in health of people today. In today’s world, you will see less and less of people actually interacting with each other in person face to face. People are more used to talking online through text or social media.†¦show more content†¦Information put online is really never deleted. If you post some questionable content, pictures or your location online you can easily not be hired for a job, or be tracked about your whereabouts if you are somewhere where you are not supposed to be. Hackers have been taking many celebrities social media sights and posting negative things to ruin their careers. They have also leaked personal photos, emails, and text to the world that should be kept personal. Younger kids see more things that they shouldn’t see on the Internet at a younger age. Protecting them from the outside world is very important to how they grow and think. People are entering their social security numbers, bank accounts, card numbers, and much other information online. They are doing this to order things, to make life easier to remember information, and to send that information to others. This can cause many problems because hackers can easily get their hands on this information and steal your identity. Someone can take your bank account and credit card information and go order anything they want online. They can also use your social security number apply for things on credit under your name and ruin your line of credit for a long time. It is extremely diffic ult and time-consuming to fix your credit scores and get money back that was stolen. The increase in technology brings a major decrease in mental and physical health. People skip exercising many times to stayShow MoreRelatedNegative Effects of Technology Essay2094 Words   |  9 PagesTechnology is one of life’s most impressive and incredible phenomena’s. The main reason being the shockingly high degree to which our society uses technology in our everyday lives. It occupies every single realm, affecting people both positively and negatively. There are so many different forms of technology but the two most often used are cell phones, and the internet/computers in general. Today’s younger generation was raised alongside technological development. Kids now a days learn how to operateRead MoreNegative Effects Of Technology Essay778 Words   |  4 Pagesadvancements, but many people are wondering whether or not the positive effects of technology outway the negativ e effects. The ability for people to quickly learn how to use an iPhone the day it comes out isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but when they are handed an unfamiliar assignment, they may fail to pick up on it as fast. Technology negatively impacts our thinking, communication, and the environment. First, technology has hindered humans’ ability to connect with one another. For example, inRead MoreNegative Effects of Technology Essay examples3080 Words   |  13 PagesNegative effects of technology Several factors can be attributed to the construction of the modern world in the past few hundred years. However, technological changes can be said to have had the most substantial contribution. These changes became prominent during the industrial revolution throughout the eighteenth century. Technology led to a new mode of human existence, namely, the industrial civilization. The industrial revolution saw a shift from traditional agriculture to a mechanizationRead MoreEssay on Technology and the Negative Effects on Society1601 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction Since the industrial revolution, society has become more and more dependent on technology. So much so that we sometimes lack the willingness to think before we act. We become impatient if it takes more than a few seconds to download a copy of the morning news paper. We expect immediate responses to our email, and we expect someone to answer their cell phone whenever and wherever we call. â€Å"Industrialization resulted in rapid and sustained economic growth and a massive increaseRead MoreTechnology and its Negative Effect on Society Essay1583 Words   |  7 Pagesacross America today. It’s the digital age, technology is booming at such a rapid pace we cannot even wear out our devices before the newer up-to-date models arrive. Technology has negative effects on society, because it is causing our critical thinking and social interaction skills to decline, it is disrupting the American family unit, and it has caused us to become a distracted society that is constantly di srupted from our priorities. Firstly technology is causing a decline in our critical thinkingRead MoreThe Negative Effects of Technology on Society Essay949 Words   |  4 Pages Technology has more negative effects on today’s society than positive. Due to technology in the past few decades Canine Shock Collars have been increasingly popular. Students in school pay more attention to texting than they do their classes. Violent addictive video games have made their way into American homes. Parents encourage their children to not text as much, but them to face the problem of constant communication. The Internet gives the students easier ways to cheat in schoolRead MorePositive and Negative Effects of Technology on Communication Essay1391 Words   |  6 PagesTechnology today has a myriad of gadgets and tools to facilitate communication and this has transformed the way people communicate with each other. From the invention of the telegraph to the internet, technology has allowed people connect with family, friends, and colleagues at any location. Moreover, people can express their opinions to larger groups of people instantly that would no t have been possible without the advent of technology. However, electronically mediated communication is a doubleRead MoreExposing the Negative Effects of Technology on Kids Essay1926 Words   |  8 Pagescurrent generation of children is completely different from the preceding ones. They are living in the digital age. â€Å"Technology has blended in with daily activity to become a way of life and children today take for granted all of which is automated. It is hard for kids today to imagine a world that existed without all of the gadgets, electronics and seamless operations that computer technology provides.† (Goessl) â€Å"Children in the United States devote some 40 hours a week to television, video games and theRead MoreEssay about Negative Effects of Technology Outweigh the Positive1099 Words   |  5 PagesIn todays society there is no escape from technology. We are completely submerged in our iPhone, ipads, computers, and gaming systems. These gadgets give us the op portunity to be connected to each other and the rest of the world at all times. But, this is not a glorious step in history. Technology blinds us from the real world. As John Tudor said, â€Å"Technology makes it possible for people to gain control over everything, except technology.† We may run our lives with the help of our iPhones and computersRead MoreEssay about The Recent Negative Effect Of Technology On Society1731 Words   |  7 Pages The Recent Negative Effect of Technology on Society nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Ever since the Industrial revolution, technology has been changing at a fast pace. People are always wanting a better lifestyle therefore there is always something new arising so humans can cope with their physical environment. One of the most important breakthroughs for technology was the agricultural system. The agricultural system was the basis for the technology of the future. The agricultural system

Application And Cost Estimation Before Building Essay

Name Course Professor Date Technology in Architecture Architecture is the art of planning and designing of a space or a building so as to suite a certain function or a technical use. To do this one requires creativity and experience in the manipulation of materials and coordinating these materials using technology to build the several parts of a building. The architect has to consider the scheduling and cost estimation before building. The behavior of the building during different climatic changes must also be considered. It should be able to withstand strong winds or very high temperatures. Throughout the years new designs for building have been invented and new materials have been discovered. Before man could build a house he lived in caves. Through the advancement of technology as he evolved, building became more appealing and better built. There is no doubt that technology helps in advancing architecture. Architectural designs have also come a long way, in that they get better by the years. However, in the 21st century, various buil ding and design software are created to help architectures and engineers in drawing and balancing of materials. In the 19th century, building and design was done using pen and paper, where a designer or architect would have to draw the building so as to make a blueprint. There were not so many materials to go on and so an architect had to consider the durability in that the building had to be in good condition after a long period of time.Show MoreRelatedStrategic Management Accounting : Cost Advantage And Differentiation Advantage996 Words   |  4 PagesAdd to the previous text with regard to Porter – (cost advantage and differentiation advantage) Traditional management accounting is cost driven with short-term pricing and profit motive. It is fragmented and has internal and financial focus. Strategic management accounting is market driven with long-term pricing and profit motive. It is integrated and has value and external focus. Strategic management accounting raises the issues and addresses the weaknesses of traditional management accountingRead MoreProblems Associated With Software Engineering1606 Words   |  7 Pagesthe 20th century. Even though most companies could not endure or compete successfully without software and computers; even in 2011, senior executive management remains troubled by a set of chronic problems associated with software applications: extended schedules, major cost exceeding, sub-par quality, and reduced user satisfaction. These problems have occurred so widely that it is fair to characterize them as a â€Å"corporate epidemic.† The companies that have been most successful in bringing softwareRead MoreLack Of Interoperability And Information Models1025 Words   |  5 Pagesinteroperability is it can drive up the costs. The main drivers of increasing cost include time spent on manually reentering the data from one application to another, time spent on processing requests for information, extra expenditure for data translators and so forth. (McGraw Hill Construction 2007) b) Describe and discuss the need for interoperable building information models. As information stated above, lack of interoperability causes construction industry a large loss of cost and time, making improvingRead MoreTesla Motors : An American Automaker And Energy Stockpiling Essay1031 Words   |  5 Pageswear utility vehicle (SUV). The Company has conveyed more than 107,000 Model S vehicles over the world. Notwithstanding building up its own vehicles, it offers energy stockpiling items. Its energy stockpiling items incorporate the seven kilowatt-hour and 10 kilowatt-hour Powerwall for private applications, and the 100 kilowatt-hour Powerpack for business and mechanical applications. The Company conveys energy stockpiling items under the Tesla Energy mark. It makes its items principally at its officesRead MoreBuilding A Way For Mcgill Students1603 Words   |  7 Pagesmain entrances of the libraries as well as at the entryways of each floor in the library buildings. By counting the traffic of people who are entering and exiting each library building, as wel l as each floor, an approximate number of the seats taken in different parts of libraries can be estimated. In order to achieve greater accuracy than the estimation, the number of staff members on duty in each building will be subtracted from the approximated number. Also, a margin of error shall be determinedRead MoreWhat Makes Any Form Of Electrical Generation Efficient? Essay1565 Words   |  7 PagesWhat makes any form of electrical generation efficient? Is it the cost per energy unit, or the acreage needed per produced energy unit, or the impact/s on the climate? The reality is all of those factors and many more go into it – and there are varying degrees of â€Å"yes† and â€Å"no† depending on which factors the analysis is based upon. Considering the finite reality of natural resources, fossil-fuel produced electricity will never be a permanent solution to electricity needs and shortages - but canRead MoreEvaluation Of A Project Manager Management1251 Words   |  6 PagesMainly, three task areas were selected and agreed upon in the agreement between me and the company. Activities and Experience: Preparing estimates by performing take-offs for windows and lighting provided a practical experience to the coursework in estimation. Master schedule, daily, weekly and monthly forecasts for a project was covered by scheduling and also the various processes that go into making the schedule more efficient like crashing were observed on site as well as from the perspective of aRead MoreThe Diagology Of Proactive Motor Health Monitoring1089 Words   |  5 Pages2016). However, due to the harsh working environment, electrical pumps health condition often declines without much warning and cause huge financial lose from both down time and replacement costs. It is estimated that the cost of loss production due to pump failure could be as much as $3 million, while the cost of intervention could be up to $1 million per well annually (Carrillo,2013). The induction motor plays an important role in the electrical pump. The main reason of pump failure is caused byRead MorePaypal Case Study830 Words   |  4 Pagesstructures, undertake business process mapping, estimation of critical path with network diagrams etc. What are some applications that you can create the software requirement document as per time and due date? We can develop software requirement specifications for web applications, Android applications, iOS applications, desktop applications, etc. Can you help me build my mobile app or website / web application? Yes, as experts we can assist you in building mobile apps for Android, iOS as well as hybridRead MoreNetwork Design And Organizational Goals1355 Words   |  6 Pagesthe organization is a burden they both share. I was tasked to design a network for a client, who recently bought an existing building to house a medium size business. This building has five floors, each floor has twenty thousand square feet totaling one hundred thousand square feet overall. The business will initially employee two thousand employees and within the building, my client will need a medium size data center. The focus of this paper is to show what items to consider, how I would plan it

The Essence Of The American Dream - 1169 Words

â€Å"The essence of the American Dream is the understanding that we are here on this earth and in this land for a higher purpose†¦ Anything that stands in the way of the dream, we must fight. Anything that enhances the dream, we must support† (Forbes). The American Dream can have a different significance to different people. The overall view of the dream is to have a nice stable home, being financially stable, and being able to have the same rights as everyone does. The dream to be someone in life, and be successful. America has always been considered the land of opportunity, the land people desire to live on for various reasons. â€Å"The Land of the free, the home of the brave† it is known as. What is the American Dream and how are they supposed to achieve it? Making this dream become reality is full of obstacles, and hard work. Many factors that play a major role on achieving it is race, gender and social status. America consists of many races from different pa rts of the world, either entering legally or illegally, but they all arrive with a purpose. Throughout the years the topic over Immigrants has been all over the place, initiating if they deserve any rights, if they are allowed to stay in the United States, etc. Several states do not take in immigrants very easily and desire to get them out their state, and even country. They tend to be stereotypical towards them and do not want anything to deal with them. Immigrants come from various places, once arriving it might not asShow MoreRelated The American Dream: The Essence of America Essay490 Words   |  2 Pagesalways been the â€Å"American Dream.† The â€Å"American Dream† is a goal for many of people who live in the realms of the Americanized world. I believe that the â€Å"American Dream† is controlling my own destiny, becoming successful, and living free. Examples of this dream are things like television, automobiles, supermarkets, malls, Internet, planes, tr ains, etc. The â€Å"American Dream† is success, freedom, and being able to control your own destiny.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Becoming successful has been the dreams of many peopleRead MoreCinderella Man American Dream1175 Words   |  5 Pagescritical step for attaining the American Dream is. To focus on the reasons someone cannot achieve something will only lead to disaster, but when someone takes the one reason why they can succeed, they do. There is no better representation of this and the American Dream than the movie Cinderella Man. It shows that no matter how bad things are, no matter how many reasons there are to lose faith in yourself, those who believe can overcome any adversities and find the â€Å"American Dream.† Cinderella Man is a storyRead MoreAnalysis Of Langston Hughes And His Harlem Dream1639 Words   |  7 PagesLangston Hughes and His Harlem Dream The 1900s found many African Americans migrating from the south to north of the United States in an event called the Great Migration. Many Southern African-Americans migrated to a place called Harlem and this is where the Harlem renaissance originated from. The Harlem renaissance began just after the first world war and lasted into the early years of the great depression. Harlem became the cynosure for blues and jazz and birthed forth a Negro Artist era calledRead More Failure and the Degeneration of America in Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby1042 Words   |  5 Pagesthat penetrated to the essence of the human spirit.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It was during the Jazz generation that the common man, a man no different to James Gatz, pursued the glowing icons of his age. As religion gradually faded away, it was money that had become an object of veneration. The desire to become wealthy was parceled in the form of the American Dream, a savage ideal that was fundamentally flawed from the outset. The fallacy of the American Dream cursed all who aspiredRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald938 Words   |  4 Pagescetera. The American Dream encapsulates the ideals of the â€Å"New World,† bringing together not only the idea of limitless success, but also its newfound availability and encouragement to embrace the promise land. The Great Gatsby explores the American Dream and â€Å"the actual nature of this dream... the manner in which people try to achieve it, as well as the moral implications their actions bring† (Smiljanić, 2). Through The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald reveals the truth of the American Dream by showingRead MoreThe American Dream is Built on Family Bonds Essay1305 Words   |  6 Pages The American Dream is a concept that is essentially older than the United States, dating back to the seventeenth century. It was then when people began to come up with hopes and aspirations for the newly discovered, unexplored continent. The â€Å"America n Dream† is in essence the idea in that puts forward the notion that all people can succeed through hard work, that all people have the right to the pursuit of happiness, and be successful. The definition of the American Dream has been expanded uponRead MoreRhetorical Analysis Of John Steinbeck s Of Mice And Men 1406 Words   |  6 PagesRhetorical Analysis Essay John Steinbeck, writer of the novel, Of Mice and Men, uses many different rhetorical devices and appeals to unravel the essence and truth of the American Dream, while revolving around the world of these characters, George and Lennie. Written during the great depression, the novel itself shares the lives of many different people during that time period. It explored how everyone was treated through that time due to skin color, disabilities, and gender. Life during thisRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald1524 Words   |  7 Pages Though many generations have defined the American Dream as obtaining economic success and prosperity, for many people, economic security is rather something that corrupts the mind and leads to the degradation of one’s soul. The Great Gatsby, Her Kind, and Friends all depict people of different backgrounds that are deeply affected by the culture of their upbringing. They support the idea that the American Dream is ultimately not about wealth, rather it is about seizing opportunities and the freedomRead MoreF. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby and the American Dream1456 Words   |  6 PagesThe Great Gatsby and the American Dream      Ã‚   Websters dictionary describes the American dream as the widespread aspiration of Americans to live better than their parents did.   F. Scott Fitzgeralds novel The Great Gatsby is a literary masterpiece that takes a fascinating look at the nature of the American dream that made its fiery inception during the American War of Independence 1776-83 when it became the central theme of the American Declaration of Independence.  Ã‚   In short, it stated, weRead MoreHarriet Tubman: The Underground Railroad Conductor1286 Words   |  5 PagesHarriet Tubman: The Underground Railroad Conductor The American dream and racialization are certainly some of the most intriguing concepts both in the historical and contemporary American attitude. They represent an embodiment of struggles, pain, hope, and optimism. American history has both in the ancient and present circulated around the subjects of hope and optimism, regardless the circumstances. Numerous accounts of magnificent and iconic historical features surface in this unfolding of events

Mycorrhization Of Plant Nutrition - 1172 Words

Application of mycorrhization remarkably improved the plant nutrition, mainly with nitrogen and phosphorus (Salvioli et al. 2012 and Colella et al. 2014). This dependence seems to be confirmed by results of our studies, in which application of AM supplemented with CD and P showed higher N and P content as compared to red amaranth and indian spinach plants grown without AMF inoculation (Table†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦). Guo et al. (2006) reported that in general mycorrhizal colonization resulted in increased shoot N and P concentrations and content in onion. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Glomus intraradices actively mobilize P from phosphates and increase the take up of more in roots inoculated with G. intraradices than those uninoculated (Antunes et al. 2007). In†¦show more content†¦It is clear from the present study that, solo application of AM fungi was less effective then combined application with cowdung or phpsphorus. This result was totally different to those of James W. Allen an d Yair Shachar-Hill, 2009 and Azcà ³n et al. 2003, who described that mycorrhizal enhanced S content in carrot and lettuce, respectively. Further study on red amaranth and Indian spinach is required to clarify this issue. AM inoculation with organic matter and phosphorus also increased Mg content in both vegetables and similar result was found by Azcà ³n et al. 2003. Our study revealed a non-significant effect of AM fungi on Ca concentration compared to non-colonized red amaranth plants. Similarly, Kothari et al. 1990 found decreased concentration of Ca in the shoot of maize under AMF inoculated condition. Several previous studies showed inconsistent results regarding Ca concentrations in different species due to mycorrhizal (Clark 1997, Alloush et al. 2000, Bagayoko et al. 2000). Marschner and Dell (1994) suggested that mycorrhizal plants might try to maintain low plant Ca concentrations as the presence of Ca-loaded polyphosphates possibly could harm the functioning of the arbuscules. Li et al. (2005) observed that inoculation with AM fungi significantly increased the contents of calcium in taro. On the contrary, calcium content increased in indian spinach due to the application of AM simplimented with cowdung and

What is the Measure of Unhappy Free Essays

The Simpsons, was a dysfunctional family, with no less than a rebellious son constantly getting into trouble in school and the community in general, and a drunkard father who would not hesitate to strangle said son at the slightest provocation. It is wacky and funny, owing to its cartoonish character and its brilliant writing. The same can be said of the Bluth family in Arrested Development, where between feuding siblings, a drunkard, former socialite mother and a fugitive father, at the center are values that remain somewhat intact. We will write a custom essay sample on What is the Measure of Unhappy or any similar topic only for you Order Now Their dysfunction, and tragic circumstances are brought in a humorous light. Though with the title Little Miss Sunshine, we see nothing of the glamor we would expect a few minutes into the movie. This is no Simpsons—at least that family kept to their values, had the support of their Springfield neighborhood; this is no Arrested Development, as there is no one member left that is functional enough, strong enough to keep the ties together. For all intents and purposes, the Hoovers of Little Miss Sunshine are estranged, and ready to tear to separate directions. We are immediately introduced to people at the end of their ropes—the grandfather is a heroin addict, the uncle recently failed in his suicide attempt, the father is a failed â€Å"self-help† author, the son has all but disowned his dysfunctional family. The mother, for all her efforts to keep her family together, is ironically nothing but a foil to make clearer how much in desperate circumstance the family has gone. The movie centers around the eventual trip the family has to California, for a Little Miss Sunshine pageant for the youngest daughter, but here there is more opportunity to show how far down its members have gone. No one member is not dependent on the other—the suicidal uncle could not be left alone, or alone with his nephew; the grandfather, who has been with his granddaughter longest, is impliedly dependent on her for emotional support; this line of dependency eventually passes to the mother, and the father last. Everyone but the daughter is reluctantly pulled to the journey. There is not much to be said about the acting done in the movie, as every character was subtly played. Steve Carrell plays a person different altogether from his previous roles as family man or comic hero—he plays a manic-depressive intellectual homosexual, and he delivers perfectly the consequential line where he explains to his niece why he tried to kill himself. Greg Kinnear, in portraying the straight-laced father who tries to maintain a semblance of reason to his family, successfully balances the seriousness of his mood while becoming involved in ridiculous situations. Memorable—perhaps owing to him being at the center of the only â€Å"loud† scene in the entire movie—is Alan Arkin, the wise cracking grandfather who breaks the stereotype of the embittered old man trapped in the memories of days past or a war they might have taken past. The â€Å"shining ray of light†, perhaps, in the household is the little daughter, Olive Hoover, who spends countless days dreaming about pageants and watching the coronation of beauty queens. From what we see of her and her actions throughout the film, we wonder whether she was oblivious to the situation her family was in. There is a scene of her whooping with joy from room to room while from the kitchen the father and mother violently exchange words, eventually dragging the family in the argument in the process. In the aftermath of the scene, in comes Olive, still whooping with joy. She is also constantly sheltered by her mother and her father, in separate circumstances from what would be deemed â€Å"inappropriate† at her age. For those who would search for the comedy in the movie, there is none but dry, tired humor. There are no exaggerated misadventures that the average Bluth or Simpson might encounter, but little troubles that could normally arise. Those who watched expecting serious or contemplative thought, would be the ones pleasantly surprised. For while in themselves the picture of a family running after the bus to catch a ride would be in itself funny, it does not break the gloom, but complement it. Eventually each of them are pushed to the limits of their patience, and comes face to face with the measure of unhappiness. What measure is unhappy? The movie forces us to tackle this question head-on, in-between the humorous intakes of breath. Each of the family members sees their vision of life fall apart: the father sees the failure of his venture to promote his book; the uncle sees the vision of what he had lost come to life before him again; the son comes face to face with the prospect of a shattered dream, and there is a death in the family. Olive Hooper, protected from the harshness of their world, surprisingly becomes the one that shows them the light in it. The son, who worships Nietzsche and sees the final end to his dream, finally and completely rejects everything—his family and his life. Only the quiet gesture of his sister makes him realize that the trip is not about him, or his troubles. But her. And she was willing to sacrifice that time for him. When the mother, seeing her world start to come to pieces, finds support in the hug of her family, and her child. The father, coming to a point where he could choose to shatter his child’s dream—knowing that he has, once and for all, been defeated—chooses instead to throw his worries away and join in the crazed merriment of his family. If one was to watch the movie, and look for something better that would come the main characters’ way, they would find the end underachieving. The family remains subdued, dysfunctional, and a failure in each of their respective right. There is, however, something different indeed—for by the end we learn that while each of us has dreams, we do not need to place standards of happiness on attaining them—we can be happy in being with family, being ourselves. It’s not the accomplishment of something, but the journey taken in its accomplishment that is important. In the end, happiness is not a state which we seek to attain—but a choice to be content with wherever we are. We could all take a cue on Olive. In the face of the troubles and misadventures of her family, the loss, and the pain each is faced with, she never loses the sunny disposition. And when she does lose it, everyone pitches in to rouse her from her gloom. It’s because the inspiration for them to keep going, and to keep living. How to cite What is the Measure of Unhappy, Papers

Clinical Chemistry Tests In Medicine Essay Example For Students

Clinical Chemistry Tests In Medicine Essay Of the diagnostic methods available to veterinarians, the clinicalchemistry test has developed into a valuable aid for localizing pathologicconditions. This test is actually a collection of specially selected individualtests. With just a small amount of whole blood or serum, many body systems canbe analyzed. Some of the more common screenings give information about thefunction of the kidneys, liver, and pancreas and about muscle and bone disease. There are many blood chemistry tests available to doctors. This paper coversthe some of the more common tests. Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) is an end-product of protein metabolism. Likemost of the other molecules in the body, amino acids are constantly renewed. Inthe course of this turnover, they may undergo deamination, the removal of theamino group. Deamination, which takes place principally in the liver, resultsin the formation of ammonia. In the liver, the ammonia is quickly converted tourea, which is relatively nontoxic, and is then released into the bloodstream. In the blood, it is readily removed through the kidneys and excreted in theurine. Any disease or condition that reduces glomerular filtration or increasesprotein catabolism results in elevated BUN levels. Creatinine is another indicator of kidney function. Creatinine is awaste product derived from creatine. It is freely filtered by the glomerulusand blood levels are useful for estimating glomerular filtration rate. Muscletissue contains phosphocreatinine which is converted to creatinine by anonenzymatic process. This spontaneous degradation occurs at a ratherconsistent rate (Merck, 1991). Causes of increases of both BUN and creatinine can be divided into threemajor categories: prerenal, renal, and postrenal. Prerenal causes includeheart disease, hypoadrenocorticism and shock. Postrenal causes include urethralobstruction or lacerations of the ureter, bladder, or urethra. True renaldisease from glomerular, tubular, or interstitial dysfunction raises BUN andcreatinine levels when over 70% of the nephrons become nonfunctional (Sodikoff,1995). Glucose is a primary energy source for living organisms. The glucoselevel in blood is normally controlled to within narrow limits.Inadequate orexcessive amounts of glucose or the inability to metabolize glucose can affectnearly every system in the body. Low blood glucose levels (hypoglycemia) may becaused by pancreatic tumors (over-production of insulin), starvation,hypoadrenocorticism, hypopituitarism, and severe exertion. Elevated bloodglucose levels (hyperglycemia) can occur in diabetes mellitus, hyperthyroidism,hyperadrenocorticism, hyperpituitarism, anoxia (because of the instability ofliver glycogen in oxygen deficiency), certain physiologic conditions (exposureto cold, digestion) and pancreatic necrosis (because the pancreas producesinsulin which controls blood glucose levels). Diabetes mellitus is caused by a deficiency in the secretion or action ofinsulin. During periods of low blood glucose, glucagon stimulates the breakdownof liver glycogen and inhibits glucose breakdown by glycolysis in the liver andstimulates glucose synthesis by gluconeogenesis. This increases blood glucose. When glucose enters the bloodstream from the intestine after a carbohydrate-richmeal, the resulting increase in blood glucose causes increased insulin secretionand decreased glucagon secretion. Insulin stimulates glucose uptake by muscletissue where glucose is converted to glucose-6-phosphate. Insulin alsoactivates glycogen synthase so that much of the glucose-6-phosphate is convertedto glycogen. It also stimulates the storage of excess fuels as fat (Lehninger,1993). With insufficient insulin, glucose is not used by the tissues andaccumulates in the blood. The accumulated glucose then spills into the urine. Additional amounts of water are retained in urine because of the accumulation ofglucose and polyuria (excessive urination) results. In order to preventdehydration, more water than normal is consumed (polydipsia). In the absence ofinsulin, fatty acids released form adipose tissue are converted to ketone bodies(acetoacetic acid, B-hydroxybutyric acid, and acetone). Although ketone bodiescan be used a energy sources, insulin deficiency impairs the ability of tissuesto use ketone bodies, which accumulate in the blood. Because they are acids,ketones may exhaust the ability of the body to maintain normal pH. Ketones areexcreted by the kidneys, drawing water with them into the urine. Ketones arealso negatively charged and draw positively charged ions (sodium, potassium,calcium) with them into urine. Some other results of diabetes mellitus arecataracts (because of abnormal glucose metabolism in the lens which results inthe accumulation of water), abnormal neutrophil function (resulting in gr eatersusceptibility to infection), and an enlarged liver (due to fat accumulation)(Fraser, 1991). Bilirubin is a bile pigment derived from the breakdown of heme by thereticuloendothelial system. The reticuloendothelial system filters out anddestroys spent red blood cells yielding a free iron molecule and ultimately,bilirubin. Bilirubin binds to serum albumin, which restricts it from urinaryexcretion, and is transported to the liver. In the liver, bilirubin is changedinto bilirubin diglucuronide, which is sufficiently water soluble to be secretedwith other components of bile into the small intestine. Impaired liver functionor blocked bile secretion causes bilirubin to leak into the blood, resulting ina yellowing of the skin and eyeballs (jaundice). Determination of bilirubinconcentration in the blood is useful in diagnosing liver disease (Lehninger,1993). Increased bilirubin can also be caused by hemolysis, bile ductobstruction, fever, and starvation (Bistner, 1995). Two important serum lipids are cholesterol and triglycerides. Cholesterol is a precursor to bile salts and steroid hormones. The principlebile salts, taurocholic acid and glycocholic acid, are important in thedigestion of food and the solubilization of ingested fats. The desmolasereaction converts cholesterol, in mitochondria, to pregnenolone which istransported to the endoplasmic reticulum and converted to progesterone. This isthe precursor to all other steroid hormones (Garrett, 1995). Triglycerides are the main form in which lipids are stored and are thepredominant type of dietary lipid. They are stored in specialized cells calledadipocytes (fat cells) under the skin, in the abdominal cavity, and in themammary glands. As stored fuels, triglycerides have an advantage overpolysaccharides because they are unhydrated and lack the extra water weight ofpolysaccharides. Also, because the carbon atoms are more reduced than those ofsugars, oxidation of triglycerides yields more than twice as much energy, gramfor gram, as that of carbohydrates (Lehninger, 1993). Camera Obscura Experience EssayCalcium is involved in many processes of the body, includingneuromuscular excitability, muscle contraction, enzyme activity, hormonerelease, and blood coagulation. Calcium is also an important ion in that itaffects the permeability of the nerve cell membrane to sodium. Withoutsufficient calcium, muscle spasms can occur due to erratic, spontaneous nervousimpulses. The majority of the calcium in the body is found in bone as phosphateand carbonate. In blood, calcium is available in two forms. The nondiffusibleform is bound to protein (mainly albumin) and makes up about 45 percent of themeasurable calcium. This bound form is inactive. The ionized forms of calciumare biologically active.If the circulating level falls, the bones are used asa source of calcium. Primary control of blood calcium is dependent on parathyroid hormone,calcitonin, and the presence of vitamin D. Parathyroid hormone maintains bloodcalcium level by increasing its absorption in the intestines from food andreducing its excretion by the kidneys. Parathyroid hormone also stimulates therelease of calcium into the blood stream from the bones. Hyperparathyroidism,caused by tumors of the parathyroid, causes the bones to lose too much calciumand become soft and fragile. Calcitonin produces a hypocalcemic effect byinhibiting the effect of parathyroid hormone and preventing calcium from leavingbones. Vitamin D stimulates calcium and phosphate absorption in the smallintestine and increases calcium and phosphate utilization from bone. Hypercalcemia may be caused by abnormal calcium/phosphorus ratio,hyperparathyroidism, hypervitaminosis D, and hyperproteinemia. Hypocalcemia maybe caused by hypoproteinemia, renal failure, or pancreatitis (Bistner, 1995). Because approximately 98 percent of the total body potassium is found atthe intracellular level, potassium is the major intracellular cation. Thiscation is filtered by the glomeruli in the kidneys and nearly completelyreabsorbed by the proximal tubules. It is then excreted by the distal tubules. There is no renal threshold for potassium and it continues to be excreted in theurine even in low potassium states. Therefore, the body has no mechanism toprevent excessive loss of potassium (Schmidt-Nielsen, 1995). Potassium plays a critical role in maintaining the normal cellular andmuscular function. Any imbalance of the bodys potassium level, increased ordecreased, may result in neuromuscular dysfunction, especially in the heartmuscle. Serious, and sometimes fatal, arrythmias may develop. A low serumpotassium level, hypokalemia, occurs with major fluid loss in gastrointestinaldisorders (i.e., vomiting, diarrhea), renal disease, diuretic therapy, diabetesmellitus, or mineralocorticoid dysfunction (i.e., Cushings disease). Anincreased serum potassium level, hyperkalemia, occurs most often in urinaryobstruction, anuria, or acute renal disease (Bistner, 1995). Sodium and its related anions (i.e., chloride and bicarbonate) areprimarily responsible for the osmotic attraction and retention of water in theextracellular fluid compartments. The endothelial membrane is freely permeableto these small electrolytes. Sodium is the most abundant extracellular cation,however, very little is present intracellularly. The main functions of sodiumin the body include maintenance of membrane potentials and initiation of actionpotentials in excitable membranes. The sodium concentration also largelydetermines the extracellular osmolarity and volume. The differentialconcentration of sodium is the principal force for the movement of water acrosscellular membranes. In addition, sodium is involved in the absorption ofglucose and some amino acids from the gastrointestinal tract (Lehninger, 1993). Sodium is ingested with food and water, and is lost from the body in urine,feces, and sweat. Most sodium secreted into the GI tract is reabsorbed. Theexcretion of sodium is regulated by the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system(Schmidt-Nielsen, 1995). Decreased serum sodium levels, hyponatremia, can be seen in adrenalinsufficiency, inadequate sodium intake, renal insufficiency, vomiting ordiarrhea, and uncontrolled diabetes mellitus. Hypernatremia may occur indehydration, water deficit, hyperadrenocorticism, and central nervous systemtrauma or disease (Bistner, 1995). Chloride is the major extracellular anion. Chloride and bicarbonateions are important in the maintenance of acid-base balance. When chloride inthe form of hydrochloric acid or ammonium chloride is lost, alkalosis follows;when chloride is retained or ingested, acidosis follows. Elevated serumchloride levels, hyperchloremia, can be seen in renal disease, dehydration,overtreatment with saline solution, and carbon dioxide deficit (as occurs fromhyperventilation). Decreased serum chloride levels, hypochloremia, can be seenin diarrhea and vomiting, renal disease, overtreatment with certain diuretics,diabetic acidosis, hypoventilation (as occurs in pneumonia or emphysema), andadrenal insufficiency (de Morais, 1995). As seen above, one to two milliliters of blood can give a clinician agreat insight to the way an animals systems are functioning. With many moretests available and being developed every day, diagnosis becomes less invasiveto the patient. The more information that is made available to the doctorallows a faster diagnosis and recovery for the patient. BibliographyBarrie, Joan and Timothy D. G. Watson. Hyperlipidemia. Current VeterinaryTherapy XII. Ed. John Bonagura. Philadelphia: W. B. Saunders, 1995. Bistner, Stephen l. Kirk and Bistners Handbook of VeterinaryProcedures and Emergency Treatment. Philadelphia: W. B. Saunders, 1995. de Morais, HSA and William W. Muir. Strong Ions and Acid-BaseDisorders. Current Veterinary Therapy XII. Ed. JohnBonagura. Philadelphia: W. B. Saunders, 1995. Fraser, Clarence M., ed. The Merck Veterinary Manual, SeventhEdition. Rahway, N. J.: Merck ; Co., 1991. Garrett, Reginald H. and Charles Grisham. Biochemistry. FortWorth: Saunders College Publishing, 1995. Lehninger, Albert, David Nelson and Michael Cox. Principles ofBiochemistry. New York: Worth Publishers, 1993. Schmidt-Nielsen, Knut. Animal Physiology: Adaptation andenvironment. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1995. Sodikoff, Charles. Labratory Profiles of Small Animal Diseases. Santa Barbara: American Veterinary Publications, 1995. Category: Science