Essays on Calcification

Introduction

Heart valve surgery is used for the repairing or replacement of valves of the heart that are diseased. The patients receive general anesthesia in this type of surgery whereby the surgeon makes a large surgical incision in the breastbone. The incision is meant to enable the surgeon to reach the aorta and the heart (Kato Paragraph 2). The relevance of stroke to the procedure of open-chest valve surgery is that it is one of the risks associated with cardiac surgery. Other risks include death, failure of the kidneys, cardiac arrest, irregular beats of the heart, and post-pericardiotomy syndrome (Kato ...

Selection from an 8 year-period of pulmonary valve replacement and cross sectional follow up of a commercially available biological valve, assessed with established and a new method

What This Thesis Is About

Pulmonary valve replacement is a procedure necessary in many congenital heart defects and in-valve degeneration cases. Surgical results are excellent, but the longevity of artificial valves is very limited. Our goal was to give a retrospective overview of methods and results from the year 2000 until 2008 at Rikshospital, as well as the prospective five year follow-up of a biological valve made from bovine pericardium. Follow up included clinical examination with ECG, echocardiography, spirometry, treadmill testing, echocardiography ...

The journal article was written to provide an overview of physical and chemical processes affecting changes in coral reef ecosystem. These changes are influenced by anthropogenic greenhouse gas emission (Hoegh-Guldberg, Mumby and Hooten 1737) that triggers physical processes involving laws of thermodynamics. The journal article also shows how the basic principle and theory of thermodynamics occur at global scale over a long period of time. Consequently, the physical processes influence the chemical processes that eventually lead to further changes in ocean ecosystem. The article introduces reader to the existing phenomena of warming and acidifying of the seas (Hoegh-Guldberg, Mumby ...

Approach to reading a chest radiograph

An initial assessment is done to ensure that the radiograph belongs to the patient. According to Moskowitz (2011), once the initial assessment is done, the technical quality of the radiograph is determined. This entails assessing parameters such as rotation of the patient, exposure of the film and inspiratory effort of the patient. Moskowitz (2011) notes that rotations may in most cases symbolize abnormalities in the cardiac contour and can result in erroneous diagnoses. To make certain that the patient is not rotated the position of the medial ends of the clavicles needs to be equidistance from the spinous process. ...

Rickets can be referred to as the softening, as well as weakening of bones, commonly due to an extreme and extended deficiency in vitamin D. Vitamin D enhances phosphorus and calcium absorption from the digestive tract. A vitamin D deficiency renders maintenance of proper levels of phosphorous and calcium difficult resulting in rickets. Addition of calcium or vitamin D or o the diet in general corrects any resulting problems for a child. Rickets resulting from a genetic condition may need extra or other medications. A number of skeletal deformities resulting from rickets may require restorative surgery. Symptoms of rickets include ...

Arthritis

Definition Arthritis is the inflammation of one or more joints in a human being (Breedveld, & Combe, 2011). This results with the stiffness of the joints and constant pain. The condition is known to worsen with the age of the individual. There are two most common types of arthritis and these are rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is caused by the wear and tear of the joint of the individuals on a normal scenario. Rheumatoid arthritis on the other hand is an autoimmune disorder. There are also various types of arthritis and these include those caused by uric acid crystals, ...

Abstract

Bones are formed through a process known as osteogenesis from three different lineages. This process takes place through two different methods, which are intramembranous ossification and endochondral ossification. A large increment in bone mass takes place in childhood, as well as puberty, through the formation of endochondral bone. At this point, growth hormones are known to play a role. This paper will focus on the process of cartilage and bone formation and the stimulation of bone formation by the growth hormone. There are a number of factors that regulate the formation of bone, while growth hormone affects a number of factors related to ...

ABSTRACT

At no other time in the history of the planet has the impact of human activity affected the natural order of the planet. Humans account for the increase in global warming. In turn, global warming occurring at such a rapid rate leaves scientists scrambling determining how the future looks for all living creatures including humans. Statistics exist today, and predictions exist for tomorrow. However, changes in the climate, chemical effects on the oceans, the air, and changes in the planet's ecosystems continue and the rapid increase in global warming are still unfolding affecting plants, animals, and people as discussed in ...

Coral bleaching occurs when there is physiological stress experienced by the coral reefs. The stress is caused by an imbalance of the symbiotic relationship that the corals have with the algae that live within them. These algae are of the genus Symbiodinium. The algae are important to the coral reef since they are a source of nutrition and color. The algae will reduce or all will leave the coral reefs when there are harsh physical conditions. When this occurs, there is no tissue growth and sexual production in the corals. They end up losing color and thus the term coral ...

Abstract

Computed Tomography CT refers to an imaging procedure that has been popular over the last decade in the imaging of the human body. In coronary artery imaging, this procedure is called Computed Tomography Coronary Angiography (CTCA). This technique is used specifically in the imaging and assessment of the cardiac and coronary anatomy to determine if one has a coronary artery disease or to determine the extent to which the individual has been affected by the disease. This procedure is also used to evaluate the coronary arteries and their anatomy. There are also other methods or techniques that are used in ...

Coral Bleaching: Causes, Effects and Response Action Plan Coral bleaching occurs when there is physiological stress which leads to an imbalance of the symbiotic relationship that the corals have with the algae that live in the coral leaves (Rosenberg, Kushmaro, Kramarsky-Winter, Banin and Yossi 1). The algae will reduce or all will leave. The algae are important to the coral reef since they are a source of nutrition and colour. When this occurs, there is no tissue growth and sexual production in the corals. They end up losing colour and thus the term coral bleaching (Douglas, 386). The skeletal ...

Introduction

Calcification is a slow buildup of calcium in a region within the body tissue. The majority of the calcium absorbed in the body wind up in the hard tissues like the bones and teeth, where the mineral is mainly essential. Surplus calcium is generally dissolved in the blood tissue for excretion through the urine; however it is ordinary for a certain quantity to accumulate in a region within the body tissues. This accumulation of calcium then hardens the tissue overtime. Calcification is also a part of the body’s defensive reaction to injury, in addition to being part of an innate inflammatory response ...