Amoeba Anatomy, Digestion, and Reproduction

Amoeba Anatomy, Digestion, and Reproduction Amoebas are unicellular eukaryotic organisms classified in the Kingdom Protista. Amoebas are amorphous and appear as jelly-like blobs as they move about. These microscopic protozoa move by changing their shape, exhibiting a unique type of crawling motion that has come to be known as amoeboid movement. Amoebas make their homes in salt water and freshwater aquatic environments, wet soils, and some parasitic amoebas inhabit animals and humans. Key Takeaways: Amoebas An amoeba is an aquatic, single-celled protist characterized by a gelatinous body, amorphous shape, and amoeboid movement.Amoebas can form temporary extensions of their cytoplasm known as pseudopodia or false feet which can be used for locomotion or capturing food.Food acquisition is amoebas occurs by a type of endocytosis called phagocytosis. The food source (bacterium, algae, etc.) is engulfed whole, digested, and the waste expelled.Amoebas commonly reproduce by binary fission, a process in which the cell divides into two identical cells.Some species can cause disease in humans such as amebiasis, amoebic meningoencephalitis, and cornea infections of the eye. Classification Amoebas belong to the Domain Eukarya, Kingdom Protista, Phyllum Protozoa, Class Rhizopoda, Order Amoebida, and the Family Amoebidae. Amoeba Anatomy Amoebas are simple in form consisting of cytoplasm surrounded by a cell membrane. The outer portion of the cytoplasm (ectoplasm) is clear and gel-like, while the inner portion of the cytoplasm (endoplasm) is granular and contains organelles, such as a nuclei, mitochondria, and vacuoles. Some vacuoles digest food, while others expel excess water and waste from the cell through the plasma membrane. The most unique aspect of amoeba anatomy is the formation of temporary extensions of the cytoplasm known as pseudopodia. These false feet are used for locomotion, as well as to capture food (bacteria, algae, and other microscopic organisms). Pseudopodia may be broad or thread-like in appearance with many forming at one time or one large extension may form when needed. Amoebas dont have lungs or any other type of respiratory organ. Respiration occurs as dissolved oxygen in the water diffuses across the cell membrane. In turn, carbon dioxide is eliminated from the amoeba by diffusion across the membrane into the surrounding water. Water is also able to cross the amoeba plasma membrane by osmosis. Any excess accumulation of water is expelled by contractile vacuoles within the amoeba. Nutrient Acquisition and Digestion Amoebas obtain food by capturing their prey with their pseudopodia. The food is internalized through a type of endocytosis known as phagocytosis. In this process, the pseudopodia surround and engulf a bacterium or other food source. A food vacuole forms around the food particle as it is internalized by the amoeba. Organelles known as lysosomes fuse with the vacuole releasing digestive enzymes inside the vacuole. Nutrients are obtained as the enzymes digest the food inside the vacuole. Once the meal is complete, the food vacuole dissolves. Reproduction Amoebas reproduce by the asexual process of binary fission. In binary fission, a single cell divides forming two identical cells. This type of reproduction happens as a result of mitosis. In mitosis, replicated DNA and organelles are divided between two daughter cells. These cells are genetically identical. Some amoeba also reproduce by multiple fission. In multiple fission, the amoeba secretes a three-layered wall of cells that harden around its body. This layer, known as a cyst, protects the amoeba when conditions become harsh. Protected in the cyst, the nucleus divides several times. This nuclear division is followed by the division of the cytoplasm for the same number of times. The result of multiple fission is the production of several daughter cells that are released once conditions become favorable again and the cyst ruptures. In some cases, amoebas also reproduce by producing spores. Parasitic Amoebas Some amoeba are parasitic and cause serious illness and even death in humans. Entamoeba histolytica cause amebiasis, a condition resulting in diarrhea and stomach pain. These microbes also cause amebic dysentery, a severe form of amebiasis. Entamoeba histolytica travel through the digestive system and inhabit the large intestines. In rare cases, they can enter the bloodstream and infect the liver or brain. Another type of amoeba, Naegleria fowleri, causes the brain disease amoebic meningoencephalitis. Also known as brain-eating amoeba, these organisms typically inhabit warm lakes, ponds, soil, and untreated pools. If N. fowleri enter the body though the nose, they can travel to the frontal lobe of the brain and cause a serious infection. The microbes feed on brain matter by releasing enzymes that dissolve brain tissue. N. fowleri infection in humans is rare but most often fatal. Acanthamoeba cause the disease Acanthamoeba keratitis. This disease results from an infection of the cornea of the eye. Acanthamoeba keratitis can cause eye pain, vision problems, and may result in blindness if left untreated. Individuals who wear contact lenses most often experience this type of infection. Contact lenses can become contaminated with Acanthamoeba if they are not properly disinfected and stored, or if worn while showering or swimming. To reduce the risk of developing Acanthamoeba keratitis, the CDC recommends that you properly wash and dry your hands before handling contact lenses, clean or replace lenses when needed, and store lenses in a sterile solution. Sources: Acanthamoeba Keratitis FAQs Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 6 June 2017, www.cdc.gov/parasites/acanthamoeba/gen_info/acanthamoeba_keratitis.html.Naegleria fowleri - Primary Amebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM) - Amebic Encephalitis. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 28 Feb. 2017, www.cdc.gov/parasites/naegleria/.Patterson, David J. â€Å"Tree of Life Amoebae: Protists Which Move and Feed Using Pseudopodia.† Tree of Life Web Project, tolweb.org/accessory/Amoebae?acc_id51.

Pierre Elliot Trudeau & His Mark on Canada essays

Pierre Elliot Trudeau & His Mark on Canada essays Canada has been shaped, from its beginning, by strong personalities and people of character. Pierre Elliot Trudeau was certainly one of these people. He was charismatic, flamboyant and he changed the face of politics. The influence of Trudeaus actions still remains eminent today. Trudeau was a man that you either loved or hated but it is impossible to deny he made many important contributions to the maturation of Canada. Pierre Elliot Trudeau was a man with a vision for his country. Trudeau applied his belief in freedoms and rights of the individual when he as justice minister proposed amendments to the Criminal Code that relaxed laws against divorce and abortion and decriminalized homosexuality. He will always be remembered for his famous quote Take this thing on homosexuality. I think the view we take here is that there's no place for the state in the bedrooms of the nation . . . what's done in private between consenting adults doesn't concern the Criminal Code (Wood). Trudeaus policy to legalize abortion, homosexuality and to make divorce easier have had many repercussions on the Canada of today. In the midst of staying out of the bedrooms of the nation Canadians have been free to basically do anything where consenting adults can be found. Now this may seem like something glorious to some, statistics imply the opposite. The freedoms, in acted by Trudeau to promote his visions of the rights of the individual have caused a demoralizing of Canada. Over two million unborn babies have been snuffed out (killed because they are not legally people) (Jalslevac). The birth rate has shrunk to minimal size, and will continue to do so. The Divorce Act has also taken its toll on demoralizing Canada. Ten years after the Divorce Act of 1968, divorces multiplied by five times. In 1982-1985 when the government made amendments to the Divorce Act, that made it even easier to get a divorce (chang...

Position paper--Heart failure education Personal Statement

Position paper--Heart failure education - Personal Statement Example Adapting to the consequences of having CHF can be a difficult process for the patients. Unfortunately, many heart failure patients do not believe that they need to take precautionary measures until the effects start to show up and they become acutely ill. Many of them may rely on drugs for temporary relief which has its own repercussions. Despite advances in therapy, admission and readmission rates for patients with HF remain unacceptably high (Hoekstra et al., 2010, p. 226). Among patients aged > 70 years admitted for HF, approximately 40-60% are readmitted within 90 days. In a research, it was found that the unplanned readmissions caused a lot of trouble to the hospital administration because of scarcity of accommodation and facilities (Scott, 2010, p. 445). The requirement of delivery of service, accommodation, food, and care also incurs a lot of cost. The author is of the view that patients need to receive comprehensive and adequately structured education on the prevention, early recognition, and management of HF. Heart Failure education and self-care management are key components in the prevention, maintenance and exacerbation of heart failure. This education needs to be delivered within the community of patients. Patients should be educated throughout their admission into healthcare facilities and it must continue until they are transited to home. Nurses are an essential component in the interdisciplinary team in providing comprehensive HF education to patients while they are hospitalized. Several studies are supportive of the opinion that providing education to patients while they are hospitalized and prior to their discharge improves clinical outcomes which include, but are not limited to decline in readmission rates, decrease in the patient’s duration of stay in the hospital, improvement in self-care behavior, and an overall reduction in the health care costs. Taking that into consideration, it is imperative that nurses remain updated with the l atest guidelines regarding the practice of HF prevention and management in order to be able to facilitate positive outcomes in the patients and improve the quality of life of the victims of HF. The empowerment approach is based on the assumption that an individual who suffers from the chronic illness is personally responsible to take care of his/her health, and should thus, take his/her care to the maximum level possible. The fundamental objective of imparting education is to enable the patients to reach their goals and make rational decisions with respect to their self care. The Chronic Heart Failure (CHF) badly affects both the physiological and psychological health of the victim and ruins his/her efficiency in the routine activities. If the CHF has passed the initial stages and has gained strength over time, patients are bound to abandon their personal will and are supposed to adapt themselves according to the effects of the CHF. Poorly educated HF patients require more intervent ion as compared to educated patients (Barbareschi et al., 2011, p. 53). Past research has shown that with proper education, as many as 40% of the cases of HF can be prevented from occurring (Jacobs, 2011, p. 19). As a result of the study conducted by Powell et al. (2010, p. 1337), the technology-assisted supervision accompanied with telephone supervision reduced the risk of HF by 30%. It is hence, imperative that people are educated on the symptoms, treatment and precautions of the HF in order to improve their