Blue Baby Syndrome
Blue Baby syndrome (or simply, blue baby) is usually caused by a heart defect and is commonly called as "a hole in the heart". Normally, oxygenated blood from the lungs is separated from deoxygenated blood from other tissues. A defect in the heart ventricle walls can allow deoxygenated blood to mix with the blood from the lungs. The resulting blood going through the aorta has less oxygen than usual, and the baby looks blue.
Sometimes the blue baby syndrome may begin when large amounts of nitrates in water are ingested by an infant and converted to nitrite by the digestive system. The nitrite then reacts with oxyhemoglobin (the oxygen-carrying blood protein) to form metheglobin, which cannot carry oxygen. If a large enough amount of metheglobin is formed in the blood, body tissues may be deprived of oxygen, causing the infant to develop a blue coloration of their mucous membranes and possibly digestive and respiratory problems. This condition is also known as methemoglobinemia.
All the above was researched by Shania Duca & Mariah Mallia
How many different colours can be found in the human body?
A group of Biology students were curious as to how many different colours actually exist in the human body. The following presentation shows that the human body is quite colourful!
The Nervous System:
White Matter & Grey Matter
Francesca focussed on the power of the nervous system. What is the difference between white matter and grey matter. Watch the following detailed animated presentation to learn about the importance of this sytem in our body:
Rebecca and Sarah researched facts about white and grey matter. Use the following ThingLink to learn more about your brain matter!
The Blue Print of Life:
DNA Molecule
Every living organism depends upon its proteins for its existence. In many organisms proteins form the very structure of the living creature, but even in plants -- where the structures are built more from sugars -- proteins perform the functions that allow an organism to live. Each type of organism, and each organ within a complex organism, is defined by the proteins of which it is composed. So whatever organizes the proteins in a living being is providing the blueprint for building that organism. DNA does just that: it provides the information for building all the proteins within every living thing on Earth.
http://classroom.synonym.com/dna-blueprint-life-10374.html
Albanism
Albinism is an inherited condition present at birth, characterized by a lack of pigment that normally gives color to theskin, hair, and eyes. Many types of albinism exist, all of which involve lack of pigment in varying degrees. The condition,which is found in all races, may be accompanied by eye problems and may lead to skin cancer later in life.
http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Albino+people
White Blood Cells
White blood cells help to fight off infections caused by pathogens. There are several types of white blood cells, but we shall focus on the two types included in our syllabus: Phagocytes and Lymphocytes.
