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05/31/2008
Going Away
There ae many ways to go away.
Some peope lose themselves in the dark passages of their minds. They re-visit old hours and past minutes, they works slowly though archives of emotion and experience, observing all and feeling none. And sometimes they get so lost the visions cease to make sense and they can wonder, lost, for hours on end in a labyrinth of their own designing.
For some it is different. They become children. Eagar, expectant, excitable. Each emotion they feel is displayed, so openly, and then cast aside as quickly as it was formed. Tactile and mobile. They do not sit, but turn and look and watch and touch and feel and question. There may be no purpose in any of this. But the distraction keeps them occupied; takes them back to a time when it was easier to let the clouds slide on by. For the moment, they are safe.
Some people dress up. New suit, better make up - you can see it all the time. The accesories are superfluous. What they actually do is build another person. This guise is not necessarily better or worse, or much different to their real self (if they are practised), it is simply an easier life to live. This new self processes things better, and anything that does not fit the processing can be forgotten or ignored.
Some people count things, or double two, or engross themselves in a logic or maths puzzel. Some people create an entire universe inside their head. Or bury their conciousness in the imaginations of other authors.
Some people take drugs. Some people take up exctreme sports. Some people run. Some combine the two in parkour. Some people drink. Some people hurt themselves. Some people lose themselves in sex. Some people immerse themselves utterly in their own anger.
There are many ways to go away.
The question is not why. The question is not how. The quesiton is not where, or even for how long.
The quesiton is how the hell do we bring them home?
xXx
20:36 Posted in Life , Thoughts | Permalink | Comments (1) | Email this
Missing Eyeliner
Occassionally, from time to time (frequently) I lose my eyeliner pencils around the house, in my bag, down the back of the sofa, on the kitchen counter.... anywhere really. It starts off with my putting them in my jeans pocket on the way downstairs so I can put some on before I go out but *after* I have made a cup of tea. The eyeliner is sometimes applied and sometimes not, but always spends the rest of the day (and subsequent days) in my pocket. Here is lives until I remove it for some reason or other: piano playing, cooking, boredom, abstraction... At this point the eyeliner pencil is left somewhere. At this point the eyeliner pencil becomes lost.
I then think nothing of the pencil, or the loss for several days. Indeed, I think nothing of it until the next time I wish for alarmingly green/blue/sparkly/black eyes. Then I can turn the entire house upside down looking for the damn thing. No stone is left unturned - so to speak - no bag, no pocket, no medicine cabinate, no dressing table, no counter, no behind bed or down sofa... everywhere (over the course of a few days is searched thoroughly and repeatedly). And I can never find it.
That is not particularly unusual or unexpected. The curious thing is the way these eyeliner pencils turn up. I *always* find them in the top left hand pencil draw in the set of small draws on the lower shelf to the southern (ish) side of our kitchen. Whenever I look purposely in that draw I find nothing. And yet, the moment I am idly searching for a sharp pencil to tie my hair up with find one, no two, no three previously lost eyeliner pencils.
Could whoever keeps putting my makeup in the pencil draw please just give them to me when they find them. I know it is less amusing on your part, but it really is very confusing.
xXx
13:31 Posted in Complete Random Junk! | Permalink | Comments (6) | Email this
05/30/2008
Wittering
A while back I made some, apparently erroneous, claim to be "wittering". This promted a rather amusing and enlightening email from a friend with rather emphatic views on the subject.
Noooo! If you're going to claim to be *wittering* in your Blog, you've got to
try harder than that! Let's see where you went wrong:
1. Chose a serious subject. Noo! The world's finest wittering is
generally considered to be about hairspray. Lip gloss is good too.
2. Used far too many nouns! Proper witter consists almost entirely
of pronouns.
3. No repetition! This is NOT "Just a minute"! Say everything at least
three times.
4. No adherence to the Daily Express style guidelines at all!
Instead of "I am not sure if I could advocate the birth of a child to a
single woman through IVF simply from a logistical perspective."... ...
I stand corrected and will endevour to improve my wittering style. If
anyone else has any useful tips or rules to aid me in my quest for
the art or wittering, do post them up.
xXx
09:55 Posted in Complete Random Junk! | Permalink | Comments (1) | Email this
05/19/2008
Oh and..
My thanks to the Government... is was very good to see some free votes...
Please do some more
Soon.
Next week looks good (I was going to say Friday, but I thought you might see that as a little too radical)
xXx
20:05 Posted in Politics | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Good
Good
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7407589.stm
That is all I can say at the moment... relief...
I am not so bothered about banning true 50/50 hybrids (as that would get messy in all sorts of tangible and ethical/philosophical ways), now we just have: saviour siblings, abortion and the role of fathers in IVF.
The first I am really not sure of... Killing life to save life is one thing and hard to justify, but I think it is equally hard to justify creating a life just to save another. But then again, there are so many unwanted children in the world that the fact they might only be wanted for the sake of another is hardly credible as an argument. I can understand why people would want these saviour siblings. But part of me also says that people should be born unique and *untampered with*... And that people should have the chance to find their own purpose, not have one handed to them on a plate. (There was an interesting book along a similar yet very different line: "The Girls" that told the story of two siamese twins and their dependence on each other.) I think ultimately in this case there should be no law against it. There is also the question of to what extent we will screen embryo's and how selective we become... Apparently "My sister's Keeper" raises this issue, but I have not read it.
Abortion date. At 8 weeks an embryo becomes a foetus. At 10 the vital organs (including brain) are fully formed and by 12 weeks the neuronal development is such that the foetus has reflexes and muscle control. By week 20 we have facial expression, fully functional cardiac and urinal cycles, semi-functional digestive tract (obviously this doesn't actually finish developing until the child has been weaned), motor control (thumb sucking and other cure things apparently) and the development of the senses - taste, smell etc. At the critical 24 weeks the foetus has a 44% chance of surviving outside the uterus, at 23 weeks this is reduced to 16%. By now the eyes are developed (still no pigment) and the foetus is responing to sounds of the outside world.
The question really is... what is the significance in this reduction. Yes, 200 000 abortions a year is too much. And yes, I do not find the idea in any way appealing. Apparently, 24 weeks was chosen when this was the age that the foetus could survive outside the uterus with support. Recent medical develoments have made in more likely for a foetus to survive a younger age and now the limit is supposedly 21 weeks. Question: Is it foetal viability if they require life support? Or the date of the earlier premature child that survived? Or the date when any foetus could theoretically survive unsupported outside the womb. (btw: I believe the data here, is *survive into adulthood without consequential complications*... but I wouldn't swear to it)
The choice of whether or not to abort is one of the hardest ones I can imagine any couple/woman having to make. However, if the choice is possible, if we are still going to let people decide in advance that their own/their child's quality of life will be too low to be worth the living of it... If we let people have that choice then part of me says that the woman needs as much time as we can give her to make her decision as evenly as possible with minimal trauma and mental upset. There is also the issue of the speed of the legal process. Then there is the issue of abortion for medical reasons - in particular the mothers. As I see it, I don't think that the reduction is significant in real way except to keep the law in line with it's original intention.
I think the question really is the significance of foetal viability?
Father's Role in IVF. I can not find out quite what is being debated here as people ae getting too hyped up over abortion (as ever) and their new pet favourite or "Frankenstien's Monster" (a.k.a. hybrids). I think the move is to say that father's are unnecessary and giving single women and lesbian couples equal opportunities for IVF treatments. I am not sure where I stand on this... instinct tells me I am against it. However, I know as well as the next person how many people fail to find their family in blood relatives and instead look for mothers, fathers, brothers, aunts, cousins... in the people around them. A father figure is essential, yes. Or several...
As I don't know what is actually being discussed... So I shall say that I think I support the role in sperm doner father's finding the identity of their child... But I think if this is the case then maybe they should be expected to play a part in the support of the child.
I shall now witter on various related topics.
Ok... logically. I support the birth of children to single sex couples because I can not think of a reasonable argument against it. They offer more support and stability that single parent families and in my experience it is the complimenting of personalities and *roles* that makes a sucessful relaitonship. Whilst this may be more common (in my observation alone) in heterosexual couples I would never say it was impossible with single sex couples... and I am aware how the relative sample sizes will have colours my opinion. I would suggest that finding father figures in family friends etc, would be useful... but the same is true of many many families.
I am not sure if I could advocate the birth of a child to a single woman through IVF simply from a logistical perspective. Accidents happen so to speak, and people end up in single parent families with only one source of income and support. However, I don't know how much I could support the deliberate creation of a life with only one half of a family and equally only half the deserved support...
It is a hard one, and most of my views stem from my rather (odd maybe all things considered) strong opinions on family. And also balance within family, between the sexes, between personality... (losely) I think I believe, procreation was intended for man and woman who - ideally - between them can offer protection, education, support and fun through the combination of their own specific talents and traits. We all know that the actual occurance of this is rare - but the question is, to what extent are we willing to allow the deliberate breaking away from this ideal.
So I think I will stand - for the moment at least - with homosexual couples: yes... single parents... no.
It is interesting to note that some of the animal research into homosexuality has been a propensity for homosexual males to develop in a population where there are too many dominant males. These males act as ballast (so to speak), filling the role of an uncle, and supporting the community without actually reproducing. The suggestion is that in these circumstances, homosexuality is a means of controlling population growth.
Not sure what I believe about that, or how is affects the argument... but it is an interesting point.
xXx
PS: so much for organ practise.
20:04 Posted in Life , News , Thoughts | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Chatter-box time :D
I ache... I suspect most of this is due to going for a very cold run last night and spending 45 minutes in the middle of it sitting on a metal bench at gone 9pm.... Worth it? Yes... painful today.... Just a little, but irritating none-the-less.
My right bicep also aches a lot!!!! when I raise it past shoulder height... there are several advantages to injecting vaccines into muscle tissue: it is distributed better being the main one and reduce pain at the time (possible) being a second... it does mean that moving that muscle becomes an issue.
I didn't do anything this afternoon... instead I lay on my bed with my head buried in a pillow wondering why the searing pain in my head would not go away and why it became significantly worse each time I actually rested my head on the pillow instead of supporting it myself.
I WILL go and do organ at 7:30.
I sang a top G for 8 bars of music solid :D and got a round of applause.. Even if Jack made me laugh because he was staring at me all the way through and I couldn't work out his expression.
I left my proximity card at home. This made my day excessively awkward, but I am not going to rant about them now... IM NOT.... not... not.... *holds breath*
I should probably pack tonight as the first set of *stuff* is going home on Wednesday and I have minimal time tomorrow. However, considering my packing history, the fact I know I can do it just as well in a panic at the last minutes (provided I am not distracted! - before a certain boyfriend starts making witty comments) means that the chances of me doing nothing tonight are slim. I HATE packing... unpacking is good fun though. :D Packing for me is either done in a rush, or I take time and everything has to be as efficient and effective as possible. Seeing as I always fail in these final objectives, I invariably leave packing as late as possible.
It is 3 days until I see Stuart again... I have a sneaky suspicion that they are going to pass unbearably slowly. In particular, I would very much like to be able to delete Thursday morning. Mind you, as ever, I am horrifically busy, so it shouldn't be too bad. (*crosses fingers, touches wood and prays to every God she can think of?*) Mneh. I'll stop being irritatingly sickly now, I can already see a few faces turning green.
I have the beginnings of 4 or 5 poems in my head. This is becoming irksome (I do love that word) as I can not sort them out into any sensible order or managable form. I can't seem to focus on any idea for any length of time at all. Apologise to all those who have tried to have conversations with me when I'm in this state - believe me I *KNOW* how infuriating it is!
I am also fighting the urge to revisit some old forums I *know* I shouldn't.
I have wittered enough.
xXx
18:01 Posted in Complete Random Junk! , Life | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
05/16/2008
Lullaby - first song in a while
Night wrap his gentle arms around you, love
Night place his softest kisses on your eyes, love
Night whispers words of comfort into your ears, my love
Night be the one to dust away your fears
And if the day has passed it's course with smiles, with play, with laughter
I wish you dreams of crisps and cakes, with games to follow after
I wish you visions, vibrant, bright, of the sea-side in the summer
And in these dreams, I hope it seems, the good times last forever; so
Night wrap his gentle arms around you, love
Night place his softest kisses on your eyes, love
Night whispers words of comfort into your ears, my love
Night be the one to dust away your fears
And if the day has brought you harm, if salt has stained your pillow
If you've struggled, lost your way, in sunlight walked in shadow
I wish you dreams of better things, the joy of days that follow
Velvet nights that ease your pain and herald bright tomorrows; so
Night wrap his gentle arms around you, love
Night place his softest kisses on your eyes, love
Night whispers words of comfort into your ears, my love
Night be the one to dust away your fears
And if the day has bought you trouble or restless thoughts disturb
The peace of mind, which above all else, you, my love, deserve
I wish you calm and dreamless sleep, your flighty thoughts to curb,
Leaving clarity of purpose only such nights can unearth.
Night wrap his gentle arms around you, love
Night place his softest kisses on your eyes, love
Night whispers words of comfort into your ears, my love
Night be the one to dust away your fears
Night wrap his gentle arms around you, love
Night place his softest kisses on your eyes, love
Night whispers words of comfort into your ears, my love
Night be the one to dust away your fears
19:05 Posted in Poetry | Permalink | Comments (1) | Email this
Look back and see where you've come from
Not really sure why.
I'm not liking how much seems to have crashed it's way into the next 3 months. How much I don't seem to be able to get out of. Trying to tie together what I want to do, what I should do and what I must do. And the last category contains enough to fill most of my time whilst any spaces are suitably plugged by the penultimate category.
It is very odd, the run down of the end of school: Had a lifeguarding meet yesterday which was highly entertaining (even if Watson did seem to vanish rapidly) and it was great to see everyone together. It is a rare and pleasent thing when you end up working in a group that clicks so well - an hours training (/helping with an assesment) followed by playing with the floats and big ball followed by tea and biscuits in the sports centre. Although I was a little tired after 90 minutes in the pool. Thinking of doing a lifeguarding trip punting in the summer...
The same is true of Chemistry. Out teacher was stuck in traffic (Stupid new Guided Bus!!! 12 months of HORRENDOUS (even for Cambs) traffic) so we couldn't start the cake... but it was actually a surprisingly good lesson. None of us were in the mindset for practise papers so we just did a massive spider chart of Nitrogen Chemistry on the white board and then question and answer sessions from the random revision cards that were lying around. I will miss the dynamic in that class... teasing, jokes, some truly colossal red-herrings and people who actually put the work in enough of the time to make a difference. :D It's been a good year.
There is little I will actually miss from the Leys, but I think that those two will feature on the list. Also break times, just because you have the chance to wonder up to the kitchen, grab some food and just sit around chatting or reading the paper for half an hour with whoever turns up. I doubt I will really find that level of regular socialness unless I actually do go into teaching, which is not beyond the realms of possibility.
Irksome. I have spent much of my life dreaming of true solitude, or rather, the chance to go new places and discover new things. I've always longed for the chance to walk down a street where no one knows my name. I've striven for the chance to make it on my own, to stand on my own two feet, do my own thing and be acknowledged for the things I've done. I've wanted to find friends and around me but build my own life. Finally, I now have that chance ....
And now I have finally learnt the difference true companionship / friendship can make.
I have found people that I not only would not mind sharing my adventures (sucesses and failures) with. People I want to show the things I discover. People I wouldn't mind having there to catch me when I stumble. For the first time I will not only appreciate the time I can spend with the people I admire and love, but I will also miss them when I don't have that. There are about 5 people on that list I think. That is seven people too many.
A valuable lesson to learn, maybe? .... Just not now????
And this just came on:
Everytime we say goodbye, I die a little,
Everytime we say goodbye, I wonder why? a little,
Why the Gods above me, who must be in the know.
Think so little of me, they allow you to go.
When you're near, there's such an air of spring about it,
I can hear a lark somewhere, begin to sing about it,
There's no love song finer, but how strange the change
from major to minor,
Everytime we say goodbye.
When you're near, there's such an air of spring about it,
I can hear a lark somewhere, begin to sing about it,
There's no love song finer, but how strange the change
from major to minor,
Everytime we say goodbye.
xXx
13:59 Posted in Thoughts | Permalink | Comments (1) | Email this
05/14/2008
Jane Austen
I have decided my life is Pride and Prejudice
- Crazy family: Check (although I am pleased to say that she is not constantly trying to match-make me)
- Life permeated by dry humour and social criitism: Check
- Mr Collins: Check (2 or 3 by my reckoning)
- Mr Wickham: Check (PLENTY of those, though none have run off with one of my sisters yet)
- Exasperated Father: Check (with me too much of the time, thanks for coming in yesterday!)
- Kind, well meaning and amusing extended family: Check
- Appreciation of the amusement to be found in the English Class System: Check
- Sisters: Check (although both Em and I are too like Eliza)
- Long chains of misunderstanding: Check
- Never enough money or hats: Check
- Lady Catherine de Burgh (sp): Check in OH! so many guises
I just have to wait for Colin Firth to walk around the corner in a rather transparent white shirt and my life will be complete. :P
xXx
10:10 Posted in Thoughts | Permalink | Comments (3) | Email this
On a more menial triplet...
I woke up at 5:30 today :'( I have a feeling that it was the bird song and not the light which woke and so there is nothing I can do about it - there is no way I am closing my window in this heat! Mind you, I don't think I would bother closing my curtains either as I do love being able to see the shadows of the tree on my wall. And it *is* and lot of effort.
*******************
I spoke to John on Sunday. I think I shall send him some photo's from Kazakhstan... and some prayers.
*******************
Whether it is heat rash or (more likely) eczema... It is iritating me. Enough that I might go into boots and by myself some aqueous cream if I can find a ny at home today. Mind you, I am quite pleased that I almost have the discapline not to irritate it now. It is becoming irksome though.
Oh well... that is my triplet over with. I should go find: water, tea, a shower, fruit (? I don't think I have any) and clean shelves so they can be dusted....
xXx
06:46 Posted in Complete Random Junk! | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
05/13/2008
A Dominant pedal in Biology!
Ok. Here is the other "half" of the story... this has taken me 2 hours. I did not do this set of notes from memory (the first bit on the Menstural Cycle was). It is 3 pages long in MSWord and I don't expect anyone to read it properly. I am just rather proud of it as it is the most work I've done in biology in 18 months!
It is also a good retort to any idiot male who complains he can't understand women - of course he can't! It is written into our bloody physiology!!!!!!!!
I'm not kidding when I say anyone would think we weren't meant to reproduce.
Hormones are in bold, couldn't be bothered to put scientific words into italics, instead *my* comments are initalics.
Oogenisis – the female side
Ok. So here is the complicated one… *breathes deeply*… and begins.
Once again the hypothalamus has overall control over this process – being the link between the nervous and chemical systems in the body, that sort of makes sense. Once again GnRH is released and travels the short distance to the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland. Again two hormones are released: LH (Lutenising Hormone (=ISCH)) and FSH (Follicle Stimulating Hormone).
Right now things begin to alter slightly. The female process of oogenisis (generation of the egg cell) is not continuous but cyclical and begins before birth. As the ovaries develop in the female embryo, meiosis one begins in the germinal epithelial layer and is halted in prophase one. The ovaries also produce follicle cells which surround the oogonia to form primary follicles.
Basically the soon-to-be-egg cells begin to divide and at frozen part way through the process with the DNA condensed into chromosomes and grouped into homologous (same-sized) pairs. The cells are then surrounded by a layer of other, smaller cells.
Meiosis one is halted at birth and the process cannot resume until puberty occurs and the menstrual cycle begins. (JOY!) This cycle varies between females, but for ease of communication the cycle is “averaged” out over 28 days.
OK, back to Biology. FSH is released from the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland and travels in the blood to the ovaries where it stimulates the continuation of meiosis one. The layers of surrounding cells builds up and a theca layer developes (from the tissue of the ovary) to create a primary oocyte within a primary follicle. The theca layer secretes oestrogen which has a number of functions including:
• Promotes secondary sexual characteristics in females
• Inhibits FSH production to prevent the development of a second oogonia.
• Builds up and prepares the endometrial layer (blood layer) in the uterus
The first meiotic split is completed and one of the haploid cells degenerates into a polar body that has no known purpose. The follicle continues to mature into a Graafian Follicle and oestrogen levels continue to rise. At day 14 of the cycle the oestrogen levels peak and (once over a threshold level) stimulate (not inhibit) the release of FSH and LH.
The production of a Graafian Follicle occurs moving in towards the centre of the ovary; LH stimulates the eruption of the primary oocyte out from the ovary into the oviduct (Fallopian Tube). This can apparently cause a little bleeding as the oocyte is the largest cell in a human body and some women claim to be able to feel the release occurring.)
Here the story splits into two:
The remainder of the Graafian Follicle develops into a Corpus Luteum (or Yellow Body) that produces progesterone (and oestrogen). Progesterone helps to maintain the endometrial layer and also inhibits FSH and LH so no new oogonia are developed.
The primary oocyte travels along the oviduct to the uterus and can survive only a couple of days, without fertilisation, before it degenerates. And then the story splits again….
If fertilisation does not occur, then the primary oocyte dies and shortly afterwards the corpus luteum degenerates. Progesterone and Oestrogen levels fall again and FSH and LH are no longer inhibited. FSH levels rise and stimulate the development of another oogonia and primary follicle to mature to a Graafian Follicle. The endometrial layer decomposes and menstruation occurs.
On The Other Hand…
Long lines of mucus in the uterus provide lines for sperm to swim easily along and guide their travel to the oviducts. The contraction of the uterus (presumably through oxytocin release) also aids this movement. If a sperm meets the primary oocyte, the acrosome layer breaks through the wall of the primary oocyte and stimulates the second division – meiosis two – to create a secondary oocyte. The secondary polar body produced here is again redundant material. The wall of the ovum becomes impermeable to other sperm to prevent double fertilization. The genetic material from the single sperm cell is incorporated into the DNA of the secondary oocyte to form an ovum.
Interesting… sperm are 50um long whilst a secondary oocyte is 140um in diameter! (that is visible to some people!)…. Just visualise it!
This ovum travels down the oviduct to the uterus and (hopefully) imbeds in the endometrial layer. The cell releases hCG (human chorionic gonadotrophin) that prevents the degeneration of the corpus luteum for roughly 12 weeks until the placenta is fully developed. After 12 weeks the placenta takes over the role of producing oestrogen and progesterone that maintain the endometrial layer and prevent the development of another oocyte by inhibiting FSH and LH. Progesterone also relaxes the muscles in the uterus wall to prevent damage to the foetus and potential miscarriage.
Back to placenta: the embryo developing a Chorion layer that protrudes into the uterus wall and forms finger-like protrusions called Choronic villi that have microvilli on the external side of the epithelial cell (outside) layer. Inside these villi a network of blood vessels bring the foetal blood close to the mother’s blood supply in the endometrial layer, so that diffusion can occur – note the two blood supplies never mix.
The foetal heart pumps (faster than the mother) deoxygenated blood out along the umbilical arteries. Gas exchange and exchange of nutrients / hormones / antibodies / urea occurs and fresh blood is transported back to the developing foetus along umbilical veins. HPL (Human Placental Lactogen) is involved in the development of breasts during pregnancy and adjusts the mother’s glucose and fat respiration to the advantage of the foetus. Most bacteria cannot cross the placental barrier but viruses such as Rubella and HIV can.
The foetus develops surrounded by a protective amniotic sac containing amniotic fluid. After roughly 38 weeks the level of progesterone decreases rapidly whilst the level of oestrogen increases. This makes the uterus more susceptible to oxytocin which is a neurotransmitter / hormone produced by the posterior lobe of the pituitary gland. This causes the uterus to contract and the cervix begins to dilate (over a time period of up to 12 hours). A mucus plug that has blocked the cervix during pregnancy detaches and passes out through the vagina and the amniotic sac bursts. Hopefully the foetus has had the sense (and kindness) to rotate around so they can leave the uterus headfirst! (The opposite is a breach-birth and is even more painful!) A rare example of positive feedback: the high levels of oxytocin in the blood during labour, stimulates the release of more oxytocin. The rate of contractions increases steadily and when the cervix has dilated to 10cm diameter then head “engages” and the baby begins to emerge.
(I am slightly confused here: the baby’s skull is not yet fused together… so how does pushing it repeatedly very hard against the cervix and the pelvis not cause damage??)
Once the baby is in air they (We NEED a better gender-neutral pronoun!) begins to breathe and the umbilical cord is cut and tied off. Final contractions of the uterus cause the placental structures to detach from the endometrial layer and pass out of the vagina. Over the following weeks the (deciduous) endometrial layer decomposes and is also lost as progesterone and oestrogen levels fall again.
The final part of the female reproductive cycle is lactation. During pregnancy the presence of HPL (Human Placental Lactogen) allows oestrogen to stimulate the development of the duct systems in the breasts and progesterone to stimulate the development of milk glands. The high levels of progesterone and oestrogen also inhibit the production of prolactin.
After birth, as progesterone and oestrogen levels fall PRF (Prolactin Releasing Factor) is released from the hypothalamus and stimulates the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland to produce prolactin that is responsible for the production of milk. The milk contains lactose (glucose + galactose) along with fat, minerals, vitamins that are easy to digest. There is also a selection of the mother’s antibodies and viruses such as HIV (if she is positive). The suckling action of the baby stimulates nerves in the nipples that send messages to the hypothalamus to release PRF and to the posterior pituitary gland to produce oxytocin. Oxytocin causes the involuntary muscles around the milk glands to contract to force milk through the ducts and out through the nipple. PRF also causes the release of prolactin so the production of milk is maintained.
This process obviously only occurs when the baby is suckling.
xXx
21:02 Posted in Life , School , Science | Permalink | Comments (2) | Email this
05/12/2008
On a biological brethe
OK... so whoever designed the human reproductive system was HIGH! Seriously.... let me give you a brief lesson. Hormones are in bold, other scientific words that I need to learn to spell (and that you might not know) are in italics.
Spermatogenisis (the male side)
The hypothalamus (in the brain) releases GnRH (Gonadatrophic Releasing Hormone - Gonads being the sex organs). This travels the short distance south to the Anterior Pituitary Gland. The Anterior Lobe of the Pituitary Gland is stimulated to produce FSH (Follicle Stimulating Hormone) and ISCH (Intersticial Cell Stimulating Hormone - female equivilent is LH). These hormones then travel the long distances through many blood vessels to the testicles.
Now we need some anatomy. The testis is compised of seminiferous tubules (that make sperm) and then cells that make up the tissue between the tubules such as blood vessels and other intersticial cells. ISCH stimulates the intersticial cells to produce testosterone. Testosterone has several functions. The one you will all know is stiumlating the onset of secondary sexual characteristics in prepubescent males (poor things). Testosterone also stiumlate sertoli cells and inhibits the production of GnRH (more on that later).
Back to the seminiferous tubules. The walls of these tubules are comprised of highly specialised sertoli cells that govern the process of spermatogenisis. The outer cell layer of these tubules is a germinal epithelial layer - a source of unspecialised cells that can be transformed into sperm. These cells undergo meiosis, splitting twice to form 4 haploid cells - half the number of chromosomes. The first meiotic split halves the DNA content of the cell and create two haploid gametes (primary spermatocytes), the second split is just a staightforward cloning (as in mitosis) to produce the 4 haploid secondary spermatocytes.
The sertoli cell then governs the specification of these into spermatids and the sperm. This process involves the creation of a long flagellum (tail), production of many mitochondria in the middle piece to fuel the movement of the sperm, the digestion of the cell cytoplasm to reduce bulk and the production of an acrosome layer on the head of the spem which contains enzymes to break through the wall of the developed ovule (technically secondary oocyte).
The process of spermatogenis occurs from the external wall of the seminiferous tubule (the germinal epithelium) inwards towards the lumen (empty space of the tubule) in the centre. In effect average/normal cells go in on the outside and then fully fledged sperm are collected in seminiferous tubules as part of a continuous cycle.
This cycle is regulated by the inhibiting effects of testosterone and the inhibin produced as a by product of the action of sertoli cells. These two hormones stimulate the hypothalamus into *not* producing GnRH and therefore the Anterior Lobe of the Pituitary Gland is not stiumlated to produce ISCH and FSH. Consequently the rate of spermatogensis falls. Once the levels of inhibin and testosterone fall again then the is less (indirect) inhibition of ISCH and FSH and the rate of spermatogenisis rises. This is an example of the negative feedback of certain products (or by-products) of a reaction to maintain homeostasis.
Ok. So we have our sperm. The sperm produced and collected in the seminiferous tubules pass into small ducts called the vasa efferentia and then into the epididymis where they can be stored for up to 18 hours. Prior to ejaculation the sperm are moved the vas deferens (a muscular tube), the seminal vesicle releases mucus whilst the ejaculatory glands release an alkali solution to neutralise vaginal acids (Prostate Gland) and a solution of sugars to provide energy for the sperm on their travels (Coweper's Gland). This is mixture has now formed semen which will be released from the urethra by ejaculation.
Ejaculation is stimulated by increased supply of blood to the spongy tissue in the penis causing it to swell and harden and stiumlating the contaction of errectile tissue. Physical contact stimulates the glans penis which causes the muscles along the ejaculatory tract (the epididymis to the urethra) to contract moving the sperm/semen through the tract via peristalsis and finally the contraction of the urethra results in ejaculation.
Inside the femal the force of ejaculation propels *some* sperm into the uterus (/top of the vagina). In three days the sperm will have "swum" to the oviduct. Out of 500 million sperm only a few hundred reach the oocyte. Only one can ever fertilise.
It is interesting to note that there are also hormones in semen that stimulate muscular contraction of the uterus/oviducts to help the sperm reach the oocyte and improve the probability of fertilisation. There are only 5 million sperm in 5cm^3 of semen. The testies hang outside the body because the reactions involved occur at an optimum temperature of 35 degrees celcius.
WOW hasn't that taken the fun out of it!
And if you think that that might be a little complicated... sometime I might try to explain the female system which is approximately 4.7 times worse.
Anyone would think the intention of the entire process was failure... it certainally causes a significant stumbling block for most A Level students - And this really is the easy one.
I have decided this is a good way to revise. :P
xXx
19:12 Posted in Complete Random Junk! , Life , School , Science | Permalink | Comments (4) | Email this
Meh
Woke up feeling really panicky this morning. Which is iritating. It is the second time this has happened in a week. This is also slightly odd as the one thing that I can think of warrenting panic (recital) is over and done with. I know it isn't the exams because I feel calmer (!) when I think of them (exams make sense, you just do the work and then sit the paper, then it is all over).
I have no idea what it is, but if it doesn't stop I will get more than slightly irritated.
xXx
06:49 Posted in Complete Random Junk! | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
05/09/2008
Quick note
For those of you were concerned... the earlier depressing post (before the happy, crotchety one) was not about a recent occurance. The events being referred to happened about 3 or 4 months ago and it is simply that recent comments have sparked them off....
:P
xXx
21:46 Posted in Complete Random Junk! | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
On a happier crotchet....
Just finished with the Ladies Baber-Shop choir and WE SOUND GOOD! lmao... we actually do. :D I love taking choirs, particularly when we are singing good music. I don't get the chance that often and though I suppose this choir is technically Sutcliff's baby, its great to have been so involved.
In the space of 30 minutes we have gone from utterly fudging something to singing it pretty damn well. It didn't take the much either. Just a little bit of breaking things apart and working on lines in pairs. Saying difficult rhythms before we sang them. Working out how parts linked together and where things were either consonant or dissonant. Things I have learnt from countless choir directors over the last decade and a bit (from their successes and mistkaes). Elementary stuff.
Practise.
The choir just needed a few corners ironing out. Just a few odd notes coorrected and rhythms reheased to precision. Just a little confidense and familiarity. OH and fun! Lots of laughs, lots of jokes... lots of arguments over who was more stunning: The Alto's or Sopranos (The Metzos decided they won hands down anyway). But it is truly wonderful to work with a choir who will be in hysterics and then you count them 4 in and they find their note and start singing! :D Makes such a difference.
But I am good at it. It is one of the few things I'll admit I am good at. And I love it so much.
xXx
PS: Please excuse the appalling pun... it's my blog and I'll write what I like however much it insults the English language.
10:17 Posted in Fun , Life , Music | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Its a new dawn... A new day...
And for those of you who read my facebook status, it isn't much better at all really.
I don't think I'll ever really question what I did. By the end of it I had no choice in the matter. A series of mistakes (from all parties) had pushed things to a more than unpleasent conclusion and as far as I can see - even in hindsight - I had very few choices left.
Hurting someone out of necessity prompts enough guilt. But that isn't the hard bit. The hard bit is that you can never be sure of your reasons; never be sure how much of what drove you was necessity and how much was just final retaliation at being pushed too far. Who can day how much was a desperate attempt to sort out the conequences of a mistake and how much was just hitting out and hitting hard.
It may have been necessity, but the necessity might well only have been an excuse in your mind.
And that bugs me somewhat.
Ignorance is no excuse, giving up is no excuse... necessity is a poor one.... cruelty and revenge is heartless.
I suppose the solution is:
- Would I now (in calmer and rational hindsight) do things differetly? No.
- Did I hate them then or now? No.
And that, regretfully, must be my answer. The past haas been and gone and I hope this time around I learnt my lessons. It seems regrettably that some level of cruelty is part of life. And maybe the more significant part of it is how much it hurts us when we are forced to choose the lesser of two evils. Maybe what defines us is not what we do but the ultimate reasons behind it.
More importantly, maybe we are defined by how we react and respond to our own acts of cruelty - necessary or unnecessary. Do we feel guilt? Do we try to learn, to study where things became inevitable and strive to avoid a repetition. Do we deal with the fall out responsibly and rationally.
In a world where too often it seems that our choices aren't between black and white, but varying shades of grey and greyer... Maybe what we have to hold on to is our own integrity: our intentions, our compassion... and ultimately our strength and determination that by the end of it we will try to do right by those around us.
And if the end result hurts us as much as it hurt them, and still you would not change what you chose... then it may well have been right, and you may well find the strength to live with yourself someday, and it may well work out for the better in the end (Only God could tell you that) ... But you will have learnt something.
And that is what life seems to be about for the most part.
xXx
07:25 Posted in Life , Thoughts | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
05/08/2008
And who knows where the time goes...
Who indeed.
- I have been reasonably productive today... sorted the board in my room that has been bugging me for at least a term - I took EVERYTHING down and now it all clean and, well not pretty, but at least I can look at it.
- I also organised my desk and put my notes in piles according to subject which I thought was excessively dedicated. Its really nice to be able to walk into my room again without cringing.
- I have sent off both sets of Music CW (recorded an average performance yesterday but apparently good enough).
- I did a UNIT 6 biology paper in 55 minutes (1h 10min exam) and I reckon I got about 80% - the extra 15 minutes should put be to a healthier mark.
- I went to a Gospel Choir Rehearsal and prodded the sopranos for being lazy and not making any noise... it was more the minimal effort I was complaining about not the actual noise.
- I had my first tutorial in over a month. :D Good to talk to Sue again.... interesting how much seemed important at the time, but doesn't get mentioned when you have the chance to say something. But that is another story. Oh! And all tutorials should happen in the sun. :D
- I had an organ lesson. I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE Piece Heroique :D It is such a beautiful piece. Most of it is not too hard either, just a few bars where you are playing 3 against 2 IN ONE HAND. Still very much fun. French music is goooood.
- I sat in the sun... found a most accommodating tree root actually.
- I went to theater crew and peeled gaffa tape off the stage - WHY does he have to buy the really cheap stuff?
- I had dinner
Oh and I told Deveson I was going to Edinburgh... He isn't happy. He thinks I'll regret it. i wonder how much that is just because *he* would regret it? I know I was good enough to get in, so it isn't a failure on my part... oh well.
Too many music rehearsals :( But then again there is a mahuuuusive concert tomorrow night so I suppose that is fair. My lips will be killing me by then! ! ! ! All in the name of fun though. Meh, been having thoughts about oboe, interesting state of ambivalence really. I might tell you about it sometime.
But yes.... it's funny how quickly the time passes. How recently it seems I was revising for January modules. How recently I was at Sidmouth. How recently I was doing last years Cabaret.... Simultaneously, all those things feel like they belong to a different age, a different place, a different person.
I think it is that duality that is the confusing part.
The last 2 months have passed in a blur... they really have. But equally it feels like an age since IVFDF and Celidhs and Ceroc / Jive in walking boots in the Student Union bar! Good times, good friends, good memories... soon to be repeated (Sidmouth :D)... so recent, yet so far away.
xXx
17:48 Posted in Complete Random Junk! , Thoughts | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
05/05/2008
Of cabbages and kings...
We did make tiramisu. It was really rather good although I can think of several possible improvements and things to experiment with next time we try. Should be fun, although I don't think we will ever beat the Clowns Tiamisu.
I did spend 8 hours of this weekend on Public Transport: And it was not fun. Well actually all the journeys bar 20 minutes of the last were absoultely fine. I love travelling by train and bus is always better than car, particularly when I am so tired I can ignore the wet floor. But from Leicester to some other stop I was forced to overhear a duet of: (a) 12 year old male chavs f-ing and blinding about anything they could possible insult and (b) 16 year old female slones talking about this time they almost called the police because "this guy like, so, like, attacked me, but then I didn't want to upset his sister... but the parents!... Honestly!"
Then these two groups overheard each other and started a rather loud, inarticulate and clumsy battle of: "I can win one over on you dirty lowlife/snobs".... It stopped me getting so sleep which irritated me.
I am going to Edinburgh: I sent the reply at 3:30 yesterday... the deadline was 6pm today. I am now more than a little excited... so watch this space around Feburary when I start trying to find accomodation. :D :D *sings* "I am going to study Music at Edinburgh, I am going to study Music at Edinburgh, I am going to study Music at Edinburgh, I am going to study Music at Edinburgh, I am going to study Mu....
OK enough of that maybe
Had a really good weekend though :D Will be grinning for a while yet. And although I'm exhausted school doesn't look so bad this week - that is liable to frequent and inexplicable change, but hey! we can start well
xXx
22:41 Posted in Complete Random Junk! | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
05/01/2008
Johannesburg to London
A White woman, about 50 years old, was seated next to a Black man. Obviously disturbed by this, she called the air Hostess. "Madam, what is the matter," the Hostess asked. "You obviously do not see it then?" she responded. "You placed me next to a Black man. I do not agree to sit next to someone from such a repugnant group. Give me an alternative seat." "Be calm please, the Hostess replied. "Almost all the seats on this flight are taken. I will go to see if another seat is available." The Hostess went away and came back a few minutes later. "Madam, just as I thought, there are no other available seats in Economy class. I spoke to the Captain and he informed me that there are also no seats in the Business class. All the same, we still have one seat in First class." Before the woman could reply, the Hostess continued: "It is unusual for our company to permit someone from Economy class to sit in First class. However, given the circumstances, the Captain feels that it would be scandalous to make someone sit next to someone so disgusting." She turned to the Black man and said, "Therefore, Sir, if you would like to, please collect your hand luggage, a seat awaits you in First class." At that moment, the other passengers who were shocked by what they had just witnessed stood up and applauded.
xXx
21:54 Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Sometimes I don't enjoy biology....
Normally
It makes him smile
The scent of hyacinth hanging heady in the early evening air
Normally
He breathes in deep
Remembers the gentlest of her touches, burning brand against his cheek.
Normally
His heart leaps
high up to heaven to dance with the stars that glimmer above
yet they pale by comparison to the beauty of his love
But tonight
The ache in his chest overwhelms him instead
Empty space by his side prompts a dull, heavy tread
His head turns to speak to a woman not there
His hand reaches out and grasps nothing but air.
Her face
and her smile
Her hands
and her touch
They're memories that haunt him
And sometimes they hurt so much
----> too many people I know are feeling like this at the moment. It is sad. Odd that I'm not one of them though.
xXx
15:15 Posted in Poetry | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
Few words... big thoughts
1. I like the Anglican Communion service.
Wonderful as it is to o things differently, much as I truly love the original and art / meditation / "free" services... there is something reassuring about tradration. It is not something to be relied upon, or taken as absolute. But sometimes you just need the familiarity of words you have said since birth - a little like sometimes you need to read a book you've read 100 times before, or listen to a song you know by heart, or sit on your favourite bench and pass the time of day. Today was one of those days I needed to feel at home... unfortunately I go to a Methodist School... so they messed all the words up anyway. But it was good to have communion again, it's been a while.
2. I miss labwork
The thing is that despite finding classroom science intrinsically dull, I really very much enjoyed lab work. And I was good at it. I still am if today's basic transformation is anything to go by. Although I DETEST the BioRad "School's Protocols" - It takes them 2 sides of A4 to say what I can sum up in 28 words! But I miss the level of concentration and organisation and dexterity that is needed foreven the most basic experiments. I really *must* go back to it sometime.
3. It's strange what makes you forgive people.
Many of you know that my Music teacher and I have not been on the best of terms lately. I have been failing to make his life easy from him and he has been making me cry (or hit things).... Deadlines, panic but mostly pride contributed to both side's rather rigid perspective. Yesterday evening my teacher was taking his dog for a walk. And his dog (who is very old, smelly and completely deaf) decided he had better ideas. Said dog chose to, instead of lagging 4 or 5 metres behind as per normal, run rings around his owner. So I had the delight of seeing my teachers (suit and all) flailing wildly, spinning on the spot, grabing handfuls of air as he struggled (for a good minute) to catch this semi-decrepid canine. It made me laugh.
It also made me remember that everyone has their days when nothing goes right. And that when multiple people have those days (or weeks) simultaneously then the results are not proportional, they are exponential.
It made me forgive him
4. Sun is glorious, but rain is still soothing.
I went to sleep last night with the sound of the rain pouring off the guttering dumming it's own rhythm in my ears. Normally all I hear is the hiss of the heating and the infrequent mumblings of the lives of those around me as they too prepare for the night. The rain is something else. I'm not sure how much of it was the steady rhythm, how much the idea of washing everything that was "yesterday" away and how much of it was the anticipation of tomorrows rich green and lush scents, but the sound calmed me.
Which is impressive as I was quite restless last night.
5. I like, liking going home.
It's been a long time sicne I've wanted to go home. A long time since that has been a destination of choice as opposed to duty (there are obvious exceptions to this, but I am speaking from a general point of view). I really quite love the fact that home is becoming something to look forward to. It is a surreal sensation. ... However difficult things get blood runs thickly in my family - maybe that is where a lot of the problems stem from... I don't know.
I'm just enjoying the change in my perspective, refreshing... and comforting.
xXx
12:14 Posted in Faith , Fun , Life , School , Thoughts | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this