Search results for ‘biology’

Nervous System 101 Study Guide Notes: Neurotransmitter Anatomy, Glutamate vs Acetylcholine vs Histamine vs Norepinephrine vs Dopamine vs Serotonin, Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors [MCAT, USMLE, Biology, Medicine]

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In this lesson, we explore the nervous system and share notes as part of the study guide series. We will explore the awesome brain and nerves! Topics include neurotransmitter anatomy, glutamate, acetylcholine, histamine, norepinephrine, dopamine, serotonin, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors.

Check out our popular nervous system notes.

Sacred Figs Facts and Symbolism of Trees in Dreams

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Trees figure into the stories and symbols of religions across the world. In Norse mythology the ash tree Yggdrasil connects and supports the nine realms. Drawing from this and other traditions, various neopagan movements value, among other things, environmentalism for both secular and spiritual reasons. As for North America, trees and other plants are central to the Medicine practices of several tribes. The cedar tree even appears on the Medicine Wheel important to certain sacred rites, with the associated cardinal direction of the tree varying between different tribes. Cedar also figures into the religion of ancient Mesopotamia, forests of cedar being where their gods dwelled. That trees play a part in these and many other belief systems suggests that they have a fundamental appeal. In addition to being common components of many natural landscapes, trees are tall, sometimes imposing, and occasionally majestic. That people would attach and associate the reverence they feel toward religious subjects to these statuesque plants makes a lot of sense. In the past and up to the present, several religions have struck upon the same idea before encountering one another, the idea of a world tree. World trees are a type of axis mundi (world axis), a sort of pillar that conjoins or bridges the material and the spiritual. Yggdrasil is one example of this, and there are others as well. Beyond ashes and cedars, there are many other trees with sacred heritages. Notable among these are two varieties of fig.

Nervous System 101 Study Guide Notes: Autonomic Nervous System, Sympathetic vs Parasympathetic Nervous System, Gray and White Matter, Upper Motor Neurons, and Somatosensory Tract [MCAT, USMLE, Biology, Medicine]

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In this lesson, we explore the nervous system and share notes as part of the study guide series. We will explore the awesome brain and nerves! Topics include the autonomic nervous system, sympathetic vs parasympathetic nervous system, gray and white matter, upper motor neurons, and somatosensory tract.

Pushing Life’s Boundaries: Extremophiles Archaea

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Moderate and extreme are relative terms. What many assume to be the normal conditions for life do not apply equally across all species. Habitability can be thought of in terms of the Goldilocks principle. For example, to survive people need an environment that is not too cold and not too hot. Ranges like this exist for other factors as well, such as pressure. However, what is just right for us and most other creatures can be too much or too little for some. Animals that live on the sea floor provide an illustrative example in this regard. Where people need submersibles to maintain their equilibria, creatures that natural selection has adapted to thrive in the ocean’s depths are right at home. Cold, highly pressurized environments are the norm for them. When deep sea creatures are brought to the surface through accident or scientific curiosity they often either melt, as with glacial ice worms, or fatally decompress, like with blobfish. In this way the term extremophile is a relative one and is used to describe organisms that live in environments that are extreme to us. Beyond their novelty, extremophiles are important objects of study as they challenge and expand our notions of life and its necessities.

Nervous System 101 Study Guide Notes: Early Methods vs Modern Ways of Studying the Brain, Brain Imaging – CT vs MRI vs EEG vs fMRI vs PET Scans [MCAT, USMLE, Biology, Medicine]

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In this lesson, we explore the nervous system and share notes as part of the study guide series. We will explore the awesome brain and nerves! Topics include the Early Methods vs Modern Ways of Studying the Brain, Brain Imaging – CT vs MRI vs EEG vs fMRI vs PET Scans. Check out our popular nervous system notes.

Digoxin: How does Digoxin treat heart failure? Mechanism of Action and Side Effects [USMLE, Biology, MCAT, Medicine]

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Digoxin is a drug that treats heart arrhythmias, left ventricular systolic dysfunction, and heart failure. In this succinct educational lesson, we learn about how digoxin works in treating heart arrhythmias and heart failure, digoxin toxicity and common side effects, and treatment for digoxin toxicity. We also have a mini quiz at the end, so you can test your knowledge on the pharmacology of digoxin.

Gastrointestinal System 101: Pathophysiology of Diseases and Cancers, LFTs, Types of Hepatitis, PSC vs PBC, Cholecystitis vs Cholangitis, Crohn’s Disease vs Ulcerative Colitis [Biology, MCAT, USMLE, Medicine]

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In this quick and easy guide, learn about Gastrointestinal System: Pathophysiology of Diseases and Cancers [Biology, MCAT, USMLE]. Topics include hepatobiliary disease, understanding liver functions and cirrhosis, liver function tests, causes of liver injury, alcoholic hepatitis, NAFLD, NASH, viral hepatitis, autoimmune hepatitis, drug-induced liver injury, hereditary hemochromatosis, Wilson’s disease, Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency, PSC, PBC, cholelithiasis, cholecystitis, cholangitis, hepatocellular carcinoma, Crohn’s disease vs Ulcerative Colitis, and more.

Chemistry 101: At Home Awesome Chemistry Experiments

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Chemical reactions happen around us all the time. These reactions occur when we cook or bake and even in our bodies, like when we breathe. Everyday objects are able to react and cause incredible reactions. Here are some easy science experiments you can create using things you can find around the house. Make sure you act safely during the experiment and have fun!

The Art of Studying Smart

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Most of the world tends to look down upon the idea of procrastination with a frown. She’s lazy. She’s not responsible. She doesn’t have a work ethic. My view of this concept is slightly different. I wish I could slip back into my elementary school days as a model student, but I’m barely learning yesterday’s content by the time tomorrow rolls around. My stress levels and recent academic performance, on the other hand, tell an entirely different story. Procrastination might not be for everyone—some people need rigid schedules for their personal sanity and success, and these individuals should be held in high regard. For the rest of us: if we learn how to properly procrastinate, we could have all the success and time in the world. In fact, there are three simple steps to embracing the art: always keeping the task in the back of your head, being able to self-discipline when it’s time to work, and knowing your personal capabilities and limits. 

Psychology 101 and the Brain: Stress – Definition, Symptoms, and Health Effects of the Fight-or-Flight Response

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The “fight or flight” response is in response to impending danger. For example, the stress responses kicks in when seeing a snake slithering towards you or running away from a bear in the woods. Homeostasis is the normal equilibrium of body function, so stress can be induced by belief that homeostasis might be interrupted. In this guide, we share the effects of stress on the human body system, psychology, immune system, and long-term health effects of chronic stress.

Learning Languages 101: Top 5 Benefits and Top 5 Tips of Learning New Languages

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Humans have diversified themselves through the means of several distinct features. Take, for example, bipedalism, the use of fire, and a brain with intelligence far beyond that of any of our non-human peers. These unique abilities are distinct yet not completely unique to homo sapiens. In 1981, remains of Homo erectus and Australopithecus were discovered to have been capable to use fire after discovering charred bones from 1 to 1.5 million years ago while the non-extinct Australian Firehawk is capable of using fire to intentionally cause wildfires. Ostriches, orangutans, and even beavers are capable of if not accustomed to bipedalism. Rauisuchia, a crocodylomorph from the Triassic period, have been proven to be capable of bipedalism as well. The intelligence of dolphins and other cetaceans that have the closest known intelligence to humans. They are capable of complex actions such as feeling empathy, understand body language, and communicate in echolocation. So what really makes us unique? Many argue that the most distinctive and decisive difference between us humans and other animals is our ability to communicate in the form of languages. Today’s world has an array of languages, some with several exotic cultures. Languages allow us to express ourselves in ways that are unfathomable to any other known species in the entire universe. Join us on all the benefits of learning several languages!

Primary Essential Hypertension vs Secondary Hypertension: Causes and Health Effects of High Blood Pressure [Biology, MCAT, USMLE]

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In this quick, easy-to-understand lesson, we learn about secondary hypertension for USMLE and medicine. Secondary hypertension is defined as high blood pressure (>140/90 or >130/80) caused by an underlying disease, medical condition, or drugs. While primary essential hypertension comprises of the majority of hypertension cases (90%), only 10% of patient cases is secondary hypertension.

History 101: The Banana is Dead, Long Live the Banana

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Native to New Guinea, bananas prefer tropical climates and can be grown year round. In terms of produce, the biggest distinction is between bananas and plantains, both of which belong to the same genus (Musa) and come in a range of cultivars, or varieties. Bananas are generally eaten raw or as part of a dessert or baked good. Plantains are a staple crop, culinary distinct due to their higher starch content, predisposing them to being cooked and fried as part of meals or snacks.

Why Are Some Beetles Shiny and Attracted to Light?

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To answer this question we will first have to review the physical properties of light and go over the basics of optics, which is the study of the relationship between sight and light. Visible light is a section of the electromagnetic spectrum, and it is the only portion that people can see. While electromagnetic radiation can be measured via its various prosperities, such as frequency or energy, it is most commonly categorized by wavelength. Taking one step back, radiation is the transfer of energy in the form of waves or particles. For electromagnetic radiation, wavelength is determined by measuring photons. Put simply, photons are massless particles that also exhibit the characteristics of waves. To measure wavelength a point is designated on one wave (usually a peak or trough) and the length between it and that same point on the next wave gives you the wavelength.

Psychology 101: Emotions – Why Do We Feel the Way We Do? James-Lange Theory vs Cannon Bard Theory vs Two-Factor Theory

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When we are met with sudden bursts of emotions, what comes first: the physical or mental reaction? 

Since the inception of psychology, emotions have turned into an interesting chicken or the egg phenomena. When good things happen, we smile, but does smiling make us happier? 

In the world of psychology and motor neurons, these questions remain unanswered, but countless theories have arisen to explain this almost unexplainable human characteristic. These theories have tried to distinguish the specific firing point within our bodies regarding these emotions, but all of them lack an explanation broad enough that can effectively describe such a diverse human race. 

Emotions are a complex mixture of our physical, cognitive, and expressive behavior, but to what extent do each of these matter? Of course, when good, positive things happen to us, we feel a gut-reaction, whether that be smiling or laughing. All of these reactions happen both beneath our skin and within our neurons while also being presented outward and physically.

Working out …for your brain? – The Neuroscience and Benefits of Playing An Instrument

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Whether it’s a violin or a harmonica, learning to play an instrument takes time and effort to “perfect.” Musicians put hours and hours of hard work to perform in concerts, participate in competitions, or even just practice for fun at home. It can be frustrating to play the same piece hundreds and hundreds of times, especially if you still can’t get one section down. However, all of these hours of practicing actually do more than just putting on a perfect performance or impressing your family; playing an instrument can help your physical and mental state. 

How to Achieve Your New Year’s Resolutions and Goals

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Happy New Year! We have all wanted something in our lifetime, and we have all probably experienced both the bitter taste of rejection and the sweet taste of getting what we want. Although many might believe that getting what you want is dependent on luck, there are certain things that separate high achievers. If you are to get what we want, you should set goals, and use strategies that allow you not only to influence people so you achieve what you want, but also get you closer to your wildest dreams.

Happy Thanksgiving! Moosmosis Global Health & Education

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Happy Thanksgiving everyone! We are very thankful for everyone, each and every one of our readers and supporters. Thank you so much for joining in our journey of lifelong learning and supporting global health and education around the world. To this date, over 2,270,000 lifelong leaners from around the world have visited our open-access global education website, including you! Dedicated to global education and lifelong learning, Moosmosis is an international youth organization that promotes lifelong learning in the arts and sciences and aspires to close the gap of educational disparities through open-access education. By creating and publishing original free lessons and unique e-learning games in both the humanities and sciences, Moosmosis provides diverse learning tools, open to all lifelong learners around the world. Our Moosmosis site is run 100% by volunteers from around the world. Thank you again for your support everyone, and have a Happy Thanksgiving! 😀 Feel free to also check out the incredible e-learning games and popular articles below made by our Moosmosis members and lifelong learners! We couldn’t have done this without the incredible kindness of all our supporters from around the world. Thank you so much again for your compassion and support for our Moosmosis’s Mission for Global Health & Education for lifelong learners around the world. Please subscribe and share! Happy Thanksgiving!!

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year! Moosmosis Global Health & Education

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Happy Holidays and Happy New Year everyone! We wish you a happy, healthy, and successful new year. We are very thankful for everyone, each and every one of our readers and supporters. Thank you so much for joining in our journey of lifelong learning and supporting global health and education around the world. To this date, over 2,293,580 lifelong leaners from around the world have visited our open-access global education website, including you! Dedicated to global education and lifelong learning, Moosmosis is an international youth organization that promotes lifelong learning in the arts and sciences and aspires to close the gap of educational disparities through open-access education. By creating and publishing original free articles, lessons, and unique e-learning games in both the humanities and sciences, Moosmosis provides diverse learning tools, open to all lifelong learners around the world. Our Moosmosis site is run 100% by volunteers from around the world. Thank you again for your support everyone, and have a Happy Holidays and happy New Year! 😀 Feel free to also check out the incredible e-learning games and popular articles below made by our Moosmosis members and lifelong learners! We couldn’t have done this without the incredible kindness of all our supporters from around the world. Thank you so much again for your compassion and support for our Moosmosis’s Mission for Global Health & Education for lifelong learners around the world. Please subscribe and share! Happy Holidays and Happy New Year everyone!!

The Popularity and Rise of Social Media: Benefits and Pros vs Cons

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If you took a walk through a high school or college, the first thing you would see wouldn’t be students interacting or speaking with one another. Instead, you would see most students hunched over a screen as they walk to class. But that doesn’t mean that they aren’t interacting with each other. Unbeknownst to you, those students are in fact chatting with one another and liking or commenting on each other’s posts. Sure, they may not see each other’s face in this type of interaction, but their opinions are heard just as much, if not more.