UNCLE JULIUS AND THE SCIENCE GANG
The Science Gang has a lot of questions for Uncle Julius! Here are just a few questions--
and answers--to help you and The Science Gang. Science is fun, so let's get started!
What is Asthma?
Asthma is not a disease of the lungs, but it is a disease of the breathing tubes. Our images show our bronchial system.
The breathing tubes starts in the trachea (trey-ke-ya). When it branches out, the tube is called a Bronchiole (bronk-e-ole), and and it is a tube that carries air into the lungs. Bronchioles get smaller and smaller as they branch out. On the left is a normal bronchiole; on the right is a bronchiole having an asthma flare-up.
Two things to notice about the normal bronchiole on the left:
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The red rings that are on the outside of the bronchiole are circular muscles.
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The yellow lining of the bronchioles is tissue that secretes mucus.
On the right is a brochiole having an asthma flare-up. Two things happen:
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The muscle constricts or get tightened much like pulling the shoe strings on a pair of sneakers.
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The yellow tissue swells up because of some type of air pollutant.
The combination of these two things causes less air to get into the lungs, and the person will have trouble breathing. To keep asthma under control, a person with asthma must keep up with their inhalers and avoid conditions that may trigger flare-ups, if at all possible.
The Human Brain
Basic Anatomy
Each region of the brain has a specific name and function.
The Circulation
The corotid arteries are on each side of the neck. They go from the heart to the bottom of the brain and split into three arteries: anterior, middle, and posterior cerebral arteries.
The Circulation (Con't)
Here is a visualization of the middle cerebral artery.
Functions of the Brain
Each part of the brain has a different function. This image shows the sensory areas that receive pressure, touch, and temperature sensations from different parts of the body.
Motor (Responsive) Parts of the Brain
This part of the brain would, for example, direct the muscles to respond to a needle stick, depending on which part of the body receives the stimulation.
Understanding a Stroke
A stroke happens when there is a blockage in one of the blood vessels in the brain--typically, a result of eating unhealthy foods. The blood vessels supply the brain with oxygen and nutrients. When a vessel gets blocked, that part of the brain is damaged.
Dr. Charles Drew
Dr. Charles Drew was an African American surgeon who was the first to develop ways to process and store blood plasma. He helped create the concept of "Blood Banks" -- which we still see in operation today in hospitals, clinics, and donatio centers.
Dr. Drew developed the Blood Plasma program for the United States and Great Britain during World War II, saving thousands of lives.
How to be a Good Student
(And Dominate in the Classroom)
Being (or becoming) a good student requires a few ingredients, and Uncle Julius is here to help you!
FOCUS
Block out distractions. Don't think about your favorite hip hop artist/athlete in class. They are not thinking about you when they practice!
MEMORY
Imagine painting a black building with white paint. You know you will need more than one coat, right? Memory works like that, too, so be prepared to go over a subject several times. With each reading, you will get more and more out of it!
PAY ATTENTION IN CLASS
Focus on what the teacher is saying and pick up as much as you can while you are in class. For a great deal of the time, the teacher is introducing you to a new topic, so the more you pick up in class, the easier studying will be!
STUDY
You can try listening to music or watching T.V., but a quiet area is best! Also find the time that's right for you! It could be early in the morning or just before bed. Sometimes, you have to wait for things to quiet down. Find the time that's right for YOU!
How a Virus Works
As the Corona Virus (COVID-19) swept across America, many people wondered, "What is a virus?" HIV is a virus that has been well-studied and serves as a great model to show how a virus behaves. A virus is a piece of DNA/RNA that must enter a living cell to reproduce.
This shows the steps by which a virus enters a cell and uses the cell's DNA/RNA to make copies of itself. At each step, drugs have been developed to block its reproduction.
Images courtesy of the National Institutes of Health
