eye of the beholder essays

eye of the beholder essays The theme of the book, Eye of the Beholder, by Jayne Ann Krentz, is to stop and take a breath before jumping to conclusions. Twelve years ago, Trask's father was killed in a car accident. He had driven his car off Avalon Point. Because of the sharp curve, this was not unusual. Everyone in town just believed that Trask's father was another fatality. Trask knew it was more. He believed his father's death was murder. Trask believed Kenyon had killed his father because of a business deal gone bad. Trask's father, Kenyon, and Guthrie had been working on the deal for months. Trask's father had found a problem and believed the plan would cause the men to go bankrupt. With this information, Trask's father decided to take his money and get out of the deal. Immediately after Trask found out about his father's death, he went to Kenyon's home. Trask went with his gun in hand. He wasn't sure of his own plans; he only knew that someone was going to pay for his father's death. Probably for the best of them all, Alexa walked into the room in time to see Trask pull out his gun. Trask left when Alexa got to the phone and threatened to call the police. The opening of the newest of the Avalon hotel chain couldn't have been planned more perfectly. Trask knew it was perfect. He had been in the business for years and was quite good. So far, all of his hotel's had been a great success. He was unsure of this one though. Most of the town believed that if Trask ever did come back, it would be for revenge. Trask had left the night of his father's death and hadn't been seen since. Many had heard of the successful business man he had become and praised him for it. The night of the opening ceremony, Alexa was upstairs by herself. She knew Trask would be at the hotel and had done her best to avoid him. Everyone in town believed Trask was back for revenge and had chosen this sight for a hotel as an excuse. Alexa felt she would ...

Blood, Components and Blood Cell Production

Blood, Components and Blood Cell Production Our blood is a fluid that is also a type of connective tissue. It is composed of blood cells and an aqueous fluid known as plasma. Two major functions of the blood include transporting substances to and from our cells and providing immunity and protection against infectious agents such as bacteria and viruses. Blood is a component of the cardiovascular system. It is circulated through the body via the heart and blood vessels. Blood Components Blood consists of several elements. The major components of blood include plasma, red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. Plasma: This major constituent of blood comprises about 55 percent of blood volume. It consists of water with several different substances dissolved within. Plasma contains salts, proteins, and blood cells. Plasma also transports nutrients, sugars, fats, hormones, gases, and waste material contained within blood.Red Blood Cells (erythrocytes): These cells determine blood type and are the most abundant cell type in the blood. Red blood cells have what is known as a biconcave shape. Both sides of the cells surface curve inward like the interior of a sphere. This flexible disc shape helps to increase the surface area-to-volume ratio of these extremely small cells. Red blood cells do not have a nucleus, but they do contain millions of hemoglobin molecules. These iron-containing proteins bind oxygen molecules obtained in the lungs and transport them to various parts of the body. After depositing oxygen to tissue and organ cells, red blood cells pick up carbon dioxide (CO2) for transportat ion to the lungs where the CO2 is expelled from the body. White Blood Cells (leukocytes): These cells play an important role in the immune system and lymphatic system by defending the body against infection. These cells locate, destroy, and remove pathogens and foreign matter from the body. There are several different types of white blood cells, each with different functions. Examples include lymphocytes, monocytes, neutrophils, basophils, and eosinophils.Platelets (thrombocytes): These cell components are formed from pieces of cells found in the bone marrow called megakaryocytes. Fragments of the megakaryocytes circulate through the bloodstream and play a major role in clotting. When platelets encounter an injured blood vessel, they clump together to block the opening in the vessel. Blood Cell Production Blood cells are produced by bone marrow within the bone. Bone marrow stem cells develop into red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. Certain white blood cells mature in the lymph nodes, spleen, and thymus gland. Matured blood cells have varying life spans. Red blood cells circulate for about 4 months, platelets for about 9 days, and white blood cells range from about a few hours to several days. Blood cell production is often regulated by body structures such as the lymph nodes, spleen, liver, and kidneys. When oxygen in tissues is low, the body responds by stimulating the bone marrow to produce more red blood cells. When the body is infected, more white blood cells are produced. Blood Pressure Blood pressure is the force at which blood exerts pressure against artery walls as it circulates throughout the body. Blood pressure readings measure systolic and diastolic pressures as the heart goes through the cardiac cycle. In the systole phase of the cardiac cycle, the heart ventricles contract (beat) and pump blood into the arteries. In the diastole phase, the ventricles are relaxed and the heart fills with blood. Blood pressure readings are measured in millimeters of mercury (mmHg) with the systolic number reported before the diastolic number.Blood pressure is not constant and can fluctuate depending on various conditions. Nervousness, excitement, and increased activity are a few things that can influence blood pressure. Blood pressure levels also increase as we get older. Abnormally high blood pressure, known as hypertension, can have serious consequences as it can lead to hardening of the arteries, kidney damage, and heart failure. Persons with elevated blood pressure often experience no symptoms. Elevated blood pressure that persists for the majority of the time can lead to increased risk for health issues. Blood Type Blood type describes how blood is classified. It is determined by the existence or lack thereof of certain identifiers (called antigens) located on red blood cells. Antigens help the bodys immune system to identify its own red blood cell group. This identification is crucial so that the body will not build up antibodies against its own red blood cells. The four blood type groupings are A, B, AB, and O. Type A has A antigens on red blood cell surfaces, type B has B antigens, type AB has both A and B antigens, and type O has no A or B antigens. Blood types must be compatible when considering blood transfusions. Those with type A must receive blood from either type A or type O donors. Those with type B from either type B or type O. Those with type O can receive blood from only type O donors and type AB may receive blood from any of the four blood type groups. Sources: Dean L. Blood Groups and Red Cell Antigens [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Center for Biotechnology Information (US); 2005. Chapter 1, Blood and the cells it contains. Available from: (ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK2263/)What Is High Blood Pressure? National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Updated 08/02/12 (nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/hbp/)