Human Liver Anatomy and Function

Human Liver Anatomy and Function The liver is an important vital organ that also happens to be the largest internal organ in the body. Weighing between 3 and 3.5 pounds, the liver is located in the upper right area of the abdominal cavity and is responsible for hundreds of different functions. Some of these functions include nutrient metabolism, detoxification of harmful substances, and protecting the body from germs. The liver has a unique ability to regenerate itself. This ability makes it possible for individuals to donate part of their liver for transplantation. Liver Anatomy The liver is a reddish-brown organ that is located below the diaphragm and superior to other abdominal cavity organs such as the stomach, kidneys, gallbladder, and intestines. The most prominent feature of the liver is its larger right lobe and smaller left lobe. These two main lobes are separated by a band of connective tissue. Each liver lobe is internally composed of thousands of smaller units called lobules. Lobules are small liver segments containing arteries, veins, sinusoids, bile ducts, and liver cells. Liver tissue is composed of two main types of cells. Hepatocytes are the most numerous type of liver cells. These epithelial cells are responsible for most of the functions performed by the liver. Kupffer cells are immune cells that are also found in the liver. They are thought to be a type of macrophage that rids the body of pathogens and old red blood cells. The liver also contains numerous bile ducts, which drain bile produced by the liver into larger hepatic ducts. These ducts join to form the common hepatic duct. The cystic duct extending from the gallbladder joins the common hepatic duct to form the common bile duct. Bile from the liver and gallbladder drain into the common bile duct and are delivered to the upper portion of the small intestines (duodenum). Bile is a dark greenish or yellow fluid produced by the liver and stored in the gallbladder. It aids in the digestion of fats and helps eliminate toxic wastes. Liver Function The liver performs a number of vital functions in the body. A major function of the liver is to process substances in the blood. The liver receives blood from organs including the stomach, small intestines, spleen, pancreas, and gallbladder through the hepatic portal vein. The liver then processes, filters, and detoxifies the blood before sending it back to the heart via the inferior vena cava. The liver has a digestive system, immune system, endocrine system, and exocrine functions. A number of important liver functions are listed below. 1) Fat Digestion A key function of the liver is the digestion of fats. Bile produced by the liver breaks down fat in the small intestines so that it can be used for energy. 2) Metabolism The liver metabolizes carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids in the blood that are initially processed during digestion. Hepatocytes store glucose obtained from the break down of carbohydrates in the foods we eat. Excess glucose is removed from the blood and stored as glycogen in the liver. When glucose is needed, the liver breaks down glycogen into glucose and releases the sugar into the blood. The liver metabolizes amino acids from digested proteins. In the process, toxic ammonia is produced which the liver converts to urea. Urea is transported to the blood and is passed to the kidneys where it is excreted in urine. The liver processes fats to produce other lipids including phospholipids and cholesterol. These substances are necessary for cell membrane production, digestion, bile acid formation, and hormone production. The liver also metabolizes hemoglobin, chemicals, medications, alcohol and other drugs in the blood. 3) Nutrient Storage The liver stores nutrients obtained from the blood for use when needed. Some of these substances include glucose, iron, copper, vitamin B12, vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin K (helps blood to clot), and vitamin B9 (aids in red blood cell synthesis). 4) Synthesis and Secretion The liver synthesizes and secretes plasma proteins that act as clotting factors and help to maintain proper blood fluid balance. The blood protein fibrinogen produced by the liver is converted to fibrin, a sticky fibrous mesh that traps platelets and other blood cells. Another clotting factor produced by the liver, prothrombin, is needed to convert fibrinogen to fibrin. The liver also produces a number of carrier proteins including albumin, which transports substances such as hormones, fatty acids, calcium, bilirubin, and various drugs. Hormones are also synthesized and secreted by the liver when needed. Liver-synthesized hormones include insulin-like growth factor 1, which aids in early growth and development. Thrombopoietin is a hormone that regulates platelet production in bone marrow. 5)Immune Defense The K​upffer cells of the liver filter the blood of pathogens such as bacteria, parasites, and fungi. They also rid the body of old blood cells, dead cells, cancer cells, and cellular refuse. Harmful substances and waste products are secreted by the liver into either the bile or the blood. Substances secreted into bile are eliminated from the body through the digestive tract. Substances secreted into the blood are filtered by the kidneys and excreted in urine.

The eNotes Blog Explaining the Kindle toDickens

Explaining the Kindle toDickens Recently, Rachel Walsh, an illustration student at the Cardiff School of Art and Design, was given the following project: Explain something modern/internet based to someone who lived and died before 1900. Cardiff chose the Kindle and to explain it to Charles Dickens. She took forty books Dickens either wrote, were among his noted favorites, and a few books of her own selection she thought he would enjoy. Then she painstakingly created miniatures of each work, rendering their covers in minute detail, carved small portals into a regular sized book and placed each tiny tome in the spaces. That way, she could show Dickens how an eReader stores dozens (in reality, hundreds) of books in a single slim volume. What else might we explain about our modern/connected world to someone who died before the turn of the twentieth century? Here are some suggestions from loyal Official Blog readers: Explaining Farmville to John Chapman (Johnny Appleseed) How do you explain the thrills of virtual farming to the man who single-handedly, and largely on foot, populated the American Midwest with apple trees? Explaining Wikipedia to Noah Webster I wonder how Webster, called the Father of American Scholarship and Education, would feel about this equal-access encyclopedia. Maybe hed be fine with it, but I have my doubts Explaining Match.com to Jane Austen Somehow I do not think Ms. Austen would be amused. Explaining Google Earth to Christopher Columbus Native Americans probably wish this had been around. Explaining Modern Crime Scene Forensics to Sherlock Holmes (Okay, we know Holmes is a fictional character, but you get the idea.) How about you?   Wed love to hear what sorts of modern marvels you might try to explain to a person living before 1900. What would your pairing be?

11 Six Figure Jobs Beyond Doctor or Lawyer

11 Six Figure Jobs Beyond Doctor or Lawyer You don’t have to become a doctor or a lawyer to make $100k a year or more. Take a look at these 11 six figure jobs you may not have thought of as quite so high-paying. Keep in mind that compensation can come in many more forms than just your annual salary. And remember to keep your options open! 1. Special AgentLet alone the fact that the job title is super cool, you can make over $120k per year as an FBI agent. Or an agent for similar companies or law enforcement. To get hired, you’ll probably want a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, plus some military or law enforcement experience. These jobs can be action packed or desk-oriented, but most will likely require some extra non-standard or on-call work hours.2. Airline PilotAgain, you’ll want either military flight experience or a degree in aviation, physics, or some other related field. In addition to your flying skill, good quick-thinking and savvy leadership is required. Nonstandard schedule again, but also routinely $120k and above.3. Regional Sales ExecutiveA college degree may or may not be necessary here. You’ll have to work your way up and through the company a bit, getting to know the product backwards and forwards, but if you have what it takes and you have excellent communication skills, you could easily hit the executive level, and your total compensation could easily breach $100k per year.4. Nurse PractitionerNPs are required to have a Master’s degree in nursing, plus whatever state level qualifications and certifications apply. But they can also build their own private practices, have some control over their schedules, and make $100k or more per year.5. Reservoir EngineerIdentify and go after gas reserves underground. All you’ll need is a degree in chemical engineering, and the determination to get the necessary experience in a very technical and nuanced field. But the compensation is usually over $125k, sometimes as high as $143k.6. DentistOkay so this is kind of like being a doctor or lawyer, and you’ll need all the schooling that entails. Four year degree, doctorate in dentistry, qualifying and licensing exams†¦but most dentists run their own practices and make between $125k and $130k per year.7. Equity Research AssociateIf you’re good with numbers and can acquire a bachelor’s degree in finance or economics, this might be the right field for you. You’ll analyze financial trends and do all the fun stuff of investment banking without the ulcers. Typical total median pay, with commissions and other compensation: $100k per year.8. GeophysicistIf you love rocks, and the Earth in general, then get yourself a degree in Geology, then another one. There is a surprising range of positions out there for geophysicists. And you could make nearly $120k per year.9. Physician AssistantPAs are like NPs. They also require a master’s degree, but you go through different programs. The only difference is PAs have to work more closely with MDs and so have less flexibility and autonomy, but they still break $100k per year.10. Drilling EngineerDrill baby, drill. If you have a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, or another relevant field, and you are confident and comfortable managing a team where safety is of the utmost importance, than this field could be for you. Expect to make around or over $110k.11. Software ArchitectIf you’re more the indoor type, and love technology, then get yourself a degree in math, computer science, software engineering†¦ or just show your coding mettle in other ways. You might need to put in some long hours, and you’ll have to have Batman-esque skills in order to provide company’s with the tools they need to operate at their best, but you can make over $130k per year.

Children in Sweatshops Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Children in Sweatshops - Essay Example International conventions mandates that anyone under the age of eighteen is a child. According to this standard, the ILO estimated that there were two hundred forty-six million children involved in labor in 2000. Also, there were an estimated eight and a half million children that were involved in forced or bonded labor, armed conflicts, and commercial sexual exploitation. The earliest child labor laws were enacted in 1836. In Massachusetts, children under fifteen were required to attend school for at least three months out of the year. In 1842, a maximum of ten hours per day could be worked by a child. Many other states began to follow suit after the Massachusetts laws and early trade unions formed to protect children in the work force. There were many steps that took place after this, and much opposition to child labor laws, but the Fair Labor Standards Act was finally passed in 1938. This was the time that child labor laws in the U.S. were federally regulated. The focus of many of these laws that were passed dealt with children that worked in factories. Laws requiring children to attend school in England were passed in 1881. There are many reasons that child labor is still able to be used today. For example, many countries have exceptions written into their laws which allow child labor to still be exploited. In Nepal, the minimum age for working is fourteen, but there is an exception to the law which allows them to work in plantations and brick kilns. Similarly in Kenya, there are laws that prohibit children under 16 from working, but that does not include the agricultural force. Bangladesh also does not set regulations regarding agricultural or domestic work. India and Bangladesh typically have the worst reputation internationally for child labor. There are laws in both countries prohibiting children under fourteen from working, but these

Retaining key employees in times of change Coursework

Retaining key employees in times of change - Coursework Example During such instances, the organization must assess suitable strategies to retain the employees. According to the article, the retention process rarely works if the company uses money only to persuade the employees. Since the retention process is mostly directed towards the high risk employees or the employees that could lead to major impact if they depart, other measures must be undertaken to ensure that the continued working of the organization is guaranteed in spite of the changes. Some changes pose challenges that money alone cannot address. Prior to the transition, the line managers must work together in determining the employees whose retention is critical. Some of the factors considered in determining critical employees in retention include those who exhibit exceptional institutional knowledge, technical expertise, and direct relationships with the management. Specifically, individuals involved in departments such as IT, finance, as well as the administrative sector have uniqu e knowledge concerning organizational systems therefore qualify to be in the retention list. These individuals are usually difficult to replace. Once the list of critical employees is created, the management then prioritizes them according to available retention strategies. This is important since not all individuals would be persuaded using certain incentives such as money. This implies that specific employees have unique requirements and money may not fulfill them.

Category Management (CM) And Its Scope In Improving The Performance Of Essay

Category Management (CM) And Its Scope In Improving The Performance Of Retail Organisations - Essay Example Earlier, product manufacturers have assigned the duty of selling a particular product to the product manager. However, the evolution of CM forced the organizations to create a new post; category manager. Earlier organizations give more importance to product managers whereas modern organizations give more importance to category managers. This is because of the fact that marketing of a category of product is easier than marketing a particular product. For example, smartphones are conquering the market at present. It is easy for Samsung or Apple like smartphone manufacturers to market tablets along with smartphones since both smartphones and tablets almost belong to the same category. In short â€Å"CM helps category manager to sets the prices of all brands in the category so as to maximize total category profits† (Basuroy et al., 2001, p.17). ... In short â€Å"CM helps category manager to sets the prices of all brands in the category so as to maximize total category profits† (Basuroy et al., 2001, p.17). Moreover, it enhances the interactions between between retailers and wholesalers and helps them to reap more profit (Kulikova, 2012, p.67). This paper analyses how category management can improve the performances of retail organizations. Scope of category management in improving the performance of retail organisations CM starts from the definition of category and ends in the category implementation. Between these starting and end points, CM travels through other steps such as identification of category role, category assessment, category scorecard, category strategies, and category tactics. The figure given below explains various steps involved in CM. (Basuroy et al., 2001, p.17) After category implementation, organizations review the success and failures of CM. The category review process helps organizations to ident ify the strengths and weakness of existing CM and modify it to restart the CM process in a more efficient manner. In short, CM helps organizations to polish or fine tune the existing business strategies all the time and manages the selling of a particular category of products in an efficient manner. A typical category management framework is described in the following illustration. Category management framework (Effective day-to-day category management, 2011, p.3) From the above illustration, it is evident that market insight elements such as consumers, trends, economy, competitors and suppliers help an organization to formulate company goals related to customers, strategies, finance etc. Identification of goals helps a company to formulate strategies necessary for the promotion of a specific

Should Companies google Applicants or seek Facebook Profiles in the Research Paper

Should Companies google Applicants or seek Facebook Profiles in the Hiring Process - Research Paper Example Kennedy and Macko (2007) also argued that the information available on the site is personal in nature and should not be investigated by employers for conducting the hiring process. However, the information that is present on social networking sites is posted by the user with his full consent. It is a commonly accepted fact that there are privacy concerns on the internet and social networking sites. The candidates whose information is searched by the employers are also aware of such privacy concerns and would refrain from posting personal details and information if they feared its viewing to the general public. Jones, Schuckman and Watson (2007) included an interesting, yet alarming figure regarding the degree of fraudulent and violent instances in organizations on an annual basis; US retail businesses tend to suffer more than $50 billion approximately in a single year due to fraudulent activities, violence in the workplace and organizational assets theft. Such increasing rate of loss es and fraudulent activities provoke the organizations to perform due diligence regarding the applicants to ensure that their resources, training and development ventures are not wasted on individuals who might not be trustworthy or loyal human beings. When an organization employs an individual, a relation of mutual trust is developed between the concerned parties. As a result, many organizational secrets and assets might be managed by the employees. It is vital for employers to confirm that the information provided by the applicants is accurate and personal conducts of the employee will not hurt the stature of the company. DeKay and DeKay (2008) included relevant figures regarding the degree of lies that are often witnessed in applications and resumes. They revealed that around 70% of college graduates lie about their qualifications when they apply for jobs. This is an appalling figure that needs to be reduced with the help of effective measures. Fishman and Morris (2010) stated th at such inaccurate information can be confirmed by means of