Jellyfish Venom
Almost anyone who has ever spent time near or in an ocean has been warned about being stung by jellyfish. Jellyfish have been ascribed a reputation as dangerous, often lethal animals. The exact actions of jellyfish toxins are not well understood, and the true danger presented by jellyfish is often exaggerated.
This paper will attempt to answer several questions about jellyfish and venom. It will discuss what toxins make up jellyfish venom and the method in which these toxins are delivered. The effects of jellyfish venom on the human body will be discussed, including the possible action of these toxins at a cellular level. Finally, first aid and treatments for jellyfish envenomations will be described.
Background
The marine creatures commonly known as jellyfish are members of the phylum Cnidaria. Of the four classes of cnidarians, jellyfish come from both the Hydrozoa and Scyphozoa classes. Most jellyfish are schphozoids, while the Portuguese Man-of-War (Physalia physalis) is a hydroid. As cnidarians, jellyfish possess two tissue types: endoderm and ectoderm, in addition to a single cell layer of jelly-like mesoglea between the endoderm and the ectoderm (Russell 21). Jellyfish exhibit radial symmetry and have tentacles with stinging cells known as cnidocytes. They range in size from a few millimeters up to a bell size of two meters across, with tentacles up to thirty-six meters long. Typically less than five percent of a jellyfish’s body is "solid organic material" (Halstead, Poisonous 96-97).
Jellyfish have reproductive cycles that involve a sessile polyp and a free-living medusa state. The polyp is asexual, while the medusa is sexual (Williamson et al. 121). P. physalis actually consist of colonies of many small organisms. A single Man-of-War contains both polyp and medusal stage organisms, with several different types of polyps and medusae in a colony (Halstead, Poisonous 94-95)
Jellyfish populations exhibit seasonality in their choice of habitats. Most jellyfish prefer temperate and warm water. P. physalis prefer open waters and move with the wind, tide, and currents. Scyphozoas are found in all seas of the world. These jellyfish prefer shallow water such as bays and estuaries but also inhabit open ocean (Halstead, Poisonous 94-97). They usually live in the warm or temperate waters favored by coral (Halstead, Poisonous 115). Jellyfish are most abundant in coastal areas during warm summer months, but are present along the shore at other times of year (Halstead, Poisonous 97). Likewise, in Australia, the largest numbers of jellyfish are found along shores during the summer months of November through April, with peak numbers occurring in December.
Because of its size and abundance, T. californicus is commonly regarded as the insect of the sea. This creature is generally very small, from 1-3 mm in size as adults. They are cylindrically shaped, and have a segmented body (head, thorax, abdomen) though no noticeable division between body regions (Powlik 1966). Each segment of the body has a pair of legs. They use their 'legs' to propel themselves through the water in short rapid jerks. They have 2 pairs of long feathered antennae, a chitin us exoskeleton and a single eye in the middle of their head, this simple eye can only differentiate between light and dark.
A defining feature of the lionfish which everyone sees are the “18 venomous spines on its dorsal fin and its pelvic and anal fins, which are used for defense” as described in FACE OFF WITH THE ENEMY: LIONFISH by Special To The Citizen. Which is a neurotoxin that results in intense pain and swelling of one’s body. Fernando Simal, a marine hunter at STINAPA National Marine Park, found out the potency of their venom after his first hunt when being stung by the lionfish he caug...
Scorpaenidae are mostly marine fish,very few found in fresh and brackish water. The family have around around 45 different genera and 380 different species. They are mostly found in the India Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. Most of them lives in coral, tropical reefs and shallow waters, warmer areas. Not all of the family fish lives in the shallow water, small portion of the Scorpaenidae live deep as around 7,000 feet. Just like most of the coral reef fish are, Scorpaenidae have camouflaged body. Their characteristic reflects their name, they have sharp spine that can sting other organisms. Their spine are covered with venomous mucus just like how some other kind of fish are covered with the venomous mucus. Their body are covered with scales. Generally speaking, the Scorpaenidae family fish have different number of spines over the course of the body. Most known type pf Scorpaenidae are lionfish and scorpionfish. Lionfish have preorbital bone with 3 spines, spines and third below the diagonal; , big mouth, end position, oblique fissure. Mandible, vomer and jaw bone with villiform teeth group. Gill openings are wide, tetrabranchiate membranes without the isthmus, pre-opercular margin with 5 spines. Body are ctenoid scales, round head. On the side, there are about eight to nine dorsal fin, fin spines and rays of an anal fin; five to six pectoral fins, they are large, round, and are branched from the upper fin rays. There are about one to five pelvic, sub thoracic; caudal fin rounded truncate. Reef stonefish are extremely camouflaged, they could look exactly like a rock when hiding for predation. The spines of Scorpaenidae are hard and rough, some of their fin spines have poison, can cause serious pain, swells and fatal wounds. Some of ...
N fowleri has three stages of their cycle. In the amoeboid trophozoite stage, they are infectious and measure 10-35 µm long. The trophozoite transforms to a non-feeding flagellate when food sources are limited. Flagellates are motile and measure 10-20 µm in length. The amoeba or flagellate will form a cyst, the dormant stage, if the environment is too cold and not conducive to continued feeding and growth. When the organism is in the cyst stage, it has a single layered wall and only one nucleus. The cyst measures 7-1...
Butcher, Mineka and Hooley (2003) define schizophrenia as a brain disorder in which there is a failure of the brain's chemical or electrical systems to function properly, resulting in a variety of unusual neural twists, such as disjointed ideas, confused or disconnected thoughts, and sounds or other sensations experienced as real when they exist only in the person's mind. The prevalence of the disorder is estimated to be about one percent of the population in most countries including the United States. Butcher, Mineka and Hooley also note that there are no sex-related difference for the prevalence of schizophrenia among men and women with the exception of a slight difference in the average age of onset with men showing symptoms a few years earlier than women.
Ever since ancient times , poisons have been used for many purposes across the extent of human existence. Throughout its history , poisons/venoms were first used by ancient tribes & civilizations as a hunting tool to ensure a quick death of their prey. As the years progress , venoms were commonly used in fictional films , initially starting out in the United States. Venoms are poisonous substances that come from venomous creatures such as snakes & spiders. Most of the times, when venoms/poisons are used in movies , it is categorized as Sci - Fi. The reason being is because usually the toxins being used are fictional and whom the toxin used by , the toxin turns them (character) into a supernatural character with supernatural abilities. If this is not the case , then the toxin does what it’s suppose to do , which is to poison the victim and kills he/she.
Schizophrenia is a disease of the brain that is expressed clinically as a disease of the mind. Once it strikes, morbidity is high (60% of patients are receiving disability benefits within the first year of onset) as is mortality (the suicide rate is 10%). (www.nejm.org/content/1999/0340/008/0645.asp). Because its symptoms and signs and associated cognitive abnormalities are diverse, researchers have been unable to find localization in a single region of the brain. This essay will discuss the symptoms, treatments and causes of schizophrenia.
Schizophrenia is a serious, chronic mental disorder characterized by loss of contact with reality and disturbances of thought, mood, and perception. Schizophrenia is the most common and the most potentially sever and disabling of the psychosis, a term encompassing several severe mental disorders that result in the loss of contact with reality along with major personality derangements. Schizophrenia patients experience delusions, hallucinations and often lose thought process. Schizophrenia affects an estimated one percent of the population in every country of the world. Victims share a range of symptoms that can be devastating to themselves as well as to families and friends. They may have trouble dealing with the most minor everyday stresses and insignificant changes in their surroundings. They may avoid social contact, ignore personal hygiene and behave oddly (Kass, 194). Many people outside the mental health profession believe that schizophrenia refers to a “split personality”. The word “schizophrenia” comes from the Greek schizo, meaning split and phrenia refers to the diaphragm once thought to be the location of a person’s mind and soul. When the word “schizophrenia” was established by European psychiatrists, they meant to describe a shattering, or breakdown, of basic psychological functions. Eugene Bleuler is one of the most influential psychiatrists of his time. He is best known today for his introduction of the term “schizophrenia” to describe the disorder previously known as dementia praecox and for his studies of schizophrenics. The illness can best be described as a collection of particular symptoms that usually fall into four basic categories: formal thought disorder, perception disorder, feeling/emotional disturbance, and behavior disorders (Young, 23). People with schizophrenia describe strange of unrealistic thoughts. Their speech is sometimes hard to follow because of disordered thinking. Phrases seem disconnected, and ideas move from topic to topic with no logical pattern in what is being said. In some cases, individuals with schizophrenia say that they have no idea at all or that their heads seem “empty”. Many schizophrenic patients think they possess extraordinary powers such as x-ray vision or super strength. They may believe that their thoughts are being controlled by others or that everyone knows what they are thinking. These beliefs ar...
It is a frightening disorder that strikes about one percent of the world population. It surfaces most frequently during puberty and has the potential to forever destroy the lives of the people who are unfortunate enough to be its victim. The disorder is schizophrenia and it manifests itself by disturbing normal psychiatric behavior. The symptoms of schizophrenia are characterized by both positive and negative symptoms. Positive symptoms include hallucinations, delusions, and other unusual or disorganized behavior. Unresponsiveness, lack of activity, and loss of interest characterize negative symptoms. Though it is possible for doctors to diagnose and treat patients with schizophrenia, the causes of schizophrenia are still unknown. Much research has been done to further the understanding of the disorder, yet it seems that the causes of schizophrenia are still under debate. (1)
The blue-ringed octopus uses an interesting technique to ward off its predators. Utilizing aposematic coloring (a warning mechanism), this creature can let other animals know to stay away. The tiny cephalopod bears about sixty bright blue rings, appearing as a pattern on its dermal covering. When these rings flash, one can tell that the octopus has been threatened. Although this tropical marine creature may generally be calm, when it is agitated, it can bite with its beak and inject tetrodotoxin into the blood stream. This venom can quickly kill an adult human. Typically, the blue-ringed octopus, or Hapalochlaena Lunulata, resides among rocks and shells on the ocean floor and exhibits a camouflaged appearance (Mathger et al., 2012). However, its skin contains many more interesting structures that allow it to have such a distinct presentation.
Schizophrenia is a chronic, severe, disabling, brain disorder that affects how a person thinks, feels and acts. Someone with schizophrenia may have difficulties distinguishing between what is real and what is imaginary, be unresponsive or withdrawn, and may have difficulty expressing normal emotions in social situations.
SCHIZOPHRENIA Schizophrenia, from the Greek word meaning “split mind”, is a mental disorder that causes complete fragmentation in the processes of the mind. Contrary to common belief, schizophrenia does not refer to a person with a split personality or multiple personalities, but rather to a condition which affects the person’s movement, language, and thinking skills. The question of whether schizophrenia is a disease or collection of socially learned actions is still a question in people’ mind. People who are suffering from schizophrenia think and act in their own the world and put themselves in a way that is totally different from the rest of society. In other words, they have lost in touch with the reality. Most schizophrenics accept the fact that they have this disorder and are willing to receive necessary treatment and listen to, if not follow, professional advice. However there are cases where patients have lost insight and do not acknowledge the fact that they suffer from a mental disorder. As a result, these people do not have the treatment normally patients with schizophrenia do. To observers, schizophrenia may seem like a disease or madness because people who have this disorder behave differently to the people that are considered “normal.” It impairs a person from doing work, going to school, taking care of his/herself or having a social relationship with others. Yet, by looking at some of the symptoms, it is sometimes hard to classify schizophrenia as a disease because it enables those inflicted with it to develop new ways of communication intellectually and creatively, as well as enhancing artistic abilities. A disease is usually some kind of sickness that will lead to death or under heavy medication. However, this is not the case. For now, there is no cure but only treatment to help people with schizophrenia to live more productive lives. Generally, schizophrenia carries enormous threats to the society. About one percent of the people in United States develop schizophrenia and the probability of developing this disorder is independent of the patient’s gender, race or culture. Women are as likely to develop schizophrenia as men but women tend to have less severe symptoms with fewer hospitalizations and are generally able to cope better in the community. About ten percent of the people who have schizophrenia commit suicide and many others attempt...
In the old Shakespeare play Macbeth, women wear the pants, while the men wear the dresses, this is the theme throughout the play. It focuses on the marriage of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth takes the lead role, while she convinces her husband to kill Duncan. Shakespeare play concerning gender roles, shows the untraditional marriage in Scotland; what one sees is not what one gets. It also show how one starts is not how they end. The story of Macbeth shows power and betrayal. It shows power because it shows how one can take charge and get it done. It shows betrayal because he kill Duncan just to get the crown.
Hundreds of people, who get in the ocean every year, are almost none that encounter sharks. Even if you're lucky enough to see a shark big enough to bite you, you're much likely to die from a heart attack than getting bit by one. Shark attacks are mistakes and the idea of a shark off every beach waiting for people to come in the water is completely untrue. I will inform you on the background knowledge of sharks and the reasons why humans should not be afraid only aware.
According to Reynolds, Illnesses like schizophrenia bring unthinkable misery to sufferers and their families. Unlike other illnesses, it marks not only afflicted individuals, but also their relatives (96).