206 MHR • Unit 2 Homeostasis
COMMUNICATING36.Acupuncture, an ancient and important part
of Eastern medical practice, has only recently
come under serious scrutiny by Western
doctors and scientists. Investigate how this
method of treatment is used in Chinese
medicine. Research the current understanding
of the possible physiological processes that
might explain the apparent pain-relieving
effects of acupuncture treatment.
37.Write a brief essay on the major biological
factors that can lead to infertility in males
and females.
38.Create a pamphlet that explains how cortisone
medications can be used to treat some forms of
skin inflammations and injuries.
39.Most people know about the impact of smoking
on the respiratory system. However, smoking
also negatively affects the male and female
reproductive systems. Investigate how smoking
can interfere with male and female
reproductive function at various stages of life.
Conduct a survey to determine the number of
male and female smokers in your class or grade
and the level of awareness about the various
health risks associated with smoking.40.Current research studies suggest a link between
the levels of various hormones in the body,
such as ACTH from the pituitary gland, and
certain forms of depression. By consulting
print resources, the Internet, or a medical
expert, summarize the latest research findings
on how hormone production may be connected
to depression.
41.In a chart, list the endocrine glands found in
the human body, describe their location,
identify the hormones produced by each
gland, and describe the hormones’ function.
42.Draw a negative feedback loop to illustrate the
control of water levels in the human body.
43.Make a sketch that illustrates the structural
and functional relationships between the
hypothalamus and the two lobes of the
pituitary gland.
44.Draw a rough line graph of the changes in a
person’s blood sugar level over a 24-h day.
Show the effects of meals, exercise, sleep, and
so on. Label the time of each event on the
horizontal axis.consider this a problem that can be tested
through scientific inquiry?
35.Scientists in Western countries have been
searching for a chemical that will curb an
alcoholic’s need for alcohol. Recently, some
scientists have taken a look at a treatment used
in China for over two thousand years. Chinese
healers have given alcoholics an extract from
the root of the kudzu vine, which they claim
is about 80 percent effective in patients who
have been treated with it for two to four weeks.
Dr. Wing-Ming Keung of Harvard Medical
School in Boston visited China to find out
what modern researchers thought of the herbal
remedy. He spoke to physicians who claimed
to have treated 300 alcohol abusers with the
extract. They were convinced that the chemicals
in the extract effectively suppressed the
appetite for alcohol.
After returning to Harvard, Dr. Keung and
Dr. Bert L. Vallee decided to try the drug on
Syrian golden hamsters in their laboratory.
These hamsters were specifically selectedbecause they are known to drink large amounts
of alcohol when it is available to them. Imagine
you are a member of the research team. Your
job is to design an experiment that will prove
the effectiveness of the extract from the root of
the kudzu vine in suppressing the hamsters’
craving for alcohol.
(a)Dr. Keung and Dr. Vallee discovered two
active ingredients in the root extract. They
found that each extract alone had the effect
of lessening alcohol use in the hamsters by
50 percent. The two compounds appeared
to affect enzymes involved in alcohol
metabolism. Hypothesize how this discovery
might help people overcome alcohol
dependency.
(b)How would you follow up on your
experiment?
(c)Predict the results of the experiment.
(d)What will be the variable in the experiment?
(e)What will you use as your control in
the experiment?