The Worthiness of Success free essay sample

There comes a moment in a man’s life when some wisdom starts creeping into his brain, and this wisdom, although its acquisition is traditionally scarcely voluntary, aids him in the many dimensions of his life, but most of all, it help him understand himself, and, perhaps as a consequent, life. As for me, I’ve always been the odd one out; at home, at school, in the street. At home, I was raised with three sisters, all older than I am. At school, I was the class nerd because I excelled at languages (a paradox in my society) and I was never quite the loud charismatic one, unlike most boys around me. In the street, I wasn’t comfortable walking alone; I felt out of place and a sense of being exposed haunted me, exacerbated by the looks that followed me. As a child growing into adolescence, I was amazed at how different I am from other boys in my limited environment (I admit I was introverted). We will write a custom essay sample on The Worthiness of Success or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The difference had always been there, but I’d never been able to cognize its immensity. While other boys would play soccer, I would stay at home baking cookies. As I grew, I tried to be more open and positive, but by the time, the underlying sense of how diametrically different I was from others never evaded me; no matter what I did, it wouldn’t hush. An inexplicable feeling that I would never be accepted weighed me down, preventing me from hoping to go further, and whatever I did only added more to that weight, widening further the already vast chasm. That sense of lack of communication led me to practice individual sports where I can meditate such as swimming and jogging. I began doubting myself. As the evidence showed me, I clearly had an underlying fault which made me repulsive on sight. I shriveled up and detested the sun’s rays. I’d come to realize why so many poets rhymed to the silence of solitude. Life became a black abyss which slowly pulled me down into its nefarious emptiness. But, something inside me stirred, perhaps my will to survive. As a defense mechanism, I took voluntary refuge in carefully selected ‘fixations’; delving into a subject to take my mind off of life. My fixations were many, with my latest being over Dalida -a French singer- during which I ameliorated my French language. This lasted for some time until recently, when some wisdom started lighting up the little neurons in my brain. I was hit by an epiphany: Life had been setting me up for greatness. The idea, though simple, packs a potent punch. Every person that walked this earth had a great challenge to overcome, but only the great ones did. Others forgot that greatness is composed of ordinary things, such as a luxurious yacht is built by normal wood and ordinary nails, that we all have warrior instinct and that we all have inner strength. Thus, greatness is in the reach of all. The mountains we have to conquer only help us to harness that strength. From that vantage point, it becomes clear that we’re meant to achieve greatness, and no gain comes without hard work and a limited amount of pain In a humble attempt, and armed with a new found self-esteem, I have taken many steps to improve my life, and to mention all of them here would be cumbersome. So I will only mention one: My quest for knowledge. Strength without knowledge is destruction, knowledge without strength is a life wasted. Life has given me (I genuinely hope) strength, and I plan on learning everything there is about life. I would like to conclude my essay with this inspiring quote: â€Å"Do today what others won’t, so tomorrow you can do what others can’t.†

Osmoregulation Definition and Explanation

Osmoregulation Definition and Explanation Osmoregulation is the active regulation of osmotic pressure to maintain the balance of water and electrolytes in an organism. Control of osmotic pressure is  needed to perform biochemical reactions and preserve homeostasis. How Osmoregulation Works Osmosis is the movement of solvent molecules through a semipermeable membrane into an area that has a higher solute concentration. Osmotic pressure is the external pressure needed to prevent the solvent from crossing the membrane. Osmotic pressure depends on the concentration of solute particles. In an organism, the solvent is water and the solute particles are mainly dissolved salts and other ions, since larger molecules (proteins and polysaccharides) and nonpolar or hydrophobic molecules (dissolved gases, lipids) dont cross a semipermeable membrane. To maintain the water and electrolyte balance, organisms excrete excess water, solute molecules, and wastes. Osmoconformers and Osmoregulators There are two strategies used for osmoregulation- conforming and regulating. Osmoconformers use active or passive processes to match their internal osmolarity to that of the environment. This is commonly seen in marine invertebrates, which have the same internal osmotic pressure inside their cells as the outside water, even though the chemical composition of the solutes may be different. Osmoregulators control internal osmotic pressure so that conditions are maintained within a tightly-regulated range. Many animals are osmoregulators, including vertebrates (like humans). Osmoregulation Strategies of Different Organisms Bacteria - When osmolarity increases around bacteria, they may use transport mechanisms to absorb electrolytes or small organic molecules. The osmotic stress activates genes in certain bacteria that lead to the synthesis of osmoprotectant molecules. Protozoa - Protists use contractile vacuoles to transport ammonia and other excretory wastes from the cytoplasm to the cell membrane, where the vacuole opens to the environment. Osmotic pressure forces water into the cytoplasm, while diffusion and active transport control the flow of water and electrolytes. Plants - Higher plants use the stomata on the underside of leaves to control water loss. Plant cells rely on vacuoles to regulate  cytoplasm osmolarity. Plants that live in hydrated soil (mesophytes) easily compensate for water lost from transpiration by absorbing more water. The leaves and stem of the plants may be protected from excessive water loss by a waxy outer coating called the cuticle. Plants that live in dry habitats (xerophytes) store water in vacuoles, have thick cuticles, and may have structural modifications (i.e., needle-shaped leaves, protected stomata) to protect against water loss. Plants that live in salty environments (halophytes) have to regulate not only water intake/loss but also the effect on osmotic pressure by salt. Some species store salts in their roots so the low water potential will draw the solvent in via osmosis. Salt may be excreted onto leaves to trap water molecules for absorption by leaf cells. Plants that live in water or damp environments (hydr ophytes) can absorb water across their entire surface. Animals - Animals utilize an excretory system to control the amount of water that is lost to the environment and maintain osmotic pressure. Protein metabolism also generates waste molecules which could disrupt osmotic pressure. The organs that are responsible for osmoregulation depend on the species. Osmoregulation in Humans In humans, the primary organ that regulates water is the kidney. Water, glucose, and amino acids may be reabsorbed from the glomerular filtrate in the kidneys or it may continue through the ureters to the bladder for excretion in urine. In this way, the kidneys maintain the electrolyte balance of the blood and also regulate blood pressure. Absorption is controlled by the hormones aldosterone, antidiuretic hormone (ADH), and angiotensin II. Humans also lose water and electrolytes via perspiration. Osmoreceptors in the hypothalamus of the brain monitor changes in water potential, controlling thirst and secreting ADH. ADH is stored in the pituitary gland. When it is released, it targets the endothelial cells in the nephrons of the kidneys. These cells are unique because they have aquaporins. Water can pass through aquaporins directly rather than having to navigate through the lipid bilayer of the cell membrane. ADH opens the water channels of the aquaporins, allowing water to flow. The kidneys continue to absorb water, returning it to the bloodstream, until the pituitary gland stops releasing ADH.