Helpful Science

Technology

Artificial Body Parts-

Prosthetics are devices used to replace a missing body part in patients who have lost them. Artificial limbs are made out of titanium and carbon fibre to ensure it is lightweight, strong and free of pathogens. Electronic advances now allow robotic artificial limbs to respond to nerve messages from the patient as the nerves that would’ve controlled the limb before are surgically re-directed. Electrodes are then placed at the re-directed site and transferred to electrodes in the artificial limb.

Reproduction

Assisted reproductive technology (ART) is a procedure to help give birth to a healthy baby. In vitro* fertilisation(IVF) means that an egg is fertilised by sperm in glass. This is so that the doctor can watch every step and do what it’s meant to. The embryo is then transferred back into the mother’s uterus and then goes through normal pregnancy.

Biotechnology

Biotechnology is used to transfer characteristics from one species to another by gene technology. These changes can make it so the plant and animals have a resistance to disease, higher concentration of nutrients and resistance to insects. Biotechnology has also led cows to produce milk with built-in medicines and bacteria to produce human insulin for diabetics.

Treating Diseases

Kidney disease

Dialysis is necessary when kidney failure happens. Haemodialysis involves the use of a machine to filter the blood and remove toxins then return the filtered blood back into the body. Another way is a compatible organ transplant. This treatment is most preferred as it allows the patient to survive for 15 more years than dialysis. Non- compatible organ transplant is also another way to heal kidney diseases. Additional medical treatment is required to prevent the immune system from rejecting the transplanted organ.

Heart Disease

A heart attack is usually caused by heart disease which is fatty deposits called cholesterol blocking important blood vessels in the heart. The ‘attack’ occurs when the vessels become completely blocked or when the fatty deposit breaks off and travels into the heart. Xenotransplantation is the transplantation of an organ from a different animal such as a pig.

Diabetes

Diabetes is a disease where the body cannot control the level of glucose in the blood. A person with diabetes will have high blood glucose levels either because their pancreas is unable to produce insulin or because their body cannot respond properly to the insulin that is released. There is also a variety of diabetes such as type 2 diabetes which has been linked to obesity and other lifestyle factors. One way to treat diabetes is by insulin injections which will maintain a relatively stable concentration of sugar in the blood.