UNIVERSIDAD DE ORIENTE

NÚCLEO DE BOLIVAR
DEPARTAMENTO SOCIO-HUMANISTICO
ASIGNATURA: INGLES INSTRUMENTAL
DR. PEDRO A. RASSE M.

Blood and the Body

Reviewed by Carol DerSarkissian on February 27, 2017

The average person has about one to one and a half gallons of a liquid inside its body
called blood. Blood is the most essential and important part of the body's circulatory
system. The circulatory system is responsible for the movement of blood throughout
the body through blood vessels. The heart is the pump that makes it all happen.

Blood has several ingredients found inside the body that are mixed together. Bone
marrow, located inside the bones of the body, makes most of these ingredients that
come together to produce blood. They include red blood cells, white blood cells, and
platelets. In addition, a fourth ingredient called plasma, which is mostly water, is another
important component of blood. Each of these components have a special function for
the body.

Red blood cells carry oxygen throughout the body. It is the most abundant of the
different cells inside the blood. A chemical called hemoglobin is carried by the red
blood cells and gives blood its red color, and carries the oxygen too all parts of the body.
The hemoglobin receives the oxygen each time a person breathes.

White blood cells help the body fight infections and are larger than red blood cells.
They are not as abundant as red blood cells especially when a person is healthy.
However, they increase in number when a person gets sick in order to fight off the
Dr. Pedro A. Rasse M.

illness. There are three kinds of white blood cells.

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Granulocytes help heal wounds after an injury, prevent infections, and kills germs
before they enter the body. Lymphocytes include B cells and T cells. B cells help
produce antibodies which gets rid of germs when a person like bacteria or viruses.
These cells also help prevent a person from getting the same germ in the future. T cells
also battle germs by producing special chemicals to fight infections. Monocytes
surround and destroy bacteria and viruses which can cause infections.

Platelets are cells that help stop the body from bleeding if it gets cut. When a person's
skin is broken blood vessels are also cut. The platelets send out a chemical signal for
the cut to eventually clot and stop bleeding by sticking together. The blood vessels heal
during the process of clotting. Without platelets the bleeding would never stop.

Plasma is a yellowish liquid that carries hormones, nutrients, and proteins throughout
the body. It is mostly made of water but the nutrients come from the chemicals in
digested food. The chemicals give the body energy and other things the cells of the
body need to keep it working and healthy. The hormones carried by the plasma carry
messages throughout the body that gets muscles and bones to grow. The proteins in the
body work with the platelets to help with clotting. Plasma also carries away cell waste.
Dr. Pedro A. Rasse M.

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Finally, even though everybody's blood is red, it is not all the same. There are eight
different blood types which are described using the letters A, B, and O. The letters
represent specific proteins found on the red blood cells, and not everyone has the same
proteins. A person's blood type is also either positive or negative, which tells whether the
body has a special protein called 'Rh'.

In summary, blood is important for the body, which contains four major components, red
and white blood cells, platelets, and plasma. The blood inside the body helps keep a
person well, which is why it is important to eat healthy so a person can get the vitamins
and minerals it needs.

Blood Conditions

 Hemorrhage (bleeding): Blood leaking out of blood vessels may be obvious, as

from a wound penetrating the skin. Internal bleeding (such as into the intestines
or after a car accident) may not be immediately apparent.
 Hematoma: A collection of blood inside the body tissues. Internal bleeding often
causes a hematoma.
 Leukemia: A form of blood cancer, in which white blood cells multiply abnormally
and circulate through the blood. The abnormal white blood cells make getting sick
from infections easier than normal.
 Multiple myeloma: A form of blood cancer of plasma cells similar to leukemia.
Anemia, kidney failure and high blood calcium levels are common in multiple
myeloma.
 Lymphoma: A form of blood cancer, in which white blood cells multiply abnormally
inside lymph nodes and other tissues. The enlarging tissues, and disruption of
blood's functions, can eventually cause organ failure.
 Anemia: An abnormally low number of red blood cells in the blood. Fatigue and
breathlessness can result, although anemia often causes no noticeable
symptoms.
 Hemolytic anemia: Anemia caused by rapid bursting of large numbers of red
blood cells (hemolysis). An immune system malfunction is one cause.
 Hemochromatosis: A disorder causing excessive levels of iron in the blood. The
iron deposits in the liver, pancreas and other organs, causing liver problems and
diabetes.
 Sickle cell disease: A genetic condition in which red blood cells periodically lose
their proper shape (appearing like sickles, rather than discs). The deformed blood
cells deposit in tissues, causing pain and organ damage.
 Bacteremia: Bacterial infection of the blood. Blood infections are serious, and
often require hospitalization and continuous antibiotic infusion into the veins.
Dr. Pedro A. Rasse M.

 Malaria: Infection of red blood cells by Plasmodium, a parasite transmitted by

mosquitos. Malaria causes episodic fevers, chills, and potentially organ damage.
 Thrombocytopenia: Abnormally low numbers of platelets in the blood. Severe
thrombocytopenia may lead to bleeding.

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  Leukopenia: Abnormally low numbers of white blood cells in the blood.
Leukopenia can result in difficulty fighting infections.
 Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC): An uncontrolled process of
simultaneous bleeding and clotting in very small blood vessels. DIC usually
results from severe infections or cancer.
 Hemophilia: An inherited (genetic) deficiency of certain blood clotting proteins.
Frequent or uncontrolled bleeding can result from hemophilia.
 Hypercoaguable state: Numerous conditions can result in the blood being prone
to clotting. A heart attack, stroke, or blood clots in the legs or lungs can result.
 Polycythemia: Abnormally high numbers of red blood cells in the blood.
Polycythemia can result from low blood oxygen levels, or may occur as a cancer-
like condition.
 Deep venous thrombosis (DVT): A blood clot in a deep vein, usually in the leg.
DVTs are dangerous because they may become dislodged and travel to the
lungs, causing a pulmonary embolism (PE).
 Myocardial infarction (MI): Commonly called a heart attack, a myocardial
infarction occurs when a sudden blood clot develops in one of the coronary
arteries, which supply blood to the heart.

Blood Tests

 Complete blood count: An analysis of the concentration of red blood cells, white
blood cells, and platelets in the blood. Automated cell counters perform this test.
http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/complete-blood-count-cbc
 Blood smear: Drops of blood are smeared across a microscope slide, to be
examined by an expert in a lab. Leukemia, anemia, malaria, and numerous other
blood conditions can be identified with a blood smear.
 Blood type: A test for compatibility before receiving a blood transfusion. The
major blood types (A, B, AB, and O) are determined by the protein markers
(antigens) present on the surface of red blood cells.
 Coombs test: A blood test looking for antibodies that could bind to and destroy
red blood cells. Pregnant women and people with anemia may undergo Coombs
testing.
 Blood culture: A blood test looking for infection present in the bloodstream. If
bacteria or other organisms are present, they may multiply in the tested blood,
allowing their identification.
 Mixing study: A blood test to identify the reason for blood being "too thin"
(abnormally resistant to clotting). The patient's blood is mixed in a tube with
normal blood, and the mixed blood's properties may provide a diagnosis.
 Bone marrow biopsy: A thick needle is inserted into a large bone (usually in the
Dr. Pedro A. Rasse M.

hip), and bone marrow is drawn out for tests. Bone marrow biopsy can identify
blood conditions that simple blood tests cannot.

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Blood Treatments

 Chemotherapy: Medicines that kill cancer cells. Leukemias and lymphomas are
usually treated with chemotherapy.
 Blood transfusion: A blood donor's red blood cells are separated from their
plasma and packed into a small bag. Transfusing the concentrated red blood
cells into a recipient replaces blood loss.
 Platelet transfusion: A blood donor's platelets are separated from the rest of blood
and concentrated into a plastic bag. Platelet transfusion is generally only
performed when platelet counts fall to very low levels.
 Fresh frozen plasma: A blood donor's plasma (liquid blood) is separated from the
blood cells, and frozen for storage. Plasma transfusion can improve blood clotting
and prevent or stop bleeding that's due to clotting problems.
 Cryoprecipitate: Specific proteins are separated from blood and frozen in a small
volume of liquid. Cryoprecipitate transfusion can replace specific blood clotting
proteins when their levels are low, such as in people with hemophilia.
 Anticoagulation: Medicines to "thin" the blood and prevent clotting in people at
high risk from blood clots. Heparin, enoxaparin (Lovenox) and warfarin
(Coumadin) are the medicines most often used.
 Antiplatelet drugs: Aspirin and clopidogrel (Plavix) interfere with platelet function
and help prevent blood clots, including those that cause heart attacks and
strokes.
 Antibiotics: Medicines to kill bacteria and parasites can treat blood infections
caused by these organisms.
 Erythropoietin: A hormone produced by the kidney that stimulates red blood cell
production. A manufactured form of erythropoietin can be given to improve the
symptoms of anemia.
 Bloodletting: In people with problems caused by too much blood (such as from
hemochromatosis or polycythemia), occasional controlled removal of blood may
be necessary.
Dr. Pedro A. Rasse M.

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 Rules and instructions to follow:
A. - Extract from the reading 10 phrases indicating the type, as well as, the page and
line where each of them was extracted. Make an explanatory table with the requested
details. For example:

Nº Phrase Type Page Line

1 The average person Nominal 1 1
2

B. - Extract and translate from the reading 5 nouns, 5 adjectives, 5 conjunctions and 5
adverbs indicating the page and line where each of them was extracted. Also, make an
explanatory table with the requested details. For example:

Nº Noun Translation Page Line

1 Person Persona 1 1
2

C. – Answer in Spanish the following questions related with the reading.

1. - What is the system of the body responsible for the movement of blood?
2. - What is the component of blood that helps fight infections?
3. - What is the component of blood responsible to carry hormones, nutrients, and proteins?
4. - What is the component of blood that helps stop a cut from bleeding?
5. - What is the component of blood that includes T cells and B cells?
6. - What component is carried by plasma to help the body with growth?

D. - Make a summary of the reading in Spanish (Maximum 1 page). It is important to

point out that it should not be translated fragments of reading, that is, it should express
your degree of comprehension.

E. - You may carry out this assignment individually or in pairs.

F. - This assignment must be consigned in digital to the following email:

rasse.englishclass@gmail.com
G. - The agreed delivery date (without extension) is next Saturday:
June 23th 2018 until 11:59 AM

I always tell you that maturity is really important to define our goals.
When you visualize the path you will walk, also establish
under what principles and values you will do it.
Dr. Pedro A. Rasse M.

P. Rasse

Now, let’s work..!