Aneurysms essays

Aneurysms essays While in the my seventh grade P.E. class, I was pulled aside and told that my mother, Frances, was in the hospital. When I arrived at the hospital, I learned that my mother was diagnosed with five cerebral aneurysms. That morning while she was at work, three of the aneurysms burst. At that time in my life I didnt know what they were, but I knew that my mother was in a bad condition. My mother was life-flighted to Herman Hospital in Houston, Texas. There she endured hours of extensive, tedious surgery, and a swift recovery. This recovery time was passed quickly by prayer, and family togetherness. I have reason to believe that among all of the family, I was hurt the most with this misfortune. My mother and I had never before shared a close relationship. This incident brought about the prospect of losing her. It not only worried me, but also it improved our relationship. Seeing the tubes and IVs in my mother was very traumatizing. I thought that this was a one time only occurrence; I w as extremely wrong. In November 2001, my Aunt Mavies died of what is believed to be an aortic aneurysm. In an instant my best friend was taken from me. The only discrepancy between the two cases was the fact that my aunts aneurysm burst in her stomach. Recently, one of my other aunts, Clarissa, was screened, and the doctors have diagnosed an aneurysm. She is extremely afraid that her time on Earth is short because of the severity of the other two cases in our family. Current studies show that aneurysms can be passed throughout a family. Moreover, I could possibly be the recipient of this life threatening occurrence. To help cease my aunts worries and to aid my curiosity, I have been trying to load my mind with the knowledge of aneurysms. But three questions remain unanswered in my quest. What exactly is an aneurysm?; What causes them?; and What can be done to resist or prevent them? First of all, understanding what an aneurysm is will...

Spider Monkey Facts (Ateles)

Spider Monkey Facts (Ateles) Spider monkeys are New World monkeys belonging to the genus Ateles. They have long limbs and prehensile tails, giving them the appearance of large arboreal spiders. The name Ateles comes from the Greek word atà ©leia, which means incomplete and refers to the spider monkeys lack of thumbs. Fast Facts: Spider Monkey Scientific Name: Ateles sp.Common Name: Spider monkeyBasic Animal Group: MammalSize: 14-26 inch body; up to 35 inch tailWeight:13-24 poundsLifespan: 20-27 yearsDiet: OmnivoreHabitat: Central and South American rain forestsPopulation: DecreasingConservation Status: Vulnerable to Critically Endangered Species There are seven species and seven subspecies of spider monkey. The species are the red-faced spider monkey, white-fronted spider monkey, Peruvian spider monkey, brown (variegated) spider monkey, white-cheeked spider monkey, brown-headed spider monkey, and Geoffroys spider monkey. Spider monkeys are closely related to woolly monkeys and howler monkeys. Description Spider monkeys have extremely long limbs and prehensile tails. The tails have hairless tips and grooves resembling fingerprints. The monkeys have small heads with hairless faces and wide-set nostrils. Their hands are narrow with long, curved fingers and reduced or non-existent thumbs. Depending on the species, hair color may be white, gold, brown, or black. The hands and feet are usually black. Males tend to be slightly larger than females. Spider monkeys range from 14 to 26 inches in body length with a tail up to 35 inches in length. On average, they weigh anywhere from 13 to 24 pounds. Habitat and Distribution Spider monkeys spend their lives in trees of tropical rain forests in Central and South America. Their habitat ranges from southern Mexico to Brazil. Spider monkeys live in Central and South America. Jackhynes / Wikimedia Commons Diet Most of the spider monkeys diet consists of fruit. However, when fruit is scarce, they eat flowers, leaves, and insects. The lead female within a group organizes foraging. If food is abundant, the group feeds together, but it will split if resources are scarce. Most feeding occurs in the early morning hours, but spider monkeys feed throughout the day and sleep in trees at night. Behavior The average spider monkey group ranges from 15 to 25 individuals. The closest bonds are between females and their offspring. Males also group together. Unlike most primate species, it is the females rather than the males that disperse at puberty and join new groups. Spider monkeys are highly intelligent. They communicate using vocalizations, scent marking with urine and feces, and body postures. Reproduction and Offspring The female spider monkey selects her mate from within her social group. Gestation lasts between 226 to 232 days, usually resulting in a single offspring, but sometimes twins. The female has sole care of her young, which she carries with her as she forages. Her offspring tightly wraps its tail around its mothers midsection or tail. Spider monkeys reach sexual maturity between 4 and 5 years of age. Females only bear offspring once every three or four years. Young males sometimes commit infanticide within their group to increase their chance of mating. In the wild, spider monkeys may live 20 to 27 years.They may live over 40 years in captivity. Geoffroys spider monkey with young. Mark Newman / Getty Images Conservation Status All spider monkey populations are decreasing. The IUCN classifies the conservation status of the Guiana spider monkey (Ateles paniscus) as vulnerable. Four species are endangered. The variegated spider monkey (Ateles hybridus) and brown-headed spider monkey (Ateles fusciceps) are critically endangered. Spider Monkeys and Humans Humans are the main threat to spider monkey survival. The monkeys are widely hunted as food and suffer from habitat loss due to deforestation. Some populations live in protected areas. Spider monkeys are susceptible to malaria and are used as research animals in studies of the disease. Sources Cuarà ³n, A.D., Morales, A., Shedden, A., Rodriguez-Luna, E., de Grammont, P.C.; Cortà ©s-Ortiz, L. Ateles geoffroyi. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2008: e.T2279A9387270. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2008.RLTS.T2279A9387270.enGroves, C.P. in Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M. (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2005. ISBN 0-801-88221-4.Kinzey, W. G. New world primates: ecology, evolution, and behavior. Aldine Transaction, 1997. ISBN 978-0-202-01186-8.Mittermeier, R.A. Locomotion and Posture in Ateles geoffroyi and Ateles paniscus. Folia Primatologica. 30 (3): 161–193, 1978. doi:10.1159/000155862Mittermeier, R.A., Rylands, A.B.; Boubli, J. Ateles paniscus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2019: e.T2283A17929494.