Air Pollution

Air Pollution

Figure 1: Air Pollution Detectives

Hi, My name is Sally and this is my partner Tim and we are detectives!! Tim and I aren't just your old regular detectives, but we are AIR POLLUTION DETECTIVES! Have you ever wondered what can cause the temperature around us to change? Or how riding in a school bus can cause the air we breathe to become harmful? Air pollution is a toxic chemical that is released into the air and can affect not only our health, but also the world we live in. This is why Tim and I are here to help track down where the pollution is and find out how it is polluting the air we breathe. LETS SOLVE THIS CRIME!!!!!

Figure 2: Car Pollution

Figure 3: Car Combustion

WHAT MAKES THE AIR POLLUTED?                                                                               

Tim and I looked into several suspects who are causing our air to be polluted. The first one is NITROGEN DIOXIDE. Nitrogen dioxide is what comes out of your school bus or your parents cars because they are all burning fuel. It is very harmful and poisonous to us and will make us very sick. The second is CARBON MONOXIDE. Carbon monoxide is a gas that does not smell and you cannot see it! It gets into the air when we burn fuels from vehicles. Next is OZONE. Ozone is harmful to us because when chemicals react with each other it makes it difficult for us to breathe.Ozone can also help the environment too by helping the Earth from harmful rays. Another suspect is SULFUR DIOXIDE. Sulfur dioxide is very, very smelly. It can irritate your eyes and breathing which is caused from the burning of fossil fuels such as oil, gas, and coal. Lastly is PARTICULATE MATTER. Particulate matter affects your heart and makes it difficult to breathe such as smoke, pollen, and dust.

HOW AIR POLLUTION EFFECTS CLIMATE CHANGE

Figure 4: Factory Pollution

Now that Tim and I have narrowed down the suspects to air pollution we will then investigate how air pollution is causing our climate to change. Climate is our weather conditions in certain areas. Climate change can be from natural disasters such as a volcano erupting and the smoke going into the air and it can be from humans. Now how can we cause the temperature to change? Factories burn oil, gas, and coal and it causes that to go into the air and causes heat to be trapped. So we investigated more into climate change and we discovered that its melting the frozen water on Earth! Not only is it melting the ice on Earth its heating up the oceans and causing hurricanes!  

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

Well, we are finally getting to the end of this crime! We found out that WE CAN HELP decrease the amount of air pollution that goes into the air!! Tim and I found out that walking to places or riding a bike could help limit air pollution. It's the little things someone can do that can help the environment. I'm Sally and this is my partner Tim and we are AIR POLLUTION DETECTIVES! Time to solve our next crime.

Figure 5: Children walking to school

References:
(Figure 1) Air pollution detectives. [Photograph] (2017). retrieved from https://www.wigan.gov.uk/Images/Business/Professionals/Road-safety/Characters/Boy-and-girl.jpg

(Figure 2) Car pollution. [Photograph] (2017) retrieved from http://moziru.com/images/smog-clipart-car-pollution-11.png

(Figure 3) Car combustion [Photograph] (2017) retrieved from http://moziru.com/images/pollution-clipart-fossil-fuel-19.jpg

(Figure 4) Factory pollution [Photograph] (2017) retrieved from https://ajp.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/20779965_l-e1496900987121.jpg

(Figure 5) Kids walking to school [Photograph] (2017) retrieved from https://www.wigan.gov.uk/Images/Business/Professionals/Road-safety/Characters/Boy-and-girl.jpg

Six Common Hazardous Air Pollutants. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.sciencetopia.net/pol-lution/hazardous-air-pollutants

How Bad are Opioids?

Figure 1: Drugs making out the United States

Have you ever wondered what kind of medicine your parents gave you when you were sick? They most likely gave you Tylenol, a weaker version of an opioid. An opioid is a type of medicine that takes away the pain you are having as long as you take them in a controlled amount (1). Tylenol is sometimes mixed with stronger opioids to try to weaken them. Most opioids are highly addictive which makes some people take more than what is recommended. So what happens if you took more than you needed?

CAN'T STOP ABUSING DRUGS

Figure 2: The burden drugs have on someone

Did you know that you could get addicted, or dependent, on a medicine as weak as Tylenol? Once you take opioids more times than you need to, you start to depend on the medicine (1). Some that were or are addicted claim that worrying how they were going to get their next fix was more like a job than a hobby. You might experience a dry feeling in your mouth or have problems breathing and thinking right if you did this (1). The longer you were addicted, the more intense the side effects would be. These long term effects can range from HIV/AIDS to collapsed veins to infections in the heart lining to the weakening of the immune system (1).  In some severe cases of addiction, the user may take too much of the drug and overdose. An overdose may lead to, in the most extreme cases, death since the body can not handle that many chemicals in one dosage. The medicine starts to supply your body with receptors to block the pain in nerves (1). Once taken for a long enough time, the body stops making the natural receptors since it becomes used to using the receptors from the opioids to cause withdrawal symptoms when they are no longer supplied (1). Those who are addicted tend to look for the drugs that will keep them from having these symptoms whether it is legal with a prescription or illegal. This can lead to more problems other than just when you could get your next fix of drugs. 

Figure 3: Breaking through drug addiction

GOING COLD TURKEY?
Coming off of the addiction to opioids may be worse than the addiction itself. Withdrawal is the way your body reacts to not being given a drug either physically or mentally. Once you acknowledge that you have a problem, you start to figure out ways to come off of the drug. Some people seek medical help and start to use less addictive opioids to slowly come off the addiction (1). This is the safer route to take, but may not always work since the user is still being supplied an opioid. There was even a law passed that allowed medical personnel to use weaker forms of opioids to help those with addiction. Another way users come off the addiction is to go cold turkey. Going cold turkey is a term used when someone stops all drug use at once (1). This option may not be the safest route, but it gives more of a guarantee that the addiction will end. Most people that go cold turkey don't want to go through the withdrawal process again and do not pick up the addiction again. Although, if you cannot make it through all of the days that your withdrawal may take, then you will pick up your addiction again. 

WHAT CAN YOU DO?
If you believe you are starting to get addicted to an opioid you are taking for medical purposes, immediately contact your doctor. If things get as far as being addicted and not being able to stop as easily as if you were just starting, you might want to consider other options for help such as rehab or start a withdrawal process. If a friend or family member is suffering from addiction, you should seek help for them. 
For more information on how to get help click here!

References:
(1) Sanna, E. J., & Henningfield, J. E., (2008). Heroin & other opiates: Poppies' perilous children. Broomall, PA: Mason Crest Publishers. Retrieved from http://library.bloomu.edu
(2) Drugs over the United States [Digital Image]. (2017, March 30). Retrieved from https://rxight.com/opioid-epidemic/
(3) The burden opioids carry [Digital Image]. (2014, August 8). Retrieved from https://janaburson.wordpress.com/2014/08/18/opioid-physical-dependence-versus-opioid-addiction-whats-the-difference/
(4) Breaking through the drug addiction [Digital Image]. (2015, June 11). Retrieved from http://www.pharmaceutical-journal.com/opinion/comment/the-prescription-opioid-addiction-and-abuse-epidemic-how-it-happened-and-what-we-can-do-about-it/20068579.article

What Is Opioid Abuse?

What is Opioid Abuse?

You might watch the news at night and hear the phrase "opioid epidemic". It clearly seems to be a serious topic and might even be occurring in cities near you, according to your nightly news. The opioid epidemic is something that needs a bit explaining to understand completely.

Definition of Opioid

When news sources present a big headline or give an update on the current status of the "Opioid Crisis", what they are referring to is the spread of addiction to a certain drug that is on the market. These drugs are called opioids and have a wide variety of uses (1). Opioids are meant to help people deal with chronic or severe pain. It is kind of like morphine (the stuff used when the dentist fills a cavity) and can only be given to patients through a pharmacy (2). They often come in pill form, but other forms can be found on the black market (2). The black market is the name for selling things on the street, away from an actual market.

Issue With Opioids

The problem with opioids is that they can be highly addictive. This addiction comes from a physical dependency on the drug. That means that the body needs more and more of the drug for it to keep working (1). When people become addicted to opioids their lives and all their money tend to get all focused on drugs (2). This is dangerous because many have died due to an overdose of opioids, and selling them illegally is bringing more crime to inner cities and troubled areas.

Now you are able to understand those news headlines that seem to be so complicated. Having a clear understanding of the topic is essential to forming an opinion about it. The opioid crisis is simply referring to the number of deaths, illegal drugs sold on the black market, and how many people are addicted to them at a certain time.

References:

(1) Moghe, S. (2016, October 14). Opioid history: From 'wonder drug' to abuse epidemic. CNN. Retrieved from http://cnn.com/

(2) Nlewijk, G. (2017, January 20). Ancient Analgesics: A brief history of opioids. Yale Scientific. http://yalescientific.org/

Treatments For Opioid Addiction

TREATMENTS FOR OPIOID ADDICTION

More than 90 people die each day in the US from an opioid drug overdose, or dangerous dose of a drug. As many people lose their lives to the disease of addiction, others have shown that it is possible to regain a life of sobriety, or the state of being sober. Have you ever wondered how people have overcome addiction? The battle of addiction is not a hopeless one, there are many forms of treatment and rehabilitation to help an individual overcome their problem. The two main categories of treatment for opioid addiction are behavioral treatments and medication assistance. Although there is not a "one size fits all" cure, there are endless forms of help a person can try that may be more adapted to their individual needs. 

Behavioral Treatments

Figure 1 Narcotics Anonymous

One main category of treatment for opioid addiction is behavioral treatments. Behavioral therapy assists in improving mental health of an individual and providing them with strategies to avoid relapse, or to begin use again after a period of improvement.  These treatments include rehab programs and support groups, such as Narcotics Anonymous (NA) shown in figure 1, a twelve step program. In this program people who are struggling with addiction get to meet with other people who are going through the same thing. Narcotics Anonymous holds meetings regularly for recovering addicts to attend. People in the group share about their struggles and support one another. Although it is not necessary to speak at the meetings or share your story, it is encouraged as it aides in the process of recovery. Typically followed by treatment in a rehab, NA is a form of support to help an individual stay on the path of sobriety after it has been regained. As support groups help to maintain sobriety, rehab programs helps to regain sobriety. Rehab programs are another form of behavioral treatment to end an individual's drug dependency, or to rely on). The suffering individual meets daily with counselors and therapists to improve mental health and learn strategies to avoid relapse. A person can be in a rehab program anywhere from a few days to even months. Although rehab programs are a form of behavioral treatment, they may also fall into the category of medication-assisted treatments.

Medication Assistance

The second category of treatment for opioid addiction is medication assistance. In rehab programs, along with behavorial therapy, individuals are often given medications to help treat them. Three effective medications for the treatment of opioid use disorders are:

- buprenporphine

-methadone

- extended-release naltrexone

These medications help to slowly detach a person from their dependency on opioid drugs, while minimizing effects of withdrawal, or abnormal physical and mental effects on the body after use of drug has stopped). People who experience withdrawal from opioid drugs may become very sick and can experience symptoms for many months. These treatments are temporarily used to treat an individual until their health is stable enough to be taken off of the medications. Once taken off these medications, the road of recovery is a long one. Behavioral treatments are then used to help the individual regain sobriety. As it is very hard to resist the temptation to use again, a recovering addict must constantly work to stay sober. 

Figure 2 Relapse Rates

Although it is possible to treat addiction, it is not always successful. Many people attempt to recover, but continue to relapse and even die of overdose. Overcoming opioid addiction does not have a high rate of success, with more than 1 out of every 2 people relapsing, shown in figure 2. People in recovery must constantly work to stay clean, but support from friends and family is always helpful to a struggling user.

*The best way to avoid an addiction to opioid drugs is to NEVER try them!  

References

http://www.naindiana.org/ShowArea.php?iAreaID_req=7

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/eb/40/e6/eb40e6dd614f562fe368b575742be49d.jpg

http://www.inspiremalibublog.com/drug-addiction/practical-tips-to-avoid-relapse-after-completing-opiate-detox-recover/

https://www.mcgruffstuff.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Sticker_McGruff_Drugs01.png

1)Abuse, N. I. (n.d.). How can prescription drug addiction be treated? Retrieved November 09, 2017, from https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/misuse-prescription-drugs/how-can-prescription-drug-addiction-be-treated

2)Abuse, N. I. (2017, June 01). Opioid Crisis. Retrieved November 09, 2017, from https://www.drugabuse.gov/drugs-abuse/opioids/opioid-crisis

It's Becoming Un-polarbear-able

Figure 1: Patty and her cubs

Who is Patty?
Have you ever wondered what it's like to live in the freezing, icy conditions of Alaska? Patty and her two babies are well accustomed to their climate (Figure 1). Climate is a region's normal weather. It is influenced by the atmosphere, which is in the sky and circles all of earth. Patty is able to live in cold areas because her body is made for it. She has a thick coat of fur to keep her warm and she's a great swimmer which helps her get food for herself and her cubs. Patty also has paws that are made for walking on ice without slipping. They are covered with little bumps known as papillae. Papillae are used to grip the ice along with sharp nails (1). Patty is a big fan of seals as their fat helps her to store energy for many days. Polar bears like Patty aren't able to live anywhere else, but what happens if  her climate changes?                                          💧                               💧                                     💧

Figure 2: The greenhouse effect

It's Getting Warmer!
Climate change is a change in the earth's weather caused either naturally or by humans. Today, we use a lot of energy to get from place to place and to produce goods. These actions emit, or give off, a certain type of gas called greenhouse gas. The greenhouse gases in our atmosphere make the surface of earth warmer (2) (Figure 2). The change in temperature can be noticed across our whole planet, but Patty and her babies might be in the most danger. Patty lives in an area where the temperature needs to be stable meaning it needs to be really cold all the time. If the weather changes, she isn't prepared or able to adapt to her new conditions.         💧                       💧
                                                                                              💧

Figure 3: The loss of glaciers

Danger?

Lovable and beautiful polar bears like Patty are struggling to survive. If the earth is getting warmer, ice in Alaska is melting (Figure 3). Polar bears need the ice to live as it's hard to travel and hunt without it. Remember, they mainly eat seals who also need ice to live (3). The loss of sea ice really hurts polar bears in the summer. As it gets warmer, the ice goes further and further away from the shore. So, Patty will have to choose whether to starve herself and her babies or swim a very far distance to get to the ice. She is using a lot of her energy to get food, something that she is not used to. If she gets to the ice sheet far away from the shore, she might have a tough time finding food because seals don't typically live in this area (4). Also, she will be very tired and might not have enough energy to make it all the way back to her cubs. Many polar bears live the same way Patty lives. They struggle to survive and are close to being extinct, meaning none of them will be living anymore. Humans aren't helping polar bears out at all as they like to hunt them for their fur or for fun. How could they do such a thing?! The good news is that there are some people trying to save Patty and other polar bears.        💧                                                                 💧                                                💧                                                          💧             
Let's Help Patty
It's not fun to think that polar bears might not be on our planet some day. They bring a lot of joy to everyone and are needed in their cold environment for other animals to survive. All polar bears, including Patty, are having a hard time getting their food because of the ice melting.  We want polar bears to live as long as possible! People are finally realizing what is happening to them and are doing the best they can to save them. Years ago nothing was being done about climate change. Hopefully, our whole world will become even more knowledgeable to save precious animals like Patty and the polar bears.

References

Greenhouse effect [Photograph]. (2017). Retrieved from: http://science.jrank.org/kids/pages/74/PLANTS-OUR-PLANET.html

Polar bears [Photograph]. (2017). Retrieved from: https://macaulay.cuny.edu/eportfolios/climatechange/effects-on-polar-bears/

Polar bears [Photograph]. (n.d.). Retrieved from: https://www.natgeokids.com/uk/discover/animals/general-animals/polar-bear-facts/

(1) Polar Bears International. (2017). Characteristics. In Polar Bears 101. Retrieved from: https://polarbearsinternational.org/polar-bears/characteristics/

(2) Polar Bears International. (2017). Habitat. In Polar Bears 101. Retrieved from: https://polarbearsinternational.org/polar-bears/habitat/

(3) United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. (February 2011). Retrieved from: https://unfccc.int/files/press/backgrounders/application/pdf/press_factsh_science.pdf

(4) World Wildlife Fund. (2017). Polar Bears and Climate Change. Retrieved from: https://www.worldwildlife.org/pages/polar-bears-and-climate-change

The Doc is... Sick?

Figure 1: Doc and Lambie

Have you ever watched the show Doc McStuffins? She is a doctor that takes care of her toys. When one of them gets sick or hurt, she figures out how to fix them so they feel better. One day Lambie and Stuffy wanted to play with Doc, but they noticed that she wasn't acting like herself. This time, her toys gave her a checkup and found out that she was sick. Remember when you had a stuffy nose and a scratchy throat? You might have had a cold just like Doc. She told her mom that she wasn't feeling good, so she took Doc's temperature. Did you ever have to hold a thermometer underneath your tongue? This is how you check a person's body temperature. Doc realized that she had a fever and had to take a sick day. Eventually, Doc took a rest so that she could feel better as soon as possible. Her toys were sad that she couldn't play with them or have fun. So, what if there was a way to help keep you and Doc from getting sick in the first place?

Figure 2: Getting a Shot

VACCINES!
That's what vaccines are for! There's these things called vaccines that help to stop a disease before you can get sick. You probably either saw someone getting a shot or went to the doctors to get one yourself (figure 1). Getting a shot is one way that people are given a vaccine. Not a lot of people like the feeling of being poked by one of those needles, but getting a vaccine actually makes us healthier. Vaccines are important because if Doc had gotten a flu shot, then she might not have gotten sick and missed out on a fun day!

HOW DO THEY WORK?
You may be thinking that vaccines seem like magic, but actually there are other things in your body that help vaccines work correctly. Antibodies are like tiny superheroes in your body. Isn't that cool? They look out for the bad guys which are viruses and bacteria that can make you sick. The antibodies then stop the bad guys from giving you a disease (1). The vaccine gives antibodies the power to work faster. It helps the antibodies to stop bad guys even quicker the next time they try to make you sick. Besides the little pinch you feel when getting a shot, a lot of good things can come out of being vaccinated. If you get vaccines, it can actually help in your neighborhood and school too. Also, who doesn't like a fun, colorful band-aid and a yummy lollipop? 

Figure 3: Yucky Germ!

VACCINES CAN HELP IN SCHOOL TOO!

Did you know that if everyone in your school got their shots you wouldn't get sick as often? If someone in your class doesn't get vaccinated they have a better chance of getting sick and bringing bad germs, like the one in the picture, into school. YUCK! Good thing Doc stayed home and didn't get anyone else sick. All around the world, kids just like you don't get all of their shots. When many students in the same school haven't been vaccinated, a disease outbreak can cause them all to get really sick (2). Learning at school wouldn't be fun if your friends were sick and had to stay home in bed all day.

Figure 4: Doc with Stuffy and Lambie

THE DOC IS IN!

Doc McStuffins feels so much better now and can go back to helping her toys (figure 4). If Doc had gotten a flu shot, she might have felt better and been able to play. There are worse diseases then just the flu though, and getting vaccinated against them is important to stay healthy. Without vaccines, a lot of people would be very sick and we would have to be more careful when going outside. Doc has learned a lot from getting sick with the flu and now she can make sure her toys are happy and healthy.

If you want to hear more about when Doc got the flu, CLICK HERE! 


References
(1) Offit, P. A., & Moser, C. A. (2011). Vaccines & your child: Separating fact from fiction. New York, NY: Columbia University Press. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org.
(2) Lee, E. O., Rosenthal, L., & Scheffler, G. (2013, November 14). The effect of childhood vaccine exemptions on disease outbreaks. Retrieved from Center for American Progress website: https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/healthcare/reports/2013/11/14/76471/the-effect-of-childhood-vaccine-exemptions-on-disease-outbreaks/
Figure 1: Doc and Lambie [Web Image]. (2016, September 6). Retrieved from http://nickjrcharacters.blogspot.com/2016/09/doc-mcstuffins.html
Figure 2: Getting a Shot [Web Image]. Retrieved from http://capspediatrics.com/
Figure 3: Yucky Germ! [Web Image]. (2016, July 29). Retrieved from https://blog.pkids.org/tag/virus/
Figure 4: Doc with Stuffy and Lambie [Web Image]. Retrieved from http://www.tailorcreations.com/docmcstuffins.html