Prompt 1 - Phlebotomy - Big Idea 3

On page 18 in Chapter 1, Moalem mentions that the bloodletting, known as phlebotomy, of her grandfather is used to reduce the iron in hemochromatosis patients. Moalem explains that phlebotomy has been proven to be reoccurring practice of animals with hemochromatosis and the animals have learned to release the excess iron build up through phlebotomy. This bloodletting effect also has other beneficial effects such as reduced fevers, immune system boost. Phlebotomy also leads to a reduction in heart disease, high blood pressure and pulmonary edema. This relates to Big Idea 3 Living systems responding to information essential to life processes. Hemochromatosis patients are reacting to the discomfort of the iron build up and have learned to respond by practicing phlebotomy. Without immediate reactions hemochromatosis patients would literally rust to death due to the excess amounts of iron.

Research a to find if there is a pattern in the actions of humans that don't know they have hemochromatosis and how they deal with the discomfort of the iron build up. See if the human patients are similar to animals and show significant actions, using p-value and statistical tests, towards blood letting. Also research how phlebotomy has been able to provide extra benefits and find how the correlation between these benefits is possible. It would be helpful to look at what role iron plays in bodily functions and what effect the iron plays on white blood cells, the immune system. Then explain your findings and explain how your results can be used to increase the selective advantages of performing phlebotomy or describe the selective disadvantages not yet seen. Also research the possible side effects if phlebotomy is NOT performed and how this might lead to other diseases.

(Jimmy Wang, jimmypelewang@gmail.com)