Basic Anatomy

        All around the world, the skeleton of the human cell is the membrane. That super capital C - carbon and good old element capital H - hydrogen, join hands in long chains called hydrocarbons. (imagine that!) As discussed, inside and outside the cell, various functions occur continuously, to keep order among the "quadrillion" biochemical activities. What a deal indeed!

        Now there are other compartments to this anatomy which a scan may help draw a picture. Here is such a scan from page 10 of Guyton (post of July 15).

        Well, here you go. Basic anatomy it is. Find the membrane locations and then name the other principal structures. The headquarters is the nucleus with a nucleolus. The decisions of the cells purposes are already decided here by all that DNA stuff. Then outside the nucleus is the much larger area called the cytoplasm. [housing all that protoplasm and the "little organs"]. There you have it. Nucleus (headquarters) and Cytoplasm (factory) structured by those membranes. Might add, what a hoot!

A quote for Labor Day Weekend

         A fellow form some years past gave his thoughts:

                                      "Pray and labor"    ST. BENEDICT ca. 547 A.D.

Separation

         Now in all those cell's functioning plasma on the inside [ 75 - 100 trillion of them] must be separated from all those functioning elements on the outside. Then, all those functioning gadgets on the inside need to separate from one another on the inside.  Inside ... Outside ... who's to decide? Seems ... it is the membranes that decide. Who would have guessed of such a thing?

        Membranes you say?  What in the world? Well, you certainly would not guess it's mostly FATS!  Fatty acids most formally called lipids.  Start with good old atom C (carbon) and pick-up two H (hydrogen) atoms along the way and, pop-bead them on for as long as your beads will hold. Long, long chains of carbon and hydrogen formed into a row to form hydrocarbons. Structural lipids they are called in this three-dimensional world of plasma. [depth, length, width]!

        For those who want to know. First and strongest, is the cell membrane. Then others inside the cell are the mitochondria membrane, endoplasmic recticulum membrane, lysosomes membrane, Golgi apparatus membrane, and the winner is the nuclear membrane.  Lots of names and all with their own functions! Still, there are others floating about all the plasma! What a hoot!

        The following reference gives a text for all those functions around and within the cells. All 75 to 100 trillion cells functioning together as a whole. There must be a quadrillion chemical reactions active at any one time in this biological structure!

        Spent many a day in this biochemical text in my many learning curve days.

McGilvery, R.W., Biochemistry a functional approach, W.B, Saunders Company, Philadelphia, 1970.

P.S. It contains one of my favorite quotes, "A book is a mirror: if an ass looks in, no apostle will look out". Inside cover pape.

In The Neighborhood

         How many other elements (atoms) join with carbon to make-up the organic neighborhood? Let's see now, capital letters tag each atom housed in the periodic table but, only a few other elements live directly with that old capital "C" #6. (Each capital letter stands for the first spelling of the atom named. For all the guys involved see post "The Names" of August 10th.)

        Anyway, a few different folks indeed! Capital "H", for Hydrogen - #1, is the most numerous of the neighbors. Capitol "O" stands for Oxygen - #8, which we certainly could not do without! Then there is Capital "N" for Nitrogen -#7. 

        So, there you have the "Organic" neighborhood holding life in its bare hands. Although several other elements also live nearby with a relatively small amount of Capital "S" for Sulfur - #16 and Capital "P" for Phosphate - #15. It is this Capital P that is really the fire breathing dragon that keeps the fires burn 'in around all the neighborhood! Just a visual reminder for all those elements in that neatly packed table of rows and columns:

        Now you can H.O.N.C your horn as you drive around the organic neighborhood. See if you can find each of the elements described "organic" and their locations shown in the scan above?

P.S. Scan taken from page 22 of my chemistry book shown post of August 7, titled "parts is parts".
  

A quote for this day of August 19, 2026

        A little levity from a Roman comedies poet from some years ago:

                 "A mouse does not rely on just one hole."   Maccius Plautus 254 - 184 B.C. 

The Cement

         Forming the liner that contains all that "Protoplasm", without leaking it all over the place, would require immense imagination. Can you imagine it? What of the #93 natural occurring elements would you choose? How many would it take? Well, here again is a reference to most of my learning curve regarding this imagination.

        "ORGANIC CHEMISTRY"! "BASIC PRINCIPLES OF"! You have got to be kidding ... again? Well, you can tell this book is taped together to still hold its content without dripping it all over the floor of my mind!

        Anyhow, by those who get paid to know about such things on page 3 ... states "...now organic chemistry seems best taken as the chemistry of carbon-containing compounds. However, the designation "organic" is still very pertinent because the chemistry of carbon compounds is more important to everyday life than that of any other element." Well, it's a start to the remaining 1,312 pages to the text shown above! Everyday life it is and, the cement holding it together.

Not To Cut

       Of course, you would have to recognize that the thought about such things would begin with the ancient Greeks of their day.  ATOMOS was the word for "not" and "to cut" thinking that a particle of matter was so minute as to allow no further division. The ultimate or smallest component of our existence. Indivisible! ... able to build all things ... in any form! Well, maybe not in a single leap. But, what a deal!

        Anyway, this foundational concept has already been posted back in February 2026 from another of my basic understanding books of days past. Scan of cover follows ... 

        On page 14 he writes as quoted before in post titled "A Foundational Concept":

                       "We now know that any object, however complex, can be visualized as a sufficiently complicated structure built out of atoms, and that the atom itself is a structure composed of three fundamental particles, electrons, protons, and neutrons."

         Hey ... say what ... three smaller cuts allowed! Will this cutting stuff ever stop? (see my post of September 13, 2025, titled "Nothing Left")

        Anyhow, just had to show a scan of my first learning book on all these things. It's on page 158 that the drawing of the atom is taken.

        All kinds of fun?

         

The Names

         Wikipedia list the names of 118 elements this day of August 10, 2026. My chemistry book of 1966 list 103. Apparently since element number (#) 93, they have all been described "synthetic" [man made]. Well, you are talk' in about names. For those who might want a list of at least the "natural" occurring names attributed to the "Periodic Table Of The Elements" you just have to flip to the back of my book ... a scan of all 103 ... in two parts ...

         Second part ...

        Might be a little hard to read but best scan here. Anyhow, the Periodic Table usually appears as a set of abbreviations and numbers as shown in my next scan ... page 60 of text.

        What a way to go among all these elements. What do you think? They all began back in the days of Greece (Big-A) called ATOMS!

"parts is parts"

         That architectural wonder "The Biological Structure" is held together by parts. Parts of this and, parts of that. These parts are called "elements". Now what are these you might ask. A whole table of elements exist under the title "Periodic Table Of The Elements". My learning curve to such wonders is held in my hand as this topic is presented. A scan of the cover follows - 

        Oh ... No! A "Chemistry" book? Not high on my all-time reading list. Anyhow, this 1966 edition has followed me through my corridors of learning along my way.  Inside the front cover this "periodic table" of the elements is shown. Some of these elements grasp hands and, once joined they form the architectural units of our cells. Now the properties recur periodically if the elements are arranged in certain order. This arrangement has come to be called the "Periodic Law"! Who would have guessed? 

Sienko, M.J., Plane, R.A., Chemistry: Principles and Properties, McGraw-Hill Book Company, N.Y., 1966. 

Secret Sauce

         Col. Sanders was that chief cook and bottle washer to "the secret sauce" that was to change the world of my chicken legs forever! Nothing like it, was my personal experience on the early visits to that "Kentucky Fried Chicken" restaurant in Bardstown, KY! Man ... oh man ... that chicken leg just got up and could walk itself to my waiting gullet. Anyhow, you might say, that "secret sauce" to life is "protoplasm".

        Now that learning curve to all that "secret sauce" had its beginning with one of my most readable, educational, enjoyable, books on my shelf of learning about things. Here is my scan of the cover by Wilson and Loomis.

        Its first Copyright was 1952 (one years after my birth), then republished 1957 (my starting first grade), then 1962 (my starting junior high) and, my "Forth Edition" just at the end of my high-school years. You might say we grew-up together along our ways but, my edition was found still some years yet to come. Anyhow, on page 40 it reads: "The term protoplasm is very old; it means the first form, and was used in early Christian literature in describing Adam, the first-formed man." Can you believe it? All the way back to Adam.

       Then, the writers state: "Protoplasm is a fluid, semitransparent, viscous, elastic material." (same page) Water makes up 75 - 90 percent! What a deal to this "secret sauce". Solid materials make-up the rest. 

       You would have to guess the word derives itself from the "Greek" PLASMA, which denotes anything molded or shaped into a form. Thus, PROTO = first and, PLASMA = shaped (formed)! What a deal!       

Building Blocks

         The biological structure that transmits all those "Greek language waves" must have some sort of structure that houses all such activities. Can you imagine it? BI - O - LOG - IC means of (or) relating to life and living processes! STRUCTURE means something arranged in a definite patter. Certainly, a definite pattern of organization must exist in this phenomenon! Let's see now ... my most helpful text by Guyton states in his "Contents" section, "Unit 1", "Chapter 1", page 2, "Cells as the Living Units of the Body". Well, there you have it! The "Living Units" of the body. (The biological building blocks!) CELLS!

It's All Greek To Me

         Alpha waves, Beta waves, Theta waves, Delta waves, ... come on now, you have got to be kidding. Brain waves electrically generated and discharged, when these eyes are closed while synchronously timed to one of those rhythms of life. Who came up with these names anyway? For those who might need a little help with finding a copy of the Greek Alphabet to help understand all the words, here is the best copy found among my collections. 

        It comes out of my text titled The Language of the New Testament by Eugene Van Ness Goetchius. Charles Scribner's Sons, NY published it 1965. My early days into Greek but who's counting? The pronunciation of these letters are given in the right-hand column. The name of each letter comes just before, with the forms of each letter to start things off. (capitals then small case) Here you go ... a helpful chart for all the terms yet to come. Old "Big A" will be doing his happy dance along the way!

Unconsciousness

        Not much at all going on during this biological function called sleep. There must be something working that keeps the motor still running? Vegetative activities of some sort must operate constantly to provide the gasoline? Let's see now, long words and, ... even longer words ... seem to come into the vocabulary of the topic. Ready ... here is one ... "electroencephalogram" or simply put an EEG! A gadget used to identify two different types of sleep! Old Guyton on page 659 states ... "During each night a person goes through stages of two different types of sleep that alternate with each other."  Say what! Not one, but two types!  "Brain Waves" you describe are involved? What in the world!   

Counting Sheep

         Childhood days in the 1950s to early 1960s you were often given helps to a good night sleep. Sheep jumping over a fence was not a usual activity seen around my Bluegrass area of Winchester, KY. You were more likely to see horses jumping over a fence but, not sheep. Somehow, no one caught on to this visual aid and, "counting sheep" seemed to be the more common advice. Anyhow, my earliest childhood sleep aid was my nightly prayer said with Mom kneeling against the side of my lower bunk bed. Our hands were place in that correct "prayer position" ... eyes closed ...side to side ... we said slowly:

                                            "Now I lay me down to sleep"

                                            "I pray the Lord my soul to keep"

                                             "If I die before I wake"

                                             "I pray the Lord my soul to take."     Amen!

        

Sleep

         Lots more of this innate, biological function (cycle) (rhythm) known to all, is happening among my "now a days". Say what? Can you believe it? My Guyton medical school "Physiology" text (front cover shown) states on page 659,

 "Sleep is defined as unconsciousness from which the person can be aroused by sensory or other stimuli."

        Hum ... sensory or other brain activity it is? States of brain activity ... wakefulness , extreme excitement, different levels of mood, and so on it would go ... activating forces it would seem. Well, have to dig a little more into the activating!

New Tricks

         Adjusting the habits of daily living can be challenging. Change this habit... change that habit ... which way might be the best to proceed? Let's see now, something about "Old Dogs" and "New Tricks" or, some sort of thing? No more sitting in my chair with heavy books on the leg. Lots more up and at-um. Eat more! Drink more fluids! Take new pills twice a day! Change ways of lifting and, sitting and standing. Anyone with an old "Top Hat" to pull out a "Rabbit"? Anyhow, my quote of this day in July from a very wise man-

                    "For everything there is a season and a time for every matter under heaven:"

                                                                                   Ecclesiastes 3:1

My quote for this day of June 2026

                                     "The burden which is borne well becomes light."   OVID

MS and ME and ... a PE

         Life events have a way of directing us down various roads less traveled. As previously posted [Nov. 9, 2025] my usual "Life, Liberty, ... and ..." gave new roads called a ... "PE" ... = pulmonary embolism! Certainly, a road most folks would choose not to travel. Anyhow, the last 4 -6 weeks has been my road less traveled by many! Added to MS (multiple sclerosis) and ME (that's me) [see post July 11, 2018] is now the big ... "PE". The last couple of months in hospitals brought many such roads less traveled. Can you believe it? Yet, here we go a blogging again! Let's get going!

A Quote for This Day In May 2026

        Having recently, rediscovered, a quote written some years past, in one of my research notebooks (RN#127) some 50+ years ago, thought it would be still valuable for this May. So, here goes ... 

     "History is the voice of the past, teaching by the follies, as well as by the wisdom, of our forefathers.   The rocks and quick-sands are as essential in a chart as the safe harbor".

        Did not note the author or source of this quote. Does anyone recognize the source? Please help give the credit if you would happen to know in the comment section of this post. Good to know where all those "quick-sands" might be located!

A Thought Pad

         Circling the world in my thoughts about my Jones surname ancestors has been a focus of many a days climbing out a host of family tree branches. Out this branch ... out that branch ... fall out a few times ... but, up and at 'um! Anyway, what to do with all these discoveries? A "thought pad" ... hum ... somewhere to keep that information for any future adventures. Since my earlies days of tree climbing [see post July 10, 2010] the following scan of a basic note pad (memory storage) is given to anyone who might need such a help. A "Think Tank Tumbler" my humor would call it. [see post "mentalis mastication" of October 3rd, 2025!] So here it is, staring with a clean, white copy paper, 24 lb. wt., 96 % white. Four columns and 12 rows drawn in order.

        It can be used to jot down any note or reference in any order. It can be used as a date Calander for any year in history with a 12 month duration, month by month. (top to bottom) with year listed on top! Don't know how well it will copy but, you can design your own think pad. Keep smiling until then. The Jones Genealogist, April 18, 2026. 

P.S. Here is an example how the pad was actually used. (Even with color markers!)