The Idea of an Essay, Volume 2

133 the valve system and its important role in the giraffe’s circulatory system. Ostergaard, K., Bertelsen, M., Brondum, E., Aalkjaer, C., Hasenkam, J., Smerup, M., … Baandrup, U. (2011). Pressure profile and morphology of the arteries along the giraffe. Journal Of Comparative Physiology, 181(5), 691-698. This Scholarly article was written by Ostergaard K. et al. The authors measured the arterial and venous pressure in the foreleg of the giraffe. They also measured the area of the arterial lumen in the hind leg and found that it was suddenly narrowed below the knee of the giraffe. The tissue was collected from ten euthanized giraffes and the pressure was measured from four giraffes under local anesthesia. The data was expressed in the form of pictures and graphs that displayed the pressure related to the distance from the hoof. Ostergaard KH et al discussed the morphology they found in the arteries from the knee down. They also explained the importance of high blood pressure in giraffes and the morphology that takes place in the arteries below the knee due to the hypertension in the giraffe. The authors also measured the elastin in the arteries and provided the data in the form of a chart that related the volume fraction of elastin with the distance from the heart. This well conducted, well explained, and accurate experiment will help me explain the unique built in “G-suit” with which the giraffe is born and the importance of the morphology in the arteries to adjust to the high blood pressure. Pitman, D. (2011, October). Giraffes: Walking tall by design. Creation, 33(4), 28-31. Retrieved from http://creation.com/ giraffe-neck-design The article “Walking Tall…by Design” was written by David Pitman and appeared in the magazine Creation on October 2011. Pitman summarizes the anatomical features that make the giraffe unique compared to other mammals. He discusses the circulatory system and the design it