...ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease was first founded by a French neurologist in 1869. It was not until 1939 though that national attention was brought to the disease by baseball player, Lou Gehrig. ALS leads to a progressive degeneration of the motor neurons. Along with many other effects, ALS eventually causes all of its victims to die. Lou Gehrig’s disease, which affects thousands of people each year, causes loss of function in the arms and legs. Lou Gehrig’s disease, also known as ALS, is caused by motor neurons in the spinal cord or brain dying. The neurons in the spinal cord normally send electronic messages from the brain down to the muscles. Doing this stimulates the muscles in the arms, legs, and the head. When ALS causes the...
Words: 756 - Pages: 4
...For the past couple months, there is a disease that has been the “hot topic”. Guess what that disease is. If ALS was said, that is correct. In the summer, hundreds of people did the ALS ice bucket challenge to raise money for this neurodegenerative disease. Even though this challenge raised so much money in such a short period of time, scientists are yet to figure out a cure for this disease and mysteries for who ALS targets is still unsolved. ALS stands for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, or the disease can be also called Lou Gehrig's Disease. This disease destroys nerve functioning in people of 40-60 years of age. Over time, this disease will cause paralysis and eventually death. Nerve cells in the spinal cord and brain have a major role in controlling muscles. And this disease, takes the use of muscles, especially in arms and legs, away. Scientists are not yet sure which people are usually the “victims” of ALS. 5-10% of cases are caused by heredity, but the remaining percentage is left unknown (“Origin of Lou Gehrig's Disease”, 1). Scientists have discovered some possible causes to this disease. One is defective glutamate metabolism. Glutamate is a common chemical in the nervous system used between neurons for signaling. It is...
Words: 1111 - Pages: 5
...Gabriel Sulentic Mrs. Walker English 10H 5 February 2024 Lou Gehrig's Research Paper An individual is as good if not better than Babe Ruth. However, people do not know who, because that is just a ludicrous statement to make, that someone is better than the greatest of all time. He is known as Lou Gehrig, also known as the Iron Horse, or Mama's Boy. A great deal of people have not heard of him because he was a quiet legend who had his career cut short. Lou Gehrig had an interesting childhood, high school and college life, but he is most known for his professional career along with his interesting discoveries in the medical world that affect people to this day. Lou Gehrig, an early American baseball player who played in the major leagues, was...
Words: 1599 - Pages: 7
...Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Throughout our lives we learn and discover the world through our self-regulated abilities to ambulate, laugh, hug, consume, and even breath. Yet there is an aggressive disease known as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) that threatens to eliminate our most basic and human capabilities. Over the course of this research paper we will explore various aspects of ALS which include the historical context of ALS, symptoms or characteristics of the disease, causes of ALS on a cellular level, as well as diagnosis and management. In 1869 ALS was first acknowledged by a french neurologist named Jean-Martin Charcot a man historically renowned as the “founder of modern neurology”. However it wasn't until 1939 that...
Words: 439 - Pages: 2
...I have been tasked with writing a paper about amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The ALS Association website has described ALS in a very clear and concise manner and I would like to share that with you know. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. Motor neurons reach from the brain to the spinal cord and from the spinal cord to the muscles throughout the body. The progressive degeneration of the motor neurons in ALS eventually leads to their death. When the motor neurons die, the ability of the brain to initiate and control muscle movement is lost. With voluntary muscle action progressively affected, patients in the later stages of the disease may become totally paralyzed. A-myo-trophic comes from the Greek language. "A" means no or negative. "Myo" refers to muscle, and "Trophic" means nourishment–"No muscle nourishment." When a muscle has no nourishment, it "atrophies" or wastes away. "Lateral" identifies the areas in a person's spinal cord where portions of the nerve cells that signal and control the muscles are located. As this area degenerates it leads to scarring or hardening ("sclerosis") in the region. As motor neurons degenerate, they can no longer send impulses to the muscle fibers that normally result in muscle movement. Early symptoms of ALS often include increasing muscle weakness, especially involving the arms and legs, speech, swallowing or breathing. When muscles...
Words: 2171 - Pages: 9
...New insights into how cells cope with stress could help combat neurological diseases and reduce the ravages of aging. Scientists have known for years that moderate stressors, such as a calorie-restricted diet, increase lifespan in a variety of organisms. Now new research is illuminating how this works at the molecular level. A particular protein is key in regulating at least one aspect of the stress response and may be a good model for anti-aging drugs. "What we have here is an essential protective pathway that now looks like a very effective therapeutic target," said biologist Richard Morimoto of Northwestern University. Most research on this protein, called sirtuin1 (SIRT1), has concentrated on its ability to regulate and protect mitochondria — cellular power generators that are corroded over time by reactive oxygen molecules. But SIRT1 also protects DNA in the cell nucleus. Morimoto’s findings, published Thursday in Science, give a precise mechanical explanation for the effects. Cells have evolved a particular response to stay alive in adverse conditions. When a cell starts getting too hot, too hungry or too oxygen-deprived, certain proteins migrate into the nucleus. There, they latch onto sections of DNA and cause heat-shock proteins to be produced. Heatshock proteins — so named because they were first discovered in cells experiencing high temperatures — cruise around the cell, fixing damaged or improperly folded proteins. "Proteins are very delicate," Morimoto said. "Any...
Words: 717 - Pages: 3
...Introduction The purpose of this paper is to discuss the topic of euthanasia with the intention of shedding some light on this issue should you ever have to make this choice. There are many reasons for and against euthanasia and this article will explore some of those reasons. Specifically this paper includes a review of the following topics; Background which will include; What is euthanasia and where does it come from, Canadian law in regards to euthanasia, Euthanasia in other countries, What does our society say today? Then I will be looking at the pro euthanasia which will include; Can euthanasia be dignified where I will be looking at the Kantian and the Healthy Soul Theories, and Personnel choice. The last part will be looking at against euthanasia which will include; Who decided when to die which will include the Divine command theory and the Ethical Dilemma and I will end with a Conclusion. Thereafter, an analysis will be completed on the a fore mentioned that will include a discussion analysis of what is taken from within an existing body of research with final recommendations which will be presented based on the research. Background What is Euthanasia and where does it come from? The meaning of the word euthanasia comes from a combination of Greek words eu meaning good and athantos meaning death (Corbett, 2009). Therefore one would say that euthanasia is a good death and by saying this we are then saying “to die with dignity” (Corbett, 2009). Euthanasia...
Words: 3469 - Pages: 14
...approval from agencies such as the Federal Department of Agriculture. The most controversial matters about genetic engineering is its potential us in human beings. This brings rise to many ethical and moral issues about genetic engineering, which we will discuss. In general there are three techniques used in the manipulation of human genes, they are cloning, somatic cell manipulation, and human germline manipulation. In general, cloning consists of creating exact copies of an individual’s DNA and creating a new organism containing the same DNA. This new organism will have the identical characteristics of the copied individual. Somatic cell manipulation (gene therapy) is simply introducing new genes into somatic cells, which contain a disease or aliment in order to heal or cure the infected cells. In general, germline manipulation is altering genes in the...
Words: 1370 - Pages: 6
...The Trials of Stem Cell Therapy Stem Cells: Plenty of Hope, but Halting Progress By KAREN WEINTRAUBSEPT. 15, 2014 Photo Embryonic stem cells, from a woman with Type 1 diabetes, were induced to turn into insulin-making beta cells, in hopes they could be implanted to cure the disease. Credit Bjarki Johannesson/New York Stem Cell Foundation, via Reuters Edgar Irastorza was just 31 when his heart stopped beating in October 2008. A Miami property manager, break-dancer and former high school wrestler, Mr. Irastorza had recently gained weight as his wife’s third pregnancy progressed. “I kind of got pregnant, too,” he said. During a workout one day, he felt short of breath and insisted that friends rush him to the hospital. Minutes later, his pulse flatlined. He survived the heart attack, but the scar tissue that resulted cut his heart’s pumping ability by a third. He couldn’t pick up his children. He couldn’t dance. He fell asleep every night wondering if he would wake up in the morning. Desperation motivated Mr. Irastorza to volunteer for a highly unusual medical research trial: getting stem cells injected directly into his heart. “I just trusted my doctors and the science behind it, and said, ‘This is my only chance,’ ” he said recently. Over the last five years, by studying stem cells in lab dishes, test animals and intrepid patients like Mr. Irastorza, researchers have brought the vague, grandiose promises of stem cell therapies closer to reality. Photo Edgar...
Words: 2143 - Pages: 9
...Stem cell research is a highly promising field of study. Its most important applications include medicine and therapy. These will be the focus of this paper. To begin: an overview of stem cells, alternatives to embryonic stem cells, and recent advances. Stem cells are amazing for their capacity for self-renewal and, most of all, the ability to become any of millions of cell types in the human body. There are various types of stem cells, each with different potential. This includes embryonic stem cells. These totipotent cell lines come from the inside of the cell mass of a human embryo. These embryos are taken specifically from fertilized eggs not used by in-vitro fertilization (1). At this point, they are just a blastocyst, meaning an embryo composed of approximately one hundred cells. The cells on the inside of the blastocyst are undifferentiated but eventually will multiply and differentiate extensively to make all of the different required cells. Adult stem cells cells also have this same ability. They are found throughout the body and are able to dived to replenish dying cells and regenerate damaged tissues (1). Adult stem cells are able to renew themselves and create a variety of cells, but are usually multipotent, meaning that they only are able to specialize into a small selection of cells. ‘Totipotent’ stem cells can be transformed into any type of cell in the human body, however, there is a great amount of controversy surrounding stem cell research (2). Because...
Words: 1804 - Pages: 8
...with multiple points of access providing opportunities to influence the multiple decision makers involved at each stage (Abood, 2007). Each stage presents a unique set of events for a policy to be proposed, considered, and either implemented or rejected. In the formulation stage there is an input of ideas, information, and research from government officials, citizens, and special interest groups. The issue is framed and the purpose and outcome is defined. Finally strategies are chosen and the necessary resources are identified. In the legislative stage the policy must be discussed by congress, agreed on and signed into law. In the implementation stage the policy is put into effect, human resources and funding are allocated. After a new policy is implemented, advocates, opponents, or other “interested parties” begin to consider the consequences of the decision and its implementation (Cockrel, 2007). Abood (2007), “The overall health care system, including the public and private sectors, and the political forces that affect that system are shaped by the health care, policy-making process” (The Policy Process and the Politics of Health Care). This paper will examine how the Medicare program has gone through the formulation, legislative, and implementation stage of the health care policy-making process and describe each stage of the process. To understand the Medicare program one must first understand how it came to be and the policy-making process the program has gone through...
Words: 1647 - Pages: 7
...Research Paper Legalization of Medical Marijuana Beneficial or Harmful? By Britanii Hoeche American Government POLS101: AMER GOV 3196 Mr. Shawn Moore March 1st, 2012 Introduction Medical Marijuana usage and the effects it would have on the United States if it were legalized has been talked about and been a topic for years. The main question I will be trying to uncover is whether or not medical marijuana has helped, and if it would help stimulate the economy by being legal in all states. To find these answers I will also try to find out if statistics show that this drug has produced revenue in states it is legal in already and if marijuana is beneficial for medicinal purposes only. I will also uncover the medical benefits that users receive from being prescribed this drug, and how much revenue would this drug produce if legalized. What effects does THC have on the brain and its functions? All of these are questions I wonder myself and will attempt to answer with my research provided below. As we all know a large percentage of Americans smoke the forbidden plant already so should that make it legal? Many agree that legalization of this drug would help regulate the economy with its revenue and taxation. If grown by the government the country could grow, sell and tax this plant and make billions of dollars each year in profit while allowing people with medical needs to smoke it legally. Where is it legal so far? States that have recently allowed marijuana use for medicinal...
Words: 2174 - Pages: 9
...Physician-assisted suicide (PAS), also known as active euthanasia; involves the hastening of death through administration of a lethal dose of pharmaceutical drugs, at the request of the terminally-ill patient (Law Digest, 2013). This practice fueled debates about legal and ethical practices in the medical field. Suffering has always been a part of human existence, along with request’s to end these conditions. Death through PAS or euthanasia has been continuously controverted since the beginning of medicine. Advocates of physician assisted suicide feel they have the right to avoid excruciating pain, prolonged suffering, and embrace a timely and dignified death. Adversaries of PAS contend that physicians have a moral responsibility to keep their patients alive as determined in the Hippocratic Oath (one of the oldest binding documents written in history, still bring used by physicians). In 1990, Physician- Assisted Suicide became better known to the public when retired pathologist, Dr. Jack Kevorkian assisted his first patient, Janet Adkins, into death. News of Adkins’ death made him a national celebrity and criminal, but ultimately encouraged Kevorkian to rebel and proceed with what he considered, his duty. Murad Kevorkian, better known as Dr. Jack Kevorkian was born on May 26, 1928, in Pontiac, Michigan. He was the middle of 3 children (two girls and himself), born to Levon and Satenig Kevorkian; Armenian immigrants and refugees. Jack had appreciation for his strict...
Words: 1955 - Pages: 8
...Stem Cell Research Paper Stem Cell Research Paper Human Biology The human body is capable of many miraculous feats. Every hour, every minute, every second, millions of cells are working to maintain homeostasis within the body. This paper is going to focus on one type of cell in particular, the stem cell. The properties of this little cell are amazing. These unique cells self-regenerate through cell division, and in addition to being unspecialized, have the ability to develop into many different specialized cells of the body. Numerous studies have shown the potential of stem cells to cure cancers, as well as slow or reverse the damages of some neurological disorders, yet stem cell researchers have met with both public and legal resistance during their attempts to show the incredible usefulness of these cells. Therefore, the question is, with stem cell research showing the potential to reverse the damage from or slow the progression of neurological disorders, and possible cures for cancer and other diseases and disorders are the possible benefits too much to ignore? The ability to self-regenerate is one the things that makes the stem cell such an appealing area to study. Most cells and organs in the body do not have the ability to self-regenerate, nor self-repair but stem cells can do both. Stem cells themselves are unspecialized, in that they have so special function (Stem Cell Basics, 2009). Part of the beauty of the stem cell is that through cellular...
Words: 3681 - Pages: 15
...| Marijuana Legalization: Why Marijuana Should be Legalized in All Fifty States English 102 Final Paper Table of Contents I. Introduction …………………………………………………………………………… 1 II. Is Marijuana a “Gateway Drug?” ……………………………………………………... 2 III. Arguments against Legalization ………………………………………………………. 3 VI. Recent Legalization Efforts …………………………………………………………… 4 V. Medicinal Uses of Marijuana …………………………………………………………. 5 VI. Economic Arguments Against Criminalization ………………………………………. 7 VII. Marijuana Cultivation and DTO ……………………………………………………... 8 VIII. From Decriminalization to Legalization …………………………………………… 8 IX. Conclusion …………………………………………………………………………… 10 Marijuana Legalization: Why Marijuana Should be Legalized in All Fifty States I. Introduction The issue of marijuana legalization in the United States is a charged one that brings forth supporters and opponents arguments alike. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) Uniform Crime Reports, one marijuana-related arrest occurs every forty-two seconds in the United States. The government conducted over 1.53 million drug-related arrests in 2011, 90% for possession alone, and nearly 50% due to marijuana (FBI Uniform Crime Report). State governments are currently responding to shifts in public opinion, especially given the recent legalizations that passed in Colorado and Washington. According to Gallup Polls, more Americans supported the legalization of marijuana than not in 2011 (50% vs. 46%)...
Words: 3312 - Pages: 14
