...Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is considered one of many immune system disorders(5). SLE is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects many parts of the body through an autoimmune process(2). A natural immune system creates antibodies to fight antigens which are harmful substances such as viruses and bacteria. Whereas in SLE, the immune system does not differentiate between the natural tissues of the body and the foreign particles(5)(6). Auto-antibodies are produced that mistakenly attack the immune system itself and cause inflammation and damage to various body tissues(6)(7). The disease course is marked by remissions and relapses and may vary from mild to severe. Just like many immune system disorders,...
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...Anatomy and Physiology Systemic Lupus Erythematosus is an autoimmune disease that causes the immune system to fight against parts of the body that it is designed to protect, not harm. This leads to inflammation and tissue damage in the affected organ. SLE can affect many parts of the body including the skin, the joints, kidneys, heart, lungs, blood vessels, and the brain. Typically, SLE is characterized by periods of illness, which are called flares, and periods of wellness, or remission. The key to keeping SLE under control is understanding how to prevent flares and how to treat them when they occur. The cause of SLE is not fully understood, but research suggests that genetics play an important role in its cause. Other factors that contribute...
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...Abstract There are four types of lupus, systemic lupus erythematous, discoid, drug-induced, and neonatal lupus. Systemic lupus erythematous, also known as SLE or lupus and is sometimes called the “great imitator” due to the fact that it mnemonics so many other diseases. Family practice offices often misdiagnose lupus due to lack of symptoms at the time of visit, patients being poor historians and lab work that is inconclusive at that time. Discoid lupus affects only the skin and causes rashes and lesions mostly of the face, neck and scalp. During drug-induced lupus the person will experience lupus like symptoms. These symptoms usually resolve within six months after the drug is stopped. Individuals with drug- induced lupus may have a positive Antinuclear Antibody test more years after the episode. Neonatal lupus occurs when a child is born to a women with lupus. The infant may have lupus symptoms including rashes, anemia and liver problem which usually resolve within a few months. Some infants born to mothers with lupus may have serious heart defects. For the purpose of this paper the focus will be on systemic lupus erythematous. Systemic Lupus Erythematous Systemic lupus erythematous is a complex multisystem autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system misfires and makes autoantibodies that attacks its own tissue. Lupus affects as many as 1.5 million people in America. (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2007) Women are more commonly affected...
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...The Lupus Foundation of America approximates that there are around 1.5 million Americans affected by a form of lupus (Rooney 54). There are two main factions of lupus: systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE). The popular depiction of lupus as a disease associated with lesions and superficial symptoms is not necessarily an accurate portrait. Although Lupus Erythematosus gets its name from the Latin word lupus (wolf) because the lesions resembles the pattern of a wolf bite, the most common form of the disease is SLE which does not require lesions as a criteria for diagnosis (Rooney 56). The underlying concern that both DLE and SLE share is their label as an autoimmune disease. Autoimmune diseases work by attacking self antigens and tissues as if they were foreign (McKinley, O’Loughlin and Bidle 856). By analyzing a deconstructed look at lupus we hope to gain an insight into lupus’ pathological effect on the body and its relation to the immune system. SLE occurs when the body begins to attack its own tissues without known cause. Although there is not a definitive known cause for SLE, autoantibodies can combine to form immune complexes which can effectively damage internal tissue and the hyperactivity of b-cells contributes to the symptoms (Pullen, Brewer and Ballard 23) (Porth 1422). Genetic predisposition to SLE is evidenced by an increased concordance rate in twins (10-fold), increased incidences within family members (10%-16%), and increased...
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...Personal Impact Paper Anissa Spada Rn May 3, 2012 NUR427 Laurie Baumgartner RN, MSN, CNS, NP, CCRN Introduction This paper will examine the chronic disease of lupus. A big portion of information in the paper comes from a patient Anna. The areas of her life that are affected by the disease , and the motivators for lifestyle change are discussed. The education of Anna regarding the disease and learning model theory will be examined. What is Lupus? Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease. The immune system fights off invaders in the body. The body develops antibodies to protect from invaders. The immune system affected by lupus cannot tell the difference between good and bad tissue. This process causes the immune system to attack itself. There are many different types of lupus. The type Anna has is cutaneous and systemic. Cutaneous affects the skin. Systemic lupus in her case affects the joints. Cutaneous lupus causes skin rashes/lesions. The most familiar rash is the butterfly rash. The rash occurs on the bridge of the nose and across upper cheeks. Systemic lupus cause the joints become painful and inflamed. Anna The interview with Anna was held over a couple of days. Anna was diagnosed a year and a half ago with lupus. Anna believes that she has had the disease for longer than a year and a half. The rashes that she experienced had been occurring since she was...
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...characteristics. These overlapping characteristics include the diseases systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), systemic sclerosis, and polymyositis (http://lup.sagepub.com/content/15/3/132.short). Though the disease is somewhat unknown and presumably hereditary, the uncovered cause and criteria for diagnosis is linked through like antibodies and antigens (http://www.nejm.org/doi/pdf/10.1056/NEJM197611182952101). MCTD affects numerous body systems i.e. skeletal, muscular, skeletal, digestive, and nervous (https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases_conditions/hic_Mixed_Connective_Tissue_Disease). Treatment for this disease is patient specific depending on the severity of each case; while the medications prescribed are ailment specific, creating a huge risk of developing side effects due to contraindications and normal use. In diagnosing these side effects, one must first explore the history of MCTD. What is Mixed Connective Tissue Disease (MCTD)? In 1972 (Venables) Mixed Connective Tissue Disease (MCTD) was first recognized for its overlapping features by its like or “mixed” similarities noticed in patients presenting with signs and symptoms of three autoimmune connective tissue diseases. The like featured diseases that make up Mixed Connective Tissue Disease (MCTD) are systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) (an autoimmune disease where healthy tissue is mistakenly attacked by the body’s immune system), systemic sclerosis (characterized as both an autoimmune and connective tissue...
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...Pantothenic Acid, Vitamin B5 for Acne Virtually everyone remembers the frustrating experience of acne with small inflamed dots called pimples or blackheads. For the young woman concerned about self-image, skin complexion is important. One or two strategically placed pimples can be intolerable. For some, acne can progress, leading to scarring and disfigurement, with pitting and nodularity called Acne Vulgaris. While some are spared this chronic ordeal, others endure many years of ineffective treatments by a succession of dermatologists. Although some treatments such as Accutane™ may offer success, there is a price in terms of serious adverse side effects. What Causes Acne? Acne is caused by excess oil called sebum which originates in the sebaceous glands at the root of the hair follicles. This oily build may occlude the duct in the skin causing blockage and infection. "Popping the pimple” is a home remedy which forces the occluding plug to pop out of the pore, providing drainage and temporary relief. Common Causes of Acne Acne is a common adverse side effect of synthetic birth control pills which mimic testosterone. Elevated testosterone levels in males and females are associated with increased oil production in the skin resulting in acne. A common genetic mutation called atypical CAH (congenital adrenal hyperplasia) causes increased testosterone in females resulting in acne. PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome) syndrome is associated with increased testosterone...
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...Dietary Supplements Summary James Johnson SCI/241 Abstract In this paper I am going to discuss and identify what are dietary supplements, some benefits of taking dietary supplements, some risks from taking dietary supplements, the government regulations surrounding dietary supplements, I will be discussing Rheumatoid arthritis and the use of an herbal supplement to treat it called cat’s claw. What are Dietary Supplements? Dietary supplements in the United States are classified as substances that you consume by the way of eating or drinking them. Dietary supplements can be herbal, vitamins, minerals, or amino acids, or even a part of all of these substances. Some benefits of taking these dietary supplements are boosting energy, losing weight, stress, heart health, liver health, and even to reduce wrinkles. These are just a few benefits of taking supplements, there are experts that say that there are places in our diet that has a definite need for supplements, but there primary goal is to fill in the gaps that we lose as nutrients. There are risks that are involved with taking dietary supplements and people need to pay close attention when taking to many supplements. Like all drugs there are side effects, Exposures to supplements (such as vitamins, herbs, protein powders, and botanicals) accounted for more than 35,000 calls to US poison control centers in 2011. Of these calls, more than 4,000 people were reportedly treated in health care facilities. More than 800 cases...
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...POLYMYOSITIS The following paper presents a summary of the latest information available on polymyositis physiopathology, the symptomatology, diagnosis, and treatment options and research protocols. History: Through medical history there have been reports of different ailments related to the muscular system. In the case of Polymyositis, the first case of a rare muscle disease was reported in 1863, with cutaneous lesions by E. Wagner in 1863 . He described a muscular disorder with a diversity of symptomatology and immunological alterations. In 1887, Hans Unvericht , wrote of an acute weakness, and pain in the arms, and legs, and back, including facial edema with swelling in the extremities, and evening fevers. The illness worsened rapidly to shortness of breath, hoarseness, difficulty swallowing and death. This became known as...
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...Lacrisha Lewis Patrick Anyanetu Eng.120 11/18/10 Research Paper “A Good Man Is Hard To Find” by Flannery O’Connor who is a Southern American novelist and short story writer, O’ Connor’s career expanded in the 1950sand early 60s, a time when the South was dominated by Protestant Christians.O’Connor was born and raised a Catholic. She was a fundamentalist and aChristian moralist whose powerful apocalyptic fiction is focused in the South.Flannery O’Connor was born March 25, 1925 in Savannah, Georgia. O’ Connorgrew up on a farm with her parents Regina and Edward O’ Connor. At the age offive, she taught a chicken to walk backwards. O’Connor attended Georgia StateCollege for women, now Georgia College, in Milledgeville, majoring in sociology.She had showed a gift for satirical writing, as well as cartooning since she wasa child. By the end of her undergraduate education, O’Connor knew that writingwas her true passion. She spent two years at the prestigious School for Writersat the State University of Iowa on scholarship. She received a master’s degree infine arts in 1947. In 1950, she had a near fatal attack of systemic lupus erythematosus, a chronic inflammatory connective tissue disorder that causes periods of joint pain and fatigue, and can attack the hearts, lungs, and kidneys. Her father died of the disease when she was fifteen. She would have to walk with crutches for the rest of her life. By her death at the age of 39, Flannery O’Connor won a prominent place in modern...
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...Abstract Since joint destruction begins within a few weeks of symptom onset in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), early diagnosis and treatment are crucial to decrease impairment of physical function and halt disease progression. A delay in therapy of as little as 3 months has demonstrated to cause irreversible joint damage. Treatment plans for RA includes pharmacological as well as non-pharmacological modalities. Treatments for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have involved a variety of single agent and combination therapies with a goal, to slow disease progression and bone destruction. The research indicates that not all drug combinations are equally effective in all patients with RA. To more accurately distinguish how to best manage early RA, and because treating RA within 3 months of diagnosis appears crucial for improved outcomes, this paper review studies that compare combination to mono-therapies in RA. Introduction Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is considered to be an inflammatory arthritis (Gardner, 2010). It is a disease that is chronic and characterized by diffuse inflammation and degeneration of the connective tissues, often characterized by joint stiffness in the morning that lasts at least 30 minutes but can range to several hours (Gardner, 2010). Pain improves with activity as fluid accumulated in the joints during inactivity is forced back into the system through the lymphatics. RA has a different cause from Osteoarthritis (OA). It is considered to be...
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... Page 8 Conclusion Page 9 References Page 10 Appendix I Page 11 Appendix II Page 11 Appendix III Page 12 Appendix IV Page 13 Appendix V Page 13 Appendix VI Page 16 Abstract This paper will focus on the clinical manifestations of hepatic encephalopathy and its effects on Mrs. X. She is a 64 year old female who has been an alcoholic for more than 40 years. The constant abuse of alcohol has left her with cirrhosis of the liver. One problem of cirrhosis is the inability of the liver to filter ammonia. When the levels of ammonia build up in the body, it affects various organs and systems. In Mrs. X’s case, it affected her brain. She manifested impaired cognitive abilities as well as physical limitations. This case study will expand on these processes as well as her prognosis and nursing implications. Hepatic Encephalopathy Mrs. X is a 64 year old white female and was a functional alcoholic and smoker for more than 40 years. She presented to the E.R. from home with complaints of lethargy, confusion, and decreased mobility. This paper will discuss the clinical manifestations of hepatic encephalopathy and the effects it has had and still do on Mrs. X’s mind, body, and soul. Mosby’s medical dictionary (2007) defines hepatic encephalopathy as: A neuropsychiatric manifestation of extensive liver...
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...The Qualitative Report Volume 14 Number 1 March 2009 61-80 http://www.nova.edu/ssss/QR/QR14-1/blanchard.pdf Lived Experiences of Adult Children Who Have a Parent Diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease Amy Blanchard, Jennifer Hodgson, Angela Lamson, and David Dosser East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina Little is known about the experience among adult children who have a parent with Parkinson’s Disease (PD). The purpose of this study was to explore, appreciate, and describe their experiences using a phenomenological methodology. Narratives were collected from seven participants who have a parent diagnosed with PD and analyzed according to Colaizzi’s (1978) phenomenological data analysis method. Seven thematic clusters were identified and an exhaustive description is presented to summarize the essence of their lived experience. The study indicates a strong sense of essential positivism from the participants’ stories, and overall, it seems PD has brought some degree of biological, psychological, socially, and/or spiritual meaning to their lives that they may not have otherwise noticed or experienced. Key Words: Parkinson’s Disease, Phenomenology, Biopsychosocial-spiritual, Adult, Children and Illness Introduction “The bond between mother and child is so deeply rooted in our emotions that we fear to discuss openly anything that threatens the bond” – Glenna Atwood (1991) Establishing links between chronic illnesses and family impact are not novel (e.g., Cooke, McNally...
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...Psychology Not to be confused with Phycology, Physiology, or 1 Etymology Psychiatry. Further information: Outline of psychology and Index The word psychology literally means, “study of the soul" of psychology articles (ψυχή psukhē, “breath, spirit, soul” and -λογία -logia, “study of” or “research”).[10] The Latin word psycholoPsychology is an academic and applied discipline that gia was first used by the Croatian humanist and Latinist involves the scientific study of mental functions and Marko Marulić in his book, Psichiologia de ratione anbehaviors.[1][2] Psychology has the immediate goal of imae humanae in the late 15th century or early 16th understanding individuals and groups by both establish- century.[11] The earliest known reference to the word ing general principles and researching specific cases,[3][4] psychology in English was by Steven Blankaart in 1694 and by many accounts it ultimately aims to benefit in The Physical Dictionary which refers to “Anatomy, society.[5][6] In this field, a professional practitioner or which treats the Body, and Psychology, which treats of researcher is called a psychologist and can be classified the Soul.”[12] as a social, behavioral, or cognitive scientist. Psychologists attempt to understand the role of mental functions in individual and social behavior, while also exploring the physiological and biological processes that underlie cognitive functions and behaviors. 2 History Psychologists explore concepts such as perception...
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...Section A: Basic Microbiology 1 SCOPE AND HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENTS IN MICROBIOLOGY “Science contributes to our culture in many ways, as a creative intellectual activity in its own right, as a light which has served to illuminate man’s place in the uni-verse, and as the source of understanding of man’s own nature” —John F. Kennedy (1917–63) The President of America The bacterium Escherichia coli INTRODUCTION AND SCOPE MICROBIOLOGY is a specialized area of biology (Gr. bios-life+ logos-to study) that concerns with the study of microbes ordinarily too small to be seen without magnification. Microorganisms are microscopic (Gr. mikros-small+ scopein-to see) and independently living cells that, like humans, live in communities. Microorganisms include a large and diverse group of microscopic organisms that exist as single cell or cell clusters (e.g., bacteria, archaea, fungi, algae, protozoa and helminths) and the viruses, which are microscopic but not cellular. While bacteria and archaea are classed as prokaryotes (Gr. pro-before+ karyon-nucleus) the fungi, algae, protozoa and helminths are eukaryotes (Gr. eu-true or good+ karyon-nucleus). Microorganisms are present everywhere on earth, which includes humans, animals, plants and other living creatures, soil,water and atmosphere. Microorganisms are relevant to all of our lives in a multitude of ways. Sometimes, the influence of microorganisms on human life is beneficial, whereas at other times, it is detrimental. For example...
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