Studies have shown that a relationship exists between individual's satisfaction with their life after a spinal cord injury and their access to the environment, including the work environment (ichards, Bombardier, Tate, Kijkers, Gordon, Shewchuk & DeVivo, 1999). In particular access to a life that can be considered normal and "outside of the person" or their injury is an important predictor of satisfaction with life for individuals with spinal cord injury (ichards, et. al, 1999). Occupational status is a tremendous element of personal satisfaction.
acial disparities have been identified in employment and job placement patterns among individuals with spinal cord injuries, however these differences are found by some researchers to mirror the patterns that exist among the population at large (Meade, Lewis, Jackson & Hess, 2004). Studies conducted show that racial disparities in employment rates and job placement are found to be similar before and after injury, and in one study…...

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References

Anderson, CJ & Vogel, LC. (2002, Jun). "Employment outcomes of adults who sustained spinal cord injuries as children or adolescents." Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 83(6): 791-801

Dudgeon, BJ; Gerrard, BC, Jensen, MP, Rhodes, LA & Tyler, EJ. (2002, Feb). "Physical disability and the experience of chronic pain." Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 83(2): 229-35

Gibson, KL. (2003, July). "Caring for a patient who lives with a spinal cord injury."

Nursing 33(7): 36-41.

Stem Cells
I just wanted to write you a letter letting you know a little bit about stem cells. I know the doctors have identified you as a good candidate for a trial using stem cell therapy, and -- since you asked -- I thought this would be a good opportunity to share with you what I have learned on this subject. Like all subjects, it can be simplified or made complex. I will try to strike a balance between the two extremes in this letter.

First off, stem cells are not like ordinary cells. When I say "ordinary" I mean the kind of cells you are probably used to thinking about -- cells that perform a special function -- like red blood cells (they carry oxygen through the blood stream). Stem cells are unspecialized. They have no physiological properties that define them per se. What they can do, however, is something…...

Brain vs. Spinal Cord
Anatomically, the brain or central nervous system (CNS) is distinct from the spinal cord. The CNS is encased in the skull, while one end of the spinal cord is attached at the base of the brain and the other end extends down the spinal column to the lumbar region. A rough visual and functional analogy would be the cables from the keyboard, mouse, internet connection, and monitor (spinal column) connecting to the processor inside a computer (CNS).

The CNS and spinal cord are functionally distinct as well. The spinal cord collects the nerve fibers carrying peripheral sensory information and relays it to the CNS. These sensory nerve fibers are called afferent or ascending fibers. There are four main types of information transmitted through afferent fibers: mechanoreceptors (touch), proprioreceptors (muscle movement), thermoreceptors (temperature), and nocioceptors (pain). The information provided by these afferent fibers would be analogous to the information…...

First aid

Signs and symptoms of serious problems include: Loss of consciousness or memory, a headache that worsens or won't go away, confusion, mood swings, drowsiness, numbness, weakness, slurred speech, vision changes and changes in the pupils' size, shape, and reaction to light, dizziness, vertigo, difficulty standing or walking, nausea and vomiting (Safety, 2009, Brain and spinal cord.org).. After any forceful blow to the head, the coach or referee should ensure that the game is stopped, and the player should be told to not to nod or shake his head during the assessment, but to say yes or no. If conscious, the player should be asked if he or she is aware of the day and time, his or her location, what quarter or part of the game he or she is playing, and other questions to assess his or her bearings. If a serious injury is suspected, the student should…...

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References

Goodlett, Michael D. & Lawrence J. Lemak. (2009, March 11). What youth football coaches should know about concussions. USA Football. Revised October 19, 2009

Retrieved November 6, 2009 at  http://www.usafootball.com/articles/displayArticle/6669/7328 

Hitti, Miranda. (2009, March 18). Natasha Richardson dies after brain injury. Web MD.

Retrieved November 6, 2009 at  http://www.webmd.com/brain/news/20090318/natasha-richardsons-fatal-brain-injury-faq

Fawcett compares uses a freeway analogy to describe this, saying the axons have no problem with the onramp (growing onto the PNS bridge), but get stuck at the off-ramp (leaving the PNS tissue). Why axons can't simply get "on" from both sides and meet in the middle is not addressed in this paper; presumably the axons grow only in one direction.
Davies and colleagues created two different types of astrocytes using the same stem-cell derived precursors. One proved to be an effective bridge, the other actually inhibited axon growth but stimulated the growth o pain receptors, increasing pain at the injury site. The fact that the two astrocytes are so closely related is worrisome, as it may lead to complications in large-scale or human applications. Also, there could be problems in obtaining the useful kind of astrocyte. Right now, all work is being conducted on rats in a lab, where…...

This was finding of a research conducted on rats at the University of Rochester Medical Center in 2004. The research team, led by Dr. Maiken Nedergaard, worked on the premise that inflammation causes more irreversible and inevitable damage than the initial trauma (Henrich, Kelly, Reinhardt et al.).
The team injected the blue food dye into some of the experimental rats with spinal cord injuries (Reuters 2009, Takahiro 2009, Michaud 2009, Ehrenberg 2009). The rats at first began to move, hobbled about and turned blue. Rats, which did not receive the injection, did not walk or move at all. A substance, called ATP, is the source that keeps cells alive. The research showed that ATP runs out of control in spinal cord injury, activates an inflammation-causing molecule and kills spinal neuron cells. Treatment must be administered immediately after the injury. The experiment showed that rilliant lue G. blocks the action of…...

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Ehrenberg, Rachel. Brilliant Blue for the Spine. Vol 176 # 5. Science News: Society

for Science and the Public, 2009. Retrieved on January 16, 2010 from http://www.siencenews.org/view/generic/id/4593/title/Brilliant_blue_for_the_spine

Hendrich, Bill. Blue Dye in M & M. Helps Spinal Cord Injuries? Web MD Health News:

WebMD LLC, 2009. Retrieved on January 16, 2010 from  http://www.webmd.com/brain/news/20090729/blue-dye-mms-helps-spinal-cord-injuries

Herniated Disc
Spinal Disc Herniation, also called slipped disc or herniated disc, is a medical condition that affects the spine. This may be caused by trauma, injury, or idiopathic causes that are combinations of issues. Physiologically, an injury causes a tear in the outer ring of the intervertebral disc, more specifically in the fibrous ring that surrounds the disc. This injury then allows the softer, central portion of the disc to bulge out beyond the damaged outer rings. This tear sometimes causes the release of inflammatory chemicals causing intense pain, even with there is no severe root compression. In addition, herniated discs are almost always postero-lateral because of the way the ligaments are attached to the spinal cord (Postacchini, 1999).

Most minor herniations heal within several weeks using anti-inflammatory treatment for pain and swelling. However, severe herniations, the so-called slipped disc, even though it is not accurate from a medical point, may…...

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REFERENCES

Herniated Disc. (2012) MedlinePlus. Retrieved from:  http://www.nlm.nih.gov 

/medlineplus/ency/article/000442.htm

Baldwin, J., et.al., (2011). Lumbar (Intervertebral) Disk Disorders. Medscape Reference.

Retrieved from:  http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/827016-overview

Scientists have been aware of the existence of these stem cells for many years but have only recently realized the potential medical applications of the cells. More than a decade ago, scientists discovered that if the normal connections between the early cellular progeny of the fertilized egg were disrupted, the cells would fall apart into a single cell progeny that could be maintained in a culture. These dissociated cells, otherwise known as embryonic stem cell lines, continue to divide in culture, producing large numbers of cells at a fast pace. However, these early embryonic cells would lose the coordinated activity.
Scientists quickly discovered that these cells retain the ability to generate a great number of mature cell types in culture if they are provided with appropriate molecular signals (Reaves, 2001). Scientists have made significant progress in discovering these signals and are still working on it. hile it is a difficult task,…...

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Works Cited

Colino, Stacey. (2001). Making Sense of Stem Cells. Lifetime.

Prescott, Bonnie. (2001). Animal Study Find Embryonic Stem Cells Can Repair Heart Muscle. Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

Reaves, Jessica. (2002). The Great Debate Over Stem Cell Research. Time Magazine.

Recer, Paul. (2002). Study says stem cells have fewer mutations than previously thought. AP Online.

For example, because different etiologies require corresponding therapeutic designs and mechanisms (Spector, 2000; Steefel, 2002), specific support group makeup must consider the need to develop different strategies and methodologies for the following types of patients at a minimum if support groups are to provide equal benefit to all patients:

Elderly Patients and Lifelong Laborers - This group typically presents with psychological issues in the realm of a direct link between their sense of purpose and self-worth and their ability to continue to function productively in their community. Their need for acute medical and ancillary services, particularly in the Longview/East Texas community are often precipitated by chronic physical deterioration from a lifetime of relatively hard labor. Therefore, support group rehabilitation services must address the issues of self-esteem as a function of vocational productivity and lifestyle changes necessitated by medical conditions.

Prime-of-Life Victims of Traumatic Injury - This group typically presents with psychological issues…...

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References

Clark, C., Robinson, T. (2000). "Multiculturalism as a Concept in Nursing" Journal of the Black Nurses Association, 11(2), 39-43.

Spector, R. (2000). Cultural Diversity in Health and Illness (5th ed.). New Jersey: Prentice Hall.

Stanhope, M., Lancaster, J. (2004). Community and Public Health Nursing (6th ed.)

St. Louis: Mosby.

functional relationship of the PNS to the CNS?
The CNS effectively "controls" the PNS, and the PNS' main function is to connect the CNS to the limbs and organs. The PNS transmits nerve impulses produced by the CNS.

List the structural components of the PNS, and briefly describe the function of each component.

The structural components of the PNS are sensory receptors, which receive external stimuli; motor endings, which act to innervate muscle fibers and glands; and nerves and ganglia, which act as pathways for impulses to travel through the PNS.

How many different types of sensory receptors does the nervous system express and briefly, what kind of stimulus does each class respond to?

According to which way you might go about classifying, there are either five different types of sensory receptors or three different types of receptors. The group of five looks like this: 1) mechanoreceptors -- receptors that respond to mechanical stimuli,…...

People with family histories of blood disease, for example, could benefit greatly from a private supply of compatible blood cells. Mixed-ethnicity children could also stand to benefit, since this population often experiences difficulty finding genetically compatible donors for organs or bone marrow (Peterson 56).
The sad reality is that despite its many benefits, the use of stem cells from umbilical cords is hampered by a lack of supply. There are private banks that extract and store a baby's umbilical stem cells for private use, but the costs are too prohibitive for most families. For many private banks, parents have to pay $1,300 up front for the extraction, and an additional $95 each year for storage. Also, many parents are simply unaware of the importance of umbilical stem cells. Sprage, a beneficiary of a cord stem cell transplantation, finds it disturbing that "most cord blood ends up as medical waste." (Peterson…...

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Works Cited

Peterson, Holly. "Cord-blood Controversy." Newsweek. August 18, 2003: 56.

Seppa, Natan. "Baby Rescue." Science News. May 21, 2005: 323-324.

Smith, Wesley J. "Umbilical Accord." Human Life Review. 31:4, Fall 2005: 87-89.

Value of Umbilical Stem Cell Research in Curing Disease

Stem Cells
Hello, my friend. I am truly sorry and sympathize as much as I can regarding your traumatic car accident and subsequent spinal injury. I appreciate that you have kept me abreast of your treatment options. Your team of physicians agree that you would be a fine candidate for treatment specifically with stem cells. Most people have heard of stem cells and are aware of the scientific and ethical controversies surrounding them, but not as many people have performed productive research to find out what they really are and what the possible medical applications (and pitfalls) that come with stem cells. I have taken it upon myself to do some research for you, so that you are in a better position to make a more informed decision regarding this option for treatment of your spinal cord injury. In the next couple of pages, I will do my best to…...

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References:

Mayo Clinic. (2013). Stem Cells: What They Are and What They Do. Mayo Clinic, Web, Available from:   2013 May 31.http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/stem-cells/CA00081 .

National Institute of Health. (2013). Basic Questions about Stem Cells. NIH, Web, Available from:   2013 May 31.http://stemcells.nih.gov/research/Pages/Default.aspx .

Psychomotor Assessment
1st Method Psychomotor Assessment

Neurological observation as relating to psychomotor Assessment framework revolves around collecting data about the CNS or brain and spinal cord of a patient. Some of the areas that are assessed include Level of Conscious, Alertness, Pupillary esponse, Vitals, and Motor esponse (Mooney and Comerford, 2003).

In categorizing the level of consciousness some of the observations include alertness, being aware of surrounding environment, in contrast to drowsiness or slower responses. As stimuli is applied, it is important to record not only if there is a response, but the rate or speed of the response could indicate there is an uncharacteristic condition. If a patient is not conscious, there is no response even to a pain induced stimuli such as heat, pressure, or light. A problem could exist when there is pressure on the brain caused by excess fluid or a head trauma of some type.

Vitals are part of…...

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References

Mooney, G.P., Comerford, D., M. (2003). Neurological observations. Nursing Times Volume 99. Iss. 17.

Rhoads, J. (2006). Advanced health assessment and diagnostic reasoning. Philadelphia, Pa: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

Tellefson, J. (2010) Clinical psychomotor skills: assessment tools for nursing students. (4th ed).

physiological perspective, the first trimester of pregnancy is when the majority of fetal development occurs, and also when the full development of the placenta occurs. The first twelve weeks or so after conception see the transformation of a fertilized egg cell into a fetus that shares blood flow with the placenta through the umbilical arteries and vein. As a result, these twelve weeks are particularly crucial for the health and development of the fetus at its most vulnerable stage. Among numerous other physiological changes, the mother's nutritional intake needs (which include vitamins and minerals) increase substantially, so nutrition is crucial. The avoidance of alcohol is necessary to avoid birth defects caused by the substance: as Blackburn notes, "drinking alcohol at any stage of pregnancy can affect the brain and other areas of development" (Blackburn 2007, 221).
Zoey's preganancy undergoes what is termed induced labor, in which she is given a…...

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References

Blackburn, ST. (2007). Maternal, fetal, and neonatal physiology: A clinical perspective. St. Louis: Elsevier.

Childress, J. (1997). Practical reasoning in bioethics. Bloomington: Indiana University Press.

Obama endorsed an Illinois handgun ban while he was serving in the Illinois state legislature and also supports a ban on semi-automatic weapons. However, the current President professed his support for the Second Amendment, stating that he supports restrictions to keep guns out of the wrong hands, not a full prohibition. In Illinois he co-sponsored a 2000 to limit consumer purchases of firearms to one gun per month -- although he also supported 'conceal carry' laws for retired police officers ("Gun control," on the Issues, 2008).
The spike in gun sales has more to do with political posturing than reality: gun owners wish to demonstrate their opposition to Obama's system of values, as conceptualized in the red-blue divide that currently exists in the United States. In this polarized media positioning, Obama represents urban elitism and government control, despite his actual policies. The NRA and the gun industry has used this…...

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Works Cited

"Gun control." On the issues. 2008. June 5, 2010.

 http://www.ontheissues.org/gun_control.htm 

Kinzie, Susan. "GWU adds ethical focus to business school." The Washington Post.

September 15, 2008. June 5, 2010.  http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/15/AR2008091502975.html

Benefits of Wearing a Seatbelt
Seatbelts are an essential safety feature in vehicles, and wearing one significantly reduces the risk of injury or death in the event of a collision. Here are some of the key benefits of wearing a seatbelt:
1. Prevents Ejection from the Vehicle
In the event of a serious collision, a seatbelt can prevent occupants from being ejected from the vehicle. Ejection is one of the leading causes of fatal injuries in car accidents, and wearing a seatbelt can reduce the risk of ejection by up to 75%.
2. Reduces the Risk of Head and Neck Injuries
Seatbelts help restrain occupants....

How Radiology Specialists Harness Imaging Techniques for Accurate Diagnosis and Treatment

Radiology specialists, including radiologists and radiation oncologists, play a crucial role in modern healthcare by utilizing advanced imaging techniques to diagnose and treat medical conditions with precision. These techniques allow for non-invasive visualization of the body's internal structures, providing valuable information for accurate diagnosis and effective treatment planning.

Imaging Modalities

Radiology specialists utilize a range of imaging modalities to obtain detailed images of the body. These modalities include:

X-ray: Creates two-dimensional images of bones and some soft tissues.
Computed tomography (CT): Uses X-rays and sophisticated computer processing to generate cross-sectional images of....