Abstract
The paper examines what constitutes brain death and the rare possibility that a brain dead patient may awaken from this vegetative state. The paper looks at the controversy surrounding the issue both from the side of the family as well as from the side of the hospital staff.
It also touches on the rates of organ donation in different countries as well as the ethical rules governing the transplantation process.

From the Paper
"It is ethical to procure organs for donation and transplant from brain dead patients because the criteria is so stringent to declare someone brain dead that it cannot be construed as unethical(Donation, 2001). When a person is declared brain dead they have performed certain required criteria to make that determination. It is ethical to use the organs of a brain dead person because they are only alive by machines, they are not really alive. The use of these organs has the potential to save thousands of lives each year."

Tags:medicine, doctors, harvesting, life, donor

Abstract
The theory that the mind and the brain are intrinsic functions is explored, and the determination is offered that the mind is not separate from and not even a physically visible function of the brain, but that it is a definite part of ther human body to accept learning and behavior. The paper points out, however, that one can have a great and useful and innovative "brain" and still not be a very nice person in terms of behavior. Einstein is used as an example.

From the Paper
"Let us dismiss, for purposes of the argument to follow, Descartes' famous theory: Cogito, ergo sum. I think, therefore I am. His was a religious theory, based on his belief that the brain and the soul are God's gifts to man and are in essence intertwined. The brain is something tactile. We can feel it. We can see it in action. The mysteries of thought and behavior, however, are suppositions which we have to accept as being part and parcel of the function of the brain. Without the brain (not just "a" brain) and the central nervous system, no human can function. More than ever before, we read about the end of a..."

Tags:identity, personality, brain function

Abstract
This paper looks at the process of metabolism and how it is changed during starvation to keep the brain supplied, first with glucose, and when that is exhausted, with acetyl-CoA. It then looks at the effects of starvation on the brain and how these problems can be corrected.

Tags:starvation, brain

Abstract
This paper looks at the development of the brain from the moment of conception to one year of age. It looks at the development of gender, gender differences in the brain, cognition, and how cognitive function changes through adulthood into old age.

From the Paper
There is a four-year period of potential growth lasting from conception until around the third birthday, which is the most critical period for human development. Maria Montessori called this La mente del bambino or the time of the absorbent mind. The brain is composed basically of two types of cells; the neurons which are the nerve cells and the glial cells which are the supportive cells. Information is integrated in the cell bodies of the neurons and travels as an electrochemical impulse along the axon where the..."

Tags:brain development, cognition, gender development, adolescence, aging

Abstract
This paper examines the three types of identity- personal, brain and mind, and further argues that the mind is the one entity that separates humans from other species. In the case of the science fiction short story "The Meeting" it considers whether a brain transplant retains the original person or is the brain donor now simply in another body. A second scenario explores the dangers of a girl's brain transplanted into a boy's body- in any event, it becomes more a moral and ethical challenge than a scientific or medical one.

From the Paper
"One can think of the human body as a sort of gift box. Every box contains something of value. But, every thing inside the boxes is different, just as no two boxes are alike. But, if what is inside is just a brain, it is not as valuable as when the box contains a mind. The size of the box is not really important. The size of the brain may not be important, either. What is important is the mind. The mind is not just a by-product of the brain. The mind is what sets someone like Albert Einstein apart from Charles Manson. The identity of a mind can create a Holocaust or an atom bomb, or a cure for cancer. It is the mind identity that separates Man..."

Tags:brain identity, memories, personal identity

Abstract
This paper examines some of the theories of personal identity analyzed by John Perry in his essay, "Will Tommy Vladek Survive?" based on the science-fiction story "The Meeting." According to the paper, this short story considers whether the brain donor or body donor will survive in a brain transplant scenario. Perry, and the essay, argues that in all likelihood the survivor will be the child who donates the brain.

From the Paper
"In "The Meeting" by Frederik Pohl and C. M. Kornbluth, we are presented with an ethical dilemma about the treatment of a young child with disabilities. Tommy Vladek is a nine-year-old boy who is developmentally disabled. His parents, Harry and Margaret Vladek, recently enrolled Tommy in a school for emotionally and developmentally-challenged children and adolescents. At the school for only a short time, Tommy has begun to show small signs of behavioral improvement through his interactions with other children and the teacher in his classroom. The Vladeks, additionally, have been presented with the option of having Tommy undergo..."

Tags:ethics, surgery, brain

Abstract
This paper analyzes the case of a young patient who received a heart-lung transplant. However, there was a medical mistake and the patient ultimately was declared legally brain dead, removed from life support and subsequently died. The paper discusses the facts of the situation in more depth and analyzes the ethical medical issues that were involved.

Table of Contents:
Relevant Information
Ethical Problem Statement
Identification of Ethical Issues
Selection of Ethical Framework
Analysis and Justification
Counterarguments
Action to be Taken
Completion and Evaluation of Action

From the Paper
"There are other ways of looking at the situation and so counterarguments could be made. The first counterargument likely to be made is that the physicians and facility made an error and caused the condition of the patient. Therefore, they have a responsibility to restore the condition of the patient. This may be a valid argument if the patient is considered in isolation. However, the nature of the demand for transplant organs means that the patient is not the only consideration. Giving the patient a second set of organs means that another person does not receive them. With thousands of people dying because they do not receive a transplant in time, it is not valid to focus only on the patient while ignoring the bigger picture."

Tags:patient, physician, transplant, death

Abstract
Describes the make-up of the heart. Role that oxygen plays. How circulation works. What happens when the heart stops beating. Cell death. Diagnosing the moment of death; what criteria to use. Brain-dead condition. Tests used to determine when a person can be called dead. Somatic (reversible) death; molecular (irreversible) death. Organ donations. Issue of quality of organs donated for transplants.

From the Paper
"Most people accept that when the heart stops beating, a person dies. In the general sense, this is true, although with today's resuscitation techniques, the heart can be restarted if treatment is given quickly. The reason people die when the heart stops beating and is not resuscitated within a few minutes is that to stay alive, all tissues in the body require oxygen. When we inspire (breathe in), the lungs fill with air, and the oxygen, which is at a greater concentration in the air than in the blood circulating in the capillaries in the lungs, crosses the thin membranes of the lung tissue and the fine capillaries and enters the bloodstream. Erythrocytes (red blood cells) in the bloodstream contain a pigment called hemoglobin, which binds oxygen, and this pigment allows the erythrocytes to transport it to the tissues. When the oxygen-rich blood reaches the tissues and ..."

Abstract
The paper discusses stem cells in human development, a specialized topic in developmental biology, focusing on potential cures for fetal malformations, via stem cell therapies and stem cells characteristics in general. The paper notes that the most promising use of stem cells is their ability to serve as a potential source of replacement cells to treat numerous diseases, such as Parkinson''s disease, Alzheimer's disease, ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), cancer, and heart disease. The paper further notes that any disease in which there is tissue degeneration can be a potential candidate for stem cell therapies, including spinal cord injury, stroke, burns, heart disease, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, muscular dystrophy and liver disease. The paper includes photographs.

Outline:
Abstract
What are Stem Cells?
Types of Stem Cells
Embryonic Germ Layers From Which Differentiated Tissues Develop,
Mechanisms of Action:
Characteristics and Potential Uses
Hematopoietic and Stromal Stem Cell Differentiation
Human Embryonic Germ Cells
Human Adult Stem Cells
Summary of Animal Experiments
Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells
Bovine Embryonic Stem Cells' Studies
Primate Embryonic Stem Cells' Studies
Miscellaneous Animal Studies
Migration of Transplanted Human Cells
Survival of hCNS-derived neurospheres in the ischemic brain.
In Utero Stem Cell Therapy - Stem Cell Transplantation in the Fetus
Ontogeny of Hematopoiesis in Humans
In Utero Stem Cell Therapy in the Mouse
Conclusions

From the Paper
"Embryonic stem cells are difficult to control, as they behave in an unstable manner resulting in unexpected results as they divide, or even cancerous growths. They are indeed more difficult to maintain and expand in culture (Van Blerkom, 1994). ES differ substantially from the stem cells found within the fully developed adult where they can be totally quiescent. Human ES cells may cause an immune reaction when transplanted into people, which means cells used in treatment may be rapidly destroyed unless they are protected by giving medication to suppress the immune system. It appears though that if stem cells were someday to be used for the treatment of disease, there would be greater advantage in using ES cells. "

Tags:reproducing, variation, multiple, tissue, types, researchers, embryonic

Abstract
Most people accept that when the heart stops beating, a person dies. This paper examines the controversies surrounding the proclaiming of a patient dead and what exactly constitutes "dead". It looks at the question of death in relation to organ transplant, molecular death, brain death as a determining factor and future medical expectations.

From the Paper
"Questions of how to precisely determine death, and what criteria to use have an impact today in terms of organ transplantation. For optimal post-transplant function, the sooner an organ is harvested from a donor after brain death, the more likely it is to survive in the recipient. With brain dead patients, the body can be kept on life support systems which maintain respiration and circulation, ensuring the organs to be donated are oxygenated, and blood clots do not form within the organs. Patients whose circulation has ceased are of no use as organ donors since tissue damage will have occurred once circulation stopped. However, even with a brain dead person on life support, the quality of the organs deteriorates with time and lessens their use as donor organs. Rapid decisions need to be made regarding organ donation."

Tags:oxygen, circulation, pallor, mortis, EEG