Abstract This paper explains that the majority of people will experience hearing loss to greater or lesser extent as they get older because, with aging, the inner ear (cochlea) containing nerve cells, which convert sound into nervous impulses that are sent to the brain, don't work as well and eventually begin to degenerate. The author points out that most people do not go completely deaf and the severity of the hearing loss varies from person to person of the same age. The paper examines some research projects, whose apparent success might provide hope that one day hearing loss will no longer be associated with old age and can be reversed; another study describes the psychosocial consequences of hearing loss, which indicated that the majority of the people with presbyacusis did not report many quality of life distractions besides the inability to listen to the music. Glossary.
From the Paper "Research was conducted by using senescence-accelerated mice (SAM) that develop progressive hearing loss at an early age. Mice were irradiated with 9Gy and later injected with 4x10 bone marrow cells from 2-month-old mice. After three months, the auditory brainstem response (ABR) was measured in order to evaluate the progress of hearing loss. It was noted that mice showed age-related hearing impairment above 2000Hz. After ABR and splenectomy five mice from experimental and control group were subject to further procedures, involving "intracardiac perfusion with saline followed by periodate-lysin-paraform aldehyde fixation and decalcification at 4 degrees C .in 5% buffered ethylene diaminetetra-acetate for seven days." The results showed that the immune system in mice was reconstituted by the donor cells and the age-related impairment of T-cell function is corrected. The age-related auditory response is also ameliorated after the manipulations."
Abstract This paper offers a recommendation on a biomedical ethics' case concerning passive voluntary euthanasia where the patient's family and health care providers are divided on how to proceed.
From the paper:
"In Case # 6, the dilemma facing the health care provider is whether or not to continue life preserving measures while considering an advance directive (living will), family wishes and disagreement between the Health Care Team on the matter. The patient in this case is a 27-year old male who was left with multiple rib fractures, a pelvic fracture as well as basal skull fractures after a serious motor vehicle accident. The patient's wife and daughter died as a result. This patient also suffered a brainstem hemorrhage and mild cerebral edema. He is expected to recover from his fractures, though it is not likely he will recover from the head injury, which has left him with no voluntary movement other than vertical movements of his eyes."
Tags: biomedical, care, ethics, euthanasia, health, nursing, philosophy
Abstract Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a neuro-degenerative disorder producing deterioration of the motor cortex and motoneurons of the brainstem and spinal cord. In particular, patients are affected by the vulnerability of the cranial motoneurons that assist speech and swallowing. The disease usually leads to death in 3 to 5 years due to respiratory complications.
