Saturday, January 25, 2020

Sensorimotor Loss And Hemiplegia Health And Social Care Essay

Sensorimotor Loss And Hemiplegia Health And Social Care Essay Captain Scarlet and Captain Blue were working in the intelligence section of Cloud-base when there was a terrorist attack by the Mysterons. A bomb exploded causing the ceiling to collapse trapping both of them under the rubble. Captain Scarlet escaped with only minor injuries but Captain Blue was struck across the shoulders by masonry and piping, which pinned him down. It took several hours to dig him out and when he has pulled free he was unable to move his arms or legs. When he arrived at the Cloud-base hospital, he complained of his inability to move and of shooting/burning pains in both arms. Neurological examination revealed a left hemiplegia and right hemiparesis with a Babinski sign present bilaterally. Pain sensation was lost from the right shoulder downwards. Bladder, bowel and genital reflexes were also absent. X-rays of the cervico- thoracic region were taken and subsequently he underwent surgery to remove bone fragments and to stabilise the cervical spine. A month later, movement of the right arm and leg had improved. Two months after surgery, movement in the right hand had improved further but there was no voluntary movement on the left. Fasciculation of the left deltoid muscle was found together with spasticity of the left arm and leg, with clonus at the ankle. A Babinski sign remained on the left side. Joint position sense was present on both sides but pain sensation was absent on the medial right aspect of the upper right arm, right side of the thorax, abdomen and whole right lower limb. Despite reassurances from his Colonel that his condition will improve further, Captain Blue feels that he will never physically recover from his injuries. Organisation of spinal cord In its own definition of spinal cord, Oxford medical dictionary states: The portion of the central nervous system enclosed in the vertebral column, consisting of nerve cells and bundles of nerves connecting all parts of the body together(1). Spinal cord is divided into 2 regions: The white matter: It contains the axons of the neurons that make up the descending and ascending tracts responsible for the communication of the spinal cord with the brain. The white matter can be split into the dorsal, the ventral and the lateral funiculous as seen in Figure 1. The White matter contains the following four pathways that are essential for the scenario and that will be further discussed in the next objective. Each tract carries a specific modality (types of sensation) in the brain. The position of each tract in the white matter is seen in Figure 2. Dorsal column medial lemniscus tract (DCML): It is responsible for conscious proprioreception and discriminative touch. It is split into the gracile and the cuneate fasiculi which carry these modalities from the lower and upper limbs respectively. Spinothalamic tract(STT): It is responsible for the pain and temperature sensation. Spinocerebellar tract (SCT): It is responsible for the unconscious proprioception to the cerebellum which controls the co-ordination of movements. The above are ascending pathways i.e. they send information from the spinal cord to the brain. The following is a descending pathway: Corticospinal tract (CST): It is responsible for sending information to the spinal cord for controlling voluntary movements of the lower and upper limbs. Figure 1 Spinal cord transection (2) The Grey matter: It mainly consists of neural cell bodies and glial cells. Ten different layers of grey matter called laminae can be distinguished. it is further divided into 3 or 4 regions (depending on the level of the spinal cord) each containing several laminae as seen in Figure 2: Superficial dorsal horn: It consists of laminae I-II and receives information from nociceptors about pain and temperature from Ac and ÃŽÂ ´ sensory fibers. Deep dorsal horn: It consists of laminae III-VI which receive information for touch and conscious proprioreception from the low threshold mechanoreceptors form IÃŽÂ ² sensory fibers. Lateral horn: This can be found in the spinal levels T1-L2 and is responsible for the autonomic control as it contains cell bodies of autonomic preganglionic fibers. Ventral horn: It consists of laminae VII-IX and contains the cell bodies for ÃŽÂ ±-motor neurons that innervate the muscles, as well as here the muscle afferents terminate. Figure 2 Organisation of spinal cord (3) Organisation of pathways in Spinal cord Each of the four pathways mentioned above will now be described: Dorsal Column Medial Lemnsicus pathway (4): Figure 4 DCML tract (3) The Information from the cuteneous mechanoreceptors travel through IÃŽÂ ² fibers in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord and innervate the dorsal column nuclei. The Axons ascend ipsilaterally the spinal cord. They decussate in the medulla and ascend through medial lemniscuses to the ventroposterolateral nucleus of the thalamus. Then they travel through the internal capsule to the primary somatosensory cortex in the postcentral gyrous. Spinothalamic tract (5) Figure 5 STT tract (3) It conveys information such as pain and temperature from nociceptors through C and AÃŽÂ ´ fibers to the laminae I-II of the dorsal horn. The axons decussate in the grey commisure of the spinal cord one or two segments above the point of entry. 2ndary axons ascend in the lateral lemniscus of the spinal cord and innervate the ventroposterolateral nucleus of the thalamus. 3rd order axons travel through the internal capsule to primary somatosensory cortex in the postcentral gyrous. Spinocerebellar tract (6) Figure 6 STT tract (7) It conveys information for unconscious proprioception from the muscle mechanoreceptors and through IÃŽÂ ² fibers in the deep dorsal horn. The axons ascend in the dorsal columns and innervate the Clarkes columns. This pathway does not decussate. The axons enter the cerebellum through the inferior pudencle. Corticospinal tract (8) Figure 7 STT tract (3) It curries information from the primary motor cortex in the precentral gyrous to the ventral horns of the spinal cord and from there through ÃŽÂ ±- motor neurons to the muscles. The axons from the pre-central gyrous pass through the internal capsule and decussate at the spino-medullary junction to form the pyramidal tract. From there they descend in the lateral corticospinal tract to innervate ÃŽÂ ±-motor neurons nuclei in the ventral horn. ÃŽÂ ±-motor neurons travel in the body and innervate the muscles. Explain the symptoms Diagnosis Below are listed and explained the symptoms caused by the spinal injury giving a possible diagnosis at the end. The symptoms of Captain Blue are due to the damage of the spinal cord caused by the vertebrae bone fragments. Symptoms Explanation Initial inability to move and shooting pains in both arms These are due to the spinal shock (9). This causes temporarily loss of function of the whole spinal cord. As a result, there is a loss of ability of voluntary control to all body giving the impression of muscle flaccid paralysis. Also there is loss of sensation and in this case there is a shooting pain in both arms. The spinal shock usually starts to face off in one day and gradually the reflexes, the control of movement and the sensation in the undamaged part are gained back. Babinski sign bilaterally. Clonus in the ankle and spasticity of the left arm and leg The Babinski reflex is a polysynaptic reflex evoked when there is nocturnous stimuli on the sole of the foot. The normal Babinski reflex causes withdrawal of the foot with adduction and flexion of the toes. An abnormal Babinski sign is one that shows abduction and extension of the toes of the foot when the foot is withdrawn. In neonates it is normal to show an abnormal Babinski reflex as their corticospinal tract has not yet matured (10). Clonus is a series of contraction when the muscle is stretched. Spastisity is increased muscle tone. All the above are indicators of an upper motor neuron lesion and indicate a possible damage on the corticospinal tracts of the spinal cord. Fasciculations Fasciculations are spontaneous, involuntary muscle contractions that can be seen below the skin. These are due to spontaneous firing of damaged ÃŽÂ ±-motor neurons. These are caused by the damage on the ventral horn where the ÃŽÂ ±-motor neurons synapse with the descending tracts. Left hemiplegia and right hemiparesis. After two months right hand movements are improved. Hemiplegia is the complete inability of the voluntary movement of the one side of the body whereas hemiparesis is the weakness in movement. As concluded above there is damage in the CST of the spinal cord. This causes ipsilateral loss of movement below the level of lesion. Left hemiplegia indicates that there is a lesion on the left side of the spinal cord as the CST decussates in the medulla. The right hemiparesis is due to the initial spinal shock. Pain sensation lost from the right shoulder downwards The loss of sensation indicates damage of the spinothalamic tract. The loss of sensation is on the right side as the lesion is on the left part of the spinal cord. This is due to the fact that STT decussates in the spinal cord. The level of loss of pain sensation is an indicator of the possible level of lesion. The shoulder region is innervated by the C5 level. Therefore, this is probably the level of injury. Bladder, bowel and genital reflexes were absent Bladder, bowel and genital reflexes are autonomic reflexes controlled by the brain. In the lateral horn of thoracolumbar and sacral levels, autonomic preganglionic fibers originate and innervate the organs. In more detail, parasympathetic activity in men is responsible for arousal whereas sympathetic activity is necessary for ejaculation and orgasm. Autonomic activity in bowel and bladders controls the muscles responsible for defecation and dieresis respectively. A lesion in the spinal cord can damage the pathway and result in incontinence of bladder and impotency for men. Joint position sense was present on both sides but pain sensation was absent on the medial right aspect of the right arm, right thorax, abdomen right lower limb. Information for joint position is ascending to the brain through the DCML tract. This means that this pathway is not damaged. On the other hand as explained above, pain sensation travels in the CTT which is damaged. In Figure 8, there is a body map showing the area affected as far as motor movement is concerned (solid brown area), and the area of impaired sensation. On the right, is the area of damage at the C5 level resulting in the symptoms on the left. Taking everything into concern, all the complications indicate a lesion on the left side on C5 level of the spinal cord due to injury from the bone fragments. The structures damaged are: DCML pathway and STT Part of the ventral horn Figure 8 Captains Blue Symptoms body map and lesion of spinal cord Spinal cord injuries Spinal cord injuries can occur due to trauma, infections, ischemia and other diseases. In this case the trauma was indirectly caused by bone due to vertebrae fracture. There are also direct traumas such as in stab wounds. Damage is firstly caused due to hemorrhaging and compression of the spinal cord. The secondary complications such as hypoxia and ischemia that occur over a longer period can also cause further damage. After the initial physical damage to the spinal cord, apoptosis of the glial cells and demyelination occur. Inflammatory cells infiltrate the spinal cord and contribute to the scaring and the inhibition of the axon growth. The injury may expand to other segments and cause grater complications (syringomyelia). Figure 9 shows a cervical spinal cord following an injury. Figure 9 Spinal cord after injury (11) Figure 10 ASIA categories for spinal cord injuries (12) Spinal cord injuries can be classified with ASIA (American Spinal Injury Association) in Asia A, B, C, D categories. Figure 10, adapted from ASIA official website, shows the characteristics of each category. Treatment Prognosis The treatment for spinal cord injuries is very complex. However, even with the best treatment, regeneration of nerves and complete regaining of functions is unlikely. The treatment mainly concerns the reduction and minimization of the damage and fights the complications caused by the injury (13). The primary line of treatment is to relieve the pressure on the spinal cord and eliminate the cause of the damage. In this case Captain Blue undergoes surgery to remove the bone fragments. The second line of treatment involves the reduction of the inflammatory response responsible for further damage. The prescription of corticosteroids helps with the anti-inflammatory effects, the reduction of the glial scar formation and the CNS cell death. Furthermore, doctors must work against problems caused by the loss of movement such as urinary infection, wasting of muscles or formation of blood clots. As a result, exercises to improve bowel and bladder function and lifestyle tips to reduce the possibility of clot formation are given. Physiotherapy is the route to avoid muscle waste. Occupational therapy is needed for the patient to learn to live with his immobility. A range of non medical specialists such as dieticians, psychologists and social workers are also needed. The prognosis for CNS damage is very poor. Regeneration of the nerves in the CNS is difficult due to: Glial scar formation. Release of inhibitory substances that oppose axon growth and remyelination. However, new techniques such as electrical stimulation of the nerves with electrical devices can be used in the future to gain muscle function. Stem cells are also a promising future. Presently the most helpful and accessible way to overcome the disabilities caused by spinal cord injuries is the wheelchair with electronic devices that can be used for communication, movement and a variety of other daily jobs.

Friday, January 17, 2020

Propolis

Introduction : Propolis is a glue-like resinous material that collected and processed by the bees (honeybees) from various sources of flowers, leaves, and other plants. It is a heterogeneous mixture consist of many compounds which is taken and converted then utilized by bees in sealing their honeycombs holes, smoothing the internal parts of the combs, and providing protection to their residence against invaders. Recent studies which have been conducted on the propolis, showed that the propolis is a mixture of phenolic compounds (phenolic acid), polyphenols , flavonoids , Easters and various types of fatty acids, amino acids, alcohol, steroids, Caffeic acid, CAPE, quercitin , carbohydrates and many other substances that forms the propolis. Its composition may differ due to the difference of the source which is collected from. The differences in their chemical composition may affect the biological activities and may also cause some diversity although the properties are almost similar in all of it. Propolis has an interest according to its properties which make it unique. It might be used in therapeutic aspects such as anti-oxidant, anti-cancer, antiviral and antibacterial activities and also radioprotective properties. Propolis has anti-cancer or anti-tumor factors. It has been reported by many studies which noticed that propolis inhibits cancer cells growth and metastasis by stimulating the apoptosis and the immune system. Apoptosis is the mechanism of destroying and eliminating the Abnormal cells that includes cancer cells. This attribute may prevent the side effects caused by chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy are used in the treating cancer but in the same time they damage other organs and may cause other diseases or undesired effects. The only disadvantage of natural anti-cancer is the rate of activity which is faster in chemo and radiotherapy . Also, it has Anti-oxidant activity due to the presence of flavonoids which inhibits the lipid peroxidation and the oxidation of LDL (low-density lipoprotein) and quercetin which is the most potent radical scavenger. Free radical scavengers may prevent the free radicals reactive species from being formed, or remove them before they can harmfully affect the components of the cell. In addition to these properties, it also has antibacterial, anti-allergic, anti-inflammatory, anti-aggregatory, anti-viral, anti-fungal and anti-bacterial effects that make propolis the focus of attention of many scientists. Cancer (malignant tumor) is an abnormal growth of cells due to either presence of mutation in DNA or inhibiting in the tumor suppressors ( one of the checkpoints on the cell cycle ) which leads to fast growth of cancer cells, invading the organs, and destroying the adjacent cells to get the nutrition. Cancer may occur in any part of the lungs and causes damage to the lung and may lead to death . Lung cancer may be hereditary or acquired by many factors, for example, smoking cigarettes, asbestos and breathing carcinogens chemicals. However, the main causes of other types of cancers are still unknown yet.

Thursday, January 9, 2020

Dr. Baba Sahib Ambedkar - 1406 Words

AMBEDKARISM IS NONE OTHER THAN MODERNISM R. Kumara Swamy Asst. Prof. of English K L University Vaddeswaram Guntur Andhra Pradesh, India ABSTRACT:: Dr. Baba Sahib Ambedkar was one to raise his voice for Dalit cause who brought out a social revolution through Dalit literature after 1960s and through the establishment of a social organization based on his principles. The Maher movement of Maharastra has been seen as all India Movement under the leadership of B.R. Ambedkar. Ambedkarism protested against the established unjust social order. It exposes the sufferings, frustration and torture imposed on them and their revolt against this inhuman treatment called modernism. Ambedkar, as a modernist with western thought emerged as a leader of the oppressed communities. As he was highly educated, he tried to transform the Indian Hindu society. He put all his efforts to eradicate the evils of caste system and untouchablity of Indian society. He rose his voice for the cause of the down-trodden, and degraded people of the society. His vast contribution for the up gradation of the Dalits of India is uncalculated and immeasurable. Without Ambedkar one cannot imagine the Indian constitution. He hoped for a casteless modern society which treats all people in equal manner, irrespective of caste and creed, race and religion. The down-trodden people who lived away from the main villages suffered for generations from the social evils of caste system. He put forward all his modernShow MoreRelatedExploitation of Teenagers as Reflected in Mulk Raj Anand’s Untouchable and Coolie4079 Words   |  17 Pageswhich we will have to adjust itself. He believes that there are only two communities 1.Abuser and 2. Abused people. Then Came Lenin Vladimir, a Russian  Marxist  revolutionary and then Stalin came with his own revolutionary thoughts. In India, Dr. Baba Saheb Ambedkar, came into the form of semi-God figure, worshipped by the down-trodden people and untouchables of India. He enriched the lives of exploiting caste by awareness, revolution and by granted them the basic human rights. Gandhiji also completely

Wednesday, January 1, 2020

Political Parties During The Civil War - 2015 Words

Political parties play an important role on how the government makes decisions. In American history there are usually two major political parties at one time. These parties can be split up into two groups of beliefs for a party, Conservative and Liberal. The first form of political parties was formed during the refining of the constitution from the Articles of Confederation. These two parties are the Federalists and the anti-federalists. The next political party is the Democratic republicans who appeared during the later time of the time of the Federalists and Anti-Federalists. The final appearance of different political parties happened during the Antebellum period before the Civil War. Political parties are a major part of American history because depending on the views and the party holding congress and the presidency it can affect what changes and how much is done during that time. The first major political party is the Federalists party. The Federalist party was one of the first major political parties. The Federalists party consist of many of the people who supported the stronger central government such as James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay. The major conflicting party of this time is the Anti-Federalist. The Major conflict of this time is was the U.S Constitution. The Federalist had the Major advantage of being well funded and have the most information being sent out to the public. As it is said on U.S.history.org, â€Å"The Federalists had more than anShow MoreRelatedThe Political Issues That Dominatedu.s Politics847 Words   |  4 PagesThe political issues that dominated U.S politics in the 1850’s was the Compromise of 1850, The Fugitive Slave Act, and popular sovereignty, dominated U.S politics. Conflicts between southern states and northern states affected U.S society because of equality, race, class, and unity between the states. In the 1850’s political issues occurred during the civil war to avoid the conflicts between slavery and the north. For instance, in the textbook, â€Å"The Americans† by Holt Dougal, states that, â€Å"To satisfyRead MoreCivil War as the Second American Revolution Essay965 Words   |  4 PagesThe Civil War could easily be seen as the second American Revolution considering it brought about significant change in history in the political, social, and economic aspects. Prior to the civil war, there had been a policy of slavery in the South which was a main cause of the conflict between the Union and the Confederacy. In the post-war period, slavery had been abolished which brought about much change in not only the social but economic aspect as well. There are many points from which the CivilRead MoreThe Outbreak of the Spanish Civil War Essay1619 Words   |  7 PagesThe Outbreak of the Spanish Civil War To this day the Spanish Civil War is still remembered as the single most pivotal moment in the history of Spanish politics. The only way of understanding how 600,000 Spaniards were killed between 1936 and 1939 is to ask ourselves why the civil war broke out in Spain in 1936. There were a number of reasons which led to the civil war in Spain. The main and most significant being the increased political polarization between theRead MoreA War Does Not Require Weapons1567 Words   |  7 Pages4C 7/July 2015 A War does not Require Weapons In between the timeline of World War One and World War Two, political leaders, states, and nations were fighting against each other with and without the usage of weapons. The ideology of great philosophers, and raising leaders, such as: Herbert Spencer, Leon Trotsky, Joseph Stalin, Great Britain, and Russia brought civil wars and battles during the small timeframe between world wars. Before we go into depth on the one 30-year war, we begin with theRead MoreThe Civil War Was Fought Over African American Freedom1331 Words   |  6 Pagesthe civil war. Till this day there has not been a straightforward answer, but many people still have different views and beliefs on what caused it. Many people believe that political issues or even taxation was the cause of the civil war. However, it was really over slavery. This essay will go over the civil war and explain why slavery caused the southerners and northerners to fight in the civil war. To what extent was the Civil War fought over African American freedom ? What were political issuesRead MoreEffects Of The Civil War On Nepal1357 Words   |  6 PagesEffects of the Civil War on Nepal Nepal is considered one of the poorest countries in the world. It suffers in many aspects due to its immense state of poverty and political violence. The civil war in Nepal, stimulated by the Communist Party against the Nepalese State, stretched over the course of 10 years lasting from 1996 to 2006. This war, also known as the â€Å"Peoples War†, was launched because the Communist Party believed that there was an insufficiency in ensuring freedom, justice and welfareRead MoreThe Second American Revolution891 Words   |  4 PagesThe Second American Revolution Thesis Statement â€Å"The Civil War may also be termed as the second American Revolution in terms of the political, social and economic changes that occurred during the war† Introduction American Civil War was fought between 1861 and 1865. The war began because President Abraham Lincoln, elected in 1860, was very persistent on preserving the Union, which was threatened by the issue of slavery. The North was growing rapidly in wealth and population, and it was clear toRead MoreDemocracy And Liberal Democracy827 Words   |  4 PagesDemocracy is a political system in which the power belongs to the people by which majority rules. The source indicates that freedom of choice is an essential component to a liberal democracy as it gives the power to the people by having multiple political ideologies to choose from and elect as their government. When there is competition between multiple parties, each party has a critical opposition that can hold each party accountable and restrict their power within government. This gives the powerRead MoreThe Second American Revolution901 Words   |  4 PagesThe Second American Revolution Thesis Statement â€Å"The Civil War may also be termed as the second American Revolution in terms of the political, social and economic changes that occurred during the war† Introduction American Civil War was fought between 1861 and 1865. The war began because President Abraham Lincoln, elected in 1860, was very persistent on preserving the Union, which was threatened by the issue of slavery. The North was growing rapidly in wealth and population, and it was clearRead MorePolitical Causes of the Civil War1130 Words   |  5 Pagesthe Americas 1 10/25/13 Pd. 1B â€Å"The Civil War in the Unites States was caused by Political Disagreements.† To what extent do you agree with this statement? In modern day politics, it seems that legal agreements cannot be made on any new policies or beliefs. Similarly in the 1800s pre- Civil War era the political situation was constantly changing around the belief of slavery and, in theory, was a leading cause of the Civil War itself. The political issues that formed tension between the North