Nadya Suleman Case – "Octomom", Excessive Implantation Of EmbryosMarch 23, 2013Nadya Denise Doud-Suleman, born Natalie Denise Suleman, became known as “Octomom” via media sensationalism after giving birth to octuplets in January 2009. The successful birth of her octuplets are only the second full set of octuplets to be born alive in the United States. The circumstances surrounding her personal intentions, the in vetro fertilization, and public outcry over utilization of public assistance for support, have led to tremendous controversy.Regarding her intentions, she has been under scrutiny for her ability to tell the truth so much of what she says is considered unreliable. She has, however admitted to using fertilization as a means to keep her marriage to then husband, Marco Gutierrez. Mr. Gutierrez is in fact not the father of any of her children because he chose not to participate in the in vitro fertilization process and instead filed for divorce. As a result, Nadya proceeded with multiple procedures as a single mother. By 2002 she had given birth to six children from five pregnancies.While most would already have concerns that a single mother would have difficulty supporting six children, Nadya insisted upon another in vitro fertilization. She has stated that she requested for all of the remaining fresh embryos to be implanted because she did not want them to be destroyed. This last fertilization resulted in 8 children. All six embryos developed as well as two of them dividing resulting in the total of eight.Many ethical questions have developed as a result of her choices as well as her doctor's choices. What are a fertlization doctor's responsibilities? Do they answer to the patient's desires or to a pre determined ethical standard determined by a board of medical professionals? As it turns out, both factors come in to play. Because Nadya Suleman could not maintain ethical standards on her own, she is now the single mother of fourteen children and relies upon public assistance to make ends meet. The public is outraged that she could have even considered such a selfish act. Her doctor, Michael Kamrava, has been under investigation by the Medical Board of California and has already been expelled from the American Society for Reproductive medicine for his questionable ethical behavior.Although it appears that no laws have been broken, the appearance of impropriety continues to fuel the need to set some solid regulations regarding fetilization procedures to prevent willful excessive implantaion of embryos. Should a person on welfare have a right to fertilization efforts? If yes, what are the limitations? How far can a doctor go to achieve the results demanded of his patient? This case will likely be debated for years with interest by the medical world, the general public, and the thousands of people attempting to conceive. However, ethically this is only the tip of the iceburg. Other in vitro fertilization ethical issues are, lab mix-ups or mistakes, genetic screening, industry profits, pregnancy vs age, same sex parenting, anonymous donors, and religious objections just to name a few.The quest for ethical middle ground will likely never end with so many factors to debate. As of this writing there have been no substantial changes in regulations although patients and doctors will likely walk a tighter ethical line as a result of the choices made by Nadya Suleman and Dr. Michael Kamvara.Refereces :Duke, Alan, “Medical society boots doctor who did IVF in Suleman octuplets case” CNN (October 19, 2009), HYPERLINK "http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/10/19/octomom.doctor/index.html?iref=werecommend"http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/10/19/octomom.doctor/index.html?iref=werecommend HYPERLINK "http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/10/19/octomom.doctor/index.html?iref=werecommend", Retrieved March 20, 2013.Mike Celizic, Octuplets' mom : “ I'm not being selfish”, MSNBC. Com (February 11, 2009), HYPERLINK "http://www.today.com/id/29135612"http://www.today.com/id/29135612 HYPERLINK "http://www.today.com/id/29135612", Retrieved March 15, 2013.“Medical society probes octuplets' conception”, MSNBC (February 10, 2009), HYPERLINK "http://www.nbcnews.com/id/29123731/"http://www.nbcnews.com/id/29123731/ Retrieved March 20, 2013.
Aspergillosis Sue WrightGeneral DescriptionAspergillosis is disease cause by a mold named aspergillus. It was identified by an Italian priest and biologist in 1729 named Pier Antonio Micheli. There are many different kinds of aspergillosis. There are nearly 200 molds found in nature all around the globe of the same genus.One variation causes allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis, a condition where the fungus causes allergic respiratory symptoms, such as wheezing and coughing, but does not actually invade and destroy tissue. The variation addressed in this report is invasive aspergillosis attributed to aspergillus fumigatus. This disease typically affects people with immune system problems. A weak immune system allows the fungal growth to invade the body and damage tissues. It primarily affects the lungs. It can infect many other organs as well and spread throughout the body.Is Aspergillosis Contagious?Aspergillus fumigatus is an opportunistic fungi. It rarely, if ever, effects an othms need not be concerned as the immune system removes the spore and renders them harmless. However, if you have a compromised immune system, breathing in aspergillus spores can easily lead to infection. Very dusty places such as building renovations or construction have been linked to allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis. Contaminated biomedical devices have even been determined to be the cause of Aspergillus skin infections.Culture of house dust showing Aspergillus growth.SymptomsThere are many different kinds of aspergillosis responsible for various different symptoms. It causes respiratory symptoms like wheezing, coughing and even fever in people with asthma or cystic fibrosis. However rare, a healthy person may have these symptoms. It can form a “fungus ball” in the lung or other organs called aspergilloma. For some people with other forms of lung disease, like emphysema or a history of tuberculosis, lung aspergillomas are much more common. It is possible to have an aspergilloma aspergillosis is suspected, a doctor might ask you to have an imaging test performed of the lungs. More definitive testing requires samples of respiratory secretions and tissue samples to be sent to the laboratory where they will be cultured for indications of fungus. Biopsies of affected tissue should be examined for evidence of the fungus under a microscope.Detection of Aspergillosis:Direct microscopic methodsSpecimen source ; Sputum, bronchial washings or throat swabsWet mount preparation in KOH – dichotomously branched hyphaeNo yeast cellsStains:Specimen : sputumstain : gram stainMagnification : 1000XStructure : Septate Hyphae, dichotomous branch, parallel sides, no constrictionsSpecimen : sputumstain : Lactophenol Cotton BlueStructure : Smooth and colorless conidiophore. Uniseriate, dome shaped appearance. Phialides covering two thirds of the vesicle, forming compact columns. Round conidia in chainsMag. 400X Mag. 1000XCulture:Sabouraud's dextrose agar with chloramphenicol and genphae of Aspergillus fumigatus.GMS stained tissue section of lung showing dichotomously branched, septate hyphae of Aspergillus fumigatus.Aspergilloma found at post-mortem in the lung of a child with leukaemia. Note fungus ball occupying cavity.TreatmentEarly diagnosis yields the best opportunity treat invasive aspergillosis successfully. Voriconazole is the most popular choice of drugs to treat invasive aspergillosis. Other drugs can be used for patients whom do not responded to voriconazole such as itraconazole, lipid amphotericin formulations, caspofungin, micafungin, and posaconazole. If the patient had been previously prescribed immunosuppressive medications, they should be discontinued or decreased.PreventionBecause this fungus is so prevalent in our environment there is little that can be done to avoid it completely. However, those with compromised immune systems should try to avoid dusty environments and activities where dust exposure is obviously greater than normal. Wearing matp://www.mycology.adelaide.edu.au/gallery/photos/aspergillus09.html HYPERLINK "http://www.mycology.adelaide.edu.au/gallery/photos/aspergillus10.html"http://www.mycology.adelaide.edu.au/gallery/photos/aspergillus10.html HYPERLINK "http://www.mycology.adelaide.edu.au/gallery/photos/aspergillus08.html"http://www.mycology.adelaide.edu.au/gallery/photos/aspergillus08.htmlhttp://www.mycology.adelaide.edu.au/gallery/photos/aspergillus07.htmlhttp://www.mycology.adelaide.edu.au/gallery/photos/aspergillus06.htmlhttp://www.mycology.adelaide.edu.au/gallery/photos/aspergillus05.html HYPERLINK "http://www.mycology.adelaide.edu.au/gallery/photos/aspergillus04.html"http://www.mycology.adelaide.edu.au/gallery/photos/aspergillus04.htmlhttp://www.mycology.adelaide.edu.au/gallery/photos/aspergillus03.html HYPERLINK "http://www.mycology.adelaide.edu.au/gallery/photos/aspergillus02.html"http://www.mycology.adelaide.edu.au/gallery/photos/aspergillus02.html HYPERLINK "http://www.mycology.adelaide.edu.au/Laborg
Reye`s Syndrome might possibly have been reported as early as 1929. However, Reye`s Syndrome was officially identified in 1963 and named after an Australian, Dr. R. Douglas Reye, whom published the first study with assistance from two of his associates.Reye`s Syndrome is most often associated with neurological deterioration and death. The CDC (Centers for Disease Control) findings supported this theory during the 1973 -1974 influenza B epidemic. They reported a mortality rate of 41 percent in the United States. The findings were later found to be the same for influenza A epidemics. During years when there were no identified epidemics, the mortality results continued to be the same for both influenza A and B.Reye`s Syndrome is most notably connected to sudden (acute) brain damage (encephalopathy) and liver function problems of unknown cause. The syndrome has been associated with the use of aspirin or other medicines containing salicylic acid to treat chickenpox or the flu in children. Reye`s Syndrome is most often seen in children. Most cases associated with chicken pox have been shown to occur in children age 5 to 9, while those associated with the flu have occurred in children aged 10 to 14.
Money and SuccessNovember 17, 2003The Face of SuccessWhat is success? What does it look like? Do you know it when you see it? Is it money? Is it fame? Maybe success to you is driving an expensive car or dining in the best restaurants. I believe this is the idea most of people have when they think about success. There was a person in my life that defined success for me and I would like to tell you about her.There was an old woman that lived near my home. Her house was in terrible disrepair and appeared almost unlivable. Some of the roof tiles were missing and the paint was faded and peeling off of the walls. The entrance door dangled loosely from its hinges as if it were about to fall off. She lived alone in this broken down old house and it appeared she didn’t have any family. One day my mother told me that she had lost her family during the Korean war.The old woman’s name was Jung Ja, which means “honesty” in Korean. I had seen her many times when I was a child. When I saw her for theore was very small and sat in the road. It looked like a tent (barricade). While she was the owner, she was also the only worker. She had an old machine that helped her to make the round shape of the ho ddock. The only other things in her little store were dough, sugar, and a small radio that helped her to pass the time when business was slow.The ho ddock she made were very popular in my town. Her ho ddock’s flavor was different from others. I think she had a special know-how in making the dough. One day my mother tried to make the ho ddock at home, but it just wasn’t the same as Jung Ja’s. My father used to buy some ho ddocks on the way home after work. It was the best snack in my house.Jung Ja worked very hard. She opened the small store at five am and closed at ten pm. She loved working. The weather made no difference to her. Summer heat or winter cold, she was always there. The ho ddock was inexpensive. It cost only fifty cents. However, her ho ddock’s were special and known by manhome from school. She used to call to me and sometimes give me free ho ddock. We came to be very good friends. She used to ask me how my school was going and about my friendships.One day, I was passing near her little store with my head down and a sorrowful look upon my face.“Yong Soo, what’s wrong? You look very sad,” Jung Ja called to me with a curious voice.“Yes”, I answered apprehensively, “I am very sad. My best friend, Sun Young, can no longer attend school with me. She could not pay the tuition to enter high school. I had always thought we would go to high school together.” She surely noticed the tears on my face.“That’s too bad, how come her parents don’t pay the tuition?” she said, as she stopped making ho ddocks and listened carefully.“She doesn’t have her father,” I said. “Her father died from cancer when she was very young. After her father died, her family became poor. Sun Young is very smart, and she’s a good student. She wants to be a doctor. I want to help her, but I dold go to high school now. It sounded like a miracle to me, but somehow she had gotten a scholarship. Someone had made an anonymous contribution for her scholarship. All of my classmates were also very happy about her good fortune. I could hardly wait to tell Jung Ja about this wonderful news.After school, Sun Young and I rushed to Jung Ja’s little store. “Hello Jung Ja!” I shouted with excitement, “This is my best friend Sun Young. You won’t believe this, but she received a scholarship, so we can go to high school together!” I’m sure she could see the happiness on our faces and joy in our words. I introduced Sun Young to her although Sun Young seemed a bit shy at meeting this nice but poor old woman.“That’s great! That’s wonderful! I am so proud of you two,” she told us, “Study hard and your dreams may come true. God helps those who help themselves,” She gave us good advise and hope for our future.After I entered high school, I could no longer stop by Jung Ja’s store. I had to move neao ddock store to Seoul National University. She wanted the money, five hundred thousand dollars, to be used to help poor students. In addition, she had been secretly donating scholarship money to this and other schools for many years. I was astounded. I almost could not believe what I was seeing and hearing. I had always thought that she was a person that could use someone’s help, but it turns out that she was a person spending her life helping others.I think I can understand now why she always looked happy when she was working. She wasn’t lonely, poor, or even a scrooge. She not only had money, but she was rich in her heart and in her life. It was more important in her life to help others than it was for her to live in a nice house or have new clothing. And as it happens, she was never alone because she was always helping others like my friend, Sun Young.I learned some important lessons from Jung Ja. One important lesson is that money does not make you successful, it is what you do wis.
Family ValuesOctober 27, 2003Faith and Family TiesWhat holds a family together? I believe it is faith in each other. If you cannot trust your family members, then who can you trust? Strangers? My family believes in me without my need to prove myself to them. I also have faith in them and believe in their integrity.When I was young, I was a tomboy. I used to have a runny nose even if I didn’t have a cold. It was a deep-yellow snot. It didn’t go inside my nose because it was too thick. I always used to clean my nose with a sleeve. So my sleeve part was always dirty. I didn’t know there was a handkerchief when I was six years old. In addition, because my parents had to work, they couldn’t take care of me so nicely and cleanly.I usually played with my old grandma. She was 76 years old, many wrinkles on her face, white hair, thick glasses, and a humpback. She loved to read the Bible with her thick glasses. She used to say that I was a boyish girl. I was fearless. I loved to play with water. to the house. I enjoyed counting the tomatoes, and I ate them as soon as they became red. There were strange holes around the garden. My father said they were mole’s holes. Sometimes, I was the one digging holes. He hated the moles, but everything was my living toy.My three older brothers went to school. I could not go to school until I became seven years old. I envied my brothers. I always wanted to follow them because when they came home, they had candy in their mouth. I noticed that the candy was usually almost gone. There was only one thing I could do; it was crying. I cried as much as I could. I thought that if I cried so pitifully, someone might give a candy to me. But it never happened. I liked the candy colors. Every time I had to check the color from my brothers’ tongues. They had multicolored tongues. My grandma used to say, “When you go to school, you can have candies like your brothers, so stop crying my baby.” That was our arrangement. Until I went to school, I had to star mother was very different. She was always chewing gum and wearing make up. Her voice was very sharp and cold. Many things about her were different from my mother. However, I wanted to make a new friend. I was sick and tired of playing with my old grandma. After Jin Young moved next my house, I went to her house almost every day. I imagined her house was like the school I wanted to go to. She had many toys and dolls, but the one I liked the best was a Barbie doll. I loved her blonde hair, beautiful eyes, small mouth, long arms and legs. I thought that she was the most beautiful doll in the world. One day Jin Young’s mother went to the market. The market was very close to my house. There were only Jin Young and me in her house. I played with her toys the same as usual. A short time later, her mother returned and I went home. I usually returned home around three because my brothers came home from school at that time. I liked being with my brothers most, even though Jin Young had many tos wrong?” my grandma asked with worry. I was putting my socks on beside grandma’s old chair, getting ready to go to Jin Young’s house.“She stole the money. My money disappeared yesterday. I put one hundred dollars on the TV table, but it was gone after Yong Soo left. I am sure that she stole it,” she said as she tilted her head up.“There must be something wrong. She is such a good little girl,” stated my grandma. She strongly denied that I would steal money.“Did you do that?” she started pressing me. Of course I had not and I didn’t even know what one hundred dollars looked like.“No, I didn’t,” I answered very shortly. I was afraid of Jin Young’s angry mother. I knew that she was wrong, but I couldn’t say anything.That evening as when my father and mother got home from work, the door was knocked on again. I felt my honest heart beating so fast. I wanted to hide forever. I already expected that my parents must be upset and disappointed about whatever I did. I ran to my grandma to hide. to cry. My face was wet with a mixture of tears and runny nose.“Stop crying. Is it true?” my father and mother came to me, and asked slowly.I didn’t say anything. I don’t know why I said nothing. I was so afraid of being in trouble.“What did you teach your kids? If you are their parents, teach them correctly,” Jin Young’s mother snapped as she left. I saw my father wanted to say something, but he didn’t. My mother was sobbing. They looked shocked. They taught me always to be honest, yes they did… She was definitely wrong. I wanted to say she was wrong, but I couldn’t say anything about this again.That night my mother washed my sticky face and changed all my clothing, but she didn’t ask me what was true. I was so tired because of my excessive crying. After cleaning me up, my mother gave me a big hug, I fell asleep so deeply. The next morning, everything was normal. My grandma still took care of me, my parents worked, and my brothers went to school. But I didn’t go to Jin Young’s house