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Results for “Human Life Amendment”

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At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1993

Hygiene and health: the value of antiplaque agents in promoting oral health.

The improvements in human health and increased life expectancy which have come about in many societies in the past century have been due, predominantly, to improvements in hygiene--both personal and environmental. As the common oral diseases--caries and gingivitis and to some extent periodontitis--are bacterially mediated diseases, they are also amendable to control by oral hygiene. As commonly practised however, with modern diets, mechanical oral hygiene alone has limited effect on disease incidence. The supplementation of tooth brushing with chemical agents which modulate plaque metabolism and the effects of metabolites on the hard and soft tissues of the dento-gingival structures certainly has preventive and therapeutic value. This is particularly true of fluoridated dentifrices in the control of dental caries, and of dentifrices with antibacterial and anticalculus properties, such as those containing low concentrations of the phenolic compound Triclosan, in the control of gingivitis. Microbial colonisation of tooth and other body surfaces is normal and forms part of the natural defence against dangerous exogenous organisms: thus modulating or 'controlling' plaque, not eliminating it, is the purpose of oral hygiene. The goal is to maintain a microbial ecosystem consistently associated with healthy tissues.

Anti-Infective Agents, Local↗
PubMed1989

Brain life and brain death--the anencephalic as an explanatory example. A contribution to transplantation.

The current debate regarding the suitability of anencephalics as organ donors is due primarily to misunderstandings. The anatomical and neurophysiological literature shows that the anencephalic lacks a cerebrum because of the failure of neuralplate fusion. However, even the incomplete function of an atrophic brain stem is currently accepted at law in most if not all countries as sufficient for brain life: which is to say, cessation of breathing is currently required in order to make the diagnosis of brain death. Because of the extensive incompleteness of the anencephalic's brain, it is not possible to postpone death significantly by mechanical ventilation and intravenous feeding. It is acceptable to maintain life for a short period of time in order to allow organ transplantation subsequent to the declaration of death at the point of cessation of the capacity for spontaneous respiration. The most important issue is not transplantation, but the issue of brain life raised by the case of anencephalics. Since brain life in any significant sense begins only after the closure of the neural tube on the 30th day after conception, it is reasonable to take this as the point at which brain life begins. Laws should be amended in all countries to allow the abortion of anencephalics at any time, in that they do not at any time possess brain life.

Aborted Fetus↗
PubMed1989

Prenatal and postnatal effects of low-level lead exposure: integrated summary of a report to the U.S. Congress on childhood lead poisoning.

This article provides an integrated summary of a report to Congress from the Federal government (ATSDR) on childhood lead poisoning in the United States, with particular reference to low-level lead exposure and its effects on the fetus and the preschool child. As mandated by Section 118(f)(1)(C) of the 1986 Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA), ATSDR has examined the full spectrum of human in utero and postnatal lead toxicity, with emphasis on low-level neurotoxicity and adverse impacts on growth indices in risk populations. Especially important has been assessment of the relative persistence of these effects in later life as discernible from a number of longitudinal studies now under way around the world. Included in the Congressional report were discussions of dose-effect and dose-response relationships using blood lead levels as the indicator of lead dose.

Child, Preschool↗
PubMed1993

Measuring the impact of epilepsy: the development of a novel scale.

The impact of a chronic illness is experienced not only through its physical symptoms, but also as a result of its effect on psychosocial functioning. In the case of an illness such as epilepsy, where the physical manifestations are transient, the psychosocial consequences may, with time, come to be of greater concern. We have been involved in developing a quality of life model for epilepsy. As part of the refinement of the initial model, we have devised a novel scale to measure the impact of the condition on a number of different aspects of daily life. The scale was administered to 75 patients attending an epilepsy out-patient clinic. Initial analysis of its psychometric properties is encouraging, although the inclusion of an item relating to employment reduced the scale's reliability. As a result, the wording of the existing item has been amended and an additional item has been incorporated. We hope the scale will be useful in investigations of treatment for epilepsy and of its psychosocial aspects.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Health education for self-management by people with epilepsy.

As a heavily stigmatized disorder, epilepsy is surrounded by a number of common misconceptions which can contribute to poor psychosocial adjustment and problems in the medical management of this condition. Epilepsy is amendable to behavioral intervention. As with other chronic disorders, people with epilepsy should receive systematic health education about how to manage the condition most effectively.

Behavior Therapy↗
PubMed1989

Selective nontreatment of neurologically impaired neonates.

We are convinced that a best-interests approach is the best approach to take in making decisions to treat or not to treat disabled young infants. Such an approach acknowledges that there are some medical conditions that are so severe that efforts to sustain the lives of infants having the conditions cannot be said to be in the best interests of those infants. By paying attention to the variables that compose the best-interests approach, decision makers can arrive at decisions not to sustain life that are more easily justifiable than with any other approach.

Ethics, Medical↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Oestrogens reconsidered.

Oestrogen therapy or orchidectomy reigned supreme for the treatment of metastatic prostatic cancer for almost 40 years. In the last 15 years many alternative agents have been tested alone and more recently in combination. This contribution evaluates the results of some of these newer therapies considering relief of symptoms, toxicity, quality of life, survival, and benefit to the community. The results are compared with those of oestrogen therapy and with the way in which such treatment might be amended in light of more modern knowledge.

Combined Modality Therapy↗
PubMed1995

Pharmacokinetics of amikacin in children with kwashiorkor.

The pharmacokinetics of intravenous amikacin, administered as a mean (SD) bolus dose of 5.5 (1.2) mg/kg to children between the ages of 1 and 4 years with kwashiorkor, was studied. Although there was a tendency for the average volume of distribution to increase to the upper limit of normal, plasma elimination half-life, first order elimination-phase rate constant and clearance remained close to the reference values for adults. Despite marginal elevation of the average t1/2 beta-value, reflecting a general trend, renal impairment in respect of amikacin clearance could not be demonstrated. It was concluded that the changes in pharmacokinetic parameters found in kwashiorkor are not large enough to amend the current therapeutic regimens for amikacin in this condition.

Amikacin↗