Negative feedback mechanisms - Essay Example

Running Head: ASSESSMENT ITEM 2 Assessment Item 2 Question # 1.What are the negative feedback mechanisms and why are they important to health. Answer: The negative feedback mechanisms of a living organism are the mechanisms that reduce or suppress the original stimulus, given the effector's output. Thermoregulation, osmoregulation and glucoregulation are few examples of negative feedback mechanisms. The importance of negative feed back mechanisms is that they provide a negative feedback loop to keep conditions of a living organism within tolerable limits and to prevent it from a sudden severe changes.Negative feedback decreases the deviation from an ideal normal value, and is important in maintaining homeostasis. Most endocrine glands are under the control of negative feedback mechanisms (Scanlon & Sanders, 2003, pp. 8-11). Question # 2.i Explain what happens when an ATOM becomes an ION. Answer: Generally an atom has a neutral status due to the fact that the number of protons in the nucleolus are equal to the number of electrons revolving around that atom's nucleus. Nevertheless some times it happens that due to some external factors an atom or a group of atoms undergoes either an efficiency or deficiency of one or more electrons hence a positive or negative charge appears on an atom. This positive or negative charge caring entity is termed as an ion. ii: Name two cations and two anions found in body fluids. Give the correct notation and name for each ion. Answer: The most commonly found cations and anions found in a body fluid like blood and urine are Na+ (Sodium ions) and K+ (Potassium ions) and Cl (Chloride) and SO4 (Sulphate ions) (Wan, Kub, Tanyanyiwa, Rainelli & Hauser, 2004, pp. 11-16). iii. Briefly explain the function of potassium ions in the body. Answer: The major portion (about 70%) of positive ions in a cell is made up of potassium ions. The remaining portion of positive ions is comprised of sodium, calcium, magnesium, argenine and other miscellaneous ions, primarily charges on the amino acids of the proteins. The primary function of potassium ions is to regulate the osmotic pressure. Except this potassium ions are indirectly involved with regulation of the acid - base balance. They also work as a counter flow for sodium's function in nerve transmission in a nerve net work and as an activator for several enzyme systems (Weber, 2007, para. 1-14). Question # 3.i. Briefly describe the three ways by which the bacterial infections are transmission. Answer: Bacteria are microorganisms that live everywhere in our environment. Like many other microorganisms, most of bacteria are pathogenic and are likely to cause disease. Given the right circumstances, they cause infection, such as when transmitted to an immunocompromised host. Bacterial infections are transmitted by following three ways (Introduction to Infection Prevention, n. d., pp. 6-7). 1. When the bacteria come in contact with bare skin. 2. When the bacteria come in contact with mucous membranes or no intact skin, 3. When the bacteria come in contact with normally sterile body sites ii. How could shaking out soiled bed-linen increase transmission of infectious diseases within a ward Answer: There have been few recent studies demonstrating a definitive association between the transmissions of infections diseases due to shaking out soiled bed-linen and the ventilation of buildings. There is strong and sufficient evidence to demonstrate the association between ventilation, air movements in buildings and the transmission/spread of infectious diseases such as measles, tuberculosis, chickenpox, influenza, smallpox and SARS. The transmission of infectious diseases occur due to fact that there a number of microorganism that can survive can multiply in within poor indoor air quality. Question # 4: Some bacteria produce bacterial endospores. Why does this makes infection control more difficult Answer: Among other microorganisms like viruses, fungi and parasites, bacteria are also major causative agents of infection. For infection prevention purposes, bacteria can be further classified into three categories: vegetative (e.g., staphylococcus), mycobacteria (e.g., tuberculosis) and endospores (e.g., tetanus). Among these three types of infectious gents, endospores are very difficult to kill due to their protective coating Prions are a good example of endospores, which are protein-containing infectious agents present in brain, spinal column and eye tissue of patients with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, are even harder to kill (Introduction to Infection Prevention, n. d., pp. 6-7). Question #5: Viruses are obligatory infra-cellular pathogens that use the host cell's machinery to replicate. Explain why this makes developing anti-viral drugs difficult Answer: A virus is a small infectious organism-much smaller than a fungus or bacterium. The most important thing about a virus is that it reproduces or replicates inside a cell. To replicate virus enters in a cell and releases it's replicating information in the form of DNA or RNA and forces the cell's to replicate the virus. This invasion of virus destroys the cell and the infected cell releases new viruses, which go on to infect other cells. Generally viral infections may be diagnosed based on symptoms various drugs called antiviral drugs that can combat viral infections are used as remedial measures. Mostly the antiviral drugs are used to enhance the immune system against the viral attack while few drugs work to counter the replication of virus. Since viruses are micro organisms having very tiny size and only replicate inside cells using the cells' own metabolic functions hence there are only a limited number of metabolic functions that antiviral drugs can target compared to bacteria with large size and commonly reproduce by themselves outside of cells, and have many metabolic functions that antibacterial drugs (antibiotics) can target. Therefore, antiviral drugs are much more difficult to develop than antibacterial drugs. Antiviral drugs can be toxic to human cells. Viruses can develop resistance to antiviral drugs (Urban, 2007, para. 1-7). Question #6: Mr. G has been diagnosed with prostate cancer. How could radioisotopes are used to care the cancer What precautions would nurses need to take during this treatment Answer: Since Mr. G has post cancer state hence radiotherapy can be used to destroy the genetic material in cancer cells thus rendering them incapable of further growth. There are a number of ways by which radiotherapy can be administered to cure cancer cells including the use of radioisotopes (such as strontium89).In radio-isotopic treatment of post cancer cells, a source of radioactivity is placed in or near the cancer cells thereby administering a high dose of radiation to the cancer cells while minimizing radiation exposure in the surrounding healthy tissues. Brachytherapy is an example of radio-isotopic treatment of prostate cancer cell and generally used for treating cancer of the tongue, uterus and cervix. (Condren, 2007, para 1-10). It is essential that all nursing staff make ensure that the clinic is running smoothly and look after any general needs you have, such as dressings and medicines during the treatment. The nurses in the radiotherapy department can also give information and advice about the treatment and they give practical support. Question #7: What changes occur to the Integumentary System during aging How does this affect the health of elderly people Answer: The term integumentary system is used to describe an organ that consist of the skin, its derivatives (sweat and oil glands), nails and hair. The basic function of this system is the protection. The skin consists of epidermis and dermis. Epidermis consists of following three types of cells: keratinocytes, melanocytes, Merkel cells and Algerians cells) and dermis. These cells are arranged in different layers namely Stratum basale, Stratum spinosum, Stratum granulasum, Stratum lucidum and Stratum Corneum. The basic functions of these cells are to produce keratin (Keratinocytes) and melanin (Melanocytes), to activate the immune system as macrophages (Langerhans cells) and to act as sensory receptors. Demies consists of papillary and reticular layers and are richly supplied with nerves (sensory receptors), blood vessels, lymphatic vessels, sweat and sebaceous glands derived from the epidermis. Also the accessory structures include hair, nail and glands. During aging integumentary system disorder like acne, athletes foot, boils, fever blisters, impetigo, warts, alopecia, burns, calluses (corns), cancers, dandruff, eczema and moles psoriasis become more obvious as after fifty years, wrinkles and sagging of the skin becomes more noticeable. Some of them are infectious (contagious) or non- infectious and are caused by bacteria or virus or fungus. Also the deterioration of collagen, elastic fibers; decrease in sebaum production, decrease in melanin production, decrease in content and decomposition of cutaneous fat are prominent because of aging. Since aging deteriorates the immune systems hence the above mentioned integumentary system disorders greatly affect the health condition of elderly people (The Integumentary System, n.d., para. 1-8). Bibliography Condren, L. (2007). The facts about Radiotherapy. Irish Health. Retrieved September 26, 2007 from, http://medmediacampaign.com/index.htmllevel=4&id=4273&var=print Introduction to Infection Prevention. (n.d.). Infection Prevention Guidelines. Retrieved September 26, 2007. http://www.reproline.jhu.edu/English/4morerh/4ip/IP_manual/01_Introduction.pdf Scanlon, V. C. & Sanders, T. (2003). Essentials of anatomy and physiology, 5th. Retrieved September 26, 2007. http://www.fadavis.com/related_resources/1_2258_1038.pdf THE INTEGUMENTARY SYSTEM. (n.d.). Retrieved September 26, 2007. www.gpc.edu/decms/ibim/integument.htm Urban, M. (2007). Viral Infection: Introduction. The MERCK MANUALS ON LINE MEDICL LIBRARY. Retrieved September 26, 2007 from http://www.merck.com/mmhe/sec17/ch198/ch198a.html# Wan, J. Q., Kub, P., Tanyanyiwa, J., Rainelli, A. & Hauser, P.C. (2004). Determination of major inorganic ions in blood serum and urine by capillary electrophoresis with contactless conductivity detection. Analytica Chimica Acta, 525. Retrieved September 26, 2007 from http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/00032670 Weber, C. (2007). ROLES OF POTASSIUM IN THE BODY. Retrieved September 26, 2007 from, http://charles_w.tripod.com/arthritis4.html Read More