Alzheimer's Disease, a Family Trait Research Paper

Alzheimer's Disease, a Family Trait - Research Paper Example It is characterized by loss of memory, apathy, depression, impaired judgment, confusion, difficulty in controlling behavior, and in walking, speaking and swallowing. The Alzheimer’s Association, a non-profit organization based in Chicago, lists ten warning signs that could point to an early onset of Alzheimer’s. The most typical sign of the disease is loss of memory that is not distinct from age-related forgetfulness. Alzheimer’s memory loss is characterized by forgetting important dates or events and not remembering these later. Another significant sign of early onset Alzheimer’s is losing the ability to do routine tasks involving numbers such as balancing a checkbook or paying monthly bills. Daily tasks are difficult to complete, whether at home or at work. Problems with vision and in speaking or writing, having sudden mood swings, and being suddenly anti-social are also associated with early signs of Alzheimer’s. Once these symptoms are observed, a visit to the doctor becomes very necessary. Although it has been more than 100 years since Alzheimer’s disease was identified, studies on its causes, treatment and symptoms started only thirty years ago. In persons with the disease, protein deposits called beta-amyloid accumulate outside of the neurons in the brain, while tau, another protein accumulates inside the neurons. The neurons comprise the nerve cells which are responsible for communicating information or signals to the brain. The nerve cells are connected to each other by synapses, where the information flows in tiny pulses. The brain has trillions of these synapses for creation of memories, movements, emotions, sensations and thoughts. In Alzheimer’s disease, the synapses have accumulation of beta-amyloid proteins that lead to interference in the transfer of information and the death of the neurons. Tau proteins inside the nerve cells also block nutrient and cellular flow, which also result in cell death. Imbalance between the removal of the beta amyloid proteins and the accumulation result in the formation of the neurofibrillary tangles. The brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease are littered with dead and dying neurons. Risk factors The chance of getting Alzheimer’s is increased when heritable mutations are present in the genetic make-up of certain individuals. People with this type are said to have â€Å"familial† Alzheimer’s disease; symptoms of the disease can be observed starting at age 30. However, this genetic and heritable type occurs in only 1% of the cases. Risk factors for the disease have been identified (Alzheimer's Association, 2011). The primary risk factor is advancing age. Other risk factors are family history of Alzheimer’s, a specific form of apolipoprotein E-?4, having mild cognitive impairment, head trauma, and the presence of cardiovascular disease factors like high cholesterol levels. A medical history of Alzheimerâ€℠¢s also improves the chances of getting the disease, especially when a direct family member (parent or sibling) is afflicted with the disease. The correlation with apolipoprotein E-?4, and cardiovascular disease factors with the disease imply that lifestyle and diet can also contribute to disease development. Biochemical, genetic and medical history tests have been formulated that can actually predict the risk of having Alzheimer’s later in life. Family members of patients with Alzheimer’

Bussiness ethics Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Bussiness ethics - Research Paper Example a type of moral relativism. Likewise, a further level of distance will be sought from the point of view that morality is ultimately immutable and constant; i.e. a type of moral absolutism. In this way, a type of combination approach in which some aspects of ethics and morality are unchanging and others are informed as a result of the situation and the times; i.e. a type of moral objectivism. For purposes of this response, normative morality will be considered as the ethical action and descriptive morality will be defined as the way in which morality and ethics are understood within the constraints of individual beliefs. a. Businesses can have ethical standards, but Businesses are not moral agents. Do you agree or disagree? With regards to businesses not being moral agents, this is a statement that this author patently disagrees with. A moral agent is merely an entity that through proper application of moral behavior and ethical decisions is able to project these forces onto the envir onment within which they ultimately interact or operate within. As such, a business has the strong possibility, even perhaps the requirement, of being a moral agent within the community and/or environment within which they operate. b. Is it true that the â€Å"bottom line† of business is profit and profit alone? Likewise, with respect to the statement above, it is the belief of this author, supported by the proof of many unethical businesses that have risen and fallen within the past, that the ultimate bottom line cannot entirely rest upon profitability. The fact of the matter is that the entropy of the business world means that firms must continually fight not only for profits but for market share and customers within the system. As such, seeking to focus upon a bottom line that only cares about profit will necessarily yield to a failed business due to the fact that ethics, morality, and other key human and social concerns will not be considered; thereby ultimately affecting the performance of the firm and/or the way it is viewed within the marketplace. c. In business, are there other less tangible goals that are intrinsic to and just as important as making money? The intangible goals such as providing humane and ethical conditions of employment as well as the end product or service to the customer is more important if not more than the intrinsic goal of making money. In the short term, such a plan may work to provide a level of business continuation; however, the other aspects of a business model or plan will ultimately make or break the longevity of the firm/enterprise/organization. d. Why should we be moral as individuals? Ultimately, morality as an individual comes down to seeking to maximize the good that exists in the world. Although making moral decisions can oftentimes be difficult, a moral choice is the one that best upholds the needs of the individual as well as the needs of greater society. In this way, seeking to behave in an ethically resp onsible manner as well as morally will ensure that the greater good within each and every situation is attempted to be maximized. Rather than merely seeking to further our own ends (i.e. a type of utilitarianism), the ultimate goal should be to further our ow