Download Week 4 homework

Scientists Working Towards A Cure
1. Spinal Cord: The Cylindrical bundle of nerve fibers and
associated tissue that is enclosed in the spine and connects
nearly all the parts of the body to the brain, with which it forms
the Central Nervous System.
Paraplegia: Paralysis of the legs and lower body, typically caused
by spinal injury or disease.
Quadriplegia: Paralysis of all four limbs.
Paralysis: The loss of the ability to move (and sometimes to feel
anything) in part or most of the body, typically as a result of
illness, poison or injury.
2. There are a few reasons researchers are very fascinated with
stem cells. Firstly they can keep dividing to produce new cells for
a lot longer unlike other cells, Secondly, under the right
conditions they can be made to differentiate into various types
of cells, such as nerve cells.
3. So far they have had promising results in rats. Injecting nerve
cells produced from embryonic stem cells into the site of the
spinal injury 7 days after the injury led to the recovery of some
muscle function. They hope to have the same results soon on
real patients.
4. hECS stands for human embryonic stem cells.
5. a) Most common is motor vehicle occupants and the second
most common is unprotected road users (Motorcycles, pedal
cyclists and Pedestrians.)
b) 50% of these injures could have something to do with sport.
That’s not counting the most common Motor Vehicle occupants
which could also be likely to be in sport.
c) Sharp trauma might mean a sharp object striking the spinal
cord causing paralysis.
6. An injury in the neck can cause quadriplegia because getting
injured in that position can stop the neurons going up the
central nervous system to the brain. An injury to the lower back
can often only cause paraplegia because in will stop the two leg
limbs from working but it is not effecting the two arms.
7. I would allow this experiment but only if someone qualified did
the procedure of crushing the rats spinal cord and they would
have to use the right equipment.
8. a) the control group is the rats that aren’t being strapped to
the wheelchairs and that are having there spinal cords crushed
but aren’t getting the treatment of a wheelchair.
b) Dependent Variable: The dependent variable in this is the rat
since it depends on the wheelchair to stay stable with the
wheelchair.
Independent Variable: Is the wheelchair because it doesn’t
depend on the rat to be stable and work.
Controlled Variables: Will be the surface where the rat is
strapped to the wheelchair.
c) because rats have the same body structure as the CNS as
humans and the same as other animals with different parts and it
is safer as if the prediction is unsuccessful they cannot fix it.