Response to question 1
The condition is described by researchers as nine groups of hereditary disorders affecting muscle strength among articulating nerves. They are Duchenne muscular dystrophy; Becker muscular dystrophy; Congenital MD; Emery-Dreifuss MD; Facioscapulohumeral MD; Distal MD; Myotonic MD; Oculopharyngeal MD and Limb-girdle MD (Motlagh, MacDonald, Tarnoplosky, 2005)
A progressive pathophysiology begins with muscle weakness that gets worse over time. Some types start in early childhood and are linked to the male gender. Contractures could develop; then loss of balance and coordination; wasting of the muscle which is replaced by fatty tissue in some cases; sclerosis; difficulty in walking; frequent falls; clumsiness; weakening of heat muscle and difficulty in swallowing (Goyenvalle, Vulin & Fougerousse, 2004).
These changes are in direct response to mutation of the dystrophin gene responsible for connecting the cytoskeleton of each muscle fiber to the basal lamina (extracellular matrix) underneath. In turn the basal lamina communicates with sub units of complex protein in providing strength for associating muscles. In the absence of dystrophin, calcium penetrates muscle cell membranes altering signal pathways allowing excessive water to enter the mitochondria. This tissue, eventually, necroses and bursts (McCance & Huether, 2009).
Further research has shown where skeletal muscle dystrophy occurring from mitochondrial dysfunction amplifies stress-induced cytosolic calcium signals which imitate the progression of generalized muscle weakness and death (Emery, 2002).
Response to question 2
Mrs. Thomas goes outside of her home during winter without adequate protection of her arms, face and feet. Suddenly she begins to feel a slight painful prickly sensation to her toes and fingers becoming red-grayish; hard waxy numb and blistering. She calls out for help. Questions asked, Are your limbs painful? Are you felling at the tips of your toes and fingers? Are there any blisters to your skin?
Response to question 3
This segment of the research discusses prevention, pathogenesis, and treatment of dermatophyte infection inclusive of potential difficulties in eradicating mycoses of the hair and nails. Dermatophyte infections are classified as a group of three fungal disorders affecting human nails, hair and skin (Marieb & Hoehn, 2007).
Scientists have recommended that in preventing this infection people must keep toe nails clean and dry; avoid exchanging clothing, bath towels, shoes, underwear, combs. This allows transference from one host to the next. In keeping toes dry would help dislocate a habitat for fungi to thrive since they like moisture (Marieb & Hoehn, 2007).
In infecting skins, nails and hair dermatophytes feed on the keratin found within these tissues because they are parasites. They then, form colonies when invasion is accessed. Within days inflammation of the affected tissue appears in response to metabolic activity of parasites.
Dermatophytes then restrict themselves within the epidermis underneath the nonliving cornified layers. In this region their activity is confined because they cannot penetrate more viable tissue due to the body’s immune system. Cell mediated immunity can thereafter develop and the infection subsides with no serous impact. However, in cases where the host has a defective cell mediated immunity system this condition becomes chronic and difficult to cure (Ajello & Getz, 2004).
Invest. Dermat. 22 (1): 17–22.
Emery AE (2002). "The muscular dystrophies". Lancet 359 (9307): 687–695
Goyenvalle A, Vulin A, Fougerousse F. (2004). "Rescue of dystrophic muscle through U7
snRNA-mediated exon skipping". Science 306 (5702): 1796–9
Marieb, E. & Hoehn, K. (2007). Human Anatomy & Physiology (7th ed.). San Francisco, CA: Pearson Benjamin Cummings.
McCance, K. & Huether, S. (2009). Pathophysiology: The Biologic Basis for Disease in Adults
and Children (6th ed.).
Motlagh B, MacDonald JR, Tarnoplosky MA (2005). Nutritional inadequacy in adults with
muscular dystrophy. Muscle Nerve. 31(6):713-8.
