Word: organism
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Even more alarming to doctors are the changes that excess weight can wreak on the liver. It's this organ, after all, that orchestrates the breakdown and distribution of fats and sugars from the diet. When too much of either comes in, the liver starts to keep some of the excess for itself, converting sugars from soft drinks and the ubiquitous high-fructose corn syrup into fat that remains within its tissues...
Many overweight children already show abnormal levels of liver enzymes, and fully one-third suffer from fatty liver, a condition in which the organ becomes streaked with fat. "I worry about the outcome of these children 10 to 20 years from now," says Dr. Miriam Vos, a pediatrician and liver expert at Emory University. "In adults, we know that 3% to 5% of those with fatty-liver disease will progress on to cirrhosis or to an advanced stage where you might need a liver transplant." While not all cases reach such a dangerous state, Vos notes that in about...
...Moreover, this attitude reflects a paternalistic view of the decision-making capacity of the poor. One cannot assume that the decision to sell an organ is myopic or irrational when a poor person makes it. While some could potentially sell their organs out of desperation, it is likely that they would rather have the money—which could provide them with food, shelter, or medicine—than have both kidneys. Prohibiting such a sale will not alleviate the other problems they face; in fact, it will exacerbate them...
...Compensation to living kidney donors will save lives by increasing the supply of kidneys available for transplant—but most Americans probably value their kidneys at more than $6,000. Even more effective would be a system that allowed persons who consent to donate their organs upon death to bequeath their compensation. Currently only 35 percent of licensed drivers and ID card holders register to be organ donors. One would expect many more Americans to register if it meant that this would swell the inheritance they leave behind by several thousand dollars...
...future with the advancements of biotechnology. This has already begun in conjunction with genomic research, cloning, and the commodification of DNA. We will need to consider the practicality and efficacy of our legislation more so than people’s moral indignation at certain activities. Legalized compensation for organ donation is a clear starting point...