If science is to achieve its goal, i.e., advancement of human well-being, the results of scientific research must be made available. When such results are presented, that presentation must be 'ethical'; it must conform to recognized standards of honesty, originality, and fairness. Unfortunately, not all such presentations conform to these standards; the public and scientific community alike are becoming ever more concerned about duplication in publication, about illegitimate claims to authorship, and about misleading use of statistics in presentation of experimental results. Certain of these 'unethical' practices can be eliminated or minimized by education, institutional practice, and requirements set by scientific journals. In the end, however, 'ethical publication' will depend on the 'ethical investigator'--an individual who has professed dedication to truth and the well-being of mankind.
ABSTRACT:Brain death and the persistent vegetative state (PVS) share the following features: 1.) There is death of neurons in the brain; 2.) Both require an etiology which is capable of causing neuronal death. 3.) The potential for cognition is totally and permanently lost; 4.) Intensive medical support is usually withdrawn. In contrast, the diagnosis of brain death depends on death of the brainstem, while PVS implies permanent and total loss of forebrain function. While brainstem death can be diagnosed clinically, accurate prognosis in PVS requires additional investigation. Thus far, the EEG is the most specific test of neuronal function in the cerebral cortex. Brain death is equivalent to death, while PVS is not; management of the latter is more complex because of medical, social, ethical and legal factors.
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