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MEDICAL ANIMATION TRANSCRIPT: All structures in the body function together to maintain homeostasis, a process by which the body maintains its internal environment in response to the external environment. Examples of how the body maintains homeostasis include metabolism of drugs and toxins in the liver, regulation of water and solutes in the blood by the kidneys, regulation of blood glucose by the pancreas. Another homeostatic process, thermal regulation, is the maintenance of normal body temperature. If the body's skin or core temperature drops, thermoreceptors in the skin or internal organs send impulses to the hypothalamus, which acts as the body's thermostat. The hypothalamus responds through the sympathetic nervous system by constricting blood vessels in the skin. Vasoconstriction diverts blood away from the skin and extremities to the warmer interior of the body to prevent further loss of heat to the surroundings and prevent the body's core temperature from dropping further. Arrector pili muscles contract, causing piloerections in which hair follicles stand up in an attempt to trap warm air next to the skin. A continued drop in temperature prompts the hypothalamus to send impulses that elicit a shivering reflex in skeletal muscles, generating additional heat to increase body temperature. If the body's skin or core temperature increases, thermoreceptors in the skin or internal organs prompt the hypothalamus to halt sympathetic stimulation of blood vessels in the skin. The vessels dilate and allow warm blood to distribute heat through the skin. Arrector pili muscles relax and hair follicles lie flat against the skin. Sweat glands produce sweat, allowing heat loss through evaporation. The stimulus or decrease in body temperature causes the brain to act as a thermostat and dissipate heat throughout the body. Once normal temperature is reached, the thermostat shuts off. These examples of the body's response to counteract stimuli are called negative feedback loops, which allows the body to maintain homeostasis.
"There is nothing like a great graphic depicting the real nature and
extent of a victim's injuries to get full value for your client. I use
Medical Legal Art for mediations as well as trial."
Geoff Wells
Greene, Broillet, Panish & Wheeler
Santa Monica, CA
"I have a medical illustration created by Medical Legal Art at the beginning
of every case to tell the client's story, usually before I depose the
defendant doctor. The work product and cost-efficiency are outstanding. It
is a situation where, as a trial lawyer, I don't leave home without it."
Rockne Onstad
Attorney at Law
Austin, TX
"Medical Legal Art wins our firm's highest accolades for professionalism and
exhibit quality. In fact, many of the doctors I work with request color
copies of your outstanding artwork to show to patients during the informed
consent process."
Jeanne Dolan, BSRN, AlNC Legal Nurse Consultant Golden Valley, MN
"Thank you for the splendid medical-legal art work you did for us in the
case of a young girl who was blinded by a bb pellet. As a result of your
graphic illustrations of this tragic injury, we were able to persuade the
insurance company to increase their initial offer of $75,000.00 to
$475,000.00, just short of their policy limits.
We simply wanted you to know how pleased we were with your work which, to
repeat, was of superlative character, and to let you know that we would be
more than willing to serve as a reference in case you ever need one. Many
thanks for an extraordinary and dramatic depiction of a very serious injury
which clearly "catapulted" the insurance company's offer to a "full and
fair" amount to settle this case."
Medical Legal Art creates medical demonstrative evidence (medical
illustrations, drawings, pictures, graphics, charts, medical animations,
anatomical models, and interactive presentations) for use during legal
proceedings, including research, demand letters, client conferences,
depositions, arbitrations, mediations, settlement conferences, mock jury
trials and for use in the courtroom. We do not provide legal or medical
advice. If you have legal questions, you should find a lawyer with whom you
can discuss your case issues. If you have medical questions, you should seek the advice of a healthcare provider.