Shark Facts

Shark Facts There are several hundred species of sharks, ranging in size from less than eight inches to over 65 feet, and native to every marine environment around the world. These amazing animals have a fierce reputation and fascinating biology. Fast Facts: Sharks Scientific Name: ElasmobranchiiCommon Name: SharksBasic Animal Group: FishSize: 8 inches to 65 feetWeight: Up to 11 tonsLifespan: 20–150 yearsDiet:  CarnivoreHabitat: Marine, coastal and oceanic habitats worldwideConservation Status: 32% are Threatened, with 6% as Endangered and 26% as Vulnerable on a global basis; 24% are Near Threatened Description A  cartilaginous fish  has a body structure formed of cartilage, instead of bone. Unlike the fins of bony fishes, the fins of cartilaginous fish cannot change shape or fold alongside their body. Even though sharks dont have a bony skeleton like many other fish, they are still categorized with other vertebrates in the Phylum Chordata, Subphylum Vertebrata, and Class Elasmobranchii. This class is made up of about 1,000 species of sharks, skates, and rays. Sharks teeth don’t have roots, so they usually fall out after about a week. However, sharks have replacements arranged in rows and a new one can move in within one day to take the old one’s place. Sharks have between five and 15 rows of teeth in each jaw, with most having five rows. A shark has tough skin that is covered by dermal denticles, which are small plates covered with enamel, similar to that found on our teeth. Stephen Frink/Iconica/Getty Images Species Sharks come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes and even colors. The largest shark and the largest fish in the world is the whale shark (Rhincodon typus), which is believed to reach a maximum length of 65 feet. The smallest shark is thought to be the dwarf lantern shark (Etmopterus perryi), a rare deep-sea species which is about 6 to 8 inches long. Habitat and Range Sharks are found from shallow to deep sea environments, in coastal, marine and oceanic environments the world over. Some species inhabit shallow, coastal regions, while others live in deep waters, on the ocean floor and in the open ocean. A few species, such as the bull shark, move easily through salt, fresh and brackish waters. Diet and Behavior Sharks are carnivores, and they primarily hunt and eat fish, sea mammals like dolphins and seals, and other sharks. Some species prefer or include turtles and seagulls, crustaceans and mollusks, and plankton and krill in their diets. Sharks have a lateral line system along their sides which detects water movements. This helps the shark find prey and navigate around other objects at night or when water visibility is poor. The lateral line system is made up of a network of fluid-filled canals beneath the shark’s skin. Pressure waves in the ocean water around the shark vibrate this liquid. This, in turn, is transmitted to jelly in the system, which transmits to the shark’s nerve endings and the message is relayed to the brain. Sharks need to keep water moving over their gills to receive necessary oxygen. Not all sharks need to move constantly, though. Some sharks have spiracles, a small opening behind their eyes, that force water across the shark’s gills so the shark can be still when it rests. Sharks that do need to swim constantly have active and restful periods rather than undergoing deep sleep like we do. They seem to be â€Å"sleep swimming,† with parts of their brain appearing less active while they remain swimming. David Jenkins/Robert Harding World Imagery/Getty Images Reproduction and Offspring Some shark species are oviparous, meaning they lay eggs. Others are viviparous and give birth to live young. Within these live-bearing species, some have a placenta just like human babies do, and others do not. In those cases, the shark embryos get their nutrition from a yolk sac or unfertilized egg capsules filled with yolk. With the sand tiger shark, things are pretty competitive. The two largest embryos consume the other embryos of the litter.   While nobody seems to know for certain, it has been estimated that the whale shark, the largest shark species, can live up to 150 years, and many of the smaller sharks can live between 20 and 30 years. Some sharks actually lay eggs while others give birth. Cludio Policarpo / EyeEm  / Getty Images   Sharks and Humans Bad publicity around a few shark species has doomed sharks in general to the misconception that they are vicious man-eaters. In fact, only 10 out of all the shark species are considered dangerous to humans. All sharks should be treated with respect, though, as they are predators, often with sharp teeth that could inflict wounds (especially if the shark is provoked or feels threatened). Threats Humans are a greater threat to sharks than sharks are to us. Many shark species are threatened by fishing or bycatch, which lead  to the deaths of millions of sharks each year. Compare that to shark attack statistics- while a shark attack is a horrifying thing, there are only about 10 fatalities worldwide each year due to sharks. Since they are long-lived species and only have a few young at once, sharks are vulnerable to overfishing. Many are caught incidentally in fisheries targeting tunas and billfishes, and a growing market for shark fins and meat for restaurants is also impacting different species. One threat is the wasteful practice of shark-finning, a cruel practice in which the sharks fins are cut off while the rest of the shark is thrown back in the sea.   The shark fin trade is one of the threats humans pose towards sharks.   IN2 Focus Media/Getty Images   Conservation Status The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has assessed over 60 species of pelagic sharks and rays. About 24 percent are classed as Near Threatened, 26 percent are Vulnerable, and 6 percent Endangered on a global basis. About 10 are classed Critically Endangered. Sources Camhi, Merry D. et al. The Conservation Status of Pelagic Sharks and Rays: Report of the IUCN Shark Specialist Group Pelagic Shark Red List Workshop, Oxford, IUCN, 2007.Kyne, P.M., S.A. Sherrill-Mix, and G. H. Burgess. Somniosus microcephalus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: e.T60213A12321694, 2006.Leandro, L. Etmopterus perryi. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: e.T60240A12332635, 2006.Pierce, S.J. and B. Norman. Rhincodon typus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: e.T19488A2365291, 2016.Shark Facts. World Wildlife Fund.Simpfendorfer, C. Burgess, G.H. Carcharhinus leucas. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: e.T39372A10187195, 2009.

Death of Sun - 1 page discussion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Death of Sun - 1 page discussion - Essay Example ve until this time, it is therefore clear that the use of space shuttles and similar vehicles to transport humans to outside of Earth will have become mass produced. It is therefore sensible to conclude that there should be technology which is advanced enough to propel all human beings to a refugee planet in outer space. However, the only problems that might be encountered here would be the probable fight for who will be on those vehicles first, plus the money needed for it. Human greed might then become the reason for the probable failure of this evacuation plan. Anyone anywhere should therefore cooperate with the government and the media on what to do, although this would be highly impossible because of panic. There is nothing much anyone can do at this time but to keep their ears glued to the news, to pack up all their essentials, and to say their prayers. They should then await any directive from the government. They should then await any directive from the government for a possible relocation to where they should be transported to space. If the sun dies out, then the whole solar system should also die, and so only an exoplanet could be the answer. According to National Geographic, there is an exoplanet named Gliese 581g which is â€Å"a rocky place with an atmosphere, temperate regions, and crucially, liquid water considered vital for life as we know it† (Roach). This is a proof that such an exoplanet is worth a try. We may not know what is in Gliese 581g, but we definitely know the death that awaits us on Earth. Roach, John. â€Å"First Truly Habitable Planet Discovered, Experts Say.† 2010. National Geographic. 4 Mar 2013.

Life science Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Life science - Essay Example Keeping this technology in view we can assume that moving ahead with such green and environment friendly technologies we will be able to see better, sound and environmentally effective environment in the future. More and more emphasis is given to the environmental effects of every technology and process, this further leads to an expectation that the upcoming 25 years might bring a lesser harmful environment for the living beings. Use of Fossil fuels within the next 25 years will be reduced to minimal (Environment911). Tynan and Print (2008) suggest that in the next 25 years it is expected that technology will be extremely integrated in the devices that â€Å"deliver information and entertainment to our homes and our hip pockets, in sensors that monitor our environment from within the walls and floors of our homes, and in chips that deliver medicine and augment reality inside our bodies.† With such advancements in the technological field, living without technologies would become more and more impossible. People will become highly reliant on the inventions made and lesser physical exertion will be noticed. The physical activities will either diminish or become less popular than they are today. Health problems like diabetes, cardiac diseases and obesity related issues will be more common affecting the overall health of people around the world. However, the vaccines are supposed to eliminate the risk of the most serious disease like AIDS and others (The observer 2011). Modern military environment is already making use of unmanned vehicles and equipment. A considerable improvement can be made by using the BCI technology in the military field. Army and security forces may employ BCI by using it with the unmanned vehicles. The most crucial matter regarding the unmanned vehicles and equipment is the lack of situational awareness and critical thinking about the incident or conditions prevailing at the

The 1990s Ethnic Conflict in Former Yugoslavia

The 1990s Ethnic Conflict in Former Yugoslavia Wars, conflicts, reformations were most of the issues in the 19th century. The desire to seek for freedom, equality, and justice. In most of the wars and conflicts around the world in the 19th century was somehow based on religion, freedom, injustice, inequality and properties. The ethnic conflict in Yugoslavia was more complex than just internal conflict. It constitutes both internal and external factors. The ethnic groups in former Yugoslavia was a socialist state: Serbs, Croats, Bosnian Muslims, Albanians, Slovenes, and others under a comparatively related communist regime after the Germany occupation in Second World War and a resentful ethnic conflict. By looking at the ethnic groups, the causes and the consequences of the war in former Yugoslavia, this essay will discuss the ethnic groups, the internal, international and the nationalism causes of the war and the long term effect of the ethnic conflict. Firstly, the Yugoslavia war was an ethnical conflict fought between the 1991 to 2001 in the territory of former Yugoslavia. The ethnic groups in Yugoslavia are constitute by individual identity whose bonds to loyalty are grounded in shared identity, and that these national identities are, in turn, both organic and political[1]. These ethnic groups in Yugoslavia share the same ideology in social and political concept, sing, salute and cheers for the national teams but in the order hand, there are injustice, mistrust and inequality among the groups. The tolerance for the differences made coexistence possible, but it also perpetuated and crystallized differences. Social and political differentiation, even oppression, brought conflict and even lasting hatreds in their wake, and were liable to break out into open warfare. They broke out into class struggles (landlord-peasant conflict) or political struggles, in history contexts of imperial crisis and nation-state-building wars[2]. After t he end of World War 1 and the collapse of the Austria -Hungary, the ethnic groups in Yugoslavia came together as one state, Yugoslavia was founded in 1918. In 1929, Yugoslavia was formally named as the kingdom of Yugoslavia. In addition, even as the common similarities between the Yugoslav state, on the other hand, the differences-religious, cultural, even linguistic-were unique and it were too great for the creation of a single nation.[3] To date this unique differences does not exist any longer. The Yugoslavia conflict started in the name independence by Serbs in the 1802 with revolt and struggle to gain independent from the Ottoman Turks. After the death of Tito, many ethnic groups were seeking for their independence such as Slovenes and Croats, which was an act encourage by the Germany[4]. The denying of the nationality for both Serbs and Croats arises problem and also the Serbs consider the Muslims to be historical traitors, which also caused a heated fire in the Yugoslavia state. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ anti- Muslim prejudices were shared by Croat and Serbs alike; it was the more overtly chauvinistic nationalist movements among Serbsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦[5]. After the revolt and protract struggle of Serbs in 1804 to regain their independence from the Ottoman Turks, Bosnia followed up for their independence which worsen the conflict in Yugoslavia. Most of the conflict was an internal affair concerning religions and ethnic groups. Nevertheless, Slovenes, Croat and other ethnic groups we re seeking power for themselves in Yugoslavia state, there was huge conflict and war between the ethnic groups such as Serbs and Ottoman Turk, Serbs and the Bosnia. Eight turbulent nations, forced by an iron hand to share the same for seventy years, finally demanded to separate from one another, which resulted in the breakdown into nation state.[6] The Serbs refused to grant other groups independent which resulted in another conflict of liberation. International bodies such as the United Nations, USA, and Canada worsened the situation by getting involved in the conflict. UN and these international communities deliberately destroy former Yugoslavia. The UN failed to control the violence and the war because of wrong analysis of the conflict, which resulted in a wrongful approach to the situation. The intervention of international countries filled it. Wilmer states, the influence of the Cold War leads USA and the Soviet Union constitutes a bipolar , the failure of the economy, politic crisis and the death of Tito in 1980 was also a part of the causes of Yugoslavia war[7]. The ignorance of NATO also worsened the situation; if NATO had intervened in the 1991 against the Yugoslav army, that could have reduced the war for which the western leaders not ready to risk the military power. Nationalism which was also causes the war in Yugoslavia. After the second World War, nationalism began to fail and disappearing. Serbs claimed, Muslims planned to turning into Islamic state, the complaint that Croatian identity and culture had been submerged by Serbian political, cultural, and linguistic hegemony with Yugoslavia and the misguided policies of the interwar regime, which were based on the misperception that Serbian had been unfairly privileged following the World War 1[8]. On the other hand, the Serbs were arrogant to grant the rest of the groups independence after they gain theirs from the Ottoman Turks. This is because they have the military power, they wanted to control the whole Yugoslavia. One of problematic aspects of war is the health of individual. The effect of the Yugoslavia war includes the health care issues for both the soldiers and civilians. The war caused several health diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and gastric ulcers due to stress that the people had. Croatia experienced a lot of these issues as well. Pregnant women were also in danger-not only as a factor of the war but also during prenatal development and giving birth. Complications during pregnancy and delivery increased due to the stress of the war, which reduces the population of Yugoslavia. Mortality was also an effect of the war. In addition, more people die and defect-related births reduced the pollution as well. The natural environment was destroyed by the art of the war which the future generation will suffer upon it. Industries was destroyed which also causes air and water pollution as well as the collapse of the economy. The forest landscape, and the soil were all destroyed by bombs and missiles. The ethnic conflict in former Yugoslavia was one of the historical and long term effect that occurred in the history of central Europe. The desire for people or groups to gain their freedom from others is of importance. The ethnic conflict in former Yugoslavia fought for freedom and equality from their oppressors. The hate speech, propagandas and the media from both the Serbians and the Croats also causes anger and fear of the public. The killing and rape from some of the paramilitary organizations, which led to the violations of international humanitarian law.[9] Religion identity such as the Orthodox, Catholic and the Muslims also fury the conflict in Yugoslavia. International community intervention in some ethnic conflict some time worsen the situation, just like the intervention of the USA, Canada and the UN deliberately burn Yugoslavia to the ground. This conflict was one of the deadliest in the history of Central Europe that has had a long term effect. To date, the break down o f the ethnic groups still exists. Even as the world moves to further civilization, these ethnic groups still have the cultural and religion differences among them. Bibliography Christopher Bennett, Yugoslavias Bloody Collapse : Causes, Course and Consequences. Washington Square, New York: New York University Press, 1995. Lenard J. Cohen and Jasna Dragovic-Soso, ed., State Collapse in South-Eastern Europe: New Perspectives on Yugoslavias Disintegration. West Lafayette, Indiana: Purdue University Press, 2007. Josip Glaudic, The Hour of Europe: Western Powers and the Breakup of Yugoslavia. New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 2011. Dejan Jovic, Yugoslavia: A State that Withered Away. West Lafayette: Purdue University Press, 2009. Tim Judah, The Serbs: History, Myth and the Destruction of Yugoslavia. New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 1997. Sonia Lucarelli, Europe and the Breakup of Yugoslavia: A Political Failure in Search of a Scholarly Explanation. Leiden: Brill, 2000. Viktor Meier, Yugoslavia: A History of its Demise. London and New York: Routledge, 1999. Sabrina P. Ramet, Balkan Babel: the Disintegration of Yugoslavia from the Death of Tito to the Fall of Milosevic. Boulder: Westview Press, 2002. (4th edition). Sabrina P. Ramet, Thinking about Yugoslavia: Scholarly Debates about the Yugoslav Breakup and the Wars in Bosnia and Kosovo. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2005. Laura Silber and Allan Little, Yugoslavia: Death of a Nation. New York: Penguin Books, 1997. Wilmer Frank, the social construction of man, conflict and violence in Former Yugoslavia. New York: Routledge, 2002 Catherine Samary, Yugoslavia dismembered (New York: Monthly Review Press, 1995). [1] Wilmer Frank, the social construction of man, conflict and violence in Former Yugoslavia. New York: Routledge, 2002.8 [2] Catherine Samary, Yugoslavia dismembered (New York: Monthly Review Press, 1995).40 [3] Catherine Samary, Yugoslavia dismembered (New York: Monthly Review Press, 1995). 25 [4]Dejan Jovic, Yugoslavia, a state that withered away (West Lafayette, IN: Purdue University Press, 2009), 1. [5] Franke Wilmer, The social construction of man, the state, and war: identity, conflict, and violence in former Yugoslavia (New York: Routledge, 2002), 184. [6] Catherine Samary, Yugoslavia dismembered (New York: Monthly Review Press, 1995), 26. [7] Franke Wilmer, The social construction of man, the state, and war: identity, conflict, and violence in former Yugoslavia (New York: Routledge, 2002), 173. [8] Franke Wilmer, The social construction of man, the state, and war: identity, conflict, and violence in former Yugoslavia (New York: Routledge, 2002), 184-5. [9] Franke Wilmer, The social construction of man, the state, and war: identity, conflict, and violence in former Yugoslavia (New York: Routledge, 2002), 193.

Aids/Hiv Essay 6

Kimberly S. Johnson SOS 313: Social Implications of Medical Issues Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection and Its Deadly Effects Deanna Swinford March 14, 2010 Over the past few decades Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection & Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) prevention strategies has focused on helping high risk individuals including individuals uninfected with HIV. The responsibility of National programs is to inform the public regarding prevention strategies, identify priorities, plan, and implement disease prevention strategies. It’s common knowledge all over the world that HIV infection is the leading cause of death. â€Å"Human immunodeficiency virus HIV and AIDS remain the leading causes of illness and death in the United States. As of December 2004, an estimated 944,306 persons had received a diagnosis of AIDS, and of these 529,113 (56%) had died† (Center for Disease Control, 2010). Approximately 40,000 new cases of HIV infection occur each year and 40 million people worldwide are now living with HIV† (Falvo, 2010, pg. 318). Everyone knows, or should be aware that there’s no way to restore their damaged immune system, and no cure for HIV, nor for AIDS. Advances in medical systems today have shown improved life expectancy. â€Å"Since 1995, the number of deaths from AIDS in the United States has declined so sign ificantly that HIV/AIDS is no longer treated as a terminal illness but rather as a chronic condition to be managed† (Falvo, 2010, pg. 18). â€Å"A virus is an infectious organism that cannot grow or reproduce outside living cells. To survive, it must enter a living cell and use the reproductive capacity of that cell for its own replication. Consequently, when a virus enters a cell, it instructs the cell to reproduce the virus† (Falvo, 2010, pg. 313). Normally the body recognizes these as foreign, this is how a healthy immune system is suppose to work, as I remember from anatomy and physiology, then will destroy the foreign cells. Some will remain dormant, sometimes for long periods of time, and without causing problems, but still will remain in our body with other cells and can replicate at any time. â€Å"HIV infection is caused by a retrovirus called HIV. A retrovirus uses a complicated process called reverse transcription to reproduce itself. This process uses a viral enzyme called reverse transcriptase to integrate the virus’s genetic material into the other cells. HIV essentially takes over these cells—primarily the CD4 cells to produce more HIV. They multiply extremely rapidly and some errors caused by this rapid generation of ells are not corrected, so there are constant mutations of the virus. Some of the cells containing the virus burst, releasing HIV directly into the blood stream. Consequently, there can be both infected cells and virus in the blood traveling to other sites† (Falvo, 2010, pg. 313). This rapid generation of cells explain why some patients who may have been somewhat stable, then they rapidly deteriorate or their medications do not seem to work anymore. The symptoms of HIV and AIDS vary depending on the phase of the infection. â€Å"Early infection—when first infected with HIV, you may have no signs or symptoms at all, although it’s more common to develop a brief flu-like illness two to four weeks after becoming infected. Signs and symptoms may include: * Fever * Headache * Sore throat * Swollen lymph glands * Rash Even if you don’t have symptoms, you’re still able to transmit the virus to others. Once the virus enters your body, your immune system also comes under attack. The virus multiplies in your lymph nodes and slowly begins to destroy your helper T cells (CD4 lymphocytes) —the white blood cells that coordinate your entire immune system† (Mayo clinic, 2010). In my opinion, this phase is when most HIV is transmitted, sexually people don’t know they have it, they are engaging in unprotected sex and it’s just too late. This among others is a priority needed regarding informing public awareness. â€Å"Later infection—you may remain symptom free for eight or nine years or more. As the virus continues to multiply and destroy immune cells, you may develop mild infections or chronic symptoms such as: * Swollen lymph nodes-often one of the first signs of HIV infection * Diarrhea * Weight loss * Fever * Cough & Shortness of Breath This phase is scary in itself; it could be a multitude of conditions, an individual wouldn’t know, depending on their lifestyle, probably have a clue that they have aides. I do not think any of our physicians would guess HIV infection either. Thinking back, I have taken care of a few HIV patients, and if I didn’t already know they had the infection, I don’t think I could have guessed it! But they do have a dark circles around their eyes, deathly look, and very pale. A number of the signs and symptoms are just what you would guess for the flu, or respiratory infection. Just think for so many years, they are carrying the virus, and not knowing! â€Å"During the last phase of HIV—which occurs ten or more years after the initial infection, more serious symptoms begin to appear, infection may then meet the official definition of AIDS. In 1993 the CDC redefined AIDS to mean the presence of HIV infection as shown by a positive HIV antibody test plus at least one of the following: * The development of an opportunistic infection-an infection that occurs when your immune system is impaired. Such as: Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) * A CD4 lymphocyte count of 200 of less (normal 800-1200) By the time AIDS develops your immune system has been severely damaged, making you susceptible to opportunistic infections. The signs and symptoms of some of these infections may include: * Soaking night sweats Shaking chills or fever higher than 100*F for several weeks * Dry cough and Shortness of Breath * Chronic diarrhea, Headaches * Persistent white spots or unusual lesions on your tongue or in your mouth * Blurred or distorted vision, Weight loss You may also begin to experience signs and symptoms of later stages HIV infection itself, such as: * Persistent, unexplained fatigue * Soaking night sweats * Shaking chills or fever higher than 100*F for several weeks * Chronic diarrhea, persistent headaches Everyone should get tested especially if they are engaging in high risk behavior, like IV drug use, unprotected sex. Every community should also make their people knowledgeable about services available to them. High risk individuals also need to know these test are private and not released to anyone else, including the federal government, employers, insurance companies and family members, unless of course the individual gives permission or consent to do so as stated by the Mayo Clinic. (2010). There are several ways to become infected with HIV: Sexual Transmission: Vaginal, anal or oral sex with an infected partner whose blood, semen or vaginal secretions enter your body. * Infected blood: Since 1985, American hospitals and blood banks have screened the blood supply for HIV antibodies. * Needle sharing: Needles and syringes contaminated with infected blood. Sharing intravenous drug paraphernalia puts individuals at high risk * Accidental Needle sticks: HIV positive people and health care workers through needle sticks are low. Experts put the risk at far less than 1%. Mother to child: Each year nearly 600,000 infants are infected with HIV, either during pregnancy or delivery or through breastfeeding. If women receive treatment during pregnancy, the risk to their babies is significantly reduced. â€Å"In the U. S. most pregnant women are prescreened for HIV, and antiviral drugs are given. Not so in developing nations, where women seldom know there status, and treatment is limited or nonexistent. When medications aren’t available, Caesarean section is recommended instead of vaginal delivery. Other options, such as vaginal disinfection, haven’t proven effective† (Mayo clinic, 2010). Other sources of transmission can be sexual devices that are not washed or covered with a condom. The virus also can be present in vaginal tears or the rectum, which places the person at greater risk of developing HIV. Needle users also should be informed that some communities have a needle exchange program where they can trade used needles and syringes for new ones. Most individuals diagnosed with HIV/AIDS use a test to predict their prognosis called viral load. This measures the amount of virus in the blood, of course the lower the load the better their prognosis. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) encourages adolescents and adults ages 13 to 64 as a part of their routine medical care for these ages. Yearly testing should be done. Several tests can be done, including ELISA, and Western Blot tests. ELISA looks for antibodies to the virus in a sample of your blood. If the test is positive, meaning you have the antibodies to HIV, they would repeat the test, and then do the western blot test, which checks for HIV proteins, combining the two tests confirms the diagnosis† (Mayo clinic, 2010). There are home tests in which you mail in a drop of your blood, and call a toll free number to receive the results in three to seven business days. This test is marketed by Home Access Health, is as accurate as a clinical test, and if positive, they are all retested. We all know, there is no cure for HIV, nor for AIDS, which was first identified sometime in the 80’s. Since that time a number of drugs have been developed to treat both HIV, and AIDS. The other problem, and a big one, with this condition, is the secondary infections that come along with HIV/AIDS. According to current guidelines, treatment should focus on achieving the maximum suppression of symptoms for as long as possible. This aggressive approach is known as highly active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART). The aim of HAART is to reduce the amount of virus in your blood to very low or even nondetectable levels, although this doesn’t mean the virus is gone. This is usually accomplished by three or more drugs . The first anti-retroviral drugs developed: Nucleoside analogue reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTI’s). They inhibit the replication of the HIV enzyme called reverse transcriptase. They include zidovudine (Retrovir), Iamivudine (Epivir), didanosine (Videx). A newer drug emtricitabine (Emtriva), which must be used in combination with at least two other AIDS medications, treats both HIV and hepatitis B† (Mayo clinic, 2010). Treatment should be also aimed at quality of life in my opinion, as most of these drugs cause a number of side effects, including the most common nausea, and diarrhea. Another drug, the Protease inhibitor, which interrupts HIV replication at a later stage in the life cycle by interfering with an enzyme known as HIV protease. It causes HIV particles in your body to become structurally disorganized and noninfectious. Protease inhibitors are usually prescribed with other medications to help avoid drug resistance. â€Å"A clinical trial with a Chemokine co-receptor inhibitors (CCR5 antagonists) make up a new class of drugs used to treat a type of HIV infection call ed CCR5-tropic HIV-1. The only drug in this class—maraviroc (Selzentry) was used in this trial , approximately twice as many people with CCR5-tropic HIV-1 infection who received maraviroc had undetectable viral loads after 24 weeks as did those who received more standard therapy in the control groups. The side effects of maraviroc may include liver and cardiovascular problems, as well as cough, fever, upper respiratory infections, rash and abdominal pain. â€Å"The President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) is the most recent international social program instituted by the U. S. Government to combat HIV/AIDS. Since its inception in 2003, this foreign policy initiative has dedicated $63 billion for HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment in foreign countries. Despite PEPFAR’s many accomplishments, it continues to promote controversial prevention strategies† (Barney, Buckingham, Friedrich, Johnson, Robinson, Sar, 2010, p. 9). The most important thing to remember, and to be able to implement is to get individuals, and doctors to coordinate HIV testing into routine medical care. The CDC has initiated several strategies for prevention: Strategy 1: Incorporate HIV Testing as a Routine Part of Care in Traditional Medical Settings. CDC will issue recommendations strongly encouraging all health care providers to include HIV testing, when indicated, as part of routine medical care, like other routine medical tests by: * Promoting removal of real and perceived barriers to routine testing, including â€Å"de-coupling† HIV tests in the medical setting from extensive, pre-test prevention counseling. In some jurisdictions, statutory requirements, e. g. for pretest counseling, can serve as barriers to testing. * Working with professional medical associations and others to promote adoption of the recommendations. CDC will work with public and private payors to promote appropriate reimbursement incentives. Strategy 2: Implement New Models for Diagnosing HIV Infections Outside Medical Settings. * Encouraging the use of HIV rapid test—Some persons do not have access to traditional medical settings * Funding pilot projects in 2003, aimed at identifying the most effective models for HIV diagnosis and referral for medical and preventive care which CDC grantees can employ outside traditional medical settings Strategy 3: Prevent New Infections by Working with People Diagnosed with HIV and their partners. CDC will promote preventive and treatment services within and outside traditional settings by: * Working with HRSA to reach those who have been diagnosed with HIV but who are not receiving treatment and care * Conducting demonstration projects through health departments to provide prevention case management and counseling to people living with HIV. * Standardizing procedures for prevention interventions and evaluation activities to ensure that such measures are appropriate and effective. * Ensuring that requirements related to partner notification in grant guidelines are fully met. Piloting new approaches to partner notification, including rapid HIV testing for partners and using peers to conduct appropriate partner notification, prevention counseling, and referral. Strategy 4: Further Decrease Mother-to-Child HIV Transmission: Treatment of pregnant women and their infants can substantially reduce the number of babies born with HIV infection. * Promote screening of every pregnant wom an for HIV, using the â€Å"opt-out† approach. Make prenatal HIV screening a routine part of medical care. * Promote screening of newborns whose mothers HIV status is not known (Center for Disease Control, 2010). Historically, HIV and AIDS have been treated differently from other diseases or conditions. Since the last decade or so, it has changed, as far as how it is viewed medically. No longer is AIDS viewed as a deadly condition, rather it’s more looked at as a chronic, long term condition, that is treated like other diseases, we treat the symptoms, and the secondary infections. The problem with AIDS/HIV is the public doesn’t have the knowledge that the medical community has, and will probably never understand, or believe the real ways of contracting the infection. We as health care professionals need to continue to inform the public regarding prevention, and encourage more public awareness of the need to be tested before it is too late. References: Barney, R. , Buckingham, S. , Friedrich, J. , Johnson, L. , Robinson, M. , Sar. , B. (2010, Mar). The President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR): A Social Work Ethical Analysis and Recommendations. Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare. 37(1), 9-22. Retrieved from Ebscohost database. Bashook, P. , Linsk, N. , Jacob, B. , Aguado, P. (2010, Feb). Outcomes of Aids Education And Training Center HIV/Aids Skill-Building Workshops on Provider Practices. Aids Education and Prevention. 22 (1), 49. Retrieved from ProQuest database. Center for Disease Control. (2010). A Career with the CDC Global Aids Program. Retrieved from http://www. cdc. gov/globalAIDS/johs. html Falvo, D. (2009). Medical & Psychosocial Aspects of Chronic Illness & Disability. Boston: Jones & Bartlett. HIV/AIDS: ALL. (2010) . Retrieved from http://www. mayoclinic. com References Insert References Here.

A case study of the UK flooding: the river Uck, East Sussex, October 2000

During the wet season of October the Sussex the Uck-Ouse basin burst it banks and caused major flooding in the surrounding towns mainly a small town called Uckfield. Upstream of the town of Uckfield slopes are very steep and so runoff happens very quickly after rainfall. However the River Uck flood plain is relatively undeveloped, with natural flood plains remaining. Here land management practices are well adapted to flooding. The flooding in the central part of the Ouse catchments on Thursday 12th October 2000 was preceded by 3 days of storms and heavy rain across the whole area. The ground became increasingly waterlogged, and there was widespread, localised flooding from surface water run-off. Uckfield flooded dramatically from about 5.00am on the 12th October, with river levels rising rapidly to a peak between 9.00am and 10.00am, at which point a torrent of water up to 1.9m deep, was flowing through the town centre causing considerable damage. Barcombe and Lewes filled up and widespread flooding in Lewes started at about 1.00pm, as the rising river backed up behind the Cliffe Bridge and overtopped the flood defences at a number of locations. Within about an hour or so the flood defences throughout the town were completely overwhelmed and the town centre rapidly filled with floodwater. Many hundreds of people were stranded and had to be rescued by the Emergency Services in boats. By the time the floodwaters peaked at about 9.30pm, some parts of Lewes were less than 3.6m of water. As the flows passing downstream from Barcombe continued to increase at a rapid rate, the floodwaters weired over the river walls and surged through the streets and open areas in Lewes, rapidly filling up sections of the urban floodplain to a depth of 1m in about half an hour. The Police abandoned the centre of town, and the evacuation turned into a rescue operation as the RNLI and Emergency Services used inflatable lifeboats to reach people suddenly trapped in their homes or businesses. The flood devastated the centres of Uckfield and Lewes, as well as causing significant damage to surrounding rural properties and the farming community. * long periods of drying out and repair mean that many homes have remained uninhabitable for many months after the event, with residents having to live in alternative, temporary accommodation; * similarly, many businesses remain closed months after the flood, and a small number are believed to have closed permanently; * a long term loss of trade, both for the flooded businesses, and for the wider business community; * widespread concerns about property values and insurance; * losses of agricultural crops and livestock; * impact on County Council Social Services provision due to the loss of day centres and buses; * long term damage to road surfaces, and widespread blockage of highways drainage systems; * impact on Lewes District Council's housing provision due to temporary re-accommodation of flood victims; * disruption to the Fire Brigade and Ambulance Service due to the temporary loss of several of their buildings, including their control centres, and loss of vehicles; * in Lewes, 118 Listed Buildings and 230 other ‘traditional' buildings within the Conservation Area were damaged, requiring specialist repair; * long term needs for emotional support amongst some. This means that the upper and middle sections of the catchments become quickly saturated following heavy rainfall. During wet periods a large proportion of the rainfall will quickly run-off into the river system rather than drain through the ground, and this effect is exacerbated by the hilly nature of the upper parts of the catchment. * increasing the amount and rate of surface water run-off, thereby increasing flows; * reducing the area available for flood storage, thereby increasing peak levels; * reducing the area available for flood flow conveyance, thereby increasing peak levels, contributing to rapid inundation and high flood velocities, and extending the period of flooding. * River flows were increasing very rapidly at this time and continued to do so for several hours after the flood defences were overtopped. * The upstream flood storage areas were already ‘full' so that the majority of the flood flows passed straight downstream to Lewes with little attenuation. * Once overtopped, the flood defences acted like weirs allowing large volumes of water to pass over them in a short space of time, rapidly filling the low lying areas behind them, with high velocities being witnessed where flows were channelled through narrow gaps. * The natural narrowing flood plain as it approaches Lewes, together with the artificial obstructions across its path in Lewes (Phoenix Causeway, Mayhew Way, Cliffe High Street shops) severely reduces the ability of the flood plain through Lewes to convey flood waters, causing levels to rise higher still. *  It is an obvious point, but maybe worth stating, that the 12th October 2000 flood inundated the floodplain – so named for a good reason. The devastating impact of the flood was because large numbers of properties have over the years been built on the floodplain, and although artificial flood defences or river improvement works have protected those properties from more frequent flooding events, all property constructed on the flood plain is at risk of flooding occasionally. The Environment Agency's Flood Warning slogan of â€Å"You cannot prevent flooding, you can only prepare for it†. The existing flood defences were overwhelmed by the 12th October 2000 flood flows and it may be possible to justify future improvements to raise the current standards of defence to protect against an event of similar magnitude. A number of options are likely to be considered in the forthcoming Catchment Strategy Plan being commissioned by the Environment Agency. However, given the extreme severity of 12th October 2000 event, and the nature of the long-standing government rules and arrangements for project appraisal and flood defence funding, we do not believe that it is reasonable to assume that they should already have been of such a standard. Nevertheless we believe that there are a number of important issues relating to the existing flood defences in Lewes which need to be urgently addressed, in particular the apparently poor condition of many of the river walls through the town, and the long term settlement in the upstream flood embankments. The floodwalls were breached or damaged in at least 8 locations through the town, and the sudden failure of the river wall at Phoenix Industrial Estate is particularly worrying. The flooding took many residents by surprise, and it is clear that the Environment Agency and a significant number of affected residents have very different perceptions about the performance of the flood warning system. This is partly an issue of communication and education. We believe that it is important that the Environment Agency vigorously continues its efforts to educate local residents, and that it is explicit about its actual responsibilities and capabilities. With the benefit of hindsight, we also believe that a number of important improvements in the flood warning and forecasting service can be identified, and should be undertaken. These would not have had any impact on the extent, speed or depth of the actual flooding, but they may have meant that for many, vehicles, stock, or precious personal possessions might have been saved.

Institutional Affiliation Date - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 1 Words: 391 Downloads: 7 Date added: 2019/10/10 Did you like this example? Interprofessional collaboration is the coming together of multiple health workers from diverse backgrounds with the purpose of working together with the patients, carers as well as the communities in making sure that quality care is achieved. This will be the centre of our discussion questions. The discussion is depicted from the Riverbend City.   The purpose of this discussion is to identify the top five and explain the reasons for choosing these individuals in the Riverbend City. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Institutional Affiliation Date" essay for you Create order Were there any agencies or organizations not on the list of options that is thought should have been represented, If so, why I believe they should have been included, what could I would bring from the point of view of the specialization that would make a unique contribution to this discussion. Top five and explain your reasons for choosing these individuals I have selected on, Robin Gianni, Maxine Gourley, Chuck Bicking, Erick Knight and Eugene Pittman. I chose on Eugene Pittman because I find in him the skills required in Team Corporation. Furthermore, he has the required knowledge administrative functions besides having finance knowledge. Maxine Gourley has the knowledge in children healthcare and as well as family. He has the experience of how to counsel and give proper directions on matters of the family. Chuck Bicking; education of the public on life safety is necessary as it teaches how to take care of oneself in the society; a knowledge that Chuck has. Chuck Bicking is able to take volunteers in matters of nursing as well is a counselor which means that he has the knowledge of peace keeping and well as strengthens relationships whenever there is a gap. Finally, clean water is essential in the body of a human being   Robin Gianni has the knowledge of water resource management which is a backbone of human’s life. Eugene Pittman, Maxine Gourley, Chuck Bicking and Erick Knight are agents. So far so good, the named individuals hold major sectors or are the major determinant in the sectors of health and nursing. Other sectors fall under them. If included then it implies that I would played the same role as one of the agent given who has the same skills in it (Linda Paulus). My contribution would be a volunteer as well as a counselor to the students so as to help them live a positive life.