women and AIDS essays

women and AIDS essays Understanding the Issues of Women and HIV/AIDS Colgate University, Hamilton NY 13346 Infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) had emerged as a major health problem for women in the United States. Family physicians can play an important role in the detection and care of HIV-infected women. The epidemiology and natural history of HIV infection in women were reviewed. HIV infection is now a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among young women in the United States, particularly women of racial and ethnic minorities. Most cases of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) in women occur as a result of injection-drug use or heterosexual transmission. Based on limited information, women and men appear to have similar AIDS-defining conditions. Gynecological problems are common n HIV-infected women. Pregnancy does not seem to be affected by early HIV infection, but women with advanced disease might be at increased risk for obstetric complications. More women need to be included in natural history studies and clinical drug trials. Early awareness o f HIV infection and better access to health care services are required to improve the treatment and survival of HIV-infected women. KEYWORDS: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Pregnancy, Zidovudine (AZT), Vaginal Candidasis, Transmission Methods of HIV/AIDS, Perinatal Transmission, Women and HIV "Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) has been declared the public health threat of the century " (1 cited in 2). The US Surgeon General has designated it as the nations number one health priority (2). AIDS is a disease that affects the immune system. The term immunodeficiency refers to the inability of the immune system to function properly, thus making the individual susceptible to a variety of infections not typically found in a healthy immune system (3). A syndrome is a group of symptoms or illnes...

Why Water Is More Dense Than Ice

Why Water Is More Dense Than Ice Water is unusual in that its maximum density occurs as a liquid, rather than as a solid. This means ice floats on water. Density is the mass per unit volume of a material. For all substances, density changes with temperature. The mass of material does not change, but the volume or space that it occupies either increases or decreases with temperature. The vibration of molecules increases as temperature rises and they absorb more energy. For most substances, this increases the space between molecules, making warmer liquids less dense than cooler solids. Its All About Hydrogen Bonds However, this effect is offset in water by hydrogen bonding. In liquid water, hydrogen bonds connect each water  molecule to approximately 3.4 other water molecules. When water freezes into ice, it crystallizes into a rigid lattice that increases the space between molecules, with each  molecule hydrogen bonded to 4 other molecules.

The Myth of Americanism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Myth of Americanism - Essay Example American values are a direct product of its body of creation stories encompassed by the culture. Americans believe in individuality, self-sufficiency (the idea of "rags to riches" or being a "self-made man") and the inherently optimistic (and perhaps unrealistic) "American Dream". Americans believe that anything is possible. Children grow up being told that they can have or achieve anything if they work hard enough. They are told that anyone can grow up to be president, and that that is part of what makes America great. This is perhaps the biggest mythological trope in American society-that in the "land of opportunity" anyone can get ahead if they are willing to work for it, and that all members of society begin on an even playing field. These three ideas, individuality, self-sufficiency, and the "American dream" or "Land of Opportunity" where anything is possible are closely linked, and stem from beliefs about the creation of America itself that directly mirror other creation storie s from around the world. Furthermore, these deeply held beliefs permeate the American psyche, coloring our perceptions of success and failure. The theme of individuality is especially present in the Gospel of John. This myth is very pertinent to modern American society as it is a version of creation with which most citizens will be familiar; many Americans actively believe in this creation myth, and thus it shapes American society closely. The Fourth Gospel of John is seen in Christian mythology to enhance the creation story of Genesis, inserting an explanation for the presence of Jesus Christ. The Creator has gone from a relatively impersonal, genderless, plural God (elohim is the Hebrew plural for "God") to a personified Jesus Christ. Jesus is a God, but he is also a man. This version of creation places him present at the very moment the world was made: "3. All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made. 4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men." (qtd in Leeming 35) Furthermore, the gospel states "6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 The same came for a wit ness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe." (qtd in Leeming 35) The inclusion of a mortal, John, in this revised version of creation further humanizes the myth. The impact this has had on modern Americans is most clear among Christians, for obvious reasons: the popular phrase "Jesus is my personal savior" emphasizes this individual, personal connection to divinity which is a hallmark not just of American Christians, but of the American tendency to personalize religion which is seen among everyone from modern Pagans who choose which deities to worship, to acculturated members of other faiths such as Judaism or Hinduism who participate in religious practice on a selective basis. Religion, like the rest of American life, is seen as a matter of individualized, personal choice. Self-sufficiency is central in the Hopi myth of the Sun and the Spider Woman. In this myth, the two collaborate to create the world, dividing themselves into various aspects of the divine to perform specific tasks. Upon creating people, Spider Woman says: "The woman of the clan shall build the house, and the family name shall descend through her. She shall be house builder and homemaker. She shall mold