VARIOLA VIRUS Essay examples -- Essays Papers

VARIOLA VIRUS SMALLPOX INTRODUCTION The Variola virus, which is the most virulent member of Genus Orthopoxvirus, is the causative agent of smallpox. It specifically infects humans. The primary reason for infection in humans is due to its ability to evade the host immune responses, and avoid complement activation. Over the centuries, this naturally occurring virus has spread throughout the earth, through various environments, to cause severe outbreaks. The most devastation outbreak had a case-fatality rate of 40 percent in individuals who have not been vaccinated. The Variola virus is a double-stranded DNA virus. It has two envelopes: the outer envelope is present only in the extracellular state. The outer surface or the core membrane, which surrounds the core of the virus, contains lipids and proteins and has a complex symmetry. The core, which has a dumbbell-shape, contains a large amount of the double-stranded DNA (186kbp), about 10 enzymes to mediate gene expression and lots of nucleoproteins- both specific and common. These proteins are involved in DNA transcription, as well as inducing cross-reactive immunity (IOM, 1999). The space outside the core contains lateral bodies – which do not have any known functions. There are two forms of the variola virus: variola major and variola minor. Variola major is the lethal strain, while variola minor is not lethal, but a mild strain, which is very similar to major but is only genetically different. The most common strain is the variola major, which produces the more severe symptoms, and with a fatality rate of 20% to 40%, within the 7th day of infection. The variola minor is the milder form of the disease that has a death rate of less than 1%. Surviving infection from... ...o, Pere, MD. "Smallpox: The Triumph Over the Most Terrible of the Ministers of Death." Annals of Internal Medicine. 1997; 127:635- 42. Ellner, P.D. "Smallpox: Gone but Not Forgotten." Infection. 1998; 26 (5); 263-9. CDC overview: www.bt.cdc.gov/agent/smallpox/vaccination/facts.asp CDC overview2: www.bt.cdc.gov/agent/smallpox/overview/disease-facts.asp CDC vaccine : www.bt.cdc.gov/agent/smallpox/vaccination/contraindictions-public.asp Koplow, David. "Smallpox: The Fight to Eradicate a Global Scourge. 2003 IOM(Institute of Medicine): "Live Variola Virus – committee on the assessment of future Scientific needs for live variola virus. National Academy Press; 1999. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). October 1, 2002 http://www.mayoclinic.com/invoke.cfm?id=ds00424 Nature Reviews Immunology 2, 544 (2002); doi:10.1038/nri868

The Real Facts About Abortions

Abortion Abortion is quite a controversial issue in today's government. Many of us refrain from even getting into a discussion over abortion, because it is such a sensitive topic. It is very unfortunate that so many women around the world have to make decisions involving abortion, period. â€Å"One in three women will have at least one abortion by the time she is 45, and these run the gamut of ages, races, backgrounds and beliefs. † (Welch) In one's eye abortion is simply immoral and unacceptable, while in another it is a typical procedure. Often, pro-abortionists are portrayed â€Å"†¦ s merciful and anti-abortionists as close-minded† (Olasky). As an outsider I interpret each group as one extreme to the other, and the purpose of this paper is to inform myself and the reader of both, pro-life and pro-choice sides and perspectives of abortion in the U. S. Somebody that claims to be in favor of the Pro-Life policy is opposed to wrongful death and in favor of life-enh ancing actions. The main argument of a pro-lifer is religious based beliefs. They argue that an abortion is immoral because, â€Å"†¦ all life was created by God and belongs to Him, no one has the right to murder another human being. (Cain) A person in favor of Pro-Life policy believes that having an abortion is a sin, but so is sex before marriage and half of the woman getting pregnant nowadays are not even out of high school. Does that mean that just because they decided to attempt to raise a baby at 15 that they have been forgiven for their original sin? No, either way they will be judged by those in favor of what is acceptable according to their religion. They even disagree on early abortions because they claim â€Å" life begins at conception†¦ † (Lowen). Anti-choice people â€Å"†¦ ant to outlaw abortion, regardless of the woman's situation† (The Problem). They don't see any exception for committing murder. Anti- Abortionists often compare abortio ns to Hitler and the concentration camps, â€Å"One out of every three children conceived in America since 1972 has died a brutal death through abortion—more than six times the number of Jews that Adolf Hitler put to death in his Nazi concentration camps. † (Roe) The cost of abortion is another issue for pro-lifer's, they think that the government shouldn't have to spend so much money to undermine future growth. â€Å"The inistry of health claimed that the 45,000 women treated in public hospitals for incomplete abortions each year is costing the state R19 million† (Cain). They believe tax dollars should not be used to provide women with this type of birth control, it is unfair to those who do not support the pro-choice policy and it is unacceptable. Being Pro-Choice means being in favor of safe and legal abortions, but also in reducing the need for abortions. Their religious beliefs are not a base for their opinions on abortion. Those who are in favor of the Pro -Choice policy argue that person-hood at conception is â€Å"†¦ ot a provable biological fact,† it is simply a religious belief (Choice Matters). Pro-choice supporters give women the benefit of the doubt allow for a logical explanation for an abortion. Abortions are medically necessary for some women, â€Å"Teen girls, whose bodies are not yet ready for childbirth, are five times more likely to die† (Health). In a case like that would it be fair to pass judgment? The same goes for woman who are raped. Pro-choice people argue that instead of trying to prohibit abortion altogether, we should try alternate methods like; safe, affordable contraceptives and comprehensive sex education. Laws against abortion do not stop abortion; they simply make it less safe†¦ the only thing that changes is more women die† (Health). Outlawing it would lead women to turn to unsafe abortions, not conducted in clinics. For some families abortion â€Å"†¦ helps parents lim it their families to number of children they want and can afford, both financially and emotionally† (Choice Matters). Taking away the civil rights of women and/or families by making it illegal to have abortions, will only lead to more poverty in the United States and lead to increasing government spending on welfare.According to the First Amendment, we all have our right to privacy. I am a woman myself and I honestly wouldn't appreciate strangers making decisions for me. What happens in the privacy of one woman's body doesn't belong out in the open for everyone else to critique. I am fully aware that if a woman feels she is mature enough to have sexual intercourse, then she should be prepared to face the possible consequences, but this is the real world and we are only human. Mistakes do happen. I do not support women getting abortions just because they are promiscuous and lazy.Of course the abstinence policy is the best policy, but as long as we are living on planet Earth, th at just won't cut it. Just like Hillary Clinton, I believe that, â€Å"†¦ whatever side you're on in the pro-choice vs. pro-life debate,†¦ we can all agree on a third principle: we would be better off with fewer of them† (Sullivan). I personally think that providing all sexually active women with contraceptives is the smartest thing to do in order to decrease high rates of abortion. In the United states, â€Å"†¦ 74% say having a baby would interfere with work, school, or other responsibilities† (United States).Some women may have to go through with an abortion simply because she has severe health risks that may possibly kill her if she went into labor. She may want a child just as bad as many other women except her body cant support a pregnancy. Or, if a women is raped she shouldn't have to relive the agony of such an event every single day for 9 months. What if she didn't even want kids? Just because she got pregnant from a rapist, doesn't mean she has to raise his child. Some â€Å"†¦ people say an aborted child might have grown up to be President.There's a better chance he would have grown up to be the one who shot the President† (Olasky). It would all really depend on the mother of that child, if she kept the kid and ended up to resent him/her then, that would most likely effect the child in a negative manner; it would make that child have a negative outlook on life. He/she would hate everything and everyone. In that situation in my eyes, the mother would be doing the kid and herself a favor. I'm not saying I would be the one to have an abortion, because in the end I most likely wouldn't have the heart to get rid of something that I partially created.I would think, what if he/she is the only chance I have at ever being a mother? What if I only had one shot and I blew it? On the other hand, I would recap on all the things I could potentially loose out on because I decided to have a child that I wasn't capable of rai sing yet. At the end of the day, deciding to abort a baby depends on the situation a women may be in at that point of her life; it doesn't depend on all of the outsiders who think they have the right to decide for her. Every women has a life and has a choice, and the reasoning behind her decision is completely personal.After conducting all of my research, I noticed that there are strong points on each side of abortion. No matter what position a person takes on this issue, there will always be others critiquing it. I think it is important to accept some woman's reasons for abortion, but at the same time support the fight on lowering the needs for abortion. We need to educate women about their choices and consequences. Birth control methods need to be expressed and easily obtained. Until the Pro-Choice v. Pro-Life fight gets settled, the United States will only get more and more divided as a nation.

Essay about Business and the Notion of Ethics - 1029 Words

the notion of ethics has been around for generations, it has been seen in religion and philosophy. Although it has only been in the last few decades that the business world has adopted this principle of doing the right thing, not just doing what will lead to most profits. The concept of ethics encompasses a ‘systematic’ process of considering the ‘moral consequences’ of ones actions, as stated by (text book). However there isn’t a succinct agreement about what business ethics is. Lewis P (1985) believes this is mainly due to the fact that the ethics of a business will only be as ethical as those who are a part of it. Research done prior to 1985 also found that profit is not the sole motive for business. Today it organisations don’t only†¦show more content†¦The document also pledges values such as respect, confidentiality, safety, responsibility and integrity. The values of an organisation aren’t only helpful in maintaining the corporate culture of the firm but often, certain values and beliefs can attract customers to do business with one firm over another. This is due to their values and ethical practices. When it is seen that these practices are breached, depending on the size and public face of the organisation, it can cause media outcry, leading to loss of customers or public support. Conversely when an organisation is seen to be acting in an ethical and socially responsible manner, beyond the minimum, this can cause good publicity and attract further customers, for example creating new green infrastructure, this stimulates the economy as it provides many opportunities for labourers. In the long run the key business objective of most organisations is profit making. How profit is made, and where savings are made, can sometimes clash with ethical practices. For example child labour in third world countries is often used to produce goods at a cheaper cost to the organisations; however this is unethical as conditions are often poor and dangerous, and it takes jobs offshore. ANZ bank has recently been caught up in said clash. ANZ has been found to be financing a Cambodian sugarShow MoreRelatedHuman Nature, Unethical Behavior, Ethical Behavior And Work934 Words   |  4 Pagescompetitive. Some organizations focus their energy on a marketing campaign to better a product, while others have realized their employees are its most important asset. While this notion does not clearly identify a right or wrong answer, it does highlight the new idea of an ethical work force. According to Business Ethics, â€Å"ethics is the set of principles a person uses to determine whether an action is good or bad† (Collins, 2012). While some would argue the greatest achievement in longevity is a strongRead MoreInformation Ethics Essay1050 Words   |  5 PagesInformation Ethics The paper addresses theoretical and practical aspects of information ethics from an intercultural perspective. The recent concept of information ethics is related particularly to problems which arose in the last century with the development of computer technology and the internet. A broader concept of information ethics as dealing with the digital reconstruction of all possible phenomena leads to questions relating to digital ontology. Following HeideggersRead MoreFeldman: Businesses as Social Agents742 Words   |  3 PagesAmerican corporations and in some, having been instrumental in their development. In this particular article he describes the focus of the current crop of business organizations on the bottom-line. He believes that outsourcing, cost-cutting and downsizing activities geared towards the bottom-line forgets the impact of an active and extensive business enterprise to society - it employs, it enhances the market, in increases buying power. Current practices shrink the market and with lower employment, theRead MoreThe Ethical Issue Of Software Piracy1530 Words    |  7 Pagesto examine why personal morality is an oxymoron and how a moral system is analogous to a game. Then we are going to analyze how the ethical issue of software piracy is seen from the notion of common moral system according to Gert. Personal morality is an oxymoron So let’s first see why Gert believes that the notion of ‘personal morality† is an oxymoron. According to Gert, a moral system is public because everyone should know and be familiar with the rules that define it. Those set of rules whichRead MoreEgoism Theory : Ethical Theory861 Words   |  4 PagesIn business, Egoism theory is the most used ethical theory. Egoism is one of the oldest philosophical ideas; however, in the last few centuries it has proven to become more influential in modern economics. Egoism is an action that is morally right if the decision-maker freely decides to pursue their (short-term) desires or their (long-term) interests. In other words, the pursuit of an individual’s interest is also beneficial to society as a whole. I believe that egoism theory is the best fit becauseRead MoreCan We Teach Character? An Aristotelian Answer Essay1696 Words   |  7 Pagespurpose of the article is to determine whether teaching ethics is worth the time taken, whether students will actually act better as a result. Hartman translates Aristotle’s thoughts well, and overall it is a beautiful piece of writing. Summary Before beginning to critique the article, we must first review its main points. Aristotle essentially argues that ethics can be taught. However, various philosophers and thinkers disagree with the notion. Hursthouse is one such individual, pointing out whatRead MoreAnalyzing the Parable of the Sadhu1559 Words   |  7 Pageseveryones best interests, while helping the Sadhu is clearly not. Action was ethical. However the fact that McCoy feels guilty reflects that he was unable to promote his long term interest. Hence it becomes ambiguous to justify his actions. Kantian Ethics: Should abide by the following 2 principles: *Maxim should become a universal law *Never treat people simply as means to an end but always at the same time as ends in themselves In the parable, Stephen says that the hikers would have treated theRead MoreBasic Categories of Business Ethics661 Words   |  3 Pagesfeatures of commercial activity, (Marcoux). However, business ethics is a remarkably complex area that impacts every aspect of commercial enterprise. Every business has some kind of ethical code, which outlines the fundamental moral values of the company. From that code of ethics comes a list of dos and donts that the company might choose to follow. The companys behavior, and that of its employees, should ideally reflect its ethical code. Business ethics usually addresses issues such as social responsibilityRead MoreThe Theory Of Social Responsibility1673 Words   |  7 Pagescharacterizing the idea of social responsibility and noting the accompanying inquiries: What does Cohen feel is the social responsibility of a business to its workers, stakeholders, and society as a whole? How does this perspective align with that of Drucker? How does Cohenà ¢â‚¬â„¢s opinion compare with that of Friedman? Which aligns best with the current business climate promoting a ‘green environment’? Why? Social Responsibility Druker inferred that each organization must accept full responsibility regardingRead MoreHow A Socially Constructed Knowledge System1560 Words   |  7 Pagesthe reasoning of two separate areas of knowledge, specifically the humans sciences and ethics, that deal heavily with the human experience. The Human Sciences, as an Area of Knowledge give an extensive look into how humans interact and a greater insight into the prescribed title. Business management as a subset on the human sciences brings forth the knowledge-sharing pathway between the individual and the business or organization. Yet, assuming there is a pathway, is there a standard direction in