Thursday, November 28, 2019
Psychoanalysis of Lacanian Theory and Practice
In psychoanalysis of Lacanian theory and practice, is evidence of symbolism, imagery and reality as the story develops. In fact, the story is primarily developed through these aspects of literature. However, all these have a close relationship and conciseness with other forms of psychoanalytic literature.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Psychoanalysis of Lacanian Theory and Practice specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The purpose of this analysis is to provide a critical evaluation of Lacanian theory and practice. In addition, the discussion describes how this theory relates to other psychoanalytic theories such Freudian theory, especially in its analysis relating to childhood Phobia. Not Much support has been given in the story that can actually be analysed based on Freudian theory. This is shown in the story where Hansââ¬â¢s father familiarises himself with the Oedipus complex (Kovacevic, 2003). This evidently shows that Hans had some imagination. In this case, he had fantasies in which he saw his mother entering into a marriage with him. Though Hans never had full knowledge of the complex, there was a possibility that he knew it existed. Freud uses symbolism and imagery, which is connected to the actual events as White (2008) asserts. Hans has a strong fear of horses with a ââ¬Ëblack mouthââ¬â¢. This symbolizes his fatherââ¬â¢s well-developed moustache. The story also states that Hans feared horses that had blinkers, which in this case symbolizes the father, who wore spectacles. Looking at his fatherââ¬â¢s skin, it resembled a horse because it was white. This symbolizes his fatherââ¬â¢s white skin that was also lovely. Several points tend to describe Freudââ¬â¢s view. For instance, in this story, Hans has fantasies of him and his mother indicating that he was sexually attracted to her. This is one indication that he was ready to eliminate his father, which actually prom pted him to kill his father (Nitzgen, 2011). His sexual desire towards his mother brought a feeling of anxiousness when his feelings became real. To find a change of expressing his real feelings towards his mother, he pretended to be sick in order to draw her attention. The story ends with his fear towards the father diminishing after resolving his ââ¬ËOedipus complexââ¬â¢ (Daiello et al, 2006).Advertising Looking for essay on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More To evaluate this story, the fact that Hans had sexual desire towards the mother is arguable because there is little evidence that he wanted to have sex with her. Despite this, Freud states in the story that ââ¬Å"â⬠¦..by telling him of the existence of the vagina and of copulationâ⬠. The only evidence shown is that he only desired a contact with her, which in this case can be described as less sexual in nature. It can therefore be argued that th e Oedipus complex could have been healed by ââ¬Ësimple primitiveââ¬â¢ contact (Schwartz, n.d). Relating to Lacanian, women have been used as imagery because they are perceived to be objects of pleasure. A good example is depicted by Mulvey in his formulation of a male gaz. Here, females are taken as objects through which men can gaze and obtain satisfaction.à In the story, Hans never gave a sign of hating neither fearing the father but Freud claims that he possesses these emotions, but severally denied. Because of continuous questioning, he agrees and this hatred is supported when Han knock down a toy horse (Stavrakakis, 2007). This symbolises the father and the horse. Knocking down the horse is an indication of his fatherââ¬â¢s elimination. However, it can also be argued that this was an unconscious intention of knocking down a common horse and not a sign of killing his father. Symbolism in Lacan theory has been used as to signify human universe. With this, human desires are achieved as shown by the imaginary function in his body. In Oedipus complex, Lacan portrays the father as a metaphor and not a real person. In addition, the relationship between a mother and a child has been portrayed as a close sexual relationship, yet we have not been told of the occurrence of any form of sexual contact between the mother and the son (Nolan, 2011). The child developed a feeling of superego. In this case, the Oedipus complex develops in the son. In turn, it brings the child much close to the mother but is doubtable whether this meant to make the child sexually attracted to the mother.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Psychoanalysis of Lacanian Theory and Practice specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It can further be argued that all the errors that Hans made were deliberate and if he actually intended to kill the father, it is still doubtable because literature does not provide any supportive e vidence whatsoever (Strupp, 1991). In fact, the story fails to give any rigid evidence of Hanââ¬â¢s intention to kill the father, although it is clear that he feared him. Lacan relates this to what happens in real life, especially when a personââ¬â¢s desires are not fulfilled (Lachmann, 2010). Hanââ¬â¢s excitement that later turned to be anxiety towards the mother could be due to the type of phobia in him, which later turned to be pleasure. However, there is no evidence in this literature, which means that no change in him has been shown in regards to the origin of his fears (Strupp, 1971). This can be explained in Lacananian theory, where the mother-to-child bond is perceived as a way of making achieving some comfort from other symbolic things posing as a threat to the child. In this case, the childââ¬â¢s attraction to the mother can be perceived as a way of seeking safety and comfort rather than sexual attraction (Kovacevic, 2003). References Daiello, V., Hathaway, K., Rhoades, M., Walker, S. (2006). Complicating Visual Culture. Studies In Art Education: A Journal Of Issues And Research In Art Education, 47(4), 308-325. Kovacevic, F. (2003). Lacanians and the fate of critical theory. Angelaki: Journal Of The Theoretical Humanities, 8(3), 109-131. Lachmann, F. (2010). Addendum; afterthoughts on Little Hans and the universality of the Oedipus complex. Psychoanalytic Inquiry, 30(6), 557-562. Nitzgen, D. (2011). Review of ââ¬ËLacanian psychonanalysisââ¬â¢: Revolutions in subjectivity (Advancing theory in therapy). Group Analysis, 44(3), 346-347.Advertising Looking for essay on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Nolan, S. (2011). Lacanian theory in practice. Therapy Today, 22(2), 40. Schwartz, S. (n.d). A Report on ââ¬ËOrdinary Psychosis: Paris English Seminarââ¬â¢. Analysis, (14), 245-246. Stavrakakis, Y. (2007). Wallon, Lacan and the Lacanians: Citation Practices and Repression. Theory, Culture Society, 24(4), 131-138. Strupp, H. H. (1971). Psychoanalytic psychotherapy. In , Psychotherapy and the modification of abnormal behavior: An introduction to theory and research (pp. 23-35). McGraw-Hill Book Company. Strupp, H. H. (1991). Review of ââ¬ËPsychoanalytic practice, Volume 1: Principlesââ¬â¢. Psychoanalytic Psychology, 8(1), 109-110. White, J. (2008). PLURALISM IN CONTEMPORARY PSYCHOANALYSIS: THEORY AND PRACTICE. British Journal Of Psychotherapy, 24(2), 138-150. This essay on Psychoanalysis of Lacanian Theory and Practice was written and submitted by user Gerardo Q. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.
Monday, November 25, 2019
Free Essays on Enduring Love
are reflected in the novel and also in the events the novel is to go on to describe. I believe he uses the first line to create a contrast with the rest of the chapter. Whilst he states that it was easy to mark the beginning of the event that was the balloon crash, he then chooses to skip backwards in time, going over some of the series of events immediately prior to the accident. It seems that he is trying to convey to the reader a sense that everything is not as simple as it may first seem, that all events have causes, effects and consequences and that they are an indivisible seri! es of events that cannot be separated from one another. The fact that he is a scientist and his girlfriend is an English scholar does not seem to fit with the fact that it is he who runs impulsively towards the balloon whilst Clarissa merely ââ¬Å"walks quicklyâ⬠. This seems to suggest that scientific theories of materialism do n... Free Essays on Enduring Love Free Essays on Enduring Love Emile Zola describes the role of the novelist as being like ââ¬Å"a pathologist dissecting life with the book as a kind of experimentâ⬠. How does this illuminate our understanding of the first chapter of Enduring Love ? If Ian McEwan is a pathologist dissecting life, with Enduring Love being the experiment, then he uses the narrator like a surgical tool to carry out the experiment and reveal the truth. The character who narrates the event of the balloon crashing and who is also part of the event itself is a scientist. This is clearly reflected in the views he holds on the event and the way in which he describes them to us. The first paragraph of the chapter and so of the whole book is extremely interesting. McEwan begins ââ¬Å"The beginning is easy to markâ⬠¦ We turned to look across the field and saw the danger. Next thing I was running towards itâ⬠¦ I donââ¬â¢t recall dropping the corkscrew, or getting to my feetâ⬠. It is slightly ironic that he chooses to begin his novel with the line, ââ¬Å"The beginning is easy to markâ⬠. His words are reflected in the novel and also in the events the novel is to go on to describe. I believe he uses the first line to create a contrast with the rest of the chapter. Whilst he states that it was easy to mark the beginning of the event that was the balloon crash, he then chooses to skip backwards in time, going over some of the series of events immediately prior to the accident. It seems that he is trying to convey to the reader a sense that everything is not as simple as it may first seem, that all events have causes, effects and consequences a nd that they are an indivisible seri! es of events that cannot be separated from one another. The fact that he is a scientist and his girlfriend is an English scholar does not seem to fit with the fact that it is he who runs impulsively towards the balloon whilst Clarissa merely ââ¬Å"walks quicklyâ⬠. This seems to suggest that scientific theories of materialism do n...
Thursday, November 21, 2019
Given that users prefer redress mechanisms to be independent, what Essay
Given that users prefer redress mechanisms to be independent, what justifications explain why some parts of redress mechanism are independent and others are not - Essay Example A good example is the tribunals that are managed by independent tribunals that automatically have to be independent. This is for the reason that they function in a quasi-judicial approach that needs no influence from other forces. These tribunals would, therefore, make it easier for implementation of policies of the tribunals. The Ombudsmen services are yet other independent bodies2. They are run under the leadership of independent Ombudsmen, mostly referred to as commissioners. These bodies need to be independent for the reason that they are charged with the responsibility of investigating various complaints from the citizens. In the case of poor administration, or even offering of poor services to the citizens, these organizations ought to operate independently, if the results have to be free and fair. The Parliamentary and Health Services Ombudsman Offices are the most common in
Wednesday, November 20, 2019
How do You Know You Exist (if You Do) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words
How do You Know You Exist (if You Do) - Essay Example The idea of existence is therefore one which is complete truth and is not questioned with the skepticism of one not existing. Conviction of Existence The first concept that Descarteââ¬â¢s points out is that one exists only because they believe they exist. He states: ââ¬Å"But I have convinced myself that there is absolutely nothing in the world, no sky, no earth, no mind, no bodies. Does it not follow that I, too, do not exist? No. If I convinced myself of something [or thought anything at all], than I certainly existedâ⬠(Descartes, 1984: 16). The main point that Descartes shows is based first on the assumption that the physical does not truly exist. Instead, the things which are seen are from the mind. The existence that one creates is also from the mind and alters according to oneââ¬â¢s perception as opposed to true existence. The idea of existence therefore comes from the thought that one exists and is convinced that they are real, as opposed to being a figment of one ââ¬â¢s imagination. This particular concept is further pointed out by Descartes with the belief that one is only able to exist because this is what they perceive. If one no longer believes that they exist, then they are unable to truly create an existence and will believe they are wrong in defining their own ability to live and exist. Even though there is truth that one exists to their own perception, this limits and causes questions relating to existence. If one only exists in the mind, then it causes invalidation that existence also is created externally. There is a perception of a physical reality which one experiences on a daily basis. There is also the experience of relationships to others, beliefs which are created and knowledge that is established while one is in existence. If one did not exist, then there would have to be millions of people that would have to discount events happening at the same time within a physical reality. For instance, if there are hundreds of stude nts at a library and someone comes in shouting, each individual would have to state that this environment and physical reality were not real. The shouting and being in the reality was a perception of existence that one believed in and didnââ¬â¢t happen. However, there is a physical reality, response to the senses and relationships that show that this existence did really happen. This justifies that each individual exists in a physical reality outside of the mind. The perception of how one exists comes from belief; however, there is physical proof as well as thought processes that justify that each individual truly exists. The Instantiation Principle The concept of existence in reality and the physical mind is further questioned with Descarteââ¬â¢s belief in the instantiation principle. In this particular principle, there is the understanding that the individual only exists from the first person point of view. This is based on self ââ¬â evidence which is created from the be lief that one exists. When one thinks he exists, then he has to exist because his mental state creates this belief system. However, the belief is only to justify existence and doesnââ¬â¢t necessarily create a sense of justification. One is only able to state they exist through personal belief. There is no direct relation to one existing through science, math or self ââ¬â evidence which is made apparent through different ideologies. The thought then becomes the only existence while all else is only a reflection
Monday, November 18, 2019
Biometrics use in government and corporations Research Paper
Biometrics use in government and corporations - Research Paper Example There are various biometric technologies available and though this paper will look into each of them, the major focus would be on fingerprint and iris biometrics. Fingerprint biometrics has remained popular not only among governments but also in corporate institutions. There would be various advantages as to support this popularity, but Cole (2005) noted that this technology has a false positive rate of between 0.08% and 4.4%. As compared to its counterpart, Cole (2005) further appreciates the accuracy that organizations could enjoy if the recent iris biometrics technology would be used instead. This system has a false acceptance rate at 1 per 1.2 million of two matching irises. This paper seeks to address security agencies from both the government and corporate organizations on concerns on errors in fingerprint biometrics with illustration using relevant examples. In spite of these drawbacks, application of biometrics by governments and corporations enhance border security and data protection. Introduction Biometrics pertains to unique methods of recognizing human beings on the basis of intrinsic behavioral or physical traits. According to Acharya and Kasprzycki (2010), it is the semi-automated or automated use of behavioral or physiological traits to verify or determine identity. Its application in computer science ensures access control and identity access management. Its application has however been extended to persons under surveillance. Since the terrorist attacks of 9/11/2001, the governments worldwide turned to biometrics capability to increase airport security and border crossings and for production of identity documents that are more secure. Similarly, biometrics has received tremendous demand for employment or testing in commercial applications. Human beings possess various chemical, physiological and behavioral aspects that would be important in biometric authentication. The choice of which aspect to use would be guided by several factors. Liu notes that the chosen aspect sh ould be universal such that all subjects possess it (2011). The trait should be unique for each member of the population for differentiation. Permanence would show how a trait varies with time with a desirable permanence being that with reasonable invariance over time with regard to a specific matching algorithm. The trait should be easy to collect, extract and process. Performance would indicate how robust, fast and accurate a system is while acceptability would indicate how people would accept their biometric trait not only to be captured but also assessed. Finally, the trait should also not be easily circumvented. It is with this in mind that various biometrics have been developed with time in an attempt to have one that would effectively encompass all these traits. Operation of biometrics Any biometric system operates in two modes, namely; verification and identification (Cole, 2005). Verification mode allows for comparison of the captured biometric with a specified pre-existing template saved in a biometric database so as to confirm the personââ¬â¢s claim of identity. It would involve use of ID number, username or smart card to indicate the template to be used in comparison. With identification, the system would be prompted to compare against a whole biometric database
Friday, November 15, 2019
Quality of Life in Cervical Cancer Patients in India
Quality of Life in Cervical Cancer Patients in India Abstract Introduction: Cervical cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer among women in India. Understanding quality of life (QOL) in women undergoing chemo-radiotherapy for cervical cancer. It will help in introducing interventions for better care and outcomes in these women. This study assessed the QOL before and after chemo-radiotherapy in cervical cancer patients. Methods: This follow up study was undertaken at Dr. B.R.A Institute Rotary Cancer Hospital(IRCH), AIIMS, New Delhi, India. Sixty seven newly diagnosed women with advanced cervical cancer (stage 2b to 4b) were included to assess the change in QOL after treatment . Structured questionnaires on Quality of Life (The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer, EORTC QLQ-C30 and EORTC QLQ-CX24) were used. QOL was assessed before initiation and after 6 months of treatment. Results The mean age of women at the time of detection of cervical cancer was 52.28à ±11.29 years (Range 30-75 years). Squamous cell carcinoma was found to be the most common cell type (97%). Six months survival was 92.53% The mean global health score of cervical cancer patients after six months of treatment was 59.52, which was significantly higher than the pre treatment score of 50.15 (p=0.00007). Physical, cognitive and emotional functioning (p Conclusions Recommendations QOL of newly diagnosed cervical cancer patients significantly improved following chemo-radio therapy. Enhancement was also demonstrated on three of the five functional scales of EORTC QLQ-C30. To further improve QOL, interventions focusing on social and psychological support and physical rehabilitation may be needed. Keywords: Cervical cancer; Quality of Life; Chemo-radiotherapy INTRODUCTION Cervical cancer is a major public health problem in many developing countries. Besides contributing significantly to mortality rates, it leads to the loss of productive life due to prolonged disability.1The absolute burden is expected to increase in future unless effective preventive measures are undertaken. Globally, cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women with nearly 528,000 new cases reported in 2012.2 Nearly 85% of the global burden occurs in the less developed regions, where it accounts for almost 12% of all female cancers. High-risk regions, with estimated (Age standardized rate) ASRs over 30 per 100,000 include Eastern Africa (42.7), Melanesia (33.3), Southern (31.5) and Middle (30.6) Africa. There were an estimated 266,000 deaths from cervical cancer worldwide in 2012, accounting for 7.5% of all female cancer deaths.2 Cervical cancer is one of the leading cancers among Indian women with estimated 123000 new cases and 67477 deaths in 2012.2Cancer is preventable and curable if detected at an early stage.The five year survival rate of cervical cancer when diagnosed at the earliest stage is 92% and the combined 5 year survival rate of all stages is71%3. It is currently believed that the persistent infection with one of the 15 oncogenic types of Human papilloma virus (HPV) is the central and necessary cause of almost all cervical cancers and its precursor, cervical intra epithelial neoplasia (CIN). A proportion of CIN, if not detected and treated, progress to invasive cervical carcinoma over a period of 10-20 years owing to the effect of other cofactors.4,5Unfortunately, despite the availability of methods for prevention and early diagnosis, many women in India have never been screened for cervical cancer. Though the diagnosis and treatment of cervical cancer has been developed, there are important consequences from the disease and its treatment among survivors, especially the impact on quality of life (QOL).Somefunctional disorders occur following therapies such as surgery, which involves the female genital anatomy affecting directly their perception of body image and sexual functions; radiotherapy which could damage the vaginal mucosa and epithelium; and chemotherapy which could induce various adverse effects like nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, mucositis, weight changes and hormonal changes. Variouspsychological factors including low self-esteem, changes in self-image, beliefs about the origin of cancer, marital tensions, fears and worries can affect the patients.6 Need to measure QOL has become important due to broadening concept of measuring health status beyond traditional indicators such as mortality and morbidity.Assessing QOL is potentially valuable in identifying pa tientsââ¬â¢ problems and discovering the challenges and planning for the health systems. Taking into account the impact of early screening methods on long term survival of cancer patients, studies assessing QOL and its related factorshave become critical.Limited studies have been done to evaluate QOL among cervical cancer survivorsdiagnosed in advanced stages. This studyassessed the QOL in such patients before and after treatment with chemotherapy and radiotherapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS This was a follow-up study conducted atDr. B.R.A Institute Rotary Cancer Hospital(IRCH), All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi.67 female patients who were diagnosed with cervical cancer attending IRCH between 1st January 2014 and 30th June 2014 were recurited. The inclusion criteria were all women who were newly registered and diagnosed cases of cervical cancer of any histological type and advanced cancer stages (2b to 4b). Critically ill patients, those not willing to give informed consent and those who underwent surgery and did not require radiotherapy and chemotherapy were excluded. All consecutive cervical cancer patients fulfilling the inclusion criteria during the six month period were eligible for recruitment. Quality of life of the study subjects was assessed using the questionnaires developed by the European Organization for Research and Treatment of cancer (EORTC) QLQ-30 and EORTC QLQ-CX24.7-11 a) EORTC QLQ- CX30 The EORTC QLQ-C30 is a questionnaire developed in 1993 to assess the quality of life of generic cancer patients. It has been translated and validated into several languages including Hindi and has been used in numerous studies worldwide. These questionnaires have been undergone extensive testing in multicultural and multidisciplinary research settings, and have been confirmed to be a reliable and valid tool. The EORTC QLQ C-30 questionnaire comprises of 30 questions assessing functioning viz. physical, role, cognitive, emotional, social; symptoms viz. fatigue, nausea and vomiting, pain, dyspnea, insomnia, appetite loss, constipation, diarrhea, financial difficulty; and a global health status score which assesses the overall QOL. b) EORTC QLQ-CX24 EORTC Quality of Life Group has adopted a modular approach to QOL assessment for overcoming the limitations of generic tool and for disease specific treatment measurements. Consequenty, modules specific to tumor site locations, management modality, or a QOL dimension have been developed that are administered in addition to the core questionnaire. The EORTC QLQ CX-24 is a complementary questionnaire specific for cervical cancer patients that consists of 24 questions categorized as functional scales viz. body image, sexual activity, sexual enjoyment, sexual/vaginal functioning and symptom scales viz. symptoms experience, lymphedema, peripheral neuropathy, menopausal symptoms and sexual worry. Both the tools utilize a 4-point response scale namely ââ¬Å"Not at allâ⬠, ââ¬Å"A littleâ⬠, ââ¬Å"Quite a bitâ⬠and ââ¬Å"Very muchâ⬠to assess each functional or symptom item, and a 7-point response scale to assess global health status ranging from very poor to excellent. These study instruments were administered to patients at baseline and again at 6 months to ascertain changes in QOL after treatment. Institutional Ethics Committee (IEC) approval was obtained from All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi prior to initiation of study. Prior to enrollment, written informed consent was obtained from patients after detailed explanation about the study. Patient confidentiality was assured and the study participants had the right to abstain from participation without affecting on the quality of care being provided to them. Statistical analysis Data analysis was performed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 18.Qualitative data was expressed in proportions while mean and standard deviation were calculated for quantitative data. The studentââ¬â¢s t test and Chi square tests were used for comparing the characteristics of the study participants and the quality of life scores before and after chemo-radiotherapy. The scoring of the questionnaire data was performed according to the scoring manual. All scores were transformed to a 0-100 scale. For the functional scales, a good function was indicated by higher scores. For symptom scales, more severe symptoms were indicated by a higher score.10Ap-valueunder 0.05 wasconsidered statistically significant. RESULTS This study included 67 patients of advanced cervical cancer who met the eligibility criteria. Six deaths were reported during the course of study and 5 patients were lost to follow up. The final sample that was analyzed consisted of 62 patients and the quality of life was assessed in 56 patientsThe mean age of study participants was 52.28à ±11.29 years (Range 30-75 years).Squamous cell carcinoma was the most common cancer (97%) while remaining 3% patients were diagnosed with adenocarcinoma/ adenosquamous carcinoma. Majority (53.73%) of the study subjects were in stage 3b, 40% in stage 2b and remaining in stage 3a and 4a. Metastasis was present in only one patient.Combination of radiotherapy and chemotherapy was the most common (77.67%) modality of treatment. Nearly 12% of the study subjects were treated only by radiotherapy while another 10.45% cases received radiotherapy after surgery. Palliative treatment was given to four patients Six months survival among those who could be followed up was 92.53%.The global health score amongst improved significantly after treatment (p= 0.00007). The mean global health score of cervical cancer patients following treatment was 59.52, which was significantly higher than pre-treatment values of 50.15. [Table1] The patients quality of life of patients in the functional scales comprising physical, role, emotional and cognitive functioning improved significantly after treatment of cervical cancer (p= 0.012, 0.044, 0.000026, 0.00062 respectively). There was no difference in social functioning score.Symptom like fatigue, pain and loss of appetite improved significantly, but no significant improvement was seen in nausea/vomiting, dyspnea, insomnia and constipation. Diarrhea worsened in the post treatmentphase (Table 1). There were significant changes in cervical cancer specific EORTC QLQ CX-24 module scores for cervical cancer patients [Table2].There was significant decrease in body image, sexual enjoyment and vaginal functioning after treatment, though sexual activity as a whole did not change significantly. Overall symptom experience showed significant improvement after treatment with score reducing from 25.70 to 12.55 indicating improvement (P=0.00001). There was no difference in symptoms reflecting peripheral neuropathy and menopausal symptoms after treatment On the other hand, sexual worry decreased significantly with the mean score declining from 60.28 to 17.02 after treatment. Overall health score and quality of life score improved significantly (p DISCUSSION Indicators of quality of life measure the impact of a disease and its treatment on a patientââ¬â¢s daily activities, behavior, perceived health and functional status. Quality of life indices, which focus on patientââ¬â¢s own perception of disease, provide further information that cannot be obtained solely from conventional clinical and functional measurements. Therefore tools to measure quality of life have been framed by various organizations for comprehensive assessment of patients under treatment. Many factors may contribute to QOL of women diagnosed with a gynecological cancer. In our study most common modality of treatment was combination of radio and chemotherapy. Radiation therapy damages the vaginal mucosa and epithelium which leads to decrease sexual functioning and pleasure. Additional side-effects of radiotherapy are nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and mucositis among others12. Our study compared the pre-treatment and the post-treatment QOL for advanced cervical cancer patients. The Global health score showed a significant increase after treatment making it apparent that quality of life improves after treatment. Similar results were also seen in a recent study published by Kumar S et al. (2014)13.In functional scales, all the items showed a significant increase after treatment including physical, emotional, cognitive and role except social functioning which was nearly same before and after treatment. This was in contrast to a study by Greimel et al. (2002)14, which showed that the global health status, emotional and social functioning remained low. This difference could be because of enrollment of all stages of cervical cancer in their study and the fact that majority of study subjects underwent surgery as a part of treatment modality. The symptom scale analysis revealed that there was a significant decrease in fatigue, pain, insomnia and appetite loss after treatment. This was in contrast with another study done by Klee et al. (2000)15in which pain, appetit e loss, nausea vomiting increased after 3 months of treatment. This variation could be because of differences in time gap between initiation of treatment and post therapy QOL assessment. Episodes of diarrhea worsened after treatment in the present study which may due to radiotherapy. Radiotherapy has been shown to be associated with diarrhea while constipation may be ascribed to injury to the parasympathetic nerves during surgerical interventions 15,16. Another study done by Tokzaharani S et al. (2013)17also showed scores were negatively associated with symptoms including short breathing, lack of appetite, nausea and vomiting, sleep disorder, peripheral neuropathy and menopausal symptoms. In our study, financial difficulties had not changed significantly after treatment. Other studies have shown that financial difficulties increased after treatment which can affect the QOL of the patients [Park S Y et al. (2007)18]. As the study subjects were being treated in a government supported institution, out-of-pocket expenses are likely to be low.This aspect of assessment becomes especially important in resources limited settings like ours. Sexuality is an important aspect in patients suffering from any gynecological cancer and thus a crucial determinant of QOL. In our study there was a significant decrease in sexual enjoyment and sexual and vaginal functioning score in EORTC QLQ CX -24 which was also demonstrated in the study conducted by Kumar S et al. (2014)13. Another study [Park S Y et al. (2007)18] stated that 40% to 100% individuals face sexual dysfunction after treatment. This is because cervical cancer and its treatment affect the same areas of the body which are involved in sexual response. Both chemotherapy and radiotherapy has been associated with sexual problems like dyspareunia, insufficient lubrication, anxiety about sexual performance. Beside this, psychological factors also have an important role in sexual behaviors, and we found that cervical cancer patients had more anxiety about sexual performance. Overall symptoms experience reduced significantly after treatment but lymphedema, peripheral neuropathy menopausal symptoms did not change significantly. In contrast, Kumar S et al. (2014)13demonstratedsignificant increase in these symptoms after treatment. In another study done by Frumovitz et al. (2005)19, frequency of menopausal symptoms increased and sexual functioning decreased after treatment. These symptoms may follow from oophorectomy or radiation damage to the ovaries. In our study patients had perceived poor body image after treatment. These results were similar to those reported by of Park S Y et al. (2007)18. In our study overall health score and quality of life score improved significantly (p It is suggested that further studies and interventions focusing on improving the QOL in survivors should be encouraged. Although, the overall QOL after treatment in cervical cancer survivors was good, treatment of related problems can further improve it. By detecting the problems associated with the quality of life after treatment of cervical cancer, health care professionals will be able to undertake intervention programs that will help to prevent or ameliorate specific problems and adverse effects. RECOMMENDATIONS Although this study revealed that patients with cervical cancer subjected to radiotherapy and chemotherapy are satisfied with their global quality of life, attention should be paid to certain dimensions like sexual functioning during post-treatment period. To further improve QOL, interventions focusing on social and psychological support and physical rehabilitation may be needed.
Wednesday, November 13, 2019
Atomic Bomb :: essays research papers
Atomic Bomb On August 2, 1939 Albert Einstein wrote to President Franklin D. Roosevelt. This was right before the start of World War 2. In this letter Einstein and several other scientists told Roosevelt of the efforts Hitler was making to purify U-235 in which he hoped to make an atomic bomb. This is when the United States started the Manhattan Project. This was the project of making an atomic bomb. In the project many brilliant minds were used. The most famous of these people is Robert Oppenheimer. He was the major person behind this project. He basically ran the operation and oversaw the hole project from start to completion. Other great people like H.C. Urey, Ernest Lawrence, Isidor Rabi, and Ken Bainbridge also worked on the project and put just as much into it. The most complicated process was the process of getting enough uranium to sustain a chain reaction. In that time it was very hard to extract U-235. The ration of Uranium ore to the Uranium metal is 500:1. Then out of this Uranium metal 99% of it is U-238 which is non-fissionable. Finding a process to refining the Uranium was the first step in developing the atomic bomb. A massive enrichment laboratory/plant was built in Oak ridge, Tennessee. H.C. Urey and other associates at Columbia University devised a system that separated the Uranium using the principle of gaseous diffusion. Ernest Lawrence shortly following this invention came up with a process using magnetic separation. This process was quicker then the first. After the Uranium metal was separated form the Uranium ore it is put into a gas centrifuge to separate the U-235 and U-238. The first step of building an atomic bomb was completed. They now had the U-235 to build a bomb. Over the course of six years, 1939-1945, scientist worked on equations to make the U-235 into a bomb. It took some of the greatest minds to make these formulas. At the end of the six years and after spending $2 billion they had what they thought was a working bomb or a very expensive dud. At 5:29:45 (Mountain War Time) on July the 16th, 1945 the "Gadget", the code name for the bomb, was tested in the Jemez Mountains in northern New Mexico. This was the first atomic bomb ever detonated. The Gadget caused a white blaze to stretch across the skies of New Mexico.
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