Endometrial Cance Essay Example for Free

Endometrial Cance Essay This cancer mainly has the supported information of how it happens, where it happens in the body, how can it be treated, and who to turn to when one needs help. Endometrial cancer is found in the endometrium, which is the lining of the uterus. The endometrium is found in a woman’s pelvic area and is where a fetus grows until birth. Endometrial cancer occurs when cells of the endometrium begin to grow and multiply without the control mechanisms that normally limit their growth. As the cells grow, they form a tumor. (Endometrial Cancer PubMed Health. , 2012) The exact cause of endometrial cancer is unknown, but there are many risk factors that lead to what causes it to grow rapidly, killing off thousands of women each year. Endometrial cancer is usually found in women in between the ages of 50 and 60. Women, who are obese, fifty pounds over their ideal weight, are ten times greater at risk than women that are not obese. Body fat produces estrogen and the higher level of estrogen are believed to increase the risk of cancer. This is believed because women with excess fat have higher levels of estrogen. Women that have not been pregnant are at three times higher risk. Women who have their periods before the age of twelve are at an increased risk because early puberty increases the number of years that the endometrium is exposed to higher levels of estrogens. (Endometrial Cancer PubMed Health. , 2012). A woman who goes through menopause after the age of fifty-two, which is called late menopause, actually increases the number of years that the endometrium is exposed to estrogen. To all cancers there are symptoms that may be long term or short term. In endometrial cancer, the most common symptoms are abnormal bleeding from the vagina. (Cervical Cancer, 2013). Abnormal bleeding happens during menopause, which makes it harder to determine if something is wrong. During menopause, the menstrual period should become shorter, and the frequency should become farther apart. If there were to be any uncommon bleeding, it should be reported to a physician. Pelvic pain, swelling or lumps in the pelvic area, and weight loss are symptoms that are less common and would indicate advanced cancer. The staging system that is used for endometrial cancer was developed by the international Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. Staging is used to classify the cancer based on how extent the disease is. In endometrial cancer, staging is mostly based on how far the main tumor has spread. There are four stages as follows: Stage I: The tumor is limited to the upper part of the uterus and has not spread to the surrounding lymph nodes or other organs. Stage IA: Tumor limited to the endometrium or less than one half of the myometrium. Stage IB: Invasion equal to or more than one half the myometrium (middle layer of the uterine wall) Stage II: Invasion of the cervical stroma but does not extend beyond the uterus (strong supportive connective tissues of the cervix) Stage IIIA: Invasion of the serosa (outermost layer of the myometrium) and/or the adnexa (the ovaries or fallopian tubes) Stage IIIB: Invasion of the vagina and/or parametrical involvement Stage IIIC1: Cancer has spread to the pelvic lymph nodes but not to distant organs Stage IIIC2: Cancer has spread to the par aortic lymph nodes with or without positive pelvic lymph nodes but not too distant organs Stage IV: The cancer has spread to the inside of the bladder or the rectum and/or to the inguinal lymph nodes and/or to the bones or distant organs outside the pelvis, such as the lungs. Stage IVA: Tumor invasion of the bladder, the bowel mucosa, or both Stage IVB: Metastasis to distant organs, including intra-abdominal metastasis, and/or inguinal lymph nodes (Endometrial Cancer PubMed Health. , 2012). There are treatments for endometrial cancer, but it depends on the stage of the cancer. There is an initial surgery that has to be done, which involves removing the entire uterus and cervix, fallopian tubes, and ovaries. After this surgery is done staging is determined. After the staging is determined, only then will there be a treatment by a physician. Surgery is the main form of treatment for endometrial cancer, but there are other options. There is radiation therapy, but this is used for stages two, three, and four. It is given to kill any cancer cells remaining in the body. Chemotherapy is another option and drugs are used to kill cancer cells. The advantage of this option is that the chemicals can attack cancer cells anywhere in the body. The disadvantage of this option is that the side effects include nausea, hair loss, fatigue, anemia, infections, and damage to organs like the kidneys. This therapy is mainly used for advanced endometrial cancer. (Endometrial Cancer PubMed Health. , 2012). The last option would be hormone therapy, which uses hormones to fight cancer cells. This is only used in advanced and metastatic endometrial cancer. If endometrial cancer is determined, there should be foods in the individual’s diet to avoid. Many w omen with this condition can improve their symptoms by just controlling their diet. When this diet is created, the main goal is to eliminate foods that increase stimulated estrogen, prostaglandins. There are ten foods to avoid following an endometriosis diet. The first food to avoid is sugar. Sugar can produce an acidic environment within the body, which produces more pain of endometriosis. Wheat should be avoided because it contains phytic acid, which aggravates symptoms. Soy products contain phytic acid and irritate the digestive system and reduce mineral absorption. Caffeine increase estrogen levels and estrogen triggers endometriosis flare ups. When you consume more than two cups of coffee a day, estrogen levels are caused to rise. Alcohol should be avoided because vitamin B from the liver is being destroyed. The liver is needed to clear out the excess estrogen to control the cancer. Dairy products, mostly milk and cheese, should be avoided because they aggravate the symptoms also. Red meat contains growth hormones that include estrogen, so this should also be avoided. Saturated fats and oils are high in fatty acids that stimulate production of hormone levels. Foods like butter, margarine, lard, organ meats, and fried foods are high in saturated fats and oils. Another group of food that should be avoided is refined carbohydrates. This includes white bread, pasta, flour, pastry, cakes, etc. These should be avoided because most of their natural nutrients are removed, which leads to increase endometriosis symptoms. The last groups of food that should be avoided are additives and preservatives. This includes processed, frozen, and pre-packaged foods. (Nutrition Facts, 2012) There are not many alternatives for this type of cancer. This is said because there is strictly surgery that has to be done before anything else can happen. This surgery then leads to the treatment for the individual that has the cancer. (Endometrial Cancer PubMed Health. , 2012) In every cancer, you have a statically breakdown of how many people have survived or died from a certain type of cancer. My statically breakdown is involved mostly with women, because no man can get the cancer. Endometrial cancer is usually diagnosed at an early stage. â€Å"The one year survival rate is about 92%. The five year survival rate for this cancer that has not spread is 95%. If the cancer has spread to distant organs, the five year survival rate drops to 23%. Survival rates for African American women are 10% lower than that of white females for every stage† (ncbi. nlm. nih. gov). In conclusion, most women who have endometrial cancer are cured. There are many women who die from the emotional part of obtaining the cancer. Many women would feel anxious and depressed. There are many support and counseling groups that are concerned with the individual’s feelings. Friends and family members should be very supportive and the individual that has obtained the cancer should not be hesitant to bring the topic up to close friends or family. It is amazing how many people are helped through their cancer by just talking out the worries or concerns they may have. My opinion about endometrial cancer is that it should not be taken as a joke. This is something serious that affects 200,000 women each year from their day to day life. I never knew this cancer existed until I conducted research for an original cancer. This cancer is something that will affect many people in the future if prevention actions are not taken. References Endometrial Cancer PubMed Health. Web. 07 Jan. 2012. lt;http://www. ncbi. nlm. nih. gov/pubmedhealth/pmh0001908/gt;. Endometrial Cancer Staging EMedicineHealth: Symptoms, Prognosis, Treatment and Risk Factors by. Endometrial Cancer. Web. 07 Jan. 2012. lt;http://www. emedicinehealth. com/endometrial_cancer/article_em. htmgt;. Endometrial Cancer Treatment after Surgery. UpToDate Inc. Web. 07 Jan. 2012. lt;http://www. uptodate. com/contents/patient-information-endometrial-cancer-treatment-after-surgerygt;. Endometriosis Diet Foods to Avoid | Relieve Endometriosis. Endometriosis Explained | Relieve Endometriosis. Web. 07 Jan. 2012. lt;http://relieveendometriosis. com/foods-to-avoid-on-an-endometriosis-diet/gt;. amp;middot;, Media Flow. Endometriosis. Alternative Surgery. Web. 07 Jan. 2012. lt;http://www. alternativesurgery. com/education/endometriosis/gt;. â€Å"Self Nutrition Data† Know what you eat. Web. 21 March. 2012. lt;http://nutritiondata. self. com/gt;

Pseudomonas Aeruginosa: Virulence and Pathogenesis Issues

Pseudomonas Aeruginosa: Virulence and Pathogenesis Issues Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a gram negative, motile, aerobic rod shaped bacterium which can occur as singles, in pairs and occasionally in short chains. P.aeruginosa is a ubiquitous organism which can proliferate under the sparest conditions such as sinks, toilets, cosmetics, vaporisers, inhalers, respirators, and anaesthesiology and dialysis equipment. Infected patients and staff are also potential primary sources of infection (2). P.aeruginosa is a major opportunistic pathogen of the immunocompromised causing a wide range of nosocomial infections. These include infections of burn, post operative wounds, urinary tract (especially in patients with catheters), ears and eyes. Infection frequently leads to sepsis and deaths can occur (3). This organism is associated with the greatest morbidity and mortality in cystic fibrosis (4) and is prevalent among patients with burn wounds and intravenous drug users (5, 6). P.aeruginosa is able to persist and multiply in moist environments and on mos t pieces of equipment in hospital wards. This is of importance in cross infection control (4). P.aeruginosa is the most important, resistant and dangerous organism infecting burn patients (7). It is the fifth common pathogen among hospital microorganisms and causes 10% of all hospital acquired infections (8). The rate of commensalisation increases as the duration of hospital stay increases (9). Epidermiologically, P.aeruginosa is ranked as the fourth cause of nosocomial infections in the United States (10). A study on various clinical isolates was conducted in Afghanistan at the Post Graduate Medical Institute (PGMI) Hayatabal Medical Complex to ascertain the prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of P.aeruginosa infections. Among the positive isolates, 6.67% were P.aeruginosa with the highest rate of infection observed in orthopaedic ward (24.61%) and 0PD (20%). The highest percentage of P.aeruginosa isolates were observed in pus (57.64%) (11). Pseudomonas aeruginosa is resistant to many antimicrobial agents and has therefore become dominant and important when the more susceptible bacteria of the normal flora are suppressed (1). With the widespread use of quinolones both in the hospital and in the common setting, drug resistant P.aeruginosa isolates have emerged and continue to escalate rapidly (12). The antimicrobial agents are losing their efficacy due to indiscriminate use of antibiotics, lack of awareness, patient non compliance and unhygienic conditions (11). Like most gram negative bacilli, P.aeruginosa has been reported to have developed resistance to commonly used antibiotics and disinfectants. It was originally sensitive to Carbernicillin, piperacillin, Gentamicin, ciprofloxacin and other drugs. However it is now resistant to these antibiotics (13, 14). The virulence factors associated with P.aeruginosa infections include cytotoxin production, the organisms ability to form a biofilm, produce gelatinase, elastase an d alkaline protease. These cause the destruction of connective tissue and degradation of host immunological factors (15, 16). The primary aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of P.aeruginosa in wound infections and its sensitivity to commonly used antibiotics in inpatients at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals. PSEUDOMONAS AERUGINOSA Pseudomonas aeruginosa is one of the most common Gram-negative microorganisms identified in the clinical specimens of hospital admitted patients. It is a rod that measures about 0.6 2Â µm and is motile by means of a single polar flagellum (1, 18). P. aeruginosa is noted for its metabolic versatility and its exceptional ability to colonize a wide variety of environments and also for its intrinsic resistance to a wide variety of antimicrobial agents. It is an obligate aerobe that grows well at temperatures between 37-42Â °C. Due to its ubiquitous nature, P. aeruginosa grows readily on any type of media (1). On Blood agar they are often ÃŽ ²-haemolytic while on MacConkey agar they produce pale colonies because they do not ferment lactose. P.aeruginosa is oxidase positive (17). Pseudomonas aeruginosa is well known for its production of two soluble pigments, pyocyanin which is a non-fluorescent bluish pigment and the fluorescent pigment pyoverdin, which gives a greenish colour to the media. P. aeruginosa also produces a sweet grape-like odour due to the production of 2-aminoacetophenone (1, 17). PATHOGENESIS P. aeruginosa is pathogenic when introduced to areas lacking normal host defences for example when there is tissue damage and during cancer therapy where there is neutropaenia (1). P.aeruginosa is a major opportunistic pathogen of the immunocompromised causing a wide range of nosocomial infections. These include infections of burn, post operative wounds, urinary tract (especially in patients with catheters), ears and eyes (in users of extended-wear soft contact lenses). Infection frequently leads to sepsis and deaths can occur (3). This organism is associated with the greatest morbidity and mortality in cystic fibrosis (4) and is prevalent among patients with burn wounds and intravenous drug users (5, 6). It produces cytotoxins, proteases and haemolysins. Isolates from patients with Cystic fibrosis produce a polysaccharide, alginate. The alginate, pili and outer membrane mediate adhesion to host epithelia (19). VIRULENCE FACTORS The ability of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to cause a wide range of infections is due to its ability to produce a number of cell-associated (adhesions, alginate, pili, flagella and lipopolysaccharide) and extracellular (elastase, exoenzyme S, exotoxin A, haemolysins, iron binding proteins, leukocidins and proteases) virulence factors. These mediate a number of processes including adhesion, nutrient acquisition, immune system evasion, leukocyte killing, tissue adhesion and blood stream invasion (20, 21). CELL-ASSOCIATED VIRULENCE FACTORS P.aeruginosa requires a breach in first-line defences to initiate infection. This can result from alteration of the immunologic defence mechanisms for example in chemotherapy-induced immunosuppression and AIDS, disruption of the protective balance of mucosal normal flora by broad-spectrum antibiotics, or breach of normal mucosal barriers for example trauma and burns (21, 23). Adherence of P. aeruginosa to host epithelium is mediated by type 4 pili, that extend from the cell surface (1, 22). Flagella, primarily responsible for motility may also act as adhesins to epithelial cells (23). Lipopolysaccharides are responsible for endotoxic properties of the organism while the exopolysacharride is responsible for the mucoid colonies from patients with Cystic fibrosis (1). EXTRACELLULAR VIRULENCE FACTORS These are extracellular products produced by P. aeruginosa that can cause extensive tissue damage. They include exotoxin A, exoenzyme S, elastase, alkaline protease but the contribution of a given factor varies with the type of infection (24). Exotoxin A catalyses ADP-ribosylation and inactivation of elongation factor 2, leading to inhibition of protein biosynthesis and cell death (25). It is also responsible for local tissue necrosis (1). Exoenzyme S is also an ADP-riboslytransferase that ribosylates GTP binding proteins resulting in direct tissue damage (26). Phospholipase C and rhamnolipid are haemolysin produced by P. aeruginosa. They breakdown lipids and lecithin and both have cytotoxic effects (27). Pseudomonas aeruginosa also produces toxins which include Las B elastase, Las A elastase and alkaline protease (28). Las A elastase and Las B elastase have elastolytic activity. Elastin is a major component of lung tissue and blood vessels. Las B elastase is a zinc metalloprotease while Las A is a protease. Alkaline protease lyses fibrin (29). BIOFILMS Pseudomonas aeruginosa is also able to form biofilms. Biofilms are complex communities of surface-attached aggregates of microorganisms embedded in a self-secreted extracellular polysaccharide matrix or slime (alginate) (30, 31). These act as efficient barriers against antimicrobial agents (aminoglycosides, ÃŽ ² lactamases, fluoroqunilones and disinfectants) and the host immune system resulting in persistent colonisation and loss of action at the site of infection (32, 33). CELL TO CELL SIGNALLING Cell to cell signalling systems control extracellular virulence factors required for tissue invasion by P. aeruginosa. THE LAS CELL TO CELL SIGNALLING SYSTEM The Las cell to cell signalling system regulates the expression of Las B elastase (34). It regulates Las B expression and is required for optimal production of other extracellular virulence factors such as Las A elastase and exotoxin A (35). THE RHL CELL TO CELL SIGNALLING SYSTEM The rhl cell to cell signalling system controls the production of rhamnolipid. The system regulates the expression of the rhl AB operon that encodes a rhamnosyltransferase required for rhamnolipid production. It is also important for Las B elastase, protease, pyocyanin and alkaline transferase production (36). ANTIMICROBIAL REACTIVITY OF P. AERUGINOSA Like most gram negative bacilli, P.aeruginosa has been reported to have developed resistance to commonly used antibiotics and disinfectants. It was originally sensitive to Carbernicillin, piperacillin, Gentamicin, ciprofloxacin and other drugs. Degrees of cross-resistance between these agents have been reported however (13, 14). Treatment of infections by P. aeruginosa is often difficult because of its virulence and limited choice of antimicrobial agents. P. aeruginosa has the capacity to carry multiresistance plasmids, and this feature has led to the appearance of some strains that are resistant to all reliable antibiotics (37). In a study carried out at the Post Graduate Medical Institute Hayatabad Medical complex in Afghanistan on the prevalence and resistance pattern of P. aeruginosa against various antibiotics, the highest resistance was observed against ampicillin, ampicillin/ sulbactam, co-amoxiclave and ofloxacin and least resistance was observed against amikacin. Similarly t he MIC for ampicillin, ampicillin/sulbactam and co-amoxiclave against clinical isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa was also high (11). A similar study carried out at Dhaka Medical College Hospital in 2006 showed that almost all of the P. aeruginosa isolates were resistant to cefixime and co-trimoxazole, majority were resistant to ceftazidime, gentamycin and ciprofloxacin. The result of the study showed that imipenem is the most effective drug against P. aeruginosa, followed by amikacin and ciprofloxacin (39). MECHANISM OF ACTION OF COMMONLY USED ANTIBIOTICS The commonly used antibiotics in the treatment of P. aeruginosa infections are Aminoglycosides (for example Gentamicin and amikacin), Penicillins (such as cabernicillin), Quinolones (for example Nalidixic acid, ciprofloxacin and levofloxacin), Cephalosporins (ceftazidime) and Carbapenemes (meropenem and imipenem) (37). Penicillins, Cephalosporins and Carbapenemes inhibit bacterial cell wall synthesis. They are ÃŽ ²-lactam agents. Aminoglycosides and Tetracyclines are inhibitors of protein synthesis. Quinolones are inhibitors of bacterial nucleic acid synthesis (17). RESISTANCE TO ANTIBIOTICS The antimicrobial resistance conferred by P. aeruginosa is due to mutations in the organisms genetic material. No single mutation is responsible for multidrug resistance. Mutations to topoisomerase 2 and 4 confer fluoroquinolone resistance. Derepression of the chromosomal AmpC ÃŽ ²-lactamase reduces susceptibility to penicillins and cephalosporins. Up-regulation of MexAB-OprM compromises the fluoroquinolones, penicillins, cephalosporins and it also enhances resistance to many other drugs that lack useful anti-pseudomonal actions (38). 1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM Considering the ability of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to persist and multiply in moist places and in most pieces of equipment in hospital wards (4), antimicrobial resistance is a growing concern. This is attributed to the fact that the organism is able to withstand conditions such as high temperature and high concentrations of salts and antiseptic (10). It is therefore imperative to constantly evaluate the pathogenesis and sensitivity patterns of P.aeruginosa so as to prevent further spread and recurrence of infection in the hospital set up. 1.3 HYPOTHESIS Null Hypothesis (H0) The prevalence of P. aeruginosa in wound and pus swab specimens at Parirenyatwa hospital is 6.7%. Alternative Hypothesis (H1) The prevalence of P. aeruginosa in wound and pus swab specimens at Parirenyatwa hospital is greater than 6.7%. 1.4 OBJECTIVES The aims of this study are: To determine the prevalence of P. aeruginosa in wound and pus swab specimens of patients admitted at Parirenyatwa hospital. To determine the antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of the isolates.

Importance of talent management

Importance of talent management Introduction Changes to the environment in which banks operate was caused by high risk lending which now have higher capital requirements, tougher regulations and scarcer funding. The economic downturn has affected the banking industry in such a way that fighting for survival is a must; to avoid liquidation, acquisition, closures, takeovers and mergers. As a result, banks are faced with managing risks, compensation and growth itself. According to Marcus, who did 25 years of research found out that the most successful organisations were those people who focused on what they did best. The banks approach was to accentuate the positive through talent management and leadership development with a goal of measurably increasing its leadership capacity by 2011. Using the strength based philosophy in the transitional change process, which is valuable in an international environment that is vastly diversified. Importance of talent management Talent management involves individuals and organisational development in response to a changing and complex environment. Talent management focuses on driving superior business results through people by: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Attracting the right people to the industry. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Maintaining and keeping employees fully engaged in their work. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Identifying and developing potential leaders. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Motivating and rewarding employees’ efforts in innovative ways. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Aligning human resource programs, policies and processes to business goals. Why Talent Management? à ¢Ã… ¾Ã‚ ¢ For banks to survive at this period they need to strategise a long term goal of managing employees during the recession which is short term and after the recession which is long term through the continuous individual personal development(CIPD), right from the recruitment stage. As Haley says its everybodys Holy Grail to create local internal pipelines and there having continuous supply of talent. Banks will survive the recession period because of the talent they retain and develop, as Haley said there is not enough supply, so you have to develop your own people. Without the continuous use of talent management, they will not be able to cope once the recession is over, because they will not have the necessary skills to fill positions quickly to meet evolving business needs. The fight for existence has lead to a wide scale of redundancies hence a significant lost of talent. With the continuous use of talents management, banks will grow, expand and develop in a competitive market with the skills and talents they continuously develop after redundancies, because the demand out ways the supply for talented people during the recession. Banks tend to cut down cost, especially on the training and development of employees, forgetting that people and their development is the key to the success of any organisation no matter what the economic climate is. Cutting down cost on training and development can have a long term effect on an organisation, which can lead the organisation to loosing its market share. The bank gains competitive advantages over its competitors by continuously improving its talent. By identifying the key innovative employees to the organisation that can be further trained and equip to anticipate or solve future problems that may arise. This could be the companys core competence and being the success factor which could be its competitive edge over competitors. It develops employees innovative skills needed for and after the recession. Haley said its base on the idea that people will be successful because they play to their strengths not because they manage their weakness, Skills will be available once the recession is over because innovation comes from the best people who are drivers of long term change. It increases the productivity of employees, hence high quality, effectiveness and efficiency is maintained. The risk of loosing employees to competitors due to lack of motivation during the recession, talent management motivates employees to stay with the organisation long term, knowing there is an opportunity for growth and development. Motivation gives the employees the confidence that they need to carry out their job properly hence innovative skills can be transferred or adopted. With staff engagement, career planning and continuous personal development plans from the Human resources development department, there will be enough supply of skills and creative innovation.   The organisations brand will be recognised for its training and development policy, which will attract the best people with the appropriate skills for the Job who can add value to the industry. Importance of change management Change is the process of transforming the manner in which individuals or organisations act and requires most employees to learn new skills. Change is perennial in the economic situation that we currently facing, implementing talent management to incorporate change is essential for the success of standard bank which explores new opportunities for growth and increase productivity. It can be very effective when people are involved in the change process, by providing training in new values, skills and behaviours. Change affects the managers leadership roles and employees in which they are all subjects to the same reactions of resistance and constraints. It is vital that the change process is managed properly to reduce the level of resistance. Change management could have a long term effect of being cost effective; it could reduce the cost of future uncertainties that may occur, hence improving the quality of products in the global economy. Conclusion The continued use of talent management minimises change resistance, it maintains key skills to boost up the bank hence the talent management is incorporated into the banks culture.   In order to maximise the talent management process it is essential that the bank adopts Dave Ulrichs (1997) three legged stool model of Shared Service Centre, Business Partners and Centres of Expertise to make sure the team is well motivated.

The Bolsheviks and the Tragedy of the October Revolution Essay

The Bolsheviks and the Tragedy of the October Revolution The majority of the people are with us. The majority of the working and oppressed people all over the world are with us. Ours is the cause of justice. Our victory is assured."1 "October was a classic coup d'à ©tat, the capture of governmental power by a small minority, carried out-without mass engagement."2 The October Revolution was perhaps the most momentous event of the twentieth century. It led to the creation of the Soviet Union, the first avowedly Communist nation in history, which was to become a global superpower, an inspiration to many, an object of the hatred of many more. Possibly more important was the role the memory of the October Revolution played in the mythology of the Soviet Union throughout its entire existence. Along with the doctrine of Marxism-Leninism and the Communist Party edifice, the legacy of October was one of the pillars upon which the Soviet Union supported itself and justified its form and existence.   " Whatever legitimacy the Soviet regime could once claim, in its own eyes and in that of the outside world," claims Martin Malia, "depended - on the socialist reality of October."3 In the Soviet Union, the October Revolution was officially viewed as the ultimate endorsement of the Communist Party and Marxism-Leninism by the people of Russia.   The toiling masses, achieving class-consciousness in the turmoil of the revolutionary cauldron, placed their vanguard at their head and entrusted it with control of the new Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.   They then defended it against the attacks of the counterrevolutionaries, and would continue to do so until the worldwide socialist revolution, the establishment of global communism, and th... ...dy, 507. 25.   Sukhanov, Russian Revolution, 550. 26.   Daniels, Conscience of the Revolution, 64. 27.   Ibid., 63. 28.   Robert Daniels, ed.   A Documentary History of Communism (New York: Random House, 1984), I, 102. 29.   Lenin qtd. in Daniels, Conscience of the Revolution, 65. 30. Ibid., 63. 31.   Figes, People's Tragedy, 506. 32.   Daniels, Conscience of the Revolution, 147. 33.   Figes, People's Tragedy, 464. 34.   Richard Stites, Revolutionary Dreams: Utopian Vision and Experimental Life in the Russian Revolution, (New York: Oxford University Press, 1989), 43. 35.   Sukhanov, Russian Revolution, 553 - 555. 36.   Figes, People's Tragedy, 519. 37.   Daniels, Conscience of the Revolution, 110. 38.   Ibid., 113. 39.   See Figes, People's Tragedy, 590 - 594. 40.   Daniels, Conscience of the Revolution, 119. 41.   Ibid., 121. 42.   Malia, Soviet Tragedy, 103 - 104.

Breast Cancer Essay -- Health Disease Essays Papers Prevention

Breast Cancer Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in the United States. There are many different types of cancer that are affecting people all over. Breast Cancer is one of these, and is found in man and women. Over 200,000 women and 1,300 men have been diagnosed with breast cancer this year. One in eight women will detect breast cancer in their lifetime. Men are less than one percent of the cases of breast cancer that are detected. Although prevention is not yet available, early detection is the best way to handle breast cancer, which can be treated in many ways. Breast cancer is a malignant tumor found in the glandular tissue of the breast. This tumor is called a carcinoma, which causes a single abnormal cell to multiple at rapid rates. A malignant tumor damages tissue and can spread. Cancer spreads when it breaks away and gets into the bloodstream. The tumor can be removed but there is still a possibility that they will grow back. When breast cancer spreads it is called metastatic breast cancer. If it is a benign tumor it is non cancerous, will not spread, but could damage some tissue. They are also not life- threatening and can be removed, which they rarely grow back. Breasts are glands that can produce milk. There are two main types of breast cancer, ductal carcinoma and lobular carcinoma. Ductal carcinoma is cancer in the lining of milk ducts of the breast. Lobular carcinoma is cancer in the lobules where breast milk is produced. There has not been a way detected to prevent breast cancer yet. The best way to protect you against breast cancer is by getting a mammogram at age 35 and once a year after age 40. Also you should perform a self-exam of the breast each month after age 20 f... ...nemia. There is a five-year survival rate for women with breast cancer. The percentage of survival has risen from 72 to 96. If the cancer has spread to other tissue then the rate goes down to 78. The hope of recovering from the diagnosis of breast cancer is extremely high. Women are becoming a lot more optimistic about being diagnosis with breast cancer. It is highly recommended that they see a physician regularly and give them themselves self-breast examinations. Breast cancer kills about 39, 800 women a year and about 400 men. Self-examination is one way to detect breast cancer early and give you a better chance of recovering from it. Many treatments are available and can help get rid of breast cancer. Even though there is no prevention for this cancer yet, detecting symptoms early and receiving treatment is the best way to get rid of breast cancer.

Life Without Televisions Essay

When my family’s only television set went to the repair shop the other day, my parents, my sister, and I thought we would have a terrible week. How could we get through the long evenings in such a quiet house? What would it be like without all the shows to keep us company? We soon realized, though, that living without television for a while was a stroke of good fortune. It became easy for each of us to enjoy some activities alone, to complete some postponed chores, and to spend rewarding time with each other and friends. First of all, with no television to compete for our time, we found plenty of hours for personal interests. We all read more that week than we had read during the six months before. For instance, I was able to finish â€Å"The Scarlet Letter†, a novel assigned in my English class. Also my younger sister read 300 pages of the last book of the â€Å"Twilight† series. We each also enjoyed some hobbies we had ignored for ages. My dad’s old enthusiasm for gardening returned, and he started planting vegetables in his garden. My mom had time to open her bakery book and bake Italian desserts such as Profiterole and tiramisu. My sister and I played volleyball in the back yard, a sport that we loved since we were younger. In addition, my sister and I both stopped procrastinating with our homework. We both found out that it was really helpful to work on homework ahead of time; therefore I worked on chapter three and four of my Algebra homework for next week. I also finished my study guide for my English test. My sister as well worked on her French and Government assignments. Second we did chores that had been hanging over our heads for too long. There were many jobs around the house that had needed attention for some time. Cleaning our rooms was the first chore we did; my sister and I cleaned our entire room and vacuumed the carpet. Then my mom cleaned the counter tops and all the shelves of the kitchen. Finally my dad managed to clean his garage and put all of his tools back on the shelves. We also had a chance to do some long- postponed shopping. My father went to SEARS to buy a sofa that was needed in his room. My mom went to LOWES to buy accessories for her bathroom. My sister and I went to the mall to buy her prom dress and I was able to buy two pairs of jeans and two shirts that I wanted. And each of us also caught up with e-mails and did paperwork that was long overdue. My mom had some office work done, such as sales reports for the committee of her company. My dad finally wrote an e-mail to my grandma that is living in Spain with my aunt Susan. My sister also replied to e-mails from her friends that live in Italy. And I was able to complete my FASFA application for the fall semester. Finally, and probably most important, we spent time with each other. Instead of just being in the same room together while we stared at a screen, we actually talked for many pleasant hours. My parents and I never had long conversations before, and during that week, we got to know each other more than we did for the past five years. My sister and I talked more about each other and we found out that we have a lot of interests in common. Moreover, for the first time in years, my family played some games together. My sister enjoys playing Monopoly; therefore, we played almost every night. We also played chest, one of my dad’s favorite games. My mom’s favorite game is dominos; although my sister ended up winning every game. And because we didn’t have to worry about missing this or that show, we had some family friends over on a couple of evenings and spent enjoyable time with them. We would play volleyball in the back yard. After several games we would have dinner in the back patio enjoying the lovely weather while listening to classical music. And finally after dinner we would make a bonfire and sit around it and remember memories with our friends. Once our television returned, we were not prepared to put it in the attic. But we had a sense of how it can take over our lives if we are not careful. We are now more selective. We turn on the set for our favorite shows, certain sports events, and the news, but we don’t leave it running all evening. As a result, we find we can enjoy television and still have time left over for other activities and interests.

Commentary: Different?

The text is a monologue and inspired by two other kinds of texts. Alan Bennett's â€Å"Talking Heads† and (to a lesser extent) a text I discovered by Carol Ann Duffy called Comprehensive. It is present in the AQA English Language and Literature Anthology for 2003, 2004, 2005. The purpose of the text is as a means of entertaining an audience of a younger age (possibly in between the ages of 12-18) that are aware of the groups of people concerned (who are usually teenagers themselves) and also of their colloquialisms. This targets mostly those who are affected or annoyed by these types of people within their daily lives. (People in the Birmingham area of this age are more likely to understand the dialect). A person that fits into this category should hopefully find that the text is true to real life, and also quite amusing. The piece begins as one of Alan Bennett's â€Å"Talking Heads† would. As his works were written with the assumption that they would be visual for a watching audience as well as just for a listening audience, he wrote, what could be referred to as stage directions in italics at the top of each monologue. I have done this also as I think it sets the scene well and perhaps gives away more information about each character. The genre of the piece (monologue) does not really confine me in terms of the subject matter or layout but I feel that its genre is evident from merely viewing the layout and maybe reading the first paragraph. I did not feel it suitable for either person to greet the audience, as they would be talking to a camera and not a person. This also would not aid me in any way when putting across my attitudes. Instead I continued straight into both characters speeches as a means of making the passage run more smoothly. There is not just a single attitude that I am trying to get across in writing this text but they are all linked in that my ‘complaints' all refer to the groups known to me and many others as â€Å"greebos† and â€Å"Kevs†. I have attempted to explain these two groups of people's attitudes (as I see it as an outsider looking in) towards their own lives and, more importantly, to each other. I have also made clear use of slang with each person to show the listener how confusing some of the slang that teenager's use today is and how the language varies between the different groups (i.e. one would rarely hear a ‘greebo' say the word â€Å"wicked† unless it were as a means of imitating a ‘kev'). I have tried to show how humorous some of the words and phrases used sound, and in some cases, how they make no sense whatsoever, for example, the names of these groups alone are somewhat confusing and do not give us any clue as to what it means to be a member of these groups. Even though I am familiar with these groups, I do not know where their group names or the language they use is derived from. They have both somehow managed to inherit a kind of stereotype description, which everyone can refer to if either the word â€Å"greebo† or â€Å"Kev† is used. Part of the message that I am trying to put across is trying to, explain that most â€Å"Kevs† and â€Å"greebos† do not fit their stereotype description at all. For example, according to Tom, Jack and ‘his kind' do not like the game of football, â€Å"what kind of a person doesn't like football!?†, when clearly Jack states that he has â€Å"got a season ticket for City† and he enjoys going to the games. â€Å"Filthy scum get outta Brum'† â€Å"Bopping† around in their â€Å"Rocky P's† Tom and Jack speak in an informal manner (shown above), as if they are talking to a friend instead of in a more impersonal way. They both presume that the listener understands the slang that they use. I felt that if they didn't do this, then my attitude towards the language that they use would seem less obvious. Despite their supposed initial feelings of being comfortable talking at a camera, towards the end of both monologues the boys both seem to feel threatened after arriving at the subject of befriending a member of the opposite group. At this point there are a lot of stops and stutterings marked by â€Å"†¦Ã¢â‚¬ , and finally – seemingly as a means of escape – both come to an abrupt end and what looks like a farewell without an explanation of where they have to rush off to and why they have to go wherever they are going so quickly! In reality, the stereotype â€Å"greebo† is exactly as the â€Å"kev† describes and the stereotype â€Å"kev† is exactly how Jack describes, but their minds do not seem to be open enough or able to grasp the concept that not all of the opposing group are like this. If what Tom Foster believes were true then there would not be many â€Å"greebos† alive to get exasperated about because presumably they will have all â€Å"slit their wrists†. Only in extreme cases only are their faces covered in piercings and not all of them despise football (as I have shown using Jack). The â€Å"greebo† that I have used in my monologue does not give us any evidence that he worships Satan either despite what the â€Å"kev† believes and the â€Å"kev† is even in a relationship with a â€Å"greebo† despite this being against his ethics. When talking about Eminem, (a music artist popular with both groups) Jack refers to him as â€Å"one of us†. When he says this the listener would realise what he means by â€Å"us† even though he gives us no clue as to what it means. This shows that he knows that he is part of a group (the â€Å"greebos†) and by saying that he is one of them is a way of making his music only acceptable for them to listen to rather than â€Å"Kevs†, and as he continues he explains that â€Å"Kevs† listen to his music for the wrong reasons almost saying that they should not be permitted to listen to it. â€Å"cos they'll get thinking that he is one of them† â€Å"These ‘greebo's' sicken me†. These quotes show that they talk down on each other as if they were somehow of a lower class and referring to each other as â€Å"them† gives a feeling of hostility even though they are so similar in many ways. The only real difference is in the clothes that they wear and the music that they listen to. Although it may seem that I have exaggerated the amount of times that both Tom and Jack use slang I assure you this is no exaggeration: â€Å"He's the only safe one†. The word â€Å"safe† is just one of the slang words used by Jack in his monologue. If he were using Standard English then he would have said â€Å"He is the only one that is trustworthy and that I like.† I emphasise the separate groups pronunciation of words as a means of making the monologues appear more like spontaneous speech as (if the piece were to be acted out as it should be) this would be the way I would want the ‘actors' to speak. I also tried to do this by changing the subject abruptly in various places throughout the monologues. i.e. â€Å". It's never about the music with them, just baselines and how â€Å"tweaked† the snare drum is, whatever that means. So anyway, we decided that they were takin over too much in Birmingham so†¦Ã¢â‚¬  They accuse and criticise each other for doing the same things while oblivious to the fact that meanwhile members of the opposite group are accusing them of doing the same thing. For example, Jack says â€Å"It's never about the music with them† while earlier on in Toms monologue he says, â€Å"We go for the music, not to get ‘wasted'† This insinuates of course that it is never about the music for â€Å"greebos† either. If we took both peoples word for it then neither of them listens to music because they want to listen to music. I don't though and find these accusations preposterous. I believe the way in which each person ends the conversation. The language that they both use is comedic and further helps me to convey how both groups rather weird variation of the English language baffles me. Despite this, ending their monologues in the ways that they do sums up both characters.