Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is a series of birth defects such as physical, mental, behavioral and learning problems caused by the mother drinking alcohol during pregnancy. Kenneth Jones and David Smith at the University of Washington in Seattle officially identified Fetal Alcohol Syndrome in 1973 (Golden 1). The exact reasons certain fetuses are affected and others are not, is not fully understood. CDC reports state that 0.2 to 1.5 per 1000 babies are born each year in the United States with alcohol related birth defects (CDC 1). Fetal Alcohol Syndrome can be prevented with education. Even small changes in education and behavior can reduce the risk of women giving birth to babies with fetal alcohol syndrome. Women have been drinking for years not knowing or understanding the effects that alcohol had on their babies. Some women that drink do not even know they are pregnant and may unknowingly and unintentionally cause damage to the unborn and developing baby. Then there are the women that are addicted to alcohol. The drive can be stronger for the alcohol than for the health of herself or her unborn baby. Education, behavior modification and detoxification are areas of change needed to help with prevention of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. When alcohol is consumed it is absorbed into the mothers bloodstream and passed through the placenta and into the central nervous system of the fetus. Alcohol depresses the central nervous system of the fetus. Alcohol is a potent teratogen. A teratogen is any substance which has been proven to cause birth defects. It is not fully known if it is the alcohol or acetaldehyde, which is a breakdown product from alcohol, which causes birth defects. How the damage occurs is not completely understood, but alcohol does create a glucose and oxygen deficit for the fetus (Spong 1). There is increased risk for miscarriage, stillbirth, and birth defects in women that drink, especially in the first trimester. Also, the amount of alcohol intake can multiply the chances of these effects. The organs of the fetus begin developing between three to ten weeks. Alcohol may affect the developing organs such as the heart, brain and central nervous system. Because of the effect on the brain, alcohol can cause mental retardation. Damage to the brain can happen anytime during the pregnancy since the brain develops for all nine months and beyond birth (Belfort 2006). The effects of the alcohol can vary in range of severity and parts of the anantomy. Some babies are born with growth deficiencies due to the alcohol consumption during pregnancy. They are short in length, under weight, and have small heads (Wong). Facial abnormalities include small eye openings, drooping eyelids, skin folds across the inner corners of the eyes, a flattened or missing bridge of the nose, underdeveloped philtrum, thin upper lip, cleft lip, and cleft palate (Wong). There are major organ defects, especially of the heart such as septal defects, tetralogy of Fallot, and patent ductus arteriosus (Wong). They may have problems with their respiratory system such as apnea, pulmonary hypertension and SIDS. Renal abnormalities include aplastic, dysplastic, hypoplastic kidneys, horseshoe kidneys, ureteral duplications, and hydronephrosis (Wong 844). They may have joint and limb abnormalities. Some of the skeletal abnormalities are restriction of movement, altered palmar crease pa tterns, hypoplastic nails, shortened digits, radionulnar synostosis, flexion contractures, pectus excavaum and carinatum, Klippei-Feil syndrome, hemivertebrae, and scoliosis (Fry-Johnson 42) . Malformation of the Eustachian tube, conductive hearing loss and nuerosensory hearing loss are some auditory defects. They tend to have chronic ear infections. They have a tendency to be more susceptible to infections (Wong 844). Malnutrition is a risk factor for women that drink and can lead to birth defects. Malnutrition can cause low birth weight, growth retardation, fetal damage, and is an increased risk for spontaneous abortion and stillbirth. There are several reasons for the malnutrition. First, alcoholics prefer alcohol over food therefore the intake of needed nutrients is poor. Then there is reduce absorption and metabolism of nutrients. Women that drink can be deficient in many vitamins and minerals such as vitamin B6, folic acid, riboflavin, thiamine, vitamin K, iron, magnesium and zinc. Deficiency in vitamin B6 can result in a clubfoot, cleft lip and palate. Folate acid deficiencies are related to neural tube defects and orofacial defects. Riboflavin deficiency may affect failure to grow, thrive and develop. Lack of thiamine has been found to cause heart defects. Deformities related to vitamin K deficiency are shortened fingers, cupped ears, flat nasal bridges, and underdeveloped nose, mouth and mid face. Babies that are born iron deficient are often smaller and shorter. Deficiency in zinc has been linked to impaired growth and development. Zinc deficiency has been related to lower immunity in infants and abnormalities of the nervous system that lead to learning difficulties and mental retardation (Anderson 3). According to an article by Mary J. OConnor in the American Journal of Drug and Alcohol abuse, children with fetal alcohol syndrome may show cognitive and attention deficits, increased activity levels, problems in inhibition and state regulation, perseverative behavior, and expressive language and motor problems. These problems may last into and throughout adulthood. They may have difficulties such as bonding in infants and depression in 4-6 year olds. There have been reports of depression, anxiety, psychosis, somatic complaints, delinquency, hyperactivity and sleep disorders. OConnor also reports in a study done on 473 people that were prenatally exposed to alcohol 44% were diagnosed with major depressive disorder, 40% had psychotic disorders, and 20% had bipolar disorders(Womens Health1). Studies on prenatal alcohol exposure and relation to IQ show varying severities. It was noted that some children for unknown reasons are more susceptible than others to the effects of alcohol. An a rticle in Journal of School Health by Jennifer H. Green reports on a review of studies done showing an average IQ for people with fetal alcohol syndrome at 65.73 with a range of 20-120 (Green 1). Fetal alcohol syndrome is a preventable problem. The public needs to be educated on the effects alcohol can have on an unborn child and that no amount of alcohol is safe during pregnancy. The effects from alcohol ingestion during pregnancy can range in severity and last a lifetime. Healthcare worker must educate and advise all females within childbearing years of the potential harm to the fetus. During pregnancy it is never too late to stop and reduce the risk to the fetus. Ultimately it is up to the mother to follow through with these warnings and advice. Work Citied Anderson, Mark. Historical Perspective Prenatal Nutrition and Birth Defects. Selen River Press, 2008. World Wide Web. July 24, 2008. http://www.seleneriverpress.com/media/pdf_docs/36_BirthDefectsandNutrition. Belfort, Mandy. Department of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, Childrens Hospital Boston, Boston, MA. , Healthline Pregnancy Guide, February 2006 World Wide Web : July 26, 2008. http://www.healthline.com/yodocontent/pregnancy/premature-baby-brain-problems.html Center for Diease Control and Prevention.(2006) Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. World Wide Web: July 24, 2008.http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/fas/fasask.htm#how Fry-Johnson, Yvonne W. M.D.(2005). Fetal Alcohol Syndrome â€Å"Its a Faith Walk†¦Ã¢â‚¬  World Wide Web: July 25, 2008. http://www.sefasrtc.org/presentations/Its%20a%20Faith%20Walk%2031705Fetal%20Alcohol%20Syndrome.pdf Golden, Janet. 2005. Message in a Bottle The Making of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. Green, Jennifer H.  Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders: understanding the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure and supporting students.Journal of School Health77.3  (March 2007):  103(6).General OneFile.  Gale.  BREVARD COUNTY LIBRARY SYSTEM.  24 July 2008 http://find.galegroup.com/ips/start.do?prodId=IPS. Prenatal alcohol exposure has effects far beyond fetal alcohol syndrome.Womens Health Weekly(Dec 9, 2004):  75.General OneFile.  Gale.  BREVARD COUNTY LIBRARY SYSTEM.  24 July 2008 http://find.galegroup.com/ips/start.do?prodId=IPS. Work Citied Spong CY (2006) Protection against Prenatal Alcohol-Induced Damage. PLoS Med 3(4): e196 doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.0030196 Wong, Donna L., Hockenberry, Marilyn J., Perry, Shannon E., and Lowdermilk, Deitra Leonard. (2006). Maternal Child Nursing Care (3rd edition). St. Louis: Mosby Elsevier.

Huckleberry Finn :: essays research papers

Mark Twain’s book Huckleberry Finn is an enjoyable book to read. Mark Twain is an excellent writer, and makes the book humorous, and attention catching, at the same time, it is teaching about important issues or slavery and educating on unhappy family situations. Huckleberry Finn is a classic. One of the first ways in which it is a classic is how it addresses issues of society. It shows the differences between classes, between the blacks and the whites. It shows Jim’s struggle for freedom, and the little white boy who doesn’t know anything better than to help him. While all of the white culture is looking down on blacks, one white person, not knowing the seriousness of what he is doing, is willing to help Jim gain his freedom.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Another way that this book is obviously a classic is how the people in it and their troubles are open to the readers. Huck himself seems to have his share of problems. In the beginning of this book, he is living with two older ladies, he doesn’t enjoy that, and the reader becomes well aware of that. One of the other problems that he has is with his father. His father is just using him for the money that he has and beats him regularly, and then kidnaps him, just for spite, not because he loves him, and one of the other problems that he has is trying to free Jim and to do what he feels is right. Jim has his own share of problems, and they are also open to the reader, because that is what the book is mostly about, freeing Jim and all the situations that take place during that. In this book, most of the characters’ problems are open to the reader, because without them, the book would have very little twists and turns of plot.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A way that this book shows that it is a classic is that the work is original. This is very true. Mark Twain has his own writing style. It is unlike any other. Twain is a good storyteller, and appears to enjoy that. His storytelling style is different from others in that he attacks difficult issues through his stories. He writes about slavery and freedom from a neutral vantage point. Most of the other writers of his day and age wouldn’t dare to discuss touchy topics like that, yet Twain chose to do that, and he did it well.

The Commodity Barley for the Production of Beer

Barley is the basic ingredient of Beer and therefore, it would be pertinent to familiarize with this commodity. Its biological name is Hordeum Vulgare and it is a member of the grass family Poaceae. It is a major food and animal feed crop. It is mainly starch or carbohydrate source from nutrition considerations.It contains close to 60% starch. In 2005, barley ranked fourth in quantity produced and in area of cultivation of cereal crops in the world, with total production being approximately 137 Million Metric ton and area under cultivation was approximately 560,000 square kilometers (wikipedia).It is cultivated mainly on land too lean or two cold for wheat cultivation. It is used primarily as animal feed for beef cattle, dairy cattle, swine and poultry. The entire barley kernel is rolled, ground or flaked for preparing animal feed. To some extent, it is also used as human food, for that the barley is pearled i. e. its hull is removed by using abrasive rollers. However, the major use of Barley for human consumption is in the form of Malt. Malt is used in beer, liquor, malted milk and flavored food.Approximate chemical composition of Barley is given in following table. Barley was one of the first domesticated cereals. It originated, most likely in the Fertile Crescent area of the Near East. Many references to barley and beer are found in early Egyptian and Sumerian writings that are more than 5000 years old. Archaeological evidence of barley cultivation has been found dating back to 8000 BC in Iran. There is now considerable evidence that the initial cultivation of barley in China and India occurred at a later date.Cultivated barley is one of 31 Hordeum species, belonging to the tribe Triticeae, family Poaceae. It is an annual diploid species with 2n=14 chromosomes. The genetic system is relatively simple, while the species is genetically diverse, making it an ideal study organism. Molecular evidence has revealed considerable homology between barley, wheat, and r ye. Among the wild Hordeum, there are diploid, tetraploid, and hexaploid species. Many are perennial. The species are native in various parts of the world. Barley has a single floret in each spikelet.There are three spikelets at each node, alternating on opposite sides of the barley head or spike. In two-rowed barley, the central floret is fertile and the two lateral florets are sterile, resulting in a single seed at each node, giving the head a flat appearance (picture below). In six-rowed barley, all of the florets are fertile (picture below). The central seeds are round and fat, but the laterals tend to be slightly asymmetric. A single head of barley can produce up to 80 seeds. Currently the wild ancestor of barley (H. vulgare subsp.spontaneum) is thought to be a subspecies of cultivated barley, and cultivated barley is classified in the subspecies vulgare. Wild barley has a brittle rachis and occurs only in the two-row form. Cultivated barley has a nonbrittle rachis and may be t wo-rowed or six-rowed. H. vulgare subsp. spontaneum may be a transitional form between the true progenitor of barley and the cultivated species. Barley generally has several stems or tillers. The Barley tillers are round and erect, with conspicuous nodes and internodes. Like many grasses, the stem is hollow. The straw of barley is generally weaker than wheat.The ability of the barley plant to send up new tillers in response to favorable environmental conditions is a useful mechanism for adapting to changes during the growing season. Two-rowed varieties usually have a higher number of tillers per plant and larger, heavier seed than six-rowed varieties. Six-rowed varieties on the other hand, usually have more seeds per inflorescence. Thus the compensatory effects of yield components lead to similar levels of yield potential. When one talks about the wide adaptability of various cereal crops, barley is the champion.It is grown in a range of extreme environments that vary from northern Scandinavia to the Himalayan Mountains to monsoon paddies. It is particularly noted for its tolerance to cold, drought, alkali, and salinity. Its rapid growth enables it to compete well with weeds and other grasses. It is earlier in maturity than wheat and other cereal crops. It is not well adapted to acid and wet conditions. Requirements for inputs, particularly nitrogen, are relatively low. Barley should be grown under moderate nitrogen fertility conditions because high fertility will reduce kernel plumpness and increase lodging.The grain protein target for malting barley is 11. 5% to 13%, which must also be considered in determining appropriate nitrogenous fertilizer levels. Barley favors cool production conditions (15-30 Â °C) and moderate rains (500 – 1000 mm annually). Cultivars that are photoperiod sensitive require long days to flower. Both winter and spring habit types exist. For winter barley, a vernalization period of two to ten weeks below 50 Â °F is necessary. In general, spring barley genotypes are not as cold hardy as winter wheat.Highest commercial yields tend to come from central and northern Europe, where yields of 10 t/ha can be obtained under intensive management. No barley variety is adapted to all environments and, in fact, very different gene pools have evolved in the major barley production areas of the world. The gene pools may be defined by essential physiological parameters that determine adaptation to a production environment – such as vernalization and/or photoperiod response – or they may be defined by evolutionary bottlenecks and the accidents of history, such as regional preferences for two-rowed or six-rowed varieties.2. 1 Types of barley The barley can be classified on different basis like no. of rows of grains or seeds, based on the type of hull the grains have, appearance, color, grain size etc. Some commonly talked of types are listed below. Feed and malt types: This classification is based on end use of the barley. The feed barley is consumed by beef cattle, poultry and swine. This has less plump content than the malt barley, which is used for malt production. Malt is a value added product from barley and used mainly for beer production and other food products for human consumption.Among the growers there is tendency to produce more of malt barley as it fetches more than 65% price over the feed barley. Hulled and hulless varieties Hulled types – In hulled barley the lemma and palea remain attached to the seed at maturity Hulled barley is the predominant type in the US and many other parts of the world. Hulless types – the seed threshes free of the lemma and palea (hull). Hulless barley is produced for various food and beverage uses in East Asia mainly in China, Japan, and Korea.This barley is an important subsistence crop in the Andes and Himalayan regions and in Ethiopia. In Canada, hulless varieties are commonly grown as feed for swine. Awned types predominate R ough and smooth awn types Hooded (modified awns) are used for silage and green chop Awnless types exist Aluerone color variations Colorless, white, yellow, blue Waxy starch type (100% amylopectin) used for specialty food and feed Dwarf types are common; Taller types are used in rain-fed production regions

Healthy Relationships and Happiness - 1923 Words

Each person in the world is different from anyone else because of the countless number of factors that shape a person. Despite the distinct differences between each individual, there is one common goal we all share: happiness. Whether we seek happiness through accolades, money, or service to others, the end game is simple. We all want to be happy and spend our lives trying to achieve and maintain a certain level of happiness. One of the biggest factors that affect one’s happiness is his connection to family. The importance of family is paramount to one’s level of happiness. Does this mean that everyone with a family is happier than those without a family? Absolutely not. The only way family can increase one’s level of happiness is by maintaining a healthy relationship. If someone has a good relationship with their family, they are going to be a physically healthier individual. Before the connection of family and happiness can be addressed, â€Å"family† mu st be understood for what it is. Everyone has two types of family, and given family and a chosen family. Simply put, one does not choose who their parents are, but they do choose the family they build in adulthood. Each of us is born into a unique situation that we have no say over, and from there, it is our duty to make sure that the people we surround ourselves with are the people who will create happiness in our lives. Given families are out of one’s control, as genetics â€Å"assigns† us parents, grandparents, and siblings.Show MoreRelatedPersonal Note On Happiness And Happiness968 Words   |  4 PagesHappiness When asking someone what makes them happy, you more than likely would receive a million different answers. The general definition of happiness or being happy is a state of well-being and contentment, or a pleasurable or satisfying experience. An individual’s definition of happiness more as excitement increase in the tendency to choose ab exciting option over a calming option; and defining happiness more as feeling calm increase the tendency to choose a calming option over exciting optionRead MoreReflection Paper On The Stress Disorder1723 Words   |  7 Pagescalled Basic emotion profiles in healthy, chronic pain, depressed, and post traumatic stress disorder by Finucane, Dima, Ferreira, Halvorsen. This study consisted of four groups doing basic emotion profiles to see where each individual fit when it came to the five emotions. Now the five basic emotions that were used in this study were happiness, anger, disgust, fear, and sadness. The four sample groups are healthy, chronic pain, depressed, and PTSD. Now the healthy group is just your everyday averageRead MoreThe Effects Of Hope And Happiness Among The Children Of Veterans And Non Veterans957 Words   |  4 PagesSachin Jain, and Betty Cardona. Comparative Study Of Hope And Happiness Among The Children Of Veterans And Non-Veterans. Education 132.2 (2011): 419-428. Sociological Collection. Web. 21 Mar. 2016. The Authors talk about the effects of hope and happiness among the children of veterans and non-veterans in the MazandaranRead MoreHappiness : The Most Important Values Of Happiness854 Words   |  4 PagesWhat is happiness? This question has no single answer. There have been numerous articles and books published that researched what happiness is and how to achieve it, all with different findings and variations. I have condensed my findings from multiple articles in this paper. There are many facets contributing to ones happiness. I believe that some of the most important values are hard work and dedication, relationships and family, gratitude and finally, acceptance of others. Hard work and DedicationRead MoreCorrelation Between Wealth And Happiness1483 Words   |  6 Pagesbetween Wealth and Happiness in Developed and Developing Countries: Is the level of Happiness Equal to Wealth? This is a frequently asked question; How to make life fabulous with happiness ? Plenty of philosophers and social anthropologists have been seeking to answer it but they still can not suggest an obvious solution because various factors affect happiness and these are interacting with each other, thus, these points are not analyzed easily. However, even though analyzing happiness is complicatedRead MoreIs The Fundamental Factor Of Human Life?1464 Words   |  6 Pageslife fabulous with happiness ? Plenty of philosophers and social anthropologists have been seeking to answer it but they still can not suggest an obvious solution because various factors affect happiness and these are interacting with each other, thus, these points are not analyzed easily. However, even though analyzing happiness is complicated, it is studied by many groups in order to propose a measure of happiness for evaluating human life. Humanity is able to live with happiness if the factors areRead MoreThe Social Ps ychology Of Happiness1586 Words   |  7 PagesHappiness as a phenomenon is a subject that has attracted attention from researchers in psychology. It is baffling how happiness is an intrinsic desire all wish to attain. There are many theories throughout time about how to achieve it and debates about whether it is even an ongoing process or a place. Many famous figures from ancient Greeks, Plato, and contemporary philosophers, Robert Nozick, have queried the meaning of it. Thus, there is no one set definition for happiness. Amongst the many conceptsRead MoreDoes Money Bring You Happiness?967 Words   |  4 Pages Does Money Bring You Happiness? How would be your life if you were a millionaire? I am completely sure; you would live in a deluxe villa in the center of the city. You won’t only be disquieted for your safety needs; but also, be able to meet your luxury needs. You would spend your holidays in best places in the world. If you have lots of money, you would provide the best facilities for your family and try to make a pleasant life for them. Money can solve almost all of our problems and help us forRead MoreCultural Variants in Health and Happiness Essay example890 Words   |  4 Pagesmainly on qi (Littlejohn). While Dr. Yuan-ling Chao’s lecture about Chinese medicine was about maintaining balance by avoiding the extreme aspects of life (Chao). Happiness in both cases is found through balancing all aspects of life, including: temperature, diet and emotions (Smith). We also heard a lecture titled â€Å"Health and Happiness: Reducing Stress,† which covered how to manage stress in the American c ulture and ended up going slightly off topic into the prevalence of academic enhancement substancesRead MoreHow Does Society Define A Good Life? Essay1228 Words   |  5 Pagesperson who is wealthy, to live a â€Å"good life†? Or is a â€Å"good life† centralized around happiness instead of wealth? Society once believed that if a person was wealthy and famous that equaled happiness and therefore a good life. Putting too much emphasis on wealth and money can destabilize other areas of a person’s life. Consequently, losing relationships, or gaining ones that are not genuine. Wealth and relationship combined, tend to result in non-genuine friends or people who are out to steal your