Dcartmel Week 4

From OpenWetWare
Jump to navigationJump to search

User Page Link

Template Page Link

Assignment Pages

Individual Journal Pages

Shared Class Journal Pages

Purpose

The purpose of this assignment is to understand more about the particular misconceptions that are commonly associated with HIV/AIDS and what efforts need to be made in order to ensure that currently infected individuals receive the treatments and help that they need as well as how to prevent the further spread of the disease to new hosts.

Assignment

Preface, Introduction, Basics, and Conclusion

  • The main problems that are prevalent in the fight against AIDS are the lack of funding that would provide for the implementation of particular treatment methods that have been developed along with a lack of ability of those infected to afford the treatments that they need.
  • International efforts combating AIDS will not succeed unless activist groups from countries that hold the majority of global wealth and political power, such as the United States, step in and contribute to the effort.
  • A significant problem that needs to be addressed in the fight against AIDS is the disproving of common myths and misconceptions that experts have regarding the disease.
  • The goal of this book is to highlight incorrect beliefs about AIDS and replace such ideas with more precise and truthful information that will hopefully aid in the fight against the disease.
  • Human-immunodeficiency virus is a virus that attacks helper T-Cells which are responsible for helping the body fight off infections.
  • When a person becomes infected with HIV, they eventually develop AIDS which degrades the human immune system, making infected individuals susceptible to further infections.
  • The HIV virus is spread through the sharing of needles, unprotected sex, and blood transfusions with others who are infected with the virus. It can also be passed from mother to child during birth or breastfeeding.
  • Current treatments of HIV/AIDS consist of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAARP), which diminishes the amount of virus present in an individuals body, allows for CD4 regeneration, and allows for overall immune function to be restored.
  • In order to address this problem efficiently, methods must be put forth to treat current cases as well as prevent future spread of the virus to new hosts.
  • Coordinated efforts need to be implemented by officials holding positions of power in order for the necessary resources needed to fight the HIV virus to be concentrated in the locations that are in the most desperate need of them.

Myth 10

  • The myth presented in this chapter is that people in rich countries would not be much help in the fight against AIDS in poor countries.
  • Early activists against AIDS organized large groups to conduct public protests and became well-versed in medical literature in order to promote productive dialogues between themselves, physicians, public health specialists, scientific researchers, and politicians.
  • The countries in which the prevalence of AIDS was the highest came to the consensus that access to treatments must be established on a more permanent basis.
  • Individuals looking to aid in providing health services in developing countries should focus on finding out how to strengthen the programs that are already in place and ensure that such programs continue to be run locally and in the most effective manners possible.
  • Volunteer participation in AIDS vaccine clinical trials are vital to researchers making progress towards the development of effective vaccines for AIDS.
  • The main role of activism through an education standpoint is to have people learn the relevant facts about AIDS and then have those people spread such ideas to as many audiences as possible with goals of spreading awareness of the virus to others who may not be as well informed about it.
  • Effective methods of spreading awareness about AIDS have been to seek endorsement from popular public figures, such as Alicia Keys, and have them spread messages over commonly viewed media such as MTV.
  • Various groups' efforts in writing letters, petitioning, educating, and lobbying campaigns have shown to be effective methods in capturing the attention of policymakers with regards to the threat that AIDS poses to particular groups of people world-wide.
  • A main problem that is prominent in the fight against AIDS is a lack of funding that would help organizations to receive/use the treatment methods necessary in order to combat the virus.
  • Overall, effective treatments and preventative measures have been developed in response to the AIDS virus, however more focused efforts are needed in implementing such resources into the places that require them the most.

Refined Question from class journal week 3 page

Are there other organisms that can effectively fight off viruses with similar dS/dN values so that we can model treatment after their natural immune response?

Conclusion

The myth that people in so called rich countries cannot help the fight against AIDS in poor countries is false due to various reasons. There are many ways that people from more developed countries can help those suffering from AIDS including fundraising, getting involved in activist groups, and participation in research that promotes the further development of vaccines and treatments for the disease. There seem to be a few main problems that this chapter outlines as prominent in the fight against AIDS including the lack of funding for organizations that focus on treating and preventing the disease as well as a lack of coordination between those in position of power and those who control the efforts to fight against the disease.

Acknowledgements

I copied and modified the Week 4 page.

I worked with my homework partner Jack P. Menzagopian outside of class on 2/12/2020 through text messages. We sent 10 messages to each other where we refined the question from the class journal week 3 page.

Except for what is noted above, this individual journal entry was completed by me and not copied from another source.

Dcartmel (talk) 23:20, 12 February 2020 (PST)

References

OpenWetWare. (2020). BIOL368/S20:Week 4. Retrieved February 12, 2020 from https://openwetware.org/wiki/BIOL368/S20:Week_4

Alexander, I., Millen, J., Fallows, D. (2003). Global AIDS: Myths and Facts. Tools for fighting the AIDS Pandemic. Preface, Introduction, Basics (pp.xiii-xxviii). Caimbridge, MA: South End Press. Retrieved February 12, 2020 from https://brightspace.lmu.edu/d2l/le/content/102985/viewContent/903704/View.

Alexander, I., Millen, J., Fallows, D. (2003). Global AIDS: Myths and Facts. Tools for fighting the AIDS Pandemic. Myth 10 (pp.165-185). Caimbridge, MA: South End Press. Retrieved February 12, 2020 from https://brightspace.lmu.edu/d2l/le/content/102985/viewContent/903703/View.

Alexander, I., Millen, J., Fallows, D. (2003). Global AIDS: Myths and Facts. Tools for fighting the AIDS Pandemic. Conclusion (pp.187-192). Caimbridge, MA: South End Press. Retrieved February 12, 2020 from https://brightspace.lmu.edu/d2l/le/content/102985/viewContent/903705/View.

Retrieved from "https://openwetware.org/mediawiki/index.php?title=Dcartmel_Week_4&oldid=1075436"