Alcohol Behavioral Patterns - Coursework Example

Task: Question Using statistics from a recent Canadian research that pegged the alcohol limit for a moderate drinker at 14.9 grams, calculate the amount of wine that contains this alcohol limit. Formulae: 1 ml contains 0.789 grams of alcohol CALCULATION: 14.9 0.789 The answer is 18.88 grams or roughly rounded off to 19 grams. A. Professor Karol Sikora’s comments Extract one: it is easy to underestimate how much one drinks Extract one: Drinkers usually know how much is enough and they rarely exceed their upper limits Both of these extracts revolve around the complexity of knowing how much alcohol is enough at any given time. People indulge in alcohol for a variety reasons. There are those who drink to feel high while there are those drink just to pass time and it may not matter to them whether they are high on alcohol or not. There are also a number of factors that may prevent one from deriving the same level of satisfaction by taking in an equal amount of alcohol. For instance taking alcohol on empty stomach may result in one deriving a given level of satisfaction by just taking in less than he would have if he or she had taken in alcohol on a full stomach. Probably, this may be because a full stomach slows down the rate at which alcohol is absorbed in the body (Powell, 2006:14). Question 2 C2H4g + 2O2g = 2CO2g + 2H2Ol Reaction Enthalpy (Er) = Products’ (Ep) – Reactants’ (Ere) Standard enthalpy for C2H4g = -1411.1 kJ/mol; mainly at ordinary temperatures. Carbon Dioxide (CO2) = -393.5 Water (H2O) = -285.9 Therefore; (Er) = (Ep) – (Ere) -1411.1 = {Ep} – {Ere} -1411.1 = {[2x CO2] + [2x H2O]} – {C2H4} -1411.1 = {[2x -393.5] + [2x -285.9]} – {C2H4} -1411.1 = {-787 + -571} – {C2H4} -1411.1 = -1358 – {C2H4} C2H4 = 52.2 Bond energies; C-H 412, C=O 803, H-O 463, O=O 496, H-H 436 & C=C 348. Thus illustration of bonds; CH2=CH2 + 3O=O 2O=C=O + 2H-O-H REACTANTS ENERGIES (Breaking Energies) PRODUCTS ENERGIES (Forming Energies) 4 x C-H (4x 412) = 1648 4 x C=O (4 x 803) = 3212 1 x C=C (1x348) = 348 4 x H-O (4 x 463) = 1852 3 x O=O (3x496) = 1488 Total =3484 Total =5064 Hence energy evolved = Products enthalpies – Reactants enthalpies = 5064 – 3484 = 1580kj/mol. Which is more implying the process is exothermic = -1580kj/mol. NB// Energies are Kj/mol. Question 3 (a) Alcohol behavioral patterns Alcohol addiction may be defined by seven behavioural characteristics experienced by alcoholics. The first stage of alcohol addiction is acute dependency on alcohol. For an alcoholic, drinking is no longer a form of social activity, but rather an escape to quench emotional shortcomings. Nick heavily relies on alcohol to shield his problems as he sees alcohol as a form of escape from the pressures in his life. In the second stage of alcoholism, the indulgence in alcohol begins to get more intense. Often the alcoholic will start drinking early in the day and such drinking will change from emotional anxiety to alcohol dependence. Nick exhibited these symptoms when he starts drinking often at will and at odd hours of the day. As the drinking continues, the alcoholic will start losing control of his/her actions. At this stage, he/she will be overly emotional and experience sudden bursts of anger or violence. Nick at this stage experienced sudden bursts of anger and unexplained instances of violence. In the next stage, the alcoholic will adopt introvert behavior, and thus this stage is characterized by isolation. Often the alcoholic will seclude himself with his drink and avoid contact with other people. Nick experienced this stage when her states that he preferred being by himself as he did not often enjoy the company of other people. As the drinking progresses, the alcoholic will start to display symptoms such as shaking, insomnia, increased thirst and constant drinking. This is the final stage of alcoholism before the addict starts displaying medical problems. Nick experienced these problems before deciding to seek professional help from the support group. (b) How alcohol is metabolized in one’s body The first step in the metabolism of alcohol in the human body is the breaking down of ethyl alcohol into acetaldehyde. This is the oxidation process whereby the ethyl alcohol is broken down by the body enzyme ADH (Alcohol Dehydrogenize) and changed into acetaldehyde. H O H O H H C C O H H C C and H H Enzyme H H H C2H6O C2H4O and H H Ethyl Alcohol Acetaldehyde and H H The acetaldehyde is then broken down into acetic acid radicals, commonly referred to as acetyl radical. When further broken down by stomach enzymes, the acetic acid radicals finally form carbon dioxide and water. H O H O H C C H C C and H H H ALDH H C2H4O C2H3O Acetaldehyde Acetyl Radical and H (c) Symptoms experienced by Nick and its explanation One of the symptoms that Nick says he experienced is neglect of duties with which he is responsible. This is mainly attributed by hung-over. Alcohol directly causes hung-over symptoms as it has effects on blood sugar levels, biological cadences and gastrointestinal strip. Further, it results in electrolyte imbalance and dehydration as it causes the body to increase urinary output. Alcohol also has direct psychological effects on the brain and other bodily organs (Robert and Dena, 1998: 54). Question 4: Breast cancer Letter to Auntie Dear Auntie, Firsts and foremost I would like to appreciate your desire to find answers to issues relating to your health-in this case cancer. It is very important to be informed as information equals power and the moment you are knowledgeable about these issues, you will automatically be in a better position to handle your health. Breast cancer is basically a malignant tumor. A malignant tumor can be further explained as a collection of cancer cells. In the case of breast cancer, these cells emanate from the breast region thus explaining the name. Though breast cancer has on most occasions been associated with women, men have also been found to be at a risk of contracting it. There are various types of breast cancers, common among them being Ductal Carcinoma in situ and invasive Ductal Carcinoma (Balentine. J) Now let’s get back to your question that at 60 yrs, 90kgs with three children and having had previous mammograms, whether you should go for a mammogram next time you are called. My answer would be automatically yes. Mark you that Breast Cancer is the most common type of cancer among American women and that one out of every eight women are at a risk of developing cancer in their lifetime. Breast cancer seems to be prevalent among women above the age of 40. The risk also seems to increase with age and that at 60 you could imagine the level of risk you could expose yourself to if you don’t continue attending mammograms tests. It is quite encouraging that you have had previous mammograms test s but at 2 the number is too low for a woman who has lived over 20 years within an age where breast cancer risk is expected to have increased. Apart from age, the other risk factor in your case could be the fact that you are white as white women have been said to be at a higher risk of developing breast cancer. These risks are only beaten by the fact you have had two previous tests (Torosian 2002: 12) Resting in the comfort of previous mammogram tests can be quite risky despite the assurance that I have given above. This is because there is always the potential of receiving a false mammogram result something that could prevent you from knowing the true state of your health. False positive mammograms results can occur when the concerned radiologists decides your mammogram may be abnormal but with no presence of cancer. Such a result is usually supposed be followed up by another test but this may not be case in most tests. A false positive result may also occur in women who are taking estrogen or those who come from families with a history of breast cancer (Balentine. J) Now from the above information you can see why frequent mammograms are recommended, more so at your age. The benefits are immense. For instance a positive result detected earlier could lead to faster treatment and healing without necessarily opting for the removal of the breast. Having your breast removed as a treatment option just because the disease was discovered late can be quite stressful and could increase your chances of facing other health complications. Statistically mammograms are said to reduce the risk of dying from cancer by up to 30%. The procedure in itself is relatively easy and short. It only takes 20 minutes and there is minimal discomfort associated with it. In summary the five things you should beware of about mammograms include the fact they are the most powerful means to detecting cancer, they are relatively easy and that they can in a big way save your life. Other things you should know about mammograms include the fact that an unusual result may not necessarily mean that you have cancer. However, it is always advisable to get the best quality of tests particularly when dealing with dense breasts. Digital mammograms are usually advised in this case. It is also important to corroborate the results obtained from a mammogram test with other test tools including self breast examination and ultrasound scans. This is because mammograms alone can fail to give a true result in 20% of the cases (Torosian, 2002: 9) In summary mammography screening is a woman’s most powerful tool towards beating cancer because it leads to early diagnosis and thus early and cheaper treatment options. Yes there are risks involved such as getting false results but when done frequently the probability of obtaining a false result reduces considerably while the probability of getting an early diagnosis increases. Breast cancer is a threat to your health to your age. And from this age onwards, the risk keeps on going up. The solution is to go for a mammogram screening test at least every year from now upwards. At the same time, it is also advisable that you undertake preventive measures such as exercising and eating well. Remember a mammogram screening test can detect cancer before it even forms a lump that could be felt through self examination. I believe that the above information handles your question conclusively but just in case it hasn’t, you are still free to ask for more information on the same. As for now begin your journey to your nearest radiologist and request for third mammogram test-if you are convinced. References Blantine J. Breast Cancer facts, Viewed 15th January 2012 http://www.medicinenet.com/breast_cancer/article.htm Robert, S & Dena 1998, ‘Alcohol hangover: mechanisms and mediators’, Alcohol, Health & Research World,vol. 22, no.1,pp. 54. Powell J 2006. Alcohol: North Mankato; MN. Torosian M, 2002. Breast Cancer: a guide to detection and multidisciplinary therapy, Humana Press. 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