Item #1:1 was surprised to learn that the ancient Greeks practiced pederasty and were not considered pedophiles. I never heard of pederasty, so I was unaware of the difference. Ancient Greek pederasts were adult males, usually socially prominent, who have an erotic attraction to adolescent boys. These men would take on an adolescent male pupil and lover. Pederasts had bisexual relationships because many of the men had wives. And the sexual relationships with adolescent boys would not interfere with the boy’s future heterosexual social role.
What was really interesting was pedophilia in Ancient Greece was illegal. Pedophilia are paraphilic adults who have sexual interests in children. Pedophilic behavior involves persistent or recurrent sexual attraction to children. Many repeatedly molest young children, but there are some who resist the urge. Item #2:I was surprised to learn how semen and sperm work together in order to fertilize and ovum. I thought semen and sperm were only produced in the testicles. Spermatozoa, is one of the smallest cells in the body.
Sperm cells contains 23 chromosomes which will combine with the 23 chromosomes from the mother’s ovum, which will furnish the standard ensemble of 46 in the offspring. The sperm contains the X sex chromosomes or a Y sex chromosome. Semen activates and nourishes the sperm and help shield sperm from vaginal acidity. Fluids contributing to semen comes from three main structures in the male reproductive anatomy. The prostate forms a milky substance full of enzymes, proteins, and minerals. The seminal vesicles produce the fructose. Semen also contains water, mucus, fructose, and bases.
The testicles produce the sperm and some other fluid as well. Item #3:1 was surprised to learn about the characteristics of Klinefelter and Turner syndromes. I never heard of anyone having a sex chromosomal bnormality. Klinefelter syndrome is a rare condition in males that is caused by an extra X sex chromosome. Males with the XXY chromosome pattern do not develop secondary sex characteristics. Males with Klinefelter syndrome have weaker muscles and may develop breast tissue. They are also infertile because they do not produce sperm. Turner syndrome occurs in females and is caused by having only one X sex chromosomes.
Most females with Turner syndrome do not produce estrogen and progesterone. This causes poorly developed breasts, no onset of menstrual periods, and possible infertility. However, if nother woman donates an ovum and it is fertilized in a laboratory dish, it can usually be implanted in a woman with Turner syndrome and the embryo can develop normally to term. Item # 4:1 was surprised to learn how much heavy drinking while pregnant affects the fetus. I knew that drinking while pregnant was not in the best interest for the fetus, but I did not know a baby can develop fetal alcohol syndrome.
Alcohol is passed to the baby’s umbilical cord from the mother’s blood and can cause miscarriages, stillbirths. Babies can be born with fetal alcohol syndrome, and can have a range of lifelong ehavioral, physical, and intellectual disabilities. Children with this condition may have heart problems, mentally retardation, and deformed limbs. They are usually smaller than average and have smaller than average brains. Fetal alcohol syndrome has been found even among the children of mothers who drank only a couple of ounces of alcohol a day during the first trimester.
Item #5: I was surprised to learn that the Roman Catholic Church and The United States condoned abortions in one time in history. I assumed since Christians believe human beings were created by God, abortion was always opposed. The Roman Catholic Church believed that female fetuses obtained their soul 90 days after conception and 40 days for males. In the late 18th century however, the church declared that human life begins at conception, thus an abortion at any stage of pregnancy became murder in the eyes of the church and grounds of excommunication. Abortions were legal in the United States prior to the Civil War.
Women were permitted to terminate a pregnancy up until they could feel the baby move. After the Civil War, there was a national desire to increase the population. By the turn of the century, virtually all states in the nion had enacted legislation banning abortion at any point during pregnancy except when necessary to save the woman’s life. Item #6:I was surprised to learn about fetishism. I only heard of men stealing women’s undergarments, but I thought they were pranks. A person with a fetish is someone who is sexually aroused by body parts, cross-dressing, or inanimate objects.
It is generally believed that fetishes and other paraphilia’s are learned through experiences. An object may acquire sexually arousing properties through association with sexual arousal or orgasm. Many fetishists cannot achieve sexual rousal without contact or fantasizing about the desired objects. Most fetishes are harmless and are done in private that involves masturbation or incorporated into sex with a willing partner. Item #7:I was surprised to learn different stages of syphilis and how it is transmitted. I thought someone could get syphilis by contacting a surface that an infected person touched.
Syphilis is almost always transmitted by unprotected vaginal, oral, anal sexual activity, or from mother to newborn during delivery. It is usually transmitted when open lesions on an infected person come into contact with the mucous membranes or skin brasions of the partner’s body during sexual activity. It may also be contracted by touching an infectious chancre. Syphilis develops through several stages. In the primary stage of syphilis, a hard, round, ulcer-like lesion appears at the site of infection two to four weeks after contact. The secondary stage begins a few weeks to a few months later.
A skin rash develops that darken after a while and burst, oozing a discharge. The latent stage may lie dormant for decades but the spirochetes continue to multiply and burro into the circulatory system, central nervous system, and bones. Finally the tertiary stage a large lcer may form on the skin, muscle tissue, digestive organs, lungs, liver, or other organs which can be fatal. was surprised to learn that a man with sickle cell disease may develop erectile dysfunction. I know very little about the disease so it was interesting to find out some of the problems that could develop.
People with sickle cell disease (SCD) suffer from numerous acute complications that can result in multiple hospitalizations and emergency department (ED) and outpatient care visits. Priapism, a prolonged unwanted erection of the penis not due to sexual stimulation, is a serious complication mong males with SCD. Many men with sickle cell disease will develop erectile dysfunction due to priapism. It was also interesting to learn that men who were admitted into hospitals from erectile dysfunction associated with priapism was seasonal.
Inpatient admission was lowest in summer and autumn and highest in the winter months. Difficulties in breathing and low blood oxygenation could contribute to the occurrence of priapism. Item #9:I was surprised to learn that sexual activity during later in life is good for cardio health in Item #8: 1 women, but not as much for men. I thought that sexual activity ecreases as people age. Women who have good quality partnered sex seemed to promote cardiovascular health, specifically reducing the risks of hypertension. With benefits to women’s cardiovascular health from a rewarding sexual relationship.
Good sexual quality does not protect men’s cardiovascular risk. Although moderate frequency of sex may also bring some health benefits, for men especially at older ages, having sex too frequently or extremely high levels of physical and/or emotional enjoyment from sex might be a risk factor for experiencing cardio vascular disease events over time. Surprisingly, older men who have sex once a week or more puts them at a risk for experiencing cardio vascular disease events that is almost greater than older men who are sexually inactive.
Item #10:I was surprised to learn that prostate cancer screening by primary care physicians are declining. I found this interesting because it is so important to detect cancer as early as possible. However, there has been a national decline in prostate specific antigen testing following a recommendation United States Preventive Services Task Force against routine prostate specific antigen screening. However, this recommendation failed to xplicitly address the role and efficacy of digital rectal examination.
Literature is beginning to omit information about digital rectal examination even though it has not been researched. Given expert concern that decreased prostate cancer screening may lead to adverse oncologic outcomes, Utilization of digital rectal examination and prostate specific antigen has declined significantly following the release of the USPSTF recommendation against prostate specific antigen screening. This suggests that prostate cancer screening is rapidly disappearing from primary care practice. The rapid decline in oth elements of prostate cancer screening is concerning.
Based on United States epidemiological data the use of DRE and PSA coincided with prostate cancer increasingly being detected at an earlier, treatable stage. In the absence of screening a potential shift toward diagnosing more advanced and metastatic cancer is likely. Discussion This is one of the most informative classes I have had so far. Many things that were discussed were very new and I am glad the book was up to date with current issues. I am able to share some of the things I learned with others. I will also respect people who hold diverse beliefs and attitudes.
