Torture and Ethics Paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Torture and Ethics - Research Paper Example The paper further examines if torturing violates the basic human rights provided in the First Amendment and the Bill of Rights. Eventually, it determines if the act of torture is justifiable under any ethical theory. Torturing Enemy Combatants or High-value Targets and Standards of Morality in America Torturing of enemies or criminals has been contrary to the values and morals of the Americans for long time. The Bill of Rights under the American Constitution prohibited bizarre and cruel punishments (Greenberg, 2006). Furthermore, the United States’ government, besides Americans, has condemned countries across the world that practices any act of torture. This is exemplified by the country granting asylum to individuals fleeing their countries for fear of acts of torture (Wijze, 2006). In the history of criminology and jurisprudence, the act of torture always has been distinctive. Torture forms part of the ancient techniques of punishment, which are severe. Torture is regarded a s capital punishment in which the captors apply force and brutality to obtain compliance from the criminal suspect (Ginbar, 2008). A section of the society has argued always that people who torture suspects are sadists, deriving pleasure from agony and pain of other persons. Any form of physical or psychological coercion is unacceptable for use on terrorist criminals or suspects because it amounts to inhuman and undignified treatment, diminishing the mental abilities of the targets. Depriving fellow humans of their rights and liberties of which individuals should be custodians to is morally unacceptable. Acts of torture remain evil practices to be detested and avoided (Wijze, 2006). A majority of the civilized societies across the world perceive torture as an inhuman and savage act that should not be practiced on humans. Consequently, the use of torture has received massive criticism and condemnation as well as protests (Wendel, 2005). The emergence of increased terrorist attacks af ter the 9/11 attacks, which led to the American government to adopt the policy of torture, has witnessed mixed reactions from the society over torture of suspected terror attack criminals or war prisoners (Ginbar, 2008). The international community prohibits torture through the conventional legal agreements, such as the Geneva Conventions, of which America is party to. Practicing acts of torture is a violation of the morality standards set out by the international agreements, which embody universally true and indefeasible human dignity values. Treating terrorist criminals and suspects in an inhumane way is morally irrelevant. All humans are equal and entitled to some incontrovertible rights of which dignity, found within life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness, is among them (Greenberg, 2006). The United States breaches the principle of standards of morality that it advocates for and loses its moral authority when it practices acts of torture in any circumstances (Davis, 2005). The totalitarian states find a loophole in resisting the changes demanded of them by the international community. The application of coercion is morally repugnant because it exposes America to allegations of hypocrisy, undermining its efficacy. Act of Torture: Violation of Basic Human Rights and Global Implications The use of torture to obtain crucial and critical information from criminal suspects,

Reactions of Xanthine Oxidase and Aromatase Inhibitor Research Paper

Reactions of Xanthine Oxidase and Aromatase Inhibitor - Research Paper Example According to the findings, it can, therefore, be said that breast cancer, as well as ovarian cancer, is a large problem of medicine and both are life treating, especially for women. These cancers are of particular importance because they are promoted by estrogen. In 2000, approximately 130,000 women died of breast cancer; nearly two-thirds of these women were postmenopausal. In pre-menopausal women estrogen is produced in the ovaries, so reducing estrogen from other sources is not important, but in postmenopausal women, most of the estrogen in the body is produced in the adrenal gland from the conversion of androgens and also from adipose tissue through a special enzyme called aromatase. The large influence of the estrogen produced outside the ovaries by aromatization is clear. In postmenopausal women, their estrogen comes from the actions of aromatase-final step in the pathway of estrogen biosynthesis by creating an aromatic ring in the steroid molecule, and so its inhibitor may be used to treat estrogen tumors, and so, effective treatment in breast cancer is an aromatase inhibitor. Also, it is used in women when their ovaries are no longer producing estrogen. It is not the same in premenopausal women or the opposite effects appear, the main estrogen comes up from ovaries, not by conversion androgen to estrogen, so blocking aromatization effects does not increase the androgen production. According to clinical researches, a correlation has been establishing between estrogen receptors and the growth of breast cancer and so effective therapy can be made by aromatase inhibitor working more efficient then tamoxifen. The hormone estrogen delivers growth thru signals to the hormone receptors, so less estrogen in the body leads to fewer growth signals and stopping the growth of cancer. Now medical experts consider aromatase inhibitor for postmenopausal women with invasive hormone receptor positive for breast cancer, in the early and advanced stage. Aromatase inhibitor , according to research, can stimulate ovulation- can treat infertility. According to 65 patients included in the studies, drugs can suppress estrogen production in endometriosis and reduces pain and chance of endometriosis in combination with hormonal treatment. It is significant to mention that there should be no long-term use because it may cause bone loss. It also helps bodybuilders, who take anabolic steroids from being converted to estrogen such as in the case of gynecomastia. In one recent study, however, aromatase inhibitors were found to be no more successful at treating pubertal gynecomastia than a placebo. Aromatase inhibitors have also been shown to reverse age-related declines in testosterone, as well as primary hypogonadism. The third generation drugs: anastrozole, letrozole, and exemestane have given remarkable specificity and potency. Leading thru initial results from clinical trials, these agents will become the cornerstones of future endocrine therapy as a successf ul rational drug. It is important that the aromatase inhibitor have additional benefits thru pleiotropic effects as a particular role in preventing cancer or treating benign conditions.