Monday, December 30, 2019

Critical Analysis Why Education Is Not An Economic Panacea

Critical Analysis: â€Å"Why Education Is Not an Economic Panacea† â€Å"The advice we would offer every halfway intelligent young person with a pulse—go to college—is not, I argue, counsel we can offer a whole generation of young people† (Marsh p.6). John Marsh explores in his article â€Å"Why Education Is Not an Economic Panacea† the correlation between income inequality and lack of higher education. In doing so he finds that education alone may not be a cure all for the problems faced by many low income families. Marsh shares what he had learned through his experience teaching impoverished students and how it is wrong to assume that education will positively effect someones financial outcomes. Marsh intends to open peoples minds to addressing problems such as poverty that may be the reason for a lack of education rather than assuming that deficiencies in education are to blame for the problem. I believe that what Marsh is advocating is a â€Å" living wage† for people in jobs that do not require a degree and he thinks that doing so will solve the problems of economic inequality and poverty (Marsh p.6). Is it wrong to think that increasing wages for unskilled labor or non professional jobs will solve these problems? In recent years it seems it seems there has been a lot of public discussion regarding living wages. This seems like an interesting idea but maybe it’s not very well thought out, how is it accomplished? Who determines what the wages will be? And why is raising wages forShow MoreRelatedIs Corporate Social Responsibility a Myth?620 Words   |  3 PagesResponsibility a myth?† this paper also tries to evaluate what Poruthiyil (2013) eloquently states: Throughout their long history, business ethicists have been aware that theorizations intending to address societal goals can be rendered ineffectual when economic goals are prioritized [Arnold (2010); Marens (2010,2007); Worden (2009); Karnani (2007); Wry (2009); Hartman et al. (2003); Freeman (2000); Boatright (1998)]. Is CSR just a marketing tool? Khurana’s (2012) presentation appears to be very idealistic;Read MoreIs An American College Education Still? Worth It?1465 Words   |  6 PagesIs An American College Education Still ‘Worth It’? One of the realities of the past several decades is that society has come to place an increasing level of emphasis upon the importance of education. Whereas it has been understood for decades that education is an integral component of the overall level of success that a person might hope to experience during their lifetime, the necessity of each and every individual striving for a college degree has been a more and more defining aspects of the driveRead MoreMicrofinance As An Opportunity For Sustainable Development1661 Words   |  7 Pages02/10/2015 Student Name: Patel Nimisha Student ID: S2145218 Article Details This critical analysis is done on the journal study titled Microcredit in Rural Bangladesh: Is It Reaching the Poorest? which was published by the Journal of ESR. The analysis based on the aim of understanding the why the microcredit programs reached rarely to the poor in rural Bangladesh. They found five reasons behind this: supply, demand, NGDO s norms andRead MoreYouth Unemployment and Implication for Political Stability in Nigeria (1999-2011)2162 Words   |  9 PagesAfrican like Tunisia, Egypt and Libya where dictators have held sway for over three decades, people have revolted against the system. Though these countries can say to be less democratic than Nigeria, yet the living condition of the people in real economic terms is better (Abati, 2011a; Abati, 2011b; Adejumobi, 2011). Furthermore, the unemployment rates in these countries are more or less like that of Nigeria (Ojenagbo, 2011). The major concern here therefore is, given the kind of violent agitationsRead MorePursuing An Ms Mis Degree At Mays Business School1761 Words   |  8 PagesEssay 1. Why do you want to pursue an MS-MIS degree at Mays Business School? Response: ‘Life is a gift and I don’t intend on wasting it. You learn to take life as it comes at you†¦to make each day count’ – Titanic This statement precisely underlines my outlook towards life. Having grown up in a family that has consistently devoted utmost importance to education and discipline, a focused perseverance towards achieving goals and ‘earning’ the right to deserve what you covet were qualities thatRead MoreManagement of Primary and Secondary Education in Nigeria3470 Words   |  14 PagesManagement of Primary and Secondary Education in Nigeria Table of Contents ` Page Table of Contents:†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ iv Opening Address: Professor Ayodele Falase †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ viii Welcome Address: Professor D.F. Elaturoti†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ x Goodwill Address: Professor E.G. Fagbamiye †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ xii Goodwill Address: J.B. Babalola †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. xvi Management of Secondary School Education in Nigeria: Problems and Challenges — W.O. Ibukun .........†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 1 The Organization and ManagementRead MoreRemote Sensing Of Texas Education3194 Words   |  13 PagesRemote Sensing in Texas Education In recent years, Texas education has endured several rounds of reform, advancing, stumbling, bobbing and weaving, attempting to rebound, only to receive another jab at new curriculum standards or a punch in the gut of high school dropout rates. While valiant efforts have been made to generate highly motivated, well-organized, effective classrooms, several rifts remain. New programs, implemented to fight off the fatigue of reform, have only added to the burden, forRead MoreSocial Perceptions Of Csr Line Up With Their Concurrent Expectations From The Company2964 Words   |  12 Pagestoday’s informed and critical consumer; the highest tier of consumers are perceptive, researching purchases in advance offered by businesses proactively engaging with their community. However, this forms a minority of the population studied, with the larger consumer segment, although valuing social and ecological conduct, being less engaged and not as willing to seek out CSR information readily ava ilable. From an investigatory perspective, problems can be found from basic economic theory; consumersRead MoreHow The Chinese Culture Can Affect The Business And Productivity3502 Words   |  15 PagesStrategies (How to reap advantages from the particular economic region or country) We have discussed the opportunities and challenges that may come up in doing business in China. We have also seen how the Chinese culture can affect the business and productivity. A choice of a foreign market like China is favourable when the market there is : Politically stable If it has free market system : highly competitive economy If it has a low inflation rate : so as to be able to finance the business usingRead MoreSocial Life of Coffee2510 Words   |  11 Pageshelp solve all problems with tiredness, depressions, and stress. The effects of coffee were well known since it was found. It was medically proved that coffee stimulates brain activity. People in the 17th century thought that the coffee was almost panacea from most diseases. Every morning, on the way to work, we get a cup of a powerful drink that, we think, will give us strength to finish a day. Because modern society drinks so much coffee, sitting in coffee-houses has become the number one activity

Sunday, December 22, 2019

English Midterm Exam 2014 Essay - 1169 Words

Score: ______ / ______ Name: Shawn Hodgins Student Number: JM1409261 Directions: Answer the questions below. Use full sentences when applicable. 1. Give two examples of each of the following elements of fiction and nonfiction from the texts you’ve read in Units 1, 2, and 3. Story of fiction: The Giant’s House Story of Non-fiction: â€Å"Desiderata Characters: Fiction: James, narrator, and Astoria Non-fiction: Elizabeth McCracken Plot: Fiction: In a Library on different days to find a book that James is looking for. Non-fiction: It seems the narrator is at home describing the documented history that she has from her family. Conflict: Fiction: James is looking for a book on tall people and the narrator helps him by looking for him but†¦show more content†¦The narrator tries to treat the character like everyone else but then feels bad and helps him in any way possible to find an answer. Non-fiction: The tone in this essay is somewhat excitement to share all of the history she posses from her family and the love she has in doing so, her passion. Perspective: Fiction: In this story the perspective is that the main character is larger than normal in height, considered a Giant. Non-fiction: The perspective in this essay is that Elizabeth’s family has stories of their own that she would not have known if it wasn’t for these letters that her Grandmother kept from all of her years. Bias: Fiction: I found no sign of bias in this story. Non-fiction: The author describes some frustrations in reading family papers; she shows some bias against her Grandmother’s sisters for being petty and vindictive in an incident from some of the letters. Purpose: Fiction: The purpose of this story was to show the difficulties a person like James go through mentally and physically being the size that he is described, a Giant. Non-fiction: The purpose of this essay was to show how useful a family archive could be yet how frustrating it can be because of not being complete. 2. Argue a case for either the usage of hyperbole or understatement. Which do you think is more effective? More humorous? Explain your opinions, citing examples from the texts. I think the usage of hyperbole isShow MoreRelatedThat Which Is Accepted as Knowledge Today Is Sometimes Discarded Tomorrow†. Consider Knowledge Issues Raised by This Statement in Two Areas of Knowledge.1304 Words   |  6 Pagesin two areas of knowledge. School Name: The International School Candidate Name: Muhammad Jamal Teacher Name: Syeda Sobia Haleem Candidate Code: 001307-0019 Session: 2012-2014 Word Count: 1234 â€Å"That which is accepted as knowledge today is sometimes discarded tomorrow†. Consider knowledge issues raised by this statement in two areas of knowledge. If today, someone came up and saidRead MoreAnalysis Of The Movie Sassy Go Going Go 1112 Words   |  5 PagesThere is a particular scene in the beginning of episode eight where Park Min Joon’s mother hovers behind him as he studies. She refuses to leave in case he isn’t going to focus on his schoolwork. She then yells at him to get perfect scores on his English midterm, and warns him not to dare let So-young (first rank at his school) beat him by half a percentage point ever again. His mother repeatedly hovers over him and pressures him to succeed in his academics. Once again, this drama also questions the amountRead MoreRethinking The Color Line, By Jennifer Lee And Frank D. Bean1660 Words   |  7 PagesMallory King Amy Casselman Ethnic Studies 4200 September 27, 2014 Midterm Exam 1 Part 1: Rethinking the Color Line Questions to Consider 1: What does the increase of individuals who self-identify as multiracial mean for the color line as those who come from mixed-race grow up and have their own children? How will that affect racial categories? These questions are answered in article 11 titled Beyond Black and White: Remaking Race in America by Jennifer Lee and Frank D. Bean, in the book RethinkingRead MoreArizona College And Career Ready Standards Policy Brief1991 Words   |  8 PagesTo: Professor Stritch From: Lexis Townsend Date: November 14, 2014 Subject: Arizona College and Career Ready Standards Policy Brief Policy and Background: The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) were developed nationally in 2009 with the intent of better preparing students for college, and their eventual careers. Faced with the option of whether to adopt or reject CCSS, the state of Arizona chose the former. The Arizona College and Career Ready Standards (AZCCRS) were officially adopted in 2010Read MoreRetention Policy in College of Accountancy2965 Words   |  12 PagesPUP College of Accountancy Thread Hey PUPian ..   ..post your comments, concerns, and latest information about our college BSA program and incoming CPA board exams. ..You can also share to other BSA students and also prospective CoA students about your experience in the college, information about CoA professors and specific books about your subject(w/ authors and prices) to help other BSA students in surviving the whole program.. ...also you can share your insights for incoming years, you can alsoRead MoreCultural Comparison - Russia and US Education6674 Words   |  27 Pagesï » ¿ A Cultural Comparison of Higher Education in Russia and the United States of America Intercultural Communications August 19th, 2014 â€Å"Inculcation is the gradual coming to know something through mundane processes of training and learning† (Chetro-Szivos, J. Lecture 1). Through inculcation we acquire a set of dispositions that mold the body and eventually become second nature to the actor. Paralleling this concept withRead MorePHL 612: Philosophy of Law5882 Words   |  24 PagesRYERSON UNIVERSITY Department of Philosophy Course No. PHL 612: Philosophy of Law Winter 2014 SECTION ONE (011) Instructor(s): Alex Wellington Office: Room 428, Jorgenson Hall* Phone: 979-5000 ext. 4057 (E-mail address)**: awelling@ryerson.ca OR alex.wellington@sympatico.ca Office Hours Posted: Wednesdays at 2:10 pm, By Appointment Wednesdays at 3:10 pm and at 4:10 pm, Drop In Time Thursdays at 3:10 pm, By Appointment *Other times may be available by appointment Website:Read MorePolitical Science 1 midterm exam Essay3426 Words   |  14 Pagesï » ¿Midterm Exam Section 1: Definition of terms. Authority: the power or right to give orders, make decisions, and enforce obedience. e.g.: In the presidential election, the winning party takes office without a struggle or show of military force because everyone understands the legitimacy of its newly won authority. It is important because the orders made from a government without authority will not be implemented. Power: the political power is the ability to shape and control the politicalRead MorePsy 244 Essay10464 Words   |  42 Pagesï » ¿ Psychology 244 Instructor: L.J. Harris PSYCHOLOGY 244 MIDTERM EXAMINATION Spring, 2014 Study Guide Organization of Examination and Questions From Which Test Questions Will be Drawn All questions on the examination will come from the lectures (Topics I – X) and the assigned chapters and parts of chapters in the textbook. To help frame the questions for you, they will be organized under the same main headings and subheadings used in the Lecture Notes. The only exceptions willRead More_x000C_Introduction to Statistics and Data Analysis355457 Words   |  1422 Pagesundergraduate statistics education. She is a Fellow of the American Statistical Association and an elected member of the International Statistics Institute. Roxy has recently completed ï ¬ ve years as the Chief Reader for the Advanced Placement Statistics Exam and currently chairs the American Statistical Association’s Joint Committee with the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics on Curriculum in Statistics and Probability for Grades K–12. In addition to her texts in introductory statistics, Roxy

Saturday, December 14, 2019

Birth Control Controversy Free Essays

Contraception is a critical issue for women of all ages and social class because the decision to have a baby impacts a woman’s physical, mental, and emotional health. Contraception is also very costly and is an expense that a woman primarily shoulders. Not every employer’s health insurance plan provides benefits for prescription contraceptives and devices. We will write a custom essay sample on Birth Control Controversy or any similar topic only for you Order Now A personal survey of 50 adults with varying types of insurance plans, asked if their health insurance plans provided coverage for birth control, Viagra, or abortion. Everyone surveyed maintain that his plan provides coverage for Viagra, a sexual enhancement drug, and abortion. The same survey showed that 26% of the insurance plans do not provide benefits for Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved prescription contraceptives or devices for the solitary purpose of preventing pregnancy (personal communication, 2010). Not providing coverage for birth control, yet providing coverage for other types of prescription drugs, services, and devices, is discriminatory against women and has a negative impact on an employer’s and the government’s economics. The federal government should mandate that all health care plans provide coverage for FDA approved contraceptives because not providing them is discriminatory against women. Preventive Health Care and Finance Women that plan their pregnancies usually obtain pre-natal care and take better care of themselves and unborn child. Moreover, women who have planned their families put enough distance between each pregnancy so not to put a strain on their physical, mental, and emotional welfare. This is better for both mother and child. Furthermore, to obtain FDA approved prescription birth control, women must first be seen be a licensed physician and have an examination. That examination includes a Pap smear, breast exam, and screening for sexually transmitted diseases. Without the motivation of obtaining contraception, women may not schedule an exam that could detect, and treat, potentially life-threatening diseases. Early detection of disease, such as cervical and breast cancer, is vital to making a full recovery. Family planning devices and prescriptions should be a benefit that all health insurance plans provide because more than half of the pregnancies that occur within this country are not planned. The United States has the highest rate of accidental pregnancies of the entire industrialized world. Of those pregnancies, only half come to term. The other pregnancies end because of spontaneous abortion, also known as miscarriage, or the woman elects to have an abortion (Roan, 2009). With insurance provided birth control these statistics can decrease considerably. Lack of coverage, and the out-of –pocket expense for birth control, is a factor in the high rate of unintended pregnancies because women are going without birth control, or opt for less effective methods for family planning. Women spend approximately two-thirds of their lives in an attempt to avoid pregnancy, but still a majority of women experience an unplanned pregnancy by the time they reach age 45 (Vargas, 2002). Women are primarily responsible for preventing pregnancy and rely on prescribed contraceptives and devices because there is no effective form of over-the-counter birth control available for women’s use. The most effective form of birth control, other than abstinence, is oral contraceptives, which is better known as â€Å"the pill. † With insurance, co-payments for the pill range from $10 to $50 per month (Andrews, 2010). Without insurance coverage, the expense of the pill can range from $20 to $75 per month. Over a 25-year period this could amass from $6,000 to well over $20,000 (Guttmacher, 2010). Therefore, women are paying upwards of 68% higher health care expenditures than their male counterparts (Zolman, 2002). In comparison, the only form of birth control used by men is a condom, and they are available without prescription and not costly. Pictured above are different types of birth control available. All, except condoms, require a prescription and are used by women. Photo courtesy of Dawn Stacey Sexual Discrimination Some health insurance plans exclude contraceptives because it views them as quality of life drug and not medically necessary. If a doctor deems a woman to have a clinical need for contraception, such as recurring headaches, endometriosis, acne, or irregular menstruation, an insurance company may choose to authorize benefits. However, Viagra is one quality of life drug that insurance plans cover without question (Vargas, 2002). Viagra is an oral treatment that a doctor prescribes exclusively to men who suffer from erectile dysfunction. Covering expenses for one quality of life drug, aimed for the improvement of men’s sex lives, and denying benefit of another quality of life drug, intended to prevent pregnancy for women, is undoubtedly discriminatory. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) sustain employers are legally bound to provide a full range of family planning options if other forms of preventive health prescriptions and devices are part of their benefits package. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 says it is unlawful when employers â€Å"fail or refuse to hire or discharge any individual, or otherwise discriminate against any individual with respect to his compensation, terms, conditions, or privileges of employment because of such individual’s race, color, religion, sex, or national origin† (Zolman, 2002, p. 8). Health and prescription coverage is part of the compensation and terms of employment as mentioned in Title VII. To provide further clarification, the United States government added an amendment in 1978 called the Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA), and it reads â€Å"†¦women affected by pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions shall be treated the same for all emp loyment related purposes, including of receipt of benefits under fringe benefit programs† (Vargas, 2002, p. 9). The current regulations for health insurance governance vary and are subject to different protocol. The Employment Retirement Security Act (ERISA) is a federal law that oversees self-funded insurance plans. A self-funded insurance plan, also known as self-insured, is a plan that an employer provides and pays for from a self-established fund. ERISA oversees the compliance of procedure, such as providing insurance information and instructions on how to file grievances, however; it does not require employers to provide specific benefits (Zolman, 2002). Within ERISA is a loophole that self-funded insurance plans have used to avoid following mandates that may be in effect through state legislation. Fully insured health plans contract through insurance brokers, are subject to state insurance mandates, and are not governed by ERISA (Zolman, 2002). The Equity in Prescription Insurance and Contraceptive Coverage Act (EPICC) is a federal contraceptive prescription and device mandate that has gone before Congress on several occasions but has not been successful in passing into law. Nevertheless, there have been 27 states that have passed there on version of EPICC since 1998 (Andrews, 2010). However, requirements for coverage vary from state to state and self-funded insurance plans are exempt from complying. Throughout the last decade there have been several lawsuits filed against employers unwilling to include prescription contraception benefits. The first such case was Erickson versus Bartell. In 2001, Jennifer Erickson brought a lawsuit of sexual discrimination against Bartell Drug Company for failing to provide birth control in a prescription drug benefit package. Federal Judge Lasnik determined that Bartell Drug Company was in violation of Title VII and the PDA (HRMagazine, 2005). Sadly, the majority of employers who exclude prescription contraceptives choose to wait for legal action before changing policy. In those cases, society loses as precious taxpayer dollars are spent. Employer Expenses Many people have the misconception that it is expensive for an employer to provided prescription contraceptive benefits and that the employer should be able to limit available benefits to help keep health insurance premiums to a minimum. A study conducted by the Washington Business Group on Health concluded that employers experience greater direct and indirect financial losses when an employee becomes pregnant. The indirect expenses include the employee’s absence for doctor’s appointments, fatigue, or illness. Indirect costs can also include reduced productivity, and the need to train another person to fulfill the pregnant employee’s position when absent. Direct costs can reach well above $10,000 for expenses related to pre-natal care, delivery, and one-year of infant pediatrics (HRMagazine, 2005). How to cite Birth Control Controversy, Papers

Friday, December 6, 2019

Fusion Essay Example For Students

Fusion Essay Fusion reactions are inhibited by the electrical repulsive force that acts between two positively charged nuclei. For fusion to occur, the two nuclei must approach each other at high speed to overcome the electrical repulsion and attain a sufficiently small separation (less than one-trillionth of a centimeter) that the short-range strong nuclear force dominates. For the production of useful amounts of energy, a large number of nuclei must under go fusion: that is to say, a gas of fusing nuclei must be produced. In a gas at extremely high temperature, the average nucleus contains sufficient kinetic energy to undergo fusion. Such a medium can be produced by heating an ordinary gas of neutral atoms beyond the temperature at which electrons are knocked out of the atoms. The result is an ionized gas consisting of free negative electrons and positive nuclei. This gas constitutes a plasma. Plasma, in physics, is an electrically conducting medium in which there are roughly equal numbers of positively and negatively charged particles, produced when the atoms in a gas become ionized. It is sometimes referred to as the fourth state of matter, distinct from the solid, liquid, and gaseous states. When energy is continuously applied to a solid, it first melts, then it vaporizes, and finally electrons are removed from some of the neutral gas atoms and molecules to yield a mixture of positively charged ions and negatively charged electrons, while overall neutral charge density is maintained. When a significant portion of the gas has been ionized, its properties will be altered so substantially that little resemblance to solids, liquids, and gases remains. A plasma is unique in the way in which it interacts with itself with electric and magnetic fields, and with its environment. A plasma can be thought of as a collection of ions, electrons, neutral atoms and molecules, an photons in which some atoms are being ionized simultaneously with other electrons recombining with ions to form neutral particles, while photons are continuously being produced and absorbed. Scientists have estimated that more than 99 percent of the matter in the universe exists in the plasma state. All of the observed stars, including the Sun, consist of plasma, as do interstellar and interplanetary media and the outer atmospheres of the planets. Although most terrestrial matter exists in a solid, liquid or gaseous state, plasma is found in lightning bolts and auroras, in gaseous discharge lamps (neon lights), and in the crystal structure of metallic solids. Plasmas are currently being studied as an affordable source of clean electric power from thermonuclear fusion reactions. The scientific problem for fusion is thus the problem of producing and confining a hot, dense plasma. The core of a fusion reactor would consist of burning plasma. Fusion would occur between the nuclei, with electrons present only to maintain macroscopic charge neutrality. Stars, including the Sun, consist of plasma that generates energy by fusion reactions. In these ?natural fusion reactors? the reacting, or burning, plasma is confirmed by its own gravity. It is not possible to assemble on Earth a plasma sufficiently massive to be gravitationally confined. The hydrogen bomb is an example of fusion reactions produced in an uncontrolled, unconfined manner in which the energy density is so high that the energy release is explosive. By contrast, the use of fusion for peaceful energy generating requires control and confinement of a plasma at high temperature and is often called controlled thermonuclear fusion. In the development of fusion power technology, demonstration of ? energy breakeven? is taken to signify the scientific feasibility of fusion. At breakeven, the fusion power produced by a plasma is equal to the power input to maintain the plasma. This requires a plasma that is hot, dense, and well confined. The temperature required, about 100 million Kelvins, is several times that of the Sun. The product of the density and energy confinement time of the plasma (the time it takes the plasma to lose its energy if not replaced) must exceed a critical value. There are two main approaches to controlled fusion ? namely, magnetic confinement and inertial confinement. Magnetic confinement of plasmas is the most highly developed approach to controlled fusion. The hot plasma is contained by magnetic forces exerted on the charged particles. A large part of the problem of fusion has been the attainment of magnetic field configurations that effectively confine the plasma. A successful configuration must meet three criteria: (1) the plasma must be in a time-independent equilibrium state, (2) the equilibrium must be macroscopically stable, and (3) the leakage of plasma energy to the bounding wall must be small. A single charged particle tends to spiral about a magnetic line of force. It is necessary that the single particle trajectories do not intersect the wall. Moreover, the pressure force, arising from the thermal energy of all the particles, is in a direction to expand the plasma. For the plasma to be in equilibrium, the magnetic force acting on the electric current within the plasma must balance the pressure force at every point in the plasma. The equilibrium thus obtained has to be stable. A plasma is stable if after a small perturbation it returns to its original state. A plasma is continually perturbed by random thermal noise fluctuations. If unstable, it might depart from its equilibrium state and rapidly escape the confines of the magnetic field (perhaps in less than one-thousandth of a second). A plasma in stable equilibrium can be maintained indefinitely if the leakage of energy from the plasma is balanced by energy input. If the plasma energy loss is too large, then ignition cannot be achieved. An unavoidable diffusion of energy across the magnetic field lines will occur from the collisions between the particles. Exemplification: Separation of Church and State Essay Neutron bombardment would activate the walls of the containment vessel, but such activated material is shorter-lived and less toxic than the waste products of a fission reactor. Moreover, even this activation problem may be eliminated, either by the development of advanced, low-activation materials, such as vanadium-based materials, or by the employment of advanced fusion-fuel cycles that do not produce neutrons, such as the fusion of deuterons with helium-3 nuclei. Nearly neutron-free fusion systems, which require higher temperatures than D-T fusion, might make up a second generation of fusion reactors). Finally, a fusion reactor would not release the gaseous pollutants that accompany the combustion of fossil fuels; hence, fusion would not produce a greenhouse effect. The fusion process has been studied as part of nuclear physics for much of the 20th century. In the late 1930s the German-born physicist Hans A. Bethe first recognized that the fusion of hydrogen nuclei to form deuterium is exoergic (there is release of energy) and, together with subsequent reactions, accounts for the energy source in stars. Work proceeded over the next two decades, motivated by the need to understand nuclear matter and forces, to learn more about the nuclear physics of stellar objects, and to develop thermonuclear weapons (the hydrogen bomb) and predict their performance. During the late 1940s and early 1950s, research programs in the United States, United Kingdom, and Soviet Union began to yield a better understanding of nuclear fusion, and investigators embarked on ways of exploiting the process for practical energy production. This work focused on the use of magnetic fields and electromagnetic forces to contain extremely hot gases called plasmas. A plasma consists of unbound electrons and positive ions whose motion is dominated by electromagnetic interactions. It is the only state of matter in which thermonuclear reactions can occur in a self-sustaining manner. Astrophysics and magnetic fusion research, among other fields, require extensive knowledge of how gases behave in the plasma state. The inadequacy of the then-existent knowledge became clearly apparent in the 1950s as the behavior of plasma in many of the early magnetic confinement systems proved too complex to understand. Moreover, researchers found that confining fusion plasma in a magnetic trap was far more challenging than they had anticipated. Plasma must be heated to tens of millions of degrees Kelvin or higher to induce and sustain the thermonuclear reaction required to produce usable amounts of energy. At temperatures this high, the nuclei in the plasma move rapidly enough to overcome their mutual repulsion and fuse. It is exceedingly difficult to contain plasmas at such a temperature level because the hot gases tend to expand and escape from the enclosing structure. The work of the major American, British, and Soviet fusion programs was strictly classified until 1958. That year, research objectives were made public, and many of the topics being studied were found to be similar, as were the problems encountered. Since that time, investigators have continued to study and measure fusion reactions between the lighter elements and have arrived at more accurate determinations of reaction rates. Also, the formulas developed by nuclear physicists for predicting the rate of fusion-energy generation have been adopted by astrophysicists to derive new information about the structure of the stellar interior and about the evolution of stars. The late 1960s witnessed a major advance in efforts to harness fusion reactions for practical energy production: the Soviets announced the achievement of high plasma temperature (about 3,000,000 K), along with other physical parameters, in a tokamak, a toroidal magnetic confinement system in which the plasma is kept generally stable both by an externally generated, doughnut-shaped magnetic field and by electric currents flowing within the plasma itself. (The basic concept of the tokamak had been first proposed by Andrey D. Sakharov and Igor Y. Tamm around 1950.) Since its development, the tokamak has been the focus of most research, though other approaches have been pursued as well. Employing the tokamak concept, physicists have attained conditions in plasmas that approach those required for practical fusion-power generation. Work on another major approach to fusion energy, called inertial confinement fusion (ICF), has been carried on since the early 1960s. Initial efforts were undertaken in 1961 with a then-classified proposal that large pulses of laser energy could be used to implode and shock-heat matter to temperatures at which nuclear fusion would be vigorous. Aspects of inertial confinement fusion were declassified in the 1970s, but a key element of the workspecifically the design of targets containing pellets of fusion fuelsstill is largely secret. Very painstaking work to design and develop suitable targets continues today. At the same time, significant progress has been made in developing high-energy, short-pulse drivers with which to implode millimeter-radius targets. The drivers include both high-power lasers and particle accelerators capable of producing beams of high-energy electrons or ions. Lasers that produce more than 100,000 joules in pulses on the order of one nanosecond (10-9 second) have been developed, and the power available in short bursts exceeds 1014 watts. Best estimates are that practical inertial confinement for fusion energy will require either laser or particle-beam drivers with an energy of 5,000,000 to 10,000,000 joules capable of delivering more than 1014 watts of power to a small target of deuterium and tritium .

Friday, November 29, 2019

The Member Of The Wedding Essays - Literature, Films,

The Member of the Wedding The Member of the Wedding The Member of the Wedding by Carson McCullers is the story of an adolescent girl who triumphs over loneliness and gains maturity through an identity that she creates for herself in her mind. It is with this guise that twelve year old Frankie Addams begins to feel confident about herself and life. The author seems to indicate that one can feel good about oneself through positive thinking regardless of reality. The novel teaches that one's destiny is a self-fulfilled prophesy, seeing one's self in a certain light oftentimes creates an environment where one might become that which one would like to be. The world begins to look new and beautiful to Frankie when her older brother Jarvis returns from Alaska with his bride-to-be, Janice. The once clumsy Frankie, forlorn and lonely, feeling that she "was a member of nothing in the world" now decides that she is going to be "the member of the wedding." Frankie truly believes that she is going to be an integral part of her brother's new family and becomes infatuated with the idea that she will leave Georgia and live with Jarvis and Janice in Winter Hill. In her scheme to be part of this new unit, she dubs herself F. Jasmine so that she and the wedding couple will all have names beginning with the letters J and a. Her positive thinking induces a euphoria which contributes to a rejection of the old feeling that "the old Frankie had no we to claim.... Now all this was suddenly over with and changed. There was her brother and the bride, and it was as though when first she saw them something she had known inside of her: They are the we of me." Being a member of the wedding will, she feels, connect her irrevocably to her brother and his wife. Typical of many teenagers, she felt that in order to be someone she has to be a part of an intact, existing group, that is, Jarvis and Janice. The teen years are known as a time of soul-searching for a new and grown up identity. In an effort to find this identity teens seek to join a group. Frankie, too, is deperate for Jarvis and Janice's adult acceptance. Frankie is forced to spend the summer with John Henry, her six year old cousin, and Berenice Brown, her black cook. It is through her interactions with these two characters that the reader perceives Frankie's ascent from childhood. Before Jarvis and Janice arrive, Frankie is content to play with John Henry. When she becomes F. Jasmine and an imagined "we" of the couple, she feels too mature to have John Henry sleep over, preferring, instead, to occupy her time explaining her wedding plans to strangers in bars, a behavior she would not have considered doing before gaining this new confidence. When F. Jasmine tells her plans to Berenice, the cook immediately warns her that Jarvis and Janice will not want her to live with them. F. Jasmine smugly ignores the cook's warning that "you just laying yourself this fancy trap to catch yourself in trouble." The adolescent feels confident and cocky, refusing to believe that her plot is preposterous. After the wedding and the shattering reality that Frances (as she is now known) faces, it is evident, from the fact that their refusal doesn't crush her, that she has truly turned herself around, and that her maturity is an authentic and abiding one. At the conclusion of the story, the now confident Frances is able to plan a future for herself, by herself, which includes becoming a great writer. She, further, finds a sympathetic friend who becomes the other half of her new "we." Carson McCullers brilliantly portrays a teenage girl's maturation through a fabricated feeling of belonging, which ultimately leads to a true belonging. The reader sees how the girl grows from a childish "Frankie," to a disillusioned "F. Jasmine," and eventually to a matured Frances. When F. Jasmine questions Berenice as to why it is illegal to change one's name without consent of the court, the cook insightfully responds, "You have a name and one thing after another happens to you, and you behave in various ways and do various things, so that soon the name begins to have a meaning." No matter how we might change externals, it is only when our innermost feelings are altered that we truly change and grow.

Monday, November 25, 2019

Free Essays on Sony Betamax Vs. VHS

Sony Betamax vs. VHS I will be presenting to you a study on the background of the Sony Betamax. I will illustrate the marketing mix and strategy that was used and how Sony tried to capture their target market. I will go then describe what caused them to fail in their mission and how I plan to implement a new and more comprehensive strategy. This new plan will focus more on competing at a higher level with the competition along with trying to capture the consumers expectations during development of the product through extensive surveys and market research analysis. In 1975, Sony entered the videotape player market with the U-matic format. Due to its heavy and nearly cumbersome nature, this player was soon relegated for primary use to the submarkets, such as schools and commercial sites. Later that year they introduced the Sony Betamax. This machine was developed to directly sell to the everyday consumer and alleviate some of the nuisances created by the U-matic. These two products entered the market at such a head start they were able to set the standard. Sony was able to corner the market share until competition arrived in the form of the VHS format in 1976. The initial marketing strategy Sony employed was simply to create a videotape player that would provide the consumer with superior sound and video quality. They attempted to do this without any market research to pinpoint what the consumer really considered important. A simple mass market approach was used in trying to advertise this product. With this in mind I will break the Betamax experience down into what their target market was and what research, if any, was conducted for this product. The four P’s will be answered, and the lessons that were learned for their endeavor with this product will also be examined.. Sony initially conducted their market research to find out where their target market was located. Introduced in 1975, the Sony Betamax was a ... Free Essays on Sony Betamax Vs. VHS Free Essays on Sony Betamax Vs. VHS Sony Betamax vs. VHS I will be presenting to you a study on the background of the Sony Betamax. I will illustrate the marketing mix and strategy that was used and how Sony tried to capture their target market. I will go then describe what caused them to fail in their mission and how I plan to implement a new and more comprehensive strategy. This new plan will focus more on competing at a higher level with the competition along with trying to capture the consumers expectations during development of the product through extensive surveys and market research analysis. In 1975, Sony entered the videotape player market with the U-matic format. Due to its heavy and nearly cumbersome nature, this player was soon relegated for primary use to the submarkets, such as schools and commercial sites. Later that year they introduced the Sony Betamax. This machine was developed to directly sell to the everyday consumer and alleviate some of the nuisances created by the U-matic. These two products entered the market at such a head start they were able to set the standard. Sony was able to corner the market share until competition arrived in the form of the VHS format in 1976. The initial marketing strategy Sony employed was simply to create a videotape player that would provide the consumer with superior sound and video quality. They attempted to do this without any market research to pinpoint what the consumer really considered important. A simple mass market approach was used in trying to advertise this product. With this in mind I will break the Betamax experience down into what their target market was and what research, if any, was conducted for this product. The four P’s will be answered, and the lessons that were learned for their endeavor with this product will also be examined.. Sony initially conducted their market research to find out where their target market was located. Introduced in 1975, the Sony Betamax was a ...

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Unionization and the nursing process Research Paper

Unionization and the nursing process - Research Paper Example For instance, there is major focus on addressing issues pertaining to nursing shortages and resource allocations thereby improving the quality of health outcomes. This implies that unionization in the nursing profession plays an important role of improving performance through quality service delivery. An analysis on the effects of unions in nursing profession indicates that unions are facilitators of effective nursing practice. This is attributed to the fact that unions work towards ensuring the wellbeing of nurses yet simultaneously maintaining and improving the quality of services delivered. Therefore, the role and goals of unions in nursing profession are in concurrence with nursing objectives as a profession. Nonetheless, union membership requires participation in the various activities of the union. This implies that members have a role to play in the union and it is not the responsibility of the management only to take part in union activities. For example, members are required to attend union meetings, take part in projects and act in support of the union even in seemingly challenging times such as during demonstrations. This implies that nurse are required to maintain active membership in unions. However, the increased focus towards unionization has seen establishment of relatively many unions with different goals (Benson, 2010). In a bid to reduce conflict of interest there are suggestions on establishment of a centralized union. Formation of a centralized union would arguably be a great step towards strengthening nurses and ensuring fair representation. Considering all the advantages of unions, it is relatively difficult for unionized members to cope in a nonunionized environment. Nonunionized workers have to cope with all their work related problems including possible management oppressions. This implies that working in a nonunionized environment is relatively frustrating and undesirable (Laureate Education, Inc. 2012). Therefore, it

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

The deterance the death penalty offers Research Paper

The deterance the death penalty offers - Research Paper Example The work at hand presents the point that death penalty indeed has the capability to control the prevalence of murder and other related capital crimes. Critical analysis of the available literature concerning the issue is included. Anti-death-penalty proponents like John Blume, a law professor with the Cornell Death Penalty Project, concludes that there is no credible evidence to support deterrence of murder and capital crimes with the implementation of death penalty. The main justification of their points stands on the ground that â€Å"If deterrence worked, how could Texas which executes a dozen inmates a year, have a higher murder rate than Colorado, which has executed one murderer in more than four decades?† (Booth). In 2009 survey, more than 88% of criminologists believe that the death penalty was not a deterrent to murder, a result showing strong link to the consistent lower murder rate of non-Death penalty states compared to those that are employing the Death penalty (Th e Death Penalty and Deterrence). Daniel Nagin, expert in criminology and statistics at Carnegie Mellon University, said in an interview, â€Å"The studies have reached widely varying, even contradictory, conclusions. Some studies conclude that executions save large numbers of lives; others conclude that executions actually increase homicides; and still others conclude that executions have no effect on homicide rate† (National Journal staff). In 2002, part of the annual Texas Crime Poll revealed that majority of the respondents showed support for the death penalty, but a substantial number of them also showed lack confidence on its use while others supported moratorium on executions (Vollum and Longmire 521). After concluding a research study that says each execution saves five lives, H. Naci Mocan, an economist at Louisiana State University, said, â€Å"I personally am opposed to the death penalty, but my research shows that there is deterrent effect† (Liptak). Mocan a dds, â€Å"Science does really draw a conclusion. It did. There is no question about it. The conclusion is there is a deterrent effect† (Tanner). However, legal scholars refuted this idea, specifying the point that theories of economists do not apply to the violent world of crime and punishment, as they might be linked to faulty premises, insufficient data and flawed methodologies (Liptak). This is all the same point which by Fox and Radelet state against the research study of Ehrlich and Layson. The measurement of the deterrent effect of death penalty has been critically considered from another wider point of view when Ehrlich’s and Layson’s works reveal the importance of using the economic perspective on the issue by employing economic model, which could show further that every execution may possibly deter as many as 18 homicides (Fox and Radelet 30). However, Ehrlich’s economic model is said to have failed to provide conclusive evidence supporting the deterrent effect of capital punishment (Chan and Oxley 1). However, Fox and Radelet scrutinized Ehrlich’s and Layson’s methodology by understanding the flaws involved in using econometric model, data quality, time period, negative bias, and aggregation bias and even the misinterpretation of Layson’s findings. Unconvinced of the above general claim, the proponents of the death penalty argued that the murder rate could

Monday, November 18, 2019

Specification and Design Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Specification and Design - Dissertation Example For instance crime scenes where a person had been shot, when the medics arrive, they had to wait for the police before they could save the individual, therefore the sponsors found the need for a communication system where the information from an emergency scene would reach all the people involved in the emergency simultaneously. The aim of the project, therefore, is to create a communication system where information that originated from a scene of emergency would reach all the people involved at the same time, therefore, hasten the pace of response. In this project, the solution that would enable the integration of all the people involved in response in one call would be the use of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). In designing the VoIP, a software will be designed that will enable a victim of an emergency to communicate with several departments that are responsible for responding to a certain emergency. The software will be designed in such a way that for instance when it is a fi re emergency, the relevant personnel will be notified which will be different from the case of a crime scene. This will be enabled by the programming which when a person chooses the type of an emergency, the software will direct the calls to the specific departments that are responsible to respond to the emergency. There will be no major modifications, however, due to the sophistication of crime and to avoid tampering of the software by criminals, the security protocol of the software will be improved to match the best practices in the communication sector. Literature survey With the current paces in technology where there is the increasing number of service that is available over a wire and wireless connections, the technology is changing from narrowband such as telephones over wires to the wideband where the services that previously used the narrowband would migrate and use the wideband. According to Bonometti article, â€Å"competitive business advantages in the era of unified s uper convergence† digital convergence will expand by entailing the following. Improved evenness in information flow between the cable and cable-less communication technologies, which will be the outcome of changes in cable-less technology, standards and protocol. Real dependence between gadgets, platforms and the multimedia types that they support. The third thing that digital convergence will entail is the intelligence functions such as the semantic web and other machine-based interactions and embedded applications that enable content searches in rich media (Bonometti, 2009, p 248-257). A study by William and Russell on Huawei, which is a technology firm, based in China where it has always been believed that the country is the greatest copier of technologies that have been developed by other countries. In this study, they found out that despite Huawei being a global leader in the provision of Softswitch platform that is used in VoIP, it has been involved in developing of tech nologies in the next generation networks (NGN) that provide for the multimedia solution across different platforms such as mobile phones, landlines, and television sets. The article â€Å"Customized Executive Learning: a Business Model for the Twenty-First Century† by Jamie Anderson and Gert-Jan.

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Types, Causes and Effects

Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Types, Causes and Effects Chapter 1: THE INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE WHAT IS INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) means chronic inflammation of all or part of your digestive tract. IBD can be classified into two, which is, ulcerative colitis and Crohns disease. IBD is very painful and debilitating, and can sometimes lead to life-threatening complications. The IBD is called an autoimmune disease because the body’s immune system attacks the digestive system. The disease is so severe that it may cause abdominal pain, bloody diarrhea, cramps and fever. This is however different from Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). DIFFERENCE BETWEEN INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE (IBD) AND INLAMMATORY BOWEL SYNDROME (IBS) The difference between the IBS and the IBD is that IBD is structural, but IBS is not. If the gut is examined by x-ray, endoscopy, biopsy or surgery, structural damage to the gut can be seen. In IBD, the damage is caused by the inflammation and may require heavy duty medication, or even surgery. Whereas in IBS, the examination of the gut of a person having IBS would help detect nothing. It can only be detected by gut symptoms. These may include abdominal cramps or pain, harder or looser bowel movements than average, excess gas, diarrhea and constipation – or alternating between the two. Both of these affect people of all ages but young people are mostly affected. Females have more chances of having IBS. IBD has no gender preference but is mostly found in Jews and people from Northern Europe. IBS is a worldwide disorder, while IBD is prominent in the planet’s temperate zones. In IBD, the gut is damaged by chronic inflammation. The damage is fought by the defense mechanism of the body resulting in fever and malaise. The intestines are disrupted, they may bleed and anemia is common too. There is inability to eat during attacks, inflammation is caused which results in wasting of energy, ultimately resulting in weight loss and malnutrition. IBS cannot be identified by findings of physical examination. However, the structural damage caused by IBD is also capable of producing striking physical findings like a mass in the abdomen, or the symptoms such as that of weight loss and anemia. Other differences include the need for surgery in IBD, which is not required in IBS. IBS does not induce complications in the gut, skin, joints and eyes, but IBD does. CROHN’S DISEASE This is the type of IBD that may involve any part(s) of the gastrointestinal tract, ranging from mouth to anus. Listed below are a few characteristic features: Inflammation usually occurs in patches. The pain is usually experienced in the lower right abdomen. The colon may turn thick and might appear to be rocky. Ulcers in and along the digestive tract are very deep, sometimes extending into every layer of the bowel wall. During bowel movement, rectal bleeding is not common. Ulcerative colitis is the second type of IBD, which is taken up in the subsequent chapters. Chapter 2: ULCERATIVE COLITIS Defining Ulcerative colitis â€Å"Colitis† means the inflammation of the colon, or more largely, inflammation of the large intestine ( that comprises of colon, caecum and rectum). Ulcerative colitis is a disease of the colon, which is the largest part of the large intestine, characterized by ulcers (open sores). These ulcers are painful wounds, they may bleed and also produce mucus and pus. The mucosa (inner lining) of the intestine becomes red and swollen. The rectal area is most severely affected. If the lining of the colon is damaged, it may cause bloody diarrhea. Where Crohn’s disease can affect almost any part of the digestive tract, Ulcerative colitis only affects the large intestine. Crohn’s disease can be treated by removing the affected parts and reconnecting the healthy ones. Whereas to treat ulcerative colitis, one may have to remove the large intestine completely (called colectomy). It can occur at highly irregular intervals, at times, with symptoms extremely severe, and sometimes, no symptoms at all. Ulcerative Colitis- An autoimmune condition In autoimmunity, an organism fails to recognize its own constituent parts as â€Å"self, and thus leads to an immune response against its own tissues and cells. Such diseases are termed as autoimmune diseases. In other words, our body’s defense mechanism goes wrong and attacks its own healthy tissue. There are harmless bacteria present inside the colon, which are mistaken to be harmful by the defense mechanism, and are attacked, leading to inflammation. Classifying Ulcerative Colitis Ulcerative Proctitis This is Ulcerative colitis in its mildest form. There is inflammation only within the rectal area. The various signs and symptoms are as follows: Rectal pain Rectal bleeding There is an urge to move the bowels but inability to do so. Proctosigmoiditis This involves the lower end of the colon, that is, the sigmoid colon and the rectum. The signs and symptoms are as follows: Abdominal pain Bloody diarrhea Abdominal cramps Constant urge to go to the toilet Left sided colitis There in inflammation in the rectum, up on the left side along the sigmoid colon and the descending colon. The signs and symptoms are: Abdominal cramping on the left side Bloody diarrhea Weight loss Pancolitis (Universal colitis) This involves and affects the whole colon. The signs and symptoms are: Bloody diarrhea (there may be severe bouts) Abdominal pain Abdominal cramps Weight loss Fatigue Fulminant Colitis This is the most rare form of colitis and it can be life threatening. It affects the whole colon. Patients suffering from fulminant colitis are at a constant risk of toxic megacolon (the colon becomes swollen, or bloated, or distended) and colon rupture. The signs and symptoms are as follows: Severe diarrhea, that can lead to shock and dehydration Severe pain SYMPTOMS OF ULCERATIVE COLITIS The Gastrointestinal symptoms include: Diarrhea with blood and mucus. This implies the gradual onset of the disease which may persist for an extended period, maybe weeks. If rectal examination is conducted, blood may be found. The patients also suffer from drastic weight loss. Due to the inflammation and extreme loss of blood from the gastrointestinal tract, anaemia may occur. There may be mild abdominal pain, or painful bowel movements accompanied with painful abdominal cramping. One may even experience fatigue and loss of appetite. One may experience very mild or almost no symptoms, called â€Å"remission†, which may be followed by symptoms that are troublesome, called â€Å"flare-ups† or â€Å"relapses†. These may be triggered by stress. Flare-ups may be very troublesome, in which patients may have to empty their bowels about six times or more each day. Heartbeat may be fast or irregular, accompanied by shortness of breath and high fever. Severity of the disease Mild disease This means less than four stools each day. Blood may be present or absent. Patient may experience mild cramping and abdominal pain. The patient may feel constipated, with a continuous feeling of needing to empty the bowel, with cramping or pain and little or almost no fecal output. Moderate disease This means more than four stools each day. Patient also displays signs of anemia, fever around 100 to 102 degrees Fahrenheit. Severe Disease This means around six stools with blood each day, implying observable bowel movement, toxicity demonstrated in the form of fever, anaemia and tachycardia. Fulminant Disease This means more than or equal to ten bowel movements each day, accompanied by continuous bleeding, abdominal tenderness, toxicity, colonic dilation and blood transfusion is often required. Patients may have toxic megacolon as the inflammation extends beyond the mucosal layer. At times, the serous membrane also gets involved causing colonic perforation. If not treated, fulminant disease may lead to death. Extraintestinal Symptoms As ulcerative colitis is an autoimmune disease, patients may develop symptoms as well as complications outside the colon. These include: Ulcers in the mouth. Opthalmic: Irritated and red eyes, or inflammation o iris called iritis. Musculoskeletal: Swollen joints (arthritis). These may be large joints, or small joints of hands or feet. Or joints of the spine. Cutaneous: Inflammation of the subcutaneous tissue. Painful and ulcerating lesion of the skin. A deformity of the ends of the fingers (Clubbing). Inflammation of the bile ducts (Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis). Chapter 3: Causes of Ulcerative Colitis The causes of Ulcerative Colitis are still not known. Yet, the possible causes are listed below: GENETICS The disease can be inherited if one has a close relative suffering from the disease. Hence it can be found in the family. The regions of the genome that can be linked to this disease are the chromosome number 1, 3, 5, 6, 12, 14, 16, 19. Since none of these have been faulty continuously, it has led to a conclusion that the disease occurs due to a combination of various genes. One of the regions, for example, has been linked to ulcerative colitis is chromosome band 1p36. ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS Inflammation may be encouraged by diet. For example, if there is a large intake of vitamin b6 and unsaturated fat affect the development of ulcerative colitis. There are many other discovered dietary factors which may lead to the relapse or development of the disease, like meat protein and alcoholic beverages. Vitamin D deficiency is also a leading cause of the disease. Breastfeeding may also lead to the development of the disease. The role of Sulphur in Ulcerative Colitis Sulphur is found in many foods and substances like milk, eggs, cheese, mayonnaise. It is also used as a food preservative because it stabilizes protein structures. It also prevents microbial growth during fermentation of wine and beer. Bacteria that are present in the bowel convert the sulphur present in the food to hydrogen sulphide, which is called fermentation. This substance is harmful as it can cause abdominal pain and urgent and frequent bowel movements. Because of the already existing inflammation of the bowel lining, patients suffering from ulcerative colitis find it difficult to break down the gas as they produce more hydrogen sulphide than normal. This toxic substance, in high amounts, reduces the protective unction of the cells that are lining the bowel. It can also cause cell death and induce ulceration in the superficial mucosa of the intestine. Hence the cells lining the colon are harmed. IMMUNE SYSTEM Theories suggest that a virus or a bacterium also may trigger ulcerative colitis as the digestive tract may become inflamed when the immune system tries to get rid of the invading microorganism (pathogen). This inflammation is caused due to the release of white blood cells to destroy the present pathogen. This may lead to an autoimmune reaction/condition in which the body produces an immune response even during the absence of the pathogen. This happens because the body tries to eliminate pathogens which are either gut friendly, or non-existent. RISK FACTORS The factors that raise the risk of developing Ulcerative colitis are as follows: Age: Though it may affect people at any and every age, it is more commonly found in people aged 15 to 30. Genetics: If someone has a close relative with the Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, they are at a high risk of development of the disease. Isotretinoin: The treatment of cystic acne is often done with the help of this medicine. It can cure other kinds of acne too, but it increases the risk of this disease. The medicine is also called Accutane. Amnesteem, Sotret and Claravis (These are the various other brand names). Appendectomy: The removal of the appendix may lead to the reduction of the risk of developing ulcerative colitis but an increased risk of Crohn’s disease. Chapter 4: DIAGNOSIS Ulcerative colitis is diagnosed only when the possible signs and symptoms of infection, Crohn’s disease, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and colon cancer have been ruled out. The following tests are carried out: BLOOD TESTS They help to check anaemia, and also help to diagnose the name of the bowel disease the patient has. STOOL SAMPLE If there are white blood cells present in the stool, it implies that the patient is suffering from an inflammatory disease, possibly ulcerative colitis. It also helps rule out other diseases, like those caused by bacteria, viruses and parasites. Clostridium difficile usually causes diarrhea but also common amongst people suffering from ulcerative colitis. Bowel infection can also be checked this way. COLONOSCOPY The entire colon can be viewed using a flexible, thin and lighted tube which has a camera attached to it. Small tissue samples are also taken (called biopsy) so that a laboratory analysis can be conducted and ulcerative colitis may be diagnosed. SIGMOIDOSCOPY This test is done if the colon is inflamed severely. A thin, lighted and flexible tube is used to examine the last portion of the colon, the sigmoid. But the drawback of this procedure is that the problems occurring higher up the colon may be missed and a full picture of the affected colon is not achieved. BARIUM ENEMA The entire large intestine can be examined using an X-Ray. A contrast solution of barium accompanied with some air is placed into the bowel with the help of an enema. Once the barium coats the entire lining of the colon, rectum and a part of the large intestine, it creates a silhouette. This is a dangerous test and hence rarely used because the pressure that is applied to inflate the colon and coat it may lead to its rupture. X-RAY An X-ray of the abdominal area can be done to rule out the possibility of toxic megacolon and perforation as these conditions may appear because of the severe symptoms. CT SCAN This scan is carried out to check the extent of inflammation of the colon. The abdomen and pelvis are scanned if complications due to ulcerative colitis are observed or an inflamed small intestine that may be because of Crohn’s disease. VIDEO CAPSULE ENDOSCOPY (VCE) In this test, a patient swallows a capsule containing a camera which takes pictures of the intestine as it travels through it and sends them to a recorder wirelessly. The pictures can then be reviewed. Chapter 5: TREATMENT The treatment of ulcerative colitis is done on the basis of the severity of the disease. It mainly consists of changes in the diet and medication. If symptoms are found to be severe and long lasting, more medicines may be required or even surgery. But medicines cannot completely the disease. They can only minimize the risk of cancer, induce remissions and maintain them and improve the quality of life. AMINOSALICYLATES These are anti- inflammatory drugs that are used to induce and maintain remission. 5-aminosalicylic acid (5- ASA) produces the anti-inflammatory action. Examples of aminosalicylates are- MESALAZINE: Also called Pentasa, Octasa and Asacol SULFASALAZINE: This belongs to a class of antibiotics and it decomposed in the intestine to release 5-ASA. Since this substance is not entirely absorbed by the intestine, it gives a topical relief. CORTICOSTEROIDS These are often used with 5-ASA drugs to induce remission of ulcerative colitis. These work by the blocking the parts where leukocyte adhesion cascade occurs to induce inflammation. These have many side effects like the puffiness on the face, called â€Å"moon face†, and manic behavior. It may also cause bipolar disorder, inducing periods of elevated mood and depression. Examples include Cortisone, Hydrocortisone, Prednisone. IMMUNOSUPPRESSIVE DRUGS These inhibit the immune system. They stop cell division of white blood cells that occur as an immune response. Examples are: Mercaptopurine, Methotrexate, Azathioprine. DIET MODIFICATION Fresh fruit, carbonated drink and caffeine should be avoided by patients suffering from diarrhea and abdominal cramping. Some patients show lactose intolerance (they are not able to digest lactose) hence they can’t consume lactose. To supplement the bone loss, calcium is given to them. The gastrointestinal and auto-immune symptoms can be helped by using the Specific Carbohydrate Diet that allows only the use of monosaccharides and not the other carbohydrates. At times due to metabolic defects, Hydrogen Peroxide may build up underneath the membrane that usually protects the walls of the intestine from the bacteria that are present. To protect ourselves from these oxidants, a need to take antioxidants arises. These include vitamins A, E, C, Selenium and manganese. HERBAL MEDICINE While Kampo is a medicine that is used in Japan, Boswellia is and Ayurvedic medicine that can be used as an alternative to other drugs. Medicinal cannabis can also be used as it helps reducing abdominal discomfort and abdominal irritability caused by ulcerative colitis. HELMINTHIC THERAPY Sometimes, parasites may help in the reduction of the immune response of the intestine. Whipworm may be used for this purpose. Reduction of immune response may help in the complete elimination of ulcerative colitis. SURGERY Colectomy is required to remove all or a part of the colon when it gets infected and begins to spread the infection to other parts. It can be classified as follows: TOTAL COLECTOMY: The entire colon is removed PARTIAL COLECTOMY: The entire colon is not removed, but only a part of it is. HEMICOLECTOMY: Removal of the left or right part of the colon PROCTOCOLECTOMY: Removal of the colon as well as the rectum. Once colectomy is performed, the remaining portions of the gastrointestinal tract are reattached in order to allow the waste to be eliminated from the body.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

The Bluest Eye abd the development of the American Novel :: Bluest Eye Essays

The Bluest Eye abd the development of the American Novel In The Bluest Eye, Morrison describes the absurd and racist standard by which the characters are judged. And through the actions taken by each character, that absurd standard becomes more defined, the conflict more poignant. In this particular work, it is the American ideal of beauty that makes Pecola resign her self-image as ugly and it is Pecola's reaction to this standard, her futile wish to become beautiful, that drives her into madness and thus completely exposes the absurd and wrongful nature of this standard. And yet who created this standard? It is present in movies, on candy wrappers. It is completely visible, yet the creator of this standard is somewhere else, never appears as a character. It is this fate in which a character pits him/herself against that we have seen in our study of the American novel. Faulkner has used perhaps the most obvious "absent" character to drive the standard, the dead mother. The family must react to the conflict, yet the conflict is set by someone who dies early in the novel. Social standards are apparent in James's world, and perhaps the father is the cause of these social standards. Yet they often seem outrageous to us as readers, as there seems not to be a moral cause driving the doctor's decisions, only stubbornness. In Munro's stories, we see the poor react to the standard of the rich. Munro provides an example of the rich, but the character's come across as flat, underdeveloped. This is not a criticism of Munro's technique; it furthers the development of each character who holds themselves against this standard. Vonnegut provides an outrageous world in which the standards that life imposes seem absurd. And who has created this absurd world in which the characters seem forever at odds with? The creator we are provided is admittedly a lie. Yet the absurdities force the reactions from the characters.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Media Worksheet

What were the major developments in the evolution of mass media during the 20th century? During the 1900’s magazines along with newspapers became the leading literature for media. When the 1940’s rolled around radio was invented and became the new way to get in touch with the masses. Folks often tuned into to get the news on what was going on during the war. Even though radio was new there was still a high demand for the newspaper as a way to get and stay informed on different things.Then in the1950’s television became the new source for information and resources for mass media. Television was everything all rolled up into one and the people loved it. In 1962 technology grew and they came up with the Satellites which gave the masses or the American Culture access to news all around the world. Today we can all just see how far technology has came and how endless the possibilities may be for the future. There are many forms of communication and it just continues to grow and communication has become almost instant these days.There is a never ending demand for more speed, more apps and new computers with high performance and so many other ways to communicate and relay information to the masses. People want instant answers to their questions and concerns and mass media makes it happen for the people. Technology only seems to grow more and more as the demand for new ways to communicate grow with it. There is always the next best thing right after the next best thing to have and buy in way of, phones, computers, and I-pads for social networks and so on.How did each development influence American culture? Mass media has developed strongly over the past years. The development of mass media has had a big influence on the American culture in many ways. It seems today, that mass media has endless possibilities to reach people. Initially in American culture we only communicated orally. In the past people depended on teachers and story tellers to obtain knowledge. One of the beginning developments in mass media was the ability to print.As far back as the 1400’s there were books in the starting stages of becoming available to people the mass media audience. Then we had the development of the Telegraph as a way of communication that was instant, and it did away with the need to transport written information. The creation of the telegraph opened the doors to cell phones, radio and fax machines. In the Twentieth century we entered the phase of electronics. This new age of information brought television to the American culture and lead to other resources like satellite and computers.Then we moved into the digital phase which gave a wealth of power to a common person. So as we can see mass media has had a profound affect on American culture in ways we have evolved in communication. No longer relying on one certain source to gain knowledge or information, we now have many avenues of media and communication that are instant and avai lable and will only continue to become better, which allows the American culture to stay in touch, get informed, and help them better and faster with communication and recourses.

Friday, November 8, 2019

The Storm, The Yellow Wallpape essays

The Storm, The Yellow Wallpape essays The Storm, The Yellow Wallpaper, Young Goodman Brown Because writing is inherently romantic in nature, throughout the history of literature, we see many authors insights into the enigmatic and often ambiguous subject of love and relationships. Three short stories penned by three separate American writers deal with such matter: Charlotte Perkins Gillman in "The Yellow Wallpaper", Kate Chopin in "The Storm", and Nathaniel Hawthorne in "Young Goodman Brown." Though the relationships presented in each of these stories are unique in their own persuasion, the same underlying theme runs true in all. At first glance all of these relationships may appear healthy in their existence; however, further introspection uncovers specific maladies which I believe elicit much of the discord which arises within each of these writings. All of the husbands in the aforementioned short stories evoke, though some more subtly than others, varying degrees of conflict. Gillmans "The Yellow Wallpaper" is a story pertaining to, and narrated by, a women suffering from depression after the recent birth of a child. Although the name of the women in the story is never revealed, many believe this is short story is an excerpt from the authors life. Much of the setting of the story takes place in an aging mansion recently inhabited by the narrator and John, the narrators husband. Due to her affliction and under strict instruction of her husband John, who is also a physician, the narrator is sentenced to bed rest in one of the upper rooms of the house. The walls of the room in which the narrator is forced to occupy, are enveloped with decrepit yellow wallpaper displaying an irksome pattern which, coupled with the ennui of doing nothing, works in a maleficent manner on the mental sanctity of the narrator. The narrators ailment could easily be rectified if she were allowed to busy herself. However, Johns view as a doctor denies any t...

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Glondys Rodriguez Naturalistic Observation Essay Example

Glondys Rodriguez Naturalistic Observation Essay Example Glondys Rodriguez Naturalistic Observation Paper Glondys Rodriguez Naturalistic Observation Paper My observation took topographic point in a park where a birthday party was observing. I looked at a miss of 6 old ages old or so. The miss was have oning a pink blouse and white bloomerss. I think she was Latino. She was approximately 40 inch tall and weighed around 30 lbs. I could hear when her ma called her Diana. Physical Development For her age. she had a perfect physical development because I could see how she ran with other misss of the same age. She was leaping the twine. and playing fells and seeks. so I could state that the miss was healthy and had good physical development. Cognitive development ( Piaget’s phases ) Harmonizing to Piaget’s phases Diana is in preoperational phase because for illustration. she played with her friends constructing a hardy house of plants’ foliages moving as if it was a princess palace. Besides she used subdivisions of the trees as if they were charming wands. so I realized that Diana is in the subdivision of mental representation ( Make-believe-play ) . Another illustration that I realized was that Diana’s female parent offered a juice. and gave her a pick of a bottle or a glass and she chose the bottle allowed more sum than the glass. Emotional and Social Development ( Erikson’s phase ) : Harmonizing to Erikson’s phases. Diana is in industry versus lower status because I noticed that she was all the clip in cooperation with the other childs. She developed a sense of competency at utile accomplishments and undertakings. To back up what I say I have an illustration. She was dancing all the clip with the music she liked. She danced with astonishing motions. I noticed she had natural accomplishments and ability to dance. The misss competed to see who danced better. That minute was unbelievable because I enjoyed what was go oning. and I realized the fight that exists between misss and male childs at this age. To reason. I can state Diana has a good self-pride. I don’t believe she felt lower status at any minute. On the other manus. she looked really safe in all the undertakings she developed. Does the kid meet the mileposts and phases for the physical. cognitive. and social/emotional development? Yes. I think this 6 old ages old girl meets all the mileposts and phases for the physical. cognitive. and social/ emotional development. Is at that place anything unusual or off-development for this kid ( shortages every bit good as giftedness ) ? There was nil off-development or unusual for this miss. on the contrary. I think she is really intelligent and talented. My ideas about observation: I think my observation helped me a batch to understand the normal development in in-between childhood and to cognize we should interact. usher. and back up them to accomplish the best of their abilities. My sentiment about what I observed and the application of the theories of development: In my sentiment. Piaget’s cognitive development theories and Erikson’s psychological theories are an first-class usher to assist us understand the phases in normal growing and development.

Monday, November 4, 2019

E105 - Born to be a Genius Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

E105 - Born to be a Genius - Essay Example These all are names of dogs in different language, though, it can be said that language is a combination of symbol that allows to represent an object or a doing work. Steven Pinker, a psycholinguist at MIT and director of its Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, has researched on languages in full depth and wrote a book named â€Å"The language Instinct†. He emerges his research in this book giving the basic idea with different practical examples that language is an instinct that is filled in human brain through biological evolution. He concludes from his research that instinct like language is emerged in childhood as a result of his brain growth. He researched species like birds, apes and chimpanzees to learn human languages and signals. In general language is totally a different instinct that depends upon the brain growth and comes from inheritance. He researched on different toddlers besides birds, dolphins and apes how they learn and found the instinct in DNA inherited. Autism is that they are unable to filter out relevant information from trivial information, which results in an overflow of input to the brain. They dont seem to lack the necessary semantic representations; they just have trouble calling up the appropriate interpretation. I.e.; they don’t fluently speak, can’t sing, and never interested what others think and repetitious for no apparent reason. It is a difficult challenge for parents and teachers to make these children run. These children as are good at verbal activities they made to learn things carefully by their best intact, i.e., making them work. For Example, a boy can be learned nicely by asking them to hammer the legs of chair and screw the legs of table thrice a time in a manner that child don’t minds doing it and do it pleasantly. The children may be copped in a way that might often their education get neglect but still they learn well. They are to be taught to have understanding

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Definition and Description Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Definition and Description - Essay Example This paper provides a detailed technical description regarding this gadget, alongwith visual illustrations, to help layman understand how it actually works. (http://asset2.cbsistatic.com/cnwk.1d/sc/32934833-2-300-SS16.jpg) External Dynamics Modern GPS devices installed have wide variety of features and fancy designs matching car interiors. With sleek and stylish dimensions, these systems add to the overall functionality and suavity of trendy vehicles. Normally, this navigation system uses multiple satellites spread across the sky and calculates variables from different points of references to estimate as close as possible the position of user. This is illustrated by diagram given below. This system is based on one-way time of arrival ranging phenomenon, whereby high atomic frequency signals are sent by satellites to synchronize with GPS time base. It is pivotal that the receiver and satellite both have powerful atomic clocks with synchronization capabilities up to nanoseconds. These electromagnetic radio waves have a traveling speed equivalent to speed of light, traveling at frequencies of L1 C/A and L2 P/Y and rate of 50 bits per second. Thus, time taken for one cycle of transmission and processing of one complete message is only 750 seconds. Signals are encoded through CDMA technology (Code Division Multiple Access) so that GPS deciphers the information and identifies one satellite from another due to unique encoding techniques. However, it is of utmost importance that vehicle has a clear view of the sky with no obstructions blocking the satellite transmissions. The functionality of GPS relies on three sectors. Space segment comprises the entire satellite orbital system being funded and managed by spatial authorities. Second segment is represented by control segment which carries out maintenance and monitoring of functionality of entire global positioning system through master control stations. Last segment is the user segment, which constitutes the usage of GPS system in consumer applications, military instruments and various day-to-day commonly used devices. (Kohli & Chen, 2000) Internal Mechanism GPS is based on a basic mathematical principle of trilateration: GPS must have information regarding location from three different satellite points and the distance of these satellites from current location. There are mainly three broad categories or components that form a car GPS mechanism. Inside the GPS, there is an inbuilt antenna receiver which receives the radio signals sent by satellites which contain information about timing to enable the GPS to compute the position as accurate as possible. The transmitted information has multiple sub-frames. The first sub-frame encodes time-based information like week number, day and time as well as information indicating the satellite’s health and signal strength. The second and third sub-frames feed data about the precise orbit of satellite. The fourth and fifth sub-frames carry status info rmation of the entire satellites network. The antenna demodulates the message to extract maximum accurate information from these frames and identifies each satellite through designated exclusive binary codes for each. The decoded information is transferred to the next division then for processing (Bajaj et al, 92-94). The cycle begins when the satellite and receiver simultaneously

Thursday, October 31, 2019

Write an abstract and make sure the paper and sources are in APA style Research

Write an abstract and make sure the and sources are in APA style - Research Paper Example To account for the differences in learning styles, the paper describes the actions that will be taken throughout the unit. It is also important to evaluate the learning of the students during the classes. For this, the paper describes the methods that will be used to assess learning of the syllabus. Finally, the paper describes the personal experiences and reflections of the author during the past teaching activities and indicates the success factors involved with conducting the course. Don Antonio Lugo High School, located in Chino, California, serves grades 9-12 in the Chino Valley Unified School District. Student body: 2,232. It has received a Great Schools rating of 6 out of 10 based on its performance on state standardized tests. Rational: Contemporary poems and songs are mixed in with old â€Å"classics† to give students a range of poetic experience. Attention is paid to including American, English, and Spanish content, and all the poems are quite accessible. Students will gain practice identifying poetic devices (such as metaphor, personification, imagery, etc.) because even though they may dislike these â€Å"mechanics† of poetry, they may need the information for future standardized exams. The unit involves lots of student participation. In addition to regular group work in class, students are asked to bring in poems or songs they feel are examples of good poetry, and to present these to the rest of the class. They’ll also write poems of their own, which will be shared during an informal â€Å"coffee-house class† during the final class of the poetry unit. Lots of poetry books, refreshments, chairs in a circle; invitation at the door to take a straw â€Å"sip† some juice and find a poem that you like and would share with the class (sitting down, no presentation). Write the name, poet, book, page # on your invitation before the party is over. (Takes full period – 75 poetry books

Monday, October 28, 2019

African American Musuem Essay Example for Free

African American Musuem Essay The African Museum in Philadelphia is notable as the first museum funded and built by a municipality to help preserve, interpret and exhibit the heritage of African Americans. Opened during the 1976 Bicentennial celebrations, the AAMP is located in historic Philadelphia, a few blocks away from the Liberty Bell. Charles H. Wesley was a noted African American historian, educator, and author. He was the fourth African American to receive a Ph. D. from Harvard University. An ordained minister, Wesley’s distinguished career included 40 years of leadership with the African Methodist Episcopal Church. In 1976, he served as Director of the Afro-American Historical and Cultural Museum in Philadelphia, now known as the African American Museum in Philadelphia. Programs The African American Museum that is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania has some interesting education programs. These education programs focus on arts, culture, and heritage education. They place a major emphasis on the interests of the students, educators, artists, historians, scholars, and community organizations. These programs offer diversity with scheduling. The programs explore various African forms of cultural expressions. In these programs there are literary performances, hands on demonstrations, workshops, and storytelling performances as well. The African American Museum in Philadelphia feels its programs can be a vital link between the permanent and visiting collections for the many communities they serve. Exhibitions The exhibitions in the African American Museum in Philadelphia can some to be pleasing to the eye and stimulating to the mind. According to the African American Museum of Philadelphia these exhibitions invoke a deep collection of emotion ranging from pride and passion to excitement and enthusiasm. When visitors enter the museum they will come to Gallery 1, which includes a interactive timeline, images draw from historical record, that spans 100 years of history. In Gallery 2 there are full size video projections in which visitors can in engage in them. Once they are activated, a monologue about life in Philadelphia will begin. Some other aspects of the exhibit include an experience where you can walk the streets of Philadelphia through a large scale map, which is located between galleries 1 and 2 .

Saturday, October 26, 2019

A Reflective Account Of The Impact Of Psychosocial And Cultural Issues Nursing Essay

A Reflective Account Of The Impact Of Psychosocial And Cultural Issues Nursing Essay For the purpose of this assignment, I have used Gibbs reflective cycle to reflect on the impact of psychosocial and cultural issues affecting decision making in dietetic practice. For many decades, psychosocial and cultural factors have been researched and recognised as important determinants, which can have serious impact on health and eating behaviour . In this reflective piece, I have focused on how these factors have the potential to contribute to malnutrition in the elderly. As a consequence, it is imperative that dietitians are able to recognise these issues and consider how they may impact on the negotiated advice (REF). My subject was a 79 year old lady who had been referred to the dietetic clinic for advice on nutritional support. She had experienced an unintentional weight loss of ten kilograms (kg) over the course of two years, since her husband had passed away. Her drastic weight loss had become a serious concern for her, which led to her referral by her general practitioner (GP). Description (What happened) During the consultation, the patient explained that she had lost three kg in one month, which is when she started worrying as she noticed how loose her clothes had become. I examined her food diary and asked a series of questions to find out what she may have been doing differently to account for the weight loss. She reported her food portions had not changed and that she was eating more in order to gain weight. She seemed to be having a varied diet, although at her last visit to her GP at the beginning of the year, she was informed that she had impaired fasting glucose (IFG). She had therefore decreased her intake of sugary foods as she was afraid of becoming diabetic. Another major event that had occurred more recently was that she had moved to a smaller place which was more suitable for her since she was now on her own. Feelings (What were you thinking/feeling) When she mentioned she was now a widow, I sympathised with her and immediately thought this was the reason for her weight loss. Further questioning revealed that she had battled with loneliness following the loss of her husband of 55 years. . Several psychosocial factors emerged from this initial part of the consultation, which can be regarded as pressures felt by the patient . The first two included bereavement, which is classified as one of lifes stresses, and the state of depression, which she may have endured following this traumatic event .. A significant attribute of bereavement and depression is appetite loss, which is also accountable for high mortality rates in the first six months of the loss of a loved one. In this case, she no longer had anyone to appreciate her cooking efforts and the deprivation of companionship at mealtimes becomes a reminder of her loss. A time intended for communication, joy and bonding had become a painful experience, leading to lack of interest in any activity related to food or eating. The reduced enjoyment of the social aspect of mealtimes had made eating more of a chore . It is important to remember eating as a social variable and recognise that it is part of our self and social identity, which also makes it a cultural variable. It is a structured part of ones everyday life and a valued social activity for most married people. Food habits developed throughout life are an important component of culture and strongly influences food decisions. Therefore, the stress of bereavement has the power to alter the social, psychological and cultural significance of food during this difficult time . These issues were sensitively addressed in the consultation. The patient reported that the support of her son had helped her through the grieving process and that she had accepted the loss and was moving on. Other social determinants which impact eating behaviour include access to food, and ability to cook food and share meals with others . The patient reported she was doing her own weekly shopping and that she had started consuming more ready-meals as she still struggled cooking just for herself. Therefore, she only cooked when her son and family came to visit at the weekend . I suggested joining a social club in the area where they regularly meet for lunch and other social gatherings, which could help improve her moral , but she was reluctant to do so. She explained that she suffered from urinary incontinence and found it embarrassing having to urinate so frequently when around people. I thought it would be ideal if she could have that kind of social interaction as it can have a great impact on appetite and meal size. Meal ambiance which incorporates factors such as acquaintance, conversation and pleasantness, have been shown to improve levels of ingestion and is an important stimulus modulated to help stimulate appetite in places such as nursing homes . The mechanisms by which a person is affected by social support varies depending on the individual, however, the potential support that can be provided from social structures has been shown to aid in maintaining nutrition in certain elderly people . Relocation and change of environment can also yield negative outcomes in terms of psychosocial disturbances such as, confusion, anxiety, depression and loneliness associated with transferring from one place to another and leaving behind treasured memories or souvenirs of a loved . Two months prior, she moved to a smaller house, which had been a very stressful time for her. She had settled into the place but she reported having had a hard time adjusting. This is an area I should have explored. For example, had she made any friends in the surroundings or whether she was still able to meet her old friends, was she getting familiar with the new neighbourhood she was in, were there any safety issues that needed addressing which we could help support her with, and so forth. These issues would have a heavy impact on her intake and weight if they were causing her anxiety or depression . Financial constraint is another psychosocial factor to consider when giving dietary advice, as unaffordability affects intake . The patient reported she drove to do her weekly shopping from a reputable supplier in town. According to her food diary, she did not appear to be restricting herself. However, as research suggests, misreporting of food diaries is common where patients try to present themselves more favourably . Decline in cognitive function is Another psychosocial issue I had to consider was the food anxiety which had been created following the IFG test. Her GP had told her she was in the pre-diabetic stage and so she had eliminated most fruit and all high sugar foods from her diet as she was worried about becoming diabetic. The burden of disease caused her to change the way she felt about certain foods . She was now anxious about eating any foods with sugar. I explained that she did not have to exclude sugar from her diet completely. This in turn created confusion as my advice was conflicting that of her GPs. I explained about glucose absorption and that she could add sugar to her puddings, cereal and so forth, which would slow down absorption of the sugar and help with better blood glucose control but to still avoid pure forms of sugar e.g. sweets. She was relieved to discover that and it seemed to make her happier that she could relax her diet. From there is an exploration of psychobehavioral models of appetite, and address issues of depression, bereavement, and social interaction before examination of personality and anxiety disorders. These issues are then considered as related to cognition and memory. Cultural factors: access to appropriate foods Communication Attitude, values, beliefs, behaviours shared by society/population Psychosocial factors: Attitude Peer pressure Cultural, religious and regional factors: cultural origins, religious background, beliefs and traditions of culture and race, geographical region. DeCultural factors Food habits are a component of culture that make an important contribution to the food decisions consumers make Food habits are seen as the culturally standardized set of behaviors in regard to food manifested by individuals who have been reared within a given cultural tradition. Although some view culture and food habits as static and unchanging, it is now recognized that they are continually changing as they adapt to travel, immigration, and the socioeconomic environment (Jerome, 1982; Lowenberg et al., 1974; Senauer et al., 1991; Kittler and Sucher, 1995). When modifying food intakes to meet dietary recommendations there are certain aspects of food habits that are difficult to change, such as the concept of meals, meal patterns, the number of meals eaten in a day, when to eat what during the day, how food is acquired and prepared, the etiquette of eating and what is considered edible as food. (Lowenberg et al., 1974; Kittler and Sucher, 1995). Food is always used to satisfy hunger and to meet nutritional needs. Food is used to promote family unity when members eat together. It can denote ethnic, regional and national identity. It is used socially to develop friendships, provide hospitality, as a gift, and as an important part of holidays, celebrations and special family occasions. In religious rituals and beliefs certain foods have specific symbolic meanings, or there may be prohibited foods or food taboos. Food can be used to show status or prestige, make one feel secure, express feelings and emotions, and to relieve tension, stress or boredom. Food controls the behavior of others when used as reward, punishment or as a political tool in protests and hunger strikes. Evaluation (What was good and bad about the experience) Why decided to go down that route? Behavioural change model Analysis (What sense can you make of the situation) Conclusion (What else could you have done) Action plan (If it arose again what would you do) What have I learnt from this experience What was the outcome of this experience