Thursday, October 31, 2019

Criminal Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 3

Criminal Law - Essay Example Your client then left the office, so he was never actually injured. Ans: Yes, the co-worker of the client was liable for attempted battery assault. An assault, in criminal and tort law, is one in which a party threatens another with a bodily harm, and in which the person threatening has an apparent capability to do bodily harm if not prevented. This threat and the party’s apparent ability to carry it causes to put fear in the party being threatened. Assault does not require intent to cause battery so long as the threat sufficiently causes fear in the other party. Neither is actual physical contact required but if present converts the offense to battery and assault. In this case, attempted battery assault, which is a kind of assault, is applicable because there was no physical contact since the co-worker missed his target when he took a swung against the client. Since the co-worker missed the client and hit the wall, the client’s story could be substantiated by taking a look at the co-workers fist which if it really hit the wall would have been swollen already. Since no one was around when the incident happened, I would recommend a civil action rather than a criminal one because the quantum of evidence necessary in criminal actions are higher requiring proof beyond reasonable doubt because of the presumption of innocence in criminal cases, something that could not be attained by the client’s case because he was alone with the co-worker when it happened. Civil actions, on the other hand, require only a lesser quantum of proof in comparison with criminal actions which is mainly to convince the trier of facts that the plaintiff deserves the relief being sought. Q2(b) A drug addicted teenager wanted money to buy crack cocaine. He found a $500.00 check on the kitchen counter that was made out to his father. When his father left for work, the teenager took the check from the counter and signed his father’s name. He planned to cash the check

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Personal Learning and Capacity Essay Example for Free

Personal Learning and Capacity Essay Reading through the following pages you are able to see my weekly entries of the text I read. My interpretations and questions that occurred towards reading, my initial reactions or developments after reading and some conclusions about text and literacy. As a person I never really enjoy literature. I am not the kind of person who enjoy reading big books or long articles because is difficult for me just to know that I had to read a very long article and remember it. When I saw a big one-coloured cover book I connecting it with small letters, no space between the lines that is hard to read it and remembers me an encyclopaedia. I was always prefer reading numbers due to that I like very much maths and science. There is no long theory to remember. So as you can see on the following journal, my reading collection is very limited on books and long text except whenever is needed. Regarding the way, where and how I read, depends on what I am reading. (see Appendix 4, p.17). When the reading had to do with study I have to be very concentrate and I prefer to sit straight on a chair and open all the books and papers on a big desk. This helping me to underline or write down useful key words. On the other hand reading as a hobby, I prefer to read when is dark, lying in my bed and holding my book. In addition I find it excellent trick to listen to the music when I am reading in both ways. I like to put smooth, chill out music, because it eliminates all the rest noises and distractions and help me to get clear mind from other things I might thinking. According to first’s week directed task I had to write everything that I read for a week. The following are reflections of the most important kinds of texts I read, and those that made me reconsidered the way I looked them before. A list of other kinds of texts I gathered and a short reflection, are available in Appendix 1, p.14. As well, on the following pages you can find, my reflections towards next weeks directed activities. Entry: Even though that cooking instructions are in written form are also available to read in the form of small representing pictures. Doing this activity I notice that when I am looking for the cooking instructions my eyes always focus on that tiny pictures and can’t see the written form of the instructions. Is the first think I looked for and I realized that my eyes used to focus there first. Then I had to explore those pictures in my mind to understand the preparation for cooking the product. â€Å" Image can be used to reinforce the meaning of what is said, what is written and so on† (Jewitt, 2005 p.316). In addition I notice that after seen the pictures I look for the written form too, to make sure that I read and understand the pictures right. Entry: It just came into my mind a funny situation I had with cooking instructions, when I first came to England. Now I am not really sure if it is good idea to put it in the log but is shows the difference of reading a text, expectations, and differences between cultures, ideologies and perspectives. You can see the above funny incident by reading Appendix 2 p.15. Entry: Text messages and e-mails, that I send to my friends back to Cyprus contained a lot of information in just few sentences. I have so many to say and is a bit expensive to send messages. Due to that I limited my words by putting symbols, write only the first letter or just the half word. (instead â€Å"and† I use the symbol +). After I read again those messages I send, I realized that if someone else was reading them couldn’t be able to understand them. This is because of the â€Å"code† of the written form and the long background and ideologies that are connecting me and my friends. For example in my first message I wrote â€Å"how is c.† , but only she is able to understand the name of the person I asked about. I also recognized that in just five sentences -that represent a whole message- I wrote so many things, that if I was writing them to a paper and to someone else it would take me probably 10 sentence to write them all. Though I prefer e-mails more than the messages, because is free, and I can  write as many sentence I want in just one e-mail and send it when I feel like. â€Å"With e-mail you just write your message and send it.. Even during the early hours of the morning† (Lyle, 2005).E-mail offers fast receipt and enables the recipient to reply immediately. In addition I can write it more easier and quicker using the keyboard and looking through a bigger and more clear screen. Furthermore I can add emotions in the style of J and use from a large list of font style and size and even colour. Even though I use more Msn to communicate with my friends due to the fact that it has the same advantages as e-mailing and in addition I can send those things I write and take reply back at the same time. Is like speaking by the phone but in written form. Also I can send and take files and connect a web camera to see each other. Entry: Considering second week’s directed activity on session 2, I choose â€Å"Vampires Breath† (Greek Version) of â€Å"Goosebumps† collection to cope with the activity for identifying the ideological assumptions within its text. (see Appendix 3 p.16 for a short summary) â€Å"Vampires breath† put me in the action part from the first pages and all the action happened in only one day (in the story). Stine is very illustrative within the story because is putting many descriptions to the story’s persons and places that it seems like you can imagine them as real, as you can see them now, in reality. The motivation theory proposed by Glenberg and Langston (1992) also suggest that â€Å"illustrations may make a book more appealing and engage the reader better† (Cited in Andrews, Scharff and Moses, 2002). There is a lot of conversation and I had the feeling that I was taking part in the story and this make me curious to read more and see what happens after to the main characters. Also the double identity of the â€Å"bad† characters, who could transformed their appearance from human into buds and the tricks they were doing to trapped the 2 heroes, just made me to want to finish it. The main characters are small children that get trapped from their curiosity and naivety of searching places and things that not supposed to do. The â€Å"happy ending† though is show up at the very last pages and I like it because it gives hope that things are going to be happy again  but also leaves a hind that things are going to repeat again from the same mistake. A weird and peculiar ending that allocates a twist in the tail. Even that it was a kind of low level to me, reading the book it make me wondered, what can be happened again to those two kids. Children that the book refers to (9-12) by reading it can find themselves into the heroes situations and bad positions that might have. Reading this book I remembered mine childhood phobias and related with those in the story, and this what makes the story more interesting. Children can encountered within the story’s heroes and happenings because they can feel the same in their life as the heroes and have the simila r phobias. Moreover I notice that the good and nice language and vocabulary is approaching with the children’s age ability to read and also can reflect positive to improve their language and reading skills. With the use of big letters and large space between the lines it helps me to read it more easily and quick. For children will be very appealing and smooth to read. The soft cover, full of bright colours, is the first thing I notice to choose to read the certain book, its cover’s appearance is something that make you wonder what is the story about. Genette (1997) comes to agree by saying that â€Å"a book’s cover is a threshold that a reader is invited to interpret and step across if induced to read on† (Cited in Harris and McKenzie, 2005 p.32) Additionally I enjoyed read this book because I like scary horror books like this collection, and also I can get very afraid sometimes and at the same time so excited. Entry: In view of directed activities of session 3 you can refer to Appendix 4, p.17-24 which include detailed answers, information and reflections regarding both online texts and my personal appreciations on ways of reading, my fears, and my imagination journey. The following are short reflections from the activities as whole, based on the following two main questions: What are the essential differences between reading on line and the more traditional way How these books (texts) tell us about the nature of childhood The Secret Garden as well as The Journey to the Centre of the Earth were easy to cope with by reading online. The vocabulary and language were easy to read and comprehend, apart from 3-4 words I didn’t know (and I had to look for their meaning in a dictionary). I find harder to understand The Secret Garden because of the conversation that was held between the interact persons of the story. It was very complicated to understand them due to there were missing some letters. I had to read all the dialogues again and again for 5-6 times until I understand what actually was written on the lines. I realize then that this was the dialect of the story’s heroes. Although reading onscreen those text was much easier for me because I am a big fun of technology and especially of computers. I find it more relax and quick due to the fact that just by pressing one button you can transfer from the top of the page and through the lines until the bottom of the page and also to turn on to the next page. Letters and generally the whole view was more clear to read and easily could copy and paste the unknown words in my pc’s dictionary. Even if technology is developing more each day to help us, I can outline some disadvantages towards the traditional way of reading a text, ex from books. Through my online reading there were missing colourful covers of the books, and as I mentioned in a previous entry book’s covers are very important as a first impression of the text. And this is because covers are the first thing you see and considered when you are going to buy or read a book. The illustrations of pictures which help you to empathize better the story’s happening didn’t included on screen. Although Jewitt (2005, p329) argues about online book’s illustrations by saying that â€Å"The multimode character of the screen does not indicate a single entry point, beginning or end. This offers the reader new potentials for reading a text. Reading a written text on pages is usually a linear event in which the author and illustrator guide the eye in particular direction connected to the reading of the text† Another thing is that the lines are too long and sometimes, people that don’t used to it can get bored and tired only by looking them. In addition another disadvantage is that you can’t save this texts to your library collection except if you keep your pc’s library with books and text from internet. Although is much nicer to collect the original  books in your house library and have them for a life. The Secret Garden and The Journey to the Centre of the Earth are showing the writers’ thoughts and appreciations about the world and the aspect of child, considering the matter of friendship and cultural perspectives on children behaviours. In my opinion, the matter of friendship appeared more clear in the Secret Garden, than in the Journey in the Centre of the Earth. In the first text, the Heroine is a young children that was neglected during her life. Although Mary finds someone to socialised with, in Dickon’s personality, even if he is from lower social class. The matter of friendship also reflect on me and make me bring in mind my own appreciations of friendship. Is showing that it doesn’t matter how rich you are in money or goods, but how rich you are in sole. Also that children supposed to be free from ideologies and believes of their environment and social background. As a children, Mary is more free and innocent than adults to do things and she is not afraid to be friend with â€Å"a common moor boy†. (See Appendix 4, p.19-20). I find secret garden revealing my perceptions because I believe that friends are very important, especially in childhood but in adolescence too. Making friends we have someone to socialize talk, laugh and do things together. Furthermore is showing the author’s perspective towards the child, to be free, good innocent, and free from taboos and in one word to be perfect as Dickon. Although Dickon’s description make me feel that he is not a real person maybe because no one can be perfect in everything. Mary in the other hand appears to be more natural person in contrast with the â€Å"magical† description of Dickon. Mary feels free inside the garden which becomes her new home. The secret garden is a place of adventure and everything inside it is perfect and this is one of the reason that Mary shares her secret with the magic, and good child, Dickon. All this also showing what readers expect to see about the child. How readers interpret and expect childhood years to be and that children supposed to be good and innocent . Although reading the second text make me engage with it more because as a children I had almost the same feelings and phobias as Alex (See Appendix 4, p.22-23).â€Å"Readers interstitial backgrounds provide resources for engaging with text, even  amongst young children† (Crawford and Hade, 2000, Cited in Harris and McKenzie, 2005, p. 32) Another thing that can be reveal from the texts is adults’ role in children lives even that is more evident in the second text. Adults are the persons who are expected to be responsible and take decisions about children’s future. In the Secret Garden Mary forced to go and live in another house because she didn’t have the power not to. That’s why Mary keeps the garden as a secret place. The author wants to express that when adults are in a situation they like to control and force things and that’s why the magic perfect secret garden is only for innocent, good children. This is more obvious in â€Å"The journey in the Centre of the Earth† when the hero, Alex, who is a young children and nephew of an eccentric scientist feel very terrify and scared about, both him and his uncle lives, during their experimental purposed journey. In front of the exhaustion, thirst and hunger Alex is fainted and his uncle giving him the last drops of water, to bring him back. The Professor do not considered his thirsty because, as an adult had to take care Alex first. After Alex is terrified and express by crying his fears about the uncertain and unknown remained of the journey, his uncle take the control and the responsibility for Alex and decide to send him back to earth with the servant‘s help, to be safe. The professor still insist to stay and continue his journey, because as a scientist was so curious and determined and nothing could stop him not even the fear of death. After all, Alex do not agree with his uncle and choose to travel along with him because he didn’t want to give up or letting down his uncle. This appeared as a conflict with the first text when Mary couldn’t choose the place to move, although Alex took his decision because he might was afraid to leave without his uncle. Here, Alex is having the change to do what he wants but he refused it. and he choose to stay knowing that his uncle will do anything to protect him. Entry: First time listen to the song â€Å"I aint mad at cha† by Tupac Shakur, I have to admit that I didn’t understand a lot of what Tupac was saying apart from the chorus. Although I don’t really listen to rap music I find it very nice and  different from other songs. It sound like a smooth, sweet melody into my ears, considering the background melody of a piano. I couldn’t believe the combination of rap music with piano, although it was something that attract me. Before seeing the video clip of the song I thought that 2puc was talking to a friend that lay him down and Tupac wanted him know that he has no harm feeling for him. First time I watch the song’s video clip I was very amazing. Surprising, the clip was a expressing a very different believes of what I first encountered. The video shows Tupac being punctured with bullets on his way, coming out of a restaurant with a friend. He is dying in the ambulance vehicle and he is attend into heaven who meets some people , probably some famous legends or relatives. The film was something like Tupac knew that he was going to be killed and seeing his life in Heaven. It seems a kind of prefigured his death. Watching the film make me feel sad and miserable about his tragic end. It was very pessimistic film for someone to make and for others to see, especially after his actual death, hence he is appearing laughing, smoking, and be in Heaven in the clip. Also I saw his thoughts about how he considered the life after death and the image of Heaven and make me somehow confident about my thoughts and appreciations of the life after death in Heaven. Somehow my thoughts were revealing in the film illustrations. Despite the brutal language and street words Tupac is expressing, through the song lyrics an optimistic and hopeful massage towards his friends and relatives and then to the rest audience. ABT indicates some of the music video characteristics by claim that: They must gain and hold the viewers attention †¦ help establish, visualize, or maintain the artists image†¦ and perhaps, carry one or several direct or indirect messages . . .† (Cited in Rybacki and Rybacki) Through the lyrics, Tupac conveys that the change of getting out from the ghetto life, is not something bad or to be ashamed of. He has no harm feelings, he is not mad with friends that been a lot of time to talk, friends that change and get out of the streets, friends that get married, find a religion and get matured. Tupac is not mad with them for not doing the â€Å"bad† things and habits they used to do together, because they change.  He has nothing but love for them. Analysing the song I realize that a large amount of life’s values and ethical ideals were encountered in it, by just few words. The matter of religion, friendship, love, the role of the mother, and the value of God. Also the lyrics are expressing the stereotype of rap music containing offensive language between the â€Å"brothers†, a nice contribution of conflict words between the bad and good, the male and female, material world and God. An optimistic ending that he is praying for the good fortune of all. The very last sentence showing that in Tupac’s efforts to display a meaning to his family, friends and enemies that he is not mad with them and don’t want them to be sad for his lost, the song meanings refers also, to those that lost their loved ones! The song script is available in Appendix 6 p.27 Entry: I was watching an episode from The Coffee shop series and it really make me reconsidered it from a whole different aspect during this activity.  The â€Å"Coffee Shop† (or â€Å"Kafeneio†* see Appendix 5, p.25 and p.25-26 for a summary of the film) is one of the most known comic series in Cyprus. All episodes are take place in the Kafeneio and showing in a funny way, some special aspects of Cypriot people’s characters. When I am in Cyprus I never watching it because there are some other new series which catch my interest. Although this day I was very miserable and sad, with nothing to do so I decide to watch Kafeneio through internet from the satellite channel of Cyprus. The episode title was â€Å"The Fiancà ©Ã¢â‚¬ . Andreas who always trying to find cheating ways to earn money decide to married his just few days girlfriend who was a rich old women reaching death. Saying that he is truly in love with her. Although they never rich marriage because the old women dies after the party. At the end Andreas ends up with no money and owns the funeral’s costs. Watching Kafeneio made me crying from laugh because of the story’s reversed happenings and the good ability of the actresses to play with in the hilarious situation. Even though laugh its all you can expect from this type of series, I also felt like home watching it. The traditional coffee, the language, the very strong Cypriot dialect, the place of Kafeneio, and the whole scene make me feel for a moment that I was back in Cyprus. Although Kafeneio is considered only for entertainment for those who  watching it, I realised that many cultural, ethical and moral issues can express from it. Good friends are always there to help you in difficult times and also the traditions of wearing black clothes for grieving death. Another thing is that money you never work hard for, can easily lost as quick as you earned them. You have to earn your money by working hard and not trying to earn them by deceitful and cheating innocent people. Entry†¦ During the module’s assessment of online presentation, as a group we choose to based our research on Cinderella story. And this, because, all group members could related with the text as it was present in our childhoods even though my group was representing 3 different cultures, countries and age groups. Doing the actual online presentation things became very complicate considering the way to present it. We wanted to make it very attractive to the audience and easy to reflect in and understand. At the beginning the presentation was going to held in Power point accompanied with animations, pictures and music. As I said in previous entry, pictures are helping the reader to comprehend better the written part, and show better some key-issues. This was going to help audience to concentrate on the themes we wanted to express more. The animations will make it more attractive to the audience and the music was going to drift and drawn them into the story itself smoothly and easier. Although we realized that doing it in power point it might produced a probability of confusion towards the audience and make a mess during their efforts to follow it. So we change our mind and decided to do it in movie maker as a video. With the movie film we wanted to make it easier to follow by the reader, without being confused or distracted from the importance of the written text, by clicking buttons. We also considered that it was going to be even more easier and relaxed for the reader to enhanced more, accompanied with music. (Much alike as watching a short video or movie, by sitting back and enjoy it.) In addition we thought that if we were using a Cinderella’s song from only one version of the Cinderella story (Disney’s song) it would be so unfair  and narrow-minded because the four versions that we analysed in the presentation are all of the same importance with their own special characteristics. So we choose a chill out instrumental music without speaking words for avoiding the readers’ thoughts to concentrate on music words and do not follow what we expressing throughout the presentation. Although it was hard to find that special song because we wanted one that its effects to go along with the page transactions and pictures and also focused on the most important information we include within the text. Another thing that was with vary importance was the time we supposed to give to our audience to read the written part of the presentation. We wanted to make sure that it was enough time to read them before the next slide show up. So we double-check the time providing for each written text by using a third slow-reader person, whose English is his second language. With this we make sure that the providing time was enough for all of our audience potentials to read. Bibliography Andrews, J., Scharff, L., Moses, L., (2002), â€Å"The influence of illustrations in Children’s Storybooks†, AERA, Reading Psychology, Vol. 23(4), pp. 323-339.[Last viewed December 2005] Burnett, H.F., â€Å"The Secret Garden-Dickon† [www]http://www.pagebypagebooks.com/Frances_Hodgson_Burnett/The_Secret_Garden/Dickon_p1.html [Last viewed October 2005] Harris, P. McKenzie, B., (2005), â€Å"Networking around the Waterhole and other tales: the importance of relationships among texts for reading and related instruction†, UKLA, Literacy.[Last viewed December 2005] Jewitt, C., (2005), â€Å"Multimodality ‘Reading’ and ‘Writing’ for the 21st Century†, University of London, UK, Vol26, No. 3, pp. 315-331.[Last viewed December 2005] Lyle D., â€Å"E-mail Versus the telephone†, Last update 2005. Available from: URL: http://writing.colostate.edu/references/documents/email/pop5d.cfm [Last viewed December 2005] Lyrics and songs, â€Å"Tupac- I’ aint mad at cha† (Remix) [www]http://www.lyricsandsongs.com/song/135052.html Rybacki,C. K., and Rybacki, J. D., (1999),â€Å"Cultural approaches to the rhetorical analysis of selected music videos† Northern Michigan UniversityAvailable from:URL:http://www.sibetrans.com/trans/trans4/rybacki.htm[Last viewed November 2005] Stine, R.L., (1996), â€Å"Goosebumps: Vampire Breath†, Parachute Press Inc, New York USA Greek version: copyright by Kerdos 1998 SySat, RIK Chanel, (2005), CoffeShop: The Fiance [www]http://www.tv4all.com/portal.htm?http://www.tv4all.com/television/index.html?http://www.tv4all.com/television/55.htm[Last viewed November 2005] Verne, J., â€Å"Journey to the Centre of the Earth- The wrong road† [www]http://jv.qilead.org.il/vt/c_earth/18.html[Last viewed October 2005]

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Causes of Speciation in Fish Population

Causes of Speciation in Fish Population Speciation of Lake Malawis Cichlid Fish Populations   Introduction Ancient lakes have been an intensely studied area in evolutionary biology (Brooks 1950; Martens 1997). This is because ancient lakes contain a continuous record of biotic change over long periods of geologic time in their basin sediments, and because ancient lakes generally have high levels of endemism in their biological communities. Lake Malawi is located in the East African Rift Valley and its basin dates to 8.6 million years ago (MYA) with modern deep water conditions attained at ~ 4.5 MYA (Delvaux 1995). Of the three major lakes that comprise the East African Great Lakes, Lake Malawi boasts the highest diversity of endemic cichlid fish, 49 endemic genera containing over 1000 species (Turner 1994; Moran et al. 1994; Danley and Kocher 2001). These cichlid fish stocks do not date to the period of lake formation, and instead date to an invasion of cichlids from Lake Tangyanika to Lake Malawi that was thought to have occurred between 2 MYA and 700,000 years before present (Genner et al. 2007; Danley and Kocher 2001). The cause of the accumulation of diversity in African rift valley cichlid species has been a source of debate for several decades (Keenleyside 1991). This debate has been centered on whether allopatric or sympatric speciation is the cause of the explosive radiation seen in the African Great Lakes. Early experiments focused on the Mayr (1963) model of complete geographic separation of populations leading to speciation (McKaye and Gray 1984). Other, more recent research has shown speciation with gene flow as a plausible form of sympatric speciation in Lake Malawi (Turner 1994; Shaw et al. 2000). I will show that these two processes are not mutually exclusive, and that a combination of both mechanisms has likely occurred in Lake Malawi over different time periods and different scales. I will consider models developed by Danley and Kocher (2001) and Kocher (2004) to specifically look at changing environments, feeding habits, and mate choice as the main drivers of speciation of cichlid fi sh in Lake Malawi. In addition, I will discuss several genetic factors that arise in the speciation of cichlids as well as future directions of cichlid research in the Great Lakes of Africa. Habitat: Changing environments through time There are two main groups of cichlid fish in Lake Malawi, pelagic and benthic, and of the benthic group two subgroups have formed, those that are rock-dwellers and those that are sand-dwellers. All of these types of cichlids evolved from a generalist that invaded Lake Malawi from Lake Tangyanika (Danley and Kocher 2001). These groups and subgroups of cichlids each specialize in a broad geographic location and/or ecological niche causing speciation based on locality, an allopatric process. Danley and Kocher (2001) consider this process to be most significant immediately following invasion, playing less of a role after initial ecological speciation. However, I challenge this notion as many rock-dwelling and sand-dwelling benthic cichlids habitat would be negatively impacted during the known variation in lake level of the African Great Lakes throughout the last several million years (Scholz and Rosendahl 1988; Johnson et al. 1996). Stumbauer at al. (2001) suggested that major changes in lake levels match genetic divergences in cichlid fish throughout the history of Lake Malawi and Genner et al. (2010) suggest that after lake levels increased, populations of cichlid fish expanded and underwent allopatric speciation because of increased niche environments were created. These studies show that climatic effects impact cichlid speciation by fragmenting populations as lake levels decrease and by increasing niche habitat space as lake levels increase. However, there could be additional environmental factors that have not been as intensely researched. This would include increased turbidity, affecting visual cues for mate choice (Genner et al. 2010). In addition, dramatic aquatic chemistry changes, such as increased salinity that occurs when lake levels decrease, could affect primary production and thus, tropic predation. Decreases in populations of cichlid fish brought about by ecological and environmental changes from lake level fluctuations could create bottlenecks and founder effects. Danley et al. (2000) found that allelic diversity was reduced in rock-dwelling species of cichlids that inhabited shallower areas when compared to higher allelic diversity in cichlids that inhabited deeper older areas of Lake Malawi. This difference was likely created by the desiccation of the lake and suggests that reduced populations of cichlids were associated with low lake stands, but no conclusive evidence of a bottleneck in the population was found (Danley et al. 2000). Predation: The quest for food Following ecological speciation based on geographic location, Danley and Kocher (2001) considered trophic competition to be the next chronological mode of speciation of cichlid fish in Lake Malawi. The authors state that speciation based on predation diversification is the logical progression from ecological speciation. Competition for food further drives diversification of the cichlid fish in each geographic area that they inhabit. This progression happened efficiently in the cichlid fish of East Africa because the jaw apparatus underwent changes that allowed for the pharyngeal jaws to process food, a role once relegated to the oral jaw (Liem 1973). This change allowed for a diversity of jaw movements and freed the oral jaw to solely collect food (Liem 1973). Changes in jaw function permitted the collection of food from of a larger assortment of trophic sources ranging from plankton to scales of fish to whole fish (Kocher 2004). Differentiation of morphology based on trophic competi tion created niches for cichlid fish usually inhabited by different families of fish (Greenwood 1964). Sexual selection: A multitude of color choice The third mode of speciation Danley and Kocher (2001) describe is driven by sexual selection, and this type of speciation accounts for the bulk of morphological variety in colorization that comprises the majority of recent speciation in extant East African cichlid populations. Sexual selection has been implicated as the cause of male secondary sexual characterizations, including male colorization (McKaye et al. 1984), with the rest of the morphological features remaining largely unchanged. Male traits are chosen by females in lek-breeding type situation, where females chose from many males (Barlow 1991). This skewed system of reproduction can create linkage disequilibrium and rapid diversification of morphological types, which can occur in sympatric or allopatric speciation (Turner and Burrows 1995). Not all types of East African cichlids undergo morphological speciation based on colorization, but lineages that differentiate by means of other morphological or ecological factors are r elatively species poor (Danley and Kocher 2001). Timing and magnitude Danley and Kocher (2001) indicate that all three speciation types (habitat, predation, and sexual selection) are present during three distinct pulses of radiation. During all three radiation events, all three modes of speciation are present in differing abundances. The first radiation event is dominated by habitat diversification, the second by trophic competition and the third by sexual selection (Danley and Kocher 2001). Speciation based on sexual selection has occurred at the same level of intensity throughout the multiple radiations of cichlid fish in Lake Malawi. Sexual selection only appears to be increasing in impact in the last radiation event because ecological speciation and differentiation based on predation have decreased in impact (Danley and Kocher 2001). Danley and Kocher (2001) suggest that these three types of speciation promoted rapid diversification through a positive feedback loop, where reduced gene flow further promoted divergent selection. New frontiers In studies that have elucidated genes responsible for traits, it has been shown that those traits have undergone strong selection (Kocher 2004). For this reason, the author suggests that moving forward there needs to be a better understanding of genes that are responsible for various phenotypes, especially those that are selected under directional pressure. Once the fine scale mapping of the genome is complete, Kocher (2004) believes that coalescent history of alleles will be very informative in reconstructing speciation events. Kuraku and Meyer (2008) assert that comparative developmental and genomic approaches are the future of African Great Lakes cichlid research. The authors state that this is because many of the cichlid species are very similar genetically. Thus, they can be hybridized and studied to determine the genetic causes of phenotypic expression. Although research has shown that hybridization is not a driving force in speciation of the rock-dwelling cichlids of Lake Malawi (Albertson et al. 1999), hybridization could be a factor in the speciation of sand-dwelling and pelagic varieties of cichlids. Discussion The Danley and Kocher (2001) model follows a logical progression of speciation events; invasion, followed by niche habitat exploitation, then trophic competition, with the remaining diversification left to sexual selection. The fundamental reasoning of this model has merit for the rapid speciation of cichlids in the Lake Malawi, and it is robust, in that it includes multiple types of speciation (sympatric, allopatric, and parapatric) occurring over differing geographic and time ranges. However, it lacks resolution over time scales that include dramatic fluctuations in environmental conditions (i.e. lake level fluctuations). For instance, sexual selection remains a constant factor throughout speciation in Danley and Kochers model (2001), but lowered lake level would cause increased turbidity, which would limit the ability of females to chose males based on colorization. The model also relegates habitat and trophic competition to being factors in only the first and second bursts of cladogenesis. This does take into account issues of habitat fragmentation and population expansions associated with lake level changes, or the trophic changes that would occur from nutrient and chemical changes brought about by hydrogeologic variability. In conclusion, it has been experimentally shown that there are many ways that speciation has occurred both allopatric and sympatric in the cichlid fish populations of Lake Malawi. The Danley and Kocher (2001) model summarizes these types of speciation well. However, the model could be further developed to include recent discoveries in cichlid response to lake level changes (Genner et al. 2010; Sturmbauer 2001) as well as increasingly better refined phylogenetic studies. Understanding the history of Lake Malawis environmental and geologic past and the relationships of cichlid taxonomy will aid in the reconstruction of the causes, drivers, and limitations of rapid speciation in Lake Malawi. This understanding could be invaluable as human populations increase, putting pressure on natural resources, affecting habitats and reducing biological populations and diversity. Looking at periods of lowered lake level could be a powerful analogue for decreased genetic diversity that could inform future perturbations in endemic cichlid fish population of Lake Malawi.

Friday, October 25, 2019

People Need Their Freedoms and Rights Essay -- politics, goverment

From 1945-1991, a Cold War raged between the Western world and the communists. The communist governments of the East reigned over their territories with an iron fist. Few of the citizens enjoyed life under their governments. In Germany, East Germans found various ways to flee to West Germany and escape their oppressive leaders. Through various revolts, the totalitarian USSR government eventually hemorrhaged and was forced to dissolve. Throughout history, human beings have rejected totalitarian rule. Even here in America, many youths protested their lack of voice in the country that they were such a large part of. People need their individual rights and freedoms. This vital lesson can be applied to Egypt, where protests are under way because of the overly militaristic domestic policies of President Mubarak. Reactions to the presence of the Berlin Wall demonstrate how humans need their freedoms. Prior to the installation of the wall, a citizen could simply cross a street and arrive at the other Berlin. But before long, the GDR (East German Government) noticed that many of their young, skilled workers were crossing over to West Germany, seeking asylum in the FRG (West Germany) (Dowling). These refugees, 200,000 on average annually, crossed over to free themselves from the new government by which they were controlled against their wills (Dowling). One can just imagine how oppressed citizens must have been in the GDR and other communist states, by seeing the overjoyed reactions of the citizens once freedom was declared (Fall of the Berlin Wall). This is a prime example of why citizens need to have their individual freedoms. Nobody can be happy under a leader they do not believe in, nor under oppressive rule. People need their individu... ...overning he was using, the style of repressing citizens and aggressively pushing them around, he might have been able to change before protests erupted. However, he was not the first leader to govern in this manner. Throughout history, one can find countless examples of angry citizens rebelling. It happens everywhere: America, with the American Revolution against England; the poor rising up during the French Revolution; even in the peaceful protests of India, for her independence from England. Revolutions happen everywhere. It takes a good leader to prevent them, so anyone can see what this implies about Hosni Mubarak. It is strange to think that after countless rebellions throughout history, from America to the USSR, totalitarian leadership is still occurring. Eventually, it must be globally acknowledged that people need their individual rights.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Kingdom Fungi

Chapter 21 Notes: Kingdom Fungi! Name_________________________ 21-1: The Kingdom Fungi A. What Are Fungi? Fungi include MANY DIFFERENT types of organisms From tiny yeast cells To the one of the largest organisms in the world! Fungi are: Multicellular (except for yeasts) Eukaryotic Heterotrophic Decomposers: decompose dead and decaying material -Recyclers! -Secrete enzymes OUTSIDE bodies – Absorb digested nutrients Hyphae: long, slender, root-like filament Septa: cross-walls across hyphae (not in all hyphae) Mycelium: mat of interwoven hyphae o Large surface area = max food absorptionFruiting body: reproductive structures, like mushrooms o Many can develop from same mycelium o â€Å"fairy rings† Entire mycelium is haploid! o (1 set of chromosomes) B. Structure & Function of Fungi Fungi cells have cell walls -Contain carbohydrate â€Å"chitin† also found in exoskeletons Unlike plants: -Fungi DON’T have chlorophyll -Fungi have chitin in cell walls (plants hav e cellulose) C. Reproduction in Fungi Most fungi reproduce BOTH asexually and sexually Asexual Reproduction: Sporangia at the tip of sporangiophores produce haploid spores Fragmentation (breaking off) of hyphae can also produce new mycelia Sexual reproductionFungi form hyphae of opposite â€Å"Sex† o Called â€Å"+† & â€Å"-â€Å" The + & – hyphae fuse and form gametangia: o Makes gametes o Form a diploid zygote o Zygote undergoes meiosis: haploid once again! D. How Fungi Spread Fungal spores travel VERY easily in the air All they need is a good â€Å"landing place† with moisture & food Some fungi have special adaptations for spreading spores 21-2: Classification of Fungi A. 4 Phyla of Fungi: Zygomycota Ascomycota Basidiomycota Deuteromycota Named for their reproductive structures! B. Phylum Zygomycota â€Å"Common molds† o On bread, cheese, etc. Black bread mold: Rhizopus stoloniferReproduce asexually (spores) & sexually (zygospores) C. Phylum Ascomycota â€Å"Sac Fungi† o Conidia form spores asexually o The ascus contains diploid spores in sexual reproduction Examples: yeast, cup fungi D. Phylum Basidiomycota â€Å"Club Fungi† 16,000 species: mushrooms, puffballs, bracket fungi, morels Club-shaped reproductive structure Spores form in basidia: o On the â€Å"gills† underneath mushroom cap Many wild mushrooms are poisonous! E. Phylum Deuteromycota â€Å"Imperfect Fungi† Fungi with NO KNOWN sexual stage Reproduction only asexually Ex: Penicillium; also pathogens like ringworm, athlete’s foot 1-3: Ecology of Fungi A. Fungi as Heterotrophs Most fungi are decomposers or saprobes Others are parasites (live on/in a living host) And others are symbionts: live in symbiosis with other organisms Pleurotus ostreatus is actually a carnivore captures & eats roundworms ALL fungi, though, are heterotrophs! B. Fungi as Decomposers External digestion: Fungi decompose matter by secreting enzymes o break i t down into simple organic molecules Fungus then absorb those molecules C. Fungi as Parasites Plants and animals (humans) are subject to fungal diseases Plants: o Corn smut o Mildew o Wheat rustHumans & animals: o Athlete’s foot o Yeast infections (Candida albicans) o Ring worm o Cordyceps (kills grasshoppers) D. Symbiosis Symbiosis is a â€Å"mutualistic† relationship in which BOTH partners benefit Lichens = algae (or cyanobacteria) + fungus o On rocks, dry environments Mycorrhizae = plant roots + fungus o -80% of plants might have these o Fungi help the plants get water & minerals o Plants provide fungi w/ energy E. Fungi & Food! Many foods are made using fungi! Yeast (Saccharomyces) is used to make bread, beer, wine Cheeses (Brie, Blue, Roquefort) are made using mold (Penicillium)

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Math Curriculum Plan of Study

Math Curriculum Plan of Study High school math typically consists of three or four years of required credits along with additionally offered electives. In many states, the choice of courses is determined by whether the student is on a career or college preparatory path. Following is an overview of suggested required courses in a curriculum, for either a student going on a Career Preparatory Path or a College Preparatory Path along with electives one might find at a typical high school. Sample High School Career Preparatory Math Plan of Study Year One–Algebra 1 Major Topics: Real NumbersLinear EquationsSystems of EquationsExponentsPolynomials and FactoringQuadratic EquationsRadicals Year Two–Liberal Arts Math This course is intended to bridge the gap between Algebra 1 and Geometry by building on the students algebra skills to help them prepare for geometry.Major Topics: Exponents and RadicalsAlgebraic Expressions and PolynomialsLinear and Quadratic EquationsSystems of Linear Equations and InequalitiesCoordinate GeometryTwo-Dimensional FiguresProperties of congruent and similar trianglesRight TrianglesSurface Area and Volume Year Three–Geometry Major Topics: Length, Distance, and AnglesProofsParallel LinesPolygonsCongruencyArea Relationships and the Pythagorean TheoremCoordinate GeometrySurface Area and VolumeSimilarityIntroduction to Trigonometry and Circles Sample High School College Preparatory Math Plan of Study Year One–Algebra 1 OR Geometry Students who completed Algebra 1 in middle school will move directly into Geometry. Otherwise, they will complete Algebra 1 in ninth grade.Major Topics Included in Algebra 1: Real NumbersLinear EquationsSystems of EquationsExponentsPolynomials and FactoringQuadratic EquationsRadicals Major Topics Included in Geometry: Length, Distance, and AnglesProofsParallel LinesPolygonsCongruencyArea Relationships and the Pythagorean TheoremCoordinate GeometrySurface Area and VolumeSimilarityIntroduction to Trigonometry and Circles Year Two–Geometry or Algebra 2 Students who completed Algebra 1 in their ninth grade year will continue with Geometry. Otherwise, they will enroll in Algebra 2. Major Topics Included in Algebra 2: Families of FunctionsMatricesSystems of EquationsQuadraticsPolynomials and FactoringRational ExpressionsThe Composition of Functions and Inverse FunctionsProbability and Statistics Year Three–Algebra 2 or Precalculus Students who completed Algebra 2 in their tenth-grade year will continue with Precalculus which includes topics in Trigonometry. Otherwise, they will enroll in Algebra 2.Major Topics Included in Precalculus: Functions and Graphing FunctionsRational and Polynomial FunctionsExponential and Logarithmic FunctionsBasic TrigonometryAnalytic TrigonometryVectorsLimits Year Four–Precalculus or Calculus Students who completed Precalculus in their eleventh-grade year will continue with Calculus. Otherwise, they will enroll in Precalculus.Major Topics Included in Calculus: LimitsDifferentiationIntegrationLogarithmic, Exponential, and Other Transcendental FunctionsDifferential EquationsIntegration Techniques AP Calculus is the standard replacement for Calculus. This is the equivalent of a first-year college introductory calculus course. Math Electives Typically students take their math elective in their senior year. Following are a sampling of typical math electives offered in high schools. AP Statistics: this is the study of collecting, analyzing, and drawing conclusions from data.

Monday, October 21, 2019

Climate Change Essays - Climate History, Climate Change, Free Essays

Climate Change Essays - Climate History, Climate Change, Free Essays Climate Change Crystal Lang HUM/115 September 21, 2015 AR Fiano Climate Change Over the past few decades there has been serious concerns with the climate changes that have been happening to the planet. Natural climate changes occurs because a balance between energy from the sun is entering and leaving the planets system. When the incoming energy from the sun is absorbed by the Earth system the Earth will naturally get warm. When the sun's energy is reflected back into space by clouds or other natural occurrences, the Earth will not absorb energy and will start to cool. Because the energy is released back into space. Other than natural changes to the climate we have the usual suspects and that is the ever growing human population on the planet. Most of the climate changes today are blamed on global warming caused by the greenhouse effect. Greenhouse gasses are caused from carbon dioxide being put into the air causing the reflection of the suns energy and can cause cooling of the planet. The opposite is occurring now because the greenhouse gasses are holding in the suns energy causing the planet to warm up. The vast growth of the human population and our use of bio-fuels, is emitting large amounts of carbon dioxide in to the atmosphere causing the greenhouse gasses to have a negative effect on the earth's natural climate changes. (McCarthy) These two articles did not change my opinion on the climate changes because for years we have learned about global warming and the causes of climate changes. I did know that there was natural causes and human error involved with todays climate changes. I think all of the articles that I read will all have the same or similar stories as to the two I read today. The only argument out there is if our global warming our fault this time or are we in the climate cycle where the planet warms up, glaciers melt and we start moving into the water world of the days of Noah. References McCarthy, Gina. "United States Environemental Protection Agency." Causes of Climate Change (2014). 2015. Melillo, Jerry M. Climate Change Impacts in the United States: The Third National Climate Assessment. U.S. Global Change Research Program. 2014.

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Anti LGBT law Essays

Anti LGBT law Essays Anti LGBT law Essay Anti LGBT law Essay LGBT youth as well as young adults are predisposed to more health concerns than heterosexual youth and young adults. A study by Ayalon and Alvidrez (2007, p.1326) revealed that there are many cases of HIV diagnoses among gays below 25 years of age who come from racial and ethnic minority communities. This study concluded that risk factors for mental health challenges and involvement in drug and substance abuse are more evident among LGBT youth than their heterosexual counterparts. The National Institute of Health (NIH) (2013, p.5) posits that these risk factors include victimization, violence, harassment, and homelessness that make the youth and young adults in LGBT communities vulnerable. North CarolinaAnti LGBT Law In March 2016, the Governor of North Carolina, Pat McCrory, signed a law that requires citizens to use multi-stall bathrooms based on their birth certificates at various institutions such as schools, universities, and state agencies. This law is against the interests of the LGBT population because it compels transgender people to use rooms designated for women (Kopan Scott, 2016, p.1). According to the law, sexual orientation as well as gender identity can neither be used as the premise for the protection of people by local measures nor compel businesses to offer high minimum wages or paid sick leave. The law prohibits workers to file suit in the state courts against discrimination on the grounds of religion, color, age, handicap, race, national origin, and sex. Instead, it requires people to file their complaints to the State Commission. Elsewhere, in Harris County, Texas, a new inmate policy came to effect in 2013. The policy seeks to protect and guarantee LGBT inmates equal treat ment (Weaver, 2013). For example, the policy allows transgender people to choose their preferred gender and not biological sex as the basis for their provision of housing. References Ayalon, L., Alvidrez, J. (2007). The experience of black consumers in the mental health systemidentifying barriers to and facilitators of mental health treatment using the consumers perspective, Issues in mental health nursing, 28(12), 1323-1340 NIH (2013). Consideration of the Institute of Medicine (IOM) ;;report on the health of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals, Retrieved from https://report.nih.gov/UploadDocs/LGBT%20Health%20Report_FINAL_2013-01-03-508%20compliant.pdf Weaver, L. (2013). Harris County announces Trans-inclusive Housing Policy in Its Jails. Human Rights Campaign. Aguilar-Gaxiola, S., Loera, G., Mendez, L., Sala, M., ; Nakamoto, J. (2012). Community-defined solutions for Latino mental health care disparities: California reducing disparities project, Latino Strategic Planning Workgroup Population Report. Sacramento, CA: UC Davis. Alegr;a, M., Chatterji, P., Wells, K., Cao, Z., Chen, C. N., Takeuchi, D., ; Meng, X. L. (2015). Disparity in depression treatment among racial and ethnic minority populations in the United States. Psychiatric services. American Psychological Association, Office of Ethnic Minority Affairs. (2008). A portrait of success and challenge-Progress report:1997-2005, Washington, DC: Author. Retrieved from apa.org/pi/oema/programs/recruitment/draft-report-2007 aspx. Ayalon, L., ; Alvidrez, J. (2007). THE EXPERIENCE OF BLACK CONSUMERS IN THE MENTAL HEALTH SYSTEM;IDENTIFYING BARRIERS TO AND FACILITATORS OF MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT USING THE CONSUMERSPERSPECTIVE. Issues in mental health nursing, 28(12), 1323-1340. Bahrampour, T. (2013). Therapist say African Americans are increasingly seeking help for mental illness. The Washington Post. Bridges, A. J., Andrews III, A. R., Villalobos, B. T., Pastrana, F. A., Cavell, T. A., Gomez, D. (2014). Does integrated behavioral health care reduce mental health disparities for Latinos? Initial findings. Journal of Latina/o psychology, 2(1), 37. Burns J. (2013). Mental health and inequity: A human rights approach to inequity, discrimination, and mental disability. Health and Human Rights Journal.11(2). Cook, J., Leff, H., Blyler, C., Gold, P., Goldberg, R., Mueser, K., et al. (2005). Results of a multisite randomized trial of supported employment interventions for individuals with severe mental illness. Archives of General Psychiatry, 62(5), 505512. Davey G. (2013). Mental Health and Stigma. Psychology Today. Davis, K. (2012). Statistical Brief #358: Expenditures for Treatment of Mental Health Disorders among Young Adults, Ages 18-26, 2007-2009: Estimates for the U.S.Civilian Non-institutionalized Population. Rockville, MD: Medical Expenditures Panel Survey, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Folsom, D., Hawthorne, W., Lindamer, L., et. al. (2005). Prevalence and risk factors for homelessness and utilization of mental health services among 10,340 patients with serious mental illness in a large public mental health system. American Journal of Psychiatry, 162(2), 370-376. Frank R., Beronio, K., Glied, S. (2014). Behavioral Health Parity and the Affordable Care Act. Journal of Social Work in Disability and Rehabilitation. 2014; 13(1-2):31-43. Fund S.(2015) Challenging Views of Mental Health in Minority Communities. Diverse Harding, C., Brooks, G., Ashikaga, T., Strauss, J.S., Breier, A. (1987). The Vermont longitudinal study of persons with severe mental illness. American Journal of Psychiatry, 144 (6), 727735. Hoblan R., (2015). NCGA Senate Health and Human Services Budget: First Look. North Carolina Health News. Holden K., McGregor B., Thandi P., Fresh E., Sheats K., Belton A., Mattox G., Satcher D. (2014). Toward Culturally Centered Integrative Care for Addressing Mental Health Disparities Among Ethnic Minorities. Psychological Services.11(4):357-368. Jordan D. (2015) Going Mental: Minorities and Mental Health in Criminal Justice System. Decoded Science. Kessler, R., Heeringa, S., Lakoma, M., Petukhova, M., Rupp, A., Schoenbaum, M., et al. (2008). The individual-level and societal-level effects of mental disorders on earnings in the United States: Results from the National Comorbidity Survey Replication. American Journal of Psychiatry, 165(6), 703-11. Kessler, R., McGonagle, K., Zhao, S., Nelson, C., Hughes, M., Eshleman, S., et al. (1994). Lifetime and 12-month Prevalence of DSM-III-R Psychiatric Disorders in the United States: Results from the National Comorbidity Survey. Archives of General Psychiatry, 51(1), 8-19. Kramer E., Francis G., (2009). I am not crazy. p 9. Lutterman T., Fiscal Year (2010). Revenues and Expenditure Study Results. SMHA Revenues and Expenditures Data Collection 2012, pdf. Macmadu A., Rich J. (2015). Correctional Health is Community Health. Issues in Science and Technology.32(1). Massetti G., (2016). Preventing Violence Among High-Risk Youth and Communities with Economic, Policy and Structural Strategies. Center for Disease Control and Prevention Report/Supplements. 65(1):57-60. McLaughlin, K. A., (2010). Hatzenbuehler ML, Keyes KM. Responses to discrimination and psychiatric disorders among black, Hispanic, female, and lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals. Am J Public Health. 100(8):1477-84. Mental and Behavioral Health. (2015). Options and opportunities for Minnesota. Minnesota Hospital Association. Minnesota Telemedicine Act (SF 981/HF 1246. (2015). Minnesota Hospital Association. National Institutes of Health. (2013). Consideration of the Institute of Medicine (IOM) report on the health of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals. Retrieved from https://report.nih.gov/UploadDocs/LGBT%20Health%20Report_FINAL_2013-01-03-508%20compliant.pdf Rowings, K. (2015). Addressing mental Illness and Medical Conditions in County Jails: King County, WA. National Association of Counties . Ryan, C., Neil, K. (2015). The Integration for Mental Health, Substance Abuse, and Other Behavioral Health Conditions into Primary Care: Executive Summary of an American College of Physicians Position Paper. Annals of Internal Medicine.163(4):298-299. Sarteschi, C. M. (2013). Mentally ill offenders involved with the US criminal justice system. Sage open, 3(3), 2158244013497029. Poulin, S. R., Maguire, M., Metraux, S., Culhane, D. P. (2010). Service use and costs for persons experiencing chronic homelessness in Philadelphia: a population-based study. Psychiatric Services, 61(11), 1093-1098. Simon, C. (2015). There is a stunning gap between the number of black and white inmates in Americas prison. Business insider . State Legislation Report. (2015). National Alliance on Mental Illness. Swanson, J., Swartz, M., Gilbert, A., Frisman, L., Lin, H. J., Rodis, E., Domino, M. (2011). Costs of criminal justice involvement among persons with severe mental illness in Connecticut. Final Report Submitted to Eli Lilly Co. Swanson, J. W., McGinty, E. E., Fazel, S., Mays, V. M. (2015). Mental illness and reduction of gun violence and suicide: bringing epidemiologic research to policy. Annals of epidemiology, 25(5), 366-376. Thompson, J. (2016). Mental Health Month Provides Opportunity to Break Down Mental Health Stigma for Latino Community. CalMHSA. Underwood, L. A., Washington, A. (2016). Mental illness and juvenile offenders. International journal of environmental research and public health, 13(2), 228. Weaver, L. (2013). Harris County announces Trans-inclusive Housing Policy in Its Jails. Human Rights Campaign . Joel E. Miller, et al., Nov. 2012. The Waterfall Effect: Transforming the Cascading Impact of Medicaid Expansion on States, National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors. White House. (Jan. 16, 2013). Now is the Time; the presidents plan to protect our children and our communities by reducing gun violence. White House. Grissom, B (May 18, 2013) With Consensus and Money, State Takes on Mental Health Care. Buchanan, W. (June, 27 2013) Governor Brown Proudly Signs Balanced Budget. 34. Gray, CD (Jul. 3, 2013) House Passes. Kopan, T., Scott, E. (2016, March 24). North Carolina governor signs controversial transgender bill. CNN. Retrieved from http://edition.cnn.com/2016/03/23/politics/north-carolina-gender-bathrooms-bill/

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Question and answer Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Question and answer - Assignment Example In this particular sense, standardized nation is imparted to the customer by seeking to employ best practices that will exhibit quality customer care, support, and other related benefits in tandem with the service that is provided. Although it is true that it is more difficult to categorize and classify standards with respect to services, this is in fact being done within a litany of different industries and will be represented more and more in the coming years. The underlying reason for the global matrix design almost always maintaining a transitional nature has to do with the fact that the current rate of business growth and development, not to mention the devolution of consumer demand and dynamics of business, are nearly continually in flux. As a direct result of this flux, it is necessary for the matrix design of any industry or business that seeks to integrate with the consumer to remain relevant and evolve alongside the aforementioned changes. In the eventuality that a global matrix design is not transitional and does not provide a degree of evolutionary change with the aforementioned external forces, it is very likely that the firm or business entity in question will lose its competitive advantage and will be unable to match the consumer demands that are represented throughout the market. This will in turn provide unique opportunities for those firms that do have a global matrix design that is transitional and can react to the unique changes that are being represented. As can readily be noted, the current marketplace is one that requires continual differentiation is means of matching the competition and providing for the needs of the consumer. Because of this, is in turn necessary for the firm to seek to satisfy many different elements of wants. In this way, the reader can come to a further appreciation with respect to the way in which differentiation relates to operation management. Within such a definition understanding, product design,

Friday, October 18, 2019

Business Behavior in a Changing World II Coursework

Business Behavior in a Changing World II - Coursework Example Creativity is considered central to innovation, seen as a complex process. Issues surrounding knowledge diffusion and intellectual property rights discussed. Policy should align research (academia) and funds (industry) within a broad innovation policy. Organisational use of technology seen as means of improving social and economic conditions within the country. Costing of R&D is discussed, highlighting problems for organisational accounting, including long term focus and lack of outcome predictability. Annotation Several of Metcalf’s definitive assumptions need questioning. All developments are apparently driven and/or funded by industry, which does not allow for academic knowledge providing new insights from which innovation can stem. New technology is considered the basis of innovation, when existing technology can be used in different, innovative ways. Technology is assessed according to its economic value, ignoring the need for knowledge generation to enable technology cre ation. The distinction between science as academic and technology as practical is arbitrary and questionable. Innovation is seen as linear and cumulative, ignoring leaps in ideas and creativity generating new technologies. (196 words) Policy Reader Chapter 8: National Systems of Innovation Freeman, C. ... 1 pp.5-24 Overview Freeman provides historical context for the importance of local/national innovation systems, beginning with List’s interdependencies of resources and industry, science and education. List advocated state involvement for long-term policies relating to industry and the economy as national innovation systems. In-house R&D functions produced growth in research but highlighted the need for rapid knowledge diffusion for progress and the importance of qualitative and quantitative factors. Globalisation introduced nation variations leading to diverse outcomes and a global position built on local success. National innovation systems should involve policies for local innovation and diffusion and includes organisation and management changes. Annotation Freeman’s views, including the different histories, ignore the political effect on economics, giving different meaning to long-term. Long-term is relative and context-specific, not a national or global standard. T he process of innovation development is portrayed as logical and linear, which is unlikely. Using the past is no guide to a future which is already substantially different to 1995. Mention of economic geography links to Krugman’s ideas of free trade and developed and developing nations. No consideration is given to the social impacts of the dichotomy, nor the issue of potential exploitation of the developing by the developed. (194 words) Policy Reader Chapter 9: The Competitive Advantage of Nations Porter, M. E. (1990) ‘Chapter Nine – The Competitive Advantage of Nations’ in Suneja, V. (ed.) Policy Issues for Business: a Reader Sage/The Open University, London Porter, M. E. (1990) ‘The Competitive Advantage of Nations’ Harvard Business Review March/April pp.73-93 Overview Porter

Molecular Mechanisms of Atrial Fibrillation Essay

Molecular Mechanisms of Atrial Fibrillation - Essay Example Progression in the studies of genetics and molecular biology would assist in dealing with this disease in a better way. Recently studies by Chelu et al (2009) have brought into light the fact that differences in the ionic (mainly Ca 2+) current flow are responsible for causing AF and turning it into a chronic condition. As Brugada points out â€Å"Research efforts to elucidate the molecular basis of AF are focused into two main areas: human genetics and alterations in genetic expression of ion channels† (Brugada, Is Atrial fibrillation a genetic disease?: Molecular Mechanisms in Arial fibrillation). The beating of the heart muscles, according to research, is strictly controlled by a procedure known as ‘Ca 2+ induced Ca 2+ release’. Here we find that the number of Ca ions that are entering through the Cav. 1.2 which is the L type voltage gated Ca ion channel helps in the increase of the release of more Ca ions from the sarcoplasmic reticulum through the intracellular Ca 2+ channels (ryanodine receptor type 2 or RyR2). This influx and release of Ca ions are strictly regulated by the heart muscles for the controlled beating of heart. In AF, where the atria beats rapidly, this rapid beating of the heart leads to production of more Ca ions or Calmodulin- dependent protein kinase II ( CaMKII) phosphorylation of the RyR2. In AF conditions it has also been noticed that L type voltage gated Ca ion channels show a decrease in its amplitude, so it has been deduced that this release of the Ca ions may be due to enhanced functioning of RyR2 channels. There are many reasons as t o why the RyR2 channels may function differently. Earlier it was seen in researches conducted on dogs showing AF conditions, that RyR2 channels remained open in cases having low cystolic Ca ion presence. Another reason as Vest, et al, tells us from his experiments into molecular mechanisms that â€Å"SR Ca2+  leak due to RyR2

Integrated Communication Marketing Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Integrated Communication Marketing - Assignment Example Promoting the mink-coats using social media will enable Glamora coats to get instant response on how the consumers view their products. Social media will enable Glamora to post photos of their mink-coats and videos of the same to the social sites and enable people to comment. It may as well enable Glamora to make changes on their coats before they launch should they receive negative comments on their coats (Bishop, 2014). The traditional media is as well very important in reaching the target audience that does not embrace social media. Traditional media is good in creating a wave around a product. When properly exploited, traditional media should be used to create the wave that would lead to increased demand on the mink-coats. Dresses always do better when endorsed by a celebrity and through traditional media this can be excellently achieved. However, traditional media may only reach audience who have time to sit in front of a media outlet e.g. a TV or radio, those that may not will require to be reached through another media communication means (Sherman, 2001). Web media as well plays a critical role in reaching the techno savvy audience. Web based media outlets work more or less like social media outlets but with better description to the product (Gherasim,

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Molecular Mechanisms of Atrial Fibrillation Essay

Molecular Mechanisms of Atrial Fibrillation - Essay Example Progression in the studies of genetics and molecular biology would assist in dealing with this disease in a better way. Recently studies by Chelu et al (2009) have brought into light the fact that differences in the ionic (mainly Ca 2+) current flow are responsible for causing AF and turning it into a chronic condition. As Brugada points out â€Å"Research efforts to elucidate the molecular basis of AF are focused into two main areas: human genetics and alterations in genetic expression of ion channels† (Brugada, Is Atrial fibrillation a genetic disease?: Molecular Mechanisms in Arial fibrillation). The beating of the heart muscles, according to research, is strictly controlled by a procedure known as ‘Ca 2+ induced Ca 2+ release’. Here we find that the number of Ca ions that are entering through the Cav. 1.2 which is the L type voltage gated Ca ion channel helps in the increase of the release of more Ca ions from the sarcoplasmic reticulum through the intracellular Ca 2+ channels (ryanodine receptor type 2 or RyR2). This influx and release of Ca ions are strictly regulated by the heart muscles for the controlled beating of heart. In AF, where the atria beats rapidly, this rapid beating of the heart leads to production of more Ca ions or Calmodulin- dependent protein kinase II ( CaMKII) phosphorylation of the RyR2. In AF conditions it has also been noticed that L type voltage gated Ca ion channels show a decrease in its amplitude, so it has been deduced that this release of the Ca ions may be due to enhanced functioning of RyR2 channels. There are many reasons as t o why the RyR2 channels may function differently. Earlier it was seen in researches conducted on dogs showing AF conditions, that RyR2 channels remained open in cases having low cystolic Ca ion presence. Another reason as Vest, et al, tells us from his experiments into molecular mechanisms that â€Å"SR Ca2+  leak due to RyR2

Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Lab Report Example Like any other laboratory experiments, reference is made to physical background of measurement tools and CAD version. Each tool requires an apt application to realize the most appropriate experimental results. In this section, vernier calipers and micrometer screw gauge were used to measure various dimensions of the Duplo block provided. In each case, these tools were aptly applied as described in the material attached to the laboratory manual. The Duplo block used in this experiment had a mixture of rectangular and circular shapes with internal and external diameters. With reference to manuals provided, the use of vernier calipers to determine internal and external dimensions of the various shapes on the Duplo block was studied. This is inclusive of evasion of any zero errors that might have occurred. Outer dimensions of circular, square and rectangular shapes on this block were determined by placing it between the lower jaws of the vernier calipers (Benedettelli, 2014). For inner dimensions, upper jaws clip inner surface of shapes measured and are screwed until they firmly hold. Measurements of depth are carried out using the movable head adjustable by the screw clamp whose shape and specifications differ for various vernier calipers. Once an object is in position, readings are made off systematically by determining initial significant figures by reading off values just to the left of vernier zero mark, along the main scale. The reading at which markings in vernier scale coincides with a division on main scale forms decimal readings. Thus, measurements on a vernier scale are usually expressed to two decimal place (Benedettelli, 2014). Relative to micrometers, measurements by vernier calipers are less precise. The use of ratchet knob, vernier scale and main scale of a micrometer was demonstrated as described in laboratory manuals. This instrument applies in

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Integrated Communication Marketing Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Integrated Communication Marketing - Assignment Example Promoting the mink-coats using social media will enable Glamora coats to get instant response on how the consumers view their products. Social media will enable Glamora to post photos of their mink-coats and videos of the same to the social sites and enable people to comment. It may as well enable Glamora to make changes on their coats before they launch should they receive negative comments on their coats (Bishop, 2014). The traditional media is as well very important in reaching the target audience that does not embrace social media. Traditional media is good in creating a wave around a product. When properly exploited, traditional media should be used to create the wave that would lead to increased demand on the mink-coats. Dresses always do better when endorsed by a celebrity and through traditional media this can be excellently achieved. However, traditional media may only reach audience who have time to sit in front of a media outlet e.g. a TV or radio, those that may not will require to be reached through another media communication means (Sherman, 2001). Web media as well plays a critical role in reaching the techno savvy audience. Web based media outlets work more or less like social media outlets but with better description to the product (Gherasim,

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Lab Report Example Like any other laboratory experiments, reference is made to physical background of measurement tools and CAD version. Each tool requires an apt application to realize the most appropriate experimental results. In this section, vernier calipers and micrometer screw gauge were used to measure various dimensions of the Duplo block provided. In each case, these tools were aptly applied as described in the material attached to the laboratory manual. The Duplo block used in this experiment had a mixture of rectangular and circular shapes with internal and external diameters. With reference to manuals provided, the use of vernier calipers to determine internal and external dimensions of the various shapes on the Duplo block was studied. This is inclusive of evasion of any zero errors that might have occurred. Outer dimensions of circular, square and rectangular shapes on this block were determined by placing it between the lower jaws of the vernier calipers (Benedettelli, 2014). For inner dimensions, upper jaws clip inner surface of shapes measured and are screwed until they firmly hold. Measurements of depth are carried out using the movable head adjustable by the screw clamp whose shape and specifications differ for various vernier calipers. Once an object is in position, readings are made off systematically by determining initial significant figures by reading off values just to the left of vernier zero mark, along the main scale. The reading at which markings in vernier scale coincides with a division on main scale forms decimal readings. Thus, measurements on a vernier scale are usually expressed to two decimal place (Benedettelli, 2014). Relative to micrometers, measurements by vernier calipers are less precise. The use of ratchet knob, vernier scale and main scale of a micrometer was demonstrated as described in laboratory manuals. This instrument applies in

Reading Visual Culture Essay Example for Free

Reading Visual Culture Essay When reading visual culture one can easily be led to interpret from images . Visual representations have many different meanings, the way that some interpreted Visual culture and visual representations can in a way influence, confuse or inform others of their meanings. Visual culture is found almost anywhere in the world, no one really knows when it dates back to as there is so much visual culture in history. There are many examples of visual culture in different times, churches use to use visual culture in their stained glass windows. These windows use to be quite delicate pieces of art and were once considered highly religious, this was because of what was placed inside the windows and where they were most likely to be found was in churches. This was a ‘visual’ as it was able to be seen, but in many ways what was seen may not be real. For instance many of these church windows had angles on them and this made them in a way a fantasy or non-realistic character to some. The ‘culture’ of these windows was the people who viewed these on a religious basis, in other words the ones who shared the same values about the church that the windows were found in. Although there could be some confusion when discussing visible things and visual culture. Visible things are something like a chair, whereas visual culture would be a picture of the chair. The confusion normally lies in the word visible and visual, visualising something can be done when you see a poster and all the different pictures and writing that make up that poster. The format of a visual and how it is represented can impact others in different ways. If you see a sign that is red and says stop, your brain tells you that you need to stop only because this is what it has learnt to do in some cultures. Although in another culture where the word stop is just a heap of wiggly lines and means nothing they may see the red as danger and be cautious about their actions. Another example is when you read hieroglyphics, all most that do not understand them see are images of birds and leaves, whereas the people who know the writing see them as letters and words, it is how things are represented in the mind of others or one’s self. One of the basic units in visual culture can be signs, they can be icons and symbols, and are comprised of different codes. One thing can mean another and then could lead to a serious of different events. Signs that are a well-known icon are something like Coca-Cola. Coca-Cola is a worldwide known product, it is iconic to those who see it. There are many different ways people think of Coke, one of which is the writing on the bottle and the red label that coincides with the label on the bottle. Signs are comprised of different codes, in saying this they are all in their own way a code. In the war a code was considers a bunch or mumbled up words that made no sense, it only made sense to those who understood them. This is much like signs, only those who understand the signs can read them. Referring back to the stop sign as they are symbolic codes, whereas posters are iconic codes, the reasoning for this is because one symbolises an action whilst the other is an iconic image that is there to be seen and viewed so it may draw those who view it in. Although symbolic signs and iconic signs may seem very different they can sometimes be the same.

Monday, October 14, 2019

The Greek Culture And Oedipus The King

The Greek Culture And Oedipus The King I have chosen to talk about the Greek culture because I believe that our present culture has many similarities to the Greeks culture. Our culture today is actually surprisingly similar to that of the Greeks. Some of these similarities are education, government, and religion. One similarity that we have to the Greeks culture is the Greeks devotion to intellectual integrity and their development of a system of schools. The Greeks understood how important it is to have a good education. I agree with them because I think it is very important to have at least a high school education and I also think it is important to have a college education. I believe that with knowledge comes power and having knowledge can lead to good things. Today, most people basically think like the Greeks did about intellectual integrity and a development of a system of schools. We still see the importance of a good education today. Having a college degree in todays society holds more job opportunities than someone who just has a high school education. One of the main goals of education in Greece was to prepare a child for adult activities as a citizen which is something that our society still does today. Parents prepare their kids for adulthood. Another similarity that we have compared to the Greek culture is there use of a democracy system. The Greeks were actually the ones that created the first democracy. The definition of democracy is the rule of the people. They understood how important it is to include the people in the decisions that are made for a society. When authority figures make decisions on a society without the people of that societys thoughts on those decisions, Im sure that people tend to get pretty upset. The United States still uses a democracy system of government today because, like the Greeks, we see how important it is for the people to have some input as well. The Greeks also had a liberal view toward education that was largely responsible for the downfall of Classical Greek civilization. There are many people that still have a liberal point of view today. We have republicans as well but we still have those liberals. Not only was their democracy important, but the role that the people of their society played were very important as well. In Greek culture, the womans job was to run the house and bear children. In many families today, it is important the woman stays at home and takes care of the house. Of course, it is still very important for women to bear children also. The men spent a great deal of time away from home a nd when they werent involved in politics, they spent time in the fields with their crops. We still see this today. A lot of men spend time away from home because of their job. A lot of people still farm for a living today and those people, during the summer, spend a lot of time away from home taking care of their crops. The last similarity between the Greek culture and our present society that I am going to talk about is religion. The Greeks were deeply religious people that usually worshiped many gods. Not only did the Greeks write stories about gods and goddesses, they also created a lot of art work such as paintings and sculptures that portrayed Greek gods or goddesses. Most people today are still very religious. Almost every religion of today involves the worship of a god. The only religion that I can think of that doesnt worship a god is Atheism and I think that they dont believe in gods. I mean, most of us religious people still go to church, read the bible, and pray in order to worship our god. Although the Greeks were very religious and thought it was very important to worship their gods, they also had an anthropocentric way of thinking. The definition of anthropocentric is basically that man is the center of everything and is most important. In other words, the Greeks believed that they were the most important and maybe even more important than their gods. Sadly, I believe that some or maybe a lot of people still think like this today. I think there are still those people that think that God is very important but when it comes down to it, they think deep down that they may actually be more important and that they are actually the center of everything. I am not anthropocentric at all. I believe that God is most important and that he is the center of everything. Now I am going to talk about the Greek work of literature Oedipus the King. In this story, Oedipus is the ruler of Thebes. Thebes is actually a dying city and Oedipus is deeply concerned of why Thebes is dying. Oedipus is a person that is desperately seeking the truth of things so he goes to a blind man named Tiresias and he tells Oedipus about all of these prophecies involving Oedipus himself. Oedipus does not believe what Tiresias tells him but Oedipus finds out throughout the story that Tiresias prophecies are actually true. The main conflict in Oedipus the King is between belief and reality. The belief is that intelligence makes humanity master of its own fate versus the reality of humanity being helpless against some cruel fate. This kind of goes back to that anthropocentric way of thinking. For a person to think that he or she can control his or her own fate because of his or her intelligence seems like and anthropocentric way of thinking to me. I believe that whatever God has planned is what is going to happen no matter how smart someone is. On page 617, lines 216-219, the chorus of the play says: O golden daughter of god, send rescue radiant as the kindness in your eyes! Drive him back! the fever, the god of death that raging god of war. The chorus is praying that the daughter of god send rescue and drive back the god of death from the city of Thebes. This goes back to the Greeks being very religious people and worshiping gods. All throughout Oedipus the King, the characters talk about some sort of god very often. Today, religious people still pray to their god for help which is what is going on in these lines from Oedipus the King. I can relate to this because if I know someone who is badly in need of help, I pray for him or her in hopes that he or she will receive help which is what the chorus of this story was doing in these lines of the play. The Greek culture had many similarities to our present society today. Some of these similarities are education, government, and religion. The play of Oedipus the King shows characteristics of the Greek culture throughout the play. The Greeks made very important developments and some of them are very evident the present society of today.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Dis/located Identities: Swinging and Contemporary Sexual Space :: Free Essays Online

Dis/located Identities: Swinging and Contemporary Sexual Space A committed relationship without monogamy sounds like a contradiction in terms to those raised in America, or most any country at this point in history. The nature of commitment suggests that it requires a single partner and the promise to remain faithful to that person. Swingers choose a slightly different route and yet it is one that can involve more trust and openness than monogamous relationships offer. Swingers [1] are couples who choose to have not only a committed relationship but to also explore, as couple, recreational sex with other individuals and couples. At the heart of a strong swinging relationship is not sex at all; rather, there is the openness, trust, and communication necessary to both talk openly about desires and fantasies and to act on them within the bounds of commitment. â€Å"To swingers, physical acts of sexual pleasure with someone you respect, just for pleasure, and making love to one’s lifetime partner are two distinctly different things† (Thomas 20). This form of sexuality is clearly outside the norm of heterosexual behavior, especially that of married or committed adults. But is it a legitimate sexual identity? Does the swinging community deserve recognition in the same terms as other minority sexual identities? Like any other form of sexual expression, swinging takes on a handful of common variants. Soft swinging is a newer form and refers â€Å"a desire for sexual activities such as watching, being watched, mutual masturbation, and possibly oral sex but without changing partners for full sexual intercourse† (Thomas 20). Closed swinging is a more commonly recognized form of swinging where couples swing in different rooms – this is where the slightly derogatory term ‘wife swapping’ probably originated. Open swinging is where two couples will swing in the same room. Couples who prefer open swinging tend to enjoy watching their partner with another person, participating somehow while their partner is having sex with another person, or the women are bisexual and wish to enjoy each other while the men watch. Group swinging is basically equivalent to an orgy, although group swinging as a term is preferred. â€Å"A lot of swingers who enjoy this type of swinging f ind that it satisfies their tastes for exhibitionism and voyeurism at the same time. Some people have fantasies of finding out how many lovers they can satisfy in one evening†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Thomas 20).

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Stakeholder Relations :: essays research papers

Brief Many organisations are addressing the relationship they have with stakeholders. Select an organisation that is currently changing its policies towards stakeholders and, acting the role of a key stakeholder representative prepare a positioning statement/report that summarises key issues for your supporters. Background In 1875 J H Mills in Bristol opened a small family grocery store, and in 1900 became a limited company with 12 shops. J H Mills Ltd. turned into Gateway, in 1950, when a major finance house became the major shareholder. The J H Mills shops were then converted to become self-service type supermarkets. Throughout the late 20th century the amount of stores increased dramatically with takeovers and different acquisitions across the country. In 1996 Gateway food markets turned into Somerfield and was floated on the stock exchange and became a plc. The Somerfield group is made up of four separate businesses, which together operate over 1400 stores nationwide in the UK. Firstly, the Somerfield Stores division consists of around 1,000 stores incorporating Somerfield Stores and approximately 450 Kwik Save Stores. Somerfield is a modern high street retailer offering fresh foods, groceries, and household needs. The Kwik Save division was introduced to Somerfield when they announced their unconditional merger on March 20, 1998. Kwik Save's philosophy is to provide a full range of quality products at the lowest price on the high street. The idea was all about no frills low pricing. Somerfield started a  £1 billion programme to convert Kwik Save stores to Somerfield and also modernising the original Somerfield stores. Somerfield's third business is the Convenience division, a group of about 100 stores, ideal for 'top-up' shoppers, offering a range of groceries and provisions in a small store format located in convenient positions. The last of the businesses is Somerfield 24-7, a new, recent venture that allows people to shop for groceries without going into any of the supermarkets, by using the phone, Internet or interactive television and getting the goods delivered to their door. I am a representative for the employees of Somerfield plc. Report On Thursday November 11 Somerfield announced the sale of up to 490 stores and a reduction in its central office and distribution business. The board has decided to focus Somerfield operations on a potential  £30 billion neighbourhood food retailer market. Somerfield currently has approximately 10% of this market and believes it can increase its market share by further emphasising the importance of fresh food, improving the ease of shopping and developing a more responsive culture from its employees.

Friday, October 11, 2019

Benefits of High School Sports Essay

Bissinger’s essay focuses on the negative aspects of high schools sports, arguing that the worst aspects of professional and college sports have contaminated competition at the high school level. Write an essay in which you present the beneficial effects of high school sports on athletes, families, and communities, For example, you might discuss how playing on a team sport teaches students about working with others on a school assignment, a family project, or a community event. Tamesha Davis,  Being one of the top ranked athletes in Port Arthur Texas, experiencing great competition from other schools and students, setting an example as a leader and participating in a school activity kept me as a young student focused on school and being a part of a team. I felt that I had a dedication to my teammates, my coaches, my teachers, and friends. Having someone look up to you and want to follow in your footsteps is a great feeling. Becoming a part of the community as a leader in a sports like Track and Field, Football, Basket Ball, Tennis, Volleyball, Cheerleading, Debate Clubs, teaches you to work and get along with others on school assignments , family projects, and be apart of many community events. There are a lot of schools sports that bring parents closer to their children. I’ve seen a lot of parents come out and support their kids at these events. I am one who had a parent that didn’t get to come to my events, But their was other parents there to cheer me on and keep me motivated to keep the faith with the team. Having these parents there made a big difference in a lot of us, especially during school they helped us do our homework, our grades were passing, they made sure we were in class. The parents participated in school fundraisers, PTA meetings for our best interest. The carpools were a big support factor, my teammates parents made sure that all kids made it to practice and back home. High School sports is the start of a career where you get recognized and get the skills that you need to get into college. Scouts come out just to see who the best of the best. That’s where students get to show off their  talent. Getting a scholarship to a good college academically or through a sport is an achievement. Doing volunteer work in the community during high school looks good on a college resume. As a student in high school I had all of this support to succeed. I attend family oriented programs, to help me if I was having any problems or issues during school or at home. Community events was something that I attended all the time, getting together and gathering with teachers, friends, family, and other students to cheer on the players, basketball teams kept a lot of the students at our school occupied. They were not out in the community getting in trouble, getting arrested, causing mishaps. The students at our school were more focused on the â€Å"Battle of the Bands† at the football games. Back to school expos, were also great for the younger kids, that are just entering high school. It gave them a sense of being welcome, and not afraid to participate in the school activities. Being in a high school sport benefited me throughout my journey through school.

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

There are a heterogeneous group of degenerative diseases that involve destruction of the large motor neurons of the brain. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is one. The motor effects of this disease can be devastating. The usual course is a progression to death within 3 to 4 years. In the United Kingdom, ALS is often known as motor neuron disease. ALS is a progressive neuromuscular disease that weakens and eventually destroys motor neurons that connect the brain with the skeletal muscles.NIEHS grantee Serge Przedborski of Columbia University has pioneered the investigation of the molecular mechanisms leading to the death of neurons that occurs in ALS and Parkinson disease. ALS, the most common adult-onset paralytic disease, is most commonly diagnosed in middle age, and affects men more often than women. Patients gradually lose the ability to speak, swallow, and move voluntarily. Sensory function and intellectual ability are unaffected, and death usually results from loss of respira tory function.The disease affects all racial, socioeconomic, and ethnic groups, and the life expectancy of ALS patients is usually three to five years after diagnosis. ALS results in progressive damage to the pyramidal motor system. There is a degeneration of both the upper and lower motor neurons leading to muscle weakness, atrophy, and losts of function. In most cases there is no loss of sensation, and intellect and sphincter control are preserved. The damage is typically bilateral, and although usually rapid in progression, the disease may on occasion proceed slowly, or stabilize after a period of progression. The reported incidence is about 0.4 to 1. 8/100,000 (Tandan & Bradley, 1986) and prevalence estimates range from 4 to 7/100,000. The mean age of onset lies between 55 and 60 and the disease is more common in males than females (2:1; Hudson, 1981). Death is usually preceded by progressive respiratory failure. The cause of ALS is unknown. In about 5% to 10% of cases the disea se is familial; in most of these cases the mode of inheritance is autosomal dominant. The disease also occurs amongst the Chamorros on the island of Guam at a much higher rate than elsewhere, suggesting an environmental toxin can cause the disease (Rowland, 1987).However, the majority of cases arise sporadically. Cognitive Deficits Clinicians working with ALS patients generally conclude that the disease does not cause dementia. Although there are cases of ALS where dementia does present, this can be attributed to the concurrent effects of DAT (Caroscio, 1986). Testing ALS patients with intellectual scales has produced mixed results. Poloni, Capitani, Mazzini, and Ceroni (1986) found no difference on the WAIS between 21 ALS subjects and 21 comparison subjects with nondementing neurological conditions.In two other studies (Gallassi, Montagna, Ciardulli, Lorusso, Mussuto, & Stracciari, 1985; Iwaski, Kinoshita, Ikeda, Takamiya, & Shiojima, 1990) intellectual deterioration in ALS patient s was found when the test results were compared to those of healthy controls. It remains to be determined whether these cognitive changes occurred as a result of ALS, or whether the differences were due to the nonspecific effects of hospitalization and treatment. ALS is not generally regarded as a dementing disorder. Psychosocial ConsequencesThe individual with ALS faces major problems in communication because of dysarthria, a reduction in mobility, pain from muscle atrophy, and the knowledge that the disease will progress to incapacity and death. Motor dysfunctions occur in the absence of cognitive decline and so patients retain the capacity for awareness of their disabilities. The nature of the disorder is likely to provoke an emotional response. The onset of the disease provides an illustration of the working of psychosocial stress model outlined in the next chapter. Although ALS patients confront the disorder with courage (B.S. Gould, 1980), the debilitation caused by the diseas e challenges the capacity to adjust in even the most resolute individual. Luloff (1986) describes the demands and emotional sequelae of the disease as follows: Loss of resources — physical, psychological, social, and economic — evokes grief and depression. As the patient anticipates experiences or experiences failures in mastering problems and challenges of everyday life, he develops feelings of helplessness†¦. Helplessness and failure, real or anticipated, lead to decrease of self-esteem, sense of worth, dignity and confidence.Anger becomes mixed with fear and accentuated by limitations in ability to master everyday problems, in achieving relief from tension, and in providing oneself with gratifying experiences. Anger is often directed against oneself for being damaged, helpless, and worthless, and a failure. . . . Anger is also directed against other persons, and at natural processes which appear to be increasingly harsh and threatening as the individual becomes progressively impaired and weaker. (p. 268) Although anecdotal reports of depressive and emotional reactions are common in the literature, few studies have examined emotionality in ALS systematically.Houpt, B. S. Gould, and Norris (1977) found that the incidence of depression in ALS was comparable to that in cancer patients. About 65% of the ALS patients scored in the nil-mild range on the BDI, 32. 5% were moderately depressed, and 2. 5% were severely depressed. Other reactions to ALS have been cited in clinical reports including denial (Tandan & Bradley, 1985), guilt (Luloff, 1986), and diminished self-esteem (Ringel, 1987). Emotional lability and inappropriateness have also been reported on occasion (Gallagher, 1989). These symptoms have been attributed to damage to brainstem nuclei.Controlled investigations of psychiatric symptoms suggest these are not a consequence of ALS (Houpt et al. , 1977; Peters, Wedell, & Mulder, 1977). Families and caregivers are likely also to feel dist ressed by the onset and progress of the disease. The physical deficits reduce the patient's mobility and communication, leading to greater dependence on the family for emotional and functional support. The demands involved in caring for the ALS sufferer at home can result in the caregiver feeling alone, housebound, and unappreciated. Financial concerns and preexisting family conflict may accentuate these problems (Ringel, 1987).For spousal caregivers there are many changes in role to be contemplated. Finally it is important to recognize that many people with ALS adapt to their illness in a creative, positive, and stoical manner. In an insightful commentary, B. S. Gould (1980) described how many ALS patients project a positive aspect to the people around them. Although this may mask a deeper and realistic concern or fear, the use of some degree of denial may represent an adaptive response to the disease. In his view, the role of the counselor may be to provide a supportive environmen t in which this despair may be acknowledged:The ALS patients in our series frequently maintained a strategy of partial denial throughout their illness, but in a most healthy fashion. Reality was not denied as much as redefined; the most distressing immutable aspects of the disease were not part of ordinary conscious functioning, and hope was maintained. Under safe conditions that allowed reflection and ventilation, however, the second-order denial was easily overridden; distressing awareness was allowed to enter the consciousness in a controlled fashion, and considerable dysphoric tension was discharged.Treatment Highlights In view of the fact that by far there is no treatment for ALS and there is no known cure. Current theraphy consists of a daily dose of an experimental drug. For this reason, it is still best to count on the available resources for the treatment of ALS. The drug myotrophin will be injected twice a day, alternating left abdomen, right abdomen, left thigh, right thi gh to reduce scarring, as well as regular visits from occupational and physical therapists. Neither drug is really thought to do much, but they are all there is right now.The physical therapy controls the rate of atrophy and minimizes edema in the extremities. It is also helpful to ingest huge amounts of vitamins. Three thousand milligrams a day of vitamin C and 800 milligrams of vitamin E, both of which are thought to be especially important in protecting the outer nerve cell sheath. Sublingual B12, antioxidants, CoQ10 and other dietary supplements are also thought to slow the disease’s progression. Ventilation is Still on Top From the patients’ perspectives, there are certain issues on the use of mechanical ventilation for the treatment of ALS.These may include the examination of the process of and factors involved in decision making by people severely disabled by the disease by the time they face the choice of whether to use the support of mechanical ventilation. Mo reover, issues that should also be addressed will include patients’ impact on family, the decision as related to level of disability, and the ventilation availability through a nasal mask. Research format will include several general questions along with a demographic information questionnaire.These general questions will focus on obtaining information about the process of the participant in their consideration of the use of mechanical ventilation, their current decision on the use of mechanical ventilation, the influence of others, and their decision’s commitment. Interviews will also be utilized for the participants so that they will be rated according to their function in the areas of speech, swallowing, lower and upper extremities with the use of ALS Severity Scale as designed by Hillel et al.(1989). The scale allows for rapid, ordinal measurement of the aforementioned areas. Each symptomatic area is rated from 1 to 10, with 10 indicating normal functioning and 1 r eflecting the most severe disablement. A total score of 40 would denote normal functioning in all four areas. Since several participants were unaware of available ventilatory options, the physician on the research team individually met with the participants who had not already gained knowledge concerning ventilatory methods.During these meetings, the physician imparted basic information on the following: the disease process that leads to respiratory insufficiency, simple measures such as positioning in alleviating respiratory distress, the capability to discontinue use of assisted ventilation, availability of palliative measures in end-stage ALS, care needs of people with the use of mechanical ventilation (such as suctioning of excess secretions; management of the ventilator itself, including arrangement for regular maintenance; and possible necessity of a caregiver 24 hours a day), and types of mechanical ventilation.The two basic methods of mechanical ventilation are a nasal mask and a tracheostomy. A tracheostomy is a surgical opening into the trachea to which a ventilator hose is connected. The nasal mask method is noninvasive and involves wearing a plastic mask apparatus over the nose, held in place by a strap around the back of the head. The mask can be awkward and uncomfortable and may slip out of place at night. Limitations In view of the reason that only a limited time was allowed for completion of the work, fiscal and temporal constraints were in effect, thus limiting the size of the subject sample.The principal author was also the clinical social worker for the participants. The principal author's familiarity with the participants may have influenced the selection process and the responses of the participants. Patients who had no means of communication were not approached to take part in the study. Participant population was unequally distributed by gender, as there were 11 men and two women, and by race, as all were white. All participants had a co mparable baseline knowledge of ventilatory methods.Four participants were atypical of classical ALS in that they had been diagnosed as having the disease for between nine and 23 years. A significant portion of the interviews with those participants already using mechanical ventilation was retrospective and based on recall. Not all participants answered all questions, and not all questions were applicable to all participants. Results may not be replicable with a different or larger sample. Conclusions Both past and present researches have failed on their quest for the cure or treatment of ALS.While this is apparently true, there are nevertheless several treatments that are found to be promising and responsive to patients. Individually, a specific approach may not be effective enough for treating ALS but a collaboration and combination of all known and practiced treatments is proved to be helpful. 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