Various Laboratory Tests on Cement

VARIOUS LAB TEST ON CEMENT: Checking of materials is an essential part of civil engineering as the life of structure is dependent on the quality of material used. Following are the tests to be conducted to judge the quality of cement. 1. Fineness 2. Soundness 3. Consistency 4. Initial and Final Setting Time of Cement FINENESS OF CEMENT: We need to determine the fineness of cement by dry sieving as per IS: 4031 (Part 1) – 1996. The principle of this is that we determine the proportion of cement whose grain size is larger than specified mesh size. Apparatus: The apparatus used are ) 75Â µm IS Sieve ii) Balance capable of weighing 10g to the nearest 10mg iii) A nylon or pure bristle brush, preferably with 25 to 40mm iv) bristle, for cleaning the sieve Figure No. Sieve No. 200 Procedure to determine fineness of cement: i) Weigh approximately 10g of cement to the nearest 0. 01g and place it on the sieve. ii) Agitate the sieve by swirling, planetary and linear movements, until no m ore fine material passes through it. iii) Weigh the residue and express its mass as a percentage R1,of the quantity first placed on the sieve to the nearest 0. 1 percent. v) Gently brush all the fine material off the base of the sieve. v) Repeat the whole procedure using a fresh 10g sample to obtain R2. Then calculate R as the mean of R1 and R2 as a percentage, expressed to the nearest 0. 1 percent. When the results differ by more than 1 percent absolute, carry out a third sieving and calculate the mean of the three values. Reporting of Results: Report the value of R, to the nearest 0. 1 percent, as the residue on the 90Â µm sieve. Test To Check Soundness Of Cement: SOUNDNESS : Soundness of cement is determined by Le-Chatelier method as per IS: 4031 (Part 3) – 1988.Apparatus – The apparatus for conducting the Le-Chatelier test should conform to IS: 5514 – 1969 Balance, whose permissible variation at a load of 1000g should be +1. 0g and Water bath. Procedure to determine soundness of cement i) Place the mould on a glass sheet and fill it with the cement paste formed by gauging cement with 0. 78 times the water required to give a paste of standard consistency. ii) Cover the mould with another piece of glass sheet, place a small weight on this covering glass sheet and immediately submerge the whole assembly in water at a temperature of 27 Â ± 2oC and keep it there for 24hrs. ii) Measure the distance separating the indicator points to the nearest 0. 5mm (say d1 ). iv) Submerge the mould again in water at the temperature prescribed above. Bring the water to boiling point in 25 to 30 minutes and keep it boiling for 3hrs. v) Remove the mould from the water, allow it to cool and measure the distance between the indicator points (say d2 ). vi) (d2 – d1 ) represents the expansion of cement. Test To Check Consistency Of Cement : CONSISTENCY : The basic aim is to find out the water content required to produce a cement paste of standard consis tency as specified by the IS: 4031 (Part 4) – 1988.The principle is that standard consistency of cement is that consistency at which the Vicat plunger penetrates to a point 5-7mm from the bottom of Vicat mould. Apparatus – Vicat apparatus conforming to IS: 5513 – 1976, Balance, whose permissible variation at a load of 1000g should be +1. 0g, Gauging trowel conforming to IS: 10086 – 1982. Procedure to determine consistency of cement i) Weigh approximately 400g of cement and mix it with a weighed quantity of water. The time of gauging should be between 3 to 5 minutes. ii) Fill the Vicat mould with paste and level it with a trowel. ii) Lower the plunger gently till it touches the cement surface. iv) Release the plunger allowing it to sink into the paste. v) Note the reading on the gauge. vi) Repeat the above procedure taking fresh samples of cement and different quantities of water until the reading on the gauge is 5 to 7mm. Reporting of Results Express the amount of water as a percentage of the weight of dry cement to the first place of decimal. Test To Check Initial And Final Setting Time Of Cement : INITIAL AND FINAL SETTING TIME : We need to calculate the initial and final setting time as per IS: 4031 (Part 5) – 1988.To do so we need Vicat apparatus conforming to IS: 5513 – 1976, Balance, whose permissible variation at a load of 1000g should be +1. 0g, Gauging trowel conforming to IS: 10086 – 1982. Procedure to determine initial and final setting time of cement : i) Prepare a cement paste by gauging the cement with 0. 85 times the water required to give a paste of standard consistency. ii) Start a stop-watch, the moment water is added to the cement. iii) Fill the Vicat mould completely with the cement paste gauged as above, the mould resting on a non-porous plate and smooth off the surface of the paste making it level with the top of the mould.The cement block thus prepared in the mould is the test block. A)Â  INITIAL SETTING TIME : Place the test block under the rod bearing the needle. Lower the needle gently in order to make contact with the surface of the cement paste and release quickly, allowing it to penetrate the test block. Repeat the procedure till the needle fails to pierce the test block to a point 5. 0 Â ± 0. 5mm measured from the bottom of the mould. The time period elapsing between the time, water is added to the cement and the time, the needle fails to pierce the test block by 5. 0 Â ± 0. mm measured from the bottom of the mould, is the initial setting time. B)Â  FINAL SETTING TIME : Replace the above needle by the one with an annular attachment. The cement should be considered as finally set when, upon applying the needle gently to the surface of the test block, the needle makes an impression therein, while the attachment fails to do so. The period elapsing between the time, water is added to the cement and the time, the needle makes an impression on the surface of the test block, while the attachment fails to do so, is the final setting time.

Mad About Plaid

Castlebridge is at a cross-road – on one hand it has to reduce costs which will eventually lead to a loss in a numerous amount of local employees. Reputational risk is now an issue as well brand-image. Once a provider for the wealthy, the company is concerned that tags relaying Asian manufacturing countries will undermine the confidence of the purchaser who is looking for something authentically British. 2. Niall Ferguson Niall Ferguson takes the logical approach where the objective of any firm is to maximise profits. By not doing so, the firm will lose out to the competitors and will continue to face rising costs in keeping up with consumer preferences. Ferguson hols Fergus Harold accountable for being overly nationalistic and even rather ignorant to the status of British clothing made in Malaysia and its effect on a Japanese consumer. The main concern of backlash would be from local purchasers whose confidence may be undermined by the outsourcing of a classy British brand to a third world country. However, it is well pointed out that Mary Crane does not feel threatened by British media – supposedly she sees that production line workers are of the lower working class whereas buyers of Castlebridge's products of are of the wealthier class. Besides, Ferguson debates, trade unions have been subdued during Thatcher's time. It's true that no British manufacturing line can survive in their high cost market by maintaining production lines within the UK. Labour is just too expensive. As for brand image, maintaining the class, thus the quality, is more important than running the risk of a complete closure and a shutdown of business. I agree with Ferguson. Cutting down on costs is the method that Castlebridge should take in this instance. There is no need to maintain high costs and place burden upon shareholders of the company. However, this response leaves out the important factor of Castlebridge employees. They need to be accounted for, regardless of class – and there are ways of compensating them for their loss of jobs. 3. Dana Thomas Dana Thomas, in her response, is more concerned with the fashion industry than other issues inherent in this article. The changes of fashion statements over the years and the paradigm expansion from just targeting the wealthier class to exposing brands to the middle class speaks volumes about what Castlebridge would have to go through in order to maintain sales. There is too much emphasis on luxury brands that are authentically English, but surviving in the ever-changing world of fashion is impossible of Castlebridge continues to perspire over brand positioning and its nuances towards the upper class alone. However due to their new target market they also face the vulnerability in dealing with economic externalities such as economic down-turns. Thomas agrees with the outsourcing of production lines to Asia while maintaining design houses in the United Kingdom. In my opinion, this should be the correct strategy to take. At the end of the day, it is vital for a firm to maximise profits – this is how a business operates. Thomas' concerns lay essentially with stakeholders, as do mine, as she describes Britishness a euphemism of integrity and honesty – she also mentions â€Å"coming clean about strategies and objectives.† Furthermore, with ever-changing tastes in the fashion industry, it only makes sense for brand image to also alter, according to customer whims. Hanging on Britishness will hardly be a priority if profits begin to decline in the long run. 4. Dov Seidman So far, I agree most with Dov Seidman's approach in determining the elements of effective managerial changes. Though the underlying objective of the firm is to maximise profits, there are also qualitative aspects Mary Crane's proposed outsourcing move. Like Dana Thomas, Seidman suggests that the company plans effectively and honestly to maintain an amicable relationship with all relevant parties. Management's role is more than just figure-oriented; it also looks into the human aspect of a company, imposing beliefs of fiduciary relationships upon more than just their stakeholders. Reputational risks are at stake if Castlebridge blatantly sideline their local work force who has been diligently churning out classy British produce for the past 30 years. Therefore, it is mandatory for Castlebridge to execute their plan in a tactful manner, full compensating valued employees while demonstrating the utmost responsibility towards their stakeholders. With the fast-paced internet, more people will know of a horrendous blind sight as compared to a good deed that Castlebridge executes. Furthermore, his concern for the brand image of Britishness is also wayward. He believes there is not necessarily a sacrifice of the wealth image just by outsourcing a production line. Therefore, brand positioning as agreed upon by Thomas and Ferguson is the least of Castlebridge's concerns. In hindsight, ethics is a concern for Seidman. A company cannot survive in today's age without a conscience. He even cites the example of Mary donating Castlebridge's used factory to the local community – it may be viewed as a PR gimmick. Seidman's holistic management approach is the most recent approach seen as of now in this article. He balances out the profits as well as the people aspect of the firm. 5. Gill Corkindale Gill Corkindale concentrates on supporting Castlebridge's staff. She provides managerial steps in determining their well-being before, throughout and after the process of outsourcing. As with Seidman, she focuses on the human factor of this whole escapade – her major concern are the employees of Castlebridge. Though she agrees that Crane is the ultimate forward-looking CEO who thrives from the betterment of the company, she has to consider those who have serviced Castlebridge over the years of providing for wealthy shoppers. I agree with Corkindale to ultimately take steps to ensuring the welfare of future former employees. Again honesty and integrity surface here as well when dealing with staff anxiety and apprehension in such a massive managerial shift. However, Corkindale comments a lot about communication and â€Å"what to expect† from downsized employees. She does not suggest compensatory packages or any other means that Crane and her team should take to help ascertain a fair future for their employees. A simple example would be a motivating reference letter. 6. Commentary Firstly, Castlebridge's management has a fiduciary duty to cater towards the betterment of stakeholders – the ultimate goal: maximise profits by increasing revenue and reducing costs. All respondents agree that outsourcing production lines to cheaper waged countries is the logical step for the company to take. Secondly, a responsibility towards employees takes the humanitarian approach by Castlebridge. Sincerely caring for the welfare of retrenched workers is a laudable act – compensation schemes and references to new jobs is required to maintain Castlebridge's integrity in the market. Thirdly, brand positioning can be accommodated through marketing tactics. Not all companies are born to remain wealth-targeted companies. Change and eventual evolvement is part and parcel of any retail provider – especially when they rely heavily on consumers for sales. Brand identity can be repositioned / reinforced, whichever Castlebridge chooses to implement. Brand image should be the least of their priorities. 7. Conclusion Castlebridge owes their shareholders a fiduciary relationship where their interests are placed higher than those of other parties. Strategically if a the production lines have to be outsourced offshore, they should proceed with the outsourcing, exercising due care towards retrenched employees as well as the local community – this is to maintain Castlebridge's reputation as a British company that cares about the locals. Brand identity as well as customer perception can be emphasised through marketing tools that are inevitably available for companies today. It is imperative that Castlebridge remains a profit maximising corporation or else, any heritage or standard they pride themselves in, in the first place, will cease to exist if costs begin to run higher than revenue lines. However, with principles in mind, Castlebridge can also turn its focus on philanthropic causes to maintain a degree of dignity in mind. Not only is this vital for the company's image, it also acts as an effective marketing tool, and in the long-run shareholders too will benefit from the exposure the company seeks through charitable causes.   

Ancient Chinese Philosophy: How to Live Life Essay

How do I live my life? Since the early beginnings of society people have always been concerned with our behavior in public and conduct towards others: how should I behave towards my parents, how should I treat my friends, and in what way can I best show my respect for the gods? Religion was the first form of moral code; the writers would present their ideas about truth and morality, and reinforce their opinions with omnipotent deities who would, in a way, scare believers into acting accordingly. As society began to develop and powerful empires began to expand religion was no longer a priority. Many of the rituals necessary to appease the various gods were impractical. Furthermore, skeptics and other logical thinkers began to question their existence. However, moral code still needed to be maintained—especially in the growing empires—and people began searching for other forms of guidance. Moral philosophy most likely developed for this reason; to rationally investigate the truths and principles of knowledge, behavior and conduct. Around the fifth century B. C. in China (which today is known for strict guidelines regarding respect and obedience) two great philosophers, Confucius and Lao Tzu emerged who devoted their lives to explaining how to live life virtuously, and righteously. Though the two philosophers differ extremely in the presentations of their ideas, and the ideas themselves, together they create a full and detailed moral code. Confucius, the earlier of the two philosophers, (died in 497 B. C. ) analyzes various daily situations and suggests how one should behave in them in The Analects. The Master, as his pupils call him, repeatedly mentions the importance of behaving like a gentleman. But what exactly does this entail? What does one need to do to be considered a gentleman? There are many virtues that Confucius finds essential to being a gentleman, the most critical one being benevolence, which he discusses primarily in the first four books. Benevolence in the eyes of The Master, however, is very different from our current perception; we see it as kindness and sympathy while Confucius evidently sees it as something much greater. For us today benevolence can be seen in simple acts of compassion. For example, a common act of benevolence is putting your extra change into the plastic cup of a homeless person in Washington Square Park. I see a benevolent professor as one who is respectful of his students’ other responsibilities and gives them ample time to prepare their assignments. To Confucius, this would not be enough; he describes benevolence as a quality that is very difficult to achieve; apparently, it is something that does not even seem appealing to many. According to The Master, it encompasses our values, loyalty, pride, and honesty, and it manifests itself in our relationships with friends, parents, and superiors—only one who is perfect in all these categories can be considered benevolent, and therefore a gentlemen. The idea that Confucius describes as most vital to achieving the status of gentlemen is filial piety, the reverence for ones parents. The virtuous child would give their parents no other cause for anxiety than illness, The Master says. He must never stray too far from their â€Å"fields,† and if he does, he must always make his whereabouts known. To serve one’s parents to the fullest, he must also follow their instructions (or advice) exactly, even if they might not be beneficial or even good for his well-being. This must be done without questioning them. He can try to â€Å"dissuade† his parents on to a more righteous path if it is done subtly and respectfully, but cannot blatantly point out mistakes in his parents’ suggestions. It does not stop there; the child must cover up any blunders the parents make from the eyes of the world. Whether Confucius puts filial piety on a higher level than law is unclear, and he may not have considered extreme examples. But I am. If your father, for example, would murder someone, should you take the Euthyphro approach of bringing him to justice, or should you become an accomplice in his crime by tampering with evidence, or perhaps burying the body? I doubt that any fair gentleman would ever involve himself in a crime so grave under any circumstances. When the parents begin to age the child should take note of it. The old age of your parent’s should bring you anxiety, The Master suggests. It is obvious that at some point the responsibilities of the parents and children reverse; during childhood it is children who bring stress to their parents (or in the case of perfect children, don’t), and during adulthood it is parents, and their health, who should bring stress to the children. Confucius never completely mentions but implies that as the parents’ age advances the child must make changes in his life to accommodate his parents. Perhaps, in today’s society that would mean to spend more time with them when they retire and monitor their health more often than before. The child’s obligations do not end during the lifetime of the parents; to be a good son you must live with reverence towards your parents even after their deaths. One way to do this is to not change his father’s â€Å"ways† for three years. Another is to present their spirits with offerings and sacrifices. Some of these ideas, however, leave the boundaries of respect and move towards expressions of love. You are expected to feel anxious when they are not in good health, but that can only be felt if you truly love them. And how can anyone oversee whether you are presenting their spirits with offerings? You must be truly devoted and love them to continue respecting them even after they are dead (or just very fearful of their spirits). It appears that Confucius never draws a clear line between respect and love; maybe in his view one cannot exist without the other. The respect and awe of parents from an early age shapes the child into a polite and well-rounded adult, one who is not too arrogant and knows his place in society. Whatever filial piety is, it is clear that it is only a small aspect of benevolence an insufficient virtue on the road to becoming a gentleman. But before we can even explore what qualities you need to be a gentleman, we must ask what The Master means when he says â€Å"gentleman. † There is certainly some idealism and imagination involved in his construction of the gentleman. In a way, the gentleman is a perfect and unattainable feat that everyone should strive for. Confucius advocated for respect of tradition, culture and knowledge; without showing interest in these aspects of society, all hope of becoming a gentleman is lost. A gentleman must respect and live by the traditions, but at the same time distinguish himself from everyone around him. Though Confucius advises against questioning what has already been explained and accomplished. So how does he propose to become better? His analects are somewhat contradictory: how do you have any voice if you cannot speak out against old tradition, or create new ones? At the same time, the ideal man should learn from the people around him and be open to criticism. In a society which was so concerned with accordance and conformity, however, his ideas seem reasonable. By following these traditions, you are being polite and respectful, obviously, important qualities. Perhaps his greatest explanation of the qualities necessary to be a gentleman comes in Book V, where he describes the qualities that make Tzu-ch’an a gentleman, â€Å"He was respectful in the manner he conducted himself; he was reverent in the service of his lord; in caring for the common people, he was generous and, in employing their services, he was just. † To be a gentleman, you must have compassion and generosity, qualities that I believe every human has innately; therefore, it would be possible for anyone to be a gentleman if they can harness those traits. In his description of Tzu-ch’an it appears that he had some form of authority over others, possibly a duke or a nobleman in China. It is quite possible that his descriptions of a gentleman aim to describe the ideal ruler. Indeed, all of the qualities he portrays throughout The Analects are vital in a successful ruler: leading by action, not by word (avoidance of hypocrisy), fairness and justice to subordinates, acting reasonably, and using good judgment. Confucius’ teachings are very practical not only to the common man, but to the ruler as well. It is no surprise that this ancient text is still used by today’s societies as guidelines for good leaders. Though it is unclear what exactly a gentleman is, there is an explicit moral code that Confucius believes we should live by. The philosophy recounted in Lao Tzu’s Tao Te Ching, on the other hand, is far less practical, in my opinion. His teachings are more spiritual and are harder to live by because of their vagueness and ambiguity. He created the idea of â€Å"Tao,† which is more than just a way of life, it’s even more than life itself—it is everything! Heaven and Earth, Yin and Yang, and all other complementary opposites are Tao. It is likely that by Tao, Lao Tzu is referring to the Universe and everything it engulfs, as he is known to have theorized about the flow of nature. Lao Tzu explains how Tao should be embraced. His philosophy creates a sense of unity among humans, and encourages them to become one with their surroundings. But there are a few ideas which he must not have fully thought through. Is Tao really everything? Everything includes the good and the bad, and Tao is described as all good. Furthermore, there should be no desire to stray from Tao because of its idealism. But is it even possible to stray from Tao if it is everything? Evidently, Tao itself is an idea too complex and difficult for most people to understand, at least for me it is. For this reason (and maybe others as well), Lao Tzu created Te, which is more concrete than Tao—it is the manifestation of Tao, the person walking on the path, rather than the actual path. Through his use of Te, Lao Tzu is still able to create some moral code. By today’s standards, Lao Tzu’s philosophy is in some ways outdated and obsolete. He values inaction, and feels that everyone should be satisfied with what they know and have. To some this may seem like lack of ambition; how can a philosopher possibly be advising against ambition? But I find his advice to be pointing out the faults of over-ambition, and possibly greed. As with everything, there should be harmony, and an equal balance between ambition and satisfaction with the status quo. This is a sound suggestion because through out history we have seen overachievers fall repeatedly: Alexander the Great and his empire, the Roman Empire, the infamous Hitler and his empire as well. Maybe this is not what he intended at all; maybe he meant that lack of action is better than the wrong action. If the action we make will steer us further from the end of Tao, then it may be wiser to not act at all. Or perhaps, through inaction one can reflect and further his spirituality, and by doing so take one step closer to Tao. Maybe, it is for this reason that Lao Tzu chose to leave Taoism so open-ended—so that the reader could interpret Tao in his own way—one person’s path may be radically different from another’s. Though his value of inaction may not make sense to the modern eye, his idea of simplicity and potentiality resonate strongly with us. He compares potentiality to an uncut piece of wood. There are so many possible directions we can take with that single piece of wood—it can become anything! He suggests that a person remain this way, maintaining innocence and openness to new experiences. No matter what we may have seen or felt in the past, we should not be biased towards what the future holds. This is not easy, but is a desirable trait, and probably must be attained to achieve Tao. He also stresses the values of simplicity, which is completely necessary to follow the path. How can one possibly see the path, if he is distracted by what he does not need? Often, it is our embrace of personal possessions and wealth that hinder us from true reflection and meditation. Maybe, it is for this reason that Lao Tzu speaks out against ambition; because you will never see truth if you are blinded by desires. It is likely that Lao Tzu was in some way associated with Confucius, as there is visible influence Lao Tzu in Analects and influence of Confucius in Tao Te Ching. Confucius mentions â€Å"the Way† numerous times, but never explains what it means. Lao Tzu mentions benevolence and vaguely describes what a good ruler is, â€Å"a shadowy presence to his subjects. † Both place high importance on remaining within society’s norms, Confucius through his awe of traditions, and Lao Tzu through his inaction. Both agree that one should live by their word, and that honesty, integrity, and consideration for others desires are important. On their own, neither of the texts adequately describes a fulfilling way of life; together, with Confucius addressing practical matters and Lao Tzu focusing on the spiritual ones, a complete and detailed moral code is constructed. The way of life that these two ancient philosophers described so centuries ago still holds strong today. Though they are difficult to follow with all the temptations of modern society, and the vices of modern man, every one of us still strives to be a gentleman on the path of Tao.

Writing assignment Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Writing assignment - Coursework Example He asserts that Lincoln would have made the reconstruction process a success in a easier and peaceful manner. Answer: The frontier settlement in the early periods in America can be associated to be inclined towards capitalism other than racial, ethnic, and religious segregation. People saw the frontier zones as long lasting opportunities for economic development and so moved into these regions. Answer: The western zones were regarded as regions dominated by the pioneers whose quest was that for limitless opportunities for development. However it was riddled with inequalities as the movements were races and specific for instance, both the French, the Dutch, the English and other migrants moved and settled in different parts and not together. Answer: Custer’s stand was based on the great Sioux war of the 1970s. This led to the destruction of the Chyenne camps by the US troops other than killing thousands of the Indians. His statements led to the ending of this war in a more peaceful way. Answer: The commission for the Indian affairs recommended severalty in order to end the war that was becoming too much on their side. As many of the Indians were getting killed a sense of fear gripped the Indians and as a result they recommended severalty as the last resort. Answer: Turner’s thesis of the frontiers is a description of the gold rush among the capitalist pioneers who raced to the frontier zones for material gain. Turner says in his thesis that the frontier zones attracted more settlements with its varied and seemingly limitless opportunities for development. Answer: It is actually true that the frontier movements led to the onset of capitalism system that is in operation in America today. As the pioneers moved to the frontiers with a view of investing in the resource rich zones led by the capitalist’s view

The Godmother of Drug Trafficking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Godmother of Drug Trafficking - Essay Example A lady employing a violent approach to her business, Griselda Blanco caused ripples in the southern region. She also went by the name; Verucca (a tough and fearless woman) among her dug related enemies (Davies 124). It is the violent nature of her business transaction that caused the intentional deaths of more than 200 people. The deaths show that Blanco was not hesitant to ward off any person who threatened her business. She did not tolerate any unwanted competition or betrayal during her reign. Those who would betray her were punished accordingly (Davis 124). At the tender age of her life, she is alleged to have kidnapped, asked for a ransom and firing a shot the kidnapped child from the well off part of her slum dwelling. At 14, she became a prostitute but later moved to the United States where her drug trafficking business kicked off. This history documents the inappropriate background that aided her ruthless and violent nature. Bob Polombo, US DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) agent said that â€Å"I just think it was inherent to Griselda Blanco. This goes back to her life, the way she was brought up. She was just a violent person† (Brown 96). Her first dwelling while in the United States was New York. She did not last long as she was eventually indicted bur fled to Miami where her business remained rooted for a long time. Among the most vivid case of her ruthlessness, the infamous bout with her rival drug dealer stands out. She commanded her gang to head to the Dadeland Mall (the busiest area in Miami) in her villainous white Econoline van to face off with the rival. (Swartz 193). The van was actually a â€Å"war wagon† because â€Å"its sides were covered by quarter-inch steel with gun-ports cut into them† (Brown 96). More so, the violent exchange of fire occurred in broad daylight. Ingram Mac-10 machine pistols and Baretta automatic handguns were widely used in this confrontation. (Swartz 193). What followed was a massacre that puzzled the Dade county coroner. He is quoted as describing it as â€Å"Swiss Cheese†. The continuation of her reign as the most fierce drug lord was facilitated by her most trusted commander tagged â€Å"Rivas†. She entrusted Rivas with heading her group of killers known as Pisteleros. (Riano-Alcala 42). Pisteleros and the subsidiary group known a s the Motorcycle assassins were the main enforcers to the smuggling work. With this group, she would organize a network of women who were mostly widows and use them in smuggling the cocaine all over the United States. She created a lingerie so that her female traffickers would ferry her drugs without being detected (Surovell 4). By protecting her business empire, she had massive success as her operations expanded greatly in the 1970s. She received large quantities of cocaine from Colombia. She was able to rake in large amounts of money (Brown 96). She eventually became one of the richest self made millionaires as well as the most powerful in Miami and its environment. The â€Å"black widow† was the name that she was branded due to her murderous instinct towards her husbands. (Smitten 2). Her sociopathic behaviors towards her husbands put in total disregard all the achievements of the pairs. Her admirers who dared to cross her path were not spared. She would either hire profes sional contract killers to execute the murders or do it herself. The most inhumane murder was that of Trujillo. Trujillo was eventually not credited by Blanco for introducing her to the dangerous world of guns, murderers, and the drugs in the Medellin Cartel (Gugliota 8). Although he taught her all the useful tricks of drug trafficking, he was a victim of her wrath over a small business dispute (Surovell 4).

Nursing as a Profession Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Nursing as a Profession - Research Paper Example The question of whether nursing constitutes a profession or merely an occupation has been debated frequently but never conclusively answered, owing to the subjective interpretation of word connotations as well as a lack of consensus as to what profession entails. The Random House dictionary defines a profession as â€Å"a vocation requiring knowledge of some department of learning or science.† L. Harvey (2004) says that â€Å"A profession is a group of people in a learned occupation, the members of which agree to abide by specified rules of conduct when practicing the profession.† Over the years, several researchers have developed specific criteria regarding professions. This paper will focus on the eight criteria established by Dr. Lucie Kelly in 1981, and examine nursing in relation to those criteria. Kelly's Criteria for Professions 1) The services provided are vital to humanity and the welfare of society. 2) There is a special body of knowledge that is continually enlarged through research. 3) The services involve intellectual activities; individual responsibility (accountability) is a strong feature. 4) Practitioners are educated in institutions of higher learning. 5) Practitioners are relatively independent and control their own policies and activities (autonomy). 6) Practitioners are motivated by service (altruism) and consider their work an important component of their lives. 7) There is a code of ethics to guide the decisions and conduct of practitioners 8) There is an organization (association) that encourage and supports high standards of practice. (Chitty citing Kelly, 2005, p. 171) The first four of Kelly's eight criteria are easily addressed, as there can be no doubt of the vital nature of the services provided by nurses, who are frequently referred to in literature as â€Å"the backbone of the healthcare system.† It also cannot be disputed that there exists a large and continually expanding body of knowledge related to nursing. There is a great deal of personal accountability involved in nursing as well. Each day nurses world-wide make decisions within a professional context which have a significant impact on the lives of their patients, as well as colleagues and even administrators. Nurses are required to undergo profession-specific education, as well as to maintain awareness of current research in the field in order to perform their jobs effectively. Likewise, nursing can easily be demonstrated to meet the seventh and eighth of Kelly's criteria. The Code of Ethics for Nurses is well established, and there are several national organizations devoted to maintaining high standards for nurse accreditation, as well as an International Council of Nurses. Autonomy of nurses might be questioned: Do nurses control their own policies and activities? While it is clear that a nurse must make decisions on a daily basis and act on those decisions, nurses are subjected to policies within the confines of their employing institutions. Though nurses frequently execute the orders of doctors, the manner of execution is usually left to individual nurses. Thus, in the opinion of this researcher nursing meets the fifth of Kelly's criteria. The question of motivation is a thornier one. While many individuals choose to enter nursing for altruistic reasons, it seems unreasonable to expect that all nurses share that particular motivation. Ther e is a shortage of nurses world-wide, no doubt leading to many individuals choose this career path because it will provide a secure and reliable source of income. Nurses trained in an accredited program can always find

Banking concept of education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Banking concept of education - Essay Example Banking concept of education Particularly, I would like to describe the manner in which the tutor conducted the lesson from the beginning to the end in relation to the arguments by Freire that related to the banking concept of education. The most specific and outstanding thing is that in the class duration, the tutor’s mode of teaching appeared to have been more inclined towards inquiry-based education or problem-solving education. However, there are instances when the tutor’s teaching methods could have been perceived as focusing on ‘depositing and withdrawing’ aspects of banking; except that in this case, it was in the contextualization of education. It was on a Friday morning Philosophy class in which the tutor introduced the concept of critical thinking. In analyzing his thoughts on the same, it dawned on me that the best approach to education should be that which seeks in solving problems through offering of solutions to the same. Critical thinking as a subject area is a diverse f ield and in most cases, students just take down notes and only revise on them when the exams period are approaching. Actually, for some students, the passing of the exams is more essential than the knowledge itself. Applying the Freire’s argument of libertarian process of education, would have greatly led to the demystification of the teaching concepts that were espoused by the tutor. For instance, in beginning the class, the tutor asked each student to theorize, and then apply in immediate contexts the instances in which we had to engage critical thinking skills in making rational decisions. The attainment of this was through the provision of a sit-in-test that lasted for 30 minutes. While this was opposed by a section of other students, I noticed that the tutor wanted each one of us to be more of problem-solvers than bankers of education. Consequently, the tutor’s selection and use of language and practical illustrations for the topic indicated his intention for the adoption of the problem-posing and solving strategies to education. From the point of view of Freire, I perceive this distinguishing and objective learning style adopted by the tutor as useful and can be further applied in admonishing creativity among the students. However, on the other hand, I perceived the tutor’s ways of teaching as those that were inclined to the banking systems of education. According to Freire, the banking concept of education mostly perceives students as just but, recipients of what their teachers tell them irrespective of their content or the factual truth behind them. In support of this, I noticed that there were instances when the tutor just mentioned concepts or recited them without proper explanations on the same. This in my opinion assumes students to be but, receiving and withdrawing machines that just re-cycle concepts as stated by the teachers. I noticed that this was a dangerous situation, despite having been used by most teachers to refill t heir narrations on students. In assessing this position, I would also agree with Freire in this line since, it only makes students to be storage devices who only store that which has been

Strategic Management for Professional Practice Essay

Strategic Management for Professional Practice - Essay Example We will determine whether what Google is doing is a winning strategy by using the Goodness of Fit Test and the Competitive Advantage Test. Google started as a smaller company called BackRub in which they discovered and set out to use the new internet and its growth creating a new advertising medium for companies of all kinds. Search based adds became very popular and were proving to be financially exciting with an expected growth to $5.8 billion in market funds by 2013. Then BackRub knew that they had a way to search the web faster than anyone else and get highly relevant results quickly. The then strategic thinking of Larry Page and Sergey Brin collaborated and Google was born from a mathematical term called googol (Gamble, J, 2008). The use of the name Google was meant to be an indication of the random numbers used to create their search method. Manipulating the external environment has been a major strength of Googles from the beginning. Their strategies here have seemed to be crafted and did not just emerge as part of their strategic thinking process (Mintzberg, H., 1987). Understanding the external environment is often not easy but Google seems to understand it well. It is even more complicated in Googles case because their business is the internet and they became a global entity very quickly. They remained, however, consistently aware of the changing of the external environment and responded quickly. In the beginning it was the building of a faster search engine, it has later been the addition of business to expand their influence. Google rose to the top rapidly and had to respond just as rapidly to change. Their search engine became extremely popular in a short time and Google was attracting millions in venture capital. They responded with new technology, search capabilities in several languages, and a Google tool bar browser. They followed these with Google News, Product Search, Scholar, and Local to name a few.

Research Methods Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Research Methods - Essay Example Sampling The level of analysis adopted in this study is the company or organizational level. Level of analysis, as defined by Louche and Baeten (2006), refers to the level which this analysis will apply. In this study, the company level of analysis of the impact assessment focuses on the organization, their processes, challenges, decision-making methods, outputs and outcomes (Wood, Logsdon, Lewellyn & Davenport, 2006). The population identified for this study consists of the employees comprising the global virtual teams of a multinational corporation. Random sampling will be used to ensure the representativeness of the sample. Random sampling is a type of probability sampling where each item or member of the population of interest has an equal chance of being included in the sample. This type of sample guarantees that the respondents are selected without bias and at the same time permits the determination of a specified statistical level of confidence in the statement of inferences ( Kazmier, 2004). A Web-based random sample size calculator was used to compute for the minimum required sample, based on the following parameters: (1) margin of error, 5%; (2) confidence level, 95%; (3) population size, 60,000; and (4) response distribution, 50% (Raosoft, 2004). Based on the output generated by calculation, the minimum required sample size was 382. A screenshot of this output is exhibited as Appendix 2. However, in anticipation of contingency which may arise during data gathering, such as invalid or incompletely answered questionnaires, failure to retrieve floated questionnaires, or withdrawal of the respondent’s participation at any point in the study for whatever reason, the minimum sample size required was augmented by 10% and rounded off to the nearest tens. Hence, the sample size in this study is 420. Random sampling will be carried out by obtaining pertinent information such as names of the employees and corresponding e-mail addresses. Permission has alr eady been requested from the HR department after purpose of the study and request for information accessed have been discussed. Approval has also been given on condition of anonymity and confidentiality of the information disclosed. The names of the employees have been inputted in Microsoft Excel (2003). Each name in one column was automatically assigned a random number and sorted from lowest to highest. The first 420 random numbers representing employee names were selected as respondents. Measures Five constructs are being measured in the current study. Three of these constructs are organizational variables included in the first research problem: communication, culture and diversity. Communication is measured in terms of level of adequacy of communication within and among the virtual teams using Part 2 of the research instrument. Respondents assess the adequacy of communication within and among the virtual teams using a five-point Likert Scale. The responses are interpreted accordi ng to the mean of the

Roadmap to the Development Process of Toyota Prius Essay Example for Free

Roadmap to the Development Process of Toyota Prius Essay Toyota Motor Corporation is a famous Japanese multinational corporation, and is considered the world’s second largest automaker of automobiles, trucks, buses, robots, and providing financial services. When Toyota and other Japanese carmakers entered the American market, they were not considered as a threat to the American auto industry because it was believed their cars had no appeal to American consumers However, in the 1970s, due to several problems like environmental regulations, and quality control issues with American cars, a good number of American car owners began searching for alternatives to poorly made American cars. In response to these changes, Toyota and other Japanese carmakers aggressively marketed their cars to Americans as being fuel-efficient, environmentally friendly, and having better build quality than American cars. In addition, Toyota marketed their cars with commercials involving young Toyota drivers jumping in the air. As a result, the Japanese’s marketing campaign along with continuing problems from the Big Three auto manufacturers, allowed import cars to make up about 20 percent of the US car market by 1980. Stage1. General Motors, Ford and Daimler-Chrysler focused in the late 1990s on mergers and acquisitions for improving their business positions to meet future challenges. Toyota, meanwhile, centered its business strategy on technological innovation and persistent environmental product development. The price of oil was not especially high during the 1990s when Toyota started its hybrid car program. Oil prices were below US $20 barrel in 1994 and were to fall to a 50-year low around 1997 when the Toyota Prius was first sold in Japan. Clearly something else was driving Toyota and other Japanese companies to invest so heavily in hybrid car development. There are three probable reasons: 1 . High petrol taxes in Japan, due to the Japanese government wanting to reduce the dependence of Japan on imported oil. While this would have certainly driven the Japanese development of hybrid cars, petrol was cheap in the key US market at this time. 2) The potential to gain a market advantage by developing the key technologies required to successfully commercialize hybrid cars, and then owning these developments via patents. 3) The expectation that ownership of these key fuel savings technologies would become very valuable when world oil prices rise from the lows of the mid-1990s, which was a fair long-term assumption to make during this period. Stage2: Decision Making Process: In 1994, the executive team acknowledged the potential threat of depleting oil reserves and climate change and change their strategy or products to meet the needs of future customers. Course of Action: Toyota set up a group tasked with meeting the challenge of creating a vehicle for the 21st century, which would work within the parameters of natural resource constraints and environmental issues. Commitment to course of action: Toyota pioneered the concept of Hybrid (petrol/electric) technology to mass produce the world’s first eco-efficient vehicle, the Toyota Prius. Evaluation of decision/re-engineering: The first prototype of the car had even faced starting problem. It took almost six months to roll the car. Finally, when the car started, it moved for a few yards only. It was hard to imagine that Toyota, which was known for its efficient production systems, was facing such trouble. Initially it felt that ‘Prius’ was a case of technological problems, impossible demands and multiple miscalculations. It proved how a great company could overcome obstacles and turn a dream into reality. Though ‘Prius’ represented only a small fraction of the nine million cars and trucks that the Japanese company planned to produce in 2006, it would be the first vehicle to provide a serious alternative to internal combustion engines, designed for a world of scarce oil and was branded as ‘The car for the future’. Stage3: Toyota carefully studied the US market and sees there is a growing oil crisis and foresees a need for change in the structure for cars, converting their needs to oil saving cars. While American car manufactures lacked producing such cars, then Toyota caught that opportunity and tried to occupy this niche market. By 2002, it was being sold in North America, Japan, Europe, Hong Kong, Australia and Singapore. Analysts opined that the demand for hybrid cars would rise because of the unstable oil prices and the growing need for environment friendly products. Post Evaluation By examining the external environment and acknowledging the potential threats of depleting resources and increased concern over environmental issues, Toyota have turned a threat into a business opportunity, boosting their reputation both as an environmentally conscious and as technological innovators and established themselves as leaders in this growing market. The car industry faces many complex issues, but the introduction of the Prius provided Toyota with a competitive advantage. RoadMap to the development Process of Toyota Prius. Stage1| Stage2| Stage3| Executive level| 1 Expressed concern about the future of the automobile2. Embarked a new project called G21 to the team3. Communicated the vision and priorities to the team| 1. The executive team acknowledged the potential threat of depleting oil2. Challenged the team for the innovation of new model using new technology| 1. Toyota unveiled the Prius in Japan in October 1997, two months ahead of schedule. 2. Made strategy plans for introducing cars to US and other prospective continents| Management and Team level| 1. Engaged in improving the existing internal combustion engine technology2. Started making refinements to the existing technology | 1. Team committed to the course of action using hybrid technology. 2. Came up with around 80 alternatives. 3. Identified numerous problems heat, reliability, noise, and cost. 4. Narrowed the list to four models. 5. After endless fussing and tweaking, the team finally reached 66 miles per gallon the 100% mileage improvement. | 1. Team has started putting efforts towards with second and third generation Prius. 2. Redesigned the model for making it more appealing to the consumers. | Marketing /Sales Team| 1. Identification of the growing oil prices. 2. Identification of Growing middle class around the world. | 1. Raised the concern that Premium price for the hybrid would make it impossible to sell. 2. Challenged with building consumer technology awareness. | 1. Devised new marketing ways to cut down dealership costs in US. 2. Devised new ways to boost the sales through internet, relied on grass-roots marketing, and public relations events|.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and the Person Centred Therapy

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and the Person Centred Therapy Since the late 20th century, psychotherapy has been described as an important aspect in the study of psychology. Due to its importance, psychologists have been actively involved in the identification of the critical approaches in counselling and psychotherapy (Corey 2009). Psychologists have come up with different theoretical models of counselling that are applicable at different situations during psychotherapy (Fall Holden 2010). The application of these theoretical models of counselling have helped in overcoming the impact of several emotional as well as psychological difficulties such as stress, depression, anxiety, anger, and other emotional problems (Fall Holden 2010). However, despite the universal application in solving similar problems in human beings, these theoretical models of psychotherapy possess distinct differences as well as similarities. A comparison and contrast of the major theoretical models in counselling is therefore critical in understanding the application o f each theory in psychotherapy (Corey 2009). This paper compares and contrasts three theoretical models of counselling. For comparison and contrasting purposes, the paper has identified three main modalities: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, the Person-Centred Therapy, and Gestalt Therapy. This paper will describe the underpinning assumptions of each model, the goals of therapy in relation to each model, the therapeutic relationship including the role of the counsellor and the client, the key techniques of each model and the major limitations in relation to each particular model. The paper will describe each theoretical model of counselling while comparing and contrasting with the others utilizing the aforementioned aspects. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Person-Centred Therapy, and Gestalt Therapy CBT, Person Centred Therapy and Gestalt Therapies are three theoretical models that have been applied in psychotherapy for many years. Despite their similarities and use in counselling, the three theoretical models hold distinct differences from each other. These differences are realized especially in regard to the assumptions, the goals of each, therapeutic relationship, key techniques of each and limitations (Corey 2009). Being one of the most preferred theoretical models in counselling, CBT has demonstrated explicit justifications as well as definite rates of success in most of the instances where it has been applied (Brewin 1989). The diversity of its applications in major psychological and emotional problems has also encouraged most psychotherapists to utilize it in therapeutical sessions (Stallard 2002). In contemporary psychotherapy, as described by Stallard (2002), CBT has been integrated with other theoretical models due to its multidimensional nature. CBT has been applied in clinical psychology and other psychological therapies on the basis of its premise of the importance of thinking about individual actions and feelings in relation to psychological and emotional health (Fall Holden 2010; Ingram Siegle 2000). Person-Centered Therapy was developed by Carl Rogers in the 1940s, and has been a critical theoretical model in counselling. According to Fall Holden (2010), this theory of counselling developed in three different phases. In the first phase, the theory focused on how the nondirective counsellors conduct differed from that of more directive psychotherapists such as psychoanalysts and behaviour therapists (Fall Holden 2010, p 171). The second phase focused away from the counsellor and firmly onto the client as a responsible agent whose nature provided the rationale for the counsellors therapeutic conduct (Fall Holden 2010, p 171).The third phase emerged when the theory included past counselling philosophies which formed major requirements of conventional psychology (Vacc Loesch 2000). Gestalt Therapy, on the other hand, emerged in the 20th century. As described by Fall Holden (2010), Gestalt therapy grew from a reaction to classical psychoanalysis that permeated the psychological community of the early twentieth century (p. 201). Developed in the 1940s by Frederick Fritz Perls, Gestalt Therapy focused on cultivating growth rather than pathological remediation, (Fall Holden 2010, p 202). Actual psychological experiences are the major emphasis of the gestalt therapy. Underpinning Assumptions Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Person-Centred Therapy and Gestalt Therapy have differing underpinning assumptions that make each therapy distinct. CBT assumes that the occurrence of behavioural and emotional problems in most individuals is due to the nature of people incorporating faulty thinking (Dryden Bond 2000). CBT also assumes that the manner in which individuals perform and believe is determined and influenced by individual cognition. The counselling is therefore focused towards the cognition and behaviour of the individual (Ingram Siegle 2000). During CBT, the importance of decision making, thought, questioning and action is stressed. CBT assumes that counselling is a process that entails learning, acquisition of novel talents as well as learning new coping mechanisms for common psychological and emotional problems (Corey 2009, Stallard 2002). In person centred therapy, it is assumed that humans are positive and due to this positivity, they tend to be inclined towards the achievement of complete functionality of both their bodies and minds (VanKalmthout 1998). In applying this model in counselling, it is assumed that the immediate experiences in an individual have occurred due to lack of past awareness about the problems. The theory has it that after therapy, the individual will possess actualization that will impact on his or her potential to move from being unaware to being aware of his or her feelings, and will have self trust and think positively in relation to his or her life (Rennie 1998). Gestalt Therapy assumes that for an individual to achieve personal wholeness in terms of thinking, feelings as well as behaviour, they have to work hard (Brownell 2010). This theory assumes that if an individual is allowed to flashback on past experiences, they will be able to relate them to the present experiences and then connect the two. Fall Holden (2010) claim this model of counselling utilizes an experiential advance that holds its grounds on the immediate experiences therefore emphasizing on individual responsibilities as well as choices. Goals of Therapy The three theoretical models possess different goals. CBT challenges individuals to face the behaviours, norms, and beliefs that affect their psychological and emotional health (Dryden Bond 2000). CBT also encourages clients to be more aware of their thoughts therefore encouraging clients to change their feelings (Vacc Loesch 2000). Person-Centred therapy aims at providing individuals with an environment that is safe and favourable for exploring their well being (Rennie 1998). By encouraging clients to explore well being, Person-centred therapy ensures that clients recognize all the challenges that they have faced in their emotional and psychological growth. Further, this therapy enables clients to realise aspects of self worthiness that had been imprecise during their past (Tudor Worrall 2006). The goals of the Gestalt Therapy also differ from those of CBT and person centred therapies. Basically, Gestalt therapy aims at assisting emotionally and psychologically affected individuals in advancing towards self awareness in relation to their day to day experiences (Brownell 2010). This encourages clients to be expansive especially in making choices in regard to their lives. However, the gestalt therapy in contrast with the CBT and person-centred therapies aims at assimilation but not at psychoanalysis which is common in the other two therapies (Fall Holden 2010). Therapeutic Relationship In relation to therapeutic relationship, the role of the counsellor and client becomes critical in ensuring that the outcome of the therapy is desirable. In relation to the three theoretical models of counselling under discussion, the therapeutic relationships differ from one model to the other. In each model, the client and therapist hold different roles (Corey 2009). The therapeutic relationship in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, the therapeutic relationship resembles the relationship between a teacher and a student. The therapist acts as the teacher and the client as the student. According to Romana (2003), the role of the therapist is to give therapeutical instructions to the client who listens and does what the counsellor says. In this relationship, the counsellor employs directive structures to direct clients on behaviour changes (Dryden Bond 2000). In this case, the counsellor acts as the focal point since he impacts much on the cognitive and behavioural changes in the client. However, for desirable results, collaboration is ensured during therapy (Gilbert Leahy 2007). The counsellor utilizes the Socratic dialogue that is critical in supporting clients in tenets such as the identification of the beliefs, norms and values that have impacted on the psychological and emotional functionality (Romana 2003). Further, the counsellor encourages the client to change these beliefs as well as identify an unconventional rule for present and future living. In this case, the counsellor helps in promoting the adoption of remedial skills of learning (DeRubeis, Tang Beck 2001). In this relationship, the client always gets new insights in relation to the problems he/she is experiencing and therefore decides on efficient and effective means of acquiring change (Gilbert Leahy 2007). In the person centred therapy, the therapeutic relationship is distinct from CBT and gestalt. In Person-Centred Therapy, the relationship between client and counsellor is crucial (Tudor Worrall 2006) because therapy is centred towards the client as the client is the focal point of the therapy. Due to this, the counsellor must ensure that respect, genuineness, and empathy towards the client are maintained. Further, communication is also critical in this model especially between the client and the therapist. The relationship must equal as it is crucial in aiding behaviour change in the client (Wilkins 2010). Therapeutic relationships in the Gestalt Therapy hold central significance. The counsellor and client establish a relationship that is centrally placed. In this therapy, the relationship only depends on the nature and quality of the therapeutic measures being given (Brownell 2010). In contrast to CBT and person centred therapies, gestalt therapy depends much on the attitudes of the counsellor towards the client. The client is his own interpreter hence the counsellor only helps the client to interpret his behaviours and experiences (Brownell 2010). Therefore the role of the counsellor is as an aid. The client identifies his experiences and works on how to change the experiences that affect his current psychological and emotional health (Fall Holden 2010). Key Techniques There are different techniques applicable in the three models of counselling described in this paper. CBT utilizes techniques aimed at personal counselling. The theory utilizes the Socratic model that entails several questions to be answered by the client. Corey (2009) denotes that therapists utilize a variety of cognitive, emotive, and behavioural techniques; diverse methods are tailored to suit individual clients, (p. 466). However, the client is also allowed to ask the counsellor some questions. Further, the theory employs the aspect of homework that encourages the clients to practice the skills learnt. Therefore the major technique of CBT is the ABC technique that utilizes the Socratic model (DeRubeis, Tang Beck 2001). In client centred therapy, the techniques differ from those of CBT. While CBT applies assignments and Socratic model, Person centred therapy makes use of the attitudes of the counsellor as the major technique. The attitude of the counsellor towards the client dete rmines the outcome of the therapy (Tudor Worrall 2006). However, this therapy utilizes aspects of hearing and listening and clarification of ideas and feelings. This therapy does not utilize techniques that entail directive aspects. In person centred therapy, there is no probing and questioning; common aspects in CBT therapy (Wilkins 2010). In the Gestalt therapy, the techniques used contrast those of CBT and person-centred therapy. As asserted by Corey (2009), this therapy uses a wide range of experiments designed to intensify experiencing and to integrate conflicting feelings, (p. 466). Limitations Though the theoretical models of counselling described in this paper are necessary in counselling, each model has several limitations. The CBT is believed to have an aspect of playing down the emotions of the clients. It lacks the focus on determining the underlying unconsciousness in the clients and due to this fails in relating the clients past with the present experiences. Since it entails confrontation, this therapy may witness cases of termination as most clients may not cope with its expectations (Fall Holden 2010). The limitations of the person centred therapy are distinct as compared to those of CBT and Gestalt. Since the therapist is a passive entity during this therapy, cases of limited responses are occasional. There is lack of direction for most clients since the counsellor remains inactive (Wilkins 2010). In cases when crisis occurs, the clients will lack support. The theory lacks the application of novel knowledge hence cases of rigidity are common (Tudor Worrall 2006 ). In Gestalt Therapy, limitations include expressions of emotion due to the techniques that are employed. Clients in most cases fail to acquire or reach the required thresholds of the therapy since cognitive aspects are not dealt with. Conclusion This paper has described three theoretical models including CBT, Person-Centred and Gestalt. The paper has explored the underpinning assumptions of each model while comparing and contrasting the assumptions. It has also identified the goals of each therapy as well as the therapeutic relationships. The paper has also compared and contrasted the key techniques utilized in the three models as well as the limitations of each model. Although it is established that each of the three models is distinct from the other in terms of the described concepts, the three theoretical models are critical in psychotherapy.

Lung Disorders and Illnesses

Lung Disorders and Illnesses Emphysema Emphysema is a disorder in which the alveolar walls are destroyed. This is a result from a breakdown in the lungs normal defense mechanisms, which is the alpha-antitrypsin, against enzymes protease and elastase, which attacks and destroys the connective tissue of the lungs. Difficult expiration is the result of the destruction of the walls between the alveoli, partial airway collapse and loss of elastic recoil which be caused by smoking. As the alveoli collapse, pockets of the air form the alveolar spaces and within the lung parenchyma. This process leads to increased ventilator dead space from areas that do not participate in gas or blood exchange. The work of breathing is increased because there is less function at lung tissue to exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide. Individual with emphysema shows productive cough, decreased exercise tolerance, wheezing, shortness of breath, prolonged expiration and barrel chest presentation. To diagnose this condition, doctors will arrange for the person to have lung function test. Spirometry is used to measure the volume of air that the individual can inhale and exhale over a period of time. The result will show whether the airways are narrowed as a result of lung disorder, this test can also tell if the bronchodilator drugs prescribed, to widen the airways, are effective. Individual may have X-ray and CT scanning to assess the extent of damage to the lung and to exclude other disorders and look for evidence of lung tissue damage. Doctor will prescribe an inhaler containing a bronchodilator drug to open up the airways of the lungs by relaxing muscles of the bronchial walls, some will have oxygen therapy to relieve shortness of breath and antibiotics may be prescribed if a chest infection develops. Smoking and air pollution causes inflammation in the airways leading to the destruction of lung tissue. Smoking also weakens the immune system, which causes the lungs to be susceptible to infections resulting to decreased elasticit y leading to gradual destruction of lung function. Pneumoconiosis This is also known as the dust disease, result from inhalation of minerals, notably silica, coal dust or asbestos. This disease is commonly seen in miners, construction workers, sandblasters, potters and foundry and quarry workers. Pneumoconiosis usually develop gradually over a period of years, eventually leading to diffuse pulmonary fibrosis or progressive fibrosis of lung tissues that diminishes lung capacity and produces restrictive lung disease. Disease is caused by very small particles that are inhaled going through the bronchioles and alveoli that cannot be removed that eventually accumulate causing scarring and thickening of the lining of the lungs until it loses its ability to supply oxygen through out the body, while larger particles are trapped by mucus on upper respiratory tract and expelled by coughing. Early clinical manifestations are cough and dyspnea on exertion. Chest pain, productive cough and dyspnea at rest, loss of appetite, respiratory failure develops as the c ondition progresses and may lead to death. Pneumoconiosis can be diagnosed by using chest x-ray and pulmonary function test. Doctor will prescribe medication called bronchodilators that open airways. Other treatments would be avoiding all dust exposures, use of oxygen and stop smoking. Cystic Fibrosis Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a hereditary, chronic disease characterized by abnormal secretions of the exocrine glands that causes body secretions to be thick and abnormal. Cystic fibrosis is present at birth and the abnormal genes are inherited from both parents. This order affects the sweat glands, respiratory system, digestive tract and reproductive tract. Cystic used to be considered a pediatric problem because it was fatal in childhood. However, advances in early diagnosis and treatment, including antibiotics, chest physiotherapy and nutrition programmes have extended the median life expectancy into mid 30s. A newborn baby with CF may have swollen abdomen and may not pass thick, sticky faeces passed by newborn infants for the first few days following birth. Other symptoms usually develop later in infancy and may include recurrent chest infection; constant cough develops, producing large amounts of sticky mucus. As CF progresses, the lung disorder bronchiectasis may occur, where the m ain airways are abnormally widened. An early diagnosis improves the long-term outlook by helping to prevent damage to the lungs in infancy. If the doctor suspects that a child has the condition at birth or later in infancy, a sweat test may be carried out to look for abnormally high levels of salt in the babys sweat. A sample of blood may also be tested to look for the abnormal gene. If the test result is found to be positive, siblings of the affected child can also be tested. Treatment for the cystic fibrosis is aimed at slowing the progression of lung disease and maintaining adequate nutrition. Chest physiotherapy is usually performed to remove secretions from the lungs; they sometimes require intravenous antibiotics to eliminate bacteria that become established in the lung secretions. Inhaled drugs can also help to reduce the stickiness of the secretions in the lungs. If the lungs are severely damaged, it may be possible to carry out a heart-lung transplant. Gender and lifestyle are not significant factors for this disease.

Mark Twain Samuel Clemens or None of the Above Essay example -- Essays

Mark Twain Samuel Clemens or None of the Above Mark Twain was one of the most popular and well-known authors of the 1800’s. He is recognized for being a humorist. He used humor or social satire in his best works. His writing is known for â€Å"realism of place and language, memorable characters, and hatred of hypocrisy and oppression† (Mark Twain 1). Mark Twain was born Samuel Langhorne Clemens on November 30, 1835. He was born on the Missouri frontier in a small log village called Florida. His parents had come to Florida from their former home in Tennessee (Unger 192). When Clemens was four, he moved with his family to Hannibal, Missouri, a port on the Mississippi River (Mark Twain 1). His father, who had studied law in Kentucky, was a local magistrate and small merchant (Unger 193). When Samuel was twelve, his father died. He was then apprenticed to two local printers (Unger 193). When he was sixteen, Clemens began setting type for the local newspaper Hannibal Journal, which his older brother Orion managed (Mark Twain 1). In 1853, when Samuel was eighteen, he left Hannibal for St. Louis (Unger 194). There he became a steam boat pilot on the Mississippi River. Clemens piloted steamboats until the Civil War in 1861. Then he served briefly with the Confederate army (Mark Twain 1). In 1862 Clemens became a reporter on the Territorial Enterprise in Virginia City, Nevada. In 1863 he began signing his articles with the pseudonym Mark Twain, a Mississippi River phrase meaning â€Å"two fathoms deep† (Bloom 43). In 1865, Twain reworked a tale he had heard in the California gold fields, and within months the author and the story, The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County, had become national sensations (Bloom 47). In 1867 Twain lectured in New York City, and in the same year he visited Europe and Palestine. He wrote of these travels in The Innocents Abroad. This book exaggerated those aspects of European culture that impress American tourists (Bain, Flora, and Rubin 103). Many claim that The Innocents Abroad is Mark Twain’s second-best book (Unger 198). In 1870 he married Olivia Langdon. After living briefly in Buffalo, New York, the couple moved to Hartford, Connecticut (Bain, Flora, and Rubin 104). Much of Mark Twain’s best work was written in the 1870’s and 1880’s in H... ...e also came to be known for the white linen suit that he always wore when making public appearances (Unger 204). Twain received an honorary doctorate from the University of Oxford in 1907. He died in 1910, at the age of 75. When Twain died, he left an uncompleted autobiography, which was eventually edited by his secretary, Albert Bigelow Paine, and published in 1924 (Mark Twain 2). Mark Twain is still credited as being a major influence by most writers today. His work is still popular and will live on for many years. Works Cited Bain, Flora, and Rubin. Southern Writers: A Biographical Dictionary. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1979. Bloom, Harold. Mark Twain. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1986. Kunitz, Stanley J., and Haycraft, Howard. American Authors 1600-1900: A Biographical Dictionary of American Literature. New York: H.W. Wilson Company, 1938. Marshall, Sara. America In Literature: The South. New York: Charles Scribner’s Son’s, 1979. â€Å"Twain, Mark†. Microsoft Encarta 98 Encyclopedia. Microsoft Corporation. Unger, Leonard. American Writers IV: A Collection of Literary Biographies. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1974.

the time machine characters :: essays research papers

Characters The Time Traveller - The Time Traveller's name is never given. Apparently the narrator wants to protect his identity. The Time Traveller is an inventor. He likes to speculate on the future and the underlying structures of what he observes. His house is in Richmond, a suburb of London. The Narrator - The narrator, Mr. Hillyer, is the Time Traveller's dinner guest. His curiosity is enough to make him return to investigate the morning after the first time travel. Weena - Weena is one of the Eloi. Although the Time Traveller reports that it is difficult to distinguish gender among the Eloi, he seems quite sure that Weena is female. He easily saves her from being washed down the river, and she eagerly becomes his friend. Her behavior toward him is not unlike that of a pet or small child. Summary A group of men, including the narrator, is listening to the Time Traveller discuss his theory that time is the fourth dimension. The Time Traveller produces a miniature time machine and makes it disappear into thin air. The next week, the guests return, to find their host stumble in, looking disheveled and tired. They sit down after dinner, and the Time Traveller begins his story. The Time Traveller had finally finished work on his time machine, and it rocketed him into the future. When the machine stops, in the year 802,701 AD, he finds himself in a paradisiacal world of small humanoid creatures called Eloi. They are frail and peaceful, and give him fruit to eat. He explores the area, but when he returns he finds that his time machine is gone. He decides that it has been put inside the pedestal of a nearby statue. He tries to pry it open but cannot. In the night, he begins to catch glimpses of strange white ape-like creatures the Eloi call Morlocks. He decides that the Morlocks live below ground, down the wells that dot the landscape. Meanwhile, he saves one of the Eloi from drowning, and she befriends him. Her name is Weena. The Time Traveller finally works up enough courage to go down into the world of Morlocks to try to retrieve his time machine. He finds that matches are a good defense against the Morlocks, but ultimately they chase him out of their realm . Frightened by the Morlocks, he takes Weena to try to find a place where they will be safe from the Morlocks' nocturnal hunting.

“Dialogue with Trypho” by Justin Martyr Essay

In his work â€Å"Dialogue with Trypho† Justin Martyr in a form of a dialogue presents the views quite contrary to what it is usually taught. A well-known idea of Jews being the chosen nation favored by God is rejected. Justin Martyr is trying to find logic underneath God’s wrath, and his line of argumentation, based on analysis of the Old Testament, does emphasize the idea that Jews were punished by Mosaic rules for improper behavior. Jews are the chosen nation not because God likes them, but rather because they have to be punished for disobedience. The starting point of Martyr’s analysis is the presupposition that God is the only – both for Judaism and Christianity- God is eternal, â€Å"who created and formed the universe†. The second presupposition necessary for his line of argumentation is that God has â€Å"foreknowledge of future events†, however God â€Å"doesn’t prepare beforehand what everyone deserves†. I find a contradiction in this interpretation of God, since if God participates in human life, He performs some actions, and being able to forecast the events – He knows ahead what He will do, since the events on earth are directly influenced by his actions, therefore God, being the just one, has to prepare what we deserve, because if not – then God is unjust and performs spontaneous actions, God is capricious – a feature usually attributed to God by Muslims, but denied by Christians. So, either God is just and active in human life, then our life is pre-determined, and the whole argumentation of Martyr falls to pieces, or God is unjust, capricious – this doesn’t go together with the image of God in Christianity, or God doesn’t know the future, but acts justly in the current situation – then we are responsibly for own actions, and only in this case Jews can be punished by God through laws, mandatory customs, and sacrifices. Even though Martyr gives a different definition to God which I find illogical with his line of argumentation – he goes on discussing sins committed by Jews in front of God’s face for which they consequently were punished by Him. The greatest sin of Jews is that they â€Å"murdered the Just One†, Jesus Christ, they violated the Law not once, but continue to do so â€Å"have persecuted Christ in the past and still do, and do not repent†. The genuinely chosen nation is the followers of Christ – saved by faith alone – who don’t have to  follow all the traditions (Sabbath day, circumcision, limits in food), as these customs are imposed on Jews only for their sins and hardness of heart. I would like to stress the logic of Martyr underneath the idea of irrelevance of circumcision for a true Christian. Martyr gives two arguments to prove that circumcision was given to â€Å"mark you (Jews) off for the suffering†. The first point is that â€Å"God what not have created Adam uncircumcised† if circumcision would be necessary for salvation, however God created us imperfect in order to be able to choose between right and wrong so that we would experience genuine love to God and would be able to act according to our will. In such way, circumcision can be just another step, payment or a way to show genuine love to God, lack of circumcision can be one of those imperfect signs in Adam and Eve as means to achieve holiness and find peace with God, a painful stage one has to pass. The second argument of Martyr is â€Å"the fact that females cannot receive circumcision of the flesh shows that circumcision was given as a sign, not as an act of justification† and at the same time women have the â€Å"capability of performing every good and righteous act†, so Martyrs’ idea is that if women cannot be circumcised – they cannot receive salvation, which they actually do receive. However, since women equally can be forgiven, they are also equally guilty, then why is it that God punishes by circumcision only Jewish men, but women stay uncircumcised? In such was, if God according to Martyr has to equally distribute salvation to both men and women, he also has to equally distribute punishmen t being just be definition, however in case of only Jewish men, but not women, being circumcised, God doesn’t do that. These two arguments of Martyr don’t prove anything. Martyr goes even further then this stating that the Jewish scriptures belong to Christians, but not to Jews. He presents events in the OT in a different shade, being symbolic for Gentiles and predicting the coming of Jesus Christ. â€Å"The mystery of the lamb which God ordered you to sacrifice as the Passover was truly a type of Christ†, â€Å"prophet Moses remained until evening in the form of the cross†¦ happened in the likeness of this sign†. These explanations of parts of the OT purposively provide additional support to Gentiles being favored by God rather then Jews, however OT scriptures were written over a vast period of time, combined in a stranger manner having 4 –  J, P, DH, E sources. And every source brought additional changes to the scripture adjusting the text to those currently in force, East and West, and Aaronic and Mosaic priesthood. There exists a view, that prophecy about coming of Jesus were added only after the coming of Christ and the fact that the majority weren’t well educated only contributes to the fact that using this understanding of Bible as a support is more then relative and has to have a deeper argumentation. Moreover, there are a lot of references in the Bible, where it is directly stated, that the scriptures belongs to Jews, that they are the chosen nation and that God will protect them throughout their life-time and the life-time of their descendants. Martyr presents guidance for life to Jews through explanation of who, in his opinion, would be saved. Martyr says that a Jew could hold up to the rules given in the OT, but still every Jew has to accept Christ as a savior, through faith, however he denies that the OT laws are actually necessary even for a Jew. In such way, Martyr doesn’t give a solution of the problem, as he neither rejects, nor accepts the OT, he cannot give a definite answer on what actually should be changed in traditions of a Jew, as he neither bold enough to deny the scripture, nor bold enough to re-affirm it. Generally, â€Å"Dialogue with Trypho† by Justin Martyr is an interesting work because of its uncommon world view, however it is written in a kind of free style without the argumentation being presented from the opposite side. It is useful to read, but I just cannot agree with his views, as all of his positions will hardly stand up to strong contra-argumentation. Frankly speaking, I doubt that a person will ever manage to figure out the reasoning of God, who had chosen the Jews either for punishment or praise, because this is what Martyr is attempting to do – rationally prove and explain the motives of God for the punishment of Jews, which is impossible.

The Atmosphere and its Layers

How does the atmosphere affect conditions on Earth? What is Earth's atmosphere composed of? How do pressure and density vary with altitude? What are the characteristics of the major layers of the atmosphere? Important Terms atmosphere alarm pressure barometer troposphere weather stratosphere ozone layer mesosphere troposphere Ionosphere aurora At 8848 meters (29,030 feet) above sea level, Mount Everest Is the highest mountain in the world. In 1952 Edmund Hillary, a New Zealand mountaineer, and TentingNorway, a mountain guide from Nepal, became the first humans to reach the top. The climb was very dangerous for several reasons, including the extremely low temperature and low level of oxygen at the summit. When they finally made it to the top, the two men cheered and embraced. Then Hillary did something to prove a point ?he took off his oxygen mask. He wanted to show that a person could stay alive while breathing naturally at that high altitude. But after a few minutes, his vision beg an to fail. When Hillary replaced his mask, his vision improved. Then the two men started back down the mountain.Why did Hillary and Tenting need to carry oxygen to the top of Mount Everest? And why was It so cold there? The answers to these questions depend on how the alarm around Earth changes with altitude. Earth's Protective Layer What you commonly call air, scientists call the atmosphere. The atmosphere (at mum safer) is the layer of gases that surrounds Earth. The atmosphere forms a protective boundary between Earth and space and provides conditions that are suitable for life. The atmosphere protects Earth's surface from continual pounding by meteoroids, chunks of rock and metal from space.The atmosphere also protects Earth from much f the high-energy radiation from space. The atmosphere holds in heat and helps to moderate Earth's temperatures. Without the atmosphere, Earth's surface would be similar to the moon's, boiling hot during the day and freezing cold at night. Earth's relatively constant temperatures allow life to flourish. The atmosphere also provides the gases that are essential for life. Carbon dioxide In the atmosphere Is essential for plants and some other organisms to carry out photosynthesis. Photosynthesis Is the process of capturing the sun's energy to make food.Oxygen Is produced during photosynthesis and released into the atmosphere. Your body uses oxygen to carry The atmosphere is a mixture of different gases. The composition of the atmosphere is fairly uniform up to an altitude of about 80 kilometers. Earth's atmosphere is a mixture of nitrogen, oxygen, water vapor, and many other gases, in which tiny solid and liquid particles are suspended. As Figure 2 shows, two gases?nitrogen and oxygen?make up more than 99 percent of clean, dry air. The amount of water vapor in air varies from 0. 02 percent in cold, dry air to more than 4. Percent in warm, moist air. Various amounts of water droplets and solid particles are suspended in the atm osphere. Some solid particles can be seen as floating dust, but most particles are microscopic. These solid particles come from various sources, including smoke from fires, ash and dust from volcanic eruptions, and salt from ocean spray. Air Pressure The atmosphere has weight because of Earth's gravity. As a result of this weight, the atmosphere exerts pressure. Recall that pressure is the force exerted on a surface divided by the area over which the force is exerted.Air pressure is the force exerted by the weight of a column of air on a surface. At sea level, air pressure is about 101 ,325 Newton's per square meter, more commonly expressed as 1013. 5 milliners. One Millard equals 100 Newton's per square meter. Effect of Altitude. Air pressure changes with altitude. The atmosphere is densest near Earth's surface and becomes less dense as altitude increases, as shown in Figure 3. Why is this? Air can be compressed, as it is when you pump air into a tire or a basketball. Near Earth's surface, the column of air includes the entire depth of the atmosphere, so the pressure and density are high.As altitude increases, the depth of the column of air above decreases, so the pressure decreases. At high altitudes there is very little air in the column above, so air pressure is lower. As altitude increases, air pressure and density decrease. About half of the total mass of the atmosphere is found below an altitude of 5. 6 kilometers. When Hillary and Tenting climbed Mount Everest, they went well above this halfway point. As they climbed, the air became less dense. Hillary had trouble breathing without an oxygen mask because there were fewer oxygen molecules per cubic meter of air at the summit than at sea level.Measuring Air Pressure. Scientists measure air pressure with an instrument called a barometer. The first barometer was invented in 1643 by the Italian scientist Evangelists Torricelli's. Torricelli's invented a mercury barometer, similar to the one shown in Figure 4. As air pressure increases, the column of mercury in the barometer rises. As air pressure decreases, the column of mercury falls. Thus, a measurement of the height of a column of mercury is a measurement of air pressure. At sea level, the average air pressure is about 760 millimeters of mercury or, more commonly, 29. 2 inches of mercury. An aneroid (an uh rood) barometer is a smaller, more portable type of barometer. The word aneroid means â€Å"not using liquid. † Aneroid barometers use a metal chamber that expands and contracts with changes in air pressure. Temperature changes dramatically as you move up from Earth's surface high into the atmosphere. Scientists use variations in temperature to divide the atmosphere into four vertical layers. The four layers of the atmosphere are the troposphere, the stratosphere, the mesosphere, and the troposphere. The Troposphere.You, along with many other living things, live in the layer of the atmosphere called the troposphere. The tr oposphere (troth pup safer) is the lowest layer of Earth's atmosphere. This layer contains almost all of the atmosphere's water vapor and suspended particles, which are important in the formation of clouds and reciprocation. Most weather takes place in the troposphere. Weather is the condition of the atmosphere in a particular place at a particular time. The height of the troposphere ranges from about 9 kilometers above the poles to 16 kilometers above the tropics.The average height of the troposphere is about 12 kilometers. In the troposphere, temperature generally decreases as altitude increases. Though it varies somewhat, the rate of decrease averages about 6. 5 Celsius degrees per kilometer. For example, if it is ICC where you are on Earth's surface, then it is probably about ICC at an altitude of 2 kilometers above you. This characteristic of the troposphere accounts for the extremely low temperatures that Hillary and Tenting had to withstand when they scaled Mount Everest. The Stratosphere. Above the troposphere, as shown in Figure 5, is the stratosphere.The stratosphere (strata uh safer) extends from an altitude of about 12 kilometers to about 50 kilometers. The temperature of the stratosphere remains nearly the same from the boundary with the troposphere to an altitude of about 20 kilometers. Above that height, temperature increases as altitude increases. The temperature in the lower stratosphere remains about -ICC. Above 20 kilometers, the temperature rises to about COCO. The upper stratosphere is warmer than the lower stratosphere because of the presence of the ozone layer, a region of high ozone concentration.Recall that ozone is a highly reactive gas whose molecules are composed of three oxygen atoms (03). Most of the oxygen molecules you breathe are composed of two oxygen atoms (02). In the stratosphere, the energy of sunlight is great enough to split 02 molecules into single oxygen atoms (O). When an oxygen atom (O) collides with a molecule of ox ygen (02), ozone (03) is formed. Ozone absorbs ultraviolet (XIV) radiation in sunlight and filters such of it out before such radiation can reach Earth's surface. The energy absorbed from UP radiation is converted into thermal energy, warming the upper stratosphere.Because UP radiation can be harmful to living things, the presence of the ozone layer is extremely important to life on Earth. In humans, I-JP radiation can cause a deadly form of skin cancer. Certain chemical pollutants have been depleting ozone in the stratosphere, permitting more UP radiation to reach Earth's surface. However, the release of such chemicals was limited by international agreements and national policies adopted in the sass. As a result, ozone levels in the stratosphere appear to have stabilized. The Mesosphere. The layer above the stratosphere is the 50 kilometers and extends to about 80 kilometers.In the mesosphere, temperature decreases as altitude increases. At the top of the mesosphere, the temperatur e approaches -ICC. The air is very thin in the mesosphere. Studies in the sass discovered that air in this layer may move at speeds of more than 320 kilometers per hour. Most meteoroids that enter the atmosphere burn up in the mesosphere. The Troposphere. The outermost layer of the atmosphere, the troposphere (thru mom freer), begins at an altitude of about 80 kilometers and extends outward into space. No boundary marks the end of the atmosphere.Instead, the thin air of the troposphere gradually merges with space. In the troposphere, temperature increases rapidly with altitude, from about -ICC to more than 10000C. Recall from physics that temperature is a measure of the average kinetic energy of molecules. Because gas molecules in the troposphere absorb solar radiation and move very fast, the temperature is quite high. The Ionosphere. The ionosphere (eye ann. uh safer) is not a distinct layer of the atmosphere. Rather, it is a region of charged particles, or ions, that overlaps the lower troposphere.In the ionosphere, molecules of nitrogen and oxygen lose one or more electrons as they absorb high-energy wavelengths of solar radiation. The molecules become positively charged ions. These ions are most dense between the altitudes of 80 and 400 kilometers. At these high altitudes, certain radio waves sent from Earth's surface, such as AM radio waves, bounce off ions and travel back to Earth. You can often hear AM radio stations from very far away at night because the sun's radiation is blocked by Earth. The ions start o recombine at night, allowing AM radio waves to travel farther.

Philosophy Sections 7.1 & 7.2 Essay

1. What are the requirements for knowledge? 4.What is Plato’s allegory of the cave supposed to demonstrate? Plato’s allegory of the cave is supposed to demonstrate not only the human situation in general but Socrates’ life in particular. Socrates glimpsed the true nature of reality and tried to convince the inhabitants of Athens that they didn’t know what they thought they knew. The objects that cast shadows on the wall represent what Plato considers to be the truly real objects: the forms. 5.What is Descartes’ dream argument? Descartes’ dream argument is as followed: 1) We can’t be certain that we’re not dreaming. 2) If we can’t be certain that we’re not dreaming, we can’t be certain that what we sense is real. 3) If we can’t be certain that what we sense is real, we can’t acquire knowledge through sense experience. 4) Therefore, we can’t acquire knowledge through sense experience. According to Descartes, you can’t rule out the possibility that you’re dreaming so you’re senses can’t give you knowledge of the external world. 8. Why do empiricists believe that there are no synthetic a priori truths? Empiricists believe that there are no synthetic a priori truths because they believe that sense experience is our only source of knowledge of the external world. 9.How does Kant explain the possibility of synthetic a priori truths? Kant explained the possibility of synthetic a priori truths by examining the method of inquiry used by mathematicians. Kant found that what makes it possible for mathematicians to discover such truths is that they study the principles the mind uses to construct mathematical objects. Section 7.2 (3 and 4) 3. What is representative realism? Representative realism is the doctrine that sensations are caused by external objects and that our sensations represent these objects. 4. What is the distinction between primary and secondary qualities? The distinction between primary and secondary qualities is that while secondary qualities exist in the mind not in the actual object, primary qualities are possessed by material objects.

Lipid Profiles In Postmenopausal Women Health And Social Care Essay

Aim: Aromatase inhibitors are presently used in accessory to the former gold criterion Tamoxifen or as first line hormone therapy in postmenopausal adult females with chest malignant neoplastic disease. Suppressing the aromatase mechanism of action impedes the synthesis of estrogen, forestalling estrogen protection on lipid profiles. This literature reappraisal examines, discusses, and analyzes peer-reviewed published clinical tests analyzing the effects of anastrozole, exemestane, and letrozole, on lipid profiles in postmenopausal adult females with estrogen dependent chest malignant neoplastic disease. Decisions: Overall, there are minimum, if any, unfavourable effects of aromatase inhibitors on lipid profiles. However, restrictions of little population sizes, fluctuations in design methods, and old Tamoxifen usage, make it hard to accurately assess hazard. Long term prospective surveies utilizing big sample sizes and patients with no exposure to any other hormone intervention besides aromatase inhibitors, are needed to accurately measure if inauspicious effects on lipid profiles exist from the utilizing aromatase inhibitors. Healthcare professionals should go on to supervise lipoids in postmenopausal adult females with chest malignant neoplastic disease and develop individualized intervention programs utilizing current recommendations. Cardinal Wordss: aromatase inhibitor, chest malignant neoplastic disease, post-maturity, lipid, Anastrozole, Letrozole, Exemestane, cholesterin, and lipid metamorphosis. Aromatase Inhibitors Risk of Adverse Effects on Lipid Profiles in Postmenopausal Women with Breast Cancer: A Literature Review Introduction Breast malignant neoplastic disease pestilences about 2.5 million adult females in the United States, 1 doing it one of most prevailing signifiers of tumor that healthcare practicians dainty today. The hazard of developing chest malignant neoplastic disease increases with age, with one in 13 postmenopausal adult females developing the disease.2 Nearly 70 per centum of those postmenopausal adult females will hold a endocrine dependant ( estrogen positive ( ER+ ) , progesterone positive ( PR+ ) ) signifier of chest malignant neoplastic disease that utilizes estrogen as its chief alimentary beginning for the proliferation of the tumour. 2, 3, 4 In postmenopausal adult females, estrogen is chiefly synthesized in the peripheral tissues, chest, musculus, adipose, tegument by the enzyme aromatase.4,5 Aromatase converts adrenal androgens into estrogen via the CYP450 enzyme pathway.4, 5, 6, Suppressing aromatase and hindering this transition limits the sum of estrogen available for use by tum our cells, later forestalling growing and spread. Through this mechanism of action, steroidal ( Exemestane ) and non-steroidal ( anastrozole and letrozole ) aromatase inhibitors have shown to be extremely efficacious in the intervention of ER+/PR+ chest malignant neoplastic disease in postmenopausal adult females compared to that of Tamoxifen.5 Multiple landmark surveies ( MA.17, 2 ATAC, 7 BIG 1-98, 8 and EORTC9 ) , suggest that Tamoxifen is no longer a gilded criterion, and now recommend utilizing AIs as first line hormone therapy in these patients.5 With the spread outing usage of AIs by practicians in the intervention of endocrine dependent chest malignant neoplastic disease and the subsequent betterment in disease free endurance rates, more postmenopausal adult females are populating long plenty to see other comorbidities, such as cardiovascular disease ( CVD ) .4 Since CVD is the primary cause of mortality in postmenopausal adult females, 10 understanding the associated inauspicious effects AIs pose on cardiovascular hazard factors is pertinent. Lipid biomarkers are often assessed clinically to find a patients hazard of developing CVD. Previous epidemiologic surveies have shown that estrogen is protective and good to some cardiovascular hazard factors, specifically lipid profiles, via its direct effects on the endothelial cells found in blood vessels.6,11 Estrogen alters concentrations of lipoids in the blood ; diminishing serum concentrations of entire cholesterin ( TC ) , low-density lipoprotein ( LDL ) , and triglycerides ( TRG ) , while increasing serum concentrations of high-density lipoprotein ( HDL ) .11, 12 Therefore, it is thought that postmenopausal adult females taking AIs are deprived of this cardioprotective consequence of estrogen since its synthesis is being prevented by suppressing the aromatase transition mechanism. Therefore, the inquiry can be proposed: Make aromatase inhibitors adversely affect lipid profiles and later present an increased hazard of developing cardiovascular disease in postmenopausal adult females with ER+/PR+ chest malignant neoplastic disease? This literature reappraisal of current clinical test informations examines and assesses the usage of AIs, Exemestane ( Aromasin ) , Anastrozole ( Arimidex ) , and Letrozole ( Femara ) , on the inauspicious effects of the lipid profiles of postmenopausal adult females with ER+/PR+ chest malignant neoplastic disease. Search footings included cardiovascular, aromatase inhibitor, chest malignant neoplastic disease, post-maturity, lipid, Anastrozole, Letrozole, Exemestane, plasma lipoid, cholesterin, and lipid metamorphosis. MEDLINE in Pubmed, MEDLINE ( on EBSCO ) , and OVID were used to seek for peer-reviewed diary articles published between the old ages 2005 to 2010. Recent grounds showing the effects AIs render on the lipid profiles of postmenopausal adult females with estrogen dependent chest malignant neoplastic disease is discussed, analyzed, and reviewed in the undermentioned subdivisions. AROMATASE INHIBITORS EFFECT ON LIPID PARAMETERS Depriving chest malignant neoplastic disease stricken postmenopausal adult females of the benefit of estrogen via the AI mechanism is thought to hold damaging effects on CVD hazard factors. Several clinical tests utilizing assorted design methods have been conducted and show variable effects of AIs on the different cholesterin parametric quantities and lipoproteins. Table 1 summarizes the effects of AIs on assorted lipid biomarkers in the postmenopausal adult female with ER+/PR+ chest malignant neoplastic disease, and all surveies in the tabular array are discussed in the following subdivisions. Placebo Controlled Tests Two surveies have evaluated the consequence of AIs versus placebo on lipid biomarkers. As a secondary end point, Cigler et al13 studied the effects of Letrozole versus placebo on serum lipid parametric quantities ( TC, HDL, LDL, TRG ) in 60 seven postmenopausal adult females utilizing a random, placebo-controlled design. Lipids were measured at baseline and during the 3rd, 6th, 12th, and 24th months, and the per centum alteration from baseline was calculated for each month. Researchers noted a statistically important lessening in the TC at month 3 ( P value=0.052 ) in the Letrozole arm of the survey. The other parametric quantities ( TRG, LDL, and HDL ) measured were non significantly changed from baseline in either the Letrozole or the placebo weaponries. Writers concluded that Letrozole modestly decreases TC at 3 months ; nevertheless, the consequence is non sustained throughout the intervention clip period.13 The cogency of consequences in the lipid part of this survey are questio nable because of the imbalanced figure of participants in each intervention group, and the little population size that remained at the terminal of the 24 months ( Letrozole: 26 patients, and placebo: 16 patients ) . It is hard to measure accurate tendencies in informations with little population sizes, and consequences should be verified utilizing similar survey methods with larger population sample sizes. A confusing variable in this survey was the old usage of Tamoxifen in some patients and non others. Tamoxifen has shown to hold good effects on lipoids ; 14, 15 therefore, the consequences from patients that had antecedently taken Tamoxifen may non be a true representation of the effects of the AI entirely on lipid profiles. Another placebo controlled test utilizing different design methods was conducted by Lonning et al16 and contrasting consequences were found. The effects of Exemestane versus that of placebo on plasma lipoids in postmenopausal adult females with resectable chest malignant neoplastic disease was studied by Lonning et al.16 In a dual blind manner, one hundred 40 seven patients were indiscriminately assigned to an Exemestane intervention group or a placebo intervention group. Measurements of lipid biomarkers ( TC, HDL, LDL, TRG, ApoLipoprotein A1, lipoprotein A, ApoLipoprotein B, homocysteine ) were taken at baseline, and at the 3rd, 6th, 12th, and 24th month. Results revealed that the Exemestane intervention group had a statistically important ( P value & A ; lt ; 0.001 ) lessening in HDL versus that of the placebo intervention group. Besides, a statistically important ( p=0.004 ) lessening in Apolipoprotein A1 occurred in the Exemestane intervention group versus that of the placebo intervention group. Writers concluded that the steroidal AI, exemestane has modest effects on HDL lipid biomarkers and those hazard factors for CVD should be followed overtime.16 This survey included more participants than Ciglers study ; hence, the consequences seen here may hold more cogency. Besides, a different AI was used in each test, and this variable could account for the disagreement in consequences between the two surveies. No old Tamoxifen usage was denoted in the survey by Lonning et Al ; 16 therefore, the consequences are a better representation of the effects of the AI on lipoids without confusing influences of Tamoxifen. More placebo controlled tests are necessary to to the full understand the effects of AI on lipoids in postmenopausal adult females with endocrine dependent chest malignant neoplastic disease, and to denote if a true lessening in HDL exists. The following subdivision discusses tests in which AIs were compared with Tamoxifen alternatively of a placebo as the intercession intervention groups to be assessed. Tamoxifen Comparative Tests Surveies have been conducted utilizing Tamoxifen as a comparative intervention group to that of Exemestane, and their several inauspicious effects on lipid profile alterations are discussed. The TEAM Greek bomber study17 randomized postmenopausal adult females with early chest malignant neoplastic disease into an Exemestane arm ( 77 patients ) or into a Tamoxifen arm ( 65 patients ) , and evaluated HDL, LDL, TRG, and TC at baseline, and at 12, 18, and 24 months. Results indicate that TC decreased overtime in both intervention groups ; nevertheless, those in the Tamoxifen arm had a crisp diminution at month 18 and 24, doing the difference between groups at that clip period statistically important with P value=0.020 and P value=0.0087, severally. Both interventions had a statistically important lessening in HDL ; nevertheless, the Tamoxifen group maintained higher degrees of HDL, leting for a more favourable consequence than exemestane, with a statistically important average difference ( P=0.011 ) between the intervention groups. The Tamoxifen intervention group had a important consequence on the LDL parametric quantity doing a steep lessening in values overtime. exemestane had failed to demo any important alteration on LDL. The TRG parametric quantity revealed no noticeable tendencies for either intervention regimen. Research workers concluded that Tamoxifen has a favourable consequence on TC and LDL, while Exemestane has a more indistinct consequence on lipid biomarkers.17 The lessening in HDL in this survey is in harmony with that of Lonning et al.16 One restriction is that all four lipid parametric quantities were non accounted for in all patients in each intervention group ; hence, tendencies seen in each parametric quantity may non stand for the true tendency that would be present if all values were recorded for all patients at all measurement clip periods. This survey reiterates the idea that Tamoxifen has good effects on lipoids ; accordingly, it is hard to accurately measure the hazard of AI when the comparative intervention group is Tamoxifen. 14 Though some restrictions were present in this survey, comparative consequences were seen by Francini et al14 in another test utilizing different methods than the TEAM Greek bomber survey. Francini et al14 conducted a survey in which 55 postmenopausal adult females who had antecedently been treated with no less than 2 old ages of Tamoxifen were randomized into two intervention groups: either continue Tamoxifen or exchange from Tamoxifen to Exemestane. Lipid parametric quantities were measured at baseline and at 6 and 12 months. Consequences yielded were statistically important in the Exemestane arm of the survey entirely demoing a lessening in HDL overtime ( p value & A ; lt ; 0.05 ) , an addition in LDL overtime ( p value & A ; lt ; 0.01 ) , and a lessening in TRG overtime ( P value & A ; lt ; 0.01 ) . The differences between the Tamoxifen and Exemestane intervention group were non important except for the LDL biomarker ( p value & A ; lt ; 0.05 ) . Writers concluded that the addition in LDL of the Exemestane group may be due in portion to participants being antecedently treated with Tamoxifen, which is known to hold good effects on LDL.14 Francinis survey and the TEA M Greek bomber study17 indicate that there was a lessening in the HDL parametric quantity in the Exemestane intervention group versus that of the Tamoxifen intervention group, proposing that AIs may hold an inauspicious consequence on HDL degrees. This lessening in HDL was besides noted in the ATENA trial18 in which Tamoxifen had been antecedently used for 5-7 old ages before the patients were assigned to have either Exemestane or no intervention, merely observation. The addition in LDL found in the survey by Francini14 was besides seen in the ATENA test ; 18 nevertheless, the TEAM Greek bomber study17 did non back up this determination. It must be kept in head that patients in the survey by Francini14 and the ATENA trial18 had antecedently been treated with Tamoxifen before get downing intervention with AIs, while patients in the TEAM Greek bomber study17 were non. Hence, the design differences could account for the fluctuation of consequences between surveies on the LDL, TRG, and TC parametric quantities. A likewise designed survey by Montagnani et al15 exposed comparable consequences to the survey by Francini. Montagnani et al15 investigated the effects of Exemestane after anterior intervention with Tamoxifen, and indiscriminately assigned 60 eight postmenopausal adult females to go on taking Tamoxifen ( 20 milligrams daily ) or exchange to the aromatase inhibitor, Exemestane ( 25 milligrams daily ) for 2 old ages. Parameters ( TC, HDL, LDL, TRG ) were measured at baseline and at 12 and 24 months. Consequences showed that the Exemestane intercession had a important lessening in HDL, while the Tamoxifen group showed no significance in alteration from baseline. Therefore, a important difference between the intercession groups ( p value & A ; lt ; 0.05 ) was noted. Besides in the Exemestane group, LDL was increased from baseline ; nevertheless, no alteration was seen in the Tamoxifen group. The between group differences were besides statistically important with a P value & A ; lt ; 0.05. The Exemestane group besides had a statistically important lessening in TRG doing the between group differ ences important with a p value of & A ; lt ; 0.05. The consequences found in this survey showed some similarities with those discovered by Francini et al.14 Montagnani revealed important differences between groups for HDL, LDL, and TRG parametric quantities, while Francinis survey merely showed important differences between groups for LDL. In both surveies, the aromatase inhibitor was compared with go oning Tamoxifen after the patients had already used Tamoxifen, hence some of the consequences may hold occurred from taking the good effects of Tamoxifen instead than uncovering damaging effects of the AI. Both Francini and Montagnani revealed lessenings in TRG in the Exemestane arm. This would be considered a favourable consequence of utilizing AI, but since Tamoxifen negatively affects TRG and Tamoxifen was antecedently used by the Exemestane patients, the simple remotion of the unfavourable consequence of Tamoxifen could account for the consequence. To increase the respectability of these findings, comparable consequences should be confirmed in likewise designed surveies utilizing larger sample population sizes without old exposure to Tamoxifen. Banerjee et al19 designed yet another survey comparing a different AI, Anastrozole, to Tamoxifen, and to a combination of Anastrozole with Tamoxifen. The IMPACT trial19 compares the effects of utilizing Anastrozole, Tamoxifen, or a combination of Anastrozole/Tamoxifen on the lipid profiles of postmenopausal adult females with chest malignant neoplastic disease. In a stage III, randomized, double-blind multicentre trial,19 three hundred 30 patients were assigned to have either Anastrozole ( 1 milligrams daily ) + Tamoxifen placebo, Tamoxifen ( 20 milligrams daily ) + Anastrozole placebo, or a combination of both ( Tamoxifen 20 mg day-to-day + Anastrozole 1mg daily ) for a period of 12 hebdomads. Measurements for TC and HDL were taken at baseline and three months. Results revealed that the Tamoxifen merely intervention group had a statistically important lessening in the TC lipid parametric quantity ( p value & A ; lt ; 0.05 ) , while the Anastrozole merely intervention group had an addition in TC lipid parametric quantity that was non statistically important ; nevertheless, the difference between the two groups was important. The c ombination group consequences showed a important lessening in TC ( P value & A ; lt ; 0.05 ) , nevertheless the between groups differences were non important. A statistically important addition in HDL from baseline was noted overtime in all intervention groups ( P & A ; lt ; 0.05 ) , nevertheless the difference between the groups was non important. Writers suggest that, although there was a little addition in TC in the Anastrozole merely group, this negative consequence was counterbalanced with the positive consequence of the addition of HDL in the Anastrozole group, and that there is no damaging consequence on the lipid profile when utilizing the AI, Anastrozole.19 Measurements were merely taken over a 3 month clip period, therefore consequences are limited and the effects seen may non prolong through longer intervention tests. This addition in HDL in the AI intervention group is contrary to the consequences seen in antecedently discussed surveies. Different AIs were used in each t est and this unsimilarity in methods could account for the differences. Studies reexamining the disparities between AIs are necessary to find their several effects on lipid profiles and to measure if an AI is more good or damaging than the others. Comparison between Aromatase Inhibitors It is of import to understand the differences between each aromatase inhibitors several effects on lipid profiles to assist healthcare practicians choose the appropriate drug regimen for each single patient. In a multi-centre, unfastened, randomized survey, McCloskey et al5 compared the effects of Anastrozole, Letrozole, and Exemestane on lipid profiles in one hundred and two postmenopausal adult females, and randomized them into one of three intervention groups: Anastrozole ( 1 milligrams daily ) , Letrozole ( 2.5 milligrams daily ) , or Exemestane ( 25 milligrams daily ) , for 24 hebdomads with a 12 hebdomad follow up period. Measurements of lipid biomarkers ( TC, TRG, LDL, HDL, LDL/HDL ratio, Apolipoprotein B/Apolipoprotein A-1 ratio ) were taken at baseline and at the 12th, 24th, and 36th hebdomad. Consequences revealed that Exemestane had a important lessening from baseline in TC, nevertheless the differences between the three intervention groups were non statistically important ( p value=0.535 ) . The LDL/HDL ratio parametric quantity was significantly different for all three groups at the 12th and 24th hebdomad measuring, with Exemestane giving the greatest alteration ( p=0.007 ) compared to Letrozole ( p=0.025 ) and Anastrozole ( p=0.045 ) . This increased ratio in the Exemestane intervention group was due to the statistically important lessening in HDL ( p value & A ; lt ; 0.001 ) . The TRG measuring for all groups showed much variableness, with Letrozole demoing a statistical important addition at 12 hebdomads ( p=0.011 ) versus the other AIs. This alteration from baseline did non last through the 24 hebdomad measurement period. No other alterations were noted between the three intervention groups. Writers suggested that those treated with Exemestane have an addition in hazard of inauspicious effects on the ratios finding atherogenesis.5 The lessening in the HDL parametric quantity in patients utilizing Exemestane is in understanding with the antecede ntly mentioned surveies that used Exemestane as an AI comparator of pick. Since Tamoxifen was non a confounding factor here, the suggestion that Exemestane perchance adversely effects HDL, now becomes a more significant and valid statement because the consequence is still seen without Tamoxifen act uponing the consequence. However, it must be considered that this survey used healthy postmenopausal adult females, non breast malignant neoplastic disease patients, as the sample population evaluated, and the consequences can non be imposed as the same consequences that might hold occurred if the population had used a sample of postmenopausal adult females with chest malignant neoplastic disease. Long clinical surveies utilizing the right population sample and sample size should be conducted to further understand the impact of each AI on the postmenopausal chest malignant neoplastic disease patient. This is one of the lone surveies available measuring the inauspicious effects of each par ticular AI compared to one another. More surveies are necessary to corroborate the consequence that Exemestane offers more inauspicious hazard compared to Letrozole and Anastrozole. Decision Tamoxifen has been in usage for more than 30 old ages, and was considered the gilded criterion hormone therapy for handling postmenopausal adult females with endocrine dependent chest cancer.15, 20 Large epidemiologic surveies have shown that AIs are more efficacious than Tamoxifen in overall and disease free endurance rates, and hence are now recommended as first line accessory hormone therapy for postmenopausal adult females with chest cancer.3,15 With their known mechanism of action of striping postmenopausal adult females of serum estrogens, therefore taking estrogens protective effects on these cardiovascular hazard factors,6, 11 there is concern that AIs may hold inauspicious effects on lipid profiles. Most writers concluded that aromatase inhibitors have minimum effects or no inauspicious effects on lipid profiles in postmenopausal adult females with chest malignant neoplastic disease. However, it is hard to measure the true consequence of AIs on lipid profiles with Tamoxifen as the comparator since it has proved benefit on some lipid parameters,14 and because of the many different design methods used. Small sample sizes were restrictions in a few surveies ; therefore, the tendencies yielded in those tests may non be genuinely declarative of postmenopausal adult females with chest malignant neoplastic disease. Long term prospective surveies utilizing big sample sizes and patients with no exposure to any other hormone intervention besides AI, are needed to accurately measure if inauspicious effects on lipid profiles exist from the usage of AIs. From the current available information, though minimally, HDL is the parametric quantity most adversely affected by the usage of AI. This may be a cause of concern for some practicians since lessenings in go arounding sums of HDL are linked with additions in cardiovascular disease.15 Since HDL is considered good cholesterin and a positive hazard factor, diminishing the sum available in blood could perchance hold damaging effects on CVD. Healthcare practicians should be cognizant of this possible hazard of diminishing HDL with AI usage so that proper monitoring in their patients may be performed. Given that a current intervention option still includes the usage of Tamoxifen followed by exchanging to an AI, it is particularly of import to supervise lip id profiles since some studies14, 15, 17 have shown unfavourable effects on lipid profiles when doing this switch. To find if an existent hurt on CVD hazard factors occurs in adult females taking the non steroidal and steroidal aromatase inhibitors, more long term clinical tests should be conducted. In decision, aromatase inhibitors are being used more and more as first line accessory intervention in postmenopausal adult females with chest malignant neoplastic disease. Though it depletes estrogen beginnings, surveies show no well damaging effects on lipid profiles, with most merely demoing minimum, if any, inauspicious consequence. Placebo controlled surveies utilizing equal patient populations and sample sizes for appropriate sums of clip, are necessary to accurately depict the hazards of AIs on cardiovascular hazard factors. Healthcare practicians should go on to supervise lipid profiles in postmenopausal adult females with chest malignant neoplastic disease and develop individualized intervention programs utilizing current recommendations. Specific safety steps for patients utilizing AIs are non necessary,16 and the effects seen in the surveies mentioned in this reappraisal suggest that long term monitoring of all lipid parametric quantities should be a portion of the postmen opausal adult female with chest malignant neoplastic diseases intervention program. Surveillance of hazard factors overtime in these adult females with should assist forestall unfavourable cardiac events.