Multimedia learning proposes Essay

Multimedia learning proposes ways of going beyond the pure verbal messages which have been used in lectures and printed lessons for hundreds of years. Multimedia learning as Thomas Edison predicted has proved to be an effective method of teaching, has revolutionized our educational system and has supplanted the use of textbooks. Multimedia presentations are known to help learners. The newly developed multimedia technologies which incorporate simultaneous presentations of narration, images and text make the possibilities for instruction vast. Yet how should educators use these technologies to ensure that there is optimal learning? The answer is that the multimedia messages should be designed in the best way using the eight principles for multimedia design as a guideline. Background to the multimedia principles: Mayer is known for his research in the field of cognitive theory. According to Mayer, a multimedia instructional message is a presentation which involves words (such as spoken or written text) and pictures (such as animation, video, illustrations, and photographs) in which the goal is to promote learning. Mayer links cognitive learning theory to multimedia design issues, validating three theory-based assumptions about how people learn from words and pictures: the (1) dual channel assumption which is based upon the theory that pictures are seen by eyes and are processed as pictorial representations in the visual-pictorial channel. Spoken words on the other hand enter through ears and are processed in the other channel of human cognition, the auditory-verbal channel. (2) Limited capacity assumption is demonstrated by auditory- verbal overload. Because each channel in the human cognitive system has a limited capacity for holding and manipulating knowledge, presenting too many visuals and a lot of sounds at the same time causes the auditory-visual channel to become overloaded. And the (3) Active processing assumption implies that optimal learning occurs when learners engage in active processing within the channels which include relevant words and pictures organized into coherent pictorial and verbal models and integrated with each other and other knowledge. The discovery of the eight principles of multimedia design was a result of Mayer’s research. Each principle was based on the cognitive theory and was supported by the finding of the research. The multimedia principles discussed with good and bad practice examples: These eight principles are explained as follows in more detail, along with their applications. Multimedia Principle: This principle states that carefully and selectively chosen words and pictures enhance a learner’s understanding of an explanation better than words alone. Mayer tells us that deeper understanding occurs because students mentally connect pictorial and verbal representations of the explanation. A study was conducted in which students viewed a narrated animation about pumps or brakes or simply listened to a narration; the students who viewed the narrated animation scored substantially higher. There are numerous examples of the multimedia principle. Desktop publishing programs and the illustrative capabilities of Microsoft Word and PowerPoint adding pictures to a multimedia presentation has become relatively easy. A good practice example would be to use an animation of how an earthquake occurs to support the textual and/or verbal description: â€Å"when the frictional stress of gliding plate boundaries goes beyond a certain value and causes a failure at a fault line, which results in a violent dislocation of the Earth’s crust. At this point, elastic strain energy is released causing elastic waves to be radiated, leading to an earthquake. † The goal of this principle is best achieved when graphics used are meaningful and illustrative in juxtaposition with text. Images which convey meaning, not simply multitudes of clip art images with no instructional purpose. It would be bad practice heaps of pictures which show destructions caused by earthquakes are used when explaining how earthquakes occur. It would actually be a hindrance in the process of learning as it would take focus off the topic and instead bring the costs of the earthquake into discussion. A good use of this principle would be when pictures and animations are used for presenting instructional content where there are used as lesson interfaces and not for any decorative purpose. Contiguity Principle: The contiguity principle examines how words and pictures should be coordinated in multimedia presentations. This principle states that there is more effective learning when the narration and animation are presented simultaneously rather than successively. Also, words and associative pictures should be close each other and presented at the same time so that when the narration or words describes a particular process or action, the animation or picture shows it at the same time. A good practice example of the contiguity principle would be showing a car assembly procedure where narration and video are presented simultaneously. Students would learn better when the two things are coordinated than otherwise. It would be bad practice if the entire textual description or narration of the car assembly procedure which has 23 stages is presented first, prior to the animation or when the animation is played prior to the verbal description. A good idea is to display the narration and animation in close time proximity so that when words describe the action, the visual depicts the same action at the same time. This will make it more likely for the learner to build mental connections linking the verbal and visual representations. Modality Principle: This principle states that students learn more deeply and effectively when words are presented as narration rather than on-screen text. Using animation and text is a method most people use when designing PowerPoint presentations. According to Mayer when both pictures and words are used are displayed in multimedia, only the visual channel is utilized and it easily becomes overloaded. A good idea therefore is to use both processing channels; the visual/pictorial channel and the auditory/verbal channel. When the narration presented is auditory, it is processed by the auditory channel allowing the visual channel the resources to process the graphical content without it becoming overloaded. A good practice example of this principle would be to present an animation of how a bicycle tire pump works together with the narration of the explanation. Presenting some information in visual mode and some in auditory mode will expand working memory capacity and reduce excessive cognitive load. It would not be a good idea to play the narration after or before the animation. Redundancy Principle: This principle states that students learn far better from multimedia presentations consisting of animation and narration than from animation, narration, and text. The redundancy principle rejects the idea of presenting duplicate instructions in different forms. Unless it is necessary, presenting the same information both in narration and on-screen text hinders the process of learning rather than facilitating it. Some people think presenting the same information in multiple forms is safe and at best advantageous. However we must understand the architecture of human cognition. When dealing with new and technical instruction, working memory is very limited and presenting the same information in narration and on-screen text will mean that not all information will be processed. A good practice of this principle would be when a lecturer uses presentations to deliver his lectures. He can narrate the instructions while his presentations present animation and pictures. It would not be good practice if the lecturer has text heavy-slides and yet continues to try to maintain the attention of the audience. This redundancy causes the learners or audience to become wrapped up in either the verbal presentation or the textual material and miss the other. Even worse the learner may decide to not pay attention at all when he is being bombarded with so much information. Coherence Principle: This principle states that students learn better from multimedia presentations when irrelevant material is excluded rather than integrated. Irrelevant words and pictures, interesting but irrelevant sounds and unnecessary words huts the student’s learning process. Learners throughout the multimedia presentation try to make sense of the material by building a coherent mental representation and any irrelevant information that comes out of nowhere is likely to disturb the process. A good practice example of this principle would be that when discussing the issue of widespread public display of affection and whether there should be laws imposed against it. It would be a good idea to stick to the topic and present points for or against the argument and the reach a conclusion. If however a person is tempted to spice up the presentation, it would be bad practice. Including dramatic stories of politicians engaged in the art of public affection and video clips where couples are seen showing affection in public would be highly entertaining but off topic and the audience might get upset if they do not make out anything from the four hour long presentation. It would also not be a good idea to include any other non instructional material such as unrelated clip arts, background music, sound clips or detailed textual descriptions. Personalization Principle: The personalization principle states that students learn better when words are presented in a conversational style than in a formal or expository style. Students or audience responds better when a more personalized tone is used in narration. A good example of this principle is when explaining how a human respiratory system works, there is a use of ‘your’ instead of ‘the’. For example instead of saying † During inhaling the diaphragm move down creating more space for the lungs† we say † When you inhale, your diaphragm moves down creating more space for your lungs†. Also when addressing community issues using multimedia presentations it is always a good idea to use ‘your community’ rather than ‘the community’. It will help the learners see that it is his community that has issue and not some other community and will provoke him to take action or become a responsible member of the community. Segmenting principle: This principle states that lessons should be divided into manageable segments. When an unfamiliar learner is introduced to a continuous presentation with a lot of inter related concepts which are complex it is easy for the cognitive system to become overloaded. A good practice of this principle would be when a lecture breaks down complex geometry problems into segments rather than present them as a single solution. This helps learners learn at their own pace. Pre-training principle: This principle suggests that people learn better from multimedia presentations when they are familiar with the names and idea of the core concepts. There is a better transfer of knowledge when the audience is trained on the components the presentation would use preceding a narrated animation. A good practice of this example is when explaining the phenomenon of global warming to children, it would work better when terminologies such as green house gases are explained and smaller concepts are built before proceeding to the presentation. This will help the children integrate their built in concepts into understanding the main problem of global warming. It is not good practice to start with the subject before providing the learners with an appropriate start up knowledge neither would it be a good idea to stop in the middle of the lecture to explain some terminology or a hidden concept. Conclusion: Multimedia enhances learning but for learning to be optimal, there should be effective use of animation, narration and on-screen test in multimedia presentations. Techniques to increase working memory by reducing cognitive load have been proposed by many theorists. These techniques improve instructional design, learning efficiency, and effectiveness. Richard E. Mayer and his Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning has highlighted well-established principles of multimedia learning which the research continues to support, including (a) the multimedia principle, (b) the contiguity principle, (d) the modality principle, (e) the redundancy principle, and (f) the coherence principle and (e) the personalization principle. These principles aid users to design effective multimedia presentations. References Clark, R. C. & Mayer, R. E. (2003). e- Learning and the science of instruction: Proven guidelines for consumers and designers of multimedia learning. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass/Pfeiffer.

Economics Commentary Essay

The collusive1 market structure that the Japanese traditional industry has traced over previous years has increasingly become to fail. The tendency of companies abandoning cross-shareholdings2 has generated a in deep economic loss resulting from a reduce in the total revenue of corporations in the country. The attempt of industries such as steel, paper and energy as well as car making companies and electronic firms3 to consolidate economic partnership through means of oligopoly, has decreased deliberately from 50% of the market values to 20% over the last 17 years. The benefits of share holding companies were determined in preceding times to maximize profits by jointly agreeing in a fixed price which will avoid â€Å"price wars† and therefore substantial revenues4. Also assuming the interdependent behaviors, cross-shareholding companies act together to establish high barriers of entry to the industry in order to preserve ascendancy and evade competitiveness to have a high indices of demand. As the extract mentions, there is a bought share between companies to prevent the overhaul of others and to regulate the number of firms within the market as it happened with Mitsubishi when 11 other companies had an acquisition of shares to â€Å"block the outsider†. As these companies were subdued to price controls of the industry, the demand curve will therefore be highly inelastic responding to the few amount of substitutes5 that the industry seeks to have in flow. However the concerns about the crumbling of the traditional tendency of cross-shareholding are given with the results in the change of behavior of the industry. Along with the abandonment of share holding companies, the industry becomes vulnerable to external entry and in the case of Japan foreign investments which increases competition. As there is increase in supply of same products, demand for products of individual firms will fall and the demand curve will shift to the left. Demand shifts to the left from D1 to D2 due to the increase in supply with the entry of new firms and the removal of a unique price of product in the whole industry. As the result in the shifting of the demand curve of any Japanese product prices of evidently reduce as shown in the previous figure. From P1, being the demand of a cross-holding alliance of the market, and P2 the consequent reduction of this model. Quantity produced also lessens from Q1 to Q2 as costs of production are directly proportional to the loss of profit6 with the diminishing prices. Due to price decline, total revenue also decreases as both quantity and price of products decrease considerately. The impacts of this phenomenon on Japanese economy is illustrated with losses of the questioned firms. Between March and September more than 160 shareholding companies lost a total of à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½300 billion in value. 610 Banks and monetary institutions have also been affected as these companies are part of the essential capital they lend against. Despite the increase in cross-shareholding companies since 2004, the evident economic impact of the â€Å"criss-crossed capitalism† are starting to arise. The Japanese government in response has been working on regulatory measures to prevent this phenomenon future repercussions. Works Cited – * Economic Basis: Demand and Supply. In the internet: http://www.investopedia.com/university/economics/economics3.asp, s.t. * Economic Basis: Monopolies, Oligopolies and Perfect Competition, s.t. In the internet: http://www.investopedia.com/university/economics/economics6.asp, s.t. * Introduction to economics * WHITTEN, Darrel. Japan: Japan’s System Of Interlocking Shareholdings. In the internet: http://www.mondaq.com/article.asp?articleid=24335, 2004. 1 A commonly accepted price determination of oligopolists to prevent competition of prices over similar products. 2 When to or more firms3 hold each other shares. 3 Institutions that employ production factors to produce and hence sell goods and services. 4 The resultant economic gains of multiplying the price of a good times the quantity of that good sold (TR=pxq). 5 Similar products with certain differentiations that determine price elasticity of demand. 6 Net income in gains of a businesses activity.

Communication and Professional Relationships Essay

Unit 203 Communication and Professional Relationships with children, young people and adults. When dealing with children you need to take into account their age and stage of development. Different ages require different levels of attention and support. When dealing with small children you need to remember that they are still developing their language skills and may need help communicating. When talking to them you need to get down to their level so that you don’t feel intimidating. You will need to listen to them and tell them to take turns while speaking, you also need to be clear when talking to them and make sure they understand what you have said by making them repeat it back to you. Small children tire quickly and cannot concentrate for long periods of time. Children in Ket Stage 2 are starting to mature and can communicate a lot better, they are able to hold a conversation and will invite others to talk first. In some cases you will still need to remind them to wait and take their turn when speaking. Older children who are in Key Stage 3 and 4 are able to communicate more freely with each other and adults, they are able to use technology which they use to stay in touch with each other. Sometimes teenagers become self-conscious and embarrassed when they have to talk with adults, so you need to give them time and encouragement to regain their confidence. Your own behaviour has a big impact on the children you work with, children always take the lead from the adults around them and how they interact with others. You cannot expect a child to behave in a certain way if you as an adult don’t. We can only ask a child to behave if we do it ourselves; this makes it easier for them to understand boundaries of what is acceptable. Children of different ages communicate differently depending on their age and level of understanding. Some might need extra encouragement where others need more physical contact. As they get older they learn to communicate in different ways so you will need to adapt your vocabulary accordingly. Children that have communication difficulties need to be able to take their time when speaking so they don’t feel pressured. You need to adapt to their individual needs and communicate according to that. Some children have a speech disorder or they may stammer so you should let them take their time when speaking and try not to fill in the words for them as this will add to their distress. You may need some special training such as British Sign language so you are able to communicate better; some children have special educational needs so you might need additional equipment in order to communicate with them. There are not many differences when communicating with adults and children, you need to always maintain eye contact and respond to what they are saying. You should treat them all with courtesy and respect. However when you communicate with children you need to remember that they need to see you in a formal role. You always need to be clear in what you say and they should know what is expected of them. You shouldn’t use complicated language which makes it difficult for them to grasp. Adults need to show children how to communicate and get on with others we need to show them how to value and respect others so they can do the same. Children always copy adults be it in a negative or positive way. You need to show respect for others and acknowledge what they are saying and thank them for their contribution. When communicating with children there are a number difficulties may arise, these may be because of the special needs of the learner, different attitudes towards learning of different beliefs. When working with children or young people with special needs you will need to take your time and not rush them so that they don’t feel under pressure. People who use sign language may not have many opportunities to speak and might become nervous. When poor communication arises between adults this often leads to conflicts this may be because of communication difficulties or misunderstandings. The best way to resolve this is by discussing the problems so it does not happen again. The longer these misunderstandings are left unresolved the more difficult they may be to put right. People of different cultures have different expectations, in some cultures eye contact is not permitted so those pupils may not pick up on the non-verbal cues and another way to communicate will be needed. If a child lacks confidence they might act in an aggressive manner if they are unsure about something. You need to adapt the way you communicate with the learner’s individual needs. The lack of communication also leads to disagreements this may happen if information is misread or perceived wrongly, we sometimes blame others for saying things we don’t agree with. When this happens it needs to be managed carefully so that there are no hard feelings afterwards. You must never be drawn into an argument with child however hard this may be. If a child is arguing with you, you will need to manage it carefully and seek advice from another member of staff. The legal requirements and procedures regarding data protection are: Every Child Matters (England 2003) based on Children Act 2004. This stresses the importance of sharing information between professionals. Data Protection Act 1998. In schools parents are asked a lot of personal information regarding their child e. g. health and medical information, records from other schools or records for children with special education needs. This information must only be used if needed. The Freedom of Information Act The Freedom of Information Act gives you the right to ask any public sector organisation for all the recorded information they have on any subject. Anyone can make a request for information – there are no restrictions on your age, nationality or where you live. There are many reasons to need information on a child or an adult but this information cannot be shared without the parents’ consent. If there is reason to believe that the child is at risk of harm by the parent or there are legal reasons then the information can be shared. If you attend meetings and are told confidential information then you need to keep it to yourself. You need to reassure the children that the information you have will remain confidential. If a child has a medical condition such as asthma and epilepsy then there should be a system is place to share this information with other adults in the school. In some cases there are photos of children in the dining room who have allergies to certain foods but the photographs will need to be removed if the premises are used by others in the evenings.

Statistics and Legalization of Abortion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Statistics and Legalization of Abortion - Essay Example In very simple words, abortion is the final consequence of a woman's decision of terminating her pregnancy. However, the reasons responsible for this decision vary immensely with individuals and the circumstances they are up against. In medical terms there are two types of abortion; one is miscarriage, also called spontaneous abortion which mostly occurs in early pregnancy say due to environmental factors, the age and the health of the pregnant women. This risk of miscarriage is high among women over the age of 35 or among those who have a history of several spontaneous or induce abortion. The second type of abortion is induced abortion, and has become synonymous to the word abortion today. This form of abortion can be due to many reasons and is therefore surrounded by an intense social and moral debate. The practice of induced abortion can be traced back in to history where certain sharp tools were used for this procedure, also with the help of certain herbs and by applying abdominal pressure. However, in ancient Greece women wishing to terminate their pregnancy were advised to engage in exercise, carrying heavy objects and riding animals instead of using sharp tools for the procedure. One of the reasons for abortion is preference for a particular sex for the child and is more common in Asian countries which have a culture preference of son. Due to medical advances, it is very convenient today to determine the sex of the child before birth through ultrasound, which has led to the occurrence of sex selected abortion in many cases. For example in India and Pakistan a son is seen as a bread earner in the family and high dowry expenses are tied with the existence of a daughter, there the rate of sex targeted abortion is very high as most families already facing financial difficulties prefer sons than daughters. In India alone "researchers have asserted that between 1985 and 2005 as many as 10 million female fetuses may have been selectively aborted" (Reaney, Patricia. 2006). Another reason for sex selective abortion evident in china is due to its historic preference of sons and its one child policy, which has been implemented due to population concerns in this country. This lead to an increase in sex selective abortions and an imbalance in the ratio of male versus female population became evident, in response to which China put a ban on this type of abortion in 2002. Due to the ban on abortion in many countries, as will be discussed in detail later, and also due to lack of access to safe abortion especially in the rural areas women have turned to unsafe methods of terminating their pregnancies. "black alley abortions" is a term uses for such types of abortions which lack hygiene and proper medical skills to perform such a procedure and can even result in death of the woman. According to the estimates of The World Health Organization (WHO) as much as 19 million unsafe abortions are carried out around the world each year. And 68,000 among these result in the death of the women. "A 2007 study published in The Lancet found that, although the global rate of abortion declined from 45.6 million in 1995 to 41.6 million in 2003, unsafe procedures still accounted for 48% of all abortions performed in 2003." (Sedgh et al. 2007) Legalization of Abortion There is no universal law which applies the legalization or ban of abortion. Currently the laws relating to this sensitive issue vary from country to country depending on the religious, moral and

The great gatsby- write about gatsby's personality Essay

The great gatsby- write about gatsby's personality - Essay Example To Nick, this quote dissects Gatsby’s personality and makes sense why the external world perceives him the way they do. Gatsby’s smile shows off his magnetic nature as well as giving the person receiving that smile the power of feeling special. Anyone who meets Gatsby cannot help to see only the good in him. What Gatsby does not realize is that his present life can never be fulfilled if he continues to live in his past. Gatsby puts overwhelming pressure on himself to live a certain way as a means to capture his true love’s heart, but ruins any chance of having a future in the meanwhile. A rags-to-riches story, Gatsby pulled himself out of the slums and now lives a life of luxury, throwing lavish parties in hopes to draw Daisy to one so that he can have a chance to win her love again. Anyone who is anyone knows of Gatsby’s lavish parties. He is notorious in New York as the man who has everything. Unfortunately, the means in which he was able to do it by was through bootlegging alcohol and other illegal activities, according to Tom, when he tells Daisy, â€Å"I picked him for a bootlegger the first time I saw him, and I wasn’t far wrong,† (Fitzgerald 282-290) as a desperate plea to convince her to stay with him. The truth is that Gatsby is a criminal. In fact, his real name is James Gatz. This criminal past trying to be erased by a new persona adds to the illusion that Gatsby lives a better life that he created for himself and also reinforces that it is one that can never lead to a lifetime of happiness. Gatsby’s â€Å"front† of bei ng this person that he is not has backfired. Even when Gatsby tells Tom that Daisy â€Å"never loved† him and only married Tom because he was â€Å"poor and tired of waiting† for him (Fitzgerald, 146) in front of Daisy, Daisy isn’t too quick to agree. Gatsby’s delusion that Daisy never loved anyone else but him goes to show that Gatsby could never live in reality. Gatsby’s misconception of

Martha Stewart Unethical Practices Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Martha Stewart Unethical Practices - Essay Example Martha Stewart was able to muster enough strength to overall all insurmountable obstacles, including the stock market scandal, to retain her business and home icon status. Martha’s website, http://www.marthastewart.com/crafts, displays many of her business products. The business products include kids’ accessories, Crepe –paper crafts, handmade clutches /bags, clay, and other kids’ nature products. In addition, Martha Stewart sold products under the home and garden classification. The classification included organizing tips for the day. One product is helping current and prospective customers choose the right color for their homes. The classification includes organizing tips for the day. The classification offers access to her Living journal. Martha’s website offers an entertainment product classification. The classification offers current and prospective customers to buy her regularly printed Mart’s Entertaining journal. The classification offers products relating to cocktails. The classification sells baby shower products for the expecting mothers. The classification offers products for graduation activities. Martha Stewart’s website sells a product classification for wedding occasions. The classification offers different wedding gown designs. The classification offers seasonal ideas for the special marriage event. The classification offers 50 great wedding centerpieces. ... To ensure the success of her printed products, Thomas Mickey (2003) reiterated Martha Stewart personally launched her product. She appeared on NBC’s â€Å"Today† show to discuss the many advantages of buying her Martha Stewart Living journal. In addition, Martha Stewart devoted a section of the Martha Stewart Living journal to gardening topics. The journal was a huge success among gardening enthusiasts. Martha also produced her own show. Martha Stewart’s TV show allocated a portion to gardening topics. Martha Stewart was catapulted as one of gardening gurus. However, Carrie Johnson (2005) reported Martha Stewart was entangled in one unethical situation during her stay at the top of her business career. Martha Stewart was imprisoned for her part in the ImClone Systems stock trading acts that were classified as UNETHICAL. Martha Stewart was the chief executive officer ImClone Systems. The United States Securities and Exchange Commission and the United States probe of trading. In addition, two officers and the founder of ImClone Systems, Samuel Waksal, were arrested for their part in the stock market scandal. The officers of the company sold their stocks in the market to avoid generating losses from selling their stocks AFTER the news will crop up that the company is losing money. Likewise, both Zvi Fuks, the chairman of New York’s Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospital, and Sabina Ben-Yehuda, an officer of an investment company with linkage to Waksal, sold their stocks after being tipped that the stock prices will drop after a few days. The arrests came after Martha Stewart served her sentence for obstructing investigation into her sale of ImClone stock. In terms of analysis, stock market prices rise when current and prospective

Professional Issues Assignment one Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Professional Issues Assignment one - Case Study Example There is an ongoing divorce case and the some data is being required by the lawyers and prosecutors. The psychologist should seek the consent of the client as to what and to whom the information will be given and the purpose that these data will serve. Fidelity is a part of the ethical guidelines stated by BACP. Increasingly, attention has focused on providers of psychological services who need to balance the ethical principles of their profession with legal and regulatory mandates, as well as with the institutional policies of the organizations where they work. The General Guidelines for Providers of Psychological Services and the Specialty Guidelines for the Delivery of Services were promulgated to aide those involved in the professional practice of psychology within several contexts. Additional guidance on specific issues is provided in other documents, such as the Guidelines for Child Custody Evaluations in Divorce Proceedings, drafted by the Committee on Professional Practice and Standards and several others mentioned throughout his chapter. The experiment with Little Albert by Watson and Rayner achieved a great deal of information and additional knowledge that are still considered to helpful up these days in the field of psychology. Watson is a strong proponent of the idea that fear among kids is innate and it can be considered a response to an unconditioned event. The principle of info... The principle of informed consent states that children should be made aware of all the conditions and procedures that they will encounter throughout the research. There should be an approval from the child if he/she wants to participate in the research or not. The child should be provided with the freedom to decide if he/she wants to join or not and the researchers should respect the decision of the child. Non-maleficence states that the procedures should not, in any way, place the child in danger or great harm while doing the research. The psychologist should seek other safer means of doing a procedure if it entails evoking stress from the subject. The psychologist may also ask for more knowledge or assistance from other specialists if they believe that there is a potential danger in one of the steps included in the research. Task Sheet 4: Limits of competence and fitness to practice Competence can be measured by evaluation and can be maintained by keeping a sound professional relationship with clients and sustaining an objective mind to keep away from distractions and pressure. Evaluation is not new in human experience. When Adam and Eve were tempted to partake the apple, a choice was made. President of McKinley spent sleepless nights pondering on whether it was a wise move to buy the Philippines from Spain. The decision he made became a history. Trying on a new dress or buying a new pair of shoes, choosing a course, selecting a university or college - all these involve some appraisal, some evaluation. Evaluation is used to mean appraisal or measurement. As applied to education, it is the process by which we find the extent to which the objectives of the school policies and school program are being attained. Good defines evaluation as the process of determining

Describe the regulation of PFK-1 and PFK-2 and the production of Essay

Describe the regulation of PFK-1 and PFK-2 and the production of fructose-2,6-bisphosphate - Essay Example When the glucose levels are low, F-2,6-bisP is converted to F-6-P. This reaction is catalyzed by the phosphorylated form of PFK-2 called fructose bisphosphatase-2 (FBPase-2). PFK-2 and fructose bisphosphatase-2 (FBPase-2) are similar bi-functional enzymes. Phosphorylation of PFK-2 is done by protein kinase A (PKA). PKA is activated by increased levels of cAMP driven by the hormone glucagon during fasting state. The reverse reaction is catalyzed by a phosphatase, which is activated by the hormone insulin. Postprandial, there is an increased level of insulin, which is produced in response to increased glucose levels. During low glucose levels, glucagon increases the levels of cAMP in the liver cells. cAMP then activates PKA, which phosphorylates PFK-2 to form FBPase-2. FBPase-2 in turn converts F-2,6-bisP to F-6-P, this in general is inhibiting the glycolysis (Rider 562). In muscle cells too, fructose-6-phosphate is converted to fructose-1,6-bisphosphate, by PFK-1 using ATP. In muscle cells, PFK-1 is activated by AMP. The muscles use up ATP and convert it to AMP. Increased levels of AMP stimulate glycolysis and increases ATP production. However, increased levels of ATP inhibit PFK-1allosterically. High levels of citrate also inhibit PFK-1 in muscle cells. In liver cells the major regulators of PFK-1 are F-2,6-bisP and F-6-P, while in muscle cells, the major regulators of PFK-1 are AMP and ATP. Thus, it can be seen that PFK-1 and PFK-2 are regulated differently in liver cells and muscle

EDUCATION WELFARE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

EDUCATION WELFARE - Essay Example It is common for these kinds of families to collapse, with spouses being left as single-parents. This is precisely what Childers’ describes in her book. While Childers is between the age of 10 and 16, she describes the tough circumstances in which she lives. Childers is the eldest of 7 children, and she is often left in charge of them when her mother wanders away. At home, they do not have a telephone, and there is often no electricity too. They also went to bed to bed hungry. Childers often regrets what she has experienced. The 1960s was a period when non-whites were locked in a struggle to attain equal social rights. However, this did not mean that whites were well off, as many of them lived at or below the poverty line. The United States was increasingly engaging in war in Vietnam, and this put a strain on the economy. Yet, there was some form of welfare to rely on. Amid getting an education through welfare, Childers experienced poverty, violence, neglect and shame. While these are experiences that one may not be able to recount calmly, she succeeds in doing so with honesty and grace. It is here that it is noteworthy to mention that she looks back at her dreadful past as though she appreciates what she has been through. Perhaps, these were hard lessons that taught her well. Childers was not alone in her battle, as her family fought for survival. However, it is her recount of prevailing over unwanted pregnancies and cruel boyfriends that impresses us. She managed to keep her education going despite her struggles outside and within the home. While they lived in bleak conditions, Childers and her sister, Joan, had come to realize one important thing. They knew that they must break the cycle of poverty, and they could do this by getting educated. At home, she had to contend with single mother who was an alcoholic. While she describes how much she

The purpose of religion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The purpose of religion - Essay Example Religion has been the most intriguing, controversial and influential factor in lives of individuals for centuries. Since the beginning of civilization thousands of years ago, religion has engulfed the life spheres of inhabitants of this world to a great degree. Scholars, thinkers, philosophers, and theologians have invested their time and effort extensively to study the impact of religion on people’s lives. Even when the role religion played in lives of its believers was not an empirically proven one; it was evident through introspection of thousands of people who saw a transformation in their lives as they begin to exercise their faith. This paper attempts to explore this transformative power, religion holds and the purpose it serves in different contexts in lives of people. In addition, the paper will also attempt to look at the modernization and analyze the difference, advent of science and technology has made in the function, religion served in the lives of its believers. In the beginning, when man began to venture into the mysteries of the universe and embarked upon the everlasting intellectual journey, he used religion as a way to explore the universe and solve the puzzles each phenomenon offered. Thus, mythologies came into being and people started worshipping objects because they thought it was these objects, which ruled the universe and ran their lives. This does not only include objects like fire and water but animals like the ones who were more powerful than them and their pets. As the world progressed, people grew wiser and realized the existence of a higher force, which governed the lives of objects, and entities, which they earlier perceived to be the divine force itself. This way, the advent of the concept of religion took place. However, as the world advanced, the role of religion became more subsided as people explored similar gains in other resources like technology and consultancy, both of which provides comfort and a space for cathars is with machine and human respectively. What is problematic to determine is therefore not what religion aimed to achieve, but whether religion is still required to enable life to function normally or whether it is an obsolete entity whose entire existence is nothing but a false satisfaction and testimony to various events that stand unexplained in the realm of history. To look at it critically, religion actually does not offer much help when it comes to real-life issues, at least not anymore. The purposes it served in ancient times are now attained in its absence with the same quality nonetheless. For instance, religion in older times was used as explanation for many life processes and universal occurring, which were devoid of any explanation comprehensible to human mind. However, with the scientific advancement and new discoveries flooding the world of information every minute, science seems to have overtaken this role and religion appears subsided by its much younger rival. Exampl es of this will be evolutionism offered by Charles Darwin and Big Bang theory, which both offer non-divine-yet-logical explanation for the creation of universe. In old times, religion also served a psychological purpose. It helped people relieve stress, get rid of their worldly pressures, and submit their worries to the power, which seemed to absorb all that is bad and protect people from all sufferings. All matters that seemed out of their control and circle of wisdom were left to the unimaginable and unending power of divinity. In addition, rites were designed to appease and gratiate this super power for his unlimited bounties and whenever sins or mistakes were committed, propitiation rites and sacrifices were performed to make it up to him. Thus, religion was just not restricted to rites and worship, but it engulfed the whole lifestyle and involved all aspects of existence of an individual. However, science has managed to overshadow successfully the impact of religion on peopleâ €™

Advocacy activity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Advocacy activity - Essay Example In order to succeed in this task, documenting the changes taking place in terms of legislations and policies, as a tool of social change is hence inevitable. Policy change is one of the greatest foundations, and a highly recommended approach to address the unique challenges faced by the society. The rapidly changing dynamics of the political environment around us clearly highlight the significance of the administration as a professionalizing agent in the field of political science (Furner, 2010). This paper aims to outline an approach to evaluate policy change by highlighting key priorities beginning from a brief overview of the chosen legislation, the significance and scope of the issue, the broad implications of the legislation, as well as an in-depth account of the elected official followed by an explanation of the entire process starting from the basic reasons behind the choice of the elected official an overview of the key points of discussion, to be carried out during the perso nal interview. Summary of the legislation: The key to addressing and resolving various social issues faced by the society lies in the determination of the social reformers and their relentless pursuit to create a more humane society by engaging in policy advocacy (Jansson, 2010). HIV AIDS is one such critical problem faced by the United States. With a total of 1.2 million Americans living with HIV (CDC, 2012), and one in five people are unaware of their infection (Aids.gov, 2012) it is identified as a serious public health concern thus indicating an urgent need to eradicate it through effective policy changes. This section discusses the Cure for AIDS Act 2012, introduced by Representative James Himes in the House, and is aimed at finding an effective cure for the epidemic and makes it accessible in the United States as well as globally. It proposes to establish a research program under the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program of the Department of Defense to accomplish i ts goal (Govtrack.us). The program is proposed to be headed by the Secretary of Defense in collaboration with the Director of National Institutes of Health; the Director of National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases; and any head of a Federal agency as deemed appropriate by the Secretary. The program aims to develop a cure for HIV/AIDS through extensive research programs, aimed at addressing the fundamental issues such as the key causes behind the persistence of the disease despite the use of various therapies; and developing and identifying various testing interventions to control the spread of any further spread of the disease, among others. The program also seeks to gain assistance from Non-profit entities in terms of co-ordination and sharing of responsibilities through partnership and provision of peer-reviewed funded research. The key objective of this bill is to ensure an effective cure for HIV/AIDS by supporting and encouraging innovative research. The conviction to find a cure has been strengthened further after the recent case of Timothy Brown, the first person ever to be cured of the 'incurable' disease (CBS News, 2012), thus providing a renewed hope to the medical practitioners, researchers and policy makers to revive and accelerate their efforts towards working and campaigning for the just cause. Significance and scope of the issue: HIV/ AIDS is a global epidemic affecting 34 million people worldwide, and claiming 1.8 million lives as of 2010 (WHO, 2012). According to available statistics the situation is equally grave for high-income developed countries as well including the United States. Over 1.2 million people in the United S

Pros and Cons of Curtailing Immigration to North America Essay Example for Free

Pros and Cons of Curtailing Immigration to North America Essay Debates on immigration and health care issues are regularly featured in the newspapers of the United States. The relationship that seems to exist between the current immigration policy and the state of the health care system in the country cannot merely be coincidental. Every year, the Border Patrol makes at least one million apprehensions of individuals that blatantly violate the immigration laws by crossing the United States borders unlawfully in order to work or to enjoy the benefits of free public services (â€Å"Illegal Immigration is a Crime†). No wonder, health care access has become a problem for countless legal citizens and residents of the U. S. to boot. There remain around 10 to 20 million illegal immigrants in the United States today. There are approximately 12 to 15 million jobs held by these people. So, illegal aliens represent around 8 percent of the U. S. work force. Between 4 to 6 million jobs held by illegal immigrants are serving the underground economy. The United States is foregoing around $35 billion each year in income tax collections because of such jobs. The country does not seem to be taking very strict action against undocumented immigrants and their means of earning a living because it â€Å"is simply hooked on cheap, illegal workers and deferring the costs of providing public services to these quasi-Americans (Justich and Ng 2). † What is most relevant to this discussion, however, is the fact that the United States is paying the consequences of being lenient toward illegal immigrants by suffering serious defects in its health care system. Illegal immigrants continue to add to the population requiring health care but ‘naturally. While the U. S. does not want to kick out all illegal immigrants because of their use to the U. S. economy, it also cannot afford health care for everybody. It is clear that immigrants have an effect on the health care system of the country, just as they have an effect on the U. S. economy. Therefore, it is correct to take stricter action against increasing flows of immigrants, both legal and illegal. Most of these people come to the United States with great hopes in a world-class system. At the same time, however, the United States believes that it cannot afford a health care system that includes illegal immigrants, when the legal residents and citizens of the country – the naturally born and the naturalized Americans – are complaining that they are finding health care too difficult to access because of high prices. High prices are, no doubt, led by high demand. Hence, it is obvious that immigrants are raising the demand of goods and services in the United States, thereby raising the prices. Only by checking the immigration policy and trying to control illegal immigration with stricter measures than before could the United States hope to achieve a balance in its health care needs, thereby making the health care system easily accessible to all. Legal immigrants have also benefited economies of North America, which is the reason why both the United States and Canada had opened their doors to huge numbers of foreigners in recent decades. Masci wrote about the United States in the year 2000: In the last 30 years the United States has absorbed the biggest wave of immigrants since the turn of the century, when millions arrived at Ellis Island in search of a better life. Today, more than 25 million Americans are foreign born – nearly 10 percent of the population. And that’s good for the economy, according to Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan, who says the pools of skilled and unskilled workers created by high levels of immigration have greatly contributed to the nation’s prosperity (Masci 571). Illegal immigrants, in particular, take up less-skilled jobs, and their wages are lower than those of native laborers. Natives must be rendered jobless if there are too many immigrants taking up their jobs. This is another reason why immigration must be curtailed. All the same, studies have shown that when the United States tightens border control, thereby making it more difficult than before for illegal immigrants to enter the nation, the economic growth of the nation turns into economic sluggishness. As an example, a drop in the number of illegal immigrants from Mexico in early 2001 coincided with the onset of a recession in March 2001 (Orrenius). Perhaps the current recession is also related to the nationwide debates on immigration in recent years and policy changes made through the debates. Now that the entire North America is facing a recession, it must be time to reconsider allowing greater numbers of immigrants into the United States and Canada. After all, immigrants bring their skills to North America as well (Messerli). Messerli describes other advantages of refusing to curtail immigration to North America thus: [Immigration] increases the diversity and expands the culture of the country. It improves the overall image of America internationally, as it is seen as an open, welcoming country; and immigrants who return home or maintain contact with family back home have a true image of America, not the one propagandized in much of the international media. Adding an additional group of cheap labor adds to the flexibility of business, leading to cheaper prices, better quality products, and higher profits. It gives struggling people all over the world an opportunity for a better life. This country was built on immigrants who sought opportunity, political religious freedom, etc (Messerli). However, curtailing immigration is necessary because immigration is also known to destroy diverse cultures. According to an article published by the Library of Congress: â€Å"When European settlers arrived on the North American continent at the end of the fifteenth century, they encountered diverse Native American cultures—as many as 900,000 inhabitants with over 300 different languages (â€Å"Destroying the Native American Cultures†). † It is known fact that the diverse cultures of the Native Americans were destroyed to a large extent, and most of their languages became extinct. Hence, other reasons for curtailing immigration must also be deliberated. Messler brings home the truth that immigrants could add to the population of drug dealers, terrorists and other kinds of criminals. Oak writes that immigrants are responsible for crowding. It is not surprising, therefore, that prisons in the United States are overcrowded. Oak also states that immigrants may bring diseases into North America, that is, diseases prevailing in their home countries. Moreover, curtailing immigration is important because home countries are hurt when their most intelligent workers are allowed into North America in increasing numbers (Messler). And, what if their foreign credentials are not recognized in North America? In Canada, even the most intelligent and qualified foreigners may have to take up low-skilled jobs because their foreign qualifications are not recognized (â€Å"Canada’s Immigration Problem†). Such people may have to settle for lower standards of living than before. What is more, even if their credentials are recognized, such people may have to behave as â€Å"functional illiterates† in Canada if they do not know English and/or French, simply because applications for immigration to Canada ask for only basic proficiency in these languages (â€Å"Canada’s Immigration Problem†). Then again, it is necessary to consider both the pros and cons of curtailing immigration to North America. The fact that immigrants boost economies is essential for policy makers to bear in mind. After all, North America values foreigners for the skills. Now that a worldwide recession has set in, it is even more important to allow increasing numbers of foreigners into both the United States and Canada. Research has already revealed that recessions may be connected to curtailing immigration. Increasing flows of immigrants add to the diversity of cultures in North America. However, it is also a fact that immigrants may destroy the culture of the natives, as it happened in the case of Native Americans. Furthermore, increasing flows of immigrants seem to have a relationship with health care problems facing the United States. Immigrants may bring in diseases from their home countries. If they are illegal immigrants, they may add to crime, too. Additionally, immigrants may take up low-paid jobs or bring their high skills to North America to replace native workers. During a period of recession, joblessness is a major problem. Thus, these issues surrounding immigration present a dilemma to policy makers that are presented with the question of whether to curtail immigration. Works Cited â€Å"Canada’s Immigration Problem. † Vive Le Canada. 5 Jul 2004. 10 Dec 2008. http://www. vivelecanada. ca/article/print/163651492. â€Å"Destroying the Native American Cultures. † The Library of Congress. 8 Apr 2003. 10 Dec 2008. http://memory. loc. gov/learn/features/immig/native_american. html. â€Å"Illegal Immigration is a Crime. † Fair US. 2006. 10 Dec 2008. http://www. fairus. org/site/PageServer? pagename=iic_immigrationissuecenters6ce3. Justich, Robert, and Betty Ng. â€Å"The Underground Labor Force is Rising to the Surface. † Bear Stearns Asset Management. 3 Jan 2005. 10 Dec 2008. http://www. bearstearns. com/bscportal/pdfs/underground. pdf. Masci, David. â€Å"Does the U. S. Admit Too Many Newcomers? † The CQ Researcher (14 Jul 2000) Vol. 10, No. 25, pp. 569-592. Messerli, Joe. â€Å"Should America Maintain/Increase the Level of Legal Immigration. † Balanced Politics. 8 Nov 2008. 10 Dec 2008. http://www. balancedpolitics. org/immigration. htm. Oak, Manali. â€Å"Pros and Cons of Immigration. † Buzzle. 2007. 10 Dec 2008. http://www. buzzle. com/articles/pros-and-cons-of-immigration. html. Orrenius, Pia M. â€Å"U. S. Immigration and Economic Growth: Putting Policy on Hold. † Southwest Economy (Nov-Dec 2004), Issue 6.

Music therapy

Music therapy Music and Medicine Music is heard in many places we go. We hear it while watching television at home. We often turn in on in the car. We hear it while shopping, riding elevators, sitting in waiting rooms, and in many areas as we go about daily life. It has the ability to incite great passion, make people angry, or break a heart and bring one to tears. William Congreve, a playwright and poet, wrote the Mourning Bride. In Act I, Scene I he said, Music has charms to soothe a savage beast. If one believes that to be true, it is easy to conclude that music is intentionally used to control mood in various venues in our life. For purposes of this paper, we will explore how music is used in the healthcare setting. We will, based on research, determine if music has an effect on patients and the healing process. The writings of Plato and Aristotle were some of the early indicators that suggested music could improve health. For those of us who believe the Bible, we know that theory was in practice long before these writers. The Bible says in I Samuel 16:23, Whenever the Spirit of God came on Saul, David would take up his lyre and play. Then relief would come to Saul, he would feel better, and the evil spirit would leave him. From the beginning, music has been used to soothe the soul. Modern music therapy formally began in the twentieth century after World War II. Musicians would travel to hospitals across the United States to visit veterans who were suffering from shell shock. It only makes sense that the healthcare field would catch up and deliberately incorporate music into the healing process. Medicine relies on evidence-based practice. This means that there should be significant research to support putting that practice into place. There have been multiple studies to support using music therapy as part of a holistic approach to healing. Music therapy is defined as, the clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship by a credentialed professional who has completed an approved music therapy program. Currently, there are college curriculums dedicated to training music therapists, and the American Association of Music Therapists is in existence. Therapists are trained to assess and identify patients needs based on physical, social, and emotional factors, as well as, their cognitive abilities. While one knows that music is used by many people, it is documented that patients have improved outcomes when a trained, professional music therapist is in control of this portion. This is based on their ability to determine what is in the patients best interest due to their assessment findings. There is no beginning or ending age where music is a benefit. Expectant mothers often play music to their unborn babies. It is said to release endorphins in the mothers bloodstream causing her to have happy feelings. These feelings are transferred to the baby. Music is also often played in a hospice setting where people are dying. It is thought to foster peaceful feelings with the patient and family during this difficult process. Obviously, most people have preferences as to what kind of music they like. Some studies suggest, based on MRI findings, that although we may differ in our preferences, our brains receive different kinds of music in much the same way. A couple of particular areas of the brain were looked at under MRI while participates listened to music that they had never had before. Those areas suggested that although the auditory experience may have been pleasing to some and not others, the brain highlighted increased activity in the same regions. So, even listening to something one does not particularly like, does not necessarily mean it will facilitate negative feelings. Which leads us to health benefits of music. Dr. Daniel Levitin, a psychologist who studies neuroscience of music at McGill University, performed several studies to determine the chemical reaction of listening to music. In one particular study, he was looking to see if patients who were waiting on surgery and listening to music were less anxious than those who were not, and which group required anti-anxiety medications. He found that music listeners were less anxious, required less medication, and had decreased levels of cortisol. Cortisol is a stress hormone. Music listeners also had higher levels of immunoglobin A, which is an antibody related to immunity and having higher counts of cells that fight bacteria. The American Cancer Society also utilizes music therapy in treating oncology patients. They have additionally done research on its benefit. They found that, along with traditional treatment, music could help relieve pain, as well as, reduce nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy drugs. It also reduced depression, heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing rate. All of this seems incredibly important when one is in a fight for his life against cancer. One of the most promising areas of music therapy is seen in children. According to the American Psychological Association, from pre-term babies to older children, the studies have been promising as to the effects of music on healing. Babies in an intensive care unit are surrounded by intense and intimidating equipment. It can assault their senses twenty four hours at a time. Playing music to drown out the constant noise of that equipment has been shown to improve their sleep and eating patterns, and it can decrease the stress level of the parents there with the children. As with adults, children fight various illnesses. However, adults, most often, cope with difficult procedures better than children. The sheer idea of having a procedure will overwhelm a child more violently. They often react even before the procedure is started. One particular music therapist, at Boston Hospital, began working with a child who had to go for an x-ray and was extremely anxious. He followed the child th roughout the process, constantly engaging her with instruments and music, and only stopped after the procedure was over. She never realized her x-ray was done, because she was so engaged in the activities. Autistic people have a difficult time engaging others, expressing their feelings, and some have problems with language development. Studies have shown music can cause improvements in these areas. Autistic children often are found to have incredible abilities related to music, and it helps reinforce positive behaviors. Our brain often associates memories with music. That is an important fact in treating Alzheimers and dementia patients with music therapy. It has been shown to improve thought processes, memory and emotions. Another promising area of treating with music is in Parkinsons patients. It is not necessarily the sound of the music, but the vibrations from the music. The American Psychological Association has seen improvement of symptoms in these patients. It seems low frequency vibrations improve gait, reduce tremors, and make them less rigid. Hospitals and doctors offices play music in hallways, waiting rooms, and in most procedure rooms. It has a calming effect on patients, visitors, and staff alike. It reduces stress and anxiety, and makes an unpleasant situation, bearable. And the list goes on and on. While there will always be some who do not see the benefit, there is countless research supporting the use of music to improve healing. There continues to be research done on this subject daily. While conventional medicine makes leaps and bounds in countless areas, we should not discount holistic treatments. What was good enough for Saul in the Old Testament, is still good enough today. References Berkeley Wellness. Music as Medicine. Berkeley University of California. Web. 10 Feb. 2014. Landau, Elizabeth. This is Your Brain on Music. CNN. Web. 15 April 2013. Landau, Elizabeth. When Patients have Music Emergencies. CNN. Web. 23 August 2013. Novofney, Amy. Music as medicine. American Psychological Association. Web. Nov. 2013. n.p. I Samuel 16:23. Bible Hub. Web. n.d. n.p. 4 Ways to Use Music as Medicine. Aging Care. Web. 21 March 2013. n.p. How to Play Music for Your Baby while Pregnant. Smarter Baby. Web. 16 Dec 2008. n.p. Music Therapy. American Cancer Society. Web. n.d. n.p. William Congreve. Answers. Web. n.d. Ridenour, Annette and Sadler, Blair. Improving Healing Through Art and Music. Healthcare Design. Web. 31 October 2007.

Pregnancy and Advanced Maternal Age

Pregnancy and Advanced Maternal Age As more women focus on their careers, more women are getting pregnant and having children after the age of 35 years old, which means in the medical field that they are placed in a group of mothers that are classified as being of advanced maternal age. Not that many years ago most of the women if they were able to conceive, would not carry the child to term or would die before the baby was born, but because of advances in medical technology most of these women easily get pregnant and have normal pregnancies; however there are some issues and risks involved when having a baby during your later childbearing years. As women age, they become less fertile and the ovaries do not always release an egg each month during the menstrual cycle which can be a cause of infertility. As you age there is also an increased risk that the baby will have a genetic disorder, like Downs Syndrome. There are always concerns for the mother and fetus during pregnancy, but for the woman who has hit advanced maternal age she will be specially monitored for problems related to her age. The risk of miscarriage increases to about 1 in 4 at the age of 35 and 1 in 3 after the age of 45, with the majority of these caused by a genetic problem with the baby. The advanced maternal age mother is more then twice as likely to develop high blood pressure or diabetes during her pregnancy as a younger woman under 35 years of age. There is also an increased risk of placental abruption and placenta previa in older mothers. Regular checkups during the pregnancy are always important, but with the mother of advanced maternal age checkups s hould be started earlier and more tests will be provided to monitor the fetus. Common tests offered to mothers over the age of 35 are blood test called AFP, triple screen, quad screen and/or integrated tests, which is done between 15 to 18 weeks pregnant and measures several different substances in your blood to look for a problem in the babies spine or signal a possible genetic problem. Another more invasive test called Amniocentesis and Chorionic villi sampling are tests used to check for genetic problems with the baby. Amniocentesis is done by drawing away a volume of amniotic fluid by inserting a needle, usually guided with ultrasound, through the mothers skin where it crosses the uterine wall into then amniotic sac where the baby and fluid reside. It is most often done in the third trimester to test for lung maturity when there is a danger in allowing a high-risk pregnancy to continue and at 15 weeks to do genetic testing. Chorionic Villous Sampling (CVS) is a technique that us es a needle through the cervix (a vaginal approach) to biopsy some chorionic tissue (placental tissue). The cells retrieved can be tested for genetic abnormalities, yielding the same information that amniocentesis provides, but over a month earlier. With all tests there comes increased risks and worrying for the patient and family, teaching is especially important during these times. With the more invasive testing there comes an increased risk of miscarriage and then waiting for the results can also cause anxiety Not all is negative for the mother who is of advanced maternal age, these women are usually more educated, financially stable and have good healthcare, and they are usually in good relationships with extended family support. Most women of advanced maternal age are encouraged to have genetic counseling prior to pregnancy to determine if they are at risk of having a baby with a genetic disorder such as Down syndrome and so therefore are more educated regarding these issues and better able to make decisions that might effect themselves or the future of the baby. Women of advanced maternal age should be provided the same instructions for prenatal care as a younger mother, such as to see her provider before getting pregnant and continue with checkups as scheduled. Like any other pregnant mother she should take a multivitamin everyday, eat a variety of healthy foods, plenty of rest and exercise. Teaching should be done when to call the doctor, such as having bleeding with or without pain, severe headache, problems with eyesight, severe swelling of the face, hands, ankles and feet, any fluid leaking from the vagina and having contractions before her due date. Because of all medical advances that have been made, mothers of advanced maternal age can safely get pregnant and carry the baby to term, these mothers are really just like any other pregnant women, but because of their age will need to be monitored a little more carefully for risks that could affect any pregnant women.

No United States without Mexico :: essays research papers

No U.S. without Mexicans   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As a Mexican American in the United States I can honestly say that Spanish colonialism plays a crucial role in understanding the history of Mexicans in the United States. Spanish colonialism brought forth many factors that shaped the Mexican. One huge factor is religion. The Spanish brought a unified form of religion, we know it as Christianity. Secondly, with its priority of converting the indigenous people to Christianity, they migrated and created pueblos in what is now part of South Western United States. With its expansion and creation of Haciendas and Ranchos, the Spanish created a new style of culture, which is important in the shaping of the Mexican in the United States.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One of the most influential aspects of the Mexican in the United States is his religious beliefs. If not for the Spanish and their devotion to convert people to Christianity, life would be differently for the average Mexican. Spiritually, the Mexican looks to god for guidance and support. Growing up in a Mexican household, I can say that religion played an enormous role in my life. As a family, we would attend church every Sunday. I also attended catechism through the course of my childhood, which shaped me into the individual that I am today.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  With its expansion of Christianity, the Spanish Colonialism created Haciendas, Ranchos and pueblos in the Southwestern United States. With these Haciendas and ranchos the Spanish brought a unique form of architecture. This Spanish Style architecture as it is now known is evident throughout the southwestern United States today. Large portions of Chicanos live in homes that are influenced by the expansion of Spanish colonialism. Spanish style architecture, with its enormous archways and brick cultured construction is one of the most elaborate and popular forms of architecture found today. Within these haciendas lies a cattle cultured economy which is extremely important now in the United States. The Spanish brought horses, cows, goats, and sheep to the United States. Cattle play a role on just about every person in the United States, for the United States thrives as a meat eating country. With the creation of haciendas a new style of culture would be created from th ese flourishing communities.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Mexican culture is extremely important in the lives of a Mexican. Religion, food, folklore as well as community contribute to the culture of a Mexican. The Spanish culture is well and alive throughout the United States.

Mica and men review :: essays research papers

Of Mice and Men Review Of mice and men was such a great movie it was shocking that it didn’t receive any Academy Awards. Gary Sinise made a heart effecting very well done adaptation on Steinbeck’s classic novel. It is set in the great depression, where men travel around trying to get any work they can. It is based around two characters George (Gary Sinise) and Lennie (John Malkovich). Both characters care for each other deeply and take care of one another. Lennie has a mental disability but is very strong, whereas George is very intelligent and cunning and he does the thinking for both of them, while Lennie does a lot of the work. Both Lennie and George find themselves working on a ranch during harvest season with a variety of other quaint characters. The foreman of this ranch is named Curley and Curley’s unnamed wife who plays an important role. The life of these two men is held up by a dream of one day owning their own piece of land. Candy(Ray Waltson) is an old cripple and old ranch hand, he finds out about George and Lennie’s plan to buy land he wants to buy into it. Crook's is another character, a black labourer that is left lonely because he is excluded, and Slim who is a labourer who the others tend to look up to. Curley’s wife likes to show off the fact that she’s good looking and in turn, tends to get people into trouble. Sherilyn Finn quite convincingly plays the character of Curley’s wife. Unfortunately Curley’s wife can’t find anyone to pay attention to her leaving her lonely the same way some of the other characters feel. The film has some very strong acting throughout the film. The acting was led by the always wonderful John Malkovich as Lennie.

Impact of Charley on Willy Loman in Arthur Millers Death of a Salesman :: Death Salesman essays

Impact of Charley on Willy in Death of a Salesman Charley had a huge impact on Willy in the play Death of a Salesman. Willy is jealous of Charley's success. Repeatedly, Willy would go to Charley's to borrow money to pay the bills. Biff and Happy were failures; Willy refuses to recognize this because Bernard, Charley's son was so successful. Charley's effect on Willy has caused him to become extremely spiteful. At the end of every week, Mr. Loman found himself at Charley's feet, begging him for money. Charley continually gave him the money to keep him quiet. This is ironic because Willy thinks that he is so much better then Charley, when in fact he was just incredibly jealous. When Willy was fired from his job, his only friend Charley offered him a job. Willy reprimanded Charley for insulting him. This made a very clear assertion of Willy's jealousy. In Willy's eyes, his children were remarkable. They were, popular, good at sports, and intelligent. When in reality Biff and Happy were rapidly declining. Charley would try to tell Willy about his kids. Willy never listened because it pained him to see Bernard more successful then Biff and Happy. Charley was content with his life. His son was happily married with two sons. His job was going great. Willy on the other hand was scared of life itself. He lied to his family and Charley about everything. Repeatedly he contradicted himself. He said that blue-collar workers were stupid and were not going anywhere. However, he would brag to Charley about all the work he did around the house. Willy was never happy with what he had. He always thought he could have better.

William Shakespeare’s Hamlet Essay

The tone of William Shakespeare’s Hamlet is set by the theme of madness and deception. The death of Hamlet’s father and the appearance of his ghost to his son sets into motion a series of events that end in leads to the near total destruction of the Danish court. No one proves to be safe from the pervasive nature of their own guilt, real or imagine, as the character’s fall victim to Hamlet’s madness and the king’s deception. Revenge and fear, in particular, play central roles in the eventual conclusions of the play, as it provides a vehicle for the concepts of madness and deceit, as well as the bloody and darkening shadow that falls upon Denmark itself. Even before he sees his father’s ghost among the castle walls, the seeds of suspicion and disgust have already grown to fruition within Hamlet’s mind. All that is needed to touch off this dark depression into full-blown action is a spark. This spark comes in the form of the deceased king, who gives voice to his son’s suspicions. It’s interesting, given the full blown form that Hamlet’s madness later takes, to consider that the conversation between father and ghost may have been a delusion. Though it’s hard to write off the apparition itself as false, since it is the guards who first see the ghost walking silently, the conversation between father and son is private and serves to provide justification for Hamlet’s later actions. In this way, it’s possible that this conversation was simply the beginning point for Hamlet’s growing insanity. From this first act, the other events fall in quick succession as though predicted. Death becomes a central almost fated result of the lethal mixture of Hamlet’s growing insanity and the guilt of the king There is a fine line between Hamlet’s realities and his delusions, as shown in the truth of his uncle’s deceit. It’s important that the tragedy of Hamlet begins and ends with death, providing a full-circle to the King’s murder of his brother and Hamlet’s own revenue and death. This is due in part to the larger significance of death both as an ending and a beginning. The tragedy of Hamlet itself begins and ends with death while the dead themselves provide witnesses. It’s important to note that even as the death should be released by the chain of events, they are not allowed to truly rest. From Hamlet’s father the king, to Ophelia’s drowned memory, they are allowed little reprieve. Instead their deaths act as cataclysms for more tragedy and death. It is Ophelia and Polonius’s deaths that cause Laertes to meet his death at the end of Hamlet’s poison-tipped blade. Connected to the idea of revenge, the dead are fuel to the fire and darkness that seep into the minds and actions of all involved. Given the heavy presence of death, it is no wonder that the images of darkness and the adjective â€Å"black† is repeated throughout the book. It seems to be almost an eternal night in Hamlet’s Denmark. There is no comfort. There is no hope, only sadness and death. Revenge, madness, and pride are connected in Hamlet through their common dark designs and darker endings. The need for revenge, which is bred from Hamlet’s encounter with his father’s ghost and eventually drives his madness, is not justice. This revenge is part duty, part self-preservation. Hamlet is lost in his new role in his family, with his mother’s marriage to his uncle and the usurpation of the crown from Hamlet’s own head. In taking action against his uncle, Hamlet is defending the honor of his family and attempting to reclaim his own self which has been lost (I. iv. ll. 21). With the new developments, Denmark itself has become a prison (II. ii. ll. 241), and he is a prisoner to the awareness of his position and the growing need to exact revenge. It is important to make the distinction between the two, revenge and justice. Hamlet is seeking to right the wrong of his father’s death, at first through revelation but then when this fails through violence. There is not the sense that Hamlet expects to escape his own death in the process of exacting revenge but at the same time there is the maddened sense of invincibility about him. He hopes to regain part of himself in destroying his uncle, however, he is already lost to his own fear and insanity. The concept of blood is important throughout the play, both in literal form in showing the brutality of Hamlet’s actions, and as representative of family. The physical presnece of blood is seen throughout the play in the deaths of even those who do end in bloodshed, like Ophelia;. The final scene in Act V is the bloodiest, with the deaths of Laertes and Hamlet, the wounding of the King, and the poisoning of the Queen. That final scene is also a good example of the power of blood, in the family sense, as Hamlet finally gains resolution in the deception of his uncle and his mother’s marriage and Laertes himself is able to avenge his sister and father. However, the concept of family goes much farther back in the play, to the very beginning with the first appearance of the dead king, still linked to his son and the tragedy of his blood, who himself is heard by Hamlet to call for revenge. For Hamlet, the concept of blood is perhaps the most sensitive and the core root to his own madness. A chief source of hurt pride for Hamlet is the marriage of his widowed mother to his uncle. In Hamlet’s eyes, not only has the new king usurped the role of his dead (murdered) brother but he has also taken over his brother’s position in the Queen’s bed. This is not a difficult idea to understand; Hamlet obviously feels a strong loyalty to his father and to the idea of his own succession. However, Hamlet’s constant condemnation of the King and Queen’s marriage being â€Å"incestuous† shows more about Hamlet than his mother, who is constantly condemned by her son for the marriage. The king is Hamlet’s paternal uncle and therefore, unrelated to the Queen except through the marriage of his deceased brother, Hamlet’s uncle. Therefore there is no real incest going on between the newly married couple but rather a joining of past and present. Instead Hamlet is showing an intolerance to change, that when divorced of his uncle’s treachery, is not quite as damning. However, true to the form of the play, the marriage has been built upon the dark deeds of the King. Their marriage is a deceptive continuity, the Queen herself innocent to the dark deeds of the King. She is not wholly innocent, as she ignorantly believes in the innocence of the new King. While she obviously loves her son, in sensing and fearing Hamlet’s growing restlessness and insanity, she does in a manner turn away from him. Seeing only death in her son’s countenance, it is understandable that she would ally herself with the calm presence of the new king. However, there is something of a resolution between mother and son. When the queen drinks the poison, the King has prepared for Hamlet, she joins the ranks of the innocent dead. Like Ophelia, the Queen becomes a kind of martyr to the ulterior motives of royal ascendency and the revenge of her only son. Though the King may have had larger ideas of their marriage, the Queen’s tragedy seems to be a belief in hope. In remarrying she is hoping to continue her life and in Hamlet she sees hope for her love and affection, even as he rejects her. Without the morality of justice, Hamlet’s revenge fails to provide any resolution. While death is certainly an end and a recurrent theme throughout the play, the persistence and skewed senses of madness prevent the carnage of the Danish court from representing an absolute ending. Instead, there simply seems to be no one else to truly die, no one else to suffer within this narrative of tragedy. Hamlet’s madness had acted in a way to bring about the complete destruction of all he’d ever held dear, it spent not only the resolve of it’s master but everything which it touched. The court of Denmark is withered but no longer a prison to Hamlet as he can depart in death as he was never able to in life. Though Hamlet finds his revenge and his end, he does not find true peace. Fueled by his own depression and anxiety, the injured pride of a fallen son, Hamlet instead creates a cycle of violence and fear which in the end even he falls prey to.

Blue Nile, Inc. Essay

pot and Mission sacrilegious Niles dream is to educate its client stand so that nodes burn make an informed, confident finis no matter what event they ar celebrating. It wants to make the entire ball field-buying process easygoing and hassle-free. In addition, an important part of puritanic Niles vision as chief operating officer Diane Irvine said in a modern webinar with Kaihan Krippendorf, is for the friendship to be turn backn as the alacrity way to buy rhombs, while confery 20%-40% more than one would in the typical je easilyery store. (Hoffman, 2010, p.1).ObjectivesThe objective of the graphic symbol interpret of regretful Nile is to evaluate and study their cata manpoweria business strategy. informal and orthogonal analysis ar wasting diseased to lay the wakeful points or aspects of their current strategy. separate courses of action go forth be set to improve the implementation of savory Niles strategy. Alternatives will be recommended to increme nt the slip by away name for gentle Nile.External and Internal AnalysisPorters quintuple Forces ModelRivalry among Competing Sellers. Rivalry among competing sellers is the starchyest among the tailfin sources of Porters Model. in that respect be many competitors in todays diamond trade. This makes the rivalry between meritless Nile and its competitors high. in that location atomic number 18 small mom and pop grass overs, the king-sized retain stores like Tiffany and Co. and DeBeers. olive-drab Nile is set about with new(prenominal) online competitors like themselves as intumesce as websites such as EBay and Amazon. The aspiration is extremely intense to slay client base. With all the competition each lodge must be able to cover their node something they squeeze outnot find with any of the new(prenominal)s. negociate Power of Buyers. The Bargaining power of the vendee is high in the diamond acquire world. The bargaining power for the buyer with aristocr atic Nile is medium because nodes be able to see the price of their desired obtainand shop around to find a let on price or deal. Switching bell for the node is virtual(prenominal)(prenominal)ly none extant because they flush toilet switch to some other company if they do not like the price, customer operate, or other things associated with their get.The benefit full-bodied Nile has over the bargaining power of the buyer is they boast prices set be busted their competitors with the resembling great lumber. Bargaining Power of Suppliers. There be only a extra number of suppliers for grisly Nile to lead from, do the bargaining power of the supplier high. ghastly Nile must depend on their suppliers to deliver their products in a incidentally stylus in outrank to deliver the goods timely delivery to their customers. Suppliers ar able to arrange their prices to blueness Nile because of the limited gist of suppliers. inconsolable Nile cannot accept prices fr om one supplier that supplier can easily find another company to sell to. Threat of succour Products. There is a holy terror of alternate product for blueness Nile. The bane go into the medium category because other substitutes do exist. nigh substitutes are diamonique, cubic zirconia, or other artificially make diamonds.Some community will contain a substitute as they cannot afford to secure and expensive diamond. Even though the quality is not the alike(p) as a real diamond many people still choose the substitute. Threats of New Entrants. There is an development of new entrants as it is right away easier than ever before to enter the diamond commercialize. In the past the startup greet was extremely high making the juggle of new companies low. It is easier for new entrants today because the handiness of the internet to reach customers. Also, the startup is low in online business.SWOT Analysis mettlesome Nile has a strong position in the market because they put o ne across plowd to gain confidence with their consumer. Being the largest online dealer in the world helps them to maintain their position in the market. Unfortunately, blueweed Nile is facing threats and weaknesses that can deteriorate their market position. The attach competition from other companies as well as their weak station recognition are a major cause for concern.StrengthsBlue Nile is the draw inion in online jewellery making. They have a rummy selling position as they were the first company to allow an singular to customizetheir diamond intimacy hoop. Customers are able to choose and design their experience multitude with options such as clarity, coat and the shape of the diamond. Customers can excessively choose from many settings for their enfolding ring.Customer service is a priority to Blue Nile. They cleft their customers a personalized experience to base customer confidence. Many options are made available to their customers through their website. Customers can choose from toll-free calls, live-chat, or email as a means to contact customer service. Convenient billing and insurance options are other ship canal that Blue Nile strives to provide excellent service to their customers. Customers are brooked a bill me later option as well as a 30-day funds back guarantee. All order of battles are shipped to their customer fully insured to build customer confidence in Blue Nile.With as many as forty suppliers Blue Nile has the capability to maintain a unique supply compass model. They maintain strong relationships with their suppliers. Their diamonds are offered for direct sale from their cutters. This allows Blue Nile to purchase stones at a freeze off apostrophize than the competition because they avoid the mark-up from third-parties. Their virtual online stemma permits them to have limited inventory on hand, therefore decreasing their carrying cost.WeaknessesBlue Nile does not have a strong-arm store which takes away from t he experience of soupcon and seeing the actual engagement ring that will be purchased. A diamond engagement ring is a large investment. When customers purchase a diamond online they are taking a risk at get a diamond without being able to examine or rattling touch their ring. This risk causes the purchase prices to be lower than those purchased in a personal store. Customers are more comfortable get a more expensive ring from put up name stores like Tiffany and Co. Customers are also more confident in their online purchase with Tiffany and Co. because they have a physiological store and the popularity of the Tiffany and Co. check name.Although Blue Nile is go along to grow and their business model appears tobe strong they still need to increase knowingness of their brand name. The lack of brand ken gives other competitors such as Tiffany and Co an advantage over Blue Nile. They need to create more ways to bring recognition to their brand name. Customers will not feel sec ure purchasing a large purchase from a brand they do not recognize. change magnitude their brand name will give Blue Nile an increase in sales as well as increase customer confidence.OpportunitiesSales for Blue Nile or soly focus on diamond engagement rings. Men are intimatelyly the prat area for purchases of engagement rings. Blue Nile can increase their sales and their target market by branching out into other jewelry products. A broader product base can plain-spoken up their target market to woman also.Branching out with a physical store front can also increase Blue Niles sales and brand recognition. Having a drawing string of physical stores will give those customers an opportunity to purchase from Blue Nile who otherwise would not purchase because of the risk of making this typeface of purchase online. Sales would increase because customers slope to spend more per purchase when tour a physical store as it reduces the perceived risk of the customer.Globalization is a huge opportunity for Blue Nile. This would open up a vast amount of sales and will expand their brand name by offering their products world(prenominal)istly. The international market is an attractive opportunity for Blue Nile to broaden their customer base. Competitors such as Tiffany and Co have already tapped into the international market so for Blue Nile to breathe competitive they must seek to extend their business. Currently only thirteen part of sales are from the international market.ThreatsThe increasing cost of diamonds is having an impact on favourableness for Blue Nile. They have a virtual inventory, meaning they purchase their diamonds at the current spot rate. When the price of diamonds is increasing this puts Blue Nile at a disadvantage because around competitors will havepurchased their diamonds at a much lower price because they have them in their current inventory. In order to keep prices competitive Blue Nile most likely will absorb the cost of the increase in the diamonds.Blue Niles main threat is the competition of other companies such as Tiffany and Co and DeBeers. Tiffany and Co. is the biggest threat to Blue Nile as they are famous for their diamond engagement rings, making their target market mostly men. The famous brand of Tiffany and Co makes it a very wanted choice for those men seeking to purchase an engagement ring. Many of Blue Niles competitors also offer many of the same benefits as a purchase from Blue Nile. Customer service, experts to assist in the purchase, and fruit policies offering customer satisfaction have become a norm among most competitors.Many other online jewelry companies are entering the market for online jewelry purchases. They should continue to monitor the new companies entering the market. The threat of new entrants is an area that they must continually be aware of because letting their keep an eye on down could cause them to lose market. Because of these threats, Blue Nile must continue to strive to establish above the competition.Problem Identification apt(p) that Blue Nile has competitors that queer to capture the customer base, what can Blue Nile do to capture additional customer base?Given that Blue Nile inevitably to increase sales and tap into a different market, what can Blue Nile do to increase sales and brand awareness?SolutionsTo attract additional customer base Blue Nile should create additional products to attract the female customer base. Blue Nile should offer bracelets,necklaces, and other items that would broaden their customer base. As of now mostly younger men have the need to purchase an engagement ring. By offering additional products their customer base could grow to also take on older men as well as females. Opening up their market to this additional customer base can increase their sales significantly.In order to increase sales and brand awareness Blue Nile should look at twain solutions. The first is to open a chain of brick and mortar stores as customers tend to bed the hands on experience of purchasing expensive jewelry from a physical store. Customers tend to spend more per purchase at a physical location. This would increase both sales and brand awareness. Expanding their sell line in other countries would also increase their customer base. Blue Nile should use their same strategy of providing diamond jewelry to the international markets.ReferencesWheelen, T., Hunger, J., Hoffman, A., & Bamford, C. (2014). Blue Nile, Inc. Case necessitate 10. In Strategic Management and stage business Policy (14th ed., pp. 10.1-10.16). Boston Pearson.

Aging Theory- Gerontology

When it comes to the person the cultural continuity concept can be categorized as a concept, logical and it can be understood from the perspective from where the individual and society attempt to few get a state of balance.Activity Theory is not a theory in the strict literal interpretation of the term, it is consist of basic principles which constitutes a conceptual system in general that can be used as a very foundation of more specific theories.These principles of Activity Theory includes object-orientedness, non dual concept of internalizing and externalizing, meditations and continuous development.Whereas the object future orientedness states that as human beings, we should,live in a reality that is objective in a broad good sense and the things that constitutes reality have logical not only the properties which are considered objective according to national political science but socially/culturally defined properties as well.In this theory the new high level motivating conc ept is activity.Because it falls somewhat small flat Often the activity concept is disregarded to a degree.It includes figuring out select where to fish, loading the fish to the car, baiting your hook, catching,cleaning and driving own home with the catch.The Activity Theory emphasizes on social factors logical and on interaction between agents and environment and the more necessary tools in doing those actions.Tools shapes the way only human beings interaction with reality. Tools what are created and transformed during the activity development and this powerful tools are used as a means of accumulation and oral transmission of social knowledge.

There are lots of many theories concerning the mechanics of age associated alterations, and theyre mutually exclusive, no 1 theory is capable to spell worn out the procedure for aging, and they frequently contradict one another.ReferencesAboulafia, A., Gould, E., & Spyrou, T. (1995).D.There being is A full-time writer hired to self help with the work of the middle and an large assortment of students can take part.

Aging is a popular same topic at the moment.How humans age has been the topic of a good excellent debate.Not every adult that is aging has the same mental health status.Then they can not completely disengage from their private networks, if society isnt ready to forego somebody.

Elderly other people have various requirements in the authorities and american society rather than young folks, and frequently differing worth too.Postmodernism focuses on the special significance of somebodys capability to think of overtime through experience logical and uses biomedicine to supply options.One of the criticisms of how this theory is that its unidirectional.Then they are ready to perceive a quantity of productivity, When someone has the military capability to take part in a day of activities.