Anything you see fits Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Anything you see fits - Essay Example This process is still in existence in the current government where congress has the legitimacy of passing bills and laws. The congress functions for the common good by creating a balance between self interest and self government. The American people are protected against the tyranny of the central government if it had supreme powers. The congress upholds the interest of the majority when enacting laws and passing bills (Keith, 40). The congress faces limitations such as the political and ideological differences between Democrats and Republicans. The party with the highest number of representatives has the strongest contribution to the bills and laws tabled in the congress. The constitution also limits the powers of the congress since it subject to legislative and judicial review. The present day executive and the president have fulfilled the intensions of the founding fathers. The Bush administration declared war on Iraq and Afghanistan to neutralize terror activities targeting America. The war activities were continued during the Obama administration (Shane, 30). The current Executive and President participate in foreign affairs such as addressing the civil war in Syria. The U.S government is a crucial partner in the peace negotiation between Israel and Pakistan. The monetary policies such as tax reforms have been implemented by the current Executive. The president is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces and determines diplomatic appointments and activities. These are part of the roles given to the Executive and the President by the founding fathers. The modern day presidency improves the balance of power by upholding the decisions made by the congress and other arms of government. The executive upholds the constitution and the president requires cong ress approval before the country goes to war or when passing reforms such as the health care reform. The executive bureaucracy has upheld the three branch

Early Language and Development Essay Example for Free

Early Language and Development Essay Language is a complex and abstract endeavor, wonderfully creative at the same time governed by a multitude of rules. Before the age of 1 year, babies communicate with intent, primarily through the use of body orientation, facial expressions, gestures, and nonsymbolic vocalizations that mimic the intonations of their native language. At the end of the first year, however, many babies are beginning to use word approximations, consistent combinations of sounds as a transition to language, a symbolic system of communication. During the toddler years, language development is focused on semantics, or the meaning of words, and on syntax the rules of grammar for the language. (Slentz, et al. , 2001) Early language developments are crucial stage to one’s life. Baby’s language are through actions, and it could mean various meaning. Babies can’t speak yet, but they have their own ways to let us know how they feel. From the beginning, a mother and baby can be seen attuning to each other. They copy each other’s movements and expressions with mutual relaxed smiles, and later with laughing delight. (Clulow, et al. , 1993) Attunement is an essential factor for speech and language in general. According to John Bowlby (1980) early month – infant bonding and attachment are crucial to early language and development, thus it should be given importance by the mother to her baby as soon the baby was born. It is also noted that our feelings are easier to convey or communicated with infants. For an instance, baby cries when he hears another baby crying or when a mother the mother is angry while holding the baby, the baby becomes fussy. (Klein, 1987) Moreover, at an early stage, the mother’s speech affirms and responds to the infant’s eagerness to become involved in â€Å"proto-conversation†, a non – verbal form of discourse. Speech engages attention, communicates feelings, and facilitates social interaction as well as facilitating language acquisition. (Clulow, et al. , 1993) If a mother cannot attune to her baby’s rhythm then, as a result the baby will become distressed. This in turn stresses his mother, usually upsetting more, so that a vicious circle is likely. From birth onwards, children can be regarded as active participants in interaction. As for intentionality, young children develop along a continuum, in which they gradually learn to use more sophisticated and conventional means to communicate and also demonstrate increasing competence in intentionally conveying meanings to their interactive partners. The most common communicative functions of early intentional communicative acts have been found to be requests for objects/actions and comments on objects/actions (Paavola et al. ,2005) A mother’s ability to monitor her child’s visual attention and exhibition of a vocal or an exploratory act and then to respond promptly, contingently and appropriately is usually referred to as responsiveness. There is a lot of evidence for the supporting role of maternal responsiveness in child language development However; the efficacy of maternal responsiveness may not be global. Instead, it has been suggested that certain aspects of responsiveness are more predictive than others to particular language outcomes in the child. Furthermore, it is possible that children differ in their needs to be guided and supported by their mothers, which leads to differences in maternal role in early interactions (Paavola et al. , 2005) According to Harris (1992) the relationship between the cognitive/perceptual processes involved in development and the childs linguistic experiences. The first steps in language development and the role of adult-child interaction (both verbal and nonverbal) are very important. The focus is on the way parentsmothers in particularstructure the childs language-learning experiences so that they are conducive to the steps the child must take to master the first stages of language acquisition. Moreover, Harris (1992) concludes that early lexical development (the learning of an initial vocabulary) may be more sensitive to individual differences in parental interaction styles than has been demonstrated to be the case for syntactic development. Hence, the emphasis of the monograph is on the period and processes of parent interaction and child language development from the pre-verbal phases, from 6 month of age, through to the appearance of word combinations, around 2 years of age; that is, roughly Browns (1973) Stage I and early Stage 2. There are 3 major theoretical controversies about the nature and process of language development; the research into the influence of adult speech on childrens learning language; the role of the social interactional context in assisting language development; the childs use of the immediate referential context in progressing through the first steps in language development; and what constitutes appropriate evidence with which to address these issues. (Harris, 1992) In the early weeks of life, pragmatic skills (responding to verbal and non-verbal aspects of language) develop as babies interact with their carers through crying, blinking and smiling. First words appear between 12 and 18 months. (http://www. literacytrust. org. uk/Research/earlylanguage. html) ? 12-month-olds can distinguish between words, mouth sounds and object noises. They have linguistically specific knowledge of the privileged status of language. (Pruden, et al. , (2006) ? Children aged 18 to 35 months demonstrate learning through integration of earlier instruction with subsequent problem-solving experience. Toddlers are not passive learners. (Chen and Siegler, 2000) Furthermore, according to the website http://www. literacytrust. org. uk, Mother-child dynamic in language learning has been central to early year’s research. Mothers are often the predominant influences in childrens early years. The concentration on maternal speech input implies that mothers share a unique relationship with their children as they learn language, that mothers are programmed to respond to childrens sounds in a way that reinforces early language development and, in turn, that the child has an innate capacity for learning language. Early studies in this area found that mothers speech facilitates, and, in some cases, hinders the language development of young children. Social contact between parents and infants are considered to be a contributing factor in language development. It is also noted that social interaction with other people can either impede or development the babies language. Environment and culture can influence one’s speech as well. A baby whose parents are Asian and American and living in Europe could somehow impede his speech especially when there are different languages at home. Being specific at an early age could help the baby understand more and becomes attuned to his surroundings. Additionally, when the child verbally establishes complex connections and relations between perceived phenomena with the help of an adult, the child introduces at each moment essential qualitative changes in the receptivity and interpretation of sensory input to his brain. When a child acquires a word which isolates a particular thing and serves as a signal for a particular action, the child carries out an adult’s verbal instruction is connected to this word. (Eveloff, 1971) Toddlers build vocabulary based on unique experiences, and new words are acquired at an average rate of one word per week until children are 18 months old. Some toddlers focus on primary words that refer to objects and people, and developing strategies such as asking â€Å"what’s that† to elicit noun labels in response from adults. Other youngsters had vocabularies with more words for affect, motion or location, expressive language. Language is considered to be the most significant adaptive measure available to developing human. Language is highly related to developmental hierarchies such as neurophysiologic, cognitive, and affective. .(Slentz, et al. , 2001) Overall, early language and development starts with parents or the babies caregiver, it is an essential factor for parents to be educated properly on what are their roles in developing their babies language. Babies’ language development can impede or progress, depending on the ability of the parents and how they interact with their babies. I personally believe that education is the best tool in order to achieve great results for communicating well. Language, speech, and emotions can be linked together. Emotions are greatly expressed through words, and thus this will lead to how we can influence the child’s language and development. Parents are foremost educators on developing the characteristic and personality of the child. Language factor is another contributing aspect on how the child will become in the future. References: Bowlby, J. (1980) Loss: Sadness Depression [Vol. 3 of Attachment and Loss]. London: Hogarth Press; New York: Basic Books; Harmondsworth: Penguin (1981). Brown, R. W. (1973) A First Language: the Early Stages. Cambridge, Harvard University Press Chen, Z. , Siegler, R. S. (2000). Across the great divide: bridging the gap between understanding of toddlers’ and older children’s thinking. Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development 65 No. 2 Clulow, C. (1993) Human Development: An Introduction to the Psychodynamics of Growth, Maturity and Ageing. Psychology Press UK Eveloff, H (1971) Some Cognitive and Affective Aspects of Early Language Development Child Development, Dec71, Vol. 42 Issue 6, p1895-1907, 13p; Harris, M (1992) Language Experience and Early Language Development: from input to Uptake Hove, UK: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Paavola, et al. , (2005) Maternal responsiveness and infant intentional communication: implications for the early communicative and linguistic development.. Child: Care, Health Development, Nov2005, Vol. 31 Issue 6, p727-735, 9p; Pruden, et al. , (2006) The Birth of Words: Ten-Month-Olds Learn Words Through Perceptual Salience Child Development 77 (2), 266–280. Slentz, K. , Krogh (2001) Early Childhood Development and Its Variations. Mahwah, N. J. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc. â€Å"Early language development: a review of the evidence for birth to age three† can be accessed at http://www. literacytrust. org. uk/Research/earlylanguage. html (accessed February 22, 2007)

self-discovery Through Adversity :: essays research papers

A self-discovery is the act or process achieving self-knowledge. In the short stories, â€Å"A Small, Good Thing† by John Updike and â€Å"The Rich Brother† by Tobias Wolff, self-discoveries took place with Ann and Peter. Ann was a mother of one and a wife. Peter was a husband and a real estate agent. In the end both Ann and Peter come to a self-discovery.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ann Weiss, from â€Å"A Small, Good Thing†, discovered how much she cared for her son. How she would do anything to get him back. After the death of her son the Baker put her over the top. The phone calls that he would make were not called for at all. Ann was very unstable and she was about to blow at any second. When they got to the Bakers she went off on him. Her son is dead and she is just going to have to move on with her life. Peter, from â€Å"The Rich Brother†, discovered that no matter what his brother did he really did love him. Donald, Peter’s brother, would always come to Peter for help. Donald never had any money. Every time Donald would need a place to stay Peter would let him stay at his house that he worked so hard to get. Ann and Peter, both came to a self-discovery in their life. There are some similarities between the self-discoveries of Ann and Peter. One similarity was how much love they had for their respective family. Ann being a mother she loved her son so much. She spent all of her time at the hospital wait for her son to wake up. She only went home once during the three days her son was in a comma. Peter did love his brother Donald. Peter always gave Donald money and let him stay at his house that he had worked so hard for. Donald went off to live at a farm. When he needed a place to stay because he was kicked off the farm, Pete said, â€Å"I guess you’ll have to stay with us.† Then Pete said, â€Å"I’ll come get you†(Wolff 67). He knew that Donald would hitch hike home if he sent him money for a bus fare. So Pete picked him up. They also differ with each other. For example, Ann has always loved her son on the other hand Pete at one point tried to kill Donald.

Chemistry Diploma Paper Essay

1. Attempt any ten of the following : a) Why is an atom electrically neutral ? b) Differentiate between isotopes and isobars. c) Define conductor and nonconductor. d) State Faraday’s second law of electrolysis. e) Define cell. Give its classification. f) Explain the terms mineral and ore. g) Define alloys with suitable example. h) What is nickel silver ? Write its composition. i) Give composition of glass-wool. j) Name the types of plastics with examples of each. k) Define COD of sewage. l) Define Air-pollution. Give its magnitude. 2. Attempt any four of the following : 16 a) Give the comparison of electron, proton and neutron w.r.to their symbol, change, mass and location within an atom. b) Give four points of distinction between orbit and orbital. c) Write orbital electronic configuration of the following elements 24 39 20 N14 , Mg 12 , K 19 , Ne10 7 d) Describe the formation of NaCl molecule with diagram and name the type of bonding. e) Explain electrovalency and covalency with example. f) State and explain Faraday’s first law of electrolysis. P.T.O. 12002 *12002* MARKS 3. Attempt any four of the following : 16 a) Draw diagram and explain the construction working of lead-acid storage cell. b) A given quantity of electricity is passed through two cells containing copper sulphate and silver nitrate respectively. If 0.99 gms of silver and 0.29 gms of copper are deposited, find equivalent weight of silver when that of copper is 31.6. c) Explain the mechanism of electrolysis of fused sodium-chloride by using carbon electrodes. d) Why copper is electro-refined ? Describe the process of electro-refining of copper. e) Explain construction working and application of dry-cell. f) Define metallurgy. Outline the general principle of metallurgy. 4. Attempt any four of the following : 16 a) Define the terms : flux, slag, malleability and toughness. b) Write composition, properties and applications of Alnico and Woods metal. c) Explain with diagram the gravity separation used for concentration of iron-ore. d) Differentiate – calcination and roasting. e) Write any four purposes of making alloys. f) Explain the fusion method for manufacture of alloys. 5. Attempt any four of the following : 16 a) State four properties of plastics and write the uses based on each of given properties. b) What is thermocole ? Give its properties and applications. c) What is rubber ? What is the difference between natural and synthetic rubber ? d) What is green-house-effect ? State the measure to control it. e) Explain the causes of water pollution. f) What is bio-medical-waste ? Give two techniques for its disposal. 6. Attempt any four of the following : a) Write properties and application of glass-wool. b) Explain any four major sources causing air-pollution. c) Write any four methods to control water pollution. d) What is preventive environmental management ? Give one example. e) Distinguish between air-pollution due to vehicle and industries. f) Write short note on effect of E-waste. ————— 16

Regulatory Bodies and Current Leglislations for Setting Up a Home Base Childcare Setting Essay

Ofsted is the office for standards in Education, children’s services and skills. They make sure that people achieve excellence in care of children and young people. Ofsted assess children services in local areas and inspect services for looked after children , safeguarding and child protection. Ofsted’s job is to check places that young people and children are looked after and the people who look after children and young people. They check to see if people are doing a good job in looking after children, if they are not they try to help them get better. Ofsted inspect children services e.g. childminders, nursery’s etc. to see the standard of care for children, after there inspections they carry out a report of what they have found. All in all Ofsted’s job is to make sure that all children and young people who are being cared for are safe, being looked after properly, to improve children’s services, to make sure children’s services focus on the interests of the children and young people, parents, adult learners and employers who use them and also to see that the services for children are efficient and effective. Current legislations for home based childcare Children’s act 1989 – 2004 This act aims to improve effective local working to safeguard and promote children’s well being. The act aims to ensure that welfare of children is paramount, working in partnership with parents to protect children from harm. The Act is intended to strengthen the child’s legal position; to give him/her equal rights, feelings and wishes, and to ensure children are consulted and kept informed. The Children Act aims to further improve children’s lives and gives the legal underpinning to ‘Every Child Matters: Change for Children. The act puts a duty on local authorities to make arrangements to promote co-operation between agencies and other appropriate bodies such as voluntary and community organisations in order to improve children’s well being (where well being is defined by reference to the five outcomes), and a duty on key partners to take part in co-operation arrangements, it also makes sure that key agencies safeguard and promote the welfare of children. Childcare Act 2006 This is the first ever piece of legislation specifically on early years and childcare. The act places responsibility for childcare provision with local authorities, charging them with raising quality, improving delivery and achieving better results, it sets the legal framework for children from birth to 17 years. The act introduces the Early years foundation stage (EYFS) which brings together three documents, Birth to three matters, foundation stage and national standers for under 8’s day care and child minding. The EYFS will support providers in delivering high quality integrated early education an care for children from birth to age 5. The act also lays out registration and inspection arrangements, providing for an integrated education and care framework for the Early Years and general childcare registers. The Early Years Register (EYR) and the General Childcare Register (GCR) provide a regulatory framework for childcare under the act. Ofsted regulates the two registers –the Early years register for people caring for children aged from birth to 31 August after their fifth birthday and the General childcare register for childcare over this age. Every child matters 2003 (ECM) Every child matters is a government publication that indicates national and local priorities for children’s services and sets out outcomes. This document was given legal force in the children’s act 2004, it also includes 25 specific aims for children and young people and explicitly relates OFSTED inspection criteria to the 5 outcomes. ECM consulted children, young people and families, they wanted the government to set out a positive vision of the outcomes they want to achieve. The five outcomes which mattered most to children and young people were: ECM 5 OUCOMES Staying safe – being protected from harm and neglect Being healthy – enjoying good physical and mental health and living a healthy lifestyle Enjoying and achieving – getting the most out of life and developing the skills for adulthood Economic well being – not being prevented by economic disadvantage from achieving their full potential in life Making a positive contribution – being involved in the community and society and not engaging in anti – social behaviour The Government has built the foundations for improving these outcomes through Sure Start, raising school standards, and progress made towards eradicating child poverty. Early years foundation stage 2008 (EYFS) The Early Years Foundation Stage is a comprehensive statutory framework that sets the standards for the learning, development and care of children from birth to five years. All providers are required to use the EYFS to ensure that whatever setting parents choose, they can be confident their child will receive a quality experience that supports their care, learning and development. It is implemented in all registered early years settings, maintained and independent schools. The settings are required to meet learning, development and welfare requirements in the EYFS package and with regard to the guidance associated with those requirements as appropriate.

Essay on THE NETWORK AS SOMEWHERE ELSE EVERYTHING AS A SERVICE AND THE IDEA OF THE CLOUD

Essay on THE NETWORK AS SOMEWHERE ELSE EVERYTHING AS A SERVICE AND THE IDEA OF THE CLOUD Essay on THE NETWORK AS SOMEWHERE ELSE: EVERYTHING AS A SERVICE AND THE IDEA OF THE CLOUD Essay on THE NETWORK AS SOMEWHERE ELSE: EVERYTHING AS A SERVICE AND THE IDEA OF THE CLOUDThe development of networks technologies have contributed to the consistent changes in the development of network systems. Today, networks are virtually essential for the development of contemporary businesses as well as non-profit organizations. The reason for the emergence of networks in contemporary organizations is the information overflow which forces users to use the network to store and process information which cannot be stored on the conventional hard drives. More important, today, organizations need to share information between all users that makes the development of networks essential because networks allow maintaining the effective communication, data sharing and processing within organizations. In this regard, the development of clouding computing has become one of the recent and mainstream trends that influence the development of the contemporary networking.In fact, the emergence of networking dates back to the early internet era, when users started to use networks to share files and information between each other. However, until the late 1990s, users could store the information they needed on their PCs using conventional hard drives, but since the late 1990s and especially during the 2000s, users have faced the problem of the information overflow, when users had to share a lot of information with many users and they needed to create networks to share information fast between many users.At the dawn of networking, users tended to create conventional peer to peer networks, which normally united several computers, where users could access the information stored on each other’s computer. This was the simplest network that involved sharing data between users. For instance, while working on a project, team members could connect their PCs into the network to get access to information or data generated by each other. However, such a network was oriented on the use by a few users since users should know, where the target information is stored. If there were multiple users, they could have difficulties to find the target information.In such a situation server to client networks emerged to meet the growing demand on networks that would allow users to access the target information any time they needed without facing any difficulties with accessing the target data. The client server network is quite different from peer to peer network because client server network connected users by one server, which users could access to get the information they needed. For instance, a company employing one hundred of employees could use such a network to connect one hundred PCs or laptops of its employees to the server, where the company’s database was available. In such a situation, an employee of the company had just to access the server to find the information he/she needed at the moment. This network system was simple but very efficient because us ers should not store all the information on their hard drives. Instead, they could rely entirely on server. At this point, it is worth mentioning the fact that there was and still is the risk of the server shutdown but such risks can be minimize or its negative effect annihilated, if the company uses redundant drives or backup server which come into play, when the main server shuts down.In fact, today, client server networks become more and more popular due to their high efficiency and relatively low risks associated with using those networks. The major advantage of client server networks is the possibility of sharing information between many users with saving hard drive space of users. At the same time, the primary concern of users, who rely on the clouding technology, is the information security. In fact, the threat of information breaches persists, in spite of the consistent enhancement of information systems. Nevertheless, users have little options to choose from because, in the time of the information overload, they just cannot rely on conventional networks within an organization, such as intranet, instead, they need broader services and opportunities provided by the clouding technology and client server networks.Thus, today, client server networks and cloud technology becomes the mainstream trend that influences consistently the development of the contemporary technology. In fact, the clouding technology boosts the development of the contemporary networking because due to cloud computing, users have got wider opportunities for networking, sharing their information without any substantial limitations on the volume of information.

Logical Fallacies essayEssay Writing Service

Logical Fallacies essayEssay Writing Service Logical Fallacies essay Logical Fallacies essayThe argument chosen for this analysis is named Guns in America: freedom from the fear of firearms by Chad R. MacDonald. The issue considered in this post is the recent shooting in Fort Hood and the debate on whether guns should be legally allowed or prohibited in America. The premises of the argument listed by MacDonald are the following: the gun violence problem in the United States is worsening; the rate of mass shootings is alarming; the majority of Americans are willing to have gun control laws back (MacDonald, 2014). The author considers different points of view and facts, and comes to the conclusion that only responsible people who are mature enough should be allowed to own a gun.There are numerous logical fallacies in MacDonalds argument. He mostly uses inductive reasoning and makes generalizations basing on individual cases. However, his reasoning is weak and in most cases where MacDonald uses generalizations, they are logically incorrect. For example, MacDonald states that the gun violence problem worsens and seems to support his conclusion by a link to the news article named Mass shooting in America: a historical review. However, this article only contains statistics showing that the number of mass shootings in the 1990s was 42 and in the 2000s it declined to 28. During 2010-2013, there were 14 mass shootings, but this statistics does not provide enough information to state that gun violence issues really became worse; the article rather presents facts and situations in a way which is alarming to the reader.Furthermore, MacDonald makes numerous hasty generalizations in the post. For example, he attacks the argument of Wayne LaPierre (The only way to stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun!) by considering a case when two officers took down a gunman after the gunman killed his victim. In the considered case, nine people were wounded before the gunman was taken down. MacDonald uses a sole example to state that LaPierres statement was fallacious: This is the absolute best-case scenario of LaPierre’s fallacious statement (MacDonald, 2014). Furthermore, MacDonald uses this case to generalize that other gun owners are going to do even worse that the police, and uses an argument to the person right after that: If you imagine that you are a good guy with a gun then you are neither responsible, nor mature enough to be handling one (MacDonald, 2014).Although the author cites a lot of sources and facts so that it seems that his arguments are logical and consequent, his arguments and conclusions are mostly fallacious. MacDonald uses many ambiguous and incorrect premises such as the worsening of gun violence issue which is not supported by reliable statistical data but is accompanied by an infographic with questionable sources. Furthermore, MacDonalds conclusions are not related to his arguments: he considers the arguments of gun proponents, the questions of freedom and responsibility, law enforcement , gun lobbies and John Lotts research, but it is not clear for the reader how MacDonalds conclusions are related to the subsections of the post. Basing on the above-mentioned facts, it is possible to label the argument of MacDonald as weak.

Lanthanides Definition in Chemistry

Lanthanides Definition in Chemistry Below the main body of the periodic table are two rows of elements. These are the lanthanides and the actinides. If you look at the atomic numbers of the elements, youll notice they fit in the spaces below scandium and yttrium. The reason they arent (usually) listed there is because this would make the table too wide to print on paper. Each of these rows of elements has characteristic properties. Key Takeaways: What Are the Lanthanides? The lanthanides are the elements in the top of the two rows located below the main body of the periodic table.While there is disagreement over exactly which elements should be included, many chemists state the lanthanides are elements with atomic numbers 58 through 71.Atoms of these elements are characterized by having a partially filled 4f sublevel.These elements have several names, including the lanthanide series and the rare earth elements. The IUPAC preferred name is actually lanthanoids. Lanthanides Definition The lanthanides are generally considered to be elements with atomic numbers 58-71 (lanthanum to lutetium). The lanthanide series is the group of elements in which the 4f sublevel is being filled. All of these elements are metals (specifically, transition metals). They share several common properties. However, there is some dispute over exactly where the lanthanides begin and end. Technically, either lanthanum or lutetium is a d-block element rather than f-block element. Yet, the two elements share characteristics with other elements in the group. Nomenclature The lanthanides are indicated by the chemical symbol Ln when discussing general lanthanide chemistry. The group of elements actually goes by any of several names: lanthanides, lanthanide series, rare earth metals, rare earth elements, common earth elements, inner transition metals, and lanthanoids. The IUPAC formally prefers the use of the term lanthanoids because the suffix -ide has a specific meaning in chemistry. However, the group acknowledges the term lanthanide predates this decision, so it is generally accepted. Lanthanide Elements The lanthanides are: Lanthanum, atomic number 58Cerium, atomic number 58Praseodymium, atomic number 60Neodymium, atomic number 61Samarium, atomic number 62Europium, atomic number 63Gadolinium, atomic number 64Terbium, atomic number 65Dysprosium, atomic number 66Holmium, atomic number 67Erbium, atomic number 68Thulium, atomic number 69Ytterbium, atomic number 70Lutetium, atomic number 71 General Properties All of the lanthanides are shiny, silver-colored transition metals. Like other transition metals, they form colored solutions, however, lanthanide solutions tend to be pale in color. The lanthanides tend to be soft metals that can be cut with a knife. While the atoms can exhibit any of several oxidation states, the 3 state is most common. The metals are generally quite reactive and form an oxide coating upon exposure to air. Lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, and europium are so reactive they are stored in mineral oil. However, gadolinium and lutetium only slowly tarnish in air. Most lanthanides and their alloys quickly dissolve in acid, ignite in air around 150-200  °C, and react with halogens, sulfur, hydrogen, carbon, or nitrogen upon heating. Elements of the lanthanide series also display a phenomenon called lanthanide contraction. In lanthanide contraction, the 5s and 5p orbitals penetrate into the 4f subshell. Because the 4f subshell is not fully shielded from the effects of the positive nuclear charge, the atomic radius of the lanthanide atoms successively decreasing moving across the periodic table from left to right. (Note: This is, in fact, the general trend for atomic radius moving across the periodic table.) Occurrence in Nature Lanthanide minerals tend to contain all elements within the series. However, the vary according to the abundance of each element. The mineral euxenite contains lanthanides in nearly equal proportions. Monazite contains mainly lighter lanthanides, while xenotime contains mostly heavier lanthanides. Sources Cotton, Simon (2006).  Lanthanide and Actinide Chemistry. John Wiley Sons Ltd.Gray, Theodore (2009). The Elements: A Visual Exploration of Every Known Atom in the Universe. New York: Black Dog Leventhal Publishers. p. 240. ISBN 978-1-57912-814-2.Greenwood, Norman N.; Earnshaw, Alan (1997). Chemistry of the Elements (2nd ed.). Butterworth-Heinemann. pp. 1230–1242. ISBN 978-0-08-037941-8.Krishnamurthy, Nagaiyar and Gupta, Chiranjib Kumar (2004). Extractive Metallurgy of Rare Earths. CRC Press. ISBN 0-415-33340-7.Wells, A. F. (1984). Structural Inorganic Chemistry (5th ed.). Oxford Science Publication. ISBN 978-0-19-855370-0.

California oil spill sparks state of emergency Assignment

California oil spill sparks state of emergency - Assignment Example n California sparked state of emergency, which led the State’s governor to declare an emergency due to the hazardous effects that were posed by the spillage. The State of California organized a cleanup activity to remove the oil from the surrounding and make the marine environment safer. The oil spillage in California occurred at a place near Santa Barbara. That spillage resulted from an onshore pipeline that ruptured. It was officially communicated that the pipe broke at the time when it was running at full capacity, and it was feared that about one hundred and five thousand gallons might have spilled. Out of the spilled oil, approximately twenty-one thousand gallons may have reached the ocean. An official from the Plains American Pipeline that owns the pipeline Darren Palmer said that the running rate of the pipe at the time of spillage was approximated to be eighty-four thousand gallons per hour. The pipeline was built over two decades ago and had been serviced and tested some weeks before the spillage. The environment specialists have raised concerns over the dangers posed by the accident to the whales, birds and fish. The company official said that they will handle the spill and will cater for the incurred costs at the time of removing oil from the surrounding. The spill occurred in the same area as the one that happened in 1991, which resulted in the beginning American Environmental Movement (New moves in U.S to limit oil spillage, 2011). That incident led to several hundred thousand liters of oil spewed out from an oil platform. The accident resulted in the death of many seabirds and other marine mammals. This recent spillage was first noted on Tuesday when the authorities received information about the foul smell close to Refugio Beach around the midday. The emergency team that responded found that the oil had spilled for over half mile in the ocean. After the confirmation that the menace was an oil spillage, they traced the oil to rapture on the

Human Growth and Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Human Growth and Development - Essay Example In addition, the summary describes the development of the infant’s senses, trends of sleep, weight, and height increase patterns. The summary to chapter six highlights the development of cognition in infants and factors that affect the infant’s cognitive processes. In addition, under cognitive development, the paper describes the development of language. Finally, the paper summarizes chapter seven of the book that deals with psychosocial development. Under this section, a description of infant emotions is available. Development Processes in Infants In her book The Developing Person through the Lifespan, Berger describes the main changes that take place in an individual’s life, especially during infancy. Each of the chapters in the book reveals the growth processes in different aspects. This paper will highlight the man ideas brought out in chapters 5, 6, and 7. These chapters discuss the different levels of growth that occur in infants in the first two years of t heir life. Infant is a Latin-derived word that refers to any child who does not speak. During infancy, multiple growth processes take place rapidly. Chapter 5 of the book describes the biosocial development of infants. At birth, babies are only 3 kilograms and 20 inches. In the first five months of the baby’s life, the weight doubles. ... As long as the infant receives sufficient nutrition, the body and brain keep growing. Percentile ranks used by clinicians help track the baby’s growth in comparison to the norm (Berger, 2011). Sleep is a crucial aspect of infants with newborns requiring about seventeen hours a day. As they grow, they take up family sleep patterns. A great percentage of infants at one year manage to sleep the entire night. Factors such as diet, birth order, brain maturation, and child rearing practices affect sleeping cycles. On the other hand, infant’s brain reaches 75% of its potential mature weight. Neuron development takes place vigorously in some parts of the brain especially those dealing with vision, smell, language, and emotional processing. Different parts of the cortex advance in growth taking up different responsibilities. Studies reveal that multiple neural dendrites emerge in infancy. In addition, pruning helps the brain function faster. The rate at which the brain develops depends on experiences surrounding the infant (Berger, 2011). Formation of new neurons implies healthy growth. Abuse and neglect slow the formation of neurons and may hinder brain development. The chapter also highlights the functioning of senses in infants. The five senses (vision, taste, touch, hearing, and smell) exhibit function since birth. However, hearing is the sharpest sense at birth while a binocular capability of the eyes in infants is achieved in 14 weeks. With time, infants acquire motor skills. The chapter highlights the cephalocaudal and proximal-distal nature of growth. Growth begins with the head downwards and extends from the torso’s center to the arms and legs. An infant’s motor skills develop slowly with muscle movements advancing from one to the other.

Bacteria, Viruses, and Health Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Bacteria, Viruses, and Health - Case Study Example In 1879 Albert Ludwig Sigesmund Neisser was the first person to describe the bacteria as the causative agent of gonorrhea and he was the one that officially named it Neisseria gonorrhoeae. The structure is a typical gram negative cell with thin peptidoglycan, cytoplasmic membrane and the outer membrane is covered with proteins, lipooligosaccharide and phospholipids (Ryan & Ray, 2004). Toxin lipopolysaccharide endotoxins are found in the cells of neisseria gonorrhoeae, it was first extracted by tauber and garson in 1959. The endotoxin is found to have at least two antigenic determinants reveled by haemagglutination inhibition and absorption experiment. Polysaccharide is another determinant besides other proteins (Ryan & Ray, 2004). The information in the patient’s symptoms that led to my conclusion is the discharge of yellow substance from the penis which is the symptom of the N. gonorrhoeae infection. Lab results that indicate the presence of gram-negative diplococci in the fluid sample taken from Mike’s penis confirmed the presence of bacteria’s and certainly it was a bacterial infection, and this directed me to rule out any other disease with similar symptoms that is not caused by bacteria (Ryan & Ray, 2004). Pain and burning sensation when urinating are other symptoms of which the patient displays. The report is also that mike recently broken up with her old time girlfriend and immediately started dating a new girl and given that the bacteria is sexually transmitted there is high chances that the patient was infected by her new girlfriend in a new relationship (Ryan & Ray, 2004). Mononucleosis was also ruled out because the symptoms differ from the ones the patient display, symptom of mononucleosis are, sore throat , swollen tonsils, headache skin rash and others which are very distinct from the gonorrhea infections. What make gonorrhea a perfectly sexual transmitted infection is the need for intimate contact with someone with the

Reflect on If I could be any historical figure within the time period, Research Paper - 1

Reflect on If I could be any historical figure within the time period, who would I be and why - Research Paper Example Whereas many of the founding fathers were ultimately against slavery, there were several that either did not discuss the issue in any level of depth or did not see it as a vital issue to the strength and continued growth/prosperity of the nation. Interestingly, many of the pro-and anti-slavery statements that were made by the founding fathers varied little throughout their lives. What is meant by this is that individuals such as Thomas Jefferson and James Madison retained strong proslavery sentiments and wrote prolifically about the benefits that the institution of slavery had to offer. By the same token, individuals such as James Madison held anti-slavery views throughout his entire life. However, a third group necessarily exists within this seemingly obvious dichotomy. Individuals such as Benjamin Franklin and George Washington initially held proslavery views; however, as they began to integrate with the American experience and formulate a more nuanced and philosophical understandi ng of the concepts of democracy, self determinism, and freedom of choice, their views concerning slavery began to shift. Whereas it is impossible to trace all of the founding fathers that had an epiphany with regards to slavery, this particular analysis will focus upon Benjamin Franklin and the way in which his political leanings began to shift later in his life with regards to the issue of slavery. In seeking to promote such an understanding of realization, the following analysis will focus specifically on primary that Benjamin Franklin was himself responsible for writing. Like many of the founding fathers, Franklin himself owned slaves in the earlier part of his life. However, as a result of his metropolitan nature and incessant travels, not to mention his polymath tendencies towards reading and writing on topics as broad and diverse as economics, philosophy, and ethics, Franklin came to understand that the practice of slavery was in and of itself abhorrent. As such, he soon relea sed the few slaves that he did possess. However, merely releasing the slaves that he was responsible for was not enough for Franklin. Rather, due to the fact that he saw slavery as such a morbid and horrific societal ill, he began to advocate abolition at a time when abolitionists were far from being in the vote. One of the most famous means through which Franklin was able to affect this was by signing and sending a petition to the first Congress in February 1790. Among other things, the petition requested time devoted towards â€Å"devising means removing the inconsistency from the character of the American people and promoting mercy and justice towards this distressed race† (Basker 221). However, before the reader begins to assume that Benjamin Franklin was a champion of human rights throughout his entire life, it must be added that beyond merely owning up to seven slaves in the earlier years, Franklin also worked for the Pennsylvania Gazette and was responsible for the pri nting and publication of information concerning wanted ads for the sale of slaves as well as rewards for the capture and return of runaway slaves (Franklin 7). Obviously, this information in and of itself must have touched upon the conscience of Benjamin Franklin as a means of promoting him towards a level of abolitionism later years. However, the fact remains that Benjamin Franklin can convincingly be labeled as both a tacit advocate of slavery as well as an abolitionist

Assignment2 person2 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Assignment2 person2 - Assignment Example The above agencies are assisted by the Association des Hoteliers et Restaurateurs de li’lle Maurice, which is a non profitable organization established in 1973 to represent and sponsor the interests of hoteliers and restaurant owners (International Travel and Tourism, 2012). Various natural attractions form the pride of Mauritius tourist business. They vary from man-made features, beaches, interesting fauna and flora, to the culture of the indigenous people. The sub – tropical climate is also exceptionally fine for holiday seekers. Five star beach resorts and hotels that offer top class accommodation services to visitors facilitate these attractions. The hotels and resorts are renowned for being among the best in the world in reliability (Reid & Bojanic 2006, p. 209 Mauritius has taken approximately 30 years to develop from a low-income country to a medium income country. The country started with an economy that heavily relied on agriculture but currently, the economy r elies on several strong sectors. The economy was dependent on agricultural products such as sugar and textile products. A decline in the world sugar market and the dwindling textile industry prompted the government to explore other avenues including the expansion of the tourism industry. ... Statistics from the International Travel and Tourism organization (2012) indicate that Mauritius received 18,000 visitors in the year 1970. The figure has then risen to 103,000 in the year 1977 and subsequently to an approximate figure of 656,450 visitors in the year 2000. Most of the tourists visiting Mauritius come from European countries. However due to the economic downturn experienced in 2011 especially in Europe, the government was forced to act by searching for alternative markets. Statistics from the International Travel and Tourism (2012) also indicated that Mauritius received 964,642 tourists in the year 2011 that was low compared to 965,642 visitors in the year 2012. In the year 2012, the market was slightly improving. The first course of action that the government took in 2011 was to provide direct fights to Africa and Asia. The two regions boosted the country at a time when travelers from the other regions were adversely affected by the global economic crisis. The Maurit ius government has been busy developing new strategies to compete in the tourism market. This includes the recent action plan dubbed the â€Å"opening of the sky†, which is aimed at improving the local tourism industry. The strategy puts emphasis on the development of new markets. To get new markets, the government will have to forge relationships with new countries and market their products in the new countries i.e. new countries represent potential markets. The authorities will also have to seek new client profiles (Mehta, Rosenbloom & Anderson 2000, p. 77). Future of Tourism in Mauritius The government has also put emphasis on the construction of new facilities such as hotels to accommodate the increasing

Reflect on If I could be any historical figure within the time period, Research Paper - 1

Reflect on If I could be any historical figure within the time period, who would I be and why - Research Paper Example Whereas many of the founding fathers were ultimately against slavery, there were several that either did not discuss the issue in any level of depth or did not see it as a vital issue to the strength and continued growth/prosperity of the nation. Interestingly, many of the pro-and anti-slavery statements that were made by the founding fathers varied little throughout their lives. What is meant by this is that individuals such as Thomas Jefferson and James Madison retained strong proslavery sentiments and wrote prolifically about the benefits that the institution of slavery had to offer. By the same token, individuals such as James Madison held anti-slavery views throughout his entire life. However, a third group necessarily exists within this seemingly obvious dichotomy. Individuals such as Benjamin Franklin and George Washington initially held proslavery views; however, as they began to integrate with the American experience and formulate a more nuanced and philosophical understandi ng of the concepts of democracy, self determinism, and freedom of choice, their views concerning slavery began to shift. Whereas it is impossible to trace all of the founding fathers that had an epiphany with regards to slavery, this particular analysis will focus upon Benjamin Franklin and the way in which his political leanings began to shift later in his life with regards to the issue of slavery. In seeking to promote such an understanding of realization, the following analysis will focus specifically on primary that Benjamin Franklin was himself responsible for writing. Like many of the founding fathers, Franklin himself owned slaves in the earlier part of his life. However, as a result of his metropolitan nature and incessant travels, not to mention his polymath tendencies towards reading and writing on topics as broad and diverse as economics, philosophy, and ethics, Franklin came to understand that the practice of slavery was in and of itself abhorrent. As such, he soon relea sed the few slaves that he did possess. However, merely releasing the slaves that he was responsible for was not enough for Franklin. Rather, due to the fact that he saw slavery as such a morbid and horrific societal ill, he began to advocate abolition at a time when abolitionists were far from being in the vote. One of the most famous means through which Franklin was able to affect this was by signing and sending a petition to the first Congress in February 1790. Among other things, the petition requested time devoted towards â€Å"devising means removing the inconsistency from the character of the American people and promoting mercy and justice towards this distressed race† (Basker 221). However, before the reader begins to assume that Benjamin Franklin was a champion of human rights throughout his entire life, it must be added that beyond merely owning up to seven slaves in the earlier years, Franklin also worked for the Pennsylvania Gazette and was responsible for the pri nting and publication of information concerning wanted ads for the sale of slaves as well as rewards for the capture and return of runaway slaves (Franklin 7). Obviously, this information in and of itself must have touched upon the conscience of Benjamin Franklin as a means of promoting him towards a level of abolitionism later years. However, the fact remains that Benjamin Franklin can convincingly be labeled as both a tacit advocate of slavery as well as an abolitionist

Louis Armstrong and the development of early jazz Essay

Louis Armstrong and the development of early jazz - Essay Example ific manner of performance - singing "scat", that is, the kind of jazz singing, when the melody is improvised with adding of meaningless set of words which serves as a kind of an additional tool. The novelty of the performance surprises hearing of listeners and wins their hearts. Louis Armstrong becomes not only the example of following by other jazzmen but also the favorite of the public. All this has its positive aftereffects even nowadays, after more than fifty years, as his compositions are listened by a great number of his fans, his albums and compilations of hits still face unprecedented demand. So what is the role of Armstrong for the development of early jazz and what his particular impact on it? Let’s see the characteristic features of his individual style by researching its expression in his full of talent songs. Probably the peculiarities of every person’s life, whether he or she is a representative of the scientific or creative environment, find their reflection to some extent in his or her works, and Louis Armstrong is not an exception in this respect. From early childhood and till the youth the future jazz player has an experience of street singing, participation in the camp brass orchestra, performance in clubs and restaurants, becoming a member of different bands. All this helps Armstrong to emerge as an extraordinal performer whose distinctive feature is his playing style of cleanliness and beauty of sound. The other thing which highlights Armstrong on the background of other jazz performers is his grandstanding aimed to be appreciated by everyone from the audience; and it must be said he manages to become the favorite among the black as well as the white public. This means that the ease with which he wins the white public can be explained by the fact that from Louis’s childhood he grows up and serves to white people, and that helps him to learn how to find the right approach in dealing with them so as not to be hungry, at minimum, and to

Planning and Enabling Learning Essay Example for Free

Planning and Enabling Learning Essay This rationale focuses on the four areas of ‘Negotiating with Learners’, ‘Inclusive Learning’, ‘Integrating Functional Skills’ and ‘Communication’. During my research I will draw upon a range of sources which include the internet, books, organisation media (leaflets) and lessons learned. Teaching processes should be cooperative between the student and tutor. To this end tutors should plan strategies like initial assessments, agreeing on learning goals and possible actions to be taken by in order to empower learners to achieve these goals. Petty, G (2009, p530) states: â€Å"Each learner is unique and has individual needs. If the needs of our learners are discovered, the chances of success are greatly increased.† thus as a starting point initial assessments should be carried out prior to commencing a programme of education. Different learners have different learning needs and tutors must know their learners well to judge these requirements. This could be undertaken via a range of questions during the enrolment process, forms or/and questionnaires. Information obtained should be kept confidential so learners feel free to disclose as much information about themselves and their learning needs as possible. Agreeing goals and actions should be accomplished between learners and tutors. The effect being the learner will also feel that his/her views and opinions are being heard and taken into consideration. The advantages to the tutor being that the learner understands their responsibility to advance their own education and tasks/objectives/deadlines required to do so. The tutor should monitor the process to make sure learners reach their learning targets along the way and amend goals by agreement setting new actions when objectives are not reached.

Causes and Treatments for Dyslexia: Overview of Theories

Causes and Treatments for Dyslexia: Overview of Theories A common definition of dyslexia states it is a specific difficulty in gaining literacy skills that occurs in people who otherwise appear to be developing normally (Snowling, 1987). It is thought to occur in between 3% and 10% of the population (Habib, 2000). Methods of treating and managing dyslexia have been largely influenced by theories about its aetiology. Three different types of explanations are examined here: the behavioural, the cognitive and the biological. Each of these suggests a contrasting approach to treatment. The cognitive approach to dyslexia can be seen in the phonological theory. This has one of the longest pedigrees amongst explanations for dyslexia and it suggests a deficit in working memory (Bradley Bryant, 1978). Specifically, this theory suggests that part of the short-term memory the phonological loop has a deficit causing dyslexics to have difficulties representing, storing and retrieving the sounds of speech. In order to learn to read, the theory argues, it is necessary to make connections between phonemes (the units of sounds that make up words) and graphemes (the units of letters that make up words). Problems in making this connection will tend to result in reading deficits. This cognitive explanation clearly suggests that strengthening the link between graphemes and phonemes will help those with dyslexia (Lyytinen, Erskine, Aro Richardson, 2007). Consequently there are a huge range of different interventions focussed on encouraging the learning of these connections. Ehri et al. (2001), reviewing these approaches, found they generally fall into three categories of interventions. The first are designed to break down the sounds in a word after it has been learnt. The second category are designed to help build up a word from its component sounds. The third take a more whole-language approach. When compared to other forms of intervention those based on phonics instruction, according to this meta-analysis, provide the best outcome for children. Despite this, other interventions are frequently recommended for those with dyslexia these stem from different explanations. One example of a more biological, rather than cognitive approach to dyslexia suggests the source of reading difficulties in this condition is related to deficiencies in the visual system (Lovegrove, Bowling, Badcock Blackwood, 1980). Specifically, this theory is based on findings about two particular visual pathways in the brain: the magnocellular and parvocellular. It is thought that it is the magnocellular pathway that is deficient (Stein Walsh, 1997). This is then thought to cause a variety of visual problems such as unstable eye fixations, poor vergence and visual crowding. It has been argued by Whiteley Smith (2001) that around half of those with dyslexia suffer from eye strain and distortion of text. A treatment for dyslexia suggested by the magnocellular theory is the use of coloured lenses. Irlen (1997) argues that the use of blue filters slows down the functioning of the faster parvocellular pathway, thereby stabilising the speed more in line with the slower magnocellular pathway. Early research such as that carried out by Jeaanes et al. (1997) found these overlays were preferred by children, although later research suggested this was a result of the placebo effect. Attempts to correct for these methodological problems have proved difficult with, for example, Robinson Foreman (1999) finding little support for the coloured lens approach specifically helping those with dyslexia. Along with cognitive and biological explanations for dyslexia have come those which focus on primarily behavioural causes. These can include a wide variety of different sources such as generally poor teaching, a poor relationship with a teacher or a home life that is disturbed (Morton Frith, 1995). Ridsdale (2004) has pointed out the connection between dyslexia and low self-esteem, behavioural difficulties, withdrawal and depression. Behavioural approaches to treatment, then, can aim to raise self esteem which can include changing goal orientations, giving praise, increasing the levels at which others provide support and so on. Metacognitive approaches help to provide ways of thinking about thinking this means teaching those with dyslexia to be able to monitor their thinking processes. Some of these behavioural interventions have been evaluated. Steinhausen and Metzke (2001), for example, found that peer group support could help those with behavioural difficulties. In conclusion, there a variety of cognitive, biological and behavioural explanations for dyslexia, each of which has different associated treatment or management options. In general each of the explanations explains some of the evidence from dyslexia but none of them explain all of it. This suggests that either theories are as yet incomplete, or there are methodological problems with the evaluations or there are different types of dyslexia to be explained. In practical terms, however, support and treatment for those with dyslexia often uses a multi-modal approach on the basis this is more likely to prove beneficial. References Bradley, L., Bryant, P. E. (1978) Difficulties in auditory organisation as a possible cause of reading backwardness. Nature, 271, 746-7. Ehri, L. C., Nunes, S. R., Willows, D. M., Schuster, B. V., Yaghoub-Zadeh, Z., Shanahan, T. (2001). Phonemic Awareness Instruction Helps Children Learn to Read: Evidence from the National Reading Panels Meta-Analysis. Reading Research Quarterly, 36(3), 250-287. Habib, M. (2000) The neurological basis of developmental dyslexia: an overview and working hypothesis. Brain, 123, 2373-2399. Irlen, H. (1997) Reading problems and Irlen coloured lenses. Dyslexia Review, Spring, 4-7. Jeanes, R., Busby, A., Martin, J., Lewis, E., Stevenson, N., Pointon, D., Wilkins A.J. (1997). Prolonged use of coloured overlays for classroom reading. British Journal of Psychology, 88, 531-548. Lovegrove, W.J., Bowling, A., Badcock, B., Blackwood, M. (1980) Specific reading disability: differences in contrast sensitivity as a function of spatial frequency. Science, 210, 439-40. Lyytinen, H., Erskine, J., Aro, M., Richardson, U., (2007) Reading and reading disorders. In: E. Hoff, M. Shatz, (Eds.). Blackwell Handbook of Language Development. London: Blackwell. Morton, J., Frith, U. (1995) Causal modelling: a structural approach to developmental psychopathology. In: D. Cicchetti, D. J. Cohen, (Eds.). Developmental psychopathology. Vol. 1, Theory and methods. London: Wiley. Ridsdale, J. (2004) Dyslexia and self-esteem. In: M. Turner, J. P. Rack (Eds.). The Study of Dyslexia. London: Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers. Robinson, G. L., Foreman, P. J. (1999). Scotopic sensitivity/Irlen syndrome and the use of coloured filters: A long-term placebo controlled and masked study of reading achievement and perception of ability. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 89, 83-113 Snowling, M. J. (1987). Dyslexia: A Cognitive Developmental Perspective. London: Blackwell. Stein, J., Walsh, V. (1997) To see but not to read: the magnocellular theory of dyslexia. Trends in Neuroscience 20, 147-52. Steinhausen, H.C., Metzke, C.W. (2001). Risk, Compensatory, Vulnerability, and Protective Factors Influencing Mental Health in Adolescence. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 30(3), 259-280. Whiteley, H. E., Smith, C. D. (2001) The use of tinted lenses to alleviate reading difficulties. Journal of Research in Reading, 24(1) 30-40.

Addiction to Drugs and Alcohol Essay -- Drugs, Alcohol Essays

There are many affects that drugs and alcohol can have on the body, and on the life of a person. Thousands of jobs, homes, and families are lost annually through the addictions of drugs and alcohol. Children grow up without parents, spouses are forced to raise their children as single parents, and grandparents become legal guardians for a second time, due to the effects of substance abuse and dependence. Exactly how addiction is defined and diagnosed is an on-going issue and one that will be discussed in this paper. While there are eleven different categories that substances are arranged, this paper will be focusing specifically on alcohol and cannabis. An estimated 126 million Americans over the age of 12 reported being ongoing alcohol drinkers in 2005 (Smith & Stevens, 2009). According to the Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS), over 42 thousand homeless adults over the age of 50 were admitted to substance abuse treatment in 2008, and sixty five percent were being treated for alcohol abuse (TEDS, 2010). Excessive alcohol consumption may have been accepted in the beginning of the twentieth century, but currently, a male who consumes more than 14 drinks in a week or more than four drinks day, and a woman who has more than 13 drinks a week 3 drinks on a day, is considered â€Å"at risk† of being an alcoholic (Burge & Schneider, 1999). Cannabis, better known as marijuana, is the most abused illegal drug in America (Smith & Stevens, 2009). It also had the highest level of abuse and dependence in 2005 with over 4.1 million people affected (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2006). Marijuana is usually smoked as a cigarette, known also as a joint or blunt, and is also used in a pipe or bong. There is a more potent and unpoll... ... Mendelson, J., & Mello, N. (Eds.). (1985). The diagnosis and treatment of alcoholism. New York: McGraw-Hill. National Institute on Drug Abuse, (2006). Marijuana. Bethesda, MD: Author. Retrieved August 11, 2010, from http://drugabuse.gov/infofacts/marijuana.html Smith, R.L. & Stevens, P. (2009). Substance abuse and counseling. Theory and Practice. (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2007). The Surgeon General's Call to Action to Prevent and Reduce Underage Drinking. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Surgeon General. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/alcoholdrug/index.htm US Department of Justice (1988). Drug Enforcement Administration, "In the Matter of Marijuana Rescheduling Petition" (Docket #86-22). Retrieved from http://drugwarfacts.org/cms/?q=node/30

Conflict Handling Styles Essay

In a dispute, it’s often easier to describe how others respond then to how we respond. Each of us has a predominant conflict style that we use to meet our own needs. By examining conflict styles and the consequences of those behaviors, we can gain a better understanding of the impact that our personal conflict style has on other people. With a better understanding, you then can make a conscious choice on how to respond to others in a conflict situation to help reduce work conflict and stress. Behavioral scientists Kenneth Thomas and Ralph Kilmann, who developed the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument, have identified five styles to responding to conflict—competition, collaboration, compromise, avoidance, and accommodation. No conflict style is inherently right or wrong, but one or more styles could be inappropriate for a given situation and the impact could result in a situation quickly spiraling out of control. 1. Competing Value of own issue/goal: High Value of relationship: Low Goal: I win, you lose People who consistently use a competitive style come across as aggressive, autocratic, confrontational, and intimidating. A competitive style is an attempt to gain power and pressure a change at the other person’s expense. A competitive style of managing conflict can be appropriate when you have to implement an unpopular decision, make a quick decision, the decision is vital in a crisis, or it is important to let others know how important an issue is to you – â€Å"standing up for your right.† The biggest disadvantage of using this style is that relationships can be harmed beyond repair and may encourage other parties to use covert methods to get their needs met because conflict with these people are reduced to – â€Å"if you are not with me, you are against me.† 2. Accommodating Value of own issue/goal: Low Value relationship: High Goal: I lose, you win By accommodating you set aside your own personal needs because you want to please others in order to keep the peace. The emphasis is on preserving the relationship. Smoothing or harmonizing can result in a false solution to a problem and can create feelings in a person that range from anger to pleasure. Accommodators are unassertive and cooperative and may play the role of a martyr, complainer, or saboteur. However, accommodation can be useful when one is wrong or when you want to minimize losses when you are going to lose anyway because it preserves relationships. If you use it all the time it can become competitive – â€Å"I am nicer than you are† – and may result in reduced creativity in conflict situations and increased power imbalances. 3. Avoiding Value of own issue/goal: Low Value of relationship: Low Goal: I lose, you lose Avoidance is characterized by deliberately ignoring or withdrawing from a conflict rather than facing it. This style may be perceived as not caring about your own issue or the issues of others. People who avoid the situation hope the problem will go away, resolve itself without their involvement, or think that others are ready to take the responsibility. There are situations where avoidance is appropriate such as when you need more time to think of how to respond, time constraints demand a delay, confrontation will hurt a working relationship, or there is little chance of satisfying your needs. However, avoidance can be destructive if the other person perceives that you don’t care enough to engage. By not dealing with the conflict, this style allows the conflict to simmer and heat up unnecessarily, resulting in anger or a negative outburst. 4. Compromising Value of own issue/goal: Medium Value of relationship: Medium Goal: I win some, you win some The compromising style demonstrates that you are willing to sacrifice some of your goals while persuading others to give up part of theirs – give a little, get a little. Compromising maintains the relationship and can take less time than collaboration and resolutions might mean splitting the difference or seeking a middle ground position. The downside to compromising is that it can be an easy way out and reduces new creative options. If you constantly split the difference or â€Å"straddle the fence,† game playing can result and the outcome could be less than ideal. 5. Collaborating Value of own issue/goal: High Value of relationship: High Goal: I win, you win The collaborative style views conflicts as problems to be solved and finding creative solutions that satisfy all the parties’ concerns. You don’t give up your self interest; you dig into the issue to identify the underlying concerns, test your own assumptions, and understand the views of others. Collaboration takes time and if the relationship among the parties is not important, then it may not be worth the time and energy to create a win-win solution. However, collaboration fosters respect, trust, and builds relationships. To make an environment more collaborative, address the conflict directly and in a way that expresses willingness for all parties to get what they need. Although all of the approaches have their time and place, you need to ask yourself the basic question, â€Å"Is my preferred conflict handling style the very best I can use to resolve this conflict or solve this problem?† Focus on Interests (Needs), Not Positions (Wants) Understanding people’s interests is not a simple task because we tend to communicate our positions – things that are likely to be concrete and explicit. It is helpful to learn to recognize the difference between person’s positions and interests to assist in creative problem solving. †¢Positions are predetermined solutions or demands that people use to describe what they want – what the person wants to happen on a particular issue. For example: â€Å"I want the report.† †¢Interests define the problem and may be intangible, unexpressed, or not consistent. They are the main reasons why you say what you want – the motivation behind the position. The conflict is usually between each person’s needs, desire, concern, or fear. For example: â€Å"I need to receive the report by Friday, so I can have time to review and edit before the due date next Wednesday.† Remember that figuring out your interests is just as important as figuring out their interests. How to Identify Interests To identify interests of the other person, you need to ask questions to determine what the person believes he or she truly needs. When you ask, be sure to clarify that you are not asking questions for justification of their position, but for a better understanding of their needs, fears, hopes, and desires. Using open-ended questions that encourage a person to â€Å"tell their story† helps you begin to understand their interest. Open ended questions are opposite of closed-ended questions, which require a response of â€Å"yes† or â€Å"no.† To illustrate the difference, consider the following example: †¢Did you have a good relationship with your supervisor? (closed-ended) †¢Tell me about your relationship with your supervisor. (open-ended) Examples of open-ended questions: †¢What’s your basic concern about †¦? †¢Tell me about †¦ †¢What do you think about †¦? †¢How could we fix †¦? †¢What would happen if †¦? †¢How else could you do †¦? †¢What could you tell me about †¦? †¢Then what? †¢Could you help me understand †¦? †¢What do you think you will lose if you †¦? †¢What have you tried before? †¢What do you want to do next? †¢How can I be of help? The most powerful interests for you to consider are the basic human needs for security, economic well-being, sense of belonging to an organization, identify, recognition of contribution or efforts, and autonomy or control over decisions or work. It is not uncommon for you or the other person to have multiple interests and it would be helpful for you to write them down as they occur to help you sort them out. This list may be helpful to think through ideas that may meet these interests. Problem solving on your interests and the other person’s interests leads to more creative and successful resolutions because you meet not only your need but theirs as well. Source: Fisher, Ury, and Patton, Getting to Yes, 1991

International Oil Security: Problems and Policies Essay

Energy security was a priority of the Bush Administration in 2001. In a larger context, global oil security is a major concern of the world, the United States in particular. Oil security is not about depleting reserves and having continuous supply to cover demand, but the real issue is the oil costs. International Oil Security involves two things: (1) oil producers control the supply and price of the commodity, and (2) volatile oil price creates have disruptive effects on macroeconomic situations. In the 1970s the downtrend and the inflation of industrialized economies were the results of oil price shocks. These price shocks were mostly caused by unanticipated and drastic changes in supply, demand, and inventory which were all destabilizing. Since the late 1990s OPEC controls the global oil market because it owns 45% of oil reserves and its global output share could double in the next decade. The oil market is a volatile one. When supplies are low, prices go up to meet the demand. A shock comes when there is big shift in the supply that send prices soaring. Such big swings may bring disastrous effects on the macroeconomic equation. The oil businessmen may cushion their financial risks without considering the oil-intensive component of the economy. The case of the US shows that: (1) effects on the US depends on its consumption of oil and not on its importation of oil, (2) it would be more expensive to increase its own supply and reduce its consumption, and (3) its military presence in the Middle East has nothing to do with oil imports. The Bush Administration’s thrust is to increase domestic oil production and lessen its reliance on oil imports, develop more efficient energy utilization and seek alternative and renewable energy resources. Legislations providing tax breaks and converting ANWR for oil exploration and production were passed. Still, increasing output will reduce the magnitude of oil shocks slightly by keeping the prices down and decreasing the intense effects of oil on the economy. ANWR appears to be a bad idea, primarily because of the social and environmental impact it carries. From a macroeconomic view, decreasing the oil intensity of its economy is paramount to ensuring its energy security. Cost-effective conservation measures and regulated minimal adjustments have insignificant effect on petroleum prices. It would take stronger policies to complement conservation and efficient utilization to boost its oil security efforts: (1) better management of oil reserves, (2) protection for the low-income sector who is most sensitive to price swings, (3) exploring other alternative fuel sources, (4) providing for energy use that ride the tide of price changes, and (5) developing non-fossil based fuels. In the final count, energy security can be had depending on the high costs of oil and the critical research and development needed.

Kinesthetic Learning Style

One of the things I should consider as a kinesthetic learner is the fact that I absorb information better when it is hands-on (physically engaged in the activity of learning, i.e. lab setting). As such, I may have to utilize techniques to make my learning style coincide with an online course wherein the mode of instruction is mainly auditory and visual. It would be an advantage if the visual aspects invite interaction in the form of flash presentations wherein I as the student can actively participate. Kinesthetic learning although typified by physical processing through touch and sensory experience can still be present in online courses by mere participation through clicking and typing during the actual discussion. My attention and capacity to grasp the information would be enhanced by taking notes using a word processor due to the fact that I am able to learn the concept while keeping my body in active awareness of how my mind deciphers the information. In addition, taking down notes about the course as well as my thoughts during the online lecture would allow me to better retain the information (Interview with Laura Summers, 2000). I may have to explore beyond the actual contents of the course and see how they actually are by doing a bit of fieldwork so as to have first had experience of the subject matter. It would really be helpful for me to try and create creative representations of the notes and data I acquire from my online lessons. I may convert the key concepts into tangible form by making graphs, making a model as illustration(Miller, 2000). An interactive online course would suit my learning style better, however, I must find ways in which to adapt to the subject matter even if the mode of instruction does not directly address my kinesthetic inclinations. The techniques mentioned above would definitely help me in reconciling the latter with the teaching process available. In combining the auditory and visual method with my own need for hands on receiving of information; I may have an edge in holistically understanding the course beyond the internet. Â   Â  

Marketing Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Marketing Research - Essay Example   In 2001, BzzAgent sought to create a platform that â€Å"would allow people to experience new products and services, share their honest opinions with people they knew and report those activities and opinions so marketers could directly see the results† (What is BzzAgent?). The company claims that it has since generated positive responses from businesses in promoting their diverse products and services. From 50 programs after two years operations, it has already handled a total of some 350 programs, recruiting some 2,000 to 4,000 â€Å"volunteers† each week which are being added to its current list of some 370,000 members in the United States, Canada, and U.K. Essentially, buzz marketing seeks to initiate involvement of enlisted individuals (called buzz agents) in directly influencing, through their social networks, would-be consumers through word of mouth instead of first creating  consumer satisfaction naturally. Conversations where positive buzz is injected can take place in the workplace, in social gatherings (meetings and parties), store aisles, playfields, and in online communities, among other venues. How are agents chosen?   From the list of agents the company can pick the right agents on the basis of their demographic, psychographic and behavioral characteristics.   BzzAgent provides such services as recruitment, management and communications, polls and surveys, 24-hour access to live program data, as well as data analysis and metrics, from quantitative impact of the campaign to the insights about attitudes and perceptions. (What is BzzAgent?) It has been shown that word of mouth is considerably more effective than conventional corporate media advertising because receivers of such referrals tend to trust that the communicator is honest and has no ulterior motive in talking positively about a particular brand or  product. Besides, buzz marketing has an edge over other promotional methods

Conducting training sessions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Conducting training sessions - Essay Example Task D (printing of handout copies), will only commence after training materials (task B) shall have been developed, hence it depends on task B. At the same time, task E (developing PowerPoint slides) also depends on task B, hence, will only commence after task B is completed. However, task D and E are concurrent since they can take place or commence at the same time. After developing PowerPoint slides (task D), one can go ahead to conduct a practice training session (task F). However, task F cannot be carried out before task D, hence task F is dependent on task D. Lastly, to conduct user training sessions (task G), task C (confirming of arrangement of training facility), task D (printing of handout copies) and task F (conducting practice training sessions) must have been completed. It means therefore that, task G is dependent on task C, task D and task F. The critical path therefore is when the project comes from task A to C to G. this is the longest path that the project can take to a successful completion. It will take a total of 15 days for the training session to come from the start all through to completion. However, the project can take other alternative shorter routes like go through rout 1 and 2 above which take 11 days and 13 days

Cultural Tradition and Saudi Female Leadership Assignment

Cultural Tradition and Saudi Female Leadership - Assignment Example Depending on the situation, women reporting a crime or incident might not feel comfortable relaying the information to a man. According to Saudi male officials, there are many reasons why women should not partake in leadership roles. One specific reason has to do with the cultural norms of Saudi society. Women have taken the role as caregiver to their children and because of this roles, it is very difficult for them to advance their careers. Also, according to according to the Islamic religion, women must be submissive to there husband: the husband is the leader or head of the household. Thus, because of this thought, it is difficult for the society to change their views on how women should participate within the community. In fact one of the most significance reasons is the embodied cultural tradition, which is against women’s educational leadership (Ghanim, 2009). The women in Saudi Arabia face many hardships. There are so many hidden cultural rules that when broken by Saudi Arabian women the punishment is always harsh. Thus, women cannot gain the necessary respect needed to achieve or take on a leadership role. According to Saudi traditions, everything related to women should be excluded from men (Chaney and Martin, 2007). Leadership and to be a leader within Saudi Arabia is of great concern to citizens. For this reason, men believe it is best if women do not participate in these leadership roles. Thus, women are not empowered or given a voice. Such a perception and gender stereotypes are still major obstacles to women’s absolute access to leadership positions. Taleb (2010) added that good leadership qualities are not gender-specific. She declared the difference between men and women leadership roles is their authority. What is meant by this is that civil laws in Saudi society do not give women enough rights to be independent and or l ead. Women are also at a disadvantage because they are not allowed to drive and cannot travel without their

The Rise of Al-Qaeda Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The Rise of Al-Qaeda - Research Paper Example Al-Qaeda provides no economic blueprint, no political horizon and no vision for future2. Whilst millions of the existing Arabs require indisputable elections and the disjointing of powers, al-Qaeda considers elections and democracy unorthodoxy and corresponding evil principle. Its leaders have eschewed political contribution and activism thus preaching and asserting that only aggression and intimidation will offer political change.Constitutinalism and the numerous Islamism has utter refusal of al-Qaeda’s ideology. The Arab revolutions are considered as the post-Islamist that is while religion based activists which encompass the Muslim Brotherhood coupled with independent Islamists designate significant section of the demonstrators that are dwarfed by the underlying centrist, autonomists, non-affliated activists order and liberals that are different from the al-Qaeda and thus ought to be become one amongst numerous competing forces3. Thus, the revolutions have reinforced what n umerous of the people have known that is the ala-Qaeda’s core ideology is incompatible with the universal aspirations of the Arabs. Arabs and Muslim admire America and the West democratic institutions, including free elections, peaceful transition of leadership and separation of powers. Johnsen, Gregory D. The Last Refuge: Yemen, Al-Qaeda, and the Battle for Arabia. London: ONEWORLD PUBLICATIONS, 2013. â€Å"P.206† The death of Rabi’i opened the way for Nasir al-Wihayshi to take over full control of rebuilding al-Qaeda. Throughout the winter, bin Laden’s former secretary put his individual stamp on the group, making it more methodical and patient, utilizing the blueprint they saw bin Laden as perfect in Afghanistan. Nasir al-Wihayshi knew what had taken place within Yemen the first duration and he had to seen the underlying within Iraq and Saudi Arabia4. Moving within the giant arc,Wihayshi operated his means east out of Sanaa towards the deserts of Marib and then north into the wastelands of al-Jawf prior turning back south for the mountains of Sabwa and Abyan where he had been born. He later recruited locally attracting men the similar mean he had within prison. Though he had been away from Yemen for nearly a decade, he later construed how the community functioned, and the significance of tribal and clan ties. Along with Qasim al-Raymi, Wihayshi laid the groundwork for a durable organization, appointing local amirs or commaders, who would direct al-Qaeda within their home districts. The two Aghan veterans prioritized main tribes and prominent families. Wihayshi wanted his prevailing men to be tied by blood and tribe to the power structure in their area. This was his insurance against the pressure that would inevitably come. Al-Qaeda is the biggest menace to the security of the United States of America. Al-Qaeda is an global terrorist network that was initially established by Osama Bin Laden within the 1980s. The network of al-Qaed a mainly strives to free Muslim states from the underlying nonreligious authority of the west and thus re-establish their prevailing administrations with fundamentalist Islamic system5.Al-Qaeda was responsible for terrorists attack on the renowned World Trade Center and the corresponding Pentagon. Subsequent to the attack United States led war

Develop an Adroid app or iPhone app; Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Develop an Adroid app or iPhone app; - Essay Example The version of Java that is used in developing mobile applications is Java Rosa (Meier 75). An android application will have the entire file that will entail the source code of the application. The SDK tools for Android makes it easier to start a new Android application. The SDK tools will the libraries and the requirements that you will need to develop an Android application. The GUI development environment that will be used is Eclipse. To start a new Android project, you click on New Android Project. This icon should be available in the toolbar. If this is missing, then it means that the plug-in has not been installed. After this, fill in the forms that appear in the wizard. The application name is the name of the application. After this, click next and in the next screen, you will see the tools that you will help in having a launcher icon for the application. This is where you will customize the icon so that the various densities can be supported. After this, you select the template that you will start building you project on. The next step will require some additional settings but it is recommended that all the default settings be left the way they are. You can also use the command line to run the application (Meier 72). Running of the application will need that you have an Android powered device. Another option of running the project is by using the Eclipse IDE. In order to install the application in a real device, it is important to be aware of some codes that will assist in this. One of such is AndroidManifest.xml. This file defines the various components if the application project (Meier 64). To install and run the application in an Android powered device, there will be a need to have a connection between the computer and the device. The connection is provided by use of USB cable. Connect the USB cable with computer and enable debugging mode. To run the application from

Osmosis Case Study Essay Example for Free

Osmosis Case Study Essay These two Case Studies come from a National Center on Case Studies. I think that a case study approach is very useful in applying knowledge and this is what makes you learn it better. They may be a little daunting when you read them but I will help you go through them. Please ask for help so this topic becomes more enjoyable for you. Part I—Too Much of a Good Thing Times were difficult in Habersham County. The skyrocketing prices of fuel and food were threatening to bankrupt the Johnson family’s small farm, which was no match for the multi-million-dollar mega-farms that had been popping up all over the southeast. Joseph, the family patriarch, was especially troubled by the farm’s financial circumstances. He knew that this year’s corn crop was his best chance to save the farm, and his distress was evident to his family as they sat around the dinner table. â€Å"Michael, I’m going to need your help tomorrow,† Joseph said to his eldest son. â€Å"I have to go into town to pick up a part for the combine so I can fix it before it’s time to harvest in a few months. I need you to spread the potash and phosphate on the corn because we’re expecting some rain by the end of the week. † Michael, his mouth full of fried chicken, nodded in agreement. He wasn’t all that interested in farming, which over the years had been a point of contention between him and his father. At the moment Michael was thinking more about the time he’d be missing with his friends, but he also realized how vital this chore was to his father and the farm. â€Å"I’ll do it right after school, Dad,† he replied. The following afternoon, Michael was loading heavy bags of fertilizer into the drop spreader on the farm tractor. His father’s cheerless demeanor the previous evening weighed heavily on him. Michael knew that 25 bags of the potassium and phosphorous-based fertilizer was the normal load to cover the 40 acres of corn the family had planted that spring. But as he was emptying the 25th bag into the spreader, an idea flashed through his mind: â€Å"If we need a good corn crop to make it, maybe I should add a little extra fertilizer. † Michael decided that some extra fertilizer couldn’t hurt, so he quickly loaded 15 extra bags. He was certain that adding the extra fertilizer would produce a massive crop when it came time to harvest in a few months. Michael hadn’t told his father about the extra fertilizer he’d added to the corn, wanting to see his father’s surprise over the size of the harvest in a few months. As expected, the rain started Friday afternoon; Michael was certain it would start an incredible growth spurt in the newly fertilized, young corn plants and that his family would hit pay dirt in a few months. He was out of bed early on Saturday morning, taking his four-wheeler down to the cornfields. He expected to see a vibrant green sea of young corn, extra healthy due to the fertilizer â€Å"boost† he had given them. His stomach dropped a bit as he stared out at a field of sickly looking corn plants, their leaves pale green and slightly wilting. â€Å"Maybe it rained too hard and that beat the plants up a little,† thought Michael, trying to be optimistic. â€Å"I’ll check on them again in a few days. I’m sure they’ll have perked up by then! † The next few days didn’t bring the results Michael was hoping for. The corn plants looked even worse! The leaves were beginning to yellow significantly and were continuing to wilt. Having watched his father grow corn for most of his 14 years, Michael knew this crop wasn’t going to make it. A lump was forming in his throat as he made his way back to the house, not sure how to tell his father about the corn. Questions 1. What sort of environment (hypotonic, hypertonic, isotonic) did the extra fertilizer create around the roots of the corn? 2. Keeping in mind your answer to the previous question, what do you believe caused the corn plants to wilt and eventually die? 3. If Michael’s mistake had been caught earlier, is there anything that could have been done to prevent the corn from dying? 4. Generally, people water their plants with 100% H2O—no solutes added. What sort of environment does this create around the roots of the plant? Part II—Too Little, Too Late Meanwhile, elsewhere in Habersham County, Tom was feeling slightly nervous as he exited the staff lounge and entered the hustle and bustle of County Hospital’s ER to begin his first shift as an RN. The first few hours of his shift passed slowly as Tom mostly checked vital signs and listened to patients complain about various aches, pains, coughs, and sniffles. He realized that the attending physician, Dr. Greene, who was rather â€Å"old  school† in general about how he interacted with nursing staff, wanted to start him out slowly. Tom knew, though, that the paramedics could bring in a trauma patient at any time. After his lunch break, Tom didn’t have long to wait before the paramedics burst in through the swinging double-doors of the ambulance bay wheeling in a young man on a gurney. Edward, a veteran EMT, recited the vital signs to Tom and Dr. Greene as they helped push the gurney into the trauma room, â€Å"18-year-old male, GSW to the right abdomen, heart rate 92, respiratory rate 22, blood pressure 95/65, no loss of consciousness. † A gunshot wound! Tom knew that gunshot wounds were sometimes the most difficult traumas to handle. Once inside the trauma room, Dr. Greene began his initial assessment of the patient while Tom got busy organizing the things he knew would be needed. He attached a pulse-ox monitor to the patient’s index finger so Dr. Greene could keep an eye on the O2 levels in the patient’s blood and he inserted a Foley catheter so the patient’s urine output could be monitored. After finishing his initial duties, Tom heard Dr. Greene saying, â€Å"It looks like the bullet missed the liver and kidney, but it may have severed an artery. That’s probably why his BP is a bit low. Tom, grab a liter of saline and start a fast IV drip †¦ we need to increase his blood volume. † Tom grabbed one of the fluid-filled bags from the nearby shelf, attached a 12-gauge IV needle to the plastic tubing, and gently slipped the needle into the patient’s antecubital vein. He then hung the plastic bag on the IV stand and let the fluid quickly start to flow down the tubing and into the patient’s vein. The reaction was quick and violent. The patient’s heart rate began to skyrocket and Tom heard Dr. Greene shouting, â€Å"His O2 saturation is falling! Pulse is quickening! What is going on with this guy?! † Tom stood frozen in place by the fear. He heard Dr. Greene continuing, â€Å"Flatline! We’ve lost a pulse †¦ Tom, get the crash cart, we need to shock this guy to get his heart going again! † Tom broke free from his initial shock and did as Dr. Greene had ordered. He then started CPR as Dr. Greene readied the cardiac defibrillator to shock the patient. They continued to alternate between CPR and defibrillation for almost an hour, but to no avail. As Dr. Greene announced the time of death, Tom felt a sickening feeling in the pit of his stomach. He couldn’t believe that he had lost his first trauma patient! Then Tom noticed that the fluid in the Foley catheter bag was bright red. â€Å"Dr. Greene, there’s hemoglobin in the Foley bag,† he said. â€Å"How could that be? † responded Dr. Greene. Tom began to trace back over his steps in the trauma, trying to think of anything that could have caused the hemoglobinuria. His mounting fear turned to outright terror as he looked at the now empty bag on the IV stand. Its label didn’t read â€Å"Saline,† but rather â€Å"Distilled Water. † He looked at Dr. Greene, his heart quickly sinking, and said, â€Å"I think I may have killed the patient. † Questions 1. What problem did the distilled water in the patient’s bloodstream create? 2. What happed to the patient’s blood cells as a result? 3. Considering the function of red blood cells, why did the patient’s oxygen levels fall? 4. After Tom made his error, is there anything that could have been done to save the patient’s life?