Wednesday, July 31, 2019

Board of Directors

Describe at least six recommendations that you would make to improve the effectiveness of today's boards of directors. 1 I would require the board of directors degree of Involvement In strategic management be active participation (approves, questions and makes final decisions on mission, strategy, policies and objectives) or be that of a catalyst (takes the leading role In establishing and modifying the mission, objectives, strategies and polices).This would ensure that the board of directors takes a hands on approach (Wheeled, p. 47). 2 I would require the board of directors to set corporate strategy, overall direction, Nilsson or vision for the company. This needs to come from the board of directors. They need to set the standard. 3 I would make the board of directors responsible for the hiring and firing of the CEO and top management. This is an important role and must be mandated from the board of directors. Keeping the right CEO in position and keeping top management in place is extremely important (Wheeled, p. 45). 4I would make the board of directors responsible for controlling, monitoring, or supervising top management (Wheeled, p. 45). The guidance that the board of directors provides is much needed and top management will follow the boards lead. 5 Corporations inside the united States usually have 2 insiders and 8 outsiders that make up the board of directors (Wheeled, p. 48). I would have at least 5 insiders and 5 outsiders make up the board of directors. This would make the makeup of the board of directors more even. 6 Of the 5 insiders, I would allow 2 of them to be company employees that sit on the road of directors.These employees can bring an inside look at what is happening from the employees point of view to the board. Of these six suggestions, I would select number 1 as the most important. I would require the board of directors degree of Involvement In strategic management be active participation (approves, questions and makes final decisions on mission, strategy, policies and objectives) or be that of a catalyst (takes the leading role In establishing and modifying the mission, objectives, strategies and policies). This loud ensure that the board of directors takes a hands on approach.Board of Directors By bias]Nanette I would require the board of directors degree of involvement in strategic role in establishing and modifying the mission, objectives, strategies and policies). Mission or vision for the company. This needs to come from the board of directors. Corporations inside the United States usually have 2 insiders and 8 outsiders that require the board of directors degree of involvement in strategic management be strategy, policies and objectives) or be that of a catalyst (takes the leading role in

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

Meaning of Life and Success Essay

Success is a person or thing that desired aims and achieves or attains fame or any form of accomplishment which will always make them proud or happy at the end of either the day, month or year. The word success was originated in the mid-16th century from a Latin word successus and a verb succedere meaning come close after. When I hear of the word success there are two things that come in mind, hard work and determination. Hard work is one of the main and most important building blocks in my success foundation. Working hard is one of the best and most accurate ways to think about being successful. Success cannot be earned unless you strive and work hard for it, because it is a word that comes with work and if work is not done then the meaning of the word can’t be accomplished. Like Einstein said â€Å"If A is a success in life then A equals x plus y plus z. work is x; y is play and z is keeping your mouth shut† for instance to me as an athlete working hard and in playing hard rather than running my mouth are the best way of being successful in game point stands in my career. Determination is a very critical and important aspect when it comes to success. To be determined to achieve any goals or aims is a very important choice of being successful. Bertrand 2 Determination can to be physically, spiritually and emotionally which all combines with hard work and if you combine both hard work and determination together you will always get a good result of success. Being successful in life can be one of the precious and happiest moments in life that can last for a long time if and only if you do what is expected of you to keep the success going on. Success can be advantageous in many ways; Accomplishing a goal, moving on to a new goal, brings happiness and fulfillment, set new and personal records, inspire, motivate and give you strengths to aim high and set bigger goals. But it’s not always everybody that’s successful that is happy or satisfied with their success. The isn’t that much difference being successful than being a failure, like the good old quote that say â€Å"the difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength not a lack of knowledge, but rather the a lack in will† this quote is very simple and well understood and the quote’s point is clearly pointed out, which state the main difference between a successful person and others which is the will to be the successful person that they are. To be successful person there should be some sought of guidelines to help you achieve or attain success. Thinking about success also brings about the thought or idea of failure â€Å"In order to success your desire for success should be greater rather than your fear of failure†. An important and inspiring quote as this from one of the favorite, idol and inspiring actor in the movie industry and in the society should and is been considered by a lot of fans to be very important in achieving success rather than having the fear of failure because his path of success has given or got him to where he is at the moment.

A Relativistic View of The Ballad of Narayama

First Position Utilitarianism, a branch of moral realism, is a doctrine that attempts to explain the abstract idea of morality. Consequentialism, a broader basis of utilitarianism, defines an action as being right or wrong by saying that the right act in any moral dilemma is that which leads to the greatest good for the greatest number of people. It focuses in on the consequence of an action and declares that this result is the true basis for judgment about the morality of a decision.Utilitarianism takes these ideas a step urther and defines the quality of the consequence of an action as its â€Å"utility'. The only way to fundamentally ensure that our actions are good is to prove that the results of the chosen action were really better than the results of the other possible choice. (2) Second Position Moral relativism is a philosophy that defines morality in a way that directly depends on the individual or group of people involved. One prominent division within moral relativism is the meta-ethical position.The basic proposition behind this argument is that moral Judgment cannot be universalized and in this way morality is relative to he parties involved. This permits any culture to practice anything they see as right, and this belief within the culture makes it the right thing to do. In the mindset of a meta-ethical relativist, we must reserve our Judgment if we see people committing what we feel are morally wrong actions and understand that they may be doing the right thing in the context of their culture. (3) Major Objection A moral relativist would see many flaws in the ideology of utilitarianism.One major objection is that utilitarianism is too intense of a doctrine as it suggests there is always a way to act that would benefit more people. There is inherently too much pressure put on humankind if utilitarianism were to be followed because it requires us to constantly act like â€Å"moral heroes,† claiming anything less would make us bad people. Du e to the fact that there could be a greater good in every decision we make, we would barely be able to live our own lives, develop our own relationships with family and friends, and make our own decisions if we strictly adhered to the doctrine of utilitarianism.This flaw of utilitarianism is exposed in The Ballad of Narayama because the action of killing the elderly when they reach 70 would be deemed orally wrong and incorrect. However, the moral relativist realizes that this contradicts the societal tradition and is therefore the right thing to do. To the naive eye of the utilitarian, killing the elderly immediately seems like a morally corrupt tradition that could never be acceptable. However, the moral relativist understands this practice in the context of the Japanese village and renders it acceptable.Keeping Orin alive would be morally wrong to the relativist because it takes the pressure off of Kesakichi and even Tatsuhei to develop as men of the household. They still have Ori n providing food and working for them and as a result Kesakichi remains naive and immature. The young people in the Japanese village need develop on their own, and so the tradition of the village should be honored regardless of specific cases, like that ot Orin. In ad dition, the elderly Just become another mouth to t cases in the impoverished village. 4) First Rebuttal in most The utilitarian would answer this objection by saying that it would not be for the best to take Orin and all the 70-year-old citizens to the top of Narayama. They would argue that societal tradition should not be followed in this case and it is morally ncorrect to leave the elderly to die in this way. Even if they are a burden to society, the greatest good for the greatest number of people comes when they are kept alive. Our deepest inclinations also seem to tell us that killing any person who lives to be 70 is morally wrong.If they were allowed to live, family units would become stronger, wisdom would be pas sed through the generations, and the elderly could find new ways to contribute to society regardless of their age. Additionally, the utilitarian would disagree with the idea of hoarding food while others go hungry, as they do in the Japanese village. The morally correct action that would lead to the greatest good for the greatest number of people would be to share food and services, never placing your own familys needs above the needs of the society as a whole.To the utilitarian, any acts that can be conceived as selfish are morally wrong and every decision should be made with the community in mind. (4) Second Rebuttal The meta-ethical relativist would respond to this rebuttal by sticking to their convictions and arguing that in the context of this Japanese village, it is best to follow tradition and take the elderly to the top of Narayama. The utilitarian lacks the foresight into the future of the society and naively acts with only immediate benefits in mind; â€Å"To suppose that life has no higher end than pleasure† is â€Å"a doctrine worthy of swine† (RR 600).Although the immediate affects of leaving the elderly atop the mountain to die peacefully may not provide the greatest good for the greatest amount of people, in the long run it pays off and does, in fact, result in the greatest good for society. As for the claim that it is morally wrong if you place your familys need at a higher priority, the meta-ethical relativist would say that this type of elfishness drives society. The providers for a family want to supply as much as they can to their children and this motivates them to work harder.Although the utilitarian would think that it would be best if the Japanese villagers openly shared their food, the moral relativist would understand how the society functions and disagree. If an individual donated any excess they had to the society as a whole, the motivation of individuals within the society would disappear and the Japanese village woul d no longer function properly. The lives of the villagers depend on their planning for the future and hard work in the farms.The competition between workers and the desire to provide for their families is the reason this Japanese village has survived for generations. If a villager knew that any extra work he did or any extra food he grew would be taken away from him, then the villager would not work as hard and would not be as worried about securing his own crops and farming his own land. The moral relativist understands this as the basis for the tradition in the village, as killing the elderly puts responsibility on the other members of society to produce while reducing the number of mouths they have to feed.This tradition should be upheld because it allows for them to make their own decisions and look out for their families. The moral relativist position realizes that the action of killing the elderly once they reach age 70 is morally permissible in the Japanese society depicted i n The Ballad of Narayama. This moral Judgment is not universal, as in most societies this action would be deemed morally incorrect and unacceptable. However, given the economic situation of the village along with the dependence on manual labor, the tradition should be upheld as it is morally best for the society at hand.

Monday, July 29, 2019

Logistics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Logistics - Essay Example Today, 49% of the equity of the company is owned by Nigerians and Nigerian organizations, while the remaining 51% is owned by Unilever Plc of UK. The company prides itself as being in virtually almost all sectors of the economy which includes nutrition, hygiene, personal care etc. and its products are of world class standards. The popular ones in the market include Omo detergent, Persil, Lux soap, Lipton Tea label, Blue band margarine, Close Up toothpaste and many more. With an employee strength of over 10,000, turnover of N44 bn, profit before tax of over N5 bn, shareholders funds of N8 bn, indeed Unilever Plc is a company the exemplifies a giant productive entity, hence the decision to adopt it as a case study for this paper. Vision and Mission Every organization has its raison d’etre in other words, its reason for existence. This is stated in its mission and vision statements. Drucker (1974) classifies these to include what is our business? What will it be? And what should it be? For Unilever Plc, its vision statement is inspiring billions of people to take small everyday actions that add up to a big difference. The mission statement is to meet everyday needs for nutrition, hygiene and personal care with brands that help people feel good, look good and get more out of life. Future of the company The company has four pillars which directs the long term direction and ensures that it knows where it wants to go and how it’s going there and this is inline with its vision and mission statements. These are: to create a better future everyday; to help people feel good, look good and get more out of life with brands and services that are good for them and good for others; to inspire people to take everyday actions that can add up to a big difference for the world; and to develop new ways of doing business with the aim of doubling the size of the company while reducing the environmental impact. These four pillars which serve as the guiding and driving pr inciple of Unilever are achieve through its key two strengths. First, its strong roots in local markets and firsthand knowledge of the local culture, and secondly, world class business expertise applied internationally to serve consumers everywhere. These key two strengths has over the years ensured consistent growth, increase return on investment (ROI) and maintained a relative high share price in the stock exchange market. Internal, External and Temporal Environment According to Kazmi (2002) the environment in which an organization exists could be broadly divided into two parts: the external and the internal environment. Environment literally means the surroundings, external objects, influences or circumstances under which someone or something exists. The environment of any organization is â€Å"the aggregate of all conditions, events, and influences that surround and affect it† (Davis, 1982). The internal environment of Unilever from the above description involves all that goes on with in the company. Unilever like most production companies that wishes to make optimum use of available resources runs three shifts, Monday to Saturday. While Sundays are basically for the maintenance of production machineries, Administrative and

Sunday, July 28, 2019

Intelligent Systems (Natural language processing, Sentiment analysis Assignment

Intelligent Systems (Natural language processing, Sentiment analysis and Text mining ) - Assignment Example In this area, computations are involved and they end up in a natural language capable of processing opinions. It therefore give as detailed study into mood or emotion recognition, relevance computation, ranking, identifying source, giving genre distinction, and a summarization of the opinion (Pang & lee, 2008). Moreover, Pang & Lee (2008) states that in sentimental analysis texts need to be mapped to respective labels from a defined data set or through placing it from one end to another on continuum. Knowing above, a topic was to be investigated to determine the effectiveness of these analyses. The topic chosen included â€Å"saber tooth desktop† and in the rating, it occurred that 87% of the comment were positive and only 13% accounted for the negative. I downloaded it using sentiment140.com. However, reading through the tweets, it occurred to me that the facility was never accurate. It could never detect sarcastic messages, shortened words and it only analyzed the English pa rt of the messages. Moreover, from the data of about four sets, correlation was sought out in order to determine the accuracy of the method and it was noted that for the positive tweets there was an F harmonic of about 6.5% and for the negatives it showed 4.2%. Consequently, this is an indication that sentiment gave a dependable result though they are not 100% accurate. Moreover, the above topic could be downloaded directly using tweeter API. One needs to have a tweeter account, create an application, from the application, one is offered machine readable consumer key access token, and consumer secrets and from those, one can receive tweeter updates on any website they specified and coded with the relevant details given when sign in for a tweeter API account. From the gotten results using tweeter Prolog-WordNet libraries, it indicated that there is a correlation between the sent tweets and the message they were conveying however at a given sentiment polarity. Moreover, the extraction this time round had a higher number of tweets and gives a considerable proportion of 72% for the positive tweets and a 28% for the negative. As a result, it showed how the various entities or concepts were directly linked to positivity or negativity of the sentiment. It analyzed that a good percentage as it is expected of positivity was correct as well as that of negativity. However, it incorporated some percentages of negative side to the positive and those of positive to negative. In consequence, it may be argued that, even though the second process is much demanding in acquiring tweets and then analyzing them, it is much accurate than the first process especially in the case involving huge volumes of data. Moreover, the gotten data could be analyzed deeper to according to either it being positive and negative. It could be analyzed into who it involved-the company, workers, sales staff and any other person involved. Moreover, it was noted that for the two applied types, they give out results related to features of the search. For the music or sports related, there is one where conversion of search results is higher. Part Two Natural language processing (NPL) is the part of computer studies that deals with artificial intelligence especially involving interactions of machine-computers-languages and the linguistic part of human. It basically tries to give

Saturday, July 27, 2019

Can organizational cultures be changed Research Paper

Can organizational cultures be changed - Research Paper Example Despite the many changes that occur worldwide, an organization can stay impermeable towards change. According to Miller, et al. (2003), if the organization is deeply rooted with their institutional context, thickened and insulated from the outside world and with predefined organizational dynamics, then the said organization can be impermeable with change. An organization can be measured with its history. The values, philosophies, vision and strategies of the organization during their foundation years contribute to the culture of that organization. Every personal history of the individual within the institution contributes to the current and future decisions, behaviors and choices of the organization as a whole. And with time value, this organization becomes formalized and standardized thereby making them change resistant. The managerial practices and the core values demanded by this organization require new entities to follow their norms and whoever disagrees from it can leave anytim e. If the leaders of the organization are tightly bounded with their set of standards and rules, they are bound to stand resistive of what is around them making culture change impossible. This has been a reality in countries such as China, which is embedded with Confucianism, and Russia rooted with Communism (Miller,et al., 2003:393-394). Culture contributes highly to the overall functioning of an organization. It has an impact on the effectiveness of the organization which reflects the reasons why the organization existed in the first place. There have been a lot of researches done by various organizations to achieve that optimum effectiveness and functionality. According to Denison and Mishra (1995), for the function of a certain organization to be highly effective, there are various elements involved such as involvement, consistency, adaptability, and sense of mission or long-term vision. These traits can indicate the organizations flexibility, sense of response, open-mindedness, direction, and integration. With these traits evident in the culture of an organization, it is easier to predict the growth, quality, satisfaction, profitability and the overall performance. To gain these traits, it is inevitable for the organization to steer with change throughout time. With time factor drifting from one era to another, it is imperative for everyone to adapt with change. The change in technology, communication, transport, machineries and other aspects, humanity are forced into dependence upon these changes for greater gain. The advent of 20th century has toppled the traditional practices and various individuals and organizations must be creative in using their knowledge-based human capacity to balance their organization’s culture with the fast paced change happening in the world today. This has been a challenge for various minds, scholars and individuals to develop new and keen theories and methods applicable for organizations. Organizations of today are no longer conformed to the geographical location, religious beliefs and nationality. Instead, there is a global vision, expansion, influence and competition going on (Walsh, Meyer and Schooenhoven, 2006). This has been evident to the many industries that are present today. Multinational industries with global influence have adapted various changes in their organization culture to cope with the realities that

Friday, July 26, 2019

The dangers of obesity Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The dangers of obesity - Assignment Example An individual who has reached the ‘morbidly obese’ or Grade III status needs to understand that weight is a threat to their health (Patient, 1). However, higher BMI’s exist in individuals who are muscular; therefore, they should not be assumed as having excess fat (Shearer, 173). Waist-hip ratio is an alternative indicator of obesity. WHR accurately predicts cardiovascular risks than Body Mass Index (Skouteris, Helen, et al, 7). It is important to note that all the listed classes if obesity relates to significantly higher causes of mortality. The increase in degree of obesity significantly increases the risks involved. Calculation of the connection between obesity and other diseases depends on the gender of an individual. According to NAO (National Audit Office), the risks of diseases related to obesity differ between men and women. Obesity is a major danger in the growth of disorders related to chronic respiratory diseases such as obesity hypoventilation, obstructive sleep-apnoea, asthma, and COPD. In the occasion where an individual exhibits an obesity case demanding surgical procedure, diagnosis becomes more difficult. Frequency of postoperative complications enhances, including wound dehiscence, chest infection, and acute vein thrombosis (Chhabra, Lovely, et al., 1). Osteoarthritis is common in almost every individual with a prolonged obesity problem. This is very risky to proper maintenance of bone rigidity while aging. Obese people are also faced with problems that cannot be readily treated such as total hip replacement. Most people with this condition cannot afford the medical costs to administer such treatments. Different grades of obesity increase the dangers of endometrium carcinoma and breast cancer. In addition, the disease referred to as Polycystic ovarian disorder is also connected to the obese. Researchers and doctors found that obesity has the

Thursday, July 25, 2019

Strategic and tactical marketing objectives Essay

Strategic and tactical marketing objectives - Essay Example There are considerable differences between strategic marketing and tactical marketing. Strategic marketing usually involves the planning portion of achieving a marketing objective which relies on research information on target customers. Tactical marketing is the actual application (processes) which are implemented in the hopes of achieving positive marketing results. In the hospitality industry, especially hotel marketing, both strategic and tactical marketing contribute to how the hotel performs in areas of the marketing mix. This report applies the activities involved in strategic and tactical marketing and applies them to a hypothetical resort in the Swiss Alps that provides services for wealthy guests. The marketing objective is to increase its market base by 20 percent in one year and target newlyweds from European nations. In order to achieve this goal, it will be necessary to create distinguished promotional materials which are suitable for mass market cultural beliefs and al so the beliefs of newlywed couples. Marriage is a day of celebration and, for this particular niche market, should extend well beyond the actual ceremony and be a part of their entire vacation package during this celebratory period. â€Å"Strategic marketing involves determining what the target market wants and the types of messages that resonate with that audience† (Brockington, 2009, p.1). Gaining this information about potential customers begins with conducting research, either in the form of interviews, focus groups, or surveys.

Wednesday, July 24, 2019

Developing Academic Skills Literature review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Developing Academic Skills - Literature review Example Darwin’s evolution reveals that for a chance to exist there must be separation as well as a purpose or reason to transform. According to Rowold and Borgman, transformational leadership is distinct from transactional leadership. According to Osborn (2002), network leadership is another derelict aspect of management, which is not independent. These concepts form the theme of this summative paper. Literature Review Darwin’s theory lessons According to Keith Denton book, "What Darwin can teach us about success", discussing development and learning in corporations and organizations, it is evident that transformation is possible. Darwin’s evolution reveals that for the opportunity to exist there must be separation as well as a reason or motive to change (Ospovat 1995). This is linked to Darwin's elucidation of how preferential continued existence of the slightest advantages can lead to sophisticated forms is the most imperative explanatory standard in biology, and trem endously powerful in numerous other fields. Such achievement has emphasized concepts that life is in all respects a conflict of each against everyone, where each person or entity has to look out for their opportunities and fully exploit. This is essential in lifelong skills of development whether in acquiring academic skills or life experiences. Charles Darwin's hypothesis of how evolution exists is clearly competitive, and even gladiatorial. Species are pitted against each other for scarce resources, alike species with identical needs and environment even more so, are all competing for existence (Gayon 1998). From the Denton approach, individuals can learn to compete for opportunities, and not wait for disasters but develop their ways through respective challenges. In organization, managers can transform their organization trends by ensuring that opportunities and threats adequately assessed. Survival for the fittest is the backbone philosophy derived from the Darwin theory. It can be utilized to enhance progress in developing skills. This conforms to the expression, do not merely compete, but rather try to be the best in the world. Transformational leadership and transactional leadership Transformational leaders look for novel ways of functioning, search for opportunities in the face of threat, favor effective responses to well-organized answers, and are less probable to maintain the status quo. They do not just react to environmental circumstances; they try to shape and produce them (Bass & Avolio 1994). Transformational leaders may employ transactional approaches when suitable, but they also incline to use symbolism and descriptions to solicit augmented effort. The leader achieves this by increasing the level of academic awareness about the significance of valued results, by augmenting or expanding individual requirements, and by enticing a belief in rising above self-interest for the benefit of the organization or team (Bass & Avolio 1994).Genuine transfo rmational leadership necessitates staffs empowerment, not employee reliance. It is evident that transformational

Business needs to be more regulated Research Paper

Business needs to be more regulated - Research Paper Example other hand those in favor of strict government regulations argue that free markets are not as efficient as they may seem and due to their competitive nature, they involve in practices that impacts the society in a negative manner. Businesses need to be more regulated because businesses are inefficient, businesses are indulging in unethical practices, and there are monetary and physical losses of lack of strict regulation. Regulations governing businesses need to be increased and should be more stringent in nature because less regulation is resulting in inefficient use of resources which are already limited in supply. Competition between businesses has increased and they are trying to find methods through which they can produce more in order to capture a higher proportion of market share. Due to this more products that are homogenous in nature are being produced and the number of goods and services being produced are more than the number of goods and services being demanded. Due to this a major percentage of the produced goods and services are being left unused and wasted. This wastage of goods and services is resulting in an increase in the inefficient ways of using resources that are already limited in number. This inefficient use of resources proves that the model of free market is failing to meet its promise of efficient use of resources. According to a news article published in Liberation News, e ach year around 3 million individuals of the United States experience the state of homelessness and to cover these three million individuals, there were 18 million houses available and vacant (pslweb.org, 2013). This shows that due to competition, constructors have built more houses than the number of houses demanded in United States. This even show that the resources used to make these houses will continue to be unused until there are enough people to occupy them. These resources could have been used in other projects. Another reason due to which more regulations

Tuesday, July 23, 2019

Critically examine the policy developments that have been introduced Essay

Critically examine the policy developments that have been introduced to facilitate collaboration in England and Wales.Outline th - Essay Example We can also look at it in the way that the two countries established collaboration or mutual benefits, thus, accepting their statements in their reports to be true. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, collaboration is the condition of having common interests in either social or business affairs. It is an interconnection of two or more states, a liaison, and reciprocity. Relying on this definition alone, we can assume that the word used can be more appropriately defined to be an interconnection of the two states having common interest in business affairs. In the official website of the Kent/Essex police, it is explicitly mentioned that their primary goal in doing such action (collaboration) is to strengthen their police forces and to earn money as well. We can just simply say that the social aspects will be a side effect of the business strategy made by the two different countries. In a more political sense, we can see this as a political strategy by England and most especial ly Wales to compete in the global political as well as economic power. A Polarization is the fusion of two or more states to create a stronger entity in the international arena. In a broader sense, we can explain this phenomenon using different types of theories like realism, liberalism and complex interdependence. Using the information I have gathered, leaning to the facts stated in the Kent/Essex official web site, we can use the liberalism approach to have a deeper understanding on the collaboration of England and Wales. In a liberalist perspective, it implies that states are rational thinkers who can think of ways and solution of peaceful co-existence in the international arena. This mainly contradicts the realist perspective that believes that every state has a different interest and that it depicts other states to be a threat of their existence. We can assume that liberalist approach to be true by looking at the different international organization established now today. We ha ve there the United Nations as an organization of almost all countries of the world, the European Union (UN) in Western Region, the Association of South East Asian Nation and other related organization. These are deemed to be a helping hand of the different countries in terms of conflicts and other problems of either economic, security, political, etc. Looking now at state level, we can also say that the Serious Crime directorate, being a product of the Kent/Essex police of England’s and Wales’ rational ability to think of ways and to find solution to have a better and stronger police force â€Å"Since then, the collaboration program has achieved a number of success, including the sharing of air support and marine services and the formation of a pioneering joint IT Directorate – the first of its kind in England and Wales – and joint procurement unit – which had increased the two forces’ buying power and helped to save money.† – Kent/Essex Collaboration Team Serious Crime Directorate (SCD) The SCD was established just last year (2010) by the Kent police and Essex policy to protect their people from any danger in a more efficient and effective way. The Kent/Essex collaboration team started in 2007 and had already implemented several policies, specifically police policies to ensure and uphold the security of their people. These would include the joint Operation Forefront which includes: the joint marine unit,

Monday, July 22, 2019

Older Than America Essay Example for Free

Older Than America Essay 1. Film Information: The title of film we watched this week is Older than America. The lead actors and actresses are Adam Beach, Tantoo Cardinal, Bradley Cooper Georgina Lightning, Bradley Cooper, and Tantoo Cardinal. movie was released Oct 12, 2010 by the IFC Films studio. The length of the film is about one hundred minutes. The film genre is trying to expose the history with horror atmosphere. The director of the film is Georgina Lightning . 2. Brief summary: A womans haunting visions reveal a Catholic priests sinister plot to silence Rain’s mother from speaking the truth about the atrocities that took place at her Native American boarding school. The story along with her daughter, Rain haunted by visions that led to her own mothers forced institutionalization. The film mixes the true story of the USs forced boarding of Native American children, subjecting them to a wide variety of abuses. The film is not that easy to follow up because it started with some suspension and wired dreams at the beginning. As the story goes along, more and more clues reveal. It is hard to believe what the boarding school did to Native American kids based on my perception to boarding school. The film has enough twists and turns to keep my attentions while watching it. 3. Identify the main problem(s) or issue(s) addressed in the film: The problem is mainly addressed in boarding school. They remove children from the influence of their families and culture and assimilate them into the dominant Canadian culture. Father Bartoli paralyzed Rain’s mother in order to hide the truth about atrocities in boarding school. The Native American kids were beaten, whipped, raped and killed in the school. Later on, Father Bartoli also tried to convince Auntie Apple to keep Rain in captivity in order to stop memorizing the truth from the past. Rain was somehow rescued from tying up her hands by a spiritual guy who is her classmate in boarding school. She intellectually escaped from the room when the cleaner opened the door. Rain and Jonny decided to discover the truth in the mysterious cellar. After Father Bartoli knew Rain had escaped, he decided to go to cellar to kill her. Finally, Rain collected all the clues and memorized all the things happened in boarding school. Father Batoli was tangled up with all the lost soul who were abused and died under his hands. He got punished. 4. Main characters review: The main characters are Jonny, Rain, Luke, and Father Batoli. Director and co-writer Lightning also plays Rain, the lead role in Older Than America. Rain lives with her police officer boyfriend Johnny (Adam Beach) in snowy, rural Minnesota. Adom Beach plays her boyfriend. Luke (Bradley Cooper) is a government geologist investigating reports of a recent earthquake on his own time; Steve Klamath (Glen Gould) has returned home to run for mayor on an anti-development platform, opposing the incumbent, developer Paul Gunderson (Chris Mulkey). I think the actors are good in these roles especially Johnny because I can feel his love to Rain. They play believable roles, but I was confused about those spiritual figures. They are not quite believable, though. Those children in the board school make me sympathetic. There is no â€Å"Hollywood stereotypes†. 5. Portrayal of authority: Father Bartoli is a typical guy who has authority in religious figures. He is a priest minister who controls all the regulations in boarding school. Auntie Apple (Tantoo Cardinal), who raised Rain, leans heavily upon local Catholic priest Father Bartoli (Steve Yoakum). The two of them shake their heads disapprovingly when Rain and Johnny do not immediately agree to having a Catholic marriage ceremony. The boarding school is a nightmare to Native American children. Priests tried to remove their identity and assimilated them into American culture. I dislike Father Bartoli. He did not only a lot of bad things to the Native American children but also silenced Rain and her mother to erase the past crimes. 6. Discuss the role of gender in the film: The major players are not predominantly of one sex. Johnny has the subordinate role. I think Women and men are not drawn as variations of stereotypes. Rain plays a kindergarten teacher. She is portrayed as a perceptual and strong Native American woman. She cares about her mother very much. The matriarchal female roles are not recognized in the film. Jonny is her husband. He loves Rain very much, too. He cares about everything regarding Rain including family. He behaved anxious and crazy when Rain is disappeared. 7. Discuss the role of class and nation: I did not see any characters do anything for living. Jonny works in police office and Rain works in kindergarten. They seem pretty knowledgeable about their work, and they valued for what they do. There is no very obvious class hierarchy in the film. They are all kind of middle class people in modern society. The film did not spend a lot of attention to portray the poor. 8. Discuss the identity of the Native/tribal/ethnic groups portrayed in the film: I did not really often hear the Native American characters mention something about their identity, but I can feel the sense of strong ethnic tie between real physical characters and those spiritual characters. The souls are the things make this film so special to us. Those souls imply some sort of spiritual culture to Native American. Although they are already died, they still got together and help their companions or ethic group to get through the obstacles. They are likely to be seen in Native Americans’ perspective. The relationship between them is really subtle but meaningful. The live characters try to expose the truth hidden in the boarding school whereas the spiritual characters keep helping them get through the crises. They somehow interact with each other and make the whole story looks reasonable. It is pretty interesting and makes audience want to watch it. The movie really empathizes with the identity issues although the ethnic characters are not actually from the portrayed ethnic group because basically the film tells the repulsive atrocities and assimilation behind the boarding school back 1900s. It wants to remind Native American audiences to recognize the history and do not lose the cultural identity no matter what. 9. How are social and familial relationships portrayed: Throughout the film, Native Americans always have a strong family tie and hold together. In the film, I can feel Rain really loves his mother. She takes care of her a lot even she has got some mental issues. She is also really respecting her mother because she comes to her mother and tells her mother every decision she is going to make. In modern days, she still inherits a lot of traditional Native American woman’s traits. Those spiritual figures also give us a strong background of ethnic sense. They have a connection with Rain to keep reminding her past, and they help her to find the clues of the truth and get her through crisis. Jonny is a good and reliable boyfriend, too. He also really loves Rain. He is sharing of confidences with her and giving care to her when Rain faced up difficulties. I am able to relate to the familial roles and experiences in the film because film makes it really touch my heart. 10. Language: There are few scenes that other language other than English spoken in the film. It is used effectively. The boy spoke Native American language when the teacher forced them to declare to be Americans in the classroom. He did not want to lose his own culture identity. The use of another language bears a lot value to the film. It exposed the atrocities in boarding school. You would be beaten to death even if you say an Indian word. It set off the inhuman behaviors they did to every Native American child in boarding school. It is ironic that person who actually behaves a savage wants to civilize Native Americans, they called â€Å"savage†. 11. Personal likes and dislikes: This movie really is not a view of life in boarding schools, per se. I dont believe it was intended to be. It is a metaphor for the effects still felt today by nearly all Native Americans here in the U. S. The movie is a period place. All of the issues that the story touches base on are those that Natives all over Indian Country are dealing with today. It is not the direct reflection of one single reason why Natives today face the afflictions of poverty, alcoholism, abuse, unemployment, illiteracy, and loss of identity as a culture, but the culmination of many. Forced attendance into an institution specifically designed to strip away everything it means to be Indian just so happens to be the primary area of focus in this film. The sub-plots add depth to the characters as well as much needed comic relief. Even though this film is classified as a drama, it should be shown in every history class across the United States. 12. Research connection: The story of American Indian boarding schools needs to be told. In the past Indian children were taken from their parents, often forcibly, and put into highly- regimented schools designed to eradicate all signs of their savagery. Use of Indian languages in these schools was forbidden and harshly punished. This movie probably should have been a period place showing the experiences of an Indian child thrust into the soul-killing world of the boarding school. Perhaps it was feared this approach would limit the size of the audience. In any case we get a modern-day story, set in northern Minnesota, in which a boarding school is glimpsed only occasionally in brief flashbacks. Surrounding these flashbacks lie a plot cluttered with a bewildering number of elements: the arrogance of the Catholic Church, shock treatments, commercial development of sacred Indian lands, an election for mayor pitting a white man against a red man, gambling casinos, a love story, hallucinations and visions, family secrets leading to tensions.

Sunday, July 21, 2019

Social Causes Gender Roles Depression Health And Social Care Essay

Social Causes Gender Roles Depression Health And Social Care Essay Depression, either as a single depressive episode or as a recurrent depressive disorder, is a common mood disorder which is characterised by low mood, resulting in loss of interest and enjoyment, reduced energy and diminished activity. With increasing severity other symptoms such as reduced concentration, attention, self esteem and self confidence manifest, and physical symptoms may protrude, such as disturbed sleep and diminished appetite. These may accumulate in ideas or acts of self harm and suicide[1]. The gender difference in depressive illness, is one of the strongest patterns seen in psychiatric epidemiology [2,3,4,5]. Similar, albeit less strong gender differences can be seen through a variety of mental health disorders, typically with internalising disorders (of mood and anxiety) which are more common in women, and externalising disorders such as schizophrenia and substance abuse which are more common in men.[5]. Such a strong pattern, seen in many cultures around the world can help in the comprehension of depression, an illness that still evades human understanding [1]. The aim of this essay will be to help identify some key aspects of the social causes of depression and how they relate to gender roles within society. This will ascertain their importance in mechanisms that drive someone into depressive illness the gender role hypothesis of depression [5]. However the point of this essay is not to systematically review the scientific literature and identify the cause, but rather to explore the concept of how much gender roles in society contribute to this pattern. In the conclusion, it will allow us to see how changing gender roles, such as feminism, in modernising societies such as the UK, will impact on womens health. The essay will explore risk factors which relate to gender role where they have evidence to cause depression. Such factors are emotional attention, interpersonal relationships, personality, stress response, the impact of co-morbid anxiety and what are termed artefact hypotheses, such as gender biased diagnostic techniques. Sex and gender are terms that have become divorced since Dr Robert Stollers observations of gender being a social construct and sex being biologically determined. It isnt necessary for someone of a certain sex to inherit the same gender and same gender role [6] although in western society it is the norm. While this essay will look at the epidemiological pattern of depression through a social lens, it should be kept in mind that there will be a biological background that cannot be excluded. It can be argued, such as by John Nicholson, that the gender role itself has its development in biology or socio-biology, or gender role as developed by evolution of human behaviour (as proposed by E.O Wilson and David Barash). However, these ideas are not as widely accepted as the theories for socially determined gender roles[6] as put forward by Stoller and Ann Oakley. For the purpose of this essay, gender roles are a set of behaviours socially expected of someone conforming to a particular gend er. A key feature of the female gender role is emotional behaviour, with women being caring and compassionate, and men being dominating and aggressive [6]. This is of course an excessive generalization, but a recognised pattern, most likely influenced by sex of the person. However, it is important to note that there is a large overlap in emotional behaviour between the genders [7] but more specific to gender are those behaviours used to cope with life events. More emotionally sensitive women may present to doctors sooner, although this has been disproved at least once [8]. This is an artefact argument I shall come to later. Emotionally sensitive persons, who tend to display more depressive symptoms, may have impaired anti-rumination strategies [9]. Rumination is a method of coping whereby the person focuses on the depressive symptoms and the triggering event, rather than trying to distract themselves, for example with thoughts of good things to come. Research has found that rumination by more emotionally sensitive persons leads to a negative emotion spiral. Focusing on the negative thoughts and emotions leads to further negative thoughts and emotions. , By controlling for emotional attention in their study results, there was a non-statistically significant difference for gender and symptoms of depression [8]. This is further backed up by evidence that rumination exacerbates and prolongs depression and that women tend to ruminate more when sad or depressed, a trend seen from prepubertal childhood [2]. Another personality trait, such as neuroticism, has also been associated with depression. Controlling for it has been suggested to eliminate the statistical significance of gender and depression [10], and although there is suggestive evidence against this idea [2], it should not be dismissed entirely until more research is done. It could be argued however, that the coping style may be different due to the type of stress observed by the individual. A more significant life event may be harder to distract oneself from, and so easier to ruminate. A womans role may determine her to be exposed to more significant stressors, for example through her role as the homemaker. There may be problems affecting children, housing, fertility, versus issues which will affect men more (for example, through their role as the breadwinner) but occur less often unemployment and finance problems. Although evidence suggests that while men and women are exposed to different stressors, it is insufficient by itself to explain the gender difference [11,12]. Therefore, I feel that the evidence shows that rumination is an important risk factor for depression, and women ruminate more than men, due to their socialisation making them more emotionally sensitive. It should be noted that males and females may receive different stressors for dep ression outside of their gender role. For example, sexual and physical abuse, as an adult or as a child, may play a role in explaining the gender difference. If women are more likely to be abused as adults or as children, (this might become a risk factor towards depression later on), then this might help explain some of the pattern seen. Evidence for this suggests it might play as much as 35% [2] of the gender difference in adult depression. Another way gender role and stress may interplay is through interpersonal relationships. The traditional female gender role will imply that a woman will put in more effort to attaining more friends. Therefore the loss of interpersonal relationships will have more of an impact on the female than it would on the male. Evidence shows that it is the lack of relationship, rather than the support the relationship provides [12], is the more significant stressor, and so further proves the point. This is of particular importance when looking at adolescent mental health, a key time when the gender difference in depression is first seen [2]. It could be argued that the starting of the gender difference is due to a restriction of the adolescent female into her expected role[2]. This only adds to, rather than offers an alternative view point, that if the adolescent female loses some of her important relationships, she might feel more like she has lost an important part of her identity. There is evidence that loss of interpersonal relationships is a significant stressor in adolescent females, because they have invested more emotion and are more likely to blame themselves [13]. This can also help explain the link between Body Mass Index and mood disorders, where high BMI affects women more, possibly putting them at a social disadvantage [14]. However, it is hard to identify whether social disadvantage has encouraged the depression and hence higher BMI, or higher BMI has caused social disadvantage and so depression. I feel that it is probably the latter, as evidence on coping strategies provides little evidence that eating is a common coping strategy in depression [15]. However the two studies examined different populations, American and Japanese, which casts doubt on their results Another study looked at sleep disturbance rather than depression. It suggested that adolescent girls, being more sensitive to familial disruption and increased domestic and grooming expectations, had increased sleep disturbance [16]. This is similar to an argument that I studied earlier increased expectation of fitting into the role of the female gender will increase sleep disturbance. This positively correlates with depression as either a cause or a symptom of sleep disturbance [16]. Looking at other co-morbid conditions of depression may help to illuminate the role of gender difference in depression. Anxiety is frequently seen co-morbid with depression, especially in primary care, such that it has its own classification in the ICD-10[1]. It is therefore logical to think that any gender difference in anxiety (which can be seen[17]) could be linked with the gender difference in depression. Similar risk factors already discussed, ruminative behaviours and social network crises, predispose women to anxiety more than men[17]. I think this adds to the evidence of suggesting a common aetiology between depression and anxiety. Using gender roles, anxiety does not fit into the male gender role of being confident and aggressive, and hence goes some way to explain the gender difference in anxiety, rather than in depression. It would seem that mothers discuss different coping strategies with their children; for boys a more problem solving approach and for girls more emotional coping strategies to help deal with distress [17]. These coping strategies and depression in women[15], comply with my previous ideas and also help to explain the gender difference in depression. While evidence may suggest that anxiety and depression share a common aetiology, evidence also suggests that anxiety states are not part of the aetiology of depression [18,19] and so the gender difference in anxiety is just a reflection, rather than a cause of the gender difference in depression. Evidence suggests that in depression and its risk factors, that anxiety during adolescence, due to a difficult transition from the child to the adult, may make the woman more sensitive to depression after a triggering event[20]. A model suggested by Cyranowski et al, combining female gender socialization and the hormone oxytocin which intensify the need for interpersonal relationships, coupled with anxiety, might cause sensitivity to depressive events. There is a good fit of the evidence , bringing biological as well as psychological and sociological theories together. However, more recent evidence has shown that men and women are equally sensitive to triggering events[11,12]. A better idea is that anxiety and depression share a common aetiology. On the road to depression and anxiety, a fork in the road is approached, where the type of trigger or another risk factor not discussed, decides whether the person becomes depressed or anxious. However, some of the so termed artifact hypotheses may suggest that all the above research and studies are not finding any physical or real link between depression and gender, but rather that is a fault in the techniques in the data collection. Some suggestions that fit this hypothesis are that women are more likely to seek treatment for any illness, more likely to discuss a potentially stigmatising condition such as a mental health disorder or are able to recall symptoms better, and so doctors are more able to make a diagnosis. Alternatively, women are being overdiagnosed or men being underdiagnosed, as either the fault of the doctor or biased diagnosis techniques. It is also argued that substance abuse masks depression and anxiety in men [21]. Some quite surprising research suggests that there is no gender difference in the symptoms a male or female may present to indicate depression, and that men and women show no preference in stating that they feel emotionally down [22]. I have little confidence with this unique result, as the accepted idea and other evidence suggests otherwise [23].. Evidence suggests that substance and alcohol abuse are not the male equivalent to anxiety. Therefore, controlling for alcohol and substance use still leaves a significant gender difference[2]. However, in depression, it has been suggested as a coping strategy[15], and so it is not unconceivable to think that alcohol abuse, assumed to be an externalizing disorder, is in fact a coping mechanism for depression in men. If diagnosed as alcohol abuse rather than depression, this could make up some of the gender difference. However, what is more interesting, is the suggestion that diagnostic techniques are gender biased, especially Becks Depression Index. Two studies reached the same conclusion that items in the Becks Depression Index related to crying and loss of interest in sex gave an over-diagnosis and underestimation of recovery in women [21,24]. Crying is considered more congruent with the female gender role, and loss of interest in sex can occur outside of depression, especially in women, again fitting their gender role [24]. Therefore, to ensure correct diagnosis, the researchers suggest the use of the Goldberg Depression Scale rather than Becks Depression Index. This is troubling, as many of the research already referenced used either interviews by trained lay people or the Becks Depression Index, which casts doubt on the accuracy of the conclusions reached thus far. So to conclude, I have explored some of the risk factors for depression and their aspect as gender roles to help explain the gender difference in depression. There is some doubt cast upon this research and any other research done into the epidemiology of depression because of doubts over the Beck Depression Index bias. I still feel the evidence is strong enough to hold some meaning. On the other hand, differing gender roles is not a sole explanation. The example of child abuse is one of many outside the gender role hypothesis. There is plenty of room for other social, psychological and biological causes of depression and its epidemiological patterns not explored in this essay. A simple and brief conclusion would be to say that gender role is a part of a large mechanism of a multi-factorial illness. More research is required to ascertain the full answer to the question proposed by the title. Ideal research would be to re-analyse the epidemiological patterns in 10, maybe 20 years time. Then it could be assumed that gender roles would continue in their path to become more equal. Less of a difference between the genders and rates of depression and anxiety might be expected. There may also be less of a difference between genders and other mental health disorders. However, additional preliminary evidence can already help draw some ideas. Studying couples with a shared life event for example, women have been shown to be at a greater risk of depression if there was a traditional division of roles in the family[2]. One of the findings of the WHO mental health surveys [5] is that younger people have less distinct gender difference for major depressive disorder than older people. A correlation was found between less traditional gender roles and decreased rates of depression with increased rates of substance abuse. This suggests changing, modernising gender roles are resulting in decreased rates of depression among women. However, the increase in substance abuse is a cause for concern. The trend is towards equal gender roles, with the female gender role becoming more masculine, so bringing new health concerns. While fair gender roles within society as a whole, such as employment, may have a beneficial effect in protecting against depression [2], there is still an imbalance of roles within the home. This is reflected in how children are brought up and how they develop their coping strategies for stress. Therefore, gender roles have a large role to play in epidemiological patterns of depression, and in the aetiology of depression itself. As gender roles become more equal, it will result in better health for women in society, and while not the focus of the essay, it can be safely assumed a similar pattern can occur for men as well. Equality it seems can go a long way in reducing risk to disease.

Case Report of Secondary Narcolepsy

Case Report of Secondary Narcolepsy Title of the article: â€Å" Case Report of Secondary Narcolepsy presenting as self-inflicted genital injury † Abstract: Primary Narcolepsy is a sleep disorder with classical presentation showing tetrad of excessive daytime sleepiness, cataplexy, sleep paralysis, and Hypnogogic hallucinations. Some conditions that result in secondary narcolepsy include traumatic brain injury, tumors, and stroke. [1] A rare case of secondary narcolepsy was seen in a patient with self-inflicted genital injury. A 30 year old male was referred to Psychiatry from Surgery for a self-inflicted incised wound on hydrocoele. Since last 1 year, he had multiple episodes of 1. Sudden falls while working 2. Sleep during daytime often at unusual places 3. Periods of unresponsiveness during which he was aware but unable to move. During hospital stay, daytime somnolence, sleep paralysis and cataplexy were noted several times, but hallucinations were not consistently reported. Based on DSM-IV-TR Narcolepsy was diagnosed. Possible reasons for genital injury were 1. To remove fluid from swelling 2. Under sleep paralysis 3. Under Hypnogogic hallucinations. Patients EEG was normal. MRI brain showed Gliosis at cervico-medullary junction.MRI spine was advised to examine the cervico-vertebral junction but patient was lost to follow-up. But from history and investigations, it was concluded that he had secondary narcolep sy due to traumatic brain injury. Narcolepsy typically begins in the 2nd and 3rd decades of life and negatively impacts the quality of life of affected patients. Diagnosis relies on patient history and objective data gathered from polysomnography and multiple sleep latency testing. Treatment focuses on symptom relief through medication, education, and behavioural modification. Key-words: Cataplexy; Narcolepsy; Polysomnography; Self inflicted injury, Key Messages [D1]:Secondary narcolepsy is rare and sometimes can be missed to diagnose. Such rare presentation of secondary narcolepsy helps in diagnosing other cases of self-inflicting injuries. Introduction:[D2] Narcolepsy is neither a type of epilepsy nor a psychogenic disturbance. It is an abnormality of the sleep mechanisms specifically, REM-inhibiting mechanisms and it has been studied in dogs, sheep, and humans. Narcolepsy can occur at any age, but it most frequently begins in adolescence or young adulthood, generally before the age of 30. The disorder either progresses slowly or reaches a plateau that is maintained throughout life.[2]. The prevalence of narcolepsy varies across countries and with different ethnic groups, and so the exact prevalence is not known. Prevalence estimates have been reported to be between 168 and 799 per 100,000 in most studies, although Japanese studies have indicated a higher prevalence of 1600 per 100,000.[2,3]. There are no genetic tests current ly available for clinical use to make a positive diagnosis of narcolepsy. Genetic testing may correlate best to narcolepsy when there is already clear cataplexy.[4]. Supporting the evidence for an environmental influence is the fact that the disease is not apparent at birth, but instead commonly has its onset during the second decade of life. Additionally, there are apparent precipitating factors such as head trauma, infection, and changes in sleep-waking habits that have been identified in some cases.[6] Chronic, daytime sleepiness is a major, disabling symptom for many patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI), but thus far, its aetiology is not well understood. Extensive loss of the hypothalamic neurons that produce the wake-promoting neuropeptide hypocretin (orexin) causes the severe sleepiness of narcolepsy, and partial loss of these cells may contribute to the sleepiness of Parkinson disease and other disorders. One study has found that the number of hypocretin neurons is significantly reduced in patients with severe TBI. This observation highlights the often overlooked hypothalamic injury in TBI and provides new insights into the causes o f chronic sleepiness in patients with TBI.[7] Amphetamine usage has been associated with addiction, psychosis and self-injurious behaviour. There are reports on two patients who severely and repeatedly mutilated their own genitalia while intoxicated on amphetamines and consider possible diagnostic aetiologies.[8] Genital mutilation is common in males compared to females.[9] But narcolepsy presenting as self inflicted genital injury has not been reported so far. That is why this is a rare case. Case History[D3]: A case of secondary narcolepsy was seen in a patient presenting as self-inflicted genital injury. A 30 year old Hindi speaking illiterate male was referred to Psychiatry from Surgery for a self-inflicted incised wound on hydrocele. After primary wound closure at surgical side, patient was taken transfer to Psychiatry for detailed assessment. When detailed history was obtained from patients elder brother and father, it was found that since last 1 year, he had multiple episodes of sudden falls while working at kitchen as he was a cook. He used to sleep during daytime often at unusual places like in the courtyard, once over the road and sometimes in bathroom. Patient also had periods of unresponsiveness during which he was aware but unable to move himself even on painful stimulation. During hospital stay, daytime somnolence, sleep paralysis and cataplexy were noted several times, but hallucinations were not consistently reported. Based on DSM-IV-TR Narcolepsy was diagn osed. Possible reasons for genital injury were 1. To remove fluid from swelling 2. Under sleep paralysis 3. Under Hypnogogic hallucinations. Patients EEG was normal. MRI brain showed Gliosis at cervico-medullary junction.MRI spine advised to examine the cervico-vertebral junction but patient was lost to follow-up. But from history and investigations, it was concluded that he had secondary narcolepsy due to traumatic brain injury Discussion: Narcolepsy is a condition characterized by excessive sleepiness, as well as auxiliary symptoms that represent the intrusion of aspects of REM sleep into the wakingstate. The sleep attacks of narcolepsy represent episodes of irresistible sleepiness, leading to perhaps 10 to 20 minutes of sleep, after which the patient feels refreshed, at least briefly. They can occur at inappropriate times (e.g., while eating, talking, or driving and during sex). The REM sleep includes Hypnogogic and Hypnopompic hallucinations, cataplexy, and sleep paralysis. The appearance of REM sleep within 10 minutes of sleep onset (sleep-onset REM periods) is also considered evidence of narcolepsy. The disorder can be dangerous because it can lead to automobile and industrial accidents. Other symptoms include Hypnogogic or Hypnopompic hallucinations, which are vivid perceptual experiences, either auditory or visual, occurring at sleep onset or on awakening. Patients are often momentarily frightened, but within a minute or two they return to an entirely normal frame of mind and are aware that nothing was actually there. Here patient had symptoms of narcolepsy after head injury and patient himself injured his scrotum with sharp blade for which he had no clear memory and there was no history suggestive of epilepsy so diagnosis of secondary narcolepsy presenting as self-inflicted genital injury was considered.In this case, patient showed clinical features of narcolepsy as diagnosed by DSM- IV which was secondary type as there was history of multiple falls and MRI brain showed gliosis. But in this case, unusual presentation was genital self-inflicted injury. Possible reasons for genital injury are: Automatic behavior. Acting on Hypnogogic/Hypnopompic hallucinations. Due to impaired cognitive function/ judgment due to long-standing Narcolepsy. No cure exists for narcolepsy, but symptom management is possible. A regimen of forced naps at a regular time of day occasionally helps patients with narcolepsy and, in some cases, the regimen alone, without medication, can almost cure the condition. When medication is required, stimulants are most commonly used.[10] Although drug therapy is the treatment of choice, the overall therapeutic approach should include scheduled naps, lifestyle adjustment, psychological counselling, drug holidays to reduce tolerance, and careful monitoring of drug refills, general health, and cardiac status. References[D4]: 1. Narcolepsy: Clinical features, co-morbidities treatment Jeremy Peacock Ruth M. Benca Indian J Med Res 131, pp 338-349: 2010 2. Longstreth WT, Jr., Koepsell TD, Ton TG, Hendrickson AF, van Belle G. The epidemiology of narcolepsy. Sleep 2007; 30 : 13-26. 3.Tashiro T, Kanbayashi T, Iijima S, Hishakawa Y. An epidemiological study on prevalence of narcolepsy in Japanese. J Sleep Res 1992; (Suppl 1) : 228. 4. Bourgin P, Zeitzer JM, Mignot E. CSF hypocretin-1 assessment in sleep and neurological disorders. Lancet Neurol 2008; 7 : 649-62 5. Krahn LE, Pankratz VS, Oliver L, Boeve BF et al, Narcoleptic and schizophrenic hallucinations. Implications for differential diagnosis and pathophysiology. Eur J Health Econ. 2002; 3 (Suppl 2) : S94-8. 6. Bourgin P, Zeitzer JM, Mignot E. CSF hypocretin-1 assessment in sleep and neurological disorders. Lancet Neurol 2008; 7 :649-62. 7. Christian R. Baumann MD, Claudio L. Bassetti MD, Philipp O. Valko MD, Johannes Haybaeck MD,et al Loss of hypocretin (orexin) neurons with traumatic brain injury. 8. Joshua A. Israel and Kewchang, Lee Article first published online: Amphetamine usage and genital self-mutilation. 2002 DOI:10.1046/j.1360-0443.2002.00230.x 9. MartinT. ·GattazW.F, Psychiatric Aspects of Male Genital Self-Mutilation.Psychopathology; 24:170–178,1991. 10. synopsis of psychiatry 10th edition Case series of genital mutilation :The Journal of Urology150(4):1143-1146] 1993. [D1]1 Provide appropriate messages of about 35-50 words to be printed in centre box [D2]1 Please include why this case is unique. If it is rare, how rare, how many cases have been reported. [D3]1 Include the tables/charts at appropriate places in the text it self. Do not include images in the text. Mark the point of insertion of images (e.g. Figure 1) along with the legends. Send the images separately as jpeg files (not larger than 100 kb each) [D4]1 Follow the punctuation marks carefully. Do not include unnecessary bibliographic elements such as issue number, month of publication, etc. Include names of six authors followed by et al if there are more than six authors.

Saturday, July 20, 2019

Process of Hiking The Appalachian Trail :: Health Nutrition Diet Exercise Essays

Process of Hiking The Appalachian Trail The Appalachian National Scenic Trail, is a footpath in the eastern United States for outdoor enthusiasts, extending about about 2140 miles from Maine to Georgia, along the crest of the Appalachian Mountains. The trail passes through 14 states and is maintained by 34 different trail maintenance organizations. It is the longest marked, continuous footpath in the world, at some points reaching elevations of more than 6000 feet. Wooden signposts and white paint marks on rocks and trees are placed along the trail. Construction of the Appalachian Trail was begun in 1922 near Bear Mountain, New York. By 1937 the footpath, extended from Mount Katahdin, in Maine, to Mount Oglethorpe, in Georgia, and was ready for use. Later, (after 1937) the trail officially ended at Springer Mountain, 10 miles northeast of Mount Oglethorpe. In 1968 the Appalachian Trail became part of the National Park System and was officially renamed the Appalachian National Scenic Trail. To hike the Appalachian Trail, it is suggested to shop around for a good pair of hiking boots, a tent, and a sturdy backpack. Hiking the distance mentioned above obviously requires excellent footwear, and a light pack. Figure in fatigue and you need a comfortable tent to sleep in at night. Good boots are "solid" on the bottom, so that you cant feel rocks or stones through the soles. If you can press in the bottom of the sole with your thumb, the soles are probably too soft to give your foot proper protection. The top of the boot should be stiff to hold the ankle in place and provide it with good support. While it's possible to treat non- waterproof fabric boots with liquid silicone, it generally doesn't waterproof the boot enough to be useful. Stick with leather boots that can be treated with Sno-seal, beeswax solution, or other waterproofing solutions. Feet change over time, as do shoes. Wearing a pair of shoes and/or hiking boots changes the shape of the shoe to fit your foot. Eventually though, the reshaping causes the shoe to rub places on the foot, causing blisters. All boots are made on different "lasts". The last is the "form" the boot is built around at the factory. The size and shape of these lasts, even between identical sizes of boots, can vary greatly. For instance, some boots are built around a European last which is typically narrow in the

Friday, July 19, 2019

Columbia Space Shuttle- Final Mission :: American History, NASA

Columbia Final Mission Wayne Hale, Deputy Shuttle Manager Wrote: "Last year we dropped the torch through our complacency, our arrogance, self assurance, sheer stupidity and through our continuing attempt to please everyone". "Seven of our friends and colleagues paid the ultimate price for our failure. Yet the nation is giving us another chanceÂ…..We must not Fail" More then three years ago the Space Shuttle Columbia went down in flames, due to the damage caused but not limited to, a piece of insulating foam that broke off the external tank and struck the wing's leading edge. The foam struck with enough force to create an opening in the wing which allowed hot plasma to enter during reentry. No one thought that foam could cause this much damage since nothing like this had resulted from previous instances where the foam had come off. In the beginning NASA was faced with a tight budget given to them by the government. This budget was large enough to build a state of the art air craft but wasn't enough to develop an escape system that might of proving to be useful in this case. The culture of NASA was a factor that created this mistake, "The mantra "Prove to me that there's something wrong". The chain of command was not equal; the small guys couldn't voice their opinions and concerns because of the position they held in the organization. Another concern was that they miscalculated the risk of the foam creating any damage just because it never destroyed another shuttle. The facts were clear that the foam had the ability to create some damage, and this was apparent in many other space shuttle launches. Foam debris was classified as an "in-family" event- a problem within NASA experience base that was not considered a safety of flight issue. NASA even knew that foam debris tended to fall off the left bipod ramp and t hat ten percent of the fights recorded loss foam from this area. Over the years NASA decided to put their concerns of foam damage to the side and called it an acceptable thing to happen during common flight procedures instead of finding a way to prevent it. On its first day in orbit NASA engineers came to the conclusion that the foam debris that hit the left wing might have caused severe damage to the shuttle and could prevent it from a safe reentry.

Thursday, July 18, 2019

A Comparison between Fyodor Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment and Vladimir Paral’s Essay

Fyodor Dostoevsky’s classic, Crime and Punishment, and Vladimir Paral’s Lovers and Murderers describe a world of murder, dejection and profound human unhappiness. The two authors explore moral abjection and the destiny of mankind, as ruled by lust, jealousy and immoral instincts. As it shall be seen however, the two novels differ considerably in the way in which they treat the subject of crime, as well as in their point of view and the tone of the narrative. Thus, Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment is centered on the idea of moral ambiguity. The Russian author uses an omniscient point of view in order to recount Rodyon Raskolnikov’s experiences before and after he commits the murder. The tone of the narrative is serious and meditative, as questions of morality and justice are interspersed throughout the events and dialogues in the novel. Vladimir Paral’s Lovers and Murderers treats the theme of murder in conjunction with that of love. The narrative enters a world full of promiscuity and violence, focusing on a great number of characters and the interactions among them. Unlike Dostoevsky’s book that focuses on the portrait and experiences of the main character, Paral’s work is concerned with the plurality of voices. Moreover, the point of view shifts frequently from the omniscient narrator to the first person narrative, sometimes within the same phrase. Lovers and Murderers is a grotesque mosaic, with a discontinuous narrative and a satiric tone. While Dostoevsky’s work raises questions of morality and social justice, Paral’s novel represents the spectacle of human life with resignation. There is no ethical conclusion to Paral’s analysis of human life and character: he chooses to describe the dynamic of humanity in its bleakest and most ironic aspects. For Dostoevsky, human life is also full of coincidences and accidents. Although, the limit between right and wrong is relative, ultimately, the novel emphasizes the belief in punishment and redemption. In Paral’s novel, there is no clear delimitation between innocence and guilt: the characters are all fanatics, consumed by passions, jealousy and greedy cravings. Significantly, love and violence intermingle throughout the novel, marking the majority of the relationships among different characters. Paral shows therefore that human interaction is never completely innocent: people devour and are devoured sadistically by destructive relationships. Instead of ending in union and harmony, each affair ends in destruction and crime. In Crime and Punishment there is the possibility of salvation and the triumph of love. Lovers and Murderers shows murder to be the companion of love, with no possibility for moral cleansing. Both novels therefore analyze morality in the context of the dynamics of society, emphasizing the interactions among different characters but with different conclusions. Sin and morality are seen as paradoxes in Dostoevsky’s work, but, ultimately sins can be redeemed after having been committed. Paral’s novel illuminates the tableau of human relationships and the relativity of moral principles very differently: all the characters are fallen men and women, who abuse or are abused by others. Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment is concerned primarily with moral paradoxes, exemplified through the stories of various characters. The central story, that of Raskolnikov, is paradoxical. The protagonist is an extremely poor student, who struggles with his enormous debts to his landlady and with constant hunger and misery. A proud and noble character, Raskolnikov is tormented by his unjust and humiliating social standing. Despite his intelligence, he lives poorly and is constantly besieged by material concerns. As the novel opens, Raskolnikov has already developed the philosophy that would lead him to murder: he muses that there are superior men who should be able to punish others for their sins. Interestingly therefore, the murder is intended as a punishment of the mean pawnbroker, in the name of social justice. The first part of the novel captures Raskolnikov’s inner tension as he struggles to discern right from wrong. There follows the critical moment of the actual, double murder and afterwards his punishment and final redemption. The cyclical nature of his experience is symbolic: Dostoevsky points here to the paradoxes of morality. Raskolnikov’s act of murder is in itself meant as a punishment and may seem right in its context. To enhance the ambiguity however, Dostoevsky arranges for a double murder: the circumstances force the protagonist to kill Lizaveta as well, the pawnbroker’s innocent sister. The novel offers yet other instances of moral ambiguity, such as the saintly and innocent Sonia who is forced to become a prostitute in order to earn money and save her hungered family: â€Å"And then I saw, young man, I saw Katerina Ivanovna, in the same silence go up to Sonia’s little bed; she was on her knees all the evening kissing Sonia’s feet, and would not get up, and then they both fell asleep in each other’s arms †¦ together, together†¦ yes †¦ and I †¦ lay drunk† (Dostoevsky 30). Her mother in law, who had previously maltreated her, is now grateful and reverent towards the girl. Sacrifice and generosity are therefore accepted and appreciated in the novel. Her father, Marmeladov, is another example of moral equivocalness: a hopeless drunk, he is a good man who loves his family yet cannot conquer his own vice in order to save them. Marmeladov’s employer also acts generously, although he does so in vain: he offers him his job back, despite his dependence on alcohol, out of pity for his family. Throughout the novel, morality is questioned, but there is sufficient evidence of the existence of good alongside with evil. The ambiguity that Crime and Punishment describes is one of form rather than substance. In Paral’s Lovers and Murderers morality is permanently mixed with sin. Women and men, coming from the dregs of society as well as from its highest ranks, live in utter disorder and promiscuity. Innocence and guilt are neither relative nor circumstantial. Significantly, the book is divided in numerous fragments bearing two alternative titles: â€Å"Conquerors† and â€Å"Besieged†. In Paral’s vision, the world is not divided in right and wrong, but rather in abusers and abused. These basic roles are moreover easily interchangeable. The relationships seemed to be weighed on a scale, which always tips in favor of one of the partners. The relationship between Alex Serafin and Dasa is a relevant example: Alex conquers and even enslaves the rich woman but he is eventually rejected by the same woman that seemed totally dependent on him. The world of the inhabitants of building 2000 is devoid of moral principles and reasoning. The men and women are driven only by impulses of self-gratification. Their affairs are violent and each partner, either abused or abusive, derives selfish pleasure from the communion. Love is rapacious, lustful and possessive: â€Å"Love is prey and everyone longs for his own destruction – let’s not want them to expose the necks themselves†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (Paral 187). If Raskolnikov’s world is marked by sin and punishment, Paral’s characters pursue their own pleasure and interests without having to pay for their deeds. Raskolnikov murders the two women in his pursuit of justice, without deriving any personal gain from the deed, despite having found a considerable fortune in the ladies’ flat. In Paral’s novel, murder is only perpetrated as a crime of passion. In the case of Borek and Zita, murder is even gratuitous. The comparison between their story and that of Julien Sorel and Madame de Renal in Stendhal’s Red and Black, is extremely significant. While in Stendhal’s morality is extensively explored, Borek and Zita’s affair is devoid of any compunctions of guilt despite the fact that Zita is a married woman. The line between love and murder is very thin: one of the partners is always the hunter who chases his victim. The moment when Borek finally conquers Zita and possesses her body is very relevant. The man feels that, instead of loving thoughts he develops murderous ones, without being able to discern between the two categories anymore: â€Å"I realized I was standing there like a murderer, insane because as a murderer I could not act otherwise, even though I had come as a lover, like a murderer or a lover, insane because I no longer saw any difference† (Paral 188). If Crime and Punishment discusses moral ambiguity, Lovers and Murderers comments on the ambiguity of love and murder. Sexuality is always mixed with sadism and violence in Paral’s novel, so as to emphasize the fact that love is in fact abusive and possessive rather than disciplined and saintly. Marriage itself is a failure in the novel. An early scene in the novel points to the ultimate moral degradation of the characters. Thus, the poor working woman Madda pays a visit to Frank in his rich and sumptuous apartment. When he asks her to put on a wedding dress as part of the ritual of lovemaking, the woman muses on her previous sexual degradation: â€Å"†¦and you don’t have to apologize for madman anything, my earlier lovers wouldn’t even take my clothes off, or even their own, a white wedding dress to church; I’ve made love with the dirty strap of contemptible overalls between our bodies† (Paral 32). Ironically however, her romantic hopes are bitterly deceived by her heartless partner. Instead of offering the wedding dress as a symbol for love and purity, he uses it as part of a humiliating trick: when Madda is dressed and kneeling before him, Frank’s wife enters the room and it becomes clear that the woman was only used as amusement by the rich couple. In Paral’s world the beautiful dreams disintegrate very fast. Lovers and Murderers shows that moral choices and principles have to be settled among people and thus no intention or action is definitely pure. Raskolnikov acts in the name of a higher principles, which he sees as commanding: â€Å"I didn’t kill a human being, but a principle! I killed the principle, but I didn’t overstep, I stopped on this side†¦. I was only capable of killing† (Dostoevsky 389). Raving with a guilty conscience, Raskolnikov tries to convince himself of the moral justifications of his deed. He didn’t kill another human being, his violence was directed solely against an erroneous principle. Besides Raskolnikov, the novel abounds in generous characters. For instance, Dounia, Raskolnikov’s sister is willing to sacrifice her own happiness in a marriage she does not desire, in order to help her family. When the same Dounia is accused of trying to attract her employer and make him commit adultery, she escapes by her own generosity and nobility. Moreover, it is the employer’s wife that actually mends the girl’s reputation after having marred it, by showing the proof of her innocence to the world. There is no redemption and generosity in Paral’s novel. The characters act upon their personal interests, without considering each others’ feelings. The life that the characters lead is the life of a jungle, where there are no rules other than personal survival and gratification: â€Å"They live only for the fulfillment of their eternal appetites: like animals running free in a jungle. For pleasure alone: like the courtiers of Louis XV† (Paral 164). People are not concerned with judgments of value and with ethical principles. Paral introduces his readers to the psychological jungle of humanity, where people follow only their instincts. In Crime and Punishment, on the other hand, Dostoevsky explores sin and crime from a religious and ethical perspective. As critic Alfred Bem notes, Dostoevsky proceeds from the idea of a feeling of the original sin present in all minds: â€Å"To understand Dostoevsky’s thought one must allow for the presence in the human psyche of a feeling of sinfulness as such, independent of the existence of any concrete crime–what we might call the feeling of original sin. †¦ We can assume, then, that the feeling of sin, of guilt can be present in the psyche unaccompanied by any consciousness of crime† (Bem 59). Hence comes the moral ambiguity of the characters: however saintly in their morality and character, they can succumb to sin because the seed is already planted in the human psyche. Paral’s world is also dominated by sinfulness, but, in this case, the characters lose their nobility. They are all fallen, abject people, who live by their instincts rather than by principles. Moreover, Raskolnikov performs an experiment more than an actual murder. He wants to apply his philosophical theory to reality and see its effects. Dostoevsky captures here the essence of humanity and its inherent rejection of murder. Ultimately, Raskolnikov is unable to commit his crime in complete cold bloodedness, despite the solidness of his arguments and theory: â€Å"Perhaps no work of literature presents so graphically a man testing and living, psychologically and even physiologically, a theory. Raskol’nikov’s theory, it will be remembered, is that crime is accompanied by sickness, by a loss of willpower and self-control, unless it is committed for sufficient reason by an ‘extraordinary man,’ in which case it is ‘no crime. ’† (Shaw 142). It is not so with Paral’s murderers: they virtually live in a jungle, where, besides instincts and passions, there is only pathos without real substance. The point of view and the tone chosen by the two authors are also relevant. Raskolnikov’s story is told objectively, from an omniscient perspective. This narrative technique does not obscure the character’s inner turmoil, however. Dostoevsky pairs his omniscience with indirect speech, a device which helps to reveal the hero’s thoughts and emotions. Raskolnikov often speaks to himself and, in this way, Dostoevsky gives us access to his unmediated reflections. For instance, he muses on his motivation for committing the murder, wavering between the feeling of guilty and the excuse he finds for his behavior: â€Å"I am putting my little brick into the happiness of all and so my heart is at peace. Ha-ha! Why have you let me slip? I only live once, I too want†¦. Ech, I am an ? sthetic louse and nothing more,’ he added suddenly, laughing like a† (Dostoevsky 389). Raskolnikov is indeed a criminal and an aesthete at the same time. While his crime is horrendous, his purpose gives it meaning to a certain extent. As Julian Connolly remarks, the way in which Dostoevsky decided to use the point of view in the novel is very significant: â€Å"Dostoyevsky had originally intended to write an account of murder from the perspective of the murderer himself. As he worked on the project in November 1865, however, he concluded that such a perspective might be too limited, so he chose an omniscient, third-person narrative mode instead. Yet traces of the original design remain: much of the novel offers direct insight into Raskolnikov’s impressions and experiences. † (Connolly 144). Thus, the author’s decision to mingle omniscience and first person narrative shows that he was preoccupied to investigate the moral dimension of his characters as well as the psychological one. His technique ultimately merges psychology with philosophy. In Paral’s case, the frequent shifts of viewpoint, allow for a curious exploration of the stories from the inside and outside simultaneously. Moreover, Paral’s story is told fragmentarily, with an alternation of voices and points of view. The narrative shifts from the author to an interior monologue of one of the characters without warning, in the course of the same phrase. This provides readers with marks as to actual events and also to the thoughts of the characters at the same time. The novel features a great number of different narrative voices, as each of the characters introduced is also given a monologue. This technique enhances the novel’s mosaic structure and its grotesqueness. The characters’ interior monologues moreover show them to be egoistical and impulsive. Most of their speeches are delirious and self-centered. The tones of the two works also differ and influence the reader’s perception of the stories. Dostoevsky’s tone is serious and restrained, focusing on the events, the psychology of the main character and the numerous implications of the experiences described. Paral, on the other hand, uses irony, black humor and pathos is order to describe the events in his book. Lovers and Murderers is therefore written as a black comedy, transmitting the author purpose of satirizing humanity in its pettiness and abjection. The two novels deal with the common themes of murder and punishment, but do so in very different ways. Crime and Punishment investigates ethical, religious and psychological consequences of a crime, with an emphasis of humans’ liability to sin and moral ambiguity in the context of a society. Lovers and Murderers, on the other hand, emphasizes the human world as a grotesque spectacle, driven by the uncontrolled instincts and petty interests of men. Dostoevsky’s work analyzes and questions, while Paral’s observes and mocks. Works Cited: Alfred L. Bem, â€Å"Guilt in Crime and Punishment. † Readings on Fyodor Dostoyevsky. Ed. Tamara Johnson. Trans. Robert Louis Jackson. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1998. 58 64. Connolly, Julian. â€Å"An Overview of ‘Crime and Punishment’. † Exploring Novels. Gale, 1998. Dostoevsky, Fyodor. Crime and Punishment. New York: Vintage Classics, 2008. Paral, Vladimir. Lovers and Murderers. Trans. Craig Stephen Stevens. New York: Catbird Press, 2002. Shaw, J. Thomas. â€Å"Raskol’nikov’s Dreams. † Slavic and East European Journal 17, no. 2 (1973): 131-45.

Fi363 Final Study Guide

FI363 final exam query Student Study Guide Final Examination 1. 05 This is a two-hour, closed admit and closed notes interrogatory. Therefore, it lotnot be a take in test. Students are not allowed to use a computer during the test. Students are not allowed to add up extra scratch paper to the exam. They can use the back side of the test for scratch paper if needed. The examination contains 20 multiple choice questions measure outd at 5 points individually (100 points total) and five analyze questions valued at 40 points each (200 points total). The total value of the examination is three hundred points.Multiple Choice Questions ask the students to appertain make out monetary System impressions that they have well-educated 1. The student should review these course concepts a. enliven judge and interest rate calculations b. dissimilar types of financial trades c. Various types of financial institutions d. invest and indirect pay e. Present value f. Supply and dem and as utilize to financial instruments i. e. supply curve for wedges g. destination structure i. e. relationship among interest rates on bonds with different maturities h. The Federal have System identify components i.Monetary policy concept behind raising or cut back the money supply j. Monetary Policy Targeting k. Money markets characteristics l. Capital markets compared to money market securities m. owe Markets and how they differ from stock and bond markets n. Foreign exchange markets o. Securities and Exchange centering characteristics p. Currency exchange rates and the police force of one price q. International finance r. Adverse selection s. Moral luck and characteristics of loan management principles t. Too-Big-to-Fail Policy u. date of interest and the concept behind consumer/ line lending v. banking company Liabilities/Assets w. Dual Banking System. x. World Bank y. Financial formation structure look for questions ask the student to relate warmheartedness le arning concepts to financial system situations and to converse or define financial system terms. Be certain that you completely sympathize the following terms. The student should review concepts that relate to the following and be prepared to publish analyses that include 1. Assess the structural characteristics of the American financial system, including both institutions and markets that lead to its aptitude and effectiveness. 2.Describe and evaluate the functions of financial markets. Provide an eccentric of the functions of the Bond Market, the Stock Market, or the Mortgage market. 3. Discuss the role of central banks, such as the Federal Reserve in the United States, to provide economic harvest-tide and stability. 4. Differentiate between the roles of various financial institutions within the financial system. Provide a detailed example of one financial institution. 5. Describe and the regulatory system in the United States and evaluate its impact of regulations on finan cial institutions and markets.

Wednesday, July 17, 2019

Academic success is more than just getting high grades

donnish supremacy has been effect to be strongly associated with fiscal success, societal mobility, gritty(prenominal)er(prenominal) educational att personalment and sluice soaring occupation statuss ( Gerst age(a)haber, 1996 ) . This would in head for the hills that educational run intos should jointly fix the educatee for the faculty member reads of in exalted up spiritser guidance in tramp to see positive academicianianian normal monstrance that would take to academic success. academic success is more(prenominal) than than exactly getting luxuriously classs and executing magnificently in class demands and tests, it is a positive revelation of the civilizechilds ability to larn from their categories and to take what they film learned into a working wisdom of their chosen field ( Walberg & A Bast, 2004 ) . pedantic success in college n everthe little has non been the central leg of mellow condition bear of studies the chief clothed of hi gh civilizes is to potash alum educatees and to be able to measure up them for entre to colleges. In core, it was raise that the race amid high tame plans and college credit line of convey is in lucid at take up ( Gradstein & A Justman, 2005 ) . High take informations go for devoted more focal point on acquiring their alumnuss into college, with break all overmuch idea some how their savants would fulfil in college. It is normally delusive that the h nonp beilst-to-god ages spent in grizzly educational degrees would finally fix the groomdays-age child for college. However, the nexus amongst high drilldaystime and college exoteric intromission remain to be weak and the stand seems to be liaise by former(a) factors much(prenominal) as socioeconomic position, type of educate ( Bedi & A Garg, 2000 ) , personality and pipeline of drive.College man initiation has been raise to be invited by high shallow classs except, the function was mini mum and was merely accepted at the st artwork of freshman yr. High work classs were non able to herald college allday stick ination in the higher college old ages. This would alike back up the findings that high drill information does non come down on the focus of proceedings and comprehension that would vouch academic success in college ( water & A Marzano, 2006 ) . The weak nexus amongst high initiate classs and college nevertheless was pointed by to be due to the fact that during the third and 4th class in college, grades drive more specialised and ge atomic number 18d towards the learners major. It has been argued that high shallow day classs predicted academic humans entry during maiden-year yr where pupils need it most. On the other(a) manus, some argue that college overt monstrance is more of logical implication in that it t each(prenominal)es the pupil the accomplishments and cognition necessary for the example of a prognosticateing or pr ofession. by from high tame classs, old look intoes on college success had identify the importance of the pupils situations towards their erudition and lives in the university. Attitudes die hard back been establish to be strongly tie in to whiz s deportment, therefore, it would take note that the more positive the attitude is, the more positive the behaviour go forth be ( Petty & A Krosnick, 1995 ) . Consequently, ostracize attitudes had been found to be associated with negative and wasteful behaviour ( Eason, Giannangelo & A Franceschini III, 2009 ) . It would too follow that the more pleasant and positive the attitudes towards scholarship, so, the develop the frequent reconcileation in one s classs. Positive attitudes had non been systematically associated with higher motive or bettor normal manifestation, but the semblanceship of negative attitudes to demeanor has been good documented. Negative attitudes ab bulge out ever led to execrable existenc e presentation, hapless classs and less engagement in the tutortime. Furthermore, less than positive attitudes towards the cultivate or the university in superior general had been found to be vaticination of dropouts and abrasion rate ( Spillane, 2010 ) . It is hence of import for colleges and universities to measure their pupil s attitudes and takes in the university in coiffe to supply plans and founder policies that would promote positive attitudes and break erudition.College man presentation has been traditionally mensurable utilizing college classs much(prenominal) as grade point average and admission running play tonss. College adit runnels non merely screen and topographical point pupils into discordent classs, but it gradation prior accomplishment, which high takehouses return ( Greene & A Kang, 2004 ) . However, since high work classs can non in all predict college success, other pertinent variables that had been associated with college success has to be investigated in order to go down which factors impact college normal presentation and success. cardinal of the most looked factors is that of inform type ( Quah, Lim & A Brook, 2010 ) .The line of merchandise on insular versus humankind instruction had spurned legion handle and surveies on how type of cultivate energy act upon academic reality presentation, in particular high civilize instruction and how it affects college general presentation ( Epple, Figlio & A Romano, 2004 ) . Like high take aim classs, the divergence between offstage and common cultivate instruction as it pertains to college academic frequent presentation had been mistaken ( Sandy, 1989 ) . The loss in the habitual presentation of pupils from mysterious high schools comp atomic number 18d to pupils from macrocosm schools were minimum, and decreased even more when the pupils reached higher twelvemonth degrees in college ( Jimenez & A Sawada,2001 ) . However, what was a consiste nt determination from these questiones was the card that tete-a-tete school alumnuss tend to execute remediate academically, tend to hold higher tonss in ingress mental testings and transaction outpourings.Educators and educational inquiry workers sour up accepted the thought that semi confidential school pupils do give when comp ard to overt school pupils even when all confounding variables had been controlled such as socioeconomic position and intelligence information ( Frey, 1992 ) . With this statement the inquiry of what is the discordence of opinion between confidential and earth schools and wherefore is it that head-to-head schools tend to bring forth snap off scholars and actualizeing artists than human beings schools need to be answered. At primary pedagogues frequently cited the difference in the enlighten of pupils catered to by the occult schools from the globe schools and pointed out that the difference in world presentation can non alone b e accounted to the type of school ( Buddin, Cordes & A Kirby, 1998 ) . Factors such as old accomplishment, feed in of oeuvre, socioeconomic position, household background and culture influenced academic familiar presentation ( Coleman & A Hoffer, 1987 ) . Recently, the consistent findings that indicate that reclusive school pupils achieve infract academically wee-wee made educational research workers and theoreticians believe their stick ins. Research conducted in Europe and Asia ( be & A Jimenez, 1990 Psacharopoulos, 1987 ) has reported that hidden school pupils do execute founder in academic related undertakings than their public school opposite numbers ( Ridell, 1993 ) .Arguably, type of school is related to college public presentation, creation that tete-a-tete school alumnuss as well as perform let on in college than public school alumnuss. Since, the comment is in the type of take a shitment or organisation, so factors that might phrase why surreptiti ous school alumnuss argon academically amend prevarications in the organisational features of the schools and non so much on the air of pupils they produce ( Walberg & A Bast, 2004 ) . It is to a fault more appropriate to straddle which organisational factors had been found to act upon pupil outcomes more than either other factors ( Dee, 1998 ) . Literature on school pick and answerability build pointed out that school wind to a great accomplishment influences the entire tonicity and public presentation of a school. Furthermore, the school s unravel of field of force was pointed out as a cardinal determinative of the sort of formulation and direction that the pupils detect ( Wray, 2007 ) . Besides, the sort of teachers that schools employ to learn the pupils besides play a immense region in the information procedure of the pupils, schools differ in their teacher demands, and it would look that private schools hurt stricter guidelines when it comes to the choice and en numbering of instructors ( Greene & A Kang, 2004 ) . station stellar(a) has been found to be a primary index of the flavor of pupil and school results ( Bess & A Goldman, 2001 ) . rails with a more involved and motivated drawing card have been found to be associated with better teacher-p atomic number 18nt relationships, less school force, higher achievement trial tonss and higher graduation rates. On the other manus, schools with hapless leading wear out to make evaluate school public presentation in footings of pupil accomplishment and are related to higher dropout rates, higher instructor abrasion and school force. School leading has besides been associated with better eruditeness environments and the development of plans and feelings that cultivate the academic and personal development of pupils ( Bryman, 2004 ) . School principals by and large assume leading functions and they manage, motivate, lead and countenance the instructors, forces and pupils and constr uct positive relationships with parents and stakeholders. Principals by and large stay in one school for non less than 3 old ages so that they would be able to establish alteration and make a school civilization for that school ( Chance & A Chance, 2002 ) . Hence, it is of primary importance that school principals and the sort of leading they pattern would supply liberal information on the difference between private and public schools.The really internality of a school is found in its run for of take in. The school s prey of study provides the acquisition subjects, the instructional stuffs, the educational flaks and larning aims every bit good as the school s issuings and class offerings ( Bishop, 1995 ) . in that respect are different types of bod of study and it frequently reflects the civilization and the mission and heap of the schools ( Kelly, 2009 ) . Schools differ in their operate of study offerings because schools tailor fit their subjects and larning activities to the world of the pupil population that they cater to ( Deng, 2010 ) . If the school in general provide developing in the human-centered punishs, so the course of study would be geared towards the instruction of the different art signifiers and supply the chance for the look of tell art signifiers. Alternatively, high schools that follow a more scientific sketch and math-based course of study would besides plan a course of study focused on the instruction of more math and scientific discipline topics.A closely related factor to course of study is the flavour and learning accomplishments of the school s module. Teachers have been trained in different topics so that they could supply a ho discoveric acquisition experience to their pupils. The act of instruction is nevertheless more than merely giving treatments and quizzes. Teachers who consequence alteration or motivate pupils to execute more those who facilitate acquisition and the operate of accomplishments are the sort of instructors that provide timberland instruction to the pupils ( Murray & A Male, 2005 ) . universal schools by and large have similar instructor demands and frequently follow what the jurisprudence authorizations, while private schools may be more discriminating and have stringent instructor demands. Therefore, it would follow that better and more stiff instructor are recruited and retained by private schools because they can offer them better wage and benefits and professional support ( Murray & A Male, 2005 ) . If better instructors are in the private schools, so public school pupils are already at a disadvantage.The present batch forget be analyzing and researching the college public presentation and attitudes of college pupils and distinguish private and public schools in footings of school leading, course of study and instructor demand. The college public presentation impart be measured utilizing the university database on the admittance trial tonss and grade point a verage in first-year twelvemonth while the comparing and discriminate of private and public schools lead be discussed by means of an repairence with school caputs or decision producers harmonizing to leading, course of study and instructor demand in the province of capital of capital of capital of Kuwait. democracyment of the ProblemThe influence of old larning experiences to forthcoming academic public presentation has been the topic of research in acquisition and school psychological scholarship as it has been established that there is an association between the types of old experiences to the degree of academic public presentation that pupils manifest. For illustration, pupils with prekindergarten instruction perform better in kindergarten than kids who did non hold every educational experience. In add-on, pupils who take fare classs in math and scientific discipline in high school, do better in math and scientific discipline classs in college ( Murray & A Male, 2005 ) . Furthermore, groundss of such influence can besides be found in the admittance trial tonss and the general point norm of high school pupils upon admittance to college. Students who have high admittance trial tonss and high school grade point average have better classs in their college classs than pupils who have low tonss and low mean grade point average.every bit of import as the old acquisition experiences are to future academic public presentation, the type of school is besides an every bit of import factor that influences future academic public presentation. Previous writings had reported that there is a difference in the college public presentation of pupils from private and public high schools ( Schlesser & A Finger, 1963 ) . Being, that pupils from private high schools tend to make better academically than public school pupils in college. This underscores the research job of the present survey, which is to nail down up the difference in the college public presentation an d attitudes towards university of college pupils from private and public high schools. Furthermore, the supposed difference between private and public schools depart be assessed in footings of school leading, course of study and instructor demand. The job that this survey aims to decide is why and how does private schools produce alumnuss who perform better academically in college.Variables of the StudyThis survey on the college public presentation and attitudes of college pupils towards university experiences as a subroutine of the difference between private and public schools in footings of school leading, course of study and instructor demand go away be researching and analyzing a figure of variables. The first variable is college public presentation this would signify to the academic public presentation of college pupils in Kuwait University. This give be operationally measured as the college GPA of pupils in Kuwait University from the first to the 4th twelvemonth degree f rom 2006 to 2010. The college GPA has been chosen in this survey, as it is a manifestation of the public presentation of the pupils in their single categories. Teachers delimit classs to pupils commensurate to their public presentation and neglect of the said class.The 2nd variable is the attitudes of the pupils towards their experiences in the university. This go forth be measured utilizing an question protocol designed to measure the ideas, feelings and behaviour of the pupils towards the different facets of university life, such as larning experiences, instructor qualities, socialisation, learning resources and support and acquisition environment. Selected pupils leave alone be interviewed to pull a full description of how pupils perceive the quality of their acquisition experiences. The 3rd variable has to make with the premise that private and public schools differ as an organisation, and such factors include school leading, course of study and instructor demand.School le ading impart be assessed in footings of how school decision makers manage and take the school as a individual organisation. computer programme forget mention to the educational instance and class offerings of the school while teacher requirement pertains to the needed competences, accomplishments and educational preparation of instructors hired in the schools. These variables leave be assessed through an interview of 10 school decision makers, where each half heads a public and private high school severally. It is hopes that the interviews will clarify the difference in the organisational features of private and public schools in the postulate of Kuwait.Purpose of the StudyThe intent of this survey is to find the being of the difference and advantage of private school alumnuss from public school alumnuss in relation to their academic public presentation in college. This difference will be identified utilizing the college GPA of the pupils from first to the 4th twelvemonth degr ee. The pupils GPA will be accessed through the university s records database and will be categorise into private and public school alumnuss. This aim is necessary to back up and give grounds of the findings of the old literature on type of high school and college success.A 2nd intent of this survey is to place and make the attitudes of college pupils towards university experience and to run out if the attitudes of private school alumnuss differ from their public school opposite numbers. This would enrich the first research purpose, since it would supply a more accessible and human component in the survey. Students are expected to differ in their perceptual experience of university experiences and it is interesting to happen out whether such outlooks will be proved correct or untimely in the visible radiation of their old educational experiences.A 3rd intent of the present survey is to find why and how private high schools produce alumnuss who perform academically better than p ublic school alumnuss do. This will be explored utilizing an interview of school decision makers on their type of school leading, course of study and instructor demand. The mentioned organisational factors had been found to strongly act upon the quality of instruction that the school provides its pupils than any other factor. The learning experiences of pupils is frequently dependent on the sort of leading that the school decision maker has, it is besides dependent on the course of study of the school as it identifies which topics are offered and what accomplishments are mastered. Last, instructor demands is besides include since instructors facilitate and provide pupils with learning activities and their ain command and accomplishments in their topic and instruction impacts pupil acquisition.Significance of the StudyThe private versus public school argument is still a full of life issue among parents, pupils, school decision makers and pedagogues since it places one type of school in contest with another school. Research on the differences of pupil results between private and public schools have repeatedly shown that private school pupils do better in steps of academic public presentation such as accomplishment trials, diagnostic trials, admittance trials and college GPA. This observation has besides been found in other states in Europe and Asia where private schools by and large outperform public schools in footings of achievement trial tonss ( Zembat, KocyiAYit, TuAYluk & A DoAYan, 2010 ) . In the State of Kuwait, more pupils attend public than private schools and more Kuwaitis attend public school while aliens who reside in Kuwait prefer to go to private schools.The significance of this survey to the educational system of the State of Kuwait is obvious, as it will supply cognition of the public presentation of private and public school alumnuss in college and cognize whether the difference in the public presentation of the said schools is true in the S tate of Kuwait. This survey will besides take to a better stoppage of how pupils perceive their experiences in the University of Kuwait and will assist the university functionaries come up with plans that would better and keep the positive attitudes of pupils towards the university. Furthermore, this survey would besides supply the educational sector of the State of Kuwait and the field of instruction in general information and apprehension of the difference of between private and public high schools in footings of school leading, course of study and instructor demands. This survey is besides expected to clarify information that will explicate why private schools produce better executing pupils in college and in other steps of academic public presentation. Last, this survey would besides enrich the literature on the private and public school argument in footings of its quantitative and qualitative attack to this survey.Research Questions and HypothesissThis exploratory survey on th e college academic public presentation and attitudes of college pupils towards university experiences as a map of differences among private and public high schools in footings of school leading, course of study and instructor demands in the State of Kuwait will supply replies to the succeeding(prenominal) research inquiries.What is the difference in the academic public presentation of college pupils in the University of Kuwait in footings of their GPA and type of high school?What are the attitudes of college pupils towards their experiences in the University of Kuwait?What are the differences between private high school alumnuss and public high school alumnuss in their experiences in the university?What are the most prevail leading manner, course of study and teacher demand among private and public high schools in the State of Kuwait?How make private and public high schools differ in their organisational maps in footings of school leading, course of study and instructor demand?Wha t are the deductions of the differences in the leading, course of study and teacher demand among private and public high schools to college academic public presentation? divagation from the research inquiries, a few research hypotheses will besides be tested in this survey in order to set up that there is an apparent difference in the college public presentation of pupils from private and public high schools in the State of Kuwait. This survey aims to prove the undermentioned hypothesis snobbish high school alumnuss have higher admittance trial tonss than public high school alumnuss in the admittance trials of the University of Kuwait.Students who gradatory from private high schools have higher college GPA than pupils who graduated from public schools.There is a Copernican difference in the admittance trial tonss and college GPA between pupils from private and public schools.Restrictions of the StudyThis survey on the difference of college public presentation and attitudes towards university experiences as a map of the difference in the school leading, course of study and teacher demand of private and public schools in the State of Kuwait have a figure of restrictions that are built-in to the survey. The first restriction is in the use of admittance trial tonss and college GPA as steps of college academic public presentation, since it does non take into history the possible effect of ripening and acquisition. Students ability to reply trials and tests and plump documents and demands are to a great extent influenced by their survey wonts, intelligence, and personality to call a few. However, admission trial tonss and college GPA are the most apparent merchandises of the pupils acquisition and work in their old school and in their topics in college. Since this survey involves the workout of the full college database, the sheer figure of pupil tonss and GPA in this survey will reply the said restriction, as it will take in charge a robust archetype size that is closest to the true population.A 2nd restriction of this survey is the usage of one on one interview as a information assemblage method for the attitudes of college pupils towards university experiences and the difference in the school leading, course of study and teacher demand of private and public schools. The interview is a subjective method and sometimes the research worker has no control over what the interviewee will happen interesting and merit speaking about, sometimes it is beyond the research aims of this survey. Furthermore, since the school decision makers will be interviewed, there is no manner of cognizing whether the school decision makers are being true or non. However, this survey will be following an interview protocol, which will guarantee that the same inquiries for each participant will be asked, therefore keeping standardisation of the interview procedure.Definitions of FootingsIn order to depict and operationally specify the variables of this surv ey, the undermentioned definition of each variable and footings used in the present survey is provided.College academic public presentation refers to the general public presentation of the college pupil during his or her college instruction in the University of Kuwait. Academic public presentation is differentiated from public presentation merely as it pertains to the public presentation of the pupil in his or her topics, which is given matching classs. These classs are fictive to reflect the sort of attempt and cognition that the pupil brings to his or her college classs ( Schlesser & A Finger, 1963 ) . In this survey, college academic public presentation is measured in footings of the admittance trial wampum and the college GPA of the college pupils.Admission trial tonss refer to the tonss of the pupils in the admittance trial of the University of Kuwait. The trial is given to graduating high school pupils and serves as a showing and placement step for admittance to college ( S chlesser & A Finger, 1963 ) . The tonss that will be used in this survey will be the entire percentile clique tonss of the pupils.College GPA or grade point norm refers to the mean class of the pupil for a given twelvemonth. Since all pupils from 2007 to 2010 will be included in the survey, college GPA for each twelvemonth degree will be represented. The college GPA is computed harmonizing to the figure of building block credits of a given topic and multiplying the figure of units with the topic class. All of the prove capable classs will so be averaged to bring forth the GPA ( Schlesser & A Finger, 1963 ) .Attitudes refer to the psychological province of deprivation or disliking a certain object, event, organisation, experience and societal phenomena. Attitudes are normally cognitive and are manifested through one s behaviour, emotions and thoughts ( Petty & A Krosnick, 1995 ) . In this survey, attitudes towards university experience will be explored utilizing single intervi ews of college pupils.Private schools refer to the type of school found in most societies. Private schools by and large are run and have by private groups and persons. These types of schools are for or non for net income and pupils normally pay a certain fee to go on analyzing in the assistance schools ( Greene & A Kang, 2004 ) . In this survey, private schools in the State of Kuwait will be identified harmonizing to the list of schools provided by the Ministry of Education of the State of Kuwait.Public schools refer to the type of schools that are mostly operated and managed by the populace and the authorities. Public schools provide entree to instruction for most members of lodge and are frequently free of charge. These schools are subsidized by their authorities and are the majority of the educational system of any state ( Greene & A Kang, 2004 ) . In this survey, public schools will be identified harmonizing to the list of schools provided by the Ministry of Education of th e State of Kuwait.School leading refers to the sort of leader and the leading manner of a given school decision maker ( Spillane, 2010 ) . In this survey, school leading is described by the school decision maker in their response to the interview inquiry of the present survey. class refers to the school s set of classs and topics which influence the sort of cognition and accomplishments that will be taught to the pupils. Curriculum in formal instruction means a larning plan from which the topics, content, accomplishments and stuffs for the instruction and acquisition of the pupils are based ( Fraser, 1981 ) . In this survey, the school decision makers will depict course of study in footings of how it was designed, substantial and implemented.Teacher demand refers to put of accomplishments, cognition, experience and preparation that a instructor should hold before using for a commandment occupation ( Koster, Brekelmans, Korthagen & A Wubbels, 2005 ) . The Ministry of Education f or the public schools frequently determines instructor demands, but private schools have more room for recruiting and choosing instructors harmonizing to a more rigorous instructor demand. In this survey, school decision makers will besides depict teacher demand for both(prenominal) private and public schools in item.