Fast Food Consumption Propostition Paper Essay

Fast food consumption is becoming a major concern as obesity and diseases are linked to unhealthy eating habits. Due to the prevalence in obesity, controversy has been raised around the question of whether or not it is the consumers or the corporations to blame. Many fast food chains have been sued for allegedly contributing to obesity and have been blamed for the poor health of many people. Although some fast food restaurants may be partially responsible when they fail to post nutrition information and warnings about the foods content as well as use sophisticated marketing strategies to lure in consumers, it is a ridiculous claim to say that the corporations are completely at fault. In my opinion, people who suffer from obesity and other related diseases caused by unhealthy eating habits have no one to blame but themselves. The lack of personal responsibility has many people blaming fast food restaurants for making such unhealthy food available when in reality it is the people themselves who are making the decision to go out and buy and consume fast food. There is no one pressuring consumers into eating fast food, the same goes for people who smoke cigarettes and blame the tobacco industry for getting cancer when it is solely the consumer’s decision to start smoking in the first place. Regardless of whether or not a fast food restaurant labels their food with their nutrition information, it should be common sense that greasy, processed food is not a healthy choice. It is clear that fast food and obesity go hand in hand, consumers need to start taking responsibility for their life choices rather then trying to turn it around on the corporations and blame them for their own failure to take care of their health and well being. References Travali, D. (2007). Fast Food Industry Not Completely to Blame for Obesity. Retreived from http://voices.yahoo.com/fast-food-industry-not-completely-blame-obesity-553714.html?cat=51 Howard, M. (2012) Obesity: Personal Responsibility or Blame Food Companies? Retrieved from

Psychological Assessment and Testing Essay

Several websites that discuss psychological assessment and testing are scattered throughout the Internet. These psychological-based sites help students, experts and ordinary people to discern the basic concepts of psychology and recognize its various functions. One of the functions of psychological assessment and testing websites is to determine and somehow predict and pinpoint the possible psychological problem that an individual experienced. In this paper, two peer reviewed articles from two different websites devoted to psychology will be critically evaluated to illustrate the importance and role of psychological assessment and testing. The first website is www. apa. org, the title of the article is ‘How is Psychopathology Assessed in Older Adults? ’ The author of the article is the American Psychological Association. The problem deals specifically to the assessment of ‘older adults’ which are 65 years old and above. The authors list and identify several types of psychopathological assessment for older adults. The identification of the different types of assessment and test regarding the psychopathology in older adults help students, experts and other concerned individual understand the process and the meaning of the said assessments. The group hypothesize that dimensional type (age-based) of analysis is better than categorical type (illness-based) analysis in the case of older adults. The research design they used is a qualitative design. The methodology that they used is historical research wherein they analyze the data from previous works to find a generalization from deduction that can help in understanding the past, present and even future trends regarding the psychopathological assessment in older adults. They conducted their research through a comparison of the different screening measures used for older adults. The authors suggested that the Geriatric Depression Scale is the most useful due to the fact that it is age related, it can assess those who are cognitively impaired since it can either be oral or written and it is not depressive. They compared the BECK Anxiety Scale, the Geriatric Depression Scale, the Cage and Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test-Geriatric version, the MMPI-2 test, the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale, Rorschach Inkblot Test and the Thematic Apperception Test. The authors decided to find out which assessment is most applicable and helpful since no standard exist regarding the psychopathological assessment of adults. The second website is www. mental-health-matters. com, the article is entitled ‘Personality and Stress? ’ The author was Gillian Darby, a psychologist and affiliated to Get Mental Help, Inc. The research problem was concerned on the possible relationship between personality and stress. It was important to identify the relationship to help caution those people with a personality prone to stress regarding future problems and help them understand themselves better through stress-management activities. Darby hypothesize that those who posses type ‘A’ personality are more prone to stress. Darby further elaborates that hose with type ‘B’ personality were often less aggressive and are therefore less prone to stress. The research design that was used was a qualitative research. Using this research design, Darby tries to explore the connections that exist between type ‘A’ personality and stress. The methodology that the author used is data analysis to be able to formulate the pattern/s and principle/s involve. Darby used literature review and case study review. The author included a personality test in the article to help readers qualify their personality type. Therefore the article showed the possibility that psychological assessment of personality can affect stress levels which might also lead to stress-related illness such as heart diseases. Both websites and articles proved that indeed the use of psychological assessment and test are helpful and educational. Psychological assessments help individuals to evaluate themselves. Thus, the websites and articles can also be considered as self-help materials. Psychological assessments and testing are in themselves important in understanding oneself and promoting good health and healthy living since. Second Part The article ‘How is Psychopathology Assessed in Older Adults? ’ could help medical practitioners or concerned individuals identify the best or most applicable type of assessment for the older adult patient. Most specifically, the group believes that Geriatric Depression Scale is most useful due to its nature which is somehow considerate of the older adult’s psychological state. Nevertheless, whenever these type of assessment might not be applicable, several other test and scales are presented. The article can be helpful in assisting the patient with information regarding the Psychopathology of his illness or problem. The suggestion and study in the article can be treated to be of primary importance to the medical practitioner or attendant upon admission of the patient. In case that the Geriatric Depression Scale is not applicable to the patient, the article mentioned other relevant Psychopathological assessment scales and test. If possible the Geriatric Depression Scale can be use in conjunction with another scale or test to get a better view of the psychopathology of the patient. Particularly, the assessment recommended by the group is ‘most useful’ due to the fact that it tries to focus on the medical cause of the problems by eliminating depressive questions. Geriatric Depression Scale unlike other Psychopathology Scale is not lengthy and can be answered or done orally. This somehow helped the patient minimize the effort and stress that accompanies answering lengthy and technical assessment test. The second article is about ‘Personality and Stress’. In this article, the patient will be asked to answer a questionnaire or personality test which would determine whether he/she has a type â€Å"A† or a type â€Å"B† personality. A person who understands his/her situation and behavior would normally perform better than those who cannot acknowledge or is not aware of his or her behavior and personality. Thus, with the use of the personality test employ in the article, a person is able to check him/her self and the situation. The person might opt to try new types of defense mechanism against stress or the person might want to seek professional advice regarding management of stress. As a common knowledge, stress often times leads to heart diseases. Since the article affirms that people with type â€Å"A† personality are prone to stress, it prompts necessary actions to control or reduce the possibility of heart disease. The person might try low cholesterol diet or engage in regular exercise. According to article, studies revealed that those who has type â€Å"A† personality are less relaxed than those with type â€Å"B†. This shows that the treatment for stress in the two types of personality should also vary. A medical practitioner, a psychologist or a counselor will find it easier to prescribe treatment if the cause of the illness or the source of the illness is identified. A person who has personality problems may not be treated properly with medication alone if the person still receive the same stressors at work or at home (several work load, weather, pets, traffic, etc). In case that the person already has a heart disease, knowing the personality type can help the family and the patient understands the things that can worsen the situation. For instance, a patient can understand himself better and the reason why he felt stress out. The patient might try to avoid the things that made him lose his temper. The counselor can also administer the necessary advice for the patient, since a type â€Å"A† personality is usually aggressive and critical. References: American Psychological Association. ‘How is Psychopathology Assessed in Older Adults? ’ Retrieved on January 5, 2009 from the World Wide Web: http://www. apa. org/pi/aging/practitioners/assessment05. html Darby, G. 2007. ‘Personality and Stress’ Retrieved on January 6, 2009 from the World Wide Web: http://www. mental-health-matters. com/articles/article. php? artID=1323

Advantages of living in a vilage Essay

There are several advantages to living in villages. To Begin with, generally villages have healthy ‎and pleasant weather, which makes people feel healthy and gives them a lot of energy. Also, ‎the food of rural people is more natural and healthier. Living in a good condition lead to ‎physical and mental health. In contrast, owing to various pollutions, which exist in cities, a vast ‎number of urban people suffer from health problems such as heart disease or breathing ‎problems.‎ see more:life in the countryside essay Moreover, the cost of living in villages is lower compared to cities. Since village life is plain and ‎simple, there is no willing to luxury in this lifestyle and many people who live in villages ‎prepare their own needs. For instance, rural people have a limited number of clothes, all of ‎them are quite simple, and mostly they sew their clothes. In addition to basic needs, some ‎expenses in cities are meaningless in villages, such as daily transportation cost. Another point is ‎that high cost of living in cities compels the people to face too much stress.‎ Last but not least, villages offer a relaxed and joyful atmosphere which most urban people are ‎deprived of. Rural lifestyle is a reflection of living in nature. The beauty of the nature Is ‎completely visible in villages. In addition, the people who live in villages participate in local ‎festivals and celebration that are simple and fun. Relationships in villages are close. Thus, rural ‎people are care for each other. All of these make the village people live happier.‎ There are several advantages to living in villages. To Begin with, generally villages have healthy ‎and pleasant weather, which makes people feel healthy and gives them a lot of energy. Also, ‎the food of rural people is more natural and healthier. Living in a good condition lead to ‎physical and mental health. In contrast, owing to various pollutions, which exist in cities, a vast ‎number of urban people suffer from health problems such as heart disease or breathing ‎problems.‎ Moreover, the cost of living in villages is lower compared to cities. Since village life is plain and ‎simple, there is no willing to luxury in this lifestyle and many people who live in villages ‎prepare their own needs. For instance, rural people have a limited number of clothes, all of ‎them are quite simple, and mostly they sew their clothes. In addition to basic needs, some ‎expenses in cities are meaningless in villages, such as daily transportation cost. Another point is ‎that high cost of living in cities compels the people to face too much stress.‎ Last but not least, villages offer a relaxed and joyful atmosphere which most urban people are ‎deprived of. Rural lifestyle is a reflection of living in nature. The beauty of the nature Is ‎completely visible in villages. In addition, the people who live in villages participate in local ‎festivals and celebration that are simple and fun. Relationships in villages are close. Thus, rural ‎people are care for each other. All of these make the village people live happier.‎

CyberSecurity Profile on the CIA Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

CyberSecurity Profile on the CIA - Essay Example G-1 – G-2, F-51; National Archives and Records Administration, 2000; Central Intelligence Agency, 2012). The available data suggests that the CIA strictly categorizes data and information systems in accordance with the laws, directives and guidelines attendant to the critical nature of the work of the CIA and the confidential nature of such data and systems. The data suggests formal documentation, as evident from the rigor of the categorization, though formal documentation is not available from the sources. The assumption is that categorization approval is embedded in the CIA policies and procedures, and emanates from the very top of the organization (National Institute of Standards and Technology, 2010, pp. G-1 – G-2. F-226; Clift, 2007; Clift, 2007; Thibodeau, 2009). The CIA does appoint a senior information security officer to take charge of information security program coordination, development, implementation and maintenance across the whole organization, in the person of the Chief Information Officer or CIO. The CIO is empowered with the appropriate mandate, coming from the US President and the organization, as well as with the appropriate resources for the purpose (National Institute of Standards and Technology, 2010, pp. G-1 – G-2 ,F-207, Office of the Director of National Intelligence, 2012). From the available literature, and from the example of its evolving cloud architecture, the functional architecture exists with the corresponding external interfaces, the appropriate security clearances and levels, information storage and transmission compliant with the laws, and level of priority for restoration of the information and related services (National Institute of Standards and Technology, 2010, pp. G-1 – G-2, F-201; Clift, 2007; Central Intelligence Agency, 2012; Thibodeau, 2009). There are appropriate screening procedures prior to access

Should we be more suspicious of the benefits that Computer Dependency Essay

Should we be more suspicious of the benefits that Computer Dependency brings - Essay Example According to the research findings it can therefore be said that we live in a world where technological evolution dictates the next level of the evolution of the human race. Computers are at the forefront of each activity that is a part and parcel of our daily lives. From waking us up in the morning to heating up a bag of popcorn, the computer has taken over even the most menial tasks that used to define a person as a human being. Just like any other piece of technology or equipment that becomes an integral part of our lives, there are certain risks involved each time we use the gadget. It is this percentage of danger that the detractors of our society's dependency on computers use as the basis of their anti-computer campaigns. There are quite a number of valid yet controversial points of view when it comes to the benefits that we reap from the existence of computers versus the consequences that we face as a society as we become more and more dependent on software, hardware, and serv ers for storing and usage of our vital information. With the steady rise of computer crimes, hacking, identity theft, embezzlement, and fraud one cannot help but wonder if our implicit trust in the benefits of computer usage is not a misguided result of a well financed PR campaign. Looking deeper into the crimes and other problems associated with computer dependency, it does seem like the use of computers encourages crimes against the economy and man. The first argument against the growing intrusion of computers into our private lives has to do with online privacy concerns. We are storing more and more personal information on the internet in order to access the services that we need. Everything from our full name to our social security number floats around in cyberspace, waiting for us to use the information. That is if the information is not hacked from the system and used by other people in our name. Computer hacking has become one of the greatest concerns for those of us who have become reliant on the internet and computers for the accomplishment of tasks such as paying for our bills and updating our medical records. Cybercrime has become such a high profile problem for our country that the highest echelons of homeland security have become part of the government forces trying to secure the internet by combating internet related crime (Bell, Josephine Computer Economics A Great Dependence with Explicit Consequences) . On a personal level, computers have been proven to be beneficial to our society as it has given people a venue by which they can freely air out their grievances and demand action from the political leaders. It has allowed the masses to become empowered even as dictator governments try to crack down on them and silence their voices. The advent of social media has ensured that every man will have a voice that can and will be heard across the globe. Thanks to computers, changes for the better were seen this past year in the Middle East. That is a good thing. The whole world saw their struggles and pitched in whenever they could in order to insure that change would indeed be effected for the benefit of many in that region of the world. Computers have seen to it that a new era has dawned upon our society. We now live in the age and time of computers. Due to the multitasking capabilities of computers, we have seen the machine take over various work roles that were originally deemed to be done only by human beings. The technological advancements in the world of business has resulted in the loss of jobs of people due to the more efficient ways and means that computers manage to execute tasks. The loss of jobs to technological advancements have resulted in the fast changing pace and face of our society in the 21st century. These advancements were not all positive and neither were they all negative in the way that the existence of social networks have changed the way we interact with one another. The bad thing, is that the anonymit y that is offered by social media sites such as twitter and Facebook, has

Public law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Public law - Essay Example His past record has shown his tendencies towards committing suicide due to the above mentioned mental state. Community Support & attitude: Mr. Imran has received no support from his community and was in constant danger within Iran (his native country) and within the UK (where he is currently residing). Recently Mr. Imran has been asked to leave his accommodation. Background of Mr. Imran: Mr. Imran had been accused of promoting gay rights in Iran, which has led to his departure from Iran to the UK. Capital punishment for the offence in Iran is the death sentence. Mr. Imran’s house was subject to a raid by the Iranian Authorities in the year 2009, which became the reason for his fleeing to the UK. Statements of Facts: Mr. Imran had to flee from Iran as he was in fear of his life. Promoting gay rights within the UK is not considered offense. Mr. Imran does not have any past criminal record. The client has been mentally disturbed due to the nature of events. He has in 2010, attemp ted to commit suicide when his partner was caught in Iraq. He is currently seeking help from Government of the UK, in the form of Asylum. Constant threat looms around Mr. Imran’s life within Iran, not only from Iranian Authorities, but also the Iranian society. As Islamic law prohibits promoting gay rights, and any individual found guilty would be given death sentence. People also consider such person as outcasts and have aggressive attitude towards such person. Issues to be Addressed – For Consideration of His Asylum Application in the UK: 1. Is the applicant any threat to the Government or to the people of the UK? 2. Could the applicant live a tolerable life, if he is made to return to Iran? 3. Had the applicant openly disclosed his sexuality, what would have transpired? 4. Presence of evidence suggesting that the applicant is sexually gay? 5. Was the applicant concealing his sexuality because of the social pressure or was he concealing it to avoid prosecution? Brief Summary of Replies for the Above Questions- Clients Perspective: Since the applicant is himself a victim and does not hold any criminal record, he does not pose any threat to the UK Government and its people. He can provide facts about his relation with his partner and can also take assistance from previous affiliations, if he had any with the gay community or social working groups. He can easily provide evidence of ill treatment from the Authorities and communities towards gays in Iran, by providing cases of people who had been already acquitted with such charges. It is almost impossible for him to return to Iran and keep his sexuality discreet and live a normal life. Summary of Relevant Statuary Provisions According to the law’s of United Kingdom, a person will only be granted asylum if he is in the UK. He is a person who is either a refugee or an individual who required International protection. The individual in any ground is a threat to security, or he has not been conv icted for any serious crime, or does not present any threats or dangers to the society of the United Kingdom. Any individual’s application in such matter, if denied and the individual due to denial has to leave to a country where that individual is threatened for his life falls within breach of Geneva Convention. In the United Kingdom, grave harm comprises of the capital punishments like execution, torturing, unlawful killing, harsh treatment, which disgraces or, degrades an individual. Any threats which can

Election Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Election - Essay Example Often, elections involve the candidates, the electoral body, and the voters. The aim of voters in any election process is to appoint leaders who will model the future of their society and country at large. In view of this fact, the participation by the people in an election processes empowers them by allowing citizens to create an influence in the future policies of and by their governments. This essay focuses on the United States Presidential Election of November, 6th 2012 and sheds light on the events that surrounded the win for Democrats and loss to the Republicans. It is worth noting that the United States has since the ratification of US Constitution in 1788 been an exemplary representative democracy. The United States depends upon a more complex federal system of government in which the national government remains supreme while state and local governments stamp authority on matters not reserved for the federal government. Basically, there are two types of elections in the US namely: primary and general. In primary elections, party candidates for the general election are determined. Subsequently, the winning candidates proceed to the general election as representatives of their political parties. Specifically, in the 2012 US Election the Democrats won the election due to the campaign strategy employed by their candidate, President Obama. The strategy was one of progressivism aimed at supporting an activist government agenda with a view of expanding economic opportunities and individual freedoms to all people (Perry 112). The strategy involved the inclusion of a multiethnic, multiracial, cross-class coalition consisting of African Americans, Latinos, Asian-Americans, the young, professionals and economically populist blue collar whites. Arguably, Democrats won this presidential election due to the shift in the demographic composition of the US electorate. The electorate shifted in a manner as to include more people of color, the unmarried and working

Melbourne 2am lockout Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Melbourne 2am lockout - Case Study Example Heavy penalties in form of fines were equally designed and implemented where licensees were highly discouraged from breaching the lockout initiative. The failure of the initiative as experienced resulted from various factors, which led to great opposition such as some exceptions that were applied where among the 457 premises that were initial targets of the policy, 115 of them received exception to the policy. Issues The issues raised in the 2am lockout in Melbourne are numerous and spans around supporting as well as discouraging the policy. According to the political as well as the media view, late night violence within the Australian cities was wholly to blame on alcohol (Wilson, 2013, para 1-2). There was therefore the need to introduce a policy, which addressed the increase in violence and such related anti-social behavior as was blamed on use of alcohol within the late night hours. There were many arguments raised in support of the policy which ideally supported curtailing patro ns and licensees to access their premises within the stipulated time and which prohibited those who were within the respective venues to leave within the stipulated time. ... of people hoping from one venue to another after they are kicked out of the venue for such reasons as misbehaviors increased the rate of crime and violence within the country and hence the support of the policy. The reason on the need to curtail and prevent venue hopping was instructed by the fact that many of the related violence occur within the streets and not within the venues as would be expected. The timing of the proposed lockout was informed by the fact that this time represented the key time where the police involvement in curbing violence was on prime and hence the need to have the street movement of persons reduced for effectiveness. The reduction of street movement would be effective in allowing the police manage people and the occurrence of such crimes within the street as against the management of people within night venues. Moreover, the time between 2am and 7am was ample to allow police clear the streets of such drunkards or any resultant mess as well as allow the dru nkards sober up (Melbournepubs.com, 2008, para 5). On the other hand, there were numerous cases raised against the imposition of such a policy, which included the un-fateful punishing of law-abiding majority of the persons as of the irresponsible actions of just a minority segment of persons within the society. The policy framework brought with it curtailing of freedom of choice to the general population besides reducing civil liberties to be enjoyed. The imposition of the ban changed the city from what was so wonderful about it (which served to attract many people into the 24-hour economy city) and the choice of only one venue for a night would never be satisfying to the majority. Imposition of the same reduced the time for persons serving within the hospitality industry to hang out after

Difference among Brick and Mortar Businesses Assignment - 10

Difference among Brick and Mortar Businesses - Assignment Example Web stores refer to a form of electronic business whereby clients directly buy products from a seller over the Internet with no an intermediary service (Recklies 57). Web stores are also referred to as online shops. An online shop excludes the physical equivalence of buying goods or services at shopping centers or bricks-and-mortar retailers. The process is referred to as a business-to-consumer (B2C) Internet shopping. When a company buys from another company it is referred to as B2B online shopping. B2B stands for business-to-business. The largest online retailing businesses are Amazon.com as well as eBay. They are both based in the United States. A catalog business is also another form of retailing. The business trades in a wide variety of personal products as well as household. Most catalog businesses emphasize on jewelry. Unlike a self-serve retail shop, a majority of the items in the catalog shop are not displayed. Clients pick the products from written catalogs in the shop and fill out an order paper. The order is taken to the sales desk, where a clerk fetches the items from the warehouse to a payment and checkout desk. The catalog business has lower prices than other traders plus lower expenses because of the smaller size of the store (Recklies 60). A restaurant’s value chain should incorporate producers, aggregators, processors, distributors, wholesale buyers, farmers markets, consumers plus a wide variety of essential supporters (Recklies 156). Casa Nueva, a restaurant in Athens, had been purchasing local plus practicing season expansion on its own for many years. The restaurant has, however, in the recent days, been applying the value chains elements, and its sells have boosted up.

Health Care Access Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Health Care Access - Research Paper Example And the people can simply chide him eventually in order to change his mind. Facts should clarify the right decision that should be made. Because the fear and argument generated by the good governor was about heavy indebtedness and loss of sovereignty, this paper endeavoured to check on the validity behind his reasoning against supporting the Obama Health Care plan to improve Medicaid and to insure the public with health care insurance. Random sampling of empirical data was done to find out what is meant by the possibility of losing sovereignty. Findings reveal that the total debts of USA are below the average in terms of percentage growth of total debts of the world since 2001. Compared to nine (9) out of eleven (11) countries included in the random sample, it shows that annual increases in US debts are normal. Details are shown in Table 1. The total debt statistics of ten other countries – UK, France, Japan, China, Canada, Israel, India, Russia, Germany, and Saudi Arabia – were chosen at random for comparison with the USA’s debts. (Source: USA Department of Health & Human Services 2012. Fiscal Year 2013 Budget in Brief: Stengthening Health and Opportunity for All Americans. Viewed October 8, 2012 @ http://www.hhs.gov/budget/budget-brief-fy2013.pdf ) USA ave. = (31.7 less 11.7 ) / 10 years = $ 2 K / year or less than 10% average increase of debts per year. The average increase or decrease is computed by $ 2K divided by the average of ($ 31.7 + 11.7) / 2, or $ 2 K / 21.7 = 9.22 % average increase in debts per year .from 2001 to 2011. This means that USA has been controlling its debt increases per year compared to the average growth of debts of the whole world. UK ave. = (31.5 less 9.6 ) / 10 years = $ 2.19 K / year or more than 10% average increase of debts per year. The average increase or decrease is computed by $ 2.19 K divided by the average of

Exposure to Stereotypes Essay Example for Free

Exposure to Stereotypes Essay Exposures to Stereotypes The following paper will be an informative paper about stereotyping and exposure. Children are exposed to racism, cultural and gender stereotypes every day. This paper will explain why it is believed that movies, television series, children products smears children’s understanding of race, culture and gender and the messages that are being transpired. Examples will be given on the stereotypes. Strategies will also be given. Included in this paper will also include my thoughts and objectives. Stereotyping people has been happening for many centuries now. Early as in preschool is when most people begin being stereotyped. The saying, â€Å"Don’t judge a book by its cover,† never seems to work because people take one look at someone else and judge. They judge them by how they walk, what they wear, how they present themselves, and then they have already stereotyped the person before getting to know them. When turning on the television many children are being introduced to many different stereotypes. The Cosby Show comes to mind when I think about coming up as a child. I somehow thought that this was the typical African American family. I learn a lot from this series however. This show was still on at a time when African American shows were unheard of to stay on a television station. It showed a wealthy family a dad that was a lawyer and a mom who was a doctor dealt with 5 children that kept them busy with school and other common youth issues. When I realize that my family was not the same I was devastated because I thought that all African Americans should be somewhat like the Huxtables Family. Moving along, when I became a little older my teacher showed my class a viewing of the movie collection of â€Å"Roots†. I was horrified but what I had seen. I thought that all Caucasians were mean because of me being exposed to racism in such a horrific way. Time made me so much wiser; it showed me that you cannot assume that all people of a certain race in bad just because a few people of a certain race made a very bad choice in life. Crying and yelling at night for about a week is what this movie did for me at that time. I had dreams of me being wrongfully mistreated and whipped. My mom came into my room one particular night and we talked about the situation. She told me that what I had seen in that movie was wrong but that it happened in a time were people were dealing with hatred. Furthermore, it was then that I realized that the media, music, books, toys, peers, adults, and many more all have either a negative or a positive effect on children. I also object to children being exposed or introduced to certain racial aspects of life. It is understood that we cannot protect them from everything but we can make a great effort a point to intercept the negativity. References: York, S. (2003) Roots and wings: Affirming culture in early childhood programs [Revised Ed]. Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ 120528-002549 Ticket#.

The Extension of Man by Marshall McLuhan Essay Example for Free

The Extension of Man by Marshall McLuhan Essay In this monumental work, Marshall Mcluhan rigorously examined mass media, a term which he coined how it affects pop culture and in turn how it affects human beings and their relations. According to McLuhan, there is no single factor in human life more important than technology and yet most users have little or no idea of how most technologies work or even that their own bodies are sophisticated collections of technological systems. McLuhan rejected Marxs view of production as a primarily determinant in social change and replaces it with technological inventions. The most important aspect of media is the technical medium of communication. In this book, he provided insights on how technological innovations influence mans perception. It provided insights not only on what people communicate but on how the message is being communicated. One factor to consider into understanding the book is the milieu when it was written. McLuhan developed his theory when television was still is at its infancy and the personal computer was still being developed. However his book in a way predicted what is to come. McLuhan established himself as the patriarch of media criticism and the high priest of pop culture after this book. He made a lot of revelations in this book; things which are imperceptible to most but have great impact. For instance, the existence of global village (another term he is credited of coining); the exploitation, manipulation and control of the individual; the medium is the message; and technology as extensions of human body. McLuhan’s global village is where media penetrates the whole of society and culture. Today few would dispute that mass media have indeed decentralized modern living and turned the world into a global village. It is something that universalizes culture and existence where everyone shares something in common. The mass media have created a world of instant awareness to which the categories of perspective space and sequential time were irrelevant and in which a sense of private identity was untenable. He noted the fact that there are more people watching TV than attending church is something of no great consequence but McLuhan warns â€Å"we become what we behold†. Constant television exposure has its drastic effects. Notice how plastic surgery and other artificial beauty enhancements have become highly popular. In this line, he provided an insightful view on how advertising manipulates the unsuspecting audience. He believed that the available media shapes human activity, more so than what media are used for. Content analysis misses the point and is not as effective because it is the medium that affects the body and the psyche in unconscious ways. Early on the book he differentiated hot and cold medium and points that the medium is more powerful than the message. He touched on how women were turn into objects of desire and how they are in turn made to buy the products that will help them achieve desirability. He also discussed how man highlights the technological extensions but ignores the amputations. McLuhan said that technology is the extension of Man meaning for every technology that is invented, there is a corresponding internal technology (performing similar functions) within the physical bodies of people. For example clothing is the man-made extension of the skins role in keeping us warm inside. He called media the extension of man he based his theory on the fact that content follows form, and the insurgent technologies give rise to new structures of feeling and thought, new manners of perception. He saw media as make happen agents rather than make-aware agents. Highly anecdotal and riddled with wordplay and notorious firing quips, McLuhan made a breakthrough in this book by breaking down how media and technology is conventionally perceived.

Chemistry of Essential Oils

Chemistry of Essential Oils Rhea Hughes Table of Contents 1. Introduction 2. Basic Chemical Structure 2.1 Hydrocarbons Monoterpenes Sesquiterpenes 2.2 Oxygenated Compounds 3. Extraction Methods 4. How essential oils are analysed 5. Discussion 6. Conclusion 7. Bibliography 1. Introduction Essential oils are used as alternative medical treatments, fragrances for perfumes and also as flavours in food and beverages (Djilani Dicko, 2012). They are made up of fragranced mixtures that are found in different parts of plants such as the seeds, stems or flowers. (doTERRA, 2014). In this essay the following topics of essential oils will be discussed; the chemical structure, how they are extracted from plants and how to determine their components through analysis. 2. Basic Chemical Structure Essential oils are extracted from plants as the compounds that make up essential oils are created naturally by chemical reactions that occur in different plants. Essential oils are released when oils are chemically extracted from the herb or when the herb is compressed (EBSCO, 2014).There are two groups of chemicals that are made from nature; they are classified into primary and secondary metabolites. Primary metabolites can be divided further into carbohydrates, lipids, nucleic acids and proteins. Secondary metabolites are divided into alkaloids, polyketides, shikimates and terponiods (Baser Buchbauer, 2010). The secondary metabolism of a plant is responsible for their scent and also plays a role in the defence system of the plant protecting it from pests Essential oils are made up of hydrocarbons and their derivatives oxygentated compounds that are created from plants secondary metabolism (Chamorro et al., 2012). As it can be seen in Figure 1 in the biosysthesis of secondary metabolites, water and carbon dioxide are converted to glucose through photosynthesis. Phosphoenolpyrutave is a main element in the shikimate group of natural products. Decarboxylation of phosphoenolpyrutave produces acetate which is esterified with coenzyme-A to produce acetyl CoA. Acetyl CoA is a starting point for Mevalonic Acid, which is the starting compound for terpenoids. Figure 1 shows the chemical structure of the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites. (Baser Buchbauer, 2010). Figure 1: Biosythesis of secondary metabolites (Baser Buchbauer, 2010). Essential oils molecules are prepared mainly from carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen (essentials, 2014). Essential oils can be divided into two groups hydrocarbons and their derived oxygenated compounds (Martin, 2014). The hydrocarbon group is divided into monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes. Hydrocarbon chains are kept together by carbon atoms that are linked together. At different points in the chains atoms are attached to make up alternative oils (essentials, 2014). The oxygenated compounds can be broken down into smaller compounds such as Phenols, Alcohols, Aldehydes, Ketones, Esters, Lactones, Coumarins, Ethers and Oxides (EsotericOils, 2014). 2.1 Hydrocarbons Terpenes are made up of isoprene units. Isoprenes are five-carbon molecules. Isoprenes are assembled in different formations to make up terpenes (Cyberlipid, 2014). Terpenes are a group of molecules that is based on a number of isoprene units in a head to tail fashion. Figure 2 : Isopene Unit (Cyberlipid, 2014) Modified terpenes (terpenoids) are where methyl groups have been moved or removed or oxygen atoms added to the structure. Terpenes are easily decomposable under different effects such as air light and moisture which can cause spoilage of the oil. Terpenes have a narrow boiling range, making them difficult to purify. (Parry, 1922). Monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes are the main components of essential oils as they are adequately volatile (Cyberlipid, 2014), (Baser Buchbauer, 2010). Monoterpenes Monoterpenes have 2 isoprenes units linked together. Monoterpenes are very volatile due to the molecular structure (Chamorro et al., 2012). Monoterpenes increase the therapeutic functions of other components in the oil and stop the collection of toxins (Martin, 2014). An example of an essential oil that is a monoterpene is menthol which is a cyclic monoterpene. Menthol has cooling properties and has a unique scent of the oil residue that is extracted from it (Kamatoua et al., 2013). There is a difference in the content of methone and menthol detected, as the plant mature there is a higher content of menthol and menthyl acetate content (Baser Buchbauer, 2010). Figure 3: Steoreoisomers of menthol (-) –menthol is the most commonly used synthetic and natural form. Menthol has microbial properties but is not a principal compound in essential oils as it is only a component in of a restricted number of aromatic plants (Kamatoua et al., 2013). Sesquiterpenes Sesquiterpenes have 3 isoprene units linked together. They are common in essential oils and are less volatile than monterpenes so they blend well with volatile oils (Martin, 2014). An example of a sestquiterpene is Zingiberene that is used in the oil. It is acquired by fractional distillation under reduced pressure (Parry, 1922). Figure 4: Structure of Zingiberene (Chemistry, 2014). 2.2 Oxygenated Compounds Oxgenated compounds or terpenoids are derivates of terpenes. They have a stronger aroma and are normally more stable as they do not oxidise as easily under different conditions (Fresholi, 2014). Some examples of oxygentated compounds are alcohol, ketones and esters. Alcohols can further be divided into monoterpene alcohol and sesquiterpene alcohols (EsotericOils, 2014). Alcohols are found in in their free state and in the form of esters in essential oils. Methyl alcohols which are soluble in water which are main components in essential oils are removed during the distillation process so they are not actually found in the essential oil but can be found in the distilled water. But when in ester form methyl alcohols can be found in essential oils such as winter green. (Parry, 1922). Alcohols are beneficial components that have antimicrobial and antiseptic properties. Esters are naturally occurring in plants. Esters such as terpineol attribute to the aroma in essential oils (Pharmacognosy, 2012). They also have calming and sedative properties (Oils, 2007). Linalyl acetate is a naturally occurring ester that is found herbs and flowers. It is used to make Lavender oil (Hermitageoils, 2014).Ketones have skin healing properties and also helps break down fats (Oils, 2007). Verbenone is an example of a natural ketone that is extracted from plants. It is an ingredient in the oil Rosemary Other examples of oxygenated compounds are aldehydes that have anti-inflammatory and anti-infectious agents such as geraniol found in Rose Geranium. Oxides that have anti-inflammatory properties such as eucalyptole are found in Eucalyptus. Phenols have anti-pathogenic properties (Oils, 2007). Thymol is an example of a phenol, it is a compound of thyme and ajowan seed oil (Parry, 1922) and ethers help regulate hormones and the central nervous system such as chavicol found in basil (Oils, 2007). 3. Extraction Methods There are different extraction methods that are used for the extraction of components for essential oils. There are two main types of extraction methods these are distillation and expression. Solvent extraction and CO2 extracts are also other techniques that can be used for the release of essential oils from plants. Different distillation methods that are used are steam distillation, water distillation and steam and water distillation. For distillation process the material from which the material is being extracted is placed on a grid in the still, the steam or/and water depending on which method is being used breaks through the plant material and removes the volatile compounds in it. The volatile compounds rise up into the condenser which cools the vapour into liquid form. This oil liquid will be form a separate layer with water and can be drawn off separately from the water (NAHA, 2014). Expression of essential oils is done through a technique known as ecuelle a piquer. This technique involves placing the rind of a fruit in a container with spikes that puncture the peel while it is being rotated. This technique allows the essential oils that are contained in the fruit to be released when it is punctured. Centrifugal force can then be used to separate the fruit juice from the essential oils (NAHA, 2014). Solvent extraction is used when the plants are too fragile to go through the distillation process. In solvent extraction the odoriferous lipophilic is extracted from the plant along with other tissues in the plant. This causes a thick solution to be extracted that contains waxes, fats and other odoriferous material. This solution is then mixed with alcohol which extracts the aromatic compounds (NAHA, 2014). Hypercritical carbon dioxide (CO2) extraction involves putting C02 under pressure to turn it into a liquid from a gas. This liquid is then used as an inert liquid solvent which can extract aromatic compounds from the plant by diffusing through it. C02 can contain some elements that are not found in the corresponding essential oils. During extraction methods some main considerations must be addressed such as the cost, pesticide residue on the plants and also the safety and therapeutic benefits of the essential oil being produced. These considerations help decide which extraction method is most beneficial (NAHA, 2014). 4. How essential oils are analysed Terpenes are structurally varied therefore the methods used for analyses have to account for a great number of molecular compounds (Baser Buchbauer, 2010). With essential oils there are cheaper versions available on the market. Sensory tests are preformed first to help determine if the oil is poor quality. The clarity, colour, odour and viscosity are looked at to determine the quality. When these sensory tests are completed, physical parameters are measured through refractive index, optical rotation and their specific gravity (Lyth, 2014). Chromatography techniques are then used in the separation and identification of compounds (Baser Buchbauer, 2010).Gas chromatography/Mass Spectrometry is widely used in the separation and identification of compounds in essential oils. In gas chromatography the identification and quantification of the different chemical compounds in essential oils can be detected. Each individual compound can be identified by the retention time of the peaks. The data collected can then be compared against standards to determine the purity. (Lyth, 2014).One of the main objectives in separation is the resolution of the compound with a short retention time. To achieve this, the appropriate parameters must be provided. Chiral stationary phases allow for the separation of compounds with optical isomerism. When identifying essential oils in gas chromatography the temperature must be changed as essential oils contain votaile compounds and less volatile compounds. The temperature must start off low and then be raised every minute until 200C to obtain elution of heavy terpenoids. This allows for shorter elution times, separate and narrow peaks (Baser Buchbauer, 2010) 5. Discussion The chemistry of essential oils is important as they have such diverse effects. The different structures of the compounds is what causes the effects of the essential oil (EBSCO, 2014).It also depends on what part of the plant is being used and also the development stage of the plant. There are also changes in the amount of oil yield and the different compounds that are observed between the process of the bud of a flower forming and full flowering (Baser Buchbauer, 2010). But a plant’s compounds can have different effects depending on the country of origin, the type of soil it was grown in and also the climate conditions of where it was grown. These factors can all effect natural variations in the essential oils that are extracted from the plant (Lyth, 2014). Even though essential oils are known for their healing properties it is difficult to prove that they work because of the unique aroma of essential oils it is also difficult to have a control group. A lot of published studies on essential oil fail to reach accurate and reliable scientific standards (EBSCO, 2014) 6. Conclusion Essential oils are used in a variety of industries, but it is important to know the chemistry behind the process of producing them. This helps produce high quality and pure products that will produce better results. The extraction of them from the plant and also where the plant was growing and the conditions that it grew in are important factors when analysing the product for quality and purity. 7. Bibliography Anon., 2014. Organic facts. [Online] Available at: https://www.organicfacts.net/organic-oils/natural-essential-oils/list-of-essential-oils.html [Accessed 05 November 2014]. Baser, K.H.C. Buchbauer, G., 2010. Handbook of essential oils : science, technology, and applications. Boca Raton: Taylor and Francis Group. Chamorro, E.R. et al., 2012. INTECH. [Online] Available at: http://www.intechopen.com/books/gas-chromatography-in-plant-science-wine-technology-toxicology-and-some-specific-applications/study-of-the-chemical-composition-of-essential-oils-by-gas-chromatography [Accessed 16 October 2014]. Chamorro, E.R. et al., 2012. Study of the Chemical Composition of Essential Oils by Gas Chromatography. Gas Chromatography in Plant Science,Wine Technology, Toxicology and Some Specific Applications, pp.307-25. Chemistry, R.S.o., 2014. ChemSpider. [Online] Available at: http://www.chemspider.com/Chemical-Structure.83751.html [Accessed 28 October 2014]. Cyberlipid, 2014. Cyberlipid centre. [Online] Available at: http://www.cyberlipid.org/simple/simp0004.htm [Accessed 08 November 2014]. doTERRA, I., 2014. doTERRA. [Online] Available at: http://www.doterra.com/sgen/essentialDefinition.php [Accessed 05 November 2014]. EBSCO, C.R.B., 2014. NYU Langone Medical Centre. [Online] Available at: http://www.med.nyu.edu/content?ChunkIID=37427 [Accessed 05 November 2014]. EsotericOils, 2014. Esoteric Oils. [Online] Available at: http://www.essentialoils.co.za/components.htm [Accessed 08 November 2014]. essentials, T.r., 2014. The Real Essentials. [Online] Available at: http://www.therealessentials.com/chemistry.html [Accessed 05 November 2014]. Fresholi, 2014. Fresholi. [Online] Available at: http://www.fresholi.com/index.php?option=com_contentview=articleid=653:essential-oil-componentscatid=88:aromatherapy [Accessed 28 October 2014]. Hermitageoils, 2014. Hermitageoils. [Online] Available at: http://www.hermitageoils.com/essential-synthetics/linalyl-acetate [Accessed 06 November 2014]. Inc, M.W.P., 2013. International WellnessDirectory. [Online] Available at: http://www.mnwelldir.org/docs/therapies/essentia02.htm [Accessed 30 October 2014]. Kamatoua, G.P.P., Vermaaka, I. Viljoen, A.M., 2013. Phytochemistry. Menthol: A simple monoterpene with remarkable biological properties [Online], 96, pp.15-25. Available DOI: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2013.08.005 [Accessed 14 November 2014]. Martin, N., 2014. Experience-Essential-Oils.com. [Online] Available at: http://www.experience-essential-oils.com/chemistry-of-essential-oil.html [Accessed 08 November 2014]. MintNews, 2014. MintNews. [Online] Available at: http://www.mintnews.in/Product-Directories.php?id=cpbThD2wlbs- [Accessed 06 November 2014]. NAHA, 2014. National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy. [Online] Available at: http://www.naha.org/explore-aromatherapy/about-aromatherapy/how-are-essential-oils-extracted [Accessed 05 November 2014]. NobelMediaAB, 2014. Norbal Prize.org. [Online] Available at: http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/chemistry/laureates/1910/press.html [Accessed 29 October 2014]. Oils, N.O., 2007. NHR Organic Oils. [Online] Available at: http://www.nhrorganicoils.com/frame.php?page=info_21 [Accessed 05 November 2014]. OMICS, 2013. Open access Scientific Reports. [Online] Available at: http://omicsonline.org/scientific-reports/srep129.php [Accessed 25 October 2014]. Parry, E.J., 1922. The chemistry of Essential oils and Artifical perfumes. 4th ed. London: D. Van Nostrand Company. Pharmacognosy, 2012. Pharmacognosy. [Online] Available at: http://www.epharmacognosy.com/2012/05/ester-volatile-oils-esters-of-aliphatic.html [Accessed 03 November 2014]. Wikipedia, 2014. Wikipedia. [Online] Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verbenone [Accessed 06 November 2014]. Wikipedia, 2014. Wikipedia. [Online] Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thymol [Accessed 06 November 2014]. http://www.biospiritual-energy-healing.com/essential-oil-chemistry.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Essential_oil http://www.zenitech.com/documents/Toxicity_of_essential_oils_p1.pdf http://depa.fquim.unam.mx/amyd/archivero/LipidosPaulaYurkanis_11315.pdf Page 1 of 10

Essay --

Patricia Wang Mrs. Pagtakhan Junior English 10 March 2014 A Reflection of One’s Character The American Dream is an ideal vision many people strive for, promising happiness, prosperity, and success. â€Å"Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness† is the foundation of American society, presenting a false perception that everyone can achieve the American Dream. Although people assume that the Dream comes with an equal opportunity for all, one’s success is undoubtedly tied to a material component. The rich and powerful are born into affluence while the farmers and industrial workers can only long for it. In The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald portrays Tom Buchanan’s arrogance and fear of change and Jay Gatsby’s obsession with getting Daisy through their homes, revealing Gatsby’s inability to reach his vision of the American Dream. Tom Buchanan’s home reveals his arrogance and fear of change, as he has already reached the American Dream. Tom’s â€Å"Georgian Colonial mansion overlooking the bay† parallels his â€Å"rather hard mouth and †¦ supercilious manner† (11). Located on East Egg, Tom’s house displays the old-fashioned, traditional East where the richest families retain their wealth through family lineage instead of personal gain in the West. The United States originated and expanded from the east coast westward, symbolizing East Egg as the foundation of real money and wealth, while West Egg as money earned through ambition and hard work. Built on the top of the hill, Tom’s home overlooks the entire bay, reminding himself and others that he is above everyone. This ultimately leads to his haughty personality, as he is a â€Å"careless [person†¦ mashing] up things and creatures and then [retreating] back into [his] money or [his] vast carelessness† (... ...e American Dream. In The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald parallels Jay Gatsby’s home with his longing for the American Dream and Tom Buchanan’s home with his supercilious personality as a result of his excessive wealth. Tom’s directly inherited wealth and Gatsby’s self-earned money reveal that one’s background or environment ultimately determines whether or not the Dream is attainable. Gatsby’s endless struggle portrays the misconception that the American Dream is achievable through hard work and determination, regardless of social class or material wealth. The harsh reality is that wealth and power are the true factors that lead to success and happiness; those who are not born into this environment can never achieve their ideal vision. The desire for perfection undermines the true American society as people continuously strive for the illusion of the American Dream.

Affirmative Action is Reverse Discrimination Essay -- Argumentative Pe

Affirmative Action is Reverse Discrimination Is it possible to fill out a job application, apply for college, or even fill out a simple survey without being asked to provide one’s ethnicity? I often wonder how many people actually look at the information I provide instead of the fact that I happen to be Hispanic. Does that make me any different? It is extremely frustrating to realize that despite the civil rights victories of the twenty-first century, our society is still obsessed with race. Advocates of affirmative action will love to tell the American people that minorities are truly benefited by these policies, and that they are thankful for the compensation of the discrimination of their ancestors. Here is one minority who will tell you very differently. Affirmative action is a process of reverse discrimination, giving me unfair advantages based on my race, disregarding my academic abilities and personal motivation. It is degrading that colleges do not think that I can succeed without my ethnicity being a factor in t he admissions process. Affirmative action is in no way beneficial to the minorities today, and history will show how it is slowly turning into a process of reverse discrimination. During the tumultuous civil rights movement of the 1960’s, President Lyndon Johnson issued a call to action to make up for past discrimination of minorities in American history. This new method of civil rights justice took on the term â€Å"affirmative action†. Preceding this was a rise to equality among minorities, mainly African Americans and Hispanics. The breakthrough case Brown v. Board of Education desegregated public schools and opened the door for national equality of all citizens. In 1963 President John Kennedy developed eigh... ...http://www.landmarkcases.org/> Regents of the University of California v. Bakke (1978) 438 U.S. 265, No. 76-811 http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/cgibin/getcase.pl?court=US&vol=438&invol=265 Schwartz, Michael. â€Å"The Ugly Effects of California’s Proposition 209.† Arizona Daily Wildcat. 4 Mar. 1998.http://wildcat.arizona.edu/papers/91/139/05_1_m.html â€Å"Table- UCLA Ethnic Enrollment(State and Non-State Support) (1) Fall 1973 To Fall 2000.† UCLA Office of Academic Planning and Budget, 2000. UCLA: November 2000. http://www.apb.ucla.edu/www00/histethn/FTOTETH.PDF Michigan Engineering. University of Michigan, College of Engineering. 27 Nov. 2004. < http://www.engin.umich.edu/> Wilson, Pete., Ward Connerly, and Pamela A. Lewis. â€Å"Argument in Favor of Proposition 209.† Homepage. 27 Nov. 2004 http://vote96.ss.ca.gov/Vote96/html/BP/209yesarg.htm

Introduction of foreign pathogens into Australia :: essays research papers fc

Introduction of foreign pathogens into Australia It is widely known that the poor health experienced by many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders relates from complex reasons originating from their history after European settlement. Two centuries of introduced disease, combined with today’s lifestyle diseases and impoverished socioeconomic and environmental conditions, have had devastating, and all too often fatal, effects on Indigenous health. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population suffered from introduced disease that often turned out to be fatal because of lack of immunity to introduced pathogens. In 1788, Indigenous Australians were totally healthier than most Europeans of that time, whether it was socially, emotionally or physically. But when the Europeans came, their diseases killed many of the Aborigines without even lifting a hand. There were an estimated 5000 Aborigines living in Tasmania when the British first arrived in 1803. Living in small groups, they had survived for millennia in the island's extreme wilderness, hunting kangaroos and gathering shellfish along the coast. By the end of the 19th century they had been all but wiped out, in what has long been regarded as one of the darkest periods in Australia's history which many thinks was caused by introduced pathogens by Europeans. People have said that introduced disease was used as an international weapon of extermination especially in the case of the Australian Aborigines. The Aborigines were so affected by the introduced pathogens because their immune systems had never encountered that kind of disease before so they had not developed any immunity at all and so succumbed to disease very easily. The first major smallpox epidemic among Aborigines was in April 1789, fifteen months after first settlement. The second was in 1829-31, its origin never determined. Many people have suggested and even written books about it that smallpox and other various killer diseases were deliberately introduced by the First Fleet to the Aborigines to kill them off easily. Diseases introduced by convicts and settlers - smallpox, typhoid, tuberculosis, diphtheria, whooping cough, influenza, pneumonia, measles and venereal disease - seriously depleted Aboriginal numbers. There was a massive population loss in central Australia - particularly in the region of what is now Alice Springs - between 1860 and 1895. Introduction of foreign pathogens into Australia :: essays research papers fc Introduction of foreign pathogens into Australia It is widely known that the poor health experienced by many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders relates from complex reasons originating from their history after European settlement. Two centuries of introduced disease, combined with today’s lifestyle diseases and impoverished socioeconomic and environmental conditions, have had devastating, and all too often fatal, effects on Indigenous health. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population suffered from introduced disease that often turned out to be fatal because of lack of immunity to introduced pathogens. In 1788, Indigenous Australians were totally healthier than most Europeans of that time, whether it was socially, emotionally or physically. But when the Europeans came, their diseases killed many of the Aborigines without even lifting a hand. There were an estimated 5000 Aborigines living in Tasmania when the British first arrived in 1803. Living in small groups, they had survived for millennia in the island's extreme wilderness, hunting kangaroos and gathering shellfish along the coast. By the end of the 19th century they had been all but wiped out, in what has long been regarded as one of the darkest periods in Australia's history which many thinks was caused by introduced pathogens by Europeans. People have said that introduced disease was used as an international weapon of extermination especially in the case of the Australian Aborigines. The Aborigines were so affected by the introduced pathogens because their immune systems had never encountered that kind of disease before so they had not developed any immunity at all and so succumbed to disease very easily. The first major smallpox epidemic among Aborigines was in April 1789, fifteen months after first settlement. The second was in 1829-31, its origin never determined. Many people have suggested and even written books about it that smallpox and other various killer diseases were deliberately introduced by the First Fleet to the Aborigines to kill them off easily. Diseases introduced by convicts and settlers - smallpox, typhoid, tuberculosis, diphtheria, whooping cough, influenza, pneumonia, measles and venereal disease - seriously depleted Aboriginal numbers. There was a massive population loss in central Australia - particularly in the region of what is now Alice Springs - between 1860 and 1895.

Democratic Leadership Essay

Explain what is meant by democratic leadership. Evaluate the effectiveness of employing a democratic leadership style on the success of Harrods. Use E-library sources to find another example that had also been successful using a democratic leadership style. Democratic leadership style is an open and collegial style where ideas between the leaders and the subordinates flow freely as the discussions are held in an open manner and where all members opinions are respected. It’s often participative and involves employees in the decision making process. It involves the redistribution of power and authority between employees and managers to provide employee involvement in decision-making. The following features characterize democratic leadership: †¢Distribution of responsibility: A manager that leads democratically will distribute responsibility among his group to facilitate participation in decision-making. †¢Empowering group members: Leaders must empower their members so that the members can accomplish their responsibilities. Empowerment includes providing training and education necessary for delegated task completion. †¢Aiding group decision-making process: A major role of a democratic leader is to ensure democratic deliberation in making group decisions. This means that a leader should act as a facilitator and mediator between group members and ensure that a psychologically healthy and respectful environment is maintained. Advantages of Democratic leadership: †¢Democratic leadership techniques generally will do a better job creating job satisfaction because it fosters a sense of participation, control and autonomy. †¢Greater employee participation in decision-making may also lead to greater innovation and creative solutions to problems that will better serve an organization. Disadvantages of Democratic leadership: †¢It may not be as efficient as a more traditional centralized and authoritarian form of direction. †¢It may be more costly to the organization in time and resources. †¢Accountability may sometimes present a problem. Employing democratic leadership at Harrods has the following advantages: †¢Employees felt that they are more important to doing the job as they have been given more responsibilities and methods to share their opinions. †¢The pressure has been reduced from mangers as they delegated more responsibilities to employees and were left out with more strategic decisions to be made. †¢Performance at Harrods have increased because the employees felt that they are more important and have more self-confidence. †¢The workflow of departments became more fluent as the department heads and employees have a degree of freedom to make decisions. The only disadvantage was that top management has lost some of its powers over the employees, but the overall benefits exceeds the cost which acts in favor of Harrods management. Another example of Democratic leadership company is Apple as it gives its employees the freedom to make decisions and to be creative in the workplace.

Hidden messages of objects of African art Essay

In our modern world works of art play a role which is quite different from the role they used to play in the past. Indeed, in ancient times the craftsmanship of masters who produced utensils necessary for daily needs was already the source of art, because their products were among few vehicles of self-expression. As the result, many of the objects of the ancient art were simultaneously the objects of use, like vessels for liquids, different decorated tools, etc. However, with time and along with the social developments at least since Hellenistic culture art in the Western world was becoming more a means of self-expression of man and of our human striving for beauty. This process, while preserving the attraction to objects of practical utilization endowed with artistic qualities, also led to the separation of decorative art into a means to achieve aesthetic satisfaction. At a certain moment, art began to be integrated into the approaches towards creation of living spaces of human beings, and, importantly, the works of art began to be valued for their own sake. Since the industrial revolution, when technologies enabled mass production of products, the role of art in the Western world underwent further transformation art because capitalism initiated â€Å". . . the bringing of art . . . into subordinate relation . . .†[1] Since those times there appeared a tendency to perceive works of art as a kind of modern icons enclosed in museums for public viewing. Thus, â€Å"the religion of art . . . was born†[2], and art as a consecrated phenomenon has been by now somewhat isolated from our everyday lives. In this regard, one of the most important tasks of museums is to find the most effective ways to immerse people into artistic environment and to teach them not only to contemplate objects with their eyes, but as well to feel them with all their senses, as if reliving experiences of those human beings who created artistic objects. This task becomes especially challenging when it comes to the presentation of artifacts of cultures that significantly differ from our own. To see such challenges we may turn our attention to art of Africa, which contains a lot of exotic elements for modern viewers. One of the most important qualities of art in African cultures is its focus on immediate human experiences. In addition to racial differences among the ethnic groups of Africa that are reflected in their approach towards depiction of human beings, works of African art in most cases also look so strange for modern viewers because they represent world views and unique experiences (already fixed by addition of â€Å"and unique experiences†) of their creators which are really different from ours. Indeed, African art builds upon heritage of several millennia of various cultural traditions embodied in such diverse artistic artifacts as sculptures created for ritual purposes, wooden and golden monuments, ornaments made of silver and gold, unique garments, masks, and other artifacts. On grounds of this diversity, it is very hard to make generalizations about the African culture. However, there are some common elements that can be viewed as main motives and themes of African art. For example, it is a well known fact that African natural environment is very harsh in comparison to other regions of the world. Consequently, for African denizens the answer to the need to maintain population has traditionally been the bearing of numerous children. Therefore, African women are primarily associated with the symbol of life, because the existence and integrity of families and clans depends on one hand upon ability of woman to give birth to children, and on other hand upon her role as supporter of old parents and upon her mission in many African societies of contacting with spirits of the ancestors through prayers and ritual offerings. On ground of this, many themes in African art are in one way or another linked with symbols of fertility of women, of soil as another source of life, and of animals and plants. For example, many African shrines are dedicated to spirits that are believed to provide fertility, and they often contain some sculptures or other art forms that symbolize fertility. In a more direct fashion, in many African cultures there is an abundance of art objects that directly depict pregnant women. In this way we can see that African art has traditionally been influenced by specifics of its environment. However, one of the Western approaches to African art lies in our attempts to find out whether Africans make art for its own sake, and this approach may be somewhat misleading. At this point we may recall our considerations of the development of art in the Western world when until relatively recent times art was not meant to be placed in museums as it is often the case today, but rather was integrated in the life of society, for instance in religious and even political practices. In this connection, African art seems to have retained the ability to keep itself close to everyday concerns of people as far as it aims to reflect upon the most urgent concerns of African people. The objects of African art bristle with expressive emotions of their masters who with the help of objects of art try to investigate their relation with the world, and who through art communicate their striving to survive in a tough environment. Therefore, African art can hardly be separated from the lives of people who created it, and this unity seems to be stronger than in the Western artistic tradition.[3] One of the very exciting exhibitions where we can find beautiful exemplars of African art is the exhibition devoted to Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Let us with the help of this exhibition explore how modern viewers perceive objects of quite a different culture, and whether this exhibition manages to make the displayed objects of art speak to spectators in their native language. For this task we may pick several objects representative of the African culture as far as they reflect upon the main traditional themes of past and present African art. It must be pointed out from the outset that very often there are no firm dates for many of objects of African art. This is because African artists neither signed nor dated their creations. However, as many pieces of African art are made of wood, which is not a very long-lasting material, especially in African environment, it is thought that most of the wooden pieces of African art can probably be dated as belonging to the end of the nineteenth or the beginning of the twentieth century. Of course, aside from wood many objects are made of stone, clay, bronze, silver, gold, ivory, and terracotta. Such objects are long-lasting and those of them that have been found in known archeological contexts and in properly investigated archaeological locations have more or less fixed dates attributed to them. I propose to choose the following objects for the further research: A seated figure of a male from the thirteenth century, which offers an impressive image of anxiety that speaks directly to viewers` emotions (figure 1 in Appendix). This object originates from Inland Niger Delta region, the site named Jenne-jeno, which is the most ancient known city of sub-Saharan Africa. The Metropolitan Museum of Art acquired this object in 1981 as a bequest from Joseph Pulitzer, Harris Brisbane Dick, and Rogers Funds. (already fixed) A memorial head of a ruler of the Akan ethnic group from Western Africa from the seventeenth century that reflects idealized notions of African people (figure 2 in Appendix). This object`s origin was Hemang city in the Twifo region of Ghana, the land of the Akan ethnic group. It was initially a part of Michael C. Rockefeller Memorial Collection and was given to museum by Nelson A. Rockefeller in 1967. A pendant mask dated of the sixteenth century, which has an interesting history and therefore can enhance our understanding of the role of art in African cultures (figure 3 in Appendix). This object originates from Benin, a culturally important region populated by Edo speaking people that is a part of southern and northern The mask has a rich history of ownership, as it belonged to Brenda Z. Seligman, Prof. C. G. Seligman, and Sir Ralph Moor. In the end, it also became a part of Michael C. Rockefeller Memorial Collection and was gifted to museum by Nelson A. Rockefeller in 1972. (I`m afraid that if more detailed info is needed on provenance, the only way to get it is to visit the museum and find out, because officially Metropolitan Museum states only what we have mentioned above, i.e. that â€Å"it belonged to Brenda Z. Seligman, Prof. C. G. Seligman, and Sir Ralph Moor. In the end, it also became a part of Michael C. Rockefeller Memorial Collection and was gifted to museum by Nelso n A. Rockefeller in 1972†) Of course, there exists a diverse and comprehensive body of research dedicated to such a complex phenomenon as African art. Most of the books dedicated to this topic attempt to integrate African art with social and ethnographic peculiarities of African cultures. I believe that this is a rightful path to follow, because if we try to comprehend the meaning of African objects of art while ignoring their context we risk not grasping their true meaning that was assigned to them by their creators. Among books that provide such an integrated approach to the research of African art we may highlight several. One of them is the work History of Art in Africa by Monica Blackmun Visona and numerous co-authors. This book is not that much a strictly formal research but rather a detailed guide that increases our understanding of artistic forms created in different regions of Africa by different peoples and cultures, especially those of the Sub-Saharan areas. From the academic point of view, by means of a combination of modern research of various forms of African arts and their attempts to apply those findings to different geographic regions and different times of African history authors had made a significant contribution to the literature devoted to the history of art. Another relevant work that deals with African art is the book edited by Tom Phillips Africa: The Art of a Continent. It is one of the most thorough general works on African art that provides detailed overview of art forms and styles, and at the same time gives extensive description of African tribes and their influence on regionalized art forms. In this way, this book is helpful as a reference for those who would like to systemize the knowledge of African art that one already has, and to localize cultural centers of African art. In addition to the mentioned books, the work of Sidney Littlefield Kasfir Contemporary African Art is the worthy piece of reasearch that treats the transformations in African art in the latter half of the 20th century. It is a very helpful direction of research because, among other things, it shows how the traditional forms of African art are reevaluated by contemporary African artists themselves. The high level of scholarship of the author and his masterful ability to tie modernity with history co-operate to paradoxically make this book relevant for those who aim to better understand not only modern African art, but its traditional forms as well, which is the important achievement for this author. Each of the mentioned books contains some outstanding points, but at the same time none of them can pretend to be a fully comprehensive guide to African art, if it is at all possible to make a such a guide. But as all those books cover somewhat different aspects of African art, I believe that our task is to try to combine their findings with our immediate impressions from the contemplation of the objects of African art from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in order to achieve the highest possible level of comprehension of the uniqueness of African cultural heritage. This aim leads me to a more general task which I will try to accomplish, namely to see whether it is possible for a museum as a kind of â€Å"modern cultural church† of our society to present objects of an unfamiliar culture in such a way as to enable viewers to really penetrate beyond the objects` material form and recreate in their minds experiences similar to those of artists who embodied their feelings in artistic creations. This task presupposes some psychological research, of which my own impressions from the exhibition will be the object, and also considerations about the general level of successfulness of the exhibit as measured by visible impressions of its other visitors. The first object of our analysis is a seated figure of a male. Due to the age of this piece of art and the fact that African artists did not inscribe their names on their creations it is impossible to know who exactly was the author of this object. However, we know that this sculpture originates from a location known as Jenne-jeno, which was the most ancient known city of sub-Saharan Africa. This was a center that thrived around the ninth century AD, but declined by the beginning of the fifteenth century leaving numerous artifacts made of forged iron, cast brass, and clay. While performed archaeological digs give only a vague glimpse of the true role of art in that region, the available heritage of the old culture of Jenne-jeno definitely shows that artists of the urban society of that time possessed highly sophisticated artistic skills. For example, this particularly impressive figure, with its legs crossed, its chest almost pressed against a leg, and its head touching its knee, transmits the sensation of anxiety and stress, or, alternatively, of a full immersion in a prayer. This frozen emotional load of the sculpture bespeaks the motives of a creator of this piece of art that apparently were aimed at expressing intense emotional experiences that could arise from such events as ritual commemoration of the death of loved people. The method of direct portrayal of emotions as if written on the face of the figure serves to actually dissolve boundaries of time and make this object universally understood. (well, sometimes we have to defend our position, and in this case it actually could be both that the figure is tense or relaxed in prayer, and it`s not a contradiction. In fact, I checked the website of the Metropolitan and, ironically, there it is also said that this figure â€Å"simultaneously suggests the knotted tension of anxiety and the sublime absorption of deep prayer†) At the same time, sculptures like this one despite their concreteness of representation could simultaneously serve as a symbolic image of ancestors or mythic heroes, in this way existing in realms of both the material and spiritual, and therefore most probably were employed in ritual ceremonies. Indeed, the shaved head of this figure and its state of self-immersion are somewhat symbolized and remind of mourning practices that are still used by many cultures of sub-Saharan Africa.[4] In this way, this object enables us to suppose that such practices were as well common 700 years ago among peoples of the Inland Niger Delta. But, of course, due to the mentioned scarcity of our knowledge of the true role of art in the region of Jenne-jeno we cannot convincingly limit the role of this figure exclusively to mourning practices. In terms of materials used, this object is made of terracotta, a brownish baked earth clay that is a durable and easily workable substance. Usually, found terracotta figures have a lot of detail, because this material was widely used in African art for production of bodily ornaments and jewelry. This sculpture is not an exception as can be seen from its physical appearance and its surface qualities. For example, the technique used for the creation of this object enabled the author to make the parallel lines of knobs and dots on the back of the figure in such a way as to give it a heightened sense of relief. By the way, such knobs and dots were employed in African art quite often, sometimes covering the whole space of human figures. It is thought that this element in art was supposed to stand for signs of some kind of sicknesses that abound in African environment. [5] Combining the mentioned aspects of this object of art, I have to admit that I was greatly impressed by its overall look, and I noticed that the general response of other museum visitors was similar as people were apparently staying near this object for a longer time than on average. I believe the reason for this is the skillful work of the artist who managed to embody in the material shape a lot of emotional load, and therefore reached a powerful effect. But what made me especially excited about this object was the realization of the fact that for the author of this work its message was most probably personally experienced, and therefore this object conforms to one of the most important tasks of art, which lies in the creation of universal space of communication that transcends bounds of time and cultures. The second object of our research is a memorial head of a ruler dated of the seventeenth century, and for which we also do not know the author. This terracotta object is a decorated portrait that depicts a serene man with accurately balanced facial features and striped long neck. This form of African art belongs to what is called in some West-African cultures as â€Å"mma†, an idealized image that depicts the positive qualities that were expected from a ruler. Therefore, one of the main motives for the creation of this object was its involvement in ritual procedures. In fact, it is known that such portraits were crafted posthumously and were left along with similar images of preceding rulers in special sacred cemeteries and shrines called â€Å"mmaso† that had to keep the memory and the history of lineage of noble members of African societies. Additionally, this practice of posthumous pictorial commemoration of rulers also extended to members of his court and his servants, who were supposed to continue their service for their ruler after his death as well. â€Å"Mmaso† cemeteries were the places of regular offerings and prayers aimed at the constant support of the deceased ancestors.[6] On these grounds, it stands to reason that artists who created portraits such as the one we are studying were adding a great deal of symbolism to their creations. Indeed, the general appearance of this object is such that for me it was hard to imagine the person who it was intended to copy, and I suspect that the exact physical resemblance might not have been the main concern of the author of this memorial portrait. This head is also made from terracotta, and is decorated with fragments of quartz. But in contrast to the previous terracotta object that depicts a figure in a very plastic and emotional way, this object looks as if it was consciously processed by the artist without excessive modification of the original terracotta sphere. It seems that the facial features of the man float above the rough material they are inscribed on, and radiate a kind and positive irony, which to my judgement testifies to a very subtle technique used by the artist that is on a par with the best recognized masterpieces of fine arts. At the same time, it seems to me that this object of art retains some mystery, as if the closed eyes of the man say that we cannot see the world that his eyes had seen, and that we might have to become one of his contemporaries to fully perceive the world view of this ancient ruler and the artist who immortalized him. (Hm, it`s really hard to say what the professor meant by putting â€Å"!† along this portion of the text. . . Do you know exactly?) Interestingly, many people in the museum behaved as if feeling in some subconscious way the ultimate futility of efforts to fully comprehend the message of this object, because I noticed that in most cases visitors did not spend much time near this memorial head. But I believe that with this work the artist reached perhaps the most important artistic effect, that of its ability to intrigue truly attentive viewers, and therefore make them wonder about the hidden aspects of the culture that gave birth to this object. The last target of our research is a mask, the object strongly associated with African art. And, indeed, this mask had a special meaning for its creators. It is dated of the sixteenth century, and in contrast to previous anonymous works this artifact can give us some hints as to its artistic origin. In fact, this mask is thought to have been created in the beginning of the sixteenth century for the king of Benin Esigie. The mask depicts the elaborated and thoughtful portrait of the mother of the king, and it was probably used in rites that honored the king`s mother. From this we can guess that this mask was created by some court artist specifically for the ritual purposes, moreover that even today in many African cultures similar pendant masks are always involved in yearly rituals of spiritual purification. To reinforce this assumption we should point out that this mask is primarily made of ivory, the material that in Benin is associated with the white color that symbolizes ritual purity of the god of the sea named Olokun. This god was also viewed as a spiritual guard of kings, so this mask could bear several meanings.[7] In addition to ivory as a primary material, this mask is decorated with metal mosaic, has carved superficial incisions in the skin of its forehead, and holds below the chin beads made of coral. Interestingly, the collar and the diadem of the mask contain images of mudfish and bearded Portuguese. Mudfish live both in the water and on land, and thus it stands for the dual nature of the king who is simultaneously human and divine. On the other hand, Portuguese, who arrived from the sea, were perceived as coming from the spiritual realm. In this way, this mask integrates in it numerous symbols of the African culture. In general, this object of art conveys a somewhat different impression than previous ones. First of all, its high level of detail draws attention and begs for an especially careful inspection from the side of a viewer. On the other hand, despite having many types of decorations this mask nevertheless looks very integral and thematically complete. Moreover, among the objects of our research this mask is the most realistic one in terms of its resemblance to an actual human being. But at the same time it seemed to me that maybe because of its portrait-like look many people fail to notice the depth of its symbolical meaning of which the facial form of the mask is merely a small part. Thus, we can see that African artists already long time ago fully possessed the skill of integration of multilayered symbolical messages in a work of art, which uncovers the richness of their world views. On ground of our observations, we may conclude that museum exhibits can really give visitors a chance to relive experiences of cultures as different from ours as African ones are. However, the expansion of our cultural awareness is a task that perhaps to a larger degree depends on a viewer himself. Indeed, if a viewer just walks by the exhibit, she may get only a very limited impression of African art which may only confirm some formulaic notions that many of us have about it, like that there are a lot of masks, that objects of African art are of a strange look, etc. Even I must admit that without the deeper investigation of the history and hidden messages of the objects of African art that we had researched I would most probably also fail to see the true meaning of the works of African art, because a superficiality of judgement reduces the artistic creations merely to their material form and ignores their spiritual connotation. On a more practical side, I would recommend that in relation to exhibits devoted to exotic forms of art, of which African art is a good example, museums should not merely provide a passive presentation of artistic objects, but rather should take more proactive steps in terms of attraction of visitors` attention towards hidden aspects of art that may defy superficial attitude. For example, this purpose may be achieved through organization of publicly open regular thematic seminars on new historical, ethnographic and iconographic research devoted to African and other exotic forms of art, and through advertised presentations of new objects obtained by museum. All of this would help put what otherwise might be perceived as isolated individual objects of art into a larger cultural context, and therefore might increase public awareness of the specifics and values of art of different regions of the world.    Bibliography: â€Å"Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas†. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2006. Bacquart, Jean-Baptiste. The Tribal Arts of Africa. Thames & Hudson, 2002. Brettell, Richard R. Modern Art 1851-1929 : Capitalism and Representation. Oxford University Press, 1999. Drewal, Henry John, Pemberton, John III, Abiodun, Rowland, and Wardwell, Allen, (Ed.). Yoruba: Nine Centuries of African Art and Thought. Harry N Abrams, 1990. Ezra, Kate. Royal Art of Benin: The Perls Collection. Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1992. Hahner-Herzog, Iris, Kecskesi, Maria, and Vajda, Lazlo. African Masks: The Barbier- Mueller Collection. Prestel Publishing, 1998. Kasfir, Sidney Littlefield. Contemporary African Art. Thames & Hudson, 2000. Mills, C. Wright. Power, Politics, and People: The Collected Essays of C. Wright Mills Oxford University Press, 1967. Phillips, Tom, (Ed.). Africa: The Art of a Continent. Prestel Publishing, 1999. Thompson, Robert Farris. African Art in Motion: Icon and Act in the Collection of Katherine Coryton White. University of California Press, 1974. Turner, Victor Witter. Revelation and divination in Ndembu ritual (Symbol, myth, and ritual). Cornell University Press, 1975. Visona, Monica Blackmun, Poynor, Robin, Cole, Herbert M., Harris, Michael D., Abiodun, Rowland, and Blier, Suzanne Preston. History of Art in Africa. Prentice Hall, 2003. Willett, Frank. African Art. Thames & Hudson, 2002. Works Cited: Hahner-Herzog, Iris, Kecskesi, Maria, and Vajda, Lazlo. African Masks: The Barbier- Mueller Collection. Prestel Publishing, 1998. Kasfir, Sidney Littlefield. Contemporary African Art. Thames & Hudson, 2000. Mills, C. Wright. Power, Politics, and People: The Collected Essays of C. Wright Mills. Oxford University Press, 1967. Paz, Octavio. Convergences: Essays on Art and Literature. Harvest/HBJ Book, 1991. Phillips, Tom, (Ed.). Africa: The Art of a Continent. Prestel Publishing, 1999. Visona, Monica Blackmun, Poynor, Robin, Cole, Herbert M., Harris, Michael D., Abiodun, Rowland, and Blier, Suzanne Preston. History of Art in Africa. Prentice Hall, 2003. (As you could see, I already have removed Paz from Bibliography)

Biological Effect of Radiation

EFFECTS OF RADIATION Background Radiation is all around us. It is naturally present in our environment and has been since the birth of this planet. Consequently, life has evolved in an environment which has significant levels of ionizing radiation. It comes from outer space (cosmic), the ground (terrestrial), and even from within our own bodies. It is present in the air we breathe, the food we eat, the water we drink, and in the construction materials used to build our homes. Certain foods such as bananas and brazil nuts naturally contain higher levels of radiation than other foods.Brick and stone homes have higher natural radiation levels than homes made of other building materials such as wood. Our nation's Capitol, which is largely constructed of granite, contains higher levels of natural radiation than most homes. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | How does radiation have an impact on health? Too much radiation, like too much of anything, is harmful. We know about this harm from research and from accidents, and from the effects of the two atomic bombs dropped on Japan in 1945.The effects can range from mild gastrointestinal problems (such as nausea and vomiting) to changes in the blood, to damage to the central nervous system. Too little radiation, likewise, is also harmful. The world's flora and fauna, including human beings, have grown up in a radioactive environment. We know from research in which organisms have been shielded from everyday radiation that their growth is stunted. We also know it from comparing populations that receive different levels of radiation because of their location.Often, the populations receiving the most radiation are healthier and suffer fewer cancers. In between these extremes, it is usual to protect workers when they work in industries that use sources of radiation. Radioactive materials decay spontaneously to produce ionising radiation, which has the capacity to cause significant damage to the body 's internal chemistry, breaking the chemical bonds between the atoms and molecules that make up our tissues. Damage to the DNA of a cell is particularly important.The body responds by trying to repair this damage, but at high doses it is too severe or widespread to make repair possible, leading to short-term acute health effects. There is also a danger of mistakes in the natural DNA repair process, which can lead in the long-term to cancer. Regions of the body that are most vulnerable to acute radiation damage include the cells lining the intestine and stomach, and the blood-cell producing cells in the bone marrow. The extent of the damage caused is dependent on how long people are exposed to radiation, and at what level.These can include smaller head or brain size, poorly formed eyes, slow growth and severe learning difficulties. . | | COMMON RADIOISOTOPES AND THEIR USES Americium-241: Used in many smoke detectors for homes and businesses to measure levels of toxic lead in dried pa int samples, to ensure uniform thickness in rolling processes like steel and paper production, and to help determine where oil wells should be drilled Cadmium-109: Used to analyze metal alloys for checking stock and sorting scrap Calcium-47: Aid to biomedical researchers studying the cell function and bone formation of mammals.Californium-252: Used to measure the mineral content of coal ash and to measure the moisture of materials stored in silos Carbon-14: Used in research to ensure that potential new drugs are metabolized without forming harmful by-products. Cesium-137: Used to treat cancers; to calibrate the equipment used to measure correct patient dosages of radioactive pharmaceuticals; to measure and control the liquid flow in oil pipelines; to tell researchers whether oil wells are plugged by sand; and to ensure the right fill level for packages of food, drugs and other products. The products in these packages do not become radioactive. ) Chromium-51: Used in research in red blood cell survival studies. Cobalt-57: Used in nuclear medicine to help physicians interpret diagnostic scans of patients' organs, and to diagnose pernicious anemia. Cobalt-60: Used to sterilize surgical instruments; to improve the safety and reliability of industrial fuel oil burners; and to preserve poultry, fruits and spices.Copper-67: When injected with monoclonal antibodies into a cancer patient, helps the antibodies bind to and destroy the tumor Curium-244: Used in mining to analyze material excavated from pits and slurries from drilling operations. Iodine-123: Widely used to diagnose thyroid disorders. Iodine-129: Used to check some radioactivity counters in vitro diagnostic testing laboratories. Iodine-131: Used to diagnose and treat thyroid disorders Iridium-192: Used to test the integrity of pipeline welds, boilers and aircraft parts.Iron-55: Used to analyze electroplating solutions. Krypton-85: Used in indicator lights in appliances like clothes washers and dryers, stere os and coffeemakers; to gauge the thickness of thin plastics, sheet metal, rubber, textiles and paper; and to measure dust and pollutant levels. Nickel-63: Used to detect explosives and as voltage regulators and current surge protectors in electronic devices Phosphorus-32: Used in molecular biology IN MEDICINERadioisotopes have found extensive use in diagnosis and therapy, and this has given rise to a rapidly growing field called nuclear medicine. These radioactive isotopes have proven particularly effective as tracers in certain diagnostic procedures. As radioisotopes are identical chemically with stable isotopes of the same element, they can take the place of the latter in physiological processes. Moreover, because of their radioactivity, they can be readily traced even in minute quantities with such detection devices as gamma-ray spectrometers and proportional counters.