Thursday, November 28, 2019

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Disease free essay sample

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a disease that makes muscles stop working. It is a rare disease found mostly in active people. The most common name for ALS is Lou Gehrigs disease. Lou Gehrig was a hall of fame baseball player who played with Babe Ruth on the Yankees. He became a victim to ALS in the late 1930’s. ALS was discovered in Paris, France in the early 1870s. Jean-Martin Charcot worked with many patients with similar diseases before discovering the disease. People who have ALS first start to notice a weakening in the muscles of the arms and legs, poor balance, speech, and swallowing problems. Many people who have it have a hard time performing simple everyday tasks like tying their shoes or brushing their teeth. Eventually, patients will have to switch to a liquid diet. Overtime they become more fatigued and very weak. Almost all the victims of ALS have to use respiratory machines to breath and have their food inserted directly into the stomach. We will write a custom essay sample on Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Disease or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page ALS patients typically sleep a lot because any physical activity can cause fatigue and make breathing really hard. Life expectancy for people with this disease is usually 2-8 years and on rare occasions, 10+ years. There is no cure for ALS and every patient eventually passes away from the disease. There have been a few rare cases where people diagnosed with this disease have lived longer than fifteen years. There are a couple of ways to lessen the effects of ALS like massages, diets, and plenty of rest have been proven to slow down the process of the nerves dying out in some patients. In conclusion, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a deadly and frightening disease. Although there is no cure, medications like siazepam can help control spasms, muscle cramps, and saliva. Siazepam can also help control muscle twitching. Physical therapy is important for patients with ALS to help stay flexible in joints and to prevent contractures, or fixations of muscles. Someday, hopefully, a cure will be developed, and the suffering this disease is causing will be stopped.

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Free Essays on The Ethics Of The Truth

â€Å"When in doubt tell the truth. It will confound your enemies and astound your friends.† As Mark Twain suggests in this quote, it is a good rule of thumb to live by. People have spend hundreds of years attempting to justify lies. Whether to lie, equivocate, be silent, or tell the truth in any given situation is a hard decision. People have spend hundreds of years attempting to justify lies. From Thomas Aquinas to Bill Clinton debates on lying have been ongoing without much of a consensus. Philosopher’s and common people alike have been divided on the subject of lying for many, many years. St. Thomas Aquinas defined lying as a statement at variance with the mind. (Slater) This definition is better than most of the definitions we find from more recent times. The Webster’s New World Dictionary defines lying as the following: to make a statement or statements that one knows to be false, especially with the intent to deceive. This definition isn’t completely correct, as it is possible to lie without making a false statement and without the intention of deceiving. Aristotle in his Ethics maintained that it is never permissible to lie, while Plato in The Republic allows doctors and statesmen to lie occasionally for the good of their patients and for the common wealth. Kant allowed a lie under absolutely no conditions. (Slater) St. Augustine created a doctrine used by the Western Church proving it is never lawful to tell a lie. He maintained an ear ly absolutist philosophy based on the fact that lying is a perversion of the God-given power of speech. Machiavelli has a utilitarian approach to lying in that he believes lies can be justified by asserting that great things may be achieved by those who have little regard for the truth. (Dickey) No consensus has been reached, and the issue of lying has become a personal opinion. There isn’t a set law on lying, and one person may feel that lying is abominable act, when anot... Free Essays on The Ethics Of The Truth Free Essays on The Ethics Of The Truth â€Å"When in doubt tell the truth. It will confound your enemies and astound your friends.† As Mark Twain suggests in this quote, it is a good rule of thumb to live by. People have spend hundreds of years attempting to justify lies. Whether to lie, equivocate, be silent, or tell the truth in any given situation is a hard decision. People have spend hundreds of years attempting to justify lies. From Thomas Aquinas to Bill Clinton debates on lying have been ongoing without much of a consensus. Philosopher’s and common people alike have been divided on the subject of lying for many, many years. St. Thomas Aquinas defined lying as a statement at variance with the mind. (Slater) This definition is better than most of the definitions we find from more recent times. The Webster’s New World Dictionary defines lying as the following: to make a statement or statements that one knows to be false, especially with the intent to deceive. This definition isn’t completely correct, as it is possible to lie without making a false statement and without the intention of deceiving. Aristotle in his Ethics maintained that it is never permissible to lie, while Plato in The Republic allows doctors and statesmen to lie occasionally for the good of their patients and for the common wealth. Kant allowed a lie under absolutely no conditions. (Slater) St. Augustine created a doctrine used by the Western Church proving it is never lawful to tell a lie. He maintained an ear ly absolutist philosophy based on the fact that lying is a perversion of the God-given power of speech. Machiavelli has a utilitarian approach to lying in that he believes lies can be justified by asserting that great things may be achieved by those who have little regard for the truth. (Dickey) No consensus has been reached, and the issue of lying has become a personal opinion. There isn’t a set law on lying, and one person may feel that lying is abominable act, when anot...

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Business Management and Organizational Behaviour Case Study

Business Management and Organizational Behaviour - Case Study Example Worse than this, in some cases in encouraging revenues to come through a particular gaming station, some team members have resorted to bad practises such as giving away drinks and free accommodation which results in a net loss for the organisation as a whole. In addition to the animosity created between teams at the organisational level, it has also become apparent that that the bonus system has created a culture of blame within individual teams. As has been demonstrated with the case of Laura, where teams have failed to achieve the bonus, individual members of the team have sought to make certain members of the team a scapegoat, blaming the individuals for the inability of the team as a whole to win the bonus. As such, this may be seen as a costly problem for the casino which has already lost a team member due to the public disgracing of the team member who was held responsible for the loss of bonus due to a refusal to engage in what other may see as unethical practises. Other key p roblems which may be seen in the casino relate to the individual relationships which exist amongst owners, managers and family members. For instance, in the incident with Laura, Ron who has sought to make use of a personal relationship between himself and his uncle in order to facilitate the outcome of Laura either leaving or engaging in the unethical style behaviour in which Ron himself has made use of in the past. This is an issue which Jennifer as a responsible agent will now find increasingly difficult to deal with. For instance, should Jennifer choose to criticise Ron’s actions and take appropriate actions, one consideration is that Jennifer may worry that Ron will similarly seek to make use of his personal relationship with his uncle so as to counteract...In informing the outcomes of the report, the report has made use of several sources of data including, the material presented in the case study as well as references to the appropriate models and frameworks as presente d in the academic literature on organisational behaviour, management and leadership. Having considered the facts of the case study one can see that there are a wide number of issues to be addressed from an organisational behaviour perspective, many of which spring from the current bonus system. In addition to the animosity created between teams at the organisational level, it has also become apparent that that the bonus system has created a culture of blame within individual teams. Having analysed the case study, it would seem that the fundamental problem is that the motivational methods being made use of are creating animosity between rival teams and internal team members within each of the gaming teams. As such, the recommendations of this report are that the current bonus system should be scraped and that the casino should look for alternative ways of trying to encourage each team to maximise revenues from its customers. In implementing the recommendations, the report recommends that in the immediate term the current bonus system should be suspended with immediate effect. It is evident from the case study that at present the bonus system is causing conflict amongst the teams and resulting in sub-optimal profitability for the business as a whole.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Analysis of data from the practical class (guinea-pig ileum Lab Report

Analysis of data from the practical class (guinea-pig ileum experiments) - Lab Report Example Fill in the table (see next page) for all 4 types of agonist/antagonist combination used. Using appropriate statistical tests on the class data, examine whether in each case the presence of the antagonist increased the log EC50 value of the agonist significantly (in other words, made it less negative)*. (ii) With reference to the class practical results in the table (page XX), describe in detail what the experimental evidence is for your answers to question 3(i). This justification of your conclusions is a very important part of this practical write-up. X- Due to the introduction of the drug x, there was contraction response on acetycholine as seen by the less negative values after the introduction of the drug. He drug acts on cholinergic nicotinic receptors, where acetycholine derives it actions. Y-As a result of the introduction of the drugs, the histamine action was strongly altered as seen by less negative values than in the absence of the drugs. In which case, it can be concluded that they are H2 antagonists because they are the ones that inhibit the action of histamine at H2 receptors. Through the action of H2 receptors, histamine is able to secrete gastric juice. 4. The experimental protocol for this practical involved determining two log concentration – response curves, the first one in the absence of the unknown antagonist and the second one in its presence. Could this experimental protocol lead to any error and, if so, and how might it be avoided (e.g. by modifying the protocol)? Paradoxical potentiating effects: Very low concentrations of aacetycholine sometimes produce a potentiation instead of antagonism and this would interfere with the measurements. More attention should be given when measuring the concentration to ensure that it is

Monday, November 18, 2019

Movie comment Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Comment - Movie Review Example There seems to be a break in connection with the past. This can be a good thing, however, because it forces the next generation to carve out a new way for themselves, and escape from the weight of history that has been handed down to them. One of the most interesting aspects of the film is that Pilar, who has a white father and Mexican mother, is a teacher whose job is to reinterpret the history for all of the different groups, even though the parents of the schoolchildren resist her open minded approach to the past. Cinema has a great power to play with time: â€Å"Sayles visually reinforces the weight of history and the past in Frontera with seamless chronological transitions smoothly effected by means of panning or other camera movement during uninterrupted takes.† (West and West, 1996, p.1) The flashbacks help to put history into context. Question 2. The town of Frontera, whose name literally means frontier or border, is at the meeting point of North America and South Amer ica, and it is also where the different mentalities of these two worlds meet.

Friday, November 15, 2019

How Cultivation Theory Applies To Racial Problems Media Essay

How Cultivation Theory Applies To Racial Problems Media Essay Introduction American cartoons comprise the most popular film product industry for children worldwide, and have gained considerable attention in terms of educating children. As an excellent medium for storytelling, children learn the basic concepts of what the world is like and what love and ethics are from the fairy tales they watch. I am currently studying one of the communication theories, namely, cultivation theory. American cartoons, particularly Disney movies, are classic objects of study. The cultivation theory developed by George Gerbner and Larry Gross of the University of Pennsylvania states that the more time people spend living in the television world, the more likely they are to believe the social reality portrayed on television. Therefore, heavy television viewers have a higher estimation for a particular social reality (e.g., violence, prostitution, affluence, occupation, and marital discord) than what real-world phenomena can justify. Thus, to make the theory applicable to the real world, the study emphasizes the harm that television shows might bring to people. In my opinion, early education is essential to the development of an individuals personality; it also determines his/her later ideology. Thus, the effects of cartoons on childrens self development are worth studying. American cartoons and animation movies have benefits, particularly in teaching children the values of honesty, bravery, and friendship, and the fact that justice and good will triumph over evil. However, we can also see that the protagonists often use violence to defeat evil. Along with violence, gender problems and religious issues also show up in most films more than we think, and children learn about them without guidance. Children could easily confuse reality and fantasy, particularly in our current society where parents who are busy with work and socializing use video games and television shows as substitute companions for their children. In a nutshell, studying American cartoons is crucial for us because they may drastically affect childrens upbringing by presenting negative messages. The cultivation theory deeply focuses on the effects of violence on the behavior of people. In this paper, I will analyze the issue of racial discrimination in cartoons to make the study of the cultivation theory more complete. Discrimination is another essential topic that has been largely neglected due to the focus on violence in cartoons. Literature Review Dixon (2006) believes that heavy viewers of television are more likely to think that an African-American suspect is guilty; they also view the world as a more dangerous place than it actually is. Television encourages violence and aggression. Durkin (1985) supports the view that children obtain information on gender roles and racial views from television and model their behaviors based on television characterization. Gerbner describe the process of blurring, blending, and bending that is experienced by individuals with heavy viewing habits. (Griffin, 2011). Heavy television viewers create a common outlook through constant exposure to the same images and labels. In movies, the heroes and the victims are always fair-skinned, whereas the criminals or villains are always black- or dark-skinned. Mastro and Stern (2003) add that races other than whites are under-represented, negatively depicted, and are often targets of mockery. From Larsons theory, the more children watch television programs, the more likely they are to develop and entertain more traditional gender and racial stereotypes based on what they view in the media (Larson, 2002). Waver (2011) analyzes racial related-phenomena in American movies and finds that the race of the actors clearly affects the desires of white audience members to see the films. The higher the percentage of black actors in the movie, the less interested white individuals were in seeing the movie.   Analysis Most Disney movies feature gorgeous princesses, including The Little Mermaid, Snow White, and Rapunzel, who are all depicted as Caucasians. The princess in the film The Princess and the Frog was dark-skinned but her prince was a white man. Most heroes in these movies are all fair-skinned, but the skin tones of the villains are diverse. In the movies, the storylines usually start with a white man who breaks into a new cultural environment, changes the locals points of view and customs, and leads them defeat the bad guy, after which he becomes the hero. Tarzan even became king of the forest. This stereotype exists in numerous American movies. According to the cultivation theory, children may subconsciously develop behavioral stereotypes, although what they view could be biased, distorted or misleading (Oliver, 2001 , Smith, 1994). American cartoon movies also add their own value to foreign cultures, which may adversely affect childrens knowledge of the actual status of other nations. For instance, the song of the Disney movie Aladdin (1992) used inappropriate words to describe the hometown of Aladdin. In the song, the words à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦where they cut off your ear if they dont like your face. Its barbaric, but hey, its home offended the Arab Americans, who believed that the lyrics are a misrepresentation of the Arab culture and should be removed. In 1993, the New York Times published a critique of the said movie, which was entitled It is racism, but hey, its Disney. The article pointed out that To characterize an entire region with this sort of tongue-in-cheek bigotry, especially in a movie aimed at children, borders on barbaric (New York Times, 1993). Another Disney movie, Mulan, twisted certain facts of the Chinese culture. In the movie, Mulan was characterized as an independent, liberal woman who suggeste d to that the princesses chase love bravely. Although this is an accepted idea in modern society and could be deemed proper by most people, it is not the real ideology in ancient China; it is not part true history and real tradition. In another animation movie, Pocahontas, the love story was exaggerated and deviated from what actually occurred in history. The contents of some American cartoons are more suited to adults. For instance, the show South Park features sarcasm, dirty words, and improper content that could easily be misunderstood by children. In an episode in the 11th season of the show With Apologies to Jesse Jackson, the word nigger was used 43 times. Although the purpose of this episode was not to humiliate black people, as the episode was in fact highly accepted by blacks, children may misconstrue the purpose of this cartoon and learn a new word that they could abuse. Another Disney movie entitled Song of the South featured a song called Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah, which won the Oscar for Original Score in 1946. However, the movie had racist tendencies when viewed from the criterion of today. The story takes place in the South after the Civil War, and Uncle Remus, a freed slave, tells stories to children and makes them laugh. Adam Clayton Powell Jr. viewed the portrayal of the happy life as a slave with suspicion and posited that it is humiliating to minorities. Disney did not publish the DVD in the United States to avoid eliciting resentment from the public. à £Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€š ¬ Griffin (2000) describes the effects that media can have on the audience as being similar to a cue ball. The effect of the cue ball exists regardless of the distance of the cue ball to the other balls. A similar effect can be seen in the posters of most movies, where the characters outlook is already published before the audience even sees the movie. For instance, in the movie Aladdin, the skin tones of Aladdin and Jasmine are fairer than those of the other people in the movie, and Jafars appearance could already give a general impression of his villainy even before the movie is viewed. Fair skin can thus be mistakenly connected to purity and kindness, whereas black or dark skin could be associated with criminality and craftiness. The problem is not limited to movies alone. The audience has its own personal interest, which causes the racial issue in movies to become an infinite loop. According to the study by Weaver in 2011, white people are more inclined to choose movies with white cast members than movies with cast members from other races, thereby decreasing opportunities for white children to see more movies from different aspects, as well as the opportunities for them to change their stereotypes. White audience members that practice selective avoidance if they perceive that a film has a black theme is precisely the concern that black actors such as Will Smith have expressed, especially when it comes to romantic leads in movies (Jones, 2005). Last year, only two of the 30 highest grossing films featured major non-white characters. According to the cultivation theory, when audience members repeatedly view the same scenario from various television shows and movies, they will associate it with the outside world in their mind. Racism is a phenomenon that cannot be completely eliminated, particularly in a country with so many ethnicities, such as the United States. The high rate of positive roles that white people portray indicates the constancy of racism in the future. Conclusion Children from all over the world watch Disney and other American cartoons. Thus, these movies and shows have far-reaching effects. Growing up exposed to many classic and fantastic stories have kept children well entertained and educated, as they come to appreciate the stories being told and the excellent techniques and artwork used in the telling. The positive influences that these movies have on children are undeniably more immense than the negative influences, as they teach children to be independent, tough, and patriotic. Advocating liberty, human rights, and American ideology is necessary for a nation to unite and educate people. However, praising American culture while criticizing others is not respectful. Racism is not a concept that children should learn. We can strengthen their idea of equality by using the cultivation theory, which could result in a decrease in conflicts between races, genders, and other issues. As embodied in the cultivation theory, when television predominates the lives of children, its influence can permeate the behavior, language, thoughts, and actions of children. Moreover, negative messages tend to be received more easily than positive messages. Thus, the effects of media on children should be studied, and possible modifications should be introduced. Recent American cartoons already manifest some changes. For instance, the main character in the movie Megamind has blue skin, and the classic image of the superhero is the one being mocked. An upcoming movie entitled Escape From Planet Earth will feature stories of several blue characters. Guidance from parents is also essential in eliminating or mitigating the influence of cultivation effect on children. A childs knowledge of the world and his ability to tell right from wrong are not yet mature, so parents can help their children understand what is on screen by explaining the contents of television shows to them. The movie rating system should be used worldwide. The cultivation theory also clearly posits that the cultivation effect occurs only after long-term, cumulative exposure to television (Weimann2000). Thus, decreasing the amount of time children spend watching television is also necessary.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave: The Ev

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave: A Perspective on the Evils of Slavery The institution of slavery defies the very nature of humanity, truth, and intellect from both the slave and the slave owner. Throughout the "Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave; the terrible relationship between ignorance and suppression is seen time and time again with every one of his owners. Douglass is fortunate in discovering the liberating power of knowledge of which his owners are trying so diligently to conceal. With this discovery comes a "new conception" of just how evil the institution of slavery is, causing Douglass to consider the pursuit of this powerful tool. To further complicate his battle against ignorance, Douglass's pathway to enlightenment and ultimately freedom leads him to discover the many other cruel methods that his suppressors use to break the essential and most important component of humanity, the soul. The practice of turning people into slaves can almost be looked at as evil science that begins its manipulations on what humans are most familiar with from the start, physical suffering. Douglass speaks of this early on and makes known that it is an ever-present tool used by his suppressors. Douglass was lucky not to be whipped very often by his early masters, but mentions that he, like many other young lave children, always suffered from the "hunger and cold" (Lauter 1773). Especially during his early years on Colonel Lloyd's plantation, his narration recalls many accounts of whipping, killing, and torture that he observed and heard of on the plantation. Sadly, he begins to notice and even accept common traits possessed by his overseers. For example, one of... ...rkness" (Lauter 1777). Interestingly, it is the innocent minds of children who are not totally corrupted by these ways of thinking yet, that help Douglass continue his goal to read. The heartless act and "irresponsible power" of holding a slave is an evil practice that contradicts the natural good of a human soul. This Narrative gives one a new perspective on the evils of slavery and the terrible way it affects every one who is involved. The ignorance and physical abuse of the slave is the essential means by which this practice survived for too long. Douglass gives us proof of this in his experiences he endured in overcoming these obstacles and makes us aware of the power that knowledge holds, of both freedom and slavery. Bibliography Lauter, Paul. The Heath Anthology of American Literature Ed III., Vol I, 1998 Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Abortion from a Kantian and Utilitarianism Perspective

Population Growth You and me, we aren’t that different. But when we compare ourselves to the 6. 2 billion people in this world or even the 287. 4 million in the United States, we start to become really different. Take all of the high-rises and stack them up and I bet we could go to the moon. Now you tell me that is not over-population. This world is growing with people everyday and it doesn’t stop. Because of the population and its growth our resources are becoming limited. Our garbage production on this planet is atrocious! It all needs to stop right now.If we stop populating this world with more people we would become better off later on. Like I said our natural resources are limited and everyday a lot of them are getting thrown in the trash. These are all things that have to do with population. Everyday we are changing the environment around us, whether it is building roads, houses or any other thing in that matter. In doing so we are taking up space on Earth. Which means that we are running out of room to grow. And pretty soon we will have no room to grow on this planet. In Bangladesh there are 2,405 people per square mile.Hong Kong is virtually made of high-rises that 6. 8 million people live in. The Chinese region of Macaa is 57,369 people per square mile. These numbers are all because we are running out of room to grow, thus we are turning to high-rises. Brazil has a population of 176. 5 million people and eight out of ten people live in towns or cities and it grows 1. 3% each year. 1. 3% is what the world’s average growth rate is. And you think that is bad, look at Africa, which has a growth rate of 2. 4% and of course is the highest in the world.Tokyo, Japan, home of 34 million Japanese, is the largest city in the world. Mexico City, Mexico has 22. 4 million el locos living in it. New York, New York, has 21. 8 million people in its borders and is the 4th largest city. Sao Paulo, Brazil, has 20 million people that I get to go meet a nd it is the 5th largest city. The 8th largest city is Los Angeles, California that is home to 17. 8 million Americans. The 19th largest city is Rio de Janeiro, which is home to 12 million Brazilians who I also get to meet. Number 26 is Chicago, Illinois, home to 9. 7 million Americans.Like I said, this world is growing. In 15,000 BC, 5 million people started hunting and gathering food for themselves. In 5,000 BC there were 66 million people in the world and they could finally settle in one place and farm. And now look at this world! The numbers of humans has never been on the downfall for very long. But the world’s growth rate has been falling at more or less . 1% annually. As you recall, the average growth rate is 1. 3%. In about 40 years from now, more than 50 countries will experience negative growth with a world growth rate at about 0. 34% per year.Like I’ve said, there are some natural resources that are running out. 70% of the Earth is covered in water. Only 25% of water supplies are clean and healthy in Ethiopia. 69% of water we use is for farming. Since 10,000 BC, humans have destroyed half of our world’s forest. Lets face it; mineral resources are finite and should be recycled for future generations. For example, the 287. 4 million Americans use ten times the amount of oil Africa does with 840 million people. Although this is not a renewable resource, it is a natural one we are going to run out of real soon.As common sense kicks in, we realize that the more people there are the more oil we use. Now you can take that fact and apply it to ANY resource. To set it straight, 2,000 years ago there were 250 million people in the world. 1700. 679 million people 1900. 1. 63 billion people 1920. 1. 96 billion people 1950. 2. 52 billion people 1990. 5. 29 billion people in the world. In 1999 the world hit 6 billion people. Today there is about 6. 3 billion and it is growing every day. This is not a good thing. Our environment is being stret ched to its limits and it has to stop. We need to stop it by stopping population growth.

Friday, November 8, 2019

Vision, its malfunctions ; diagnostic methods Essay Example

Vision, its malfunctions ; diagnostic methods Essay Example Vision, its malfunctions ; diagnostic methods Essay Vision, its malfunctions ; diagnostic methods Essay 1.0 Preface This essay is on vision, its malfunctions diagnostics methods. The content included is concordant with the criteria listed on the specification of the institute of biophysics at 2nd Faculty of Charles University in Prague. Additional acknowledgements are mentioned under the reference section. 1.1 Visual acuity and its measurement Visual acuity is the measurement of the ability to discriminate two stimuli separated in space at high contrast relative to the background1; it is a quantitative measure of the ability to identify black symbols on a white background at a standardized distance as the size of the symbols is varied. It happens to be the most common clinical measurement of visual function. Visual acuity is typically measured using optotype chart for close and distant vision (snellen test). The eye which is not under test is occluded by means of instructing the subject to place an obstacle, for example a hand in front of the eye. This prevents intentional peeking, which would adversely affect the validity of the examination results. A variety of charts convenient for the patient are used, particularly in cases where a subject is unable to read the alphabet. In such cases the Tumbling E chart may be used, where the perceived letter, capital E is facing a different direction. Subsequently the subject is then required to determine the direction of the letter. (For further details read on below) 1.2 Basic geometrical defects of the eye optical system and their correction Namely, there are three basic types of defects of the optical system. These are Myopia (nearsightedness), Hyperopia (farsightedness) and Astigmatism (inappropriate path of light rays to the eye). Myopia and hyperopia are termed spherical disorders as both can be corrected with spherical lens. Astigmatism on the other hand is an aspherical disorder as it is corrected with cylindrical lenses1. Myopia influences the ability to see distant objects, in which the object is perceived as blurry. This is because the object is not focused directly on the retina, but in front of it. A clinical explanation for this may be that the eyeball is longer in length or the refractive power of the lens is immensely strong. Correction of this defect is achieved by wearing concave lenses which help to focus the object being viewed onto the retina. Fig 1 Compensating for myopia using a corrective lens. Hyperopia is the opposite of myopia, in which distant vision is intact but problems only arise when viewing things at close proximities. In this case the object being viewed is focused somewhat behind the retina rather than upon it. A clinical explanation for this may be that the eyeball is shorter in length or the refractive power of the lens is too weak. Correction is achieved by wearing convex lenses which focus the object being viewed onto the retina. Fig 2 Restoring of vision with convex lens Astigmatism is a defect of the eye in which light rays are localized at different regions of the retina rather than being localized on a single focal point of the retina. Strictly speaking, there are two forms of astigmatism. The first is a third-order aberration, which occurs for objects (or parts of objects) away from the optical axis. The second form of astigmatism occurs when the optical system is not symmetric about the optical axis. Problems persist when viewing lines placed at differing angles and the lines running in one direction appear sharp, whilst those in other directions appear blurred. Correction is achieved by wearing cylindrical lenses, which are placed in the out-of-focus axis. Fig 3 Showing the faint lines viewed by a person with astigmatism 1.3 Objective subjective methods for measuring eye refractive power Commonly employed methods to assess optical power are among subjective methods, although in the recent years objective strategies (e.g. nerve fiber analyzers) have been implemented which, however do not rely on patient responses. Optical power is adversely affected by glaucoma, a major risk factor for vision loss, caused by the loss of retinal ganglion cells. Fiber analyzers are used to measure physical thickness of nerve fibers in the retina. As fiber layer thickness is a measure of glaucoma progression, thin thickness concludes the onset of glaucoma and thus impaired vision. Subjective methods include the Snellen Chart Test, in which the optotype is placed twenty feet (6 meters) away from the subject. Some individuals may well wear spectacles in which case the examination is performed with the subject wearing them. The eye which is adversely impaired out of the two is examined first. Usually the examination commences by using large optotypes followed by the smaller ones. The subject is then prompted to recite the letters (or symbols) visible to them. This procedure is then repeated for the other eye. Normally read at 60 metres. Normally read at 36 metres. Normally read at 18 metres. Normally read at 12 metres. Normally read at 9 metres. Normally read at 6 metres. Normally read at 5 metres. Normally read at 4 metres. Fig 4 Showing distances at which letters can be read The results from the snellen test are processed and denoted as fractions. For example 6/18 means that the third line down can be read from 6 meters away; 6/6 or 6/5 is considered to be normal distance vision. If no lines can be read from 6 meters then shorter distances are tried. For example, 3/36 means that the second line can be read from a distance of 3 meters away; 2/60 means that the top line can be read from 2 meters away1 (If the top letter cannot be read even with prescription lens or glasses then the subject is considered to be legally blind). Alternatively a Lea test aimed at pre-school children may be used. In this case the optotypes denote an edible fruit (e.g. an apple). The Tumbling E chart (see visual acuity and its measurement) may also be used. In both cases the same principle applies as with the Snellen test. Indirect subjective methods to access optical power include intraocular pressure (see below). 1.4 Intraocular Pressure its measurements As the name suggests, intraocular pressure is the pressure exerted by a fluid inside the eye. Fluid secretion may be triggered by genetic factors, side effects of medication, the inflammation of the eye or simply, during exercise. Normal intraocular pressure lies between 10 mmHg and 21 mmHg. In spite of the optic nerve and visual field being intact, when the intraocular pressure is greater than normal, the condition is termed Ocular Hypertension. Ocular Hypertension is usually correlated with the increased incidence of glaucoma. When the intraocular pressure falls below the critical value (5 mmHg) the condition is termed Ocular Hypotony. Intraocular pressure is typically measured by using a tonometer. Often eye drops are given to alleviate any pain. The procedure involves applying a dye (florescein) to the eye. This eases the examiners ability to see the cornea. The subject is then asked to stare at a bright-lighted slit lamp. The tonometer probe is then made to touch the eye and subsequently the examiner notes down the tension dial which measures the intraocular pressure. 1.5 Color perception and its malfunctions The trichromatic theory proposed by Young 1802, claims that any colour can be produced by a mixture of red, green and blue light. This infers that there only needs to be three types of cones red (erythrolabes), blue (cyanolabes) and green (chlorolabes), with each maximally sensitive to one type of color. The cones respond to different degrees when exposed to light, with the brain synthesising this information to produce all other colors1. Malfunctions of color perception include monochromacy, dichromacy, anomalous trichromacy and achromatopsia Monochromacy, caused by the absence of two of the three cones, is the inability to distinguish between colors. Thus color vision is reduced to one dimension. There are two forms, rod and cone monochromacy respectively. Rod monochromacy, associated with light sensitivity (photophobia) is the absence or malfunction of the retinal cones. As a result the ability to distinguish colors is impaired. Cone monochromacy refers to color blindness which is accompanied by relatively normal vision. Dichromacy constitutes the absence or malfunctioning of one of the three cones, thus limiting vision to two dimensions. It may be passed on to the offspring genetically (i.e. sex linked), in particular having a predilection in the male population. As with monochromacy, this defect comprises two forms, protanopia (a congenital sex linked color vision defect caused by the absence of the red retinal photoreceptors) and deuteranopia (red-green color blindness resulting from the loss of function of medium wavelength cones or M-cones) Anomalous trichromacy is a congenital color vision deficiency, referring to the relatively low quantity of one of the three types of cone photo-pigments. The condition is thought to occur when one of the three cone pigments are altered, but trichromacy or normal three dimensional color vision is not fully impaired. Achromatopsia is congenital or inherited deficiency of color perception. It is caused by the absence of cone cells or severe defect in those initially present. Individuals with this condition typically perceive the world as being gray, black and white2. 1.6 Binocular 3D Vision Binocular vision yields a wider scope of vision. Most objects in our visual world have texture. The acquisition of two eyes (binocular vision) as oppose to one (monocular vision) makes the grain of texture appear finer as we move from one region to another. This gives binocular summation, in which the ability to detect faint objects is enhanced. The perception of depth is the ability to perceive the world in three dimensions1. Binocular disparity arises as each eye has a slightly different perspective of the object being viewed2. Therefore the closer the object, the more disparate the image. Thus binocular disparity is used as a binocular depth cue. Other binocular depth cues include stereopsist (the process in visual perception leading to perception of the depth or distance of objects)3 and binocular convergence (the simultaneous inward movement of both eyes toward each other, usually in an effort to maintain single binocular vision when viewing an object) 4. Because of binocular disparity, light entering one eye can alter papillary diameter in the other closed eye upon opening. It may also affect the process of accommodation (focusing of the eye) as the accommodation of the closed eye, upon opening, will inevitably be equal to that of the first eye. Fig 5 3D processing of the brain The picture on the previous page contains two images of a chair, one red and one blue, from two slightly different angles. When wearing two different lenses, one lens will filter out the blue color and the other the red color. The result is each eye is only receiving one of the two images on the page. Just as if you were looking at a real chair from two different angles, the brain forms these images into one three-dimensional image (hence the term binocular 3D vision arises). 1.7 Devices for night vision Night vision devices are best appreciated by deciding what you intend to use them for. Of the numerous devices available, night glasses are typical preferred amongst others, possibly because of their primitive outlook. Their large lenses can accumulate light and subsequently project it through the exit pupil of 7nm or more, and into the individuals eye, thus enhancing vision in hours of darkness. Thermal vision is a fairly modern exploitation of science in which a device (e.g. security camera equipment) constructs an image in response to microwaves or sound waves, which are transmitted from the source. Thermal vision devices are generally not considered to be night vision devices as they construct images with mechanisms substantially different from the methods used to sense visible light. Amplification of visible light from an image can be achieved by making use of an image intensifier. This allows the image to be viewed by the naked eye.

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Free Your Inner Thinker Essays - Truth, Atheism, Agnosticism

Free Your Inner Thinker Essays - Truth, Atheism, Agnosticism Free Your Inner Thinker Free Your Inner Thinker Organized religions are laden with the debris of archaic, superstitious images. Everywhere people go they are submerged in biblical ignorance, religious illiteracy and historical stupidity (Edelen, The 10 Commandments). People are surrounded by cultic codes and images at every turn. This must stop! One organization that is taking a stand is called The Freedom From Religion Foundation. It is most commonly referred to as free thought. A freethinker is a person who forms opinions and beliefs on the basis of reason, independent of tradition, authority, or established belief (Barker). Freethinkers love to learn new ideas and are not satisfied with what is already known. Thus, all members must be free from the conformity of a bible, creed, or messiah. They must be allowed to think for themselves, rather than blindly follow tradition or cosmic absolutes. Freethinkers believe the truth and choose not to follow the lies and superstitions that are, inevitably, part of religion. Common mythological themes are saturated through out the bible, from the creation and flood myth to virgin birth and hero resurrection (Edelen, The Sin). Unlike conventional religions, Freethinkers beliefs are based on reality and reason. As defined in Nontract #11, What is a Freethinker, Reality is limited to that which is directly perceivable though our natural senses or indirectly ascertained through the proper use of reason (Barker). For an idea or belief to be considered true it must be testable, falsifiable, parsimonious, and logical. Every belief a freethinker has must have evidence or experiments to confirm it; all attempts to disprove it must repeatedly fail, require little to no assumptions, and be free from contradictions and character attacks (Barker). Freethinkers use the thinking part of there brain to understand the universe. Many people who dont understand free thought think that freethinkers lack morals. The morality of a freethinker can be summed up in one word, kindness. Morality is not a bunch of dos and donts but, instead, is based on human needs (Barker). Freethinkers try to be good and fair to everyone. They believe that all human beings should live in peace no matter what their race, sex, religion, what they think, who they love, or where they come from. They do their best to protect the earth and all its creatures. Religion promotes dangerous and inadequate morality based on blind obedience, rather than a careful use of reason to weigh the possible outcomes when faced with a moral dilemma (Barker). The most common philoshical question pondered is whether there is a meaning of life. Freethinkers know that the meaning of life must originate in the mind. Since the universe is mindless and the cosmos do not care, if you wish to have a purpose, YOU must care (Barker). Not all freethinkers believe in a meaning of life, as with all beliefs, individuals are free to accept or discard it. Where as many freethinker choose to believe there is no divine plan, most freethinkers find meaning in life. They find meaning in human compassion, social progress, the beauty of humanity, personal happiness, pleasure, joy, love, and the advancement of knowledge (Barker). Unlike convention religions, free thought requires an explanation rather than a designer to explain the complexity of life. One such explanation is Darwins theory of evolution along with natural selection. Freethinkers do not believe in a divine designer because the complexity of such a creature would be subject to the same scrutiny itself (Barker). Freethinkers also believe that religion is not only useless but also harmful. Historically, religion has always produced violence (Edelen Religion). From Moses to the Crusades, Henry VIII, Salem, Hitler, Kosovo. Edelen writes, it is the countries with out religion that are the least violent (Religion). He also stated in the same article that, America is the most religious of all industrialized nations, and yet is the most violent nation in the world. Many of the worlds most gruesome leaders believed they were performing gods work. Hitler himself wrote, I am completely convinced that I am acting as the agent of god. I am now a Catholic and will always remain so, in Mein Kampf (qtd in Edelen, Religion). Freethinkers do not believe that all religious people are

Monday, November 4, 2019

Industrial relations Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Industrial relations - Assignment Example Therefore it is essential for employers to maintain good relationships with workers and vice versa in order to collectively reach towards productivity and goals of the organization. Concept of industrial relations: Generally the term industrial relation comprises of two words; Industry and relations. The word industry has a general understanding of any work or activity by which an individual or group of individuals are engaged in order to give productivity. Moreover the word relation means the way in which two or more concepts, objects or people are connected. Or in other words relationships that usually happen or exist within the organization amongst employer and employees. Industrial relations system: Industrial relations system generally is a system, which has the complete range of relationships between managers and employees. This also includes management of the relations in terms of conflicts and cooperation. Moreover industrial relations system is considered to be in the ideal state if relations amongst management and employees are carried out considering mutual coordination, cooperation and harmony rather than carrying out conflicts, disputes and lack of sharing. Furthermore it provides or creates an ambiance which one way or other promotes economic efficiency, productivity and growth of the worker and in return receives loyalty of employee as a result mutual trust can be obtained. Keeping in view that the role of state is also involved in it (Godard and Delaney, 2000). Participants in industrial relations system: There are three main actors or participants in an industrial relations system which are directly involved in the system these are (Heery and Frege, 2006): government employees employers Government: The rules, regulations and legislations regarding industrial relations are usually made by government in most parts of the world. Though organizations tend to follow their own rules and regulations regarding hiring, firing and working conditions but overall standardization of rules are to be set by government and all organization are bound to follow those rules and regulations (Heery and Frege, 2006). Employees: Generally workers are the backbone of the industry and these workers are always willing to improve their conditions in terms of employment. If something is not working for them they always try to raise their voices in order to convince management about some particular issue. Moreover in some cases workers are willing to share decision making power in terms of management. Usually they tend to be united and form a union whose purpose is to raise their voices and issues and discuss this with management in order to find solution (Heery and Frege, 2006). Employer: Employers or bosses are the whole and sole of the company and are mainly responsible for hiring and firing of employees and choosing person for jobs. These bosses are usually strategic apex of the organization that in most cases have different managers working for them in order to run organization (Heery and Frege, 2006). Given below is the figure for better understanding of industrial relations process: Scope of industrial relations: Industrial relations can be classified in terms of employee and employer relationship that usually come from day to day operations however if we consider industrial relations in a broader spectrum it is the relations amongst employer and employee in order to carry out working of the industry to gain productivity. It may spread over the areas of marketing, quality control, price fixation and disposition of profits amongst others.

Friday, November 1, 2019

Family Divorce ( You Must use research it from a feminist perspective) Paper

Family Divorce ( You Must use it from a feminist perspective) - Research Paper Example The same case is replicated in Europe where the rates of divorce have been on the increase in the recent decades and is expected to escalate even further in the coming years. It is such disturbing trends that have prompted studies into understanding the effects and possible interventions of divorce. The feminist perspective on divorce revolves around the ways in which women’s positions at divorce systematically differ from men’s positions. Although the current labour force trends indicate an increase in women participation, Carbone (1994) says there is no corresponding rise in the fathers’ domestic contributions. In fact, women still endure the burden of child rearing. In a nutshell, therefore, a feminist perspective is concerned about the implications of divorce not only on the lives of women but also on the lives of children. Divorce has a huge impact on the family for the simple reason that it breaks the bonds that were once responsible for bringing the family together. On the part of children, Carbone (1994) says divorce brings the feelings of being unwanted and loss of trust to the parents. On the part of the fathers, divorce leads to loss of finances, emotional stress following loss of family and having to start again and loss of parental responsibility. With regards to the mothers, divorce leads to financial stress and emotional stress just to mention a few. Sometimes these effects deteriorate even to the extended families. Divorce shams serious concerns on the family, in particular, the well-being of the children. Although the adults are also affected by divorce, the children bear the brunt of it all. The divorce causes psychological, physical and socio-economic problems onto the affected families. This is in contrast to families that do not experience divorce. Wallerstein (1991) identifies persistent loneliness as a major consequence of divorce on children. He cited a study in