Heart and Right Atrium free essay sample

The heart is a hollow muscular organ that pumps blood throughout the blood vessels to various parts of the body by repeated, rhythmic contractions. It is found in all animals with a circulatory system, which includes the vertebrates. The adjective cardiac means related to the heart and comes from the Greek , kardia, for heart. Cardiology is the medical speciality that deals with cardiac diseases and abnormalities. The vertebrate heart is principally composed of cardiac muscle and connective tissue. Cardiac muscle is an involuntary striated muscle tissue specific to the heart and is responsible for the hearts ability to pump blood. The average human heart, beating at 72 beats per minute, will beat approximately 2. 5 billion times during an average 66 year lifespan, and pumps approximately 4. 7-5. 7 litres of blood per minute. It weighs approximately in females and in males. Structure The structure of the heart can vary among the different animal species. Cephalopods have two gill hearts and one systemic heart. We will write a custom essay sample on Heart and Right Atrium or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page In vertebrates, the heart lies in the anterior part of the body cavity, dorsal to the gut. It is always surrounded by a pericardium, which is usually a distinct structure, but may be continuous with the peritoneum in jawless and cartilaginous fish. Hagfish, uniquely among vertebrates, also possess a second heart-like structure in the tail. It is located anterior to the vertebral column and posterior to the sternum. It is enclosed in a double-walled sac called the pericardium. The pericardiums outer wall is called the parietal pericardium and the inner one the visceral pericardium. Between them there is some pericardial fluid which functions to permit the inner and outer walls to slide easily over one another with the heart movements. Outside the parietal pericardium is a fibrous layer called the fibrous pericardium which is attached to the mediastinal fascia. This sac protects the heart and anchors it to the surrounding structures. The outer wall of the human heart is composed of three layers; the outer layer is called the epicardium, or visceral pericardium since it is also the inner wall of the pericardium. The middle layer is called the myocardium and is composed of contractile cardiac muscle. The inner layer is called the endocardium and is in contact with the blood that the heart pumps. Also, it merges with the inner lining of blood vessels and covers heart valves. The human heart has four chambers, two superior atria and two inferior ventricles. The atria are the receiving chambers and the ventricles are the discharging chambers. During each cardiac cycle, the atria contract first, forcing blood that has entered them into their respective ventricles, then the ventricles contract, forcing blood out of the heart. The pathway of the blood consists of a pulmonary circuit and a systemic circuit which function simultaneously. Deoxygenated blood from the body flows via the vena cava into the right atrium, which pumps it through the tricuspid valve into the right ventricle, whose subsequent contraction forces it out through the pulmonary valve into the pulmonary arteries leading to the lungs. Meanwhile, oxygenated blood returns from the lungs through the pulmonary veins into the left atrium, which pumps it through the mitral valve into the left ventricle, whose subsequent strong contraction forces it out through the aortic valve to the aorta leading to the systemic circulation. In fish Primitive fish have a four-chambered heart, but the chambers are arranged sequentially so that this primitive heart is quite unlike the four-chambered hearts of mammals and birds. The first chamber is the sinus venosus, which collects deoxygenated blood, from the body, through the hepatic and cardinal veins. From here, blood flows into the atrium and then to the powerful muscular ventricle where the main pumping action will take place. The fourth and final chamber is the conus arteriosus which contains several valves and sends blood to the ventral aorta. The ventral aorta delivers blood to the gills where it is oxygenated and flows, through the dorsal aorta, into the rest of the body. . thus, only in birds and mammals are the two streams of blood – those to the pulmonary and systemic circulations – permanently kept entirely separate by a physical barrier. In the human body, the heart is usually situated in the middle of the thorax with the largest part of the heart slightly offset to the left, although sometimes it is on the right, underneath the sternum. The heart is usually felt to be on the left side because the left heart is stronger . The left lung is smaller than the right lung because the heart occupies more of the left hemithorax. The heart is fed by the coronary circulation and is enclosed by a sac known as the pericardium; it is also surrounded by the lungs. The pericardium comprises two parts: the fibrous pericardium, made of dense fibrous connective tissue, and a double membrane structure containing a serous fluid to reduce friction during heart contractions. The heart is located in the mediastinum, which is the central sub-division of the thoracic cavity. The mediastinum also contains other structures, such as the esophagus and trachea, and is flanked on either side by the right and left pulmonary cavities; these cavities house the lungs. The apex is the blunt point situated in an inferior direction. A stethoscope can be placed directly over the apex so that the beats can be counted. It is located posterior to the 5th intercostal space just medial of the left mid-clavicular line. In normal adults, the mass of the heart is 250–350 grams, or about twice the size of a clenched fist, but an extremely diseased heart can be up to 1000 g in mass due to hypertrophy. It consists of four chambers, the two upper atria and the two lower ventricles. Functioning In mammals, the function of the right side of the heart is to collect de-oxygenated blood, in the right atrium, from the body and pump it, through the tricuspid valve, via the right ventricle, into the lungs so that carbon dioxide can be exchanged for oxygen. This happens through the passive process of diffusion. The left side collects oxygenated blood from the lungs into the left atrium. From the left atrium the blood moves to the left ventricle, through the bicuspid valve, which pumps it out to the body . On both sides, the lower ventricles are thicker and stronger than the upper atria. The muscle wall surrounding the left ventricle is thicker than the wall surrounding the right ventricle due to the higher force needed to pump the blood through the systemic circulation. Starting in the right atrium, the blood flows through the tricuspid valve to the right ventricle. Here, it is pumped out the pulmonary semilunar valve and travels through the pulmonary artery to the lungs. From there, oxygenated blood flows back through the pulmonary vein to the left atrium. It then travels through the mitral valve to the left ventricle, from where it is pumped through the aortic semilunar valve to the aorta. The aorta forks and the blood is divided between major arteries which supply the upper and lower body. The blood travels in the arteries to the smaller arterioles and then, finally, to the tiny capillaries which feed each cell. The deoxygenated blood then travels to the venules, which coalesce into veins, then to the inferior and superior venae cavae and finally back to the right atrium where the process began. The heart is effectively a syncytium, a meshwork of cardiac muscle cells interconnected by contiguous cytoplasmic bridges. This relates to electrical stimulation of one cell spreading to neighboring cells. Some cardiac cells are self-excitable, contracting without any signal from the nervous system, even if removed from the heart and placed in culture. Each of these cells have their own intrinsic contraction rhythm. A region of the human heart called the sinoatrial node, or pacemaker, sets the rate and timing at which all cardiac muscle cells contract. The SA node generates electrical impulses, much like those produced by nerve cells. Because cardiac muscle cells are electrically coupled by inter-calculated disks between adjacent cells, impulses from the SA node spread rapidly through the walls of the artria, causing both artria to contract in unison. The impulses also pass to another region of specialized cardiac muscle tissue, a relay point called the atrioventricular node, located in the wall between the right atrium and the right ventricle. Here, the impulses are delayed for about 0. 1s before spreading to the walls of the ventricle. The delay ensures that the artria empty completely before the ventricles contract. Specialized muscle fibers called Purkinje fibers then conduct the signals to the apex of the heart along and throughout the ventricular walls. The Purkinje fibres form conducting pathways called bundle branches. This entire cycle, a single heart beat, lasts about 0. 8 seconds. The impulses generated during the heart cycle produce electrical currents, which are conducted through body fluids to the skin, where they can be detected by electrodes and recorded as an electrocardiogram . The events related to the flow or blood pressure that occurs from the beginning of one heartbeat to the beginning of the next is called a cardiac cycle. The SA node is found in all amniotes but not in more primitive vertebrates. In these animals, the muscles of the heart are relatively continuous and the sinus venosus coordinates the beat which passes in a wave through the remaining chambers. Indeed, since the sinus venosus is incorporated into the right atrium in amniotes, it is likely homologous with the SA node. In teleosts, with their vestigial sinus venosus, the main centre of coordination is, instead, in the atrium. The rate of heartbeat varies enormously between different species, ranging from around 20 beats per minute in codfish to around 600 in hummingbirds. From splanchnopleuric mesoderm tissue, the cardiogenic plates develop cranially and laterally to the neural plates. In the cardiogenic plates, two separate angiogenic cell clusters form on either side of the embryo. The cell clusters coalesce to form an endocardial heart tube continuous with a dorsal aorta and a vitteloumbilical vein. As embryonic tissue continues to fold, the two endocardial tubes are pushed into the thoracic cavity, begin to fuse together, and complete the fusing process at approximately 22 days. The human embryonic heart begins beating at around 22 days after conception, or five weeks after the last normal menstrual period . The first day of the LMP is normally used to date the start of the gestation . The human heart begins beating at a rate near the mother’s, about 75–80 beats per minute . The embryonic heart rate then accelerates linearly by approximately 100 BPM during the first month to peak at 165–185 BPM during the early 7th week after conception, . This acceleration is approximately 3. 3 BPM per day, or about 10 BPM every three days, which is an increase of 100 BPM in the first month. The regression formula which describes this linear acceleration before the embryo reaches 25mm in crown-rump length, or 9. 2 LMP weeks, is: the Age in days EHR+6. After 9. 1 weeks after the LMP, it decelerates to about 152 BPM during the 15th week post LMP. After the 15th week, the deceleration slows to an average rate of about 145 BPM, at term. There is no difference in female and male heart rates before birth. History of discoveries The valves of the heart were discovered by a physician of the Hippocratean school around the 4th century BC, although their function was not fully understood. On dissection, arteries are typically empty of blood because blood pools in the veins after death. Ancient anatomists subsequently assumed they were filled with air and served to transport it around the body. Philosophers distinguished veins from arteries, but thought the pulse was a property of arteries themselves. Erasistratos observed that arteries cut during life bleed. He ascribed the fact to the phenomenon that air escaping from an artery is replaced with blood which entered by very small vessels between veins and arteries. Thus he apparently postulated capillaries, but with reversed flow of blood. The Greek physician Galen knew blood vessels carried blood and identified venous and arterial blood, each with distinct and separate functions. Growth and energy were derived from venous blood created in the liver from chyle, while arterial blood gave vitality by containing pneuma and originated in the heart. Blood flowed from both creating organs to all parts of the body, where it was consumed and there was no return of blood to the heart or liver. The heart did not pump blood around, the hearts motion sucked blood in during diastole and the blood moved by the pulsation of the arteries themselves. Galen believed the arterial blood was created by venous blood passing from the left ventricle to the right through pores in the interventricular septum, while air passed from the lungs via the pulmonary artery to the left side of the heart. As the arterial blood was created, sooty vapors were created and passed to the lungs, also via the pulmonary artery, to be exhaled.

Ethics and the Internet Essays

Ethics and the Internet Essays Ethics and the Internet Paper Ethics and the Internet Paper Essay Topic: A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings The Internet and social networking are offering a number of new clinical and ethical challenges for those who provide face-to-face mental health services. These challenges include extra-therapeutic contacts between therapists and their clients, questions about what distinguishes personal and professional activities online, and a lack of clearly developed policies related to our online behaviors and interactions. No form of client communication is 100 percent guaranteed to be private. Conversations can be overheard, e-mails can be sent to the wrong recipients and phone conversation can be listened to by others. But in todays age of e-mail, Facebook, Twitter and other social media, psychologists have to be more aware than ever of the ethical pitfalls they can fall into by using these types of communication. Its easy not to be fully mindful about the possibility of disclosure with these communications because we use these technologies so often in our social lives,   says Stephen Behnke, PhD, JD, director of APAs Ethics Office. Its something that we havent gotten into the habit of thinking about.   The Monitor sat down with Behnke to discuss the ethical aspects of the Internet for psychology practitioners and how to think about them. Does the APA Ethics Code guide practitioners on social media? Yes. The current Ethics Code was drafted between 1997 and 2002. While it doesnt use the terms social media,  Google or Facebook, the code is very clear that it applies to all psychologists professional activities and to electronic communication, which of course social media is. As we look at the Ethics Code, the sections that are particularly relevant to social media are on privacy and confidentiality, multiple relationships and the section on therapy. The Ethics Code does not prohibit all social relationships, but it does call on psychologists to ask, How does this particular relationship fit with the treatment relationship?   Is the APA Ethics Office seeing any particular problems in the use of social media? Everyone is communicating with these new technologies, but our ethical obligation is to be thoughtful about how the Ethics Code applies to these communications and how the laws and regulations apply. For example, if you are communicating with your client via e-mail or text messaging, those communications might be considered part of your clients record. Also, you want to consider who else might have access to the communication, something the client him- or herself may not be fully mindful of. When you communicate with clients, the communication may be kept on a server so anyone with access to that server may have access to your communications. Confidentiality should be front and center in your thinking. Also, consider the form of communication you are using, given the kind of treatment you are providing. For example, there are two very different scenarios from a clinical perspective: In one scenario, youve been working with a client face-to-face and you know the clients clinical issues. Then the client goes away on vacation and you have one or two phone sessions, or a session or two on Skype. A very different scenario is that the psychologist treats a client online, a client he or she has never met or seen. In this case, the psychologist has to be very mindful of the kind of treatment he or she can provide. What sorts of issues are appropriate to treat in that manner? How do the relevant jurisdictions laws and regulations apply to the work you are doing? Thats an example of how the technology is out in front of us. We have this wonderful new technology that allows us to offer services to folks who may never have had access to a psychologist. At the same time, the ethical, legal and regulatory infrastructure to support the technology is not yet in place. A good deal of thought and care must go into how we use the technology, given how it may affect our clients and what it means for our professional lives. APA needs to be involved in developing that ethical, legal and regulatory infrastructure and needs to be front and center on this. What do you want members to know about using Facebook? People are generally aware that what they put on their Facebook pages may be publicly accessible. Even with privacy settings, there are ways that people can get access to your information. My recommendation is to educate yourself about privacy settings and how you can make your page as private as you want it to be [see further reading box on page 34]. Also, educate yourself about how the technology works and be mindful of the information you make available about yourself. Historically, psychology has talked a lot about the clinical implications of self-disclosure, but this is several orders of magnitude greater, because now anyone sitting in their home or library with access to a terminal can find out an enormous amount of information about you. Facebook is a wonderful way to social network, to be part of a community. And of course psychologists are going to use this, as is every segment of the population. But psychologists have special ethical issues they need to think through to determine how this technology is going to affect their work. These days, students are inviting professors to see their Facebook pages and professors are now privy to more information on their students lives than ever before. Whats your advice on this trend? Psychologists should be mindful that whether teaching, conducting research, providing a clinical service or acting in an administrative capacity, they are in a professional role. Each role comes with its own unique expectations, and these expectations have ethical aspects. I would encourage a psychologist whos considering whether to friend a student to think through how the request fits into the professional relationship, and to weigh the potential benefits and harms that could come from adding that dimension to the teaching relationship. Of course, the professor should also be informed about the schools policy concerning interacting with students on social networking sites. How about Googling clientsshould you do this? In certain circumstances, there may be a good reason to do a search of a client. There may be an issue of safety, for example. In certain kinds of assessments, it might be a matter of confirming information. But again, we always need to think about how this fits into the professional relationship, and what type of informed consent weve obtained. Curiosity about a client is not a clinically appropriate reason to do an Internet search. Lets put it this way: If you know that your client plays in a soccer league, it would be a little odd if on Saturday afternoon you drove by the game to see how your client is doing. In the same way, if youre doing a search, thinking, What can I find out about this person  that raises questions about the psychologists motives? What about Twitter? Again, you first want to think about what are you disclosing and what is the potential impact the disclosure could have on the clinical work. Also, if you are receiving Tweets from a client, how does that fit in with the treatment? These questions are really interesting because they are pushing us to think clearly about the relationship between our professional and personal lives. We all have our own social communities and networks, but we also have to be aware about how we act and what we disclose in those domains, which are more accessible. Someone might say that this technology isnt raising new questions, its raising old questions in different ways. How about blogs? Be aware that when you author a blog, youre putting a lot of yourself into it. Thats why youre doing it. So again, you need to be mindful of the impact it will have on your clinical work. It also depends on what the blog is about. For example, if youre blogging about religion, politics or movies, in this day and age, some of your clients are going to read the material. If you are sharing your personal views on some important societal issue, be mindful of how that might affect the work you are doing. When is the next Ethics Code due out and will it more specifically address social media? The next revision hasnt been scheduled, but if I had to guess, probably in the next two to three years, APA will begin the process of drafting the next code. I can say with a very high degree of confidence that when APA does draft the next code, the drafters will be very mindful of many issues being raised by social media. Its important to think about ethics from a developmental perspective. As our field evolves, new issues emerge and develop. Not all the questions about social media have crystallized yet. We have to make sure that we have a pretty good sense of the right questions and the right issues before we start setting down the rules. Part of that process is exploring where the potential harms to our clients are. We are just defining the questions, issues, the risks of harm to the client and were going to have to let the process unfold. In the meantime, we have to be aware that these technologies are very powerful and far-reaching and bring with them wonderful benefits, but also potential harms. Stay tuned. As his patient lay unconscious in an emergency room from an overdose of sedatives, psychiatrist Damir Huremovic was faced with a moral dilemma: A friend of the patient had forwarded to Huremovic a suicidal e-mail from the patient that included a link to a Web site and blog he wrote. Should Huremovic go online and check it out, even without his patients consent? Huremovic decided yes; after all, the Web site was in the public domain and it might contain some potentially important information for treatment. When Huremovic clicked on the blog, he found quotations such as this: Death makes angels of us all and gives us wings. A final blog post read: I wish I didnt wake up. Yet as Huremovic continued scanning the patients personal photographs and writings, he began to feel uncomfortable, that perhaps hed crossed some line he shouldnt have. Across the country, therapists are facing similar situations and conflicted feelings. When Huremovic, director of psychosomatic medicine services at Nassau University Medical Center in New York, recounted his vignette last year at an American Psychiatric Association meeting and asked whether others would have read the suicidal mans blog, his audience responded with resounding calls of both yes! and no! One thing was clear: How and when a therapist should use the Internet and even whether he or she should are questions subject to vigorous debate. We are just beginning to understand what ethical issues the Internet is raising, says Stephen Behnke, ethics director for the American Psychological Association. To write rules that allow our field to grow and develop and yet prevent [patient] harm at the same time: Thats the challenge. In fact, the tremendous availability online of personal information threatens to alter what has been an almost sacred relationship between therapist and patient. Traditionally, therapists obtained information about a patient through face-to-face dialogue. If outside information was needed, the therapist would obtain the patients consent to speak with family members or a previous mental-health practitioner. At the same time, patients traditionally knew little about their therapists outside the consulting room. Now, with the click of a mouse, tech-savvy therapists and patients are challenging the old rules and raising serious questions about how much each should know about the other and where lines should be drawn. Among the questions under debate: Should a therapist review the Web site of a patient or conduct an online search without that patients consent? Is it appropriate for a therapist to put personal details about himself on a blog or Web-site or to join Facebook or other social networks? What are the risks of having patients and therapists interact online? Neither the American Psychiatric Association nor the American Psychological Association has rules specifically governing therapists online behavior, but ethics advisers with the psychiatric association maintain that online searches are not wrong as long as theyre done in the patients interest and not out of therapist curiosity. Many therapists contend its more important to discuss such questions than it is to dictate behavior. Its not whether a particular application is right or not, says Sheldon Benjamin, director of neuropsychiatry at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester. Its whether you do it mindfully whether you understand how it changes the doctor-patient relationship. To Google or Not to Google Benjamin, 53, swears by his iPhone and enthusiastically tells of sampling the Internet in its infancy. At the same time, Benjamin, who directs psychiatric training at UMass, advocates caution when it comes to mixing the Internet with therapy. He says he has never searched a patients name online and worries that doing so could dilute the therapeutic process by bringing in information from outside the patient-therapist discussion. When patients have asked Benjamin to read their blogs, he has agreed, with one caveat: that he do so during a regular counseling session. Even if you brought me a disability form, Id fill it out in the room with you, says Benjamin. I was taught to make the time with the patient the time when the work is done. Suena Massey takes a different approach. Massey, 35, an assistant professor of psychiatry at George Washington University Medical Center, considers Googling a patient a valuable professional tool. One of the duties of a psychiatrist is to corroborate what patients say, Massey explains. To that end, online searches can be helpful when traditional approaches obtaining the patients consent to contact his previous psychiatrist or family members are not available. One such case involved a patient who presented with symptoms of mania, a component of bipolar disorder. The man claimed to be well connected in Washington. After their meeting, Massey typed the patients name into a search engine. Up popped postings suggesting that the mans claims were accurate. In a subsequent session Massey told her patient she had Googled him, and he was okay with it. She ended up treating him for bipolar disorder; had his claims been false, she says, she would have considered his condition to be more severe. Massey says she will warn a patient about her possible use of Google searches if she thinks the patient might have a problem with it. You could almost make the argument that its negligent not to search online when there is public information available and it might help treat a patient, she says. If youre just looking things up out of personal interest, I think most doctors would feel uncomfortable with that. Public vs. Private But what happens when the circumstances are reversed? What happens when a patient seeks information about his therapist online or pursues a relationship with his therapist on Facebook, MySpace or via another social network? Most therapists are not alarmed by the idea of a Google search. I know my patients Google me, Massey says. I think its their right as consumers. Some providers anticipate such searches by maintaining Web sites detailing their professional qualifications. However, there can be problems when personal details are available. Take the case of a man who, after developing romantic and erotic feelings toward his therapist, typed her name into a search engine and found a Web site featuring personal photographs of the therapist, including a bathing-suit shot. The man quit treatment and reported the discovery to Behnkes office. He knew the image of his therapist in her bathing suit was going to be so present to him that he wouldnt be able to concentrate on his psychotherapy, Behnke explained in a telephone interview. There was material on the Internet that had an impact on this psychologists clinical work. Behnke cautions therapists to assume that most clients will conduct online searches, and he urges them to make sure they remain vigilant about what gets posted. Although most therapists say its inappropriate to have relationships with patients via social networks, there is little agreement on whether its okay for therapists to join such sites, and, if they do, just how private their information should remain. For Huremovic, 39, social network abstinence is safest. I have an understanding that if you choose to be a psychiatrist and a psychotherapist that you have to be very private in other parts of your social being, he says. But some therapists, especially younger ones for whom using the Internet is a way of life, dont share this view. For instance, psychologist Stephanie Smith, 35, has a Web site, and she has a presence on Twitter. Smith tweets to market her Colorado practice and to allow colleagues and other interested parties to monitor happenings in psychology. Typical posts provide tips for managing stress, announce a recent studys findings or refer followers to psychology blogs. Smith, who says Twitter has increased traffic to her professional Web site, admits to the rare tweet about her children or celebrity news. Its my style, but I know some people would not be comfortable with her disclosure of nonprofessional information, she says. Smith also has a Facebook account for her personal life. After teenage patients discovered that account and sent her friend requests, Smith enacted a policy forbidding past or current clients from engaging her online. She informs new clients of the policy and obligates them to comply. This is the type of problem that UMasss Benjamin wants to avoid. To me, its a much bigger issue than bumping into a patient in a restaurant, he says. Youre putting out there,Hey, these are my contacts. And someone then wants to enter your social circle. It puts you in a position where you must take a stand. Keely Kolmes, a California psychologist who writes and lectures on Internet ethics, recommends that therapists make clear distinctions between their professional and personal lives online. Younger clinicians get the Net but dont completely understand ethical and boundary issues that can come up, she says. A former computer consultant, Kolmes, who is in her early 40s, goes to great lengths to keep her lives separate. On her personal Facebook account, for instance, she does not use a photo of herself on her profile page and she doesnt make reference to her professional name. She also restricts her public tweets and blogs to news of a professional nature. Still, she recognizes that any online sighting of ones therapist changes the dynamic for a patient. A lot of patients really want to think about you as existing in just that one space [of the therapy room,] and suddenly theyre seeing you on Twitter and blogging, she says. They can see that youre online at night posting things. I realize my choice to do that suddenly shifts my relationship with them.

Culture of the Nacirema Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Culture of the Nacirema - Essay Example I personally have not read about any case studies of "primitive" people who are so economically-minded, and a well-developed market system like this is proof for me of how civilized the Nacirema are. A second positive aspect is how well-knit the families are. Every house has a shrine where they cleanse their bodies and everyone enters this room "in succession" (Miner, n.d). Parents openly discuss purification rites with the children (Miner, n.d) and see it of utmost importance to initiate their children. The entire family has a common pursuit, desire to purify the body, which keeps them connected to each other. A third positive aspect is the fact that they put a lot of emphasis in cleansing and purifying the body. They are obsessed with hygiene and appearance, and I find it interesting that they share the belief that most people in developed, modern societies have, that good appearance have an effect on "social relationships," (Miner, n.d). This makes sense since I myself would not b e attracted to people who are unclean and dirty. A fourth positive aspect of the Nacirema is how they have a "listener", who for me is the equivalent of a psychotherapist. The listener simply listens to what his clients tell him about their problems (Miner, n.d). Lastly, it's interesting to see how the entire Nacirema society is neatly distinguished into different social roles; there are medicine men, herbalists, mouth men for example, and they are all highly trained in their own professions. Â  One negative aspect of the Nacirema is that they are a greedy people; they desire gifts at every service rendered and people are not entered into the latipso shrines for treatment if they cannot afford a gift to the healers, no matter how ill they are (Miner, n.d).

Internal combustion engine Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Internal combustion engine - Essay Example Since the ports remains open during up word stroke, the actual compression starts only after both inlet and exhaust ports have been closed. So actual compression ratio and the thermal efficiency of the two stroke cycle engine is less than that of four stroke engine of the same dimension. In two stroke cycle engines the number of power strokes per minutes are twice the power strokes of four stroke cycle engine. So the capacity of cooling system used must be higher. The cooling of the engine also presents difficulty as quantity of heat remover per minutes is large. The piston gets over heated due to firing in each revolution and oil cooling of the piston is necessary. In two stroke cycle engine some of the fresh charge is mixed with burnt fuel and exhaust through the exhaust port which causes high fuel consumption. So two stroke cycle engine is not widely used except in the case where size is compact for example light vehicles, scooters, out board motor, motor cycle etc .Large two stroke cycle engine are generally CI engines. Two stroke CI engines are better for slow and moderate speeds.

Discuss critically contemporary international approaches (e.g. World Essay

Discuss critically contemporary international approaches (e.g. World Bank, Financial Stability Board) to consumer credit regulat - Essay Example This reform has been accounted due to the growth in the consumer credits and rise in the numbers of consumer credit institutions1. Contextually, consumer credit is considered as a key driver of economic growth as it is used for the payment of services holding a major proportion of the industrial contribution obtained by any economy in the modern world2. In a general sense, consumer credit is that commodity, which is produced by the private sectors and then sold to the consumers. These regulations are fixed for the sale, available in a wide range of varieties. The most commonly observed regulations in the consumer credit are the price and the interest rates. The information and disclosure regulations are also persistent regarding the debt collection aspects in a particular country, also seemed to be an important aspect to the regulators and legislators as well3. In a recent affair, the European Commission (EC) has denoted the significant role of consumer credit in the growth of nation al economy and also the well being of the consumers and thus, it is seeking to adopt the credit regulation across the country4. The government has further planned to implement the policy of credit regulation across the country so as to regulate strong credit markets all over the nation along with the minimisation of the risk of debt. The strategic approach and aim of adopting the consumer credit regulation along with the objective further differs from one state to another. It can be well understood with the example of both Germany and France, which possess rates at a lower level ceiling along with lower legal maximums. Illustratively, the most stringently market based approach has been adopted by the UK with no rates of ceiling5. The government of the UK had introduced Consumer Credit Act 1974 in its constitution, which focuses on the protection of the consumers and control of traders along with taking due measures to implement the provisions of credit being regulated by the Directo r General of Fair Trading6. In this essay, the major concern has been drawn with the attention towards the critical evaluation of the contemporary international approaches to the consumer credit regulation. The essay has described the concept of consumer credit regulations in respect of the practical case study referrals of World Bank and Financial Stability Board. Defining Consumer Credit Regulation As per the subsidiary legislation of the UK in 2010, the ‘consumer credit regulation’ has been broken into words, viz. Customers and Credit, for drawing a clear understanding of the term. In accordance, consumer is a person who is responding to the trade or business under the regulations of the transaction7. On the other hand, the creditor is that person who has made a commitment to grant credits for performing trade and business. Thus, the consumer credit regulation implies the act that has been developed by the government body for the protection of the consumer and the cr editor performing a trade or business. One of the useful terms that are usually used in the definition of consumer credit regulation is the credit agreement. It is that contract between the consumer and

Haiti Earthquake 2010: Effects and Cost

Haiti Earthquake 2010: Effects and Cost Haiti Earthquake Introduction Earthquakes happen in different parts of the world and they lead to negative consequences including death, destruction of buildings and huge losses in economy. Before studying one of the most important and hazardous natural disasters which took place seven years ago, we have to take into consideration the meaning of earthquakes. As a matter of fact, earthquake is a natural disaster according to which the layers of the earth move or tremble when the crust is ruptured or slipped. In addition, during such rupture across the fault line at which earthquakes happen, a kind of energy provided with elasticity is emitted from between rocks that could be pressured. While these amounts of energy could be stocked throughout years and emitted in less than a second, pressure existed between rocks as well as strain lead to the storage of more quantities of elastic energy causing the increase in the possibility of occurrence of earthquakes. On the other side, when this energy is released, a particul ar type of sound waves named seismic provided with low rates of frequency are spread and distributed across the surface of the earth or among its layers. Surprisingly, more than three million earthquakes happen every year. Nevertheless, people do not feel or notice them. On the contrary, earthquakes which surpass five degrees on the Richter scale are considered as one of the most terrifying and disastrous natural disasters that humans witness their occurrence on the surface of the earth and that could lead to destructive outcomes. (Earthquakes: introduction) Haiti earthquake One of the massive earthquakes that took place in the United States in 2010 was Haiti earthquake. It is worth mentioning that such earthquake occurred along Hispaniola which is a West Indian island. In spite of the fact that such island includes the two states of Dominican Republic and Haiti, the latter country was the most damaged one and the state that struggled more after the negative consequences of the earthquake. While the death toll which was released was not able to determine the numbers of casualties resulted from such chaos, the government of the country mentioned that more than three hundred thousand people were dead. Nevertheless, other resources stated that the real number was smaller than what was announced. In addition, a lot of Haitians were asked to evacuate the area and leave their homes. At 4:53 pm, there was a huge and strong hit by the earthquake. Such hit extended about more than twenty five kilometers along the coast of Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti. Bes ides, the magnitude of the first shock was about seven degrees. Then another two shocks happened whose degrees reached five point nine and five point five. Later, a lot of shocks took place such as the shock that happened on the twenty of January at a small town called Petit Goave which is fifty five kilometers away from Port-au-Prince. As a matter of fact, Haiti did not witness the occurrence of any earthquakes comparing to Haiti earthquake when talking about strength, enormity and degree. (Pallardy, 2016) On the other hand, such natural catastrophe contributed in the death of more than two thousand hundred persons as well as the injuries and homelessness of more than six hundred thousand persons who were struggling in order to survive and in order to search for the primary resources of living so that they could be able to maintain their lives. In addition, the earthquake managed to convert the situations in Haiti upside down on a local, political, economic and environmental scale. As a matter of fact, such earthquake has led to the breakdown of the government there whose ruling of the state was very weak and fragile. As a result of the inability and failure in managing and controlling situations during the occurrence of catastrophes and disasters, the government resorted to the dependence on aids and humanitarian relief from other countries in order to be able to provide people with the resources required for their survival. What the government managed to do is offering those survivor s tents and camps where they could live their transitional life till the occurrence of something new. (The Shockwave That Changed A Nation, 2010) Based on what was mentioned by the Humanitarian Action Plan for the Haitian state three years ago, more than one hundred and seventy two thousand persons were obliged by governmental orders to leave their houses in order to live in more than three hundred camps in 2013. Moreover, services offered to displaced persons such as health and WASH services have witnessed a quick decline comparing to the course of the displacement event of those survivors. On the other hand, there was a high risk, which more than sixteen thousand families who used to live in about fifty camps, had to face. Such risk is represented in the fact that these families could be forced to evacuate the area. In addition to the previous information and data, other eight thousand persons who used to live in camps were subjected to the risk of suffering from floods. According to what was indicated by OCHA in 2014, about one hundred and for thousand persons were remained in the state. Nevertheless, they were obliged to l ive in camps. Furthermore, there was no intention of any kind of relocation programs offered to more than seventy thousand IDPs. Finally, IOM has stated in 2014 that more than eighty thousand Haitians had the ability to survive and live their transitional life in more than one hundred camps in September. (Haiti: Earthquakes Jan 2010) Effect of Haiti earthquake According the statistics, the damage resulted from this Haitian earthquake was ranged between seven and half and eight and half billion American dollars. In addition, there was a decline in the gross domestic product of the state estimated by five point one percent. It is worth mentioning that such earthquake has led to the destruction of the basic airport in Haiti along with a large number of roads and finally the majority of ports. Moreover, the earthquake has resulted in the damage of more than one hundred thousand houses and homes based on what was mentioned by the studies and researches conducted by the Inter-American Development Bank. On the other side, the capital of Haiti named Port-au-Prince was unfortunately hit by the Haitian earthquake. As a result, the government remained paralyzed and did not succeed in eliminating chaos and returning order to the state along with the inability to take in charge of the situation. Besides, almost one of each four servants who used to liv e in Port-au-Prince was found dead. In addition to the previously mentioned information, the earthquake contributed in the damage of more than half of schools and almost sixty percent of the main constructions and establishments in the state. No one can deny the fact that one of the least countries regarding wealth, fortune and economic prosperity in the entire western hemisphere was Haiti. In fact, the majority of public there is considered ultra-poor according to the international statistics and measurements. Furthermore, more than half of them used to live in despicable circumstances of living. On the other hand, a huge percentage of Haitians there work as farmers in order to become the breadwinners of their families. Finally, the earthquake managed to cause a lot of damage since the resistance of the Haitian state against natural catastrophes is weak due to deforestation.   (Amadeo, 2016) Humanitarian relief after the occurrence of Haiti earthquake One of the main international organizations, which had the ability to offer humanitarian aid and relief to the state of Haiti after the occurrence of such destructive earthquake along with attracting the attention of the whole world to the importance of providing people there with assistance so that they could be able to survive, was the United Nations. Thanks to the donations received from certain countries around the globe as well as collaboration between various elements including people, organizations and governmental authorities, the United Nations succeeded in achieving development and improvement in the process of getting Haiti back to life especially after this devastating earthquake happened. Furthermore, the United Nations managed to cooperate with other communities that had the chance to offer donations in order to offer Haitian populations aid and relief on the long term. In addition, the foundation of United Nations contributed in the collection of donations estimated by four million American dollars to help those people to survive and live in normal conditions. As a matter of fact, such donations provided the United Nations with the ability to do the following: First: giving more than one hundred thousand American dollars to projects of solar light. Second: offering the needed resources for life such as fresh water, healthy food and health care as well as shelters due to the donation delivered to the UN which reached three million dollars in order to be able to control and manage risks and hazards in the future. Third: taking part in the process of recycling about twenty percent of the debris resulted from the earthquake. Fourth: offering Haitian people about three hundred thousand job opportunities. Fifth: offering more than two thousand Haitian workers training in the field of development and life recovery. Sixth: supplying the United Nations Population Fund with more than seven hundred thousand American dollars to get resources regarding maternal health along with offering street lights which depend on solar energy in order to provide Haitians especially women and young girl protection, safety and security. Seventh: giving more than two hundred thousand American dollars to the development program related to the UN since such program is considered as a trial in order to help people there get jobs and work so that they could be able to remove debris resulted from the earthquake. (HAITI EARTHQUAKE RESPONSE, 2013) Conclusion In a nutshell, natural disasters are considered as one of the most destructive events that could be faced by any country around the world. In addition, one of these catastrophes that could lead to the total destruction and demolishment of states is earthquakes. Earthquakes happen due to the slippage between layers of the earth. As a result, a lot of damages occur leading to the huge percentage of casualties, demolishment of houses and constructions along with the displacement of many people out of their homes. Thats why countries have to be well prepared for these events in order to prevent their negative consequences as well as protecting people there from any danger or hazard that might threaten their lives. References The Shockwave That Changed A Nation. (2010). Retrieved March 21, 2017, from Haiti earthquake 2010: http://haitiearthquake.web.unc.edu/ HAITI EARTHQUAKE RESPONSE. (2013). Retrieved March 21, 2017, from United Nations Foundation: http://www.unfoundation.org/who-we-are/impact/our-impact/health-data-disaster-relief/haiti-earthquake-response.html?referrer=https://www.google.com.eg/ Amadeo, K. (2016). Haiti Earthquake: Facts, Damage, Effects on Economy. Retrieved March 21, 2017, from The balance: https://www.thebalance.com/haiti-earthquake-facts-damage-effects-on-economy-3305660 Earthquakes: introduction. (n.d.). Retrieved March 21, 2017, from SMS Tsunami Warning: http://www.sms-tsunami-warning.com/pages/earthquakes-introduction Haiti: Earthquakes Jan 2010. (n.d.). Retrieved March 21, 2017, from relief web: http://reliefweb.int/disaster/eq-2010-000009-hti Pallardy, R. (2016). Haiti earthquake of 2010. Retrieved March 21, 2017, from Encyclopaedia Britannica: https://www.britannica.com/event/Haiti-earthquake-of-2010

Bamboo Growth (Dracaena sanderiana) Essay -- Environment, Lucky Bamboo

This research was conducted to investigate light intensity effects on lucky bamboo vegetative growth in Azad University, Abhar Branch during 2008. The experiment was arranged as a complete randomized block design with 5 treatments (0.75, 1.14, 1.89, 2.29 and 4.09 Â µmol∙m-2∙s-1) in 10 replication. Results showed that 1.89 Â µmol/m-2/s-1 had significant differences from others treatments. The higher level of root number, shoot length and total weight of plants were obtained in 1.89 Â µmol∙m-2∙s-1 reatment. Number of shoot, shoot length and number of leaf per shoot were differ in different nodes and were highest in upping nod. Seedlings characteristics are during the growth time as a crucial factor in determining the ultimate fate of the plants. Therefore should be tried always seedlings have to very good condition. Seedling growth and quality are under influenced by environmental factors including light intensity (Lavendar, 1984). If environmental factors such as light intensity changes, also are under affect other factors and final quality of seedlings (Chaar et al., 1997). Seedling producers with changing and optimizing the light intensity regulated the seedlings growth, development, and plant vegetative quality (Lavendar, 1984). Lucky Bamboo with the scientific name Dracaena sanderiana has owned to Dracaenaceae family. This variety of dracaena does not belong to real bamboos of the Poaceae family. This plant are popular because beautiful leaves and robustness to apartment conditions. This plant is among plants that allowed indirect and low light intensity. So they classified in plants group with low light need (Brown, 2008). Brown (2008) reported ... ...results of this experiment showed that Lucky Bamboo is including Plants that have required too little light intensity. High light intensity can be cause yellowing of leaves. If want of results these experiments have a general recommendation for keeping these plants in apartment thus can say Because the total amount of light produced by sodium lamps with 400 watts at 3 meters distance is equivalent to 19 Â µmol s-1m-2. So use of a sodium or fluorescent lamp with 40 watts can to provide power equal to 1 / 9 Â µmol s-1m-2 for the plant (Barzegar & Yadegari, 2010). As that observed of this experiment the best treatment of light intensity for the optimum growth in Lucky bamboo plant is equivalent energy to 1 / 89 Â µmol s-1m-2. Can also provided light intensity needed for this shade-friendly plant with use a 40-watt incandescent lamp at a three meters distance apartment.

Mental/Behavioral Case Study Essay

I am doing a case study for Jenny Stanson, who is a 20-year-old college student who that is currently living with her grandmother. Lately, she has been noticing that her grandmother seems to be confused at times, and often forgets things she has told her. She also informed me that her grandmother is often rather short-tempered. From what jenny says, this does not seem to be her usual manner and happens only infrequently, but Jenny is concerned. She stated that someone told her that her grandmother might be suffering from early stage of Alzheimer’s disease. Upon doing research on the disease I learned that Alzheimer’s disease is perhaps the most common form of dementia, although several others exist. Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive disease of the brain. In the early stages, people experience some memory loss which progresses to marked memory loss, then to a decrease in thinking ability such as decision making. Later the disease leads to the loss in the ability to perform activities of daily living or recognize loved ones. The changes in the brain that often mirror the decline in thinking are the development of plaques and tangles in the brain. These changes may begin in areas of the brain associated with memory, but later spread more widely throughout the brain. The plaques and tangles can lead to a gradual loss of connections between brain cells and eventually cell death. Based upon the information she shared with me, I’m placing her grandmother in the early stages of Alzheimer’s due to her age and the symptoms she’s currently presenting. Especially after learning that starting at age 65, the risk of developing the disease doubles every five years, and that by age 85 years and older, between 25 and 50 percent of people will exhibit signs of Alzheimer’s disease. I did inform Jenny though, that there are things she could do and practice and speak to her grandmother about as far as  prolonging the onset of Alzheimer’s. There are a number of studies that suggest behaviors that might lessen the risk of developing the disease. Among these are increasing physical activity, having a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, maintaining social engagement, and participating in intellectually stimulating activities. I informed her that the approved treatments for Alzheimer’s disease are designed to enhance the communication between nerve cells. In some individuals, this will lessen the symptoms. However, these treatments will not prevent the progression of the disease. When it comes to cultural issues pertaining to this issue, Alzheimer’s disease and dementia affect all racial and ethnic peoples. Communities of color and other historically underserved groups often encounter problems when accessing services or information about Alzheimer’s disease. Because of this, the local chapter is working to increase awareness of the disease and understanding about the obstacles to service for rural communities, ethnic groups, and communities of color. This though should not be a reason people do not step out on their own and seek help In conclusion, I informed Jenny that there is a lot of information on the Alzheimer’s disease on the internet, libraries, hospitals and other places one can go to seek treatment. I told her that she and her grandmother are not alone. If she wants some really good information and help, she should turn to The Alzheimer’s Association, which is the most trusted resource for reliable information, education, referral and support to millions of people affected by the disease. She can Call their 24/7 Helpline number at: 800.272.3900 or she can locate a chapter in her community, she can use their virtual library or even simply just go to the Alzheimer’s Navigator within the associations website to create customized action plans and connect with local support services. References http://www.alz.org/alzwa/in_my_community http://www.alz.org/alzheimers_disease_what_is_alzheimers.asp http://www.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/basics/mental-illness/dementia.htm

Coffee Commodity Chain Essay Example

Coffee Commodity Chain Essay Example Coffee Commodity Chain Paper Coffee Commodity Chain Paper Name: Course: Instructor: Date: Coffee Commodity Chain A commodity chain is a sequential procedure utilized by a business organization to congregate resources, transform the resources into products and finally distribute them as finished commodities to the consumers. It involves linking the numerous places of production and distribution of the commodity. The process, in turn, leads to the commodity being exchanged on the global market. In a much simpler sense, the commodity chain illustrates the connection of different stages from which a good passes from the producers to the consumers. A fine example of such a structured process is the coffee commodity chain. However, interaction of the global economy with the chain only obscures the connections. Origin of Coffee A coffee commodity chain illustrates the series of paths that coffee travels to reach the consumer. However, to understand the connections, it is essential to understand the origins of coffee as a commodity. Coffee, as a commodity, can be linked back to Ethiopia in 1000 AD. The commodity was mainly grown by the Arabs since it was a reserve of the Muslim culture. As an Islamic beverage, coffee was located outside the European global economy. Additionally, coffee drinking was popular in Yemen by the fifteenth century. From there, the practice spread to the north reaching the Arabian Peninsula and Cairo in Egypt. Moreover, at around the same time, coffee was popular in North Africa because of the growth of the Arabica variant in Ethiopia. As demand for the commodity increased, farmers in Yemen commenced with cultivation of the crop in the mid sixteenth century (Topik and Smith, 52). At this time, coffee was a commodity that circulated mostly in the Arab system separate from global economies. The early coffee trade was mainly established on the Port of Mocha in the Red Sea. This was because the main area for the cultivation of the crop was near the port. From the port, the Indian merchants were able to carry the commodity to the east, Egyptian merchants were able to carry it north through the Red Sea while the Arab and Turkish merchants carried it overland through Turkey. Long distance traders from Europe were motivated by considerable profits that could be created by carrying coffee from the port to distant cities that possessed high demand for the commodity. However, the merchants in Mocha also created substantial profits since they benefited from a monopoly on the coffee supply (Topik and Smith, 54). Additionally, the inland merchants achieved monopoly over the supply of the crop by heavy and jealous protection. The spread of coffee, especially in the Islamic cities, led to the change in the material aspects of the citizens, which was evidenced by the creation and rise of the coffeehouse. According to Hattox (90), the coffeehouse was a social venue that characterized the Islamic culture at that time. However, the social aspect of coffee led to the creation of rules and regulations by rulers that deemed the beverage as unacceptable under Islamic law. Once the commodity was established in cities such as Istanbul and Cairo, it was encountered by European travelers who marketed the beverage by word of mouth to their respective countries. The merchants of Venice, who supervised the Mediterranean trade, were the first to transport coffee to Western Europe, around 1600, from Istanbul. The Dutch first imported coffee from Mocha into Amsterdam in 1616. Towards the beginning of the seventeenth century, the Dutch initiated importation of coffee on a grand scale. This was inspired by the growing demand for the commodity as well as opportunities to gain from the trade. The first valid commercial coffee plantings outside Yemen were made by the Dutch in Java and Ceylon (Ukers, 43). Java quickly took over Mocha and became a major source of supply for coffee in the Amsterdam market, the most important in Europe. However, France commenced globalizing coffee cultivation in Paris and Java by the Dutch leading to the spread of the crop in other regions such as North America. The British also introduced coffee in Jamaica in 1730, later becoming a significant producer in the 19th century. The French, on the other hand, introduced the crop to Brazil in the 1720s spreading to other Caribbean, Central and South American countries. After achieving independence in the 1820s, the Latin American countries, led by Brazil, would later become the largest producers of coffee in the world (Ukers, 70). Transformations of Coffee Coffee undergoes various processes of transformation before it becomes the familiar roasted beverage. The first stage is processing. Traditionally, berries have been selectively picked using labor-intensive methods such as handpicking. Usually, handpicking involves selecting the coffee berries that are at the climax of ripeness. After picking, either of two methods are utilized to process the coffee. The first method, dry process, involves strip picking of the coffee berries. The second method, wet process, includes fermentation and produces placid coffee. After sorting the berries by ripeness and color, the flesh is removed by machinery, and fermentation is done to eliminate mucilage in the beans. After completion of fermentation, the beans are cleansed with considerable amounts of fresh water in order to eradicate the residue after fermentation. Then, the beans are dried. Consequently, sorting of coffee is performed. The coffee, after sorting, is labeled as green coffee (Kummer, 37 ). The second stage involves the roasting. Roasting is an important determinant since it influences the beverage’s taste by physically and chemically changing the coffee bean. This is because the weight of the bean decreases as moisture is misplaced and the volume increases making it less dense. Moreover, the bean’s density manipulates the potency of coffee and the prerequisites for packaging. The process commences when the beans’ temperature reach approximately 200 degrees, though different bean varieties roast at special rates. During roasting, the extreme heat splits starches inside the bean altering them to sugars that start to brown hence changing the bean color. In the process, oils such as caffeol, which are liable for coffee’s fragrance and taste (Kummer, 65). The third stage involves brewing of the roasted coffee. In this stage, grounding and brewing of coffee beans occurs to generate a beverage. The specification for choosing a method incorporates flavor and economy. Most methods of coffee preparation require the grounding of beans mixed with hot water to extract the flavor. The roastery is the place where coffee is roasted, grounded and put up for sale in a packaged form. Grounding occurs in different ways. A burr grinder can be used to cut off the bean, a pestle and mortar to crush the beans and a blade grinder to cut the beans. However, most brewing methods utilize the burr grinder method. Coffee may also be brewed by various methods such as boiling, steeping or pressurizing. Boiling is done by pounding the beans to powder then putting it into water and boiling it in a pot. Steeping is done by a coffee press whereby both water and coffee are left to brew in a cylindrical vessel for few minutes. Then, a filter is pushed down to push do wn the coffee grounds. Pressurizing utilizes the espresso method to force water through the coffee grounds (Kummer, 160). The final stage, serving, involves serving the coffee in different ways. Mostly, coffee is provided as white coffee through the addition of milk. Coffee can also be availed as black coffee sweetened by incorporating sugar. Coffee can also be served cold, hence the term, iced coffee. Serving coffee also utilizes presentations. For instance, espresso is served solely with hot water. In other forms of espresso, milk is added, whereby steamed milk creates a caffe latte while equivalent parts of froth and steamed milk create cappuccino. Coffee can also be included with alcohol. For instance, Irish coffee is coalesced with whiskey and structures the pedestal of coffee liquors such as Tia Maria (Kummer, 176). Environmental Impacts of Coffee Historically, coffee was planted under the cover of trees. The shade of trees offered a natural habitat for many living organisms such as insects and animals, positively influencing the biodiversity of a natural forest. The conventional farming practices involved the use of coffee pulp compost. The use of the compost enabled for the exclusion of chemicals and fertilizers. Additionally, bananas and fruit bearing trees were cultivated to provide shade for coffee plants, which granted surplus income and food safety. However, such environmental friendly practices ceased when the United States Agency for International Development and other organizations availed eighty million dollars to shift from natural methods to technical agriculture in Latin America. Technical agriculture led to the creation of farming practices that have a negative impact on the environment. One such method is sun cultivation. Sun cultivation involves growing coffee in rows under direct sun with modest or absent for est shade. This method enables the coffee to ripen quickly, and the coffee bushes to generate higher yields. However, the method requires extensive deforestation and increased use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides (Palm, 78). Such practices only damage the environment and lead to problems associated to health. Sun cultivation causes destruction of habitats, pollution due to pesticides and soil degradation. Additionally, the quality of coffee produced under the shade system is superior compared to the crops farmed under sun cultivation. The coffee processes also have a detrimental effect on the environment. The processing and sorting stages of coffee, which involve separation and de-pulping, lead to the pollution of rivers. The separation of the beans from the pulp leads to the fermentation of the beans. After fermentation, drying ensues leading to the accumulation of pulp remnants that are dumped as waste into rivers. The pulp dumped into the rivers leads to the death of aquati c life because pulp has the negative effect of oxygen depletion, which is essential for aquatic life. Coffee is among the most traded beverages in the global economy. By learning about the commodity, the processes affecting the production and supply are understood. Coffee, despite facilitating the culture and relations of diverse communities, is also a facilitator of health. The beverage is associated with low risks of cancer and liver disease in adults, increased performance in terms of memory and physical characteristics and increased attention. By learning about the commodity, it becomes simple to decipher the relationship between the producer and the consumer.

Character Analysis of Molieres Comedy Tartuffe

Character Analysis of Moliere's Comedy Tartuffe Written by Jean-Baptiste Poquelin (better known as Molià ¨re), Tartuffe was first performed in 1664. However, its run was cut short because of the controversy surrounding the play. The comedy takes place in Paris in the 1660s and pokes fun at gullible people who are easily fooled by Tartuffe, a hypocrite who pretends to be deeply moral and religious. Because of its satirical nature, religious devotees felt threatened by the play, censoring it from public performances. Tartuffe the Character Although he does not appear until half-way through Act One, Tartuffe is discussed extensively by all of the other characters. Most of the characters realize that Tartuffe is a loathsome hypocrite who pretends to be a religious zealot. However, the wealthy Orgon and his mother fall for Tartuffe’s illusion. Before the action of the play, Tartuffe arrives at Orgon’s house as a mere vagrant. He masquerades as a religious man and convinces the master of the house (Orgon) to stay as a guest indefinitely. Orgon begins to adhere to Tartuffe’s every whim, believing that Tartuffe is leading them on the pathway to heaven. Little does Orgon realize, Tartuffe is actually scheming to steal away Orgon’s home, Orgon’s daughter’s hand in marriage, and the fidelity of Orgon’s wife. Orgon, The Clueless Protagonist The protagonist of the play, Orgon is comically clueless. Despite the warnings from family members and a very vocal maid, Orgon devotedly believes in Tartuffe’s piety. Throughout most of the play, he is easily duped by Tartuffe – even when Orgon’s son, Damis, accuses Tartuffe of trying to seduce Orgon’s wife, Elmire. Finally, he witnesses Tartuffe’s true character. But by then it is too late. In an effort to punish his son, Orgon hands over his estate to Tartuffe who intends to kick the Orgon and his family out into the streets. Fortunately for Orgon, the King of France (Louis XIV) recognizes Tartuffe’s deceitful nature and Tartuffe is arrested at the end of the play. Elmire, Orgons Loyal Wife Although she is often frustrated by her foolish husband, Elmire remains a loyal wife throughout the play. One of the more hilarious moments in this comedy takes place when Elmire asks her husband to hide and observe Tartuffe. While Orgon watches in secret, Tartuffe reveals his lustful nature as he tries to seduce Elmire. Thanks to her plan, Orgon finally figures out just how gullible he has been. Madame Pernelle, Orgons Self-Righteous Mother This elderly character begins the play by chastising her family members. She is also convinced that Tartuffe is a wise and pious man and that the rest of the household should follow his instructions. She is the last one to finally realize Tartuffe’s hypocrisy. Mariane, Orgons Dutiful Daughter Originally, her father approved of her engagement to her true love, the handsome Valà ¨re. However, Orgon decides to cancel the arrangement and compels his daughter to marry Tartuffe. She has no desire to marry the hypocrite, yet she believes that a proper daughter should obey her father. Valà ¨re, Marianes True Love Headstrong and madly in love with Mariane, Valà ¨re’s heart is wounded when Mariane suggests they call off the engagement. Fortunately, Dorine, the crafty maid, helps them patch things up before the relationship falls apart. Dorine, Marianes Clever Maid The outspoken maid of Mariane. Despite her humble social status, Dorine is  the wisest and wittiest character in the play. She sees through Tartuffe’s schemes more readily than anyone else. And she is not afraid to speak her mind, even at the risk of being scolded by Orgon. When open communication and reasoning fail, Dorine helps Elmire and the others come up with their own schemes to expose Tartuffe’s wickedness.

Communication 270 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Communication 270 - Essay Example The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism reveals shocking statistics of on the increase in the number of deaths, serous injuries, physical and sexual assaults and drain development problems associated with underage drinking from kids as young as 12 years. As such, it is prudent to let the public know the truth about the consequences of maintaining the drinking age at 21 and the benefits and risks of legalizing drinking age at 18 years. The introduction of almost any changes in any sector is faced with controversy. People want to enjoy the benefits of the positive side of maintaining the drinking age at 21 years while criticize the negative effects despite they being two sides of the same coin. Keeping the drinking age at 21 years helps students concentrate with their studies as opposed to partying with alcohol all weekends. Furthermore, underage drinking expose children financial burdens which leads teenagers to crime and prostitution in order to finance their habits. Postponing drinking has direct health benefits as alcohol consumption causes liver and cancer problems. However, people cannot ignore the negative side which is sneaking outside and drinking the alcohol in unhygienic areas which expose the teenagers to major evils in the society. Furthermore, teenager who drink are required to part with a premium amount for alcoholic since a third party has to buy for them. This increases the financial burden on the teenager and may get involved in evil things to survive. 2. Focus: This research will focus on recent research on drinking age and discuss the main issues on the government restrictions on drinking age. It will also analyze both the pros and cons of having the drinking age at 21 years. At the end, I will draw conclusion and recommendations on the most prudent way to go on this issue. Self-control in teenagers is very low at 18 but improves by the time they are

Insurance in the GCC Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Insurance in the GCC - Research Paper Example Although economic growth in this region is very high, the insurance sector has fallen behind drastically. According to him, the opportunities for different local and international insurance company are very high, which will be accounted for increased competition, and also a challenging business environment (Ashcroft, 2013). There is also an expectation that the region’s insurance sector will also mature structurally in way of going forwards. Apart from this, in line with positive regulatory developments, there are constant efforts by some of the key insurance players towards achieving greater operational scale and functional efficiency. These companies want to take the first mover advantage. There are huge amount of opportunity in the GCC Insurance sector with the bigger organizations in the insurance market getting more and larger in terms of operational volume as well as the penetration in different parts of the world, and in that way leading to the marginalization of smalle r companies. The GCC Insurance Industry Outlook: With the untapped open market in place many leading insurance sectors are now looking forward for setting up their business unit in GCC. The opportunity of untapped market is huge and therefore every organization is looking for taking the â€Å"first mover advantage†. According to the report published by Alpen Capital (2013), the projective growth rate of the insurance industry in the Gulf region is 18.1% (CAGR) between the time periods of 2012-2017. According to their estimation the market value of the insurance industry in the gulf region will reach up to us $ 37.5 billion. Out of this, the life insurance segment will contribute US $ 2.4 billion and non life will account for US $ 35.1 billion. The growth in the non life part is more due to strong impetus of construction and infrastructure industries. An enormous portion of oil revenues in the GCC countries is being moved to the development of the non-oil segment in order to s upport the economic diversification of the sector. As a result, there is strong momentum in the construction sector. This momentum will help the region’s non-life insurance segment. Moreover, higher infiltrations of medical insurance and constant growth in the new vehicle sales are also likely to help the growth in the motor insurance sector which in turn will aid the segment’s growth. The rate of insurance penetration in GCC is also likely to go up from 1.1% in 2012 to 2% by the end of 2017. The industry growth rate is comfortably exceeds the pace of GDP expansion in this sector, Non-life insurance growth in the line of increasing infrastructure development and more vehicle sales, is likely to surge from 0.9% to 1.9% during the period, and will be the key behind the growth of this sector in the GCC region. UAE (United Arab Emirates) and Saudi Arabia are the two largest insurance market at present in GCC; the trend is such that there is every possibility that Saudi Ara bia may overtake the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as the largest insurance market in GCC with coming years. (Alpen Capital, 2013). Key Growth factor of Insurance Industry