Sunday, August 18, 2019

Machiavelli’s View of Human Nature Essay example -- Machiavelli The Pr

Niccolo Machiavelli was a political philosopher from Florence Italy. He lived during the Italian Renaissance from May 1469 to 1527. This period in time that Machiavelli lived was the "rebirth" of art in Italy and rediscovery of ancient philosophy, literature and science. Machiavelli’s philosophy about the nature of man is that man possesses both good and bad qualities, but will lean towards his own self-interests when all things are equal: thus man is a fickle creature. Machiavelli’s view of human nature influences his view of government.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Machiavelli writes, â€Å"that man has qualities that will bring him either praise or blame† and because a prince is a man; therefore, he will also exhibit these qualities. A prince should put his good qualities on public display and be clever enough to hide his immoral failings from his subjects; but, if these vices are necessary to maintain his state, he should embrace them; because this appearance of a strong state by his subjects gives them a false sense of security.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  He states in paragraph fourteen that â€Å"since they (men) are a sad lot, and keep no faith with you, you in turn are under no obligation to keep it with them†. Machiavelli believes that men will lie, cheat, or steal if it has some benefit to them, and while a prince shows the...

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Life’s Unexpected Roller Coaster: A Study of Scoliosis Essay

Many people may wonder exactly what scoliosis is. Scoliosis is a sideways curvature of the spine that is greater than ten degrees. Mild scoliosis ranges from ten to twenty degrees. Intermediate scoliosis ranges from twenty to seventy degrees, and severe scoliosis is any curve greater than seventy degrees. Though cases of scoliosis are found equally among both male and females, females scoliosis tends to be more severe (Board). Scoliosis can be present at birth, congenital. There are a few different types of scoliosis; functional, structural, and idiopathic structural. In functional scoliosis the problem does not originate the spine. The curvature in functional scoliosis is flexible, and the curve is normally caused by uneven legs or muscle spasms caused by pain (Board). Functional scoliosis will go away when the underlying problem is corrected. For example in the case of uneven legs orthopedic shoes can be worn. In structural scoliosis the curvature is not flexible it is a fixed curvature in the spine. There could be an underlying problem with the brain or spinal cord. In structural scoliosis there could also be an underlying problem with nerves or muscles (Board). Most scoliosis patients have idiopathic structural scoliosis. Eighty percent of all scoliosis cases are idiopathic structural scoliosis. The cause of idiopathic structural scoliosis is unknown, but symptoms are present. Scoliosis can have several symptoms. It can cause uneven body parts such has the shoulders or waist. Scoliosis victims may lean to the side or become fatigued. Back pain and difficulty breathing are also some of the symptoms but normally are only seen in severe scoliosis cases (Board). Though there are some known causes, most causes for scoliosis are unknown. Congenital scoliosis is considered to be a birth defect. It may occur with other problems such as heart and kidney abnormalities. Spinal cord and brainstem abnormalities are also a possibility (Board). The way scoliosis is diagnosed is called the Cobb Method. The Cobb Method requires the most tilted vertebrae to be identified. A line is then drawn along the ends of these vertebrae to measure the curve. The patient is then asked to bend forward to check for bumps which may be a sign of scoliosis. Finally, an x-ray helps determine the type of scoliosis the patient has (Board). Scoliosis can come with some health risks. In severe scoliosis, the curvature is so great that it could cause the ribs to press against the heart or lungs. This in turn can cause breathing problems. If the curve is greater than one hundred degrees it could cause physical damage to the heart or lungs. Scoliosis can also cause chronic back pain or arthritis of the spine in adults (Board). There are several ways scoliosis can be treated. If the patient is a child that is still growing with a curve of twenty to thirty degrees a back brace can be used. There are two different types of back braces. The underarm or low profile brace is close fitting which makes it almost invisible under clothes. This brace fits under the arms, and around the ribcage, lower back and hips. The underarm brace is a custom made brace fit specially to the patient (Board). The Milwaukee brace is a full torso brace used for upper spine curves. It has a neck ring with rests for the chin and for the back of the head (Board). For curves greater than forty degrees, surgery may be needed. There are a few different types of scoliosis surgery. Spinal fusion is the most common type of scoliosis surgeries. This surgery works by releasing some ligaments and joints around the spinal cord and attaching a rod. A posterior or anterior approach is used to reach the spine. Hook or screws are inserted into the vertebrae to hold the rod in place, and the joints between vertebrae are removed. The rod is pulled tight and a bone graft is placed (Board). Another type of spinal fusion uses thoracoscopy. The procedure is viewed on a monitor while tiny tools are inserted through small incisions. These tools are used to help attach the metal rod to the spine. This method is usually used for curvatures in the chest region that are moderately large (Board). The growing spine system is used for young children who are still growing but are not helped by a back brace. The metal rod that is used to support the spine is adjustable. The procedure is similar to spinal fusion but the joints are not removed and the spine will not fuse. With this system surgery is needed about ever six months to change the length of the rod as the patient grows (Board). Clinical Trials â€Å"A Multicenter Prospective Study of Quality of Life in Adult Scoliosis,† is a trail that tests the effectiveness of non-operative and operative treatments of scoliosis. The trial is currently not open for recruitment. The primary goal of this trail is to compare the outcomes of surgery and non-operative treatments of scoliosis. The study will be done on patients aged forty to eighty with ASLS defined as a lumbar curve with a coronal Cobb measurement that is thirys degrees or greater. The secondary goal of this trial is to evaluate the impart of patient factors and co-morbidities (Multicenter). In order to be eligible for this study the patient must be between the ages of 40-80 years, have a double major or thoracolumbar/lumbar scoliosis measure thirty degrees or greater, and a SRS score of 4.0 or less in pain, activity and or appearance. The estimated enrollment is three hundred patients. This trial will be conducted by Washington University School of Medicine. It is sche duled to start in July 2009 and estimated to end in December 2015 (Multicenter). â€Å"Phase IV Comparing Rods of Yield Strengths to Correct Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis,† is a trail that tests titanium rods vs. ultra strength stainless steel rods for better correction of scoliosis. This trial is currently recruiting. The goal of this trial is to figure out whether titanium rods or ultra strength stainless steal rods are better for the correction of scoliosis. Surgeons have noticed that the screw construction has been increasing while the strength of the rod has not. The rod is now the weak part of the construction. This brings the need for newer, stronger rods (Phase). Patients must 10-20 years of age, have progressive lenke type 1A, N or idiopathic adolescent scoliosis measuring greater than forty-five degrees. The estimated enrollment for this trial is one hundred patients. This trial will be conducted by Queen’s University in Canada. The trial started September 2008 and is estimated to be complete by September 2011 (Phase). â€Å"Surgical Outcomes Using Variable Rod Diameters in the Treatment of Idiopathic Scoliosis,† is a trail to test the difference in a rod with a diameter of 5.5mm vs. one with a diameter of 6.35mm. This trial is currently r ecruiting. The primary goal of this trail is to discover which diameter of rod is more successful in correcting scoliosis in children. Surgeons use the specific rods based on their preference. There is no proof as to which diameter of rod works better. It is a question that needs to be put to the test (Surgical). Patients must be 11-18 years of age, have scoliosis, and be anticipating a spinal fusion surgery. The estimated enrollment is three hundred patients. This trail is being conducted by Shriners Hospital for Children in Tampa. The starting date was May 2007 and it is estimated to end in May 2010 (Surgical). The purpose of â€Å"The Idiopathic Scoliosis and Its Treatment (Orthopedic and Surgery): Effect of the Severity, Orthosis and the Arthrodesis on the Gait (scoliosis),† trial is to test the effects of the treatment of scoliosis. This trial is currently recruiting. The primary goal is to compare locomotion parameters in treated scoliosis patients. The secondary goal is to evaluat e the effects of the frontal curve’s severity of the AIS (Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis). Another goal that is hoped to be achieved is comparing the effects of treatment on the gait parameters (Idiopathic). Patients must be 12-18 years of age and female to participate. Both healthy and patients diagnosed with scoliosis by x-ray are needed. The estimated enrollment for this trial is fifty patients. It will be conducted by Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc-Universite Catholique de Louvain in France. The start date for this trial was January 2009 and it is expected to be over by September 2009 (Idiopathic). â€Å"Influence of Leg Length Discrepancy on the Spinal Shape and Biomechanics in Functional and Idiopathic Scoliosis Patients,† is a trial that was created for motion analysis of scoliosis patients. The trial is not yet open for recruitment. The primary goal is to investigate the effects of correction of Leg Length Discrepancy (LLD). LLD is defined as a condition in which paired limbs are unequal in length (Influence) LLD may lead to lumbar scoliosis. It is thought that if LLD is taken care of it can cure the scoliosis. To be eligible for this trial the patient must have functional lumbar scoliosis combined with LLD or idiopathic lumbar scoliosis without LLD. The estimated enrollment for this trial is thirty patients. The trial will be conducted by National Taiwan University Hospital. There are no available dates for this trial (Influence). The trial â€Å"Comparing Two Instrumentation Systems for the Treatment of Adolescent Scoliosis† was created to test the Moss Miami Spine Instrumentation System and the Universal Spine Instrumentation System. This trial has been completed. The primary goal was to compare the quality of life, functional outcome, cosmetic result, and the correction of spinal deformity of the two instrumentation systems (Comparing). Patients had to be 8-18 years of age, have idiopathic scoliosis requiring posterior instrumentation and fusion, scoliosis and a finding of conus less then L1-2 disc level, scoli osis and a finding of a small syrinx (non-progressivie and does not require neurosurgical treatment), and non-progressive spondylolysis. This trial had an estimated enrollment of one hundred and twenty-six patients. It was conducted by The Hospital for Sick Children in Canada. The study was received January 4, 2006 (Comparing) The Moss Miami system and the Universal Spine systems provided similar quality of life and curve correction (Comparing). â€Å"Continuous Local Infusion of Anesthetic at the Incisional Site for Scoliosis Surgery,† is a trial for testing the drugs Bupivacaine and normal Saline. This trial is currently recruiting. The primary goal is to evaluate effects of continuous local anesthetic delivery on the immediate post-operation recover of patients undergoing spinal fusion surgery (Continuous). The eligibility for this trial is 8-18 years of age, clinical diagnosis of congenital scoliosis, clinical diagnosis of idiopathic scoliosis, and anticipated spinal fusion surgery. The estimated enrollment is sixty patients. The trial is being conducted by Shriners Hospital for Children in Tampa. The trial started May 2007 and is estimated to end January 2010 (Continuous). The trial â€Å"Analgesic Effects of Gabapentin After Scoliosis Surgery in Children† was created to test the drugs Gabapentin and Placebo. This trial is currently recruiting patients. The primary goal is to determine whether the use of Gabapentin will improve postoperative analgesia and reduce opioid consumption and side effects in children undergoing corrective spinal surgery for idiopathic scoliosis (Analgesic). The secondary goal is to evaluate whether use of Gabapentin reduces pain scores, decreases postoperative nausea and vomiting, decreases persisting pain and improves patient satisfaction (Analgesic). Scoliosis surgery can cause sever pain after the surgery is over so a way to control this pain is needed. Patients must be 10-17 years of age, scheduled for elective surgical correction of scoliosis, and able to operate a patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) pump. The estimated enrollment is thiry -six patients. This trial is being conducted by The Hospital for Sick Children in Canada. The start date for this trial was May 2008 (Analgesic). â€Å"Effect of Early Morphine Administration on the Development of Acute Opioid Tolerance During Pediatric Scoliosis Surgery† is a completed trial that tested the drugs Morphine and Saline. The primary goal was to examine if morphine administered by bolus before initiating Remifentanil by infusion decreases the incidence of acute postoperative opioid tolerance (Effect). To be eligible for this trial the patient had to be 11-18 years of age, unpremedicated, ASA physical status 1 or 2, and be scheduled for posterior instrumentation for correction of idiopathic scoliosis. This trial had an enrollment of thirty-seven patients. The groups were demographically similar. No differences were observed between groups in the initial 24-hr morphine consumption, NRS pain scores, sedation, nausea, or vomiting (Effect). â€Å"VEPTR Implantation to Treat Children With Early Onset Scoliosis Without Rib Abnormalities† is a recruiting trial that tests unilateral or bilateral VEPTR devices. The primary goal of this trial is to evaluate the use of unilateral or bilateral VEPTR devises for preventing further progression of the angle, allowing for spinal growth and improving pulmonary function in the treatment of children with scoliosis (VEPTR). To be eligible for this trial, patients must be 18 months-10 years of age, have progressive scoliosis, and have a curve beyond 45 degrees. The estimated enrollment is two hundred and fifty patients. This study is being conducted by Shriners Hospital for Children in Tampa. The start date was January 2008 and it is estimated to be over by January 2016 (VEPTR). â€Å"Effectiveness of Bracing in Preventing Scoliosis in Children With Spinal Cord Injury† is an active trial that tests Thoraco-Lumbar-Sacral-Orthosis (TLSO)/Flex-Foam. The primary goal is to determine whether full-time high dose prophylactic bracing is more effective then low dose bracing (12 hours/day) in preventing or delaying spinal curve progression (Effectiveness) Patients must be 5-16 years of age, have C5 to L2 SCI, ASIA impairment levels A, B, or C, single structure curve smaller than forty degrees or double curve smaller than forty degrees where the largest curve is less than twenty-five degree bending film, risk for paralystic scoliosis, and the ability to follow simple instructions. The estimated enrollment is eighty-eight patients. This trial is being conducted by Shriners Hospital for Children in Tampa. The trial started June 2005 and is estimated to be over by December 2010 (Effectiveness). â€Å"Shilla Growth Permitting Spinal Instrumentation System for Treatment of Scoliosis in the Immature Spine† is a active trial that tests the Shilla growth permitting spinal procedure. The Shilla growth permitting spinal procedure is very similar to the growing spine system but requires fewer surgeries. The primary goal is to retrospectively review patients who have undergone this technique looking at age of the patient, magnitude of the curve preoperatively, postoperatively and over time, diagnosis, pulmonary function, surgical procedures, complications, and spinal growth (Shilla). To be eligible for this study the patient must be 1-10 years of age, have sever, progressive scoliosis unresponsive to bracing, or have severe, progressive scoliosis but cannot tolerate bracing. The estimated enrollment for this trial was fifty patients. It is becing conducted by Arkansas Children’s Hospital Research Institute. The start date for this trial was April 2005 and it is expecte d to be complete by April 2015 (Shilla). â€Å"Recombinant Human Erythropoietin Compared to Autologous Pre-Donation Prior to Scoliosis Surgery in Children† is a completed trial that tested recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEpo). This procedure was created to decrease the need for blood transfusions during surgery. The primary goal of this trial is to establish whether rHuEpo is as effective as PAD in increasing red bell mass prior to surgery (Recombinant). Patients had to be 12-18 years of age and require scoliosis repair to be eligible. The estimated enrollment for this trial was twenty patients. The trial was conducted by the University of British Columbia. The start date was October 2004 and the trial ended December 2007 (Recombinant). The use of rHuEPO preoperatively and the use of PAD are not cost-effective although both techniques remain clinically effective tools (VEPTR). â€Å"Effects of Lateral Trunk Support in Spinal Alignment in Spinal Cord Injured Persons† is a completed trial that tested lateral trunk support of wheelchair seating. Different types of seating is used to help with patients posture but it was unknown if it helped with the scoliosis curve. The primary goal is to examine the effects of lateral trunk supports in special seating on the spinal alignment of spinal cord injured subjects with scoliosis (Effects of). Patients had to be 18-60 years of age, have C4-T12 SCI, sit on the wheelchair more then four hours a day, have thoracic lumbar scoliosis, and flexible scoliosis. The estimated enrollment for this trial was twenty patients. The trial was conducted by the National Taiwan University Hospital. The trial started September 2002 and ended November 2004 (Effects of). The radiographic findings demonstrate improved scoliotic spinal alignment in the frontal plane and reduced lumbar angles in the sagittal plane in persons with SCI when seated in a special seat and using LTS (Effects of). â€Å"The Use of Intraoperative Intrathecal Morphine Versus Epidural Extended Release Morphine for Postoperative Pain Control in Pediatric Patients Undergoing Posterior Spinal Fusion (IT Morphine)† is a recruiting trial that tests the drug DepoDur. The primary goal of this trial is to learn more about preventing pain in children who are having posterior spinal fusion surgery (Use). Patients must be 8-17 years of age and need a fusion of a minimum of five and maximum of thirteen levels, including at least L1 or lower. The estimated enrollment is eighty patients. The trial will be conducted by The Children’s Hospital in Denver. It started December 2008 and is estimated to end December 2010 (Use). Foundations and Grants The Scoliosis Care Foundation was founded by Gary Deutchman in 2001. The foundation helps with improving education, treatment and diagnosis of scoliosis. Gary Deautchman disliked the watch and wait approach to diagnosing scoliosis. He thought this approach was harming the future well-being of children. The Scoliosis Care Foundation has a program called the Scoliosis Awareness Program which is designed to catch early scoliosis so it does not progress (Scoliosis). The National Scoliosis Foundation is a patient-led nonprofit organization dedicated since 1976 to helping children, parents, adults, and health-care providers to understand the complexities of spinal deformities such as scoliosis (24). The National Scoliosis Foundation helps with all aspects of support. The main focus is promoting the awareness of scoliosis and providing information (National). The Small Exploratory Grant is designed for new investigators who have a preliminary concept they would like to develop into a research project (Research). The maximum grant rewarded for this category is $10,000. The maximum duration of research is one year (Research). The New Investigator Grant is designed for new investigators. Candidates who have received the Small Exploratory grant are eligible as long as they have not received any other previous funding from national granting organizations. The maximum award is $25,000, and the duration of the research can last up to two years (Research). The Standard Investigator Grant is awarded a maximum of $50,000 a year. The duration can last up to two years with the maximum total being $100,000. These grants are for any type of spinal deformity but there is additional money if it is going towards scoliosis (Research). The Continuation or Extension Grant is for on-going projects, which have previously been funded by the Scoliosis Research Society. In order to receive these grants a report of the progress is required (Research). Scoliosis is a fairly common disorder and it effects it’s victims in different ways. Scoliosis can do more then just cause the victim deformities. It can cause pain, breathing problems, and a number of other things. It could even get so bad that it could paralyze it’s victims. Scoliosis is nothing that should be left alone. Though in most cases the cause of scoliosis is unknown, it does not mean that it is not treatable. There are already several ways to treat scoliosis and more research is being done to develop more ways to treat this unexpected life roller coaster known as scoliosis. Works Cited 1. â€Å"Analgesic Effects of Gabapentin After Scoliosis Surgery in Children.† Clinical Trials. The Hospital for Sick Children, 22 May 2008. Web. 24 Oct. 2012. . 2. Board, A.D.A.M. Editorial. â€Å"Scoliosis.† Scoliosis. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 18 Nov. 0000. Web. 24 Oct. 2012. . 3. â€Å"Comparing Two Instrumentation Systems for the Treatment of Adolescent Scoliosis.† Clinical Trials. The Hospital for Sick Children, 4 Jan. 2006. Web. 24 Oct. 2012. . 4. â€Å"Continuous Local Infusion of Anesthetic at the Incisional Site for Scoliosis Surgery.† Clinical Trials. Shriners Hospitals for Children, 25 July 2007. Web. 24 Oct. 2012. . 5. â€Å"Effect of Early Morphine Administration on the Development of Acute Opioid Tolerance During Pediatric Scoliosis Surgery.† Clinical Trials. The Hospital for Sick Children, 18 Aug. 2008. Web. 24 Oct. 2012. . 6. â€Å"Effectiveness of Bracing in Preventing Scoliosis in Children With Spinal Cord Injury.† Clinical Trials. Shriners Hospitals for Children, 16 Nov. 2005. Web. 24 Oct. 2012. . 7. â€Å"Effects of Lateral Trunk Support on Spinal Alignment in Spinal Cord Injured Persons.† Clinical Trials. National Taiwan University Hospital, 9 Sept. 2005. Web. 24 Oct. 2012. . 8. â€Å"The Idiopathic Scoliosis and Its Treatment (Orthopaedic and Surgery): Effect of the Severity, the Orthosis and the Arthrodesis on the Gait (scoliosis).† Clinical Trials. Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc- Università © Catholique De Louvain, 10 Feb. 2009. Web. 24 Oct. 2012. . 9. â€Å"Influence of Leg Length Discrepancy on the Spinal Shape and B iomechanics in Functional and Idiopathic Scoliosis Patients.† Clinical Trials. National Taiwan University Hospital, 9 Sept. 05. Web. 24 Oct. 2012. . 10. â€Å"A Multicenter Prospective Study of Quality of Life in Adult Scoliosis (ASLS).† A Multicenter Prospective Study of Quality of Life in Adult Scoliosis. Washington University School of Medicine, 2 Mar. 2009. Web. 24 Oct. 2012. . 11. â€Å"National Scoliosis Foundation.† National Scoliosis Foundation. NSF, n.d. Web. 24 Oct. 2012. . 12. â€Å"Phase IV Comparing Rods of Yield Strengths to Correct Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis.† Clinical Trials. Queen’s University, 7 Oct. 2008. Web. 24 Oct. 2012. . 13. â€Å"Recombinant Human Erythropoietin Compared to Autologous Pre-Donation Prior to Scoliosis Surgery in Children.† Clinical Trials. University of British Columbia, 8 May 2006. Web. 24 Oct. 2012. . 14. â€Å"Research Areas.† National Science Foundation. National Science Foundation, n.d. Web. 24 Oct. 2012. . 15. â€Å"The Scoliosis Awareness Project.† Scoliosis Care Foundation. Scoliosis Care Foundation, n.d. Web. 24 Oct. 2012. . 16. â€Å"Shilla Growth Permitting Spinal Instrumentation System for Treatment of Scoliosis in the Immature Spine.† Clinical Trials. Arkansas Children’s Hospital Research Institute, 18 Dec. 2007. Web. 24 Oct. 2012. . 17. â€Å"Surgical Outcomes Using Variable Rod Diameters in the Treatment of Idiopathic Scoliosis.† Clinical Trials. Shriners Hospitals for Children, 31 July 2007. Web. 24 Oct. 2012. . 18. â€Å"The Use of Intraoperative Intrathecal Morphine Versus Epidural Extended Release Morphine for Postoperative Pain Control in Pediatric Patients Undergoing Posterior Spinal Fusion (IT Morphine).† Clinical Trials. Children’s Hospital Colorado, 10 Apr. 2009. Web. 24 Oct. 2012. . 19. â€Å"VEPTR Implantation to Treat Children With Early Onset Scoliosis Without Rib Abnormalities.† Clinical Trials. Shriners Hospitals for Children, 29 May 2008. Web. 24 Oct. 2012. .

Friday, August 16, 2019

Fear of Heights

Many individuals suffer from a phobia or a natural fear of something or a current situation that they may have been in or are in currently. One of the most common phobias is having a fear of heights, also called Acrophobia. Acrophobia is often mislabeled as vertigo. Researchers have said that â€Å"those with an extreme fear of heights, that the stronger their fear is, the bigger the error could be (Callaway, 2009). The fear of heights in different learning perspectivesSomeone that is truly associated with acrophobia can go into panic mode when having to face that fear, normally right away their first thought is to grab ahold of something to help them feel more secure, but then there are others that will start shaking, sweating, holler, panic, or even break down and cry. When the individual that has this phobia starts to show all those signs that is their unconditioned responses starting to show. (Fritscher. 2011) The system that helps alert us is the unconditioned stimulus.  (Rud en, 2012)At times their unconditioned stimulus will kick in to say and make them panic to the extreme levels of them crawling around on all fours or even as so much lay in a fetal position (Fritscher, 2011). Although every person handles their phobia in a different manner, most still find it difficult to trust in their own sense of balance and when this occurs, they can’t think properly because they are trying to deal with the fear of heights. (Fritscher, 2011). An example could be that someone went on vacation, they went to New York with their family.Anyone that goes to New York more than likely knows about the many skyscrapers, one being The Empire State building. That building in particular has 102 floors and has about 1, 860 steps from top to bottom and stands tall at 1, 454 feet (www. esbnyc. com). Now, most that have acrophobia, their unconditioned responses kick in, they start thinking the worse possible thoughts. If they are using the elevator to reach the different l evels building, then you will start to see the signs of an unconditioned response kick in.They will shake, sweat, hard to calm down and will have the fear of not being able to hold onto things. If they are using the steps to reach the different levels, that individual could very well start thinking if the possibility of a fire occurring. Not knowing what level the fire could possibly be on, they start to panic and stop thinking clearly and if they are giving directions over a loud speaker, their fear is going to already be showing and they may not be listening very well to hear the instructions that are given.When we start thinking along the lines of conditioned responses, we could use visiting a skyscraper as an example as well. We can use an individual’s response when they do start to panic, sweat, crawl on all fours or even be in the fetal position. We can associate the conditioned stimulus to their fear of heights and know when they show those symptoms that is their condi tioned response to facing their fear (McLeod, 2008).Certain situations may become helpful and if the individual trust you enough to help them, allowing them to face their fears can be beneficial, but if the individual starts to panic moving he or she to a safe location will allow them to relax and regain their thoughts (Ruden, 2012) When individuals have the fear of heights, it is critical for them to seek some sort of therapy to help treat the anxiety that comes along with phoebe (Ruden, 2012) When trying to find treatment for acrophobia, he or she will find that it is normal to go through a behavioral program.The program with help to slowly expose an individual to different situations such as taking them to heights, allowing the person to express their fears and concerns all the while of teaching that individual relaxation tips that will help them remain in a calm state and be able to help themselves to overcome the fear that they have (Bailey, 2008).

Thursday, August 15, 2019

The Stanford (Zimbardo) Experiment

THE STANFORD EXPERIMENT What happens when you put good people in an evil place? How the environment affect behaviours , attitudes or beliefs of people? Philip Zimbardo was interested in this questions. Zimvardo choose a prison enviroment as the evil place. Zimbardo prepare the basement of Stanford University Psychlogy Department like a prison to avoid security problems. All of the conditions in basement change for experiment such as guards uniform , prisoners overalls, grates , dark cell etc. Zimbardo gave sun-glasses to guards to avoid personel relation between guards and prisoners with the barricade eye contact.After the preperation had been completed , Zimbardo choose 21 people with no physically and mental healt issue. These people came after see the newspaper announce. Subjects seperated two groups as prisoners and guard randomly. Prisoners arrested like a real guilty and their eyes bandaged so they couldn’t recognize where they are. Firstly Zimbardo tell to guards condit ions and rules. The rules are; * Guardians responsible for keep the pattern safe in prison. * If a prisoner escape , The experiment would have been terminated * As the last and most important one is no violance to prisoners.First day the subjects of the experiment couldn’t adapt their roles but day by day guards have adapted their roles more than Zimbardo expected also prisoners. A few day later guards started to behave sadistic and tendency to physically violence. On the other hand prisoners had emotional problems. There are two key people on each side Guard John Wayne and Prisoner 8612. John Wayne had so sadictic behaviours and their leader character effect other guards. Actually, John Wayne play the Hand Luke role in this experiment.John Wayne watched a movie called â€Å"Cool Hand Luke† in this movie there are a guardian named Hand Luke , John Wayne choose Hand Luke as a role model in this experiment. Prisoner 8612 The rebellion leader was Prisoner 8621. He was lea d them to rebel against the rules and they make barriers with their beds to block guards. Guards punish Prisoner 8612 with staying the dark room. After the hard conditions , Prisoner 8612 decided quiting the experiment and then he gone to Zimbardo. Zimbardo tell him that If you stay in the experiment, I save you from bad behaviors of guards for telleing whatever prisoners do in cells. 612 confused and when he turn back to the cells tell other prisoners that â€Å"We can not get out of here†. And this effect the experiment essentially. Prisoner 8612 try to escape with patient role , by the time he adapted the patient role and he had mental problems. After that Zimbardo replace him with another subject Prisoner 416. When Prisoner 416 join there , he want to get out as soon as possible. Because Prisoner 416 had not adapted the role but everybody in prison adapted, and things that happenin in prison seems insane. Guards tell him that â€Å"Here is a real prison. and persuade Pri soner 416 to stay in. Prisoner 416 could not endure guards bad behaviour and he start hunger strike. John Wayne persuade other guards about the punisment of Prisoner 416 as a leader. Guards put in black room and punish other prisoners , and they say â€Å"You would punish because of Prisoner 416†. Other prisoners exclude Prisoner 416. Another psychologist Cristina Maslach came to observe the experiment and Maslach questioned its morality , and Zimbardo decided to terminate the experiment before 9days earlier CONCLUSIONSThe Stanford experiment ended on six days after it began. Zimbardo called both the guards and prisoners to a meeting and announced that the experiment is over. The experiment's results are   impressionability and obedience of people when provided with a legitimizing ideology  and social and institutional support. Result are similar with Milgram experiment. CRITICISM OF EXPERIMENT The guards, prisoners also Zimbardo adapted to their roles more completely tha n expected. One-third of the guards were judged to have exhibited sadistic tendencies. One-five of the Prisoners had emotional problems.Unexpectedly, Zimbardo act a prison manager. This study was cleared by the Ethics Code of the American Psychological Association, showing that experiments on paper can look very different than the way that they play out in reality. The experiment was criticized as unethical and unscientific. The participants were only engaging in  role-playing. In response, Zimbardo claimed that even if there was role-playing initially, participants  internalized  these roles as the experiment continued. More directly, though, it has been pointed out that, in contrast to Zimbardo's laim that participants were given no instructions about how to behave, his briefing of the guards gave them a clear sense that they should oppress the prisoners. In this sense the study was an exploration of the effects of tyrannical leadership. In line with this, certain guards, su ch as one known as â€Å"John Wayne†, changed their behavior because of wanting to conform to the behavior that Zimbardo was trying to elicit. VARIABLES Actually nobody can say the experiment fail because of early termination. The experiment over before 9 days earlier than planned but the results are so important as scientific.We have to use Occam’s razor to get rid of less effective independent variables, Some independent variables for Guards result * Prison environment (as an evil place) >> Contaminating variables * Power (as a Guard) Guard models (like Hand Luke) Moderator * Perfectly prepared prison environment Intervening variable * Losing responsibility Dependent variable * Acting Role perfectly Independent variables for Prisoners * Prison environment (as a pressure area) * Obedience instinct Moderator Prisoner 8621 say to other prisoners that â€Å"Noone can leave† Intervening variable * Individualization Dependent variable * Acting Roles and feel like a real prisoner ASSESMENT OF THE EXPERIMENT The Stanford Experiment is a psychological experiment. Inputs are people so lots of contaminate variables effect the results. Elimination of contaminate variables processes is so important also a hard thing for the experiment. Zimbardo try to get reliable resolutions like randomization for guard and prisoner groups. But this experiment is an unrepeatable experiment so confidence interval of results had been accept true.

Wednesday, August 14, 2019

Language analysis Essay

Feature article ‘Application failed: Tortured by hi-tech’ written by Sally Morrell in the Wednesday, June 13 issue of the Herald Sun contends that instead of machines making our lives easier, they have now become the control center of our daily activities. This feature article written in a reasonable and colloquial tone shows her views towards the topic of hi-tech as well as the visual showing a woman using a computer as a drug to help encourage readers to support her views. The title of the article makes her opinions on ‘hi-tech’ clear and the piece is filled with many reasons on why technology has overdone its natural purpose. Referring to life experiences in her opening sentence indicates that Morrell has an understanding of the topic and is able to relate to what she’s writing about. Her writing attempts to show readers that their lives have been over controlled by technology and machines. The juxtaposition of the title and visual shows an ironic analogy which helps strengthen matter at hand. ‘Application failed’ is entitled to compel reader’s think of a software program making it relate to the topic of technology. By using the image of a crazed woman ‘connected’ to her computer, strikes the reader’s attention enabling them to see how in order to function in our everyday lives, we need to have that addiction of being dependent on our technology resources. The technology around us is like a drug and Morrell forces readers to see that having machines is a pleasure but it can also be an over dominate resource thus agreeing with her in saying that it has ruled our lives. Colloquial language such as ‘twig’ and ‘conned’ throughout the text is used to personalize Morrell’s article. Relating to experiences and referring to them throughout the text, presents her as a person who has knowledge and understanding of matter. This helps supports her opinions and allows her to disagree on the statement ‘all these gadgets would make us all independent’. Her experiences show that even she has become a person who has relied on her device especially for communication with others. The way she personalizes her text makes what she is stating more believable and true. This obliges readers to see that instead of become more independent individuals; we have become more dependent on our gadgets enabling them to be the focal point of our lives. Readers do not have the time to enjoy time in the bathroom, at a cinema or at the dinner table because we are addicted to our gadgets and devices. ‘No wonder the World Wide Web is so named – webs are meant to trap people aren’t they?’ and ‘doesn’t it sounds like a lame excuse to say your computer was stuffed?’ are rhetorical questions Morrell uses to build up the arguments she wants to discuss. Her opinions and experience draws the reader to think about how idiotic it sounds that not rippling to an email within hours is late but when you don’t receive a letter for a week or two it’s okay. Having technology is meant to be ‘freedom’ but what’s freeing about having people contact you day and night about a crisis at work when you’re trying to relax and be free from the stress of work. Not only does Morrell state about freedom she also writes about how life 100 years ago wasn’t based on the devices and that now in our lives we are hostage to what is around us. Readers will see that we have become so reliant on their devices that they are basically our control center. Having experience on the topic, Morrell articles leaves readers to think about the affect technology has on their lives and how controlling the have become. Having caught the readers attentions through the life examples are her personal views throughout the article allows readers to be at one with her opinions and agree on the fact that technology and the World Wide Web have now become the control center of our daily activities.

Tuesday, August 13, 2019

Business Case for Investment Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Business Case for Investment - Research Paper Example mme contribute in the investment, what things are done in order the projects can fit with future and current capabilities, the funds and resources needed and the delivery of the benefits acquired. Business case development should be in possession of a sponsor of the business and later all the stakeholders should be involved in documenting and creating a business result of an investment that is complete. Curley (2004) asserts that the business case should illustrate how business results are measured and the initiatives needed in achieving a good result. The initiatives are either any changes of the nature of the business enterprise, processes in the business, and skills of the people, technology involved and competencies. The business case identifies how these initiatives contribute in the business. Risks are needed to be spotted and documented. The sponsor of the business is the one who will make a decision on whether to go on with an IT-facilitated investment. He also verifies if the business case is viable to be evaluated on the portfolio stage. Distinguishing between the processes needed to be followed when getting on IT-facilitated investment is important. The investment category, size of the investment and the position of the investment in the financially viable life sequence are factors that establish business case parts that need more attention (Curley, 2004). In an IT-facilitated investment, the business case considers the resources needed to be developed, a technology service to support the investment, business and operational capability and the values of the stakeholder. The business case is usually developed from top to down. In creating a business case, a clear recognition of the outcomes desired in a business should be the one starting. When the investment is endorsed, delivery of the capabilities needed and the outcomes should be monitored and managed in the investment’s life sequence (Ross, 2001). The components in the business case are

Risk management cycle and strategy of Money laundring in the US Essay

Risk management cycle and strategy of Money laundring in the US - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that the issue of money laundering has been the center of debate for quite a long time. Criminals and other terrorist groups have continued to use money-laundering schemes to hide their intermittent sources of money obtained by fraudulent means. According to the Office of the Foreign Assets Control, the United States continues to lose large amounts of dollars through money laundering activities. The country is also facing imminent risk of ever-lasting criminal and terrorist threats since the rate of money laundering activities is still high. As of today, economists in association with financial analysts fear that the United States will face an unimaginable loss of foreign investors in the not too far future mainly because of money laundering risks. This is so because the presence of money laundering activities brings about significant risks, which tarnishes the safety and soundness of a country’s financial industry Typically, money l aundering is simply the process in which an individual or a group conceals the source where they obtain money via illicit means. The ways in which fraudsters can launder money are several and they can vary in accordance with their sophistication. Every year, the government of the United States quotes the amounts of money that the country loses through money laundering activities. Given that most of the money obtained through fraudulent means goes to fund criminal and terrorist operations, it is agreed that the risks involved in money laundering expand to encompass the safety and security of the nation. As a result, the United States is likely to be sitting on a time bomb since anti-money laundering agents are moving at a slower pace, unlike fraudsters who are at the verge of compromising the face value of the United States’ financial sector. Recently, the International Monetary Fund’s report revealed that two to five percent of the world’s general economy is com posed of laundered money. Nevertheless, the task force charged with the duty of combating money laundering business, commonly referred to as the FATF, communicated that it is not easy to provide an estimate of money obtained through laundering.