Algebra Math Problem Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Algebra - Math Problem Example Solution: Let x = the quantity of Arabica(M) (in kg) and y = quantity of Robusta(H) (in kg) Based on the given information, equations may be set up as: 10.50(x) + 9.25(y) = (9.74)(2500) ---? equation (1) x + y = 2500 ---? equation (2) Graphing each equation on the same xy-plane: By applying substitution method (equation (2) into equation (1)): 10.50(x) + 9.25*(2500 – x) = (9.74)(2500) 10.50(x) + 23125 - 9.25(x) = 24350 1.25(x) = 1225 Then dividing each side by 0.8, x = 980 kgs Arabica(M) And 980 + y = 2500 ---? y = 1520 kgs Robusta(H) Thus, the point of intersection is at (980, 1520) and this pertains to the quantities each of the Arabica(M) and the Robusta(H) that must be present in the bean-mixture so that Matthew is able to satisfy the condition of selling a total of 2500-kg mixture where each kilogram is sold for $9.74. Summary of Learning Besides its flexible range of applications, I have learned that there can be alternative methods in solving a system of equations once each equation has been properly set up with correct algebraic expressions in which variables are made to represent unknown amounts of objects either count or non-count by nature. I appreciate the fact that in Algebra, one is able to verify the existence of a solution by using methods of elimination and substitution wherein one method can be a means to countercheck the other which ought to show the same results. It is quite interesting that equations may be graphed to determine whether real solutions exist as via intersection of lines. Having become acquainted with different function types such as linear, polynomial, rational, logarithmic, and exponential, I gain knowledge of constructing relations among dependent and independent variables as well as arbitrary constants based on useful empirical data. Summary of Topic In the model mixture problem, businessmen like Matthew can set constraints in terms of cost, quantity of material or commodity under consideration, selling price, and a dditional concerns that may possibly be incorporated in formulating labels and pertinent equations. Normally, problems of such kind possess linear relationships of variables for which the number of solutions rely on the highest degree of independent variable by which to identify the number of intersection points between the set of equations involved. Alternative Project In its existence and approach, Algebra serves as a base device to higher math such as Calculus which attempts to explore the grounds for the undefined nature of a function and designates a sensible understanding about up to which extent it would exist considering assumptions or applicable conditions. Fundamentals of algebra are essential to the foundation of courses designed to solve multivariable systems through linear programming, matrix applications, and differential equations where there is ceaseless necessity for equations and functions in interpreting problem situations. They are especially of ample advantage a s tools for working chemists and biochemists who deal with cases of radioactive decomposition or rates of reactions for instance. Hence, chemical studies under such field may include the use of exponential function A = A0*e-kt where ‘A’ stands for the element concentration or amount at any time ‘t’

Mitochondrial DNA Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Mitochondrial DNA - Essay Example This is accomplished in humans by the sequencing one or more of the hypervariable control regions (HVR1 or HVR2) of the mitochondrial DNA (Schwartz & Vissing 2002). Mitochondrial Eve is referred to as an ancestor who has been hypothesized on the grounds of fossil as well as DNA evidence (Vigilant et al. 1991). Phylogenies are constructed on mtDNA comparison shown that the living humans whose mitochondrial lineages branched earliest from the tree are indigenous Africans, while the lineages of indigenous peoples on other continents all branch off from African lines (Vigilant et al. 1991). Researchers can reason that all humans descend from Africa; and then they migrated out of Africa to populate the rest of the world. If the mitochondrial analysis is accurate, then mitochondrial Eve represents the origin of the mitochondrial family tree. Eve must have predated the mass departure and lived in Africa (Vigilant et al. 1991). Mitochondrial Eve was the most recent matrilineal ancestor of humans alive today. On the other hand, as evident lineages died out, the status of common matrilineal ancestor would have been passed to a descendant of the previous matrilineal ancestor. ... The nucleotide sequence of the hypervariable 1 (HV-1) region of mtDNA was determined from samples of all four groups. There were 275 HV-1 sequences, and a total of 164 haplotypes were observed (Jackson et al.). Jackson reveals that through analysis of molecular inconsistency indicated that the distribution of these haplotypes within the Limba sample was considerably different from the other ethnic groups. He further states that there was no significant difference between the other groups (Jackson et al.). These distinguishing results show genetic differences that can be observed within different ethnic groups in considerably close proximity of each other. Moreover, Jackson, and his group, observed some mtDNA haplotypes that were similar among the Sierra Leone ethnic groups and that have not been published in any other West African studies (Jackson et al.). As a result, there may be evidence for mtDNA lineages that are unique to this region of Western Africa. The methods of sampling w ere cheek swabs, using the BuccalAmp DNA Extraction kit according to the manufacturer's specifications, which were taking from 166 unrelated individuals from all four ethnic groups: Mende, Temne, Loko, and Limba (Jackson et al.). These samples were obtained in pre-arranged meetings and males were primarily observed. This was because matrilineal and patrilineal studies were conducted (Jackson et al.). Matrilineal and patrilineal ethnic lineages over three generations were recorded for each individual. The mtDNA haplotypes were determined by analyzing the nucleotide sequence of the hypervariable region (HV-I). HV1 sequences were allied and edited from positions 16001-16480 to ensure the identification of unambiguous polymorphisms (Jackson et al.). 480 bases of HV-I

Role of the Quantity Surveying Profession

Role of the Quantity Surveying Profession In order to identify the role of the Quantity surveyor in the modern UK industry we will review his implications and duties during all the different stages of the construction cycle. Also and for information we will review how a Client appoints a Quantity surveyor and when, in order to understand his early involvements in the process. And finally we will explain how the surveyor claims his fees and how the Client paid the QS services. But firstly, lets go in the past to understand where the job of quantity surveyor comes from and when it first appears in the UK. HISTORY The quantity surveyor profession can trace its roots back to the rebuilding of London after the Great fire ROLE OF A QUANTITY SURVEYOR NOWADAYS Quantity surveyors are the accountants of the building profession planning and managing costs of construction projects from start to finish. Quantity surveyors (or QSs as they are known, since its a bit of a mouthful) either work for a private QS practice and act on behalf of clients or for a contracting firm which carries out construction work. This profession is certainly not all hard hats and wellies. In fact the role of the quantity surveyor has changed so dramatically in recent years that the profession doesnt always answer to the name of quantity surveying anymore! You will often see private practices referring to themselves as cost consultants and project managers because of the nature of the work they now handle. Due to the recession, QSs have had to adapt or die and there are now fewer, larger private practices than ever before taking on a broader remit of work. No longer do quantity surveyors just measure and price work, they have a more strategic role. Nowadays the QS is involved at all stages of a project from preparing tenders and planning costs to preparing final bills of quantities; essentially, making sure projects are planned and completed to cost and quality, on time. UK construction professionals are respected abroad and, partly in response to the depressed home market, many UK firms have developed an international outlook. WHEN TO APPOINT A QUANTITY SURVEYOR In order that maximum benefit can be gained from his skill a Quantity surveyor should be appointed by any client as soon as possible in the life of a project, preferably at the inception of a scheme, so that the QSs advices can be provided on: The costs of the project (meet the Clients budget). The best procurement route can be selected according to the Client requirements. Selection of others consultants and contractors. It is recommended that a Client and his Quantity surveyor should meet and discuss the appointment before any agreement is reached, unless the services provided by the Qs is to be restricted in the process. HOW TO SELECT AND APPOINT A QUANTITY SURVEYOR There are three methods available when it comes to select a Quantity surveyor; Selection based on existing knowledge A Client may select and then appoint a QS using existing knowledge of the surveyors performance and reputation. This may a result of past succefull project, good relationship or by recommandations from others. Selection from a panel maintained by a Client A Client may maintain a panel of Quantity surveyors. He will have records of their experience which will enable him to make any selection or appointment. Selection from an ad hoc list produced by a Client If a Client cannot make a decision using any of the two others methods it may be more appropriate produce an ad hoc list. Whichever of the above methods of selection is used it is important for the selection criteria to include the following: The financial standing of the QS under consideration The experience, competence and reputation of each candidate for equal chance. Their ability to provide the services required by the Client. SERVICES OFFERED BY A QUANTITY SURVEYOR This diagram shows the different phases of the construction cycle. The Quantity surveyor is involved in each of these phases. The following will explain what the duties of the QS are during the construction cycle. Quantity surveying in Construction phases Inception and feasibility At inception and feasibility the Quantity surveyor has the duty of: Liaise with client and other consultants to determine the Clients requirements and development of the full brief. Advise on selection of other consultants. Advise on implications of proposed project and liaise with other experts to develop such advice. Advise on the most appropriate procurement route. Establish Clients order of priorities for quality, time and cost. Prepare initial budget estimate from feasibility proposals. Prepare overall project cost calculations and cash flow projections. Design stage During the design stage the Qs will: Prepare and develop preliminary cost plan. Advise on cost of design teams proposals. Monitor cost implications during detailed design stage. Maintain and develop cost plan, and prepare periodic reports and updated cash flow forecasts. Tender documents During this stage, the Quantity surveyor will: Advise on tendering and contractual arrangements taking into accounts the Clients priorities and information available from designers. Advise on insurance responsibilities and liaise with Clients insurance advisers. Advise on warranties. Advise on bonds for performances and other purposes. Prepare tender and contract documents in conjunction with the Clients and members of design team. Provide copies of documentations as agreed Advise on use and/or amendments of standard form of contract or contribute to drafting of particular requirements in association with Clients legal advisers. Draw up form of contact, obtain contract drawings from members of the design team and prepare and deliver to both parties contract copies of all documents. Tender selection and appraisal At this stage of the tender actions phase the Qs has to: Advise on shortlisting prospective tenderers. Investigate tenderers and advise the Client on financial status and experience. Attend pre-contract interview with tenderers. Arrange delivery of documents to selected tenderers. Check tender submissions for accuracy, level of pricing. Advise on errors and qualifications and, if necessary, negotiate the offers. Advise on submission of programme of work and method statement. Prepare appropriate documentation if necessary, to adjust the tender received to an acceptable contract sum. Review financial budget in view of tenders received and prepare revised cash flow. Prepare tender reports with appropriate recommendations. Construction During the construction the Quantity surveyor will: Prepare recommendations for interim payments to contractors, subcontractors and suppliers in accordance with the contract requirements. Post contract During this last stage of the construction cycle the Qs will: Value designers draft for varying the project before issue. Prepare periodic cost reports in agreed format at specified intervals including any allocations of cost and/or copies as requested by third parties. Prepare the final account. Attend meetings as provided under agreements. Provide copies of documentation as provided under the agreement. PAYMENTS The Client shall pay the QS for the performance of the services the fees and charges in such instalments as are set in the fee offer clause. All fees and charges under the agreement are exclusive of value added Tax which if due shall be paid concurrently in addition. The due date for payment shall be 7 days after the date of the submission of the invoice. The quantity surveyor when submitting his invoice shall on each invoice confirm the basis on which the stated amount is calculated. The final date for payment has to be 21 days after the due date for payment. The payment has to be made no later than the final date for payment. Any amount due to the Quantity surveyor under the agreement which remain unpaid by the client after the final date must be bear interest at the rate stated in the fee offer clause. BIBLIOGRAPHY Client guide to the Appointing a Quantity Surveyor, first edition(February 1992; RICS books Cost Planning of Buildings, Eighth Edition; Ferry and Brandon Lecture notes 2010; Discipline Project 2 RIBA Outline Plan of Work 2007 amended Nov 2008

motivation Essay example -- essays research papers

One’s personality can be understood from the people they mingle with.† With this said, I find myself most influenced and inspired by personalities similar to mine. Whether it is an innate biological factor or a result of my upbringing, I find myself to be an anthology of all the personalities within my immediate family. My family’s personalities and leadership qualities are all similar and have been highly instrumental in my own personality.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One would ask, â€Å"what type of personalities do your family possess?† My mother, the most influential personality and leader in my life is a complete replica of what I want to be, and with time, what I will be. According to the â€Å"Big Five Personality Dimensions,† my mother is extremely outgoing, â€Å"very goal oriented† and â€Å"responsible,† exceptionally â€Å"confident† and â€Å"stable,† and very open to new ideas. However, when analyzing my mother under the â€Å"agreeableness† dimension, my mother is by no means â€Å"aloof,† she is indeed good-natured, but not to the point where I would deem her an exceedingly â€Å"warm† and â€Å"considerate.† In my eyes, these qualities are key to becoming a successful leader both in the corporate world and in life in general.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  According to the x and y theory, my mother is a strong believer in the x-theory. The x-theory states, â€Å" the average human being has an inherent dislike of work and will avoid it if possible.† It short, it goes on to explain that people must be â€Å"directed...

Tsunami and Love Canal

A  tsunami  (‘harbor wave') or  tidal wave  is a series of water waves (called a  tsunami wave train) caused by the displacement of a large volume of a body of water, usually an ocean, but can occur in  large lakes. Tsunamis are a frequent occurrence in Japan; approximately 195 events have been recorded. Due to the immense volumes of water and energy involved, tsunamis can devastate coastal regions.Earthquakes,  volcanic eruptions  and other  underwater explosions  (including detonations of underwater  nuclear devices), landslides  and other  mass movements,  meteorite ocean impacts or similar impact events, and other disturbances above or below water all have the potential to generate a tsunami. The  Greek  historian  Thucydides  was the first to relate tsunami to  submarine earthquakes,  but understanding of tsunami's nature remained slim until the 20th century and is the subject of ongoing research. Many early  geological,  geograp hical, and oceanographic  texts refer to tsunamis as â€Å"seismic sea waves. CHARACTERISTICS: While everyday  wind waves  have a  wavelength  (from crest to crest) of about 100  meters (330 ft) and a height of roughly 2  meters (6. 6 ft), a tsunami in the deep ocean has a wavelength of about 200  kilometers (120 mi). Such a wave travels at well over 800  kilometers per hour (500 mph), but due to the enormous wavelength the wave oscillation at any given point takes 20 or 30 minutes to complete a cycle and has amplitude of only about 1  meter (3. 3 ft). This makes tsunamis difficult to detect over deep water. Ships rarely notice their passage.As the tsunami approaches the coast and the waters become shallow,  wave shoaling  compresses the wave and its velocity slows below 80  kilometers per hour (50 mph). Its wavelength diminishes to less than 20  kilometers (12 mi) and its amplitude grows enormously, producing a distinctly visible wave. Since the wave st ill has such a long wavelength, the tsunami may take minutes to reach full height. Except for the very largest tsunamis, the approaching wave does not break (like a  surf break), but rather appears like a fast moving  tidal bore.Open bays and coastlines adjacent to very deep water may shape the tsunami further into a step-like wave with a steep-breaking front. When the tsunami's wave peak reaches the shore, the resulting temporary rise in sea level is termed ‘run up'. Run up is measured in meters above a reference sea level. A large tsunami may feature multiple waves arriving over a period of hours, with significant time between the wave crests. The first wave to reach the shore may not have the highest run up. About 80% of tsunamis occur in the Pacific Ocean, but are possible wherever there are large bodies of water, including lakes.They are caused by earthquakes, landslides, volcanic explosions, and  bolides. GENERATION MECHANISMS: The principal generation mechanism (o r cause) of a tsunami is the displacement of a substantial volume of water or perturbation of the sea. This displacement of water is usually attributed to earthquakes, landslides, volcanic eruptions, or more rarely by meteorites and nuclear tests. The waves formed in this way are then sustained by gravity. It is important to note that  tides  do not play any part in the generation of tsunamis; hence referring to tsunamis as ‘tidal waves' is inaccurate.Seismicity generated tsunamis Tsunamis can be generated when the sea floor abruptly deforms and vertically displaces the overlying water. Tectonic earthquakes are a particular kind of earthquake that are associated with the earth's crustal deformation; when these earthquakes occur beneath the sea, the water above the deformed area is displaced from its equilibrium position. More specifically, a tsunami can be generated when  thrust faults  associated with  convergent  or destructive  plate boundaries  move abruptl y, resulting in water displacement, due to the vertical component of movement involved.Movement on normal faults will also cause displacement of the seabed, but the size of the largest of such events is normally too small to give rise to a significant tsunami. |[pic] |[pic] |[pic] |[pic] | |Drawing of  tectonic plate |Overriding plate bulges under |Plate slips, causing |The energy released produces | |boundary  before earthquake. |strain, causing tectonic uplift. |subsidence  and releasing energy |tsunami waves. | | | |into water. | Tsunamis have a small  amplitude  (wave height) offshore, and a very long  wavelength  (often hundreds of kilometers long), which is why they generally pass unnoticed at sea, forming only a slight swell usually about 300  millimeters (12 in) above the normal sea surface. They grow in height when they reach shallower water, in a  wave shoaling  process described below. A tsunami can occur in any tidal state and even at low tide can sti ll inundate coastal areas. On April 1, 1946, a magnitude-7. 8 (Richter scale)  earthquake  occurred near the  Aleutian Islands,  Alaska.It generated a tsunami which inundated  Hilo  on the island of Hawaii’s with a 14  meters (46 ft) high surge. The area where the  earthquake  occurred is where the  Pacific Ocean  floor is  subducting  (or being pushed downwards) under  Alaska. Examples of tsunami at locations away from  convergent boundaries  include  Storegga  about 8,000 years ago,  Grand Banks  1929,  Papua New Guinea  1998 (Tappin, 2001). The Grand Banks and Papua New Guinea tsunamis came from earthquakes which destabilized sediments, causing them to flow into the ocean and generate a tsunami. They dissipated before traveling transoceanic distances.The cause of the Storegga sediment failure is unknown. Possibilities include an overloading of the sediments, an earthquake or a release of gas hydrates (methane etc. ) The  1960 V aldivia earthquake  (Mw  9. 5) (19:11 hrs UTC),  1964 Alaska earthquake  (Mw  9. 2), and  2004 Indian Ocean earthquake  (Mw  9. 2) (00:58:53 UTC) are recent examples of powerful mega thrust  earthquakes that generated tsunamis (known as  teletsunamis) that can cross entire oceans. Smaller (Mw  4. 2) earthquakes in Japan can trigger tsunamis (called  local  and regional tsunamis) that can only devastate nearby coasts, but can do so in only a few minutes.In the 1950s, it was discovered that larger tsunamis than had previously been believed possible could be caused by giant  landslides. These phenomena rapidly displace large water volumes, as energy from falling debris or expansion transfers to the water at a rate faster than the water can absorb. Their existence was confirmed in 1958, when a giant landslide in Lituya Bay,  Alaska, caused the highest wave ever recorded, which had a height of 524 meters (over 1700 feet). The wave didn't travel far, as it st ruck land almost immediately. Two people fishing in the bay were killed, but another boat amazingly managed to ride the wave.Scientists named these waves  mega tsunami. Scientists discovered that extremely large landslides from volcanic island collapses can generate  mega tsunami that can travel trans-oceanic distances. SCALES OF INTENSITY AND MAGNITUDE: As with earthquakes, several attempts have been made to set up scales of tsunami intensity or magnitude to allow comparison between different events. Intensity scales The first scales used routinely to measure the intensity of tsunami were the  Sieberg-Ambraseys scale, used in the  Mediterranean Sea  and the  Imamura-Iida intensity scale, used in the Pacific Ocean.The latter scale was modified by Soloviev, who calculated the Tsunami intensity  I  according to the formula [pic] Where  Hav  is the average wave height along the nearest coast. This scale, known as the  Soloviev-Imamura tsunami intensity scale, is u sed in the global tsunami catalogues compiled by the  NGDC/NOAA  and the Novosibirsk Tsunami Laboratory as the main parameter for the size of the tsunami. Magnitude scales The first scale that genuinely calculated a magnitude for a tsunami, rather than an intensity at a particular location was the ML scale proposed by Murty & Loomis based on the potential energy.Difficulties in calculating the potential energy of the tsunami mean that this scale is rarely used. Abe introduced the  tsunami magnitude scale  Mt, calculated from, [pic] where  h  is the maximum tsunami-wave amplitude (in m) measured by a tide gauge at a distance  R  from the epicenter,  a,  b  &  D  are constants used to make the Mt  scale match as closely as possible with the moment magnitude scale. WARNINGS AND PREDICTIONS: Drawbacks can serve as a brief warning. People who observe drawback (many survivors report an accompanying sucking sound), can survive only if they immediately run for hi gh ground or seek the upper floors of nearby buildings.In 2004, ten-year old  Tilly Smith  of  Surrey,  England, was on  Maikhao beach  in  Phuket,  Thailand  with her parents and sister, and having learned about tsunamis recently in school, told her family that a tsunami might be imminent. Her parents warned others minutes before the wave arrived, saving dozens of lives. She credited her geography teacher, Andrew Kearney. In the  2004 Indian Ocean tsunami  drawback was not reported on the African coast or any other eastern coasts it reached. This was because the wave moved downwards on the eastern side of the fault line and upwards on the western side.The western pulse hit coastal Africa and other western areas. A tsunami cannot be precisely predicted, even if the magnitude and location of an earthquake is known. Geologists,  oceanographers, and seismologists  analyze each earthquake and based on many factors may or may not issue a tsunami warning. However , there are some warning signs of an impending tsunami, and automated systems can provide warnings immediately after an earthquake in time to save lives. One of the most successful systems uses bottom pressure sensors that are attached to buoys. The sensors constantly monitor the pressure of the overlying water column.This is deduced through the calculation: [pic] Where, P  = the overlying  pressure  in Newton per meter square, ? = the  density  of the  seawater = 1. 1 x 103  kg/m3, g  = the  acceleration due to gravity = 9. 8 m/s2  and h  = the height of the water column in meters. Hence for a water column of 5,000 m depth the overlying pressure is equal to [pic] Or about 5500  tonnes-force  per square meter. Regions with a high tsunami risk typically use  tsunami warning systems  to warn the population before the wave reaches land. On the west coast of the United States, which is prone to Pacific Ocean tsunami, warning signs indicate evacuation routes .In Japan, the community is well-educated about earthquakes and tsunamis, and along the Japanese shorelines the tsunami warning signs are reminders of the natural hazards together with a network of warning sirens, typically at the top of the cliff of surroundings hills. The  Pacific Tsunami Warning System  is based in  Honolulu,  Hawaii. It monitors Pacific Ocean seismic activity. A sufficiently large earthquake magnitude and other information trigger a tsunami warning. While the seduction zones around the Pacific are seismically active, not all earthquakes generate tsunami.Computers assist in analyzing the tsunami risk of every earthquake that occurs in the Pacific Ocean and the adjoining land masses. |[pic] |[pic] |[pic] |[pic] | |Tsunami hazard sign |A tsunami warning sign on |The monument to the victims of |Tsunami memorial | |atBamfield,  British Columbia |a  seawall  in  Kamakura, Japan, |tsunami at Laupahoehoe,  Hawaii |inKanyakumari  beach | | |2004. | | |As a direct result of the Indian Ocean tsunami, a re-appraisal of the tsunami threat for all coastal areas is being undertaken by national governments and the United Nations Disaster Mitigation Committee. A tsunami warning system is being installed in the Indian Ocean. Computer models can predict tsunami arrival, usually within minutes of the arrival time. Bottom pressure sensors relay information in real time. Based on these pressure readings and other seismic information and the seafloor's shape and coastal  topography, the models estimate the amplitude and surge height of the approaching tsunami.All Pacific Rim countries collaborate in the Tsunami Warning System and most regularly practice evacuation and other procedures. In Japan, such preparation is mandatory for government, local authorities, emergency services and the population. Some zoologists hypothesize that some animal species have an ability to sense subsonic  Rayleigh waves  from an earthquake or a tsunami. If c orrect, monitoring their behavior could provide advance warning of earthquakes, tsunami etc. However, the evidence is controversial and is not widely accepted.There are unsubstantiated claims about the Lisbon quake that some animals escaped to higher ground, while many other animals in the same areas drowned. The phenomenon was also noted by media sources in  Sri Lanka  in the  2004 Indian Ocean earthquake. [21][22]  It is possible that certain animals (e. g. ,  elephants) may have heard the sounds of the tsunami as it approached the coast. The elephants' reaction was to move away from the approaching noise. By contrast, some humans went to the shore to investigate and many drowned as a result. It is not possible to prevent a tsunami.However, in some tsunami-prone countries some  earthquake engineering  measures have been taken to reduce the damage caused on shore. Japan  built many tsunami walls of up to 4. 5  metres (15 ft) to protect populated coastal areas. Oth er localities have built  floodgates  and channels to redirect the water from incoming tsunami. However, their effectiveness has been questioned, as tsunami often overtop the barriers. For instance, the  Okushiri, Hokkaido tsunami  which struck  Okushiri Island  of  Hokkaido  within two to five minutes of the  earthquake on July 12, 1993  created waves as much as 30  metres (100 ft) tall—as high as a 10-story building.The port town of Aonae was completely surrounded by a tsunami wall, but the waves washed right over the wall and destroyed all the wood-framed structures in the area. The wall may have succeeded in slowing down and moderating the height of the tsunami, but it did not prevent major destruction and loss of life. [23] Natural factors such as shoreline tree cover can mitigate tsunami effects. Some locations in the path of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami escaped almost unscathed because trees such as  coconut palms  and  mangroves  absorbe d the tsunami's energy.In one striking example, the village of  Naluvedapathy  in India's  Tamil Nadu  region suffered only minimal damage and few deaths because the wave broke against a forest of 80,244 trees planted along the shoreline in 2002 in a bid to enter the  Guinness Book of Records. [24]  Environmentalists have suggested tree planting along tsunami-prone seacoasts. Trees require years to grow to a useful size, but such plantations could offer a much cheaper and longer-lasting means of tsunami mitigation than artificial barriers. The Love Canal chemical waste dumpIn 1920 Hooker Chemical had turned an area in Niagara Falls into a municipal and chemical disposal site. In 1953 the site was filled and relatively modern methods were applied to cover it. A thick layer of impermeable red clay sealed the dump, preventing chemicals from leaking out of the landfill. A city near the dumpsite wanted to buy it for urban expansion. Despite the warnings of Hooker the city eve ntually bought the site for the meager amount of 1 dollar. Hooker could not sell for more, because they did not want to earn money off a project so clearly unwise.The city began to dig to develop a sewer, damaging the red clay cap that covered the dumpsite below. Blocks of homes and a school were built and the neighborhood was named Love Canal. Love Canal seemed like a regular neighborhood. The only thing that distinguished this neighborhood from other was the strange odors that often hung in the air and an unusual seepage noticed by inhabitants in their basements and yards. Children in the neighborhood often fell ill. Love Canal families regularly experienced miscarriages and birth defects.Lois Gibbs, an activist, noticed the high occurrence of illness and birth defects in the area and started documenting it. In 1978 newspapers revealed the existence of the chemical waste dump in the Love Canal area and Lois Gibbs started petitioning for closing the school. In August 1978, the clai m succeeded and the NYS Health Department ordered closing of the school when a child suffered from chemical poisoning. When Love Canal was researched over 130 pounds of the highly toxic carcinogenic TCDD, a form of dioxin, was discovered. The total of 20. 00 tons of waste present in the landfill appeared to contain more than 248 different species of chemicals. The waste mainly consisted of pesticide residues and chemical weapons research refuse. The chemicals had entered homes, sewers, yards and creeks and Gibbs decided it was time for the more than 900 families to be moved away from the location. Eventually President Carter provided funds to move all the families to a safer area. Hooker’s parent company was sued and settled for 20 million dollars. Despite protests by Gibbs’s organization some of the houses in Love Canal went up for sale some 20 years later.The majority of the houses are on the market now and the neighborhood may become inhabited again after 20 years o f abandonment. The houses in Love Canal are hard to sell, despite a renaming of the neighborhood. It suffered such a bad reputation after the incident that banks refused mortgages on the houses. None of the chemicals have been removed from the dumpsite. It has been resealed and the surrounding area was cleaned and declared safe. Hooker’s mother company paid an additional 230 million dollars to finance this cleanup. They are now responsible for the management of the dumpsite.Today, the Love Canal dumpsite is known as one of the major environmental disasters of the century. **** Love Canal is an abandoned canal in Niagara County, New York, where a huge amount of toxic waste was buried. The waste was composed of at least 300 different chemicals, totaling an estimated 20,000 metric tons. The existence of the waste was discovered in the 1970s when families living in homes subsequently built next to the site found chemical wastes seeping up through the ground into their basements, forcing them to eventually abandon their homes.Love Canal was used from the 1940s through the 1950s by the Hooker Chemical Company and the city of Niagara Falls, among others, to dispose of their hazardous and municipal wastes and other refuse. The canal was surrounded by clay and was thought at the time to be a safe place for disposal—and, in fact, burying chemicals in the canal was probably safer than many other methods and sites used for chemical disposal at the time. In 1953, the Niagara Falls Board of Education bought the land-fill for $1 and constructed an elementary school with playing fields on the site.Roads and sewer lines were added and, in the early 1970s, single-family homes were built adjacent to the site. Following a couple of heavy rains in the mid-1970s, the canal flooded and chemicals were observed on the surface of the site and in the basements of houses abutting the site. Newspaper coverage, investigations by the State of New York and by the U. S. Environm ental Protection Agency, combined with pressure from the district's U. S. congressional representative and outrage on the part of local residents, led to the declaration of a health emergency involving â€Å"great and imminent peril to the health of the general public. Ultimately, in August, 1978, a decision was made by Governor Hugh Carey, supported by the White House, to evacuate the residents and purchase 240 homes surrounding the site. Shortly thereafter, the residents of nearby homes that did not immediately abut the site also became concerned about their health and conducted a health survey that purported to show an increase in the occurrence of various diseases and problems such as birth defects and miscarriages, which were attributed to chemical exposures.A great controversy ensued over whether the observations were real or reflected normal rates of such problems, and whether chemical exposures had, in fact, occurred. Eventually, political pressure resulted in families bein g given an opportunity to leave and have their homes purchased by the State. About 70 homes remained occupied in 1989 by families who chose not to move. The controversy at Love Canal followed on the heels of the heightened awareness that occurred in the 1960s about environmental contamination, and it contributed to public and regulatory concern about hazardous wastes, waste disposal, and disclosure of such practices.Such concerns led Congress to pass the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) in 1976, and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), also known as the Superfund bill, in 1980. When CERCLA was passed, few were aware of the extent of the problem potentially created by years of inappropriate or inadequate hazardous waste disposal practices. Since implementing CERCLA, the U. S.Environmental Protection Agency has identified more than 40,000 potentially contaminated â€Å"Superfundâ⠂¬  sites. The Gulf War In August 1990 Iraqi forces invaded Kuwait, starting the Gulf War in which an allegiance of 34 nations worldwide was involved. In January  1991  of the Gulf War, Iraqi forces committed two environmental disasters. The first was a major oil spill 16 kilometers off the shore of Kuwait by dumping oil from several tankers and opening the valves of an offshore terminal. The second was the setting fire to 650 oil wells in Kuwait.The apparent strategic goal of the action was to prevent a potential landing by US Marines. American air strikes on January 26 destroyed pipelines to prevent further spillage into the Gulf. This however seemed to make little difference. Approximately one million tons of crude oil was already lost to the environment, making this the largest oil spill of human history. In the spring of 1991, as many as 500 oil wells were still burning and the last oil well was not extinguished until a few months later, in November.The oil spills did cons iderable damage to life in the Persian Gulf (see picture). Several months after the spill, the poisoned waters killed 20. 000 seabirds and had caused severe damage to local marine flora and fauna. The fires in the oil wells caused immense amounts of soot and toxic fumes to enter the atmosphere. This had great effects on the health of the local population and biota for several years. The pollution also had a possible impact on local weather patterns. Tsunami and Love Canal A  tsunami  (‘harbor wave') or  tidal wave  is a series of water waves (called a  tsunami wave train) caused by the displacement of a large volume of a body of water, usually an ocean, but can occur in  large lakes. Tsunamis are a frequent occurrence in Japan; approximately 195 events have been recorded. Due to the immense volumes of water and energy involved, tsunamis can devastate coastal regions.Earthquakes,  volcanic eruptions  and other  underwater explosions  (including detonations of underwater  nuclear devices), landslides  and other  mass movements,  meteorite ocean impacts or similar impact events, and other disturbances above or below water all have the potential to generate a tsunami. The  Greek  historian  Thucydides  was the first to relate tsunami to  submarine earthquakes,  but understanding of tsunami's nature remained slim until the 20th century and is the subject of ongoing research. Many early  geological,  geograp hical, and oceanographic  texts refer to tsunamis as â€Å"seismic sea waves. CHARACTERISTICS: While everyday  wind waves  have a  wavelength  (from crest to crest) of about 100  meters (330 ft) and a height of roughly 2  meters (6. 6 ft), a tsunami in the deep ocean has a wavelength of about 200  kilometers (120 mi). Such a wave travels at well over 800  kilometers per hour (500 mph), but due to the enormous wavelength the wave oscillation at any given point takes 20 or 30 minutes to complete a cycle and has amplitude of only about 1  meter (3. 3 ft). This makes tsunamis difficult to detect over deep water. Ships rarely notice their passage.As the tsunami approaches the coast and the waters become shallow,  wave shoaling  compresses the wave and its velocity slows below 80  kilometers per hour (50 mph). Its wavelength diminishes to less than 20  kilometers (12 mi) and its amplitude grows enormously, producing a distinctly visible wave. Since the wave st ill has such a long wavelength, the tsunami may take minutes to reach full height. Except for the very largest tsunamis, the approaching wave does not break (like a  surf break), but rather appears like a fast moving  tidal bore.Open bays and coastlines adjacent to very deep water may shape the tsunami further into a step-like wave with a steep-breaking front. When the tsunami's wave peak reaches the shore, the resulting temporary rise in sea level is termed ‘run up'. Run up is measured in meters above a reference sea level. A large tsunami may feature multiple waves arriving over a period of hours, with significant time between the wave crests. The first wave to reach the shore may not have the highest run up. About 80% of tsunamis occur in the Pacific Ocean, but are possible wherever there are large bodies of water, including lakes.They are caused by earthquakes, landslides, volcanic explosions, and  bolides. GENERATION MECHANISMS: The principal generation mechanism (o r cause) of a tsunami is the displacement of a substantial volume of water or perturbation of the sea. This displacement of water is usually attributed to earthquakes, landslides, volcanic eruptions, or more rarely by meteorites and nuclear tests. The waves formed in this way are then sustained by gravity. It is important to note that  tides  do not play any part in the generation of tsunamis; hence referring to tsunamis as ‘tidal waves' is inaccurate.Seismicity generated tsunamis Tsunamis can be generated when the sea floor abruptly deforms and vertically displaces the overlying water. Tectonic earthquakes are a particular kind of earthquake that are associated with the earth's crustal deformation; when these earthquakes occur beneath the sea, the water above the deformed area is displaced from its equilibrium position. More specifically, a tsunami can be generated when  thrust faults  associated with  convergent  or destructive  plate boundaries  move abruptl y, resulting in water displacement, due to the vertical component of movement involved.Movement on normal faults will also cause displacement of the seabed, but the size of the largest of such events is normally too small to give rise to a significant tsunami. |[pic] |[pic] |[pic] |[pic] | |Drawing of  tectonic plate |Overriding plate bulges under |Plate slips, causing |The energy released produces | |boundary  before earthquake. |strain, causing tectonic uplift. |subsidence  and releasing energy |tsunami waves. | | | |into water. | Tsunamis have a small  amplitude  (wave height) offshore, and a very long  wavelength  (often hundreds of kilometers long), which is why they generally pass unnoticed at sea, forming only a slight swell usually about 300  millimeters (12 in) above the normal sea surface. They grow in height when they reach shallower water, in a  wave shoaling  process described below. A tsunami can occur in any tidal state and even at low tide can sti ll inundate coastal areas. On April 1, 1946, a magnitude-7. 8 (Richter scale)  earthquake  occurred near the  Aleutian Islands,  Alaska.It generated a tsunami which inundated  Hilo  on the island of Hawaii’s with a 14  meters (46 ft) high surge. The area where the  earthquake  occurred is where the  Pacific Ocean  floor is  subducting  (or being pushed downwards) under  Alaska. Examples of tsunami at locations away from  convergent boundaries  include  Storegga  about 8,000 years ago,  Grand Banks  1929,  Papua New Guinea  1998 (Tappin, 2001). The Grand Banks and Papua New Guinea tsunamis came from earthquakes which destabilized sediments, causing them to flow into the ocean and generate a tsunami. They dissipated before traveling transoceanic distances.The cause of the Storegga sediment failure is unknown. Possibilities include an overloading of the sediments, an earthquake or a release of gas hydrates (methane etc. ) The  1960 V aldivia earthquake  (Mw  9. 5) (19:11 hrs UTC),  1964 Alaska earthquake  (Mw  9. 2), and  2004 Indian Ocean earthquake  (Mw  9. 2) (00:58:53 UTC) are recent examples of powerful mega thrust  earthquakes that generated tsunamis (known as  teletsunamis) that can cross entire oceans. Smaller (Mw  4. 2) earthquakes in Japan can trigger tsunamis (called  local  and regional tsunamis) that can only devastate nearby coasts, but can do so in only a few minutes.In the 1950s, it was discovered that larger tsunamis than had previously been believed possible could be caused by giant  landslides. These phenomena rapidly displace large water volumes, as energy from falling debris or expansion transfers to the water at a rate faster than the water can absorb. Their existence was confirmed in 1958, when a giant landslide in Lituya Bay,  Alaska, caused the highest wave ever recorded, which had a height of 524 meters (over 1700 feet). The wave didn't travel far, as it st ruck land almost immediately. Two people fishing in the bay were killed, but another boat amazingly managed to ride the wave.Scientists named these waves  mega tsunami. Scientists discovered that extremely large landslides from volcanic island collapses can generate  mega tsunami that can travel trans-oceanic distances. SCALES OF INTENSITY AND MAGNITUDE: As with earthquakes, several attempts have been made to set up scales of tsunami intensity or magnitude to allow comparison between different events. Intensity scales The first scales used routinely to measure the intensity of tsunami were the  Sieberg-Ambraseys scale, used in the  Mediterranean Sea  and the  Imamura-Iida intensity scale, used in the Pacific Ocean.The latter scale was modified by Soloviev, who calculated the Tsunami intensity  I  according to the formula [pic] Where  Hav  is the average wave height along the nearest coast. This scale, known as the  Soloviev-Imamura tsunami intensity scale, is u sed in the global tsunami catalogues compiled by the  NGDC/NOAA  and the Novosibirsk Tsunami Laboratory as the main parameter for the size of the tsunami. Magnitude scales The first scale that genuinely calculated a magnitude for a tsunami, rather than an intensity at a particular location was the ML scale proposed by Murty & Loomis based on the potential energy.Difficulties in calculating the potential energy of the tsunami mean that this scale is rarely used. Abe introduced the  tsunami magnitude scale  Mt, calculated from, [pic] where  h  is the maximum tsunami-wave amplitude (in m) measured by a tide gauge at a distance  R  from the epicenter,  a,  b  &  D  are constants used to make the Mt  scale match as closely as possible with the moment magnitude scale. WARNINGS AND PREDICTIONS: Drawbacks can serve as a brief warning. People who observe drawback (many survivors report an accompanying sucking sound), can survive only if they immediately run for hi gh ground or seek the upper floors of nearby buildings.In 2004, ten-year old  Tilly Smith  of  Surrey,  England, was on  Maikhao beach  in  Phuket,  Thailand  with her parents and sister, and having learned about tsunamis recently in school, told her family that a tsunami might be imminent. Her parents warned others minutes before the wave arrived, saving dozens of lives. She credited her geography teacher, Andrew Kearney. In the  2004 Indian Ocean tsunami  drawback was not reported on the African coast or any other eastern coasts it reached. This was because the wave moved downwards on the eastern side of the fault line and upwards on the western side.The western pulse hit coastal Africa and other western areas. A tsunami cannot be precisely predicted, even if the magnitude and location of an earthquake is known. Geologists,  oceanographers, and seismologists  analyze each earthquake and based on many factors may or may not issue a tsunami warning. However , there are some warning signs of an impending tsunami, and automated systems can provide warnings immediately after an earthquake in time to save lives. One of the most successful systems uses bottom pressure sensors that are attached to buoys. The sensors constantly monitor the pressure of the overlying water column.This is deduced through the calculation: [pic] Where, P  = the overlying  pressure  in Newton per meter square, ? = the  density  of the  seawater = 1. 1 x 103  kg/m3, g  = the  acceleration due to gravity = 9. 8 m/s2  and h  = the height of the water column in meters. Hence for a water column of 5,000 m depth the overlying pressure is equal to [pic] Or about 5500  tonnes-force  per square meter. Regions with a high tsunami risk typically use  tsunami warning systems  to warn the population before the wave reaches land. On the west coast of the United States, which is prone to Pacific Ocean tsunami, warning signs indicate evacuation routes .In Japan, the community is well-educated about earthquakes and tsunamis, and along the Japanese shorelines the tsunami warning signs are reminders of the natural hazards together with a network of warning sirens, typically at the top of the cliff of surroundings hills. The  Pacific Tsunami Warning System  is based in  Honolulu,  Hawaii. It monitors Pacific Ocean seismic activity. A sufficiently large earthquake magnitude and other information trigger a tsunami warning. While the seduction zones around the Pacific are seismically active, not all earthquakes generate tsunami.Computers assist in analyzing the tsunami risk of every earthquake that occurs in the Pacific Ocean and the adjoining land masses. |[pic] |[pic] |[pic] |[pic] | |Tsunami hazard sign |A tsunami warning sign on |The monument to the victims of |Tsunami memorial | |atBamfield,  British Columbia |a  seawall  in  Kamakura, Japan, |tsunami at Laupahoehoe,  Hawaii |inKanyakumari  beach | | |2004. | | |As a direct result of the Indian Ocean tsunami, a re-appraisal of the tsunami threat for all coastal areas is being undertaken by national governments and the United Nations Disaster Mitigation Committee. A tsunami warning system is being installed in the Indian Ocean. Computer models can predict tsunami arrival, usually within minutes of the arrival time. Bottom pressure sensors relay information in real time. Based on these pressure readings and other seismic information and the seafloor's shape and coastal  topography, the models estimate the amplitude and surge height of the approaching tsunami.All Pacific Rim countries collaborate in the Tsunami Warning System and most regularly practice evacuation and other procedures. In Japan, such preparation is mandatory for government, local authorities, emergency services and the population. Some zoologists hypothesize that some animal species have an ability to sense subsonic  Rayleigh waves  from an earthquake or a tsunami. If c orrect, monitoring their behavior could provide advance warning of earthquakes, tsunami etc. However, the evidence is controversial and is not widely accepted.There are unsubstantiated claims about the Lisbon quake that some animals escaped to higher ground, while many other animals in the same areas drowned. The phenomenon was also noted by media sources in  Sri Lanka  in the  2004 Indian Ocean earthquake. [21][22]  It is possible that certain animals (e. g. ,  elephants) may have heard the sounds of the tsunami as it approached the coast. The elephants' reaction was to move away from the approaching noise. By contrast, some humans went to the shore to investigate and many drowned as a result. It is not possible to prevent a tsunami.However, in some tsunami-prone countries some  earthquake engineering  measures have been taken to reduce the damage caused on shore. Japan  built many tsunami walls of up to 4. 5  metres (15 ft) to protect populated coastal areas. Oth er localities have built  floodgates  and channels to redirect the water from incoming tsunami. However, their effectiveness has been questioned, as tsunami often overtop the barriers. For instance, the  Okushiri, Hokkaido tsunami  which struck  Okushiri Island  of  Hokkaido  within two to five minutes of the  earthquake on July 12, 1993  created waves as much as 30  metres (100 ft) tall—as high as a 10-story building.The port town of Aonae was completely surrounded by a tsunami wall, but the waves washed right over the wall and destroyed all the wood-framed structures in the area. The wall may have succeeded in slowing down and moderating the height of the tsunami, but it did not prevent major destruction and loss of life. [23] Natural factors such as shoreline tree cover can mitigate tsunami effects. Some locations in the path of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami escaped almost unscathed because trees such as  coconut palms  and  mangroves  absorbe d the tsunami's energy.In one striking example, the village of  Naluvedapathy  in India's  Tamil Nadu  region suffered only minimal damage and few deaths because the wave broke against a forest of 80,244 trees planted along the shoreline in 2002 in a bid to enter the  Guinness Book of Records. [24]  Environmentalists have suggested tree planting along tsunami-prone seacoasts. Trees require years to grow to a useful size, but such plantations could offer a much cheaper and longer-lasting means of tsunami mitigation than artificial barriers. The Love Canal chemical waste dumpIn 1920 Hooker Chemical had turned an area in Niagara Falls into a municipal and chemical disposal site. In 1953 the site was filled and relatively modern methods were applied to cover it. A thick layer of impermeable red clay sealed the dump, preventing chemicals from leaking out of the landfill. A city near the dumpsite wanted to buy it for urban expansion. Despite the warnings of Hooker the city eve ntually bought the site for the meager amount of 1 dollar. Hooker could not sell for more, because they did not want to earn money off a project so clearly unwise.The city began to dig to develop a sewer, damaging the red clay cap that covered the dumpsite below. Blocks of homes and a school were built and the neighborhood was named Love Canal. Love Canal seemed like a regular neighborhood. The only thing that distinguished this neighborhood from other was the strange odors that often hung in the air and an unusual seepage noticed by inhabitants in their basements and yards. Children in the neighborhood often fell ill. Love Canal families regularly experienced miscarriages and birth defects.Lois Gibbs, an activist, noticed the high occurrence of illness and birth defects in the area and started documenting it. In 1978 newspapers revealed the existence of the chemical waste dump in the Love Canal area and Lois Gibbs started petitioning for closing the school. In August 1978, the clai m succeeded and the NYS Health Department ordered closing of the school when a child suffered from chemical poisoning. When Love Canal was researched over 130 pounds of the highly toxic carcinogenic TCDD, a form of dioxin, was discovered. The total of 20. 00 tons of waste present in the landfill appeared to contain more than 248 different species of chemicals. The waste mainly consisted of pesticide residues and chemical weapons research refuse. The chemicals had entered homes, sewers, yards and creeks and Gibbs decided it was time for the more than 900 families to be moved away from the location. Eventually President Carter provided funds to move all the families to a safer area. Hooker’s parent company was sued and settled for 20 million dollars. Despite protests by Gibbs’s organization some of the houses in Love Canal went up for sale some 20 years later.The majority of the houses are on the market now and the neighborhood may become inhabited again after 20 years o f abandonment. The houses in Love Canal are hard to sell, despite a renaming of the neighborhood. It suffered such a bad reputation after the incident that banks refused mortgages on the houses. None of the chemicals have been removed from the dumpsite. It has been resealed and the surrounding area was cleaned and declared safe. Hooker’s mother company paid an additional 230 million dollars to finance this cleanup. They are now responsible for the management of the dumpsite.Today, the Love Canal dumpsite is known as one of the major environmental disasters of the century. **** Love Canal is an abandoned canal in Niagara County, New York, where a huge amount of toxic waste was buried. The waste was composed of at least 300 different chemicals, totaling an estimated 20,000 metric tons. The existence of the waste was discovered in the 1970s when families living in homes subsequently built next to the site found chemical wastes seeping up through the ground into their basements, forcing them to eventually abandon their homes.Love Canal was used from the 1940s through the 1950s by the Hooker Chemical Company and the city of Niagara Falls, among others, to dispose of their hazardous and municipal wastes and other refuse. The canal was surrounded by clay and was thought at the time to be a safe place for disposal—and, in fact, burying chemicals in the canal was probably safer than many other methods and sites used for chemical disposal at the time. In 1953, the Niagara Falls Board of Education bought the land-fill for $1 and constructed an elementary school with playing fields on the site.Roads and sewer lines were added and, in the early 1970s, single-family homes were built adjacent to the site. Following a couple of heavy rains in the mid-1970s, the canal flooded and chemicals were observed on the surface of the site and in the basements of houses abutting the site. Newspaper coverage, investigations by the State of New York and by the U. S. Environm ental Protection Agency, combined with pressure from the district's U. S. congressional representative and outrage on the part of local residents, led to the declaration of a health emergency involving â€Å"great and imminent peril to the health of the general public. Ultimately, in August, 1978, a decision was made by Governor Hugh Carey, supported by the White House, to evacuate the residents and purchase 240 homes surrounding the site. Shortly thereafter, the residents of nearby homes that did not immediately abut the site also became concerned about their health and conducted a health survey that purported to show an increase in the occurrence of various diseases and problems such as birth defects and miscarriages, which were attributed to chemical exposures.A great controversy ensued over whether the observations were real or reflected normal rates of such problems, and whether chemical exposures had, in fact, occurred. Eventually, political pressure resulted in families bein g given an opportunity to leave and have their homes purchased by the State. About 70 homes remained occupied in 1989 by families who chose not to move. The controversy at Love Canal followed on the heels of the heightened awareness that occurred in the 1960s about environmental contamination, and it contributed to public and regulatory concern about hazardous wastes, waste disposal, and disclosure of such practices.Such concerns led Congress to pass the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) in 1976, and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), also known as the Superfund bill, in 1980. When CERCLA was passed, few were aware of the extent of the problem potentially created by years of inappropriate or inadequate hazardous waste disposal practices. Since implementing CERCLA, the U. S.Environmental Protection Agency has identified more than 40,000 potentially contaminated â€Å"Superfundâ⠂¬  sites. The Gulf War In August 1990 Iraqi forces invaded Kuwait, starting the Gulf War in which an allegiance of 34 nations worldwide was involved. In January  1991  of the Gulf War, Iraqi forces committed two environmental disasters. The first was a major oil spill 16 kilometers off the shore of Kuwait by dumping oil from several tankers and opening the valves of an offshore terminal. The second was the setting fire to 650 oil wells in Kuwait.The apparent strategic goal of the action was to prevent a potential landing by US Marines. American air strikes on January 26 destroyed pipelines to prevent further spillage into the Gulf. This however seemed to make little difference. Approximately one million tons of crude oil was already lost to the environment, making this the largest oil spill of human history. In the spring of 1991, as many as 500 oil wells were still burning and the last oil well was not extinguished until a few months later, in November.The oil spills did cons iderable damage to life in the Persian Gulf (see picture). Several months after the spill, the poisoned waters killed 20. 000 seabirds and had caused severe damage to local marine flora and fauna. The fires in the oil wells caused immense amounts of soot and toxic fumes to enter the atmosphere. This had great effects on the health of the local population and biota for several years. The pollution also had a possible impact on local weather patterns.

Quantitative research Essay

Quantitative research is the research method because this research method can collect many opinions and information from the large audiences and it is easier in doing analysis. After that, numerical data that successfully collected in the quantitative research is closely related to the final part of the research. (http://www.sagepub.com/upm-data/36869_muijs.pdf)- journal In addition, quantitative research is helpful in explaining and analyzing about a specific topic. (http://www.sagepub.com/upm-data/36869_muijs.pdf) For example, for research title† The negative impact of violence drama toward teenagers violence behavior†, through the quantitative research, people can know that actually how many of the teenagers actually will curious about the violence drama? Or actually how many of them will get influences or imitate what shown in the violence drama? Lastly, quantitative research can also help to narrow the wide number of public opinion into quantitative through questionn aire or tests. Thus, as mentioned above, it is easier in doing analysis after all the information is being gathered. Definition of quantitative research, viewed by †¦. Weblink Sample There are two types of sampling, which are probability sampling and nonprobability sampling. Probability sampling refer to everyone has the chance to enroll in the sample and it can be defined accurately. (http://www.statcan.gc.ca/edu/power-pouvoir/ch13/nonprob/5214898-eng.htm). Possibility sampling shows the features of the chosen population and thus, it is more credibility. (http://psychology.ucdavis.edu/sommerb/sommerdemo/sampling/types.htm) However nonprobability sampling refer to just some of the people can enroll in the sample and it result cannot define accurately. (http://www.statcan.gc.ca/edu/power-pouvoir/ch13/nonprob/5214898-eng.htm) There are quota sample, purposive sample and convenience sample in the nonprobability sampling. Convenience sample (nonprobability sample) is being used in this research because this research only targeted teenagers and college students. In other words, not all the people can be selected as target audiences for this research. The reason that t he survey questions are available to 100 people is because this can helps to find out different opinions and also find out how different teenagers behave differently after  watching violence drama. In addition, if there are no limits the numbers of the respondents, it is impossible to get the final result since there may be thousands of the different opinions and answers out there. Thus, choosing 100 people to answer on these questionnaires can help to minimize the large number of audiences too. Lastly, questionnaire survey for this research had been made as web questionnaire and target audiences can answer the questions by just clicking into the web link. Teenagers and college students have been choose to answer these questionnaires according to the gender because different gender may bring out a different result as well. Variables Variables are any aspect that will change the result of the studies. Independent variable is the one which always affects dependent variables. In this study, the independent variable is the violence drama and dependent variable would be the teenagers and college students because the negative impact brought out by violence drama may influence them. Measurement Measurement is the process of gathering the quantitative data. In addition, it is also a process that covert the data into phenomena based on the particular rules. Variables can be measured by different kind of measurement scales. In this research, there are close-ended questions, likert scales, guttman scaling. Close-ended Questions. Close-ended question is the question that provides several answers to let respondents choose. Means that, close-ended question is also the question that contain multiple choices. (www.businessdictionary.com/definition/closed-questions.html). Denifition of close-ended questions, Viewed by †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦, Weblink For example: Question: Have you ever watched violence drama before? Please choose the answer below. Yes No Respondents require choosing one answer only and this is easier to get the result and opinion from them. Likert Scales Likert scales are the questions to test the respondents’ level of agreement and disagreement. In addition, it is also the non-comparative scaling techniques. For example: Please choose the answer below. Questions: Statement Strongly Disagree Disagree Agree Strongly Agree I think I will to imitate because curious of the action from violence drama Respondents are require to choose one answer only of above and this is easier to test their level of agreement and disagreement. Guttman Scaling Guttman scaling is the question that contain few choices of answers and let respondents to choose the satisfy answer among it. For examples: Please choose the answer below. Questions: How often do you watch violence drama? Everyday Twice a week Once a month Others:__________ Respondents are require to choose one answer only and this is easier to do the analysis. Techniques and Scoring The techniques used to calculate the data of these measurement scales. Close-ended Questions For example: Question: Have you ever watched violence drama before? Please choose the answer below. oYes oNo Scoring Scores Final percentage Yes 83 89% No 10 11% 100% Table above showed the sample scoring for close-ended questions. From the result above, stated that most of the respondents have ever watched violence drama before. This is easier to find out the result by analyzing out the data collected. Likert Scales For example: Please choose the answer below. Questions: Statement Strongly Disagree Disagree Agree Strongly Agree I think I will to imitate because curious of the action from violence drama Final Percentage Strongly Disagree 29% Disagree 38% Agree 26% Strongly Agree 7% 100% Table above showed the sample scoring for likert scales. By looking through this table, the level of agreement and disagreement of respondents can be seen. Guttman Scaling For examples: Please choose the answer below. Questions: How often do you watch violence drama? oEveryday oTwice a week oOnce a month oOthers:__________ Scoring Final Percentage Everyday 15% Twice a week 30% Once a month 29% Others 26% 100% Table above showed the sample scoring for guttman scaling. As the table showed, there are most of the respondents watch violence drama twice a week. However, there are only few respondents that answer others. The percentages make the data analysis easier. Procedure The very first step to start this research is to decide the research topic first. Then, the following things that need to decide after the research topic is research problem and objectives. After determining all of these, all the questionnaires will be drafted out according to the information that decided and gathered during the previous steps. After created the questionnaires, the questionnaires were made as a web questionnaire and send to the target audiences for answering. Lastly, the next step after this was to collect the data, calculate it out, and make a data analysis for it. Thus, the first step is always important in doing a research as all the progress will be affected if the first step was doing in a wrong way. Conclusion As a conclusion, questionnaires are very important in getting an accurate result. Thus, when deciding the questionnaire, it is necessary to make sure the questionnaires are asking in a right way and logical way. If the questionnaires have a lot of mistakes, this will influence the final results and accurate data and information could not be collected.

Overview of Federal Elections in Canada

Overview of Federal Elections in Canada Canada is a federal parliamentary democracy within a constitutional monarchy. While the monarch (the head of state) is determined by heredity, Canadians elect members of parliament, and the leader of the party that gets the most seats in parliament becomes prime minister. The prime minister serves as the head of executive power and, therefore, the head of the government. All adult citizens of Canada are eligible to vote but must show positive identification at their polling place.   Elections Canada Elections Canada is a nonpartisan agency that is responsible for the conduct of federal elections, by-elections, and referendums. Elections Canada is headed by the chief electoral officer of Canada, who  is appointed by a resolution of the House of Commons. When Are Federal Elections Held in Canada? Canadian federal elections are usually held every four years. There is fixed-date legislation on the books that sets a fixed date for federal elections to be held every four years on the first Thursday of October. Exceptions can be made, however, especially if the government loses the confidence of the House of Commons. Citizens have several ways to vote. These include: Vote at the polls on election dayVote at a local advance pollVote at the local Elections Canada officeVote by mail Ridings and Members of Parliament The census determines Canadas electoral districts or ridings. For the 2015 Canadian federal election, the number of ridings increased from 308 to 338. Voters in each riding elect one member of parliament (MP) to send to the House of Commons. The Senate in Canada is not an elected body. Federal Political Parties Canada maintains a registry of political parties. While 24 parties fielded candidates and received votes in the 2015 election, the Canadian elections website listed 16 registered parties in 2017. Each party can nominate one candidate for each riding. Often, representatives of only a handful of federal political parties win seats in the House of Commons. For example, in the 2015 election, only the Conservative Party, the New Democratic Party, the Liberal Party, the Bloc Quà ©bà ©cois, and the Green Party saw candidates elected to the House of Commons. Forming the Government The party that wins the most ridings in a general federal election is asked by the governor-general to form the government. The leader of that party becomes the Prime Minister of Canada. If the party wins more than half the ridings- thats 170 seats in the 2015 election- then it will have a majority government, which makes it much easier to get legislation passed in the House of Commons. If the winning party wins 169 seats or fewer, it will form a minority government. In order to get legislation through the House, a minority government usually has to adjust policies to get enough votes from MPs of other parties. A minority government must constantly work to maintain the confidence of the House of Commons in order to stay in power. The Official Opposition The political party that wins the second-highest number of seats in the House of Commons becomes the Official Opposition.

Free Essays on Teen Depression

Adolescent Depression: The Under Acknowledged Disease Psychology Depression is a disease that afflicts the human psyche in such a way that the afflicted tends to act and react abnormally toward others and themselves. Therefore it comes to no surprise to discover that adolescent depression is strongly linked to teen suicide. Adolescent suicide is now responsible for more deaths in youths aged 15 to 19 than cardiovascular disease or cancer (Blackman, 1995). Despite this increased suicide rate, depression in this age group is greatly underdiagnosed and leads to serious difficulties in school, work and personal adjustment which may often continue into adulthood. How prevalent are mood disorders in children and when should an adolescent with changes in mood be considered clinically depressed? Brown (1996) has said the reason why depression is often over looked in children and adolescents is because "children are not always able to express how they feel." Sometimes the symptoms of mood disorders take on different forms in children than in adults. Adolescence is a time of emotional turmoil, mood swings, gloomy thoughts, and heightened sensitivity. It is a time of rebellion and experimentation. Blackman (1996) observed that the "challenge is to identify depressive symptomatology which may be superimposed on the backdrop of a more transient, but expected, developmental storm." Therefore, diagnosis should not lay only in the physician's hands but be associated with parents, teachers and anyone who interacts with the patient on a daily basis. Unlike adult depression, symptoms of youth depression are often masked. Instead of expressing sadness, teenagers may express boredom and irritability, or may choose to engage in risky behaviors (Oster & Montgomery, 1996). Mood diso rders are often accompanied by other psychological problems such as anxiety (Oster & Montgomery, 1996), eating disorders (Lasko et al., 1996), hypera... Free Essays on Teen Depression Free Essays on Teen Depression Adolescent Depression: The Under Acknowledged Disease Psychology Depression is a disease that afflicts the human psyche in such a way that the afflicted tends to act and react abnormally toward others and themselves. Therefore it comes to no surprise to discover that adolescent depression is strongly linked to teen suicide. Adolescent suicide is now responsible for more deaths in youths aged 15 to 19 than cardiovascular disease or cancer (Blackman, 1995). Despite this increased suicide rate, depression in this age group is greatly underdiagnosed and leads to serious difficulties in school, work and personal adjustment which may often continue into adulthood. How prevalent are mood disorders in children and when should an adolescent with changes in mood be considered clinically depressed? Brown (1996) has said the reason why depression is often over looked in children and adolescents is because "children are not always able to express how they feel." Sometimes the symptoms of mood disorders take on different forms in children than in adults. Adolescence is a time of emotional turmoil, mood swings, gloomy thoughts, and heightened sensitivity. It is a time of rebellion and experimentation. Blackman (1996) observed that the "challenge is to identify depressive symptomatology which may be superimposed on the backdrop of a more transient, but expected, developmental storm." Therefore, diagnosis should not lay only in the physician's hands but be associated with parents, teachers and anyone who interacts with the patient on a daily basis. Unlike adult depression, symptoms of youth depression are often masked. Instead of expressing sadness, teenagers may express boredom and irritability, or may choose to engage in risky behaviors (Oster & Montgomery, 1996). Mood diso rders are often accompanied by other psychological problems such as anxiety (Oster & Montgomery, 1996), eating disorders (Lasko et al., 1996), hypera...

Assignment on human growth and development

Assignment on human growth and development This essay uses theoretical perspectives of social sciences relevant to human growth and development by demonstrating the socialisation process and the impact of family structures on the normal development of Gerry. It uses the Maslow’s hierarchy of needs to explore the effects of poverty on Gerry’s infancy and it will use Balter, Catherin & Tamis-Lemonda to support Maslow’s philosophy needs. Furthermore it will go on to use Bowlby’s maternal deprivation hypothesis to show the effects of attachment during Gerry’s infancy. More still with the use of Erikson’s stages of identity versus role confusion to discuss Gerry’s adolescence, the theory of generativity versus stagnation to explore his adulthood developmental task of his contributing and stagnation to society and finally the psychological crisis of ego integrity verses despair to explain the effects and causes during his development in middle adulthood. However, other psychologists theories will be used to support Erikson’s theories or critic them. During his infancy, 0-2 years by Piaget (1936) (cited in Crawford and Walker 2009 p 22), Gerry and his family experienced poverty because his father had been made redundant. This means that Gerry’s family could not afford to meet his basic needs. According to Maslow’s pyramedical model (1970) ( cited Steers 1998: p21 ) lower -level needs such as food, clothing and shelter have to be fulfilled to a reasonable degree before the more advanced need levels such as self actualisation, esteem, love/ belonging ,and safety are met. It can be argued that the failure of Gerry’s family to meet his basic needs had a profound effect on his development. This argument is supported by Balter, Catherin & Tamis- Lemonda. They argue that â€Å"children growing up in poverty develop developmental delays in intellectual development. Social, emotional and behavioural problems† (Balter, Catherin & Tamis- Lemonda 2003: p.391) (cited Chafel, 1993 and Garbarino, 1993). Poverty goes hand in hand with gross inequality, unemployment and adverse consequences for poor people and society as a whole. Deprivation experienced by poor families affects their quality of life, their health and life expectancy and the education outcomes of their children. Poverty brings despair and fear† Rebach and Bruhn (2001: p. 369). This argument is supported by Spode and Saracho, (2006) (cited in Duncan and Brook-Gunn, 1997), who say that â€Å"children growing up in poverty develop more emotional and behavioural problems than children who live in above the poverty line. This is because early cognitive and behavioural outcomes show to predict later school success†. Another challenge that Gerry encountered was maternal deprivation. This occurred when his mother was in hospital during the birth of Lily and as a result, Gerry had to be looked after by his grandmother. According to Bowlby’s (19 53, 1969) (cited in Smith, Cowe and Blades 2004 p106) maternal deprivation hypothesis, â€Å"children should not be deprived of contact with the mother during a critical period when the primary attachment relationship is being formed†. He also believed that both mother and baby were predisposed biologically to stay in contact and only this relationship would allow normal development. However, critiques of Bowlby like (Oakley 1981) (cited in Holmes 1993: p. 45) argue that to generalise that any separation of mother from child in the first three years of life is likely to be damaging is unwarranted. Oakley further argued that there is no harm in entrusting the infant to the care of a responsible grandmother or baby-minder.

International monetary and finance structure Essay

International monetary and finance structure - Essay Example Whereas IPE (international political economics) can be understood as a basic concept, it should not be seen as static. In other words, the interactions between states in the economic realm are continually evolving with a massive level of importance attached to the way in which international interaction, agreement, and discord takes place. Above all, it must be understood that international political economics is just that: international. As such, the fact of the matter is that the agreements, and economic levels of understanding that take place, are not self-contained; instead, they are inherently the work of two or more nations. Naturally, as with any financial agreement or level of cooperation, the interests of the two parties factor heavily in the decisions that are ultimately agreed upon. Within such a level of understanding, the current state of international political economics deals heavily with preferential trade agreements, development of trade blocs, debt administration/cre ation/repayment, and issues pertaining to resources. As can easily be noted, the broad level of impact that IPE has upon the way in which international relations takes place, as well as the impacts that it has on trade itself, is profound and can be attributed to a litany of different decisions and choices that individual states make. Yet, instead of IPE merely being concentric upon monetary or domestic economic interests, it must be understood that international political economics has a massive impact on the way in which certain states within the global system are coerced into participation and action that they would otherwise seek to avoid. Whereas the authors reference the fact that engagement with the global power structure is expected, this level of engagement is not always a positive for nations that choose to interact within the current paradigm of international political economics. In short, the current level of coercion that exists allows for a great power to set a price a nd force a poorer nation to meet this demand, revealing a situation in which the wealthier and more powerful state is the ultimate price maker and the client state is the ultimate price taker. The authors further reference the fact that the mechanism of debt is oftentimes utilized as a means of forcing the will of a particular state or group of states onto a poorer nation. However, beyond trade interaction, the chapter focuses heavily upon the way in which the United States dollar has come to be definitive of the foreign exchange and reserve status. As such, the impact that the dollar has on setting supply and demand ratios and equilibrium point is profound. However, even though this power is profound, the demand for the dollar is not something that is set in stone. Although the United States government necessarily has a great deal of latitude with regard to the amount of dollars that are in global circulation and â€Å"supply,† the demand for these dollars fluctuates based u pon fear or confidence, restricting or expanding the global economy as a function of this faith or fear in the international currency of exchange. The chapter moves on to discuss the ways in which currency speculation allows for the individual member of society to have a profound impact on the way in which monetary policy and levels of value are defined. Whereas the preceding analysis has been focused upon defining international pol

Evaluate the impact of Fairtrade Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Evaluate the impact of Fairtrade - Essay Example Alternative trade organizations that are based on philosophies of well being of environment, and also social justice are creating new channels for marketing and trade alongside conventional agricultural export sectors. Social responsibility and ethics have become an important factor in consumer marketing which provides an organization with competitive advantage with respect to its competitors. The changes that are brought about by fair trade have to be looked at first to analyze the impacts of fair trade. One has to consider in this regard the changes that were not possible without the existence of fair trade. When the existence of fair trade benefits farmers, they start to control a significant part of the production chain and also employ workers. When farmers who are certified by fair trade employ workers, those workers have a high standard of living and a working condition that is considered better. If workers have a standard of living that is considered better, they will invest more money in their children’s education. Favourable economic opportunities are provided by fair trade to small farming families such that they also get the opportunity to join manufacturing organizations and produce products with market specifications. These farmers are considered to enjoy higher and stable incomes as compared to those farmers that sell in the conventional market. Buyers pay a stable minimum price known as fair trade price to cover the sustainable cost of production. There also exists opportunity for pre-financing and also contracts for long term planning. It also has an increased access to the export markets (Bassett, 2010, pp. 44-49). The fair trade price is considered to have a lot of significance when in the volatile world the prices of commodities and products fall below the cost of production. Importers tend to import the products of fair trade in their respective countries for further processing of such products and to sell those products themselves or

Great Depression & Wall Street Crisis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Great Depression & Wall Street Crisis - Essay Example Prior to October 1929, market investment was highly expedient. From 1923, American economy experienced bullish trend in the Wall Street. Lending by banks and brokers was higher than the general face value of the stocks being purchased. Household investors and novice sponsors further aggravated the progress in stock market. Increasing development and prices of iron and steel industry further amplified prices due to speculation. Further introduction of installment in the banking system allowed many families to own what they could not afford otherwise (Suddath, n.p). At this scenario, the demand and supply forces came into play. Due to higher demand and excess of borrowed money, general rate of trade was at its highest. Presence of many small banks despite having no ability to lend without having substantial savings to back up these loans, further strengthen speedy stock exchange. This trend of trading was further increased by the presence of marginal buyers. Marginal buyers only paid 1 0-20 percent of the actual value of shares whereas the remaining amount was credited by brokers or banks. Due to little requirement of investment capital, number of novice investors who were susceptible to negative speculation, increased. On October 29, 1929, best known as Black Tuesday, the stock market crashed completely.However, with increase in the stock prices and overall economic development, small traders and famers extended their production scale which lead to excessive supply of wheat and other eatables.

Management of chronic pain control in cancer Essay

Management of chronic pain control in cancer - Essay Example In one year more than 500 people in 100,000 will be diagnosed with cancer within the United Kingdom (Cancer Research UK, 2012). The same site states that the survival rate for all cancers has now reached 50%, with some types having a very high 5 year survival rate of 95% and with women generally having a higher survival rate than men. Treatment will have included such things as surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, all of which play their part in either removing or destroying cancer cells. Such treatment though has its costs and it is a normal experience to have some pain after cancer surgery. Most of this will fade after time, but in some cases pain can persist for months or years, especially if nerves are damaged. After radiation therapy there may be pain which eventually resolves. In some cases though pain can develop a long way down the line. Chemotherapy can also result in pain and numbness. Some people may also find that they are liable to migraines, low back pain and other t ypes of pain ( Cancer.net, 2012). All of these pains require treatment, but often patients are worried about taking large amounts of analgesics, and may not reveal the extent of their problems. Fullen et al( 2006) point within schools of both medicine and nursing the amount of time spent teaching students about pain relief varies considerably, which will contribute to a patchy service when it comes to pain relief, simply because of inadequate training in some areas. This in turn means that more patients suffer to a greater extent than they need do, and also increase time off work and in hospital, at great cost to themselves and to the country’s health service., Chronic pain has been defined as† having pain on a daily basis for more than six months† (Fullen et al, 2006). Cancer is a term used for more than one hundred diseases in which abnormal cells divide uncontrollably and invade surrounding tissues as well as spreading to other parts of the body through such me ans as the lymphatic and circulatory systems. It affects both organs and mechanisms. This multiplicity of possibilities requires very individualised treatment at every stage from diagnosis on through treatment and into survivorship. The Alliance for Cervical Cancer Prevention (2004) describes how a diagnosis can mean a person feels isolated, anxious, angry and depressed. It might well be assumed that once a cure has been achieved all this could be put behind them, but persistent pain is a very real issue in many cases, as could be psychological issues. Some will feel exalted that they have survived such a major threat, but others may continue to see themselves as a victim, especially if there are long term physical differences, as for example if there is the need for a permanent colostomy, or a man becomes impotent. Within the United Kingdom in 2012 it was declared that treatment for cancer is becoming ever more successful (Department of Health, 2012). The cure is not always the fin al end of pain however. The patient and his family have had to deal with the shock of diagnosis, the progress of the disease and then the joy of the

Is Adolescence a time of 'storm and stress' (individual development Essay

Is Adolescence a time of 'storm and stress' (individual development module) psychosocial study degree - Essay Example The adolescent is confronted with many different changes and is able to adapt to these changes in a constructive fashion, and in a way that results in developmental advance. Considering the large variety of tasks and problems encountered, adolescence is characterized by impressively effective coping in the majority of young people, a fact that has been widely neglected. Coping is the effort to manage (i.e., master, reduce, minimize) environmental and internal demands and conflicts which tax or exceed a persons resources and this shows that coping is a hypothetical construct that is sufficiently complex to take into account both person-specific and situation-specific aspects. Stressors and social resources are also two important concepts. The significance of coping behavior is evident in resiliency research showing that it is coping that makes the difference in both the adaptational outcome and in research on symptomatology, illustrating that the most reliable predictor for mental health is not so much a lack of symptoms, but the competence with which age-specific developmental tasks are handled (Compas & Hammen 1993) More than any other developmental period, adolescence has been characterized in the psychological and sociological literatures as fraught with struggles that are both intrapersonal and interpersonal in nature. In the intrapersonal domain, adolescence has been described as a period in which identity formation is a central developmental task. Achieving a sense of personal autonomy and an identity that is separate from the family is of utmost importance. Significant interpersonal tasks during adolescence are thought to include increased involvement with the peer group balanced against continued attachment to the family. Adolescence is a period in which relationships outside of the family multiply, take on new meanings, and deepen in intensity. These new bonds broaden and enrich the

Relationship Between ANA Test Titers Autoimmune Disease Research Paper - 9

Relationship Between ANA Test Titers Autoimmune Disease - Research Paper Example Among the patients ‘data we collected, 13 (29.5%) patients had 40 ANA test titers, 4 (9.1%) had 80 titers, 4 (9.1%) had 160 titers, 10 (22.7%) had 320 titers, 4 (9.1%) had 640 titers, 6 (13.6%) had 1280 titers, and 3 (6.8%) had 1320 titers. This is well illustrated by both table 1 below and graph 1. During the sample, analysis three groups of diagnosis of autoimmune disease were detected. Group 1 had 13 (29.5%) patients, group 2 had 19 (43.2%) patients, and group 3 had 12 (27.3%). Table 2 and figure 2 better illustrate this Among the 13 patients who were found to fall in the category of 40 titers ANA test SLE, 2 were found to fall in group 1, 6 were found to fall in group 2, and 5 were found to fall in group 3. Among the 4 patients who were found to fall in the category of 80 titers ANA test SLE, 2 were found to fall in group 1, 1 one was found to fall in group 2, and another 1 was found to fall in group 3. Among the four in the category of 160 titers ANA test SLE, 2 were found to fall in group 1, 1 in group 2, and another 1 in group 3. Among the 10 in the category of 320 titers, ANA test SLE, 3 were found to fall in group 1, 4 in group 2, and 3 in group 3. Among the 4 in the category of 640 titers ANA test SLE, 1 was found to fall in group one while the other 3 were found to fall in group 2. Among the six in the category of 1280 titers ANA test SLE, 2 were found to fall in group 1, 2 in group 2, and 2 in group 3. Among the three in the category of 1320 titers ANA test SLE, 1 was found to fall in group 1, and the other 2 in group 2. Table 3, figure 3, and figure 4 had better illustrate this. In this project, we test the null hypothesis that the ANA and diagnosis are associated. According to Hirschfield & Heathcote (2011), the ANA test is the main testing tool used for the diagnosis of autoimmune rheumatic conditions. This test makes use of antinuclear antibodies in the diagnosing of these conditions.

Is Adolescence a time of 'storm and stress' (individual development Essay

Is Adolescence a time of 'storm and stress' (individual development module) psychosocial study degree - Essay Example The adolescent is confronted with many different changes and is able to adapt to these changes in a constructive fashion, and in a way that results in developmental advance. Considering the large variety of tasks and problems encountered, adolescence is characterized by impressively effective coping in the majority of young people, a fact that has been widely neglected. Coping is the effort to manage (i.e., master, reduce, minimize) environmental and internal demands and conflicts which tax or exceed a persons resources and this shows that coping is a hypothetical construct that is sufficiently complex to take into account both person-specific and situation-specific aspects. Stressors and social resources are also two important concepts. The significance of coping behavior is evident in resiliency research showing that it is coping that makes the difference in both the adaptational outcome and in research on symptomatology, illustrating that the most reliable predictor for mental health is not so much a lack of symptoms, but the competence with which age-specific developmental tasks are handled (Compas & Hammen 1993) More than any other developmental period, adolescence has been characterized in the psychological and sociological literatures as fraught with struggles that are both intrapersonal and interpersonal in nature. In the intrapersonal domain, adolescence has been described as a period in which identity formation is a central developmental task. Achieving a sense of personal autonomy and an identity that is separate from the family is of utmost importance. Significant interpersonal tasks during adolescence are thought to include increased involvement with the peer group balanced against continued attachment to the family. Adolescence is a period in which relationships outside of the family multiply, take on new meanings, and deepen in intensity. These new bonds broaden and enrich the

Sex is a natural preoccupation Essay Example for Free

Sex is a natural preoccupation Essay Sex is a natural preoccupation. It is on everyones mind from birth to death. For human beings sex can have a variety of meanings: instinctual, spiritual, pleasurable, an act of love to even one of power. Like most things untamed and complex, many feel the need to carve a different understanding of what sex means and define it to values most often rooted in religious philosophy, language and behavior. James Joyces A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man (1916) is an intimate look at a young Irish writer, Stephen Dedalus, whose narrative becomes a fictional adaptation of Joyces own life as a young man. Throughout the novel, we read of Stephens conflict between his lust for women and his passionate devotion to the tenets of the Roman Catholic faith. His struggle is palpable and begs the question: Why? Julienne H. Empric articulates one theory in her essay The Mediation of the Woman and the Interpretation of the Artist in Joyces Portrait saying, [Women are] the magnetic force of that sensual creativity an artist must both court and reject in order to accomplish his purpose (Ben 11). Essentially, the characters inspiration and transformation comes from his fantasies of women (sexual and romantic) and his refusal to be too enchanted by such fantasies. To understand Stephens apprehensions about his sexuality, one must first have a fundamental understanding of the way Catholic ideology defines sexuality and the context by which sexual acts can be accepted. Catholicism has long encouraged careful and at times rigid expectations of its parishioners when it comes to sex. Catholic doctrine accepts sex for procreation within a heterosexual marriage. Religious leaders are asked to commit themselves to a life of celibacy. Carnal desires must be suppressed and homosexuality is forbidden. For difficult or troubled unions, divorce is not an option, only annulment, a process where a couples relationship is proven invalid of the real love that truly sustains a marriage. In another example, the act of masturbation is considered selfish pleasure and runs against conjugal purpose; therefore being unacceptable. Why is sex and sexuality so defined? Several points can be made. M. K. Hellwig suggests, The immediate results are depicted in the story [of creation]. They [Adam and Eve] become painfully aware of their nakedness, their vulnerability; they are embarrassed or afraid to be under scrutiny simply for what they are. They lose the experience of Gods friendship and intimate presence with them not because of Gods anger but because of their own fear, which drives them into hiding. (Hellwig 1981, p. 46) The humiliation of nakedness was a step in making sex taboo. When we engage in sex, we are naked, vulnerable, and surrender to inquiry and carnal desire. In Catholic doctrine, its acceptability is clearly limited to behaviors that serve a particular purpose unique to marriage. But in many respects, one can argue that sex, like religion, is also powerful, emotional, and susceptible. Therefore, it can to some become its own path to deeper meaning and connection, a part of life that can be seen and felt, and easier to commit to. We have inherited a world in which sex itself is a conflicted enterprise. It is no longer (if it ever was) an activity used solely as a means of reproducing the species. 2 Yet few think of sex as simply a way to obtain pleasure and enjoyment. In some ways, we are told that sex is the only way that each of us can truly be known and defined, that we are not truly coupled with another unless we are sexually active with that person. In other conversations (especially those associated with the sexual revolution), indiscriminate sex becomes the route by which we mark our liberation. As Christians, we are charged with the difficult task of sorting out which constructions of sexual activities belong in the new creation as outlined for us by Christ, and which concepts must be rejected. (Rudy 1997, p. xiv). So what does all this have to do with Stephen? His Catholic upbringing appears considerably stricter than one would expect from the average Catholic today. The process of assigning value to personal philosophy and behavior in reaching a higher purpose is vital to him. For Stephen both the church and [his] art become means not only to acquire nobility, but to enter a realm of pure spirit, shedding the repellant flesh forever (Benstock 124). He knows that to be sexually vulnerable is a one-way ticket to a hell he describes as a field of stiff weeds and thistles and tufted nettle bunches. Thick among the tufts of rank stiff growth lay battered canisters and clots and coils of solid excrement and this horror is incessantly grating on his conscious. Chapter 2, section five reveals to us Stephens first sexual experience. He wanders the streets for hours and finally one night a young prostitute dressed in a long pink gown, which he equates with the obscene scrawl which he had read on the oozing wall of a urinal propositions him and he uncomfortably accepts (Benstock 124). Her round arms held him firmly to her and he, seeing her face lifted to him in serious calm and feeling the warm calm rise and fall of her breast, all but burst into hysterical weeping. Tears of joy and relief shone in his delighted eyes and his lips parted though they would not speak. She passed her tinkling hand through his hair, calling him a little rascal. -Give me a kiss, she said. His lips would not bend to kiss her. He wanted to be held firmly in her arms, to be caressed slowly, slowly, slowly. In her arms, he felt that he had suddenly become strong, fearless, and sure of himself. But his lips would not bend to kiss her. With a sudden movement, she bowed his head and joined her lips to his and he read the meaning of her movements in her frank uplifted eyes. It was too much for him. He closed his eyes, surrendering himself to her, body and mind, conscious of nothing in the world but the dark pressure of her softly parting lips. They pressed upon his brain as upon his lips as though they were the vehicle of a vague speech; and between them he felt an unknown and timid pressure, darker than the swoon of sin, softer than sound or odour (Joyce 70 71). In surrendering, he exercises sexual freedom and yet again obsesses over his sinfulness. His romantic viewpoint soon diminishes his experience with prostitutes as cold, empty motion because he wants more. He needs love. When Stephen embraces the prostitute, we remember that this is the youth who is to announce his determination to press in his arms the loveliness which has not yet come into the world. In retrospect, the arms of the prostitute seem a poor substitute (Ryf 145). In other words, Stephen wants to make love, not just have sex to have sex. The act of making love seems to be the only thing worthy of standing up against his religious conviction. In the following paragraph of chapter three, section one, Stephen is again on a nightly prowl of the red light district. It is important to note how far his imagination takes the severity of his sin, as he increasingly feels handicapped by [his] sex and youth. He would follow a devious course up and down the streets, circling always nearer and nearer in a tremor of fear and joy, until his feet led him suddenly round a dark corner. The whores would be just coming out of their houses making ready for the night, yawning lazily after their sleep and settling the hairpins in their clusters of hair. He would pass by them calmly waiting for a sudden movement of his own will or a sudden call to his sin-loving soul from their soft perfumed flesh. Yet as he prowled in quest of that call, his senses, stultified only by his desire, would note keenly all that wounded or shamed them; his eyes, a ring of porter froth on a clothless table or a photograph of two soldiers standing to attention or a gaudy playbill; his ears, the drawling jargon of greeting: (Joyce 72). We soon see that Stephen never understands the opposite sex nor the mystery of the Church. His confusion leads him to a vacuum where the sacred and the mundane can interpenetrate. This unreal perspective he does develop and consequently it shapes his personal interpretation of Catholicism (Ben 14). By the end of chapter three, Stephen gives further elaboration on the hellish outcome that will befall him should he continue his current path. In chapter four, he attempts to rigorously discipline and engross himself in the ways of the Church in an effort to save his devious soul. He is racked by guilt and self-doubt. However, by now, the reader knows Stephen well enough to predict he will fail to meet the rigid standards he has made for himself. Bernard Benstock suggests, The rise of sexual desire in Stephen can be tracked from the photograph of the beautiful Mabel Hunter with demurely taunting eyes to the whore with frank uplifted eyes who first seduces him, to the imagined harlots in his guilty mind with gleaming jewel eyes (Benstock, 188). So distracted by the surreal nature of his fantasies, Stephen is unable to seriously commit to anything. His weakness reveals itself while he discussed the possibility of the priesthood with a senior deacon at his school. The priest idly mentions discovering priestly robes to be somewhat absurd. Just imagine, he tells Stephen, when I was in Belgium I used to see them out cycling in all kinds of weather with this thing up about their knees! It was ridiculous. LES JUPES, they call them in Belgium (Joyce, 111). The young man smiles politely but at the mention of robes, his mind begins to wander into sexual fantasy making his failure inevitable. The names of articles of dress worn by women or of certain soft and delicate stuffs used in their making brought always to his mind a delicate and sinful perfume It had shocked him, too, when he had felt for the first time beneath his tremulous fingers the brittle texture of a womans stocking for, retaining nothing of all he read save that which seemed to him an echo or a prophecy of his own state, it was only amid soft-worded phrases or within rose-soft stuffs that he dared to conceive of the soul or body of a woman moving with tender life. But the phrase on the priests lips was disingenuous for he knew that a priest should not speak lightly on that theme. The phrase had been spoken lightly with design and he felt that his face was being searched by the eyes in the shadow (Joyce 11). Even though he would have himself believe that the proper artistic response is a dispassionate stasis, most of Stephens attempts to write poetry are intimately linked with his sexual needs (Benstock 126). Stephen eventually denounces the Church, but when asked if he would convert to become a Protestant he responds by saying he did not reject a logical absurdity only to embrace an illogical absurdity. Nevertheless, his dilemma is real; that is, that he rejects the Church but cannot forget it. He goes out of his way to satirize its rituals and thereby has the Catholic faith still a living thing within him, and not to remain indifferent to it (Ryf 204). At the end of the novel we enter Stephens point of view through some of his journal entries. He writes, MARCH 21, NIGHT. Free. Soul free and fancy free. Let the dead bury the dead. Ay. And let the dead marry the dead. It appears Stephen has finally found peace. But can we trust that Stephen will remain true to his course? He then writes: MARCH 24. Began with a discussion with my mother. Subject: B. V. M. Handicapped by my sex and youth. To escape held up relations between Jesus and Papa against those-between Mary and her son. Said religion was not a lying-in hospital. Mother indulgent. Said I have a queer mind and have read too much. Not true. Have read little and understood less. Then she said I would come back to faith because I had a restless mind. This means to leave church by back door of sin and re-enter through the skylight of repentance. Cannot repent. Told her so and asked for sixpence. Got threepence (Joyce 182). If Stephen leaves the Catholic Church, he must completely break philosophically and culturally from the one constant he has known in his life. New ground will need continuous validation before any enrichment can occur. Essentially, one needs to have an amazing amount of conviction to feel complete indifference towards your original creed. Whom will he love and what will explain his existence? Can he replace a 2,000-year faith and formation tradition that he is still ambiguous about? I doubt it. However enterprising and articulate Stephen may seem, it is literally too early a period in his life as an artist to suggest that he has settled doubt with Catholicism or is realistically prepared to forge a new path about the wisdom of living anyone could follow. Work Cited 1. ) Ben, Diana A. James Joyce and His Contemporaries. Westport, Connecticut. Greenwood Press, Inc. 1989 2. ) Benstock, Bernard. Approaches to Joyces Portrait: Ten Essays. University of Pittsburgh Press. 1976 3. ) Hellwig, M. K. Understanding Catholicism. New York: Paulist Press. 1981 4. ) Joyce, James. A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man . New York, New York. Dover Publications, Inc. 1916, 1994 5. ) Rudy, K. Sex and the Church: Gender, Homosexuality, and the Transformation of Christian Ethics. Boston, Mass. : Beacon Press. 1997 6. ) Ryf, Robert S. A New Approach to Joyce: The Portrait of the Artist as a Guidebook. University of California Press Berkeley and Los Angeles, California . 1962.