Lifespan Development Essays

Lifespan Development Essays Lifespan Development Paper Lifespan Development Paper The paper analyzes the influence of various external factors on the cognitive and physical development of children. The results of an interview with an old relative are used to analyze the real-life implications of such influences and interactions. The paper includes the discussion of Piaget’s development theory, Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, and touches upon the questions of food insecurity, maternal personality, and their influence on the developmental and socioemotional outcomes in children. The goal of the paper is to analyze how multiple factors influence children’s development in real-life conditions. The paper can be used in the analysis of the parent-child interactions and the role in the cognitive and physical development of children. Lifespan Development That physical and cognitive development of children is influenced by a multitude of factors is difficult to deny. The availability of the basic resources like food, family environment, social conditions of living and relationships with peers altogether produce a marked impact on how children grow, how they interpret the reality and what they learn about themselves and their lives. A wealth of theories was created, to explain how different factors influence children’s physical maturation and cognition. However, only real-life cases and the analysis of real-life personalities can provide researchers with the detailed information about how children develop and learn. For the purpose of this paper, an interview was conducted with one of the distant relatives: a 85-year-old woman, she has numerous stories to tell about her childhood. Born in extreme poverty, she learned the difficulties of the infant life in a poor family at the early age. Her father died when she was 4 years old, and her mother was left with two older children, no job, and no desire to continue her life. The woman was growing and getting mature in the atmosphere of the continuous family stress. She remembers her mother, living in a constant state of depression, because she could not provide for her children. It was not before she was 9 that her mother married for the second time, and they gradually returned to a normal pace of living, with abundant food, clothes, and even additional resources to travel around the country. Before that time, all the woman could remember was hunger. Neither during her infancy nor during the first school years could she create close attachment bonds with her mother. Her mother was never interested in her school successes. She never asked about her problems and was never willing to share her concerns with the other children. There was a continuous sense of separation between them and their mother. As a child, the woman experienced serious problems at school. She failed to catch up with the learning successes of her peers and was one of the worst pupils in her class. She did not have any opportunity to learn at home because of the stressful atmosphere and the feeling of hunger. She could not devote herself to studies and learning, especially after the lunch time which she usually spent away from her classroom room. Surprisingly, but she was able to form numerous friendly relations with the peers from her neighborhood – now she deems these friendships as the only way to escape the stressful atmosphere of her family and house and to have someone to answer her questions about life. Those were the questions her mother could never answer. Another problem was in that she was the smallest in her class, and her classmates used to mock her because of this. Often, she would run away from school and miss lessons because she could no longer tolerate the pressure of her better-off classmates and felt absolutely unprotected in the face of social inequality. The woman believes that it was due to her family difficulties and her mother’s negligence toward her problems and personality that she could not learn to read until the age of 9 and that she lagged behind her peers in the basic disciplines. Based on this information and the results of the recent studies, it is clear that the lack of food and constant hunger did influence the woman’s physiological and cognitive maturation. The lack of maternal attachments/ bonds and family stress added to the complex family atmosphere and made it difficult for the woman to become a successful learner at school. The woman says that school years were the years of discovery and the time when she finally learned the reasons of her failures. This is logical given that, according to Piaget, at the age of 7 the child enters the stage of concrete operations (Anonymous, 2009). At this stage of development, the child learns to conceptualize the surrounding reality and to create logical structures that explain his or her physical experiences (Anonymous, 2009). School experiences led the woman to link her school failures to her hunger, her socially disadvantaged position compared with other classmates, and the lack of maternal support (the woman says that she felt absolutely unprotected in the face of the social inequality). Her failure to close the knowledge gap is easy to explain through the prism of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. According to Maslow, physiological needs are the first and the most important. â€Å"These are biological needs. They consist of needs for oxygen, food, water, and a relatively constant body temperature† (Simons, Irwin Drinnien, 1987). The lack of appropriate food and the constant feeling of hunger created conditions, in which a young girl could not think about anything but the physiological desire to eat. Whether the lack of food explains why the woman was the smallest in her class is difficult to define, but it is clear that she could not successfully meet her learning needs and goals until she could meet her physiological needs. Because of hunger, she could not concentrate on her studies, and felt weak and unprepared to grasp the new knowledge in the classroom. Abraham Maslow states that higher levels of needs are impossible to achieve and satisfy, until the first levels have been satisfied (Simons, Irwin Drinnien, 1987). Surprisingly or not, the sense of hunger in the small girl was constantly accompanied by the lack of maternal support. The feeling that she was not attached to her mother was a part of her daily reality. Those feelings and the pressure of the stressful family atmosphere on the physical and cognitive development of the young girl are easy to explain: Zaslow et al. (2009) discuss the implications of food insecurity for attachment and mental proficiency during infancy and toddlerhood. According to Zaslow et al. Food insecurity is â€Å"limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods or limited or uncertain ability to acquire food in socially acceptable ways† (p. 66). Zaslow et al. (2009) are confident that food insecurity does produce a marked impact on the cognitive and physiological development of children and results in behavioral and cognitive problems. Food insecurity raises the probability of grade repetition at school and leads to increased maternal stress and, consequentially, the lack of parental attachment (Zaslow et al. , 2009).

The Decline of Students Writing Skills Causes and Outcomes

The Decline of Students Writing Skills Causes and Outcomes The Decline of Students’ Writing Skills: Causes and Outcomes Writing is still the most common form of evaluating students’ achievements. You must write term papers, coursework, theses, and dissertations to prove that the teachers effort did not go to waste, and that you can acquire knowledge on your own. But something did go to waste, as more and more teachers begin to realize that they spend more time fixing grammar mistakes than focusing on the information related to topic of the work. So, what happened? If the problem keeps getting worse, maybe it’s high time to get to the bottom of it and find out the reasons for weak writing skills. Statistics on Student Writing Skills Numerous studies have been taken involving writing skills of grade-school to college age students. Annual reports from the National Center for Education Statistics show that the SAT mean scores in writing have dropped from 497 to 484 in 9 years (2006 – 2015). It’s already bad that the score is decreasing, but it also never stayed the same two years in a row during this period. Therefore, we can assume that the SAT result in writing will continue to decrease at the same rate. The same statistics show that SAT reading scores have also decreased in the same way. This also contributes to poor writing skills, particularly where analyzing and synthesizing sources is required. Causes of Students Poor Writing Skills Many teachers think that the main reason for poor writing is social media. Student paper writing seems to have shrunk to 140 characters in Twitter. But if you think about it, shouldnt these 140 characters teach young people how to express their thoughts concisely? Maybe the problem is not in the communication services that they use, but rather because they were never taught how to think and write properly. Actually, the basis of the problem lies in the limited skill set students get from secondary and high school education. They were not taught what they are required straight after entering college. Most of the time, high school students dont get to do anything more than argue an opinion in their essays. Analyzing and synthesizing information are neglected. Another point to consider is that more and more students are becoming reticent about sharing something personal, including their point of view on an essay topic. Possible Outcomes and Solutions Poor writing skills influence both employers and their prospective employees. Employers waste hundreds of dollars on training; that is, when they can attract applicants. If you’ve ever searched the job market, you’ve seen the error-filled job descriptions. Those vacancies are certainly not too appealing. On the other hand, if you’re a student looking for a job, writing skills are essential in writing a believable resume or cover letter. And in the future work place, you’ll have to write reports, business letters, and maybe even press-releases. This means you have to be prepared before you even start searching for a job. Writing is a way to communicate your thoughts, feelings and opinions. It’s an essential skill in everyday life, as well. Grade school should be the place to lay the basis for such skills. Considering that students come to colleges and universities unprepared, the grade school system should be altered to raise interest in writing and to develop the basic required knowledge for literacy. In the end, students should be encouraged to write rather than criticized. It’s one thing to evaluate grammar and structure, but if students feel like their personal opinions are evaluated, they’ll be hesitant to express them. Unfortunately, this is what grade school education is lacking today – freedom of expression.

Genetics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Genetics - Essay Example ed by the combination of these chromosomes; and males have a combination of 46, XY chromosomes, while females have a combination of 46, XX chromosomes. These chromosomes consist of strands of genetic information, which are termed the DNA. Genes are parts of the DNA, and their location is known as the locus. Genes produce protein in human bodies through the information present in them. An autosomal chromosome from the mother and the father, constitute a pair of chromosomes that carry information that is by and large the same (Genetics). The genes in different persons will be almost similar, with slight variations. In the DNA, these variations, which transpire in less than 1% of the DNA sequence, produce alleles. The abnormality of a gene results in abnormal protein, or an abnormal quantity of a normal protein. The pairs of autosomal chromosomes contain a gene from the mother and a gene from the father. If both these genes are healthy, then the pair is termed a healthy pair. If one of the genes is defective, and if the other gene produces extra amounts of proteins to prevent disease; then the disease is termed as recessive. Moreover, the gene is deemed to have been inherited in a recessive manner (Genetics). In some cases, just one gene will be responsible for causing a disease. This is described as a dominant hereditary disorder. In such disorders, if one abnormal gene is inherited from a parent, then the child is likely to develop the disease. An individual with one abnormal gene is termed as heterozygous for that gene. Children, who receive an abnormal recessive disease gene from both the parents, develop the disease; and are rendered homozygous for that gene. If both the parents have a copy of a recessive disease gene, then each of their children, has a one in four, risk of developing that disease. If one of the parents has two copies of the recessive disease gene and the other parent has one copy, then each of their children, has a 50% chance of being

Transportation and Distribution Management - Discuss the importance of Essay

Transportation and Distribution Management - Discuss the importance of air transportation to global trade. Cite a real-world ca - Essay Example Air transportation is now considered as one of the major facilitators of global trade. It offers enormous benefits to the consumers. Some of the major benefits offered by air transportation are wider coverage, fastest means of communication, and high security among various other advantages. The purpose of the study is to uncover the importance of air transport or aviation in the process of facilitating international trade. The importance of air transport in the global trade will be further supported by real world examples. In this context some real examples will be provided to depict the importance of aviation. Apart from that the report will also shed light on various areas, pertaining to the importance of aviation in cross border transaction. The advantages of making use of air transport will be also highlighted. Finally the report will conclude highlighting the extant up to which air transport acts as the facilitator of international trade. Discussion This section will mainly high light the relevant theories and practical examples of air transport to depict its importance in the world trade. Air Transport and Economic Growth Like any other means of transportation, Air transport is allied with global trade in two different ways. First, air transport is used as a service mechanism, and secondly it is being used as a crucial intermediate service provider for a number of trading activities such as tourism. Numerous studies have illuminated the fact that it is important for every country (mostly developing countries) to focus on ensuring an effective, efficient and consistent air transport to gain maximum, from the activities of international trade. With rapid globalization and increased cross border trade activities, the importance of air transport got a greater boost. In addition, the significance is expected to further enhance due to rapid technological innovation, increased market access of multinational companies and deregulation (WTO, 2005). Despite the incr easing importance, the industry has passed through difficult times. The industry constantly struggles in order to survive and sustain in the market place. Whenever a big carrier gets into problem, they make headline and if they collapses the economy of that country gets highly affected. This depicts how air transport is important even for the national economy. Air transport is thus considered to be one of the most important industries of the world. Besides its service and technical achievements makes it as a supreme contributor towards the growth and advancement of modern society. The growth is also unmatched with any other form of transportation. The rising demand of air transport is also for the reason of increasing cross border trade activities. It facilitates rapid movement of people from one place to the other and also makes possible to transport goods worth billions of dollars to several markets throughout the globe (Air Transport Action Group, 2005, p.4). Air Transport and Gl obal Trade The most important economic benefit offered by air transport on the global trade is the ‘spin-off effect’. It plays a crucial role towards the promotion of financial growth in countries around the world. Air transport offers

History - bisness plan Essay Example for Free

History bisness plan Essay The owners of Excel Hygiene have been colleagues in a company which operated on a national scale, converting urban organic waste in to natural fertilizers for crop production in farms. This company has decided to focus on the rural sector and does not wish to expand its urban operations. Its major customer group is of farmers and owners of plantations. It has considered and rejected plans to enter health care lines. The agriculture and rural marketing business, while voluminous, is subject to the vagaries of nature. It is also intensely competitive, with narrow margins and uncertain demand levels. The bio-medical waste sector, on the other hand, is a rapidly rising star on the economic horizon. Demand for health care services is growing and assured. The number of competitors, as seen earlier, is limited, and consequently the margins are relatively attractive. The sector demands very high levels of service, but pay-offs are matching. Biotechnology is versatile with many future sectors which Excel Hygiene can address. There are many useful microbes in nature and their isolation and culture is relatively easy for those in the know. The owners of Excel Hygiene have succeeded in preparing and agreeing on a business plan. The latter has found favor with venture capitalists looking for biotech opportunities, so the company could be funded without denting the personal savings of the promoters too seriously. A crucial factor has been the timeliness of the new enterprise, though its aggression in bidding for a substantial price premium from the beginning is founded more on technical considerations of the safety advantage than any standard financial or economic wisdom. Market Definition Excel Hygiene plans to be a niche player with a very conservative market share target of just 1%. The first reason for this is the high premium the company wishes to charge for its differentiated products and services. It is possible that hospitals and doctors who do not attach much value to safety will not be willing to pay the higher prices. Further, health care institutions are conservative customers, and will take time to accept services from a new provider. The financiers behind the new enterprise also prefer quick and assured payback with high percentage returns to large volumes and top line growth. The entry strategy of Excel Hygiene is to secure contracts in relatively low-risk units of top quality institutions. Word of mouth promotion is very important in the health care community, so the new enterprise has to ensure that the most prestigious customers join its ranks first. The risks of switching to a new service provider are daunting in life saving units, but it is much easier to induce switches in routine areas. Excel hygiene will target waiting areas, food preparation zones, and general wards for its entry, staying away from competitive strongholds in Intensive Care and Casualty units. Excel Hygiene plans to hold seminars and to participate in scientific meetings on infection control to ensure word of mouth promotion of its services and image. Special efforts will be made to make spokespeople out of the best known doctors, surgeons, and para-medical workers, so that branding has a firm and stable base. The financial plans provide for this first phase to last the first full year of operations, and the second year will be used to leverage the accumulated goodwill by tripling the relatively small revenues of the first year. Excel Hygiene will invest in free demonstrations of its services for the first 6 months, backed by microbiology tests. This is to establish the reliability of the company’s services and to prove the efficacies of its novel range of biological products. The company will aim to have the results of these trials published, so that the investment can result in high growth during the second year of operations. A final element of strategy will be to liaise with regulatory authorities for endorsement of the company’s novel products. This approach will help to consolidate the small market share that the company hopes to forge within 2 years, and to protect its revenues during the subsequent years. The company hopes to excel by defining its business scope, territorial spread, and customer definition very tightly, seeking to specialize in a niche area. The emphasis is also on reassuring financiers since the company does not have a prior establishment in the market of substantial fixed asset covers. This conservative approach may be reviewed once the company has achieved its targets for the first five years. Quantitatively, Excel Hygiene targets net revenues of $500 thousand in the first year, rising to over $2 million by year 5. However, the major growth is expected during the second year itself. The infrastructure which has been planned will not allow full service coverage of more than 500 client units at a time within the designated territory. Hence, growth from the third year onwards will be marginal. It is typical in this business to suffer some client turnover, though it is equally possible to canvass for new contracts. Incineration and treatment capacities are other constraints to bear in mind.

Burnout, contributing factor and how it relates to job performance Essa

In the recent years, organizations have paid extra attention to employee stress and its effect on job performance. Burnout, an outcome of stress is known to cause individual, family and organizational problems and health conditions such as insomnia and hypertension. The question many ask is where does it originate from? And, how supported are the employees by the organization? Researchers have attempted to link stress and burnout and its effect on job performance. This research analysis includes different scholarly studies done and that found many contributing factors such as job satisfaction, work and family demands, work environment, and culture. Ivancevich, Konopaske, & Matteson, 2011 defines burnout as a psychological process, brought about by unrelieved work stress that results in emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and feeling of decreased accomplishment. Examples of emotional exhaustion includes; feeling drained by work, fatigue in the morning, frustrated, and do not want to work with others. Depersonalization is when a person has become emotionally hardened by their job, treat others like objects, do not care what happens to them, and feel others blame them. A low feeling of accomplishment also results from burnout. A person is unable to deal with problems effectively, identify or understand others problems, and no longer feel excited by their job. (Ivancevich et al., 2011). Researchers have linked burnout as a contributing factor health conditions such as sleep disturbances, decreased immune system. Professions that are prone to burnout are those who require a great deal of contact and responsibility of other people. Among those professions are teachers, nurses, physicians, social workers, therapists, police, an... ...the country. (Hamwi, et al., 2010). In conclusion, the above research analysis explained many contributing factors to stress and burnout and its effect on performance. As expected from prior studies, job satisfaction has an effect on productivity and/or burnout. Burnout in US nurses has been linked to Philippine nurses, despite a difference in health-care systems. Gender has also proven to be a contributing factor to stress. Women have a significant level of stress compared to men due to additional work of housework and childcare. Women also are linked to low levels of emotional exhaustion with co-worker support. Finally, perception organizational support has been linked to emotional exhaustion, but not solely due to the organization. Hopefully, organizations will continue to adopt stress reducing programs and recognize that it has many contributing factors.

The Pirate Bay

C ASE S TUDY The Pirate Bay: The World's Most Resilient Copyright Infringer? The Pirate Bay (TPB), a Swedish Web site (Piratebay. org), is one of the world's most popular pirated music and content sites, offering free access to millions of copyrighted songs and thousands of copyrighted Hollywood movies. In June 2011, The Pirate Bay reported that it had about 5 m illion r egistered u s ers, a nd 25 m illion n on-registered u sers ( so-called â€Å"free riders â€Å"). To p ut t hat n umber i n p e rsp ec tive, c onsider t hat i t is n early t hr ee t imes t h e p opulation o f S weden i tself (9 m illion).T he P irate Bay is r egularly i n t he t op 100 m ost p opular Web sites i n t he w orld, a nd r eac h es 1 % o f t he global I nt e rn et popula ­ tion, according to I nternet a nalysts i n 2 0ll. I n S weden, Norway, a nd t he Ne therlands, i t o ften r anks a s o ne o f t he t op 10 s ites. T his d espit e t he fac t t hat TPB h as b een s ubjected t o r epeated l egal effort s to s hut i t do wn . I t b ills itself a s â€Å"the world's m ost r esilient b ittorrent site. † But t he h attIe is far f rom over.T he I nternet i s b ecoming a t ough p lace f or m usic a nd v ideo p irates to m ak e a liv in g i n p art b e c aus e o f e nforce ­ ment a ctions, b ut m ore i mportantly b ecause o f new m obile a nd w ireless t echnologies t hat e nable h igh-quality c ontent to b e s treamed for j ust a s mall fee. Q. search Torrents I ~ I ~ 1::rt. J.!! 9! I! I ~ 1D! R..! 92 How d o I clo wn'o. d? == ­ F irst s ome b ackground. T he P irate Bay is p art o f a E uropean s ocial a nd p olitical m ovement t hat o pposes c opyrighted c ontent a nd d emands t hat m usic, v ideos, TV shows, a nd o ther d igital c ontent b e f ree a nd u nrestricted.I n t he w ords o f t he P irate Party, â€Å"the P irate B ay is a u nique p latform for d istributing c ulture b etween r egular p eople a nd i ndependent a rtists, a nd t hat's s omething w e w ant to p res erve. † I n a u nique t wist o n p rior e fforts to p rovide â€Å"free† m usic, T he P irate Bay d oes n ot o perate a d atabase o f c opyrighted c ontent. N either d oes i t o perate a n etwork o f c omputers o wned b y † members† w ho s tore t he c ontent, n or c reate, o wn, o r d istribute s oftware ( like BitTorrent a nd m ost o ther s o-called P2P n etworks) t hat p ermit s uch n etworks t o e xist i n t he f irst place.T hese w ere t he o ld t echniques for r ipping o ff m usic. I nstead, T he P irate Bay s imply p rovides a s earch e ngine t hat r esponds to u ser q ueries for m usic t racks, o r s pecific m ovie t itles, a nd g enerates a l ist o f s earch r esults t hat i nclude P2P n etworks a round t he w orld w here t he t itles c an b e f ound. By click ­ ing o n a s elected l ink, u sers g ain a ccess t o t he c opyrighted c ontent, b ut o nly a fter d ownloading s oftware a nd o ther files f rom t hat P2P n etwork. Voila' â€Å"No body, n o c rime. T he P irate Bay j ust l inks i ts u sers to s tolen m edia files. W hat c ould b e i llegal? T he P irate Bay c laims i t is m erely a s earch e ngine p rovid ­ ing p ointers to existing P2P n etworks t hat it d oes n ot i tself c ontrol. I t c laims t hat i t c annot c ontrol w hat c ontent u sers u ltimately f ind o n t hose P2P n etworks, a nd t hat it is n o d ifferent f rom a ny o ther s earch e ngine, s uch a s Google o r Bing, w hich a re n ot h eld r esponsible for t he c ontent f ound o n s ites l isted i n s earch r esults.F rom a b roader s tandpoint, T he P irate Bay's f ounders a lso c laim t hat c opyright l aws i n g en ­ eral u njustly i nterfere w ith t he f ree flow o f i nformation o n t he I nternet, a nd t hat i n a ny e vent, t hey w ere n ot v iolating S wedish c opyright law, w hich t hey f elt s hould b e t he o nly l aw t hat a pplied. A nd t hey f urther c laimed t hey d id n ot e ncourage, i ncite, o r e nable i llegal d ownloading. N ever theless, t he d efendants h ave n ever d enied t heirs w as a c ommercial e nterprise.D espite all t he t alk b y t he P irate P arty c alling for t he free, u nfettered s pread o f c ulture, T he P irate B ay w as a m oney-making o peration f rom t he b eginning, d esigned to p roduce p rofits for its founders, w ith a dvertising a s t he p rimary s ource o f r evenue. H owever, i n a r uling t hat p uts to r est t he n otion t hat t he l aw is a lways b ehind t he d evelopment o f t echnology, t he F irst S wedish C ourt i n S tockholm d eclared t he f our f ounders g uilty o f v iolating S wedish c opyright law, a nd s entenced e ach t o o ne y ear i n p rison a nd p ayment o f $3. m illion i n r estitution to t he p laintiffs, all S wedish d ivisions o fthe m ajor r ecord l abel f irms ( Warner Music, Sony, a nd EMI G roup a mong t hem). T he c ourt s aid â€Å"By p roviding a w ebsite w ith † . w ell-developed s earch f unc ­ tions, e asy u ploading a nd s torage possi bilities, a nd w ith a t racker l inked to t he w eb ­ site, t he a ccused h ave i ncited t he c rimes t hat t he file s harers h ave c ommitted. † T he c ourt a lso s aid t hat t he f our d efendants h ad b een a ware o f t he fact t hat c opyrighted m aterial w as s hared w ith t he h elp o f t heir site.T he p rison s entence w as j ustified b y † extensive accessibility o f o thers' c opyrights a nd t he fact t hat t he o peration w as c on ­ ducted c ommercially a nd i n a n o rganized f ashion. † I n o ther w ords, t he c ourt b elieved t he d efendants w ere e ngaged i n a c ommercial e nterprise, t he b asis o f w hich w as e ncouraging v isitors to v iolate t he c opyrights o f o wners. I n fact, t he p rimary p urpose o f T he P irate B ay w as to violate c opyrights i n o rder to m ake m oney for t he o wners ( commercial i ntent). Enable,† â€Å"induce,† a nd † encourage† c opyright i nfringement a nd † intent to sellà ¢â‚¬  a re k ey w ords i n t his r uling a nd T he P irate Bay case. T hese c oncepts g rounded i n W estern l aw a re n ot â€Å"disabled† b y n ew t echnology, b ut i nstead c an b e, a nd are, e xtensible to n ew t echnologies, a nd u sed to s hape t echnology t o society's n eeds a nd w ishes. I ndeed, t here's a c onsensus d eveloping a mong p rosecutors a nd c ourts w orld ­ wide t hat i nfringement is n ot j ustified s imply b ecause i t's t echnically p ossible to do i t o n t he I nternet.T he P irate Bay is a ppealing t he c ourt j udgment, h as p aid n o fine, a nd i ts o wners h ave, as yet, n ever s pent a n ight i n j ail. T he P irate Bay Web site c ontinues to o perate i n S weden m uch a s before. Well, almost. I n 2 0ll, t he f irm m oved i ts s ervers i nto c aves i n S weden, a nd d ispersed m ultiple c opies o f i ts p rogram to o ther c ountries j ust i n c ase Swedish police t ry t o confiscate its s ervers a gain. Meanwhile, t he u . S. g overnment p ressured t he S wedish g overnment to s trengthen i ts copyright laws to discourage r ampant d ownloading.I n S weden, downloading m usic a nd v ideos from illegal sites w as v ery popular, e ngaged i n b y 43% o fthe S wedish Inter ­ net p opulation. 1b s trengthen its laws, S weden a dopted t he E uropean U nion c onven ­ tion o n c opyrights, w hich allows c ontent o wners to receive f rom I nternet p roviders t he n ames a nd a ddresses o f p eople s uspected o f s haring p irated files. I n F rance, participat ­ ing i n t hese p irate sites will r esult i n b anishment f rom t he I nternet for u p to t hree y ears.As a result, I nternet traffic i n S weden d eclined b y 40 % , a nd h as s tayed t here. Like t he f ight a gainst t he o riginal C aribbean p irates o f t he s eventeenth c entury, g lobal forces c ontinue t o m arshal a gainst T he P irate Bay. N ot t he B ritish N avy t his t ime, b ut a l oose c oalition o f t he U nited S tates a nd a n umber o f E urope an c ountries .. T he f irm h as b een h ounded b y l awsuits, police raids, a nd c onfiscation o f s ervers i n F rance, Finland, Italy, G ermany, D enmark, I reland, t he U. K. , a nd G reece.T hese c ountries h ave i n s ome c ases r efused to allow I nternet s ervice p roviders i n t heir c ountries to h ost T he P irate Bay, o r l ink to T he P irate Bay, n o m atter w here i n t he w orld i ts s ervers a re l ocated. T he P irate Bay h as c aused E ngland, France, Malaysia, F inland, a nd m ost r ecently t he U nited States, to c onsider s trong i ntellectual p rop ­ erty p rotection l aws t hat w ill p revent d omestic s earch e ngines a nd ISPs f rom l inking to i nfringing sites, o r r esolving t heir d omain n ames. C alled t he P rotect IP Act, t he p roposed l egislation n ow i n t he U.S. S enate i s a n e ffort to s hut o ff t raffic f rom t he U nited S tates to offshore p irate s ites t hat h ave n o s ignificant u se o ther t han e ngaging, e nabling, o r f acilit ating t he illegal c opying o r d istribution o f c opyrighted m aterial i n † substantially c omplete form. † T he t arget s ites m ust b e † dedicated t o infringing. † I n a ddition, t he l aw w ould p ermit i ntellectual p roperty o wners a nd g overnment a gencies to s eek i njunctions a gainst i nfringing sites, p otentially s hutting t hem d own i mmediately u ntil t he i ssues c an b e a rgued i n c ourt.For o nshore sites, t he I mmigra ­ tion a nd C ustoms E nforcement (ICE) a gency a lready s eizes Web site d omains t hat v iolate U. S. laws o n I nternet g ambling a nd i ntellectual p roperty t heft, a nd r edirects t his t raffic to a Web p age h osted b y ICE e xplaining t he a ction. T he P rotect I P Act a nd s imilar l egislation i n E urope is o pposed b y civil l iberties g roups a nd s earch e ngine f irms s uch a s Google.T he E lectronic F rontier F oundation (EFF) b elieves d efining † dedicated i nfringing sites† c ould b e s omewhat a rbitrary, a nd t he l egislation i ntroduces t he p ossibility t hat g overnment a gencies c ould c ensor o r s hut d own Web sites, t hreatening f reedom o f s peech. Eric Schmidt, n ow C hairman o f Google, said i n May 2011 t hat Google will fight all proposed restrictions o n s earch e ngine linking b ecause t hey c ould â€Å"set a disastrous precedent† for freedom o f speech, a nd l ead to censorship similar to t hat i mposed b y C hina.Because Google's s earch e ngine is u sed b y m illions o f people e very d ay to find BitThrrent sites, Google itself is a major contributor to infringement, albeit unintentionally. Meanwhile, t he w orld's largest advertising agency, GroupM, h as k eelhauled T he P irate Bay a nd 2,000 o ther s ites worldwide b y p utting t he s ites o n i ts blacklist o f copyright infringing sites w here it will n ot b uy a dvertising space.Pirating intellectual p roperty is, above all, about t he m oney, as a ny good pirate knows. T h e P irate Bay case is j ust t he l atest i n a saga o f c ourt c ases involving t he r ecord industry, w hich w ants to preserve its d ominance o f c opyrighted music, a nd I nter ­ net u sers who w ant free music. I n 200S, after several years o f h eated c ourt b attles, t he c ase o f Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios v. Grokster, et al. f inally r eached t he u . S. Supreme Court.I n J une 200S, t he C ourt h anded d own its u nanimous decision: Inter ­ net file-sharing services s uch as Grokster, StreamCast, BitThrrent, a nd Kazaa could b e h eld liable for copyright i nfringement b ecause t hey i ntentionally s ought to induce, enable, a nd e ncourage users to share m usic t hat w as o wned b y r ecord companies. Indeed, i t w as t heir b usiness model: steal t he music, g ather a h uge a udience, a nd m onetize t he a udience b y a dvertising o r t hrough s ubscription fees. Since t he c ourt ruling, Kazaa, Morpheus, Grokster, BearShare, iMesh, a nd m any o thers h ave e ither . one o ut o f business o r s ettled w ith t he r ecord firms a nd c onverted themselves i nto legal file-sharing sites b y e ntering i nto relationships w ith m usic i ndustry firms. I n May 2010, M ark Gorton, founder o f t he l argest u. S. pirate site, LimeWire, lost a copy ­ right i nfringement case. I n May 2011, a dmitting h is guilt (â€Å"I w as wrong†), a nd h aving facilitated t he m ass p iracy o f billions o f s ongs over a lO-year period, Gorton a nd h is file-sharing c ompany a greed to compensate t he four largest record labels b y p aying t hem $10S million.T hese l egal victories, a nd s tronger g overnment e nforcement o f c opyright laws, have n ot p roven to b e t he m agic b ullet t hat m iraculously solves all t he p roblems facing t he m usic i ndustry. I n a ddition to t he i ssue o f illegal downloads, legitimate digital music sales h ave so far failed to m ake u p for falling CD s ales revenues. T he o nly h ope for t he m usic i ndustry is to cha nge its b usiness m odel a nd decisively move towards digital distribution platforms. H ere t hey a re m aking s triking progress b ut c ontinue to face r evenue declines.I n 2011, digital m usic sales a ccount for n early SO% o f industry r evenues, totaling $S. 7 billion, u p f rom $1. 9 billion i n 2006. I n 2 m2, digital sales o f m usic will exceed sales from CDs. I n 2011, a nnual r evenue f rom CD s ales is 1ess t han h alf of 200S1evels. Album sales o f 12 o r m ore songs, b oth digital a nd o n CD, a re also d own IS% a nnually o ver t he s ame p eriod. Since 2003, t housands o f r etail music stores have closed, a nd Walmart h as c ut b ack s helf s pace devoted to CDs a nd n ow c arries only t he t op titles.As CD sales o f complete albums p lummet, o nline m usic s ales o f singles are soar ­ ing rapidly, l ed b y iThnes. Sales o f digital m usic a t iThnes, Rhapsody, a nd e Music have b een growing a t a bout SO% p er y ear s ince 2006. Apple dominates t he m usical d ownload s cene a nd h as b ecome t he l argest retailer o f m usic i n t he U nited States, – SOURCES: â€Å"World's Biggest Ad Agency Keelhauls 2,000 Pirate Sites,† by Natalie Apostolu, The Register, June 14, 2011; â€Å"Internet Piracy and How to Stop It,† New York Times, June 8,2011; â€Å"The â€Å"Pirate Bay: FiveYears After the Raid,† by Ernesto, Torrentfreak. com, May 31,2011; â€Å"Why Google Would Defend Pirate Bay? ,† by Parmy Olson, Forbes, May 19, 2011; â€Å"The Protect IPAct: COICA Redux,† by Abigail Phillips, Electronic Frontier Foundation, May 12,2011; â€Å"Preventing Real Online Threats to Economic Creativity and Theft 01 Intellectual Property (Protect IP Act) 012011,† United States Senate, 112th Congress, 1st Session, 2011; â€Å"Pirate Bay Keeps Sinking: Another Law Suit Coming,† by Stan Schroeder, mashable. com, June 22, 2010; â€Å"Idea Man 01 LineWire at aCrossroads,† by Joseph Plambeck, New York Times, May 23, 2010; â€Å"Pirate Bay Sunk by Hollywood Injunction For Now,† by Charles Arthur, The Guardian, May 17 2010; â€Å"British PutTeeth in Anti ­ Piracy Proposal,† by Eric Planner, New York Times, March 14,2010; â€Å"How Pandora Slipped Past the Junkyard,† by Claire Cain Miller, New York Times, March 7, 2010. r eplacing Walmart. By 2011, t he i Thnes Store h ad s old o ver 15 billion songs, 450 million TV shows, a nd o ver 100 million movies, m aking i t t he w orld's m ost p opular o nline m usic, TV, a nd m ovie store.Its r evenues a re u p 75% i n t he l ast year. Driving t his p erformance, o f course, are t he s ales o f its various i-devices. By mid-2011, Apple h ad s old over 300 million iPods (all models), over 125 million iPhones, a nd 25 m illion iPads. A nd a ccording to a s tudy b y A rbor N etworks a nd t he U niversity o f M ichigan, p eer-to-peer t raffic is s hrinking d ramatically, a nd s treaming o f video a nd m usic f rom l egiti mate s ites h as g rown to o ver 10 % o f all I nternet traffic.R esearchers s urmise t hat c onsumers h ave j ust f ound i t a l ot e asier a nd m ore c onvenient t o access videos a nd m usic f rom t hese s ites r ather t han u sing P2P s haring s ites w here a m ovie c an t ake e ight h ours to download, a nd w here d ownloading m usic t racks c an also b ring a h ost o f m al ware w ith t he m usic. I n a ddition, t he w hole i dea o f â€Å"owning† m usic i n t he f orm o f records, tapes, CDs, a nd m usic files s tored o n y our h ard d rive is o ut o f d ate. While s ubscription m odels i n t he p ast d id n ot w ork, t hey w ere l imited t o s treaming m usic t o d esktop a nd l aptop PCs.I n t he w orld o f mobile I nternet d evices, t he i dea o f s treaming m usic all d ay l ong t o y our i Phone o r B lackBerry is m uch m ore a ttractive. I n 2011, P andora, t he m usic ­ streaming service, h as o ver 94 m illion r egistered u sers a nd 34 m illion s ubscribers, 30% o f w hom c onnect w ith s martphones. T he U. K. m usic s ervice Spotify o pened to U. S. c ustomers i n J uly 2011, a nd o ffers its 10 m illion s ubscribers a ccess to m ore t han 13 m illion s treaming m usic t racks t hat c an b e p layed i nstantly b y j ust d ragging t he s ong y ou w ant t o y our i Phone a pp.Users do n ot n eed t o w ait for d ownloads o r c lutter t heir h ard d rives a nd f lash drives w ith files, o r o rganize t he t housands o f s ongs o n t heir s torage devices. However, a d ownload s ervice was a dded i n 2011. I n e ach o f t hese n ew m edia d elivery p latforms, t he c opyright o wners-record c ompanies, a rtists, a nd H ollywood s tudios-have s truck l icensing d eals w ith t he t ech ­ nology p latform o wners a nd d istributors (Apple, Amazon, a nd Google).T hese n ew p latforms o ffer a w in-win s olution. C onsumers a re b enefitted b y h aving n ear i nstant a ccess to high-quality m usic t racks a nd v ideos w ithout t he h assle o f P2P software downloads. C ontent o wners g et a g rowing r evenue s tream a nd p rotection for t heir c opyrighted c ontent. A nd t he p irates? T he P irate Bay a nd o ther p irate s ites m ay n ot b e a ble to c ompete w ith n ew a nd b etter w ays to l isten t o m usic a nd v iew v ideos.Like t he r eal p irates o f the C aribbean, t echnology a nd c onsumer p reference for e ase o f use m ay l eave t hem b ehind. Case Study Questions 1. Do you think The Pirate Bay can continue to survive in a global Internet world? Why or why not? 2. Why is legislation like The Protect IP Act opposed by Google and civil liberties groups? 3. Do you think it is possible to reliably identify â€Å"dedicated infringing Web sites? † What criteria do you suggest? 4. Why does cloud computing threaten pirate sites?

The Testosterone And Suicide Health And Social Care Essay

Testosterone is produced from cholesterin in the Leydig cells in the testicle. Testosterone synthesis in the foetal human testicle begins during the 6th hebdomad of gestation. Leydig cell distinction and the initial early testosterone production in the foetal testicle are independent of luteinizing endocrine ( LH ) ( 5, 6, 7 ) . During testicle development production of testosterone occurs under the influence of LH which is produced by the pituitary secretory organ. Synthesis and release of LH is regulated by the hypothalamus through gonadotropin-releasing endocrine ( GnRH ) and inhibited by testosterone via a negative feedback cringle ( 8 ) . Testosterone is metabolized in some tissues to a more active metabolite, 5I ±-dihydrotestosterone. Testosterone is present in the blood as free ( unbound ) testosterone, albumin edge and sex hormone-binding globulin ( SHGB ) -bound testosterone ( 5-8 ) . Testosterone is a C19 steA ¬roid with an unsaturated bond between C-4 and C-5, a ketone group in C-3 and a hydroxyl group in the B place at C-17. It is largely produced in the tesA ¬tes of males and the ovaries of females, although little sums of testosterone are produced by the adrenal secretory organs. Testosterone is found in mammals and other craniates. Blood testosterone degrees are much greater in males than in females: an grownup male organic structure produces about ten-times more testosterone than an big female organic structure. Females are more sensitive to testosterone than males. Testosterone regulates male sexual development and affects musculus strength, degrees of red blood cells, bone denseness, sense of wellbeing and sexual and generative map in both males and females. SHBG concentrations may be decreased or increased in many often observed medical conditions. In clinical pattern, alterations in SBHG are critically of import to see in the diagnosing of male hypogonadism. Because plasma entire testosterone concentrations are affected by changes in SHBG degrees, precise measurings of free or bioavailable testosterone are necessary to measure the sufficiency of Leydig cell map, to clear up whether a patient is hypogonadal, and to supervise the testosterone replacing intervention in patients with alterations in go arounding SHBG concentrations. Testosterone and self-destruction Multiple surveies suggest that testosterone plays a function in the ordinance of temper and behaviour. The research surveies of the relationship between testosterone and self-destructive behaviour produced variable consequences ( 9-14 ) . Some ( 10-13 ) but non all ( 14,15 ) probes of the relationship between testosterone and suicidality found assoA ¬ciations between testosterone and self-destructive behaviour. Tripodianakis et Al. compared plasma testosterone concentrations in work forces after a suicide effort with testosterone degrees in healthy work forces of the same age ( 10 ) . The writers found that the self-destruction triers had lower testosterone degrees compared with controls, and that the triers who used violent methods had lower plasma testosterone concentrations compared with the nonviolent triers. Markianos et Al. examined plasma testosterone degrees in a group of male psychiatric patients who had attempted to perpetrate self-destruction by leaping, in a group of male topics who were hospitalized after accidentally falling from a high tallness and in healthy controls ( 11 ) . Both accident and suicide effort patients had lower testosterone degrees compared with the control group, and at that place was a tendency towards lower testosterone degrees in self-destruction triers compared with the accident group. We have late examined whether there is a relation between plasma test osterone degrees and clinical parametric quantities in bipolar self-destruction triers and found that testosterone degrees positively correlated with the figure of frenzied episodes and the figure of suicide efforts ( 12 ) . Some other observations have shown that testosterone/anabolic androgenic steroids may play a function in the pathophysiology of suicidality ( 13 ) . A recent survey found no difference between male self-destruction triers and male controls with respect to plasma testosterone degrees ( 14 ) . A survey of associations between neuroactive steroids and suicidality in military veterans with posttraumatic emphasis upset besides found no association between serum testosterone degrees and a history of a suicide effort ( 15 ) . Disappointment over rejections at efforts for sexual interactions has been cited several decennaries ago as an of import trigger for self-destruction ( 16 ) . Impending divorce, matrimonial troubles, menace of losing a love spouse and rejection by a loved one were besides regarded as motivations for self-destruction for many old ages ( 17 ) . It has been observed that rejection of sexual intercourse was frequently associated with male self-destructions and self-destructive ideation ( 18 ) . A nexus between testosterone and the neurobiology of self-destructive behaviour may be related to ( 9 ) : a ) A direct consequence of testosterone on suicidality via certain encephalon mechanisms ; and/or B ) A testosterone consequence on aggression and, accordingly, suicidality ; and/or degree Celsius ) A testosterone consequence on temper and, accordingly, suicidality ; and/or vitamin D ) A testosterone consequence on knowledge and, accordingly, suicidality. Testosterone and self-destructive behaviour in striplings and immature grownups Suicide and testosterone/anabolic androgenic steroids At least one survey has demonstrated a relation between high degrees of testosterone and self-destruction in immature people ( 19 ) . Twenty-nine topics ( 17 self-destructions, 12 sudden deceases ) in the ages 23 to 45 old ages were included in the survey. Analysis indicated no important difference in ages between the two groups of topics ( suicide M = 33.35 yr. , sudden decease M = 35.67 yr. ) . There was a important difference in the average testosterone degree ( P & lt ; 0.007 ) between victims of self-destruction ( M = 376.41?183.64 ng/ml ) and victims of sudden decease ( M= 241.83?117.3 ng/ml ) . Eight instances of self-destruction, in 21- to 33-year-old males, with a history of current or recent usage of anabolic androgenic steroids ( AAS ) have been described in a instance series study ( 20 ) . Five self-destructions were committed during current usage of AAS, and two following 2 and 6 months after AAS backdown. The writers suggested that long-run usage of AAS may lend to completed self-destruction in predisposed individuals. A possible function of aggression A important figure of surveies suggest that high testosterone degrees are associated with aggression ( 9 ) . It has been shown that violent individuals have higher plasma, spit and CSF testosterone degrees compared to non-violent controls ( 21-23 ) . For illustration, in a survey of unprompted wrongdoers with alcohol addiction and antisocial personality upset, higher CSF testosterone degrees were observed compared to healthy controls ( 24 ) . The writers proposed that high CSF testosterone degrees may be associated with aggressiveness or interpersonal force. In the same paper, the writers reviewed the scientific literature on the nexus of testosterone to aggression in worlds, and proposed that both a insistent form of aggressive behaviour get downing early in life, and a insistent form of aggressive behaviour under the consequence of intoxicant are associated with increased degrees of testosterone. Research workers have observed that persons having testosterone are more likely to hol d an aggressive reaction to comprehend menaces than topics having placebo ( 25-27 ) . Fluctuations of testosterone concentration may be associated with aggression and temper alterations in striplings ( 28-30 ) . Salivary testosterone concentrations were evaluated in 40 kids, aged 7-14 old ages ( 37 male childs and three misss ) , with a history of aggressive behaviours and an association between higher testosterone degrees and aggressive behaviours was observed ( 29 ) . In another survey of stripling males, higher testosterone degrees were associated with aggravated verbal and physical aggression, a determination proposing that reactive unprompted aggression is correlated with higher testosterone degrees ( 30 ) . Fifty-eight healthy 15-17 twelvemonth old male childs, public school pupils participated in this survey. A high degree of testosterone led to an amplified preparedness to react energetically and forcefully to aggravations and menaces. Testosterone besides had an indirect and less strong consequence on another aggression dimension: high plasma concentrations o f testosterone made the male childs less patient and more cranky, which in bend intensified their sensitivity to prosecute in aggressive-destructive behaviour. The fact that higher testosterone degrees were associated with aggravated verbal and physical aggression suggests that reactive unprompted aggression correlatives with higher testosterone degrees. Therefore, aggression may medicate the consequence of high testosterone degrees on self-destructive behaviour in striplings and immature grownups. Not all surveies have observed differences in testosterone degrees between aggressive and unaggressive male childs ( 31 ) . A survey of 4-10 twelvemonth olds found no grounds of a relationship between testosterone degrees and aggressive behaviours. This indicated that such a relationship may be nonexistent in prepubescent kids. Animal theoretical accounts have contributed of import informations sing the effects of anabolic androgenic steroid ( AAS ) usage on aggression ( 32,33 ) . For illustration, surveies in gnawers confirmed that exposure to the AASs testosterone and Durabolin additions aggression. A side consequence of AAS usage reported in worlds is â€Å" roid fury, † a province of unselective and motiveless aggression. It has besides been observed that pubertal rats having AASs respond suitably to societal cues and they are more aggressive toward integral males than are eunuchs. Testosterone-treated male rats are most aggressive in their place coop. Probably, adolescent AAS exposure may increase aggressive behaviours. Some writers have postulated that there are significant similarities between aggression against the ego and aggression against others, based on the clinical and epidemiological observations that some suicide triers may portion personality traits with violent felons ( 34 ) . We have besides observed an association between aggression and self-destructive behaviour in our surveies ( 35,36 ) . For illustration, we have observed that a history of suicide effort in bipolar upset is associated with lifetime aggressive traits ( 35 ) . We have besides shown that the higher prevalence of suicide triers among down patients with a history of alcohol addiction compared to down patients without a history of alcohol addiction was related to higher aggression tonss in the group with alcohol addiction ( 36 ) . In drumhead, high testosterone degrees may be associated with self-destructive behaviour in striplings and immature grownups. This consequence of testosterone on suicidality in striplings and immature grownups may be mediated by testosterone-related elevated aggression. It is besides possible that in immature people, high testosterone degrees are straight linked to suicidality via certain encephalon mechanisms. Testosterone and self-destructive behaviour in older work forces Testosterone lack or hypotestosteronemia is a normally known hormonal alteration associated with male aging ( 37-39 ) . The prevalence of testosterone lack may be every bit high as 30 % in work forces aged 40-79 old ages ( 40,41 ) . In up to 12 % of affected work forces, hypotestosteronemia can be associated with clinical symptoms ( 40,41 ) . Age-related plasma testosterone lessening is a consequence of different biological changes such as primary structural gonadal harm, age-related degenerative alterations of the pituitary secretory organ, inadequacies of the neurohypothalamic system, and primary peripheral metabolic abnormalcies such as the age-associated addition in the concentration of serum sex endocrine adhering globulin ( SHBG ) , with a attendant lessening in free testosterone ( 39 ) . In the aging adult male, there is about a 1-2 % lessening of entire testosterone degrees per twelvemonth with a more rapid bead in free testosterone degrees because of a attendant addition in SHBG with aging. Because of this gradual lessening in testosterone degrees the androgen lack of the aged adult male is defined as partial androgen lack of the aging male ( PADAM ) or late oncoming hypogonadism ( LOH ) . Symptoms of testosterone lack in work forces include sexual symptoms ( such as reduced erectile map and lessened libido ) , reduced musculus and increased fat mass, and reduced bone denseness among others. It is ill-defined whether aging is to be considered as the lone variable linked to age-related testosterone lessening. Assorted facets such as familial factors, chronic diseases, medicines, fleshiness, and the life style may impact the testosterone metamorphosis ( 37,42-44 ) . Decreased testosterone degrees are associated with depressive symptoms, hapless cognitive map and Alzheimer ‘s disease ( 9,45-48 ) . In fact, increased incidence of hypogonadism is observed in work forces with major depression ( 9,47 ) . Depressed work forces often have low plasma or serum testosterone ( 9,48 ) . Testosterone has mood-enhancing belongingss and antidepressant effects in work forces ( 9,49-51 ) . Testosterone replacing efficaciously improves temper. Testosterone users sometimes develop frenzied or hypomanic symptoms during testosterone usage and depressive symptoms during testosterone backdown ( 52-55 ) . In gnawers, testosterone has antidepressant effects in elderly male mice and protective effects against the development of depression-like behaviours in rats ( 56,57 ) . A recent survey found a testosterone-dependent ordinance of hippocampal ERK2 look which suggests that ERK2 signaling within the dentate gyrus country of the hippocampus is a critical go-between of the antidepressant belongingss of testosterone ( 58 ) . Experimental surveies suggest that testosterone has neuroprotective effects ( 59 ) . However, in intercession clinical research on aged work forces, testosterone replacing had a good influence on temper merely if work forces had clearly subnormal testosterone degrees ( 60 ) . It is of import note that sexual disfunction can hold a major consequence on the quality of life and emotional wellbeing ( 61,62 ) . The consequences of placebo-controlled randomised surveies of the effects of testosterone on the quality of life and down temper have been inconsistent and frequently the quality of life as assessed by different questionnaires did non better significantly ( 63 ) . Higher blood degrees of testosterone are associated with better cognitive operation, particularly in older work forces ( 45,46 ) . For illustration, greater serum degrees of testosterone late in life predict a lower hazard of future Alzheimer ‘s disease development in older work forces ( 45 ) . Higher blood testosterone degrees are associated with better visuospatial abilities, semantic memory and episodic memory in work forces, with larger positive consequence with increasing age ( 46 ) . Both depression and cognitive damage are associated with self-destructive behaviour ( 64-67 ) . At least 60 % of persons who commit suicide suffer from depression. Hence, depression and cognitive damage may medicate the consequence of testosterone lack on suicidality in older work forces. This suggests that the intervention of hypogonadism in older work forces may better temper and knowledge, and accordingly, cut down self-destructive behaviour. Decision In drumhead, it is sensible to suggest that self-destructive behaviour in immature work forces is associated with high testosterone degrees while suicidality in older work forces is associated with reduced testosterone secernment. This indicates that the effects of testosterone on suicidality in work forces should be studied individually in immature and old persons. It is likely that plasma and salivary testosterone checks can assist in placing paediatric and grownup patients that would react best to certain interventions. Further surveies of the function of testosterone in the pathophysiology of psychiatric upsets and self-destructive behaviour are merited.

Setting Ideas for Improv Acting and Comedy Sketches

Setting Ideas for Improv Acting and Comedy Sketches One of the essential ingredients to a good improv scene is a setting. But sometimes, the ideas just dont flow. This list of settings for improv acting and comedy sketches may help grease the wheels. Keys to Success If youre not relying on your audience to suggest a setting, youll need to think quickly and choose one yourself. One of the goals of improv is to learn how to think quickly and creatively when confronted by the unexpected. To do that, youll need to bear a few things in mind: Go with it. If youre told to wear a trench coat, then do it. Now youve got one detail to add to the sketch of the character youre building: one whos a private eye in an old detective movie. Accept everything that people do or say as literal truth and dont try to deceive or outwit your fellow actors.Create a backstory. You can add realism to your character by asking questions or making statements that reference a past event. Maybe your detective character just had a run-in with a police officer who doesnt like him. As the two glare at each other, your character asks, You going to arrest me just like last time? And just like that, youve established a backstory for your audience that gives them more information about the scene youre creating.Be specific. Improv actors rarely work with elaborate sets or with many props. Instead, the challenge is to create a sense of place and character with your words and actions. Dont speak in monosyllables. Be descriptive.  Begin mid-action.  Unlik e scripted acting, improv doesnt have the luxury of building up to a dramatic climax through a prologue. You want to keep the activity (and inspiration) moving. Each sketch should start with your characters already engaged in a scenario, like being up to their elbows in a sink full of dirty dishes. Act without words. Speaking is just one way that an actor can convey information. Try choosing an improv setting and then using pantomime or another means of non-verbal communication.  Dont be yourself. Youre not playing yourself in improv; youre someone else. As you perform, push yourself to act and react in ways the real you may never do. Suggested Improv Settings Once the actors are ready, its time to choose a setting. Some performers let the audience make suggestions, with the troupe picking their favorite. Others leave it to the director or host to pick a scenario. Theres no right or wrong way to do it. Thats the beauty of improv. A:Art GalleryAmbulanceAdoption ClinicAmazon RainforestAntique StoreAttic B:BarbershopBalconyBoatBirds NestBlacksmithBakeryButterfly HabitatBeaver DamBootcamp C:CastleCat Ladys HouseChessboardCheese FactoryClassroom Cemetery(Inside a) Comic BookChiropractors OfficeCircus D:Dance StudioDragons LairDesertDeep Sea DivingDepartment of Motor VehiclesDetentionDrunk Tank E:EgyptElephant SanctuaryElfs ForestExecution ChamberEarthquake Preparedness Class F:Ferris WheelFire StationFishing PondFootball StadiumFutureFortune Tellers Shop G:Grocery StoreGolf CourseGhost TownGondolaGarbage DumpGarageGoldmineGypsy CampGrand Canyon H:Hardware StoreHelicopterHenhouseHogwartsHospitalHawaii I:IglooIsland (Tropical)IcebergIce Cream ShopIce Age J:JungleJet Pilots CockpitJudges ChambersJury BoxJewelry StoreJurassic Age K:Karate ClassKaraoke BarKnights Training GroundsKing Kongs CageKnitting CircleKangaroo Farm L:LagoonLighthouseLibraryLOST (The TV Show)LifeboatLumberjack CampLondonLaundromat M:Make-Up CounterMarathon Finish LineMechanics ShopMoonMousetrapMummys Tomb(Inside a) MicrowaveMountain Top N:Nursing HomeNews StationNeverlandNature TrailNightclubNewspaper Office O:Orchestra PitOffice CubicleOrchardOutback (Australia)Open House (Real Estate)Optometrist P:Picnic SpotPanda ExhibitPromPirate ShipPet StorePost OfficePhotography ClassPolice Station Q:Queen Elizabeths CourtQuiz ShowQuicksand R:Radio ProgramRestaurant Grand OpeningRed Carpet (Movie Premiere)Riverboat(Inside a) Romance NovelRobbers Hideout S:SafariSchool LunchroomSchool Nurses OfficeSantas WorkshopSki SlopeSpider WebSummer CampSmurf VillageSoftball GameSpaceshipSecond-Hand StoreSubmarineStable T:TreehouseTravel AgencyTruckstopTheater AuditionTidepoolTribal CeremonyTourist Trap U:Ugly Princess Birthday PartyUndergroundUnderwaterUnemployment OfficeUtopian Society V:Vampires HomeVolleyball CourtVolcanoVoting Booth W:Witchs CavernWarehouseWhite HouseWaterslide ParkWrestling RingWild WestWoodshop ClassWedding Ceremony X:X-Ray LabXylophone Store Y:Yard SaleYoga ClassYearbook Club Z:Zeppelin (Blimp)Zombie Vacation SpotZoo

Five steps to finding purpose in your work

Five steps to finding purpose in your work There are millions of self-help posts about finding a sense of purpose at work. Most of them talk about the influence that purpose can have on one’s health, motivation, and job satisfaction. Some articles try to advise you on how to find true meaning and purpose, but once you start applying their techniques, you realize that they’re not very realistic. That’s because most posts discuss the philosophical notions of self-esteem, self-confidence, purposeful life, and meaningful existence, but they fail on providing any concrete advice on how to achieve anything real.A couple of years ago, when I was trying to find purpose in my work by connecting with organizations, I stumbled upon â€Å"Teach Me the Art of Small Steps† by Antoine de Saint-Exupà ©ry. The French author wrote it during a challenging period and it spoke to a lot of my own struggles. So I decided to apply the â€Å"art of small steps† to finding purpose in my everyday work. Guess what? It worked. And here is how.1. Think smallSounds counterintuitive I know, but hear me out. I always assumed that your life’s purpose should be ground-breaking - it should change the world and humanity. I missed the fact that purpose could be found in things like helping your coworker with a project, providing professional advice to your intern or keeping your colleagues level-headed during a stressful time.We always think of purpose as something vague and unattainable, but once we change our attitude towards it, it becomes entirely possible to find purpose in everyday tasks. Instead of setting ambitious goals all at once, try setting smaller goals one day at a time. Chipping away at smaller goals every day will allow you to feel more impactful.2. It’s about the journey, not the destinationA lot of people think that purpose is a destination. We get there, we change, we order a glass of rosà ©, and we chill. If this way of thinking applies to you, it is time for a persona l paradigm shift. Purpose is about the journey; where all the small steps that we make bring us one step closer to realizing our true passions.Once you’ve reached this proverbial â€Å"destination†, suddenly you lose interest. The journey is about discovering ourselves, discovering others and discovering life happening right in front of us. And remember that you are not alone in your quest (only 34% of US workers feel engaged at work).Finding purpose in your work is not going to happen overnight. It might take a couple of years. What matters most is for you to enjoy your every day and think of life as a journey.3. Play to your strengthsMost people who are having a hard time finding purpose in their work start to fix their weaknesses, as if that’s where the problem lies. Recent studies show that people who know and use their strengths are more likely to find purpose in what they do and are usually more satisfied with their work.This idea doesn’t mean ignor ing your weaknesses – it only suggests to first know your strengths and utilize them first. I used HIGH5, a strengths finder that helped me explore my top five strengths and the ways to effectively use them at work.1 in every 3 individuals can’t accurately name their strengths, so feel free to enlist the help of friends and family to pinpoint your best attributes. Once you start using your strengths, you will increase your confidence and be more likely to find purpose in your work.4. Stop thinking of purpose as a luxuryMany people think that purpose is a luxury that requires a lot of resources. This is one of the main reasons why people never succeed in finding purpose. If you think of something as being luxurious and reserved to a small group of people, you start to alienate yourself from the idea that it’s accessible to you. This makes it easier to lose motivation to even pursue purpose.Understanding that finding purpose does not require a lot of resources wil l help you find it more easily.Simplify it. Think of it as an artless act. Give it two minutes every day, and you will see that anyone can achieve personal success.5. Match purpose with meaningYou will find purpose way easier if you match it with meaning. Ask yourself what you value most. Is it empathy? Is it collaboration? Maybe positive change?Let’s say you value collaboration. Then try to find ways to collaborate more with your colleagues, other departments, or your clients. If you do something that holds meaning, it will undoubtedly light a fire in your belly and add meaning to your work.The desire for purposeful work is a modern human need. It’s a continuous journey of finding what you like and applying it to your work by taking small steps every day. Once you discover your purpose, you’ll find the motivation needed to succeed in your everyday life.About the author:Anatoli Chernyaev is a content marketing manager born in Armenia and currently residing in Ly on, France. He writes about various topics such as self-awareness, positive thinking, personal development, and career advice.

My Leadership Style Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

My Leadership Style - Essay Example According to the textbook Generalist Practice with Organization and Communities, written by Karen Ashman and Grafton Hull, leading entails â€Å"working with other systems, whether individuals, families, groups, organizations, or communities†(K., & H., 2008). In terms of the workplace, leadership is a key component in ensuring an organization’s success. A part of ensuring this success is a leader’s ability to communicate effectively. Within the article, â€Å"Ingredients of a Good Leader, communication has several purposes. If a leader is a good communicator, they will be able to keep a positive environment for their team(Andolsen, 2008). This is due to the fact that effective communication will eliminate confusion. In my own experience, I have dealt with projects where nobody knew what their role was or what they were supposed to be doing. As a leader, I sat everyone down and clearly spelled out what their own individual task was and how it would interconnect t o the overall project. The ability to supervise can be a rather tedious and difficult task. It is not easy to know how hands on to be or how hands off to be. A careful balance must be struck and a good leader will be able to identify that balance. There are a few key areas that a leader must be adept at when supervising others. Andolsen reveals that being able to recognize a person’s abilities, delegating tasks, and the ability to set standards and discipline are important factors in being successful at supervising(Andolsen, 2008). Delegation is where the leader hands out tasks that must be accomplished. Delegation goes hand in hand with recognizing someone’s abilities. If a person is particularly strong in one area, the leader should try to delegate tasks to this person that will play on those same strengths. In my own experience, I have been in charge of a few projects, both academic and professional, where I needed to hand over the reigns to another person and super vise their progress. It is difficult to do because if they mess up, the fault remains with the supervisor. Finally, a good leader needs to be able to work as a team. This is similar to the idea of leading by example in that the team needs to be able to see the leader in a more equal position. Team work is another way to do this. The first step in this process is to create a â€Å"spirit of team work. Andolsen defines this as â€Å"the belief that there is value in the work being done and that it can only be accomplished by a cooperative synergy among team members†(Andolsen, 2008). In a spirit of team work, everyone on the team must feel that they are an important asset and are of value. Team work and the spirit of team work can also determine how well the leader and their team will work together. In the article entitled, â€Å"Generosity and the Moral Imagination in the Practice of Teamwork† the importance of team work is discussed. â€Å"We should think carefully ab out the discourses within which we work and how needs are assessed and represented because these effect†¦ trust, interpersonal relationships, and†¦ultimately meeting staff needs†(Arber, 2009). When a leader is able to successfully incorporate a spirit of team work, they are likely going to strengthen their team in terms of being able to meet goals and also to instill a collaborative feeling for their team. In order to motivate other people to complete their goals, it is important to lead by example. Within the article enti

Death penalty should not exist as a punishment for murder or terrorism Essay

Death penalty should not exist as a punishment for murder or terrorism - Essay Example Countries like the United States have retained the death penalty punishment for murder and terrorism convicts in the country. Though the categories of murder may differ, cold blood murder or homicides suspects are faced with death penalty in the United States. Though the death penalty continues to become unpopular in different parts of the world including Europe and even the United States itself, some countries have retained it. The united states, for example, continue to send murder convicts to the gallows through various ways as captured in the country’s penal code (Barner 2014). Human rights activists across the globe have continually argued that the death penalty is illegal and against the universal bill of rights and should be abandoned. Such discussions have created different opinions towards this emotive topic as opponents and proponents argue against and for the death penalty. Though some states in the United States have shown intentions of abandoning the death penalty, others have stick to the tradition, arguing that murder convicts have no right to life. To fully understand and develop a common position on this topic, there is need for a deep research on the topic (Fletcher 2014).