A Comparison of the Codes of Ethics

The Alabama Educator Code of Ethics and the University of North Alabama’s Code of Ethics Professional Dispositions both focus on many of the same core values. There are nine standards in the Alabama Educator COE and seven dispositions in UNA’s COE. Standard 1 and Disposition 1 both advocate having a commitment to professional standards. While UNA’s COE simply states that an educator should have a commitment to professionalism and ethical standards and leaves the interpretation of this up to the educator, the Alabama Educator COE goes more in depth.Standard 2 focuses on trustworthiness, and Standard 3 concentrates on unlawful acts. Standard 5 states that an educator should refrain from the use of alcohol and tobacco products and never use illegal drugs. Standard 4 and Disposition 5 both address respecting the differences of students. They both state that an educator should not discriminate by race, gender, religion, or disability. Both also encourage educators to provide challenging, equitable learning opportunities for all students. Both the Alabama Educator COE and UNA’s COE promote collaboration, but the UNA’s COE is more comprehensive in its description.Both Disposition 6 and Disposition 7 address collaboration; Disposition 6 focuses on working with family and community members, and Disposition 7 focuses on working with other educators. The Alabama Educator COE only mentions collaboration in standard one. One big variation between the two codes is that UNA’s COE does not address any obligations to your contract, while the Alabama Educator COE uses the entire Standard 9 to focus on it. Another key difference is that the Alabama Educator COE discusses confidentiality thoroughly in Standard 8, but UNA’s COE does not mention it.The ethical conduct discussed in Standard 6 (Public Funds and Property) and Standard 7 (Remunerative Conduct) does not show up in UNA’s COE either. UNA’s COE uses Disposition 3 to concentrate on using technology and research in the classroom, but the Alabama Educator COE does not discuss technology. The two sets of ethical behavior share many of the same principles, but are laid out in different ways. If an educator applies both COEs to his or her practice, then they will definitely be successful.

Establishing a Claim in Negligence

Introduction In for a claim for negligence to be established the claimant will be required to prove that they have suffered damage and that intentional behaviour or at least recklessness existed. This will allow a determination to be made as to whether the claimants have any possible tort of negligence claims against the defendants. Establishing if the defendant is negligent, the claimant must prove whether there is a duty of care, whether this duty had been breached and the damage was caused by the breach. In Heaven v Pender[1] it was first suggested there should be a general principle of law which governs the duty of care. Lord Atkin in Donoghue v Stevenson[2] provided some guidance in this area by showing that in order to establish a duty of care was owed the so-called ‘neighbour principle’ must be adopted; â€Å"you must take reasonable care to avoid acts or omissions which you can reasonably foresee would be likely to injure your neighbour†. The Court in Dorset Yacht Co L td v Home Office[3] expanded this principle even further when it was made clear what type of circumstances would give rise to a duty of care and was followed by Caparo Industries plc v Dickman[4] which is currently the leading case dealing with the duty of care element. The House of Lords in this case proposed a three-stage test for establishing whether a duty of care has arisen. The courts would need to be satisfied that; a) it would be reasonably foreseeable that the defendant’s failure to take care could cause harm or damage to the claimant; b) that the relationship between the claimant and the defendant was so close that there was an element of proximity between them; and c) that it is fair, just and reasonable to impose a duty of care on the defendant based upon the particular circumstances of the case. Unless this test can be satisfied, a claimant will be unable to establish a claim in negligence since the defendant will not be found to have owed a duty of care to the claimant. Once it has been shown that a duty of care was owed to the claimant, it must then be shown that the duty has been breached. This will be decided by the Court based on a two-stage test; first of all the Court will be required to consider how the defendant should have behaved in such circumstances (question of law) and then decide the extent to which the defendants behaviour fell below this required standard of care (question of fact).[5]Consequently, it must be shown that a reasonable person would have foreseen the danger and subsequently regarded the risk as unreasonable; Blythe v Birmingham Waterworks[6]. As a general rule, a defendant will not be liable unless the risk was foreseeable, was not insignificant and a ‘reasonable person’ would not have taken the necessary precautions in respect of the particular risk that occurred. In making such an assessment the Court will consider what precautions a ‘reasonable person’ would have taken, what the likelihood of harm was and whether a reasonable person could have been expected to bear the costs of avoiding such harm. The test is an objective one; Glasgow Corp v Muir[7] and the issue to be considered is not whether the defendant would have foresaw the risk but whether a reasonable person would have foresaw it based on the particular circumstances of the case. The issue will thus be decided on a case by case basis by reviewing the individual facts of the case. Once it is shown that the defendant owed a duty of care and subsequently breached that duty, causation must then be considered. Essentially, it must be shown that the claimant’s losses were a natural consequence of the breach since the breach caused the harm or damage that occurred. In establishing causation, the ‘but for’ test would need to be applied. This test was established in R v White[8] when it was stated by the Court that the claimant must prove that the harm would not have occurred ‘but for’ the defendants actions. Once this has been established causation will then be proved unless it can also be shown that there is an intervening act which brakes the chain of causation, also known as a novus actus interveniens; Wilsher v Essex Area Health Authority[9] the ‘but for’ test will not established. Remoteness of damage will then be d etermined by considering whether or not the damage was a kind which was foreseeable. Once all of these elements have been proven, the defendant will be found liable for the full extent of the damage; The Wagon mount (no.1)[10]. Jennifer HallamIn June 2013 Jennifer Hallam parked her car opposite the knight’s plaza building where on return to her car she noticed damage to the car. On enquiring from shop owners she was informed that this was due to light reflecting from the building. Jennifer returned the next day and investigated and established this is the case. T Knight Group (TKG) owe a duty of care to Jennifer as the neighbour principle clearly applies to her on the basis that the Jennifer would have been so closely affected by the actions of TKG that they ought reasonably to have had her in their contemplation. TKG would thus have been under a duty to ensure that reasonable care was being taken in order to avoid any harm or damage to third partied caused by their actions. Nevertheless, this could be disputed by TKG as they may be able to demonstrate that the breach of duty did not occur as a result of their own actions. This is because the architects or the structural engineers could instead be held responsible for the design fault. This situation has been seen around the world and also in the UK. Under section 79 of the environmental protection act 1990 the local authority may take action to ensure the nuisance is stopped. There is no reported case in England and Wales in which a Court has been required to determine reflection of sunlight. However in New Zealand this was the case and was seen in Bank of New Zealand v greenwood[11]. This would amount to an actionable tort of nuisance. Here the high Court of New Zealand held that reflected light can constitute an actionable nuisance. In Hunter v Canary Wharf Ltd[12] the Lords considered the New Zealand case and although they said that it was most unusual they did in fact regard the decision as ‘eminently sensible’ and ‘admirable’. In light of this, it could therefore be said that Jennifer’s actions is likely to be successful if the Courts in the UK follow suit. If the Courts do find that there has been a breach, it is likely that they will then be able to establish that the breach caused the harm and was not too remote so as to prevent an action in negligence. This is because, if TKG successful argue that they the architects or the structural engineers are to blame for the damage, then the standard of care will be that based upon their ex pertise; Wilsher v Essex[13]. And, architects and structural engineers will be required to have a reasonable expectation of the risks involved with this type of project and ought to have known of the dangers.RahimRahim Khan has stated that he has suffered a financial loss due to the dazzling sun and high temperatures that are created when the sun reflects off the Knights Plaza Building and onto the pavement outside his shop. There is generally no duty of care owed to individuals to avoid causing others to suffer an economic loss. The economic loss must not relate to personal injury or damage to property as in Spartan Steel & Alloys Ltd v Martin[14]. Nevertheless, in Hedley Byrne & co v Heller[15] the House of Lords held that economic loss could be caused by negligence misstatement rather than a negligent act, although it is unlikely to apply here. In Linklaters Business Services v Sir Robert McAlpine[16], however, it was noted by the Court that; â€Å"It may well be arguable in the case of complex structures that one element of the structure should be regarded for the purpose of the application and the principles [regarding economic loss] as distinct from another element, so that damage to one part of the structure caused by a hidden defect in another part may qualify to be treated as damage to other property.† It will depend entirely upon the facts of the case as to whether a claim by Rahim will prove to be a success although it is questionable whether this will be established given the complexity of establishing pure economic loss. Thus, Rahim will have to demonstrate that the relationship between Rahim and TKG was sufficiently close for a claim to be ascertained for economic loss. This is unlikely to be established given that Rahim merely owns a nearby sandwich shop and so the requirements are unlikely to be satisfied here. In addition, Rahim also stated that his business has just reopened after health inspector closed it down after allegations of food poisoning. This could be significant as the loss could have been caused by the closure of the shop for 6 months. The chain of causation (novus actus interveniens) could have been broken by the fact the shop was closed. In certain cases, the chain of causation is capable of being broken by an intervening act. Therefore, the defendant may not be liable if the chain is broken by the intervening act even if there exists a duty of care as in Kirkham v Chief[17]. Thus, as put by Finch and Fafinski â€Å"if the novus actus interveniens is sufficient to break the chain , then the defendant may not be liable despite being in breach of the duty of care.†[18] Accordingly, it is therefore unlikely that TKG will be found liable in tort for the loss that was suffered by Rahim since it is likely that the loss would have occurred regardless; The Oropesa[19]. Rahim is also being prosecuted having been caught on CCTV cameras throwing stones and subsequently causing damage to the Knights Plaza Building costing ?75,000. In common law Rahim would be found criminally liable for criminal damage under section 1 (1) of the Criminal Damage Act 1971 for destroying property that belonged to another with the intention or recklessness as to whether damage was caused. The fact that Rahim was caught on CCTV throwing stones at the building is sufficient enough to find him liable under this section. Accordingly, it is clear that Rahim had the intention to damage the property by throwing the stones as he was angry at TKG for the loss of profits in which he claims to have suffered. In addition, for criminal damage to be established, it does not have to be shown that the property is no longer usable. The fact that some damage was caused will be sufficient as in Roper v Knott[20]. Accordingly, Rahim will thus be found criminally liable for damaging the proper ty and causing ?75,000 worth of damage. Andy Pandy, Mandy Pandy and Muz Ahmed In deciding whether Darren is liable for the death of Andy Pandy and the injuries sustained by Mandy Pandy and Muz Ahmed, it will need to be considered whether Darran owed them a duty of care. Applying the Caparo test, it is evident that a duty of care was owed to Andy, Mandy and Muz. This is because all three of them can be considered to have a relationship of proximity to Darran that he ought to have had them in his contemplation. Hence, drivers owe a duty of care to pedestrians so it is evident that this part of the test will have been satisfied. Nevertheless, it is questionable whether Darran failed to take care given that the gust of wind is likely to have been unforeseeable and as such it would not be fair, just and reasonable to impose duty of care on him. In addition, although Darran caused the accident to occur it can be said that there was an intervening act that broke the chain of causation. This is because the accident would not have happened had it not been for the struc ture of the building and because these defects were known to the TKG since May 2013, they could have alleviated these problems by taking the necessary steps. In view of this, the TKG should be found liable for the death of Andy since they ought to have taken reasonable precautions to prevent the problem from occurring. Essentially, because they had not taken any steps to prevent the problem from occurring it is clear that they should be found liable as they would have owed Andy a duty of care, they were in breach of that duty and the breached caused the harm. The same will apply in relation to Mandy and Muz since it would not be fair, just and reasonable to impose liability on Darran for the psychiatric harm that was caused and so TKG ought to be held liable for this also. In order to establish a claim in negligence for psychiatric injury, all of the negligence requirements must first be satisfied. However, further difficulties will arise since Mandy and Muz will not be awarded compensation unless three additional requirements are satisfied; a) there was a close tie of love and affection between the parties; b) that the victim was close to the accident at the time, and c) that the accident was directly perceived.[21] It is likely that Mandy will be able to establish all three given that Andy was her brother, although it will be more difficult for Muz to demonstrate that there was a close tie of love and affection. In addition, it will also have to be shown that the harm or damage caused was reasonably foreseeable, which again will be like ly to prove complex; Alcock v Chief Constable of Yorkshire[22]. In Page v Smith[23], nonetheless, the defendant was found liable even though the claimant was not physically hurt the car crash that was caused by the defendant. Therefore, it is possible that both Mandy and Muz will be able to establish a claim against TKG as shown in Dulieu v White[24]. If it is shown that the harm is too remote, however, they will not be able to establish a claim. Conclusion Overall, it is likely that TKG will be found liable for the damage that has been caused to Jennifer’s car, the death of Andy and the psychiatric injury caused to Mandy and Muz, unless they can demonstrate that the architects and structural engineers are to blame. It is unlikely that Rahim’s claim will succeed and instead he will be found criminally liable for the damage caused to the building. Damages fall into two categories, pecuniary and non-pecuniary losses. Pecuniary losses are calculated into monetary terms whereas non-pecuniary losses are not. However, whether or not damages will be awarded will be dependent upon the remoteness of the harm or damage that was caused Bibliography Finch, E. and Fafinski, S. (2010) Law Express: Tort Law, 3rd Edition, Longman. Kidner, R. (2010) Casebook on Torts, 11th Edition. The Law Commission., ‘Liability for Psychiatric Illness’ (1998) Law Com No 249, 2. Cases Alcock v Chief Constable of Yorkshire [1992] 1 AC 310 Bank of New Zealand v greenwood [1984] 1 NZLR 525 Blythe v Birmingham Waterworks (1856) 11 Exch 781 Caparo Industries plc v Dickman [1990 1 All ER 568 Donoghue v Stevenson [1932] AC 562 Dorset Yacht Co Ltd v Home Office [1970] AC 1004 Glasgow Corp v Muir [1943] AC 448 Hedley Byrne & co v Heller [1963] 3 WLR 101 Heaven v Pender (1883) 11 QBD 503 Hunter v Canary Wharf Ltd [1997] 2 WLR 684 Kirkham v Chief [1990] 2 KB 283 Linklaters Business Services v Sir Robert McAlpine [2010] EWHC 1145 (TCC) Page v Smith [1996] AC 155 Roper v Knott [1898] 1 QB 868 R v White (1910) 2 KB 124 Spartan Steel & Alloys Ltd v Martin [1972] 3 WLR 502 The Oropesa [1943] 1 All ER 211 Wilsher v Essex Area Health Authority [1988] AC 1074

Childhood and Adolescent Depression and the Risks of Suicide Essay

Introduction Problem and its Background   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One of the most common reasons for referral of children and adolescents to mental health professionals is suspected depression. There are continues debate as to whether childhood and adolescent depression are a reflection of normal variation in mood. It is reasonable for the primary care physician to view childhood depression as a constellation of factors that forms a syndrome. This constellation consists of a persistent mood disorder and dysfunctional behavior that intrudes and distorts the child’s day-to-day activities (Gottlieb & Williams, 1991 p.1). A firm denial gave way into a general and strong conviction about significance of depressive syndromes in childhood and adolescents, and of the implications throughout the life course. The realization of the problem occurrence made it possible for the therapeutic interventions and prevention programs to be developed and set up for depressive children, and to have these programs sponsored and evaluated on a scientific perspective. Various factors have facilitated the progression of this study concerning the recognition of childhood depression. Society is approached with enormous cost of untreated childhood depression later on in life (Corveleyn etal, 2005 p.165).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The concept of a depressive syndrome that is distinct from the broad class of childhood onset emotional disorders has been linked to incidence of suicidal rates worldwide. The condition of such incidence is becoming evidently alarming as the number of suicidal rate continue.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The treatment of such depressive states range from pharmacologic drugs up to psychological modifications and therapies, such as behavioral, peer and group focused groups, etc. With the serious nature of childhood / adolescent depression, it is crucial that treatments with known efficacy and more than transitory effects be provided promptly and skillfully (Maj & Sartorius, 2002 p.292). Scope and Limitations   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The treatment procedures and the condition of health care management for the case of childhood and adolescent depression are the primary subjects of the study. The concept on treatment procedure involves the pharmacologic, medical and psychological interventions that are absolutely necessary in the health care management of such condition. The study shall cover the discussion of depressive condition of the childhood and adolescent age group. Diagnostic procedures and issues shall be tackled in this research in order to portray possible conflicts and difficulties that occur in diagnosing the condition. The neurobiology of the depressive state shall be elaborated utilizing psychophysiology of the disorder, and linked to probable external physiological occurrences. Lastly, since the study focuses on therapy and medication as treatment modalities, the following methods and means of treatment shall be involved in the study. The following shall be the objectives of the over-all study. To be able to define, discuss and elaborate the conditions involved in the occurrence of depression in adolescent and childhood stages To be able to provide and tackle the treatment procedure as the center scope of study, accompanied by the issues, physiology and specific drugs involved in depression health care management. Discussion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Cases of despondency and depression in children and adolescents were reported as early as the seventeenth century. Prior to the 1970s, however, little attention was paid to depression in youth (Hersen & Hasselt, 2001 p.243). The study on depression had been more inclined to adulthood depression and not on childhood and adolescence.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Depression among children and adolescents is relatively common, enduring, and recurrent disorder that has an adverse impact on a youngster’s psychosocial development and in some cases is associated with self-destructive and life-threatening behaviors. Depressive disorders during childhood and adolescence may be more virulent and of longer duration than depressive disorders in adults. Depressive disorders during childhood are a risk factor for the development of additional psychological disturbances and for the development of depressive disorders later in life. The number of youths who are experiencing depressive disorders is increasing at the same time that the age of onset is decreasing (Mash & Barkley, 2006 p.336).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Depression can be conceptualized both as a dimension and as a category. Epidemiological studies suggest that juvenile depression is a continuum that is associated with problems at most levels of severity. According to Oregon Adolescent Depression Project, the level of psychosocial impairment increased as a direct function of the number of depressive symptoms. Moreover, in line with studies of adults, much of the morbidity associated with depression occurred in the â€Å"milder† but more numerous cases of minor depression. Such results suggest that even mild forms of adolescent depression are a risk factor for depression in early adulthood (Rutter & Taylor, 2002 p.463).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In recent years, increased attention has been given to evidence-based psychosocial and pharmacological interventions for depressed youth. The need to highlight what we know about treatment is underscored by the fact that most depressed youth do not receive treatment. However, as knowledge about treatments for youth depression has increased, the rate of treatment appears to have developed. Although depression among youth is treated more often, it is not clear that standard practice is effective at alleviating depressive symptoms or preventing recurrence. Moreover, there is a bias toward the utilization of pharmacologic drugs and extremely brief psychosocial interventions (Gotlib & Hammen, 2002 p.441). Diagnostic Issues involved in Depression   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition, text revision groups mood disorders into two categories: depressive disorders and bipolar disorders. Both types of disorders are characterized by depressive episodes. For a diagnosis of depressive disorder, the child must be experiencing a mood disturbance for a period of at least 2 weeks, and the symptoms must be present more often than not. At least four of the following symptoms must be present during the same period (Mash & Barkley, 2006 p.337): Significant, unintentional weight gain or loss Insomnia or hypersomnia Psychomotor retardation or agitation fatigue or loss or energy feelings of worthlessness or extreme guilt Diminished concentration pr ability to make decisions Recurring thoughts of death, suicidality, or suicide attempts In depressed preadolescents and adolescents, a lack of perceived personal competence was associated with depression; however, in adolescents, the more abstract concept of contingencies is also related to depression (Mash & Barkley, 2006 p.338). Confusion sometimes arises in the childhood depression field, as it does with adult depression, because of different usages of the term â€Å"depression† and associated differences in methods of assessment. Moreover, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, which is the primary reference of psychiatric diagnosis, frequently changes. One example is in studies of childhood and adolescent depression, the term is variously used to identify depressed mood, a constellation of mood and other symptoms forming a syndrome, or a set of symptoms meeting official diagnostic criteria for depressive disorder. The usage of such term connotes various meaning, such as depression as a symptoms (lonely, fear impulses, guilt, etc.) and depression as a syndrome (comprises clusters of various signs and symptoms) (Mash & Barkley, 2003 p.336). Neurobiology of Childhood & Adolescent Depression   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Biologic studies in children are difficult to implement since they often require several blood draws, subjects remaining still more long periods of time, and the overall cooperation of the children and adolescents. Three types of investigation have provided information on possible developmental differences in the neurobiology of depression. The first is the study of Cortisol secretion, measured by investigations such as the dexamethasone suppression test (Rapoport, 2000 p.230).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Studies of neurotransmitters in depressed adults have focused on norepinephrine, serotonin, and acetylcholine. Serotonin regulation studied in adults with depression reported that in response to L-5hyroxytrytophan in 37 pre-pubertal depressed children secreted less Cortisol and more prolactin than age-matched and gender-matched normal controls, suggesting a deregulation of central serotonergic systems in childhood depression.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Abnormalities of the hypothalamic pituitary-thyroid axis and the hypothalamic pituitary-growth hormone axis have been reported in depression in adults. However, Cortisol hypersecretion, as measured by repeated samples over a 24-hour period or by nocturnal sampling, has not been identified in depressed children and adolescents although adolescent showed a Cortisol elevation at the approximate time of sleep onset (Coffey, 2006 p.266).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The second type of developmentally informative investigation is the study of sleep. Polysomnographic studies of depressed children and adolescent have tended to demonstrate abnormalities of sleep, including shortened rapid eye movement (REM) latency and reduced slow wave sleep. These generally positive results of polysomnographic studies with children have shown few differences (Rapoport, 2000 p.231).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The third type of developmentally informative investigation is the study of growth hormone. A variety of pharmacological challenge agents that stimulate release of growth hormone have been studied in depressed adolescents and children. Interestingly, the results with adolescents have been negative in terms of slow blunted growth hormone response to provocative stimuli. However, some studies have reported high levels of growth hormone in adolescents with major depression. Moreover, pubertal children both during depressive episode and after recovery have demonstrated blunted growth hormone response to provocative stimuli (Rapoport, 2000 p.231). Psychopharmacology: Antidepressants (SSRIs)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Special considerations arise in treating children and adolescents with antidepressants. Empirical data on antidepressants in young patients are quite limited. Psychiatrists, faced with depriving children of potentially effective medication or prescribing medication or prescribing medications â€Å"Off Label,† need information on which to base treatment decisions, and efforts are underway to promote research in this area. Clinically significant differences in pharmacokinetics and possibly pharmacodynamics between adults and younger patients can also complicate treatment. Moreover, younger patients may also be more sensitive to adverse effects of medications (Preskorn, 2004 p.356).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The antidepressant drugs are a heterogeneous group of compounds that, in adults, have bee found to be effective in the treatment of major depressive disorder. This particular pharmacologic intervention is also utilized in adolescent and children with major depression; although, there have been no studies that validate the appropriateness of such medications. The following are considered as the major treatment of adolescent depression, specifically Tricyclic Antidepressants and (SSRI) Selective-serotonin reuptake inhibitors (Rossenberg & Ryan, 1998 p.28).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) have long been the first-line antidepressants used by most clinicians for adults because of their established efficacy, safety, and ease of administration, but they have been less successful in the treatment of child and adolescent conditions. The mechanism by which TCAs are effective in the treatment of adult depression and other disorders has not been clearly established. There is, however, evidence that these agents affect monoamine neurotransmitter systems in the central; nervous system, such as serotonin and norepinephrine (Rossenberg & Ryan, 1998 p.28-29). The TCAs inhibit the reuptake of norepinephrine and serotonin, potentiating their action. It has been suggested that antidepressants work by increasing noradrenergic and/or serotonergic transmission, compensating for a presumed deficiency. Controlled studies failed to demonstrate that TCAs are superior to placebo in the treatment of childhood and adolescent depression (Rossenberg & Ryan, 1998 p.28-29).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Since serotonin is also implicated in the etiology and maintenance of affective disorders, particularly depression; hence, the use selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRIs) is possible. SSRIs prevent the re-uptake of serotonin, which poses significant therapeutic value although has been shown to be less effective in therapeutic trials in children (Mash & Barkley, 2006 p.384). The SSRIs are now first-line agents for treating child and adolescent depression. The newer antidepressants, such as bupropion and mirtazapine, do not have an adequate empirical base with children; however, they are sometimes used as second-line treatments for those youths who do not respond to SSRIs. Thus far, none of the SSRIs has produced irreversible damage in children and adolescents. However, as the SSRIs gained wide use with depressed adolescents, concerns emerged about the safety of this class of medications. Reports suggested that they were responsible for increased suicidal ideation and behavior among youths (Mash & Barkley, 2006 p.384). In 2003, the British Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency   (MHRA) concluded that most of the SSRIs do not show benefits exceeding their risks of suicidal ideation, and thus should not be prescribed in the child and adolescent population (Mash & Barkley, 2006 p.384).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   If the adolescent fails to respond to any SSRI, then switching to a different class of antidepressant is recommended. At present, no data support the use of one agent over another. Therefore, whether the clinician chooses a TCA, nefazodone, or venlafaxine should be based on clinical experience. Other factors to consider for a given adolescent are medication side effects, medical conditions, previous medication trials, comorbid psychiatric conditions, and familial history of a positive response to particular antidepressants (Esman, 1999 p.222). Other classes of antidepressants are fluoxetine, setraline, paroxetine, fluvoxamine, venlafaxine, bupropion, trazodone, and nefazadone. As major depression has a high recurrence rate, it is recommended that pharmacologic treatment continue for a minimum of six months achieving resolution of symptoms. Medication discontinuation should be accomplished gradually, with a slow, stepwise reduction in dosage over a two- or three-month period. The health care providers should carefully monitor the adolescent for withdrawal syndromes and reemergence of depressive symptoms (Esman, 1999 p.222). Relationship to Suicide Rates   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Suicidal thoughts and attempts are among the diagnostic criteria for major depression. Suicidal ideation is quite common, and has been reported in more than 60% of depressed preschoolers, preadolescents, and adolescents. Actual suicidal attempts also may occur, at rates that appear to be higher among depressed adolescents than among depressed adults (Mash & Barkley, 2003 p.336).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Studies have shown consistently high rates of comorbid psychiatric disorders in depressed children and adolescents. The comorbidity rate in children and adolescents with depression has been reported to be 80% to 95%. The most common comorbid disorders in adolescents with depression are anxiety disorders, with rates ranging from 40% to 50%. Moreover, substance abuse frequently co-occurs with depression. Adolescents with major depression are at risk for impairment in school performance and interpersonal relationships, which may interfere with achievement of appropriate developmental tasks. Suicidal behavior is a common sequela. A 10-yar follow-up of depressed child and adolescent outpatients found that 4.4% committed suicide. Mood disorder, prior to suicide attempt, and substance abuse are major risk factors for adolescent suicide (Esman, 1999 p.216).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Depressed and suicidal children and adolescents are often not identified. Identification of children and adolescents who express suicidal ideation or suicidal acts is crucial since such symptoms are recurrent and strong predictors of youth suicide. Other risk factors for youth suicide behavior have been described including family, other environmental and biological factors. Notably, family history of suicidal behavior increases risk for youth suicide (Rapoport, 2000 p.231). Reference Coffey, E. C. (2006). Pediatric Neuropsychiatry. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Corveleyn etal, J. (2005). The Theory and Treatment of Depression: Towards a Dynamic Interactionism Model. Routledge. Esman, A. H. (1999). Adolescent Psychiatry: Developmental and Clinical Studies. Routledge. Gotlib, I., & Hammen, C. L. (2002). Handbook of Depression. Guilford Press. Gottlieb, M. I., & Williams, J. (1991). Developmental-behavioral Disorders: Selected Topics. Springer. Hersen, M., & Hasselt, V. B. (2001). Advanced Abnormal Psychology. Springer. Maj, M., & Sartorius, N. (2002). Depressive Disorders. John Wiley and Sons. Mash, E. J., & Barkley, R. A. (2006). Child Psychopathology. Guilford Press. Mash, E. J., & Barkley, R. A. (2006). Treatment of Childhood Disorders. Guilford Press. Preskorn, S. (2004). Antidepressants: Past, Present, and Future. Springer. Rapoport, J. L. (2000). Childhood Onset of â€Å"Adult† Psychopathology: Clinical and Research Advances. American Psychiatric Pub., Inc. Rossenber, D., & Ryan, N. (1998). Pocket Guide for the Textbook of Pharmacotherapy for Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Disorders. Psychology Press. Rutter, M., & Taylor, E. A. (2002). Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Blackwell Publishing.

Ethical, Moral and Social Issues in Forensic Computing-(Identity Essay

Ethical, Moral and Social Issues in Forensic Computing-(Identity cards) - Essay Example The forensic investigative procedure is explained with the help of a case study. Then, social, ethical and moral issues regarding identity theft have been discussed both from the user’s and the investigator’s side. The report is summarized in a concluding paragraph. APA referencing has been used properly. Before going into the niceties of ethical, moral and social issues vis-à  -vis identity theft in forensic computing, let’s first get introduced to what forensic computing actually is and what is identity theft. Computer forensics or cyber forensics is a very imperative topic in information systems and networks management. Forensics is the structured procedure of gathering, examining and showing facts and evidences to the court of law, and thus, forensic computing is defined as â€Å"the discipline that combines elements of law and computer science to collect and analyze data from computer systems, networks, wireless communications, and storage devices in a way that is admissible as evidence in a court of law† (US-CERT 2008). This involves the seeking, locating and securing the electronic data so as to provide evidence. This electronic or magnetically encoded data may include text messages, databases, pictures, e-mail, websites, spyware, malware, and so on. The evidence collected is strong and indisputable as compared to any other branch of forensic science because a copy that is made of the collected data is identical to the actual data and there is no room left for dispute. The who le concept revolves around the idea that a structured investigation is carried out to find out what exactly happened to the computer, when it happened, how it happened, and who did it. This is just like solving a murder case and performing postmortem. The operator does not know that the evidence information is transparently being created and stored by the computer’s operating system which can only be extracted through computer forensics software tools and

The Role of Salt in UK Diet Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

The Role of Salt in UK Diet - Essay Example This report approves any talk of salt consumption stirs up in the mind the general public the picture of domestic cooking as a favourite seasoning and as a preservative for food preparations that are made for staying. In the same manner manufactured food products use salt for taste purposes and as a preservative. The presence of salt in manufactured food products is high and has an impact on the continued consumption levels of salt. There is evidence to suggest that an individual’s daily intake of salt can be influenced by the habitual intake of salt in the consumption of food stuffs as the taste buds adjust for the intake of salt. Elevated or lower intake of salt cause the taste of the individual to adjust to a different optimum level of salt intake. This essay makes a conclusion that salt is an essential part of our diet, because of its sodium content. Consumption of salt in excess of the physiological requirements of the human body increases the risk of diseases like high blood pressure and stomach cancer. In the United Kingdom the dietary intake of salt is in excess of the recommended 6g per day. A major portion of dietary salt comes from food products of the manufactured food industry and not from domestic use in cooking or at the table. FSA has set targets for the voluntary reduction of the percentage of salt in 85 products of the manufactured food industry with the hope that this reduction in the percentage of salt in these products would contribute to a reduction in the daily consumption of salt in the United Kingdom.

Cognitive and Human Performance Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Cognitive and Human Performance - Assignment Example In this specific situation, MENTAL IMAGE is used. In order for me to tell you where my alarm clock stays in my bedroom and how it is angled relative to my bed, I need to create a mental picture or visualization of my room. 4. You are looking to purchase a hybrid car the runs on fuel and electricity. Your friend excitedly tells you about a new Toyota model. However, based on her description, you immediately recognize that it’s not a hybrid. SCHEMA is being used in this specific situation. Since my friend’s description of the â€Å"New Toyota Model† contradicted what you know about it or your â€Å"prior knowledge† on the description of a hybrid car, you concluded that she is not talking about a hybrid car. In order to explain how does it work, I need to know that if ever I’ll be sending my friend in Spain an email, most probably, my friend will receive it â€Å"real time†. Since I’ll be using prior knowledge to explain it, SCHEMA is used in this situation. Gentner and Stevens’ Mental Model (1983) proposes that Mental Models provide humans with information on how physical system works. In this specific situation, my friend rationalized that she started experiencing migraines since she drank red wine four days ago, thus, she uses MENTAL MODEL however she does not know the scientific explanation why her body reacted that

Fiscal policy of the U.S Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Fiscal policy of the U.S - Essay Example This would mean that there are measures put in place that ensure federal states have their budgets scrutinized well and that the debt nationally remains quite stable and ensuring that it is continually on a declining path. The Bowles-Simpson plan was set up with ideology of ensuring that they reduce the deficit and achieve the American fiscal goals outlined above. This plan is based on certain key fundamental components that would help in meeting the financial deficit. The Bowles-Simpson plan recommends for an enactment of a comprehensive tax reform. This plan focuses in reducing tax expenditure through what Bowles and Simpson described as â€Å"zero plan† which is intended to drastically cut not only the size but also the number of expenditures (Ghilarducci, 954). The main aim for America is to generate more revenue and direct that revenue to development and growth of the economy. These changes will ensure there is improvement in the tax equation that is both on the income an d expenditure. This would be achieved by applying several measures among them establishing tax policy. Implementation of a tax policy would ensure that there is a reduction in deficit especially on the federal states by making an attempt to raise more tax while cutting down on spending. This plan also aims at identifying possible areas of additional cuts on spending and revenue generations. Bowles-Simpson plan has various ways of achieving the goal that had been set out and adopted various options. As stated by Mathews et al (167), the† Zero Plan,† would work towards cutting off all unnecessary tax expenditures and save approximately eighty billion dollars yearly to cut on the financial deficit thus the revenue gains can be used to reduce tax rates. However there would be some exemption for instances in foreign tax credit, child credit and in earnings from income tax credit. There was less common preferencing especially on mortgage interest, retirement saving and on heal th insurance that is employer-sponsored. The plan also intends to ensure that expenditures on corporate tax are eliminated and that there is a reduction on the same. There was the Alternative minimum tax that also required elimination. The six individual bracket tax rates currently would be replaced with a schedule that has only three brackets and increase the same to higher percentages. Another major change would came in the wage base especially on the social security one which was to be increased with a two percent annually resulting to more than the average wage growth making it a more effective way. Gasoline which acts as a major source of income in federal states and increasing the excise tax on the same therefore would ensure that there is increase in income. While the proponents of Bowles-Simpson says that it is a remedy to ensuring that Americans reduce their debts and that there is economic revival the opponents of the same argue that this plan will reduce on net of safety programs such as Medicare and social security. According to Matthews et al (681), the Bowles-Simpson plan’s main strategy is cutting deep into benefits in order to restore solvency to the program while causing a number of serious and adverse changes. The fact the policy failed to protect the low income earners from these drastic reductions, low income workers are unlikely to support the program because of the reduced benefits. Moreover, this policy breaks the links between the relationship between their past earnings

The Puzzled CEO, The Number Crunching CFO, The Curious HR Director, Essay

The Puzzled CEO, The Number Crunching CFO, The Curious HR Director, The Frustrated R & D Director - Essay Example In some instances, as in Level II or III attacks, they have the potential to be catastrophic. Bearing this in mind, I will now restate what I discussed in the executive meeting regarding the three generation of IA technologies but shall better clarify their relevancy to our company. The first generation of IA technologies is exclusively focused upon the prevention of intrusion. As may be deduced from Liu, Yu and Jing's (2005) definition and analysis of the first generation of IA Technologies, it is imperative that any corporate entity, not just ours, have such a system in place. It involves the implementation of multiple levels of data securitization, seeking to protect information from both unauthorized physical and network access and attack. It is, thus, that our data is encrypted, for example. Encryption functions to maximize the security of data by rendering the deciphering of data retrieved through unauthorized access, difficult. The second generation of IA technologies is founded upon an acknowledgement of the fact that the first generation of IA technologies cannot preve... The IT department was effectively able to identify the intrusion attempts and to offset them precisely because the company has second generation IA technologies in place, whether firewalls or intrusion detectors. As you may recall from our meeting, I did not spend too much time discussing the first and second generations outlined in the above but focused on the importance, indeed, imperatives, of implementing third generation IA technologies. Even while conceding to the fact that the implementation of such a system of technologies is expensive, I would argue that not doing so can prove even more costly. To clarify this, I will define and discuss third generation IA technologies in specific relation to our company. The third generation of IA technologies withstands categorization into two groups, as Liu, Yu and Jing (2005) explain. These are intrusion making and defense in depth. Within the context of the first, the primary aim is to maximize the survivability of a system, even when it has been subjected to attack. It necessitates the redesigning of our current system around the following principles: "(a) redundancy and replication, (b) diversity, (c) randomization, (d) fragmentation and threshold cryptography and (e) increased layers of indirection" (Liu, Yu, and Jing, 2005, p. 112). This system will maximize, not only the company's ability to prevent and detect intrusions but, of greater importance, it will protect our data, hence the company, if violated. The second category of third generation IA technologies I mentioned at the meeting is defense in depth. It would involve our implementing technologies as "(a) boundary controllers, such as firewalls and access control, (b) intrusion detection and (c)

The European debt crisis of 2009 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The European debt crisis of 2009 - Essay Example Ireland was another major economy which was hit hard by the sovereign debt crisis due to the fact that Irish government actually guaranteed the loans of six large banks having portfolios in the property sector. Due to the heavy losses suffered by these banks, Irish government faced the task of honoring its guarantees and hence crisis started to emerge regarding the possible default by the Irish government. Portugal, Spain, Italy were three other major economies which faced the similar debt crisis due to high government debt and the looming default possibilities.In order to deal with the debt crisis, EU offered bailout packages to the different economies facing such crisis. The overall bailout packages offered to these countries, however, were a combination of the support offered by World Bank, IMF, EU Central Bank and other bilateral and individual arrangements. Overall, more than 480 billion euros were offered to 9 countries of the region to avert any possible sovereign debt default s due to the crisis.Apart from giving the emergency support, other measures were also taken including the creation of the European Financial Stability Facility, European financial stability mechanism, and other measures were put in place. One of the key criticisms of the overall governance structure at EU wide level which resulted in this crisis was based upon the argument that at EU wide level, countries are allowed to pursue their independent fiscal policies, however; monetary policy was being directed through European central bank.

How to manage your time Essay Example for Free

How to manage your time Essay Carl Sandberg said â€Å"time is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you have, and only you can determine how it will be spent. Be careful lest you let other people spend it for you.† Therefore, how to control your use of time? First and foremost, look cautious at your priorities and Identify your goals . According to Oxford Brookes University (2012), you have to identify what is important to you and to be realistic and definite about them. People in all walks of life will have different thoughts, each of them will have their own priorities, identify what you need. For instance, friends, family, getting a good degree, or your health. The great way to determine is by giving a rank to them in order from 1-10 that could help you to prioritise the time you give to the things that beneficial to you and things which will help you to achieve your goals. Then you can allocate a realistic amount of time to each. Being more realistic enables you to build in time to relax and can work more effectively. Furthermore, make a timetable, plan for your future. This is the most common way, yet is the most useful way. According to NUS (n.d.), if you have come to university from high school, it can be a shock to find that you are responsible for organising your study time by your own to complete all the assignments given by the lecturers. Making a timetable helps you to identify periods of potential study time. Ensure that this time is quality time where you can really concentrate, away from all the disturbances. According to TimeMan.com (2013), make a daily To-Do List can be make everyday. At the end of each day, you can organize and schedule your next day. In addition, follow your plan. According to TimeMan.com (2013), do not let peer pressure or the quest for short-term gratification dictate what you consider important. You just have to focus on the goals you have set for yourself and follow up on your true top priorities. Align your priorities with your long-term values and goals. Moreover, overcome procrastination. According to TimeMan.com (2013), without a deadline, you will surely procrastinate. For instance, whenever you get an assignment, set a time to start it off to avoid doing last minute works. Once you are given a due date on an assignment, count backwards from the due date to build up a start date. Take into consideration that you will be spending on other items like social events, sports and so on. Bear in mind that every tasks given is always better to start early to avoid from a panic finish. Last but not least, according to NUS (n.d.), take breaks to  relax. No matter how much you have to do, studying continuously without a break will not help you in the long run. You will simply lose your concentration and remember less. Sometimes, you just have to take a break, really chill out and have a deep breath, this will help you feel better. Remember not to stress up yourself !

Understanding Skeletal Muscle Contraction Physiology Essay

Understanding Skeletal Muscle Contraction Physiology Essay Introduction Muscle contractions are a result of the buildup of tension within the muscle, and for muscles to contract, they must have a continuous supply of energy in the form of a molecule called adenosine triphosphate or ATP (Silverthorn, D.U., 2010). Through muscle contractions, we are able to run, walk, lift, push, sit, and even chew our food (Stabler, et.al, 2009). In addition to an energy requirement, skeletal muscles must be stimulated to contract (Stabler, et.al, 2009). Skeletal muscles are stimulated from an action potential that originates from within motor neurons (Stabler, et.al, 2009). Motor neurons are those that send electrical signals to skeletal muscle cells (Stabler, et.al, 2009). An action potential is the electrical signal that occurs when positively charged ions flood into the motor neuron as a result of a chemical, electrical, or other type of stimulus (Stabler, et.al, 2009). This signal, an area of intracellular positivity, self propagates down the length of the neuron tow ards the muscle cell (Silverthorn, D.U., 2010). Once this signal reaches the muscle cell, it is converted into a muscle contraction through a process called excitation-contraction coupling (Stabler, et.al, 2009). The interior of muscle cells also becomes very positive resulting in a muscle contraction. Muscle contractions have 3 different phases which include the latent period, contraction phase, and the relaxation phase (Silverthorn, D.U., 2010). The latent period occurs between the start of an action potential and the beginning of a muscle contraction (Stabler, et.al, 2009). This is the phase that will be studied later. The contraction period begins at the end of the latent period and ends when muscle tension ends (Stabler, et.al, 2009). The relaxation period occurs begins at the end of the contraction period until the muscle becomes free of tension (Stabler, et.al, 2009). To initiate a muscle contraction, the stimulus must reach its threshold. This is the minimal stimulus required to generate the action potential within a muscle cell causing the internal cellular environment to become positive (Stabler, et.al, 2009). In addition, the change in stimulus intensity can play a role in how strongly the muscle generates force when it contracts which is referred to as the active force (Stabler, et.al, 2009). As a stimulus is repeatedly applied to a muscle, fatigue will eventually occur. Fatigue can refer to a deficit in muscle functioning or a gradual decline in the force sustained by a muscle (Enoka and Duchateau, 2008). Other research has shown that fatigue could be the result of metabolic changes that occur within the contractile mechanisms within the muscle fibers such as changes in ion concentrations (Allen and Westerbland, 2001). If the latent period length is dependent upon the strength of the stimulus, increasing the electrical stimulus intensity should also increase the latent period, and since a threshold stimulus needs to be reached for a contraction to occur, then there will be a minimal amount of electrical stimulation required to generate a muscle contraction. In addition, if the active force strength is dependent upon the strength of the stimulus intensity, an increase in stimulus intensity should increase the active force. If muscle fatigue is occurring due to repeated stimuli over a period of time, then applying a stimulus at a constant rate should result in a decrease of sustainable force within the muscle. These experiments will be carried out using an electrical stimulus by passing a known amount of voltage through an isolated skeletal muscle attached to a metal holder that will transmit the data to a recorder and an oscilloscope screen for analyses (Stabler, et.al, 2009) Materials and Methods In order to understand muscle contraction physiology, I evaluated 4 different experiments. The first 3 experiments were designed to use a single stimulus to evaluate the latent period of a muscle contraction, to evaluate the threshold stimulus of a muscle contraction, and to evaluate the effects of increased stimulus intensity on a muscle contraction. The fourth experiment was designed to demonstrate the effects of muscle fatigue. The following materials were used for these experiments: an isolated skeletal muscle (75mm in length), a metal holder to measure force generated by the skeletal muscle, an oscilloscope, an electrical stimulator (single and multiple stimulus), and a data collection box. The first experiment was designed to determine the latent period of a muscle contraction. First, the muscle was attached to the metal holder. The electrode from the electrical stimulator was rested on the surface of the muscle. The electrical stimulator was set to 6.0 volts. A muscle contract ion was induced by applying a single electrical stimulus using the electrical stimulator. The data generated a tracing on the oscilloscope screen which was used to determine the latent period by selecting the point where the flat line began to rise. The data were recorded using the data collection box. I repeated this experiment using the following voltages: 1.0 volts, 3.0 volts, and 10.0 volts. These voltages were used to see if changes occurred within the latent periods. For the second experiment, the data generated was used to determine the threshold voltage. The threshold voltage occurred when the active force measured in grams was greater than 0. The equipment setup was the same as the last experiment, and the electrical stimulator was set to 0.0 volts. At 0.0 volts, the muscle was stimulated and the results observed and recorded using the oscilloscope and data recorder respectively. This experiment was repeated multiple times by increasing the voltage by 0.1 volts until the mi nimal threshold voltage was determined. For the third experiment, the effects on muscle contractions due to an increase in the electrical stimulus intensity were explored. Again the same equipment setup was used. The initial voltage was set to 0.5 volts followed by stimulation of the skeletal muscle. The data were observed and then recorded. This experiment was repeated multiple times by increasing each subsequent voltage by 0.5 volts. This continued until the data showed there was no change in the increase in active force. For the final experiment, fatigue was induced in the skeletal muscle. The equipment setup for this experiment was similar to the first three experiments. However, a different electrical stimulator was used which incorporated a multiple stimulus option as well as a single stimulus option. The multiple stimulus option added the ability to start and stop the stimulus activity. This experiment was designed so that several stimuli per second were being applied to the skeletal muscle if so desired. The electrical stimulator voltage was set to 7.0 volts, and the number of stimuli per second was set to 100. The muscle was then stimulated for approximately 400 seconds by selecting the multiple stimulus option, and the graphical data were recorded from the oscilloscope. Results For experiment one, the latent period was recorded in milliseconds and was compared to its corresponding stimulus voltage. The time measurement (latent period) reflected the start of the flat line until it began to rise. Below is a summary of the recorded data. Latent Period Determination Stimulus Voltage (V) Latent Period (msec) 1 3.89 3 2.78 10 2.22 For experiment two, the threshold stimulus determination data was collected by measuring the electrical stimulus voltage and its corresponding active force generated. Once the active force became greater than 0, the experiment was stopped. Below is a table with the collected data. Threshold Determination Stimulus Voltage (V) Active Force Generated (gms) 0 0 0.1 0 0.2 0 0.3 0 0.4 0 0.5 0 0.6 0 0.7 0 0.8 0.02 For experiment three, the data were collected in order to determine the effects of increased stimulus voltage on muscle contractions. The data reflected 0.5 volt interval increases in the electrical stimulus until 10 volts were reached. Below is the summary of the data. Muscle Contractions Increased Stimulus Effects Muscle Contractions Increased Stimulus Effects Stimulus Voltage (V) Active Force Generated (gms) Stimulus Voltage (V) Active Force Generated (gms) 0.5 0 5.5 1.59 1 0.15 6 1.65 1.5 0.43 6.5 1.7 2 0.66 7 1.74 2.5 0.87 7.5 1.78 3 1.04 8 1.81 3.5 1.19 8.5 1.82 4 1.32 9 1.82 4.5 1.42 9.5 1.82 5 1.51 10 1.82 For experiment four, data was graphed in order to demonstrate the effects of fatigue. The rate of the multiple stimulus was 100 stimuli/second at a constant setting of 7.0 volts. The data were recorded over a 400 second interval. Below is a graphical representation of the collected data. Muscle Fatigue Effects of Prolonged Stimuli Over Time (Stabler, et.al, 2009) C:Sheas StuffHuman PhysiologyFatigue.jpg Citations Allen, D.G. and H. Westerbland. (2001). Topical Review: Role of phosphate and calcium stores in muscle fatigue. Journal of Physiology 536.3: 657-665. Enoka, R. and J. Duchateau. (2008). Muscle Fatigue: what, why and how it influences muscle function. Journal of Physiology 586.1: 11-23. Silverthorne, D.U. 2010. Human Physiology: An Integrated Approach. 5th Edition. Pearson Benjamin Cummings, pp. 408-422. Stabler, T., Smith, L., Peterson, G., and Lokuta, G. 2009. PhysioEx 8.0 for Human Physiology à ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ Laboratory Simulations in Physiology. pp. 17-22.

Selecting a Database for a Small Business Essay -- SQL Database

Jay-Star Incorporated is a small machine shop located in Lexington, Kentucky. There are only seven employees that actually work on the shop floor. Jay-Star produces metal core and distributes that core to various aerospace manufacturers. There are three different types of core that Jay-Star produces: Square Cell, Hexagonal Cell, and Beneflex Cell. Each of them can be produced using different materials from various shipping companies. The employees take these materials from the shipping company, produce the product, and then deliver the finished product to the aerospace manufacturer (customer). For a small company, Jay-Star keeps a very hectic schedule. Any miscalculation on shipping dates could be disastrous for the order flow of the company. This is why this database would prove to be beneficial in keeping a more precise schedule of events. This paper will explain the purpose and requirements of the database; describe, step-by-step, the process for creation of the comp lete database and explains the reason or rationale for each step and, for each step, the options available and choices made for execution; and explain how critical thinking and ethical reasoning were applied in the creation of the database design. The purpose of this database is to keep track of all of the events at Jay-Star Inc. The Customers table lists all of the companies that order products from Jay-Star. It also lists the companies’ contact information and where they are located. The Shippers table lists all of the shipping companies that deliver materials to Jay-Star. Just like the Customer table, the Shipper table lists contact information and location of the companies. The Employees table is a list of all of the employees that actually pr... ...o make schedule keeping easier and more effective. It can tell employees what product they can expect to produce next and let supervisors know when shipments will be delivered. This paper shows the step by step process used in creating the database with the use of primary keys, while also explaining the thought process that went into why tables were created and the order that they were placed using the relationships of each table. Overall this project as proven to be a great test in using all of the fundamentals for this SQL class. I look forward to continued success in using SQL in my future endeavors. Works Cited Data Analytics Software. http://www.1keydata.com/sql/sql-primary-key.html Pratt, Phillip J. Last, Mary Z. A Guide to SQL, Eighth Edition. P.26 Journal of the Association for Information Systems, Aug 1, 2010, Vol. 11, No. 8 (Aug 2010), p. 433-454

Racism: The Artificial Category of Race Essay examples -- Sociology Ra

Racism: The Artificial Category of Race THESIS: Scientists and other intellectuals recognize the modern concept of "race" as an artificial category that developed over the past five centuries due to encounters with non-European people. Even though people still attempt to organize humans into categories according to their race, these categories have been shown to have no scientific basis. The term "race" is a modern concept. It's definition has adopted radically new meaning over the past few centuries. Currently, the term is used to characterize differences among human groups. According to the Oxford English Dictionary the term "race" in 1512 is "a group or class of persons, animals, or things, having some common feature or features." Today, Oxford's definition is quite different: "a local geographic or global human population distinguished by genetically transmitted characteristics and/or any of the major biological definitions of man distinguished by physically evident features, for example, Caucasian, Negroid, and Mongoloid." This definition is a result of regular interaction with non-European people. The Europeans began to explore other lands, thus creating the idea that some people are different than them and should not be under the same category as them. The constant interaction with groups of people who’s lifestyles were very different led Europeans to believe that they were a different "kind" of people. Scientists worked on and created many different ways to classify the different people they found. This unrefined method of categorization was the origin of a new culture-oriented taxonomic system for human beings. The system is based on the "Great Chain of Being," which is a way of classifying things according to... ...ces of Man. New York: The Macmillian Company and Their Distribution, 1925. Holli, Melvin G. "Race, Ethnicity and Urbanization: Selected Essays." Journal of American Ethnic History 16 (1996): 110-125. Myers, Norma. Reconstructing the Black Past: Blacks in Britain 1780-1830. Portland: Frank Cass Press, 1996. Philip, David. Race and Ethnicity. Lansdowne: Citadel Press, 1980. "Race." Oxford English Dictionary. First ed. 1928. "Race." Webster's New World Dictionary. Third ed. 1988. Smedley, Audrey. Race in North America: Origin and Evolution of a Worldview. Boulder: Westview Press, 1999. Takaki, Ronald. A Different Mirror: A History of Multicultural America. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1989. Tobias, Phillip. "The Meaning of Race." Race and Social Difference. Baxtor, Paul, Basil Sansom ed. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books Ltd., 1972. 19-43.

Pro-Life: The Opposite of Pro-Death Essay -- Anti-Abortion Pro Life

Pro-Life: The Opposite of Pro-Death Careful attention to the truth has never been standard operating procedure for pro-abortion advocates. Therefore, it should not be any suprise that half-truths, and misrepresentations, and many outright lies have permeated the pro-abortion propaganda campaign. Pro-choice is just a phrase used by people who know the absurdity of legal abortions and infanticide. Pro-life advocates have a more simple and straight forward approach: Pro-life is not the opposite of pro-choice, but the opposite of pro-death. Pro-choice is an escape from the harsh reality that abortion is the murder of millions of innocent lives. Activists also believe that killing infants because they are severely handicapped is morally acceptable. They are of the opinion that a life can be terminated by the hands of a physician; in my opinion, only by God. That is how pro-choice activists represent themselves. As a junior in high school, I am considering medicine as a possible career choice. Through my research in this field, I discovered the Hippocratic Oath. The Hippocratic Oath is the most famous of the Hippocratic documents; it has served as an ideal for the professional attitude and ethics of physicians to the present; the historical origin of the oath is so obscure that even the date of its composition is placed from the 6th to the 1st century B.C. The Hippocratic Oath generally stated by Hippocrates says, â€Å"I will follow that system of regimen which, according to my ability and judgment, I will consider for the benefit of my patients, and abstain from whatever is deleterious and mischievous. I will give no deadly medicine to any one if asked; I will not suggest any such counsel, and ... ...and wiggle in an ultrasound. I felt her turn, kick, and I also experienced her hiccups. I could feel the life inside of my and no pro-choice argument can convince me the Alexandria Nicole was not alive inside of me. I realize that pregnancy can often seem like a burden: however, if you create a life you should be responsible for that life. If you choose to be responsible only for the nine months during your pregnancy, adoption is a loving and mature option. There are countless families that would love to adopt a baby. The choice of adoption gives your baby a chance to live. There can be no justification or reason given for being pro-choice - pro-death. Every child is created with a purpose from God. â€Å"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; And I ordained you a prophet to the nations.† (Jeremiah 1:5)

Night World : Soulmate Chapter 11

Hannah stirred. She vaguely felt that something was wrong, something needed doing. Then she remembered. The car! She had to stay awake, had to keep the car on the road. . . Her eyes flew open. She was already off the road. The Ford had gone roving over the open prairie, where there was almost nothing to hit except sagebrush and tumble-weeds. It had ended up with its front bumper against a prickly pear, bending the cactus at an impossible angle. The night was very quiet. She looked around and found that she could see the light of Chess's house, behind her and to the left. The engine was off. Hannah turned the key in the ignition, but only got a grinding sound. Now what? Should I get out and walk? She tried to concentrate on her body, to figure out how she felt. She ought to feel terrible-after all, she'd lost blood and swallowed who knew what kind of poison from Thierry's veins. But instead she only felt strangely dizzy, slightly dreamy. I can walk. I'm fine. Holding on to her length of dowel, she got out of the car and started toward the light. She could hardly feel the rough ground and the bluestem grass under her feet. She had gone about a hundred yards toward the light when she heard a wolf howl. It was such a distinctive sound-and so incongruous. Hannah stopped in her tracks. For a wild moment she wondered if coyotes howled. But that was ridiculous. It was a wolf, just like the wolves that had attacked her at Paul's. And she didn't have anything made of silver. Just keep walking, she thought. She didn't need the cool wind voice to tell her that. Even in her lightheaded state, she was frightened. She'd seen the savagery of teeth and claws close up. And the part of her that was Hana of the Three Rivers had a gut-deep fear of wild animals that the civilized Hannah Snow could never begin to approach. She gripped her stick in a clammy palm and kept walking grimly. The howl sounded again, so close that Hannah jumped inside her skin. Her eyes darted, trying to pick objects out in the darkness. She felt as if she could see better than usual at night-could the vampire blood have done that? But even with her new vision, she couldn't spot anything moving. The world around her was deserted and eerily quiet. And the stars were very far away. They blazed in the sky with a cold blue light as if to show how distant they were from human affairs. I could die here and they'd go right on shining, Hannah thought. She felt very small and very unimportant-and very alone. And then she heard a breath drawn behind her. Funny. The wolf howls had been so loud, and this was so soft†¦ and yet it was much more terrifying. It was close-intimate. A personal sound that told her she definitely wasn't alone. Hannah whirled with her stick held ready. Her skin was crawling and she could feel a wash of acid from her stomach, but she meant to fight for her life. She was at one with the cool wind voice; her heart was dark and cold and steely. A tall figure was standing there. Starlight reflected off pale blond hair. Thierry. Hannah leveled her stick. â€Å"What's the matter? Come back for more?† she said, and she was pleased to find her voice steady. Husky, but steady. She waved her stick at him to show what kind of â€Å"more† she meant. â€Å"Are you all right?† Thierry said. He looked-different from the last time she'd seen him. His expression was different. His dark eyes seemed pensive again, the sort of expression a star might have if it cared about anything that was going on underneath it. Infinitely remote, but infinitely sad, too. â€Å"Why should you care?† A wave of dizziness went through her. She fought it off-and saw that he was stepping toward her, hand reaching out. She whipped the stick up to the exact level of his hand, an inch from his palm. She was impressed with herself for how fast she did it. Her body was moving the way it had with the werewolves, instinctively and smoothly. I suppose I had a life as a warrior, she mused. I think that's where the cool wind voice comes from, just the way the crystal voice comes from Hana of the Three Rivers. â€Å"I do care,† Thierry said. His voice said he didn't expect her to believe it. Hannah laughed. The combination of her dizziness and her body instinct was having an odd effect. She felt brashly, stupidly overconfident. Maybe this is what drunk feels like, she thought, her mind wandering again. â€Å"Hannah-â€Å" Hannah made the stick whistle in the air, stopping him from coming any closer to her. â€Å"Are you crazy?† she said. There were tears in her eyes. â€Å"Do you think that you can just attack me and then come back and say I'm sorry' and it's all going to be okay? Well, it isn't. If there was ever anything between us, it's all over now. There is no second chance.† She could see his face tense. A muscle twitched in ~ his tight jaw. But the strangest thing was that she could have sworn he had tears in his eyes, too. It infuriated her. How dare he pretend to be hurt by her, after what he'd done? â€Å"I hate you.† She spat the words with a force that startled even her. â€Å"I don't need you. I don't want you. And I'm telling you for the third time, keep the hell away from me.† He had opened his mouth as if he were about to say something, but when she got to ‘I don't need, you,' he suddenly shut it. When she finished, he looked away, across the shortgrass prairie. â€Å"And maybe that's best,† he said almost inaudibly. â€Å"For you to keep away?† â€Å"For you to hate me.† He looked at her again. Hannah had never seen eyes like that before. They were impossibly distant and shattered and still†¦ like the peace after a war that killed everyone. â€Å"Hannah, I came to tell you that I am going away,† he went on. His voice was like his eyes, bloodless and quenched. â€Å"I'm going home. I won't bother you again. And you're right; you don't need me. You can live a long and happy life without me.† If he expected her to be impressed, she wasn't. She wouldn't believe words from him anymore. â€Å"There's just one thing.† He hesitated. â€Å"Before I go, would you let me look at you? At your neck. I want to make sure that†-another fleeting hesitation-â€Å"that I didn't hurt you when I attacked you.† Hannah laughed again, a short, sharp bark of a laugh. â€Å"How stupid do you think I am? I mean, really.† She laughed again and heard an edge of hysteria in it. â€Å"If you want to do something for me, you can turn around and go. Go away forever.† â€Å"I will.† There was so much strain on his face. â€Å"I promise. I'm just worried about you getting indoors before you faint.† â€Å"I can take care of myself. I don't need any help from you.† Hannah was feeling dizzier by the minute, but she tried not to let it show. â€Å"If you would just leave, I'll be fine.† In fact, she knew she wasn't going to be fine. The gray spots were swarming in front of her eyes again. She was going to pass out soon. Then I'd better start for Chess's, she thought. It was insanity to turn her back on him, but it was worse insanity to stand here until she collapsed at his feet. â€Å"I'm leaving now,† she said, trying to sound clear and precise and unlike someone who was about to fall over unconscious. â€Å"And I don't want you to follow me.† She turned and started walking. I will not faint, I will not faint, she told herself grimly. She swung her stick and tried to take deep breaths of the cool night air. But tufts of grass seemed to be trying to trip her up with every step and the entire landscape seemed to rock every time she looked up. I †¦ will†¦ not†¦ faint. She knew her life depended on it. The ground seemed rubbery now, as if her feet were sinking into it and then rebounding. And where was the light that marked Chess's house? It had somehow gotten over to the right of her. She corrected her course and stumbled on. I will not faint†¦. And then her legs simply melted. She didn't have legs. The rest of her fell slowly toward the ground. Hannah managed to break her fall with her arms. Then everything was still and dark. She didn't go out completely. She was floating in darkness, feeling woozy even though she was lying down, when she sensed someone beside her. No, she thought. Get the stick. He'll bite you; he'll kill you. But she couldn't move. Her hand wouldn't obey her. She felt a gentle hand brush her hair off her face. No †¦ Then a touch on her neck. But it was only gentle fingers, running lightly over the skin where she'd been bitten tonight. They felt like a doctor's fingers, exploring to diagnose. She heard a sigh that sounded like relief, and then the fingers trailed away. â€Å"You'll be all right.† Thierry's voice came to her softly. She realized he didn't think she could hear him. He thought she was unconscious. â€Å"As long as you stay away from vampires for the next week.† Was that a threat? Hannah didn't understand. She braced herself for the piercing pain of teeth. Then she felt him touch her again, just his fingertips brushing her face. The touch was so immeasurably gentle. So tender. No, Hannah thought. She wanted to move, to kick him away. But she couldn't. And those delicate fingers were moving on, tracing her features one by one. With the lightest of touches that sent helpless chills through her. I hate you, Hannah thought. The touch followed the curve of her eyebrow, trailed down her cheek to her birthmark. Hannah shivered inwardly. It sketched the line of her jaw, then moved to her lips. The skin was so sensitive here. Thierry's fingers traced the outline of her lips, the join between upper and lower. The chills became a fluttering inside Hannah. Her heart swelled with love and longing. I won't feel this way. I hate you. †¦ But a voice was whispering in her mind, a voice she hadn't heard in what seemed like a long time. A crystal voice, soft but ringing. Feel him. Does this feel like that other one? Sense him. Does he smell the same, sound the same†¦ ? Hannah didn't know what to make of the words and didn't want to. She just wanted Thierry to stop. The fingers brushed over her eyelashes, thumb stroking over the fragile skin of her eyelids as if to keep them shut. Then she felt him bend closer. No, no, no†¦. Warm lips touched her forehead. Again, just the barest touch. Then they were gone. â€Å"Goodbye, Hannah,† Thierry whispered. Hannah felt herself lifted. She was being carried in strong gentle arms, moving swiftly and smoothly. It was harder for her to stay conscious than it had been before. She had a strange feeling of tranquillity, of security. But she fought to open her eyes just a crack. She wanted to see his hands. She didn't think there had been enough time for the pencil wound to heal completely. If the pencil wound was there. But her eyes wouldn't open-not until she felt herself being lowered and placed on solid ground. Then she managed to lift heavy eyelids and dart a glance at his hands. There were no marks. The knowledge burned through her-but she didn't have any strength left. She felt her eyes lapsing shut again. Dimly, very far away, she could hear the faint echo of a doorbell. Then a soft voice in her head. You don't have to be afraid anymore. I'm going away-and so is she. Don't go. Wait. I have to talk to you. I have to ask you †¦ But she could feel cold air all around her and she knew he was gone. A moment later she heard the door open, and the sound of Chess's mother gasping. She was on the Clovises' doorstep. People were shaking her, talking to her. Hannah wasn't interested in any of it. She let the darkness take her. It was when she let go completely that she began to dream. She was Hana of the Three Rivers and she was seeing the end of her own life. She saw the bruised and bloody figure of Thierry rising up to kill his torturers. She felt it as her turn came. She looked up and saw his savage face, saw the animal light in his eyes. She felt her life flow away. Then she saw the end of the story. The glimpse of the corridor through time, the recognition of her soulmate. The forgiveness and the promise. And then just shadows. But Hannah slept peacefully in the shadows until morning, unafraid. The first thing Hannah saw when she woke up was a pair of glowing green cat-eyes looking down at her. â€Å"How do you feel?† Chess asked. She was lying in Chess's bed. Sunlight was streaming in the window. â€Å"I †¦ can't tell yet,† Hannah said. Disjointed images were floating in her head, not quite forming a whole picture. â€Å"We found you last night,† Chess said. â€Å"You ran your dad's car off the road, but you managed to make it here before you collapsed.† â€Å"Oh†¦ yeah. I remember.† She did remember; the pieces of the puzzle suddenly clicked together. Maya. Thierry. The attack. The car. Thierry again. And finally her dream. Her own voice saying, â€Å"I forgive you.† And now he was gone. He'd gone home, wherever home was. She had never felt so confused. â€Å"Hannah, what happened? Are you sick? We didn't know whether to take you to a hospital last night or what. But you didn't have a fever and you seemed to be breathing fine-so my mom said you could just sleep a while.† â€Å"I'm not sick.† This was the time to tell Chess everything. After all, that was the reason she'd been running to Chess in the first place last night. But now†¦ now in the bright morning light, she didn't want to tell Chess. It wasn't just that it might put Chess in danger, either from Thierry or the Night World in general. It was that Hannah didn't need to talk about it; she could cope on her own. It wasn't Chess's problem. And I don't even know the truth yet, Hannah thought. But that is going to change. â€Å"Hannah, are you even listening to me?† â€Å"Yeah. I'm sorry. And I'm okay; I felt kind of dizzy last night, but now I'm better. Can I use your phone?† â€Å"Can you what?† â€Å"I have to call Paul-you know, the psychologist. I need to see him, fast.† She jumped up, steadied herself against a brief wave of giddiness, and walked past Chess, who was watching her in bewilderment. â€Å"No,† Paul said. â€Å"No, it's absolutely out of the question.† He waved his hands, then patted his pockets nervously, coming up empty. â€Å"Paul, please. I have to do this. And if you won't help me, I'll try it on my own. I think self-hypnosis should work. I've been doing a pretty good job of dreaming the past lately, anyway.† â€Å"It's†¦ too†¦ dangerous.† Paul said each word separately, then sank into his chair, hands at his temples. â€Å"Don't you remember what happened the last time?† Hannah felt sorry for him. But she said ruthlessly, â€Å"If I do it on my own, it may be even more dangerous. Right? At least if you hypnotize me you can be there to wake me up. You can throw a glass of water in my face again.† He looked up sharply. â€Å"Oh, yeah? And what if it doesn't work this time?† Hannah dropped her eyes. Then she raised them and looked at Paul directly. â€Å"I don't know,† she admitted quietly. â€Å"But I've still got to try. I have to know the truth. If I don't, I really think I may go insane.† She didn't say it melodramatically. It was a simple statement of fact. Paul groaned. Then he grabbed a pen and started chewing on it, glancing around the room. â€Å"What is it that you would want to know? Just presuming that I agreed to help you.† His voice sounded squashed. Hannah felt a surge of relief. â€Å"I want to know about this woman who keeps warning me,† she said. â€Å"Her name is Maya. And I want to know how I die in my other lives.† â€Å"Oh, terrific. That sounds like fun.† â€Å"I have to do it.† She took a deep breath. She wouldn't let herself look away from him, even though she could feel the warmth as her eyes filled. â€Å"Look, I know you don't understand. And I can't explain to you how important it is to me. But it is †¦ important.† There was a silence, then Paul said, â€Å"All right. All right. But only because I think it's safer for you to be with somebody.† Hannah whispered, â€Å"Thank you.† Then she blinked and unfolded a piece of paper. â€Å"I wrote down some questions for you to ask me.† â€Å"Great. Wonderful. I'm sure you'll be getting your degree in psychology soon.† But he took the paper. Hannah walked over to the couch and got herself settled. She shut her eyes, telling her muscles to relax. â€Å"Okay,† Paul said. His voice was very slightly unsteady, but Hannah could tell he was trying to make it soothing. â€Å"I want you to imagine a beautiful violet light†¦Ã¢â‚¬ 

The Influence of Educational Philosophy on a Proposed Early Learning Environment Annlatish Jones

While developing a classroom with the parameters of utilizing the knowledge of educational philosophers it has been found that in order to do so effectively, it is best accomplished using an emergent curriculum and consideration for the individual child. Determining the best approach for implementing the proposed curriculum is guided by the Montessori, Gardner and Vygotsky theories focusing mainly on the ideas of scaffolding, open ended play and multiple intelligences. When introducing the PA Early Learning Standards to the proposed plan, it is found that a variety of presentations of information can be given to children of different learning styles all while getting the same main idea across. Loris Malaguzzi, the creator and force behind the work that is proof positive of the benefits of early childhood education has said a great thing about how children learn, â€Å"Creativity seems to emerge from multiple experiences, coupled with a well-supported development of personal resources, including a sense of freedom to venture beyond the known. This is the heart of the educational philosophy with which my classroom for preschoolers is designed and which guides the tenants of approach for environment, curriculum and practice. Children learn through their experiences and we as their caregivers, build upon their knowledge to develop not just the whole group, but the whole child. In addition to the founding and current principles that run the early child hood environments found in Reggio Emilia, Italy, the ideas of Vygotsky, Gardner and Montessori will and do have influence over the environment that the children learn and explore in.. A founding tenant of their success in Reggio Emilia, is the employment of their emergent curriculum, otherwise what is known as a project oriented approach to the children's experiences (Malaguzzi, 2013). In other words, the children’s interests guide their planned experiences, with their free exploration being the most opportune time to observe, record, and quietly reflect on their blooming interests. This is the scaffolding that Vygotsky so wisely explored and classrooms worldwide employ the technique of assessing prior knowledge and then building upon what they have learned with planned experiences. By taking what is seen from these times, the teachers can come together to plan and negotiate experiences so there will be a better sense of what the children need to learn from what they want to know. Also popular to our counterparts in Italy, are the Montessori methods which focus greatly on hands on learning. The classroom that I envision is all hands on, with experiences geared towards the senses that in turn ensure a logical sense of order and reason to what the child takes in and gets out of their time in the environment. Much like the ideas behind the emergent curriculum, it is understood that Dr. Montessori envisioned a child that showed us what they wanted to learn and it was the adults who geared their plans towards their interests. The idea that, â€Å"Children's emotional, social, and academic development improve when they are empowered through choice† (Shaw, 2012) gives rise to the notion that by allowing children the free choice to explore as frequently as possible we give them the power to enjoy their learning, and it is well understood that when anyone, not just children, enjoy their experiences they take more from them. To allow children to take something from their environment requires that the environment itself gives them a reason to enjoy it. Essentially by creating a requirement that the environments development caters to not just their interests but the means of learning that the children exhibit, we give the youngest learners the option of how to learn new things best. The idea of multiple intelligences brought about by Gardner, which is also found throughout the environments and planning in Reggio Emilia, is essential to catering to the whole child. The theories proposed by Gardner are, of the various educational theorists, the least tested yet are still found in practical and standing use in early childhood settings around the globe (Smith, 2008). The overwhelming evidence of children who successfully approach, understand and build upon a variety of subjects when the setting takes into account that particular child's strengths grants his theories a reprieve from the traditional clinical trials that often accompany the proven success or failure of a theory (Smith, 2008). Taking into consideration the theorists and philosophy of the previously discussed methods, the classroom would follow traditional center format with meeting times and typical transitions. Presentation of information that builds upon the groups prior knowledge would and should take the form of a variety of experiences, such as finger plays during meeting times, songs during transitions, hands on materials for math, science, and language center, and introduction to practical experiences for dramatic, creative and block play that encourage their exploration of the theme or ideas that are of current interest. Understanding that the project based approach is embedded within the ideas of the emergent curriculum, it is understood that many times some projects will range in time taken from hours to several weeks, if not longer. This being kept in mind, no particular set theme for a lesson plan should be set in stone, but rather a general topic of guidance that reflects their interest’s will be all that is necessary. Presenting open ended materials that are a tenant of the Montessori philosophy will be the rule rather than the exception, and this will encompass all areas of learning. Presenting traditional materials such a tactile letters, counters, pattern boards, magnatiles, as well as others, would be used in conjunction with specific ideas that are presented by the teachers. Instead of just tracing out the letters with our fingers, a teacher could present the picture of a frog much like one found outside and practice tracing the letters in sequence of the word frog. Reviewing ideas found within the PA Early Learning standards would require and exploration in many areas of academics that we break down in to simpler parts. The simple aforementioned frog activity could easily relate to several language standards, but also keeps in mind that different children learn in different ways. Instead of just allowing a child to copy from a written word, we take into consideration that some children may respond better by touch and by trying to use the tactile letters, we give a certain type of child a better understanding than the otherwise may have experienced. The ideas behind this process would be followed throughout the entire learning environment in that free play would be frequent, if not dominant to the schedule. Allowing this type of learning gives the children the ability to explore at their own pace. In a side note, free play does not indicate a lack of observation, this free play is imperative to our understanding of what to introduce as their interests expand. Introduction of new ideas is not dependent upon formal meetings, but can include material rotation, field trips, parent involvement, or any number of explorative processes. This type of play keeps in line with our emergent curriculum, in that if you present it, it will either take or it won't. If children show an interest in a direction or step that would be logical or following their current interests, the plan is then followed. If they show no interest, understanding or become easily frustrated or distracted with a new toy, idea, or concept, it is clear indication to the educators that their group or individual child is not ready for this step or direction. Allowing this type of freedom rather than presenting ideas that were not created from the children’s explorative interests themselves; we are getting a better insight into what makes up the child not just in a group, but as an individual. The idea of individuality is also key to the type of curriculum that would be essential to the preschool learning environment being created. The observations and teachable moments found during ordinary play verses a formal assessment of the child's interests, will give a real insight into how the children learn. Knowing how a child learns best is the basic principle to Gardner’s multiple intelligences. As mentioned earlier that new ideas and concepts would not be introduced in a consistently formal way, opportunities for understanding not only a child’s interests, but understanding why or why not that child took to a subject is imperative for individualized planning. When a child shows frustrations with a tactile learning experience such as the language learning mentioned earlier, but the child is a noticeably busy and excited child outside or in a gym, perhaps ncouraging the child to recognize those letters in sequence on wastepaper bins and encouraging throwing a ball in sequence into those bins may be a better learning experience. This will help the educators conclude not a failure of the particular initial experience, just a better way to build upon their current interests in areas more suited to their learning styles. Determining how to focus in on their learning styles wo uld be related to the Pa Early Learning Standards which govern the necessity, and importance of learning for all planned experiences for any three to five year old child in a licensed day care in the state of Pennsylvania. The standards govern a variety of learning concepts in the area of art, math, language, science, and require a specific set of information to be passed along in some form or another to the younger learners. In the area of fine arts there is a strong focus not just on creation, but on reception, performance and personal response. Essentially there is so much more to art than just paints, clay and crayons. The importance of dramatic play and musical expression in many varieties should and will be expressed not just with toys or background music. I would love to see culturally diverse instruments, cd players and tape recorders for exploration of their own creations, in addition to dramatic play props related to their interests, and a free and open art center with a variety of tactile and fine motor experiences in a creative station. The walls would be adorned with not just their art work, but professional and classical pieces that are frequently changed to accommodate their changing interests. In opposition to the freedom of creation, math concepts are very finite and concrete and the understanding of these concepts being primarily one to one correspondence and simple number recognition are essential for school success. Beyond this, the state standards want to see that children are grasping basic algebraic concepts, statistical analyses appropriate for the ages served, reasoning, connections, communication, and problem solving,. What is great about this is that communication is not only encouraged in the standards but expected, so a simple math worksheet will not work. Counters, pattern boards, relating math concepts to everyday situations, and inspiring discussion amongst smaller groups and individuals is imperative to our basic plan of working with an emergent curriculum. If we can light the spark of understanding, they can carry the torch to where they would like to learn next. More importantly, it's not just about having a math center; it is about providing those opportunities physical and verbally in all aspects of play. Language is not just a means of communication, but a way to express feelings and thoughts. For the younger preschool, the concept of being to express your needs in a means other than crying is new and there are so many possibilities. Environmental print is essential, and important in order to achieve the goals set forth in the PA Early Learning Standards. Comprehension, pre reading skills, writing quality are all parts of the standards that must be addressed, but with various options for every child and style of learning that can and should be presented. Labels for not just materials but for everyday objects, a variety of printed materials such as books, letters of all forms, plenty of paper types for writing and inspiring mediums such as sentence strips, letter stickers, envelopes, designed paper, and cards with words and their names preprinted on them, to allow interest and ownership of their work. Taking an interest in not just their classroom, but the outside learning environment is critical to the PA Early Learning Standards. The science concepts that we cover will focus a lot on the environment outside our window and the means with which we can bring it back into the classroom. Leaf samples, rock types, living and not living samples, and sorting materials, as well as tools such as magnifying glasses, binoculars, tracing paper, pencils and crayons; all of these materials and more lead to open ended thinking and understanding the design and structure of the natural world around them. Letting the children lead and then in turn letting the educators build upon their experiences to enhance their knowledge base is key to them moving on and understanding something on their own that is just a step above that we can build upon again. Building this knowledge base is essential to the curriculum and program that would be utilized in my preschool classroom. Catering to the individual hildren as well as the group will be in the plan presented and would cover the collective interests in the plan for their developmental stimulation. A base idea which is presented in a lesson can be broken down into a variety of sub plans for individualized learning. For instance, a math lesson could involve counting out butterfly wings. By introducing the pairs as individual parts, we are encouraging one to one correspondence, which is covered under standard Mathematical Thinking and Technology standard 2. 1. 1. Under that particular standard there are indicators related to rote counting, voca bulary and correspondence up to twenty, which gives quite a bit of flexibility to attend to a counting wings task and allows variation dependent upon the learner and the ability. For instance a child who is more interpersonal, dress up butterfly wings purchased from a discount store and counting amongst friends, logical learners may benefit from butterfly wing counters, and there is also the option for the bodily kinesthetic learner to have butterfly finger puppets. For a child who has mastered the skills of counting, perhaps expanding to the notion that we can count in multiples, which would bring in a concept of patterns and allow the idea of two wings to one butterfly to assist in this plan. Moving beyond just the counting, children who are more creative can color and cut out their own butterflies and then number them to be used as counters for the whole group. By providing multiple strategies under the same standard, you are addressing the needs and abilities of many within the group. In the case that you want to introduce the life cycle of a butterfly, found under the Scientific Thinking and Technology standard 3. 1b. 2, you can present pictures of the life cycle at the creation center and allow them to use whatever materials they see fit to model the life cycle. Providing the opportunity for children to utilize different props and recreate the life cycle in the dramatic play center is another option for the interpersonal learner. For those who are more linguistic, perhaps letting them dictate the ideas of how the life cycle occurs while they look at pictures, or if they are advanced in their writing skills assist them in sounding out the words they want to use and let them write it relatively independently. These are all ideas that can be expanded upon into other standards, centers of interest, and permitted across the age ranges served in the classroom. Through a variety of learning experiences, we provide our youngest learners with a chance to experience at their own pace and level. By educators and experience providers choosing to let them explore on their own terms, we are giving them a grander opportunity to learn more effectively and utilizing the theories of those that inspired the ideas in Reggio Emilia and with the emergent curriculum approach, we are doing so with purpose. When we allow children to explore at their own pace, we are really letting them show us what they want to know, and in turn we introduce what they need to know which is what allows us to truly develop the whole child. References Malaguzzi, L. (2013, March 22). The Reggio Emilia Approach. Retrieved from Campus Kindergarten: http://www.uq.edu.au/campuskindy/Reggio_Emilia_for_parents.pdf Shaw, L. F. (2012, January 27). Montessori: The Missing Voice in the Education Reform Debate . Retrieved from Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/laura-flores-shaw/montessori-education-debate_b_1237451.html Smith, M. K. (2008). Howard Gardner and Multiple Inteliigences. Retrieved from The Encyclopedia of Informal Education: http://www.infed.org/thinkers/gardner.htm