Monday, November 25, 2019

Free Essays on Nosferatu

Cinematics of Nosferatu In Nosferatu, the first thing I noticed was that the camera doesn’t move. Except for a few brief pans to show the setting or the landscape. When one scene ends, it blacks out to the next scene, or just jump cuts in a few places to a totally different theme. I think it was because of the old technology everyone moved really fast. An example of this is when the horse and buggy come down the long and winding road from the castle of Nosferatu. This made it seem more humorous than believable. There were places where the movie skipped too. I guess that is just because it was so old. The lack of lighting made it difficult to tell sometimes when it was supposed to be daytime or nighttime. I know from the story that vampires only come out at night, but the scenes that took place at midnight are lighted the same as during the day. That was a little confusing. The only time I was absolutely sure was when the guy lit the lantern and it was brighter than the already bright background. But it made little effect to the actual feel of the movie like good lighting can do in a modern film. Like a dark scene didn’t necessarily foreshadow evil. Even though this film was silent, it wasn’t hard to watch. The actors portrayed what was going on well without using dialog. The parts we had to read weren’t too long either. Each character sort of had their theme music. For the most part the music followed what was going on pretty well. When things moved fast, the tempo of the music increased, and there was increased dissonance for suspense. I only heard three sound effects in the whole film. One was when the clock struck midnight, the others were the cock crowing at dawn, and the drummer out in the streets announcing the plague had arrived. Or at least I think that’s what he was doing. But that’s a pretty lousy job. When they wanted to emphasize something they would either zoom in on it like the book o... Free Essays on Nosferatu Free Essays on Nosferatu Cinematics of Nosferatu In Nosferatu, the first thing I noticed was that the camera doesn’t move. Except for a few brief pans to show the setting or the landscape. When one scene ends, it blacks out to the next scene, or just jump cuts in a few places to a totally different theme. I think it was because of the old technology everyone moved really fast. An example of this is when the horse and buggy come down the long and winding road from the castle of Nosferatu. This made it seem more humorous than believable. There were places where the movie skipped too. I guess that is just because it was so old. The lack of lighting made it difficult to tell sometimes when it was supposed to be daytime or nighttime. I know from the story that vampires only come out at night, but the scenes that took place at midnight are lighted the same as during the day. That was a little confusing. The only time I was absolutely sure was when the guy lit the lantern and it was brighter than the already bright background. But it made little effect to the actual feel of the movie like good lighting can do in a modern film. Like a dark scene didn’t necessarily foreshadow evil. Even though this film was silent, it wasn’t hard to watch. The actors portrayed what was going on well without using dialog. The parts we had to read weren’t too long either. Each character sort of had their theme music. For the most part the music followed what was going on pretty well. When things moved fast, the tempo of the music increased, and there was increased dissonance for suspense. I only heard three sound effects in the whole film. One was when the clock struck midnight, the others were the cock crowing at dawn, and the drummer out in the streets announcing the plague had arrived. Or at least I think that’s what he was doing. But that’s a pretty lousy job. When they wanted to emphasize something they would either zoom in on it like the book o...

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Compare and contrast the concepts of Leadership and Power. Draw Essay

Compare and contrast the concepts of Leadership and Power. Draw comparisons between French and Ravens (1959) Bases of Power, expansions of the bases, and a - Essay Example The capacity for individual and organizational transformation must be accompanied by moral responsibility, for transformational leaders shape powerful social and institutional cultures, which may either, be liberating or oppressive. Sources of Interpersonal Power may be 1) Expert -- based on knowledge and expertise, 2) Referent -- extent to which subordinate likes or identifies with supervisor, 3) Legitimate -- job title, 4) Reward -- ability to reward subordinates and 5) Coercive -- ability to punish subordinates.5 While Sources of Political Power (Yukl, 1989)6, Control over decision processes, 2) Forming coalitions, 3) Co-optation, and 4) Gaining influence in large organizations likely to be more a matter of political power than individual power. While t leader-member relations, task structure, and position power to deal with situation, determines the best kind of leader.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Easy A Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Easy A - Essay Example The next Monday, the two goes to the bathroom, and Rhiannon asks about Olive’s encounter with the college student. Olive lies that she lost her virginity with the fictitious boyfriend on the same weekend. Marianne (Amanda Bynes) overheard the conversation. She then proceeded to spread the rumor about Olive’s promiscuity (Devine, Easy A). Marianne, the religious fanatic, and the school’s chastity queen, blames Olive unexpectedly about her promiscuity. Olive wears a cloth of a notorious student. During the English class, she identifies herself as Hester Prynne, the woman condemned by her neighbors in the novel by Nathaniel Hawthorne (Devine, Easy A). Olive confides the truth to her bullied gay friend, Brandon, suggesting to her to lie that he had slept with a girl. Brandon asks for help from Olive, and the two pretends to have had sex in a party. Olive’s reputation degrades. Outcast boys offer to pay Olive so as to improve their image too (Devine, Easy A). Her new power even worked for adults. The teacher Mr. Griffith, and his estranged wife, the guidance counselor who ends up entangled in embarrassments. She finally lost control of the situation and had to take an attitude to revert it. The main female character is Olive Penderghast. The real name of the actor is Emma Stones. In the film, she makes an innocent lie to avoid camping with her best friend, Rhiannon, together with her weird parents. She claims she had gone on a date while she had spent the weekend doing tedious things like singing alone in the room, painting her nails and the nails of her dog (Devine, Easy A). Another female character is Marianne, Amanda Bynes. She is the righteous religious girl in the film. She lights the fuse on olive’s lie and goes ahead in spreading it. Rhiannon, Aly Michalka, is also a female character in the film. She sets peak in the play (Devine, Easy A). Olive Penderghast, the virgin high school girl, never wanted to

Monday, November 18, 2019

Researching Media,Communication and Culture Essay

Researching Media,Communication and Culture - Essay Example Additionally, the story that received the most user comments for the day will be analyzed in terms of these comments. The study limitations are recognized as the challenge of making broad assumptions regarding these findings. TABLE OF CONTENTS I. Introduction and Theoretical Framework†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦4 II. Purpose of the Study†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦5 III. Review of the Literature†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...5 IV. Questions†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦7 V. The Design – Methods and Procedures†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦7 VI. Limitations and Delimitations†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦10 VII. Significance of the Study†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦10 I. Introduction and Theoretical Framework The Hollywood entertainment industry emerged as a major cultural force in the early 20th century. While films were the driving-engine of growth, even in the early eras of Hollywood, celebrity fandom emerged as a major occurrence. It was not long before an entire star system emerged, where actors and actresses under contract with specific studios had projects tailored to them. This process continues throu gh the present day as movie stars receive multi-million dollar contracts for a single film. While such prices seem exorbitant to some they are justified because of the significant fans these stars can bring into the theatres. Hollywood hasn’t been the only one to capitalize on such fandom; one considers that today the connection between celebrities and fans extends into a realm of not just appreciation, but also gossip and human interest. Indeed, there are a number of highly popular websites, such as TMZ and Perez Hilton where fans not only view pictures of celebrities but also gain intimate knowledge of the details of their lives. Perhaps a foundational theoretical consideration in terms of the topic is the recognition that the very linguistic origins of the term celebrity share roots with such terms as ‘fame’ and ‘being thronged;’ the French ‘celebre’ means well-known in public (Marshall 1997). With such a fundamental link between cele brity and the public, it is little stretch to consider the important role fandom plays in the equation. While fandom is a regularly occurring aspect of our daily lives, with some individuals exhibiting varying degrees of fanaticism, perhaps the more fundamental question is the underlining significance of this. With the recognition of these understandings in mind this research sets about investigating the motivating influences of fandom. II. Purpose of the Study The study seeks to identify the primary reasons individuals are interested in celebrity gossip. Additionally, it recognizes that there may be underlining issues the individuals are not aware of or external conditions that motivate their interest; as such the study is exploratory in that attempts to unearth and articulate cursory concerns as reflective or conflicting with past research paradigms. III. Review of the Literature There have been a number of research perspectives on the nature of fandom. It’s been argued tha t, â€Å"the emergence of celebrity as a public preoccupation is the result of three major interrelation

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Anatomy and Pathophysiology of Gout and Lupus

Anatomy and Pathophysiology of Gout and Lupus Introduction Gout is an acute inflammatory arthritis with the potency to fully destroy the integrity of the joint leading to severe disability. It is termed as a true crystal deposition disease caused by formation of monosodium urate crystals in joints and other tissues. It is the common cause of inflammatory arthritis that has increased in prevalence in recent decades (Roddy and Doherty 2010). Gout normally results from the interaction of genetic, constitutional and environmental risk factors. It is more common in men and strongly age related. Both acute arthritis and chronic arthropathy (tophaceous gout) are considered under the rubric of gout (Mikuls and Saag 2006; Roddy et al. 2007). In a broader term, it can be defined as combination of events involving an increase in the serum urate concentration, acute arthritic attacks with monosodium urate monohydrate crystals demonstrable in synovial fluid leukocytes, and tophi which usually occurs in and around joints of the extremities. These physio-c hemical changes either occur separately or in combination (Terkeltaub 2003; Shai et al. 2010). Gouty arthritis accounts for millions of outpatient visits annually and the prevalence is rising. It affects 1-2% of adults in developed countries, where it is the most common inflammatory arthritis in men. Epidemiological data are consistent with a rise in prevalence of gout. Rates of gout have approximately doubled between 1990 and 2010. A number of factors have been found to influence rates of gout, including age, race, and the season of the year. In men over the age of 30 and women over the age of 50, prevalence is 2% (Eggebeen 2007). Anatomy and Pathophysiology Gouty arthritis is one of the most painful rheumatic diseases and its incidence increases promptly with advancing age. In 75% of the patients, gouty arthritis initially strikes a single joint which is most commonly the big toe. In women gout develop in increasing numbers after menopause eventually at an incidence rate equal to that of men (Hootman and Helmick 2006). In elderly patients, an occurrence of gout is usually less spectacular than in middle age and often implies an upper extremity poly or mono articular presentation rather than the classic mono articular lower extremity picture commonly displayed by middle-aged men. In older patients, gout can be more likely the clinical picture of osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis (Cassetta and Gorevic 2004). Gouty arthritis can be classified into four stages depending upon level of severity namely; (i) Asymptomatic Hyperuricemia: In this stage, a person has elevated blood uric acid levels but no other symptoms and therefore requires no treatment. (ii) Acute Gouty Arthritis: In this stage, hyperuricemia leads to deposition of uric acid crystals in joint spaces, leading to gouty attacks (iii) Interval / Intercritical: This is the stage between acute gouty attacks with no symptoms and (iv) Chronic Tophaceous Gout: where the disease leads to permanent damage (Bhansing et al. 2010). Pathogenesis of gouty arthritis is critically influenced by sodium urate crystals and inflammatory processes they induce (Wise and Agudelo 1996). An inefficient renal urate excretion which leads to the elevated levels of uric acid above the saturation point for urate crystal formation is a major determinant of the disease. Purine catabolism leads to the formation of metabolic by-product, uric acid. In most mammals like higher primates, many birds and some reptiles, the urate oxidase (uricase) enzyme converts uric acid (relatively insoluble) to allantoin (highly soluble), leading to very low serum uric acid levels. A series of parallel mutations in the genes of uricase in the Miocene period results in the production of the dysfunctional form of uricase that leads to accumulation of relatively higher level of insoluble uric acid and subsequently the development of gouty arthritis (Liote and Ea 2006; Eggebeen 2007). Degradation of purines results in the endogenous production of uric aci d that usually contributes about two-thirds of the body urate pool, the remainder being originated by dietry intake. Of the uric acid formed daily, about 70% is excreted through the kidney while the rest is eliminated into the biliary tract and then converted to allantoin by colonic bacterial uricase. Therefore, in the vast majority gouty patients, hyperuricaemia occurs from reduced efficiency of renal urate clearance (Laubscher et al. 2009; Terkeltaub 2010). Development of the acute and chronic inflammatory gout is facilitated with the deposition of monosodium urate (MSU) crystals in joints. while MSU crystals were first identified as the aetiological agent of gout in the eighteenth century and more recently as a danger signal released from dying cells, little is known about the molecular mechanisms underlying MSU-induced inflammation (Martinon et al. 2006). For crystal formation n occurrence of gout, the ionic product of sodium and uric acid must be at or above the saturation level at which MSU crystals can form. Uric acid is a weak acid of pKa 5.75 and, it exists mainly in the ionized form as urate at physiological pH of 7.40. MSU has limited solubility under physiological conditions and the saturation level in plasma at a pH of 7.40 is 6.8 mg/dl (408 ÂÂ µmol/l) and when the plasma concentration exceeds this level, crystals may form in the joints and tissues (Terkeltaub 2010). MSU crystals preferentially form within cartilage and fibrous tissues, where they are relatively safer from contact with inflammatory mediators and may dwell for years without causing any defects. However, if shed from these sites of origin into the joint space or bursa, they are highly phlogistic particles that are immediately phagocytosed by monocytes and macrophages, stimulating the NALP3 inflammasome, triggering the release of IL-1 and other cytokines and a subsequent infiltration of neutrophils. Here the white cells release a package of inflammatory mediator substances which, in addition to destroying the crystals, also damage the surrounding tissues (Martinon et al. 2006). This acute inflammation defines the symptoms of an acute flare such as pain, swelling and redness and is typically self-limiting. Continual deposition of large numbers of MSU crystals may also heading out the joint damage through mechanical effects on cartilage and bone (pressure erosion), and probably low-gr ade inflammation. However, these more chronic crystal-tissue interactions still remain elusive and in need of further investigations (VanItallie 2010). Systematic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) Introduction Lupus is an autoimmune disease which leads to both acute and chronic inflammation of various tissues of the human body. Lupus can be classified into different form depending upon the target tissues and organ system. Defined as Type III hypersensitivity reaction, people with lupus produce abnormal antibodies in their blood that target tissues within their own body rather than foreign infectious agents. Because the antibodies and accompanying cells of inflammation can affect tissues anywhere in the body, lupus has the potential to affect a variety of areas such as heart, joints, skin, lungs, blood vessels, liver, kidneys, and nervous system. When internal organs are involved, the condition is referred to as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The disease may be mild or severe and life-threatening (Wallace 2010). The prevalence of lupus ranges from approximately 40 cases per 100,000 persons among Northern Europeans to more than 200 per 100,000 persons among blacks (Johnson et al. 1995). In the United States, the number of patients with lupus exceeds 250,000. The life expectancy of such patients has improved from an approximate 4-year survival rate of 50% in the 1950s to a 15-year survival rate of 80% today (Merrell and Shulman 1955; Abu-Shakra et al. 1995). Even so, a patient in whom lupus is diagnosed at 20 years of age still has a 1 in 6 chance of dying by 35 years of age, most often from lupus or infection. Later, myocardial infarction and stroke become important causes of death (Cervera et al. 2003). Anatomy and Pathophysiology SLE is an inflammatory and multi-systemic autoimmune disorder characterized by an uncontrolled auto-reactivity of B and T lymphocytes. This results in the production of auto antibodies (auto-Abs) against self-directed antigens and causes tissue destruction (Cuchacovich and Gedalia 2009). Pathogenesis of SLE is a multi-factorial event and the exact mechanism of disease development and progression is still unclear. Multiple factors are known to be associated with the development of the disease such as genetic, racial, hormonal, and environmental factors. Defects in apoptosis are one of the proposed mechanisms involved in patho-physiological events of SLE. Imbalance in apoptotic machinery leads to the production of auto-antibodies. These antibodies lack the ability to differentiate between pathogenic and normal host cells and cause increase cell death and abnormalities in immune tolerance (Andrade et al. 2000; Rahman and Isenberg 2008). It is believed that all the major components of immune system are involved in SLE progression at various levels. Mostly proteins present in cell nucleus are targeted by the immune system. The likely environmental triggers for SLE include ultraviolet light, drugs, and viruses. These stimuli cause the destruction of cells and expose their DNA, histones, and other proteins, particularly parts of the cell nucleus. It is observed that in patients suffering from SLE, there is increased cell death in monocytes and keratinocytes and hyper expression of Fas protein by B and T cells of the immune system. Tingibl e body macrophages (TBMs) are large phagocytic cells present in the germinal centers of secondary lymph nodes. They express CD68 protein. These cells normally engulf B cells which have undergone apoptosis after somatic hypermutation. In some patients with SLE, significantly fewer TBMs can be found, and these cells rarely contain material from apoptotic B cells. Also, uningested apoptotic nuclei can be found outside of TBMs. This material may present a threat to the tolerization of B cells and T cells (Gaipl et al. 2006). Monocytes isolated from whole blood of SLE sufferers show reduced expression of CD44 surface molecules involved in the uptake of apoptotic cells. Most of the monocytes and tingible body macrophages (TBM), which are found in the germinal centres of lymph nodes, even show a definitely different morphology; they are smaller or scarce and die earlier. Serum components like complement factors, CRP, and some glycoproteins are, furthermore, decisively important for an efficiently operating phagocytosis. With SLE, these components are often missing, diminished, or inefficient. References Abu-Shakra M, Urowitz MB, Gladman DD, Gough J (1995) Mortality studies in systemic lupus erythematosus. Results from a single center. II. Predictor variables for mortality. J Rheumatol 22:1265-1270 Andrade F, Casciola-Rosen L, Rosen A (2000) Apoptosis in systemic lupus erythematosus. Clinical implications. Rheum Dis Clin North Am 26:215-227, v Bhansing KJ, van Bon L, Janssen M, Radstake TR (2010) Gout: a clinical syndrome illustrated and discussed. Neth J Med 68:352-359 Cassetta M, Gorevic PD (2004) Crystal arthritis. Gout and pseudogout in the geriatric patient. Geriatrics 59:25-30; quiz 31 Cervera R et al. (2003) Morbidity and mortality in systemic lupus erythematosus during a 10-year period: a comparison of early and late manifestations in a cohort of 1,000 patients. Medicine (Baltimore) 82:299-308 doi: 10.1097/01.md.0000091181.93122.55 Cuchacovich R, Gedalia A (2009) Pathophysiology and clinical spectrum of infections in systemic lupus erythematosus. Rheum Dis Clin North Am 35:75-93 doi: S0889-857X(09)00004-0 [pii] 10.1016/j.rdc.2009.03.003 Eggebeen AT (2007) Gout: an update. Am Fam Physician 76:801-808 Gaipl US et al. (2006) Clearance of apoptotic cells in human SLE. Curr Dir Autoimmun 9:173-187 doi: 10.1159/000090781 [pii]Â   10.1159/000090781 Hootman JM, Helmick CG (2006) Projections of US prevalence of arthritis and associated activity limitations. Arthritis Rheum 54:226-229 doi: 10.1002/art.21562 Johnson AE, Gordon C, Palmer RG, Bacon PA (1995) The prevalence and incidence of systemic lupus erythematosus in Birmingham, England. Relationship to ethnicity and country of birth. Arthritis Rheum 38:551-558 Laubscher T, Dumont Z, Regier L, Jensen B (2009) Taking the stress out of managing gout. Can Fam Physician 55:1209-1212 doi: 55/12/1209 [pii] Liote F, Ea HK (2006) Gout: update on some pathogenic and clinical aspects. Rheum Dis Clin North Am 32:295-311, vi doi: S0889-857X(06)00024-X [pii] 10.1016/j.rdc.2006.03.001 Martinon F, Petrilli V, Mayor A, Tardivel A, Tschopp J (2006) Gout-associated uric acid crystals activate the NALP3 inflammasome. Nature 440:237-241 doi: nature04516 [pii] 10.1038/nature04516 Merrell M, Shulman LE (1955) Determination of prognosis in chronic disease, illustrated by systemic lupus erythematosus. J Chronic Dis 1:12-32 Mikuls TR, Saag KG (2006) New insights into gout epidemiology. Curr Opin Rheumatol 18:199-203 doi: 10.1097/01.bor.0000209435.89720.7c 00002281-200603000-00014 [pii] Rahman A, Isenberg DA (2008) Systemic lupus erythematosus. N Engl J Med 358:929-939 doi: 358/9/929 [pii] 10.1056/NEJMra071297 Roddy E, Doherty M (2010) Gout. Epidemiology of gout. Arthritis Res Ther 12:223 doi: ar3199 [pii] 10.1186/ar3199 Roddy E, Zhang W, Doherty M (2007) The changing epidemiology of gout. Nat Clin Pract Rheumatol 3:443-449 doi: ncprheum0556 [pii] 10.1038/ncprheum0556 Shai A, Rimar D, Rozenbaum M, Wolfovitz E, Rosner I (2010) Gout in young migrant Filipino women in Israel: a changing epidemiology. Case reports and review of the literature. Rheumatol Int 30:1685-1687 doi: 10.1007/s00296-009-1198-7 Terkeltaub R (2010) Update on gout: new therapeutic strategies and options. Nat Rev Rheumatol 6:30-38 doi: nrrheum.2009.236 [pii] 10.1038/nrrheum.2009.236 Terkeltaub RA (2003) Gout. New England Journal of Medicine 349:1647-1655 doi: doi:10.1056/NEJMcp030733 VanItallie TB (2010) Gout: epitome of painful arthritis. Metabolism 59 Suppl 1:S32-36 doi: S0026-0495(10)00229-5 [pii] 10.1016/j.metabol.2010.07.009 Wallace DJ (2010) Advances in drug therapy for systemic lupus erythematosus. BMC Med 8:77 doi: 1741-7015-8-77 [pii] 10.1186/1741-7015-8-77 Wise CM, Agudelo CA (1996) Gouty arthritis and uric acid metabolism. Curr Opin Rheumatol 8:248-254

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Leukemia Essay -- Health Medical Cancer

Leukemia Leukemia is a disease that affects blood-forming tissues, mainly bone marrow. Leukemia also affects the lymph glands and spleen. Leukemia causes the body to produce an extreme amount of abnormal white blood cells. This causes infections because the abnormal cells cannot stop infections like the normal cells do. Leukemia also causes anemia. Anemia is a disease in which the body makes less blood cells. This happens because the leukemic cells crowd the system. Leukemia also causes excessive bleeding. This happens because the amount of platelets will decrease and clotting will not occur, Researchers think a change in genetic structure causes leukemia. Changes in gene structure could be caused by environmental problems. Some of these problems could be: birth defects, radiation, viruses, and chemicals. Leukemia is not inherited and is not contagious. There are two major types of Leukemia, Lymphocytic and Granulocytic. In Lymphocytic Leukemia white blood cells known as Lymphocytes, which are made in the Lymph glands and bone marrow are abnormal or immature. In Granulocytic Leukemia this causes an increase in white blood cells known as granulocytes. Granulocytes are made in the bone marrow, and other tissue. Granulocytes that are affected by leukemia cannot fight of infections. There are two ways in which leukemia can occur. One is acute, and the other is chronic. Acute leukemia is found most in children. It progresses r...

Monday, November 11, 2019

A Research Proposal to Counter the Implications of Sustained Global Warming

Global warming is one of the most serious challenges facing the world today.Defined as â€Å"an increase in the average temperature of the earth’s atmosphere, especially a sustained increase sufficient to cause climate change,† it poses a significant risk to the overall climatic condition and the world population in general. Substantial scientific evidence proves that a marked rise in the global average temperatures by more than 2 °C above pre-industrial levels poses a significant threat to natural ecosystems.A sustained temperate increase of this magnitude may cause a considerable melting of the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets, resulting in a distinct global sea level rise of up to several feet. Scientists fear that such climate change is hazardous to many life forms and predict that this could potentially cause entire species to be wiped out.Consequences of Global WarmingSeveral studies, not just in the recent times attest to this fact. It is projected that tempe rature rises if allowed to continue may many species stranded and unable to adapt to the swiftly changing conditions. It has been indicated that the coral reefs are prone to bleach and may be destroyed in circumstances of persistent warming.Other climatic changes of global warming include frequent storms and dangerous hurricanes, and unexpected or sudden variations in the weather including deadly heat waves, drought and wildfire.Several anomalies are known to develop that impact tropical precipitation under global warming. It has been shown that a significant fall in moisture levels is induced by the warmer tropospheric temperature and therefore precipitation is decreased. The variation in the gross moist stability is a potential factor that causes discrepancies in the predicted regional tropical precipitation (Chou, & Neelin, 2004).Statistical Evidence and AnalysisWhen the Kyoto Protocol came into force in 2005 Greenpeace, the attempt was lauded as a positive sign of environmental sensitization. There was now a price to be paid for causing climate pollution – penalties for polluters. The dreams of a ‘low-carbon economy had been born.Two years later, however, projections show that the European Union has fallen woefully short of its targets for cutting greenhouse gas emissions, from the committed 8 per cent cut from the 1990 levels by year 2012. Estimating based on current measures and policies by 2010 the emissions will fall by a mere 0.6% below 1990 levels (Clogherty 2007).Several studies indicate that the concentration of heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere at or below 450 parts per million CO2-equivalent would halve the chances of a global temperature rise above a 2 °C average.

Friday, November 8, 2019

Timeline for Applying to Medical School

Timeline for Applying to Medical School Although many students succeed in college despite waiting until the last minute to write papers and cram for exams, applying to medical school requires a great deal of time and an early start. The medical school admissions process is a marathon rather than a sprint. If you really want to win a spot in medical school you must plan ahead and carefully monitor your progress. The timeline below is a guide. Be sure to discuss your aspirations with your academic advisor and another faculty of your undergraduate program to ensure that you are on the right track given your unique circumstances. First Semester, Junior Year: Researching Medical Schools and Preparing for Exams As you enter the first semester of junior year in your undergraduate program, you should seriously begin considering if medical school is the right choice for you. Completing your graduate degree and residency programs are going to require a lot of time, concentration, motivation, and dedication to the craft so you should be absolutely certain this is the career path you want to pursue before investing the money and time in applying to medical school.   Once youve determined that you do want to pursue medicine, you should then determine what a  successful application  entails. Review course requirements and ensure that your transcript satisfies these minimums. You should focus on gaining clinical, community and volunteer experience to boost your application as these will set you apart from other applicants. During this time, it is important that you familiarize yourself with the  application process  and review the resources at the  Association of American Medical Colleges  site to gather information about medical schools. You should also find out how your school handles writing recommendation letters for medical school  as well as how to obtain one. For instance, some programs provide a committee letter written by several faculty members who collectively evaluate your potential for a career in medicine.   Finally, you should prepare for the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT). The MCAT is critical to your application, testing your knowledge of science and basic principles of medicine. Learn about its content and how it is administered.by studying material in biology, inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry  and physics and by investing in MCAT prep books. You may also want to take  practice exams that can help you determine your strengths and weaknesses. Remember to register early if you plan to take the first test in January. Second Semester, Junior Year: Exams and Letters of Evaluation As early as January of your junior year, you can take the MCAT and finish off one portion of your application process. Fortunately, you may retake the test through the summer, but as always remember to register early because seats fill quickly. Its advisable that you take the MCAT in Spring, early enough to allow you to retake it if needed.   During the second semester, you should also request  letters of evaluation  either through a committee letter or a specific faculty who will write a personalized letter of recommendation. You may need to  prepare materials  for their evaluation such as your course load, resumà © and extracurricular involvement on and off campus.   By the end of the semester, you should finalize these letters and your list of medical schools you hope to apply to.  Request a copy of your transcript to ensure that there are no errors and that you have taken the range of courses required by all the programs youve chosen. During the summer, you should begin working on the  AMCAS application. It may be submitted as early as June with the first application deadline August 1 and application deadlines continuing through December. Make sure that you know the deadline dates for the schools you choose. First Semester, Senior Year: Completing Applications and Interviews You will only have a few more opportunities to retake the MCAT as you enter the senior year of your undergraduate degree. Once you have a score youre satisfied with, you should complete the AMCAS application and await follow-up from the institutions where youve applied to attend. If medical schools are interested in your application, they send secondary applications that contain additional questions. Again, take time writing your essays and seek feedback then submit your secondary applications. Also, dont forget to send thank you notes to faculty who wrote on your behalf to thank them but also to subtly remind them of your journey and need of their support.   Medical school interviews may begin as early as August but usually take place later in September and continue  into early spring. Prepare for interviews by considering what you may be asked and determining your own questions. As you get ready for this portion of the application process, it may be helpful to have friends or colleagues give you mock interviews. This will allow you a stress-free (relatively) test of how you might handle the real thing.   Second Semester, Senior Year: Acceptance or Rejection Schools will begin notifying applicants of their application status beginning in mid-October and continuing through spring, depending largely on whether or not you have had or will have an interview yet. If you are accepted, you can breathe a sigh of relief as you narrow your choices of schools that accepted you to the one school you will attend.   However, if you are waitlisted, you should update schools about new accomplishments. It is important during this time to check in on the status a few times throughout the end of the semester and especially in the summer. If on the other hand you are not accepted to medical school,  learn from your experience and consider your options and whether to apply again next year. As the semester and your degree program draw to a close, take a moment to relish in your accomplishments, pat yourself on the back and then select the one school that you want to attend. Then, its time to enjoy the summer - classes  begin as early as August.

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

The Sherpa People of the Himalayas

The Sherpa People of the Himalayas The Sherpa are an ethnic group who live in the high mountains of the Himalayas in Nepal. Well-known for being guides to Westerners who want to climb Mt. Everest, the highest mountain in the world, the Sherpa have an image of being hard-working, peaceful, and brave. Increasing contact with Westerners, however, is drastically changing Sherpa culture. Who Are the Sherpa? The Sherpa migrated from eastern Tibet to Nepal around 500 years ago. Prior to Western intrusion in the twentieth century, the Sherpa didnt climb mountains. As Nyingma Buddhists, they reverently passed by the high peaks of the Himalaya, believing them to be the homes of the gods. The Sherpa eked their livelihood from high-altitude farming, cattle raising, and wool spinning and weaving. It wasnt until the 1920s that Sherpa became involved in climbing. The British, who controlled the Indian subcontinent at the time, planned mountain climbing expeditions and hired Sherpa as porters. From that point on, due to their willingness to work and ability to climb the worlds tallest peaks, mountaineering became part of the Sherpa culture. Reaching the Top of Mt. Everest Although numerous expeditions had made the attempt, it wasnt until 1953 that Edmund Hillary and a Sherpa named Tenzing Norgay managed to reach the 29,028 foot (8,848 meter) peak of Mount Everest. After 1953, countless teams of climbers have wanted the same achievement and have thus invaded the Sherpa homeland, hiring an ever-increasing number of Sherpa as guides and porters.   In 1976, the Sherpa homeland and Mount Everest became protected as part of Sagarmatha National Park. The park was created through the efforts not only of the government of Nepal but also through the work of the Himalayan Trust, a foundation established by Hillary. Changes in Sherpa Culture The influx of mountaineers into the Sherpa homeland has dramatically transformed Sherpa culture and way of life. Once an isolated community, Sherpa life now greatly revolves around foreign climbers. The first successful climb to the summit in 1953 popularized Mt. Everest and brought more climbers to the Sherpa homeland. While once only the most experienced climbers attempted Everest, now even inexperienced climbers expect to reach the top. Each year, hundreds of tourists flock to the Sherpa homeland, are given a few lessons in mountaineering, and then head up the mountain with Sherpa guides. The Sherpa cater to these tourists by providing gear, guiding, lodges, coffee shops, and Wifi. The income provided by this Everest industry has made the Sherpa one of the richest ethnicities in Nepal,  making about seven times the per capita income of all Nepalese. For the most part, Sherpa no longer serve as porters for these expeditions - they contract that job out to other ethnicities but retain positions such as head porter or lead guide. Despite the increased income, traveling on Mt. Everest is a dangerous job - very dangerous. Of the numerous deaths on Mt. Everest, 40% are Sherpas.  Without life insurance, these deaths are leaving in their wake a large number of widows and fatherless children. On April 18, 2014, an avalanche fell and killed 16 Nepalese climbers, 13 of whom were Sherpas. This was a devastating loss to the Sherpa community, which consists of only about 150,000 individuals. While most Westerners expect the Sherpa to take this risk, the Sherpa themselves are becoming increasingly concerned about the future of their society.

Monday, November 4, 2019

The Cold War and U.S. Diplomacy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Cold War and U.S. Diplomacy - Essay Example Reagan claimed that most people did not understand the functioning of Nicaragua, as they only knew it as a Marxist country but many were not for the idea of exchange of money and weapons and this made it difficult for the U.S to bring in funding (Bermann, Page 9, 1996). The Reagan Doctrine was out to offer both covert and overt support to resistance movements and anti-communists guerrillas so as to have the governments backed by the Soviet governments in Asia, Latin America and Asia. The doctrine was designed to cut down on the general Cold War strategy administration. After Reagan’s election in the year 1981, he decided to support the resistance revolutions in countries like Angola, Nicaragua, Afghanistan and Cambodia. In May 1982, Reagan approved a document which was referred to as, U.S National Strategy, which its main purpose was stop and overthrow the development of soviet management and the presence of armed forces worldwide, and also to increase the cost of support that was being provided by the soviet and increase the use of rebellious rule at the same time collaborating with the terrorist. Reagan started a campaign for the community to support his plans by using some of the strong statements to prove it. For example in 1985, he said that the U.S citizens were not to lose faith in those who were able to risk their lives for their country worldwide even in the dangerous continents like Afghanistan (Burns, page 89, 1999). One year down the line, he stated that America was going to support both morally and substantially those who were ready to fight for the freedom of their nation even if it included dying. Reagan’s destructive policies and measures caused much damage in many countries. The exploitation and management of the banks by the U.S for example that was practiced in Nicaragua led to the decimation of its economy. War on the Sandinista national liberation front was funded by the administration that the congress played a role in suppor ting it. This was a war that several terrorist from Nicaraguan, which was referred to as Contra, fought and its main aim was to conquer the Sandinistas who after the 1979 revolution, took over power (Flanagan, page 25, 2000). In 1981, was the year that establishment of Contra forces started and Reagan funded the Central Intelligence Agency by authorizing the release of large sums of money. There was also the generation of extra money from illegal sales of weapons to Iran which was channeled to the Contras. These illegal actions were later known in Iran Contra Affair in the month of November in 1986, which led to condemnation and conviction of his staff. The collapse of the FSLN (Frente Sandinista de Liberacion Nacional) in the 1980s was as a result of the U.S continuous hostility. The victory of the contra military was not the cause of the fall of the Sandinista, but it was because of the U.S economic blow, the restrictions on trade and the social and economic attack of the nation. President Daniel Ortega finally accepted that he was defeated in the 1990 elections due to the persistent economic failure and handed over the government to the conservative who emerged the winners (Oberdorfer, page 71, 1999).. The elections however were not held as a result of Reagan’s pleas but to others efforts especially President Oscar Arias. He was the one who held the negotiations of a peaceful handover

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Two different social networking websites Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Two different social networking websites - Essay Example Facebook is perhaps popular for its distinct messaging app. Facebook also keeps track of users’ timelines as they appear on the page. This creates a chronology of events posted on Facebook. Most importantly, users post pictures, share their status updates, read other people’s posts, and comment on different topics posted on the website. For Twitter, the most popular aspect of the website is the use of hash tags. Contrary to Facebook, Twitter offers instant messaging in the form of tweets. This forms the distinct practice of Facebooking and Tweeting in respect to the two websites. Another distinct feature of Twitter is the mode of interaction dubbed â€Å"follow† and â€Å"unfollow.† In conclusion, Twitter’s does not offer timelines, but rather archives data and information posted so that it is available for retrieval by the user at any time. Most importantly, Twitter’s website platform is not as broad as Facebook