MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER RESEARCH THROUGH THE COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY APPROACH Essay Example

MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER RESEARCH THROUGH THE COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY APPROACH Essay Major Depressive Disorder Research through the Cognitive Psychology Approach Name: Course: Date: We will write a custom essay sample on MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER RESEARCH THROUGH THE COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY APPROACH specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER RESEARCH THROUGH THE COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY APPROACH specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER RESEARCH THROUGH THE COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY APPROACH specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Major Depressive Disorder Research through the Cognitive Psychology Approach Introduction Major depressive disorder affects millions of people worldwide every year and has become a common clinical condition. Normally, a person suffering from this disorder normally exhibits a sad mood and disinterest in things that would previously have fascinated him or her. Depression primarily has an effect over the â€Å"whole body†. In this case, the patients’ emotions and behavior undergo immense alteration. The exact causes of this condition are hard to pin point with some believing that it is hereditary or may be caused by an imbalance of chemicals in the brain. It has been established that major depressive disorder is a common condition among people suffering from Parkinson’s disease (PD) as well as a major contributor to disability and poor life quality (Nilsson, Kessing, Sorensen, Andersen, Bolwig, 2002). However, it is important to realize the difficulty of assessing this condition in patients with PD because of overlapping symptoms and assessing it in patients with cognitive impairment. In this regard, the Movement Disorder Society endeavored to carry out a research over the assessment of depression among patients with PD. A number of rating scales are used for the assessment of depression. The research was hence carried out to ascertain their credibility and consequently make recommendations. Literature Review Symptoms of depression have a tendency of occurring in people suffering from PD with studies suggesting that 40 percent are usually affected. Symptoms of depression have been recognized as being main determinants of how healthy PD patient lives and can as well affect cognitive function, and functional ability. This therefore makes it essential for the recognition and assessment of symptoms in patients suffering from PD. The research was able to identify a number of rating scales for the assessment and screening of depression disorder. Apparently, these scales are used to assess depression among patients suffering from PD or not (Hahlweg Goldstein, 2007). For purposes of selecting the scales, the research included all scales used for the assessment of depression disorder and those with the potential utility of assessing depressed patients suffering from PD. Scales specifically designed for the assessment of conditions similar to depression such as anxiety, apathy, and anhedonia were excluded. At present, the diagnosis of depressive disorder is done through the diagnostic and statistics strategy (DSM-IV) as recommended by the American Psychiatric Association. However, contrary to what the research found on the diagnosis of depressive disorder, I was able to establish otherwise. In this case, in research studies and clinical practice, particularly in treatment trials and surveys measuring the symptoms of depressive disorder, the use of DSM-IV is often not useful or feasible. The use of DSM-IV has shortfalls and has been recommended to undergo for revision. Even though discussions over how valid this criteria for depression assessment were not at the scope of the research, the problems involved and how they influence the assessment of severity and presence of depression in PD patients needs to be recognized and discussed. Methods The research team endeavored to form a committee for investigating the credibility of depression rating scales for patients with PD. The committee included seven members from North America, Europe, and Australia and included psychiatrists, psychologists, and neurologists who had good records of accomplishment in the field of depression for patients with PD. The members of the task force identified problems affecting the assessment of major depressive disorder. The team also identified eligible scales to be investigated. In this regard, I think that the committee members should have been subjected to a survey or interview to verify their credibility within the depressive disorder field. This would have been an efficient way of ensuring that the team selected was qualified to execute the research task. Nevertheless, the committee members organized a survey on the types of scales used to assess depressive disorder. The response rate amounted to four percent with 79 out of 2000 neurologists returning their questionnaires. A poor turn out of responses in this case possibly means that few neurologists make routine use of depression scales. In this regard, since the results of the research were drawn from a limited resource, then that ultimately renders the findings partly inconclusive. However, the research committee endeavored to formulate proforma for allowing a structured assessment of the depression scales. The proforma showed descriptions over scale availability, content, acceptability, and use. Judging by this data collection method, the committee worked well with the little information source they received and made clear and detailed tabulations. All statements made from the information were referenced and quantitative and qualitative results were summarized and tabulated. The rest of the task force assessed completed reviews and modified them in tune with unanimous suggestions. The chairperson was responsible for summarizing the identified problems, reviews, and conclusions. The final report was modified following group discussions with the entire task force. Results DSM-IV defines major depressive disorder as a loss in pleasure or interest or depressed mood for a period not less than two weeks, together with other symptoms that represent change from previous psychological state. These other features are changes in weight or appetite, retardation, insomnia, slowed speech, thought, worthlessness feelings, fatigue, guilt, death or ideas of suicide. Fundamentally, there should exclusion of symptoms that suggest a general condition. From this finding, I was able to establish that rating some of the depression symptoms is a daunting task because of considerable overlap of depression symptoms and PD symptoms. However, it is not clear whether there should have been an adoption of an inclusive approach for rating scales. The decision concerning how the symptoms should be rated is not trivial and influences the results of the study. In this regard, using diagnostic criteria and scales that have automatic inclusion of all somatic symptoms is capable of leading to incorrect depression results. In this situation, patients are more likely to be diagnosed with depression without the core depression symptoms. Alternatively, scales that do not include these symptoms may exhibit poor validity of criteria, particularly at as the depression spectrum ends. For example, apathy is a cardinal symptom of depressive disorder. However, apathy also occurs independently without depression (Nilsson, Kessing, Sorensen, Andersen, Bolwig, 2002). The research was also able to establish that major depression in some aspects differs from depression in PD. Furthermore, most of the patients suffering from PD exhibit depressive symptoms that do not fulfill the conditions of a major depressive episode. The research was also able to establish that scales for assessing depression have different uses. For example, one purpose serves to assess how severe depression is and check how the patient responds to antidepressant treatments. For this research or clinical task, a scale’s reliability, responsiveness, and responsiveness to good changes is relevant. The other reason of using rating scales is screening patients with PD for the possibility of depression. For purposes of screening, each use has use has an importance in clinical settings that require self-rating scales or untrained raters. Scales with good specificity and sensitivity may be used as screening tools. Rating scales used in depression do not offer assessment timing, something that is particularly crucial in patients suffering from PD. Furthermore, majority of rating scales are clinician rated, or patient reported. In this case, inputting collateral information may prove beneficial when assessing patients with PD. However, how or whether to use such information needs to be operationalized. The research found nine scales for assessing depression for patients with PD. These include the beck depression inventory, the Hamilton depression scale, the Zung depression scale, the Geriatric depression scale, the Montgomery depression scale, and the hospital anxiety and depression scale. Additionally, the corner scale was incorporated because it is the only universal scale used for patients with cognitive impairment, a common condition among depression patients with PD (American Psychiatric Association, 2000). Some scales were not included but were considered because they only assess moods wit h short life such as Profile Mood States. Whilst the results were in recognition of the limitations of the DSM-IV diagnostic criteria and recommendations for criteria improvement, these DSM-IV criteria should have been used for purposes of measuring the validity of the criteria in the literature. All scales were established as valid even though structure was subject to variance thus leading to chances of differentiation of the results. There was no available data to suggest the one responsible for administering observer rated scales. However, information regarding the training need on each scale should have been provided. Discussion All scales reviewed in this research have some relevance in their purpose of assessing depressive disorder. Available scales for depression have a number of functions. Different purposes mean that different properties of the scales have to be taken into account. Recommendations should be made regarding how appropriate each scale should be used. Diagnosing depression should not solely be made based on a rating scale score. A mere score of these instruments cannot capture a comprehensive range of depression disorder. In this case, high scores may arise when the endorsement of somatic symptoms occurs (Sudak, 2012). On the other hand, low scores may occur even though serious symptoms of depression are present. For this reason, the standard for diagnosing depression has to remain the DSM-IV criteria. Limited evidence is enough to warrant the best scales for rating depression for patients with PD. The statistics from the research suggest that other scales may be useful. However, further studies need to be conducted. Patients are sometimes capable of perceiving their condition in an off rather than an on period. Off periods can be linked with psychiatric symptoms such as delusions, anxiety, and depression. These often improve with time since they are short lived. Since the reviewed scales have been made to make correct assessments, the preceding one or two weeks the off periods may not be considered. The recommendation in this case requires that patients exhibiting motor fluctuations to be assessed while they are in the on period. More studies need to be undertaken on the specificity, sensitivity, and negative and positive predictive values for every scale. Assessing the concurrent credibility of the scales should be made in comparison to the criteria for DSM-IV of major depression. The criteria of assessment of depressive condition are going through changes (Guay, 2012). Incorporating somatic symptoms in depression scales leads to incorrect scores for patients suffering from PD. This may therefore influence the outcome of treatment trials. This calls for an investigation in a clinical format. In general, the observer should use an inclusive approach when scoring answers and patients have to be informed that they should not attribute their symptoms to depression or PD when scoring scales of self-rating. The instruments evaluated in this research are not used to or were not designed to identify subsyndromal or minor depression, and do not offer reflections over the diversity PD mood disorders have. Thus, there is a need to make further characterization of other depressive disorder types. Furthermore, cutoffs need to make adopted for the purpose of research and a specified period designed to include a larger variety of depressive disorders rather than dealing with major depression through cutoffs. Furthermore, there is a need for separate assessment when using scales to measure anhedonia, anxiety of apathy. In this research, the team did not make an assessment on multidimensional scales. However, these scales may prove useful in certain circumstances and have to be validated prior to their recommendation for usage. The caregiver’s role in reporting depression symptoms needs to be operationalized and in particular with scales that assess depressive disorder with comorbid symptoms. Whilst assessing depressive disorder with patients suffering from PD, the task force committee agreed that a majority of the same setbacks would be encountered when a new scale for PD is being developed. At present therefore, the task force does not offer any recommendation for a new scale development. Rather, it advises better studying existing scales. Developing a depression scale in PD is feasible and relevant only when there is an agreement over certain conceptual issues. Furthermore, the aspect of comparing symptoms of depression in PD with those from psychiatric disorders bears advantages. In conclusion, it is vital to recognize that major depressive disorder is a widespread mental complication in the modern world that may sometimes lead to disability or disease such as Parkinson’s disease (PD). The Movement Disorder Society in the United States endeavored to carry out a research in order to assess depressive disorder among patients with PD. The research was able to identify a number of rating scales for the assessment and screening of depression disorder. In this regard, these scales are used to assess depression among patients suffering from PD or not. The research was able to establish that the diagnosis of depressive disorder is at present being carried out through the diagnostic and statistics strategy (DSM-IV). This is as recommended by the American Psychiatric Association. However, upon reviewing the findings of this research, it is vital to recognize that certain considerations need to be appreciated. In this case, I was able to establish that the diagnosis of depressive disorder should not solely be made based on a rating scale score. A mere score of these instruments cannot capture a comprehensive range of depression disorder. This implies that further tests need to be made carried to facilitate informed and correct conclusions regarding the psychological status of the patient in question (Puig Encinas, 2012). Reference American Psychiatric Association. (2000). Practice guideline for the treatment of patients with major depressive disorder. Washington, D.C: American Psychiatric Association. Brown, M. R. (2004). Major Depressive Disorder Research. New York: Nova Biomedical Books. Guay, A. (2012). Major depressive disorder. Delhi: Research World. Hahlweg, K., Goldstein, M. J. (2007). Understanding major mental disorder: The contribution of family interaction research. New York: Family Process Press. Nilsson, F. M., Kessing, L. V., Sorensen, T. M., Andersen, P. K., Bolwig, T. G. (2002). Major depressive disorder in Parkinson’s disease: a register-based study. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 106, 3, 202-11. Puig, F. J. E., Encinas, F. J. L. (2012). Effectiveness of Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment for Major Depressive Disorder in a University Psychology Clinic. The Spanish Journal of Psychology, 15.( 3). 1388-1399. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.5209/rev_SJOP.2012.v15.n3.39423 Simpson, H. B. (2010). Anxiety disorders: Theory, research, and clinical perspectives. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Sudak, D. M. (2011). Combining CBT and medication: An evidence-based approach. Hoboken: Wiley.

Alternative Sources of Energy as a Replacement of Oil

Alternative Sources of Energy as a Replacement of Oil Alternative Sources of Energy as a Replacement of Oil Modern society depends on electricity, which is the main type of available energy. Most of the electricity is generated using nonrenewable resources. Accessible oil and gas reserves are slightly higher than their current annual extraction. However, when comparing the figures related to the assessment of known reserves of most available fuels with the numbers of their current consumption, humanity can estimate the maximum time, for which these reserves may be sufficient. For oil, time is 65 years; for gas, it is 44 years; for coal, it is 320 years. In order to solve the energy problems by technical means, specialists offer two contrasting scenarios: the development of new techniques of energy production and the development of technology for energy efficiency. Thus, the development of new techniques of energy production using alternative sources of energy and the ability to replace oil and gas by them should be considered. Solar Energy Today, for the conversion of solar radiation into electrical energy, people have two possibilities: to use solar energy as a heat source to generate electricity by conventional means (for instance, using turbo) or directly convert solar energy into electricity in solar cells. The implementation of both options is still undeveloped. Solar energy is used for melting substances, heating, distillation of water, as well as heating after concentration by mirrors. As solar energy is distributed over a large area (in other words, has a low density), any system for the direct use of solar energy should have a collecting device (collector) with a sufficient surface. The simplest device of this kind is the flat-plate collector, a black stove, well insulated from the bottom. It is covered with glass or plastic that transmits light, but does not allow the infrared heat radiation. In the space, between the plate and black glass tube, through which water, oil, mercury, air, sulfur dioxide flow, are placed. Solar radiation penetrating through glass or plastic in the collector pipe is absorbed by the black stove and heat the working medium in the tubes. Thermal radiation cannot escape from the reservoir; therefore, the temperature in it is much higher (200-500 C pa) than the ambient air temperature. This reflects the so-called greenhouse effect. Ordinary garden greenhouses, in fact, are simple solar collectors. However, the farther away the equipment is from the tropics, the less effective the horizontal collector is, since turning it after the sun is too difficult and expensive. Therefore, these collectors are usually set at a certain optimum angle to the south. More difficult and expensive collector is a concave mirror, which focuses the incident radiation in a small volume around a certain geometric point - focus. The reflective surface of the mirror is made of metallized plastic or made up of many small plane mirrors attached to a large parabolic base. Due to the special mechanisms, this type of collector is constantly turned to the sun; thus, it can collect the largest possible amount of solar radiation. The temperature in the working space of mirror reaches 3000 C (Orloff, 2008). Arguments against the Use of Solar Energy Solar energy refers to the type of energy, which consumes a lot of material resources for production. Large-scale use of solar energy results in a substantial increase of demand of materials and, consequently, the labor force for the production of raw materials, enrichment, obtaining materials, manufacturing heliostats, collectors, other equipment, transportation. Calculations show that the production of 1 MWh of electricity per year would cost between 10 000 and 40 000 hours of human labor, comparing with the figure 200-500 000 hours in traditional energy sphere. Electricity produced by of the solar rays is much more expensive than the energy obtained by conventional methods. Biofuels Bioethanol is, in fact, a normal ethanol, which is produced by hydrolysis or fermentation of sugar-containing plants or straw and husks with subsequent distillation or purification. Biodiesel is a type of biofuel on the basis of vegetable or animal fats (oils), as well as the products of esterification, which are used in pure form or as various blends with diesel fuel. Any type of vegetable oil can be used for the production of biodiesel, but, as a rule, for these purposes specific oils are used such as canola (84%), sunflower (13%) and soybean (2%) oils. The main advantages of biodiesel are: Renewable energy sources; Preservation of natural resources; Can be used in conventional, unmodified diesel engines; Storage conditions are similar to conventional diesel fuel; The possibility of extending the life of diesel engines is higher than of fuel oil; The production and use of biodiesel have about 80% less carbon dioxide emissions, and almost 100% - sulfur dioxide (reducing pollution) (Brown, 2007). Moreover, the use of 5% bioethanol results in reduced carbon emissions by 3.5% and E85 (85% alcohol fuel) by 50%. In the biofuels, the presence of 15% ethanol reduces CO2 in the exhaust gas by 25%, hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides - by 5-15%. In addition to the environmental benefits, the use of biofuels makes a considerable commercial value; General Motors, Ford and Daimler-Chrysler created hundreds of thousands vehicles, operating on a conventional gasoline, as well as on a gasoline mixed with ethanol. Oil companies are also looking for an alternative and increasingly conceive projects for the production of biofuels. Thus, this year known oil company Shell will produce ethanol with Brazil's Cosan, the largest exporter of sugar cane, and will invest in the project hundreds of millions of dollars (Brown, 2007). Wind Energy Resources of wind energy are more than a hundred times higher than the water energy of all the rivers of the world. Total wind energy potential of the Earth is 1200 TW. The average wind speed at a height of 20-30 m above the surface of the Earth should be large enough that the power of the air flow, passing through the properly oriented vertical section, reaches a value that is acceptable for conversion. Wind power stations are built mostly DC. Fantail drives the dynamo-electric generator, which also charges the parallel connected batteries. The battery pack is automatically connected to the generator at a time, when the voltage at its output terminals is greater than on the battery terminals and is also automatically turned off. Theoretically, coefficient of the efficiency of energy use of the air flow can be equal to 59.3%. In practice, the maximum coefficient of beneficial use of wind energy in the real wind turbine is about 50%. In addition, some of the energy of the air flow is lost in the conversion of mechanical energy into electrical energy, which is carried out with an efficiency of typically 75-95%. Taking into account all these factors, the specific electric power supplied by real wind power units, apparently, is 30-40% of the capacity of the air flow (Melis, 2001). The most crucial argument against this type of alternative energy is the high cost of a wind machine. Geothermal Energy Energy land or geothermal energy is based on the use of the natural heat of the earth. The upper part of the earth's crust is the thermal gradient, equal to 20-30 C per 1 km depth, and, according to White (1965), the amount of heat contained in the earth's crust to a depth of 10 km (excluding the surface temperature), is about 12,6*10 26 J. These resources are equivalent to the heat content of 4,6 1016 tons of coal, which is more than 70 thousand times greater than the heat content of technically and economically recoverable coal resources of the world. For electricity production in the fields of hot water, a method based on the use of the vapor formed by evaporation of hot liquid on the surface is used. This method uses the phenomenon that when the hot water under high pressure in wells goes from the pool to the surface, its pressure falls, and about 20% of the liquid boils and turns to steam. This vapor is separated from the water and sent to the turbine. Water coming out of the separator can be subjected to further processing, depending on its mineral composition. This water can be pumped back into the rocks at once, or if it is economically justified, with a preliminary extraction of its minerals (Orloff, 2008). Arguments against the Use of Geothermal Energy High prime cost, high cost of facilities for producing energy from geysers are the principal arguments against this type of alternative energy. Furthermore, obtaining geothermal energy directly from magma is not technically feasible. However, geothermal heat in the upper part of the crust (to a depth of 10 km) is too scattered to solve world's energy problems. Resources suitable for industrial use are separate fields of geothermal energy, focusing on accessible depth. They have a certain amount of heat, sufficient for their use for the production of electricity or heat. Technologies, needed to use energy of the hot dry rock, just begin to develop. Ocean Thermal Energy Last decade is characterized by certain success in the use of ocean thermal energy. Thus, stations for mini-OTEC (Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion) are created. For the first time in the history of technology, mini-OTEC system could give the external load utility power, at the same time covering its own needs. Experience gained in the operation of mini-OTEC, will faster enable to build a more powerful OTEC-1 and begin to design more powerful systems of this type. Arguments against are the technological complexity of implementing and high cost of the construction of such a facility (Horton, 2008). The Energy of the Tides For centuries, people have speculated on the cause of tides. Today, it is reliably known that this powerful natural phenomenon, a rhythmic movement of sea water, is caused by gravity of the Moon and the Sun. The maximum possible power from one tide to another can be expressed by the equation W=p*g*S*R2,where p is the density of water, g is the acceleration due to gravity, S is the area of the Tidal Basin, R is the difference in level at high tide. As it can be seen from the formula for tidal energy, some places are the most suitable on the coast, where the tides have large amplitude, while contour and coastal features can make a big closed "basins". Capacity of plants in some areas can reach 2-20 MW. First maritime tidal power station with capacity of 635 kW was built in 1913 in the Bay of Dee near Liverpool. In 1935, the building of a tidal power plant in the U.S. was begun. Americans dammed part of Passamakvodi Bay on the East Coast, spent $ 7 million, but the work was stopped. Argentine experts offered to use substantially high tidal waves in the Strait of Magellan, but the government did not approve the expensive project. Since 1967, at the mouth of the Rance River in France, at high tide of 13 meters, a tidal power station with the capacity of 240 thousand kW with an annual return 540 thousand kW has been working. Soviet engineer Bernstein developed a convenient way of blocks building on TPS, hauled afloat to the right places, and calculated the cost-effective procedure for the inclusion of TPS in the grid in the hours of their peak load by consumers (Horton, 2008). Arguments against this kind of alternative energy are inconvenience for the construction due to the lack of conditions (mismatch in seabed, etc.) and high cost of installation. The Energy of Sea Currents Inexhaustible supplies of the kinetic energy of ocean currents, accumulated in the oceans and seas, can be converted into the mechanical energy and electricity using turbines, immersed in water (like windmills, "immersed" in the atmosphere). One of the projects of waves using is based on the principle of an oscillating water column. In the gigantic "boxes" without a bottom and with holes at the top, water level rises and falls down under the influence of waves. The water column in the box acts like a piston: sucks air and forces it into the turbine blades. Currently, in some countries, and especially in England, an intensive work in terms of using of waves energy is being carried out. The British Isles have a very long coastline; in many places, the sea is stormy for a long time. Scientists estimate that 120 GW can be obtained up by the energy of the waves of the British territorial waters, which is twice more than the capacity of all power plants owned by the British Central Electri city Authority. Argument against this type of alternative energy is its low efficiency. One can expect to use only about 10% of the energy flow. There are also the technical difficulties of tools development: harmonization of inertia of turbine wheels with the amount of air in ducts in such a way that inertia keeps constant speed of turbine shafts in a wide range of conditions on the sea surface. Different types of alternative energy sources, their description "for" and arguments "against" their replacement of oil were considered. Nonetheless, it is also necessary to consider the reality (Zehner, 2012). The thing is that the current global financial system is totally dependent on the ever-increasing supply of oil and natural gas. Global financial and economic systems are built on the aspiration of the sustainable economic "growth". This growth of economic activity increases the amount of spent energy. At the moment, the global economy is able to perceive only fossil fuels (primarily oil and natural gas) as the form of energy, reserves of which are rapidly running out. A barrel of oil contains the energy equivalent of almost 25 thousand hours of human labor. Moreover, just one gallon of gasoline is the equivalent of 200-500 hours of human labor. Almost all of the work done in the world economy, such as all manufacturing, construction and transport, is done with energy, which is derived from fuel. In 2012, the production of one calorie of food, consumed in the United States, required ten calories of fossil fuel. 20% of the use of fuel resources in the U.S. is in the food chain, which means that their consumption of the food industry can compete with cars. Modern medicine, water and maintenance of the army are entirely based on oil and its chemical derivatives. In the U.S., the infrastructure of Internet supporting takes 10% of the produced energy. The dynamics of oil production is described by a Gaussian curve. An ever-increasing abundance of oil is on the upward slope of the curve; its increasing scarcity and high cost are on the downward. Conclusion Summarizing the above, alternative energy sources are a great option for development. However, the reality is that any source of alternative energy is able to cover the world's energy needs as it is 31 billion barrels a year, and it continues to grow. No source of alternative energy can produce energy without the cost of oil and gas for its production. None of them is cheap enough, clean (do not pollute the environment) and available in quantities of at least close to the immense volume of everyday consumption of oil and natural gas in the world. Discovering and extracting raw materials, such as silver, copper, platinum, uranium, which is necessary for the construction of solar panels and wind turbines, requires a huge amount of oil and other scarce resources. Oil is also needed for the development of alternative energy installations, distribution, support and their adaptation to the currently existing infrastructure. The reality is that it is preferred to invest world financial capi tal in military technology instead of investments in alternative energy sources, foreseeing future energy conflicts, namely the war for the remaining resources. The current system of market economy, the main purpose of which is to make more money and use more energy, will not allow the implementation of alternative energy sources, until reserves of oil and gas will end. As the exhaustion of oil and gas in the world's current economic model is inevitable, reserves of other forms of energy are not enough for a full-scale commercial operation, humanity is constrained to await for several depressive decades as long as the energy deficit will not be filled, and the world economic system will not be radically restructured.

4th Grade Math Lesson on Factor Trees

4th Grade Math Lesson on Factor Trees Students create a factor tree with numbers between 1 and 100. Grade Level Fourth Grade Duration   One class period, 45 minutes in length Materials blackboard or whiteboardpaper for students to write onIf you prefer a more artistic touch, copies with four evergreen tree shapes per page Key Vocabulary   factor, multiple, prime number, multiply, divide. Objectives In this lesson, students will create factor trees. Standards Met 4.OA.4: Find all factor pairs for a whole number in the range 1-100. Recognize that a whole number is a multiple of each of its factors. Determine whether a given whole number in the range 1-100 is a multiple of a given one-digit number. Determine whether a given whole number in the range 1-100 is prime or composite. Lesson Introduction   Decide ahead of time whether or not you wish to do this as part of a holiday assignment. If you prefer not to connect this to winter and/or the holiday season, skip Step #3 and references to the holiday season. Step-by Step Procedure Discuss learning target- to identify all of the factors of 24 and other numbers between 1 and 100.Review with students the definition of a factor. And why do we need to know the factors of a particular number? As they get older, and have to work more with fractions with like and unlike denominators, factors grow increasingly important.Draw a simple evergreen tree shape at the top of the board. Tell students that one of the best ways to learn about factors is by using a tree shape.Begin with the number 12 at the top of the tree. Ask students what two numbers can be multiplied together to get the number 12. For example, 3 and 4. Underneath the number 12, write 3 x 4. Reinforce with students that they have now found two factors of the number 12.Now let’s examine the number 3. What are the factors of 3? What two numbers can we multiply together to get 3? Students should come up with 3 and 1.Show them on the board that if we put down the factors 3 and 1, then we would be continuing this work forever. When we get to a number where the factors are the number itself and 1, we have a prime number and we are done factoring it. Circle the 3 so that you and your students know that they are done. Draw their attention back to the number 4. What two numbers are factors of 4? (If students volunteer 4 and 1, remind them that we aren’t using the number and itself. Are there any other factors?)Below the number 4, write down 2 x 2.Ask students if there are any other factors to consider with the number 2. Students should agree that these two numbers are â€Å"factored out†, and should be circled as prime numbers.Repeat this with the number 20. If your students seem confident about their factoring abilities, have them come to the board to mark the factors.If it is appropriate to refer to Christmas in your classroom, ask student which number they think has more factors–24 (for Christmas Eve) or 25 (for Christmas Day)? Conduct a factor tree contest with half of the class factoring 24 and the other half factoring 25. Homework/Assessment   Send students home with a tree worksheet or a blank sheet of paper and the following numbers to factor: 10099514036 Evaluation   At the end of math class, give your students a quick Exit Slip as an assessment. Have them pull a half sheet of paper out of a notebook or binder and factor the number 16. Collect those at the end of math class and use that to guide your instruction the next day. If most of your class is successful at factoring 16, make a note to yourself to meet with the small group that is struggling. If many students have trouble with this one, try to provide some alternate activities for the students who understand the concept and reteach the lesson to the larger group.

Abolitionist Pamphlet Campaign

Abolitionist Pamphlet Campaign In the summer of 1835 the growing abolitionist movement attempted to influence public opinion in the slave states by mailing thousands of anti-slavery pamphlets to addresses in the South. The material inflamed southerners, who broke into post offices, seized bags of mail containing the pamphlets, and made a spectacle of burning the pamphlets in the streets as mobs cheered. The interference with the postal system created a crisis at the federal level. And the battle over use of the mails  illuminated how the issue of slavery was splitting the nation decades before the Civil War. In the North, calls to censor the mails were naturally seen as a violation of Constitutional rights. In the slave states of the South, the literature produced by the American Anti-Slavery Society was viewed as a dire threat to southern society. On a practical level, the local postmaster in Charleston, South Carolina, requested guidance from the postmaster general in Washington, who essentially dodged the issue. After a spasm of demonstrations in the South, in which effigies representing abolitionist leaders were burned as anti-slavery pamphlets were thrown into bonfires, the battleground moved on to the halls of Congress. President Andrew Jackson  even mentioned the mailing of the pamphlets in his annual message to Congress (the forerunner of the State of the Union Address). Jackson advocated suppressing the literature by having federal authorities censor the mails. Yet his approach was challenged by an eternal rival, Senator John C. Calhoun of South Carolina, who advocated for local censorship of federal mail. In the end, the campaign of the abolitionists to mail pamphlets southward was essentially abandoned as being impractical. So the immediate issue of censoring the mails died out. And the abolitionists  changed tactics and began to concentrate on sending petitions to Congress to advocate for the end of slavery. Strategy of the Pamphlet Campaign The idea of mailing thousands of anti-slavery pamphlets into the slave states began to take hold in the early 1830s. The abolitionists couldnt send human agents to preach against slavery, as they would be risking their lives. And, thanks for the financial backing of the Tappan brothers, wealthy New York City merchants who had become devoted to the abolitionist cause, the most modern printing technology was made available to spread the message. The material produced, which included pamphlets and broadsides (large sheets designed to be passed around or hung as posters), tended to have woodcut illustrations depicting the horrors of slavery. The material may look crude to modern eyes, but in the 1830s it would have been considered fairly professional printed material. And the illustrations were particularly inflammatory to southerners. As slaves tended to be illiterate (as was generally mandated by law), the existence of printed material showing slaves being whipped and beaten was seen as particularly inflammatory. Southerners claimed the printed material from the American Anti-Slavery Society was intended to provoke slave uprisings. And knowing the abolitionists had the funding and personnel to turn out printed material of substantial quality was disturbing to pro-slavery Americans. End of the Campaign The controversy over censoring the mails essentially ended the pamphlet campaign. Legislation to open and search the mails failed in Congress, but local postmasters, with the tacit approval of their superiors in the federal government, still suppressed the pamphlets. Ultimately, the American Anti-Slavery Society came to realize that a point had been made. And the movement began to concentrate on other initiatives, most prominently the campaign to create strong anti-slavery action in the House of Representatives. The pamphlet campaign, within about a year, was essentially abandoned.

Encounter point Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Encounter point - Essay Example The ownership claims over Jerusalem by Muslims and Jews seems to be the major issue involved in Israel-Palestine dispute. â€Å"Encounter point† is a 2006 award-winning film directed by Ronit Avni and Julia Bacha. It is about people, who have dedicated their lives to trying to resolve the Israeli Palestinian conflict through non-violence means. Non-violence was the ideology through which Mahatma Gandhi succeeded in removing British colonialism from Indian soil. The film â€Å"Encounter point† discusses the possibility of implementing that ideology in settling the issues between Israel and Palestine. This paper analyses various dimensions of the Israel-Palestine conflict as portrayed in the film encounter. In my opinion, the film is not portraying the conflict as between two equal or symmetrical parties. In fact the film describes Israel as the dominant party and the Palestinians as the receiving party. There are many scenes in the film in which wounded Palestinians express their bitterness against the Israelis. At the same time there are no scenes which describe any wounded Israeli blaming the Palestinians at the rehabilitation center. The above fact clearly suggests that the intention of the director of this film was never to portray the clashes between Israel and Palestine as a clash between two equal forces. The film is definitely unbalanced even though some perceive it as favoring the Palestinian side while others as favoring the Israeli side. â€Å"In one scene a Palestinian makes the claim the IDF put poison on their bullets. There is no Israeli to rebut that unlikely claim, nor to mention the fact that suicide bombers add metal bolts and screws to their explosives to maximize civilian casualties† (Gates). In other words, the film says many things about the massacres of Israeli soldiers. At the same time, it says nothing about the suicide bombers from the Palestinian side. The director seems to be taking the side of the

Role of Public Health Practitioners Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Role of Public Health Practitioners - Essay Example The main priorities of public Health policy in 2011 and 2012 includes controlling of death and dying, countering depression to promote emotional well being, achieving sexual and reproduction health and ensuring health at work. Through public health, the government in conjunction with the public health practitioners share the goals of giving every child the best start in life and enabling the children, the youth and the old people to utilise their potential and have control over their lives. It also plans to boost ill-health prevention and develop healthy and sustainable communities. The fair society healthy lives also seek to create fairness in accessing jobs and ensure healthy living standards for every citizen. Public health practitioners are the key implementers of any given health policy that is laid down. During their call to duty, they under go various challenges, rewards and experiences depending on a number of circumstances. This paper discusses the role of three public healt h practitioners Lucy Smith a public health manager in charge of mental well wellbeing, Sue Levi a consultant in public health medicine and Thara Raj a public health manager in sexuality and immunisation. ... s out time to time evaluation on the level of implementation of the public health policy on mental wellness and measure it outcomes after the implementation period. She organises, supervise and conduct trainings and meetings for local agencies, employers and school management teams to educate them on ways of improving and promoting the mental well being within their institutions. She continuously conducts research to find new ways of engaging the local authorities and agencies on ways that reduce health risks and promote the mental well being of the Lambeth residents. Some of the challenges that Lucy Smith faces as the one in charge of mental well being include failure to comply with the set down policies that promote a culture of participation, equality and fairness by employers and some learning institutions. This is because most employers are profit oriented and some of the policies designed do not work in support of making fast money. There is also limited number of psychological institutions that can offer counselling and mentorship advice to institutions and individuals in to promote mental wellbeing (Rowitz, 2009). Some of the approaches that are applied by Lucy Smith are through collaboration and the use of social media in promoting well being. One of such groups is â€Å"Mind Apples†. She clearly shows her support by saying that "We are thrilled to be working with Mindapples in our GP practices to get people talking about mental health in a positive way.† (Lucy Smith) Through this media, people are able to share positive thoughts on how they can stay positive in life and healthy too. Smith also promotes teamwork and collaboration among all the stakeholders in promoting mental well beings .For example, allocating specific topics of discussion to specific

The Fall of Rome Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Fall of Rome - Research Paper Example This researcher paper "The Fall of Rome" analyzes the key causes that triggered the fall of Rome. The destructive effect of nomad tribes’ invasions has been discussed as one of the most significant reasons of Rome’s decay. This point of view is adopted by Ward-Perkins who claims a sort of military crisis caused by the invasion of people from Asia to have triggered the fall (Ward-Perkins). Having conquered the territory of the Black Sea region be the beginning of the 3rd century, the unions of Goths launched the military campaign against the Roman Empire. The first battle between Romans and Goths took place in 378 bringing overwhelming defeat to the Roman army and death to the emperor. After a pause lasting about 50 years, the tribes besieged Rome. Although the capital suffered raging hunger and diseases, Roman refused to surrender or accept Alaric’s proposals (Alaric was the head of the Goth army). Unfortunately, despite desperate attempts to hold the line, the e nemy had managed to gain control over Rome – it was for the first time in the history of this glorious empire that barbaric tribes had captured this city. Later, Vandals became the ones to deliver the final blow to the capital of the Western Roman Empire, killing an immense amount of citizens and enslaving the survivors. It is reasonable to add, that the name of this tribe has turned into a common noun for villains and destroyers as a result of the atrocities the conquerors committed in Rome. However, it was Guns who led the Western Roman Empire to the complete collapse.