Howard Street Jewelers Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Howard Street Jewelers - Case Study Example This gave her a good chance of covering up her fraudulent actions. Many frauds of this nature are made possible by ignorance of owners when it comes to studying books of accounts and awarding of a lot of trust to employees which is dangerous. The fraud was detected due to the receipts from the shop that showed high costs for such a small business. Studying of the account books by Alvin more often also allowed them to detect the fraud. The Levi’s should have paid attention to Betty’s lifestyle as it was changing inconcurently with her earnings. The increase in costs of operation for the shop should have also been a sufficient heads up. The ratios of costs of operation and the size of the business are the ones that raised an alarm to the accountant. In addition, the shop was facing downward movement in terms of profits and earnings. The business was going downhill. The cash shortages were not directly related to the fraud. The reason why businesses have cash shortages even if there is no theft of cash is because of the exaggerated receipts that show high operational costs. The accountant does not bear any responsibility because he is an external accountant and doing an audit for a private business is not one of his legal duties. He is only expected to do it if contracted by the owners of the private business (Petrucelli

Body Fat and Eating Disorders Paper Essay Example for Free

Body Fat and Eating Disorders Paper Essay Obese people have an overall morality rate almost twice that of non obese people. They are more than three times as likely to develop diabetes. Obesity is associated with unhealthy cholesterol levels and impaired heart function. It is estimated that if all Americans had a healthy body composition, the incidence of coronary heart disease would drop by 25%. Other health risks associated with obesity include hypertension, many kinds of cancer, impaired immune function, gallbladder and kidney diseases, and bone and joint disorders. These risk from obesity increase with its severity, and they are much more likely to occur in people who are more than twice their desirable body weight. Body Fat The distribution of body fat is also an important indicator of future health. People who tend to gain weight in the abdominal area have risk of coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and stroke twice as high as those who tend to gain weight hip area. The reason for this increase risk is not entirely clear, but it appears that fat in the abdomen is more easily mobilized and sent into the bloodstream, increasing disease related blood fat levels. In addition to risking physical health, obesity can impair psychological health. Being perceived as fat can be the source of ridicule, ostracism, and sometimes discrimination from others; it can contribute to psychological problems such as depression and low self esteem. For some, the stigma associated with obesity can give rise to a negative body image, body dissatisfaction, and eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia. What Influence Behavior Obesity is an result of intricate interactions of biology, behavior, and environment. Recent hypothesis in the scientific community suggest the current obesity epidemic is being driven largely by environmental factors (high energy/ high fat foods, fast foods consumption, television watching, â€Å"super sized† portions) rather than biological ones. Individuals are bombarded with images and offers of high fat, high calorie, high palatable, convenient, and inexpensive foods. Today’s stressful lifestyles compound the effects of environmental factors by impairing weight loss efforts and by promoting fat storage. Health Problems Associated with Anorexia Nervosa, and Bulimia Nervosa, and Binge eating disorder. When it comes to Anorexia Nervosa, and the cycle of self starvation. The body is denied the essential nutrients it needs to function normally. It can cause an abnormally slow heart rate, and low blood pressure. When it comes to Bulimia Nervosa, and the recurrent binge and purge cycles of bulimia can affect the entire digestive system ad can lead to electrolyte and chemical imbalances in the body that affect the heart and other major organ functions. Electrolytes imbalances that can lead to irregular heartbeats and possibly heart failure and death. When it comes to Binge eating disorder often result in the same health risk associated with clinical obesity. High blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, secondary diabetes, gallbladder disease, and heart disease as a result of elevated triglyceride levels. Conclusion When it comes to eating disorders sometimes your regular medical doctor is not the best one for treating these disorders. You may need to seek the help of a psychologist, because there are usually some mental issues involved in eating disorders. References: Eating Disorders Health Consequences, By John M. Grohol, Psy.D, Jun.1, (2010), Retrieved from, www.psychcentral.com Health Risk of Excess Body Fat, n.a., n.d., Retrieved from, www.teach.valosta.edu Environmental and Life Influences on Obesity, By P.J. Brantley, V.H. Myers, H.J. Roy, Jan., (2005), Retrieved from, www.ncbi.nim.nih.gov

Virtual Against the Real :: Movies Technology Essays

Virtual Against the Real Two men stand on the rooftop. One man, dressed in a black suit and black tie, shoots a penetrating look at the other through his dark sunglasses. With a quick flick of his wrists, the man in the suit fires a handful of lethal bullets. Time slows down as the projectiles float towards their victim. The camera angle changes as the man acrobatically bends back to dodge the rippling bullets. Whoosh! The bullets fly by in normal speed as the man quickly gets back up. Neo, the man who almost tasted lead, straightens himself out before continuing to battle the agents of the virtual world. I sat back comfortably on my couch watching The Matrix (1999), thinking of the virtual versus the real. All the movies I saw recently, all the advertisements that covered the media, and almost anywhere I went, I noticed the use of computer graphics. Even the movie I was watching, The Matrix, was enhanced and completed with the aid of computerized special effects. In order to make a blockbuster hit, it seems as if computer graphics are essential. However, with computers readily available at their fingertips, a portion of the producers, artists, designers are beginning to use computer graphics not so much to enhance as to replace the real. Whenever computer technology is used to replace what is real, I fear there is a danger of losing aspects of a vital humanity. Nowadays, any top science fiction or action/adventure movie uses at least some bit of computerized special effects. I still remember being amazed at how real the tyrannosaurus rex looked in the blockbuster hit, Jurassic Park. I was amazed at the power and realism of the virtual dinosaur. Computer graphics, in some respect, are a necessity in today’s films. For example, in Tom Hank’s Cast Away (2000), all the island scenes were filmed on a mud-pile overlooking a parking lot. Michael A Hiltzik in â€Å"Digital Cinema Take 2† describes how almost all the shots with a sky or ocean were done with special effects. There are numerous examples where computer graphics enhanced the film, including the creation of fantasy worlds in Lord of the Rings (2001). What made these computer-enhanced movies so effective was that they relied almost entirely on live human actors. They had the beautifully depicted scenery, from the snowy mountains to the cozy village of the Hobbits, t hat were all generated by computer, but there is nothing better to portray human stories, stories that we can imagine ourselves in, than live actors.

How to Purchase a video recorder? :: Digital Video Camera

How to Purchase a video recorder? A video camera can be a very useful tool in recording milestones in your family, or just something that you would like to see again. Unfortunately there are so many factors that can make purchasing a video camera a very difficult task. If you don’t do your research on the types and features of video camera you may have gotten yourself into some deep trouble. Looking for camera’s in the store before doing some research is extremely troublesome. The store has a number of features listed that aren’t extremely important, and others not listed that are very important. Also at a store with sales people, often time the salesman knows very little about the cameras and tries to convince you that the most expensive is the best for you. Reading this paragraph has shown that there are many factors included in making this decision. After reading this paper you will be better equipped to go out and to choose the camera that is best suited for you. The two most popular types of video cameras on the market right now are DVD camcorders and Mini-DV Camcorders. The average price of a DVD Camcorder is between â€Å"$550 and $600† (http://www.camcorderinfo.com/). The average price of a Mini-DV camcorder is â€Å"under $500, with many models under $300† (http://www.bestbuy.com). The main reason that the DVD camcorder is more expensive is because it is more convenient to the average user. The average camcorder user will not use his camcorder very often, and will not do much if any video editing. The DVD camcorder records all of the video directly onto a DVD that you placed in the camcorder. This enables you to be instantly able to watch the movie on a television using a DVD player, thus making it more convenient. Mini-DV camcorders are the mainstream camcorder for the novice to the more experienced user. This is because of their low price and large functionality. Mini-DV camcorders record movies onto a digita l tape rather than a DVD or an analog tape. If you are a video-editing enthusiast you may want to be much more selective about the camera you purchase. Video editing is the process in which you capture video using a camcorder, and then transfer the video from the camcorder to your pc.

The Nature of God and Man

The Nature of God and Man Utah Valley University Abstract The nature and relationship of God to man has always been human natures more important question. â€Å"As man is, god once was; as god is, man may become. † Lorenzo Snow. I have asked myself this statement many times. What is Gods nature? What is mans nature? And human nature is God's nature; therefore, a study of God’s nature is simultaneously a study of human nature. I will explain this statement and my beliefs about human nature and how it operates. The Nature of God and Man I wasn’t nice to other people.I was always fighting, arguing, name calling with the neighbors, as well as my teachers. I stole from department stores, I lied to my parents and coaches and teachers. I cheated on my homework and tests and my relationships. I hurt others in physical altercations. I would bully my peers verbally. I manipulated people into to doing what I wanted. I used drugs and alcohol illegally, I would drive drunk, a nd I disrespected my elders. I have brought embarrassment and shame to my family. I haven’t always understood mans existence and purpose here in this life.I have come to understand that my purpose, which is part of my God-given human nature, is to become like God. I have realized that very slowly as the result of many mistakes and challenges. Some, maybe most, of the experiences from my which I have learned about my nature—which is also human nature–have been negative, but, a few have been positive. A negative experience from which I learned a great deal was taking my first drink of beer at a party at my brother's apartment when I was sixteen. That drink soon led to my becoming an alcoholic.One of the good choices I made, and there have only been a few, was to leave college–including my athletic dreams. I returned home after my sophomore year at college and spoke with my mother about some of my bad choices. I now go to court appointed counseling for the b ad choices I’ve made. It feels like the last 6 years of my life have been spent cleaning up the wreckage of my past. I have learned that making decisions that violate eternal principles and laws that are irrevocably decreed in heaven bring about personal pain, anguish, and sorrow.That was true for me, and I’m sure it’s true for everyone. I have learned from the bad experiences reported above that they lead to failure and misery. People told me that, but I had to learn it myself. I have since begun to take the necessary steps to make amends and repent of these behaviors. I have entered rehabilitation centers and have met with professionals to clean up my past and to avoid those same behaviors. In other words, I have begun to listen to the God given voice inside of me that has always called me to become like God.I now have a better knowledge of my divine purpose and a greater sense of myself through understanding the nature of God and the nature of man. And what i s this new understanding? God’s nature is human nature. And human nature is God's nature; therefore, a study of God’s nature is simultaneously a study of human nature. Much of my new understanding is based on two of Christian doctrines more popular statements which I have pondered at great length. The first is from the writings of President Lorenzo Snow, â€Å"As man is, god once was; as god is, man may become. The second is that man is created in the image of god (see Doctrine and Covenants 20:18). So, I am going to spend some time discussing God's nature because (as I will show later) it is man's nature too. God was once as I am today, with both good and bad qualities and characteristics. He had flaws and character defects, but God was a man who desired good works and self improvement. I do not profess to know all about God; in fact I know very little. I don’t know what God was like before He became God. God was somewhat like me and He figured out over time w hat mattered most to his progression and happiness.God was intelligent, patient, and meek. Although at times, he also may have been frightened, angry, and alone. God has experienced some of the same, if not all of the same emotions and feeling’s human’s experience. God sinned–possibly even as humans have sinned. God became God by overcoming all his imperfections and discovering true happiness, and God desires to keep us from making some of the same mistakes. And he can do that because our nature and his nature are the same. God gave us commandments to help us to become like him. One of the most important things God learned was the existence of eternal principles.I guess that means that those eternal principles existed before God did. It was through discovering and conforming to those eternal principles that God became who God is now. He learned that these principles have consequences, and when you abide by them you receive joy, happiness, and progress. When you violate them your reward is shame, guilt, and sorrow, and you quit making progress–or become worse. One of the traits of God's nature is the ability to change. Having learned about eternal principles, God continually strove to upgrade himself by conforming to them and increasingly realizing his potential.He continually progressed toward eventual perfection. That is called eternal progression. The need to move toward perfection is an important part of God's nature and of human nature. God wanted to progress and was willing to pay the price for progress, God never gave up. He never quit growing, progressing, challenging himself, stretching his limitations, accepting help from others, receiving input and advice. God was willing to do whatever it took to overcome whatever stood in his way. God understood that it isn’t where he was, but where He wanted to be that counted.God's ability to change and His desire to progress are what eventually made him into God. God also had a body, and that body was both a blessing and the source of many problems for him. It was a blessing because it seems that a spirit can only experience a limited amount, not enough to become perfect. Apparently spirits went as far as they could go as spirits, and without a body, spirits could make no more progress. That happened to God, and so somehow he was given a body. I said above that God kept learning, and one of the things he learned was that he had to control his body.His body was designed with a very basic nature: to pursue pleasure and avoid pain. God learned that his body could not always pursue pleasure. God learned through his own experience that many physical experiences, including sexual gratification must be controlled. He learned that sex is for a man and woman. It brings pleasure into the relationship, brings the couple closer together, and allows room for intimacy and growth and procreation. When this eternal principle is violated, the spirit and the body go out of harmony. Any gratification which harms or interferes with others must be deferred.Any pleasure of the body which compromises eternal principals of ethics and morality must be deferred. These are examples of eternal principles which God learned about his body. God also learned that he could not always avoid pain. How did he learn that? He learned it from the temptations, struggles, disappointments, and failures discussed earlier. God surely felt pain; he probably still feels it. We know that he weeps over lost souls. But even so he doesn't just save them anyway in their lost state. God has learned that he can't, so He has also learned to bear the pain.God learned that the pain of labor and hard work is a tool to strengthen us and teach us valuable lessons. God learned about the pain of loss that comes from a broken heart or the death of a loved one, the pain of separation from the Holy Spirit, the pain of disappointment that may stem from family life and close relationships, the pai n of failure from school or from a goal not accomplished. God learned that while some pain can be avoided, very often pain must be endured. God learned that it is the price he must pay for progress. Another thing which God learned or discovered was the love of others.He discovered that joy comes from thinking about and serving others. At first selfishness probably seemed best to meet his needs, but God eventually discovered that self seeking didn’t really meet his needs. What he discovered was that when a person cares for another person, they care for the person in return, and even if they don’t care for the person in return, there’s a feeling of joy that comes from helping them, and that seems to be another one of those eternal principles. When God discovered how to achieve joy, he immediately experienced love. He wanted to share his knowledge with others.This is like Lehi who upon tasting the fruit of the tree of life (joy), immediately thought to share it wit h others. God's love for others became his work and his glory which is to bring to pass the eternal life of mankind. (see Moses 1:39). If, as President Snow observed, â€Å"As man is, god once was; as god is, man may become,† the description of God’s nature is a description of human nature. The same eternal principles that God discovered apply as well to me and you. The principles exist and if we conform to them we get happiness, and if we don’t, we get misery.At first, it didn’t feel natural, not part of human nature, to conform to eternal principles. God calls our desire to resist change the â€Å"natural man† and the natural man has to learn to conform to those principles. Humans can either learn eternal principles from God by following his commandments, or they will learn those principles the way God did, which was the hard way. I had to learn a great many of them the hard way. I was told on many occasions that the direction my life was headed would lead me to heartache. I have since discovered, the hard way, that those people were right.God shows us those eternal principles in the form of commandments. What God discovered about life he reduced to rules called commandments so simple people can live them. If we live the commandments, we learn and live eternal principles, if we ignore the commandments we are on our own. When Abraham Maslow developed his concept of self-actualization, he chanced upon one of those eternal principles mentioned above. A result of the years which God spent struggling, learning, failing, repenting, etc, was that he learned that he could only be happy when he was realizing his potential to be perfect.It is not an accident that when Maslow set out to study human nature by studying how healthy humans act, he discovered self-actualization. Every human desires to fulfill his potential, to become all he can be. Concluding that the nature of every human being, is to strive and progress to become like Go d. Everything Maslow said about self actualization is true. Maslow called it self-actualization; I call it eternal progression. God purposefully placed each human being here on this earth to receive a body. God discovered that a physical body is necessary in order to have joy. But humans also need to learn to control their physical bodies.God learned that the body cannot always have pleasure and that it must endure some pain. Healthy people learn the same thing. Bodies are a great blessing if they are controlled. Humans can’t have pleasures all the time; they must be controlled. Controlling pleasures is not the same as denying pleasures; we have to learn from God what an appropriate expression of physical pleasure is and what it isn’t. God learned that you can’t avoid all pain. We feel growing pains through emotions that are not always understood by us. There are the pains of labor from working on projects and tasks that might not be very successful.We must endu re the pain of sickness and death that may arrive without notice. These are all the types of discomforts which God understands from his own personal experience. Humans are social beings who instinctively, which means by their nature as humans, need to be with other people and to feel love in order to feel fulfilled and complete. The importance of social needs and friendship are greatly misunderstood. Human’s needs for friendship creates humans own self image; how a human is accepted by peers determines to a large degree their own view of their personal worth.I recall a good example of friendship and how it can influence others for good. I was struggling with some directional decisions. A friend of my brother befriended me at the local gym and after many conversations, he convinced me to play football with him and others. Through his friendship and mentoring I grew to better understand the need for good positive friends. Humans' needs are such that social interaction and love drive us to each other. Humans need love and interaction to give them a sense of purpose, a sense of belonging, and a sense of homeostasis.Just like God, most humans learn that loving others works better than selfishness. Humans are created in such a way that human beings need nourishment, constant stimulation through verbal and non verbal communication from other people. During infants’ beginning growth they need constant contact with their parents and others, giving them the opportunity to grow and begin learning. Throughout childhood and into adolescences and on to adulthood, humans need and want other humans in their life to give them a sense of fulfillment and satisfaction.Physical embraces are common in all of life’s relationships: for example, in athletics' high-fives and pats on the backside to congratulate one another for a job well done. Sporting teams huddle up before and during, as well as after games, in order to come together and experiences their physica l and emotional state of being. It is customary in many cultures to embrace one another with hugs and kisses upon greeting one another. Man is as God once was, and God is as man may become. In addition, man was and is created in the image and likeness of God.I’ve used these two well known Christian doctrines to argue that investigating God’s nature is the best way to understand human nature. I don’t pretend to say that my ideas are Christian doctrine, but they are what I have come to believe as a result of my own personal struggles and their relationship to those two doctrines. When the day comes that I will be seated across from others, counseling them, I hope to treat them as people who are struggling, just as god may have once struggled. And it will be my job as a counselor to help them see their potential to become gods or goddesses. ? ? ?

Online Auto Auction

Online Auto Auction Introduction The auto industry is one of the largest industries in the world and this creates a lot of problems for various stakeholders in the industry. This essay will explore avenues that could be used in the process of setting up a car dealership within the car auction business. The essay is also going to look into ways and means of shipping cars within the car auction industry.Advertising We will write a custom proposal sample on Online Auto Auction specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The auto industry has evolved over the years and this has made car sales to increase through use of different channels. One of the growing channels for sale of cars is the internet due to the growth of online car auctions sales. The online car auction has been on the rise and as a result, car dealers in the world currently make use of e-commerce sites to advertise and conduct trade. Therefore, several pre-requisite have to be met in the process of esta blishing an online car auction. Overview There are several factors that one needs to consider before starting a business especially in the auto industry. The best tool to use in analysing a business start-up is a SWOT analysis on all factors affecting the online car auction industry. Moreover, we will also analyse the export of cars and the general trend within the auto industry. Type of Business: Before any person or organisation intends to start a business, a consideration on the kind of business has to be analysed. For instance, in the auto industry an organization can consider if they are going to sell at the retail or wholesale level. An organisation might come up with its own online portal like EBay or if it is the case of an individual, he/she might make use of a site like EBay. Moreover, in most cases retail auto dealers sell to individuals while wholesale business in most cases deal with selling to other dealers in different regions. Consequently, an organisation or an indi vidual might decide to focus on selling all types of vehicles or to sell a certain kind of automobiles (Krane, 2003). For instance, an organisation might have a niche and decide to sell trucks only, sedans only or other segments of vehicles in the auto industry.Advertising Looking for proposal on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Cost: This is a major factor that needs to be factored in the process of establishing an online auction business. Various costs have to be incurred in the process of establishing an online auction site. These costs include registration costs, licensing, advertising, and operational costs among others. As a result, careful budgeting and planning has to be done. However, the major costs that an online business owner should watch out are security and shipping. Online transactions are faceless and thus it susceptible to fraud and therefore adequate security measures should be undertaken (Rubenstein, 2010). Another major worry for online businesses is shipping especially in the case of international trade since several countries have different shipping rates and rules. While shipping to some regions could be considered non-commercially viable with problems like piracy and the sort. Thus, in an online auction you could either set for the customer to pay for shipping or for you to pay the shipping (Morris, 2011). These are some of the major cost factors that need to be addressed in the process of setting up an online auto auction business. Licensing: Before you set up an online auto auction in the United States of America, an organisation has to secure different business licenses. One of the mandatory licenses is a driver’s license that has to be issued with the US motor vehicle department. It is important to note that an individual can sell a limited number of vehicles without a license. This rule however does not apply for businesses or people sell ing large consignments of cars (Sinclair, 2007). Businesses exporting used or new cars the Unites States have to register with the office of foreign trade and this makes business more challenging. Apart from business and foreign trade licenses, businesses have to also consider that some countries require a certificate of vehicle inspection form the country of origin. This document is used to ascertain that certain regulations such as the age of the car do not exceed a certain number of years. For instance, Saudi Arabia only allows 4 year old cars to be imported into the country. Thus, all these licenses have to be acquired by the business during set up process.Advertising We will write a custom proposal sample on Online Auto Auction specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Price: This is a major factor considered by consumers and sellers in the process of trade. A consumer will buy a car or product based on the price of the car at the time o f the sale. As a result, the seller has to price his car competitively for his/her car to be bought and at the same time make a profit. During the setting up of an online auction site, thorough research has to be conducted before a reasonable reserve price is set. Factors that need to be factored in this process include the age of the car, mileage, features of the car (Jerenz, 2008). It is advisable to include and document all the features and condition of the vehicle for it to attract genuine and competitive bids. Since the online auction business relies on trust based on information shared in the process of conducting trade. Availing all the information is necessary in attracting customers and at the same time building a good reputation for the business (Rubenstein, 2010). Insurance: The auto industry relies heavily on insurance for the protection of interests of all stakeholders. Thus, an online auto auction business owner should have insurance all the cars his/her organisation i s selling. This helps in cushioning the business against losses such as theft, shipping of damage to the vehicles. Insurance covers such as general liability, comprehensive plans or a surety bond helps in protecting your business (Morris, 2011). For instance a surety bond might be expensive but it aids in covering of losses incurred as a result of failed contract with a supplier or vendor. The trade in used cars is lucrative but also risky hence an online auction business owner must get an insurance cover. Documentation: In the process of doing business, it is important for documents of trade to be used. However, the online auction trade is mainly conducted without formal documents. In consequence, a business owner must make the effort to ensure all the needed and necessary documents are in order. This is necessary for the purposes of trade since an online auction owner makes use of various channels within the trade process (Daft, 2006). For instance he/she has to work with custom o fficials during shipping, banks and other trade intermediaries. Moreover, the consumer has to be availed inspection documents, warranties, mileage and other documents necessary after purchase of the vehicle (Barringer, 2008).Advertising Looking for proposal on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The online auto auction of used cars has grown over the years due to various factors shaping the business world. The advancement of technology has accelerated online trade and the auto industry has also taken cue. Therefore, more auto online trade is conducted today and most of the trade is on used vehicles. Sites like EBay sell cars based on user ratings for different third party car buyers and sellers (Jarvenpaa, 2008). The successful implementation of the online trade has been based on trust and security measures under taken by online auctions site owners. The major driving force is price and the factors listed above with a bid to maintain and grow this industry. Based on research conducted, the auto online auction for used cars is set to grow due to consumer demand and ease of doing business. Therefore, it is recommended for a business owner to consider selling used cars using online auctions sites bearing in mind the above business factors. Conclusion Conducting an online aucti on site is quite challenging and business owners have to conduct good business research before commencing business. This is made more difficult since trade is conducted online where transactional and security risks are great. As a result, a business owner has to conduct good research and take the necessary precautions in opening an auto online auction business. Some of the factors he should look into are insurance, licensing, price and costs and if these factors are catered for and mitigated then a good business can be developed. The auto online auction trade is set to grow and this will have a good ripple effect on business owners venturing in this trade. References Barringer, B. (2008). The Truth About Starting a Business. London: Allen Unwin. Daft, R. Marcic, D. (2006). Understanding Management. Detroit, MI: John Wiley and Sons. Jarvenpaa, S. L., Tractinsky, N., Vitale, M. (2008). Consumer trust in an internet store. Information Technology and Management, 45–71. Jerenz, A. (2008). Revenue Management and Survival Analysis in the Automobile Industry. Chicago, IL: Cengage Learning. Krane, B. Markowitz, J. (2003). Analysis of eBay. New York, NY: Lippincott Williams Wilkins. Morris, M. (2011). Starting a Successful Business: Choose a Business, Plan Your Success. New York, NY: Jones Bartlett Learning. Rubenstein, J. (2010). The Changing Global Auto Industry: A Geographical Analysis. Boston, MA: Jones Bartlett Learning. Sinclair, J. Spillane, T. (2007). eBay motors the smart way: Selling and buying cars, trucks. Denver, CO: Springer Publishing Company.

Rasmussens Encephalitis Essays - Encephalitis, Immune System

Rasmussen's Encephalitis Essays - Encephalitis, Immune System Rasmussen's Encephalitis Keyur P. Biology...Science Rasmussen's Encephalitis The human immune system is an amazing system that is constantly on the alert protecting us from sicknesses. Thousands of white blood cells travel in our circulatory system destroying all foreign substances that could cause harm to our body or to any of the millions of processes going on inside. Now imagine a condition where this awesome system turns against the most complex organ in the human body, the brain. Deadly as it is, this condition is known as Rasmussens encephalitis. The meaningful research on Rasmussens encephalitis was begun (unintentionally) by Scott Rogers and Lorise Gahring, two neurologists, who were at the time measuring the distribution of glutamate receptors in the brain. Later on when more provocative information was found they enlisted the help of James McNamara and Ian Andrews, epilepsy experts at Duke University Medical Center. The details on Rasmussens encephalitis were very bleak at the time when the men began their research. All that was known is that Rasmussens encephalitis was a degenerative disease of the brain that caused seizures, hemiparesis, and dementia normally in the first ten years of life. The seizures that were caused by Rasmussens encephalitis were unstoppable by normal anti-seizure drugs used conventionally. What the worst part of the disease was that the pathogenesis for it were not known and even worse was how it developed. The first clue was delivered when Rogers and Gahring were trying to register the distribution of the glutamate receptors using antibodies, that tag on to the receptor itself. The proteins that make up the glutamate receptors(GluR) are only found inside the blood brain barrier(BBB). Glutamate and a few related amino acids are the dominant form of excitatory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system of mammals. If one of these GluRs happens to wander into the actual bloodstream, that is outside the BBB, it would be considered an outsider and destroyed immediately. So if these GluRs were put into the normal blood stream then the immune system would produce antibodies which could then be used in the searching for the glutamate receptors. In order to test this theory the researchers injected the GluRs into the blood stream of a normal healthy rabbit hoping to produce good results. At this point the experiment took a dramatic turn, after receiving a few doses of the protein two of the three rabbits began to twitch, as though they were suffering the pain of an epileptic seizure. Now the help of McNamara and Andrews was enlisted. When McNamara and Andrews examined the brain tissue of the rabbits, they saw what seemed to be a familiar inflammatory pattern, clumps of immune cells all around blood vessels. This description exactly matched the description of persons suffering from Rasmussens encephalitis, moreover something as this would never be found in a healthy brain. A healthy brain has its blood capillaries enclosed in the BBB membrane, so such a case as the one mentioned above would not be possible. As protective as the BBB is, it can be breached by something like a head injury. What was happening was that the antibodies which were out to get the GluR proteins were somehow finding a way into the brain and directing an attack towards all GluR receptor proteins in the brain itself. After some more examinations Rogers and McNamara decided that these attacks were the cause of the seizures that are often experienced by sufferers of Ramussens encephalitis. Then if the case is of antibodies in the bloodstream, than sufferers of Ramussens encephalitis should have them in their bloodstream and healthy normal peoples shouldnt. When this was actually tested the results were positive that Rasmussen sufferers did have these antibodies in their bloodstreams and healthy people did not. These were not only the right kind of antibodies but, the very antibodies that caused the seizures in people and rabbits. Thus when these antibodies were removed by plasma exchange(PEX) it caused a temporary relief from the seizures but soon the body starts making more antibodies of the type and the seizures start once again. After all the examinations two questions remained, why does the body mount an immune response against one of its own brain proteins, and

Free Essays on BPD

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a severe, chronic, disabling, and potentially lethal psychiatric condition. People who suffer with this disorder have extreme and long standing instability in their emotional lives, as well as in their behavior and their self-image. This is a common disorder affecting two percent of the general population. The best evidence indicates that about eleven percent of psychiatric outpatients and nineteen percent of inpatients meet diagnostic criteria for BPD (Kass, et al. 1985). A person with a borderline personality disorder often experiences a repetitive pattern of disorganization and instability in mood and close personal relationships. This can cause significant distress or impairment in friendship and in work. A person with this disorder can often be bright and intelligent, and appear warm, friendly and competent. They sometimes can maintain this appearance for a number of years until their defense structure crumbles, usually around a stressful situation like the break of a romantic relationship or the death of a parent (Corelli). There are many Symptoms of borderline personality disorder such as unstable interpersonal relationships, frequent display of temper, inappropriate anger, recurrent suicide gestures, feelings of emptiness and boredom, intolerance for bring alone and an impulsiveness in at least two of the following areas: money, substance abuse, sexual relationships, reckless driving, binge eating, and shoplifting (Yahoo Health). In greater detail someone with BPD would have an intense but stormy relationship with marked shifts of feelings and difficulties in maintaining intimate, close connections with others. The person may manipulate others and often has difficulty with trusting others. There is also emotional instability with marked and frequent shifts to an empty lonely depression or to irritability and anxiety. There may be unpredictable and impulsive behavior that might inc... Free Essays on BPD Free Essays on BPD Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a severe, chronic, disabling, and potentially lethal psychiatric condition. People who suffer with this disorder have extreme and long standing instability in their emotional lives, as well as in their behavior and their self-image. This is a common disorder affecting two percent of the general population. The best evidence indicates that about eleven percent of psychiatric outpatients and nineteen percent of inpatients meet diagnostic criteria for BPD (Kass, et al. 1985). A person with a borderline personality disorder often experiences a repetitive pattern of disorganization and instability in mood and close personal relationships. This can cause significant distress or impairment in friendship and in work. A person with this disorder can often be bright and intelligent, and appear warm, friendly and competent. They sometimes can maintain this appearance for a number of years until their defense structure crumbles, usually around a stressful situation like the break of a romantic relationship or the death of a parent (Corelli). There are many Symptoms of borderline personality disorder such as unstable interpersonal relationships, frequent display of temper, inappropriate anger, recurrent suicide gestures, feelings of emptiness and boredom, intolerance for bring alone and an impulsiveness in at least two of the following areas: money, substance abuse, sexual relationships, reckless driving, binge eating, and shoplifting (Yahoo Health). In greater detail someone with BPD would have an intense but stormy relationship with marked shifts of feelings and difficulties in maintaining intimate, close connections with others. The person may manipulate others and often has difficulty with trusting others. There is also emotional instability with marked and frequent shifts to an empty lonely depression or to irritability and anxiety. There may be unpredictable and impulsive behavior that might inc...

Financial Statements Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Financial Statements - Essay Example While the financial statements will provide the overall financial health of the company, SAC board will also be warned of relying solely on the financial statements as the basis for their future decisions. The memo will contain a list of inherent weaknesses that financial statements have in them. a. Income statement - The income statement describes the company’s revenues and expenses along with the resulting net profit or loss over a period of time. Revenues are those that the company earned through the sale of products or services to customers, or any other form of income that accrues to the company due to its business activities. On the other hand, expenses are those resources that the company has to spend to produce the revenues. The net result is either a net income or a net loss. If revenues exceed expenses, it is a net income. If expenses exceed revenues, it is a net loss. These information are all reflected in the income statement of the company. b. Balance sheet – The balance sheet is a financial statement that describes the company’s financial position at a given time. Its three main components are the assets group, the liabilities group, and the owner’s equity section. The assets are the resources of the company that are being used to produce the goods and services the company sells to its customers. The liabilities and the owner’s equity, on the other hand, are the means by which assets are financed and acquired for the company. Liabilities are what the company owes its creditors, while equity is what the company owes its owners or stockholders. A company’s total assets are equal to all its liabilities and owner’s equity. c. Statement of owner’s equity – The statement of owner’s equity is also known as the statement of retained earnings. (Internet Center for Management and Business Administration, Inc., 2010) This statement shows changes in the owner’s equity, resulting from the operations

Law of Torts Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Law of Torts - Case Study Example The inherent ambiguity as to what conduct will constitute an interference with the use and enjoyment of land in order to justify an action in private nuisance has facilitated the piecemeal development of legal principles in this area2. This is further evidenced in context of environmental litigation3. Moreover, it has been widely extrapolated the law of nuisance is the most significant course of action in respect of environmental disputes4. However, commentators have criticised the multifarious limitations in private nuisance claims, which further render inherently complex cases difficult to be brought to court with any realistic prospect of success5. Indeed, the very nature of a claim being available only when environmental damage directly affects the use and enjoyment of another person's land intrinsically limits the parameters of nuisance6. Furthermore, the decision in the case of Hunter v Canary Wharf7 renders private nuisance claims dependant upon demonstration of a proprietary interest in the land, which has fuelled academic debate regarding the decision's implications for private nuisance claims8. The focus of this analysis is to evaluate the implications of the decision in the Hunter case, particularly in context of the development and application of the strict liability rule in Rylands v Fletcher9. Firstly it has been submitted that the arbitrary nature of judicial developments in private nuisance claims would alternatively be better addressed by the strict liability rule as established in Rylands v Fletcher10. The Rylands rule relates to the situation where a non-natural land user keeping something on their land, which is likely to escape, and as such, is stated to be kept at their own peril11. If the "thing" does escape, the rule affirms that the individual will be liable for all damage that is a natural consequence of the escape12. In the Rylands case itself, the defendant was a mill owner who had employed an independent contractor to build a reservoir on his land. The contractor had been negligent in failing to block a disused mine shaft that he had come across on the site. As a result, when the reservoir was filled, water escaped causing damage. As the contractor was independent the landowner was not liable for negligence or vicariously liable for the contractor's conduct13. In delivering the judgement for the claimant, Blackburn J asserted "the rule only applied to a thing which was not naturally there14". Furthermore, Lord Cairns presiding in the House of Lords additionally qualified the applicability of the Rylands rule to where the defendant had actually brought the thing onto his land15. The rule was further developed in the decision in Reads v Lyons16 by determining that one cannot claim for personal injuries in private nuisance but only for the discomfort caused to the use of the land itself17. The essence of the rule is that it is a form of strict liability for the escape of 'things' likely to cause damage and which have been brought onto land18. On the one hand the strict liability rule in Rylands leans towards legal certainty in this complex area of law by

Identifying and Managing Risk Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Identifying and Managing Risk - Essay Example This is because once risks are identified the right strategies and techniques are put in place to ensure that they do not have negative effects on the portfolio or project. By implication, it can be said that it is not right to try to deny the reality of the existence of risk. Rather, the existence of risks must be appreciated, identified and embraced. More importantly, the right techniques must be in place to managing risk. Kallman and Abdali, Mouath and Qusai have both come up with a number of risk management techniques which share some similarities and differences in terms of their implementation and usage. Reading through Kallman one finds three major risk management techniques that are highlighted by the writer. These are risk avoidance, risk tolerance, and risk acceptance. Writing on situations under which either of these may be deemed as appropriate for an organization, Kallman emphasized that â€Å"If a cost-benefit analysis shows the downside is just too large for the organizations risk tolerance then avoidance is a wise choice.† The author continued to advise that â€Å"If the situation falls within the organizations' risk appetite or tolerance, however, then acceptance is the appropriate choice.† From these two quotations, the technique of risk management is clearly outlined. It can be noted that Kallman advocates the use of systematic analysis of risk by weighing the impact of risk on the organization’s activities and programs. Once such weighing is done, it will be possible to determine the exact impact of the risk to the organization. By so doing, risks t hat can be contained without any significant negative impact can be allowed to remain so that the efforts to management can be sent on those risks that pose some levels of threat through risk tolerance.  

Sale of goods and agency Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Sale of goods and agency - Essay Example In the given case, Kangaroo Developments entered into a contract of sale with Libby’s wines on 20th January. The delivery of 200 bottles of Queensland Plonk was to be on 1st February by Libby’s wines on the premises of Kangaroo Developments. Libby’s wine had 700 bottles in their stock from which 200 bottles had to be separated to be delivered to Kangaroo Developments. The 200 bottles, while not separated, were general goods. In order to become ascertained goods, they had to be separated. The agreement was made on 20th January but the transfer of property had not yet been made. According to Sale of Goods Act, 1979, S.18 (Rule 2), â€Å"Where there is a contract for the sale of specific goods and the seller is bound to do something to the goods for the purpose of putting them into a deliverable state, the property does not pass until the thing is done and the buyer has notice that it has been done.† According to the given facts, Libby’s wines had sepa rated 200 bottles on 20th January and marked them to be delivered to Kangaroo Developments. There is no information in the given facts whether Kangaroo Developments had the knowledge that 200 bottles had been separated; hence ascertained. The manager put the bottles back after two hours of their separation. By the 1st of February, Libby’s wine had been liquidated. Assuming that Kangaroo Developments had no knowledge of the separation of 200 bottles, it would mean that the goods were never ascertained. Therefore, no transfer of property had taken place and the risk in them remained with Libby’s wines. In this case, since Kangaroo Developments had already paid the price of bottles to Libby’s wines, they would be entitled to recover the price. They would not be entitled to recovery of 200 bottles since the title was never shifted. On the other hand, if Kangaroo Developments had the knowledge that the goods were separated to be delivered to them, the goods would hav e been said to have ascertained and the transfer of property would have deemed to be made. In this case, Kangaroo Developments would have been able to recover the bottles if the courts were convinced that despite the liquidation of Libby’s wines, the delivery of 200 bottles was possible. It is because the title of the bottles and the risk in them had been transferred when they were separated. If the liquidation of Libby’s wines had made the delivery impossible, then Kangaroo Developments would only have been able to recover the price. In Underwood Ltd v Burgh Castle Brick and Cement Syndicate, the plaintiffs made an agreement to sell a horizontal tandem condensing engine to the defendants. The engine had to be dismantled. After it was dismantled but before it could be delivered, the bed plate of the engine was broken accidently. The defendants refused to accept the engine. The plaintiffs sued. It was held that the defendants were entitled to reject the engine because t he engine was not ascertained as the defendants did not have the knowledge about that fact. Therefore, the title was not transferred. Therefore, by the application of S.18 of Sale of Goods Act, 1979 and Underwood Ltd v Burgh Castle Brick and Cement Syndicate, Kangaroo Development would only be able to recover the price if they did not have the knowledge of 200 bottles being separated. The property in goods and the risk in them would remain with Libby’s wines. Against William and Sons According to the given facts, Kangaroo Developments contracted to purchase 500 branded coffee mugs from William and Sons. Each mug was required to be printed with Kangaroo Development’s logo. In this case, the subject matter is future goods. According to S.18 of Sale of Goods Act, 1979, the property in goods would transfer to Kangaroo Developments when the printing of logos is done and they have the notice of it. Here, again, the transfer of property hinges on the affirmation of the fact w hether Kangaroo

Report for AIR PARTNER PLC. (Research & Financial Analysis) Essay

Report for AIR PARTNER PLC. (Research & Financial Analysis) - Essay Example Findings a) Financial highlights According to the chairman’s report( air partner’s report 2010), the group made a loss of ?1.65m, a loss of ?0.04 in the financial year 2009.Similarly, the pre-tax profit slumped from ?.6m in 2009 to ?3.5m in 2010 which is attributed to the restructuring costs and loss from some of their operating units. The company’s operation remained profitable despite the challenging environment fueled by a contracting economic outlooks experienced across the world in 2009 and part of 2010.( Vogel,2001).However, its turnover from the continuing operations increased from ?187m in 2009 to ?230m in the year 2010. The annual report released by the director in July 2011, indicates a remarkable increase in turnover and the pretax profit. The turnover increased from ?230m in 2010 to ?282m in 2011.Similarly, the pre-tax profit soared greatly by 93% in as compared to the yrar2010.The re was also an increase in Earnings per share from 26.6% to 32.55 in 2 011.It is also pointed out that in 2011 financial year, the directors were entitled to dividends signifying some positive growth in profits unlike in 2011 where there were no dividends due to the losses the companies had realized. Increase in profits was attributed to its core strategy of focusing on core business of core broking activities in areas which were profitable (Plunkett, 2008). A further critical analysis of their financial statements reveals that the net current assets of the firm decreased from ?9557m in 2009 to ?7642m in 2010 and a light increase to ?9578 in 2011, wit taxation taking major of their expenditures from the companies’ earnings. A loss was registered in cash flows from operating activities from ?2011m to ?2021m in 2011.This was attributed to a discontinued loss from operation as evidenced from the incomes and expenditure statement. Investment activities continued to decrease due to losses that were being incurred by the company, due to a downturn eco nomic patterns with ?18m in 2010 and a worse loss in 2011 of ?627m.in general, the cash and cash equivalents decreased by ?4569m in they year 2011. A closer review of the changes in the equity statement indicates that the company increased slightly from the ?10959m to ?12817m in the year ending 31st july2011. b) Trends and other concerns of the company As noted in their annual report (31st July, 2011), the lead time booking for their clients is ad hoc and unpredictable. This implies that the company’s business trend in uncertainty and only depends on the factors such financial markets, political instability from which their subsidiary company operate and natural events such catastrophe, earthquakes which adversely affect their business operation in those specified areas. For example, the earth quake that occurred in Japan adversely affected all the business in those areas and aircrafts plying those areas had to be called off (Annual Report, 2010; 2011) c) The group’s p rincipal risks The group principal risks include operation-related risks such as shortages of supply, adverse weather conditions, competitive pricing owed to the fact that the industry is highly concentrated, and stringent legal regulations

Sale of goods and agency Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Sale of goods and agency - Essay Example In the given case, Kangaroo Developments entered into a contract of sale with Libby’s wines on 20th January. The delivery of 200 bottles of Queensland Plonk was to be on 1st February by Libby’s wines on the premises of Kangaroo Developments. Libby’s wine had 700 bottles in their stock from which 200 bottles had to be separated to be delivered to Kangaroo Developments. The 200 bottles, while not separated, were general goods. In order to become ascertained goods, they had to be separated. The agreement was made on 20th January but the transfer of property had not yet been made. According to Sale of Goods Act, 1979, S.18 (Rule 2), â€Å"Where there is a contract for the sale of specific goods and the seller is bound to do something to the goods for the purpose of putting them into a deliverable state, the property does not pass until the thing is done and the buyer has notice that it has been done.† According to the given facts, Libby’s wines had sepa rated 200 bottles on 20th January and marked them to be delivered to Kangaroo Developments. There is no information in the given facts whether Kangaroo Developments had the knowledge that 200 bottles had been separated; hence ascertained. The manager put the bottles back after two hours of their separation. By the 1st of February, Libby’s wine had been liquidated. Assuming that Kangaroo Developments had no knowledge of the separation of 200 bottles, it would mean that the goods were never ascertained. Therefore, no transfer of property had taken place and the risk in them remained with Libby’s wines. In this case, since Kangaroo Developments had already paid the price of bottles to Libby’s wines, they would be entitled to recover the price. They would not be entitled to recovery of 200 bottles since the title was never shifted. On the other hand, if Kangaroo Developments had the knowledge that the goods were separated to be delivered to them, the goods would hav e been said to have ascertained and the transfer of property would have deemed to be made. In this case, Kangaroo Developments would have been able to recover the bottles if the courts were convinced that despite the liquidation of Libby’s wines, the delivery of 200 bottles was possible. It is because the title of the bottles and the risk in them had been transferred when they were separated. If the liquidation of Libby’s wines had made the delivery impossible, then Kangaroo Developments would only have been able to recover the price. In Underwood Ltd v Burgh Castle Brick and Cement Syndicate, the plaintiffs made an agreement to sell a horizontal tandem condensing engine to the defendants. The engine had to be dismantled. After it was dismantled but before it could be delivered, the bed plate of the engine was broken accidently. The defendants refused to accept the engine. The plaintiffs sued. It was held that the defendants were entitled to reject the engine because t he engine was not ascertained as the defendants did not have the knowledge about that fact. Therefore, the title was not transferred. Therefore, by the application of S.18 of Sale of Goods Act, 1979 and Underwood Ltd v Burgh Castle Brick and Cement Syndicate, Kangaroo Development would only be able to recover the price if they did not have the knowledge of 200 bottles being separated. The property in goods and the risk in them would remain with Libby’s wines. Against William and Sons According to the given facts, Kangaroo Developments contracted to purchase 500 branded coffee mugs from William and Sons. Each mug was required to be printed with Kangaroo Development’s logo. In this case, the subject matter is future goods. According to S.18 of Sale of Goods Act, 1979, the property in goods would transfer to Kangaroo Developments when the printing of logos is done and they have the notice of it. Here, again, the transfer of property hinges on the affirmation of the fact w hether Kangaroo

Educational Television Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Educational Television - Essay Example These trends were caused by popularization of new medium and its advantages for common citizens. A great number of innovative educational TV programs were developed in the United States during the late 1960s and early 1970s. The major force behind many of these productions was the Children's TV Workshop (CTW), which combined the talents of educational advisors, professional researchers, and TV producers. The programs made by CTW were carefully crafted pieces of TV which were guided by detailed research among members of target audiences. "The establishment of the Carnegie Commission in 1965 was critical to the survival of ETV" (Educational Television n.d.). During the next decades, educational TV was also broadly funded in the United States, particularly by substantial grants from the Ford Foundation and later by the U.S. Office of Education. Concurrently, regional organizations attempted to promote audience selectivity when they listened to radio, including choosing "better quality" programs from circulated lists, and communicating with radio managers of stations and networks about programs (Children's Educational Television 2006). Education TV is popular because it has a positive impact on learners abilities and knowledge level. Education philosophy variously features deduction by lecture and analysis, or induction from experience and discussion, or a combination of both forms of instruction. Researches prove that how well viewers are able to learn and remember from TV can depend significantly on how the information is presented. Production practices routinely adopted by TV editors, for example, may result in programs which present too much information, too quickly, and with built-in (often visual) distractions. Under these conditions, even interested viewers may flounder. Ultimately, though, whether or not children learn from TV depends on a mixture of factors which relate to viewers' background knowledge and interests, reasons for watching TV, degree of concentration and attention while viewing, and the way that programs are produced (Razel 2001). Some of educational TV productions are broadcast as part of mainstream TV for children, while others have been specially made for schools audiences. An impressive range of schools programs has been produced over many years in the USA, although these have met with a mixed reception from teachers and children. A considerable body of research has revealed that educational TV does have potential to improve children's knowledge about a variety of subjects. Failure to fulfill this potential frequently stems from program-makers' misunderstanding of audience needs, interests and learning abilities. When audience research is used wisely, however, some very effective, as well as popular, productions have resulted. It was found that with educational TV programs that contained more than one theme, recall and comprehension levels again indicated that children can and do learn from such programs. The children correctly recalled 60 per cent and correctly understood 53 per cent of material tested fr om these programs These global figures, however, conceal significant age differences. Older children generally scored much higher than younger children. Age was also highly correlated with general knowledge (Flew, 2002). It is possible that older children have more background knowledge to call upon and better information-processing skills. Indeed,

Child Health Patterns Essay Example for Free

Child Health Patterns Essay 1)Compare and contrast identified similarities as well as differences in expected assessment across the childhood age groups. In the health perception category parents are responsible for their child’s perceived level of health and well-being, and on practices for maintaining health. In the school age years the children are beginning to incorporate their own health practices like good hygiene in their daily lives. The nutrition and metabolic pattern continues with help of the parents. Toddlers and preschoolers rely on their parents to make sure that they are eating the right foods. School age kids are in the stage where they can pick out their own foods and have been taught what the best sources of good nutrition are. In the toddler age group, parents are beginning to initiate toileting training. By the school age years this age groups has elimination patterns similar to adults. With the exception of those who have elimination problems like enuresis. Throughout the three age groups, activity and exercise levels continue to increase with the learning of new fine and gross motor skills. Once again parents continue to play a big role by promoting healthy levels of physical activity with their child. As the child begins to age so does their ability to comprehend and use information. Each age group the child continues to add another cognitive function. The biggest difference between sleep patterns is that as the child ages naps are no longer needed. All of the age groups tend to need at least 8 hours of sleep. The differences between the age groups in the roles and relationship pattern is that in the toddler and preschool age they try to identify with their parents or care givers whereas school age children begin to focus or identify with their peers. The value and belief pattern is instilled in the child when they are born. Parents or caregivers teach their children what values are important to them. 2)Summarize how a nurse would handle physical assessments, examinations, education, and communication differently with children versus adults. Consider spirituality and cultural differences in your answer. Adults and children are in two different stages of life. Children are in the stages were they are still learning and understanding how the healthcare world works. Most adults on the other hand are used to going to the doctor and they kind of understand the routine during the assessment process. â€Å"Many assessment techniques for the child are similar to those of the adults. Techniques for approaching the pediatric patient vary from one age group to the next. A basic principle during the physical assessment is building a trusting relationship; this can be done in a variety of ways† (Estes, 2006, pg 848). When assessing the child the nurse must establish a game plan based on the child’s age. Children are already frightened about the idea of receiving an exam but the nurse can use techniques to reduce anxiety. Parents or caregivers must be available for support. According to Estes, 2006 nurses can use game playing and they can demonstrate procedures on a doll, stuff toy or on the parent to increase patient cooperativeness. The writer remembers learning in nursing school about when taking the blood of a younger child. Never say â€Å"I’m going to take your blood pressure† but say something like â€Å"I going to see how strong your muscles are with this cuff†. When educating the child try to involve their parents but use materials that are on the child’s level. This can consists of materials that use colorful pictures and graphics. Individuals have to understand their own beliefs and traditions especially nurses who are with always dealing with the public. Each day more nurses are providing care to patients that are from different cultures. With such a diverse population challenges will be faced. â€Å"As American society shifts in demographics and attitudes about diversity, there is a growing recognition that health and illness care occurs in dynamic interactions situated within complex cultural contexts for both patients and providers† (Benkert, Borse, Doorenbos,Schim,2005, pg324). Nurse have to be more culturally sensitive when assessing and educating patients. If the nurse is unfamiliar with ethnicity or race then research should be done before the assessment if time allows. References Benkert, R. Borse,N. Doorenbos, A. Schim, S.2005. Psychometric Evaluation of the Cultural Competence Assessment Instrument Among Healthcare Providers. Nursing Research.54(5)324-331. Edleman,C. Mandle C.(2010). Health Promotion Throughout the Life Span. Missouri: Mosby Elsevier. Estes M. (2006). Health Assessment Physical Examination.Canada: Thompson Delmar Learning.

The Decrease Leg Shaking Psychology Essay

The Decrease Leg Shaking Psychology Essay Anxiety is a normal emotion, and we all encounter anxiety in certain situations that causes us be anxious. When we are anxious, we would experience physical symptoms arising in response to anxiety ( Ginsburg, Riddle, Davies, 2006; Roth, Antony, Swinson, 1999), such as muscle tension and stomachache which affect our everyday lives, known as somatic symptoms (Ginsburg et al., 2006). Social anxiety is a disorder that happens when a person faces a social situation and reacts in response to fear or distress due to feelings of inadequacy and low self-worth (Bà ¶gels, 2006; Hofmann, 2007; Purdon, Antony, Monterio, Swinson, 2001). This happens to me when I am in certain social situation, I get social anxiety that I tend to shake my legs. For this behaviour modification program, I have chosen to decrease and control my leg-shaking behaviour. It has been bothering me and it has been causing irritation to certain people who were and are in my presence. The operational definition of leg-shaking is that for this program, I tested the effect of leg-shaking on my performance during the times when I was sitting down (which was when the leg-shaking behaviour almost always occurred). I needed to know exactly what sort of leg-shaking behaviour I was performing and how I should measure it. I needed to know what type of performance I am suggesting that leg-shaking behaviour affected, and how I should measure that. Furthermore, I needed to know the underlying causes and triggers of my leg-shaking behaviour, which I believe is triggered by anxiety that I usually experience, but not as much as before, in social situations. First and foremost, behaviour modification is defined as a technique of behaviour change that is based on the procedures of the principles of learning psychology to evaluate and determine a persons or any other organisms private and public actions and reactions in order to assist in improving ones everyday lifestyle (Martin Pear, 2011). Basically, behaviour modification is founded on the concepts of operant conditioning. It is a technique to improve an individuals behavior by changing the way a person acts to a particular situation or stimuli using positive and negative reinforcement. In result, it replaces an undesirable behavior to a more desirable behavior. There are rules to follow and that are critical when planning and engaging in a behaviour modification program. These includes rules of such as positive and negative reinforcement, ratio schedule, extinction, shaping, and schedules of reinforcement (Martin Pear, 2011). The following are brief definitions of some of the terms mentioned above: Positive reinforcement means that a particular stimulus that is given on the spot increases the likelihood of a particular response to occur another time (Martin Pear, 2011). Negative reinforcement means that a particular stimulus is being removed to increase a particular response or to keep a particular response in a current desired state (Martin Pear, 2011). Extinction is applied in operant conditioning, and it refers to the process of changing the state of a learned response by ensuring to no longer reinforcing that particular response (Martin Pear, 2011). There are pitfalls that occurs in the process of extinction which I discussed later in this paper. The process of shaping is the reinforcement of altering and controlling a learned response through the process of changing that response much closer to desired response, but not exactly (Martin Pear, 2011). In this program, I would be shaping my behaviour by alternating my leg-shaking behaviour to a more desired behaviour, which is sitting down with my feet firmly on the ground without shaking my legs. A schedule of reinforcement is a program that determines how and when the frequency of a response happening will be followed by a reinforcer (Martin Pear, 2011). The delivery of a reinforcer could depend on the frequency of a certain number of responses, the passage of time, the presence of certain stimuli, the occurrence of other responses of the animal, or any number of other things occurring (Martin Pear, 2011). There are different schedules of reinforcement, I will discuss very briefly about the important ones that I implemented in this behaviour modification program. One of the different schedules of reinforcement are the schedules of intermittent reinforcement. There are four different schedules of intermittent reinforcement which are differential reinforcement of low rates (abbreviated as DRL), differential reinforcement of zero responding (abbreviated as DRO), differential reinforcement of incompatible behaviour (abbreviated as DRI), and differential reinforcement of alternative behaviour (abbreviated as DRA) (Martin Pear, 2011). In this program, I used the DRO intervention. DRO means that reinforcement only occurs when a particular response does not happen at a time (Martin Pear, 2011). This particular response is being modified to another behaviour, and that behaviour would be reinforced instead (Martin Pear, 2011). Another schedule of reinforcement is ratio schedule which is defined as that reinforcement depends only on the number of responses a person or any other living thing has performed (Martin Pear, 2011). Reinforcement that depends on only some of the time are said to involve partial or intermittent reinforcement (Martin Pear, 2011). In interval schedules, responses are reinforced only if the responses occur after a certain amount of time has passed (Martin Pear, 2011). In fixed interval schedule (abbreviated FI), the set time is constant from one occasion to the next (Martin Pear, 2011). With a variable interval schedule (abbreviated VI), responses are reinforced if they occur after a variable interval since the beginning of the schedule cycle (Martin Pear, 2011).These are the rules of psychology of behaviour modification that I employed in the program. Since I applied the intermittent schedule, I did not use the continuous schedule as this involves reinforcing a response or a beha viour every time it happens (Martin Pear, 2011). Not many research have been done on the effects of leg-shaking behaviour on an individuals well-being and/or on the effects it may have on other individuals surrounding a person with leg-shaking behaviour. Not only the literature on leg-shaking behaviour is very limited, but case studies centering on the effects of this behaviour and on controlling or modifying the behaviour are limited as well. The following research can be used to identify early emotional and behavioural development, providing an opportunity for treatments for not only individuals my age, but for younger age groups as well- particularly in the early stage of emotional and behavioural development that are disruptive such as the leg-shaking behaviour. Bà ¶gels (2006) stated that individuals with social phobia (also known as social anxiety disorder) tend to have distressing feelings of not being accepted by others who are aware of the physical symptoms these individuals have. These physical symptoms, such as trembling, which closely relates to my leg-shaking behaviour, that these individuals present on account of distressing and unpleasant thoughts about themselves are causing difficulties for them and to others around them (Bà ¶gels, 2006). In Bà ¶gelss (2006) research, participants with social phobia, and who were within the age group of 17 to 65 were tested for their ability to decrease their tendency of attentive to their physical symptoms of anxiety. The purpose of this research was to determine whether if participants turn their attention to a task-oriented activity called task concentration training, would lessen their anxiety and diminish their physical symptoms of anxiety (Bà ¶gels, 2006). The results showed that the e xperiment was successful as participants diverted attention from their physical symptoms of anxiety to a task-oriented activity. The study of participants who were afraid of exhibiting the physical symptoms of anxiety support the notion that individuals from a wide range of age group, can modify these types of behaviour by focusing on work. However, it did not show whether individuals under the age of 17 can. In another study, a male participant who was 26 years at that time, and who suffered from mental developmental disability was studied (LeBlanc, Hagopian, Maglieri, 2000). It was made clear that even though this is a person with a mental developmental disability at adult age, (a person) can adapt ones behaviour by using or participating in a token economy (LeBlanc et al., 2000). The researchers employed the DRO intervals and schedule to reduce this mans socially unacceptable and undesirable behaviours (LeBlanc et al., 2006). The results showed that the treatment was effective as it decreased the occurrence of the participants socially unacceptable behaviour. The problems with LeBlanc et al.s (2000) research were not only there was one participant recruited for this study and that he had developmental disabilities; but the behaviour that has been modified had to do with his inappropriate social interactions. Even though this may not precisely relates to my topic, I chose for my literature review in research because my leg-shaking behaviour has been affecting the way I interact with others who has been noticing this. This may continue to affect me and others if I did not attempt to change this. Thus, this leg-shaking behaviour is considered socially inappropriate. In addition to this note, I also used the same reinforcement in my program. The first purpose of this research was to investigate whether when a persons leg-shaking behaviour caused by anxiety creates difficulties in ones lifestyle and/or get in the way of others around this person. The second purpose was to investigate whether if and when a person learns how to control and decrease the occurrence of this leg-shaking behaviour by alleviating and improving the internalizing and externalizing state of a person aids in overall well-being and aids in not causing disturbance to others. How I Selected My Target Behaviour and Why its Appropriate for this Assignment Two other behaviours I was considering working on, but decided to work on my leg-shaking behavior instead were to increase my piano playing practice, and to exercise more. They were appropriate for the assignment, but they were not realistic for me to work on this semester. I am rarely home, therefore the probability of cooking and healthier food was very slim during the time. However, the probability of exercising during the time was moderately likely to occur, but I did not perceive this behaviour to be as vital to change as my leg-shaking behavior. I wanted to work to change a behaviour that is not only affecting me and others, but that it is also more simple and more doable to work on during the past months. Moreover, these other two behaviors are both common behaviour that I believe most people use for a project similar to this behaviour modification program. Controlling Antecedents of Pre-Program Behaviour The root of my habit most likely started and had to do with a social situation I was facing when I was very young. I was extremely shy. I had social anxiety. My fear of being in any social situations or interactions made me so nervous that it could be the main trigger of my shaking legs. Pre-Program Behaviour Level In this section, I will describe how I observed my behaviour. During the process of this observation, I found that I had habitual thoughts that momentarily flash through my mind. Here my task was to replace these habitual thoughts or bad thinking habits with good thinking habits. By doing so, I would create new thoughts that became my new habitual thoughts. These thoughts came from my feelings of anxiety, particularly in social situation or stressed situation. I counted to keep anxiety in check so that it would not encourage my old habitual negative thoughts. The reason is that my habitual thoughts affected the way I saw myself in a significant way in situation, and still do a little. If I did not change my thinking, my old habitual thoughts will continue to perpetuate my leg-shaking behaviour. Controlling Consequences of Pre-Program Behaviour Not controlling my leg- shaking behaviour is rewarded with being able to only concentrate while studying or listening to lectures or doing other things when sitting down. This allows me to not think about monitoring my leg-shaking constantly and to freely express my inner feelings of anxiety by letting my subconscious behaviour takes over. By detaching myself from observing and being mindless of my leg-shaking behaviour elicited by feelings of anxiety and overgeneralizing. In psychological terms this process is called positive reinforcement for a behaviour such as leg-shaking. I shake my leg and in return get rewarded by getting away with behaving any way I want when I am feeling anxious, stressed, or nervous. The way positive reinforcement works is that once I get rewarded for my leg-shaking behaviour I am more likely to do it again. My Self-Modification Program For my self-modification program, since I planned on changing my thinking patterns in order to prevent me at least from shaking my legs too often, then I rewarded myself with a sensible reward. The sensible reward was that once I have controlled my leg-shaking behavior, I could listen to music. I had to earn a privilege to be able to listen to a song or songs longer as listening to music is very rewarding for me. This applied to the token economy as I was using minutes of listening to music as a reward for not shaking my legs when I am anxious in a social situation. I kept track of minutes on a sheet. I started with two hours of listening to music per day. I normally did not listen to 2 hours of music straight, but this was doable. I cannot really hear the music without headphone so I asked one of my family members to take away my headphone from me for the day and then give it back to me sometime after 10 at night. I lost a minute of listening to music when I failed to control my leg-shaking behaviour. At the end of the day, I listened to the amount of time I have earned to listen to music provided that I have any minutes left. Whenever I got sidetracked by my work and other distractions, then for every leg-shaking behaviour I do, I subtracted one minute of listening to music. In addition to this note, l laid out a plan, including making notes of the crucial moments that I was less likely and most likely to shake my legs unconsciously on account of feeling anxious, stressed, or nervous. I prepared for my crucial moments by turning to helpful sources of influence, a friend and a family member. Then I planned on beginning deliberate practice by placing myself to a tempting situation. In short, my goal was to experience the desire but not to give in shaking my leg to express my feelings of anxiety outwardly. My Program in Action This was the part when I employed deliberate practice especially practice for crucial moments. I broke the steps into small pieces, and practice each step in short intervals. I also got immediate feedback at times against a clear standard, and evaluated my progress. I learned to be prepare for setbacks and I was also prepared for them some of the times. As mentioned earlier, the specific and measurable behaviour I have been monitoring was to attempt to eliminate my leg-shaking behaviour. From the start of the program, I measured the occurrence to anxiety, as well as the intensity and frequency of anxiety as my anxiety have been triggering my leg-shaking behaviour to be present. Moreover, I have been observing and keeping track of my thinking errors that normally preceded my leg-shaking behaviour. I also have been monitoring my improvement in controlling and diminishing my leg-shaking behaviour by engaging in how often I subconsciously performed leg-shaking behaviour and by decreasing the frequency and intensity of my anxiety so that my leg-shaking behaviour will dissolve after the program ends. I have been employing intermittent reinforcement in my program. Continuous reinforcement would not work as I found that I had not always been aware of when I shook my legs in certain situations. The unexpected surprise I learned was that I even shook my legs when I was not in social situation. I shook my legs when I worked on my school assignments. Because of this, I started to encounter pitfalls. The pitfalls I have encountered throughout this program were that I frequently thought of excuses to avoid treating my leg-shaking behaviour. At times in class or in any social situation, I fell into my thinking traps and engaged in these thinking patterns which resulted in my habitual leg-shaking behaviour. Evaluation of My Program Referring to the level of the behaviour pre-program and during the program (see Figure 1 in the Appendix), my attempt to decrease my tendency to shake my leg did not work in the beginning of the program due to the effects of delay of reward. But it did worked later on after the first month I started the program. When it came to the use of reward in the program, the important component in the reward is the interval between the behaviour and the reward. I found that when the delay of receiving reward increased, it did not reward the desired behaviour as much as I wanted it to. Therefore, such delays in receiving rewards was not effective in altering a behaviour. This kind of applied to the use of punishment to decrease a behaviour. If the interval between the undesirable behaviour and punishment is delayed, then the punishment would not be effective in suppressing such behaviour (Martin Pear). Therefore, I should make notes that in the future my desired behaviour should be rewarded immediately. If this does not work, then another change I might make is to use punishment instead when I shake my legs. Ending the Program; Future Plans Although I am done with the behaviour modification program, I plan on continuing to manage my leg-shaking behaviour, which, again, happens when I get anxious. I will try to slowly stop myself from depending on the program to keep my leg-shaking behaviour under control. I will keep a long-term perspective to improve my behaviour and to improve myself. I plan on practising not only self control, but self-care as I tend to encounter stress or period of anxiety in the face of difficult situations such as speaking up in class as I am shy. I will help myself feel at ease during periods of stress by attempting to use what I learned from the behaviour techniques and exercises this semester. Even though I will not depend on the exercises and techniques I have applied in my program, I believe I still need regular exposure to anxiety-provoking situations in order to stay in condition. I believe this will help me over the long term to keep myself habituated to the experiences that I learned from in situations I found were and still are a little anxiety-provoking. Discussion and Conclusion What I learned from this experience was that my obsessive thoughts and compulsive leg-shaking behaviour did not make sense. These thinking patterns that I fell into when I am nervous, stressed, sad, or depressed were generally believable, and negative, and they made my life more challenging than they needed to be. Even though I did not fully believe my obsessive thoughts, I found that I frequently engaged in my leg-shaking behaviour to get the obsessive thoughts to stop. I overestimated the probability of risk that if something could go wrong, it will go wrong. I am guilty of overgeneralizing things. So I held back many times from putting myself in certain situation that meant no harm to me or anyone, and naturally I slipped into my leg-shaking behaviour. When I triggered one of my old habitual thoughts, I corrected it with the positive one so that these positive thoughts became my new habitual thoughts. Even though I am done with this behavioural modification program for the course, I still need to thoroughly weave this fact into my memory whenever my leg-shaking behaviour strikes. This way, I will be able to weave this fact into my conscious control to pull the plug on my tendency to worry and to overgeneralize which triggers leg-shaking behaviour. I know that the more I practice this new behaviour, the more likely I will do it in the future so that I do not return to my former state of leg-shaking behaviour. A higher decrease in behaviour level as shown in the appendix results when I held back from overgeneralizing or from inviting pessimistic thoughts that triggered my leg-shaking in social situation. My new behaviour improved significantly after I was concentrating on changing thought patterns. This supports the notion that focusing on another activity (such as partaking in token economy or that is task-oriented) can aid in decreasing a behaviour that is bothersome (Bà ¶gels, 2006; LeBlanc et al., 2000). References Bà ¶gels, S. M. (2006). Task concentration training versus applied relaxation, in combination with cognitive therapy, for social phobia patients with fear of blushing, trembling, and sweating. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 44(8), 1199-1210. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2005.08.010 Ginsburg, G. S., Riddle, M. A., Davies, M. (2006). Somatic symptoms in children and adolescents with anxiety disorders.Journal of the American Academy of Child Adolescent Psychiatry,  45(10), 1179-1187. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/01.chi.0000231974.43966.6e Hofmann, S. G. (2007). Cognitive factors that maintain social anxiety disorder: A comprehensive model and its treatment implications.  Cognitive Behaviour Therapy,  36(4), 193-209. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/16506070701421313 LeBlanc, L. A., Hagopian, L. P., Maglieri, K. A. (2000). Use of a token economy to eliminate excessive inappropriate social behavior in an adult with developmental disabilities. Behavioral Interventions, 15(2), 135-143. doi: 3.0.CO;2-3 TARGET=_blank>http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1099-078X(200004/06)15:23.0.CO;2-3 Purdon, C., Antony, M., Monteiro, S., Swinson, R. P. (2001). Social anxiety in college students.  Journal of Anxiety Disorders,15(3), 203-215. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0887-6185(01)00059-7 Roth, D., Antony, M. M., Swinson, R. P. (2001). Interpretations for anxiety symptoms in social phobia. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 39(2), 129-138. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0005-7967(99)00159-X

The True Gentleman of Great Expectations :: Free Great Expectations Essays

The True Gentleman of Great Expectations To determine if someone is a gentleman, one must look within them and not focus upon their material wealth. In the novel Great Expectations, by Charles Dickens, three characters show qualities of a true gentleman. Pip, Joe, and Provis have true gentlemen-like characteristics, which are shown through the way they live and present themselves. Pip's actions towards others are those of an authentic gentleman. For example, when Provis is very ill and Pip is very kind and says, "I will never stir from your side" (891). This shows that Pip is willing to forget his own comforts and future plans to sit by Provis's side, making Provis's last days on earth comfortable. In addition, Pip saves Miss Havisham when she gets caught on fire: "I had a double-caped coat on...and I got them over her" and "she was insensible and I was afraid to have her moved or even touched" (875). This proves that Pip cares for other people, even if they have treated him poorly. When Pip helps Miss Havisham, it shows his consideration to those in need. Pip relieving Miss Havisham from the fire after she was "coarse and common" towards him, shows Pip has a favorable heart. In conclusion, Pip's behavior towards others is that of a gentleman because Pip treats others with tenderness and affection. Joe's actions are those of a true gentleman. For example, Joe defends Mrs. Joe from Orlick even though he is scared of Orlick himself: "What could the wretched Joe do now...but stand up to his journeyman...so, without so much as pulling off their singed and burnt aprons, they went at one another, like two giants" (773). Joe is intimidated by Orlick and by Joe defending Mrs. Joe from Orlick shows that Joe has courageousness. Joe is a benevolent person by stepping up to Orlick to help Mrs. Joe. In addition, Joe pays off Pip's debts and Pip finds "a receipt for which they had been paid off" (899). Joe paying off Pip's debts shows he is a helpful and caring person. Joe is being considerate by helping Pip become debt-free. It is ironic that Joe helps Pip because Pip hasn't been a considerate person to Joe but he helps Pip regardless.

greek philosophy Essay -- essays research papers

Greek Religion is the beginning to Greek philosophy and the beginning to many great philosophers. The lack of stimulation that Greek religion is the main reason why the study of philosophy became so popular in Greek culture. Philosophy of religion was studied because people like Socrates did not understand why things were and why they had to be only that way. The lack of religion is what led to people and philosophers questioning the ethical choices people followed. Philosophy is a study of beliefs and knowledge by a group or an individual; the study of philosophy according to Socrates was supposed to lead man with knowledge that equaled virtue that eventually led to happiness. Philosophy was a way of living back in Greek culture. There were philosophers like Socrates, Plato, Arcamedies, and Aristotle that were constantly question why things happened and went against what was Greek religion. These men taught the Greek people to study philosophy and knowledge so it would free their souls. Socrates felt that mans soul was rational factuality but the soul was filled with irrational choices. Man needed to focus on what they could do to become truly pure and rational that would led them to there rational soul.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Greek sophists were the professional educators in the poleis. It was these sophists that taught Greek men and boys to open their souls and become one with themselves. They mad them question everyday living and why things were there. A sophi...

Fantasy vs. Reality

Fantasy vs. Reality Blanche is sufficiently self-aware to know that she cannot survive in the world as it is. Reality is too harsh, so she must somehow create illusions that will allow her to maintain her delicate, fragile hold on life. â€Å"A woman’s charm is fifty percent illusion† (scene 2) she acknowledges to Stanley. Later in the story line when Mitch wants to switch the light on so that he can get a realistic look at her, she tells him that she does not want realism, she wants magic. When Mitch turns on the light during that scene it reveals much more to the audience than just what she really looks like, but it shows that all this time she has been living her life in the dark, hiding herself in the murky shadows of her promiscuity. Her ultimate goal was to manipulate reality until her fantasy becomes reality. She wants life to be lived in a permanent romantic glow, like the light that lit up the entire worlds when she first fell in love. But in this play, reality dominates. The realism of the setting, with its down-to-earth characters and the sounds of the busy life of this corner of New Orleans, suggests that Blanche’s illusions are not going to be sufficient. The fact that Blanche is probably aware of this too is what wins her the sympathy of the audience. Eventually, her thin hold on reality disappears altogether and she takes refuge in an illusory world in which she is about to go on a trip with her imaginary rich beau. The more desperate Blanche becomes in her loneliness, the more deeply she digs herself into an alternate reality, where she is the author of her own demise. Fantasy can be a hard mind set to overcome for most people. The more a person repeats a lie—the more that person starts to believe it is reality. This is one of many themes that can be related to everyday life.

Family Systems and Healthy Development Essay

In today’s world, families are dynamic and interdependent systems. The developmental processes of the children in the family are deeply affected by how the family system operates. However, a family’s structure does not determine whether it is a healthy family system or not. Today, families consist of single parents, stepparents, divorced parents, remarried parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles. They are all able to contribute to a healthy functioning family system by meeting each family member’s needs and encouraging positive communication (Jamiolkowski, 2008). Unhealthy family systems have negative and possibly long-term effects on a child, both physically and emotionally. An unhealthy family system affects brain development and social development. Moreover, parents hold a particularly important part in their child’s spiritual development. When a family system lacks spiritual modeling, the children do not develop a spiritual relationship and lack religi ous meaning in their family life (Roehlkepartain, King, Wagener, Benson, 2006). Healthy Family Systems A healthy family system is a family unit in which each members has their needs met. These needs include safety, security, survival, love and belonging, as well as self-esteem and developmental skills. In a healthy family structure, the family members share a love for one another, respect each other and follow a set of rules that protect and maintain the welfare and development of each family member (Jamiolkowski, 2008). A happy and healthy family system has open communication between family members. Opinions and ideas are encouraged. Since children in a healthy family system are encouraged to communicate their wants and needs, they are confident enough to speak up in family matters. This helps develop a positive and confident self-identity. The children in the family are taught a core group of values to establish right from wrong, as well as personal boundaries. Rules, which must be applied, are enforced fairly and consistently, but are flexible. A healthy family system makes a child feel  cared for, validated and valued. Supportive parenting is a term used to describe parents whose authoritative parenting style is firm, with clear and consistent limits, but with warmth, proactive teaching, interest and involvement in their child’s peer activities, as well as calm discussions while disciplining. Authoritative parents tend to be firm and set clear and consistent limits. Although strict, they are loving and supportive, and communicate to the child the rationale for their punishment, along with an explanation for why they should behave a certain way. This encourages independence in the child (Feldman, 2014). Research has shown that healthy friendships in which close ties emerge are developed when parents provide a warm and supportive home environment (Feldman, 2014). Children emulate positive social interactions and roles, which they learn from the adults in their lives who they model after. Children living in healthy family systems develop a strong and positive relationship with their parents or caregiver and will encourage positive relationships with others. Unhealthy Family Systems The parenting style in the home will result in differences in the children’s behavior. For example, an authoritarian parent is controlling, punitive and strict. Their rules are not flexible and do not tolerate expressions of disagreement. These children tend to be withdrawn with little sociability. Girls are usually especially dependant on the parents, while boys tend to be unusually hostile. On the other hand, permissive parenting provides a relaxed and inconsistent method of discipline. They place little to no limits or control on how their children behave, and require little of their children. These children also tend to be dependent and moody, low in social skills and self-control (Feldman, 2014). It can sometimes be difficult to discern whether a family system is healthy or not. Even healthy family members can become understandably upset by circumstances and don’t always deal with stressful situations well. However, an unhealthy family system is usually created by one or more members. Parents who were raised in unhealthy family systems may carry over the same traits to their own families. Also, other factors that can cause an unhealthy family system is a parent or main caregiver with a serious problem such as mental illness, alcohol abuse or drug addiction. This causes communication in the family to  be strained and distorted. Opinions and ideas are discouraged and usually ignored. Usually children deal with mixed messages and conflicting ideas, making it harder for them to discern between appropriate and inappropriate behavior. They develop poor personal boundaries and have a hard time participating in loving relationships (Jamiolkowski, 2008). Effects of an Unhealthy System Children in unhealthy family systems usually suffer from one or more forms of abuse. This can range from physical abuse to psychological abuse or neglect. At least five children are killed each day by their parent or caregiver, and about 3 million children are abused or neglected each year in the United States (Feldman, 20124). Abuse, at any level causes long-term and permanent effects on the development of a child. Physically abused children are more likely to be resistant to control and do not adapt well to new situations. They suffer from more headaches and stomach aches than the average child. They also experience frequent bed-wetting, suffer from high anxiety and may show developmental delays. Psychological abuse is associated with low self-esteem, lying, underachievement in school, and misbehavior. They can easily become depressed and are at high risk for suicide. Victims of physical and psychological abuse suffer from so many consequences because their brain goes through permanent changes due to the abuse. Childhood abuse can lead to a reduction in the size of the amygdala and hippocampus. Antisocial behaviors are caused by the overstimulation of the limbic system through the feeling of stress, fear or terror (Feldman, 2014). It is likely that the child’s parents will influence their religious and spiritual development. This is done through verbal communication, induction and indoctrination of beliefs with the help of disciplinary tactics as well as rewards (Roehlkepartain, King, Wagener, Benson, 2006). Therefore, parents have the important task of guiding their children through their spiritual development. However, if the parent makes their child’s spiritual experience a negative one, it may make the child rebel. This can occur when the parents show fanaticism towards a certain belief or religion (Jamiolkowski, 2008). Parents should apply spiritual modeling, in which children model their parents’ spiritual behavior. This can include engaging in activities that promote religious and spiritual development and  performing religiously motivated charity for others. These kinds of family routines and traditions help form the religious meaning in family life (Roehlkepartain, King, Wagener, & Benson, 2006). Conclusion Maintaining a healthy family system is key for raising a confident, loving and emotionally balanced child. A healthy family system provides a positive and safe home environment which promotes communication and respect between parents and children. Supportive parents uphold rules in a consistent, yet flexible manner while explaining to the child the reasoning and lesson behind the consequence. In an unhealthy family system, children sometimes endure physical and psychological abuse, as well as neglect. This affects brain development, as well as emotional and social development. Children from unhealthy family systems are usually dependent on the parents, have withdrawn personalities or are aggressive. They are unable to create personal and lasting relationships outside of the home, including those at a spiritual level. If the parents do not show positive religious and spiritual role modeling at home, the child will likely not take an interest in it as well. References Feldman, R. S. (2014). Development across the life span (7th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson. Jamiolkowski, R.M. (2008). Coping in a Dysfunctional Family. New York: Rosen Pub. Group Roehlkepartain, King, Wagener, & Benson (2006). The handbook of spiritual development in childhood and adolescence. Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publication.