Over the next 30 years, what are the risks to National Security posed Essay - 5

Over the next 30 years, what are the risks to National Security posed by increased competition for energy and food resources; and what initiatives might Qatar pursue to reduce these risks - Essay Example having numerous deposits of oil and natural gas, Qatar and other countries in the GCC face a lot of challenges that are likely to threaten theory national security in the future(Bailey, 2013). In the next thirty years for instance, the competition for energy resources in Qatar is likely to be challenging to the extent of threatening national security (UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia, 2011). Current issues that Qatar faces are likely to sabotage progress of the energy sector thereby affecting national security. Among the issues Qatar faces include the inadequacy of energy production to meet the requirements of the population while consuming a lot of water resources are being use in the production process. A huge chunk of the countries food security is vested in international trade thus exposing the country to price risks. The political crisis in a few countries in the GCC and the Arab spring is also likely to affect competition for natural resources in Qatar thereby threatening national security for the next thirty years (Sharma, 2011). Qatar can however avoid this challenges that are likely to threaten the future of the state by diversifying its production process and the whole economy to incorporate different forms of commodities (Bailey,

The Role Of Alfieri in A View From A Bridge Essay Example for Free

The Role Of Alfieri in A View From A Bridge Essay This essay that I have written about is from the book A View from the Bridge. And I am going to discuss how Arthur Miller (the Author of this play) has achieved such dramatic impact by using Alfieri. In this play Alfieris role is very important. He tells us more about the characters like a narrator; he sets the scene and the environment. He is an engaged narrator, helping the audience in every way to understand the story. Arthur miller has used the characteristics in Alfieri to divide the play in different ways. The character helps us to understand the background information, which we might have missed. Alfieris role is to unfold the play to the audience. He makes the audience get involved and plays with their emotions and helps them understand the story. The audience, including me, believe Alfieri because he is a lawyer and knows the most. He creates tension and emotion for the audience and the characters. I think he has so much pressure from being told the background information about the characters. I think he is drowned in stress and needs to talk to someone. I think thats why he talks to the audience. Alfieri also gives the feeling that he is retelling the story, because he mostly speaks in the past tense. The community in this play respect Alfieri because he is a lawyer and helps the rest of the characters out. Alfieris role is like a chorus, always reminding its tragedy. He creates suspense in the audience and gets them hooked to the play. The author must have thought very hard about this. The author makes the play feel like its a cliffhanger and makes them addicted to the play and makes them want to watch more. When Rodolpho wins Catherine, Eddie feels left out and jealous. He feels betrayed by Catherine and that she has ran off and lives her own life. This could also be the reason for his fear of Catherine growing up, and that she is not a little baby anymore. Eddie thinks Rodolpho is gay because he has blond hair and does cooking and sewing. Eddie feels justice must be served. Eddie goes to Alfieri (the lawyer) and tells him about Rodolpho. Alfieri is an educated lawyer, this contrast with the characters like Eddie. Alfieris language is very high standards. His role is to be an expert adviser and represents the American law. He is Eddies advisor. Sometimes he uses imagery to describe something. He uses similes and metaphors. He is giving the audience a clearer view and to convey to the audience that this story will end tragically. He keeps the audience thinking and helps them concentrate towards the play. He also uses imagery to tell the audience about his characters. For example: He walked in the room, and his eyes were like tunnels. This is a simile, this could mean Eddie was thinking deeply and like he committed a crime or he had some passion or he was stressed, obsessed or he had a deep desire or he was not aware of whats going on. In most of Alfieris scenes he develops tension, action, he also helps us like a guide. He moves the scene on to the next one. In the first scene in Alfieris office is where the main message of the play comes to light. That is love, morality, law come to life. The way the Arthur Miller done this is very clever. At the start of each scene Alfieri introduces who is in the scene and the setting, plus he creates the time and atmosphere.

What Happens When Machines Become Conscious? :: The Age of Spiritual Machines Technology Essays

What Happens When Machines Become Conscious? Some leading techno-pundits like Ray Kurzweil believe that machines will become conscious within our lifetimes. In his book, The Age of Spiritual Machines, Kurzweil writes that computers will, â€Å"increasingly appear to have their own personalities, evidencing reactions that we can only label as emotions and articulating their own goals and purposes.† He goes even further to say that the computers will â€Å"appear to have their own free will†, and â€Å"have spiritual experiences† (Kurzweil 6). This is an astounding prediction, but one that is echoed by many of today’s artificial intelligence (AI) theorists. In this brief discussion, I will bring into focus some of the questions surrounding the topic of intelligent computers and consciousness. Whether or not computers will be conscious or spiritual in the future, the fact remains that they are increasingly able to accomplish tasks which were thought only achievable by humans, such as playing chess, or even reading printed text aloud to assist the blind. Stanford computer scientist John McCarthy believes that the only reason computers cannot do some tasks as well as humans is that we do not have an actual understanding of how we solve the problems ourselves. He writes that, â€Å"whenever people do better than computers on some task or computers use a lot of computation to do as well as people, this demonstrates that the program designers lack understanding of the intellectual mechanisms required to do the task efficiently† (McCarthy 2004). This lack of understanding of underlying mechanisms is apparent in the situation when experts in a field cannot fully explain how they accomplish a complex task, such as playing the saxophone or swinging a golf club, which they ma y only fully understand on a subconscious level. As brain researcher Fred Genesee (2000) writes, even the human learning process can be seen as a kind of â€Å"programming†: We now think that the young brain is like a computer with incredibly sophisticated hardwiring, but no software. The software of the brain, like the software of desktop computers, harnesses the exceptional processing capacity of the brain in the service of specialized functions, like vision, smell, and language. All individuals have to acquire or develop their own software in order to harness the processing power of the brain with which they are born. Alas, if only we could find a better way to teach the computer how to solve problems, rather than the current programming methods! Kurzweil suggests that in the future we will be able to use detailed, non-invasive scanning of the human brain to replicate a brain’s structure inside a computer (53).

The Hispanic Community

Based on the United States (U. S. ) Census Bureau in 2011, there were roughly 52 million Hispanics living in the nation, which represented about 16. 7% of the total population (Zepeda, 2011). People of Hispanic origin are the nation's largest ethnic minority group (Zepeda, 2011). Arizona's Hispanic population grew faster than other groups over the past decade (Zepeda, 2011). Arizona had nearly 1. 9 million Hispanic residents as of April 2010, an increase of 46% over the previous decade (Zepeda, 2011). By tradition, the Hispanic family is dependent on one another and possesses the most important social unit (Zepeda, 2011).In the Hispanic culture, it is customary to be morally responsible for other family members and help them in their time of need when they are experiencing financial problems, unemployment, poor health conditions, and other life issues (Zedpeda, 2011). Respect for the elderly and authority is a major point of teaching as well as preserving the Spanish language within the family (Zepeda, 2011). The Hispanic population have low rates of educational attainment, family income, insurance coverage, and a higher rate of poverty compared to non-Hispanic Whites (â€Å"Summary health statistics†, 2012).Value/Belief Pattern The Hispanic community is predominately Catholic (â€Å"Transcultural nursing†, n. d. ). Hispanics consider health to be â€Å"a gift from God and should not be taken for granted† (â€Å"Transcultural nursing†, n. d. , para. 1). Illness prevention is practiced through prayer, wearing religious medals or amulets, and by keeping certain home artifacts (â€Å"Transcultural nursing†, n. d. ). They are present-oriented and thus may fail to seek preventive care (â€Å"Transcultural nursing†, n. d. ). They may arrive late or not go to appointments (â€Å"Transcultural nursing†, n. d. ).Their culture emphasizes family interdependence over independence (â€Å"Transcultural nursing†, n. d. ) . In times of illness, they depend on family and friends for assistance as opposed to social workers. (â€Å"Transcultural nursing†, n. d). Health Perception/Management Pattern The Hispanic culture emphasizes wellness rather than illness and holistic ideologies pertaining to health (Young, 2001). Decisions to seek medical assistance and treatment are often based upon cost, which frequently results in utilizing a licensed physician as a last resort (Young, 2001). They mostly rely on home treatments and community healers (Young, 2001).Many barriers exist for Hispanics to obtain high quality healthcare, including lack of insurance, socioeconomic status, language, and communication challenges. The most frequent minority health issues in Tucson, Arizona are heart disease, diabetes, obesity, hypertension, and HIV/AIDS. The top three leading causes of Hispanic deaths in Arizona are from cardiovascular disease, heart disease, and cancer (ADHS, 2009). Nutrition/Metabolic Pattern The H ispanic population has a low intake of vitamins A, D, E, B2, B6, folic acid, and minerals (Ortega, Lopez, & Serra, 2004).According to a 2009 report on emergency food distribution in the U. S. , Hispanic children had a higher rate of food assistance (29%) compared to Whites (11%) (Feeding America, 2010). The obesity rate among Hispanics in Arizona (33. 1%) is disproportionately high and exceeds the national Hispanic obesity average of 30. 6%. The three sources of water supply in Tucson are groundwater, Colorado River water, and recycled water . Specific foods and drinks like beverages, caffeine/energy drinks, carbonated beverages, whole fat milk, sport drinks, fried food and fruit/vegetable drinks are prohibited in school campuses.Elimination Pattern (Environmental Health Concerns) Hispanics are environmentally friendly. According to research, Latino Americans (Hispanics) â€Å"are the greenest population in the U. S. † (Arsian, 2011, para. 1) as they tend to look for greener products for their daily use. Many environmental issues affect Hispanics. Research shows that Hispanic children of low-income families are â€Å"more likely to live in unsafe areas with poor street environments† (Zhu & Lee, 2008, p. 282). In 2009, Hispanics had the second highest percentage of those residing in inadequate housing (CDC, 2011).In 2006, about 25% of Hispanics resided in counties that exceeded fine particulate matter standards for air – representing the highest percentage of any ethnic group (CDC, 2011). Activity/Exercise Pattern Hispanics have a low physical activity level which has contributed to their elevated obesity rate (Lee & Laffrey, 2008). In a survey, over 67% of Hispanics did not exercise at least 150 minutes per week as national guidelines recommend (Bautista, Reininger, Gay, Barroso, & McCormick, 2011). More men than women and more single individuals than married individuals exercise (Lee & Laffrey, 2008).The three most preferred methods of ex ercise are walking/running, stretching and resistance activities, and aerobics (Lee & Laffrey, 2008). Sleep/Rest Pattern Research shows that Hispanics are at greater risk for reduced sleep hours and sleep disorders like apnea (Loredo et al. , 2010). Tucson’s Children’s Assessment of Sleep Apnea Study compared Hispanic and Caucasian children residing in Tucson, Arizona. Hispanics were found to have a 3% increase of sleep disorders compared to Caucasians of the same age group residing within the same geopolitical area (Quan, Goodwin, Babar, Kaemingk, & Morgan, 2003).A hypothesis for differences is unclear; it is possible that socioeconomic variables with the ability to speak limited English may have had a reflection on this study (Quan, Goodwin, Babar, Kaemingk, & Morgan, 2003). Cognitive/Perceptual Pattern Disparity exists among the Hispanic population in Tucson, which is growing into a majority status while lagging in educational attainment (Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, n. d. ). Low educational attainment is linked to low earning power and poverty.Educational and social deficits in perception/cognition may be based on the inability for many Hispanic residents to effectively assimilate to Western society. This is a border community in which many residents continue to reside in Mexico while maintaining a home in Tucson. This appears to decrease acculturation, education, and communication by minimizing the use of English as a second language. Self-Perception/Self-Concept Pattern Hispanics usually place a great importance on their look and appearance as it is viewed as a sense of honor, dignity, and pride (Zepeda, 2011).They prefer to dress formally for church attendance, parties, and other social gatherings, but recently jeans and tennis shoes are becoming more popular among the women (Zepeda, 2011). Another cultural habit is that they are flexible about time when attending social events – they tend to be less punctual than other popu lations in the nation (Zepeda, 2011). Lastly, Hispanics are shy about public speaking because of their heavy accent (Zepeda, 2011). Role/Relationship Pattern The Hispanic family usually lives as an extended family, playing an important role in the life of each family member (â€Å"Understanding the Hispanic/Latino†, n.  d. ).They place family needs ahead of their own (â€Å"Understanding the Hispanic/Latino†, n. d. ). Children are taught to be respectful of authority, the elderly, and of members of the extended family (â€Å"Understanding the Hispanic/Latino†, n. d. ). Most often the father is the head of the family and the mother has responsibilities for the home (Zepeda, 2011). They also believe in order to succeed and advance in life, a child or individual needs the whole family’s support (â€Å"Understanding the Hispanic/Latino†, n. d).Sexuality/Reproductive Pattern Hispanics have one of the highest birth rates in the United States – y et they face prenatal health care disparities that predispose them to pregnancy related complications (Jarvis, 2012). Hispanic women are not as likely to receive family planning services (Martinez, Chandra, Febo-Vazquez, & Mosher, 2013). In Southern Arizona, they have the highest birth, teen pregnancy, abortion, and birth to unwed mother rates (â€Å"Abortions†, 2013; AZDHS, 2011). They were also the highest user of the state’s Medicaid program to pay for births (AZDHS, 2011).Coping/Stress Pattern Violent crime is up 16. 6% compared to 2011 and crime over all is up 15. 6% compared to the previous year. Tucson’s poverty rates remained among the nation’s highest last year, with 1 in 5 living below the poverty threshold. Between October 1, 2012 and March 31, 2013 there were 22,161 incoming communications to the Child Abuse Hotline that met the criteria for a report of abuse or neglect. Compared to one year ago there has been an 8. 3 % increase in reports rec eived by the CPS Hotline.Statistics have shown that there are approximately 25,043 marijuana users, 10,967 prescription drug and 4,103 cocaine addicts, 1,862 abusing hallucinogens, 1,046 people that use inhalants, and 232 heroin addicts. About 145 people will die from alcohol and 29 lives will be lost to illicit drug use. Conclusion The Hispanic population of Southwestern Arizona has increased exponentially in the last decade. Hispanics in the Tucson area take great pride in their cultural heritage. They are family and spiritually oriented.They take pride in their appearance and honor family by caring for one another in time of need. Several factors facilitating unhealthy lifestyle habits were identified for this community. One hypothesis is relative to the geographical area of Tucson, Arizona. Being a border community could cause resistance to acculturation and assimilation of mainstream society. â€Å"Hispanics residing in U. S border communities tend to be less acculturated and have higher poverty rates† (Ghaddar, Brown, Paggan, & Diaz, 2010, p. 191). Poverty rates in the Tucson area remained among the highest in the nation for 2012.Socioeconomic disparities, lack of educational attainment, and communication challenges compounded by lack of access to affordable health care have left this community with many opportunities for community intervention and health care promotion. Specific areas of concern are unplanned pregnancies, nutritional deficiencies with a disproportionately high rate of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. Additional health care preventative programs assimilated to the unique needs of this population will assist to provide improved health outcomes for a community in need.

The Host Chapter 58: Finished

I was so tightly wound that I shrieked in terror; I was so terrified that my shriek was only a breathless little squeal. â€Å"Sorry!† Jared's arm went around my shoulders, comforting. â€Å"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you.† â€Å"What are you doing here?† I demanded, still breathless. â€Å"Following you. I've been following you all night.† â€Å"Well, stop it now.† There was a hesitation in the dark, and his arm didn't move. I shrugged out from under it, but he caught my wrist. His grip was firm; I wouldn't be able to shake free easily. â€Å"You're going to see Doc?† he asked, and there was no confusion in the question. It was obvious that he wasn't talking about a social visit. â€Å"Of course I am.† I hissed the words so that he wouldn't hear the panic in my voice. â€Å"What else can I do after today? It's not going to get any better. And this isn't Jeb's decision to make.† â€Å"I know. I'm on your side.† It made me angry that these words still had the power to hurt me, to bring tears stinging into my eyes. I tried to hold on to the thought of Ian-he was the anchor, as Kyle somehow had been for Sunny-but it was hard with Jared's hand touching me, with the smell of him in my nose. Like trying to make out the song of one violin when the entire percussion section was bashing away†¦ â€Å"Then let me go, Jared. Go away. I want to be alone.† The words came out fierce and fast and hard. It was easy to hear that they weren't lies. â€Å"I should come with you.† â€Å"You'll have Melanie back soon enough,† I snapped. â€Å"I'm only asking for a few minutes, Jared. Give me that much.† Another pause; his hand didn't loosen. â€Å"Wanda, I would come to be with you.† The tears spilled over. I was grateful for the darkness. â€Å"It wouldn't feel that way,† I whispered. â€Å"So there's no point.† Of course Jared could not be allowed to be there. Only Doc could be trusted. Only he had promised me. And I wasn't leaving this planet. I wasn't going to go live as a Dolphin or a Flower, always grieving for the loves I'd left behind me, all dead by the time I opened my eyes again-if I even had eyes. This was my planet, and they wouldn't make me leave. I would stay in the dirt, in the dark grotto with my friends. A human grave for the human I had become. â€Å"But Wanda, I†¦ There's so much that I need to say to you.† â€Å"I don't want your gratitude, Jared. Trust me on that.† â€Å"What do you want?† he whispered, his voice strained and choked. â€Å"I would give you anything.† â€Å"Take care of my family. Don't let the others kill them.† â€Å"Of course I'll take care of them.† He dismissed my request brusquely. â€Å"I meant you. What can I give you?† â€Å"I can't take anything with me, Jared.† â€Å"Not even a memory, Wanda? What do you want?† I brushed the tears away with my free hand, but others took their place too quickly for it to matter. No, I couldn't take even a memory. â€Å"What can I give you, Wanda?† he insisted. I took a deep breath and tried to keep my voice steady. â€Å"Give me a lie, Jared. Tell me you want me to stay.† There was no hesitation this time. His arms wound around me in the dark, held me securely against his chest. He pressed his lips against my forehead, and I felt his breath move my hair when he spoke. Melanie was holding her breath in my head. She was trying to bury herself again, trying to give me my freedom for these last minutes. Maybe she was afraid to listen to these lies. She wouldn't want this memory when I was gone. â€Å"Stay here, Wanda. With us. With me. I don't want you to go. Please. I can't imagine having you gone. I can't see that. I don't know how to†¦ how to†¦Ã¢â‚¬  His voice broke. He was a very good liar. And he must have been very, very sure of me to say those things. I rested against him for a moment, but I could feel the time pulling me away. Time was up. Time was up. â€Å"Thank you,† I whispered, and I tried to extricate myself. His arms tightened. â€Å"I'm not done.† Our faces were only inches apart. He closed the distance, and even here, on the edge of my last breath on this planet, I couldn't help responding. Gasoline and an open flame-we exploded again. It wasn't the same, though. I could feel that. This was for me. It was my name that he gasped when he held this body-and he thought of it as my body, thought of it as me. I could feel the difference. For one moment, it was just us, just Wanderer and Jared, both of us burning. No one had ever lied better than Jared lied with his body in my last minutes, and for that I was grateful. I couldn't take it with me, because I wasn't going anywhere, but it eased some of the pain of leaving. I could believe the lie. I could believe that he would miss me so much that it might even mar some of his joy. I shouldn't want that, but it felt good to believe it anyway. I couldn't ignore the time, the seconds ticking like a countdown. Even on fire, I could feel them dragging at me, sucking me down the dark corridor. Taking me away from all this heat and feeling. I managed to pull my lips away from his. We panted in the dark, our breath warm on each other's faces. â€Å"Thank you,† I said again. â€Å"Wait†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I can't. I can't†¦ bear any more. Okay?† â€Å"Okay,† he whispered. â€Å"I just want one more thing. Let me do this alone. Please?† â€Å"If†¦ if you're sure that's what you want†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He trailed off, unsure. â€Å"It's what I need, Jared.† â€Å"Then I'll stay here,† he said hoarsely. â€Å"I'll send Doc to get you when it's over.† His arms were still locked around me. â€Å"You know that Ian is going to try to kill me for letting you do this? Maybe I should let him. And Jamie. He'll never forgive either of us.† â€Å"I can't think about them right now. Please. Let me go.† Slowly, with a palpable reluctance that warmed some of the cold emptiness in the center of my body, Jared let his arms slide away. â€Å"I love you, Wanda.† I sighed. â€Å"Thanks, Jared. You know how much I love you. With my whole heart.† Heart and soul. Not the same thing, in my case. I'd been divided too long. It was time to make something whole again, make a whole person. Even if that excluded me. The ticking seconds pulled me toward the end. It was cold when he no longer held me. It got colder every step I took away from him. Just my imagination, of course. It was still summer here. It would always be summer here for me. â€Å"What happens here when it rains, Jared?† I whispered. â€Å"Where do people sleep?† It took him a moment to answer, and I could hear tears in his voice. â€Å"We†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He swallowed. â€Å"We all move into the game room. Everyone sleeps in there together.† I nodded to myself. I wondered what the atmosphere would be like. Awkward, with all the conflicting personalities? Or was it fun? A change? Like a slumber party? â€Å"Why?† he whispered. â€Å"I just wanted to†¦ imagine. How it will be.† Life and love would go on. Even though it would happen without me, the idea brought me joy. â€Å"Goodbye, Jared. Mel says she'll see you soon.† Liar. â€Å"Wait†¦ Wanda†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I hurried down the tunnel, hurried away from any chance that he might, with his grateful lies, convince me not to go. There was only silence behind me. His pain did not hurt me the way Ian's had. For Jared, pain would be over soon. Joy was only minutes away. The happy ending. The southern tunnel felt only a few yards long. I could see the bright lantern burning ahead, and I knew Doc was waiting for me. I walked into the room that had always frightened me with my shoulders squared. Doc had everything prepared. In the dimmest corner, I could see two cots pushed together, Kyle snoring with his arm around Jodi's motionless form. His other arm was still curled around Sunny's tank. She would have liked that. I wished there was some way to tell her. â€Å"Hey, Doc,† I whispered. He looked up from the table where he was setting out the medicine. There were already tears streaming down his face. And suddenly, I was brave. My heart slowed to an even pace. My breath deepened and relaxed. The hardest parts were over. I had done this before. Many times. I had closed my eyes and gone away. Always knowing new eyes would open again, but still. This was familiar. Nothing to fear. I went to the cot and hopped up so that I was sitting on it. I reached for the No Pain with steady hands and screwed the lid off. I put the little tissue square on my tongue, let it dissolve. There was no change. I wasn't in any pain this time. No physical pain. â€Å"Tell me something, Doc. What's your real name?† I wanted to answer all the little puzzles before the end. Doc sniffed and wiped the back of his hand under his eyes. â€Å"Eustace. It's a family name, and my parents were cruel people.† I laughed once. Then I sighed. â€Å"Jared's waiting, back by the big cave. I promised him you'd tell him when it was over. Just wait until I-until I†¦ stop moving, okay? It will be too late for him to do anything about my decision then.† â€Å"I don't want to do this, Wanda.† â€Å"I know. Thanks for that, Doc. But I'm holding you to your promise.† â€Å"Please?† â€Å"No. You gave me your word. I did my part, didn't I?† â€Å"You did.† â€Å"Then do yours. Let me stay with Walt and Wes.† His thin face worked as he tried to keep back a sob. â€Å"Will you be†¦ in pain?† â€Å"No, Doc,† I lied. â€Å"I won't feel anything.† I waited for the euphoria to come, for the No Pain to set everything glowing the way it had the last time. I still didn't feel any difference. It must not have been the No Pain after all-it had just been being loved. I sighed again. I stretched out on the cot, on my stomach, and turned my face toward him. â€Å"Put me under, Doc.† The bottle opened. I heard him shake it onto the cloth in his hand. â€Å"You are the noblest, purest creature I've ever met. The universe will be a darker place without you,† he whispered. These were his words over my grave, my epitaph, and I was glad that I got to hear them. Thank you, Wanda. My sister. I will never forget you. Be happy, Mel. Enjoy it all. Appreciate it for me. I will, she promised. Bye, we thought together. Doc's hand pressed the cloth gently over my face. I breathed in deeply, ignoring the thick, uncomfortable scent. As I took another breath, I saw the three stars again. They were not calling to me; they were letting me go, leaving me to the black universe I had wandered for so many lifetimes. I drifted into the black, and it got brighter and brighter. It wasn't black at all-it was blue. Warm, vibrant, brilliant blue†¦ I floated into it with no fear at all.

Pain essays

Pain essays Vaccine Could Protect Against Stroke And Epilepsy Damage A new oral vaccine has offered new hope because of its effectiveness in protecting laboratory rats against brain damage from epilepsy and stroke, and might one day be used to help humans with the same conditions. The vaccine blocks a protein in the brain called NMDA, but does so only when epilepsy or stroke occur. The vaccine is released in the brain as needed and is protected from any side effects. During and colleagues immunized another group of rats and after five months induced stroke in them by blocking an artery in the brain. The rats still experienced strokes, but the size of the brain damage was 70 percent less in immunized rats compared with animals that didn't receive the treatment. This concept could be useful in treating other neurological disorders as well. NMDA is a receptor that responds to the chemical glutamate in the brain, the glutamate/NMDA complex is responsible for many normal brain functions like the development of neurons, learning and memory. Blocking the NMDA receptor in general could have damaging effects. However, the NMDA receptor is also involved in a chain of events that contribute to neurological damage from epilepsy, stroke and head injuries. To create the vaccine, the researchers added the gene that codes for the NMDA receptor to a virus. When this gene and virus combination enter the animal's bloodstream, the immune system creates antibodies to both the virus and NMDA. These antibodies circulate in the blood, but are prevented from entering the brain by the blood brain barrier, a tightly packed group of cells that line blood vessels in the brain. The blood brain barrier is a protective mechanism that prevents many large molecules, such as these antibodies, from entering the brain. Yet during times of neurological insult, like epilepsy and stroke, the blood brain barrier is compromised, and the antibodies do enter the brain. They then s...

Knowledge About Ionising Radiation Among Dentists The WritePass Journal

Knowledge About Ionising Radiation Among Dentists Introduction: Knowledge About Ionising Radiation Among Dentists Introduction:Literature ReviewOBJECTIVES METHODSThe objectives of the study will be to:METHODS:HYPOTHESISReferencesRelated Introduction: Dental radiography has evolved over the last decade. The evolution began with the introduction of new changes to the operations of dental radiology. Some examples of these changes include new machines, smaller beam sizes, increased filtration, advanced techniques, faster film speeds and large increases in utilization (White, 1992, 118-26). However, concerns do remain about the possible adverse effects of dental radiography on humans for several reasons: firstly, these procedures remain the only common type of diagnostic radiography capable of being   performed without intensifying screens, requiring concomitantly higher doses. Secondly, the targets to film distance are short. The third reason is the emitted rays are in near   to sensitive organs in the head and neck region. These examinations are among the most common diagnostic radiographic procedures performed today. Based on these examinations, previous studies have concluded   an increased risk for salivary gland, thyroid, and brain tumors (UN Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation, 2000, Vol.1). Literature Review According to UNSCEAR 2000 Report (European Union, 1997, 22), dental radiography is one of the most frequent types of radiological procedures. Although the exposure associated with dental radiography is relatively low, any radiological procedure should be justiï ¬ ed and optimized in order to keep the radiation risk as low as reasonably achievable (Radiation Protection 136). Dose assessment is recommended to be performed on a regular basis to ensure that patient exposure is always kept within the recommended levels and to identify possible equipment malfunction or inadequate technique (Alme’n, Mattsson, 1996, 81-89). With comparison to adults, children have been found to be more radiosensitive (International Commission on Radiological Protection, 1991, Publication 60). Therefore, increased attention is recommended in supervising children to minimize the medical radiation exposure to children. All radiological procedures carried out on children must adapt to special radiation protection measures, which aims at recognizing and implementing possible dose reduction strategies in order to eliminate unnecessary and therefore un-justiï ¬ ed radiation exposure.It is the   responsibility of the health care professional to provide firsthand knowledge to the patients undergoing all radiological procedures and processes. The dentist can answer queries of any patient with regard to radiation hazards, which can be reliable provided their knowledge is adequate and up-to-date. The knowledge related to radiation is taught during undergraduate training in medical colleges.   However, dentists grossly underestimated the proper risk regarding proper use of medical imaging tools and their associated radiation risks (International Commission on Radiological Protetion, 1991, Publication 60).   On the other hand, the incorrect information about its safety and effectiveness, is made and promoted by some dentists who are paid and sponsored by the manufacturers of these d evices to lecture and give seminars promoting their products.   The conflict of interest does add extra concern about the safety of these products. OBJECTIVES METHODS The objectives of the study will be to: Assesses dentist’s knowledge about ionizing radiations and their hazard on the patient. Identify the level of understanding regarding use of ionizing equipment’s among dentist. METHODS: The research will assess  the ionizing radiations knowledge, risk and awareness among dentists in Australia  and  Jordan. The approach to this assessment will use a survey that will be distributed to 300 dentists. These are some of the questions that I will be asking the dentists: 1-Name (optional) 2- Sex 3- Age 4- Dental school 5- Year graduated 6- Residency 7- Experience 8- Risks associated with ionizing radiation on human tissue 9- Methods of mitigating or preventing ionization radiation during practice 10- Best practices associated with ionizing radiation HYPOTHESIS The null hypothesis or my expected outcome of the survey results is that of the better hospitals, or the institution of allied health care that provide ionization radiation during practice to have dentists that understand the risks better than other doctors.   The other doctors are understood to be in practice in less stellar institutions of allied healthcare.   The alternative hypothesis is that doctors at the stellar institutions as well as doctors at the lesser institutions are unaware of the risks associated with ionizing radiation. References White SC.   assessment of radiation risk from dental radiography.  Dentomaxillofac Radiol.  1992;21(3):118-26. United Nations Scientiï ¬ c Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation. Sources and effect of ionizing radiation. Report Vol. 1 UNSCEAR publications (2000). European Union. Council Directive 97/43 Euratom, on health protection of individuals against the dangers of ionizing radiation in relation to medical exposures, and repealing Directive 84/466 Euratom. Off. J. Eur. Commun. L180, 22 (1997). Radiation protection 136. European Guidelines on radiation protection in dental radiology: The safe use of radiographs in dental radiology. European Commission publications. Alme ´n, A. and Mattsson, S. On the calculation of effective dose to children and adolescents. J. Radiol. Prot. 16(2), 81–89 (1996). International Commission on Radiological Protection. 1990 Recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection. ICRP Publication 60. (Oxford: Pergamon Press) (1991).