Wednesday, January 29, 2020

Charles Keith Essay Example for Free

Charles Keith Essay Charles Keith is a Singaporean shoe brand that dedicated itself to â€Å"trendy shoppers†, driven by attention to product design and the larger picture of fashion trends to deliver distinctive, fashion forward styles at a fast pace. Positioned as having an attitude that â€Å"exudes style and confidence†, CharlesKeith offers a wide range of shoes, bags, and accessories at affordable prices. ECONOMICS (PESTEL HK) High economic freedom Hong Kong is well known as one of the world’s best shopping place, from products at reasonable price until luxury goods 1. 9 billion GDP and $52,722 PPP per capita Inflation very stabilize – 4.3% (CPI) The value of retail sales shows great number Hong Kong as a global free port and financial hub continues to be consistent on the free flow of goods, services, and capital. With an efficient regulatory structure, sophisticated capital markets, and simple and low taxation, Hong Kong continues to offer the most convenient platform for international companies doing business on the country. Hong Kong is a very strategic market for CharlesKeith because of their popularity as one of worlds’ best shopping place. Hong Kong offers world class quality shopping experience; therefore this is a very big opportunity for a fashion brand like CharlesKeith to increase their sales. High GDP per capita (PPP) and the stabilize inflation in Hong Kong widen the possibility for CharlesKeith to survive in the highly competitive fashion brands, as CharlesKeith also offers good quality products at the reasonable price. Moreover, retail sales in Hong Kong are showing great numbers of value, makes Hong Kong even better as CharlesKeith market target.

Monday, January 27, 2020

Risk factors in Coronary Artery Bypass Graft

Risk factors in Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Association of selected risk factors and the number of grafts at Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) surgery: A preliminary study E M S Bandara1, S Ekanayake1*, A D Kapuruge2 and C A Wanigatunge3 Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) is associated with multi-factorial risk factors; i.e. family history, hyperlipidemia, obesity, hypertension, diabetes, environmental and life style variables. The study attempted to find the association of some selected risk factors (family history, hyperlipidemia, hypertension and diabetic) and the number of grafts (> 3 or à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ £ 3 by considering the middle point as the maximum number of grafts bypassed at surgery is five) of the patients (n=73) who underwent CABG at Cardiothoracic unit of Sri Jayewardenepura General Hospital (Ethical Approval No.635/12). Data on family history, hyperlipidemia, hypertension and diabetes were gathered by using an interviewer administrated questionnaire. The patients were categorized into two groups depending on the number of coronary artery bypass grafts as those who have hadà ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ £ 3 grafts (n=38) and > 3 grafts (n=35) irrespective of the gender. The prevalence of family history, hyperlipidemia, hypertension and diabetesof patients with à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ £ 3 grafts were 63%, 71%, 79% and 50% respectively. The prevalence of above risk factors in patients who had > 3 grafts was40%, 51%, 62%, and 54%respectively. From the total group 4% of patients did not have any of the above risk factors.The results indicate that hypertension was the most prevailing risk factor in both the groups. However, a significant difference was seen only between family history and number of grafts (p 2 = 3.9).The odds ratio of >3 grafts being bypassed at surgery for patients with any of the four risk factors were 2.6 (95% C I: 0.96-6.88), 0.4 (95% CI: 0.16-1.23), 2.0 (95% CI: 0.67-6.0), 1.2 (95% CI: 0.67-6.05) respectively compared to those without above risk factors. Even though not significant, those who have a family history of CAD and hypertension as risk factors are more likely to (2.6 times and twice respectively) have > 3 grafts bypassed at CABG irrespective of the gender or age. According to the above results contribution of hyperlipidemia to augment the number of grafts is less. Early detection and treatment for hypertension thus may contribute to reduce the number of grafts being performed at CABG. Therefore, CAD patients should be made aware of the contribution of above risk factors to contribute to increase the number of grafts at surgery. Keywords: Coronary Artery Diseases, Risk factors, Grafts Association of selected risk factors and the number of grafts at Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) surgery: A preliminary study Introduction A high incidence of Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) has been observed in South Asian countries including Sri Lanka. According to a recent estimation 524 deaths from 100 000 in Sri Lanka were from cardio- and cerebro-vascular diseases. Hospitalization due to non communicable diseases and ischemic heart disease has increased significantly over the past 10 years. Hypertension, smoking, diabetes, obesity and hyperlipidemia, age and family history are established risk factors for cardiovascular disease. According to previous studies prevalence of hypertension was 63.7% in, over 70 years and it was 28.4% in over 20 yrs [1]. High prevalence of dyslipidemia is also reported in a study of Sri Lankan individuals > 18 years [2]. No data were found on the prevalence of above risk factors in patients with confirmed CAD or number of grafts performed and their association to the CAD risk factors. The study attempted to find the association of some selected risk factors (family history, hyperlipidemia , hypertension and diabetic) and the number of grafts (> 3 or à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ £ 3 by considering the middle point as the maximum number of grafts bypassed at surgery is five) of the patients who underwent CABG at Cardio-Thoracic unit of Sri Jayewardenepura General Hospital. Methodology This descriptive study was carried out with patients (n=73, male- 48, female 25) who underwent CABG at Cardio-Thoracic unit of Sri Jayewardenepura General Hospital (Ethical Approval No.635/12). An interviewer administrated questionnaire was used for gathering data on family history, hyperlipidemia, hypertension and diabetes. Patients were categorized in to two groups, considering the middle point (03 grafts as the maximum number of grafts bypassed at surgery is five) and those who have had à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ £ 3 grafts (n=38) and > 3 grafts (n=35) irrespective of the gender and age. Data were analysed using SPSS version 16 statistical package. Result and Discussion The prevalence of family history, hyperlipidemia, hypertension and diabetes of the study population is summarized in table 01. Table 1. Prevalence of risk factors Hypertension was the most common risk factor among both groups. Hyperlipidemia and diabetes were second common risk factors among groups of à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ £ 3 and > 3 grafts respectively. Prevalence of diabetes is comparatively low in the patients that have had à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ £ 3 grafts. According to Wijewardene et al (2005) the total prevalence of hypertension in Western, North central, Uva and Southern provinces of Sri Lanka was 18.8% for males and 19.3 % for females among age group of 30 – 65 yrs [3]. Katulanda et al (2010) reported the prevalence of hypertension as 28.4 % for males and 27.7 % for females of > 20 yrs among adults from seven provinces in Sri Lanka [1]. In the current study the patient’s age ranged from 38 to 80 years and also all of them were confirmed as having CAD. Sri Lanka diabetes and cardiovascular study, carried out in 2005 – 2006 period have concluded that high prevalence of dyslipidemia among Sri Lankan adults (> 18 years) [2]. In this study among confirmed patients of CAD hyperlipidemia was the second common risk factor among patient who had à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ £ 3 grafts (71 %) and 51 % in patients who had > 3 grafts. According to Fernando et al (1994) prevalence of diabetes and hypertension was 15% and 61% for males and 18% and 41% for females in suburban community of age range 30 – 64 years respectively [4] which agrees with present data among CAD patients. A significant difference was observed between the family history and number of grafts bypassed (à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ £2 = 3.9, p Table 2. The odds ratios related to risk factors According to Veeranna et al (2010) diabetes mellitus was the only predictor of obstructive CAD in elderly (> 65 years) and lipid levels had no correlation or a weak correlation with obstructive CAD [5]. According to present data hyperlidemia had the lowest odds ratio while diabetics had 1.2 time risk of having > 3 grafts. However, those who have family history and hypertension are twice likely to have > 3 grafts performed at the surgery irrespective of the gender or age. However, according to this study contribution of hyperlipidemia to increase the number of grafts is comparatively less. Early detection and treatment for hypertension thus may contribute to reduce the number of grafts being performed at surgery (CABG). Therefore, CAD patients should be made aware of the contribution of above risk factors to contribute to increase the number of grafts at surgery. Referances Katulanda, P., De Vas Gunawardena, A.N.P., Constantine, G.R., Sheriff M.H.R., Matthews, D.R.: Prevalence and correlates of hypertension in Sri Lanka. In: 42nd Anual Academic Sessions of College of Physicians, pp. 43 (2009) Herath, H.R.I.S., Katulanda, P., Matthews, D.R., Sheriff, M.H.R., Constantine, G.R., De Vas Gunawardena, A.N.P., Katulanda, G.W.:Prevalence and patterns of dyslipidaemia among adult Sri Lankans. In: 123rd Anual Scientific Sessions of Sri Lanka Medical Association, pp. 15 (2010) Wijewardene, K., Mohideen, M.R., Mendis, S., Fernando, D.S., Kulathilaka T., Weerasekara, D., and Uluwitta, P.: Prevalence of hypertension, diabetes and obesity: baseline findings of a population based survey in four provinces in Sri Lanka. Ceylon Medical Journal. 62–70 (2004) Fernando, D.J.S., Siribaddana, S.H., De Silva D.R., Perera S.D.,: The prevalence of obesity and other coronary risk factors in a suburban Sri Lankan community. Asia Pacific J Clin Nutri, pp. 155–159 (1994) Veeranna, V., Pradhan, J., Niraj, A., Fakhry H.,and Afonso, L.,: Traditional Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Severity of Angiographic Coronary Artery Disease in the Elderly. Preventive Cardiology, pp. 135-140 (2010)

Tuesday, January 21, 2020

An Examination of the Second Meditation of Descartes :: Essays Papers

An Examination of the Second Meditation of Descartes Baird and Kaufmann, the editors of our text, explain in their outline of Descartes' epistemology that the method by which the thinker carried out his philosophical work involved first discovering and being sure of a certainty, and then, from that certainty, reasoning what else it meant one could be sure of. He would admit nothing without being absolutely satisfied on his own (i.e., without being told so by others) that it was incontrovertible truth. This system was unique, according to the editors, in part because Descartes was not afraid to face doubt. Despite the fact that it was precisely doubt of which he was endeavoring to rid himself, he nonetheless allowed it the full reign it deserved and demanded over his intellectual labors. "Although uncertainty and doubt were the enemies," say Baird and Kaufmann (p.16), "Descartes hit upon the idea of using doubt as a tool or as a weapon. . . . He would use doubt as an acid to pour over every 'truth' to see if there was anything that coul d not be dissolved . . . ." This test, they explain, resulted for Descartes in the conclusion that, if he doubted everything in the world there was to doubt, it was still then certain that he was doubting; further, that in order to doubt, he had to exist. His own existence, therefore, was the first truth he could admit to with certainty, and it became the basis for the remainder of his epistemology. In his "Synopsis of the Following Six Meditations," Descartes writes the longest paragraph by far on the Second Meditation. This is hardly surprising, since it is the one most critical to his methodology -- the one without which, his entire system of reasoning would collapse. In the first sentence of it, he presents exactly that conclusion which, as we have just seen, Baird and Kaufmann discussed: "In the Second Meditation," he says (p. 23), "the mind uses its own freedom and supposes the non-existence of all things about whose existence it can have even the slightest doubt; and in so doing the mind notices that it is impossible that it should not itself exist during this time." He goes on to say that this will enable the mind to distinguish itself from the body. At this point he spends a good deal of space speaking of exactly why he will not attempt to prove the immortality of the soul in this section, though perhaps some of his audience might have expected him to.

Sunday, January 19, 2020

Free College Essays - Sir Gawain and the Green Knight :: Sir Gawain Green Knight Essays

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight The poet begins his work by reminding us that the history of Britain is both ancient and glorious; Aeneas, whose deeds in the Trojan War are legendary, whose exploits in war are recorded in Virgil's Aeneid, and who is legendary for having founded the city of Rome after the Trojan War, was the ancestor of a man named Felix Brutus who founded Britain ("Britain" comes from "Brutus"). The most noble of the kings that followed Brutus was Arthur; the poet says that he intends to tell one of the wondrous tales of Arthur. One Christmas at Camelot, the king, his queen Guinevere, and the court gather for fifteen days of celebration. The best and noblest of people and activities are there: brave and famous men who compete in military games, beautiful and gracious ladies who play kissing games with the men. There is the most wonderful entertainment-dancing, feasting, singing. On New Year's Day, there is a tremendous feast at which all gather together. Arthur, young and impulsive, has a feast-day tradition, though, which has to be observed before the meal. He would not eat on such an occasion until he observed something marvelous: the telling of an amazing story, the fighting of a glorious battle, or the like. Arthur presides over the feast at the high table with Guinevere and Gawain and other famous knights as music plays and the food is brought in-so many delicacies and elaborate dishes that the poet says it would be impossible to describe them all. In the midst of the preparations for the feast, and as Arthur waits for a marvel to take place so that he can eat, a huge and terrible man bursts into the hall-a giant of a man, his chest and limbs are massive even while his proportions show him to be fit and attractive. The most shocking thing about him is that he was completely green. The poet spends most of the next three stanzas describing the Green Knight in detail; first, we learn of his clothing, trimmed in fur and embroidery, all green and gold. Then we learn that the horse he rides, the saddle, and the stirrups are all green. The man's long hair matches that of the horse, and he has a great, thick beard, also green.

Monday, January 13, 2020

Developmental Psych Papere

The study of the psychological development in children has been an ongoing endeavor.   Renowned theorist, Sigmund Freud developed a psychoanalytic stage of psychological development focusing on the psychosexual development of individuals.   Erikson developed his own theory of development which spanned over one’s lifetime.   Psychological development has stirred arguments in theory from biological theorists and environmental theorists as well.Despite the uncompromised viewpoints from psychological, biological, and environmental theorists, children continue to be born, grow, and become adults without a definitive explanation to their development.   There exists the lingering question as to why some children grow and develop serious psychological disorders and learning dysfunctions when compared to other children who are devoid of any dysfunction.BackgroundAt first view, Adam is a rambunctious typical 8 year old boy.   It is noticeable that his attention span is comprom ised as he is unable to remain focused on one activity for any given length of time.   His parents, Jason and Alexis, explained that Adam was born via Caesarean section after forty-two prolonged hours of labor. A second child was born, a girl, later the following year.   At the age of 2, his parents noticed that he seemed too eager and full of energy.   After a trip to the pediatrician, they were assured that this was typical behavior for a 2 year old boy.Up to the age of 4, his parents became more distraught with their inability to control his behaviors.   By this point, Adam was sleeping three hours per night, had gotten outside the family home by picking a lock with a butter knife, was physically abusing his younger sister, had broken his collar bone jumping off a Little Tyke car, re-broken the collar bone in the doctor’s office jumping off the exam table despite the doctor’s efforts to catch him, and his parents werePSYCHOLOGY  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   3sleeping in shifts in order to keep up with his hyperactivity (personal communication, May 15, 2010).   The family received reassurance from the pediatrician who indicated that it was a phase that Adam would soon outgrow.   It is clear that both Jason and Alexis were debating whether or not Adam’s behavior was an individual difference or an abnormal behavior, but one could also suggest the possibility of the issues with Adam being related to a nature versus nurture conflict (Berryman, et al, 2002)AnalysisD iagnosisWhen Adam was 6, his parents contacted a Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist after exhausting every other known resource and outlet, including school counselors and the family pediatrician.   Adam was put through a series of developmental, biological, and psychological tests.   The psychiatrist met with the parents two-weeks following the testing phase.   It was determined that Adam was suffering from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Bipolar Disorder I.   While Jason and Alexis admit that they were horrified by the diagnoses, they have stated that they were equally relieved to finally have a name for what was wrong with their son (personal communication, May 15, 2010).The Diagnostics and Statistics Manual for Mental Disorders, fourth edition, (DSM-IV-TR) defines ADHD as being a condition often present in children indicated by behaviors and mannerisms inconsistent with the child’s developmental age (American Psychiatric Association, 1994).   Specific symptoms include restlessness, driven mood, excessive talking, distractible, and an inability to remain focused.   The American Psychiatric Association (APA) notes that learning disabilities are frequent with the diagnosis of ADHD (APA, 1994).   The diagnosis of BipolarPSYCHOLOGY  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  4Disorder I indicates that episodes of mania are or have existed in the patient.   Bipolar Disorder is defined as severe mood swings associated with elated happiness, or mania, in contrast to extre me depression, or periods of sadness (APA, 1994).TreatmentTreating both of these conditions in a child requires consistency and encouragement from the family.   From a pharmacological standpoint, these conditions are being treated with Clonodine and Depekote.   Family and cognitive therapies have been incorporated into the family’s routine.   Lab tests, blood work, are performed bi-weekly as the level of Depekote must be monitored so that it does not become toxic.   In reference to Adam’s learning disability, he is enrolled in special education classes in a public elementary school.   To date, Adam seems well adjusted and fully cooperative in taking his daily medications.   Alexis indicated that his individual therapy has helped him to recognize periods where he has become too active, whereby Adam will indicate that he needs some alone time to calm down (personal communication, May 15, 2010).DiscussionThe prognosis for these types of conditions in children is uncertain.   Years ago, a diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder in a child was unheard of, and it would seem to be more congruent with a Conduct Disorder.   Times are changing as is developmental psychology.   The origin of these conditions is not definite.   Alexis wonders if there was oxygen deprivation during labor which may have contributed to Adam’s disorders, but there is not a clear or concise medical opinion to assert this to fact (personal communication, May 15, 2010).   There are still questions as to whether or not either of these conditions may be hereditary, despite the fact that neitherPSYCHOLOGY  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  5Jason nor Alexis have any family members with either condition.   With regard to the abnormal behavior exhibited by Adam; there exists a name for the psychological dysfunction.   In relation to Adam as an individual, it is obvious that he does have specific differences than that of other children his own age.   It is still a battle and argument to be had with regard to developmental psychologists and theorists.ConclusionJason and Alexis continue to live and function with the knowledge that their son has been diagnosed with two disorders requiring constant monitoring and care.   In lieu of these conditions, they still manage to do things as any other family does.   They have a family in which one child has special needs.   For them, these needs have become the norm, even though society views these obstacles as an intrusion and inconveni ence.   Developmental psychology is a study of the ways in which one goes from being a dependent infant to a self-sufficient adult.   There are a variety of ways that each individual will accomplish such a task.   There does not appear to be any one definition by which each person grows and develops thoughts, mental processes, or abilities.   Each person simply grows by learning and adapting in order to survive.   The field of developmental psychology has much work and research ahead of itself, but it has already made great strides with regard to how society has gotten where it is.

Saturday, January 11, 2020

Neuroscience of personality

This paper will deal with the question of whether or not neurosciences and neuroanalyses would provide scientists and researchers with a clue about one’s personality, and why one does the things that he does. Can neuroscience provide an answer to how psychological capacities develop and function in the social world? The paper will also talk about the fact that the nervous system of the human being is confirmed in one’s personality, and that today, it is possible to tackle personality as a scientifically backed concept, rather than as a philosophical mystery that nobody can really comprehend.Neuroscience of personalityMost scientists and psychologists alike feel that personality, and the study of human personality and behaviors occupies a strange and lowly position among the annals of human psychology, despite the fact that the topic of ‘personality’ and ‘traits’ crops up quite often during the course of even a normal conversation between two ad ults.As a matter of fact, the study of personality changes even induces disdain among some individuals, perhaps because of the extremely subjective nature of the subject, and also because of the historical tendency to describe the structure of personality rather than the intrinsic nature of personality. However, with the development of neuroscience over the years, it may possible at last for the study of personality to undergo a ‘scientific makeover’, and to study the human brain through imaging, in the hope that the molecular genetics causing variations in human neuro-transmission would be able t provide an idea into the most pressing questions that exist today on human personality.   (Pickering D Alan, Gray A Jeffrey (1990)The question here is whether or not neuroscience would be able to provide the answer to the critical issue of the manner in which a typical human personality develops and functions in the social world. Caspi, Berr and Elder (1989) provide importan t research on the relationship that exists between personality and socio economic conditions, and one interesting example was the personality changes observed in people who happened to grow up during the years of the Great Depression.Most of these people exhibited a tendency to temper and great anger, aggression, short temperedness and so on, and further research revealed the astonishing fact that economic outcomes during one’s childhood would influence one’s personality through the years, and one would show ill temper if one had been economically deprived during one’s childhood. This would also influence their occupational status as they matured, and it was found that those individuals from higher class households would in all probability enjoy a higher occupational status when they were adults, while those who grew up in a deprived atmosphere would display a lower occupational tendency when they were older.Recent research has revealed the fact that within a so cial situation, a human being will at first interpret the situation, before he responds to it, and this in itself would explain the ways in which his psychological capacities develop and function in the social world, rather than a study of the anatomy of the brain as in neuroscience. The importance of a particular social situation may differ from one individual to another, and it is important to remember that many situations do not have a fixed meaning; the meaning would depend on the person within the context.Take for example a situation in which a person tells jokes: while it may be fun for one person, it may be an anxiety provoking situation for another, while for another; it may be some sort of competition. Those personality theorists who work within a psychoanalytic, behavioral, and trait-theory context may find that they are able to successful identify certain principles of personality functioning that would transcend the social circumstances in which the individual finds hims elf, in much the same way that a biologist may make an attempt to identify the basic principles of human anatomy and physiology that would transcend social circumstances. (Pervin, Cervone and Oliver (n.d.)Katherine Kalliel states that in their book ‘Neurodynamics of Personality’, authors Grigsby and Stevens discuss the commonality to be found between personality development and neurosciences and neurodynamics, and she also states that the authors offer the opinion that â€Å"personality reflects the emergent properties of a dynamic, hierarchically ordered, modular, distributed, self-organizing functional system, the primary objective of which is the successful adaptation of the individual to his or her physical and social environment†. (Kalliel, M Katherine Ed.D (2000) This would bring one back to the question, â€Å"Can there be neuroscience in personality?†The answer, in all probability, appears to be ‘Yes’ in today’s situation and gi ven today’s modern research and growing interest in the subject. In my own family, this may well manifest itself in my behavior at times of stress. While it is wide knowledge that stress would cause numerous health problems in an individual, like for example, elevated blood pressure and a suppression of the immune system, it is with the help of neurosciences that this aspect of human behavior has been analyzed, and a solution found.Today, when I feel my stress coming on and increasing because of a particular situation, and I am able to feel my personality changing as a result, I can believe that neuroscience has helped me cope with a situation over which I may have no control, but for the knowledge that it is my own behavior that is elevating the stress levels in my body, and that it is I who must learn to control it successfully. (Navasaria, Neha (1998)This in effect is what neuroscience has been able to achieve, in its research on human personality and on personality change s.References1.Pickering D Alan, Gray A Jeffrey (1990) Handbook of Personality: Theory and Research Google Book Search Retrieved on January 14, 2008http://books.google.com/books?id=2s_c4uMgM-YC&pg=PA277&lpg=PA277&dq=neuroscience+of+personality&source=web&ots=q8kc8JFVgO&sig=tsuXQ7TNbkq9_yJKRnWC5M5vSjM2. Pervin, Cervone and Oliver (n.d.) Theories of Personality Retrieved on January 14, 20083. Kalliel, M Katherine Ed.D (2000) Neurodynamics of Personality American Psychiatric Foundation Retrieved on January 14, 2008http://www.psychservices.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/full/52/6/8474.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Navasaria, Neha (1998) The Understanding of Behavior and the Brain Serendip Retrieved on January 14, 2008http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/bb/neuro/neuro98/202s98-paper1/Navasaria.html

Sunday, January 5, 2020

Motivational Quotes for Teens

Great thinkers throughout history have imparted insights that can provide inspiration for teens. From the value of hard work and optimism to the importance of time, itself, these quotes can help motivate any teenager. Hard Work Thomas Edison: Theres no substitute for hard work. It took Edison more than 1,000 unsuccessful attempts over the course of a year before he produced the worlds first commercially viable light bulb. So, the next time your teen wants to give up, tell her about the persistence and work ethic of one of our greatest inventors. There is no elevator to success. You have to take the stairs. -  Author unknown Like Edison, this unknown author is talking about the importance of perseverance and putting in the effort to succeed. Thats an important motivational thought for any teen. Optimism Mark Twain: There is no sadder sight than a young pessimist. A teen can find plenty of inspiration from Twains eternally optimistic characters, Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer. And, there are plenty of references to singing in Twains The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn—an optimistic trait the Swedish proverb alludes to.   Time Harvey Mackay: Time is free, but its priceless. You cant own it, but you can use it. You cant keep it, but you can send it. Once youve lost it, you can never get it back. Miguel de Cervantes: Time ripens all things, no man is born wise. The importance of using your time wisely can be a great motivational thought for teens. MacKay  wrote such well-known business books as Swim with the Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive,  which explained how to use your time to outsell others, while Cervantes, Spains greatest author, wrote about the ever-optimistic Don Quixote, a character who used his time to try to save the world. Character, Change, and Discovery Confucius: To be able to practice five things everywhere under heaven constitutes perfect virtue... gravity, generosity of soul, sincerity, earnestness, and kindness. Confucious, Chinas greatest philosopher; Heraclitus, a Greek philosopher; Barclay, a Scottish theologian, and Adams, our second president, who also helped sustain the Revolution with his brilliant negotiating skills, all talked about how life is an adventure; ever-changing, yet always providing an opportunity to learn, discover and strive to be your best self. That is certainly an important and serious thought to light a fire under any teen looking for motivation.

Friday, January 3, 2020

How to Use the French Conditional (le Conditionnel)

The French conditional (le conditionnel) mood is very similar to the English conditional mood. It describes events that are not guaranteed to occur, those that are often dependent on certain conditions. While the French conditional mood has a full set of conjugations, the English equivalent is simply the modal verb would plus the main verb. Le Conditionnel: If...then The French conditional is mainly used in  if...then  constructs. It  expresses the idea that  if  this were to happen,  then  that would be the result.   While French uses the word  si  in the if or condition clause, it does not use a term for then in the result clause.  The conditional verb itself is used in the result (then) clause, while only four other tenses are permitted in the  si  clause:  prà ©sent, passà ©Ã‚  composà ©, imparfait,  and  plus-que-parfait. Il mangerait sil avait faim:  He would eat if he were hungrySi nous à ©tudiions, nous serions plus intelligents:  If we studied, (then) we would be smarterIl mangerait avec nous si nous linvitions:  He would eat with us if we invited him Special Cases: Vouloir and Aimer The verb vouloir (to want)  is used in the conditional to express a polite request: Je voudrais une pomme:  I would like an appleJe voudrais y aller avec vous:  I would like to go with you However, you cant say si vous voudriez to mean if you would like, because the French conditional can never be used after si. The verb aimer (to like, love)  is used to express a polite desire, sometimes one that cannot be fulfilled: Jaimerais bien le voir:  I would really like to see itJaimerais y aller, mais je dois travailler:  I would like to go, but I have to work Conjugating le Conditionnel Conjugating the conditional  may be one of the simplest French conjugations youll encounter. There is only one set of endings for all verbs. Most of them — even many that are irregular in the present tense — use their infinitives as the root. There are only about two dozen  stem-changing  or  irregular verbs  that have irregular conditional stems but take the same endings. To show you how easy conditional conjugations are, lets take a look at how it applies to different types of verbs. Well use  jouer  (to play) as our regular  -er  example,  finir  (to finish) as our irregular  -ir  example, and  dire  (to say) as one exception to the rules. Subject Ending Jouer Finir Dire je -ais jouerais finirais dirais tu -ais jouerais finirais dirais il -ait jouerait finirait dirait nous -irons jouerions finirions dirions vous -iez joueriez finiriez diriez ils -aient joueraient finiraient diraient Notice how we had to drop the e in  dire  before adding the conditional endings. This is the sort of change you will find in that handful of verbs that do not follow the standard conditional conjugation pattern. Other than that, you can see how easy it is to form the conditional from almost any verb, even the irregular ones. The Verbs That Don't Follow the Rules So which verbs are you going to have to pay attention to when it comes to the conditional verb mood?  Dire  and other verbs that end in  -ire  are easy compared to some of the others, a few barely resemble the infinitive form while others take on more subtle changes.   The following verbs are irregular in the conditional mood. Notice how the stems change and that they do not use the infinitive form like the other verbs do. There are two rules here: The conditional stem always ends in r.  The exact same verbs are irregular in the  future tense  and use the same stems. When conjugating these into the conditional, simply attach the endings noted above according to the subject pronoun in your sentence. Infinitive Verb Conditional Stem Similar Verbs acheter achà ¨ter- achever, amener, emmener, lever, promener acquà ©rir acquerr- conquà ©rir, s'enquà ©rir appeler appeller- à ©peler, rappeler, renouveler aller ir- avoir aur- courir courr- concourir, discourir, parcourir devoir devr- envoyer enverr- essayer essaier- balayer, effrayer, payer essuyer essuier- appuyer, ennuyer à ªtre ser- faire fer- falloir faudr- jeter jetter- feuilleter, hoqueter, projeter, rejeter nettoyer nettoier employer, noyer, tutoyer,-ayer stem-changing verbs pleuvoir pleuvr- pouvoir pourr- savoir saur- tenir tiendr- maintenir, obtenir, soutenir valoir vaudr- venir viendr- devenir, parvenir, revenir voir verr- revoir vouloir voudr-