Tom Sawyer Little Rascal And Proper Southern Gentleman

Tom Sawyer: Little Rascal and Proper Southern Gentleman In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Tom Sawyer appears in St Petersburg and at the Phelps’ farm as Huck Finn’s companion. Though Tom serves as Huck’s partner-in-crime of sorts, the two boys contrast in crucial perceptual and behavioral aspects: where Tom possesses a love for romanticism and a strict policy of adherence to societal conventions and codes, Huck possesses a skeptical sort of personality in which he tends to perceive society’s infatuations as frivolous. Tom’s presence represents an overlying trend in behavior for Mark Twain’s era wherein individuals adhere to an idealistic social code that justifies the subjugation of others for the entertainment of the privileged populus. In this regionalist critical novel, Mark Twain uses Tom Sawyer as a vehicle to reveal the dangers of an idealistic society and how idealism leads to society rationalizing its day-to-day standards; there by, its idealism serves to hide the questionable moral behaviors prevalent in Twain’s era. TOM’S WORLD In society, individuals follow a core set of ethical codes which justify certain behaviors and vilify others. Twain uses Tom’s play world as a parallel to the adult moral code of his era. Tom possesses an infatuation with adventure stories and the common traits that comprise each; his infatuation turns the principles of his books into a code of standards to which he staunchly adheres. He parallels the concept of Southern honor, the

Child Abuse Is A Serious Problem - 1495 Words

Children all around the world are going through a lot when it comes to child abuse, especially the children in the United States. According to Child Abuse Statistics (2012) more than three million reports of child abuse in the United States and these reports involves more than six million children. The United Stated have a really high number of child abuse crime compared to other countries. Every ten seconds a report of child abuse is made. The United Stated lose about four to seven children every day because of child abuse and three out of four of these children of under four year old. Child abuse is a serious problem in the United Stated and the numbers of report and death of children to child abuse increasing. Child abuse is when a parent or caregiver, whether through action or failing to act, causes injury, death, emotional harm or risk of serious harm to a child. Child abuse is describe as physical, sexual, and emotional maltreatment or neglects of a child. Physical abuse is when a parent or guardian cause physical injury/ harm to a child, which include kicking, shaking, burning, choking, biting, beating and punching. From the book Family Violence, Yuwiler said, â€Å"Abusers are manipulative and often try to make the victim feel that he or she deserves to be punished (18). â€Å" Sexual abuse is when an adult use a child for sexual purposes. Sexual abuse include unwanted touching of private parts or sexual acts. When it comes to sexual abuse, abusers make the child believeShow MoreRelatedAmericas Serious Problem of Child Abuse1080 Words   |  4 Pages A serious social problem in modern American society is child abuse. There have been widespread reports of infanticide, mutilation, abandonment, and other forms of physical and sexual violence against children (Moylan, 2010). 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Using evidence-based practice regarding proven strategies that reduce child abuse will decrease the short and long term effects of child maltreatmentRead MoreChild Abuse: Saddest and Most Tragic Problem Today1019 Words   |  5 PagesChild Abuse: Saddest and Most Tragic Problem Today Child abuse is one of the saddest and most tragic problems in America today. Each year an estimated one to two million American children are being beaten, neglected, or sexually abused by their parents or guardians. Infants only a few days old as well as teenagers are subject to child abuse. There are four types of child abuse: physical abuse, physical neglect, sexual abuse, and emotional abuse. Child abuse is a serious problem thatRead More We Must Stop Child Abuse and Neglect Essay961 Words   |  4 PagesChild abuse is one of the most tragic problems in America today. Each year, over three million American children are beaten, neglected, or sexually abused by their parents or guardians. Infants only a few days old as well as teenagers are subject to child abuse. There are four types of child abuse: physical abuse, physical neglect, sexual abuse, and emotional abuse. Child abuse is a serious problem that plagues Americas youth and must be stopped.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Physical abuse is one form of child abuseRead MoreChild Abuse Essay1259 Words   |  6 PagesEveryday a child suffers from these, physically, verbally and sexually. You might be wondering how anyone could have a heart so weak and bitter to do perform these tasks on an innocent child. Everyday a child gets abused either physically, verbally or sexually by their so called caring parents who are supposed to love them and keep them in a safe and secure environment ironically in their home. Physical abuse is when you use actions instead of communicating verbally and if serious enough canRead MoreChild Abuse Prevention And Treatment Act1351 Words   |  6 Pages CHILD ABUSE By Anastasiya Drevinskiy Child Development and Learning in Cultural Context /EdPs 620/ Professor Jerry Gissinger Spring 2016 What is child abuse? From the word â€Å"abuse† we can understand that it is some sort of a maltreatment of a child, causing harm and damage both to his physical and psychological well-being. At the Federal level, the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) describes child abuse and neglect as: â€Å"any recent act or failure to act on the part of a parentRead MoreEssay about Why Do Juveniles Do Bad Things?842 Words   |  4 Pagesrole in this is the major affect that family context has on the role of child development. More specifically, the idea of child abuse comes into play that has always been researched and focused on as a major part as to why some juveniles become involved in delinquent acts. Child abuse involves important family characteristics that affect the growth of a child and will ultimately damage them both physically and mentally. If a child is damaged at a young age, then they way they think and perceive theRead More Child Abuse and Neglect1102 Word s   |  5 Pageswhat effects abuse can have on a child? The effects abuse can have on a child is very serious. Children can obtain serious problems from child abuse. They can develop social problems, depression, and anxiety. There are four types of abuse: physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, and neglect. Physical abuse can injure a child severely. Domestic Violence is a worldwide problem and affects the health and well-being of those open to it. Children that are exposed to physical abuse are at riskRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book The Bean Trees 1628 Words   |  7 Pages2014 Child Abuse In the novel â€Å"The Bean Trees†, the Cherokee Indian child Turtle was adopted by Taylor, and Taylor kept Turtle with her for a period time. If Taylor had not adopted Turtle, Turtle would be alone. Turtle was abandoned in the park, and Turtle spoke little in the whole story, because she was abused. Turtle’s case highlights the effects of child abuse, Turtle had been physically and sexually abused. Child abuse happened anywhere and anytime. For example, neglect, physical abuse, emotionalRead MoreChild Welfare And The United States Department Of Justice1692 Words   |  7 Pagesperpetrator(s). These experiences with violence whether primary or secondary, can cause serious psychological trauma to a child and in worst case scenarios death. The 2009 survey by the Department of Justice also found that children exposed to any form of violence were more likely to engage in violence in the future and almost forty percent of these children were exposed to multiple acts of viol ence ( pg.2). The Bureau for Child Welfare defines four main types of maltreatment as physical, psychological/emotional

Critical Evaluation of Epidemiological Study Designs

Question: Discuss about theCritical Evaluation of Epidemiological Study Designs. Answer: Introduction Epidemiology deals with assessing the extent of occurrence of a disease in a population or different population. Often it is a part of such studies to evaluate the outcome of an exposure and its association with a disease. There are various studies that can be chosen based on the design of the experiment and hypothesis. Broadly, there are two ways an epidemiological studies ca be designed; experimental and observational. The experimental design is based on laboratory evaluations which can be carried out on experimental animals and models by exposure to factors that may influence the disease (Checkoway, Pearce, Kriebel, 2007; Savovic et al., 2012). Since this type of study design is not practical with human subjects, due to ethical reasons, we may design an experiment to observe the effect of removal or withdrawal of factors and record changes. As noted earlier, due to ethical issues design of experiments using human subjects is limited and hence most epidemiological studies are based on observation of disease occurrence in subjects already divided into groups. As for example, a data of people suffering from hepatitis can be recorded to check the possible association with liver cancer. However, there are certain limitations with observational studies as there may be a wide difference in characters and lifestyle of individuals that may attribute to the disease under investigation (Checkoway et al., 2007; Szklo Nieto, 2012; Woodward, 2013). Therefore, in broad term, epidemiological studies can be classified as intervention studies and observational studies. Intervention studies includes clinical trials and field trials whereas observational studies includes cohort studies, case-control studies, cross-sectional surveys and routine data-based studies (Von Elm et al., 2014). The essay will investigate the pros and cons of observational study designs so as to enable us to understand various epidemiological study methods and help in choosing the correct design during investigation of a problem in epidemiology research. The essay will introduce the three methods of observational studies; case-control, cross-sectional and cohort studies followed by analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of each studies. Appropriate examples will be used to further corroborate the type of research methods and strengthen the argument. At the end of the essay we expect a better understanding of study designs of epidemiology research based on observations. Observational Studies Cohort Studies In cohort studies, which is an observational design, the starting point is a careful choice of study population also known as a cohort. In the population the number of individuals exposed to the factor and those unexposed are observed. The study is carried out for a long period of time and finally outcome of the exposure to the factor is compared with unexposed group in the population. Cohort studies closely resembles intervention studies with the exception that the lifestyle and choice of subjects cannot be controlled by the investigator (Song Chung, 2010). In such studies it is of importance that the study groups are as closely similar to all factors associated with the disease. Since in cohort studies the investigator has no control over the exposure to the factor under investigation it is very likely that factors that can influence the disease other than the one being investigated may differ and hence careful means of analysis should be employed to ensure most possible even distribution of the factor under study (Szklo Nieto, 2012). One of the examples of a cohort study is the evaluation of relapse of epilepsy after surgical intervention in which 615 individuals who underwent surgery were followed up for an average of 8 years (range 1-19 years). It was found that 52% of patients remained seizure free even after 5 years of surgery and the figure went down to 47% after 10 years (de Tisi et al., 2011). The study indicated a need for devising a much effective mode of intervention. Here, a cohort study is the right choice as a follow-up of the patients were required after an intervention. In another example a risk of exposure to radiation during CT scan in children was studied for a long time and found that exposure of cumulative dose of 50Gy or more increases the risk of brain tumor and leukemia three times (Pearce et al., 2012).Cross-sectional studies or case-control studies would not have proved the result as efficient as a cohort study in the two cases. Case-Control Studies Case-control studies, in contrast to cohort studies, investigates cases of diseases and controls of it in a population and backtracks history of past exposure to the factor under investigation. This type of study design is best suited for study of cancer and rare diseases. In case an investigator used cohort for investigations of rare disease one have to wait for a significant period of time to observe a statistically significant number of rare-disease cases. Case-control studies are also suitable for investigation of diseases that has a very long incubation or induction period which may not be feasible with cohort studies (Song Chung, 2010; Szklo Nieto, 2012). This is because a significant number of subjects with the disease can be selected with appropriate controls and there is no need for a long wait for the disease to manifest as in cohort studies. The advantage of case-control studies is that a relatively small sample size can be selected for the studies compared to a large sample size and long period of study in case of cohort studies. This also makes it a preferable choice when expenditure is taken into account. On the other hand, the disadvantage of the case-control study is that the results are relatively harder to interpret. The choice of controls can lead to bias in the result as a thoroughly matched controls need to be selected. Besides the investigator cannot be sure of the prevalence of the disease before the exposure to the factor (Gallo et al., 2012). One of the examples of case-control study is an evaluation of burden and aetiology of diarrhoea in developing countries.in the study children seeking medical intervention at community hospitals due to diarrhoea were selected and compared with age and sex matched controls of the same population who do not suffer from the disease (Kotloff et al., 2013). The study found few common causative agents, control of which could reduce burden of the disease. A selection of case-control study correctly answered the research question in such cases. Cross-Sectional Studies In the cross-sectional studies, survey is the main approach. In this a sample of subjects are selected from a target population and surveyed at a particular point of time to assess exposure and outcome. The cross-sectional study selects samples that is representative of the target study population (Szklo Nieto, 2012). A careful selection is necessary in order to avoid bias of results (selection bias). In order to avoid this a random sampling approach is best suited for such studies. The cross-sectional study is employed to enumerate a common condition for a considerable duration of time (Yang et al., 2010). This study design is not suitable for cases like cancer as a large population survey may be required. However, such studies are employed to study association of HPV and cancer as there is a known risk of the virus towards cancer. Although the cross-sectional studies are easier to conduct and can be concluded in a short duration of time as estimation of factor and cause are evaluated at the same point of time it does not clearly indicate if the outcome is an actual result of the causative agent or factor as information of both is taken at the same time by a survey(Checkoway et al., 2007; Von Elm et al., 2014). In a cross-sectional investigation to correlate bone density and vertebral fracture images of CT scan and data on trabecular bone density of respective patients were used to determine relation between the two (Zebaze et al., 2010). The result indicated a statistically significant relation between trabecular bone density and risk of vertebral fracture. The choice of a cross-sectional study was appropriate for the case as the data of osteoporosis and fracture were available at the same time. A cohort and case-control study would have been possible but would require a long duration of study in case of cohort and a considerable sample size in case of a case-control evaluation. Conclusion Epidemiology involves study of different diseases in populations and may demand selective study designs for a reasonable conclusion. We have analysed different study designs employed in epidemiological studies and came to the conclusion that the choice of study design is based on the study type, hypothesis of the experiment and the nature of the disease. If a long term effect of a factor is to be evaluated a cohort study would be beneficial to generate the right answer. A case-control evaluation would determine effect of the factor on the disease under investigation in a correctly chosen sample whereas a cross-sectional study can be used when a data of effect and effector are taken at the same time. Every method of study has its pros and cons and should be considered before starting a study. References Checkoway, H., Pearce, N., Kriebel, D. (2007). Selecting appropriate study designs to address specific research questions in occupational epidemiology. Occupational and environmental medicine, 64(9), 633-638. de Tisi, J., Bell, G. S., Peacock, J. L., McEvoy, A. W., Harkness, W. F., Sander, J. W., Duncan, J. S. (2011). The long-term outcome of adult epilepsy surgery, patterns of seizure remission, and relapse: a cohort study. The lancet, 378(9800), 1388-1395. Gallo, V., Egger, M., McCormack, V., Farmer, P. B., Ioannidis, J., Kirsch-Volders, M., . . . Stromberg, U. (2012). STrengthening the Reporting of OBservational studies in EpidemiologyMolecular Epidemiology (STROBE-ME): An extension of the STROBE statement. European journal of clinical investigation, 42(1), 1-16. Kotloff, K. L., Nataro, J. P., Blackwelder, W. C., Nasrin, D., Farag, T. H., Panchalingam, S., . . . Breiman, R. F. (2013). Burden and aetiology of diarrhoeal disease in infants and young children in developing countries (the Global Enteric Multicenter Study, GEMS): a prospective, case-control study. The lancet, 382(9888), 209-222. Pearce, M. S., Salotti, J. A., Little, M. P., McHugh, K., Lee, C., Kim, K. P., . . . Craft, A. W. (2012). Radiation exposure from CT scans in childhood and subsequent risk of leukaemia and brain tumours: a retrospective cohort study. The lancet, 380(9840), 499-505. Savovic, J., Jones, H. E., Altman, D. G., Harris, R. J., Jni, P., Pildal, J., . . . Gluud, L. L. (2012). Influence of reported study design characteristics on intervention effect estimates from randomized, controlled trials. Annals of Internal Medicine, 157(6), 429-438. Song, J. W., Chung, K. C. (2010). Observational studies: cohort and case-control studies. Plastic and reconstructive surgery, 126(6), 2234. Szklo, M., Nieto, J. (2012). Epidemiology: Jones Bartlett Publishers. Von Elm, E., Altman, D. G., Egger, M., Pocock, S. J., Gtzsche, P. C., Vandenbroucke, J. P., Initiative, S. (2014). The Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) Statement: guidelines for reporting observational studies. International Journal of Surgery, 12(12), 1495-1499. Woodward, M. (2013). Epidemiology: study design and data analysis: CRC press. Yang, W., Zilov, A., Soewondo, P., Bech, O. M., Sekkal, F., Home, P. D. (2010). Observational studies: going beyond the boundaries of randomized controlled trials. Diabetes research and clinical practice, 88, S3-S9. Zebaze, R. M., Ghasem-Zadeh, A., Bohte, A., Iuliano-Burns, S., Mirams, M., Price, R. I., . . . Seeman, E. (2010). Intracortical remodelling and porosity in the distal radius and post-mortem femurs of women: a cross-sectional study. The lancet, 375(9727), 1729-1736.

Leadership The Trait theories Essay Example

Leadership The Trait theories Paper Leadership is a process through which a person tries to get organizational members to do something the person desires. The leaders influence extends beyond supervisory responsibility and formal authority. Leadership theories have long sought to identify what are the characteristics that make an effective leader. In this paper, three main bodies of research and knowledge are Trait, Behaviour and Contingency approaches. The Trait theories Trait theories: leaders possess certain personal quality that leaders had to greater degree than non-leaders. Which attempted to identify the personality traits of the effective leader to facilitate the selection leader. The trait approach is based on the some assumptions: that individual is more important than situation; and leadership is inborn. Many early researchers believed that leaders such as Lincoln and Hitler had some unique set of qualities that distinguished them their followers. The trait approach seeks to identify enduring personal characteristics and traits that distinguish leaders from followers. For example: Intelligence helps a lead solve complex problems. Assertiveness helps a leader frankly express demands and attitudes and enable him to perform many tasks and achieve goals. Initiative when high, help a leader deal with many demands he faces on a day-to-day basis. Resilience, that a highly flexible in adjusting their behaviour in different situations Empathy ensures a leader putting them in the followers shoes. Drive fuels a leader to be the best of the field he chooses to pursue. Many finding illustrated that individuals who possess certain traits are more likely to become effective leaders than those who do not, . but none of traits guarantee success. We will write a custom essay sample on Leadership The Trait theories specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Leadership The Trait theories specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Leadership The Trait theories specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer , Many individuals who possess the identified traits never become leaders. Why the trait approach is not guarantee some one become effective leader? There are four reasons: it overlooks the needs of followers, it generally fails to clarity the relative importance of various traits, it doesnt separate cause from effect, and more important, it ignore the situation factors. .For instance, observations may lead one to believe that effective leaders are more likely to be assertive and outgoing, while there are outstanding leaders such as Lincoln who were relatively shy and withdrawn. Obviously, the trait approach alone cannot fully explain why or how leadership occurs. It suggests that the need to move to the other factors that contribute to leadership effectiveness. The Behaviour theories Rather than looking at the innate traits of leaders, behaviour approach argues that successful leaders can be train and teach, attention switched from selecting leaders on personality trait to training and developing leaders in appropriate behavior patterns. This research tradition argues that considerate, participative, and democratic and involving leadership behaviour is more effective than impersonal, autocratic and directive. Weaknesses of Trait and Behaviour Approaches Both trait and behaviour approach essentially ignores the situation in which leadership takes place. The trait approach takes into account leaders personal aspects but ignores the situations in which they try to lead. Certain leadership traits may lead to effective leadership in certain situations and to ineffective leadership in other situations. Dominance, for example, may make a production manager a good leader. But the same trait in the head consultant may actually detract from the leaders effectiveness because the subordinates tend to be independent thinkers who work best when they are left alone. Similarly, the behaviour approach seeks to identify the behaviours responsible for effective leadership without considering how the situation affects behaviour. However, the situation also impacts on a leaders behaviours. The performance of participants can be enhanced when the project manager engages in initiating structure by scheduling the project. In contrast, the performance of a group of assembly-line workers who know exactly how to do their jobs may be unaffected by their leaders initiating structure In fact, it became increasingly clear that the predicting of leadership success was more complex. The contingency theories suggested that leadership effectiveness was dependent on the situation and another to be able to isolate those situational conditions. that under condition a, style X would be appropriate whereas style Y would be more suitable for condition. Many developed leadership approaches in this theories such as Fiedlers models, Hersey and Blanchards situational theory and leader-member exchange theory etc. Fiedlers contingency theory acknowledges that personal characteristics influence whether leaders are effective. i. e. effective leadership requires the right behaviour, skills and attitudes. He assumed two kinds of leaders: task-oriented and relationship-oriented. Leaders who are tasked-related want their subordinates to perform at a high level and accomplish all of their assigned tasks. Their first priority is task accomplishment, and they push subordinates to make sure that the job gets done. Being concerned for the satisfactions and feelings of subordinates is their second priority. Although relationship-related leaders want their subordinates to perform at a high level, their first priority is developing good relationships with their followers. Their second priority is making sure that the job gets done. He argued that effectiveness is influenced by three sets of situational factors: 1. the extent to which the task in hand is structured. The nature of the relationships between the leader and followers; 3. the leaders position power. Fiedler identified three typical sets of conditions, then matching leaders into situations to achieve maximum leadership effectiveness. This theory has two strengths it demonstrates the importance of contextual factors in determining leader behaviour and effectiveness. ; it provides a systematic framework for developing the self-awareness of managers. : Fiedlers contingency theory is positive but weak: 1. the key variables, task structure, power and relationships, are difficult to assess. The leader who wants to rely on this framework to determine the most effective style for a given situation has to rely more on intuition than systematic analysis. 2. the concept of the least preferred co-worker is an unusual one, and it is not clear just what this measures. 3. the framework does not take into account the needs of subordinates. 4. the need for a leader to have relevant technical competence is ignored. Most contingency theories argue that leaders should change their style to fit the context, however, Fiedler argued leaders by choosing conditions in which their preferred style was most likely effective. As Hersey and Blanchards situational theory, which argues that effectiveness are reflected leaders adapt style to meet the demands of the situation in which they operate. Successful leadership is achieved by selecting the right leadership style. The model established four basic leadership styles: 1. telling ( high task-high relationship), the leader tells subordinates what , how, when, and where to do various tasks. It emphasizes directive behavior. 2. selling (high task-high relationship). The leader provides both directive behaviour and supportive behaviour. 3. participating (low task-high relationship). The leader and follower share in decision making , with the main role of the leader being facilitating and communicating. 4. delegating (low task-low relationship). The leader providers little direction or support. This theory emphasis on the need for flexibility in leadership behaviour, and in highlighting the importance of contextual factors. However, this theory has limitation that lask of evidence to support the model in practice. Daniel Goleman reported there are six leadership styles, each style relies on an aspect of emotional intelligence which concerns skill in managing your own emotions and in handing the emotions of others.

Free Essays on Pro Marijuana

Marijuana is a substance that has become very much a part of American culture. Nearly 65 million Americans have either used it occasionally or regularly. The word â€Å"marijuana† means many different things. Its definition is that it is the dried leaves and flowering tops of the pistillate hemp plant that yields THC. It is a natural substance that has been grown for thousands of years for many different purposes. It is also referred to as cannabis-sativa. It is one of the most commonly used drugs in the world, following caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol in popularity. In the United States, where it is usually smoked, it also has been called weed, grass, pot, or reefer. The word marijuana means different things to different people. To doctors and pharmacists, it means a medication that can be used to treat pain and ease sickness. To police officers, it means an illegal substance that alters a person’s mood, feelings, and personality. To the average marijuana smoker, it means a pleasurable drug, which gives effects of euphoria. Now let’s talk about the effects of marijuana and how it works. The effects of marijuana vary with its strength and dosage and with the state of mind of the user. Typically, small doses result in a feeling of well-being. The â€Å"high† lasts two to three hours, but additional effects on motor control last much longer. The primary active component of marijuana is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). THC is a physiologically active chemical (C21H30O2) from hemp plant resin that is the chief intoxicant in marijuana. It is basically the component that makes you â€Å"high†. Why is marijuana illegal? This is some of the answers I have come up with by researching, it’s a gateway drug, it weakens the immune system, it causes lung disease, it causes birth defects, it causes brain damage, it is addictive, it decreases the drive to excel and succeed, and it is a main cause of car accidents. WELL I HATE T... Free Essays on Pro Marijuana Free Essays on Pro Marijuana Marijuana is a substance that has become very much a part of American culture. Nearly 65 million Americans have either used it occasionally or regularly. The word â€Å"marijuana† means many different things. Its definition is that it is the dried leaves and flowering tops of the pistillate hemp plant that yields THC. It is a natural substance that has been grown for thousands of years for many different purposes. It is also referred to as cannabis-sativa. It is one of the most commonly used drugs in the world, following caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol in popularity. In the United States, where it is usually smoked, it also has been called weed, grass, pot, or reefer. The word marijuana means different things to different people. To doctors and pharmacists, it means a medication that can be used to treat pain and ease sickness. To police officers, it means an illegal substance that alters a person’s mood, feelings, and personality. To the average marijuana smoker, it means a pleasurable drug, which gives effects of euphoria. Now let’s talk about the effects of marijuana and how it works. The effects of marijuana vary with its strength and dosage and with the state of mind of the user. Typically, small doses result in a feeling of well-being. The â€Å"high† lasts two to three hours, but additional effects on motor control last much longer. The primary active component of marijuana is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). THC is a physiologically active chemical (C21H30O2) from hemp plant resin that is the chief intoxicant in marijuana. It is basically the component that makes you â€Å"high†. Why is marijuana illegal? This is some of the answers I have come up with by researching, it’s a gateway drug, it weakens the immune system, it causes lung disease, it causes birth defects, it causes brain damage, it is addictive, it decreases the drive to excel and succeed, and it is a main cause of car accidents. WELL I HATE T...

buy custom Genetic Predisposition and Environmental Conditions essay

buy custom Genetic Predisposition and Environmental Conditions essay Introduction HIV is an acronym that stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. Just like bacteria, viruses are also infectious agents. The difference between these two agents is that viruses are much smaller and are also not self-sufficient. Though viruses can exist by themselves, they usually require a host especially for their reproduction. HIV is normally found to exist in the human immune systems macrophages and in a number of T-helper cells. This paper wishes to examine the interconnection between genetic predisposition and environmental conditions that trigger the onset of various modern diseases, in this case HIV. Viruses are known to replicate themselves once they have entered a host cell by the use of the host cells machinery. They eventually destroy it so that when it bursts open or during budding they get released. Within the human immune system, the most vulnerable cell that the HIV normally enters is the CD4 T-lymphocyte, a type of white blood cell known to perform very important roles within the immune system (HIS-CPSH, 2004). These immune cells get steadily and very slowly destroyed so that the body is weakened to be able to defend any disease that attacks the individual. When the CD4 cells are significantly reduced in number such that they fall below a given number, usually less than two hundred per cubic millimeter of blood the individual moves to the critical AIDS stage. Background In its history, the Human Immunodeficiency Virus was discovered as a strange disease among the gay community in North America. The victims would mysteriously fall sick and thereby develop certain tumors and infections that were unusual. Pneumocystic carinii was established to be one of the infectious agents. Though it had been known to be harmless, this micro-organism would make people and other organisms to experience fatal pneumonia especially in situations of abnormal weakness. Kaposis sarcoma was a tumor that was seen in these victims and was initially characterized by bluish red skin lesions on lower legs and feet. This was a cancer and was very aggressive. Its lesions would not only spread up ones body but also internally to lymph nodes (Goudsmit, 1997). Treatment of these gay men by physicians established that they had great immunodeficiency marked by a severe drop in T-helper cells. The CD4-positive cells are vital in the defense of the body against certain disease causing micro-organisms and thus by the action of the HIV that led to their destruction this role was impaired. It was evident that this impairment did not originate from an individuals own body, that is inborn, but it was acquired. This therefore made it to be known as acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). The functions of the CD4 cells in the body are the recognition of any intruders and using the available fighter cells to fight these intruders off. Ironically, HIV enters the cells via these CD4 molecules and end up destroying those cells (Jones, 2010). The effect of the HIV is not immediately felt since the cells it destroys get replenished. However in the long run, the virus steady destruction of the cells leads to the bodys immunodeficiency. The Human Immunodeficiency Virus may not have been a new virus but an old virus that acquired a new degree of virulence. There exist more than one type, subtype and strains of the HIV. For example, HIV type 1 is mainly found within Europe and North America and is quickly speading towards South America. Whenever this type of HIV enters a new person, it gains strength and becomes more virulent. The most unfortunate thing is that this cycling process appears to be a family trait of the virus. It is possible that it might have acquired the mutations to bring about human immunodeficiency lately. People immune to HIV Jones (2010) asserts that studies that have been carried out lately say that there are some people who are naturally immune to the HIV. Scientists in certain places, for example Dr Nicole Bernard believes that it is the simultaneous expression of specific versions of HLA-B*57 and KIR3DL1 genes that are responsible for this innate ability to resist infection by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus. They compared people experiencing primary level of HIV infections genetic profiles with those of individuals who are recurrently exposed to HIV but are not infected in their studies. It is alleged that KIR3DL1 gene codes belonging to a receptor found on the natural killer cells of the immune systems surface get activated and thus are responsible for destroying the bodys infected cells. It is hypothesized that these genetic mechanisms usually occur immediately after the virus begins infecting the cells in ones body. Carriers of these versions of the genes are able to efficiently kill the cells that have been infected due to their exposure to HIV. It is said that after the KIR3DL1 has been activated the HLA-B*57 gene codes belonging to a protein present on body cells surfaces binds it and thus reducing the natural killer cells activity. Other scientists suggested that the generation of cytotoxic T-cells is the process responsible for the creation of the immunity against the Human Immunodeficiency Virus. This was after a research carried out by a group of researchers drawn from Japan, Gambia and England within a number of Gambian women who were apparently immune to infection by HIV. The women were prostitutes exposed to the risk of HIV infection for about five years but were free of any signs of the virus infection during that whole period. These various researches all tend to concur on one thing; that there are a number of people within the human population that are immune to HIV infection. I agree with most of these and believe in the hypothesis that this ability to resist infection by HIV is because of the individuals possession of CD8+ T-cells, immune cell types that are responsible for the identification and destruction of infected cells (Tatalovic, 2008). These cells mode of working whereby they created and then delivered perforin and granzyme B molecules that brought about immunity was the important aspect as far as this characteristic is concerned. Relationship between HIV and AIDS AIDS is the Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome and an individual is said to have this disease if he has a CD4+ cell count of less than two hundred per cubic millimeter of blood or one of twenty six specific illnesses with no other known cause of immune deficiency apart from HIV. There are numerous proofs that the Human Immunodeficiency Virus infection has an underlying responsibility for the occurrence of AIDS. Most of these are based on the virologic, epidemiologic and immunologic data available. The continuous destruction of CD4+ molecules causes acute immunosuppression, neurological complications as well as constitutional illnesses and along-tthe-way infections and neoplasms. Treatments and prognoses Currently, there are no available cures for people infected with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus; however, treatment options which have the ability to make persons living with this virus to live long and fulfilling lives exist. Post-exposure prophylaxis is a type of antiretroviral treatment that is administered to an individual within the period after he is exposed to the virus. The earlier one commences this type of treatment, the higher the reduction rate of the risk of HIV infection. Entry inhibitors are yet another type of treatment options available to patients. Complete HIV infection eradication has however not been possible despite various researches that have been carried out. Scientists have established that the lack of treatment in an infected individual will make this person to have a net median period of survival of between nine and eleven years since the time of infection with the virus. In addition, a study that was conducted explains that without treatment; depending on the virus subtype an individuals median survival period after being diagnosed with AIDS is six to nineteen months. This is specifically for areas with limited resources. The introduction of newer treatment options makes peoples survival time to also change with time. Environments and conditions that help spread the virus According to San Francisco AIDS Foundation (2008), the transmission of the HIV virus from person to person occurs in the condition that the HIV virus is present in a certain individual. It can not occur where none of the individuals in question possesses the virus. How concentrated ones blood is with the virus as compared to other body fluids is also a necessary condition for infection. A slight concentration of this virus in the blood being passed from one individual to another will lead to the other person getting infected. However, for the spread of the infection to occur via body fluids there ought to be a larger concentration of this virus. HIV is transmitted in such instances as through contact with the anal mucous membrane, open wounds, eyes, genitals as well as the mouth. This is as long as the body fluids infected with HIV get access into an uninfected persons body. In African countries, apart from the other obvious factors that cause the spread of HIV, social factors such as political problems and oppressions, poverty problems, cultural factors, wars and psychological disorders among others tend to offer a basis for the illnesses proliferation. In many other parts of the world the prison environment exposes the prisoners to the risk of HIV infection through homosexuality and lesbian behaviors. In America and in other countries of the world where same sex relationships and marriages are legal people are exposed to the risk of HIV infection through sexual activities (Tatalovic, 2008). Conclusion In the case of HIV transmission, no genetic predispositions are involved in the process. Causes of the disease are mostly as a result of the exposure to bodily fluids that are infected as in the case of breast milk, semen, blood and vaginal secretions. Therefore, in an attempt to establish the interconnection between genetic predisposition and environmental conditions in triggering transmission of HIV, it is evident that HIV is transmitted solely through environmental conditions. Buy custom Genetic Predisposition and Environmental Conditions essay

The Law of Trusts and Equitable Obligations Case Study

The Law of Trusts and Equitable Obligations - Case Study Example Whether or not the courts will find so in this instance is open to debate. As it is a presumption it is rebuttable by the donees showing that it was a gift, but the onus is on Wendy and Karen to show that it is a gift. (i)(a). Wendy will have to establish either that Martin intended to make a gift or that the presumption of advancement takes precedence over the presumption of a resulting trust. In order to establish that a gift was made the onus of proof is on Wendy. The court must go into the facts in order to determine whether there is sufficient evidence to rebut the presumption. Whilst Wendy is not married to Martin they do have a relationship which might indicate a moral obligation on Martin's part to provide for Wendy. This could give rise to the presumption of advancement, in which the assumption is that Martin intended Wendy to take both the legal and the beneficial interest of the shares. However in a series of cases quoted in Pearce and Stevens1 it is clear that there is no presumption of advancement between cohabiting couples. However in Pettitt v Pettitt [1970] AC 777 at paragraph 823 Lord Diplock reminds us that the presumption of resulting trust and advancement are: On the facts before us there is no reason to believe that Martin did not intend Wendy to own the shares outright. We are reminded that they shared a full life together and that Martin purchased shares for both Wendy and Karen at the same time. There is no indication that he did this for any other reason than for them to accrue benefits from the company - in the form of dividends - as the shares increased in value. It could be argued that based on conduct and the circumstances that Martin intended the shares as a gift. For example, Wendy may be able to show that Martin gave her the share certificates and that she was able to keep the dividends. However, based on the evidence before us the point is moot, and could go either way. (i)(b) There is a presumption of advancement between a father and his child, that is that a father would wish to provide financially for his child: Murless v Franklin [1818] 1 Swans 13. In such a case the child takes the property beneficially. Whilst Karen is not Martin's child they do have a relationship which might indicate a moral obligation on Martin's part to provide for Karen. In Bennet v Bennet [1879] 10 Ch D 474 Jessel MR said: as regards a child, a person not the father of the child may put himself in the position of an in loco parentis to the child, and so incur the obligation to make provision for the child The burden of proof will be on Martin to show that no gift was intended. For example if Martin could show that he retained the share certificates and/or that Karen paid the dividends to him (see Re Gooch [1890] 62 LT 384) this might be sufficient evidence to rebut the presumption, particularly if at the same time Martin had clearly stated that a gift was not intended. (ii) Martin's rights - if any - will be determined under a resulting or common intention constructive trust, or else proprietary estoppel - which does not require proof of common intention. Since Martin has made a direct contribution to the purchase price out of the profits of the business and by paying the mortgage this raises a