Performer Assessment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Performer Assessment - Essay Example Interviewing is a day to day interaction, which is a skill that needs to be, developed (Keats, 2000) it is one of the most popular forms of communication and research in the psychological area, It’s main aim is to find out more about the client than what would usually be possibly as you are in direct charge of what questions are asked but at the same time it is down to the performer in this case how much they say. A weakness of interviews is the matter of time constraint on the performer because the performer who I’m interviewing might not have the time to go through certain areas as you never know how long an interview will go on for it all depends on how much information the performer is willing to give. Observations in a psychological way are of experimenting and trying to find a phenomenon (Sharma, 2006) through watching a performer or performers in this case and assessing them that way, an advantage of this method is you get a firsthand experience of what is wrong in that performance and what there psychological weaknesses are. The disadvantage of doing observations maybe that it is a one off and a performer’s performance will vary when in a different situation. Questionnaires and asking questions is one of the most natural way of gathering information and are certainly the most often employed data collection method (DÃ ¶rnyei,2009 (P.g 1). An advantage of doing questionnaires is the ease of the construction,it can take up to a few hours to draw up in some circumstances (Taguchi, 2009) and you can give out lots of them to different people. The main disadvantage of questionnaires is you can’t control how much information they decide to give and the answers they give might not be too detailed. Practical techniques for example performance profiling have become more popular recently when talking about sport psychology, performance profiling is a tool

The Logic of Descartes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Logic of Descartes - Essay Example The Logic of Descartes Descartes felt the only way to obtain true knowledge was to rely solely upon human reason while ignoring the senses. Descartes wrote several books regarding the nature of existence and knowledge, providing us with plenty of material to study and has had tremendous influence on those who have come after him. These books are typically divided into segments Descartes labels meditations. In these meditations, Descartes reflects upon the nature of the individual and determines that he does indeed exist as both a physical and a metaphysical being through a detailed consideration of the various elements that contribute to his awareness. Through statements such as ‘I am not lodged in my body like a pilot in a vessel’ and ‘I am not that set of limbs called the human body’, Descartes attempts to bridge the difference between the new sciences and the sensory perceptions of the old philosophy, introducing in the process a new way of thinking about thinking. In Descartes ’ Meditations on First Philosophy (1989), Descartes states emphatically ‘I think, therefore I am.’ This simple-sounding statement is the result of a discourse in which Descartes calls into question all of the assumptions he’s come to know as a result of the philosophical thought of his day. To seek a higher version of the truth, Descartes felt it was necessary to question every assumption that had even the shadow of a doubt. Through this questioning process, he demonstrates how thought, not observation or the senses, is really the right foundation for knowledge. â€Å"When I considered that the very same thoughts (presentations) which we experience when awake may also be experienced when we are asleep, while there is at that time not one of them true, I supposed that all the objects (presentations) that had ever entered into my mind when awake, had in them no more truth than the illusions of my dreams† (Descartes, 2001). The first issue to be overco me was the concept that knowledge defined by a â€Å"clear and distinct perception† as being clear of sensation is foiled by its own dependence on the senses within the definition. Descartes argues that in order to fool a mind, a mind must first exist, indicating that the senses are not necessary to the development of a thinking being, so we must be something more than the physical material we are made of, something more than ‘the set of limbs.’ In the process of breaking down all of his perceptions to determine the very basic, deepest thought that is not based on the senses, Descartes admits that there may be some way in which all of his senses could be fooled all of the time into thinking he exists; this in itself proves his existence. â€Å"But there is I know not what being, who is possessed at once of the highest power and the deepest cunning, who is constantly employing all his ingenuity in deceiving me. Doubtless, then, I exist, since I am deceived; and, let him deceive me as he may, he can never bring it about that I am nothing, so long as I shall be conscious that I am something† (Descartes, 1989). Meditation III builds off of Descartes’ earlier idea that he exists because he is capable of thinking – â€Å"I think, therefore I am.† Assuming that what he is able to perceive as distinct must be true, he strives to erase his mind of all information that has been gained through his five senses to arrive at what he knows deep within himself. â€Å"In this item of first knowledge, there is simply a clear and distinct

Vaccine and Multiple Vaccines Safe Essay Example for Free

Vaccine and Multiple Vaccines Safe Essay Vaccinations are a big part of people’s lives. There are immunization programs for children that very much encourage vaccinations; starting them off early as steady, life-long customers. Years ago, when vaccines were first invented, they were made up of saline solution and the dead virus. Now, there’s so much more in the vaccine that most people don’t know about. The way that vaccines are made is unethical, from the ingredients, to the way the ingredients are collected. Many who get vaccinated just take their doctor’s knowledge of medicine for granted and don’t bother to research what’s being injected into their body. Edward Jenner invented the vaccine in 1796. The original purpose for it was to protect people against smallpox. He noticed that even during the peak of the smallpox epidemic, the milkmaids never got the disease. After further research, he theorized that the reason why the milkmaids didn’t get smallpox was because they came in contact with cowpox while milking the cows. The cowpox strengthened their immune system against smallpox. Jenner extracted the liquid from the inside of a cowpox sore on a milkmaid named Sarah Nelmes. Next, Jenner found a farmer named Phipps and asked him if he could inject his son, James, with the liquid. He explained to Phipps that if his theory was correct, James would never get smallpox. Phipps agreed. Jenner made two small cuts in the arm of the boy and poured the liquid from Sarah into the cuts. James came down with cowpox which lasted 6 weeks. After those 6 weeks, Jenner vaccinated him with the dried up pus from the sore of a smallpox victim. James didn’t catch smallpox. Jenner’s theory was correct, lucky for him. If he had been wrong, and James did catch smallpox and died, Jenner would have been considered a murderer. (A History of Vaccines) When Jenner first invented the vaccine, it was purely the virus that was suspended in saline solution. Now, there are so many additives and fillers in vaccines, it’s no wonder there are so many rising health problems. One of the most shocking ingredients is mercury. Mercury is in a preservative called thimerosal, which is used in vaccinations. Even the smallest amount of mercury in a body can cause nerve damage. Symptoms of mercury toxicity are similar to those of autism. Another preservative is formalin which contains the embalming fluid, formaldehyde. Formaldehyde is the liquid that cadavers are soaked in to keep them from rotting while research is done on them. It is poison to the gastrointestinal, liver, respiratory, immune, nervous, and reproductive systems. The reason it’s in vaccinations is because it stops viruses from replicating or reproducing themselves. Another shocking ingredient is genetically modified yeast, animal, bacterial and viral DNA. This can incorporate itself into the recipient’s DNA and cause genetic mutations. Phenoxyethanol is used in anti-freeze as well as vaccines. It’s a preservative that prevents bacterial and fungal contamination. Phenoxyethanol is toxic to all cells and is capable of disabling the immune system’s primary response mechanism. Aluminum is used in vaccinations as an adjuvant, which improves immune response. It can cause brain damage, and is suspected to cause Alzheimer’s Disease, dementia, and coma. Beta-Propiolactone is a sterilizing ingredient in vaccines. It is known to cause cancer and is poisonous. Probably the most horrifying ingredient in vaccines is the human and animal cells. Human cells from aborted fetal tissue and human serum albumin (the most abundant protein in human blood plasma), and animal cells from pig blood, horse blood, rabbit brain, guinea pig, dog kidney, cow heart, monkey kidney, chick embryo, chicken egg, duck egg, calf serum, and sheep blood. These are in vaccines because viruses cannot grow on their own; they must have a living host to grow in. (Interview with Sherri Tenpenny About Dangers of Vaccines – NaturalNews. tv) (Vaccination Education Center) This leads to the question, are vaccines cruelty-free? The answer is no, they are most certainly not. The pharmaceutical corporations are okay with the abuse of animals. They purposely give animals diseases for research and inbreed them to the point of it being cruel to keep them alive because of all their health problems. The lab that harvests the cells from chicken eggs isn’t any better. They keep the chickens crammed up in a shed until they die from old age or sicknesses. The fertilized eggs are kept in constant light which is very hard on the chicks and makes them so weak that the chicks don’t even react when the lab technician â€Å"candles† the eggs to check their development. When they’re through collecting the cells from the eggs, they freeze them and throw them away. Freezing the eggs freezes the chick alive on the inside. Sometimes, when an overabundance of eggs occurs, the lab technician doesn’t even bother to freeze the eggs, they just throw them away, killing the chick slower. If for no other reason, hearing about the cruelty towards animals should be the point where people decide not to support vaccinations. Vaccinations started off as good intentions but have been corrupted over time. Children are dangerously overdosed. Neil Z. Miller, the author of â€Å"Overdosed Babies: Are Multiple Vaccines Safe? † writes, â€Å"Today, children receive one vaccine at birth, eight vaccines at two months, eight vaccines at four months, nine vaccines at six months, and twelve additional vaccines between 12 and 18 months. The pure and innocent baby is overdosed with 38 vaccine/drugs by the time he or she is 1? years old! † In an interview with Dr. Sherri Tenpenny, she mentions the fact that the flu shot was not originally meant for children. When it was first made, the drug companies deemed it dangerous. A little while later they realized they couldn’t put it on the vaccination schedule for adults if they didn’t have it on the vaccination schedule for children, so they added it. Now they have vaccination programs for children and even have children’s shows supporting them. All of the poisons in vaccinations outweigh the benefits. Is it really worth getting cancer, dementia, and birth defects just so that the flu is avoided? Harris L. Coulter, Ph. D. ays, â€Å"A major cause of the Roman Empire’s decline, after six centuries of world dominance was its replacement of stone aqueducts by lead pipes for the transport and supply of drinking water. Roman engineers, the best in the world, turned their fellow citizens into neurological cripples. Today our own â€Å"best and brightest,† with the best of intentions, achieve the same end through childhood vaccination programs yielding the modern s courges of hyperactivity, learning disabilities, autism, appetite disorders, and impulsive violence. † The drug companies that distribute these vaccines are fully aware of what’s in them and their harmful effects. They see it as job security. If the people that they give these vaccinations to get the impending side effects of them, they’ll go back to the doctor and ask for medications to rid them of the side effects. These medications will only fix that one problem and give them a plethora of other side effects. It’s a vicious cycle of expensive, dangerous drugs. Autism, for example, requires at least 5 different medications. Just one of these medications such as an anti-depressant, like Prozac and Zoloft which control anxiety, depression, and obsessive compulsive disorder can cause many side effects. Common side effects of these medications include sleepiness, nervousness, insomnia, dizziness, nausea, rashes, headache, diarrhea, upset stomach, and weight loss. (â€Å"Top 5 Drugs for Autism†) Therefore, with all these side effects, doctors and nurses will always have a job. Even if parents decide not to get their children vaccinated, the children will still end up getting the harmful ingredients and effects of vaccines, because the aluminum, mercury, and other poisons, stay in the bodies of the parents forever and will be passed on to their children. Be it through breast milk or blood, the children will get it. Vaccines and Your Child) (â€Å"Overdosed Babies: Are Multiple Vaccines Safe? †) Vaccinations, in my opinion, are surrounded with unethical practices and procedures. There are vaccines on the vaccination schedule that are not proven to be able to treat or prevent anything. The only reason they’re on the vaccination schedule is so that the pharmaceutical corporations can make more money and appear to be helping to make people healthier. Everyone should educate themselves on what’s being injected into their body and not just trust their doctor. Some doctors only think about the money and not really about what’s healthy for the patient. For example, the doctor could know perfectly well that a vaccine was unnecessary or unhealthy for the patient but if there were going to be benefits given to that doctor; they’d give the patient the vaccine anyway. This is the reason why there are so many rising health problems. Animal cruelty is another unethical practice. The animal testing, the giving animals diseases for research, the unnecessary wastefulness of chicks, it’s all unethical and disgusting. I, for one, am definitely going to think twice before I vaccinate myself, and in the future, my children.

Battle Of Leyte Gulf History Essay

Battle Of Leyte Gulf History Essay The Battle of Leyte Gulf (Oct. 23-26, 1944) was a naval engagement between the forces of the Imperial Navy of Japan and the United States Navy. The United States planned to retake the Philippine Islands from the Japanese Empire as they saw the islands as a vital naval base of operations to start its island hopping campaign. By taking the islands, the American forces can launch a direct naval assault on the islands near the Japanese homeland. Expecting an invasion, Japanese forces launched its forces towards Leyte Gulf where Americans are bound to land its troops to start the liberation. However, the navy suffered heavy losses during previous naval engagements leaving them with a numerical disadvantage. In the ensuing battle, American fighters successfully inflicted heavy damages to the Japanese fleet forcing them to retreat. With the threat of a Japanese intrusion on the American transports gone, troops were able to land on Leyte paving a way to the eventual liberation of the rest of the Philippine Islands. The Japanese suffered heavy losses on its part allowing the United States to start invading the Philippines and elimina te any naval threats in the Pacific from the Japanese Navy. Battle of Midway Island The Battle of Midway Island (June 3, 1942) marked the first major naval victory against the Imperial Navy of Japan turning the tide of the war on the side of the Americans. The Japanese planned to invade Midway Island as the islands were strategically placed in the middle of the Pacific Ocean thus, expanding Japans defensive perimeters by adding a naval base in its arsenal more closer to the US. They also hoped that the aircraft carriers of the United States that missed the attack on Pearl Harbor would be lured in to engage the Japanese fleet in a counter attack. The Japaneses main goal was to finally wipe out the entire Pacific fleet of the United States rendering the country useless as Japan expand its Greater East Asia Co-prosperity Sphere; the Japanese plan to bring Northeast and Southeast Asia under its rule. Unknown to the Japanese fleet, United States intelligence successfully decrypted the Japanese plan to invade Midway. They sent three aircraft carriers, Hornet, Yorktown, and Enterprise to ambush the Japanese fleet. The resulting naval engagement proved to be disastrous to the Japanese forces as they were caught off guard when US fighters attac ked the vulnerable fleet. Four of its aircraft carriers were destroyed and dozens of veteran aircraft pilots killed. Japanese Admiral Yamamoto was forced to abandon the invasion of Midway. The battle marked the first major naval victory of the Americans. It was a great loss to the Japanese Empire losing four of its greatest aircraft carriers crippling the navys capability to battle on par with the United States. Battle of the Philippine Sea June 19, 1944 The Battle of the Philippine Sea was a naval battle between the opposing forces of the United States and Japan. Marianas Turkey Shoot. It was considered to be the greatest carrier battle in history. The battle started when the Americans led its naval fleet towards the Marianas Islands to retake it from the Japanese. Because losing the Marianas meant that the defenses of the Philippines and Japan itself will lessen, the Imperial Navy decided to challenge the American fleet. It resulted in a decisive American victory and a great defeat to the navy of Japan. One contributing factor that led to Japans defeat was its inexperienced fighters and aging fighter planes. Battle of Iwo Jima February 19-March 26, 1945 One of the last battles on the Pacific Theatre between the forces of United States and Japan. As the United States acquired more and more islands Japan previously controlled, it became obvious that the tide of the war is turning on the side of the Americans. However, in order for Japan to surrender the United States needed to invade the Japanese home islands. Americans moved their sights on the island of Iwo Jima. The island was strategically important because of its potential refueling base and emergency landing field for its fleet of bombers. On February 19, 1945 after shelling the island for 74 days, US marines landed on the island to wrestle its control from Japanese forces. The American forces after suffering heavy casualties finally succeeded in taking over the island on March 26, 1945 after 36 days of fighting. The Battle of Iwo Jima was a turning point in the Pacific War as it resulted in the deteriorating of Japanese supremacy in the Pacific. Iwo Jima subsequently became the stepping point for the last and largest engagement between the Japanese and United States. Ba ttle of Okinawa. Battle of Okinawa April 1-June 22, 1945 The last and largest engagement between the forces of the United States and Japanese imperial forces. Okinawa Island was the largest in the Ryukyu Islands being of great importance as it was located just south of the Japanese main islands. The United States sought to take it from Japanese forces to launch raids on the archipelago, Japans home islands. American forces were numerically superior to that of the Japanese-287,000 against 130,000 troops. The battle resulted in massive casualties in both sides. The Japanese defenders fought bravely against its invaders and even using fanatical tactics to try do defeat American forces. Such tactics included Kamikazes, intentional ramming of Japanese fighter planes on American ships. In a desperate bid to defend the island, Japan launched Operation Ten Go. Japan sent the battleship Yamato, the largest and most armed battleship in history as a suicide attempt to destroy as many American ships as possible. Unfortunately, American submarines quic kly spotted the ship and destroyed it before reaching the island. The battle continued on for many weeks and only ending after the Japanese garrison had been exhausted. The whole troops of Japan were wiped out including some 150,000 civilians. In the American side 13,000 were dead and 37,000 wounded. The unwillingness to give up showed by the Japanese forced the then-president Truman to allow the use of the atomic bomb to finally end the war. Battle of Wake Island Japanese fleet launched an invasion on a small atoll called Wake Island. Though they were unsuccessful in their first attacks, the eventual assaults this time by a larger Japanese fleet forced the defenders to surrender. Battle of Java Sea The battle was a decisive Japanese victory against the forces of the Allies which included the US, Britain and the Netherlands. The Japanese fleet was better organized and deployed constant air attacks demoralizing the Allies. In the end, Japan was able to invade the island of Java extending its empires reach in Southeast Asia once more. Doolittle Raids The Doolittle Raids were the first air raid conducted by the United States on the Japanese Home Islands. On April 18, 1942 sixteen bombers launched from aircraft carrier USS Hornet flew to Japan in a mission to destroy strategic locations and boost American morale after the Attack on Pearl Harbor. Though, no sufficient damage was made it forced Japanese military to strengthen the defenses around the home islands, bringing back its powerful aircraft fleet to defend the islands. It also justified the Japanese invasion on Midway island .They believed that the bombers came from that island and if left untouched, it would pose a threat to Japan. The raids damaged the governments prestige and in the ensuing battle in Midway hurt Japans overall prestige. Bataan Death March After the invasion of the Philippines by the Empire of Japan, some 75,000 American and Filipino forces surrendered after the loss in the Battle of Bataan. On April 9, 1942 Japanese forces forced march these prisoner of war (POW) to a prison camp about 63 miles away from Bataan. They were robbed of their belongings and were mistreated severely during the march. Prisoners were beaten harshly and most of the time for no apparent reason. Those who tried to get a drink of water were quickly executed. Eventually, the sides of the roads became littered with dead bodies. En route to the camp, about 7,000-10,000 died while others escaped to the jungle. Only 54,000 reached the camp. Battle of Coral Sea May 7-8, 1942 Japan planned an invasion on Port Moresby to try to keep the United States from helping Australia. Allied intelligence knew of the attack so they sent a task force to try to repulse the invasion. The Battle of Coral Sea marked the first time the Japanese failed to complete its mission in the war. The result of the Coral Sea engagement was that neither side won the battle completely. Japan won a tactical victory as it was able to sink more ships than the Americans. The United States won a strategic victory as Japan failed to complete its invasion. Atomic Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki After the bloody engagement in the island of Okinawa, President Truman was forced to make a choice in the future of the war in the Pacific. With Germany defeated in Europe, all that stands in ending World War II is Japan. Truman knew after the Battle of Okinawa that Japan will fight to the end if ever American forces begin to invade the Japanese home islands. The casualties of such attack would be considerably high and it would only prolong the war. Refusing to throw away the lives of American soldiers, Truman agreed over moral reservations that using the Atomic bomb would quickly put an end to the war without any major American casualty. With Japans refusal to accept the Potsdam Declaration which stated that Japan will end in prompt and utter destruction if they do not surrender, the plan went into effect. On August 6, Enola Gay the bomber dropped the atomic bomb (Little Boy) on the city of Hiroshima. The bomb exploded 2,000 feet above Hiroshima destroying large parts of the city. W ithin minutes, the radiation effects caused by the bomb had killed 70,000-80,000 people. Another bomb was dropped (Fat Man) when the Japanese government still refused to surrender this time on the city of Nagasaki. 60,000-80,000 people were killed. Guadalcanal Campaign August 7, 1942-February 9, 1943 The Guadalcanal Island is a part of the Solomon Islands, a series of small islands 500 miles northeast of Australia. At the start of the war, Japan controlled much of the Solomon including Guadalcanal. The airbase in Guadalcanal was important to strengthen the sea lines of communication between Australia and United States. On August 7, the Allied troops landed on the shores of the islands and quickly captured an unfinished Japanese airstrip renaming it Henderson Field. Japanese reinforcements arrived and both sides battled viciously for the control of the island. Battles were done on air, land and sea for many months with heavy casualties on either side. As Allied forces grew increasingly in numbers, Japan launched a counteroffensive to retakes the islands from Allied forces. By November 15, the Allied forces decisively defeated Japanese but not without suffering major casualties. By mid-February Japan was forced to evacuate the island allowing the Allied forces to control the island . The battle was important to the war because it was the first major land defeat of the Japanese forces and ended any further expansion attempts. It was considered to be the first in a long series of battles that ultimately brought the United States on the Japanese home islands. Attack on Pearl Harbor December 7, 1941 The United States had emplaced economic sanctions and embargo on Japan ever since it started its expansion towards China. Without essential supplies America believed it would stop its territorial acquisitions in Asia. Japan however did not agree on negotiations with the United States. Because oil reserves are running out, Japan needed to acquire lands rich with natural resources in the Pacific to support its extending empire in Asia. With this in mind, Japan would directly attack the military of the United States situated in Pearl Harbor to eliminate a possible counter offensive when it starts to acquire other territories especially the Philippine islands. Japan hoped that by destroying the Pacific Fleet of the United States, it would leave them unopposed in expanding its empire. On December 7, 1941 launched 6 of its aircraft carriers with hundreds of aircraft to Pearl Harbor for a surprise attack. Caught unaware, the ships moored in the bay were destroyed one by one as Japanese figh ter planes and bombers dropped a barrage of bombs and bullets. Overall damages to the fleet were high; most of the battleships destroyed along with hundreds of aircraft. The following day, the United States declared war on Japan. After three days, Germany and Italy, Japans allies declared war on the United States. Though it had destroyed the majority of the battleships of the Pacific Fleet, Japan failed to destroy the United States aircraft carriers at that time located on the main land. The battleships had become obsolete at the start of World War II which Japan still see as more important than aircraft power. The United States was forced to use its fleet of aircraft carriers to wage war on the Pacific, a major oversight of Japan which ultimately led to victories on the Pacific.

Crying Souls in The Slave Dancer :: Slave Dancer Essays

Crying Souls in The Slave Dancer It all began in the cold month of January, 1840, in a town familiar to many; New Orleans. Fog laid a heavy blanket on the streets and alleyways of the city. Rain steadily engulfed the seaside locality, and the sound of drunken riverboat men and the slaves celebrating their terrible festivities surrounded the area. New Orleans was the location where Jessie Bollier lived, and 'tis the place where he was captured on that dark January evening. Jessie then found himself aboard The Moonlight, the slaver with its towering sails and masts, cabins and storage space under the deck. For these were places where Jessie had to 'dance the slaves' and where the captain and crew would spend many weeks living in fear of the slaves, of each other, and of getting caught. The story then briefly took the ship's crew and captain to Whydah in the Bight of Benin, the rugged coasts of Africa, where the multitudes of slaves were captured and mistreated. They then made their way across the Atlantic once again to land in the Gulf of Mexico. The Moonlight was anchored there and stayed because it was here where the ship submerged. Two passengers then washed up to the shores of Mississippi where Jessie and Ras meet Daniel, their soon to be friend. Finally, the story concludes in the place it began...the clamoring streets of New Orleans. The Slave Dancer is written in first person point of view, through Jessie's eyes, and projects a depressing, melancholy mood. It is the tragic song of the slaves. The hero of the story is the thirteen year old boy, Jessie Bollier. "He's a fearful runt," comments Captain Cawthorne. He is brought on board the slaver to make the slaves dance, to keep them healthy. Jessie innocent and does not fully understand his purpose. "My life h ad turned upside down. My friend was a man who pressganged me. I disliked the man who befriended me." Jessie does not realize what is going on within him. He does not realize that these men, these women, and children are slaves...are owned. He does not perceive the cruel treatment of the slaves, but does not know why. Jessie himself puts it best, "My stomach rebelled." The antagonist is surprisingly Jessie, but after the voyage. He went through many changes after the excursion. "At first, I made a promise to myself: I would do nothing that was connected with the use of slaves.

National Issues in Election 2008

The five most important issues of Election 2008 (in no particular order) are:1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The economy: How will the United States correct the recession and what can be done to protect Americans from a recession in the future?2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The war in Iraq: How will America extract itself from Iraq? Can America extract itself from Iraq?3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Immigration: Immigrants, primarily in the form of unskilled workers from Mexico, are arriving in the United States in unprecedented numbers. There are now over 10 million unauthorized immigrants living in the United States (Passel, 2005, pp.   4-5).   How will America address the problem of illegal immigration and the need for guest workers?4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Education: American high school students ranked 25th out of 30 nations in recent comparisons of math and science skills (Glod, 2007). Many American students graduate from high school without being able to read, and many others drop out of school alto gether. How can America fix its broken educational system?5.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Energy policy: Rising oil prices have underscored America's dependency on foreign oil, raising economic concerns and concerns about security. Energy is also closely related to the environment. Can the United States find sustainable and affordable sources of environmentally friendly energy?What should be the government's role in solving these problems? The answer depends on your political perspective.The economy Political Left: America's economic problems are the result of the natural tendency of corporations to put their own interests ahead of what is best for the country. This problem can be solved if the government did a better job of regulating businesses and financial institutions.Political Right: Recessions are part of a natural cycle of economic activity, as the economy makes necessary corrections. Economic problems can be solved by encouraging investment through lower tax rates, less government i ntrusion, and the creation of new markets for goods and services. In a capitalistic economy, jobs are created by businesses, not by governments.Political Center: Some government regulation of business practices is necessary to protect American jobs and incomes. Government and private business must work together to create jobs for American workers.The War Political Left: Can't we all just get along? International disputes are best handled through diplomatic means. America should withdraw as quickly as possible from Iraq and should avoid similar conflicts with other nations in the future.Political Right: The Homeland must be defended! Backing down sends the wrong message to terrorists and to our allies. America must be strong if we are to be respected.Political Center: War is a necessary evil, but should not be a first response. America should conclude its business in Iraq as quickly as possible, and then leave. Other nations should know that America has the capacity and will to prote ct itself, but will do so only if necessary.Immigration Political Left: America is a nation of immigrants. Rejecting immigrants now is hypocritical and racist. Immigrants should have the same rights as anyone else in the country and should not live in fear of being deported.   Government should make it easier for immigrants to be documented.Political Right: The Right seems to be divided on this issue. On one hand, conservatives want the cheap labor that is provided by undocumented workers. On the other hand, conservatives fear that immigration is changing the culture and – let's be honest – the complexion of the United States. The Right argues that immigrants are taking jobs away from Americans, yet they continue to employ undocumented immigrants to do jobs that Americans will not do. These conflicts probably explain why the Right has such a hard time articulating any type of coherent policy on immigration and cannot seem to decide what the role of government should be on this issue.Political Center: Immigrants, a.k.a., guest workers, are an important part of the American economy; however, once they come to the United States, immigrants need to learn English and make show proper respect for American culture. This is the United States, not the Estados Unidos. It is the responsibility of government to help assimilate immigrates and to ensure that no terrorists cross the border masquerading as a guest worker.Education The Right: Government should not have a monopoly on education. American students are failing because schools have no motivation to improve. Privatizing education would create competition and improve the quality of schools.The Left: Schools are failing because they are underfunded. It is the role of government to invest in the future of this country, which includes investing in schools.The Center: Public schools deserve public support. The role of government is to provide funding for public education. In cases where schools are failin g to teach, it is the role of government to ensure that every child has opportunity to learn, which may mean sending some children to private schools.Energy policy The Left: Green is good! It is the role of government to regulate and, if necessary, control energy production and distribution. Extreme Left would probably advocate for public ownership of all energy companies.The Right: Energy production reflects consumer demands. When people want greener fuels, companies will provide them. Government should support research on energy sources, but it is not the place of government to control prices or distribution of gasoline and other energy sources.The Center: Government should allow free markets for gasoline and other energy sources, but should intervene when profits reach extortion levels and people cannot afford to buy gasoline. Government should support research on alternative fuels.ReferenceGlod, M. (2007). U.S. Teens Trail Peers Around World on Math-Science Test. Washington Post (December 5, 2007), p. A07. Retrieved April 10, 2008, from http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/04/AR2007120400730.htmlPassel, J.   (2005).   Unauthorized Migrants: Numbers and Characteristics.   Background Briefing Prepared for Task Force on Immigration and America's Future.   Washington, D.C.: Pew Hispanic Center.   Retrieved April 1, 2008, from http://www.pewtrusts.org/uploadedFiles/wwwpewtrustsorg/Reports/Hispanics_in_America/PHC_immigrants_0605.pdf

Explain the Biological Mechanisms by Which Stress Can Induce Depressive Behaviour

Explain the biological mechanisms by which stress can induce depressive behaviour. Introduction Depressive behaviour is a core feature of several major psychological disorders, most obviously major depression (MD) and depressive episodes of bipolar depression (BP). Depression is also frequently found to be co-morbid with psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia and with anxiety-related disorders (e. g. social phobia or OCD). Depression is the biggest major risk factor for self-harm and suicide, thus posing a real clinical problem to try to understand and reverse the mechanisms involved.Traditional anti-depressant treatment has only shown a modest benefit to placebos in treating the disorder; therefore, more effective drugs that target the right biological mechanisms are imminently needed. The majority of experimental research in the area has used rodents to test medication and model known psychopathological aspects of depression in humans, such as learned helplessness, cognitive def icits and increased co-morbidity with anxiety-related behaviours. There are many factors that may explain why some people (around 16% of the population) will experience a depressive episode in their lifetime and others won’t.Genetic vulnerability and epigenetic changes, psychosocial support, socioeconomic status or even climate-related factors all have to be considered in considering the right treatment for individual cases. Whilst the causal link between many of these and the onset of depression is somewhat inconclusive, the strong association between chronic mild stress (CMS) and depressive behaviour is now a huge area of research, resulting in the stress-induced model of depression.Even where there is evidence for the role of genes in depression, such as allele variants for the 5-HTT promoter region, it is shown to vary as a function of exposure to stressful life events. The mechanisms by which environmental stressors can lead to depressive behaviour have been explored tho roughly, with a strong focus on the role of the Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis and its dysfunction in depression. The consequent rise in levels of the glucocorticoid hormone cortisol, following HPA activation, has been shown to become chronic increased in depressed patients.This is thought to be due to the development of glucocorticoid resistance, whereby high levels of cortisol are present in the bloodstream and peripheral tissue but negative feedback to shut down the HPA axis no longer works. Due to the numerous roles of cortisol within the body, several biological processes may be affected as a consequence of CMS that may lead to depressive behaviour. Direct and indirect effects of HPA dysfunction include changes in immune response, neuronal damage, decreased rates of neurogenesis and the serotonin pathways.These processes tend to interact and exacerbate one another; therefore, understanding each proposed biological mechanism of stress-induced depression and their impa ct upon each other is likely to lead to a better treatment outcome. Acute Stress and the HPA Axis The experience of acute mild stress is a normal and adaptive process, triggered by an environmental ‘stressor’ deemed to be potentially harmful. From an evolutionary perspective, this serves to protect the individual from danger via activation of the sympathetic nervous system, preparing the individual for ‘fight or flight’ mode.Stress, as well as input from the amygdala, hippocampus and midbrain, directly activates the ‘stress response’ via the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis. The first immediate response is the release of corticotrophin releasing hormone (CRH) from the hypothalamus, which travels to the pituitary where it binds to CRH Receptor 1 (CRHR1). CRH can also act directly on other brain regions, e. g. the amygdala at this early stage. CRH1 activation stimulates the release of adrenocorticotrophin release hormone (ACTH), which tr avels via the bloodstream to the kidneys, stimulating the delayed release of the glucocorticoid (steroid) cortisol.Cortisol acts throughout the body in all cells, via binding to cytoplasmic glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid receptors (GR and MR) (see Figure 1). Figure 1: Cortisol can pass through the cell membrane due to its lipophillic properties. Binding of cortisol to the GR complex in the cytoplasm causes dissociation of GR from the complex, resulting in an active GR monomer. Two GRs then dimerise to form a GR dimer. This can act as a transcription factor in itself by attaching to Glucocorticoid Binding Elements (GBE), or it can interact with other Hormone Binding Elements and transcription factors to initiate gene transcription. http://jimlund. org/blog/? m=200910] A rise in cortisol levels, alongside CRH, leads to adaptive changes in behaviour, cognition and immune function. Importantly, this rise is followed by a negative feedback loop of cortisol and CRH acting upon its o wn receptors (NC3R1 and CHR2, respectively) to shut down the HPA axis once the ‘threat’ has been resolved. This homeostatic mechanism terminates the production of any more CRH and therefore brings cortisol levels back to baseline (pre-stressor), vital for returning the individual back to a normal ‘resting’ state.It is this negative feedback mechanism which has been shown to be disrupted in patients with depression. Chronic Stress and Glucocorticoid Resistance In a situation of CMS, the prolonged activation of the HPA axis leads to abnormally elevated cortisol levels. However, chronically elevated cortisol can be dangerous, due to its role in suppressing the immune system and increasing vulnerability to infection. It is possible that in order to counteract the constant influx of circulating cortisol causing potentially unwanted downstream effects, GRs in lymphocytes become unresponsive or resistant to glucocorticoids.This dysfunction of GRs is typically seen in depressed patients and has been shown numerous times using the dexamethasone suppression test (DST). Dexamethasone (a synthetic glucocorticoid) mimics cortisol by binding to GRs and shutting down HPA activity in healthy controls. Therefore, dexamethasone-treated individuals have almost no detectable cortisol over the course of the following day. On the other hand, in depressed patients, the DST doesn’t show any significant repression of HPA activity.Whilst they already show significantly higher overall levels of cortisol, they also show reduced suppression of dexamethasone during the DST. This shows that the GRs are unresponsive to glucocorticoids, leading to the typical feature of glucocorticoid resistance in depressed patients. The Inflammation/Cytokine Hypothesis Glucocorticoid resistance has important implications for immune system function. Under normal acute stress, cortisol suppresses lymphocytes in peripheral tissue from producing pro-inflammatory cytokines by act ivating intracellular GRs and leading to transcription of downstream regulatory genes.Key targets of GR-mediated transcription related to immune function include the upregulation of anti-inflammatory genes annexin-1, IL-10 and I? B? (inhibits NF-? B) and down-regulation of pro-inflammatory cytokine genes, such as IL1-6, 9, 11-13, 16-18 and TNF-?. However, glucocorticoid resistance following chronic stress can mean that lymphocytes stop responding to cortisol, so there is an increase in the proliferation of leukocytes and production of pro-inflammatory cytokines.The proposed mechanism for how these peripherally-generated cytokines are able to affect the central nervous system (CNS) involves several pathways. These cytokines (IL-1? , TNF-? and IL-6) cannot typically diffuse across the blood-brain-barrier, but they can enter the CNS in regions of high BBB permeability or be actively transported across the BBB by endothelial cell transporters. Additionally, without crossing the BBB, cyt okines are able to activate endothelial cells to produce soluble factors (e. g.PG-E2) to indirectly activate neurons, as well as activating certain afferent neurons (e. g. the vagus nerve) that carry information to the CNS about the inflammation. In these ways, peripheral inflammation can cause typical changes in the CNS and ‘sickness behaviour’ seen in depressed patients: lethargy, anhedonia, reduced locomotor activity and sleep and weight disturbances. Support for this proposed mechanism comes from findings that clinically depressed patients show an abnormally high production of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1? IL-6 and TNF-? ), cytokine-based immunotherapy often causes depression in cancer or hepatitis C patients and cytokine administration causes depressive behaviour in animal models. Reversal of this depressive behaviour can be seen by administration of anti-depressants, which target and reduce the inflammatory response in both patients and animal models. In a sim ilar fashion, anti-inflammatories such as cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 inhibitors or omega-3 have strong anti-depressant effects on behaviour. Inflammation-Induced NeurodegenerationAnother approach to modelling stress-induced depression has focused on the controversial findings of clinically depressed patients show changes in volume of structural brain regions, including the hippocampus, amygdala, anterior cingulated, prefrontal cortex and basal ganglia. The mechanisms by which some brain regions, in particular the hippocampus as implicated in stress-induced depression, might decrease in volume appear to be a combination of both neurodegeneration (increased apoptosis of neurons) and a decrease in adult neurogenesis in the subgranular zone of the dentate gyrus (DG).Stress-induced HPA hyper-activity may explain the atrophy seen in some brain regions of clinically depressed patients. Glucocorticoids stimulate the breakdown of tissue into glucose for the quick release of energy; therefore, ch ronically increased levels may result in brain tissue loss in regions where cortisol acts, such as the hippocampus. Furthermore, the link between stress, inflammation and an increase in oxidative stress may also explain a large portion of the neurodegeneration apparent in depression.Inflammation has been shown to increase oxidation and the fact that the CNS has no proper defence against oxidative damage makes it very vulnerable to oxidative stress (OS). This has been demonstrated as a key feature in neurodegenerative diseases and depression, implicating a causal role of stress-induced inflammation in triggering degeneration. The damage caused by OS can lead to mitochondrial dysfunction, which can lead to further intracellular build up of damaging oxidised proteins.The only way for cells to cope in this situation is to activate programmed cell death (apoptosis), or in less controlled circumstances, necrosis can occur, leading to a decline in cell numbers and lateral effects on the ne ural network. This mechanism of oxidative stress-induced neurodegeneration can be slowed down and treated by the application of antioxidant enzymes, which serve a neuro-protective role. These enzymes eradicate free radical oxidising particles and also suppress pro-inflammatory cytokine action.A further damaging feature seen in neurodegeneration and depression is nitrosative stress (NS), which may contribute to neurotoxicity and therefore cell death. An increase in the production of cortisol after acute stress will temporarily cause a suppression of neurogenesis in the DG. Neurogenesis in the DG has been demonstrated to be vital for healthy cognition and memory, impacting mood, the sleep-wake cycle and appetite; all affected in depression. Therefore, CMS leads to prolonged suppression of neurogenesis and may explain the behavioural outcomes typical of depression.The decrease in neurogenesis following exposure to stress may possibly involve the neurotrophin Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), shown to be greatly reduced in regions that also show a decrease in neurogenesis and related to brain regions typically affected in depression. Animal models exposed to CMS show decreased neurogenesis and BDNF levels in overlapping brain regions and elicit depressive behaviours associated with dysfunction of these regions. Furthermore, anti-depressant treatment that successfully increases BDNF levels also leads to recovery from depressive behavioural symptoms.However, the causation here is not clear; whether the BDNF levels dropping are a result of other stress-induced mechanisms or whether it is partly the cause of the behaviour. Some evidence suggests that anti-depressants can work independently of BDNF restoration. Hagen and colleagues set out to control for possible variables such as age, time of cortisol readings and overall brain volume. Whilst there has been no robust evidence for a link between baseline cortisol levels and hippocampal volume, this study did fi nd that hippocampal volume was negatively correlated with length of depressive episode pre-hospitalisation.Furthermore, better responsiveness (lowering of cortisol levels) after treatment was predicted by greater hippocampal volume (relative to overall brain volume). b) antineurogenic effects and reduced brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels; and c) apoptosis with reduced levels of Bcl-2 and BAG1 (Bcl-2 associated athanogene 1), and increased levels of caspase-3. Stress-induced inflammation, e. g. increased IL-1? , but not reduced neurogenesis, is sufficient to cause depression. Antidepressants a) reduce peripheral and central inflammatory pathways by decreasing IL-1? TNF? and IL-6 levels; b) stimulate neuronal differentiation, synaptic plasticity, axonal growth and regeneration through stimulatory effects on the expression of different neurotrophic factors, e. g. trkB, the receptor for brain-derived neurotrophic factor; and c) attenuate apoptotic pathways by activating Bc l-2 and Bcl-xl proteins, and suppressing caspase-3. It is concluded that external stressors may provoke depression-like behaviours through activation of inflammatory, oxidative, apoptotic and antineurogenic mechanisms.The clinical efficacy of antidepressants may be ascribed to their ability to reverse these different pathways. Neuronal damage and apoptosis Activation of the Kynurenine Pathway (KP) 5-HT Accumulated evidence indicates a role of the hippocampal 5-hydroxy-tryptamine (5-HT) and neuropeptide Y (NPY) in the response to stress and modulation of depression, but it is unclear whether and how the hippocampal 5-HT and NPY systems make contributions to chronic unpredicted mild stress (CUMS)-induced depression.Here we observed that rats receiving a variety of chronic unpredictable mild stressors for 3 weeks showed a variety of depression-like behavioral changes, including a significant reduction in body weight, sucrose preference, and locomotion, rearing and grooming in open fiel d test, and a significant increase in immobility time in forced swimming test. These CUMS-induced behavioral changes were suppressed or blocked by intra-hippocampal injection of 5-HT (31. 25 microg/microl) or NPY (10 microg/microl). These data suggest a critical role of reduced hippocampal 5-HT and NPY neurotransmission in CUMS-induced depression.