Tuesday, August 25, 2020

Statistics and Psychology Free Essays

There are various utilizations of measurable thinking and research strategies in the field of brain science. From basic parts of perusing and deciphering brain science articles, to finishing individual research, measurements is a fundamental idea to comprehend. The logical technique is basic to research, and a considerable lot of the ideas cross the lines into measurements. We will compose a custom exposition test on Measurements and Psychology or on the other hand any comparative point just for you Request Now It is additionally basic for us to thoroughly analyze the qualities of essential and auxiliary information. At last, the focal point of these subjects fixates on the utilization of factual thinking in psychology.Statistics in Psychology One may ask themselves how scientific ideas might apply to brain research. The appropriate response is less complex than many envision, every one of the one needs to do is center around the understanding. Perusing brain science inquire about articles is a typical event for anybody in the field. Without the capacity to comprehend the language, tables, charts, and different angles at the core of measurements, one can't really process the discoveries of research (Aron, Aron, Coups, 2009). Research is an iatrical part to about each field of brain science, however particularly the individuals who look to respond to questions and increase knowledge to problems.Most fields of brain research â€including directing and clinical centers expect answers to questions (Aron, Aron, Coups, 2009). Addressing questions requires some type of research, which utilizes measurements in some way or another. To respond to a significant number of these inquiries, examine is finished with some utilization of the logical strategy. Research and the Scientific Method When looking for the response to an issue, most go about it in a precise way. The examination done in the logical technique is basic use of efficient and coherent strides to critical thinking (Cowens, 2006).Using the five-advance procedure permits analysts to analyze any request. The Five-Step Approach The initial step is to decide an issue to tackle, or mention an objective fact (Cowens, 2006). This can be a straightforward inquiry or an increasingly mind boggling want to see how or why something functions. For example, a therapist tries to comprehend why certain article triggers rage in a patient. Stage two is to decide a theory (Cowens, 2006). A theory is generally a hypothesis or thought regarding how or why something occurs. This progression looks to foresee the result or thinking of the problem.The analyst may shape the speculation that the item triggers rage in light of the fact that the patient connects the article with past injury. Presently the time has come to test the speculation. Experimentation and research enters the image for this progression (Cowens, 2006). To test the speculation, the clinician may utilize meetings or inquiries as research. They may likewise attempt different items, or use trance to review the injury. Recording the perceptions is a basic advance in the logical technique (Cowens, 2006). All perceptions are significant, and recurrence tables, diagrams, and outlines investigate the measurable use of the logical method.In expansion to these, analysts may utilize notes to investigate the thinking. The last advance is reaching an inference (Cowens, 2006). The reason for this progression is the understanding of the discoveries. The outcomes may either bolster the theory, or bring up new issues to investigate. The therapist may locate no past injury, and confirm that every single purple article trigger both fury and dread. They at that point will look for another speculation to start another quest for answers. Essential and Secondary Data In any part of research, it is basic to consider the legitimacy of results.Primary information is depicted as information watched or gathered straightforwardly from direct understanding (Triola, 2010). Optional information is distributed information, or information gathered by others (Triola, 2010). Essential information is favored in explore in light of the fact that the information is gotten direct, where auxiliary depends on the perceptions of others. For example, progressively exact outcomes in a weight study will originate from the immediate weighing of the patients than asking them their weight. Insights in Research Psychologists use univariate standards when they measure just a single variable and multivariate system when utilizing factors to find out connections (Chow, 2002).Psychologists regularly use insights to distinguish regions of research intrigue. In testing a speculation, numerous specialists need to transform inquiries into testable numerical information. One of the most well-known measurements applications is the trying of the invalid speculation. The invalid theory includes the first case â€like 50 out of 100 patients see achievement in relapse strategies to conquer fears and transforming it into a scientific case ( µ = 50). The elective speculation speaks to the distinction of a case, or the likelihood that it is false in light of the fact that the test measurement is outside the given range ( µ ? 50). These cases are tried, and on the off chance that it is discovered that under 50 patients saw accomplishment with relapse methods, at that point analysts can utilize measurable thinking to negate the announcement. In general, measurable thinking is critical in the translation of research results acquired through the logical technique. Individual Application The ideas talked about all through this paper have concentrated on numerous answers this creator would like to discover in her expert life, and has sought after in her own life. The creator refered to the case of anger and dread brought about by purple, since her nine-year-old sister endures issues with this concept.After numerous preliminaries, tests, and visits to treatment, we had the option to establish that she connected the shading with Barney the dinosaur, and she cross-related Barney with a dread of dinosaurs returning to life in an old film. Albeit a straightforward report, it had extraordinary effect on this authorâ€⠄¢s life, and her future quest for brain research. End Statistical thinking in brain science may appear to be a logical inconsistency to many. Be that as it may, any quest for answers requires look into â€which utilizes the logical technique and insights. We have decided essential information to be more useful and dependable than optional data.We have additionally applied the idea of speculations to measurements and fundamental research. All in all, even basic comprehension in brain science is regularly identified with measurable thinking. ?References Aron, A. , Aron, E. N. , Coups, E. J. (2009). Insights for brain research (fifth ed. ). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall Chow, S. L. (2002). Insights and its job in mental research. Strategies in Psychological Research. Recovered October 3, 2010 from ProQuest database. Cowens, J. (2006, August/September). The logical technique. Instructing PreK-8. (37)1. 42. Triola, M. F. (2010). Basic Statistics. (eleventh Ed. ). Boston, MA: Pearson. The most effective method to refer to Statistics and Psychology, Papers

Saturday, August 22, 2020

Why I Agree with the Libertarian Party Essay Example

Why I Agree with the Libertarian Party Essay Example Why I Agree with the Libertarian Party Essay Why I Agree with the Libertarian Party Essay Exposition Topic: On Liberty We live in a country established on Liberty. The Purpose of the establishing of the United States was to protect the individual opportunities of its residents while giving a reasonable overseeing body. Their motto Minimum Government Maximum Freedom depicts my accurate emotions when managing how to show a nation to Freedom. The Libertarian Party speaks to me since they put stock in Minimum Government and Maximum Freedom. The Libertarian Party speaks to me since they put stock in Minimum Government and Maximum Freedom. One issue that I concur with the Libertarian Party is when managing the economy. The gathering accepts that a free market economy is the best, and need to give a valiant effort to help the individual privileges of business substances, for example, organizations, cooperatives, and willful business elements. Nonetheless, they don't have confidence in direct government association in the economy. Libertarians accept the administration has no spot financing organizations or rescuing them. This additionally obliges the conviction that administration has no spot contending with private industry, for example, human services or training. Libertarians immovably accept that the activity of the legislature in an economy is to battle extortion and to create a confided in cash. In addition to the fact that they believe government ought to have negligible obstruction in the economy, Libertarians addi tionally imagine that legislature should avoid Labor Markets. Libertarians accept that associations ought to be isolated from the administration, and that legislature ought not be accountable for what is characterized as a reasonable pay for work being finished. In addition to the fact that I agree with the Libertarian Party in household financial aspects I likewise concur with their point of view on outside issues. The Libertarian Party speaks to me since they trust in Minimum Government and Maximum Freedom. I concur with their point of view on international strategy in various issues. One issue that I concur with them is that the United States ought not be policing the world. Libertarians t

Sunday, July 26, 2020

The Dark Side of the Moon

The Dark Side of the Moon Sometimes, when life at MIT gets too tough, this is what I think of, in all seriousness: Wow in just one more day, I will not have blogged for AN ENTIRE MONTH. tsk tsk. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. Truth is, Ive been MEANING to, but I just simply never got around to it! Actually, in the beginning, I had some time to blog but I was likeuhm I dont have any pictures so Ill wait a little bitand then BOOM 5.12 exam BOOM 7.03 exam BOOM getting the results back BOOM sadness and depression BOOM rhetoric paper? BOOM art history essay (granted, this was very enjoyable) DING 14.02 pset! DING ocrap 7.03 pset? BOOM 14.02 exam tooltooltool BOOM 4.601 midterm DONG studystudystudycrystudystudystudy BOOM 5.12 exam#2. (feel free to intersperse POW Japanese quiz BAM Japanese memorization randomly in between) Me : MIT :: Linguini : cookingFor all you bushy-tailed, eager-eyed young beavers out there (hehe, I love the quote, its from Shuai 07 who I met at Stanford this past weekend), 72 units HURT. Do so at your own risk. Parental discretion advised. Mmmm. Anywhoo, thats enough complaining from me, haha MITs still an awesome place. Cmon, no pain = no gain, right? :D (this is ten percent luck, twenty percent skill, fifteen percent concentrated power of will, five percent pleasure, and FIFTY PERCENT PAIN) ok. Ill stop being random now. October was a month of fun work, yes, but also fun. iHouse had a retreat with SCRUMPTIOUS food. Listen, if MIT Dining could make this kind of stuff, we wouldnt be having oodles of editorials in the Tech talking about dining problems and most likely the number of restaurants around MIT would decrease like pigeons in the park. We talked a lot about the vision of iHouse and the events that we have planned for the coming year (after all, iHouse is still a really young dorm!) BTW, shameless plug for current students if you want to be involved in iHouse, you can! We invite MIT undergrads to apply to be social members of the house even if you do not have residential membership. As a social member, you are eligible to come to a number of open events that iHouse conducts (such as dinners and certain speaker series) and get to know us better! If you have an interest in global development and iHouse, this is a wonderful way to get involved! And, Autumn came to visit last night, the temperature dropped below the freezing point. I was sad. ='( Last but not least, I travelled with ESP to Stanford last weekend. (I know this is the MIT Admission Blogs, not the Stanford Admission Blogs, but please excuse the following picture =p) (aside about Stanford: Stanford seems to be a huge school in terms of cross-admits with MIT. If you apply to both and get admitted at either, chances are you might get admitted too at the other one. I cant even count how many people I know in the current undergrad population that turned down Stanford during the application cycle) Going to Stanford is not completely all fun and games, although it was an amazing experience. Remember ESP that Ive talked about at some length here? (for those that are just tuning in ESP stands for Educational Studies Program its a completely student-run club/initiative at MIT that aims to provide supplemental educational opportunities to high/middle school students in the Boston area through offering educational programs taught by MIT undergrads) Well, it just so happens that ESP runs this really amazing program called Splash! (plug#2 Splash! is amazing you can teach ANYTHING. ANYTHING you want!). We have 200+ classes registered this year (and were hoping to set a record and break 2,000 students in attendance) w00t! :D Moreover, ESP is actually this really intense and nebulous organization (HAHA this sounds like Tammany Hall or something rest assured we do not conduct voter fraud (not that MA needs any, anyways =p)). ESP goes back AGES we always have alums who had ventured into the dark and foreboding world known as grad school coming back to visit us. Throughout the last year, Ive been involved to some extent in at least 4 ESP programs, but Im still an ESP baby when compared to the breadth of what they did (and are still doing) for ESP! Anywhoo, the point is that some of our alums founded other ESP chapters after they went on to grad school. As of now, UChicago and Stanford also run Splashes (while I believe NYU runs another version of Splash that isnt directly related to ESP). Usually, having ran Splashes for so long and being the founder of Splash!, MIT ESP sends a couple of people to help with set up, logistics, and teach classes when other Splashes start their program. Stanford Splash ran this past weekend, and the chairs graciously allowed me to tag along with them! It was great. Cali was sunny. The students were enthusiastic. Splash ran amazingly well (due to the diligence in preparation of Michael 07 and his enthusiastic team!). Meeting so many MIT people in Stanfords grad school was actually pretty amazing its awesome to be talking about 8.02/5.12 and seeing Brass Rats 2,500 miles away from Boston in a completely non-MIT environment (maybe this is my first ever experience with meeting alums outside of Cambridge? man, roots definitely run DEEP after youve been through MIT). I taught The Art of Money (money yes, money in your pockets but more generally money from all over the world is an amazing way to preserve history and the cultural context of a nation. ive been collecting for 13+ years and still loving it. ask me about it sometime!) and (harhar) Hardcore College Admissions. Twas fun :D Man, I love speaking about college admissions now. Maybe Ill go work for Princeton Review when I graduate ;) (plug#3 Ill be teaching these classes again for MIT Splash happening a month from now! if youre a high school/middle school student that will be dropping by, definitely come for Splash! even if youre not interested in college admissions or money, theres like 198+ more courses you can explore =p) So yuppp. Thats my month, more or less, in a nutshell, if you take away the nights of tooling in deserted locales on MIT campus (I should write an entire blog on this), numerous take-outs ordered after being famished from studying, and punting working with fellow beavers in the wee hours of the morning (like right now). Whats up next in blogs? Remember the whole flood of bloggers posting their essays (and then arguing about them?) Ive actually meant to write a blog on the essay this application season since Ive talked a bit about interviews last year. Actually, aside from the interviews, I believe the application essay is the other significant window into your life and to who you are aside from the numbers and the blanks on your application form. So stay tuned! And I promise to make it yummy too, since Ill be comparing the college essay to froyo! (seriously though, Ive never heard of that term before coming to Boston =p)

Friday, May 22, 2020

Attic Romanticism Reason And Imagination - 1705 Words

â€Å"Here, the lofty and highly much praised artistic achievement of Attic tragedy and the dramatic dithyramb presents itself before our eyes, as the common goal of both artistic drives, whose secret marriage partnership, after a long antecedent struggle, celebrated itself with such a child, simultaneously Antigone and Cassandra.† (Friedrich Nietzsche on the relationship between the Apollnian and Dionysian) How do both reason and imagination shape poetry? Reason and Imagination are two concepts that seem opposed to one another. Reason is the ability of humans to make sense of things, and is grounded in reality while Imagination is a more abstract concept that is variously described as recreating experiences without them physically occurring,†¦show more content†¦Shelley argues against this, putting forth that â€Å"whatever strengthens and purifies the affections, enlarges the imagination, and adds spirit to sense, is useful† defending Imagination as a basis for poetry since he is able to exemplify the positive effect Imagination has on art forms. Friedrich Nietzsche held similar views on how Reason and Imagination shape a literary work to Shelley (though Nietzsche’s views on Reason without Imagination are perhaps more extreme than Shelley’s), dividing them into his own unique categories: the Apollonian and the Dionysian. Reason is represented by the Apollonian as the â€Å"the art of the sculptor† in that it produces something ordered and tangible, much as reason does, while Imagination is represented by the Dionysian as something â€Å"with which we will become best acquainted through the analogy of intoxication†, in that it is chaotic and abstract. Like Shelley, Nietzsche believes the downfall of Greek Tragedy came when Reason began to surpass Imagination. For both writers, Reason must be the basis of the ideas, and Imagination must â€Å"colour them with its own light†. Without Imagination, or the Dionysian, Poetry and other literary works are a realistic mimicking of â€Å"thoughts and emotions devoid of any trace of the ether of art†. It is clear from this that while Nietzsche believes the ApollonianShow MoreRelatedJohn Keats: Ode on a Grecian Urn1778 Words   |  7 PagesJohn Keats: Ode on a Grecian Urn Ode on a Grecian Urn is one of the most emblematic poems of the English Romanticism written by John Keats. The urn acts as a time machine which guides the poetic persona into the antique Greek culture, which faded into oblivion and obscurity throughout the centuries. However this urn still captures the essence of this ancient yet golden age. John Keats is one of the most celebrated English romantic poets. He is often called as the Poet of Beauty, becauseRead More Women’s Self-Discovery During Late American Romanticism / Early Realism3300 Words   |  14 Pagesbeen successfully done over and over by men. Even though these men write convincingly about a woman’s thoughts and feelings there’s no way they will really ever know. Based on a critical essay, The Madwoman in the Attic: The Woman writer and the Nineteenth century Literary Imagination the authors state that â€Å"Unlike her male counterpart, then, the female artist must first struggle against the effects of a socialization which makes conflict with the will of her (male) precursors seem inexpressiblyRead MoreJane Austen’s Novels and the Contemporary Social and Literary Conventions.12979 Words   |  52 Pagesvarious aspects. It means that women are deprived of free will and individuality, bearing in mind the simple aim: attractin g a suitable man who would be the one to â€Å"govern her† (Dobosiewicz 45). 1.4. Characteristics of ideal female features The reason of inventing the universal ideal of womanhood is for Dobosiewicz, clearly visible. Using Fordyce’s own words that the purpose of his work is to establish â€Å" what a woman should beâ€Å", she confirms the fact that a great deal of males pursue to achieveRead MoreCleanth Brookss Essay Irony as a Principle of Structure9125 Words   |  37 Pagesconcerning the duration and tempo of the revolution. The reader should not, therefore, look to these essays for a complete scientific system. Despite this the book does have a definite unity. This will be found in the sequence of the essays, which for this reason are best read in the order proposed. However, it would perhaps be advisable for readers unversed in philosophy to put off the chapter on reification to the very end. A few words of explanation — superfluous for many readers perhaps — are due for

Friday, May 8, 2020

Essay about anger in communication - 1405 Words

Anger In Communication Communicating is the means of transmitting or the exchange of information. These types of exchanges usually occur in many different forms or means. Humans communicate both verbally and nonverbally. The term also refers to sharing or to make common and is defined as a process of understanding. (Pearson amp; Nelson, 2000 p.18). This process is an activity, an exchange, or a set of behaviors.(Pearson amp; Nelson, 2000 p.170). These processes or exchanges can lead to anger, which may in some cases, produce results of serious consequences. Anger can be defined as a great feeling of displeasure, wrath, fury, or indignation. Misunderstanding during the exchange of information will create conflicts. These conflicts must†¦show more content†¦In all her replies she would become very loud and boisterous, never giving an inch. She would be so close that her breath felt like a puff of strong wind. Whilst at the said time she would be hurling insults, and daring me to collect the funds owed to me. Eventually, to avoid the constant barrage of insults both verbally and nonverbally I would forfeit and inform her, that she was welcome to keep same. The outrageous behaviors that are displayed by my partner, most times are annoying to me. On one occasion I had to take my car to the shop, and I asked her to pick me up and take me to work on a particular day. Before leaving to drop my car off at the repair shop, I woke her, and informed her to get ready, as she would have to do some extra driving. This will therefore require an early start to avoid us being late for work. I stood at the repair shop and waited for a very lengthy amount of time and had less than ten minutes to get to work, which was 15 miles away. She came and picked me up and started out on the highway. I noticed that the speed she was driving had reached 105 mph. I requested she slowed down in fear of us getting into a terrible accident and being killed.. At this time she promptly pulled the car over and ordered me to get out of her #@$@% car. IShow MoreRelatedStress and Anger Management and Communication Styles3563 Words   |  15 PagesIntramuros, Manila COMMUNICATION STYLES AS CORRELATED TO THE STRESS AND ANGER MANAGEMENT OF SELECTED BS PSYCHOLOGY FRESHMEN STUDENTS In partial fulfilment of the requirements in Psychological Statistics, 1st semester, SY 2012 – 2013 BS Psychology 3 – 1 CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION Background of the Study But once you are in that field, emotional intelligence emerges as a much stronger predictor of who will be most successful, because it is how we handle ourselves in our relationshipsRead MoreAnger Response Inventory To Evaluate The Effect Of Shame And Guilt On Interpersonal Communication Skills746 Words   |  3 PagesOomen, J., Rhea, D.J., Wiginton, K. (2004). Using the anger response inventory to evaluate the effect of shame and guilt on interpersonal communication skills. American Journal of Health Education, 35(3), 152-157. DOI: 10.1080/19325037.2004.10603631. Introduction/ Purpose: We know that positive interpersonal skills are good and teaching those skills is important (Joint Committee on Health Education Standards, 1995). Shame is related to negative reactions in interpersonal conflicts (Balcom, 1991)Read MoreCritical Analysis Of William Blakes A Poison Tree926 Words   |  4 PagesAnger, frustration, and hate are all emotions that build up the burning wrath inside of our bodies. The more we keep these emotions buried away and fail to communicate them to others, the more the wrath continues to grow until it eventually boils over and by this time it is too late. This concept is defined and illustrated in William Blake’s poem â€Å"A Poison Tree.† This poem directs the readers to the importance of communication and willingness to forgive. The moment the speaker refuses to communicateRead MoreThe Effects Of Interpersonal Competence On Interpersonal Communication1053 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction Interpersonal competence is an aspect of communication that is rarely given attention despite being a crucial facet of human interaction. In fact, Beebe et al. argue that it is comparable to breathing for being do critical to human growth (2). According to Beebe et al., this aspect of communication is necessary to maintain relationships and to improve affairs between lovers (6-7). To enhance our competence in interpersonal communication, we need to learn and master ways of verbally relatingRead MoreA Case of Conflict During Communication1831 Words   |  7 Pagesagain. Anyway, thank you.† Candy gratified. Case Analysis: Transactional model of communication Experience shown above can be analyzed as a transactional model of communication. In the above case, the staff and I are both sender and receiver. We can be served as speaker and listener simultaneously. We were encoding and decoding at the same time during the conversation. Therefore, the element of this communication is interdependent. According to the definition of this model, verbal content andRead MoreThe Group Rules And Norms978 Words   |  4 Pages________________________________________ ANGER MANAGEMENT Anger management: Clients will learn and practice anger management and assertive communication techniques for better relationships and mental health. Clients will be educated on individual beliefs toward anger and how family of origin can perpetuate these beliefs. Clients will be shown how anger is often a secondary emotion, and how CBT is helpful when utilizing â€Å"I feel† assertive communication. Clients are encouraged to participate inRead MoreThis group proposal paper is written from my perspective and experience. It describes a purpose to1100 Words   |  5 Pagestransitional age youth (TAY) from the agency of Beyond Emancipation and the key issues includes emotions, anger and conflicts. In addition, four external citations of scholarly journal articles dealing with group work similar to this proposal group is incorporated starting with the rationale, objectives, practical considerations, procedures and ending with evaluation. â€Æ' Helping TAY Deal with Emotions, Anger and Conflict Rationale As a MSW Intern at Beyond Emancipation, I am in a position to offer informationRead MoreAnalysis Of A Mothers Day Kiss Off1037 Words   |  5 Pagesunappreciation women feel and the anger they feel because of the lack of their spouse’s support in wanting to be employed. In the article, â€Å" My Problem With Her Anger,† author Eric Bartels explains that he does not receive enough acknowledgement for the effort that he puts into the relationship and the privileges he has surrendered. Bartels describes how women in general could be more supportive of their feelings and accept them as well. He talks about his anger, about the situations that they withstandRead MoreA Brief Description Of The Client1404 Words   |  6 Pageswho resides in a foster home. She has difficulty with sleep and communication concerns. The foster parent reports that the client may be promiscuous, has poor hygiene, suffers from anxiety attacks and lacks anger management. Client has an IEP because of a learning disability. When residing with her biological parents, client s school attendance was poor, being absent from school more than 50% of the time. She has poor communication with her siblings and reports screaming and hitting her 6-year-oldRead MoreContent Oriented Communication By J. Eum1411 Words   |  6 PagesThe couple’s conversation described above demonstrates a content-oriented communication, which deals with just a specific topic or issue (Weeks Fife, 2014). In their conversation, the husband is upset with their daughter’s poor academic performance, which he can hardly understand because he was a good student with outstanding grades at school during his own childhood. Obviously, the topic of their conversation is their daughter’s poor academic performance. And, their attention is on what they are

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

American Revolution Short Free Essays

During the American Revolution what caused the people to make radical changes The American Revolution was radical in the ideals established throughout the revolution. The American Revolution had significant effects on American society as a whole radically changing certain aspects including its social, political, economic, and religious contexts. Also, the status of women, slaves, and Loyalists were radically changed. We will write a custom essay sample on American Revolution Short or any similar topic only for you Order Now A new democratized political system was formed through the constitution, which incorporated radical ideals such as the equality of all men, the separation of church and state, religious freedom/tolerance. The first successful English settlement on the American continent was established in 1607. And from then on, until 1732, thirteen English colonies settled on the continent. Great Britain was the first and the only country to send its people as colonists and to settle in that part of the continent. The Colonists had two reasons to leave England and it was to make money. But the major part of the colonists was running away from religious persecutions. However they managed to develop their colonies and to make money. But how did Great Britain regard this development? England, which was trying to enlarge its empire did not stay unemotional in front of this new development of prosperity, and in need of money, it reacted first, by imposing taxes to its colonies. But, the colonists were not still subjects of the crown and following different influences they began to want their own freedom. And by the way they reached an expected war with England. How to cite American Revolution Short, Papers

Tuesday, April 28, 2020

The collapse of Barings Bank Essay Example

The collapse of Barings Bank Paper Although books and biographies have been written about the fall of Englands largest and most prestigious bank, the following will give a synopsis of the tragedy that was filled with deceit, possible conspiracy, and definitely unethical behavior. On February 25, 1995, Barings Bank announced to the world that it was insolvent to meet its losses accumulated on the SIMEX, Singapore International Monetary Exchange, by a trader named Nick Leeson. As amazing as it sounds, Nick Leeson had lost the bank 869 million pounds in less than three years. How is it possible? Who is responsible? Why did it happen? The story started in July 1992 when a twenty five year old futures and options trader, Nick Leeson was sent to Singapore to be a telephone clerk for Barings newly established Baring Futures (Singapore) Ltd. However Leeson was not simply an order taker, he was the Floor Manager as well as the Head of Settlement Operations. To completely understand the duties of each position are complex but each position is suppose, to keep an eye on the other. Barings management claimed in court that Leeson was only hired as a Telephone Clerk, but his ability to demand more money from the London office and to manipulate accounts showed otherwise. We will write a custom essay sample on The collapse of Barings Bank specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The collapse of Barings Bank specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The collapse of Barings Bank specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Nick Leeson was primarily trading Nikkei 225 futures on the SIMEX and Osaka exchange by using a trading strategy called arbitrage. There is nothing illegal about that, he was simply trying to take advantage of the spread in trading prices between the two exchanges. He set up the relevant accounts for Barings customers and an error account for any mistakes that might be made. Errors are a common facet of the trading business but most often these errors are negligible to the trading (Broker Dealer) firms bottom line. Oddly, Leeson numbered this error account 88888 rather than utilizing a standard account number beginning with the number 9. Although the home office was not concerned with this, a new error account was established with the number 99002. However, Leeson never closed the original error account, 88888, because he was in fact using the error account for his own trading purposes. This was relatively easy for Leeson since the Monetary Authority of Singapore refuses outside regulators permission to inspect the operations of subsidiary banks working on the SIMEX and because the Baring home office had left Leeson and the Singapore group to do their own reconciliation (matching trades and accounts). Leeson had complete control of the daily operations, but how did he get access to so much money? Although discovered after the Banks collapse, Gordon Bowser, the Derivatives Manager in London, had given full discretion to Leeson to ask for whatever funds he needed to cover margin calls for clients without having to provide any details. A margin call is when you leverage your cash to a point where the exchange requires more capital to insure your solvency to cover your outstanding positions. By having this open doorway to capital, Leeson could create false margin calls and errors in order to fund and support his 88888 account. By the Fall of 1993, Barings top executives considered Leeson a trading genius because he was reporting incredible profits. In reality, Leeson was taking the trading losses in his secret error account and thereby improving his reported performance. Leeson was promoted to Assistant Director and General Manager and was even given discretion to the time and price of all trades. According to his own testimony, Leeson had already lost 25 million pounds by the end of 1993. The real destruction of Barings came when the Bank decided to consolidate their entire capital under one roof rather than keep it separate between Bankers and Brokers. This solo-consolidation allowed Leeson to use more of the firms capital. Instead of being limited to 25%, Leeson had leveraged 44. 6% of the firms consolidated capital by the end of 1993. In 1994, Leeson would attempt to earn back the money by partaking in even more aggressive trading activities in the 88888 account. He would take the losses from 25 million pounds to over 800 million by the end the year. With Leesons trading activities utilizing some much of Barings capital, the bank decided to pay more attention his activities and to do some its own reconciling. Unfortunately, it was not until February 1995 that Barings sent Tony Railton to Singapore to reconcile all client accounts with margin calls. It took only ten days from Railtons arrival for Barings to realize that they were insolvent. Barings Bank conceded to the world their demise two days later on the 25th of February. Leeson was caught at the airport and sentenced to 6 years in Changi jail. He was released after serving only 4 years due to colon cancer. Since his release in July 1999, he has been giving seminars and speaking publicly about his activities during his employment with Barings. However, he will receive nothing from these public appearances, his book, Rogue Trader, or the movie Rogue Trader. All money received will be put towards paying off a 100 million pound plus interest and costs injunction placed against him by the creditors of Barings Bank. After the collapse, the Dutch Bank ING, the Internationale Netherlanden Groep, bought Barings Bank for 660 million pounds. Today, the Bank goes by the name ING Barings. Obviously, Leeson acted in an unethical manner, but is he the only one to blame? Many people have argued that the Barings executives should also be held accountable because of their poor management and lack of responsibility to the stakeholders of the company. Sources: Fay, Stephen. The Collapse of Barings. Richard Cohen Books, London. 1996. Leeson, Nick. Rogue Trader. Little, Brown and Company, London. 1996. British Airways After years of being a government run business, British Airways was privatized in 1983. Several years later, after the market was opened to competition, Richard Branson entered the fray. Branson, well known as one of Britains premier entrepreneurs, founded Virgin Atlantic Airways. The airline was new territory for the successful Branson, as he was best known for founding Virgin Records over a decade earlier. Although Virgin in the late eighties and early nineties had only eight planes and British Airways had 230, British Airways presumably found the high profile start-up a threat. Apparently, British Airways employees engaged in quite questionable practices to ensure its small rival would have even less of the market share. Richard Branson of Virgin filed a libel lawsuit against the airline giant in Great Britain due to some of these unseemly business practices. In court, evidence of British Airways unethical behavior was presented. Allegedly, the company broke into Virgins computers for information on their passengers. British Airways also hired a Public Relations specialist, Brian Basham, to find and release negative information about Branson and Virgin to the media. British Airways employees also engaged in poaching-they contacted or approached Virgin customers and falsely claimed their flights on Virgin had been cancelled or over-booked. Then agents asked if the passengers would be interested in flying on British Airways, instead? Other allegations surfaced as well, such as break-ins at the homes of Virgin employees. Please see: http://www. businesswire. com/webbox/bw. 081997/455117. htm, As more information came out, British Airways decided to settle out of court. In early 1993, British Airways paid Richard Branson 2. 5 million to settle the libel portion of the suit. This was to compensate Virgin for the damage to its reputation. The executives admitted they had engaged in a campaign against Virgin, but did not reveal the extent of their campaign. (Dwyer, Paula. BRITISH AIR-NOT CRICKET, Business Week On-line, January 25, 1993. ) Virgin again filed suit against British Airways in Britain in 1993 to review the poaching charge. Unfortunately, the top managers at British Airways have never fully disclosed their unfair business practices. (Coleman, Brian. Virgin Group Sues British Airways Over Dirty Tricks, Wall Street Journal, May 7, 1993) Later in 1993, Branson later filed suit against British Airways in the United States, alleging an anti-trust situation. In total, Bransons lawsuit filed in the United States consisted of six different charges. Virgin claimed damages in the amount of one billion dollars. During 1997, the court dismissed three of the six charges and allowed Virgin more time to gather additional information. In November of 1999, all remaining charges against British Airways were dismissed because Virgin had not met its burden of proof in the claims. For more information, see http://press. britishairways. com/cgi-bin/view_article_month In 1997, Virgin filed against British Airways with the European Union Court, and Virgin won. British Airways was forced to pay 6. 8 million in fines for unfair business practices. Virgin accused British Airways of compensating British travel agents through extra commissions to book passengers on British Airways instead of Virgin. In fact, the European Union warned British Airways its incentives were illegal, prior to Bransons lawsuit, and the company chose to ignore the warning. Regardless of the truth ever emerging, the tactics of British Airways had little affect on stakeholders. In 1993, the companys stock fell over ten percent. By the end of 1993 the stock value jumped to more than recover any of those losses. In addition to temporary stockholder losses, the company lost money in the form of various fines and legal costs. These fines were quite small in comparison with British Airways revenue of over 8. 6 billion dollars. Please see: http://www. hemscott. com/EQUITIES/company/cd01593. htm The succession plan of management did not change despite suspicion of active involvement in the tactics. During the initial lawsuit, John L. King was President and Chairman of British Airways. He fulfilled his plan to name Sir Colin Marshall as his replacement as Chairman upon his scheduled retirement in July of 1993. Witnesses in trial proceedings actually stated that tactics they had used were known and approved of by management. Marshall continues to sit on the Board today. British Airways lost some of its credibility and damaged some of its future partnerships. When the facts came out, the general public viewed the airline with disdain. The allegations of the unethical practices and the ensuing lawsuits endangered potential partnerships with American Airlines. Eventually, though the partnership culminated. Also, British Airways had to withdraw a bid for a substantial portion of US Airways at one point as well because the United States government would not approve of the deal. Several years later, British Airways formed a partnership with US Airways. See http://flug-revue. com/FRHeft/fr9609e. htm; (Dwyer, Paula. BRITISH AIR-NOT CRICKET, Business Week On-line, January 25, 1993. )Today, the companies have what is now known as a friendly rivalry. Several years ago, Martyn Gregory and Nick Rufford wrote a book called Dirty Tricks: The Inside Story of British Airways Secret War Against Richard Bransons Virgin Atlantic which told the story about the unfair, unethical, and illegal tactics of British Airways against Virgin. Unfortunately, this book went out of print within weeks of its first publication, and is still extremely difficult to find. Both companies are thriving in todays healthy business climate. Additional resources: www. virgin-atlantic. com www. british-airways. com.

Thursday, March 19, 2020

Self-Publishing a Family Memoir

Self-Publishing a Family Memoir Self-Publishing a Family Memoir Having previously published many children's books, Malaika Rose Stanley is no stranger to publishing. Yet with Loose Connections, she attempted something completely different from her usual style of writing. Read on to know what it was like for her to  self-publish her book and go on a familiar yet new adventure.Loose Connections is my first independently published book, my first book for adults and my first non-fiction book. But I have a history of writing traditionally published books for children dating back to 1996. I had to look back and check - and I’ve completely shocked myself with the realization that I’ve been involved in this writing and publishing malarkey for twenty years!‘Write what you know’ is a well-worn authorial snippet of advice, a clichà ©. At times, I’ve taken heed but at others, I’ve totally ignored it. My motivation for Loose Connections and for all my books has been to write what I love, to write what stirs my soul ; I don't plan them so much as channel what flows through me.My sons were born in the 1980s and I started writing children’s books when I realized that the lack of diversity in children’s and young adult books had persisted from my childhood to theirs – and I wanted to do something about it. I started to write Loose Connections because I wanted to tell another invisible story - of my mother’s incarceration in a mental hospital as an unmarried mother of a mixed-race child, and of what came before and after. At first, I tried to write the story as fiction; I tried to write it without including myself so the transition to ‘creative non-fiction’ and ‘family memoir’ was a lengthy process. I have files buried on my hard-drive that are at least ten years old.Why I chose self-publishingI decided to go down the route of self-publishing partly because I am familiar with and realistic about the barriers into traditional publishing for peop le like me. I’m not a bright, young thing with a literature degree from Oxbridge or a creative writing master’s degree from East Anglia or City East, at the beginning of my writing career.I’m not seen as ‘commercially viable’ or ‘marketable’ with a blog with thousands of followers, a huge social networking platform or a reality TV fan-base. I’m more likely to be perceived as a grizzled old cynic, with a chip on my shoulder and an axe to grind.It’s not true, of course - I’m actually rather delightful, with a story to tell! Loose Connections was published at the beginning of June - and my first Amazon review says it’s a ‘†¦wonderfully moving book†¦ really well written, clear and simple but heartbreaking too.’ Also true! I decided to self-publish even though I didn't have a huge social networking platform or fan-base. The Reedsy experienceThe Reedsy marketplace was a revelation. Although there is an option to ‘shortlist’ up to five professionals, I quickly narrowed down my choice to two editors and sent them a request for a quote for a structural edit together with a synopsis and the first chapter of my book. They both responded very quickly and it was clear that they were highly skilled and experienced. I thought either would be able to do a good job so my final choice came down to cost, although I definitely struck gold with Gillian Holmes. She did a first read-through, followed up with a phone call about possibly libelous content and my overall intentions for the book, a few minor copy editing corrections and queries about continuity, proposed cuts and a couple of gaps, in tracked changes – and then a detailed restructuring proposal. Wow! Her recommendations were straightforward and simple but I clearly hadn’t been able to see the wood for the trees – excuse th e continuing lumberjack analogies – and her suggestions were spot on!How to Write a Memoir: Breathe Life into Your Story in 8 Steps Read post What were, for me, the unforeseen advantages of self-publishing have been huge: creative control of my own work, choosing my own editor and designer and yes, compared to traditional publishing, which can take months – or years – even the speed of the process from word doc manuscript to e-book download and beautifully typeset, beautifully packaged paperback book! I would definitely recommend Reedsy and the self-publishing option to any new and aspiring authors and to grizzled old cynics alike. Two months ago, I swore blind I would never do it again, but now I’m already planning my next project, an anthology.Loose Connections  is available on both  Amazon US and Amazon UK, get your copy now!Ever thought of writing a family memoir? Would you self-publish it like Malaika did? Leave your  thoughts and experiences, or any questions for Malaika, in the comments below.

Tuesday, March 3, 2020

Review of the Book Pursuit of Happyness by Chris Gardner

Review of the Book Pursuit of Happyness by Chris Gardner Chris Gardner’s life story is impressive. Despite having never gone to college, and after a period of being homeless, he became a wildly successful stockbroker and wrote his memoir, Pursuit of Happyness. It’s not surprising that Hollywood turned his story into a blockbuster film starring Will Smith. Pursuit of Happyness  tracks this happy, rags-to-riches story, starting in early childhood and including Gardners adult progression through a few different careers. About the Book Chris Gardner went from an impoverished childhood to become a wealthy stockbroker and entrepreneur and managed to juggle single fatherhood before it was culturally accepted. His memoir, Pursuit of Happyness, spends a lot of time recounting that difficult childhood and his transition to the military and to time spent working in medicine. The story picks up more speed two-thirds of the way through when Gardner is living in San Francisco determined to raise his son and succeed as a stockbroker, despite having never gone to college. Gardner’s message can seem inconsistent. On the one hand, he was moved by his own troubled childhood to vow that he would be a good father to his children. On the other hand, a flashy red Ferrari caught his eye one day, prompting him to adopt the goal of becoming a stockbroker in order to earn enough money to buy his own Ferrari. The two goals aren’t incompatible, of course, but Gardner doesn’t mention any tension he may have felt between his selfless love for his son and his more superficial-seeming financial goals. Any self-reflection present in Gardner’s story seems to be mostly the self-reflection of a motivational speaker, which Gardner has become. There is much discussion of working hard to overcome the paucity of other African-Americans on Wall Street, not to mention Gardner’s lack of a college degree. The Pursuit of Happyness makes for an enjoyable story, and an inspiring one, but leaves the reader looking for something more. What Makes the Book Worth Reading (or Not) Chris Gardners story is unique in more ways than one. A child who grew up largely in foster care, he found the tenacity, strength of character, and talent within himself to become extraordinarily successful. A black man growing up in poverty, he built a reputation that turned him into a major motivational speaker for people of all backgrounds. Perhaps most significantly, Gardner is a father (not a mother) who did whatever it took to ensure that his son would grow up in a safe, loving home. If you are struggling against the odds, you may well find reassurance and motivation in Gardners experience. If you dont find motivational biographies inspiring, you may also want to read the book as background before viewing the movie version starring Will Smith. The movie includes only a portion of the full story, and skips or changes some of the details. Both book and movie, however, have similar pros and cons. As with many rags-to-riches stories, the emphasis is on the grit and determination of the individual and not on the systemic issues that placed the individual in a seemingly  impossible situation. Much of Gardners achievement is related, not to relationship-building or self-discovery, but to the ability to find a niche in which he could fit in and make the money he craved. For many people, Gardners story will be inspirational; for others its likely to be frustrating.

Sunday, February 16, 2020

The Net Present Value (NPV) Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Net Present Value (NPV) - Assignment Example Therefore, discounting gives us the present value of money that is consequently useful in determining the net present value of any given project. d) Approximately 25% discount rate gives a zero NPV. This rate is the Internal Rate of Return and rates below this give a positive NPV hence showing the viability of a project. On the other hand, rates above 25% give a negative NPV and such projects should not be undertaken. This model could be extended by adding the effect of the energy bill on an individual’s disposable income. The higher the bill, the higher the cost implications on the individual’s net disposable income. A Decision Support System (DSS) is a computer-based information system that is used in organisations to assist in making decisions. A DSS is an interactive computerized system that supports the decision-making activities of decision makers using technology, documents, data and knowledge to complete their tasks. The 2012 London Olympics involved a lot of logistical arrangements that the organisers had to consider in order for the games to be a success. One aspect of the games that had to be carefully planned out was transport. Given the number of people that flocked the country and the city of London in particular, the transport infrastructure had to be well laid out so that there was order in the city. The road network, public transport and the effects of disrupting transport for businesses and other services had to be of particular interest to the organisers of the games. Additional or new resources have to be deployed in the areas related to incident detection and also the DSS for network managers. The transport legacy after the games should be of three types. First and foremost is the physical infrastructure that would be made to enhance the rail and road networks and vehicle fleets. There are also the enhancements to the operations and systems by designing and deploying state of the art techniques in order to detect

Sunday, February 2, 2020

Based on recent events, discuss whether the stock markets are Essay

Based on recent events, discuss whether the stock markets are efficient according to the EMH - Essay Example Whether the market is efficient or not remains a debatable topic among the stock market investors. Secondly, according to this hypothesis, a single investor is never able to get higher profitability than another investor by investing the same amount of fund. Lastly, EMH asserts that no investor would be able to surpass the average annual returns that all the funds and investors are able to achieve cumulatively. Discussion A competitive information market would allow private gains from producing private information, and tests of competition would require estimates of the cost of private information production. According to the efficient market hypothesis, stock market participants tend to form rational expectations of the future in the aggregate by comprehending all the information available in the market. Assuming the stock market efficiently discounts the rational expectations of investors, the prices of stocks accurately reflect an assessment of the intrinsic value based upon the r elevant information available (Gorda, 2005, p. 234). Thus, only the unexpected new information is likely to affect a movement in stock prices. A close look at stock prices sometimes reveals day-of-the-week effects wherein stock prices tend to rise on Mondays and fall on Fridays; time-of-the-year effects wherein stock prices tend to rise in January; and small firm effects wherein the prices of small firms’ stocks may rise by a more difference than those of large companies. But there is no evidence that an average market investor can follow these effects to earn super normal profits after the transaction costs are considered (Forbes, 2013). According to Fama (1970, p. 72), an efficient market is one in which the prices are always reflective of the information available, and the sufficient conditions for a market to be efficient are: the information is available without cost to all the market participants; there are no transaction costs involved in trading of securities; and all market participants agree on the implications of the current information. In practice, the information generated in the market has a significant effect on the stock prices of related companies. For example, after Microsoft announced that it would acquire Nokia, the share prices of Nokia almost doubled, increasing its value to about 22 billion Euros. Also, as a series of lawsuits occurred between Apple Inc. and Samsung Electronics over the design of smartphones and tablets, the share prices of both companies declined in the stock market. The stock market has been inefficient in recent times because of the substantial frictions that the market has been experiencing (Beechey, 2000, p. 57). Efficient market is not likely to exist even when there is complete absence of frictions and irrationality in the market. The central bank plays an appropriate role in the intervention in the financial markets with the objective of stabilising the asset prices. The market shows patterns of inefficie ncy due to the financial instability majorly driven by human myopia and imperfect rationality. The market does not show such quick adjustment to the receipt of new information as is stated in the efficient market hypothesis. The market is not efficient considering that the stocks with lower price to earnings ratios have higher risk adjusted returns than the stocks with higher price

Saturday, January 25, 2020

Treatments for Metronidazole-Resistant Giardiasis A Review

Treatments for Metronidazole-Resistant Giardiasis A Review Nicole Wagner Abstract Giardiasis is a protozoal infection and a health issue in many parts of the world for both humans and animals. Giardia spp. Are responsible for diarrheal diseases, and current treatments are not consistently effective due to the development of drug resistance. The common drugs used to treat the parasite often have undesirable side effects. New drugs, drugs previously used for other conditions, and natural remedies are all being investigated for use in treating giardiasis and reducing Giardia numbers. The mode-of-action and potency of these alternative treatments give insight into new therapies, although more research is needed. Introduction Protozoal Giardia spp. Occur in two forms, a motile, flagellated trophozoite, and a resistant cyst. The motile trophozoite adheres to the intestinal wall of its host, while the cyst form is passed in the hosts feces then re-ingested in another host (Hendrix and Robinson 2012). It is now suspected that Giardia is species specific and the human forms are included in the Giardia lamblia assemblage and include Giardia intestinalis and Giardia duodenalis (Hendrix and Robinson 2012). Giardiasis is caused by a protozoal parasite that is responsible for health issues worldwide in humans and animals. In humans, the parasite is responsible for approximately 184 million cases of giardiasis each year (Hart et al. 2015). In animals, it has been found that in North America some herds of dairy calves have the parasite in 100% of the animals, and in Australia, the most common enteric parasite of dogs is a species of Giardia (Thompson. 2000). Signs and symptoms of giardiasis include chronic and acute diarrhea and vomiting (Hart et al. 2015). These significant intestinal diseases can decrease appetite, cause malabsorption, malnutrition and even death (El-Taweed 2015). And because this parasite is found in domesticated animals, there is a significant zoonotic transmission potential (Thompson. 2000). A calf can shed 105 to 106 cysts per gram of feces, and re-infection can occur with ingesting as few as 10 cysts. As the Giardia cysts survive well in water there is a potential f or contamination of untreated water supply as well (Thompson 2000 and Watkins and Eckmann 2014). There is no vaccine available for Giardia, so the treatment of the disease involves drug therapy, like the antibiotic metronidazole, a 5-nitroimadazole class drug (Watkins and Eckmann 2014 and Hart et al. 2017). Other drugs of this class are also used to treat giardiasis with varying degrees of success. However, like many antibiotics some drug resistance has been found (Watkins and Eckmann 2014). Several studies demonstrate Giardia spp. resistance to the 5-nitroimadazole class of drugs, including one that recorded 22% of patients in a clinic in Spain receiving treatment for giardiasis did not respond to metronidazole (El-Taweed 2015). Perhaps contributing to the problem of emerging drug resistance, are the undesirable side effects of common antiprotozoal drugs. Some of these side effects include intestinal discomfort, flatulence, nausea, vomiting, and the metallic taste of the drugs (Sahib et al. 2014). It is human nature to stop using a drug with these side effects as soon as it seems to be working, and this leads to the potential for an increase in 5-nitroimidazole drug resistance over time. Also, the use of the 5-nitromadazole class drugs at lower doses for treating gingivitis and pre-surgical colorectal cases, may allow for the growth of drug-resistant forms of Giardia (El-Taweed et al. 2015). Research into how Giardia become resistant to metronidazole and the active components of other successful drugs is important to the success of treating giardiasis in humans and animals. The investigations into different drugs and herbal remedies involve identifying the mode-of-action, how the active component is effectiv e against this protozoan in both trophozoites and cyst form (Galeh et al. 2016). As an alternative to metronidazole, older antibiotic drugs, new antibiotic drugs and plant extracts and essential oils are being considered by many researchers. Newer drugs are being considered to overcome Giardia resistance like auranofin, a drug currently prescribed for rheumatoid arthritis (Watkins and Eckmann 2014.). Researchers are also considering plants and plant extracts for a new anti-giardia agent. These extracts have been used in traditional medicine to treat diarrhea in places in South America, India, Iran, and Turkey where Giardia is endemic (Watkins and Eckmann 2014). Research has been done investigating compounds from garlic (Mikaili et al. 2014), ginger and cinnamon (Mahmoud et al. 2014), pomegranate (Al-Megrin 2017), and native plants from Brazil (Martins et al. 2015), the Yucatan (Sergio et al. 2005) and their effectiveness against Giardia. Identifying the compounds in the plants that are most effective against the protozoa will provide another option for treatment of giardiasis. Drug Therapies As previously mentioned, the number of cases of Metronidazole-resistant giardiasis is growing. Other 5-nitroimadazole and nitro-class drugs have been tested against Giardia like nitazoxanide and furazolidone (Watkins and Eckmann 2014). These drugs work by reducing the nitrogen group on the drug compounds to activate toxic free radicals. The advantages of the new drugs are shorter length of treatment and reduced cellular damage to the liver and kidneys (Jarrad et al 2016). Side effects are seen in the use of these drugs, as in the case of furazolidone, where some hemolysis was observed in some patients (Watkins and Eckmann 2014) and in 5-nitroimadazole drugs side effects like nausea, vomiting and headaches are reported (Jarrad et al. 2016). When developing new drug treatments, researchers investigate how the parasite is developing resistance to current treatments. In the case of 5-nitroimodazole drugs, the potency of a substance against Giardia species is due to the activation of the drug by an enzyme pyruvate ferredoxin oxidoreductase (PFOR). The drugs nitro group is reduced by the protozoans PFOR enzyme, producing toxic free radicals which bond to target molecules in the microbe, inactivating them and killing the parasite (Watkins and Eckmann 2014). The resistant protozoans have down-regulated the PFOR enzyme (Jarrad et al. 2016 and Galeh et al. 2016). To treat giardiasis, research has focused on this nitro group and the formation of toxic free radicals. Other drugs are being developed that incorporate a benzene ring, instead of (or in addition to) the nitro groups. These drugs act on the Giardia cellular vesicles, causing swelling, and are more effective than nitazoxanide and metronidazole (Watkins and Eckmann 2014) . Not all research has resulted in support for the development of new drugs in the 5-nitromiadazole class. In a study conducted in Iran, researchers tested the theory in human clinical studies, utilizing PCR to identify genetic mutations that appeared in metronidazole-resistant Giardia lamblia. In the metronidazole-resistant G. lamblia, the protozoa did not show down regulation of PFOR and it is suspected that other predisposing factors were responsible for the drugs ineffectiveness(Galeh et al. 2016). Further research is being done to test the new drugs like nitroimidazole and furazolidone for cytotoxicity towards human liver, kidney, and intestinal cells (Watkins and Eckmann 2014). These side effects can be serious in immune-compromised subjects and children. Older antibiotic drugs like albendazole and mebendazole, benzimidazole class drugs, have been shown to be effective against Giardia as well. These drugs are currently used to treat roundworm infections. The benzimidazole class drugs act by binding to tubulin and interfering with the protozoan cytoskeleton (Watkins and Eckmann, 2014). Research into the effectiveness of metronidazole and albendazole in mice showed that some Giardia isolates developed resistance to one or the other drug and in some cases both drugs (Lemà ©e et al. 2000). In the case of albendazole, some Giardia duodenalis resistance developed in a mouse model (Lemà ©e et al. 2000). In another study in Bolivia when albendazole was used to reduce the hookworm infection, the number of Giardia infections increased showing some (Watkins and Eckmann 2014). Drug research of existing drug libraries has also revealed some drugs that previously were not used as antimicrobials are effective against Giardia. A drug used for rheumatoid arthritis, auranofin, inhibits the growth of metronidazole-resistant Giardia. It works by inhibiting the thioredoxin-glutathione reductase enzyme (Watkins and Eckmann 2014). A drug used for obesity treatment, orlistat, which is poorly absorbed, is active in the intestine. Orlistat works by inhibiting lipases in Giardia isolates, preventing lipid metabolism (Watkins and Eckmann 2014). Ginger and Cinnamon Current research into metronidazole-resistant Giardia infections has gone beyond investigating new drugs or existing drug libraries. Diarrheal treatments around the world have shown promise in providing avenues for new giardiasis therapies and treatments. Some of this research involves the investigation into anti-nausea spices, ginger and cinnamon. Research has been conducted using ginger extracts in both in vivo and in vitro studies. In an in vitro study (Abdel-Hafeez et al. 2016), a comparison was made between gingers and nitazoxanides effectiveness against Giardia lamblia trophozoites. Ginger was chosen to contrast with the drug because of its historical use as an anti-nausea and anti-diarrheal treatment. Ginger extract is an antioxidant with alkaloids, saponins, tannins, and flavonoids. It is suspected that either the antioxidant or flavonoids have a negative effect on the trophozoites (Mahmoud et al. 2014). A study investigated curcumin, an antioxidant, also found in Zingiber officinale and other pungent spices (Perrez-Arriaga et al. 2006) showed that in the presence of curcumin at concentrations similar to metronidazole, significant swelling was seen in the Giardia trophozoites, indicating possible cell membrane interference (Perrez-Arriaga et al. 2006). In the research conducted by Abdel-Hafeez et al. (2016), cultured fecal samples treated with ginger extract at 20mg/mL resulted in similar reduction of the number of viable trophozoites in the culture as nitazoxanide. The findings were based on counts of viable trophozoites (pear-shaped, mobile, and non-refractory quality) under a light microscope. Verification of findings may use in vivo studies with mice or rats, and improved counting and staining techniques are indicated for future research. Meanwhile, ginger continues to be used for a variety of intestinal infections in Thailand, India, and Egypt (Abdel-Hafeez et al. 2016). In the in vivo study by Mahmoud, et al (2014)., cinnamon was also evaluated against Giardia trophozoites and cysts. As stated previously, the cyst is found in fecal samples as a transmissible form. The researchers This study involved using Giardia lamblia cyst infected rats and measured doses of ginger at 10 and 20 mg/kg/day and cinnamon at 10 and 20 mg/kg/day. As Perrez-Arriaga et al. (2006) previously researched, active compounds in ginger may affect the protozoans cell membrane. In another study, Proanthocyanidins were identified as an active compound in cinnamon (Williams et al. 2015). Proanthocyanidins, also found in berries, disrupt protozoans adhesive ability which is necessary for the trophozoite to maintain its position in the intestine (Anthony et al. 2007). In the Mahmoud study (2014) the rats were euthanized and their intestines washed for a measurement of trophozoites and to determine intestinal damage (Anthony et al. 2007). Their stools were also collected for three day s prior to euthanasia to perform a count of cysts excreted (Mahmoud et al. 2014). According to the results of this study, cinnamon given to the rats at the 20 mg/kg dose resulted in a 100% reduction in the number of cysts found in their fecals, and a 34% reduction in the number of trophozoites. When rats were given a dose of 20mg/kg of ginger the number of cysts found in their stool was reduced by 90.1% and the number of trophozoites in the intestinal wash was reduced by 75.45%. So, the cinnamon was more active against cysts and the ginger was more active against the trophozoites in the rats (Mahmoud et al. 2014). The study also utilized electron microscopy to count and identify Giardia cysts and trophozoites. By utilizing this technology, and the researchers were able to show that not only was the infection reduced with cinnamon, but the intestinal mucosa was healthier in the samples taken as compared to the ginger-dosed rats (Mahmoud et al. 2014). This study, however did not utili ze a positive control group to measure the difference (if any) between using ginger and cinnamon extracts compared with using metronidazole or other drug treatment for giardiasis. Additional research may determine whether the intestinal mucosa would improve, with the drug treatment as occurred in the study with cinnamon and ginger (Mahmoud et al. 2014). Garlic and Shallot One of the most promising and researched herbal extract is allicin, a component of plants in the garlic and onion family. Garlic and shallot plants have been used in traditional medicine in various parts of the world for hundreds of years (Mikaili et al. 2013). Sulfur-based components like allicin (diallyl dithiosulfinate), diallyl disulfide, and S-allylcystein of these plants are of interest to research for use in pharmacological studies (Mikaili et al. 2013). In an in vitro study investigating whole garlic extract (Harris et al. 2000), garlic was shown to be effective against Giardia intestinalis at a concentration of 0.3mg/mL. The researchers went on to examine how the compounds in garlic were acting on the Giardia and whether allicin was the compound of interest. Allicin has a very short half-life in vivo, but the thiosulfates that result from its breakdown are bioavailable longer to act against Giardia trophozoites (Harris et al. 2000). In this study the researchers investigated the anti-parasitic activity of these compounds, and they showed that diallyl disulphide was particularly effective in reducing the number of trophozoites. Another component, allyl alcohol, damaged the trophozoites by causing cellular swelling and immobility (Harris et al. 2000). In another study focusing on diallyl trisulfide (DAT) from garlic, a concentration of 300 ug/mL was effective against Giardia lamblia (Lun et al. 1994). The researchers used an in vitro test to determine the IC50 for DAT, and the result was 8.5-14 ug/mL, using the same tests that determined the IC50 of metronidazole. The use of DAT in China for treatment of other parasitic infections is not uncommon (Lun et al. 1994), but it will be necessary to determine how DAT is effective against the parasite in vivo in future research. One avenue that research may pursue is in studying how DAT affects tubulin (Hosono et al. 2005), which would indicate that this substance has a similar effect as the benzimidazole drugs like albendazole. Further research into obtaining effective concentrations of these components of garlic and onions is necessary. Herbal Extracts Other herbal extracts have been investigated for their biologically active components and effectiveness as a treatment for giardiasis. Three of these show promise in recent studies. Peppermint (Mentha x piperta L.) is used as an herbal remedy for stomach discomfort (Vidal et al. 2007). Dill is also used in some areas of the world to treat children with diarrhea (Sahib et al. 2014). Pomegranate peel contains some substances that prove active against Giardia (Al-Megrin 2016). Mentha x piperta (peppermint) is known to have a relaxation effect on gastrointestinal smooth muscle, and this is suspected to be the result of the menthol affecting calcium channels (Kiefer et al. 2008). In one study methanolic extract from Mentha x piperta was tested against Giardia lamblia (Vidal et al. 2007). This study measures IC50, which is the calculation of the amount of a substance necessary to inhibit or kill one-half of the microbes. The IC50 after 48 hours of exposure was 0.8 ug/mL, similar to the IC50 of metronidazole and furazalidone after 24 hours (Vidal et al. 2007). The study tested different concentrations of the dichloromethane (DCM) from Mentha x piperta and found that a dose of 100 ug/mL after 48 hours almost eliminated the presence of trophozoites in the culture media (Vidal et al. 2007). The study also examined how DCM was altering the morphology of trophozoites utilizing electron microscopy, and found changes to plasma membranes (Vidal et al. 2007). This sugg ests the need for further research into why the protozoal membranes were altered, what biologically active components of peppermint were involved, and whether this alteration would also affect intestinal cells in mammals (measuring potential toxicity). In a study that researched the extracts from the Dill plant (Anethum graveolens), researchers conducted a clinical trial with children Giardia trophozoites and cysts, or if the dill acted on the muscle cells in the intestine, reducing smooth muscle contraction. Further research needs to be conducted into these issues. Pomegranate peel extract was also tested for anti-Giardia activity in another study (Al-Megrin 2016). Researchers studied mice that were infected with the Giardia cysts, and given an extract of pomegranate peel daily. Then the number of cysts produced in the mouse stool and the antigen presence for Giardia were counted and measured respectively. There was a reduction in the number of cysts counted in the groups of mice that had received the pomegranate, however there was also a natural reduction in the number of cysts in the studys control group (Al-Megrin 2016). The researchers also reported that the rate of detection of the Giardia antigen in the groups that were treated was significantly (P Native Plants Ethnopharmacology is becoming one method for identifying plant-based sources for new pharmacological treatments. Ethnopharmacology studies involve interviewing people who are native to specific areas to identify historical and current plant species used to treat disease. In the case of Giardia treatment, researchers identified diarrhea as the key symptom in 90% of human cases (Neiva et al. 2014). Although people reporting to clinics or hospitals with diarrhea did not necessarily identify causative agents, in some cases they were self-treating with plants from the area or from their own gardens (Neiva, et al. 2014). The identification of plants used by people suffering from diarrhea allowed researchers to focus on specific plant species in anti-giardiasis studies. In one study by Neiva et al. (2014) the researchers focused on an area around Sao Luis, Brazil. From interviewing and collecting plant samples that people were using to treat diarrhea and dysentery symptoms, the researchers identified five potential plants to test for anti-Giardia effectiveness. The researchers also identified the part of the plants and the preparation of the plants used for treatment of diarrhea by these patients of a healthcare facility and private specialty institution (Neiva et al. 2014). The five species of plants selected to investigate were Anacardium occidentale L., Chenopodium ambrosioides L., Passiflora edulis Sims., Psiddiumguajava L., and Stachytarpheta cayennesis (Rich) Vahl. (Neiva et al. 2014). It was found that all the plants had some giardicidal activity, but Passiflora was most effective at IC50 In another similar ethnopharmacology study, researchers investigated plants native to the Yucatan peninsula in Mexico that were used to treat diarrhea (Paraza-Sanchez et al. 2005). This study was conducted in vitro using 10 methanol extracts from native plants. In this study Tridax procumens as a whole plant was used (air-dried and powdered into methanol, then evaporated, and added to DMSO) (Paraza-Sanchez et al. 2005). The researchers identified from other studies that the plant contains hydrocarbons, fatty acids, flavonoids, bis-bithiophene. Flavonoids may contain polyphenols and inhibit Giardia from adhering to the intestinal wall (Anthony et al. 2007) In other plants tested, C. dentata, D. cahagenesis, and B. cressifolia have not had their chemical components analyzed, although they all had giardicidal activity (Paraza-Sanchez et al. 2005). It is unknown at this time why these native plants are effective against Giardia spp. (Paraza-Sanchez et al. 2005). Research has been conducted on the Rubus liebmanii medicinal plant native to Mexico. The antiprotozoal active compounds were identified as epicatechin and catechin (polyphenols), Nigaichigoside F1, beta-sitosterol, squalene, and 3,4 hydroxybenzoic acid (Jimà ©nez-Arellanes et al. 2012). In this study, extracts from the plant were fractionated to identify specific compounds, an extract of R. liebomanii was tested against G. lamblia with a negative control and a metronidazole infused positive control, and the research continued using guinea pigs and mice as test subjects. The results indicated that the Nigaichigoside F1 had an IC50 of 2.17 ug/mL as compared with metronidazole which had an IC50 of 0.5 ug/mL in cultures of G. lamblia (Jimà ©nez-Arellanes et al. 2012). When the potential toxicity of the plant was tested in male rats, the pure extract of R. liebmanii was not toxic, even at 1000mg/kg dosages (Jimà ©nez-Arellanes et al. 2012). Further research into these plants may involv e identifying how the active components are working against the protozoans and identify more effective treatments, which will need to be tested in vivo. Solanum lycoparum is also a native plant of Brazil. In research published in 2015 (Gilmarcio et al. 2015), this native species was investigated for its anti-Giardia potential. The fruit of this plant is used in traditional medicine (Gilmarcio et al. 2015). Two glycoalkaloids, solamargin (Sg) and solasonine (Sn) have been identified as having potential as anti-Giardia treatments (Gilmarcio et al. 2015). Both compounds were effective against Giardia lamblia, with Sg having an IC50 of 120.3 ug/mL and Sn having an IC50 of 103.7 ug/mL. However, when both compounds were mixed as they would be in the fruit of S. lycoparum, their IC50 was 13.23 ug/mL, much lower (Gilmarcio et al. 2015). This demonstrates a synergistic effect of the compounds. The researchers also used an index of selectivity calculation to measure effectiveness of the compound as compared to toxicity against macrophages, and the combined glycoalkaloids had a relatively high index (Gilmarcio et al. 2015). This index was neces sary because glycoalkaloids can be toxic. In vitro studies of the combined Sn+Sg treatment would provide additional research opportunities and determine the toxic effects of the glycoalkaloid while treating Giardia lamblia. Glycoalkaloids affect permeability of mammalian intestinal cells (Gee et al. 1996), however the glycoalkaloids found and studied from the S. lycoparum are not the most toxic. It is likely; however, no research could be found in the current literature searches, that the effect of glycoalkaloids on the Giardia trophozoites cell membrane did cause cellular swelling and changes to the vesicles and flagella. Essential Oils Clove oil, an essential oil from Syzgium aromaticum, has been used to treat digestive disorders and diarrhea (Machado et al. 2011). Research into essential oils has shown they are effective against many bacterial and fungal infections, but little research has been done to discover how the oil works (Machado et al. 2011). Eugenol is a major of several essential oils including S. aromaticum, and in this research the eugenol comprised 85% of the essential oil tested (Machado et al. 2011).In a study testing the effect of clove oil and eugenol on Giardia lamblia it was shown that S. aromaticum had an IC50 value of 134 ug/mL and eugenol had an IC50 value of 101 ug/mL (Machado et al. 2011). The study also utilized scanning and transmission electron microscopy to measure morphological changes in the Giardia that were incubated with the S. aromaticum essential oil. It was observed that the adherence of the Giardia was inhibited in the presence of eugenol (Machado et al. 2011). Giardia normall y attach to the intestinal wall to maintain position, obtain nutrients, and reproduce. The essential oil contained eugenol, and although it affected adherence, it did not cause the Giardia trophozoites to lyse, so the results in this study indicated that other components of the S. aromaticum oil were responsible for the cell death (Machado et al. 2011). Other essential oils are used to treat digestive issues. One, from Ocimum basilicum of the basil family, was studied for its anti-Giardia effects (de Almeida et al. 2007). In this study the researchers again isolated components of the essential oil and tested for antigiardial activity (de Almeida et al. 2007). This study also investigated eugenol as one of those components, and found the eugenol was effective against the Giardia trophozoites (de Almeida et al. 2007). The study included testing the linalool, which makes up 69.33% of the essential oil in addition to eugenol. Linalool was shown to be even more effective at reducing the number of viable Giardia lamblia trophozoites (de Almeida et al. 2007). To verify potential toxicity of the essential oil and its components, the researchers tested mouse macrophages in the same concentrations of Ocimum basilicum, eugenol and linalool and found that there was little to no effect on the cells (de Almeida et al. 2007). The researchers also identified an inhibitory effect of the oil and it components to a group of cysteine peptidases enzymes that are commonly found in these protozoans (de Almeida et al. 2007). The inhibition of cysteine peptidases has been shown to have a lethal effect on trophozoites of another protozoal species, Entamoeba histolytica (Ankri et al. 1997). Ozone In an interesting study (Boland-Nazar et al. 2016), olive oil injected with ozone was tested as a treatment for giardiasis. In an in vitro study, the tubes of Giardia were combined with different concentrations of ozonated olive oil, and this proved effective against Giardia cysts after 100 hours of incubation (Boland-Nazar et al. 2016). It is suspected by the researchers that the extra oxygen atom acts a free radical, like the immunological response of macrophages and neutrophils (Boland-Nazar et al. 2016). Olive oil is effective at stabilizing a delivery system for ozone without losing its durability (Boland-Nazar et al. 2016), and the higher the concentration of ozone in the oil, the more effective the treatment is against Giardia cysts. The researchers suggest conducting an in vivo study with this substance to verify their hypothesis (Boland-Nazar et al. 2016). Discussion Research into treating giardiasis will continue as standard treatments like metronidazole go up against greater drug resistance. The mode of action of different therapies has been investigated and includes inhibiting PFOR, cysteine proteinases, inhibiting adherence (Anthony et al. 2007), tubulin and cytoskeleton interference, and cell membrane interference. Table 1 shows some of the different treatments dosage requirements and active compounds. The 5nitroimadazole drugs are the most commonly prescribed treatments for giardiasis world-wide. New drugs are being developed from within this class, altering the nitro-group or adding benzene rings to the molecules to improve effectiveness considering growing metronidazole resistance (Watkins and Eckmann 2014). Other drugs that have been prescribed for anti-parasitic treatment or other purposes entirely are also being investigated. This includes anthelminthic drugs as well as drugs that were initially developed to treat obesity and rheumatoid arthritis (Watkins and Eckmann 2014). Finally, herbal, spice, and plant-based extracts are being investigated for their antiprotozoal activity. Although Table1 does not show an IC50 for each of the compounds discussed in this paper, it does highlight the active components. Table 1: Effectiveness of different substances in inhibiting Giardia IC50 Active compound Reference Metronidazole 0.8 ug/mL 5-nitroimadazole Jarrad et al. 2016, Watkins and Eckmann, 2014, Vidal et al 2007 Albendazole 52.4 ug/mL Benzimidazole Jarrad et al. 2016, Watkins and Eckmann, 2014, Lemee et al. 2000 Furazolidone 0.65 ug/mL 5-nitrofurans Jarrad et al. 2016, Watkins and Eckmann, 2014, Vidal et al 2007 Garlic 14 ug/mL Diallyl trisulfide Lun

Friday, January 17, 2020

Your Move

In Eve Bunting Your move the main character is James he is mischief. James makes bad decisions, , he is lonely, and wants to fits in. James does not have that much friends. He tries to get some friends by doing bad things and he brings his brother along while he is doing that. James makes bad decisions because he brings his brother over when he is trying to get into the group. In the story when he climbed up the ladder and came down his brother was crying because he was afraid that he would fall down. He also did not tell anyone he was going out. He also brought him when there was a gun. His brother was scared he was being dragged on his knees. He say † you're dragging me too fast. Then when they go out of sight they stop and he kneels down to see if his brother was ok and he was bleeding. James basically had to carry him home. James does not have a lot of friends because he stays home with his brother a lot. He seems like he stay home a lot with his brother playing games. He also vandalizes to get friends. That means he is very desperate to have friends. He also has to take care of his brother. His neighbor has to take care of him and he has to thump on the wall. In the story when he was going to be in the group he had to bring his brother.James wants to fit in because he wants to have friends. In the story they told him to go up that tall highway sign and he did it. He did it because he wanted to be cool and have more friends. He was scared but he had to do it because they told him to do it so they would become their friend. He told no one that he was going out to meet with them. He also bring his brother with him. In conclusion james is mischief because he makes bad decisions, he is lonely, and he wants to fit in. He makes bad decisions because he brings his brother to the meet. In the story he did not tell anyone that he was going out with his brother. He does not have a lot of friends because in the story every night he has to take care of his brother when his mom is out. Evidence is that he was that he was vandalizing to have friends. He wants to fit in because he wants to have friends. He vandalized to get friends. This is why james is mischief

Thursday, January 9, 2020

Marketing Plan For A Company - 3170 Words

Company G 1-Year Marketing Plan Student Name: Zachary A Werner Date:7-12-15 Table of Contents Introduction 3 Product Description and Classification 3 Product Support of Mission Statement†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦.3 Consumer Product Classification 4 Target Market 4 Competitive Situation Analysis 5 Analysis of Competition using Porter’s Five Forces Model 5 SWOT Analysis 6 Strengths and Core Competencies 6 Weaknesses 6 Opportunities 7 Threats 7 Market Objectives 7 Product Objective Error! Bookmark not defined. Price Objective Error! Bookmark not defined. Place Objective Error! Bookmark not defined. Promotion Objective Error! Bookmark not defined. Marketing Strategies and Implementation 8 Product Strategies 8 Price Strategies†¦show more content†¦Even the United States government is offering tax credits to people who purchase energy efficient appliances. This opens up a whole new market for appliance manufactures. These appliances can actually save electricity/ gas and the consumers will save money in the long run. Product Description and Classification Product Description and Support of the Mission Company G Mission Statement â€Å"We enable consumers to improve the quality and convenience of their lives by providing high-quality, innovative electronics solutions.† Hot Panels, are a new product from company G that is designed to heat your pool with the power of the sun. Hot panels work the same as propane/gas heaters for your pool with one exception. It uses the power of the sun to heat your pool and takes the need for fossil fuels out of the picture. A standard in ground pool is approximately 30,000 gallons of water. The standard pool never gets above 78 degrees unless you use a gas heater. Each panel is 2 foot wide by 10 foot long and product 25 Btu. So to heat a 30,000-gallon pool up to 85-90 degrees you would need 5 panels tied in sync. These solar panels are added to a persons roof and the water from the pool filter is piped up to them then brought back down to the pool warming it up. This install can be done almost by anyone that knows a little about plumbing and can use power tools. Once these are up on the roof an electronic bypass v valve can be installed down at

Wednesday, January 1, 2020

Also, Yumiko Has A Heightened Sense Of The World Around

Also, Yumiko has a heightened sense of the world around her. As an illustration, she notices and describes with incredible efficiency how the people behave and what the world looks like to her. Even the tiniest of details are important to her, as a way to explain how she coped with the world falling apart. Another possible explanation to Yumiko’s heightened sense of awareness is her inability to control what happened to her during the earthquake. By noticing every minute detail about the world around her in the future, she may be able to notice the beginnings of an earthquake in order to hide or protect herself. The descriptive nature ties back into her control of the world and providing her with a thorough description of her world so that†¦show more content†¦For Cierra, her belief in Christianity is an important part of her ability to comprehend and deal with her experience during Hurricane Katrina. In The Scarlet Gang of Asakusa, Yumiko never mentions religion. Cou ld this be a contributing factor to her inability to deal with the earthquake? The absence of her parents and religion cause an important divide between the narrative of Yumiko and the other narratives form young survivors of Hurricane Katrina. Additionally, Kawabata presents, in his novel, a fictitious account of a real event. Even though Yumiko is not a real person her story is an important part of understanding how people deal with a natural disaster. If anything, Kawabata provides an intricate description of a story many would be unwilling to share with the rest of the world as an extremely personal example. One of the clearest aspects of Kawabata’s description of Asakusa is how he portrays the culture of the city. Throughout the novel, the Twelve Story Tower is a focal point of Asakusa. Not only does it hold prominence in both Yumiko’s and Akagi’s recollections of the earthquake, but the Twelve Story Tower continues to appear for the duration of the novel. As the novel occurs seven years after the earthquake, the reader is not aware of whether the Twelve Story Tower played such an intricate part of the lives of the