Key learning point Essay Example for Free

Key learning point Essay force play refers to the extent to which one can satisfy their target goals, needs or desires. Power can be used either to dominate or control the other, or can be used to work together with the other companionship involved. Whichever way power is used it gives one an edge over the other party in negotiations. Information provides an important source and a means of acquiring power. Reason for SelectionInformational power comes from a persons ability to assemble data to support his positions, arguments, or desired outcomes. This resource provides an important pecker in challenging the other partys position, or undermine their arguments or propositions during negotiations. Application to a business or personal situation A year ago, I was talking to a doctor who was new at one of the centers I am marketing my pharmaceutical harvest-feasts.The doctor openly rubbished my product saying he had absolutely no scope for it in his medical practice basing his a rgument on the position of a respected doctor in the subject of medicine in which my product is applied. What this doctor did not know is that from my market survey on my product and competitor brands momentum in the market, the doctor he claimed was the top prescriber of my product in that town . I provided the evidence and within a month I received a call from my bus that the doctor had placed an LPO for my product.Action or steps taken to improve I read widely and extensively on new trends in my area of work undertake market survey on different issues seek the opinion of experts attend seminars and conferences on various topics and in general try to nurture an open mind, maintain my curiosity about life and watch informative programs.References Squidoo (2010). A goldmine of journal Writing Prompts. Retrieved on 30th July, 2010, from http//www. squidoo. com/journalwritingprompts

The Late 19th Century and the Drive for Empire Essay Example for Free

The Late 19th Century and the Drive for Empire Essay1. Effects of industrialization onthe deliveryThe industrial revolution played a role in the emergence of the basic economic patterns that have characterized much of modern European economic life. some(a) historians characterize the period before 1895 and after 1873 as a great depression. Europeans experienced a series of economic c overtures during these years (Prices of agriculture produces fell). Slumps decrease win in the business cycle. Although recession occurred at different durations from 1895 to world war 2, Europe experienced an economic boom and got a prosperity take that encouraged people to look back at the era as la belle poque (the golden age in civilization ) specific countries/zones Germany replaced Great Britain as the industrial leader of Europe. Germany gained superiority in new areas of manufacturing (organic chemicals, electronic equipment). Britain had an established industrial plant and do it more difficult to shift to the new techniques of Industrial Revolution. The relationship between science and technology became closer. Germany was accustomed to change. European economic zones Europe was divided into two economic zones. The growth led to new patterns for European agriculture that emerged. It include an abundance of grain and impose transportation costs caused the prices of farm commodities plummeting . Southern Italy, Austria-hungary ,Spain=little industrialized the urbanenvironment Urban dwellers capture up an increasing percentage of the European Population. in that respect were 40% in Britain, 25% in France and Germany, 10% in Eastern Europe. Then after the industrial revolution, the population increase to 80% in Britain, 45% in F, 6% in germany, and 30% in Weastern Europe. There were also many inventions and innovations that occurred in this time period -electrical energy- 1910. Hydro electric power stratons-coal fired steam plants. The electric railway was in 1879. Desire to own sewing machines, clocks,type writers, etc.New consumer ethic. softwood marketing encourtages people to purchase new consumer goods. Introduction of chemical fertilizers. Workers were of people who abanthroughd farms because of hardships. Wanted cheaper labor. Ideologu of domesticity Women should remain at home to bear and nuture children. This is said to pass off the well being of familyand forced women to do marginal work at home. The urban and industrial lead was passed from Britain to Germany. demographics/population patternsDramatic population increases after 1870. Prices of forage and manufactured goods declined. There were also lower transportation costs. The period of the depression was from 1873-1895. This period was composed of a series of European economic crises. There was an abundance of grain Tarrif barries machines for harvesting In 1850-1910, THe population grew to 460 million. There was a rising birthrate and also a decline in deathrate Emigrat ion otiose rural labor migrates to industrial regions. Emigration is about 500 thousand a year. There was improved nutrition because food was transported to poor harvest regions.2. mixer Changes Due to IndustrializationWork/SchoolPlay/ wasteMass SocietyUpper course of actionThis elite was composed of people with the jobs of aristocrats, bankers, merchants, and industrialists. There were elites schools dominate by the children of the aristocracy. The educated elite got leadership roles in government and military. There were pleasures of country animate and the aristocrats bought lavish town houses for part-time urban life. Common bonds were made when the sons of wealth families met during school or other meetings. The aristocrats and the plutocrats fused together to one class. The mass education was a product of mass society. To be educated, one had to realise a secondary school or university. European states showed little interest in primary education. Only in the German state s was there astate-run ashes for it. Europeans made a commitment to mass education becase they believed education was imprtant to social improvement and thought to supplant catholic education with moral training on secular values.Mass Leisure The new industrial system where evening hours after work, weekends, and later a week or two in the summer. Leisure was the opposite of work What people did in their free time or for fun Mass tourism Creation of the first market for tourism. Its wages increased and workers were given paid vacations. One result of mass education was an increase in literacy. With the dramatic increase in literacy, there was also a rise of mass-circulation news newspaper publishers. Mass politics became a reality in western European states. Reforms encouraged the expansion of political democracy through voting rights for men.Middle ClassThis class was a level that included jobs such as professionals in law, medicine, and the civil service as well as moderately wel l-to-do industrialists and merchants. aft(prenominal) the industrial expansion, new groups of jobs were added such as managers, new professionals, engineers, architects, accountants, and chemists. The lower middle class jobs consisted of shopkeepers, traders, manufacturers, and prosperous peasants provided The moderately prosperous and successful middle class divided similar lifestyles and values than the others that dominated 19th century society. The middle class members were active in preaching their world view to children and other society classes. They believed in working hard and christian morality. They had a right way of doing things and propriety. This also gave rise to more books.Lower ClassThe majority of the lwoerclass were landholding peasants, agricultural laborers, or sharecroppers. There were some prosperous landowning peasants that shared the same values as low middle class. The lower class consisted of the urban working class Artisans, printing, jewlry making, an d semiskilled laborers who included Carpenters, bricklayers, and MANY factory workers The lower class of urban workers experienced a real betterment in the material conditions of their lives after 1871. Urban improvements meant better living conditions. There was also a rise in wages, then a decline inconsumer costs. This made it possible for workers to buy more than just the compulsion food and housing. Workers were now permitted to buy more clothes and leisure that strikes and labor agitation were winning shorter workdays and Days off.Womens RolesThe second industrial revolution brought and enourmous wedge on the position of women in the labor market. There was controversy of women for their right to work. The desperate need for money forced women to do marginal work. This work was done at home because it required little skill. A women was expected to nurture and care for children while ensuring the moral/physical well being of the family. Many lower class women were forced to b e prostitutes. There were as many as 60k prostitutes in London. Many new job opportunities for women.3. New Inventionsinventionits effects and applicationsChemicalsElectricityThe internal Combustion EngineTarrifs and Cartels A change in the method of making soda enabled France and Germany to take the lead in producing the alkalies used in the textile, soap, and paper industries. Laboratories overtook British in the development of new chemical compounds Electricity was a major new form of energy that provided great value since it was easily born-again into other energy forms such as heat, light, and motion. The first generators were developed in 1881 The development of the combustion engine was made in 1878. This ran on gas and air. It was unfit for widespread use as a source of power until the development of liquid fuels- petroleum and its distilled derivatives.An oilfired engine was made in 1897. The hamburg Amerika specify had switched from coal to oil on its new ocean liners . There was increased competition for free trade. defensive tariffs guaranteed domestic markets for the products of their own industries. AFter a decade, Europeans returned to protective tarif protections. Cartels were being formed to decrease competition internally/ A cartel is where enterprises worked together to control prices and fix production quotas, restraining the kind of competition that led to reduced prices.

Effects of Alcohol Abuse Essay Example for Free

Effects of Alcohol Abuse EssayAlcoholism style addiction of alcohol it could explain as a person who could non stop to drink and craving for it. In fact, alcohol abuse can damage a persons health and life. Alcohol would affect a persons mind and body that cross tos the person did wrong thing. Besides, when a person drunk, he or she expertness non know what they had done. Which mean, when they are drunk, they could not judge what are right and wrong. Consequences, there are many cases happened be fetch of alcohol abuse since alcohol would cushion a persons mind and cause them loss of control and do wrong things. Signs and symptoms of alcohol abuse Slurred or incoherent speech.Poor balance and clumsiness Delayed reflexes Stomach pain, puke and malady Blacking-out Redness of the face during or after periods of custom Slurred or incoherent speech When a person is drunk, he or she skilliness not be able to speak fluently. In the other words, the person who is drunk powe rfulness not know what they are talking about because the impact of alcohol. Thus, those people who are drunk are usu completelyy slurred or incoherent speech. Poor balance and clumsiness The person who is drunk will get injured easily. It is because alcohol would affect our brain and cause us become clumsiness that we could not balance our body.Furthermore, when we could not control our mind and balance our body, we might fall down or bang the wall easily. As a result, the effect of alcohol abuse will cause us become paltry balance and clumsiness. Delayed reflexes Alcohol will make people blur and delayed reflexes action since it impairs our brain driver. Therefore, those people who are drunk might not be able to give respond immediately since the alcohol effects. Hence, alcohol abuse could cause a person delayed reflexes action. Stomach pain, vomiting and nausea The other obvious signs of alcohol abuse are stomach pain, vomiting and nausea.Stomach pain might a sign of stomach can cer which cause by alcohol abuse. When this sign occur, it means the cancer already progressed. It is impossible to get cancer easily, only if the person is an alcoholism victim. Alcohol abuse might cause gastritis which is an inflammation of the stomach lining. In a long run, it will become stomach cancer if the person who ignores the sign. Moreover, drinking too much might in any case lead to serious effect like vomiting ancestry. As a result, alcohol is harmful to our health. Blacking-out Black-out happened when an alcoholism victim consumed a large gist of alcohol in a long period.Black out is a serious disease in biological that we categories as brain damage. There are 2 types of blackouts. First of all, inability to recall any memories from the period of intoxication is called en bloc blackout. Which mean, the person who could not remember at all what he or she had done when they drunk. In addition, the second type of blackout is called fragmentary blackout which has abilit y to recall certain part of intoxication period. It means the person who just can remember certain part of his or her memories when they took a large amount of alcohol.Redness of the face during or after periods of consumption Why people who drunk their face will red? It is because alcohol will enlarge the blood vessels whenever we drink. In addition, alcohol will enlarge the blood vessels until they lose their quality or tone then caused those people who drunk will get a redness face. Furthermore, water in our body and fur will evaporate after a long period of alcohol abuse that cause skin wrinkles. Besides that, alcohol abuse will also reduce the level of vitamin A in our body which is an important vitamin can support skin health.

Residual welfare model in Hong Kong

Residual public assistance manikin in Hong KongResidual military position of social welf beSocial welf be is a signifi green goddesst issue in a society. The social issues let us know which welfare should try and to what extent the welfare do-nothing be provided. In fact, the ways to provide social welfare may vary between different societies. The social welfare system in Hong Kong is adopting the balance wheel welfare model.Hong Kong has followed the big market, small organisation ideology for many years. It is based on the idea of the relief welfare model that t present is no need for the government to engage in the distribution procedure of social welfare. This is because passel send packing resolve the problems themselves. The needy whoremonger settle support through the market mechanism, family or the nonprofit organizations. The government leave only provide support to population when the needy really cant solve the problems themselves. Therefore, according to th e big market, small government principle, the government holds the belief that peck cook the ability to repulse rid of the difficulties. The government is the get going and makeshift resort of the needy. The government can provide the immediate support to the needy. However, in the long term, the needy have to find ways to help themselves.Due to the residual welfare model, the policies in Hong Kong are not universal. The social assistances in Hong Kong usually have the kernel test because the government just will help raft who are under a very poor fiscal or living condition.I will use the teaching method and hold aspects in drift to show that the policies in Hong Kong demonstrate the ideology of residual welfare model. For education, the government provides funding in the form of loans and grants for students who live in the low income family. The students cleverness get full grants of their tuition fee but they should undergo the nub test graduation. Besides, in inve st to protect mints basic living need, the government sendes the public housing organisation. The government provides affordable housing for low-income residents. If wad unavoidableness to apply for the public house, they should pass the means test in the public housing organisation. From the policies of education and public housing, we can know that Hong Kong is under the residual welfare model because every policies are not universal and they will set whatever requirements for people to attain which this is match the beliefs of residual welfare model. Thus, the laissez-faire style and positive non- interventionism are regarded as two main features of Hong Kongs form _or_ system of government.Despite the education and housing policies, the loneliness auspices system excessively demonstrate the ideas of residual welfare model. The develop population problem is becoming more serious in Hong Kong. The aging population of aged 65 and above is getting increasing from 12% to 17% in 2002 to 2012 (Census and Statistics subdivision, 2013). Hong Kong is experiencing the aging problems over the past decade. In my pastime part, I will focus on the seclusion security department policy within the elderly welfare system.Three-pillar hideaway security department approachIn smart set to deal with the aging problems, the World Bank implements the multi-pillar-model. There will be common chord pillar approaches toward the loneliness trade security measures system when the World Bank first times to launch the scheme. The anchor I is a public retributive and delimit-benefit system. It is so called the ease up as you go approach. Besides, the Pillar II is a private, funded and defined contribution system. Also, the Pillar leash is a private, voluntary and supplementary defined contribution system (Roller, 2012). The two more pillars were added in the models later which are the postcode Pillar and Pillar IV. The Zero pillar begins to protect peoples ba sic need. It holds the belief that everything should undergo the process of means test. It is also related to the Pillar I because both of them are wishing to alleviate poverty. Both of them believe that all citizens should engage in the welfare process (Castells, 2010). Moreover, Pillar IV is talk just about many support from family which might not be related to the money (Chou, 2009).Even though the model of the World Bank has five pillars nowadays, Hong Kong is steady adopting a three-pillar approach toward the retirement protection policy.First, the Zero pillar exists in Hong Kong which aims to provide the basic need to the elderly. In Hong Kong, when the elderly meet the age requirement, they can receive the CSSA and Old Age Allowance (OAA). The CSSA and OAA can act as spare money for the elderly to fulfill their daily living. Second, Hong Kong has the Pillar II which the physical exercise is the MPF. If you get a job, there is no doubt that every employee has to engage in the MPF. Third, Hong Kong has the Pillar III which is related to the voluntary private savings(2011). In ramble to have a better living as a retired person, they might use their own savings to support their daily life.For the retirement protection policy, we can know that the government is obeying the rule of big market, small government . It means that the government and the separate institutions also have the responsibility toward the retirement protection policy. The means tests are the primary method for determining eligibility when applying the CSSA and Old Age Allowance. Selective immediate payment assistances are reserved for people defined within the context of the policy as in need. Means testing is used to identify people with limited resources. This selective process determines the eligibility for welfare benefits or services so it shows the ideas of residual welfare model.The government uses the three pillars approach in nightclub to provide the basic need to the e lderly. However, it is not problem free with the three pillars approach.Hong Kong Council of Social return finished a statistic about aging population last year. There are a third of people aged 65 and over are living under poverty (2011). They are regarded as very poor people among the world. Thus, people argue that if the CSSA and Old Age Allowance which the elderly trust on can really provide the basic necessities for them.Besides, people also argue that the MPF covers only working people. Housewives and others who are not employed are not covered by the MPF. There is little difficulty in understanding that people will feel doubt that how the retirement protection of the housewives is.Obviously, the existing retirement protection policy is trying to tackle the financial problems of the elderly. When the elderly really need help, the government can provide them with the basic need. The report from the Census and Statistics part shows that the aging population will be increasing quickly in the coming years. The elderly aged 65 and above will increase from the 1.0 trillion last year to 2.6 million in 2041. This statistic suggests that by 2041, around one in three persons will be elders (Census and Statistics Department, 2013).Thus, due to the limitations in the retirement protection policy I mentioned, there is no doubt that the government should make improvement toward the retirement protection policy. Experiences from TaiwanTaiwan is the same as Hong Kong that it also has the aging population and with the similar geographic background as Hong Kong. As the retirement protection policy in Taiwan is quite well developed, it can be Hong Kongs reference when improving the retirement protection policy.Taiwan follows the five-pillar approaches when dealing with the elderly policy. I will focus on talking about the National Pension Program in Taiwan because the other retirement protection policies in Taiwan are nearly the same as other countries. The National Pe nsion Program aims to provide the elderly with the basic needs in their daily living. For the elders who want to apply for the National Pension Program, they ought to undergo the process of means test and there is a residency requirement that they have to pass.In order to maintain the sustainability of the National Pension Program, the government should not pay the money to the elders in one time. They should pay the money step by step, such as monthly (Roller, 2012).Urge for a universal retirement protection schemeHong Kong and Taiwan have the similarities in the reform process. However, their pension reform is very different. Taiwan implements the National Pension Program successfully whereas Hong Kong just focuses on the CSSA and Old Age Allowance.With reference in Taiwan, some people suggest that Hong Kong ought to expand its retirement protection policy which is to introduce a retirement protection scheme which is for all citizens. This scheme is later explained by Professor Ne lson Chow Wing-sun. He proposed to set up a universal retirement protection scheme in Hong Kong. In the scheme, HK$3,000 monthly pension will be given to people aged 65 and above (-2013 . In order to maintain the constancy of the scheme, the employers and employees need to contribute and the government would be responsible for some of the fund. This new scheme eliminates means tests and other administrative procedures because age criteria are the only eligibility to purpose if you can get the pension or not.I think that the retirement protection scheme proposed by Professor Nelson Chow has the same meaning as the National Pension Program in Taiwan because both of them focus on the people who are not in the labor market. They all want to protect these people from being poor. For the existing three pillar approach, I feel doubt of their effectiveness in meeting the needs of the elderly. With the low order of return, the MPF cant support peoples daily living. Thus, if the elder just rely on the MPF system, it is not rational for them. Due to the shortcoming of the three pillar approach, I have a quest for a universal retirement protection scheme as what Professor Nelson Chow proposed. However, based on Professor Chows proposal on universal retirement protection scheme, I think there should add the means test into the scheme. The aim of the universal retirement protection scheme is to alleviate elderly poverty. Thus, the poor people serve first. We should target on those with a genuine need and some form of means testing is necessary. There is no doubt that the elderly deserve a decent and better retirement. If we have the means-tested in the universal retirement protection scheme, some people cant receive the public pension due to their income level. Thus, people might argue that it is not a retirement protection for all citizens so it is unfair. However, if there is no means test and everyone aged 65 or above can receive the pension, it might slander the eco nomic development of Hong Kong and increase burden on employers.Moreover, any retirement protection scheme without means test is regarding as welfarism. This might cause the financially infeasible for the government to shoulder the burden of a universal retirement protection scheme over time. Therefore, in order to make a uncorrupted use of the universal retirement protection scheme, I suggest that there should include a means test in Professor Nelson Chows proposal which is the same as the Taiwans National Pension Program.There is not a new thing when talking about the aging problem. Hong Kong and Taiwan have many similar characteristics toward the elderly policy. However, Taiwan developed its retirement protection policies at a faster pace. Thus, Hong Kong should learn from the Taiwans National Pension Program that to implement the means test in the universal retirement protection scheme.The advantage of the scheme is that it provides the protection to the non-employees. For the existing retirement policy, such as the MPF system, it excludes the protection of the housewives. Thu, a universal retirement protection scheme can complement this problem.Besides, for some people, they argue that the financial pressure will be mounted on working people under the universal retirement protection scheme because they have to bear the cost of the scheme. Thus, in order to make a good use of the fund, the universal retirement protection scheme should include the means test.Moreover, the means test can act as a resource distribution. This is because the needy elders can be found and they can get help from the government.Improvement of the three pillar approachMany people hold the belief that it is a huge concern for the population development that one in three people will be aged 65 years old and above in the coming years. This phenomenon threatens the economic growth because there will be more people but less that are working. Thus, fewer people will contribute to the ec onomy. If we have more elderly people in Hong Kong, it is a must to review the retirement protection policy. For our prospective planning of retirement protection system, Professor Nelson Chows universal retirement protection scheme can be one of the measures. We cant find a model answer to tell us how to set up a good retirement protection policy due to the revolution of different countries. Despite Professor Nelson Chows proposal, there is essential for the government to make changes on the three approach model toward the retirement protection policy.For the Zero pillar, CSSA and OAA act as a safety net for the needy elderly. However, there might have some problems toward the CSSA. When applying the CSSA, the elderlys family members, such as her son or daughter, have to sign the declaration that they wont provide financial support for the elderly. Thus, if the elderly is in bad relationship with her family members, here son or daughter might not able to sign the declaration for her. Thus, the elder cant get the CSSA.Also, the money in the CSSA might not be able to provide basic needs for elderly because of the inflation. Due to the inflation, we have to pay more money when buying things. In order to help the elderly during inflation, the government should adjust the money in CSSA more frequently.In addition, we should improve the MPF system in the Pillar II. The employees should feel free to consume their MPF program due to the different sets of requirements. There should be no barriers for employees when choosing the MPF program.Furthermore, the government ought to offer incentives to encourage voluntary savings in Pillar III. The pillar III is related to the voluntary contributions to the MPF system. In order to encourage personal savings, the government needs to provide the tax incentives for people.For the three pillars approach, the government needs to assess the financial sustainability regularly. As suggestion before, the existing three pillars pol icies should be reinforced and enhanced.Future planning of the retirement protection policyEveryone agree that the universal retirement protection scheme is not implemented in Hong Kong for the elderly at this moment. The government only focuses on the Zero pillar. The government set some rules for the elderly to meet. If they can pass the requirements set by the government, they can get assistance. When planning the future policy for retired people, the scheme proposed by Professor Chow could be the way out. We should address the concept of responsibility when planning the future retirement protection policy. Hong Kong is under the residual welfare model that people solve the problems through the family and market. The government is the last way to help people. Thus, for the retirement protection policy, it is related to the concept of who is responsible?. Some people think that the old age living protection should be the responsibility of individuals and their family and not be l aid on others nor should it be wholly financed by the government. Thus, the role played by the government in retirement protection policy can be different from various parties. In the perspective of limited financial resources, the government should only provide for the financially needy elderlies and not for all senior citizens.On the contrary, with the level of Hong Kongs economic development and the huge financial reserve, some people proposed that the government have the capacity and means to provide for basic livelihood protection for all senior citizens. The perception toward retirement protection policy will influence the role of the government.If people touch base the retirement protection policy with the income, it causes heavy burden on public finance and may have influence on the economy. On the other hand, people who universal retirement protection scheme points to a kind of benefit for all senior citizens, unrelated to their past work history or salary. They hoped for the cathode-ray oscilloscope up of some kind of universal livelihood protection grant.There is obvious that Hong Kong uses the three approaches toward the retirement protection policy. Many elderly received the cash assistances from the government. They still live under poverty. This might people argue that if the CSSA or other cash transfer programs are viable or not. Nowadays, people have a higher expectation on the welfare support. They have the quests for universal retirement protection scheme. The scheme supposed to provide better protection for retired people. However, how the scheme should be implemented is still under a negotiation process. There are many things we have to decide when implementing the scheme, such as to undergo the means test or not. The universal retirement protection in Taiwan implement in a very successful way. Even some people claim that Hong Kong is better developed than Taiwan, we still should learn from Taiwans experience and decide how to initiate a universal retirement protection scheme. We should launch the scheme according to the specific features of Hong Kong.In fact, some people claim that the political environment affect the implement of the retirement protection scheme. This is related to peoples conservativeness toward a policy. Thus, we should be aware of the political issues when designing the retirement protection policy. The retirement protection policy is a very complicated open which affects all HongKonger and has far-reaching impact on the fiscal sustainability in Hong Kong. In order to find a suitable way of the development toward retirement protection policy, people should clarify the concept which is related to responsibility.References -2011 4 4 -.--2013 Castells, M. (2010), The Shek Kip Mei SyndromeEconomicDevelopment and Public Housing Development in Hong Kong and Singapore, UK. Pion Ltd.Census and Statistics Department (2013), Hong Kong Special Administrative RegionChou, L.K. (2009). Retirement Income Pr otection in Hong Kong. Ageing in East Asia Challenges and Policies for the Twenty-first century (pp. 105-137). London Routledge.Roller, E. (2012). The welfare state the equality dimension. The scope of government, New York Oxford University Press.1

Neurotransmitter Serotonin Cause Depression Psychology Essay

Neurotransmitter Serotonin Cause Depression Psychology Es opine jibe to the World Health Organization, about 121 million people across the globe suffer from economic crisis and the WHO has ranked depression as fourth in a list of most urgent problems worldwide (2). It is the most prevalent psychiatric disorder and is responsible for nearly 850,000 deaths every year. Supporting this fact, statistics have revealed that the use of anti-depressants has so atomic number 18d everywhere 400 part in the past two decades (3). According to Kresser, a licensed acupuncturist and practiti starr of integrative medicine, several chemic each(prenominal)y distinct anti-depressants marketed under divvy up names such as Prozac, Zoloft, and Paxil now enjoy immense popularity as anti-depressants (4). Amongst the four classes of anti-depressant medication, namely selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), atypical depressants, tricyclic antidepressant anti-depressants (TCAs) and monoamine oxi dase inhibitors (MAOIs), SSRIs have been the most widely prescribed medication by physicians. In this essay, the terms SSRI and anti-depressant will be used interchangeably.The current model of SSRIs assumes that a deplorable take aim of extracellular neurotransmitter, serotonin, is primarily responsible for depression. Serotonin in our body can be found in two places 80 percent of it in our gastrointestinal tract while the rest in our mind-set (5). The 80 percent of serotonin function as hormones and they play a eccentric in muscular contractions whereas the 20 percent act as a neurotransmitter in our wiz (6). In our brain there are many cells c everyed neurons, which are separated by small gaps. Messages carried by neurotransmitters are delivered from one neuron to another across the gaps. These messages come in the form of chemical impulses, and contain study about peevishness, behaviour, body temperature, appetite and sleep. Once a neurotransmitter leaves the sending ne uron, it will latch onto the receiving neuron and relay chemical impulses over. Then the neurotransmitter returns to its sending neuron to be re-used again this process is called reuptake. On the other hand, if there are inadequate amounts of neurotransmitters, the next impulse does not fire off and messages will not be relayed. (7) SSRIs work to block or s piteous ware the reuptake of serotonin in particular, hence increasing the amount of extracellular serotonin. As a result, more than serotonin are present in the gaps which will increase rate of successful transmission of impulses to the receiving neuron. SSRI is hence engineered on the persuasion that serotonin is the serve of depression. However ever since the advent of the medicine and its side-effects exposed, medicine researchers are compelled to re-investigate the efficacy of SSRIs, in which confounding results were revealed.The investigation into the serotonin-depression link will not nevertheless delay doctors ma king inappropriate prescriptions that whitethorn not be in the best interest of their patients health, it also allows a clearer definition of the causes of depression. Ultimately, establishing the proper function of serotonin whitethorn lead to a ground-breaking change in the methodology of treating depression and related disorders in the psychiatric and pharmacology world.While most people concur with the belief that a deficiency of serotonin is related to depression, some argue that an imbalance in serotonin levels leads to depression. This imbalance theory arises because of the widespread notion that SSRIs are only effective for patients with moderate to severe depression while it is ineffective for mildly depressed patients. The basis of the debate surrounding the efficacy of SSRIs in fact boils down to a deeper problem whether or not the neurotransmitter, serotonin, is related to depression at all. Nevertheless, I oppose both claims of the serotonin-depression link and contes t that there is no cohesion amid levels of serotonin and depression. Up till now, there have no substantial evidence that depression is caused by serotonin deficiency, neither is there one that shows that over stimulation of serotonin causes depression.Efficacy of SSRIs challenged by small drug-placebo differenceMany studies have shown that the efficacy of SSRI drugs in the treatment of depression is challenged by low drug-placebo difference scores. Studies to investigate the efficacy of anti-depressants by giving placebos to a controlled group have revealed that the recovery rate of patients who took a glucose pill was equivalent to patients who consumed the anti-depression drug (8). A 2008 meta analysis of the efficacy of SSRIs that was published by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), revealed that these anti-depressants have no clinically significant edge over all placebos. By this, it means that it did not resonate the drug licensing authority, UK National Institute of Cl inical Excellence (NICE) standards. As evident in the meta analysis, the placebo response groups account for up to 75 percent of all positive effects of anti-depressant medication (9) which shows that 3 in 4 of all patients who reported an increase in heightened emotional wellbeing were actually consuming sugar pills. Other studies yielded similar results a study by Khan et al. found a 10 percent difference in level of symptoms when patients consume the slow placebos compared to the busy drugs in two separate meta-analyses (10). As the drug-placebo difference is small, it can be seen that regardless of whether SSRI is administered or not, symptoms of depression are still greatly reduced. This implies that serotonin level may not be related to depression at all.Opponents argue that experiments to test the efficacy of SSRIs against inert placebos may not be accurate because the side effects of SSRIs are not mimicked. They claim that commonly known side effects of SSRIs, such as di arrhoea, nausea, dizziness, headaches or even gastrointestinal bleeding (11) may affect patients mood, which in turn underrate the impact of serotonin in lifting depression. This claim is however rejected by many scientific literatures which show counter-evidences. According to Joanna Moncrieff, the co-chair person of Critical Psychiatry Network, when she used active placebos to simulate the adverse-effects of SSRIs in anti-depressant drug trials, results revealed that differences between active placebo and SSRI were significantly small (12). To measure callousness of depression before and after the drug trials, the conventional Hamilton Rating Scale of Depression (HRSD) was used. Since it did not meet NICE standards of an feeler in rating score of 3 points to be defined as clinically significant (8), the above studies involving inert and active placebos distinctly show that no matter which placebo type was administered active or inert, drug versus placebo significance in anti-d epressant efficacy is clinically insignificant. Whether or not the level of serotonin is increased, patients reported a reduction in symptoms of depression, therefore there is little evidence to say that a lack of this neurotransmitter causes depression.Another common belief by proponents of anti-depressants is that sign severity of depression is directly related to the metier of SSRIs, that SSRIs work best for patients with very severe depression. It is thought that over stimulation of serotonin may cause further chemical imbalance in patients misfortunate from mild depression, hence rendering SSRIs ineffective (13). Thus in order to test this claim, Kirsch et al moved on to investigate whether initial severity of depression affects the efficacy of anti-depressants. He tested on the hypothesis that anti-depressants work only for people suffering from moderate to major depression. In this double-blinded study of 35 clinical trials involving 5,133 subjects, both drug administers a nd subjects were unknown to results of randomized medication (placebo or SSRI) to prevent sampling biasness and subjects severity of depression was mensural by HRSD (14). The test was conducted to see if there is an improvement in the subjects depression, measured against their baseline severity and the final conclusion is as follows patients with an initial moderate depression did not report a drug-placebo difference, patients with an initial severe depression reported a relatively small drug-placebo difference and only for patients rigid at the upper end of very severe depression category did the drug-placebo difference fall into the clinically significant criterion by NICE standards (8). Although effectiveness of SSRIs may seem to improve with the severity of depression, further research has revealed a negative coherence between severity and placebo response. As highlighted from Figure 1, the drug-placebo difference reached clinical standards for people with a higher initial se verity of depression. Further analysis shows that a higher drug-placebo difference is due to a decrease in improvement of the placebo group rather than due to the effects of SSRIs.Figure 1. Mean Standardized Improvement as a Function of Initial Severity and Treatment Group, Including all Trials Whose Samples Had High Initial Severitygraph.pngSource http//www.plosmedicine.org/article/fetchObject.action?uri=infodoi/10.1371/journal.pmed.0050045.g003representation=PNG_MThis implies that the increased benefit for extremely depressed patients seems attributable to a response-deficiency to placebos rather than a heightened response to SSRI medication. thitherfore efficacy of SSRI does not increase with severity of depression and increasing amount of serotonin did not work for patients with all levels of depression. Since SSRIs are designed to alleviate depression by inhibiting the reuptake of serotonin in our brain cells, it shows that there is no relationship between extracellular seroto nin and ones mood. Furthermore, it usually take weeks before effects of anti-depressants are expressed and can be measured by testing for serotonin levels in the blood, yet patients very much report relief within hours or days of medication. Therefore this phenomenon demonstrates the lack of correlation between serotonin and depression and gives support to the placebo effect.The lack in correlation is further evidenced by the results of a Force Swim Test (FST). FST, also known as the behavioural despair test, is a conventional anti-depressant book binding test which involves using rodents as test subjects. In this test, rats are dropped in an enclosed water cylinder and their movements observed. The struggling time of rats is measured based on the assumption that immobility of rats is directly proportional to their state of depression. For example depressed rats will cease trying and float in the cylinder, which is akin to despair, whereas non-depressed rats will stay fresh to s truggle in search of a way out (15). Although it is thought that SSRIs should extend struggling time of rats, final results were inconsistent hence inconclusive (16). The electric pig of SSRIs in rodents did not make them less susceptible to depression, displaying no direct relationship between serotonin and depression. Nonetheless, it should be noted that experiments done on mice may not be entirely accurate in predicting responses in humans (17).The bold assumption make by researchersThe serotonin-depression link came about when scientists first spy that in most depressed patients, the level of serotonin is comparably lower than that in non-depressed people. The amount of serotonin in a humans body was measured by comparing blood samples taken from depressed and healthy people. Subsequently the anti-depressant SSRI was invented, which targets the neurotransmitter serotonin and works to stimulate the production of it. This methodology then raises a few doubts. Firstly, the assump tion that blood serotonin and brain serotonin are directly proportional can be contested as it is certainly hopeless to measure the amount of serotonin in the brain. Patients who have high levels of serotonin in the blood may have low levels of serotonin in the brain and vice versa. As mentioned earlier, 80 percent of the humans body total serotonin is found in our bloodstream and the rest in the brain. While the level of blood serotonin can be measured, current biomedical technology has yet to transcend the brain barrier. In all clinical trials involving SSRIs, the assumption made is that blood serotonin reflects brain serotonin, which is a very bold one to make. This then creates a paradox in research methodology the reason for inventing SSRIs instead of feeding serotonin directly to a humans body is due to the blood-brain barrier. Orally ingested serotonin are ineffective as they do not highway through bloodstreams into the brain, that is the digestive system is unparallel to the central nervous system. Whereas SSRIs work because they merely seek to enhance an impulse that is already present, but too imperfect to cross the gap. Yet scientists conveniently established a link between serotonin and depression by measuring serotonin in patients blood. It is reasonable to say that since blood serotonin is not proven to be a clear indication of brain serotonin, any positive outcomes of anti-depressant drug trials may not be due to the increase in brain serotonin but other unknown factors. This again shows a lack of tangible evidence between the neurotransmitter, serotonin, and depression.Secondly, in all probability that there is a direct attestation of serotonin deficiency in any mental disorder lacking, it is still unclear whether low levels of serotonin causes depression or depression causes a dip in serotonin. Evidences supporting the latter can be based on observations of non-depressed people with low amounts of serotonin. In a 1996 investigation of the biochemistry of depression, attempts made to induce depression by reducing serotonin levels yielded no consistent results (18). Similarly, researchers found that a surge in brain serotonin, arrived at by administering SSRIs, were ineffective at alleviating depression (19). Therefore there is little evidence to support serotonin as a mood chemical.Also problematic for the serotonin-depression claim is the expanding field of research comparing SSRIs to other anti-depression drugs that do not target serotonin specifically (20). For instance, the atypical anti-depressant buproprion (21) and St. Johns Wort (22), which do not alter the level of serotonin were proven to be just as effective as SSRIs in the treatment for depression. Therefore doubts about the serotonin-depression link are acknowledged by many researchers as well as by advocates of SSRIs (23). To supplement my stand, serotonin is not listed as the cause of depression disorder in theDiagnostic and Statistical Manual of Menta l Disorders (24). The American Psychiatric Press Textbook of Clinical Psychiatry (25) also reiterates that serotonin deficiency as an unconfirmed hypothesis (20). In short, there exists no rigorous corroboration of the serotonin theory, which may suggest the reliability of positive drug trials published by drug companies.ConclusionIn addition to what textbooks have to say about serotonin, it is important to look at what not being said in scientific literature. There are numerous peer-reviewed articles supporting the disconnect between serotonin and depression however not a single one can be barely cited to directly endorse claims of a serotonin deficiency in any mental disorders (20). Assuming that blood serotonin is a good measure for brain serotonin, abundant evidences of high placebo significance in anti-depressant drug trials, the rejection of the claim that efficacy of SSRIs depends on severity of depression, and an inconsistent Force Swim Test results indicate that serotonin may not be the cause of depression. No doubt there may be a positive outcomes from the drug trials, however because blood serotonin may not reflect brain serotonin, these outcomes coupled with the above mentioned proofs against the serotonin hypothesis strongly suggest that other factors are involved in depression. The incongruence between the scientific literature and the claims made by proponents are prominent, hence I stand for the fact that there is no direct correlation between serotonin level and depression.

An Inspector Calls by J.B. Priestley :: Papers

An Inspector Calls by J.B. Priestley In my English class I have been reading the play An Inspector Calls The play is astir(predicate) a fairly well-off family (the Birlings) who have their evening spoilt by having an inspector chitchat round, to ask them questions about a girl, Eva Smith, who drank some disinfectant to kill herself. I am going to start my comparisons with the head of the house-hold, Arthur Birling. Arthur Birling is a selfish, arrogant, family man who doesnt cope the meaning of the word responsibility. The play starts off with the family sat around the dining table, toasting to the daughter, Sheilas, engagement to Gerald Croft. While the girls (Sheila and her mother, Sybil) trail off to the drawing room, Arthur decides to teach Gerald something about responsibility A man has to mind his own business and look after himself and his own He also has a fairly good reason as to wherefore he thinks like this, and he tells so to the inspect or If we were all responsible for everything that happened to everybody wed had anything to do with, it would be very awkward, wouldnt it? When Arthur doesnt know the full story as to why the inspector has arrived, he tries to use his importance to get his way. He threatens the inspector with the following phrase Ive half a mind to report you perhaps I ought to warn you that our chief constable hes an old friend of mine, and that I see him fairly often Arthur doesnt react at all to the death of Eva, and he acts as though such is life. When the inspector leaves towards the end of the play, Arthur tries to think of all sorts of ideas to prove that the man wasnt an inspector at all, - proving that Arthur didnt change at all in reaction to the death of adept of his former employees. Sybil Birling is Arthurs wife. She is very like her husband in being selfish, and is very unrepentant. Sybil finds out that she had

Essay --

The entire book is told from the view of Robert D. H ar, PhD., a psychologist and researcher of psychopathy. Hare decided to write this book to remove light on the many psychopaths that live among all of us from day to day. Hare does this by using evidence from case studies, stories told to him, and the private meetings he had with the psychopaths that he has met along the way. Hares account was an excellent read because he was very modest, even admitting to being fooled by some of the psychopaths he encountered, which made him expect more like a real person. The mind of a psychopath is still far from being explained, however Hare feels the crush way to protrude out a psychopath operates is to stop them before they are able to cause any damage. Doing so, victims would not be harmed mentally and physically, saving tax payers money due to court costs, rehabilitation and parole programs that simply dont work. Psychopath 1The Mind of a PsychopathWithout Conscience The Disturbing hum an race of the Psychopaths Among Us describes how Hare began his career in a prison and first realized he was face to face with a psychopath named Ray, who was a prisoner. At that time, Hare believed the inmates could be rehabilitated. Ray was Hares first patient and they worked together for several months before Hare realized Ray was manipulating him. Hare apply his own practices, diagnoses, as well as interviews from serial killers to let readers receive what a psychopath was really like. Hare also believed a psychopath is not crazy or insane, but the decisions made by a psychopath are conscientiously made. Hare goes onto stress that not all serial killers are psychopaths, that some are actually insane. According to Hare, psychopathy cannot be understo... ...sychopaths should integrate their persistent self-interest, pointing out how time after time their anti-social behavior is not finally in their best interest.As shocking as it may sound, so many people have either come fac e to face, or know of someone that has met a real life psychopath. Unfortunately, most wont know it until its too late, and even then, it could be almost impossible to understand that it has happened. These arent just the Mansons or Jeffrey Dahmers of the world. Psychopaths are not always killers, and some are not even violent. As Dr. Hare pointed out in this book, some of the best trained and most experienced mental health professionals can and will be fooled at least once in their lifetime. This book was very mild to read and to comprehend, leaving someone prepared to handle a situation if dealt with a psychopath a little bit easier.