The Mind of Someone Who Uses Drugs :: essays papers

The Mind of Someone Who Uses Drugs In the brain of somebody who takes drugs there is consistently motivation to endure that shot of corrosive, that pill of euphoria, that line of coke or that knock of precious stone. Support is an integral asset of influence, it’s a control device that others can use on you however more usually you use on yourself. You don’t need to go to labor for ten hours and the corrosive excursion will just last around seven hours so as long as you don’t rest you’ll be fine. You’ll not rest for twenty-four hours and you’ll be split out as all damnation at work yet heck, it’s justified, despite all the trouble. The vast majority that take medications will say that they have incredible self discipline and possibly do a medication when they realize they have the opportunity and vitality. I have heard and said that state so often. The more medications you do the less will you need to state no and the simpler it is for individuals to convince you to take that pill with them. Companions don’t convince you since they need you to be â€Å"bad† like they are or any of that other poop you see on hostile to medicate plugs on TV. Your companions need you to be there so they can play around with you while on the medications together.. It is commonly evident that I have had a large portion of my medication encounters with companions and it is additionally obvious that I have made some evident bonds with individuals while on drugs. The inquiry I use to consistently pose to myself is â€Å"who are my genuine companions and who were companions that I made basically in light of the fact that we were on a substance†. It is so natural to bond with somebody while on drugs, particularly rapture. On the medication bliss it’s conceivable to bond with somebody while that you have never coexisted with and most likely never will again. My sweetheart who I dated for around a quarter of a year, while realizing that I was gay, I met through medications. Since she and I were commonly high on something consistently our relationship was totally ( what does this meanthrough) and in light of medications. I have not addressed her for more than five months and in the event that we spoke we would most likely have little enth usiasm for one another.

Interventions for Maternal and Child Health in Nepal Essay

Full scale and smaller scale supplement ailing health is a significant general medical issue and a key factor in deciding bleakness and mortality. Its basic determinants incorporate destitution, instruction, sanitation, atmosphere, food creation, social standards, and availability and nature of human services. Pregnant ladies and little youngsters are especially in danger inferable from the extra dietary requests of fast development. Lack of healthy sustenance is the immediate reason for roughly 300,000 passings for each year (Muller and Krawinkel, 2005), and a contributing component in over a third†3.5 millionâ€of all youngster passings every year (Horton, 2008). These passings are to a great extent preventable. For newborn children, there is a â€Å"golden interval† for mediation from pregnancy to 2 years, during which upgrades in wholesome status can have dependable advantages (Horton, 2008). Solid affiliations exist among maternal and youngster undernutrition and decreased grown-up monetary efficiency and other negative results (Victoria et al., 2008). While Nepal has as of late showed progress toward improving general maternal and youngster wellbeing (MCH), there are still chances to additionally improve dietary status of moms and kids. This paper analyzes and makes suggestions about mediations that can possibly improve maternal and kid healthful status in Nepal. The intercessions talked about in this paper address the basic reasons for sustenance related maternal and kid mortality and horribleness, as sketched out by the UNICEF Conceptual structure for maternal and neonatal mortality and bleakness (UNICEF, 2008), and are sorted out dependent on the time of mediation, including antenatal consideration, conveyance care, and baby blues and youth care. Antenatal consideration: Within the antenatal time of advancement, maternal supplementation has been one of the most contemplated mediations. Proof is most grounded on the side of maternal supplementation of different micronutrients, calcium, and iron-folic corrosive. Given the stunning paces of micronutrient lacks among pregnant Nepali ladies and the minimal effort of supplementation, maternal supplementation of different micronutrients, calcium and iron-folic corrosive is enthusiastically suggested. These micronutrients have a scope of advantages, including decrease of maternal paleness, maternal mortality, pre-eclampsia, hypertension, puerperal contamination, and low birthweight (LBW). This paper likewise inspects the proof around maternal smoking end intercessions in light of the uncommon potential for effect of such projects in a populace where smoking rates among ladies are high and information about negative results related with smoking is low and on the grounds that maternal smoking discontinuance seems to have not been a focal point of government and different projects in Nepal. Nonetheless, there is a need Executive Summary I of strong proof to recommend that a specific intercession to diminish maternal smoking could be both compelling and productive in creating nations. Conveyance care: This paper likewise looks at intercessions during conveyance that can affect wholesome status. Conventional birth orderlies (TBAs) assume a vital job in diminishing nenonatal and maternal mortality during conveyance. They additionally administer exhortation in regards to antenatal, perinatal, and postnatal consideration, including nourishment and diet, breastfeeding, and vaccinations. One significant part of preparing for TBAs, just as other wellbeing experts, is the advancement of deferred umbilical rope clipping. Because of the high paces of frailty and iron insufficiency in kids, deferred string clipping is a basic intercession since it is a financially savvy approach to improve hematologic status, increment blood volume, and decline paleness in earliest stages. Baby blues and youth care: Finally, dietary intercessions in the baby blues and youth period can decrease youth grimness and mortality and guarantee that youngsters are creating in a sound manner. This segment of the paper centers around the advancement of breastfeeding, newborn child and kid nutrient A supplementation and development observing and advancement (GMP). There exists many years of research indicating that breastfeeding is a profoundly viable system to diminish all-cause mortality, diarrheal dismalness and mortality, and the danger of gastrointestinal diseases and respiratory contaminations. There is an abundance of exact information supporting the advancement of breastfeeding in created and creating nations the same. Nutrient A supplementation for newborn children and small kids has just been fruitful in Nepal, and it ought to stay a need there. Nutrient A supplementation is related with decreases in night-visual impairment, Bitot’s spots, xerophthalmia, and serious horribleness and mortality from irresistible infections, and when given before specific inoculations, it can improve the insusceptible reaction to the vaccinations, making them increasingly viable. Additionally, the utilization of GMP, estimating and outlining the development of kids and utilizing this data to guide guardians to persuade practices that advance development, gives a financially savvy chance to distinguish development issues before extreme hunger shows. For outline data on suggested intercessions, allude to the one-page briefs after this Executive Summary. The mediations analyzed in this paper all in all have a tremendous potential for sway in Nepal. Simultaneously, it is essential to consider a portion of the difficulties and practicality worries that these mediations may confront. These may Official Summary include: access to and use of antenatal consideration and other wellbeing administrations; the status of the wellbeing framework foundation; money related asset accessibility, and social contemplations. Likewise, while these suggested mediations can be effective in tending to the fundamental reasons for lack of healthy sustenance related dismalness and mortality, long haul answers for improving maternal and kid nourishing status must address the essential causes, for example, political, monetary and social conditions. While challenges and different contemplations exist, the intercessions prescribed can possibly make a genuine and enduring effect in Nepal by lessening the weight of nourishment related dismalness and mortality. These mediations are financially savvy apparatuses that ought to be key to any arrangement to make a splendid and solid group of people yet to come in Nepal.

Top 10 Application Tips #3 The Personal Statement COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY - SIPA Admissions Blog

Top 10 Application Tips #3 â€" The Personal Statement COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY - SIPA Admissions Blog This is the third entry in our “Top 10? list to assist you with understanding the process of submitting your admission application to SIPA.   This entry is focused on advice regarding the personal statement. The personal statement is probably the most important part of an application because it helps us to learn about your passion, goals, and the impact you wish to make.   We do not conduct interviews with applicants as part of the admission process and you can think of your personal statement as a type of interview. If you could only spend 10-15 minutes in front of the Admissions Committee, what would you say to ensure us that you would be a contributing student in our program?   Your personal statement is your opportunity to speak to the Admissions Committee. Question:   Do I have to follow the format of the personal statement? Answer: Yes.   Our personal statement is broken into three parts, each with an associated word limit.   Applicants should follow the instructions and keep within the stated word limits.   Applicants that obviously try to substitute a statement written according to another school’s guidance are judged harshly in the admissions process.   Following directions is an important part of the process of applying. The majority of this entry addresses the first part of the personal statement.   We generally do not provide instructions regarding the second part because we want each applicant to answer in their own way.   For the second part, we are interested on how applicants choose to respond to the question and thus have no specific advice. The third part of the personal statement is wide open.   We provide space where you can include information you wish for the Committee to be aware of that might not be highlighted in other parts of your application or that you feel will shed light on some aspect of your past or future goals.   Part three can focus on things you are proud of, or perhaps not so proud of.   Part 3 of the personal statement is mandatory.   It would be unwise to leave Part 3 blank. Question:   Do you have any general advice regarding the personal statement? Answer: Yes, and the rest of this entry will focus on advice for you to consider. For one, I would not quote anyone in your personal statement.   For example, it would not be wise to say something along the lines of the following I want to join SIPA because like Gandhi said, “I wish to be the change I wish to see in the world.” While this is a nice quote and Gandhi was an incredible person, I am not making a decision to admit Gandhi to SIPA, I am considering admitting you to our program.   Thus I am not so interested in what Gandhi has to say, rather I am interested in what you have to say.   Also, when you quote someone else it in essence says, “I could not think of anything on my own to say, so let me let someone else do it for me.” At SIPA we are looking for creative, passionate, smart, driven, and competent people.   The best personal statements are just that â€" personal.   We want to hear from you.   The best applicants each year become quotable.   When an Admissions Committee member is impressed with what an applicant has written, they will often call attention to this when discussing the application.   So your goal should be to become quotable, not to quote someone else. Another note is that your answer to section one should not simply be your résumé in paragraph format.   In order to get your point across in your personal statement it might be necessary to restate information already included in your résumé, however do not restate information without a specific reason or goal. One thing not to do for example is to tell us in your personal statement where you went to school.   Many applicants will mention the name of their school in the personal statement.  What is wrong with this?   Well, you sent us your transcript and you state where you went to school in your résumé, why would we need to be told a third time where you went to school?   Use your personal statement to get across new information that might not be contained in other parts of your application. Your answer to part one of the personal statement should particularly be about what you hope to accomplish in the future.   What are you passionate about?   What are your goals?   What impact do you hope to make on the world?   Most of the contents of your application are about your past, we want a glimpse into your future. One thing we are trying to determine is if SIPA is the right program for you.   We are also trying to determine the type of contribution you will make as a student and alumnus of our program.   We do understand that you might not know exactly what you wish to do, however you should try to be as specific as you can.   For example, if you are interested in development, is there a region or particular group of people you wish to focus on? Strong responses to part one are focused and clear. An example of not being focused is to say that you wish to work for the United Nations. Just saying this alone is too vague. The United Nations is comprised of a multitude of organizations, doing a multitude of different things, in a multitude of different places. Listing a broad policy objective without context is also a common mistake. Whatever you hope to do, you should integrate the who, what, where, how, and why elements into your statement. Address questions such as: Who do you wish to impact? Is there a specific region, city, country, locality you are passionate about? What population do you hope to serve? What concerns you about the future and how do you hope to address policy questions to make a difference? What skills will SIPA help you to develop? Is there a sector that is most appealing to you? (Non-profit, multilateral, for profit, public). Do you hope to go in a new direction and why? Specificity is important. The most outstanding personal statements each year become a part of discussions amongst members of the Admissions Committee.   Each person is different and has a different history and goals.   Make sure to pour yourself into your personal statement and it will likely stand out because no two people are the same. Here again are the three parts of the personal statement we are asking applicants for the fall 2011 semester to respond to: First Question (500 Word Maximum) What distinct impact do you hope to have on the world in the future? Please be as clear as possible about your future goals, the policy/public service issue(s) you are passionate about, and your personal motivation(s). Be sure to include details regarding the features of SIPA that you believe are integral to helping you in your pursuits and what skills you need to develop to achieve a lasting impact. Second Question/Topic (300 Word Maximum) Please CHOOSE ONE of these options to write about â€" do not address both, pick one or the other. 1. Describe a policy issue that has impacted your life, either in a negative or positive way. If given the opportunity to amend the policy, what action would you take and why? 2. Describe a conversation or experience that challenged your beliefs or caused you to reevaluate your perspective on life. Third Question/Response (200 Word Maximum) Please share any additional information about yourself that you believe would be of interest to the Admissions Committee. Please focus on information that is not already reflected in the other parts of your application or might not be clear in the information submitted.

Racism in the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Essay

A person’s looks can not determine how they feel about a certain race of people. Some of the nicest looking peoples harbor deep feelings of hatred towards races other than their own. Characters like Aunt sally, Uncle Earl, and Miss Watson all seem like very nice people, but they all accept and participate in, whether they realize it or not, racism. Almost all of the characters in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain seem to have pre-conceived ideas towards blacks, and the author does not seem to have any trouble writing the words of their pre-conceived thoughts or ideas. Mark Twain has an accepting attitude towards racism in his book, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Characters in the story easily accuse the slaves of†¦show more content†¦So then they put it on him† (57). Although they have no proof that Jim committed the murder, they automatically blame him for the murder of Huck. I think they are trying to use Huck’s murder as an ex cuse to go after Jim because he is a black runaway slave. The characters also do not care if blacks are abused or hurt. In fact, they find pride in hurting blacks. Mrs. Hotchkins brags to Aunt Sally that she’d â€Å"skin every last nigger on this place† (279). She is proud that she can say that she will do harm to or demean a black slave. She has no sympathy for the feelings of slaves or for the physical pain that they suffer from. Although Aunt Sally isn’t rude like Mrs. Hotchkins, she shows some of the same feelings of acceptation towards racism. When Huck arrives at her house, she asks if â€Å"anybody [was] hurt† Huck answers that the ship wreck â€Å"killed a nigger,† then aunt Sally says that â€Å"it’s lucky because sometimes people do get hurt† (222). Aunt Sally does not even include blacks as people. If a black getting killed is not the same as or worse than â€Å"people† getting hurt, then the question that c omes to mind is: Are blacks even seen as people, or are they just considered property? It is hard to believe that she would not even gasp at the fact that another human being has been killed in a tragic accident, but, yet, she acts as if that oneShow MoreRelatedEssay on Racism in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn576 Words   |  3 Pagesof all time. Though in recent years, there has been increasing controversy over the ideas expressed in his novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. In some extreme cases the novel has even been banned by public school systems and censored by public libraries. The basis for this censorship is the argument that Mark Twains book is racist, but in reality Twain was against racism and used this book to make people aware of what was going on in the south. He did this by using the regional dialectRead MoreEssay on Prejudice and Racism in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn833 Words   |  4 PagesPrejudice and Racism in The Adventures of Huckleber ry Finn      Ã‚   The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain, is an excellent example of racism in literature, because it uses language describing African Americans which goes beyond satire.   It treats them as objects and perpetuates stereotypes. It does not expose and deal with racism, as many advocates of its reading claim, but encourages an attitude of superiority that is unnecessary and intolerable. In order to ridRead More Themes of Morality and Racism in Adventures of Huckleberry Finn863 Words   |  4 Pages The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain is a novel full of racism and hypocrisy of the society that we know. Huck continually faces the many challenges of what to do in tough situations dealing with racism and what the society wants him to do. With the novel being written in the first person point of view gives us insightful information into the challenges the Huck is facing and gives us a look into Huck’s head. Huck uses many different techniques to deal with his problems and he getsRead More Prejudice and Racism in Mark Twains The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn1062 Words   |  5 PagesPrejudice and Racism in Mark Twains The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn    Despite all the criticism, of racism and other questionable material for young readers, Mark Twain’s The Adventure of Huckleberry Finn is a superbly written novel, which in the opinion of this reviewer should not be remove the literary cannon. Twain’s novel is a coming of age story that teaches young people many valuable lessons and to some extend makes students reexamine their own lives and morals. The most common argumentRead MoreRacism in the Novel, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain630 Words   |  3 Pagesthe writer of one of the most popular books with over 20 million copies sold. The novel, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. The novel has been read for years, with comes some questions. Is the novel racist? Could it be racist because of Twain’s background which influenced the novel? No, Mark Twain background didn’t influence the book to make it racist. It was the time that Mark Twain lived in that made Huck Finn come of as a racist novel today. The use of the word â€Å"nigger† throughout the book is simplyRead MoreRacism Through the Decades: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain647 Words   |  3 PagesThe main messages and themes of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn are supported by the main symbols of the novel which are the raft, the river, and land. Themes of this novel are racism and equality, freedom, and the importance of friendship. The raft that Huck and Jim spent many days floating on symbolizes equality whereas the raft was the only place that they could speak together as equals despite the colors of their skin. The Mississippi river which Huck and Jim floated down shows how free theyRead MoreRacism Through the Decades: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain663 Words   |  3 Pages Since the release of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn in 1885, the way that different races relate to e ach other (specifically people of European and African descent) has changed astronomically. In some ways it’s improved dramatically, but some aspects of inter-racial relations have changed in ways that are not necessarily positive since the books release. This books overall message about racial relations at the time was that the way that people who came from Africa were treated was incrediblyRead MoreThe Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn By Mark Twain Essay1055 Words   |  5 PagesJhonatan Zambrano Mrs. Patmor AP Lit-Period 5 28 September 2016 Adventures of Huckleberry Finn 1835 Mark Twain embodies realism in almost every aspect of his writing not excluding The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, which in he portrays such a lifelike setting that it almost gives you this sense of reality through the point of view of a young man that has an urge for freedom yet struggles to conform to society s norms due to his adolescence. Twain s ability to unmask the true identities of theRead MoreRacism of Yesterday and Today Essay1655 Words   |  7 PagesThe Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was written by Mark Twain in the middle of the nineteenth century. Much of the inspiration for the book came from Mark Twain’s own encounters. Twain’s experiences as a steamboat pilot from 1835 to 1845 provided a great deal of the historical context for his work. The novel revolves around a southern boy, Huck, and a slave named Jim who both reject society by running away in hopes of finding freedom. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn highlights and portrays theRead MoreHuckl eberry Finn Persuasive Essay1571 Words   |  7 Pageslarge matter- ‘tis the difference between the lightning bug and lightning.†(Mark Twain). Mark Twain, the author of an extraordinary yet controversial novel; The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn had a great way of capturing moments in time and bringing them to life through the use of meaningful and direct diction. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn has been a vexed novel for it s a use of the â€Å"N-word†. However, many scholars and associations have devised a â€Å"solution† for this problem such as, completely

The Romantic Hero in Pechorin, Onegin, and the Demon Essay...

The Romantic Hero in Pechorin, Onegin, and the Demon Through examining the works of Lermontov, A Hero of Our Time, and â€Å"The Demon,† as well as Pushkin’s Eugene Onegin, we can see the similarities between Pechorin, the Demon, and Onegin and how each character embodies the qualities of the romantic hero. A romantic hero is a very contradicting character. For example, in the History of Russian Literature by Charles A. Moser, he describes the romantic hero as having â€Å"the anguish of emptiness; the trembling anxieties of a shallow self-love – as well as genuine power and courage; noble aspirations along with ignorance and poor upbringing† (137). All of the traits stated above are very conflicting. Pechorin, Onegin and the Demon, being the†¦show more content†¦Pechorin, being the tactless character he is, treats women as an incentive for endless conquests and does not consider them worthy of any particular respect. He considers women, such as Princess Mary, to be little more than a romantic game and they have no meaning to him. This is shown in his comment on Princess Mary: â€Å"I often wonder why I’m trying so hard to win the love of a girl I have no desire to seduce and whom I’d never marry† (Lermontov, 126). This quote is a perfect example of how Pechorin can be extremely self-serving and disregard the feelings of others. It also exemplifies his inability to return to the strong feelings of love. Toward the end of the novel we explore Pechorin’s final adventures that lead to his downfall and isolation from society, resulting in his death. It is in his final adventures that we see Pechorin take a turn for the worse as he says, â€Å"And perhaps tomorrow I’ll die†¦so why bother to live† (Lermontov 157). In this passage it becomes clear as day that Pechorin has fallen into a deep depression. The constant change in personality and character is the exact reason that explains how Pechorin is a perfect example of the literary romantic hero. Pechorin describes his own personality as self-destructive, and he came to the realization that he doesnt understand his purpose as he constantly questions why he is involved in many situations throughout the novel. His boredom with life, and feeling of emptiness, gives him

Why I Want to Do Medicine Free Essays

I have not had a member of my family dramatically saved by a revolutionary surgeon. I have not been influenced at a young age by a caring GP. I have not dreamt of being a doctor for my entire life, nor played doctors and nurses as a child. We will write a custom essay sample on Why I Want to Do Medicine or any similar topic only for you Order Now These things often belong to television medical dramas, not real life. And real life is what I have experienced. I have seen friends and colleagues so tired from nights of endless study that they answer the ward phone â€Å"Countdown Dunedin, Patricia here† (their part time job from over ten years ago). I have seen them despair at not only not knowing what to do for their favourite patient, but not knowing what to do for the 15 other patients on their list for the day. Everyday I witness their frustration at not being able to either give their full attention to a patient, disappointment at not being able to convey the consequences of chronic medication non-compliance and the general day to day stresses of hospital life compounded with their medical inexperience. Yet I state – I want to be a doctor. Over the past five years I have been a clinical pharmacist. I am a good pharmacist – I have sound knowledge in pharmaceutics and pharmacology, I have had wonderful relationships with health professionals of all ages and specialties and I take pride in my work and ability to relate to patients. I have risen through staff structure to be a clinical and department team leader, as well as being an active member of various hospital and national health groups – roles I enjoy due to their pro-active healthcare approach. One part of my job involves teaching and working closely with medical staff. Some have said to me â€Å"I bet you hate having to lecture us about medicines all the time†, but what they don’t realise is that it’s often one of the best parts of my job. Through them I get to hear about the complications and the challenges that face them everyday and I love to hear their stories. At the moment I feel like I am close, but yet so far, to doing what I really love. Don’t get me wrong, pharmacy provides an invaluable service to patients as well as the healthcare team in total, and I am very proud to be a part of it. But when I’m constantly going the extra mile to find out more about a patient’s condition, the cause, the pathology, the presentation – things a pharmacist doesn’t necessarily need to know – I realise that this is really where my passion lies. The clues that blood results and other laboratory findings can give as well as the procedures and techniques that are used, continue to intrigue me. But most importantly, bringing all of these aspects together and having the knowledge, skill and belief that you can improve your patient’s well being for perhaps only a few days, is the most appealing part of medicine to me. I have had a taste of the satisfaction that can come from improving a patient’s condition in a few instances, and knowing that I had a part in it provided me with a â€Å"high† for days. When I think of what made it enjoyable, it wasn’t the medicine review or simply even the inclusion in the medical team. It was the amount I learnt, combined with the treatment process and responsibility of a decision and then the resulting gratitude from the patient and their family – all things that I will never forget. And while I know there will be many hard days ahead, the constant challenge and the feeling of fulfilment from the patients you may be able to make an impact on (or may make an impact on you) will be my driving force to continue to learn and relish coming back day after day. This is not a decision I have made lightly. The sensible and logical side of me knows that remaining a pharmacist will give me a comfortable life and that medical school is just the start of life-long study, late nights and daily second-guessing. But I also know that you can’t truly succeed in a position where you aren’t passionate about your work. Medicine is something I have been interested in for years and I have continued to seek more from it, despite initial setbacks and alternative career choices. I have experienced hospital life as well as the real world and have spoken with â€Å"mature† house surgeons who have been in a similar position to mine and who re-iterate the daily struggles mentioned. But they also state that they would do it all over again for the satisfaction they get from their job. I want that. And I believe I would do it well. How to cite Why I Want to Do Medicine, Papers

To Kill A Moking Bird Essays - To Kill A Mockingbird, Atticus Finch

To Kill A Moking Bird To Kill a Mockingbird- The theme of courage In 1960, Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird was published. It is a story about growing up, human dignity and prejudgment. It is a story about courage. Courage is mental or moral strength to venture, persevere and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty. The theme of courage is embodied in the characters of the novel. Courage is apparent in Atticus, Boo, and Jem. Throughout the novel, the actions and feelings these characters exhibit shows the true meaning of courage. Atticus Finch is a studious man with a sense of morality that no other character in the book comes close to matching. Atticus' behavior is governed by reason, morals and values- not cheap popularity. In the novel, Atticus takes on the Tom Robinson case. When asked about the reason he takes on this case, Atticus simply relies, ?But do you think I could face my children otherwise This is truly an act of admirable courage because he goes against all odds of the prejudice town and takes on this case. Atticus is harassed and tormented by the town for taking on the case. Yet he would rather be taunted than to go against his morals. This is courageous of him because he performs this courageous act and expects nothing in return. By taking on this case, Atticus is harassed by Bob Ewell. When Bob spits in Atticus' face, all Atticus says is, ?I wish Bob Ewell wouldn't chew tobacco.? Instead of sinking to Bob Ewells' level, Attics takes the harassment and takes it with his head held high. This ability to withstand harassment from Bob Ewell, and Maycomb, is courage. Atticus shoots Tim Johnson- a ?mad dog? with rabies. Atticus places his own life in danger in order to protect the lives of others. This event occurs at the perfect time in the story, just as the kids label Atticus as being ?feeble: he was nearly 50.? Shooting Tim Johnson proves to the children Atticus is anything but feeble, he is indeed courageous. As the reader can clearly see, Atticus epitomizes the definition of courage. Courage, in Atticus' opinion, is not being able to fight with fists but to fight with knowledge and dignity. Atticus tells the children, ?I wanted you to see what real courage is instead of the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. Its when you known your licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what. You rarely win, but sometimes you do.? Atticus acknowledges this as courage. He knows he will never win the Tom Robinson case, yet he continues to give it 101%. Without any doubt, Atticus is the definition of courage. The man who is ostracized by Maycomb, the man who lives in mysterious seclusion- all words describing Boo Radley. Though never stated, it is implied that Boo is a recluse because of his mean-spirited brother, Nathan. Yet Boo truly does want to be part of the ?outside world,? though he somewhat fears it. Boo proves to be courageous because he goes against the wishes of Nathan and leaves various paraphernalia in the knothole of the big oak tree. Rumors travel around town about Boo, such as ?Boo drove the scissors into his parent's leg, pulled them out, wiped them clean and resumed his activities.? Boo is able to ignore such rumors and carry on. This shows courage, the courage to live life even when presented with many obstacles. When Bob Ewell attempts to make an attack on the children, Boo rushes in to save their lives. Boo doesn't think twice about his life, only thinking about others. Boo is a scrawny character, Bob Ewell is definitely bigger in size then Boo. Yet Boo acts courageously and looks danger in the eye- all for others. Jem Finch is the character that changes most during the course of the novel. He starts off as a gawky boy and turns into a mature and courageous young adult. Courage is evident in Jem. It takes courage for Jem to be the way he is in the story- opinionated and strong-willed. All of the people around Jem constantly

Mental Health Essays

Mental Health Essays Mental Health Paper Mental Health Paper Introduction In this essay, the author will discuss the mental health issues among the youths. The mental problems as it relate to the general health and also discuss the mental health promotions. The author will then discuss on how changes in lifestyle could improve mental health. Finally, it worth’s mentioning that there are some professional help out there for people experiencing mental problems. Mental illness can be defined as the experiencing of severe and distressing psychological symptoms to the extent that normal functioning is impaired, and one needed some form of help in order to recover, Anthony (1999). Some of the symptoms include anxiety, depressed mood, obsessional thinking, delusions and hallucinations. WHO described mental health as â€Å" a state of well-being in which the individual realises his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community†, WHO (2004). The understanding of mental health includes the awareness that mental health is broader than an absence of mental disorders, that poor mental health affects our ability to cope with and manage our lives, (Department of health and children 2006). This means that mental health and mental well-being are part of everyday life. In the area of mental health promotion, the national health promotion strategy states that† mental health is equally as important as physical health to the overall well-being of a person† and set out the strategic aim of promoting positive mental health and contributing to a reduction in the percentage of the population experiencing poor mental health. (The National health promotion Strategy, 2000-2005). Some of the strategies include; focusing on enhancement of well-being rather than illness, identifying the whole population as a target group. The author will present their argument in support of this statement, taking into account any relevant counter-arguments. As a student mental health nurse, to do otherwise would seriously affect their ability to care for patients of involuntary status or receiving coercive treatment, and create a potentially irresolvable ethical dilemma. Involuntary inpatient admission, and other forms of coercive treatment given to patients, is justified where the person is considered to be a risk to themselves or others. It is considered to be a paternalistic act of last resort where the person is seen as not possessing the competence to manage their own affairs, or where they present the possibility of harming others. Critics will argue that behaving in this matter undermines a persons’ autonomy. The problem with such highly principled statements is that they tend to overestimate the degree of autonomy available to people. Free will itself is, to a greater or lesser degree, a fantasy we indulge ourselves in. We, each of us, are a product of our environment and upbringing and our autonomy will always be limited as a consequence (Baggini and Fosl 2007). As paternalism towards children is justified due to their lack of autonomy, why not towards adults whose autonomy is limited as a result of acute mental illness? The author would agree with this assertion. Mill (2007) supported this, stating that such actions ultimately increase a persons’ autonomy and prevent any further decline. The wording of the statement, pitting needs versus needs, subscribes to the utilitarian school of thought in ethics, that of obtaining the greatest good for the greatest number. Subscribers to this school would argue that individual freedoms may be restricted if doing so protects a majority. Pure utilitarianism is problematic in that it could be used to justify gross breaches of individuals’ rights in pursuit of the â€Å"greater good†, lending weight to the slippery slope argument often espoused by critics. What constitutes an appropriate level of risk to justify coercive treatment? How great must the level of disturbance to others be? The author believes that utilitarianism has its’ place. The slippery slope argument would perhaps have some credence if such actions could be taken without justification, however in Ireland we have both the Mental Health Act (Department of Health and Children 2001) and the Mental Health Commission to safeguard service users’ rights and autonomy as far as is possible and to ensure that healthcare professionals are accountable for such actions. Also, use of such guidelines ensures that when coercive treatment is deemed necessary, it is not overt and must be justifiable (O’ Brien and Golding 2003). While it is our ethical duty to ensure that our service users receive justice, at times a sacrifice of justice may be required in order to ensure the greatest good for the community. It is thus important that all healthcare workers in the Mental Health setting foster a highly developed code of personal ethics in relation to such situations. We must also consider how this impacts on the principles of beneficence and non-maleficence. Some would say that by limiting a persons’ liberty, mental health services are harming them. Perhaps the person would resolve their difficulties without needing to resort to such drastic measures? However, these steps are only taken in cases where the person is believed, following assessment under strict criteria, to be a risk to themselves or others and incapable of seeing to their affairs. Again, following consequentalist theory, the author believes that it is outcomes that truly matter (Dooley and McCarthy 2005). What of the suicidal person that kills themselves? The paranoid schizophrenic that kills their neighbour, or the manic individual that spends all their life savings in a week? While this happens in a very small percentage of cases, the author believes that involuntary admission and coercive treatment are justified if even one such event is prevented. Furthermore, we must consider the effects these events have on how mental illness is perceived by the wider community, and the damaging effects of the public stigma arising from them. While hospitalisation carries its’ own stigma, negative portrayals of a small number of incidents involving people diagnosed with mental illnesses by the media causes far more damage and can lead to people being ostracised by their community, damaging support networks that may otherwise help them in staying well. It is also the authors’ experience that in many cases, a persons’ community are unaware that they have been admitted for inpatient care, whether voluntary or involuntary. In conclusion, the author believes that they have stated why they believe coercive treatment may be justified at times to protect both patients and their communities. They have shown their belief that the existence and use of strict criteria for such treatment ensures that it is not overused or abused. They have shown that such treatment follows utilitarian principles, and stated their belief that it ultimately helps improve outcomes for patients in our care, and helps protect others from any consequences of actions the person may have taken. They have shown that they do not believe that coercive treatment necessarily compromises a patients’ right to be treated with beneficence and non-maleficence, because the outcome is arguably better than would have been the case without such intervention. Finally, this argument underscores the importance of maintaining and adhering to a strong ethical code. Given the freedom to practice we are permitted in Mental Health services, we owe both the public and our patients no less.

Explaining the Explanation Regarding than he

Explaining the Explanation Regarding than he Explaining the Explanation Regarding than he Explaining the Explanation Regarding than he By Maeve Maddox My post about the use of than as a preposition left a reader wondering about some of the grammatical terms used in the explanation: I’m†¦a bit unsure about the terms ‘demonstrative pronoun’, ‘conjunction’ and ‘preposition’ in this context. Could you please explain this a little more? The terms being asked about are from this statement: The OED has listings for than as a demonstrative pronoun and as a conjunction, but not as a preposition. However, it does include a note about the use of than as a preposition and states that this use â€Å"is now considered incorrect.† demonstrative pronoun English has four demonstrative pronouns: this, that, these, and those. Like any pronoun, a demonstrative pronoun stands for a noun. At the same time, it serves to point out or separate the noun it stands for from other objects: This is the one I meant. Those are yours. May I have these? Give me that! The OED entry for than as a demonstrative pronoun documents an obsolete use in which than was used where we now use that. preposition English has many prepositions. They are those little words that show a connection of some sort between a noun that follows it and another word in the sentence: That is the pen of my aunt. The preposition of relates aunt to pen, indicating ownership. The cat sat on the mat. The preposition on relates mat to sat, indicating a spatial relationship. The noun that follows a preposition is said to be governed by it. I sat by my father. The noun father is governed by the preposition by. When the word governed is a pronoun, the pronoun will be in the objective case: I sat by him. Him is the object form of he. conjunction Conjunctions are used to connect clauses or sentences: You may go with your friends after you have finished your homework. After is a conjunction introducing the second clause which tells when about the verb may go in the main clause. Conjunctions are used to co-ordinate words in the same clause: Take your books and your papers. And joins book and papers, words of equal importance. The conjunction than is used to introduce comparative clauses. The problem in the than he/than him controversy is that the second clause often remains unexpressed: Charlie is taller than I. You are kinder than he. English speakers of a certain age have learned to provide the missing clause mentally: Charlie is taller than I [am tall]. You are kinder than he [is kind]. Reader Rob Baker defends the use of the object form him after than in certain contexts: Sometimes than him is correct: She likes Johnny Depp more than  he (does). She likes Johnny Depp more than  him (more than she likes him). This is a valid defense of than him. However, the correctness of the second example depends entirely upon context. The speakers meaning of the him would be clear enough in conversation, but in writing, it would be ambiguous. It would also sound like nonstandard English. Another reader, Gloson, offers this suggestion: Just don’t use â€Å"than he† or â€Å"than him†. Simply just use â€Å"than he is†. This is sound advice. In writing especially, if a few extra words are needed to make ones meaning clear, why not use them? For example, the ambiguity of She likes Johnny Depp better than him, can be avoided by being specific: She likes Johnny Depp better than she likes Orlando Bloom. The fact that this is my second post to include a discussion of than he vs than him should be a clue that this distinction is in the process of breaking down. Until than/him becomes universally acceptable, writers are wise to consider their audience before following the conjunction than with an object pronoun. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Grammar category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:12 Signs and Symbols You Should Know75 Synonyms for â€Å"Talk†"To Tide You Over"

Role of Barriers and Technology in Globalization Essay

Role of Barriers and Technology in Globalization - Essay Example The gradual reduction of these barriers has helped lead to the process of globalization by allowing for a more free flow goods & services across boundaries. However, according to Micklethwait and Wooldridge (2003) the reduction of barriers is not an easy process. Often times it requires the passing of serious legislation and laws over long periods of time. From this perspective one could argue that globalization does not occur in leaps and bounds, rather it is a slow and arduous process insofar as there is not one moment that could be pinpointed as the catalyst for globalization. Moreover, the process requires a great deal of goodwill from nations to help ensure that nations remain in good standing with each other, such as the U.S. passing of the Mashall plan to help build Europe as a strong trading partner. Another major contributing factor of globalization is the role of technology. Much like the reduction of trade barriers there is no one single source of technological innovation that is the sole contributor of globalization. Rather it is a series of several new technologies that contribute to globalization. One of the major new technologies is improved communication channels. By having access to telephones, fax machines, email, the internet, instant messaging, mobile telephone devices etc., there comes an increased transparency.

Abortion, a Right of Choice Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Abortion, a Right of Choice - Research Paper Example There is no compromise to discuss, no middle ground to be negotiated: one concerned with the freedom of choice and woman’s health the other the life of the unborn. To appropriately examine the subject, the opposing viewpoints including the legal, medical and moral aspects must be argued with similar determination and without bias. The topic of abortion is multi-faceted and each side of the issue provides thought-provoking, credible arguments. It’s up to the individual to disseminate the information and make up their own mind based on what they consider to be moral but everyone should understand both positions and approach the subject with a no prejudices so as to make the choice that is comfortable for them. This discussion first presents the ‘right-to-life’ view then follows with the ‘pro-choice’ position, both of which are complex and compelling. The moral case for and against are important in a social context yet inconsequential because thes e emotionally charged opinions will not decide whether abortions remain safe and lawful or not. The discussion concludes that legal abortions should be the law of the land. Pro-Life This country was built upon the foundation of the freedom of choice. Those who are for legal abortions use this catchphrase while insisting on a woman’s ‘God given right’ to make life choices on her own without the federal or state government interfering. This simple philosophy is accepted by some but the reasoning is flawed when the realities of abortion are studied. Research has shown that the majority of women who have abortions are coerced into committing this deadly act of a living being. In addition, safe abortions are a myth, there is no such thing as they would lead people to believe. Women who are experiencing an unwanted pregnancy know that there is precious little freedom of choice for them. The women themselves typically want to bring their child to full term. Other domina nt influences in her life such as parents, boyfriends/husbands and friends are usually the forces that put pressure on her to end the pregnancy. â€Å"Eight out of 10 women surveyed after abortion said they would have given birth if they’d had support and encouragement from family and friends† (Reardon, 2002). It’s the abortion that, in most cases, is unwanted by the expectant mom, not the child. More often than not, the father of the baby, not wanting to accept responsibility, may threaten or mercilessly beg a mother until she agrees to have the abortion. â€Å"In 95 percent of all cases the male partner played a central role in the decision† (Zimmerman, 1977). This and other research has clearly illustrated that most women ultimately come to a decision that goes against her conscience. Legal abortion allows fathers to force their desire on women. Some women reluctantly consent to abortion out of desperation because they are afraid of continued abuse. Th at fear is validated because women who decline to abort their child have been subjected to severe abuses which have escalated to murder if the women continued to refuse to end the pregnancy. The primary cause of death for pregnant women is murder. What other motive than one involving abortion could there possibly be? â€Å"Sixty-four percent of women surveyed report being pressured by others into unwanted abortions† (Reardon, 1992).   Ã‚  Immediately after the abortion is performed, the one(s) coercing the ‘choice’ are relieved and rarely, if ever, give the inconvenient subject another thought. Women, in contrast, suffer long afterwards, consumed by guilt and heartbroken over their irreversible decision. â€Å"

Role of Elevated Levels of Homocysteine in Blood Plasma

Role of Elevated Levels of Homocysteine in Blood Plasma Homocysteine, a non-protein amino acid, is an intermediate in the metabolism of methionine and biosynthesis of cysteine. It has gained prominence in the past half-century because its accumulation in the body has been linked to increased risk and occurrence of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease. Homocystinuria is due to errors in metabolism and homocysteinemia is attributed to polymorphisms in the genes involved in methionine metabolism and cysteine biosynthesis, and deficiencies in the nutrients folic acid, and vitamins B12 and B6. Proof of these can be found in the results of genetic and dietary studies. The clinical quantification of homocysteine has evolved through the years and routine tests are currently available. Baseline homocysteine concentration for normal adults has been identified to be between 12-15 Â µmol/L. Elevated levels of homocysteine can be reduced with folate and B vitamins supplementation, but this intervention does not work in patients who have suffere d stroke or heart attacks. More research studies have supported the hypothesis that elevated homocysteine causes CVD and is not just a marker for the disease. However, despite the amount homocysteine research performed, many issues remain to be resolved, among which are the elucidation of the molecular mechanism of the direct action of homocysteine and the standardization of techniques for the quantification of homocysteine levels. Brief introduction. 200 w The role of elevated levels of homocysteine in blood plasma has been the subject of intense study and literature reviews for more than 50 years since an association between defects in homocysteine metabolism and thromboembolism was observed. This role was further verified in patients with homocystinuria and abnormalities in vitamin B12 metabolism with general vascular damage and widespread thrombosis. Subsequently, the homocysteine theory of arteriosclerosis was formulated by McCully and Wilson in 1975. Since then, the positive association between the risk of cardiovascular disease and homocysteine levels in the general population was validated in many epidemiological studies (Boushey, et al., 1995; Verhoef, et al., 1996; Eikelboom et al., 1999; Humphrey et al., 2008). Significantly, these studies found that small increases of homocysteine levels in blood increase the risk of coronary heart disease. Another important finding was the role of diet, vitamins and folic acid in lowering h omocysteine levels. Some authors have questioned the direct homocysteine-cardiovascular disease link, basing their conclusions on a review of longitudinal, prospective studies (Kaul, Zadeh and Shah, 2006). Accordingly, the evidence is not strong enough to warrant a causal effect, the mechanisms for how homocysteine causes cardiovascular disease has not been elucidated, and that there has been no proof showing that interventions of decreasing homocysteine levels have modified the risk for atherosclerosis (Kaul, Zadeh and Shah, 2006). Moreover, homocysteine has been proposed to be a marker, and not a cause of CVD (Wierzbicki, 2007). Recent studies have proposed a mechanism on increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) due to elevated homocysteine. Inhibition of the growth of endothelial cells and promotion of vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation results in damage of vascular cells (Zou, 2007). The abnormality in the production of endothelial cells was caused by homocysteines inhibition of DNA methylation in the promoter region in the gene of an activator of the cell cycle (Jamaluddin, et al., 2007). Amino acid and focus on cysteine. 300 w All living cells contain the biomolecules proteins, carbohydrates, nucleic acids and lipids (Mathews and Van Holde, 1996; McKee and McKee, 2004). These are made up of the repeating sub-units of amino acids, sugars, nucleotides and fatty acids respectively. Cells also contain small organic molecules that are involved in complex biosynthetic and regulatory pathways that are tightly controlled at the molecular level. Amino acids are naturally occurring compounds containing an amino group, a carboxyl group, and a unique side chain or R group (Figure 1). The chemical and functional properties of an amino acid are largely determined by its R group (McKee and McKee, 2004; Mathews and Van Holde, 1996). Although there are hundreds of amino acids, only twenty have been identified to be building blocks of proteins. Among these is cysteine, which contains a sulfhydryl, or thiol (SH) in its R group (-CH2-SH) (Berg, Tymoczko and Stryer, 2002). The sulfhydryl group is very reactive and could react with another thiol group, forming disulfide bonds or sulfide bridges. These bridges are important in increasing the stability of some proteins. Two sulfhydryl moieties of two cysteine bonds can oxidize forming cystine. This commonly occurs in extracellular fluid like blood and urine. However, the solubility of cystine is very low, and in large amounts, cystine can cause kidney stones (McKee and McKee, 2004).The sulfhydryl moiety also forms weak bonds with nitrogen and oxygen. Another amino acid which contains a sulfhydryl group is methionine. Its side chain is -CH2CH2SCH3. The sulfur in methionine can form bonds with electrophiles (Berg, Tymoczko and Stryer, 2002). The methyl group (-CH3) can be activated and is involved in many reactions where just one carbon atom is being added to another compound. Cysteine is considered a non-essential amino acid because it can be synthesized de novo in both plants and animals (Figure 2). In animals, cysteine is formed from the cleavage of cystathionine through the action of ÃŽ ³-cystathionase. Cystathionine is produced when serine condenses with homocysteine that is derived from methionine (McKee and McKee, 2004). Methionine, an essential amino acid, cannot be synthesized in humans, and thus, have to be provided in the diet. Its metabolism involves homocysteine. Homocysteine structure and metabolism. 200 w Homocysteine is a non-protein amino acid and thus, it is not utilized in protein synthesis. Its structure is similar to cysteine but it has an additional carbon before the sulfhydryl moiety (R group: -CH2 -CH2 -SH). The tendency of homocysteine to form cyclic compounds may have limited its potential as a protein building block. Homocysteine is not provided in the diet, but is biosynthesized from methionine in a process involving several steps. Methionine is first adenosylated to form S-adenosyl methionine (SAM), and then the methyl group is transferred to an acceptor molecule to form S-adenosyl homocysteine (SAH) in a process called transmethylation. Adenosine is then removed thereby forming homocysteine (Figure 3) (Durand et al., 2001; Selhub J. , 1999; Marinou, et al., 2005). Transmethylation is the only pathway for producing homocysteine in the body. Homocysteine then undergoes two pathways: remethylation to methionine, and transsulfuration to produce cystathionine, cysteine, pyruvate and taurine. Remethylation requires folate and cobalamin (vitamin B12), and transsulfuration requires pyridoxine (vitamin B6). Homocystinuria results from genetic errors in the metabolic pathways (Kluijtmans, et al., 2003; Klerk, et al., 2002), but the current focus is on the more common hyperhomocysteinemia that results fr om genetic variations or nutritional inadequacy (Finkelstein and Martin, 2000). Polymorphisms in the gene methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) which catalyzes the transfer of a methyl group to homocysteine to re-form methionine have been found in many studies to increase homocysteine levels (Klerk, et al., 2002). Among the proposed effects of increased homocysteine levels resulting in CVD are oxidation of low density lipoprotein, decrease in the thrombomodulin expression inhibiting the anticoagulant pathway leading to thrombosis, platelet activation and aggregation, and smooth muscle cell proliferation (Eikelboom, et al., 1999; Jamaluddin, et al., 2007). Normal Homocysteine levels. 200 w The concentration of circulating total homocysteine (tHcy) is an accurate marker of low folate and vitamin B12. In 1999, 3563 male participants and 4523 female participants were surveyed to determine the normal blood homocysteine levels (Selhub, et al., 1999; Selhub, 1999). The survey found that homocysteine increased with age and was higher in adult males than and females. Screening of babies confirmed that homocysteine levels are higher in baby boys (Refsum, et al., 2004). It was recommended that blood homocysteine levels equal to or greater than 11.4 Â µmol/L (males) and 10.4 Â µmol/L (females) are to be considered above normal and was associated with low vitamin concentrations in two-thirds of the subjects surveyed (Selhub, et al., 1999). This verified that an assessment of homocysteinemia requires the knowledge of the health status of the patient. The degree of homocysteinemia is classified based on determination fasting levels of serum homocysteine. Currently, a plasma tHcy level of 15 Â µmol/L is considered as normal (Refsum, et al., 2004). In healthy adults with good folate and B vitamins status, the upper reference limit is 12 Â µmol/L. Accordingly, homocysteinemia is classified as moderate (15-30 Â µmol/L), intermediate (30-100 Â µmol/L) and severe (> 100 Â µmol/L). This categorization is necessary to come up with a decision regarding the treatment of the condition. Homocysteine and nutrition. 300 w Studies have shown that the enzymes regulating the metabolism of homocysteine are activated by the B vitamins and folate which can be sourced from the diet. The balance of the remethylation and transmethylation pathways are coordinated by nutritional inputs, specifically methionine (Selhub, 1999). Decreasing dietary methionine increased homocysteine remethylation, while increased methionine increased the production of cystathionine through upregulation of the transsulfuration pathway. The molecular mechanisms for the effects of dietary methionine are based on the capacity of S-adenosyl methionine SAM to inhibit methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTFHR) and activate cystathionine synthase (Selhub and Miller, 1992). Thus, when dietary methionine is high, there is a rapid conversion of methionine to SAM. The high levels of SAM promote the inhibition of MTHFR and subsequently, remethylation of homocysteine is also depressed. The pathway is channeled to the transsulfuration pathway, to produce cysteine. In opposite conditions of low dietary methionine, low SAM levels are not enough to inhibit MTFHR activity, resulting in the remethylation of homocysteine. The role of folate in homocysteine metabolism has been the subject of many research studies (Antoniades, et al., 2009; Boushey, et al., 1995; Lonn, et al., 2006). A diet that is poor in folate was also found to impair remethylation and synthesis of SAM (Miller, et al., 1994). Folate deficiency increased the concentration of tHcy and hepatic SAM concentration. Introducing dietary folate and methionine also decreased tHcy. Since vitamins and trace minerals are lost due to food processing, fortification is proposed in order to replenish the lost nutrients. Folic fortification of breakfast cereals when consumed daily was recommended to be the most effective means of decreasing serum folate (Riddell, et al., 2000). High-dose folic acid supplementation also decreased tHcy levels in cases where there is vitamin B12 deficiency (Min, 2009). However, a high methionine diet is not recommended since it can decrease body weights and HDL-cholesterol production in mice (Velez-Carrasco, Merkel and S mith, 2008). Aside from the observed effects of folic acid on reducing tHcy concentrations, folic acid is also thought to be involved in ameliorating endothelial dysfunction through its action of maintaining endothelial nitric oxide synthase in its coupled state which favors the formation of nitric oxide, and not oxygen radicals (Moens, et al., 2008). Role of Homocysteine and vitamins. 200 w The enzymes involved in metabolism of homocysteine require the participation of vitamin cofactors B6 and B12, and folic acid. The direct association between low folate, vitamin B6 and B12 status and hyperhomocysteinemia have been validated many times Hao, et al; 2007; (Hao, et al., 2007; Boushey, et al., 1995; Kluijtmans, et al., 2003; Koehler, et al., 2001). Investigations have geared towards the probability of using these vitamins in the prevention and treatment of homocysteinemia in the general population, and in those who already have cardiovascular disease. The use of multivitamins supplementation for several months improved the concentration of the B vitamins and folate acid in plasma, and decreased homocysteine and LDL cholesterol levels in 182 study participants (Earnest, Wood and Church, 2003). Similar homocysteine-lowering effects were also observed in patients with celiac disease, who have malabsorption problems, who take vitamin supplements (Hadithi, et al., 2009). However, the case for the vitamins is different in patients who already have CVD. Although the treatment of different combinations of vitamins B6, B12 and folic acid of patients with coronary artery disease resulted in a 30% reduction of tHcy one year after receiving vitamin B12 and folic acid, follow-up measurements of homocysteine levels showed that the vitamin supplementation did not significantly affect the total cardiovascular events (Ebbing, et al., 2008). Thus, the findings do not support the use these vitamins for secondary prevention of coronary artery disease. The Norwegian Vitamin Trial (NORVIT) also found that vitamin supplementation did not reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease recurrence after a heart attack (BÃ ¸naa, et al., 2006). Moreover, preliminary results of the NORVIT suggested that the B vitamin treatment increased risk of cancer, and that such treatment should not be given. Role of Homocysteine in atherosclerosis. 500w Many studies since the 1960s have validated the relationship between hyperhomocysteinemia and risk of atherosclerosis (Eikelboom, et al., 1999). Severe hyperhomocysteinemia (homocysteine levels greater than 100 Â µmol/L) can be caused by several inherited genetic disorders. Foremost among the disorders are mutations in the gene encoding for the major transsulfuration enzyme cystathionine ÃŽ ²-synthase, remethylation enzymes methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase, methionine synthase in the methionine cycle, or defects in vitamin B12 metabolism (Finkelstein, 1998; Kraus, 1998). These genetic conditions lead to extreme elevations of plasma homocysteine and early atherothrombotic disease, where the typical pathologic features of endothelial injury, vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation, and progressive arterial stenosis are observed. While these genetic errors in metabolism are rare, they gave researchers a model for studying cardiovascular injury that was associated with high homocys teine levels. The clinical and pathologic features observed under the conditions of homocystinuria resulted in the homocysteine theory of atherosclerosis that declared high plasma homocysteine concentrations to be responsible for vascular damage. Results of individual studies and meta-analysis have come up with support for the homocysteine theory of atherosclerosis. However, there are still controversy over whether homocysteinemia causes CVD or vice versa, or is it that homocysteinemia is just a marker or indicator of CVD. Mounting evidence for the causal effect of homocysteine was backed up by basic and cellular studies which utilized advanced molecular and genetic techniques. Early studies infer that homocysteine damages the endothelial cells lining the blood vessels and increase the production of vascular smooth muscle (Berg, Tymoczko and Stryer, 2002). From a pathophysiologic point of view, homocysteinemia is associated with increased oxidative stress in the cells, and development of thrombosis (Tyagi, et al., 2005), impaired endothelial function (Stuhlinger, et al., 2001) and the activation of inflammatory pathways that are sensitive to changes in cellular redox states (Weiss, et al., 2003). It was originally proposed that homocysteinemia promotes the accumulation of S-adenosyl homocysteine, a potent inhibitor of cellular DNA methylation (Zou, 2007). The hypomethylation of DNA could affect promoter activity resulting in remodelling of chromatin and changes in the transcription of certain genes. However, it was found that In the case of homocysteinemia, increased tHcy levels cause the hypomethylation of DNA promoter region of the cyclin A gene (Jamaluddin, et al., 2007; Zou, 2007). Cyclin A protein is a sub-unit of cyclin-dependent kinases (CDK) that activates CDK during the cell cycle. In the presence of high tHcy concentration, methylation was inhibited at two CpG sites in the cyclin A promoter, resulting in a 6-fold increase in promoter activity, and therefore increased proliferation of endothelial cells. Homocysteine directly inhibited the activity of DNA methyltransferase I (DNMT1) by 30% (Jamaluddin, et al., 2007). Furthermore, homocysteine reduced binding of methyl CpG binding protein 2, while it also increased the binding of cyclin A promoter to histones H3 and H4 which led to chromatin remodelling. Review methods of analysing homocysteine and differences between measurements. 2800 w Total homocysteine, tHcy, is the sum of all chemical species of homocysteine that is present in the blood (Figure 4) (Ueland, et al., 1993; Refsum, et al., 2004). As mentioned earlier, only a small portion of the tHcy comes from free homocysteine, a large portion comes from mixed disulfides and protein-bound homocysteine. All the assays used to quantify tHcy cleave and convert all these forms into a single species by adding a reducing agent, therefore what is measured is the reduced form. Blood for homocysteine determination is collected in tubes. If plasma homocysteine is to be measured, the tube contains anticoagulants like EDTA, heparin or sodium citrate. If serum homocysteine levels are to be determined, then the samples are allowed to coagulate, which takes thirty minutes and not more, to reduce the risk of increased homocysteine levels coming from the cellular fraction of blood (comprised of red blood cells and platelets). Increased release of tHcy from cells also makes it necessary to centrifuge and separate blood components within 30 minutes of collection. Centrifugation time and speed are relatively low (5 min and 300g respectively, for example) and is performed at 4Â ° C. The supernatant (serum/ plasma fraction) that is collected may be analyzed immediately, or stored for 2-3 weeks in the refrigerator or frozen for 2-3 months (Homocysteine, 2008). It is possible to store the samples once processed because the homocysteine levels have been shown to be stable after separation of plasma/serum from the cellular fraction (Refsum, et al., 2004). There are reports showing that tHcy in serum can remain stable for several years if stored at -70 Â °C. Scheme for the steps followed in the determination of total homocysteine from blood serum or plasma. (Hcy-SR, Hcy-mixed disulfide; EC, electrochemical detection; LC, liquid chromatography; CE-LIF, capillary electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence detection; Ab, antibody; EIA, enzyme immunoassay; FPIA, fluorescence polarization immunoassay; MS-MS, tandem mass spectrometry). Figure from Refsum et al., 2004. The first step is to generate free homocysteine by chemical reduction of disulfide bonds using dithioethritol, sodium borohydride, n-tributyl phosphine, 2-mercaptoethanol and phosphine tris (2-carboxyethyl) phosphine, which is water-soluble (Jacobsen, 1998). After the reduction, homocysteine is separated from the cysteine, glutathione and cysteinylglycine, low molecular weight thiols, by HPLC. Homocysteine can also be derivatized for gas chromatography determination/ HPLC or subjected to immunoassay (Jacobsen, 1998; Refsum, et al., 2004). The development of the methodologies for determining total homocysteine started in the 1980s. There are many variants of the methodologies, but they can be categorized into three general methodologies: (1) chromatographic, (2) enzyme immunoassays and, (3) enzyme cycling. Chromatographic methods The earliest methods used were the chromatographic methods, of which high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) is more used compared to gas chromatography (GC). Variations in the methodology include the combination of liquid chromatography (LC) with mass spectrometry (MS) and GC with MS. The equipment and the skill requirements for these techniques have limited their use mainly in research laboratories. In the HPLC method, the reduced samples are deproteinated and then directly separated on an ion exchange column. The separated homocysteine molecules undergo derivatization with ninhydrin (a chromophore for colorimetric quantification), or fluorescent compounds (e.g. fluorescamine, SBD-F). Alternatively, the reduced homocysteine molecules are first derivatized before separation through reversed-phase HPLC. 6-Aminoquinolyl-n-hydroxylsuccinimidyl carbamate (AQC) is a fluorophore that gives higher sensitivity when used to derivatize cystathionine and homocysteine (Seo, 2005).The derivatized samples are then passed through an ion exchange column. The length of time that it takes for the sample to go through the column is called the retention time. The samples leaving the column pass through a detector, which could be a UV absorbance detector (spectrophotometer), a fluorescence detector or a mass spectrometer which is a powerful detector. The detectors quantify the samples, and send signa ls to a recorder which produces the chromatogram, where quantities can be seen as peaks. An internal standard of known quantity is used in the determination of the actual quantity of the sample. Normally, the internal standard should have a retention time that is the same as homocysteine. Internal standards are added to the sample tubes and derivatized together with the reduced homocysteine. To quantify homocysteine, the tHcy peak area is compared with the peak area of the standard eluted at the same retention time. Although there are many advancements in the HPLC technology, tHcy quantification using this method is relatively slow, time-consuming, requires very careful sample preparation and handling, and skilled technicians. Sample pre-treatment requires 30-60 minutes, while an HPLC run takes 10-30 minutes. Samples are run sequentially, which makes HPLC not suitable for high throughput determinations. Some laboratories use gas chromatography or gas chromatography with mass spectrometry to get more sensitive results. The principles behind GC and HPLC determination are similar, except that in GC, the samples are vaporized and passed through a gas before elution from a column. Similar to HPLC, GC is also more time-consuming compared to other methods. Homocysteine of dried blood samples have been determined using reversed phase HPLC (Bowron, et al., 2005). In this technique, blood samples were collected in tubes that contain potassium EDTA. After mixing gently, the blood was spotted on filter paper cards that are used in standard neonatal screening. The cards were air-dried and stored at room temperature until analysis. Six-mm discs of the cards were punched out, and incubated in tubes with an internal standard and a deproteinization agent. The produced thiols were then derivatized for fluorescent detection, and separated by reversed phase HPLC. The resulting measurements showed that the method was linear up to a homocysteine concentration of 140 Â µmol/L, in comparison with HPLC of plasma homocysteine which showed a linearity up to 200 Â µmol/L. The coefficient of variation within a batch of measurement was 5% and within batches was 8%. HPLC of plasma samples was only 1% within batch and 4% between batches. Storage of the dried blood sample spots for more than 24 hours in room temperature decreased the homocysteine concentration, probably due to the hemolysis of whole blood during drying. The hemolysis could have been accompanied by the denaturation of enzymes that release homocysteine from blood cells. Overall, although the use of dried blood samples offers flexibility in sampling and storage, the assay had lower precision compared to HPLC. It may not be able to quantify dried blood homocysteine in newborns because its lower limit of detection is above the levels that some healthy neonates have. The method can be used in the detection of homocysteinuria. A more rapid protocol for tHcy measurement is liquid chromatography electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) (Gempel, et al., 2000). It removes the derivatization step and can perform 400 analyses daily. Blood samples are applied to filter cards that are used for neonatal homocysteine screening. The cards are incubated in the presence of a reducing agent and a deuterated internal standard. The tHcy is then extracted in an acetonitrile solution and loaded on a cyano column. Eluates are ionized with an ion spray device before passing through a mass spectrometer. The procedure makes use of an autosampler, which hastens the analysis. The advantage of the method is the removal of the derivatization step, because the mass spectrum is determined directly. Impurities of the samples are removed by passing them through the cyano column. Since the procedure takes only 3 minutes to finish 1 sample, more samples can be processed in less time compared to HPLC (Gempel, et al., 20 00). An innovation in a high throughput liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method is the use of a 96-well plate format that skips precipitation, centrifugation and derivatization. Plasma samples, calibrator and control were mixed well in 96-well plates. From each well, an aliquot was transferred to another plate with sodium hydroxide solution (diluent) and dithioethritol (or another suitable reductant). After thorough shaking and a short incubation period, the plate was placed in the autosampler for LC-MS/MS analysis. Comparison of the results with those obtained by HPLC showed that the LC-MS/MS method gave consistently higher homocysteine readings, which was attributed to the use of different standards by the two methods. The biggest advantage of the new method over HPLC was the expense, because LC-MS/MS reduced the costs for material and manpower by more than 50% (Arndt, et al., 2004). Enzyme Immunoassay The immunoassay-based tests for homocysteine were developed in the 1990s. Most assays employ a mouse monoclonal antibody against S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH), which is formed when adenosine and S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase are added to reduced total homocysteine of the plasma/serum sample. The earliest report on the procedure involved the use of flouresceinated SAH as tracer. This method is fluorescent polarization immunoassay or FPIA. After SAH is generated, it is mixed with a fluorescein-tagged SAH. The mixture is coated onto a microtiter plate, then made to bind with mouse anti-SAH (Figure 6). When antibody-SAH bind, the changes in fluorescent polarization of the SAH-tracer are detected and serve as basis for the quantification after a standard curve of known homocysteine calibrators is constructed (Shipchandler and Moore, 1995). The newer versions of enzyme immunoassays were performed on microtiter plates and used the formation of colored complexes to measure absorbance which was used as the basis of the quantification (Figure 7) (Frantzen, et al., 1998). After the conversion of reduced tHcy to SAH, another enzyme is added to the mixture to hydrolyze the excess adenosine. After reaction with a monoclonal anti-SAH antibody, a specific anti-mouse-antibody is added, which forms a colored product that can be detected spectrophotometrically for quantification. The immunoassays are simpler to perform compared to chromatography because they do away with the derivatization step and the expensive equipment needed in chromatographic separation. The method has been proven to be rapid and precise. The coefficient of variation between and within assay is 8% and less than 6% respectively, and the results also correlated well with those obtained using HPLC. The advantage of the immunoassay over HPLC is speed and ease of determination (Frantzen, et al., 1998). Many samples can be run simultaneously on several microtiter plates, which make the immunoassay ideal for routine screening. Furthermore, the technique can be and has been fully automated using robotics technology, and is highly flexible and can be used on different analytical platforms. Other similar imunoassays have been developed. In a variant of the assay, recombinant homocysteine lyase, converts homocysteine into ÃŽ ±-ketoglutarate, with the evolution of ammonia and H2S (Tan, et al., 2000). A second reaction reacts H2S with N,N-Dibutylphenylene diamine (DBPDA) resulting in the formation of form 3,7-bis(dibutyl amino)phenothiazine-5-ium chloride, a highly fluorescent compound. Both highly purified recombinant homocysteine lyase and DBPDA were synthesized in the authors laboratory, which somehow limits the utility of the procedure because their production requires skill and specialized equipment. Another assay utilizes the recombinant enzyme, methionine ÃŽ ³-lyase, and the commercially available fluorophore N,N-diethyl-p-phenylenediamine (Chan, et al., 2005). The rest of the procedure is similar to that used in typical immunoassays. The method can be used in an automated analyzer or manually, which makes it ideal for laboratories that cannot afford the expensive automated analyzers. Although the recombinant enzyme was purified only from a crude extract of E. coli, the results compared well with those that were obtained using HPLC. These results showed that the need for tedious and careful purification procedures can be removed. However, a main drawback was the non-specificity of the enzyme for homocysteine; it also reacts, although with less specificity, with cysteine which is present in larger amounts than homocysteine in the plasma. Thus, the use of pure homocysteine as calibrator is not suitable for the assay. Instead, the recommendation is to use pooled plasma as the cali brator, but this requires the determination of the tHcy by HPLC, which complicates the procedures for small laboratories who do not have access to HPLC equipment. Moreover, the precision of the procedure is also lowered if samples are diluted, because this also reduces the amount of cysteine in the sample relative to its concentration the calibrators. The presence of cysteine is also the cause for the lower sensitivity of this assay, because at lower tHcy levels the background fluorescence due to cysteine is amplified (Chan, et al., 2005). Enzyme cycling The most recent method for tHcy determination is the enzyme cycling method which amplifies the detection signal to improve the sensitivity of the detection (Figure 8) (Dou, et al., 2005). Similar to the previous methodologies, all protein-bound and oxidized forms of homocysteine are first reduced to free homocysteine. Next, methionine and S-adenosyl homocysteine (SAH) are formed from the methylation of free tHcy by the action of the enzyme homocysteine methyltransferase with S-adenosyl methionine as methyl donor or co-substrate. The SAH so formed comes from SAM and the transmethylation reaction, and not from the free homocysteine molecules. Upon formation, SAH is hydrolyzed immediately to homocysteine and adenosine by SAH hydrolase. The homocysteine originating from SAM enters the homocysteine transmethylation reaction catalyzed by homocysteine methyltransferase to form homocysteine and methionine again, resulting in an enzymatic cycle and an increase in detection signals. The reacti ons caus

An Indivisible Peace

It is very inevitable that somewhere in our lives, we have been touched by a special bond called â€Å"friendship†.   That special bond might happen in the most unusual time and place. It might even be connected not just with love, but also with envy and selfishness.A Separate Peace is a timeless novel which depicts a tale of two best friends named Gene and Finny or Phineas who are both away from their homes to attend boarding school during World War II. Since both of them are experiencing the same hardships, pressures and turmoils that come with boarding school, they both create a unique bond and help each other survive tough times. They help each other develop independence and courage while trapped in a boarding school that's full of distressing things.The plot revolves around Devon School which is said to be the most beautiful school in New England because it helps its male students master both scholarly and athletic facets of their lives. Devon School is a boarding schoo l which has an atmosphere of privileged students.The students who are accepted in Devon both possess class and money. It is very usual that a school is just a place for educational achievements and at the same time, personality growth. But Devon isn't just an ordinary   institution for it's a place wherein the boys get the chance to be carefree without worrying about their reputations being ruined.The novel is set on World War II, a very crucial point for the boys because it is the time wherein they'll choose which certain military branch will they enlist in. The boys aren't really forced to enlist in the military but during that time, being involved in the war is truly a great status symbol for it proves the courage of a man. Both Gene and Finny possess contrasting personalities.Gene is a man who excels in his academic and on the other hand, Finny is excellent in sports. The state of being a pacifist also lies in Finny's nature. Although Gene's character isn't that bad, it is Fin ny who   is well-adored by their teachers and schoolmates. He doesn't have enemies and a lot of people look up to him and want to be in his shoes for his extraordinary skills in sports. Gene is the type of man who runs rebellious things inside his head. When they both go to the beach, Finny told Gene that they're now â€Å"best pals† but Gene doesn't respond for a darkness in his heart is already accummulating.He is doubtful of Finny's â€Å"pure† character. He believes that Finny is just showing his sincere side because he is deeply jealous with him and his achievements and that he wants to sabotage him. Since Finny is not doing well academically, Gene doubts that Finny wants to destroy him academically by diverting his attention. With this in mind, Gene decides to get even with Finny. Gene even mentions that â€Å"[Finny] could get away with anything. I couldn't help envying him that a little, which was perfectly normal. There was no harm in envying even your best friend a little.† (Knowles 18).But what Gene thought isn't harmful turns out to be a very critical situation. Gene's grudge towards Finny is unbearable that's why while jumping on a tree during a summer day, he intentionally shook the tree which causes Finny to lose his balance and fall drastically.Although Finny already has a doubt that Gene intentionally did it, he never seriously thinks about it for he believes that his best friend cannot do it. Finny's leg become broken which disabled to him to play sports again. He somehow loses his self-confidence knowing the fact that he cannot engage himself with the one thing he's passionate with which is sports.He returns to Devon in crutches and in a pitiful state, but he never bears a grudge in his heart. Both he and Gene develops their bond more stronger. They willingly share each other's skills. Gene tutors Finny in his academic subjects while Finny teaches Gene about the foundations, tactics and techniques of sports.For a while , they forget about the war in which they are pressured to enlist to. Time comes wherein Gene is put in a mock trial for someone suspects that he's the cause of Finny's injury. Finny then realizes that his best friend actually knocked him off the tree. Fifteen years later, Finny knocked himself again off a marble staircase which causes his recovering leg to become worse again.Gene's conscience undoubtedly bothers him so in the infirmary, he visits Finny and asks for forgiveness for the monstrous crime that he has committed. Finny unconditionally accepts his plea for forgiveness and assures him that nothing will change between them. Finny dies and although Gene is shocked about his death, he still continues to enlist in the Navy. Gene then realizes the misery that he created out of his dark and jealous heart and decides to change his view of the world.The central focus of the heartwarming novel is to depict that each individual in the world is longing for his own separate peace and w ill do anything to attain it. Each individual has his own way of achieving his separate peace. In Gene's case, he attained his separate peace by knocking off Finny in the tree.Gene fears that his bestfriend will sabotage and betray him that's why he chooses to get even with him. Although he doesn't have a concrete evidence that Finny is really set to destroy him, he still continues his plan and thus, satisfying himself with Finny's downfall. Looking at Finny's case, his separate peace is to detach himself from the war and so he uses his excellence in sports to get away from the enlistment. The characters of the novel both have fears that's why they create their own defense mechanisms to hide the truth that is driving their lives.During those times, the boys in Devon also act in conformity. They do things which they think would be acceptable with their friends. Instead of listening to what their hearts really want, they listen to what their friends must say about what is acceptable a nd what is not. Of all the schoolboys, Finny is the only one who enjoys his life using his own standards. His kind-hearted and genuine character sets him apart from his friends including Gene. Finny follows everything that his heart dictates and he always sees that the things that he's doing is a heartwarming reflection of his love for life.A Separate Peace is beautifully woven to show the evils that are lurking inside a human's heart. It depicts that a human has fears and insecurities which cause him to release his â€Å"dark† and â€Å"flawed† side. On the lighter side, it is truly humbling to know that not all humans are indeed evil for there exist some who's love and light for life overpower the evil and greed of human hearts.It's clearly demonstrated in Finny's tale who has always been loving and pure. He forgives his best friend and shows him that it's never too late to change and open up his heart to the world.   Finny's sincere character was proven when he sa id to Gene: â€Å"It was just some kind of blind impulse you had in the tree there . It wasn't anything you really felt against me, it wasn't some kind of hate you've felt all along. It wasn't anything personal.When Finny dies, Gene is left to realize how his conceit killed his best friend. It's a tough time for Gene but he later gives forgiveness to himself and   moves on with his life using a sadder yet wiser perspective. He even recalls his best friend in a heartbeaking way:   â€Å"During the time I was with him, Phineas created an atmosphere in which I continued now to live, a way of sizing up the world with erratic and entirely personal reservations, letting its rocklike facts sift through and be accepted only a little at a time, only as much as he could assimilate without a sense of chaos and loss.No one else I have ever met could do this†¦.When [others] began to feel that there was this overwhelmingly hostile thing in the world with them, then the simplicity and u nity of their characters broke and they were not the same again.† (Knowles 194)A Separate Peace not only chronicles a tale of two best friends but it also has a historical context that lies beneath its story. It is known that the novel was first published in England in 1959, but it doesn't actually mean that the time of the novel is 1959. The novel focuses on the early 1940s wherein United States had proclaimed its participation in World War II. Aside from the country's participation, World War II brought out enormoue valor and patriotism in each citizen's heart.Even though some of them are not actually engaged in combat, each citizen felt When A Separate Peace was first published in the United States in 1960, the Korean War had been over for approximately seven years. Also at that time, the country's participation in Vietnam War had not yet heightened to greater proportions. The United States made it compulsary for men to enroll in the military particularly the draft which is the U.S.'s role in Vietnam in the early 1960s.A small protest happened to diminish the compulsory participation but in the end, the young antiwar protesters were forced to respond by burning their draft notices.It was also in 1960s where the youngest president of United States, John F. Kennedy, was elected. At the age of forty-three, he had defeated Vice President Richard M. Nixon. During Kenndy's term, the population was hugely comprised of adolescents and by the time they have reached college, they greatly became a dominant part of American politics and culture. They have started to doubt and question the authority of their parents' generation. In line with their scrutiny, they have also started to search their own meaning of identity which was also reflected in the novel through Gene's search of his individuality.By the end of 1960s, A Separate Peace   already praised by a wide array of conservative critics. The novel was praised in various ways. Some critics find the book's a ntiwar sentiments very moving, accurate and timely while some deeply admire the book's moral lessons especially the part wherein it showed that a sin's redemption is still possible no matter how great a sin can be.A Separate Peace is not only hailed for its moving historical contexts, but also because itemulates several valuable themes such as war, rivalry, guilt and friendship. On a certain level, the novel emulates the war topic for it concentrates the huge impact World War II has created on the male adolescents.The novel focuses on the dificulty the young men are facing with their decisions about the war. Most of them are in the verge of deciding whether to enlist themselves in the war. Some of them are even preoccupied with the thoughts of their tentative acceptance on their desired military branch.The Word War II caused great implications on Gene's generations especially the fact that most of their young teachers are away to do war-related jobs. Thus, most of the teachers left to instruct them were men between the ages of fifty and seventy. Since a huge age discrepancy lies between them, the teachers cannot directly relate with the students' mind. The students' bond immediately intensified.It is also very evident that the existence of rivalry is very dominant in the novel. All the students in Devon do their best to fit in with the â€Å"society† their friends have created.   If not trying to fit in, some of them are doing implicit things to get even with their friends. It is well portrayed in Gene and Finny's frienship wherein Gene does his best to exceed Finny.Guilt is also a very domineering theme in the novel. In the end, Gene realizes that he's living in his self-contained world which is filled with hatred and disgust for others particulary his best friend Finny.Of the mentioned themes, friendship stands out most for it is the root of everything. It depicts that friendship doesn't just curtain all the good things, but underneath the relations hip lies hidden desires and envy.Gene's experience with Finny depicts to the readers that harbouring false motives towards other people can lead to disastrous things. He also shows that it is impossible for an individual to create complete peace in his heart until he confronts the evil in his heart and let the light shine through it.He realizes that  Ã‚   â€Å"wars were not made by generations and their special stupidities, but that wars were made instead by something ignorant in the human heart.†Ã‚   It's a compelling fact that Gene is able to acknowledge that the real enemy lies within himself. He admits that his false attitude is the cause of the corruption of his entire character .The novel ends with the portrayal that â€Å"separate peace† can only be achieved when an individual learns how to fight his personal evils. What's good in this tale is that it clearly demonstrates that no matter how impure a human's heart is, there's still a chance for him to change a nd put things in its right places.Works CitedBryant, Hallman Bell. A Separate Peace: The War Within. Twayne Publishers: Boston, 1990.Knowles, John. A Separate Peace. Bantam Books: New York, 1959.McDougal-Littell. â€Å"Author Spotlight: John Knowles.† Available online at: http://www.mcdougallittell.com/lit/guest/knowles/

Medical Cannabis Should be Legal Essay - 1657 Words

In society today, many people look for a feeling of freedom, Many people go on vacation and spend money. The most common gateway for people is drug.Our American society is facing a tremendous drug problem. In order to eradicate the drug problem, a public debate is going on to find some solutions to this drug dilemma. It has been highly controversial issue whether drugs such as marijuana should be legalized or not. Some people advocate this issue and believe that legalization is the only solution left for the nation while other oppose because it will increase the numbers of drug users and drug related crimes.Marijuana is a drug that is legal in the United States.This drug is bad and cause some side effect to your brain and body.Scientists†¦show more content†¦However, drug use is a matter of supply and demand. As Bakalar as demand exists, someone is going to supply it, either legally or illegally. Supporters of legalization believe that if government regulates drugs such as cocaine and marijuana by imposing taxes, then the black market will be eliminated (Bakalar). nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;However, the higher the tax rate, the higher the price of the drugs, and not many users gangs who sell marijuana and cocaine under the market price. In addiction, children and teenagers will be obviously banned from purchasing marijuana and cocaine. Hence, legalization will encourage a growing criminal black market. The main benefit of marijuana legalization can be in medicine and will give patients with severe and dangerous disease a new and effective medicine to help them, Yes, marijuana can help in medicine. â€Å" Marijuana is one of the safest therapeutically active substances known.† One of marijuana’s greatest advantages as a medicine is its remarkable safety. It has little effect on major physiological functions. Marijuana is also far less addictive and far less subject to abuse than many drugs†. Marijuana as medicine has been studied for many years. In some cultures, it is already used as medicine(Synder). There are many good uses for marijuana to be used as medicine, which will be discussed. The problem is that in order to be used in the United StatesShow MoreRelatedShould Medical Marijuana Be Legal?1249 Words   |  5 PagesMarch 1, 2017 Medical Marijuana Informative Unless you ve been living under a rock, you have probably at some point in the last few years had a conversation with a friend or family member regarding medical marijuana. Although it is considered a controversial topic, in recent months it has been gaining approval by the public. But it does not come without opposition and arguments. Medical marijuana is a complex subject and still requires more education for the public, the medical community, and theRead MoreMarijuana Should Be Legal For Medicinal Purposes924 Words   |  4 PagesMarijuana Should Be Legal for Medicinal Purposes You may be surprised, but there are many benefits to medical marijuana. Marijuana should only be legal for medicinal conditions because of the benefits to treat diseases and symptoms. The medical conditions would be inflammation, brain injury, etc... Marijuana should be legalized as it’s been recommended by the doctor for the dosage because it is good for other medical conditions such as chronic pain, brain injury, inflammation, and other symptomsRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized?1269 Words   |  6 PagesResearch Paper 14 April 2015 Legalizing Marijuana Marijuana is most commercialized drug in the world, so why not just legalize it? Although there are legal restraints against marijuana, 1 in 3 Americans have tried it, out of curiosity at least once. Multiple studies have proven that, marijuana is psychologically and physically healing. Medical marijuana should be legalized for its beneficial advantages, such as, treating or preventing health conditions, increases in tax revenues, and improvements in ourRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized?1200 Words   |  5 PagesFirst, cannabis should be legalized since it has a lot of unique medical uses, and its legalization provides another avenue of medicine and improves health service standards overall. Commonly, cannabis is prescribed to help with chronic pain. Restricting the use of cannabis would be a huge and unnecessary disadvantage to people who are suffering from the diseases that could use cannabis as treatment. For example, cannabis has been used as an alternative to more conventi onal medicines in the caseRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legal? Essay1304 Words   |  6 Pages Cannabis commonly known as â€Å"weed† or â€Å"marijuana† has been around since the early 2700 B.C. for medicinal purposes. Now and days cannabis has more uses than medicinal reasonings, people use it as a drug and as a product to sell. Studies states that weed has no negative impact to the human body, unlike alcohol which causes brain damage, and serious mental health problems within short and long term useage but, yet it is legal. That brings up the question â€Å"why not legalize cannabis?† With the legalizationRead MoreCannabis: Legal or Illegal? Essay examples888 Words   |  4 Pagescontroversy in the United States about the legalization of Medical Cannabis. Many people oppose to the medication and many people or for legalizing this medication due to the fact that to many citizens this form of medication is better than prescription medications. The legalization of Cannabis has cured many people’s sickness’s or pains that occur in their eve ryday life and solved many of their problems brought from day to day. Legalizing cannabis is the best way to get rid of criminals on the streetRead MoreThe Legalization Of Medicinal Marijuana1382 Words   |  6 PagesVictorian Government s Access to Medicinal Cannabis Bill 2015 (12th April 2016) and passed by the Victorian Parliament. This is the beginning of â€Å"the process of enabling patients to access medicinal cannabis.† In spite of this forward move, the debate still rages. There are valid and significant stances about whether marijuana should be legalised for medicinal purposes. Marijuana, better known as â€Å"cannabis†, is a psychotropic drug. Medicinal cannabis is known to have 400 chemicals, and these chemicalsRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized?958 Words   |  4 Pages Cannabis is a drug nearly as popular as alcohol and is usually smoken with tobacco or eaten. In many countries, possession and use of cannabis, also commonly known as marijuana is c onsidered illegal. Nevertheless, today, some countries have legalized cannabis while other countries have not. In particular, small quantities of cannabis have been allowed in regions such as Europe, North America and South America (Gardner and Anderson,2012). Moreover, in the United States, states such as WashingtonRead MoreDrug Drugs And The New Zealand Party Scene1723 Words   |  7 PagesPHARM111G Drugs Society Assignment 2: Legal Highs Pre 2008 Legal Highs were the crux of the New Zealand party scene. Legal highs like Party Pills and Synthetic cannabis have since been reclassified as class C drugs and have been pulled off the shelves of all retailers in New Zealand. Since the psychoactive substances act 2013 there has always been the looming suspicion that the drugs will make their way back onto the shelves, by bending their way around the law or in the underground scene. TheRead MoreShould Medical Marijuana Be Legalized?967 Words   |  4 Pagesout whether to legalize or not is medical and recreational marijuana. Many look at cannabis or marijuana as a gateway drug and many look at it as another tobacco product. I personally don’t see marijuana as a bad thing for the states to legalize. People look down on marijuana because of it only being legal in 4 states and the fact of it being a drug. If they look into the facts that s spoken in this essay of the substance it can be positive in many ways. Medical mar ijuana can be positive to our hospitals