American Beech, a Top 100 Common Tree in North America

How Music Has An Effect On The Human Brain - 1561 Words

Donald A. Hodges and Robin W. Wilkins, two professors of music education at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro have done research and wrote about their findings as it relates to how and why music has an effect on the human brain, in an article entitled How and Why Does Music Move Us?: Answers from Psychology and Neuroscience. In the article they go over the technique used to examine the brain’s interconnectivity as people listen to music. This technique is called Network Science. They write, Researchers have discovered which parts of the brain are active during a variety of musical tasks, such as listening to or performing brief excerpts. They have learned that everyone has the possibility of meaningful musical experiences and†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"Relevant to the effects of music, I want to describe the Default Mode Network—DMN for short. The DMN is a set of interconnected regions in the brain that becomes less active when you are paying outw ard attention to something but is more engaged when you are focusing inward, such as during introspection or mindwandering. Neuroscientists often call it ‘the resting state.’ We think that people move in and out of the resting state throughout the day. For example, maybe one minute your mind is adrift and you’re reflecting on your life and feeling overwhelmingly grateful or perhaps the opposite, a sense of profound loss. While your mind is wandering, you may suddenly in the next minute have to redirect your attention to an external task. The DMN emerges in infancy and continues to develop throughout the life span. It supports levels of consciousness or awareness, and in the case of self-awareness, the DMN is involved in the reprocessing of autobiographical memories and self-relevant emotions. This experience is something I like to think of as ‘mulling over.’ It is also active while one ruminates on hopes and dreams. The DMN is thought to help us imag ine or understand the feeling states of others. Support for these ideas

Chagas Disease in Chile-Free-Sample for Students-Myassignment

Question: Choose a particular tropical disease or Condition which is associated with significant morbidity and mortality in a least one tropical and developing country, and apply principles for prevention and control to this disease. Answer: Ecology and Epidemiology of Chagas Disease Chagas disease is the tropical disease that has been selected for this assignment. Chagas disease is caused by species of triatomine vectors. In Chile, there are several species of triatomine including T. infestans, M. spinolai, M. parapatrica and M. gajardo (1). The primary sylavitic species is the M. spinolai. M. spinolai is found in rocky places although it has been reported in terrestrial habitats. It has also been found in peridomestic ecotopes and might also get into houses. This species usually feeds on human blood. Although M. spinolai is the primary vector of transmission, T. infestans is the most effective vector. There are however key differences in the behavior of these two species. The alimentary profile of these two species is another point of difference between the two main vectors which transmit Chagas disease. M. spinolai bites in a shorter time compared to T. infestans. On the other hand, T. infestans bites for a longer duration, and even the defecation does not del ay. T. infestans is found in several habitats such as sylvatic environments and rock piles (1). These are the environments associated with endemic terrestrial. T. infestans is occasionally found in human habitats. The dominant vector for the transmission of Chagas disease is T. cruzi. This vector is important in the transmission of the disease to humans. However, other methods of transmission have been identified. Congenital transmission and blood transfusion are some of the most significant means of transmission (2). Other routes of transmission such oral transmission have been characterized. Due to these transmission methods, most control methods have failed. Studies suggest the characterization of the dynamics of the T. cruzi to understand the efficacy of the control mechanisms (3). infestans is intently linked to peridomestic as well as domestic structures. This species is successful because of its capacity to utilize the accessible materials in human surroundings effectively. The distribution of the species can be explained by the variation in environmental resources. The existence of T. infestans in multiple environments other than human dwellings indicates that there are sufficient resources for the vector to survive (1). In most cases, the growth of the vector is influenced by temperature even though the climate is not the sole factor that affects its population. In Chile, Chagas disease is very prevalent in the northern area. The incidence of Chagas disease in Chile is 3 to 11 per 100000 citizens while the mortality rate is 0.3 t0 0.4 per 100000 individuals (4). This prevalence insinuates that most inhabitants are still affected by the disease. Nevertheless, in 1999 the country was pronounced free of T. cruzi the vector that transmits Chagas disease (5). The introduction of control initiatives has led to the reduction of the vector in Chile. Global burden of disease Currently, approximately 5 to 18 million individuals are infected by the Chagas disease. About 10,000 people die each year as a result of the Chagas disease. The burden of the disease is even expected to increase significantly in next decade. It is even estimated that 20 to 30 percent of patients will face severe heart Chagas disease in the next decade (6). Chagas disease is also prevalent in Australia. In 2011, there were about 1928 infections in the country, which insinuates that Chagas disease is becoming a burden in Australia (7). Approximately, 300,000 individuals who have been infected with the Chagas disease live in the U.S. The rate of transmission of T. cruzi in the U.S. is however unknown. The prevalence of chagasic heart infection in the U.S. has also not been characterized (8). The vector has been found to be endemic in America. Chagas disease is a significant burden in Brazil. Recent studies show that the mortality rate linked to the disease is decreasing at a slow rate. The death rate associated with Chagas disease decreased from 3.4 percent in 2000 to 2.3 percent in 2010. This study indicates that 85.9 percent of the deaths occurred in men aged over 60 years. Most of these deaths occurred due to cardiac involvement (9). Chagas disease is a major burden to various parts of the world. Latin America specifically experiences a significant disease burden. In the past few years, the burden of Chagas disease in U.S., Pacific region, and Europe has been increasing substantial (10). The individuals who are infected with T. Cruzi in these regions might develop various conditions such as digestive tract infections or fatal cardiomyopathy. One study found that Latin American migrants have higher chances of being infected by the Chagas disease. In Latin America, there are endemic and non-endemic settings. The international economic burden of Chagas is high. Huge resources are used in the management of the Chagas disease. One study used Markov model to determine the economic burden of Chagas disease. It was found that infected persons spend about $474 to manage their condition annually. The lifetime expenditure on the management of the Chagas disease is $3456. About 10 percent of the total expenditure in the management of Chagas disease originates in Canada and the U.S. alone (11). Principles of prevention and control There are three principles for preventing and controlling the Chagas disease. The first principle is inhibiting the transmission of the disease. Transmission of the Chagas disease is interrupted by eradicating domestic vectors. The second principle is screening donated blood to minimize the chances of infecting another patient. The final principle is promoting maternal screening for infections. Newborns who test positive for the Chagas disease are exposed to treatments where needed (12). Eco-bio-social interventions have been applied in the control of T. Cruz in Chile, Mexico, Guatemala, and Bolivia. Plastering of mud houses and improved hygiene helped to reduce the infestation of Triatoma infestations in Bolivia. Window screens were used to minimize the infestation of the vector in Mexico. Another effective control and prevention principle is blanket insecticide spraying. This kind of control program has proved successful in Cochabamba (13). Since the Chagas disease is increasingly becoming a public health problem, more diagnostic tools, as well as surveillance programs, will be developed. References Hernndez J, Nez I, Bacigalupo A, Cattan PE. Modeling the spatial distribution of Chagas disease vectors using environmental variables and peoples knowledge. International Journal of Health Geographics. 2013 March; 12(29). Kirchhoff LV. Epidemiology of American trypanosomiasis (Chagas disease). Adv Parasitol. 2011; 75(1): p. 1-18. Nouvellet P, Cucunub ZM, Gourbire S. Ecology, evolution and control of Chagas disease: a century of neglected modelling and a promising future. Adv Parasitol. 2015 March; 87: p. 135-191. Mauricio C, Cceres D, Alvarado S, Canals A, Cattan PE. Modeling Chagas disease in Chile: From vector to congenital transmission. Biosystems. 2017 June; 156: p. 63-71. Zulantay I, Apt W, Ramos D, Godoy L, Valencia C, Molina M, et al. The Epidemiological Relevance of Family Study in Chagas Disease. PLoS neglected tropical diseases. 2013; 7(2): p. e1959. Stanaway JD, Roth G. The burden of Chagas disease: estimates and challenges. Global Heart. 2015 September; 10(3): p. 139-144. Jackson Y, Pinto A, Pett S. Chagas disease in Australia and New Zealand: risks and needs for public health interventions. Trop Med Int Health. 2014 Feb; 19(2): p. 212-218. Montgomery SP, Starr MC, Cantey PT, Edwards MS, Meymandi SK. Neglected Parasitic Infections in the United States: Chagas Disease. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2014 May; 90(5): p. 814-818. Nbrega AAd, Arajo WNd, Vasconcelos AMN. Mortality Due to Chagas Disease in Brazil According to a Specific Cause. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2014 September; 91(3): p. 528-533. Bonney KM. Chagas disease in the 21st Century: a public health success or an emerging threat? Parasite. 2014 March; 21: p. 11. Lee BY, Bacon KM, Bottazzi ME, Hotez PJ. Global economic burden of Chagas disease: a computational simulation model. Lancet Infect Dis. 2013 April; 13(4): p. 344-348. Liu Q, Zhou XN. Preventing the transmission of American trypanosomiasis and its spread into non-endemic countries. Infect Dis Poverty. 2015 December; 4: p. 60. Espinoza N, Borrs R, Abad-Franch F. Chagas Disease Vector Control in a Hyperendemic Setting: The First 11 Years of Intervention in Cochabamba, Bolivia. PLoS neglected tropical diseases. 2014; 8(4): p. e2782.

Sport Psychology Essays - Behavioural Sciences, Applied Psychology

Sport Psychology In our society today it seems like sports rule the land. Everywhere we look, there is some kind of sporting event going on or being televised. Almost everyone could be considered a fan of at least one sport. Some people follow sports like a religion. With such an increased focus on sports, the athlete's performances are put under a microscope. This puts more pressure on athletes to give a winning performance. No longer do athletes play for fun, they play to win. This isn't happening just on the professional level; it is happening on all levels of sport. From little league to backyard football, the goal is to win at all cost. With this increase pressure, athletes are looking for more and more ways to better their performance. One such way, which is now gaining popularity, is Sports Psychology. Though this isn't a new field, its popularity is just beginning to take off. There is still a lot of skepticism about the validity or worth while of the practices used. The following is a review of a number of articles that outline different studies done that show how athletes can improve their performances. The articles were found using a database search of PsychInfo. Keywords such as increased performance, psychological practices, and sports were used to narrow the search. What is Sport Psychology? Over the years there have been many different definitions offered as to what Sport Psychology is. One of the best ways to look at it is to ask what does a psychologist do? A psychologist does a variety of things. They provide psychological assessment, crisis intervention, and psychological service. Just to name a few broad areas. All of these are areas that can also be useful to an athlete. A lot of the tools used by a sport psychologist are adapted directly from clinical psychology. Concepts such as Freud's Psychodynamics, Caltel's Personality Test, and The Piagetial Cognitive Theory are widely used. (Sloubanov, 1999) All of these are critical tools used by a sport psychologist to assist an athlete with his or her problem. Sport psychology involves preparing the mind of an athlete, just as one prepares the body. Sport psychology is an emerging field in the worlds of psychology and athletics. What Methods are Used? The problem that an athlete is facing will dictate what type of approach a sport psychologist takes. Issues such as motivation, self-efficacy, and depression are common in the athletic arena. (Miserandino, 1998, p. 287) Athletes can also suffer greatly from anxiety and stress. (Holm, Beckwith, Ehde, Tinius, 1995, p. 463) Any of these conditions can be detrimental to ones competitive ability. Techniques such as mental imagery training and relaxation techniques can be used to attack problems in these areas. (McKenzie, Howe, 1997, p. 196) Marianne Miserandino's research was focused on failure, and why athletes believe that they don't accomplish their goals. She learned that starting at young age, athletes are told that failure comes from their lack of ability. This is called learned helplessness. (Miserandino, 1998, p. 287) In her study she approached this problem by splitting her subject into two groups. One group received feedback about their shooting techniques and were told that lack of effort was the reason for missed shots, not lack of ability. The other group received only feedback on their techniques. After her 4-week study was done, the group that received the positive reinforcement showed more mastery of the skills and greater improvement than their counterparts. (Miserandino, 1998 p. 286) Another study also used basketball free throws as the basis for its study. Craig Wrisberg and Mark Anshel did this study. It looks at the effectiveness of applying cognitive techniques to improve performance of shooting free throws. (Wrisberg, Anshel, 1989, p. 95) Participants in the study were asked to shoot a number of free throws to provide a baseline for the study. Over the next three days, the athletes were giving instruction in between shooting sessions. They were introduced to mental imagery as a way to help with their shooting. The results showed a significant improvement in shot percentages of the players. (Wrisberg, Anshel, 1989, p. 99) The Holm, Beckwith, Ehde, and Tinius study also looked at the use of cognitive approaches to athletic performance. They we interested in the role of stress and anxiety. College athletes were split into two groups. One group participated in daily two-hour group sessions that introduced them to a variety of cognitive-behavioral interventions. These methods were discussed and practiced. The subjects were also asked to do a homework assignment outside of

The means of Civil Rights groups of receiving equality. essays

The means of Civil Rights groups of receiving equality. essays The strive for equality is the main goal for non-violent and militant civil rights organizations but through different means of receiving so. The main non-violent desegregation non-violent groups were CORE, SNCC, SCLC, and NAACP. The top militant civil rights groups were the Black Panthers and the Nation of Islam, also known as the Black Muslims. Both non-violent and militant civil rights groups wanted to be considered equal and receive the same rights as everyone else. Racism reigned supreme in the south when several civil rights groups began to defend their believed rights. Several racist groups took attacks against these civil rights organizers and injured and even killed many members. Both non-violent and militant groups knew that the had to rise above and overcome these racist groups as soon as possible. Though all striving for equality, these civil rights organizations had different intentions in doing so. Organizations such as CORE and SNCC went for the desegregation of schools and public facilities. They would do so in a non-violent manner and belief. Through being calm and non-violent the goal was to provoke anger, rage, and violence from their enemies. As a resul of violent actions shown against calm, peaceful nonviolent protesters throughout the media this would cause many people to become appalled at the actions. The public would not be able to ignore the violence against these innocent people. Some of this violence came about by sit-ins. This was used at several lunch counters. The members would sit at the counters and just wait to be served. Many would be refused service and even be harassed and/or hurt for peacefully sitting at a counter. Other methods used were marches and freedom rides. Members would ride buses through southern towns hoping to be jailed and cause more violence. These tactics took time though. Time and much patience were required to achieve results. The militant civil rights organizations...

Writing assignment reports Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Writing assignment reports - Research Paper Example Changes that have been characteristic of the jet engine will also be highlighted, owing to the dynamism of technology over time. Another thing that this report will try to assert is the suitability of the engine in its use, considering its efficiency, cost of use and operation. The consideration of the specific parts of the jet engine is the basis through which the required study can be done in order to ascertain what this report is all about. A jet engine is one interesting machine to study and compute a report on. Air is sucked into the front of the engine by a fan. From there, air’s pressure is heightened by the use of a compressor. This is achieved by the presence of blades within the compressor. The blades found in the compressor are responsible for the increased air pressure within the compressor. After compression has taken place, fuel is introduced in the chamber, and an electric spark used to ignite the mixture. Burning of the mixture consequently makes the constituent gases expand. The blazing mixture blasts out of this chamber through a nozzle that is found at the rear part of the engine. The blasts of gas at the rear of the engine triggers forward move of the aircraft (Klaus 108). All the chambers identified in this discussion are connec ted and given below as an example of the jet engine. The operation ability of the jet engine is purely based on the equal and opposite concept of reaction by Isaac Newton. This is what Isaac Newton referred to as thrust. Gases released through the exhaust after combustion of fuel and the compressed air further finds another role in the process of being emitted. A propeller that is an attachment of the turbine shaft is rotated by the gases for the purposes of fuel consumption saving when the aircraft is at low altitudes. A jet engine is light in weight and also powerful in terms of its propelling force. It is also preferred for

California Clinics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

California Clinics - Essay Example This will in turn increase the required rate of return. ii) Time Preference for Consumption: If people choose to consume their income now rather to save, this will reduce the supply of investment capital oblivious to the demand of investment capital at that time. In this conditions, the firm's will find lesser sources lending investment capital and they try to attract more investment capital by offering them higher interest rate and this will again increase the required rate of return from the investment following the higher rate of interest that these firms will be offering. Similarly, if people decide to save now and spend later, this will lead excess supply of investment capital in the market. The firms here will be able to obtain investment capital at lower rates and will enjoy decreased interest expenses. Some projects that were not feasible because of high interest rates in the market will now become feasible and firms will borrow more. However, due to excess investment capital available in the market, the interest rate will decrea se and so as the required rate of return. iii) Risk: Risk requires compensation and likewise it will affect the interest rate of capital of investment. If the risk of an investment is high, then the investors will only be willing to invest in that project at very high interest rates. ... iii) Risk: Risk requires compensation and likewise it will affect the interest rate of capital of investment. If the risk of an investment is high, then the investors will only be willing to invest in that project at very high interest rates. If the risk of a certain project is low, then the investors will be investing in that project at lower rates of return and interest rate. Hence, we can develop a relationship between interest rates and the risk of a project. These two variables are directly related with risk being the independent variable and interest being the variable depended upon risk factor of a project. Any increase in the risk factor is going to increase the interest rate or required rate of return of a project. Similarly, if the risk factor of an investment is low, so will be the interest rate. This clearly shows that risk requires compensation and interest rates vary depending on the risk factor of a project. A logical explanation to this is the fact that very few peopl e are interested in investing in highly risky project fearing that they may lose out their money. As a result, the supply on investment capital is very low for these projects and vice versa. Inflation: Inflation reduces the purchasing power of money. It erodes the purchasing power of people if their money is not invested into projects yielding interest rates which are at least equal to the going rate of inflation. If the interest rate earned is less that inflation, then you are losing out the real value of your money. This means that it won't be able to buy in the future, as much as it buying now. This is a dangerous situation for investors as they are faced with a situation in which the real value of their assets is decreasing. In times of inflations,