Several mechanisms have been proposed to explain the relationship between stressors and ill health. Critically evaluate these mechanisms as valid explanations for stress-link illness. The WritePass Journal

Several mechanisms have been proposed to explain the relationship between stressors and ill health. Critically evaluate these mechanisms as valid explanations for stress-link illness. Abstract Several mechanisms have been proposed to explain the relationship between stressors and ill health. Critically evaluate these mechanisms as valid explanations for stress-link illness. AbstractIntroductionMechanisms which explain the relationship between the occurrence of stress and illness.Stress which causes increased heart rate which may lead to coronary heart diseaseStress which leads to the suppression of the immune systemStress which leads to disturbances in the digestive tract that can cause gastric ulcersConclusionReferencesRelated Abstract This essay has been written to seek to undertake analyse and critically evaluate the relationship between the stress and causal mechanisms which have been proved to cause physical illnesses.   The research which has examined these phenomena shall be surmised and discussed to seek to ascertain if there are valid and reliable research studies that have proven that there is a causal link between these two factors. Introduction In this essay the relationship between the psychological conditions referred to as stress and causal mechanisms which have been proved to cause physical illnesses shall be discussed and the research pertaining to this shall be critically evaluated.   The three main mechanisms which will be examined are as follows: Stress which causes increased heart rate which may lead to coronary heart disease (Friedman Rosenman, 1974). Stress which leads to the suppression of the immune system which may lead to an increased occurrence of viral infections such as, colds or flu (Kiecolt-Glaser al., 1984). Stress which leads to disturbances in the digestive tract that can cause gastric ulcers (Brady, 1958). Each of these shall now be discussed and critically evaluated in turn. Mechanisms which explain the relationship between the occurrence of stress and illness. Stress which causes increased heart rate which may lead to coronary heart disease Friedman Rosenman (1974) undertook a longitudinal study which sought to identify basic types of behaviour.   Their study consisted of asking 3,200 male respondents to complete a questionnaire.   Then from the results of this based on the respondents response and their manner each respondent was placed into one of three types (Friedman Rosenman, 1974).   They identified three types, which are referred as A, B and C.   Individuals that exhibit Type A behaviours often have a desire to achieve their goals, a tendency to be competitive, desire recognition for their work and have a tendency to rush their work tasks.   Comparatively, those who exhibit Type B behavioural traits have no drive, ambition, sense to compete or urgency.   Those that exhibited Type C behaviours were considered to be hardworking and nice (Friedman Rosenman, 1974).   Eight years after they have carried out this research, 257of the respondents that had taken part in the study had developed coronary he art disease.   Overall, out of the 257 respondents 70% had been classified as having Type A behavioural traits (Friedman Rosenman, 1974).   This indicates that one of the mechanisms that may lead to the development of coronary heart disease in men is the types of behaviour that they exhibit However, though there are close correlations between Friedman Rosenman’s (1974) study and the occurrence of coronary heart disease in those with Type A behavioural traits this does not fully explain the occurrence of this phenomena.   This is because the evidence that this is based on does not consider a number of other factors which may have led to these respondents developing coronary heart disease such as, the lifestyle choices that they may have chosen.   In addition, to this these findings cannot be generalised to wider populations as they are based on a small sample of men.   Additionally there is no information pertaining to the respondent’s general state of health, age or circumstances at the time at which they undertook part in the research study, so it is impossible to ascertain if their coronary heart disease was caused by their behavioural type.   Therefore, though this study suggested that there may be a correlation between these two factors the ev idence to support this hypothesis is lacking.   This is also true of similar studies that have been undertaken to examine these phenomena (Chandoda et. al., 2008; House, 1974). Stress which leads to the suppression of the immune system Further to, Friedman Rosenman’s (1974) study, Kiecolt-Glaser et.al. (1984) concluded that stress may lead to the suppression of the immune system.   This suppression may cause the increased occurrence of viral infections such as, colds or flu.   Kiecolt-Glaser et.al. (1984) took blood samples from 75 student volunteers one month (control reading) before and on the first day of their exams (stress reading).   They also asked the volunteers to complete questionnaires which were designed to evaluate their psychiatric state of mind, their loneliness and ascertain if any other life events had occurred.   From these they discovered that on the first day of their exams many of the students had lower levels of natural cells which are used to fight infections.   They also ascertained that other problems such as, loneliness and depression was all associated with a weakened immune system (Kiecolt-Glaser et.al., 1984). This research shows that there may be a correlation between the occurrence of stress and a weakened immune system (Kiecolt-Glaser et.al., 1984).   The study was undertaken at a time when the students were naturally exposed to stress as they were sitting their final examinations and this means that the studys results are valid (Kiecolt-Glaser et.al., 1984).   However, because this was a natural study, other variable which may have affected the results of the research were difficult to control, therefore we cannot be sure that stress automatically leads to a weakened immune system.   However, a number of other studies have found that stress may lead to a weakened immune response (as an example see: Cohen et.al. 1991; Kimzey, 1975; Riley, 1981).   Therefore, though the results from the Kiecolt-Glaser et.al. (1984) study may have been accurate after all. Stress which leads to disturbances in the digestive tract that can cause gastric ulcers Finally, Brady (1958) undertook an experiment which sought to link stress to disturbances in the digestive tract.   He attached two monkeys to each other and then every 20 second for six hours at a time he shocked them with electricity.   One of the monkeys was classed as an executive and they were able to delay the shocks for 20 seconds at a time.   However, they could not stop them completely.   This experiment resulted in the monkeys who were classed as executives, subsequently being diagnosed with stomach ulcers as a result of this they died (Brady, 1958).   Brady concluded from these results that as the executive monkey had been in control they had become stressed and developed stomach ulcers which had led to their demise.   Therefore, he believed that there was a correlation between stress and the development of stomach ulcers. When we examine Brady’s (1958) study, we can see that there are flaws in his methodology.   Weiss (1972) used the same methodology with rats as control subjects and did not find that the executives developed stomach ulcers.   Therefore, Brady’s (1958) study does not prove conclusively that those suffering from stress will develop stomach ulcers.   Other scholars (Bhatia Tandon, 2005; Yabana Yachi, 1988) have also sought to link stress to being a casual factor in the development of stomach ulcers however they reached the same conclusions as Weiss (1972). Each of the three mechanisms that have been discussed above which have been utilised to investigate the causal link between stress and illness have not conclusively proven that there is one.   The most viable of these three hypotheses is that there may be a causal link between the onset of stress and the development of a weakened immune system (Cohen et.al., 1991; Kimzey, 1975; Riley, 1981). Conclusion This essay sought to investigate the causal relationships between stress and physical illnesses.   Three mechanisms that have been explored by scholars were discussed and critically evaluated (Brady, 1958; Friedman Rosenman, 1974; Kiecolt-Glaser et. al., 1984).   However, the only one of these three mechanisms which may prove that there is a link between stress and the development of physical illnesses is that which identified that stress may lead to a weakened immune response (Cohen et.al., 1991; Kimzey, 1975; Riley, 1981).   Therefore, the evidence to prove that stress is a causal factor in the onset of physical illnesses is contradictory and limited due to the limitations of the studies which have been undertaken.   That is not to say that all of the studies that have been undertaken to explore this casual link are not valid, but that their methods and results must be carefully analysed before we accept their conclusions as valid. References Bhatia, V., Tandon, R. K. (2005). Stress and the gastrointestinal tract.Journal of gastroenterology and hepatology,  20(3), 332-339. Brady, J. V. (1958). Ulcers in executive monkeys.  Scientific American, 199 (4), 95-100 Chandola, T., Britton, A., Brunner, E., Hemingway, H., Malik, M., Kumari, M., Marmot, M. (2008). Work stress and coronary heart disease: what are the mechanisms?.  European Heart Journal,  29(5), 640-648. Cohen, S., Tyrrell, D. A., Smith, A. P. (1991). Psychological stress in humans and susceptibility to the common cold. N. Engl. J. Med. 325, 606–612. Friedman, M. and Rosenman, R.H. (1974). Type A Behaviour and Your Heart. New York: Knopf. House, J. S. (1974). Occupational stress and coronary heart disease: A review and theoretical integration.  Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 12-27. Kiecolt-Glaser, J. K., Garner, W., Speicher, C. E., Penn, G., Glaser, R. (1984). Psychosocial modiï ¬ ers of immunocompetence in medical students. Psychosom. Med. 46, 7–14. Kimzey, S. L. (1975). The effects of extended spaceï ¬â€šight on hematologic and immunologic systems. J. Am. Med. Womens Assoc. 30, 218–232. Riley, V. (1981). Psychoneuroendocrine influences on immunocompetence and neoplasia.  Science,  212(4499), 1100-1109. Weiss, J. M. (1971). Effects of punishing the coping response (conflict) on stress pathology in rats.  Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology,  77(1), 14. Yabana, T., Yachi, A. (1988). Stress-induced vascular damage and ulcer.Digestive diseases and sciences,  33(6), 751-761

The Importance of a Residency Statement

The Importance of a Residency Statement Whether you are writing your residency statement or a nursing essay, there are several rules you must follow in order to ensure success. As someone with a great deal of experience writing and proofing college application essays, I have compiled a list of four fundamental rules that I believe are essential to writing good composition. If you are interested in learning about these rules, please read on. There are four crucial chapters in writing a good application essay. They are: creating an outline, composing the body, revision, and proofreading. As elementary as these might seem, youd be amazed at how well they work. Despite the desire you might have to rush through your essay and get it done, I must insist that you remain calm and allow yourself plenty of time to execute each step. As I said before, creating an outline (and/or road map) for your paper will help drastically in keeping your thoughts organized and your thesis on track. Writing the paper is, of course, the bulk of the job and will probably require the most time. Just as important, however, are the revision and proofreading processes. As these are the final (and often most crucial) steps, you might want to look into hiring a professional to help. While often difficult, writing a residency statement (or any personal essay for that matter) should not be complicated. Following these steps will aid in keeping the writing process on course and save you from getting to lost in the work. For more information about composing a residency statement and/or if you would like someone to proof-read your residency personnel statement, please dont hesitate to contact me.

Evidence-Based Practice Project Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Evidence-Based Practice Project - Research Paper Example The study found that the combination of blood glucose lowering and blood pressure medication slows the progression of microvascular complications. Similarly, the Turnbull (2009) meta-analysis study found that intensive glucose control leads to a reduced risk of major cardiovascular events, showing a reduction of 9% for major cardiovascular events. Advance Collaborative (2008) found that intensive blood glucose lowering with gliclazide and other drugs resulted in a reduced incidence of combined major macrovascular and microvascular events, as well as major microvascular events, because there also was a reduction of nephropathy. Still another study suggests that any kind of benefit attained by intensive lowering of blood glucose is lost after one year. The study conducted by Hollman et al. (2008) found that the patients who were assigned intensive glucose lowering were compared to patients who were assigned the standard treatment of dietary restriction. While the immediate results were that the intensive glucose lowering showed that the patients had a lower risk of microvascular complications then the patients with conventional dietary therapy, after one year, these advantages were lost. Introduction Patients with diabetes suffer from a variety of ailments. Among these ailments are microvascular and macrovascular diseases. Therefore, therapeutic intervention should be investigated to reduce the risks of a diabetic patient suffering from these ailments. One such intervention is aggressively lowering blood glucose levels through drugs such as glicazide. Therefore, this article will examine studies that are focused around the intervention of blood glucose lowering, and will examine whether this is an intervention that is positive for diabetic patients, with regards to lessening the risk of micro and macrovascular ailments. PICO Question In patients with Type II Diabetes Mellitus (P), what is the effect of intensively lowering the blood glucose (I) as compared with s tandard treatment (C) on the incidence of major macro- and microvascular outcomes (O)? Clinical Question Selection Criteria Inclusion Criteria 1. Journals and studies featuring patients who are who are subjected to either intensive glucose lowering or standard treatment. 2. The participants in these studies had either a microvascular or macrovascular cardiac event. 3. The journals were either randomized trials or meta-analyses. 4. Were published in peer reviewed journals. 5. Were reported in English. Exclusion Criteria 1. Journals that reported on either type I diabetes, juvenile diabetes or gestational diabetes. 2. Qualitative studies. 3. Studies that focused upon patients who were under the age of 18. Search Process The process began by looking for studies that had, as their focus, type II diabetes, intensive glucose lowering therapy verses traditional therapy and micro and macrovascular outcomes. These peer-reviewed journals were ones that were written in English. The data bases that were used were Pubmed, Psychosocial Instruments, British Nursing Index, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Library, Psychosocial Instruments, Allied and Alternative Medicine and Sociofile. These databases were searched with the initial terms of type II diabetes, intensive glucose lowering therapy and micro and macrovascular cardiac. The articles were then narrowed down to studies that were randomized or studies which were

The Revolt of the City by Samuel Lubell Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Revolt of the City by Samuel Lubell - Essay Example In the third chapter of the book, â€Å"the revolt of the city†, the author describes the revolution that takes place in the event following up to the elections and the even after it. Samuel Lubell says that in the political America of today a two-party system is considered as the pioneer of the prevalent alternating one-party rule. He says that there is a "sun" party denoting the majority party and a "moon" party denoting the minority party. He describes that these majority parties is responsible for dealing the issues of any particular period and fights over it. The world saw that in the 1980s, Republicans ceased the entrepreneurial energies and the democrats did not and so the cold war was ended. This can be denoted as the republican’s â€Å"sun† period. These days the Democrats are on the rise and dominate the system by taking over the economic and the health care issues. The human’s belief proves that humans are most irrational and puzzling ways that the human mind works. Lubell was a sociologist as well. The elections proved the democratic incompetent Harry Truman to be the better man. Even though his ratings had to gone down to 23 percent before the elections but he still won. Every person, every poll, every survey and every pundit predicted the democrat to be solely defeated by the republican Thomas E. Dewey. But, instead the democrat, Harry Truman, won in history’s most startling turn of events in the elections of the 1948. Everyone was so stunned with the outcome that the republicans gasped with shock. Lubell set out to determine the cause of such a turn of tables. This defeat set the entire place on fire and the people on edge. People set out to revolt and a revolution turned up. Lubell went around the country, through a small Midwestern town to Washington dc. The mid2western town was founded at the start of 19th century by the Germans; Lubell was very much amazed to find out that this town had supported Dewey throu gh and through, even though everyone knew that Truman would have been a very logical economic decision for the town’s people. The town’s people said that they had never forgotten the democrat, President Woodrow Wilson, who dominated in 1917. He had declared war on Germans. As the town was full of Germans, so they had not forgiven him. Because of this war, the entire country was full of anti-German feelings and deeply despised that town’s people. And they had been greatly dishonored and mistrusted by everyone. So even after two World Wars, they had not forgotten the democrat president and like natural human behavior were not thinking logically or rationally about the economics of themselves. Samuel Lubell says in his book that â€Å"Whenever a new majority coalition comes into dominance, as the Democrats in toppling the old Republican ascendancy, it brings with it a distinctively different orbit of political conflict. This orbit also governs the movement of stru ggle within the minority party.† Although Lubell wrote this book in the 1951, but the theories of this book are still alive and fresh today. Lubell wrote both profoundly simple politics and simply profound politics. What his book reveals his that, when a political party has had a history of events strung along it just for the sake of victories, and so is presented as the majority party or the â€Å"sun†

Third King Jigme Dorji Wangchcuk Essay Example for Free

Third King Jigme Dorji Wangchcuk Essay The third druk gyalpo was born on may 2,1928 at thruepang palace near the trongsa dzong. in his early education included study of hindi,English languages and the Buddhist literature. he started the training at his father’s royal court early learning through the instruction from his father and court officials, the tradition and driglam namzha. In 1943,at the age of 14, he was awarded the post trongsa droenyer the red scarf. the prince went to kalimpong and then to great britian for further studies. his father his majesty jigme wangchuck deeply thought of giving the future king a broader education. After arriving back to bumthang ,jigme dorji wangchuck was appointed paro poenlop at the age of 17. in 1952 ,he married azhi kezang chedon and princess choeying wangmo dorji Gongzim sonam tobgye dorji Gongzim ugyen dorji Sherpa penchung pala Azhi kezang choedon,gongzim palden dorji Ugyen dorji who served as he gyadrung to trongs poenlop was later promoted to gongzim when ugyen wangchuck assumed the throne. sonam tobgye dorji took the post of gongzim in the rein of 2nd king Jigme wangchuck. sonam tobgye dorji’s son palden dorji took the post after the death of his father. In 1952 the 2nd king passed away leaving the throne to jigme dorji wangchuck. Jigme dori wangchuck was by then well trained and educated by his father and was ready to take the throne. his majesty had a aim of making a organized government and to preserve Bhutan’s rich culture and tradition. His majesty assumed the position of head o state and government (the commander in chief and the ultimate court of appeal). The king after receiving the scarves of kingship from the sacred shrine of zhabdrung participated in three day ceremony in paro. Massive crowd gathered including the British official and choegyal of Sikkim. the capital was moved to thimphu and had become the permanent national capital and built his palace at kazhinag,dechencholing. Social Reforms removal of slavery and serfdom he had put in lots of effort to abolish the practice of seftdom and slavery which had been in country since he 17th century.

Bringing the Dead Christ to the Patron in the Christian Tradition :: essays papers

Bringing the Dead Christ to the Patron in the Christian Tradition Art during the Christian tradition was produced to enhance the worship of saintly figures by church patrons. Paintings were not only used to tell a biblical story but also to form emotional connections between the patrons and the principles of the church. Artists in the Christian tradition strived to portray events of religious importance with maximum drama to make a lasting impression. They did this by applying artistic advances in ways that draw the patron into the painting. One such event was the death of Christ. While the artists in Florence were starting to practice the potential maximization of the individual, very different things were happening up in Flanders. The region, fresh out of the dark ages, was very centered on religion. Thomas a Kempis taught in his Imitatio Christi that the individual should devote their lives to living a more Christian life and should rid themselves of all secular things. People in this region were also interested in the philosophies of Aristotle and nominalism rather than in Plato as were the people of Florence, who would again search for the perfect ideal during the renaissance. The lack of interest in secular knowledge can be seen in Rogier Van Der Weyden’s Deposition (1435, see figure 1). The artists of Flanders had no interest in the study of the nude; therefore the figures in Deposition have oblong proportions and unnatural balance. However, the Flanders artisans had developed certain techniques, which made their works advanced in certain aspects. For centuries, monks in the area had been illuminating their manuscripts with extreme precision. This focus on detail is seen in Deposition. Every last hair is individualized and patterns on the drapery are painted to the very thread. The faces are no longer stylized but individualized so that you might recognize one of them if you saw them on the street. The advent of oil paint made the scene much more vibrant and allowed artists to paint and repaint over an area, being able to visualize the exact color before it was applied. This new technique far surpassed the limitations of tempera that was being used in Italy. The most important aspect of Deposition is the symbolic tie it makes between the patron and the church. It portrays the sorrow of Christ’s death at the agony of His loss.

Foreign Market Entry Strategies Essay

When an organization has made a decision to enter an overseas market, there are a variety of options open to it. These options vary with cost, risk and the degree of control which can be exercised over them. The simplest form of entry strategy is exporting using either a direct or indirect method such as an agent, in the case of the former, or countertrade, in the case of the latter. More complex forms include foreign direct investments which may involve joint ventures, or export processing zones. Having decided on the form of export strategy, decisions have to be made on the specific channels. Many agricultural products of a raw or commodity nature use agents, distributors or involve Government, whereas processed materials, whilst not excluding these, rely more heavily on more sophisticated forms of access. These are discussed in this paper. The three main ways are by direct or indirect export or production in a foreign country. Exporting Exporting is the most traditional and well established form of operating in foreign markets. Exporting can be defined as the marketing of goods produced in one country into another. Whilst no direct manufacturing is required in an overseas country, significant investments in marketing are required. The tendency may be not to obtain as much detailed marketing information as compared to manufacturing in marketing country; however, this does not negate the need for a detailed marketing strategy. Here the manufacturing is home based thus, it is less risky than overseas based. Besides giving an opportunity to â€Å"learn† overseas markets before investing in bricks and mortar, it also reduces the potential risks of operating overseas. Exporting methods include direct or indirect export. In direct exporting the organization may use an agent, distributor, or overseas subsidiary, or act via a Government agency. The disadvantage is mainly that one can be at the â€Å"mercy† of overseas agents and so the lack of control has to be weighed against the advantages. For example, in the exporting of African horticultural products, the agents and Dutch flower auctions are in a position to dictate to producers. According to Collett3 (1991) exporting requires a partnership between exporter, importer, government and transport. Without these four coordinating activities the risk of failure is increased. Contracts between buyer and seller are a must. Forwarders and agents can play a vital role in the logistics procedures such as booking air space and arranging documentation. Foreign direct investment Besides exporting, other market entry strategies include licensing, joint ventures, contract manufacture, ownership and participation in export processing zones or free trade zones. Licensing: Licensing is defined as â€Å"the method of foreign operation whereby a firm in one country agrees to permit a company in another country to use the manufacturing, processing, trademark, know-how or some other skill provided by the licensor†. It is quite similar to the â€Å"franchise† operation. Coca Cola is an excellent example of licensing. In Zimbabwe, United Bottlers have the licence to make Coke. Licensing involves little expense and involvement. The only cost is signing the agreement and policing its implementation.

Explain what is work force planning and what are the steps that involve in work force planning Essay

Work force planning is a continuous process and one of the important activities in an organization. The work force planning process starts by analyzing the company’s strategy. The result of this analysis is then taken to forecast the required demand for labor and how this is likely to be supported. Thereafter the human resource plan would be implemented which aims to deliver the right number, the right people for the business. There are 8 steps that are followed in work force planning; 1. Work force planning- Where, when and how many people are going to be needed. A company would gain many advantages if it acts strategically, proactively, correctly and efficiently. Also by thinking how it affects the strategy of the organization. For Ex: some companies in USA do not think in strategic manner. They will just meet up in a bar and just discuss how many people are required without thinking much ahead. This would lead to failure. 2. Candidate profiling- This means who do we need, what is the profile of that person that we are looking for, what should be the competency, what are the soft skills or hard skills that the company is looking at of a person etc. This comes through the process of bench marking, profiling, work of science. The company also has to really understand the position of the company, and what advantages it gives the company. It also involves predicting the person’s success in doing the job. 3. Employ branding- It involves the organization culture, which has things like how do we speak to our candidates, how we look after them, how do we brand ourselves etc. This is part of the strategic process of the organization. It matters as to how our organization differs from other company brandings how do we compete with them by this branding etc. 4. Source the Candidate- Most companies don’t source the right candidate. They don’t use the right way, or don’t brain the right people. As a result the wrong, candidate would remain in the organization and it becomes a burden to others and the department. Sourcing means how does a company go to the market and do the sourcing of candidates and how do they define it, company’s approach of doing it. How does the company strategically go to the market, consistently over time, where when the company needs it, ensuring that all the potential candidates that has the skill background the company is looking for is been approached. 5. Screening and Assessing –screening is looking at the hard skills and assessment is looking at the soft skills. 6. Selection- This is processes of bring down the number 100,200 odd applicants to a small number by assessing through different demarcations. A methodology should be outlined in doing so. 7. Retention- after hiring them how do we keep them. The best talent acquisition strategy, the talent management strategy is to grow people. Ex: onboarding/ orientation process, 360 degree review, training initiatives, career path, career development, exit interviews, leadership development strategy, work place study strategy, are the components of what we look at after hiring somebody to keep them engaged and to make them part of the organization. 8. Technology- HRIS, time attendance, background checks etc to make that process automated. This should be given least HR time, as much attention should be given to people aspect as this can operate fully outmodedly.

History of Pluto Exploration

History of Pluto Exploration Pluto has long been considered as the ninth planet from the sun. It is the sixth planet from the earth. It is so far away that for many centuries, astronomers and scientists were not able to study this planet as extensively as they would have wanted.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on History of Pluto Exploration specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More But because of the rapid improvement in technology whether in computers, telescope design or even the use of spacecraft to penetrate deep space, more light has been shed on this far flung planet of the solar system. In just one hundred years much has been known about Pluto than in all the years combined after Galileo pointed his telescope to the stars. Since the time that astronomers were able to use very powerful telescopes and peer into the night sky, they were dumbfounded by a scientific phenomenon. They observed that the orbit of Neptune did not quite follow the rules of New tonian physics. According to the director of New York City’s Hayden Planetarium, â€Å"Scientists saw the path of Neptune around the sun, and they saw that it wasn’t quite following Newton’s laws of gravity. And so either Newton was wrong †¦ or there was some other mass out there that they hadn’t cataloged yet that was influencing the motion of Neptune† (Cruz, 2009, p.1). So from that day forward until the discovery of the mysterious mass orbiting behind Neptune astronomers labeled this heavenly body as planet X (Cruz, 2009, p.1). It only required a dedicated astronomer with the right tools to discover what is behind this phenomenon. The Discovery of Pluto In 1930 an American astronomer made a commitment to discover the explanation as to why Neptune behaved that way. His name was Clyde Tombaugh and he was working at the Lowell Observatory (Brown Thomas, year, p.1). He was not even the chief astronomer but a mere observing assistant in the fac ility made famous by astronomer Percivall Lowell (Brown Thomas, year, p.1). But he was determined to discover planet X. After a year of painstaking research and the long nights of studying photographic plates, Tombaugh had his eureka moment on February 18, 1930 when he was comparing two plates taken one month before and by flicking the plates from one plate to the other Tombaugh hopes to spot the difference (Brown Thomas, year, p.1). As he was repeating the process he saw a tiny speck in the photo – a small object a few millimeters in size but that was the planet that he was looking for. His discovery changed the way people see the solar system (Brown Thomas, year, p.1). Tombaugh on the other hand received the recognition he richly deserved.Advertising Looking for essay on astronomy? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Far, Far, Away There is no need to point out that Pluto is the farthest in the solar system. It is estimated to be thirty times smaller than Mercury and therefore it is a planet that is smaller the earth’s moon. It is also a planet that is one over five hundredth the size of planet earth. These facts and new discoveries forced many to initiate a debate whether it is proper to call Pluto a planet or a comet or piece of rock that orbits the sun. When it comes to Pluto there are more questions than answers. Scientists are also fascinated by its different behavior as compared to other eight planets that populate the solar system. For instance, in 1979 it was first discovered that Pluto only gets to complete its orbit after more than 200 years of movement around the sun. But there is more, this planet has a highly elliptical orbit that once in its two-hundred year orbit it inserts itself between Uranus and Neptune (NASA Science, ) It is an unsettling fact for some but a source of fascination for others. The aberration in the orbit path may occur once in two centuries but it is not rectified as quickly as one will expect. As mentioned the shift in orbit was noticed in 1979 but it was only â€Å"corrected† in February 11, 1999 – almost 20 years of staying within the orbits of Uranus and Neptune. Due to its distance and position relative to the sun, astronomers always associate Pluto with ice and a frigid climate. It is also easy to dismiss it as noting more than a chunk of ice and rock (Cowen, 2010, pl1). But recent developments suggest that there is more to Pluto than what scientists believe is possible. Marc Buie a planetary scientist discovered that Pluto has undergone some dramatic surface changes that prompted him and other scientists to conclude that it has become redder (Cowen, 2010, p.1). Buie and even his colleagues do not have an explanation why Pluto is undergoing significant changes. At first they thought that it was due to elevated levels of ultra-violet frays from the sun. Now they have abandoned this explanation because th ey believe that the sun’s rays were constant at the time that Pluto showed these changes. They are more likely to go with the second explanation. They said that Pluto’s distance from the sun coupled with a 248 year orbit around it is the most likely culprit for the color change of the planet’s surface (Cowen, 2010, p.1). This has another major implication. It means that there is more to this planet aside from its being the outermost planet in the solar system.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on History of Pluto Exploration specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Scientists must continue to probe and study Pluto and not be embroiled in the current controversy whether to change its designation as the 9th planet from the sun or just a chunk of ice orbiting behind Neptune just like the other large pieces of rock that can be seen in the Kuiper Belt but are deemed to be of less importance. This sentiment is ech oed by many astronomers and scientists all over the world. According to Tyson, the director of Hayden Planetarium in New York City, it is only Americans who are obsessed with Pluto but the rest of the world in his estimation are not that interested in this planet. Fran Bagenal a graduate student at MIT said that sending a mission to study Pluto in depth was seen as an uninteresting way to spend tax-payers money to force NASA to deploy a space prove over that region in the solar system. In fact, it is the only planet in the solar system that has not been visited by any unmanned spacecraft from the earth (NASA Science, 1999, p.1). It was pointed out that even the Hubble Space Telescope was not even programmed to go near it and take images close range. According to scientists the Hubble Space Telescope was only able to take pictures of the largest features of the planet’s surface (NASA Science, 1999, p.1). This has to change especially in the light of recent controversy regardin g Pluto’s nomenclature. While there are many who are not keen in spending millions of dollars to study Pluto there are those who wanted to give it a try. One of them is Alan Stern who since 1989 were badgering his scientists friends to petition NASA to explore Pluto. He was fascinated by the fact that Pluto resembles an overgrown comet rather than an undersized planet ( ) He is also interested to know more as to a phenomenon easily observable from the earth and it is the fact that solar winds blows gases from the surface of Pluto in the same way as seeds are blown from a dandelion flower () Stern also pointed out that Pluto is covered with frozen gases but these gases evaporate every time Pluto’s orbit is near the sun. This evaporated gases immediately forms an atmosphere but its gravity is so weak that a significant portion of that atmosphere is blown away (Guterl, 2006). But most importantly Stern argues that the significance of a more detailed study of Pluto is to r eveal the mysteries that lie at the edge of the solar system (Guterl, 2006). It is indeed a project that needs to be started soon. Conclusion It was not only the 2oth century that an astronomer was able to discover the planet Pluto and designated it as the ninth planet from the sun. It is located in the outer edges of the solar system and explains why it is frigid, covered with frozen gas and requires 248 years to complete one orbit.Advertising Looking for essay on astronomy? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Its distance and size may be the real reason why NASA is not going to invest millions of dollars to send a spacecraft and study it in detail. But there is more to know about Pluto. It is time to invest more in studying this fascinating planet. The more scientists probe into Pluto the more they will understand the mysteries that lie behind the solar system. Brown, M. Thomas P. Pluto and the Developing Landscape. 2010. International Astronomic Union. Web. Cowen, Ron. Pluto Blushes Red. 2010. ScienceNews. Web. Cruz, Gilbert. Astrophysicist Neil de Grasse Tyson. 21 Time. 2009. Web. Guterl, Fred. Pluto Explored. 2006. Discover. Web. NASA Science. Much Ado about Pluto. 1999. NASA Science. Web.

A Brief Explanation of Evolution

A Brief Explanation of Evolution The theory of evolution is a scientific theory that essentially states that species change over time. There are many different ways species change, but most of them can be described by the idea of natural selection. The theory of evolution through natural selection was the first scientific theory that put together evidence of change through time as well as a mechanism for how it happens. History of the Theory of Evolution The idea that traits are passed down from parents to offspring has been around since the ancient Greek philosophers time. In the middle 1700s, Carolus Linnaeus came up with his taxonomic naming system, which grouped like species together and implied there was an evolutionary connection between species within the same group. The late 1700s saw the first theories that species changed over time. Scientists like the Comte de Buffon and Charles Darwins grandfather, Erasmus Darwin, both proposed that species changed over time, but neither man could explain how or why they changed. They also kept their ideas under wraps due to how controversial the thoughts were compared to accepted religious views at the time. John Baptiste Lamarck, a student of the Comte de Buffon, was the first to publicly state species changed over time. However, part of his theory was incorrect. Lamarck proposed that acquired traits were passed down to offspring. Georges Cuvier was able to prove that part of the theory incorrect, but he also had evidence that there were once living species that had evolved and gone extinct. Cuvier believed in catastrophism, meaning these changes and extinctions in nature happened suddenly and violently. James Hutton and Charles Lyell countered Cuviers argument with the idea of uniformitarianism. This theory said changes happen slowly and accumulate over time. Darwin and Natural Selection Sometimes called survival of the fittest, natural selection was most famously explained by Charles Darwin in his book On the Origin of Species. In the book, Darwin proposed that individuals with traits most suitable to their environments lived long enough to reproduce and passed down those desirable traits to their offspring. If an individual had less than favorable traits, they would die and not pass on those traits. Over time, only the fittest traits of the species survived. Eventually, after enough time passed, these small adaptations would add up to create new species. These changes are precisely what makes us human.   Darwin was not the only person to come up with this idea at that time. Alfred Russel Wallace also had evidence and came to the same conclusions as Darwin around the same time. They collaborated for a short time and jointly presented their findings. Armed with evidence from all over the world due to their various travels, Darwin and Wallace received favorable responses in the scientific community about their ideas. The partnership ended when Darwin published his book. One very important part of the theory of evolution through natural selection is the understanding that individuals cannot evolve; they can only adapt to their environments. Those adaptations add up over time and, eventually, the entire species has evolved from what it was like earlier. This can lead to new species forming and sometimes extinction of older species. Evidence for Evolution There are many pieces of evidence that support the theory of evolution. Darwin relied on the similar anatomies of species to link them. He also had some fossil evidence that showed slight changes in the body structure of the species over time, often leading to vestigial structures. Of course, the fossil record is incomplete and has missing links. With todays technology, there are many other types of evidence for evolution. This includes similarities in the embryos of different species, the same DNA sequences found across all species, and an understanding of how DNA mutations  work in microevolution. More fossil evidence has also been found since Darwins time, although there are still many gaps in the fossil record. The Theory of Evolution Controversy Today, the theory of evolution is often portrayed in the media as a controversial subject. Primate evolution and the idea that humans evolved from monkeys has been a major point of friction between scientific and religious communities. Politicians and court decisions have debated whether or not schools should teach evolution or if they should also teach alternate points of view like intelligent design or creationism. The State of Tennessee v. Scopes, or the Scopes Monkey Trial, was a famous court battle over teaching evolution in the classroom. In 1925, a substitute teacher named John Scopes was arrested for illegally teaching evolution in a Tennessee science class. This was the first major court battle over evolution, and it brought attention to a formerly taboo subject. The Theory of Evolution in Biology The theory of evolution is often seen as the main overarching theme that ties all topics of biology together. It includes genetics, population biology, anatomy and physiology, and embryology, among others. While the theory has itself evolved and expanded over time, the principles laid out by Darwin in the 1800s still hold true today.

Continuing case report Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words

Continuing case report - Research Paper Example The planning function enables management to think strategically and align or re-align its objectives. Hence the emphasis from relying on muscle cars such as Hummer shifted from much fuel efficient, electronic car models such as Chevy Volt. Being proud of its legacy, it was about time that GM reinvented its ways and launched a car that suites its customers and the market. With the big idea of Chevy Volt, the company also invested in smaller innovations that can complement its existing products. Planning ahead for future requires a visionary mind-set something GM was lacking for a long time but recent plans are proving fruitful. The change that GM went through was phenomenal, understanding the needs of the customers and the environment gave them much deserved success. The skills involved in such an Endeavour may range from problem solving skills, forecasting, decision making and inevitable change management skills besides the obvious leadership and managerial skills. The shift from mus cle to green fuels was a turnaround from traditional ways, something that helped the company gain increased market share and loyalty from customers. Question 2 The automotive industry, much like many other industries has undergone immense changes. The traditional reliance on carbon based fuels led to the deterioration of environment, besides being a costly fuel that saw increase in the global market. With harsh economic conditions customers started preferring smaller cars with small engine size with cheap maintenance costs. European Union and other advanced regions capped the CO2 emission standards that were not followed by models manufactured by GM. The awareness related to environment enhanced over time and countries started to introduce laws that would restrict car manufacturers from making traditional cars. Most competitors of GM started research and development on the subject matter decades before GM resulting in smaller more fuel efficient cars that became an instant hit in th e car market. The society that once preferred cars that are meaner with big engines and power started rethinking its preference and started opting for cheaper cars with fuel efficiency and less carob emissions. GM resisted this change and started making fewer units to attract its niche customers that were still in love with the muscle cars. Although the realization that society and political institutions would not approve of similar cars anymore the management reinvented its approach and after much wait and deliberation the first electronically fuelled car was launched. During this transition GM came close to getting bankrupt and was bailed out by the US government. With its existence at stake the management had no option but to discontinue its traditional muscle models and manufacture a car that would satisfy the needs of society and adhere to regulations posed by political institutions while remaining affordable for the customers. Question 3 GM is a pioneer in the automotive indus try; it remained the market leader in the America and had strong shares in other regions for decades. It created a strong brand image fuelled by its inventiveness and uncompromising quality products. It grew rapidly and owning a GM model was seen as prestige among the American citizens and nationalities. Based on its success and huge market share it started manufacturing hoards of cars that would appeal to