Engineering - Sustainability and Innovation Assignment

Engineering - Sustainability and Innovation - Assignment Example The place should exude warmth and confidence. Sustainable construction is therefore very critical to the economic, social and environmental fabric of society. Estimates suggest that in developing countries about 40% of the human population would be living in cities compared to 20% that was present in 1950. (Sustainable Building & Construction, 2003) Around 40,000 sq.km of cultivable land is being urbanized every year. The worst areas that are going to be hit are the developing countries where infrastructure boom is coming up in the next few years. It is understood that the building designs are capable of lasting 80-100 years on an average. It is therefore very important that a construction having such large scale life should be built in a sustainable manner so that fits into the surrounding environment. It can be argued that while lands that are used for irrigation being converted to concrete jungles would inevitably lead to loss of farming and have an adverse effect on the food chai n around the world, rise in construction activity would lead to increase in jobs in the construction sector. Estimates indicate that around 3 trillion US dollars are being pumped into the construction sector annually and this accounts for 10% of the world GDP. (Moavenzadeh F, 1994) An estimated 111million worker of which 74% belong to the developing countries and of this 28% engaged in industrial development is what has been found out per the last census. (Sustainable Building & Construction, 2003) While it cannot be argued that construction is a sector that generates large scale employment, its drawback is lack of job security and personal health issues of working personnel. This sector is also predominantly male and since most of the jobs are in the unorganised sector their issues are not aptly addressed. A survey conducted in UK indicated that around 600 workers die annually due to asbestos intoxication, 30% suffer skin disorders and around 40% have bone and ligament fractures. ( Sustainable Building & Construction, 2003) About 55000 workers die annually due to construction related accidents. Environment related incidents are the next major cause of concern which has strengthened the call more strongly for sustainable construction. Deforestation and illegal mining with scant respect to the nature is harmful to the environment. Apart from this energy a large amount of energy is also consumed in transporting these raw materials from its area of origin to other developing countries. (Bossink & H.J Brouwers, 1996) A concept introduced in 1970 called the embodied energy tries to calculate the sum total energy that would be required right from its inception stage, transportation and finally till the construction stage. The effort always is to limit the amount of embodied energy so that one can move towards sustainable construction. The major source of greenhouse emissions is usually for the production of cement which entails a significant amount of fossil fuel bur ning. Estimates suggest that by 1950 the CO2 emissions would be around four times the present amount. (Sustainable Building & Construction, 2003) It has also been suggested that in the interests of the environment it is best that a greater building density is better compared to a low building density. This would entail

Literature of War and Peace Essay Example for Free

Literature of War and Peace Essay Sir Winston Churchill British statesman, orator, and author who was elected prime minister twice in 1940s and 1950s. He is regarded as one of the finest military leaders in history and is credited to rallying the moral of the British people during world war two and leading them from the brink of defeat to victory against the axis powers. How he did this was not only though his leadership but arguably through his speeches as well, one of Churchill’s greatest assets was his words and how he used them to inspire and motivate his people. Despite having a lisp throughout his career He was known for his excellent speaking, the speeches he made throughout his life in particularly dark times for the British were always inspiring, while presented in a way that made them understandable to any person no matter whom they were. Now this was seen particularly in Churchill’s speech â€Å"the defence of freedom and peace† which he presented in October 16th 1938 near the start of world war two in an appeal to British and Americna public to prepare for the strong possibility of war against Nazi Germany. In the speech the defence of freedom and peace Churchill uses a variety of persuasive yet simple literary devices such as allusion, rhetorical questions, imagery and Tricolon and wording to arouse, influence and encourage American and British listeners to ready themselves for a possible war against Germany. Now prior to this speech Britain’s foreign policy regarding Nazi expansion was one of appeasement. British Prime minister Neville Chamberlain believed that Germany had been unfairly treated by the allies after its defeat in the 1st world war. His view was that Germany had sincere grievances that needed to be resolved; he also thought that by agreeing to some of the propositions being made by fascist powers Germany and Italy such as the Munich agreement than Europe could potentially avoid the outbreak of another world war. Meanwhile in the United States a combination of events such as the great depression and the losses suffered in world war one had pushed the American opinion and policy towards isolationism. Many Americans argued that the United States shouldn’t intervene in European conflicts or politics that did not concern them. Churchill however believed that not only did Nazi Germany and Facist Italy pose a threat but that the rights, traditions and fundamental beliefs of western civilization were in jeopardy and so he made it his mission to ready the British people for war and appeal to the US for aide against this threat. Now in his speech the defence of freedom and peace Churchill utilizes a number of literary devices the first of which is Allusion. Allusion is a figure of speech that makes reference to a place, person or event real or imaginary and can refer to anything which includes artist paintings, opera, mythical figures and bible passages. Churchill uses this to grab his audience’s attention and engage them into the subject while also getting his message across to them without having to go through tedious details. The first example of allusion is when he states â€Å"he (meaning Hitler) must blood his hounds and show them sport or else like Actaeon of old, be devoured by them†. Here he is referring to an ancient tale in Greek mythology Actaeon was a man who was punished by the goddess Artemis for boasting that he was a better hunter than she as a consequence she turned him into a stag, and his hounds turned on him and killed him. What Churchill is trying to get across to his audience is that if Hitler does not constantly lead his allies and soldiers to victory, they will eventually turn against him, taking his power for themselves. Allusion was further demonstrated when Churchill states to his audience that the American people wash their hands of the whole buissness.

Religion Essay -- Catechism, Catholic Church

In 1999, police officers killed a man who they were chasing for three-consecutive hours. While he was being chased, five California TV helicopters broadcasted the event live, and the entire public, including his family, saw his death. The Church’s teaching reveals whether the live broadcasting of violent acts is ethical or unethical. Throughout the years the media has increased the reporting of real violent acts, but they are not beneficial to the common good due to the negative effects it has on human dignity. Firstly, the Catechism Of The Catholic Church teaches that all media is limited to what the common good requires. To illustrate, Pope Paul VI says that, â€Å"The information provided by the media is at the service of the common good† (CCC 2494). This shows that all information disclosed by the media must be beneficial to the common good. Secondly, the Catechism states that all media that is broadcasted to the public must never oppose the common good. For example Pope Paul VI says the, â€Å"[the media] must adjust their economic, political or artistic and technical aspects so as never to oppose the common good† (Inter Mirifica 11). Revealing that the media must not disclose any information that may â€Å"oppose the common good†. Thirdly, the media releases wanton violent acts, which u ndermine the value of human dignity. For instance, the Catechism Of The Catholic Church teaches that, â€Å"Social justice can be obtained only in respecting the transcendent dignity of man† (CCC 1929). This means that â€Å"real† news reports can only be beneficial to the common good if they respect the dignity of man. Lastly, The Catechism Of The Catholic Church teaches that no matter what physical or mental state the person(s) are in the media must still respect ... ...s and dignity of† the person(s) must be always respected. Thus, the media must take into consideration the harm they may cause to the public and the loss of respect for human dignity. To conclude, the media's coverage of real violent acts in the news does not benefit the common good. The media uses the human right to information as a tool to broadcast as much news as possible for profit. They do not censor any of the gratuitous violence. The journalists are left to blame due to the responsibility they hold when disclosing the information they have learned to the public. Also, the uncensored violence can harm the public and it disrespects the dignity of the person(s). Over the years the media’s perspective of what â€Å"news† is has changed drastically, from information to entertainment. No matter where you go or what you watch, for some reason there is always violence.

Demographics Of Madagascar :: essays research papers fc

Formerly an independent kingdom, Madagascar became a French colony in 1886, but regained its independence in 1960. During 1992-93, free presidential and National Assembly elections were held, ending 17 years of single-party rule. Madagascar's forests are a shimmering, seething mass of a trillion stems and dripping leaves and slithering, jumping, quirky beasts out of nature's bag of tricks. Cut off from the African mainland for millions of years, Madagascar's teeming forests are a naturalist's wet dream; they've preserved oddities and developed specializations found nowhere else on earth, and you can get among them in a spectacular collection of accessible national parks. But any nation that turns to North Korea for aid has got to be a basket case. Madagascar's Marxist generals as well as its chameleons are fresh out of the Age of Dinosaurs. The generals haven't got it right - part of the population regularly suffers malnutrition owing to bad seasons and archaic economic orthodoxies at home and abroad. Since human settlement, the forests have been whittled down to a mere 15% of their former extent, scores of species are on the brink of extinction and the topsoil is barreling down into the Indian Ocean like. The countryside alternates between astounding untouched forests and breathtaking human-induced destruction on a scale almost unmatched anywhere. Madagascar’s physical geography is not conducive of the current global trends and needs for economic production. They are severely behind the World as a whole in economic growth and restructuring to fit new world markets. Most of Madagascar lies in tropical or subtropical environment; the soil structure in these sorts of regions is not able to sustain long-term cultivation. The topsoil is good for agriculture for a few years, but after much longer it becomes burnt out, or depleted, and then it needs to rest for a period of time until it can yield a decent crop again. This is because of the way this soil obtai ns nutrients and the type of nutrients generally located there. Considering the island’s physical composition, it will be hard for the poor African nation to catch-up to the new world averages. Physical Geography Madagascar is located 250 miles off the eastern coast of Africa, just south of the equator. This island nation contains no ‘Principal’ lakes, oceans, seas, rivers or islands; however it does have one ‘Principal’ mountain- Maromokotro- that is located on the island’s central plateau. The island is over 1000 miles (1580 km) long and 350 miles (570 km) wide.

Piano and Drums Poem Analysis Essay

In Gabriel Okara’s poem, â€Å"Piano and Drums†, Okara expresses his feelings and thoughts of a primitive society in contrast to a western society. Being an African himself, and having studied in a western society, the poem reflects the confusion in his emotions as well as the loss of self-identity. The title of the poem itself, â€Å"Piano and Drums† displays a sense of dissimilarity and contrast as the instruments are so unalike in terms of sophistication. Throughout the entire poem, Okara incorporates the instruments to further express, through music, how the speaker is feeling. By using well-structured stanzas and poetic devices such as imagery, symbolism, sensory detail, personification, and diction, Okara is able to immerse the readers into the difficulties of cultural conflict and the confusion of a person in the midst of the two contrasting societies. Some of the most important poetic devices utilized in this poem by Okara are imagery and symbolism. Throughout the progression of the poem, there is a constant use of images to assist in displaying Okara’s conflicting emotions about the two separate worlds. The title of the poem, â€Å"Piano and Drums† clearly displays the symbols that are used in the poem. In expressing views of his native culture compared to Western culture, Okara uses the â€Å"jungle drums† (2) to represent the African culture and does the same with the â€Å"wailing piano† (17) to represent Western culture. These symbols are used particularly because of the complexity of the instruments. Being such a simply crafted instrument, with just a resonance chamber and animal skin, the jungle drums are a good symbol to signify the African life. On the contrary, with the piano being such a complex instrument with many components assembling it together to create more variety of sound, it is distinct that it embodies the Western lifestyle. In consideration of these symbols, the speaker implements more imagery to further display the contrast between the two symbols and emphasize the disorientation the speaker is enduring. Therefore, in order to execute his use of imagery successfully, he proceeds further by making a clear contrast between the images of a sophisticated society in contrast to a primitive society. For example, beginning the poem with, â€Å"when at break of day at a riverside† (1) the speaker is able to communicate to the readers that there is a sense of a beginning of a natural life. It also shows that the speaker is trying to convey that there is new civilization, as in the past, rivers have been the starting point of a developing civilization. In the same stanza, the speaker displays raw images of the jungle drums being like â€Å"bleeding flesh† (4). By implementing such primeval pictures, the poet is aiding the readers to make a connection between the drums and the rawness of the instrument and where it originates. Additionally, in the first stanza, there is reference to predator-like animals; for example, the â€Å"panther ready to pounce† (6), the â€Å"leopard snarling about to leap† (7), and the â€Å"hunters crouch[ed] with spears poised† (8). All these predatory images of wild animals are symbols to portray instinctive, primal behaviour which show the aspects of African culture that focus on survival and a natural lifestyle. Furthermore, the poet continues the idea of the drums symbolizing African culture in the second stanza through implementing more imagery. An example in this stanza is of the â€Å"blood rippl[ing], turn[ing] torrent† (9). This image of blood flowing and turning into streams refers back to the raw, primitive tone of the poem as the image of blood makes readers infer hunting and survival. In the next lines of the stanza, Okara includes an image of the speaker â€Å"in [his] mother’s lap a suckling† (11). This image of a mother feeding her young is extremely naturalistic and shows the ingenuousness of African life as well as the simplistic way of life. However, readers are particularly able to use this image to surmise that the speakers comfort lies in his mother’s lap and his motherland. Despite the primitiveness and rawness, the speaker reminisces on his childhood and the security of being with his mother. This idea of missing his homeland is further sustained in the image of â€Å"simple/paths with no innovations† (12/13). The choice of the word â€Å"simple† describes the ease the speaker feels in his homeland as there are no complex advancements or difficulties to deal with. Also, the simple paths are concomitant with the Africans’ primary focus on basic survival as staying alive is their only concern in life. The speaker feels â€Å"fashioned with the naked/warmth† (14/15) which is another example of the unsophisticated, primordial style of African culture as the image shows a bare person. Yet, even though they are unclothed, they still feel the warmth of their body suggesting their healthiness and livingness which is the most important to them. In complete contrast, the third stanza portrays the piano as a symbol to exemplify Western culture as being sophisticated, complex, and intricate which is also portrayed through additional images. However, despite the usual thinking of sophistication being praised, the speaker, in this case, puts Western culture in a negative light which is presented through the music of the piano. When first introducing the piano, it is described as a â€Å"wailing piano† (17) which gives the readers an image of a disturbing, crying baby that is an annoyance to the ears. This is in contrast to the speaker’s views of the â€Å"mystic† sound of the drums which the speaker views as a simple, but magical instrument. Also, the fact that the piano is playing a â€Å"solo† (18) displays the independence, individuality, and the selfishness of the people in the Western world. In addition, the â€Å"far-away lands/and new horizons† (20/21) illustrate the distance at which the speaker feels he is with the Western society. As the speaker feels so close to his roots and his native land, the Western society is foreign to him and, therefore, feels far away and distant. The new horizons just further emphasize the alienation he feels to be in that sort of culture where there are constant innovations and discoveries being made. This isolation is also expressed through the image of the speaker being â€Å"lost in the labyrinth† (23). Once again, the complexity of the labyrinth reflects onto the speaker’s view of the complexity of the Western world. However, as he feels lost in the labyrinth, it shows that he is not fitting into the society and feels uncomfortable. This especially contrasts with the comfort he feels in his mother’s lap in the second stanza. To add, in the last line, the word â€Å"daggerpoint† (25) strikes out to readers as the image of the dagger is strong. Even though the speaker displays the violence of the African natives, readers get the sense of the speaker viewing the Western society to be more violent in the sense that African’s kill animals to stay alive, but Western people use violence against other human beings which is unacceptable. Although, because of the primitive lifestyle, it seems to be that the African’s are more violent, in actuality, the speaker believes that Western people are more predatorial. To conclude, Okara uses imagery and symbolism to express the speaker’s feelings towards African culture in comparison to Western culture. Another important poetic device that Okara integrates into his poem, â€Å"Piano and Drums† is sensory detail, and in particular, sound. The use of sound helps to develop the images, but to also express musically, the emotions he feels in regard to then two contrasting cultures. For instance, in the first stanza, the speaker hears the sound of â€Å"jungle drums telegraphing/the mystic rhythm, urgent† (2/3). The use of the sound coincides with the use of imagery yet the sound of the drums and the â€Å"mystic rhythm† lures the readers into the poem and assists them in hearing the rawness of the drums and also sets a jungle-like atmosphere to the poem. To show the contrast, this â€Å"mystic† sound that lures the readers in, contrasts with the speaker’s interpretation of the sound of the â€Å"wailing piano solo†. â€Å"Wailing† already gives a negative image of the sound, and throughout the whole stanza, all the readers can think about is the annoying sound of the piano. The sounds that the piano makes are elaborated with â€Å"coaxing diminuendo, counterpoint,/crescendo. † (22/23). When the diminuendo occurs, the word â€Å"coaxing† allows for the readers hear the piano at a distance yet when the counterpoint enters, the other melody interferes and becomes more confusing to the ears. Just when the confusion intensifies, the crescendo makes the piano get louder and harsher to bear. All of the sounds combined and the melodies playing at different times is bewildering to the speaker and essentially causes him to feel â€Å"lost†. This relates to the idea that the Western society is too complex for the speaker to handle and, thus, with everything that is happening at once, the speaker cannot handle it. As a result, the Western culture is not viewed in high regards to the speaker which is translated to the reader through the sounds. Lastly, in the final stanza, the clash of the piano and the drums is revealed through the line â€Å"the mystic rhythm of jungle drums and concerto† (28/29). When the two sounds are placed next to each other, it sounds like a cluster of noise which explains why the speaker feels â€Å"lost in the morning mist† (26). The percussion of the drums and the melody of the piano concerto are such contrasting sounds that it is evident that the speaker wants to distinguish the difference between the two cultures. Therefore, through the usage of sounds in the poem, Okara helps to establish the speaker’s feelings towards the two different cultures. Not only is sensory detail an important literary device, but personification in â€Å"Piano and Drums† helps to express the speaker’s attitude and feelings towards the African culture and the Western culture. The first example of personification is â€Å"groping hearts/in green leaves† (15/16) which is soon followed by â€Å"wild flowers pulsing† (16). The idea of the groping hearts show how united the African natives are with nature and life around them. By personifying the heart, it makes it come alive and truly connects to life and shows the primary concern for the Africans – survival. Just after the reference to the heart with the green leaves, the roles switch and this time the flowers are pulsing. This further accentuates the extent to which nature and life collaborate in the lives of the Africans which demonstrates the great significance and preciousness of their lives. On the other hand, the personification of the â€Å"tear-furrowed concerto† (19) exhibits a different effect on the readers. The concerto, or the sound produced by the piano, is given the characteristic of being crumpled in tears. It is compared to a human face that is crying and leaving wrinkles. This negative image expresses to the readers that the piano is miserable and suppressed. Once again, the reference to the piano is put in a negative light and made to look despondent. Another personification of the piano is the â€Å"wailing piano† (17). It is compared to a hysterical, loud cry which again shows the suppressed and unhappy state that it is feeling. Perhaps the speaker feels as though the Western culture is unable to â€Å"bleed† out and be close to nature, so they are deprived from the rawness of life and, consequently, feels sad. Evidently, the use of personification in this poem, stresses the difference between the two cultures as well as the way in which the speaker feels about it. In final analysis, through the use of the poetic devices: imagery, symbolism, sensory detail, personification, and diction, the concept of the piano and drums being two separate cultures was emphasized and contrasted throughout the poem to show the conflict between cultures as well as the feelings of disorientation a person dealing with both would feel. In the end, it was clear that the speaker is still baffled and confused as to how he would accept both cultures and make it so that there is no conflict between the two. Yet, the sense of isolation and separation is distinct in the speaker as he endures a journey through two cultures that are on opposite poles of each other. Despite the sadness and confusion in the poem, the readers feel that they can empathize well with the speaker because of the well-detailed portrayal of the speaker’s emotions, particularly the piano and the drums. Word count: 2,094

Understanding the nature of motivation

Understanding the nature of motivation Abstract The paper dwells on motivation for addiction. A literature review reveals that most people will be inclined towards drug taking because of environmental factors like availability, genetic predispositions, developmental factors such as adolescence, personality components such as prevalence of psychotic traits like impulsivity, adaptations of the neurobiological system and its mechanisms as well.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Understanding the nature of motivation specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Adaptations occur when conditioning of the external stimuli arises. The gap in literature review found that most papers did not link motivation for drug use with preventive outcomes. A multimodal approach to drug treatment and prevention has been proposed so as to offer more successful and accurate drug programs. Introduction Addiction is defined as the propensity to indulge in strange and even destructive beha vior; addicts will often lack the ability to control their habit and may continue to indulge in it even with external intervention. Several studies have been carried out in the field of drug addiction to find out what motivates users to continue taking drugs. A literature review in this area reveals that almost all motivation falls in these six categories: genetic, environmental, neurobiological mechanisms, neurobiological adaptation, personality and developmental factors. Most studies tend to focus on assessment of one or more of these factors but very few have found a way of relating these motivations to prevention and treatment programs thus minimizing the usefulness of their researches. The present study will look at current findings in the field of addiction motivation and will eventually provide recommendations on how these findings can be translated into tangible prevention outcomes. In other words, the main purpose of this research is to suggest a multi – modal approa ch that will link motivation for drug taking to tangible prevention outcomes. Experimental evidence Most analyses focus on collection of literature, analysis of drug addicts or experimentation with lab animals in order to unravel the nature of addiction. Crowley (1972) carried out a comprehensive study of addiction through the use of secondary literature and theoretical frameworks.Advertising Looking for term paper on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More He found that drug reinforcers can either be primary or secondary in that they either cause the effect of the drug directly or they lead to an effect that comes to be associated with the drug. Secondary reinforcers may either be positive or negative. He suggested that a negative secondary reinforcement was one that was learned or conditioned. In other words, if an addict experienced his or her first withdrawal effects in his parent’s house then chances are that the person would get the same feelings in his parent’s house even if he was not going through a withdrawal and this is called negative secondary reinforcement. Alternatively, conditioning or secondary reinforcement may also be positive in that it can be associated with particular peers. Although Crowley (1972) called these conditional motivators secondary reinforcement, other researchers have given them a more scientific name known as neurobiological adaptation. Examples here include Volkow Wise (2005) Robbins and Everitt (1999). These authors explained that decisions to take drugs were associated with the concept of reward and motivation. In other words, the neurobilogical system through a neurotransmitter known as dopamine has the capacity to create a positive reinforcement in the drug addict. Evidence of this assertion was confirmed by Robbins and Everitt (1999) who studied behavior in rats and found that they would self administer drugs using a level system if dopamine was active and when the neurotransmitter was inactivated, no self administration of cocaine would take place. Usually, that part of the brain is responsible for learned responses such as memory. Consequently, it can be said that the drug seeker is looking for the same reward that the drug accords him or her and this leads him to continual use. Conditioned stimuli (situations that are associated with drug taking that produce desirable outcomes but are not from the drug itself) have the capacity to cause relapses because they activate the dopamine neurological system. These researches have therefore illustrated that neurobiological adaptation is another important motivation for drug use It should be noted that neural biological adaptations are different from neurobiological mechanisms as another motivation for drug use. Neurobiological mechanisms basically refer to alterations in the biology of the drug user upon consumption. When drugs get into the system, they trigger a cer tain section of the brain which is responsible for stimulation and this leads to the development of a pleasurable feeling. In other words, this is the reward that many drug seekers tend to look for.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Understanding the nature of motivation specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Robbins and Everitt (1999) explain that drugs often create neural side effects that lead the addict to action every time they require it. This was the primary positive reinforcement that Crowley (1972) was talking about. A certain sensation causes most of these drug takers to move from one component to the other. Environmental factors are also an important motivation for drug use and relapse for those who are abstaining from the habit. Siege et. al. (2000) explain that increase in drug taking is associated with the continual availability of drugs. This explains why use of certain hard drugs is common in the ghetto s. This was affirmed through self administration of drugs by rats. Stress also makes drug users susceptible to drug use. Baker et. al (2004) explain that most drug addicts tend to avoid stressful states and this implies that environmental factors are a case of negative reinforcement. Goeders (2004) adds that stress causes addiction because it reminds a section of the brain called the HPT that the drugs can avert the negative feelings. Consequently, a drug user who had gone through prolonged periods of abstinence may relapse when too much stress occurs. Developmental factors also make drug users predisposed to the use of drugs. It has been shown that drug use often begins at the adolescent age. Volkow and Wise (2005) affirm that changes in delayed developments of a certain section of the brain known as the prefrontal context leads to greater risk taking behavior. Adolescents have not yet developed this part of the brain so most may be impulsive or maybe likely to get involved in drug s without really thinking about the long term consequences of it. Lastly, Eysenk (1999) illustrated that there is a relationship between the personality of an individual and that person’s propensity for drugs. It has been illustrated that drugs do play a resource function. In other words, if an individual has a certain personality deficiency such as too much introversion, then that person is likely to seek out drugs which will cause him to be more talkative and uninhibited. Personality also acts as a motivator owing to the prevalence of psychotic functions of the addict. Eysenk (1999) carried out an analysis of various individuals and found that most users tended to be impulsive, impersonal, aggressive, cold and egocentric. These were all behavior traits synonymous to the psychotic personality so this is an important motivator. Genetic predispositions also lead to drug use as asserted by Nestler (2000) who found that particular variations in rats tend to affect susceptibility to drugs thus showing that genes had a mediating effect. Nonetheless, the particular genes were not found as a complex combination of them could lead to vulnerability to addiction.Advertising Looking for term paper on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Implications of the experimental evidence The revelation that drug use is associated with developmental factors illustrates that adolescents can be specifically targeted during preventive measures since they are likely to begin drug taking without thinking about the consequences. The findings that neurobiological mechanisms lead to the start and continual use of drugs imply that a substitute for similar responses maybe used in earlier phases of drug treatment. Also, findings that link drug use to environmental factors like stress imply that dealing with stress can be an effective way of curbing this. Personality factors imply that certain individuals just tend to be more impulsive. This component can be used in treatment programs by providing immediate rewards as it would resonate with the drug user. Conditioned behavior therefore illustrates that there are indeed certain triggers which can be eradicated during treatment. Limitations of the findings Most of the researches did not li nk their findings to practical implications. In other words, few tangible solutions were given to the use of these motivators as preventative or treatment techniques. Essentially, most of the studies were inquiring about drug motivation but they did not offer answers to this pressing problem. Future directions In the future, it will be appropriate to link these motivational factors to treatment or preventive outcomes. A multimodal approach would be the best bet because not only would it ensure that drug treatments are patient centered but it would also increase the accuracy of interventions because specific motivators or reinforcers will be neutralized. For instance, if it has been found that personality was one of the motivators of drug use through impulsivity then short term rewards can be introduced into the program. Also, if availability of drugs is found to be the problem then patients may either be removed from their environments or closely monitored through peer groups. Concl usion It has been found that motivation for drug use can be subdivided into six sections which include genetic predisposition, developmental factors, neurobiological mechanisms, neurobiological adaptations, personality and environmental factors. Most of the literature has not linked these findings to treatment programs to be used by drug users yet problems tend to be solved only after relating them to their initial causes. All or any of these factors may have led a person to addiction so treatment methods need to relate to those motivations (no matter how many they are). This piece therefore suggests future research in the development of multimodal approaches to drug treatment and prevention depending on the risk factors and the motivations for drug use. References Baker, T., Piper, M., McCarthy, D., Fire, M. Majeskie, M. (2004). Addiction motivation reformulated: an affective processing model of negative reinforcement. Psychological review, 111(1), 33-51 Chambers, A., Taylor, J., Potenza, M. (2003). Developmental neurocircuitry of motivation in adolescence: a critical period of addiction vulnerability. American Journal of psychiatry, 160, 1041-152 Crowley, T. (1972). The reinforcers for drug abuse: why people take drugs. Comprehensive psychiatry, 13(1), 51-63 Eysenck, H. (1997). Addiction, personality and motivation. Human psychopharmacology, 12,S79-87 Goeders, N. (2004). Stress, motivation and drug addiction. Current directions in psychological science, 13(1), 33-36 Nestler, E. (2000). Genes and addiction. Nature, 26, 277-282 Robbins, T. Everitt, B. (1999). Drug addiction: bad habits add up. Nature, 398(15), 567-601 Serge, A., Walker, J., Koob., G. (2000). Heroin in rats with a history of drug escalation. Neuropychopharmacology, 22(10), 413-421 Volkow, N. Wise, R. (2005). How can drug addiction help us understand obesity? Nature Neuroscience, 8(5), 555-561

14 Things You Need to Know as a New Nurse

14 Things You Need to Know as a New Nurse So you’ve made it. You want to be a nurse and now you’re ready to begin your nursing career. Here are 14 tips from actual nurses, things they wish they’d known back when they first were starting out, that can help set you on a steeper learning curve as a new nurse. 1. Your schedule is different on paper vs. in real lifeYour schedule might look totally doable- a manageable series of shifts (most hospitals would say 3 shifts of 12 hours each). But when you factor in changeover duties, exchanging important patient information before and after each work day, and your commute? Those days are easily 15 hours. And those four days off per week? Forget it. Be ready for the 5 a.m. phone calls begging you to pinch hit when you’re understaffed. Best be prepared for more hours than your schedule would suggest on paper.2. Your duties expand far and wideThe definition of â€Å"nursing,† as it turns out, has a lot more to it than just the medical care you were trai ned to give. Expect also to have to perform the tasks of waitress, housekeeper, advocate, crusader, IT person, mediator, electrician, errand runner, and counselor. The more your realize how much outside stuff will factor into your ability to get your actual job done, the better a nurse you’ll be.3. Your memory game must be on pointIf you don’t have an outstanding memory, you’d better come up with a mnemonic system to keep things better in your head, or at least be extremely organized and know where you’ve recorded the details you really can’t forget. You’ll be expected to know without hesitation details about your patient, their disease profile, the technology you’ll need to wield, medication interactions, etc. Often as a matter of life and death.4. Your mistakes will be plentifulIt would be naà ¯ve to think that you won’t make them. You will. Everyone does. The first one will feel awful, and you’ll probably cry, but yo u’ll be very unlikely ever to make it again. Do your best to learn from your mistakes. They’ll make you a much better nurse. And take extra care with medications- they’re the easiest thing to mess up!5. You will learn how to handle the most difficult thingNursing school, no matter how much you think it has, cannot prepare you to witness your first, second, or two hundredth death. You will see hundreds and they will not get easier. Each will be different and tragic in their own way.6. You will develop a sick sense of humorIf you don’t have one already, you will soon. You and your coworkers will find yourselves making jokes you’d never even realize were joke-worthy before you became a nurse. Just go with it. This is how we keep each other sane.7. You will be attached to the phoneYou’ll be dealing with patients a great deal. You’ll be expected to be graceful under fire. But you’ll also spend an ungodly amount of time, tedious time , on the telephone. Other departments, doctors, pharmacies, insurance companies, supply companies, etc. Train yourself to have excellent phone demeanor and you’ll go far.8. Your body will take a beatingIt will hurt you. After almost every shift. And as you grow older and more seasoned in your career, it will only hurt more. You’re standing, walking, lifting patients and equipment. It takes a toll. Take good care of yourself. Stretch. Learn to optimize your body mechanics- standing, sitting, bending, lifting. Wear compression stockings and good, supportive shoes.9. Your friends and family become bonus patientsYou’re never going to be off the clock. Not as long as your friends and family have cell phones and cameras and can send you their complaints and health questions. Just get used to it. You’ll have a hard time turning loved ones away when you or your colleagues might be of help.10. Your pay is not as high as it should beIt will never be enough for the amount of work you’re expected to do just to perform your base duties. But there are always opportunities for you to pick up extra shifts and overtime. If you can do the extra work, you can make the extra cash.11. Your schedule will be all over the placeKiss your weekends and holidays goodbye. And be prepared to explain to your friends and family why you can’t always be counted on to come to dinners and birthday parties and weekends away. Eventually you’ll all get used to the way things have to be.12. Your second family will be at workYour coworkers will become your family. You’ll be battle tested. And you’ll see everything, process everything, mourn and celebrate everything as a little unit. You’ll love and hate them, and celebrate most holidays by their side.13. You will come to depend upon breakfastIs more important for you than for almost any one else in any other career. Make sure you eat it, even if you do it during your commute. It mi ght be the only chance you get to eat. And try to load up on protein bars or drinks to keep you going when you only have two minutes to eat and no time to chew!14. You will learn the meaning of commitmentProbably the most important thing to ask yourself is how much you actually want this. Nursing isn’t for everyone. It’s a thankless, underappreciated, underpaid profession, but if it’s what you love, you’ll be able to hang in there no matter what. Do a bit of soul searching to find the kind of dedication you’ll need to keep you going during the course of your long career.