Sunday, December 29, 2019

Rene Descartes and Meditations - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 3 Words: 902 Downloads: 1 Date added: 2019/07/30 Category People Essay Level High school Tags: Rene Descartes Essay Did you like this example? In the Meditations, Rene Descartes endeavors to questions everything that is conceivable. His vulnerability of things that ranges from God to himself. At that point, he proceeds to begin demonstrating that things do exist by first demonstrating he exists. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Rene Descartes and Meditations" essay for you Create order After setting himself up he can proceed to build up everything else on the planet. Next, he goes on to demonstrate, the brain and the body arent attached. With the end goal to do this he should initially demonstrate he has a brain, and afterward demonstrate that real things exist. I do agree with Descartes that the brain is discrete from the body. These are the contentions that I concur with Descartes. The 1st Meditation entitled What can be called into uncertainty, opens with the Meditator pondering the number of lies he has thought amid his life and on the ensuing brokenness of the group of information he has developed from these deceptions. He has made plans to clear away all he supposes he knows and to begin again from the establishments, developing his insight yet again on progressively certain grounds. He has situated himself alone, by the fire, free all things considered so he can crush his previous feelings with consideration. The Meditator reasons that he requires some motiv ation to question his present conclusions with the end goal to incite him to look for sturdier establishments for his insight. As opposed to questioning all of his feelings exclusively, He reasons that he may cast them all into uncertainty in the event that he can question the establishments and fundamental standards whereupon his suppositions are established. Everything that the Meditator has acknowledged as most obvious he has come to gain from or through his detects. He recognizes that occasionally the faculties can swindle, however just concerning articles that are little or far away, and that our tangible information all in all is very solid. The Meditator recognizes that crazy individuals may be more deluded, however, that he is unmistakably not one of them and neednt stress himself over that. In any case, the Meditator understands that he is frequently persuaded when he is imagining that he is detecting genuine articles. He feels sure that he is alert and sitting by the fire, however, mirrors that frequently he has imagined this very kind of thing and been entirely persuaded by it. Despite the fact that his present sensations might be dream pictures, he recommends that even dream pictures are drawn from waking knowledge, much like compositions in that regard. Notwithstanding when a painter makes a fanciful animal, similar to a mermaid, the composite parts are drawn from genuine articles ladies and fish, on account of a mermaid. Whats more, notwithstanding when a painter makes something totally new, in any event, the hues in the artistic creation are drawn from genuine experience. In this manner, the Meditator finishes up, however, he can question composite things, he cant question the straightforward and all-inclusive parts from which they are built like shape, amount, measure, time, and so forth. While we can question thinks about dependent on composite things, similar to a drug, space science, or material science, he presumes that we cant question examines dependent on straightforward things, similar to math and geometry. On further reflection, the Meditator understands that even basic things can be questioned. All-powerful God could make even our origination of arithmetic false. One may contend that God is remarkably great and would not persuade erroneously every one of these things. In any case, by this thinking, we should believe that God would not beguile him with respect to anything, but then this is unmistakably not genuine. In the event that we assume, there is no God, there is a considerably more noteworthy probability of being deluded since our defective faculties would not have been made by an ideal being. The Meditator discovers it relatively difficult to keep his ongoing assessments and presumptions out of his head, attempt as he may. He makes plans to imagine that these suppositions are absolutely false and nonexistent with the end goal to offset his routine state of mind. He guesses that not God, but rather some malicious evil spirit has invested in misleading him with the goal that all that he supposes he knows is false. By questioning everything, he can, at any rate, make certain not to be deceived into misrepresentation by this evil presence. We should take note of that Descartes uncertainty is a methodological and balanced uncertainty. That is, t he Meditator isnt simply questioning everything aimlessly, except is giving strong motivations to his uncertainty at each stage. For example, he rejects the likelihood that he may be frantic since that would undermine the objectivity that spurs his uncertainty. Descartes is attempting to set up this uncertainty inside a judicious system, and necessities to keep up a case to judiciousness for his contentions to continue. The envisioning theory would leave information of such things as numerical certainties alone, for they are no less valid in dreams. However, Descartes holds, if there could be a pernicious evil presence with full authority over my brain, at that point he could delude me always, for the assurance that normally goes to even the least complex of contemplations, for example, that 2+2=4, could be just his creation I feel certain. It accordingly shows up I can be sure of nothing and this is the point in which Meditation 1 closes.

Saturday, December 21, 2019

Doctors Without Borders - 1238 Words

Doctors without Borders: A Study of Diseases Business Research Methods, Part I Michelle Bowen QNT/561 August 2, 2010 Erik Kirk Doctors without Borders: A Study of Diseases Business Research Methods, Part I Doctors Without Borders is an International medical organization that provides emergency and surgical care to people in countries or situations where healthcare is generally not accessible. When one considers that this organization is primarily operating with volunteers and donated funds, one would expect funds could be misallocated. To better determine what problem is affecting the organization, this team of scholarly researchers will attempt to explain how the Management-Question Research Hierarchy helps one to determine a†¦show more content†¦As the research team progresses to the next step of the research project, we will seek to answer how funds are allocated for medical care in Sudan and determine the best course of action for DWB. Appendix A Appendix B Step 1: Management Dilemma Are there diseases which are prevalent within the Sudanese population that are not being appropriately funded? Step 2: Management Question Within the Southern Region of Sudan, how can we more effectively allocate funding towards diseases which are more prevalent? Step 3: Research Question What is the appropriation of funds to various diseases? Step 4: Investigative Questions Are the most serious diseases receiving the most funding? Step 5: Measurement Questions How can we measure the amount of funding to specific diseases? Step 6: Management Decisions How can executive management direct the flow of funds to the most serious diseases? What is the appropriation of funds to various diseases? References Cooper, D. R., Schindler, P. S. (2008). Business Research Methods (10th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. Lind, D. A., Marchal, W. G., Wathen, S. A. (2008). Statistical Techniques in Business and Economics (13th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. PurdueShow MoreRelatedDoctors without Borders International658 Words   |  3 Pagespolitical party, or religious faith, and, as such, endeavors to communicate its history, background, and capabilities to all parties in a given situation so that it may gain the necessary access to populations in need..On any given day, more than 30,000 doctors, nurses, logisticians, water-and-sanitation experts, administrators, and other qualified professionals working with MSF can be found providing medical care around the world..In 2012, MSF medical teams carried out more than 8.3 million outpatient consultations;Read MoreThe Photographer Into Afghanistan With Doctors Without Borders Essay1691 Words   |  7 PagesIn The Photographer Into War- Torn Afghanistan with Doctors Without Borders, one of the themes evident within the book is the difference between the stereotypes of Afghan people and who they actually are. The photographer, Didier Lefevre, is fueled by, â€Å"a profound respect and love for the people of Afghanistan, and a belief in the importance of their work† ( Lefevre x). The importance in that work was to show humanity in the faces the media portrays as terrorists. The media also portrays AfghanisRead MoreEssay on Analysis of an NGO: Doctors Without Borders1111 Words   |  5 PagesImagine an entire community of individuals, from doctors to massage therapists, that does not answer to any political entity or religion, yet still manages to collectively provide free healthcare services to millions of individuals in need every year. Medecins Sans Frontiers, or popularly known in the US as Doctors Without Borders, is an international NGO that does just that. The organization began in 1971 when a group of French doctors and journalists recognized the dire need for assistance in healthcareRead MoreDoctors Without Borders/Mà ©decins Sans Frontià ¨res (Msf)999 Words   |  4 PagesDoctors Without Borders/Mà ©decins Sans Frontià ¨res  (MSF) is an interna tional humanitarian organization helping people in countries of the greatest need. Usually focusing on assisting underdeveloped countries, they deliver emergency medical aid to people affected by conflict, epidemics, disasters, or suffer exclusion from health care. This goal is astonishing, since numerous countries are dealing with devastation due to war or overall lack of resources. Nevertheless, with the history and backgroundRead MoreComparitive Paper621 Words   |  3 PagesComparing the Financial Environments Yvonne Young Tricia Jenkins HCS/577 July 20 2015 Comparative Summary For Profit Organization, Not for Profit Organization, Government Organization Home Health Doctors without Borders, World Health Organization Financial structure * For profit organization (Home Health) 1. Combining profitable business with meaningful opportunities helping clients maintain quality of life. Contribution of staff and howRead MoreThe Path Of Becoming A Doctor Essay1008 Words   |  5 Pagessome sort. Although I’m on the path of becoming a doctor, main goal is to join the Doctors without Borders initiative and be actively apart of that for majority of my career. I choose this particular organization because I am a firm believer in helping others; less fortunate then you, reach their full potential and providing accessible health care to these individuals will allow them to do so. I feel as though working for Doctors without Borders would be a wonderfully rewarding experience that willRead MoreMy Experience Of My College Experience1571 Words   |  7 Pagesin both the sciences and law. The occupation that surprised me was military because I had been raised in a military family but never really thought about myself going into the military until recently when I was deciding if I wanted to do Doctors without borders or the Navy corpsman. The strong interest was very interesting to see, while it essentially just told me things that I already knew about myself it was nice to see things in a different light. This let me know that my dreams were not crazyRead MoreEssay on Doctors Without Boarders947 Words   |  4 PagesDoctors without boarders xxxxxxxxxxx xxxx National and Community Change and Development Doctors without boarders This case analysis is about the work Doctors Without Borders do for the people with multi-drug resistant tuberculosis in the Sub-Saharan country of Swaziland and the story of a boy named Senzo that are in the middle of such a treatment. With a weak immune system because of the HIV virus, tuberculosis and similar diseases could kill him. With the help of this organization and manyRead MoreStructural Adjustment Programs And Its Effects On The Social Development Of Kenya933 Words   |  4 Pagesregion (Streefland 2008: 141). I propose researching the impact of non-governmental organizations, specifically Doctors without Borders, on the post structural adjustment weakened and fragmented public sector health system in the informal settlement of Kibera in Nairobi, Kenya. Further, I hope to understand whether the presence of Doctors without Borders is creating an alienation of doctors from the public sector and impacting the ability of local populations to receive the health care they need. BeforeRead MoreBenefits Of Being An American Citizen Essay1500 Words   |  6 Pagesbrave; does this still hold true today when it comes to the availability of heath care? Going to the doctor for a simple checkup and prescription should be considered a normal and affordable part of life. Being medically insured allows this to be done with ease, but for the large percentage of the minority population who are not, it can be a daunting task. Those who end up getting medical care without the proper insurance can rack up debt that becomes impossible to pay off. According to a study done

Friday, December 13, 2019

A Game of Thrones Chapter Fourteen Free Essays

Catelyn Ned and the girls were eight days gone when Maester Luwin came to her one night in Bran’s sickroom, carrying a reading lamp and the books of account. â€Å"It is past time that we reviewed the figures, my lady,† he said. â€Å"You’ll want to know how much this royal visit cost us. We will write a custom essay sample on A Game of Thrones Chapter Fourteen or any similar topic only for you Order Now † Catelyn looked at Bran in his sickbed and brushed his hair back off his forehead. It had grown very long, she realized. She would have to cut it soon. â€Å"I have no need to look at figures, Maester Luwin,† she told him, never taking her eyes from Bran. â€Å"I know what the visit cost us. Take the books away.† â€Å"My lady, the king’s party had healthy appetites. We must replenish our stores before—† She cut him off. â€Å"I said, take the books away. The steward will attend to our needs.† â€Å"We have no steward,† Maester Luwin reminded her. Like a little grey rat, she thought, he would not let go. â€Å"Poole went south to establish Lord Eddard’s household at King’s Landing.† Catelyn nodded absently. â€Å"Oh, yes. I remember.† Bran looked so pale. She wondered whether they might move his bed under the window, so he could get the morning sun. Maester Luwin set the lamp in a niche by the door and fiddled with its wick. â€Å"There are several appointments that require your immediate attention, my lady. Besides the steward, we need a captain of the guards to fill Jory’s place, a new master of horse—† Her eyes snapped around and found him. â€Å"A master of horse?† Her voice was a whip. The maester was shaken. â€Å"Yes, my lady. Hullen rode south with Lord Eddard, so—† â€Å"My son lies here broken and dying, Luwin, and you wish to discuss a new master of horse? Do you think I care what happens in the stables? Do you think it matters to me one whit? I would gladly butcher every horse in Winterfell with my own hands if it would open Bran’s eyes, do you understand that? Do you?† He bowed his head. â€Å"Yes, my lady, but the appointments—† â€Å"I’ll make the appointments,† Robb said. Catelyn had not heard him enter, but there he stood in the doorway, looking at her. She had been shouting, she realized with a sudden flush of shame. What was happening to her? She was so tired, and her head hurt all the time. Maester Luwin looked from Catelyn to her son. â€Å"I have prepared a list of those we might wish to consider for the vacant offices,† he said, offering Robb a paper plucked from his sleeve. Her son glanced at the names. He had come from outside, Catelyn saw; his cheeks were red from the cold, his hair shaggy and windblown. â€Å"Good men,† he said. â€Å"We’ll talk about them tomorrow.† He handed back the list of names. â€Å"Very good, my lord.† The paper vanished into his sleeve. â€Å"Leave us now,† Robb said. Maester Luwin bowed and departed. Robb closed the door behind him and turned to her. He was wearing a sword, she saw. â€Å"Mother, what are you doing?† Catelyn had always thought Robb looked like her; like Bran and Rickon and Sansa, he had the Tully coloring, the auburn hair, the blue eyes. Yet now for the first time she saw something of Eddard Stark in his face, something as stern and hard as the north. â€Å"What am I doing?† she echoed, puzzled. â€Å"How can you ask that? What do you imagine I’m doing? I am taking care of your brother. I am taking care of Bran.† â€Å"Is that what you call it? You haven’t left this room since Bran was hurt. You didn’t even come to the gate when Father and the girls went south.† â€Å"I said my farewells to them here, and watched them ride out from that window.† She had begged Ned not to go, not now, not after what had happened; everything had changed now, couldn’t he see that? It was no use. He had no choice, he had told her, and then he left, choosing. â€Å"I can’t leave him, even for a moment, not when any moment could be his last. I have to be with him, if . . . if . . . † She took her son’s limp hand, sliding his fingers through her own. He was so frail and thin, with no strength left in his hand, but she could still feel the warmth of life through his skin. Robb’s voice softened. â€Å"He’s not going to die, Mother. Maester Luwin says the time of greatest danger has passed.† â€Å"And what if Maester Luwin is wrong? What if Bran needs me and I’m not here?† â€Å"Rickon needs you,† Robb said sharply. â€Å"He’s only three, he doesn’t understand what’s happening. He thinks everyone has deserted him, so he follows me around all day, clutching my leg and crying. I don’t know what to do with him.† He paused a moment, chewing on his lower lip the way he’d done when he was little. â€Å"Mother, I need you too. I’m trying but I can’t . . . I can’t do it all by myself.† His voice broke with sudden emotion, and Catelyn remembered that he was only fourteen. She wanted to get up and go to him, but Bran was still holding her hand and she could not move. Outside the tower, a wolf began to howl. Catelyn trembled, just for a second. â€Å"Bran’s.† Robb opened the window and let the night air into the stuffy tower room. The howling grew louder. It was a cold and lonely sound, full of melancholy and despair. â€Å"Don’t,† she told him. â€Å"Bran needs to stay warm.† â€Å"He needs to hear them sing,† Robb said. Somewhere out in Winterfell, a second wolf began to howl in chorus with the first. Then a third, closer. â€Å"Shaggydog and Grey Wind,† Robb said as their voices rose and fell together. â€Å"You can tell them apart if you listen close.† Catelyn was shaking. It was the grief, the cold, the howling of the direwolves. Night after night, the howling and the cold wind and the grey empty castle, on and on they went, never changing, and her boy lying there broken, the sweetest of her children, the gentlest, Bran who loved to laugh and climb and dreamt of knighthood, all gone now, she would never hear him laugh again. Sobbing, she pulled her hand free of his and covered her ears against those terrible howls. â€Å"Make them stop!† she cried. â€Å"I can’t stand it, make them stop, make them stop, kill them all if you must, just make them stop!† She didn’t remember falling to the floor, but there she was, and Robb was lifting her, holding her in strong arms. â€Å"Don’t be afraid, Mother. They would never hurt him.† He helped her to her narrow bed in the corner of the sickroom. â€Å"Close your eyes,† he said gently. â€Å"Rest. Maester Luwin tells me you’ve hardly slept since Bran’s fall.† â€Å"I can’t,† she wept. â€Å"Gods forgive me, Robb, I can’t, what if he dies while I’m asleep, what if he dies, what if he dies . . . † The wolves were still howling. She screamed and held her ears again. â€Å"Oh, gods, close the window!† â€Å"If you swear to me you’ll sleep.† Robb went to the window, but as he reached for the shutters another sound was added to the mournful howling of the direwolves. â€Å"Dogs,† he said, listening. â€Å"All the dogs are barking. They’ve never done that before . . . † Catelyn heard his breath catch in his throat. When she looked up, his face was pale in the lamplight. â€Å"Fire,† he whispered. Fire, she thought, and then, Bran! â€Å"Help me,† she said urgently, sitting up. â€Å"Help me with Bran.† Robb did not seem to hear her. â€Å"The library tower’s on fire,† he said. Catelyn could see the flickering reddish light through the open window now. She sagged with relief. Bran was safe. The library was across the bailey, there was no way the fire would reach them here. â€Å"Thank the gods,† she whispered. Robb looked at her as if she’d gone mad. â€Å"Mother, stay here. I’ll come back as soon as the fire’s out.† He ran then. She heard him shout to the guards outside the room, heard them descending together in a wild rush, taking the stairs two and three at a time. Outside, there were shouts of â€Å"Fire!† in the yard, screams, running footsteps, the whinny of frightened horses, and the frantic barking of the castle dogs. The howling was gone, she realized as she listened to the cacophony. The direwolves had fallen silent. Catelyn said a silent prayer of thanks to the seven faces of god as she went to the window. Across the bailey, long tongues of flame shot from the windows of the library. She watched the smoke rise into the sky and thought sadly of all the books the Starks had gathered over the centuries. Then she closed the shutters. When she turned away from the window, the man was in the room with her. â€Å"You weren’t s’posed to be here,† he muttered sourly. â€Å"No one was s’posed to be here.† He was a small, dirty man in filthy brown clothing, and he stank of horses. Catelyn knew all the men who worked in their stables, and he was none of them. He was gaunt, with limp blond hair and pale eyes deep-sunk in a bony face, and there was a dagger in his hand. Catelyn looked at the knife, then at Bran. â€Å"No,† she said. The word stuck in her throat, the merest whisper. He must have heard her. â€Å"It’s a mercy,† he said. â€Å"He’s dead already.† â€Å"No,† Catelyn said, louder now as she found her voice again. â€Å"No, you can’t.† She spun back toward the window to scream for help, but the man moved faster than she would have believed. One hand clamped down over her mouth and yanked back her head, the other brought the dagger up to her windpipe. The stench of him was overwhelming. She reached up with both hands and grabbed the blade with all her strength, pulling it away from her throat. She heard him cursing into her ear. Her fingers were slippery with blood, but she would not let go of the dagger. The hand over her mouth clenched more tightly, shutting off her air. Catelyn twisted her head to the side and managed to get a piece of his flesh between her teeth. She bit down hard into his palm. The man grunted in pain. She ground her teeth together and tore at him, and all of a sudden he let go. The taste of his blood filled her mouth. She sucked in air and screamed, and he grabbed her hair and pulled her away from him, and she stumbled and went down, and then he was standing over her, breathing hard, shaking. The dagger was still clutched tightly in his right hand, slick with blood. â€Å"You weren’t s’posed to be here,† he repeated stupidly. Catelyn saw the shadow slip through the open door behind him. There was a low rumble, less than a snarl, the merest whisper of a threat, but he must have heard something, because he started to turn just as the wolf made its leap. They went down together, half sprawled over Catelyn where she’d fallen. The wolf had him under the jaw. The man’s shriek lasted less than a second before the beast wrenched back its head, taking out half his throat. His blood felt like warm rain as it sprayed across her face. The wolf was looking at her. Its jaws were red and wet and its eyes glowed golden in the dark room. It was Bran’s wolf, she realized. Of course it was. â€Å"Thank you,† Catelyn whispered, her voice faint and tiny. She lifted her hand, trembling. The wolf padded closer, sniffed at her fingers, then licked at the blood with a wet rough tongue. When it had cleaned all the blood off her hand, it turned away silently and jumped up on Bran’s bed and lay down beside him. Catelyn began to laugh hysterically. That was the way they found them, when Robb and Maester Luwin and Ser Rodrik burst in with half the guards in Winterfell. When the laughter finally died in her throat, they wrapped her in warm blankets and led her back to the Great Keep, to her own chambers. Old Nan undressed her and helped her into a scalding hot bath and washed the blood off her with a soft cloth. Afterward Maester Luwin arrived to dress her wounds. The cuts in her fingers went deep, almost to the bone, and her scalp was raw and bleeding where he’d pulled out a handful of hair. The maester told her the pain was just starting now, and gave her milk of the poppy to help her sleep. Finally she closed her eyes. When she opened them again, they told her that she had slept four days. Catelyn nodded and sat up in bed. It all seemed like a nightmare to her now, everything since Bran’s fall, a terrible dream of blood and grief, but she had the pain in her hands to remind her that it was real. She felt weak and light-headed, yet strangely resolute, as if a great weight had lifted from her. â€Å"Bring me some bread and honey,† she told her servants, â€Å"and take word to Maester Luwin that my bandages want changing.† They looked at her in surprise and ran to do her bidding. Catelyn remembered the way she had been before, and she was ashamed. She had let them all down, her children, her husband, her House. It would not happen again. She would show these northerners how strong a Tully of Riverrun could be. Robb arrived before her food. Rodrik Cassel came with him, and her husband’s ward Theon Greyjoy, and lastly Hallis Mollen, a muscular guardsman with a square brown beard. He was the new captain of the guard, Robb said. Her son was dressed in boiled leather and ringmail, she saw, and a sword hung at his waist. â€Å"Who was he?† Catelyn asked them. â€Å"No one knows his name,† Hallis Mollen told her. â€Å"He was no man of Winterfell, m’lady, but some says they seen him here and about the castle these past few weeks.† â€Å"One of the king’s men, then,† she said, â€Å"or one of the Lannisters’. He could have waited behind when the others left.† â€Å"Maybe,† Hal said. â€Å"With all these strangers filling up Winterfell of late, there’s no way of saying who he belonged to.† â€Å"He’d been hiding in your stables,† Greyjoy said. â€Å"You could smell it on him.† â€Å"And how could he go unnoticed?† she said sharply. Hallis Mollen looked abashed. â€Å"Between the horses Lord Eddard took south and them we sent north to the Night’s Watch, the stalls were half-empty. It were no great trick to hide from the stableboys. Could be Hodor saw him, the talk is that boy’s been acting queer, but simple as he is . . . † Hal shook his head. â€Å"We found where he’d been sleeping,† Robb put in. â€Å"He had ninety silver stags in a leather bag buried beneath the straw.† â€Å"It’s good to know my son’s life was not sold cheaply,† Catelyn said bitterly. Hallis Mollen looked at her, confused. â€Å"Begging your grace, m’lady, you saying he was out to kill your boy?† Greyjoy was doubtful. â€Å"That’s madness.† â€Å"He came for Bran,† Catelyn said. â€Å"He kept muttering how I wasn’t supposed to be there. He set the library fire thinking I would rush to put it out, taking any guards with me. If I hadn’t been half-mad with grief, it would have worked.† â€Å"Why would anyone want to kill Bran?† Robb said. â€Å"Gods, he’s only a little boy, helpless, sleeping . . . â€Å" Catelyn gave her firstborn a challenging look. â€Å"If you are to rule in the north, you must think these things through, Robb. Answer your own question. Why would anyone want to kill a sleeping child?† Before he could answer, the servants returned with a plate of food fresh from the kitchen. There was much more than she’d asked for: hot bread, butter and honey and blackberry preserves, a rasher of bacon and a soft-boiled egg, a wedge of cheese, a pot of mint tea. And with it came Maester Luwin. â€Å"How is my son, Maester?† Catelyn looked at all the food and found she had no appetite. Maester Luwin lowered his eyes. â€Å"Unchanged, my lady.† It was the reply she had expected, no more and no less. Her hands throbbed with pain, as if the blade were still in her, cutting deep. She sent the servants away and looked back to Robb. â€Å"Do you have the answer yet?† â€Å"Someone is afraid Bran might wake up,† Robb said, â€Å"afraid of what he might say or do, afraid of something he knows.† Catelyn was proud of him. â€Å"Very good.† She turned to the new captain of the guard. â€Å"We must keep Bran safe. If there was one killer, there could be others.† â€Å"How many guards do you want, rn’lady?† Hal asked. â€Å"So long as Lord Eddard is away, my son is the master of Winterfell,† she told him. Robb stood a little taller. â€Å"Put one man in the sickroom, night and day, one outside the door, two at the bottom of the stairs. No one sees Bran without my warrant or my mother’s.† â€Å"As you say, m’lord.† â€Å"Do it now,† Catelyn suggested. â€Å"And let his wolf stay in the room with him,† Robb added. â€Å"Yes,† Catelyn said. And then again: â€Å"Yes.† Hallis Mollen bowed and left the room. â€Å"Lady Stark,† Ser Rodrik said when the guardsman had gone, â€Å"did you chance to notice the dagger the killer used?† â€Å"The circumstances did not allow me to examine it closely, but I can vouch for its edge,† Catelyn replied with a dry smile. â€Å"Why do you ask?† â€Å"We found the knife still in the villain’s grasp. It seemed to me that it was altogether too fine a weapon for such a man, so I looked at it long and hard. The blade is Valyrian steel, the hilt dragonbone. A weapon like that has no business being in the hands of such as him. Someone gave it to him.† Catelyn nodded, thoughtful. â€Å"Robb, close the door.† He looked at her strangely, but did as she told him. â€Å"What I am about to tell you must not leave this room,† she told them. â€Å"I want your oaths on that. If even part of what I suspect is true, Ned and my girls have ridden into deadly danger, and a word in the wrong ears could mean their lives.† â€Å"Lord Eddard is a second father to me,† said Theon Greyjoy. â€Å"I do so swear.† â€Å"You have my oath,† Maester Luwin said. â€Å"And mine, my lady,† echoed Ser Rodrik. She looked at her son. â€Å"And you, Robb?† He nodded his consent. â€Å"My sister Lysa believes the Lannisters murdered her husband, Lord Arryn, the Hand of the King,† Catelyn told them. â€Å"It comes to me that Jaime Lannister did not join the hunt the day Bran fell. He remained here in the castle.† The room was deathly quiet. â€Å"I do not think Bran fell from that tower,† she said into the stillness. â€Å"I think he was thrown.† The shock was plain on their faces. â€Å"My lady, that is a monstrous suggestion,† said Rodrik Cassel. â€Å"Even the Kingslayer would flinch at the murder of an innocent child.† â€Å"Oh, would he?† Theon Greyjoy asked. â€Å"I wonder.† â€Å"There is no limit to Lannister pride or Lannister ambition,† Catelyn said. â€Å"The boy had always been surehanded in the past,† Maester Luwin said thoughtfully. â€Å"He knew every stone in Winterfell.† â€Å"Gods,† Robb swore, his young face dark with anger. â€Å"If this is true, he will pay for it.† He drew his sword and waved it in the air. â€Å"I’ll kill him myself!† Ser Rodrik bristled at him. â€Å"Put that away! The Lannisters are a hundred leagues away. Never draw your sword unless you mean to use it. How many times must I tell you, foolish boy?† Abashed, Robb sheathed his sword, suddenly a child again. Catelyn said to Ser Rodrik, â€Å"I see my son is wearing steel now.† The old master-at-arms said, â€Å"I thought it was time.† Robb was looking at her anxiously. â€Å"Past time,† she said. â€Å"Winterfell may have need of all its swords soon, and they had best not be made of wood.† Theon Greyjoy put a hand on the hilt of his blade and said, â€Å"My lady, if it comes to that, my House owes yours a great debt.† Maester Luwin pulled at his chain collar where it chafed against his neck. â€Å"All we have is conjecture. This is the queen’s beloved brother we mean to accuse. She will not take it kindly. We must have proof, or forever keep silent.† â€Å"Your proof is in the dagger,† Ser Rodrik said. â€Å"A fine blade like that will not have gone unnoticed.† There was only one place to find the truth of it, Catelyn realized. â€Å"Someone must go to King’s Landing.† â€Å"I’ll go,† Robb said. â€Å"No,† she told him. â€Å"Your place is here. There must always be a Stark in Winterfell.† She looked at Ser Rodrik with his great white whiskers, at Maester Luwin in his grey robes, at young Greyjoy, lean and dark and impetuous. Who to send? Who would be believed? Then she knew. Catelyn struggled to push back the blankets, her bandaged fingers as stiff and unyielding as stone. She climbed out of bed. â€Å"I must go myself.† â€Å"My lady,† said Maester Luwin, â€Å"is that wise? Surely the Lannisters would greet your arrival with suspicion.† â€Å"What about Bran?† Robb asked. The poor boy looked utterly confused now. â€Å"You can’t mean to leave him.† â€Å"I have done everything I can for Bran,† she said, laying a wounded hand on his arm. â€Å"His life is in the hands of the gods and Maester Luwin. As you reminded me yourself, Robb, I have other children to think of now.† â€Å"You will need a strong escort, my lady,† Theon said. â€Å"I’ll send Hal with a squad of guardsmen,† Robb said. â€Å"No,† Catelyn said. â€Å"A large party attracts unwelcome attention. I would not have the Lannisters know I am coming.† Ser Rodrik protested. â€Å"My lady, let me accompany you at least. The kingsroad can be perilous for a woman alone.† â€Å"I will not be taking the kingsroad,† Catelyn replied. She thought for a moment, then nodded her consent. â€Å"Two riders can move as fast as one, and a good deal faster than a long column burdened by wagons and wheelhouses. I will welcome your company, Ser Rodrik. We will follow the White Knife down to the sea, and hire a ship at WhiteHarbor. Strong horses and brisk winds should bring us to King’s Landing well ahead of Ned and the Lannisters.† And then, she thought, we shall see what we shall see. How to cite A Game of Thrones Chapter Fourteen, Essay examples

Thursday, December 5, 2019

Mis - Case Study free essay sample

Unraveling the Jargon The consultant’s reply was: â€Å"In my investigation of your applications portfolios, I’ve applied †¦ to the logical data structures and have discovered a very high frequency – approximately 93. 286% of data embedded in application program logic which is largely responsible for the integrity and synchronization problem currently being encountered. As a solution, I would recommend the design of a master database each of which would employ relational technology to reduce the database to third normal form. This would eliminate the possibility of semantic disintegrity upon querying the database. † Questions: a. Try to guess what the consultant said? b. Justify the use of technical jargon. What the consultant was trying to say is that base on his investigation, with the expertise that he have and upon checking the folder where the database application is placed, he already found the cause of an error or problem within the database. The problem is data overloading. Data Overloading means that there are many unused or inappropriate data that was inserted inside the database application. The solution is to redesign the database and transform it into a new form which is called â€Å"Third Normal Form. † The database is said to be in third normal form where in each non-primary entity is independent with each other. Transforming the data base in the third normal will eliminate semantic integrity or an illogical or incorrect placement of values in the database. Using technical jargon is appropriate whenever the one you are talking to is at the same expertise as yours. Many people are considering it useful for the people inside a professional field. They can use jargon to get information faster. Some people use technical jargon to make oneself seem superior by using words and terms that others cannot understand. Technical jargons are recommended to use but in the right time, the right place and with the right people where they can understand the terms that you are using. Case 2: Information System in Restaurant A waiter takes an order at a table, and then enters it online via one of the six terminals located in the restaurant dining room. The order is routed to a printer in the appropriate preparation area: the cold item printer if it is a salad, the hot-item printer if it is a hot sandwich or the bar printer if it is a drink. A customer’s meal check-listing (bill) the items ordered and the respective prices are automatically generated. This ordering system eliminates the old three-carbon-copy guest check system as well as any problems caused by a waiter’s handwriting. When the kitchen runs out of a food item, the cooks send out an ‘out of stock’ message, which will be displayed on the dining room terminals when waiters try to order that item. This gives the waiters faster feedback, enabling them to give better service to the customers. Other system features aid management in the planning and control of their restaurant business. The system provides up-to-the-minute information on the food items ordered and breaks out percentages showing sales of each item versus total sales. This helps management plan menus according to customers’ tastes. The system also compares the weekly sales totals versus food costs, allowing planning for tighter cost controls. In addition, whenever an order is voided, the reasons for the void are keyed in. This may help later in management decisions, especially if the voids consistently related to food or service. Acceptance of the system by the users is exceptionally high since the waiters and waitresses were involved in the selection and design process. All potential users were asked to give their impressions and ideas about the various systems available before one was chosen. Questions: a. In the light of the system, describe the decisions to be made in the area of strategic planning, managerial control and operational control? What information would you require to make such decisions? . What would make the system a more complete MIS rather than just doing transaction process? c. Explain the probable effects that making the system more formal would have on the customers and the management. Some decisions that should be considered in the area of strategic planning are: A strategic decision that will be made should affect the long-term direction of the company. Decisions in this secto r should be about trying to achieve some advantage for the company and avoiding bringing an out of the place decisions that will harm the consistency of the company. The decisions should also consider the scope of a company’s activities wherein the boundaries of the company are shown. A strategic decision should also consider the effect this decision on the employees because they will be the one to do the work. Managerial Control Decisions should be a long range considering the company’s objectives. It should also be the best and applicable choice among the set of alternatives that has been suggested. Most importantly, this decision should involve changes within the company and this change should be an improvement. An Operation Control Decision involves three major considerations based on my opinion. An operational decision should be precise, fast, and cost-effective. First, it should be precise because a successful operational decision uses data quickly and effectively in the right action, looking like a knowledgeable employee with the right reports and analysis. Second, it should be fast. You need to take the best action that the time allows. Remember that in a restaurant, customers are not good in waiting longer. Lastly, an operational decision should be cost-effective. If an operational decision is successful it eliminates wasteful activities and costly reports. The system will be a more Management System if it will be involving feedbacks to the customers in what to improve with their service or with the food. It will also be a management system if the system will accept registration of a particular employee every table to avoid confusion and doubling orders. As a result, a fast service will be given. Making the system more formal might be a waste in terms of time management. If a formal system will be implemented it will affect our customer in a way hat they will be waiting longer than expected. Having a formal system involves many processes between the employees and customers. Case 3: Security Loopholes Utpal had just joined SystemX as Systems Manager. But he was a worried man looking at the current state of affairs at SystemX. As a part of assessing hardware and software requirements, it was found that out of the 364 desktops at the corporate of fice; more than half did not have their anti- virus software updated with recent virus signature files. Three fourths had not changed the default e-mail password (it was the user name) and no one had installed OS patches. And one of its local mail servers seemed to be an open relay! For a fleeting moment, he wondered about the situation at the seven branch offices across the country. SystemX used the Net extensively in dealing with its branches, customers and suppliers. Information like contract documents, marketing plans, Cheque and Draft numbers, bank account details and collection details were regularly transmitted by e-mail. Utpal’s first thought was that he would recommend that SystemX bring in a security consultant. But the budget constraints meant that his recommendation was unlikely to find favour. He was beginning to feel a bit out of depth and was wondering what he should do to ensure that SystemX’s data remained safe and secure. Questions: a. What security loopholes come to the fore in the situation described? How can these be plugged? b. What is the importance of a â€Å"security budget† in the context of the given situation? The security loopholes that was given the situation is the absence of anti-virus in half of the computers; E-mail accounts were not updated; OS patches were not installed; and one local mail server is open in the internet. These security loopholes can be plugged when the necessary adjustments were made such as the installation of anti-virus to all computer units, Updating the e-mail accounts to avoid outsiders in stealing files within the company, Operating Systems should be installed to improve the accessibility of the programs, and a local mail server should be set privately within the company. Security budget is important to ensure the safety and privacy of the company from outsiders or hackers. Remember that in this industry anything can happen, right or wrong, it doesn’t matter because this world revolves in a competition. The best way to be in track is to secure the important files of the company. Keep it within the company only to avoid copying of datas. Case 4: Too Many Information Systems X University has of late expanded very rapidly introducing a number of programmes and increasing student intake capacity. It has recently computerized its examination process based on some off-theshelf software. The library had already been computerized a couple of years back using a freely distributed Library Automation System. Daily cash transactions are also handled by computers in the Finance and Accounting Division, using accounting software. For further improvement of efficiency, the new governing body of the University have entrusted the task of developing an MIS for the University to Software Company. All these developments were welcomed by a cross-section of the University Community except a few. One of them is a faculty member at the Management Science Department who commented that the University is burdening itself with too many independent information systems. He strongly favored an integrated information system on the lines of an ERP for a business organization. Questions: a. Do you agree with the faculty member? Give reasons. b. What do you understand by Integrated Information System, the faculty member is talking about? Elaborate in the context of the X University. c. Visualize that the University governing Body decides to drop the MIS plan and agrees to the idea of developing an integrated IS. What problems are likely to creep in? d. Assess the role of Information System specialists and consultants in situations as described in the caselet. I agree with the faculty member that having too many independent information systems are really burdening. First of all, having too many systems is costly because they were made independently with each other. Second, every system requires installation, so it can waste time opening and closing one over the other. Lastly, it will affect the transactions or some activities that will be made in the university because the dates of the activities will depend on the systems which are independent with each other. An Integrated Information System is a system that combines other systems in one program. It is a system wherein every system that was stated in situation is dependent on one another. This system will be more effective because it is time-friendly with an affordable cost.

Thursday, November 28, 2019

Philosophy and Heraclitus Essay Example

Philosophy and Heraclitus Paper Ancient Greek philosopher: Heraclitus Heraclitus was born in Ephesus. He belonged to an aristocratic family but refused to have a political life. His writing style is unusual, in that many of the surviving fragments are written in short and often cryptic phrases. He was known as the weeping philosopher. He was also referred to as the riddler or the obscure one, due to the puzzling nature of his writings, as well as the mocker or the reviler of the mob, due to his dislike for those who were not open-minded. Heraclitus has a huge contempt for humanity and politics. Therefore, towards the end of his life he left the city and went to live in isolation in the mountains in which he fed on plants and herbs. This caused him to contract dropsy which forced him to return to the city for treatment. He asked the doctors in a riddling way if they could change a rainstorm into a draught. When they failed to understand him, he buried himself in a byre, thinking that the dropsy would be vaporized by the heat of the dung. His attempt was not successful and he died at the age of sixty Heraclitus did not belong to a school of thought. We will write a custom essay sample on Philosophy and Heraclitus specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Philosophy and Heraclitus specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Philosophy and Heraclitus specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer He had independent thinking and actually criticized many philosophers. He developed many important philosophical ideas that are still admired today. Among his most important ideas are flux and Unity of opposites. Heraclitus is called a monist (because he believes fire is the underlying principle) and an elitist (he believes most people are stupid). Heraclitus is said to have influenced Parmenides, Empedocles, Democritus, Plato, and the Stoics. Heraclitus said: You cannot step into the same river twice, for fresh waters are ever flowing in upon you. This statement is the essence of the concept of flux as it means that the river is always different every time you step into it. He looked at everything being in the state of change and that only change is permanent. He told people that nothing is the same now as it was before, and thus nothing what is now will be the same tomorrow. With this he planted the idea of impermanence into Greek thought, and indeed, after Heraclitus Greek philoso phy was not the same anymore. (Thomas K. ). Another influential idea is the unity of opposites. Heraclitus believed that opposites are the same and cannot exist without each other. He thought that opposites are identical. For instance, to Heraclitus, hot and cold are the same. Heraclitus saw unity as being harmony. To modern people, it seems silly to assume that opposites are identical but to the Greek, it completely makes sense. Hot and cold can both be expressed as a level of temperature, dark and bright as a degree of light. This is why opposites cannot exist without each other because when you say something is hot, it should be hot in comparison with something colder. The ideas of flux and unity of opposites are somehow connected to each other. It is sometimes argued that Heraclitus quote: You cannot step into the same river twice, for fresh waters are ever flowing in upon you. Is actually referring to the unity of opposites because the river is the same but at the same time it is different because new fresh waters flow on it. To conclude, Heraclitus was a very independent thinker and a huge critic of everything around him. His puzzling writings and deviant thoughts made him popular and influential among the later philosophers. His ideas of flux and the unity of opposites are still admired by todays philosophers. Unfortunately, not all his writings survived the years and only fragments of his writings exist. As much as we write about Heraclitus and try to understand him, in the end Much learning does not teach understanding. References: 1. website name and author are unknown, http://home. wlu. edu/~mahonj/Ancient_Philosophers/Heraclitus. htm 2. Thomas Knierim, Heraclitus,http://www. thebigview. com/greeks/heraclitus. html, 3. N. S. Gill, About. com, http://ancienthistory. about. com/od/philosophers/g/Heraclitus. htm

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Definition and Examples of Multilingualism

Definition and Examples of Multilingualism Multilingualism is the ability of an individual speaker or a community of speakers to communicate effectively in three or more languages. Contrast with monolingualism, the ability to use only one language. A person who can speak multiple languages is known as a polyglot or a multilingual. The original language a person grows up speaking is known as their first language or mother tongue. Someone who is raised speaking two first languages or mother tongues is called a simultaneous bilingual. If they learn a second language later, they are called a sequential bilingual. Examples and Observations Majesty, the Herr Direttore, he has removed uno balletto that would have occurred at this place. - Italian Kapellmeister Bonno in Amadeus Multilingualism as the Norm We estimate that most of the human language users in the world speak more than one language, i.e. they are at least bilingual. In quantitative terms, then, monolingualism may be the exception and multilingualism the norm... - Peter Auer and Li Wei Bilingualism and Multilingualism Current research...begins by emphasizing the quantitative distinction between multilingualism and bilingualism and the greater complexity and diversity of the factors involved in acquisition and use where more than two languages are involved (Cenoz 2000; Hoffmann 2001a; Herdina and Jessner 2002). Thus, it is pointed out that not only do multilinguals have larger overall linguistic repertoires, but the range of the language situations in which multilinguals can participate, making appropriate language choices, is more extensive. Herdina Jessner (2000b:93) refer to this capacity as the multilingual art of balancing communicative requirements with language resources. This wider ability associated with the acquisition of more than two languages has also been argued to distinguish multilinguals in qualitative terms. One . . . qualitative distinction seems to lie in the area of strategies. Kemp (2007), for example, reports that multilingual learners learning strategies differ from those o f monolingual students learning their first foreign language. - Larissa Aronin and David Singleton Are Americans Lazily Monolingual? The celebrated multilingualism of not just Europe but also the rest of the world may be exaggerated. The hand-wringing about America’s supposed linguistic weakness is often accompanied by the claim that monolinguals make up a small worldwide minority. The Oxford linguist Suzanne Romaine has claimed that bilingualism and multilingualism are a normal and unremarkable necessity of everyday life for the majority of the world’s population. - Michael Erard New Multilingualisms [I]n paying attention to the language practices of young people in urban settings, we see new multilingualisms emerging, as the young people create meanings with their diverse linguistic repertoires. We see the young people (and their parents and teachers) using their eclectic array of linguistic resources to create, parody, play, contest, endorse, evaluate, challenge, tease, disrupt, bargain and otherwise negotiate their social worlds. - Adrian Blackledge and Angela Creese Sources Bleichenbacher, Lukas. Multilingualism in the Movies. University of Zurich, 2007.Auer, Peter and Wei, Li. Introduction: Multilingualism as a Problem? Monolingualism as a Problem? Handbook of Multilingualism and Multilingual Communication. Mouton de Gruyter, 2007, Berlin.Aronin, Larissa and Singleton, David. Multilingualism John Benjamins, 2012, Amersterdam.Erard, Michael. Are We Really Monolingual? The New York Times Sunday Review, January 14, 2012.Blackledge, Adrian and Creese, Angela. Multilingualism: A Critical Perspective. Continuum, 2010, London, New York.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Design, synthesis and pharmacological tests of leukotrienes A4 Dissertation

Design, synthesis and pharmacological tests of leukotrienes A4 hydrolase inhibitors as a potential targets of interest in cancer - Dissertation Example Chemical shifts (?) are reported in parts per million (ppm) relative to TMS and the coupling constants (J) are described in hertz. IR spectrums were obtained using Perkin Elmer Spectrum 100 FT-IR spectrometer, wavenumbers (?) in cm-1 Methods 1. Preparation of (Z)-(((5-(2-bromo-2-nitrovinyl)-1,3-phenylene)bis(oxy))bis (methylene))dibenzene (43) Scheme 26 Synthesis of (E)-(((5-(2-nitrovinyl)-1,3-phenylene)bis(oxy))bis(methylene))dibenzene (43). In a 25 ml round bottom flask a solution of 3,5-dibenzyloxy-benzaldexyde (318.4 mg, 1.0 mmol) in xylene (mixture of isomers, 10 ml) were added bromonitromethane (279.9 mg, 2 mmol), dimethylamine bromide (1.134 g, 9 mmol) and potassium fluoride (8.7 mg, 0.15 mmol). The flask was equipped with a Dean-Stark system and the mixture was heated at reflux temperature until the disappearance of the aryl-aldehyde by TLC (usually noted after a reaction time of 4-5 hours). Toluene (10 ml) was added and the reaction was left refluxing for 18 hours. After bei ng cooled at room temperature, the reaction mixture was evaporated under vacuum to remove xylene, then diluted with water and extracted with CH2Cl2 (3?20 mL). In some cases a filtration over Celite ® surface was required in order to remove excess of reagent residues prior to extraction. The organic phase was then washed with water, dried over anhydrous MgSO4, filtered and concentrated under vacuum. Crude product was purified by chromatography on silica gel (40 g) using mixtures of Hexane and AcOEt of increased polarity. The target compound was afforded as a brown oil (45 mg, 10% yield) 2. Preparation of (E)-1-(benzyloxy)-4-(2-nitrovinyl)benzene (50) Scheme 27 Synthesis of (E)-1-(benzyloxy)-4-(2-nitrovinyl)benzene (50). In a round 250 ml bottom flask, a solution of 4-bezyloxybenzaldehyde (6.36 g, 0.03 mol) in toluene (75 ml) was prepared. To this solution, nitromethane (17.7 ml, 0.33 mol), dimethylamine hydrobromide (15.108 g, 0.12 mol) and potassium fluoride (341.5 mg, 4.5 mmol) w ere added. The flask was equipped with a Dean-Stark system and the mixture was heated at reflux temperature until the disappearance of the aryl-aldehyde by TLC. After 3 hours and 45 minutes, the reaction flask was cooled at room temperature and the reaction mixture was evaporated under vacuum to remove toluene, then filtered under Celite surface and the filtrate was diluted with brine, dried over anhydrous MgSO4, filtered and concentrated under vacuum. After, the crude product was purified by chromatography on silica gel (90 ml of pure CH2Cl2) to provide the corresponding (E)-1-(benzyloxy)-4-(2-nitrovinyl) benzene (50) as a solid mass (0.55 g, 7.25% yield), which was later purified by flash column chromatography. IR ?max (KBr): 3109.9, 1687.9, 1625.9, 1596.8, 1509.3, 1490.6, 1463.2, 1455.4, 1425.0, 1384.9, 1336.9, 1307.3, 1245.7, 1167.2, 1122.4, 1080.9, 1031.2, 987.0, 921.2, 869.5, 849.4, 818.6, 751.1, 726.9, 697.1, 654.9, 616.2, 551.6, 528.5, 520.0, 505.3, 463.0, 416.9, 406.0 cm-1. 3. Preparation of 1-(benzyloxy)-4-(2-nitroethyl)benzene (51) Scheme 28 Synthesis of 1-(benzyloxy)-4-(2-nitroethyl)benzene. 200mg of (E)-1-(benzyloxy)-4-(2-nitrovinyl)benzene were added to a flask containing 1.55g of silica gel. Then 2.3 ml of 2-propanol and 12.5 ml of chloroform were added. Then 117mg, 3.1 mmol of NaBH4 was added. The solution was stirred at room tempera

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

How sports affect children in a positive way Research Paper

How sports affect children in a positive way - Research Paper Example This research will begin with the statement that to make the man perceive and understand the  true value of positive aspect, God has created negative of everything e.g. good against evil, cold against hot, right against wrong, strong against weak. â€Å"G. W. F. Hegel: Lectures on the History of Philosophy.†, on the subject of â€Å"POSITIVE ASPECT† quoted Robinet: â€Å"The result of his observation is that good and evil balance each other; this equilibrium constitutes the beauty of the world.... it also hints at the deeper idea that there is no activity except through contradiction.† When a man perceives the positive aspect, it brings hope, satisfaction, and happiness. Perception of negative aspects produces doubt, despondency, and unhappiness. A young human being below the age of full physical development is generally termed as â€Å"child†.   If we carefully study and experience a child, we find that there are many characteristics and attributes wh ich are naturally attached to the child behavior. It could be defiant, stubborn, hyperactive, short-tempered, rude, disrespectful, liar, demanding, violent, lazy, or coward. It is not necessary that a child has all these negative attributes, but whatever he has, it is his inheritance. This inheritance depends on many factors.   The parent from whom he is born, the environment in which he is brought up, the education he receives, the family, economic, social and religious conditions in which he grows. All these are the factors that are built into a child’s psyche and character.  ... Any activity by a human being which requires physical exertion or skill and competition is usually identified as â€Å"sport†. It generates interest and enthusiasm in the person who does such activities. Even children with disabilities are encouraged to play sports. Sport is one thing that is not influenced by the character and individuality of a child. In fact, it is the children which are affected and influenced most by the sport. It is one of the most important things in recent times as Sports have changed in the children, their negative psyche in to the positive individuality. Many researches and studies have been conducted on the child psychology. It is now universally accepted that one of the most important things that can create positive attributes in a child is sport. We can find all over the world that sports facilities are always there in schools, whether they are kids’ schools, primary schools or secondary schools, public or private schools. Better the sport facilities at school, higher is its reputation and prestige. â€Å"For many years the United Nations system has acknowledged the importance of sports in society. United Nations bodies have enlisted star athletes and major sporting events in campaigns to promote immunization against childhood diseases and other public health measures, to support the fight against racism and apartheid, and to promote human rights† This self explanatory message is given on â€Å"UN Enable - United Nations, Sports and the Paralympic Games† [4] There are three main elements which can help a sport to leave a positive effect on the children. First element is the kind of sport a child is playing.

Monday, November 18, 2019

National Brands vs. Private Labels Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

National Brands vs. Private Labels - Term Paper Example Private brands, however, have a great economic value for both the retailer and the customer. They do create customer loyalty that eventually contributes to referrals and effective word of mouth to other customers and thus higher sales for the retailer. In addition, private labels give retailers sole ownership of the product. The retailer will come up with innovative ideas related to pricing and quantity and thus suiting the preferences of the customer (Horowitz, 2000). The main disadvantage of nation-manufacturer brand emanates from the high cost that may discourage some consumers and limit profitability while low unit profit margin that may compromise quality to consumers and motivation among retailers is the major disadvantage of private-label brands. It is quite difficult to determine whether the own-labeled brands are equal in pricing and quantity to national labeled brands. Hence, the customers may be exploited without their knowledge. Unlike the store brands, national brands spend exorbitant amounts of resources in advertising across a wider region and the burden of the cost falls on the customer because of the expenses incurred (Aaker, 1991; Horowitz,

Friday, November 15, 2019

Drug â€excipient Interaction of Anti-tubercular Drugs

Drug –excipient Interaction of Anti-tubercular Drugs Drug –excipient interaction of anti-tubercular drugs and its in-silico evaluation Abstract Isoniazid and Pyrazinamide are the first line anti tubercular drugs. Lactose is mainly used as the excipient in solid dosage forms of isoniazid and pyrazinamide. These drugs contains primary and secondary amino functional group which interacts with lactose by maillard reaction and form adduct. The maillard reaction adducts of isoniazid and pyrazinamide with lactose were synthesized at 60oC in alkaline borate buffer pH 9.2 and characterized by UV, FT-IR, DSC, HPLC and MS. Docking study for in-sillico evaluation of isoniazid-lactose adduct and pyrazinamide-lactose adduct was performed to study its effect on pharmacological activity. The present study shows the presence of incompatibility between isoniazid and pyazinamidewith lactose which leads to loss the therapeutic effect of isoniazid and pyrazinamide. Keywords: isoniazid, pyrazinamide, lactose, maillard reaction, excipient, incompatibility, dosage form. Introduction Excipients are traditionally better known as promoters of degradation than as stabilizers of drug substances (Crowley 1999). Physicochemical and physiological process e.g. stability, physiological pH, gastrointestinal transit time, disintegration, dissolution, permeability and bioavailability can be altered by drug excipient interaction (Jackson, Young et al. 2000). The interactions of drug with excipients can leads to changes in the chemical, physical and therapeutic properties can be termed as incompatibilities (Chadha and Bhandari 2014) and it may cause the drug degradation (Narang, Desai et al. 2012) and loss of pharmacological activity (Patil and Patil 2013). Lactose is most widely used as the excipient in the solid dosage forms. Lactose is available in different form and different grade with different physical characteristics. Lactose is very popular excipient because of low cost and inertness but in other hand lactose have interaction drug with amino functional group i.e. lact ose undergoes maillard [Monajjemzadeh, 2009]The maillard reaction is named Louis Maillard who reported over 80 years ago that some amine and reducing sugars interact each other and forms brown pigments. The first product of this reaction is simple glycosamine (Wirth, Baertschi et al. 1998). In this study, we attempted to explore the modes of interaction and energy binding of the different isomers of isoniazid adduct, pyrazinamide adduct and also study the biological activity of isoniazid adduct and pyrazinamide adduct compare with the help of various molecular modelling techniques. In treatment of tuberculosis, isoniazid and pyrazinamide are key components of first line regimen (Hemanth, Sudha et al. 2012). Isoniazid is chemically isonicotohydrazide and pyrazinamide is chemically pyrazine-2-carboxamide. Isoniazid and pyrazinamide is susceptible for hydrolysis and oxidation interact with excipient particularly carbohydrate and reducing sugars to form hydrazones. The hydrazone is mainly form by the interaction of isoniazid with lactose. There are also reported incompatibilities between lactose and other drugs containing primary and secondary amino functional group (Haywood, Mangan et al. 2005). In this study we were investigated the interaction between lactose with isoniazid and pyrazinamide for that different analytical technique were used and also done the in-sillico evaluation of isoniazid and pyrazinamide. Materials and methods Materials Isoniazid and Pyrazinamide was generously supplied as a gift sample by Macleods Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Wapi (Gujarat), India. Lactose monohydrate was purchased from Merck, Merck specialtiesPvt.Ltd. Mumbai, India. All other chemicals were of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and analytical grade. Methods Analytical methods UV-visible spectrophotometry The Ultraviolet-visible spectra of Isoniazid, Pyrazinamide and the Isoniazid–lactose adduct, Pyrazinamide-lactose adductwere recorded on a double beam UV-visible spectrophotometer (UV-1700; Shimadzu, Japan). An accurately weighed quantity of about 10 mg of isoniazid, 10 mg of pyrazinamide, 11.66 mg isoniazid-lactose adduct (equivalent to 10 mg isoniazid), 13.33 mg of pyrazinamide-lactose adduct (equivalent to 10 mg pyrazinamide) each dissolved separately in 100 ml of distilled water. From this, one ml of solution was diluted to 10.0 mL with of distilled water to obtain concentration of 10 ppm. All solutionswere scanned in UV-Visible range at 420 and 490 nm (Yates, Jones et al. 2003). Fourier-Transform infrared spectroscopy The Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) spectra of isoniazid, pyrazinamide, lactose, a isoniazid–lactose physical mixture, pyrazinamide-lactose physical mixture and the isoniazid–lactose adduct, pyrazinamide-lactose were recorded. The spectra were obtained using the diffuse reflectance scan method using KBr on an FT-IR spectrophotometer (IR Affinity 1; Shimadzu, Japan). The scanning range was 400–4000 cm-1. Each sample was scanned 45 times consecutively to obtain FT-IR spectrum. HPLC analysis The HPLC (Gradient) system used for analysis consisted of Agilent Technologies 1200 series equipment, a G1315D quaternary pump, a G1315D diode array detector and a rheodyne injector fitted with a 20  µL loop. Data were recorded and evaluated using the EZChrome Elite software package. Samples were analyzed using LunaC18 column (250 Ãâ€" 4.6 mm i.d. Ãâ€" 5  µm) (Phenomenex) as stationary phase. The mobile phase was water: methanol (95:05, v/v), flow rate of 0.8 mL/min with detection at 266 nm for isoniazid and 269 nm for pyrazinamide. Differential scanning calorimetry Thermal analysis of Isoniazid, pyrazinamide, isoniazid–lactose adduct and pyrazinamide-lactose was performed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) using a TA 6000 Mettler toledo thermal analyzer. Individual samples as well as the Maillard adduct (about 2 mg) were weighed in the DSC aluminum pan and were scanned in the temperature range of 25–300 °C. A heating rate of 10 °C/min was used. The thermograms were reviewed for evidence of interaction. Mass Spectrometry The Mass spectrometry was performed using 410 Prostar binary LC with 500 MS with Electro spray Positive ionization and Negative Ionization mode and Mass range is 50-2000 amu. The Isoniazid-lactose, Pyrazinamide-lactose adduct solution dissolved in mobile phase to obtain concentration about 100 µg/mL. In the positive ion mode with electrospray ionization technique, the sample was analyzed. Determination of lactose in pharmaceutical tablet dosage forms The presence of lactose in DOTs tablets was initially examined according to Indian Pharmacopoeia 2007 by taking 5ml saturated solution of tablet powder and then add 5ml 1 M NaOH, Heat and cool at room temperature finally add potassium cupri tatatarate the solution becomes red color shows presence of lactose. Preparation of adduct Sample Prepared in alkaline borate buffer Accurately weighed quantity of Isoniazid 300 mg (equivalent to dose of isoniazid) and 50 mg lactose monohydrate dissolve in alkaline borate buffer pH 9.2 by stirring and ultrasound in 100 ml round bottom flask. In similar way 750 mg pyrazinamide (equivalent to dose of pyrazinamide) was dissolve with 250 mg lactose monohydrate in alkaline borate buffer pH 9.2 in 100 ml round bottom flask. The cleared solutions were refluxed at 600C for 12 hour on water bath. The reaction mixture filtered was diluted with menthol: water (1:1). The adduct was subjected to HPLC analysis (gradient and isocratic run) and Mass spectrometry (LC-MS) analysis. The intensity of brown color was determined was spectrophotometrically after dissolving weighed quantity in distilled water. Docking study The molecular docking tool, GLIDE (Schrodinger Inc., USA) (2006) was used for ligand docking study. The protein preparation was carried out using ‘protein preparation wizard’ in Maestro 9.0. Result UV-Visible spectroscopy The UV-visible absorption spectrum of the isoniazid–lactose adduct and pyrazinamide–lactose adduct had shown an increase in absorption in the visible range as compared with isoniazid and pyrazinamide in distilled water as the solvent. The increased absorption the visible region (brown color) is due to Melanoidins production as the end products of the Maillard reaction as reported earlier (Shen, Tseng et al. 2007). FT-IR spectroscopy The FT-IR absorption patterns of Isoniazid, Pyrazinamide, lactose, Isoniazid–lactose physical mixture immediately after mixing and pyrazinamide-lactose physical mixture immediately after mixing as well as Isoniazid–lactose adduct, Pyrazinamide-lactose adduct were recorded. The peak at 1678 cm−1 in the IR spectrum of Isoniazid-lactose adduct, 1614 cm−1 Pyrazinamide-lactose adduct can be attributed to the imines formation. The peak of N–H bending is present at 1552 cm−1 and 1583 cm-1 in the IR spectrum of Isonizid and Pyrazinamide and its physical mixture respectively. The peak present in spectrum of Isonizid and Pyrazinamide and its physical mixture are absent in Isoniazid-lactose adduct and Pyrazinamide-lactose adduct both these observations support the formation of adduct. The N–H stretching band of secondary amine appears at 3302 cm−1 and at 3292 cm-1 for Isonizid and Pyrazinamide respectively. The peak for the lactose O–H appears at 3522 cm−1 in the infrared spectra of lactose. The peaks for N–H and O–H stretching appear in the spectrum of the physical mixture, but the peak for N–H disappears in the spectrum of the adduct. This may indicate the reaction of the amine with the red ucing sugar, or it may be due overlapping of N–H stretching peak with that of O–H. The FTIR spectra of Isoniazid, Pyrazinamide, Lactose physical mixture, Isoniazid-lactose adduct and Pyrazinamide-lactose adduct shows an interaction between Isoniazid and Pyrazinamide with lactose leading to the formation of a Maillard product (Pavia et al 2009). Differential scanning calorimetry The DSC thermograms show the presence of melting points for isoniazid and pyrazinamide at 171.61ÃŽ ¿C and 189.55 ÃŽ ¿C. The DSC thermogram of lactose shows the peak at 209.83 ÃŽ ¿C. The adduct shows the disappearance of the melting point peak of isoniazid, pyrazinamide, paracetamol and vildagliptine in adduct samples confirms the formation of adduct. Gradient HPLC analysis Initially a gradient run of water and methanol was performed to obtain preliminary information regarding the unknown peaks in maillard reaction products (Shen, Tseng et al. 2007). The mobile phase was optimized to separate the Isoniazid-lactose adduct and Pyrazinamide-lactose adduct was water: methanol (95:05, v/v) with a flow rate 0.8ml/min at ambient temperature. The Isoniazid-lactose adduct and Pyrazinamide-lactose adduct elutes at 3.833min and 1.613 min respectively. The control samples for isoniazid and pyrazinamide (without lactose) were also analyzed which proves method selectivity. Isocratic HPLC analysis The optimized isocratic HPLC analysis of the Isoniazid-lactose adduct and Pyrazinamide-lactose revealed one extra peak that eluted before Isoniazid and Pyrazinamide elution respectively. Performing analysis under same chromatographic parameters, no another peak was observed in control samples. Mass spectrometry The Isoniazid-lactose and Pyrazinamide-lactose adduct dissolve in mobile phase to obtain drug concentration about 100 µg/ml. In the positive ion mode with electrospray ionization technique, the sample was analyzed. The MS spectra show the precursor ion for Isoniazid-lactose adduct and Pyrazinamide-lactose adduct was protonated molecule ([M+H]+) m/z 463.3 and 448.1 respectively. The Isoniazid-lactose adduct and Pyrazinamide-lactose adduct molecular mass was consistent with Isoniazid-lactose adduct and Pyrazinamide-lactose adduct condensation product respectively. The loss of one water molecule from parent leads to maillard-type condensation product. Docking study Isoniazid In docking study, isoniazid shows binding with ARG-38 amino acid in the selected structure of protein (PDB code: 3I6N) and isoniazid-lactose adduct shows binding with ASN-72, SER-69, SER-173, ALA-134 and PRO-132 amino acid in the selected structure of protein (PDB code: 3I6N) as shown in Table No. 1.1. Pyrazinamide Pyrazinamide shows binding with ALA-131 amino acid in the selected structure of protein (PDB code: 3PL1) and pyrazinamide-lactose adduct shows binding with ASP-133 and LEU-131 amino acid in the selected structure of protein (PDB code: 3PL1). Discussion On the above observation difficulties in the formulating a new pharmaceutical dosage form have often experienced because of the interaction between the lactose and active ingredients itself i.e. isoniazid and pyrazinamide. Although the nature and intensity of this interaction may alter the stability, dissolution rate and consequently absorption of the drug and also affect the pharmacological effect. it indicates that such interactions involving in the formation of the complexes and it studied by different analytical techniques. The UV results shows increased absorption in the visible region (brown color) is due to Melanoidins production as the end products of the Maillard reaction as reported earlier in Shen, Tseng et al. 2007. The FTIR spectra of Isoniazid, Pyrazinamide, Lactose physical mixture, Isoniazid-lactose adduct and Pyrazinamide-lactose adduct shows peak of C=N it shows that formation of a Maillard product. HPLC analysis of the Isoniazid-lactose adduct and Pyrazinamide-lactose revealed one extra peak of impurity or maillard reaction product that eluted before Isoniazid and Pyrazinamide elution respectively. The MS spectra show the precursor ion for Isoniazid-lactose adduct and Pyrazinamide-lactose adduct and it has same molecular weight related to maillard-type condensation product. In the docking study of isoniazid adduct and pyrazinamide adduct shows more binding than isoniazid and pyrazinamide but this is pseudo results because this binding present at hydroxyl group and hydroxyl group are responsible for the increase excretion of the isoniazid and pyrazinamide and it may be reduces the therapeutic effect of isoniazid and pyrazinamide. In spite of that analytical study confirm the occurrence of maillard reaction product in lactose containing solid dosage forms of amino functional group containing drugs but lactose is still preferred as excipient in the isoniazid and pyrazinamide containing anti-tubercular formulation i.e. DOT’s. Conclusion The present study reports that antitubercular drugs i.e. isoniazid and pyrazinamide undergoes maillard reaction and that confirmed by UV, FT-IR, HPLC and MS. The docking study of isoniazid adduct and pyrazinamide adduct more binding than isoniazid and pyrazinamide but it is pseudo results pharmacologically the excretion of isoniazid and pyrazinamide increase and it ultimately reduces the therapeutic activity. A drugs- excipient interaction study can be actively used to the advantage of the formulator to increase the bioavailability of the drug. By compiling the data the use of lactose in the formulation of isoniazid and pyrazinamide, secondary amines needs to reconsideration. References: Chadha, R. and S. Bhandari (2014). Drug–excipient compatibility screening—Role of thermoanalytical and spectroscopic techniques. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis87: 82-97. Crowley, P. J. (1999). Excipients as stabilizers. Pharmaceutical science technology today2(6): 237-243. Haywood, A., et al. (2005). Extemporaneous isoniazid mixture: stability implications. Journal of Pharmacy Practice and Research35(3): 181. Hemanth, A. K., et al. (2012). Simple and rapid liquid chromatography method for simultaneous determination of isoniazid and pyrazinamide in plasma. SAARC Journal of Tuberculosis, Lung Diseases and HIV/AIDS9(1): 13-18. Indian Pharmacopoeia, (2007). Government of India, Ministry of health and family walefare, published by the Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission, Gaziabad; vol. II III, pp. 658, 478, 628, 1009, 1008. Jackson, K., et al. (2000). Drug–excipient interactions and their affect on absorption. Pharmaceutical science technology today3(10): 336-345. MONAJJEMZADEH, F., HASSANZADEH, D., VALIZADEH, H., SIAHI-SHADBAD, M. R., MOJARRAD, J. S., ROBERTSON, T. A. ROBERTS, M. S. 2009b. Compatibility studies of acyclovir and lactose in physical mixtures and commercial tablets. European Journal of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics, 73, 404-413. Narang, A. S., et al. (2012). Impact of excipient interactions on solid dosage form stability. Pharmaceutical research29(10): 2660-2683. PAVIA, D. L. 2009. Introduction to spectroscopy, CengageBrain. com Patil, D. D. and C. R. Patil (2013). Modification of pharmacological activity of nebivolol due to Maillard reaction. Pharmaceutical development and technology18(4): 844-851. Petrella, Stà ©phanie Gelus-Ziental, Nathalie Maudry, Arnaud Laurans, Caroline Boudjelloul, RachidSougakoff, Wladimir(2011).Crystal structure of the pyrazinamidase of Mycobacterium tuberculosis: insights into natural and acquired resistance to pyrazinamide.PLoS One,6(1):e15785. Singh, Amit K Kumar, Ramasamy P Pandey, Nisha Singh, Nagendra Sinha, Mau Bhushan, AshaKaur, PunitSharma, SujataSingh, Tej P (2010). Mode of Binding of the Tuberculosis Prodrug Isoniazid to Heme Peroxidases BINDING STUDIES AND CRYSTAL STRUCTURE OF BOVINE LACTOPEROXIDASE WITH ISONIAZID AT 2.7 Ã… RESOLUTION.Journal of biological chemistry, 285(2): 1569-1576. Shen, S.-C., et al. (2007). An analysis of Maillard reaction products in ethanolic glucose–glycine solution. Food chemistry102(1): 281-287. Wirth, D. D., et al. (1998). Maillard reaction of lactose and fluoxetine hydrochloride, a secondary amine. Journal of pharmaceutical sciences87(1): 31-39. Yates, E. A., et al. (2003). Microwave enhanced reaction of carbohydrates with amino-derivatised labels and glass surfaces. Journal of Materials Chemistry13(9): 2061-2063.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

The Joy of Winning Essay -- Narrative Memoir Essays

The Joy of Winning   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   "Oh my God!" was exclaimed into my right ear and resonated above everyone in the room. My heart was thumping because I wasn't exactly sure what was happening. I wasn't excited to be going or even pleased. All I could think about was, "What did I get myself into? I shouldn't be here, I don't deserve this."   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It all began on one of the most disastrous bus rides I have ever experienced that doesn't include a wreck. I was going to Grand Junction for the Western Slope Science Fair. I didn't even care about what I was about to do. I knew my information well enough just to get through the day. Then the storm hit us. I looked out the front window of the bus and peered out into the ferocious blizzard. The heater was not working on the right side window. On top of not being able to see, we had just hit a construction area where I wasn't sure what could be on the road.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   An hour later than expected, we got out of the bus and headed for the auditorium where we were to set up our projects. After sprinting inside to keep my board protected from the elements, I walked with my fellow participants and set up my project. I didn't care at all about how good my project appeared in the eyes of the judges.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   After I had set up, I got ready to go to lunch, since most of my companions were ready to eat. We all went down to Mesa Mall's Food Court where I had sausage pizza that had grease dripping down onto the plate. After I was finished eating, my friend Jimmy had to buy a CD, so we flew down to the FYE Music Emporium. As we ran out to the bus to go back, a hailstorm picked up. The hail felt like a thousand needles striking me at the same time and there was no way that I could open my eyes completely.... ...fifth, but when that went by, I knew it was not meant to be. Third place went to the guy next to me that the judges liked so much.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The announcer then went through a long speech explaining what the top two places meant. He said how they got to go to the International Science and Engineering fair in Louisville, Kentucky. He called my name to go up to receive second place for going to the International Science and Engineering Fair, but I received first at the Western Slope Science Fair.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   "Oh my God!" was echoed through the room and I couldn't believe that I was walking up to the stage. This wasn't right because I shouldn't get the award, or should I? I knew the answer as soon as it was placed in my hand. It was going to be a long ride, but I deserved every bit of it. I had shown the judges that I knew what I was doing and was confident at all times.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Emma by Jane Austen Essay

The comic novel â€Å"Emma† by Jane Austen tells about smooth and roughs of a young lady Emma who is intelligent, but has nothing to do. Actually, the author ironically shows how Emma is trying to change her position in life. Nevertheless, the novel differs fro others Austen’s writings as Emma is financially independent and, therefore, she doesn’t want to marry because of money and better position in society. The author departs from her primary theme as in other works she focuses mostly on the quest for marriage. Therefore, â€Å"Emma† is lighter and more humorous than other writings. Emma is twenty one. She lives with her father who takes too much care of her. Emma’s live is comfortable as she has loving family and money, though she considers her life rather dull and empty. She is presented as determined young lady and throughout the novel we see that she mutedly protests against such life of wealthy lady. She is disappointed as she has no one to love and she is still childless. However, instead of marrying unpleasant man she prefers matchmaking. Firstly, she tries to match her friend Harriet Smith. The novel turns interesting when Frank Churchill arrives with Jane Fairfax. Emma starts thinking that she has to find something to do and to change her dull life. She sees that many young ladies have handsome couple and she tries to fall in love with Frank, but her old friend Mr. Knightly loves her. Harriet thinks that he is in love with her and Emma feels jealousy about that fact. Finally, she understands Mr. Knightly is her true love. When she makes her a proposal to marry him, she agrees. Harriet marries young farmer. Actually, the novel is provided with happy ending. As for me, I enjoy reading Austen’s novels as they raise important theme: to marry a person whom you love or who is wealthy. I think that it is still a matter of debates. Austen’s heroines are vividly shown leading us into new word of adventures, secret engagements and mysteries.

Friday, November 8, 2019

SAT Prep

How to Beat Procrastination in Your ACT/SAT Prep SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Not on our watch. To do well on the SAT/ACT, you need to commit to a certain amount of study hours. The higher the score you want, or the more points you need to improve, the more hours you need to put in. (Read more about how long exactly you need to study for the SAT or ACT here.) If total hours is your main goal for studying, then procrastination is what you need to defeat to be successful. So we’ll talk a bit about why procrastination happens, and then give actionable advice for fighting it. Read in to conquer procrastination once and for all! Why Do We Procrastinate? Before we can discuss how to fight procrastination, it's helpful to understand why we do it. You may be surprised what causes you to put off important work like studying for the ACT/SAT! The common wisdom is that procrastination happens due to a lack of time management skills. According to this theory, students don’t realize how much time a task will take, so they don’t start it until it’s too late. This might explain some students who frantically cram for the SAT or ACT the week before the test. Another theory is that procrastinators underestimate the importance of a task in the long term (say, a high SAT/ACT score) versus the importance of tasks in the short term (homework, extracurricular activities, friends, sleep, etc). This could explain why a well-meaning student keeps avoiding studying for the ACT/SAT, because other tasks, like homework and social events, keep distracting them. But are these the only reasons we procrastinate? After all, most teenagers understand that the SAT/ACT is important – in fact, as colleges get more competitive each year, you could argue teenagers have never been more aware. So why procrastinate on SAT/ACT studying? Another theory, as reported in The Atlantic, explains why even highly motivated students could procrastinate on their SAT/ACT studying: â€Å"Scientists have begun to think that procrastination might have less to do with time than emotion†¦ Instead, Ferrari and others think procrastination happens for two basic reasons: (1) Wedelay action because we feel like we're in thewrongmood to complete a task, and (2) We assume that our mood will change in the near future.† Procrastination: more about your mood than your time management skills. And that, in turn, leads to a vicious cycle: â€Å"Putting off an importanttask makes us feel anxious, guilty, and even ashamed, Eric Jaffe wrote. Anxiety, guilt, and shamemake us less likely to have the emotional and cognitive energy to be productive.That makes us even less likely to begin the task, in the first place. Which makes us feel guilty. Which makes us less productive. And around we go.† It’s easy to see how that could happen to a student who needs to study for the SAT. Say she plans to start studying by taking a practice exam on a Saturday. But she doesn’t get around to it because she’s working on other homework assignments. This makes her feel anxious and guilty about skipping the practice test. So on Sunday, she doesn’t take the practice test since she’s still feeling quite stressed and anxious, and instead finds herself studying for AP LIterature and prepping for the next debate tournament. And then the school week starts, she gets a slew of new homework assignments, and she keeps putting on the practice test. Each day she skips it, the more guilty she feels, and the less likely she is to start studying. Sound familiar? You can see how this creates a vicious cycle: you feel guilty for not studying, which puts you in a bad mood and thus makes you less likely to start studying the next time you think about it. Especially given how stressful the SAT/ACT is, the emotions of anxiety and guilt that come with studying for it can be overwhelming. And, ironically, the students who may deal with the most guilt and stress are the ones who are aiming the highest: those who want a 2200 SAT or 33 ACT or higher. So you need to break through the time management and emotion traps to make SAT/ACT studying a manageable, non-stressful part of your life! Sound daunting? It is, but if you follow our advice, it doesn’t have to be. Read on for techniques to cut through the procrastination loop and study successfully for the ACT/SAT. Part 1: Deadlines and Accountability It may sound tedious, but the first way to cut through procrastination is to set deadlines and hold yourself accountable to them. Learn more about why deadline-setting is important and how to create effective deadlines here. Deadlines Every student's favorite word. One factor that almost always defeats procrastination is a hard, unavoidable deadline. Why? A deadline forces you to take action before you face a bad consequence – whether that’s a bad grade or a failed test. The power of deadlines explains why so many students put off work until the night before something is due, and then stay up all night to complete an assignment. Well, you may be thinking that the SAT/ACT has a deadline: the day of the test. However, if your only deadline is the test itself, that won’t help you study meaningfully! In fact, that could lead to last-minute cramming, which isn’t helpful at all. A way to combat this temptation to cram is to set smaller deadlines well in advance of the test. Setting smaller deadlines along the way can help you be productive and hit key milestones in your SAT/ACT studying. For example: 8 weeks before test: take a full practice exam 7 weeks before test: identify major areas to improve and gather study resources 6 weeks before test: put in at least 6 hours of studying weak areas What your deadlines are and how many you set depends on your study goals, the time you have until the test, and where you need to improve. But the key is to set at least some smaller deadlines so that the test date itself isn't your only motivator to study. You can probably see that setting smaller deadlines will take some planning and reflection on your part. You’ll have to figure out how long you want to study for the SAT/ACT to figure out your timeframe, first of all – will you be studying over four months or two? You'll also need to figure out how much you need to improve by, which we'll discuss more below when we talk about goal-setting. But even though it sounds like extra work, setting smaller deadlines is key to avoiding the procrastination trap. By holding yourself accountable to a study task each week, you can make sure you actually study in the run-up to the SAT/ACT. So your first task is this: after deciding how long you’re going to study for, set weekly deadlines. But how can you make sure you actually honor them? Keep reading. Accountability So you’ve set your deadlines and you have a good idea of what you need to do between now and test day. Unfortunately, one thing researchers have discovered is that deadlines are actually more effective if someone else sets them: â€Å"The group withexternal deadlines performed the best. "People strategically try to curb [procrastination] by using costly self-imposed deadlines,† Ariely and his co-authorKlaus Wertenbrochconcluded, "and [they] are not always as effective as some external deadlines."† We’re not saying you should ask your Mom to create a study calendar for you and force you to study each day. In this case, you will still be setting your own deadlines. But if you set deadlines like the ones above, let others know so they can hold you accountable. Involve your friends and family, including parents and/or guardians, in your SAT/ACT study schedule. Put your study deadlines on the family calendar if you have one, and tell your friends about your plans so they can hold you to them. Make your SAT/ACT studying a very public part of your life, so your friends and family can call you out and make sure you're actually sticking to your promises to study. Even though it may seem awkward or embarassing to go on about your SAT/ACT study plan with friends and family, if they can support you and make sure you stick to your deadliens, you're much less likely to procrastinate. Use Reminders A final piece about deadlines is to set reminders so you don’t forget about your weekly study goals. The deadlines won’t do you any good if you forget about them! So ask your friends, family, or parents to remind you to study – this builds on the accountability piece above. You can also set phone or email alarms reminding you to study if you have a planned study block. You can even put reminders, like post-its or signs, around your house if that’s your thing! Find a reminder system that works for you and put it in place to make sure you actually reach your weekly study deadlines. Part 2: Don’t Think of It as Work Even though studying for the ACT/SAT is probably not your idea of a super fun time, if you can manage to think of it as a game rather than a chore, you're more likely to study for it. From The Atlantic: â€Å"procrastinators are more likely to complete a piece of work if they’re persuaded that it’s not actually work. In one study reviewed by Jaffe, students were asked to complete a puzzle, but first they were given a few minutes to play Tetris. 'Chronic procrastinators only delayed practice on the puzzle when it was described as a cognitive evaluation,' he wrote.When scientists described the puzzle as a game, they were just as likely to practice as anybody else.† So if you can find a way to trick yourself into thinking that studying for the SAT/ACT isn’t work, you may procrastinate less. I admit that you’re probably never going to be able to treat the SAT/ACT just like it’s a game or hobby – it’s a test, after all, and a test that carries a lot of importance for college and scholarships. But still, if you can get into the mindset of treating your SAT/ACT studying like a game or hobby, your day-to-day studying may be easier to tackle. In the short term, the SAT/ACT won’t affect your grades, and only you have to know how well you do. So try and treat it like a game you’re trying to be the best at, and don't worry about what anyone else thinks. Depending on your personality, you may be able to try the following tactics: Beat your high score: if you're competitive and/or a perfectionist, treat the SAT/ACT like a game you're trying to master. Take lots of practice tests and push yourself to improve on your latest score until you reach your desired high score. Play with a friend: another great strategy for competitive people is to rope in an opponent. If you have a friend also studying for the SAT/ACT, consider studying together and seeing who can get the highest score on an individual section or an entire practice test. Race against time: especially if you're trying to improve your speed on math or reading sections, time yourself carefully when you practice and see if you can improve your efficiency each day. Five-minute headstart: if you really don't feel like studying, just get yourself to practice for five minutes. Often once you've started, it's easy to keep going for another ten, fifteen, or twenty minutes . Get feedback: focus on parts of studying, like practice sections or sets of problems, that allow you to get instant feedback on your progress. Work to improve your score each day. Focus on the more game like aspects of studying: If you’re facing a real block, plan a "game day." Use flashcards, do multiple-choice practice, or time yourself, rather than trying to teach yourself a math concept or grammar rule. If you can get through a study block today, even if it's just reviewing some flashards, you can cut through the procrastination loop and be more likely to study hard the next day. Reframing your thinking around studying, and making it a game rather than a chore, can definitely help you put the time in, especially on days where you really do not feel like studying. Even though it sounds cheesy, this technique can be surprisingly effective. When I took the ACT last June, I studied a lot with the goal of beating my high school score. (I’m competitive like that, I guess!) It honestly began to feel kind of like a game to me, which made taking practice multiple choice sections fun, because I was always aiming to beat my old â€Å"high score.† Part 3: Make It a Daily Habit If Possible Just like you improve faster if you practice piano every day, making SAT/ACT studying a daily routine can do wonders for your score, and your ability to reduce procrastination. If you can make SAT/ACT studying a daily (or every-other-day) habit for a few weeks, you’ll study more effectively and it will hopefully feel less like a chore. A daily habit will also cut through the procrastination loop and reset the feelings of anxiety and guilt you get from putting off studying. Even if you can just put in 5 or 10 minutes on a day you don't feel like studying, that could be enough to get you in the right mood to study more effectively the next day. Furthermore, remember that a 15-minute daily study session can feel much less intimidating than a 2-hour weekend study session. If you avoid studying for days on end, the â€Å"procrastination doom loop† will kick in and each day you don’t study will make it even harder to study the next time. Especially if you struggle with procrastination, don’t try to force yourself through a gigantic study block once a week. Daily practice will also help make you a more consistent, fast test-taker. It also gives you more opportunities to practice tricky concepts and let new information sink in. So what's the best way to make daily practice a reality? We suggest breaking your weekly study deadline into daily actionables. Check out the example below. Weekly Deadline: Master Plane Geometry on the SAT Monday: Review plane geometry concepts in SAT prep book Tuesday: Continue to review plane geometry Wednesday: Complete plane geometry practice questions in prep book Thursday: Correct and review practice questions, note mistakes Friday: Analyze mistakes in journal Saturday: Study the areas I still don’t get Sunday: Complete entire SAT math practice section This plan works because we start with one specific goal: learning and practicing plane geometry on the SAT. Each day, we take a small step to learn it, planning on no more than 30 minutes of time, except on Sunday when we take a full practice Math section. These daily goals should be easy and manageable to complete, and will build to a larger achievement by the end of the week. Will creating these daily steps in addition to weekly deadlines take work? Yes. But taking the time to make daily goals will make your study plan much more effective and resistant to procrastination. Also, designate a specific time of day for studying, if that’s helpful – like right when you get home from school or after dinner – to make it part of your routine. And finally, to build on the accountability section from before, mention to your family and/or friends that you have a daily study block and ask them to hold you to it. Part 4: Remember Why You're Studying Having a feeling of urgency around SAT/ACT studying, and a strong sense of how important it is, can also push you to study when you really don’t feel like it. If you remember every day why you're studying and why a high score is important to you, you're more likely to stick to your study plan. Why is urgency important? Other aspects of your life that compete for your time in high school have built-in markers of urgency. Homework has immediate deadlines that affect your grades, practicing for a sports team at school affects the game on Saturday, and hanging out with friends maintains your social circle. Since the SAT/ACT only happens on one day, and its importance is a few months (or years) down the line – on your college application – it can be hard to have a sense of urgency about it, even if you know instinctively that it’s important. Especially if you’re taking the SAT/ACT as a high school junior, you won’t be submitting it on applications for another year. Plus you have time to retake it. So it’s easy to let yourself think it’s not that important and focus on more pressing tasks. So to build urgency around studying, gather the evidence as to why your SAT/ACT score is important. Finally, set goals to help you achieve your desired SAT/ACT score. This will give you the motivation you need to get through the procrastination loop and start studying, even if you're stressed or anxious. Building Urgency So how do you gather the evience around why your SAT/ACT score is important? First, figure out the target score (ACT/SAT) you need for your top schools! Keep that number in mind as you study – you can even hang it up in your room to remind yourself daily of your goal. You can also find pennants or print out pictures of your top schools to hang up to connect that number to a more concrete goal! Also take a look at the kinds of scholarships you can get for high SAT/ACT scores – a high enough score could make college free. That’s an excellent motivator. Finally, read in-depth about why your SAT/ACT score is the more effective way to improve your college admissions chances. By keeping all this in mind, you can hopefully make SAT/ACT studying a daily reality. Keep your dream school or scholarship in mind, and use that goal to motivate you to open your prep book, even on days where you would rather be going to the football game or working on AP Calculus homework. Setting Goals Earlier, we talked about setting deadlines. Another key component of creating good deadlines is knowing your starting place so you can decide what to work on each week. So first up: take a full practice exam ASAP (here are free SAT/ACT practice tests) so you know your starting score. It’s much more manageable to be thinking â€Å"I need to go from an ACT 26 to 32† rather than â€Å"I need to be studying for a 32.† With that six-point increase in mind, you can begin creating weekly study deadlines and daily study goals. Next, set smaller midway goals, like being able to get a 28 after your first three weeks of studying. By including smaller check-ins during your study plan, you can reevaluate your study deadlines and change things around if you need to. We also recommend youtake a look at SAT/ACT scoring so you can set concrete raw point goals for each section. For example, approaching SAT Math is easier if you know you’re trying to get 45 raw points rather than a more nebulous 670 composite score. By setting clear goals, like â€Å"this week I want to be able to get 40 out of 60 correct on ACT math,† you can make SAT/ACT studying feel less like a nebulous, scary task. The more concrete your goals, the more manageable studying will be and the less likely you'll be to put it off. PrepScholar Can Help! If you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed by this, or want another layer of accountability, our PrepScholar study program has a bunch of these techniques built right in. We involve your parents, give regular feedback, set goals for you, and analyze your weak points as you study. So rather than worry about implementation, you can focus on the studying itself! Is an online prep course necessary for all students? Nope. Many students can successfully create a study plan and achieve their target score on the SAT/ACT. But if you want extra help or think you would benefit from an additional resource, I encourage you to look into it. Bottom Line Recognizing that procrastination is a result of not just poor time management but a difficult emotional feedback loop can help you fight it. Set deadlines, involve others, make studying a game, make it a daily habit, and remember your long-term goals. Studying for the ACT/SAT is not an easy task. But if you give yourself enough time, bring in family and friend support, and remember your goals, you can cut through the negative emotions that cause procrastination and find the motivation you need to get the score you want. What’s Next? Check out our guide to a perfect SAT score by our top-scorer. This article discusses ways to build motivation and commitment to help you reach your score goal, whether you're aiming for a perfect score or just a personal best (ACT version here). What are good study resources to get started? Get a guide to the best ACT and SAT prep books on the market. Get more in-depth help with our complete guides to ACT ScienceandSAT Reading, and tips from a perfect scorer on ACT Math and SAT Math. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now: