Sustainable development Essay Example for Free

Sustainable development Essay Introduction: Without a shadow of doubt, one of the problems facing today’s China is water pollution. Maybe you will ask, how to define water pollution? Why we will say the water pollution problem in China is so serious? Actually, there are many different ways to measure water pollution. For example, use instrument to test the safety level of water or by using the ph-value to test whether it meets or exceeds the national standard or not. However, we are not professionals. Therefore, today I will just tell you two simple ways. First, by chemical indicators, we can take the water sample and measure the concentrations of chemicals that it contains. If the chemicals are dangerous or the concentrations are too great, that means the water is polluted. Second, by biological indicators, we can examine living things that water will support. If living things can live in the water that means the water quality is still acceptable. However, if the living things can’t live, the water quality is so poor. These simple ways can test whether the water is polluted or not. Causes: There are two main reasons that cause water pollution. First is the industry. In recent years, the rapid development of industrial and urban areas, and changes in agricultural practices. The discharge of waste from industries. The owners think that rivers and oceans are convenient places for them to dump their waste material. However, they did not concern these waste contains toxic substances that may cause damage to the river and lake and also, it is harmful for humans and aquatic animals. Second, for the public, too many selfish and lazy members of the public have immediate satisfaction. This poor civic spirit, a mind-your-own-business, non-confrontational culture make the situation worse. In China, all you have to do is step outside to see evidence of a lack of public hygiene. One popular pastime is littering. The â€Å"expert† litterer refuses to put his  cigarette butt, used tissue, or fish-ball stick in a bin, even if there is one only 3 steps away. It is not surprising that one day, we will live with sewage-strewn beaches and dead rivers. All in all, because the discharge of waste from industries and selfish citizens and weak enforcement of littering laws and government complicity in pollution all combine to make prospects for improvement bleak. Impact on Economic Aspect, Case Study: Concerning pollution of river, algae bloom on Lake Tai has been the concrete example showing the negative impact of unsustainable practices on economic development in recent years. And the government needed to spend huge sum to revamp the situation. Taihu is third largest lake in China, covering an area of 2400 km2. It is the major source of water to Shanghai, Suzhou, Changzhou and Wuxi, Hangjiahu Plain. As the Chinese saying goes, those living on a mountain live off the mountain; those living near the water live off the water. Therefore, the river becomes a major source of income to the local as well. Aquaculture industry, hairy crabs industry in particular, is thriving there. However, the mis-use of chemical substances around Taihu has led an ecological disaster since the 80s. Apart from the industrialization and influx of population of 20 million people along Taihu, development of agriculture and aquaculture contributed to excessive nutrients inside the river. According to Liang and He (2012), the organic pollutant in water sharply rose from 1% in 1987 to 29.18% in 1994. A proliferation of blue algae happens every now and then because of eutrophication in river. Netted enclosures used in Taihu As Qin discovers (as cited in wang, 2007) that excessive amount of bait led to eutrophication of river. Compared with that of river, the water sample of  breeding grounds contained higher concentration of ammonia and nitrogen. Plus, the netted enclosures deterred the aquatic plants from purifying the water. And the slower flow of water supported accumulation of chemical. Hence, the Jiangsu government annually invested RMB 2 billion for management of Taihu since the massive outburst in 2007. And 2.8 million tons of algae were removed between 2007 and 2011 (Liang and He, 2012). According to Wu and Cai (2007), the Chinese government strictly controlled artificial breeding space then. The size of breeding grounds was prohibited to expand and limited to meet scientifically sound standard in Taihu, Chaohu and Dianchi. It was projected that the size of breeding grounds would significantly drop from 81 thousand to 32 thousand hectares in 2008, coupled with the output volume of 8 thousand tons. The sharp decrease in harvest by 10 thousand tons drove price rise. In fact, besides the environment, the local government protected the livelihood of those crab farmers. After the implementation of projects, the number of hairy crab breeders was estimated to decrease to 1500 along Yangchenhu. Hence, provision of monetary compensation aside, these primary producers received knowledge transfer to shift to value chain of crab products. In short, rather than stable growth of GDP from the heavily polluted source, the local government would like to achieve long-term growth by restoring ecological balance and upgrading the development of cities. Plus, the farming and horticulture industry were disallowed to develop within 1 kilometer of peak discharge of river to avoid soil contamination, in turn water pollution of river. Finally, according to â€Å"Harvest Hairy Crab in Taihu, Output and Price rose by 30%†(2011), the quality of hairy crab along Taihu were better than before because of better water quality and limited production. And the Trophic state index dropped to 60.8 in 2011, compared to 62 in 2007 (Ding, 2012). Plus, as Xu reports (2008) that, despite smaller size of breeding ground of hairy crab, the better freshwater favor survival of crab seed which would  not lead to a dramatic drop in output but maintain freshness of produce. In conclusion, there is a long way to complete restoration of Taihu because of high accumulation of chemical substances from human activities nearby. However, the human-induced eutrophication of river can be controlled by the planning and monitoring of the local governments. Meanwhile, they can lay more effort into developing high-price hormone-free crabs to meet greater and greater demand over the world while maintaining sustainability of river for next generation of Taihu. Our future: When considering our future, it seems we have two choices. We can passively let the future happen and live with dead rivers or alternatively we can actively change our future by taking specific steps like work together to keep the water clean so the living things and people remain healthy. We benefit, or suffer, from the decisions made by us today. For me, of course, I will choose the latter one. By doing so, there are three aspects that can do better. First, for education. I think no one will disagree that the success of government education programs is a long term proposition. We need to make people aware of the water pollution problem and its impact. Educators can teach people to clean up their act and organize activities like community beach-cleaning sessions. Also, some concern groups can work with media like television channels or short movies to produce water management programs to promote public education. Education is the key. Positive public action can make a great change. Second, for the laws. Recently, China has enacted regulations and laws to reduce water pollution. However, I think the government needs to punish the offenders. New laws, higher fines, stricter enforcement are indispensable. They can force people and companies to clean up their act. Third, for the economy. Since a large amount of money spent on treating the polluted water. Many environmental experts agree â€Å"polluter pays principle†Ã‚  that means polluter needs to pay for the damage done to the natural environment. Therefore, they may fear that they need to pay more so they try to think some ways that cause less pollution. Last but not least, according to GREENPEACE, â€Å"25% of Chinas seven largest river systems, which include the Yangtze River, the Yellow River, and the Pearl River, fails to provide water which is suitable for irrigation and is considered highly polluted. In addition, 30% of the Chinas rivers and 25% of her coastal areas are considered highly polluted. If one were to take all of Chinas clean water supply and share it evenly with the population, the amount each person would get would be miniscule.1† Therefore, to live better or not, everyone is the director. Positive action can change our future. Just start from today, tackle water pollution before it is too late.

Development of Controlled Drug Delivery Systems (CDDS)

Development of Controlled Drug Delivery Systems (CDDS) 1.1 CONTROLLED DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEMS (CDDS) Now a day’s on the development of Novel drug delivery systems (NDDS) marked consideration has been focused. The method of drug delivery to the site of action shows a significant effect on its efficacy. It leads to the development and evolution of novel drug delivery systems that enhanced performance of potential drug molecules. Novel drug delivery systems play a key role in pharmaceutical research and development. Since when compared new chemical moiety the developmental cost and time required for introducing NDDS is relatively low. Oral route remains one of the most ‘natural’ routes of drug administration and has seen remarkable accomplishments in the last couple of decades towards optimization of oral delivery of drug molecules. Oral ingestion is one of the oldest and most extensively used routes of drug administration. They provide an effective method of obtaining systemic and local effects. Drug delivery describes a process whereby a therapeutic agent is administered to the body in a controlled manner. The product’s commercial and clinical value, product differentiation can be improved by developed drug delivery technologies. These advanced technologies serve as an advanced resource to outreach the competition. By simplifying the administration and dosing regimen drug delivery technologies make medicine more acceptable and convenient to a patient. Any drug molecule by using Novel drug delivery system (NDDS) can get a ‘new life,’ and thus improving the competitiveness, patent life and market value. Among different NDDS present in the market, the major share in the market is hold by the oral controlled release systems because of its greater benefits of patient compliance and ease of administration. The development of novel and highly versatile delivery systems and osmotic drug delivery systems are the major contribution in oral NDDS. Basically, there are three novel modes of drug delivery, i.e. Targeted delivery, Modulated release and Controlled release. Targeted delivery refers to the administration of a drug carrier systemically in order to deliver drug to the specific type of cells, tissues or organs. Modulated release implies use of a drug delivery device that releases the drug under controlled environmental conditions, bio feedback, sensor input or an external control device at a variable rate. Controlled release refers to a specific device that delivers the drug at specific release profiles or at a predetermined rate into the patient body. 1.1 CONTROLLED DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEMS (CDDS) The nature of the controlled release dosage form is such that the release is determined by the design of the system and the physiochemical properties of the drug and is independent of the external factors or the microenvironment in which the dosage form is placed. These products typically provide significant benefits over immediate-release conventional dosage formulations. Optimum therapy with repetitive administration of conventional dosage forms (e.g. injectables, liquids or tablets) can classically be pursued by dosage scheduling. The aim of this process is to maintain drug concentration in a therapeutic range, above the minimum effective concentration and below the toxic concentration. Thus CDDS avoids the undesirable saw tooth characteristics of the plasma concentration vs time profiles of the conventional drug products. A diagrammatic illustration of controlled versus conventional dosage delivery is shown in Figure-1. Fig 1.1 Plasma Time profile of controlled drug release and conventional release The plasma concentration of the drug reaches a maximum (crest) with conventional dosage forms and then decrease (trough) at the point where repeated administrations becomes necessary to maintain the plasma drug concentration. Very often the initial concentration is above the therapeutically effective level that may increase the risk of side effects. Conventional dosage forms can thus result in a drug regimen in which the drug concentration oscillates between alternating periods of overdose and inefficiency. The delivery of drug at controlled rate over an extended period of time is represented mathematically: Rate in = Rate out = Ke x Cd x Vd Where Cd is the desired drug level, Vd is the volume of distribution and Ke rate content for drug elimination from the body. Added to this, the high cost of development of new, safe, specific and effective drug molecule is prohibitive and developing nations virtually cannot afford such integrated multi-group cost intensive drug development ventures. Therefore, many pharmaceutical industries and drug research institute oriented their efforts to develop pre-programmed unattended delivery of drug at a rate and for a period to meet and achieve the therapeutic need. These systems are coined as Controlled drug delivery systems Table 1.1 Classification of oral controlled release systems depending on mechanism of Release 3 (vyas etal,2002) 1.1.1. ADVANTAGES OF CONTROLLED RELEASE PRODUCTS 4 As controlled release dosage form are slightly expensive than conventional formulations, they cannot be justified unless they offer come clinical or practical advantages given below: Reduction in dosing frequency More uniform effect Reduced fluctuation in steady levels Increased safety margin of high potency drugs Improved patient convenience and compliance Reduced in total amount of dose administered Avoidance of night time dosing Reducing of GI irritation and other dose related side effects and Reduction in health care cost. 1.1.2.DISADVANTAGES OF CONTROLLED RELEASE PRODUCTS 4 However, controlled drug delivery systems also have some disadvantages. They include, High cost; Poor systemic availability; Unpredictable and often poor invitro-invivo correlation; Possibility of dose dumping; Dosage adjustments potential is reduced; First pass clearance potential is increased; In case of hypersensitivity reactions, toxicity or poisoning drug retrieval is difficult; Effect of oral dose depends on Mean Residence Time. To control or change the drug release from a dosage form there will be a number of design options. Most of the per oral controlled release dosage forms comes under the category of osmotic, matrix or reservoir systems. The polymer matrix contains embedded drug in matrix systems in which the release occurs by partitioning of drug into the release medium and polymer matrix. In case of reservoir systems a rate controlling membrane is surrounded and coated around the drug core. But, drug release from conventional controlled systems i.e., reservoir and matrix systems is affected by various factors like presence of food, pH and different physiological factors. In case of osmotic systems the drug is delivered based on the principles of osmotic pressure. The drug release from this system doesn’t depend on the pH and various physiological parameters and thus by optimizing the drug and systems properties the release characteristics can be modulated. 1.2. OSMOTIC DRUG DELLIVERY SYSTEMS – A REVIEW 1.2.1. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND In 1955 Rose and Nelson utilized the principles of osmotic pressure in drug delivery for the first time. They described two systems; one that delivered 0.02 ml/day for 100 days and another that delivered 0.5 ml/day for 4 days, both for use in Pharmacological research. In the 1970s, Higuchi and Leeper proposed a series of variations of the Rose-Nelson pump5. Theeuwes further modified the Rose-Nelson pump and developed a system. Small osmotic pumps of these forms are sold under the trade name ALZET (Alza Corp., CA). The device has a volume of approximately 170Â µl, and the normal delivery rate is 1Â µl/hr. A major milestone was achieved in 1974 with the description by Theeuwes and Alza’s co-workers of a tablet design composed of a compressed tablet-core surrounded by a semi permeable membrane with a single orifice, so-called Elementary osmotic pump (EOP). This design adaptation for human use was conveniently processable using standard tabletting and coating procedures and equipment. The first two products indomethacin, Osmosin6 and phenylpropanolamine, Acutrim TM6 were launched in the 1980s. Oral osmotic drug delivery system (OODS) development continued with two new OODS designs, the controlled-porosity osmotic pumps (CPOP) and the push-pull osmotic pumps (PPOP). The first of these was the CPOP, which was designed to decrease the risk of extremely localized drug-induced irritation at the site close to the orifice. In the 2000s, a new drug product based on OODS technology was formulated to deliver methylphenidate to children (above the age of 6 years) with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). These delivery systems were based on a new design, the push-stick osmotic pumps (PSOP), which combined immediate and sustained drug release phases. The drug release from this system doesn’t depend on the pH and various physiological parameters and thus by optimizing the drug and systems properties the release characteristics can be modulated. In the last few years more number of patents are granted on these oral omotic drug delivery systems. These systems has ability to improve therapeutic agents clinical profile and so they are becoming one of the most attractive technologies today. Osmotically controlled oral drug delivery system for the controlled delivery of active agents follows osmotic pressure principle. For the controlled drug delivery osmotic devices are most assured strategy based systems. Among the controlled drug delivery systems these are most reliable systems. Osmotic systems could be used in the form of implantable devices or oral drug delivery systems. Osmotic pump tablet (OPT) generally consists of a core including the drug, an osmotic agent, other excipients and semi-permeable membrane coat. 1.2.2. THEORY Osmosis can be defined as spontaneous movement of a solvent from a solution of lower solute concentration to a solution of higher solute concentration through an ideal semi permeable membrane, which is permeable only to the solvent and impermeable to solute. The pressure applied to the higher-concentration side to inhibit solvent flow is called osmotic pressure8. Osmotic pressure is a colligative property, which depends on concentration of solute that contributes to osmotic pressure. Solutions of different concentrations having the same solute and solvent system exhibit an osmotic pressure proportional to their concentrations. Thus a constant osmotic pressure, and thereby a constant influx of water can be achieved by an osmotic delivery system that results in a constant zero order release rate of drug8. PRINCIPLE OF OSMOSIS An osmotic system releases a therapeutic agent at a predetermined, zero order delivery rate based on the principle of Osmosis, which is movement of a solvent from lower concentration of solute towards higher concentration of solute across a semi-permeable membrane. When osmotic system is administered, from the one or more delivery ports the drug that contain suspension or solutions is pumped out of the core due to the hydrostatic pressure developed by the imbibition of water in to the core osmotically through the semi-permeable membrane. By the water influx through semi-permeable membrane the delivery of drug from this system can be controlled. Osmotic pressure is directly proportional to temperature and concentration and the following equation describes the relation between them: ÃŽ   = ØcRT where OP = osmotic pressure, ÃŽ   = osmotic coefficient, c = molar concentration, R = gas constant, T = Absolute temperature. OSMOTIC PUMPS Osmotic pump is a new delivery device, which delivers drugs or other active agents at a controlled rate by the principle of osmosis. Control resides in the water permeation properties of the formulations Table: 1.2 Examples of some marketed band of Osmotic drug delivery system7 DEPARTMENT OF PHARMACEUTICAL TECHNOLOGY, SVCPPAGE 1

Ecotourism In The Uk Tourism Market Tourism Essay

Ecotourism In The Uk Tourism Market Tourism Essay Introduction In the recent past eco-tourism became more and more attractive for tourists worldwide. This paper gives a definition of eco-tourism and is searching to answer the question why it is not promoted as a major tourism sector of the United Kingdom (UK). The position of eco-tourism and its noticeable lack of promotion within the UK are examined, while the role and potential of ecotourism in the UK is discussed. Definition of ecotourism Based on Fennell (2008), Ecotourism has various meanings but he suggested that five individual objectives have to be set to create ecotourism: Minimal impact management/small scale Nature-based product/low impact Contribution to community Environmental education Contribution to conservation Mc Laren (2003: 91) defined ecotourism as a participatory experience in the natural environment. At its best, ecotravel promotes environmental conservation, international understanding and co-operation, political and economic empowerment of local populations, and cultural preservation. When ecotravel fulfils its mission, it not only has a minimal impact, but the local environment and community actually benefit from the experience and even own or control it. At its worst, ecotravel is environmentally destructive, economically exploitive, culturally insensitive, greenwashed travel. Due to the development of ecotourism, a variety of new destinations have been encountered which have been previously dismissed as isolated and unreachable for tourists. Some examples of this trend could be tropical rainforests, oceans and even desert environments, where the majority are situated in the less-developed areas on the globe. Most of these new destinations are poor and underdeveloped. Timothy and Boyd (2003) explain that ecotourism and heritage tourism overlap, where ecotourism encompasses the natural and protected types of landscape, which include eco-tourists visiting heritage attractions. This could be for instance state houses, castles and national parks . The problem with the term ecotourism is, that any tourist-operator can label and promote its product as ecotourism, because there are disappointingly no restriction that rule the use of it. The term ecotourism may be used inappropriate out of ignorance of the principles and ideals that the term carries, but misuse on purpose as a marketing tool also appears to be very common (Black and Crabtree 2007). Another reference from book Forms of ecotourism in the UK The UK has four national tourist agencies, the English Tourism Council, the National Ireland Tourist Board, VisitScotland and the Wales Tourism Board. These promote each country to international and domestic tourists. The Green Tourism Business Scheme in the UK accredits different places for tourists which are trying to trim down their environmental impact. Every business is getting tested in a 2-year period to ensure they fulfil the criteria (i.e. support of public transport, use of local produce,). (Green Tourism 2009). Ecourism is already getting promoted within the UK. An example could be the ECO-Guide 2010 of the Tourist Information which promotes to people who love to walk in nature how they can reduce their environmental impact. It offers different walks such as some in the Lake District and where you can discover the hill carvings in Oxfordshire. Hall et al (2007) describes the beach as vital national asset for the international and domestic tourism in the UK, and a new Marine and Coastal Access Bill from 2009 made by the UK government was created to secure a long-distance route around the coast of England. The aim was to provide public access for coastal walking and other recreational activities, as well as designate marine conservation zones to protect them from damaging activities (direct.gov.uk). . Various different eco-tourism operators promote destinations which are fulfilling -or partially fulfill the components for ecotourism. Patterson (2007) relates that the growth of the ecotourism market has stimulated the development of eco-operators. An example of this is the growth of seal-watching at spots on the UK coastline. The Wales Tourism Board is offering through operators wildlife adventure boat trips to experience the landscape scenery and see seabirds, seals, whales and dolphins. These are stating on their website that they are acutely aware of their responsibility to the unique eco-system within which they operate and follow the codes of conduct to provide a low impact, educative (visitpembrokeshire.com). The difficulties to generate Ecotourism in UK The problems ecotourism operators are facing when they are looking for a possible destination is that there are not a lot of natural relatively untouched areas left within the UK. Consequently it cant actually satisfy the criteria of low impact and small scale orthodox tourism. There are approximately 62 million people living in the UK and the population density amounts to 659,6 people per square mile , which is the 51st highest rate in the world. Furthermore, the Office for national Statistics predicts that the UK population will increase by 4,3 million by 2018. If that trend continues, in 2033 there will be 71,6million people living in the UK (statistics.gov.uk). Beeton (1998) identified that the main ecotourist group are the 20-40 year old, followed by a second large group, 55 years and older. She indicates that people of this age are seeking for different types of holiday. In addition to that she states that ecotourists tend to be higher educated than other tourists and having a higher incomes, which is generally linked with that. Due to the fact they have a higher income, they have therefore the money to spend it on more expensive and exotic ecotours abroad. In destinations abroad they can full fill their desire to see nature and wildlife which they cant see in the UK. Trends and Potential in the UK Responsible travel has been receiving quite strong coverage in UK travel media. Ecotourism is rising as a considerable market trend in the UK, as wider consumer market trends towards lifestyle marketing and ethical consumption spread to tourism. and places this in the context of campaigns by Voluntary Service Overseas and Tearfund. Between 1999 and 2001 the percentage of UK holidaymakers aspiring to be willing to pay more for an ethical holiday increased by 7 per cent from 45 per cent to 52 per cent (sagepub.com ). There have been many developments in the UK with regard to the adoption of sustainable practices and techniques amongst tourism providers. Case Study: Paradise Wildlife Park, Broxbourne, Hertfordshire Paradise park is a Zoo located in Broxbourne, Hertfordshire and has a passion for wildlife conservation and is involved in various breeding programmes for endangered species. They even managed to rear two White Lion Cubs, of these just a few ones are existing in the world. The Park has recently opened a new Discovery Centre which is committed to educate visitors in their new classrooms. The Park is making constant efforts to become more green and sustainable, it introduced recycling of rubbish throughout the park. Paradise Park became the number one visitor attraction in Hertfordshire if looked at number of visitors, and is providing not just Jobs inside the park, it also contributes to the local community by bringing tourists into the city. (pwpark.com) Conclusion Ecotourism has the characteristics of sustainability, conservation and appreciation of the attraction being visited. Due to the named reasons completely orthodox ecotourism in the UK is unlikely, but if the more passive objectives like natural environment were removed, there is a great potential to generate more ecotourism. These may satisfy all the criterias of other active components (i.e. environmental education, contribution to conservation), even it is a more artificial type of ecotourism. There are many ecotourism activities taking place in the UK but it doesnt get promoted as a major market because not that many ecotourism destinations are existing. The trends reveal that the customer demand is changing to more sustainable types of holiday which offers a great potential to eco-tourist operators to promote and sell more of their tours.

Stages of Developing a Psychiatric Treatment Care Plan

Stages of Developing a Psychiatric Treatment Care Plan A patient had been admitted to an A E unit after committing ‘deliberate self-harm’. He had attempted to commit suicide by overdosing on some headache tablets. When that hadn’t worked he slashed himself in several places using a kitchen knife. He arrived at the A E unit in an extremely distressed state. Why the psychologist was called in Although the patient clearly had very severe physical injuries a comprehensive psychosocial assessment revealed he was suffering from severe psychological problems. His symptoms seemed to suggest clinical depression that was so deep-rooted and severe it necessitated intensive and sustained psychotherapy. Thus, it was decided to immediately refer him to a clinical psychologist. This is consistent with professional guidelines, which recommend that self-harm patients are referred for psychological intervention if an initial psychosocial assessment reveals an underlying psychological problem (NICE, 2004, p.32). A clinical psychologist is formally trained to deal with various forms of psychopathology, including clinical depression, based on psychological theories and research (Davey, 2004, pp.713-714). In addition to carrying out in-depth psychological evaluations, to identify underlying psychopathology (using a wide variety of personality and neuropsychological tests, and clinical observ ation), the psychologist is trained to make a formal diagnosis, using set criteria. Clinical psychologists and psychiatrists have very similar training. However a clinical psychologist rather than psychiatrist was called in to deal with this case because the latter are primarily medical doctors, and hence typically use the ‘medical model’ for dealing with psychological disorders. Psychosocial assessment suggested that this patient primarily required intensive psychotherapy rather than medication. Theoretical concepts The clinical psychologist relied upon Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalytic theory in formulating a treatment plan (McMillan, 2001, pp.599-600). Freud’s conceptualisations have had a massive impact on popular culture, and psychology and psychiatry in particular. Psychoanalytic theory posits that unconscious conflict, often emanating from childhood, and involving forbidden sexual and aggressive desires causes psychopathology. A distinction is made between the conscious (awareness), preconscious (memories that are readily accessible), and unconscious (repressed memories of which a person may not even be aware). Superimposed against these levels of consciousness are three components of human personality: the id (basic biological drives), the ego (restrictions imposed by external reality), and superego (conscience). The id operates at the subconscious level, while the ego and superego function at the preconscious and conscious levels. Perpetual and intense conflicts between the id and the other two components can generate considerable anxiety and, if unresolved, mental health problems. Psychoanalysis places considerable emphasis on the sex drive, or ‘libido’. Humans are thought to progress through several stages of psychosexual development. Fixation at any one stage results in various emotional problems. What the psychologist did During the initial session with the patient the clinical psychologist immediately set up a good rapport with the patient. The priority was to assess the patients’ problem, and develop a comprehensive treatment plan with clear goals for recovery. After an initial session the patient underwent numerous sessions involving free association, a therapeutic form of psychoanalysis (McMillan, 2001, pp.167-168). During this procedure, the psychologist encouraged the patient to verbalise whatever came to mind. Free association is considered to yield clues about the subconscious roots of a patients’ problem. The patient spoke a lot about his childhood. From time to time the therapist probed with searching questions encouraging the patient to elaborate on particular statements made. During each session the psychotherapist maintained an empathic and non-judgemental demeanour, in order to facilitate a high degree of trust between himself and the patient. The patient attended weekly se ssions over a six-month period. During the final month of therapy the clinician engaged in dream analysis, whereby the patient was asked to describe recent dreams in as much detail and with as much accuracy as possible. How the psychologists’ input was assessed By the end of therapy it had gradually become clear that the patient had been experiencing intense homosexual desires ever since puberty. These urges had been repressed for years, in order to conform to social norms and his parents’ wishes for him to get married and have children. The patient wasn’t conscious of these forbidden desires. The realisation made him feel much better, going a long way to explain why he had been feeling pathologically depressed, even suicidal. The impact of psychoanalytic therapy on this patient was assessed using a pre- and post-test experimental analysis (Coolican, 1994, pp.82-88). During his initial assessment of the patient the psychologist obtained baseline measures of psychiatric symptoms using the SCL-90-R (Derogatis, 1983), social functioning using the Social Adjustment Scale (Weissman, 1975), general adjustment in life, using the Global Assessment Scale (Endicott et al, 1976), and episodes of self-harm, using the Suicide and Self-Harm Inventory (Sansone et al, 1998) during the previous six months. At the end of therapy the therapist administered the same battery of tests to gauge any improvements in the patients’ mental health. Statistical analysis comparing pre- and post-test data, using a t-tested for repeated measures (Coolican, 1994, pp.281-286) showed significant improvements on all criteria: psychiatric functioning, and social/global adjustment, and frequency of self-harm. Bibliography Coolican, H. (1994) Research Methods and Statistics in Psychology, London, Hodder Davey, G. (ed) (2004) Complete Psychology . London: Hodder and Stoughton Derogatis, L.R. (1983) SCL-90-R: Administration, Scoring, and Procedures Manual,  II. Towson, Md, Clinical Psychometric Research. Endicott, J., Spitzer, R.L., Fleiss, J.L. Cohen, J. (1976) The Global Assessment  Scale: a procedure for measuring overall severity of psychiatric disturbance.  Archives of General Psychiatry, 33, pp.766–771. NICE (2004) Self-Harm: The Short-Term Physical and Psychological Management  and Secondary Prevention of Self-Harm in Primary and Secondary Care:  Clinical Guideline 16. London: National Institute for Clinical Excellence. McMillan, M. (2001) The reliability and validity of Freud’s methods of free  association and interpretation. Psychological Inquiry, 3, pp. 167-175. Sansone, R.A., Wiederman, M.W. Sansone, L.A. (1998) The Self-Harm Inventory  (SHI): development of a scale for identifying self-destructive behaviors and  borderline personality disorder. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 54, pp.973-983. Weissman, M.M. (1975) The assessment of social adjustment. Archives of General  Psychiatry, 32, pp.357–365.

The Rise Of Islamic Fundamentalism Politics Essay

The Rise Of Islamic Fundamentalism Politics Essay The emergence of radical and extremist Islamist movements has proved to be the principal source of instability in the world. From the 19th century the world has witness to a reawakening of the Muslim world in various places as a result of the encounter with Western culture  [1]  . The rise of radical Islamist groups has been influenced by the leading ideologues of Islamic fundamentalist thought, Jamal Al Din Al Afghani (1839-1897), Maulana Abul Ali Mawdudi (1903-79) the first Amir of the Jamaate-Islami, Ayatollah Khomeini (1909-89) leader of the Islamic Revolutionary Party of Iran, Hassan-al-Banna and Syed Qutb (1906-66) of the Muslim Brotherhood of Egypt  [2]  . These ideologues advocated jihad against non-Islamic societies and states and emphasised that political power is indispensable to the establishment of an Islamic state. The concepts of Dar-el-Islam and Dar-el-Harb and jihad as advocated by the Islamists envisage a perpetual state of confrontation between Islamic and non-Islamic states.  [3]  Though Muslims, like any other non-Muslim, have multiple identities religious, ethnic, tribal, linguistic or territorial, the emphasis by the Islamists on the Islamic identity puts them in collision course with the state and other groups. Islamist intellectuals, ulema and activists have been seeking to blur the distinction between Islam as a religion and nationalism. They prop up the Islamic political consciousness by politicising already existing religious traditions and practices and by resisting change and modernisation. The concept of Ummah or Millat is being invoked to abet, support and legitimise the secessionist movements of Muslims living in non-Muslim states. If one goes by the strict definition of the term Islamic fundamentalism, it stands for a return to the doctrines of Islam in their original form as were practised in the medieval times. It could also mean idealising the historical past of Islam and calling for a return to pure and original Islam, which can be achieved through peaceful, lawful, cultural and spiritual means. But in practice, the focus of Islamists has been Islamisation of the state rather than reform of the individuals. It has generated conflict as the Islamic fundamentalists seek to impose their will through coercion, violence and terror. Islamist extremists pose a challenge to the secular and democratic polity, pluristic social order and inter-religious harmony. With the rise of Taliban to power, Afghanistan became the breeding ground of Islamist terrorism. The Taliban enforced their extremist religious and socio-political agenda and turned Afghanistan into the hub of arms, drugs trafficking and international terrorism with Osama bin Laden using it as a base of Al Qaida and other Islamist terrorist outfits. The threat posed by Laden and the Taliban to world peace and security was universally recognised and UN sanctions were imposed against the Taliban. Undaunted by international criticism, the Taliban unleashed atrocities against women, children, ethnic-religious minorities and political opponents, thereby deepening the internal divide in Afghanistan, besides violating the basic human rights of Afghans. The UN and other international peace initiatives made no headway in the face of determined Taliban opposition to share power with rival Afghan groups. Afghanistan remained fractured and turbulent posing great challenge to peace and security i n the region. The Taliban rebuffing all international appeals and ignoring widespread international condemnation, not only went ahead with the destruction of the colossal Buddhas of Bamiyan, but even made a public demonstration of their savage acts  [4]  . By destroying the rich and composite historical cultural heritage of Afghanistan, the Taliban sought to reaffirm Afghanistans lead role as a puritan Islamist state in South and Central Asia and also to set an agenda for radical Islamist forces. Osama bin Laden and his network played a key role in the terrorist attacks in South Asia, Central Asia, Southeast Asia and also in the West. However, it was only after the 9/11 terrorist strikes on World Trade Centre and Pentagon that the United States and its Western allies recognised the severity of the challenge posed by Al Qaida and the Taliban. The US garnered sufficient political will to lead the global war against terrorism. The US-led forces have severely mauled the Taliban and the Al Qaida, destroyed much of their military machine and bases. However, both the Taliban and elements of the Al Qaida network still exist and are again growing within Afghanistan and neighbouring Pakistan. Leaders and thousands of supporters of Al Qaida and the Taliban militia have shifted to Pakistan. So ensuring sustainable security and stability in Afghanistan is a great challenge facing the international community. This can be achieved only by total elimination of the Al Qaida network, their sup porters, financiers, safe havens and training camps in various parts of the world. METHODOLOGY STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM To analyse the reasons of rise of Islamic Fundamentalism in Afghanistan and its threat to the world. hypothesis Islamic Fundamentalism is a global phenomenon and its affects can be felt across frontiers. Afghanistan has become fountain head of Islamic fundamentalism. Afghanistan lies in the middle of a region fermenting Islamic fundamentalist terrorism. This is one single-largest source of terrorism on the planet earth, with scope for expansion into Central Asian Region, China, Eastern Europe, South and South East Asia. JUSTIFICATION OF THE STUDY With the development of modern communications and various connections between the terrorist groups on the increase, the trend of global terrorism is on the increase. Islamic fundamentalism which has been raising its head to support terrorism as a weapon for its war against the non believers. While all religions have their chauvinists, it is resurgent Islam which somehow appears to be at the forefront of terrorism. Of course there is a secular version of Islam but the vast majority of the Muslims believe that they can be true Muslims only if they live in an Islamic state. It is the self perception that true believers have a God given right to promote the historical relevance of a religion that is behind much of todays global terrorism. In fact Islamic fundamentalists are hypothesising that with the end of the cold war, secularism in their countries is giving way to their brand of Islam and are presenting themselves as an alternative to westernised rulers.  [5]   Afghanistan, which has had a long turbulent past including a period of erstwhile Soviet occupation, has been taken over by Islamic fundamentalism after a long and bitter conflict between various groups out of which as of late the Taliban has been the most successful. The Taliban have been trained in various Deeni Madrasas  [6]  and have been indoctrinated to enforce a very strict kind of Islamic rule on Afghanistan which is unlike any traditions in that countries much volatile past. Moreover with weapons and infrastructure supplied by the US to fight the Soviet occupation and those left behind by the Soviets gives a chance to the restless youth of Afghanistan to export terrorism with a religious face throughout the world. In view of this, it is quite possible that Afghanistan will become a major focal point for Islamic terrorists to train and act on the existing non Islamic states with the overt/ covert support of Islamic states. SCOPE 7. The study would concentrate on the rise of Islamic Fundamentalism in Afghanistan with special reference to Taliban and its effect on the world. METHODS OF DATA COLLECTION 8. The study is primarily based on information gathered from books written by prominent Indian, foreign authors as well as information available on the internet. The books and periodicals used for the purpose of research have been drawn from the Library of Defence Services Staff College (DSSC), Wellington. Other sources of information are articles written in Indian, Pakistani, Western newspapers and news services such as the CNN and BBC as well as some defence journals. A bibliography of the sources is appended at the end of the text. The guidance given by Colonel SK Karwal, the Directing Staff has been of immense value in preparation of this paper. Afghanistan being a very current topic has undergone a series of ups and downs during the course of my preparation of the dissertation. ORGANISATION OF DISSERTATION 9. It is proposed to study the subject under the following heads:- (a) Chapter I. Introduction Methodology. (b) Chapter II. The Growth of Islamic Fundamentalism in Afghanistan. (c) Chapter III. Afghanistan as Source of Terrorism in the Region. (d) Chapter IV. Religious Intolerance. (e) Chapter V. The Nexus between Drug Trafficking and Terrorism. (e) Chapter VI. The Afghanistan Conflict and Energy Security. (f) Chapter VII. Conclusion.

Male Menopause: Fact or Fiction? Essay -- Biology Essays Research Pape

Male Menopause: Fact or Fiction? "Male menopause is a lot more fun than female menopause. With female menopause you gain weight and get hot flashes. Male menopause - you get to date young girls and drive motorcycles." (11) While 'male menopause' has provided both sexes a variety of jokes and frustration, there are researchers and scientists studying the alleged condition with great seriousness. Those who support the existence of male menopause feel strongly that its affects on the male mind and body should be regarded with the same credence that society attributes to the female menopause. Male Menopause begins with declining testosterone levels and is eventually characterized by the following symptoms: hair loss, depression, a slower immune system, weight gain, less stamina for physical activity, forgetfulness, irritability, and loss of or reduced interest in sex. (5) Impotence may also occur. Usually this "change" arises between the ages of 40 and 55, although it has been known to transpire as early as 35 and as late as 65. (6) Several different clinical terms exist for the popularized term "male menopause" such as "andropause" or "viropause". (2) Andropause was named for the hormone "androgen" which is essentially testosterone. It is also the name of the therapy with which they treat a man suffering from male menopause. This treatment comes in the form of injection, skin patches or liquid gel. (5) In order to be diagnosed with male menopause, one must have reached the eligible age then endure a physical exam wherein blood samples will be taken. These samples are tes ted for hormone levels. If these blood samples demonstrate low levels of androgen and the patient seems to be suffering from the symptoms associated wit... ...althy.net/hwlibrarynewsletters/update/malemenopause.htm 7)Human Development Report, provides the average male life expectancy statistics for all countries http://www.undp.org/hdr2003/indicator/indic_199_1_1.html 8)Human Development Report, provides the average female life expectancy statistics for all countries http://www.undp.org/hdr2003/indicator/indic_198_1_1.html 9)ABC Science, short article by ABC questioning the reality of male menopause http://abc.net.au/science/news/stories/s112941.htm 10)ABC Interview, interview with Jed Diamond, author of Male Menopause, a 1998 best seller. who used to be a disbeleiver in male menopause but now firmly credits the possibility of a male 'change' http://abcnews.go.com/sections/living/DailyNews/chat_diamond000614.html 11)Women Joke Page, Male menopause joke http://www.y2kwomen.com/recommended/humor2.html

the car :: essays research papers

Title ] Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec FAQ/Strategy Guideâ„ ¢ [ Platform ] PlayStation 2â„ ¢ [ Version ] v1.01 [ Authors ] Brett "Nemesis" Franklin / OrochiJin - Tim Garza [ E-Mail ] nemesis@flipmode.com / ExScanner@yahoo.com [ Plug ] http://nemmysresource.cjb.net [ Updated ] August 26th, 2001 The-chart-that-shows-what's-in-this-FAQ: i. Legal Stuff ii. Updates/Revision History 01. Driving Techniques †¢ Car Information †¢ Ultimate Car Setup Guide †¢ Car Upgrading Tips †¢ How to earn fast cash 02. General Strategies 03. Simulation Mode †¢ Getting Started †¢ License Test Guide †¢ Quick Prize Guide †¢ Race / Prize List †¢ Tuning Information 04. Arcade Mode †¢ Tracks 05. FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) 06. Gameshark Codes =============================================================================== i. Legal Stuff =============================================================================== This FAQ can only appear on the following sites (w/out having to ask me): †¢ GameFAQS <www.gamefaqs.com> †¢ CoreMagazine <www.coremagazine.com> †¢ GameSages <www.gamesages.com> †¢ Vgstrategies.com <http://vgstrategies.about.com> †¢ GameShark.com <www.gameshark.com> †¢ FAQ Domain <http://nemmysresource.cjb.net> †¢ Happy Puppy <http://www.happypuppy.com> †¢ ZDNet/Videogames.com <http://www.videogames.com> ___________________________NOT WWW.FRESHBAKEDGAMES.COM_________________________ If anyone finds it on any other site or MegaGames.com, please inform me ASAP. E-Mail Address: nemesis@flipmode.com, ExScanner@yahoo.com Copyright:  © Copyright 2000-2001 Brett "Nemesis" Franklin and Tim Garza. This FAQ and everything included within this file cannot be reproduced in any way, shape or form (physical, electronical, or otherwise) aside from being placed on a freely-accessible, non-commercial web page in it's original, unedited and unaltered format. This FAQ cannot be used for profitable purposes (even if no money would be made from selling it) or promotional purposes. It cannot be used in any sort of commercial transaction. It cannot be given away as some sort of bonus, gift, etc., with a purchase as this creates incentive to buy and is therefore prohibited. =============================================================================== ii. Updates/Revision History =============================================================================== Version 1.01 (08/26/01) ------------------------- †¢ Added the Quick Prize List from Jeff Evans, which just lists each race and the car(s) you win from it. Very easy to use, thanks Jeff! Version 1.00 (08/19/01) ------------------------- †¢ Fully completed the "Race/Prize Guide", finally. Everything is now complete in the guide, save for a few things in the Arcade Mode section of the FAQ. I might add this stuff later, but it's doubtful. Version 0.57 (08/08/01) ------------------------- †¢ Added the Car List Sorted by Price Version 0.55 (07/28/01) ------------------------- †¢ Updated the Race/Prize List through Amatuer Mode Version 0.50 (07/23/01) ------------------------- †¢ Updated the "Ultimate Car Setups Guide" and updated the Race/Prize List Version 0.49 (07/20/01) ------------------------- †¢ Updated the "Ultimate Car Setups Guide" and updated the Race/Prize List, as well as the Arcade Mode section. Version 0.47 (07/18/01) ------------------------- †¢ Updated the "Ultimate Car Setups Guide" Version 0.46 (07/17/01) ------------------------- †¢ Updated the "Ultimate Car Setups Guide" and updated the Race/Prize List Version 0.45 (07/17/01) ------------------------- †¢ Updated the "Ultimate Car Setups Guide" with 4 new car setups, and added the Rally License Test guide Version 0.40 (07/17/01) ------------------------- †¢ Updated the "How To Win Fast Cash" section and the Race/Prize List