Three Waves of Variation Study - 14802 Words

1 Three Waves of Variation Study: The emergence of meaning in the study of variation Penelope Eckert Stanford University Abstract The treatment of social meaning in variation has come in three waves of analytic practice. The first wave of variation studies established broad correlations between linguistic variables and the macro-sociological categories of socioeconomic class, sex class, ethnicity and age. The second wave employed ethnographic methods to explore the local categories and configurations that inhabit, or constitute, these broader categories. In both waves, variation was seen as marking social categories. This paper sets out a theoretical foundation for the third wave, arguing that (1) variation constitutes a robust†¦show more content†¦There are some very big questions, such as how the system of social meaning is structured, what kinds of social meanings are expressed in variation, how local meanings such as those found on Martha’s Vineyard articulate with broad demographic patterns, and how the relation between variants and social meanings becomes conventionalized. In what follows, I will outline an approach to the study of variation that centers on social meaning. This is not a proposal to replace, but to refine and supplement, current approaches to variation. I will begin by tracing the progress of the social study of variation over the past forty-five years, in order to illuminate the main issues. The treatment of social meaning in variation has come in three waves of analytic practice. No wave supersedes the previous, but each represents a quite distinct way of thinking about variation, and a distinct methodological and analytic practice, each of which grew out of the findings of the previous wave. The first wave of variation studies, launched by William Labov’s New York City study (Labov,1966), laid a solid foundation for the study of variation by establishing broad correlations between linguistic variables and the macro-sociological categories of socioeconomic class, sex class, ethnicity and age. These patterns pointed to questionsShow MoreRelate dSymptoms And Treatments Of Aroma Therapy1574 Words   |  7 Pagesgenerations of patients manage pain and stress. With future research in physiology and aroma therapy there could be a correlation found with neurotransmitters and what causes this â€Å"relaxing† effect. Using an ECG for this experiment showed the different variations in heart intervals. 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Starwood Hotel Profile - 2561 Words

In the following you will find a brief discussion on Starwood Hotel and Resorts Worldwide’s mission and vision statement and a brief profile on the company. Mission Statement Starwoods mission is to consistently exceed our guests expectations in terms of the products and services we provide to our business and leisure travelers. We strive to create an experience that is responsive to our guests needs by using the information you entrust us with responsibly. Starwood is committed to respecting your privacy and adhering to the principles of applicable data protection and privacy laws throughout the world. Vision We succeed only when we meet and exceed the expectations of our customers, owners and shareholders. We have a passion for†¦show more content†¦Le Mà ©ridien aims to target the creative mind: an audience inspired by creativity that are eager to learn something new and see things in a different light. The creators of this hotel are comprised of a global array of visionaries, from painters to photographers, musicians to designers and chefs. Le Mà ©ridien is more than a hotel; it’s a way of life that provides â€Å"A New Perspective†. Sheraton ® Are one of Starwood’s most affordable and most popular luxury and upscale full-service hotels, resorts and residences and is one of their largest brands serving the needs of upscale business and leisure travelers worldwide. For over 75 years this full-service, iconic brand has welcomed guests, becoming a trusted friend to travelers and one of the world’s most recognized hotel brands. From being the first hotel brand to step into major international markets like China, Sheraton understands that travel is about bringing people together. Four Points ® Are select-service hotels that delight the self-sufficient traveler with what is needed for greater comfort and productivity. 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GLO-BUS Developing Winning Competitive Strategies Free Essays

string(160) " undertake actions to alter their sales and market shares in all regions, opting to increase sales and share in some and to decrease sales and share in others\." GLO-BUS Developing Winning Competitive Strategies Welcome to GLO-BUS. You and your co-managers are taking over the operation of a digital camera company that is in a neck-and-neck race for global market leadership, competing against rival digital camera companies. We will write a custom essay sample on GLO-BUS: Developing Winning Competitive Strategies or any similar topic only for you Order Now All digital camera makers presently have the same worldwide market share, although shares vary by company across the four market regions – Europe-Africa, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and North America. Currently, your company is selling close to 800,000 entry level cameras and 200,000 multi-featured cameras annually. Prior year revenues were $206 million and net earnings were $20 million, equal to $2. 00 per share of common stock. The company is in sound financial condition, is performing well, and its products are well regarded by digital camera users. Your company’s board of directors has charged you and your co-managers with developing a winning competitive, marketing strategy, one that capitalizes on growing consumer interest in digital cameras, keeps the company on the ranks of the industry leaders, and boosts the company’s earnings year after year. Some Background Information Your company began operations five years ago and maintains its headquarters in Lisle, Illinos,USA. It assembles all of its cameras at a modern facility in Ha Noi, Vietnam and ships them directly to cameras retailers (multi-store chains that sell electronics products, local camera shops, and online electronics firms) located in Europe-Africa, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and North America. The company maintains regional sales offices in Milan, Italy; Singapore; Sao Paulo, Brazil; and Toronto, Canada to handle the company’s sales and promotion efforts in each geographic region and help support the merchandising efforts of area retailers who stock the company’s brand. Retailers endeavor to maintain ample inventories of camera models in their own stores and warehouses to satisfy shopper demand. Seasonal Production and Seasonal Demand. Camera demand is seasonal with about 20 percent of consumer demand coming in each of the first three quarters of each calendar year and 40 percent coming during the fourth quarter holiday season. Retailers place orders for digital cameras roughly 90 days in advance of expected sales, so as to have ample numbers on hand to satisfy camera buyer demand in the upcoming quarter. Thus, during Quarter 1 they place orders for the cameras they expect to sell in Quarter 2; during Quarter 2 they place orders for the cameras they expect to sell in Quarter 3, during Quarter 3, they place orders for the cameras they expect to sell in the peak holiday season fourth quarter; and in Quarter 4 they order the number of cameras they expect to sell in Quarter 1 of the following year. Assembly and Shipping. The company has a staff of people engaged in new product RD, engineering, and design; this group has the capability to develop new and improved camera models as directed by top management. Once co-managers settle on the desired specifications and performance features for the company’s line-up of camera models, the needed parts and components are obtained from suppliers having the capabilities to make deliveries to the company’s Ha Noi assembly plant on a just-in-time basis. Cameras are assembled by four-person product assembly teams at well equipped workstations. Shipping department personnel ready retailer’s orders for shipment and stack them on the loading dock for pickup by independent freight carriers. The cameras are delivered anywhere from 3 days to 3 weeks later, depending on a retailer’s location and the means of transportation. The cost of boxing the cameras, packaging them for shipment, and freight averages $3 per camera. Many countries have import duties on cameras. Import duties in each of the four geographic regions currently average $5 for entry-level cameras and $10 for multi-featured cameras. Import duties are subject to change in upcoming years. Competitive Efforts. To capitalize on advances in digital technology and keep its cameras appealing to consumers, the company from-time-to-time introduces new and improved models, adds performance features, restyles its camera bodies or housings, and upgrades the internal camera software. Aside from company efforts to make its cameras lines appealing and competitive with those of rival companies, the company’s sales volume and standing in the marketplace is affected by the prices at which it sells its cameras to retail dealers, advertising expenditures, the number of retail dealers it is able to attract to carry its brand, the number and length of quarterly promotions, the size of the price discounts offered to retailers during these promotions, the length of the warranty periods on its cameras, brand image and reputation, and the caliber of the technical support provided to its digital camera users. Stock Listings. The company’s stock is publicly traded on the NASDAQ exchange in the United States and on several other stock exchanges. The closing price in Year 5 was $30 per share. The company’s financial statements are prepared in accord with generally accepted accounting principles and are reported in U. S. dollars. The company’s financial accounting is in accord with the rules and regulations of all authorities where its stock is traded. The World Market for Digital Cameras The industry your company competes in consists of 4 companies. All companies are on an equal footing from a global perspective, but there is one essential difference in the competitive positions of the rival companies – the percentage of cameras being sold in the four geographic regions (Europe-Africa, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and North America) are not identical from company-to-company as follows: Percentages of Company Sales Volume in (unit sales) North America Europe-Africa Asia-Pacific Latin America Your Company 40% 30% 20% 10% Competitor A 10% 40% 30% 20% Competitor B 20% 10% 40% 30% Competitor C 30% 20% 10% 40% In effect, each company presently has a strong market position in one region, intermediate market positions in two regions, and a weak market position in one region. So there are market share differences among the companies in the industry within each geographic region of the world camera market. In upcoming years, company managers can undertake actions to alter their sales and market shares in all regions, opting to increase sales and share in some and to decrease sales and share in others. You read "GLO-BUS: Developing Winning Competitive Strategies" in category "Essay examples" Market Growth. The global market for digital cameras is projected to grow 8-10% annually for the next five years (Years 6-10) and then to grow at a slower 4-6% annual rate during the following five years (Years 11-15). These projected growth rates apply to all four geographic regions and to both entry-level and multi-featured cameras. However, in any one year, the growth rate in each region can deviate from the 9% average for Years 6-10 and the 5% average for Years 11-15 by as much as 1% in either direction, with different size deviations for each region. The same goes for the projected growth rates for entry-level and multi-featured digital cameras. Hence, there is an element of uncertainty surrounding just where within the 8-10% range and the 4-6% range the growth rate for a particular year will actually fall, for either a given geographic region or a particular type of camera. Ratings of Digital Camera Performance and Quality. The World Digital Camera Federation, a well respected affiliation of camera industry trade groups and camera experts, tests the performance and quality of the camera models of all competitors and assigns a performance-quality or P/Q rating of 1 to 5 stars to each company’s entry-level camera line and multi-featured camera line. Currently, both the entry-level and multi-featured camera lines of all competitors have a 3 star P/Q rating. Spirited competition among rivals is, however, likely to result in different P/Q ratings in the forthcoming years. Digital Camera Retailers. Worldwide, there are some 50,000 retailers of digital cameras scattered across the world; each of the four major geographic regions of the world market has 12,500 retailers, some of which are multi-store retail chains (100 per region), online electronic retailers (400 per region), and local camera shops (12,000 per region). Retailers with store locations that also sell cameras on their websites are not included in the online category. Multi-store chains account for the biggest percentage of entry-level camera sales, with online retailers second; local camera shops account for the biggest share of multi-featured digital camera sales, with online retailers second. Retail markups over the wholesale prices of digital camera makers run 50% to 100%; thus an entry-level digital camera wholesaling for $160 could retail for $300 or more and a multi-featured camera wholesaling for $360 might carry a retail list price of $700. Such markups give retailers the latitude to put digital cameras on sale from time-to-time at 10% to 20% off regular price and still make a decent profit margin. Retailers typically carry anywhere from 2-4 brands of digital cameras and stock only certain models of the brands they do carry, but in all four geographic markets there are around 20 ‘full-line’ camera retailers that stock most all brands and models. Chain store retailers are drawn to carry the best selling brands and mainly stock entry-level cameras. The makers of weak selling camera brands have difficulty convincing major retail chains to devote display space to their models. Local camera shops and online retailers are, however, more amenable to stocking and promoting low-volume brands, especially those with above average P/Q ratings and respected brand images. Local camera shops and online electronics retailers devote much of their merchandising effort to multi-featured digital cameras because of their bigger profit margins. In the multi-featured camera segment, local camera shops enjoy an advantage over online retailers because many multi-featured camera shoppers prefer to â€Å"touch and try out† the functioning of the multi-featured cameras they are considering and seek out the opinions of camera savvy personnel in local camera shops before finalizing their purchase. In choosing which brands of multi-featured cameras to carry and feature in their local ads, local camera shop owners put a fairly heavy weight on P/Q ratings, warranties, brand image, and the number, length, and price discounts of manufactures’ promotional discounts. Online retailers use essentially the same criteria in deciding which multi-featured camera brands to give top-billing and search priority on their websites. Digital Camera Buyers. Digital camera shoppers are generally quite knowledgeable; many do extensive Internet research to educate themselves about the features, performance, and prices of competing digital camera brands and models. The World Digital Camera Federation’s much publicized P/Q atings are trusted by camera shoppers; its frequently visited website has detailed information concerning the results of its performance tests and the basis for its P/Q ratings of each camera brand. Both camera makers and online electronics retailers have extensive information on their websites about currently available models. Numerous websites and publications review new and improved camera models as they are introduced by manufactures. The buyers of entry-level digital cameras are considerably more price sensitive than multi-featured camera buyers and many do comparison shopping on price in selecting which brand to purchase. The purchasers of multi-featured cameras are much more particular about camera performance and picture quality. Many price sensitive consumers shopping for their first digital camera are inclined to wait to make a purchase until electronic retailers have special sales promotions and offer entry-level camera models at sizable discounts off the regular retail price. It is common for camera retailers to also have special sales promotions for overstocked multi-featured models. The Competitive Factors That Drive Market Share Competition among rival camera makers centers around 11 sales determining factors: – How each company’s wholesale selling price (for both entry-level and multi-featured cameras) compares against the corresponding industry-wide average price in each geographic region. – P/Q ratings. – The number of special promotions each quarter. – The length of the special quarterly promotions (in weeks). The size of the discounts off the regular wholesale price during these promotions. – Advertising expenditures. – Product selection, as measured by the number of models in each line of cameras (entry-level and multi-featured). – The number of retailers carrying the company’s brand. – The length of the manufacturer’s warranty period. – The ease with which users of a company’s digital cameras can obtain responsive technical support when they encounter difficulties. – Brand reputation among buyers and retailers. With these 11 competitive determinants of sales and market share in play in each camera segment in each geographic region, you and your co-managers have many options for crafting a strategy capable of producing good profits and return on investment and keeping your company in contention for global market leadership. For example, you can – Employ a low-cost leadership strategy and pursue a competitive advantage keyed to having lower costs and selling your digital cameras at lower prices than rivals. Employ a differentiation strategy that sets your company’s digital cameras apart from rival brands based on such attributes as a higher P/Q rating, more models/styles to select from, and such marketing attributes as more advertising, longer warranties, more promotions, better technical support for owners of your digital cameras, or a bigger network of retail outlets carrying the company’s brand. – Employ a more value for the money strategy (providing 4-star digi tal cameras at lower prices than other 4-star brands) where your competitive advantage is an ability to incorporate appealing attributes at a lower cost than rivals. Focus your strategic efforts on being the clear market leader in either entry-level or multi-featured cameras. – Focus your company’s competitive efforts on gaining sales and market share in those geographic markets where your company already has high sales and deemphasize sales in those areas where your company has a comparably low market share or where profit margins are relatively low. – Pursue essentially the same strategy worldwide or else have regional strategies tailored to match the differing competitive conditions and actions in North America, Europe-Africa, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America. Focus your company’s competitive efforts on those regional markets where sales are highest or most profitable and either deemphasize or withdraw from one or more geographic areas where market shar e is low and/or profit margins are small. Thinking Strategically: The Importance of Trying to Out-Maneuver Rivals Making Decisions. The following areas should be the basis of your decision making process. They are as follows: Product Design Marketing Assembly Compensation, Training, and Labor Force Special Order Bids Social Responsibility and Citizenship Finance What Your Board of Directors Expects. The Board of Directors has given you and your co-managers broad strategy-making and operating authority to pursue the achievement of performance objectives, subject to two primary constraints: (1) Your company may not merge with another company; the Board wishes the company to remain independent. And (2), company co-managers are expected to comply fully with all legal and regulatory requirements and to conduct the company’s business in an ethical manner. Good Luck. R. G. Revers PhD How to cite GLO-BUS: Developing Winning Competitive Strategies, Essay examples

Management Cloud Computing Advantages free essay sample

1-what business, personal, and social costs are involved when traveling by airplane between Copenhagen and Helsinki? Nordea is the largest financial services group in Northern Europe. Business costs are substantial amount for flight tickets, transfer, comfort class. Personal costs are stress, and no time for friends and family. Social costs are high carbon dioxide emissions and global warming. 2-how can IT be both the culprit and the solution to environmental problems? There are two main problems in the area of computer power consumption. These are limiting power to run the computer park and finding innovative ways of cooling down computers in use. There are solutions to environmental problems in the area of computer power consumption. In their property management system, launching new component to identify power use results to know that surprisingly high at night. The reason was for that is PC’s never shut down at night. Power of project is installation of power management software on 23000 computers. We will write a custom essay sample on Management: Cloud Computing Advantages or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Server virtualization reduced the number of physical machines consuming power. Using web cameras, headsets, software for two party video calls, and videoconferencing equipment reduces air travels and the improvement of collaborative work quality. 3-what are the arguments against corporate social responsibility? Corporate social responsibilities that lowers economic efficiency and profit, green washing, increases costs in organization and social environment, imposes hidden costs passed onto stake holders, requires skills business may lacks, places responsibility on business rather than individuals, or government. 4-why should firms be engaged in making the world more sustainable? The firms should be engaged in making the world more sustainable because they are profitable and efficient with a long-term horizon; and invest strategically in their sustainable future and innovation and respecting human rights, the rule of law and cultural diversity and environmental impacts. what are the advantages and disadvantages of cloud computing ? Cloud Computing advantages Storage and Scalability No more infrastructure investments or time spent adding new servers, partitioning silos – none of that mess. With the cloud, you basically have access to unlimited storage capability and scalability. Backup and Disaster Recovery Those days of tape back-up are long gone. Most cloud providers across service types and platforms offer comprehensive backup and recovery capabilities. Mobility Whether its your development platform, suite of office tools or custom content management system – cloud mobility enables access anywhere with a Web connection. Cost Efficiency Aside from storage and infrastructure costs, just think about all the other costs you can minimize with cloud services – updating and managing software or applications, hiring and training new staff and even decreased on-site energy costs. Enable IT Innovation Probably the most understated benefit of the cloud – it is reshaping IT into a proactively innovative bunch that focuses a lot less on manual system administration, and a lot more on improving the technology. From integration, mobility to even user personalization, giving your IT the cloud can make their jobs much easier – and more enjoyable. Cloud Computing Disadvantages Control and Reliability The biggest fear of cloud computing is found in its major benefit – the ability to outsource the IT burden to a specialized vendor or provider. Sure it sounds great, but with a move to the cloud you do give up the in-house control of a traditional IT department. Security, Privacy and Compliance Security can also be a concern in the cloud, particularly if you manage confidential data like customer information. Compliance in the cloud may also become an issue, which may require deploying a private cloud if you do have to secure private data. Compatibility Making sure every existing tool, software and computer is compatible with the Web based service, platform or infrastructure. While on-site IT may have a little more control in managing integration and compatibility, it is often what you see is what you get in the cloud. Unpredicted Costs Sure, the cloud can substantially reduce staff and hardware costs, but the price could end up being more than you bargained for. Migrating to the cloud is also an understated cost, and making sure the current systems that support your business while moving to the cloud could raise operating costs substantially. Contracts and Lock-Ins Traditional IT could be downsized, upsized, contracted-in and otherwise controlled by you. On-site hardware, software, infrastructure and platforms always carried some obligations, but now the cloud service provider, for the most part, has all the decision power. Vendor lock-in is also a major issue – as it was with old IT – and this could add up to cost and performance disadvantages later.

Background and Impact of The Civil Rights Act of 1964

Background and Impact of The Civil Rights Act of 1964 The fight against racial injustice did not end after the passage of the  Civil Rights Act of 1964, but the law did allow activists to meet their major goals. The legislation came to be after President Lyndon B. Johnson asked Congress to pass a comprehensive civil rights bill. President John F. Kennedy had proposed such a bill in June of 1963, mere months before his death, and Johnson used Kennedys memory to convince Americans that the time had come to address the problem of segregation. Background of the Civil Rights Act After the end of Reconstruction, white Southerners regained political power and set about reordering race relations. Sharecropping became the compromise that ruled the Southern economy, and a number of African-Americans moved to Southern cities, leaving farm life behind. As the black population in Southern cities grew, whites began passing restrictive segregation laws, demarcating urban spaces along racial lines. This new racial order eventually nicknamed the Jim Crow era did not go unchallenged. One notable court case that resulted from the new laws ended up before the Supreme Court in 1896, Plessy v. Ferguson. Homer Plessy was a 30-year-old shoemaker in June of 1892 when he decided to take on Louisianas Separate Car Act, delineating separate train cars for white and black passengers. Plessys act was a deliberate decision to challenge the legality of the new law. Plessy was racially mixedseven-eighths whiteand his very presence on the whites-only car threw into question the one-drop rule, the strict black-or-white definition of race of the late 19th-century U.S. When Plessys case went before the Supreme Court, the justices decided that Louisianas Separate Car Act was constitutional by a vote of 7 to 1. As long as separate facilities for blacks and whites were equal separate but equal Jim Crow laws did not violate the Constitution. Up until 1954, the U.S. civil rights movement challenged Jim Crow laws in the courts based on facilities not being equal, but that strategy changed with Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka (1954) when Thurgood Marshall argued that separate facilities were inherently unequal. And then came the Montgomery Bus Boycott in 1955, the sit-ins of 1960 and the Freedom Rides of 1961. As more and more African-American activists risked their lives to expose the harshness of Southern racial law and order in the wake of the Brown decision, the federal government, including the president, could no longer ignore segregation. The Civil Rights Act Five days after Kennedys assassination, Johnson announced his intention to push through a civil rights bill: We have talked long enough in this country about equal rights. We have talked for 100 years or more. It is time now to write the next chapter, and to write it in the books of law. Using his personal power in the Congress to get the needed votes, Johnson secured its passage and signed it into law in July 1964. The first paragraph of the act states as its purpose To enforce the constitutional right to vote, to confer jurisdiction upon the district courts of the United States to provide injunctive relief against discrimination in public accommodations, to authorize the Attorney General to institute suits to protect constitutional rights in public facilities and public education, to extend the Commission on Civil Rights, to prevent discrimination in federally assisted programs, to establish a Commission on Equal Employment Opportunity, and for other purposes. The bill prohibited racial discrimination in public and outlawed discrimination in places of employment. To this end, the act created the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to investigate complaints of discrimination. The act ended the piecemeal strategy of integration by ending Jim Crow once and for all. The Impact of the Law The Civil Rights Act of 1964 did not end the civil rights movement, of course. White Southerners still used legal and extralegal means to deprive black Southerners of their constitutional rights. And in the North, de facto segregation meant that often African-Americans lived in the worst urban neighborhoods and had to attend the worst urban schools.  But because the act took a forceful stand  for civil rights, it ushered in a new era in which Americans could seek legal redress for civil rights violations. The act not only led the way for the Voting Rights Act of 1965 but also paved the way for programs like affirmative action.

Free Essays on Grief An Loss

albert ellis and william glasser By: jerry sowles E-mail: kopulso@texas.net Running head: ALBERT ELLIS AND WILLIAM GLASSER Albert Ellis and William Glasser Jerold F. Sowles Webster University - Kelly Air Force Base Abstract Albert Ellis and William Glasser have been in the mainstream of psychological society for over four decades. Both have contributed greatly to modern psychotherapy. The Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) of Albert Ellis and the Reality therapy of William Glasser have endured the trendy world of psychology and in fact as they are based in ancient philosophy (Epictetus, Marcus Aurelius), they also remain the foundation for brief therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy and ecclectisism. Their strength is in the flexibility and simplicity inherent in each. They go directly to the problem and focus energy there without lengthy psychotherapy. Both prolific writers and dedicated therapists have expanded their views and adapted with the times. They are true humanists in that through non-profit organizations they have been able to alleviate muc h human suffering by providing sources for personal and professional growth. In 1955, Albert Ellis used the fundamental concept of truth and logic to help people overcome the obstacles in their lives. By using mans' high power of rationality Ellis has allowed us to use our cognitive abilities to overcome environmental or social situations. By 1975 Ellis combined Rational Emotive Therapy (RET) with Rational Behavior Training (RBT) and with the collaboration of many other noted therapists, created Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT). Ellis tells us in a new Guide to Rational Living (1975): I (A.E.) originated the system around the early part of 1955 and gave a first paper on it at the 1956 meeting of the American Psychological Association in Chicago Since that time, RET has gone through many minor and some major changes, originated by myself and some of my main collaborato... Free Essays on Grief An Loss Free Essays on Grief An Loss albert ellis and william glasser By: jerry sowles E-mail: kopulso@texas.net Running head: ALBERT ELLIS AND WILLIAM GLASSER Albert Ellis and William Glasser Jerold F. Sowles Webster University - Kelly Air Force Base Abstract Albert Ellis and William Glasser have been in the mainstream of psychological society for over four decades. Both have contributed greatly to modern psychotherapy. The Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) of Albert Ellis and the Reality therapy of William Glasser have endured the trendy world of psychology and in fact as they are based in ancient philosophy (Epictetus, Marcus Aurelius), they also remain the foundation for brief therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy and ecclectisism. Their strength is in the flexibility and simplicity inherent in each. They go directly to the problem and focus energy there without lengthy psychotherapy. Both prolific writers and dedicated therapists have expanded their views and adapted with the times. They are true humanists in that through non-profit organizations they have been able to alleviate muc h human suffering by providing sources for personal and professional growth. In 1955, Albert Ellis used the fundamental concept of truth and logic to help people overcome the obstacles in their lives. By using mans' high power of rationality Ellis has allowed us to use our cognitive abilities to overcome environmental or social situations. By 1975 Ellis combined Rational Emotive Therapy (RET) with Rational Behavior Training (RBT) and with the collaboration of many other noted therapists, created Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT). Ellis tells us in a new Guide to Rational Living (1975): I (A.E.) originated the system around the early part of 1955 and gave a first paper on it at the 1956 meeting of the American Psychological Association in Chicago Since that time, RET has gone through many minor and some major changes, originated by myself and some of my main collaborato...

The War on Terror Has Contributed To Abuse of Human Rights Essay

The War on Terror Has Contributed To Abuse of Human Rights - Essay Example It is an intriguing topic, in addition to a debatable position whether indeed; the world is safer almost a decade after the United States and its allies declared war on terror (Merritt 2012). This paper discusses the problems that underlie the tainted image that the United States and her western allies have attained in the fight against terror. Governments around the world get accused of committing questionable atrocities to otherwise non terror squads within different countries. Countries like Egypt, Russia and Uzbekistan, got singled out in Human Rights watch groups as the worst violators of human rights to political opponents in a scheme to rid themselves of terror. The BBC report got based on a report by a Human Rights Watch Group in the United States. The United States believed that their efforts to fight terror groups became silent on human rights abuses. A complete disregard to the positives that war on terror has realized would sound myopic. The 9/11 attack in the U. S. soil was unethical and deserves all means possible to avert any other acts of such nature. Unfortunately, up to this far war on terror has not brought any more peace than before. My position regarding this topic is that this is a fascinating topic. The fact is that we are no safer than we were 10 years ago. The result of fighting against terrorism has led to abuse of human rights. This would not have been the case if America and its allies had stayed out of another war. As discussed earlier on the other assignment; this topic has to key different claims (Duffy 2008). The first claim is that the world is far much safer a decade after the United States and its allies declared war on terror. The second claim is that the war between United States and its allies led to denial of human rights especially for the people in the Middle East. According to Associate Press, Central Intelligence Agency final report: No WMD got found in Iraq. Retrieved on May 28, 2012 from, http://www.msnbc.msn.com/the internationalsecuritynews-mideast_n_africa/t/cias-final-report-no-wmd-found-iraq/#.T8MGrVIsE7A, the national and international security has been a matter of concern to different governments across the world. Since the September 11 terror attack on the United States, the United States government and its allies have launched a war for more than a decade; however, the gains made through the wars have come with a price. There have been reports by Human Rights group; that the United States and its western friends in the war against terror have committed a lot of human rights abuses. As said before, the first claim is a fallacy by itself. Hence, gets ruled out since it is invalid and has no any clear evidence to support it. Having put this position and the claimed evidence through the Scientific Method and Proving a theory steps; there are steps to which the claim and the evidence does not measure to the examination. This claim is just an assumption hence it is not applicable. This claim is, therefore, invalid. Basing on the two claims over this issue, it is more evident that the second claim is valid. The fact that the war between United States and its associates led to denial of human rights especially for the people in and around Middle East is supremely true. Grounding on the evidence from the survey it is a claim that is free from both formal and

A short essay ( A level standard) Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

A short ( A level standard) - Essay Example The events which led to the demise of his twin brothers, Dan and Jacob a year ago. He dearly missed them, his friends, play mates and also royal confidants. His life took a new turn that day when the three were playing in the house and Dan, the eldest among them tried to switch on the electric cooker and make a sandwich. The mother had gone to the market to buy their favourite foodstuffs so that she could prepare them a delicious meal. However, this would not happen as Dan was instantly electrocuted and the same fate befell his brother Jacob as he tried to assist him. The celebration mood turned sour and Janet, their mother, watched in disbelief as her sons bodies were hurled into the back of a waiting police car and to the morgue. David, the youngest observed with shock as her mother wailed in disbelief on seeing her son’s lifeless bodies lying on the ground. He was eight years then and thus could not fathom the magnitude of the occurrence as he was too young for it. But the mother knew what exactly the death of her beloved sons meant to her. It meant eternal physical separation from his twins whom she had treasured since birth and had vowed to protect, even with her own life if need be, all the days of her life. But now she had lost it all, she could not restore their life, they were gone forever. The pain and grief was unbearable, she was devastated and was hospitalised for depression. She was later discharged after immense help from a psychosocial counsellor and was able to cope and move on with life. This affected her performance at work as she could not be able to deliver the services required of her. She was thus relieved off her duties and was jobless for several months before she bumped into a secretarial job in the firm she is currently working in. Six months after the incident, Mr. Brown was diagnosed with a rare cardiovascular disease and was scheduled for operation in December. David

Gambling and Increasing crime Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Gambling and Increasing crime - Research Paper Example Whether the idea that legalizing gambling will actually help to decrease the crime rate and if it is itself a good idea to do so. There are many sides to this argument and while some critics outright claim that crime is caused by gambling there are many others who will claim otherwise. Some hold that gambling does not cause crime but helps to better society. Gambling has been a part of society for a very long time and it can take many forms and shapes. There are various definitions of the idea which is more or less taken to mean the betting of money or other valuables on the outcome of a certain event. In 1566 England, for the first time, chartered a lottery and by 1620 there was regular gambling or wagering on dog races in England. However, in 1621 the first form of restrictions were placed on gambling and then in 1815 there were licenses handed over to the city of New Orleans for gambling and by 1827 John Davis had opened a fully functional Casino in the city that was to cater to the gambling needs of the rich and elite. The history of gambling continues but later on down the road corruption and crime began to mix with the sport and it became more of a problem for the governments of the world and there were moves to eradicate it. Yet some resisted and there was a change in strategy and it was thought to better legalize and hand out li censes to casinos rather than shelve gambling and force it to be taken up underground. Many states in America resisted this move and even in 1981 the New York legislature was not ready to authorize casinos to operate in the city (Thompson, xvii). The practice has also been on the rise not only in the United States but all over the world (Momper, Delva and Grogan-Kaylor, 7). Gambling itself is not taken to be a bad practice as many people do it. It is a particularly popular in Britain in the form of betting on race horses and even lotteries are a gamble of sorts

ECG and Pulse Oximetry: History and Types

ECG and Pulse Oximetry: History and Types In this chapter, we will discuss the history of ECG and pulse oximetry, the timeline and variations through time of the concepts used. We all also discuss the types of pulse oximetry and the electronics used with their requirements. 1.1 History of ECG The history of ECG is very wide, dating back to the 1600 with William Gilbert (that introduced the electrica concept for objects holding static electricity) (1).The most important founders of the electrocardiogram concept were Emil Reymond and Willem Einthoven. In 1843, Emil Reymond was the founder of the electrocardiograph concept by using a galvanometer to state that muscular contraction has action potentials. He also identified the types of waves by using the P, Q, R, and S waves. His studies inspired many physicians to continue and develop his work further. The evolution of concepts continued until the discovery of P, Q, R, S and T waves by Willem Einthoven in 1895. Einthoven also invented a modified galvanometer and used in for electrocardiogram recording. As a reward for his work, he won a Noble price in 1924 for inventing the electrocardiograph (1). As stated before, the history of ECG is very wide, therefore we will limit the observation to the movement done between 1843 and 1942 as shown in the following table: Table 1: ECG Timeline Year Scientist Concept 1842 Carlo Matteucci heart beat is accompanied by electric current 1843 Emil Dubois-Reymond Muscular contraction is accompanied by action potential. Test carlos concept on animals successfully 1856 Koelliker , Muller Record of the action potential concept 1869 Alexander Muirhead Might have recorded a human electrocardiogram 1872 Gabriel Lippmann Capillary Electrometer invented 1876 Marey EJ Electrical activity of animal recorded by the electrometer 1878 John Sanderson , Frederick Page Electrical current of the heart is recorded Divide into two phases (later known as QRS and T) 1887 Augustus Waller First human electrocardiogram is published 1890 GJ Burch Arithmetic correction of the electrometer 1891 William Bayliss , Edward Starling Capillary electrometer improved Discovery of deflections (later known as P,QRS,T) and delay (later know as PR interval) 1893 Willem Einthoven The term electrocardiogram introduced 1895 Deflections P,Q,R,S and T distinguished 1897 Clement Ader Galvanometer invented( Amplification system for the lines of telegraph ) 1901 Willem Einthoven Galvanometer modified for ECG use 1902 ECG records using galvanometer published 1903 Commercial production of galvanometer discussed 1905 Telecardigram invented (transmission of ECG signal by telephone) 1906 Normal and abnormal ECG record published Introduction of the U wave 1908 Edward Schafer First purchase of Einthovens galvanometer 1910 Walter James, Horatio Williams Electrocardiography reviewed for the first time in America 1911 Thomas Lewis Publication of a book about heart beat mechanism 1912 Willem Einthoven Description of the Einthoven triangle (formed for the leads) 1920 Hubert Mann Derivation of mono-cardiogram (later known as vector-cardiogram) 1924 Willem Einthoven Nobel price won for the electrocardiograph invention 1928 Ernstine, Levine Introduction of vacuum-tubes for ECG amplification Frank Sanborn First portable ECG invented 1932 Charles Wolferth and Francis Wood Description of the chest leads use in the coronary occlusion 1938 American heart and cardiac British association Standard positions of chest leads defined and added (V1 to V6) 1942 Emanuel Goldberge Addition of aVR, aVL and AVF to previous model Final ECG model used today 1.2: History of pulse oximetry The revolutionary paper by Comroe and Botelho was the founder movement that stated the need for a better method for the detection of hypoxaemia later known as pulse oximetry. The paper clearly underlined the unreliability of the cyanosis method currently used for the detection of arterial hypoxaemia. This was done by showing that if the oxygen saturation is reduced to 75% the cyanosis could not be detected. Another paper written by Lundsgaard and Van Slyke enhanced the movement. The paper showed the factors that enhance the cyanosis such as 5mg reduced hemoglobin per 100 ml capillary blood. The paper also showed that the subject, environmental factors and the tester affects greatly the detection of cyanosis. As a result, many type of instrumentation were developed to detect the presence of hypoxaemia. However, these devices were inaccurate due to the inability to detect the difference between arterial oxygen saturation and the arterial venous and capillary blood. This separation rema ins a problem until the microprocessor era where the separation was finally realizable. Pulse oximetry started as a simple monitoring technique and evolved through 15 years to become mandatory with every anaesthetic. It has the ability to detect the difference between arterial blood and venous capillary blood due to the pulsatile characteristics of the arterial blood and the smooth flowing of the capillary blood. The pulse oximetry became mandatory in anaesthetic due to the many characteristic such as: having a safety monitor showing the amount of oxygenation in the patient and the circulation of the blood having an non-invasive nature having no morbidity low running cost low capital cost On the other hand, pulse oximetry has been imposed to some unjust criticism as in the case of any new technology. As a result, pulse oximetry has been accused of morbidity despite being a non-invasive technique; it has been accused of causing tissue damage to the tissues adjacent to the probe. As a result, the Medical Devices Agency in England issued a safety action bulletin that contained a historical background, mode of operation, calibration problems, the characteristics of clinical uses and the technique limitation. 1.2.1 Hewlett-Packard ear oximeter Johann Heinrich Lambert was the founder of the correlation that exists between the absorbant and the amount of light absorbed in 1760. His ideas were developed later on by August Beer in 1851. However, the first real adoption of pulse oximetry was the ear oximeter founded by Hewlett-Packard. The concept used in this oximeter is based on an incandescent source combined with narrowband interference filters to transmit eight different wavelengths. Fiberoptics are used to lead the transmitted light from pinna to the detector. The calculation of the arterial oxygen saturation is based on the eight wavelengths absorption. In order to approximate the arterial saturation .this calculation is based on an approximation of overall absorption. The ear is heated causing vasodilation and the capillary blow flow to increase. That phenomenon leads to the approximation of the arterial saturation. The main problem of the device was the constant need for calibration due to the large and hard to handle probe-head. However, this technique was the only technique that allows continuous measurement of oxygen saturation; therefore this technique was the founder of pulse oximetry 1.2.2 Prototype pulse oximeter The founder configuration of pulse oximeter or the prototype used a light source and two bundles of fibers. The light source is made of halogen incandescent lamp to transmit the broad band energy to a fingertip probe. This transmission was done using a glass fiber bundle. Another bundle of fibers were used to return the transmitted energy to the apparatus. This returning energy is divided into two paths at the apparatus: one passing through a 650nm centered filter interface having a narrow bandwidth, and the second path passing through an 805 nm centered filter centered, that point is isopiestic hemoglobin. Then, a semiconductor sensor is used to detect the appropriate energy at the wavelengths passed through each filter. Finally, an analogue calculation is used to find the appropriate value of the oxygen saturation. This is clearly shown in the figure bellow. This primary prototype had many disadvantages such as: Having a heavy probe Having an hard to manage Fiberoptics cable Having an inaccurate filters letting some undesired wavelengths to pass through the tissues of the fingers Having a biohazard on the finger, in some cases the finger could burn Not fully respecting the beer-Lambert law Insensitivity with low pulse pressure Having a tendency to change in the analogue electronics part 1.2.3 Traditional pulse oximeter The current pulse oximeter uses light emitting diodes with a semiconductor photo detector to generate two wavelengths of 660 nm and 940 nm. Therefore this design provides a small and efficient probe to be attached to the ear or the finger and a small cable to connect the probe and the main unit. However, the pulse oximeter used with a magnetic resonance scanner has a different design. The main unit contains all the electronic components and optical fibers are used to transmit the light energy to and from the patient 1.2.4 Complete history of pulse oximetry BeerLambert law in 1851 Discovery of oxygen carrier in blood as a form of pigment by Georg Gabriel Stokes in 1864 Purification of the pigment and naming it hemoglobin by Felix Hoppe in 1864 Detailed study of the reflection spectra of the hemoglobin and the finger by Karl von Veirordt in 1876 Detailed study of the absorption spectra by Carl Gustav Hufner in 188790 Measure of the oxygen saturation in fish using spectroscopy by August Krough and I Leicht in 1919 Study of the light transmitted throughout human tissues using quantitative spectrophotometry by Ludwig Nicolai in 1931 Measurement of the oxygen saturation of blood through laboratory tubes Kurt Kramer in 1934 Measurement of the spectrum of concentrated hemolysed and non-hemolysed blood by David Drabkin and James Harold Austin in 1935 Continuous monitoring of oxygenation is achieved by passing red and infrared light throughout the finger web by JR Squires in 1940. This was done by creating bloodless area of calibration by compression of tissues Revolutionary change in the concept of oximeter leading to the development of the Millikan oximeter by Glen Alan Millikan in 1940-42 Creation of Woods ear oximeter by Earl Wood in 194850 Ability to differentiate between hemoglobin, carboxyhemoglobin and methemoglobin by the creation of CO-oximeter in 1960 Creation of the ear oximeter having eight wavelengths by Robert Shaw in 1964 Marketing of the newly created ear oximeter by Hewlett-Packard in 1970 Separation of the arteries absorption from the tissues absorption using the pulsatile nature of the absorption signal by Takuo Aoyagi in 1971 Development of prototype pulse oximeter containing luminous light source , filters and analogue electronics by Aoyagi in 1974 Commercialization of the pulse oximeter in 1975 Chapter II: Pulse Oximetry Characteristics The pulse oximeter separates the variation of oxygenation absorbance of the human boundary. The pulse oximeter uses the reflection from the skin and tissues or the transmission through the human boundary to perform spectrophotometry. The most common used technique is the transmission technique, but the reflection technique is also used in intrapartum monitoring. 2.1 Transmission pulse oximetry The human parts that must be chosen as extremity are the earlobe, toe, noise or typically the finger. The chosen part should have a short optical path length to have a translucent nature at the wavelengths used. The wavelengths used should have the range of 600 nm to 1300 nm and in the same range of the absorption spectrum due to the fact that each spices of hemoglobin have a unique absorption as shown in the figure bellow. As a result from the formulas we can show that the minimum number of used wavelengths should be greater or equal to the number of unknowns. As a result the commonly used pulse oximetry uses two wavelengths for the two unknowns oxygenated hemoglobin and deoxygenated hemoglobin. In addition, the wavelengths used must be monochromatic and have a low cost. In the design, a sensitive detector must be used to prevent high levels energy that causes tissue damage from passing through. Thus, there is a need to separate the saturation value for arterial hemoglobin. In order to separate the saturation, computing power is used for arterial hemoglobin saturation extraction. In addition to that, spectrophotometry requires the use of a laser due to the requirement of a single wavelength/color source as energy source. Therefore two lasers are used each having a different wavelength in order to transmit the energy to the patient boundary using optical fibers. Due to the presence of the laser, the pulse oximetry will have a high cost, a fragile nature and requires safety implications. However, the fiber optic cables were rejected in the later designs after the discovery of the possibility of the use of LED as an energy source. As a result, the overheating of the tissues problem was removed and the narrowband filters were removed from the design thus reducing the cost and fragility of the design. In addition, the number of photodector was reduced to a single device due to the possibility of switching the LEDs on and off quickly. 2.2 LEDs Energy sources used in pulse oximetry are monochromatic ideally with the option of using the expensive semiconductor lasers. Early pulse oximeter used similar wavelengths of 660 nm for red light and 940 nm for near infrared. Therefore, LEDs of 660nm and 940 nm were used in these designs. However, modern devices used additional wavelengths. Doped Material Wavelength Light Ga.28In.72As.6P.4 1250 nm Infrared Ga 1100 nm GaAsSi 940 nm GaAs 900 nm GaAIAs 880 nm GaAIAs 810 nm Near Infrared GaP:ZnO GaAs.6P.4 780 to 622 nm Red GaAs.35P.65 622 to 597 nm Orange GaAs.14P.86 597 to 577 nm Yellow GaP:N 755 to 492 nm Green GaAs-phosphor (ZnS, SiC) 492 to 455 nm Blue GaN 455 to 390 nm Violet GaN GaS2 455 to 350 nm Ultraviolet Standard pulse oximetry have the isobestic point (805 nm) at which there are two wavelength concentrated at each side. As stated earlier, two wavelengths of 940 nm (infrared) and 660nm. The absorption spectra are flat at 940nm allowing the calibration to be immune to the variations in the peak wavelength. In addition to that, the difference between the absorption of reduced hemoglobin and the absorption of oxygenated hemoglobin at 660nm is large ,causing a flat curve and allowing the detection of changes in absorption caused by small changes in oxygen saturation . 2.3 Probe The probe of a pulse oximeter consists of light emitting diodes as energy source having a perpendicular output through the extremity towards a semiconductor photo-detector. The mechanical design prevent mispositioning that cause errors in calibration 2.3.1 Differential Amplifiers in the probe Nowadays differential amplifier techniques are being used in the plethysmograph signal to enhance the common mode electrical and magnetic noise reduction. The amplification is done between the conductor signal and the current pathway. This amplification is performed to prevent the electromagnetic interference (EMI) from affecting the probe or the lead. Due to the fact that, a small voltage signal cause the voltage generated by the EMI to be greater than the signal itself. Two identical conductors from the detector to an amplifier are feed through the differential amplifier. The resulting output will be the absolute value of the signal from conductor 1 minus the signal from conductor 2. The advantage of using such a differential amplifier is that the induced voltage from the EMI will be two identical signals that will cancel each others. The energy output of the photo detector must be immune to the variation in the fingers thickness, leading to a variable energy output from the LEDs. This criterion requires detectable and unsaturated energy levels that reach the semiconductor. In the other hand, the current passing through the LED must be varied to allow the variation in the intensity of the output over several orders of magnitude. This variation is necessary to prevent high level of energy from passing through the tissues, causing heat damage. 2.3.2 LED in the probe LED used in pulse oximetry have a bandwidth between 10 and 50 nm and a 15 nm centre wavelengths variation. On the other hand, variations in the driving current cause errors at the red LED but doesnt have any effect on the near infrared LED. These facts are related to the absorption spectra; it is flat near infrared region and steep in near the red region as shown in figure 3. This will lead to an increasing inaccuracy in pulse oximeter as the oxygen saturation decreases. This problem can be solved by two different ways: 1. Selection of LED having an acceptable range of errors in the center wavelengths. 2. Measurement and calibration of center wavelengths into actual wavelength The calibration is usually performed by the use of a fixed resistor attached to the connector of the probe lead. This resistor will automatically set the probes wavelength to the one of the red LED. 2.4 Photo-detector In pulse oximetry, a single photo-detector made of silicon photodiode is positioned perpendicularly to the LED in order to detect the energy from both LEDs. Due to the fact that semiconductors are sensitive to external energy and light, general semiconductors have their size increased. However, Semiconductor photo-detectors having their sensitivity varying with wavelength, take advantage of the limited photosensitivity to limits the choice of device and the scope of wavelengths. The silicon photodiode is characterized by the direct correlation between the output and the incident light and its wide dynamic range. On the other hand, phototransistors have more electrical noise, but more sensitivity than photodiodes. The electrically screened flexible cable carries the LEDs power and the small signal from the photo-detector. The cables also have the function of temperature detection of the probe and the skin using conductors. Finally, in order to be immune to the mechanical artifacts caused by movement, the cable must be flexible and light. 2.5 Electronics 2.5.1 Electronics circuitry Pulse oximetry makes use of different electronics circuitry for different purposes: Amplifies the signal coming from the photo detector Separates the plethysmograph signals into red signals and infrared signals. Switching and controlling the current of the LED. Setting the gain of the signals to be equivalent to the other signal Divide the signal into arterial signal and other signals Convert the infrared signals and the red signals into digital signals using AD conversion. Computation of the ratio red to infrared. Eliminates artifacts Compute the value of oxygen saturation Display of the computed values Managing the alarms settings The absorption of energy from the LED to the photo-detector creates the signal in the red and the infrared channels. This absorption is the assembly of different absorptions from various sources such as arterial blood and its pulsation, venous blood and tissues. The initial amplification stage is implemented by analog electronics, whereas calculation of spo2 stage is implemented with a microprocessor, the photo-detector signal is treated by electronics or microprocessors. The output signal from the analog part is processed by an ADC to be suitable for the digital part or the microprocessor. 2.5.2 Amplification stage The amplification is processed in different stages: The low amplitude photo-detector signal is amplified. The LEDs are energized in an alternating sequence with a short delay in between to allow the measurement of external light. The amplified signal is decomposed into three signals: red, infrared, and dark signal. The electronic filters remove the 1 KHz high-frequency switching, making the signal continuous and having different wavelength. The dark signal is subtracted from the DC levels to prevent problems from the energy source. The DC components of the infrared signal is equalized to the DC components of the red signal by changing the amplitude of a photo-plethysmograph signal . The red to infrared ratio is calculated from the amplitudes of the AC components. 2.5.3 Conventional Spo2 calculation methods Earlier pulse oximetry used one of two methods to calculate the spo2 values. The first method is solving simultaneous BeerLambert law equations. However, this method have many limitations such as one unknown, absence of scattering and turbidity, and the need for the path length to be constant. Due to the many limitations, this method is considered inaccurate and therefore rejected. The second and common method uses the red to infrared ration with a look up table to find the spo2 values. The thickness and size of the finger varies from one person to another, thus the optical density will also vary from one patient to another. However, the saturation of the semiconductor does not depend on the characteristics of the patient but only on the intensity of light. In order to have the same saturation, the same amount of light is applied to the patient regardless of the size and age. This can cause serious heat damage for children. The prevention of this problem is another microprocessors role. The microprocessor implements a correction factor that controls the LED current and synchronizes the LEDs intensities. The resulting current should be the minimum amount of light energy allowing the calculation of pulse oximetry while not damaging the tissue 2.6 Elimination of artifacts The intact calculated saturation values include the real values with some invalid values created by artifacts. Therefore, statistical averaging methods are used in order to remove these artifacts 2.6.1 Mechanical movement artifacts The mechanical movement artifacts are processed with the Nellcor algorithm. The Nellcor algorithm consists of the following steps: Divide the output signal from the differential amplification stage into pulses. Check the pulses for motion artifacts If the pulses do not contain motion artifacts, compare the identified pulse to the normal pulse. If the pulse contains motion artifacts, higher standards for the quality of the light motion signal are applied. The resulting pulse should be compared to the normal pulse If the pulse is not identical to the normal pulse, that pulse is rejected If the pulse is identical to the normal pulse, check if characteristics of the indentified pulse are physiologically possible If the characteristics of the identified pulse are not physiologically possible , that pulse is rejected If the characteristics of the identified pulse are physiologically possible, the pulse is compared to the average of the preceding pulses If the pulse is not equal to the average of the preceding pulses, that pulse is rejected If the pulse is equal to the average of the preceding pulses, the pulse is divided at dicrotic notch . Then the whole pulse or the main component is selected for the calculation. Then, a filter based on confidence assessment is implemented Finally, the SpO2 value is calculated

The Effective Use of Tone in Flannery OConnors A Good Man is Hard to

The Effective Use of Tone in Flannery O'Connor's A Good Man is Hard to Find Flannery O'Connor's short story, "A Good Man is Hard to Find," begins with a Southern family preparing to go on what seems to be a typical vacation. The story is humorous at first because the reader is unaware of how the story will end. The tone changes dramatically from amusing to frightening and plays an important part in making the story effective. The narrator starts the story giving background information about the grandmother and her son, Bailey. The narrator explains that the "grandmother didn't want to go to Florida" (320). Although a major conflict could result from her dislike of the family's choice of vacation spots, it does not. When the grandmother first speaks she asks Bailey to read a newspaper article that she has found. She attempts to change his mind about not going to Florida, by saying, "Here this fellow that calls himself The Misfit is aloose from the Federal Pen and headed toward Florida and you read here what it says he did to these people..." (320). Bailey does not ...