Dementia Essays - Cognitive Disorders, Psychiatric Diagnosis

Dementia Essays - Cognitive Disorders, Psychiatric Diagnosis Dementia What is Dementia ? Dementia is an organic brain syndrome which results in global cognitive impairment. Dementia can occur as a result of a variety of neurological diseases. Some of the more well known dementing diseases include Alzheimers disease (AD), multi-infarct dementia (MID), and Huntingtons disease (HD). Throughout this essay the emphasis will be placed on AD (also known as dementia of the Alzheimers type, and primary degenerative dementia), because statistically it is the most significant dementing disease occurring in over 50% of all demented patients (see epidemiology). The clinical picture in dementia is very similar to delirium, except for the course. Delirium is an acute transitory disorder. By contrast Dementia is a long term progressive disorder (with the exception of the reversible dementias). The course of AD can range anywhere from 1.5 to 15 years with an average of about years (Katzman, Lasker AD is usually divided into three stages mild, moderate, and severe. Throughout these stages a specific sequence of cognitive deterioration is observed (Lezak, 1995). The mild stage begins with memory, attention, speed dependent activities, and abstract reasoning dysfunction. Mild language impairments also begin to surface at this period. In the moderate stage, language deficits such as aphasia and apraxia become prominent. Dysfluency, paraphasias, and bizarre word combinations are common midstage speech defects. In the severe stage the patient is gradually reduced to a vegetative state. Speech becomes non-fluent, repetitive, and largely non-communicative. In addition, Auditory comprehension becomes exceedingly limited, with many patients displaying partial or complete mutism. Late in the course of the disease many neuropsychological functions can no longer be measured. Furthermore, primitive reflexes such as grasp and suck emerge as well. Death usually results from a disease such as pneumonia which overwhelms the limited vegetative functions of the patient. Dementia is commonly differentiated along two dimensions age and cortical level. The first dimension, age, serves to distinguish between senile and presenile dementia. Senile dementia is used to describe patients who become demented after the age of 65, whereas presenile dementia applies to patients who become demented prior to that age. Late onset AD (LOAD) also known as senile dementia of the Alzheimers type (SDAT) is the predominant cause of senile dementia. Early onset AD (EOAD) is the most frequent cause of presenile dementia, but HD, Picks disease, and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease though not as frequent are also important causes in presenile dementia. The second dimension, cortical level, differentiates between cortical and subcortical dementia. Cortical dementia is used to describe dementia which results from brain lesions at the cortical level, whereas sub- cortical dementia applies to dementia which results from subcortical brain lesions. AD and Picks disease are amongst the best known examples of cortical dementia; whereas HD, Parkinsons disease (PD), and progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) are good examples of subcortical dementia (Derix, 1994). When dementia with both cortical and subcortical features occurs, the term mixed dementia is used. MID is a common example of mixed dementia. Historical Developments in Dementia Pre-Modern Developments The use of the term dementia dates back to Roman times. The Latin word demens did not originally have the specific connotation that it does today. It meant being out of ones mind and as such was a general term for insanity (URen, 1987). It was the encylopedist Celsus who first used the word dementia in his De re medicina, published around AD 30. A century later the Cappadocian physician Aretaeus first described senile dementia with the word dotage: The dotage which is the calamity of old agedotage commencing with old age never intermits, but accompanies the patient until death (URen, 1987, P. 1). Curiously, dementia was mentioned in most systems of psychiatric classification throughout pre-modern times, though the precise meaning of the word is often unclear (URen, 1987). Nineteenth Century It can be argued that the origins of the scientific study of dementia date back to the early nineteenth century. The initial steps were undertaken by the great French psychiatrist Pinel at the beginning of that century. Pinels observations led him to conclude that dementia is caused by idiotism. He used the term dementia in relation to the progressive mental changes seen in some idiots (URen, 1987,3). Furthermore, Pinel thought that dementia was a distinct abnormal entity,

Childhood Obesity in London Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Childhood Obesity in London - Essay Example This essay "Childhood Obesity in London" describes the problem of the increasing number of the obese children in London. There is no globally accepted definition for child obesity and hence researchers and healthcare professionals try to assess child obesity in terms of published guidelines of body mass index. As Ferry (n.d) points out, some professionals consider child obesity as a condition where a child’s body weight is 20% more than actually needed height according to BMI criteria, or body fat percentage is 25% above in boys and 32% above in girls. The condition of child obesity is defined as â€Å"the presence of excessive accumulations of adipose tissue that interfere with child health and well-being† (Simonton, 2007, p. 62). Medical journals and other healthcare surveys have repeatedly mentioned child obesity as one of the most life threatening disorders in the United Kingdom and other economically developed countries. According to a recent national survey report (as cited in Kellow, n.d), nearly 25 percent boys and 33 percent girls in UK are obese or overweight. It is predicted that these figures would be doubled over the next decade unless the UK healthcare authorities took some strong and thoughtful initiatives to curb the issue. As obese children are more likely to become obese adults, this eating disorder has a profound effect on a child’s health. Surveys indicate that majority of the parents do not give proper care on their child’s diet habits and this situation deteriorates the issue.

Stage #1 of Final Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Stage #1 of Final Paper - Essay Example s, specifically those in male-dominated industries, are feeling the pressure of â€Å"acting like men,† so that they can gain respect and establish and protect their authority. Being too nice to employees, for instance, is seen as a weakness, of being â€Å"too soft or too womanly,† a negative trait ascribed to female managers. As a result, I became a tough manager, in other words, a â€Å"male manager† that fit gender expectations about management. An example of the need for being acting like a male manager was when a male employee, Sergio, got a complaint from a male customer, Jason. Jason accused Sergio of being a racist, when he said that Sergio sounded â€Å"so nice† when talking with Hispanics, but unruly and arrogant with â€Å"white male customers.† Sergio admitted that he had a different tone when he spoke with Jason, but this was because he claimed that Jason made a racist remark first. When Jason entered the bus, he looked at Sergio and said, â€Å"These Mexicans are taking our jobs dude,† referring to his male companion, who nodded. I understood the racial tension between the two but because we have a company policy against discrimination, I suspended Sergio for a month, which he got angry with saying I was â€Å"too harsh, like I didn’t know what it means to be a minority.† Because of his comments, I often thought about why I needed to toughen up as a manager, which shows n percep tions and what I think as social perceptions about the role of gender in creating and enforcing management attitudinal and behavioral

Business Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Business Analysis - Essay Example My perspective of the mentioned learning outcomes is that the business environment is a complex setting with diverse factors that influence all the decisions that managers make concerning business. This work will seek to demonstrate the interrelations of the mentioned learning outcomes and their relevance to the performance of firms. The environment consists of both internal and external factors that interplay to affect the way businesses make choices regarding what to produce and what to sell on the market. For this case, the market place forms the biggest force in the external environment that affects the choices from within the internal environment. I understand that the government forms unit of regulation of business activities in both the micro and macroeconomic environments. Economics deals with the choices that people make because of the limited resources, which for this case, contains both the individual producers and consumers as well as the aggregate economy. Microeconomics is, therefore, the study of individuals within an economy while macroeconomic concerns the aggregate economy. Both firms and consumers within the economy have to make choices regarding the use of limited resources. For this case, the consumers form the market forces because they affect the levels of demand for the goods and services that the firms make within the economy. I understand that the choices that companies make concerning the production of their products constitute the market structures such as the oligopolies, monopolies, and perfect competition. Managers of the firms have to make choices of the best alternatives that will give the best returns after studying the activities of their competitors. Such decisions constitute the market curves, which are actual theoretical tools that predict the likely outcomes of a given decision concerning the production of goods and services. It is evident that the

Everyone for Themselves :: Driving Transportation Essays

Everyone for Themselves I lived in the village of Millington, MI most of my life, where most of the roads roll around open farmland. After moving down to Lapeer, MI and traveling daily to Rochester, MI on M-24, it seems as if people from different traffic areas drive in different ways. City drivers tend to go 5-20+ speed limit, tailgate more, and seem to run a lot of lights. I would say the majority of the city drivers do this. Some country drivers might also have some of the traits of city drivers, but normally they go 0-5+ speed limit, rarely tailgate, run lights, and do a lot less traffic violations overall. The driving community of the U.S. consists of people of every ethnic background, race, color, and gender. Anyone can become part of the driving community as long as they have a vehicle to drive. To legally become a member of the community you must follow a few steps. First, have a license, which means you may have to take many tests in order to proclaim your worthiness, and pay fees to the secretary of state. The second step is to have your car insured through any broker. The last step is to purchase plates for your vehicle, again paying fees to the secretary of state. If you get pulled over by the police you may get into big trouble if you didn’t go through the â€Å"initiation steps†. He or she may impound your vehicle and send you to jail. Anything that has brake lights, headlights, turn signals, and bumpers (exc. motorcycles) can be considered a vehicle for driving on most roads. (Roads that move faster have requirements, for example, it should have at least a 400cc engine on certain expressways.) Also, expressways and fast moving roads frown on farm equipment or any slow moving vehicles. This is for the safety of the driver of the vehicle and the safety of everyone else on the road. In my first few trips down to Rochester I was absolutely stunned how many people can rush a yellow, and run the red. For example I was about 30’ from the light when it changed to yellow, obviously I couldn’t stop. I looked behind me, three other cars in my lane also made it! I try to assimilate so I won‘t create an accident, but I don’t think I can ever go to the extent that they do.

Ap Euro Martin Luther Conservative or Revolutionary Essay

Martin Luther was one of the greatest monks, priests, and theological teachers of Germany, along with being the symbol of the Protestant Reformation. He did not start off so religious however. One day he was caught in a frightening and dangerous storm. He prayed to God begging not to be killed, and vowed to become a monk if he survived. He did live, upholding his word to the lord, and joined a monastery. He joined an Augustinian friary in 1505, where he suffered from anfechtung, or spiritual anxiety. He never knew if he was doing enough good works to achieve salvation and gain entrance to the kingdom of heaven, as it was believed by the Catholic religion that it took good works along with faith in order to enter. To take his mind off of his religious worries, he was recommended to a teaching post at the University of Wittenberg. There, he taught theology and was quite popular among his students. Luther suffered from constant constipation, so he often read the bible while on the toile t. One day while doing this a certain passage from the epistle of St. Paul to the Romans: â€Å"the just shall live by faith,† which led to Luther’s core belief of sola fide, or faith alone. Through this belief, Luther believed that the only thing needed to achieve salvation was to live by faith alone, which challenged the Roman Catholic Church’s theology that both faith and good works were necessary. Luther shared his beliefs with the people of the Holy Roman Empire, demanding change to the way theology was widely taught. He agreed with parts of the current teachings and was conservative, wanting to keep parts of the religion the same. He kept the sacraments, however reduced the amount of them from 7 to 2. He was also like many Roman Catholic religious figures, anti-Semitic. Lutheranism, as his religion came to be called, became more submissive to the state as well. However Luther also had many revolutionary ideas, which angered those of the RCC. In response to the political problems, he wished to do away with the process of indulgences, which were no more than pieces of paper in his eyes as works had nothing to do with salvation. His nailing of the 95 Theses highly angered the church authorities, as it went against everything they taught and believe. However in his response to the social problem of the Peasant’s Revolt, he told the princes to crush those who rebelled, as social revolution was not his intention. After careful evaluation, Martin Luther has proven to be both a revolutionary as well as a conservative. Luther proved himself time and again of his revolutionary approach to religion. His best example of this was the 95 Theses. Johann Tetzel, a German Roman Catholic priest, was selling an expensive indulgence as a fund-raising idea of Pope Leo X to finance the building of St. Peters basilica. When one of Luther’s parishioners came to confession, he presented an indulgence he had paid for, claiming he no longer had to re pent of his sins, since the document promised to forgive all his sins. Luther was outraged, and wrote up the Ninety-Five Theses, protesting the sale of indulgences, which he proceeded to nail to the door of All Saints’ Church in Wittenberg Germany. He did this on a major Catholic holiday, All Saints Day, which struck at the core of the Catholic religion. The most prominent, challenging, and well known was Theses 86 which read â€Å"Why does the pope, whose wealth today is greater than the wealth of the richest Crassus, build the basilica of Saint Peter with the money of poor believers rather than with his own money?† He said indulgences did not do what the Church said it did because salvation was granted by sola fide. The ideas in the Ninety-Five Theses quickly spread throughout Europe via the moveable type printing press. Another time Luther engaged in revolutionary actions was at The Disputation at Leipzig. He was invited to participate in the Church-sponsored debate, as the Church wanted a dialogue concerning Luther’s challenges to Catholic doctrine and practices. RCC leaders at Leipzig declared that Luther’s ideas were wrong because the pope and Church traditions could not be wrong. Luther then shocked everyone, denying the authority of the pope and church councils. He declared that the only authority on matters of faith for Christians was the Bible. He said that sola scriptura, or scripture alone, determined the belief of Christians, not the teachings of the Pope. Upon the conclusion of the meeting at Leipzig, Luther was threatened with a papal bull of excommunication, which he burned in protest. Luther also showed revolutionary idea at the Diet of Worms. He was called to attend by Charles V, the recently elected Holy Roman Emperor. At the assembly, Luther was asked if he had written the â€Å"Ninety-Five Theses,† â€Å"The Address to the Christian Nobility,† â€Å"The Babylonian Captivity of the Church,† and other works. Luther accepted the accusations and acknowledged that he had written them, and when asked to recant his ideas or suffer the consequences, he requested a night to think about his decision. When Luther returned the next day, he stood firm when asked if he would recant and proudly declared â€Å"Here I stand, I can do no other.† Luther was then declared a heretic and became a marked man. Troops of Frederick the Elector rescued Luther and took him to safe hiding in Wartburg Castle, where he proceeded to translate the Bible into the vernacular, which was highly against the teachings of the church and very illegal. He also declared that monks and nuns were not obligated to uphold their vows. Luther not only acted revolutionarily towards political religious issues, but towards the social issues of the time as well. The most well known was the Peasants’ Revolt. Some religious leaders twisted and perverted Luther’s ideas to benefit their own causes, with the most prominent being Thomas Mà ¼ntzer. They wrote the â€Å"Twelve Articles†: a petition of peasant demands and sent it to the Swabian League that called upon the Holy Roman Emperor to help the peasantry deal with economic and religious issues. When Charles V ignored the â€Å"Twelve Articles,† preachers led by Mà ¼ntzer stirred the masses to revolt against the nobles. Luther believed the peasants were way out of line, as he was adamantly against mixing religious reformation with political and social revolution. He disassociated himself with Mà ¼ntzer and the revolting peasants. He urged the princes to work together to â€Å"slaughter the swine,† or the peasants. He argued that religious subjects must be subordinate to their secular authorities. Luther proved himself a revolutionary over and over through many acts throughout his religious life. Though Luther was a revolutionary, many of his actions also dictate a conservative approach, wanting to keep some things the same or even go back to the way they used to be. An important message Luther delivered was that good Christians owed obedience to established authority in worldly matters. Lutheranism viewed the state with more respect than other religions did. Lutheranism was much more submissive to the state. He insisted that Christian liberty was an internal freedom, known only to God. Luther wanted the church teachings to go back to how they used to be, based on sola scriptura or scripture alone, without the need of outside interpretation by the pope, bishops, abbots, etc. He was conservative in that he made many alliances with princes who liked his ideas, spreading them to their own kingdoms. He didn’t side with armed rebellions, citing his name, against the nobility in regions of Germany, instead he backed the nobility, telling them to work together to â€Å"slaughter the swine.† He did not want to do away with the sacraments, however he did want to reduce them from seven to two. This showed how he did not want to change all parts of the Roman Catholic religion, only parts. Also, like most religious figures of the time Martin Luther was anti-Semitic. He wanted all the Jewish people to convert to Lutheranism, as he did not believe the Jewish religion was correct in its teachings and beliefs. He restricted the right of private judgement in matters involving conscience, but never denied it. A conservative in the way he did things, Luther was truly a great leader. Luther believed that the only thing needed to achieve salvation was to live by faith alone, which challenged the Roman Catholic Church’s theology that both faith and good works were necessary. Luther shared his beliefs with the people of the Holy Roman Empire, demanding change to the way theology was widely taught. He agreed with parts of the current teachings and was conservative, wanting to keep parts of the religion the same. He kept the sacraments, however reduced the amount of them from 7 to 2. An anti-Semitic, Luther displayed similarities with other religious officials. Lutheranism b ecame more submissive to the state, as Luther believed that in worldly matters religion has to listen to authority. However Luther also had many revolutionary ideas, which upset those of the RCC as it went against the basics of Roman Catholic teachings. In response to the political problems, he wished to do away with the money robbery of the selling of indulgences, which were no more than pieces of paper in his eyes as works had nothing to do with salvation. His nailing of the 95 Theses made the power of the church authorities fluctuate, as it went against everything they taught their followers and everything they had been taught.. However in his response to the social problem of the Peasant’s Revolt, he told the princes to crush those who rebelled, as social revolution was not his intention. He meant to keep the matters of social or political problems separate from religious reform. After carefully evaluating his actions, Martin Luther has proven to be both a revolutionary a s well as a conservative on multiple occasions.

Machiavelli s Principles Of Princedom - 1449 Words

Machiavelli’s Principles of Princedom When reading The Prince by Niccolà ³ Machiavelli, one will find a vast list of ways a prince should and should not act/rule. Many of the references Machiavelli makes, expands from Europe to Egypt. The propositions in this book go back to the fifteenth century and early sixteenth century. Starting with who Machiavelli is, the purpose of this paper is to explain some of his philosophies on how an ideal prince rules and acts, along with the conditions of his time era in Florence, to get a better understanding on how Machiavelli’s Principles of Princedom are correct. Niccolà ² di Bernardo dei Machiavelli was born, May 3, 1469, in Florence, Italy. He was a diplomat for fourteen years during the Medici family s exile. â€Å"When the Medici family returned to power in 1512, Machiavelli was dismissed and briefly jailed. He then wrote The Prince, a handbook for politicians on the use of ruthless, self-serving cunning, inspiring the term Machiavellian and establishing Machiavelli as the ‘father of modern political theory’† (Biography.com Editors). In 1494 when the Medici family fell Machiavelli became a diplomat in Italy’s Florentine Republic. During this time he â€Å"earned a reputation for deviousness, enjoying shocking his associates by appearing more shameless than he truly was† (Biography.com Editors). In 1512 the Medici family came back into power, tortured, jailed, and banished Machiavelli from any political involvement in FlorenceShow MoreRelatedAdolf Hitler to Machiavellis The Prince1671 Words   |  7 PagesWhen Machiavelli wrote The Prince in the 1500s, his intentions did not apply to the twentieth century. Some very important figures of the twentieth century used basic ideals from The Prince to obtain and maintain their position in power. One of these individuals was Adolf Hitler. Hitler used numerous Machiavellian ideas to win his respective place in Germanys g overnment. The two most important Machiavellian principles that Hitler used were winning the people and how he dealt with cruelty and