Tuesday, October 8, 2019
Nokia and Motorola Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words
Nokia and Motorola - Case Study Example The Nokia Company has emerged a market leader in the industry. The two companies are quoted in the London stock exchange and using the financial ratios and historical dividends paid we will be in a position to determine which is the best investment option. Nokia has a larger global market size than Motorola, in the second quarter of 2008 Nokia had a 40% global market share and this was a 2% increase in market share from the 2nd quarter of 2007. Motorola on the other had has a 9% market share today which is a decline from the market share in 2007 which was 18%. Therefore from the market share size it is evident that Motorola is loosing out and Nokia is expanding its market size, it is also clear that Nokia has a larger market share than Motorola and for this reason it is better to invest in the Nokia company due to the growth in the market share of the company which signify an increase in the profit levels in the near future. Nokia employs over 100,000 employees worldwide and over 30,000 of these employees are in research and development, therefore this means that the company has a large market area that requires more employees to serve consumers and that the research and development expenses incurred are ... is year, this means that the Motorola Company is facing financial problems and also that it lacks proper strategies to improve on the current situation. This also means that the Motorola company is facing stiff competition from its rivals and for this reason its only option is to cut down its production costs by laying off workers, this means that if nothing is done fast then the Motorola company may run bankrupt and shut down its operations. Regarding profits it is evident that in the Nokia company realized an 8 billion operation profit in the year 2007, this in contrast with the Motorola Company that made a 1.2 billion loss in the forth quarter of 2007, and this made the entire company to only realize a 100 million dollars profit in the forth quarter of 2007. Therefore a rational investor will invest in the Nokia Company. Divided history: In this section we analyze the divided payments by for both companies; the following chart summarizes the divided payments: The following table summarizes the dividends paid by the Nokia Company: Payable Date Amount ($) 4/17/1995 0.036 4/23/1996 0.04 15/4/97 0.043 4/10/1998 0.083 4/7/1999 0.129 4/10/2000 0.192 4/10/2001 0.248 4/16/2002 0.237 4/23/2003 0.304 4/23/2004 0.358 4/29/2005 0.43 4/26/2006 0.456 5/30/2007 0.58 5/30/2008 0.834 The values in the table can be summarized in a chart as follows: From the chart above it is evident that Nokia divideds have increased over the years, this is can be explained by the increase in profits over the years. Motorolla divideds over the years is sumarised in the table below: date Amount
Monday, October 7, 2019
Landry's Restaurant's Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words
Landry's Restaurant's - Essay Example The government would interfere with the operations of the business if the financial statements show that the company violated environmental laws such as throwing factory wastes into the pristine rivers beside the factory. The following paragraphs will explain the different components of these financial statements with explanations where needed. The data on page 22 show that the company generated net income of $18,112 for the year 2007. It also generated the amount of $ 21,770 in net loss for the year 2006. It also generated the amount of $ 44,815 in net income for the year 2005. It also generated the amount of $ 66,7521 in net income for the year 2004. Lastly, It also generated the amount of $ 44,914 in net income for the year 2003. Another term for the net income is the bottom line. The net incomes generated for the years 2007, 2005, 2004, and 2003 show that the companys managers did well during these accounting periods. On the other hand, the company did badly during the year 2006 because the income statement shows it generated the failing grade of net loss. This financial information was taken from the Income statement on page 24 of the voluminous data studied. This one of the three financial statements companies are required to produce in one accounting period. It shows how the business operations did in terms of revenues, costs and expenses. The other two financial statements are the balance sheet and the statement of cash flows. The components of this financial statement include the revenues. This account title represents that the total amount generated from cash revenues and accounts receivable revenues during one accounting period. Cash revenues are revenues generated where the customers pay cash for eating in the restaurant and /or using its facilities for business or personal use. The accounts receivable
Sunday, October 6, 2019
The Hotel Industry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words
The Hotel Industry - Essay Example the customers. For any commercial organization it is then a people versus people equation for its survival. Unlike other resources which an organization deploys people or its staff are live resources that think, have feelings, aspirations, motives and emotions which get nurtured, developed ,frustrated or stunted every now and then. No human would be willing to work with frustrated aspirations or stunted and suppressed feelings. Thus it becomes incumbent on an organization to nurture and develop the feelings, aspirations, emotions of its employees. This is the traditional function of the human resource management function in any organization. Present day literature, however lays more emphasis on strategic human resource management wherein the human resource management function is aligned in such a manner that fulfilling human resource management function automatically ensures reaching strategic objectives of the organization. In short the human resource management function is woven wi th in the overall strategy of the organization. ... tivities that are undertaken consciously or unconsciously, internally or externally to an organization whereby human resources of the organization are developed and utilized in a manner to maximize achievement of organizational goals. One important precept of entire human resources' management exercise is the recognition of the fact that the most valuable resource for any organization is its human factor; it is the only live factor and thus the only truly mouldable factor. Therefore human resource management (HRM) is a term used to represent that part of an organization's activities concerned with the recruitment, development and management of its employees (Wood & Wall, 2002). Employee empowerment is an important piece of strategic initiatives in human resource management in any hotelling organization. Empowerment if adopted as a conscious strategy has important implications for employee motivation, performance and the quality of the service offered by the hotel. This paper seeks to examine the issue of employee empowerment in some star hotels in Jordan in the back drop of a comprehensive literature review. The Hotel Industry Parks (2003) states with abundant clarity the role of human interface in hotel industry in following words," The hospitality industry is obviously customer-service driven. If your employees aren't satisfied in their jobs, their unhappiness is bound to spill over into their attitudes and behaviors toward clients and guests. Most hospitality positions require people to be in constant communication with the public while servicing guests. Because of this, employee satisfaction is vitally important to the success of your business. Everyone knows that it costs much more to hire and train a new employee than it does to keep an existing employee.
Saturday, October 5, 2019
Bananas - description Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words
Bananas - description - Research Paper Example Conclusion Thesis Statement Various varieties of bananas exist in different parts of the world offering nutritional value at an affordable price. Bananas are fruits available throughout the year in tropical countries, and they come in different varieties, shapes, and colors. Bananas grow from a rhizome, stretch through a thick stem and develop flowers (â€Å"banana†). The varieties of use make banana one of the most valued crops in the world. The fruit’s nutritional value and relatively low price make it an attractive export product for countries in Southeast Asia, South America, and East Africa (Morton 37). This essay describes the taxonomy, characteristics, varieties, and food uses of bananas. In addition, the essay will give comparison and contrasts of â€Å"bananas are good for health†, versus â€Å"bananas are bad for health.†Taxonomy Bananas come from the genus Musa of the family â€Å"Musaceae†(â€Å"banana†), and the seedless, edibl e ones come from the â€Å"species M. acuminata Colla or the hybrid M. X paradisiaca L.†(Morton 30). The different species of banana provide a clue to the fruit’s geographical origins, usually found in countries with tropical climates like Brazil, India, and Indonesia. Having various hybrids further expands the fruit’s varieties and ensures continuous cultivation and propagation. Varieties The classification of bananas occurs into two principal groups namely Sucrier and Gros Michel. The Cavendish subgroup includes the Giant Cavendish, the Dwarf Cavendish, and Bungulan (Morton 35). Predominantly found in Colombia, the Philippines, and Burma, bananas from the Sucrier group are small in size, sweet, with thin skin (Morton 35). Bananas from the Sucrier group are readily consumable due to their size and taste; people use them in dessert recipes. The Gros Michel group produces bananas that are larger than the ones in the Sucrier group, are yellow in color, and usuall y found in South America, Central Africa, and the Caribbean (Morton 36). The Cavendish subgroup includes the Giant and Dwarf Cavendish, and the Bungulan (Morton37). Medium-sized, thin-skinned, and delicate, the Dwarf Cavendish, grows in China, East Africa, and South Africa. The Giant Cavendish is larger than the Dwarf Cavendish and closely resembles the Gros Michel (Morton 37). Ripening unevenly during the winter and prone to quick spoilage, Jamaicans mostly use the Bungulan for cooking. (Morton 38). Food uses The uses of bananas for food are as diverse as the available varieties and hybrids. A banana may be eaten when raw, peeled, sliced, or mixed with other fruits. Biting the soft, starchy flesh of a banana results in bursts of sweetness or undertones of tanginess. When added in dessert recipes, a banana’s flavor and mushy texture harmonize with the more crunchy and soft ingredients. Broiled or baked, ripe bananas can be served with peanuts and brown sugar (Morton 41). Fina lly, to preserve a banana, it can be boiled and immersed in a syrup mixture or fried in canola oil and served like potato chips. Nutritional Value In addition to the various food uses of the banana, this fruit possesses â€Å"high nutritional value†(â€Å"Banana†). As a healthy fruit, banana occupies a significant place in the food level pyramid. Regardless of the manner of consuming a banana, the flavorful, sweet, and starchy fruit is â€Å"full of vitamins†(â€Å"banana†). Low in fat, cholesterol, and sodium, raw bananas are an abundant source of potassium, fiber, and Vitamin B6 (Morton 43). Long, short,
Friday, October 4, 2019
Profile of the New York-Presbyterian Hospital Essay Example for Free
Profile of the New York-Presbyterian Hospital Essay Hospital Name: New York-Presbyterian Hospital Address: 525 E 68th St Fl 11, New York, NY 10021-4870, United States Contact Number: (212) 434-5500 Website: http://www.nyp.org Vission: â€Å"To sustain its leadership position in the provision of world class patient care, t           eaching, research, and service to local, state, national, and international  communities.†(2006, p.2) Mission: â€Å"As a not-for-profit academic medical center, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital is committed to its unique and complex mission of providing the highest quality patient care, teaching, research, and community service.†(2006, p.2) Director: Dr. Philip Wilner Ownership: New York Presbyterian Hospital Dimension: 12-storey building, total beds summed up to 2,335 774 beds equipped with full-               service hospital (the Greenburg Pavilion), connected to the existing facility.                    There is an 8-storey parking lot that is 527,000 in square feet. Main Facilities: The Allen Pavilion, Morgan Stanley Childrens Hospital of NewYork-                          Presbyterian, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical                 Center            New York-Presbyterian Hospital/ Weill Cornell Medical Center NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Westchester Division Centers for Excellence: Cancer, Digestive Diseases, Geriatrics, Heart, Orthopedics,                             Neuroscience, Pedriatrics, Psychiatry, Rehabilitation Medicine, Tranplants,                     Womens Health Types of Services Provided: Medical Services, Surgical Services, Ambulatory Care                              Services, Emergency Care, Specialized                                                                                  Services, International and Corporate Health, Elderly Care. Awards and Recognitions Received: New York Magazines Best Hospitals 2006, U.S.News               World Reports Honor Roll of Americas Best Hospitals (since 1997),                             Americas Top Doctors, New York Magazines 2007 Best Doctors,                                American Alliance of Healthcare Providers Hospital of Choice                                               Awards, eHealthcare Leadership Award, Greystone Web  Awards.                                (All were the awards           mentioned in the website as of January 30, 2008). Population Served: (As of April 10, 2007)                        Outpatient Visits: 828,136                Ambulatory Surgeries 47,594                        Emergency Visits: 202,154               Inpatient Days: 729,088                        Deliveries: 10,242 Number of Workers: (As of April 10, 2007)                        Employees: 15,078                           Physicians: 5,588 Affiliations: Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, Weill Medical                           College of Cornell University. Payer Sources: Blue Cross, Charity Care/Financial Aid, Medicare, Medicaid, Self Payment,                  Workers Compensation. References: (n.d.). New York-Presbyterian: The University Hospital of Columbia and Cornell.Retrieved       January 30, 2008 from http://www.nyp.org/about/facts-statistics-2006.html. New York-Presbyterian: The University Hospital of Columbia and Cornell. Awards and Recognition. Retrieved January 29, 2008 from http://www.nyp.org/about/awards- recognition.html. (2005). New York Presbyterian Hospital 2005 Community Service Plan Annual   Implementation Report. Retrieved January 30, 2008 from            http://search.med.cornell.edu/search?q=mission-vision%20of%20newyork-           presbyterianspell=1access=poutput=xml_no_dtdie=UTF-8client            =Nyp_Subsite=NYP_Suboe=UTF-8proxystylesheet=NYP (n.d.). New York Presbyterian Hospital. Retrieved January 29, 2008 from            http://www.bovislendlease.com/llweb/bll/main.nsf/all/fp_newyork_hospital_america. Dun Bradstreet. (2007). The New York and Presbyterian Hospital. Retrieved January 29,      2008 from http://www.manta.com/comsite5/bin/pddnb_company.pl?  dlanding=1referid=3550id=06qjjk.
Thursday, October 3, 2019
Impact of Frailty on Depression
Impact of Frailty on Depression Background With increasing life expectancy, diseases associated with old age have increased in growing proportion in recent decades. (1) The integration of frailty measures in clinical practice is crucial for the development of interventions against age-related conditions (in particular, disability) in older persons. Multiple instruments have been developed over the last years in order to capture this geriatric multidimensional syndrome characterized by decreased reserve and diminished resistance to stressors and render it objectively measurable. (2) Frailty is not uncommon to the medical contemporary research nowadays. Several possible definitions were given by different researchers in the past to define frailty. One and commonly used definition of physical frailty was given by Fried et al, Frailty was defined as a clinical syndrome in which three or more of the following criteria were present; unintentional weight loss (10lbs in past year), self-reported exhaustion, weakness (grip strength), slow walking speed, and low physical activity. (3) Frailty in older people was again classified into prefrail those having one or two criteria given by Fried et al, and frail elderly having three or more criteria as per Fried et al definition. Medical Syndrome like frailty, keeps older adults at increased risk of adverse health outcomes when exposed to a stressor. (4) Stressors lead to decline across multiple physiological systems incrementally and are associated with greater depressive symptoms and disability. (5) Depression is not a normal part of ageing process (6) and is a potentially life-threatening disorder that affects hundreds of millions of people across the world. (7) Depression is commonly seen in frail older people as they may face widowhood or loss of function or independence or bereavement. Depression, if left untreated, complicates other chronic conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, stroke, etc. It may also incur health care costs and often accompanies functional impairment and disability. (6) Various systematic reviews and journal articles has demonstrated association between depression and frailty. In this review, focus has made to highlight the role of stressors that leads pathways linking depression and frailty. Prevalence of frailty, depression and their co-occurrence in older individuals Several studies have been carried out to measure the prevalence of frailty in community-dwelling older people as well as those in hospital settings. Majority of the studies have used similar criteria to measure frailty among older adults. Systematic review of frailty prevalence worldwide concluded that 10.7% of community-dwelling adults aged à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ¥65 years were frail and 41.6% pre-frail. (8) It was noted that prevalence figures varied substantially between studies (ranging from 4% to 59%) using different criteria to measure frailty. (6) Data from Survey of Health, Aging and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) in 2004 covering more than 10 European countries, showed prevalence of frailty and pre-frailty in 65+ age group as 17.0% (15.3 18.7) were frail and 42.3% (40.5 44.1) were pre-frail. (9) The prevalence of frailty in community dwelling older people ranged from 17%-31% in Brazil, 15% in Mexico, 5%-31% in China, and 21%-44% in Russia. However, prevalence of frailty was again fou nd much higher in institutionalized older patients as 32% in India and 49% in Brazil. Findings of study in outpatient clinics reported prevalence of frailty was 55-71% in Brazil and 28% in Peru. (10) Above finding suggests that older people of low- and middle-income countries were found frail in significant proportions which imply policy and health care provisions for this ageing population. Depression varies in its prevalence in different studies and settings. Prevalence of depressive symptoms was found 14% in Brazilian adults (11), 9% in United States general population (12) and 23.6% (95% CI: 20.3-27.2%) in Chinese older adults. (13) Depressive symptoms were most commonly associated with women (11) (12) (13) and single adults (i.e. divorced, unmarried or widowed) than in married older adults. (13) Prevalence of depressive illness rises further in the event of associated co-morbid condition such as cancer, diabetes, and hypertension[N1]. Median prevalence of minor depression was 14.4% and 10.4%, in medical settings and community-based setting, respectively[N2]. (14) The median global prevalence of serious depression in the elderly population is around 1% 5%. (15) (16) (17) Depressed elders show many phenotypical expressions of frailty and vice versa. Coexistence of both depression and frailty among older people has been investigated in several studies. (18) (19) (20) (21) (22) (23) A recent systematic review examined the relationship between depression and frailty found serious depression in 4 16% of frail individuals who are aged 60 and over. (6) However, this percentage rises to 35% in older population with age 75 years or more. (6) (24) A study conducted within framework of prospective cohort study, the Netherlands Study of Depression in Older Persons (NESDO) found that the prevalence of physical frailty was significantly higher in the depressed group in comparison with non-depressed (27.2% vs 9.1%, p4) was present in as high as 46.5% of the frail subjects. Depressed patients often exhibit symptoms that interfere with their ability to function normally for longer duration which facilitates progression of frailty syndrome. (6) Therefore, in order to improve health and preventing frailty depression in elderly, it is essential for researchers and practitioners to understand the linking phenomena for further research and developing treatment options. Main pathways linking frailty and depression Several studies have identified the possible physiological pathways that link between frailty and depression in older adults. Of which, the main hypothetical pathways identified were vascular depression, chronic inflammation, Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis dysregulation and accelerated cellular ageing. Vascular depression hypothesis Alexopoulos et al. (26) proposed that cerebrovascular disease may predispose, precipitate, or perpetuate some geriatric depressive syndromes. This statement was supported by another study of vascular depression based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) conducted by Krishnan KR et al. (27). Bivariate analyses and a fully adjusted logistic regression model in MRI study revealed that older age, late age at onset, and nonpsychotic subtype occurred more often in patients with vascular depression than in those with nonvascular depression. He also observed that anhedonia and functional disability were seen somewhat more often in patients with vascular depression. There are several clinical studies that examined vascular disease in depression. Some studies (28) found a highly significant increase in physical illness and vascular risk factors in the late onset group, after adjusting for age when they compared early and late onset late-life depression. (29) On the other hand, several others found no association of depression with cerebrovascular score (30) and vascular disease (31). Depression may occur as a result of vascular disease in a significant subpopulation of elderly persons. (32) Depression has a bidirectional association with vascular diseases and plausible mechanisms exist which explain how depression might increase these vascular diseases and vice versa. Thomas AJ et al summarized that coronary artery disease (CAD) and stroke are all associated with high rates of depression and depression is an independent risk factor for the subsequent development of CAD and stroke. (29) Mechanism of vascular depression can be hypothesized as reduced cerebral blood flow (CBF) in response to given stressors. Normal CBF in adult humans is about 60ml/100 grams/min and regionally, about 70ml/100g/min in gray matter and 20ml/100g/min in white matter. Between the ages of 20 to 65, normal CBF generally declines about 15-20%. It is generally accepted that when CBF reaches 30ml/100g/min, neurologic symptoms can appear and when CBF falls to 15-20ml/100g/min, electrical failure or irreversible neuronal damage can occur even within minutes. (33) Blood flow to the brain is influenced by systemic hemodynamics and cerebro-vascular auto-regulation, with cerebral arteries contracting or dilating as arterial pressure changes. These processes interact to maintain stable perfusion. (33) However, these processes are impaired in the context of vascular disease: hypertension, diabetes, and atherosclerosis lead to vascular wall hypertrophy, reduced arterial lumen diameter, reduced arterial distensibility, and endothelial cell dysfunction. This affects cerebral blood flow. Mild CBF reduction may impair cognitive and affective processes, while greater CBF reduction may cause ischemic injury. The subcortical white matter is particularly sensitive to these changes because it is supplied by terminal arterioles with limited collateral flow and so susceptible to infarction due to impaired autoregulation. Greater white matter hyperintensities (WMH) severity may be a marker of broader deficits in perfusion and autoregulation. Thus, risk factors for vascular disease can lead to subclinical cerebrovascular disease throughout the brain. Katz (2004) theorizes that cerebrovascular disease that causes prefrontal white-matter hyperintensities and vascular depression may also lead to posterior white matter hyperintensities, resulting in characteristics of frailty such as falls, slowness, and weakness. (34) He further stated that if the effects are anterior, the manifestations may include depression. However, if the effects are more posterior, the manifestations may be in the form of disturbances of gait and balance. Several other studies had compared depressed elderly with control group and demonstrated an increase in deep white matter hyperintensities (DWMH) in depression (35) (36) (37), but no or not significant association with peripheral vascular lesion (PVH) (36) (37). The cerebral WM contains fiber pathways that convey axons linking cerebral cortical areas with each other and with subcortical structures, facilitating the distributed neural circuits that subserve sensorimotor function, intellect, and emotion. The va scular depression hypothesis postulates that altered mood regulation and cognitive dysfunction in the elderly are due to subclinical cerebrovascular ischemia that disrupts frontostriatal neural circuits. (38) (39) This disruption of fronto-striatal neural circuits leads to disconnection syndrome that corresponds to the clinical and neuropsychological profile of LLD. (40) Prefrontal WMH also leads to executive dysfunction which affects planning, self-monitoring, attention, response inhibition, co-ordination of complex cognition (as in Trail making Test) and motor control. This leads to frailty. Chronic Inflammation hypothesis Aging- and disease-related processes promote proinflammatory states in older individuals. Administration of cytokines or induction of peripheral inflammation results in an inflammatory response, which in turn is correlated with fatigue, slowed reaction time, and mood reduction. Even without medical illness, depressed individuals exhibit increased levels of proinflammatory cytokines and reduced anti-inflammatory cytokine levels. Proinflammatory cytokines affect monoamine neurotransmitter pathways, including indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase upregulation and kynurenine pathway activation. This results in decreased tryptophan and serotonin and increased synthesis of detrimental tryptophan catabolites that promote hippocampal damage and apoptosis. Cytokines, including IL-1ÃŽÂ ², also reduce extracellular serotonin levels by activating the serotonin transporter. Effects of the CNS inflammatory cascade on neural plasticity Microglias are primary recipients of peripheral inflammatory signals that reach the brain. Activated microglia, in turn, initiate an inflammatory cascade whereby release of relevant cytokines, chemokines, inflammatory mediators, and reactive nitrogen and oxygen species (RNS and ROS, respectively) induces mutual activation of astroglia, thereby amplifying inflammatory signals within the CNS. Cytokines, including IL-1, IL-6, and TNF-alpha, as well as IFN-alpha and IFN-gamma (from T cells), induce the enzyme, IDO, which breaks down TRP, the primary precursor of 5-HT (serotonin), into QUIN (quinolinic acid), a potent NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate) agonist and stimulator of GLU (glutamate) release. Astrocytic functions are compromised due to excessive exposure to cytokines, QUIN, and RNS/ROS, ultimately leading to impaired glutamate reuptake, and increased glutamate release, as well as decreased production of neurotrophic factors. Of note, oligodendroglia are especially sensitive to the CNS inflammatory cascade and suffer damage due to overexposure to cytokines such as TNF-alpha, which has a direct toxic effect on these cells, potentially contributing to apoptosis and demyelination. The confluence of excessive astrocytic glutamate release, its inadequate reuptake by astrocytes and oligodendroglia, activation of NMDA receptors by QUIN, increased glutamate binding and activation of extrasynaptic NMDA receptors (accessible to glutamate released from glial elements and associated with inhibition of BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) expression), decline in neurotrophic support, and oxidative stress ultimately disrupt neural plasticity through excitotoxicity and apoptosis. 5-HT, serotonin; BDNF, brain-derived neurotrophic factor; CNS, central nervous system; GLU, glutamate; IDO, indolamine 2,3 dioxygenase; IFN, interferon; IL, interleukin; NMDA, N-methyl-D-aspartate; QUIN, quinolinic acid; RNS, reactive nitrogen species; ROS, reactive oxygen species; TNF, tumor necrosis factor; TRP, tryptophan. Regarding LLD, the aging process disrupts immune function, increasing peripheral immune activity and shifting the CNS into a proinflammatory state. Elevated peripheral cytokine levels are associated with depressive symptoms in older adults, with the most consistent finding being for IL-6, but also implicating IL-1ÃŽÂ ², IL-8 and TNFÃŽÂ ±. Proinflammatory states in older adults are associated with cognitive deficits, including poorer executive function, poorer memory performance, worse global cognition, and steeper decline in cognition. Finally, greater IL-6 and C-reactive protein levels are associated with greater WMH burden. In LLD, ischemic lesions are also more likely to occur in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), Similarly, depressed elders exhibit increased expression of cellular adhesion molecules (CAMs) in the DLPFC. CAMs are inflammatory markers whose expression is increased by ischemia, supporting a role for ischemia in LLD and highlighting the relationship between vascular and inflammatory processes. HPA dysregulation When the HPA axis is activated by stressors, such as an immune response, high levels of glucocorticoids are released into the body and suppress immune response by inhibiting the expression of proinflammatory cytokines (e.g. IL-1, TNF alpha, and IFN gamma) and increasing the levels of anti-inflammatory cytokines (e.g. IL-4, IL-10, and IL-13) in immune cells, such as monocytes and neutrophils. Excess stress also appears to play a role in the development of depression and can cause dysregulation of the HPA axis. Patients with major depression have been found to have elevated plasma and urinary cortisol levels as well as elevated corticotropin-releasing hormone and decreased levels of BDNF. Prolonged severe stress is thought to damage hippocampal neurons and to reduce the inhibitory control exerted by the HPA axis in regulating glucocorticoid levels. During an immune response, proinflammatory cytokines (e.g. IL-1) are released into peripheral circulatory system and can pass through the blood brain barrier where they can interact with the brain and activate HPA axis. Interactions between the proinflammatory cytokines and the brain can alter the metabolic activity of neurotransmitters and cause symptoms such as fatigue, depression, and mood changes. Increased levels of aldosterone in the circulation stimulate excessive production of collagen, which leads to fibrosis of tissue or organ whereas low levels of adrenal androgen dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate and insulin-like growth factor 1 are associated with frailty. Further, cortisol may mimic the effects of aldosterone. Elevated serum levels of cortisol and aldosterone are independent predictors of mortality in patients with heart failure. Accelerated Cellular Aging hypothesis Accelerated cellular aging, as measured by telomere length (TL) shortening, might also be linked to depression and frailty. At both ends of every DNA strand in a human cell is a telomere.Telomeres prevent chromosomes from becoming frayed, fusing into rings, or binding with other DNA. Telomeres are specialized nucleoprotein structures located at the end of eukaryotic chromosomes. They play a critical role in controlling cell proliferation and maintenance of chromosomal stability. As part of bodys normal aging process, each time a cell divides the telomeres in your DNA get shorter. Add oxidative stress to the mix and telomeres shorten even more rapidly. Oxidative stress is the effect of destructive reactions in your bodys cells caused by too many free radicals or atoms/molecules that have unpaired electrons. In their search for an electron to make them whole, they destroy other cells. Free radicals come from environmental toxins, such as pollution, chemicals, drugs and radiation, and even naturally occur in your own body when you exercise. Antioxidants fight free radicals and stem the causes of oxidative stress. Eventually, bodys cells are unable to divide (or reproduce) and simply die. Eventually, this instability leads to tissue breakdown potentially leading to premature aging. Any stressful condition or anxiety leads to feeling of depression which in turn initiates physiologic body response that includes, increase in stress-induced glucocorticoid release and oxidative stress. Unhealthy behaviour will also stimulate inflammatory response which lead to release of cytokine and can affect telomere length.
Wednesday, October 2, 2019
Noahs Ark vs. Gilgamesh Epic Essay -- Religion Religious Epic Gilgames
Noahs Ark vs. Gilgamesh Epic      The Gilgamesh Epic is an ancient Mesopotamian story about life and the suffering one must endure while alive. Included in the story, is a tale of a great flood that covered the earth, killing all but a select few of it’s inhabitants. This story of a great flood is common to most people, and has affected history in several ways. It’s presence in the Gilgamesh Epic has caused many people to search for evidence that a great flood actually happened. It has also caused several other religions and cultures to take the same basic story, claiming it for their own.           Whether in Christianity in the form of Noah’s Ark, or through Mesopotamian history in the form of an immortal, the idea of a great flood has proven to be a common story throughout the world. Though Noah’s Ark may be the most popular form of the story, it is not the oldest. Many people believe Noah’s Ark was based on Utnapishnem’s flood story. The two stories are obviously based on the same thing, but one must wonder which one is true or which came first.      The story of Utnapishnem in the Gilgamesh Epic starts with a dream that warns Utnapishnem of the coming flood. The gods are angry and want to rid the world of mankind. Utnapishnem built a boat large enough to carry his family, personal belongings, and â€Å"the seed of all other living creatures.†After Utnapishnem finished, the rain fell for six days and six nights, and it was so bad that the gods climbed into heaven for safety. After the rain stopped, the boat came to rest on Mount Nisir, and Utnapishnem released a dove and a swallow. Both birds returned because they could not find land. Then a raven was released and it did not come back, proving that there was land for it to rest on. Utnapishnem then came out of the ship and offered a sacrifice to the gods. When the gods smelled the sweet odor of the sacrifice, they blessed Utnapishnem and his wife to be like the gods and live forever.      The story of Noah’s Ark begins with God being upset at mankind's wickedness. He decides to destroy it with a flood. God new Noah was righteous and told him to build an ark so he would be safe from the rain. Noah did so and took aboard his family and pairs of every kind of animal. It rained for forty days and nights, until the highest mountains were covered. Then God sent a wind and the waters receded, and the... ...tioned. What caused the tidal wave is still a mystery, although many people believe it was caused by volcanic eruption, or a large meteorite crashing into the Earth’s surface.      The other theory is of universal flooding. The idea of a great flood has been found to be conclusive with geological findings all over the globe. A flood this large would have deposited sediment throughout the world. It has been scientifically estimate that more than seventy-five percent of the Earth is covered with sediment. Fossils have also been found in the Rockie Mountains that contain shells and fish. Many other petrified â€Å"fish beds†have been found all over the world, including Mt. Everest, suggesting that a global flood did indeed happen.      Though scientists cannot agree on whether or not a global flood occurred, the effect of these stories on science has been monumental, as well as the effect of the stories on cultures and religions throughout the world. If this great flood did , in fact, occur, it’s effect on history would have been great because of the huge numbers of people lost to it. Though they may be fables, one must keep asking themselves if they may have been based on fact.
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