Saturday, August 31, 2019

The Ukrainian Higher Education System Today

A lot of us soon or late being either thinking students or worrying parents face with such problems â€Å"Which school is the best to study? Higher or Secondary Education† All this questions do not have clear and right answer but even though education is still one of the main and the most important problems of our society. So, how does the classical education system present itself? During the period of Renaissances- lyceums, colleges and gymnasiums were the main elements of High Education. And the basic subjects were Latin and Greek language, history and literature.Its aim was acquire of self-education skills, which in further life would help in studying out other subjects. In addition, this system of education was paid, that is why it was available to not all population. Classical education was substituted be real education, the foundations of which were exact science. Real education system has given the ability for developing of technical specialization. New, at that time kn owledge of math, physics and chemistry have brought into life electricity, steam machinery and electronic. In the beginning of the 20th century the education was still paid.But with the advent to power Communists Party, the education has become free. Free education became available for every person, even from villages, small towns and poverty from cities. The young state developed industry enterprises, built railways, were mastering virgin soil and Sibir. All this activities needed the specialists in exact science. In Soviet Union the school was chosen due to place of living. All school were the similar: the same program, same books, same education. Such position made senseless searching for another school.However, there was small number of special schools with deeper studying of foreign languages as German, French, Spanish and of course English. For the liquidation of illiteracy on one level with daily there also were evening schools, where adult people could receive basic knowledg e. Huge number of soviet people even having families wanted to be educated. Therefore Soviet Republics spaced a lot of means and attention to Higher and Secondary Education. The peculiarity of secondary Technical Education was receiving school education simultaneous with receiving specialization.Higher education stipulated for going out to better position in society. The quality of real education, on sample of Soviet Union, had given huge number of experts who later were demanded all over the world. In the end of 20th century great country died, as died its education system. New government decided to return some points of classical education. As you can see, among us someone graduated from simple school, someone from lyceum, someone from gymnasium. However, the attempts to resume the classical education were done partially.That means that the refuse of real education did not bring the increasing of education level. The fact is that all knowledge received must be used in labor activi ty. If it is not so- such knowledge does not make sense. The problem of our country today is small demand of technical knowledge. We really have specialists but they are old and they even do not have ability to share their skills with. We do not have enough factories to work, we do not have appropriate substitution for this, that is why we just simply cannot gave good specialist.We have bad statistic, there is small number of people who really wants to study and does it but then when they finally received their knowledge in our corrupt country, they prefer to use it abroad. The position of our villages is so frightening that young, just graduated students, do not want to work there. That is why now in 21st century every person have to clarify what to do and how, because who else will teach, treat and rule is now you choose irresponsibility, laziness and indifference†¦

Friday, August 30, 2019

Of Mice And Men Lonliness Essay

Of Mice And Men is a novel written by John Steinbeck during 1937. The novel is based on the lives of two characters ‘George Milton and Lennie Small’. Other characters in this novel are: Candy, Curley, Curley’s wife, Slim, Crooks, Carlson, Whit, The Boss and aunt Clara. In these characters, there are two women however, only one of them is seen in the novel as aunt Clara is introduced dead and the only female we see is Curley’s wife whose name we don’t know throughout the whole novel. We only see her as ‘Curley’s wife’. Due to this, some people think that Of Mice And Men is a depressing novel. In this novel, most of the characters are lonely and are alone. The loneliest person in the novel is Curley’s wife because she is the only female in the novel and so, to reduce the loneliness, she goes to the ranch and flirt with them by asking â€Å"Any you boys seen Curley?† After getting the answer, â€Å"She stood still in the doorway, smiling a little at them†. From this quote we can see that she has come here for something else and not to ask for Curley because she still stood there smiling at them. She knew where Curley was. â€Å"Think I don’t know where they all went? Even Curley†. If she already knew that, why would she come here to ask them? This is due to the loneliness she has to suffer alone because whenever Curley is there, he â€Å"Spends all his time sayin’ what he’s gonna do to guys he don’t like†. From this quote finally, we know that she is lonely, she is the only female and the only one she can talk to is Curley but, he is too busy with his own thing. So, she comes here to flirt with them. Due to loneliness, Curley’s wife get a chance to talk to Lennie and she prepares her meeting with Lennie. â€Å"I’ll talk to you later. I like machines.† This shows that she got a chance to talk to him because we never knew that she likes machine, and by her saying this, we know that immediately that she just wants to only talk to him and she has no likes or dislikes with machines, she just said that out of the blue because when Candy lost his hand while using the machine, we didn’t hear Curley’s wife inspecting about it So this shows that she was telling lies. Her loneliness was the cause of her death. â€Å"She was still, for Lennie had broken her neck.† If she didn’t organise the meeting with him, she would’ve been alive. She not knowing what Lennie can do, held his â€Å"hand and put it on her head†. However, as he is huge as a bear, his fingers are also like bears claws so, his hand got stuck in her hair and not wanting, he killed her by shaking her violently. The death of animals is common in the novel. It starts with Lennie petting the mouse. â€Å"you’ve broke it pettin’ it† Later Candy’s dog started to stink and so no one liked it and Carlson killed it. â€Å"A shot sounded in the distance.† When Candy’s dog died, Slim gave him a puppy and the puppy gets killed by Lennie unknowingly because he can’t control his power as he is described to be â€Å"as strong as a bull†. This makes the novel to be depressing because it isn’t the animals fault to get killed, why do they get killed? What is their fault? The mouses get killed because Lennie like to pet them and the puppy gets killed because Lennie stroked it for fun. This makes the reader feel that the animals got killed without any reason and so, it really makes the reader feel sad. The death of Curley’s Wife, puppy and the mouses are kind of linked together because the cause of their death is Lennie. He likes to pet and stroke the things which he feel nice and he did that the each one of these. Lennie is exceptionally powerful but, he never realises his strength. He thinks that everyone is like him-strong. He predominantly tries to run away from from problems however, he always does something wrong for which he gets into hot water by George. We see many people dreaming about their future but, most of them don’t actually achieve it. Candy’s dream was to have someone with him. He even says that â€Å"I’d make a will an’ leave my share to you guys in case I kick off.† This would make them a real good partnership but, the death of Curley’s wife ruined it because now, he knew that George and Lennie’s friendship is gone so, the dream will be demolished as well. On the other hand, Crooks is the only black person working on the ranch but, he isn’t happy because his only friends are â€Å"books† which isn’t enough. He wants someone with him too. â€Å"If some guy was with me, he could tell me I was asleep, an’ then it would be all right.† This shows that although he has his own room and stuff, he feels lonely. He wants someone to be with him too like others and just because he is black, no one is with him and he doesn’t like it. Crooks and Candy are kind of two sides of a coin because both of them have their position.Crooks has his own room and barn and Candy has two hundred and fifty dollars. Both of them want someone with them who they can talk to. Crooks is the only black person and Candy is the only person with a broken hand. Their dream is same as well. George and Lennie getting apart is also another reason why this novel is depressing. George kills Lennie which was really unexpected. â€Å"The crash of the shot rolled up the hills and rolled down again†. This was when Lennie was killed by George. This was the real sadness in the story. If you imagine two kids brought up together, lived together and worked together and then one of them kills the other, you would hate that person. Lennie was thinking about his rabbits, his dreams were welcoming him and George killed him out of the blue. This made the reader feel as sad as staying in a prison for his whole life. Due to this, three people’s dreams died. Candy won’t live peacefully with someone, Lennie won’t get to tend the rabbits and George wouldn’t have his own crops†¦ As when goodness goes, badness comes, George’s one dream died but the other formed. Near the start of the novel, we find out about George’s dream which was â€Å"I could get along so easy and so nice if I didn’t have you on my tail† is successful. He got rid of him and now, he can work on his own without even taking care of anyone. He can live peacefully forever. In conclusion, I really agree that Of Mice And Men is a depressing novel. I couldn’t even imagine that someone was so close to its dream and couldn’t achieve it just because one of them did something wrong. They were on the edge of achieving their dream suddenly at the eleventh hour, it flies away because Lennie killed Curley’s wife. This teaches us that you should start to get the thing right when you are kid or else you can get into really hot water when you are older. No one get their dreams except the dream which was useless near the end because George never wished that later on when he was thinking about his new dream. Curley’s wife was like the key in the novel. She was the only female and because of her getting lonely all this occurred and so, no one could achieve their dream.

Off-the-Job Behavior

Textbook Case Study Off-the-Job Behavior 1. Do you believe Oiler’s employee rights were violated? Explain your position. Peter Oiler’s termination from his job by the Winn-Dixie Corporation was an obvious violation of his employee rights. Though balancing employee rights with proper discipline is a constant challenge for HR professionals. But in this case of Oiler, the work place behavior of the employer had not changed and there is no problem, with the co-employers also. Also in the own time, the company have no rights about the way he dress.Hence there is also no such challenge for the Winn-Dixie that it has to terminate Oiler. Hence I would consider that Winn-Dixie has violated the employee rights of Oiler. Also his social security has been compromised. When we consider the situation here is more normal than a similar case in 2005, which happened in Georgia. According to that, the courts consider this as sexual discrimination under 42 U. S. C. Sec. 1983 and Equal Pro tection Clause of the 14th Amendment of the Constitution.And the development of trans-gender transitions has a real concern and the laws accept the claims of discrimination under employer’s categorizing of genders. Thus Oiler’s claim is acceptable and Winn-Dixie has to oblige to the claims of Oiler. Here Oiler’s can be taken as an example of opposition of trans-genders in the general public. Though the laws are guarding them, the manipulation of thought caused by these cases is more than the actual violation. Since the court ruled out as not a violation, it will be a wrong guideline as the decision can be referenced in consecutive references. . What do you see as the consequences of organizations that punish employees for certain off-the-job behaviors? Explain. In the case of punishment of the employees, the people have united against this unrightfully action. Also it had created an uneasy environment among the workers. Most organizations which do the punishment of workers for off-job behaviors as they feel as their right, run the risk of being faced with numerous lawsuits and allegations of partiality and discriminatory practices.Hence these organizations end up with a bad reputation and a question mark for credibility. Which in turn costs, they also face losing customers, business partners and stockholders. There will be a greater number of individuals who do not agree with these abrupt decisions than who support it. Hence they will decide to cut their ties with organizations who favor such practices. It would be safe to assume that many businesses that were previously a part of the Winn-Dixie organizations like financial institutions, suppliers etc. ade the decision to no longer be associated with a company that would practice such unethical and immoral standards of business. This will in turn destroy the past achievement and the support it had earned and also future trades with other organization is also threatened. Hence it completely obliterates the potential success of any business or organization. Any business organization must have rules and regulations which must be followed to and by all employees. Additionally, businesses must have particular methods in place to discipline individuals who do not follow the rules. 3.Would you consider Winn-Dixie an organization that exhibits characteristics of progressive discipline or the hot stove approach? Defend your position. According to me, Winn-Dixie is an organization which exhibits hot stove characteristics. This can be made on seeing the action taken by Winn-Dixie. Oiler has a clean organizational behavior and has a perfect work record. His career track record is also proper and he is considered as an asset by all the workers. When we consider about the harshness of the Disciplinary action, terminating the employee is considered as a most severe disciplinary action.And the Winn-Dixie had done this, hence it is a Hot stove characteristic. The hot-stove approach p unishes all unacceptable behaviors with identical disciplinary actions whereas the progressive approach, warns individuals depending on the harshness and/or the reoccurrence of actions and behaviors which they have previously been warned against. The severe disciplinary action can be taken for an offense is so serious that immediate dismissal is appropriate such as theft, sexual harassment, violence, plagiarism etc.And since the person involved has not done anything, hence he should not be taken severe discipline. Also before taking a decision of terminating the employee, the company neither talked to Oiler for an explanation nor it has given Oiler a verbal warning so that he can be more careful in future. Thus it had taken the action immediately and without giving time to Oiler for confirming his position or giving any explanation. Hence Winn-Dixie is following hot stove procedure in disciplinary actions.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Questions on Western Heritage Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Questions on Western Heritage - Essay Example The Greco-Roman culture was restored and the period saw transformations in many areas such as the growth of city-states, mastery of arts, secularism and emphasis on the individual. There was also use of slaves, strengthening of papacy, and intellectual growth based on study of classical literary works of Greece and Rome (Spielvogel, 347- 352). Q2: How events or developments in Renaissance mark a break or departure from the key characteristics of middle Ages. The middle Ages were characterized by lack of classical culture and were the period 1000yrs between the end of Roman Empire and the new era of renaissance. The developments in renaissance marked a breakaway from the characteristics of the middle ages in that it emphasized on individuality, secularism and revival of antiquity. The middle Ages were characterized by many problems such as political disorder, economic recession and Black Death. During renaissance, the economy was recovering hence the growth of trade and increased weal th for merchants. As a result, there was need for cheap labor in form of slaves hence the emergence of slave trade. During middle ages, slaves were used in agricultural activities and slavery had declined but during Renaissance, slaves were skilled workers for making handcraft goods or as nursemaids and playboys (Spielvogel, 345). Due to economic recovery and increased wealth, the Italians reverted to secularism instead of Christian moral principles which were emphasized during middle ages (Spielvogel, 341). Morality was abandoned as basis for analysis of political activity; therefore, a ruler could break the rules and do wrong if necessary. According to Machiavelli, a leader was supposed to secure allies and win wars by force or fraud. The Catholic Church was also broken down to protestant churches due to the spirit of secularism which brought about corruption in the church. Another event that marked departure from Middle Ages was the intellectual renaissance. The antiques of the G reeks and Romans were revived and used in study of humanity. Individuals were seen as possessing abilities which they could utilize for perfecting their art. The individual was viewed as â€Å"a universal person capable of achieving in many areas of life’ (Spielvogel, 341). Individuals were thus taught using literary works of the Greece and Rome and were engaged in various occupations instead of relying on the clergy. Q3: What was humanism? How does it reflect this new spirit of Renaissance? Spielvogel defines humanism as â€Å"an intellectual movement based on the study of classical literary works of Greece and Rome† (p. 352). The materials studied and taught in schools as humanities include: grammar, poetry, ethics, and history. Besides teaching, other humanists were involved in other occupations such as secretaries in city-states. The humanist movement is credited with the development of renaissance in the 14th century. Humanism reflects the new spirit of Renaissan ce through the ideas of humanists such as Leonardo Bruni (1370-1444) who uses Cicero as an inspiration for an ideal Renaissance. The spirit of Renaissance is reflected in the way individuals are encouraged to participate in the life of the state. He emphasized that intellectuals should live active lives for the sake of

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

The Tension between Centripetal and Centrifugal Forces in Australia Essay

The Tension between Centripetal and Centrifugal Forces in Australia - Essay Example The Australian Commonwealth of States was set up in response to the need among the people to withstand and oppose the forces of colonialism, as symbolized by the rule of Britain. The authors of the Commonwealth of Australia Constitution were Chief Justice Griffith and Justices Barton and OConnor, who had intended that the Constitution of Australia should exist on its own merit and not merely as a British statute. The Australian Commonwealth Act of 1900 has accorded Federal powers to the Commonwealth such that Constitutional control of the Privy Council is retained, while central powers are reduced to their narrowest limits and in this manner, has made it possible for the States to unite under one common umbrella of central defense to proclaim national independence in the future. The Federation of six Australian States was formulated with the knowledge that the Commonwealth and the States were in and of themselves, sovereign states with their own spheres of authority. In formulating the Australian federation, the founders were not anxious to toe the Canadian line which was deemed too centralist and were more inclined to favor the loose administrative style of the American Federation that was more decentralized3. Through this, the Commonwealth was conferred with the powers to maintain the peace and to make laws for peace, order and for the good of the Commonwealth in all the areas that had been designated under Section 51 of the Constitution, whereby the States were permitted to retain all their powers, with the exception of those powers that were wrested away, for the common good of the Commonwealth. Such areas included defense and foreign affairs. Areas not specifically identified under the â€Å"central† jurisdiction are  designated as â€Å"resid ual powers† which in the case of a Federation like Australia are considered to be within the purview of the States, since Australia has a decentralized federal system, unlike Canada that has a centralized federal system of Government.

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Europe after the Cold War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Europe after the Cold War - Essay Example After the Soviet Union disintegrated, the post-Cold War world broadly seems as unipolar and the US remains the only remaining superpower. The Cold War was instrumental in defining the political rule of numerous states including the US after the WW2, and as of 1989, the US had military alliances with more than fifty states while having almost one and a half million troops deployed abroad in more than one hundred nations. The cold war was also integral in institutionalizing a worldwide commitment to large, lasting peacetime military and industrial complexes along with large-scale funding for science by militaries. Â  The occurrences of 1989 along with the fall of the Berlin wall demonstrated in the short term to be enormously undermining as they resulted in the disintegration of the Soviet Union, a United Germany as well as an expanded NATO while unleashing volatile forces, although the instability was not permanent (Engel, 2009). The European continent after the Cold War has demonstrated to be comparatively stable; nonetheless, judgments have to be reserved as the ramifications of these events continue to be felt. For instance, the current crisis in the Eurozone is directly connected to the greater integration of the EU, which can be attributed to the fall of the Berlin wall. The Cold War period provided a certain level of stability for governments in the European continent, as they were aware of their status quo and the sides they supported. Boundaries and conflicts had clear definitions with the key to making the system stable being a lack of interest in changing the status quo on both sid es. Â  It may also be contended that this status quo was not sustainable with the communist bloc directing huge amounts of money to the purchase of arms while daily lives behind the Iron Curtain were being marked by a high degree of hardship.

Monday, August 26, 2019

Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 56

Summary - Essay Example He argued that population cannot grow rapidly due to several forces that hinder growth such as war, famine and various diseases. Additionally, he pointed out that most people control birth rates, while others engage in marriage at old ages. Disease, war and famine raise the death rates leading to the decrease of population while low birth rate and late marriages discourages population growth. According to Malthus population does not require to run out of food supply due to late marriages and birth control. He further explains that if these practices were not practiced, population would rapidly grow. Malthus claims that food is mainly necessary to support life thus encouraging population growth. He also explains that earth cannot produce food on its in great quantities unless labor and skills are exercised upon the earth’s surface. Malthus explained that God is capable of rising up plants of all kinds for his creation’s use without the assistance of labor or man’s attention. Â  Land preparation activities such as ploughing, and clearing of the land, sowing of seeds and other practices done by man for production are mainly necessary for enjoyment of life’s blessings. The practices arouse man in action and ensure that he reasons appropriately. Furthermore, Malthus claimed that due to the excitement of the blessing of life, and ability of man to provide food through cultivation of the earth, rapid population growth is being witnessed than food increase. According to the principle of population, man is considered slow, sluggish, inert and reluctant from labor. Generally, Malthus tries to enlighten people that population cannot increase exponentially due to low rates of food supply. He therefore elaborates that checks on population growth in most societies are preventive and others are positive. The positive checks raise death rates while preventive checks decrease population increase by lowering birth

Sunday, August 25, 2019

To what extent is death socially orchestrated Essay

To what extent is death socially orchestrated - Essay Example It is in the remembrance of a loved one that death event is organised and celebrated, though it is manifested into the colours of grief and sorrow. Rather than confiscation, an ‘invisibility’ of sorts sets in, items being dispersed or located within secular ‘non-death’ settings where their significance remains vital only for the bereaved. The social celebration of death depends upon the relationships death set up as a tool for memory and material culture. Death can be understood as a life crisis which is estimated by some conjuncture of changes where transformations of the physical body, social relations and cultural configurations are set up by the society. A dying experience, death and the response of the society towards death acts as a phase of transition involving loss and adjustment (Peveto & Hayslip, 2005, p. 1), therefore death is treated differently in every culture, religion and race. Examining the ways in which memory comes into play, death provides the opportunity to analyse various aspects of the process of dying, mourning and grief. Facing death, either of the self or of others, has come to entail ritualised social practices that mobilise domains of material objects, visual images and written texts. In the West death experience is counted towards attending a diverse range of materials, which are not only associated with death in historical and contemporary contexts but are also concerned with the issues of metaphor, temporality, and social space, all of which impinge upon and shape memory as a cultural process and a social experience. The process of recognising death develops anthropological and historical perspectives that we find in memories at work in visual images of death, in textual forms and in rituals which we trace as interconnected fields, related in their focus on the body, its structures, capacities and limits. We celebrate memory of our loved ones through the material

Saturday, August 24, 2019

The economic and environmental factors affecting USTs operations Coursework

The economic and environmental factors affecting USTs operations - Coursework Example The firm that is analyzed in the paper is UST Inc. UST Inc is involved in the manufacture of tobacco products which continue to be one of the oldest and most profitable industries. This fact has been borne out not only in the ratios but the fact that the company has been identified as the most profitable company in the United States by one of the most trusted sources – Forbes. The financial results speak to this fact. However, as in any industry there is competition and what has been happening is that even though the market is growing by 3.7% per annum UST has not been able to grow with it. This is due to the fact that the company has not been responding appropriately to the threats posed by its competitors. However, there are some environmental factors that have been affecting the company and so UST needs to answer these and other questions including: †¢ What environmental factors affect the operations of UST’s business? †¢ What business risks does the company face, †¢ Can the company undertake the recapitalisation process effectively? †¢ Why is UST considering recapitalisation and what would be the incremental effect on the company’s value? †¢ What other factors beyond interest rate shields should UST consider in assessing the value of its recapitalisation plan? The environmental factors include political/legal, economic, and social issues. In addition to industry factors these affect every business and should therefore be given due consideration. In terms of the political/legal aspects the tobacco industry has been faced with tough regulations. These have had a negative impact on the cigarette industry but much less on the moist smokeless tobacco. However, and restrictions have had a negative impact on the prospects for future growth in the industry. While being saddled with a $100 to $200 million over the next 10 years in payment as settlement in keeping with an agreement arrived at with Medicaid the company also face restrictions on its advertising and promotional campaign which is aimed at reducing the exposure of the youth population to tobacco products. Additionally, UST has a few litigations pending which is the nature of this industry. However, the smokeless tobacco industry has a much lower exposure to health related law-suits. The Medicaid settlement signifies a reduction in net income which cannot be recouped at this time when UST’s market share is declining. In terms of the economic issues although consumption has been increasing UST’s market share has been declining. The growth that has been exper ienced appears to be going to the company’s competitors. UST has a track record of growth and innovation but this has not been the case in recent times. The company is used to the practice of annual price increases – sometimes even twice per year but the competition will definitely prevent the company from doing so for most of its brands. This trend of increasing prices has been somewhat abated by the introduction of price-value brands by the company’s competitors. Although UST is large in comparison to its competitors and has a major share of the market the company has not responded the way that investors and analysts would like and so they are doubtful as to whether UST has not been able to respond in a timely and appropriate manner in order to regain its market share. Additionally, the resignation of the company’s chief financial officer (CFO) and the Director of Tobacco in 1997 is a signal to investors that something is fundamentally wrong on terms of both the companies manufacturing operations and its financial management which are two key areas. These are key persons within the company and who obviously would have impacted the company’s financial results. Like most other companies that are engaged in the production of goods the aim is to have products at each stage of the product lifecycle and to have products that will appeal to different groups.

Friday, August 23, 2019

Employment Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Employment Law - Essay Example Doing so rules out the occurrence of exclusion of employees from protection against discrimination. Sexual harassment laws have provided for healthy relationships between men and women workers in their workplaces, and have further enhanced personal and organizational dignity by outlining the basis of interaction of workers in and out of their workplaces (Collins, 2010). Advances made in sexual harassment laws have made it possible for men and women counterparts to interact formally and observe the set limits of relations. This does not imply that mentorship activities between women and senior management mentors have been curtailed. Civil rights gains can result in unintended costs, but the underlying overall benefits cannot be disputed. Civil rights law enhances organizational coherence and subsequently improves workforce efficiency. Civil rights law safeguards the interests of both the employees and the

Thursday, August 22, 2019

COMMUNICATION IN BUSINESS-case study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

COMMUNICATION IN BUSINESS-case study - Essay Example Cultural dimensions like Power Distance Index (PDI), Individualism (IDV), Masculinity (MAS), Uncertainty Avoidance Index (UAI), and Long-Term Orientation (LTO) etc can affect international business negotiation process. Most of the societies are unequal because of the variations in power possessed by them and the different perceptions about the long term and short term goals. Some societies do things collectively whereas other societies do it individually. Moreover, some societies treat males and females differently whereas some others treat them equally. The ability of some cultures or societies in avoiding uncertainty is more than other societies. Moreover, political, economical, social, technological, environmental and legal factors can also affect the cross cultural business negotiation process. The international negotiators should possess adequate knowledge about all these factors in order to conduct the negotiation process in an effective manner. They should do their homework pr operly before going for the negotiation process. Terms of Reference Business negotiation is a complex task which requires lot of preparations and planning. Cross cultural business negotiations are even harder because of the high percentage of uncertainty and ambiguity in such negotiations. Most of the organizations will seek the guidance of business consultants before actively participating in international business negotiations. I am working as an international business consultant and recently one of the biggest American firms approached me in order to seek my advice for expanding their business to the Chinese territory. My client was interested in joint venture business strategy for entering into the Chinese territory. They already short listed few Chinese companies as their future partners and asked me to submit a report about how to negotiate with them. My client asked me to give more emphasize on the cultural aspects of international business negotiations since America and Chin a have entirely different cultures. This report is prepared for my American client in order to make them aware of the role of culture in international business negotiations. Overview of the situation Both China and America have extremely diverse population. America is under a democratic regime whereas China is under an autocratic or communist regime. In other words, China and America are extremely different nations as far as politics; culture, social setups, economy, legal frameworks, etc are concerned. Language, environment, social organizations, level of knowledge and authority possessed by the people, verbal and nonverbal communication means, temporal conceptions etc are entirely different in these two countries. In my opinion, my client should have better ideas about all these things in order to conduct successful business negotiations with their Chinese counterparts. An international negotiator should possess intelligence, creativity etc and he should have flexibility and diplo macy in his approaches. He should also possess skills such as problem solving, negotiations etc. He should also possess knowledge about different legal structures, governmental policies, possibilities of natural and manmade disasters. He should be hardworking and should do the

The concentration of hydrochloric Acid Essay Example for Free

The concentration of hydrochloric Acid Essay There are many factors that have an affect on the rate of a chemical reaction. The speed of reaction means how fast the reactants change into the desired product. The consequence of this is that more of the products are made in a certain period of time if it has a high rate of reaction. Factors can only have two affects on a reaction making the reaction happen faster or slower depending on how it interferes with the reaction, the factors never change the outcome of the reaction, the final product. This ability to change the rate of the reaction enables us to control reactions and predict how changing variables affects the experiment. Rate of reaction = 1 _ Time Taken Reacting chemicals must either: Collide with each other.   Collide with enough energy to break the existing bonds. The energy required to break these bonds is called the Activation Energy (EA) There are four main factors that affect reaction these are:   Temperature   Use of a catalyst Concentration   Surface area Temperature. When the temperature is increased the reactant molecules move around faster with a greater amount of energy. This means there will be more successful collisions because it is the amount of energy in the molecules that determines whether a reaction is more successful. More successful collisions resulting in reactants get used up quicker resulting in the reaction time decreasing. Catalyst A catalyst affects the reaction rate by lowering the activation energy for the reaction. This means that more collisions are successful because it is easier to reach activation energy. A catalyst does not get used up during a reaction. It can then be used again, and again. Surface area Grinding up a solid into smaller chunks creates a larger surface area by making the surface area in contact with a liquid or a solid bigger Therefore more collisions can occur which increases the number of successful reactions thus speeding up the reaction. Purpose The purpose of this investigation is to determine how one of the above factors affects a reaction. So we choose only one variable. We were given 3 reactions to choose from, each allowing us to vary a certain factor. After careful consideration we came to the conclusion that due to lack of equipment we could not test catalyst, measuring temperature would be too difficult in the classroom because we could not control the classroom temperature very well it could change over the course of the experiment, and surface area would be difficult to calculate. So we opted for the concentration variable as it was easy to measure accurately the concentration of the reactants. There were three possibilities to choose from and these were: Choice 1. Hydrochloric Acid + Sodium Thiousulphate Sodium Chloride + Water + Sulphur Dioxide. HCl (aq) + Na2 S2 O3 (aq) NACl + H2O + S + SO3 Choice 2 Hydrochloric Acid + Magnesium Hydrogen + Magnesium Chloride HCl (aq) + Mg(s) H(g) + MgCl (aq) Choice 3 Hydrochloric Acid + Calcium Carbonate Calcium Chloride + Carbon Dioxide + Water HCl (aq) + CaCO3 (s) CaCl2 (aq) + CO2 (g) + H2O (l) Preliminary tests To help me decide which one to choose I decided to do some preliminary tests the First I did the reaction between Sodium Thiousulphate and Hydrochloric Acid. This test involved putting a considerable amount of Hydrochloric Acid into a clear beaker on top of a piece of plain paper with a (X) clearly marked in the middle of the glass beaker. Sodium Thiousulphate is then dropped into the solution and the reaction forms a cloudy solution and soon the liquid becomes opaque. The timer starts from when the Sodium Thiousulphate is dropped into the solution and is stopped when the (X) under the beaker is no longer visible. How fast the reaction is depends on how quickly the mark under the beaker is no longer visible. I decided this was not a viable or easily measure test. The measuring comes down to human judgement, which varies from person to person. It would have been possible to use light sensing equipment to accurately measure the time that it takes for the cross to become no longer visible. But as this equipment was not at my disposal I decided that this test would not be accurate enough for me to get a good set of precise results. The second preliminary was the reaction between Calcium Carbonate and Hydrochloric Acid. It involved putting Hydrochloric acid into a beaker and then adding the Calcium Carbonate in the form of larger chunks, the beaker would immediately be attached to a gas syringe, this piece of equipment that measures how much gas the reaction gives off in cm3. This meant we could accurately measure how much gas is given off from the reaction, giving us a precise value rather than estimation like in the first experiment. This experiment was a better possibility because a distinct value could be recorded; human judgement was not an issue which was one of the problems with the first experiment. Unfortunately surface area is the problem with this experiment, the marble chips were difficult to measure to ensure the size of the surface area accurately. This meant that this was constantly a variable but not a variable that we could measure accurately meaning that the experiment would either have unreliable results through estimating surface area or have unreliable results through having two variable factors. The final set of preliminary tests was the reaction between Magnesium and Hydrochloric Acid. This test was set up in a very similar manner as the experiment above, as the aim in both was to measure the amount of gas given off. In this case in was Hydrogen was the gas being given off. The reaction took place in a beaker which was in turn connected to a gas syringe, measuring the Hydrogen produced. The experiment allowed us to control each of the variables. Temperature could be controlled using a water bath as with preliminary test number two. The surface area of the magnesium was much easier to control than the Calcium Carbonate of the previous experiment, this was because the magnesium was in strip form instead of unevenly sized chips. The concentration of the Hydrochloric Acid was also easy to vary, using a burette enabled us to measure the amount of water and acid being put into the beaker. Because of this ability to control all the affecting factors I felt that the Magnesium + Hydrochloric Acid was the experiment that would provide the most reliable set of results. The use of a gas syringe meant that the results collected would be both precise and accurate, with minimum human judgement involved. After choosing to do this experiment I then conducted a further set of preliminary tests. I decided to keep the experiment roughly the same although I improved the method of measuring the magnesium strips because in my original preliminary I just cut them roughly equal sizes but in this preliminary I decided that I would use a ruler to ensure equal sizes this therefore would try and eliminate the factor of surface area so that I am only testing how the concentration affects the rate of reaction by having a similar surface area. Experiment Key 1. 0 Moles 12. 50 cm3 Hydrochloric Acid 12. 50 cm3 Water 1. 1 Moles 13. 75 cm3 Hydrochloric Acid 11. 25 cm3 Water 1. 2 Moles 15. 00 cm3 Hydrochloric Acid 10. 00 cm3 Water 1. 3 Moles 16. 25 cm3 Hydrochloric Acid 8. 75 cm3 Water 1. 4 Moles 17. 50 cm3 Hydrochloric Acid 7. 50 cm3 Water Test number one Moles 10 Seconds 20 Seconds 30 Seconds 40 Seconds 50 Seconds 60 Seconds 1Test Number two. Moles 10 Seconds 20 Seconds 30 Seconds 40 Seconds 50 Seconds 60 Seconds 2 Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Patterns of Behaviour section.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

A Valediction Forbidding Mourning English Literature Essay

A Valediction Forbidding Mourning English Literature Essay John Donnes poem A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning uses many metaphors and allusions to show the love between the author and his significant other. Although the narrator is leaving, he believes their love is strong enough to withstand the separation. He then begins to compare their love to various symbolic things. In John Donnes A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning, his many metaphors and allusions show the power of love and how strong it actually is. In the beginning of Donnes poem, the speaker is explaining that he is soon going to be separated from his lover. Before he leaves, he tells her his leaving should not be a time for mourning and sadness. He then tries to make things better by comparing their love to various things such as a noble mans death, a drawing compass, and the planets. He implies that death should not be feared but be accepted with little sadness. The narrator wants his love to wait for him until his return, and he states their love is too strong not to endure the separation. He explains that their love goes beyond physical love, and that they have a spiritual love that goes beyond the material world and what their bodies can endure. He believes although he is leaving, their souls are still one, and the couple will now experience expansion. Expansion can be defined as the act of increasing in size or volume. The narrator compares this to the way gold can be stretched by beating. He believes the one soul they have will stretch, and it will take the place of the distance between the two. The narrator also uses another example such as the compass. A compass shows a fixed point and one that moves in relation to the north pole. The compass is used to show that when the two are separated his love is the fixed foot on the compass, and he is the foot that moves. The narrator then says, Thy firmness makes my circle just, and makes me end, where I began. He compares his soul and the soul of his love to a twin-compass. Compasses assist sailors in navigating the ocean, and metaphorically they help the two lovers remain linked no matter what the distance. On the compass, no matter how many times the moving foot goes around the circle, the two legs are eventually joined again. The first four lines of the poem suggest that ones soul is only part of the body until death when it goes. The author using the word whisper, indicates that the soul and the body can communicate with each other. One of the most important parts of the poem is the separation of the body and soul. The narrator believes that even death cannot separate his lover and himself because they share the same soul. This needs to be accepted for Donnes point to be proven and by the line Whilst some of their sad friends do say. The breath goes now, and some say, No. This shows that not all friends agree with the narrators point of view. The metaphor of an earthquake in line nine and the celestial spheres in line eleven contribute to the understanding of his loving relationship. Donne uses the lines Moving of thi Earth and trepidation of the spheres to explain how two different huge events can bring harm and fear or innocence. He uses these two events to show the contrast between two bodies and two souls of those who are in love. Donne concludes with two souls cannot be separated like two bodies can. Therefore, if the two lovers bodies are separated by great distance they will be like the compass mentioned earlier in the poem. The points on the compass are wide, but the handle always joins the two together. Throughout the poem Donne argues that although the couple is physically separated they are connected by the soul. Therefore, the distance between the two lovers is insignificant. Although they are spread apart they are not broken. The two still share a strong connection. John Donne uses the whole poem to make his point. He first says that when one passes, the soul separated from the body. He then asserts that two souls mix when two people are in love. They become one, and even death cannot break this bond. He uses the compass to demonstrate this point. By making these points, the narrator is showing his love not to be upset about his leaving. He states he is the moving foot on the compass and has no choice but to leave. However, the compass always makes a circle and he will always find a way back to his love. Even though the separation is temporary, it is very emotional and Donne feels the pain of the separation.

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Differential Susceptibility Theory (DST) in Psychopathology

Differential Susceptibility Theory (DST) in Psychopathology Future Directions for research: What makes the Differential Susceptibility approach appealing to Psychopathology and Wellbeing researchers alike? The Differential Susceptibility Theory (DST) has attracted a huge amount of research in recent years from researchers in the field of wellbeing and psychopathology for a variety of reasons. This essay will examine both the dominant diathesis-stress model and DST and highlight how the knowledge of DST can improve wellbeing and reduce psychopathology. It has been widely demonstrated by decades of research that health and developmental disorders are more prevalent among people from high-risk families (Luthar, 2006; Boyce, 2007; Shonkoff, Boyce, McEwen, 2009). Studies abound to demonstrate that childhood physical, emotional abuse and neglect impair development from lack of concentration to aggression, fighting, stealing, truanting and antisocial activities (Wayne, 1989). There is however a prominent variation in the physical health and psychological adjustment of both children and adults who experienced both high and low degrees of adversity (Luthar, 2006; Masten Obradovic, 2006). The dominant theory that accounts for the above phenomenon is the diathesis-stress/dual risk model, which emphasizes vulnerability to environment. It postulates that psychopathology develops as a result of an interaction between due to vulnerabilities/diatheses (temperamental, biological, and/or behavioural characteristics) in a particular person and environmental stress (Monroe Simmons, 1991). Hence, an individual facing great environmental stress will not need to have many underlying vulnerabilities to develop psychopathology. The same outcome can be true for an individual with greater vulnerabilities but a minor stressful event (Ingram Luxton, 2005). On the other hand, DST emphasizes developmental plasticity- individual differences in neurobiological susceptibility to environmental factors (Belsky, 2005). Belsky (2005) postulates that plasticity functions in a for-better-and-for-worse manner: more â€Å"plastic† individuals experience more positive outcomes in positive environments as well as more negative outcomes in aversive environments. DST has received support from many studies. Boyce et al.’s (1995) study on biological reactivity and environmental adversities as predictors of respiratory conditions in children aged between 3 and 5 yields a credible result. The study found that highly biologically reactive children who were exposed to childcare or home environments of high adversity experienced substantially higher illness than other children while highly biologically reactive children who experienced lower adversity conditions (better supportive childcare) experienced the lowest illness rates. More recent studies come from Hankin et al.’s (2011) three different studies that investigated the 5-HTTLPR genotype in 1,874 children and adolescents (between 9- and 15-year-old) and how the degree of supportive or unsupportive parenting may influence their behaviours. Hankin et al. (2011) found that the ‘homozygous for the functional short allele of 5-HTTLPR were more responsive to parenting as environmental context in a â€Å"for better and worse† manner’, that genetically susceptible youth whose parents were unsupportive displayed low levels of positive affect while genetically susceptible youth who experienced supportive parenting displayed higher levels of positive affect. There are a variety of reasons why researchers of well-being and psychopathology find DST appealing. The most significant difference between DST and the dominant diathesis-stress model is that the latter do not consider the effects of a positive environment. This is because it is of the view that there is no significant difference in how vulnerable or resilient groups respond to enriched supportive or environmental conditions (Belsky Pluess, 2009). Consequently, many studies only focus on adversity and its absence (e.g., maltreatment vs. no maltreatment) and do not measure the complete range of environments. Neither do they consider the complete range of psychological/behavioural functioning (just maladjustment and its absence, e.g., depressed vs. not depressed). In addition, DST may help researchers to elucidate the defining characteristics of resilience. Under the diathesis-stress model, children with particular attributes such as positive temperament and do not suffer expected detrimental effects of negative environments are defined as resilient (Cicchetti, 1993; Luthar, 2006). However, DST argues that these children could seem resilient because they are just not very â€Å"plastic† or malleable. If this is indeed true, these children would therefore be very unlikely to benefit from highly supportive rearing environments should they be provided with them (Belsky Pluess, 2009b). As such, DST extends the diathesis-stress model by drawing focus on investigating how personal characteristics moderate the effects of positive environmental contexts on positive well-being. One additional advantage of DST is that it offers a new advancement in the treatment of psychopathology. There is great potential in screening patients for intervention on the basis of neurobiological susceptibility (Ellis et al., 2011). DST predicts varying sizes of intervention effects across participants, depending on both the â€Å"plasticity† of individuals and the mode of intervention. Many experimental interventions on parenting and child care have confirmed the above prediction (e.g., Bakermans-Kranenburg, van IJzendoorn, Mesman, Alink, Juffer, 2008; Cassidy et al., 2011). Furthermore, current evidence does not strongly support the case that some people are completely not susceptible to the positive effects of any intervention. As such, it would be better to understand neurobiological susceptibility as a continuous dimension rather than categorically (susceptible vs not susceptible). Caspi et al.’s (2003) G x E study showed that those homozygous for the short s erotonin-transporter allele suffered most from stressful life events, those homozygous for the long allele suffered the least while heterozygotes (carrying one short and one long allele) fell in between. The above knowledge could help inform the design of treatment policies and programs tailored to the specific needs of people with differing â€Å"plasticity†. Despite the exciting promise of DST, it is important to note that it is a relatively new theory in need of much future research to shed light on many areas. Owing to the length constraint of this essay, only a few notable areas will be discussed. Firstly, it is currently unclear how differential susceptibility is regulated by neurobiological (genotypic, endophenotypic, and behavioral) mechanisms (Ellis et al., 2011). Future research on the relationships between the different levels of mechanisms would help to greatly shape programs and interventions to benefit patients of different â€Å"plasticity†. Secondly, future research should focus on elucidating how for better and for worse processes unfold. For example, it could be possible that neurobiologically susceptible children are better at detecting and capitalizing on positive opportunities (e.g., taking advice from a teacher, forging strong friendships) to achieve positive outcomes in supportive environments. Such knowledge would once again help to shape intervention programs. For example, interventors can specifically highlight positive opportunities mentioned above to neurobiologically susceptible children from adverse environments that are recently provided with more positive environments. In conclusion, this essay has explored the main features of DST and shown how understanding DST is crucial in understanding how to prevent psychopathology and improve wellbeing. Further studies, however, are required to bridge the existing gaps in this field.

Monday, August 19, 2019

The Role of Media on Middle Eastern Conflicts Essay example -- News Co

The Role of Media on Middle Eastern Conflicts 'By now, all of us realize that there is a high powered media campaign aimed at promoting the war on Iraq and shaping the views of the American people, relying on media-savvy political strategy to sell the administration's priorities and policies' 'Systematic sources of bias in TV coverage of international affairs not only distort information, but can also restrict citizens' awareness and options, and thereby produce more social control. The focus here is on the way TV news formats can limit, constrain, and distort information about terrorism.' The relationships between countries in the Middle East and with the West have never been ones of peace or tranquility, and in recent years these relationships seem to be headed in a downward spiral. Currently, there has been an increasingly intense clash between the citizens of all societies that is largely a reaction against what is perceived through the news media about the other society. While the general public goes about watching their favorite nightly news broadcasts, they are unaware that the very knowledge they hope will educate them about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the War in Iraq, is actually one of the primary factors leading to the strain between our two differing societies. This is largely the result of the way news coverage is produced and presented in the United States, the Middle East, and around the world. In the United States, there are many facets that determine how news about the Middle East is produced and presented. Ultimately, these news reports deter mine how the American people view Middle East societies and unfortunately, how they view people of Middle Eastern ethnicity within the United States.... ...s without the possibility of individual bias, people around the world cannot attain an accurate depiction and thus a truly educated understanding of world affairs. This lack of knowledge leads to a host of consequences, one of which is the violence that comes from those naà ¯ve to that which is different. As well, an increased sense of apathy toward government policies and our administrative leaders has enveloped our country because a majority of the American public is aware of the faulty nature of our media system. As a result of the multitude of structural problems that plague the media system, which include all of the examples presented here, people?s perceptions about the conflicts in the Middle East, both the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the war in Iraq, are skewed and are an inherent cause of the continued clashes resulting from misconceptions about others.

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Narcolepsy :: Biology Essays Research Papers

Wake Up! A Quick Look at Narcolepsy It is estimated that humans spend one-third of their lives asleep (1). With sleep appearing to be not only the ultimate pastime, but also a survival imperative, the field of sleep research is quite broad, boasting many different areas of study. By examining phenomena like sleep disorders neurobiologists can hope to understand the mechanisms of normative sleep, in addition to perfecting treatment for suffers. Narcolepsy is one such disorder that affects an estimated 250, 000 or 1 in 2000 Americans; similar numbers are estimated for Parkinson's or multiple sclerosis (2). A widespread, though often misdiagnosed disease (fewer than 50, 000 are aware of their condition), narcolepsy can be characterized by chronic daytime sleepiness, cataplexy, sleep paralysis, and hypanogic hallucinations (3 ). The latter three of the tetrad of symptoms also occur in non-narcoleptic individuals; sleep episodes are the main determinant in diagnosis. Only 20 to 25 percent of narcoleptics suffer from all fou r symptoms (2). This paper has several goals, all of which involve clarifying the disease and its symptoms in different contexts. In order to do this sleep will first be explained in some detail, followed by a biological and psychological treatment of narcolepsy. Research of narcolepsy and its implications for the future shows steps to be taken in order to garner a better understanding this particular brain/behavior relationship. To start at a beginning of sorts, REM sleep and its importance should be discussed. Sleep is in fact not the passive activity it was once assumed to be. It appears that during sleep many things are going on in the brain, which are documented by electroencephalograms (EEGs) measuring neocortical neuronal activity. Sleep occurs in a cycle of distinct stages, with apparent contrasts from early sleep, deep sleep, and REM (rapid eye movement) sleep (4). During REM sleep neurons in the neocortex behave similarly to how they would when a person is awake, displaying desynchronized EEG. The first REM stage occurs 70 to 90 minutes into sleep and approximately 20% of a night's sleep is spent in this type of sleep (4). Since this stage of sleeping is associated with dreaming, it is logical that in REM sleep muscles become temporarily paralyzed, a state called muscle atonia. REM sleep is important for overall health and regulation of the nervous system. In other sleep stages, or non-REM stages, E EGs are synchronized, only partial muscle relaxation is present, and dreaming is less frequent (2).

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Character Sketch of Bassanio Essay

Bassanio’s character is more fully drawn than Antonio’s, but it does not possess the powerful individuality that Shakespeare gives to his portraits of Portia and Shylock. First off, when one begins considering Bassanio, one should dismiss all the critics who condemn him for his financial habits. Bassanio’s request to Antonio for more money is perfectly natural for him. He is young; he is in love; and he is, by nature, impulsive and romantic. Young men in love have often gone into debt; thus Bassanio has always borrowed money and, furthermore, no moral stigma should be involved. Shakespeare needs just such a character in this play for his plot. If Bassanio is not a powerful hero, he is certainly a sympathetic one. First, he has some of the most memorable verse in the play — language which has music, richness, and dignity. Second, he shows us his immediate, uncalculated generosity and love; this is especially obvious when Bassanio, who has just won Portia, receives the letter telling him of Antonio’s danger. Bassanio is immediately and extremely concerned over the fate of Antonio and is anxious to do whatever is possible for his friend. Here, the situation is melodramatic and calls for a romantic, seemingly impossible, rescue mission. When at last Bassanio and Portia are reunited, he speaks forthrightly and truthfully to her. He refuses to implicate Antonio, even though it was at Antonio’s urging that he gave away his wedding ring to the judge who cleverly saved Antonio’s life: â€Å"If you did know,† he tells Portia, â€Å"for what I gave the ring / And how unwillingly I left the ring . . . You would abate the strength of your displeasure. † No matter how powerful the circumstances, he admits that he was wrong to part with the ring because he had given his oath to Portia to keep it. As the play ends, Bassanio’s impetuous nature is once more stage-center. Speaking to his wife, he vows: â€Å"Portia, forgive me this enforced wrong; . . . and by my soul I swear / I never more will break an oath with thee. † Of course, he will; this, however, is part of Bassanio’s charm. He means it with all his heart when he swears to Portia, but when the next opportunity arises and he is called on to rashly undertake some adventure full of dash and daring, he’ll be off. Portia knows this also and loves him deeply, despite this minor flaw.

Langston Hughes’ “Salvation” Essay

Some people may believe that ‘salvation’ comes to those who deserve it. Others may believe that salvation comes to those who seek it. Still, there are those who believe that salvation is not a ‘privilege’ but is rather a free gift for all. But for Langston Hughes, it appears that salvation for him is not what it seems to be. Apparently, Langston projects the image that a child’s innocence may be a way of looking at salvation in such a way that our basic senses and sensibilities are put back to their simplest and uncorrupted state, devoid of fear from non-conformity from dogma and filled with eagerness to experience what is real. Perhaps Langston Hughes is attempting to channel across the message that adulthood or perhaps our ‘matured’ state, so to speak, has dictated so much of what we believe in that we forget that we were once innocent beings eager to absorb what the world was willing to give us. This is the point where I would like to agree with Langston Hughes. In the many events in our lives that shape who we are and what we want—apart from the things that we want to want—our daily experiences have largely contributed to our personality and character. Sometimes an encounter with an atheist will strike your faith and religious beliefs and be put aback into a state of doubt, weighing odds at both ends and figuring out if your faith is strong enough to resist the temptation of atheism. Or perhaps an encounter with a tribesman living in a far-off, desolate forest may change the way you look at life, especially in terms of material possession. Whether or not we have already encountered these things, it can hardly be doubted that our personal experiences shares a large role in shaping our identities as individuals. As we grow, we start to acquire more of these experiences. Not surprisingly, our earlier knowledge is replaced with fresher ones, relieving ourselves of the burden of having to carry the weight of obsolete beliefs as we go on with our lives. This is the point where Langston Hughes may very well agree: we have grown to a point that we can remember all but one—our state of innocence. It does not surprise me at all to see individuals busy with the complexities of life. After all, people change and so are the things we experience. The evolution of humanity, apart from the scientific sense, has paved the way for more of these complexities. And sometimes we are prompted to lie or to deceive ourselves out of innocence in order to blend together with our environment. In order to convince other people, Hughes lied which made others reaffirm their belief in salvation. No doubt the believers would believe all the more in cases where their beliefs are reaffirmed at least by what they see. But sometimes—in fact, many times—what they see is not the one we or others see. In the end, we are confronted with the startling feeling of self-deception after convening and bending to what others believe in. We mourn over our ‘mistakes’ and hope to convince ourselves that all will be well although it simply cannot be the case after our actions have been committed. Salvation is such a broad concept that it simply cannot be confined within the closed spaces of churches and congregations alone. If, indeed, salvation is free for all then why must there be a need to encroach ourselves into religious orders? And for God or Allah’s name, where among these hundreds, if not thousands, of religious dominions are we to find salvation? Langston Hughes’ â€Å"Salvation† embodies these important points and the rest of what has been said here. Maturity betrays us in such a way that our innocence is hindered from allowing us to view the world outside the box detached from whatever it is that ties us to dogma, delusion and self-proclaimed salvation. Reference Hughes, L. (2007). Salvation. Retrieved November 7, 2007, from http://www. courses. vcu. edu/ENG200-dwc/hughes. htm

Friday, August 16, 2019

A comparison between cardiac CT scanning and cardiac digital subtraction angiography (DSA)

Abstract Coronary artery disease affects nearly one tenth of the UK population and remains the leading cause of death in the western world. To investigate and provide interventions for coronary artery disease, imaging of the coronary arteries to enable visualisation of atheromatous plaque is required. This review looked at the techniques of cardiac computed tomography scanning and cardiac digital subtraction angiography, and their contribution to the investigation of coronary artery disease. Comparison of the procedures considered technique, radiation exposure, contrast agent, clinical indications and efficacy in diagnosis of coronary artery stenosis. On comparison of the effectiveness of the techniques, both were shown to have been effective non-invasive procedures that may be used to rule out diagnoses and avoid inappropriate use of invasive angiography. The research shows mixed evidence for cardiac computed tomography angiography as a test of high specificity, however sensitivity and speci ficity of cardiac digital subtraction angiography is high, and therefore suggest that the techniques may be useful in low risk patients. Introduction Coronary artery disease remains the main cause of death in the UK and western world (Hacker, 2013; Liu et al., 2002) and contributes a substantial disease burden, affecting 7% of men and 5% of women in the UK in 1999 (Liu et al., 2002). Coronary artery disease results from the build up of atherosclerotic plaque within the arteries supplying the myocardium. This plaque limits the flow of blood through the arteries, and can cause ischaemia of the heart muscle. If the plaque becomes unstable and ruptures, this may lead to thrombus formation and the complete occlusion of an artery, resulting in a myocardial infarction (McClure et al., 2009). Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is a sub-classification of coronary artery disease and encompasses unstable angina, non-ST elevation myocardial infarction and ST elevation myocardial infarction. ACS represents a range of conditions that result from thrombus formation in coronary arteries, and if untreated has poor prognosis and high mortality (NICE, 2010). To investigate and provide information for interventions for coronary artery disease and ACS, visualization of the coronary arteries and any lesions caused by atherosclerotic plaque is required. Advances in technology have given rise to several sophisticated perfusion analysis techniques, which provide greater prognostic value than morphological imaging (Hacker, 2013). Perfusion analysis allows the blood flow through the coronary vessels to be observed and any abnormalities in the perfusion can be interpreted as a functional consequence of atherosclerotic changes within the vessels (Hacker, 2013). Currently, UK guidelines (NICE, 2010a) recommend coronary angiogram as first line management for patients presenting with ACS. This enables imaging of the coronary arteries to assess perfusion. It is important to assess the circulation as arteries can be affected from the earliest stages of endothelial dysfunction to high-grade coronary artery stenoses (Hacker et al., 2010; Bugiardini et al. 2004; Kaufmann et al., 2000), and this provides the information necessary for prognosis and intervention. With the advances in technology, there are now various diagnostic tests available to assess coronary artery disease, including coronary angiography and computed tomography (CT) scanning (Gorenoi, Schonermark & Hagen, 2012). This review aims to review the literature on coronary CT scanning and digital subtraction angiography, their clinical applications, techniques and comparative value in coronary artery assessment and diagnosis. Cardiac Digital subtraction angiography Coronary angiography is the conventional diagnostic procedure used in coronary artery disease. It is a minimally invasive technique, whereby a catheter is placed into the radial or femoral artery and is advanced through the arterial system to the coronary arteries. A contrast agent is then injected at the aortic root and allows visualization of the arteries using x-ray in real time at up to 30 frames per second. This allows a view of the extent, location and severity of coronary obstructive lesions such as atherosclerosis and enables prognostic indication (Miller et al., 2008). Coronary angiography also enables catheter placement either side of the lesion to assess pressure changes and determines the degree of flow obstruction (Miller et al., 2008). . Digital subtraction angiography (DSA) again works by introducing a contrast agent into the coronary arteries and taking x-rays in real time, however a pre image is taken by x-ray. This allows for the post images to be subtracted from the original mask image, eliminating bone and soft tissue images, which would otherwise overlie the artery under study (Hasegawa, 1987). Unlike conventional angiography, it is possible to conduct DSA via the venous system, through accessing the superior vena cava via the basillic vein (Myerowitz, 1982). This removes the risks associated with arterial cannulation (Mancini & Higgins, 1985). The procedure can also be performed with a lower dose of contrast agent and be done more quickly therefore eliminating constraints of using too much contrast during a procedure (Myerowitz, 1982). Whilst DSA is the gold standard in arterial imaging of carotid artery stenosis (Herzig et al., 2004), the application of DSA to the coronary arteries is limited due to motion artefacts associated with each heartbeat and respiration (Yamamoto et al., 2009). There are numerous cardiac clinical applications of DSA, it can be used to assess coronary blood flow (Molloi et al., 1996), valvular regurgitation (Booth, Nissen & DeMaria, 1985), cardiac phase (Katritsis et al., 1988), congenital heart shunts (Myerowitz, Swanson, & Turnipseed, 1985), coronary bypass grafts and percutaneous coronary intervention outcomes (Katritsis et al, 1988; Guthaner, Wexler & Bradley, 1985). However, others have suggested that the coronary arteries are not visualized well due to their small size, movement, their position overlying the opacified aorta and left ventricle, and confusion with other structures such as the pulmonary veins (Myerowitz, 1982). Cardiac CT Scanning Development of CT scanning in the 1990s enabled an increase in temporal resolution that was sufficient to view the beating heart, and they now provide a non-invasive technique for diagnostic and prognostic purposes. Cardiac CT scans have clinical applications that go beyond perfusion investigation, and can be used to assess structure and function of the heart (for example in electrophysiology disorders or congenital heart disease) due to its ability to provide anatomical detail (Achenbach & Raggi, 2010). CT scans can be used to assess coronary artery disease with and without injection of contrast agent (Achenbach & Raggi, 2010) by calcium scan or CT angiography. Coronary calcium CT scanning uses the evidence base that coronary artery calcium is a correlate of atherosclerosis (Burke et al., 2003) and is a strong prognostic predictor of the future development of coronary artery disease and cardiac events (Arad et al., 2000; Budoff et al., 2009; Achenbach & Raggi, 2010). Calcium is easily depicted on CT scan due to its high CT attenuation, and is classified according to the Agatson score, which considers the density and area of the calcification (Hoffman, Brady & Muller, 2003). Coronary CT angiography (CTA) allows visualization of the coronary artery lumen to identify any atherosclerosis or stenosis within the vessels. Patients are injected intravenously with a contrast agent and then undergo a CT scan. There are limitations regarding the suitability of patients for coronary CTA due to prerequisites of sinus rhythm, low heart rate and ability to follow breath-holding commands. Additionally, obesity presents a problem for patients that cannot fit into the scanner and affects the accuracy of the procedure. (Achenbach & Raggi, 2010). Comparison of cardiac DSA and cardiac CT scanning The technical differences between cardiac DSA and cardiac CT scanning give rise to differences in the clinical indications for the procedures, their diagnostic efficacy and also different risks or relative benefits to the patients. Due to the nature of the images produced by coronary CTA and DSA, each lends itself to different indications for use. Whilst coronary DSA provides imaging of all aspects of perfusion, CTA used with contrast agent also provides this however has the additional advantage of being able to assess structure and function of the heart. Coronary CTA has been shown to have a high accuracy at detection and exclusion of coronary artery stenoses (Achenbach & Raggi, 2010). In a multicentre trial conducted by Miller et al. (2008), patients underwent coronary calcium scoring and CT angiography prior to conventional invasive coronary angiography. The diagnostic accuracy of coronary CTA at ruling out or detecting coronary stenoses of 50% was shown to have a sensitivity of 85% and a specificity of 90%. This showed that coronary CTA was particularly effective at ruling out non-significant stenoses. Additionally, coronary CTA was shown to be of equal efficacy as conventional coronary angiography at identifying the patients that subsequently went on to have revascularisation via percutaneous intervention. This was shown by an area under the curve (AUC), a measure of accuracy of 0.84 for coronary CTA and 0.82 for coronary angiography. Miller et al.’s (2008) study included a large number of patients at different study sites , and additionally represented a large variety of clinical patient characteristics. The author’s claim that these factors contribute to the strength and validity of the study findings, and suggest that in addition to using patients with clinical indications for anatomical coronary imaging, should be used as evidence that coronary CTA is accurate at identifying disease severity in coronary artery disease. Miller et al. (2008) did however,, find that positive predictive and negative predictive values of coronary CTA were 91% and 83% respectively and therefore suggested that coronary CTA should not be used in place of the more accurate conventional coronary angiography. A low positive predictive value (in relation to the prevalence of disease) was proposed to be due to a tendency to overestimate stenosis degree as well as the presence of artefacts leading to false positive interpretation (Achenbach & Raggi, 2010). Other research providing comparison between coronary CTA and conventional coronary angiogram has highlighted variability in results. A meta-analysis conducted by Gorenoi, Schonermark and Hagen (2012) investigated the diagnostic capabilities of coronary CTA and invasive coronary angiography using intracoronary pressure measurement as the reference standard. The authors found that CT coronary angiography had a greater sensitivity than invasive coronary angiography (80% vs 67%), meaning that coronary CTA was more likely to identify functionally relevant coronary artery stenoses in patients. Despite this,, specificity of coronary CTA was 67%, compared to 75% in invasive coronary angiography, meaning that the technique was less effective at correctly excluding non-diagnoses than invasive coronary angiogram. This research appears to contradict the power of cardiac CTA at excluding diagnoses of coronary artery stenosis as suggested by Miller et al. (2008), he study did combine evidence from over 44 studies to provide their results and therefore had a large statistical power. The authors interpret the results in light of the clinical relevance of cardiac imaging, suggesting that patients with a higher pretest possibility of coronary heart disease will likely require invasive coronary angiography for revascularisation indicating that coronary CTA may be a helpful technique in those patients with an intermediate pre-test probability of coronary heart disease that will therefore not require invasive angiography. Goldberg et al. (1986) investigated the efficacy of DSA in comparison to conventional coronary angiography in 77 patients. They found that the two angiograms agreed within one grade of severity in 84% of single cases and 90% of multiple cases, identifying both patent and lesioned arteries. The results led the authors to conclude that there was no significant difference between the two methods and that DSA could be used in selective coronary angiography to find results comparable to that of conventional angiography. In addition to being a small study into the efficacy of DSA, the study also had several sources of inherent variability that should be considered when interpreting the results. These included differing sizes of digital imaging screen and non-use of calipers, meaning that the interpretation of the images could vary throughout the study. The authors also suggest that whilst showing strong support for the use of DSA in coronary artery disease, the technique may not actually p ermit better prognostic determinations or clinical judgements that are better than conventional angiography, and therefore the further implementation of the techniques may not be founded or necessitated. More recently, there has been further research looking at the effectiveness of DSA as a way of measuring coronary blood flow. Whilst motion artefacts have proven a problem in lots of past research (Marinus, Buis & Benthem, 1990; Hangiandreou, 1990), recent research has developed methods to minimise these. Moilloi and colleaues (1996) showed that using a motion-immune dual-energy digital subtraction angiography, absolute volumetric coronary blood flow could be measured accurately and thus provide an indication of the severity of any arterial stenosis.This may provide further suggestion for clinical implementation of DSA. Although these studies provide evidence for the efficacy of cardiac DSA and CTA, they often make comparisons to conventional angiography. This is useful as a baseline comparison, however it is difficult to make comparisons between the two procedures directly due to less available evidence making direct comparisons. Lupon-Roses et al. (1985) conducted a study investigating both coronary CTA and venous DSA. The study looked at the efficacy of both techniques at diagnosing patency of coronary artery grafts compared to the control conventional angiography. CT was shown to diagnose 93% of the patent grafts and 67% of the occluded grafts whereas DSA correctly diagnosed 98% and 100% of patent and occluded grafts respectively. Interestingly, the DSA picked up the 11 grafts that were misdiagnosed by CTA and the CTA picked up the 2 grafts misdiagnosed by the DSA. This data may suggest that individually, DSA has a better profile for diagnosis of coronary artery occlusion, however if the two procedures are used in combination exclusion of patent arteries and diagnosis of occluded arteries would be effective (Lupon-Roses et al., 1985). Coronary DSA and CTA are both non-invasive procedures (unlike the conventional coronary angiography where a wire is placed in the coronary vasculature). With the only invasive part of the procedure being the injection of the contrast material into a vein. This presents a significant advantage to both procedures over that of conventional angiography, and may even permit investigation on an outpatient basis (Meaney et al., 1980). Similarly, both DSA and coronary CTA are favoured because of their intravenous approach, eliminating the risks of bleeding or arterial injury from an intra-arterial catheterization and being able to be used in those with limited arterial access. However, although the intravenous approach used in cardiac DSA makes it favourable, it does lead to difficulty with visualisation of the coronary arteries due to the overlying iodinated pulmonary and cardiac structures (Mancini & Higgins, 1985). Therefore,, intra-arterial DSA is also sometimes used (Yamamoto et al., 20 09). As with all CT scanning, coronary CTA carries with it a dose of ionizing radiation (Brenner & Hall, 2007). Studies have estimated that for diagnostic CT scanning, patients are on average exposed to 12mSv of radiation during the procedure, the equivalent of 600 x-rays (Hausleiter et al., 2009). Estimates of radiation doses associated with conventional coronary angiography are lower than that of coronary CTA at 7mSv (Einstein et al., 2007). Additionally, DSA technique reduces the radiation dose from that of conventional coronary angiography as the vessels are visualised more clearly (Yamamoto et al., 2008). The dangers of radiation exposure are increased risk of developing cancer, skin injuries and cateracts (Einstein et al., 2007). It is therefore important that the benefits of conducting the procedure greatly outweigh the risk of radiation exposure. CT calcium scanning provides a low radiation dose at around 1mSv (Hunold et al., 2003). Cardiac CT calcium scanning does not require administration of a contrast agent, unlike in coronary CTA and DSA that use iodine based contrast agents. The risks associated with contrast agent include nephrotoxicity and risks of hives, allergic reactions and anaphylaxis (Maddox, 2002). The amount of contrast agent used is partly dependent on the length of the procedure and how clearly the arteries can be visualised. For this reason, both cardiac CTA and DSA use less contrast agent that conventional coronary angiography (Brant-Zawadzki, et al., 1983). CT calcium scanning of the coronary arteries is therefore recommended in those with less likelihood of coronary artery disease (NICE, 2010). Both coronary CTA and DSA require interpretation by trained physicians, and the importance of training and achieving intra-rater reliability should not be underestimated (Pugliese et al., 2009). Conclusion Overall, both coronary CT and DSA have been demonstrated as effective procedures for the imaging of the coronary arteries in CAD (Achenbach & Raggi, 2010; Miller et al., 2008; Moilloi et al., 1996; Goldberg et al., 1986). Whilst cardiac CT scanning does provide a wider range of clinical applications, allowing assessment of perfusion as well as cardiac structure and function (Achenbach & Raggi, 2010), coronary DSA has many applications that allow assessment of coronary blood flow (Molloi et al., 1996; Katritsis et al, 1988; Booth, Nissen & DeMaria, 1985; Guthaner, Wexler & Bradley, 1985; Myerowitz, Swanson, & Turnipseed, 198). Both cardiac DSA and CTA procedures have their advantages. As non-invasive procedures, these techniques pose less risk to patients, and enable the possibility of outpatient investigation, to be used to rule out diagnoses and to avoid inappropriate invasive coronary angiogram (Gorenori et al., 2012). Additionally, intravenous access is preferential to arterial cannulation for the contrast infusion, removing the risks associated with bleeding or intra-arterial injury. Cardiac DSA exposes the patient to a lower dose of radiation that coronary CTA (Hausleiter et al., 2009; Yamamoto et al., 2008; Einstein et al., 2007), which is beneficial at reducing the risk of genetic mutations and cancer. Cardiac CTA and DSA also have their common disadvantages. The use of contrast agent may present side effects for the patient including kidney damage and risk of allergic reactions and anaphylaxis (Maddox, 2002). For this reason, calcium CT scanning can be useful in patients that are not at high likelihood of coronary artery disease (NICE, 2010b). Additionally, both cardiac DSA and CTA are subject to motion artefacts from respiration and heart beats, which can cause difficulties with interpretation (Achenbach & Raggi, 2010; Yamamoto et al., 2009). In the case of cardiac CTA, this excludes a subset of patients that are unable to follow commands and those who have high heart rates. Overall, cardiac CTA and cardiac DSA are effective, non-invasive imaging techniques for assessment of coronary artery disease. Whilst they are not the gold standards in cardiac monitoring, they can provide important diagnostic information without exposing patients to the risks of invasive angiography. Due to this, their use should be weighted against clinical need, the risks of the procedures, and the suitability of the patient. Interpretation of cardiac CTA and DSA imaging should be by trained individuals. References Achenbach, S., & Raggi, P. (2010) Imaging of coronary atherosclerosis by computed tomography. European Heart Journal. 31:1442 Arad, Y., Spadaro, L. A., Goodman, K., Newstein, D., & Guerci, A. D. (2000). Prediction of coronary events with electron beam computed tomography.Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 36(4), 1253-1260. Booth, D. C., Nissen, S., & DeMaria, A. N. (1985). Assessment of the severity of valvular regurgitation by digital subtraction angiography compared to cineangiography. American heart journal, 110(2), 409-416. Brenner D. J., & Hall EJ. Computed tomography: an increasing source of radiation exposure. N Engl J Med. 2007;357(22):2277-2284 Budoff, M. J., McClelland, R. L., Nasir, K., Greenland, P., Kronmal, R. A., Kondos, G. T., †¦ & Blumenthal, R. S. (2009). Cardiovascular events with absent or minimal coronary calcification: the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA). American heart journal, 158(4), 554-561. Bugiardini, R., Manfrini, O., Pizzi, C., Fontana, F., & Morgagni, G. (2004). Endothelial function predicts future development of coronary artery disease a study of women with chest pain and normal coronary angiograms.Circulation, 109(21), 2518-2523. Burke, A. P., Virmani, R., Galis, Z., Haudenschild, C. C., & Muller, J. E. (2003). Task force# 2—what is the pathologic basis for new atherosclerosis imaging techniques?. Journal of the American College of Cardiology,41(11), 1874-1886. Einstein, A. J., Moser, K. W., Thompson, R. C., Cerqueira, M. D., & Henzlova, M. J. (2007). Radiation dose to patients from cardiac diagnostic imaging.Circulation, 116(11), 1290-1305. Goldberg HL, Moses JW, Fisher J, Tamari I, Borer JS (1986). Diagnostic accuracy of coronary angiography utilizing computer-based digital subtraction methods; Comparison to conventional cineangiography. Chest 90, 793–797, Gorenoi, V., Schonermark, M. P., & Hagen, A. (2012). CT coronary angiography vs. invasive coronary angiography in CHD. GMS health technology assessment, 8, Doc02-Doc02.. Guthaner, D. F., Wexler, L., & Bradley, B. (1985). Digital subtraction angiography of coronary grafts: optimization of technique. American journal of roentgenology, 145(6), 1185-1190. Hacker, M., Jakobs, T., Hack, N., Nikolaou, K., Becker, C., von Ziegler, F., †¦ & Tiling, R. (2007). Sixty-four slice spiral CT angiography does not predict the functional relevance of coronary artery stenoses in patients with stable angina. European journal of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging,34(1), 4-10. Hangiandreou N. J. (1990) Coronary Blood Flow Measurement Using Digital Subtraction Angiography and First Pass Distribution Analysis. Madison, Wis: University of Wisconsin-Madison; Thesis. Hasegawa, B. (1987). Physics of Medical X-Ray Imaging 2nd Edition. Medical Physics Publishing Corporation. Hausleiter, J., Meyer, T., Hermann, F., Hadamitzky, M., Krebs, M., Gerber, T. C., †¦ & Achenbach, S. (2009). Estimated radiation dose associated with cardiac CT angiography. Jama, 301(5), 500-507. Herzig, R., Burval, S., Krupka, B., Vlachova, I., Urbanek, K., & Mares, J. (2004). Comparison of ultrasonography, CT angiography, and digital subtraction angiography in severe carotid stenoses. European Journal of Neurology, 11(11), 774-781. Brant-Zawadzki, M., Gould, R., Norman, D., Newton, T. H., & Lane, B. (1983). Digital subtraction cerebral angiography by intraarterial injection: comparison with conventional angiography. American Journal of Roentgenology, 140(2), 347-353. Hoffmann, U., Brady, T.J., & Muller, J. (2003). Cardiology patient page. Use of new imaging techniques to screen for coronary artery disease. Circulation 108 (8): e50–3. Hunold, P., Vogt, F. M., Schmermund, A., Debatin, J. F., Kerkhoff, G., Budde, T., †¦ & Barkhausen, J. (2003). Radiation Exposure during Cardiac CT: Effective Doses at Multi–Detector Row CT and Electron-Beam CT 1.Radiology, 226(1), 145-152. Katritsis, D., Lythall, D.A., Cooper, I.C., Crowther, A., & Webb-Peploe, M.M. (1988) Assessment, of coronary angioplasty: Comparison of visual assessment, hand?held caliper measurement and automated digital quantitation. Catheterization and cardiovascular diagnosis, 15(4), 237-242. Kaufmann, P. A., Gnecchi-Ruscone, T., Schafers, K. P., Luscher, T. F., & Camici, P. G. (2000). Low density lipoprotein cholesterol and coronary microvascular dysfunction in hypercholesterolemia. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 36(1), 103-109. Liu, J. L. Y., Maniadakis, N., Gray, A., & Rayner, M. (2002). The economic burden of coronary heart disease in the UK. Heart, 88(6), 597-603. Lupon-Roses, J., Domingo, E., Marinez-Vazquez, J. M., Lopez-Moreno, J. L., Montana, J., Permanyer-Miralda, G., †¦ & Soler-Soler, J. (1985). Direct non-invasive techniques for assessing coronary bypass graft patency. The International Journal of Cardiac Imaging, 1(3), 181-188. Maddox, T. G. (2002). Adverse reactions to contrast material: recognition, prevention, and treatment. American family physician, 66(7), 1229. Mancini, J. G. B., & Higgins, C. B. (1985). Digital subtraction angiography: a review of cardiac applications. Progress in cardiovascular diseases, 28(2), 111-141. Marinus, H., Buis, B., & Van Benthem, A. (1990) Pulsatile coronary flow determination by digital angiography. International Journal of Cardiac Imaging, 5, 173-182 McClure, K. H., McGivern, J. P., Stultz, M. R., & Whitehurst, T. K. (2009). U.S. Patent No. 7,481,759. Washington, DC: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Meaney, T. F., Weinstein, M. A., Buonocore, E., Pavlicek, W., Borkowski, G. P., Gallagher, J. H., †¦ & Maclntyre, W. J. (1980, August). Digital subtraction angiography of the human cardiovascular system. 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Thursday, August 15, 2019

Maths

GCSE Mathematics Specimen Papers and Mark Schemes For first teaching from September 2010 For first examination in Summer 2011 For first award in Summer 2012 Subject Code: 2210 Foreword The awarding bodies have prepared new specifications to comply with revised GCSE criteria. The specimen examination papers accompanying new specifications are provided to give centres guidance on the structure and character of the planned examinations in advance of the first examination.It is intended that the specimen papers and mark schemes contained in this booklet will help teachers and students to understand, as fully as possible, the markers’ expectations of candidates’ responses to the types of questions set at GCSE level. These specimen papers and mark schemes should be used in conjunction with CCEA’s GCSE Mathematics specification. GCSE Mathematics Specimen Papers and Mark Schemes Contents Specimen Papers Unit T1 Mathematics (Foundation Tier) Unit T2 Mathematics (Foundatio n Tier) Unit T3 Mathematics (Higher Tier) Unit T4 Mathematics (Higher Tier) Unit T5 Mathematics (Foundation Tier) Paper 1Unit T5 Mathematics (Foundation Tier) Paper 2 Unit T6 Mathematics (Higher Tier) Paper 1 Unit T6 Mathematics (Higher Tier) Paper 2 1 3 23 43 63 83 93 107 121 Mark Schemes General Marking Instructions Unit T1 Mathematics (Foundation Tier) Unit T2 Mathematics (Foundation Tier) Unit T3 Mathematics (Higher Tier) Unit T4 Mathematics (Higher Tier) Unit T5 Mathematics (Foundation Tier) Paper 1 Unit T5 Mathematics (Foundation Tier) Paper 2 Unit T6 Mathematics (Higher Tier) Paper 1 Unit T6 Mathematics (Higher Tier) Paper 2 133 135 137 143 149 157 163 167 171 175 Subject Code QAN 2210 500/7925/6A CCEA Publication  © 2010 You may download further copies of this publication from www. ccea. org. uk SPECIMEN PAPERS DIVIDER PAPER FRONT 1 SPECIMEN PAPERS DIVIDER PAPER BACK 2 Centre Number 71 Candidate Number General Certificate of Secondary Education 2011 Mathematics For Examine r’s use only Question Marks Number Unit T1 (With calculator) Foundation Tier [CODE] SPECIMEN EXAMINATION PAPER TIME 1 hour 30 minutes INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES Write your Centre Number and Candidate Number in the spaces provided at the top of this page. Write your answers in the spaces provided in this question paper.Answer all twenty five questions. Any working should be clearly shown in the spaces provided since marks may be awarded for partially correct solutions. You may use a calculator for this paper. INFORMATION FOR CANDIDATES The total mark for this paper is 100. Figures in brackets printed down the right-hand side of pages indicate the marks awarded to each question or part question. Functional elements will be assessed in this paper. Quality of written communication will be assessed in questions 6 and 23. You should have a calculator, ruler, compasses and a protractor.The formula sheet is overleaf. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 T otal Marks 3 Foundation Tier Formulae Sheet Area of trapezium = 1 (a + b)h 2 Volume of prism = area of cross section ? length 4 Answer all questions 1 (a) Write 80% as a decimal Answer _____________ [1] Answer ___________ % [1] Answer_____________________ [1] Answer_____________ [1] Answer_____________ [1] (b) Write 0. 35 as a percentage (c) Write 48 million in figures (d) 5729 people attended a football match. Write the number 5729 to (i) the nearest 10 (ii) the nearest 100 2 (a)Find the next 2 terms in the sequence and explain the rule you used: 6, 11, 16, 21, _____, ______ Rule _________________________________________________ [3] (b) Find the next term in the sequence 0. 2, 0. 4, 0. 8, 1. 6, _______ [1] 5 3 The diagram shows a tiled patio in the shape of a rectangle 3 by 16, covered with 48 square tiles. Write down the length and width of 2 other possible rectangles which can be covered with 48 of these square tiles. Answer__________ by__________ __________ by__________ 4 [1] [1 ] Michael recorded the colours of cars in the school car park in a tally chart. ColourTally Frequency Red |||| 4 Blue || 2 Yellow ||| Black |||| || White |||| |||| Silver |||| Green |||| (a) Complete the frequency column. [1] (b) On the grid opposite, draw a frequency diagram to show this information. [3] 6 (c) What is the most popular colour of car in the car park? Answer_________________ (d) [1] Using the frequency table, write down the fraction of the total cars which are yellow. Answer_________________ 7 [1] 5 (a) (i) Shade the major segment in the circle below [1] (ii) (b) PQ is called a _________________ of the circle. (i) Shade the minor sector in the circle below. 1] [1] (ii) OS is called a _______________ of the circle. 8 [1] 6 The table below shows the percentage of pupils at a High School who obtained a grade C or better in GCSE Mathematics during the past five years. Year % of pupils (a) 2004 75 2005 78 2006 82 2007 84 2008 90 Which year showed the smallest improvement? Answer______________ (b) [1] Your quality of written communication will be assessed in this question The school wants to show this information using a statistical diagram. Which type of diagram would you use? Answer__________________________ [1] Give a reason for your answer. _______________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ 7 [2] Here is a list of numbers 25 27 32 35 8 21 9 (a) From the list write down those numbers which are (i) multiples of 5 Answer____________ (ii) [1] Answer____________ [1] factors of 54 9 (b) From the list of numbers (i) calculate the mean Answer_____________ Answer_____________ (ii) 8 [2] [2] find the median In a mid season sale a clothing shop has 20% off all its items. Clare bought a dress which originally cost ? 50 and a hat which originally cost ? 25 (a)How much did she save in the sale? Answer ? _____________ Answer ? _____________ (b) 9 [2] [1] Answer_____________ [2] What wa s her total bill? Simplify 5p ? 2r ? 3p + 5r 10 10 (a) Jo bought 6 roses at 67p each. What change did she get from a ? 5 note? Answer ? _____________ (b) Five kilograms of potatoes and two kilograms of onions cost ? 4. 10 in total. The potatoes cost 62p per kilogram. How much would it cost in total to buy one kilogram of potatoes and one kilogram of onions? Answer ? _____________ 11 [2] [4] The brick shown below is in the form of a cuboid, measuring 6. 4 metres by 3. metres by 2. 6 metres. Calculate the volume of the brick. Answer_____________ 11 [3] 12 Calculate (a) the square root of 1. 44 Answer_____________ Answer_____________ (e) 13 [2] Answer_____________ (d) [1] Answer_____________ (c) [1] Answer_____________ (b) [1] [2] the cube of 2. 8 2. 32 ? 1. 69 3 of 125 5 5. 62 ? 3. 4 The table below gives the maximum and minimum temperatures of six different cities in Europe in March. City Belfast Minimum 2 ° C Dublin ?1 ° C 9 ° C London 4 ° C 16 ° C Edinburgh 0 ° C 11 ° C Barcelona 10 ° C 19 ° C 8 ° C 20 ° C Paris (a) Maximum 10 ° C Which minimum temperature was the lowest?Answer____________________ ° C 12 [1] (b) In two of these cities the temperatures had increased from minimum to maximum by 12 ° C. Write down the names of these two cities. Answer____________________ and ____________________ [2] What is the difference in minimum temperature between Dublin and Paris? (c) Answer_____________ ° C 14 [1] Answer_______________ [1] Answer_____________ % [1] Answer_____________ % [1] Results of a Year 12 Physics test 9 8 7 6 5 4 2 0 2 7 4 6 Key 5 4 (a) 5 1 5 8 6 7 6 8 9 7 9 8 9 9 means 54% How many pupils sat the Physics test? (b) What is the modal percentage mark? c) What is the range of percentage marks? 13 15 The diagram shows the plan for a rectangular garden. Calculate (a) the area of the garden Answer____________m2 [2] Answer____________m2 [2] (b) the area of the plot for the trees A border needs to be dug around the perimeter of the garden. (c) Calculate the perimeter of the garden. Answer____________m 14 [2] 16 The diagram shows a pizza which has been divided into 8 equal parts. The shaded parts are eaten. (a) Write down, as a fraction in its lowest terms, the fraction that is eaten. Answer_____________ Answer___________ % (b) 17 [2] [1]What percentage is left uneaten? Which fractions from the list given below are not equivalent to 2 ? 3 8 10 16 4 12 , , ,, 12 15 28 6 16 Answer_____________ 15 [2] 18 In a survey 300 men were asked which sport they liked best. The pie-chart below shows the results. (a) Measure the angle which represents Basketball. Answer_____________? (b) [1] What fraction of men chose Rugby as their favourite sport? Answer_____________ (c) [1] Answer_____________ [2] How many men chose Hurling as their favourite sport? 16 19 (a) Expand 3(x + 1) Answer______________ [2] Answer_____________ [2] (b) Solve 2y + 3 = 19 0 In the diagram the point P (? 4, 4) has been plotted. (a) Plot the follow ing points on the diagram, labelling clearly Q (? 2, ? 3), R (5, ? 3) and S (3, 4) [3] (b) Join up the points in order and name the quadrilateral formed. Answer____________________ 17 [1] 21 (Diagram not drawn accurately) Calculate (a) x x = ___________? [1] y = ___________? [1] (b) y 22 Draw the net of the matchbox tray (no lid) shown in the diagram, which has base 5cm by 3cm and height 2cm, on the square grid provided. [3] 18 23 Your quality of written communication will be assessed in this question Fred has just won ? 00. 1 1 of it to his son, James. He has promised of it to his daughter, Kathy and 5 4 How much will he have left after he gives Kathy and James their shares? Show clearly each step of your working out. Answer ? _____________ 19 [4] 24 The positions of two towns A and B are shown on the grid. (a) A third town C is 3km east and 2km north of A. Using a scale of 1cm = 0. 5km, show the position of C. (b) [2] How far is C from A? Answer_____________km 20 [3] 25 The follow ing information shows how Sinead spends her time on a Saturday. Activity Cleaning Watching TV Number of hours 2 Using Shopping he Exercising Internet 5 4 3 2 Sleeping 8 Draw a pie chart to illustrate this data. [4] 21 ___________________________________________ THIS IS THE END OF THE QUESTION PAPER ___________________________________________ 22 Centre Number 71 Candidate Number General Certificate of Secondary Education 2011 Mathematics Unit T2 (With calculator) Foundation Tier [CODE] SPECIMEN EXAMINATION PAPER TIME 1 hour 30 minutes INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES Write your Centre Number and Candidate Number in the spaces provided at the top of this page. Write your answers in the spaces provided in the question paper.Answer all twenty three questions. Any working should be clearly shown in the spaces provided since marks may be awarded for partially correct solutions. You may use a calculator for this paper. INFORMATION FOR CANDIDATES The total mark for this paper is 100. Figures in b rackets printed down the right-hand side of pages indicate the marks awarded to each question or part question. Functional Elements will be assessed in this paper. Quality of written communication will be assessed in questions 5 and 17. You should have a calculator, ruler, compasses and protractor. The formula sheet is overleaf.For Examiner’s use only Question Marks Number 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 Total Marks 23 Foundation Tier Formulae Sheet Area of trapezium = 1 (a + b)h 2 Volume of prism = area of cross section ? length 24 Answer all questions 1 Five kilograms of potatoes and two kilograms of onions cost ? 4. 10 in total. The potatoes cost 62p per kilogram. How much would it cost in total to buy one kilogram of potatoes and one kilogram of onions? Answer ? _____________ 2 Answer_____________ (a) [4] [2] Answer_____________ [2] Simplify 5p ? 2r ? 3p + 5r (b) Expand ?2(2y ? 3) 25 3 Calculate a) the cube of 2. 8 Answer______________ Answer__ ____________ (b) (c) [1] [1] Answer______________ [2] 2. 32 + 1. 69 5. 62 ? 3. 4 26 4 Results of a Year 12 Physics test 9 8 7 6 5 4 2 0 2 7 4 6 Key 5 4 (a) 5 1 5 8 6 7 6 8 9 7 9 8 9 9 means 54% How many pupils sat the Physics test? Answer_____________ (b) [1] What is the modal percentage mark? Answer___________% Answer___________% (c) 5 [1] [1] What is the range of percentage marks? Quality of written communication will be assessed in this question Fred has just won ? 900 1 1 He has promised of it to his daughter Kathy, and of it to his son James. 4 How much will he have left after he gives Kathy and James their shares? Show clearly each step of your working out. Answer ? ______________ 27 [4] 6 The positions of two towns A and B are shown on the grid. (a) A third town C is on a bearing of 120? from B and at a distance of 2. 5 km from B. Using a scale of 1 cm = 0. 5km, show the position of C. [3] (b) How far is C from A? Answer _____________ km [2] 28 7 The following information sho ws how Sinead spends her time on a Saturday. Activity Cleaning Watching TV Shopping Number of hours 2 5 4 Using the Exercising Internet 3 2 Sleeping 8Draw a pie chart to illustrate this data. [4] 8 Solve (a) x = 15 4 Answer x = _____________ (b) [1] Answer y = _____________ [2] 6y ? 2 = 13 29 9 Write down the next two numbers in the sequence 11, 10, 8, 5, ____, _____ Answer________, _________ 10 [2] In the diagram the volume of the cuboid is 48cm3. It holds exactly 48 sugar cubes each 1cm by 1cm by 1cm. The length of the cuboid is 4cm and the breadth is 3cm. (a) What is the height of the cuboid? Answer_____________ (b) Write down the dimensions of another cuboid that the 48 cubes could fit into exactly. Answer______cm by______cm by______cm 1 (a) [3] Find the value of [1] 3. 8 ? 6. 2 giving your answer correct to 1 decimal place. 9. 1 ? 2. 7 Answer_____________ 30 [2] (b) A plasma TV has a marked price of ? 790 In a sale its price is reduced by 15% What is the sale price of the TV? A nswer ? _____________ (c) [3] Mary’s family drink 3 cartons of orange juice in 5 days. How many cartons would Mary need to buy to last a full week? Answer _____________cartons 12 [3] Write down an expression for the total cost of x bars of chocolate at 35p each and y bottles of water at 50p each. Answer_______________________ 31 [2] 13Draw the graph of y = 4x–3 on the grid below. [3] 14 (Diagram not drawn accurately) The quadrilateral shown has angles x, 79? , 3x, and 97? Work out the value of x Answer x = _________________o 32 [4] 15 (a) (Diagram not drawn accurately) In the triangle ABC shown above BC = 8. 5 cm and AX = 6. 4 cm. Calculate the area of the triangle ABC. Answer___________________cm2 [2] (b) (Diagram not drawn accurately) ABCDE is a regular pentagon, with O as its centre. Calculate the size of angle AOB. Answer Angle AOB = _____________? 33 [2] 16 Find the area of a circle with a diameter of 3 metres.Take ? = 3. 14 Answer___________________m2 17 (a) [2] The speeds, in miles per hour, of the cars passing the gates of a primary school during lunch hour are recorded in the table below. Speed (mph) No. of cars 0–5 2 6–10 5 11–15 34 16–20 61 21–25 29 26–30 4 Represent this information using a bar chart. [3] 34 (b) Which is the modal class interval? Answer________________ (c) [1] Your quality of written communication will be assessed in this question Katy wants to know how many times a month, on average, the people in her town go to the cinema. She asks 200 people in her school.Explain why Katy’s sample may not be representative of the people in her town. _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ 35 [2] 18 (a) Write 72 as a product of prime factors Answer______________ (b) [2] Find the lowest common multiple (LCM) of 72 and 108 Answer______________ Answer______________ (c) 19 [2] [2] Find the highest comm on factor (HCF) of 72 and 108 Susan puts ? 1700 in her bank account at 4. 2% simple interest each year. Calculate the total amount in her bank account after 3 years. Answer ? ________________ 36 [3] 0 (a) Expand and simplify 4(2 – 3x) + 3(x + 4) Answer________________ Answer________________ [2] Answer x =________________ (b) [2] [3] Answer________________ [2] Expand x ( x 2 – 6) (c) Solve for x 7x + 18 = 2(x – 6) 21 (a) ? A regular polygon has an exterior angle of 18 Find the number of sides in the polygon. 37 (b) The diagram shows a play tent in the shape of a triangular prism. Calculate the volume of the tent. Answer_____________________cm3 38 [6] 22 A teacher recorded the number of hours 50 students used the internet over a 7 day period. The information is shown in the table below. Number of Hours 0? h