Deppression in older adults(community) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Deppression in older adults(community) - Essay Example This depression is not only painful for the person who experiences it, but also for the people existing in surroundings of this person. Gone is the time when treatment of this disease was unavailable, now the complete treatment and cure of the disease is accessible throughout the world. Many types of depression can affect the health of older adults. This mental illness changes the way the old people used to perceive feelings about their own selves and about their environment. This depression can affect the person in every walk of life, for minute aspects to the major ones. It induces the negative impacts not only in personal life of the old people but it also influence social, and office lives, as well to a great extent. Depression unlike mood disorders is a permanent feeling that just only gets worse if it goes untreated even for the life of the patient. There is no particular theory about the development of depression however; there are certain factors that can maximize the effects of depression. Researchers (Miller, pp. 11-13) showed that depression is a medical illness that is the effect of certain variations and instability in the chemistry of brain, these brain chemical agents known as neurotransmitters do help in regulation and controlling of moods. One of the most significant types of depression that occurs in older adults is the major depressive disorder. Studies have indicated that every one or two person out of the older adults having age of 65 above suffer from major depressive disorder. It may be possible that the older adults have the first attack of depression in their youth and then it returns back in the older age with greater intensity. There are two major symptoms of this kind of depression; one is the distressed moods and feelings for periods as long as two weeks and the other is the lacking or losing of interest or concern in

Diagnosing And Monitoring Of Thrombocytopenia Biology Essay

Diagnosing And Monitoring Of Thrombocytopenia Biology Essay Thrombocytopenia is a haematological condition marked by a decrease in platelet number in peripheral blood (5). To identify the source, it is important to understand the mechanism of platelet formation and its pathophysiology. 1.1.1 Role of platelets Platelets were first described in the 19th century as dust of blood(44, 45). Over the last 100 years, there have been many advances in understanding the role of platelets. These cells have a diameter of 2-3mm and have been identified as playing a crucial role in repairing of damaged blood vessels, in response to injury; achieved via a clotting mechanism and the involvement of various clotting factors (1). It is a continuous cascade, where one factor activates the next with the end product being a fibrin clot. Formation of the clot prevents blood loss, maintaining cell concentration within vessels. Under normal conditions, 11011 platelets are released from the bone marrow into circulation, which helps provide the balance between formation and sequestration (43). Larger platelets are considered to be more reactive and efficient at performing their role than mature platelets (11). During vascular damage, there is increased activity from cytokines, transcription and growth factors to res tore the balance, as more than 20-fold rise in cells are released into blood (45). 1.1.2 Thrombopoiesis Thrombopoiesis is the process of platelet formation, occurring in the bone marrow. The mature cells have a life span of 10 days and make up 5litres of the total blood volume; one third of which is found in the spleen due to platelet senescence (43). Thrombopoiesis consists of a negative feedback mechanism, regulated by the glycoprotein thrombopoietin (TPO) (43). TPO was named after erythropoietin in 1950, after being shown to have inducing capabilities in a study performed on rats with bleeding disorders (43). In the last decade, a greater understanding of the growth factor has been achieved (41). Its association with the cellular oncogene; cellular myeloproliferative leukaemia (c-Mpl) found on the surface of megarkaryocytes and platelets has been identified (40). TPO has a high affinity for c-Mpl (43). Research carried out in mice in 19__ showed 15% of patients with thrombocytopenia had a defect in TPO or c-Mpl (41,[2,3]). It was suspected to have a role in the differentiation of megakaryocytes to platelets (41). Megakaryocytes are immature platelets derived from haematopoietic stem cells, via megakaryopoeisis, with the help of various cytokines (Figure 1) (45). They are larger than platelets, consisting of organelles, granules and soluble macromolecules bound within a cell membrane (45). As seen in the diagram, megarkaryocyte organelles are fragmented to form proplatelets (45). These are long and thin cells, with hallmark features, consisting of swollen tips, which constitute the cell organelles and granules (45). The shape is made up of overlapping microtubules (45). The cell content is further phagocytosed by macrophages prior to entering peripheral circulation (45). The formation of proplatelets are dependent on environmental factors, for example during inflammation, synthesis is increased due to the rapid consumption of platelets (41). TPO proliferate megakaryocytic activity by stimulating stem cells to enter the G0 phase of the cell cycle (1). Its involvement does not stop at platelets, as it also stimulates activity of other stem lines. This shows that TPO is of great importance in the formation of the blood cells. 1.1.3 Pathophysiology of thrombocytopenia The cause of thrombocytopenia is of great importance to clinicians. To establish the correct treatment of patients, it is important to identify the source of the condition and its pathophysiology (17). There are many causes of thrombocytopenia; 2 of the main mechanisms include: Hypoproduction of platelets Hyperdestruction of platelets Hypoproduction Decrease in platelet production is associated with suppression of thrombopoiesis, resulting in megakaryocyte hypoplasia within the bone marrow (50). There are several factors, which may contribute e.g. exposure to radioactive substances, such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy (50). A defect in the stem line can be due to haematological malignancies, such as acute leukaemia, aplastic anaemia, myelodysplastic syndrome and multiple myeloma. In the hypoproduction of platelets, there is a decrease in all progenitor cells of platelets, thus an increase in plasma TPO and a decrease in immature platelets seen in blood Hyperdestruction An increase in destruction of platelets in peripheral blood may be due to sequestration of platelets by the spleen, via reticuloendothelial system (22). To compensate for the loss of platelets, the bone marrow releases immature platelets into circulation, indicating normal megakaryocytic activity (5). Hyperdestruction conditions can be further classified into immunological causes, such as idiopathic thrombocytopenia purpura (ITP) and non-immunological causes, e.g. disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) (23, 34). ITP continuing for periods longer than one year is known as chronic ITP (7). The condition is characterised by mucocataneous bleeding and a decrease in platelet count, often associated with the humoral cell-mediated mechanism (7). It is proposed that the complement pathway mediated by anti-platelet antibodies, may be a contributing factor (7). 1.1.4 Treatment of thrombocytopenia The severity of the abnormality varies from chronic to acute and is commonly associated with bleeding (10). Therefore the treatment of thrombocytopenia is dependent on the progression of the symptoms. There are many management schemes available to patients with this condition, one being TPO drug therapy, such as Electrombopag and AM G531 (45). The molecules of TPO bind to c-Mpl receptors, stimulating megakaryopoiesis (45). In many cases, there is a dramatic decrease in platelet count, resulting in excessive abnormal bleeding. The loss of whole blood is likely to be managed with red cell transfusion followed by other blood products. Due to the cause being thrombocytopenia, the patient is likely to need platelet transfusion. National blood transfusion guidelines state the platelet threshold as 20109/l (___). This would be decided by clinicians and consultants. 1.2 Historical Review 1.2.1 History of Platelets It wasnt until 1962 that platelet function was truly understood (44). Platelets named by Bizzozero was first detected in the mid 19th Century by Max Schulitz (44,45). They were noted as being the smallest blood cells, equivalent to 1/10 of erythrocytes (44). Following on from this theory, Bizzozero in 1882 studies these cells in vivo, using microscopy and detected platelets to consist of adhesion qualities, which was significant during vascular damage (45[2,3]). It was later suspected to play a role in thrombosis (44). 1.2.2 History of reticulated platelets Reticulated platelets were first observed in 1969 in peripheral blood of dogs, following acute blood loss. Ingram and Cooper-Smith (1969) used methylene blue to stain the RNA of cells, based on which a count was achieved (13). They were microscopically shown to be more reactive than mature platelets and have resemblance with reticulocytes, thus was named reticulated platelets (13, 18). Further investigation showed reticulated platelets to be RNA containing immature platelets derived from megakaryocytes, in the bone marrow (4,10). Similarly, Boayse and Rafelson observed the same platelet characteristics in humans, which then lead to opportunities for greater research into the area (35). By 1970, megakaryocytic progenitor cells could be detected, followed by the identification of growth factors responsible for differentiation of stem cells in 1980 and 1990 (45). To date, several discoveries have been concluded, which has lead to a better understanding of the mechanism. This has resulte d in advances in the diagnosis of thrombocytopenia. Based on reticulocyte analysis, Kienast and Schmitz introduced a fluorescent dye; thiazole orange to stain the nucleic acid, using flow cytometry (24). 1.2.3 History of thrombocytopenia The clinical symptoms of epitaxis and pupura were first classified with thrombocytopenia by Brohm, Kraus and Denys in 1883 (56). Later in the year, Kaznelson associated thrombocytopenia with a destruction of platelets (55). By 1946, increase numbers of megakaryocytes were seen in the bone marrow of patients with low platelets, forming the basis of idiopathic thrombocytopenia purpura (ITP) repectively (56). 1.2.4 Diagnosis In 1953, Brecher et al developed the first manual phase microscopy (55). Using counting chambers, platelets could easily be identified from red cells and counted (55). This method was soon replaced in 1950 by the Coulter principle, followed by automation in 1970 (55). Since then, there has been a vast improvement in the counting of platelets. The discovery of the light microscopy has also helped in achieving this and is still used in diagnosing thrombocytopenia to date. However, in the last decade, Sysmex have designed new upgraded software, designed for Sysmex XE2100 and XE5000 analysers. It has adopted the flow cytometry technique discovered by Kienasr and Schmitz, where reticulated platelets can be measured, in the form of immature platelet fraction (IPF) (11). 1.3 Discussion 1.3.1 Diagnosis of thrombocytopenia Preliminary studies consisted of platelet counts to be achieved microscopically (44). It wasnt until 1962 that platelet function was truly understood (44). A great deal of time and research has resulted in implementation of various specialised tests. Current diagnostic methods Thrombocytopenia can be an incidental laboratory finding or suspected from clinical feature presented by patients (40). Characteristics seen include bruising, purpura and bleeding. The bleeding condition may progress to severe forms (27). Therefore, the importance of diagnosis cannot be emphasised enough. Screening consists of full blood count marked with a decrease in platelet count followed by morphology examination for confirmation of results. On many occasions, larger megakaryocytes are released in peripheral, which may be visible by microscopy. Currently, a bone marrow examination is the gold standard method for detecting autoimmune thrombocytopenia (5). It investigates megakaryopoietic activity, where a hypoplastic image indicates decreased production (17). A bone marrow aspirate is not desired by patients, as it is an invasive and uncomfortable procedure. The method is vulnerable to sampling errors and examination can be subjective (22) There is limited specialised testing ava ilable to achieve this information, thus is crucial, especially in chronic thrombocytopenia, where 30% of cases are due to immune reaction or cytokine associated (45). Another crucial test includes plasma TPO levels. This is carried out by ELISA (Enzyme-Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay), using anti-TPO monoclonal antibody against recombinant TPO (50). This technique is expensive and time-consuming (2). Plasma TPO concentration have are reported to increase in hypoproduction conditions and normal in ITP (22) Plasma Glycocalicin (GC) levels can also be examined. It is a hydrophilic fragment made up of carbohydrates, which forms part of the ÃŽÂ ±-subunit of the platelet glycoprotein membrane (22). Low levels have been suspected in thrombocytopenia due to decreased production, and elevated in ITP (22). Thrombopoiesis is cytokine-mediated; therefore it would be useful to determine the expression of c-Mpl, as mutations in the gene have been identified in conditions such as congenital amegakaryocytic thrombocytopenia (50). This may be achieved by proteomic assays. Immature platelet fraction (IPF): the future diagnostic tool Over the past years, there have been several advances in detection of reticulated platelet. After years of research, Sysmex have introduced an automated flow cytometric method on the XE2100 and XE5000 analysers (11). It uses upgraded software to calculate an accurate measure of immature platelet fraction (IPF). The cells obtained from the peripheral sample is stained using fluorescence dyes and passed through a semi-conductor diode beam, where approximately 30,000 cells are counted and displayed on the basis of cell size and RNA content (12). The data is converted into a graph, showing the RNA content and cell size as forwards scatter and side scatter (figure 2)(12). Many authors have commented on the positivity of the technique in the diagnosis and management of patients (3). IPF was shown to be increase in ITP patient of a study performed by (5). 46 AITP patients had a median IPF of 17.4%, signifying the probable increase in megakaryocytic activity occurring in the bone marrow (5). Abe et al. (2006) conducted a similar study comparing healthy volunteers with patients diagnosed with thrombocytopenia (17). It was proposed that patients with ITP have a significantly increased IPF (17). This was agreed by (3,[8]), as ITP cases with platelet count >50 was observed to have an increase in numbers varying from 2.3-52.1%, and patients with A similar trend was observed in DIC patients by _____(16). Comparably, a positive correlation with D-Dimer was noted, whereas the data was inversely proportional to platelet count (16). DIC is commonly associated with a decrease in platelets, due to the intravascular formation of clots (16). In response, the bone marrow releases immature platelets into circulation, increasing the count (16). A study which compared hypoproduction and hyperdestruction of platelets showed a significant deferent between the groups (34). The mean IPF in subjects with decreased production was 7.5%, whereas in-patient with ITP and DIC, the mean IPF was 30.0% (34). This is evident that IPF can be used as a marker to distinguish between hypoproduction and hyperdestruction of platelets (34). Thrombocytopenia can be seen in patients with HIV, as they are most probably immune-compressed, thus are more vulnerable to infection. According to(8, [Briggs et al]), patients suffering from infections are more likely to have reduced platelet count, which explains why 40% of HIV patients in (8)s investigation were observed to have a low platelet count and raised IPF (8). IPF is a very quick and useful technique. The data obtained can be used for various clinical applications (2). It is relatively inexpensive and commercially available, therefore its use in monitoring drug therapy for bone marrow malignancies can be beneficial (2). (4) has shown the positive use of IPF in monitoring patients on chemotherapy, as well as (37), who reported IPF having 70% predictive value for detecting early platelet recovery (4, 37). The platelet count and IPF was monitored post exposure to chemotherapy. During the process, 3 pools of platelets were transfused. Completion of the second transfusion resulted in an IPF peak of 11.3% at day 11 (4). The increase in IPF indicates the existence of immature platelets in peripheral blood, predicting the increased release of cells from the bone marrow, which would eventually result in a normal platelet count. The improvement in platelet numbers was seen 3 days post transfusion (4). Within this period, another pool of platelet was given (4). Based on the results, the last transfusion was not required, thus could have been avoided (4). Briggs at al. (4, [3]) discovered similar findings to (4) and concluded IPF a better parameter. A similar scenario was presented by (10), who monitored patients undergone haematopoietic stem cell transplant (10). There was a rise in IPF, 3 days prior to platelet count. (4) and (5) also observed a decrease in IPF during the process, which was described by (4,[5]) as being part of the feedback mechanism of TPO or due to dilution of patient blood with prophylactic platelets (4,[5]). There was no significant difference observed between authors, suggesting good precision (5). Paediatric patients are most likely to show increase levels of immature platelets, as there is increased megakaryocytic activity during foetal and neonatal periods (3, 9). Previous reports obtained detected good sensitivity and specificity in IPF measurement using Sysmex XE2100 analysers. In majority of investigations, sensitivity was between 91-96%, with the specificity ranging from 67-100% for ITP (22). These figures suggest IPF to have a good degree of sensitivity. Specificity is widely distributed; however another study performed by (17) showed 86.8% sensitive and 92.6% specific. Therefore IPF (5) is an accurate parameter of reticulated platelets. Precision measurement reviewed by (14, [Biggs et al. 2004]) showed the coefficient of variance (CV) between 10-78% (14, [Biggs et al. 2004]). The vast variation of intra-assays questions the precision of the assay, when using XE2100 analysers. Other platelet indices Other platelet parameter that may be useful in determining thrombocytopenia includes mean platelet volume (MPV) and platelet distribution width (PDW). A decreased MPV is detected in bone marrow malignancies, where thrombocytopenia is present, however levels are shown to increase in myeloid leukaemia (M1) (11). PDW is a good indicator in thrombocytopenia of autoimmune cause, as the variation of the size of platelets marks the types of platelets available in peripheral (11). These parameters are commonly used in conjunction with morphology, IPF and TPO as individually, they have minimal clinical significance due to its lack of standardisation and instability with samples embedded in EDTA anti-coagulant (11). 1.3.2 Clinical Management and utility of IPF In severe cases with the need for rapid platelet increase, prophylactic platelet transfusions are given (18). National blood transfusion guidelines state the platelet threshold as 20109/l (___). The platelet count may vary from one analyser to another and may be dependent on the method used to detect the cells, as (12) compared the impedance method to the reference immune count (12). It was showed a decrease in correlation with decrease in platelet count (12). A change in the threshold would have a direct affect on the sensitivity and specificity, as adopting a higher threshold would result in false negatives and adjusted the count to about 10109/l would raise false positives (12). In comparison, the optical fluorescence method showed a good correlation (12). (10,[2,3]) studied the platelet transfusion guidelines and suggested a more accurate marker to detect early marrow activity to be used (10,[2,3]). (17) proposed the use of IPF (17) Chemotherapy treatment due to haematological malignancies can result in myelosuppression of bone marrow (27). It is important that these patients are monitored regularly. Currently, the need to transfuse platelets is dependant on clinical observation and platelet count. An early report from the national external quality assessment scheme (NEQAS) has shown a varying coefficient of variation (CV) between 20-60% when measured using automation (27[Parlar-William 03(NEQAS__ 2003)). It has been reported that the accuracy of the measure of platelet count decreases as the rate of thrombocytopenia increases (27). Therefore, a more sensitive marker would be beneficial. IPF has been shown to have capabilities of a good diagnostic marker. Several authors have discussed its use in monitoring and management with platelet transfusion; however its use in the clinical field is yet to be established (17). It is believed that this preliminary study will enable further investigations into the field at K ing George Hospital, which will eventually result in the positive use of IPF, to aid in diagnosing and monitoring of thrombocytopenia and determining treatment, respectively. 1.4 Future Prospects In the last decade, there have been many discussions on the diagnostic use of immature platelet fraction. Several studies have demonstrated the parameter to be beneficial in routine haematology laboratories for the diagnosis of thrombocytopenia. Regardless of the intensive studies performed, its use is yet to be established. Investigations carried out have shown up to a 3 days increase in IPF prior to platelet count during recovery of patients undergone chemotherapy. This is evident that it is a more useful marker for predicting a rise in platelet count, thus may aid in preventing unnecessary platelet transfusions from occurring. As stated by many authors, the lack of standardisation and questionable specificity has limited it from progressing. Therefore, a study confirming these findings would be useful. An audit can then be carried out, showing its effects follow the change, which can aid in interpreting the best possible technique for diagnosis of thrombocytopenia and monitoring chemotherapy patient. If successful, a larger secondary study can be performed, where a threshold for IPF can be calculated for clinical decisions regarding platelet transfusion. Hopefully, in the near future, IPF will be incorporated into routine laboratories for diagnosis of thrombocytopenia and management of patients with haematological malignancies. This would, in-time improve patient care and cost management of blood transfusion. Based on the above information, a question is asked; is IPF a good indicator of bone marrow function, which can be used to diagnose and monitor thrombocytopenia and help make clinical decisions regarding platelet transfusion? WORD COUNT: 3,140 References Section 2: Design Study 2.1 Introduction Thrombocytopenia is a common haematological condition, which if not treated, can progress to bleeding abnormalities. It is diagnosed routinely at King George Hospital via a full blood count. Further action consists of morphology assessment and bone marrow examination. The bone marrow aspirate is the final step, only performed if diagnosis is not identified. It is an invasive technique, thus not favoured by patients. A new parameter on the Sysmex XE-2100; known as immature reticulated platelet fraction (IPF) has been developed, which targets this problem. It is a measure of reticulated platelets; a form of immature platelets found in peripheral blood. It has been considered to be a true reflection of thrombopoietic activity of the bone marrow. IPF can be detected by a quick, simple and non-invasive technique, which can help in identifying the pathophysiology of the condition. By investigating the parameter in peripheral blood, a prediction can be made on the status of the bone marrow recovery in chemotherapy patient. Therefore it may be a beneficial marker in monitoring of therapeutic patients and in aiding clinical decisions regarding treatment, i.e. platelet transfusions. Based on the information above, the following aims, objectives and hypothesis are drawn, which form the foundation of the study. 2.1.1 Aim To determine if IPF can be used as a diagnostic marker to identify the pathophysiology of thrombocytopenia. To determine if IPF can be used as a predictive marker to assess bone marrow function in chemotherapy patients. To determine whether IPF can be used to help clinical decisions regarding treatment with prophylactic platelet transfusion. 2.1.2 Hypothesis IPF is a good indicator of bone marrow function, which can be used to diagnose and monitor thrombocytopenia and help make clinical decisions regarding platelet transfusion. 2.1.3.Objectives Determine the reference range for IPF at King George Hospital. Determine the stability of IPF measurement during storage Determine the precision of the IPF assay. Compare IPF values for thrombocytopenic patients with different clinical conditions in order to identify its use in determining the pathophysiology. Determine whether IPF predicts a rise in total platelet count in-patient with bone marrow suppression. Determine in how many cases monitoring of IPF could have prevented the need for platelet transfusion 2.2 Research Plan 2.2.1 Flow Chart Figure 3: flow chart of sequential events to take place to accomplish the study 2.2.2 Timeline Table 1: timetable consisting of events and the time in which is aimed to be completed Month (2010-2011) Task Comments July 2010 Obtain 200 EDTA samples from patients with normal full blood counts and perform IPF analysis using Sysmex XE2100, to determine reference range View patients clinical details provided. Samples should have a normal full blood count results. July 2010 Measure the stability and precision of IPF Repeat analysis at 0hrs, 3 times to calculate the precision of the assay. Analyze 50 samples with normal full blood count over a 48hr at two different temperatures. July-December 2010 Identify thrombocytopenic patients and categorise into group 1 and 2 Measure the IPF Monitor IPF and PLT count of chemotherapy patients. Most samples will be taken from the haematology/oncology unit at King George and Queens hospital For each patient, collect the full blood count results. December 2010 Perform statistical analysis on the information gathered January -March 2011 Write up first draft Meet up with supervisor and add any suggestions and improvements made by supervisor April -May 2011 Complete project write up June 2011 Hand into campus office Make sure two copies are submitted. 2.3 Experimental Approach The study protocol is awaiting ethical approval from the Research and Development (RD) department of Barking, Havering and Redbridge university trust (BHRUT). This must be awarded before the practical commences. All analysis will be performed in haematology laboratory at King George hospital and is aimed to be completed by December 2010. 2.3.1 Sample collection and criteria Samples will be collected from King George and Queens hospital with a minimum of 2-3 ml of blood, taken by venepuncture in anticoagulant ethylene diamine tetracetic acid (EDTA). All data processed will be from adult samples, thus this study is not valid for paediatrics or neonatal. In the study, normal will be defined as a patient with a full blood count within the hospital reference range, excluding any haematological abnormalities or unexplained clinical symptoms. Samples selected will be from patients samples requested for a full blood count between 20-50 years of age, with no bias towards sex. Thrombocytopenia is defined as a platelet count of Group 1: Hyperdestruction Group 2: Hypoproduction Before executing the practical, performance of the analysers needs to be checked. The internal quality controls used are purchased from Sysmex and analysed twice a day to ensure quality of the machines. Other quality measures taken include participation in the national external quality assurance scheme (NEQAS) and the Addenbrookes program, run weekly. 2.3.2 Reference range The initial step consists of generating a reference range of IPF (%). To accomplish this, 250 normal patient samples will be analysed on the Sysmex XE2100 analysers. The data will be tabulated and the reference range will be calculated as mean +/- 1.96SD of the normal distribution. 2.3.3 Validation Precision The precision of the test will be determined by repeating IPF analysis five times on 50 normal samples. The standard deviation (SD) and coefficient of variation (CV) will need to be calculated. Stability The stability of immature platelets in EDTA will be established by analysing 50 normal samples kept in different conditions. Each sample will be separated into 2 aliquots, one, which will be kept in the fridge between 2-8Â °C, and the other, which will be kept at room temperature at about 20-25Â °C. The room temperature and fridge temperature will be monitored daily. Each sample will be analysed at 24hrs and 48hrs. The IPF at 0hrs will also be recorded. The data will be tabulated and presented as a scatter diagram. The best condition for storage of samples will be identified along with the time frame of analysis. 2.3.4 IPF analysis Immature platelet fraction will be analysed in the RET chamber of the Sysmex XE2100 analyser (Sysmex, Kobe, Japan), using upgraded softawre. 4.5ml of EDTA blood will be aspirated via the sample rotor valve. The blood will then be diluted in 1:200 using 0.8955ml RetSearch (II) diluent, before being stained with 18ÃŽÂ ¼l RetSearch (II) dye for approximately 31 seconds. 2.8ÃŽÂ ¼l of the stained and diluted sample will enter the optical detector block. With the use of flow cytometry, the sample will go through a semi-conductor laser beam. The samples are then counted and separated based on cell size and RNA content. This will appear as an image of forward scatter and side scatter. Thrombocytopenia detection in group 1 and 2 30 samples for each group needs to be obtained to continue with the study. Patients of group 2 will be selected on the basis of bone marrow examination. The samples will be analysed for a full blood count and IPF, where the data will be recorded in a table. Further unpaired t-test analysis will be carried out to establish the relationship between platelet count and IPF, which can then be used to determine whether IPF is a better marker than platelet count in detecting thrombocytopenia and the underlying cause. Monitoring thrombocytopenia in chemotherapy patients The use of IPF in monitoring patients on chemotherapy will also be investigated. The hypothesis states IPF to be used to monitor thrombocytopenia and help make clinical decisions regarding platelet transfusion. To prove this, 50 patients with thrombocytopenia post chemotherapy will be monitored for 14 days. The platelet count and IPF will be recorded along with any transfusion that may be given. 2.4 Data and Statistical Analysis To perform statistical analysis and ease interpretation of results all raw data will be tabulated and presented in the appendix of the final project. The design of the tables can be seen below. 2.4.1 Analysis for Reference Range Table 2: shows raw data used to determine reference range of IPF (%) Sample IPF (%) PLT (x109/l) Age (yrs) Sex(m/f) The normal samples selected will be from patients between the ages 20-50 years. 2.4.2 Validation Precision Table 3: shows the IPF (%) value obtained at each repeat interval, Sample 1 2 3 4 5 The data will be used to determine the precision by calculating the standard deviation of the mean and CV (%). Stability Table 4: shows the IPF (%) data over 48% of samples stored at different temperatures Sample 0 hrs (Â °C) 24 hrs (Â °C) 48 hrs (Â °C) 2-8Â °C

Barings Bank :: essays research papers fc

The expanding global market has created both staggering wealth for some and the promise of it for others. Business is more competitive than ever before, and every business, financial or product-based, regardless of size or international presence is obligated to operate as efficiently as possible. A major factor in that efficient operation is to take advantage of every opportunity to maximize profits. Many multinational organizations have used derivatives for years in financial risk management activities. These same actions that can protect multinational organizations against interest rate futures and currency fluctuations can be used to create profits for those same organizations. At the time of its collapse, Baring Brothers & Co., Ltd was the longest established merchant banking business in the City of London. Since the foundation of the business as a partnership in 1762 it had been privately controlled and had remained independent. In 1890 Barings Brothers was founded. In November 1985, Barings plc acquired the share capital of Barings Brothers and became the parent company of the Barings Group. In addition to Barings Brothers, the other two principal operating companies of Barings plc were Barings Asset Management Limited (BAM), which provided a wide range of fund and asset management services, and Baring Securities Limited (BSL), itself a subsidiary of Barings Brothers, which generally operated through subsidiaries as a broker dealer in the Asia Pacific region, Japan, Latin America, London and New York. Barings Brothers acquired Barings Securities Limited from Henderson Crosthwaite in 1984. BSL was incorporated in the Cayman Islands, although its head office, management and accounting records were all based in London. BSL had a large number of overseas operating subsidiaries including two, Baring Futures (Singapore) (BFS) and Baring Securities (Japan) Limited (BSJ). At the time of its collapse, Barings Bank had a reported capital of $615 million. This was in sharp contrast to its trading obligations, thanks to Nicholas Leeson. Nicholas Leeson was responsible for trading in the global financial markets to maximize his employer's bottom-line results. In February 1995, a financial reporter was curious enough about his financial trading activities to question him "about rumors that the Englishman was making huge purchases on the Japanese and Singapore exchanges on behalf of his London-based investment bank. Nicholas Leeson coolly explained that he was 'buying Nikkei futures here and selling them there'† . On February 27, 1995, Barings had outstanding theoretical futures positions of $27 billion on Japanese equities and interest rates, $7 billion of the Nikkei 225 equity contract, and $20 billion on the Japanese Government Bond and Euroyen contracts.

In William Shakespeare’s “Measure for Measure”: Understanding of Isabella and Claudio’s relationship

In William Shakespeare's â€Å"Measure for Measure†, the characters, and the manner in which they interact, play a critical part of the overall tone and atmosphere of the plot. One of the character's most important functions is to provide action in the scene, and insight into the various relationships that appear throughout the play, this is evident in the exchange we witness between Isabella and Claudio in Act Three, Scene one. Both characters are of considerable significance within the play, so it is interesting to note how their actions will shape the remainder of the plot. Shortly before the beginning of Act three's drama, we see Isabella confronted by Angelo, where he proposes the question, â€Å"which had you rather, that the most just law now took your brothers life, or to redeem him give up your body to such sweet uncleanness as she that he hath stained?† Isabella had been literally placed in a life – death situation here, for if she were to give in to Angelo she would lose her integrity, and essentially her soul, but were she to defy him, her brother would be beheaded the next day. Isabella, as we have witnessed in past scenes, holds strong morals, and she indeed refuses to follow with Angelo's proposal. After this seemingly traumatic encounter, Isabella gives the audience a short soliloquy in which she highlights her situation, she has already decided in her head that her brother will die, â€Å"Then, Isabel, live chaste, and, brother, die.† Keeping in mind that Isabella has seemingly premeditated the outcome of her brother's sentence, the reader wonders why she is even informing him of Angelo's proposition. When she does speak to Claudio in act three, scene one, her explanation of the offer is slow and dramatic, she first establishes her moral position before she actually gets to mention the specifics, perhaps this shows that she does have faith in her brother's ideals. She starts off by over-emphasising how evil Angelo is, â€Å"There is a devilish mercy in the judge†, maybe she hopes that Claudio would prefer is she didn't lose her chastity to a man so wicked in nature. From the point of her entry, we can sense a shift in the mood on the scene. There is a heightened feeling of suspense and anticipation as she continues to elude Claudio's questioning of the required act itself. During this time, Claudio is gradually getting frustrated, this frustration soon turns to brashness, â€Å"If I must die, I will encoun ter darkness as a bride and hug it in mine arms.† When Isabella finally yields to Claudio the term of his freedom, his initial reaction is of disgust, â€Å"Thou shalt not do't†. Soon after, we as the audience gain an insight into the workings of Claudio's and essentially man's mind, for it is the human condition to be fearful of death. We can see that Isabella and Claudio differ quite significantly when it comes to moral grounds. Fornication in Claudio's mind is â€Å"the least† of the seven deadly sins, whereas Isabella clearly places her religious piety above all others. One gets the feeling that if Isabella had stated the proposition without delay, she would have not left Claudio in an excited and hasty state, and perhaps he would have given the proposition less thought. From his first reactions of boldness, we now see a weaker, almost pleading Claudio, for when he speaks of death he gives a visceral description, one that comes from a man on the verge of an unknown journey into darkness and, â€Å"cold obstruction†. Claudio is seemingly on his knees now, â€Å"Sweet sister, let me live†, this gives the reader the impression that Isabella is cold hearted and unmoving in her treatment of her brother. Claudio, a desperate man, clinging on to the last straws of hope attempts to change Isabella's outlook on the situation, he makes it out to be that if she were to commit the sin with Angelo she would be saving her brothers life, and that end in itself would be sufficient enough to almost supersede the initial means. But Isabella continues to live up to her self righteous and hypocritical characteristics, for upon hearing her brother's plea she exhumes wrath, abusing him as a â€Å"beast†, â€Å"faithless coward† and â€Å"dishonest wretch.† Isabella's willingness to sacrifice her brother's life to maintain her personal honour further separates her from her brother, for at this point; it is evident that it will be unlikely for the two to ever return to a normal relationship. Furthermore, it is interesting that amidst this power struggle, similarities in each other's character emerges, for while it may seem that they do not share the same views, in reality neither is willing to be a martyr for the other's beliefs. The Duke, in the disguise of a friar's habit, offers an end to the intense conflict that has taken course, with an alternate plan of events. The relationships that characters possess are crucial to the overall theme of the play, for many, if not all of the questions raised in ‘Measure for Measure' are in fact questions on human nature. In essence act three, scene one encompasses perhaps the central theme, a question of morals, love and religion. In their dialect we see Isabella give greater weight to religion over love when it comes to Claudio's life, perhaps the fact that Shakespeare rather abruptly ends the conversation suggests that this question in particular is one of great consequence and importance. For instead of giving us a clear answer, he leaves the problem open, and somewhat free to personal belief and opinion.

Counseling and psychotherapy

When two people are head-over-heels in love with each other, the immediate decision that comes up in each mind is marriage. Marriage is a very exciting phase in one’s life. It challenges one’s capacity and ability to handle responsibilities (responsibilities for the children’s education and future and the obligations of spouses with each other especially in their sexual life) for the future family that will be made by two people united in marriage.Some people will just get into marriage without any apprehensions what might be the possible problems that will arise in the family; especially the young people who are very impulsive to get into it. Yes, the relationship would be abnormal and boring if there is no testing and crises; thus, it is usual for the marriage life to have problems because problems strengthen the relationship. But how about if the problem arises is regarding the sexual incompetence? What if one’s partner is not satisfied of what the othe r partner is doing or having a trauma in the past related to sex?Is there any solution for this? There are many factors why sex problems arise. Some of these are lack of sexual desire, problems with erections, premature ejaculation and retarded ejaculation, lack of orgasm in women, painful intercourse, vaginismus, and sexual trauma (see Boulware, Carol. â€Å"Sex Therapy: Is it for you? † 2006). In this present generation, there are many broken marriages occurring because one of the reasons is the sex incompetence of the present partner. It cannot be denied that there are couples who quarreled so much because of the â€Å"sex† issue but how can this problem be resolved?Due to this problem, experts present the counseling and psychotherapy in marriages to resolve the problems specifically in their sexual life. These kinds of treatments really help the marriage work well. The purposes of this study are to: (1) know what the difference between psychotherapy and counseling is and; (2) recognize how counseling and psychotherapy help the marriage who has sex problems. II. Discussion A. Psychotherapy and Counseling Most of the time, counseling and psychotherapy are terminologies that frequently interchange when used.Actually, counselor would refer to advisor and it includes two individuals working together in order to provide solution for the dilemma. It is a treatment that has several types in giving advices (see Schimelpfening, Nancy. â€Å"What is the difference between Counseling and Psychotherapy? † Psychotherapy 101, page 1). This would mean that counselor provides solutions to the couple who has sex problems by conducting a study related to case presented by the couple. Moreover, a licensed professional counselor named Deborah Reeves stated that: â€Å"A well-trained therapist understands the difference between counseling and psychotherapy.In counseling the therapist focuses on the â€Å"here and now† reality situations and helps on e become better equipped to deal with various life situations† (see Reeves, Deborah. â€Å"Differences between counseling and psychotherapy. Healing-Minds. com). On the other hand, psychotherapy denotes as the therapy of emotional and mental sickness. Psychotherapy includes a procedure, a connection between a patient and a therapist. A psychotherapist is an individual that is very good in: ? Listening the client carefully and sincerely ? Reflecting sympathetically ? Suggesting some views ? Giving comments and advices? Assisting the client/clients to search and discover other options ? Guiding the client/clients in exploring the depths of experiences and emotions (see Jaffe, Jaelline and Segal, Jeanne. † Psychotherapy and Relationship/Marriage Counseling†. Mental health Issues. Helpguide, July 14, 2004). These qualities of the psychotherapist help the married couples solve their sexual problems by tracing back what are the reasons behind why they encounter such dil emmas in their sex life. The psychotherapist sets different goals in order to identify the reasons why the marriage encounters sex problems.The psychotherapy will: first, develop insights regarding the sex problems of the couple; second, learn to communicate more efficiently to the client/clients; third, learn to work out the interpersonal and internal incompatibilities; fourth, manage to lessen or relieve signs of emotional disturbances that may possibly be the reason why sex incompetence arises; fifth, alters actions and activities to develop relational, social and vocational functioning; sixth, client’s personal growth and improvement and; the last one is, rebuild the client’s life due to faulty sex experiences in early life (see Jaffe, Jaelline and Segal, Jeanne.â€Å"Psychotherapy and Relationship/Marriage Counseling†. Mental health Issues. Helpguide, July 14, 2004). B. how do counseling and psychotherapy help marriage with sex problems? Marriage counseling is also known as couples’ therapy which assist married couples recognize, realize and work out the conflicts and develops their relationship. Marriage counseling and psychotherapy provide the couples the methods to make their communication better, understand differences, solve the problem and have a discussion in a healthy way. Marriage counseling is usually provided by therapists that have licensed who are called as marriage and family therapists.Moreover, majority of the marriages are not perfect. Every individual has his own values, principles, and personal background in the relationship and more frequently, those characters do not always go with the partner’s character. Furthermore, marriage counseling can help the marriage life in dealing many issues especially in the marriage-sex-life that can create pressure in the relationship. Generally, marriage counseling normally put together the couples in joint therapy sessions where the counselor or therapist assists th e couples identify, recognize and understand the root cause of their sex problems and attempt to solve them.Both spouses will examine and analyze the good and the bad sides of their relationship that affect their sex drives. In this case, the marriage therapist or counselor will not show biases in any of the sides in the conflicts (see â€Å"Marriage Counseling: Working through relationship problems†. MayoClinic. com, tools for healthier life. October 17, 2006). Moreover, as mentioned earlier that psychotherapy is a process of treating emotional or mental sickness by means of chatting which concern the client’s condition and other issues that are related with a mental health expert.It is also called as talk treatment, psychological therapy, counseling or just therapy. Same in counseling, psychotherapy sessions also help the couple able to learn regarding the root cause of their sex problems so that they can understand it, find out in how to pin point and change thought s which influence their sex life, look for better methods to overcome and work out the sex problems and find out to established practical objectives for their sex life (see â€Å"Psychotherapy: An overview of the types of therapy. MayoClinic. com, tools for healthier lives. October 17, 2006). b. 1 Sex TherapySex therapy is a specialized and virtuous treatment procedure to dilemmas of sexual expression and function. In a current research of the Journal of the American Medical Association stated that 3 out of 10 men and 4 out of 10 women have undergone sexual dilemmas. The problems that usually arise for men are the premature ejaculation, low sexual desire and dysfunction. While for women, the sexual problems are with arousal, pain through out the intercourse and low sexual desire. These kinds of matters are needed to be treated to avoid deeper problem that may lead to separation or divorce.Individuals or married couples look for sex treatment after they attempted to solve their sex problems yet failed (see Boulware, Carol. â€Å"Sex Therapy: Is it for you? † 2006). III. Conclusion Counseling and psychotherapy are such a big help to keep the relationship intact. It is really true that sex is one of the spices in a married life. Married people who have sex problems should not be hesitant to consult counseling and psychotherapy because it will help them identify and understand the root causes of their problem.They are also given suggestions and solutions that make their sex life more exciting and interesting. Bibliography: 1. Jaffe, Jaelline and Segal, Jeanne. â€Å"Psychotherapy and Relationship/Marriage Counseling†. Mental health Issues. Helpguide, July 14, 2004. http://www. helpguide. org/mental/psychotherapy_relationship_marriage_counseling. htm 2. Schimelpfening, Nancy. â€Å"What is the difference between Counseling and Psychotherapy. † Psychotherapy 101, page 1. http://depression. about. com/cs/psychotherapy/a/whatistherapy_2. htm 3. R eeves, Deborah. â€Å"Differences between counseling and psychotherapy.Healing-Minds. com. http://www. healing-minds. com/vs. html 4. â€Å"Marriage Counseling: Working through relationship problems†. MayoClinic. com, tools for healthier life. October 17, 2006. http://www. mayoclinic. com/health/marriage-counseling/MH00104 5. â€Å"Psychotherapy: An overview of the types of therapy. MayoClinic. com, tools for healthier lives. October 17, 2006. http://www. mayoclinic. com/health/psychotherapy/MH00009 6. Boulware, Carol. â€Å"Sex Therapy: Is it for you? † 2006. http://www. psychotherapist. net/sextherapy/sex-therapy. htm#anchor520639

Definition and Examples of Back-Formation

Definition and Examples of Back-Formation In linguistics, back-formation is the process of forming a new word (a neologism) by removing actual or supposed affixes from another word. Put simply, a back-formation is a shortened word (such as edit) created from a longer word (editor). Verb: back-form (which is itself a back-formation). Also called  back-derivation. The term back-formation was coined by Scottish lexicographer James Murray, the primary editor of the Oxford English Dictionary from 1879 until 1915. As Huddleston and Pullum have noted, There is nothing in the forms themselves that enables one to distinguish between affixation and back-formation: its a matter of historical formation of words rather than of their structure (A Students Introduction To English Grammar, 2005). Pronunciation: BAK for-MAY-shun Examples and Observations singular noun pea from the older English plural peasethe verb burgle from the older English noun burglarthe verb diagnose from the older English noun diagnosis He spoke with a certain what-is-it in his voice, and I could see that, if not actually disgruntled, he was far from being gruntled, so I tactfully changed the subject. (P.G. Wodehouse, The Code of the Woosters, 1938) Here I was maybe forty minutes ago, sort of claustrophobed in the gap between the kickass movie world where Lila dumps the guy with the smarmy mustache and the obvious one where it just keeps getting later.(Daniel Handler, Adverbs. Ecco, 2006) Stripping the in- from inchoate is known as back-formation, the same process that has given us words like peeve (from peevish), surveil (from surveillance) and enthuse (from enthusiasm). There’s a long linguistic tradition of removing parts of words that look like prefixes and suffixes to come up with roots that weren’t there to begin with. (Ben Zimmer, Choate. The New York Times, January 3, 2010) Suffix Snipping Alan Prince studied a girl who . . . was delighted by her discovery that eats and cats were really eat -s and cat -s. She used her new suffix snipper to derive mik (mix), upstair, downstair, clo (clothes), len (lens), brefek (from brefeks, her word for breakfast), trappy (trapeze), even Santa Claw. Another child, overhearing his mother say they had booze in the house, asked what a boo was. One seven-year-old said of a sports match, I dont care who theyre going to verse, from expressions like the Red Sox versus the Yankees. (Steven Pinker, Words and Rules: The Ingredients of Language. HarperCollins, 1999) In many cases of back-formation a presumed affix is removed which is in fact not truly an affix, as in the following words where the -or, -ar, and -er are not the agentive suffix, but part of the root: orator - -er orate, lecher -er lech, peddler -er peddle, escalator -er escalate, editor -er edit, swindle -er swindle, sculptor -er sculpt, hawker -er hawk. These mistakes are called back-formations. Note that some of them are colloquial or marginal, while others are fully accepted. (Laurel J. Brinton, The Structure of Modern English: A Linguistic Introduction. John Benjamins, 2000) Back-Formation in Middle English [T]he weakening of the flexional endings during the early Middle English period, which made possible the derivation from verbs of a multitude of nouns, and vice-versa, was also as essential to the rise of and development of back-formation. (Esko V. Pennanen, Contributions to the Study of Back-Formation in English, 1966) Back-Formation in Contemporary English Back formation continues to make a few contributions to the language. Television has given televise on the model of revise/revision, and donation has given donate on the model of relate/relation. Babysitter and stage manager have given babysit and stage manage for obvious reasons. More remote was the surprising lase from laser (the latter an acronym for lightwave amplification by stimulated emission of radiation), recorded from 1966. (W.F. Bolton, A Living Language: The History and Structure of English. Random House, 1982) Filling a Void Backformations are more likely to occur with very strongly entrenched patterns and they have the effect of filling an apparent void. The process has given us common verbs such as afflict (from affliction), enthuse (from enthusiasm), laze (from lazy), liaise from liaison), aggress (from aggression), televise (from television), housekeep (from housekeeper), jell (from jelly), and many more. (Kate Burridge, Gift of the Gob: Morsels of English Language History. HarperCollins Australia, 2011) Usage [B]ack-formations are objectionable when they are merely needless variations of already existing verbs: back-formed verb - ordinary verb*administrate - administer*cohabitate - cohabit*delimitate - delimit*interpretate - interpret*orientate - orient*registrate - register*remediate - remedy*revolute - revolt*solicitate-solicit Many back-formations never gain real legitimacy (e.g.,  *elocute, *enthuse), some are aborted early in their existence (e.g., *ebullit, *evolute),  and still others are of questionable vigor (e.g., aggress, attrit, effulge, evanesce, frivol). . . . Still, many examples have survived respectably. (Bryan Garner,  Garners Modern American Usage, 3rd ed. Oxford University Press, 2009)

The Difference Between Dragonflies and Damselflies

The Difference Between Dragonflies and Damselflies No other insects symbolize summer quite like the group of colorful, primitive-looking predatory insects we generally call dragonflies. In the late summer garden, they resemble tiny animal fighter jets, fierce-looking but also beautiful and fascinating.   In reality, these members of the insect order Odonata include not only the true dragonflies but also a closely related group known as damselflies. The order includes roughly 5,900 species, of which about 3,000 are dragonflies (suborder  Epiprocta, infraorder  Anisoptera), and about 2,600  are damselflies (suborder  Zygoptera). Dragonflies and damselflies are both predatory flying insects that look primitive and ancient because they are: fossil records show prehistoric species that are quite similar to modern species, although considerably larger. Modern dragonflies and damselflies are most prevalent in tropical regions, but some species can be found in almost every part of the world except for the polar regions.   Physical Characteristics Taxonomists divide the  Odonata  into three suborders:  Zygoptera, the damselflies;  Anisoptera, the dragonflies; and  Anisozygoptera, a group somewhere in between the two. However, the  Anisozygoptera  suborder includes only two living species found in India and Japan, which are rarely encountered by most people. Dragonflies and damselflies are often confused with one another because they  share many characteristics, including membranous wings, large eyes, slender bodies, and small antennae.  But there are also clear differences  between dragonflies and damselflies, outlined in the table below. In general, dragonflies are studier, thicker-bodied insects, while damselflies have longer, thinner bodies. Once the obvious differences  are learned- eyes, body, wings, and resting position- most people find it fairly easy to identify the insects  and tell them apart. More serious students of the odonates may want to examine the subtle differences in wing cells and abdominal appendages. Both dragonflies and damselflies are seen in a wide range of sizes and colors. Colors may be dull or brightly metallic hues of greens and blues. Damselflies have the widest range of sizes, with wingspans ranging from about 3/4 inch (19  mm) in some species to 7 1/2 inches (19 cm) in larger species. Some fossil Odonata ancestors have wingspans of more than 28 inches. Life Cycle Dragonflies and damselflies lay their eggs in or near water. Hatched larvae go through a series of molts as they grow, and begin predatory feeding on the larvae of other insects and on small aquatic animals as they move toward the adult stage. The Odonata larvae themselves also serve as an important food source for fish, amphibians, and birds. Larval dragonflies and damselflies reach adulthood in as little as three  weeks or as long as eight years, depending on species. They go through no pupal stage, but near the end of the larval stage, the insects begin to develop wings, which emerge as useable flight organs after the last molt of the larval stage. The adult flying stage, which can last as long as nine  months, is marked by predatory feeding on other insects, mating, and finally laying eggs in water or moist, boggy areas. During the adult stage, dragonflies and damselflies are largely immune to predators, except for some birds. Not only do these insects pose no danger to humans, but they consume large quantities of mosquitoes, gnats, and other biting insects. Dragonflies and damselflies are visitors we should welcome to our gardens.   Differences Between Dragonflies and Damselflies Characteristic Dragonfly Damselfly Eyes Most have eyes that touch, or nearly touch, at the top of the head Eyes are clearly separated, usually appearing to each side of the head Body Usually stocky Usually long and slender Wing Shape Dissimilar wing pairs, with hind wings broader at the base All wings similar in shape Position at Rest Wings held open, horizontally or downwards Wings held closed, usually over the abdomen Discal Cell Divided into triangles Undivided, quadrilateral Male Appendages Pair of superior anal appendages, single inferior appendage Two pairs of anal appendages Female Appendages Most have vestigial ovipositors Functional ovipositors Larvae Breathe through rectal tracheal gills; stocky bodies Breathe through caudal gills; slender bodies

A Definition of Environmental Science

A Definition of Environmental Science Environmental science is the study of the interactions between the physical, chemical, and biological components of nature. As such, it is a multidisciplinary science: it involves a number of disciplines like geology, hydrology, soil sciences, plant physiology, and ecology. Environmental scientists may have training in more than one discipline; for example, a geochemist has expertise in both geology and chemistry. Most often, the multidisciplinary nature of environmental scientists’ work comes from collaborations they foster with other scientists from complementary research fields. A Problem-Solving Science Environmental scientists rarely just study natural systems, but instead usually work towards solving problems stemming from our interactions with the environment. Normally the basic approach taken by environmental scientists first involves using data to detect a problem and evaluate its extent. Solutions to the issue are then designed and implemented. Finally, monitoring is done to determine whether the problem was fixed. Some examples of the types of projects environmental scientists may be involved with include: Coordinating cleanup efforts at an abandoned oil refinery labeled as a Superfund site, determining the extent of the pollution problem and putting together a restoration plan.Forecasting the effects of global climate change and sea level rise on a coastal bay system, and assisting with finding solutions to limit damages on coastal wetlands, shoreline property, and public infrastructure.Consulting with a construction team to help them with minimizing sediment pollution coming from the site of a future grocery store.Assisting the managers of a state government’s fleet of vehicles with taking steps to reducing carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions.Designing a restoration plan to bring acreage of oak savanna in the proper ecological state to host the endangered Karner blue butterfly and its host plant, the blue lupine. A Quantitative Science To evaluate the condition of a field site, the health of an animal population, or the quality of a stream most scientific approaches require extensive data collection. That data then needs to be summarized with a suite of descriptive statistics, then used to verify if a particular hypothesis is supported or not. This type of hypothesis testing requires complex statistical tools. Trained statisticians are often part of large research teams to assist with complicated statistical models. Other types of models are often used by environmental scientists. For example, hydrological models help understand groundwater flow and the spread of spilled pollutants, and spatial models implemented in a geographical information system (GIS) will help track deforestation and habitat fragmentation in remote areas. An Education in Environmental Science Whether it is a Bachelor of Arts (BA) or Bachelor of Science (BS), a university degree in environmental science can lead to a wide range of professional roles. Classes typically include earth science and biology courses, statistics, and core courses teaching sampling and analytical techniques specific to the environmental field. Students generally complete outdoor sampling exercises as well as inside laboratory work. Elective courses are usually available to provide students with the appropriate context surrounding environmental issues, including politics, economics, social sciences, and history. Adequate university preparation for a career in environmental science can also take different paths. For example, a degree in chemistry, geology, or biology can provide a solid educational basis, followed by graduate studies in environmental science. Good grades in the basic sciences, some experience as an intern or summer technician, and positive letters of recommendation should allow motivated students to get into a Master’s program. Environmental Science as a Career Environmental science is practiced by people in a wide variety of sub-fields. Engineering firms employ environmental scientists to evaluate the condition of future project sites. Consulting companies can assist with remediation, a process where previously polluted soil or groundwater is cleaned up and restored to acceptable conditions. In industrial settings, environmental engineers use science to find solutions to limit the amount of polluting emissions and effluents. There are state and federal employees who monitor air, water, and soil quality to preserve human health. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts an 11% growth in environmental science positions between the years 2016 and 2026. The median salary was $69,400 in 2017.

The Life and Work of Countess Markievicz Research Paper

The Life and Work of Countess Markievicz - Research Paper Example Her family was evidently well-connected in the country; in 1887 she was presented at the court of Queen Victoria, where she was called â€Å"the new Irish beauty.† In her teenage years, Constance enjoyed her place among the Anglo-Irish aristocracy and was regarded as a fine horsewoman and an excellent shot (Riordan). She was extremely passionate about art and studied at the Slade School in London, and later at the Julian School in Paris. It was here where she met and fell in love with her soon-to-be husband, the Polish Count Casimir Dunin-Markievicz. He too was from a wealthy family who owned extensive estates in Ukraine. Her career as an artist developed and in 1903 she moved to Dublin and set up as a landscape artist. At this time, Dublin was a thriving city and home to many artists, actors, and writers. Four years later, she helped to set up the United Arts Club, which sought to bring together all artists in the city (Riordan). There are two important factors which propelled Constance into political action. Firstly, the influence of the Irish poet William Butler, who, on his many visits to her parents home Lissadell, told Constance tales of Irish mythology, folklore, and his political ideas. Historians have recognized his influence on the Countess. Secondly, in her rented cottage at Dublin, whilst working as an artist, Constance found copies of the Peasant and Sinn Fein, revolutionary publications which enlightened her in the Republican cause. She felt â€Å"stirred to action† and instantly became devoted to the cause (Riordan). In 1907, Constance joined the group Inghinidhe na hÉireann, the Daughters of Ireland. This group had been formed in 1900 by a small group of women in Dublin. The group was a response to women's exclusion from other militant Nationalist organizations and at its heart was the commitment to free Ireland from British rule.  

Eurozone Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Eurozone - Essay Example The eurozone is the subset of European Union member states, which have adopted the euro (Eurozone 2005). There are 12 member countries in the eurozone: Austria, Belgium, Finland, France (except pacific territories using CFP franc), Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, and Spain (Eurozone 2005). The rapid and smooth transition - and the successful logistical operation involving the transfer of billions of euro notes and coins to banks, retail stores, and vending machines - is a boost for the European Central Bank (ECB), which masterminded the operation (Schifferes 2002). When the 12 member states that currently comprise the eurozone gave up their currencies in favour of the euro, the European Central Bank took on the responsibility of monitoring monetary policy for the eurozone (Eurzone and the single currency 2005). Euro notes and coins is now being use by more than 300 million eurozone citizens. Monaco, San Marino, and Vatican City also use the euro, although they are not officially euro members or members of the European Union (They previously used currencies that were replaced by the euro.) They now mint their own coins, with their own national symbols on the reverse. These countries use the euro by virtue of agreements concluded with European Union member states (Italy in the case of San Marino and Vatican City, France in the case of Monaco), on behalf of the European Community (Eurozone 2005). Likewise, Montenegro and Kosovo, which used to have the German mark as their de facto currency, also adopted the euro without having entered into any legal arrangements with the European Union explicitly permitting them to do so. They use the euro instead of the Serbian dinar, mainly for political reasons (Eurozone 2005).The other 13 countries of the European Union that do not use the euro are: Denmark, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the ten member states that joined the Union on 1 May 2004; namely Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia. Denmark and the United Kingdom got special derogations in the original Maastricht Treaty of the European Union. Both countries are not legally required to join the euro unless their governments decide otherwise, by either parliamentary vote or referendum (Eurozone 2005). Surrendering monetary policy to the European Central Bank (ECB) is an act of political will, and current members of the eurozone are still besieged with its economic consequences (Ezoneplus 2004). There are 31 nations, states and territories using the euro, including seven French and five Spanish overseas territories, two Balkan states, Kosovo and Montenegro, and strangely enough Cuba, where the Euro has been designated as the official currency at one of the biggest beach resorts. The rest of Cuba uses the Cuban peso, which is tied to the US dollar (Robinson 2002).Since the adoption of the single currency by the eurozone countries, there are wide variations in the economic performance of the individual states in the eurozone. There was supposed to be increased convergence of the economic cycles of individual eurozone as the euro stabilised. However, this did not come to past (Eurozone and the single currency 2005). Moreover, the eurozone economy is still greatly influenced by the per formance of the

Sexual Exploitation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Sexual Exploitation - Essay Example Across the world, there are numerous women caught in the same trap as Meena. Women are the main victims of sexual exploitation since most societies disregard them. This is more so in countries like India where women are likely to be force into practices such as forced marriage. This paper focuses on the issue of sexual exploitation. The paper will involve an analysis of Kristof and WuDunn perspective on sexual exploitation as well as views by Meghan regarding women and girls as major victims of sexual exploitation. Chapter 1 of Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide by Kristof and WuDunn tells the story of human trafficking for sexual exploitation purposes. The story of Meena, who was forced into commercial sex at a tender age, demonstrates the extreme exploitation of young girls in brothels. In Nepal, government agencies such as police seem adamant about the issue, which has led to increase in sexual exploitation. Moreover, some government employees such police officers act in support of the brothel owners since they are beneficiaries of the sexual services offered in the brothels. Globalization has had great effects on sexual exploitation. With improved transport system, human trafficking is more rampant. Sexual exploitation is an offence against human dignity. The malpractice if often associated with forced prostitution and human trafficking (WuDunn and Kristof 3-6). As opposed to the belief that most people engage in prostitution willingly or for economic purposes, a considerable number of people are forced into prostitution. Globalization has resulted in an alarming increase in human trafficking. â€Å"While there has been progress in addressing many humanitarian issues in the last few decades, sex slavery has actually worsened† (Kristof and WuDunn 11). The increased in sex slavery is attributable to increased human trafficking. Human trafficking is mainly related to globalization. With improved

How can the University help to achieve the dream Personal Statement

How can the University help to achieve the dream - Personal Statement Example The researcher will begin with the statement that he is extremely interested in becoming a part of the Syracuse University alumni. Syracuse University has a rich history of over 140 years of existence. The researcher wants to become a part of this school since he knows an education from Syracuse University will change his life. The major the author wants to pursue is bachelor’s degree in international affairs and relations. This paper illustrates that a good education will ensure that the researcher is able to succeed in life by having a career that can help him support himself and his family. The researcher tells that hs analytic and communication ability will be greatly enhanced by completing a bachelor’s degree at the University of Syracuse. The author will attempt to be involved in student organizations in order to develop his leadership skills. One of the researcher’s long-term goals is to contribute to making changes in our society. The author states that h e would like to work for a recognized international organization such as the United Nations. As a diplomat, he can directly contribute towards making changes that can affect the lives of millions of people. The present research has identified that currently, our world suffers from great economic inequality. Â  The author of this essay tells that an education at the University of Syracuse will open his mind to need possibilities.

Mommy Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Mommy - Movie Review Example It seemed to me very bright and significant as it showed crucial points and change of roles that took place several times, making both the mother and the son victims – and then aggressors. But when I saw this scene when Diane recalls all the sweet and sad memories, I found it even more powerful. It touched really deep feelings. This scene takes place after the sweet time they had together. It was very rare as they had merely bad times and quarrels, problems with bad behavior and its consequences. This following scene adds even more â€Å"bitterness† – because Diane realizes she has to give her son away as he needs help. All this happens after Steve cut his veins right in the supermarket. She just cannot manage to deal with it. The sequence is a kind of catharsis of the film. It seems very sweet – and exactly this makes it really tragic. Diane dreamt of life success and happiness for her son – though she realizes the way she sees it is impossible. She sees him as a glad graduate, and then she dreams he is in love with a wonderful girl, whom he will marry and all they will live happily ever after. It is very tender when Diane recalls her son as a small baby on her hands. All the scenes are filled with words from her memories – words by Steve, Kyla and herself. Crucial is the moment of change of the appearance of the son. He stands after the rain and at the moment he is shouting he is free, we see he is another person, who just looks like real Steve. Here we see the sad truth that Diane really would like to have another son. She realizes her dreams will not come true. This scene is a kind of sincere revealing them and saying farewell to this future they wouldn’t have had anyway. The character Kyla is very important – as it is opposite to Diane’s image. She is kind and nice mother, humble and caring. She also influenced on Steve significantly. In the end of the film when she has to leave due to her husband’s

Art history Making study guides for a quiz Essay

Art history Making study guides for a quiz - Essay Example Unique Forms of Continuity is an embodiment of his futuristic ideas. The figure is in a powerful stride indicating the constant progress and advancement. The contours of the muscular body flutter and flow in the surrounding space indicating the figure's great velocity and vitality as it pushes forward. The body has been deformed embodying its urge towards progress. This is a symbol of what is called as the Futurist World where developments are unprecedented. 28.63, Fountain Macel Duchamp is a French Dadaist who became the leading force in propagating Dada to the US. He believed that art should appeal to intellect rather than senses. This principle is embody through his ready mades which are ordinary manufactured objects transformed into artworks. Fountain is a porcelain urinal which is turned 90 degrees with signed with the pseudonym R Mutt ( from manufacturer J. L. Mott). This artwork has stirred debates due to its alleged immorality. However, it still embodies Duchamp's idea of readymade where the ordinary object is being used for another purpose which the artist imagines it to. This influences 20th century artists like Jeff Koons. 28.67, The Persistence of Memory This painting is an example of surrealism contributed by Salvador Dali. This painter is influenced by Miro and the latter also introduced Dali to Surrealists. Surrealism is a style in which fantastic visual imagery from the subconscious mind is used with no intention of making the artwork logically comprehensible. Paranoiac-critical method is his contribution to the surrealist theory where the sane person cultivates the ability of the paranoiac to misread ordinary appearances and become... Unique Forms of Continuity is an embodiment of his futuristic ideas. The figure is in a powerful stride indicating the constant progress and advancement. The contours of the muscular body flutter and flow in the surrounding space indicating the figure's great velocity and vitality as it pushes forward. The body has been deformed embodying its urge towards progress. However, it still embodies Duchamp's idea of readymade where the ordinary object is being used for another purpose which the artist imagines it to. This influences 20th century artists like Jeff Koons. Paranoiac-critical method is his contribution to the surrealist theory where the sane person cultivates the ability of the paranoiac to misread ordinary appearances and become liberated from the shackles of conventional thought. The head, which Dali identified as a self-portrait, first appeared in a 1929 painting entitled The great Masturbator. It may symbolize the artist's lifelong obsession with masturbation which has been the obsession which caused him considerable anxiety. This painting questions Kooning's real feelings toward women. He states though that he likes beautiful women but women also irritate him sometimes. This mixed emotion specifically his irritation toward women might have caused the result of his paintings.

Mommy Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Mommy - Movie Review Example It seemed to me very bright and significant as it showed crucial points and change of roles that took place several times, making both the mother and the son victims – and then aggressors. But when I saw this scene when Diane recalls all the sweet and sad memories, I found it even more powerful. It touched really deep feelings. This scene takes place after the sweet time they had together. It was very rare as they had merely bad times and quarrels, problems with bad behavior and its consequences. This following scene adds even more â€Å"bitterness† – because Diane realizes she has to give her son away as he needs help. All this happens after Steve cut his veins right in the supermarket. She just cannot manage to deal with it. The sequence is a kind of catharsis of the film. It seems very sweet – and exactly this makes it really tragic. Diane dreamt of life success and happiness for her son – though she realizes the way she sees it is impossible. She sees him as a glad graduate, and then she dreams he is in love with a wonderful girl, whom he will marry and all they will live happily ever after. It is very tender when Diane recalls her son as a small baby on her hands. All the scenes are filled with words from her memories – words by Steve, Kyla and herself. Crucial is the moment of change of the appearance of the son. He stands after the rain and at the moment he is shouting he is free, we see he is another person, who just looks like real Steve. Here we see the sad truth that Diane really would like to have another son. She realizes her dreams will not come true. This scene is a kind of sincere revealing them and saying farewell to this future they wouldn’t have had anyway. The character Kyla is very important – as it is opposite to Diane’s image. She is kind and nice mother, humble and caring. She also influenced on Steve significantly. In the end of the film when she has to leave due to her husband’s

The Black Death Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Black Death - Essay Example An epidemic, on the other hand is single widespread outbreak. Plague is transmitted from animals to humans by a particular kind of fleas. It is transmitted from one person to another person by direct contact, or breathing droplets containing the bacterium, Yersinia pestis. It causes great suffering. Plague usually starts with a flea bite. The flea deposits Yersinia pestis bacterium in other animals. Y. pestis is transmitted from the flea bite site to lymph nodes that swell (buboes). This type of plague is termed bubonic plague (Plague, 2011). The bacteria then enter the blood stream and affect other organs. Some patients inhale or swallow droplets that contain Y. pestis infecting the lungs. This is termed as pneumonic plague. Death is certain in 50 to 90 %cases. The black death of 1300s have killed one third of the population of Europe. There were not enough people to bury the dead during that period. The decease spread very fast and no medicine were available at that time. Dr. Alexa ndre Yersin and Dr. Shibasaburo Kitasato made investigations about the disease in 1894. Dr. Paul-Louis Simond, in 1898, discovered that the vector of the disease was a flea (Plague, 2011). For centuries, the plague bacterium was used as a biological weapon. Even now, it is a biological weapon. It can be easily sprayed into the atmosphere and would be inhaled by unprotected persons. Although many countries have banned biological weapons like this, it has potential to be exploited. The plague which reached in England in the summer months of 1938 mutated into pneumonic form in winter and spread to London in September. By 1349, it spread to Wales and other areas. Churchyards were filled with bodies. Few villages however, escaped from this pandemic. The Scots took advantage of the situation by raiding Durham in 1349 (Ibeji, 2011). The Scots believed that the English were overwhelmed by vengeance of god. Within a short span of time 5000 of them died. The rest became weak and they retreate d. The plague spread to Scotland too. The reason why it spread to Scotland is not clear. That is, whether it was a natural phenomenon or because of contact with the English people during the raid. It is possible that the retreating army might have carried the plague back home. In Scotland, there was great mortality due to plague. It affects the skin and swelling appears. Children were afraid to visit parents. Life was terrible during the period of plague. The parents were also afraid to visit children. People fled to other regions. The plague created panic throughout England. The year 1349 was regarded as wretched, terrible and destructive by many. By 1350, whole England was infected with plague and two and a half million people were dead. The plague continued in London throughout the winter and spring. It did not spread evenly. Even though it arrived in Bristol and Dorset, it did not spread to rural Devon that year. The disease also did not spread to St Albans Abbey until April 134 9. London was affected by the combined attack of pneumonic and bubonic plague. The British parliament was prorogued in January 1349. Three Archbishops of Canterbury and Two ex-Chancellors died. The plague continued in London until the 1350. I has killed over one third of the population. Persons infected with plague usually died in five days. On the first day, there was painful swelling, called buboes appear on the armpit and groin. It had the size of an egg. On day two, the victim developed fever and vomited. On third day,

Geotechnical Engineering And Physical Properties Engineering Essay

Geotechnical Engineering And Physical Properties Engineering Essay Burj Al Arab is the worlds tallest iconic and most luxurious hotel. This building has received numerous recognitions around the world, and is mainly known by its design which resembles the shape of a sail boats mast. This 321 meter high building was built on a man-made island only 280 meters from the coast, giving all visitors a 360o view of the bay. Construction began in 1993. Engineers created a surface with a layer of rocks, which is circled with a honey-comb pattern which protects the surface and foundation from erosion. The building contains more than 70Â  000 m2 of concrete and 9Â  000 tons of steel. It took only two years to construct the building and three years to construct the foundation on beach sand, making this a geotechnical wonder.8 Introduction Geotechnical Engineering entails to obtain information of the physical properties of the soil and rock on a proposed site known as site exploration. This information combined with the mechanics of soil can assess the risks presented by the site conditions that must be concluded in the design process of foundations, earthworks and retaining walls. Burj Al Arab has one of the rarest and most interesting foundations, earthworks and retaining wall phenomenas. This include building an island 280 meter off coast as a foundation for this 321 meter high sea shore wonder.1 Throughout this report we will look at which soils are found in Dubai, as well as the properties thereof including the construction of this hotel foundation. Constructing the Burj Al Arab hotel The design of the Burj Al Arab has been constructed with a specific geometry which supports the sail boat like design by protecting the building from changing wind loads. The outermost wall of the building has been constructed by the use of PTFE coated fibreglass which contains air gaps at regular intervals. This double curve membrane design is able to withstand wind pressures easily.3 Additional cables have been provided onto the structure to prevent any deflection in materials. On the full height of the building expansion joints were provided on the right side of the building to ensure the building can withstand the wind load pressures as well as the horizontal stresses that may occur during construction and operation. The material that was used for this sail boat like structure is not only robust but it also protects the buildings interior from the sun by using light defusion.3 After seventy thousand cubic meters of concrete and ninety thousand tons of steel, this great engineering wonder is noted as the heart of Dubai. This spectacular feature of the Burj Al Arabhotel, with its two hundred and two rooms, is located 280 meter off shore from the coast of Dubai and recognised as the best in the world. 2 Concept Architect: Tom Willis-WrightimagesCAHJ41BO.jpg Construction Engineer: WS Atkins and Partners Overseas Multidisciplinary Consultancy. Interior designers: Khuan Chew, Design Principal of KCA International (London). Location: Jumeirah Beach Road, Jumeirah, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Date: 1994-1999 Style: Postmodern Type/Structure: Luxury 7 stars*Â  rating hotel/resort Size: 321m x 280m (1,053 ft) Medium: steel, glass, cement, steel cables, piles From: Antonino Terranova. The Great Skyscrapers of the World. Special gatefold edition, page 269-279. Figure 1: Burj Al Arab hotel Dubais Soil Profile The topography of Dubai (which lies within the Arabian Desert) is different from the southern portion of the UAE. Its landscape consists of sandy desert patterns consisting mostly out of crushed shell and coral and is clean and white, whereas gravel dominates in the southern regions of the country. 2 When looking at the soil properties of Dubai, its weak and will most probably move outwards in the case of any construction on it. See figure 1 Dubai soil map. 3 Studies also show that Dubais possibility of a tsunami is minimal, due to the Persian Gulf water that is not deep enough to trigger a tsunami. Thus Dubai is classified as a stable zone, whereas the nearest seismic fault line is 120 km from the UAE, making it unlikely for Dubai to be hit by a seismic impact.2 http://www.gisdevelopment.net/proceedings/mapmiddleeast/2006/natural%20resource%20management/images/mme06138_3.jpg Figure 2: Dubai soil map. Foundation Problems The moment when Dubai laid focus on the development of this world wonder, they knew it would be an engineering challenge. Many elements must be taken in consideration in geotechnical engineering to build the worlds 15th tallest building on seabed, where its properties are known as a collapsible soil due to a lack of silt and clay. The collapse phenomenon can be defined as a soil which can withstand somewhat large stresses, with little settlement at low in situ moisture content which will show signs of a decrease in volume and associated settlement with no increase of load if the moisture content rises. Therefore the change in volume goes hand in hand with the change in the soil structure. It is thus evident that a number of conditions need to be met before collapsing begins: 6 The soil must have a collapsible fabric in its structure. This is where the specified soil has a high void ratio and yet has relatively high shear strength at low moisture content due to a coating (Colloidal) around each grain. Partial saturation is essential. This is where collapse settlement will not occur in soils which are located under the water table. Increase of moisture content. This could be seen as the cause for the collapse to take place. With the increase of moisture the colloidal coating loses its strength and thus forces the grains to a denser state with reduction in void ratio. Subjected to an imposed load greater than their overburden pressure before collapse can take place. This is only applied to certain collapsible soils. The typical problem associated with a collapsible soil to a building is that although it is dependent on the increase of the moisture content, collapse can take place years after construction has taken place. 6 Large magnitude settlements can occur beneath lightly loaded structures as well as collapse settlement is regularly localised due to defects in foundation, drainpipe leakage and where ponding occur during rainfall. The engineering properties which most affect the cost of a construction are strengthening compressibility. Both can be enhanced by reducing the voids in the soil. Water must be displaced from the saturated soils in order to reduce the void volume. This can take months if the permeability of the type of soil present is low. The following engineering solutions to the mitigation of the collapse problem are listed below: 6 Avoidance by stopping the triggering mechanism (increase in moisture). This can be made possible by ensuring that water does not penetrate the collapsing soil horizons. Design for collapse. This could be possible in certain scenarios to design a structure which could withstand the predicted collapse settlement. Chemical stabilisation. This is to make use of a stabilising agent which could reduce the settlement. Piled or pier foundation. This is used only when the soil comes from a transported origin which means that the bedrock is covered with a shallow layer, making it possible to rather build on piers or piles. Removal and compaction. This could be done by removing the collapsible soil to a certain depth and replace it through compacting the removed soil in layers. In situ densification by surface rolling. Surface rolling can be done by making use of an impact or vibrating roller for compaction. Soil Properties Beach sand is one of many soils that have a collapsible grain structure, where its surface contains large quantities of calcium carbonate which in more defined terms are remains of microscopic plants and animals that thrive on nutrients in the water surface, where it ultimately settles to the floor. The strength and the behaviour of this soil are thus dependent on the calcareous particles which it contains. These grain particles is well rounded due to it being rotated and shaped by the waves and is poorly graded (i.e. having a narrow particle distribution). This contributes to the high void ratio, meaning that the soil is very loose and can be seen as not a good bonding material. 6 Table 1: Transported soil and possible engineering problem. Soil Type Transported Soil Type Agency of transportation Source Problem to anticipate Beach Sand Littoral deposit Waves Mixed Collapsible grain structure Tests to be performed on beach sand A large amount of data can be generated from soil, but it can all be wasted if the most important step of sampling is not carried out properly. Thus, in order for an analysis to be of significance to a proposed project, it should represent the bulk material of the site. Additionally, soil samples must be taken in abundance and at random, to ensure that the overall characteristics of the soil are effectively represented. See table 2 for properties beach sand. The following tests were used in classifying beach sand (collapsing soil structure):3 Particle size distribution. This test is performed to measure the particle size distribution of the soil sample by passing it through a set of sieves. This is in order to produce a grading curve for the soil, which is used to find out its classification. The solid particles in a soil can have different shapes and sizes, and these characteristics thus have a significant effect on its engineering behavior. By making use of this test one can clearly note whether the soil is well or poorly graded. As for beach sand it is known to be a collapsible soil due to it having a poorly graded grain structure and affected by an increase in moisture. Atterburg limits. This test makes use of three separate tests namely Liquid limit test, Plastic limit test and Shrinkage limit test. This test is used to determine a relationship between the soils consistency and its moisture content. If the soil has low moisture content, it would aim to break before deformation takes place, whereas if the moisture content is too high, the soil will deform more easily. This test is of great importance due to it having an impact on settlement underneath a proposed structure. The test can be used to distinguish between the presence of silts and clays. This is important as silt has much less cohesion than clay. Dry density. This can easily be determined in a laboratory by measuring its physical dimensions and by weighing them. The dry density of a collapsible soil lies between 900-1600 kg/m3. Oedometer test. When a structure is build on a soil it produces settlement due to compression within the soil profile, which depends on the soils properties such as self-weight and also the type of load the soil is experiencing. This test makes use of a series of loads in order to measure the corresponding settlement of the soil. By knowing the soils stress and strain properties will allow the prediction in settlement and swelling of the soil. Collapse Potential test. This test is used to determine the collapse parameters in order to design accordingly. The CP (Collapse Parameters) is given in percentage, to determine the level of severity. Triaxial test. This test is similar to the unconfined compression test, except that the sample is surrounded by a waterproof membrane and installed in a pressure chamber (cell). This test is thus performed to estimate the stress and strain parameters of the specific soil. Permeability. This test is used to determine the ease of which water can flow through a soil profile, which is important for geotechnical engineers in projects. Table 2: Soil properties of silt sand.9 Soil Properties Beach Sand Specific Gravity 2.64-2.66 Bulk Density (Mg/ M3) 1.82-2.15 Dry Density (Mg/ m3) 1.45-1.95 Void ratio 0.35-0.85 Liquid limit (%) 24-35 Plastic limit (%) 14-25 Effective cohesion (kPa) 75 Angle of friction (deg) 32-36 Construction of Burj Al Arab Foundation Constructing a building on sea, an artificial island is needed to design and build the foundations. As many elements need to be taken into account to build an off shore structure, it is therefore important to ensure the protection of the foundation. This can only be done by evaluating all apposed loads to a structure. Seafloor stability regards to the bearing capacity and the sliding resistance thereof must be evaluated for static and combined static, operational and environmental (Like horizontal, vertical loading and overturning moments of the environment which have a return period of up to 15 seconds) loads. Structures with more or less a 150 meter depth could experience horizontal loads of 15-35% of the vertical loading, whereas the overturning moment can be ranging from 100 to 500 million kN/m.8 The change in vertical load during a storm can range from 10 40 % of the static vertical load. This means that the foundation needs to be strong to be able to obtain these loadings. Luc kily these loadings were much less when Burj Al Arab was constructed, due to it only being 7 meters in depth.8IslandConstruction1.jpg Figure 3: Piling of the Burj Al Arab hotel The first step in constructing the island was to place 230 concrete piles (see Figure 3), each one 40 meter in length, which was drilled into the sea bed. The foundation is therefore held in place by the friction of the sand and silts along the length of the piles, rather than the conventional bedrock. The surface was then made by using large rocks that were put together in a specific concrete pattern (honey-comb pattern) which serves as a shield to minimise erosion to the foundation. Making the platform on which the building would be constructed, tube files and sheet files were drilled deep into the sea to support various boundary rocks. Once this was completed the sea water was displaced to fill the inside with concrete slabs as seen on table 3. IslandConstruction2.jpg The structure was then surrounded with a temporary concrete structure to protect the island and the base of the structure, which was filled with a concrete plug slab. Lastly the concrete walls was made where the main basement floor of the building was build (See Figure 4).3 Figure 4: Burj Al Arab Excavated Basement Table 3: Foundation of the Burj Al Arab Conclusion The Burj Al Arab being a geotechnical wonder is due to its size as well as its ability to withstand the environment and the impacts thereof. This building is only carried by a sandy soil which contains broken shells. Its ability under shear strength and pressure is very low, especially since it is located 280 meters of shore. Thus the building stands only on piles which are held into place by just the friction between the soil and the piles, making this project one of the most remarkable foundation types in history. The design of this foundation on this type of soil is breaking barriers in the building industry, making Dubai a leading country in development. Due to South Africa not being a first world country it is impossible for us to be compared to a city which encourages ultimate engineering in structural, hydraulic and geotechnical engineering. Therefore we cannot compare the infrastructures of their country with ours. South Africa could always strive to be a first world country by focusing on infrastructure as well as the inequality of societies. This would encourage tourism and affect the economy positively.