Thursday, October 31, 2019

Philosophy, Politics and Economy Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Philosophy, Politics and Economy - Term Paper Example This happened immediately after the end of the civil war. The expansion reached its peak during the civil rights era in which the government’s presence was all over the country. Indeed, the activities during the civil rights movement contributed to the expansion of the federal authority. The government bodies established have brought governance closer. Consequently, the federal government has an autonomous presence in the entire country. This piece focuses on the growth of the federal government as seen in the period characterizing the civil era. Federal government expansion Political structures President Abraham Lincoln spearheaded the expansion of the American authority by signing into law acts that supported the expansion of a democratic government. According to Holcombe (2002), the amendments to the constitution expanded the government’s presence; thus, an alteration to the political structure in America. Introduction of taxation by the federal government propelled the growth of the federal authority during the progressive era. The income tax enhanced the government’s capability to control expenditure. This was a way of expanding the federal government size to cushion the citizens against political uncertainties. Lincoln initially advocated for a strong government that had the interest of people at heart. The expansion of the Congress to its current size is attributable to the laws initiated by Lincoln after the civil war. The Supreme Court has also witnessed an expansion in its activities throughout the States. According to the civil rights activist, the government is the defendant of the rights of citizens. As such, the activists advocated for the expansion of authority during the civil rights era (Holcombe, 2002). The activists expected the government to secure their rights in their quest for justice in America. Their activities led to the ratifications that allowed the government to spearheaded most of democratic processes in the co untry. Some quarters of the population praised the expansion of the judicial authorities. The civil rights era altered the entire political structure of the American government. The political setting was changed to conform to the wishes of the majority. The people advocated for the expansion of government through establishment of bodies that championed their rights. However, the expansion of the federal government has compromised on accountability by the authorities. Interestingly, the establishment of the Electoral College in the United States has contributed to the expansion of authority. Social structures Liberalization of laws after the civil war led to the establishment of Unions. The government catered for such groups by paying for their pensions. This guided the interest groups that were to follow the war veterans unions (Boyer, 2006). It was the hallmark of the establishment of groups and federal programs in the society. For instance, the enactment of Sherman antitrust act l ed to the growth of the federal government. More regulatory laws were introduced in the civil era that affects the relationship among individuals. To some extent, government has control on the social structures on the society using bodies such as environment protection agency. â€Å"Federal Trade Commission† and the â€Å"Food, and Drug Administration† were the bodies created following the world war era by

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Riordan Fan Manufacturing Supply Chain Team Essay Example for Free

Riordan Fan Manufacturing Supply Chain Team Essay Riordan Manufacturing is the industry leader in the field of plastic injection molding. They are a massive organization that currently operates out of three plants. One plant is in Albany, GA, this is where the plastic bottles are produced. Then they do their custom plastic fabrication in Pontiac, MI. Then in Hangzhou, China they currently operate a decentralized unit of the organization, this is where they produce electric fans. While forming a process design for Riordan’s fan production operation, it is imperative to construct a complete production system that includes many different phases of production, including process design, material requirements planning (MRP), accurate forecasting methods, supply chain considerations such as just-in-time manufacturing, total quality management, and a means of implementing the changes. Aggregate Production Plan Riordan’s current operation process is not sufficient for the organization to achieve a competitive advantage. Over the past years the organization has faced delivery delays, purchases from local Chinese manufacturers have not provided the required stock material based on production forecasts, and as a consequence only 93% of stock is delivered on time (University of Phoenix, 2013). Before designing a new production process, Riordan has to eliminate all the bottlenecks in the production (inventory and manufacturers). Selecting alternative suppliers of motor fans will improve production schedules and help to balance the company’s global forecast and improve customer satisfaction. In addition the company should apply Just in Time strategies focusing on reducing raw material costs, eliminating waste and continuous production improvement. Figure 1 represents a flowchart the new process design for the production of the Riordan Electric Fans. Figure 1. Master Schedule and Material Requirements A Gantt chart also known as a bar chart was named after Henry L. Gantt (Chase, Jacobs Aquilano, 2011). A Gantt chart is an important tool that helps an organization keeps track of different projects at the same time. It will also help manage the time a project will last and in which order each task needs to be addressed, which helps to keep projects on time and on budget. In the case of the Riordan plant it was suggested that ten projects be assigned to be completed in one year starting January tenth. These projects are: (a) the elimination of bottlenecks, (b) a new match system (test time), (c) definition of roles and responsibilities, (d) team training, (e) review of new match system, (f) the review of a new match system (real time), (g) implementation of the new match system, (h) implementation of JIT strategy, (i) quality control of fan production, and (j) production and forecasting. Among these ten projects the implementation of the Match System can be classified as priority on e. The Match system will streamline the receiving process. By streamlining the receiving of raw materials Riordan will achieve a reduction of 10% of the operating expenses because Riordan will use less storage and less people handling the raw material before they get to the factory. The implementation of the Match System will take one year and it is divided into two stages. Stage one is the test time that includes creation of the program to Riordan specifications and testing for glitches. Stage two will be the training of employees on the program and the use of Match system in real time. Finally, a creating of a master scheduler position is required. The investment on a master scheduler will increase the communication between sales department, finance, management, and manufacturing needs. This cross-functional position will act as a control tower to make all the process more efficient by reducing bottlenecks. With this plan ready to be delivered it is imperative to understand that these projects will fail if all the workers involved and the management team is not committed to success.

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Influential Thinkers In Enlightenment

Influential Thinkers In Enlightenment The most significant development in the 18th century was intellectual progress, known as the Enlightenment. It is a thought movement which gathered various conceptions of god, nature and human beings to a kind of world outlook. Many people approve it. The movement caused revolution changes in art, philosophy and politics. It also advocated reason, suspected church authorities and Feudalism. The ideas of the Enlightenment thinkers had a deeply impact on the European and the Euro-American societies. The most important factor of the Enlightenment was the scientific revolution. Between the 17th century and the 18th century, based on direct observation and mathematical reasoning, astronomers and physicists saw the earth and the universe in a new vision. Relying on observation and mathematics, scholars transformed the natural science in a process which is known as the scientific revolution. Some astronomers and mathematicians also made contribution to the revolution. Ptolemy wrote a book known as the Almagest that combined opinions about the universe. He thought that the earth was at its centre. However, in 1543, Nicolaus Copernicus published a treatise On the Revolution of the Heavenly Spheres that broke with Ptolemaic theory and argued that the sun stood at the centre of the universe. Kepler demonstrated that planetary orbits are elliptical. Gailleo who invented the telescope used it to view the universe. He popularized the idea that the universe is rational and subject to the laws of mathematics (Bentley, 2002). Another powerful figure was Isaac Newton who culminated the new approach to science. He combined mathematical modeling and scientific observation to derive his famous laws of motion and theory of universal gravitation. Newtons vision of the universe was so powerful and persuasive that its influence extended well beyond science. His work suggested that rational analysis of human behavior and institutions could lead to fresh insights about the human as well as the natural world (Bentley, 2002). Inspired and supported by three innovative astronomers, physicists and mathematicians. European and Euro-American thinkers started an ambitious project to transform all human thought. They abandoned Aristotelian philosophy, Christian religion, and other traditionally recognized authorities, and they began to analyze the world where they live in a rational way. Enlightenment thinkers sought to discover natural laws that governed human society. John Lock, the English philosopher, is the founder of empiricis. He sought to identify the principles of psychology and argued that all human knowledge comes from sense perceptions. He threw away Rene Descartess innate ideas and argued that experience offered spiritual conception to humans heart. He believed the world is consisted of material. His empiricism was continuously developed by later people and became the European main philosophy trend. In politics, he held constitutional monarchy and natural right which includes life, freedom and prop erty right. Between 1689 and 1690 he wrote the most important political treatises The Government. In the first treatise, he disproved Filmers idea that god conferred the monarch authority. In the second treatise, he advocated the rulers authorities should be agreed by the ruled and the only purpose of building country is protecting the security and peoples right. When the government went against the purpose, people have the right to take back the authority by taking action (John Locke, 2010). The Scottish philosopher Adam Smith devoted special thought to the nature of early capitalist society and the principles that made it work. In 1776 he published a lengthy book An inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations, a wide-ranging work that uphold free, unregulated markets and capitalist corporation as the main factor of prosperity. The source of Smiths optimism about capitalism is his conviction that society as a whole benefits when individuals pursue their own economic interests and trade on a free market (Bentley, 2002). France , the center of the Enlightenment, produced many prominent intellectuals known as philosophes who advanced the cause of reason. For example, the French nobleman Charles Louis sought to establish a science of politics and discover principles that would promote political liberty in a prosperous and stable state. Different from philophers, philosophes addressed their works more to the educated public than to scholars. Instead of formal philosophical treatises, they mostly composed histories, novels, dramas, satires, and pamphlets on religious, moral, and political issues. The leader of the Enlightenment is Voltaire who is a philosophe, a writer and a philosopher. Voltaire championed individual freedom and attacked oppressive policies with encouraged witty remark and intense irony. He held nature right and thought that people are equal in nature and before the law. He also waged a long literary campaign against the Roman Catholic church, which he is in the charge of crazy, intolerance and incalculable human suffering. He considered that the church is a factor of oppression (Voltaire, 2010). As the earlier famous philosophe, Hobbes created machine materialism. He thought that the universe consisted of all the moving extension object. He tried hard to explain humans emotion and desire by the principle of mechanical motion. His moral thought includes natural rights and natural laws. The former one means that humans natural character is egoism. The latter means that humans reason rules morality. He disproved the idea that god confers the authority to rulers. He advocated absolute monarchy. He also considered that society had to follow the general will (Hobbes, 2010). As one of the representative of the Enlightenment, Rousseau is a radical who made the most fierce and severe criticize on French feudal society. His ideological essence and basic principle is sovereignty of the people. He considered that all rights belongs to people, government and officials are appointed by people, people have the right to appoint the government, people have the right to replace them, even have the right to revolt in order to abolish rulers who oppress people. He also thought that citizens should observe the law because it is free behaviour. In education, he proposed the idea return to nature that let childrens body freely develop (Rousseau, 2010). Although Enlightenment thinkers reached common ground on the excellence and the effect of humans reason, yet they hold different opinions on detailed issues in politics, religion, philosophy and so on. In politics, Locke, Rousseau, Voltaire and Hobbes all supported with natural rights. Locke and Hobbess nature rights includes life right, freedom right and property right, they thought that people have the right to gain legal property; however, Voltaire thought that the unequal property right can not be avoided and Hobbes thought that natural rights is egoism. Locke and Hobbes both objected to innate ideas and Voltaire and Rousseau both approved with innate ideas. Locke and Rousseau advocated revolutionary legitimacy. But Hobbes insisted on the opinion that people must obey if the ruler was conferred authority. Locke, Voltaire and Rousseau all advocated freedom and equality. Rousseau considered that the law is very important, people should accept it. Hobbes and Voltaire did not agree w ith division of power. Voltaire thought that rulers power came from the ruled, the only purpose of building country is protecting the security and peoples right, when the government went against the purpose, people have the right to take back the authority by taking action. But Locke advocated distribution of power. Locke, Rousseau and Hobbes all advocated social contract. Rousseau considered private ownership is the source of unequal state. In philosophy, Locke and Voltaire both admitted the idea that the world is consisted of material. Rousseau and Voltaire both considered that acknowledge rose from experience. Locke thought peoples heart was just like a paper and experience offered mind conception to it. Hobbes considered that material can not be separated from idea and material did not rely on our thought. In religion, Voltaire and Rousseau are both deist. Voltaire and Hobbes both disproved religion, they thought religion is requisite to maintain social order. The ideas of these Enlightenment thinkers made a lot of contribution to the community. What worth being mentioned is that their ideas not only exert great influence on the scholars, but also affect the European political world, including the most influential figures at that that time such as Napoleon and Queen Catherine. Influenced by the ideas of the Enlightenment, Napoleon who overthrew the Diretory and became a French military dictator created a united legal code for France. The code included that equal before the law, careers open to talent, free belief, protection of private property, abolition of feudalism and a secular state (Napoleon, 2010). Napoleon also valued education. As the most able Russian monarch, Catherine also influenced by the ideas of the Enlightenment. She encouraged nobles to travel in Western Europe and building school to educate aristocrats. She often communicated with some philosophes. She regarded herself as an enlightened despot. She limited the punishment s that the nobles inflicted on the serfs. She also abolished the death punishment. But when the thoughts challenged her rule, she began to object to it (Catherine, 2010). Although the ideas were not carried out completely to the end, it also shook some traditional thoughts. The impact of Enlightenment on human history should never be undervalued. It weakened the influence of organized religion. It also encouraged the replacement of Christian values, which had guided Europeans on religion and moral affairs for a very long time. Furthermore, it encouraged political and cultural leaders to rationally analyze the society and intervene actively in the Enlightenment matters for the interests that brought from promoting progress and prosperity. In many ways, the Enlightenment thought continues to influence European and Euro-American societies in the following centuries. Reference List Bentley Jerry H. (2002). Adam Smith on the capitalist market. Traditions Encounters. The McGraw-Hill companies. Retrieved May 22, 2010, from p657 Bentley Jerry H. (2002). The limits of westernization. Traditions Encounters. The McGraw-Hill companies. Retrieved May 22, 2010, from p786 Bentley Jerry H. (2002). Science and enlightenment. Traditions Encounters. The McGraw-Hill companies. Retrieved May 22, 2010, from pp658-662 Hobbes. (2010). Baike baidu. Retrieved May 22 2010, from http:// baike.baidu.com/view/34984. htm Locke, J. (2010). Baike baidu. Retrieved May 22, 2010, from http://baike. baidu.com/view/51406.htm Napoleon. (2010). Baike baidu. Retrieved May 22, 2010, fromhttp://baike.baidu.com/view/4866.htm Rousseau. (2010). Baike baidu. Retrieved May 22, 2010, from http;//baike.baidu com/view/6499.htm Voltaire. (2010). Baike baidu. Retrieved May 22, 2010, from http://baike.baidu.com/view/view/4782.htm

Friday, October 25, 2019

College Writing Essay -- Communication Education Essays

College Writing Writing is the ability to express yourself and to communicate with others. College writing courses strive to provide students with the ability to do this. In the following quote, AOur greatest multicultural resource, one that is authentic, rich, and truly diverse,@ Maxine Hairston, is obviously speaking about today=s student. How can we give all students who have different values, language, and cultural background the ability to express themselves, to communicate, and to contribute in significant ways to the relationship with others locally and globally? Do we strictly emphasize correct grammar and usage? Do we focus on critical thinking skills or personal expression? I am sure that this has obviously been a very controversial topic amongst educators at least in this century. I know that there is no easy answer. Educators will continue to debate this issue for years to come. What I will do is try to provide some insight on the writing process from the eyes of an eighteen year old. The quest for excellence is a life long process. To become a good writer - communicator, is also a life long process. AIn order to communicate with others, we must learn to see through their lenses as well as to try to explain to them what we see through ours@ (qdt. in Hairston). This process begins at a very early age. The building blocks which start in our earliest ages help us develop speech. From kindergarten on, phonics plays a key role. As we grow older and progress through the levels of schooling, we encounter many different ways to communicate. Telephone conversations, passing notes, writing essays, and e-mailing are many different forms of communication that we use to express our thoughts and feelings. When you stop an... ...r not having an opinion on who my favorite teacher was and why. As high school progressed, I realized that it was easier for me to put my words on paper. What I have discovered while writing this essay is that writing forces me to focus my thinking and succinctly express a specific point. As a young person discovering a larger universe than the 130 student high school I graduated from, I am constantly embracing varying thoughts and allowing them to flow freely without structure. Writing forces me to limit my thoughts and focus, just long enough to get specific points on paper. Educators will continuously debate form, substance, grammar, style, and thinking skills giving little attention to the fact that young peoples minds just need to focus. Whatever methodology applied, as long as students are asked to write, they will continue to progress. This has helped me.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Reform Attempts of Farmers and Workers

Life in the late nineteenth and in the early twentieth century in the United States was rough for the average person because of the poor conditions and inability to get ahead of debts and poverty. Two major groups that suffered the most were labor workers and farmers. For the workers in factories, the industrial expansion of the nation brought many changes to the workplace. These changes made life as a labor worker more dangerous and less profitable. Farmers also faced many problems such as high railroad rates and high loan interest rates. Both groups searched for ways to band together with people in similar situations to help resolve some of the problems. After many failing attempts, a movement called Progressivism caused many changes and greatly improved life for farmers, labor workers, and many other groups of the early 20th century. In the late nineteenth century, people flooded to cities to fill the positions of factory workers. Some of the people were farmers who had grown tired of constant debt and looked to the city for economic gain. Others were immigrants from other countries who left their homeland behind to find a better life. Many of these people had nowhere to go, so they followed their first instinct and moved to the cities to find work. This flood of people caused a huge surplus of labor workers, thus resulting in unsafe work conditions and low wages for those with jobs. The dawn of the factory reduced the need for skilled workers, making the tasks easy enough for a small child to perform. With this idea, factory owners hired women and children to operate their machines and paid them even less then the underpaid men. Obviously these people could not live like this, so they began to form unions in an attempt to fix some of the problems in the work place. The first major attempt at a large union to crack down on some of the problems which faced workers was The Knights of Labor. Membership was open to a very wide range including almost all workers and women. Their leaders fought for a shorter workday and removal of children from the workplace. A second attempt called the American Federation of Labor restricted membership to skilled workers. Their goals were to improve wages, numbers of hours in a workday, and working conditions. One of the most famous strikes was the Pullman Strike which involved the American Railway Union and Pullman Company workers. It was sparked by a twenty-five percent wage cut to employees. This strike consisting of a few thousand workers caused a halt in trains from Chicago to the west coast. These responses to the problems of the workplace not only expressed their discontent, but also forced their employers into changes in administration. A second group that had large problems in the early 20th century were farm owners. One major problem was the rates charged by the railroad to farmers. Since farmers depended so greatly on the railroad, railroads companies could charge almost whatever they wanted. The result was widespread debt and poverty for farmers. Other uncontrollable factors such as bad weather and overproduction hurt farming as well. The first major attempt to organize to urge changes in the nation was called the Nation Grange of the Patrons of Husbandry. This organization attempted to teach smaller farmers techniques to make their fields more productive. After farm prices plummeted as result of a depression, the organization began to work politically to help control farm prices. As result many states placed strict restrictions on railroads to regulate rates and operations. The courts put a stop to the legislation and sent the railroad prices back up. The second attempt was the farmers alliance which setup stores and other facilities for their fellow farming members to use. This partially removed the ‘middleman' from stealing a portion of the profits. Although this was more widespread than the Grange, the system was too strong to allow these alliance groups. A movement known as Populism, which urged changes to aid farmers, formed. Many of the views of the populist movement were adopted by the more popular and successful reform movement known as Progressivism. In the early years of the 20th century, a powerful reform movement called Progressivism swept the country. Its leaders were college professors, ministers, journalists, physicians and social workers. Their goal was to improve conditions for all Americans. They wanted to make the political system more egalitarian. They also wanted to make the nation's economic system more democratic. They felt that the people who owned the nations resources, should share some of their wealth with the less fortunate. The movement appealed to farmers, small businessmen, women and laborers. They were alarmed by the growing use of court rulings to halt strikes. In 1890, for example, Congress passed the Sherman Antitrust Act. Its purpose was to punish big business corporations that combined to prevent competition. Yet more and more it was being used as a weapon against unions. The Progressives were unhappy about the use of federal troops and state militia against strikers. They were outraged by inhuman conditions in factories and mines. The Progressives and the AFL pressured state governments for laws to protect wage earners. Almost all states passed laws forbidding the employment of children under 14 years old. Many states also set a lower maximum work week for their employees. One program designed to help farmers and labor workers was the ICC or Interstate Commerce Commission, which struck down on railroad companies and their unfair practices. This greatly helped farmers earn the proper wages for their crops. Today, despite the decline in members, organized labor in the United States remains strong and conditions of America's labor force have steadily improved. The length of the work day has been shortened. Many agreements between employers and wage earners now call for less than 40 hours of work a week. Most agreements have generous â€Å"fringe† benefits. These include insurance, pensions and health care plans. As the number of union members has decreased as a percentage of the total work force, unions have responded by broadening their organizing efforts to include employees of federal, state and local governments as well as other professionals. Organizers have also waged long campaigns to unionize and win better conditions for such diverse groups as public school teachers and seasonal farm workers. As the work force has changed, so have some of the labor-management issues. Unions now want laws to strengthen their right to strike by prohibiting companies from hiring permanent replacements for striking workers. Employers want the right to test workers for drug use. Many workers are fighting for the right to take unpaid leave when they have babies or when a family member is ill and needs extensive care. And, as the unemployment rate has climbed there is growing belief that the government should help create jobs through public works programs, job training programs and tax credits for employers in areas of high unemployment.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Effects of Junk Food

Junk Food Sucks Eating  junk food  can have a significant impact on one's health. Though many people enjoy eating  junk  food  and think it tastes great. The term â€Å"junk  food†Ã‚  typically refers to foods that are relatively high in caloric content, but low in nutritional value. Junk  food  is often high in sugar, salt, white flour, and fat. A few examples of foods often considered to be  junk  food  include fast  food, sweets such as ice cream, candy, donuts, and prepackaged treats, soda, and  potato  chips, among many others.The effects of eating too much junk food are lower energy levels, can weight gain  and led to illness and diabetes. The first effect of  eating  junk  food  is its impact on energy levels. Many people skip breakfast or other meals throughout the day, choosing instead to grab a quick snack or a soft drink. The junk  food  causes energy levels to spike, which people like, but then energy levels will quickly dr op, sending one back into the kitchen for another quick snack.The high levels of sugar in junk food puts your metabolism under stress; when you eat refined sugar, your pancreas secretes high amounts of insulin to prevent a dangerous spike in blood sugar levels. In addition,  junk  food  can cause moodiness, and make it difficult to get enough sleep at night, so energy levels are never restored to normal. (Junk Food) Second effect from eating junk food is weight gain.People who eat a lot of  junk  food  tend to gain weight quickly, which can lead to obesity over time; this extra weight then has an impact on the health of the rest of the body. It can raise  cholesterol  and blood pressure, contributing to  heart disease. The high levels of fat and sodium in junk food can cause high blood pressure or hypertension. Excessive dietary sodium can also have a negative effect on renal function, even leading to kidney disease. High levels of dietary fat lead to poor cognitiv e performance.You'll feel tired and have trouble concentrating because your body might not be getting enough oxygen. (Nutrition) Third effect of eating too much junk food is Diabetes. Over time, the high levels of sugar and simple carbohydrates in junk food can lead to type 2 diabetes. This occurs because eating too much sugar puts your metabolism under stress; when you eat a lot of refined white sugar and simple carbohydrates, your body has to pump up insulin production to prevent a dangerous spike in blood sugar levels.Because junk food doesn't contain the protein or complex carbohydrates that your body needs to maintain consistent blood sugar levels, your blood sugar levels will drop suddenly soon after eating. You'll crave sugar and likely end up eating more junk food. Over time, this stress damages your body's ability to use the insulin secreted by your pancrease. A healthy diet can help maintain your body's insulin sensitivity. (Nutrition) When the body does not get proper nut rition, it can become difficult to concentrate.It can also cause depression. Keep all of these health  effects  of  junk  food  in mind before  eating anything; a healthy diet can lead to greater energy levels, improved mood and concentration ability, weight loss, and decreased risk factors for heart disease and diabetes. Though  junk food  may be easy and fast, its health impacts are too great to ignore. Work cited â€Å"Fast Food Nutrition† Fitday. com Tuesday, January 22, 2013 B, Miller. â€Å"Effects of Junk Food† Wisegeek. com Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

What Are the Score Choice Policies at Ivy Leagues

What Are the Score Choice Policies at Ivy Leagues SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Many students assume colleges will see every score they've earned on the SAT and ACT when they apply. However, while some top-tier schools do require your full testing histories, many don't. Some even allow score choice for the SAT, which allows you to send only the scores you want them to see, or they allow you to pick your best ACT test date. If you're aiming for a top-tier school like an Ivy League, Stanford, or MIT, read this guide to learn how they evaluate standardized tests to help you best prepare. What's in This Guide We're dividing this list of prestigious schools into two categories: colleges that require you to send all scores, and colleges that do not. We are including quotations from their admissions websites about not just their policies on multiple scores, but how they evaluate multiple test scores in general. We will also link to each school's admissions website so you can read more in-depth about their policies. We will also highlight colleges that specifically allow for College Board's Score Choice (or the ACT's similar option). Plus, we will include application tips for the two categories to help you create a smart test-taking strategy. Colleges in Guide Brown University Columbia University Cornell University Dartmouth College Duke University Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Princeton University Stanford University University of California System University of Chicago University of Pennsylvania Vanderbilt University Yale University Colleges That Require You to Send All Scores As companies that make standardized tests have made it easier to pick and choose which scores you want to send to colleges, fewer schools have required you to send all your test scores. Currently, only one of the Ivy Leagues (Yale) does. In these cases, the colleges require you to send your full testing history (sometimes called "testing record"), either for the ACT or SAT. In the past, some colleges have even required your testing history from both tests. Even though colleges often say they will "focus" on the highest score, colleges that require all scores will take each score they receive into consideration. Yale University "Applicants who have taken the SAT or ACT exam multiple times should report all scores from whichever test they choose to report. Applicants who choose to report scores from both the SAT and ACT should report all scores received on both tests....When assessing SAT results, admissions officers will focus on the highest individual section scores from all test dates. For example, if an applicant took the SAT twice, the highest Evidence-Based Reading and Writing and Math scores will be considered individually. When assessing ACT results, admissions officers focus on the highest ACT Composite from all test dates while also considering individual ACT subscores." If you take both the SAT or ACT, you can choose which test to send. But whichever test you pick, you have to send all of your scores. They will also superscore the results of whichever exam you decide to submit; however, remember that they will see all your scores, even if "officially" they only use the highest score from each section. Want to learn more about the SAT but tired of reading blog articles? Then you'll love our free, SAT prep livestreams. Designed and led by PrepScholar SAT experts, these live video events are a great resource for students and parents looking to learn more about the SAT and SAT prep. Click on the button below to register for one of our livestreams today! Strategy for "All Scores" Schools While we never recommend taking the ACT or SAT until you are confident you will get your target score- either for the first time or on a retake- you need to be especially careful about retakes if any of the above schools are top choices for you. In particular, do not take the ACT or SAT once "for practice" before studying for a higher score on a retake. These colleges will see that lower "practice score" and take it into consideration. Instead, make full-length, strictly-timed practice tests an important part of your study regimen, so you have a more confident idea of what your score will turn out to be before you take the ACT/SAT for the first time. Also, be careful about retaking the SAT/ACT with the goal of improving one of the sections. For example, if you got a low Critical Reading score the first time around on the SAT, don't exclusively study for CR before your retake. If your other scores (Math and Writing) go down by a lot, that could make for a lower composite score the second time, which doesn't look great. You should also be careful of retaking the SAT or ACT more than three times, since again, they will see every score date and it won't look good if your scores don't improve markedly. Some final bits of advice: if you're taking the SAT, take the PSAT during your sophomore year so you can get real, scored SAT practice before you take the SAT. And if you're taking the ACT, keep in mind you have the option of deleting records from a particular test date. You can't send scores that no longer exist! Colleges That Don't Require All Scores Colleges that don't require all scores to be sent often have admission policies in place in which they only consider the highest scores, either from a single test date or by superscoring. This is why they don't require all scores- because they won't consider the lowest ones anyway. Many of these colleges also accept College Board's Score Choice feature, which allows you to pick and choose which scores to send. (Read more about Score Choice here.) ACT doesn't have Score Choice, but it does allow you to pick which test date to send. You can put your best scores forward at "score choice" schools. By the way, "superscoring" means combining the best section results from different test dates to create your highest possible composite score. Many of the schools on this list superscore for the SAT, however, for the ACT, it's more common to just look at the highest composite score. Brown University "We accept Score Choice. We will super score within both current and redesigned SAT, but will not super score using results from both versions of the test. For the ACT, we consider the highest scores submitted for each section; however, we do not calculate a super scored ACT Composite score." If you take the SAT more than once, Brown will automatically consider your highest section scores (provided all scores are from either the old or the redesigned SAT), but you may also use Score Choice to decide which scores to submit. For the ACT, they will focus on the highest score for each section, but won't calculate a "superscored" composite. You can choose your best ACT test date(s) to send with that in mind. Columbia University "Applicants may select the Score Choice option for the SAT or choose to submit specific ACT composite scores....When evaluating applicants, we consider only the highest testing results reported from individual sections of the SAT or the highest composite score on the ACT." Columbia's policy is very similar to Brown's. You can use Score Choice for the SAT or pick your best ACT composite to submit. Cornell University "Note that Cornell participates in the College Board Score Choice program. For the SAT, Cornell considers the highest section scores across test dates. For the ACT, Cornell considers the highest composite score across all ACT test dates. As a reminder, ACT does not create new records by combining scores from different test dates." Cornell doesn't require you to send all scores, and it'll combine section scores of different SAT exam dates, but only composite scores from different ACT test dates, not section scores. Dartmouth College "Dartmouth does permit the use of Score Choice....We consider the highest component scores from the SAT, even if these results are from different dates. For the ACT, the committee considers the highest composite score and does not combine sub-scores from multiple test dates. We don't recommend excessive testing." Like fellow Ivies Brown and Columbia, they will look at the highest SAT sections from different dates but only the highest ACT composite. Duke University "Students who have taken multiple tests may choose which scores to send to Duke. For students who elect to send multiple test scores Duke will use whichever score is highest." For Duke, you have total control over what scores to send! And if you do send multiple scores, they will use whichever score is best. This is actually a recent change to their policy- they used to require all scores. Harvard College "You are free to use the College Board's Score Choice option or the similar option offered by ACT when applying to Harvard." Harvard doesn't say they automatically focus on the highest scores if they get more than one SAT score or ACT score. However, they do say "we do not admit by the numbers" and "we take into account your educational background when reviewing scores." This is part of holistic application review, trying to take into account the whole applicant. Still, Harvard is one of the most competitive schools in the country, so we suggest putting your best scores forward either with Score Choice or by sending your best ACT test date. MIT "Students are free to use the College Board's Score Choice option and the ACT's option to submit the scores of your choice." MIT does say that they superscore test results, so Score Choice can be a bit redundant. They even superscores across the old and new SAT, which is unusual. They superscore the ACT as well, saying that they "consider the highest score achieved in each section" for both the SAT and ACT. This means if you have taken the ACT more than once, and your best section scores are spread out between test dates, it might be more advantageous to send all your ACT dates so MIT will superscore them. Princeton University "We allow applicants to use the score choice feature of the SAT and accept only the highest composite score of the ACT, but we encourage the submission of all test scores." Like the other Ivies in this section, Princeton is fine with College Board's Score Choice and its ACT equivalent. Stanford University "We recommend that you simply self-report your highest scores in the testing section of the application. You can also have official scores sent to Stanford, but this is not required for us to review your application. If you are offered admission and choose to enroll, official scores that match your self-reported scores will be required. In order for test scores to be considered official, they must be sent directly from the College Board or the ACT." Stanford allows for Score Choice, and it also superscores for both the SAT and the ACT. University of California System "In the College Board's Score Choice module, we encourage you to send all official scores to UC. We will use the highest scores from a single administration. There is no disadvantage to submitting all scores....For the ACT with Writing test, we will focus on the highest combined score from the same test administration...For the SAT with Essay, we will focus on the highest total score from a single test date." They stop short of explicitly requiring all scores, but they make it clear they'd prefer to see all your scores. This means if you're applying to any schools in the UC system (these include Berkeley, UCLA, and UC Davis), you're encouraged to send all your scores, since lower scores won't hurt your admission chances. University of Chicago "If you have chosen to submit SAT or ACT test scores, we recommend you send us all of your test scores. Only your best testing results- your highest sub-scores and the best result of the two testing options, if you've taken both the SAT and ACT- will be considered in the review of your application. Lower test scores submitted will not be used in the review of your application." UChicago doesn't forbid Score Choice, but they do recommend you send all of your scores, since they only look at the highest ones. University of Pennsylvania "Although we permit Score Choice, we do encourage students to submit their entire testing history on both ACT and SAT exams." Much like Dartmouth and Princeton, UPenn allows you to send whichever scores you like, but prefers you send them all. It's also worth noting that they superscore for both the SAT and ACT, so you will often benefit from sending multiple scores. Vanderbilt University "Only your highest [SAT] section scores will be considered as part of the final admissions decision...We will treat ACT scores in the way as what we're describing here with the SAT Reasoning (i.e., considering only the highest composite ACT score in our final admissions decisions). The only difference between the two is that we do not "super-score" the ACT, whereas we do with the SAT Reasoning." So for the SAT, even though Vanderbilt encourages you to send all scores, they don't require it. For the ACT, they're more flexible. Since they will only look at the highest composite score, you can just submit your highest ACT composite. Strategy for Score Choice Schools Unlike the "all scores" schools, you are free to send scores from one test date for the ACT or use score choice to combine scores from multiple dates for the SAT. This means there is less pressure to get a super high composite each time you take the SAT- so if you need to, you could go into a retake aiming for a better math score and not worry too much about Critical Reading and Writing. You also don't need to stress out about only testing two or three times because you won't have to send each test date (though still, if you're studying carefully, you shouldn't have to retake the SAT or ACT more than two or three times). Basically, for the SAT, your goal should be to create the single highest composite you can, and not worry as much about some of your lower scores. However, for the ACT, it's important to note that while some schools (MIT and UChicago) will superscore the ACT, most schools are just looking at the highest overall composite. So you don't have to worry about retaking the ACT, since you only have to send your highest composite to these schools. However, it does mean each time you take the ACT, you need to study all sections to maximize your final composite (the ACT's composite is averaged, so a lower section could drag down your composite). What's Next? So how high should your SAT/ACT scores be for the Ivy League, anyway? See our guide to which scores will get you in- and which ones are too low. We also have a guide to SAT Subject Test scores for the Ivy League. Don't consider these an afterthought! Need help preparing for your retakes? Check out the best SAT and ACT prep websites you should be using. Disappointed with your scores? Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points? We've written a guide about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Free Essays on Descartes Meditations

Descartes’ Meditations In his second meditation, Rene Descartes reveals and tries to verify the proposition â€Å"I am thinking, so I exist†. As demonstrated in his first meditation, a proposition may only be made true if one cannot conceive of any situation where it may be made false. If one is able to have any reason to doubt the reality of any object, than that object is automatically considered to be dubitable and cannot be taken for full value as it may not even be what it appears to be. However, if one can be certain of something in every situation, it is considered indubitable, and by Descartes would be considered foundational, meaning that they are the basis of what our knowledge is formed upon. The proposition â€Å"I am thinking† is made indubitable by considering the fact that even if one tries to believe they are not thinking, they are still thinking in an attempt to make such a proposition false. As well, Descartes points out that even if one is to be deceived of everything around him, one can still be certain of their own existence. Whether it is by dreaming, hallucinations, or a deceptive evil genius, one can not experience something unless it in fact exists in some world. Although it is possible to experience such things even when they are false, in order for one to conceive of such things they must be in existence somewhere. With this in mind, one can not honestly conceive of any situation where they themselves don’t actually exist. In order for one to experience any sort of sensory or cognitive experience, one must be in existence to do so. Descartes argues that this is what makes one’s own existence indubitable. This leads to the conc lusion that if one is thinking, then one must be in existence to think, therefore making the proposition â€Å"I am thinking, so I exist†, indubitable. On the other hand, the proposition, â€Å"I am walking, so I exist†, would be considered dubitable b... Free Essays on Descartes' Meditations Free Essays on Descartes' Meditations Descartes’ Meditations In his second meditation, Rene Descartes reveals and tries to verify the proposition â€Å"I am thinking, so I exist†. As demonstrated in his first meditation, a proposition may only be made true if one cannot conceive of any situation where it may be made false. If one is able to have any reason to doubt the reality of any object, than that object is automatically considered to be dubitable and cannot be taken for full value as it may not even be what it appears to be. However, if one can be certain of something in every situation, it is considered indubitable, and by Descartes would be considered foundational, meaning that they are the basis of what our knowledge is formed upon. The proposition â€Å"I am thinking† is made indubitable by considering the fact that even if one tries to believe they are not thinking, they are still thinking in an attempt to make such a proposition false. As well, Descartes points out that even if one is to be deceived of everything around him, one can still be certain of their own existence. Whether it is by dreaming, hallucinations, or a deceptive evil genius, one can not experience something unless it in fact exists in some world. Although it is possible to experience such things even when they are false, in order for one to conceive of such things they must be in existence somewhere. With this in mind, one can not honestly conceive of any situation where they themselves don’t actually exist. In order for one to experience any sort of sensory or cognitive experience, one must be in existence to do so. Descartes argues that this is what makes one’s own existence indubitable. This leads to the conc lusion that if one is thinking, then one must be in existence to think, therefore making the proposition â€Å"I am thinking, so I exist†, indubitable. On the other hand, the proposition, â€Å"I am walking, so I exist†, would be considered dubitable b...

Saturday, October 19, 2019

A Membrane-Enclosed Nucleus Essay Example for Free

A Membrane-Enclosed Nucleus Essay ? They are very small–individually not more than one single cell–however there are normally millions of them together, for they can multiply really fast. A number of bacteria cause disease, these are called pathogenic bacteria. Fortunately our immune system knows how to deal with them. However not all bacteria are ‘bad guys’. We need bacteria to stay alive. Bacteria are prokaryotes (single cells that do not contain a nucleus). Microbiology is the study of prokaryotes, eukaryotes and viruses. Did you know that bacteria can get sick too. Bacteriophages are able to attach themselves to certain types of bacteria and inject their genetic material in the bacterial cell. Then, using the bacterial machinery, the DNA multiplies itself. Eventually from this multiplied genetic information so many new bacteriophages are formed that the cell bursts. The offspring of the bacteriophage has destroyed its bacterial host, and in so doing millions of new bacteriophages are released. These can attach themselves to new bacteria to complete their life cycle. With our immune system we defend ourselves against a bacterial infection. Antibiotics can help us win the battle. When you report a bacterial infection to your physician, you are probably prescribed antibiotics. The term ‘antibiotics’ (literally ‘against living things’) is mainly used for substances that kill or prevent the growth of bacteria, as opposed to antiviral or antifungal substances. Antibiotics are not active against viral infections. Antibiotics are extremely important in medicine, but unfortunately bacteria can become resistant to them. Antibiotics have probably been around nearly as long as microorganisms have, and nature has provided bacteria with means to overcome their action. Resistance to antibiotics can become problematic, for it makes these powerful medicines completely ineffective. Some bacteria have learned to deal with practically all types of antibiotics we have available, and this can cause real problems in health institutions. Strict quarantine measures are needed to prevent the spread of such superbugs for we have little weapons left against them. A Membrane-Enclosed Nucleus. (2018, Nov 06).

Friday, October 18, 2019

Hazards and Disasters Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Hazards and Disasters - Case Study Example A debate of the purposes of methodological, rigorous intervention programs and joint programs in an effort to reducing violence in work related areas need to be put in place. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics (1993), the advancement of workplace violence has developed the understanding of the connection with the persons responsible for the violence to the victims and has led to the creation of theoretical structures of connecting the causes and prevention measures of workplace violence (p56). Despite the fact that workers can be presented to many types of violence in the path of their employment, significant numbers of the workers are intimidation and assaulted in one way or another (Albrecht, 86). In order to understand workplace related violence, it is important to distinguish the various aspects of workplace violence which include pre-vent, event and post event instances. Pre-event aspects that lead to the workplace violence events are in mo st cases intricate, on the other hand, the words of warning can be apparent to the victim way in advance. At this point in time, it is important to embark on precautionary measures which largely help prevent any form of violence intended on a victim in a workplace (Campbell 96). A workplace violence event is terrible for all the people involved. It is clear that all the victims of workplace violence feel terrible about it and others fail even to talk about it in public. According to U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, Violence in the Workplace (1993), there is much need to employ various strategies at work that help both in managing the workers affected by workplace violence overcome the ordeal at the same as providing training to the workers to help them have better response in case of such incidences of workplace violence events (p.56). Lastly, post event occasions will entail a study that seek to determine or establish exactly what went wrong in a workplace or what exactly happened. This kind of study helps to unveil the steps of violence, showing the perpetrator’s moves and plans as much as providing the best means to overcome this ordeal which includes counseling and psychological guidance depending on the intensity of abuse. Question II The Occupational safety and Health Administration (OSHA) describes workplace violence or the risk of violence hostile to workers. Workplace violence can take place at or outside the workplaces. The kind of violence can vary from risks and verbal abuses to physical abuse and homicides. Homicide is in fact a leading cause of work related deaths (Booth, Vecchi, Finney, Hasselt, & Romano 76-92). OSHA establishes that over 2 million American staff members fall victims of workplace related violence every year. Despite the fact that this violence take place in any place, a number of workers are more in danger (Booth, et al., 76-92). This paper puts emphasis on three occupations which are among the mo st vulnerable to workplace violence which include: Health care work (targeting nurses), Taxi Drivers and Letter carriers. Workplace violence is one of the highly intricate and risky occupations in the world today where nurses are exposed to lots of work related violence (Rugala & Fitzgerald, 775-789). There are a lot of complex situations that come up in the nursing field which have

Pressure to cover Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Pressure to cover - Essay Example The need for cover is not only in the call centers operating from India, but even in the United States, which prides itself as a nation which embraces diversity. Wherever you go, you can see instances of ordinary Americans 'covering' under pressure. That is, pretending to what they are not-pretending to be like the mainstream. According to Kenji Yoshino who writes in his article,"The Pressure to Cover" published in the New York Times of January 15, 2006, people "play down their outsider identities to blend into the mainstream." Although the laws against discrimination have become pretty strict with the enforcement of "a battery of civil Rights Laws" like the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, there are still subtler forms of discrimination practised. Now entire ethnic groups or racial minorities are not targeted for discrimination, but there is still discrimination against individuals who dare to go against the mainstream. Yoshino says that individuals are forced to 'cover'. Since the existing civil rights laws do not protect individuals fully, they are forced to concede to the social demands to 'cover'. I have come across many people who try to cover. I remember I used to wear long sleeved shirts even in summer when I had an attack of eczema in my elbow when I was seven years old. I was just covering my stigma, although everybody knew about the eczema. Fortunately for me, it got cured very soon and I could wear comfortable clothes. My friend Singh who belongs to a religious sect called Sikhs, wears a turban according to the tenets of his religion, and has long hair. Although his ambition is to join the air force, he can never do so. . Sociologist Irving Goffman's 1963 book, "Stigma" provided the inspiration for Yoshino. According to Goffman, covering was practiced even by the famous like President F.D.Roosevelt. "He relates how F.D.R. stationed himself behind a desk before his advisors came in for a meeting.He was covering, playing down his disability so people would focus on his more conventionally presidential qualities." (Yoshino) Yoshino gives examples of other famous personalities who resorted to covering- Helen Keller got artificial glass eyes in place of her natural , protruding eyes, Margaret Thatcher got coaching in speaking, many famous personalities like Martin Sheen and Ben Kingsley changed their original names to Anglo-Saxon sounding names. Covering is done by people who have already admitted that they have a stigma, and make efforts to ensure that the stigma is not very noticeable. Karthikeyan told me about his own son, a little boy of six, whom the parents have named Ashwin. "I call him Ash, and my wife calls him Win. We are happy both the names sound American," he said smugly. Many non white and non Anglo Saxon ethnic groups have started giving Anglo-Saxon sounding names to their children. Almost all Chinese Americans have an English name; there are many Charlies and Jimmys in Chinatowns. It is a well known fact that many Hollywood stars have changed their names to make them more English sounding. Kirk Douglas' real name was Issur Danielovitch Demsky, and Ben Kingsley's was Krishna Bhanji. Changing their real name is also a sort of cover. When Karthikeyan introduces himself as 'Karr', he is taking refuge in a cover, he is trying to blend seamlessly into the mainstream. Citing a number of cases, Yoshino argues,"Under this rule,

Identify three accomplishments in your professional career and explain Essay - 1

Identify three accomplishments in your professional career and explain how they demonstrate your potential to become a successful manager - Essay Example This was mainly due to the lack of transparency between management and employees. My firm believes that an organization can reach its maximum potential if its members are allowed to honestly provide as well as accept constructive feedback as it makes the circumstances conducive for mutual growth. Following this belief, I took the risk of singlehandedly approaching the higher management and suggesting them to foster open communication where employees and the management could discuss the sales and marketing plans with each other as a team. Initially, my proposal met with disapproval and I was criticized for being a non-conformist. Nevertheless, the skepticism soon turned into acknowledgement with the implementation of the communication policy as per my suggestion. Management realized the benefits of having the company share future plans with the employees more responsively. Accordingly, it opened a new channel between the employees and the management. Later, I asked myself what had mad e me flow against the main stream. It dawned upon me that this incident was an outcome of the very character-building exercise that I was doing since childhood. That exercise encouraged me to rise and face such situations with integrity and perseverance. I was the leader on a project for a pharmaceutical client. We had to implement a SharePoint – InfoPath solution. As it was our first time with a pharmaceutical client, we just made sure that the estimates were objective and optimistic enough to win us the complete project. The actual design consumed considerably lesser time to be made than it does normally, though I strongly believe that if 80 per cent of the total time on a project is spent on designing and clarifying issues, development takes no more than 20 per cent of the time. I resolved to take added responsibilities in order to make sure

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Oscar Schindler Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Oscar Schindler - Essay Example But this is exactly where the problem lies. The events have been resurrected for the present - as well as for the future - generations. There are issues here like Jew hatred, and now freedom of speech, when holocaust is being discussed even from a historical point of view. These have provided fires to Oscar Schindler's story. This paper gives a brief description of the event and then make a stand that Oscar Schindler is indeed a hero. On April 28, 1908 in Zwittau, Czechoslovakia, Oscar Schindler, a man destined to be great, was born. His life and accomplishments during the war became the subject of a best selling book by Thomas Keneally. Then Steven Spielberg made it into a powerful film, winning many Academy Awards and other honors from the movie industry (Klein n.d.). But how did a member of the Nazi party, war profiteer of slave labor, womanizer, alcoholic and compulsive gambler end up being honored Through "Schindler's List," the true story of a German businessman and Nazi sympathizer is revealed (Scileppi 2003). Poldek Pfefferberg, a black market trader was said to have initiated this incredible story, him who had business links with Schindler and who gave him goods which the latter used as gifts to impress Nazi officers. The whole thing worked, and Schindler became friends with some of the highest ranking officers in the German army (Ibid). SchindlerSchindler was then doing business in 1938 in Poland and found the Nazis' rise to power as his chance to make money. He had started a cookware and utensil company, and to be able to get a series of Nazi military contracts, he applied his natural skills in socializing, flattering and bribing his way (New Internationalist 1994). Itzhak Stern became accountant and financier to assist him in his factory but the more important role was to liaison for Jew workers that Nazi troops herded into Crakow's ghetto by (Scileppi 2003). Kracow's Jews soon filed into Schindler's factory to work. Unknown to the workers, Schindler helped his Jewish employees by falsifying the factory records. For example, their ages were adjusted so that old people were recorded as being younger; juveniles were listed as adults. Professionals were registered as metalworkers, mechanics, and draughtsmen, considered essential to war production. The workers were protected from the extermination commissions that looked into Schindler's records from time to time (Steinhouse 1994) His workers did not know that at the same time, Schindler spent his evenings entertaining many of the local SS and Wehrmacht officers, cultivating friendships and strengthening his position wherever possible. .With an easy charm, Schindler became popular in Nazi social circles in Cracow {Steinhouse 1994). In 1942, when Krakow's Jews are assigned to Plaszow, a Forced Labor Camp run by Commandant Amon Goeth, the survival of the Jews were put in jeopardy. Schindler placed efforts in pleasing Goeth and was able to arrange the continued use of Polish Jews in his plant. (New internationalist 1994). Events that followed made Schindler realize that only he and his factory were what came between his workers and the Nazi death camps. From there he completely gave up generating wealth, and began using his remaining finances as bribes to procure more Jewish workers and maintain the factory's current staff. By the time the allies defeated Germany, his fortune was used up, but by

Assessment and care of a client with complex needs. Mental Health Essay

Assessment and care of a client with complex needs. Mental Health nursing] - Essay Example 15). This involves a methodical evaluation of the social and health care requirements of an individual who has been brought to the ‘specialist mental health services’ (Forster, 2001, p. 15). An important component of the CPA is the assigning of a service provider who will work with the client and his/her family or caregivers to evaluate needs, create and carry out a care plan. In the CPA service provider task, the nurse is largely involved in locating an array of assessment needs, several of which could be outside the own knowledge or capability of the nurse. Besides the troubles brought about by mental disorders, numerous clients with serious and chronic mental disorders will be further impaired by ‘secondary impairment’ (Bartlett & Sandland, 2007). This will lead to a kind of disability marked by difficulty carrying out daily tasks such as cooking, going to the grocery, using public transport, and so on. Professional assessments from service providers shou ld be requested. In nursing theory and practice, bipolar disorder is classified as one of the most complex mental health disorders. The best nursing care takes place during the acute illness stage and remission (Suppes & Dennehy, 2010). This paper presents a case study of the mental health condition of Ms. ... She eventually became tardy. Her performance at work began to deteriorate. Ms. M herself admitted that she has difficulty concentrating at work. She also said that she feels lost and lonely at times. Her sleep patterns also became abnormal. She sleeps late but wakes up very early. But, interestingly, she began to show more enthusiasm and energy in the morning. Her sister reported that Ms. M became short-tempered all of a sudden and has been, for the first time, openly expressing her desire to become a model. Ms. M was diagnosed with depression and alcohol related problems. Ms. M’s mental health condition may be caused by genetics or environmental factors. A depressive episode may take place without any clear cause. It could be that something stressful in Ms. M’s immediate environment caused the sudden changes in her behaviour; it could be a stressful event at work or at home. A medical condition can also cause episodes of depression, such as brain tumour or stroke (Vide beck, 2010). According to Boyd (2008), use of substance and consumption of alcohol may also activate symptoms of depression. Case Analysis The symptoms of Ms. M are indicative of bipolar disorder. An individual episode of abnormal and chronic irritable mood. During Ms. M’s episodes of mood disorder, the following symptoms of bipolar disorder have continued: difficulty concentrating; more conversational than normal; excessive energy and enthusiasm; abnormal sleeping patterns; and increased confidence (e.g. desire to enter modeling). The mood disorder is quite serious to cause noticeable disruption in occupational performance or in personal relationships. The symptoms may be triggered by alcohol related problems. Because bipolar disorder often includes depressive and manic episodes, knowledge of

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Identify three accomplishments in your professional career and explain Essay - 1

Identify three accomplishments in your professional career and explain how they demonstrate your potential to become a successful manager - Essay Example This was mainly due to the lack of transparency between management and employees. My firm believes that an organization can reach its maximum potential if its members are allowed to honestly provide as well as accept constructive feedback as it makes the circumstances conducive for mutual growth. Following this belief, I took the risk of singlehandedly approaching the higher management and suggesting them to foster open communication where employees and the management could discuss the sales and marketing plans with each other as a team. Initially, my proposal met with disapproval and I was criticized for being a non-conformist. Nevertheless, the skepticism soon turned into acknowledgement with the implementation of the communication policy as per my suggestion. Management realized the benefits of having the company share future plans with the employees more responsively. Accordingly, it opened a new channel between the employees and the management. Later, I asked myself what had mad e me flow against the main stream. It dawned upon me that this incident was an outcome of the very character-building exercise that I was doing since childhood. That exercise encouraged me to rise and face such situations with integrity and perseverance. I was the leader on a project for a pharmaceutical client. We had to implement a SharePoint – InfoPath solution. As it was our first time with a pharmaceutical client, we just made sure that the estimates were objective and optimistic enough to win us the complete project. The actual design consumed considerably lesser time to be made than it does normally, though I strongly believe that if 80 per cent of the total time on a project is spent on designing and clarifying issues, development takes no more than 20 per cent of the time. I resolved to take added responsibilities in order to make sure

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Assessment and care of a client with complex needs. Mental Health Essay

Assessment and care of a client with complex needs. Mental Health nursing] - Essay Example 15). This involves a methodical evaluation of the social and health care requirements of an individual who has been brought to the ‘specialist mental health services’ (Forster, 2001, p. 15). An important component of the CPA is the assigning of a service provider who will work with the client and his/her family or caregivers to evaluate needs, create and carry out a care plan. In the CPA service provider task, the nurse is largely involved in locating an array of assessment needs, several of which could be outside the own knowledge or capability of the nurse. Besides the troubles brought about by mental disorders, numerous clients with serious and chronic mental disorders will be further impaired by ‘secondary impairment’ (Bartlett & Sandland, 2007). This will lead to a kind of disability marked by difficulty carrying out daily tasks such as cooking, going to the grocery, using public transport, and so on. Professional assessments from service providers shou ld be requested. In nursing theory and practice, bipolar disorder is classified as one of the most complex mental health disorders. The best nursing care takes place during the acute illness stage and remission (Suppes & Dennehy, 2010). This paper presents a case study of the mental health condition of Ms. ... She eventually became tardy. Her performance at work began to deteriorate. Ms. M herself admitted that she has difficulty concentrating at work. She also said that she feels lost and lonely at times. Her sleep patterns also became abnormal. She sleeps late but wakes up very early. But, interestingly, she began to show more enthusiasm and energy in the morning. Her sister reported that Ms. M became short-tempered all of a sudden and has been, for the first time, openly expressing her desire to become a model. Ms. M was diagnosed with depression and alcohol related problems. Ms. M’s mental health condition may be caused by genetics or environmental factors. A depressive episode may take place without any clear cause. It could be that something stressful in Ms. M’s immediate environment caused the sudden changes in her behaviour; it could be a stressful event at work or at home. A medical condition can also cause episodes of depression, such as brain tumour or stroke (Vide beck, 2010). According to Boyd (2008), use of substance and consumption of alcohol may also activate symptoms of depression. Case Analysis The symptoms of Ms. M are indicative of bipolar disorder. An individual episode of abnormal and chronic irritable mood. During Ms. M’s episodes of mood disorder, the following symptoms of bipolar disorder have continued: difficulty concentrating; more conversational than normal; excessive energy and enthusiasm; abnormal sleeping patterns; and increased confidence (e.g. desire to enter modeling). The mood disorder is quite serious to cause noticeable disruption in occupational performance or in personal relationships. The symptoms may be triggered by alcohol related problems. Because bipolar disorder often includes depressive and manic episodes, knowledge of

Pharaphrasing the Purple Hibiscus Essay Example for Free

Pharaphrasing the Purple Hibiscus Essay Kambili and Jaja both come of age in Purple Hibiscus as a result of their experiences. The book opens with Jaja rebelling against his devout Catholic father by skipping communion on Palm Sunday, an important religious holiday. The following chapters detail the events that culminate in Jaja’s defiance. The book is narrated by Kambili three years after this incident. Since she has been stunted by the severe punishments of her father, Kambili barely speaks. Her narration is striking because it can be concluded that she finds her own voice throughout this ordeal. Both Kambili and Jaja take steps towards adulthood by overcoming adversity and being exposed to new thoughts. Part of growing up is building your own identity by choosing which paths to follow. In Enugu, the only path Kambili and Jaja are allowed to follow is Papa. He writes out schedules and severely punishes them when they stray. When Kambili and Jaja visit their Aunty Ifeoma in Nsukka, they are astonished by what they find. Though her home is small and devoid of luxuries, there is love and respect. Her children Amaka and Obiora are allowed to question authority and choose their own paths. Obiora, though he is three years younger than Jaja, is articulate and protective. He has been initiated into Igbo culture by performing a rite of manhood. Jaja was not allowed to participate and is ashamed that he is lagging behind his cousin. In Nsukka, Jaja is encouraged to rethink his allegiances and make his own decisions. Aunty Ifeoma encourages Kambili to reconsider her stance on Papa-Nnukwu. As she has been taught by Papa, her grandfather is a heathen. But when she searches his face, she sees no signs of godliness. After witnessing his innocence ritual, Kambili questions the absolute rule of her father. Both Kambili and Jaja take major steps towards adulthood by claiming their individuality. Religion There is a contrast between Father Benedict and Father Amadi. Priest at Papa’s beloved St. Agnes, Father Benedict is a white man from England who conducts his masses according to European custom. Papa adheres to Father Benedict’s style, banishing every trace of his own Nigerian heritage. Papa uses his faith to justify abusing his children. Religion alone is not to blame. Papa represents the wave of fundamentalism in Nigeria that corrupts faith. Father Amadi, on the other hand, is an African priest who blends Catholicism with Igbo traditions. He believes that faith is both simpler and more complex than what Father Benedict preaches. Father Amadi is a modern African man who is culturally-conscious but influenced by the colonial history of his country. He is not a moral absolutist like Papa and his God. Religion, when wielded by someone gentle, can be a positive force, as it is in Kambili’s life. Papa-Nnukwu is a traditionalist. He follows the rituals of his ancestors and believes in a pantheistic model of religion. Though both his son and daughter converted to Catholicism, Papa-Nnukwu held on to his roots. When Kambili witnesses his morning ritual, she realizes that their faiths are not as different as they appear. Kambili’s faith extends beyond the boundaries of one religion. She revels in the beauty of nature, her family, her prayer, and the Bible. When she witnesses the miracle at Aokpe, Kambili’s devotion is confirmed. Aunty Ifeoma agrees that God was present even though she did not see the apparition. God is all around Kambili and her family, and can take the form of a smile. The individualistic nature of faith is explored in Purple Hibiscus. Kambili tempers her devotion with a reverence for her ancestors. Jaja and Amaka end up rejecting their faith because it is inexorably linked to Papa and colonialism, respectively. Colonialism Colonialism is a complex topic in Nigeria. For Papa-Nnukwu, colonialism is an evil force that enslaved the Igbo people and eradicated his traditions. For Papa, colonialism is responsible for his access to higher education and grace. For Father Amadi, it has resulted in his faith but he sees no reason that the old and new ways can’t coexist. Father Amadi represents modern Nigeria in the global world. Papa is a product of a colonialist education. He was schooled by missionaries and studied in English. The wisdom he takes back to Nigeria is largely informed by those who have colonized his country. He abandons the traditions of his ancestors and chooses to speak primarily in British-accented English in public. His large estate is filled with western luxuries like satellite TV and music. Amaka assumes that Kambili follows American pop stars while she listens to musicians who embrace their African heritage. But the trappings of Papa’s success are hollow. The children are not allowed to watch television. His home, modernized up to Western standards, is for appearances only. There is emptiness in his home just as his accent is falsified in front of whites. Over the course of the novel, both Kambili and Jaja must come to terms with the lingering after-effects of colonialism in their own lives. They both adjust to life outside their father’s grasp by embracing or accepting traditional ways. Nigerian Politics Both Kambili and the nation are on the cusp of dramatic changes. The political climate of Nigeria and the internal drama of the Achike family are intertwined. After Nigeria declared independence from Britain in 1960, a cycle of violent coups and military dictatorship led to civil war, which led to a new cycle of bloody unrest. Even democracy is hindered by the wide-spread corruption in the government. In Purple Hibiscus, there is a coup that culminates in military rule. Papa and his paper, the Standard, are critical of the corruption that is ushered in by a leader who is not elected by the people. Ironically, Papa is a self-righteous dictator in his own home. He is wrathful towards his children when they stray from his chosen path for them. In the wake of Ade Coker’s death, Papa beats Kambili so severely she is hospitalized in critical condition. Both in Nigeria and in the home, violence begets violence. Kambili and Jaja are kept away from the unrest at first. They witness protests, deadly roadblocks, and harassment from the safety of their car. But when they arrive in Nsukka, they are thrust into political debate. Obiora says the university is a microcosm for Nigeria – ruled by one man with all the power. Pay has been withheld from the professors and light and power are shut off frequently. Medical workers and technicians go on strike and food prices rise. There are rumors that the sole administrator is misdirecting funds intended for the university. This is a parallel to what is happening in the country at large. Kambili and Jaja now understand firsthand the struggle of their cousins. The personal becomes political, and vice versa. Silence Several characters are gripped with silence throughout the novel. Kambili suffers the most, unable to speak more than rehearsed platitudes without stuttering or coughing. Her silence is a product of the abuse that she endures at the hands of her father. Kambili does not allow herself to tell the truth about her situation at home. When her classmates taunt her for being a backyard snob, she does not explain that she does not socialize out of fear. She is not allowed to dally after school lest she be late and beaten. She finally learns how to speak her mind when she is taunted continuously be her cousin Amaka. Aunty Ifeoma encourages her to defend herself and only then can Amaka and Kambili begin their friendship. Kambili begins to speak more confidently, laugh and even sing. The titles of the second and fourth section are Speaking With Our Spirits and A Different Silence. Kambili and Jaja communicate through their eyes, not able to utter the ugly truth of their situation. Mama, like her daughter, cannot speak freely in her own home. Only with Aunty Ifeoma can she behave authentically. The silence that falls upon Enugu after Papa is murdered is, as the title suggests, different. There is hopelessness to this silence like the one that existed when Papa was alive. But it is an honest silence. Mama and Kambili know the truth and there is nothing more that can be said. Jaja’s silence betrays a hardness that has taken hold of him in prison. There is nothing he can say that will end the torment he experiences. The tapes that Aunty Ifeoma sends with her children’s voices are the only respite he has. Silence is also used as punishment. When Kambili and Jaja arrive in Nsukka for Easter, Jaja refuses to speak to his father when he calls. After the years of silence that he has imposed upon his children, they use it as a weapon against him. The government also silences Ade Coker by murdering him after he prints a damning story in the Standard. When soldiers raid Aunty Ifeoma’s flat, they are trying to silence her sympathies with the rioting students through intimidation. Silence is a type of violence. Domestic Violence On several occasions, Papa beats his wife and children. Each time, he is provoked by an action that he deems immoral. When Mama does not want to visit with Father Benedict because she is ill, Papa beats her and she miscarries. When Kambili and Jaja share a home with a heathen, boiling water is poured on their feet because they have walked in sin. For owning a painting of Papa-Nnukwu, Kambili is kicked until she is hospitalized. Papa rationalizes the violence he inflicts on his family, saying it is for their own good. The beatings have rendered his children mute. Kambili and Jaja are both wise beyond their years and also not allowed to reach adulthood, as maturity often comes with questioning authority. When Ade Coker jokes that his children are too quiet, Papa does not laugh. They have a fear of God. Really, Kambili and Jaja are afraid of their father. Beating them has the opposite effect. They choose the right path because they are afraid of the repercussions. They are not encouraged to grow and to succeed, only threatened with failure when they do not. This takes a toll on Jaja especially, who is ashamed that he is so far behind Obiora in both intelligence and protecting his family. He ends up equating religion with punishment and rejects his faith. There is an underlying sexism at work in the abuse. When Mama tells Kambili she is pregnant, she mentions that she miscarried several times after Kambili was born. Within the narrative of the novel, Mama loses two pregnancies at Papa’s hands. The other miscarriages may have been caused by these beatings as well. When she miscarries, Papa makes the children say special novenas for their mother’s forgiveness. Even though he is to blame, he insinuates it is Mama’s fault. Mama believes that she cannot exist outside of her marriage. She dismisses Aunty Ifeoma’s ideas that life begins after marriage as â€Å"university talk.† Mama has not been liberated and withstands the abuse because she believes it is just. Ultimately, she poisons Papa because she can see no other way out. The abuse has repressed her to the point that she must resort to murder to escape. Nature/Environment The book’s namesake flower is a representation of freedom and hope. Jaja is drawn to the unusual purple hibiscus, bred by a botanist friend of Aunty Ifeoma. Aunty Ifeoma has created something new by bringing the natural world together with intelligence. For Jaja, the flower is hope that something new can be created. He longs to break free of his Papa’s rule. He takes a stalk of the purple hibiscus home with him, and plants it in their garden. He also takes home the insight he learns from Nsukka. As both blossom, so too do Jaja and his rebellion. Kambili’s shifting attitudes toward nature signify her stage of transformation. During one of the first times she showers at Nsukka, Kambili finds an earthworm in the tub. Rather than coexisting with it, she removes it to the toilet. When Father Amadi takes her to have her hair plaited, she watches a determined snail repeatedly crawl out of a basket. She identifies with the snail as she has tried to crawl out of Enugu and her fate. Later, when she bathes with water scented with the sky, she leaves the worm alone. She acknowledges that God can be found anywhere and she appreciates its determination. In the opening of the book, Kambili daydreams while looking at the several fruit and flower trees in her yard. This same yard, a signifier of wealth, leaves her open for taunts of â€Å"snob† at school. But here she fixates on the beauty of the trees. When she returns from Nsukka after her mother has miscarried, Kambili is sickened by the rotting tree fruit. The rot symbolizes the sickness in the Achike household but also that Kambili is seeing her home with new eyes. Like the trees, she is trapped behind tall walls. Weather also plays a role in the novel. When Ade Coker dies, there are heavy rains. After Palm Sunday, a violent wind uproots several trees and makes the satellite dish crash to the ground. Rain and wind reflect the drama that unfolds in the Achikes’ lives. Mama tells Kambili that a mixture of rain and sun is God’s indecision on what to bring. Just as there can be both rain and sun at the same time, there are good and evil intertwined. In nature, Kambili gleans that there are no absolutes. Papa is neither all good or all bad, her faith does not have to be either Catholic or traditionalist, and she can challenge her parents while still being a good child. * 1-310-919-0950 * Log In | * Sign Up * 1) Five major issues explored in purple hibiscus are; domestic violence, oppression, religion, education and love. 2a) Adichie uses a narrative point of view to explore the theme of domestic violence. The book is narrated in the first person by a 15 year old who is directly affected by domestic violence. Because of her young age she is quiet honest and this allows her to paint a great picture to the audience of the brutal abuse that Eugene bestows upon his family. This is as a result of her sensitive, intelligent and observant nature. 2b) Oppression is explored through narrative point of view. Adichie uses the point of view of Kambili to show the audience how oppressed the country is not only in the Achike household but the whole of Nigeria. Again Kambili’s honesty and good descriptions help to give the readers an idea as of how oppressed the country and Eugene’s household really is. 2c) Adichie uses narrative point of view to explore the theme of religion. She uses this because Kambili the narrator is exposed to different kinds of religion, such as, fanatic Catholics, liberated Catholics and Traditionalists. Again, it is Kambili’s observant nature that helps to give the readers a good idea of what all of the practices are like. Kambili’s narration is also used to show the great impact that religion has on life. 2d) Education is also explored through narration. In the narration Kambili has an encounter with her father and Kambili’s father’s past gives us an idea of how important he thinks education is. 2e) Love is also explored through narration. Although Kambili is a 15 year old through her narration we are able to see that she loves father Amadi. The love however is immature in because they have known each other for a very short time. Although the love narrated is not very mature it is still love. Adichie uses narration to show the audience that Kambili is in love and Adichie uses her narration to give us some hints of this love. 3a) Adichie bring out [continues]

Monday, October 14, 2019

Performance of Raspberry-Like Gold Nanoparticles (Au RLNPs)

Performance of Raspberry-Like Gold Nanoparticles (Au RLNPs) Improvement of Stability and Catalytic Performance of Raspberry-Like Gold Nanoparticles by Silica Coating High Catalytic Performance of Raspberry-Like Gold Nanoparticles (Au RLNPs) and Enhancement of Stability by Silica Coating Kiouk Seo, Hien Mai Duy and Hyojong Yoo* Abstract. The raspberry-like gold nanoparticles (Au RLNPs) synthesized through the reduction of HAuCl4 by the use of NaOH and Brij35 surfactant show high catalytic activities in the reduction of 4-nitrophenol and ethanol electrooxidation. The enhanced catalytic activities of Au RLNPs are mainly due to their high surface area. However, Au RLNPs easily change to the spherical or aggregated nanoparticles in a treatment with acids, thiols, and cationic surfactants (ex, CTAB)), and are difficult to sustain the catalytic activities. To improve the stability and applicability, Au RLNPs core–silica shell nanoparticles (Au [emailprotected]2 NPs) were successfully synthesized in solution without losing their original morphologies through a simple solution-phase sol-gel process with the assistance of surface-stabilizing polymeric agent (Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)). In comparison with Au RLNPs and other Au nanoparticles, Au [emailprotected]2 NPs could be more easily recovered and recycled in the repeated catalytic reactions. Keywords Raspberry-like gold nanoparticles (Au RLNPs), Silica coating, Catalytic reduction, Ethanol electrooxidation, Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) 1. INTRODUCTION Noble metals have gained much attention over the past two decades due to their potentials in a wide variety of applications including energy conversion[1][2], chemical and biological sensing[3], and bioengineering[4]. Tremendous research efforts have been devoted towards the exploration of how to design nanomaterials with varied topographies that has led to the discovery of their fundamental size-, shape-, and component-dependent properties and the development of new applications[5][6][7]. Moreover, it has theoretically and experimentally found that arrays of asymmetric surface features, particularly deviations from spherical geometry, mainly impart unique anisotropy in material properties7. Apparently, to achieve such desired anisotropic topographies strict control is required. Conversely, this leads to a generation of particles with novel properties from the same materials by simply tuning the particle morphology. Furthermore, anisotropic geometry offers numerous unique features an d functionalities that are either difficult to obtain or even hardly obtained by simple size-tuning in spherical counterparts. Morphology of nanoparticles also strongly affects the catalytic performance. This is due to the surface anisotropy possessing a high density of low-coordinated atoms such as steps, edges, and defects serving as catalytically active sites which can markedly affect chemical and physical properties of nanoparticles[8]. Among those colloidal gold (Au) nanoparticles exhibit not only highly tunable architecture-dependent optical properties but also show excellent performance and high selectivity in a variety of heterogeneous green catalytic processes [ref][9][10]. For a better stability, catalytic performance, and reusability of Au nanoparticles, engineering new nanocatalyst system is thus considered one of the most critical tasks. Recently, in our group, we successfully synthesized raspberry-like gold nanoparticles (Au RLNPs) with rich edges and high surface areas through the reduction of HAuCl4 by Brij35 surfactant under basic condition in a controllable fashion [ref]. The synthesized Au RLNPs possess high surface areas and show the unique, highly-red shifted surface plasmon resonances (SPRs) due to the rough, raspberry-like surface of Au RLNPs. These structures also have high surface energies due to their plenty of tips and edges. These nanoparticles are stable and retain their raspberry-like geome try in basic or neutral conditions; however gradually reshape to the spherical geometry under a specific circumstance such as acidic condition. In order to exploit the unique shape-dependent properties of the Au RLNPs in a variety of catalytic applications, further modifications of nanoparticles such as endowing core-shell structure are thus required. Metallic nanostrutures of several different shapes have been coated with silica since the silica shells used as the coating material show substantial enhancement in the stability of the metal cores, particularly in aqueous solvents. Moreover, metallic nanostructured surface can readily functionalized by subsequently coating with silica and using silane-coupling reactions [ref]. Additionally, silica shells are chemically inert, transparent in the visible and IR regions of the spectrum, and readily converted to mesoporous layer [11]. For the direct encapsulation of Au nanoparticles within silica shells, the conventional techniques is employing coupling agents with silane group for the growth of silica shells on the surfaces of as-synthesized Au nanoparticles via the Stà ¶ber method [ref]. However, we experimentally found that directly applying this method to coat Au RLNPs brought challenges since the unusual size changes of Au RLNPs without disturbing the rough surface occurred. Herein, we report the synthesis of Au [emailprotected]2 NPs in solution through a simple solution-phase sol-gel process. To protect the high-energy surface of Au RLNPs, Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) was used prior to the condensation of TEOS as a polymeric stabilizer. Au [emailprotected]2 NPs showed great enhancement in stability under the strongly acidic condition. The catalytic performance, recovery, and reusability of both Au [emailprotected]2 NPs and Au RLNPs were investigated using the reduction reaction of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) as a reaction model. We also found that and Au RLNPs were capable of electrocatalyzing alcohol oxidation reactions in alkaline media. 2. EXPERIMENTAL DETAILS 2.1. Reagents Polyoxyethylene glycol dodecyl ether ((C2H4O)23C12H25OH, Brij35, Acros Organics), hydrogen tetrachloroauratetrihydrate (HAuCl4†¢3H2O, 99.9%, Sigma–Aldrich), polyvinylpyrolidone ((C6H9NO)n, PVP10, average mol wt 10,000, Sigma–Aldrich), 4-nitrophenol (O2NC6H4OH, 99%, Sigma–Aldrich), sodium hydroxide (NaOH, 97%, Sigma–Aldrich), ammonium hydroxide (NH4OH, 28-30 wt % ammonia, Sigma–Aldrich), tetraethyl orthosilicate (Si(OC2H5)4 98%, Sigma–Aldrich), hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide ((C16H33)N(CH3)3Br, 99%, Acros Organics), (3-mercaptopropyl)methyldimethoxysilane (CH3Si(OCH3)2CH2CH2CH2SH, 95%, Alfa Aesor), HCl, HNO3, and ethyl alcohol were used as received. All stock solutions were freshly prepared before each reaction. Prior to use, all glassware was washed with Aqua Regia (volume ration of 3:1 of concentrated HCl and HNO3; Caution: Aqua Regia is highly toxic and corrosive and must be handled in fume hoods with proper personal protection equ ipment) and rinsed thoroughly with deionized water. 2.2. Synthesis of raspberry-like gold nanoparticles (Au RLNPs) Au RLNPs with the mean size of approximately 60-70 nm were prepared according to our previous literature [ref]. Briefly, an aqueous Brij35 solution (1 mL; 19.3 wt%) was well mixed with NaOH (aq) (100  µL; 100mM) by shaking for 30 seconds. To this mixture, HAuCl4 (aq) (50  µL; 10 mM) was added, and shaken vigorously for 1 minute. The pale yellow reaction mixture then turned to blue within 5 minutes at room temperature. To make sure a complete reaction, this mixture was allowed to react for over 20 minutes before being collected by centrifugation (5 min; 13500 rpm), and redispersed in deionized water. 2.3. Synthesis of Au RLNPs@SiO2 NPs The preparation of Au [emailprotected]2 NPs was as follows: firstly, the as-synthesized Au RLNPs were dispersed in 1 mL of deionized water. Next, 0.235 mL polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP10) aqueous solution (128 mg of PVP10 in 10 mL of deionized water) was added to the Au RLNPs solution. The resulting mixture was then stirred at room temperature for 12 hours to ensure complete adsorption of PVP on Au RLNPs. Afterward, the PVP-capped RLNPs were purified by centrifugation (5 min; 13500 rpm), and redispersed in solvent mixture containing 1 mL deionized water and 7 mL ethyl alcohol. In the next step, tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS, 0.03 mL) and ammonium hydroxide (0.2 mL of 14.8 M NH4OH (aq.)) were sequentially added to the PVP-capped Au RLNPs aqueous solution and the reaction mixture was further stirred at room temperature for 4 h. After the completion of the reaction, the resultant Au [emailprotected]2 NPs were centrifuged, and purified by repeatedly washing in ethanol and centrifugation. 2.4. Catalytic reduction of 4-nitrophenol The catalytic reduction of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) over nanoparticles in the presence of NaBH4 was carried out to assess the catalytic activity. In a typical experiment, 2 mL of deionized water, 1.7 mL of 0.2 mM 4-NP, and 1 mL of 15 mM NaBH4 solutions were mixed in a quartz cuvette followed by the addition of 1 mL of Au [emailprotected]2 NPs solution. The color of solution changed gradually from yellowish to clear as the reaction proceeded. UV-Vis spectra were recorded at a 5-minute intervals to monitor the progress of the reaction. 2.5. Ethanol electrocatalytic oxidation All electrochemical measurements were carried out in a conventional three-electrode cell at ambient temperature (~25ËÅ ¡C) using WPG 100e Potentiostat (WonAtech Inc.). The fabrication of working electrode is as follow: Prior to electrochemical experiments, glassy carbon (GC) electrode was sonicated in ethanol and deionized water successively. 10  µL of RLNP suspension was dropped onto carbon disk and the solution is dried at room temperature. Platinum and Ag/AgCl were employed as counter and reference electrodes, respectively. With an aqueous mixture of 0.5 M KOH and 1.0 M ethanol as electrolytes, at least 10 cycles of cyclic voltammetry were carried out before recyclable voltammograms were recorded. Throughout the cyclic voltammetry experiments, the potential window was between -0.2 V and 0.8 V. Prior to experiments, the electrolytes were degased by bubbling with nitrogen for 30 min. 2.6. Characterization The nanoparticles were imaged using a Hitachi S-4800 scanning electron microscope (SEM), and a JEOL JEM-2010 Luminography (Fuji FDL-5000) Ultramicrotome (CRX) transmission electron microscope (TEM). Samples were prepared for TEM by concentrating the nanoparticle mixture by centrifuging twice for 5 min at 13500 rpm with resuspension in 100 ÃŽ ¼L nanopure water and immobilizing 10 ÃŽ ¼L portions of the solution on Formvar-coated Cu grids. Extinction spectra were recorded with a UV-vis spectra spectrometer (UVIKON XS). Solution pH was measured using an Orion 420 A+ pH meter. 3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Initially, the highly monodisperse Au RLNPs with controlled diameters ranging from 60 to 70 nm (Fig. 1a and S1) [Images and size distribution of RLNP] were prepared according to protocols developed previously.ref Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) was then employed as a primer and a direct growth of silica onto the PVP-capped Au RLNPs to obtain Au [emailprotected]2 NPs was carried out using solution-phase sol-gel method with TEOS as a precursor. PVP, which have been often used as a surface-stabilizing polymeric agent to prepare spherical Au core – SiO2 shell nanoparticles,ref was used to protect the high-energy surface of Au RLNPs. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images of Au [emailprotected]2 NPs (Fig. 1b-d) show the well-established core-shell structure in which the as-synthesized Au RLNPs were uniformly and individually encompassed within silica shells whereas still sustaining their rough and edge-rich surfaces advantageous to catal ytic performance. The average diameter of individual Au [emailprotected]2 NPs was xxxxx (xxx particles was evaluated, Fig 1e). With respect to RLNPs cores, the average size was nearly similar to that of RLNPs before silica-coated (Fig S1). The UV-Vis spectra plotted in Fig. 1f, a noticeable broadeness in the corresponding surface plasmon bands in Au [emailprotected]2 NPs compared to that of Au RLNP were observed. It is well know that the weaker and broader surface plasmons are observed,, due to the change of refractive index of surrounding environment after silica coating step[b1].ref [Fig 1] High catalytic efficiency of Au nanocatalysts were mainly due to their high roughness and plethora of edge-rich surfaces and corners.ref Thus it necessitates assessing whether catalytically active surfaces of the synthesized nanoparticles are stable in various environments. HCl, CTAB, and MPTS were introduced into the colloidal solution of the as-synthesized RLNPs in order to understand the stability of Au RLNPs in different ambiences. Fig. 2 shows typical SEM images displaying changes in geometries of Au RLNPs as adding diverse reagents. It is experimentally observed that Au RLNPs collectively changed to spherical nanoparticles with the smooth surface as adding HCl (Fig S2)ref corresponding to a blue-shift in UV-Vis spectrum toward approx. 520 nm which can be assigned to the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) of gold nanospheres. This phenomenon could be attributed to the oxidative etching effect which has been employed to control the size of other noble nanostructures in recent papers [12] [13] [14]. Meanwhile, as shown in Fig. 2a, much agglomeration occurred as adding CTAB. However, it is interesting to note that the aggregation also occurred without disturbing their raspberry-like motifs, as adding MPTS (Fig. 2b). The SPR changes shown in UV-Vis spectra (Fig. 2e) further confirmed this aggregation. The introduction of such reagents, which might affect the hydrodynamic layer thickness of Au RLNPs, accounts for this unusual alteration in particles size. The [emailprotected]2 NPs however exhibited no geometrical change when HCl was added. As shown in Fig. 3a, SEM images show that the [emailprotected]2 NPs still retained their original raspberry-like morphology without any observable agglomeration. This observation is also consistent with results obtained from UV-Vis spectra (Fig. 3b) that there was no detectable shift in SPR peak of the core-shell nanoparticles after HCl had been added. Ethanol comprises a lower toxicity, a higher theoretical energy density (8.01 kW.h kg-1) than methanol (6.09 kW.h kg-1) and formic acid (1.74 kW.h kg-1), and fewest environmental issues[15] [16]. Moreover, ethanol is a renewable source that can be easily produced massively from the chemical industry or fermentation of biomass. In this study, electrooxidation of ethanol [HM2]in KOH solution was performed to probe relative electrocatalytic activities of the synthesized nanoparticles. Fig. 4 shows the cyclic voltammograms of RLNPs, HCl-etched RLNPs[HM3], and [emailprotected]2 NPs for ethanol electrooxidation. It is clear that the RLNPs exhibit almost substantially higher electrocatalytic performance with a forward oxidation current (iF) value of 0.56 mA compared to that for HCl-etched RLNPs (iF, 0.07 mA). The high electrocatalytic activity of the RLNPs is attributed to the existence of high energetic surfaces in raspberry-like morphologies. However, [emailprotected]2 NPs did not show an y electrocatalytic activities over the entire potential window. This is explained that silica shells hindered the electron transfer between gold cores and electrode due to silica shells are insulating. The catalytic reduction of 4-NP to their corresponding derivatives, 4-aminophenol, in the presence of NaBH4 was chosen as a model reaction in order to evaluate the catalytic activity of Au [emailprotected]2 NPs. It is well established that the reduction of 4-NP by NaBH4 is thermodynamically feasible but kinetically restricted without a catalyst. The reduction progress was monitored by UV-Vis absorption spectra after the addition of catalysts. The characteristic absorption peak of 4-NP aqueous solution was located at 400 nm after NaBH4 had been added. First of all, in the absence of catalysts the reduction reaction of 4-NP did not proceed even with a large excess of NaBH4. However, when catalysts were introduced, the reduction of 4-NP was clearly observed. The absorbance of the reaction mixture at 400 nm gradually decreased as the reaction proceeded, along with the concomitant increase of 300 nm peak, corresponding to 4-aminophenol. Fig. 4 illustrates the UV-Vis spectra changes of 4-N P as a function of reaction time in the presence of Au RLNPs (Fig. 4a) and Au [emailprotected]2 NPs (Fig. 4c). Fig. 4e shows the change in concentration of 4-NP was plotted versus time, providing a general view to compare catalytic activities of Au RLNPs and Au [emailprotected] ­2 NPs (Ct: absorbance of 4-NP at specific reaction time, t; C0: initial absorbance of 4-NP as catalysis starts). The Ct/C0 is measured from the relative intensity of absorbance (At/A0). As can be seen, Au RLNPs exhibited comparatively higher catalytic activity than their core-shell counterparts, possibly owning to silica shell hindering the diffusion of reactants onto inner gold active sites. Interestingly, in the presence of HCl, the catalytic activity of Au [emailprotected]2 NPs however was not only improved, but also dramatically higher than that of Au RLNPs which was suffering from the morphological change, leading to severe degradation of active sites (Fig. 4e). In addition, we also investigated the d egree of reusability of the two catalysts. As shown in Fig. 5, the catalytic efficiencies of Au RLNPs decreased remarkably after reused 3 times whilst Au [emailprotected]2 still retained good catalytic performance for as far as 7 cycles. It is apparent that the stability and reusability of Au RLNPs were improved significantly after encapsulated into silica shell, resulting in maintenance in their catalytic activity. 4. CONCLUSIONS Acknowledgments: This research was supported by Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (2011-0008968). This research was also supported by Hallym University Research Fund 2012 (HRF-G-2012-3) References and Notes 1 [1] Linic, S.; Christopher, P.; Ingram, D. B. Nat. Mater. 2011, 10, 911. [2] Jiang, R.; Li, B.; Fang, C.; Wang, J. Adv. Mater. 2014, DOI: 10.1002/adma.201400203. [3] Zhang, Y.; Guo, Y.; Xianyu, Y.; Chen, W.; Zhao, Y.; Jiang, X. Adv. Mater. 2013, 15, 3802. [4] Tokel, O.; Inci, F.; Demirci, U. Chem. Rev. 2014, 114, 5728. [5] Tawfick, S.; Volder, M. D.; Copic, D.; Park, S. J.; Oliver, R.; Polsen, E. S.; Roberts, M. J.; Hart, A. J. Adv. Mater. 2012, 24, 1628. [6] Jones, M. R.; Osberg, K. D.; Macfarlane, R. J.; Langille, M. R.; Mirkin, C. A. Chem. Rev. 2011, 111, 3736. [7] Sau, T. K.; Rogach, A. L. Adv. Mater. 2010, 22, 1781. [8] Quan, Z.; Wang, Y.; Fang, J. Acc. Chem. Res. 2013, 46, 191. [9] Zhang, Y.; Xiao, Q.; Bao Y.; Zhang, Y.; Bottle, S.; Sarina, S.; Zhaorigetu, B.; Zhu, H. J. Phys. Chem. C 2014, 118, 19062. [10] Liu, X.; He, L.; Liu, Y.-M.; Cao, Y. Acc. Chem. Res. 2014, 47, 793. [11] Park, J.; Yoo, H. Microporous Mesoporous Mater. 2014, 185, 107. [12] Li, B.; Long, R., Zhong, X.; Bai, Y; Zhu, Z.; Zhang, X.; Zhi, M.; He, J.; Wang, C.; Li, Z.-Y.; Xiong, Y. Small 2012, 8, 1710. [13] Liu, M.; Zheng, Y.; Zhang, L.; Guo, L.; Xia, Y. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2013, 135, 11752. [14] Chiu, C.-Y.; Yang, M.-Y.; Lin, F.-C.; Huang, J.-S.; Huang, M. H. Nanoscale 2014, 6, 7656. [15] Hong, W.; Wang, J.; Wang, E. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 2014, 6, 9481. [16] Antolini, E.; Gonzalez, E. R. J. Power Sources 2010, 195, 3431. [b1]When gold NPs’ re encapsulated within silica, there’s generally red-shift in the absorbant peak of SPR. Please check this data once again. [HM2]In Fig. 4, I think it better to insert the 2 images of RLNP and Hcl-etched RLNPs to say that the latter surface is not as edge-rich as the former. [HM3]Considering how to name RLNPs whose morphology was change to sphere as adding HCl