Hypothyroidism and its Relationship to Heart Disease and Cardiac Problems Essay

Hershman describes hypothyroidism as a disorder which results from a deficit of the action of thyroid hormone (2009, p. 435). This condition affects the development and function of all tissues of the body, an important example of which is the heart. The thyroid hormone is responsible for the crucial regulation of calcium flux into the sarcomeres of myocytes (Rao, 2007, p. 202). The most common effect of deficient thyroid-hormone action on any tissue is well known; a decrease in the basal metabolic rate. For the heart, this decrease most commonly causes a decrease in heart rate. Other manifestations may include â€Å"decreased cardiac output, flabby myocardium, pericardial effusion and impaired endothelial function† (Hershman, 2009, p. 435). However, for the profoundly hypothyroid patient, the most frequent cause of cardiac anomalies is impaired diastolic relaxation (Klein, 2005, p. 777). Although the fall in rate of metabolism is ubiquitous in hypothyroidism, the heart experiences a disproportionate change in demand and supply of oxygen, the supply drops faster than the demand. On the other hand, patients of coronary heart disease who have later developed hypothyroidism have been given either low doses of T4, or no medication at all by some practitioners (Klein, 2005, p. 777); the lowered cardiac load associated with hypothyroidism helps in lowering the stress on the heart. Nonetheless, the adverse effects of hypothyroidism on the heart and on metabolism generally far outweigh this small concession (Klein, 2005, p. 777). Another complication associated with hypothyroidism is hypertension. The main feature of pathophysiology that results in this manifestation is the increased vascular resistance due to absence of the vasodilating action of T3 (Klein, 2005, p. 776). This brand of hypertension shows decreased sensitivity to salt intake as compared to other forms of hypertension (Klein, 2005, p. 776). Hypertension in a profoundly hypothyroid patient is especially ominous. The increase serum levels of cholesterol and lipoprotein (a), associated with the low metabolic rate, combined with the increased vascular resistance may lead to coronary heart disease (Klein, 2005, p. 77). However, it’s the subclinical counterpart of hypothyroidism that represents a major challenge; the lack of clear cut symptoms makes the diagnosis of this latent condition difficult. In a recent study, subclinical hypothyroidism was claimed to be an independent risk factor for heart disease in women in their 60s and 70s (Hak et al. , 2000). The main pathophysiological feature is the delayed relaxation of the left ventricle after contractions, exacerbated by endothelial dysfunction and a stiffness of the arteries (Biondi, 2009, p. 24). Serum thyroid stimulating hormone, TSH, and serum free T4 are an appropriate starting point in acquiring a diagnosis of hypothyroidism (Hershman, 2009, p. 436). Myoglobin levels in blood and urine are also excellent indicators of injury to cardiac tissue (Klein, 2005, p. 777). Serum creatine kinase levels may also be increased, but troponin levels remain normal (Rao, 2007, p. 202). In subclinical hypothyroidism, TSH levels are moderately increased while T4 levels remain normal. ECG shows a general decrease in amplitude and the T wave may be inverted (Rao, 2007, p. 202). The treatment of both the latent and overt forms of hypothyroidism, in relation to the heart, involves the maintenance of steady thyroid hormone levels. Levothyroxine is the drug of choice; in patients with a known heart condition, the dosage of the drug should be given incrementally to reach a stable normal level (Rao, 2007, p. 202). In elderly patients, some degree of cardiac ischemia is assumed present and the dosage is always increased gradually (Hershman, 2009, p. 438). Beta-blockers can be administered to counter the deleterious effect hormone therapy on cardiac ischemia, unless counter-indicated (Rao, 2007, p. 203).

Political Socialization Essay

So what is Political Socialization? Our text book explains it as the way people acquire their political beliefs and values: often including their party identification, through relationships with their families, friends, and co-workers. To put it more simply, it’s our experiences with our parents, friends, school and society. It’s what we were taught in school about patriotism, and being civic minded. It’s also how our morality judges those experiences and is shaped by those experiences. Political Socialization is how we express ourselves in daily politic or if we express ourselves at all. It’s who and what we align ourselves with in order to feel we have a voice for our concerns in the larger public. The who, is usually a political party that we feel best represents our political believes and standpoints. There are several key elements in determining the level of political socialization which are important to outline. Political knowledge: just how much do you know about whom represents you and the current issues? People with high political socialization will generally know whom their representatives are in government and have at least a modest understanding of the major issues. They also know how to find out more about individual issues. How much do you discuss current issues with people: family members, friends, acquaintances? People with a high political socialization tend to discuss political issues that are important to them more than people with very little political socialization. Political Efficacy: what is your sense about your ability to impact government? Do you believe that if you get involved you can achieve your goal? Or do you believe that your voice will have no effect on current affairs. People with higher political socialization tend to feel that sense of efficacy. That if they get involved they can achieve their desired outcome. They don’t feel that they are just floating along with an inability to change their world. Political socialization tends to give people a tolerance for diversity. This means that people are not offended by opinions that don’t match their own. This reminded me of a conversation I had with a fellow student in my Geology lab last semester. We were ending a field trip and talking about various political topics (sitting in a pizza place in Berkeley of all places). My friend was telling me his opinion on a political subject, on which I did not agree. Instead of getting angry with him I simply said, ‘convince me’ and smiled. I wanted to see what the foundation of his argument was. I still wasn’t convinced. But, at least I understood better where he was coming from. This is an example of high political socialization leading to tolerance for diversity. Instead of being insecure about my own viewpoints, I was curious about his. This comes from a deeper understanding of what I believe. Political socialization brings a higher respect for other cultures and other systems. One may realize that other political systems while probably different are not inherently good or bad. You realize that the American political system is just one way of doing things. Each country has its own political identify which is the culmination of its’ history. People with higher political socialization tend to follow the action of the police and courts more. They tend to get less publicly enraged trusting that the justice system will work in the case of police misconduct or a court ruling that does not make sense. Last, people with higher political socialization tend to get involved in campaigns and elections believing and wanting to make a difference in their world. Who is the U. S. electorate? That’s us. It’s everyone in America. Whether you vote or not, whether you have the right to vote or not. You have the ability to speak and be heard by government. The voice of the electorate is what drives government. If we the citizens of the United States and of which ever state you live in say nothing to our elected officials, eventually they run out of things to do. Before we can know how to add or detract from the Madisonian Model, we must know what it is. The Madisonian Model is the model of government developed by James Madison which defines the balance of power in our government. Our government is divided into three main branches; the executive branch, the legislative branch and the judicial branch. Each branch is independent of one another and can override each other by constitutional procedure. The idea was to create a system of government where no part of the government could become too powerful. Does political socialization add to the functioning of the Madisonsian Model? Generally yes. But when Madison framed this model he was worried about just how much of the electorate had little to no political socialization. Madison and the Federalists saw the common man as an uneducated hoard that act out of emotion rather than logic. The Federalists did not want direct Democracy. They did not want everyone regardless of education level (especially in politics) in a direct position to make policy. They, Madison and the Federalists, wanted Representative democracy so that someone who had a high degree of political socialization could come and speak for a larger group. So political socialization adds to the Madisonian Model; the higher your political socialization the more active you generally are in politics and the more you take advantage of our Republic to voice your opinion.

Colonialism and the Struggles of the Black Psyche Essay

The book â€Å"Black Skin, White Masks† by Frantz Fanon analyzes the psychological damage that colonialism wrought on the colonizer and the colonized. Fanon also bases his analyses on his own experiences, wherein he describes how black children develop neuroses that root from their antagonism of their own skin, because of the media and their daily circumstances: â€Å"The dominant colonial culture†¦identifies the black skin of the Negro with impurity; and the Antilleans accept this association and so come to despise themselves† (Appiah ix). The source of â€Å"Black Skin, White Masks† is the psychological injury from colonialism, racism, and gender inequality, an injury that will escape recovery, unless the black psyche conquers its inner white demons and alienate all that alienates him/her. Fanon writes from the experiences and psychiatric analyses of the black skin and the white masks that black people don. He describes a girl who is afraid of black people: â€Å"†¦it is at this age that the Negro as savage and cannibal makes his appearance. It is easy to make the connection† (Fanon 184). This fear for the black skin is also emphasized and criticized in the painting â€Å"How Do You Like Me Now† (1988) (fig. 1) by David Hammons. This fourteen-by-sixteen-foot painting shows political leader Jesse Jackson with blond, wavy hair, blue eyes, pink cheeks, and white skin. The title is also a song of a popular rapper Kool Moe Dee. This painting can be interpreted from different perspectives. Barnwell and Buick argue that white viewers can see the painting from their perspective, wherein they are challenged to see through their biases and consider voting for a black man, now that he is â€Å"whitened. At the same time, the painting â€Å"asks black viewers whether they would support Jackson if he were white,† say Barnwell and Buick. On the other hand, the interpretation of the paintings also changes with the race of the artist. Barnwell and Buick explore the changes in meanings of the artwork, if Hammons race is changed from black to white. This painting has bee n attacked ten black men, who thought that it was racist and insulting, and they used sledgehammers to assail it and take it away from its scaffolding. Barnwell and Buick wonder if the black group would have still destroyed the painting, if they knew that the painter was black and that he was merely satirizing the color lines that enslave people’s minds. Clearly, blackness and whiteness release the innermost values and emotions of the people. The reactions can reflect the anger and despondency of the subjugated black race. â€Å"How Do You Like Me Now† (1988), as seen by the violent response of some people, has clearly marred the colonized. Colonialism has injured the black psyche to the extent that violence has been etched into it too. Colonialism has stripped black people of the right to define their identities, by caricaturing their existence and purpose in life. Colonialism, like slavery, skews the black people’s right to humanity and power. Violence, however, can regain this loss of power and replace the sense of loss. Through violence, the gap between power and powerlessness can be filled again. â€Å"How Do You Like Me Now† (1988) also remarks on the damage of colonization and racism to the colonizer. From the racist white perspective, this blonde man is a person who has greater potential for being a president. If faced with a black person, with black eyes and curly hair, the racist white would be offended with the overarching blackness. It will feel, like Fanon’s little girl who is afraid of black people, that they are being assaulted. The size of the painting also asserts power. But since colonial and white America would not consider any immense power from the black people, it is important to wear the white mask. With the black person masked as white, he will be accepted and he will have power. This is the same critique of Fanon of colonizers. The colonizers have forgotten that the black people also have their own identities. The whites see no black individuality and power, but only their whiteness. This seeing of whiteness on blackness marks another neurosis from the side of the whites. What is it about their whiteness that they have loved themselves too deeply and too irrationally? Following the analysis of Fanon, having power and asking for too much of it dehumanized the white race of the colonial times. That power is white has been embedded in their mind, an embedding that has been too violently engraved that to remove it also means to aggressively remove a part of them. Thus, the colonized is psychologically damaged too. But as the black people who hammered away â€Å"How Do You Like Me Now† (1988) showed, it is not acceptable to be a non-human being. It is not acceptable to be colonized and still feel like a normal human being. There must be catharsis. There must be freedom from all alienations. The painting â€Å"Wives of Shango† (n. d. ) (fig. 2) by Jeff Donaldson captures the liberation from three fronts- liberation of race, liberation of gender, and liberation from one’s own struggles. In this painting, three black women are adorned with bullets and money. The two are not looking back at the viewers, but have superiority in the way their chins are turned up. The middle woman at the back dares to look back at the viewers. But the expression is fierce, and it makes viewers look away. This painting is an image of power. This image breaks away the â€Å"comparaison† that Fanon talks about. Fanon argues that blacks are in the state of â€Å"comparaison,† wherein: â€Å"†¦he is constantly preoccupied with self-assertion and the ego ideal† (185-186). This preoccupation is about blacks being â€Å"always dependent on the presence of ‘The Other’† (Fanon 186). â€Å"Wives of Shango† (n. d. ) is interpreted as the shedding away of this â€Å"comparaison. It does not have a drop of submission or weakness. The women symbolize the power of their gender and race. They are willing to pay and kill to exert power. They are willing to dominate their personal struggles too, by fixing it through money and blood. But the means of money and violence, on the other hand, can also be interpreted as the product of the white gaze. Is it possible that these women are also still being white, by using the same arsenals of the white race? The white race entered and conquered through violence and money. Are the black people going to fight back with the same kind of brutal force? In doing so, they are â€Å"being white† too. Fanon argues that to be black, black people should also accept their whiteness. Fanon says: â€Å"I am French† (179), which includes being part of the white French culture. Fanon argues that the black people could not annihilate the whiteness in them. In the same way, white people can also not demolish the blackness inside them. White and black have mixed already, and this merging of two races and cultures cannot be ignored. Though the white demon has seeded inferiority complex in the black psyche, Fanon suggests that the way to recovery from the white’s subjugation is accepting â€Å"that which is white† in them. The alienation that black people feel is another problem, as it has divided the black psyche into numerous conflicting dimensions. Fanon says: â€Å"That this self-division is a direct result of colonialist subjugation is beyond question† (17). The alienation renders unspeakable psychiatric damages as it injects â€Å"compound, ambiguous, and unsettling results, both internally and externally† (Brown-Guillory 35). Fanon recommends a white mask, but not all people can wear it. â€Å"Wives of Shango† (n. d. ) detaches itself from the white mask. It stresses the power of the black psyche that can be hung outside in full glory. This black psyche might be afraid though, even when it is confident. The women wear symbols of violence and fighting. They know that re-locating their positions in power centers can have drawbacks, and they are prepared with ammunition. Alienation has corrupted the mind completely that fear has been entrenched in the actions and beliefs of the black people. This is where Fanon makes sense. Fear that alienation has created can only be undone through accepting the whiteness. It is also about mending the anger with peace, not with violence. The white mask does not represent another form of oppression. It symbolizes the feeling of safety and trust with whiteness. It signifies the end of domination of the black, because anytime, that mask can be removed. And fundamentally, it is still a white mask. Fanon makes several strong points. Racism, colonialism, and sexism have maimed the psyche of the white and black people. They are divided within, because of these oppressive experiences. But the blacks can recover from this damage, as long as they can handle wearing the white mask. At the same time, they must remember that the white mask is only a mask. It is important for the black people to also find their black identities and revel in the dignity of wearing it inside and out.

Real Time Kinematic GPS (RTK GPS) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Real Time Kinematic GPS (RTK GPS) - Essay Example Both of the receivers have their coordinates; the coordinates of the first reference receiver can be determined in a geocentric frame while the second’s in relation to the first receiver. The combined data of the two receivers is used by the mobile control device algorithms to work out the uncertainty of integers in order to calculate accurate positioning information. Wubbena, et al. (1996) informs that the precision and consistency of RTK solution reduces with adding distance from the reference station. Virtual Reference Station or VRS is a concept that is interrelated to RTK. The figure about the conceptualization of VRS indicates the reference stations of GPS, which work at a distance of seventy kilometres. There is a communication network established between the reference stations through which, data is transferred from one station to other. According to Higgins (2001), the data that is received on the central computer from reference stations results in the modelling of spatial errors due to which, the working of GPS is restricted. As far as users are concerned, they think that it is because of the roving receivers that transfer a mobile call to the central computer due to which, the position of GPS is approximated and corrections are demanded. After this processing, the central computer is able to make corrections on the basis of the coordinates of roving receiver and reference receiver. In order to get more precise results and to make the value of dimensions much authentic and for the lessening of the problems due to which, restrictions are there in terms of survey of RTK, much improved impression of VRS survey is created. According to Cislowski and Higgins (2006), the VRS RTK technique is able to augment the productivity to nearly thirty to fifty percent. In addition, the time needed for procedures and people required for the jobs according to a human resource

National Law being non-Codified but following principle of judicial Essay

National Law being non-Codified but following principle of judicial precedent - Essay Example On the other hand, uncodified constitutions, such as that of the UK permit considerable flexibility and scope for amendment or abolition of their contents.2 It has been contended by some scholars that the UK could not entertain a codified constitution, principally due to the doctrine of parliamentary sovereignty. However, this stance has been challenged by other scholars, who are firmly convinced that parliamentary sovereignty and a codified constitution can coexist. 3 Precedent in the judicial context tends to deprive the judicial process of flexibility. There is an inordinate dependency on past events, which evolving social and political conditions tend to render irrelevant to the present. Similarly, what is decided under a particular set of circumstances today, would have to be complied with in the future, if a similar set of circumstances were to prevail. This is patently unjust and unreasonable. 5 From the above discussion it becomes very clear that any system based on precedent is not in touch with the contemporary situation. Society and politics are dynamic systems, which keep evolving continuously. Such inexorable and persistent evolution necessitates a flexible approach, which is signally absent in any system based on precedent. This makes a strong case for adopting and implementing a codified constitution in the UK. Blick A, (February 2011) ‘Codifying – or not codifying – the UK constitution: A Literature Review’ accessed 4 September

Making a Chocolate Cake Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Making a Chocolate Cake - Essay Example A birthday or any anniversary is not complete without a perfect chocolate cake. It is the best when it comes to surprises and celebrations. IClosed once can be surprised most by a self made chocolate cake rather than any shop baked cake. The ingredients needed for baking a chocolate cake are all easily available at any nearby store. The first and the foremost ingredients needed is butter, partially sweet chocolate chips divided, all purpose flour, vanilla exact, eggs and sugar. Apart from this crushed sugar, baking soda, salt and water are required in the process. Measurement is very important. For the measuring spoon, measuring cup, a mixing bowl and a baking pan will be needed. The process usually begins with two cups of semi sweet chocolate chips, three fourth cup or one and a half stick of butter, one and a half cup of refined sugar, three eggs, two tablespoons of pure vanilla extract, two and half cups of all purpose flour, one teaspoon of baking soda, half teaspoon salt and one and a half cups of water. When the baking part is done, the cake is now ready to get served but since it is a chocolate cake, decorating it with chocolate is important. Decoration plays a great role to make the cake look eye-catching. How somebody wants to decorate a cake depends on his/her personal preference. Icing or can simple decoration can be done with the melted chocolate which can serve the purpose of icing.... Flour and water are added to make the batter smooth. Stirring is continued at this stage. The longer the stirring process is, the better is the mixture and the next stage is more convenient. In order to bake the chocolate cake, the baking pan is prepared by spraying the vegetable pan stray. This is usually the most significant part. This spray makes sure that the batter or mixture does not stick with the baking pan spoiling the cake. Next the oven is preheated at three fifty degree Fahrenheit. The mixture prepared is poured now on the baking pan from the electric mixture bowl. Normally forty to forty five minutes bake serves the purpose. Personal observation regarding the baking is highly recommended. The cake is baked until it becomes puffy and tasty. A chocolate cake is not always bad for health. In fact it is supposed to be good for human heart and such cakes are mostly preferred by women and children. When chocolate cake is made for children it is better to use less fillings and chocos and to keep it simple. However for special occasions one can experiment with high amounts of chocolates and sweet items to adorn the cake. Pregnant women often prefer the fudge type cakes. A fudge cake is fast to bake in fact. Using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula in the baking process is helpful. It can be made at home and stored in the fridge. Now when the baking part is done, the cake is now ready to get served but since it is a chocolate cake, decorating it with chocolate is important. Decoration plays a great role to make the cake look eye-catching. How somebody wants to decorate a cake depends on his/her personal preference. Icing or can simple decoration can be done with the melted chocolate which can serve the purpose of icing. Icing

Cultural Issues in Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Cultural Issues in Management - Essay Example (Ghauri, P., & Fang, T. 2001). There are many management issues that are affecting both the Japanese employees and the American employees due to the differences in cultural practices. These differences should be integrated so that the company’s activities can be done effectively and efficiently. A chief issue affecting the company is differences in context cultures of both Americans and Japanese. Japanese employees are high context cultures while Americans’ have low context cultures. Japans people value personal relation and good will while Americans value expertise and performance. Japanese make agreements on the basis of general trust while Americans make agreements based on specified legal contract. In cross cultural communication between the Americans and the Japanese, there will be conflict of understanding and extremely long time is required to have consensus in any aspect. This has always forced the company to make late decisions. To solve the problem arising fro m context culture, the company should come up with guidelines for how things are done so that there are no conflicts of interests due to cultural differences. Secondly, there are vast difference in the attitudes of sale force between the Japanese and the Americans. Japanese have particularism and high universalism as illustrated by Trompenaars cultural perspectives. Americans have the attitude of take or leave in sales while the Japanese have room for modification and customization to accommodate the opinions of the customers. The company should adopt the Japanese attitude of sales and train the Americans on some of the techniques since it gives more customers satisfaction and less harassment. The company should also come up with sales commissions to encourage more sales. This will encourage the Americans to adopt the Japanese attitude of sales that they can achieve higher sales. (Ghauri, P., & Fang, T. 2001). The management of Chiba international has challenges because it comprises of both Americans and Japanese. American managers are individualistic in nature while the Japanese are collective. Americans are concerned with their issues and their reporting authority while the Japanese are concerned with the overall objectives of the company. The individualistic nature of the Americans has led to power conflicts amongst themselves, and this has derailed many activities in trying to solve the problem. In the recruitment process, the Japanese are concerned with performance, ability, and the attitude of a person measured in an interview. The Americans lay most of the emphasis on the person who has high education credentials. This has lead to poor communication between the two workforces. Chiba communication should come up with clear separation of duties so that there is no conflict in any decision making process. In the recruitment process, the company can use external employment bureaus and set the standards for qualification. (Kedia., & Mukherji, 1999). In the m anagement of financial activities, there is a wide variation between the Japanese and the Americans. The management of the Japanese follows all the financial activities throughout the company. All the expenses and revenues are accounted for when they are incurred or earned. Chiba international follows the theory of noodle peddler which considers expenditure of all resources for any objective achieved