Parkinson Disease Essay Example for Free

Parkinson Disease Essay Parkinson disease is a gradually progressive degenerative disorder of the central nervous system. Parkinson disease belongs to a group of conditions called movement disorders. There are four characteristic problems caused by Parkinson disease, including tremor at rest, balance problems, stiffness, and slowness of movement. Parkinson disease occurs when areas of the brain, including an area called the substantia nigra, is slowly destroyed. The exact reason for this destruction is not completely known. In some patients, it may be due to genetic, environmental, or a combination of both causes. The end result is a deprivation in the brain of an important neurochemical, called dopamine. Dopamine helps regulate movement, and its loss leads to increased tone, rigidity, and slowness of movement. Lack of dopamine results in the symptoms associated with Parkinson disease . Approximately 50,000 Americans are diagnosed with Parkinson disease every year. 95% of those diagnosed are over 50 years old. At any given time, about 500,000 people, or 1% of those over age 50 in the US are struggling with this condition. Diagnosis of Parkinson disease is a clinical one, based on history and physical examination. There are no lab tests to definitively diagnose the condition. Your doctor will ask about your medical history and perform a thorough physical exam. A systematic neurological exam will include testing your reflexes and observing things like muscle strength throughout your body, coordination, balance, and other details of movement, including: * Muscle tone Rapid alternating movements * Gait, posture * Postural stability * Quickness and precision of movement * Observation of a tremor (during rest or activity) A mini mental status exam will be performed; questions pertaining to mood, thoughts, and behavior will be asked. Activities of daily living will be evaluated, such as dressing, cutting and eating food, swallowing, hygiene, walking, and falls. The exact cause of PD is unknown. It may have both genetic and environmental components. Some scientists think that viruses can trigger PD as well. Low levels of dopamine and norepinephrine, a substance that regulates dopamine, have been linked with PD. Abnormal proteins called Lewy bodies have also been found in the brains of people with PD. Scientists do not know what role, if any, Lewy bodies play a role in the development of PD. Certain groups of people have an increased risk of PD. Men are one and a half times more likely to get PD than women. Whites are more likely to get PD than African-Americans or Asians. PD usually appears between the ages of 50 and 60. It only occurs before the age of 40 in five to 10 percent of cases. People with a family history are more likely to develop this disorder. The four major motor problems seen in PD are: * tremor—shaking that occurs at rest * slow movements * stiffness of arms, legs, and trunk * problems with balance and tendency to fall Secondary symptoms of PD include: * blank facial expression * a tendency to get stuck when walking * small, cramped handwriting * muffled, low-volume speech * decreased blinking and swallowing * tendency to fall backwards * reduced arm swinging when walking Other, more extreme, symptoms of PD are: flaky white or yellow scales on oily parts of the skin, known as seborrheic dermatitis * sleep disturbances—including vivid dreams, talking, and movement during sleep * depression * anxiety * hallucinations * psychosis * problems with attention and memory * difficulty with visual-spatial relationships There is no specific test for PD. Diagnosis is made based on health history and a physical and neurological exam. Tests such as C AT scan or MRI may be used to rule out other conditions. Adequate rest, exercise, and a balanced diet are important. Speech therapy, occupational therapy, and physical therapy can also help to improve communication and self care. Surgical interventions are reserved for people who don’t respond to medication, therapy, and lifestyle changes. So are procedures such as deep brain stimulation (DBS). In almost all cases of PD, medication will be required to help control the various physical and mental health symptoms associated with the disease. Drugs and Medication Used to Treat Parkinson’s Disease | Medication A number of different drugs can be used to treat PD. Levodopa Levodopa is the most common treatment for PD. It helps to replenish dopamine. About 75 percent of cases respond to levodopa, but not all symptoms are improved. Levodopa is generally given with cardiodopa. This delays the conversion of levodopa to carbidopa until it gets into the brain. Dopamine Agonists Dopamine agonistscan imitate the action of dopamine in the brain. Dopamine agonists are less effective than levodopa. However, they can be useful as bridge medications when levodopa is less effective. Drugs in this class include bromocriptine, pramipexole, and ropinirole.

The Janissaries Of The Ottoman/Turkish Empire Essay -- essays research

The Janissaries of the Ottoman/Turkish Empire   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Janissaries was an elite corp. in the standing army of the Ottoman Empire from the late 14th century to 1826. Highly respected for their military prowess in the 15th and 16th centuries, the Janissaries became a powerful force to be reckoned with on the battlefield, and in government administrations. The janissaries were organized into three unequal divisions: the cemaat, bà ¶là ¼khalki, and segban. The Janissary corps was originally staffed by Christian youths from the Balkan provinces who were converted to Islam on being drafted into the Ottoman service. Another way the Janissaries found new soldiers was by enslaving their enemies and forcing them into service. The sultans gained a great deal by using slave soldiers because they had no ties to family or land and they were remarkably resilient in accepting the ways of Islam. All soldiers must be converted into Islam and taught the proper code of the elite before service. Religious conversion was mandatory an d all soldiers were subject to strict rules, including celibacy. In the late 16th century the celibacy rule and other restrictions were relaxed, and by the early 18th century the original method of recruitment was abandoned.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Whenever the Turks invade foreign lands and capture their people an imperial scribe follows immediately behind them, and whatever boys there are, he takes them all into the janissaries and sends ... The Janissaries Of The Ottoman/Turkish Empire Essay -- essays research The Janissaries of the Ottoman/Turkish Empire   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Janissaries was an elite corp. in the standing army of the Ottoman Empire from the late 14th century to 1826. Highly respected for their military prowess in the 15th and 16th centuries, the Janissaries became a powerful force to be reckoned with on the battlefield, and in government administrations. The janissaries were organized into three unequal divisions: the cemaat, bà ¶là ¼khalki, and segban. The Janissary corps was originally staffed by Christian youths from the Balkan provinces who were converted to Islam on being drafted into the Ottoman service. Another way the Janissaries found new soldiers was by enslaving their enemies and forcing them into service. The sultans gained a great deal by using slave soldiers because they had no ties to family or land and they were remarkably resilient in accepting the ways of Islam. All soldiers must be converted into Islam and taught the proper code of the elite before service. Religious conversion was mandatory an d all soldiers were subject to strict rules, including celibacy. In the late 16th century the celibacy rule and other restrictions were relaxed, and by the early 18th century the original method of recruitment was abandoned.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Whenever the Turks invade foreign lands and capture their people an imperial scribe follows immediately behind them, and whatever boys there are, he takes them all into the janissaries and sends ...

Many of the characters in ‘Of Mice and Men’ have dreams Essay

Many of the characters in ‘Of Mice and Men’ have dreams. What are their dreams and how near are any of them to achieving what they want? ‘Of Mice and Men’, written by John Steinbeck is a classic novel set in a ranch town in Salinas Valley, California. The novel may have been set here as a result of most of Steinbeck’s childhood being spent on his father’s farmland. His descriptions of the setting will have been aided by his first hand experience of the ranches of the area. The novel itself documents the lives of Lennie Small and George Milton. With Lennie being mentally challenged he has the psychological capabilities of a five year old. This means he has to be cared for by George because he acts childish and irresponsibly. For this reason, he often causes commotion within the ranch he is working. On many occasions disruption has occurred and occurs, George and Lennie are forced to leave their current ranch and start again at a new one. As they are always moving around, they never have a secure job and are always staying in temporary accommodation. With each time they move to a different ranch they dream more and more of having their own piece of land where they can be their own bosses and live off the crops they grow. This is shown by this quote, â€Å"†¦and we can live off the fatta the lan'† said by George. This is only one of the many dreams that feature in ‘Of Mice and Men’, however not one of the dreams featured in this novel are achieved. This reflected the harsh reality of the ‘Great Depression’ and the racial prejudice in society at the time. Steinbeck set ‘Of Mice and Men’ during the ‘Great Depression’, in the late 1920’s and the 1930’s. Many migrants came to California, from other parts of the world looking for work as America was seen as the ‘Land of Opportunity’. This glimpse of hope inspired many Europeans to emigrate as Europe, at the time, was overcrowded and disease ridden. America was believed to provide cheap land and no rigid class structure existed. These characteristics gave Europeans the chance of a completely different way of life to what they were used to. In 1929, America entered a prolonged period of economic deprivation due to the collapse of the New York stock exchange, ‘The Wall Street Crash’. Following ‘The Wall Street Crash’, many Americans who had invested great deals of money into stocks and shares lost almost all of their investments. In some cases, people would have lost their houses and life savings. During ‘The Great Depression’, failed businesses and long-term unemployment were of the norm. The hopes of those immigrants, who came to America looking for a new life, were dashed by this tragic event. America was certainly not the ‘Land of Opportunity’. George and Lennie travelled from ranch to ranch together. This was unusual as most ranch workers would only usually work at one ranch for no longer than a month or two. They would literally not have the time for friendship. This was one of the reasons that the average workers dream was for some sort of companionship. The fact that George and Lennie had travelled together so long is significant as they lived the dream of so many other workers. It would give them the chance of having an alternative dream, one of owning their own land on which they could live off. When travelling from ranch to ranch workers could not carry many possessions and so had nothing to show for their years of working. They would work and work but not really achieve much. They would spend the money they earned and then earn some more and repeat. This is illustrated in the quote, â€Å"..work up a stake and blow the stake†. A dream would be important as it would give a worker something to work towards instead of working with no real direction in their life. Many of the characters in the novel have dreams. The dream is a form of escape from reality of life. As previously stated, George and Lennie’s dream is to have a piece of land that they can call their own, tend it, grow crops and raise animals. However, Lennie specifically dreams of caring for rabbits. This shows his immaturity. He says, â€Å"†¦An’ have rabbits!† George is always repeating this ‘dream’ to Lennie. When he does depict the dream to Lennie, he uses exaggerative language and gets involved in the dream almost as much as Lennie. Both George and Lennie become excited when the dream is recalled. They swear, â€Å"†¦We’ll just say the hell with going to work†¦Ã¢â‚¬  , animating their eagerness to fulfil their dream. George and Lennie’s dream eventually fails. This is for a number of reasons. It is mainly because Lennie is such a burden to George. Because of Lennie’s mental incapability, he has no idea that he is making George’s life miserable. George says, â€Å"Course Lennie’s a God damn nuisance most of the time, but you get used to goin’ around with a guy an’ you can’t get rid of him† George is being held back by Lennie as they are constantly forced to change jobs, because of situations the Lennie gets them in to and therefore they can’t stay in work long enough to build up any sort of savings. The result of this is that they can not save up the money to achieve the ‘dream’. Lennie has limited social skills and so does not know how to interact with people. Instead, he finds comfort in touching things and is too tactile. This causes trouble as Lennie often touches women’s clothes and is misunderstood and seen to be abusive. For this reason, George has to keep a constant eye on Lennie. When Candy makes the proposal of entering their ‘dream’ in exchange for three hundred dollars, George suddenly sees some possibility of the ‘dream’ succeeding. Before, he had merely used the ‘dream’ as a pacifier for Lennie and had lulled himself into believing that it may happen so that he could continue bringing hope to Lennie. I think that sub-consciously he always knew that the ‘dream’ would never be a reality. With Candy’s financial input, the ‘dream’ could realistically be achieved within the month. However, an abrupt end to their hopes arrives. Lennie, in his childlike way, cannot conceive of the line where stroking stops and hurting begins in terms of petting, and he ends up accidently killing two animals by petting them violently. Most horrifically, at the climax of the story, he kills Curly’s wife in the same way. The fact that he killed her was the final blow to the ‘dream’. â€Å"I think I knowed from the very first. I think I knowed we’d never do her†, George says as he realizes the dream is inevitable. Lennie was inevitably going to be hunted down and shot on site. George, who is forced to join the manhunt for Lennie, decides that the kindest way out for both him and Lennie is to kill him when he finds him. He does this by luring Lennie into a false state of trust by reciting their ‘dream’ to him one last time. This sends Lennie off into death with his dream in his head. You can argue in some way Lennie has achieved his dream. Curly’s wife has a dream common to the period and today. She believes that she has the talent to become a Hollywood actress. She was convinced of this as when she was younger; she acquainted herself with a Hollywood director who deemed her suitable to be an actress in the ‘movies’. This is shown in a quote taken from a passage spoken by Curly’s wife, â€Å"An’ I coulda sat in them big hotels, an’ had pitchers took of me†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..An’ all them nice clothes they wear. Because this guy said I was a natural.† This ‘guy’ told her she would receive a letter from him explaining where to meet to develop her acting career. Her explanation of why she didn’t become an actress is idealistic at best. She believed that her mother stole that letter. However, this is an optimistic justification. It just so happens that shortly after Curley’s wife was given the hope of becoming an actress, she met Curley. When she realised that her dream of becoming an actress was truly over, she decided to marry Curley. She may have done this as, at the time, it was very difficult for a woman to get a job and live on her own. The main profession of women then was housewife. Most women would marry a modest worker but marrying a rich man who owned a ranch was a bonus. Life would be easy for Curley’s wife as she would not have to ‘lift a finger’. As there was such discrimination towards women, Curley’s wife found herself being ignored by the men on the ranch. She was not paid much attention by Curley and was seen by him as more of a trophy than a wife. These are the main reasons that Curley’s wife is not happy. She openly expresses that she does not even love Curley. â€Å"I don’t like Curley†. She regrets that she married him in the first place. She was not able to speak to anyone during the day as all of the men were out on the fields working. This causes her to be extremely lonely. At any chance she can she will speak to someone. When she speaks to Lennie in the barn, she says, â€Å"Why can’t I talk to you? I never get to talk to nobody. I get awful lonely.† This shows that she craves friendship. She is often prying on the men just looking for someone to talk to. She justifies this by saying to Slim â€Å"Hi, good lookin’. I’m tryin’ to find Curley, Slim.† The fact that she does not even have a name and is instead referred to as Curley’s wife shows her status on the ranch. It shows that she is so insignificant that she is not even deemed important enough to warrant a real name. She is looked down on and shown no respect by most of the men on the ranch. She also has the dream to be treated as equal to the men on the ranch. This is similar to Crooks’ dream. He just wants to be accepted by everyone else on the ranch. However, both Crooks and Curley’s wife have similar dreams which would lead you to think that they would sympathise with each other. The reality is quite opposite. Curley’s wife approaches Crooks in an aggressive manor and speaks to him in a demoralising way. She says, â€Å"Well you keep your place, then Nigger. I could get you strung up on a tree so easy it ain’t even funny!† She perhaps speaks to Crooks with no respect as he is the only person on the ranch over whom she has a higher status. Crooks and Candy try to enter George and Lennie’s dream. They both do this for their own reasons. Candy is worried about his future on the ranch. He believes that is nearing the point of becoming useless to the ranch owner. He needs some security so that when he does become of no use, he can settle down somewhere. Crooks feels socially isolated and needs to go somewhere that he will be treated as an equal. George, Lennie and Candy do not discriminate against Crooks as much as most. This is the reason that he would feel comfortable living in a house with them. Candy, when he enters the dream, provides financial power. He has three hundred dollars that he is willing to invest in the dream. When he first tries to join the dream, George responds in a negative and coy way. He says â€Å"You know a place like that?† [Candy] â€Å"S’pose I do? What’s that to you?† [George]. However, when George considers Candy’s proposition, he starts to think that the dream may actually become a reality. Candy is afraid that if he does not get somewhere that he can retire to, he may have no one to care for him. Eventually he will be seen of no use and disposed of, much like his dog. Crooks joins the dream as he feels he needs a ‘shelter from society’, somewhere that he is accepted for the person that he is and not judged by his skin colour or his disability. Crooks has no status and is treated with no respect on the ranch. He is frustrated with all of the racism directed towards him. He says, â€Å"If I say something, why, it’s just a nigger saying it†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Crooks had a taste of equality when he was a child. He was accepted by white children and has perhaps not accepted the fact that he is now a social outcast. He says,† The white kids come to play at our place, an’ sometimes I went to play with them, and some of them was pretty nice† He remembers what it was like to be an equal and wants to experience that feeling again. This is one of the reasons the Crooks joins the dream. Candy will soon be too old and frail to keep his job at the ranch. The fact that he only has one hand means that his job opportunities are very limited. He, much like Crooks, has no one in his life. He just watches workers come and go from the ranch. He would have somewhere to belong if he joined the dream. This is a very important psychologically as having a ‘place to call home’ can give Candy a reason to carry on living. All of these characters have dreams and their dreams are important to them. They all give their character some sort of goal to aim for and a ‘light at the end of the tunnel’. I believe Steinbeck is trying to make a point by including all of these dreams. I think he is trying to say that without dreams, we are all lost in our lives. We all need some sort of dream to keep us motivated. I think the novel was written to show the stranglehold that the ‘Great Depression’ had on America in the 1930’s. It also shows how hard the life of an itinerant worker was. ‘Of Mice and Men’ was very a descriptive and informative book. It made me realise that dreams, however small or big, are vital in life.

Obesity Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program Essay

Obesity in Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) participants is a problem that needs to be addressed through an effective intervention. The problem is that even though SNAP provides resources to food insecure individuals, the food being provided is not nutritious and is thus contributing to the high rates of obesity in SNAP participants. The most effective way to address this issue is through nutrition education for these participants. At least two intervention programs have worked in the past, with a few improvements that could be made. Looking at two different intervention programs and funding options will help determine the most effective methods for relieving this issue. When the benefits and obstacles of each intervention are understood, the best program can be established, funded, and implemented to best serve the population. Using nutrition education methods to alleviate obesity in SNAP participants through SNAP-Ed and WIC Health are the most effective in terms o f the textbook’s theory layout. The first intervention program this paper will review is called SNAP-Education, or SNAP-Ed. Assisting food insecure families through this program provides education on how to eat nutritiously and could decrease obesity rates among SNAP participants. SNAP-Education â€Å"supports evidence-based nutrition education and obesity prevention interventions and projects for persons eligible for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) through complementary directShow MoreRelatedThe Effect Of Nutrition On Children And Its Economic Impact1549 Words   |  7 Pagesnutrition in children and the impact it has on Health Economics. More specifically, this paper will focus on the impact of food insecurities in the United States, effects on future productivity in the workforce, effective nutritional policy, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and how this particular policy contributes to the long-run health benefit for children of low-income communities. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), nutrition is defined as, â€Å"the intake of foodRead MoreChildren Are The Hope Of The Nation s Future Essay1525 Words   |  7 Pagesfact that their necessities are not wholly provided is the main reason why poverty negatively affects the well-being of the children. In order to address this concern, the government strived to implement anti-poverty programs in an attempt to mend the conflict. However, these programs are insufficient due to the bigger than expected scale of the problem. Through their individual just peace lenses, concerned citizens also participated in the battle with poverty in different ways. This would includeRead MoreFarm Bill Essay1727 Words   |  7 PagesSNAP Back to the Basics The original intent of the food programs developed by USDA were to dispose of surplus farm production created by farm subsidy programs. (Edwards, 2016) Since original implementations of the food programs, farm groups and anti-poverty groups have rallied behind these subsidies, requesting more government support at the expense of the taxpayer for their organizations. These government handouts have created an entitled, â€Å"subsidy-dependent monster† that has hands reaching outRead MoreObesity Is A Prevalent Issue Within Modern Society Essay1033 Words   |  5 PagesObesity is a prevalent issue in modern society; around 90 million citizens are considered to be overweight in the United States alone (Johnson, Hayes, Brown, Hoo, Ethier, 2014). According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2014), symptoms resulting from obesity, such as diabetes or high cholesterol, are in the top ten leading causes of death in America. These high numbers can be attributed to low ra tes of physical activity along with minimal fruit and vegetable intake (Johnson, HayesRead MoreAn Article About A Local Non Profit Agency Doubling The Value Of Snap ( Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program888 Words   |  4 Pagesagency doubling the value of SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits when used at the local farmers’ market. One dollar of SNAP benefits would allow a participant to receive two dollars’ worth of items from the farmers market. The purpose of the non-profit doubling the value was to make fresh, local, healthy choices available for a reasonable value to SNAP recipients. Week after week as I visited the farmers market and asked how the program was going, the market manager saidRead MoreThe Food Stamp Program And The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program1161 Words   |  5 PagesFormerly known as the Food Stamp Program (FSP), The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is the largest federal nutrition-assistan ce program and exists to protect low-income Americans from hunger and its associated consequences by increasing access to food. Approximately 44 million people received SNAP benefits this year as of August of 2016.1 Due to the fact that low-income Americans tend to have problems with obesity and poor diet2,3, it would make sense that there would be interestRead MoreThe Food And Nutrition Service928 Words   |  4 Pagesnutrition can cause health problems such as heart disease, obesity, high blood pressure, and many other diseases. Good nutrition promotes healthy weight, good energy levels, good immune system, and reduced risk of disease that poor nutrition causes. Sadly, not all families can provide their children with the proper nutrition that is vital for their well-being but, fortunately, assistance for these families exist. The nutritional assistance can help provide families with the foods and resources thatRead MoreFood Guide Pyramid And Mypyramid898 Words   |  4 PagesMost importantly, African Americans are disproportionately affected by â€Å"obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease, and it is likely that a host of factors interact in complex, and yet unexplained, ways to contribute to these health disparities† (Abraham et al., 2013). Therefore, it is crucial to engage African American families in healthy eating habits by increasing awareness of MyPlate. Situation Analysis Obesity rates are soaring within the United States, while efforts to changeRead MoreSupplemental Nutrition Assistance Program ( Snap ) Formerly Known As The Food Stamp Essay1709 Words   |  7 PagesSupplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) formerly known as the Food Stamp Program was created in 1964 by President Johnson. In order to get rid of the stigma that the name had, a law was passed changing its name to SNAP in late 20008. The purpose of the program is to help low income individuals and families by providing economic benefits to communities. SNAP is considered to be one of the largest program in domestic hunger safety net. Another popular program is the Community Food ProjectsRead MoreThe Government Should Control The American Peoples1386 Words   |  6 Pagescontributes to obesity which results in an increase in a plethora of diseases. The cost of these diseases has a huge economic impact on the country. The government owes it to its citizens to control these costs through diet regulation. It also owes its citizens the opportunity for optimal health. Poor diets can lead to obesity. There are an estimated 300,000 deaths per year that can be attributed to obesity. Tobacco is the only thing that causes more preventable deaths per year than obesity in the United