An Evaluation Of Xmax

An Evaluation Of Xmax Introducing the basics of xMax, this paper explains the working of xMax .It also deals with the application of xMax in different fields of wireless technology. It also discusses about the advantages of xMax over other wireless technologies like Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. xMax developed by xG Technology, Inc. is a proposed radio frequency (RF) modulation and encoding technology that will use individual or integer sinusoidal waves to convey information. While supposedly applicable to wired mediums such as copper and coaxial lines, the technology will apparently be introduced first as a wireless communications technology, whereby its developers claim that it is capable of extending the range and reducing the transmit power compared to conventional approaches, including cellular technologies and fixed wireless approaches such as WiMAX. Every aspect of the technology is designed for the highest possible efficiency and quality of service. Why xMax? xMax is designed to prioritize voice by delivering dedicated timeslots and bandwidth to every user. This approach guarantees a minimal and fixed latency for every call, which is an essential factor for any high Quality of Service (QoS) mobile VoIP system. This is in contrast to technologies like Wi-Fi and WiMAX, both of which are contention-based best effort delivery systems that are limited by scalability constraints. Working of xMax: xMax uses a transmitter similar to those used in cordless phone base stations and which operate in an unlicensed and very crowded frequency spectrum in the 900MHz band and is capable of sending a 3.7Mbit/s data signal to a radius of 18 miles, while utilizing only an omnidirectional antenna powered by a 50mW transmitter! xMax goes beyond what were considered physical limits of existing Wi-Fi, Wi-Max, Wi-Bro and radio technology, it leaves 3- and 4G in the dust, and may further prove to be also much less costly to deploy. According to the written specs distributed to the press at the demonstration xG Technology is capable of realizing performance improvements over similar transmission technologies by literally orders of magnitude 10x, 20x, 30x, 100x. xMax uses a narrow channel allocation of dedicated spectrum to coordinate reception of its non-interfering, xG Flash Signal. By using xG Flash Signaling to convey wideband data below the noise floor, xMax allows for efficient spectrum reuse by numerous users in a manner that solves the spectrum crunch. Because xG Flash Signaling accomplishes this with far less out of band energy than traditional modulation systems such as CDMA and GSM, xMax helps to clean-up the spectrum for more efficient use than is currently realized. xMax is essentially a new way of modulating data which allows enormous improvements in data rates capacity both across wireless and landline communication infrastructures. xMax does not utilize compression techniques to achieve its extraordinary results as it employs two very popular communication approaches to make an extremely more efficient use of the radio spectrum available. xMax uses a modulation technique designed to allow more data to be transmitted on a single sine wave than is required with typical modulation technologies. So instead of using more than 100,000 sine waves to transmit one bit of data, xMax uses a ratio closer to 1:1. This technique would therefore be more efficient and keep energy levels very low, which would mean devices that receive the signals wouldnt consume much power. What xMax in fact does is to intelligently blend the unique characteristics of narrow-band carrier systems with those of the non-interfering components utilized in low-power wide-band transmission systems. The end result is an exponential increase in data-rate capacity and a very significant decrease in power transmission requirements. Because of all this you can imagine how vast could be the implications of the arrival of such a disruptive transmission and data distribution technology, which would not only put rapidly out of market existing ADSL and cable operations, but it would also create immediate opportunities for broadband-based content and services to be widely distributed for a fraction of the money that it would cost today xMax would in fact enable wide and easy adoption of high-bandwidth services such as video-based real-time collaboration, high definition television (HDTV), video-on-demand, IPTV, to name some of the most popular ones. Due to its technological characteristics xMax technology can be interleaved within existing cable RF channels and can operate over existing network physical infrastructure which would clearly allow existing operators to start offering new xMax-based services without ever needing to interrupt existing services. Because of this xMax appears a strategic alternative to seriously followed by telecom that still heavily rely on landline infrastructures. In terms of specifics facts, xMax is reported to be so reliable and with such a higher level of quality that signal capacity improvements could allow cable operators to deliver over one thousand channels of broadband-like services.In the DSL universe xMax is supposed to deliver much higher data-rates while increasing the effective reach to about 21 Km from the central transmission base. Rather than an FM radio station broadcasting only radio programs or cable providers only broadcasting television, xMax would take advantage of the unused portion of the signal to also transmit data. This recycling or repurposing of spectrum is key to the new technology, according to its inventor, Joseph Bobier. xMaxs unique signal profile is a perfect fit for low frequency channels that have previously been unsuitable for wireless broadband, said Bobier. Because the sub-gigahertz spectrum has been chopped into multiple narrowband segments, it largely has been ignored by most wireless companies seeking roomier space for broadband transmissions. xMax separates the data and a signal synchronizing receiver and sender into two narrowband channels. Due to the low power level needed, the signals do not interfere with other spectrum users, says Whitely. In order to pick up the very weak signal, a filter must be added to an off-the-shelf antenna, allowing the broadband data to be heard. xG xMax digital and RF boards xMax products : xMax user devices include mobile phones and, in the future, modems and other communications products. The xMax TX60 Handset is xGs first mass-production mobile phone. It is a versatile, full-featured handset that has been designed to provide exceptional QoS (quality of service), with both domestic and international service options. The handset product family supports calls and data over the xMax network, as well as over the public internet using standard home, office, and hotspot WiFi connections. The TX60 supports the proprietary, high-performance xMax air-interface. This feature-rich, IP-based handset has been designed to be future-proof , with new capabilities made available through software upgrades. This includes the ability to upgrade the xMax radio to 3G based on its Software Defined Radio (SDR) technology. Engineering design for xMax handsets has been provided by Cambridge Consultants UK, Ltd., one of the foremost wireless innovators in the world. Advantages of xMax: xMax technology offers advantages for numerous types of prospective domestic and international carriers. These organizations include incumbent local exchange carriers (ILEC), competitive local exchange carriers (CLEC), original equipment manufacturers (OEM), mobile operators, cable companies and other content providers, and infrastructure mobile virtual network enablers (MVNE). xMax, is a 900MHz wireless technology and uses less than 1 Watt of power. What makes xMax unique is its sharing of crowded radio spectrum, such as the frequencies used by cable television or Wi-Fi. The consumption of power in xMax is less when compared to other wireless technology devices. xMax offers consumers the prospect of lower phone bills because: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ xMax transmits over unlicensed spectrum-the same as baby monitors and cordless phones. Major national cellular carriers paid billions of dollars for licensed spectrum that they recoup from customers. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ xMax was built as a totally Internet-based digital system from top to bottom-an extremely cost efficient communication approach. Roger Branton, COO for xG Technology said that xMax is essentially a new long-distance UWB (ultra-wideband)-like wireless technology, and was quick to make the distinction between xGs xMax and UWB technology. He says, xMax is not UWB. The first xMax products slated for release later this year will utilize the ISM 900MHz unlicensed band, which is only 26MHz wide. UWB utilizes something like 500MHz in the high gigahertz frequencies. xG claims that xMax supports more efficient communication over wireless or wired links than other technologies. About this efficiency, Bobier said that, We believe efficiency boils down to how many bits you can move over a given amount of spectrum per watt. If you can move more bits of information with less power, you pollute the spectrum less, thereby making it possible for more users to access the spectrum. xMax operates at low, sub-gigahertz frequencies and can be used for communication without the common line-of-sight issues that happen at higher frequencies. Bobier says if you can use these frequencies and still be broadband, you compare with fixed wireless technologies doing things in the microwave area. WiMax, which has been described as Wi-Fi on steroids, has a range of up to 30 miles and can deliver broadband at a theoretical maximum of 75mbps. But today, power consumption is so high on WiMax receivers that they cannot be used in consumer products such as laptops, let alone on handheld devices such as cell phones. Uses of xMax in future technologies: According to Whitely, the technology will benefit rural ISPs due to the lower number of base stations required. xMax, because it has 20 times the range of Bluetooth, could challenge that technology Other possibilities are enterprise WLANs and metropolitan networks. Use of xMax to reduce the power consumptions in wireless technologies to a greater extent. Some current performance claims Antenna: One omnidirectional transmitter located on TV broadcast tower at a height of 850 feet. Range: 20 miles, covering the cities of Miami and Fort Lauderdale, including inside buildings. Data rate: At least 10 Mbit/s throughout the coverage area. Spectrum used: A 6 kHz carrier on dedicated spectrum and 10 MHz of information-bearing spread spectrum in the unlicensed 900 MHz band. Interference: None, despite the presence of a TV transmitter on the same tower. Power: A maximum of 50 W for the carrier and less than 0.15 W for the information-bearing channels Conclusion: Thus, xMax is emerging wireless technology which has many applications at present and possible more applications in future saving a lot of power in day to day activities Thus , xMax is emerging wireless tech

Blogging for Emotional Well Being Essay -- Blogs

Blogging for Emotional Well Being "Imagine keeping a diary every day, but instead of locking it up and stowing it in your desk drawer, you do the exact opposite. You post it on the Web, letting the entire world -- well, anyone who stumbles upon it, anyway -- inside your head." (Nord) I am sure that almost everyone at some point in time has received the following advice when feeling down: "Why don’t you write out your thoughts?", "Write a song or a poem.", "Write a letter to a friend, telling what you feel." In effect, ‘write’! Writing is therapeutic. It’s a fact of life that everyone has experienced. Every author, poet, songwriter, speaker we know has written for one simple reason, they need to. "I caught up on my webreading today, and that article on web logging really hit home. I know that most folks don't care about what I'm writing. The keys to why I want to keep it up (note, I'm still trying to keep it up, not always making it) are A) it's therapeutic as hell just to write it B) someone might care, and respond, and that ONE person makes it all okay." (FanBoy) Writing out personal thoughts, feelings, observations, and experiences increases the understanding of one’s way of thinking. It helps one realize issues not thought about before. Writing can solve problems by getting to the root of issues. People keep journals, sketchbooks, or diaries to assist in understanding themselves. Some people keep blogs. Blogs are very much like journals in that there is a freedom to type out a plethera of feeling and emotion onto a keyboard. Observations such as a description of an interesting person seen that day may fall into a personal web log. "These blogs, often updated several times a day, were instead a record of the blogg... ...eople to help themselves. Works cited: Golding, David. David Golding Presents. Online Posting. April 22, 2001. March 18, 2002. <http://pah2.weblogs.com> Blood, Rebecca. "Weblogs: A History and Perspective" Rebecca’s Pocket. September 2000. 23 March 2002. < http://www.rebeccablood.net/essays/weblog_history.html> Nord, Tom. "Blogs Share People's Stories". Gannett News Service. 9 April 2001. 24 March 2002. <http://detnews.com/2001/technews/0104/09/b01-209360.htm> Grohol, John M. Psy D. "Psychology of Weblogs". Online posting. April 2001. 24 March 2002. < http://www.psychcentral.com/blogs/> Hoyum, Sonja. My Little Marathon. Online posting. 6; 22; 25 March 2002. 11 April 2002. <http://www.xanga.com/home.asp?user=fjorgyn > FanBoy. G-Blog, FanBoy. Online Posting. 26 Feb 2002. 17 April 2002. <http://www.g-blog.net/entry/446>

Depiction and Development of the Knight Hero in Wolfram von Eschenbach’

Introduction Wolfram von Eschenbach’s epic poem Parzival stands as one of the richest and most profound literary works to have survived from the middle ages. Lost in obscurity for centuries until rediscovered and republished by Karl Lachmann in 1833, the poem enjoyed at least as great a popularity when it was first composed as it does among today’s readers: Some eighty manuscripts have been preserved, in whole or in part, from Wolfram’s era (Poag 40). Among the more intriguing aspects of the work is Wolfram’s handling of the depiction and development of two of the story’s primary characters, the knights Gahmuret and Parzival, father and son. Central to the action of the text from its inception, yet never sharing a scene, these men function as the poem’s heroes—larger-than-life figures of extraordinary strength, skill and courage whose remarkable achievements and bravery carry the momentum of the story. These men represent the classic knightly warriors of old who (at least ideally) dedicated their energies and passions above all else to the noble pursuit of fame, honor and valor. Indeed, in the course of discussing heroic development in Parzival, one must also note the main characters’ chivalric development, as their natural proclivity and tendencies as knights are clearly reflected and reinforced in their heroic manner and mien. In the course of this investigation I wish to analyze the ways in which Wolfram depicts these knighly heroes and their development. In this way I shall attempt to achieve a better understanding of how Wolfram—and, by extension, the men of his time—themselves understood the themes and events he describes. I shall also include the critical perspectives of scholars whose have previously c... ...its, though not always attained thorough strict maintenance of precepts such as Campbell’s, is— and perhaps for that very reason—the stuff of great literature. Works Cited Campbell, Joseph. Myths to Live By. New York: Viking, 1972. Cousineau, Phil, Ed. The Hero’s Journey: The World of Joseph Campbell. San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1990. Eschenbach, Wolfram von. Parzival. English Trans., Ed. Andrà © Lefevere. New York: Continuum, 1991. —-. Parzival. German Trans. Wolfgang Mohr. Gà ¶ppingen: Alfred Kà ¼mmerle, 1977. Hasty, Will. †Introduction.† A Companion to Wolfram’s Parzival. Columbia: Camden House, 1999. Poag, James F. Wolfram von Eschenbach. New York: Twayne, 1972. Sacker, Hugh. An Introduction to Wolfram’s ‘Parzival.’ Cambridge: Cambridge U P, 1963 Weigand, Hermann. Wolfram’s Parzival: Five Essays with an Introduction. Ithaca: Cornell U P, 1969.

Utilitarianism – Act and Rule

Explain the differences between Act and Rule Utilitarianism Since it began, there have been two main exponents of Utilitarianism. They are Jeremy Bentham and J S Mill, and both of them base their own individual theories on the principle of utility, which defines something (an act, etc) dependent on if it achieves â€Å"the greatest happiness for the greatest number†. This makes Utilitarianism a relativistic and consequentialist argument, as it takes into account only the outcome of events rather than the act itself as means to determine whether it is good/right.Also it holds no absolutes – it takes the best interests of the greatest number of people no matter if the way of doing seems morally wrong. Bentham and Mill were both generally harmonious in their understanding that the general happiness of a human being is linked to their personal fulfillment of pleasure. Nevertheless, the two clashed when it came down to the understanding of what true pleasure is, and whether it holds different values under different circumstances. It was due to this that Bentham started Act Utilitarianism.Bentham thought that situations were to be treated completely differently to any and every other situation, and developed the Hedonistic Calculus as a means of measuring the pleasure and pain of those directly involved in it. The calculus consists of seven aspects which Bentham believed could answer to whether something is pleasurable/painful or not – they are Purity, Remoteness, Richness, Intensity, Certainty, Extend and Duration. It is possible for me to use an example to make this all seem clearer. There are five sadistic guards in a prison who don't like the new inmate and want to give him a roughing up.One can argue that the pain the inmate will suffer is huge (purity) but the calculus is focused on quantity rather than quality. Also, the happiness of the guards will be fulfilled due to their sadistic means of pleasurement (certainty) however, the guards mi ght get caught and sacked which in turn makes them sad in the end, but perhaps they don't then the pleasure of the guards outweighs the pain that the inmate faces and therefore under these guidelines I think that Bentham would say â€Å"yeah, go ahead† and allow the bullying and assault to happen.Bentham's democratic and egalitarianistic approach meant that he believed nobody's pleasures are greater than anyone elses, and that they are all equal so we can't say that they count for more. This meant that Bentham was purely focused on the quantitative side of the pleasure. It was here where Mill and Bentham came to a disagreement, as Mill however focused on the qualitative aspects of the pleasure, famously saying â€Å"it is better to be Socrates dissatisfied than a pig satisfied†. This meant understanding that there are differences that must be acknowledged between higher and lower pleasures.He thought that higher pleasures consisted of the intellectual aspects of humans rather than the animalistic, such as reading to further your knowledge, listening to fine music and painting art. The aforementioned animalistic pleasures (lower) derive from the physical side of life, such as eating, drinking and indulging in sexual acts. This approach can be seen as elitist by some, which means that full excellence can only be realised by the mature males of the upper class within society – natural amongst the Ancient Greek Philosophers that preceeded Bentham and Mill, such as Socrates, Plato and Aristotle.As advocator to Rule Utilitarianism, Mill's calculation method again differentiates from Bentham's hedonistic calculus. Rather than Bentham's quantitative approach, Mill looks at it in an alternative way, observing the various implications of the act. Mill's interpretation is that there are general rules within society that should be followed as they create the greatest happiness for the greatest good for all those in society. This at first does seem ver y logical, but then again it begins to defy the basis on which Utilitarianism's foundations are layed down, which is a relativist and consequentialist theory.And this is where strong and weak rules comes into the frame. Mill never onces says â€Å"must† as regards to the rules he would involve as he perceives his judgment upon whether something is good or bad or what should occur within a specific situation, which can be seen as his defence to remaining relativist, however a new term must be enforced to separate his understanding with the likes of a hedonist such as Bentham, hence the term â€Å"universalisability†.

Life Skills in Substance Abuse and Mental Health Treatment

Life Skills in Substance Abuse and Mental Health Treatment School of Advanced Studies, University of Phoenix Wesley Tyler Meredith Ward Substance Abuse and Mental Health Treatment Recidivism relates to a person repeating an undesirable behavior after they have either experienced negative consequences of that behavior, or have been treated or trained to extinguish that behavior (Henslin, 2008). Progress being made in families and individuals due to lack of life skills that lead to causal factors to high recidivism rates in substance abuse and mental health treatment has been a growing issue posed by researchers. According to Miller & Hobler (1996), â€Å"In Deleware, 84% of Life Skills participants are male; 66 percent are African-American; 25% are white, non-Hispanic; and about 6 percent are Hispanic. The average age is 31. The lead offenses of 33% of the participants are violent offenses against persons; 38% are drug offenses, the more serious of which also are classified as violent in Delaware†. â€Å"Despite advances, differences in health status and access still remain. Minorities are still at increased risk, primarily because they live in adverse conditions linked to poverty† Hall (1998, p. 1). Problem Formulation Poor life skills are thought to increase recidivism among minorities (Reference) . The purpose of this study is to determine whether addicts who have completed life skill training have an improved recidivism rate over those who have not received life skills training. This study may provide education on effective life skills training and reinforce the importance of substance abusers with life skills. Study Design and Research Method A quantitative correlation study will be used to measure two different variables; life skills (independent) and recidivism (dependent) in order to determine whether and in what way recidivism and life skills characteristics might be interrelated. Quantitative studies quantifies observable behaviors and each occurrence of the behavior is counted to ascertain frequency (Leedy & Ormrod, 2010); non-experimental quantitative studies show correlations between variables and examines the extent to which differences in one variable is related to differences in one or more variables (Leedy & Ormrod, 2010); this methodology will look at the relationship between life skills and recidivism and the effect poor life skill training has on the increase of the recidivism rate. Research Question 1. Does life skill training reduce recidivism in drug addicts? Through historical and developmental research an effort to reconstruct or interpret historical events through the gathering and interpretation of relevant historical documents and/or oral histories. Primary research data will consist of surveys, in-depth interviews, focus groups and experiments. Primary data will be gathered through informal interviews and observations. According to Lev, Brewer, & Stephenson (2004), â€Å"Interviews can be used to determine what services current customers would like to have access to, while observation can be used to determine which current providers are popular through other vendors. † There is an emerging literature on the relationship of coping strategies and substance use. Some evidence shows that individuals naturally adopt coping strategies to moderate behavioral and substance abuse problems (King & Tucker, 2000; Sugarman & Carey, 2007). Similarly, in a study with heroin users, participants who were abstinent at follow-up had greater increased use of coping responses compared with participants who had lapses or relapses (Gossop, Stewart, Browne, & Marden, 2002). Secondary research may consist of published research and data provided by the government in addition to data collected and analyzed by private companies. Secondary research will be gathered through peer reviewed journals and publications. Contribution to knowledge According to Samhsa (2011), â€Å"The use of illicit drugs among Americans increased between 2008 and 2010 according to a national survey conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) shows that 22. 6 million Americans 12 or older (8. 9-percent of the population) were current illicit drug users. The rate of use in 2010 was similar to the rate in 2009 (8. 7-percent), but remained above the 2008 rate (8- percent). † (para. 1). The proposed study may contribute to the literature and to leaders in the substance abuse field by further research and understanding of patterns in healthcare services provided to substance abuse and mental health recipients. Factors that influence recidivism among minority recipients are very important to filling the gap and delivering accurate treatment. This study may contribute to probable causes of inadequate life skills such as income, education, healthcare literacy and services solicited to target market are variables or central phenomena of the study. Review of Relevant Scholarship â€Å"We stand at a crossroads in our nation’s efforts to prevent substance abuse and addiction,† said SAMHSA Administrator Pamela S. Hyde. â€Å"These statistics represent real lives that are at risk from the harmful and sometimes devastating effects of illicit drug use. This nation cannot afford to risk losing more individuals, families and communities to illicit drugs or from other types of substance abuse — instead, we must do everything we can to effectively promote prevention, treatment and recovery programs across our country. Research Question 1. Does life skill training reduce recidivism of drug addicts? References Henslin, James. â€Å"Social Problems: A Down-To-Earth Approach. † (2008). Miller, M. L. , & Hobler, B. (1996). Delaware's Life Skills program reduces inmate recidivism. Corrections Today, 58(5), 114. Retrieved from EBSCOhost. SAMHSA. (2011). Retrieved from http://www. samhsa. gov/newsroom/advisories/1109 075503. aspx

Dementia Awareness Unit Essay

1. Explain what the term Dementia means 2. Describe the key functions of the brain that are affected by dementia 3. Explain why depression, delirium and age related memory impairment may be mistaken for dementia 4. Outline the medical models of dementia 5. Outline the social models of dementia 6. Explain why dementia should be viewed as a disability 7. List the most common causes of dementia 8. Describe the likely signs and symptoms of the most common causes of dementia 9. Outline the risk factors for the most common causes of dementia 10. Identify prevalence rates for different types of dementia 11. Describe how different individuals may experience living with dementia depending on age, type of dementia, and level of ability and disability 12. Outline the impact that the attitudes and behaviours of others may have on an individual with dementia 1. Explain what the term Dementia means Dementia is a term used to describe the symptoms that occur when the brain is affected by specific diseases and conditions. Dementia is a syndrome do to disease of the brain, usually of a chronic progression nature in which there are multiple disturbances of higher cognitive function. Symptoms of dementia include loss of memory, confusion and problems with speech and understanding. 2. Describe the key functions of the brain that are affected by dementia The key function of the brain affected by dementia are: impairment of memory thinking, and orientation, learning abilities, language and jugement.The resulting disability depends on the interaction between the underlying disease process, the individual and the social environment. 3. Explain why depression, delirium and age related memory impairment may be mistaken for dementia. Dementia often is developing slowly and is not always obvious in the early stages. There are symptoms similar to dementia seen in other illnesses and  sometimes it can be difficult to tell apart dementia from the usual forgetfulness seen in normal ageing. Also there are many other reason why people become forgetful, depressed, anxious, mood changing. Symptoms can be related to some medicines and drugs, vitamin deficiency, thyroid problems. 4. Outline the medical models of dementia Medical model relates to clinical approach, how the changes occur within the brain, managing the condition with medication, etc Dementia as a clinical syndrome is characterised by global cognitive impairment, which represents a decline from previous level of functioning, and is associated with impairment in functional abilities and, in many cases, behavioural and psychiatric disturbances. 5. Outline the social models of dementia Social model is more about the person, how it affects individuals, seeks to understand the emotions and behaviours of the person with dementia by placing him or her within the context of his or her social circumstances and biography. Looking at a person with dementia as an individual, with his or her own history and background, care and support can be designed to be more appropriate to individual needs. 6. Explain why dementia should be viewed as a disability Dementia is not a normal part of the aging process; it is a disease of the brain that leads to disability of cognitive function, behavioural or motor deficits. People with dementia are not able to live alone, they are a risk for them and for others; they need continuing supervision, carers who are trained to meet their needs. Dementia is progressive, which means the symptoms will gradually get worse. 7. List the most common causes of dementia Dementia it is a big umbrella term used to cover different conditions that cause dementia. There are many different types of dementia, the most common are Alzheimer’s disease, Vascular Dementia, Lewy body dementia, Alcohol related dementia, Front temporal dementia. All types of dementia are characterized by abnormal neurodegeneration, which is brain cells dying daily. This leads to cognitive, behavioural or motor deficits. One of the ways to categorized dementia is by where the damage to these cells is occurring in the brain. Alzheimer’s disease cause loss of brain cells, neurons, cause by what are called plagues and tangles in the brain. Plagues comprise of protein, known as amyloid which attach themselves to cells in the brain and ultimately destroys them. Tangles are bundles of abnormal fibres which consist in protein called tau.Alzheimer disease can be seen throughout the brain but is particularly noticeable in the temporal and parietal lobes. It also changes in the brain neurotransmitter system, the chemical messages which allow communication between brain cells breaks down. Vascular Dementia usually is due to a thrombosis, a cloth forming in a vessel which then leads to areas of brain cell death. Lewy body dementia. People with this type of dementia have brain plagues like someone with Alzheimer’s but have fewer tangles and instead have Lewy bodies which are pink staining structures found in neurones brain cells. Front temporal dementia is a degeneration of frontal and temporal lobes of the brain parts there are controlling the behaviour, emotional responses ore language skills. It is a rare form of dementia affecting younger people under the age of 65. Alcohol related dementia caused by atrophy of the brain associated with alcohol consuming. 8. Describe the likely signs and symptoms of the most common causes of dementia Alzheimer’s disease: Slow onset, Memory problems, poor concentration, word finding difficulty, impaired reasoning, increasing frequency and severity of symptoms, problem initiating new ideas, failure to recognise people, places, objects. Vascular dementia: Patchy brain impairments, abrupt onset, insight present, depression common, aphasia can be more prominent, personality changes. Lewy body dementia : memory loss, low attention spam, confusion, lost sense of smell, hallucination, delusion, slowness of movement, shaking of hands and legs, shuffling, sleep disturbance, loss of facial expression. Front temporal dementia: Apathy, routines and obsessions, speech fluent intact, little insight, loos of social awareness, neglect of responsibilities, poor judgement and impaired reasoning. 9. Outline the risk factors for the most common causes of dementia The main factor is old age; over 80 years old it is more likely to develop dementia. The risk factors can be: Unhealthy diet (excess of fat, animal protein, high processed food), obesity, smoking, misuse of alcohol, high blood pressure, lack of exercise, cardio- vascular diseases, and genetic background. A healthy lifestyle may reduce the risk of developing the disease. 10. Identify prevalence rates for different types of dementia Both man and woman get dementia. Dementia affects mainly older people but it can affect younger people. In UK there are about 750.000 people with dementia and 18.500 people under age of 65. Over 17.000 people got Alzheimer; it represents 40-50% of people with dementia. About 10% of people with dementia are known as mixed dementia. Vascular dementia, the second cause after Alzheimer affects about 20% of all dementia. Lewy bodies’ dementia affects about 19% of all dementia and it is believed to increase. Fronto-temporal dementia is one of the rarer types, affecting men and women under 65. It is the second cause for dementia in younger people (under 65) and is the third most common cause for this group of age. Korsakoff syndrome is diagnosed in about one in eight people with alcoholism. Present in about 2% of general population, it is affecting mainly man between 45 and 65 Parkinson dementia represents around 2% of all causes of dementia in the UK. 11. Describe how different individuals may experience living with dementia depending on age, type of dementia, and level of ability and disability Depending of the type of dementia, age, personality, environmental, individuals can experience different challenges despite of the pattern of the disease. Dementia is classified in three stages: early dementia, moderate dementia, severe dementia. In earlier stage a person with dementia can appear more apathetic, louse inters on activities, not interested to try new things, be unable to adapted  to changes, poor judgements, blame others to steal things, became more forgetful to recent events ,be more irritable if they fail on something, have difficulty handling money. In this stage the symptoms are not so evident and can be easily related to old age or tiredness. In moderate stage the symptoms are more evident and disabling. A person became more forgetful, confuse about space and time, lost if it is an unfamiliar surroundings, forget familiar names or confuse one family member to other, wonder around on streets having disturbing nights, behave inappropriate, seeing or hearing things there are not there, become very repetitive, neglected on hygiene or eating, become angry, upset or distressed through frustration. In these cases a person is not able to live alone, will need supervision and assistance becoming a risk for him/her and others. Severe dementia, the person became severely disable and need total care and supervision. Memory is very poor, they can’t remember things even for a minute, louse the ability to understand or speech, became totally incontinent, did not recognise friends or family, need assistance in all ADL’s, being very disturbed at night, restless and aggressive, having difficulty walking, having uncontrolled movements, in time immobility will became permanent. Most people with dementia suffer some memory loss. Depend of the type of dementia, level of their disability, background, there can be some difference. For example in Alzheimer’s disease difficulty in functioning are regular, in Vascular dementia they may have patchy in what they can and cannot do or have some damage in specific areas or functioning and none in others. In Lewy Body dementia, people will have fluctuation in their cognitive state, memory functions tend to be better preserved. They can also have more prominent visual and auditory hallucinations, paranoid and depression may be common. In Front temporal dementia, in early stages the memory remains intact but the personality and behaviour will change. They can behave inappropriately, lose inhibition, language problems. Some abilities remain; even many are lost as the disease progress. The person still keeps their senses of touch and hearing and their ability to respond to emotion. A person with dementia may not be able to communicate their wishes and needs; they may not be able to tell if they are in pain; because of this they will use their behaviour to communicate. The behaviour of a person with dementia is a big challenge for carers. It will not always be clear what the person is trying to tell, it is up to the carer to try and find out what the person needs. Because a person with dementia is forgetful, confuse, became frighten not knowing where he/she is, not recognise the people, surroundings, he/she can show challenging behaviour. They can become aggressive, they can hurt themselves or others, shouting, wondering and usually trying to go out. Their personality can change and it is frustrating for family who know their beloved, a nice, calm person can become totally different. Although some symptoms are common to many people with dementia, each person’s experience with the disease will be different. Dementia it is a disability; a person with dementia will need someone to be with them all the time to meet their needs, to protect them for becoming a risk for them and others. 12. Outline the impact that the attitudes and behaviours of others may have on an individual with dementia Because behaviour, in my opinion, is the most challenging when caring for a person with dementia, carer has to be well informed about their client. Attitudes and behaviour of others may have a big impact in evolution of the disease. The behaviours shown by people with dementia happen for a reason The person with dementia’s behaviour may be related to something in their past life, a job or a role such as being mother or father. They may be trying to tell you that they are lonely and miss their family. Or they could be telling you that they want to feel useful. Provided person centred care is of the outmost importance, therefore is essential to have prior knowledge of the client’s past for example hobbies, family structure. A well structured plan of care for staff to follow is  essential, to treat the client as a human being is crucial and not as someone with dementia. Many people with dementia have a fragile sense of self-worth; it’s especially important that people continue to treat them with courtesy, however advanced their dementia. A surrounding can influence person behaviour; a person with dementia can show bad behaviour just because he is trying to tell you something about their environment. It can be a noisy room, a cold room, they does not know where they are. The client with dementia should be safeguarded and protected from the conflictual situation, noisy environment, pain or unpleasant experiences which may trigger a challenging behaviour. The attitude of the people around, the way they speak or behave may influence the mood of someone with dementia. It is best to stay calm, provide reassurance and distract the person attention to something pleasant for him. The carers and family must understand that the person’s behaviour is not something he can control, or something he means it. Understanding, tolerance, encouragement and kindness while preserving the dignity of the person is the best way to cope while carrying for a client with dementia. It’s very important that people with dementia are treated with respect, to remember that a person with dementia is a unique and valuable human being, despite their illness.

College and First Year Students Essay

â€Å"One of the few rights America does not proclaim is the right to fail†. William Zinsser speaks shades truth when addressing the college student and the pressures imposed upon them. In our modern day and age, college students are mounted with problems: finance, respect, insecurity, and competition, are just a few. Modifications must be made in regards to relieving the high levels of stress students tend to inquire, opportunities to explore a variation of career types, and a general understanding from both teachers and students that the majority of freshmen have no clue what they want to do. It is for these reasons that I strongly lobby students not to decide on a major entering their first year of college. However, not everyone would agree. It is ideal for students to compromise to a course and take the necessary steps in the completion and mastery of a particular profession. Because admission nowadays is exceedingly selective, it is important to know what you want in the beginning to keep you on track. â€Å"You don’t want to pay for college twice†, says Will McGuiness, editor of the Huffington Post. For students investing both their time and money into these institutions of higher learning, it seems practical to just get a degree that will pay the mortgage. According to the Georgetown University Center on Education, in 2012 college graduates faced an unemployment rate of 8.3, well above the national average of 7.7. Although these bold facts are intimidating enough to have every freshman running for the hills, they fail to add the human components of learning and growth that most instrumental in excelling through college. Now that we have considered the factors that edge students in rushing into a major, let’s explore the reasons to stay abstinent. Giving a first year student the option of not having to make a career choice is a stress relief in and of itself. Unfortunately for college students, stress is nothing new; in fact, 37 percent of all college freshmen are above the average levels of stress and anxiety (Tamar Lewin, 1). These numbers should not be taken lightly, especially when shown that people under constant levels of stress live 10 years shorter than those who are not (â€Å"PSY Science†, 148). The pressures of achievement, acceptance, and competition are all intertwined with ones performance at a progressive level. Because tension in a stressful environment naturally creates a bigger learning curve, it is important to give these pupils breathing room with a year free of any grave decisions. Not only will this benefit the student’s health, but will show in test scores, communication, and most importantly learning. By eliminating the perceived need to commit to a major students are unsure of, will lead to a reduction of stress. Another reason for a first year hold out is the opportunity to explore. A year of exploration through a variety of different courses is vital to a student’s growth. At 18, it is safe to say that we have not been properly exposed to the world and even our own abilities. So to make us pick a career that we might dedicate the rest of our professional lives to seems absurd. Students exploring a wide range of subjects learn new things and develop interests they may never have known they had. Whereas choosing a specific major right from the start binds them to a narrow path. Occupations students once thought they were destined for fade into the horizon as their true passions are discovered. Additionally, a student knowledgeable in polarizing fields is a well-rounded one more effective in the workforce. As William Zinsser points out, â€Å"I would employ graduates who have this range and curiosity rather than those who narrowly pursue safe subjects† (â€Å"College Pressures†, 2). Which leads me to my last reason, if not the most important, the overlooked fact that we just don’t know. First year college students simply do not know what they want to be for the next 50 years of their life. The exception would be the hand full of students that have known their career path since the age of 5, leaving the rest of us in the dark with envy. The human brain does not fully develop until the age of 25, so deciding a career wouldn’t necessarily be a thoroughly calculated decision. Incidentally, most college students change their major an average of 3 or 4 times (â€Å"Off to college†, 18). Every semester councilors confront these timid, unfamiliar faces that stumble into their office and ask them for their major, while handing them a long list of credits needed for whatever choice they made. The blank stares the councilors receive from the students should be a clear enough indicator that these kids are as clueless as a dim light bulb and need help. Teachers and faculties need to emphasize the notion that it is okay not to know, that they have the right to fail. This leads me back to my hammering question at hand, what is the point of compromising to a major in freshman year? Through much comparison, calculation, and critical thinking, I have concluded it only logical not to decide on a major being the new kid on the block. While it is time and money saving to make a commitment sooner than later, it is not practical in the long run. Stress is not necessary, can affect academic performance and even pose a long term health risk. An exploratory student is progressive one that reflects the importance of a year to sample different career opportunities. Finally, awareness that most freshmen students do not know what educational path to take leads to a better understanding support group in teachers and faculty. Students are the driving force of our future, and must be encouraged, not disillusioned. A year of free trial and error without the loom of hefty decisions can be the difference between a learning environment and a hostile one. One of my favorite quotes, from the United Negro Fund, that I believe should be displayed in every school is, â€Å"A mind is a terrible thing to waste†.