Ultrasonography Advantages and Disadvantages

Ultrasonography Advantages and Disadvantages ULTRASONOGRAPHY Ultrasonography is a sound based diagnostic imaging technique used for visualising subcutaneous body structures including muscles joints vessels and internal organs for possible pathology and lesions. Sonography was introduced in the Medical field in early 1950s with steady development. The requirement of Ultrasound has gained importance in medical field and slowly its use in dentistry is also advancing. In Ultrasonography high frequency sound waves are transmitted in to the body by a transducer and the reflected waves are detected and displayed on a monitor. Sound reflection occurs between materials with different acoustic properties. The acoustic impedance of a medium is the product of its density and the propagation velocity in the medium. The transducers are intended to produce longitudinal waves therefore only those waves can pass through tissues get reflected, Audio frequency of a sound wave is 20 KHz any frequency above this is known as ultrasound. Medical Ultrasound uses the frequency of 1-15 MHz. The transducer contains quartz crystals and works on a principle called as piezoelectric effect. Piezoelectric effect is when a force is applied perpendicular to the faces of a quartz crystal an electric charge will result. This charge can be de ­tected and amplified, producing a useful electric signal. Conversely, if an electric sig ­nal is applied to the crystal, expansion or con ­traction of the crystal will take place depend ­ing on the polarity of the signal. Oscillating signals cause the crystal to vi ­brate, resulting in propagation of sound waves into the medium with which the crystal is in contact.52 Advantages of this imaging technique include – Non invasive Non ionizing radiation is used Simple Real time imaging Portable machine Can repeat and easy to store Less artifacts Disadvantages include – Operator and equipment dependant Hard tissue cannot be imaged Deep structures cannot be visualized Application of Ultrasonography in dentistry: Ultrasonography has been used as non-invasive technique for the imaging of relatively deep areas. Recently, however high frequency USG has been developed that can provide detail investigation of more superficial regions.53, 54 USG has extensive range of use in dentistry such as to detect cyst and tumors of orofacial region, lympadenitis, space infections, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders and mid face fractures. USG can detect of fractures of the maxillofacial region i.e. nasal bone fractures, orbital rim fractures, maxillary fractures, mandibular fractures, zygomatic arch fractures as well as reduction healing of fractures. Ultrasound is used to detect parotid lesions, where solid and cystic lesions are reliably differentiated and diffuse enlargement of the parotid gland (or) focal disease is readily shown by ultrasound. Sonographically, benign lesions usually appear well defined, homogeneous and hypoechoic, while malignant lesions tend to be ill defined and hypoechoic with heterogeneous internal architecture and enlarged cervical lymph node may be visible and reactive intra parotid lymph nodes may also be readily assessed.55, 56, 57 USG can also be used during FNAC. This technique offers the ability to sample non palpable diseases, gives access to different regions of the lesion and approaches the lesion from different angles. During biopsy of parotid gland there is chance of injuring the facial nerve (or) seeding neoplastic cells, under ultrasound guidance these can be avoided.56 The value of USG is well recognized in inflammatory soft tissue conditions of the head and neck region and superficial tissue disorders of the maxillofacial region. Ultra sound can provide the content of the lesion before any surgical procedure; both solid and cystic contents could be identified in ultrasound. The mixed lesions should be considered neoplastic and should be biopsied before surgical procedure.USG helps in detecting the extend of space infections in oral and maxillofacial region. Ultrasound is also an precise modality for measuring the thickness of muscles, data regarding thickness may provide information useful in diagnosis and treatment especially in follow up examination in cases of temporomandibular joint disorders (TMD).58 USG is indiacted in TMD to evaluate the osseous contours of joints and joint space, joint effusion, detection of disc position and dynamic evaluation and inflammatory disorders like Rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis etc. Ultrasound can also be used for detecting sialoliths in parotid, submandibular and sublingual salivary glands, which appear as echo-dense spots with a characteristic acoustic shadow.59 In Ultrasound, color Doppler sonography has been developed to identify vasculatures and to enable evaluation of the blood flow, velocity and vessel resistance together with surrounding Morphology. It can be used for detecting the course of the facial artery and for detecting hemangioma. So the use of ultrasound is unlimited, so proper application of this Imaging can be of use in detecting various normal pathological lesions in the maxillofacial region. Literature search Manjunath K et al (2011) evaluated oral submucous fibrosis (OSMF) by clinical and histopathological examination, and compared the results with those from ultrasonographic technique.30 clinically diagnosed OSMF patients were subjected to both ultrasonographic and histopathological evaluation before treatment. Later, only ultrasonographical examination using 9-5 MHz transducer was done during 4thand 8thweek of treatment. Intralesional injections of a combination of dexamethasone sodium phosphate 4 mg/ml and hyaluronidase 1500 IU twice a week for 8 weeks were given. At each visit, following topical application of lignocaine 2%, 1500 IU of hyaluronidase was dissolved in 2.0 ml of dexamethasone sodium phosphate in a 2 ml disposable syringe and the drugs were injected at multiple sites submucosally by means of a gauge 24 needle, taking care that not more than 0.2 ml solution was injected per site. Prognosis of the lesion for the treatment was evaluated. Peak systolic velocity (PSV) of bloo d in the lesional area was statistically analyzed. 10 normal individuals without any mucosal lesions were considered as the control group.In normal individuals, ultrasonography delineated normal mucosa with uniform fine mottled appearance with interspersed hypoechoic areas. Colour Doppler and spectral Doppler depicted uniform distribution of blood vessels and normal peak systolic velocity of blood respectively. All OSMF patients were diagnosed upon clinical and histopathological examination. Clinical examination revealed 14 individuals with unilateral palpable fibrotic bands and 16 individuals with bilateral fibrotic bands whereas, ultrasonographic evaluation revealed 6 individuals with unilateral fibrotic bands and 24 individuals were with bilateral fibrotic bands, which was statistically significant. Ultrasonography demonstrated number, length and thickness of the fibrotic bands. Color Doppler and spectral Doppler showed decreased vascularity and PSV in lesional area. Prognosis ev aluation revealed 25 cases of good prognosis and 5 cases were showed poor prognosis. Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test revealed no significant difference of PSV was seen in poor prognosis patients.The study concluded that Ultrasonography could be a better diagnostic tool compared to clinical and histopathological examination.2 Krithika C et al (2013) assessed the sonographic features of the buccal mucosa in patients with oral submucous fibrosis (OSF).Three groups (controls with areca-related habits, controls without areca-related habits and clinically diagnosed OSF cases), each comprising 30 subjects, were included in the study. After a thorough clinical examination, transcutaneous B-mode ultrasonography was performed with a multifrequency linear transducer (5-10à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ °MHz) for anterior and posterior buccal mucosa bilaterally. Both clinical and ultrasound findings were recorded by three independent observers. One-way analysis of variance and Tukeys honestly significant difference post-hoc tests were used for statistical comparisons between groups and Pearson χ (2) tests to compare the proportions. Kappa statistics was used to determine the interobserver agreement. The submucosa that appeared hypoechoic in the control groups had significantly increased echogenicity in the case group (hypo- to isoechoic in 46.7% and isoechoic in 53.3%). The differentiation between the submucosa and the muscle layer appeared distinct in the control groups while it was not clear in the case group (indistinct in 50% and completely lost in 50%). The number of sites found positive on the ultrasound was significantly greater than the number of clinically positive sites. There was a very good inter observer consistency in clinical and ultrasound findings. Ultrasonography of the buccal mucosa demonstrated increased submucosal echogenicity and reduced echo differentiation between submucosa and muscle layer in OSF cases. Hence, it can be used as a non-invasive imaging modality to assess the disease extent and severity across the entire buccal mucosa to supplement clinical evaluation.7 P Rangaiah (2010) performed a hospital based cross sectional study to measure the thickness of submucosa with the application of high frequency ultrasonography (USG) in cases and controls and to correlate clinical and histological stages of the disease with the USG measurements. Study consisted of 20 subjects who were clinically and histopathologically proven of OSMF and 20 controls who were selected by matching the age body mass index to OSMF patients. Transcutaneous imaging of Buccal and labial submucosa was done using a high frequency (3-12 MHz) USG. The values were correlated with the habit and clinical and histological staging of the disease. Result The mean submucosal thickness of ABM for cases was0.209  ± 0.072 cms and for controls was 0.056  ± 0.011 cms, PBM for cases was 0.218  ± 0.080 and for controls was 0.057  ± 0.010 cms, ULM for cases was 0.149  ± 0.051 cms and for controls was 0.055  ± 0.015 cms, and for LLM for cases was 0.162  ± 0.052 cms and for the c ontrols was 0.060  ± 0.017 cms. The study group had a increased submucosal thickness when compared to control group in all the measured sites. A significant positive association was obtained in relation of submucosal thickness with frequency of chewing habits. An insignificant correlation was obtained with respect to submucosal thickness with duration of habit and duration of quid keeping. An incompatibility was noted when comparison of clinical and histological staging was done with USG measurements, which could be attributed to smaller sample size, unequal number of subjects in each staging of OSMF. But many cases showed definite increase in submucosal thickness as the disease progressed from early to advanced stage. Echogenecity pattern of submucosa showed areas of irregular hyperechoic (increased) linear streaks due to fibrotic deposits in cases. In the contrary the submucosa of controls appeared as a band of hypoechoic zone. Conclusion of the present preliminary study was abl e to establish the normal values of submucosal thickness ultrasonographically for a small group of South Indian population. The study showed a significant increase in submucosal thickness in OSMF patients which was measured ultrasonographically.60 Devathambi JR (2013) evaluated the efficacy of ultrasonography (USG) as a non-invasive tool in assessing the severity of OSMF and also to assess the relationship between OSMF and hypertrophy of the masseter muscle. The submucosal thickness in buccal mucosa and masseteric muscle hypertrophy were measured using ultrasound (10-15 MHz) in 60 patients comprising 30 OSMF patients and 30 controls. Results were analyzed by one way analysis of variance, Chi-square test and t- test. The range of the normal submucosal thickness in the study was between 0.045 and 0.056 cm.the submucosal thickness in OSMF patients ranged between 0.090cm to 0.258.As the stages of OSMF advanced there was an increase in submucosal thickness of the buccal mucosa as well as masseter muscle thickness in both relaxed and contracted state in the study group when compared with controls (P61 P Kant (2014) evaluated the efficacy of ultrasonography (USG) as a non-invasive tool in assessing the severity of OSMF and also to assess the relationship between OSMF and hypertrophy of the masseter muscle. The submucosal thickness in buccal mucosa and masseteric muscle hypertrophy were measured using ultrasound (10-15 MHz) in 60 patients comprising 30 OSMF patients and 30 controls. Results were analyzed by one way analysis of variance, Chi-square test and t-test. As the stages of OSMF advanced there was an increase in submucosal thickness of the buccal mucosa as well as masseter muscle thickness in both relaxed and contracted state in the study group when compared with controls (p62 Kamala KA et al (2010) investigated thickness of masseter muscle at rest and at maximum clenching position by ultrasonography with masseter muscle hypertrophy in OSMF patient and control group, and also to establish the normal value of masseter muscle thickness ultrasonographically and to prove that ultrasonography is reliable diagnostic technique for the evaluation of masseter muscle hypertrophy in oral submucous fibrosis patient. Ultrasonographic (3-12 MHz) measurement of masseter muscle thickness was performed in 40 subjects including 20 OSMF patients and 20 controls. Study group showed higher thickness both on right and left buccal mucosa when compared to controls. The thickness of masseter muscle was more in contracted stage than relaxed stage which was significant.63 J Jackowski et al (1999) compared the ultrasonographic appearances of the oral mucosa in health with patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc).An innovative 20 MHz US scanner was used to examine the lips, cheeks and oral vestibule of ten healthy persons and ten patients with SSc. The clinical, ultrasonographic and histopathological features of one patient with a fibro-epithelial polyp of the buccal mucosa are reported in detail. Two patients with SSc displayed increased echogenicity due to fibrotic deposits. A similar echo pattern was seen in the case of the histopathologically verified fibro-epithelial polyp of the buccal mucosa. The study concluded that 20 MHz sonography may be suitable as a non-invasive tool for evaluation of fibrosis of the oral mucosa.64 Praveen Kumar Pandey et al (2011) The purpose of the study was to establish the role of ultrasonography in determining the involvement of specific fascial spaces in maxillofacial region and the stage of infection, in indicating the appropriate time for surgical intervention and to compare clinical and ultrasonographic findings. Material and Methods Twenty five patients with fascial space infection in maxillofacial region were subjected to ultrasonographic examination following a detailed clinical and radiological examination. Ultrasonography guided needle aspiration was performed. Based on the findings, patients diagnosed with abscess were subjected to incision and drainage and those with cellulitis were subjected to medical line of treatment. Results More than one fascial space was involved in all patients. On clinical examination 64 spaces were involved, of them 34 spaces had abscess formation and 30 spaces were in the stage of cellulitis. On ultrasonography examination, 28 spaces were reported to have abscess formation and 36 spaces were diagnosed to be in the stage of cellulitis. On comparative analysis of both clinical and ultrasonographic findings, ultrasonography was found to be sensitive in 65% of the cases and having specificity of 80%. It was registered statistically significant (P Conclusions Ultrasonography is a quick, widely available, relatively inexpensive, and painless procedure and can be repeated as often as necessary without risk to the patient. Thus ultrasonography is a valuable diagnostic aid to the oral and maxillofacial surgeon for early and accurate diagnosis of fascial space infection, their appropriate treatment and to limit their further spread. Keywords:ultrasonography, maxillofacial surgery, abscess, cellulitis, differential diagnosis. The purpose of the study was to establish the role of ultrasonography in determining the involvement of specific facial spaces in maxillofacial region and the stage of infection, in indicating the appropriate time for surgical intervention and to compare clinical and ultrasonographic findings. Twenty five patients with fascial space infection in maxillofacial region were subjected to ultrasonographic examination following a detailed clinical and radiological examination. Ultrasonography guided needle aspiration was performed. Based on the findings, patients diagnosed with abscess were subjected to incision and drainage and those with cellulitis were subjected to medical line of treatment. More than one fascial space was involved in all patients. On clinical examination 64 spaces were involved, of them 34 spaces had abscess formation and 30 spaces were in the stage of cellulitis. On ultrasonography examination, 28 spaces were reported to have abscess formation and 36 spaces were diagn osed to be in the stage of cellulitis. On comparative analysis of both clinical and ultrasonographic findings, ultrasonography was found to be sensitive in 65% of the cases and having specificity of 80%. It was registered statistically significant (P 65 Mohit sharma et al (2014) detected the role of ultrasonography as an adjunctive diagnostic aid for fascial space infections of odontogenic origin as well as an aid in appropriate treatment planning and management of fascial space infections of odontogenic origin. The study group comprised of 30 patients of either genders, irrespective of age and presented with unilateral fascial space infection of odontogenic origin. After the clinical and radiographic examinations, patients underwent USG evaluation. USG-guided intraoperative aspiration was done to confirm the diagnosis. All the findings were tabulated and subjected to statistical analysis.USG was as accurate as USG-guided intraoral aspiration (Gold standard) in diagnosing fascial space infections of odontogenic origin with sensitivity and specificity of 100%. In cases of abscess USG showed a well-defined homogenous anechoic pattern, cellulitis cases showed an ill-defined heterogeneous hyperechoic pattern while edema showed an ill-de fined isoechoic pattern.The different stages of fascial space infections of odontogenic origin can be clearly depicted on the USG. The study concluded that different stages of fascial space infections of odontogenic origin can be clearly depicted on the USG and it can be used as a reliable adjunctive imaging technique in the diagnosis of fascial space infection of odontogenic origin.66 Prince CN et al (2012) assessed the diagnostic capability of real-time ultrasound imaging, together with the application of color power Doppler in the identification and differential diagnosis of the periapical lesions. Fifteen patients with periapical lesions of pulpal origin, diagnosed with clinical and conventional radiographic examination, were examined further using ultrasonography. The results from the biopsies of the lesions were compared and statistically analyzed. The differential diagnosis between periapical granulomas and cystic lesions, which were based on the ultrasonographic findings, were confirmed by the results of the histopathologic examination in 13 (86.7%) of 15 cases, one being granuloma and 14 being cystic lesion.67 Sumit Goel et al (2011) evaluated the efficacy of ultrasonography with color Doppler and power Doppler applications over conventional radiography in the diagnosis of periapical lesions.Thirty patients having inflammatory periapical lesions of the maxillary or mandibular anterior teeth and requiring endodontic surgery were selected for inclusion in this study. All patients consented to participate in the study. They used conventional periapical radiographs as well as USG with color Doppler and power Doppler for the diagnosis of these lesions. Their diagnostic performances were compared against histopathologic examination. All data were compared and statistically analyzed.USG examination with color Doppler and power Doppler identified 29 (19 cysts and 10 granulomas) of 30 periapical lesions accurately, with a sensitivity of 100% for cysts and 90.91% for granulomas and a specificity of 90.91% for cysts and 100% for granulomas. In comparison, conventional intraoral radiography identified only 21 lesions (sensitivity of 78.9% for cysts and 45.4% for granulomas and specificity of 45.4% for cysts and 78.9% for granulomas). There was definite correlation between the echo texture of the lesions and the histopathological features except in one case.68 Page 1

Immorality of Human Cloning Essay -- essays research papers

While human cloning has been a matter of science fiction for centuries, the prospect that it could actually happen is a recent development. On February 23, 1997, the birth of the first cloned sheep, Dolly, was announced. Since then, it seems that science has progressed faster than moral understanding. Each breakthrough in genetics presents us with both a promise and a dilemma. The promise is that we may soon be able to treat and prevent diseases such as cancer and Parkinson’s. The dilemma is that we will have the power to manipulate our very nature-- to choose the sex and other genetic qualities of our next generation in attempts to make ourselves perfect. Despite the possible benefits, cloning will require unacceptable risks and does not consider the basic concepts of human dignity, liberty and identity. Considering our role in the world, it is society’s place to dictate moral boundaries to ban all human cloning, including that done in the name of medical progress. Human cloning is a serious issue and a frightening prospect of what the future may hold. It has been proven neither effective, nor safe. Before this minimum requirement is met, cloning should be avoided and not attempted on humans. Despite this, advocates argue that cloning can improve human genetics, and can prevent genetically transmitted diseases. The truth is that cloning will not improve genetic make up of the human race. According to Darwin’s famous theory, nature adapts its species and no one should interfere in the process. A radical change in nature, such as creating a society of clones, will diminish the human diversity resulting from the various mixings of genes. Another problem says Lane Lester who earned his Ph.D in genetics is that â€Å"everyone possesse... ... cloning is necessary or useful for any purpose. Banning cloning far outweighs the potential curing of genetically transmitted diseases, it crosses an ethical line in the creation of human beings. As a moral society, we should strive to enforce moral boundaries and create rather then destroy. Works Cited "Gene Mutation" The Encyclopedia Britannica. 15th ed. 2007. Print. Leone, Paul. Cloning and the Future of Human Embryo Research. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2001. Google Books. Web. 12 Feb. 2014. Masci, Margaret O., and John F. Setaro. Medicine's Brave New World: Bioengineering and the New Genetics. Brookfield: Twenty-First Century, 2001. Print. Winters, Paul A. Cloning. San Diego: Greenhaven, 1998. Print. Gallup Poll: Support for Embryonic Stem Cell Research $ Dropping. Web. 12 Feb. 2014. http://www.lifenews.com/2005/08/16/bio-1111/

Internet’s Adverse Effects on Teenagers Essay

Adverse Effects of Internet on Teenagers: Introduction: The use of internet has grown tremendously among the teenagers over the last few decades. This has largely been caused by a variety of reasons such as education and the need for entertainment. The internet provides a variety of free information and resources that can either build or destroy the life of a teenager. As a result, many teenagers have ended destroyed morally and psychologically due to excessive use of the internet for the wrong reasons. As a matter of fact, research shows that many teenagers get excessively addicted to the internet from the first time they gain access information in the web (Kraut ; Kiesler, 49-74). The growing and excessive use of the internet among the teenagers has also largely been influenced by the affordability and availability of internet both at school and home. This continued use of internet by the teenagers has tremendously affected the teenagers adversely with time. To be precise, most teenagers who have excessively use internet have continued to have problems academically, socially and even morally. Background Information: Research indicates that in every ten teenagers, nine are regular internet users. According to statistics, 87% of the teenagers in the Western World aged between 12 and 17 are regular users of the internet. 51% of these teenagers visit the internet on regular basis. This actually represents about 21 million teenagers who visit the internet. It has also been found that 81% of the teenage internet users basically use the internet for playing video games. This percentage represents about 17 million teenagers (McKenna ; Green, 9-31). The figures above are a direct indication that there is an overwhelming increase in the number of teenagers accessing the internet over the last few years. This information implies that most teenagers are therefore openly vulnerable to some of the evil practices that go on over the internet. As a result, the society has continued to bring up teenagers who are morally corrupt. Refutation: It is important to note at this point that most teenagers are quickly getting addicted to internet use. Most teenagers get addicted to the internet because of the following reasons: First, most teenagers believe that the internet is the best source of entertainment. There are many internet sites that provide free games of that the teenagers can play. Most teenagers therefore visit these sites and spend quite a lot of time playing those games. The teenagers find fulfillment in these games and therefore dedicate much time to play such games. The addiction to internet games by the teenagers has largely been encouraged by lack of enough co-curriculum activities in the schools in the current society. With the current globalization, most schools tend to focus more on impartation of academic knowledge to the teenagers paying less attention to other extra-curriculum activities that are important for the mental development of the teenagers. This has therefore left the teenagers seeking for alternate sources of entertainment which they easily find over the internet. These teenagers have therefore grown to believe that the internet is the best source of entertainment. This is absolutely wrong since the internet games ideally promote the culture of selfishness because it gives the teenager a chance to find solace and fulfillment in the machine. This makes the teenagers to become selfish even as they grow up. Secondly, most teenagers believe that the internet is the best source of informant for academic research. Whenever the teenagers are given class assignments to do, the first research source they run to is the internet. This is because they believe that the internet provides accurate and ready information that can help them to quickly complete their assignments. As a result, many teenagers have been become so addicted to the internet for academic purposes. However, the teenagers need to understand that taking academic materials and reproducing information from the internet can often to academic frauds like plagiarism. The teenagers therefore need to be careful in conducting their research over the internet due to the crime risks they expose themselves to. As a matter of fact, the teenagers need to seek alternate sources of information such as books, journal articles and newspaper articles in conducting their research. This will help them to get information that they fully trust because it is easy to verify the sources of information from books and journal articles. Lastly, most teenagers believe that the internet is the best form of communication. This is because of the various technologies for communication that are actually provided over the internet. Most teenagers tend to lack cellular phones for communication. This gives them the option of communication technologies such as email and chat sessions in different applications over the internet. Through such technologies the teenagers get a chance to effectively communicate with their friends. This has made them believe that the internet is the best source of information since they can easily share their issues with friends over the internet. This is however wrong and should be discouraged. Proper socialization can only be healthy through physically contacting someone. Electronic communication through the internet reduces the relational skills of the teenagers and therefore makes them vulnerable to becoming irresponsible and selfish adults when they grow up. It is important to have good social skills which can only be enhanced through physical relationship (Lee ; Kuo, 7) Supporting Arguments: Internet use has adverse effects on the teenagers because of the following reasons: Internet expose the teenagers to Internet Crimes against Children. The internet is one of the platforms through which predators tend to find teenagers and grooming them for criminal activities such as the production and distribution of children pornography, stalking and contacting the teenagers for sexual acts engagement and even exploitation through sexual tourism. Most of the criminals tend to look at teenagers as perfect targets for achieving their criminal motives. This is mainly because most teenagers tend to be naive, trusting, adventurers, curious and seeking attention as well as affection. This, therefore, makes the teenager so vulnerable to being victims of such kind of criminal acts over the internet. In addition, the criminal acts could turn the teenagers into criminals too especially when there are monetary benefits attached to it. Secondly, the internet has the ability to corrupt the good morals of the teenagers. The internet provides quite a lot of free information and services that have the capacity of corrupting the good morals of teenagers. Illicit and immoral information such as pornography can easily become objects of admiration of teenagers over the internet. It is important to note that most teenagers tend to be at the peek of adolescence whereby they enjoy all manner of new things and are very curious to adventure into things. Due to peer pressure and pressure from their physical bodies, the teenagers are most likely to get addicted internet pornography. Accessing such illicit and immoral information can therefore corrupt their innocent minds. This information is dangerous because it can easily transform them into criminals such as rapists. Anytime the teenagers access the illicit information over the internet, they tend to develop the desire to practice what they read and watch over the internet. As a result, such kinds of teenagers end up not concentrating in their academic work and so scoring poor grades in school. Some also drop out school as they turn out to be frequent law offenders (Handbook of child psychology, 1-101).

The Fire that was Allowed to Burn Essays

The Fire that was Allowed to Burn Essays The Fire that was Allowed to Burn Essay The Fire that was Allowed to Burn Essay Fourteen years ago fire rolled through a beautiful part of this country, filled with marvelous creations such as geysers and hot springs.Trees, blooming wild flowers, abundant grasses, natural landscapes, and sinuous waters lavishly filled the countryside.Almost everything was destroyed that was in the fires sight.398 blameless animals died.Many controversies aroused from the occurrence of this fire at Yellowstone National Park in 1988. These fires were allowed to burn by the Natural Burn Policy which was put into effect in 1972.The National Park Service officially recognized that fire was essential for the maintenance of an ecosystem (Ruhf).When a fire is started, the trees burn down and die.They then fall and create open areas for sunlight to reach new growth and sprout seedlings.This creates a healthier forest and helps maintain an ecosystem.All naturally caused fires, such as those started by lightning, would be allowed to burn without suppression. The fires started on June 2 2, 1988.Originally, they did not pose a threat.Ignited by lightning, they didnt threaten lives, property, or natural features.Eventually, almost the entire park was in flames.The fires, including the Storm Creek fire, the Hellroaring fire, and the North Fork fire then started to burn uncontrollably (Ruhf).By July 22, the National Park Service decided it was time to battle all of these fires.Over a course of about 3 months a total of 25,000 firefighters, including Army and Marine troops, tried to control this blaze.9,500 firefighters fought the fires at one time (Barker). The worst of the fires began on Saturday, August 20, 1988.This day is now historically named Black Saturday (Ruhf).Winds soared between 30-40 MPH with gusts reaching up to 70 MPH (Ruhf).The winds caused the fires to reach up to 200 feet high.Eventually the fires produced their own wind.On Black Saturday an

The Other Reichs Before Hitlers Third

The Other Reichs Before Hitler's Third The German word reich means empire, although it can also be translated as government. In 1930s Germany, the Nazi party identified their rule as a Third Reich and, in doing so, gave English speakers around the world a wholly negative connotation to the word. Some people are surprised to find that the concept, and use, of three reichs is not a solely Nazi idea, but a common component of German historiography. This misconception stems from the use of Reich as a totalitarian nightmare, and not as an empire.  As you can tell, there were two reichs before Hitler made his third, but you might see reference to a fourth. The First Reich: The Holy Roman Empire (800/962 - 1806) Although the name dates to the twelfth-century reign of Frederick Barbarossa, the Holy Roman Empire had its origins over 300 years earlier. In 800 AD, Charlemagne was crowned emperor of a territory which covered much of western and central Europe; this created an institution that would remain, in one form or another, for over a thousand years. The Empire was reinvigorated by Otto I in the tenth century, and his imperial coronation in 962 has also been used to define the start of both the Holy Roman Empire and the First Reich. By this stage, Charlemagnes empire had been divided, and the remainder was based around a set of core territories occupying much the same area as modern Germany. The geography, politics, and strength of this empire continued to fluctuate massively over the next eight hundred years but the imperial ideal, and the German heartland, remained. In 1806, the Empire was abolished by the then Emperor Francis II, partly as a response to the Napoleonic threat. Allowing for the difficulties in summarizing the Holy Roman Empire - which parts of a fluid thousand-year history do you select? - it was generally a loose confederation of many smaller, almost independent, territories, with little desire to vastly expand across Europe. It wasnt considered the first at this point, but a follow-up to the Roman Empire of the classical world; indeed Charlemagne was meant to be a new Roman leader. The Second Reich: The German Empire (1871 - 1918) The dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire, combined with a growing feeling of German nationalism, led to repeated attempts at unifying the multitude of German territories before a single state was created almost solely by the will of Otto von Bismarck, aided by the military skills of Moltke. Between 1862 and 1871, this great Prussian politician used a combination of persuasion, strategy, skill, and outright warfare to create a German Empire dominated by Prussia, and ruled by the Kaiser (who had very little to do with the creation of the empire he would rule). This new state, the Kaiserreich, grew to dominate European politics at the close of the 19th and start of the 20th centuries. In 1918, after defeat in the Great War, a popular revolution forced the Kaiser into abdication and exile; a republic was then declared. This second German Empire was largely the opposite of the Holy Roman, despite having the Kaiser as a similar imperial figurehead: a centralized and authoritarian state whi ch, after the dismissal of Bismarck in 1890, maintained an aggressive foreign policy. Bismarck was one of the geniuses of European history, in no small part because he knew when to stop. The Second Reich fell when it was ruled by people who didnt. The Third Reich: Nazi Germany (1933 - 1945) In 1933, President Paul von Hindenburg appointed Adolf Hitler as Chancellor of the German State, which, at that point, had been a democracy. Dictatorial powers and sweeping changes soon followed, as democracy disappeared and the country militarized. The Third Reich was to have been a vastly extended German Empire, expunged of minorities and lasting for a thousand years, but it was removed in 1945 by a combined force of allied nations, which included Britain, France, Russia, and the US. The Nazi state proved to be dictatorial and expansionist, with goals of ethnic purity that formed a stark contrast to the first reichs broad assortment of peoples and places. A Complication When using the standard definition of the term, The Holy Roman, Kaiserreich, and Nazi states were certainly reichs, and you can see how they might have been tied together in the minds of 1930s Germans: from Charlemagne to the Kaiser to Hitler. But youd be right to also ask, how connected were they, really? Indeed, the phrase three reichs refers to something more than simply three empires. Specifically, it refers to the concept of three empires of German history. This might not seem a great distinction, but its a vital one when it comes to our understanding of modern Germany and what happened before and as that nation evolved. Three Reichs of German History? The history of modern Germany is often summarized as being three reichs and three democracies. This is broadly correct, as modern Germany did indeed evolve out of a series of three empires - as described above - interspersed with forms of democracy; however, this does not automatically make the institutions German. While The First Reich is a useful name for historians and students, applying it to the Holy Roman Empire is largely anachronistic. The imperial title and office of the Holy Roman Emperor drew, originally and in part, on the traditions of the Roman Empire, considering itself as an inheritor, not as the first. Indeed, it is highly debatable at what point, if ever, the Holy Roman Empire became a German body. Despite a near continuous core of land in northern central Europe, with a growing national identity, the reich extended into many of the modern surrounding territories, contained a mix of peoples, and was dominated for centuries by a dynasty of emperors commonly associated with Austria. To consider the Holy Roman Empire as solely German, rather than an institution within which there was a considerable German element, might be to lose some of this reichs character, nature, and importance. Conversely, the Kaiserreich was a German state - with an evolving German identity - that partly defined itself in relation to the Holy Roman Empire. The Nazi Reich was also built around one particular concept of being German; indeed, this latter reich certainly considered itself a descendant of the Holy Roman and German Empires, taking the title third, to follow them. Three Different Reichs The summaries given above may be very brief, but they are enough to show how these three empires were very different types of state; the temptation for historians has been to try and find some sort of linked progression from one to another. Comparisons between the Holy Roman Empire and the Kaiserreich began before this latter state was even formed. Historians and politicians of the mid 19th century theorized an ideal state, the Machtstaat, a centralized, authoritarian and militarized power state (Wilson, The Holy Roman Empire, Macmillan, 1999). This was, in part, a reaction to what they considered weaknesses in the old, fragmented, empire. The Prussian-led unification was welcomed by some as the creation of this Machtstaat, a strong German empire which focused around a new emperor, the Kaiser. However, some historians began to project this unification back into both the 18th century and the Holy Roman Empire, finding a long history of Prussian intervention when Germans were threatene d. Different again were the actions of some scholars in the aftermath of the Second World War, when attempts to understand how the conflict occurred led to the three reichs being seen as an inevitable progression through increasingly authoritarian and militarized governments. Modern Use An understanding of the nature  and relationship of these three reichs is necessary for more than historical study. Despite a claim in the ​Chambers Dictionary of World History that The term [Reich] is no longer used (Dictionary of World History, ed. Lenman and Anderson, Chambers, 1993), politicians and others are fond of describing modern Germany, and even the European union, as a fourth Reich. They almost always use the term negatively, looking to the Nazis and the Kaiser rather than the Holy Roman Empire, which might be a far better analogy for the current EU. Clearly, there is room for many differing opinions on the three German reichs, and historical parallels are still being drawn with this term today.

The Requirements in the Success of Business Intelligence Research Paper

The Requirements in the Success of Business Intelligence Implementation in public domain in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia - Research Paper Example ‘BI’ is the abbreviation for what is known as ‘Business Intelligence’, which refers to â€Å"various software applications that are utilized in analysis of the raw data of an organization.† (Mulcahy, 2011) The BI discipline is related to be comprised of â€Å"several related activities, including data mining, online analytical processing, querying and reporting.† (Mulcahy, 2011) Business Intelligence is used by companies for the purpose of bringing about improvement to their decision-making tasks, cutting costs and identifying new business opportunities. (Mulcahy, 2011) Business Intelligence is reported to be much more than mere â€Å"corporate reporting and more than a set of tools to coax data out of enterprise systems. CIOs use BI to identify inefficient processes that are ripe for re-engineering.† (Mulcahy, 2011) Business Intelligence is used in many business sectors, for example, it is reported that the Patriots â€Å"managed to wi n the Super Bowl three times in four years. The team sues data and analytical models extensively, both on and off the field. In-depth analytics help the team select players and stay below the NFL salary cap.† (Mulcahy, 2011) The team additionally uses these types of analytics in assessing and improving the â€Å"total fan experience.† (Mulcahy, 2011) A Google search using the term ‘business intelligence in Saudi Arabia’ reveals that there is a critical need for individuals experienced in business intelligence applications evidenced by the ads posted for business intelligence analysts and consultants in Saudi Arabia. ... In-depth analytics help the team select players and stay below the NFL salary cap.† (Mulcahy, 2011) The team additionally uses these types of analytics in assessing and improving the â€Å"total fan experience.† (Mulcahy, 2011) A Google search using the term ‘business intelligence in Saudi Arabia’ reveals that there is a critical need for individuals experienced in business intelligence applications evidenced by the ads posted for business intelligence analysts and consultants in Saudi Arabia. Background Business intelligence is reported to be such that serves to assist employees in modifying their work practices, both individually and in view of the team and this results in improved performance overall. (Mulcahy, 2011) Mulcahy reports that there are seven steps to rolling out BI Systems and that those seven steps are as follows: (1) ensure that data is clean; (2) users should be effectively trained; (3) quick deployment is required with adjustments along th e way; (4) use an integrated approach to building the data warehouse in the beginning; (5) define the ROI clearly prior to beginning as well as outlining the specific benefits that are expected to be achieved; (6) keep business objectives in focus; and (7) deploy BI with the idea in mind that there are numbers out there that must be found rather than deploying BI because it is thought that BI is needed. (Mulcahy, 2011) Challenges to the success of Business Intelligence in the organization are stated to include that of ‘user resistance’ as well as there, being barriers associated with â€Å"having to winnow through voluminous amounts of irrelevant data† and the lack of quality exhibited in poor data. (Mulcahy, 2011) Stated as another

Question about the History of Islam Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Question about the History of Islam - Assignment Example Unlike the men who dress in any type of cloth, the women must always cover themselves in lengthy hijabs complete with a veil that covers both their faces and hair (Ruggles 77). The unique attire portrays the society’s archaic treatment of women who must always behave differently when in public space and when in their private spaces. The history of Islam and early Islamic society shows a unique position and roles of women, especially in marriages. At such times, marriages were alliances. The men, therefore, married their female children to specific families with the view of creating relations and alliances with the appropriate families. Prophet Mohammad had thirteen wives a feature that portrays his belief and resects of women. The men in Islamic societies believed that a man could take care of as many women as they wished. As such, the polygamous society encouraged men to marry as many women as they wished. This portrays a situation where women did not influence the structure of their families since just as stated earlier, men served as guardians to the women. Furthermore, all of Muhammad’s marriages had political connotations. They served as alliances that influenced his position in the society and in the faith. According to the Sharia laws, virginity was a phenomenal issue in the society since it represented honor to both the girl’s family and society (Haylamaz and Hülya 121). As such, families raised their female children strictly with the view to guarding their virginity. Another equally important feature of Muhammad’s polygamous marriages was the fact that she married widows as well. A number of his wives were widows. Such was a strategic undertaking that sought to influence the position of widows in a society that valued virginity of women.