Ayurvedic Medicine Essay Example for Free (#2)

Ayurvedic Medicine Essay Class name Date Introduction Ayurveda, the ancient Sanskrit word (Ayus/living and Veda/revealed wisdom) comes from the traditions of the ancient Indian sages, also known as Rishis. The word â€Å"denotes the enlightened knowledge of all aspects of optimal, healthy, everyday living, and longevity† and, its followers believe Ayurveda to be a â€Å"fortress of wisdom† (Ninivaggi 2008, xvi). Being that the medical practice of Ayurveda goes back as far as 6,000 years, 3,000 of those years recorded and verifiable, it is worth inquiring about why the seemingly successful methodologies and medical practices have not been adopted into the Western framework of scientific medicine. Although Ayurvedic methods and its practitioners are becoming more popular in the United States, with the increased interest by North American patients in preventative and holistic treatments, there appears to be a disconnect about these procedures as validated by providers within North America and our system of payers (i. . , the insurance agencies). As indicated by the Rocky Mountain Institute of Yoga and Ayurveda website, a Boulder, Colorado agency, it was learned that although reimbursements can be found, it often times requires a unique â€Å"system of billing and coding† to ensure payment. There are numerous reports and studies being done that show how Ayurvedic medicine is not just an ancient version of complementary and alternative medicine, but rather these studies demonstrate the validity for support of the treatments. One example of this would be in cancer treatment, there are herbal and traditional medicines that are being studied worldwide to validate their effect on cancer. Alternative and more natural approaches to curing and managing cancers are becoming more popular and common. With the existing regulatory policies and perceptions surrounding Complimentary and Alternative Medicine in the United States, it is my goal to show and provide statistics that will increase awareness and acceptance of the medical wisdom of Ancient Ayurveda. There will be an investigation and explanation showing how Eastern Indian healthcare treatments have been scientifically examined and how they can successfully be adopted into the U. S. healthcare model, via a more global perspective on illness, disease and the prevention of disease from a wellness and holistic approach. Review of Literature The following section summarizes the history of Ayurveda, describes major trends and holes found in the existing research, and explores the evidence both supporting and disproving Ayurveda as a viable and proven healthcare strategy. The History of Ayurveda The concept of Ayurveda was developed sometime around 2500 and 500 BC in India. Ayurveda is rooted in Buddhist and Hindu traditions, but it has been said to connect with Asian medicine (Warrier 2011). Essentially, Ayurveda suggests that the body’s ability to heal itself â€Å"acts through three forces called doshas. These are vata (space and air), pitta (fire and water), and kapha (water and earth)† (Yeager 1998). In order to live a healthy life, these doshas must remain balanced. Typically, Ayurveda is most often used to prevent disease, and has proven beneficial in the treatment of high blood pressure, cholesterol and stress (Yeager 1998). Ayurveda is also helpful in everyday life. Translated, Ayurveda means â€Å"science of life. † This definition is relevant because the ancient Indian system of health care focuses views of man and his illness evolving from the body and its external factors (Yeager 1998). In the present context, the Ayurvedic system of medicine is becoming more widely accepted. It is practiced in India and also in the more economically evolved countries such as Europe, the United States and Japan (Samy, Pushparaj and Gopalakrishnakone 2008). In the mid-1990’s, The World Health Organization also recognized Ayurveda as a system of sophisticated traditional medicine that involved the study of life stimulating observation, and fostering scientific research (Berra and Molho 2010). With the existing and evolving global healthcare crisis that is also currently plaguing the United States (U. S. ), one would believe that an affordable, safe and proven health system so globally recognized would have been able to pass at minimum the test of time but, this is not the case. Although the recent decade has brought about many observations that have added to the scientific credentialing of Ayurveda and other forms of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM), there are still concerns about the ancient Indian treatment and its scientific validity, this is especially true in the U. S. (Rastogi 2010). â€Å"Before the recent upsurge of traditional medicine in a global perspective, Ayurveda was persistently criticized for its ambiguity and philosophical tenants incomprehensible to occidental mind† (Rastogi 2010, 1). Ayurvedic Research Methods Ayurveda is arguably an under researched topic, as scholarly research did not truly begin until the 1970s. This stunted research can be separated into three distinct categories: the examination of traditional Ayurveda in pre-colonial South Asia, the examination of Ayurveda in colonial and post-colonial times in South Asia, and an examination of Ayurvedic practices outside of South Asia (Warrier 2011). The first wave of Ayurvedic research used treatises written in Sanskrit to decipher the origins of Ayurveda. This research helped to conceptualize and understand the Ayurvedic understanding of the body, health and practice, which heavily differed from other representations during that time (Warrier 2011). The second wave of research showed that Ayurvedic practices were encouraged in India until 1835 when British policy changed. When India gained its independence in 1947, the government took immediate steps to standardize Ayurveda; however, the practice was still poorly funded. The effects of British colonialism and favoritism for biomedical has been long lasting. Current practices of Ayurveda are much of hybrid between the two medical practices (Warrier 2011). The third wave of research focused on the advent of Ayurveda in the West (the United States and the United Kingdom) beginning in the 1980s. Deepak Chopra and Maharishi Mahesh Yogi are cited as influential individuals who popularized Ayurveda in the West. Although Ayurveda became more popular, it was discounted as a â€Å"New Age† fad. The third wave of research largely avoids discussions of healthcare reform, or conversations on the â€Å"legitimacy and authenticity of their [Ayurveda] practice† (Warrier 2011). Ayurvedic research presents additional problems. Firstly, â€Å"It’s difficult to conduct double-blind placebo-controlled trials, [†¦ ], because Ayurveda is a holistic system that treats individuals differently with multiple methods† (Hontz 2004). However, these modern scientific studies often ignore the primary objective of Ayurveda, which is to see patients as individuals in need of unique care. Secondly, the new and emerging research has not been disseminated, and the new textbooks on the practice have not been updated. Because this new wealth of information has not yet made it to professionals or students, it is of little use. Within the study of Ayurveda, numerous scholars are calling for new research methodologies (Baghel 2011). In the past, many studies have focused on the use of the plants and herbs (herbal pharmacology) in Ayurveda. Despite the screening of over 2000 medicinal plants over ten years, no conclusive data emerged. Based on the inconclusive findings, other researchers continued to suggest that Ayurvedic research should address the uses and benefits of plants. This research has led to advances in traditional medicine, such as the use of certain plants when modern medicine is unavailable (Baghel 2011). Currently, Ayurvedic research is concerned with altering the research methodologies, separating itself from traditional scientific practices. Another issue with Ayurvedic research is the translation of terminologies. â€Å"For instance, Vata is not air, Pitta is not fire and Bhasma is not oxide- they have much deeper scientific meaning† (Patwardhan 2009). Because Western scientists fail to grasp the full meaning of certain terms, the scientific research of Ayurveda falls short and its reputation has actually been damaged. These failures concerning Ayurvedic research have resulted in certain consequences. Scientists have simply viewed Ayurveda as a means to bolster modern medicine, rather than a unique practice. In addition, eastern Ayurvedic practices have reached a standstill in the midst of the research and implementation controversies. This has severely paralyzed the Ayurvedic educational system, along with its practice (Patwardhan 2009). Many scholars and practitioners conclude that Ayurveda needs to define itself and establish a universal methodology (Baghel 2011). Unless this occurs, Ayurveda will continue to loose momentum. Scholars have suggested adopting a transnational approach to Ayurveda in order to refocus the research. Evaluating Ayurveda from a transnational perspective means looking at, â€Å"[†¦ ]where personnel, ideas, meanings, symbols, products, and practices are constantly crossing boundaries [†¦ ]† (Warrier 2011). This viewpoint would ideally look at the influence of of local practices on global traditions. The American Healthcare System: Evolution? There is evidence in the U. S. nd throughout the world of a growing demand for alternative healthcare choices, based upon the best practices from varying healthcare models. This demand for options appears to be based on an opinion that any single system of healthcare has its inadequacies and will not be able to solve all contemporary health care needs (Shankar 2010). It is this perhaps this assessment that has brought about the dramatic growth of the Complementary and Alternative movement as well as the awareness and evolution of myriad methods of Integrative Medicine (I. M. ) in the last ten to fifteen years. Luckily for proponents and practitioners of Ayurvedic medicine and research, governments and regulatory bodies appear to have also begun to understand the need for varied approaches to health and wellness with the intent that all new models must also establish their safety, quality and efficacy (Shankar 2010). Agencies such as the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) and The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are just a few of the institutions in the United States that are starting to provide guidance and policy around C. A. M. and I. M. , which is a positive step because without these policies and approvals, there would be no evolutionary progress whatsoever in terms of Ayurveda in delivery in the U. S. Over the past two decades, U. S. mainstream medicine has become more accepting of Ayurveda and other alternative medical practices. â€Å"A widely quoted study in the New England Journal of Medicine suggests that a third of Americans spend $14 billion a year on alternative medical methods† (Perry 1994). Yet much of this money comes from consumers’ pockets. Although the interest in alternative medicine has increased in recent years, it is still difficult to find insurance coverage, but some companies are offering group and individual policies (Dharamsi 2011). Although the coverage is substantial, it is not full coverage. The need for insurance companies to alter their plans is becoming more pressing as the prevalence of Ayurveda increases in the U. S. Despite this acceptance, many questions and controversies remain. Doctors in India and the U. S. are concerned with the standardization of the practice of Ayurveda in the U. S.. In India, practitioners of Ayurveda are required to obtain a Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) degree, which is the equivalent of five and a half years in medical school (Yeager 1998). However, no such lengthy certification exists (or is required) to practice in the United States. This is further problematic because many of the herbs and treatments used in Ayurveda are relatively untested or unregulated. This means that a person seeking Ayurvedic treatment is left with the responsibility to conduct their own research and find a reliable practitioner. In order to mediate this issue, some U. S. medical schools are beginning to offer courses in Ayurveda similar to those seen in India (Swapan 2007). Yet, these courses are seminars and are completed in a matter of days. Ultimately, standardization is also necessary to price services so that they can be covered by insurance conglomerates. Medical scholars are investigating the potential of an integrative medicine (IM) approach (Patwardhan 2009). These same scholars often look to China as a successful example of integrative medicine. China has accomplished this feat by requiring medical students to complete coursework in Western and traditional medicine (Patwardhan 2009). This dualistic approach means that doctors can provide patients with a combination of treatments. A similar situation is arising in India at the Banaras Hindu University where students integrate modern medicine with Ayurveda and Yoga (Patwardhan 2009). However, integration is sometimes difficult because implementation and methodologies have to be developed and agreed upon. Further, many risks are involved with integration, including the potential to lose identity; conversely, there is the possibility of Ayurveda being overtaken by modern medicine. To be successful in the integrative endeavor, Ayurveda must â€Å"recognize, respect and maintain the respective identities, philosophies, foundations, methodologies, and strengths of all systems† (Patwardhan 2009). Research Approach Form of Knowledge Chronic disease in the United States (U. S. ) is now more of a challenge. The number of Americans suffering from chronic disease has increased rapidly in the past two plus decades, and today 51 percent of the U.S. population is struggling from conditions such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and stroke. Chronic disease in the U. S. is so prevalent that it is largely accepted as a part of everyday life. Unfortunately, conventional Western medicine is largely focused on treating the symptoms of chronic disease and prevention often goes ignored. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes and, arthritis are among the most â€Å"common, costly and preventable of all health problems in the U. S. Yet, they account for â€Å"7 out of 10 deaths or 51% of deaths† annually, according to a 2008 report of 2005 mortality data. The Problem. With the traditional Western model of healthcare in America being as financially lucrative as it has been historically (i. e. , reactive disease processes, hospitalizations, pharmaceuticals, insurance plans) one can only imagine that there is not much of a desire by these money making industries to move toward a model of preventative medicine. It is also less likely that these industries would consider Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM). The proposed research study aims to explore the ancient art of traditional Eastern Indian Ayurvedic medicine, its validity as a scientifically proven means of symptom prevention, daily healthcare regimen, disease curative and whether or not this form of CAM has a current presence in the U. S. or any potential future in our existing healthcare system. Research questions. The research will address the following questions: 1. What is the Ayurvedic philosophy of health, healing and medicine? 2. What does Ayurveda in North American U. S. culture consist of? Who are the practitioners? Who are the patients? 3. What does current research say about the outcomes of chronic diseases treated with Ayurvedic methods? 4. Are Ayurvedic treatments currently being paid for by U. S. insurance plans, if not, why not? 5. What are the trends with regard to CAM treatments in the American healthcare model? Target Audience The audience for this research and those that will benefit from its findings would be the United States population as a whole. Not only will the current and potential patients of the ancient practice benefit by a growing and increased awareness and hopeful change in insurance policy if needed but, current practitioners and those considering the study and certification of Ayurvedic medicine should be relieved and assured of their futures as proven through reports of clinical outcomes and accepted methods of Ayurvedic delivery in Western culture. Controlling Factors Since Ayurveda is a somewhat recent discovery in The United States , the expanse of its historical data originates from India. The majority of its practitioners and patients are native Eastern Indians and the information found within academic reports can mostly be traced back to organizations hailing from India. Since a determination about the effectiveness and utilization in The United States is the goal of the research, the information may be difficult to locate. The healthcare publications and journals that will report Ayurvedic outcomes will likely be written by Indian physicians based upon Indian lifestyles and dynamics of health within the country of India. I would assume without further research and investigation, that there will be some conflicting if not incomplete and/or possibly biased information being reported. Data Collection Methods A dual approach of qualitative and quantitative research review will be done. I will use the world wide web and other library resources to locate industry white papers and respected journal articles that show specific recordable and scientific data about Ayurvedic deliveries and outcomes, statistics on use and trends, specific to the United States. Since the Boulder, Colorado area is a well-known community of those who seek or practice CAM therapies some information can be obtained by agencies willing to share their experiences, knowledge and clinical data. IRB approval will be required to perform any type of survey or case study that will be implemented with these approving agencies. Ayurvedic Medicine. (2018, Oct 26).

Media & the Dispora Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Media & the Dispora - Essay Example Georgiou in the article, â€Å"Identity, space and the media† argues that people through information can decide if to connect or to disconnect with certain individuals or communities in neighbourhoods or in faraway places (Georgiou 31). For example through media, a person living in California can learn of an opportunity in France, which is part of what they have always wished to do in their lifetime. The same media will help the person analyse other aspects that will make them comfortable in pursuing the opportunity. Such may be political environment of the place, Inflation, people friendliness, cost of living and the education system. Secondly, media avails information about politics and cultures of origin, place of settlement, diaspora individuals and groups. Beck argues that this can create critical proximity where they become aware that they are not just a product of their origin. In addition, they do not just belong to a single group, or located in a certain territory and this enables diaspora identity to be lived as multi positioned by symbolic and geographical spaces. Becky also argues that the high mobility as a result causes intermarriages in different countries and cultures, which becomes a gateway to globalisation in once life (Georgiou 31). Diaspora on the other hand has affected media through innovation. Daily interactions with people of different backgrounds, races and cultures have caused innovations in the media industry to cater for various needs of different societies. Reality unveiled through diaspora have helped understand it is not important what is inside a certain group, neither is continuity important but reinvention of limits where human beings find themselves in. therefore, a clear and deep understanding of spaces and diaspora are important in ensuring that people utilise these two constructs for economic, social, and other benefits. We conclude therefore that media and diaspora are inseparable and very

Standard Costing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Standard Costing - Essay Example This paper considers the other side or the side in which standard costing has found its inappropriateness and unsuitability. Furthermore, the outcome of the critical analysis of how standard costing works is also evaluated in terms of its effectiveness as a means of control in the global industry and the increase in consumer wealth. As a general idea, standard costing is a system of cost ascertainment and control in which predetermined and preset standard costs and income for products and operations are set. This standard costs and income for products and operations are periodically and from time to time compared with the actual costs incurred and income generated for the purpose of establishing any variances. Standard costing system is used by many organizations as a management tool in estimating the overall and general cost of production with the assumption of normal operations. While it has standard costing has been widely used by most production and manufacturing companies, the system has found its great importance and appropriate significance in most organizations and firms whose operations involved are common and repetitive. Standard costing generally involves the development of a product or service cost wit the use of estimates of both the resources consumed as well as the prices of those resources. In producing a standard selling price, the standard cost may then be increased by an estimated profit margin. These estimates of cost and revenue then provide and build up a foundation for additional and supplementary planning and control (Mitchinson 2000 July 1). Traditionally, standard costing is often and frequently associated with manufacturing though it also can be used in other area like the service sector. In support to Drury's (2004) claim that standard costing is appropriate and suitable in common or repetitive operation of an organization, Mitchinson (2000) asserted and alleged that the system, as a method, is essentially apt and fitting to task which is repeated many times. To provide a rationale for this allegation, repeated tasks or operations give organizations and firms the means to estimate the nature of how tasks will be performed in the future and upcoming operation. Information gained previously in a repetitive operation can be used in predicting the income and expense for any period. 1. Problems with Standard Costing The reported setbacks and inappropriateness of standard costing have been spotted in the part of lean companies. Baggaley (2003) strongly argues that the system's measurements motivates and encourage behaviors that are harmful and inappropriate to lean environments. Additionally, standard costing does not provide reliable cost information for decision-making that is important in a lean situation. As a result, Baggaley (2003) suggested an alternative costing approach that goes in line with the goals of lean that also provides the basis for sound management decisions. There are problems with standard costing when used as a system of control in a lean environment that Baggaley (2003) has identified. First predicament is the problem regarding the people and the workforce. Naturally, standard costing sets standard performance that cause people on the shop floor to do the wrong things when just to meet the preset performance level. In further illustrating his contention, Baggaley (2003) specifies the in-depth reason for

Academic Honesty Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Academic Honesty - Essay Example Dishonesty among students can be suppressed to ease implementation of academic policy program me. It is the mandate of one who receives a scholarship to out-source information and seek for guidance in all his undertakings. It is through this that he will get adequate knowledge on the ongoing programmed policies. Honesty adherence reflects one’s commitment to willingly and readily work under any management. Ignorance of the outlaid policies is not in any way a defense mechanism to evade punishment. Lecturers expect students to produce their own assignments and highly avoid duplication of their colleagues’ work (Kirkland, 2009). A well formulated honesty policy depicts a fine image of the institution to the external human race. The school managerial team would come up with several guidelines to emerge to an academic honesty policy statement. It should be strictly adhered to and its violation be considered un- invulnerable. The motive behind the formulation of an academic honesty policy would vastly be to eliminate the negative students’ behaviors in which failure to instantly deal with them lead to adverse results. This eventually portrays a dull picture of the institution to the outsiders. The criteria used in its formulation has to side with both the institution as well as the students. (That is, it favors all the parties assisting in its formulation). This is through ensuring that the organization of an Academic Honesty Committee involves both the students’ council and the institute’s legitimate decipherable team. The standards of this honesty policy should not limit the students to receiving of the assistance they seek. It should subject students to discipline as soon as they violate the set standards. In it, lecturers outline procedures, which the students follow and avoid being dishonest (Choong & Brown, 2007). There are also the measures to be taken and applied as one must face the consequences of his mistake. However, students should anticipate for a better follow up of the policy and ensure they operate within its basics as they look forward to both positive and negative reinforcement. Instructors assertively apply disciplinary measures on the policy breakers and hence help to bring down resistance to the policy. It is worth noting that, the st udents are ready and satisfied when a certain set sequence of dealing with policy violators is administered on them (Choong & Brown, 2007). This is due to the reason that the students’ council is involved in the giving out of ideas in the formulation of this policy. This then makes them not to resist to any action their instructors administer on them. Punishment should be applied to the violators and is done best by reporting to the body chosen to give authorization to the policy. The committee looks forward to a positive adherence of students presumed to be alluding to the so-called policy. The disciplinary measures to be applied must be made known to them and it is the obligation of the council to substantiate the norms required of students. They edify them through various ways such as prevention, confrontation and lastly by reporting. In prevention, there is prior knowledge of the honesty policy, which the lecturers partially give to the students during their admissions to the various campuses. Such information gives the scholar a hint on the institution’s programs (Kirkland, 2009). The three are also ways of evading academic dishonesty. Academic wise, the instructors set assignments, which first oblige an open discussion and later assign them some exceptional responsibilities to partake. When student get involved in

The Significance Of Larmor Frequency In Mri English Language Essay

The Significance Of Larmor Frequency In Mri English Language Essay When a magnetic field is applied to an atom, the nuclear spin will be orientated with the field. The spin allows absorption of a photon of frequency ÃŽÂ ½L, which is dependent on the magnetic field applied. ÃŽÂ ½L = ÃŽÂ ³ * B In the equation above, B is the magnetic field, ÃŽÂ ³ is the gyromagnetic ratio and ÃŽÂ ½L is the larmor frequency. When atoms are placed in a non-uniform magnetic field, the nuclei of the atom have varying larmor frequencies due to the equation. (b) Why does the RF field have to be applied exactly at the Larmor frequency to tip the net nuclear magnetisation? Some nuclei are said to be parallel to the magnetic field with some nuclei orientated anitparallel which are at a higher energy state. The energy difference between the two states is give by ΆE. When this energy difference is applied there is a transition from the lower energy level to the higher energy level. There is now more nuclei in an anitparallel orientation. When using the RF pulse it has to be resonance with the Larmor frequency. As the RF energy is applied the nuclei will orient themselves in the anitparallel position, this results in more nuclei being in a higher energy state. (c)Classically the spin population states are divided into parallel and anitparallel: what is the approximate population difference between these two states at 1.5T? In order to calculate the population difference use the larmor equation to find the frequency at 1.5 T f = ÃŽÂ ³B Where ÃŽÂ ³ = 42.6 MHz/T B= 1.5 T f = (42.6 x 10 ^6) Ά¡ (1.5) f= 63.9 x 10^6 secà ¢Ã‚ Ã‚ »Ã‚ ¹ Now use the following equation ΆE = hf to find the difference in population where h is plancks constant which is 4.14 x 10^- 15 eVΆ¡sec f is 63.9 x 10^6 secà ¢Ã‚ Ã‚ »Ã‚ ¹ ΆE = hf ΆE =4.14 x 10^-15 )(63.9 x 10^-6 secà ¢Ã‚ Ã‚ »Ã‚ ¹) ΆE = 2.65 x 10^-7 eV (d) Describe what is meant by the Free Induction Decay (FID) of the MR signal In the rotating frame, the net magnetisation vector decays as spins lose phase coherence and begin to cancel each other out. They do this because they experience slightly different magnetic field strengths due to interaction between spins (via their own oscillating magnetic fields). Slightly different magnetic fields means slightly different precession (Larmor) frequencies. This causes some spins to lag behind the average, and some get ahead of the average. Eventually the spins point in arbitrary directions and the Mxy component of the net magnetisation vector is lost. This decaying, oscillating signal is the free induction decay.  [1]   (e) Describe what is meant by spin-lattice relaxation. How is it described mathematically? One relaxation process involves a return of the protons to their original alignment with the static magnetic field. This process, called longitudinal or spin-lattice relaxation, is characterized by a time constant T1. The term spin-lattice refers to the interaction of the protons (spins) with their surroundings (the lattice or network of other spins). This interaction causes a net release of energy to the surroundings as the protons return to the lower energy state of alignment.  [2]   The spin- lattice relaxation is given by M_z=M_0 [1-exp (-t/T_1)] where M_z and M_0 components of the magnetisation vector and t is the time. (f) Describe what is meant by spin-spin relaxation. How is it described mathematically? Before a radio wave is applied, the precessional orientation of the protons is Random. The application of a radio wave brings the protons into synchronous precession, or in phase. When the radio wave is switched off, the protons begin to interact with their neighbours and give up energy in random collisions. In so doing, they revert to a state of random phase. As the protons revert to random orientation, the bulk signal decreases because the magnetic moments tend to cancel each other. This process is called transverse or spin-spin relaxation and is characterized by a time constant T2.  [3]   The spin-spin relaxation is given by M_x, y=M_0 [exp (-t/T2)]. (g) Using the spin echo sequence, describe how the timing parameters can be adjusted to reflect T1, T2 and proton density in the image. Question 2 Figure 2.1 : Image given in assignment (i)What are the two user variable parameters marked as a and b? Explain briefly in general terms how a and b might be chosen to achieve different image contrast weightings. The user variable a is the echo time and b is the repetition time. When there is a short repetition time and short echo time the result will be a T1-weighted image. A long repetition time and short echo time will give a proton density image, and long repetition time and long echo time will give a T2-weighted image. (ii) Identify the gradients markedd. Explain what is illustrated by the dotted horizontal lines in this part of the diagram. What user variable parameter directly influences what is happening ind? Briefly relate this to total scan time. The gradients markedd represents the phase encoding gradient. The user variable parameter that directly influences the phase encoding gradient is the frequency encoding gradient. The total scan time for a standard spin echo or gradient echo sequence is number of repetitions x the scan time per repetition (means the product of repetition time (TR), number of phase encoding steps, and NSA).  [4]   (iii)Identify the gradient e. If all other variables are considered fixed what user variable parameter would change the strength of this applied gradient? The gradient is e is the slice selection gradient. The user variable parameter that would change the strength of this applied gradient is the slice thickness parameter. The slice thickness is governed by the following equation: thk = BWtrans / (à Ã¢â‚¬ °0 ·GS) Where thk is the slice thickness, BWtrans is the transmitted RF bandwidth (the range of frequencies it covers), 0 is the gyromagnetic ratio and GS is the magnitude of the slice selection magnetic field gradient. So, slice thickness is inversely proportional to GS; increasing GS will yield a thinner imaging slice.  [5]   (iv) What is the waveform show in g? Give a brief description of how the signal from g is captured by the MR computer system and subsequently processed to form an image. The waveform g represents the echo signal received. Question 3 (A) Describe briefly the physical basis of the following MRI artefacts: Truncation or Gibbs Gibbs or truncation artefacts arise from going from a bright are to a dark area resulting in bright or dark lines which are present at parallel and adjacent borders where there is a sudden change in intensity. This type of artefact is associated with the number of steps used in the fourier transform to reconstruct the image . To minimize the effect of Gibbs or truncation artefacts more encoding steps are performed in order to lessen the intensity and narrow the artefacts. Figure 3.1 : Diagram shows the Gibbs effect resulting from a Fourier transformation of a sharp change in image intensity Zipper There are various causes for zipper artefacts in images. Most of them are related to hardware or software problems beyond the radiologist immediate control. The zipper artefacts that can be controlled easily are those due to RF entering the scanning room when the door is open during acquisition of images. RF from some radio transmitters will cause zipper artefacts that are oriented perpendicular to the frequency axis of your image. Frequently there is more than one artefact line on an image from this cause. Other equipment and software problems can cause zippers in either axis.  [6]   Figure 3.2 : When this image was taken the scanner room door was left open during the acquisition causing the zipper artefacts shown. Chemical shift Chemical shift arises from a variation in the resonance frequency due to the nuclear spin of protons in different environments like fat or water. Due to the magnetic shielding of different protons , will result in different resonance frequency and hence lead to miss registration of protons in the same slice during the fourier transform. The chemical shift artefact will appear as bright or dark band at the edge of the anatomy. High field strength increases the miss registration of the protons. Figure 3.3 : In this image the chemical shift artefact is seen as a small bright line in front of the femoral bone. (b) In a magnetic field, fat precesses at a lower frequency that water giving rise to a Chemical shift. At 1.5T, the frequency difference is 210Hz. For an image matrix of 256 x 256 and a receive coil bandwidth of 16 kHz, calculate the size of the shift between water and fat in pixels. To find the chemical shift use the following equations d = (n nref) x 106 / nref But know that nref = gBo The equation now becomes d = (n nref) x 106 / gBo where nref is resonance frequency g is gymagnetic ratio where g is 42.58 MHz/T Bo is magnetic field strength where Bo is 1.5 T n is resonance frequency of second component d is chemical shift difference Can now put these values into the above equations. Given that the frequency difference is 220 Hz d = (n nref) x 106 / gBo d= (220) x 106 / (42.58 x 106) (1.5) d= 3.44 ppm Question 4 Using diagrams where appropriate, briefly describe k-space under the following headings What does k-space represent K space corresponds to a matrix of the MR data and represents the image before processing like fourier transforms are performed. Within k-space each line represents a measurement, with a separate line for varying phase gradients. A line of height 0 represents a line with no phase gradient. Figure 4.1: In this diagram, Kx represents frequency, Ky represents phase directions. Each measurement is positioned at a different Ky coordinate (height) How is k-space normally filled The polarity and amplitude of the frequency and phase encoding gradients directly affect how k-space is filled. The amplitude of the frequency encoding gradients establish how far the k-space goes to the left or right and therefore gives the field of view of the image in the frequency direction. Positive values go from left to right while negative values go from right to left. The amplitude of phase encoding gradient estimates how far up and down k-space is filled up and down in the phase direction and hence determines the field of view in this direction. Positive values fill the top half while the negative values fill the bottom half. What determines k-space co-ordinates The k-space location (kx and ky coordinates) of data is governed by the accumulated effect of gradient events and excitation pulses.  [7]   How does an absence of data in k-space affect the image If there is some date missing in k-space this will result in a loss of resolution of the image. Question 5 (a) Describe four important safety hazards in MRI. Static magnetic fields Depolarization can be caused by voltages induced in flowing blood and the movement of muscles in the heart which can be detected by an electrocardiogram. In order to minimize this effect the magnetic field strength kept withing the following limits. 2.5 T for body of patients; 0.2 T for arms and hands of staff and 0.02 T for whole body of staff. Switching of the gradient magnetic fields Involuntary muscular contraction, breathing difficulties and ventricular fibrillation arise from eddy currents induced in the body. MRI should not be performed on patients with implants, as it can cause harm to the patient. In the case of strong fields, taste sensations can be experienced by the patient while flashes of light can be present on the patients retina. Magnetic field build up is usually 1-5 Ts to avoid symptoms. Radiofrequency fields In strong static fields, at high frequencies, heating can occur. The temperature should not rise above 1 degree Celsius on the patients skin. In order to minimize the heating affects the specific absorption ratio should not surpass 0.4 W/Kg and pulsed RF field should not go beyond 70 W Mechanical attraction of ferromagnetic objects This changes with the square of the magnetic field and inverse of the distance. Metal objects are made into projectiles if they come into the fringe field. For this reason non-magnetic material should be used. (b) What is meant by SAR? Define the units used to measure this parameter. The Specific Absorption Rate is defined as the RF power absorbed per unit of mass of an object, and is measured in watts per kilogram (W/kg). The SAR describes the potential for heating of the patients tissue due to the application of the RF energy necessary to produce the MR signal. Inhomogeneity of the RF field leads to a local exposure where most of the absorbed energy is applied to one body region rather than the entire person, leading to the concept of a local SAR.  [8]   What is the whole body limit? 4 W/kg averaged over the whole body for any 15-minute period.  [9]   Which sequences are a particular concern and may give rise to radio-frequency effects? Radio frequency effects occur when a patient is exposed to static magnetic fields in MRI. The Radio frequency pulses mainly produce heat, which is absorbed by the body tissue. If the power of the RF radiation is very high, the patient may be heated too much. To avoid this heating, the limit of RF exposure in MRI is up to the maximum specific absorption rate (SAR) of 4 W/kg whole body weight (can be different from country to country). For MRI safety reasons, the MRI machine starts no sequence, if the SAR limit is exceeded.  [10]  

Persuasion Written by Jane Austen Essay examples -- motherhood, jamaica

The short story Girl written by Jamaica Kincaid is a mother’s compilation of advice, skills, and life experience to her daughter. The mother believes that her offer of practical and helpful guidance will assist her daughter in becoming a proper woman, and gaining a fulfilling life and respectable status in the community. Posed against the mother’s sincere concern for her daughter’s future is Sir Walter’s superficial affection to his daughters in the novel Persuasion written by Jane Austen. Due to his detailed attention for appearance and social rank, Sir Walter has been negligent to his daughters’ interests and fails to fulfill his responsibility as a father. Throughout both literary works, the use of language and tone towards persuasive endeavors reveals the difference in family dynamics and the success of persuasion on the character’s transformation. The mother’s genuine care for her daughter in girl is displayed through her imperative instructions. The mother decides to transfer her domestic knowledge and life experience to her daughter in order to shape her daughter’s behavior from a young age. She gives out detailed instruction on how to â€Å"sew a button, how to hem a dress when the hem coming down to how to iron a khaki shirt so that it does not have a crease† (Kincaid). Although heming a dress is not a difficult chore, the mother emphasizes the its importance since she understands that the appearance of clothing reflects a woman’s character. Because domestic skills serve as a measurement for women’s competence and self-worth, the daughter’s inability to take care of her clothes will indicate her lack of interest in household affair and organizational skills. Through these advice, the mother highlights the importance of house... ...an only find true happiness in marriage with someone who shares similar manners and treasure people’s qualities over their look and status. This is when Anne’s sensibility allows her to disregard her family’s persuasion and become determined to fulfill her love with Wentworth. The persuasive attempts in both literary works produce different results. The effectiveness of the mother’s guidance to her daughter is questioned since the girl cannot recognize the essence of her mother’s lesson. Despite that, the mother’s beneficial instruction serves as a standard for the daughter to reflect her future behaviors in order to live up to the community’s expectations. On the other hand, Anne’s value of candid expression and lasting relationship dissuades her from obliging to her family’s meaningless duty to place her love and interest above to experience fulfillment in life. Persuasion Written by Jane Austen Essay examples -- motherhood, jamaica The short story Girl written by Jamaica Kincaid is a mother’s compilation of advice, skills, and life experience to her daughter. The mother believes that her offer of practical and helpful guidance will assist her daughter in becoming a proper woman, and gaining a fulfilling life and respectable status in the community. Posed against the mother’s sincere concern for her daughter’s future is Sir Walter’s superficial affection to his daughters in the novel Persuasion written by Jane Austen. Due to his detailed attention for appearance and social rank, Sir Walter has been negligent to his daughters’ interests and fails to fulfill his responsibility as a father. Throughout both literary works, the use of language and tone towards persuasive endeavors reveals the difference in family dynamics and the success of persuasion on the character’s transformation. The mother’s genuine care for her daughter in girl is displayed through her imperative instructions. The mother decides to transfer her domestic knowledge and life experience to her daughter in order to shape her daughter’s behavior from a young age. She gives out detailed instruction on how to â€Å"sew a button, how to hem a dress when the hem coming down to how to iron a khaki shirt so that it does not have a crease† (Kincaid). Although heming a dress is not a difficult chore, the mother emphasizes the its importance since she understands that the appearance of clothing reflects a woman’s character. Because domestic skills serve as a measurement for women’s competence and self-worth, the daughter’s inability to take care of her clothes will indicate her lack of interest in household affair and organizational skills. Through these advice, the mother highlights the importance of house... ...an only find true happiness in marriage with someone who shares similar manners and treasure people’s qualities over their look and status. This is when Anne’s sensibility allows her to disregard her family’s persuasion and become determined to fulfill her love with Wentworth. The persuasive attempts in both literary works produce different results. The effectiveness of the mother’s guidance to her daughter is questioned since the girl cannot recognize the essence of her mother’s lesson. Despite that, the mother’s beneficial instruction serves as a standard for the daughter to reflect her future behaviors in order to live up to the community’s expectations. On the other hand, Anne’s value of candid expression and lasting relationship dissuades her from obliging to her family’s meaningless duty to place her love and interest above to experience fulfillment in life.

Unit 17

Unit 17: Working in the Social Care Sector Investigate Potential Careers in Social Care M1: Assess how a care worker can contribute to providing a positive experiencing for uses of social care services Case study Jean is a care worker in a residential care home. Her job is to provide care for the physical, social and emotional needs of the residents she works with, as well as liaising with a variety of people who are linked with the residents. Mary is 86 and recently widowed, at which time she moved into the care home where Jean works.Mary has a large family who visits regularly and play an active part in her care plan. She suffers from rheumatoid arthritis and is a little hard of hearing. She had an active life whilst her husband was still alive. She loves to read, watch the soaps on television and listen to music. She also loves to sew and knit but struggles because of her medical condition. Jean, Mary’s care worker, will need to work with doctors – a specialist with arthritis, physiotherapy and occupational therapist. All these things will help Mary positively because it will help her with her arthritis.Jean will also need to work with a grievance counsellor so that Mary can talk to someone about the death of her husband, Mary may feel even better that the person she’s talking to is a professional so she/he will maintain client confidentiality and will help her. Jean will need to get in touch with the care home community – people who teach dancing lessons, exercise and if possible entertainers because Mary had an active life when her husband was alive, Mary is in a care home but that doesn’t mean that she should be disengaged from society.Jean will need to know about Mary’s diet and will also need to work with the chef of the care home so that Mary can eat because if Jean just gives her anything to eat Mary may not eat it and will go to bed hungry. Jean will need to make sure that in a clinic or a GP Mary will have t he same nurse all the time and that in the care home most of the people that work with her are the same people. This will help Mary build relationships and trust with the people she works with and to feel comfortable to talk to someone and if she is being abused she may feel comfortable to tell another staff at the care home.Jean will also need to work with Mary’s family and friends so that when they want to visit Mary they will know what time to come, when visiting hours are and on which days they are longer. Mary is Jean’s patient so it is important that she knows what Mary enjoys doing in her spare time, communication is a very important skill because Jean is going to need to understand Mary, so that she can make her feel like she's in important in the care home. Jean will have to think about what Mary likes to eat – if she's a vegetarian, if she has any allergies, if she needs to eat halal or kosher food.Jean will need to know if Mary has any religious belie fs, if she's a Christian she may need a Bible in her room, if she’s Muslim she may need a prayer mat, it will be very important that jean learns about Mary’s religious beliefs and her culture so that Mary can feel comfortable and relaxed in the care home. Putting a TV in Mar room, putting a TV in everyone’s room, would stop arguments with the people in the care home and she would probably put on subtitles which some people may not like. Jean will also need to get a hearing aid for Mary; this will improve Mary’s hearing.Even though Mary is in a care home not everything is brought directly to her so some arrangements will need to be made. The practical arrangements that Jean will have to do for Mary will be to see a grievance counsellor possibly every week, do her shopping every week and to arrange for her transport whether she’s going to take public transport, because if so she will need a over 60’s free bus pass but if Mary isn’t goin g to take public transport then Jean will have to arrange for a bus maybe for her and some other people in the care home as well.Jean will also have to arrange Mary’s appointments at the GP or the clinic or with her physiotherapy. Jean will have to think about items Mary may need – laptop, telephone, TV. Mary could use her laptop (Skype) and a telephone to communicate with her family and friends, who could possibly live out of the country. Jean could provide a positive experience by teaching Mary, in her own spare time, how to use the latest gadgets (which could help her communicate with her family and friends better) and just by being there and interacting with Mary and being there for her and keeping her safe will make it a positive experience.Care workers that are patient, caring and empathetic will help make a positive experience for everyone because by having these 3 things this could help you have a better understanding of their lives and may feel more sympatheti c towards them and when people understand people better they are, most of the time, less likely to abuse them. If the patients are being abused in the care home, having someone that the patients can talk to and trust in the are home can help them confined in them and tell them that someone is abusing them and it can be stopped. Having a care worker that is meeting an individual needs can be very helpful to their patients because this will make them feel very important and it could boost their self esteem. It is very important to have good communication skills in a care home because this could help build relationships and trust however there may be some barriers but that shouldn’t stop a care worker from trying to communicate with their patients.