Wednesday, October 23, 2019
Music-Induced Affect as Treatment of Elderly Depression Essay
Abstract            Depression in elderly patients is one of the most prevalent psychological problems today. However, research and knowledge regarding this subject is limited and those involved in the application of this knowledge to help elderly individuals experiencing depression are lacking in efficient strategies and training. This paper aims to explore the efficacy of inducing positive affect through music as a strategy in treating depression in elderly individuals. The paper focuses on the effectiveness of music alone as tool in treating depression based on its capability to induce positive affect. It is hypothesized that positive affect continuously induced via music within a set time-period will lessen signs of depression. Introduction Depression has recently been recognized as one of main psychological problems facing society today. Literature shows that treatment of depression needs to be specialized in terms of the population it addresses. Certain groups, such as adolescents, respond to certain treatments differently when compared to another group, such as the elderly. (Aryan & Alvidres, 2001; Von Kroff et al, 2001) Depression among the elderly has specifically been found to be rampant and mostly unchecked mainly due to the fact that it was regarded earlier on as a normal step in an individual’s aging. (Casey, 1994) The need for further research on the subject is stressed by the fact that treatments and solutions for depression among elderly individuals are studied only in areas wherein a majority of the population is in the late stages of life. (Bramesfeld, 2003) Also, research has shown that general practitioners involved in treating depression in the elderly need to have more training and information on how best to handle depression in older patients. (Rothera et al, 2002) Diagnosis of depression is also a problem with 70-90% of depressed elderly patients going undiagnosed. (Koenig, 1999) A new strategy being researched for its effectiveness in treating depression employs the use of music techniques. Hendricks et al (1999) showed the potency of music in treating adolescent depression mainly because of its ability to inspire a change in the individual’s emotions. Hanser & Thomson (1994) and Hanser (1990) studies have also shown promise in the use of music techniques to treat depression in older individuals. This paper aims to validate these previous studies but will focus only on the musical aspect of the treatment. Previous research included exercise, muscle relaxation techniques, and recall of experiences which could have confounded the results of the previous studies attesting to the effectiveness of music techniques. Research Question             The goal of this paper is to determine whether there is a significant relationship between music-induced affect and depression. Can positive affect induced by music reduce depression? It is hypothesized that positive music-induced affect has a significant negative relationship with depression. Methods            The design of the study is experimental and random. Specifically, it makes use of a 2Ãâ€"2 between-subjects factorial design. One variable will be the music-induced affect which will have two levels in the experiment, presence and absence of music-induced affect. Negative music-induced affect will not be used for ethical reasons. The other variable will be the test scores of the participants assessing the intensity of their depression. This will have two levels, test scores prior to the application of the music technique and test scores acquired after application. The two variables contribute tot eh 2Ãâ€"2 factorial design. (Mann, 1949) Setting            The study will be conducted in a laboratory setting within primary care facilities from which the participants will be gathered. Performing the experiment in a primary care facility will be more convenient especially because the participants involved are elderly individuals. The laboratory setting will control for confounding variables that could be present in a real environment. Population            The research sample will be composed of individuals from age 65 onwards coming from primary care facilities and who have been diagnosed with depression (ranging from mild to severe). This is to avoid ethical and scientific concerns regarding clinically-induced depression. Data Collection The independent variable is the positive music-induced affect will be measured with the State Form of the Multiple Affect Adjective Check List-Revised (MAACL-R). (Zuckerman & Lubin, 1985) The depression level, the dependent variable, of the participants will be measured with the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). (Beck et al, 1961) Participants will be randomly assigned to two groups. The experimental group will be administered with music sessions aimed at inducing positive affect. The music will be pre-tested on a different set of participants also with depression to check its validity in inducing positive affect. The control group will not be administered with music sessions and will only be administered the Beck Depression Inventory at the start and at the end of the experimentation period.            The experimental group will be administered the selected music once daily for a duration of four weeks. During the sessions, participants of the experimental set-up will be asked to clear their minds and to concentrate only on the music being played. The State Form of the Multiple Affect Adjective Check List-Revised will be administered before and after each session to ensure that positive affect was induced. The Beck Depression Inventory will also be administered to this group at the start and end of the four-week experimentation period to document depression levels. Data Analysis            Collected data will be analyzed statistically with the use of a one-way analysis of variance (one-way ANOVA). The computed marginal means in the ANOVA will be the determining statistical value indicating the effect of positive music-induced affect on depression scores with the Beck Depression Inventory. Conclusion            Music as a technique employed in treating depression will provide healthcare workers and low-income families with a relatively cost-free strategy of helping elderly individuals experiencing depression. This is also a technique that doesn’t require much training or medical expertise in its administration. All one would need in order to be able to administer this technique is knowledge as to which music selections are prescribed and certified to induce positive affect. This technique, because of its simplicity and speed of application, could also be used as a supplementary strategy to medication, counseling and psychotherapies being employed to treat depression in elderly patients.            The research, however, has many limitations. The range of elderly individuals that will be available for experimentation will only be confined to a specific locality. Time constraints will also be an issue. Further study should be conducted on a larger sample size and over a longer experimentation period. Different music styles and variations can also be checked to ascertain maximum effectiveness of the treatment. Gender could also be checked as a factor.            Depression is indeed a psychological problem that afflicts today’s elderly individuals. Research regarding effective techniques has to be continued and expanded in order for healthcare workers to be able to best address this growing problem. References Arean, P., & Alvidrez, J. (2001). Treating Depressive Disorders Who Responds, Who Does Not Respond, and Who Do We Need to Study? Journal of Family Practices, 50(6), 529 Beck, A., Ward, C., Mendelson, M., Mock, J., & Erbaugh, J. (1961). An inventory for measuring depression, Archives of General Psychiatry, 4, 561-571. Bramesfeld, A. (2003). Service provision for elderly depressed persons and political and professional awareness for this subject: a comparison of six European countries. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 18, 392-401 Casey, D. (1994). Depression in the elderly. Southern Medical Journal, 87(5), 559-563 Hanser, S. B. (1990). A music therapy strategy for depressed older adults in the community. Journal of Applied Gerontology, 9, 283-298. Hanser, S. B., & Thompson, L. W. (1994). Effects of music therapy strategy on depressed older adults. Journal of Gerontology, 49, 265-269. Hendricks, C., Robinson, B., Bradley, L., & Davis, K. (1999). Using music techniques to treat adolescent depression. Journal of Humanistic Counseling, Education & Development, 38(1), 39-46 Koenig, H. (1999). Late-life depression: How to treat patients with comorbid chronic illness.Geriatrics, 54(5), 56-61 Mann, H.B. (1949). Analysis and design of experiments; analysis of variance and analysis of variance designs. New York, Dover Publications. Rothera, I., Jones, R., & Gordon, C. (2002). An examination of the attitudes and practice of general practitioners in the diagnosis and treatment of depression in older people. International Journal Of Geriatric Psychiatry, 17, 354-358 Von Kroff, M., Katon, W., Wells, K., & Wagner, E. (2001). Improving Depression Care Barriers, Solutions, and Research Needs. Journal of Family Practice, 50(6), 529-561 Zuckerman M, & Lubin B. (1985) Manual for the Multiple Affect Adjective Check List-Revised. San Diego: Educational and Industrial Testing
Tuesday, October 22, 2019
Describe the role of Lipids in Living Organisms Essays
Describe the role of Lipids in Living Organisms Essays Describe the role of Lipids in Living Organisms Paper Describe the role of Lipids in Living Organisms Paper Lipids are a large and varied group of organic compounds, (3) which are insoluble in water, but soluble in organic solvents such as ethanol and ether. (7). The molecules contain atoms of hydrogen, carbon and oxygen. The ratio of hydrogen to oxygen atoms is always greater than 2:1. (2)Triglycerides are fats and oils and are made when glycerol form condensation reactions with three fatty acids to produce ester bonds. (2). At 20à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½C fats are solids whereas oils are liquids. One of the major roles of lipids in organisms is the use of these fats as energy stores. Upon breakdown they yield 38 kJ/g of energy compared favourably with carbohydrates which yield 17 kJ/g, (3) so they therefore store twice as much energy than carbohydrates. Animals store fat when hibernating and fat is also found below the dermis of the skin of vertebrates where it serves as an insulator. (10). Plants usually store oils and a small mass for energy is used in plants where the dispersal of small seeds by w ind or insects is much easier. (9). Triglycerides are also compact, insoluble, can be stored at high concentrations, without requiring water as a solvent and are not mobilised as easily as carbohydrates, (5) which makes them long term energy stores. (5)Fats also act as shock absorbing layers. (2). This protects delicate organs such as the kidneys or the heart from physical damage. Aquatic mammals such as whales have extremely thick subcutaneous fat, called blubber. (3). The blubber is extremely important in thermoregulation as underwater hair is ineffective as an insulation because it cannot trap water in the same way as it can air. (10). Therefore as it is a poor conductor of heat, the layer of fat under the skin of aquatic mammals helps them to keep warm in cold climates. Fats aid buoyancy in aquatic mammals because they are less dense than water. This is especially true in vertebrates such as aquatic birds. (2)Lipids are used for electrical insulation in Schwann cells. The membra nes of Schwann cells are largely composed of lipid and they do not contain the protein channels. (9). The Schwann cells produce the fatty material myelin that surrounds the axons of many mammalian nerve cells. (6)Triacylglycerols also release twice as much water as do carbohydrates when oxidised in respiration. (5). A more indirect role of triacylglycerols is the use of their metabolic water, this is the water produced from their oxidation. (5). This metabolic water is of vital importance, which include the development of very young reptiles when enclosed in eggshells or the daily metabolisms of animals such as camels, which live in habitats where water is scarce. (5). Triglycerides are also commonly used in waterproof coverings. (2). Oil coats animal skin to waterproof it along with fur and feathers so that water is repelled and the animals insulation is not affected.However, insects and plant leaves use wax to form a waxy cuticle, which prevents water loss by evaporation and trans piration. (9). The waxes are esters of fatty acids with long chain alcohols other than glycerols. (10). Exoskeletons may also be coated with it. Saturated fatty acids that have no carbon-carbon double bonds have a high melting point and are found in animals whereas unsaturated fatty acids with one or more double bonds have lower melting points and are found in plants. (4). These fatty acids are also used to derive plant scents, which attract insects and aid pollination.Phospholipids are lipids containing a phosphate group and are formed when one of the primary alcohol groups of glycerol (head) forms an ester with phosphoric acid (tail), instead of a fatty acid. (10). The presence of the phosphate group means that the charge on the head of the molecule is unevenly distributed. It is said to be polar and is attached to water. The head end of the molecule is described, as being hydrophilic (soluble in water). The hydrocarbon tails do not have this uneven charge distribution. They are t herefore non-polar and will not mix with water. The tail end of the molecule is described as being hydrophobic (insoluble). (4). The main role of phospholipids in living organisms is that they are a major component of membranes and it is these solubility characteristics, which are of extreme importance in cells because lipids tend to associate into non-polar groups and barriers, as in the cell membranes that form boundaries between and within cells. (8).Therefore, if phospholipids were placed in water, they would arrange themselves into a phospholipid bilayer where the tails point inward and the heads outwards. (7). This bilayer forms the basis of cell membranes. The membrane is partially permeable as water; water soluble and polar molecules cannot pass through whereas gases, lipids and non-polar molecules can. Other more minor roles of phospholipids in living organisms are in the transport of fat between gut and liver in mammalian digestion and as a source of acetylcholine. (5)Ster oids are lipids whose molecules contain four rings of carbon and hydrogen atoms with various side chains. (9). Steroids are common in all organisms, mainly as hormones. Phosphatidyl inositol (a phospholipid lacking the group esterified to the phosphate) acts to release inositol trisphosphate and diacylglycerol as intercellular second messengers to hormones. (1). Terpenes are common in plants as pigments whereas cholesterol is the most common in humans. From cholesterol are made the bile salts, the sex hormones and the hormones of the adrenal cortex, (5) aldosterone and cortisone. (10). A steroid closely related to cholesterol occurs in the human skin and is converted to vitamin D by the ultraviolet rays in the sunlight. (5)Lipids also lower the surface tension in the air breathing vertebrates to make breathing possible. (11)Therefore evolution development has facilitated the compartmentalisation of cells with the aid of phospholipids it can be considered as a vital compartment, whi ch has enabled complex development and variation with birds fro example. Such variation as buoyancy, insulation etc are brought about by triglycerides.
Monday, October 21, 2019
Death Speech- a Streetcar Named Desire Essays
Death Speech- a Streetcar Named Desire Essays Death Speech- a Streetcar Named Desire Paper Death Speech- a Streetcar Named Desire Paper Essay Topic: A Streetcar Named Desire Blanche’s death speech plays a vital role in the development of the play â€Å"A Streetcar named Desire†. In the monologue the tension between Blanche and Stella comes to a zenith as Blanch explodes with rage as she expresses her jealousy-driven feelings to Stella. In doing so Blanche reveals much more, including her unstable mental state, her emotional reaction to the lost of Belle Reve, and most importantly her preoccupation with the theme of death. One of the roles of this excerpt is to provide the background towards understanding Blanche, and the justifications for her mental state and actions. It is evident that in the past she belonged to a higher class where extravagance was common. But when her family in Belle Reve gradually died off, not only did she have to experience the pain of losing her loved ones, but she was also left with no money or financial aid to keep the estate and ultimately was forced to let it go. Blanche defends herself by figuratively saying that the grim reaper put up his tent right on her doorstep and that is how â€Å"it slipped through my (Blanche’s) fingers†. She even goes on to accuse Stella of dealing with the crisis by â€Å"ignoring†it and moving on, hence leaving Blanche to deal with an unbearable burden. This is most obvious when she rhetorically asks Stella, â€Å"I let the place go?†This quote aids in leading the audience to perceive that it was Stella that let the estate go by not trying to help the situation. To accentuate her point Blanche brings up the irony of her being â€Å"at the bed when they (her family) cried out hold me†while condemning Stella for being â€Å"In bed with your (Stella) Polak.†During the speech there are numerous indications that prove Blanche was deeply hurt by her experience at Belle Reve. Firstly, the seemingly unnecessary long explanation in itself demonstrates the importance of Belle Reve to Blanche. Secondly, the frustration and anger she expresses with Stella highlights the importance of their home to her. Throughout the piece Blanche repeats words and phrases many times underlining her fury. For example, at the beginning she says, â€Å"I, I, I†, in the middle she utters â€Å"I saw, Saw! Saw!†and in the end cries â€Å"I let the place go!, I let the place go?†Thirdly, it seems as if Blanche is accusing Stella of blaming her for losing Belle Reve when in the book Stella simply asks about what happened. This becomes clear when Blanche reproaches Stella by telling her: â€Å"And you sit there telling me with your eyes that I let the place go†and â€Å"Yes accuse me! Sit and stare at me thinking I let the place go!†This sort of presumptuous attitude and thinking influences the reader to assume that Blanche is unable to let go. In addition when Blanche says â€Å"I took the blows in my face and body†¦Farther, Margret, Mother†¦had to be burnt like rubbish†she is also directly conveying her agony. It is clear that Tennessee Williams carefully crafted this specific speech to introduce the theme of death, of which is recurrent in the course of the play. He makes sure to describe the devastation of having to deal with death through Blanche. â€Å"Funerals are quiet but deaths- not always†, â€Å"Sometimes they even cry out to you, ‘Don’t let me go’†, â€Å"Unless you were there at the bed when they cried out ‘Hold me’ you would never suspect there was a struggle for breath and breathing†, and â€Å"Why the Grim Reaper set up his tent on our doorstep†are some quotes that specifically and profoundly relate to the subject of Death. After reading these quotes and knowing that Tennessee Williams suffered from hypochondria (a cynical fear of death and diseases), one could decipher that Blanche’s mindset in this case is almost an emulation of the playwright himself. Due to the structure of the speech one could infer that the body language of Blanche goes from grief to anger to resentment and conclusively to disgust as she ends with that derogatory word â€Å"Polak†. As you can see Williams cleverly structures this one speech to portray and provide lots of valuable information about Blanche’s current state and past life; this in turn foreshadows her inner and external conflicts as the book progresses.
Sunday, October 20, 2019
College Shower Dos and Donts
College Shower Do's and Don'ts Unless youve spent a lot of time at summer camp, theres a good chance youve never enjoyed the dubious pleasures of a shared shower. Dorm showers are a little nicer than camp showers, but while summer campers are children with few concerns about privacy and hygiene, college students are young adults. Standards are higher, and you need to know the unwritten rules of college showers. What College Dorm Showers Are Like Most dorms have large bathrooms for each hall. If youre in a single-sex dorm you may have two bathrooms on your floor available for your use. If youre in a coed dorm, there may be separate bathrooms for each gender or shared bathrooms. In most dorms, bathrooms include multiple sinks, toilet stalls, mirrors, and separate curtained showers. If youre living off-campus or in a fraternity or sorority house, the situation may be different. You may, for example, need to take turns using a single-user bathroom. Alternatively, you may need to create a bathroom schedule. The college shower is both a very private and a very public place. Whether youre in a dorm, an off-campus apartment, or even in a situation where you have your own room but share a bathroom with others, its important to know how things work so no one gets offended or embarrassed. So how can you make sure you know the dos and donts that surround the college shower? The Dos Do wear shower shoes. You may love every person in your residence hall or Greek house, but feet are feet and dirt is dirt. Wearing shower shoes can actually protect you from infections, so make sure you have an extra, shower-only pair of flip-flops at all times.Do bring a shower caddy. A shower caddy is a hanging bag or container you carry with you from your room to the bathroom and back again. Find one that works for you so you can always have your shampoo, conditioner, razor, and anything else you might need handy.Do bring a towel or robe to wear back to your room. Forgetting your towel can be a nightmare, so hook it onto your shower caddy, or even better, fold it on top so that you never forget one without the other.Do clean your hair out of the drain. Youre in a shared space now, so treat it with the respect youd want from someone else and do a quick swipe to make sure you dont leave hair in the drain for the next person. The Donts Dont take an unreasonable amount of time. Taking a ton of time in the shower may feel nice for you, but it creates a huge backlog of people who need to shower. Remember that youre part of a community and try to keep your shower time brief.Dont shower with a friend. Having, shall we say, romantic encounters in the shower is not only disrespectful to others in your hall, but its also inappropriate and, perhaps worst of all, pretty darned gross. With all the private spaces that a college offers, take your friend somewhere a little nicer and more personal.Dont expect too much privacy. Yes, youll have your own stall, and most likely it will have doors or a curtain. But you are sharing a bathroom with others, so just be prepared for people talking, using up the hot water, coming in and out of the bathroom, and basically eliminating the kind of privacy you might be used to back at home.
Saturday, October 19, 2019
National Gallery of Art Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
National Gallery of Art - Research Paper Example Also, I like his idea about the â€Å"15 minutes of fame†. His exhibit is located at the East Upper Level of the National Gallery of Art in DC that will run from September 25, 2011 to January 2, 2012 (National Gallery of Museum and Art, 2011). Andy Warhol’s Headlines: To Whom Does the News Belong features a timely articulation of the artistic perspective of the news industry in America. The news, which is typically a dry reporting of events and people take a new life of its own when Andy Warhol interprets it. In his interpretation about news, Warhol provides the uncanny definition that if somebody is in the news, then the news company should be paying the subject because they are selling the news of a person. The news company will however say that they should not because they are helping the subject of the news. News should be broadcasted and should be owned by everybody because if news does not have any news, then news is not a news. This is an uncanny play of words by Andy Warhol about the news I believe is the gist of the exhibit. In the exhibit, I took special notice about the Andy Warhol’s gift to Sean Penn when she married him in 1985. I am a big Madonna fan so I took a particular notice about the silkscreen gift of Andy Warhol to Madonna where it depicted Madonna’s reaction to show business magazines when they ran an unauthorized nude picture of her. The present had a fictional New York Post headline that reads â€Å"Madonna: I’m Not Ashamed†with hundreds of Keith Haring signature action figures. What used to be a scandalous news suddenly became a piece of art when Andy Warhol touched it. This is a typical example of Andy Warhol’s artistic ingenuity that transcends to everyday mundane subject such as news. What seems to be ordinary became an object of art when it is presented at a different perspective and overlaid with artistic impressions. This makes a typical uninterested party like me to
Individualized Education Program Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words
Individualized Education Program - Essay Example The law requires that if any member of the ARD does not attend a meeting he must put it into writing. There must be an agreement between the parent and the school agreeing that that member should not attend the meeting. These may be done if the expertise of that member is not needed (Bateman, Barbara D, and Mary A. Linden 1998). Another requirement is when a member of the ARD committee does not attend the meeting and his expertise is needed in the meeting he must write a letter to the school and the parent in order for them to review it before the meeting day. The school and the parents are also required to write a letter indicating the same. The contract should be renewed with conditions because it will enable the dormant member to improve on high work and also to ensure that we don’t lose a member because we had little faith for them and yet if given another opportunity they would have done better.
Friday, October 18, 2019
Reflective account for postgraduate activities Essay
Reflective account for postgraduate activities - Essay Example All the same, I believed that my paper was in its comprehensive form. I was only to make a few changes with my lecturers in order to make the presentation easier. I finally made my oral presentation before other intellectuals and stakeholders. The initial part of the conference solely entailed presenting my ideas in concise forms. In the beginning, I made a justification for my study by stating that risk management is an unexplored element in the study of finance. This is because of the empiricism and analysis that studies on risk demands. In the oral presentation, I made my references from a PowerPoint slides that I had prepared on my laptop. This enabled me go through the presentation procedurally as I moved from the most basic parts to the most abstract segments. Thereafter, I faced questions from the audience, which occurred at the end of the presentation. When I began my PhD, I held the idea of testing my thoughts against fellow scholars. This is an ultimate feat for every scholar as other people discuss your findings over an issue. In turn, this is a method of gaining legitimacy in the academia. Gaining legitimacy finally certifies one’s academic products and makes a person gain acceptance among knowledgeable people. This is unlike the undergraduate level where there are no stringent standards over presenting ideas. In this sense, I wanted the foundation for advancing knowledge in the future and produce ideas that gain acceptance across disciplines. I realized that it takes more than a good idea to earn legitimacy in life. During the presentation, I had to develop charm while passing on my ideas. This because charm makes people glued to one’s ideas in spite of abstractions. Besides, I had to learn how to sustain an audience through long sessions. This was also essential for hearing my own inner voice as I made presentations.
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