American Home Products Essay Example

American Home Products Essay Example American Home Products Paper American Home Products Paper American Home Products (AHP) is a capital structure case. For the purpose of this analysis it is assumed that AHP currently has no debt. In other words it is an unlevered company. The focus of this case is that with the retirement of AHPs CEO there is an opportunity to change the capital structure of the firm by adding some debt. The issue is should debt be added and, if so, how much debt should be added. Four options will be analyzed: 0%, 30%, 50%, and 70%. Currently, due to the lack of debt, this firm only faces operating risk as opposed to financial risk. AHP has a solid five year compound annual growth rate in both earnings and dividends per share of 12.4% and 13.6% respectively. This compares favorably to a proxy company, Warner-Lambert, where the five year compound annual growth rate in both earnings and dividends per share was 3.0% and 8.0% respectively. Overall, the unlevered AHP has a history of solid returns, good growth and in general low business risk. Since we are dealing with accounting numbers in this case, certain assumptions were made for this analysis. First, since AHP has high quality earnings it is assumed that the cash and accounting numbers will be close over the long term. Second, the level of debt taken on in these scenarios is going to go into perpetuity, getting replaced as it matures. Also the risk level of future tax shields is the same as the risk level of the debt of the firm. Finally it is assumed that the firm can borrow in all three scenarios at 14%. The analysis compares AHP issuing debt and retiring equity in three scenarios: 30%, 50%, and 70%. As depicted in Figure 1, Appendix A, the unlevered value of the firm (VU) is $4665.0 million. The required return, ru, was calculated using the constant dividend growth model where the dividends/share of $1.90 divided by a current stock price of $30/share plus an average dividend increase since 1973 of 12.12% per year yielding an ru = 18.45%. When debt occurs in each scenario the market price of the firm also changes. Figure 1 in Appendix A depicts the new stock price/share for each proposed level of debt. The current price of $30/share would increase to $31.58/share for 30%, $32.21 for 50%, and $33.16/share for 50%. These new values were calculated using the current dividend ratio (unlevered stock price/share divided by the current dividend) of $30/$1.90 = 15.79. This ratio was then multiplied by the dividends per share for each of the scenarios resulting in the above stock prices. To calculate the weighted average cost of capital (WACC) for each of the debt scenario we need to know the cost of debt and the cost of equity. The before-tax cost of debt is given in the case as 14%. To calculate the cost of equity, we can again turn to the constant growth model where r = (D1/P0 + g) = $2.13/$30 + 12.12% = 19.22% for the unlevered firm where D1 is the expected dividend in 1982, P0 is the current stock price, and 12.12% is the average % increase in dividends year-over-year. The results for the cost of equity at each debt level are listed in Appendix A, figure 1: 18.86%, 18.73%, and 18.54% for the 30%, 50%, and 70% scenarios respectively. Using the above values for cost of equity and debt, along with debt and equity values given in this case the WACC can now be calculated resulting in 19.22%, 17.40%, 16.36%, and 15.36% for the 0%, 30%, 50%, and 70% scenarios respectively. If the firm is able to earn simply its WACC (NPV = 0), the value of the firm is going to increase by the investment amount. If the firm earns more than its WACC, then the value of the firm should increase by the investment amount plus the amount captured by the shareholders in the positive NPV resulting in a higher market price. Of course, if the NPV is negative the value of the firm goes up less than the value of the investment. The interest expenses given in this case are a return on the debt. As discussed in class, when calculating return on assets (ROA) we can not simply divide net income by assets if a firm is using debt financing because there is a downward bias due to the interest expense. ROA determines profitability of the assets. We need to add the interest expense times (1-tax rate) to the net income before dividing by assets resulting in an ROA of 18.81% for the unlevered scenario and 20.21% for each of our debt scenarios. Comparing firm ROA against WACC for each debt scenario shows we are earning more than WACC in each case, which is good. We are not destroying shareholder value in any of these cases. ROA is the same across the scenarios since the operating risk and performance are all the same. However, ROE is not the same. The levered firm is able to earn favorable financial leverage (a.k.a. trading on the equity). ROE is listed in Figure 1 and in the case of the levered firm ROE ROA because the firm is able to earn more of those funds than the after-tax cost of debt. There is favorable financial leverage in all proposed scenarios. To determine where there is favorable versus unfavorable leverage we can perform an earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) profitability analysis. Figure 2 in Appendix B lists the calculated EBIT indifference levels with each scenario compared against one another and Figure 3 plots the unlevered firm against each proposed debt case. For expected EBIT $130.4 million we have unfavorable leverage for all debt scenarios. Whereas for any value of EBIT ~$175 million we have favorable financial leverage with the 70% scenario. The optimal capital structure is the point where the value of the firm is maximized and WACC is minimized. Adding too much debt will decrease the value of the firm due to agency and expense costs. Finally, we can compare the proposed capital structures by calculating ROA and ROE for the EBIT indifference levels. The table in Appendix C, Figure 4 lists the previously calculated indifference levels along with the new calculations for ROA and ROE at these levels. Since this comparison is limited to comparing a capital structure with debt versus an all-equity structure, ROA=ROE=after-tax cost of debt at the EBIT indifference levels. Figure 5 shows that for EBIT levels ~$130 million, the best choice is 0% debt. For EBIT levels between ~$130 and ~$152 million, the best choice is 30% debt. Between ~$152 and ~$165 million, the best option is 50% debt. And for EBIT above $165 million, the best choice is 70% debt. In summary, AHP should implement a more aggressive capital structure by leveraging the company to 70% debt since EBIT will be substantially above $165 million. I believe the capital markets would favor AHP adopting my proposed capital structure since the resulting ROE increases would show more profitability and the stock price would increase. There would be a higher degree of operating risk but given the firms outstanding past performance, solid growth, and expected future earnings this should not pose a problem.

Canis Major Facts and Description

Canis Major Facts and Description In ancient times, people saw all kinds of gods, goddesses, heroes, and fantastical animals in the patterns of stars in the night sky. They told legends about those figures, tales that not only taught the sky, but contained teachable moments for listeners. So it was with a little pattern of stars called Canis Major. The name literally means Greater Dog in Latin, although the Romans werent the first to see and name this constellation. In the Fertile Crescent between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in what is now Iran and Iraq, people saw the mighty hunter in the sky, with a small arrow aimed at his heart - that arrow was Canis Major. The brightest star in our night sky, Sirius, was thought to be part of that arrow. Later on, the Greeks called this same pattern by the name Laelaps, who was a special dog who was said to be an incredibly swift runner. He was given as a gift by the god Zeus to his lover, Europa. Later on, this same dog became the faithful companion of Orion, one of his treasured hunting dogs. Scoping out Canis Major Today, we simply see a nice dog up there, and Sirius is the gem at his throat. Sirius is also called Alpha Canis Majoris, meaning its the alpha star (the brightest) in the constellation. Although the ancients had no way of knowing this, Sirius is also one of the closest stars to us, at 8.3 light-years. Its a double star, with a smaller, dimmer companion. Some claim to be able to see Sirius B (also known as the Pup) with the naked eye, and it can definitely be seen through a telescope. Canis Major is relatively easy to spot in the sky during the months that its up. It trails south-eastward of Orion, the Hunter, frolicking at his feet. It has several bright stars that delineate the legs, tail, and head of the dog. The constellation itself is set against the backdrop of the Milky Way, which looks like a band of light stretching across the sky. Searching the Deeps of Canis Major If you like to scan the sky using binoculars or a small telescope, check out the bright star Adhara, which is actually a double star. Its at the end of the dogs back legs. One of its stars is a bright blue-white color, and it has a dim companion. Also, check out the Milky Way itself. Youll notice many, many stars in the background. Next, look around for some open star clusters, such as M41. It has about a hundred stars, including some red giants and some white dwarfs. Open clusters contain stars that were all born together and continue to travel through the galaxy as a cluster. In a few hundred thousand to a million years, theyll wander off on their own separate paths through the galaxy. M41s stars will probably stick together as a group  for a few hundred million years before the cluster dissipates. There is also at least one nebula in Canis Major, called Thors Helmet. It is what astronomers call an emission nebula. Its gases are being heated by radiation from nearby hot stars, and that causes the gases to emit or glow. Sirius Rising Back in the days when people werent so dependent on calendars and watches and smartphones and other gadgets to help us tell time or date, the sky was a handy calendrical stand-in. People noticed that certain sets of stars were high in the sky during each season. For ancient people who depended on farming or hunting to feed themselves, knowing when the season for planting or hunting was about to occur was important. In fact, it was literally a case of life and death. The ancient Egyptians always watched for the rising of Sirius just about the same time as the Sun, and that indicated the beginning of their year. It also coincided with the yearly flooding of the Nile. Sediments from the river would get spread out along the banks and fields near the river, and that made them fertile for planting. Since it happened during the hottest time of summer, and Sirius was often called the Dog Star, thats where the term dog days of summer originates.

Research- Please add and correct attachment with referencing. Fill the Research Paper

- Please add and correct attachment with referencing. Fill the gaps left and amend as required. re- word if required - Research Paper Example In the terms of ontology the notion of interconnection describes the dependency of the objects of the system in the real world, but the terms are correspondingly the descriptors of the real objects (Dresser, 1998 ). The samples for the study will be drawn from one acute hospital and one intermediate care setting. The patients will need to share their experiential information regarding their hospital and intermediate care stay. The sample size will be 5 from 8 form each setting, selection will be done through purposive sampling. The diagnosis of dementia will be excluded due to consent issues. The method of survey via interview will chosen as the method. The interview will address many facets of the process. It will be used for gathering information about the persons’ knowledge, values and preferences and attitudes that will enable the researcher to test the hypothesis. Semi structured interviews, which include non standardised open and closed questions will be used by the researcher. The interview will be pre-planned and conducted face to face . By this technique they will try to elicit a more detailed response from the subject. The researcher will administer the interviews guided by the questions, which will reflect the objectives of the study. There will be a fellow therapist present to scribe and recode the interview via a tape recorder to ensure all responses are recorded and interpretered correctly The demographic information will be ascertained from patient/SU records prior to the interview. Written permission to conduct the study will be gained from The hospital and the respective intermediate care setting. Forecasting the moral issues, which occur on all the stages of the research , the researcher can make choice at the stage of the research planning and pay attention to critical issues, which can occur during the interrogation. Ethical code and theories seldom provide the definite answers to the questions concerning

Case Study Questions on Kimpton Hotels Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Questions on Kimpton Hotels - Case Study Example Each is individually designed to reflect the energy, personality, and pulse of its distinct location, history, and architectural style. Featuring highly personalized guest services, comforting in-room amenities, and one-of-a-kind specialty rooms and suites, Kimpton Hotels attract travelers with welcoming atmospheres that embrace its signature elements of care, comfort, style, flavor, and fun. Kimpton takes pride in its social responsibility, supporting select like-minded partners and is a leader in ecological practices. Kimpton Hotel serves their customer through their fundamental elements of Care. They try to ensure that this attitude of caring is reflected in each and every staff member to bring about a lasting and satisfying relationship with every customer. Service and caring-it's an attitude. They are very careful about the customer needs and their services. Comfort: The Kimpton offers the customer through the plush, cozy spaces with luxurious amenities for our guests to relax and rejuvenate. In trying to anticipate the customer's needs, wants or preferences, their intention is to see that guests are made to feels at home. Style: The Kimpton Group ensures that each of their locations are unique combining elegance with the whimsical. They design their hotels with the help of top quality designers and architects. They usually purchase existing property and modify it according to their needs rather than build entirely new building. Flavor: Imaginative and fun restaurants and lounges, which feature highly capable chefs that are favored by both locals and travelers. Fun: Fun and enjoyment is a favored theme and necessary activities are made available to see that customers... a. Business Philosophy and it adherence: An organization’s business philosophy can comprise of four components namely Vision, Mission, Culture and Values. This hotel group has a well defined business philosophy covering all the four components mentioned above. It vision is based on personal growth of its employees coupled with organizational growth. Its mission is equally praiseworthy and it is to getting new customers and keeping them for life. The same philosophy holds good for their employees as well. Culture is based on creating as atmosphere self leadership, creativity, performance and development. Values are based on creativity, passion, personality, focus and a system of continuous improvement. Even though many organizations have similar business philosophies, the hotel group has the ability to adhere to it. b. Treating guests as individuals: The Company takes great efforts to individually recognize and threat guests. They also have the software called Guestware to identify any guests who have once checked in before. c. Creating an ambience that is comfortable as well as fun. d. Unique architecture that is both whimsical and artistic. This is further made possible by the practice of purchasing existing buildings for their new hotels which enables them to have unique architectural styles for all their properties. e. Cost savings by following the above practice. f. Smaller number of rooms enables staff to extend more personalized service. g. A highly creative workforce on all their properties.

Background check of hiring employee Essay Example for Free

Background check of hiring employee Essay In nowadays, background check of hiring employee is practicing by almost all agencies. Point is that, the skills of the applicant can be, somehow, figured out. It is much more difficult to assess the level of trust, honesty, mental toughness, and loyalty. Reading through chapter 9, and conducting a slight research, my answers to the questions of the given scenario are as follows: 1.Do temporary agencies have a â€Å"duty† to run background checks? If so, did Robert half â€Å"breach that duty?† Why or Why not? According to the law of negligence, temporary agencies should follow the duty policy on background check on pre-employment, in order not to satisfy an element of negligence. In case of Robert Half International Inc., and Fox Associates, Inc., I don’t think, that duty was breached, the company trusted to provided information by Ms. Ross about herself, and she got good recommendations from her former employers. At some extend, it is a background check. 2.The court ruled against Fox Associates. Was the court correct? Do you think Fox should have done its own background check? Why or Why not? I agree with the court decision, that it was determined that duty is not breached, because it happened unknowingly. Even though the company recommended the employee, Fox could do its own background check as well. 3.The fact pattern mentions that Sunbeam suffered similar damages when it failed to do its own background check on Mr. Dunlap, its former CEO. Who was more at fault, Sunbeam or the Executive search agency? In this case, the fault has an Executive search agency more, than Sunbeam, as it its straight duty to check background before approve for hiring. However, Sunbeam is liable for its losses also, because it should request and check the information about hiring employer. 4.Strategically and legally speaking, why do you think the former employers said nothing about Ms. Ross’ history and gave her good recommendations? There could be some reasons: 1). the former employers might feel sympathetic towards Ms. Ross, and they don’t believe that she has stolen any funds; 2) Ms. Ross, indeed a good specialist in her field; and the last 3) The former employers just didn’t tell the truth. 5.Develop one  unique background check policies for your company on employees hired through a search firm or temp agency. The main idea on background check which I’d like to develop, besides gathering information, confirmation of address, criminal records searches, is that pre-employee will answer some â€Å"simple† questions, which will ask him/her the same, but in different manner, and maybe I would add some psychological tests, which will let me know if that employee was capable to do something unethical in his past work experience.

History of The Guillotine :: essays research papers

The guillotine was first introduced during the French Revolution by a man named Dr. Joseph Ignace Guillotin. He is a physician who first was involved with the issues of medicine. On December 1, 1789 he became interested in the idea of capital punishment. He invented the guillotine. It was a contraption used for causing immediate and painless death. It included a falling blade, running between two upright boards of wood and later a basket. Therefore, one may believe that the design of the guillotine helped with executions. The basket was used to catch the falling heads. In the early revolution Richard Clark said that originally a wicker basket lined with an oil cloth had been used to catch the head. Later on a metal bucket was used to prevent the blood from flowing through the streets. Since they guillotined so any people the bucket became a necessity to have. Along with this it helped to prevent the smell of death in the streets. The most important part of the guillotine is of course the blade. The first guillotine was built with a blade that was straight across. When someone had to be decapitated,force and exact precision were needed in order for it to be a success (Jonas L. Bulman). If the blade did not hit the exact spot on the neck it would become as thought it was an axe. It would hack away until the head came off. After all the chopping, the blade would often become dull. Throughout the revolution the blade was changed, it became angled. The angling of the blade helped to kill faster. It would not become dull as quickly and it would slice straight through without having to chop. The blade was made from steel and weighed about 40 kgs. To work the blade it was pulled to the top of the contraption then released with the cord to give it a quick reaction. With the quickness of the blade it was estimated that it took about .75th of a second to be guillotined. The bascule was invented later on through the revolution. Due to the fact it was found to be easier then forcing a struggling prisoner up a flight of steps. With the bascule a prisoner could just be bound to it then tipped over and moved into position to be guillotined. The bascule was made of wood and shaped like a plank. A prisoner would be strapped to it by their feet, ankles and waist.

Discriminatory Practice Essay

Infringement of rights: not respecting an individual’s rights and not letting them practice their culture. This can lead to individuals feeling devalued and very sad, which will affect their health. An example of this say for instance in a care home it was Eid and they was not allowed to celebrate it however all the other occasions were allowed, this would make an individual feel devalued and as if their needs or wants aren’t important, like their culture isn’t important this could lead to health problems as what they enjoy in their culture has been excluded and taken away from them. Covert use of power: hidden use of power to discriminate. This can lead health and social care professionals to treat someone differently from someone else. This means that a person may not get that same level of treatment, which may jeopardise their health and well-being. One example would be when people apply for job. Although one person may have the same experience and qualificati on as the other applicants they may not be shortlisted because of their skin colour, or sexuality etc. it’s harder to prove that covert discrimination is occurring but cases are regularly reported and is still happens. In a health and social care professional setting a health care worker may not give somebody the right medication at the right time, maybe due to the colour of their skin colour or their sexuality which they strongly feel opposed to. Overt use of power: openly using power to discriminate. This will have similar outcomes to covert abuse of power. However, if a person being treated notices that they are being discriminated against, it will have a negative impact on their recovery, their mental health issue to depression and it could make a negative impact on their recovery as they may worry about what they have even done in the first place to be getting this treatment. An example of over abuse of power could be if a health care worker tells a person they are too fat to live their 50s. Another example when a colleague is paid more than you, because of their gender, even though you are doing the same job with the same qualifications. It can also be found in the different treatment one person receives compared with another when there should be no difference at all. Prejudice: is prejudgment, or forming an opinion before becoming aware of the relevant facts of a case. The word is often used to refer to preconceived, cynical ideas about another individual, arising from a per son’s negative ideas about that person, usually unfavourable, judgments toward people or a person  because of gender, political opinion, social class, age, disability, religion, sexuality, race/ethnicity, language, nationality or other personal characteristics. For example, more than 700 people with a diagnosis of schizophrenia in 27 different countries were interviewed as part of International Study of Discrimination and Stigma Outcomes, 72 per cent of those interviewed said they felt the need to conceal their diagnosis. 64 per cent said the anticipation of discrimination stopped them applying for work, training or education programs and 55 per cent said it stopped them looking for a close relationship. In the health and social care sector could be care worker telling another care worker that he or she does not want to work with someone or get them over and done with as they don’t like them due to whatever reason may be. Stereotyping: assumptions made about an individual judged on their group, environment and it may not always be true and sometimes it is based on another persons or groups qualities and life, this is dangerous as it could make the service user feel depressed and mess them up mentally due to the ‘name callingâ⠂¬â„¢. For example, it may be a stereotype that Asian people love to eat rice. So according to this stereotype, if you are Asian, that automatically means that you will unconditionally love to eat rice. This can already show that generalizations made from stereotypes are not the most reliable to base your judgement on. Typically racial and ethnic group stereotypes come from some degree of prejudice thought. In a health and social care area this may occur when a health care worker sees a dark skinned black man and instantly think he is a thug so they chose not to assist them and move them on to someone else. Labelling: Labelling people refers to a form of prejudice and discrimination where a person allocates names to people on the basis of nationality, religion, ethnicity, gender, or some other group. Labelling of people represents a way of differentiating and identifying people. This practice is normally conducted on minority groups. For example, if you label someone who is wearing black as a Goth, you will assume them to be a depressing and dark-minded person, when in fact they might not be at all. This can lead to prejudice and discrimination. Labelling is basically a combination of all the other three things you have listed in your question, and is the ultimate form of ignorance and assumption. In the health and social care profession you need to be aware of this tendency to label people. Labelling thoughts may come into your head  and everyone has these types of thoughts but it’s what you do with them that are important. By becoming aware of your labelling thoughts, you can control them and stop them interfering with your work. Another example in the health and social setting is if a care worker was having a conversation with another care worker and referring a service user as the ‘bimbo’ just because of the colour of their hair such as blond this would be labelling and it would distress the user. Bullying: Bullying is a persistent attempt to hurt or humiliate someone, it is a repeated action and deliberately hurtful. The person bullying is more powerful than the person bullied, making it hard for those being bullied to defend them. Bullying can occur in many different forms. It can be physical (hitting, pushing, and damaging others’ property); it can be verbal (name-calling, threats) or social (excluding someone, spreading rumours). Bullying is not only between children and not only in schools; can it happen at home, in organisations, at work or on the Internet. Bullying is often based on perceived differences, such as ethnicity, sex or disability, so young LGBT people evidently have a higher risk of being bullied. In a health care sector a health care worker may tell a service user that they needs to stop eating as they are already too fat. Abuse: Abuse is the improper usage or treatment of an entity, often to unfairly or improperly gain benefit. Abuse can come in many forms, such as: physical or verbal maltreatment, injury, assault, violation, rape, unjust practices; crimes, or other types of aggression. Abuse of authority, in the form of political corruption, is the use of legislated or otherwise authorized powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain. Misuse of government power for other purposes, such as repression of political opponents and general police brutality, is not considered political corruption. Neither are illegal acts by private persons or corporations not directly involved with the government. An illegal act by an officeholder constitutes political corruption only if the act is directly related to their official duties. Abuse of authority is separated from abu se of power in that the act is originally condoned, but is extended beyond that initially conceived and is in not all cases.

Multicultural Issues in Counseling Essay

In the field of counseling and psychology, it is always necessary that the counselor understands the predicament that the patient is facing. This is because, this patient is coming for assistance because he or she is not in a position to do his activities right. Therefore in this case it is necessary that the supervisee and in this case Ann has all the attributes that are needed as this is the only way that she will be able to help Donald. As Barratt, E. et al, (1997) in their research found out, it calls for a good rapport between the counselor and the patient for the patient to receive meaningful treatment or help. This is not the case here as Donald is always complaining that Ann is not giving him enough attention. In real sense, it is the broken rapport that exists between them that is the problem. In the content of my informal assessment of Ann’s multicultural counseling skills, I would clearly indicate that Ann lacks the basic and crucial skills that are necessary for a counselor to execute his or her duties. I understand that the main reason for this is the background where Ann has grown. She has grown up in an area where there are no mixed races. This developed in her limited socialization skills when dealing with people. This is her new interaction with a person from a different race and due to this; it becomes very difficult for her to deal with the patient. As Gladwell, (2007) argues, it calls for a counselor to have good communication and socialization skills so that he or she can be able to assist a patient. In addition, the counselor should understand that the patient is not in the right frame of mind. The counselor should not give the comments that the patient gives the same weight as the way he or she would if the person was in the right frame of mind. These are some of the basic attributes, which Ann lacks, and I would include this in my informal assessment report. According to Dinn, W. et al, (2000), gauging the level of awareness has its basis on how well one executes the duties assigned to him or her. In this case, Donald is complaining that he is lacks appropriate attention and therefore he is contemplating on stopping treatment. On the other hand, Ann is claiming that she has done all that she could so to help the patient. This is a clear sign that Ann is giving up. The patient is already hopeless and the doctor or the counselor can only revive his hope. If the counselor loses hope, it means that there is no chance of recovering. It is also a clear indication of lack of commitment and objective by the counselor. The level of Ann’s self- awareness is therefore very low. The reason is that she is not fully aware that she is the counselor and that the patient really needs her assistance. She seems to forget her role in the whole process, which is to help the patient recover. In addition, Ann is complaining that Donald is over-dependent on her. She fully understands that Donald is suffering from Schizophrenia and dependency is expected. This is a clear indication that Ann happen to have very limited knowledge of the appropriate treatment interventions. For instance, it would be absurd for a surgeon to complain that he or she is encountering a lot of blood when he or she fully knows that this will be inevitable. If we receive such a complaint, it is a clear indication that the person has no or limited knowledge of what he is doing and what he is supposed to do. This is the case happening with Ann. At the same time, Ann is complaining of not having a good communication with the patient because he has difficulty expressing himself in English. As she was born and raised in only one region, there are chances that she did not have good socialization and communication skills and probably the problem is not the English but the access which she is having difficulty understanding. In conclusion, in my informal assessment, I would clearly indicate that the problem here is not the patient but Ann. She seems to lack the basic attributes of a counselor. A good counselor should be dynamic in all the activities that he or she is doing. He should not use a universal platform to treat his or her patients. He should take each patient individually, understand him or her and adopt a proper method in treatment. This is something that Ann needs to improve on. She also needs exposure as she has very little experience in dealing with people. For instance, she has very limited if any knowledge and experience with the African-American culture and all this is attributed to the way she was raised. ? References Barratt, E. et al. (1997). Neuropsychological & Cognitive Psychophysiological Substrates of Impulsive Aggression. Biological Psychiatry , 1045-60. Dinn, W. et al. (2000). Neurocognitive Function in Antisocial Personality Disorder. Psychiatry Research , 173-92. Gladwell, M. (2007). Blink: Power of Thinking Without Thinking . Irwin: Back Bay Books .

Sensory Processing Disorder

Sensory Integration Dysfunction/ Sensory Processing Disorder Free Online Research Papers Sensory Integration and Sensory Processing, or sensory motor processing, is our autonomic ability to receive sensory information interpret, organize, and respond to it. Both external and internal stimuli enter the body and neurological system. These senses are foundational because the information gained from our senses creates the foundation for future learning and decision making (Schneider, 2001). Information from each of the senses, movement of the body, and gravity must be integrated and interpreted before children can successfully function in the world around them (Cheatum, 2000). Our senses are responsible for things such as coordination, attention, arousal levels, emotions, memory, autonomic functioning, and higher level of cognitive functions. An interruption in the ability to absorb these senses into the learning environment is a sensory dysfunction or processing disorder. ( I will refer to this as sensory difficulties (SD) throughout this paper). The interpretations and reactions to sensory input are affected causing feedback on that information with motor, emotional, attention, and other responses in a flight or fight manner. Often they will have problems with interpersonal relations, academic achievements, behavior problems, vision problems, speech/articulation difficulties, eating problems, digestion and eliminating problems, sleep regulation problems, and very often coexists with allergies. One or more senses are over-or-under reactive to the stimuli. We often find SD secondary or coexisting in people with Autism, ADHD, pervasive developmental disorder, cerebral palsy, fragile X syndrome, severe mental retardation, learning difficulties, language problems, and other neurological and developmental disabilities. Many people are unaware that other than those with a documented disability, â€Å"normal† children often have some form of SD. Dr. A Jean Ayres, Ph.D., an occupational therapist, came up with this theory in the 1950’s and 60’s. In the diagram of the Central Nervous System below, we see that starting on the bottom of the pyramid of our central nervous system we have our sensory system. There are three autonomic neurological sensory systems: Tactile, Vestibular, and Proprioception. Tactile system includes three types of receptors: light touch- pressure, or like a bug crawling on the arm; discrimination-textures; third, temperature and pain. The role of this sense is to perceive the environment and provide reactions that protect for survival. Tactile system dysfunctions result in refusal in eating certain textured foods, refusal to wear certain clothes, avoiding getting hands dirty, avoid being touched. Dysfunctions in this system often lead to irritability, distractibility, hyperactivity, aggression, and negative emotional response to touch sensations. (Hatch, 1995). Vestibular system is the inner ear, which detects movement and position of the head relating to gravity. A dysfunction in this system is two different ways. Children that are hypersensitive to Vestibular stimulation are fearful of movement activities such as swings or slides. They have a hard time learning to climb stairs or walk on uneven surfaces. These children appear to be very clumsy. Another way this system affects children is on the other extreme. This child may seek sensory experiences such as spinning. This child has a hypo-vestibular system and is constantly trying to stimulate their Vestibular system.(Hatch,1995). Proprioception system is awareness of body position referring to the muscles, joints, and tendons. A dysfunction in the Proprioception system affects the child’s awareness of their body position in space. They have the tendency to fall, clumsiness, odd body posturing, resistant to motor movement, and difficulty manipulating small objects.(Hatch, 1995). If one stage of this pyramid is disrupted, the whole pyramid is thrown off. The effects are seen throughout the pyramid. Many times these problems get overlooked until it has become so severe that there are extreme behavior problems, health issues, family issues, social, emotional, and educational issues. Often we look at the symptoms/characteristics of the child instead of trying to find the actual cause. The more severe cases need to be assessed and treated by an Occupational Therapist. These children need to be evaluated by a professional and will be tested using the Sensory Integration and Praxis Test (SIPT). (Stephens, 1997). For those other children that might seem to have some sensory issues, you need to understand their needs and make accommodations to help them become a successful learner. You might have 2-5 children in your classroom that have undocumented SD. First you must determine which sensory systems are involved in the area of need. You must also know where the child is developmentally. You need to make notes of what the child is doing (don’t focus only on what the child is not doing) and any patterns in the behavior. Some children differ from one day to the next, having off days and successful days. Be sure to make note of this. The child with SD may have a difficult time reading cues in the environment (both verbal and non-verbal). If the child is receiving the sensory information, they might not have the ability to organize this information and produce an efficient response. For these children everyday ordinary tasks are extremely challenging to perform and respond to. One or more common symptoms along with frequency, intensity, and duration may indicate SD. Frequency is how often throughout the day the behaviors are noticed. Intensity is the amount of avoidance or amount of seeking (depending on over or under stimulated) sensory information. Duration is how long each episode or unusual behavior lasts. When I refer to behavior, I mean all types not just bad behavior. You need to look at changes in the behavior or unusual behavior. There are several types of SD. I will describe some of the common behavioral patterns. Sensory-Avoiding Children These children have an over-responsive nervous system to sensation. This is also called sensory defensiveness (SPD Network). These children may be diagnosed with sensory over-responsivity. Some signs are: ? Be very picky eaters or sensitive to food smells ? Respond to being touched with aggression or withdrawal ? Fear movements and heights, or get sick from exposure to movement or heights ? Feel uncomfortable in loud or busy environments ? Be very cautious and unwilling to take risks or try new things Sensory-Seeking Children In some children their nervous system does not respond to sensory information. These children are considered under-responsive to sensation. Some behaviors seem in these children are: ? Hyperactivity ? Unaware of pain or touching others to hard ? Enjoy loud sounds often to loud ? Engaging in unsafe activities Motor Skills Problems Some children have Motor Skills problems where they cannot carry out actions. They appear clumsy and accident prone. Some things you might notice in these children are: ? Trouble with balance, sequences of movement, and bilateral coordination ? Very poor fine motor skills ? Very poor gross motor skills ? Difficulty initiating movements ? A preference for sedentary activities like reading a book or watching TV ? A preference for playing with familiar toys These children often appear to be manipulative, unhappy, controlling, and frustrated. They are often labeled as the â€Å"class clown†. They try to mask their problems often avoiding group activities. (SPD Network). Some other SD are Auditory defensiveness related to sound. You might see the child always covering up their ears. They might be afraid of things such as the lawn mower, hair dryer, and vacuum. Another SD is Visual defensiveness with hypersensitivity to light. Then there is oral-motor defensiveness also known as tactile defensiveness in the mouth. Brush teeth can be very distressful for this child. Olfactory defensiveness is intolerance to smells. (Stephens, 1997). Being aware of these possible SD is one of the first steps. Now it is time to learn some techniques that might help the SD child. One technique that I am really aware of is an individualized sensory diet. A sensory diet has nothing to do with food, instead it is â€Å"the multisensory experiences that one normally seeks on a daily basis to satisfy one’s sensory appetite; a planned and scheduled activity program that an occupational therapist develops to help a person become more self-regulated.†(Kranowitz,1998). This plan works best if it is followed at school and at home. Working together with the child’s family and what goes on at home is very important. The activities must be supervised and they must be appropriate for that specific child. Here are some examples of activities to do from the book Sensory Secrets: Activities involving movement and joint action ? Exercising to music- including walking, skipping, jumping, running, galloping and hopping ? Engage in activates that require pushing, pulling, squeezing, lifting, carrying, twisting, and lugging. ? Jumping activities like jump rope or jumping on the trampoline. ? Playing catch with a variety of objects ? Activities that involve swinging, rocking, climbing, hanging from bars, teeter-totter, and merry-go-rounds. ? Riding a bike or scooter ? Walking on a balance beam Activities involving Touch and Joint Interaction ? Rub lotion on hands and arms ? Splashing in water ? Play musical instruments ? Play with squishy toys ? Play with clay, play-doh, or finger-paints There are many other techniques that can be useful. I know and have used a few. These are my suggestions: ? Weighted vest ? Beanbag chair ? Bag of birdseed to sit on ? Bounce on ball ? Roll ball over child on ground ? Wrap in tight blanket ? Shaving cream ? Sand or rice in small tub ? Vibrating toy ? Squishy ball (or balloon with flour inside) ? Crawling through tunnel ? Obstacle course ? Parachute play ? Trampoline ? scooterboard ? Deep pressure and brushing (if properly trained, please see attachment) ? Suck pudding through straw ? Suck on lollipops while doing work ? Chewing gum There are many different activities that you can do. It all depends on where the need is for that child. Every child in the classroom can benefit from some of these activities. Other activities should be for that student exclusively. The Wilbarger Deep Pressure and Proprioceptive Technique (DPPT) The Creator: The Wilbarger Deep Pressure and Proprioceptive Technique Oral Tactile Technique (OTT) (formerly referred to as the Wilbarger Brushing Protocol or WBP) are techniques developed by Patricia Wilbarger, MEd, OTR, FAOTA. Dr. Wilbarger, is an occupational therapist and clinical psychologist who has been working with sensory processing theories for over 30 years. She is a cofounder of Sensory Integration International and AVANTI camp and well known for her clinical work in the NICU, schools, etc. She lectures internationally on sensory processing disorders and sensory integration. She has produced videotape, audiotape, and an intervention guide on the subject of sensory defensiveness. More information on these publications or training courses are available from Professional Development Programs (Phone: (651) 439-8865, or at www.pdppro.com) Based on the theory of Sensory Integration, the brushing technique uses a specific method of stimulation to help the brain organize sensory information. Ms Wilbarger and her daughter Julia Wilbarger, MS, OTR offer training courses on a regular basis for professionals who wish to use it in their practice. Additionally, through their continuing research, the technique is occasionally revised in method, and it is important for therapists to be aware of the most current method. To use this technique with out instruction from a trained therapist could be harmful at the extreme, and at the minimum, useless. The Theory: Our skin is our largest sensory organ, followed closely by our muscles and skeleton, connected by our nervous system and governed by our brain. The sensory systems feed information from our environment, through sense receptors, and neural impulses via our nervous system, directly to the brain. The brain then organizes it, sends it back through the nervous system for use as understanding, adaptation, learning, and skill development. When this system functions well, it allows a person to interact with their environment efficiently, developing necessary motor and language skills, and appropriate social/emotional behavior. When this system is unable to organize the information appropriately, a variety of symptoms can present; motor delays, tactile defensiveness, learning disorders, social or emotional difficulties, speech, and language deficits or attention disorders. The Purpose and Benefit: The DPPT has been found very beneficial to children with sensory integrative dysfunction, as outlined in the previous paragraph. This technique helps the brain and body work together more effectively. Benefits noted are: ? Can improve ability to transition between activities (calming after emotional outburst, improving tolerance levels.) ? Can help children who have a fear of discomfort in being touched (tactile defensiveness) ? Can increase self regulation, self calming. ? Can increase the ability of the nervous system to use information from the senses more effectively, i.e. speech/motor skills. ? Can improve attention and focus. ? The students generally like the procedure! Benefits received are directly related to correct administration and consistency. The Technique: To use this technique with out instruction from a trained therapist could be harmful at the extreme, and at the minimum, useless. Therapists interested in offering this technique should contact the above mentioned group to be trained at an official seminar. Families should ensure the therapist offering this technique has the most recent training available. Pediatric Building Blocks recommends that anyone who has been shown this technique be updated annually and their technique checked out by a trained therapist. The DPPT uses a specific pattern of stimulation delivered through a specific type of brush and gentle joint compression or â€Å"pushing† to send information to the brain in an organized fashion. Simply put, it primes the brain to receive and organize information in an effective and useful way. It is done approximately every two hours for a specified number of days and then according to the needs of the child. Consistency is a critical factor! However, the protocol can be administered in between scheduled sessions, to assisting with transitions between activities, reducing overwhelm reactions, and re- organizing the nervous system after emotional upset. The brush used for this technique, is a soft plastic surgical brush. OTHER TYPES OF BRUSHES ARE NOT APPROPRIATE FOR THIS TECHNIQUE! This brush has been found to be the most effective in stimulating nerve endings in the skin. The actual brushing is done using a very firm pressure, starting at the arms and working down to the feet, avoiding the chest and stomach. Brushing these sensitive areas may cause urination, defecation or vomiting. The brushing is slow and purposeful providing â€Å"proprioception† (input through muscles and joints.) It is not ‘scrubbing’, and should never be painful, or cause damage to the skin. Children may initially react with crying or other avoidance measures because it is new, and the re-organizing can be disquieting. Generally within a few sessions, it becomes pleasurable and children will often ask for it or do it themselves. The joint compression is also done in a specific pattern; ten count repetition, using light pressure. Students can be taught to do this themselves, by using an alternative method of ‘wall’ push-ups, and jumping. The final component is the oral swipe, used for Oral defensiveness, although this is sometimes omitted in schools due to hygiene and/or safety concerns, as it requires fingers in the mouth. Again, students can be taught to do this themselves. No part of this technique should ever be painful or cause physical damage. From Pediatric Building Blocks I have been trained and certified in this brushing technique. References Ayers, A. Jean.Ph.D. (1972). Sensory Integration and Learning Disorders. Los Angeles: Western Psychological Services. Cheatum, B., and Hammond, A., Physical activities for improving children’s learning and behavior. (2000), Illinois:Human Kinetics Kranowitz, Carol Stock, M.A. (1998). The out-of-sync child, Recognizing and coping with Sensory Integration Dysfunction. NY: Skylight Press. Schneider, Catherine Chemin, O.T.R., Sensory Secrets, How to jump start learning in children. (2001). Arkansas: Concerned Communications. Websites Hatch-Rasmussen, Cindy M.A., OTR/L (1995). Sensory Integration. Center for Autism. www.autism.org/si.html Pediatric Building Blocks. The Wilbarger Deep Pressure and Proprioceptive Technique (DPPT). www.pbbkids.com/the_wilbarger_brushing_protocol.htm SPD Network (2004) What is Sensory Processing Disorder? www.spdnetwork.org/aboutspd/whatisspd.html Stephens, Linda C.MS, OTR/L. FAOTA (1997) Sensory Integrative Dysfunction in Young Children SEE/HEAR www.tsbvi.edu/Outreach/seehear/fall97/sensory.htm Interview Rebecca Roe OTR/L Occupational Therapist Pediatric Building Blocks Research Papers on Sensory Integration Dysfunction/ Sensory Processing DisorderThree Concepts of PsychodynamicBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of SelfOpen Architechture a white paperStandardized TestingNever Been Kicked Out of a Place This NiceEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenThe Project Managment Office SystemGenetic EngineeringRiordan Manufacturing Production PlanIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in Capital

Definition and Examples of Erotesis in Rhetoric

Definition and Examples of Erotesis in Rhetoric Definition The figure of speech known as erotesis is a  rhetorical question implying strong affirmation or denial. Also called erotema,  eperotesis and  interrogation. Adjective: erotetic. In addition, as Richard Lanham points out in A Handlist of Rhetorical Terms (1991), erotesis may be defined as a rhetorical question which implies an answer but does not give or lead us to expect one, as when Laertes rants about Ophelias madness: Do you see this, O God? (Hamlet, IV, v). See Examples and Observations below. Also see: What Is a Rhetorical Question?EcphonesisEpiplexisHypophoraInterrogative SentencePysmaQueclarativeQuestionYes-No Question EtymologyFrom the Greek, questioning Examples and Observations Was I not born in the realm? Were my parents born in any foreign country? Is not my kingdom here? Whom have I oppressed? Whom have I enriched to others harm? What turmoil have I made in this commonwealth that I should be suspected to have no regard to the same?(Queen Elizabeth I, response to a Parliamentary delegation, 1566)Was I an Irishman on that day that I boldly withstood our pride? or on the day that I hung down my head and wept in shame and silence over the humiliation of Great Britain?(Edmund Burke, Speech to the Electors of Bristol, Seprember  6, 1780)General, do you really believe that the enemy would attack without provocation, using so many missiles, bombers, and subs that we would have no choice but to totally annihilate them?(John Wood as Stephen Falken in  WarGames, 1983)Another thing that disturbs me about the American church is that you have a white church and a Negro church. How can segregation exist in the true Body of Christ?(Martin Luther King, Jr., Pauls Let ter to American Christians, 1956) Do you then really think that you have committed your follies in order to spare your son them?(Herman Hesse, Siddhartha, 1922) The Effects of Erotesis- Erotesis, or Interrogation, is a figure by which we express the emotion of our mind, and infuse an ardour and energy into our discourse by proposing questions. . . . As these questions have the force of a climax, they ought to be pronounced with increasing force to the end.(John Walker, A Rhetorical Grammar, 1814)- The design of the erotesis or interrogation is to awaken attention to the subject of discourse, and is a mode of address admirably calculated to produce a powerful impression of the truth of a subject, as it challenges the impossibility of contradiction. Thus, How long, Cataline, exclaims Cicero, will you abuse our patience?(David Williams, Composition, Literary and Rhetorical, Simplified, 1850) The Lighter Side of ErotesisYou may think that you are not superstitious. But would you walk under a burning building?(Robert Benc hley, Good Luck, and Try and Get It)D-Day: Wars over, man. Wormer dropped the big one.Bluto: Over? Did you say over? Nothing is over until we decide it is! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no!Otter: Germans?Boon: Forget it, hes rolling.(John Belushi as Bluto Blutarsky in Animal House, 1978) Pronunciation: e-ro-TEE-sis

Quiz 3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Quiz 3 - Essay Example ent: conduct and demeanor of the minor at the time of the incident involved: education and training for instance whether the minor is a high school graduate: life experiences such as whether the minor is emancipated, married, pregnant, a parent, or living apart from the parents (Donna, 2011). If health care professionals determine that a minor is mature, then the minor’s choices take precedence over the parent’s choice (Dickens & Cook, 2005). However the state laws can change that if the minor’s choices go against the state’s interest. States sometimes get involved in minors’ medical care to protect the states’ interest in preserving human life, preventing suicides, protecting third parties, and maintaining the ethical integrity of medical profession, the strongest of which is preservation of human life. Medical care providers should obtain and document informed consent from all appropriate, authorized legal representatives, including the parents and the mature minor, and any authorized person because of the legitimate public concerns that underlie the evolving controversy over the right to refuse medical care (Vukadinowich, 2004). To be valid, any consent must be given by a person with the requisite legal capacity. Thus, a physician who proceeds with a treatment in conformity with a mature minor’s request and a signed agreement still might be proceeding without legal consent because the minor might lack capacity due to age. On the other hand, if a physician proceeds at the parent’s request in conformity with the best interest of a mature minor, the physician might be proceeding without consent because the minor may have legal capacity due to maturity. Piaget greatly underestimated children’s capabilities; he ignored cultural influences; several individuals never develop the capability for formal reasoning, even as grown-ups; at times children concurrently develop abilities that are characteristic of more than one stage, and this makes the