What words can be used to describe Mae's conversation with Winnie in Chapter 10?

Winnie and Mae have a thoughtful and enlightening conversation about living forever.

Mae’s discussion with Winnie was about how the Tucks do not belong anywhere.  I would use the word reflective to describe Winnie’s reaction to the conversation.  You could use the word wistful to describe Mae Tuck’s reaction.

They work at what jobs they can get, try to bring home some of their money. Miles can do carpentering, and he's a pretty fair blacksmith, too. Jesse now, he don't ever seem too settled in himself. Course, he's young." She stopped and smiled. "That sounds funny, don't it? (Ch. 10)

Mae is reflecting on the state of the Tucks' lives, and Winnie is reacting. She is not used to people like this, who live life more comfortably and flexibly.  At first she thinks they may not care, but then she realizes that it is because they have been around for so much longer than everyone else.  Living forever gives you different priorities.

It sounded rather sad to Winnie, never to belong anywhere. "That's too bad," she said, glancing shyly at Mae. "Always moving around and never having any friends or anything." (Ch. 10)

Although Winnie thinks that the Tucks’ lives are lonely, Mae tells her that she and Angus have each other.  Mae and the other Tucks are not used to explaining their lives to others. Most of the time, they just stick to themselves.  Winnie is the first person they have explained things to.

Mae tells Winnie that the Tucks are ordinary folks.  They do not deserve to be either blessed or cursed. Yet they have lives to live, and there is no point in spending time thinking about or wondering about what happened and why it has happened.  Things just are as they are, and the Tucks have to make the best of them.

Which of the three Johnson women in "Everyday Use" undergoes the most personal growth?

Without question, Mama is the character who undergoes the most personal growth in the story. She begins the story with a dream of being reunited with her daughter, Dee, on a television show,

where the child who has "made it" is confronted, as a surprise, by her own mother and father [....]. On TV mother and child embrace and smile into each other's faces [...] [and] the child wraps [her parents] in her arms and leans across the table to tell how she would not have made it without their help.

She seems to want to please Dee, or to, at least, not be a source of embarrassment to her. By the end of the story, however, having agreed to give Dee a number of items that Dee has never cared about before, things that Mama and Maggie still use, Mama's perspective on her daughters changes. Though Mama had promised Maggie some family quilts, Dee insists that they should be hers instead. After a bit of an altercation, Maggie says that her sister can take them. Mama thinks, "She looked at her sister with something like fear but she wasn't mad at her. This was Maggie's portion. This was the way she knew God to work." Maggie has always played second fiddle to Dee; she is used to Dee getting whatever she wants and Maggie takes the leavings. All of a sudden, Mama has an epiphany. She says,

When I looked at her like that something hit me in the top of my head and ran down to the soles of my feet. Just like when I'm in church and the spirit of God touches me and I get happy and shout. 

Just then, she snatches the quilts out of Dee's arms and drops them into Maggie's lap, shocking them both completely. And at the end, Mama and Maggie sit companionably, feeling very happy, after Dee has left. It seems that Mama has a new understanding and respect for Maggie and it has made them both very content.

Dee ends the story in much the same way that she began: selfish, superior, and ungrateful. Maggie, by the end, seems somewhat happier, but this seems to be caused more by Mama's new understanding and appreciation of her rather than any fundamental change to herself.

What is sepsis?

Definition

Sepsis is a systemic inflammatory response to infection. In the United States, as of 2008, more than 1.1 million persons develop sepsis each year, and between one-quarter and half of those with sepsis die from the infection, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The number of cases has been rising, due to an aging population, to higher rates of illness and medical procedures, and to improved diagnostics and reporting. In the past, the term “septicemia” (or “blood poisoning”) was often used interchangeably with sepsis, but that practice has fallen out of favor because the disease description, “blood poisoning,” is considered imprecise.

Causes

Sepsis often begins when there is an infection in the body, whether bacterial, viral, fungal, or parasitic. In this situation, the body frequently has trouble delivering oxygen to all the organs and cells that need it. The lungs, abdomen, urinary tract, skin, brain, and bone are common starting points for sepsis. Sepsis can also affect the intestine, where bacteria thrive, and already-infected areas after surgery. A foreign object (such as a catheter or drainage tube) inserted into the body also can cause sepsis.

Risk Factors

Sepsis has become more common, especially among hospitalized persons. People at risk include the elderly, neonatal patients, immunocompromised persons, and persons who use injectable drugs. The widespread use of antibiotics encourages the growth of drug-resistant microorganisms. There is a higher incidence of sepsis when a person is already weakened by a condition such as malnutrition, alcoholism, liver disease, diabetes, a malignant neoplasm (cancer), organ transplantation, bone marrow transplantation, or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection.

Of persons with end-stage renal disease, 75 percent will die of sepsis. Sepsis also causes high rates of mortality in persons undergoing dialysis and in renal transplant recipients. Systemic inflammatory response syndrome and acute respiratory distress syndrome are closely related to sepsis.

Men are more susceptible than women to developing sepsis. Minorities appear to be at greater risk of developing sepsis as well. Among persons who already have sepsis, blacks are more likely to die than are whites. Preliminary studies have identified socioeconomic status, educational level, genetics, the number of other chronic diseases a person has, tobacco or alcohol use, nutritional status, and when and where a patient develops sepsis (i.e., before, during, or after hospitalization) as areas for further research into what effect race has on the disease progression and mortality of people with sepsis. Similar factors may affect risk by gender as well.

Symptoms

Symptoms of sepsis include shaking, chills, fever, weakness, rapid heart rate, rapid breathing, low blood pressure, decreased urine output, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Sepsis can cause infections that attack crucial body systems, such as the lining of the brain, the sac around the heart, the bones, or the large joints. Sepsis can also bring about impaired intestinal function.

Sepsis can attack the endothelium, the thin layer of cells within the blood
vessels, which affects the circulation, the heart, and, ultimately, the organs of
the body. Multiple organ failure is a common effect of sepsis. Apoptosis, also known as suicide of the cells, is closely linked to multiple
organ failure and sepsis.

Screening and Diagnosis

Because sepsis is so lethal, early diagnosis is crucial. Some of the signs are
a temperature above 101° or below 96° Fahrenheit, a heart rate above ninety beats
per minute, or a breathing rate faster than twenty beats per minute. Additional
signs include having a white blood cell count greater than 12,000 cubic
millimeters or having pus-forming or other pathogenic organisms. Blood cultures
are drawn to determine the source of the infection. Diagnostic tests may also be
performed on wound secretions or on cerebrospinal fluid. Imaging scans may
be done too.

A number of factors can complicate diagnosis. Doctors often do not see persons with sepsis until those persons are in the later stages of illness and who tend to have several complex diseases. Sepsis may be one component of a larger disease process, such as systemic inflammatory response syndrome or multiple organ dysfunction syndrome.

If there is damage to vital organs, the diagnosis becomes severe sepsis. The most serious form of sepsis is septic shock, with the complication of low blood pressure (hypotension) that does not respond to standard treatment.

Treatment and Therapy

Because sepsis spreads so quickly, treatment may start before the results of blood cultures are available. More potent antibiotics are available, covering a broader spectrum, and antifungal agents may be used if the infection is thought to be fungal, rather than bacterial, in origin. Immunosuppressive agents may also be used. Other treatments include insulin, painkillers, sedatives, and surgery. One strategy is to attempt invasive treatment of inflammatory, infectious, and neoplastic diseases. A 2015 Cochrane Review meta-analysis of clinical trials also shows that low-dose corticosteroids given over an extended period appear to reduce mortality and to improve the odds of recovery from septic shock.

Respiratory failure is treated with gas exchange and oxygen. To treat liver failure, therapy involves stimulating beta 2 receptors. For cardiac dysfunction, the patient is treated with volume therapy and vasoactive drugs. Ventilator support is used for neurological problems.

Prevention and Outcomes

The best protection against sepsis is frequent handwashing, staying current on immunizations, and seeking prompt care for infections. Skin that has redness, swelling, or pus should be examined by a doctor. In hospitals, the best prevention is identifying sepsis early and treating it with the correct antibiotic, a protocol that will help to reduce organ dysfunction. In many cases, however, sepsis strikes persons who are already vulnerable.

Those who survive sepsis or septic shock may experience temporary depression, anxiety, confusion, loss of appetite, aches and pains, fatigue, weight loss, insomnia, or shortness of breath. Most survivors of sepsis regain renal function over time; however, those with pre-existing renal problems may need ongoing dialysis. More rarely, survivors experience long-term neurocognitive impairments, struggle with insomnia, have ongoing organ dysfunction, or require amputation of a limb.

Bibliography

Angus, Derek C., and Tom van der Poll. “Sepsis and Septic Shock.” New England Journal of Medicine 369 (2013): 840–51. Web. NEJM. 30 Dec. 2015.

Baue, Arthur, et al., eds. Sepsis and Organ Dysfunction: Epidemiology and Scoring Systems: Pathophysiology and Therapy. New York: Springer, 1998.

Bone, R. C., et al. “Definitions for Sepsis and Organ Failure and Guidelines for the Use of Innovative Therapies in Sepsis.” Chest 101 (1992): 1644–1655.

Dellinger, R. Phillip, et al. “Surviving Sepsis Campaign: International Guidelines for Management of Severe Sepsis and Septic Shock: 2008.” Critical Care Medicine 36 (2008): 296–327.

Evans, Timothy, and Mitchell P. Fink, eds. Mechanisms of Organ Dysfunction in Critical Illness. New York: Springer, 2002.

Folstad, Steven G. “Soft Tissue Infections.” In Emergency Medicine: A Comprehensive Study Guide, edited by Judith E. Tintinalli. 6th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2004.

Hill, Kathleen “Shock, Sepsis, and Multiple Organ Dysfunction Syndrome.” In Introduction to Critical Care Nursing, edited by Mary Lou Sole, Deborah G. Klein, and Marthe J. Moseley. 6th ed. St. Louis, Mo.: Saunders/Elsevier, 2013.

Mayr, Florian B., et al. “Infection Rate and Acute Organ Dysfunction Risk as Explanations for Racial Difference in Severe Sepsis.” Journal of the American Medical Association 24 (2010): 2495–2503.

National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID), Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion (DHQP). “Sepsis Questions and Answers.” CDC. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 5 Oct. 2015. Web. 30 Dec. 2015.

Sarnak, Mark J., and Bertrand L. Jaber. “Mortality Caused by Sepsis in Patients with End-Stage Renal Disease Compared with the General Population.” Kidney International 58 (2000): 1758–1764.

Valley, Thomas S., and Colin R. Cooke. “The Epidemiology of Sepsis: Questioning Our Understanding of the Role of Race.” Critical Care 19 (2015): 347. PMC. Web. 30 Dec. 2015.

Zucker-Franklin, D., et al. Atlas of Blood Cells: Function and Pathology. 3d ed. Philadelphia: Lea & Febiger, 2003.

What is the theme in Act III, Scenes 4-5 of Romeo and Juliet?

The major themes of Act III, Scenes 4 and 5 are love and how the social world interferes with the love of Romeo and Juliet. 

In Scene 4, Lord Capulet attempts to show his love for his daughter by promising her to Count Paris, who has been interested in Juliet from the beginning of the play. Capulet believes it will be good for the family to hold a wedding after the sudden death of Tybalt, Juliet's cousin. He is quite excited about the prospect of a marriage and is certain Juliet "will be ruled." Of course, Capulet knows nothing about Romeo and is quite unaware that Romeo is in Juliet's bedroom this very night for the couple's honeymoon. The lovers are unaware that once again, as in Act III, Scene 1, the social world of Verona will interfere with their love.

Scene 5 opens with Romeo and Juliet alone in the girl's bedroom. Juliet doesn't want Romeo to leave so she says it is the nightingale, the symbol for the night, singing outside her bedroom. It is actually the lark, symbol of the day, as Romeo concludes. The scene ends with the two pledging their love and Romeo guaranteeing he will write to her as often as possible. He says,

Farewell.
I will omit no opportunity
That may convey my greetings, love, to thee.

In the remaining parts of this scene Juliet's obligations to society are magnified as her father and mother come to her with their decree that she marry Paris. Capulet goes into this scene certain Juliet will be overjoyed about his news. What he finds, however, is a defiant daughter. She asks him to postpone the wedding but he refuses and threatens to disown her if she doesn't go through with it. Neither her mother nor the Nurse offer any sympathy. The Nurse even suggests that Juliet forget Romeo and marry Paris. Juliet is distraught and the interference of society leads directly to her suicide as she seeks advice from the Friar who devises the unsuccessful plan for her to fake her death.

In which way is The Crucible's Rebecca Nurse religious? How does her faith in God differ from Mrs. Putnam's?

There is an obvious and marked difference in the manner in which Rebecca Nurse practices her religious beliefs compared to Anne Putnam. We learn from the outset that Rebecca is an upstanding and respected member of Salem society for her piety, while little can be said for Anne's piety.

In Act One, when Anne's daughter, Ruth, is overwhelmed by the same ailment which is afflicting Reverend Parris' daughter, Betty, Anne quickly blames the dark forces for her daughter's condition.  When Betty sits up screaming in bed, it is Mrs. Putnam who asks the astonished onlookers to mark her actions for she cannot bear to hear the Lord's prayers. This indicates her obsession with the supernatural. 

Earlier in the play, Mrs. Putnam confessed she sent her daughter to speak to Tituba, Reverend Parris' slave from Barbados, to consult the spirits in order to find out why Anne had lost so many children. She admits this much by saying:

Reverend Parris, I have laid seven babies un-baptized in the earth. Believe me, sir, you never saw more hearty babies born, and yet, each would wither in my arms the very night of their birth. I have spoke nothing, but my heart has clamored intimations. And now, this year, my Ruth, my only - I see her turning strange. A secret child she has become this year, and shrivels like a sucking mouth were pullin' on her life too. And so I thought to send her to your Tituba - 

Reverend Parris is horrified by Anne's frankness and warns her that it is a sin to conjure up the dead. Anne declares she would take it on her soul because she believes no one else can tell her what happened to her babies. Her determination to blame demonic forces for her daughter's condition is further emphasized by the following declaration:

They were murdered, Mr. Parris! And mark this proof! Mark it! Last night my Ruth were ever so close to their little spirits; I know it, sir. For how else is she struck dumb now except some power of darkness would stop her mouth? It is a marvelous sign, Mr. Parris!

This makes it obvious that Anne Putnam has more faith in the powers of darkness than in her own religion. She had not consulted Reverend Parris about the matter, and did not call on divine intervention or seek answers through prayer and devotion, either. Ironically, this attitude displays her own inherent wickedness, which is most pertinently revealed later in the play, with tragic consequences.

In contrast, Rebecca Nurse displays a calm and pious demeanor when she enters the room. She has a commanding presence and immediately brings about a peaceful mood. She is clearly faithful for, throughout her speeches, she makes constant references to the divine and the power of prayer. The stage directions give us insight into the power of her presence:

Everything is quiet. Rebecca walks across the room to the bed. Gentleness exudes from her. Betty is quietly whimpering, eyes shut, Rebecca simply stands over the child, who gradually quiets.

Mrs. Putnam can hardly believe her eyes when she notices Rebecca's remarkable effect on Betty and wants to know how she did it. Rebecca, an experienced and wise grandmother, calmly and with authority, advises her audience about how children should be treated. Mrs. Putnam, however, keenly disagrees, saying her daughter cannot eat, to which Rebecca responds by saying that she might not be hungry yet. This silences Anne. 

Rebecca expresses fear that there are rumors of loose spirits around and asks Reverend Parris to request Reverend Hale to return home, for his arrival will just add fuel to the stories about witchcraft. She states that they should rely on the doctor and good prayer. Anne Putnam, however, ignores the recommendation about good prayer and states that the doctor is baffled. Rebecca, who clearly has more faith in divine power, then says:

If so he is, then let us go to God for the cause of it. There is prodigious danger in the seeking of loose spirits. I fear it, I fear it. Let us rather blame ourselves and - 

The contrast between the two women's religious faith is pertinently illustrated when Anne Putnam cries out:

You think it God's work you should never lose a child, nor grand-child either, and I bury all but one? There are wheels within wheels in this village, and fires within fires!

Once again, Anne illustrates her obsession with the dark forces. Her faith is limited to passing blame, instead of acknowledging God's power in determining destiny, as Rebecca does. When John Proctor later expresses his disdain for Reverend Parris, Rebecca admonishes him by saying:

No, you cannot break charity with your minister. You are another kind, John. Clasp his hand, make your peace. 

It is more than obvious that Rebecca practices her faith and lives her life by example. Even Reverend Hale, after his arrival, says as much when he responds to her question about whether he knows her:

It's strange how I knew you, but I suppose you look as such a good soul should. We have all heard of your great charities in Beverly.

The above extracts make manifest the great distinction between the two women and how they exercise their religious beliefs. It is, therefore, tragically ironic that the good in Rebecca Nurse is never given its due and that the evil in Anne Putnam is not recognized and, in an appallingly unfortunate result, evil eventually triumphs.

What is the theme of The Diary of Anne Frank with three supporting details?

The theme of the story is that you can maintain high spirits even in the worst of situations. 

Anne Frank never lost her faith in humanity.  She was a victim, yes.  She was also a survivor.  Although she eventually died, Anne hid for years from the Nazis trying to live her life on her terms.  It was not easy. 

Anne lived in one of the worst time periods in history, but she still maintained her faith in humanity.  In one of the last entries before the family was captured by the Nazis, Anne writes that she still believes that people are inherently good. 

It's a wonder I haven't abandoned all my ideals, they seem so absurd and impractical. Yet I cling to them because I still believe, in spite of everything, that people are truly good at heart. (SATURDAY, JULY 15,1944) 

Despite how bad things have gotten in the world around her, and the horrible things she has seen people do, this shows that Anne has kept her faith.  This is because Anne had a generous spirit.  She was a boisterous girl who wanted to be a writer.  She shared her intimate thoughts in her diary, and many of them had to do with feeling misunderstood.  Despite all of this, Anne still wanted to see the best in others.

What is the main idea of post-colonialism?

Post-colonialism is the study of the legacies of colonialism and imperialism, often explored in literature and the arts. The "main idea" of post-colonialism is to study the cultural shifts that occurred in the context of colonialism or imperialism. Such studies may be concerned with the blended nature of colonial cultures or seek to compare the different lived experiences — like that of the colonizer versus the colonized — in the context of colonialism or imperialism. Post-colonialist studies have a lot of overlap with other areas of cultural study like gender, class, religion, race, and ethnicity. Much of post-colonialist literature challenges the assumed hegemony or dominant culture of the colonial period. For example, post-colonialist literature written on the era of European colonization in Haiti may contrast the lived experiences of enslaved and free people of color with the experiences of the white ruling class. In sum, post-colonialism re-examines the realities of colonialism.

Why does Romeo choose to go to Capulet's party in Act I of Romeo and Juliet?

In Act I, Scene 1 of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, Romeo is distraught over his unreciprocated love for Rosaline. He complains to his cousin Benvolio that she won't return his affection. The passion with which Romeo describes his feelings for Rosaline foreshadows his eventual love for Juliet. Benvolio is more level headed than his cousin and suggests that Romeo forget her and look at other girls. They discuss the problem:

Benvolio: Be ruled by me. Forget to think of her.

Romeo: O, teach me how I should forget to think!

Benvolio: By giving liberty unto thine eyes.

Examine other beauties.

Basically, Benvolio is telling Romeo there are other fish in the sea and that he should move on. The perfect solution materializes as Capulet's servant comes upon Romeo and Benvolio in the streets. The servant has been charged with giving out invitations to Capulet's masked ball that very night. The servant, however, has a problem. He cannot read and so he asks Romeo to help him. While perusing the list, Romeo discovers the name of Rosaline. Benvolio urges Romeo to go the party and compare Rosaline to other girls of Verona. Benvolio seems confident that Romeo will see the error of his infatuation with Roslaline. Benvolio says,

At this same ancient feast of Capulet's
Sups the fair Rosaline whom thou so loves,
With all the admired beauties of Verona.
Go thither, and with unattainted eye
Compare her face with some that I shall show,
And I will make thee think thy swan a crow.

Of course, Benvolio is right. Romeo does go to the party and as soon as he sees Juliet across the room he is instantly in love and totally forgets Rosaline.

How did the Seven Years' War affect the British in North America?

The Seven Years’ War had a major impact on the British in North America. The portion of the Seven Years’ War in North America was called the French and Indian War.

The French and Indian War was fought between Great Britain and France. Most Native American tribes sided with the French. The British were able to win the French and Indian War as well as the Seven Years’ War. This victory had a major impact on the British.

The Treaty of Paris of 1763 ended the war. As a result of this treaty, the British got all of France’s land east of the Mississippi River, except for New Orleans. Great Britain also got some of France’s land in Canada. France was completely out of North America after this treaty was signed.

Most Native American tribes weren’t happy that Great Britain got all of this land. They believed the British would try to take away their land. There were uprisings, such as Pontiac’s Rebellion, that occurred between the British and the Native Americans. This led the British to pass the Proclamation of 1763, preventing the colonists from settling in the lands Great Britain received from France. This law was the first law that led to the growing conflict between the colonists and Great Britain that eventually led to the American Revolution.

The Seven Years’ War had a huge impact on the British and their colonies in North America.

Think of incidents or cases you read about in the newspaper, saw on television or incidents that took place in the classroom or an accident you...

One particular incident involves a school resource officer in a South Carolina high school who slammed a student to the ground while in her desk because of disobedience.

With a case like this one, the issues raised speak to some specific needs in our schools.  A 16 year old student was asked to surrender her cell phone by her Math teacher. When she refused after being asked by both the teacher and an administrator, the school resource officer was summoned. A standoff took place, and was resolved when the school resource officer wrestled the child out of her desk and onto the floor.

In this case, the core problem was disobedience. The student disobeyed the rules.  However, it can be argued that one reason she embraced defiance was because she did not feel invested in the school's power structure.   The student did not feel a personal relationship to any of the adult figures.  If she did, there could have been opportunities to defuse the situation in a different manner.  For example, if the Math teacher had talked to the girl privately, away from the larger group, there would have been a less demonstrative display of authority.  If the administrator had cultivated a rapport with the student, they might have been able to talk about the situation outside of the classroom.  A private dialogue might have revealed the root cause of the student's anger.  Finally, if the school resource officer had developed a bond with the student, perhaps she would have left the room with him, as opposed to steadfastly refusing to move from her seat.

In each of the situations, a relationship based on partnership and collaboration could have avoided what took place.  Relationship- driven classroom management can help deescalate tension with students.  It avoids public displays of power because it is predicated on every student having a relationship with the teacher. It is proactive, as opposed to reactive.  Power displays are handled privately, away from public spectacle.  This form of classroom management is based on the teacher asking specific questions such as "Does it help or hurt when I lose my temper with the student?"  When this type of classroom management is embraced by as many adults as possible in a school environment, there is a greater chance at cultivating meaningful rapport.  I believe that such an approach would have helped in this particular situation.

Why does Charlotte believe that Mr Darcy must be in love with Elizabeth?

In Chapter 32 of Pride and Prejudice, Charlotte returns home from a walk to find Mr Darcy visiting with Elizabeth. This causes her to say:

What can be the meaning of this? My Dear Eliza, he must be in love with you, or he would never have called on us in this familiar way.

On one level, Charlotte is alluding to the difference in status between herself and Elizabeth and Mr Darcy. As a member of the upper class, it certainly is unusual that a man of such status would call on Elizabeth, his social inferior, seemingly without reason. This leads her to believe that Darcy must have a personal reason for this visit; namely, that he is in love with Elizabeth.

On a deeper level, however, Elizabeth's reluctance to accept Charlotte's conclusion demonstrates the extent of her prejudice towards Darcy. This is caused, primarily, by her belief that Darcy is the devil in Mr Wickham's tale of woe and also that Darcy has actively discouraged a romance between Bingley and her sister, Jane. 

For Darcy, however, this is an important turning point in overcoming his pride. He is in love with Elizabeth, but he acutely feels the difference in their social statuses. This chapter sets the scene for his marriage proposal, in which Darcy's pride and Elizabeth's prejudice will go head to head.

Why does Macbeth not react to the death of Lady Macbeth badly?

These two people were once very close, but they have been driven apart by their guilt, disillusionment, and growing misery. Near the end of the play they do not even appear together in the same scene. She is alone in one part of the castle, and he is alone in another part. Shakespeare does not want to make the audience feel that they have been deserted by everyone else "but at least they still have each other." They do not still have each other. Lady Macbeth has apparently lost her mind and isn't even aware of her husband's existence except as someone who haunts her memory of the past. When she says, "Hell is murky," she means just that. She thinks she is in hell already. "Hell is murky" is a good description. We would expect the place to be murky because it is so deep underground.

Macbeth, it would seem, does not love this woman anymore and does not want to spend any time with her. He has sent for a doctor to take care of her and just wants to leave her in the doctor's hands. Among Macbeth's reasons for no longer loving his wife is probably the fact that he blames her for encouraging him to kill King Duncan. We know that he would not have gone through with the murder without her adamant insistence. She thought it would be easy. He knew there would be endless repercussions, but he let himself listen to her. Now he feels totally depressed. He believes they are both doomed. It doesn't matter whether she dies first or he does. Life is meaningless. 

She should have died hereafter;
There would have been a time for such a word.
Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.         V.5

A long time has passed since Macbeth became king. Shakespeare does not specify the exact amount of time, but it must have been something like ten or fifteen years. In that time neither Macbeth nor his wife has experienced any of the pleasures they expected to attain by becoming the reigning monarchs. This is because they both know everybody hates them. Macbeth expresses the general feeling when he says:

I have lived long enough. My way of life
Is fall'n into the sear, the yellow leaf,
And that which should accompany old age,
As honor, love, obedience, troops of friends,
I must not look to have; but, in their stead,
Curses, not loud but deep, mouth-honor, breath,
Which the poor heart would fain deny and dare not.    V.3

Also they apparently have not been able to conceive a child. The kingdom will pass down to others. Banquo's heirs may eventually inherit the throne as the witches promised. Macbeth does not even show surprise at his wife's death. Everything is going badly for him. He expects nothing but bad news. When he hears the women shrieking because the Queen has just died, he says to himself:

I have almost forgot the taste of fears:
The time has been, my senses would have cool'd
To hear a night-shriek, and my fell of hair
Would at a dismal treatise rouse and stir
As life were in't: I have supp'd full with horrors;
Direness, familiar to my slaughterous thoughts,
Cannot once start me.             V.5

What is the biggest religion in the world?

This can be a tricky question, as most of the world's major religions have a variety of denominations with differing traditions and beliefs.

To speak most generally, the Abrahamic religions comprise the most populous belief system in the world. Christianity, Islam, Judaism, and their associated sects make up the Abrahamic traditions. These three major religions have similar beliefs about the origin of the world, the nature of life and death, and morality. Out of the three, Christianity is the most populous religion, but again there are many differing sects into which Christianity can be broken down further.

As of 2010, about 31% of the global population was part of the Christian faith. In comparison, Islam had only about 23%, and Judaism just a mere .2%! Islam is a rapidly growing faith, and many people believe that the numbers of Muslim people around the globe will soon be greater than that of the Christian population.

Out of the approximately 2.2 billion Christians of the world, about half (1.1 billion) are Catholic, making it the largest Christian sect. Here, too, there are many different traditions of Catholicism to consider! 

What is steroid abuse?

Causes

Anabolic steroids are prescription medications that are used to treat hormonal or muscular problems in patients with delayed-onset puberty, cancers, or acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), among other conditions. Unlike most other abused drugs, steroids do not cause euphoria or other immediate pleasurable reactions. Rather, the steroid abuser is seeking a change in body configuration—a build-up in muscle mass—and to improve athletic performance. Abusers do not become physically addicted to steroids, but they can develop a compulsive reliance on them.

The frequency and amount of dosing increase through continued use. Abusers may start taking several different formulations simultaneously; such formulations may include pills, intramuscular injections, and topical creams, gels, or transdermal patches. Down time or withdrawal from the drugs becomes increasingly uncomfortable.

Risk Factors

Adolescents and adults under the age of thirty, especially those involved in such competitive sports as weightlifting, rugby, football, track and field, and wrestling, and professional athletes are the most likely to use anabolic-adrenergic steroids. Most do so to boost athletic performance and increase muscle mass. Poor body image and psychiatric conditions such as depression also increase the odds that an individual will begin abusing steroids. A wide range of steroids are readily available at gyms and through websites.

Symptoms

Steroid abusers may develop severe acne on the face, shoulders, and back; excessive facial or body hair; pigmented lines (striae) on the skin; baldness; and voice changes. In men, the testicles may shrink and the breasts may show evidence of development. In women, the clitoris may become enlarged, breast development may be delayed, and menstruation may be affected. Behavioral consequences of steroid abuse may include “roid rage,” which consists of mood swings, anxiety, irritability, and aggressiveness. Jealousy, delusions, and feelings of invincibility can also arise.

Withdrawal from steroids can cause depression, headaches, fatigue, loss of appetite, and insomnia. Depression can lead to suicidal thoughts and actions. Other controlled substances may be used to ease the adverse effects of steroid abuse. The suppliers of steroids often deal in other illegal drugs.

Screening and Diagnosis

Treatment providers should screen for steroid abuse in young patients with low body fat, extreme muscularity, and a disproportionately large upper torso. In addition to the symptoms outlined above, needle marks may be detected in large muscles (gluteals, thighs, deltoids). The history of athletic or fitness activity may reveal an obsession with weight training and body conditioning, often coupled with dissatisfaction with appearance, despite what others perceive. This is defined as body dysmorphic disorder.

Standard urine tests do not screen for steroids. Urinalysis must be done at a specialized laboratory equipped to test for steroids. Even then, abusers may be taking newer formulations not as yet included in the screening choices. Abusers may also employ “stacking,” in which they combine relatively small quantities of several steroids administered by different routes, in part to keep individual steroid types below detection levels. Some also will temporally suspend usage if they suspect or know that testing will occur.

Treatment and Therapy

If a person admits to steroid abuse, the physician or drug counselor needs to query that person regarding his or her perception of the benefits and understanding of the consequences of using steroids. The health professional needs to establish when steroids were first and most recently used and to determine the pattern of use (for example, on-and-off periods or high- and low-dose cycles); what steroids were used, how they were administered, and at what dosage; how the steroids were obtained; and whether the patient is using other drugs to augment or complement the steroids' effects, to reduce side effects, or to cope with depression or other adverse effects during off periods. In all this, the health provider should convey a supportive rather than judgmental attitude.

All substances being used need to be addressed; individuals abusing steroids are at risk of also abusing analgesics, antiestrogens, cardiovascular medications, stimulants, depressants, acne medication, diuretics, weight-loss drugs, growth hormones, sexual enhancement drugs, and recreational drugs. The patient should be told about the risks involved in abusing steroids. Patients who injected steroids should be tested for blood-borne diseases, including human immunodeficiency virus infection and hepatitis B and C virus infection.

Not all changes caused by the abuse of steroids can be reversed. Adverse sexual side effects may require hormonal therapy under the direction of an endocrinologist. Depression related to withdrawal of steroids may need to be addressed by a mental health professional. Severe or persistent depression may respond to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, such as fluoxetine (Prozac). Headaches and muscle and joint pain related to withdrawal are responsive to analgesics. Lifestyle changes may be required to maintain abstinence. The patient may need to switch gyms, workout friends, competitive events, and sport types to avoid the risk of relapse.

Prevention

Most prevention efforts focus on athletes involved in professional and Olympic sports. The primary approach to prevention is to expose steroid abuse through testing and banning of abusers from competition and to strip athletes of records and rewards that were attained while using banned steroids. It is hoped that the consequences of these actions will deter current and potential users.

Most first-time users of banned steroids are high school students. However, few schools at this level have offered steroid abuse programs. Even if drug-testing were more widely utilized at this level, it is not clear how great an effect it would have on preventing use. Providers of steroids offer new formulations that they claim cannot be detected by current tests, and abusers stack several different steroids or temporally stop using them.

Simply warning students about the adverse effects of steroid abuse does not convince them that they will be adversely affected. They often believe that they can beat the odds. It may even pique their interest in the drugs, pushing them to try them. Steroid drug testing among adolescents has not gained wide acceptance. Legal and cost concerns are raised by parents and school districts.

What appears necessary is an approach that, in addition to explaining the risks involved in using steroids, offers effective and healthy alternatives. Such an approach would allow students to make decisions based on informed knowledge and experience. To this end, for example, the Oregon Health and Science University, with sponsorship from the US government, developed the Athletes Training and Learning to Avoid Steroids (ATLAS) program. ATLAS was initially developed for use with high school football players. It is now more widely applied. Athletes Targeting Healthy Exercise and Nutrition Alternatives (ATHENA), a similar program, was developed for high school girls on sports teams.

With these programs, coaches and team leaders are trained to present information to small groups of students engaged in a shared experience as an integral part of athletic training. Students learn through an interactive approach that they can build strong bodies and improve athletic ability without the use of steroids. Strength-training and nutritional habits that promote healthy muscular conditioning without the use of drugs are put into practice as part of the programs.

A research study on ATLAS has shown that one year after completing the program, study participants versus a control group of similar student athletes who did not participate had one-half the incidence of new steroid abuse and less intention to abuse in the future. Experimental group participants also showed less abuse of other athletic-enhancing supplements and of alcohol, marijuana, amphetamines, and narcotics.

Bibliography

“DrugFacts: Anabolic Steroids.” DrugAbuse.gov. Natl. Inst. on Drug Abuse, July 2012. Web. 9 Nov. 2015.

Goldberg, Linn, et al. “The Adolescents Training and Learning to Avoid Steroids Program: Preventing Drug Use and Promoting Health Behaviors.” Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine 154.4 (2000): 332–38. Print.

Rosen, Daniel M. Dope: A History of Performance Enhancement in Sports from the Nineteenth Century to Today. Westport: Praeger, 2008. Print.

Sagoe, Dominic, et al. “Polypharmacy among Anabolic-Androgenic Steroid Users: A Descriptive Metasynthesis.” Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy 10.12 (2015): 1–19. PDF file.

Sagoe, Dominic, Cecilie Schou Andreassen, and Ståle Pallesen. “The Aetiology and Trajectory of Anabolic-Androgenic Steroid Use Initiation: A Systematic Review and Synthesis of Qualitative Research.” Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy 9.27 (2014): 1–14. PDF file.

Yasalis, Charles E., ed. Anabolic Steroids in Sport and Exercise. Champaign: Human Kinetics, 2000. Print.

"No matter how far" is what type of figurative language?

The phrase “no matter how far” is an example of hyperbole.  Hyperbole is a type of figurative language in which the speaker intentionally exaggerates in order to emphasize something or to make a point.  When we talk about being “hungry enough to eat a horse” or “so sad that my heart could break” we are not saying things that are literally true.  No one could possibly be hungry enough to eat an entire horse and it is not possible for a heart to break from sadness, but by saying these things, we try to convey the depth or intensity of what we are feeling.

“No matter how far” can function in this way as well.  We might say, “I will always follow you, no matter how far I have to go.”  We might say “No matter how far away it will be, I will go see that concert.”  In both cases, we do not literally mean this.  If the person we are following becomes an astronaut and goes to the moon, we are not likely to follow.  If the concert is on Pitcairn Island, we are not likely to go all that way to see it.  That means that we are speaking figuratively when we say “no matter how far.”  We are exaggerating for the sake of making a point.  Therefore, this is an example of hyperbole.

What is connective tissue?

Structure and Function

Cells, the structural and functional units of life, are organized into tissue, a group of different types of cells and their nonliving intracellular matrix, or glue, that performs a specialized function. The four groups of tissues are epithelial (covering and lining tissue; also glands); connective (adipose, blood, bone, cartilage, ligament, and tendon); muscle (skeletal, cardiac, and smooth); and nervous (brain and spinal cord).

Connective tissue typically has cells widely scattered throughout a large amount of intracellular matrix (that is, a substance in which the cells are embedded), unlike epithelial tissue that typically has cells arranged in an orderly manner and has a limited amount of intracellular matrix.

Connective tissues are categorized as loose (areolar), dense, and specialized. Some connective tissues are difficult to classify, with the distinction between “loose” and “dense” not clearly defined. Also, dense connective tissue may be called fibrous connective tissue because of the large amount of collagen or elastin fibers contained.

Because a tissue is defined as a collection of different cells, several types of cells may be found in various types of connective tissue: fibroblasts, which secrete collagen and other elements of the extracellular matrix, thereby creating and maintaining the matrix; adipocytes, which store excess caloric energy in the form of fat; and mast cells, macrophages, leukocytes, and plasma cells, which have immune functions and, therefore, an active role in inflammation. The components of the matrix are different in the various types of connective tissue and may include fibers, amorphous ground substances (glycoproteins, proteins, and proteoglycans), and tissue fluid. Each type of connective tissue has a characteristic pattern of cells and a distinctive amount and type of matrix. For example, bone matrix includes minerals, while blood has plasma for a matrix.

Loose connective tissue is the most common type of connective tissue; it holds organs in place and attaches epithelial tissue to underlying tissues. Loose connective tissue can be further categorized based on the type of fibers and how the fibers are arranged: collagenous fibers, which are composed of collagen and are arranged as coils; elastic fibers, which are composed of elastin and are able to stretch; and reticular fibers, which join connective tissue to other tissues. Loose connective tissue has a relatively large amount of cells, matrix, or both, and a relatively small amount of fibers. Loose connective tissue is found in the hypodermis and fascia (the connective tissue that loosely binds structures to one another).

Dense connective tissue is identified by the high density of fibers in the tissue and a low density of cells and matrix. The type of fiber that predominates determines the type of dense connective tissue. Dense collagenous connective tissue, for example, contains an abundance of collagen fibers and is found in structures where tensile strength is needed, such as the sclera (white) of the eye, tendons, and ligaments. Dense elastic connective tissue contains an abundance of elastin fibers and is found in structures where elasticity is needed (for example, the aorta).

Specialized connective tissues include adipose tissue, cartilage, bone, and blood. Adipose tissue is a form of loose connective tissue that stores fat. It is found in the fatty layer around the abdomen, in bone marrow, and around the kidneys. Cartilage is a form of fibrous connective tissue. It is composed of closely packed collagenous fibers embedded in a gelatinous intracellular matrix called chondrin. While the skeleton of human embryos are composed of cartilage, cartilage does not become bone but rather is replaced by bone. The replacement is not universal; cartilage provides flexible support for ears (external pinnae), nose, and trachea. Bone is a type of mineralized connective tissue, and it contains collagen and calcium phosphate. Cells found in bone include osteoblasts, which form new bone for growth, repair, or remodeling, and osteoclasts, which break down bone for growth and remodeling. The living cells are found in spaces in the calcified matrix. These spaces are called lacunae and are interconnected by small channels called canaliculi that eventually join up with blood vessels in the bone organ. Thus, even in a solidified matrix, living cells are able to obtain nutrients and expel wastes.>

Blood too is a type of specialized connective tissue. Blood may seem to be an unlikely connective tissue, but it fits the definition: different cells widely dispersed in intracellular matrix, working together to perform a specific function. Unlike other connective tissues, blood has no fibers. Blood does have several types of cells: red blood cells or erythrocytes, white blood cells or leukocytes (with subdivisions of monocytes, macrophages, eosinophils, lymphocytes, neutrophils, and basophils), and platelets or thrombocytes. The matrix is liquid and contains enzymes, hormones, proteins, carbohydrates, and fats.

Disorders and Diseases

Connective tissue, like any other tissue, is subject to disorders and diseases. Some disorders are inherited (passed from one generation to the next by means of DNA in chromosomes), while other disorders are related to environmental factors (such as a lack of specific nutrients).

Some inherited connective tissue disorders are Marfan syndrome and osteogenesis imperfecta. In Marfan syndrome, connective tissue grows outside the cell, having deleterious effects on the lungs, heart valves, aorta, eyes, central nervous system, and skeletal system. People with Marfan syndrome are often unusually tall with long, slender arms, legs, and fingers. In osteogenesis imperfecta, or brittle bone disease, the quantity and quality of collagen is insufficient to produce healthy bones. People with this disorder have multiple spontaneous bone breaks. Other connective tissue diseases are environmental, such as scurvy, which is caused by a lack of vitamin C required for the production and maintenance of collagen. Without sufficient vitamin C in the diet, and subsequent lack of collagen, the patient will develop spots on the skin, particularly the legs and thighs; will be tired and depressed; and may lose teeth. Osteoporosis has many factors, but lack of vitamin D and calcium in the diet will lead to a thinning of the bone, subjecting the patient to fractures, primarily of the hip, spine, and wrist.

Connective tissue diseases may also be classified as systemic autoimmune disease and may have both genetic and environmental causes. In these situations, the immune system is spontaneously overactivated and extra antibodies are produced. Examples of systemic autoimmune diseases include systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis. Systemic lupus erythematosus can damage the heart, joints, skin, lungs, blood vessels, liver, kidneys, and nervous system. More woman than men are diagnosed with lupus, and more black women than other groups. Rheumatoid arthritis is caused when immune cells attack the membrane around joints and destroys the cartilage of the joint; it can also affect the heart and lungs and interfere with vision.

Bibliography

Gordon, Caroline, and Wolfgang Gross. Connective Tissue Diseases: An Atlas of Investigation and Management. Oxford: Clinical Publishing, 2011.

Lundon, Katie. Orthopedic Rehabilitation Science: Principles for Clinical Management of Nonmineralized Connective Tissue. Boston: Butterworth-Heinemann, 2003.

"Mixed Connective Tissue Disease." Mayo Clinic, May 30, 2012.

Price, Sylvia Anderson, and Lorraine McCarty Wilson, eds. Pathophysiology: Clinical Concepts of Disease Processes. St. Louis: Mosby, 2003.

"Questions and Answers about Heritable Disorders of Connective Tissue." National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, October 2011.

Royce, Peter M., and Beat Steinmann, eds. Connective Tissue and Its Heritable Disorders: Molecular, Genetic, and Medical Aspects. New York: Wiley-Liss, 2002.

Who was Malcolm X?

Malcolm X was born as Malcolm Little in Omaha, Nebraska in 1925. He was raised in a series of foster homes and had a troubled early life. He spent several years in prison, where he became a member of the Nation of Islam- a radical Muslim movement focused on Black supremacy. After his release from prison, he took up work as a social activist. He spoke publicly on behalf of the Nation of Islam, often with much hatred for white people, who he believed were the root of evil in the world. He also promoted social reform and aid for people who struggle in society, such as free drug rehabilitation programs and access to quality education.

Though Malcolm X is remembered for his advocating for Black Americans, he was opposed to certain aspects of the Civil Rights Movement because it promoted the integration of People of Color into the (white) society which had treated them so poorly. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, Malcolm X grew to disagree with the teachings of the Nation of Islam and the direction the organization was moving in. Instead he converted to Sunni Islam and began to feel that equality among all people was possible- even for People of Color- and that Islam was the way to achieve this peace.

Malcolm X spoke publicly on Islam and traveled throughout the Middle East and Africa with the goal of establishing a sense of global Afro-Muslim unity. In the United States, he spoke at many colleges as well as for the Organization for Afro-American Unity. He was criticized by both the general public and his former members of the Nation of Islam for his beliefs. In February of 1965, Malcolm X was shot and killed by members of the Nation of Islam.

Today we remember him for his work in advocating for Black Americans and improving the image of and relations with the Muslim community in America and around the world. He helped to create a dialogue about race, religion, and unity where previously there was only oppression. His work and autobiography still resonate with many Americans, as the fight for equality persists to this day.

What is multicultural psychology?

Introduction

Multicultural psychology is the study of human behavior as it occurs when people from multiple cultural groups encounter one another within the same context. This field emphasizes understanding how recurrent contact between people from different cultures shapes behavior, cognition, and affect.

Those who study multicultural psychology stress the interplay between mind and culture. Psychological processes are assumed to be learned and to occur in cultural contexts, which, narrowly considered, are characterized by race, ethnicity, or nationality. This characterization can be broadened to include ethnographic, demographic, status, and affiliation identities. From this, it can be inferred that people belong to multiple and overlapping cultures. In this field, it is assumed that cultural contact and the characteristics, values, and behaviors that are associated with cultures govern all aspects of human behavior, including a person’s perception of the self, other people, and things. This perception is called a worldview. It is the aim of multicultural psychology to strengthen the understanding of how cultural contact produces different worldviews and the reasons and ways in which groups influence one another as a function of power and status.

The culture-centered perspective of multicultural psychology conflicts with perspectives common in much of psychology that emphasize the universality of mental processes. This may explain why psychology was slow to embrace the study of multicultural issues. However, the United States is a multicultural society, in which people from different backgrounds live and work together on a daily basis, creating a need for the inclusion of factors related to culture in the study of psychology.

History

Multicultural psychology as its own discipline gained considerable attention in the 1960s and 1970s, when psychologists began to recognize the importance of understanding issues of culture in diverse communities and advocated for research examining the influence of culture and ethnicity on all aspects of human behavior. It was during the 1970s that the study of gender gained inclusion in multicultural psychology. Soon after, the scope was again broadened to include the worldview of lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals. The understanding of this worldview contributed in part to the removal of homosexuality as a mental disorder in the American Psychiatric Association’s
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), beginning with the third edition (1980).

Some early efforts within the field of multicultural psychology depended on traditional quantitative research methods that used Western constructs and psychological instruments to study differences between cultural groups. White populations were treated as the standard against which minority groups were measured. From a multicultural perspective, this makes little sense. For example, if a researcher wants to understand how Confucian teachings influence some parenting practices, a white comparison group is not necessary. As a result of the implicit power dynamic, researchers failed to recognize how groups influence one another and how stereotyping, prejudice, and discrimination shape the worldviews of people of color and women. To correct the notion that other cultures were inferior to white culture, researchers in the 1980s and 1990s began to use qualitative research methods, such as observation and interviews, to gain a more accurate understanding of how culture governs human behavior and to develop an understanding of behaviors in their cultural context.

Status in the Twenty-first Century

In spite of resistance from researchers who have attempted to develop universal principles of human behavior, the multicultural perspective in psychology has gained acknowledgment for its inclusion of culture-centered research and the emphasis it places on acquiring culturally appropriate skills in applied psychological practices, education, and organizations. Its emphasis on understanding one’s own culture, understanding other worldviews, and developing appropriate interpersonal skills has had a transformative effect on how researchers and practitioners approach various fields of psychology, including testing, communication, social processes, health, counseling, and education. This led Paul Pedersen, a long-time contributor to multicultural psychology, to suggest that the growing perspective of multicultural psychology is the “fourth force” in psychology. Like the first three forces—psychoanalysis, behaviorism, and humanism—multicultural psychology has changed, and continues to change, the way people think about all aspects of human behavior.

Bibliography

Davis-Russell, Elizabeth, ed. The California School of Professional Psychology Handbook of Multicultural Education, Research, Intervention, and Training. San Francisco: Jossey, 2002. Print.

Jackson, Yolanda K., ed. Encyclopedia of Multicultural Psychology. Thousand Oaks: Sage, 2006. Print.

Leong, Frederick T. L., ed. APA Handbook of Multicultural Psychology. Washington: APA, 2013. Print.

Locke, Don C. Increasing Multicultural Understanding: A Comprehensive Model. Thousand Oaks: Sage, 1998. Print.

Mio, Jeffery Scott, Lori A. Barker, and Jaydee Tumambing. Multicultural Psychology: Understanding Our Diverse Communities. 3rd ed. New York: Oxford UP, 2012. Print.

Nagayama Hall, Gordon C.. Multicultural Psychology. 2nd ed. Upper Saddle River: Prentice, 2010. Print.

What were two things that African-Americans did to help the war effort?

Since this question doesn’t mention a specific war, I will use World War II as an example.

There were ways that African-Americans helped the United States in World War II. Some African-Americans served in the military. African-American units were segregated during World War II. However, these soldiers fought bravely. Some were recognized for their bravery and others made the ultimate sacrifice while fighting. African-American men and women both served during World War II.

African-Americans also contributed to the war effort at home. They filled some of the jobs that were available in factories that produced materials for the war. Some African-Americans relocated to do this. They supported the government initiatives to conserve food. They bought liberty bonds. They also emphasized that in their minds this war was being fought to fight racism at home and abroad. While African-Americans were fighting for freedom in other parts of the world, they still faced segregation and discrimination at home. The Double V Campaign addressed this issue.

African-Americans made many contributions during World War II.

Is the rule in Chapter 15 of the novel Bud, Not Buddy meant to help Bud survive or thrive throughout the novel?

The rule in Chapter 15 that Bud mentions is "Rule Number 28," which is "Gone=dead" (Curtis 178). In Chapter 15, Bud is having a conversation with Miss Thomas about the little girl's room he is spending the night in. Bud asks Miss Thomas if the little girl would be mad if he stayed in her room and slept in her bed. Miss Thomas responds by telling Bud that he has nothing to worry about because the little girl is "gone." Although Bud is naive about certain subjects, he has learned throughout his life that gone, is a polite way of mentioning that someone is dead. Bud uses this rule in the novel to survive, rather than thrive. It is in Bud's best interest to understand the meaning and connotation of words such as "gone," in order for him to better comprehend certain situations. Also, this rule does not allow Bud to "thrive" and flourish in his life. Understanding that "gone" means "dead" is simply useful information that helps Bud understand particular situations.

How we can use the managerial skills at various level of management?

The American Management Association lists six general skill sets for managers. These skills include: management leadership skills, communication skills, collaboration skills, critical thinking skills, finance skills, and project management skills. 

Each one of these skill sets is used at the various levels of management. The levels identified here will be manager, director, vice president, and senior executive. At the manager level, the individual must have a basic understanding of the management skills. Leadership skills may be developing. Communication skills are generally directed toward daily correspond with subordinates and superiors. Collaboration skills are important to work as an effective member of the management group. Finance skills may or may not be needed depending on the manger's role. Basic project management skills are needed to ensure tasks are completed on time and effectively.

At the director level, each managerial skill should be heightened. Directors tend to have more direct reports or people reporting through them than managers. Directors also have more responsibility to the organization. Leadership skills should begin to emerge, as managers report to directors. Communication skills are important as directors serve as an intermediary between vice presidents, managers and front line staff. Collaboration skills are essential at this level for the same reason. Finance skills are important because directors are responsible for an department or area budget. Project management skills, including seeing all parts of a project and the smaller tasks is essential. 

At the vice president level, managerial skills are still required. Vice Presidents are often viewed as organizational leaders, and should demonstrate those skills. Internal and external communication skills are essential for vice presidents, as they represent the organization to the community and assist in steering the organization in the direction of its mission and vision. Collaboration skills are important between vice presidents so each does not develop a silo mentality. Finance skills should be further refined as understanding growth targets, financial expenses, and strategic planning becomes more important. Project management skills remain importance, as vice presidents often monitor projects and ensure they are meeting organizational objectives.

At the senior executive level, management, leadership, communication, collaboration, finance and project management skills should be finely honed. A senior executive should serve as a role model and leader for other managers within an organization and should demonstrate most, if not all, managerial skills fully.

What feeling does the opening sentence in "The Monkey's Paw" give the reader?

The feeling or mood in the opening sentence of W.W. Jacobs' short story "The Monkey's Paw" is one of safety and optimism, despite the cold, impartial and potentially evil world outside. Inside, there is a bright fire burning in the White household. The world, with all its troubles, is shut out by the "blinds" on the windows. All is well, and no chance that anything malignant could interfere with the happy family gathered around the fire.

Unfortunately for the Whites, evil lurks just outside in the "cold, wet" world and it takes its form in the eastern talisman which the Sergeant-Major brings to dinner. The evil monkey's paw brings temptation, death, madness and horror. The fire which had burned so brightly and confidently in the first line later reveals "horrible" and "simian" faces as the Whites are tempted into making a wish, even after being warned that the paw had caused deadly mischief in the past. What was once a contented family is destroyed as the son is killed and the parents overcome with remorse and regret.

What is leukemia?

Causes and Symptoms

The blood is essential for all the physiological processes of the body. It is composed of red cells called erythrocytes, white cells called leukocytes, and platelets, each of which has distinct functions. Erythrocytes, which contain hemoglobin, are essential for the transport of oxygen from the lungs to all the cells and organs of the body. Leukocytes are important for protecting the body against infection by bacteria, viruses, and other parasites. Platelets play a role in the formation of blood clots; therefore, these cells are critical in the process of wound healing. Blood cell development, or hematopoiesis, begins in the
bone marrow with immature stem cells that can produce all three types of blood cells. Under the influence of special molecules called growth factors, these stem cells divide rapidly and form blast cells that become one of the three blood cell types. After several further divisions, these blast cells ultimately mature into fully functional erythrocytes, leukocytes, and platelets. In a healthy individual, the number of each type of blood cell remains relatively constant. Thus, the rate of new cell production is approximately equivalent to the rate of old cell destruction and removal.

Mature leukocytes are the key players in defending the body against infection. There are three types of leukocytes: monocytes, granulocytes, and lymphocytes. In leukemia, leukocytes multiply at an increased rate, resulting in an abnormally high number of white cells, a significant proportion of which are immature cells. All forms of leukemia are characterized by this abnormally regulated growth; therefore, leukemia is a cancer, even though tumor masses do not form. The cancerous cells live longer than the normal leukocytes and accumulate first in the bone marrow and then in the blood. Since these abnormal cells crowd the bone marrow, normal hematopoiesis cannot be maintained in a person with leukemia. The patient will usually become weak as a result of the lack of oxygen-carrying red cells and susceptible to bleeding because of a lack of platelets. The abnormal leukocytes do not function effectively in defending the body against infection, and they prevent normal leukocytes from developing; therefore, the patient is immunologically compromised. In addition, once the abnormal cells accumulate in the blood, they may hinder the functioning of other organs, such as the liver, kidney, lungs, and spleen.

It has become clear that leukemia, which was first recognized in 1845, is actually a pathology that comprises more than one disease. Leukemia has been divided into four main types, based on the type of leukocyte that is affected and the maturity of the leukocytes observed in the blood and the bone marrow. Both lymphocytes and granulocytes can be affected. When the cells are mainly immature blasts, the leukemia is termed acute, and when the cells are mostly mature, the leukemia is termed chronic. Therefore, the four types of leukemia are acute lymphocytic (ALL), acute granulocytic (AGL), chronic lymphocytic (CLL), and chronic granulocytic (CGL). The granulocytic leukemias are also known as myologenous leukemias (AML, CML) or nonlymphoid leukemias (ANLL, CNLL). These are the main types of leukemia, although there are additional rarer forms. These four forms of leukemia account for about 5 percent of the cancer cases in the United States. The incidence of acute and chronic forms is approximately equivalent, but specific forms are more common at different stages of life. The major form in children is ALL; after puberty, there is a higher incidence of AGL. The chronic forms of leukemia occur in the adult population after the fourth or fifth decade of life, and men are twice as likely to be affected as women.

The causes of leukemia are still not completely understood, but scientists have put together many pieces of the puzzle. It is known that several environmental factors increase the risk of developing leukemia. Among these are exposure to radiation, chemicals such as chloramphenicol and benzene, and possibly viruses. In addition, there is a significant genetic component to this disease. Siblings of patients with leukemia have a higher risk of developing the disease, and chromosomal changes have been found in the cells of most patients, although they disappear when the patient is in remission. For example, the genetic basis of certain forms of CML is an exchange of information (translocation) between chromosome 22 and chromosome 9; the shortened chromosome 22 is referred to as the Philadelphia chromosome. These different “causes” can be linked by understanding how oncogenes function. Every person, as part of his or her genetic makeup, has several oncogenes that are capable of causing cancer. In the healthy person, these oncogenes function in a carefully regulated manner to control cell growth. After exposure to an environmental or genetic influence that causes chromosome abnormalities, however, these oncogenes may become activated or deregulated so that uncontrolled cell growth occurs, resulting in the abnormally high number of cells seen in leukemia. The translocation associated with the Philadelphia chromosome results in abnormal expression of an oncogene encoding an enzyme that regulates cell division.

Leukemia is often difficult to diagnose in the early stages because the symptoms are similar to more common or less serious diseases. “Flulike” symptoms, sometimes accompanied by fever, may be the earliest evidence of acute leukemia; in children, the first symptoms may be less pronounced. The symptoms quickly become more pronounced as white cells accumulate in the lymph nodes, spleen, and liver, causing these organs to become enlarged. Fatigue, paleness, weight loss, repeated infections, and an increased susceptibility to bleeding and bruising are associated with leukemia. As the disease progresses, the fatigue and bleeding increase, various skin disorders develop, and the joints become painfully swollen. If untreated, the afflicted individual will die within a few months. Chronic leukemia has a more gradual progression and may be present for years before symptoms develop. When symptoms are present, they may be vague feelings of fatigue, fever, or loss of energy. There may be enlarged lymph nodes in the neck and armpits and a feeling of fullness in the abdomen because of an increase in the size of the spleen as much as tenfold. Loss of appetite and sweating at night may be initial symptoms. Often, chronic leukemia eventually leads to a syndrome resembling acute leukemia, which is ultimately fatal.

If these symptoms are present, a doctor will diagnose the presence of leukemia in two stages. First, blood will be drawn and a blood smear will be analyzed microscopically. This may indicate that there are fewer erythrocytes, leukocytes, and platelets than normal, and abnormal cells may be visible. A blood smear, however, may show only slight abnormalities, and the number of leukemic cells in the blood may not correspond to the extent of the disease in the bone marrow. This requires that the bone marrow itself be examined by means of a bone marrow biopsy. Bone marrow tissue can be obtained by inserting a needle into a bone such as the hip and aspirating a small sample of cells. This bone marrow biopsy, which is done under local anesthetic on an outpatient basis, is the definitive test for leukemia. Visual examination of the marrow usually reveals the presence of many abnormal cells, and this finding is often confirmed with biochemical and immunological tests. After a positive diagnosis, a doctor will also examine the cerebrospinal fluid to see if leukemic cells have invaded the central nervous system.

Treatment and Therapy

The treatment and life expectancy for leukemic patients varies significantly for each of the four types of leukemia. Treatment is designed to destroy all the abnormal cells and produce a complete remission, which is defined as the phase of recovery when the symptoms of the disease disappear and no abnormal cells can be observed in the blood or bone marrow. Unfortunately, a complete remission may be only temporary, since a small number of abnormal cells may still exist even though they are not observed under the microscope. These can, with time, multiply and repopulate the marrow, causing a relapse of the disease. With repeated relapses, the response to therapy becomes poorer and the durations of the remissions that follow become shorter. It is generally believed, however, that a remission that lasts five years in ALL, eight years in AGL, or twelve years in CGL may be permanent. Therefore, the goal of leukemia research is to develop ways to prolong remission.

By the time acute leukemia has been diagnosed, abnormal cells have often spread throughout the bone marrow and into several organs; therefore, surgery and radiation are usually not effective. Treatment programs include chemotherapy or bone marrow transplants or both.

Chemotherapy
is usually divided into several phases. In the first, or induction, phase, combinations of drugs are given to destroy all detectable abnormal cells and therefore induce a clinical remission. Vincristine, methotrexate, 6-mercaptopurine, L-asparaginase, daunorubicin, prednisone, and cytosine arabinoside are among the drugs that are used. Combinations that selectively kill more leukemic cells than they do normal cells are available for the treatment of ALL; however, in AGL no selective agents are available, resulting in the destruction of equal numbers of diseased and healthy cells. An alternative strategy does not rely on destroying the abnormal cells but instead seeks to induce immature leukemic cells to develop further. Once the cells are mature, they will no longer divide and will eventually die in the same way that a normal leukocyte does. Drugs such as cytarabine and retinoic acid have been tested, but the results are inconclusive.

Although the induction phase achieves clinical remission in more than 80 percent of patients, a second phase, called consolidation therapy, is essential to prevent relapse. Different combinations of anticancer drugs are used to kill any remaining cancer cells that were resistant to the drugs in the induction phase. Once the patient is in remission, higher doses of chemotherapy can be tolerated, and sometimes additional intensive treatments are given to reduce further the number of leukemic cells so that they will be unable to repopulate the tissues. During these phases of treatment, patients must be hospitalized. The destruction of their normal leukocytes along with the leukemic cells makes them very susceptible to infection. Their low numbers of surviving erythrocytes and platelets increase the probability of internal bleeding, and transfusions are often necessary. The dosages of chemotherapeutic agents must be carefully calculated to kill as many leukemic cells as possible without destroying so many normal cells that they cannot repopulate the marrow. In general, children handle intensive chemotherapy better than adults.

Following the induction and consolidation phases, maintenance therapy is sometimes used. In ALL, maintenance therapy is given for two to three years; however, its benefit in other forms of leukemia is a matter of controversy.

A second form of therapy is sometimes indicated for patients who have not responded to chemotherapy or are likely to relapse.
Bone marrow transplantation has been increasingly used in leukemic patients to replace diseased marrow with normally functioning stem cells. In this procedure, the patient is treated with intensive chemotherapy and whole-body irradiation to destroy all leukemic and normal cells. Then a small amount of marrow from a normal donor is infused. The donor can be the patient himself, if the marrow was removed during a previous remission, or an immunologically matched donor, who is usually a sibling. If a sibling is not available, it may be possible to find a matched donor from the National Marrow Donor Program, which has on file approximately ten million donors. Marrow is removed from the donor, broken up into small pieces, and given to the patient intravenously. The stem cells from the transplanted marrow circulate in the blood, enter the bones, and multiply. The first signs that the transplant is functioning normally occur in two to four weeks as the numbers of circulating granulocytes and platelets in the patient’s blood increase. Eventually, in a successful transplant, the bone marrow cavity will be repopulated with normal cells.

Bone marrow transplantation is a dangerous procedure that requires highly trained caregivers. During this process, the patient is completely vulnerable to infection, since there is no functional immune system. The patient is placed in an isolation unit with special food-handling procedures. There is little chance that the patient will reject the transplanted marrow, because the immune system of the patient is suppressed. A larger problem remains, however, because it is possible for immune cells that existed in the donor’s marrow to reject the tissues and organs of the patient. This
graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) affects between 50 and 70 percent of bone marrow transplant patients. Even though the donor is immunologically matched, the match is not perfect, and the recently transplanted cells regard the cells in their new host as a “foreign” threat. Twenty percent of the patients who develop GVHD will die; therefore, drugs such as cyclophosphamide and cyclosporine, which suppress the immune system, are usually given to minimize this response. GVHD is not a problem if the donor is the patient. In 2012, the drug Prochymal was approved for use in children with GVHD; it was the stem-cell drug approved for usage. Since the availability of matching bone marrow cells is exceeded by the need, recent studies have involved the testing of hematopoietic umbilical cord cells from unrelated donors. The incidence of relapse as well as GVHD was similar to that when using matched bone marrow cells, suggesting that cord blood cells have the potential to serve as an alternative to conventional transplants.

Aggressive chemotherapy and bone marrow transplantation have dramatically increased the number of long-lasting remissions. For those who survive the therapy, it appears that, in ALL, approximately 40 percent of adults may be cured of the leukemia. The outlook for permanent remission is 10 to 20 percent in AGL and 65 percent for CGL patients. Statistics for chronic lymphocytic leukemia have been difficult to predict, because individual cases that have been similarly treated have had very different outcomes. The average lifespan after a diagnosis of CLL is three to four years; however, some patients live longer than fifteen years.

Perspective and Prospects

As the number of deaths from infectious disease has decreased, cancer has become the second most common cause of disease-related death. It is estimated that one of three people in the United States will develop a form of cancer and that the disease will kill one of five people. The search for causes and treatments of various cancers is perhaps the most active area of biological research today. Multiple lines of experimentation are being pursued, and significant advances have been made.

Leukemia is one of the cancers that scientists understand fairly well, but many unanswered questions remain. Leukemia research can be divided into two broad approaches. In the first, the researcher seeks to modify and improve the current methods for treatment: chemotherapy and bone marrow transplantation. In the second, an effort is being made to understand more about the disease itself, with the hope that completely different strategies for treatment might present themselves.

The risks involved in current therapy for leukemia have been discussed in the previous section. Treatment schedules, individually designed for each patient, will add to the understanding of how other physiological characteristics affect treatment outcome. Significant advances in reducing the risk of GVHD are likely to come quickly. In marrow transplants in which the donor is the patient, research is in progress to improve ways to screen out abnormal cells, even if they are present at very low levels, before they are infused back into the patient. In addition, for transplants in which the donor is not the patient, techniques that remove the harmful components of the bone marrow are being developed. Bone marrow cells can be partially purified, resulting in an enriched population of stem cells. Administering these to the leukemic patient should greatly reduce the risk of GVHD. Since bone marrow can be stored easily, the day may come when healthy people will store a bone marrow stem cell sample in case they contract a disease that would require a transplant.

Basic research in leukemia focuses on a simple question, “Why are leukemic cells different from normal cells?” This question is asked from a variety of perspectives in the fields of immunology, cell biology, and genetics. Immunologists are looking for markers on the surfaces of leukemic cells that would distinguish them from their normal counterparts. If such markers are found, it should be possible to target leukemic cells for destruction by using monoclonal antibodies attached to drugs. These “smart drugs” would be able to home in on the diseased cells, leaving normal cells untouched or only slightly affected. This would be a great advance for leukemia treatment, since much of the risk for the leukemic patient following chemotherapy or bone marrow transplant involves susceptibility to infection because the normal immune cells have been destroyed. Similarly, it may be possible to “teach” the patient’s immune system to destroy abnormal cells that it had previously ignored. Similar forms of immunotherapy have shown promise in treating forms of cancer such as melanoma.

Cell biologists are seeking to understand the normal hematopoietic process so that they can determine which steps of the process go awry in leukemia. Some of the growth factors involved in hematopoiesis have been identified, but it appears that the process is quite complex, and as yet scientists do not have a clear picture of normal hematopoiesis. When the understanding of the normal process becomes more complete, it may be possible to localize the defect in a leukemic patient and provide the missing growth factors. This might allow abnormal immature cells to complete the developmental process and relieve the symptoms of disease.

Geneticists are studying the chromosomal changes that underlie the onset of leukemia. As the oncogenes that are involved are identified, the reasons for their activation will also be determined. Once the effects of these genetic abnormalities are understood, it may be possible to intervene by genetically engineering stem cells so that they can develop normally.

These areas of research will likely converge to provide the leukemia treatments of the future. Leukemia is a cancer for which there is already a significant cure rate. It is not unreasonable to expect that this rate will approach 100 percent in the near future.

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Why did Gulliver conclude that all the scientists in the academy at Lagado were insane? On the basis of his conclusion, draw a character sketch...

Gulliver concludes that the scientists working in Lagado are crazy because the types of experiments that they do are of no real use to anyone.  Trying to extract sunlight from cucumbers, returning human fecal matter to the original foods that comprise it, and figuring out a way for humans to carry everything to which they might possibly refer to with language so that they no longer have to speak a language are not good uses of the academy's time, money, resources, and brain power.  These experiments in no way benefit humanity, and so the people who insists on conducting them seem to be somewhat delusional to Gulliver.

In this sense, then, perhaps Gulliver is not so completely ridiculous as we might believe him to be based on his descriptions of other places and customs and peoples.  If even he can see these experiments as insane, this shows us that he does have some sense, because this is certainly the opinion Swift expects us to form of them.  Gulliver does, in fact, have some intelligence.

The three decades following 1945 are sometimes described as the Golden Age of Capitalism: a period of historic economic growth and expanded...

Immediately after World War II ended in 1945, the United States turned from a command economy controlled by the government to a capitalist economy. Because of the pent-up demand for consumer goods, production and consumption exploded. The new consumer goods included cars, refrigerators, televisions, dish washers, washing machines, vacuums, toasters, and plastic goods. From 1945 to 1949, Americans bought 20 million refrigerators and 21.4 million cars, and this type of spending continued in the 1950s. The G.I. Bill also allowed many Americans to purchase their own houses and to attend college, providing employers with a well-educated workforce. 

The increase in American consumerism led, however, to a situation in which the U.S., comprising about 6% of the world's population, was, by the 1950s, consuming one third of the world's goods and services. In addition with the development of the jet engine and the increase in the use of cars, capitalist countries became highly dependent on oil. This would lead to problems in the 1970s when the price of oil greatly increased.

Countries in Asia and Europe also experienced economic expansion after World War II. For example, Japan recovered from the war and had the most rapid economic growth rate in the world, in part fueled by production for U.N. troops during the Korean War. Like the United States, however, Japan began to rely heavily on imported oil, which would become problematic when oil prices increased in the 1970s.

In addition, another problem that developed during this time period was consumer debt. The first credit card, the Diner's Club card, appeared in the 1950s. American consumer debt doubled during the decade, resulting from increased spending on housing and consumer goods. In addition, while many people prospered, one quarter of the nation still lived in poverty in the 1950s.

What does Alice Waythorn do when she encounters all three of her husbands in Edith Wharton's short story "The Other Two"?

At the very end of Edith Wharton's short story "The Other Two," Alice encounters all three of her husbands in the same room. She responds by easily appeasing and smoothing over the awkwardness of the situation, an ability of hers that her current husband, Waythorn, has come to accept as an absurd part of her identity.

Alice found herself in the library of Waythorn's home with all three of her husbands for multiple reasons. First, she had invited her first husband, Haskett, to meet with her in the library at an appointed time to discuss important business about their daughter Lily. She was late coming home, though. As a result, her current husband Waythorn arrived before she did to find Haskett waiting for Alice in the library. Like a gentlemanly host, Waythorn invites Haskett to have a cigar while he continues to wait for Alice. Second, her second husband Varick had intruded on Waythorn's home for the first time to discuss with Waythorn a matter or business he felt was urgent. Both of Alice's ex-husbands were very embarrassed to find themselves all together in the same room with Alice's current husband. Third, Alice asked the footman to serve tea in the library because the plumber was still working in the drawing-room, and she had finally arrived in the library, much later than Haskett expected her to arrive.

Upon seeing Varick in the library with her husband, she looks surprised at first but hides it by smiling. She almost stops smiling when she discovers Haskett is in the room, too, but quickly recovers her smile. She then smooths over any of the men's embarrassment by acting as a charming hostess and offering them tea. Waythorn laughs by the end of the scene because he has come to realize the most absurd aspect of his wife's nature is her ability to escape difficult situations by harmonizing herself with the situation, just as she is still in harmony with her ex-husbands. In this respect, he has begun to think of his wife as being "'as easy as an old shoe'—a shoe that too many feet had worn." In short, while he is no longer completely happy in his marriage, he accepts Alice is a person he must share with other men.