Emerging Technologies Essays -- Digital Gadgets, Personal Information

During the 21st century the world has witnessed massive developments in technology. Almost every person is familiar with the use of digital gadgets for communication, socialization and data storage among other services (Freedman 02). The inventions of electronic devices that can be used to store, send, receive and access any information are results of advancements in technology. These developments belong to the information and communications category. Many people in today’s world make the mistake of thinking that the technological advancements that are happening right now are the only technologic advancements evolving in the world. However when it comes down to it, people have been experiencing technological advancements as early as the Neolithic period, impacting almost every aspect of life. These ancient technologies have come to be overtaken by time, as there are new ones which seem to be more efficient in accomplishing similar tasks. Emerging technologies can be said to be innovations and advancements that can be witnessed in different sectors of technology (Zelkowitz 6). Most up-coming technologies have brought synchronization of the previous developments, making them work together in achieving a similar goal. A good example of this is how video, data and telephonic technologies have now been made to work together in achieving the same goal of effective communication (Zelkowitz 12). All of these technologies used to exist completely by them self, but not anymore. Scientists developed different social services that connect people together in a form of social media. Examples of these applications include; Twitter; Facebook, Vine, and Instagram among many others. As much as these new technologies have brought efficiency and a... ...ormation, and we cannot just do away with emerging technologies just because of critics. We need to accept that everything has its share of merits and demerits, and move on. All we need is looking for means of preserving our cultures and history as well as basic education whether there are emerging technologies or not. Works cited Freedman, C. D. The Extension of the Criminal Law to Protecting Confidential Commercial Information: Comments on the Issues and the Cyber-Context. (August 01, 2013). International Review of Law, Computers & Technology, 13, 2, 147-162. http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13600869955116#.UdhxNezkU1I Gopnik, Adam. â€Å"The Information: A Critic at Large.† The New Yorker 14 Feb. 2011: 124+. ProQuest. Web. 31 October 2011. Zelkowitz, Marvin V..Vol.73 Advances in Technology: Emerging Technologies. Amsterdam [u.a.: Elsevier, 2013. Print.

Europe’s Interaction with Africa, Asia Essay

In the mid-15th century, European nations started sending merchants, explorers, colonizers and missionaries to various parts of the world. Historians often referred to this phenomenon as the Age of Discovery, an era in which unknown seas were traversed, new lands and peoples were discovered and an astounding new phase in global encounters was initiated (Sanders, Morillo and Nelson 3). The Age of Discovery played an important role in the political and economic development of Western Europe. Some of its key legacies included colonization, the development of large-scale horticultural industries and the spread of Christianity. The Age of Discovery, however, is usually portrayed as exclusively European and historically unique. It must be made clear that such a description is misleading and incomplete. Exploration and expansion are not historical novelties, and neither are they uniquely European. Furthermore, they have other motivations, attitudes and cross-cultural perceptions apart from the desire to discover other lands (Sanders, Morillo and Nelson 3). Muslim and Chinese explorers and traders have been traveling across Asia, Arabia and Africa centuries before Christopher Columbus set out from Spain in 1492. The journeys of Ibn Battuta in the mid-14th century, for instance, took him through the vast extent of the Islamic world. Zheng He, a fleet admiral who lived during the Ming Dynasty, sailed as far as the coast of east Africa in the mid-15th century (Sanders, Morillo and Nelson 3). Tunisian philosopher and historian Ibn Khaldun traveled as far as Spain in the 14th century (Ahmed 102). But European and non-European explorers differed in terms of the motives behind their respective journeys. Non-European explorers traveled primarily to create extensive religious and trade networks. Muslims were partially bound by religion and commerce as a form of compensation for the near-absence of political unity in the Islamic world. Despite ethnic and regional differences, their adherence to Islamic laws and values provided them with a sense of unity and shared identity. The establishment of long-distance trading networks, meanwhile, allowed Muslim producers and consumers from different regions to communicate with one another, as well as with peoples of different religions (Sanders, Morillo and Nelson 4). Muslim traders therefore organized camel caravans to the frontiers of India and across the Sahara in Africa. They likewise established equally profitable trade routes by sea across the Indian Ocean. By the late 15th century, the commercial activity in most of the regions surrounding the Indian Ocean was almost under their control. Furthermore, certain localities in the Islamic world were gaining recognition for their excellence in specific industries. Persia, for example, was renowned in the 14th century for its exquisite glassware, jewelry and pottery (Sanders, Morillo and Nelson 4). Extensive trade and industry, in turn, provided the Islamic world with urbanized and cosmopolitan societies. Sophisticated commercial centers such as Cairo, Damascus, Baghdad, Timbuktu and Zanzibar attracted residents from distant regions that eventually converted to Islam. These new converts subsequently spread Islam and elements of Islamic culture to their respective homelands. The Delhi Sultanate of India and the West African kingdom of Mali are some examples of regions that were not originally Islamic but were later Islamized (Sanders, Morillo and Nelson 4). In sharp contrast, the motive behind most European explorations was the pseudo-revival of the Reconquista (the struggle of the Spanish and Portuguese Christians to expel the Moors from their respective countries). In the 14th and 15th centuries, anti-Moor sentiment was still strong in Spain and Portugal – it was during these periods that Spanish and Portuguese Christians successfully expelled the Moors from Iberia. But this victory soon left many knights idle and looking for new adventures. Many knights thus joined overseas expeditions, viewing these as new opportunities to vanquish the hated Moors (Sanders, Morillo and Nelson 5). Certain economic conditions in Europe during the 14th and 15th centuries were also responsible for the xenophobic attitude that many European explorers had during the Age of Discovery. In these eras, most European economies were still small, largely agrarian and geared towards meeting local needs. Muslim merchants and middlemen were the sole sources of spices and other luxury goods. In addition, Europe was politically fragmented – the continent’s monarchs wasted scarce resources and manpower in the numerous wars and conflicts that they waged against each other. Lastly, the Black Death (bubonic plague) killed millions and further weakened economies, adding to the pervasive atmosphere of dread and xenophobia (Sanders, Morillo and Nelson 5). Given the insular, backward and unsophisticated nature of Europe in the 14th and 15th centuries, it was no longer surprising that the expeditions from the continent had mostly detrimental effects. Many explorers viewed the natives that they encountered in foreign lands as â€Å"barbarians† that must be â€Å"civilized† by being subjugated to them. By the 16th and 17th centuries, therefore, many countries in Asia, Africa and the Americas ended up being the colonies of Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, Britain and France (Sanders, Morillo and Nelson 5). In addition, the transatlantic slave trade occurred from the 16th to the 19th centuries. Mainstream historians had indeed painted a misleading and incomplete picture of the Age of Discovery. By claiming that the Age of Discovery was an exclusively European and historically unique phenomenon, they are implying that it was an event that was born out of Europe’s benevolent desire to discover other lands. But the truth is that the Age of Discovery should not be glorified. Exploration and expansion have already been taking place long before it happened – proof that the inhabitants of the regions outside of Europe are not savages. The Age of Discovery occurred at a time when Europe was still insular, backward and unsophisticated. Thus, many of the continent’s explorers exhibited a fearful and xenophobic attitude when it came to dealing with people not of their own race. This paranoia, in turn, led to the colonization of several nations in Africa, Asia and the Americas. In addition, slavery became a centuries-old practice. Works Cited Ahmed, Akbar S. Discovering Islam: Making Sense of Muslim History and Society. New York: Routledge, 1989. Sanders, Thomas, Stephen Morillo, and Samuel H. Nelson. Encounters in World History: Sources and Themes from the Global Past, Volume II: From 1500. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2005.

Abnormal Psychology Study Guide

Chapter 16 — Personality Disorders Slides, handouts, and answers keys created by Karen Clay Rhines, Ph. D. , Seton Hall University Handout 2: What is Psychological Abnormality? What is personality? Personality is a unique and long-term pattern of inner experience and outward behavior Personality tends to be consistent and is often described in terms of â€Å"traits† These traits may be inherited, learned, or both Personality is also flexible, allowing us to adapt to new environments For those with personality disorders, however, that flexibility is usually missing Handout 3: Personality DisordersWhat is a personality disorder? A very rigid pattern of inner experience and outward behavior This pattern is seen in most interactions, differs from the experiences and behaviors usually expected, and continues for years Handout 4: Classifying Personality Disorders A personality disorder is diagnosed only when it causes impairments in social or occupational functioning, or when it causes personal distress Personality disorders typically become recognizable in adolescence or early adulthood . Generally, the affected person does not regard his or her behavior as undesirable or problematicIt has been estimated that 9 to 13% of all adults may have a personality disorder Handout 5: Classifying Personality Disorders Classifying these disorders is difficult because little is known about their origins or development They are diagnosed on Axis II of the DSM-IV Handout 6: Classifying Personality Disorders Those diagnosed with personality disorders are often also diagnosed with an Axis I disorder This relationship is called â€Å"comorbidity† Axis II disorders my predispose people to develop an Axis I disorder, or Axis I disorders may set the stage for Axis II disorders, or some biological condition may set the stage for both!Whatever the reason, research indicates that the presence of a personality disorder complicates and reduces a person’s chances f or a successful recovery Handout 8: Classifying Personality Disorders The various personality disorders overlap each other so much that it can be difficult to distinguish one from another The frequent lack of agreement between clinicians and diagnosticians has raised concerns about the validity and reliability of these categories Handout 10: â€Å"Odd† Personality Disorders People with these disorders display behaviors similar to, but not as extensive as, schizophreniaBehaviors include extreme suspiciousness, social withdrawal, and peculiar ways of thinking and perceiving things Such behaviors leave the person isolated Some clinicians believe that these disorders are actually related to schizophrenia, and thus call them â€Å"schizophrenia spectrum disorders† Handout 11: â€Å"Odd† Personality Disorders Clinicians have learned much about the symptoms of odd personality disorders but little about effective treatment for these disorders In fact, people with these disorders rarely seek treatment Handout 14: How Do Theorists Explain Paranoid Personality Disorder?The proposed explanations of this disorder, like those of most other personality disorders, have received little systematic research Psychodynamic theorists trace the pattern back to early interactions with demanding parents Cognitive theorists suggest that maladaptive assumptions such as â€Å"People are evil and will attack you if given the chance† are to blame Biological theorists propose genetic causes and have looked at twin studies to support this model Handout 15: Treatments for Paranoid Personality Disorder People with paranoid personality disorder do not typically see themselves as needing helpFew come to treatment willingly Those who are in treatment often distrust and rebel against their therapists As a result, therapy for this disorder, as for most of the other personality disorders, has limited effect and moves slowly Handout 16: Treatments for Paranoid Personality Disorder Object relations therapists try to see past the patient’s anger and work on the underlying wish for a satisfying relationship Behavioral and cognitive therapists try to help clients control anxiety and improve interpersonal skills Cognitive therapists also try to restructure client’s maladaptive assumptions and interpretationsDrug therapy is generally ineffective Handout 17: Schizoid Personality Disorder This disorder is characterized by persistent avoidance of social relationships and limited emotional expression Withdrawn and reclusive, people with this disorder are not interested in relationships with others People with schizoid personality disorder focus mainly on themselves and are often seen as flat and cold The disorder is estimated to affect less than 1% of the population It is slightly more likely to occur in men than in women Handout 22: Schizotypal Personality DisorderThis disorder is characterized by odd (even bizarre) ways of thinking and perceivi ng, and behavioral eccentricities These symptoms may include ideas of reference and/or bodily illusions People with the disorder often have great difficulty keeping their attention focused; conversation is typically digressive and vague Handout 23: Schizotypal Personality Disorder Socially withdrawn, people with this disorder seek isolation and have few friends This disorder is the most severe of the three in this cluster It has been estimated that 2 to 4% of all people (slightly more males than females) may have the disorderHandout 24: How Do Theorists Explain Schizotypal Personality Disorder? Because the symptoms of schizotypal personality disorder so often resemble those of schizophrenia, researchers have hypothesized that similar factors are at work in both disorders Schizotypal symptoms are often linked to poor family communication and to psychological disorders in parents Researchers have also begun to link schizotypal personality disorder to some of the same biological factor s found in schizophrenia The disorder also has been linked to mood disorders Handout 27: â€Å"Dramatic† Personality DisordersThe behaviors of people with these disorders are so dramatic, emotional, or erratic that it is almost impossible for them to have relationships that are truly giving and satisfying These personality disorders are more commonly diagnosed than the others Only antisocial and borderline personality disorders have received much study The causes of the disorders are not well understood Handout 28: Antisocial Personality Disorder Sometimes described as â€Å"psychopaths† or â€Å"sociopaths,† people with antisocial personality disorder persistently disregard and violate others’ rightsAside from substance-related disorders, this is the disorder most linked to adult criminal behavior The DSM-IV requires that a person be at least 18 years of age to receive this diagnosis Most people with an antisocial personality disorder displayed some patt erns of misbehavior before they were 15 years old Handout 30: Antisocial Personality Disorder Surveys indicate that up to 3. 5% of people in the U. S. meet the criteria for this disorder Caucasians are somewhat more likely to be diagnosed than are African AmericansThe disorder is four times more common in men than women Because people with this disorder are often arrested, researchers frequently look for people with antisocial patterns in prison populations Studies also indicate higher rates of alcoholism and other substance-related disorders among this group Handout 33: How Do Theorists Explain Antisocial Personality Disorder? The cognitive view says that people with the disorder hold attitudes that trivialize the importance of other people’s needs A number of studies suggest that biological factors may play a roleFindings suggest that people with antisocial personality disorder have lower levels of trait anxiety and arousal, leading them to be more likely than others to tak e risks and seek thrills Handout 34: Treatments for Antisocial Personality Disorder About 25% of all people with antisocial personality disorder receive treatment for it, yet no treatment appears to be effective A major problem is the individual’s lack of conscience or desire to change Most have been mandated to treatment Some cognitive therapists try to guide clients to think about moral issues and the needs of other peopleHospitals have attempted to create therapeutic communities Generally, most of today’s treatment approaches have little to no impact on the disorder Handout 35: Borderline Personality Disorder People with this disorder display great instability, including major shifts in mood, an unstable self-image, and impulsivity Interpersonal relationships also are unstable People with borderline personality disorder are prone to bouts of anger, which sometimes result in physical aggression and violence Just as often, however, they direct their impulsive anger in ward and harm themselvesHandout 37: Borderline Personality Disorder Almost 2% of the general population are thought to suffer from this disorder Close to 75% of those diagnosed are women The course of the disorder varies In the most common pattern, the instability and risk of suicide reach a peak during young adulthood and then gradually lessen with advancing age Handout 39: How Do Theorists Explain Borderline Personality Disorder? Some features of the disorder also have been linked to biological abnormalities Sufferers who are particularly impulsive apparently have lower brain serotonin activityClose relatives of those with borderline personality disorder are five times more likely than the general population to have the disorder Some sociocultural theorists suggest that cases of borderline personality disorder are particularly likely to emerge in cultures that change rapidly Handout 40: Treatments for Borderline Personality Disorder It appears that psychotherapy can eventually lea d to some degree of improvement for people with this disorder It is not easy, though, for a therapist to strike a balance between empathizing with a patient’s dependency and anger and challenging his or her way of thinkingFurthermore, termination of therapy is often incredibly difficult Handout 42: Treatments for Borderline Personality Disorder Antidepressant, antibipolar, antianxiety, and antipsychotic drugs have helped some individuals to calm their emotional and aggressive storms Given the high risk of suicide attempts by these patients, their use of drugs on an outpatient basis is controversial Some patients have benefited from a combination of drug therapy and psychotherapy Handout 43: Histrionic Personality DisorderPeople with histrionic personality disorder are extremely emotional and continually seek to be the center of attention They often engage in attention-getting behaviors Approval and praise are the lifeblood of these individuals People with histrionic personali ty disorder are often described as vain, self-centered, and demanding Some make suicide attempts, often to manipulate others Handout 44: Histrionic Personality Disorder This disorder was once believed to be more common in women than in men However, research has revealed gender bias in past diagnosesThe latest statistics suggest that around 2% percent of adults have this personality disorder, with males and females equally affected Handout 46: How Do Theorists Explain Histrionic Personality Disorder? Cognitive theorists look at the lack of substance and the extreme suggestibility seen in people with the disorder Some propose that people with histrionic personality disorder hold a general assumption that they are helpless to care for themselves Sociocultural theorists believe the disorder is caused in part by society’s norms and expectationsThe vain, dramatic, and selfish behavior may be an exaggeration of femininity as defined by our culture Handout 47: Treatments for Histrion ic Personality Disorder Unlike people with most other personality disorders, those with histrionic personality disorder often seek treatment on their own Working with them can be difficult because of their demands, tantrums, seductiveness, and attempts to please the therapist Handout 49: Narcissistic Personality Disorder People with narcissistic personality disorder are generally grandiose, need much admiration, and feel no empathy for othersConvinced of their own great success, power, or beauty, they expect constant attention and admiration from those around them People with this disorder exaggerate their achievements and talents, and often appear arrogant Handout 50: Narcissistic Personality Disorder People with this disorder are seldom interested in the feelings of others Many take advantage of others to achieve their own ends Probably less than 1% of adults display narcissistic personality disorder Up to 75% of these are men This type of behavior is common among teenagers and do not usually lead to adult narcissismHandout 51: How Do Theorists Explain Narcissistic Personality Disorder? Psychodynamic theorists more than others have theorized about this disorder, focusing on cold, rejecting parents Object-relations theorists interpret the grandiose self-presentation as a way for these people to convince themselves that they are self-sufficient and without need of warm relationships In support of this theory, research has found increased risk for developing the disorder among abused children and those from divorced families Handout 52: How Do Theorists Explain Narcissistic Personality Disorder?Behavioral and cognitive theorists propose that narcissistic personality disorder may develop when people are treated too positively rather than too negatively in early life Those with the disorder have been taught to â€Å"overvalue their self-worth† In support of this explanation, first-born and only children score higher on measures of narcissism Finally, many sociocultural theorists see a link between narcissistic personality disorder and â€Å"eras of narcissism† in society Handout 53: Treatments for Narcissistic Personality Disorder This disorder is one of the most difficult personality patterns to treatClients who consult therapists usually do so because of a related disorder, most commonly depression Once in treatment, the individuals may try to manipulate the therapist into supporting their sense of superiority None of the major treatment approaches has had much success Handout 55: â€Å"Anxious† Personality Disorders People with these disorders typically display anxious and fearful behavior Although many of the symptoms are similar to those of anxiety and depressive disorders, researchers have found no links between this cluster and those Axis I diagnoses As with most of the personality disorders, research is limitedBut treatments for this cluster appear to be modestly to moderately helpful Handout 56: Avoidant Person ality Disorder People with avoidant personality disorder are very uncomfortable and restrained in social situations, overwhelmed by feelings of inadequacy, and extremely sensitive to negative evaluation They believe themselves unappealing or inferior and often have few close friends Handout 57: Avoidant Personality Disorder The disorder is similar to social phobia, and many people with one disorder experience the other Similarities between the two disorders include a few of humiliation and low self-confidenceA key difference is that people with social phobia mainly fear social circumstances, while people with avoidant personality disorder tend to fear close social relationships Between 1 and 2% of adults have avoidant personality disorder Handout 60: How Do Theorists Explain Avoidant Personality Disorder? Cognitive theorists believe that harsh criticism and rejection in early childhood may lead people to assume that others will always judge them harshly In several studies, individua ls reported memories that supported both the psychodynamic and cognitive theoriesHandout 61: Treatments for Avoidant Personality Disorder People with avoidant personality disorder come to therapy seeking acceptance and affection Keeping them in therapy can be challenging because they often begin to avoid sessions A key task of the therapist is to build trust Beyond building trust, therapists tend to treat the disorder as they treat social phobia and anxiety These treatments have had modest success Group and drug therapy may also be useful Handout 62: Dependent Personality Disorder People with dependent personality disorder have a pervasive, excessive need to be taken care ofAs a result, they are clinging and obedient, fearing separation from their loved ones They rely on others so much that they cannot make the smallest decision for themselves The central feature of the disorder is a difficulty with separation Handout 65: How Do Theorists Explain Dependent Personality Disorder? Beha viorists propose that parents of those with dependent personality disorder unintentionally rewarded their children’s clinging and â€Å"loyal† behavior while punishing acts of independence Alternatively, some parents’ own dependent behaviors may have served as models for their childrenHandout 68: Treatments for Dependent Personality Disorder Treatment can be at least modestly helpful Psychodynamic therapy focuses on many of the same issues as therapy for people with depression Cognitive therapists try to help clients challenge and change their assumptions of incompetence and helplessness Antidepressant drug therapy has been helpful for those whose disorder is accompanied by depression Group therapy can be helpful because it provides clients an opportunity to receive support from a number of peers and because group members may serve as models for one anotherHandout 70: Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder Between 2 and 5% of the population has this disorder, with white, educated, married, and employed individuals receiving the diagnosis most often Men are twice as likely as women to display the disorder Many clinicians believe that obsessive-compulsive personality disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder (the anxiety disorder) are closely related While the disorders share similar symptoms, researchers have not found a specific link between them Handout 72: How Do Theorists Explain Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder?Freudian theorists suggest that people with obsessive-compulsive personality disorder are anal regressive Because of overly harsh toilet training, people become angry and remain fixated at this stage of psychosexual development To keep their anger under control, they resist both their anger and their instincts to have bowel movements As a result, they become extremely orderly and restrained Handout 77: What Problems Are Posed by the DSM Categories? Some of the diagnostic criteria cannot be observed directly The diag noses often rely heavily on the impressions of the individual clinicianSimilarly, clinicians differ widely in their judgments about when a normal personality style crosses the line and deserves to be called a disorder Handout 79: What Problems Are Posed by the DSM Categories? Because of these problems, diagnosticians keep changing the criteria used to assess the personality disorders Further, some theorists believe that the personality disorders actually differ more in degree than in type of dysfunction Some theorists have proposed that the disorders be organized by how severe certain key traits are rather than by the presence or absence of specific traits

Avocado History, Domestication, and Spread

Avocado History, Domestication, and Spread Avocado (Persea americana) is one of the earliest fruits consumed in Mesoamerica and one of the first trees domesticated in the Neotropics. The word avocado derives from the language spoken by the Aztecs (Nahuatl)  who called the tree ahoacaquahuitl  and its fruit ahuacatl; the Spanish called it aguacate. The oldest evidence for avocado consumption dates back almost 10,000 years in Puebla state of central Mexico, at the site of Coxcatlan. There, and in other cave environments in the Tehuacan and Oaxaca valleys, archaeologists found that over time, avocado seeds grew larger. Based on that, the avocado is considered to have been domesticated in the region by between 4000-2800 BC. Avocado Biology The Persea genus has twelve species, most of which produce inedible fruits: P. americana is the best known of the edible species. In its natural habitat, P. americana grows to between 10-12 meters (33-40 feet) high, and it has lateral roots; smooth leathery, deep green leaves; and symmetrical yellow-green flowers. The fruits are variously shaped, from pear-shaped through oval to globular or elliptic-oblong. The peel color of the ripe fruit varies from green to dark purple to black. The wild progenitor of all three varieties was a polymorphic tree species that spanned a broad geographical area from the eastern and central highlands of Mexico through Guatemala to the Pacific coast of Central America. The avocado should really be considered as semi-domesticated: Mesoamericans didnt construct orchards but rather brought a few wild trees into residential garden plots and tended them there. Ancient Varieties Three varieties of avocado were created separately in three different locations in Central America. They were recognized and reported in surviving Mesoamerican codexes, with the most detail appearing in the Aztec Florentine Codex. Some scholars believe these varieties of avocados were all created in the 16th century: but the evidence is inconclusive at best. Mexican avocados (P. americana var. drymifolia, called the ​aoacatl in the Aztec language), originated in central Mexico and are adapted to the tropical highlands, with relatively good tolerance to cold and small fruits that are covered by a thin, purple-black skin.Guatemalan avocados, (P. americana var. guatemalensis, quilaoacatl) are from southern Mexico or Guatemala. They are similar in shape and size to the Mexican but have a more ovoid and lighter-colored seed. Guatemalan avocados are adapted to medium elevations in the tropics, are somewhat cold-tolerant, and have a thick, tough skin.West Indian avocados (P. americana var. americana, tlacacolaocatl), despite their name, are not from the West Indies at all, but rather were developed in the Maya lowlands of central America. They are the largest of the avocado varieties and are adapted to lowland humid tropics and tolerant of high levels of salt and chlorosis (plant nutrient deficiencies). The West Indian avocado fruit is r ound to pear shape, has a smooth easy-to-peel light green skin and abundant flesh with a slightly sweet taste. Modern Varieties There are about 30 main cultivars (and many others) of avocados in our modern markets, of which the best known include the Anaheim and Bacon (which are derived almost entirely from Guatemalan avocados); Fuerte (from Mexican avocados); and Hass and Zutano (which are hybrids of Mexican and Guatemalan). Hass has the highest volume of production and Mexico is the major producer of exported avocados, nearly 34% of the entire global market. The major importer is the United States. Modern health measures suggest that eaten fresh, avocados are a rich source of soluble B vitamins, and of about 20 other essential vitamins and minerals. The Florentine codex reported avocados are good for a variety of ailments including dandruff, scabies, and headaches. Cultural Significance The few surviving books (codices) of the Maya and Aztec cultures, as well as oral histories from their descendants, indicate that avocados held a spiritual significance in some Mesoamerican cultures. The fourteenth month in the classic Mayan calendar is represented by the avocado glyph, pronounced Kankin. Avocados are part of the name glyph of the classic Maya city of Pusilh in Belize, known as the Kingdom of the Avocado. Avocado trees are illustrated on the Maya ruler Pacals sarcophagus at Palenque. According to Aztec myth, since avocados are shaped like testicles (the word ahuacatl also means testicle), they can transfer strength to its consumers. Ahuacatlan is an Aztec city whose name means place where the avocado abounds. Sources This glossary entry is a part of the About.com guide to Plant Domestication, and the Dictionary of Archaeology. Chen H, Morrell PL, Ashworth VETM, de la Cruz M, and Clegg MT. 2009. Tracing the Geographic Origins of Major Avocado Cultivars. Journal of Heredity 100(1):56-65. Galindo-Tovar, Marà ­a Elena. Some aspects of avocado (Persea americana Mill.) diversity and domestication in Mesoamerica. Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution, Volume 55, Issue 3, SpringerLink, May 2008. Galindo-Tovar ME, and Arzate-Fernndez A. 2010. West Indian avocado: where did it originate? Phyton: Revista Internacional de Botnica Experimental 79:203-207. Galindo-Tovar ME, Arzate-Fernndez AM, Ogata-Aguilar N, and Landero-Torres I. 2007. The Avocado (Persea Americana, Lauraceae) Crop in Mesoamerica: 10,000 Years of History. Harvard Papers in Botany 12(2):325-334. Landon AJ. 2009. Domestication and Significance of Persea americana, the Avocado, in Mesoamerica. Nebraska Anthropologist 24:62-79. Martinez Pacheco MM, Lopez Gomez R, Salgado Garciglia R, Raya Calderon M, and Martinez Muà ±oz RE. 2011. Folates and Persea americana Mill. (Avocado). Emirates Journal of Food and Agriculture 23(3):204-213.

List of the Strong Bases (Arrhenius Bases)

List of the Strong Bases (Arrhenius Bases) Strong bases are bases which completely dissociate in water into the cation and OH- (hydroxide ion). The hydroxides of the Group I (alkali metals) and Group II (alkaline earth) metals usually are considered to be strong bases. These are classic Arrhenius bases. Here is a list of the most common strong bases. LiOH - lithium hydroxideNaOH - sodium hydroxideKOH - potassium hydroxideRbOH - rubidium hydroxideCsOH - cesium hydroxide*Ca(OH)2 - calcium hydroxide*Sr(OH)2 - strontium hydroxide*Ba(OH)2 - barium hydroxide * These bases completely dissociate in solutions of 0.01 M or less. The other bases make solutions of 1.0 M and are 100% dissociated at that concentration. There are other strong bases than those listed, but they are not often encountered. Properties of the Strong Bases The strong bases are excellent proton (hydrogen ion) acceptors and electron donors. The strong bases can deprotonate weak acids. Aqueous solutions of strong bases are slippery and soapy. However, its never a good idea to touch a solution to test it because these bases tend to be caustic. Concentrated solutions can produce chemical burns. Superbases In addition to the strong Arrhenius bases, there are also superbases. Superbases are Lewis bases that are Group 1 salts of carbanions, such as hydrides and amides. Lewis bases tend to be even stronger than the strong Arrhenius bases because their conjugate acids are so weak. While Arrhenius bases are used as aqueous solutions, the superbases deprotonate water, reacting with it completely. In water, none of the original anion of a superbase remains in solution. The superbases are most often used in organic chemistry as reagents. Examples of the superbases include: Ethoxide ionButyl lithium (n-BuLi)Lithium diisopropylamide (LDA) (C6H14LiN)Lithium diethylamide (LDEA)Sodium amide (NaNH2)Sodium hydride (NaH)Lithium bis(trimethylsilyl)amide, ((CH3)3Si)2NLi

Behavioural Finance Viev On Market Bubbles Essay

Behavioural Finance Viev On Market Bubbles - Essay Example This paper investigates these market events through relevant research material and identifies the anatomy and behavioral finance phenomena of the events using information. The tulip bulbs speculation, which was at its peak in February 1637, and the consequent market crash that followed mark the most notorious economic hard times in the History of Dutch (Goldgar, 2007:5). Together with Britain’s Sothern Sea Buble in the 18th century, these are the earliest example of irrational market behavior that affected investors in Europe. The Semper Augustus, a tulip bulb type, was both sublime and prosaic than any comparable bonds or stocks, it was extraordinarily beautiful with its pure white top and midnight petals combined with accents of crimsons flares. In history, it remains the most valuable flower to date. Back in the early 1624, an individual in Amsterdam in possession of the last dozen specimens of tulips was o be given a high of 3,000 guilders, an equivalent of a wealthy merch ant’s annual income, but turned down the offer. This is the height of how speculations had raised the prices of the tulip. Nonetheless, the tulip craze was not only in Dutch. The flower was an enchantment for the rulers of the Ottoman Empire and the Persians in late 1550s, but it was in Holland where the flower found its fertile ground, economically (Goldgar, 2007:15). Holland was in the Golden Age in the early 1700s and all the resources that the country had directed towards the fight with Spain for their independence were now concentrated on commerce. Amsterdam was strategically at center of the East Indies trade, which enabled a single voyage to gain four times its value in the lucrative market place. Flower gardens surrounding their grand estates usually evidenced their success in the trade. This was the trigger for the tulip craze. Tulip prices began rising significantly as the rich lot in Holland not considering the value of the tulips. The tulip business became the new order of business setting by professional tulip traders with the customers coming from tulip fanciers (bloemisten) in middling groups rather than the nobles or artisans. The enthusiasm of owning prized specimens of tulips was a cultural credential display. The cultural credential associated with the tulips, combined with the fact that the seed takes seven years to grow, and that a mother bulb can only last a few years, was the foundation of the supply crisis. There were many buyers for the bulbs with a limited supply, which in economics results to a rise in the price of the commodity (Goldgar, 2007:86). The prices of the bulbs rose consistently over the early 1930s because of more speculation. The farmers and traders mortgaged all their assets in order to raise more capital for the trade. By 1936, any tulip bulbs, even the ones the current society considers garbage, could simply trade for hundreds of guilders. The peak of the tulip mania was in the early 1937 when a single tulip bu lb could change hands up to a maximum of ten individuals in a single day. The exact all time high of the tulip trade was at an auction whose proceeds would benefit seven orphans who had inherited 70 tulips from their father.

Privacy-Enhancing Security Mechanisms Research Proposal

Privacy-Enhancing Security Mechanisms - Research Proposal Example There also exist some privacy-preserving protocols that are being widely used in different technologies, such as, wireless sensor networks, mobile computing, and data mining operations. In this paper, we will discuss the technique to design a reliable and efficient privacy-preserving scheme in order to ensure increased security of data over the network. Problem Statement The problem statement for the research paper is: "Design and analysis of privacy-preserving network and cryptographic protocols" Conceptual Framework Aim of the Research In realistic networked environments, data security is the main focus of the management. Although there are several protocols and security mechanisms available for the protection of sensitive information, yet the security of the networked environments cannot be fully guaranteed. Generation of a reliable secret key can play a considerable role in this regard which should encrypt and decrypt the data while ensuring data integrity and authentication. The re is a need to design and implement privacy-enhanced cryptographic protocols using private handshaking, which should be able to provide optimum security to the sensitive information being transferred using mobile and messaging services. We will focus on designing a new pair wise key management scheme, which will include the properties of digital signatures and blindness along with the use of private handshakes. The key management scheme will make use of Boneh and Shacham's group signature scheme to ensure privacy and security in wireless networks. Literature Review Das and Giri state that pair wise key establishment enables sensor nodes to communicate securely in a sensor network with other nodes with the use of cryptographic techniques. Bista and Chang state, â€Å"Many wireless sensor network (WSN) applications require privacy-preserving aggregation of sensor data during transmission from the source nodes to the sink node†. Privacy is integral for wireless networks and ins tant messaging. Patil and Kobsa state, â€Å"Inadequate support for managing privacy could lead to suboptimal use of IM and thereby undermine its benefits†. Privacy-preserving network protocols play an important role in ensuring securing of data being transferred over the network. Privacy-preserving authentications achieve traditional goals as well as privacy of the authenticator and the verifier (Xu and Yung). Two of the main Privacy-Preserving Network Protocols include TOR and Off-the-record messaging. Off-the-record messaging techniques will be used because it enables private conversations over the wireless networks using the concept of encryption, authentication, deniability, and perfect forward secrecy. Cryptographic protocols will also be an important part of the research because they use such algorithms which ensure security of information over the network. â€Å"For the past three decades, a wide variety of cryptographic protocols have been proposed to solve secure c ommunication problems† (Shin). â€Å"Modern cryptography is concerned with the construction of systems that are robust against malicious attempts† (Goldreich). Cryptographic protocoal serve good when used in combinations, such as, ? 1, some ? 2s. â€Å"Although cryptographic protocols are typically analyzed in isolation, they are used in combinations† (Guttman). Lindell and Pinkas state, â€Å"Cryptographers seek to make secure protocols as efficient as possible in order to minimize the performance gap between secure and naive