Precipitation and Mother Nature Essay Example for Free

Precipitation and Mother Nature Essay There was a boy he lived high above the clouds in a glass house, the boy was about 6 feet tall, Black hair that is past his ears and covers one eye, his eyes are Grey and Black, under his lip there are 2 dots called snakebites and he had beautiful black angelic wings. This boys name was Rain, his name was Rain because whenever he was crying or sad it would rain in Washington State, Rain was sad a lot so it rained quite often. One day rain looked down on Washington and saw that it was snowing; this took rain by surprise because if he makes rain then someone makes snow and that person must live near him! Rain felt excited, in his head he made a plan to fly all around tomorrow and try to find this person. Night came and Rain went to bed so he can have energy for tomorrow. Morning came and Rain woke up feeling better than ever, He got up and went outside, Rain spread his wings and jumped. Rain felt wind rush through him and then his wings started to soar. Rain didn’t exactly know where he was going but he was either looking for a house or person. Rain thought he was out there for hours until he saw this house it looked like it was made out of crystal. Rain flew over there and landed on the crystal porch. He walked slowly to the door, He didn’t know what he was going to say until his thoughts got interrupted by the door opening, Rain shot his head up and there stood a girl, the girl took rains breath away. â€Å"Hello can I help you? † She said, Rain couldn’t even speak to her, her angelic voice kept ringing through his ears â€Å"Hello? † Rain snapped out of it. â€Å"Sorry, but I’m Rain I control rain obviously†¦ and I saw it was snowing down in Washington and if I make rain then someone makes snow so I was trying to find that person because I’ve never really talked to someone. † Rain said out of breath. Oh very well. Why don’t you come inside? I’ve never actually had company either. † She smiled Warmly, than Rain did something he never thought he would do he smiled. They walked inside and she asked him if he wanted a cup of tea he agreed and she turned around and Rain studied her figure, She had Pure white hair with bright blue eyes, she was kind of short compared to Rain, around 5†2. She had Fur boots on with white jeans, a white top that formed down to crystals, a crystal necklace that glowed on her chest and white wings that seemed similar to Rains. â€Å"I was wondering, What is your name? Rain hollered over to her. â€Å"Oh How rude of me, I’m Snow and I control snow. † She chuckled and gave him his cup of tea â€Å"Thank you. † Rain mumbled and smiled. Rain was very confused on why he was smiling so much he has never really smiled. â€Å"So Rain tell me about yourself? † â€Å"Well I’m a mortal, I’m 6,952 but I have the appearance of a 18 year old. My mother died when I was younger and that’s how I toke over rain. † Rain finished and looked up at Snow she had pity in her eyes. â€Å"Oh I’m very sorry but you must be going I have to make it snow tomorrow and need lots of rest. She smiled. Rain would usually smile when she smiled but he felt like crying. Without saying anything he walked out and spread his wings and flew off. â€Å"RAIN, RAIN COME BACK MOTHER NATURE IS OUT, YOU CAN’BE ROAMING. † Rain ignored her and kept flying to his house. â€Å"RAIN PLEASE!?!? † He ignored her once again, if he looked at her he would probably start crying, He kept hearing the faint calling but didn’t pay attention to it. Rain looked up and saw Mother Nature, Rain froze and fear dropped all through his body. Rain turned around and bolted to Snow, He turned around to see of she was gonna turn around and she was just about to when one of her peasants paged for her and she turned around relief went through his body and hurried over to Snow. Rain got to snow and they bolted inside, right as they got in Rain bear hugged Snow, â€Å"Im so sorry I shouldve listened. † Snow let go and smiled up at Rain, â€Å"Its alright, at least you OK. † Rain spent the night instead of going home just to be safe. Morning came and Rain woke up before snow so he folded his blankets and cleaned around him and waited. Snow came out about 30 minutes later, â€Å"Oh good youre up! She smiled and put on her Fur boots. â€Å"Lets go! † After long confusing hours Rain and Snow made it to Rains Glass house. â€Å"Oh wow, its just so clear. † she looked at the house amazed, â€Å"I guess so. † Rain chuckled. â€Å"Snow can I ask you something? † Rain asked nervously. â€Å"Yes, anything. † she walked over to him. â€Å"Well you see I was wondering if you could be my um Girlfriend? † Rain didn’t know if that’s what there called but- â€Å"Yes! † Snow said smiling. â€Å"Really?! † Rain asked not believing she said yes, Snow laughed â€Å"Yes. † Rain smiled so big he thought his cheeks were going to fall off. â€Å"Ill never be sad again. † Rain thought. Two years have past and it hasnt rained sense in Washington. One day Rain and Snow were talking and laughing at stupid when there was a knock on the door, â€Å"Mother Nature open up! † Snow looked at Rain shocked and scared, â€Å"Go hide NOW. † Rain hid in a closet next to the door so he could see, Snow opened the door, â€Å"Hello Mother Nature what brings you here? † snow asked trying to sound polite. â€Å"Well Im looking for a boy named Rain have you seen him? † Mother Nature asked looking around the house. â€Å"Oh I have never met someone named Rain sorry. † Snow put on a Fake smile and Mother Nature looked at her closely to see if she was lying. Well I guess I will check somewhere else, Farewell darling. † Snow smiled and said a quick Goodbye and shut the door. Rain came out, â€Å"Snow I will just go to my house until Mother Nature stops searching for me. † Rain said trying not to show how sad he was. â€Å"Oh, I guess Goodbye Rain. † She gave him a long embrace and smiled up at him and he left. Rain was shutting the door when someone screams â€Å"THERES RAIN! † Mother Nature wiped around and looked furious. Mothers Natures little creatures things held Rains arms down so he wont get away. Mother Nature walked up to Rains door, â€Å"Oh Snow come out dear. Snow came out looking at me terrified and nearly in tears, â€Å"Yes? † She said trying to act innocent. â€Å"Snow you lied to me and everyone knows you don’t lie to Mother Nature you know why? † She didn’t even give Snow to answer, â€Å"Because you will get punished, bad. † Right before Mother Nature could raise her hand and zap snow and kill her, Rain broke free and pushed her off the porch. Snow ran up to Rain and hugged him, â€Å"Im so sorry. † Rain could only think of how he killed the one and only Mother Nature so the only thing he thought was appropriate was to cry, and down in Washington lied Mother Natures dead body.

Rationale For Choosing Communication And Therapeutic Engagement Nursing Essay

Rationale For Choosing Communication And Therapeutic Engagement Nursing Essay My ward is a Patient Intensive Care Unit (PICU) of a forensic setting. It has thirteen in-patients and a staff strength of twenty three nurses both qualified and unqualified. Agency staff are frequently engaged to make up the number of staff necessary to care for patients on a particular shift. On the average there are between seven and eleven nursing staff per shift depending on the prevailing situation on the ward. It has two supervised confinements and two intensive care areas. Admissions are planned and it is based on a set of assessment criteria. Only acutely unwell patients are admitted. This essay will draw on my first working experience as a primary nurse of an acutely unwell psychiatric patient to illustrate my development with regards to communication and therapeutic engagement. Gibbs (1988) reflective cycle will be used to reflect this experience. Description I had just started work as a newly employed member of staff and was assigned primary nurse to a thirty year old patient of Afro-Caribbean origin who was transferred from another ward following a relapse in his mental state. He was under section 3 of the Mental Health Act (1983). This patient is named A for confidentiality purposes (NMC, 2008) had diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia and had no insight into his mental illness. His carer was his mother with whom he had a luke warm relationship. He was very suspicious of staff interventions and would not engage. Routine blood tests had revealed that he had elevated createnine kinase (CK) levels (Cretenine Kinase enzyme, high levels of which case severe muscle damage, neuropletic malignant syndrome, myocardial infarction etc). Following this finding, his antipsychotic medication was withdrawn pending further blood tests. He refused to have a blood sample taken for further tests, he believed staff would drink his blood. As his primary nurs e, I made several attempts to encourage him to have the blood tests, but he would not be persuaded. He was also diagnosed with type II diabetes and was dependent of insulin. He self managed his physical illness by carrying out blood glucose level monitoring and self administering insulin under staff supervision. Patient A fed only on pre-packed barbeque chicken purchased from the supermarket and would not eat food served on the ward. I had one to one engagement with him to discuss his dietary intake and also formulate a physical and mental healthcare plan. He was not interested and made no contributions to the discussions. I gave him copies of the care plans which he declined. He said you can keep those care plans I dont need them and I am able to take care of myself. By the end of the second week, his mental state had deteriorated so much that he was very paranoid, irritable and getting into arguments with fellow patients and staff. He was involved in incidents both verbal and physical aggression and became increasingly difficult to manage on the ward. For his safety and that of others the team made a decision to nurse Mr. A in supervised confinement based on rationalist -analytical approach, having carried out risk assessment and looked at his history as well as the trust policy. As part of this risk management plan he was transferred to the intensive care area (ICA) and nursed under enhanced observation by two nursing staff. I requested to be allocated to nurse him in the ICA as often as the trust and unity policy old allow, so as to assess his mental state and attempt to build a rapport with him. Mr. A would not talk but I persisted. He noticed that I was frequently allocated to observe him and gradually opened up. I explained to him the teams decision to nurse him in the supervised confinement and the ICA. We talked about politics, football, music etc and our relationship developed and continued till he was transferred to a rehabilitation ward. Feelings I felt very frustrated and inadequate and was very much under stress. It was obvious from his reaction that he had no confidence or trust in me and saw me just like any other healthcare professional. Woods (2004) highlights the complex problems and needs of patients who find themselves in forensic settings and maintain that it is a common occurrence that some patients can not engage in treatment while others simply refuse to do so. Arnold and Underman-Boggs (1999) maintain that any meaningful relationship begins with trust. Trusting a nurse is particularly difficult for the mentally ill, for whom the idea of having a caring relationship is incomprehensible. As his primary nurse I saw myself as the advocate ready to work with him and seek his interest at all times. As nurses, we are called upon to play our roles as advocates, supervising and protecting clients rights and empowering them to take charge of their lives. Ironbar and Hooper (2003) stresses that therapeutic relationships ca n be stressful. Working closely with people who are mentally unwell and under stress can be very demanding and emotionally draining experience. Consequently, nurses need to be aware of the effect that such relationships can have on them. This requires insight, self awareness and ability to cope effectively with stress. My initial perception was that Mr A was a difficult patient and considered withdrawing as his primary nurse but I felt emotionally attached. I understood that I owed Mr A a duty of care (NMC, 2008) and simply withdrawing was not professional in my view. OCarrol et al (2007) contended that in our professional roles, nurses do not have the same option as we do in our personal life by withdrawing from difficult relationships. Rather it requires exploring the situation which may help recognise ways in which the nurse is influenced by his emotions. The authors caution that nurses must learn to manage their own emotions. Furthermore, they need to communicate their emotional reactions to the patient, albeit in a modified form. I empathised with Mr A and it drew me closer to him, revealing to me the depth of hi mental illness. I wished I could doe something here and now to help alleviate the state f confusion, anxiety and helplessness in which he found himself. Barker (2003) reports of how in recent times empathy has been shown to enable nurses to investigate and understand the experience of persons experiencing a state of chaos as a consequence of psychiatric order. I felt uncomfortable when Mr A had to be physically restrained (PSTS techniques) and nursed in supervisory confinement, I felt that this procedure was not justifiable because the privacy, dignity and respect of this client had been compromised. As nurses we are to demonstrate respect for patients by promoting their privacy and dignity (NMC, 2008) (Essence of Care, 2003). On the other hand, I thought that his safety and that f others was paramount and this could be achieved only by nursing h im separately from the rest. The NMC (2008: para 8:4) Code of Professional Conduct clearly states that when facing a professional dilemma, the first consideration must be the safety of patients. The collaborative team decision to nurse him in the supervised confinement area made me feel valued as a team member. I was actively involved in the decision making process and carried out risk assessments. I felt that I was insensitive with my sustained persistence to get him to talk. I should have understood that his moments of silence were necessary to help him calm down (SLAM, 2008). I also felt unsupported and struggled to cope with the management and care of Mr A. I was unable to access clinical supervision because my supervisor was away on holiday. Evaluation Although it seemed difficult at the beginning, but by the time Mr A was out of the ICA we had developed a good working relationship. I did not show my disappointment at his reluctance to engage when he was acutely unwell and stayed positive. Engaging with him while nursing him in the ICA offered me the opportunity to explain to him the teams decision to place him under enhanced observation. Actively listening to him and discussing with him his thoughts and feelings have helped lessen his distress. It also enabled me to give a comprehensive feedback to the team regarding his mental state. We met in one to one engagements and discussed his concerns and needs. A good and well ventilated environment was always made for our meetings. Following assessments, we discussed his care plans, participation in group activities, crisis management and other forms of therapies. He felt very much in charge, highlighting his most pressing needs. Whenever we met, there as a demonstration of mutual respect and desire for working together in a partnership. Together we identified and prioritised his goals for recovery based on his strengths and what he believes is achievable. Faulkner (1998) asserts that goals must be clearly defined so that both the professional and the patient are going in the same direction in terms of what they wish to achieve by a certain time. During or interactions clear boundaries were set and clarified for Mr A what were acceptable behaviours. Boundaries were set as to what he was allowed to do without supervision, how he engaged with others and appropriate ways o f addressing issues he felt unhappy or uncomfortable with. The plan of care was therefore service-user centred and recovery orientated approach. The recovery model has been incorporated into the principles of care delivery in the trust (SLAM, 2007). It aims to help service-users to move beyond mere survival and existence, encouraging them to move forward and carry out activities and develop relationships that give their lives meanings. Wood (2004) indicated that nursing forensic patients is not easy and requires complex treatment plans that focus fundamentally on reducing risk of harm to others. As part of his recovery, he was encouraged to self manage his diabetes under supervision. Giving his understanding of his physical illness information was provided to enable him to make informed decisions about his lifestyle. Mr A consented to giving regular blood samples. His CK level fell to normal levels and was restarted on anti psychotic medication. However, it took time for Mr A to adequately understand the situation that he was in and the effect of his illness on his lifestyles. It must also be stated that it was not always possible to meet with Mr A as planned. Scheduled meetings had to be cancelled due to being engaged with very pressing ward issues. Analysis The use of therapeutic communications in nursing, particularly empathy, is what enables therapeutic change and should not be underestimated (Norman and Ryrie, 2004). Egan (2002) argues that empathy is not just the ability to enter into and understand the world of another person but also be able to communicate this understanding to him/her. The relevance of empathetic relationships to the goals of health services are suggested by the increase in focus on patient centred care and the growth of consumerism. The client-centred focus is illustrated by the NHS patient charter which emphasises that clinicians need to collaborate with users of the health services in the prioritising of clinical needs and the setting of treatment goals (Barker, 2003). Nurses should be aware that patients who are paranoid and suspicious of staff interventions as was the case of Mr A, might not readily accept support from staff. This implies that working with such patients can be very challenging and difficult. It therefore calls for the nurse to remain impatient, calm and focused. The need to build therapeutic relationship with the patient is paramount in gaining trust and respect (Rigby and Alexander, 2008). Caring, empathy and good communication skills are needed to help patients through their illness. Therefore the use of effective interpersonal skill s facilitates the development of a positive nurse-patient relationship. McCabe (2004) argues that the use of effective interpersonal skills, a basic component of nursing, must be patient centred. Nursing Mr A in supervised confinement and subsequently in the ICA was in accordance to SLAM (2008) Engagement and Formal Observation Policy. Despite the frequent occurrence of this nursing intervention in mental health settings, for the whole of the UK there are no national standards or guidelines for practice of observation. The current situation in England and Wales is that policies are developed and implemented at a local level using SNMAC (1999) practice guidance for observation of patients at risk as a template (Harrison et al, 2006). Nursing patients in supervised confinement, though a common practice in the PICU raises a number of ethical, professional and legal issues about the role of the nurse, whether he/she is a custodian or therapist and a friend is debateable. Alland et al (2003) noted that patients view enhanced observation as uncomfortable at best, custodial and dehumanising at worst. Mr A felt that his pride and dignity had been taken away from him he was at risk an d therefore an immediate and effective risk management plan had to be implemented. This was necessary to ensure his safety and that of others even though he expressed unhappiness with this intervention. By engaging him and encouraging him to share his thoughts and feelings his anger appeared to have lessened as he joined in the discussions of politics, music, football etc. Thurgood (2004) empathised that showing your human side to clients is very important. Engaging meaningfully with patients and helping them talk about their feelings is the first step to alleviating some of their distress. The NMC (2008) Code of Professional Conduct clearly points to the rights of patients in relation to autonomy. There appeared to have been a reach to Mr As rights. The difficulty we faced as a team was finding the balance between allowing some privacy and dignity versus persevering his safety and security. Consequently, a dilemma arose for me as his primary nurse in relation to his rights, obligat ions and duties. In fact Article 5(1) e of the Human Rights Act (1998) specifies the right of the state to lawfully detain the person of unsound mind. Within the UK, that framework is provides by the Mental Health Act 1983 (DOH, 1998). One may argue then that there is no fundamental incompatibility between the Mental Health Act and the Human Rights Act. There were times that scheduled meetings with Mr A had to be cancelled because of urgent administrative duties. It meant that he lost the opportunity to meet up with me to discuss his concerns and needs. The concept of Patient Protected Time (PPT) in inpatient units is therefore valid. It allows patients to meet with a healthcare provider on one to one for a specified time when the ward is closed to administrative duties to discuss care plans, social activities, therapies and others. Such interaction according to Song and Soobratty (2007) promotes feelings of self confidence, esteem and recovery. It can also aid the patient therapeutic progress as it can help with social interaction and building relationships. However, nurses complain they already have plenty to do without an added pressure of PPT to contend with. Nurses frequently complaining of being too busy to develop therapeutic rapport with patents (Mental Health Act Commission 2008). Yawar (2008) reported that only 16% of pati ents time was spent in what can loosely be termed as therapeutic interaction. The remaining of the 84% was spent aimlessly either pacing p and down the ward or doing nothing. Nurses recognise their responsibilities to engage with patients and welcome the opportunity to do this without other demands (Edward, 2008). The Department of Health (2002) called for improvements to ensure adequate clinical support inputs to inpatient wards and to maximise the time spent by staff therapeutically engaged with patients. Therapeutic engagement, therefore involves spending quality time with patients with the aim to empower them to actively participate in their care. Conclusion Communication is without doubt the medium through which the nurse-patient relationship takes place. The skills of active listening and reflection promote better communication and encourage empathy building. My first role as a primary nurse as a good learning experience. My conduct throughout the whole experience earned me a favourable feedback from my team leader. Caring for acutely mentally unwell patients requires of the nurse sensitivity, conveying warmth and empathy. Engaging meaningfully and actively listening to patients under enhanced observation makes them perceive the practice as valuing rather than punishing, therapeutic rather then custodial. Feeling safe and secured provides a platform which can assist patients to begin to resolve some of the difficulties they may be facing in their lives. It is imperative that nurses involve patients in all aspects of their care, empowering and making decisions in partnership with the team. By developing collaborative relationship with p atients, nurses can provide prompt and focused interventions which can limit illness damage, assist in the process of symptoms management and help the process of recovery. Action plan My aim is to be proactive in the future by promptly seeking support from senior colleagues and requesting for clinical supervision. I aim t develop the skill of emotional resilience and intelligence to be able to deliver care that will promote patient welfare and aid recovery. The preceptorship experience has been a breath of fresh air. A time to look back and take stock of the transition from student nurse to an accountable practitioner. Listening and sharing in the experiences of fellow nurses was a good learning experience. The preceptors were fantastic master clinicians who were receptive to our contributions as they explored our experiences at the beginning of each teaching session. This experience has undoubtedly enhanced my critical thinking as a nurse and prepared me to move forward in my development and practice as a caring and competent nurse. I see myself as being in the right job which offers many opportunities for development and to improve upon my knowledge and skills.

Creatine Monohydrate And Its Effects On Sprinters Physical Education Essay

Creatine Monohydrate And Its Effects On Sprinters Physical Education Essay Creatine monohydrate has been shown to act as a buffer to maintain fast rates of ATP turnover, therefore Creatine availability has been reported to be a main limiting factor during bouts of high-intensity exercise such as sprinting. As a result of recent investigations documenting the ergogenic value of creatine monohydrate supplementation, it has been used as a popular ergogenic aid for many athletes who require fast rates of recovery (Mujika Padilla, 1997). Creatine is thought to improve performance by facilitating the rate of post-exercise Phosphocreatine (PCr) resynthesis. Given this relationship between PCr resynthesis and recovery of power output, supplementation is most likely to be beneficial to repetitive sprint activities (Glaister, 2006). However, some investigations on the effects of creatine supplementation and its effect on multiple sprint performance report significant improvements, whereas others report no such effect (Mujika, 1996). The main reasons for discrepancie s in the results of different investigations are the use of low subject numbers, varied creatine doses, varied test durations, and poor randomization. For these reasons this study will use a high number of subjects in a double blind fashion, with a dosage of 20 grams per day for the first 5 days followed by 5 grams a day for the remainder of the study. The study will continue for a duration of 8 weeks. Creatine monohydrate supplementation is popular in athletes participating in strength and power sports. Creatine use is thought to be effective for enhancing performance of activities that involve repeated intervals of sprint type exercises with short rest periods. First, an increase in PCr stores should increase the contribution of PCr for the resynthesis and decrease the demand from glycolysis which will result in a smaller accumulation of lactic acid. Then, when PCr is broken down to rephosphorylate ADP, a hydrogen ion is consumed in the reaction. Therefore, an increase in PCr could delay the onset of acidosis and fatigue and thus improve performance in repeated bouts of sprinting (Chilibeck Cornish, 2006). A study performed on the sprint performance of 19 highly trained male soccer players using creatine supplementation, consisted of six maximal 15 meter runs with a 30 second recovery period. The results of the study allowed the investigators to conclude that acute Cr supplementation favorably affected repeated sprint performance, however intermittent endurance performance was not affect by Cr (Mujika Padilla, 1998). Another study done by Mujika in 1996, involved sprint performance among twenty highly trained swimmers. Unlike the other studies mentioned, this study showed no significant improvements in sprint performance among competitive swimmers, therefore according to these results creatine supplementation cannot be considered as an ergogenic aid (Mujika, 1996). A study using the 30 second maximal cycle test, also known as the Wingate test, in conjunction with creatine supplementation also showed no ergogenic benefit. 20 grams of creatine supplementation for 3 days did not increase resting muscle PCr, nor did it affect the single short term maximal cycling performance. A possible explanation for this is that the duration of the test was too short to produce and significant muscular changes (Odland et al., 1997). Most studies have investigated the effects of creatine supplementation using cycle ergometry, this study will involve actual sprinters performing repeated sprints with relatively short rest periods performing to exhaustion. Also, there is little to no research on the prolonged effects of creatine supplementation, so the length of the study will be 8 weeks. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM: While many studies exist pertaining the effects of creatine supplementation on strength, power, and endurance, few studies exist investigating the effects of creatine supplementation on sprint performance on trained sprinters. The results of prior studies have noted many discrepancies such as research done by Mujika (1996) and Glaister (2006). Not enough evidence exists on the effects of creatine supplementation on sprint performance specifically the effect it has on trained individuals. PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of creatine monohydrate supplementation on sprint performance in 50 NCAA colligate track and field athletes. These participants will go through an eight week supplementation and training period where they will be timed pre and post supplementation on a weekly basis in the 100 and 200 meter runs. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY: Most research on creatine has focused on short-term creatine loading and its effect on high intensity performance capacity. Some studies have investigated the effect of prolonged creatine use during strength training. However, studies on the effects of prolonged creatine supplementation on sprint performance are lacking. Due to this lack of information, this study will provide more data on the effects of prolonged creatine supplementation and its effects on sprint performance. RESEARCH HYPOTHESES: There will be a significant difference between the group which supplements with creatine and the control group in term of improvements in sprint performance. Improvements will be considered to be an improvement in time trials. The creatine group will have significant improvements in sprint performance compared to the control group. There will be more of a significant improvement in the 200 meter sprint times as opposed to the 100 meter sprint times. N) There will be no significant differences in terms of sprint performance between the creatine group and the control group. DEFINITION OF TERMS: Performance Improvement- Performance improvement for sprints will be when one records a better time than a previous test Fatigue- temporary loss of strength and energy resulting from hard physical work Exhaustion- extreme fatigue; debilitation: serious weakening and loss of energy ASSUMPTIONS: It is assumed that all subjects in the study will not be doing any other training regimen aside from the one included within the study. It is assumed that all subjects in the study are not using any other supplements during the course of the study. It is assumed that the all subjects are following protocol of the study and not deviating in any way. It is assumed that the subjects are training and performing to their maximal efforts. DELIMITATIONS: The study has been delimited to collegiate track and field athletes. The study has been delimited to athletes who compete in the 100 and 200 meter events. LIMITATIONS: Subjects are not following protocol correctly. Subjects are not performing to maximal efforts. Subjects are taking other supplements during the course of the study. Subjects change their dietary patterns mid way through the course of the study. REVIEW OF LITERATURE Most studies investigating the ergogenic value of creatine supplementation have reported significant increases in strength, power, sprint performance, and accumulation of performed work during multiple sets of maximal effort. These improvements are generally attributed to increase total creatine and phosphocreatine content in working muscles leading to more efficient resynthesis of PCr and enhance quality of training adaptations. Recent investigations by Mujika and Padilla (2000) have focused on the possible ergogenic value of supplementing the athletesà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ diet with approximately 20 g/d of creatine monohydrate for a week. It has often been shown that this type of creatine supplementation can result in increased total muscle creatine and phosphocreatine concentrations. Some studies have also shown that this elevated intramuscular phosphocreatine can enhance the rate of ATP and phosphocreatine resynthesis after high intensity efforts, causing a delayed onset of muscular fatigue and an increased performance during repeated bouts of high intensity exercise. A study stimulated by anecdotal reports of gains in strength and lean body mass in conjunction with Cr supplementation investigated the use of lower doses of creatine monohydrate for extended periods during heavy resistance training. Using 16 collegiate football player which were randomly separated into creatine and placebo groups. Cr groups ingested 5 grams of creatine monohydrate while the placebo ingested a placebo capsule, both of which took their capsules for a 10 week period. The results confirmed that 10 weeks of creatine monohydrate supplementing while participating in resistance training program will significantly increase strength and power compared with placebo supplementation. The result also indicates that Cr supplementation over the long term can be effect without a large dose loading phase (Pearson, 1999). Francaux and Poortmans (1999) used 25 healthy males participating in a 42 day training period followed by a 21 day detraining period. Creatine and placebo were given over a period of 9 weeks. Subjects ingested 21 grams of Cr for 5 days followed by 3 grams per day for 58 days. There were no changes observed in body mass for the control or placebo groups, while the Cr groups had in average increase in body weight by 2 kg. The increase was partially attributed to body water content, however the relative volumes of body water compartments remained constant, thus the gain in body mass cannot be attributed to water retention, but most likely to dry matter growth accompanied with a normal water volume. It has also been reported that Cr supplementation may improve single effort and repetitive sprint performance, particularly those last from 6- 30 seconds with a 5 min rest for recovery between sprints. A study performed by Dawson et al. found that Cr supplementation significantly increased work performed during the first six 6 second cycle ergometry. These result are supported by a similar study by Schneider who reported at supplementation with Cr was associated with significant improvement in cycle ergometer sprints with 60 second recovery time. In a study concerning Cr supplementation in professional rugby players, they were directed to take a loading phase consisting of 20 grams per day for 4 days once a month. This loading phase was then followed by a 3 week abstinence period. After the third loading cycle, the players were surveyed on compliance, preferred time and ingestion method, perceived side effects and perceived benefits. The results of this survey included; 35.3% reporting being fatigued less quickly, 29.4% reported quicker recovery from sprint type activities, and 23.5% reported faster recovery from training sessions. The study concluded that Cr supplementation may be useful in sports which require repeated sprint efforts and can be advantageous in both training and performance (Meir, 1995). It has been suggested by Mujika et al. (2000) that highly trained athletes who participate in sports in which performance relies on repeated efforts could benefit from creatine ingestion by means of an increased ability to perform intermittent high-intensity exercise either during training or competition. There have also been recent reports claiming that most studies not only do not use highly trained athletes as subjects, most of the studies cited above were conducted under laboratory conditions, and none of them assessed the effects of the creatine supplementation on performance during single specific athletic events. Recently reported results suggest that highly trained subjects performing sport-specific activities do not benefit from creatine ingestion (Mujika, 1996). There have also been a number of studies which report no ergogenic benefit from Cr supplementation. For example, one study by Burke et al. (1996) used male and female swimmers from the Australian National Team who supplemented with Cr for a 5 day period using 20 grams each day. This study did not show any enhancement due to Cr supplementation in 25m,50m, or 100m swims with a 10 min recovery period. Given such a long recovery period, ATP recovery should be recovered with our without Cr supplementation, therefore an increase in performance is not expected. A similar study involving swimmers was conducted by Mujika in 1996. This study also reported no performance increases between Cr and placebo groups, but did report a gain in body weight among the Cr group. This increase in weight could result in a increase in drag force and could alter the efficiency of a swimmers stroke. A study pertaining to maximal sprint performance on a cycle ergometer after Cr supplementation was conducted by Snow et al. (1998) The subjects were untrained men, who ingested 30 grams of creatine for a 5 day period. The results indicated that this dose of supplementation increase total creatine levels but did not improve sprint exercise performance on the cycle ergometer. These results are supported by similar studies by Finn et al. (2001) and Odland (1997). A recent study done in 2003, by Delecluse et al. examined the impact of a 7 day, high dosage of Cr supplementation on single and intermittent sprint performance in highly trained sprinters. Each subject ingested 0.35g of Cr per kg of body weight. Maximal sprint performance, degree of fatigue at the end of exercise, and degree of recovery all showed no difference compared to a placebo group. A review of previous studies concerning the topic of Cr supplementation show that Cr has been show to be a powerful aid in increasing strength and power related to sprint performance. Other studies however, have shown no improvements in strength, power, or overall sprint performance in conjunction with Cr supplementation. These discrepancies in results can possibly be attributed to differences in length of supplementation, exercise criterion, dosages, or subject response. METHODOLOGY: SUBJECTS: An email was sent to ten different division one schools asking their coaches if their track team would be willing to participate in an off-season supplementation program within a study that is being conducted at the University of Scranton. Due to the lack of a track and field team, we had to contact other schools in the area and see if there track team would participate. The coach from Lehigh University responded allowing his team to participate in this supplementation program. A written consent was obtained from the all 50 participants after they were thoroughly informed of the purpose and potential risks of participating in the study. All experimental procedures were approved by the Exercise Science Committee of the University of Scranton. All subjects were members of the same team and were competing at a national level at the time of the study. TESTING PROCEDURES: All of our testing will take place at the University of Scrantonà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s gym facilities. This study will use a pretest-posttest randomized-groups design. Our subjects will be evenly divided into two groups. One will be the control group, and the other the experimental group. Both the researchers and subjects will lack information as to which group is which. Each group will come in for a pre-training assessment evaluation that will last the first week of the study. Each participant will be timed in the 100 and 200 meter runs to establish prior times and speeds before supplementation begins. All of the timed trials will be supervised by experienced exercise physiologists found in our team here at the University of Scranton. During weeks two through seven is when supplementation will occur. Creatine (Cr) monohydrate will be administered to the supplementation group. This supplementation group will ingest four 5-g doses of Cr monohydrate per day for 6 days. The control or placebo group will take the same dosage of a carbohydrate solution as the supplementation group. Weekà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s three to seven will cut back to just one 5-g dose a day for 6 days. By week eight, all supplementation will end. The subjects will be given a three day period of no supplementation and will be timed once again in the 100 and 200 meter runs to see if any significant difference occurred in pre-test times. During the two to seven week period, all subjects will come in three times a week (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday) and complete the following training regiment, once in the morning and once in the afternoon. All subjects will be expected to continue all off-season training that will be administered by their coaches. Repeated sprint test (RST). A study conducted by Mujika et. all in 2000 led to believe that the repeated sprint tests were a practical training regimen that could be used within this study. Subjects will perform six maximal 15-m sprints that will have 30 seconds of recovery between each. Each sprint will begin on the blocks, and once the sprint has commenced, subjects will pass through a photocell gate (Newtest OY, Oulu, Finland) placed 0.4 m above the ground, which will start a digital timer. Additional photocell gates will be placed at 5 m and 15 m, which record elapsed and final times. Intermittent endurance test (IET). This testing procedure was also done by Mujika et. all in 2000 that was also appropriate for the training regimen in this study. This test lasts 16.5 minutes, during which subjects will alternate between forty 15 seconds bouts of high-intensity exercise and thirty-nine 10 second low intensity exercise bouts. During the high-intensity periods, subjects will follow and outlined circuit around Fitzpatrick field, running 40 m forward, and 8.25 m backwards, 95.25 m forward, 8.25 m sideways while facing away from the center of the circuit, and 8.25 m sideways while facing the center of the circuit. During the low-intensity periods, subjects will jog to the center of the circuit and back to the position they reached during previous high-intensity period. The test results in the distance covered during 40 periods of high-intensity running. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Values will be expressed as mean +/- standard deviation. The level of statistical significance will be defined as P

Crossing the Line in Faulkners Barn Burning Essay -- Barn Burning Ess

Crossing the Line in Faulkner's Barn Burning   Ã‚  Ã‚   The American author Joyce Carol Oats, in her Master Race, wrote that "our enemy is by tradition our savior" (Oats 28).   Oats recognized that we often learn more from our enemy than from ourselves.   Whether the enemy is another warring nation, a more prolific writer, or even the person next door, we often can ascertain a tremendous amount of knowledge by studying that opposite party.   In the same way, literature has always striven to provide an insight into human nature through a study of opposing forces.   Often, simply by looking at the binary operations found in any given text, the texts meanings, both hidden and apparent, can become surprising clear.   In William Faulkner's famous short story "Barn Burning," innate binary operations, especially those of the poor versus the rich and the society versus the outsider, allow the reader to gather a new and more acute understanding of the text.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The most important binary operation in Faulkner's masterpiece is the projected idea of the rich versus the stark reality of the poor.   Throughout the entire work, the scenes of the Snopes family are constantly described in detail and compared to the richness that appears abundant around them.   For example, at the very beginning of the story, the young Colonel Sartoris Snopes is described as "small and wiry like his father" wearing "patched and faded jeans" which are later described as too small (Faulkner 1555).   This poor child, with his tattered clothing, bare feet, and scared-to-the-bone look is juxtaposed against the wealth of the Justice of the Peace's borrowed courtroom--its "close-packed" shelves filled with cans of food, aromatic cheese, and "the silver curve of fish"--th... ...lty, or even the normal versus the audacious.   But, the entire story seems to be focused on two: those of the poor versus the rich and society versus the outsider.   Those two operations allow for, and even demand, a different reading of the text giving us a young Colonel striving to break out of his limitations and become the opposite of what he was.   In the end, Faulkner allows him to succeed.   After his father's death, the young man runs through the woods, forever leaving his family.   The text ends with the powerful line, "he did not look back" (Faulkner 1566). Works Cited Oats, Joyce Carol. "Master Race." The History of Dramatic Theory  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   and Criticism. Ed. John Dukore. New York: Harper Collins,   Ã‚   1992. Faulkner, William. "Barn Burning." The Heath Anthology of American Literature. Ed. Paul Lauter. 3th ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1998. 1554-66.

Television is Mindless Entertainment :: essays research papers

Televisions are probably one of the world’s greatest inventions. Nine out o f ten people won’t know how to explain how it actually works, but everyone who can afford one owns one. There is a lot of debate about whether TVs are good or bad. â€Å"A television is a device you can sit in front of and watch other people do things that you could be doing if you weren’t sitting there watching them do it.† - Unknown Yes, TVs provide mass education to people, for example, in Australia, people get their schooling via TVs if they live in remote areas. Everyday the teacher does lessons across the TV, and if the ‘pupils’ have any questions they phone in and ask on air. In South Africa we have ‘School TV’, but it isn’t a proper schooling, like Aussie’s. Sabc also offer the Math, English and Science lessons for matrics, but they are so boring that most people don’t even bother watching it. There are good shows like Dr. Phil and Oprah, where they actually are helping other people and teaching them right from wrong. Shows like these are interesting to watch and they are teaching us morals unlike everything else. Channels such as National Geographic and Discovery Channel also provide education, whether you learn about Hitler or whales, you learn something at least. But these channels are only offered on DSTV which is very expensive and the people that can afford it are the well-educated ones who don’t need it, the people that really need it can’t access it anyway. Another good thing about TV is the ‘News’, with the news on everyday, in lots of languages, everyone can keep up to date with everything that is happening around the globe without having to go to the trouble of actually reading it in a newspaper. As everything has its pros, it must have its cons. One of the main topics that people speak about is the fact that the programs are promoting immorality and it is eroding true Christian values. In every ‘soapie’ and lots of other shows, there are the people that are having affairs, pre-marital sex, taking alcohol, drugs, using bad language†¦the list goes on, but people think it’s funny and cool and do it all themselves. People believe what they see, and think it’s alright if they are also doing it because it makes them ‘cool’. In one incident on Dr Phil, there was a woman who was married to a great guy and they had three children, but she wanted to get divorced so that she could move in with a gay friend of hers, he didn’t love her and obviously never would, but she kept insisting, so finally he went to Dr Phil for help.

Terrorism: United Nations and Armored Car

Terrorism Gabriel Quinteros This essay, will discuss terrorism, this issue is one of the biggest issues facing the world today. This essay will talk about the effects this have around the countries it happen. What cause this, what it me or start the terrorism. In this essay will start discussion about the causes of Terrorism; it happens in the worker class were the leader or director, oppress them and make the workers revel against they that oppress them.The worker class will be passient to see if this change, but sometimes they keep oppressing them so they tired of their leader oppress them they revel and make a big group call it is call terrorism. This normally happens on undeveloped countries or no developed countries. In the developed counties there doesn’t happens this because there is no oppression so this never happens or start. Terrorism is affects nearly every undeveloped country in the world. We will discuss effects.One of the main effects is the killing of people th ey (the terrorist) always take prisoners because they know they can trade them for gold or , other thing they need or want, like to leave them alone, bring some transport (normally helicopters or an armored car so they can escape. Every time they don’t get what they want they start killing people. They just say like in 10 minutes if you don’t bring us what we want we will start killing people for every minute we want.So the police that is around normally gave them what they want the terrorist killing innocent people that was in the wrong place at the wrong moment. Also this makes a big effect in other countries around the country it happen. When a country has terrorism makes the country develops slowly because more presidents or important people are not thinking for improving the country just to solve the problem. The way for stopping terrorism or to try not to make people start it, is easy just don’t treat the employees like slaves.One of the ways of stopping t errorism is to try to give them what they need in terms of treatment. When the act of terrorism start the only way to stop it is to kill the terrorist because they will never want to give up, it’s a feeling that make them keep doing bad things. Conclusion: From my point of view, it is a bad issue but it can be stop or not started. It affects countries like Colombia, and it have come since all years. The terrorism happens in big scales and small scales. And is normally the same and created by the same reason.

If I Were President Essay

If I were president, I would focus on the central issue that will carry this country into the future: education. Education is the reason we are living in such an advanced time. We have touch screen, motion activated, voice command, and all these amazing things and all we have to thank is education. It has been our roots and rocks for years, and should be for many more to reach our high point. Education, although a long-term investment, will benefit this nation better than bailouts, mandatory health care coverage for children, investment in new energy sources, or the withdrawal of troops from Iraq. Although it appears that there are more important, situations that the United States is facing now, the fact is that with an increase in education comes a decrease in these problems in the future. Without education, society will never understand the effects of drugs, the difference between religions, the importance of financial security for emergencies, the requirement for energy independence, or the need for health insurance. Education gives Americans higher wages, job flexibility and security, and growth in American ingenuity; however, education also gives one piece for prosperity that neither a government handout or an energy efficient car can bring, hope. One learns that with education come endless opportunities in all aspects. Throughout the world, education has brought hope for people. A chance for education brought hope to the young Afghan girl who finally learned to read. Education is one of few things that people can carry with them all their lives. Often times, what we learn in school, sticks with us for a long time to come. The need for Education can never be stressed enough! I believe that the more we are able to get children interested in getting their full education earlier in life, more people would be more successful. If we could have strongly educated teachers reaching out to kids and leading them down the path to the right education, I believe more of America would be successful. Had it not been for education, where do you think we’d be today? No phone, no internet, no electricity, no anything. We would live in a completely dead place. We would still be using men to carry stone, math to line pyramids up with the stars, leaves as clothes, and stick and stones to fight wars. I would stress education as much as possible because clearly, it was our past, it’s our present, and it will be out future!