Effects of Cocaine Abuse, its Prevention and Treatment Research Paper

Effects of Cocaine Abuse, its Prevention and Treatment - Research Paper Example A recent survey of 17 countries revealed that United States has the highest level of illegal cocaine use with nearly 16.2% of people in the United States having used cocaine in their lifetime (Science Daily, 2008). Cocaine is available in two chemical forms – hydrochloride salt which is taken intravenously (by vein) or intra-nasally (through the nose) and freebase which is smoked (Psychology Today, 2008). Issues Related to Cocaine Abuse Cocaine addicts are usually introduced to the drug after they have abused ‘gateway substances’ like alcohol, tobacco and marijuana. According to the national center on addiction and substance abuse (1994), 90 % of the people who tried cocaine had used all three gateway substances before moving on to cocaine. Impact on physical functioning Cocaine use can lead to some immediate physical consequences such as restlessness, euphoria and alertness (WebMD, 2008). These effects are felt within minutes of taking the drug and continue for a bout 20 to 120 minutes. Other physical effects include insomnia, vomiting, pupil dilation, nosebleeds, increased temperature and pulse rate and rapid breathing (WebMD, 2008). These effects are temporary and mostly disappear after a couple of hours. Studies reveal that prolonged use of cocaine can have an overwhelming effect on the ‘pleasure centers’ in the brain (Chen, et. al., 1996). The drug interferes, alters, damages and takes control of specialized cells that regulate pleasure, well-being and mood. Therefore, regular use can destroy the brain’s ability to feel normal without cocaine. Long term use can even cause permanent biological drug addiction. Since cocaine increases blood pleasure, heart rate, breathing and body temperature, long term use of the drug can cause cardiac and respiratory failures, strokes, coma, convulsions and death. The drug can damage the liver’s ability to detoxify blood and can reduce the production of critical enzymes needed for normal body functioning (WebMD, 2008). It can also cause liver cirrhosis or liver cancer. Cocaine use results in the constriction of the blood vessels of the heart resulting in increased blood pressure. This can trigger heart attack, heart failure, irregular heart beat and sudden death. Use of non-sterile needles among cocaine users can result in contracting Hepatitis – a highly contagious disease resulting in serious liver damage and AIDS. Users may also pass these diseases to their sexual partners, unborn babies and others. Regular users of cocaine experience loss of interest in sex, decreased sexual performance and risk of impotence and infertility (WebMD, 2008) . In women, the drug use can result in miscarriages, developmental disorders and complications during birth. It can also cause premature separation of placenta from uterus leading to premature births or stillbirths. Smoking cocaine damages the ability of the cells in the lung to process gases. This results in the user experiencing constant cough and shortness of breath. Regular use can result in respiratory failure because the brain stops sending signals to the lung muscles that control breathing and they stop working (WebMD, 2008). Impact on psychological functioning Cocaine has been found to be

Contemporary Economic Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4750 words

Contemporary Economic Policy - Essay Example What is needed is not less than an energy revolution itself. This World Energy Outlook demonstrates how that might be achieved through decisive policy action and at what cost. It also describes the consequences of failure. Take oil for example, which is the world's essential supply of energy and will remain so for many years to come, even under the most optimistic of assumptions about the pace of growth and exploitation of alternative technology. But the sources of oil to meet rising demand, the cost of producing Oil and the prices that consumers will need to pay for it are extremely uncertain and constantly fluctuating, perhaps more than ever. The surge in prices in recent years drastically ending in the price spike of 2008, joined with much greater short-term price instability, have highlighted just how sensitive prices are to short-term market imbalances. They have also alerted people to the ultimately finite nature of oil (and natural gas) resources. In fact, the immediate risk to supply is not one of a lack of global resources, but rather a lack of investment where it is needed. Upstream investment has been rising rapidly in nominal terms, but much of the augmentation is due to heaving costs and the need to battle rising decline rates - especially in higher-cost provinces outside of OPEC. Today, most capital goes to exploring for and developing high-cost reserves, partly because of limitations on international oil company access to the cheapest resources. Expanding production in the lowest-cost countries will be central to meeting the world's needs at reasonable cost in the face of dwindling resources in most parts of the world and accelerating decline rates everywhere. 1. Introduction: The United Kingdom has been a net importer of energy resources (Oil and Gas) the energy sector itself has a big chunk in the over-all economy of the nation. However with the ever fluctuating and unpredictable fuel prices, it does not seem like a feasible approach to depend on traditional energy resources. A better and more mature energy policy needs to be prepared and implemented. The purpose of this paper is to highlight key energy consumption trends in the UK, review the energy policy and come up with a better approach towards dealing with the economic impact of energy. The energy industries in the UK play an innermost role in the economy by producing, transforming and supplying energy in its various forms to all sectors. They are also major contributors to the UK's balance of payments through the exports of crude oil and oil products (National Statistics Publication 2007). i) 4.8 per cent of GDP; ii) 8.6 per cent of total investment; iii) 44.3 per cent of industrial investment; iv) 137,800 people directly employed (5 per cent of indus

Rosai-Dorfman Disease with Cervical Lymphadenopathy

Rosai-Dorfman Disease with Cervical Lymphadenopathy Rosai-Dorfman Disease with Cervical Lymphadenopathy and Orbital Involvement: A Case Report *Sameer Saleem 1, Sundas Younas 2, Kamran Qayyum 3 1 MBBS (2013), Khyber Medical College Peshawar, Pakistan 2 MBBS (2013), Khyber Medical College Peshawar, Pakistan 3 MBBS (2014), Khyber Medical College Peshawar, Pakistan ABSTRACT Rosai-Dorfman disease (RDD), also known as sinus histiocytosis with massive lymphadenopathy (SHML), is a rare histiocytic disorder which occurs due to the over-production of non Langerhans sinus histiocytes. It is a nonmalignant disorder that most frequently affects children and young adults and typically presents with fever, night sweats, nonpainful cervical lymphadenopathy, leukocytosis and an elevated ESR. Extranodal involvement may also occur which includes skin and soft tissues, nasal cavity, orbit, bones, central nervous system, salivary glands, kidneys, respiratory tract and liver. The digestive tract, heart and breast can also be affected but very rarely. The disease has an unknown etiology, although some viruses like Human Herpes virus 6 and Epstein Barr virus have been implicated as causative agents. RDD can often be misdiagnosed as lymphoma, leukemia or tuberculosis, so it is imperative to distinguish it from these conditions as well as other causes of histiocytosis becaus e of the different treatment modalities. Diagnosis of Rosai-Dorfman disease is based on biopsy of affected tissue. Biopsy showing the presence of emperipolesis, or the engulfment of lymphocytes and other immune cells by histiocytes that express S-100 antigen is diagnostic of Rosai-Dorfman disease. Once diagnosed, further workup including imaging studies are undertaken in order to determine the extent of the disease. In majority of cases, the disease resolves on its own however, treatments including corticosteroids, chemotherapy, surgical treatment or radiotherapy are carried out in severe or persistent disease or when organ function is at stake (e.g. breathing obstruction, kidney failure, visual problems). The case we report is that of a 16 year old girl who presented with a 6 month history of gradual onset drooping of left upper eyelid with mild proptosis of the left eye alongwith mild drooping of right upper eyelid, low grade fever, night sweats and cervical lymphadenopathy. Blood workup showed increased ESR, CT scan of orbits showed superior orbital masses and diagnostic biopsy revealed Rosai-Dorfman disease. Keywords: Rosai Dorfman disease, cervical lymphadenopathy, emperipolesis, histiocytes, proptosis CASE REPORT A 16 year old girl presented to the outpatient department of Khyber Teaching Hospital, Peshawar, Pakistan in February 2015 with a six month history of gradual onset, painless left upper eyelid drooping alongwith low-grade fever and night sweats plus a 20 day history of gradual onset right upper eyelid drooping. She also noticed a few lumps in her cervical region. She had no significant past medical history of any major illness and no family history of tuberculosis or blood disorders was found. Her vitals were as follows, BP 120/80 mm Hg, pulse 90/min, respiratory rate 15/min and temperature 100.2 ÃÅ'Ã…   F. On examination she had bilateral painless cervical lymphadenopathy and bilateral superior orbital masses on palpation. Her vision was 6/6 in both eyes. Ptosis was seen in both right (3mm) and left (5mm) eyes. Mild left eye proptosis was also seen. Extraocular movements were restricted in upper gaze of both eyes, more so of the left eye. There was no evidence of any visceromegaly and the rest of the general physical and systemic examinations were unremarkable. Lab investigations: Hb 11.1 g/dl, RBC 4.27 million/cmm, Hct 32.4 %, MCV 76 fl, MCH 25.9 pg, MCHC 34.2 g/dl, Platelet count 328000/cmm, TLC 11000/cmm, normocytic normochromic picture with DLC showing 80% neutrophils, 15% lymphocytes and 5% monocytes on peripheral smear, ESR 70 mm/1st hour, negative HbS and HCV screening, negative PPD and sputum AFB, normal Liver function tests and normal Renal function tests. Chest X-ray was normal, U/S and CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis were normal. CT scans of the orbits showed bilateral superior orbital masses and mild proptosis of the left eye. Incisional biopsy of the left Superior orbital mass was performed that revealed the diagnosis of Rosai-Dorfman disease. CT scan orbit (Coronal View): Bilateral Superior Orbital Masses CT scan Orbit (Axial View): Mild Proptosis of the Left Eye Treatment: The patient was counseled about the nature of the disease and administered Inj. Methylprednisolone 1gm x OD for 3 days followed by Tab Prednisolone 1mg/Kg body weight x OD and advised followup after 4 weeks. On followup visit, examination showed that her ptosis and cervical lymphadenopathy had improved. She was also assessed for side effects of steroid therapy. No side effects were noted. She was advised followup after 8 weeks. DISCUSSION Rosai-Dorfman disease (RDD), also known as sinus histiocytosis with massive lymphadenopathy (SHML), is a rare histiocytic disorder which occurs due to the over-production of non Langerhans sinus histiocytes. [1, 2] It was first described as a unique clinicopathologic entity by Rosai and Dorfman in 1969. [3] Although lymph nodes are more commonly involved, any organ may be affected. [1] Cardinal features include painless cervical lympahadenopathy, fever and elevated ESR. [4]Extranodal involvement has been reported in diverse anatomic sites, particularly the skin, orbit, and upper respiratory tract. [5, 6] Central nervous system involvement without nodal disease has also been reported. [7] Rosai-Dorfman disease though quite rare, is distributed worldwide with 80% cases occurring in children and young adults with a slight male predominance (58%) and has a general predilection for individuals with African descent. [8] The etiology of RDD is unknown, however certain viruses like Human Her pes virus 6 and Epstein-Bar virus via causing immune dysregulation have been implicated in the pathogenesis of this disease. [9, 10, 11] The diagnosis of Rosai-Dorfman disease is not easy since its presentation can mimic a number of other non-malignant as well as malignant conditions ranging from bacterial or viral infections to malignancies including leukemia and lymphoma. Biopsy of the lymph node or affected tissue is required for the diagnosis of this disease. Proliferating S100 and CD68 antigens positive histiocytes exhibiting emperipolesis i.e. phagocytosis of intact lymphocytes and other immune cells, is the classical histologic finding on biopsy in Rosai Dorfman disease. No specific treatment protocol is established for Rosai Dorfman disease because the disease is rare and its course is mostly self limiting. [14] However, patients with severe, persistent disease or in cases where organ function is compromised steroid therapy, chemotherapy, surgical resection or radiotherapy can be instituted with varying success rates. [12, 14, 15] CONCLUSION Rosai-Dorfman disease shares many of its presenting features with leukemia, lymphoma, tuberculous lymphadenitis and other causes of histiocytosis, so it should be considered in the differentials of patients, especially children and young adults who present with painless cervical lymphadenopathy. It is also important for physicians to recognize that the disease can have a myriad of clinical manifestations depending upon the tissue involved, as was the case in our patient we presented in this case report having cervical lymphadenopathy with orbital involvment in whom lymphoma, leukemic deposits, orbital pseudotumor, Langerhan’s cell histiocytosis and hemangioma were also amongst the list of differentials until biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of RDD. It is essential for pathologists as well to look for the histopathologic features of this disease in biopsy specimens, since if promptly diagnosed and managed, can reduce unnecessary diagnostic workups and mismanagement due to misdiag nosis of this disease. CONSENT Written informed consent was taken from the patient and her parents for the publication of this case report and any accompanying images. ABBREVIATIONS AFB Acid Fast Bacilli BP Blood Pressure CT Computed Tomography DLC Differential Leukocyte Count ESR Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate Hb Hemoglobin HbS Hepatitis B surface antigen HCV Hepatitis C virus Hct Hematocrit MCH Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin MCH CMean Corpuscular Hemoglobin concentration MCV Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin PPD Purified Protein Derivative RBC Red Blood cells RDD Rosai-Dorfman Disease SHML Sinus Histiocytosis with Massive Lymhpadenopathy TLC Total Leukocyte Count References Riyaz N, Khader A, Sarita S. Rosai-Dorfman syndrome.Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol.2005;71:342–4. James, William D.; Berger, Timothy G.; et al. (2006).Andrews Diseases of the Skin: clinical Dermatology. Saunders Elsevier.ISBN0-7216-2921-0 Kong Y, Kong J, Shi D, Lu H, Zhu X, Wang J, Chen Z:Cutaneous Rosai–Dorfman Disease: a clinical and histopathologic study of 25 cases in China. Am J Surg Pathol2007,21:341-350. Foucar E, Rosai J, Dorfman R: Sinus histiocytosis with massive lymphadenopathy (Rosai-Dorfman disease): a review of the entity. Semin Diagn Pathol 1990; 7:19-73 Puppin D Jr, Chavaz P, Harms M: Histiocytic lymphophagocytic panniculitis (Rosai-Dorfman disease): a case report. Dermatology 1992; 184:317-320 Andriko JW, Morrison A, Colegial CH, et al: Rosai-Dorfman disease isolated to the central nervous system. A report of 11 cases. Mod Pathol 2001; 14:172-178 Woodcock RJ, Mandell JW, Lipper MH: Sinus histiocytosis (Rosai-Dorfman disease) of the suprasellar region: MR imaging findings a case report. Radiology 1999; 213:808-810 Sodhi KS, Suri S, Nijhawan R, Kang M, Gautam V:Rosai–Dorfman disease: unusual cause of diffuse and massive retroperitoneal lymphadenopathy. Br J Radiol2005,25:845-847. Ensari S, Selcuk A, Dere H, Perez N, Dizbay Sak S:Rosai–Dorfman disease presenting as laryngeal masses. Kulak Burun Bogaz Ihtis Derg2008,18:110-114. Pinto DCG, Vidigal TA, Castro B, Santos BH, DeSousa NJA:Rosai–Dorfman disease in the differential diagnosis of cervical lymphadenopathy. Bras J Otorrinolaringol2008,74:632-635. Levine PH, Jahan N, Murari P, Manak M, Jaffe ES:Detection of human herpesvirus 6 in tissues involved by sinus histiocytosis with massive lymphadenopathy (Rosai–Dorfman disease). J Infect Dis1992,166:291-295. Yoon A, Parisien M, Feldman F, Young-In Lee F:Extranodal Rosai–Dorfman disease of bone, subcutaneous tissue and paranasal sinus mucosa with a review of its pathogenesis. Skeletal Radiol2005,34:653-657. Montgomery EA, Meis JM:Rosai–Dorfman disease of soft tissue. Am J Surg Pathol1992,16:122-129. Pinto DCG, Vidigal TA, Castro B, Santos BH, DeSousa NJA:Rosai–Dorfman disease in the differential diagnosis of cervical lymphadenopathy. Bras J Otorrinolaringol2008,74:632-635. Moore J, Zhao X, Nelson E:Concomitant sinus histiocytosis with massive lymphadenopathy (Rosai–Dorfman disease) and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: a case report. J Med Case Reports2008,2:70.

Richard Fairbanks and Takeshi Yasudas Ceramics Essay example -- Arti

Richard Fairbanks' and Takeshi Yasuda's Ceramics Richard Fairbanks, although many times overlooked, was an important American ceramist. He was known as a "loner" and because of this he was never really appreciated for his talent. Fairbanks was greatly influence by his professors. Professor Paul Bonifas, who taught at the University of Washington, was one who left a huge impact on Fairbanks work. Fairbanks created a system of sketching pottery profiles, which stemmed from Bonifas’ teachings, as a mean of "thinking on paper." This approach to pottery through sketching was a crucial element that separated Fairbanks from many other Asian-inspired American peers. Although, Fairbanks was a wheel thrown expert, he continued to "think on paper" throughout his creative life. Much of what absorbs Fairbanks interests can be seen in his making of candlesticks, casseroles, and vases. During the later part of his life he created three of his final pieces. One being the Stoneware Heart Plate, 1985, secondly the Stoneware server, 1985, and thirdly the Stoneware Vase, 1985. These were three of Fairbanks last works, which suggest the direction in which he was headed, in terms of what defined his style, before he became deathly ill. The plate, which is an exploration of decoration, is liquid clay or "slip pattern" of concentric circles around a valentine heart. This plate was wheel thrown, and glazed with iron oxide and copper red washes. I find it very interesting because it seems to portray more emotion than most of his other pieces. This can probably be indirectly associated with Fairbanks illness and how he was feeling at the time. The next piece he made during his period of illness was called the "Stoneware Server." The server can be explained by "unadorned simplicity." It also takes on some style of the art deco period. Fairbanks decided that for the server, he would decorate a new style of handles. The thrown thread-spool shape. Many people explained this server as a "model of modernist formal unity." The server is covered with red matte glaze. I became attracted to this piece because of its simplicity. It creates room for interpretation, which I find culminating. His last and final piece, which is very interesting, is called the "Stoneware Vase*" It has two curled spiral handles, suggestive of ancient or pre-historic civilizat... ...s Platter is made from Creamware, which was an invention of 18th century Staffordshire. Creamware was what eventually replaced the popular thin glazed products. Yasuda gave a new name to creamware. He was impressed with its "optimistic and visually liberating appearance." Though not strongly shown in the pieces above, Yasuda's ability to control and rescue a form before a complete collapse takes place amazes me. His interest in gravity and directional pull played a huge role in Yasuda’s style. I feel strongly that Yasuda’s success comes from his love of exploration, especially of the unknown. By challenging the "normal" his pots engage and provoke his audience. Richard Fairbanks and Takeshi Yasuda are very different in nature, but I find each of their works visually and aesthetically compelling. Difference creates questions, which creates interests, which creates answers. I feel both of these men treasured simplicity in its realist form! Fairbanks and Takeshi both explored the "unknown" to create identity for themselves. The creativity, ingeniousness, and capacity of knowledge that these men display helps identify who they are and what they stand for as artists.

Legislatures learnsmart 5 Essay

1. True or false: Both chambers of Congress allow a member to speak for an unlimited time on the floor. A: false 2. Which of the following are members of the House leadership? A: Majority leader, majority whip and minority leader 3. Redistricting can diminish the advantages of being an incumbent because the candidate loses name recognition 4. Order the following general steps that a bill must pass through in order to become law 1. A member of the House of Representatives or the Senate formally proposes the bill 2. Subgroups within the House and Senate, composed of legislators who have expertise in the bill’s subject mater, review the bill 3. A majority of members in the House and Senate must approve it 4. The Conference Committee reconciles the bill when different versions have passed in the House and the Senate 5. President signs the bill 5. Members of Congress may experience conflict between their policy-making function and their representation function because A: They feel pressured to vote for a policy that clashes with their constituent’s interests. 6. To balance the desire for representation at different levels, the framers made Congress a bicameral institution. 7. Congress has a number of functions other than lawmaking. These include A: Acting on presidential actions, setting the national agenda, and representing its constituents. 8. Because taxation was such an important power to the framers, they required that all these measures must start A: in the House. 9. Reapportionment is the reallocation of seats in the House of Representatives to each state based on changes in the state’s population since the last census. 10. Which of the following is the most powerful leadership position in the Senate A: Majority leader 11. Which of the following are reasons why specific members of Congress are chosen for congressional leadership positions? A: Ability to guide compromise, to persuade and to negotiate. 12. When congressional district boundaries are redrawn within a state, it is known as redistricting 13. Two of the most important influences on congressional elections are incumbency and redistricting. 14. Which of the following oversight tools ensure that Congress has some say in how the executive branch administers the laws that Congress creates? A: congressional hearings, budgetary appropriations and confirmation hearings. 15. The single most important factor in determining the success of a congressional campaign is incumbency. 16. Which congressional function involves auditing agency implementation of policy? A: Oversight 17. The power of taxation, among other powers, was given to Congress: A: to limit the power of the president; and because it is more representative to the people. 18. Gerrymandering A: is usually legal. 19 Which of the following influence agenda setting in Congress? A: public discourse, House and Senate leaders’ goals 20 Which of the following of Congress, which all other functions of Congress are related to? A: Policy making. 21. Constituents influence the legislative process by ensuring that their representatives in Congress work hard to represent their perspectives and policy interests 22. True or False: A president’s popularity rating cannot affect a legislator’s decision to vote for a particular bill A: True 23. Committees are important because A: They help develop passable legislation; they facilitate the consideration of high volume of bills; and they each specialize in a certain type of legislation. 24. Congressional oversight includes the federal bureaucracy because it is a part of the executive branch. 25. Interest groups engage in which of the following activities in order to influence legislators’ decision? A: grassroots activism, financial contributions, and lobbying. 26. Each senator represents his or her state, while House members represent their congressional district. 27. Partisan voting occurs more often when members are voting on domestic policy issues that tend to crystallize ideological differences between the parties. 28. House and Senate members often rely on which of the following inform their decision making on legislation because they frequently have policy expertise that can guide a legislator on an upcoming vote? A: Staff member 29. The president’s opinion concerning a specific bill can influence members of Congress, especially A: when they belong to the same party. 30. Some examples of Congress’s use of the ‘elastic clause’ include A: determining an oil company’s authority to drill on federal lands; expanding law enforcement authority in terrorism case; and regulating stem cell research. 31. Which of the following is a legislative power the president does not possess? A: Line-item veto. 32. Legislators use pork barrel politics and earmarks to bring money and jobs back to their home districts to show their constituents that they are working toward their best interests in Congress. 33. For mundane matters about which their constituents are less likely to be aware or hold a strong position, legislators typically rely on the trustee model of representation. 34. Citizens wanting policies that benefit the elderly, while others advocate for legislation beneficial for children, is an example of the influence that Congress has A: in managing societal conflict 35. Which of the following is not a way new legislation can be introduce in the Senate? A: A senator’s staff drafts a piece of proposed legislation and the senator place it in the hopper on the Senate floor. 36. Congress manages societal conflict by representing a wide range of views and interests. 37. The U.S Congress has a number of Constitutional powers beyond lawmaking. For example, it A: govern the District of Columbia; regulates the armed forces; regulates interstate commerce; and declares war. 38. When a committee or subcommittee holds a hearing, they are trying to gather information and views from experts about a proposed bill. 39. Interest groups can be a valuable resource to legislators because A: They can provide financial and electoral support. 40. Oversight is an important function of Congress because it ensures that laws are being administered in keeping with legislators’ original intent. 41. Which of the following are duties of the Speaker of the House? A: Making majority party committee assignments; chairing floor debates 42. Match the characteristics on the right with the chamber, which they describe: House: Taxation policies start in this chamber; this chamber faces more frequent elections Senate: Treaties are considered in this chamber; this chamber is more deliberative. 42. In the House of Representatives, a member of a legislator’s staff drafts t he proposed legislation and the House member puts the bill into the hopper. 43. House leadership is chosen at the A: beginning of each session of Congress. 44, Congress continuously engages in agenda setting because it relieves the pressure parties face in getting their members to vote with their particular party. 45. Congress engages in agenda setting when it determines which public policy issues the federal legislature should consider. 46. The framers had tax bills start in the House because A: it had a smaller constituency than the Senate; it had a shorter electoral term. 47. The practice in which members of Congress agree to vote for a bill in exchange for their colleague’s vote on another bill is called logrolling. 48. If a vote in the Senate is tied, the vice president breaks the tie. 49. Historically, which position has been honorary in nature? A: president pro tempore 50. Which of the following contribute to incumbents having an advantage during congressional elections? A: stronger name recognition; ease in attracting contributions; and easier access to media coverage. 51. An agency review provides an opportunity for executive agencies that would administer a proposed law to comment on the measure. 52. The Senate is more deliberative because A: its electoral terms are longer; it has fewer members. 53. A filibuster can arise when a member of the Senate wishes to halt or delay the passage of a bill. 54. After a committee agrees to the wording of a bill, the committee issues a report to the full chamber that explains the bill and its intent. 55. Creating â€Å"majority-minority† districts is a type of Gerrymandering. 56. Which committee sets the structure for the debate that ensues in the full House? A: Rules Committee. 57. An elderly person deciding to vote to reelect a House representative after the representative has tracked down the constituent’s Social Security check is an example of how casework can benefit an incumbent. 58. Unanimous consent agreements require that all senators agree to the terms of debate on a given piece of legislation. 59. A joint committee is composed of members of both chambers of Congress. 60. Redistricting can lessen the impact of incumbency, especially in years ending in the number 2. 61. Congress gets its powers from sources other than the Constitution, including A: American citizens, the media, and Supreme Court decisions. 62. The House Majority leader acts as an assistant to the Speaker of the House in performing legislative duties. 63. In more populated areas, congressional districts in the House of Representatives are often A: homogeneous, cohesive units. 64. AN elected or appointed official acts as an ombudsperson when advocating for citizens by listening to and investigating complaints against a government agency. 65. Which of the following is true about the Senate minority leader? A: Leader of the minority party in the Senate; negotiates with the majority leader. 66. A select committee is created to consider specific policy issues or address a specific concern in legislature. 67. Redistricting sometimes makes incumbency less important. 68. If 51 or more Democrats are elected to the Senate, each committee and subcommittee will have a minority of Republicans as members. 69. When there is a designation within a spending bill that provides for a specific expenditure it is called A: an earmark. 70. Congressional leadership refers bills to the lead committee. 71. Which of the following is not true about a markup? A: The committee actually alters a bill 72. The framers structured Congress in way that A: made it an effective check on the president; made it powerful enough to govern, and kept it from becoming too powerful. 73. After 1995, joint referrals were abolished from the House 74. The House leadership position of whip acts as a liaison between A: leadership and part members in the House. 75. Which of the following terms describes the segment of voters who pay careful attention to political issues? A: attentive public 76. Subcommittees are a subset of a A: Standing committee. 77. A standing committee is a permanent committee in Congress. 78. Members of the House of Representatives are reluctant to defy the will of their congressional districts because A: Their short two-year terms increase the probability that they will be voted out of office for going against the electorate. 79. When an incumbent performs casework for a constituent, it helps to create a good-word-of-mouth reputation and attracts support for that candidate during reelection. 80. The ability to use franking to communicate with voters is a benefit inaccessible to non-incumbents. 81. The attentive public is the segment of voters who pay careful attention to political issues. 82. The term pork barrel describes legislators’ appropriations of funds via legislation for special projects located within their congressional districts. 83. To end a filibuster, a supermajority of sixty senators must agree to invoke cloture and end debate 84. Which of the following is required to extract a bill from committee in order to have it considered by the entire House? A: discharge petition 85. A consequence of having a congressional â€Å"safe seat† is that a house member A: can generally be partisan without unfavorable political outcome. 86. Committee chairs are often chosen using the seniority system, by which the member with the longest continuous tenure on a standing committee receives preference when the committee chooses its chair 87. Which model of representation insists that legislators vote in line with their constituents’ views even when this contradicts their personal views? A: Instructed delegate model. 88. What occurs after a conference committee reconciles a bill between the House and Senate? A: The bill goes back to both chambers for a vote 89. In this model of representation, a legislator may act in opposition to the clear wishes of his or her constituents, such as in cases where an action is â€Å"for their own good† or the good of society. A: Trustee model 90. The most powerful position in the Senate: the majority leader manages the legislative process and schedules debate on legislation 91. Senators sometimes find it hard to represent constituents because they are elected by an entire state’s population, which may contain citizens who have conflicting views, ideologies, and policy priorities.

Introduction of Green Building Material Essay

Materials are the stuff of economic life in our industrial world. They include the resource inputs and the product outputs of industrial production. How we handle them is a major determinant of real economic efficiency, and also has a major impact on our health and the health of the natural environment The built-environment is also a strategic realm of social, economic and environmental change. Various writers have stated that spatial redesign of the landscape and built-environment may be the single most effective means of achieving new levels of efficiency and sustainability (Lyle, 1994; Mollison, 1983; Alexander, 1977; Van der Ryn & Cowan, 1996). Building materials are also quite important. They have been estimated that building materials make up forty percent of material through-put of entire economy (Milani, 2001). In the book â€Å"Green Building: Project Planning and Cost Estimating†, Keenan and Georges (2002) identified some key characteristics of green building materials. As regards green building materials, they should be healthy for the internal environment, healthy for the natural environment, minimize building energy use, have low embodied energy, be reusable, recyclable and/or biodegradable, and be locally obtained. Embodied energy is a concept that takes into account several factors to determine the energy needed to produce a product and can be used as a comparison between different materials. There is some controversy surrounding embodied energy as there is no internationally agreed method for calculating this value and many times it is not known what has been accounted for (Woolley and Kimmins, 2005). For example, cement has an embodied energy of 7. 8 MJ/kg, while virgin steel is 32. 0, and recycled steel is 10. 1 MJ/kg (Keenan and Georges, 2002). In these values however, consideration is not given to transportation, durability, reuse and recycling. These factors could significantly alter the original values. Building materials are also the stuff of our personal environments. They are all around us, and literally part of the air we breathe. They can damage the biosphere: VOCs from paints alone are responsible for perhaps 9 percent of the damage to the ozone layer. They can also damage us: the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), for example, estimates that indoor pollution—caused by materials like paints, plastics and particleboards—is responsible for more than 11,000 deaths each year from cancer, kidney failure, and respiratory collapse (Ligon, 2001). The fact that buildings are all around us means not only that they immediately impact us, but that we can potentially affect them. The building industry is a decentralized one that exists in virtually every community. Not surprisingly, the built-environment is a major venue for ecological and community development alternatives, with materials being an increasing focus of concern over the past decade. The first is the section on Materials and Resources. This section consists of one prerequisite and eight credits. The eight credits focus on reuse and management of construction and demolition waste; using refurbished or reused materials and materials with a recycled content; using regional and rapidly renewing materials; and lastly if new wood must be used, using products certified accordance with the Forest Stewardship Councils principles and criteria The second section which pertains to building materials is Indoor Environmental Quality. The important credit is number four: Low Emitting Materials. For this credit, the Volatile Organic Carbon (VOC) content of adhesives and sealants must be less than the VOC content limits of the State of California South Coast Air Quality Management District’s (SCAQMD) rule number 1168 from October 2003. For paints, the VOC content must be less than the VOC and chemical component limits of the Green Seals Standard GS-11 from January 1997. Composite wood and laminate adhesives must contain no added urea formaldehyde resins. Concrete is a strong and durable material with a high heat storage capacity (Keenan and Georges, 2002). It is good from an indoor air quality standpoint as it is inert. The problems associated with concrete are washout water at concrete plants which can have a high pH, and the use of cement as a binding agent in concrete. Cement is very energy intensive and is a major contributor of greenhouse gases. To counteract this, up to 70% of cement in concrete can be replaced with fly ash. Fly ash is a waste product from coal fired plants. Brick, block and stone have a low embodied energy and are therefore environmentally friendly materials (Keenan and Georges, 2002). To avoid added impacts of transportation, local masonry should be used where available. STRUCTURAL FRAMING An ongoing environmental debate is wood versus steel as components for framing. Both materials have been destructive to the environment and both have advantages and disadvantages. One of the advantages of wood is that it is a natural insulator while steel is a conductor. Steel is 400 times more conductive than wood (Keenan and Georges, 2002). One of the disadvantages of wood is that it needs to be treated with preservatives which can be toxic and render the wood non-biodegradable. Steel on the other hand offers resistance to insects and water rot. Steel is also recyclable. The choice between steel and wood should depend on the application they are being used for. Wood may be more environmentally friendly if you can use non-treated and certified wood. The production process is less energy intensive than for steel, and creates less pollution and environmental degradation than the mining and processing of steel (Keenan, A. , and Georges, D. , 2002). INSULATION Some of the considerations which need to be taken in account when choosing an insulation material are: 1) does it retard airflow, 2) which type will provide the best Rvalue within a reasonable thickness, 3) does it pose health risks, and 4) does it contain ozone depleting chemicals (Keenan and Georges, 2002). In the Green Building Handbook, the authors offered their choices for â€Å"best buys†. Their top three choices were wool, cellulose fiber, and cork. These choices are thermally as good as conventional insulators (Woolley and Kimmins, 2005). Cellulose Fiber is made from processed waste paper, with added borates for fire and pest resistance. It is made into a fluff that can either be placed by hand or sprayed (Woolley and Kimmins, 2005). Insulation corkboard is produced by cooking cork granules at high temperature and pressure. The granules bond themselves together with their own resins (Woolley and Kimmins, 2005). ROOFING For materials used in roofing, durability is critical. One option for materials is metals, such as copper, steel and aluminium. Metal roofs are good because they can be made of recycled material and can be recycled at the end of their life cycle. They also last longer than asphalt (Frej, 2005). Cool roofs are an option that can be useful in both mild and hot climates. The roof material is covered with a reflective coating. This coating prevents the building from getting hot, reduces heat island effects and prolongs the life of a roof (Keenan and Georges, 2002). A non-petroleum based coating should be used. Living â€Å"green† roofs are another option. Green roofs are roofs that are partially or completely covered with soil and vegetation. These roofs provide environmental cooling, habitat, added insulation, storm water management, natural beauty, cleaner air and can extend the life of a roof (Keenan and Georges, 2002). One source suggested two to three times longer than a conventional roof (Frej, 2005) while another suggested they can extend the life up to 100% (Keenan and Georges, 2002). Planted roofs can require more maintenance and require a system to prevent root penetration and water seepage.