Research methodology: Family support in bipolar disorder

Research methodology: Family support in bipolar disorder CHAPTER 111 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY NEED FOR THE STUDY Bipolar affective disorder is a recurrent and long term mental illness which can affect the lives of the people in a much serious manner. Globally the lifetime prevalence of all forms of the illness, often referred to as bipolar spectrum disorders, has been estimated to be 5% in the general population. The national rate of affective disorder in India as 34 per 1000 population.(Ganguli 200) For most of the patients family is the primary care givers. There are not many studies in India done in this area. The most important protective factor for a person with mental illness is social support and emotional support from a closely associated relationship. Often, but not always, this close relationship is with a spouse/partner or parent. People lacking such a close supportive relationship are at greater risk of anxiety and depression and any kind of mental illness. Despite the high burden of mental disorders and the fact that a significant portion of this burden can be reduced by primary and secondary prevention, most of the people in India do not have access to mental health care due to inadequate facilities and lack of human resources. India has a community mental health program that consists of integrating basic mental health care into general health care services by training primary health care personnel in mental health care. It can, however, be safely concluded that a sole reliance on the trained mental health professionals may not be the best way to move ahead. So this study attempt to see if there is any association between recovery and family support. This study would enhance the involvement of family in mentally ill patients, especially Patients suffering from BPAD. SCOPE OF THE STUDY Family support is a significant factor for a person with any kind of illness, let alone mental illness. This study aims to see if there is any significant relation between the family support and recovery in the patients with BPAD. Family systems are very much intact in traditional Indian families. This is an excellent resource in the area of mental health services. The finding of this study will help to reinforce the necessity of the community based mental health services. Also this may help to bring more awareness in the society regarding the significance of support from family and friends. AIM OF THE STUDY To study the comparison of family support in recovered persons and non recovered persons with Bipolar affective disorder. OBJECTIVES To study the socio demographic details of persons with BPAD To study the family support among patients with BPAD who are recovered and who are not recovered To compare the family support of recovered persons and non recovered persons with BPAD OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS Family: The primary care givers of the patient, who can be father, mother, brother, sister, spouse, son, daughter, uncle, aunt, daughter in law, son in law, grandmother/father, grand daughter/son. Family support Aid or help given by the members in the family in order to meet physical as well as emotional needs of the patient. Bipolar Affective Disorder: F31-ICD 10 A disorder characterised by two or more episodes in which patient’s mood and activity level are significantly disturbed, this disturbance consisting of some occasions of an elevation of mood and increased energy and activity ( hypomania or mania) and on others of lowering of mood and decreased energy and activity( depression).Repeated episodes of hypomania or mania only are considered as Bipolar. Recovery: Recovery requires_>8 consecutive weeks with either no symptoms or only 1–2 mild symptoms with no functional impairment.(Research diagnostic criteria) HYPOTHESIS: There will be high family support for recovered persons than non recovered persons with bipolar affective disorder. RESEARCH DESIGN The researcher has used descriptive research design for the current study. UNIVERSE Mental Health Action Trust Clinics in Malappuram, and Wayanad is the universe of the study. POPULATION: Persons with Bipolar affective disorder in Morayur, Vengara,Ponnani, Pulikkal,Veliyancode, Ambalavayal, kambalakkad was selected. SAMPLE: Sample size of the study was 60. 30 recovered patients and 30 non recovered patients. Non probability sampling method (Purposive sampling) was used to select both recovered and non recovered patients. Clinician impression as per RDC criteria was used to select both the groups; 30 recovered patients and 30 non recovered patients. Researcher informed the clinics early and the listed patients in the list were asked to be present on the clinic day. Thus data was collected TOOLS OF DATA COLLECTION A structured Questioner schedule to retrieve the socio-demographic details. Standardised tool for Family support Secondary data will be collected from the patient files of the clinics. Description of tools: 1. A structured Questioner schedule is developed by the researcher to profile the personal, family, social, work. There are total 13 questions among which 9 are about the personal details of the participant. The remaining four questions are directed to the family. 2. Social Support Appraisal scale (SSA; Vaux et al, 1986): The social support appraisal scale developed by Vaux et al, (1986) is to measure subjective appraisal of support. The SSA is a 23-item instrument based on the idea that the social support is in fact a support only if the individual believes it is available. These subjective appraisals are also viewed as related to overall psychological well being. The SSA taps the extent to which the individual believes he or she is loved by, esteemed by and involved by family, friends and others. The SSA was studied with 10 undergraduate and community samples involving 979 respondents. The mean age ranged from mid teens to 48. The samples were approximately 60% female. The SSA has very good internal consistency, with alpha coefficients that ranges from 0.81 to 0.90. No data on stability was reported. The SSA was subject to considerable evaluation of its validity resulting in very good concurrent, predictive, known groups and construct validity. The SSA is significantly correlated in predicted ways with a variety of measures of social support and psychological well-being, including net work satisfaction, perceived support, family environment, family environment, depression, positive affect, negative affects, loneliness, life satisfaction and happiness. Each item is rated on a scale of 1 (strongly agree), 2 (agree), 3 (disagree), 4 (strongly disagree). The subjects were asked to mark one of the four options given for each of the items in the scale. The SSA is scored by reverse scoring on items 3, 10, 13, 21, 22 and adding up the individual items for a total score, with lower scores indicating a stronger subjective appraisal of social support. In addi tion to the total score, the 8 ‘family’ items make up SSA- family scale and 7 ‘friend’ items make up a friend subscale. The remaining items refer to others in general. This scale has been used in different studies for measuring perceived social support among the people. Panditi (2004) to study the perceived social support among cured alcoholics, Uthaman (2004) to study social support among persons with depressive disorder, Jaison (2004), to study social support among wives of prisoners and Bhadra (2006) to assess the social support among disaster survivors . Secondary data Secondary data was collected from the file records from the clinics as well as a small questionnaire prepared by the researcher. The questionnaire has 6 questions. These questions included the name of the clinic, duration of illness, last episode, is the patient functioning well or not. METHOD OF DATA COLLECTION The administrative head of the clinic was met for the permission and plan would be sought to identify the respondents for the current study- and patient Interview tool was used for the data collection The clinician listed out the respondents in the both groups of participants. The administrative head of the clinic was informed beforehand and tools were administered to each of the participants. The objective of the study was clearly explained to the respondents. Ethical issues were clearly explained to them and informed consent of the participants were obtained. They were given freedom in deciding to participate in study. The respondents were allowed to withdraw from the study during the study. None of the respondents from both groups refused to participate in the study. Socio demographic details were taken down from both the patient and the bystander. The tool for family support was translated in Malayalam and questions were asked by the researcher. Each interview took 15 to 20 minutes. DATA ANALYSIS The data collected from 60 patients were coded into binary data manually for the purpose of statistical tests using SPSS 16.0 version. The statistical method used were descriptive statistics namely mean to compare the family support between the 2 groups of patients. Frequency distribution and percentage for items on age, gender, religion, education, occupation, relationship with the primary care giver was done. T test of the mean of the social support of both the groups was done to see the significance of the Hypothesis. INCLUSION CRITERIA Patients who have at least a 2 years of history of Bipolar affective disorder Patients Who are taking treatment at MHAT clinics Patients and family members who will give consent for the study EXCLUSION CRITERIA Patients of other diagnosis other than BPAD. Patients and families who do not give consent Patients who are staying in institutions other than with families Patients who are not under the treatment in MHAT clinics ETHICAL ISSUES The participants were clearly explained the purpose of the study and they were given the freedom to withdraw from the study. Informed consent obtained from the samples for the study. Confidentiality of the information was maintained.

The Depletion Of Global Oil Reserves Environmental Sciences Essay

The Depletion Of Global Oil Reserves Environmental Sciences Essay The literature review summarized the research done on the problem that global oil reserves are depleting day by day and there is a dire need to find out and utilized alternate energy options especially for a developing country. The depletion of global oil reserves has led to conflicts between the nations and soaring of prices. Oil is the main source of energy and developing countries are facing lot of problems due to shortage of oil in providing their populations better living standards. The literature also covered situation of shortage of oil reserves and energy crises consequent to it. It identifies main consumers of oil in a country and alternate energy resources that could possibly be worked on to meet the energy requirement through sources other than oil. DEPLETION OF GLOBAL OIL RESERVES The API estimated in 1999 the worlds oil supply would be depleted between 2062 and 2094, assuming total world oil reserves between 1.4 and 2 trillion barrels and consumption at 80 million barrels per day. In 2004, total world reserves were estimated to be 1.25 trillion barrels and daily consumption was about 85 million barrels, shifting the estimated oil depletion year to 2057. The US EIA predicted that world consumption of oil will increase to 98.3 million barrels per day in 2015 and 118 in 2030. With 2009 world oil consumption at 84.4, reaching the projected 2015 level of consumption would represent an average annual increase between 2009 and 2015 of 2.7% per year while EIAs own figures show declining consumption and declining supplies during the 2005-2010 period. The worlds oil supply is fixed because petroleum is naturally formed far too slowly to be replaced at the rate at which it is being extracted. Over many millions of years, plankton, bacteria, and other plant and animal matter become buried in sediments on the ocean floor. When conditions are right a lack of oxygen for decomposition, and sufficient depth and temperature of burial these organic remains are converted into petroleum compounds, while the sediment accompanying them is converted into sandstone, siltstone, and other porous sedimentary rock. When capped by impermeable rocks such as shale, salt, or igneous intrusions, they form the petroleum reservoirs which are exploited today. 3.2 ENERGY SECTOR IN PAKISTAN Energy is considered as one of the most important inputs to economic growth and development. Its consumption is also one of the significant indicators of the level of development of any country. It is now well recognized that energy services play a crucial role in enhancing social and economic development. Energy has become an engine of economic growth at local and global level. It is needed worldwide for fostering and sustaining development process perspective of developing or developed states of the economy. Keeping in view the global economic growth coupled with an increase in population, the demand for energy is bound to increase and meeting this demand poses serious challenges at the global level. In coming decades, the demand for energy is expected to grow more rapidly in developing countries. Since independence, the central thrust of Pakistans energy policy has been on augmenting the countrys energy system. As a result of significant planning and public investment, there has been substantial expansion of energy sector. Despite the significant development in the energy sector, Pakistan yet suffers from energy shortage. This situation has been increasingly viewed as a bottleneck to industrial and agricultural sectors that in turn are seen critical in stimulating the economic and social development. Being a developing country, Pakistan has faced the challenge of fueling industry and agriculture sectors adequately for meeting growth targets and providing energy at affordable prices to poor especially those living in the rural areas. The availability of energy at affordable prices can be a major factor that determines a whole array of other productive activities leading to economic growth. NATIONAL ENERGY MIX Energy sector in Pakistan comprises electricity, gas, petroleum, coal and nuclear power. The share of natural gas in primary energy supplies during 2010 reached 45 percent followed by oil (28 percent), hydro electricity (15 percent), coal (10 percent) and nuclear electricity (2 percent). As can be seen Pakistan is dependent on oil and Gas, which together contribute around 73% of the total primary energy supplied. 3.4 POWER GENERATION, SECTORAL DISTRIBUTION AND CONSUMPTION The total installed capacity generation during 2006-07, was 19,440 MW. WAPDA generated 11,363 MW of which, hydle accounts for 56.9 percent or 6,463 MW, thermal accounts for 43.1 percent or 4,900 MW. IPPs generation was 5858 (MW) which constituted 30% of total installed capacity. KESC with 1756 (MW) contributed 9.1% share and nuclear added 2.4%.Number of WAPDA consumers stood at 17 million out of which household accounted for 84%,commercial 13%and industrial and agricultural1.4%each. As on 30th June, 2007 industrial sector consumed 26%, agriculture 12%and households 43% besides commercial and others. The annual per capita electricity consumption in Pakistan is around 320kwh, and this only caters for 60 percent of the population. Forty percent of Pakistanis still have no access to electricity. There is currently load shedding of up to 700 MW a day because of shortage poor transmission capabilities. Electricity demand is expected to grow by eight per cent a year during the period 2005 2015, requiring an annual installation capacity of about 2000 MW for the next 10 years. Currently about 45% of Pakistans power supply is based on natural gas, 28% on oil, 15% on hydro and remaining on coal, nuclear and renewable electricity. Keeping in view the current power mix, it is essential to concentrate on indigenous and cost effective sources for power generation. 3.5 CURRENT ENERGY GAP IN PAKISTAN Pakistan is currently facing electricity shortfall of around 4000-9000 MW. Everyone agrees that an essential precondition for industrial development is an uninterrupted supply of power.The installed capacity for generation of electricity in the country is 11,500 MW of which 82.7 per cent was thermal; 15.3 percent was hydroelectric and 2 percent was nuclear. Pakistan needs to sustain an annual economic growth rate of at least 6 to 7 percent to alleviate poverty and realize desirable socio-economic and human development. To achieve the growth target of GDP, it is absolutely essential that the minimum electricity growth rate is maintained. The provision of adequate and reliable supply of electricity at a reasonable cost is a prerequisite to attain this goal. Power is the prime mover. Any big push of the economy would need accelerated power development. But there is a likelihood that Pakistans current economic growth might not sustain in the absence of consistent and continuous devolvement of new power projects. 3.6 REVIEW OF PAKISTANS ENERGY PORTFOLIO Looking at the power portfolio of Pakistan it looks as if we are living in an oil rich country. Presently, Pakistan has lot of oil fired power plants. Continuous hike in furnace oil prices can make them unviable in near future. But even if circumstances are not extreme, even if there are no upheavals in producing countries, no terrorist attacks and supply disruptions, the prices will keep going up. Why? Because there is a fundamental imbalance for oil in the world economy. Production is just enough to meet demand. There is no spare capacity to take care of unforeseen shutdowns, supply disruption or a further rise in demand. Such an unbalance power profile carries serious repercussions. An evenhanded power portfolio would require a fair balance among various sources of power with no excessive reliance on any. One of the few matters which must be considered in establishing the power portfolio is that excessive reliance on any single source especially foreign source on which we have no control over supply and price can make things miserable any time. Oil import bill of more than $ 7 billion or around 50% of foreign exchange reserves of a developing economy with no hopes of creating exportable surplus in the near future is undoubtedly very alarming. As 28% of the power generation is based on oil therefore any hindrance in the transportation of oil can cause severe damage to the economy. In short, time has proved that the best solution for all such problems is encouragement and development of indigenous resource. Many countries, including the developed and emerging economies, have adopted extensive programs for increasing hydle and coal based power into their energy portfolios. It would not be wrong if we say that continuous negligence of indigenous resource has made Pakistans power policy directionless. This negligence, absence of priorities and focusing on expensive foreign fuel has made cheap electricity and self reliance a day dream. Pakistan is fortunate enough to have two cheap indigenous resources for power generation i.e. water and coal. But it is sheer bad luck that we have not been able to use both of these resources effectively. Estimated coal reserves of Pakistan are around 185,175 million tons which is one of the largest coal reserves of the world whereas their utilization for electricity generation is barely ten percent. Essentially indigenous coal-based power will bring various benefits for Pakistan; first and foremost benefit would be immense savings in foreign exchange on import of expensive oil. Coal based power plants are labor intensive and will create thousands of new jobs and various other new business opportunities at plant site in particular and in Pakistan in general. ENERGY CONSUMPTION AND QUALITY OF LIFE IN PAKISTAN Like any other country, energy is vital for the economic development of Pakistan. Energy should not only be available but it must be ensured that it is available at a reasonable and affordable price and with out any interruption. For a developing country, like Pakistan where the main stress is on the poverty alleviation, energy plays a positive role. It is imperative that energy production should be environment friendly. More over a mix of energy sources will be helpful in diversification of the sector and would ensure the provision of this vital resource where it is required. The stage of economic development and the standard of living of individuals in a given region strongly influence the link between economic growth and energy demand. An increased use of energy, either through natural gas or electricity, impacts favourably on the living standards of the poor as they then spend less time looking for alternative forms of fuel such as firewood. Similarly, the provision of electricity to the rural areas can help in raising productivity levels of small-scale industry thereby indirectly raising income levels and in the longer term improving the quality of life for the rural poor. Rural electrification is important because it brings to the rural areas the benefits that urban consumers take for granted -an improvement in the standard of living with the associated socio-economic benefits. Provision of electric power also has a purely economic outcome that of increasing the productive capacity of the rural areas with increases in agricultural output. 3.7 PAKISTAN ENERGY SECURITY PLAN AND ENERGY MIX Pakistan historically has been subjected to energy demand suppression due to limited supplies and lack of infrastructure development for provision of energy to the industrial sector. The non availability of sustained and affordable energy to industry has suppressed economic growth and created declining tendency for industrial investment in the country. It is now more important then ever that an adequate supply be made available to industry to drive economic growth, and create employment opportunities. Energy has also to be made available to the domestic sector and the life line segments of society to provide economic support and the convenience of clean fuel for cooking and heating and prevent the continuing environmental degradation and deforestation by massive use of wood for domestic fuel. The commercial availability to various sector of the economy will help in increasing job opportunities, enhancing agriculture productivity, improving standard of living and preserving environmen t through reducing deforestation. A long term integrated National Energy Security Plan, covering the period up to 2030 has recently been approved by the Government vide Mid Term Development Framework (MTDF). The energy sector development is aimed at (i) enhancement in the exploitation of hydropower, and exploration and production activities of oil, gas and coal resources, and to increase the share of coal and alternative energy in the overall energy mix, (ii) optimum utilization of the countrys resources base to reduce dependence on imported oil through an institutionalized strategy, (iii) creating an environment conducive to the participation of the private sector, and (iv) developing the local energy scenario in the context of regional perspective. The current energy mix includes 28 percent oil, 45 percent natural gas, 10 percent coal, 15 percent hydro and 2 percent nuclear. By 2015, the share of oil and gas is targeted to be reduced to 25 percent and 42 percent respectively with corresponding increases in the shar e of coal to 12 percent, hydro to 17.6 percent, renewable to 1 percent and nuclear to 3 percent. Over the long term, the increase in other sources of energy, has been targeted with substantial reduction in the share of oil. EXISTING ENERGY RESOURCES IN PAKISTAN THE CONVENTIONAL RESOURCES 3.8 HYDROPOWER The identified hydro power potential of Pakistan is 46,000 MW, out of which only 14 per cent (6,500 MW) has been exploited so far. Despite this big potential, no hydro power project has been established by WAPDA since Tarbela Dam. The most feasible and economical project Kala Bagh Dam has become so controversial that it could not take off though successive governments wished so. There are plans to develop the hydro resources on a large scale through storage and run -of-the-river projects. Feasibility studies of several projects have already been prepared, while studies of several additional projects are in progress or planned. Hydro is one of the major economic energy supply options in Pakistan for increasing the energy security of the country. The experts caution that for the time horizons of around 100 years, hydro storage projects are non -renewable due to the silting of these reservoirs. For example, over the last 30 years, the storage capacity of Tarbela dam has been reduced by 27 per cent due to silting. Similarly, there is a world wide concern over the dislocation of population and the environmental hazards associated with large dams. Another issue related to the hydro power is that a large number of additional sites with major potential exist in the mountainous North, but the difficulty of access and the high cost of transmission to the populous South make the idea into a completed project a distant prospect. Not only, it means additional cost to build the transmission infrastructure but at the same time a huge loss occurs during the transmission (it is estimated to be between 28 to 30 percent). Another problem is the seasonal variation, where in winter the generation is reduced due to shortage of water in the storages. However, hydro is still the most economical energy resource in Pakistan. 3.9 OIL AND GAS There are considerable oil and gas reserves in Pakistan. The crude oil reserves are estimated at 27 billion barrels including 300 million barrels proven reserves. The level of production is presently 22.6 million barrels compared with the level of consumption of 100 million barrels. The natural gas reserves are 8 trillion cubic meters including the proven reserves of 0.8 trillion cubic meters. The level of production is presently 93 million cubic meters per day compared with the level of consumption of 82 million cubic meters per day. The oil sector has all along been heavily dependant on imports of about 85 percent of the national requirement. Annually about 7.8 million tonnes of crude oil, 5.2 million tonnes of oil products and 2.8 million tonnes of coal are being imported. The local production of oil and gas would start declining due to depletion of resources. There would also be a deficit of gas unless considerable contribution is made from new discoveries. In case the gap is not met through indigenous supply, there will be need to import gas, and the requisite infrastructure would have to be placed in a timely manner. 3.10 COAL Pakistans coal resources are estimated at 185 billion tonnes (82,700 MTOE, or 2 per cent of the world coal resources), out of which 95 per cent are in the Thar coal field in Sindh. This coal is of lignite rank having high moisture content and low heating value. So far only 3.3 billion tonnes of coal resources are in the measured category, and considering a recovery factor of 60 per cent, these correspond to some 2.0 billion tonnes of recoverable coal reserves. However, this coal is equivalent to the combined oil reserves of Saudi Arabia and Iran. As part of the strategy of increasing local energy content, a major emphasis is being placed on exploiting coal resources for large-scale use in power generation, and possibly for the production of coal bed methane. 3.11 NUCLEAR ENERGY Pakistan has two nuclear power plants, Chashma-1 and Kanupp, with 300 MW and 125 MW respectively, of installed capacity. The PAEC operates both nuclear plants. Pakistan is currently working on a third nuclear power plant (Chashma-2), with the help of China National Nuclear Corporation. The plant will have 325 MW of installed capacity expected to be completed by 2012. INTRODUCTION AND DESCRIPTION OF ALTERNATE ENERGY Energy is one of the most important issues for all governments world over. Developed states need energy to sustain their advanced way of life and to cater to the every-changing needs of life dictated by technology. Developing countries need energy for it is the sine qua non for development. Alternative energy has been the most recent addition to the academic and practical aspects of the energy world. The concept is relevant but its importance is absolute. Developed states have begun to manage their energy sector in an increasingly alternative energy based perspective and, this has a great lessons for a country like Pakistan which is aspiring to develop into a healthy economy with an improved quality of life for its citizens. The theory and use of alternative energy is at the most introductory stage in Pakistan. However, in terms of resources and use of alternate energy, Pakistan stands well placed to employ this novel concept in the national policy framework Alternative or renewable energy, sources show significant promise in helping to reduce the amount of toxins that are by-products of energy use. Not only do they protect against harmful by-products, but using alternative energy helps to preserve many of the natural resources that we currently use as sources of energy. The Alternate Energy Development Board (AEDB) has been established to facilitate development of renewable energy projects. At least 5 per cent of the total electricity generating capacity of the country is targeted to be based on these sources by the year 2030. To understand how alternative energy use can help preserve the delicate ecological balance of the planet, and help us conserve the non-renewable energy sources like fossil fuels, it is important to know what types of alternative energy can be brought into reality in Pakistan. Renewable sources of energy like wind power, solar, geothermal energy, wave and tidal power, biomass energy, hydrogen and fuel cells, as well as hydropower are alternatives to fossil fuel and regarded as alternative sources of energy. 3.12 WIND POWER Wind power is one of the earliest forms of energy used by humankind. Windmills were used on farms in the early part of the twentieth century to pump water and generate electricity. Now considered an alternative energy source, wind power is being harnessed by modern windmills with lighter, stronger blades. In US states such as California, New Hampshire, Oregon, and Montana, up to several hundred windmills may operate together in open areas with steady winds. Single giant windmills capable of providing electricity to several thousand homes are also operating in the United States. With new technologies being developed to improve windmill performance and efficiency, wind power is a promising, clean, cheap, and abundant source of energy for the future. The wind power captured by turbines at is a source of energy that does not harm the environment. Wind energy harnesses the power of the wind to propel the blades of wind turbines. The rotation of turbine blades is converted into electrical current by means of an electrical generator. In the older windmills, wind energy was used to turn mechanical machinery to do physical work, like crushing grain or pumping water. Wind towers are usually built together on wind farms. Now, electrical currents are harnessed by large scale wind farms that are used by national electrical grids as well as small individual turbines used for providing electricity to isolated locations or individual homes. Wind power produces no pollution that can contaminate the environment. Since no chemical processes take place, like in the burning of fossil fuels, in wind power generation, there are no harmful by-products left over. Since wind generation is a renewable source of energy, Pakistan will never run out of it. Farming and grazing can still take place on land occupied by wind turbines which can help in the production of bio-fuels. Wind farms can be built off-shore. Since 2001, global wind capacity has nearly doubled to 47,760 megawatts and is cheaper than natural gas even without subsidies; on good sites, wind is even closing in on coal. Pakistan has potentials of wind energy ranging from 10000MW, yet power generation through wind is in intiaial stages in Pakistnan and currently 06 MW has been installed in first phase in Jhampir through a Turkish company and 50 MW will be installed shortly. More wind power plants will be built in Jhampir, Gharo, Keti Bandar and Bin Qasim Karachi. 3.13 SOLAR POWER Energy from the Sun is a free, abundant, and nonpolluting source of energy. Solar power involves using solar cells to convert sunlight into electricity, using sunlight hitting solar thermal panels to convert sunlight to heat water or air. Pakistan has potential of more than 100,000 MW from solar energy. Buildinn of solar power plants is underway in Kashmir, Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan. However, private vendors are importing panels/solar water heaters for consumption in the market. Alternative Energy Development Board (AEDB) is working for 20,000 solar water heaters in Gilgit Baltistan. Mobile companies have been asked by theh government to shift supply of energy to their transmission towers from petroleum to solar energy panels. 3.14 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY Geothermal energy harnesses the heat energy present underneath the Earth. Hot rocks under the ground heat water to produce steam. When holes are drilled in the region, the steam that shoots up is purified and is used to drive turbines, which power electric generators. If done correctly, geothermal energy produces no harmful by-products. Once a geothermal plant is build, it is generally self-sufficient energy wise. Geothermal power plants are generally small and have little effect on the natural landscape. Geothermal energy is the natural heat generated in the interior of Earth and released from volcanoes and hot springs or from geysers that shoot out heated water and steam. Reservoirs of hot water and steam under Earths surface can be accessed by drilling through the rock layer. The naturally heated water can be used to heat buildings, while the steam can be used to generate electricity. Steam can also be produced by pumping cold water into rock that is heated by geothermal energy; such steam is then used to produce electric power. Geothermal energy is an important alternative energy source in areas of geothermal activity, including parts of the United States, Iceland, and Italy. Homes in Boise, Idaho, are heated using geothermal energy, as are most buildings in Iceland. The Geysers in California is the largest steam field in the world and has been used to produce electricity since 1960. Unlike solar energy and wind power, however, the use of geothermal energy has an environmental impact. Chemicals in the steam contribute to air pollution, and water mixed with the steam contains dissolved salts that can corrode pipes and harm aquatic ecosystems. 3.15 TIDAL AND OCEAN ENERGY The rise and fall of ocean tides contain enormous amounts of energy that can be captured to produce electricity. Tidal power cab be extracted from Moon-gravity-powered tides by locating a water turbine in a tidal current. The turbine can turn an electrical generator, or a gas compressor, that can then store energy until needed. Coastal tides are a source of clean, free, renewable, and sustainable energy. Plans are underway in Pakistan to harness tidal energy, however, no implementation has been made so far. 3.16 AGRICULTURE BIOMASS/BIODIESEL Biomass production involves using garbage or other renewable resources such as sugarcane, corn or other vegetation to generate electricity. When garbage decomposes, methane is produced and captured in pipes and later burned to produce electricity. Vegetation and wood can be burned directly to generate energy, like fossil fuels, or processed to form alcohols. Brazil has one of the largest renewable energy programs from biomass/biodiesel in the world, followed by USA. Alternative Energy Development Board (AEDB) of Pakistann has planned to generate 10 MW of electricity from municipal waste in Karachi followed by similar projects in twenty cities of country.

Dawn :: essays research papers

Chapter 1Takes place in Palestine. The narrator knows that he has to kill a man tomorrow. He doesn't know who it is but he knows what he has to do. The man that was going to die was an Englishman. The reason that he had to kill was because there is a war.Beggar. A man that taught the narrator the difference between night and day. Narrator met him while he was at the synagogue. The man wears black clothes. The narrator met the man when he was 12 years old. The narrator, as a child admitted to the beggar that he was definitely afraid of the beggar."Night is purer than day; it is better for thinking and loving and dreaming." (4)The man wants to teach the narrator to distinguish between night and day. The beggar taught the narrator to look into the dusk and there would be a face that would appear. Night has a face and day does not. The face that appears is of a dead person. The night before the narrator does what he has to do, he looks into the night and sees his own face. There is going to be an execution at dawn. All of the executions happened at dawn. The "Movement" always kept their word. A month earlier there was one of their fighters that had been on a terrorist operation. He was hauled in by the police and they found weapons on him. They hung the man. By law this is what they were supposed to do. This was the tenth death sentence by the mandatory power in Palestine. The "Old Man" decided that things had gone far enough and now he was not going to allow the English to rule any longer. The Old Man ordered that a military officer be kidnapped. They kidnapped Captain John Dawson who walked alone at night. (6)This made the country very tense. The English ordered a 24 hour curfew. They searched every house, and also arrested hundreds of suspects. Tanks were stationed at the crossroads, barbed wire barricades at street corners. They did not find the hostage. The High Commissioner of Palestine said that the whole country would be held responsible for the murder of the Captain, if he was in fact murdered. A few people got in touch with the Old Man and told him not to go too far.

Landfills :: essays research papers fc

It has long been believed that the largest entity brought upon the Earth by humankind is the Pyramid of the Sun, constructed in Mexico around the start of the Christian era. The mammoth structure commands nearly thirty million cubic feet of space. In contrast, however, is the Durham Road Landfill, outside San Francisco, which occupies over seventy million cubic feet of the biosphere. It is a sad monument, indeed, to the excesses of modern society [Gore 151]. One might assume such a monstrous mound of garbage is the largest thing ever produced by human hands. Unhappily, this is not the case. The Fresh Kills Landfill, located on Staten Island, is the largest landfill in the world. It sports an elevation of 155 feet, an estimated mass of 100 million tons, and a volume of 2.9 billion cubic feet. In total acreage, it is equal to 16,000 baseball diamonds [Miller 526]. By the year 2005, when the landfill is projected to close, its elevation will reach 505 feet above sea level, making it the highest point along the Eastern Seaboard, Florida to Maine. At that height, the mound will constitute a hazard to air traffic at Newark airport [Rathje 3-4]. Fresh Kills (Kills is from the Dutch word for creek) was originally a tidal marsh. In 1948, New York City planner Robert Moses developed a highly praised project to deposit municipal garbage in the swamp until the level of the land was above sea level. A study of the area predicted the marsh would be filled by the year 1968. He then planned to develop the area, building houses and attracting light industry. Mayor Impelliteri issued a report titled "The Fresh Kills Landfill Project" in 1951. The report stated, in part, that the enterprise "cannot fail to affect constructively a wide area around it." The report ended by stating, "It is at once practical and idealistic" [Rathje 4]. One must appreciate the irony in the fact that Robert Moses was, in his day, considered a leading conservationist. His major accomplishments include asphalt parking lots throughout the New York metro area, paved roads in and out of city parks, and development of Jones Beach, now the most polluted, dirty, overcrowded piece of shoreline in the Northeast. In Stewart Udall's book The Quiet Crisis, the former Secretary of the Interior lavishes praise on Moses. The JFK cabinet member calls Jones Beach "an imaginative solution ... (the) supreme answer to the ever-present problems of overcrowding" [Udall 163-4]. JFK's introduction to the book provides this foreboding passage: "Each generation must deal anew with the raiders, with the scramble to use public resources for private profit, and

Magnetic Fluids :: GCSE Chemistry

1.1 PRELUDE: The phenomenon of ferromagnetism is associated only with the solid state of matter; like iron, nickel, cobalt and some rare earth metals and their alloys. Thus, up to now, there is no intrinsic homogeneous fluid having ferromagnetic properties; although, theories admit the possibility of ferromagnetism in the liquid state, and suggest that there is no inherent reason why they should not exist [1-3,5]. Ferromagnetism occurs when paramagnetic ions in a solid lock together in such a way that their spins all point (on the average) in the same direction . At a certain temperature this locking breaks down and ferromagnetic materials become paramagnetic. This transition temperature is called the Curie point (TC), which is invariably well below the melting point of the corresponding material [1,8,12]. 1.2 MAGNETIC FLUIDS: Magnetic fluids ( MF ) are stable colloidal suspensions of ultrafine ferro- or ferri- magnetic particles ( D100Ao ), coated with a surfactant like oleic acid, in a suitable liquid carriers such as Isopar-M, kerosene, decalin, etc., [1,2]. The idea of MF was put forward independently and almost simultaneously by several investigators. The first prepared MF was developed by Stephen Papell of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in the early 1960s. After that, Ronald E. Rosensweig and his colleagues succeeded in formulating MFs that were 10 times as strong magnetically as Papell`s original MF [1]. The special feature of magnetic fluids is given by the fact, that they combine normal liquid behavior with superparamagnetic properties, as will be discussed later. The possibility of magnetic fluid control gave rise to the development of many technical applications in our everyday life [1-3]. Mixtures are classified into three kinds: colloidal suspensions, suspensions, and solutions, and one of the principal features that differentiate one kind of mixture from another is the size of the particles [6]. Colloidal suspensions (also called colloids) are mixtures that are intermediate between solutions and suspensions. Typically the radius of the particle is of the order 100Ao. Since this is much smaller than the size of a single magnetic domain in bulk solids, which is about , the magnetization of the individual particle is saturated, but the direction of the magnetic moment is subject to thermal agitation [1,2,5]. The particles used are commonly Fe3O4, Fe, Co and Ni. MF is a two-phase system with three components, which combines magnetic properties, carried by the solid magnetic fine particles, with fluidity of the carrier liquid.

Christian Leadership to Change the World

Christian leadership in my opinion is operating in and by Christ. We must be his hands and his feet with precepts. In order to lead and present change God must be in us and its evident must be known. Matthew 5: 13 -16 clearly proclaims the significance of our existence and Gods requirement of every believer. 2 Timothy 2:15 expresses the need for every believer to be approved by the Lord first and then going forth to preach the word throughout to Gods people. Leadership is the duty of the person who is in charge to take charge with courage and character while risking leading the people where they need to go. In doing this Christian leaders will need vision, opportunities, and needs. Then you will have to motivate others to get it done by providing resources, using their talents, and having them contribute their time, however we should be pragmatic of timing. As leaders we must understand the value of forgiveness, redemption and restoration and how essential they are to producing change in society or the world. Also identity and integrity are paramount as well in effective Christian leadership. This will equip us for the non believers who have a desire to come into the kingdom as well as the believers. To be effective Christian leaders we must seriously take our lead from scriptural principles and not from popular trends. We must maintain our focus on what the scripture says in spite of situations and circumstances. 2 Timothy1:7 reads â€Å"God has not given us the spirit of fear but of power and of love†¦Ã¢â‚¬ when we fully recognize that God has given us the power and authority to create change it will then allow us to progress and elevate greatly towards change in society. Furthermore Proverbs 4 and 5 specifies the importance of gaining knowledge and wisdom from the Lord and Proverbs 3: 5 instructs us to trust God in all things so he can direct our path. We must as leaders become selfless and allow the Lord to speak to us so we can get to the people and back in front of society providing the church a forum to determine the direction of society. Christian leadership recognizes that the achievement of the vision is a contribution towards the coming and building of Gods kingdom and understands that where God rules it will then govern the behavior of the world. As Christian leaders we are to remain as a relevant influence providing Gods unchanging and everlasting word to an ever changing society. As the world continues to change the impetus for Christian leadership remains the same. Yet we must also acquire new leadership techniques as both the church and the world changes. SUBMITTED BY: RENEE D. SOBERS

Drugs and Homeostasis

1. ) Clinical Depression – is the most frequently encountered mental illness. Clinical depression is now considered a physical condition in which there is a fault in the brain chemistry. It may afflict up to 5% or more of the population. Symptoms of depression include a distinct change in mood accompanied with an extreme feeling of hopelessness. Other symptoms include: loss of appetite; weight loss; headaches; sleeplessness; loss of energy; and tiredness. Symptoms of anxiety are also quite common. Suicide is common in about 15% of depressed patients. Bipolar Disorder – is also known as manic depression. It affects about 5 in 1000 people. It is characterized by severe mood swings ranging from mania to depression, with normal periods in between. During a manic phase, the individual may think that they are invincible, behave recklessly or believe in delusions such as ones of fame. During the depressive phase, the individual loses interest in their usual activities, may sleep excessively or suffer from insomnia. They may also be at risk of suicide during the depressive stage. Schizophrenia – includes disturbance of thought patterns, disturbance of affective reactions and autism or withdrawal. Secondary symptoms include hallucinations, delusions and paranoia. These symptoms all represent a loss of contact with reality. 2. ) Alcohol – is probably the most commonly abused drug in society. Of all abused drugs, it is presently the only one considered legal upon reaching of age. It has been a large part of our culture for many years and is often associated with social functions and celebrations. However, alcohol use definitely has its dark side. It is known to alter personalities and cause people to behave in manner outside their normal personalities. A night of abusing alcohol can lead embarrassment and regret once the effects have worn off. Poor judgment while drinking alcohol can lead to making deadly decisions such as drunk driving. Also, people have abused alcohol to the extent they vomit in their sleep and choke to death. Marijuana – is tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) works by binding to CB1 receptors found on presynaptic membranes in the brain. These receptors function in blunting pain. THC also causes the release of the neurotransmitter dopamine which elevates mood and controls muscle movements. It has the ability of enabling the user to block out pain, frustration or confusion. In high concentrations can cause hallucinations, anxiety, depression, and psychotic symptoms. Smoking marijuana can cause lung cancer, sinusitis, and bronchitis. It increases the level of carbon monoxide in the blood which, in turn, reduces the amount of oxygen reaching the heart. Long term use can result in: impaired speech; memory loss; difficulty in understanding complex ideas; insomnia; impaired visual perception; and infertility. Cocaine – Cocaine is derived from the plant Erthoxylon coca and can be inhaled, smoked or injected. It results in a feeling of euphoria followed by depression. Cocaine acts by first stimulating the release of norepinephrine and dopamine and in higher doses the release of serotonin. Cocaine then interferes with the re-uptake of these neurotransmitters and these neurotransmitters build up in the synapse. Prolonged use will cause the body to produce less dopamine and the user will need more cocaine. Side effects include mental impairment, convulsions, hallucinations, stroke, heart attack and death. Heroin – is a highly addictive derivative of morphine. It is normally injected but can also be snorted or smoked. It operates by binding to ophioid receptors in the brain in which natural chemical endorphins are involved in the relief of pain. Prolonged use can cause less endorphin production. Side effects include: depressed respiration; impaired coordination; and decreased tolerance to pain; long term effects can include: collapsed veins; infections of heart valves and liver disease. Death can result from overdose. Rohypnol – is a drug associated with rave parties and comes from the benzodiazepine family. It is considered to be the â€Å"date rape† drug and has become famous for its use in committing sexual assault. It is often given to an unsuspecting victim by dissolving it in beverage while they are unaware. It is similar to Valium TM but has ten times its strength. In combination with alcohol, it can be deadly. Rohypnol is highly addictive and has severe withdrawal symptoms. Its use can cause deep sedation, respiratory distress, blackouts for up 24 hours, and amnesia. Ecstasy – is known as Methylene Dioxy Meth Amphetamine (MDMA) and has street names such as X, Rolls, E, Adam, Beans and Buddies. The initial use of ecstasy results in: increased heart rate; increased blood pressure; dilation of pupils and bronchi; brain stimulation; increased motor activity; tightening of jaw muscles; grinding of jaws; overheating; sweating; heat stroke; and dehydration. The long-term use of ecstasy can result in irreparable brain damage. 3. ) Higher doses of designer drugs can result in paranoia, depression and violent irrational behaviour. In general, designer drugs can create a wide range of physical problems such as: hypertension; uncontrolled tremors; total paralysis; seizures; permanent drain damage; and death. . ) Opioids – are typically used to treat pain. They can produce a feeling of euphoria by affecting regions of the brain that enable us to perceive pleasure. However, they can result in physical dependence and addiction. Tolerance of opioids can result in the need to take higher doses to achieve the same effect. Withdrawal will cause: restlessness; muscle and bone pain; ins omnia; diarrhea; vomiting; cold flashes; goose bumps; and involuntary leg movements. A large dose can lead to respiratory depression resulting in death. CNS Depressants – often used to treat anxiety and sleep disorders by slowing normal brain function. Common CNS depressants include barbiturates and Valium TM. Most CNS depressants act on the brain by affecting the neurotransmitter gammaaminobutryic acid (GABA). The function of GABA in the human body is to decrease brain activity. Therefore, increased doses will create the drowsy effect required to treat anxiety and sleep disorders. Individuals can build a tolerance to CNS depressants over time and require larger doses. Withdrawals can cause the opposite effects of the drug. The mind can race out of control, possibly resulting in seizures and other problems. Stimulants – used to treat narcolepsy, obesity, depression, and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). These drugs enhance brain activity and result in increased alertness, energy, elevated blood pressure, increased heart rate and respiration. Examples of stimulants include Ritalin TM and Dexandrine TM. The chemical structure of stimulants is similar to the chemical structure of the neurotransmitters norepinephrine and dopamine. Stimulants work by increasing the amount of these neurotransmitters to the brain. An increase in dopamine results in an increase in blood pressure, increase in heart rate, constriction of blood vessels, increase in blood glucose and it opens the pathways of the respiratory system. Stimulants do not result in physical dependence or withdrawal. However, they can be used compulsively and high doses repeatedly can lead to feelings of hostility and paranoia. High doses can cause body temperatures to rise to a dangerously high level. They can also create an irregular heartbeat leading to the risk of cardiovascular failure. There is also the potential of lethal seizures. Extensions: 1. ) The pros of marijuana are that they are less harmful to use then alcohol, It also reliefs us from pain and reduces spasticity due to multiple sclerosis. It has been shown to help sufferers of severe arthritis. It can be used as an anti – epileptic and anti – depressant. It is also believed to be less addictive then many prescribed painkillers. The cons of marijuana in the treatment of chronic pain are that It increases the level of carbon monoxide in the blood which, in turn, reduces the amount of oxygen reaching the heart. Repeated use tends to lead to the inability to deal with everyday challenges. Long term use can result in: impaired speech; memory loss; difficulty in understanding complex ideas; insomnia; impaired visual perception; and infertility. Marijuana use has also been linked to reducing immunity towards disease. 2. ) The cause of manic depression is still uncertain. There appears to be a genetic link and episodes can also be triggered by stress. Chemical changes are also being studied. Manic behaviour is believed due to a high level of noradrenergic activity. This activity continues until the neurotransmitters system is depleted. It is believed that lithium may prevent mania by preventing noradrenalin depletion. 3. ) Marijuana should be legalized. For one, it is less harmful than alcohol. If they legalized it, it would allow for better regulation and taxation of the drug. It would also save money in law enforcement. Many grave that prohibition of the drugs like marijuana supports organized crime, others raise concerns about addictions and health problems. There are also concerns that it may be the â€Å"gateway† to the abuse of more dangerous drugs.