ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
Introduction Multiple sclerosis is a neurological disease that affects the brain and spinal cord. This paper tries to present what is multiple sclerosis, the anatomy on which this disease is affected, etiology, pathogenesis, and the risk factors, differential diagnosis, natural diagnosis, and the various treatment options of the disease. The problem Multiple sclerosis is a disease that damages the myelin sheath of neurons in our brain and spinal cord. It is also called disseminated sclerosis and encephalomyelitis. Myelin sheath is a material that exists as the protector and cover of the axons in the neurons. Nerves cells help transmit electric signals between the spinal cord and brain in order to communicate with each other. Multiple sclerosis is a nervous system disease that affects the nerve cells in the brain and spine. The cause of the disease is more or less unknown to us and it is considered as our autoimmune system attacks myelin and causes the disease. The absolute cure is not possible for this disease but pharmacological therapy, occupational therapy will help reduce and control the symptoms. Even though MS is regarded to be a mild disease, sometimes the affected may lose the ability for writing, walk, and speak. The physiology that is being attacked by the disease Multiple Sclerosis is a nerve disorder. It means that it affects the brain and spinal cord. There are numerous neurons in our brain. Electric wave helps the brain to communicate with the spinal cord. This disease affects the myelin which is the protector of the axon through which the electric wave passes. When the myelin sheath of a neuron is damaged, the communication between the brain and spinal cord becomes irregular. “Demyelination is the term used for a loss of myelin, a substance in the white matter that insulates nerve endings. Myelin helps the nerves receive and interpret messages from the brain at maximum speed. When nerve endings lose this substance they can not function properly, leading to patches of scarring, or ‘sclerosis’, occurring where nerve endings have lost myelin. It is these areas of scarring that give multiple sclerosis its name.” (Demyelination para.1). Epidemiology of Multiple Sclerosis More cases affected by multiple sclerosis are reported among women and the age group of 20 to 40 is a higher risk group of the disease. Around 300000 patients are affected by this disease in North America and 70 percent of the patients belong to the age group from 21 to 40. “The most notable “epidemic” was described on the Faroe Islands after they were occupied by British troops in W.W.II. Similar increases in the incidence of the disease were seen on Shetland and Orkney Islands, in Iceland, and in Sardinia. A specific “point agent” for these “epidemics” never was identified.” (Rose, et al). Even though
Introduction Animal cloning became recognized as a commercial venture in 2001, with the intention to improve the quality of herds. It is one of the many ways in the field of genetics that has been used to improve and advance the quality of life. However, serious scrutiny from several advocacy groups considers the venture as a violation against fundamental environment and ethic principles. ‘Dolly’ was a sheep and the first living organism to be cloned, in 1997 in Scotland by Ian Wilmut and colleagues. This invention was associated with scientific and ethical implications hence, raised a lot of interest and concern from the public. The University of Hawaii subsequently came up with a process through which mass cloning could occur, while using mice. In both cases, somatic cell nuclear transfer was used. Scientists coined the term cloning in reference to duplication of biological material. It is important to understand that, contrary to what the media reports on cloning, with a focus on reproductive cloning, there are a variety of cloning technologies besides the production of genetic twin of an organism. This paper will give insight into the various technologies behind cloning, will help in understanding what animal and human cloning are all about, and subsequently present an exhaustively argued out ethical stand. The cloning of Dolly was received with great attention, and was seen as a theoretical possibility of human cloning. However, it was a shocking revelation that led to the proposal of various bans on human cloning. Some scholars have taken up a balanced approach based on the pros and cons of cloning and have argued out that cloning should be regulated rather than banned. This regulation would be based on one’s intention of using the cloning process because, one cannot ignore the fact that cloning is a solution for infertility, as well as, protecting endangered species (Federation of Veterinarians of Europe 4-5). It is important to understand that cloning is not associated with the production of a clone that has the same size and age as its donor, but rather, it is a form of twinning referred to as ‘delayed twining’. One great misunderstanding associated with a clone as we shall see is that which states that a clone is an exact replica of the donor, while in actual sense, this is not the case. Various types of Cloning To start with, there is recombinant DNA technology or DNA cloning, gene cloning, or molecular cloning (U.S. Department of Energy Genome Program’s Para 3-4). This refers to the movement of the selected DNA segment from one organism, to a genetic factor characterized by self-replication, such as bacterial plasmid (picture below). Bacterial plasmids often play a great role in the production of multiple and similar copies of a particular gene. This helps in generating enough material for a detailed study. Reproductive cloning, the popular one and which continues to be a contentious topic, is a kind of cloning that involves generating an animal that has got the same nuclear DNA as its host (the donor animal). The process used is referred to as somatic cell nuclear transfer, and it was the method u
Introduction The development of technology modifies the lives of people around the world, and its effects are clearly seen in the shift in the means of communication. At present, the Internet provides individuals with an opportunity to openly express their views and discuss critical matters regardless of their place of residence. However, this positive aspect of the phenomenon of the websites contributing to a better exchange of information is accompanied by specific drawbacks, which are the increase in intolerance and bigotry. These concepts, as applied to Facebook, Twitter, and other similar companies, are thoroughly examined by Sasha Baron Cohen, who proves the harm of their uncontrolled use. Hence, Cohen explicitly presents the difference between freedom of speech and violation of human rights by describing his personal experience, the policy of social media platforms, and the role of online resources in spreading lies. Personal Experience The first factor allowing to view the article as a credible source, which confirms the existence of the mentioned problems in society, is the description of different situations from the author’s life. According to him, the intention to talk to people and “let down their guard and reveal what they actually believe” showed the tendency to consider any erroneous facts as the truth (Cohen 2). This outcome was particularly evident in relation to the information they received from online platforms when talking to others. The case when the author met a person who thought that conspiracy theories spread by Trump were true demonstrates the willingness of American citizens to accept any data (Cohen 3). Since this mechanism works in both social media and physical communication, the former should be adequately regulated. Official Policy of Social Media The second circumstance indicating the correctness of the author’s perspective concerning inappropriate actions of social media and their owners is the general policy adopted by them. In this respect, he provides several statements of Mark Zuckerberg, which contradict the considerations of tolerance and credibility and thereby inevitably cause harm to users. First, he claims that the emphasis on the freedom of speech means the access of individuals with ill-minded purposes to the tool allowing them to recruit people (Cohen 3). Consequently, the perception of necessary limits does not correlate with a mere opportunity to express oneself. Second, the alleged repression of these platforms is connected to the spread of data bringing profits rather than people’s safety (Cohen 4). Third, the promoted “diversity of ideas” also depends on users’ intentions, which are rarely positive (Cohen 4). In this way, the arguments presented by Zuckerberg are insufficient for justifying the neglect of adverse outcomes. Spreading Lies Instead of Establishing Truth The third condition contributing to the author’s stance and explaining the reasonability of his arguments is the fact that people cannot distinguish truth from lies. In this situation, the problem is connected to the trend for social me
Historically, people living with disabilities in the United States were discriminated upon. Glowacki states that before the 18 th century, disability was closely associated with witchcraft, demonic possession or sin (5). As a result, people with various disabilities were in most cases hidden from the public, ostracized and victimized (social exclusion) by members of society (Glowacki 5). Culturally, having a child with a disability was a source of shame and ridicule in most American societies. Despite the significant changes and efforts directed towards the promotion of social inclusion of persons with disabilities, there still remain cultural and social barriers that dampen such efforts. Retish and Raiter stated that culture played a pivotal role in determining societal attitudes towards given phenomena (130). The authors described attitude as “a learned predisposition to respond in a consistently favorably or unfavorable manner with respect to a given object” (131). From this definition, it is evident that attitudes affect the way people react to different circumstances. As such, cultural beliefs influence how we behave or perceive people and event in our societies. Negative feelings harbored by some people regarding particular disabilities are to a large extent as a result of cultural barrier. Therefore, it could be argued that cultural barriers are the greatest obstacles to the inclusion of individuals with disabilities in society. Research conducted by Heyne, Schleien and McAvoy indicated that fear of disabilities was among the major obstacles in the formation of relationships between individuals with and without disabilities (23). Glowacki states that culture has contributed to the tendency of some societies blaming individuals for their disabilities. In addition, stigmatization, stereotyping and pity have been cited as sources of sociocultural barriers affecting individuals living with disabilities. Previous studies indicate that cultural values greatly influence how society views disabilities. According to Mcloughlin, Zhou, and Clark, Confucianism is the predominant philosophy behind the Chinese culture (274). The authors assert that this philosophy classifies people into three intellectual groups starting from people with great wisdom, those with average intelligence and finally, those with little intelligence. While Confucianism encourages tolerance, obedience and courtesy, it has led to the discrimination of people based on their personality and merits. Mcloughlin et al state that Confucianism encourages people to be determined and participants in the proc
The Haven for Homeless NPO currently has about two hundred employees. They strive to fulfill the company’s mission to provide exceptional services to homeless people in the US through housing, documentation help, and psychological consulting. The Government partially subsidizes the funding; about forty percent of financial support comes from the business sponsors. The current operational budget is about $800 million per year, but the average salary for employees is $24,760. Most workers chose to join the Haven for the Homeless based on their desire to provide homes for all US citizens. Stress and government bureaucracy cause the employees to struggle emotionally and sometimes express “toxic” behavior toward other people. Over the past two years, the culture of Haven for Homeless became aggressive and focused on projects deadlines. That could happen due to low average salaries combined with detailed and challenging responsibilities of the workers. The negativity is reflected in the clients’ attitude toward the agency; they often use the firms’ services solely because they have no choice. The proposal for creating a safe and “non-toxic” environment uses the Doughnut economics approach focused on balancing the employees’ needs and environmental impac
Strategies used in acquisition are vey important because they help the acquiring company to make maximum benefit out the acquisition deal. Before entering into any acquisition deal it is important for the company to consider its resources, future market opportunities and its targeted consumers and their reactions (Roy 2004). In this paper we explore two companies which have been involved in acquisition and how it has strengthened their resources and competitive advantage in the market. The companies explored are Adidas in footwear industry and Hp in computer industry. In 1970s Adidas; a sports company based in Germany was leading in market in the United States of America because of innovations in its products. Through aggressive marketing Nike became the leader in market which triggered the merge of Adidas and Reebok in 2005. Adidas expressed its desire to acquire all Reebok’s outstanding shares (Antal-Mokos 2009). These two companies have managed to pull together their resources to create new sporting products and also to explore new markets especially North America. The merge raised the value of the two companies to $12 million (Antal-Mokos 2009). Adidas- Reebok merger has also maintained sustainable competition ability by merging their different competencies. Adidas is a well known strong brand with high performance. On the other hand Reebok has a great conscience for fashion which makes it preferred brand by urban purchasers’. By acquiring Reebok, Adidas takes advantage of the two ideas without compromising the image of the two brands (Antal-Mokos 2009). The merger allows Adidas to venture into lifestyle market. Adidas also has managed to improve its competitive advantage by involving the youth through music and sports. Combining Reebok’s lifestyle shoe brand with high performance and technology Adidas brand creates a main attraction to youths thus keeping a sustainable competitive advantage in the market. In order to keep up its competition with other brands, Adidas will boost distribution of its brand in North America where Reebok dominates thus venturing into new market (Antal-Mokos 2009).This idea increased its sales in North America hence remaining at the top of competition. Adidas and Reebok are well known brand names hence their good reputation has helped in building a firm competition base. Hp has benefited a lot from its merge with Compaq in 2004. It has strengthened its human resources by involving the Compaq’s human resource. Merging these two great work force ensures that the company meets its objectives. The company has over 150,000 in more than 170 countries which makes its consumer base strong (Roy 2004). This has led to increased revenues f
Introduction According to elementary common sense if a person can be accused of a crime that will threaten his reputation and the way of life as a whole, it is necessary to know precisely where the line is crossed between the forbidden and the allowed. Theoretically, this aspect should concern the unethical practice of scientific researches. Impetuous development of medicine, the occurrence of new technologies, the expansion of possibilities of influencing human life, and the integrity of the organism and the personality have led to the development of certain ethical principles and rules of behaviour that should answer this call of time. The ethical guidelines published by the Social Research Association are the perfect example of a set of recommendations that in the light of the aforementioned issues seek to “document widely held principles of research and to identify the factors which obstruct their implementation.”(Social Research Association, 2003). This paper provides an overview of these guidelines in the context of ethical issues to consider in investigating relationships between people with mental disorders and their carers. Discussion The ethical guidelines published by Social Research Association include different aspects from which directly related to the issue of ethics toward patients can be outlined as follows:   * Widening the scope of social research – when related to the subject of this paper, it means the possibility to influence the outcomes.   * Avoiding misuse of data collected. (Social Research Association, 2003)   * Avoiding unnecessary intrusions in private lives.   * Obtaining consent – a difficult choice to make where “research is liable to be intrusive, and intrusion is only legitimate if consent is obtained.”(Spicker, 2007) On the other hand in the case of the relation of patients and carers “the methods used, and even the presence of a researcher, may alter the behaviour of research subjects.”(S
Introduction There are several eternal questions, the answers to which have not been found yet. Every person has his/her own opinion on the point. One of such questions is the following: What rules our life: fate or our actions, which are inspired by the major traits of our characters? Though it is hard to answer this philosophic question, it is possible to prove a certain point of view, using some authoritative example. Such a highly authoritative source may be the play “Oedipus the King” by Sophocles, which has been considered one of the most well-known and respected dramatic masterpieces of imaginative literature for centuries. It is known that the plot of the drama is built around an awful tragedy in the life of the protagonist and his surrounding. The tragedy involves the two greatest sins and crimes: murder and incest. The finale of the play shows death and misfortune, which were caused by awful tricks of fate and concurrence of circumstances. The role of prophets in the play The great importance in the play, and the life of our forefathers, on the whole, was given to priests, who were recognized as mediators between common people and Gods, they were “chosen” people who could interpret the signs of fate, and they were greatly respected for that. In the play, the protagonist, Oedipus, frequently resorts to advice and instructions of prophets, oracles, and priests. They determine and rule the action of the characters. For instance, Tiresias, the blind prophet of Thebes, opens Oedipus the truth about the murderer of King Laius. Without this information, the action could have unfolded differently. Besides, it was a coincidence, that the prophet was blind, and Oedipus mentioned his blindness, provoking the prophet’s wrath: “This crime was planned and carried out by you, All but the killing; and were you not blind I’d say your hand alone had done the murder” (Hall 60). Fate determined the final punishment of the king; he became as blind as the prophet had been. The concurrence of circumstances in Oedipus’s life The action of the play omits the first part of the myth about king Oedipus, but later Jokasta tells the story to Oedipus, her husband, and son. It becomes evident, that his life was ruled by fate from the very beginning. It was his father, Laius, who obeyed the prophecy of the oracle and decided to kill his son, in order not to be killed by him. However, Laius failed in
Abstract Groundwater quality in many countries has special significance and needs great attention of all concerned since it is the major alternate source of domestic, industrial and drinking water supply. The present study monitors the ground water quality, relates it to the land use / land cover and maps such quality using Remote sensing and GIS techniques for a part of Western Cape, South Africa metropolis. Thematic maps for the study are prepared by visual interpretation of SOI topo-sheets and linearly enhanced fused data of IRS-ID PAN and LISS-III imagery on 1:50,000 scale using AutoCAD and ARC/INFO software. Physico-chemical analysis data of the groundwater samples collected at predetermined locations forms the attribute database for the study, based on which, spatial distribution maps of major water quality parameters are prepared using curve fitting method in Arc View GIS software. Water Quality Index (WQI) was then calculated to find the suitability of water for drinking purpose. The overall view of the water quality index of the present study area revealed that most of the study area with > 50 standard rating of water quality index exhibited poor, very poor and unfit water quality except in places like Banjara Hills, Erragadda and Tolichowki. Appropriate methods for improving the water quality in affected areas have been suggested. Introduction The urban environment quality is fading day by day with the largest cities reaching saturation points and unable to cope with the increasing pressure on their infrastructure. Rooiberg Winery is situated on the scenic R60 route that connects the Western Cape (South Africa) towns of Robertson and Worcester. North latitude is facing a rapid change in the environmental quality. Rapid urbanization brings with it many problems as it places huge demands on land, water, housing, transport, health, education etc. Environmental pollution has reached alarming levels in the last 5-6 years mainly due to industries and automobiles. The city witnessed an increase in population from 0.448 million in 1901 – 1.429 million in 1961, between 1981 and 1991 the population went upto 4.34 million and the growth rate so far is 67.04%. As per the population estimates,This rising population density will continue to have an impact on the quality and quantity of local water resources. Fresh water being one of the basic necessities for sustenance of life, the human race through the ages ha