ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
Abstract There is a strong evidence correlate smoking cessation with weight again which adds to health risks. The causes can be biological and-or psychological, secondary to nicotine withdrawal or to common beliefs that smoking reduces weight. Tackling this issue is a many-sided effort. There should be a plane to encourage practicing exercises, working on dietary habit, and consideration of nicotine replacement treatment. Introduction Obesity and smoking are two major health risk factors. In the US, 22.5% of adult population smoke and 31% are obese (body mass index over 30) (Healton and others, 2006). Many studies reported overlie and correlation between cessation of smoking and weight gain. O’Hara and colleagues (1998) reported an average weight gain 2.7 to 3.6 kg one year after cessation of smoking. With 10 kg weight gain, the impact on the lungs and cardiovascular system risks the benefits gained by quitting smoking. The problem is not only with long-term weight gain, short-term weight gain affects the individual’s blood pressure, serum lipid level and blood glucose level. Thus, whether post smoking cessation weight gain occurs over a short or a longtime, it is still a major health hazard (O’Hara and others, 1998). The aim of this paper is to present, in brief, the correlation between smoking cessation and weigh gain from biological and psychological viewpoints. Main body The relation between smoking and weight is controversial. Chiolero and others (2008) inferred that nicotine increases energy using up and perhaps reduces appetite. Another factor is the common belief among population that smoking reduces body weight may have a psychological implication in smoking cessation related weight gain. As stated by Chiolero and others (2008), there are other studies that display heavy smokers have increased body weight than nonsmokers. Increase in body weight 10 years after smoking cessation ranges between 2.8-4.4 kg in males and 3.8-5 kg in females. Americans of African descent and abundant (heavy) smokers are at more risk. The impact can be discouraging smokers to stop smoking or increase risk of relapsing and smoking again (especially in females) (Chiolero and others, 2008). Chiolero and others (2008) suggested three principle biological mechanisms for post smoking cessation weight gain. First increased calorie intake (especially on the short-term), levels of 250-300 kilocalorie a day are reported. Second is decrease in energy use up and physical activity in response to nicotine withdrawal. Third are changes in fat tissue metabolism and fat oxidation (changes in lipoprotein activity), besides changes in neuropeptides as leptin and neuropeptide-Y whose functions are to regulate energy use up and food (calorie) intake. From a psychological view point, smoking cessation represents a trial to correct a high risk health behavior, however, paradoxically; weight gain represents a failure to correct unhealthy e
Hypoxic or so-called dead zones are areas of the ocean (and rarely in lakes or even rivers) which lack oxygen to provide normal marine life (Simon, n.d.). This condition is usually caused by a complex of reasons which includes chemical, biological, and physical aspects. I consider that the emergence of hypoxic zones mainly depends on the area and human activity there. For example, in agricultural areas, the major reason for hypoxic zones will be chemicals since the water is rich in “nitrogen and phosphorous from agricultural runoff” (Simon, n.d.). The growth of concentration of chemical nutrients in the water causes the active algae blooming which drains underwater oxygen thus conditioning the lack of oxygen (Simon, n.d.). However, other factors such as “sewage, vehicular and industrial emissions and even natural factors” have an impact on the development of hypoxic zones (Simon, n.d.). It is considered that hypoxic zones can have natural roots. Nevertheless, their prevalence in the seas and oceans near the locations of big industrial or agricultural facilities proves the human impact (Simon, n.d.). As of 2008, there were over 400 hypoxic zones detected around the world (Simon, n.d.). One of the biggest hypoxic zones in the US (area of 8,500 square miles) is in the Gulf of Mexico (Simon, n.d.). The Mississippi River runs into the Gulf filled with nutrients from farms. The condition of water in the area caused the decline of the shrimp industry. Moreover, lack of oxygen conditioned the reproductive problems for fish. Thus, a chemical reason caused biological one. However, hypoxic zones can be reversible in case the factors conditioning them are reduced or removed. At present, biological invasions are a burden for marine ecosystems. These invasions are an extensive global change that is a threat to “the conservation of biodiversity and natural resources” (Simberloff et al., 2013, p.58). Invasion science which emerged at an intersection of ecologic studies, social sciences, resource management, and economics investigates biological invasions. The influences of invasions by alien species are varied and hard to evaluate since their effect is often delayed. Different researchers define these impacts as “good” or “bad” (Simberloff et al., 2013). However, the impacts of marine invasive species are mainly detrimental. For example, the migration of rabbitfish ( Siganus spp) reduced the habitat complexity and species richness. Moreover, it changed food webs in the area (Simberloff et al., 2013). Another example is the introduction of Nile perch ( Lates niloticus ) which led to the extinction of more than 150 native fish species, increase of algal blooms, and rapid growth of prawn populations (Simberloff et al., 2013). Sometimes the effect of biological invasion
Introduction Macro social work involves a great number of dilemmas that force people to make hard choices. The question of funding is perhaps the most relevant one as it can decide the majority of the outcome. The difficulty of the funding dilemma comes from the unique nature of the way funding sources are affected by the populations of the community. The number of people that can receive the benefits from macro social work is limited, which at times leaves people without help. This paper will outline how populations can affect funding sources, what this means for the minority populations such as seniors, and will provide my take on the issue. Discussion The populations of a community can have a great effect on funding sources available to it. Macro social work is primarily aimed at people experiencing harsh living conditions such as poverty and destitution which focuses the funding sources on paying more attention to people living on the far side of the scale. This is a reasonable position to take as there exists a significantly large number of people experiencing extremely difficult conditions, and they require more urgent help. The more populations are affected by the state of destitution leads to more funding being given by the sources (Netting, Kettner, McMurtry, & Thomas, 2012). Unfortunately, this system has a large flaw that has an effect on minority communities who are not yet living in poor conditions, but are either at risk or also require additional help. Perhaps the most prominent community affected by this issue is the elderly population. A lot of funding sources are tied to income eligibility, leaving very few slots for people who do not live in poverty. While this is a seemingly sensible concept, it becomes a real issue when applied to people who have saved up money over the years. Often the savings are not sufficient to pay for the increased need for medical care. Also, the lack of outside help from family members who might be absent, or conditions and bad habits that have developed over the years exacerbate the issue. Seniors are forced to survive on their own because they technically have money, leaving them to search for agencies with alternative funding solutions (Netting et al., 2012). I believe that this issue could be at least slightly mitigated by the introduction of a group risk assessment for the populations that exhibit similar characteristics. By examining the situation the people
Cockroaches are among the most common house pests. There are several species of cockroaches, and they include Blattela , Periplaneta, and the Nauphoeta, among others. However, the Blatella germanica , also known as the German cockroach, is popular among researchers since it possesses several characteristics that differ from other species. This is primarily because it is regarded as the most troublesome species, as it is difficult to control using insecticidal baits (Schal, 1997). Second, unlike other insects that have shorter adult lives, the adult females of the B. germanica can produce up to nine broods and have a longer lifespan of up to 250 days (Breed, Hinkle & Bell, 1975). Therefore, they breed continuously, with many overlapping generations present at any given time. Relative to its social and economic impact, the B. germanica is associated with several adversarial outcomes. This is because the cockroaches contaminate food with their insect excreta and indigestible cast skins that could lead to digestive upsets in consumers. Furthermore, they sometimes carry food-borne pathogens that cause severe illnesses. Different invasive species interact differently with each other in their respective environments. With regard to cockroaches, several studies have examined the patterns of aggression and reproduction behavior among the organisms (Bell & Gorton, 1978; Bell & Sams, 1973; Breed et al., 1975). The results of these studies were mainly based on observing the agonistic action patterns, in which it was seen that they use body-jerking and stilt-walking as a threat or intention movements (Bell & Gorton, 1978). Other agonistic action patterns comprise kicking, biting, and butting with the head. On the other hand, non-aggressive agonistic actions consist of retreat, truce, and antennation (when a cockroach touches the other with the flagellum of its antennae) (Bell & Gorton, 1978). These agonistic action patterns are a resultant of six categories of aggression behavior, which include fear-induced, territorial, inter-male, instrumental, irritable, and maternal aggressive behavior. Out of all these categories, only the maternal, territorial, and inter-male aggression behaviors can be easily differentiated among cockroaches. Fear triggers a flea response, while irritable and instrumental aggression behaviors are dependent on a complex of factors exceeding the capabilities of a cockroach (Breed et al., 1975). Maternal aggression is the most prevalent form of aggressive behavior exhibited by the B. germanica species. This is usually portrayed by mothers or females carrying oothecal as they elicit this behavior to increase the likelihood of the survival of their young. However, maternal aggression is rarely observed in insects as they a reproductiv
Introduction There has been a debate on the usage of the terms sentence and clause in English syntax with most scholar arguing that there is an overlap in the usage of the terms (Freidin, 2006). There are those who feel that there is no significant difference between a sentence and a clause and that the two terms should not be used separately. However, there are those scholars who feel that the two terms are distinct and should continue to be used separately in English syntax. Before looking at this syntactical debate pitting the two constituents of English grammar, it is important to look at their distinctive definitions. Definitions What is a sentence? Syntactically, a sentence is a group of words that have been combined together using the grammatical rules to express a meaning or to convey an idea, a thought, an event or a description. The main points in this definition are expression of ideas and the grammatical rules. These rules create order and also regulate the expansion and the shortening of the sentence (Griffin, 2001). It is easy to recognize the structure and the boundaries of a sentence. Every sentence starts with a capital letter and its end is marked by terminal marks such as the full stop and the question mark. However, a clause is a group of words, with a special relationship. The words must contain a subject and a verb. This is what creates a difference between a phrase and a clause because a phrase does not have the subject verb agreement. Relationship between clauses and sentences To understand the relationship between the clauses and the sentences, it is important to review the various major clauses that are present in English syntax. The first type of a clause that is found in English syntax is the independent clause. An independent clause is a clause that contains a subject and a verb and can make meaning on its own. An independent clause does not need another clause to make meaning. Two main clauses when coordinated form compound sentences and the clauses still remain independent of each other even in their hypotactic relationship. The conjunctions that are used to combine two or more independent clauses to make a compound sentence are called coordinating conductions. Independent clauses are commonly referred to as main clauses (Carnie, 2006). The other type of clause in English syntax is the subordinate or dependent clauses. A dependent or subordinate clause contains a subject and a verb; however, it cannot make meaning alone. It needs an independent clause to make meaning. When a main clause and a subordinate clause are joined together, they make a complex sentence. A complex sentence is made up of a main clause plus one or more subordinate clauses that have been joined together using subordinating conjunctions. This lesson on clauses brings the debate to three main types of sentences (Brown, 1996). The three are simple sentences, complex sentences and compound sentences. All these types of sentence
Introduction “Dark Matter” is a book written by Blake Crouch that presents the story of identity change. In this context, the question of what defines a person’s identity arises. The body and memory theories describe the two different views on this issue. The memory theory suggests that identity is connected to a person’s thinking. According to body theory, the physical elements of a person define his or her personality. This paper aims to examine the topic of personal identity using the example of Jason from “Dark Matter.” Dark Matter Firstly, it is necessary to examine the book “Dark Matter” and evaluate the personal identity problem presented there. In “Dark Matter,” Crouch described a story of a family man Jason Dason. The main storyline of the plot is an attack that Jason survives, during which a stranger hits him in the head. As a result of this injury, Jason loses his identity, waking up as a different person. According to Crouch, “we all live day to day completely oblivious to the fact that we are a part of a much larger and stranger than we can possibly imagine” (96). When reading this book, the following questions come to mind – what constitutes one’s self? When one’s personality begins and ends? What are the origins of a person’s identity?
By definition, gender identity refers to the extent of classifying an individual with a particular gender. Moreover, gender identity implies subjective experiences, which identifies an individual as either a man, women, or another gender. In most cases, nature and nurture significantly contributes to gender development especially at early stages of human life. Nurture that is, sexual orientation puts individuals in a custody of heterosexuality. Conversely, nature attaches biological identities on children before their birth. In other words, gender identity originates from the combination of both nature and nurture conforming people to certain temperate and experiences of gender. From the episode 106 that I have listened to and personal experiences, sexual orientation revolves around several factors as explained below. According to Crawford (34), nurture through societal pressure influences gender identity and so, making people grow as heterosexual. Subsequently, children from such background tend to live in custody of heterosexual. For illustration, my experiences conformed me into gender binary that ultimately affected my perception on gender and sex. What is more, at the age of six years, my father taught me specific characteristics attached to different gender; for example, girls were treated as strangers and relationship agents as opposed to their counterparts. This made me to develop an interest of playing football and performing other risky related tasks because males were regarded as aggressive and powerful. Therefore, societal pressure has the effect of shaping individual’s perception on gender identity through daily experiences at both childhood and adulthood. To another end, interest, behaviors, preferences, and self-concept from parents influences the understanding of children on sexual stereotypes (Sweetman 20). Early teachings on feminine and masculine features make learners internalize such teachings that eventually define their gender orientation. Likewise, world globalization in effect has increased competition for lucrative economic and social positions therefore; inducing children to associate themselves with gender that stratifies more privileges and economic power in the society. For example, the notion that boys are innately better at science subjects shaped my interest in mathematics at the same t
According to Robinson, female athletes are usually starved by their male coaches. The reason being is that coaches strive to make them be in the shape they are themselves. They try to meet the general standards of the European sport providing their female athletes with steroids and lack of food. This problem is considered to cover sex standards rather than sport, as coaches usually try to make a European model from their female athletes. Female athletes always try to follow the demands of the coaches and never challenge them as to food consumption. The fact is that young female athletes strive to be like professional male athletes and have the same shape and form, but it never leads to positive effects. It is a problem of perfectionism overcoming faced by every woman, not only female athletes. According to Robinson, these general requirements as to the shape of the female athletes should be changed and rejected. Women should enjoy the body they have. Besides, too thin females with anorexia symptoms are very quickly retired from the big sport as they are too weak and cannot take part in international competitions. Robinson states that coaches should take responsibility for their athletes and their physical and moral state. The European standards of thin female athletes are to be broken by law as in comparison with the international level. These sportsmen are considered to be too thin and weak to take part in global competitions.
Introduction Different cultures use different types of non-verbal communication in their day to day interaction. This form of communication is used to complement the verbal communication while at times it is used in a situation where one wishes to ensure that the other party effectively understands what is being said. Some of the non-verbal cues are universally understood while others are not. One of the interesting things about non-verbal communication is that some of them are contagious. For instance, laughter, coughing and yawning are some of the contagious non-verbal communication. It has been identified that it is a issue to do with brains that leads to laughter and other positive non-verbal cues being contagious. This paper aims at giving a brief explanation of why laughter as one of the non-verbal communications is contagious. Reasons why laughter is contagious Generally, when a person comes across two people laughing due to a joke they have shared, one tends to smile or eventually laugh even without knowing what they were laughing at. There is a common believe that one only require to laugh and the entire world will laugh with him or her. When one comes across a funny situation, he or she finds him or herself laughing without knowing. One may be recalling a situation that happened in the past or encountering the situation at the moment. The fact that the situation is funny triggers a response in ones mind leading to one smiling or laughing. According to a research conducted by Sophie Scott (neuroscientist), it has been identified that when one laughs, the other party’s brain reacts to the laughter sound triggering the facial muscles to respond by laughing too. According to Scott, when two people are in conversation, they tend to copy they tend to copy one another with respect to words as well as facial and other non-verbal communications (Anitei para. 2-5). This is to show the other party that one is concentrating on whet is being aid or understands the conversation. The same applies to laughter. When one party laughs, the other party tends to reflect his or her behavior by laughing too. To ascertain their argument, Scott and other scholars conducted an experiment where they observed the reaction of different people participating in an interaction with different sounds. It was identified that most of those induced to positive sounds such as laughter, the sound triggered a response in their brain leading to them smiling and others eventually laughing back. This gave a clear indication that laughter and other positive sounds are contagious. In the same experiment, people were induced into negative sounds such as screaming (Anitei para. 6). On scanning their brain, the team realized that the sound did not trigger a response in their mind. As a result, they did not respond in any way to the sounds. Basically, when people are engaging in a communication, there is different positive non-verbal communication that helps in strengthening the bond between the communicati